All glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga

Srila Swami Maharaj's Unlimited Glories
  are being sung from World to World
 


Lecture by His Divine Grace Srila
Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj


on the Appearance Day of Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad,

21 August 2003, in St. Petersburg, Russia, on His Divine Grace's 20th World Tour


His target was so big and broad
  I described in many ways the glories of Srila Prabhupad, but actually no one can fully glorify His Divine Grace if one sees his divine work. No one can conceive the work he did. Who can conceive that throughout the whole world, all the mountains, islands, now everywhere Krishna Kirttan in happening. Everyone is chanting the Hare Krishna Mahamantra. Others have preached Vaisnavism from the four Sampradayas, but Srila Guru Maharaj said all who have previously preached have been restricted to the area between the Himalayas and the Indian Ocean. This area was the jurisdiction of Indian spiritual culture.

When Srila Swami Maharaj appeared, his target was so big and broad. We cannot conceive that. So many honourable and great sannyasis and brahmacharis were preachers of Srila Saraswati Thakur in India, but he was not satisfied with that. Srila Swami Maharaj wanted to preach Krishna Consciousness all over the world. Sriman Mahaprabhu predicted that all over the world people will chant the Hare Krishna Mahamantra, and he believed that prediction 200 percent. Prabhupad told so many sannyasis and brahmacharis that we want to preach all over the world, not only in India, but they thought it wasn't possible.


Srila Prabhupada's
Calcutta house
 
At that time, Prabhupad was not very involved with the Gaudiya Mission. He was a businessman in medicine, but when he heard directly from Prabhupad Srila Saraswati Thakur, he maintained the desire in his heart to one day leave his home. Srila Saraswati Thakur told him, "You can speak English; so you can preach to the English-speaking world." So many respectful Indians were his friends, like the Prime Minister of India — such learned and qualified persons. Through his business he made discussions with them about Krishna Consciousness. He always thought: "I shall do it, and I can do it." That was his determination.

He was doing business but it was not successful, I think because his mood of preaching Krishna Consciousness was an obstacle for him. I had some good fortune to stay with him in his house. He had two houses in Calcutta: one he gave to Guru Maharaj, and one he was living in. I managed one house, and I had some deep discussions with him. At that time, Srila Guru Maharaj was not always in that house, but three or four brahmacharis were living there, studying some Sanskrit and going for collection. Guru Maharaj ordered me, "Swami Maharaj is translating Srimad Bhagavad-gita. Every day you go to him and hear Bhagavad-gita from him." Then every day when I was living in Calcutta, I went. He was translating and explaining, and I learned Bhagavad-gita from him.
"You are really a sannyasi"
  He had big ideas about preaching Krishna Consciousness. Finally, his business failed, and he was in a very critical position in his grihastha life. His sister, Bhavani Didi, said, "O brother, this is not your life. You are really a sannyasi. Then you take sannyas and leave your house. We shall see what will be in the future. Preaching Krishna Consciousness is your life. Without that you cannot live, then leave your family life forever and go and preach."

Prabhupad was hesitating a little and said, "Who will look after my family if I go?" Pishima was a very rich lady with seven sons, and they were happy to serve his family. Then Prabhupad left his house and came to Guru Maharaj to take sannyas. But Guru Maharaj hesitated because he was Prabhupad's family friend, not only God-brother and Siksa Guru. He was thinking, "If trouble comes to Prabhupad's family after he leaves his house, that trouble will also come to me." Then he told Prabhupad to wait for six months, and then take sannyas. But Prabhupad said, "No, Maharaj, I cannot wait because if I wait difficulty will come to me. If I take sannyas now it will be very good."

Then Guru Maharaj said, "I am hesitating, but you can go to Keshav Maharaj." So Prabhupad went to Keshav Maharaj, took sannyas, and stayed in the Radha Damodar Temple in Vrindavan. There he translated the Srimad-Bhagavat and many other books. Finally, he wanted to go to the West. He thought, by hook or crook it is necessary to go and try. His preaching conception was so clear, and he had so many friends. One rich lady gave him a chance to go to America for free on her ship.

Wholeheartedly he was a very good friend of Guru Maharaj. He considered Guru Maharaj as his Siksa Guru because he was very much indebted to Guru Maharaj for many things he learned through discussion. He said Guru Maharaj is his Siksa Guru, and everyone knows that. He wanted Sridhar Maharaj to prepare him, and we know that Sridhar Maharaj prepared him for preaching the finest conception of Krishna Consciousness all over the world.

