In the spring of 1954, Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja called Srila Bhaktivedanta Vamana Maharaja and told him, "You have spent a long time in the temple, serving everyone and assisting me in so many ways. Now the time has come for you to go out and preach on your own."
Surprised, Srila Vamana Maharaja said, "Please don't deprive me of your merciful company. And if I go, who will stay with you?"
"Don't worry about me. Bhagavan is the maintainer of all. He will send many new boys, but you must go and preach."
"I am foolish. I don't know how to speak hari-katha or sing nicely. How will I preach?"
"Pray to the Guru-varga and follow their inspiration."
"If I go, I will be unable to see you for extended periods."
"Regardless, you must go," Acarya Kesari insisted and sent him on his way.
With a heavy heart, Srila Vamana Maharaja honored the order of his Gurudeva and began preaching in North Bengal.
Acarya Kesari next called Srila Trivikrama Maharaja and sent him to preach and take care of Uddharana Gaudiya Matha in Chunchura. Srila Trivikrama Maharaja had a forceful persona, but inside he was softhearted. He did not object when Acarya Kesari ordered him to preach separately from his entourage. Neutral like Sukadeva Gosvami, he left for Chunchura. Each month, he spent only a few days in the temple, and the rest of the time was spent in outreach activities, accompanied by Ranga Baba, who played mrdanga, and Hari Sadana Prabhu. Srila Trivikrama Maharaja organized programs in Kolkata, Hoogli, Arambad, and the villages in the Bardhaman district, using Uddharana Gaudiya Matha as his base. Wealthy and influential men were attracted by his flawless character and hari-katha.
In the winter of 1954, after completing the pilgrimage of Vraja-mandala, Acarya Kesari stayed in Mathura with Sanatana Prabhu, Srila Gurudeva, and other disciples, and searched for a property where he could establish a branch of the Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti from which to disseminate the message of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in North India.
For seven days, Acarya Kesari and his retinue searched for a suitable place. On the seventh day, they inspected an old building for sale known as the Garibdas Dharmasala-an inexpensive lodging for pilgrims visiting the holy places. It was on the south side of the famous wrestling arena of Kamsa and in front of the government hospital in Mathura. The building was dilapidated, but the location was excellent-close to Holi Gate, the Imperial Bank, the State Bank of India, the Head Post Office, the State Bus Stand, and the main market. It had thirty-six rooms and a hall made of solid brick and stone. The party discussed business with the owners of the dharmasala, Madana and Jaghana, but Acarya Kesari, not having the necessary sum, returned with his party to their lodge with little hope of acquiring the property.
The next day, Acarya Kesari was ready to see another place, but Srila Sanatana Prabhu declared, "I am exhausted today. I like the place we saw yesterday. I don't want to look at any other places."
"It is not possible to collect all the money at once," Acarya Kesari said. "They want thirty thousand rupees. We would have to make a large down payment, and I don't have enough for that."
Srila Sanatana Prabhu smiled and began to fiddle with his belt.
He pulled out a wad of banknotes and handed them over to Acarya Kesari.
"That's seven thousand rupees," Sanatana Prabhu said.
Everyone stared at Sanatana Prabhu in amazement.
"I have known your desire for a long time," Sanatana Prabhu said. "That's why I have been roaming about with this money around my waist for the past six weeks. I'm not interested in looking at another building. Please arrange to buy the dharmasala we saw yesterday."
"We need at least twelve thousand rupees as a downpayment to secure the place in writing," Acarya Kesari said.
On hearing this, Sanatana Prabhu sent a telegram to his son, Narayana Dasa, to secure the remainder of the downpayment. Acarya Kesari was niskincana-akincana, without material possessions or attachments. Whenever he started a new branch of the Vedanta Samiti, it was signed in the name of one of his godbrothers. When he registered the new Mathura center, Acarya Kesari did so in the name of his godbrother Sripada Narasimha Maharaja, the uncle of Srila Vamana Maharaja.
He named it Sri Kesavaji Gaudiya Matha, after the famous Krsna Kesavaji temple in Mathura.
Acarya Kesari established Kesavaji Gaudiya Matha on the disappearance day of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada, December 16, 1954. He stayed there a few weeks and then prepared to continue his preaching engagements elsewhere. He called Srila Gurudeva to his room and said, "Now, by Bhagavan's desire, we have this place in Mathura.
You must stay here and take responsibility for managing the temple. From here, you can travel and preach throughout North India."
Hearing this, Srila Gurudeva felt like he was hit by a thunderbolt.
He did not want to leave Acarya Kesari for a moment, but he was obliged to fulfill his order.
"Who will stay with you?" Srila Gurudeva asked.
"I don't need anyone. I have Srila Prabhupada and the Guru-varga with me, and many new boys will come. There is nothing to worry about."
"May I stay with you a few months longer?"
Acarya Kesari firmly ordered, "You must stay here in Mathura the majority of the year."
Because of his deep love and attachment for his spiritual master, Srila Gurudeva could not tolerate separation from him for even a minute, yet he thought, "I must follow his order." He said, "If you send me away, who will protect me if I become weak or encounter adversity?"
"Following my instructions, you will be assured that I am always with you. Do not fear. You can stay with me when I call you for special occasions or pilgrimages. And you will join me for Kartika, Navadvipa Parikrama, Vyasa-Puja, and Ratha-yatra."
"What is my duty here?" Srila Gurudeva asked.
"Maintain the Matha. Read the Gosvamis' literatures, realize the truths within, and translate them into Hindi. Publish a monthly magazine in Hindi and distribute it widely. Srila Prabhupada's Hindi magazine was called the Bhagavata, so in his footsteps we shall call ours Sri Bhagavata Patrika."
"How will I maintain the Matha?" Srila Gurudeva asked.
"The dharma of sadhus is to beg alms for their sustenance," Acarya Kesari said.
"In Mathura," Gurudeva said, "the people consider themselves very advanced, like their own gurus. Why would they give us anything? They think themselves the supreme authorities and they collect donations from others."
"Don't worry," Acarya Kesari said. "Everything will transpire for the service of Bhagavan, and I will send you what rupees are needed for maintaining the temple." Being thus assured, Srila Gurudeva wholeheartedly followed Acarya Kesari's order.
Following the instructions of Sri Guru is the real meaning of sadhu-sanga, or association with a saintly person. But to obey the order of the spiritual master and serve at a distance is challenging. If the disciple has pure love and possessive affection for his spiritual master, then how can he remain far from him? When even the attraction of worldly love is difficult to break, and the lover and beloved do not want to be separate for even a moment, how much more difficult is it for the disciple to be isolated from Sri Guru, when they have a transcendental bond?
[Excerpted from the Bhakta Bandhav Publication “Sri Guru Darsana“]