Disapperance day of HH Bhaktivedanta Vamana Maharaja

[Paramananda das]

dear devotees

 dandavat pranams 

all glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga

all glories to Srila Prabhupada 

Srila Prabhupada took sannyasa in Kesavaji Gaudiya math and there got the title Bhaktivedanta, actually this title was bestowed and it to this day bestowed to all sannyasis that take sannyasa from Kesavaji Gaudiya math .For example Srila Prabhupadas disciple Jnana Prabhu who was working with Bhaktivedanta Institute for years ,later took sannyasa from Srila Narayana Maharaja and is now HH Bhaktivedanta Nemi Maharaja .

 Bhaktivedanta Vamana Maharaja for example send a letter to Srila Prabhupada in 1968 when Srila Bhaktiprajana Kesava Maharaja left this world ,he was Srila Prabhupadas beloved godbrother and sannyasa Guru .I learned from my early days in ISKCON Vrindavana about the close relationship with KEsavaji Gaudiya math in Mathura and Srila Prabhupada.

Srila Prabhupada would also often write articles for the Gaudiya Patrika published by Kesavaji Gaudiya math  before coming to USA most devotees in ISKCON have never read these articles by our beloved Srila Prabhupada ,here is one such article :

Karunaya-avatirnah Kalau
Compassionate Avatara of Kali-yuga

by Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Svami Maharaja

Srila Rupa Gosvami is the confidential servant of Sri Gaurasundara, the most munificent avatara who mercifully appeared in the age of Kali (karunaya-avatirnah kalau). Who but such an intimate servant can understand which mood appears in the heart of Mahaprabhu at what moment, and how that mood augments the hladini-sakti (internal pleasure potency) that resides there? No one has the power to understand the deep and diverse pastimes of Sriman Mahaprabhu without bathing in the dust of the lotus feet of such an antaranga (intimate, internal) associate. Srila Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami Prabhu always prayerfully contemplated the lotus feet of those internal devotees, and in this way he proceeded in his service [of glorifying Mahaprabhu] without the slightest obstruction. He concludes every chapter of Sri Caitanya-caritamrita with:

sri-rupa-raghunatha-pade yara asa
caitanya-caritamrita kahe krishnadasa

Praying at the lotus feet of Sri Rupa and Sri Raghunatha, always aspiring for their mercy, I, Krishnadasa, narrate this Sri Caitanyacaritamrita.

We will understand the transcendental pastimes of Sri Gaurasundara only when we receive the blessings of Srila Rupa and Raghunatha. For this reason Srila Rupa Gosvami benedicted all jivas:

anarpita-carim cirat karunayavatirnah kalau
samarpayitum unnatojjvala-rasam sva-bhakti-sriyam
harih purata-sundara-dyuti-kadamba-sandipitah
sada hridaya-kandare sphuratu vah saci-nandanah

May the son of Srimati Saci-devi, Sri Gaurahari, forever manifest spontaneously within the innermost core of your heart. Adorned with the radiant splendour of molten gold, He has descended (avatirnah) in the Age of Kali by His causeless mercy to bestow upon the world that which has not been given for a long time � the beauty of His own brilliantly radiant ujjvala-prema-rasa bhakti, service in the highest mellow of amorous love.
(Vidagdha-madhava 1.2)

Accomplish this Task

Karunaya-avatirnah kalau � what kindness Sri Sacinandana-hari Gaurasundara has shown the jivas overwhelmed by the age of Kali by mercifully descending at this time. The people of the world, however, are unable to comprehend His magnanimity, even today.

Therefore, to assist us in understanding His purpose for descending, Sri Gaurasundara Himself made a prediction and liberally ordered the residents of Bharat (India) to accomplish this task.

bharata-bhumite haila
manushya janma yara
janma sarthaka kari�
kara para-upakara

Anyone who has taken a human birth in the land of India should make his life successful by striving for the highest benefit of all others.
(Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi-lila 9.41)

All of the acaryas in the line of Srila Rupa Gosvami have endeavoured tirelessly to inform everyone of this order of Mahaprabhu by writing unprecedented literatures. Commanded by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, om visnupada Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada proved most effective in his attempts to do this. If his qualified disciples had protected his line of thought and tried to inform the world about Sriman Mahaprabhu, maybe by now they would have successfully preached the message of Sri Gaurasundara in all corners of the globe.

