Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Trivikrama Mahārāja ~ Appearance

[Paramananda das]

Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Trivikrama Mahārāja ~ Appearance

today is the appearance day of Srila Bhaktivedanta Trivikrama Maharaja he was a godbrother of my Gurudeva Srila Narayana Maharaja and a pure devotee, I have heard him speak a few times in Navadvipa but did not really have any association but seeing and especially hearing from a pure Vaisnava is always a blessing that will help take us to Goloka Vrindavana please see some of his lectures they are found on webpage done by Puru Prabhu , a dear goduncle and friend of mine disciple of Srila Prabhupada ,I think most older devotees remember Puru Prabhu Srila Bhaktivedanta Trivikrama Maharaja (bvmlu.org)

First I want to share Srila Prabhupadas letter :

A.C. BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI’S LETTER TO SRILA TRIVIKRAMA MAHARAJA
[This letter was originally written in Bengali by Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Swāmī Mahārāja on the occasion of the disappearance of Śrīla Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Goswāmī Mahārāja. It was addressed to Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Trivikrama Goswāmī Mahārāja, one of the prominent disciples of Śrīla Bhakti Prajñāna Kesvava Mahārāja. It was then translated into Hindi by Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja and printed in the Śrī Bhāgavata Patrika magazine in December 1968. The following is the English translation of that letter.]

All glories to Śrī Guru & Gaurāṅga
Seattle, Washington
October 22, 1968

I offer my humble prostrated obeisance at the lotus feet of all the Vaiṣṇavas.
Śrīpād Trivikrama Mahārāja,

Yesterday I received your letter dated October 12, and its contents were heart-breaking. Kindly inform me of the details of the sudden disappearance of Pūjyapāda Mahārāja (Śrīla B.P. Keśava Mahārāja). I had a very long-standing intimate relationship with Śrīla Mahārāja. When I used to visit Śrīdama Māyāpura, I was taken care of by Śrīpād Narahari Dādā and Śrīpād Vinoda Dādā with great affection. They were my extremely loving friends. Also in Calcutta, the senior Tīrtha Mahārāja, Professor Niśikanta Sannyal and Vasudeva Prabhu, were very dear to me. Afterwards I used to visit and associate freely with Śrīpād Śrīdhara Mahārāja as if we were the closest of family members. Except for Śrīpād Śrīdhara Mahārāja, all of the above-mentioned Vaiṣṇavas have gradually disappeared. Our time is also approaching, so it will be best to have the opportunity to serve Śrīla Prabhupāda as long as possible.

I have a very close connection with the Gauḍīya Vedānta Samiti. Yourself, and particularly Śrīpād Vāmana Mahārāja, are well aware of the fact that I am one of the three persons who founded Śrī Gauḍīya Vedānta Samiti. We had conceived the idea of the formation of Śrī Gauḍīya Vedānta Samiti at Bosapada Lane, Calcutta, even before Śrīla (Keśava) Mahārāja accepted sannyāsa. Within a few days of the formation of the Samiti, Śrī Narottamānanda Brahmacārī (presently Tridaṇḍi Swāmī Śrī Śrīmad Bhakti Kamālā Madhusūdana Mahārāja) separated himself from the Samiti. At that time Śrīpād Vāmana Mahārāja, who was then a brahmacārī, visited our home at Sītākānta Banarji Lane. He made me the chief editor of the Bengali magazine, Śrī Gauḍīya Patrika.

Respecting the order of Śrīla (Keśava) Mahārāja, I started writing articles for the Gauḍīya Patrika regularly. Śrīla Mahārāja greatly appreciated whatever I wrote. Thereafter, I was also appointed as the president of the Hindi magazine, Śrī Bhagavata Patrika, and many of my articles were published in that. Afterwards I could not submit articles due to lack of time. Now I have become a resident of foreign lands and I have to travel twenty thousand miles every year.

The greatest compassion of Śrīla Keśava Mahārāja was to make me a sannyāsī. I had taken a vow that I would never accept sannyāsa, but Śrīla Mahārāja forcibly gave it to me. He would certainly have been most pleased today to see the success of my preaching. Last year I visited him in Calcutta along with my disciples, and despite being bedridden, he was very pleased to receive us. I have complete confidence that both in his manifest presence and after his disappearance, he must be very pleased to see my widespread preaching of the message of Śrīman Mahāprabhu in Western countries like America, Canada, England, Germany and Hawaii (Honolulu), situated in the Pacific Ocean, as well as eastern countries like Japan (Tokyo) and so on.

I was a staunch gṛhamedī (one whose thoughts are absorbed in household affairs). Śrīla Prabhupāda used to come to me in dreams from time to time and call me to renounce family life and come along with him. The dreams would frighten me and make me think that I would have to accept sannyāsa. I didn’t have any desire to take sannyāsa. But upon the repeated insistence of Śrīpād Nārayana Mahārāja, Śrīla Keśava Mahārāja bestowed boundless mercy upon this unwilling and blind person, by forcibly giving me sannyāsa. It seems that this desire of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s was transmitted into his heart, and it was thus that my sannyāsa was accomplished.

So I am eternally indebted to Śrīla (Keśava) Mahārāja. Therefore, immediately after receiving your letter, I organized a viraha-sabhā, an assembly at the Seattle temple to honor his disappearance. I am sending the condolence resolution of the meeting along with this letter. Kindly accept it as our śraddhāñjali, or humble homage. In my other centers (the list is enclosed), particularly London, Hamburg and Honolulu I have given instruction to arrange a viraha sabhā and offerśraddhāñjali homage likewise.

You will be glad to know that under my guidance I have formed three sankīrtana parties comprising American youths and couples. One such party is currently traveling to all cities in America and I am also with this party. The second party of six devotees is performing kīrtana at different places in London. The Indians living there are amazed to see them. They have given up their homeland and come all the way to the Western world to attain wealth and reputation, but the Americans are performing harinama-sankīrtana. Somehow the preaching activities are going on very nicely. I am interested to know what kind of constitution you are forming. In this matter you will receive my complete cooperation, because I am a man of constructive ideas. I do not like destructive policies.

It was the desire of Śrīla Prabhupāda and Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura that Americans perform kīrtana in Śrīdhama Māyāpura, and that opportunity has now come. Unfortunately, those who have intruded in Māyāpura consider it to be their personal property.

These days others are restricted from visiting that place. Śrīla Keśava Mahārāja used to deal with these guru-tyāgīs (those who renounce their guru) and guru-bhogīs (those who enjoy the property of their guru) with sword in hand. Anyway, last year he mentioned that he would arrange five acres of land for me in Śrīdhama Māyāpura. You were present at that time. If you help me in this matter, I intend to make an asrāma in Māyāpura. American boys and girls can visit and stay there and receive proper training. By our cooperation, preaching activities can be done very nicely. Therefore, I am eager to know the details of your constitution.

I am going to Montreal tomorrow. From there I will go to Sante Fe (New Mexico) and then to Los Angeles. I am sending the addresses of our various centers along with this letter. We are executing a plan to build New Vṛndāvana on three hundred acres of land. Kindly reply to the Los Angeles – Hollywood address as I will be staying three days in Montreal, seven days in Santa Fe and almost one month in Los Angeles.

pritivite ache yata nagaradi grāma
sarvatra pracara haibe more nama

Preaching can be spread extensively throughout the world on the basis of this system. I think that you will make your constitution directly in accordance with the above prediction. I hope your bhajana is going on nicely.

