Sri Vyasa Puja Offering (2007)

By Sripad Bhakti Premik Siddhanti Maharaj

om ajnana timirandhasya jnananjana salakaya
chaksur unmilitam yena tasmai sri gurave namah

All glories to your Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Maharaj on this most auspicious day, your holy appearance day in this dark world! You are giving light to the conditioned souls suffering the three-fold miseries. You are giving us shelter from the terrible onslaught of Kali-yuga. All glories to your divine form, which is non-different from all the liberated souls in the past and ones that may be one day.

Again you have done a miracle. No one can believe or fathom your astonishing pastimes. They are definitely transcendental and supra mundane, beyond the reach of the mundane speculators. Krishna says if we can try to understand the activities of the great personalities, such as yourself, this will be for our benefit. Janma karma cha me divyam evam yo vetti tattvatah.

You have just completed your 23rd world tour, where you have again ignited the spark of Krishna consciousness in the hearts of thousands all over the world and re-kindled the fire of so many friends that was about to go out due to separation from yourself. Truly you have accomplished a miracle that a fallen soul such as myself cannot understand. But please allow me to try.

You left India for Bangkok in the middle of August with the intent of establishing a center there. Even after falling sick and being hospitalized you managed to do this in only a month. We have seen the banner of the Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math unfold at the house of Paramananda Prabhu on the internet, and we are happy and proud. Only a great personality such as yourself could accomplish this in such a short time.

Then you went to Russia, St. Petersburg, where you again met with thousands of devotees and aspirants who had come from all over the Soviet Union. Even though the weather had turned cold and rainy, so many came to see your holy form and hear your nectarean topics of hari katha. What you accomplish in Russia each time is a miracle, and we can’t even begin to write about it. Please excuse me for my incompetence.

After traveling to Villa Govinda in Italy, you inspired the devotees there with your presence and gentle nature. You would sit for hours overlooking the peaceful agricultural country side surrounding Villa Govinda and on many occasions comment about the commuter trains that went by as well as the church bells some distance away.

You didn’t speak so much there or sing as in other places, so I was trying to understand what lesson you were giving and how you were trying to benefit the devotees there. I don’t know if it is correct but I think you were trying to show us the pious environment there is very favorable for Krishna consciousness, and if we can make harmony with that environment and learn from it, this will help us advance in Krishna consciousness. On several occasions we went for Harinam sankirtan, and it was amazing to see such a favorable reaction from the people in general. Most had never seen or heard a sankirtan before but when we went down the street, many would chant and dance with us and glance at us with a very favorable mood. Where did they get this natural spirit to respond so favorable to the holy name? My only conclusion is it has come from their past pious and religious nature and is naturally flowing in their blood. Krishna gives a hint at this in the Srimad Bhagavatam:

evam prakrti-vaichitryad bhidyante matayo nrnam
paramparyena kesanchit pasanda-matayo ‘pare

Translation: "Thus, due to the great variety of desires and natures among human beings, there are many different theistic philosophies of life, which are handed down through tradition, custom and disciplic succession. There are other teachers who directly support atheistic viewpoints."

Guru Maharaj also said we need to make harmony with the environment as the environment has come to help us and is our friend. We must not fight with it. “Every wave is favorable,” he would say, and, “Try to make friends and learn from the environment.” This appears to have been your teaching in Italy as you sat peacefully looking at the surrounding environment sometimes for several hours a day. All glories to you who preaches by setting the perfect example.

After Italy you took the long flight to Caracas where the devotees had been calling you for a year. Your welcome at the airport was astonishing as after you had arrived and cleared customs, the whole staff at the airport were saying they felt Bhagavan Himself had come to Caracas. (This was related by Janardan Maharaj who came several hours after you.) In Caracas you appeared very happy with the sankirtan of the enthusiastic devotees and would watch them chant as well as join them by singing many songs of the great acharyas. Again you set the perfect example of an acharya, as you see the good qualities of the devotees and encourage them along their path.

After Caracas you traveled to Veracruz, Mexico where you again performed your miraculous pastimes. You were met at the Mexico City airport by the minister of Religious affairs—a cabinet post answerable directly to the President of Mexico—and escorted by him to Veracruz where he saw to your well-being and comfort. Later you met with the governor of the state of Veracruz in a ceremony in the temple, where he glorified your world achievements of bring real peace and religion to the people of the world, especially Mexico. But your real purpose in traveling to Veracruz was to invite the Lord of Vrindavan (Nanandaji) to come down and take His seat on a throne and accept worship from the devotees of that area. It is truly a miracle how you have the power and devotion to do this.

After leaving Mexico you traveled to California, where the first conception of the teaching of Srila Guru Maharaj were manifested. It has always been your “home” as you refer to that area as the “labor room of your mother.” There you met with your friends and disciples who had come from all over the world to have your association.

Finally, you went to London, where you again urged the devotees to find a suitable building that would be our international center for the world and especially Europe. After much discussion of the matter and giving them much enthusiasm and hope, you proceeded to Calcutta.

The scriptures tell us it is not possible to preach Krishna consciousness all over the world unless one is empowered by Krishna. You can’t be an ordinary jiva soul but you must be empowered directly by Lord Krishna to do what you have done for the 23rd time.

kali-kalera dharma, krsna-nama-sankirtana
krsna-sakti bina nahe tara pravartana

Translation: "The fundamental religious system in the age of Kali is the chanting of the holy name of Krishna. Unless empowered by Krishna, one cannot propagate the sankirtana movement."

taha pravartaila tumi, ei ta ‘pramana’
krsna-sakti dhara tumi, ithe nahi ana

Translation: "You have spread the sankirtana movement of Krishna consciousness. Therefore it is evident that You have been empowered by Lord Krishna. There is no question about it."

I think it is evident you have been empowered by Krishna to preach all over the world. There is no question about it. No ordinary person can do what you have done, and when we see you and your activities we are seeing Krishna’s pastimes and activities. There can be no doubt about it.

All glories to your Divine Grace on this glorious occasion of your holy appearance day.

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