Srila Sridhar Maharaj with Srila Govinda Maharaj

Excerpts from Affectionate Guidance
in glorification of Srila Sridhar Maharaj
by Srila B.S. Govinda Maharaj

Srila Guru Maharaj's Godbrothers clearly expressed their great regard for His Divine Grace. One mentioned to me in a letter that they would always continue to come here, because for as long as Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj is present they want to come and hear from him. They expressed that whenever they hear from Srila Sridhar Maharaj, they feel they are in the shade of Prabhupad Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur.

They all gave such honour to our Srila Guru Maharaj, and why? Their life's goal is the service of Sri Sri Radha Govinda, and they understood that such service is coming through their Sri Gurudev, Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur. But they also saw that their Gurudev had transmitted his divine power to Srila Sridhar Maharaj—so their idea was that Gurudev's merciful power is graciously present in our Srila Guru Maharaj. It is for this reason that they always came to Srila Guru Maharaj.

They had left all their mundane facilities and life's desires, and joined within the Mission for the service to Radha-Krishna, and to Prabhu Nityananda and Mahaprabhu. In which way will they get that service? Only the mercy of the Vaishnavas and the mercy of Sri Guru can give that service. This was very clear to them, so they would all forego any personal position—everything—and come from time to time to see Srila Guru Maharaj. They expressed to him about their preaching work and preaching style, and they felt very happy to see his happiness.

So many of Srila Guru Maharaj's Godbrothers used to attend the meeting of the Visva-Vaishnava-Raja Sabha organised by our Math. Srila Guru Maharaj would always give the presidential chair to Sripad Bhakti Saranga Goswami Maharaj. Although Sripad Goswami Maharaj took sannyas from Srila Guru Maharaj, Srila Guru Maharaj knew that Sripad Goswami Maharaj's all-round position was so high within the Gaudiya mission. He therefore always offered the presidential chair to him.

Once, after accepting that presidential chair, Sripad Goswami Maharaj gave a particularly special lecture. He explained that he and other great preachers are active in all directions, but they all wait to see how Srila Sridhar Maharaj considers the quality of their preaching style. He used the word 'simhavalokana.' He indicated, "We are preaching over the whole world, but from time to time we look to see whether Srila Sridhar Maharaj is happy with our preaching activities."

Simhavalokana refers to how a lion goes some distance then looks behind to check the environment, then proceeds further, then again looks behind. In this way Sripad Goswami Maharaj described how all the preachers again and again look toward Srila Guru Maharaj to see if their preaching has his approval.

Question: Who first started the Sri Gaudiya Darshan magazine and why?

Srila Govinda Maharaj: In the time of Prabhupad Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur, Srila Guru Maharaj preached all over India. He was a very successful preacher and everyone respected him. By the wish of Krishna when Srila Guru Maharaj came out from the Gaudiya Math many of the senior devotees also came out at that time and they started to preach. Srila Guru Maharaj did not join with them but he helped them. In particular he helped his Godbrothers such as Sripad Jajavar Maharaj, Sripad Goswami Maharaj and Sripad Keshava Maharaj, but finally it was his wish to stay alone in this Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math. There is no doubt that his wish was always for preaching. He was always preaching Sriman Mahaprabhu's glories and Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur's glories, and everyone would come to hear from him and receive inspiration. They felt that it was Srila Prabhupad himself explaining to them about Krishna consciousness.

When Srila Guru Maharaj started his preaching in Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math he lived in a hut. It was then his intention that he would preach to those who came to him, but he would no longer go out from the Math to preach. At that time Srila Guru Maharaj showed us that his health was not so suitable for preaching. But his wish to preach was very strong. Srila Guru Maharaj received some inspiration that it was the desire of Prabhupad Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur and Sriman Mahaprabhu that this sampradaya would run through him. Many of the disciples of Srila Saraswati Thakur continued their preaching, but mostly it was the earnest desire of Srila Saraswati Thakur that the preceptorial line will run through our Srila Guru Maharaj. Srila Guru Maharaj also was looking for someone to continue that line.

When Srila Guru Maharaj gave me the chance to stay at his lotus feet he received some inspiration: "Perhaps this boy can continue the preceptorial line." He therefore gave some nourishment to me. I was not so qualified. Actually I was unqualified, but he tried to make me qualified.

I joined in 1947, and presently I noticed that regular periodicals were being published from maybe three or four other maths. After seven years, through affection and causeless mercy I had some capacity to publish a magazine, and I also felt very much necessity for our own magazine. I felt that a monthly magazine for our preaching purpose would be very nice, so I approached Srila Guru Maharaj with this proposal.

Srila Guru Maharaj was very enthusiastic and I requested that he give an article each month. Also I approached Sripad Madhusudan Maharaj, Sripad Jajavar Maharaj and others who were capable to contribute articles. At least in every issue one article must be Srila Guru Maharaj's article, and one I can collect from Srila Saraswati Thakur's writings. And if Sripad Madhusudan Maharaj will give one article, then I will get at least three strong articles each month, and in this way the dignity of the paper must be higher than others' magazines.

Srila Guru Maharaj was very enthusiastic and said,"This idea is very good. If you can continue, then try to do this." I then began.