What nectar there is in the message of Sri Gaurasundara! The educated sector of today�s society is most curious to learn about this. In this regard, it is worth noting the words of our respected Dr. Sriyuta Kalidasa Nagara. Our commendable godbrother and barrister, Dr. Samvidananda dasa, was present one day during a discussion at Dr. Nagara�s house. Sri Kalidasa Nagara practically ridiculed us by saying that a certain mission does not have anything worthy to say, yet its members are preaching their message all over the world; but we are still unable to propagate such a grand message of Sriman Mahaprabhu beyond the borders of Bengal.

We should realise that it is due to our great disqualification that we have not preached this message out of Bengal. If we compete with the jat gosains, (caste gosvamis), taking pride in establishing a mere three or four mathas and temples and collecting a few disciples and servants, the message of Mahaprabhu will not be broadcast.

�Unless we collectively endeavour to ensure that the most munificent incarnation, Sri Gaurasundara, manifests in the heart of each and every jiva stricken by Kali, this task will remain unaccomplished.� These were the final words of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada. He told us to work cooperatively to preach the message of Rupa and Raghunatha. Our misfortune is that we have strived to follow all of his instructions except this one.

The First Step in Attaining Transcendental Knowledge

In his Sarartha-varshini commentary on Bhagavad-gita, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura comments on the verse vyavasayatmika buddhir (2:41) as follows:

�Iha bhakti-yoge vyavasayatmika buddhir ekaiva.
mama srimad guru-upadishtam bhagavata-kirtanasmarana-
carana-paricaranadi kam etad eva mama
sadhanam etad eva mama sadhyam etad eva mama
jivatuh sadhana-sadhya-dasayostyaktum asakyam etad
eva me kamyam etad eva me karyam etad anyat na me
karyam napy abhilashaniyam svapne �pity atra sukham
astu, dukham vastu, samsaro nasyatu, va na nasyatu,
tatra mama kapi na kshatiriyeva�m niscayatmika buddhir
kaitava-bhaktav eva sambhavet, yad uktam � �tato
bhajeta mam bhaktya sraddhalur dridha niscayah� iti.�

This means, �On the path of bhakti our sole sadhana is to follow with resolute intelligence the instructionwe have received from Sri Gurupadapadma. With fixed resolve we should endeavour to execute whatever order we have received from him regarding bhagavat-kirtana. This is both our sadhana (practice) and our sadhya (goal), and our sole duty is to organise our entire life around trying to follow that instruction. We are never to neglect the order of Gurupadapadma, either in the stage of sadhana or when we have attained our ultimate goal. �Our sole desire in life is to serve Gurupadapadma according to his desire. We should have no other aspiration even in our dreams. If in following the order of Gurupadapadma we encounter happiness or distress, let it be. Our material life may be destroyed or may not, but whatever the case, so be it. Either way, we will neither lose nor gain. �Our one and only duty is to serve our spiritual master.� To be fixed in this understanding is characteristic of resolute intelligence and firm faith. Service to Sri Guru and Bhagavan performed with this resolve constitutes bhakti. All else we do in the name of bhakti is simply sense gratification.�

When Aurangzeb went to instruct his son, Mohammad, about devotion to his forefathers, Mohammad plainly said, �Must I learn about devotion to my forefathers from you?� Aurangzeb had imprisoned his own father, Sahajahan, and usurped his throne, so naturally Mohammad was not ready to hear from him any instruction on ancestral respect.

When Vallabha Bhatta declared his own commentary on the Bhagavata to be superior to that of Sridhara Svami, Sri Gaurasundara replied:

prabhu hasi� kahe, � �svami na mane yei jana
vesyara bhitare tare kariye ganana�

Smiling, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, �I consider that person a prostitute who does not accept the svami to be an authority.�
(Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Antya-lila 7.115)

Bhagavad-gita instructs us that worshipping the acarya (acaryopasana) is the first principal step in attaining transcendental knowledge. Therefore, one who tries to attain the position of guru by disregarding the acaryas� and Sri Guru�s instructions will never be successful in that position.

The Flow of Mercy

In Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu�s time, Sriman Nityananda Prabhu broke open the dam that blocked the ocean of mercy, and began to distribute prema to any and everyone. The society of goldsmiths in Saptagrama were harassed by the artificial caste system of Ballal Sena. They were of the lowest caste, yet Sriman Nityananda Prabhu went from door to door and delivered them all. �Murkha vanikkula karilena uddhara � He delivered the foolish society of goldsmiths.� Each and every person has the right to perform bhakti; one�s caste and dynasty are of no consideration. In this mood, Sriman Nityananda Prabhu bestowed prema upon all.

