IN THE CARE OF SRI GURU

An informal discourse on 10 October 1989 at Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math in Sri Nabadwip Dham, India by Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj.

Literal Transcript

Śrīla Govinda Mahārāj: Guru Mahārāj gave us heavy duty for maintaining his Chaitanya Sāraswat Maṭh, his deities and devotees. And we are trying heart and soul to maintain his Mission and fulfil his desire. This is only duty for us. Not only myself alone, everybody will try to fulfil his desire.

Guru Mahārāj was very great. He have very great personality, and nobody can compete with his personality. And Śrīpād Swāmī Mahārāj and Guru Mahārāj all over the world they are preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We always remember Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāj. Swāmī Mahārāj and Guru Mahārāj’s friendship was very intimate. You read the books, some books, what’s the name?

Students: Guardian of Devotion.

Śrīla Govinda Mahārāj: Guardian of Devotion, printed from San Jose Temple, and I also read from there. And I know Swāmī Mahārāj from my childhood.When I joined in this Kṛṣṇa consciousness Mission of Śrīla Guru Mahārāj, that time was 1947, and from 1947, after two, three months, I went Kolkata Maṭh of Guru Mahārāj. That Maṭh was in the house of Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāj. Swāmī Mahārāj was that time gṛhastha, and he have two house, one three storey building, one two storey building. And he spend one for Guru Mahārāj.

On the first floor, ground floor, there was his laboratory, Bimaltan Laboratory, its name was that. And upstairs four rooms are there, two rooms using Guru Mahārāj in the road side, and two rooms we are using. From that time I am associated with Śrīpād Swāmī Mahārāj also. And ten or twelve years I was in charge of Kolkata Maṭh, 7 Sitakanta Banerjee Lane.

Then from that time I have seen and I inspired. Also Guru Mahārāj inspired by Swāmī Mahārāj to preach. After Gauḍīya Mission leaving, Śrīla Guru Mahārāj did not want to preach. Wants to do some bhajan, and writing, and staying alone he liked very much. But Swāmī Mahārāj given inspiration sometimes, I have seen, “Go and preach, go and preach!” And he is taking, but Guru Mahārāj not going, few times may gone, but Swāmī Mahārāj not hopeless, and he was very enthusiast, and he taking us.

Specially myself was there in Sitakanta Banerjee Lane, and he is arranging in Kolkata Town, East, West, North side and South Kolkata also, arranging some meeting and taking us, three, four brahmachārī was there. And I was red cloth, saffron cloth. Gaurendu Brahmachārī, my name was Gaurendu Brahmachārī. And Swāmī Mahārāj giving me position of vyāsāsan, and he is preaching but showing Indian style, it is saffron cloth will got some position. This way Swāmī Mahārāj showing me, preaching himself.

I am only reading the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam ślokas or Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā ślokas, and Swāmī Mahārāj explaining everything, giving explanation. This way very mane small scale Swāmī Mahārāj preaching that time. And I have seen when Swāmī Mahārāj getting some money, little money, and he is trying to publish one magazine, and that magazine is Back to Godhead. Now that magazine all over the world spread, and that time maybe 250 or 400 copies he is printing, and we are distributing that in shop to shop, Dalhousie Square, Esplanade, Boro Bazar going, only twenty-five paise value was that book.

This way Swāmī Mahārāj was very enthusiast to preach. And sometimes wants to take Guru Mahārāj to see the big big men. Also Gandhi, you heard the name Mahatma Gandhi? He called by Indian ‘father of nation’. And Swāmī Mahārāj always cooperating with … ki? Always negotiating with Gandhi, Jawaharlal by letter, corresponding, yes corresponding. And that letter also few with maybe Sudhīr Goswāmī. He is very expert man; he collected everything. Few letters also with Sudhīr Goswāmī, he said me.

And writing to everybody, big big man, Dr. Radhakrishnan, he was President of India. And when his business was in Allahabad, Allahabad birthplace of Jawaharlal Nehru maybe, father’s house, Jawaharlal Nehru, Paṇḍit Jawaharlal Nehru, he was the first Prime Minister of India, and also big personality, but they was friend of Swāmī Mahārāj. He have one big medicine shop in Allahabad, means big, most big, medicine shop, maybe first in Allahabad, then everybody coming to his shop, and this way friendship with everybody, big big man. And also preaching, always preaching tendency we have seen.

In the time of Śrīla Prabhupād, Śrīla Guru Mahārāj preached in South India. First preaching place South India. After taking dīkṣā-mantram from Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Saraswatī Goswāmī Ṭhākur, he went for discover of Rāmānanda Rāy and Mahāprabhu’s milan kṣetra,

Śrīpād Mahānanada Prabhu: The place of their discussion.

Śrīla Govinda Mahārāj: Yes, discussion. Sended by his Gurudev, Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Saraswatī Ṭhākur, in the town of bank of Godāvarī, that Kovvur and Rajahmundry. Other side Rajahmundry of Godāvarī River, and Kovvur other side. And in Kovvur there some place we have seen, the meeting place of Mahāprabhu. And Prabhupād Bhakti Siddhānta Saraswatī Ṭhākur sent Guru Mahārāj there for discover that place. And Guru Mahārāj went there, and meditating, and discovered that place, searching after verification where it is possible. And Prabhupād himself gone there and opened the Temple. And that Temple also make Guru Mahārāj. And after that, Guru Mahārāj sended by Siddhānta Saraswatī Ṭhākur to Madras, Bombay, etc., many big big town. But that time one office was Swāmī Mahārāj’s office in Bombay.

