HH Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaj's leg injury

A few days back I read the following closing note to one of the chapters in Srila Prabhupada Uvaca book by HG Srutakirti Prabhu.  

“Srila Prabhupada, you always set the perfect example by showing us how to act in all circumstances. When you were ill, you continued your service without complaining, but when I complained of illness you compassionately catered to my desires. I owe you my life and more. You accepted whatever Krishna provided, but for your disciples you strived to provide them with the comforts to which they were accustomed. You were pleased to see your disciples happily engaged in devotional service and free from anxiety. Please bless me with the desire to treat my god-brothers and god-sisters with the same love and care you bestow upon them.”

After reading it, I remembered the following pastime of our dear Guru Maharaja who is imbibing Srila Prabhupada’s mood and teachings in full.

It was July of 2013 when Guru Maharaja, on his way to Ujjain via Indore, decided to visit BSC (student preaching center) in Indore. When Guru Maharaja arrived at airport, devotees were shocked to see that Guru Maharaja was a kind of limping. There was an injury in leg of Guru Maharaja from weeks. However, all this while his preaching and travelling never stopped.

As Guru Maharaja came to BSC, hundreds of devotees gathered to have his divine association. As the temple room became full, many devotees were standing outside, sneaking in the room to have one glimpse of Guru Maharaja. On seeing many devotees standing outside, Guru Maharaja told devotees to do setup on terrace so that all devotees can sit together for the class. But for that, Guru Maharaja has to walk up the terrace with the injured leg!

Devotees tried to avoid it but they were helpless as Guru Maharaja wanted it. Whole setup was shifted in 10 minutes to terrace. Guru Maharaja, in his limitless compassion, tried to climb the stairs. At one point it became very difficult and Guru Maharaja stopped in between. Devotees then took Guru Maharaja on chair to the terrace where Guru Maharaja gave wonderful class and told leaders to take care of all needs of students in all respects starting from their health.

After coming to Ujjain, devotees arranged all programs in Guru Maharaja’s quarters, so that Guru Maharaja doesn’t have to put much strain on his leg. However when Guru Maharaja saw that so many devotees came to temple and they are desiring to hear from him, he came down again to give his divine association. One day while slowly walking towards temple hall, he had to return from the half way back to his room because he could no longer stretch himself with the injured leg to the temple!

HG Madhavi Manjari Mataji (Spain) recalls this incident in her Vyasa Puja offering: 
“Guru Maharaja, on this recent visit you made to Malaga in June this year, we had very great experiences of your incomparable mercy. When you arrived at the airport and we saw you limping because of your foot injury, and you had to stand so long for your baggage clearance and walked all the way in the long corridors of Malaga airport, our hearts just melted and cried. We thought what was the need for you to undergo this severe austerity just to save the fallen and contaminated souls like us? You travel so long distances in the uncomfortable flights to different cities. Tolerate such drastic changes in the weather every single week, get jet lagged, all this! Just for saving foolish living entities like US from falling in Maya.”
 
 

çiväya lokasya bhaväya bhütaye

ya uttama-çloka-paräyaëä janäù

Those who are devoted to the cause of the Personality of Godhead live only for the welfare, development and happiness of others. They do not live for any selfish interest. [Srimad Bhagavatam 1.4.12]

HH Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaja in Los Angeles

  Los Angeles, December 2014

Guru Maharaja arrived at LAX on Sunday morning with Satya Maharani mataji, Radhavinodini dasi and Shyamasundara Krishna prabhu. Dwarkadish prabhu drove them to the ISKCON New Dwarka community in a beautiful white limousine. Guru Maharaja took a little rest after which, with his right arm around the shoulder of Giriraja Swami, walked down the isle in the elegant white pandal just at the moment when Rupal (Dwarkadish prabhu and Lilavati mataji’s daughter) and her to-be husband, Shri Goloka prabhu, were exchanging garlands on the stage in front of the several hundred guests who had come for their wedding. Guru Maharaja and Giriraja Swami’s timing was perfect.

Later, in the temple room in front of Shri Shri Rukmini Dwarkadish, Guru Maharaja, Giriraja Swami and Svavas prabhu (the New Dwarka temple president) sat next to each other on white bamboo chairs and spoke to the assembled devotees, with Shri Goloka and Rupal sitting across from them on the other side of the temple room. Guru Maharaja succinctly recounted the genealogy of mankind, starting from Lord Brahma, the Manus down onwards, stressing that the union between a man and woman - especially among Vaishnavas - is meant to create an opportunity for deserving souls to obtain a human body and thus further their spiritual progress under the expert and loving care of the father and mother. Everyone laughed with Dwarkadish prabhu when Guru Maharaja reminded him that, according to the Vedic understanding, the daughter is never the property of the father; from her birth she is the property of her husband, and the parents are custodians only. After a wonderful feast served by a Los-Angeles based, professional wedding catering company on ornately decorated round tables with red candles and dry foliage decorations, Guru Maharaja took leave of the reception to go stay at Dwarkadish’s home an hour away in Yorba Linda.

