Dear Shrila Guru Maharaj, I pay my obeisances at Your Lotus Feet again and again. Today is the Navami of the waning moon of that very month in which You appear. It will happen when the Moon is on the 9th day of waxing. Feeling the urge to concentrate on this approaching event, I read Your hari-katha. While describing the Pastimes of Shri Krishna in Shrimad Bhagavatam, Shukadeva Gosvami says that one should never think of Krishna as an ordinary boy going on a picnic. In this case, one may imagine that anyone can also easily join Him. Do not forget that He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, says Shukadeva Gosvami. Why is He the Supreme Personality of Godhead? He is everywhere, All-pervading, Omnipotent, He is far, far beyond this world—transcendental. His Abode, His Friends are also transcendental. Dear Srila Gurudeva, on the eve of your Vyasa Puja, I request you: Please forgive me for not really understanding that you are an extraordinary person, not of this world, ...
Śrīla Bhakti Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Mahārāj appeared on the day of Rāmanavamī, the appearance day of Lord Rāmachandra. Rāmachandra is Maryādā Puruṣottama, an incarnation of the principle of honoring the established order. I have seen in his entire character how he gives due respect and honor to everyone like Lord Rāma did. Rāmachandra's nature and Bhakti Ballabh Tīrtha Gosvāmī Mahārāj's nature are the same. I have seen how he was always respectful towards his godbrothers and how he taught this to his disciples also. This is an exemplary teaching to give due respect to everyone. It is also my personal feeling that his teachings are most valuable for the Vaiṣṇava community, especially amongst our societies as well as all of Chaitanya Mahāprabhu's Mission. Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura gave the instructions to us that in order to chant happily, we have to keep due respect to all vaiṣṇavas, and Śrīla Bhakti Ballabh Tīrtha Gosvāmī Mahārāj is an embodiment of that example. He was not...
Once during Harikatha, Srila Gurudev narrated his own experience from a long time ago. H e was in Agra with the prachar party. He explained that sometimes they did kirtan in a park near Taj Mahal. Usually when in Agra, Guru Maharaj and the devotees were welcomed by Matura Prasad Agrawal. He was a wealthy gentleman who owned oil mills. He had a lot of faith in Guru Maharaj and extended an open invitation to visit his house for Harikatha and kirtan anytime. On this particular occasion, Guru Maharaj went to Agra without informing Matura Prasad. When he reached his home, he saw four babajis doing kirtan. Without making his presence known, he left. He went back to the prachar party and told them to put their luggage on a horse cart and go to a dharmsala. In the midst of their moving, Matura Prasad Agrawal saw Guru Maharaj and the devotees from his balcony and came running to him, saying, “Swamiji where are you going? Please come to my house!” Guru Maharaj explained tha...
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