The Profound Impact of His Dhruva-charitra Kathā

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There are a few points to give attention to Gurudev's Dhruva-charitra kathā. The essence of Guru Mahārāj's teachings is that we should not have any malice or hostility towards anyone; only then we can perform our hari-bhajan. He would give great emphasis on this. He would also repeat Sunīti Mātā's words to convince Dhruva: “Whatever your stepmother has said, she has said it in your best interest— her words are correct. If you are hurt by her words you have to learn to tolerate it.” Hearing her words, Dhruva became firm and resolute and went to the forest in search of the Lord.  

One of the godsisters from Bathinda went to meet Gurudev in Kolkata and entered his room and offered praṇams to him.  Those were the times when there were not many restrictions and a devotee could visit Gurudev easily. Seeing her, Gurudev went on speaking about Dhruva-charitra for the next two hours.  While speaking Gurudev was shedding tears and she also was crying hearing it.  

In the first Vraja-mandala parikramā conducted by our maṭha after Guru Mahārāj's disappearance, at Madhuvan first Śrīla Acharya Mahārāj spoke kathā in Bangla and then Śrī Viṣṇu Mahārāj explained it nicely in Hindi after the kirtans. Then we went up to Dhruva Tila and kathā was also spoken there.  

Our parikramā group was quite big and buses were waiting at the main road for us. Devotees were all slowly walking towards the buses, some doing kirtans, some talking among themselves, and all were scattered here and there.  I then noticed a great soul, an elder brahmacārī of Param Pūjyapād Yayavar Gosvāmī Mahārāj's maṭha who was walking ahead of me and crying the whole time.  I sped up my walk and joined him.  After mustering some courage, I asked him, “Prabhujī, why are you crying?” My inquiry made him cry all the more and finally what he said made me cry.  

He spoke in Bangla and said, "Where we have come today is the same Madhuvan, the same Dhruva Tila.  The kathās we heard in there are all are the same.  But one who chants “kahan padma palash lochan hari.. kahan padmapalash lochan hari... kahan padmapalash lochan hari” is no longer among us.  So I am crying, my heart is breaking.  Where is he gone who used to chant like this?" He was remembering Guru Mahārāj so much and was feeling sad about it.

Guru Mahārāj always used to say these words in Prahlad and Dhruva-charitra which I have never heard anywhere else. He would say that Dhruva and Prahlad did not perform the prayers, the prayers were done by the Lord Himself.  The Lord entered Dhruva and Prahlad’s hearts and sang His own glories.  Who is fit to sing the glories of the Lord?  Guru Mahārāj would say, one Lord is manifest in front of Dhruva and another is sitting inside the heart of Dhruva and is singing the glories.  

 —Śrī Kṛṣṇānanda Das

Spoken on April 4, 2020
Translated from Hindi to English
Source is here.




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