After returning from preaching in the Western World, he used to come to Guru Maharaj and discuss his preaching style. Sripad Bhakti Sudhir Goswami Maharaj published the first book, 'Guardian of Devotion,' about the relationship between Srila Guru Maharaj and Srila Prabhupad. Swami Maharaj wanted Guru Maharaj to stay with him in Mayapur; he wanted to make him another house there. That conversation is true; it was taped. Every time he came back from the West he went to Guru Maharaj expressing his preaching glories.
He wanted to take me to the West
  But he was not fully satisfied with that. He wanted to take me out of India with him. He told Guru Maharaj, "Govinda Maharaj will come and see everything, and from there he will give reports. That will be sufficient." Three or four times he proposed this to Guru Maharaj: "Give Govinda Maharaj to me. I shall take him out." But I had no chance to go at that time because I was the servant, doctor, advisor, and so many other things to Guru Maharaj. It was impossible for me to leave. Anyhow, by Guru Maharaj's divine will, I came out of India in 1992. This is my twentieth world tour.

Everywhere I have gone I have seen the high glories of Srila Swami Maharaj. People do not know A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, but they know Prabhupad. People do not know what is his full conception, but they have heard his name, and they are dancing. Before preaching he suffered one year in America with too much austerity. But he did not lose hope, and to see his mood of devotion, Krishna opened His preaching door. Krishna accepted his prayer, his proposal, and Krishna Himself was given to everyone in the form of the Hare Krishna Mahamantra. The Hare Krishna Mahamantra is the non-different form of Radha Krishna descending from Goloka Vrindavan. It entered into the hearts of the sincere seekers, and the whole world is now chanting the Holy Name.

Now the mission is all over the world with maybe 300 or 400 centres. What little I can say is, Prabhupad's main desire was to give everyone not only the Hare Krishna Mahamantra. No doubt it is the supreme mantram for the spiritual practitioner. A sick man needs some medicine, and for someone who is spiritually sick, that medicine is the Hare Krishna Mahamantra. When a sick man finally gets good health, he knows what food is necessary better than anyone. Prabhupad showed that food at the lotus feet of Srila Guru Maharaj.
" If you want to know more ... you must go to Sridhar Maharaj"
  Service to Radha Krishna under the guidance of the Sakhis, Manjaris, and finally under the guidance of Radharani, is full-fledged Krishna Consciousness. For that, he showed Srila Guru Maharaj to everyone. He said, "If you want to know more than what I have given you, you must go to Sridhar Maharaj. Only that person I have accepted as my Siksa Guru. If he is my Siksa Guru, then there should be no hesitation. You can go to his lotus feet and learn more about Krishna Consciousness."

On his last day before leaving this world, the Rupanuga Acharya Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur gave full charge to Guru Maharaj. All his God-brothers accepted Srila Guru Maharaj as the Rupanuga Acharya. Swami Maharaj was very attached to Guru Maharaj, and he knew very clearly who was the Acharya of this Sampradaya. Then who wants to know anything is going to Srila Guru Maharaj.

By my good fortune, Srila Swami Maharaj gave me much affection and much love. He accepted me as his son — how inconceivable that was for me. He was a very broad-hearted personality in spiritual life. He did not hide anything from others. Many times he told his disciples, "I can translate Srimad-Bhagavat, but no one in the world knows the meaning except Srila Guru Maharaj. Then if you want to know anything more about Krishna Consciousness, go to Guru Maharaj. You will be super-benefited."

Guru Maharaj also gave so much help to Srila Swami Maharaj's disciples. He gave who came to him the pure conception of Krishna Consciousness. So much he gave to the Western devotees, so much he had not given before. He gave us the explanation of the Gayatri Mantra. What more can I say? I had a little objection. I asked Guru Maharaj, "Why are you giving the Gayatri Mantra explanation; it is not written in any Scripture?"

Guru Maharaj said, "But the Mantram appeared, and the meditator wants to know the meaning. Who will tell it if I shall not?" Swami Maharaj was very impressed and delighted with that explanation. He said no other explanation is possible except this. There are so many things I want to say about Swami Maharaj, but I would not finish within two or three days.
I am seeing his unlimited glories
  What Srila Saraswati Thakur wanted to give — Swami Maharaj took charge of that whole mission. He made a channel in the Western World for everyone to enter, and I have gone through that channel here in Russia — not only Russia, everywhere. I am seeing his unlimited glories, still singing from world to world. Up to Goloka Vrindavan that light of preaching Krishna Consciousness we can feel, see. It exists there also, in a glorified way. The glories of Swami Maharaj are everywhere. Who am I to tell them, only for some rectification of myself. I am so indebted to Swami Maharaj, and so many of his disciples are my friends. Now I pay my dandavats to A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad.

Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad, ki jaya!

Transcribed by Vrndavanesvari Devi Dasi
in consultation with other devotees present

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