Your obedient servant,
Śrī Bhaktivedānta Swāmī

P.S. If you have any nice photograph of Śrīla Mahārāja, then kindly send it to me. I will get a life size oil painting made of it and along with a picture of Śrīla Prabupāda, I will place it in my prominent centers, particularly New York, Hollywood, London and so forth.
Источник: https://bhakta.org/2020/08/04/oct-1962-a-c-bhaktivedanta-swamis-let...

here is some glorification by Premananda Prabhu who is my dear godbrother and constantly serve Guru and Gauranga in Vrindavana :

The Glories of Srila Bhaktivedanta Trivikrama Gosvami Maharaja
The Glories of Srila Bhaktivedanta Trivikrama Gosvami Maharaja
Today is the vyāsa-pūjā, appearance day, of Nitya-līlā praviṣṭa oṁ viṣṇupāda aṣṭottara-śata Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Trivikrama Gosvāmī Mahārāja, who was the secretary of Śrī Gauḍīya Vedānta Samīti, and the spiritual guide of all sādhakas. The Gosvāmīs were nirapekṣa, and helpful to everyone.

Mahāprabhu said to the Gosvāmīs:

tomā sama ‘nirapekṣa’ nāhi mora gaṇe
’nirapekṣa’ nahile ‘dharma’ nā yāya rakṣaṇe

Caitanya-caritāmṛta Antya 3.24

[You are the most neutral among My associates. This is very good, for without being neutral one cannot protect religious principles.]

There is no limit to the help the Gosvāmīs offer. They helped in the past, they help now, and they will help in the future. Anyone who likes can receive everything from them. It is not that only the son can get something from his father. The śikṣā-guru helps all conditioned souls. He is called a parakīya guru. The parakīya or śikṣā-guru is helpful for everyone, no matter who they are, whose disciples they are, or wherever they are from. They have no jealousy. The śikṣā gurus have no party or group. They have blood relation with no one. They are eternally related with God. Under guidance of the Vraja-devīs, they serve Śrīmatī Rādhārānī. They take only Her instructions and help everyone. Kṛṣṇa’s followers are in many groups. Rādhārānī’s followers are also in various groups, but they all follow Rādhārānī’s footsteps and instructions. The dīkṣā gurus are generally in Kṛṣṇa’s group, and they follow their own yūtha, or group leaders.

guru kṛṣṇa-rūpa hana śāstrera pramāṇe
guru-rūpe kṛṣṇa kṛpā karena bhakta-gaṇe

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi 1.45

[According to the deliberate opinion of all revealed scriptures, the spiritual master is nondifferent from Kṛṣṇa. Lord Kṛṣṇa in the form of the spiritual master delivers His devotees.]

śikṣā-guruke ta’ jāni kṛṣṇera svarūpa
antaryāmī, bhakta-śreṣṭha,—ei dui rūpa

Caitanya-caritāmṛta Ādi 1.47

[One should know the instructing spiritual master to be the Personality of Kṛṣṇa. Lord Kṛṣṇa manifests Himself as the Supersoul and as the greatest devotee of the Lord.]

Dīkṣā-guru is Kṛṣṇa’s rūpa, and śikṣā-guru is Kṛṣṇa’s svarūpa.

Today, I remember this spiritual master’s help. I will try to describe how he was helpful in his lifetime, and how he is still helpful now.

Pure devotees of the Lord are transcendental personalities. They mercifully descend to this world along with other eternal associates of the spiritual world. The pure devotees serve and have relation with God; they carry God in their heart. Because of their relationship with God, pure devotees attract other conditioned souls who have forgotten their connection to God. Anywhere the pure Vaiṣṇavas appear or travel becomes holy.

Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Trivikrama Gosvāmī Mahārāja’s father was Śrīyuta Āśutoṣa kumāra Ghoṣa and his mother Śrīyuta Kātyāyanī-devi. His family was wealthy and qualified landowners in West Bengal. They had over 30 acres of land, a large garden, a house in Kolkata, another house in the village, and a big factory. But there was one problem. They had no children. They were generous and used to regularly arrange large amounts of food to be given to beggars. They would also provide some money and cloth to many people in need. Their bloodline was of a lineage of cowherds, but they were highly respected in the village.

Śrīla Mahārāja’s family, among a few others, was famous, and a recommended host for sādhus coming from the North. It was a common rule that those who were rich, although most were not vegetarian, reserved an area of their home, usually in the garden, with shelter and completely pure, vegetarian facility for sādhus to come stay as guests and cook for themselves. Sādhus that came from Vṛndāvana to Navadvīpa, or were traveling to Gaṅgā Sagara or Jagannātha Purī, and passed through that town, would be advised to stay at their home.

It is the nature of a sādhu to not stay in one place. They are parivrājaka, detached pilgrims. They know that if they stay in one place, there is the danger of developing moha, and hence being distracted from their bhajana. Therefore, they move from place to place visiting the holy places and sādhus. Everywhere they go they inspire people to follow bhakti, and thus give their blessings to the people of the world. Without performing austerities, and trying to advance in spiritual life, people will become inanimate objects, like stones or trees. Knowing this, with the desire to help all conditioned souls, the sādhus never stay in one place.

Once, some brāhmaṇas and sādhus from Varsānā came as guests to the home of Śrīla Trivikrama Gosvāmī Mahārāja’s parents, Śrīyuta Āśutoṣa kumāra Ghoṣa and Kātyāyanī Devī. Āśutoṣa kumāra Ghoṣa arranged capātī flour, rice, potatoes, milk, and many things for the sādhus. The sādhus cooked and offered bhoga. These brāhmaṇas and sādhus that had come were in the Nimbārka sampradāya and were worshipers of Rādhārānī. They performed their worship and did kīrtana of Śrīmatī Rādhārānī’s names. Mahārāja’s father, grandfather and other family members came and were given Rādhārānī’s prasāda, nirmālya, and caraṇāmṛta. They were very happy to distribute these things. Vrajavāsīs are not happy without sweets. Wherever they go, there must be barfī, laḍḍus, kṣīra, and so forth. This is there nature.

Normally in Bengal they make kṣīra with one liter of milk and one kilogram of rice. But how do the Vrajavāsīs cook? They put only a handful of rice in one liter of milk. They then cook the milk down until it is thick and creamy. Rādhārānī’s cooks in Varsānā are especially expert.

These guests made capattis, pūrīs, halavā, laḍḍus, and many other preparations. They were so happy. This house had so much facility. They cooked everything with pure cow’s ghee. Why was there so much ghee? Rich tāmasika people do not like ghee, milk, or panir. They like to eat dead bodies. They eat the dead bodies of animals and other tāmasika and rājasika things.

The brāhmaṇas and sādhus told them to take prasādam and that afterwards there would be kīrtana. These guests stayed for three days and when the time came for them to depart, Mahārāja’s grandfather said to them, “My family has no children. You say that your Rādhārānī is even greater than Durgā, Candi, and Kālī. How can we understand that this is true? Durgā and Śiva are worshiped in vast temples, and many animals are offered in sacrifice to Devī. The bodies of the sacrificed animals are cooked and then glorified as Devī’s prasādam. You, however, do not offer animals. You offer only milk. How much power does milk have?”

