I am Not Your Guru, Our Gurudev Is Your Guru

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In 1947 after completing his MA in Philosophy, Śrīla Gurudev joined the mission and in 2017 he has made his disappearance pastime.  That is for a period of seventy years— if I can stay like that for seventy seconds, then I will feel that I have become a success in my spiritual life.  He has carried on in this manner for seventy years and he has put forth such high standards for all of us so that we become successful in our spiritual life.  

He appeared like a small child in the way he would cry out in front of his Gurudev, even as an Ācārya of Sree Caitanya Gauḍīya Maṭh, as the one who has founded the Global Organization of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya's Universal Love, and who has been accepted as the President of the World Vaiṣṇava Association. I have personally seen him crying in front of his Gurudev without a thought of Oh, disciples are there, let me limit myself. He was crying like a desperate child who has been lost. He is asking his Gurudev, "Where are you, where can I get you, in your absence this entire place is void, I am not able to stay, please take me, why are you not answering my calls, my dear Gurudev? Please take me with you."
 
Who can sing like this? Only a person who has got a relationship and attachment can have such a separation. I am living so happily after our Gurudev has left, but Guru Mahārāj could not remind in this separation.

In the separation of Swarupa Damodar Gosvāmī, Raghunāthdas Gosvāmī wanted to jump from the top of the mountain and give up his body. Gurudev also expressed this mood. Although it was announced about five years before Śrīla Param Gurudev's departure that our Śrīla Gurudev is going to be the successor Ācārya, he was the one least interested. In the separation of his Gurudev, he went to Govardhan to give up his life. Only after repeated requests and blessings of guru-varga, he came back to accept the post of an Ācārya. 

At that time he said that my Gurudev has seen I have no desire to serve the Vaiṣṇavas; I am sitting alone thinking about material things and I have no desire to serve the Vaiṣṇavas. Therefore he has made me the president. President does not mean the one who will rule over everyone, who can become the controller. He gave me the service of all the Vaiṣṇavas for my own welfare.  That is why Guru Mahārāj made me president, it was not because I have qualities; I have no qualities— all qualities belong to Śrīla Gurudev. 

In this manner, he presented what is actual guru-tattva and whenever anyone came to him and offered obeisance to him, he said, "I am not your guru, our Gurudev is your guru."

—Śrī Bhakti Suhrid Paramadvati Mahārāj

spoken in English, excerpt transcribed from session 5 of live broadcast in honor of Guru-purnima, 2021



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