Devine personalities

HH Bhakti Caitanya Maharaja visited us again before flying of to Russia. Fortunately Maharaja’s visit fell on the auspicious day of Srila Bhakti Vinode Thakur and the Supreme Personality Sri Gadadhara Pandit’s disappearance day.

On the one day Maharaja spoke about Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur. Actually the Thakur use to worship the deity Gaura-Gadhadara so he chose to leave on the same auspicious day as that personality. We are truly indebted to Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur for unlimited reasons. The obvious one is Mayapur Dham. It was Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur who excavated the different important holy places and established them so that future devotees (us) could come and absorb its spiritual potency. Actually there was some controversy over the actual birth place of Lord Caitanya and Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur revolved this for us.

Another important development Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur made was that he was the first to reach the broader globe in terms of spreading literature to many universities in England. Maharaja told us that Srila Prabhupada’s disciples went to these universities and found the books and also (lowered voice) sold them! :o) but we’ve reprinted these books so that is ok :o)

On the next day Maharaja spoke about Sri Gadadar Prandit. Gadadar Pandit is a form of Srimati Radharani. Srimati Radhika has 2 natures to Her personality – the one is very fiery and the other is soft and abiding. Gadadhar Pandit takes on this soft, abiding nature. Actually He is very sweet and extremely merciful. There was one devotee who constantly wanted to be in the close knit association of Lord Caitanya and always felt that those devotees who were and indeed Lord Caitanya Himself didn’t realise his true value. So he thought he would say something truly remarkable that will make all the devotees think he was very wonderful. So he said something really ridiculous (that I can’t remember) and all the devotees they used to find his association a bit “heavy weather” and now well it was little worse. So then he thought “oh no, I haven’t achieved my goal.” And then he thought about it and the different devotees and decided that Gadadhar Prandit is very, very nice, He will not ignore him. So he started sort of following Gadadhar Pandit around. And Gadadhar Pandit thought, oh no , why does he have to be with me all the time. But then He actually took this devotee under His wing and eventually gave him initiation that finally got him accepted in the close knit association of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

Jai Gaura Gadadhar bol, haribol, haribol!