H.H. Sridhar Swami Maharaja :- Offering by H.H. Radhanath Swami

[Guest guest]

Following is the offering made by His Holiness Radhanath Swami Maharaj on

the occasion of disappearance day of His Holiness Sridhar Swami Maharaj.

(14th March 2004, Sunday, Sri Sri Radha Gopinath Mandir, ISKCON Chowpatty)

 

 

Today, the appearance day of Srivas Thakur, one of the members of Panca

Tattva and greatest, most compassionate devotee of Lord Chaitanya in the

holy land of Sri Mayapur Dham, HH Sridhar Swami Maharaj departed from this

mortal world to enter into the eternal pastimes of Srila Prabhupada.

Actually he is always involved in the eternal pastimes of Srila Prabhupada

but we can know that Srila Prabhupada has called him to assist on another

level. Sridhar Maharaj is noted by all the devotees of our society as one of

the most faithful, dedicated associates of Srila Prabhupada. He came to our

movement in the 1960s and from that time without any break or hesitation to

the day he gave up his life air he was immersed in service of Guru and

Krishna, that is a great thing. He was on the first travelling book

distribution party in the history of our society, why, because he understood

that Prabhupada was working so very hard to serve his Guru's instruction to

print books and distribute them. At Radha Kunda Srila Bhaktisiddhanta

Saraswati Thakur told Srila Prabhupada that he should print books and

distribute them. Prabhupada took that order as his life and soul. At that

time book distribution was just beginning but Sridhar Maharaj because of his

love for his Guru Maharaj and his great enthusiasm to serve him and please

him he was on the first travelling book distribution party in the history of

ISKCON. Srila Prabhupada in the very early 70s, late 1960s, he came to India

and send for many of his very senior disciples to assist him. Srila

Prabhupada had already established Krishna Consciousness in many countries

of the world but he personally wanted to take charge of reminding the people

of India of the essence of their lost culture. Sridhar Maharaj wanting to do

what Prabhupada wanted most volunteered to come to India. It was not just

the nectar, there was a nectar of being close to Prabhupada but there was a

very very heavy, difficult price to pay. Poverty, disease, much opposition,

along with Giriraj Maharaj and others he performed tremendous austerities

undeviatingly to serve his Gurudev. His relationship with Prabhupada was

really a very obedient, faithful servant, Prabhupada trusted him as such.

 

In mid 70s he awarded him Sanyasa, he was very young then only into his

twenties and he has maintained his vows in a very wonderful way until the

day he departed from this world. As a Sanyasi he not only preached

dynamically and fearlessly all over India but he also travelled around the

world. May I share with you the first meeting I had with HH Sridhar Maharaj.

I was Bramachari serving as a pujari in the Brahmachari ashram at New

Vrindavan. It was up a 3 or 4 kilometer road of mud through a jungle,

actually thick jungle. I would dress the deity everyday, seven days of week

and there were sliding wooden doors, something like this but there were no

carvings, it was very old wood that would open and close very small and the

Srimad Bhagvatam Class would be at the time when you are dressing deity, in

fact by the time greeting the deities came everyone had already finished

Bhagvatam class, finished Guru puja, finished japa, finished breakfast and

were already walking down the road to do their service. So I never got to

see the class, I would just hear it, there were no microphone, I would just

hear it through the doors, it was very difficult to hear through wooden

doors just listening small temple room, but one day I heard this powerful

voice with such volume and it was such a class, it was a class specifically

for Brahmacharis. In fact he was saying things I could not believe that

anybody could say, you could only give a class like this to an exclusive

brahmachari audience. He really wanted to teach the brahmacharis what

brahmacharya is and he was roaring like a lion and I was wondering who is

that bevause he came in during class and I didn't know who it was and then

after the class I remember looking at Radharani and Vrindavannath and my

hands were trembling as I was trying to dress them as I was listening to the

class. It was humorous and powerful and then I came out after dressing the

deity to serve him prasadam and he was just so enthusiastic to preach, so

enthusiastic to give of everything of himself to inspire devotees. It was a

very very deep impression that I have not and will not forget in life. He

became, later on, president of Juhu, Radharasvihari temple, very very

dynamic and fearless preacher,

 

Sridhar Maharaj was so much thinking globally because that is how Prabhupada

trained him. Although he was preaching he understood that there were so many

talented confident preachers within our movement, but the progress of our

society was so much stifled due to lack of funds so much struggle just to

make ends meet all over the world. So really it was in this spirit of the

servant of the servant of his godbrothers, godsisters and all the leaders of

the society that he really put his energy and time into fund raising. It

wasn't that he is the man concerned with money he was happy living in prison

preaching to prisoners, he was happy living in the swamp of Juhu with

mosquitoes, snakes and rats just preaching to the people building the temple

but he understood that if there is more resources everyone will be more

empowered to preach, so it was to serve and facilitate all the vaishnavas of

our society that he wanted to help support them by having global fund

raising in which every temple will benefit and prosper. Sridhar Maharaj had

a very deep affection for the devotees of Radha Gopinath temple. We have

heard from these wonderful souls about the deep spontaneous loving

relationships that he had with all of us. He was very proud of this temple,

very proud of Bhaktivedanta Hospital, in fact, when he would travel around

the world, it was part of his regular preaching to talk about all of you and

what you are doing here at the temple and at the hospital. He really saw

something very very special in the devotees here and because of that he was

very very eager to come and enthuse us and chastise us and give us

ultimatums, he did not do that everywhere. He did that because he really

loved and trusted the devotees here and how much we will miss his wonderful

association.