And when Swāmī Mahārāj and Guru Mahārāj 1930 met in Allahabad, and after that Guru Mahārāj brought Swāmī Mahārāj to Prabhupād Bhakti Siddhānta Saraswatī Ṭhākur, and looking Śrīla Saraswatī Ṭhākur, Swāmī Mahārāj was very happy, and remarked in Bengali: “এত দিনে মহাপ্রভুর পাঠাত একজন মানুষের মত মানুষের হাতে করেছেন ।” [“After so long, someone sent by Mahāprabhu has brought a human mentality to the hands of humanity.”] This remark, he first remark Swāmī Mahārāj done: “After so long days, now one man preaching really conception of Śrīman Mahāprabhu.” This was his first remark about Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Saraswatī Ṭhākur. After so long Rūpa-Sanātan, Jīva, Raghunāth, and Kṛṣṇadās Kavirāj Goswāmī, Narottam Ṭhākur, and some long gap, after that long gap, Baladev Vidyābhūṣaṇ, and gap in very long time. And Mahāprabhu’s religion, preaching conception was very high, but few of sampradāya, that is called apasampradāya, what English apasampradāya?

Student: Sahajiyā?

Śrīla Govinda Mahārāj: Sahajiyā, no, no English, what is English, apasampradāya?

Śrīpād Mahānanada Prabhu: A sahajiyā is an imitationist.

Śrīla Govinda Mahārāj: Imitation. imitating, few of Bengali and other countries also imitating Mahāprabhu’s preaching conception. And that way it was very bad situation to preach the Vaiṣṇavism, real Vaiṣṇavism. But when Bhakti Vinod Ṭhākur, Śrīla Bhakti Vinod Ṭhākur, father of Śrīla Prabhupād Bhakti Siddhānta Saraswatī Ṭhākur appear, and as an associate of Śrīman Mahāprabhu, close devotee of Śrīman Mahāprabhu, he tried to preach the Kṛṣṇa consciousness, real Kṛṣṇa consciousness, what gave us Śrīman Mahāprabhu, then thirteen apasampradāya, called imitationists, they was very angry with Bhakti Vinod Ṭhākur and Śrīla Prabhupād Bhakti Siddhānta Saraswatī Ṭhākur, and many way they tried to obstruct and also destroy the Mission of Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Saraswatī Ṭhākur. But Saraswatī Ṭhākur was great devotee, they cannot destroy his Mission; they thyself gone.

Śrīpād Mahānanda Prabhu: They themselves were destroyed.

Śrīla Govinda Mahārāj: Yes, themselves. And I heard their one leader, there was one leader, that man also famous, India famous man, paṇḍit, big paṇḍit. His name was Gopendu Bhūṣaṇ Sāṅkhya Tīrtha. And when here meeting, one meeting called by few gentlemen in Nabadwīp Dhām, and that man preside in that meeting. He was president in that meeting, and he confessed, “We have done wrong, and Bhakti Siddhānta Saraswatī Ṭhākur done right.”

That meeting Guru Mahārāj was only speaker, yes, that meeting, and he was president, that Gopendu Bhūṣaṇ Sāṅkhya Tīrtha, and he confessed in that public meeting that what is Mahāprabhu’s desire, that fulfilled by Bhakti Siddhānta Saraswatī Ṭhākur not ourselves, and we have done many wrong with him, but now we are looking, Bhakti Siddhānta Saraswatī Ṭhākur have done right, and his preaching was very great and truthful. This way he confessed we heard.

At that time, Guru Mahārāj preached by order of his Gurudev Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Saraswatī Ṭhākur all over the India. That time India and Pakistan was same country called Bhārat. And in Pakistan, there Karachi one capital of … এখন Pakistan ত কোথায় ? Karachi was the capital of that province. And Guru Mahārāj went there to preach. And you have seen young photo of Guru Mahārāj with …

Student: Turban.

Śrīla Govinda Mahārāj: That photo taken there. And in the time of Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Saraswatī Ṭhākur Delhi, Kurukṣetra, Naimiṣaraṇya, Allahabad, Benares, Madras, Bombay, everywhere and also now Bangladesh, Dhaka, Comilla, Chattagram, Guru Mahārāj preached very successfully and got very hopeful response.

Many of great soul come, came, to the lotus feet of Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Saraswatī Ṭhākur that time, preaching of Guru Mahārāj result. And Guru Mahārāj never defeated in his life. And we heard, within five minutes, within ten minutes, big big paṇḍit defeated by Guru Mahārāj. Also when Swāmī B.H. Bon went to London, went to West, London, Germany, France, etc., for preaching the conception of Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Saraswatī Ṭhākur and Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and Bon Mahārāj come back from England, but he make himself like a Western gentleman by his clothes, garments. And it was not a happy news for Siddhānta Saraswatī Ṭhākur and also other devotees, but he was very strong, that is, nobody can say anything.

But in Bombay there was Swāmī Mahārāj, and given reception Swāmī Mahārāj also to Bon Mahārāj. And Bon Mahārāj said, “In the West there are many questions, questioning many things, we cannot answer that.” But Guru Mahārāj was there, Swāmī Mahārāj, Guru Mahārāj, and also Goswāmī Mahārāj and few preaching in Bombay that time, and very friendship with Swāmī Mahārāj and Guru Mahārāj, and one table Swāmī Mahārāj, Abhay Bābu that time, he said, “What is your question, you can say us? What questioning there in the West?”

And Bon Mahārāj said, “You cannot answer that.” And Swāmī Mahārāj said, “Yes, can answer!” And Guru Mahārāj was there, and Swāmī Mahārāj said, “Śrīdhar Mahārāj will answer your questions.” And many questions done by Bon Mahārāj Western style, and many questions, there so many questions, and Bon Mahārāj, Śrīla Guru Mahārāj gave one by one answer, very successfully and lastly Bon Mahārāj stopped.

