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Gems
of the Highest Substance
Sripad
Bhakti Sudhir Goswami Maharaj once said that Srila Govinda Maharaj likes
to recall how, at times, Srila Guru Maharaj would share a sloka-jewel
the way a young boy tosses you one of his favourite marbles. But these
gems were of the highest substance. Srila Guru Maharaj was constantly
tasting the sweetness of Hari-katha. It is explained that that sweetness,
that intoxication, comes down from the transcendental world through the
servitors of Krishna. Those servitors "dance and chant ecstatically, and
while doing so, some of that ecstasy is spilt here and there and we can
easily take that."
Srila
Guru Maharaj wrote, "I have collected those drops of ecstasy in my Sri
Sri Prapanna-jivanamrtam. You take it and taste for yourself what
this is."
sri-srimad-bhagavat-padambuja-madhu-svadotsavaih
sat-padair
niksipta madhu-bindavas cha parito bhrasta mukhat gunjitaih
yatnaih kinchid ihahrtam nija-para-sreyo 'rthina tan maya
bhuyo-bhuya ito rajamsi pada-samlagnani tesam bhaje
~Sri Sri Prapanna-jivanamrtam 10.14
In
The Divine Servitor Srila Govinda Maharaj has commented, "I think
that this is the highest sloka I have received in my life, and
I shall try to explain the meaning.
'In
the lotus feet of Bhagavan Sri Krishna is honey. The devotees in a very
glorifying way are tasting that; and it is not a mere drop of honey,
rather it is an ocean. They take that and become very intoxicated. They
chant and glorify their Lord, and that honey overflows. A few drops
of that come down into this world and I am quickly collecting those
drops of honey and keeping them in a pot: that is Sri Sri Prapanna-jivanamrtam.
For my benefit and the benefit of the searchers, I am presenting this
in book form. You take this and bless me.'
"This,
in a simple way, is the meaning of that sloka, and I think that
this is the highest sloka I have heard in my life. I am always
quoting this...."
My
Only Shelter is My Divine Master
In
The Divine Servitor Srila Govinda Maharaj shares some of Srila
Guru Maharaj's favourite preparations: natural orange juice (with just
a little sugar), chola dahl, alu-bhaja (fried potatoes), and daily he
would take muri (puffed rice). He would also like to take puris with the
alu-bhaja, and alu-dam (potato curry) and samosas. He liked and appreciated
many of the slokas and bhajans from Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur's
Saranagati and Narottam Das Thakur's bhajans, also his own composition,
Sujanarbbuda Radhita.... He was always chanting many different
slokas, and particularly liked many of those in chapter two of
Sri Chaitanya-charitamrta, Madhya-lila.
Srila Guru Maharaj was always chanting, "Dayal Nitai, Dayal Nitai, Dayal
Nitai." He said, "My only hope is 'Dayal Nitai, Dayal Nitai.' Srila Govinda
Maharaj reminds us that Srila Guru Maharaj was showing us our true fortune
- that is Dayal Nitai. By the mercy of Sriman Nityananda we must be successful.
Srila Guru Maharaj was constantly reminding the devotees to be humble
by way of trnad api sunichena taror API sahisnuna, amanina manadena
kirtaniyah sada harih. When we can understand properly, we must think,
"I am very, very insignificant and my only hope is the mercy of the Vaisnavas,
and my only shelter is my Divine Master." 
Divine Disappearance
In
Golden Reflections Srila Govinda Maharaj speaks about a large mango
tree that left its body on the very same day as Srila Guru Maharaj's disappearance.
It was surprising to His Divine Grace because it was a very strong and
healthy tree. But within twenty-four hours all the leaves fell from the
tree and it left its bodily form. Srila Maharaj reflected that perhaps
this tree had left because it could not tolerate the deep pain of Srila
Guru Maharaj's departure. In heartbreaking sorrow, it had left its body,
unable to bear the separation. Later Srila Maharaj, who sees divinity
everywhere, could understand that this was not the only reason. As he
meditated further, some feeling came to him that the tree had disappeared
to make room for one of the pillars that now supports the roof of Srila
Guru Maharaj's Samadhi Mandir, The Temple of Union in Separation. He noted
that the mango tree could understand that the Temple would manifest in
that spot.
Srila Guru Maharaj's disciples have described the inconceivable pain of
his disappearance and how the area of Gauda-desa was shaken by earthquakes
in the days preceding and following the close of his manifest lila in
this world. All over the world, and particularly in Sri Nabadwip Dham,
the devotees were suffering from the shock and pain of broken hearts.
We are reminded that just as the glorious full moon of Srila Guru Maharaj's
divine Pastimes was setting, the brilliant sun that is his most beloved
disciple, His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj,
was rising and spreading his soothing rays to the hearts of the afflicted
devotees.
In
The Divine Servitor His Divine Grace Srila Govinda Maharaj has
reminded us, "When Srila Guru Maharaj was directly present he constantly
gave his association in order to guide souls as fallen as ourselves on
the path of the ultimate good. Now, in his absence, Srila Guru Maharaj
remains present as our guardian in the form of his direct representative,
dear associates and chaittya-guru who reveals that path of the
highest good. Srila Guru Maharaj's presence is found in his message, in
his instructions, in his guidance, and in every particle of every single
atom of his established place of bhajan, Sri Chaitanya Saraswat
Math. With the vision of service to the holy abode, we can directly witness
and realise this extension of his divine service: this wealth of his divine
service."
Jaya
Om Vishnupada Paramahamsa Parivrajakacharyya-varyya Astottara-sata-Sri
Srimad Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj ki jaya!
Jaya
Om Vishnupada Paramahamsa Parivrajakacharyya-varyya Astottara-sata-Sri
Srimad Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj ki jaya!
Ananta-koti
Vaisnava-vrnda ki jaya!
Hare Krishna
Feeling
helpless and unqualified, I offer my obeisances at the lotus feet of His
Divine Grace Srila Govinda Maharaj and at the feet of the Vaisnavas -
to those who are advanced and to those who are just beginning. Taking
their foot dust, I pray for their blessings and their gracious glance.
j.d.
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Daily, and in countless spiritual
discourses, His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami
Maharaj encouraged, inspired and nourished the aspiring devotees while
protecting their fragile devotional creepers. At the same time, he was
guarding and maintaining the purity of the divine teachings of devotion.
Srila Saraswati Thakur was very pleased with Srila Guru Maharaj's Sanskrit
prose and how he had described the deep and genuine feelings of separation
from Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur. He commented on the style of the composition
and said that, through Srila Guru Maharaj, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur
himself had appeared in those pure verses. Param Guru Maharaj expressed
his confidence that, after his own passing from this world, Srila Guru
Maharaj was qualified to uphold the devotional standard of the Vaisnava
Sampradaya.