The brāhmaṇas and sādhus asked, “You offer so many animals, but your Devī has not given you any children. Why? You cut Devī’s children and try to offer them to her. If you were to have any child, would you cut him and offer him to Devī also?” sādhus are fearless and neutral. They strongly condemned the offering and eating of animals. They described the places in Bhāgavatam where the transcendentalists revealed the reactions in store for one who has jealousy and slays another creature to fill his belly. “As punishment for your sins,” the sādhus said, “You will have no heir.”

The family was upset. They requested the departing sādhus to give their blessings once more. “Yes,” the sādhus said, “Stop your tāmasika worship of Durgā and Kali and just worship Rādhārānī.” They invited them to visit the temple in Varsānā and left.

Sometime later, Śrīla Mahārāja’s grandfather went to Varsānā with much wealth. He gave many donations such as ghee, sugar, and flour for the service of Rādhārānī and promised to do this yearly. He went to Vṛndāvana and did some service there also. There too, he pledged to donate for the service performed throughout the year.

Mahārāja’s grandfather lamented, “In my family there are no grandchildren.” One day he was offered some advice in Varsānā.

A sādhu said, “Make a promise to Śrīmatī Rādhikā that if your family is to ever have a child you will offer the first one directly to Her.”

When people have problems, they make many promises. After their problems are solved, they forget these promises. This is the nature of worldly people. They cry, “Protect me! Save me! I am unfortunate!” But when a solution comes then they forget all this.

Mahārāja’s grandfather prayed to Rādhārānī, “May a son be born to my family. If You mercifully give us a son, we will offer him in Your service.” After this, he returned home.

Some months later, by the mercy of Rādhārānī, a male child was born to his son. Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Trivikrama Gosvāmī Mahārāja appeared on the 31st of January 1916. He was a large and beautiful baby. His grandfather gave him the name Rādhikā Caraṇa. All the neighboring families were happy to see the charming baby boy. He was healthy and strong like Bhīma. In time more children were born but none where as brilliant and healthy as he was. His family was overjoyed, but they forgot the promises they had made. They did not continue the donations to the temples in Vraja.

As a child, Śrīla Mahārāja was strong and restless. He would fight and wrestle with other children, and was very naughty. His family was very happy that a son had been born to them, and his naughtiness made them even happier. Śrīla Mahārāja started his education and was a brilliant student. In the midst of his siblings, who differed in both appearance and nature, Śrīla Mahārāja stood out like a lotus in murky water because of his saintly qualities. Some were doubtful that he was really of the same family at all.

In school, there was a paṇdita teacher who taught Sanskrit. He had a shaved head, big śikhā, and wore tripuṇḍra tilaka, three horizontal lines across the forehead, symbolizing him to be an adherent of the māyāvādī School. Śrīla Mahārāja was a school monitor, but he never went to Sanskrit class, nor did he encourage the other boys to. None of the students were going, so the paṇdita complained to the headmaster, “Sir, this Rādhikā Caraṇa does not come to my class, and he discourages the other boys to come as well. What shall I do? None of the boys are coming to my class. I think I will resign and leave this place.”

“No, no,” the headmaster said. “I will speak to Rādhikā Caraṇa.” He asked Mahārāja, “Rādhikā Caraṇa, why aren’t you going to Sanskrit class?”

Rādhikā Caraṇa replied, “I don’t know why this person is always shouting, ‘hum, kum, cum, pum…’ No one understands him. Everyone knows English, Bengali, and other languages, but no one can understand that tripuṇḍra dhārī’s Sanskrit.”

The headmaster strongly ordered Rādhikā Caraṇa and the other boys to go to Sanskrit class from then on. The next day, Rādhikā Caraṇa shaved his head and left a big śikhā. He wore tripuṇḍra tilaka and sat at the first table of the class. He had told the other boys also to come with shaved heads and to shake their śikhās, whirling them around their heads, while they spoke to the teacher. He instructed them to all put on tripuṇḍra tilaka and to tease the teacher by calling out to him, “O Paṇḍitajī! O Paṇḍitajī!”

When the Sanskrit teacher arrived at the classroom he immediately noticed that there were many students and even Rādhikā Caraṇa was present there. They called out, “O Paṇḍitajī, O Paṇḍitajī.”

“Very nice,” thought the Sanskrit teacher.

The boys teased the Paṇḍitajī, saying, “Paṇḍitajī, we have learned your Sanskrit—hum, kum, cum, dum, mum?” The Paṇḍita laughed at the ridicule, and went to complain to the headmaster. The headmaster came to the classroom and also laughed to see the student’s appearance. He said to Rādhikā Caraṇa, “You are a very naughty boy.” Rādhikā Caraṇa did not answer. He was a very good student and attended all the classes nicely. But whenever he saw that teacher with the tripuṇḍra tilaka, he was sure to tease him.

A while later, Narottamānanda Prabhu, who later became Bhakti Kamala Madhusūdana Mahārāja, and other members of the Gauḍīya-maṭha, came to Rādhikā Caraṇa’s village. It was just before Navadvīpa-dhāma parikramā. The gauḍīya sādhus heard about Rādhikā Caraṇa’s family and how they were owners of a factory and were very powerful. The gauḍīya bhaktas came to stay at that garden house of Rādhikā Caraṇa’s home.

In the morning, the devotees did nagara saṅkīrtana and that evening, Rādhikā Caraṇa came with his student friends to speak with Narottamānanda Prabhu. Narottamānanda Prabhu was a great scholar.

Narottamānanda Prabhu spoke powerful hari-kathā to them, which lasted late into the night. Rādhikā Caraṇa first challenged Narottamānanda Prabhu, saying, “What is the difference between you and other sādhus? There are so many sādhus that come. The only business of sādhus is to collect money from here and there from the able members of society. You sādhus are like vultures, who go where there are dead bodies, thinking they can get money by being kīrtanīyas during processions for the deceased. At least the Rāma Kṛṣṇa Mission supports the public, and arranges for their welfare.”

Narottamānanda Prabhu said, “The Rāma Kṛṣṇa Mission only focuses on the body and its maintenance, but we are solely interested in the welfare and progress of the soul. The Rāma Kṛṣṇa Mission externally make a show of helping people, but they only make people more and more materially diseased. But the help we offer gives eternal benefit, establishing one in his spiritual form in the supremely blissful reality.”

“What is your evidence?” Rādhikā Caraṇa asked.

Narottamānanda Prabhu described Vaiṣṇava tattva, and how the gauḍīya sādhus are connected to svarūpa-śakti. He described that the gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas connection to svarūpa-śakti empowers them to be able to transform the conditioned souls from their miserable state in material existence to their true nature as loving servants of God.

Later, after being convinced by many hours of discussion, Rādhikā Caraṇa asked,
“Can you show me someone who has this power to transform someone?”

“Come to Navadvīpa-dhāma,” Śrīla Narottamānanda Prabhu said, “Where Śrīla Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja, the ācārya of our Gauḍīya Vedānta Samiti, is present. He is a perfected being, and has the power to transform the whole world.”

