Sri Sri Guru-Gauranga Jayatah
tat te' nukampam susamiksamano
bhunjnana evatma-krtam vipakam
hrd-vag-vapubhir vidhanam namaste
jiveta yo mukti-pade sa dayabhak

Srimad-Bhagavatam gives us a most hopeful suggestion for all stages of life: blame yourself and no one else. Maintain your appreciation for the Lord, seeing everything as His grace. At pre-sent we think our circumstances unde-sirable because they do not suit our present taste. But medicine may not always suit the taste of the patient. Still it is conducive to health. This verse is the highest type of regulation given by the sastra. If you can follow this law, then in no time you will have a very good posi-tion. We must be careful not to blame the circumstances, but to appreciate that Krsna is behind everything. Krsna is my best friend; He is in the background of everything. Everything is passing through His attentive eyes. So there can-not be any defect there. (Srila Sridhar Maharaj)
The example of Srila Govinda Maharaj is painful for us to see, but as the real Acharya, he must show us how to face all difficulties and circumstances, without ever being disappointed in our sweet Lord. Throughout his recent hospitalization and surgery, he made that truth evident by his behavior.
apne acare keho na kore pracar
pracar koren keho na koren acar
'acar,' 'pracar',–namer koraha dui' karja
tumi–sarva-guru, tumi–jagater arja
Sanatan Goswami said to Haridas Thakur, "Some can practice very nicely, but not preach and others can preach nicely but not practice. You can perfectly chant the name of Krishna and preach it as well and therefore, you are the guru and the shinning example for the whole world.

Srila Govinda Maharaj not only perfectly preaches the holy name of the Lord; his ability to go deep into the chanting of the name was evidenced during his recent surgery. Always surrounded by his devoted followers, Srila Guruedev is watched over by Jamuna Priya didi during his recuperation from surgery. What can we say about the service of Sri Ranajit Brahmacari! 24 hours a day he was by the side of Srila Gurudev and always insuring that Srila Gurudev would get what he needed. Jamuna Priya didi recently remarked that while doing Ranajit Prabhu's service for a few days while he was dispatched to Vrindaban, she felt she would physically collapse. I am ashamed that I sometimes think he is not doing something properly.
trinad api sunicena taror iva sahishnuna
amanina manadena kirtaniya sada harih
. Our attitude should be one of humility, and if we think that we are being done wrong, still we should be patient, and under no circumstances should we work for our own position and prestige; that should not be our aim. (Srila Sridhar Maharaj)

Srila Govinda Maharaj also gives his unique explanation of 'amanina manadena,' "Even if one is not respectable, still we must give him respect." His "humility, tolerance and give honor to others" program endears him to everyone, devotee and non-devotee alike. Though happy for his improvement, the hospital staff was very sad to see him depart because of his attractive and humble mood he captured their hearts and because of their compassion, kindness and help, they became very rich in sukriti. Our Lord Krishna is truly merciful and every wave is favorable.
tam mopayatam pratiyantu vipra
ganga ca devi dhrta-cittam ishe
dvijopasrshtah kuhakas taksako va
dashantvalam gayatah vishnu-gathah
"I have given my attention to the brahmanas present and taken shelter of the ganga and Sri Krishna. Now, let the snake-bird or any other invention of the brahmin boy come and bite me, but please don't stop chanting the glories of the Lord."
Srila Govinda Maharaj happily departs from Los Gatos Community Hospital, surrounded by Sripad Pusta Krishna Prabhu (Dr. Paul Dossick), his nurse, Sripad Ashram Maharaj, who came from Mexico to be by Srila Gurudev's side and tend to his needs, and Sripad Ranajit Prabhu, his ever attentive assistant.
Our special thanks to Sripad Pusta Krishna Prabhu, who never left Srila Gurudev's side, even assisting in the surgery and who also financed all of Srila Gurudev's medical expenses in California.