Praṇamāmi Guru Tīrtha Padaṁ

Mahābhāgavats come to encourage us and show us the path that is our only goal. We belonged here from before a time we can remember. Guru Mahārāj joined the Mission in 1947 and up to the time our maṭh was established by Śrīla Param Gurudeva, Guru Mahārāj was staying at Caitanya Maṭh with Param Gurudeva. Guru Mahārāj said we are also originally belonging to Caitanya Maṭh. Our saṅkīrtana party used to sit and take prasād in the open under so many trees. From there we used to go to Śrīvas Angan and then Kazi Samādhi.  Guru Mahārāj was worried about when it was going to become dark as many people could be lost along the way. I remember from Kazi Samādhi that everyone was tired. After prostrating, many were feeling like catching a rickshaw since we had been going on foot the whole day. Then I remember Guru Mahārāj getting up with his tridaṇḍa in hand. He started singing, "Haribol, bolo bhai" and he started running to the maṭh using the fastest stretch from Kazi Samādhi to our ...

In Śrīdhām Māyāpur during Kārtik month’s regulative service, early one morning before 4 a.m., Guru Mahārāj  came out of his room. He did not see that there was a dog sleeping on the steps nearby and as it was still dark. I was washing my hands at a tap nearby and when saw that Gurujī had experienced a bad fall, I ran to him.  Even before I reached, Gurudev had managed to get up by himself. His foot began to swell immediately;  I witnessed that it was difficult for him to take even a single step.  When a doctor came later to apply medicine, the wounded place on his foot was so sensitive that even the slightest pressure resulted in great pain.  I saw that Gurujī was bearing everything quietly. Even more astonishing was when I saw Gurujī coming that same evening to lead the assembly in Dāmodara-vrata’s regulated services as usual. His foot was so swollen that he could not sit by folding his legs. We tried to offer him a chair, but he refused to accept it.  He ...

In 2002, Guru Mahārāj led Vraja-mandala parikramā . We went to Ramaṇa-reti in Gokul-mahāvan, one of the twelve forests in Vraja. Reti means sand, and ramaṇa means charming, delightful— pleasure-giving sand. Along with other sakhas , Kṛṣṇa and Balaram performed leisurely plays in this place during their childhood. Today that particular land is being taken care of very nicely by a māyāvādi āśram . They serve prasād freely to all the pilgrims. Upon our arrival there, Guru Mahārāj was very blissful and he spoke about the glories of that place. He said this was where Krishna and Balaram performed many playful pastimes. Therefore, nobody should be morose there–everyone should be laughing and smiling. Guru Mahārāj was very blissful there. He laughed very sweetly and made all of us laugh loudly too. After hari-kathā and some playing in the divine sand, the sādhus and sannyāsīs were invited into the dining room. Everyone else followed after them and sat there in a line ready to take prasād ...

On the morning of June 6, 2010, Śrīla Gurudeva told me, "Lord likes children and old people. You should not disrespect them as they are very dear to Lord. Prahlad, Dhruva –they were all small children." That afternoon at the Agartala airport, somehow the sound of a child's cry entered the transcendental ears of our Gurudev from at least twenty feet away from the child in this crowded, busy airport. Śrīla Gurudev asked, "Why is the child crying?" I went and found that the baby's mother has gone to the restroom and he was crying for her. I conveyed the same to Śrīla Gurudev. He said, "Oh, okay. Is there someone to take care of him? I assured him that his father was there, then we started discussing some other topics. Everyone totally forgot about the child and the mother after five minutes except Gurudeva. He remarked, "Looks like the child's mother has come. He is not crying now." I just could not imagine how much Śrīla Gurudev cares and sh...

Whatever prayers generally were taken to Srila Gurudev, by the power of his omniscience, he would take care of those prayers. Externally he may not have promised as much, but he took care. Gurudev said when flower blossoms, it's fragrance spreads all around. No need to advertise.  Many devotees would approach Gurudev to say, Gurudev bless me to go on preaching (prachar). Yet, Gurudev said never have this mood of preaching. Perform kirtan bhakti. If you take up a mood of superiority to someone—that you can rescue them, help them, it may lead to your own fall. Repeat what you have heard from Guru varga for your own benefit, not with the mood to rescue anyone. Prachar is to be done in this mood.  We know that Srila Gurudev always imbibes and practices this. Example is better than precept. He never stopped practicing this, very unique. Until the end, he considered himself like this. Srila Gurudev presents himself and actually believes he's a conditioned soul. Therefore you ca...