And Swāmī Mahārāj told, “Here Europe is defeated by Asia.” This way, joking way, he told, “You are coming from Europe, and your all question is European question, and Śrīdhar Mahārāj is Asian man, and he gave all answer. Then here is we can think Europe is defeated by Asia.” And everybody laughing, and Bon Mahārāj also happy to hear that, “Yes, it is possible.”

That is I have seen every devotee of. specially who is holding high position in the time of Bhakti Siddhānta Saraswatī Ṭhākur, we can name few, Bon Mahārāj, Goswāmī Mahārāj, Vāsudev Prabhu, and Paramahaṁsa Mahārāj, Jājāvar Mahārāj, Mādhav Mahārāj, everybody coming to see Guru Mahārāj here. Guru Mahārāj was in a thatched house, but everybody coming and searching, where is Guru Mahārāj, and they are coming here, and very happily they are staying in this Maṭh, two days, three days, five days. They have no time to stay.

Also Swāmī Mahārāj when coming, world tour, finishing after one world tour, he is coming to see Guru Mahārāj here. Maybe three hours, maybe one day, but he must come to see Guru Mahārāj, and talking with Guru Mahārāj, all news giving to Guru Mahārāj, he was very happy. And also Guru Mahārāj also given very enthusiasm to Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāj.

When Swāmī Mahārāj first come from America, nobody wants to cooperate with him, his godbrothers. He wrote letters to many big big godbrothers, but Guru Mahārāj have no money, but they have much money. That is he wrote to others, but they not given response. And I think lastly he wrote to Guru Mahārāj. He knows Guru Mahārāj is not rich man, staying here very poorly, offering to Giridhārī. But when Swāmī Mahārāj wrote, Guru Mahārāj very happy and said us, “You arrange Swāmī Mahārāj coming, and he coming successful preaching, after successful preaching in the West, you arrange nicely for him, and you write letter to him, ‘Yes we are ready to invite, receive, Your Holiness.’” And I wrote the letter, and Swāmī Mahārāj come here with two devotees, one Rāmānuja and one Achyutānanda.

And very happily stayed here seven days or ten days maybe, I cannot remember, and given news. And we gave that time Citizen’s Reception in Nabadwīp also Swāmī Mahārāj, and he was happy, and that time he wrote, Swāmī Mahārāj wrote letter to his disciples, “Here is one my godbrother staying in Nabadwīp, very high realisation he have very high realisation.” This way. I read from that Guardian of Devotion book. But I was there that time.

One day happen, Swāmī Mahārāj, we are serving Swāmī Mahārāj some purī, I know what he is taking, some purī, some begun bhājā, and some sweets, some curd in the table, and Swāmī Mahārāj said, “You also take with me”, and I said, “Yes Mahārāj, your order I must carry out.”  And Hari Charaṇ Prabhu distributing the prasādam, but I am thinking, Swāmī Mahārāj is very great Vaiṣṇava. I cannot take in one table with him, that is, I took my share in my hand, and not in his table.

I am thinking, “He is very great Vaiṣṇava, and I am like his servant’s servant, then how shall I take in a table with him the prasādam?” Then, I took that prasādam in my hand, and I am also taking, and Swāmī Mahārāj joking me, “Why you are not taking in my table?”

I said, “No, Mahārāj, I am taking this.”

“Oh no! I can understand, your caste will be destroyed. You are brāhmaṇ, and I am coming from the West, and I am taking prasādam with the sahibsm, the Western devotee, and you wants to keep your caste separate?”

Then I was very shy, and I put my plate in that table, and I took.

Śrīpād Mahānanda Prabhu: That was at the reception.

Śrīla Govinda Mahārāj: Yes, very nice relationship was with Guru Mahārāj and Swāmī Mahārāj.

Śrīpād Mahānanda Prabhu: And Mahārāj, you arranged that reception, is it? Yourself, you arranged that reception yourself?

Śrīla Govinda Mahārāj: Yes, yes on the order of Guru Mahārāj. And here some boys favourite of our Mission, we called everybody. And here in Nabadwīp, so many big big paṇḍit joined in that meeting. In Town Hall of Nabadwīp, that meeting held in Town Hall of Nabadwīp.

Bhakti Vinod Ṭhākur forecast that, “From all over the world the devotee within fifty years, devotee will come, and they will chant by the Name of Mahāprabhu, Śachī Nandan Gaurahari, and they will chant, dance in the Name of Mahāprabhu. I am looking that.”

But we cannot believe that time. We are thinking it is forecast only. Maybe after few hundred years it is possible, it is possible no doubt, the great Vaiṣṇava wrote in his … written in his book, then must be possible, but not immediate possible. But we have seen in our life, we are very fortunate thinking that within fifty years, that is very true, and Bhakti Vinod Ṭhākur wrote maybe 50,000, I cannot remember, 50,000 devotees will come to Nabadwīp, Māyāpur, and they will chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahāmantra. And this come through Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāj and Śrīla Guru Mahārāj. That is very hopeful for us. We took shelter that great devotee of Kṛṣṇa. And they also very merciful to us. And all over the world now chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mahāmantra. That is Guru Mahārāj said to Swāmī Mahārāj it is cannot do a man. Maybe that man is very great man, but he cannot do it. It’s only can do Nityānanda Prabhu, and he have that power, and Swāmī Mahārāj is śaktyāveś-avatār, no doubt I have. Otherwise, he was Abhay Charaṇ De and born in Kolkata, very simple man. And also I read Swāmī Mahārāj’s lecture, he also told it is not my work, Mahāprabhu done through us. It is very true, and we are surprised to see the preaching.

