He Accepts Service From Affectionate Devotees

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Actually, I do not know what bhajan is or who Bhagavān is. When I was posted in Punjab I had a discussion with a devotee that I met in a shop. He described some glories of Guru Mahārāj and after hearing that I had the desire to go and see him. That year Guru Mahārāj came for Vraja-maṇḍala parikramā and I went and met him there. And when I saw Guru Mahārāj I was instantly attracted to him and felt a lot of bliss. It is like only a person who is in deep trouble can appreciate the happiness that comes after it.

After that my hāriṇam initiation took place. Subsequently, whenever I met Guru Mahārāj as soon as he saw me he said two things, "Hey Army man, when did you come? Is everything in order at the border?" And the other was, "You know, Mahaprabhu went to Jharkhand." (He mentioned this specifically as I am from Jharkhand).

While studying in a missionary school as a child, I won a book as a prize in a singing competition.  That book contained pastimes from the life of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Reading that, I was attracted to Mahāprabhu. Though young, I prayed to the Lord to please make me meet a devotee who is very, very dear to You. Those days I used to go to graze the cows and used to go to the place where Mahāprabhu's footprints are alongside other animals. At that time, there was no temple or any maintenance of it. Now after everything has manifested I know that I used to go to the place where Mahāprabhu had performed His pastimes. And by Mahāprabhu's grace, I came in contact with such an associate of His. 

I see how Guru Mahārāj is protecting me and is making everything possible for me. Guru Mahārāj always used to call me fauzi, (army man) and I took that as an indication that Guru Mahārāj wanted me to continue in this line. Even though there are so many difficulties in this field, I thought because Guru Mahārāj is calling me fauzi that I shall continue in this service. Very few years are left, one or two years until retirement. Even though I am sitting here now, still I will be receiving so many calls from the office because of tension prevailing on the Indian-Pakistan border. In this situation, there is no possibility of vacation for anyone, but somehow Guruji made arrangements and I am here only by his grace.

When I was posted in Hyderabad, I arranged a program in the Air Force camp and many people attended and became attracted to this path. One day Guru Mahārāj came to my house. We had arranged for some simple dry prasādam and Guru Mahārāj asked us to provide pakoras (fried items). I asked Guru Mahārāj, "Why is it that you he did not ask for or accept anything from the wealthy people in Banjara Hills, an affluent community where rich persons were ready to serve, but here we are poor people and we do not have anything to offer but you are asking us to give you this and that?"

Then Guru Mahārāj told that Mahāprabhu went to Sridhar Pandit's house who had only a broken glass (tumbler) and a thatched house. Mahāprabhu went there and took from him only. Wherever there is love, and affection, automatically there is a desire to accept from them. 

Today I am still working in the Army, but I am without money. Whenever I have money I spend it on something or the other. I live in a simple dwelling and there is nothing in my possession, but I am very happy. Maybe in the next one or two years, I will leave my Army uniform also. It is my desire that I give the rest of my lifetime in the service of Gurudev.

—Śrī Rādhānātha Das

Spoken in Hindi with English translation on 15.4.2019 (Śrīla Gurudeva's Avirbhāv-tithi) in Śrīdhām Māyāpur







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