During the first Day of Hyderabad Math's Annual Function, Guruji and all other Maharajis came to the temple which was finely decorated and filled with devotees. It was just before his sickness pastimes. My mother who was then already initiated was present in the temple from morning time, serving Guruji and Their Lordships. My sisters and I went to school and came to the temple in the evening for Guruji's darshan, but we were late and were told that we could come the next day. My mother was visibly sad and started pleading Radhakant Prabhu to let us have darshan. He went and asked Guruji about it, and then Guruji being all-merciful told him to let us come in. As soon as he opened the door, my mother was happy and we entered the room. I saw him for the first time, blissfully sitting on the wooden chair, talking to someone else. We took his blessings, then prasad from His hands. He questioned us very sweetly about our whereabouts and then told me very distinctly and clearly: ...

Our first parikrama of Sri Navadvip dham was beyond our imagination in essence and magnitude. Even without knowing the glories of Sri Dham, we had been blessed with the chance to be part of such great fortune only by the grace of our beloved Gurudeva! That year was also the occasion commemorating the Golden 50th Sannyas year of our beloved Gurudeva, and thousands of devotees performed aratika of our Gurudeva during that great event that took place on the 14th of March, 2011. 
On that blessed evening, I was one among many volunteers and we readied ghee lamps for all devotees to perform aratika of our Gurudev. We were instructed to stand at different places in the huge pandal with water-filled buckets so that after arotika, devotees could douse the lamps in the water so as to avoid any untoward accidental fire. 
Gurudeva had adorned the stage with acharyas from various maths, and keeping some hundreds of sannyasi disciples of Gurudeva in the front, thousands of devotees were on thei...

Once I watched a daily online darshan of Gurudev. Everything was as usual—the devotees sang kirtan, and Gurudev was in His room behind a glass door. My heart was very sad by the fact that for a long time it is impossible for me to come to the Math and meet Gurudev and the devotees. Then Gurudev gave me special darshan. He seemed to have changed my angle of view, and I began to perceive reality differently. Gurudev was majestically sitting in His chair behind the glass door, and all the devotees sitting in the outside facing room reflected in the glass door. The reflection showed that they were all inside Gurudev. Then new devotees came, sat down, and also reflected and appeared inside Gurudev. The devotees kept increasing, but they all fit inside Gurudev. Immediately I got the idea, Gurudev, you yourself are Narayana! I just marveled at what is happening. At the end of darshan, I mentally asked Gurudev, where is Krishna? And I did not have to wait for an answer for a long tim...

Gurudev used to come out in Goalpara and give darshan. He used to sometimes close his eyes when the parikrama was happening, but when he faced the sun, his eyes were open. Prahlad Prabhu gave one saying: "the sun is seeing another sun." All the devotees got this darshan. He was blessing all of us. If you have a sincere desire, and you are putting efforts, then Gurudev will immediately respond. Somehow or other he will respond. In 2011, I was in Mayapur. Then I came to Kolkata. Gurudev used to come to the library to do his Tulasi puja. I came and he also told me, "Oh, abh bhi ageya?" This means, Oh, you have come? It was very touching. As if to tell us, oh you don't worry. Just put your sincere efforts, I will take care of everything. —Purushottam Das (Pravin)

I used to prepare food for Gurudev. So I prepared 2-3 dishes and 2 dishes from Thakurji’s bhog and arranged nicely on a silver plate with small bowls. When I learned how to serve, part of that was to learn how to arrange Thakurji's plate properly—left side some bitter thing, then dal, some sabjis, then dry sabji direct in the plate, salt, lemon, chili—all things to be arranged nicely. I prepared bitter gourd, cucumber, and one leafy vegetable. We prepare according to Guruji’s health requirements. Guruji had some sugar issues, so we give bitter gourd also. I tasted it a bit for salt and found it good. Then I prepared green papaya, cutting it nicely and seasoned with cumin and other spices, and in the end adding some ginger also to give fragrance. I arranged it nicely in Guruji’s plate. whenever I came with plate I had told Guruji he had to leave his writing and get up—otherwise, the food would get cold and not taste good. When I went in with the plate, Guruji was dictatin...

