Monthly Archives: December 2013

What is the shape of the soul ?

by

Hare Krishna.

15th December.

Quotes-by-Srila-Prabhupada-on-Chanting-Krishna’s-Names

Yesterday at Bhagavat Gita class with HG Vidur Priya Prabhuji proved to be extra beneficial for me. We were at chapter two and verse 17 of Bhagavad Gita. He asked everyone now that we all know what is the size the soul, can we tell what is the shape of the soul ? I never thought Soul could have any shape at that small a size and this questions never crossed my mind. Someone answered it should be circular as it is a perfect shape, someone else suggested it cant have a shape or it is just a light source, etc.. It was Pawan Prabhu who came close the answer and suggested a link with our spiritual self. Then prabhuji clarified that the shape of our soul is exactly as our Spiritual self, Sidh swaroop. Due to wrong consciousness or contamination it gets shrunk to the size described in scriptures, 1/10000 part of the tip of the hair. He further explained that when we begin our sadhna bhakti and the consciousness starts getting purified our gross and subtle body start becoming spiritualised.

Another important point he empahsised was that bhakti is all about right consciousness. The externals do not matter so much. He gave the example that when a person dies he gets the body depending upon what was his consciousness at the time of death. Now if someone puts a leave of tulsi leave or ganga jal in the mouth of that person then again that person may die thinking of the pious benefit Tulsi leave has or in a case of a devotee who shows gratitude and remember the service Tulasi Maharani does for Radha Krishna and though both person die with Tulsi leave in their mouth, the results would vary drastically depending upon the consciousness of each person.

He stressed the need for right consciousness in whatever activity we do in our lives especially in our sadhna bhakti. He added that is the reason Srila Prabhupada named our society as International Society of Krishna Consciousness.

We learn something every time we read a verse of Bhagavad Gita. It is a delight to see how effortlessly Prabhuji teaches us each verse so that everyone understands even the subtle points.

All glories to HG Vidur Priya Prabhuji.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Personal with book Bhagavatam

by

Hare Krishna.

26th October 2013

Quotes-by-Srila-Prabhupada-on-Srimad-Bhagavatam

I had gone to to take darshan of  HG Rukmini Krishna Prabhuji few days back at Punjabi Bagh temple, he had been away for a long time. During our conversation I asked Prabhuji that I have completed reading the 2nd Canto and now looking to start 3rd Canto with his permission, he was happy and gave me the go ahead. I then enquired that do I really need to buy the whole set or I can read with pocket Vedas on my ipad. My concern was making space for so many volumes at home. By some senior devotee’s mercy I could get 2nd Canto as a single volume earlier and for the 3rd canto I had to buy the full set now.

Rukmini Prabhuji asked me how do I read Srimad Bhagavatam at home ? I told him that in the evening after doing arti I read atleast 1 verse daily. He asked me how do I treat the book, I replied that I have kept it in a book shelf next to altar and I touch it with my head before reading it and also speak verses glorifying Srimad Bhagavatam before I start reading it. He then asked me how do I read books on my ipad ? I told, rather sheepishly, that I read on it sitting on a recliner most of the time and many a times before going to sleep. Praabhuji then added that can you see the difference, do you ever touch your ipad on head before reading on it ! He further added that everyone has their own preferences but he believes that the book Bhagavatam is personal and reading on ipad not so.

Of course he was right, I could suddenly see how high I hold the Book Bhagavatam. I never accord the same to the electronic ipad while reading on it. I had my answer.

So today morning the full set of Book Bhagavatam blessed our home.

idam bhagavatam nama
puranam brahma-sammitam
uttama-sloka-caritam
cakara bhagavan rsih
nihsreyasaya lokasya
dhanyam svasty-ayanam mahat
This Srimad-Bhagavatam is the literary incarnation of God, and it is compiled by Srila Vyasadevaa, the incarnation of God. It is meant for the ultimate good of all people, and it is all-successful, all-blissful and all-perfect. (Bhag 2.1.8)
krsne sva-dhamopagate
dharma-jnanadibhih saha
kalau nasta-drsam esa
puranarko ‘dhunoditah
This Bhagavata Purana is as brilliant as the sun, and it has arisen just after the departure of Lord Krsna to His own abode, accompanied by religion, knowledge, etc. Persons who have lost their vision due to the dense darkness of ignorance in the age of Kali shall get light from this Purana. (Bhag 1.3.43)

All glories to HG Rukmini Krishna Prabhuji.

