His Overflowing Affection in Goalpara-dhām

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The first time I went for darśan of Gurudev, I was in my school uniform. I had learned from Śrī Jānakīvallabh Prabhu (Śrī Rasavihāri Prabhu’s younger brother) that Gurudev had come to Jammu for hari-kīrtan saṃmelana and is staying in Raguṇatha Mandir. When I bowed down at Gurudev’s feet, he did not ask me what is my name or where from I have come, he spoke a Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam verse which says that by watering the root of the tree, the whole tree is nourished, so also by serving the lotus feet of Śrī Kṛṣṇa all are served. These are the first words of teaching I heard from Gurudev. 

The first service I got was washing the utensils of Gurudev. At that time, Śrī Rasavihāri Prabhu asked me if I would like to take hāriṇam from Gurudev. I said yes and he arranged appropriate clothes for me. At the time I was with Gurudev during the initiation, I felt I am not in this world, not in Jammu. I felt great bliss as though Gurudev is taking me to a very different world. He gave me the bead bag and gave me instructions on chanting and also told me to go and offer daṇḍavat praṇāms to all vaiṣṇavas.  

I remember in those days how Gurudev was very much effulgent. He would wear wooden sandals (khaḍāūṃ) and its sound ‘tap tap’ was like when a king walks. His wonderful personality, his darśan gave me such confidence and relief from the anxiety of my studies of Commerce subjects. I started feeling academic study is nothing and Guru Mahārāj is taking me elsewhere. Also, I saw for the first time that Gurudeva was swaying and jumping in nāgar-sankīrtan chanting "Nitāi Gaurāṅga!" People going in cars and scooters would stop to have a glimpse of Him and shopkeepers would come out of their shops for his divine darśan. I felt great joy and bliss in those sankīrtans led by Gurudev.  

Then by the mercy of Śrī Rasavihāri Prabhu, I came to reside in Chandigarh Maṭh in 1998 and got teachings on seva pūjā. My parents who came to take me back home were speechless when they had Gurudev’s darśan so much impressed by his divine personality.  In 2010 I got a call from Śrī Rasvihāri Prabhu asking me to come to Kolkata. He told me, "Gurudev wants you to come." I immediately went with Sandeep Prabhu by train. Seeing me, Gurudev asked me, "Will you go to Goalpara?" 

I had only heard about, but have never seen Goalpara. I said “Yes, Guru Mahārāj.” He wrote a letter mentioning the names of Śrī Brihadvati Mahārāj, Śrī Rasvihāri Prabhu, and my name,  to express that we should take care of the GOKUL (Global Organization of Kṛṣṇacaitanya’s Universal Love) established in Goalpara. 

When I arrived in Goalpara by train, I felt I was in my own place seeing the hilly terrain. Goalpara looks like Jammu; they come in one belt of Uttaranchal. I came along with Śrī Rasavihāri Prabhu and Śrī (Bhakti Niloy) Brihadvati Mahārāj to Goalpara.  

In the main maṭh (bada maṭh) at Goalpara, we had darśan of Śrī Śrī Rādhā Dāmodara and had prasādam, then came to Gurudev’s birthplace (janmasthān). Behind there is Huluganja pahāḍ (hill) which has great significance. Guru Mahārāj says he is Girirāj. When I came here to Gurudev’s birthplace I felt I was here before. 

Śrī Rasvihāri Prabhu had made all arrangements and had brought all necessary things like utensils, etc. He told me, "You are going to stay here." Staying here, I had a great many experiences.  Gurudev came here and was always found to be in a very blissful mood.  He spoke hari-kathā in the assembly hall and there was a great festival. At that time in Guwahati, Kartik celebrations were going on and many devotees had arrived from Punjab. Kṛṣṇananda Prabhu and Bhūtabhāvan Prabhu were all here and a great festival was celebrated.  

Goalpara is non-different from Vṛndāvan-dhām and Navadvīp-dhām. In Vṛndāvan dhām, Kṛṣṇa did not distribute His love to one and all, and in very munificent Navadvīp, Śrī Gaurahari distributed Kṛṣṇa-prema to all and did not consider any offenses— but this Goalpara-dhām is the best of all where Gurudeva appeared, came so many times and he is especially merciful and compassionate here and forgives any offenses here; I have experienced this. Gurudev is personally present here in a mood of parental affection. So please come here and perform bhajan. All arrangements for bhajan are here. People feel blissful receiving Gurudev’s mercy. This place is special because you can experience glimpses and a touch of Gurudev’s affection which is overflowing here.  

Goalpara is an ancient place, even more ancient than Guwahati, and it is so beautifully situated on the bank of the Brahmaputra River. Here Gurudev’s mercy is always overflowing. This is Gurudev’s appearance place;  his parents’ blessings (father Dhirendra Kumar Guharay and Mother Sudhanshubala) and Mahadeva’s blessings are flowing here.  So it is a holy eternal dhām and whoever does bhajan here, offers praṇāms to Gurudev here, he will get Gurudev’s special mercy.  

Gurudev’s glories are unlimited like that of the Lord. You all must have heard from his guru-varga, disciples, his family members and all.  Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair... to speak about his glories or even to get a touch of his glories is not possible without his mercy. Even residing here, speaking about him is made possible by his mercy.  Otherwise, I am paṅgu (disabled), not able to speak. Without his mercy, nothing is possible.  My humble request to you all is whenever you get time to please come to this place and take the merciful blessings of Gurudev.   

—Śrīdhar Das (Goalpara-dhām)

Transcript of Gurukathā on Gokul India, 13.4.2020 (part 4)

Spoken in Hindi, translated to English by Rasavihari Das and others







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