I have seen that many times devotees offer pranami (donation) in hundreds or thousands. In Assam, I have seen poor devotees offering gamcha/dhoti (towel) and one rupee along with it. Guruji first used to touch that one rupee coin on his forehead, then used to say that these devotees are poor and have chosen to give that to me on which their children has the right. He does not see the amount but he sees the mood of the devotee. Where will we find such a Vaishnava who looks at the bhava (degree of devotion) of the devotee and not at the amount! —Krishnanand Das, Punjab

One time I was going back to Pune from Kolkata. Radhika was also leaving Kolkata, and both of us got darsan of Guru Maharaj the night before we were supposed to leave. We got 5-10 minutes to speak with him. When we went together, Guru Maharaj got a very big smile. He thought both of us were going together. He asked if we had money. I told Guru Maharaj that I was going to Pune, and Radhika was going to China. Immediately Guru Maharaj had the face of worry and said, “Oh, you are going alone? You are going such a long way alone? It would be good if there was someone to go with you.” At that time, Nand dulal Prabhu, my husband, was not there with me. I heard many times that Guru Maharaj has so much affection for many devotees, but this was the first time I experienced it directly myself. Sandeep Prabhu was in the room at the time and told Guru Maharaj not to worry, that he could go with me to Pune. Guru Maharaj seemed relieved and agreed. There was another time that Nand dulal Prabh...

One time during one of the internet webcast darshans, Dinabandhu Prabhu was doing Mahamantra kirtan and many of our god-brothers were there. All were very enlivened, and I was watching from my home and I was also feeling enlivened. Then I started regretting, thinking, why will this have to finish? While I was regretting, I got a message from Gurudev from within my heart that said, no, why should we finish? This will never finish. I am eternal, all these god-brothers are eternal, all our relationships are eternal. Vrindavan is eternal, so if you want to serve, this will always go on. This transcendental realm will always go on. 
Such revelation and encouragement I got from Gurudeva at that time. And there are so many other instances; there is unlimited Guru-katha. 
—Madan Gopal Das, Slovenia 


On Utthana Ekadasi at the end of Kartik in 2013, I found myself alone in our daily online early morning satsang, as many of our godbrothers and godsisters were either in Kolkata Math or in Chandigarh Math celebrating with Gurudeva and Vaishnavas. I offered Mangalacharan and later read from Gurudev's teachings. Then I remembered a webcast was announced by Chandigarh Math to begin shortly, and I hoped to join there at least. No luck was with me as I found there was some problem with my internet connection. I felt very dejected. Being alone at home that day, I tried to log into the math website for the webcast of celebrations from Kolkata, but to no avail. I registered my complaint with BSNL and waited. I spent the whole day chanting, and I read Srila Gurudev's article on Param Gurudev from Sri Chaitanya: His Life and Associates. Somehow that day I had a strong feeling that Gurudeva would speak Harikatha and break his pastime of silence. At almost 9 pm, before going to bed, I aga...

Once in 2005, Śrīla Bhakti Kumuda Śānta Gosvāmī Mahārāja and other vaiṣṇavas were invited to our Māyāpur maṭha. Gurujī went to the main gate to welcome the Guru-varga. There was a crowd of devotees and Gurujī was standing among them. He showed that he is like any other disciple welcoming his Guru-varga.  That day, Gurujī was not seen to be the Ācārya of the maṭha. All the vaiṣṇavas were warmly welcomed and were made to sit on the āsana (seat) spread on the stage. Śrīla Santa Gosvāmī Mahārāja and Śrīla Trivikrama Mahārāja sat on the āsana and told Gurujī to come and sit with them, but Gurudeva sat on the floor facing them. He did not even accept the āsana put for him on the floor.  Gurujī is the Ācārya of our maṭha and is respected by all the revered vaiṣṇavas, but he sat on the floor in front of his Guru-varga just like an ordinary disciple. This is mānaśūnyata, (no desire for respect from others). Whether he gets respect from anyone or not, it doesn't make any difference to ...

