♦ Golden Reflections ♦

Editorial

First and foremost I offer my sincere and heart-felt obeisances to all the Vaisnava devotees throughout the whole devotional community. All glories indeed to all our Sri Guru-varga headed by our manifest Sri Acaryyadeva Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Maharaj and our Srila Guru Maharaj, Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj.

Today I have good cause to make a petition for their, and your, grace that you may all exhibit your forgiving nature towards this fallen soul. This book, Golden Reflections, is made up of transcriptions of an interview and lectures by Srila Govinda Maharaj and, in order to meet the print deadline, there was insufficient time for Srila Maharaj to read the manuscript during the busy period before going to press although it was the wish of both of us. Now times here at Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math are somewhat quieter with the successful completion of the recent Golden Jubilee and Sri Gaura-purnima celebrations and, this book having already been published, Srila Maharaj has duly read the contents. He has picked up various points that should be adjusted in any future repring — and that should be mentioned, at least in general way, to the sincere readers at this time. So, although customarily not done, let me start with this apology.

In order to stay in the background from any accusations that name and fame is being sought after by those compiling books I had purposely omitted my name from its title pages. However, in so doing I also omitted to take into account the obvious: my preparation from the tape to book-form of his words inevitably, though unintentionally, has brought about some omissions, irregularities and inaccuracies, and it should be clearly known that these are solely my responsibility. In particular it is necessary to mention the irregular usage throughout of the correct address of the Vaisnavas (such as "Honourable", Srila, Srimati, Sri, Sriyukta, etc.). Srila Maharaj pointed out that in all the fourteen years of his publishing from this Math the monthly journal Sri Gaudiya Darshana, he did not once omit the appropriate title of a devotee.

Fallen as I am, and with errors, as no doubt there are, it is my humble prayer that this book with its purely related descriptions about the Math, its devotees, and the principles of devotional practice, will bring joy to the hearts of all the sincere souls who aspire to serve the Sri Gaudiya Vaisnavas in the line of our Srila Guru Maharaj through Srila Govinda Maharaj.

Aspiring for the blessings of all the Vaisnavas,

Humbly,
Mahananda dasa Bhakti Ranjan
Appearance Day of Sri Ramachandra
11th April 92