Praṇamāmi Guru Tīrtha Padaṁ

During Vrndavan Parikrama in 1990, a sannyasi [Srila Gurudev's godbrother] who was sitting for prasad was asked to leave.  One disciple did not allow another disciple to take food and lifted the leaf and threw away. My mind got disturbed very much because even an enemy should be asked to leave when taking prasad and [in this case] it was also a sannyasi. During kirtan, the god-brother had hit Maharaj with his elbow. Still, Maharaj held the view that he should not have been asked to leave when taking food, and moreover he is our god-brother. Where you will find such feelings?  We cannot see, we will not find. This is Vaishnava nature. Mahaprabhu said the first Vaishnava quality as trinadapi sunicena . Keep your feet on the grass and the grass will bend, become submissive. Does it say a word, raise an objection?  A Vaishnava's nature should be like this. I saw this in Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Maharaj. In his company, I feel very peaceful and blissful... ...

The first time I was going abroad [I was] leaving for Europe in December 4, 1998. Maharaj was [at that time] in Delhi Math, so I went for his darshan. The first question he asked was "Who is accompanying you.?" I said I am going alone. He said... "Why are you going alone? Why not you take some one along with you?" [I replied,] "Maharaj, I have no money." "Don’t worry about money," he continued, "That can be arranged." After that, when I took his blessings, he asked, "Do you have sufficient warm clothing?" I said, "Yes, I have." Then he asked me to show them. And I showed him. Then he said, "This is nothing." I did not even know that it will be very severe winter there. He said, "If you wear this and go, then even your blood will freeze and become ice." I felt afraid within. I went to the airport, but was not at all familiar with the airport’s setup and was going all alon...

I am compelled [to reflect on] why  Mahārāj  appeared on  Śrī   Rāmanavamī  Tithi.  Śrī  Ramacandra is  Maryādā Puruṣottama , giving respect to one and all. I saw this same nature of giving respect to all in  Mahārāj  too. But some of his god-brothers were not respectful towards him and I said once, "Why have you kept them all in the math? Send them away." Then he said gravely, "I am not here in the  maṭh  to chase them away, I am here to unite all." Seeing his line of thoughts I was stunned. Our thinking is: one who is troublesome— send him off! But see his thoughts. Ganesh has a mouse near him, Kartikeya has a peacock, Shiva has a bull and snake with him, and Durgaji has lion—all are enemies of the other. But how are they kept together? On the strength of the Holy Name. So also, if we chant Name with faith, our thinking also will become like this. —Srila Bhakti Vibudha Bodhyan Maharaj Transcribed from a translat...