Baladev Purnima:
Double Festival in Russia

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Speaking to the devotees in Russia
13 August, 2011

Today, everybody is celebrating Sri Sri Baladev Prabhu's avirbhav (appearance) day everywhere. Today is also the Deities' installation day in Saint Petersburg temple, our main centre in Russia—Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Radha Madhavasundar were installed on this day. It is a very nice day today, and we are very happy today. Also, in South Africa they are making a big festival today in honour of Sri Sri Baladev Prabhu's avirbhav tithi (appearance day). In Nabadwip and many other centres here they are making good and big festivals in honour of the appearance of Baladev.

Baladev means Nityananda Prabhu, Gurudev. Sri Sri Baladev Prabhu is our main line. Here in Bengal they are doing jhulan-yatra on this day, but we are not so much attached with jhulan—we are making a grand festival of Baladev Prabhu because this is our conception. Our main line comes from Guru, so whenever we do puja, we always first offer everything to Gurudev. We always first do the Guru-puja, Baladev-puja (Balaram-puja), Nityananda-puja. That is our line. That is why today is an important day for our spiritual life.

Today is also the Deity installation in Russia, it is a very nice day. As you know, on this day the Deity (Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Radha Madhavasundar), taking Gurudev's hand, came to distribute Their mercy—to rescue and distribute Their mercy to all of the Russian devotees. It is an important day for our spiritual life, especially for our temple within the Russian mission, that is why also we make a festival today, remembering about this. Srila Goswami Maharaj, Srila Avadhut Maharaj are there and they are arranging the festival, all the Russian devotees are there.

Gurudev always gave importance to Russia and he gave Sripad Avadhut Maharaj the responsibility to be the leader of the Russian devotees. I also went to Russia many times with Gurudev, and I was very happy to see the big programmes in Moscow and Saint Petersburg. The devotees there are sober, their minds are fresh, their hearts are fresh and clear. Actually, if somebody is a surrendered soul, when they surrender to their Guru, Krishna gives them a chance to serve Him, He allows them to serve Him. It is necessary to understand and remember this.

We must continue, we must continue this movement. I have seen the preaching movement of Sripad Avadhut Maharaj and Gurudev became very happy with what he did, and today is the main day for us because on this day Sri Sri Radha Madhavasundar came to our centre in Saint Petersburg, our main centre in Russia. Even Madhavendra Puri showed us how important it is to serve the Deities. A Deity is not a doll—Deity is saksad Vrajendranandan, Krishna Himself!

Their Lordships Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Radha Madhavasundarjiu
in Their Saint Petersburg temple, Russia.

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