Hari-katha inspired by the Guru-varga
Today is the disappearance day of Srila Svami Prabhupada. We don’t follow these appearance and disappearance days for our own happiness or enjoyment. By following these days we please the Guru-varga. This is what is important. But you must understand something. How will they be happy? Why will they be happy if you distribute their glories?
In Sri Brhad-Bhagavatamrta, Gopa-kumara said, “I have told the history of my life to you. By hearing this, you will become more inspired to follow spiritual life. I practiced and realized the truth in my own life. Now, when I tell you about my sadhana, my practice, and how I attained God’s blessings, then you can also collect this and see which path you must follow yourself. I, therefore, tell you my story. It is helpful to you to hear about how I crossed this world and met with God. My Guru Maharaja is most important. I will tell you how my Guru Maharaja came and helped me and was always with me, inspiring me. Sometimes, in Svarga or in Jagannatha Puri, I forgot him. But he found me and told me, ‘Why aren’t you chanting your mantra? Why aren’t you chanting harinama? Why are you doing all this external work?’ My Guru Maharaja was constantly behind me, encouraging me, until I came to Vrndavana. Even there, in the spiritual world, I saw my Guru Maharaja. He was present there, indicating how I should serve in a loving relationship.”
Gurudeva is always happy to hear the glories of the Vaisnavas. This is food for the soul. When there is a flower or a fruit growing, many worms and diseases attack it. Are the glories of the Vaisnavas the appropriate medicine? What is the nature of the glorification of the Vaisnavas? It helps the soul develop. The Vaisnavas’ glories give us protein and make us strong. When the appearance and disappearance days of our acaryas in the Rupanuga Ragatmika line come, it is good and very helpful for us to hear their glories by those who have anuraga. If we go to hawker speakers who speak in the railways stations or marketplaces, we will not be helped. They may speak so many things, but it is only spoken with the intention of enhancing their business of collecting wealth or followers. This is not useful for anyone.
As told by Prabhupada, these people do not practice anything in their own lives and have no spiritual realization. They are doing everything only for business. This is not helpful. The Ragatmika Vraja-vasis’ hearts have anuraga and their followers are called Raganugas or Rupanugas, and are helpful for us. What is the purpose of having a garden, which is bereft of fruits and flowers? A place having many fruits and flowers may not be so green, but that place is certainly better than a place of only foliage. The essence is more important than the external show.
Once, in around 1967 or 68, many acaryas of the Gaudiya-matha met in Mayapura, in the Visva-vaisnava-rajya-sabha. After meeting in a more private group, they asked Srila Svami Maharaja, “You are preaching very powerfully in your old age; everyone is attracted to you and is following your footsteps. But why didn’t you preach before? You took diksa and harinama from Prabhupada a long time ago, in your young age, so why didn’t you preach then? Prabhupada told you so long ago to preach. Why didn’t you do it then? Why did you only go recently?”
Srila Svami Maharaja replied, “When a child is born, he receives love from his father, mother, grandparents, and all his relatives and friends. By this, he becomes strong. When a child is young he is powerful. I came to Prabhupada and he gave this spiritual knowledge, and I understood Vaisnavism. I began to serve everyone in God’s family. After serving everyone, I received their blessings. Acarya Ramanuja served his own Godbrothers and Godsisters for six months. By serving them, he received their blessings and understood his Gurudeva. He did not have a direct relationship with Yamunacarya, but does that mean he was not a disciple of Yamunacarya?”
Foolish people have foolish ideas. Ramanujacarya’s Godbrothers, the direct disciples of Yamunacarya, gave all their blessings to him. With their blessings, he spread the philosophy of his Guru Maharaja everywhere, making him victorious in every sphere. By serving Yamunacarya’s followers he received pure love, taste, and energy and distributed that.
Do not think that the Vaisnavas’ family is a lineage of blood. In blood families, parents send their children to school and college and if they become qualified, the government gives them scholarships and respects them.
Svami Maharaja said, “I served so many of you. I hosted you and served you as best I could. By serving you, I became able to glorify Prabhupada.”
Some of the Vaisnavas who Svami Maharaja hosted and served in his home were Srila Parama Gurudeva, Pujyapada Bhakti Raksaka Sridhara Gosvami Maharaja, Pujyapada Bhakti Bhudeva Srauti Gosvami Maharaja, Pujyapada Bhakti Saranga Gosvami Maharaja, Pujyapada Bhakti Jivana Janardana Gosvami Maharaja, and Pujyapada Bhakti Pramoda Puri Gosvami Maharaja. He would go and serve the many Vaisnavas who came to his home without any condition. He never entered into politics after Prabhupada Sarasvati Thakuara’s departure. Param Gurudeva stayed for many months in his home after Prabhupada’s departure. They engaged in hari-katha and organized many programs every day. Srila Svami Maharaja maintained these programs himself. Guru-seva is not only performed by brahmacaris and sannyasis; grhasthas and those in family life would be given the title ‘Vraja-vasi’ by Prabhupada. For instance, a householder devotee called Radhanatha dasa received the title, “Radhanatha Vraja-vasi.”
We have heard about Srila Svami Maharaja’s student life. What is natural is natural and what is artificial is artificial. What is real, or organic, is always helpful. So what is food for the soul? The family members of God and Guru-pada-padma don’t follow any drama or artificial things.