I cannot forget my first darśana of Śrīla Gurudeva. By the mercy of the devotees, I had been attracted by the unalloyed devotion expressed in his kīrtans and books. Before I knew it, I took a train from Vṛndāvana and arrived at the Sree Caitanya Gauḍīya Maṭha in Kolkata.  On the way, I remembered the rule of thumb that the Guru and the disciple should test each other for at least one year before initiation.  After the devotees had introduced me to Śrīla Gurudeva, he looked at me with affection and asked, “Have you taken initiation?”  “No, Mahārāja”, I answered. Guru Mahārāja smiled softly and said, “You should take initiation.” My heart understood; it was racing, and I could not speak. I could hardly believe it. An hour had not yet passed—what to speak of a year—and he had already accepted me. He didn’t give me a second to think. Before my mind could ponder if he is my Guru, he made it clear that I was his.  His immediate acceptance was like an overwhelming a...

We would like to offer our unlimited prostrated dandavat pranams to Srila Guru Maharaj, His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Goswami Maharaj.  In 1998, by the mercy of Sri Sri Radha-Krsna, we were able to have the most wonderful darshan of Srila Guru Maharaj.   “Krsna krpate Guru mile,   Guru krpate Krsna mile” In this manner, we met His Divine Grace. Srila Guru Maharaj is a personification of love and affection and treated everyone as his own.   Subsequently we were fortunate to have his darshan on several occasions and finally had the opportunity to serve Srila Guru Maharaj at our place.  The most amazing pastime that will always be in our hearts is Srila Guru Maharaj’s ecstatic kirtans. Most importantly, Lord Nrsimha’s kirtan. In our experience, we had never heard such an overpowering and heart rendering kirtan. It was as though the Lord Himself descended, and Srila Guru Maharaj was completely absorbed.  Srila Guru Mah...

One time Guru Mahārāja was on the balcony in the winter season to get some sun. We observed him to be staring at a particular nearby tree for a long time, seemingly lost in some thought. I was sitting in front of him when he asked a question. He asked, ”These birds, they are going here and there. They bring food and they come back to the same place to nest. They have some small babies, so they go and bring some nice food for them and they come here again. They don't have any house.” I indicated, “Yes, Guru Mahārāja.” Then he inquired very innocently. “When it rains, how do they fly? Their wings get wet. Where do they get food from? They have to fly. We are using umbrellas, but they have no umbrellas. So in the rainy season, where will they go? How will they find food?” I said, “Actually, I don't know,” because I had never thought of it. People like me only consider myself—whether I am okay or not, whether I have sufficient foodstuffs in my storehouse or not, whether I have eno...

I went alone without my parents on a Punjab tour with Gurujī when I was very young around 14 or 15 years old. Gurujī gave me so much love. Every once in a while, he would send some devotees to check if I was doing well. During that tour, there was a program in our Gurubhai's house in Mansa, near Bhatinda. I was feverish, so I lay down. After some time, someone came and kicked me, saying, “You are sleeping! Why? Gurujī will have prasād here.” Feeling sad, I left the room and immediately Gurujī came from the other side. When he held my hand, he felt it was hot and said, “You have fever.” As one feels comfortable with his father, I complained about the kicking incident. He made me lie behind Him while he was honoring prasād. He caressed me and told me, "Do not cry. He is a vaiṣṇava, so forget about it.” During hari-kathā that same night, Gurujī mentioned that if anyone hits a vaiṣṇava or even if his chappals (footwear) touch someone then it is very inauspicious. If by mistake als...

I came to Śrīla Gurudeva Bhakti Ballabha Tīrtha Gosvāmī Mahārāja after becoming his first non-endian full-time disciple. I was initiated in 1995 at Śrīdhāma Vṛndāvana on Baladeva Pūrṇimā at the end of the Rādhā-Govinda Jhulan-yātrā festival of Sree Caitanya Gauḍīya Maṭha. On my second trip to India in 1996, I approached him with the idea to study Sanskrit. Gurudeva replied, "You did not come to me, you came to learn something." It meant I came with the desire not to serve the Guru but to learn something for myself. I clearly understood that Gurudeva gave me a choice to become an independent scholar in Sanskrit or to be his fully dedicated disciple.  I still insisted on my studies anyway. Gurudeva agreed with my desire and allowed me to live in Kolkata maṭha while I was attending Kolkata Sanskrit College, the same college where Śrīla Prabhupāda Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura studied one hundred years before. A professor of Sanskrit there asked me, “What do you want to learn...