Sri Sri Guru-Gauranga Jayatah
Vol: E-17 03/10/05
After a very long stay in California, the departure of His Divine Grace Srila Govinda Maharaj was devastating for the devotees there. The opposite occurred on his arrival in London, where everyone was ecstatic to see him.
he deva he doyita he buvanaika bandhu
he krishna he capala he karunaika sindhu
he natha he ramana he nayanabhirama
ha ha kada nu bhavitasi padam drishor me

“O Lord of my heart! My dearest one! The only friend of the universe! O Krishna, O restless one, O ocean of kindness! O master, playmate, feast for my eyes! When will I be able to see you again?"

One moment he is in great physical pain and the next he is explaining the most beautiful conceptions of our sampradaya. Srila Govinda Maharaj was reading Chaitanya Caritamrita and quoted this verse and explained how unique and unparalleled Krishna Das Kaviraj's explanation was.
tumi deva–krida-rato, buvaner nari jato
tahe koro abhishta kridan
"Srila Kaviraj Goswami's expression is only a translation of 'he deva.' Dev dhatu kriran, the root meaning of deva is to enjoy with divine play. 'He deva'-you are always engaged in enjoyment with whatever young women are in this world and you enjoy to your full satisfaction." If we are patient and chaste like the catak bird, this type of nectar is bound to rain down upon us.
yasyanurago-plutahasa-rasa-
lilavaloko-pratilabdhamanah
vraja-striyo drigbhir anupravritta-
dhiyo' vatastuh kila-kritya-shesah

"After experiencing the laughter, joking and sweet exchanges of glances with Sri Krishna, the Braja Gopis were devastated when he left them. They followed him with their eyes, and afterwards sat down bewildered, unable to continue their activities."
We are not trying to cheaply imitate the Gopis and Srila Gurudev has explained very clearly the difference between emotion and devotion. Still, everyone felt devastated to see him leave California after being there for so long. As I was driving him down the road from our Ashram to the airport, I had to check my own feelings and I was going on the flight with him to London. Fortunately, he has also repeatedly explained that he is always with us and that relationship is solidified through service.

radha-mukunda padasambhava-gharma-bindu
nirmanchanopakarani-krita-deha-laksyam
uttunga-saudrida-visheshvashat pragalbham
devim gunaih sulalita lalitam namami

"When Lalita Devi finds a drop of perspiration at the feet of Sri Sri Radha-Govinda, she furiously engages herself to remove it. 'How has it come there? We are here to see that not the least pain can enter this domain to trouble them. But how without our notice has this perspiration appeared?' She is furiously chastising herself, and wants to take birth thousands of times to remove any obstacle." Srila Sridhar Maharaj.
After a very long and arduous journey, Srila Gurudev was quite exhausted, but the next morning, this shloka was on his lips and he declared, "If I will have anything, it must be madura-rasa. From my childhood, I was a naughty boy, but how is it that a naughty boy had attraction for Krishna-lila. All of Krishna's lila is based on madhura-rasa, nothing can exist without that. That is the activating ingredient in every aspect of Braja Dham."
gita sugita kartavya
kim anyaih shastra vistaraih
ya svayam padmanabhasya
mukha-padmadvinih srita
This Gita which has come directly from the lotus mouth of Sri Krishna is ever beautiful and therefore should be regularly recited. What is the necessity of reading any other shastra when we have this Gita?
One of the leaders of our European Mission and one of my personal heroes, Srimati Krishna Kanta didi was in London to present her forthcoming Italian translation of Srimad Bhagavad-gita. Srila Govinda Maharaj recited this verse of the Gita Mahatmyam as he looked over a copy of the book. In spite of her own life threatening health crisis, she goes on tirelessly translating and maintaining our beautiful Italian Ashram, Villa Govinda, which was established by her and the other Italian devotees while she was almost on her death bed.
Though not as pious as the Mexican government, who provides personal body guards for Srila Gurudev, there are still some pious police in San Francisco. Here, one of them, who is constantly looking after the safety of Srimati Bimala didi, (our suicide squad leader) comes for the foot dust of Srila Gurudev.
Always a the embodiment of Vaishavism, Srila Gurudev demonstrates the uncheckable nature of devotion, "apratihata." Though completely fatigued by the journey, he was dispensing the greatest nectar in just a few hours after his arrival.