Praṇamāmi Guru Tīrtha Padaṁ

tat te anukampam susamikshamana : most noble, peaceful— even those who act like enemies to him,  to them he is very friendly. Under any circumstance, Srila Gurudeva is always seen peaceful and smiling, which is an exemplary character of a pure devotee as explained in the verse,  tat te anukampam susamikshamana (Brahma Stava 10.14.8) Once there was a delay of 5-6 hours when Gurudeva and the prachar party reached Bhatinda from New Delhi, reaching around 1 o'clock in the middle of the night instead of the scheduled time 6 in the evening. Many of the devotees who arrived with Gurudeva were so tired that when they got rooms, they simply retired without even waiting to have prasadam. But when Gurudeva was to be offered food, Gurudeva's sevak found to his surprise that all the edibles prepared by devotees with love were all Punjabi foods— fried things like puris and spicy curries, and not a single item other than plain rice suitable for Gurudeva's offering. There was no ...

Srila Gurudeva leads an ecstatic kirtan on Srila Bhakti Pramode Puri Goswami Maharaja's tirobhav tithi, 1999 at the Vrinda Kunja mandir, Vrindavan:

It was after 35 years after his [Srila AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj] Guru Maharaj [Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur] gave the instruction to preach abroad that he was able to do so. He was a householder and he had a business, but it was not too successful. Once he got tuberculosis. At that time, [contracting] tuberculosis meant the family will reject you. The medicine was too expensive, each day 120 rupees at that time in 1950s,  [today] that [is equivelent] to 12,000 rupees daily. Due to the fact that it was an infectious and contagious disease, his family rejected him. This is not in our written history, only spoken. That time Srila Bhakti Dayita Madhav Goswami Maharaja said, for the service of my godbrother, I will beg door to door, and he brought him to his temple. At that time, Madhav Maharaj had a temple in a rented house in Rasbihari, Kolkata. It is not the building where the temple is now, but five blocks from there. Madhava Maharaj kept him there for 6 month...

The title of this post is not really accurate. Using the words "last "or "final" for anything related to Srila Gurudeva is not actual, as He is eternal. Nonetheless, this is the last time His darshan in Vraj could be perceived with material vision. He is always with Sri Krishna who never leaves Vrindavan. Lord and He are always there; coming or going are only apparent.

Once devotees from Punjab requested Guruji to come there.  Then Guruji asked to make arrangements and book tickets after speaking with Srila Bhakti Prasad Puri Goswami Maharaj. In those days it used to be a big trip, some 15 days here, some 10 days there like that, and in total some 2-3 months. One night at 1 o’clock, Guruji came to my room and was waking me up. He said, "Get up, get up." I opened my eyes and saw Guruji.  I paid obeisances all the time thinking I am dreaming that Guruji has come to my room.  Then Guruji told me to go to send a telegram.  It was 1 o’clock night.  I knew one post office from where we can send a telegram. I took cycle from Paresh Prabhu and went. Guruji did not sleep until I came back.  He was doing japa, Harinam in the library balcony.  He was seeing outside every now and then whether I was coming or not and he continued chanting. One policeman stopped me and asked, "Where are you going Pandit ji?"  Seeing ...

One time when Srila Gurudev was abroad for preaching activities and to bestow mercy on some fortunate souls there, I had the opportunity to speak to him over the telephone when he was New Jersey.    Gurudev told that the doctors diagnosed a heart problem and gave some allopathic medicines to him.   Those medicines were causing weakness and hence a disturbance for the performance of Nrityakirtans (dancing while performing kirtans).   So he stopped taking allopathic medicines and started on Homeopathic medicines.   After that, he could perform Nrityakirtans.   I am of the opinion that through this Gurudeva instructed me that if any hindrance comes in the way of service to Supreme Lord, then without worrying about this temporary body we have to give up the thing that is causing hindrance. On another occasion, one of our godsister’s health was not good.   Sometimes evil spirits would possess her.   Once when she and her husband wer...

Recently I visited Bagbazaar Gaudiya Math in the evening and I had a very nice conversation with a senior bramhachari who started to speak about the glories of Srila Gurudev (Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Goswami Maharaja) when learned that I am His disciple. He shared one of his experiences with Srila Gurudev when he was in New Delhi. Once there was a spiritual conference in New Delhi Gaudiya Math and the devotees who attended the conference were competent in the English Language but there was no one present who could speak in English to make them understand the Gaudiya Vaishnava Philosophy.  In the meantime, Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Maharaja entered (he was young and very strong at that time) and immediately Bhakti Hriday/ Rakshak Hrishikesh Maharaj (disciple of Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura) proposed Srila Tirtha Maharaj to speak about the Gaudiya Vaishnava Philosophy in the English language. After that Srila Tirtha Maharaj started to speak profoundly about th...