All glories to Srimad Bhagavatam.

All glories to Sri Guru and sri Gauranga.

Quotes-by-Srila-Prabhupada-on-Glory-of-Srimad-Bhagavatam

Association of devotees

by

Hare Krishna.

14th December

Quotes-by-Srila-Prabhupada-on-Result-of-Association-with-Devotees

Everyday I realise more and more how and why association of devotees is so important for a sadhak.

I also realise that whatever baby steps I have taken in spiritual journey are directly due to the mercy and association of devotees. From receiving Bhagavad Gita from Mukul Prabhu and starting my spiritual journey till yesterday chanting of Bhagavad Gita verses at Gurgaon centre is all due to causeless mercy of devotees. My own endeavour is nil rather in negative only.

Today morning I received a beautifully written mail from Anand Prabhu. In a very sweet way he taught me to how to reciprocate with my devotee brothers & sisters. After reading his mail I realise how self centered I am. When we receive praise from devotees we all handle it differently. For me, though, I outwardly may say that this is not me and this is all due to mercy of Guru and Guru paramapara but his mail showed me that rather than progressing in my spiritual journey I am still standing there, not unlike a car which has all its wheels resting on wheel jacks, the driver is pushing accelerator to full, the tires are moving, there is lot of smoke from the silencer and the car is making a lot of noise but the car still standing at the same point.

I am so grateful that somehow and due to some good fortune I have landed in association of devotees, who always try to guide me properly, they show me the right way and they have only good of everyone in their heart. My complete lack of progress is entirely due to my own lack of interest, intelligence and realisations.

I again write the same prayer by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, which I quoted on 11th December, and pray at the feet of devotees to remain merciful on me. I also pray at the lotus feet of all the devotees to bless me that  I can imbibe the meaning of this prayer in my heart rather than just focusing on its lyrics.

ohe! vaishnava thhâkura, doyâra sâgara,

e dâse korunâ kori’     

diyâ pada-châyâ, s’odho he âmâya,

tomâra carana dhori

O venerable Vaisnava, o ocean of mercy
be merciful unto your servant.
Give me the shade of your lotus feet and purify me.
I hold on to your lotus feet.
chaya vega domi’, chaya dosha s’odhi

chaya guna deho’ dâse

chaya sat-sanga, deho’ he âmâre,

<

p style=”text-align: justify;”>bosechi sangera âs’e

Teach me to control my six passions,

rectify my six faults,

bestow upon me the six qualities, and offer me,

the six kinds of the holy association

All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga.

A Vaishanava is more merciful than Krishna !

by

Hare Krishna.

11th December.

Quotes-by-Bhakti-Charu-Swami-on-Vaishnava-Etiquette

Pawan Prabhu came to my home on Sunday for the weekly Bhagavad Gita class and had two packets with him. When everyone had left he unwrapped them and showed me two beautiful pictures of Sri Radha Shyamsundar and Sri Krishna Balram. He brought them as a present for our new apartment. I was looking forward to welcome Them at home for many months.

We have a new altar at home now and a small laminated picture of Sri Radha Shyamsundar, which was in the earlier altar,  did not fit in the new altar. I missed them but kept on deliberating on what size, which pose, what texture  will look best in the new altar and  so on. The result was no Radha Shyamsundar ! By the mercy of Pawan Prabhu I not only got Them but Krishna Balaram as well. Now Radha Shyamsundar majestically adorn one wall in the study. My chanting improved drastically from next day morning onwards, not just the next day. Sitting in front of Them I feel as if a channel from Vrindavan has come straight into my study room, where I chant in the morning. It is an unbelievable feeling. I feel so happy, so proud that They have come to bless us all in the new home.

In my earlier apartment I didn’t have a single full length pictures of my Lords. Rather I would daily download Their new picture on my computer from internet and adore their beauty every morning. Due to some malfunctioning in the computer that too stopped since last 2 months.

