His Example of Speaking Harikatha for Our Own Purification

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I heard that Most Revered Guru Maharaj was in Germany and a program was organized but in the auditorium, but no one came. Not one single person was there, and the organizers were embarrassed and worried about what to do. With no change of expression in the face of Srila Gurudev, he started speaking harikatha and I heard that Gurudev spoke for one full hour. 

By the mercy of Most Revered Srila Gurudev, I got this chance to witness something similar in Cochin in  2004 at the Centennial celebrations of Paramgurudev. Although we organized a program, not a single person was present. It was a big auditorium and many chairs, but only one person was sitting. We didn’t even know how to react, what to do, but when Srila Gurudev arrived there, he spoke harikatha in the empty auditorium for one full hour and did so happily.

Gurudev always said he is not preaching, he is doing kirtan, I was invited for kirtan. These are not mere words, but what he sees and what he teaches to the world. When we see there are only a few members in the audience, we don’t feel inspired to speak harikatha, but in the case of Srila Gurudev, it is not applicable. Wherever the program is organized, whether the mic is good or not, or whether devotees are there or not there, whatever it is— he is engaged in harikatha; that is his service. He would always insist on saying that harikatha is for my own purification. When there is a chance to purify ourselves by singing the glories of the Lord, it is illogical to see the numbers of the audience is less. 

Most Revered Srila Gurudev’s conduct and example are displaying that harikatha is for our own purification. If we get the chance to speak harikatha, avail it. When you get the chance to listen to harikatha, avail it. That is what Gurudev thought.

—Srila Bhakti Kinkar Damodar Maharaj

Excerpted and transcribed with slight edits from Zoom meeting for singing glories of Srila Gurudev on His 96th Appearance Festival (Zoom), 02 Apr 2020.



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