Praṇamāmi Guru Tīrtha Padaṁ

In 1993, we gathered in a religious assembly that included a program of early morning Nagar Sankirtan.  The time was fixed at 5:30 am.  Slowly devotees started gathering.  It was around 6:30 am and Srila Guru Maharaj had not come out of his room yet.  Madanlal, the chief of Sri Sanatan Dharma Mandir, (New Model House, Ludhiana) told me, “Kochar Sir, you go and inform Maharaj that it is already late.  If it gets delayed further, walking in the Sun will be difficult.”  I told him that I cannot give instructions to Guruji, He is all knowing.  Whatever happens by His will will be all-good. Around 6.45 am, Guruji came out of his room and came to the assembly hall of the temple. Jai-dwani and Vandana began.  The sun was shining then. After that, Srila Guru Maharaj started sankirtan in an intense mood.  When we all came out from the hall, we found that there had been a slight drizzle and the road became wet. But Suryadev (Sun god) was peeping th...

I experienced the glories of Harinam in Punjab where I stayed in a dharamshala (lodge) with Guru Maharaj, Sri Trivikram Maharaj, and Sri Krishnadas Babaji Maharaj. In that lodge, Gurudev and all Vaishnavas used to get up early morning at about 4 AM, but we were young boys who liked to sleep late. At that time, Gurudev started singing kirtans such as Shadgoswami Ashtakam and verses from Gita. It used to be so nice and so loud, we could hear him from a long distance. There was silence and all were hearing Gurudev’s stava . It was nice, so pleasing and soothing to the heart to listen to the clear sound of Gurudev giving such long "jais" to Thakurjis of various maths like Krishnanagar, Kolkata, Assam, etc.  We asked Guruji why he gave "jais" to all Thakurjis from all maths, since usually we only give "jais" to the Thakurji of the math we're staying in. He replied that different maths have different Thakurjis and different sevaks are serving them....

Our Srila Gurudeva is redeemer of the fallen, the personal associate of the combined form of Sri Sri Radha Krishna—Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu, a devotee in the mood of topmost sweet mellows. In the external view, he is also in a very high position. Inspite of being such a great personality, he has conferred his supreme compassion on this ordinary soul who is proud and a seeker of prestige.   He speaks with a smiling face. He inspires and encourages me by engaging me in small services. Seeing my physical and mental condition, he gives his suggestions and teachings in a very natural and loving way so that I progress spiritually.   He does not see any faults in me.   Keeping a faultless vision always, overlooking my thousands of offences, he always guides me.   Once during a festival in Janakpuri (New Delhi), I could not go for 3-4 days for some reason.  Srila Guru Maharaj asked his sevak Sripad Achintya Govinda Prabhu (Anu Prabhu), “What is the matter? Wh...

There is no doubt that our Most Merciful Srila Gurudev is an embodiment of patience, but we had the real experience of it when there was once a General Meeting held in Kolkata. There I happened to read the false accusations made upon Srila Gurudev by two Vaishnavas who had filed them in the court.  I  was surprised to see the serious and baseless accusations that so extremely attacked  His character.  Reading those accusations, I had felt great anger and also was surprised as to with what thoughts and intentions such senior Vaishnavas did this. In the assembly, all household Vaishnavas expressing their minds let out their anger and pacified themselves. Srila Gurudev did not consider it appropriate to speak anything against anyone and only said that whatever Guruji and Supreme Lord does is all-good. I was astonished seeing this extreme forbearance. —Sri Vishvambhar Das (B. L. Chotani), Manasa  Translated from Sri Krishna Chaitanya Sandesh July-Oc...

One time during a Harikatha in Kolkata Math, Gurudev expressed his great concern about devotees who had a desire to visit the zoological park at Kolkata when they came there.
 His concern was really palpable when he said, "You go there to see the lions and tigers, but if you suffer a heart attack and die there out of fear hearing just one roar from one of them in close quarters, you may be born as a tiger or a lion next because your last thoughts were of them!"

By Gurudev's grace we see a lesson He is conveying to us, i.e. though death of the body is certain and I have no control over the date, time, place and circumstances of death, but I still have a choice to choose how I live now and so, let me only aspire and pray to live a devotional life in the association of pure devotees of the Lord.

 I found myself pondering on the words of Gurudev and could not get it off my mind easily. More thinking made me realize that Gurudev's concern was not like an ordinary m...

Gaursundar Prabhu was there in Guwahati hospital, and he started doing kirtan for the first time. There was space near the hospital, and the arrangement was such that Gurudev was moved to another separate room. It was near an empty building next to the hospital. Gaurasundar Prabhu started doing kirtan there and the sound of kirtan went directly to Guru Maharaj's room. That was his arrangement. Muni Maharaj was there and he sang, Sri Krishna Chaitanya Prabhu, doya koro more . I still remember the mood with which he sang. That time, moods of material discomforts, they all disappeared. Everyone was filled with deep feelings for Gurudev, and with that mood they sang. Everybody had Gurudev in their mind, in their heart. The full mood was with Gurudev. Being a part of that kirtan, was really a different experience. That time I took a snap just to remember that, I still have that snap. It was altogether a different atmosphere that time. Then the kirtan started regularly f...

Our Guru Maharaj is the incarnate form of Sriman Mahaprabhu’s 3rd sloka of Sri Sikshastakam amanina manadena , not expecting respect for oneself but at the same time giving due respects to others, and this mood of his is unparalleled. Not a trace of desire of respect for himself. We can personally observe these qualities of Guru Maharaj in his day-to-day activities. In Sri Dham Mayapur, ISKCON’s Sri Jayapataka Maharaj submitted to Guruji saying, “Maharaj, you take many devotees to several places during Parikrama while performing sankirtans. So, please come to our place as well.” Guruji accepted his submission. One day Guruji was taking devotees along in Nagar Sankirtan and arrived at Sri Krishna Chandrodaya mandir. Sri Jayapataka Maharaj and math’s other sanyassis and brahmacharis gave a warm welcome to Guruji at the main gate. They expressed great joy on the arrival of Guru Maharaj and blissfully joined the sankirtan. With great respect, Guruji was lead to the Satsang...