Pranamami Guru Tirtha Padam

In Gokul Mahavan in 1993 the deities were damaged,. This news reached Srila Gurudeva at Pathankot where he was stationed then.After hearing the news, without showing any external instability and keeping his pain suppressed within His heart, he consulted some Vaishnavas and sent them to Gokul.

Later after sometime when He came to Gokul Mahavan from Jammu, He saw all the damaged deities and remained completely silent. After that, he came to the Assembly Hall and began to sing Sri Narasimha prayers. He could not contain his pain and cried out so loudly that it seemed like the whole universe would break. Hearing the sound of those cries, the hearts of all present there were stirred.

No one would cry so much, even in separation grief from loved ones or relatives as much as Srila Guru Maharaj cried in separation grief from the Supreme Lord, and went on telling that due to my offenses Supreme Lord has deprived me of His service.
—Swarup Damodar Das, Delhi

Translated from Sri Krishna Chaitanya…

Sri Guru Maharaj is a storehouse of positive qualities.The magnitude of his forbearance cannot be explained in words.All  24 hours of the day he is engaged in the service of the Supreme Lord.I have never seen anger on his face anytime.Guruji speaks to all who go to his room with so much affection that every person feels that Guruji spoke in a very special way to him.Every person comes out of his room after darshan in a blissful mood.
This tolerance and patience he exhibits cannot be seen in any ordinary soul.Sometimes speaking Harikatha it will be 12 o’clock. at night.After Harikatha, Srila Guru Maharaj has to remain in the same place for quite some time because devotees block his way while doing pranamSuch times too he is seen very patient.I have never seen him forcibly lift his feet and move forward during these times.I have no words to say in comparison to his patience.

In 1997 in Sri Chaitanya Gaudiya Math’s annual function at Chandigarh at the end of the festival one night I we…

A lady came to meet Srila Gurudev while he was in Chandigarh. She requested to speak to him without others around. She told us she was very unhappy and was thinking about committing suicide. I told her that Gurudev would not like this and we gave her a chance to meet him. She was asked to stand in the end of the que for prasad and when her turn came, I told Guru Maharaj that this lady wanted to speak to him. She was very distressed and she told him, "My in-laws trouble me so much. They constantly curse me, and I want to die.

Gurudev then replied, "Did your in-laws push you from the hilltop? Did they push you in the fire?"

She responded,  "No Gurudeva.  They only speak these terrible things and I cannot bear it."

Srila Gurudev continued, "Prahlad Maharaj was troubled so much. He was pushed from a hilltop, drowned in the ocean, kicked by an elephant, pushed into a fire— still, he did not disrespect his father. By your karma, you have got such a husband. Do…

In 1995 there was an event in New Model, Ludhiana in Sri Sanatan Dharma Mandir. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s Sankirtan Mandal was observing 8th Sri Harinam Sankirtan Congregation. 
One day when I was standing outside the temple, one car came and stopped near me. Sri Satish Jain, who was the son of Ray Jain, chief trustee of Sri Krishna Mandir, Shastrinagar, Ludhiana, got down from that car. Being acquainted with each other for a long time, we met each other affectionately and together we proceeded to Srila Guru Maharaj’s room for his darshan. Srila Guru Maharaj was sitting alone in his room. Sri Satish placed some fruits etc before Guru Maharaj and offering dandavat pranams spoke prayerfully, "Maharaj, kindly grace me."

"What grace you desire? Is there any need for money?" Guru Maharaj asked.
"No Maharaj. Your bountiful grace is there," Satish said.

"What else do you want?" Guruji asked.

"Let my Hari Bhajan go on well, this is my desire," …

It is worth noting that in the 1960's, when His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Maharaj was still known as Sri Krsna Ballabh Brahmacari, He met His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktvedanta Svami Prabhupada at the Damodar Mandir in Vrindavana. At that time, Srila Prabhupada delineated His plan to go and preach in the West, and asked Sri Krsna Ballabh Brahmacari to accompany Him. Sri Krsna Ballabh Brahmacari explained, with great humility and deference, that He could not do so, as He had the instructions of His own Guru Maharaj to follow, along with many responsibilities deputed to Him within His own Math. 