I called up Pawan Prabhu yesterday and thanked him profusely for this mercy. He was of course very polite about it but I know it was his and Pooja mataji’s mercy on us. It is true that devotee can shower more mercy than the Lord. I was hankering for Them for so long but didn’t have the `adhikar’ to invite Their Lordships at home, but now by the mercy of a Vaishanava I got the benediction of their constant Darshan at home.

ohe! vaishnava thhâkura, doyâra sâgara,

e dâse korunâ kori’     

diyâ pada-châyâ, s’odho he âmâya,

tomâra carana dhori

O venerable Vaisnava, o ocean of mercy
be merciful unto your servant.
Give me the shade of your lotus feet and purify me.
I hold on to your lotus feet.

 

All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga.

Misplaced love

by

Hare Krishna.

14th November.

Quotes-by-Srila-Prabhupada-on-Effect-of-Loving-God

The day before I heard my wife snapping at her favorite maid. I was surprised at her tone as my wife treats this poor maid very well, sometimes too well resulting in humour laden satires from my daughter and my own self. Anyway, I found it was a small money matter, that inspite of receiving many goodies she still asked my wife something very petty which surprised my wife and hence her sharp tone. I remember she told her` How dare you ask such a thing from me.’ I told her that all her efforts to shower her love on maids since last 10 years have resulted in a naught. Every time she feels let down, a little hurt and then forgets it till the same result from next one. She is somehow born with a gift to shower affection on poor people. In a way she teaches rest of us in the family to have a large heart.

This latest incident made me think. I later told her  `I always tell you that you are  misusing your wonderful affection’. She scoffed at me initially but absorbed the point I made.

I remember below lines from Srila Prabhupda

The love is there. It is reserved for Krsna, but due to our foolishness, we are distributing that love in so many ways, up to the dog. This is called illusion. We do not know where to apply love. If you see, all these words is touched with the word kama, kama. Kama means lust. There is no question of love. And love … Prema and kama is described in Caitanya-caritamrta. What is prema and what is kama. Atmendriya-priti-vancha tara bali kama. Kama. What is lust? Atmendriya-priti, to satisfy one’s own senses. Therefore, atmendriya-priti-vancha. Everyone is trying to satisfy her own senses. That is kama. Lust. And then, what is prema? Krsnendriya-priti-iccha dhare prema nama. When the same propensity is transferred for satisfying Krsna’s senses… just like gopis.

Today, we are actually doing a business in the name of love –  you give me this and I will give you that and if one stops giving it then it’s a good bye.  A pure trade deal. atmendriya-priti-vanca, always trying to satisfy our own senses and calling it love.

This very word love, prema, is specially reserved for Krsna. Prema pum-artho mahan. That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s preaching, that the highest perfection of life is to evoke one’s dormant love for Krsna.    (Srila Prabupada)

All such daily instances teach us that we really do not know where to apply our Love. When we apply our love, with Krishna in the center, then automatically we will love everyone else too. Srila Prabhupada gave the example that if we love a tree then we would automatically love all its leaves, its  fruits, its  branches, its twigs, everything. That is the secret of achieving real love, even in the material world.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Superfast clarity by HG Chaitanya Charan Das

by

Hare Krishna.

images

Let me share one of the best and fastest way to get clarity on complicated shastric topics as well as questions we face everyday in our lives. I have not read such superfast and repeated clarity and realisations than by listening to the daily audio podcasts by HG Chaitanya Charan Das Prabhuji. He runs www.thespiritualscientist.com which has hundreds of Q & A on a variety of topics, questions which arise in our heart and again many more that we may feel shy to ask  from senior devotees for various reasons. Few questions by devotees itself are worthy of mention as they open our eyes that why didn’t I get this question in my heart reading the same verse. Lastly many of the general headings of the comments by Prabhuji itself are worthy of high praise, e.g,

Subscribers to his website receive a mail every morning which has on average contain 1 general topic based on scriptures and 3-4 Q & A as audio podcast. His answers are on average for 6-7 minutes long and very precise, like a precision fired bullet.

If I list the no. of times I have got clarity from his answers and my realisations after listening to his audio podcast then I will have to write a blog almost every single day. Prabhu ji is a very blessed soul and has has special mercy of his Guru and Srila Prabhupada.

I am sharing some of the recent gems by Prabhuji.

Is there any actual difference between Brahman Paramatma and Bhagavan, or is it just a matter of perception?

Is love of God available to followers of non-Vedic systems?