 

At one time Sridhar Maharaj convinced me that I must learn Hindi to increase

my preaching. I told Maharaj that I never learnt a second language other

than English in my whole life. And when you are old like this learning a

second language is not easy. "No, No, You come, just give me your

association". So he took me way way up the Himalayas, a place called

Musoorie. There Sridhar Maharaj, Mahanidhi Maharaj and myself were Hindi

students. We would practise on each other. The only difference was he

remembered everything and I forgot. We spent a month together living in a

little shack near the Himalayas. So many wonderful realizations we shared

with one another. And again the consistent quality I saw in him that

anything he did whatever he did was exclusively with the aim of further

pleasing Srila Prabhupada and assisting the Vaishnavas in their preaching.

The reason I didn't remember Hindi is right after I learned and actually I

was speaking, I had to go back to America where I had to deal with about 5

months of very serious problems and they told me that if you don't speak

immediately after you leave everyday you will forget and what they said was

very true. So I was going to America for my service and Sridhar Maharaj told

me that you should come to London with me, I said well I never go to London

I have no business in London I have my service in America, he said "no no

you come to spend two three days with me", so we went on air plane together

we arrived in London and then he told all the devotees to set up all kinds

of preaching programs for me and I did that and ever since that day, one of

my most important efforts in serving Srila Prabhupada's movement has been in

London. I spent almost a month a year in London helping with preaching and

it was Sridhar Maharaj who pushed me into that situation and connected me.

 

Sridhar Maharaj when he had that disease actually established a very

wonderful example, he really fought to maintain his body and his health by

whatever means possible because he yearned to do wonderful things for

Prabhupada. In this world he really wanted to be an instrument of

Prabhupada's compassion to preach. But simultaneously he was utterly

detached whether he lived or died he really did not care, he had no fear of

death but he wanted to serve as long as Krishna allowed him to serve the

vaishnavas. So he was going to various places for treatment but wherever he

would go he would leave a trail of people who are Krishna Conscious, he

never simply went anywhere for his health. He went for Prabhupada's mission,

so enthusiastic so convinced of the conclusion of the Bhagavad Gita so

convinced of the mercy of Srila Prabhupada that any situation he was in, he

was always preaching. One day he called and told me about how he was

diagnosed with this cancer and he said that I pray to Krishna that I could

just live long enough to see the installation of Panca Tattva in Mayapur,

because he knew what a monumental historical event this is going to be.

Srila Prabhupada, the one unfulfilled personal project that he had was the

building of the Mayapur temple. Personal project was Juhu, Vrindavan,

development of Mayapur as it is, big book distribution, farm communities,

but this was a personal project of Prabhupada the only one unfulfilled and

Prabhupada personally explained there should be Radha Madhava with eight

sakhis, gave their sizes and there should be Nrsimhadeva explained how he

should be made and Panca Tattva. Lord Chaitanya, Prabhupada said, should be

made out of eight metals seven feet tall. Jananivas Prabhu, Pankaj Angri

Prabhu, Bhakti Purshottama Maharaj, Jai Pataka Maharaj, they struggled so

much to make those deities. Sridhar Maharaj understood these are the deities

going to be installed in the temple. And he had faith when these deities are

installed that will really be the beginning of building the temple of

understanding in Mayapur. And he wanted to be there for this festival. It

was a struggle because he was advised by all the doctors to go all the way

to Vancouver, West Coast of Canada where he could possibly get treated for

the problem of liver cancer. He went all the way. He called me all the way

during the Pune yatra. He said he was leaving that night. He told me Krishna

Chandra Prabhu paid for his round trip ticket, in I believe in the business

class to go to Vancouver. He was grateful to Krishna Chandra Prabhu for this

service. But he said he had mixed feelings of going. He said, "although I am

going I want to see Panca tattva installation". Krishna fulfilled that

desire. He returned to Mayapur dham. He was the honoured Vaishnava in the

festival. He bathed the deities, he offered the first maha arati to Lord

Chaitanya in a honorary role. He was there during the prana pratistha

festival. His desire was fulfilled. Sridhar Maharaj really really loved his

God brothers and God sisters, he loved their association. He always asked

them to talk of Krishna. He always told them to sing kirtans and bhajans. It

was his greatest pleasure to be with his God bothers and God sisters and to

serve their disciples in his capacity. He genuinely lived as a servant of

servant.