Later on, the so-called caste gosvamis claimed that they were the sole representatives of Nityananda Prabhu�s dynasty, thus again blocking the flow coming from the ocean of mercy. But then the second manifestation of Nityananda Himself and the embodiment of Gauranga�s teachings (gaura-vani), om vishnupada Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada, broke open that dam and made the river of pure bhakti flow in the same way it did in Sriman Mahaprabhu�s time.

Srila Prabhupada ordered his qualified disciples to come together and preach the message of Sri Rupa and Raghunatha as he had done, but now, for some reason the current of bhakti is again unfortunately coming to a standstill. We should all be diligent to ensure that the river of Sri Bhaktivinoda�s conceptions never stops flowing.

The Dark Age of Kali

Srimad-Bhagavatam describes how the rishis headed by Saunaka assembled at Naimisharanya, and according to the line of thought that is appropriate for Vaishnavas, determined the obligatory duties of the jivas stricken by the age of Kali. Seeing the terrible condition of the jivas in Kali-yuga, Saunaka and other rishis said to Suta Gosvami:

prayenalpayushah sabhya
kalav asmin yuge janah
mandah sumanda-matayo
manda-bhagya hy upadrutah

O learned one, the life span of the general person in Kali-yuga is short. Furthermore, he is lazy (lacking resolve in spiritual life), less intelligent, troubled by various obstacles and unfortunate (bereft of sadhusanga). In addition, he is afflicted by the threefold miseries. 
(Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.1.10)

In the age of Kali all the jivas have short lives, are lazy and possess an intelligence that is riddled with sinful desire. They are always agitated by obstacles and troubled by sickness and lamentation. The rishis were wondering how, in such a condition, the jivas could attain true welfare. The terrible condition of the human race in Kali-yuga has been described in the Twelfth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam. Sri Sukadeva Gosvami told Parikshit, �As the days in Kali-yuga pass by, religion, truthfulness, cleanliness, forgiveness, compassion, life span and memory will gradually diminish.� We are gradually realising this. In Kali-yuga, a person will adhere to a religion in name only. One who tells the truth will not be able to fill his belly. Cleanliness will not exist at all because public places, hotels, restaurants and shops will be full of the most degenerate people with the vilest tendencies. The merit of forgiveness will be forgotten; one who is forgiving will be considered timid or cowardly. Not even members of the same family will be forgiving with each other. The quality of compassion will be found only in fairy tales. Longevity will not exist anywhere, especially in India where people only live for seventy-five years. Memory will be limited to knowledge acquired through books.

In Kali-yuga, the status of one�s birth, conduct and good qualities will be measured by one�s affluence. A person with wealth will belong to the highest caste and be considered to bear all good qualities. No one will inquire as to the identity of one�s mother and father, for at one�s marriage one�s kula (family caste), gotra (family line) and those who gather as witnesses to the marriage will not be considered important.

All social activities, such as giving and receiving, buying and selling, eating and feeding others, and communicating, will consist solely of lying and cheating. The cause of love between male and female will be based on expertise in love-making, style of dress, their decorative ornaments, bodily strength and external beauty.

The term grihastha-asrama will be found only in tales because of the free, unrestricted meeting of men and women. A person will be regarded as a brahmana simply by wrapping a two-paisa thread around his neck. It will not be necessary to scrutinise him to see if he has the qualities of a brahmana, or those of a kshatriya or vaisya. Sight of this thread will suffice. Wearing saffron cloth and carrying a stick will make one a sannyasi, and donning white cloth or pants will denote one as a grihastha. There will be no need for any actual qualification. Only those with money will receive justice. For example, you won�t be able to enter the courts without first paying the fee of money-stamped paper and a lawyer, what to speak of further court proceedings.