If Krishna is God, how could he have been killed by a hunter’s arrow?

As the Lord plays the part of a human being in his pastimes, doesn’t it imply that there’s a higher  feature of the Lord beyond the part he plays in his pastimes?

What does crying for Krishna, as Srila Prabhupada recommends, mean practically?

Is the Absolute Truth like water that appears liquid to the impersonalists and solid to the personalists?

There is a long list I can write. Some answers are so good both in their clarity and realisation that I listen to those 9 minute audio up to 20 times wishing that my polluted mind can absorb every single word by Prabhuji. I am listening to the reply of top questions mentioned above since last two days.

In my opinion any devotee who is intellectually inclined should subscribe to his mailers and get enriched by his Audio podcasts.

I read Prabhuji’s profile on the his website and found  that among many other things

1. He is editor of Back to Godhead magazine.

2. He is a member of ISKCON’s Shastric Adivsory Council (SAC), which offers counsel on scriptural matters to the highest administrative body of ISKCON, the Governing Body Commission (GBC).

3. He has written over 500 articles till now and is the author of eight books.

5. He is an electronics engineer and secured 2350 out of 2400 in the GRE exam, bagging the top rank in Maharashtra.

6. He is the author of the world’s only Gita-daily feature, wherein he writes daily a 300-word inspirational reflection on a verse from the Bhagavad-Gita. www.gitadaily.com

7. He is the course teacher of Bhakti Shastri course through mail, http://bhakticourses.com. All videos of the course are available free for everyone to download to learn.

It is indeed a very long list of accomplishments.

I pray to Srila Prabhupada and Lord Krishna to bless Prabhuji so that he can continue to enrich and enlighten people from all walks of life and spread the glories of ISKCON, the unique mission of Srila Prabhupada, all over the world.

All glories to HG Chaitanya Charan Das.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

All glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga.

My realisation at Sri Krishna Balram temple, Punjabi Bagh, New Delhi.

by

Hare Krishna.

28th November.

I went to Punjabi Bagh temple and reached around 9 am to meet HH Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaj and follow his desire to meet Mukul Prabhu.

When I reached the temple Maharaj was giving the lecture with the emphasis on Book distribution and that marathon had started and we all need to pull ourselves to meet the target for this year. It was the same message has last year and yet every word felt charged up with a transcendental potency. The temple was completely packed inside and outside too devotees covered almost all the verandah. I was surprised that a very comfortable sitting place was vacant and as I sat down I realised why no one else was sitting there. There was no view of Maharaj from there ! That’s why this space was empty. As I looked around for a better area to sit I realised that devotees had already taken up most of the places from where Maharaj could be seen and heard. I looked around for a second and then thought that instead of moving around and disturbing everyone in the process let me sit at this place only and hear with concentration.

Here is the shot from my phone from where I was sitting in the temple, I was sitting on the raised platform behind these folding glass door. I will share now why I took this picture.

photo

1. My first realsiation : As I sat listing to Maharaj I realised that my concentration was almost 100%, near perfect. I realised that it was so because I knew I can’t see Maharaj and hence I tuned my concentration to full so that I don’t miss a single word. In fact after few minutes it was as if I am seeing him through my ears. I can’t explain it but I saw no difference in whether I could see Maharaj or not. I realised the importance of Shravanam or listening with concentration and that if  I listen with concentration then I could be with the speaker irrespective of whether the speaker is front of me or not.

2. Second realisation : Twenty five minutes into the lecture another magic happened. I could see suddenly see Maharaj through the glass. Why I could not see Maharaj earlier was due to angle of the glass and reflections of devotees sitting outside. Now suddenly due to some change in angle of the devotees or sunlight or some other reason I could see Maharaj clearly with no one between us. I rubbed my eyes thinking am I imagining him but the image stayed, I was so very happy to see him, as if I have won some jackpot just by seeing him or I am seeing him from the first time or someone who is very far suddenly comes so near.  His visual went away after 10-15 seconds and it was back to reflections of devotees in the glass. I was agitated, I missed seeing him so directly in front of me. I tried to see him again but no matter how frustrated I felt or how much I shifted my sitting posture and stance or try to squint my eyes I could not see him. His vision was gone. I had no other option but to go back again to listening to Maharaj with rapt attention but now with a added bonus of this unique experience of having see him through the glass. It was different then when I was seeing him before I could see him. He was there and yet not there, a unique feeling which I can’t describe due to my poor vocabulary.

