All glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga

gurudev!
  kripa-bindu diya, koro' ei dase,
     trnapeksa ati dina
  sakala sahane, bolo diya koro,
     nija-mane spriha-hina

I offer my dandabat pranams to the lotus feet of Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj, by whose mercy innumerable souls have been able to find shelter in this world.

Srila Govinda Maharaj is a parshad associate of his Divine Spiritual Master, Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj, and being empowered by him as well as imbued with his own spiritual wealth and property, Srila Govinda Maharaj has illuminated this entire world with Krishna consciousness. Previously, Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad had gone to the Western countries, and in the words of Srila Govinda Maharaj, "blasted a tunnel in the mountain of false ego of the West." Then, through that very tunnel (not unlike the long tunnels going into Caracas), Srila Govinda Maharaj entered.

Srila Govinda Maharaj has reinvigorated Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's divine movement in the West, and further spread and continued the work that was begun by Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj Prabhupad. Just as Srila Sridhar Maharaj gave shelter to the Western devotees when Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj had left this world, always with the encouragement of Srila Govinda Maharaj, so our beloved Gurudev, Srila Govinda Maharaj, has reached out to the devotees all over the world and given them his divine shelter. Day and night, he traveled without stop, to countries on every continent, and extended his merciful hand to all, and everyone became encouraged and enthusiastic because he was there.

Thousands of new persons came running, from all countries, whether they were Russians, Americans, Australians, Mexicans, Venezuelans, Brazilians, or from Muslim countries; from England, from Italy and Malta, from Holland and Hungary; from Mauritius and South Africa; from Malaysia and Thailand, China, and Japan - from everywhere and anywhere they came running, hungry to take shelter at Srila Govinda Maharaj's lotus feet. And they all became ecstatic in the association of this most magnanimous soul, who is our most beloved Gurudev.

Srila Govinda Maharaj enlightened all with the message of Srila Rupa Goswami, and spoke the glories of Mahaprabhu and His devotees,and the glories of Sri Sri Radha Krishna and Their servitors. Srila Gurudev spoke, and chanted from the Scriptures, sang the prayers and songs of the Acharyas, gave their pure siddhanta, took Prasadam with the devotees, and opened the doors to Vaikuntha - and beyond. And from afar they came, running and anxious to be with Him. And as Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu empowered innumerable souls during His South Indian tour, so those who were empowered by Srila Govinda Maharaj traveled throughout the world, spreading the glories of the Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, which is the pure line of Mahaprabhu and Srila Rupa Goswami, of Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur and Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj. To serve and satisfy Srila Govinda Maharaj they gave his mercy to others, and in this way the Mission continued to grow and grow.

Srila Krishna Das Goswami says that the tree of Mahaprabhu will spread everywhere, and that the Divine Gardener, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, has asked everyone to distribute the fruits of love of Godhead to all. He has said, "How many fruits can I alone consume?" So the devotees come and go, to Nabadwip and the lotus feet of Srila Govinda Maharaj, and then back to their countries, to distribute those fruits of love of Godhead, always encouraged by Srila Govinda Maharaj. And those who are receiving these fruits from the devotees and eating them are so fortunate. "When Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the great gardener, sees that people are chanting, dancing and laughing and that some of them are rolling on the floor and some are roaring in ecstasy, He smiles with great pleasure." (Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita, Adi-lila 9.50) How long can this go on, and how long can it endure?

Why do you ask? It is true that in this mundane world, with the rising of the sun, another day is being taken from the lives of the conditioned souls. But this is different. It is Divine! It is ecstatic! It is anandambudhi-vardhanam. It continues to grow and expand, it never ends; it is ever-increasing life and ecstasy, going on forever. And Srila Govinda Maharaj smiles, tasting this divine nectar, and says, "Here, you should try some of this. It is incredible!"

Srila Govinda Maharaj is the life of our lives, and the heart of our soul. He has given meaning to everyone's existence, and his smile is radiating everywhere and giving happiness to one and all. I am a small, conditioned soul, a jiva, who otherwise would have lost his way in this mundane world, tossed by the waves of birth and death, always revolving within the wheel of samsara. But things have changed. I have become ever hopeful, always confident that Srila Govinda Maharaj will always extend his mercy to one who otherwise would be so unfortunate and despondent.

On this, the Divine Day of the most Auspicious Appearance of Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj, I take shelter at his lotus feet, in the association of all his servitors. And we join together in the never ending sankirtan: jaya Gurudev, jaya Gurudev! All glories to Srila Govinda Maharaj, on this, his most beautiful Sri Vyasa Puja Day.

-Tridandi Bhiksu Sri Bhakti Pavan Janardan