All glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga

Vrindavan Sri Vyasa-Puja dispatch

110th Appearance Day Festival of
Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj
held at Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math and Mission, Vrindavan.

6 November 2004

A Day of Loving Memories

All of Vrndavan seemed to reflect a mood of reverence and grace on the auspicious Vyasa-Puja Day of His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj.

We feel Srila Bhakti Sundar Dev-Goswami Maharaj would be so proud if His Divine Grace could have seen how beautifully the mandir was decorated. The devotees worked the whole day before, threading many kilos of flowers and stringing colourful flags. Some of the Bengali ladies intricately painted gorgeous tilak designs on the Parampara photos.

The day began with parikrama followed by morning bhajans which became increasingly more beautiful and heartfelt as many devotees started to arrive and join in the morning programme. The Guardian of Devotion inspired everyone's heart with feelings of surrender and gratitude. Not only in the devotees of our Math but also many devotees of other Gaudiya Vaisnava Missions were filled with this same reverence.

It was quite amazing and very pleasing for us to see and hear about all the programmes going on all over Vrndavan in praise of Srila Guru Maharaj. Sometimes we saw parikrama parties from other missions going out, some holding portrait photos of Srila Sridhar Maharaj at the head of there groups.

Many respectable sanyasins attended the Vyasa-Puja, with Maharajas such as Sripad Bon Maharaj, Sripad Srauti Maharaj and Sripad Muni Maharaj giving enthusiastic talks glorifying the supreme qualities of Srila Sridhar Maharaj, as well as many words of gratitude offered to Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj for the amazing and enduring work that is being continued worldwide under his divine guidance as Acharya.

In a beautiful and humble mood of devotion, the very aged and renowned servitor, Srimati Prabha Devi Dasi was also present to take darshan and offer her respects to Srila Guru Maharaj. (Pictured right.)

There was an air of union in separation exhibited by the devotees as a common love was felt in appreciation for the gifts we have been given by one of the greatest souls ever to grace the Earth.

The morning programme concluded with an exceptionally delicious Prasadam feast. Purnananda Prabhu, the Temple's manager, commented this was the biggest feast ever distributed here in the Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math and Mission, Vrndavan. Even the cows, monkeys and pigs looked extremely satisfied with the remnants they enjoyed afterwards.

In the evening Sripad Bhakti Prapanna Tirtha Maharaj gave another in a series of inspiring classes followed by an ecstatic kirttan. We felt the mercy of the holy Parampara showering down on us. May they give us just one drop of their divine love!

To add a quote in closing, from Srila Sridhar Maharaj's book The Golden Volcano:

"The Devotee prays to the Lord, 'You are the friend of the fallen, so I have some hope, You may grant me Your grace, or severely punish me in either case, I have no other alternative but to wholly surrender to your lotus feet.'"

Jai Om Visnupada Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj.

Jai Om Visnupada Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj.

Written by an aspiring servant visiting from Australia who would prefer to remain anonymous,
Tusta Krishna Das
Vrindavan, 7 November 2004