When Bon Mahārāj, and Tirtha Mahārāj, and others went to the West, they cannot convert. They preached no doubt but cannot convert the mind and cannot properly distributed the Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is very true. Maybe not hearing sweet it. But it is very true. But when we have seen the Western devotees coming with tilaka, with mālā, and śikhā, and also saffron clothes like an Indian saint, they are coming and dancing by the Name of Chaitanya Mahāprabhu, and chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mahāmantra, and maintaining the spiritual life very hardly, then we are surprised and very glad to see that.

When Jayatīrtha Mahārāj came here with 150 devotee in this Maṭh, and we had no rooms here, they are sleeping under the tree, they are sleeping on the ground, and that only Blue House there not accommodation was possible, but devotee do not care that. In the Gaura Pūrṇimā time also here, if full devotee will come, then no accommodation is possible to give them. But they are not mind anything. They are very happy to stay here.

I have seen in the tulasī there mañcha, devotee sleeping there, sleeping in open roof.

That is I am also very affectionate with all, and I am thinking it is my very good fortune that I have got the association of the devotees like that. And it was possible by the preaching of Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāj and Śrīla Guru Mahārāj. Swāmī Mahārāj confessed, he was very great, and he himself confessed, “Yes, Śrīdhar Mahārāj, Śrīla Śrīdhar Mahārāj is my Śikṣā-guru, I consider him my Śikṣā-guru, and Prabhupād and Kṛṣṇa sent him to prepare me.” Swāmī Mahārāj told here in one chair. Ee are worshipping Guru Mahārāj’s birthday ceremony to Guru Mahārāj, and his godbrothers also, Siddhāntī Mahārāj, Madhusūdan Mahārāj, every godbrother who liked Guru Mahārāj and who have time in hand, he is coming that time. And also that year Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāj also came here, and he gave that lecture, and that is printed, I have seen. Then, I think Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāj, in his whole … his learning life, learning of śāstra and Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that life he spent with Guru Mahārāj.

He three or four times have seen Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Saraswatī Ṭhākur. He took dīkṣā from Bhakti Siddhānta Saraswatī Thakur, but not got association. But he got association of Guru Mahārāj, and he took Guru Mahārāj in his house for that. And every day we are looking, when Guru Mahārāj going from Nabadwīp to Kolkata, he is staying there, and every day Swāmī Mahārāj coming morning eight o’clock or nine o’clock to see Guru Mahārāj and discussing many things.

And also śāstra, Veda, Vedānta, Upaniṣad, Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā, everything discussing, and very heavy discussions going up to two o’clock some days. And we are very hungry, we cannot stay, and lastly we are telling to Guru Mahārāj, “Mahārāj, we cannot tolerate, please stop it and come take prasādam.” This way many days gone. And that is last time when the devotee ask to Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāj, “What is your last desire please tell us? We shall try to fulfil your desire, last desire.”

Swāmī Mahārāj lefting, wants to left this mundane world, that time devotees asked to him, and Swāmī Mahārāj said, “Yes, Kṛṣṇa’s wills everything is okay. I have no special any desire.”

But they insist, “Nothing you have?”

Then, Swāmī Mahārāj said, “Yes, two things I can tell you: one this Naṭ Mandir of Śrīla Guru Mahārāj, Śrīdhar Mahārāj,” this Naṭ Mandir, you know Naṭ Mandir? This front of this Temple, this building, it not was completed, and Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāj said, “If you can complete Śrīdhar Mahārāj’s Naṭ Mandir I shall be very happy.”

And other one, if you can make one Naṭ Mandir in front of Mahāprabhu’s Temple, Māyāpur, there Yoga Pīṭh Temple, in front no Naṭ Mandir there. If you can make that one Naṭ Mandir, I shall be very happy.” Guru and Gaurāṅga he remembered last time, I am thinking. And ISKCON’s devotee came here ,and they finished it, this Naṭ Mandir, by their money.

Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāj told to Guru Mahārāj, “I am bringing the raw materials from the West. The boys and girls I am bringing from the West. They do not know what is Kṛṣṇa conception and what is the etiquette of Vaiṣṇavism. But they are coming attracted by Śrīman Mahāprabhu’s conception. Through me they are coming, and I am offering to you. You correct them and you make them for Mahāprabhu.”

Sometimes he said. I have that tape but that tape-recorder is bad. Tape spool, spooling system, spool system that tape, big. Tape with me but few, only two, three. I was poor that time. Now I am rich man no doubt, but that time I was very poor. One tape I am using for everybody, that was the problem. Tape’s value was thirty-six rupees, fifty rupees, and I do not wants to spend for that, very cautious. Otherwise, if I think that it will be workful in future, then I can take many tapes, but I have not done this that time.  And also so many letters from Swāmī Mahārāj I have got time to time. And I not kept that, a few letters, four five letters with me, and very heavy letter also. And one, two, three letters sufficient for all devotee. Suddenly that letter with me, his own handwriting in Bengali, and very hopeful for all the devotees, that letters. I have done few copies, xerox copies in Bengali letters.

There Swāmī Mahārāj mentioning, “I am preaching in the West. My health is not good. You Govinda Mahārāj, I do not wants to disturb your Guru Mahārāj, Śrīla Śrīdhar Swāmī. I am asking you. You tell your Guru Mahārāj, ‘If I die suddenly here, what will be for myself?’ I wants to die in Vṛndāvan, but here is so many work, sevā, for myself waiting. I shall preach here or I shall go to Vṛndāvan?”

