Praṇamāmi Guru Tīrtha Padaṁ

Gurudev was a living example of guru-gata-pran : he stuck to his Gurudev's instructions and simply endeavored to carry them out regardless of the results or whether anyone supported them or not. The scriptural dictum ājñā gurūṇāṁ hy avicāraṇīyā  [the order of the spiritual master must be obeyed without consideration] finds its actual meaning in the life of our Guru Mahārāja. That made our Param Gurudev Śrīmad Bhakti Dayita Mādhava Gosvāmī Mahārāja utter that "Among my innumerable disciples the one who is dearest to my heart is Śrīla Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Gosvāmī Mahārāj."  He followed the orders of his Gurudev so perfectly, without the least deviation of even an inch from what was expected. He would always say it is the standing order of my Gurudev and by his ideal conduct, he demonstrated that this standing order has to be followed at any cost. There are umpteen instances that prove his guru-gata prana and one of them is when he followed the order of Śrīla Param Gurudev ...

Dīkṣā was the only occasion when just you and Guru Mahārāja are there. He was giving the mantras and I was chanting. There were a few words that were repeated in many mantras. I was thinking, what is this word that is repeated in many mantras? While he was speaking, Guru Mahārāja stopped and said, "Do you want to know what is the meaning of this word?" That was the first time I realized that whatever is in your heart, Guru Mahārāja knows that exactly. After the dīkṣā ceremony, Guru Mahārāja came out and was watering tulasī. Because I was pregnant, I was standing at a distance; I didn't want to stay in the crowd. Guru Mahārāja smiled at me. Afterward, he came and spoke to me. I couldn't believe he came because I was standing away from others. He said, “Did you get dīkṣā today?” I said, “Yes.” “Did you get dīkṣā mantras?” I said, “Yes.” He said, “Who has given you dīkṣā mantras? I said, “I got them from you.” He said, “No, no, no,” and pointed at Paramā-gurudeva’s room....

After the disappearance of Most Revered Bhakti Dayita Mādhava Gosvāmī Mahārāja, Tīrtha Mahārāja had tolerated immense suffering. Ignoring so many favorable and unfavorable circumstances, he kept on serving his Gurudeva. He is one of the bright stars of Sree Chaitanya Gaudiya Maṭha.  Śrīla Bhakti Ballabh Tīrtha Gosvāmī Mahārāja is a shining example of how one should serve guru, how one should dedicate oneself to the services of the maṭha, and how one should serve Guru-Vaiṣṇava-Bhagavan amidst all difficulties, adversities, reproaches, and insults of the world. The tolerance he has exhibited is extremely rare to be seen in human beings.  After the disappearance of my Gurudeva, I often would go to the maṭha of my Sannyās-guru, Nityālīlā Praviṣṭa Om Viṣṇupada Śrī Śrīmad Bhakti Kumuda Santa Gosvāmī Mahārāja. I have seen many times the way in which he offers his obeisances to Śrīla Santa Gosvāmī Mahārāja. He would sit on the floor in front of him and never on an elevated seat. We s...