Even With a High Fever, He Attended to Everyone and Everything

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Vraja-mandala parikramā of 1984 was my first time in Vṛndāvan. I reached by bus from Delhi. The ride to Mathura was very rough and keekar kareel (acacia karoo) trees were branching down on both sides of the road. Traveling alone, I was excited about my first visit to Vṛndāvan. For years, I had only dreamt of Vṛndāvan but couldn’t get there. Vṛndāvan of my imagination was coming to my real experience. Śrīla Guru Mahārāj was in a small room adjoining the kitchen at Vṛndāvan maṭha.

This was the last week of the Kārtik-vrata. The Vraja-mandala-parikramā had reached Vṛndāvan, the last destination of Braj 84 kos. In 1984, our maṭha had very basic arrangements. For me, it was a new world where I knew no one except Gurudev. I spent most of the time staying close to Gurudev. He was very caring. He took us to all temples of Vṛndāvan, explaining in Hindi to me. It was a very hectic schedule of Kārtik for Gurudev with no rest.The administration of everything depended on him. 

Suddenly malaria infected the yātrīs. We were cautioned and served quinine tablets with prasādam. One old lady from Dehradun expired. I witnessed her last rites. However, the Kārtik schedule was adhered to. Later Guru Mahārāj also fell ill. Even with a high body temperature and shivers, he was exercising all duties by attending to everyone and everything; lying on a floor bed in that small room that he shared with another maṭhavasi.

I remember Him introducing me to one Bengali gentleman, an architect who designed the Vṛndāvan maṭha temple, and he explained,“He is from Jammu.” When that architect asked me where I was staying, Guru Mahārāj intervened and replied that there are fewer facilities here, so he (pointing towards me) is staying outside. I felt very shy. After that, I never stayed outside the maṭha. 

After three years when there was another Vraja-mandala-parikramā, Śrīla Gurudev had written to me from Bhatinda. The following is  a letter dated November 17th, 1987:

“By the grace of All Merciful Sreela Gurudeva and Sree Gauranga, the month long Vraja-mandala parikramā, the Annakut Utsav at Koshi and Holy Advent Anniversary of Sreela Gurudeva at Vṛndāvan  terminated grandly and very successfully. About 250 devotees participated in Parikrama at the beginning. The number of participants increased up to 400 in Vṛndāvan. The devotees returned to their respective destinations on 6th November.

Although there were irregularities in stay, prasād, and rest, all were happy due to continuous remembrance of Sree Krishna – seeing the holy pastimes of Sree Krishna, hearing the glories of each place, chanting His Holy Name, etc.” 

—Śri Rasavihari Das

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