I later realised that this is how, of course on an altogether different level, Narad ji would have felt when he first saw Lord Krishna and then how he would have felt as Lord went away from Narad ji’s vision (SB 1.6.19). I could never understand this feeling when I read this verse almost an year back but today I could experience it ! Of course my level of realisation and taste is too small yet I know this unique feeling now.

All glories to the never ending mercy of HH Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaj.

Later I took darshan of Maharaj and introduced Mukul Prabhu to him as the person who introduced me to Krishna Consciousness. Maharaj commented that he should have given my example during the class today that how by just getting copy of Bhagavad Gita changed my life. He then turned to Mukul and told him that he wanted to meet him and thank him and then he said he is thankful to him to give a copy of Bhagavad Gita to me.

I had assumed that Maharaj wanted to meet Mukul Prabhu to probably push him for book distribution or engage him in some other service as I had told Maharaj how he is a financial expert and also a very good devotee who has turned almost all his clients into devotees. But Maharaj just said thank you to him. At first I thought, that’s it ! nothing else ? No instructions or request ? After ten seconds I was completely bowled over by Maharaj’s humble attitude in desiring to thank an unknown person who changed an unknown materialist’s person life.

From the bottom of my heart I wish I can cry at Maharaj’s lotus feet and rub my eyes at the soil under his shoes so that I can get 0.0001% of his humbleness and simplicity of heart. I met HG Karuna Prabhu outside the temple for few minutes and shared with him that how I feel as if slapped again and again as I see what is the benchmark senior devotees like Maharaj set for us. I pray that whenever I think I have now become humbled I should remember Maharaj.

I pray and hope that some day I am able to serve Maharaj in a capacity which he likes. I am head over heels in love with Maharaj.

All glories to the ever merciful and softhearted Gaudia Vaishanavas.

All glories to the wonderful Krishna Balram temple where I get so many realisations.

All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga.

Causeless Mercy

by

Hare Krishna.

25th November.

I got a call in the evening from HG Achyut Hari Prabhu ji that HH Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaj will be visiting  Gurgaon tomorrow and he may visit my home !! Hari Bol ! I could not believe my good fortune. I shared the same with HG Rukmini Prabhuji after the seminar, he too was surprised and very happy for me. I told him for me `he may come’ has done the job and as far I am concerned he has come.

26th November

I was waiting for the confirmation and also tried to push the labour to clean the living room as we were still a week away from shifting in the new apartment. Finally HG Achyut Hari Prabhu ji called up and confirmed that Maharaj will be visiting my home around 5.30pm before his lecture at the centre. My happiness knew no bounds, I thanked Prabhuji profusely and then came home early from office to arrange for everything. The apartment was in a mess as it was in the final stage of handover but by Krishna’s grace we could clean the living room and make space for few devotees to sit comfortably.  We decorated the entrance with diyas and flowers, it was another Diwali for me.

Maharaj came around 6 pm and I just melted in his presence as I could not believe my good fortune of hosting him. I paid thousand obeisances to HG Vidur Priya Prabhuji for arranging it. Maharaj came upstairs in our new apartment and blessed it with his lotus feet. He spent close to 35 minutes with us, some senior devotees too came for his darshan. He asked about my spiritual journey and how I came in Krishna consciousness and he desired to meet Mukul Prabhu who first introduced me to Krishna Consciousness. Maharaj said that he will be in Punjabi Bagh temple on 28th and I promised to come with Mukul Prabhu if is in town. He then asked everyone to push for the Gurgaon temple as the construction was to be started soon. He was so polite and gentle and caring and humble, I can go on and on.

Maharaj then wanted to use the restroom and we hurriedly ripped open the packing for him to use it. Now our home is purified with double mercy as Maharaj used the first facility at our new home.

I gathered enough courage to request Maharaj if I can wash his lotus feet. Maharaj replied that he normally does not allow it. I requested Maharaj that `this’ is not `normal’ for me and he most mercifully agreed. We washed Maharaj’s lotus feet. It was the first time that I washed any sanyasi’s feet and was very nervous from inside. I prayed to Srila Prabhupada and for me with this opportunity I washed the feet of whole Gaudia Vaishanava Guru parampara.