 

Devotees came to Mayapur and senior devotees spent time with him. His sense

of humor was incredible although he was in such a state that he could die

any moment with this type of disease. Nobody ever felt bad or sad because he

had this type of service attitude he wanted to make everybody happy. The

devotees couldn't believe it. In whatever state he was in he was making

everyone happy, laugh. One of the most difficult things for all was everyone

had to go back to their preaching. No one knew how long he will live. So his

dear friends, well wishers, god brothers, for them it was very difficult.

They were all crying. Some senior devotees were telling me with practically

tears in their eyes, "I have to leave tomorrow. How can I say good bye to

him for the last time. I don't have the heart, I am sure I will never see

him again. How could I say good bye". Some of them decided not to go and

tell him good bye because it was too painful. Maharaj knew it though nobody

told him. Just before leaving Mayapur I went to see him and spent an hour

with him. He was so happy. He said, "don't say good bye to me. Just say we

will meet again. He said I am not going anywhere. We will always be

together." And I could understand this was the last time we were meeting.

But he didn't want me to feel bad. He didn't want me to go through the pain

of last goodbye. So he assured me we will meet again. He didn't tell me

where. In what planet but he assured me we will meet again. And actually

that's the way he dealt with all of us. And that last parting was a very

blissful, happy experience. And he spoke in that way for hours. He didn't

want people to lament over him. He simply wanted to make the devotees happy.

That was his spirit. Sridhar Maharaj really was a personification of one

hundred percent wholesale, exclusive dedication to ISKCON, which Prabhupada

said was his body. Maharaj was completely surrendered to serving ISKCON. How

many times in our many many intimate talks, whether he was travelling all

over or in good or bad health he always said, "I am Prabhupada's man. I am

an ISKCON man and I will live for ISKCON and die for ISKCON. Nothing will

ever change it". For Sridhar Maharaj looking elsewhere was impossible to

even think of it even for a moment. He earnestly gave his life for

Prabhupada, cent per cent and never a moment in 35 yrs, he ever considered

any other alternative. That was his faith and that was his dedication.

Therefore we can know for sure that Srila Prabhupada has called his beloved,

intimate and dear associate to wherever he is performing his lila. There is

no doubt.

 

Every devotee has his personality, nature. And Sridhar Maharaj really had a

personality. He was boisterous, jolly, he would say what was in mind without

considering what the consequences would be. He was straightforward. Many

couldn't understand but those who knew loved him. But what was really the

heart of his greatness was that whoever he was, whatever he was, he offered

it 100% to Srila Prabhupada, to his God brothers, god sisters and to all the

devotees of ISKCON. Srila Sridhar Maharaj really taught us the essence of

what really is a disciple by his life, by his passing away from this world.

In our last meeting he said to me, "there is no one in this entire planet

that I love more than Giriraj swami Maharaj because when I first came to

India I saw his complete surrender to Prabhupada. I wanted to be like him I

wanted to learn from him how to be a disciple". At that time the phone rang

and when he picked up it was Giriraj Maharaj calling from California. They

were speaking for some time and then Sridhar Maharaj gave the phone to me

and I told Giriraj Maharaj that Sridhar Maharaj told me this. With tears in

his eyes he told me there is no one in this entire world he loves more than

Giriraj Maharaj because it was from him that he learnt complete surrender

and dedication to Srila Prabhupada. There was complete silence. I could hear

Giriraj Maharaj's voice choking. That was the love the two of them shared.

Prabhupada's greatness is wonderful.

 

The leaders of ISKCON really are doing great things in this world. But how

are they passing from this world. Just in the last few years, stalwart

disciple of Srila Prabhupada, Gaur Govind Swami Maharaj departed from this

world in Sri Mayapur dham on the appearance day of Srila Bhakti Siddhanta

Saraswati amidst kirtan. Two years ago Tamal Krishna Maharaj left in Nadia,

in Fulia gram on the disappearance day of Jagganath das babaji. And today

morning that great loving associate who was bold, fearless but who had a

loving heart that was so soft, so humble, caring that totally surrendered,

dedicated mahatma, His Holiness Sridhar Swami Maharaj left in Mayapur dham

in Srila Prabhupada's temple on the holy day of appearance day of Srivas

Pandita, sorrounded by devotees chanting the holy names. Jananivas Prabhu

put the tulasi leaves from the lotus feet of Radha Madhava, Panca tattva

with Ganga water with all his well wishers, disciples chanting the holy

names, gazing at the form of Prabhupada and Radha Shyamsundar, Prabhupada

took him. It is a day of rejoicing. The life and departure of a true saint,

true Vaishanva. And it is a day of great sorrow. Because although he is

enjoying a higher lila with guru and Gauranga, we must suffer the absence of

his personal association. But as has been said by the exalted speakers

today, "He reasons ill who says vaishnavas die for thou are living still in

sound. Vaishnavas die to live and living try to spread the holy name

around." This beautiful poem by Thakur Bhaktivinod is perfectly applicable

for Sridhar Maharaj. Let us pray that his inspiration, example, words and

his mercy forever live in our hearts and inspire us to follow in his

footprints which is the path of perfection. Sridhar Swami Maharaj ki Jai!!