Praṇamāmi Guru Tīrtha Padaṁ

One must surrender to a person who is the most generous, magnanimous, merciful, and affectionate – closer than any mother or father you could think of. We got Harinām from such a guru who is both spiritually and materially very well-conducted throughout his life. For this reason, he has got tons of mercy from so many associates of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur. It wasn't just that they gave mercy, but they were so happy to be in his company. He had so much service mood, he was always ready to carry out any order. He never thought, "Yes, I have done enough." At any time, even in the middle of the night, he was always ready. Śrīla Gurudev would not only consistently perform activities slowly, but he would also always say all the names of the āchāryas of our line. He would say all the names with so much feeling, very carefully. He was standing before me but I could see that he was in a completely different realm. Śrīla Bhakti Rakṣak Śrīdhar Dev Goswāmī Mahārā...

It was cold when we reached Kolkata from Hyderabad on 23rd of December 2011. The sun had shown up around noon time the next day. The information from Chakdah was that it was frigid there, much more than Kolkata. With this news, Srila Gurudev's plan to go to Chakdah was uncertain. Srila Gurudev was totally unwilling to stay in Kolkata while such a grand festival was being observed in Chakdah, but we were worried about the cold. On the morning of December 25th, the sun was bright in Kolkata, marginally warmer than the day before. Srila Gurudev was the first to note the difference in climate and said, "Lord Jagannathdev is very merciful; nothing is impossible for him. He made the climate suitable. It is not good to say that it is cold and we cannot go. I am certain that Lord Jagannath will do something. We can go to Chakdah tomorrow.” But the news from Chakdah was not encouraging—our concern increased, but his determination has not decreased. So on December 26th at 11:0...

The following glorification of Śrī Śrīmad Bhakti Ballabh Tīrtha Gosvāmī Mahārāja is a bhāvānuvāda of a lecture spoken on April 8, 2014, the anniversary of his appearance day, by Śrī Śrīmad Bhakti Vijñāna Bhāratī Gosvāmī Mahārāja at Śrī Caitanya Gauḍīya Maṭha, Kolkata: Today is the appearance day of Śrī Rāma-candra, as well as that of my godbrother and the present ācārya of Śrī Caitanya Gauḍīya Maṭha, pūjyapāda Bhakti Ballabh Tīrtha Mahārāja. It is extremely important for sincere sādhakas to observe the tithis of Bhagavān and Vaiṣṇavas, for it is an opportunity to glorify and remember their lotus feet. To neglect glorifying them on such days is certainly an offense. Śrī Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura has written: ĵe vaiṣṇava bhajile acintya kṛṣṇa pāi se vaiṣṇava-pūjā hôite baḓô āra nāi Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata (Antya-khaṇḍa 4.357) By serving the lotus feet of Vaiṣṇavas, one attains the lotus feet of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who is acintya (inconceivable); there is no greater sādhana than this. It...

There was one special thing I have seen in Maharaj during kirtan, He used to lift both of his hands saying, “Ha! Krishna prannath kanha vrajendra nandan! Where is the Krishna, who is master of my life?” Then he forgot everything about his surroundings and became indifferent to this world. One time, there was nagarkirtan held in Kolkata. Maharaj was leading the kirtan and he lifted his hands; immediately immersed in the kirtans. His body turned red. He forgot whether the devotees are catching up with his speed of walking or not. He is not putting his hands down for a moment! He is incessantly dancing in transcendental ecstasy! Along with him, I and one more prabhu came very far ahead of the devotees. One was playing mridanga and the other was with kartals. And it so happened then, only three of us were seen doing kirtan on the road near Rasbehari in Kolkata! When I stopped playing kartals and Tirtha Maharaj's trance broke he asked, "Why have you stopped?" I replie...