After meeting Prabhupada, Abhay Carana would arrange Ratha-yatra festivals from his home with a small Jagannatha Deity and chariot. He would arrange this small Ratha-yatra and would invite Gaudiya-matha brahmacaris to come. He told his parents that he wanted to go to the temple. His parents would take flower garlands and gifts for the temple. There were many young brahmacaris around his age in the temple. When he and his parents came, they would be given gifts.
In response to the question regarding his choice of preaching later in life as opposed to when he was young, Srila Svami Maharaja quoted a verse from Caitanya-caritamrta:
kali-kalera dharma krsna-nama-sankirtana krsna-sakti vina nahe tara pravartana
Caitanya-caritamrta, Antya 7.11
Srila Svami Maharaja said, “In Kali-yuga, only one thing is important; nama-sankirtana. Without Krsna’s sakti no one can spread this sankirtana-movement and influence people to take the holy name and be benefited. Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami wrote this down on Mahaprabhu’s order. Mahaprabhu instructs that Krsna-sankirtana is the Yuga-dharma, but it is spread only by those who have Krsna-sakti. When Krsna’s sakti enters someone and inspires them then by her desire even ordinary people can also distribute this nama everywhere. I have followed these instructions for my entire life. Now, by the mercy of Krsna and Sri Guru, and on their order, I have distributed this. I don’t think this is mine. This is Krsna’s. This is Krsna-nama and Krsna-sakti that I am distributing.” Svami Maharaja was also asked, “Before also, you served God, Jagannatha, Mahaprabhu, and Gurudeva. What is special now that was not done then?” The Gaudiya-matha is very strange. They poke from this side and that side and even from up and down. They were a little envious at that time. “Now you are preaching to everyone,” they said. “What is the difference between now and then?” Srila Svami Maharaja said, “Before, I was with my family, consisting of four or five people. I served God and worshiped Him. I also served my Gurudeva and the Vaisnavas, but I was inside my family. When I renounced my family and gave up everything, I began doing everything for Guru and Krsna’s pleasure exclusively. Previously, I was following my duty to maintain my family. I would serve God and His devotees but my life was centered on my family. I was maintaining my wife and children. Now, I see that God’s family is very big and I don’t have a relation with anyone in particular. I am related only to God, Guru-pada-padma, and the Vaisnavas. I used to think, ‘How is this possible,’ and I was not ready. Then, by the mercy of all the Vaisnavas, this became very easy.” If one does not serve, respect, and hear from the Vaisnavas then where will spiritual power and anuraga come from? Who will give this? If you do sadhana inside a room, will anything come to you? Nothing will come. Prahlada Maharaja told his demon friends and family members:prayena deva munayah sva-vimukti-kama maunah caranti vijane na parartha-nisthah naitan vihaya krpanan vimumuksa eko nanyam tvad asya saranah bhramato 'nupasye
“People who are selfish go into their caves and rooms and do their sadhana there. They do not think about the welfare of the general public. They don’t think about the family of God. They don’t respect, serve, or follow God’s associates. How can such people become the dear associates of God? They are attached to their own enjoyment. They want their own liberation and comfort.”
Srila Svami Maharaja continued, “When I became free from everything, I could distribute this mission everywhere. What is the mission? Krsna-bhavanamrta. How can people come to the lotus feet of Krsna? I decided to help everyone, with this question in my mind.” The assembled members of the Gaudiya-matha brought up another question. “Why have you accepted the name ‘Prabhupada?’” they asked. “Prabhupada is Prabhupada. How can you be Prabhupada?” Srila Svami Maharaja replied, “You took ‘Om Visnupada’, ‘Parivrajakacarya’, ‘Astottara-sata-sri.’ You took all of these names and titles. I took only Prabhupada. I took my master’s lotus feet in my heart. Whenever my followers say ‘Prabhupada’ they speak my Guru Maharaja’s name, and I think of him. They are remembering my Guru Maharaja and following him. Whoever comes to me I offer to his lotus feet.” Our Srila Gurudeva said, “Women address their husbands as ‘svami’ and there is no fault in that. So if a disciple calls his Guru Maharaja ‘Prabhupada’ there is no harm in that. Prabhupada means someone who is nearby the feet of Prabhu, or the master; and whoever comes to him, he offers that person to the lotus feet of the Supreme Master. What is the problem if someone calls him Prabhupada?” Svami Maharaja went on, “I took this last title of my Guru Maharaja. You took all the other titles.” The acaryas fell silent. It was true. They were all called, ‘Parivrajakacarya’, and ‘Sri Srimad’—titles originally used for Prabhupada Sarasvati Thakura. Once, Srila Svami Maharaja was in Allahabad. Disciples of Sarasvati Thakura were preaching there. Prabhupada sent Srila Sridhara Maharaja, Vana Maharaja, Srauti Maharaja, and others to preach there. They stayed at the house of Srila Svami Maharaja, who made arrangements for their preaching there. He was in family life, but he helped the Gaudiya-matha so much. He would arrange prasadam and all facilities for the preachers. After Srila Bhaktivedanta Svami Maharaja entered samadhi, Srila Gurudeva declared in a public assembly of Vaisnavas and Vraja-vasis that he was a saktyavesa-avatara. Acaryas from the Gaudiya-matha were upset by this. The Gosvamis of Vraja however, agreed fully. “This is true,” they said. “He was such a powerful acarya.” Srila Svami Maharaja never said he was God. So many preachers claim that they are God, but he would always say that he was the servant of God. He had sakti-avesa within him. Sakti entered within him; therefore, he could help the jivas. He had a humble mood and he did not cheat people. He did not send them for following karma, jnana, or yoga. It is getting late now. We will continue our glorifications later. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.