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Sri Sri Guru-Gauranga Jayatah
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| Vol: E-19 | 03/20/05 | |||||||
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It is very difficult to be inspired in our service when we have been separated from the soource of that service, but Union In Separation is the highest ideal and we must go on hearing, chanting and remembering his glories.
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| bhakti-yogena manasi samyak pranihite' male apashyat purusham purnam mayam ca tad upashrayam |
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Srila Govinda Maharaj explained, “So many great thinkers are confused. Sri Vyasadev meditated on the instructions of his guru, Narada Goswami, and through that meditation in bhakti-yoga, he saw the Supreme Personality of Godhead directly, just as I am seeing that photo of Srila Guru Maharaj on the wall. And that Supreme Personality was not alone, behind him was his servant Maya. |
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| yaya samohito jiva atmanam tri-gunatmakam paro' pi manute' nartham tat kritam cabhipadyate |
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| Behind the Lord, he saw Maya, by which all living entities, although transcendental, are bewildered and mistake the body for the self. Thus they act foolishly and suffer the consequences in material existence. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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vilajjamanaya yasya-
sthanum ishapathe' muya vimohita vikathante- mamaham iti durdhiyah |
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Maya Devi sits silently before the Lord, embarrassed by her service of deluding the living entities, who themselves are not silent, but are always erroneously declaring, "It is mine and I am the subject." |
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| This is undoubtedly our condition, but we are not without hope. Sri Krishna himself declares, "Anyone who says he is my devotee is not my devotee, but one who is a devotee of my devotee, he is my real devotee. He also says that we can cross the deluding influence of Maya by surrendering to him and this is only possible if we surrender to his devotee. Fortunately, beautiful devotees like Srila Govinda Maharaj make that surrender easy and sweet. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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tasmad idam jagad ashesham asatsvarupam |
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Lord Brahma prayed to Sri Krishna "My Lord, this temporary material world, which is like a dream and thus we are suffering the miseries of material existence, trying to enjoy this dream. It has such potency because it has emanated from you, who are the source of everything. It is all your divine energy, though when we are bewildered, we see it as something separate." |
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| Just before leaving California, Srila Gurudev visits and blesses the house of his cardiologist, Srimati Durga Madala. Dr. Madala met our dear brother Pusta Krishna Prabhu (Dr.Paul Dossick) in the lunch room of the hospital and agreed to treat Srila Gurudev and even made house calls to the Soquel Ashram and never charged any fee. (From left to right: Sri Srinivas Madala, the driver, Sripad Pusta Krishna Prabhu, Srila Gurudev, Jamuna Priya didi, Dr. Padma Mahajan, Sanatani didi and the most pious Dr. Durga Madala. |
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saubhagyatishayat sudurlabham api hy
asyanukampamritam labdhvodara-mates tadiya karuna- deshan ca sankirttanaih sat-sangair labhatam pumartha-paramam sri-krsna-premamrtam ity esa tv anusilanodyama ihety agas ca me ksamyatam |
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| Srila Sridhar Maharaj composed this beautiful shloka at the end of Sri Sri Prapanna-jivanamritam.
"A great fortune came down upon me. Although it was the rarest thing, I received the nectar of that great soul's mercy through his unprecedented mercy upon me: 'By performing Sankirtana in sadhu-sanga, may you fulfill the ultimate goal of your life - sri krishna-prema.' Thus, I have made this my life and soul. May I be forgiven for any offenses in my attempt to do it." |
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| Always eager to reciprocate the affection and service of his devotees, Srila Gurudev happily poses for the photography of Sripad Avadhut Maharaj and then takes his camera and has the photographer become the photographed. Because of Sripad Avadhut Maharaj's tireless service in the Russian/Ukrainian Mission, Srila Gurudev is always concerned about his wellbeing and is always trying to make arrangements to help his program. Naturally, Sripad Avadhut Maharaj is always trying to do more and more for the Mission and we are blessed to see this sweet exchange. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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