It is the teaching of Srila Guru Maharaj that we shall proceed under the guidance of Sri Guru-Vaishnava, and it is my nature that I always keep the Vaishnavas upon my head. In that way I considered Sripad Madhusudan Maharaj to be highly qualified, and if he would take the editor's position our magazine would receive universal appreciation. That is, we are living in Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, and this magazine is for Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, but our editor is from another math. Thus everyone can see that our vision is that we are giving position to those who are really qualified. They will see that we have a broad view. Not only that, but we decided that we shall glorify other Vaishnavas' characters, and give news of other Vaishnavas' preaching also. We did that, furthermore we published their activities with pictures. We tried to glorify the mission and character of all the Godbrothers who were very affectionately connected with Srila Guru Maharaj. In that way our Sri Gaudiya Darshan had a broad 'international' vision.

Srila Guru Maharaj agreed and said to me, "If Sripad Madhusudan Maharaj will accept the position of editor it will be very good, but you must put your name there as joint editor." Therefore Sripad Madhusudan Maharaj and myself were joint editors, Srila Guru Maharaj was the Founder-Acharyya, and Sripad Jajavar Maharaj and Sripad Paramahamsa Maharaj were advisers of the Sri Gaudiya Darshan. Srila Guru Maharaj as far as possible gave an article each month. Sripad Madhusudan Maharaj, Sripad Paramahamsa Maharaj and others also gave.

Sri Gaudiya Darshan began as a monthly magazine. For the first few years the magazine was very strong and ran well, but lastly all the burden for the running of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math came upon my head. I was practically alone and my time was very short, therefore the magazine became a little weaker later. Also Srila Guru Maharaj showed his health to be less strong and it was very difficult for him to give articles regularly. But we tried to continue.

We always held a very neutral position. In the Sri Gaudiya Darshan, glorification to others connected throughout the whole sampradaya was given where it was warranted, also guidelines were given when required. Everyone knew Srila Guru Maharaj was their guide and they accepted his advice. In this way Sri Gaudiya Darshan gained a high reputation.

All the articles were either in Bengali or Sanskrit. Srila Guru Maharaj sometimes composed in Sanskrit, and especially at the beginning of each new year Srila Guru Maharaj would generally compose some Sanskrit slokas. Also I must name one good compositor, Khapanaka Prabhu, who helped untiringly for hand-setting the type of the magazine. He was a disciple of Sripad Keshava Maharaj but with Sripad Keshava Maharaj's permission he was living with us. Then, like now, many devotees from other Maths would come and stay with us from time to time. They were disciples of other Maharajs but they would come in order to serve Srila Guru Maharaj.

continuing to page 222

After Srila Swami Maharaj returned from his successful preaching in the West, Srila Guru Maharaj became very happy and enthusiastic and he gave much respect to Srila Swami Maharaj. In Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math every day Srila Guru Maharaj preached, but he did not go out from the Math except perhaps three or four times yearly. He would go out on special occasions such as to Sripad Madhava Maharaj's Math in Calcutta where yearly they would hold one or two large week-long meetings. Sripad Madhava Maharaj would eagerly await Srila Guru Maharaj's presence at such meetings. Srila Guru Maharaj would go there every year. In addition Srila Guru Maharaj would go to the Appearance Day meeting of Sripad Goswami Maharaj at Sri Gaudiya Sangha, 23 Doctor's Lane, Calcutta.

Mainly it was only to Sripad Madhava Maharaj's Math and Sripad Goswami Maharaj's Math that Srila Guru Maharaj would go to for preaching, but always he preached from his room upstairs in Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math. Srila Guru Maharaj was a very enthusiastic preacher and many devotees had the opportunity to see how enthusiastic he was. Up until 1987 Srila Guru Maharaj continuously preached here, and his preaching continued, though not as fully as before, until a few months before his disappearance in August 1988.

Actually during the whole day Srila Guru Maharaj would preach, but seated at one time he would often preach for two or three hours. The preaching tendency of Srila Guru Maharaj was of a very unique type.

In March 1986 during his lifetime Srila Guru Maharaj gave me the full charge of this Math as Acharyya, and we continued to produce publications. From abroad we also received publications for our Math such as those from Sripad Bhakti Sudhir Goswami Maharaj and others.

We continued to publish Sri Gaudiya Darshan at least yearly, and after Srila Guru Maharaj's disappearance regular periodicals began from several of our branch missions including London, South Africa, Australia and America. I was very enthusiastic to see the arrival of all these English magazines.

We are disciples of Srila Guru Maharaj therefore we are very much enthusiastic to publish books and magazines in order to preach his message and glories. You can see that our preaching tendency is continuously proceeding, so when from the Western world five or six periodicals became manifest, naturally our feelings came that why is this not also possible from Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math? The only cause was a lack of manpower. But if we can publish, then the mission all over the world will receive some guidelines. Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math is the parent Math of all the maths in our society, and for their guideline it is very good if again we can publish regularly the Sri Gaudiya Darshan. This is what is in the heart of us all here. We are all enthusiastic to again publish Sri Gaudiya Darshan because it will be in honour of Srila Guru Maharaj so automatically remembrance of Srila Guru Maharaj will come.

In particular it is my intention that Sri Gaudiya Darshan will be a vehicle to keep devotees around the world connected together. They will get to know what each other are doing and especially they will hear from this central Math, the central source of guidance of Srila Guru Maharaj for us all. This is one form of association for the devotees through which everyone everywhere may feel some energy and enthusiasm in their spiritual service-journey to their transcendental destination.

It is very good if we can make this magazine, but I am getting older day by day therefore a new generation must take charge. If it is possible to make this periodical it must give pleasure to the heart of Srila Guru Maharaj and I must be very happy.