You ask your Guru Mahārāj and quick answer me, one letter. And I told Śrīla Guru Mahārāj this letter. That letter with me. I told Śrīla Guru Mahārāj Swāmī Mahārāj’s question is that, and Guru Mahārāj said, “Where is Swāmī Mahārāj living, there is Vṛndāvan go. There Vṛndāvan. He is always living in Vṛndāvan, then no fearful for that. He may die anywhere, Vṛndāvan is there will go. You will write that answer.” And I wrote that answer. That letter also with Sudhīr Goswāmī. He collected. He said one year ago to me, “Yes, that letter also with me.” My answer also. And again Swāmī Mahārāj gave one letter, and that also with me here, “Yes, I have got permission from my Gurudev. I shall stay here, and I shall preach here.”

Very nice nice letter, but I not kept that. Now I am thinking I am very foolish. It was necessary to keeping quietly. This day it must be workful for the devotee’s mind. Valuable. Only four five letter I have. And also one letter given by Bon Mahārāj to Guru Mahārāj. There, Māyāpur management committee now giving many commandments. But if they will see that letter, they must will stop their preaching. That letter given Bon Mahārāj to Guru Mahārāj. But that also I not kept. Maybe in file but where is file I do not know. So many things happen and happening in our life, but we are still trying to practise our Kṛṣṇa consciousness under guidance of Śrīla Guru Mahārāj.

We are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mahāmantra, but we cannot chant properly. If we can chant properly then result we can see, no doubt. That is offences is the cause. Without offence chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahāmantra is very difficulty. Ego in our life great obstruction for that. Ego is very bad, that ego coming from illusion: “I am this, I am that. I am great, I am small. I am father, I am mother. I am son.” This type all the ego coming from the illusion, and that is the obstruction.

vaiṣṇava chinite nāre devera śakati

In the scripture said it, “Nobody can recognise the Vaiṣṇava. Who is Vaiṣṇava and who is non-Vaiṣṇava, mostly cannot recognise.”

And that is the problem for baddha-jīva, conditioned souls. That is the very problem. Then very grand way Kṛṣṇa consciousness given us by our Gurus: that is service to the Vaiṣṇavas, service to the Lord, service to the Gurus. Through this service we may be clean, and we must clean ourself through service. And that service when will take form of transcendental, that is highest thing. I heard from Swāmī Mahārāj when joining the devotee, he is giving five rules and regulation to them: “Don’t take intoxication, don’t do this, don’t do that.” Five in Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, four, five there, there is five, but Swāmī Mahārāj given restriction four. And one that is money, not given restriction. And he kept for himself that. It is very nice thing, huh? He took the charge himself. He told the devotee, “You collect money anywhere and give me, and I shall use for Mahāprabhu, then no harmful for yourself.”

And one day I heard from Guru Mahārāj also, that was very sweet and very strong. One devotee, great devotee of Śrīla Guru Mahārāj, he brought some money, maybe 18,000 rupees, and he given Guru Mahārāj that money, and Guru Mahārāj was happy, and he also very happy. Guru Mahārāj took this money, and Guru Mahārāj asking many things, news of other devotees. Then, that devotee asked to Guru Mahārāj, “Mahārāj, what you will do with this money? What sevā you will do with this money?” He is asking to Guru Mahārāj, and Guru Mahārāj immediate take turn and take position. And Guru Mahārāj said, “That is not your business.”

Guru Mahārāj was very happy and talking with the devotee, with that devotee, and he is searching, that devotee what is doing, that devotee what is doing. And like this very happy mood they are talking, and that devotee was very enthusiast, and he gave much money to Guru Mahārāj, and happily he asking to Guru Mahārāj, “Mahārāj, what sevā will you do with this money?”  And Guru Mahārāj immediate took turn, changed, and said, “That is not your duty. That is my duty. Your duty is finished. You collected and given me, that is finished.”

What is Kṛṣṇa consciousness? Necessary to know that. Fully surrender to Guru, and through Guru he will got everything. What conception will given by Guru, that is enough for him. And Kṛṣṇa may sometimes angry with the devotee, but that not fearful for the devotee, that is middle point Guru is there, and Guru can manage everything. Kṛṣṇa may be unhappy with him, but if he is prīti of his Guru, prīti?

Śrīpād Mahānanda Prabhu: Favoured by his Guru.

Śrīla Govinda Mahārāj: Favoured by his Guru, then no problem for him, he must manage. But if Guru is angry, then Kṛṣṇa cannot give shelter. In Bengali phrase very nice there:

kṛṣṇa ruṣṭa hale guru rākhibāre pāre
guru ruṣṭa hale kṛṣṇa rākhibāre nāre

When Kṛṣṇa is angry, then Guru can give shelter and can modify that, but when Guru is angry, then Kṛṣṇa not will give shelter and not will do modify. This is Bengali phrase. Where my all auspiciousness coming, through where, from where? That is position of Guru, and my all auspiciousness coming through Guru.

And I wrote one śloka about Guru Mahārāj, not one, ten, or twelve maybe, one time, so long ago.

