Praṇamāmi Guru Tīrtha Padaṁ

Once Bindu Madhav Prabhu from France asked Srila Gurudev a question and he told me about it later because he said he was so glad that he asked because of the answer that he got. It is particularly pertinent to foreign devotees. The question was (I'm paraphrasing): "In the future, the Holy Name will be sung in every town and village. So for future devotees, it will be much easier to practice Krsna consciousness. There will be many temples and maths, devotees can have prasad easily and participate in kirtan. Isn't that unfair? Because for us now it is often very difficult. Many times we are all alone amongst materialistic people, we are struggling alone and sometimes can't even have prasad." Srila Gurumaharaj answered: "Don't worry. Mahaprabhu will take care of you." —Urmila Dasi

Srila Gurudev would travel to various places from Kolkata for preaching. During that time my service was to clean Srila Gurudev’s room once he left Kolkata Math and also when he would come back to Kolkata after completing his preaching tour. Additionally, when Srila Gurudev stayed in Kolkata, I would come to the math during weekends in the morning, and sometimes I would get the opportunity of cleaning Srila Gurudev’s room.  So One day I got the opportunity for that service. The sevak who asked me said, “You must do everything very quickly because Gurumaharaj can come out any time." In my mind, I was tremendously happy that while cleaning I will get the chance of touching his used things. I happily entered the room and started looking for the things which were on the bed of Srila Gurudev- his clothes, his towels, his blanket, his slippers on the floor, his pen and books on the desk, etc. For that moment it was like a treasure trove for me. I just started touching his used t...

Once Gurudeva was going for some work to the court on Param Gurudeva's instructions but was held back by Keshav Prabhu [his guru varga]  who told him to have prasadam since the court matter may take a long time and he didn't want him to feel hunger. Param Gurudeva happened to come and saw him taking prasadam, and only said:  Oh, Krishna Ballabh.. you are still here? Srila Gurudeva immediately stood up leaving eating. His head was bowed down and he was seen to have tear-filled eyes.  Without giving any reason or explanations, he told: Gurudeva, I am leaving right now. He walked out quickly. For him, it was as though an earthquake had happened. Through this, Gurudeva is teaching how one has to balance between following Gurudeva and Guruvarga's instructions. Without surrender, any limb of devotion is not devotion, it is karma.  We pray we get such surrender as our Gurudeva has for Param Gurudeva. —Srila Bhakti Kushal Padmanabha Maharaj

There are infinite glories of Srila Gurudev. There a shlok: “sakshad haritvena samasta-shastrair uktas tatha bhavyata eva sadbhihi" It means that Guruji is nondifferent from God. Guru is Ashray Vigrah, Lord is Vishay Vigrah. [Supreme Lord is the enjoyer principle, jivas are the enjoyed]. The scriptures give indications and describe the Supreme Lord's appearance. If we join those together, we can get some mental pictures of what the Lord looks like, even though the real vision of that is unavailable to material eyes. However, when we could see Gurudev, even our material eyes could be used for seeing his divine form. He is so merciful he even lets those with material vision see him. Gurudev is an actual vigrah of God. He rectifies us and helps us incorporate improvements. A long time ago I'd been on Punjab prachar and I got an opportunity to learn from Gurudev in Ludhiana, where I received his shiksha. Gurudev has so much forbearance— we cannot imagine! I saw it during Vais...

In 2012 in Kolkata Math after Srila Gurudev watered Tulasi Devi and paid obeisance to Srila Param Gurudev, He was going towards His own bhajan kutir where He saw me standing. He asked me: How are you? Any difficulty? I replied: No, now not. Gurudev: Now not? Me: Yes, now not. Only sometimes. Gurudev: Sometimes? Me: Yes. Gurudev (with a strong voice and golden aura): Krishna is always gracing you! Otherwise, there would be some mistake in Him. (Then He waved with His lotus hand indicating that there is no mistake in Krishna who is All-Good). Then He entered into His bhajan kutir. Gurudev is fully established in the realization of tat te'nu kampam verse (SB 10.14.8) and out of His causeless mercy He wanted me to realize it also. —Madan Gopal Das, Slovenia

1997 may be remembered in history for a number of reasons, but in the minds and hearts of his devoted disciples, this was the year that most elevated and revered President-Acharya of Sree Chaitanya Gaudiya Math, His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Goswami Maharaj, toured the Western Hemisphere for the first time. His Divine Grace Bhakti Sundar Narasingh Maharaj, who had previously visited these unworthy authors at our home in Phoenix, Arizona, USA in the fall of 1995, informed us that Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Maharaj was preparing for his first trip outside of India in the near future. Unfortunately, there were some difficulties in obtaining the necessary visas and, as a result of such obstacles, Srila Gurudev’s departure from India was delayed. Eventually, to our surprise and delight, we received a letter in late April of 1997 from Rashbihari das (director of the tour and intimate disciple of His Divine Grace) stating that Srila Gurudev and his entourage would be arrivin...

In 2017 we celebrated Ramnavami, Vyasa Puja in Kolkata when Guru Maharaj was present and now it is four years later. In 2024 his centennial 100th Appearance anniversary will be celebrated.  I just pray to him that I get a chance to glorify him again and again.  Whenever I got the opportunity to be with Gurudev as his servant on his tours all over India all over the world, I never had the aptitude to speak myself.  I am only interested in hearing from Gurudev.  That became my lifeline.   In February of 1998, we were in Honolulu, Hawaii (USA) and we were staying at the home of Mr. Kapur from India.  Guru Maharaj called me and he said tomorrow is the Appearance Vyasa Puja of Srila Prabhupad Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur. He instructed me that I must speak tomorrow. I could not muster courage and I was in anxiety but somehow I did and after that, all my hesitation and shyness went away and I know by the causeless mercy of Guru Maharaj I got an opportuni...