"The Only Naughty Thing I Have Done"

Once we asked Guru Maharaj if he has done anything naughty in his boyhood.

Guru Maharaj told, When I was in Guwahati College, I used to go with the boys to an orchard and we plucked fruits and ate. One day the keeper caught us and told, "Eat how much ever you want, but don't take them away."

Guruji told, "That's the only naughty thing I have done."

- Prem Chand Prabhu, UK

Art in Gurudeva's Janmastan, Gwalpara that depicts scenes of his holy life.

His Loving Presence is Offered Freely

In the summer of 1991, when I was still a young girl, I made my first memorable trip to India with my older sister Rukmini Devi dasi, and my late mother, Smt. Devamayi Devi dasi. We almost immediately went to Jagannath Puri with our mother's Pishi, the late Smt. Aruna Didi, a dear and loving disciple of Srila Gurudev, Sri Srimad Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Goswami Maharaj, and her friend LakkhiDi. It was on Jagannath Puri Ratha Yatra Parikrama that I first got real darshan of both Srila Gurudev Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Maharaj and Srila Guru Maharaj Sri Srimad Bhakti Pramode Puri Goswami. (I try to respectfully refer to Srimad Bhakti Pramode Puri Goswami as “Srila Guru Maharaj” and Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Maharaj as “Srila Gurudev”.) I still remember Srila Gurudev, Srila Guru Maharaj, and Sri Srimad Bhakti Kumud Santa Maharaj all sitting together, very affectionately, doing very enthusiastic kirtan in Gundicha Mandir’s courtyard. It almost seems like a dream now.

My father, Rasa…

Remembering His Entrance Into Nitya Lila

Srila Gurudev was always intoxicated in Krishna-nama-sankirtan, whether or not externally conscious. He was lying on the bed and was seemingly unaware as he was not communicating with any one of us externally, but inwardly he was relishing Krishna-namasankirtan offered by the devotees and also inspired devotees from within to come and join sankirtan movement.

Those who performed the sankirtans those last days on earth are the true servants of Srila Gurudev. Even though the sevaks were attending to the immediate medical services of Srila Gurudev, one would think that the best service was done by those who performed kirtans. Of this, there is no doubt.
Srila Gurudev could have concluded his pastimes much before but he chose this way to make us realize that the process of Krishna-nama-sankirtan is the only way by which everyone could stay united for a single purpose. Srila Prabhupad Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur had mentioned in his antim-vani (final instructions) to offer …

He Speaks the Language of the Heart

In 2013, we spent a couple months with Srila Gurudeva in Goalpara. There weren't any other westerners for the first month or so there. I was feeling lonely because unfortunately I only speak English and others there generally didn't. People were trying to talk to me, but I felt awkward because I couldn't understand much. I felt sad due to emotions that arose in me relating to feeling isolated.

One evening during darshan, there were some local young ladies there that he addressed while motioning towards me. "You should love her from the core of your heart," he told them. "She does not speak your language," he continued. "She doesn't know anyone, and she is far from home. She left everything! Doesn't anyone here speak English? You talk with her!" he told them.

I looked at those girls and they seemed a little embarrassed. I was astounded to see him ordering them on my behalf. I felt ashamed that the object of my worship was concerned wit…

Pranamami Guru Tirtha Padam

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