Stava, Guru Mahārāj’s stava. There, I started this word Bhāgyādhīśa.

bhāgyādhīśa! tvadīyo vimala-sukhamayaḥ samprakāśas tu nityo
(Śrī Guru-praśasti: 1)

This way that Sanskrit poetry. I used first word the Bhāgyādhīśa. In the jyotiḥ-śāstram, ninth house is fortune house. If you know the jyotiḥ-śāstram, you can understand. In ninth house, twelve house but ninth house specific for fortune, specifically for fortune. And that house holder is Bṛhaspati, and Bṛhaspati is deva-guru. Then, ninth house we can say is Guru’s house. And this way meanings going two way: you are my ninth house holder; also you are my fortune maker. These two way the meanings will go. My fortune depending upon my Guru. If Guru is good, Guru is great, then I have no fear from anywhere. And my faith, we are living in the plane of faith, Guru Mahārāj said. Faithful plane. Plane of faith. We are living in the plane of faith. And that is necessary. The plane of faith: no other way. Not only the Vaiṣṇavism, not only this religion, Vaiṣṇava religion, but it is very true, every religion saying that. Faith in Mohammedanism, Buddhism, in Christianism, many -ism in this world. But there everywhere first place getting the faith. Christianism and Vaisnavism very, behaviour, is very near. There, Jesus, what preached Jesus for the jīva-soul, that motive of the jīva-soul, always very humble, and do not disturb to others, and faithfully you go to your destiny without offence. And Vaiṣṇavism also telling that. And I read few days ago also, before also I read Koran. And Mohammedanism is also like that. But different, destiny is different no doubt. Somebody going to Kolkata, somebody going to Delhi, somebody going to London. That is, place is different, but going mood is almost very near to same. If you wants to do anything good, then you must be make yourself a very humble person first. Otherwise cannot do anything. If everybody will give some obstruction. Not obstruction, bādhā? Everybody will give some objection or obstruction, obstruction is good word I think, then you cannot do anything. Then, you first collect this qualification, that is, humility and humble. Mahāprabhu said very clearly:

tṛṇād api sunīchena taror iva sahiṣṇunā
amāninā mānadena kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ

Who can chant properly the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahāmantra? Who is qualified this way: very humble, and who can tolerate everything, tolerating mood. We are always doing wrong no doubt in this mundane, but necessary to tolerate and correct that. And also who have no position or respect, that type man or jīva-soul we must give some honour. Then everybody will be happy, and I shall not got any obstruction from others, and also my mind also peaceful always with all.

alabdhe vā vinaṣṭe vā bhakṣyāchchhādana-sādhane
aviklava-matir bhūtvā harim eva dhiyā smaret

In the scripture everywhere telling it first qualification: you are getting or not getting, you are getting or losing, alabdhe vā vinaṣṭe vā, that is maybe your food or maybe your clothes, or your mental position or anything, but you must keep quiet your mind and stay in the faithful plane, and try to practise Kṛṣṇa consciousness very humbly. This is the Vaiṣṇavism very simple way we can say it.

But newcomer, they sometimes confuse to looking many things. And our duty we must help them all. With our behaviour, with our affection, with our motive, we must try to help everybody. Śrīla Prabhupād Bhakti Siddhānta Saraswatī Ṭhākur said, “What is good, making a big hospital or rescue one conditioned soul from the illusion? What is best?” And he gave answer, “Making many hospital, we can disturb the universe. But if you, if we can rescue one jīva-soul from the illusion of māyā, that is the best sevā of jīva-soul.”

In hospital they are also doing sevā, service, but that is not proper sevā. One dacoit he shooted by police and he gone to hospital, and he cured. And maybe fifteen days or one months he put in jail, and when after coming back from the jail, he is doing again dacoity. And there is no  goodness. My sevā for that dacoit not proper sevā. I have done sevā of that man and cured that man, that is good, but I cannot change his mind, that is very bad. Then after getting strength, that man again will do that wrong work, bad work. Then, Prabhupād Bhakti Siddhānta Saraswatī Ṭhākur said, “Many hospital doing not necessary. Only if we can try to rescue one jīva-soul from this illusion, that is very valuable sevā of the jīva-soul.”

And that sevā Mahāprabhu advised to His devotees:

jīve dayā nāme ruchi vaiṣṇava-sevana

Three: you must serve the jīva-soul this way, preach there Kṛṣṇa consciousness, turn his illusioned mind, and take them for the service of Kṛṣṇa, service to the Kṛṣṇa. This is jīve dayā, kindness to the jīva-soul, real kindness. And Nāme ruchi: and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mahāmantra without offences, and Vaiṣṇava-sevana. Three instructions, simply three instructions.

Vaiṣṇava-sevana means who is 24 hours servicing the Lord and His associates, and His devotees, he is Vaiṣṇava and you serve him, then you have no problem. Yesterday I told, in the jungle, going in the jungle, one man can chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mahāmantra but that chanting is not proper chanting. Better than chanting is service to the Vaiṣṇavas. That is the better.

It is clear English? My English is very poor, I do not speak English, but now, “Necessity is the mother of invention”: English coming gradually little little for the devotee. I am not feeling very problem now. Devotee is very merciful to me. And I am telling something wrong sometimes, but they are correcting himself my English and taking good way. Then I have no problem now.

And Guru Mahārāj, he is very merciful, he mercifully give the association of the devotees. And we are trying together properly chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mahāmantra all over the world. No problem we have, and mundane problem must will come to us and give us some trouble, and we know that. Then, we have no problem. We can stay everywhere, we can stay in a building or in a thatched house or can go everywhere. That is wills of Kṛṣṇa and my karma. But if we engage ourself to service, service of Guru, Vaiṣṇava, and Bhagavān, then we have no problem.

You read the books Search for Sri Kṛṣṇa maybe, or some English book printed from … There also printed the story. Yudhiṣṭhir Mahārāj done one big aśvamedha-yajña, Rājasūya-yajña, but there Kṛṣṇa told, “When yajña will be finished, that bell will ring automatically.” But yajña already finished but not ringing that bell.

And Bhīmasen asking to Kṛṣṇa, “What is this? You told. Now finish all!”

And Kṛṣṇa said, “Oh, not fulfill it!”

“What fault you say? We shall try to manage, we shall try to make up that.”