Rādhikā Caraṇa listened until 11 p.m. After hari-kathā, they all had prasāda with Narottamānanda Prabhu. The next day, Rādhikā Caraṇa and his friends accompanied Narottamānanda Prabhu and the devotees on nagara saṅkīrtana.

After nagara saṅkīrtana, Rādhikā Caraṇa asked Narottamānanda Prabhu, “Why do you go here and there collecting rice? My family has so much rice. We have many potatoes and pumpkins and everything. The mice feast on our stockpiles of rice. Just tell me how much rice you need.”

“For parikramā we will need to collect a total of 10, 000 kilos of rice.”

“That is not so much. I can arrange it all easily. I will give you everything in our storehouse, and more, if needed.”

When his family heard this, they thought that the sādhus had brainwashed him. Rādhikā Caraṇa declared that he would give the devotees one truckload of rice, one of pumpkin, and one of potatoes. His family, however, were very strange. His father, mother and grandfather forbade him to give anything to the devotees.

They said to the devotees, “Leave this village and don’t come here again.”

Rādhikā Caraṇa said to them, “You say I am your dear eldest son, and that everything that is yours is mine. But now I have no adhikāra for any of our property? Alright. You keep your things and enjoy. I am not with you.”

And so for the first time Śrīla Trivikrama Mahārāja felt a sense of bitterness towards his family. “They are acting against me,” he felt and became sad.

Śrīla Mahārāja owned a beautiful gold watch and chain. He sold these in the market and gave all the money he got in exchange to the devotees from Navadvīpa. His family found out about this and confronted the sādhus saying, “You are making our son crazy. You are taking all his money by trickery!”

Śrīla Mahārāja said, “I sold my own things for the devotees by my own desire.”

This further angered his family and he argued with them for a long time.

From that day he realized something of the selfishness that fills this world. The so-called fathers, mothers, sisters, and brothers of this material plane are very loving and affectionate if you facilitate their worldly desires. But then if you ever act in a way contrary to their bodily comfort they call you useless and see you as an enemy. Their mentality is that if you want to follow the devotees of the Lord then you are bogus and foolish.

Śrīla Trivikrama Mahārāja was ready to offer the devotees all the money that was in his bank account in Kolkata, but before he could do this, his family contacted the bank and told them not to allow the withdrawal for he was too young to make such a decision.

At that time he had just finished his school final, and was now about to start College. He was very sad about his families’ mood toward the devotees that visited. By some means or another he acquired some profits from the family factory and gave a donation to the sādhus. He remained in contact with the sādhus as much as possible.

His parents forcibly got him married, but even after marriage he did not stay in the house, saying that it was necessary to do business. He went to places like Assām and Gauhati, collected large amounts of wood and products including a sewing machine and sent it all in secret to the temple in Navadvīpa, from which those devotees had come.

Rādhikā Caraṇa’s family created more and more problems. They told him to have faith in the Rāma Kṛṣṇa Mission, where they shave their heads, wear sādhu’s attire, but are worse sinners than Rāvaṇa. They urged him not to trust the vegetarian sādhus and to believe in the non-veg sādhus of the Rāma Kṛṣṇa Mission.

Rādhikā Caraṇa’s grandfather had said that he himself would serve Śrīmatī Rādhārānī, and would also offer the firstborn son to the family. But Rādhārānī and the temple in Varsānā had been forgotten and all support was going to the Rāma Kṛṣṇa Mission.

Rādhikā Caraṇa was troubled by this. After a while, he was able to meet with Param Gurudeva, after which he renounced everything and came to live in the temple. He said, “These family men are so selfish. I worked hard for their benefit, but all they did is steal my blood. Then they did not let me do anything that I wished to do. Nothing they have is for sādhus. Nothing for guru; everything is only for their self-destructive motives.”

When Rādhikā Caraṇa joined the temple, Param Gurudeva gave him the name Rādhānātha dāsa, and gave him all responsibility of managing the temple. Śrīla Gurudeva was like Param Gurudeva’s darling son, while Śrīla Trivikrama Mahārāja’s role and nature was strong, unshakable, and fearless.

His family came to Navadvīpa and tried to force him to return. They even brought the British police and threatened Param Gurudeva and the brahmacārīs in the temple.

They said, “Give us back our son.”

“I did not ask him to come here,” Param Gurudeva said.

Śrīla Trivikrama Mahārāja said, “I am here of my own will, and I will not leave.”
His family left his wife there, and she put her things in a room in the temple. Śrīla Trivikrama Mahārāja stayed outside. He never spoke to her or had any dealings with her in any way. She remained in that room, not drinking or eating. One day she went to him and said, “If you do not accept me, then I will set fire to myself and give up my life.”

“Good,” Trivikrama Mahārāja said. “If you bring the kerosene, I have the matches.”

She tried very hard and in many ways to have him accept her. She even gave up eating. After some time, she went home. Shortly after this, she passed away. Mahārāja did not care. He was happy.

Śrīla Trivikrama Mahārāja was ready to fight when necessary, and he even argued at times with Param Gurudeva. Śrīla Trivikrama Mahārāja was very serious. If he did not understand or agree with something, he did not do it.

My Guru Mahārāja remained peaceful and silent. Whatever was going on or being said, he remained undisturbed. He was brahma-bhūta prasannātmā. But everything about Rādhānātha brahmacārī was strong—from top to bottom. Param Gurudeva was very happy with him. It was like his own svarūpa that served Prabhupāda so expertly in Māyāpura was manifested in the form of his disciple Śrī Rādhānātha Brahmacārī.

Param Gurudeva said, “I understand that my Guru Mahārāja has very mercifully sent you to me. I was also very strong and dangerous in my days of service in Māyāpura, but this was for bhajana, bhakti, and the bhaktas, not for the ordinary people.”

Śrīla Trivikrama Mahārāja sternly ordered the brahmacārīs to become qualified in knowledge of śāstra and practical matters. “All must be qualified,” he said. “All must go on pracāra.” He himself went all over India preaching. He challenged the misconceptions so prominent with the people in general, and the harmful philosophy of the māyāvādīs and śūnyavādīs.

On one side there were these māyāvādīs and śūnyavādīs, and on the other side the Bhaktivedantas. Śrīla Trivikrama Mahārāja taught that the meaning of vedānta is not advaita-vāda, absolute monism. Wherever Param Gurudeva went for preaching, he would have Śrīla Trivikrama Mahārāja speak first.

Once in Assām, on the day of Rādhāṣṭamī, Param Gurudeva was holding a festival and giving class on the glories of Śrīmatī Rādhārānī, when the followers of Hankaradeva, who taught that Kṛṣṇa should be worshiped but not Rādhārānī, angrily dissented to the glorification of Śrīmatī Rādhārānī, and began throwing stones at the devotees.

“Who is this Rādhā?” they shouted.

Śrīla Trivikrama Mahārāja shouted, “Alright, you want to throw stones? I will help you. However much you throw, I can throw more. What are your questions? What are your challenges? Let your leaders sit on the stage with me and ask all their questions.”