The next morning, as Dwarkadish prabhu was placing the table mats on the dining table for Guru Maharaja’s breakfast, he told me, “Usually, it is Rupal who does this.”

He added, chocked up and with tears in his eyes, “Last night was the first night in 31 years that Rupal did not stay at home.”

At that moment Guru Maharaja entered the living room. We sat down, and he consoled Dwarkadish, “I miss her! I can only imagine how you must be missing her!” He added with a smile, “But what to do? This is how it is.”

After lunch, Guru Maharaja spoke extensively about spreading Krishna Consciousness in America. “If I was to preach in America,” he said, “I would go to a place, rent a property, and create a set-up combining yoga classes, an Ayurvedic clinic and a beautiful library with Srila Prabhupada’s books with reading groups and seminars.”

“Look at our temples today,” he added. “Most of the week they are empty. Only on Sunday afternoon some hundreds of people come for three hours. Why not utilize that space during the week with yoga classes and Ayurvedic treatments?”

He added, “People are bodily conscious. Why not attract them through yoga and Ayurveda, and then give them the real thing as well?”

At the end of the discussion, he said, “Lord Chaitanya’s movement will spread all over the world.”

I said, “Your faith is rubbing off on us, Guru Maharaja.”

He replied, “Thank you.”

He added with a smile, “But I want you to be drowned in it.”

 

We drove Guru Maharaja to a nearby shopping mall where there is a Bose store. The ear-cushions on Guru Maharaja’s Bose noise-cancellation headphones were worn-out; he wanted to replace them. As we were driving, I told Guru Maharaja how pleasant my experience had been in Durban two months earlier for his Vyasa Puja celebration. Guru Maharaja said, “Yes; the South African devotees are very special.”

As we were walking back to the parking lot after purchasing the new replacement headphones, Dwarkadish asked Guru Maharaja, “Do you drive, Guru Maharaja?”

Guru Maharaja replied, “I drive. But I haven’t driven in thirty years.”

I said, “You are so dear to Krishna that He has arranged a personal driver for you for the last thirty years.”

 Guru Maharaja walked a few steps silently and remarked, “Yes. Krishna has been very kind to me.”

Back in his room, while Guru Maharaja was opening the box of his new headphones, he asked me, “Was it a good decision to trade-in my old headphones for the same, new model?”

I said, “Yes; you had those for three years, and Bose’s trade-in program is worthwhile.”

As he placed the headphones on his ears, he said, “I like these headphones. When I put them on, I can’t hear anything at all.”

He switched the “on” button and instructed me, “Say something.”

I moved my lips silently, pretending that I was talking, while not uttering a sound. For a second, Guru Maharaja opened his eyes wide in astonishment. Realizing that I was joking, he laughed and patted me on the head.

When Shri Goloka and Rupal came to visit Guru Maharaja that evening, Rupal asked Guru Maharaja, “Guru Maharaja, you cooked today?!”

Guru Maharaja replied, “Not only did I cook, but I taught your mother how to cook!”

The following evening, after lunch prasadam at the home of Vikasananda prabhu and Radha Rangini mataji in Orange County, Guru Maharaja spoke on the Mahabharata and on the advent of the Bhagavad-Gita at the Laguna Beach Iskcon temple.

The next morning, Guru Maharaja was driven to LAX to go onward to Dubai and India.

