Praṇamāmi Guru Tīrtha Padaṁ

Suvarna Vihar in Navadvip is a remote, uninhabited place with no villages nearby. If anyone needs to collect alms, they need to go far. Param Gurudeva instructed Gurudeva to stay there when he was a brahmacārī . He was all alone. That place was full of snakes, so no other brahmacārī was willing to stay there. This showed his titikṣava (tolerance). I have personally heard our Śrīla Gurudeva narrate these incidents. At this time our Param Guru Mahārāja was in Śrī Caitanya Maṭh. Suvarna Vihar was, at that time, an almost deserted forest. Gurujī would walk several miles to fetch some rice as alms. In his absence, thieves would come and steal vessels, etc. There was also no availability of firewood for cooking. Gurujī would burn dry banana leaves and somehow prepare kitchari for offering. It is not an easy job to burn banana leaves and Gurujī did not have any prior experience. Whenever he would blow air to burn the fire, all the ash would fly on to his face. When he would sit ...

Right from his childhood, Guru Mahārāj had an affinity for meditation. He would sit for long hours meditating on Lord Śiva whom he had a particular affinity. In Goalpara (Assam) there is a temple where Guru Mahārāj used to sit and meditate. Now that place is called Tīrtheśvara Mahādeva.  Guru Mahārāj's name is Tīrtha and Tīrtheśvara is the Lord of our Gurudev. Also, tīrtha means pilgrim place, so it could be understood as the Lord of pilgrimage. Guru Mahārāj's name is Tīrtha and so it is named Tīrtheśvara Mahādeva. Anywhere he would sit and meditate was Guru Mahārāj’s favorite place. His parents were very worried to see such a small child sitting and meditating. They thought, what is this? His parents feared what will happen to him. They would call his name, but he didn't respond. One Summer when Guru Mahārāj was about five years old, his uncles and aunties came along with their children to Goalpara. Goalpara is a serene, scenic place with the Brahmaputra river flowing nea...

A sadhu came to our house when Maharaj was very young and told, "This boy will not enter family life. If you wish to contain him in the household you have to get him married as soon as he finishes his education and gets employment, otherwise, he will leave the house." The sadhu also said that if he does indeed leave the house, the entire earth planet will be benefitted. - Arindam Guharoy - Son of Gurudeva's younger brother, became a disciple in 2007. Gurudeva delivering Harikatha in Janmastan, Goalpara (Assam) One time a sannyasi came to our house when Guru Maharaj was a child. He told my father-in-law that the child would not get married or remain with the family and that he would become very famous in this world. He clearly said that it would be impossible to contain Maharaj within family life. -Arati Guharoy - Gurudeva's younger brother's wife

One time Guru Maharaj's mother or father called him saying, "Kokha, go and bring some things from the grocery shop.  He was given some coins and asked to go and bring some items. After he returned with those things to the house, they asked, did you give the coin?  "Yes," he said, but explained this coin was old and was not in circulation,  but the shopkeeper had kept the coin with him. When he came to know this, he took a new coin from his father and went and gave it to the shopkeeper and took back the old coin saying it is not a valid coin. People like us think OK, I got rid of it.  But he is so honest, right from his childhood, he was honest in whatever he was doing.  There was no cheating tendency ever in his life, from birth on. All these things are the ornaments of the sadhu. —Sri Bhakti Suhrid Paramadvati Maharaj (As told by relatives who knew Srila Gurudev in early life. Transcribed from a recording made on Vyasa Puja, 2019)

While he was pursuing an M. A. in Philosophy from Kolkata University, Maharaj (Kamahya Charan) used to go directly to the library after class. I heard from my father that Maharaj would carry sprouted chickpeas from the house.  He used to read in the library for hours and hours with undivided attention. Such unwavering focus captured the attention of the librarian and others. When they would inquire as to what he was reading, he would simply show which book, and when they inquired about what he eats, he would open his palm and show the sprouted chickpeas. He would never speak unnecessarily. —Arindam Guharoy,   son of Gurudeva's younger brother who became a disciple in 2007.

