Praṇamāmi Guru Tīrtha Padaṁ

Srila Gurudeva has no enmity towards anybody. We have never seen feelings of hostility towards any human being or towards animals in him.   Whenever Guruji’s assistants put "good night" machine (for killing mosquitoes) in Guruji’s room, he would invariably express his disapproval of it.   He always uses a mosquito net so that not even small insects also face any difficulty. His efforts are always in this regard. One time being troubled very much by cockroach menace I went to Guruji to take advice as to how I can get rid of them without committing sin.  Guruji told me that every action has a reaction and its reaction I have to necessarily suffer.   Guruji then said, “Sprinkle turmeric power and they run away.”    Guruji’s vision itself is merciful, so he does not carry the feeling like this is good, that is bad .   He loves all equally.   —Purushottam Das Sekhari (Punjab) Translated from Sri Krishna Chaitanya Sandesh July-Oct, 1997 (Year 17, Issue No.4, Page 63-65)

When asked about chanting one lakh, Srila Guru-Maharaj would usually say, eka - laksana , with a one-pointed quality you should chant, from the core of your heart. One name is enough to attract Krishna. This, of course, doesn't mean to neglect our sankhya . Gurudev had asked at least one devotee to chant one lakh, but these occasions were exceptional. Like Srila Bhakti Raksaka Sridhar Maharaj, he put more emphasis on quality.  In Govardhan , I once asked Sri Aniruddha Prabhu how he developed taste for chanting. His eyes lit up, and he told me, how once in our Chandigarh math, he noticed how Srila Tirtha Maharaj would suddenly disappear each afternoon. So, when seeing him climb the stairs one afternoon, he followed him at a distance. He saw how he disappeared in an empty room and went closer. He heard how he started calling out the Maha-mantra very loudly, until his voice broke due to weeping in ecstasy. "This was the moment I attained nama - ruci !" Aniruddha Prabhu

Among all the brothers and sisters, Mahārāja was of a completely different nature right from his birth. He used to be absorbed in divine feelings, limited in speaking, simple, gentle, grave, straightforward, detached from material objects, and had no interest in material enjoyment. It could be easily understood from his activities that he is not a person of this material world. He would never argue with elders. Even if he was not at fault, he would not show any disagreement with them. He would quietly listen to their chastisement. In this manner, he was highly obedient and devoted to the elderly. He was also equally affectionate and caring for the younger kids; he would guide us and correct our mistakes immediately.  The elders said he would quietly listen with his head down as they spoke. He would neither speak in a raised voice nor raise his head in front of them. Not only that, he would not tolerate anybody disrespecting elders. He would immediately discipline us whenever we act

In 1962 I had my first darshan of Maharaj.  I got the chance to associate with him for a longer period when I was sent by Guruji (Srila Bhakti Dayita Madhava Goswami Maharaj) to Jagannath Puri along with him. That was the time when Maharaj was engaged in the service of recovering the birthplace of Prabhupad at Puri.  At that time we stayed together.   Maharaj was attending to all outside work and I looked after all inside work.  Once while working I got a big blow on my head when I accidentally hit a cupboard.  When he came to know this, Maharaj left all his other work and engaged himself in serving me.  By his own hands, he applied medicine on my head and took me to the doctor.  Seeing Maharaj’s service mood I was surprised.  Even to this day, I am unable to forget this kind act which he extended even when I am very junior to him. In Puri when we were staying in one ashram I saw that Maharaj was busy always in seva.  I remember that time Guru Maharaj gave me a letter where it was