One will be known as a scholar if, on the strength of his powerful voice, he can lecture for three to four hours. One who is poor will be considered a ruffian and a thief, and the most honoured sadhu will be one who exhibits the most arrogance and self-importance. One who travels a long distance to take bath in the Ganga at Haridvara will be considered greatly pious, but such piety will not be attributed to one who takes bath in the Ganga flowing through any other city, or even through one�s own locality. Eight-hundred thousand people gathered in Allahabad to take bath during the Kumbha Mela. They had not read Srila Narottama dasa�s prayer which says, �tirtha-yatra parisrama, kevala manera bhrama � going on pilgrimage is simply a useless labour. It is only another kind of satisfaction for the bewildered mind.�

One will look charming if he grows long hair.Nowadays you can even find young boys with long hair. No matter how little they eat and no matter how much their faces shrivel up, they will still grow their hair long to try to look beautiful. The unfortunate and destitute people of Kali-yuga will use soaps and cosmetics in their attempt to look fair and handsome.

A person who can eat to the full satisfaction of his belly will think he has achieved the fourfold goals of life, namely dharma (religiosity), artha (wealth), kama (sense enjoyment) and moksha (liberation from material bondage). He will not consider it necessary to attain anything more. In the age of Kali, people will think that if they are able to feed their wives and children, they will have achieved the expertise King Daksha attained by performing fire sacrifices.

Putting a Dog on the Throne

There will be no practical means by which one can make a sacrificial fire. Dharma (religious activities) and seva (service) will exist in name only. People will be bound to the practices of a so-called religious tradition, motivated by their public image as a religious person and the reputation of their guru. Whether they are religious or not, the world will be filled with people of this mentality. The strongest among them will come forward posing as political leaders themselves. By cheating the unfortunate, less intelligent masses, they will accumulate votes and thus become rulers. Sometimes a pot of milk hanging from the wall may fall accidentally and the cat will think herself fortunate. But what benefit can these low-minded rulers bestow upon the people by such power?

Hitopadesa states, �Sva yadi kriyate raja tat kim nasnaty upanaham � If a dog-eater becomes the king, can he give up his nature?� Can one ever give up his nature? What benefit is there in making a dog sit on a throne? He will not give up his nature of eating dried flesh. In the same way, it is sure and certain that those who present themselves as rulers, having painted themselves as leaders with the colour of popular vote, will ultimately act according to their acquired nature. Which scriptures related to maintaining their citizens have they read that their hearts will break for the sufferings of the people? While giving grandiose lectures they will pretend that their heart is breaking, but at the time of action they will only loot and plunder. �Andhera nagari bakuba raja, taka sera bhaji taka sera khaja � the king will be as blind and degraded as the citizens.�

In this way a picture of the age of Kali has been painted. Seeing this we can understand why Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said to Sri Ramananda, �varnasrama dharma, eho bahya, age kaha ara � varnasramadharma is external; please speak something beyond this.� How can the people of Kali-yuga practise varnasramadharma? For them everything is in jeopardy.

Translated from Sri Gaudiya Patrika Year 7, Issue 1
by the Rays of The Harmonist team.
Published in English for the first time in Rays of The Harmonist No. 16 Karttika 2006

Srila Bhaktivedanta Vamana maharaja also wrote in Gaudiya Patrika :

King Janasruti and Raikva Muni

by Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Vamana Gosvami Maharaja

[December 21, 2008 is the divine appearance day of Srila Bhaktivedanta Vamana Gosvami Maharaja. In honor of this day, we are presenting his article, which was recently published in the Harmonist magazine:]

In ancient times there was an exceptionally generous king named Pautrayana Janasruti. To ensure that everyone in his kingdom was adequately fed, he established charitable boarding houses throughout his empire. One day, pleased by his generous nature, which is rare even among the heavenly beings, a group of celestial saints assumed the form of swans and, during the night, descended to the king�s palace to give him their audience from the sky above. It was summer and the king was sleeping in the highest open terrace of his palace. As they flew above him, the swan flying behind all the others spoke to the swan at the front. �Do you not see the magnificent bodily effulgence of King Janasruti, glowing like bright daylight in the night sky? Do not pass through that radiance, as its blazing heat may scorch you.�

Disregarding his praise, the swan flying ahead of him said, �To which fellow do you refer? You speak as if he is Sakatvan Raikva.�

The former swan enquired, �Who is Sakatvan Raikva?�

�Raikva is a great sage who is conversant with all that is worth knowing, for he has attained brahma-jnana (knowledge of the Absolute Truth). The pious activities performed by Raikva encompass every possible pious activity that can be performed. This is but a brief introduction of him.�

