Once, some Vaiṣṇavas from Caitanya Maṭha in Māyāpura came to visit Devānanda Gauḍīya Maṭha. When they met with their god-brother Ācārya Kesarī, they asked him, “You have such a big temple, but why don’t you have a flower garden?”
“You haven’t seen my garden?” Ācāryadeva said. “I have many flowers in my garden, and their fragrance will spread all over the world.”
“We have moved around the temple but have seen no flower garden,” the Vaiṣṇavas from Māyāpura said.
“I will show you my garden in the evening,” Ācārya Kesarī replied.
After honoring lunch prasāda, the devotees rested and chanted. In the evening, they gathered for kīrtana and hari-kathā. Ācārya Kesarī respectfully offered seats to his god-brothers. He said, “Now I will show you my flowers.” Ācārya Kesarī then called, “O Gaura Nārāyaṇa! Hey Rādhānātha! Hey Sajjana! Come and speak. Spread the sweet fragrance of hari-kathā. Decorate this place with your puṣpāñjali. Place a garland of hari-kathā on everyone’s neck.” [Puṣpa means flowers and añjali means an offering. Amongst Vaiṣṇavas, puṣpāṇjali means an offering of words in glorification of God and His devotees.]
Sajjana-sevaka, Rādhānātha Prabhu, and Gaura Nārāyaṇa spoke successively. Using many verses from scripture, Śrīla Gurudeva first explained how Navadvīpa-dhāma is non-different from Vṛndāvana-dhāma. He explained how by mundane vision one cannot perceive the reality of the holy abode and will only see the external covering of māyā. Only by the mercy of Śrī Guru will the veil of māyā be lifted from the eyes; then one can experience the true glory of the dhāma.
Śrīla Gurudeva then described the Gauḍīya lineage, explaining that the divine masters are eternal servants of the Divine Couple, Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. They descend from the transcendental realm of Vraja to the material world, sent by the Divine Potency, Śrīmatī Rādhārānī. In this world they act as divine gardeners.
The natural inclination of all souls is to serve, but in the material world we are engaged in the service of māyā. Śrī Guru bestows the desire to serve Kṛṣṇa through the medium of transcendental sound. At first a mere seed, the tendency to serve gradually sprouts and then blossoms into full-fledged devotion for Kṛṣṇa. The winds of time spread the fragrance of these flowers to other lost souls, who then also become inclined towards Kṛṣṇa’s service. Śrī Guru collects these souls and offers them to Vṛndā-devī, the proprietress of Vraja. She then engages them in the service of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa.
After his disciples spoke, Ācārya Kesarī told the guest Vaiṣṇavas, “The scent of material flowers is quickly lost, but these flower-like devotees will spread the sweet fragrance of Kṛṣṇa’s glories all over the world. When people experience this sweet aroma, they will forget the world of māyā and will drown in the bliss of love for Kṛṣṇa.”
The Vaiṣṇavas were moved to hear the exalted conception of Ācāryadeva and said to him, “We now realize that you are connected with the heart of Prabhupāda.” Seeing that the followers of Ācārya Kesarī were truly situated in Navadvīpa-dhāma, they prayed to Ācārya Kesarī with humility. “Please bestow upon us the same mercy you have given to your disciples. Then we can also develop a relationship with the dhāma.”
[Excerpted from the Bhakta Bandhav Publication “Sri Guru Darsana“]