And Kṛṣṇa said, “Yes, many ṛṣi, muni, big big personality came here to take your pūjā, and they are all happy, but higher, but real Vaiṣṇava not come in your festival.”

Then Yudhiṣṭhir said to Kṛṣṇa, “You Himself, Yourself, You are present here, then everything must be fulfilled, why not fullfill it?”

Kṛṣṇa said, “Yes, not!”

sādhavo hṛdayaṁ mahyaṁ sādhūnāṁ hṛdayaṁ tv aham
mad-anyat te na jānanti nāhaṁ tebhyo manāg api
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 9.4.68)

“My heart thiefed by the devotee. Then, I am here not fully. My devotee took My heart, and they are living outside from your festival place.”

“Where is that devotee?”

“Oh, he is living there, you go there and bring him, and worship him, give food, nourishing, good nourishing. Then if he will be happy, then everything will be finished properly.”

And Bhīmasen immediately gone, Rāja Yudhiṣṭhir worship him, and Draupadī she make many things for that devotee, but devotee is very shy and unhappy to come the King’s house, but when King called, must will go. He come, and good hospitality they gave, and Draupadī herself cook for that devotee. And many things, many way she cooked and offered to the devotee, and very shyly devotee taking something something, and devotee all the curry, preparation, mixed in one plate and took and gone away, but not ringing bell.

And very difficulty, Yudhiṣṭhir asking to Kṛṣṇa, “What happened? Not ringing the bell?”

Then Kṛṣṇa said, “Must be something fault is here.”

“What fault anything, anything offence, done any offence to him?”

Kṛṣṇa said, “Must, somebody done must offence to him.”

And asking five brother, and Subhadrā, “What you think when that devotee come to here?”

“Oh no, we have not done any offence.”

Yudhiṣṭhir, Bhīma, Arjuna, Nakul, Sahadev, everybody said, “We have not done any offence.”

Then Kṛṣṇa asked Draupadī, “In your mind anything when that devotee come and took prasādam here?”

And Draupadī said, “Yes in my mind. I cooked very nicely everything, and many preparations separate, separate, and he took all mixing. And that is I think he is not cultured; he do not know what is what! My mind was this.”

“Oh this is the offence to the Vaiṣṇava.”

“Then what will do?”

“Again you call him and give nice food to him and worship him.”

And again done this, and when he is taking, and Draupadī is very fearful, and she is seated folded hand and thinking, “No aparādha, no offence will come.”

And that man come and taken one grās, that is, one handful, two, three, and ringing, “Dang! dang! dang!”

What is sevā? That necessary to know. We may can do anything, but that not may be sevā. That is the problem. Then, offence is very bad thing, and without offence doing something is very difficulty. Then, Vaiṣṇava always careful from the offences. That is final advice to all of the scriptures:

satāṁ nindā nāmnaḥ paramam aparādhaṁ vitanute

Paramam aparādhaṁ: super offence is don’t abuse the devotee. Abuse, nindā. Satāṁ nindā: where my all auspiciousness coming, through where? If I shall put there one obstruction, my ego, then auspiciousness cannot come to me.

And my road, that road, auspicious road, flow must be checked, and everything is living thing. What we are looking, what we are saying, what we are doing, everything is living. Jīvanta in Bengali. Then, I can see the tree cannot move, but when we have seen here was one another tree you have seen, you have also seen there was another tree. And Guru Mahārāj, he disappeared, and we took there to Guru Mahārāj in Tulasī Talā, the Tulasī Mahārāṇī there, and we took Guru Mahārāj there. And after finishing the samādhi of Guru Mahārāj, we are looking that tree’s leaves falling down. And within one day or two days, all the leaves fall down, and that tree immediate died, dead. And I was very sad. I am very  associate with the trees or everything here of this Maṭh. I was very sad, “Why this tree gone?” He have much love for Guru Mahārāj, that is, he cannot tolerate disappearance of Guru Mahārāj, and he gone. But after eight months or six months, after six months when we started the Samādhi Mandir of Guru Mahārāj, then I can understand why that tree gone. There is two cause: he cannot tolerate disappearance of Guru Mahārāj, and other thing, if he not will disappear, I shall not cut that tree. It is very true, and Samādhi Mandir not will come this way. If we have eyes, we can see it. I must change the plan of Samādhi Mandir, but it is not happening with my plan. Everything is transcendental we are telling, we are reading, we are hearing. Everything is transcendental, then Samādhi also transcendental. And it is there now manifesting himself, the Samādhi Mandir. If that tree not gone, then this way Samādhi Mandir making not was possible. And it is there that is immediate … Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Jay Om Viṣṇupād Śrīla Bhakti Rakṣak Śrīdhar Dev-Goswāmī Mahārāj kī jay!

Śrīpād Mahānanda Prabhu: Jay Om Viṣṇupād Śrīla Bhakti Sundar Govinda Mahārāj kī jay!

Śrīla Govinda Mahārāj: He is coming from Hāpāniyā Maṭh. He is in charge there now, and doing very nice sevā, birthplace of Śrīla Guru Mahārāj. There we make one Temple. Going sevā nicely there in Hāpāniyā. He come from there. Ah! This garland is Gopīnāth’s garland.

I am looking Guru Mahārāj is present, আমি দেখছি গুরু মহারাজ এখানে রয়েছে, and all over the world he is giving us inspiration. I have no doubt. When I am in little disturbed position, then Guru Mahārāj coming in front. That time I am going front Guru Mahārāj pushing me back, from my back. He is pushing me, and I am going in front. Now I am looking Guru Mahārāj is in my front. And I am going, I am following him, then I am more safe this way.