Your respectful servant,
Chandrashekhara acharya dasa

Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaja in Pune January 2014

4th Januaray 2014

Guru Maharaja came to Pune from Mumbai by car. All devotees in Pune were making various preparations for receiving Guru Maharaja. Guru Maharaja arrived at HG Parshuram Prabhu’s house at around 1 PM. Some students went to welcome Guru Maharaja at the gate of the society but as they went down from one lift, Guru Maharaja mysteriously came up by another lift at the same time. So, as they reached down they realized that Guru Maharaja already reached up. Here upstairs, devotees were not expecting Guru Maharaja so early. As Guru Maharaja entered everybody just freezed their activities and offered obeisances. It is always so wonderful and purifying to see Guru Maharaja.
Guru Maharaja honored lunch feast prasadam prepared by various congregation matajis from Pune headed by HG Shyamangi Radhika Mataji. Students travelling with Guru Maharaja got first time the rare opportunity of serving prasadam to Guru Maharaja. After taking prasadam and little rest, Guru Maharaja came to meet all the devotees.
Guru Maharaja personally inquired everyone about their spiritual and material life. Guru Maharaja was talking with HG Deenbandhu Chaitanya Prabhu, teacher from a college in Pune, where Guru Maharaja told that how material science have killed God. Guru Maharaja told :
Material science first expelled God and then killed God. It all started with the invention of clock. Otherwise scientists in old era like Newton, etc. were theists. When clock was invented, it had a great influence all over the world. Even now we can see that various churches in Germany, etc. have big clocks and elaborate decorations over them. From clock they interpreted that just as we start clock once and then it keeps on functioning on its own, God created world and then left it. God eventually grew old and died. World is functioning on its own just like a clock.
Then Guru Maharaja lifted a glass show-piece and then asked the devotees that whether it was possible that that object can come by its own. Then Guru Maharaja took out a small glass sphere ball out of it and asked the same questions. If this small object can’t come by its own then how it is possible that whole world can come by its own?
Then Guru Maharaja told that how now top class of people in India – students from IIT’s and other prestigious colleges are appreciating Krishna Consciousness. Guru Maharaja told that when he went to IIT Patna, the director of the university, instead of sitting on stage, sat in front in the audience so that he can listen to Guru Maharaja better. Also many educated students are coming forward to accept Krishna Consciousness.
After all devotees took prasadam, Guru Maharaja took rest. In evening Guru Maharaja came to ISKCON Pune – Sri Sri Radha Vrindavanchandra Mandir. Guru Maharaja was received by many deovtees headed by Pune Temple President HG Radheshyam Prabhu. Guru Maharaja embraced Radheshyam Prabhu with affection. Then Guru Maharaja took the darshan of the beautiful deities – Sri Sri Gaura Nitai, Sri Sri Radha Vrindavanchandra, Sri Sri Jagannath Baldeva Subhadra and Srila Prabhupada while Gaura Arti was going on.
Then Guru Maharaja gave class to the youth forum devotees. Guru Maharaja spoke on the “Position of Srila Prabhupada as the pre-eminent Siksha Guru of ISKCON.” Then Guru Maharaja answered many questions by the students and Brahmacaries. After that Guru Maharaja lead the most ecstatic kirtan and all devotees danced. HG Radheshyam Prabhu requested HG Ganga Narayan Prabhu to lead the devotees in his matchless dancing steps. After kirtan, Guru Maharaja went back to Parshuram Prabhu’s house.

5th January 2014

Guru Maharaja took breakfast and then mercifully observed other devotees taking prasadam. Guru Maharaja said to the servers, “No need to ask to the youngsters. Just give them!” Then Guru Maharaja gave a very wonderful Sunday feast class at temple on Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. After the class Guru Maharaja gave prizes to the many devotees who did well in Srila Prabhupada book distribution marathon in Pune. Guru Maharaja then came back to Parshuram Prabhu’s house and took rest. In evening Guru Maharaja met many devotees individually. In evening Guru Maharaja first went to take darshan of Balaji at ISKCON Pune. This deity of Balaji is the only Balaji deity in ISKCON. Lord was gifted to the devotees in the very initial days of Pune Yatra. After taking the darshan of the deities, Guru Maharaja gave wonderful class on BG 7.1 and the theme was how to be attached to Krishna? Guru Maharaja answered many doubts and queries of devotees. After that Guru Maharaja lead wonderful kirtan for the shayan arti of the Lord. Finally Guru Maharaja came back to Parshuram Prabhu’s house. Guru Maharaja had ticket to Coimbatore for the ayuervedic treatment where HG Subal Sakha Prabhu would be personal servant.

6th January 2014   

Devotees assembled at Parshuram Prabhu’s house by 4 AM. They were informed that Guru Maharaja is not going to Coimbatore. All the devotees became very happy on receiving this news as they thought Guru Maharaja will stay more in Pune. Then Guru Maharaja came and told about the sad news of departure of his dear godbrother HG Shyamlal Prabhu. Guru Maharaja started to tell about him. Guru Maharaja told that how Shyamlal Prabhu joined ISKCON when he was a teenager. He was involved in Calcutta for making life members when Guru Maharaja joined Mayapur temple. Since then both of them are very close friends. As Guru Maharaja was telling about him, there was a very mild smile on his face on remembering about his old days with Shyamlal Prabhu. Then Guru Maharaja booked tickets for South Africa and decided to leave immediately.
Just before sitting in car, Guru Maharaja gave special mercy to all the devotees. He garlanded some of the devotees. When Guru Maharaja had the last garland in his hand, Guru Maharaja wanted to give it to Mohit Prabhu, a student from Pune, but then Guru Maharaja saw an another guest and gave that garland to him. Guru Maharaja then told Mohit Prabhu, “I will give you next time.” Then Guru Maharaja embraced him! Then one by one Guru Maharaja embraced all the students there. For them who just die for one smile of Guru Maharaja, getting Guru Maharaja’s embrace was something unimaginable and unforgettable. Then Guru Maharaja left Pune for Mumbai accompanied by Their Graces Ganga Narayan Pr, Parshuram Pr, Subal Sakha Pr, and Kapila Muni Pr.
Guru Maharaja is expert in the art of conquering heart. Getting Guru Maharaja’s association and love for last two weeks, all the students travelling with Guru Maharaja had received such strong impression in their hearts that they can never forget at any point of their life. They are eternally grateful to Guru Maharaja for everything.

Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaja and Shyamlal Prabhu

Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaja and Shyamlal Prabhu memories

Bhakti Swami Guru Maharaja chanting at beach, Durban 9 January 2014

Bhakti Swami Guru Maharaja chanting at beach,  Durban on 9th January 2014