King Janasruti listened in dismay as the swan decried him and glorified Raikva Muni. Disheartened by what he had heard, he restlessly reflected on the swan�s words for the remainder of the night. When he awoke the next morning, he narrated the entire incident to his charioteer and then ordered him: �Go now, and seek out Sakatvan Raikva. I would like to see him in person.�

The charioteer searched throughout many towns and villages, to no avail. He then returned to the king. �Search for the exalted Raikva Muni on the banks of rivers,� ordered the king. �Search for him in deserted forest areas and in any other places unspoiled by the company of immoral men. These are the places where saintly personalities normally reside.�

On the order of the king, the charioteer resumed his search. Finally, he came to a deserted place where he found a man sitting under a bullock cart, scratching the itches on his body. The charioteer sat down beside him and enquired from him, �O revered sage, are you Sakatvan Raikva?�

�Yes, I am,� replied the muni.

The charioteer returned to the king at once and informed him about the sage. Thereafter, King Janasruti went to Raikva Muni, bearing the gift of six hundred cows, one golden necklace and one chariot.

He offered the gifts to the muni and addressed him, �Please inform me about the deity you worship.�

The king�s gifts could not satisfy the saint.

�O peasant,� said the muni, �you are in the grip of sorrow and envy. I would say, in fact, that you are a peasant and not a king. You can keep your necklace, chariot and all these cows for yourself.�

The king became overwhelmed with anxiety and, after some time, returned to the saint. This time he came with one thousand cows, an even more opulent golden necklace, a chariot driven by the fastest horses and his own beloved daughter. Approaching the saint and with folded hands, he begged the muni, �Please accept all these gifts. Accept my daughter as your own wife and bless me by making this village a place for your asrama. O muni, mercifully instruct me about your worshipful deity.�

Raikva Muni spoke to the king again, �O grief-stricken peasant, your host of gifts is not my impetus to instruct you. You have offered me your daughter simply to impel me to instruct you. But without first rendering service to the spiritual master, what profound knowledge can you hope to elicit from him simply by offering him some remuneration (daksina)?�

After speaking in this way, Raikva Muni began instructing the king in spiritual science (brahma-vidya). He taught him to worship Vayu � the destroyer of the external world � together with Prana, or Paramatma (Supersoul) � the destroyer of the internal world � as the very form of spirit (brahma). In this way he imparted prana-vidya to the king. The place where Raikva Muni imparted these divine teachings to King Janasruti was later known as Raikvaparna, a village in the state of Mahavrsa.

The above upakhyana (moral history) from sruti teaches us the following:

Qualities and Abilities Dictate Societal Stratums

Four stratums (varnas) have been created in society based on the various qualities and abilities of mankind. It is entirely scientific, natural and in accordance with the revealed scriptures to ascertain a person�s varna according to his actual qualities, and not simply according to his birth. Raikva Muni had initially addressed King Janasruti as a peasant (sudra) because even though the king was a generous and affluent aristocrat (ksatriya), he had become overwhelmed with grief. Moreover, the sole reason for his lamentation had been his envy of Raikva Muni�s superior fame. However, when the king understood the importance of serving the spiritual master, he was relieved from his sorrow and was subsequently granted brahma-vidya by the muni.

Never Condemn a Vaisnava�s Apparent Flaws

More often than not, we will fail to ascertain the qualifications of the spiritual master if we judge him on the basis of the apparent flaws in his nature or body or in his social conduct and personal behavior. If someone considers the spiritual master, who knows the absolute truth, to be a man of worldly intelligence and subsequently disobeys him, he commits an offence. As a result, bhakti can never arise in his heart.

Raikva Muni resided under a bullock-cart. His condition was extremely wretched and he had inflamed soars all over his body. He appeared to be just like an ordinary person who is attached to his body and bound to suffer the results of his activities. Yet, King Janasruti did not perceive his spiritual master as a mortal living being, and he was therefore qualified to learn the mystery of prana-vidya.

Srila Sanatana Gosvami Prabhu was constantly absorbed in the ecstasy of his own internal realizations, and yet he manifested the pastime of suffering from a type of leprosy. To consider him an ordinary living being, bound by the results of his past activities, is a grave offence. Therefore the scriptures have forewarned the sadhaka:

drstaih svabhava-janitair vapusas ca dosair

na prakrtatvam iha bhakta janasya pasyet
gangambhasam na khalu budbuda-phena-pankair
brahma-dravatvam apagacchati nira-dharmaih
Upadesamrta (6)

This verse declares that it is wholly inappropriate to perceive a pure devotee as mundane or lowly based on the physical or behavioral flaws visible in him. There is no possibility that a pure devotee will ever be in bad association or that he will ever offend the Lord�s holy name.