Maharaj left for the centre around 6.10 after taking darshan of our deities in the current home.I then followed hurriedly to the Gurgaon centre. The centre was decked up beautifully and devotees danced to welcome Maharaj. Maharaj sang Jai Radha Madhava again and again and it was blissful to hear maharaj singing Kirtan. Maharaj spoke on the verse from CC madhya 22.128

sādhu-sańga, nāma-kīrtana, bhāgavata-śravaṇa
mathurā-vāsa, śrī-mūrtira śraddhāya sevana

I don’t think I have ever heard a simpler and easier explanation of this verse. I am sure everyone sitting in the packed hall would have absorbed something from maharaj’s lecture. Maharaj spoke for a long time and  by the time he finished it was already close to 9.30pm. Then another magic happened, as Maharaj left the Kirtan started playing again. HG Asit Prabhu started dancing first and within 5 minutes the whole temple danced and danced. It was as if Maharaj’s mere presence spread gold dust over everyone. It was transcendental atmosphere and it was an effort for the team in charge of serving to lay down the mats.

We had delicious prasadam and I came back home flying in the air, as I still could not fully absorb Maharaj’s visit to my humble home. What can we call this other than causeless mercy of a pure Vaishanava on a street urchin.

All glories to HH Gopala Krishna Goswami Maharaj.

All glories to Srila Pranhupada.

Disciple Course

by

Hare Krishna.

I called up HG Rukmini Prabhu on the last day of Kartik and Prabhuji instructed me to attend a new seminar which was to begin on at Punjabi Bagh temple 0n 20th Nov. When I got the details later I found out that it was a 8 day course and my first reaction was to cancel it as renovation of new apartment were at the last stage, I did not help much and it was wife who single-handedly manged everything, then I kept on travelling to Vrindavan during Kartik. so due to guilt feeling my first hunch was to excuse myself and then better sense prevailed and i joined for the course. I know from the past that whenever I have listened to HG Rukmini Prabhuji I have only gained in my spiritual journey. The course was to be conducted by HH Brhad Bhagavat Maharaja, whom I respect a lot.

I missed the first day as I got stuck in the traffic and got too delayed to enter the seminar knowing Maharaj well.

As a bonus I got a call from Subir Prabhu, he and Gaurav Prabhu too joined the seminar and they were excited about their first day experience, so now I had their company too. I went with them on the second day to get their association. Both of them are very nice devotees and anyone would appreciate their enthusiasm for learning more, working in Gurgaon then going to Punjabi Bagh and then back to their homes in East Delhi.

Back to seminar. From the second day and till day eight it was pure nectar. It is so nice to see ISKCON as an organisation growing and confronting issues it faces from both outside and more importantly within. One can see that ISKCON is benefiting  from a tremendous talent pool of  new wave of devotees.  I am told that this seminar may become compulsory for any one who wish to get initiated and after attending it I firmly agree to it.

I will try to write a summary of the 8 day summary of the seminar. I have the full booklet of the course with me, with notes, please feel free to ask for the same via courier or collect it if you stay near Gurgaon.

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Day 1.

HH Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaj

by

Hare Krishna and pranams dear devotees,

Today I wish to write about one of the most senior and respected leader of ISKCON HH Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaj.

During my initial days I heard Maharaj’s name often. I also had the good fortune to attend some of his lectures at Punjabi Bagh. I had no idea about Maharaj’s stature and just knew that whenever maharaj was at Punjabi Bagh Temple, there was always more activity and extra enthusiasm in the devotees. But then the same was the case when some other senior Sanyasis would come to the temple. I knew he was special but how special I didn’t know. I found maharaj’s lectures very simple, yet he had a special potency with which he will drill that simple message deep in my heart. HH Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaj came across as a very humble and sincere sanyasi. That was my initial impression.

As I progressed a little in my spiritual journey and saw Maharaj, my respect for him grew by each day. Every time I would see maharaj, I would somehow try to get his attention in a polite manner. I would see Maharaj at Vrindavan, often at the mangal arti. As I heard more about HH Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaj from my Guru Maharaj and other sanyasis my respect and greed to meet him grew every day.

