Sri Sri Guru-Gauranga Jayatah
Vol E-18
03_15_05
We have heard the expression, "Life & Soul" many times. We realize what it means when the person who truly is our life and soul departs from our vision. Our connection is thru seva and that is our only solace.

yadamiya mahima sri-bhagavatam kathayam
pratipadam anubhutam apy alabdhabhideya
tad akhila-rasa-murteh syama-lilavalambam
madhura-rasabdhi radha-pada-padmam prapadye

In the Srimad-Bhagavatam, every shloka, every syllable is glorifying the name of Radharani, but we cannot see clearly see it there. Krishna is always playing with whom? She is Radharani. This is the play of the Sweet Absolute in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Then it is impossible that the name of Radharani is not there, but Sukadev Goswami was hiding it. He was a little shy to speak the name of Radharani, then what should our mood be? We must be very careful when dealing with these things. This is our treasure, but we must protect it very carefully. Srila Guru Maharaj has given this clearly in his Sanskrit poetry.
Now that His Divine Grace is on his way back to India, and I am on my way to Russia, who will feed me this nectar? How can such nectar be fed to a dog like me? It seems like a waste, but ultimately, I do appreciate it and I am trying to increase my grattitude for it.
vikriditam braja-vadhubhir idam ca vishnoh
sraddhanvito' nusrinuyet atha varnayed yah
bhaktim param bhagavati prati-labhya kaman
hrid-rogam asvapahinoty acirena dhirah
When Srila Vyasa described the Rasa-lila of Sri Krishna, he warned us to maintain the proper conception. He specifically used the word 'Vishnu' even though we know that Vishnu does not participate in Braja-lila. Just to make sure we do not mistake the divine pastimes of Sri Krishna as something of this world, he used the word Vishnu. That way, we will remember that these are the pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and should never be imitated by the polluted living entities of this mundane world.

Although these pastimes are his constant meditation, Srila Govinda Maharaj always carefully protects them from imitation and pollution. He constatnly refers to himself as a fallen soul and he never fails to mention that he was a 'naughty boy.' Of course he was not and never coudl be. Otherwise, how could Paramahamsa-curamani, the crown jewel of the paramahamsa, Srila Bhakti Rakshak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj accept him as his one and only successor. "If Govinda Maharaj will not take this Math, then I will smash it." He boldly declared.

In this verse, the devotee’s prayer has been granted and he has acquired a position in Krishna’s domain.Now his ambition has no end. Although he is posted in a safe position, he is again praying for further promotion.

First he aspired only for an insignificant position as the dust under the soles of Krishna’s divinefeet. Then, the grant came. The touch of Krishna’s holy feet came to the dust and the dust was converted as if by a magic wand. Now a greater, higher demand automatically comes.

The devotee thinks, “What is this? I only prayed to become the dust of the soles of your feet, but what do I now feel within me? I am the dust of the earth and you are the Supreme Absolute Truth. But by the very touch of your lotus feet, dust has been converted into such a great and inconceivable substance. I wonder, ‘How is it that I have been transformed?’ Now I find that my demand is for greater intimacy. First I aspired for servitude, but now, by the touchstone of your lotus feet, that hope has been converted into natural attraction for you.
Srila Bhakti Rakshak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj.
nayanam galadashrudharaya
vadanam gadgada-ruddhaya gira
pulakair nicitam vapuh kada
tava nama-grahane bhavishyati
In spite of his own debilitated health condition, Srila Gurudev accepts another "sincere seeker," Srimati Sita didi of Amsterdam, into the fold of the Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math. Srila Sridhar Maharaj said about him, "Divya-bhagavat-premno hi bija-pradam–He has the power to plant the seed of divine love into the hearts of the conditioned souls." Here he explains how that seed grows and fructifies into love for Krishna, if we chant the divine name without offense. Gradually, the symptoms described by Mahaprabhu will develop in us, but that must be genuine. Srila Govinda Maharaj described seeing some external performances of that ecstatic mood of chanting the divine name and cautioned us to avoid that at all costs.
evam janam nipatitam prabhavahi-kupe
kama-bhikaman anu yah prapatan prasangat
kritvatmasat suratshina bhagavan grihitah
so' ham katham nu visrije tava bhritya-sevam

Prahlad Maharaj prayed to Sri Nrsinghadev,
"My dear Lord, because of my material desires, one after another, I was gradually falling into a blind well full of snakes. In this way I was becoming a standard materialist, but your agent, Sri Narada Gosai, kindly accepted me as his own and I imbibed genuine spiritual qualities from him. Therefore, how could I possibly leave the service of your dear one?"

This is our experience with Srila Govinda Maharaj. In his company we see the viashnava qualities personified and because of his grace, those qualities may also develop in us. How then could we ever leave his service for some other engagment?