In 1997, Srila Gurudeva's siksa guru, His Divine Grace Om Visnupada Paramhamsa 108 Sri Srila Bhakti Pramode Puri Gosvami Maharaj, gave Him the order to go to the West, as He Himself could not make the journey. He was advised to continue preaching to the western world the message of Divine Love of Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu, as put into motion by His predecessor, A. C. Bhakt…

In the Vedic scriptures, it is said that Srila Gurudev is the dearmost of the Supreme Lord; nondifferent from the Supreme Lord. The Supreme Lord has appeared in this world as Guru. The Supreme Lord says that one must take shelter of the lotus feet of Guru. One cannot surrender to the Supreme Lord directly.

The simple meaning of Guru is mother. The mother is the best teacher of the child. The only way to know about the father is through the mother. We have to trust our mother. In the same way, we have to understand guru-tattva. There are multiple names of God. Which name to call out? The mother will teach that you have to pay pranams to father, and father is pleased. Similarly, Gurudev will teach how to pray to the Lord. We cannot get the grace of Guru only by memorizing the scriptures.

Often times people go to Gurudev and ask for his mercy. This is not how mercy is given, just by asking and not following.

Once we had gone to Krishnanagar ten years ago. Gurudev had been advised by doctors…

Wherever Srila Guru Maharaj may be, he has great affection for every disciple and to give the proof of this I reproduce some portions of his letters received from abroad.
a) I want to know your present health condition after taking Homoeopathic medicine as per doctor’s prescription of Calcutta along with Allopathic medicine. b)I am anxious to get the news of your well-being by return post or phone.

On Feb 28, 1997, I had some heart problem and doctor advised me to take rest.For Mayapur parikrama in March 1997, we had our reservations of tickets done in advance but seeing my difficulty my brother and relatives did not wish that I undertake the journey.When I objected they told me to ask Guru Maharaj and act according to his advice.I spoke to Guru Maharaj over the telephone and he said “It is good if you come.Travel comfortably and parikrama can be performed by rickshaw.If that is also not possible, just staying in the math at least you will get to hear Harikatha.”

—Partha Sarati Das (Om Pr…

In 2002, I allowed myself to be influenced by one devotee who, replete with janma, aisvarya, sruta, and sribhih, was, at that time, living as a sanyassi. Because that devotee told me that diksa was absolutely essential in purifying myself to chant suddha nama, I requested it from Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Maharaja later that year. 
Srila Gurudeva looked right at me and told me, “You won’t be able to do. The harinama which I already gave you is all you need.” 
At the time, I thought he was testing me, but in retrospect, I can see he meant it. Still, I foolishly insisted for two weeks until he finally gave. A while later, following Srila Gurudeva through the courtyard of the math, I audaciously asked, “Could you please speak something about the difference between sanga-siddha bhakti, sanga-siddha bhakti and svarupa-siddha bhakti?” 
Then Srila Gurudeva said, “I can tell that you have been associating in another sanga. You may continue, but you should only discuss diksa mantras with me or …

I had darshan of His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Ballabha Tirtha Maharaj in India a couple of times and in the USA when he went to Phoenix one year. I remember being in so much anxiety to see him. I drove 7 hours from LA to Phoenix where He spoke at a new age center one evening. It was like heaven to see him, an oasis in the desert—literally!

The evening went by very quickly but it was magical. I have 2 outstanding memories of that evening. One guest asked Maharaj to bless his special crystal. Maharaj said, "No! We put our faith in the Holy Names. We do not give power to external things."What he said was beautiful and so perfect. I remember that the guest with crystal was taken aback at first but was melted by the pure devotee before him.

Then, after the class, I got an opportunity to speak with Maharaj alone. It was at the time when My Divine Guru Maharaj, His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Pramode Puri Goswami Maharaj became ill—toward the very end of our ability to see Him with ex…