In my boyhood, when I was a small child, I have seen a steamer (boat) there in Brahmaputra river. That boat was coming and going and making a whistling sound. But I have never seen a train. My uncles and other elders were going and crossing the Brahmaputra to go to another place—it takes about 6 or 7 hours to go. From there, they caught the train and went for higher education. After returning they would say, the train is like this... When I heard them, I got the desire to go on a train. I said, "I shall also go, take me! I shall see!" And they showed me a toy train. By seeing that toy train, I was more insistent to go. Then came their rebuke. "Hey!" You're too small, no time...you have to go to school. After matriculation, then. And I was very dejected. No one giving importance to me. I am a small child and no one giving importance. So much I was dejected! And in the night, I was sleeping by the side of the mother. And there were others. One big bedstea...

His [Srila Gurudev Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Goswami Maharaj] father’s name was Sri Dhirendra Kumar Guhroy and mother’s name was Sudhanshubala Guhroy. His name, given by his father was Kamakhya Charan Guhroy. The personal associates of Supreme Lord descend in human form to rescue the fallen souls in this world. If they come in the form of any demigod then people will request them to fulfill their material desires only and they will not be able to preach the real message of Supreme Lord. That’s the reason they come in human form. Srila Tirtha Goswami Maharaj also came to deliver the sublime message of devotion to the Lord. From childhood itself, he was always staying absorbed in trance. We cannot understand that state. Sometimes when his relatives used to tell him, “It’s the time for you to go to school; will you not get ready to go?” Then he would say, “Oh, yes I will.” And he used to go wearing one footwear of someone else’s and one of his! As he was absorbed in the trance always, he...

Our Guru Maharaj used to say that in Assam, in Bengal people are used to eat a lot of leafy vegetables. One day Guru Maharaj was eating one of these. One of his sisters told us that they asked him, "Eh, Khoka!" (Khoka is addressing a small child with love, a nickname.) "What are you eating?" Guru Maharaj did not know what it was called, but only knew that it was a leafy vegetable, so he told her, "I am eating grass."  So simple. Then everyone started laughing at him calling him 'cow cow..'  Actually he was a cow.  A cow is so sweet, so simple.  Guru Maharaj said, "I did not know what to say, I just kept quiet."  This shows his simplicity, even from childhood.   —Sri Bhakti Suhrid Paramadvati Maharaj transcribed from a recording taken on Vyasa puja, 2019 (Sri Dham Mayapur.) As told to Srila Gurudev's sevaks by those who knew him in childhood

Once in wintertime, Guru Maharaj's father gave him an overcoat.  He wore it and went to school. Without checking to see how it looked, he just wore it and went.  When he entered the school everyone started laughing at him, but he couldn't understand why. Actually, the coat he was wearing went down to his knees because it was such a big coat that had belonged to some elder gentleman of the family.  The hands of the coat were drooping, and it was so long. Yet,  Guru Maharaj did not find any fault with that coat.  Everybody was teasing him, asking,  "Eh! What are you wearing?  What is this?"  He simply said, "My father gave me." See how he respected whatever had father had given or anything that anyone has given. He thought, my father has given this, so how can I see any defect in it?  It is out of love that he has given, even though others are laughing.  So simple he was. He had no hostility to anyone right from his childhood. ...

During Summer vacations, all the children in Guru Maharaj 's family came together. They had a big family.  His father had 3 or 4 brothers and their children played there too, with their own family including 8 or 10 children. With all of them together it was like a school in the house, about 30-35 kids representing all different age groups.  With so many children together, it usually means they are going to make some nuisance, some mischief.  During Summer vacations when all children are at home, it is very difficult for parents to control the children. One day after lunch, Guru Maharaj's paternal uncle called all the children to come and sit before him. Then he said, "You should all count backward one by one, starting from a hundred and back to one. After you finish counting you can go to play." Near Guru Maharaj's house there is a pond.  The elders feared that the children will fall in the pond and may hurt themselves.  So this plan was devised in order to...