This was agreed, and when the leaders ascended the stage, Trivikrama Mahārāja said to the crowd, “Now throw your stones.”

Śrīla Trivikrama Mahārāja had already made sure that Param Gurudeva and the others devotees were sheltered in a safe place. It was like the incident where Param Gurudeva protected Prabhupāda from the aggressors in Paramatāla. In the same way, Śrīla Trivikrama Mahārāja fearlessly risked his life and dealt with an entire group of attackers, thus protecting his Gurudeva and the devotees.

The leaders asked their questions to Śrīla Trivikrama Mahārāja. A discussion of kṛṣṇa-tattva and Rādhā-tattva took place. Mahārāja answered all their questions with many quotations from śāstra.

He then said, “Does your body have any blood?”

“Yes,” the leaders replied.

“If I take away all your blood, will your body work?”

“No,” they said.

“Similarly, Parabrahma has śakti, as the sun and the wind have śakti. Do you believe this?”

“Yes,” they said.

“What is that śakti’s form?” Mahārāja asked. He then explained, “A governor, from wherever he is, gives an order and in that order is power. That order can make thousands of people act. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa maintains everyone by His śakti. His śakti has form, and She is Śrīmatī Rādhārānī.”

He said:

devī kṛṣṇamayī proktā
rādhikā para-devatā
sarva-lakṣmīmayī sarva-
kāntiḥ sammohinī parā

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā 4.90

[Śrī Rādhikā is the Supreme Goddess (para-devatā), the exclusive abode of Kṛṣṇa’s loving pastimes (Devī), and the shelter of all goddesses of fortune (Mahā-Lakṣmī). She is the most beautiful. Her inside and outside are nothing but Kṛṣṇa, and She is incessantly absorbed in Kṛṣṇa. She is the embodiment of all splendor, and is the enchantress of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s heart.]

He also quoted many other verses from śāstra. Mahārāja spoke on Rādhā tattva for three or four hours. By the end, Hankaradeva’s followers were changed, and that place became favorable and a good preaching outpost for the Gauḍīya Vedānta Samīti.

Pūjyapāda Trivikrama Mahārāja was not only very strong, but also full of so much knowledge. He would ask questions during the classes of his God brothers. If he was not satisfied by the answers he would say, “Did you come to this temple simply to eat, sleep, and enjoy? You waste your time and energy, therefore, you will receive strong punishment. The svarūpa-śakti that is with the sādhus is a very powerful gift. If you do not use this śakti for Kṛṣṇa, you will be paralyzed. Kṛṣṇa will not give you any power. Any śakti you have, use it for service, for helping others.”

Śrīla Trivikrama Mahārāja was skilled in all areas of work. He knew electrical work, how to repair watches and clocks, and made clothes with his own hand. Every morning, after kīrtana and class, he travelled 30 kilometers for bhikṣā. He collected house to house and came back at 3 p.m., having collected some small donations, grains, vegetables, and fruits. How would he cook? In the spring season, when all the mango leaves and jackfruit leaves fell, he would gather them and pack them in bags. These leaves, as well as coconut leaves and dried cow dung, were used as fuel for the fire. When the rice was half boiled he would have it taken off the fire, saying, “It will cook automatically.” He gave only one match to light the fire. If you could not light the fire with one match, he would beat you. Sometimes, he would make the brahmacārīs light the fire to cook by going to a neighbor’s fire with a piece of paper, and then bringing this back for their fire. He would not waste anything. You would be surprised to see this.

He was knowledgeable with medicine. He would give out homeopathic medicine to the ill, for it was cheap and slow acting. He would say, “When you suffer, you can understand how much pain you have given others and you will learn not to give pain to anyone. This punishment is for your purification. Without it, you would remain proud and never change.”

He gave classes on the Bhāgavatam and other granthas. He would explain three or four verses and then asked if the listeners had understood. If you said ‘yes’, he would have you stand up and repeat what he said. If you did not understand the verses, he would say that you had to learn it by tomorrow. The next day, he would remain on those verses, until everyone who came to the class understood. When anyone repeated the meanings a little wrong, he would scold them, whoever they were.

He never stopped his classes. He said, “I am not speaking to cheat you. Accept my words. If you do not accept these words, then this activity is useless. If you do not memorize these things, then how will hari-kathā help you?”

When he would return to the temple from bhikṣā, he would ring the bell on his bicycle. The temple, Śrī Uddhāraṇa Gauḍīya-maṭha, was very old and the walls that were made from small stone bricks had many holes that served as homes for mongooses, and other animals. Hearing the ringing of his bell, they would all come to him. There were mongooses, squirrels, pigeons, mice, cats, and dogs. The mongooses would climb on his body and sniff him. Mahārāja would open his bag and take out the few pieces of sandeśa, rasagullas, and other sweets that people gave him. He would never take these things himself. He would carry them all the way back and then give them in charity to the animals.

The mongooses liked sandeśa. Śrīla Trivikrama Mahārāja fed all the eager mongooses the sandeśa and they would become satisfied and leave. They did not wait for more. All knew when it was their turn. After, Śrīla Mahārāja took some grains and seeds out for the pigeons and when they were satisfied they would go back to their nests.

The mice, being afraid of the cats, would peak out of their holes momentarily and then dart back inside. Mahārāja would go up to their holes and give them something also. After the mice were the cats. Mahārāja would give them a little milk and rice in small bowls. Mahārāja fed the dogs also. He also had cows. He had love for all beings.

Śrīla Mahārāja was very serious. If you broke any of bhakti’s rules and regulations in his presence, he would be unable to tolerate it. Sometimes, in that old temple with many resident creatures, after bhoga was offered to Gaura- Nityānanda, some mongooses or squirrels would steal a rasagullā or sweet. Noticing that something was missing from Ṭhākurajī’s plate, Mahārāja would say, “Hey, who stole Ṭhākurajī’s bhoga?”

He told the pūjārī, “Why were you so careless? Did you eat it?”

He used to come for Vraja-maṇḍala parikramā during Kārtika. He would bring many things with him for the temple. He brought mam kocu, banana flower, coconuts, broomsticks, and other things, in small amounts. He would carry this with him all the way from Bengal, and then look to see if it was offered and properly used for service or not. He would check to see if these things were used for the service of guru and the Vaiṣṇavas, or if they were neglected. If these things were neglected, he would become very disturbed.

Service must be serious. Harināma must be chanted seriously. Do everything seriously. This is bhakti. This is bhajana. Śrīla Trivikrama Mahārāja taught this.

Sometimes, while Śrīla Gurudeva was giving class, Śrīla Trivikrama Mahaja would steal the microphone and begin to speak himself. People would be surprised and sometimes upset, saying, “We have come to hear from Gurudeva, but he is not giving Gurudeva the chance to speak.” But he did this because he knew that Śrīla Gurudeva’s health was not good, and that if he spoke too long he would become tired. He had so much love for Śrīla Gurudeva.

Once, in 1988, Śrīla Trivikrama Mahārāja came to Vraja-maṇḍala parikramā. When he arrived, he saw that Śrīla Gurudeva was not there. He asked the brahmacārīs, “Where is Mahārāja? You are here eating and sleeping, and you do not even know where Mahārāja is? You are that careless?”