In this time, middle time, many things happen, maybe all over the world many things happen, some things. Here also many things happen, but all darkness gradually gone, some thing gone quickly, some thing gone gradually, this way everything going set right, no problem. But great personality, transcendental personality, when left this mundane world, then some disturbance must come. And I told from the first time, we must be careful for disturbance.

And we have seen, and fully when we are surrendered to Guru Mahārāj and wants help from the upper level, and if we can pray properly, must help will come to us. I have no doubt. I am looking it. You see, somebody will explain why that tree gone disappeared his own way. But who can look it, he must will think why this tree gone. And if open eye we can see, we can try to see that, we must can see it. And now I have no doubt. I am looking this cause that tree disappeared. And there is Temple, but it was hidden, now manifested. I am not an engineer and not qualified. But how coming this nice Temple, coming out in our front, and gradually coming out. I am not so given attention for the Temple, a little instruction I am giving, do this, do this, do that. But they are making. I am not making it, but it is coming out. I am going to Kolkata, going to Purī, going to Hāpāniyā, it is gradually coming out and nicely, and what is there that is coming out. If we can see this way everything, we have no problem.

When Śrīvās Paṇḍit in his house, Mahāprabhu Himself chanting with His devotees, with His associates, that very day Śrīvās Paṇḍit’s son disappeared. It is unthinkable matter. Mahāprabhu is dancing, chanting in the house of Śrīvās Paṇḍit, and he is present there, but his son dead. And Śrīvās Paṇḍit not telling to Mahāprabhu anything, and his wife Mālinī Devī crying, but very hiddenly crying. They do not wants to disturb the dancing and chanting of Mahāprabhu’s Kṛṣṇa-nām. They do not wants to disturb that. But Mahāprabhu knows everything, and He told, “I am not feeling good today, what happened in this house?” And Śrīvās Paṇḍit, “Oh, nothing Prabhu, You chant and dance. Nothing.”

“Oh no no. I am not feeling good. What happened? You tell.”

Then he told, Śrīvās Paṇḍit told to Mahāprabhu, “One soul, jīva-soul, mercifully come to my house, and then today he has disappeared.” And Mahāprabhu very busily gone there and gave some sāntvanā. Sāntvanā, English ki?

Student: Pacification.

Śrīla Govinda Mahārāj: Gave some pacification to the ladies and to others. And He called him, that boy, “You boy, you are leaving us today. Why you are leaving? We are here chanting, dancing, and you are leaving. It is not looking good But why you are doing it?”

Śrīpād Mahānanda Prabhu: Already he had left.

Śrīla Govinda Mahārāj: Yes, dead body, Mahāprabhu asked to dead body, “You left, why?”

Then dead body talking. Everything arrangement made. We cannot see that. And what said that dead body, that is the truth: “I have very good fortune, that is, I born in Śrīvās Paṇḍit’s house. And now I am going to making my sevā for your Divine Holiness, Divine Grace, and I was very fortunate.” This way he told. “And one day if anybody will born, he must will die other day, that is not lookable matter. It is happening every day.”

ahany ahani bhūtāni gachchhanti yama-mandiram
śeṣāḥ sthāvaram ichchhanti kim āścharyam ataḥ param
(Mahābhārata: Vana-parva, 313.116)

Every day dying, the jīva-souls, changing his body. It is not very … kī?

Student: Remarkable.

Śrīla Govinda Mahārāj: Āścharya, surprise matter. It is not very surprise matter, but matter is surprise that everybody thinking I shall live long. That is surprise matter. Everybody dying every day, that is not surprise anything, not astonishing, but everybody thinking I shall not die. Maybe die other day. That is thinking is very surprising. This way this world going. And with full consciousness and mercy we can see everything. It is very true, we know or not know that is not problem, but what happening that must be happen.

Jay Om Viṣṇupād Paramahamsa Parivrājakāchārya-varya Aṣṭottara-śata-śrī Śrīmad Bhakti Rakṣak Śrīdhar Dev-Goswāmī Mahārāj kī jay!

Guru Gaurāṅga Gāndharvā Govindasundar Jīu ki jay!

Śrī Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Saraswatī Goswāmī Prabhupād kī jay!

Ananta-koṭī Vaiṣṇava-vṛnda kī jaya!

Sapārṣad Śrīman Mahāprabhu kī jay!

Śrī Rūpānuga Guru-varga kī jay!

Hari-nām-saṅkīrtan kī jay!

Samaveta Vaiṣṇava-maṇḍala kī jay!

Vaiṣṇava-vṛnda kī jay!

Bhakta-vṛnda kī jay!

Gaura-premānande haribol!

Student: Jay Om Viṣṇupād Paramahamsa Parivrājakāchārya-varya Aṣṭottara-śata-śrī Jagad-guru Śrīmad Bhakti Sundar Govinda Mahārāj kī jay!

Samāgata Gaura-bhakta-vṛnda kī jay!

Nitāi Gaura-premānande haribol!

Śrīla Govinda Mahārāj: Jay Guru Mahārāj! Jay Vaiṣṇava Ṭhākur! All Vaiṣṇava-vṛnda, my daṇḍavat.

I shall talk with the Ministry. Okay, I am very happy to see you here, and you stay happily here. But, arrangement not maybe suitable for the Western devotee, but their heart is very sweet. Then, they can manage everything, adjust with them. But try to adjust with proper food. It is my request. I do not know what is suitable for the Western body. In Indian body can tolerate many things. Mustard oil, many things they are taking, and many subji they are taking. This way you order to the Maṭh command here, and they will serve, try to serve, you. Specially, if you need anything you tell Śrī Mahānanda Prabhu, he is in charge now here. We shall be very happy to hear of your happiness.