dasa-gosvaminam vande
nama-bhajana-samsrayam
yamya-dese guruddesya-
sthapakam srita-vatsalam
"I offer my respectful obeisances to Das Goswami, who helped pioneer the mission of Srila Prabhupada in the southern most tip of the world. He is devoted to bhajan and is caring and affectionate to all those who take shelter of his lotus feet."
Last weekend was the Vyasapuja celebration of my Guru Maharaja, HH Partha Sarathi das Goswami. Maharaja’s actual appearance day is on the 19th of November.
HH Holiness Indradhumna Maharaja attended the festival last year and at that time Maharaja composed the above verse in glorification of Guru Maharaja. This mantra is sweet and describes Maharaja really well - Maharaja is known for the tent campaigns which is how most of devotees in Durban were made; for making chanting his most important activity and also encouraging others to chant with attentions too and probably the most outstanding characteristic of Maharaja is the genuine affection he has for devotees.
This year’s festival for me was one of the best. Maharaja spoke about Srila Prabhupada’s Vyasapuja in1973. It took place in England at the Manor. At that time devotees were not so familiar with what was involved in celebrating vyasapujas and so it was not a very big affair: In the evening the devotees present Prabhupada with a cake and Maharaja remembers how Prabhupada joked that he wanted to build temples not eat them :o)
Thereafter Maharaja spoke on the position of guru, that the guru is a guide and every devotee requires a guide to help them on the path of bhakti. There are different gurus and each one is to be respected.
An important point is that we must feel grateful; gratefulness brings out humility which is the most important characteristic of a devotee. trinad api sunicena… In a humble state of mind one can chant the holy names of the Lord constantly. Grateful not only to your own diksha guru but to any one who helps you in Krishna consciousness.
