The devotees then proceeded to Jhamalpur to offer respects at the Temple of Sri Buroraj Shiva, where Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj would in his young age offer lotus flowers every day. It was also here that Srila Gurudev's mother prayed for his appearance. It is by Srila Gurudev's desire that the devotees stop here on the way to Hapaniya every year.

"Once I was almost dying, and suddenly Govinda Maharaj came and gave me some medicine, and that helped me -- gave me new life. So he has some mystic ability. When his mother gave birth to him she prayed to Shiva. Nearby Jhamalpur, there is a Shiva and Dharmaraj or Buroraj Temple. She prayed to that Shiva, "May I have a child," and Govinda Maharaj was born."

Approaching our Temple in Sripat Hapaniya.

Srila Gurudev, His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj, speaking on another occasion in Sripat Hapaniya, gives us guidance on how to see and approach Sripat Hapaniya Dham:

"So now you have come to this very place, Hapaniya, where Guru Maharaj manifested himself to the world, where all the trees, all the animals, all the men and women -- everything is transcendental. Even all the vegetables are transcendental. But it is necessary to eat with a transcendental body. Otherwise, how can we digest? That day we came here with Guru Maharaj, a humble meeting was held here in this very place. As shelter, only a tarpaulin was erected above our heads. We sat on the ground, and Guru Maharaj sat on a chair. He discussed various slokas. At that time it was my greatest fortune to hear a special sloka from my Guru Maharaj for the first time. Guru Maharaj wanted to inject our hearts with the feeling that we had come to the Holy Abode.

yat kincha trnagulma-kikatamukham
gosthe samastam hi tat
sarvvandamaye mukundadayitam
lilanukulam param

"He told us, 'Everything here is transcendental and very auspicious. If you can see in this way, you will be benefited. You will retrieve your transcendental life, and also, you will attain the service of Srimati Radharani.' In this way, Guru Maharaj gave his blessings to us here on that day, and we always remember that. I have tried to speak a little of the glories of Guru Maharaj, for his satisfaction, and I know that if I can see the meaning of his sloka, my prayer must reach its destination very easily.

"Now the offering is being made to the Deities. After the bhogarati we shall happily take the Prasadam of Radha-Gopinathjiu, Giridharijiu and our Guru Maharaj. This is my desire and prayer."

An extract from the article 'A Day at Hapaniya,' published in Affectionate Guidance.