Last year I was fortunate to receive a small gift from Maharaj, along with many others devotees, for service during the Book distribution Marathon,  as HG Rukmini Prabhuji called me and introduced Maharaj to me, Maharaj told me that he would like to speak to me. Few months later I got a chance the meet maharaj for few minutes at Punjabi Bagh temple. In that meeting HH Gopal Krishna Maharaj asked me about myself and hos I became a devotee. When I shared that one of my friend gave me Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavad Gita and my life changed.  In a very innocent manner maharaj smiled and said how simply by reading this particular Bhagavad gita my life changed, it shows the potency of Bhagavad Gita ‘as it is’ and the need to distribute it. Then to my shock maharaj asked me the name of the person who gave me Bhagavad Gita. Maharaj said he would like to meet him and thank him!!

I still hanker for a personal meeting with Maharaj but no such chance came as whenever I saw him he was always surrounded with devotees and I knew I stand no where among those much senior and sincere devotees to catch his attention.

Then on the day before Srila Prabhupada’s disappearance day I saw Maharaj twice in Vrindavan. First as I carried the Palanquin carrying Srila Prabhupada deity, Maharaj walked right in front of me for some time. Then the same day as I was assisting in serving lunch to senior devotees in the Balaram hall,  in walked maharaj. I was so happy just to see maharaj walking in. Maharaj took prasadam, very light, I tried to offer some vegetables and then some sweets but maharaj did not took anything, but for me I had served Maharaj.

I saw maharaj many times during Kartik at Vrindavan. As strange it may sound but every time I see Maharaj my hankering to meet him personally grows and I like him more and more at a personal level, without actually knowing him I seem to develop  faith and relationship with Maharaj.

I also hear with awe as Sumeet Prabhu would explain me regularly his meetings with maharaj, he seem to meet him every other month with ease, his family being close to Maharaj. While we were speaking about various sanyasis and glorifying them, we again came back to discuss HH Gopal Krishna Maharaj. We remembered how HH Janananda Maharaj glorified maharaj the other day at Vrindavan, when we went to meet him. He said sanyasis like HH Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaj, Bhakti Charu Maharaj, Jayapataka Maharaj, RadhaNath Swami are all pure and special souls and without special mercy of Srila Prabhupada they can’t do what they are achieving. He specially glorified Maharaj as maharaj handles all the tricky challenges in Russia and is also in change of all the big temples being constructed, still has strong Sadhna Bhakti and time for deity worship.

I remember HG Rukmini Prabhuji telling us early this year in one of the lectures that when asked what is Maharaj’s secret, HH Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaj replied ‘Strong morning Program‘ ! A simple statement which underlines Maharaj’s message and instruction for all of us.

Sumeet Prabhu told me a very interesting incident. When his father was not initiated, he helped HH Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaj to get a bank loan sanctioned from IOB Bank where he used to work. During one of the later meetings Maharaj glorified his father, thanked him and folded his hands as a matter of respect. Later Summet Prabhu’s brother, who was maharaj’s initiated disciple, told Maharaj that maharaj should not have offered so much respect to his father as it was their duty to serve in this spiritual movement. Maharaj replied that there were many reasons why he did it

1.  His father has not surrendered to Maharaj, only the son.

2.  His father was an elder person in age and therefore must be respected as per material world norms

3.  He helped in Prabhupada’s mission which is the savior of mankind; such people who help in this process should be profusely thanked

4.  By showing etiquette of folding hands, it creates softness in heart and respect for ISKCON.

We can learn so much from maharaj as to how to practice  humility and Vaishanava etiquette. I thought that I uselessly read books and try to find how to become humble when I can listen to Maharaj’s pastimes and learn directly from his behavior.

Few weeks back I found courage to request HG Vidur Priya Prabhuji to please request Maharaj to visit our new apartment and bless us with his lotus feet. Sumeet Prabhu told me that  it is very difficult because Maharaj has a very busy schedule and also as Maharaj has thousands of disciples in Delhi/NCR so it becomes difficult to please each disciple. Hence maharaj meets everyone at the local temple only. Logical, but I was hankering for his mercy. I thought some day I may get lucky. And as a bonus the hankering keeps Maharaj in my thoughts.

I will try to please HH Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaj by trying to serve devotees at Gurgaon and Punjabi Bagh temple with whatever little efforts I can do.

HH Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaj Ki Jaya.

All Glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Your servant,

Giriraj dasa