Srila Gurudev told us about when he was in a college either in Cooch Behar or in Cotton College, Guwahati. While he was there, his roommate spoke roughly to him every day. He was not very senior to Gurudev, only about one year. But Gurudev was such a sadhu that he said nothing. He never spoke ill words towards anyone. Persons who have a tendency to lord over others often speak continuously. When they find a simple person who doesn’t argue, they just keep speaking abusive words and don’t stop. Only if someone argues back, they may shut the mouth. Yet Guru Maharaj never reacted or said a word. Every day, that person continued going on like that. Srila Gurudev told us that one day when his roommate started with this, he extended his cloth forward and told that person, “I am collecting all your abusive words and giving them back to you. I give these back.” On several occasions, Srila Gurudev offered to shift to another room but the roommate would not allow him to do so, probab...

Whenever any question arises in my mind for which I wish to seek an answer from Guru Maharaj, just by sitting in front of him and without having to ask, the answer to the question is often received. Once when Guru Maharaj was in Bhatinda, there was a discussion in our house to ask Guru Maharaj whether his coming to math was by running away from home or was it with the permission of parents.   While thinking so when we reached Guruji’s room we saw that Pandieji and his wife from Jalandhar were sitting.    Pandeji’s wife was crying because their son Bhagavan Das Prabhu had become math-vasi.   As a mother, she felt that  if he stays at home then it is good.   Srila Gurudev convincingly told her that there is no reason for her crying and that he had come for the Supreme Lord’s service only.   He continued, " Even I came to math running away from home," and he told his story in detail. —Partha Sarati Das (Om Prakash Lumba) Chaitanya Sandesh July-...

Among all the brothers and sisters, Mahārāja was of a completely different nature right from his birth. He used to be absorbed in divine feelings, limited in speaking, simple, gentle, grave, straightforward, detached from material objects, and had no interest in material enjoyment. It could be easily understood from his activities that he is not a person of this material world. He would never argue with elders. Even if he was not at fault, he would not show any disagreement with them. He would quietly listen to their chastisement. In this manner, he was highly obedient and devoted to the elderly. He was also equally affectionate and caring for the younger kids; he would guide us and correct our mistakes immediately.  The elders said he would quietly listen with his head down as they spoke. He would neither speak in a raised voice nor raise his head in front of them. Not only that, he would not tolerate anybody disrespecting elders. He would immediately discipline us whenever we...

Now I am going to tell you about my condition when I first took shelter of the lotus feet of Srila Gurudeva. I was staying with my brother-in-law who was an officer, and I used to go to Calcutta University for study. At my first meeting with Srila Gurudeva, I told him, "I have had an indifference to the world for a long time. I feel that the world is not eternal and that one day, my mother, father, brother, sister, and all others will be gone. All will be over. I become sad by thinking like this and feel like renouncing the world, yet I have lust and a desire to enjoy; therefore I am afraid of the thought of renouncing the world. If I somehow renounce the world but then have to return to it later, friends will make fun of me and people of this world will laugh at me. So now, please tell me, will it be good for me to renounce the material world or not?" In reply, Srila Gurudeva explained to me with great affection, "It is all right. You may lack something, but the Su...

Our Radha Mohan Prabhu was clerk to my uncle who was an advocate (lawyer). When Guruji stayed at his (Radha Mohan Prabhu's) house, I wanted to see him. Sri Radha Mohan Prabhu said, "Guruji is a great saint. Because we worship Radha Krishna and Mahaprabhu at house, all devotees like us. So he is in our house. We also do not eat items that are not offered." So, I went to see Gurudeva. Along with me was my college friend. I listened to Guruji speak there. I did not understand anything that Gurudev spoke. The language (philosophy) was totally new to me. Now I use those words, but at that time I did not know that terminology. I used to wear shoes and have hair on my head. I was a student then. Listening to Gurudeva, I only understood that he is a Krishna Bhakta. I thought, I want Krishna Bhakti, so I'll go. I did not understand anything more than that. Wherever Gurudev went, I followed him. After a few days, Gurudev was supposed to go to another village and a rive...

