Sweet Memories with Srila Maharaj

Shri Shri Guru Gaurang Jayate !

Shrilla Maharaj used to visit Shri Chaitnya Gaudiya Math, Chandigarh every kartik and Purshottam Maas. I have so many sweet memories with Shrilla Maharaj ji at the math and today I am missing all his pastimes.

In kartik month our day would start early morning at 4.30 am with yaam kirtan. Shrilla Maharaj would visit to the hall of the math sharp at 4.30 am. He was very punctual in his routine. We would recite the Yaam kirtan under his anugatya. He would translate the yaam kirtan and we listened to his nector like katha about pastimes of Shri Shri Radha Krishna. His katha will make us experience the Nitya leela of Shri Shri Radha Madhav Jiu. And the hall used to be completely packed with devotees who visit early morning for his holy darshan and divine katha. Then we would attend managla aarti of Shri Radha Madhav jiu. After managal Aarti we would go to nagar sankirtan with him. Before 2013 shrila maharaj ji's health was quiet good and in kartik month he would daily go in nagar sankirtan. Very enthusiastically he would give his parsadi mala to the devotees who were going in the Nagar Sankirtan. He would ask every visiter if the one is going in the nagar sankirtan. We always felt so enthusiastic and energetic with him while going to nagar sankirtan.

I found myself fortunate that he was merciful to me so that I could serve him by driving my car for him. For around 1 hour he would be with me and I used to ask him many questions and being very merciful he answered all my questions. Later I wrote all my such experiences and his pastimes at the math with him in my Diary. In 2014 I also read out my diary to some foreign devotees, which they liked very much. Shrilla Maharaj always liked to give parsad to the devotees. However he advised me to call only those passers-bys / road side pepole who show interest in parsad and sadhu darshan because there were some who will not turn even after calling them. May be they have not yet accumulated much sukrities.

Later we would be having holy darshan of Shrilla Maharaj ji again around 11 am. Favourite place of maharaj for sitting was in front of bhajan kutir of our Param Gurudev, Nitya Leela Parvisht Om Vishnupad Ashotorshat Shri Bhakti Dayit Madhav Goswami Maharaj ji. Shrilla maharaj ji would sit there for around an hour and all the mathwasi and foreign devotees will surround him. These devotees will ask him many question, (pari parshan) and shrilla maharaj ji will answer all. Sometimes Shripad Madhav Priya Prabhuji will also translate the answer given by shrilla Maharaj ji.

Shrilla Maharaj will never miss Managla Aarti, Madhyan Aarti and Sandhya aarti darshan. He was very punctual in attending these aartis and would also expect his followers to follow the same. Sometimes he would sit there around 4 pm alone watching towards main gate of the math. Once I was sitting hear his lotus feet and noticed he was watching towards the main gate of the math. It seemed to me as if he was waiting for somebody. I asked "Maharaj ji what are you watching"? He said "I am watching devotees coming and going. Darshan of devotees is also bhakti. Bhagwan nitya and his devotees also nitya" . That time I realized that as we all remain impatient to have his darshan, he was also wait for us. As we miss him when we are physically far, he also miss the devotees.

I would never miss his divine katha in the evening. Shrilla Maharaj ji's divine katha was like nector and I found myself so attached to his katha that I would never miss it. Due to some official work (Duty) if I miss his katha once or come late in his katha, he will ask me in next morning " You were not there in the katha last evening?" It shows that he always noticed and marked attendance of all his dear devotees. And he would leave the math hall after evening katha and yaam kirtan so many devotees will follow him upto his room. He will move very slowly and many devotees would pay parnam and parnami to him and made their life successful. We would pay him parnam when door of his room closed for his rest as it was Shrilla Maharaj ji's spiritual strength that made him strong in this age of around 90 that he was blessing us with his divine katha and sweet pastimes. We would return to our home waiting for his holy darshan in next morning again at 4.30am.

During my association with Shrila Maharaj ji, I always observed a great order of renouncement and self contentment in Shrila Maharaj ji's conduct.

In 2013 kartik month, I sought his advice about changing my job from Chandigarh to Jaipur on higher salary and post. He said this is your personal decision. But when I insisted for his advice, being merciful upon me he said “ there is nothing like more salary there or less salary here. There are always challenges in any job and you have to face it. This is just a misconception that one will be happier at another place of work or at another job. We must be satisfied at one place only. And we must see that we must be able to get sadhu sang there for our ultimate welfare. So in Jaipur you might be having daily darshan of Shri Shri Radha Govind Dev Jiu but will you have sadhu sang there? You have sadhu sang here in Chandigarh math. They will correct you very often for your welfare. Rest what you decide.” I had already booked by train tickets of that night, so I cancelled the same and next day before evening katha I approached his room and after pranam, I said “ Maharaj ji I have decided to continue my current job and I will stay in Chandigarh only”. Listening to this Maharaj Ji were very satisfied and gave me his parsadi mala. After some years I realised that my decision was right to be in Chandigarh otherwise I would have missed his divine katha and association. After that I came to know the real value of his association. I never missed his katha and any opportunity of his darshan and association.

One evening when I visited Chandigarh math at around 4pm, shrila Maharaj ji were sitting alone on an armless plastic chair in front of bhajan kutir of our Parm Gurudev Ji The chair seemed to be old and weak . I asked Shrila Maharaj ji if I should bring another chair. He said no need. I am here only for a while. He meant whatever is available with us we should be contended with it.

Similarly one evening we had to visit a doctor for Shrila Maharaj ji’s routine check up. I was asked to bring my car. When Shrila Maharaj ji sat in the car, I was on driver seat and somebody fastened the seat belt of shrila Maharaj ji. Somehow the belt was not released completely and it fell short. Maharaj ji asked me to drive the car. I felt Maharaj ji were not comfortable and he had to sit straight as belt was quite tight. I lowered the speed of the car and asked shrila Maharaj ji if I should adjust the belt again. But Maharaj ji asked me to continue the driving. I could see that Maharaj ji were not comfortable but I followed his instruction to drive. After 15 minutes when we reached at Doctor’s clinic and the belt was released, shrila Maharaj felt easy but he didn’t complained. At the time of returning, I fastened his seat belt properly and asked him if he was comfortable. He said I was also comfortable earlier. From these instances I learnt that we should be satisfied in our present situation. A devotee should not make extra efforts and energy for such minor comforts rather we should make all our endeavours to serve and please Shri Shri Radha Madha Jiu.

Vaanchha Kalpatru Bhayevach....🙏🙏