He Increased My Love and Affection for My Diksha Guru
Om Ajnana-Timirandhasya Jnananjana-Salakaya Caksur Unmilitam Yena Tasmai Sri-Gurave Namah “I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Lotus Feet of Sri Guru (Srila Bhakti Vijnana Bharati Goswami Maharaja) who removed me from the darkest ignorance of this material world by bestowing upon me illuminating transcendental knowledge by his beautiful side long glance and the transcendental words uttered from his divine lotus mouth.”
Today is the appearance day of His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Vijnana Bharati Goswami Maharaja. He was my last Siksha Guru from whom I received divine guidance. He helped me in so many ways to more deeply understand the path to real love for the Divine couple. However, what he taught us was that this path was taken by properly serving the Vaishnavas. He once stated: “When there are affectionate dealings between Vaishnavas then everything is auspicious. If not all is spoiled.” This was a hallmark of Srila Maharaja’s life. He not only dealt with all Vaishnavas in the most affectionate and endearing manner but he never failed to glorify a Vaishnava. Not just the exalted Vaishnavas in our guru varga but junior devotees also received his doting affection and words of encouragement. He blessed us repeatedly with his mercy in order to raise us up from the depths of our own illusion. He unfailingly showed us the path to the deepest understanding of the process of Bhakti. He stated one time that: “One can only enter into the deepest meaning of a Bhajan when it has been explained to you by a sadhu. Then its meaning will be revealed to you when you sing it.” My Diksha Guru Srila AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada recorded many of the Bhajans of Srila Narottam Das Thakura and Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura and gave each of them a purport an explanation. After this explanation of how to understand Bhajans by Srila Bharati Maharaja was I able to more deeply understand the beautiful gift my Diksha Guru gave me. It allowed me to enter even more deeply into the meanings he was explaining when I was singing them. Hence he shined a light on the process of the realization of Bhajan giving me a greater affection for my own Guru Maharaja who knowing this truth and knowing he would not be around to tell us these things made a point of leaving us recordings of the Bhajans he felt were most important for us and the transcendental explanation of the deep meaning of those Bhajans so that we may enter into the mystery of the understanding of the Bhajans when we sing them. Hence my Siksha Guru increased my love and affection for my Diksha Guru. This is the process. Srila Bharati Maharaja reminded me of the one thing that is of the utmost importance in seeking out and taking the association of sadhus he said: “One can make advancement in the association of sadhus by being sincere.” This statement reminded me of a lecture by my Sannyas Guru Srila Narayan Maharaja where he pointed out that the insect was close to the sadhu sitting on his leg or foot but the insect’s interest was only to take something from the sadhu. So Srila Bharati Maharaja made this point that without sincerity one would only be taking from the sadhu not giving service and hearing his Hari Katha with love and affection. The most important thing is your mood when you associate with Sadhus and that mood is sincerity to make advancement in Bhakti by serving the Vaishnavas with love and affection. It was my great good fortune to have the Divine association of Srila Bhakti Vijnana Bharati Goswami Maharaja. His loving affectionate dealings set an example for me in understanding what is the proper social discourse with Vaishnavas. I know I fall short of this standard but by His example I always have something to strive for to become a better devotee. Thank you Srila Bharati Maharaja for your special merciful association I treasure it in my heart always. With affection, your fallen servant Swami BV Bhagavat