After I joined math, I got a letter from my father. I asked Guru Maharaj if I can reply. He said, "No. If you reply, you will go home. You will not be able to stay in Math." My heart was floundering. After a few days, I got another letter. My mind got disturbed. I went to Guru Maharaj. He said, "I told you already if you reply, you will not be able to stay here." Some days later, about 32 - 34 persons from my village came there to Hazra Road (Kolkata) in search of me. I was sent by Guru Maharaj to another place. I did not understand the reason at the time. They searched for me, there but did not find me. They made all the arrangements for my marriage. They wanted to take me and get married. Guruji asked one devotee to take me to the station. I was surprised why Guruji wanted me to go all of a sudden. If those persons had seen me, it would have been difficult for me. —Gurudeva's words translated by Prahlad Das (2010)                ...

I used to play daily in the veranda. One day I hit a stone and fell down. I could not breathe properly. There were many old women and grandmothers sitting a little far away. I was signaling them, but nobody came. All of the sudden, my mother came there somehow. She came towards me, but suddenly took a turn in another direction because she did not see me. Later she saw me and came to me running. Then she rubbed me and I could breathe properly after that. I understood that even if mother is far from the child she knows about him. Those who were close by did not come to me. I have seen this practically. That relation (mother-child) is very different. She was some where else, but somehow she knew that her child is in trouble. She came running and none of those who were sitting there came. There is a gulf of difference. -- Our grandfather was our enemy (laughing). Whenever we used to play he used to come with a cane in his hand to beat us. One day all of my friends ran away but I could no...

Image from Gurudeva's Janmastan Temple, Gwalpara Dham Our grandmother was a devotee. She would offer water to Tulsi, worshiping her daily. In the evening, there was Hari-luta where all of us would stand and clap. Sugar candies were distributed after the ceremony.  All the children would gather and sing, 'Harir lute ... vahan....' and later water Tulsi. Chot-da would also attend, but he would be overcome with divine feelings, totally distinct from the others. We could not understand his mood at that time. -Smt. Gita Majumdar - Sister younger of Gurudeva by 12 years, became disciple in 1984.

In his letters, he would ask me to chant Harinam. I used to give excuses saying that I am very busy in the morning—I have to take bath, get ready for school, and study. When we were together in Barrackpore he would say, "Sit here. Close your eyes and chant the Lord's name." After closing my eyes, I would think of everything other than the Lord. I did not understand the significance then. So, he would make me chant every day and then say, "Take bath now, take food and get ready for school." Later he wrote letters asking me to chant Krishna's one hundred names - Jai Jai Govinda, Gopal, Gadadhar - everyday. When I wrote a letter expressing my incapability to chant every day due to many other engagements he would reply, "You are able to do all other things, it is good. But you are not able to chant Harinam, this is not good. You should chant the Lord's name first thing every day." —Smt. Gita Majumdar - Sister younger by 12 years. Becam...

On the day he left our house – I remember even now – I was a little girl, standing on one side of a room in our house in Barrackpore. He had a bundle in his hand that I thought was maybe clothes. My father asked where he was going and in reply he said that he was going to a friend's house and that he would benefit greatly from him. None of us could understand that he was indicating the spiritual benefit. That is how he left the house. We did not know at that point that he left the house with no intention of returning. We thought that he went to his friend's house and would return soon. For many days he did not come. We searched for him everywhere, but in vain. We inquired from all our relatives and friends in Kolkata, but we could not find him. Then my father said that in Goalpara there is a clerk, Radhamohan, who is a devotee, and that Maharaj used to discuss with him frequently. We thought we could get to know about him from people in Goalpara. We came to know from Ra...