He is Always Cheerfully Engaged in Fulfilling His Gurudev's Divine Order

During Vraja-parikramā of 1996, we received golden opportunities through Śrīla Gurudev's most coveted, causeless mercy. The mood is so devotional during Kārtik that divine blessings shower effortlessly.

Śrīla Gurudev never allowed us to physically serve Him. Whenever I felt that Gurudev seems to be exhausted, I attempted to massage His lotus feet, only to be stopped by Him. If I insisted, I got an angry glance which weakened my resolve. I used to pray for this service opportunity, but it was beyond Gurudev’s mood of acceptance. He never expected any sevā, any kind of service, from the disciples.

Maṭhura was the first camp of our Vraja-parikramā.  During the mangala-arati at 4.30 a.m, Gurudev would stand near the door of the makeshift temple. Within a few days, all of us doing parikramā felt a family-like bond. Taking care of each other became our religious duty. On this front, the devotees from Assam were ahead of the others. They sacrificed all their own comforts for serving all other devotees.

During the explanation of the asta-kaliya nityā-līlā, Guru Mahārāj would give a few indicators of His real svarūpa, Lalitā-sakhī ayogya kiṅkarī.  There was a parallel inner mood visible along with the outer role as an Ācārya leading a group of devotees.

When we reached Govardhan, Manasi Ganga was overflowing over its banks and inundating the lanes nearby. Guru Mahārāj had to move in these knee-deep waters while holding up His clothes. While following behind, I realized suddenly that I never got such an opportunity before! Without wasting a moment, I bowed down and grabbed Manasi Ganga jal flowing behind His lotus feet. Śrīla Gurudev was unaware of the mischief, although He was knowing everything within. Maybe out of his compassion, Gurudev provided this opportunity of having guru-padodakam while performing vraja-yātrā.

On the 29th of October, 1996, there was a very pleasant, cool breeze blowing as we started the parikramā of Śrī Govardhan Mahārāj (as Gurudev used to refer to Him as). Śrīla Gurudev led the party with ecstatic nṛtya-kirtan, which continued all through the day. Our first stop was at the Aniyor Gram where Gurudev described Aniyor, repeating ani-aur, meaning bring more. Guru Mahārāj led a day-long kirtan holding tridaṇḍa in one hand and lifting the other one. I requested Gurudev to hand over the tridaṇḍa, but got no reply.

There was an accident with Param Pūjyapāda Śrī [B.S.] Trivikrama Mahārāj due to which he was injured. Gurudev ensured proper medical treatment for him. Gurudev narrated an incident in which one godbrother of ours in Assam was injured on a bicycle, but he ignored that and died of tetanus. Gurudev narrated that incident admonishing us to be careful about any injury. 

Śrīla Gurudev also warned us not to try to take any Govardhan-śilā from Vraja-dhāma. Param Pūjyapāda Śrīla B. S. Trivikrama Mahārāj, our guru-varga, was also always admonishing us from doing any offense in the dhāma.

By the time we returned from parikramā , it was very late and many disappeared to their respective resting places. Gurudev narrated the pastimes of Śrī Mādhavendra Purī and the eight periods of the divine pastimes of Śrī Rādhākṛṣṇa were spoken. I was amazed to see Gurudev had continued with evening Bhāgavatam recitation. Only a few of us joined to listen to the narration of Gajendra, King of the elephants. Gajendra-mokṣa pastimes are a continuous daily ritual of the Kārtik. Although parikramā was hectic and there was little time left in the evening, sill, Gurudev never missed narrating the significance of hearing these pastimes in Kārtik. I recall a few points he spoke:

    A lot of hard work is undertaken day and night by the gṛhastas (householders) to serve their family members. But they never feel it due to āsakti (strong attachment). With this same type of attachment, Gajendra was enthusiastically serving his family of elephants, bathing all of them without feeling tired at all. If we can inculcate a similar attachment for Gurudev, we will also not feel tired. This can act as a touchstone to know whether or not we have any attachment with Guru-Vaiṣṇava.    

    Our detachment from the world (abnegation) depends upon our devotion: the degree of our attachment to Śrī Kṛṣṇa. But we have not seen Śrī Kṛṣṇa; there is no direct communication or exchange of thoughts with Him. On the other hand, when a pure devotee of Śrī Kṛṣṇa is communicating with us and guiding us, then we can develop a strong relation with a pure devotee. We can have all spiritual attainments with that relation.

The āsakti Śrīla Gurudev had with Param Gurudev Śrīla Bhakti Dayita Mādhava Gosvāmī Mahārāj is unparalleled. The moment Gurudev started glorifying Param Gurudev, one could see that attachment in his eyes! He could speak about the divine qualities of Param Gurudev incessantly and with great zeal.

Gurudev never considered Himself to be a Guru. He always carried on practically as a perfect śiṣya. Giving all credit to His Gurudev. By serving all devotees, Gurudev never felt exhausted, always cheerfully engaged in the divine order of Param Gurudev.

The narrations of Gurudev on parikramā were full of anecdotes of Param Gurudev. At every temple and spot, details of how Param Gurudev had performed this parikramā came into the picture. Words cannot describe Gurudev’s transcendental obsession with Param Gurudev, which used to magnify manifold during the Kārtik. All this made me think that there can not be any comparison to an exalted example of guru-śiṣya divine bonding! I pray for an iota of that bonding!

Whatever places in Vraja-dhāma Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu had visited, Gurudev will explain that in hari-kathā, mostly recapitulating the hari-kathā spoken during when Vraja-parikramā by our Param Gurudev and Śrīla Bhakti Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākur Prabhupāda. Gurudev gave references from the Vraja-maṇḍala parikramā book that was in Bangla.

While explaining the fifth verse of the Śikṣāṣṭakam, Gurudeva told, "We have forgotten our eternal relation with Śrī Kṛṣṇa due to the misuse of our relative independence. We have to pray from the core of our heart to Śrī Kṛṣṇa, please accept us again as servants.”

All the pressures we experienced evaporated in front of the overflowing bliss in the air. The incessant harināma-saṅkīrtana, hari-kathā, and the ecstatic feeling of witnessing the sweetness of Vraja-dhāma under the guidance of Gurudev were like a spiritual tonic for the soul.

—Rasavihari Das