Praṇamāmi Guru Tīrtha Padaṁ

During the period of Kārtik observation, Gurudev had inaugurated the guest house at Goalpara. Bhakti Sarvasva Trivikram Mahārāj of Bhakti Saranga Gosvāmī's maṭh was also present there and Gurudev led him to the forefront and also asked him to speak hari-kathā on that occasion. He spoke on the necessity of hari-bhajan in human life. This also shows how Gurudev would give respect to his elders. In 1997 Guru Mahārāj took the whole group of devotees and came to Krishnai, a small town near Goalpara near the Krishnai river. Earlier one  brahmacārī of our maṭh had come and requested Gurujī to come to his āśram in Krishnai. To fulfill his desire, Gurujī made this trip to Krishnai. We all went there by bus. His āśram  was quite small with a narrow pathway leading to it, about two and a half kilometers from the Krishnai town. It was in the middle of the fields without a single house in the vicinity.  When we all reached there it was afternoon time. While returning Gurujī...

When I went with my mother for Gurudev's darśan for the first time, my mother told Gurudev that I wished to take initiation from him and that I am already wearing tilak and kāntikar . Then Gurudev told the following verse: harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā  -Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi, 7.76 [In kaliyuga there is no other way no other way no other way, except chanting of the Holy Name.] Whenever I came to meet Guru Mahārāj I saw many devotees enthusiastically coming and wanting to meet Guru Mahārāj, they had a great desire to see him and wait for when the door of his bhajan k uṭir   would open. After darśan , all of us would feel very happy. So I was very curious to know what is so special about him and later when I came in his presence he attracted me so much. I started to realize what charm and attraction he has, then I also developed the desire to take hāriṇam and dīkṣā from him. Mayapur parikramā is a very happ...

Everybody who joins Mahāprabhu’s movement eventually takes shelter of śri guru . I asked about whose shelter I should take and what are my duties? Devotees told me not to think much, just take shelter and receive initiation from my local temple. It seemed that they did not give it much thought.  In my case, I insisted on seeking the best, topmost spiritual master.  I went to Śri Rūpa Sanātana Gauḍīya Maṭh in Vṛndāvana. I prayed there to the Lord that I am helpless, please at least let me know whose shelter I should take.  As soon as I paid obeisances and started to leave, a brahmacārī came to me, I did not know him nor did he know me. He said, "You should take initiation. Śrīmad Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Gosvāmī Mahārāj is a Mahābhāgavat Vaiṣṇava .   I was very happy, maybe that was Krishna's will. I found a website run by our maṭh .  There I read about the glorification of Gurujī by a prominent vaiṣṇava and I was impressed.  That was the moment when I ...