Hari-katha inspired by the Guru-varga
We are very lucky to be here today. By the causeless mercy of Guru-pada-padma and the Rupanuga Guruvarga, we are present in Vrndavana dhama observing Urja-vrata.
Sastra tells us:
mahat-kripa vina kona karme ‘bhakti’ naya krishna-bhakti dure rahu, samsara nahe kshaya
Caitanya Caritamrita Madhya 22.51
Even if God, Guru, and Vaisnavas are with us, still, who is kind enough to manifest everything inside our hearts? Who gives us the power by which we can understand who the Vaisnavas are, and thus respect them properly? [Upon the visit of Sripad Sridhara Maharaja who is a disciple of Srila Bhakti Vaibhava Puri Gosvami Maharaja, Sripad Premananda Prabhu spoke on Srila Bhakti Vaibhava Puri Maharaja’s glories.] When I came to Mathura to stay with Gurudeva, I was alone. I left one family, and came to stay in the family of Vaisnavas. We were lucky to have Pujyapada Bhakti Vaibhava Puri Gosvami Maharaja visit us in Mathura; he would often speak harikatha in the evening. Gurudeva would give him the vyasasana and request him to speak. Pujyapada Bhakti Bhudeva Srauti Maharaja, Pujyapada Bhakti Jivana Janardhana Maharaja, Pujyapada Hrisikesa Maharaja, Pujyapada Paramahamsa, Maharaja, Pujyapada Sara Maharaja, and many other Acaryas would come to Mathura. They shared a sweet relationship with Gurudeva. Gurudeva would respect them, and he would tell me to serve them. In this way, I would be able to understand them. He said, “Unless one respects and serves the family members of God, one can never realize anything.” Therefore, he requested us to serve them. We didn’t serve as a matter of duty. People who serve by force have no love. Guru and Vaisnavas are transcendental powerhouses. They are the expansions of svarupa-sakti. If you serve them, you will be connected to their power. By their power, you will understand who the Vaisnavas are. Millions of people came to Mahaprabhu. Mahaprabhu would place them under the guidance of His different associates like Sri Svarupa Damodara, Raghunatha das Gosvami, Vakresvara Pandit, Gopala Guru, and Gadadhara Pandit. No one could understand Mahaprabhu’s mood without taking shelter of His associates. I never thought that Bhakti Vaibhava Puri Maharaja was not my Gurudeva. He taught me many things. I was a servant in his temple for many months. I would only work and work. Maharaja would call me a karmi, or worker. He would say, “You are running up and down the stairs a thousand times a day. Then, you run to Holi gate, and then to Janma bhumi, like a horse.” I was always working. Therefore, when Maharaja came to see me, he would call me a maha-karmi. But, he had so much love for me. Once, he pulled me to Rajamundry and to Kovur. He also took me to the Caitanya Candrodaya temple in Balesvara. Why? He had unlimited love. I will never be able to define or explain this love. Before, I was with Maharaja. For me, he was my relative, my family. But, I could not understand his nature as a Mahabhagavat, and I would argue with him. I never thought that this could be Vaisnava aparadha, or that this could make a Vaisnava angry. Sometimes, Maharaja or Pujyapada Janardhana Maharaja or Pujyapada Srauti Maharaja would come and stay for fifteen days or a month in Mathura. Vrndavana only had Caitanya Gaudiya Matha, and Mathura only had our temple. Srila Puri Maharaja would come and give class. His classes were infused with much spiritual power. It was like power coming from the powerhouse. This would purify one, and like the words of the Acaryas, his words would completely transform the heart. Maharaja would close his eyes when he was speaking. He would speak for half an hour, or one hour, without opening his eyes. Sometimes, he would cry, and sometimes he would smile. Sometimes, he spoke without stopping for a long time. At that time, we didn’t understand the meaning of bhava. When one crosses all anarthas, and comes near the stage of rati, he develops a special mood. Ordinary people do not know who a Vaisnava is. Vaisnavas mercifully make a platform. They clean the heart, and they help someone to understand who a Vaisnava really is. Only Vaisnavas can understand Vaisnavas. But, ordinary people have no intelligence. They cannot understand this. By the causeless mercy of Pujyapada Bhakti Vaibhava Puri Gosvami Maharaja, he accepted me, and because of this, I never distanced myself from Vaisnavas in my life. He would tell me, “Apart from the Vaisnavas, nothing in this world has any value. They are the family members of God. They are the expansions of God’s body.” Today, Pujyapada Sridhara Maharaja came to visit us. Seeing him, I remember his Guru Maharaja. He had so much love. I can never forget this. When I would go to his matha, he would give me access to the store, the temple, and to the entire temple premises. He would let me cook, offer bhoga, worship the deities, and serve everyone. No one would say anything to me. I could do anything I liked. Also, I could freely go to the temple of Pujyapada Janardhana Maharaja. Vaisnavas don’t see distinctions. They do not have a party spirit. They are the family of God, and they all live together harmoniously. I would not make a difference between disciples of different Acaryas. Mahaprabhu’s movement is very big-hearted.