I replied that Gurudeva was in seclusion on one of the ISKCON sannyāsī’s property in Vṛndāvana, because the government was searching for him to arrest him. Gurudeva had been on an arrest list as a leading sādhu who was against the government policy.

Śrīla Trivikrama Mahārāja was very angry. His strong affection for his godbrother was apparent.

Śrīla Trivikrama Mahārāja said, “Today, you must all go out and find out where Mahārāja is. If you do not find him, you will not be allowed back in the temple. You are just eating and sleeping here, without any respect or love for the Vaiṣṇavas. Everyone get out!”

The brahmacārīs went here and there. They found that Gurudeva had been staying at Tamāla Kṛṣṇa Mahārāja’s Gaura-Nitāi House, where he was secretly translating and giving classes to some ISKCON sannyāsīs. A little later, however, they had taken Mahārāja to Bombay when he fell ill.

We reported back to Śrīla Trivikrama Mahārāja, and he told me, “Go to Bombay at once.”

Śrīla Trivikrama Mahārāja said, “Hey! Do not neglect him! Go! Arrange for his treatment.” Śrīla Trivikrama Mahārāja had somehow saved up some of his humble collection. He gave this and sent me to Bombay. When I arrived in Bombay, I learnt that Gurudeva was sick and had been admitted into the hospital.

In Bombay, Śrīla Gurudeva underwent an operation and came back to Vraja some weeks later. When he returned to Vraja, Śrīla Trivikrama Mahārāja embraced him with tears flowing from his eyes. Outside, he was hard like a rock. But how soft his heart was!

When Rūpa-Sanātana Gauḍīya-maṭha was to be constructed, Śrīla Gurudeva had no money, so Śrīla Trivikrama went to the bank and told the banker there to give him money from his former wife’s account. It had been almost fifty years since his wife departed, but Mahārāja went to the bank and said, “My wife has gold and money in a locker here. I have come to take it.”

“Your wife?” said the bankers. “You are a sādhu, a sannyāsī. What do you mean ‘your wife?’ What evidence do you have that she is your wife?”

“I said it, and that is my evidence!” Śrīla Trivikrama Mahārāja had the bankers contact his previous family, and when they validated his claim, they opened the locker and gave him everything inside. Śrīla Trivikrama Mahārāja brought this wealth straight to Śrīla Gurudeva in Mathurā.

Śrīla Gurudeva wept and said, “Aho, I was wondering how I would be able to build this temple.”

The gold that Śrīla Trivikrama Mahārāja gave was sold and Rūpa-Sanātana Gauḍīya-maṭha’s construction was able to start.

I once accompanied Śrīla Trivikrama Mahārāja to visit his sister. Her name is māyā, and she was very broad and tall. She had her own factory in Kolkata.

Mahārāja said, “Calo! She will give something.”

Māyā was very happy to see her brother, who being a sannyāsī almost never visited her. She greeted him respectfully along with all her children and servants. She looked like Pūtanā. She was dark and enormous. She gave a lot of money to Śrīla Trivikrama Mahārāja.

She came many times to Mathurā, and later took harināma from Śrīla Gurudeva.

Once, Śrīla Trivikrama Mahārāja’s nephew became quite sick and was unable to give his board paper for a BSC in university. He requested that he be given permission to turn in this paper when he was well again. But the board did not allow this. Mahārāja’s nephew was very disturbed. He had 30 acres of land with many mango trees. He went there and hung himself from one of the trees. His father looked all over for him and could not find him for many days. Some days later, the gardener found the young man hanging in the tree being eaten by birds.

When Trivikrama Mahārāja heard about this, he said, “What did you expect? You never give one coin to the sādhus. Therefore, your whole family will be destroyed.”

I was there when he said this to his former family members. The whole family was crying and very upset. It was like he created a big scene of Mahābhārata there. He spoke so strongly to them. Finally, the family agreed that if they didn’t give him something, he would not leave. They said that they would all come to Vṛndāvana and give a donation.

“No!” he exclaimed. “Give now! What will you do? Your son is dead. You are old. What will you do? Give something to the sādhus!” They gave and Mahārāja brought their donation to Śrīla Gurudeva. Śrīla Gurudeva would collect everything and give it to my guru Mahārāja. During Navadvīpa parikramā, Śrīla Gurudeva would give any praṇāmī that came to him to my guru Mahārāja. The three of them had such faith, love, and attachment for each other. They were not separate from one another.

Today is Śrīla Trivikrama Mahārāja’s vyāsa-pūjā. But how is this possible? He has no disciples. He is the śikṣā-guru of the world. On the birthday of Śrīla Trivikrama Mahārāja, at Devānanda Gauḍīya-maṭha, my guru Mahārāja ordered the brahmacārīs, “Hey! Get everything ready. Prepare the feast, program, and paraphernalia for vyāsa-pūjā.”

If Trivikrama Mahārāja was not there, my Guru Mahārāja would send offerings to him wherever he was.

My Guru Mahārāja would arrange the vyāsa-pūjā of Śrīla Gurudeva also. He had so much respect. If we do not learn this respect, then there can be no vyāsa-pūjā.

Now, we follow our own birthdays, but we say there is no need to follow guru and Vaiṣṇavas. My Guru Mahārāja showed all his disciples the kind of respect that we must give the Vaiṣṇavas.

In his last days, Mahārāja said to me, “I have never gone to Ambikā-kālnā, Kaṭvā, or any of these other places for darśana. Can you arrange a way for me to go?”

“What shall I arrange?” I asked.

“Arrange a three-wheeler auto-rickshaw,” he said.

“You will go all the way to Kaṭvā in a three-wheeler?” I said. “Okay, don’t worry. I will make arrangements.”

I arranged a TATA Sumo for him. It cost 5 lakhs in those days for a good quality one. He had a sevaka that knew how to drive. Śrīla Mahārāja went for darśana and, to my amazement, collected bhikṣā there also. He went from house to house, saying, “Hey! Give to the temple!”

He went to the house of one of my godbrothers, who had two sons of ten and twelve years old. When Mahārāja came, they served him by giving him a seat, doing his ārati, offering puṣpāñjali, and giving him prasādam.

“Hey!” Mahārāja said to the two boys, “Do you know any kīrtanas?”

They shook their heads no. Mahārāja called their parents, “Come here.” They came.

“Why do you keep these two goats in your home? Why do you feed them? Kick them out or sell them in the market! They do not know any of our gauḍīya bhajanas. They do not know any prayers. What kind of life is this? Wherever one goes, he should not remain silent. At the time of service, worship, and giving in charity, one must not be silent. These kīrtanas and prayers should be remembered and recited. These two goats do not know Vaiṣṇava vandanā, Guru vandanā, or anything. They are rascals!”

Everyone in the family was scared. “Mahārāja, Mahārāja,” they said, “They will learn. We promise. They are very busy. They go to English school—”

“English school!” snapped Śrīla Trivikrama Mahārāja. “Are they Christians?” He was further angered.

“I will not eat or drink anything at your house!” he declared, and stood to leave. They caught hold of his feet and begged for forgiveness.

“Mahārāja,” said the father, “I will teach them everything. I will teach them kīrtana and Vaiṣṇava etiquette. I promise.”

