He Arranges the Offering

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Our first parikrama of Sri Navadvip dham was beyond our imagination in essence and magnitude. Even without knowing the glories of Sri Dham, we had been blessed with the chance to be part of such great fortune only by the grace of our beloved Gurudeva! That year was also the occasion commemorating the Golden 50th Sannyas year of our beloved Gurudeva, and thousands of devotees performed aratika of our Gurudeva during that great event that took place on the 14th of March, 2011.


On that blessed evening, I was one among many volunteers and we readied ghee lamps for all devotees to perform aratika of our Gurudev. We were instructed to stand at different places in the huge pandal with water-filled buckets so that after arotika, devotees could douse the lamps in the water so as to avoid any untoward accidental fire.


Gurudeva had adorned the stage with acharyas from various maths, and keeping some hundreds of sannyasi disciples of Gurudeva in the front, thousands of devotees were on their toes ready with diyas (lamps) in hand. Exactly at the time the aratika was to begin, two of the devotees standing next to me requested me to get them each one extra diya. So I rushed to the back of the pandal where we had arranged the diyas ready on the tables.

As I picked up two, I thought, let me carry two more in case somebody else needs them. By the time I came back, aratika had begun and the two devotees smilingly each took one diya each from my hand. With two lit diyas in both hands, they started waving them to Gurudev lovingly to the kirtan of Mahamantra. Then "Jai Gurudeva" was sung by a group of devotees near the stage. I got so very attracted by their glowing eyes and faces, and something in me stirred and said, why don't you do aratika to your Gurudev with the two spare diyas in your hand?


Immediately I lit them with those devotees' diyas and got engrossed in offering them to Gurudeva. Later when I held the bucket of water for them to leave their diyas, they smiled as if they were pleased with me that I also performed aratika. I felt so happy and proud of my gurubhais who had inspired me at that particular moment. But for their inspiration, I would have just stood there like a pillar and missed that once in a lifetime chance. Later there was Gurudev's divine Harikatha, where he chanted Pancha-tattva and Mahamantra and emphasized the importance of both these chants. In short, it was a great day for all of us.


It is Gurudeva's and Mahaprabhu's Grace that Harinam has entered our hearts and our homes. It was heartening to see such a huge family of Gaudiya Vaishnavas assemble at Sridham Mayapur and Gurudeva blessing all with divine darshan, wonderful Harikathas, sweet smiles, and prasadam.



—Vishakha Dasi, Bangalore


Follow this link to see a video filmed during this time: Maha-Arotika of Srila Gurudev, 50th Sanyass Anniversary, 2011







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