Here, the term �physical flaws� refers to unattractiveness, aches and pains, deformity and the infirmity of old age. The term �behavioral flaws� refers to birth in a low caste, rudeness, laziness and so on. Sometimes, during the rainy season, the water of the Ganga becomes filled with bubbles, foam and mud. Nonetheless, Ganga does not even slightly give up her nature as liquid transcendence. In exactly the same way, self-realized Vaisnavas are not polluted by any of the flaws arising from the birth and transformations of a material body.

Surely therefore, if someone who is endeavoring to perform bhajana considers the apparent material flaws of the pure devotees (suddha-vaisnavas) to be contemptible, he will certainly become an offender.

When a Disciple Does Not Accept Discipline

Gentle punishments and reprimands by guru and Vaisnavas are highly beneficial for their disciples and servitors. The resolve to accept discipline finds its success in the title �disciple�. Even though I became the disciple of Sri Gurudeva, who is most compassionate, whenever he mildly disciplines me out of his causeless mercy and with the determination to eliminate all the obstacles from the path of my devotional practice, I find it totally unacceptable. At that time, I am even audacious enough to claim that he is heartless, that he lacks affection and that he is biased, unintelligent and so forth.

I am willing to be humiliated, reprimanded and heavily beaten by maya hundreds of times, but I cannot accept or tolerate the affectionate, transcendental discipline of Sri Gurudeva. Consequently, I forever relinquish devotional service to Krsna and thus I commit spiritual suicide.

At that time, with the intention of lording it over my Gurudeva and trying to approach Sri Bhagavan directly, I become entangled in transgressing proper etiquette and, as I begin to consider myself more intelligent than my Gurudeva, I fancy myself as his instructor.

King Janasruti did not lose heart even after repeatedly hearing crude words from Raikva Muni. Therefore, Raikva Muni considered him a suitable disciple and imparted to him knowledge of the Absolute Truth. It was with this same intention that jagad-guru Srila Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada used to chastise his most intimate disciples. He would tell all his disciples that the most important quality for anyone living in the temple is the ability to learn tolerance.

Offer Everything to Sri Guru, Including Yourself

It is not possible for someone to obtain knowledge of the Absolute Truth from Sri Gurudeva if he does not offer him all that he possesses and, indeed, his very self. It is not possible to obtain Sri Gurudeva�s mercy simply by offering him material objects. Someone qualifies as a true disciple only if he becomes niskincana (without material possessions) by offering Srila Gurudeva everything he has, including his own self.

If I simply declare, �O Gurudeva, everything belongs to you alone!� but I �keep the keys to my safe with me�, then I am revealing that I do not trust him, which is not at all indicative of the most elevated stage of genuine service to Sri Guru (guru-seva). When the disciple surrenders from within and keeps nothing as his own, then Srila Gurudeva considers that intimate and loving disciple (visrambha-snigdha sisya) as his own.

diksa-kale bhakta kare atma-samarpana
sei-kale krsna tare kare atma-sama
sei deha kare tara cid-ananda-maya
aprakrta-dehe tanra carana bhajaya
Caitanya-caritamrta (Antya-lila 4.192-193)

When the bhakta fully dedicates himself at the time of receiving diksa, Sri Krsna makes him as spiritual as Himself, permeating the bhakta�s body with transcendence and bliss. With his spiritual body, the bhakta then worships Krsna�s lotus feet.

This is why Raikva Muni had said to King Janasruti that one cannot become the servitor of Sri Guru just by offering him material objects. Only if the disciple offers everything to Sri Guru, including his very self, can he attain spiritual knowledge (brahma-vidya). That is to say, he will be able to perform transcendental guru-seva.

Translated from Sri Gaudiya Patrika Year 7, Issue 12 
by the Rays of The Harmonist team.
Published in English for the first time in Rays of The Harmonist No. 18 Karttika 2008

Just want to share some nectar on this holy day of Srila Bhaktivedanta Vamana Maharajas disappearance .He became the acarya of Gaudiya Samiti established by Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Maharaja , they also established a braminical council like our GBC because such a council was desired by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada .

your servant

Paramananda das