“Yes.” said Mahārāja. “Good. But I will only eat at your house when they sing our kīrtanas and pray.” He went to another house.

A little later, Śrīla Trivikrama Mahārāja said to me, “Buy me a small piece of land on the bank of the Gaṅgā.”

“Why?” I questioned, “We have a big temple.”

I asked my Guru Mahārāja and Śrīla Gurudeva what to do, and they said, “We will make two new rooms for him in the Navadvīpa Temple.”

Śrīla Gurudeva made two rooms and asked Śrīla Trivikrama Mahārāja to stay there and not look outside. Trivikrama Mahārāja, however, said, “I will not go in a hodge-podge center with everyone. I am separate.”

At the time, I did not understand his mood. But he told me to buy the land. I somehow arranged the money in Mathurā with the help of some brahmacārīs and sent it to him for this purpose. With what I sent, he was able to go by airplane to the bank of the Gaṅgā and purchase the land. No one knew why he bought the land.

Once, after he had bought the small piece of land, my Guru Mahārāja became sick, and Śrīla Trivikrama Mahārāja went to check on him in the hospital. Once he came there, however, he too fell ill. Śrīla Gurudeva went there also to have darśana of both God brothers, and he also became sick once there. Now the three of them were in beds in the hospital. Everyone thought that the three of them would now leave the planet at the same time. They were in three different Kolkata hospitals. It seemed that they were all three going to leave. But in the end, the three of them left the Hospital well again.

How close they were. My Guru Mahārāja entered nitya-līlā on Śrīla Trivikrama Mahārāja’s disappearance day; and Śrīla Gurudeva followed them both into nitya-līlā on the day of my guru Mahārāja’s vyāsa-pūjā. Because of this, these days will be definitely celebrated by everyone.

Śrīla Trivikrama Mahārāja entered nitya-līlā in Devānanda Gauḍīya-maṭha, by the mandira, while kīrtana and kathā was going on. He instructed that he be put in samādhi in his own land that he purchased on the bank of the Gaṅgā. The land we bought was adjacent to the Vedānta Samīti land where sannyāsīs and exalted Vaiṣṇavas were placed in samādhi, one next to the other. Śrīla Trivikrama Mahārāja did not want to stay in such a manner, in close quarters with all the other samādhis, so he requested a separate piece of land to be bought, and this is where he remains to this day.

Now look, to this day, his samādhi temple is not complete; and also Śrīla Gurudeva’s samādhi temple is not complete. How close their relationship is. Śrīla Gurudeva tried very hard to make Śrīla Trivikrama Mahārāja’s samādhi temple. He told me many times, “Make his samādhi temple like Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī’s samādhi temple in Vṛndāvana.”

Śrīla Gurudeva is making his own līlā, because Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Trivikrama Gosvāmī Mahārāja’s samādhi is not done. Many have neglected him, but Śrīla Gurudeva is not neglecting him. Śrīla Gurudeva’s samādhi is not being made yet, because he wants that first his senior God brother has his samādhi, and then his own will be done.

I have tried so hard many times, requesting that we be allowed to build on that land, and to buy it off of the present authorities in the Vedānta Samīti. I reminded them that I had bought the land for Mahārāja and I even offered 10 times the present price of the land, but they refused.

Now we see, that after all these years, his samādhi is not complete and it is also impossible to make anything for Śrīla Gurudeva also. Why? This is because of the respect these God brothers have for each other.

Each of them would become so happy when the other two were properly respected and worshiped. Their friendship was very sweet. They would sit together to eat. I had the chance to serve them at such times whether it was a program in Mathurā or during Vraja-maṇḍala parikramā. Especially during parikramā, I was able to see the great love they had for one another. Now these things are only cherished in memory. But if one follows their example, their life of dedication, one can also become an aśulka dāsikā, unpaid servant of the Guru-varga. One’s life will then be free of all selfishness. No one will say, “This is not my disciple. This is not my follower. He belongs to another.” These three pillars of Param Gurudeva’s Samīti never thought like this. They gave us so much care. They taught us everything very seriously. They did not neglect us.

Now, nobody cares for anyone. Therefore, there is no chastisement, and no punishment. All can do as they like. Everyone is careless. But in their time, the Samīti was very strong. Misbehavior was not tolerated, and everyone was protected and cared for. The society was strong. Now there are no guardians. Therefore, we are all orphans. One thing, however, is for certain. If we pray to them and if they give us their mercy, then everyone can be serious and strong. We will have desire to do bhajana. Without seriousness, bhajana is not possible. Bhajana is not so easy.

–Harikatha of Premananda Prabhu, penned by Rasik Mohan das
Источник: https://bhakta.org/2022/01/29/the-glories-of-srila-bhaktivedanta-tr...

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18 Jan 2023
Wednesday
Dvādaśī *03:51, K, Sunrise-Set 07:01-18:12, Anurādhā 07:54, Tithi hari-kathā
+Jyeṣṭha nakṣatra up to *05:49
+ŚUDDHA EKĀDAŚĪ VRATA: FASTING FOR Ṣaṭ-tilā EKĀDAŚĪ
+Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Trivikrama Mahārāja ~ Appearance
SRILA BHAKTIVEDANTA TRIVIKRAMA MAHARAJA
Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja

[This year, 2016, the appearance day of Srila Trivikrama Maharaja is February 5, in India. Please accept this lecture that Srila Gurudeva gave in Varsana, the year of his disappearance in 2002: Listen]
I offer my humble obeisances unto the lotus feet of my Gurudeva, Nitya-lila-pravista Om Visnupada Sri Srimad Bhaktiprajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja, to all the Vaisnavas, and to Sri Gauranga. By the causeless mercy of Sri Guru and Gauranga, the first fifteen days of our niyama-seva Kartika-vrata have passed without a problem; it passed sweetly and happily. Today, however, we received very sad news. In Sri Caitanya-aritamrta Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked Srila Raya Ramananda: duhkha-madhye kona duhkha haya gurutara? krsna-bhakta-viraha vina duhkha nahi dekhi para [Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked, “Of all kinds of distress, what is the most painful?” Sri Ramananda Raya replied, “Apart from separation from the devotee of Krsna, I know of no unbearable unhappiness.” (Madhya-lila, 8.248)] Sri Mahaprabhu asked Sri Raya Ramananda, “What is the worst type of suffering?” Sri Ramananda Raya replied, “Vaisnava-viraha.” Para means the highest or greatest. The greatest or most grievous suffering is Vaisnava-viraha, separation from pure Vaisnavas. After the disappearance of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada, my Gurudeva, Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja, along with a few others, established the Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti; and Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja was one of the founding members. Gurudeva had already taken sannyasa and had been preaching for a long time, but now he established the new Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti’s headquarters in Navadvipa and began preaching through the Samiti.
As Krsna is bhakta-vatsalya, very affectionate to His devotees, Sri Guru is sisya-vatsalya, very affectionate to his disciples. After some time, some of Guru Maharaja’s god-brothers saw his sisya-vatsalya, which was more affectionate than the most loving father could be to his son. These god-brothers could not reconcile this, because previously they had been the objects of all his affection. Hurt, most of them left Guru Maharaja, and only a few stayed with him. Guru Maharaja had three pillars of devotion – three prominent sevakas. Parama-pujyapada Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Vamana Maharaja, Parama-pujyapada Sri Srimad Trivikrama Maharaja and I began to serve him totally, with our lives and souls, taking our lives in our hands [an Indian expression meaning “ready to risk our lives”]. From the very beginning, Pujyapada Vamana Maharaja, Pujyapada Trivikrama Maharaja and I were made the three pillars of the Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti by my Guru Maharaja. At that time Srila Pariyataka Maharaja was not with us; he joined after some time.
Srila Vamana Maharaja, especially, served Srila Guru Maharaja in so many ways. He was the publisher of our Gaudiya Patrika monthly magazine and many other literatures. He was also the “scribe” of Guru Maharaja’s dictations for his correspondence, articles, and books. Even before I joined, when I was a police officer and had never personally met Guru Maharaja, he would write to me with great love and affection. He would dictate his letters, addressing me as Tiwariji because I came from a high-class brahmana family with the surname Tiwari, and Srila Vamana Maharaja would write down his words. Then, after I joined and until I was initiated, Pujyapada Vamana Maharaja would also call me “Tiwariji”. Srila Vamana Maharaja was like the mother of the Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti. He took care of everyone in the Matha and supplied whatever anyone needed, like prasadam, clothing, and so on.
As for Srila Trivikrama Maharaja, he was very, very qualified. Our Guru Maharaja was in charge of publications, and he put Srila Trivikrama Maharaja in charge of organizing all the preaching, and his services included sending other preachers to various districts of Bengal. Srila Trivikrama Maharaja would personally go collecting and preaching, especially in the district of Bardavan, and Guru Maharaja did a great deal of preaching in Midnapura, Chaubis Parganas, and other places.
When I first joined, Parama-pujyapada Srila Trivikrama Maharaja showed me even more familial affection than did Srila Vamana Maharaja. Our Guru Maharaja placed me in his hands, and we became very close. It was Srila Trivikrama Maharaja who taught me how to perform kirtana, how to preach, and how to collect donations. Sometimes, in a very loving way, he would also rebuke me. In all the years that I spent with Guru Maharaja I was never rebuked by him, but with so much love and affection Srila Trivikrama Maharaja used to do so. We had such a close connection that sometimes our discussions would become very heated; I would counter his arguments and he would counter mine, and our Guru Maharaja would kindly support me by taking my side. Srila Trivikrama Maharaja used to preach all over India, and when he would go to preach with our Guru Maharaja. I would go with them as Guru Maharaja’s sevaka. I would massage him, cook for him, wash his cloths, carry a lantern for him because there was no electricity at that time, and I performed many other services. Sometimes I made mistakes, and at those times Srila Trivikrama Maharaja would protect me. For some time it was a regular procedure that in each village, along with his lectures, Guru Maharaja would present a slide show depicting Caitanya Mahaprabhu and other great personalities. I once forgot to bring the slide projector and when I realized this, I was in great anxiety that Gurudeva would be upset with me. Srila Trivikrama asked me what was wrong and when I told him he said, “Don’t worry. I will handle the matter. I will take care of everything for you.” Later on, when our Guru Maharaja was ready to give his lecture and slide show presentation, he asked Srila Trivikrama Maharaja, “So, is everything ready?” Trivikrama Maharaja replied, “Oh, today is a very cloudy day and it may rain. If you also show the slides, the program will take a long time. The rain may come and everyone will leave before you have completed your class.” Guru Maharaja asked him, “Then what should I do?” Trivikrama Maharaja replied, “Why not just give the class?” And Guru Maharaja was satisfied to do that. Years later, Srila Trivikrama Maharaja reminded me of this incident and asked me if I remembered it. I said, “Yes!” and we happily and tightly embraced one another.
Guru Maharaja entered nitya-lila in October of 1968, but internally he is always looking after us and encouraging us. Externally, Srila Trivikrama Maharaja took the place of my Gurudeva in the sense that he encouraged me in all activities. When I began preaching in the West and writing and translating books there, I would write to Parama-pujyapada Srila Vamana Maharaja, Srila Trivikrama Maharaja, Srila Pariyataka Maharaja, and others for advice – because they are very qualified preachers. Srila Trivikrama Maharaja would reply my letters without delay. He would encourage me and inspire me to write more books and to preach all over the world. Pujyapada Vamana Maharaja is the present acarya of the Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti and he was very busy with many grave responsibilities. He was always very happy with my preaching, but sometimes he was sick and therefore he could not always answer my letters. Pujyapada Trivikrama Maharaja, on the other hand, usually remained in one place, and he always replied without delay; I cannot forget him. I consider both Bhaktivedanta Vamana Maharaja and Bhaktivedanta Trivikrama Maharaja to be my siksa-gurus. They supported, nourished and inspired me, so much so that I cannot express my feelings in words; but Pujyapada Trivikrama Maharaja’s familial love for me was even greater than that of Pujyapada Vamana Maharaja. We used to sleep together, quarrel together over philosophy, and we loved each other in so many ways.
Sometimes we presented different ideas and we countered each other’s arguments, but he greatly honored me. Although I was giving honor to him as a siksa-guru, sometimes, in his last days, he used to offer me sastang pranama. He even used to offer pranamas to my sandals when I was not present before him. No one else could have done this; he was so polite and humble. He was a senior Vaisnava in all respects and he could help the entire world, but he used to write me, “We cannot do the services you are doing for Gurudeva, so I especially favor you and praise you. May you preach for a long time. May you write and publish many books.”
We have lost one of the pillars of the Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti today, but I feel some relief knowing that he left during this Kartika month, during niyama-seva-vrata, and that he was in Navadvipa Dhama. Also, he left at the time of amrta-yoga, an auspicious time of the day according to the movement of the sun and moon, and it was also tritiya-tithi, one of the most auspicious days of the month. He inspired us to observe Annakuta Mahotsava, Dipavali, and Vhatri-dvitiya [Yamaraja and Yamuna devi are brother and sister. Yamuna devi was upset that so many conditioned souls were being punished by her brother and sent to Hell. Desiring to help those souls, she told him, “I want people to have an opportunity to become free from your punishments.” Yamaraja replied, “I am therefore giving a boon that anyone who takes bath in your waters on the auspicious day of Vhatri-dvitiya will be delivered from sinful reactions.] Internally, in my heart, Srila Trivikrama Maharaja told me that he would leave this world after we observe those festivals; it was a wonderful thing. Otherwise, if he had left before, we would have been absorbed in thoughts and activities in relation to him, and we would not have been able to properly observe those important holy functions.
Now, being the representative of you all, I am offering my heartfelt puspanjali at his lotus feet. I think that he has been placed in Samadhi today. Where is he now? He will be in Navadvipa Dhama or Vraja Dhama. He was always especially inclined towards Mahaprabhu in Navadvipa Dhama, and therefore I think that he is there. I pray for all of us that he will be very merciful to me, and to all of you, and that he will inspire us and give us blessings so that we can try to serve Gurudeva and do bhajana as he did.
Parama-pujyapada Trivikrama Maharaja Ki Jaya!
The disappearance day of Pujyapada Srila Trivikrama Maharaja ki jaya!
Gaura premanande