Remembrance celebration of HH Sridhara Maharaja: Part 3

[Guest guest]

Remembrance celebration of HH Sridhara Maharaja: Part 3

 

by Vidvan Gauranga Das

 

MAYAPUR. Monday, March 15, 2004.

 

(Summaries, continued from Part 2.)

 

Then HH Bhakti Caru Maharaja led the bhajana, Ohe Vaisnava Thakura! He also

read a message about HH Sridhar Maharaja from Ambarisa Prabhu who was very

sad to hear of Maharaja's departure. Ambarisa Prabhu had promised Sridhar

Maharaja that he would build the big temple in Mayapur.

 

HH BHAKTI CARU MAHARAJA: I first met Sridhar Maharaja in Allahabad at the

1977 Kumbhamela. I was a new bhakta then, and I was assigned to help one

Sridhar Maharaja's team to distribute Srila Prabhupada's books. During those

days in ISKCON, sannyasis were exclusively respected by others. But I found

Sridhar Maharaja to be a very friendly, very dynamic, very jolly and warm

person to be with. And he was with us, distributing Prabhupada's books.

Though he was our leader, he assumed a very humble position.

 

He was extremely loyal to Srila Prabhupada. He also had a tendency to

support devotees who were misunderstood and in need of help, but if the

person had a negative attitude towards ISKCON or Srila Prabhupada, he would

be strong and show that their attitude was wrong. Later on, when I was in

Bombay, he would take me to people's houses, though I was just a junior

sannyasi. Like an elder brother, he facilitated my service to Srila

Prabhupada. He was mostly humble, and sometimes very straightforward,

especially when it came to a stand on Srila Prabhupada or ISKCON. Later on,

he was involved with the Mayapur Project and he would constantly think about

it. He requested Ambarisa Prabhu and others to give their input and complete

the project because once it is built, it will become an incredible

opportunity to preach to people in India and the whole world.

 

Maharaja was casual about the impossibility of a liver transplant. He was

not afraid of death, and he demonstrated it. (This is so obvious from

Mayapur Prabhu's report.) When I had spoken to him while he was at

Vancouver, there was an apprehension as to whether he would be able to come

to come to Calcutta. He came from Vancouver to London, and Indradyumna

Maharaja flew from South Africa to London to bring him to Mayapur. Sridhar

Maharaja always used to talk about how important it is to maintain the unity

of our family. I think that the reception given to Sridhar Maharaja was the

best ever given, after Srila Prabhupada's departure. He helped us unify.

 

>From Vancouver, he expressed two desires to me: (1) That he attend the

installation of the Panca-tattva. (He was apprehensive about the possibility

of this.) (2) That his samadhi be placed near Tamal Krishna Maharaja's

samadhi. Both of these desires were fulfilled. He also left on an auspicious

day -- Srila Srivasa Thakura's appearance day. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu's

mercy flows through Srila Srivasa Thakura. He also passed away in this holy

dhama of Sri Mayapur. According to the scriptures, one who passes away in

such a way will go back to Godhead. He achieved a glorious success in his

spiritual journey.

 

I would like to say this to his disciples: It is very true that Srila

Prabhupada's disciples understand the pain of one who has lost his spiritual

master. But through the passing of time, the spiritual master's presence is

felt with his loyal, dedicated disciples. Srila Prabhupada mentions vapuh

and vani. Association through vani is greater than association through

vapuh. Association through vapuh is needed at a neophyte, beginning stage,

but this is the test of your sincerity. The ball is in your court. How are

you going to fulfill his instructions, his vani, is up to you. How you are

going to install your spiritual master in the throne of your heart is up to

you. You are in a family with so many uncles, aunts, etc. to help heal the

wounds. I also pray to Srila Prabhupada to make myself available in your

service.

---

 

Hari Sauri Prabhu then introduced Bhakta Moe (Malcolm), the youngest brother

of Sridhar Maharaja, saying that while Moe has a doctorate in Latin American

history, he is currently part of ISKCON history.

 

BHAKTA MOE (A BROTHER OF SRIDHAR MAHARAJA): I am not going to say much, just

a couple of things.

 

First of all, I wanted to thank the Yugoslavian mafia, especially the mafia

don, Mayapur Das, for lovingly taking care of Sridhar Swami. Sridhar Swami

also told me of how much he loved Mayapur Das, like a son.

 

I was the youngest son to my parents, and Sridhar Swami was the eldest. When

he joined ISKCON, that was in 1969, I was 8 years old (he was 13 years older

than me). So we had a special relationship. He had a special, kind affection

for me, which was evident since childhood, and he was my teacher, my guru

even at that time. And he'd spend time with me, even after he joined this

auspicious movement. He used to say, "You are not this body, and you should

be grateful that you aren't! [bhakta Moe is hefty]"

 

I just wanted to mention one more thing, how he was so kind with children

(if I don't break down crying). There was this little girl who had come from

far for this Panca-tattva installation. And she received a medallion, which

she loved and cherished very much. She wanted to give this beloved medallion

to Sridhar Maharaja. Mayapur Das, with his infinite wisdom, decided to

inform Sridhar Swami about this. Sridhar Swami was moved and he accepted it.

He gave her a picture of Radharani.

 

Another thing about him was his compassion. Before he came to Mayapur, while

at Vancouver, he was undergoing a whole battery of medical tests that he was

undergoing in the hospital. I remember that in the next room, there was

somebody who was screaming due to his pain. Sridhar Maharaja was more

concerned about that man's pain than the pain that he was experiencing. He

said that that man is suffering more and should be helped.

 

Though I liked and respected our father, he was my hero even as kids. He

used to carry me on his shoulders then. I think he is still carrying me.

---

 

Mayapur Prabhu then spoke briefly about Sridhar Maharaja's two brothers. He

said that both of them just wanted to make Maharaja happy. So Moe found out

what time mangala-arati was, and woke up early and even chanted 8 rounds

every day (even though it was very difficult for him). And Stuart, as soon

as he came here, shaved up! Sridhar Maharaja was so happy just by seeing

them.

---

 

Hari Sauri Prabhu asked Haridas Prabhu, a Godbrother of Sridhar Maharaja, to

speak.

 

HARIDAS PRABHU: We were friends since 30 years. After sometime, I fell down

into maya, but Maharaja would always preach to me and try to get me back.

Sometime back, I decided to just move into the temple and I did it. Still, I

had a hideout for my sense gratification. But Sridhar Maharaja moved in

there and set up a temple and stopped my sense gratification!

 

Just before Sridhar Maharaja left Bombay for the last time, he mentioned,

"This is the last opportunity for me to serve in Bombay." I, jokingly

replied, "I will build a samadhi for you in Bombay." He remembered this and

reminded me of this once more, even when I told him that I had simply joked.

Anyway, we are going to build a Puspa-samadhi for Sridhar Maharaja in ISKCON

Juhu, Bombay.

 

The more he was sick, the more I tended to become serious in spiritual life.

 

He was also very choosy in accepting disciples. He would only accept a

disciple if he was able to give his time and energy himself to take care of

his disciple.

---

 

Hari Sauri Prabhu then requested Adbhuta Hari Prabhu, one of Maharaja's

personal servants, to speak.

 

ADBHUTA HARI PRABHU: Sridhar Maharaja always had energy to serve, and sleep

less. That is how he was. But when he got bedridden for so many years, he

was not able to move. One Bhaktivikasa Maharaja met me and told me how

difficult it is for Sridhar Maharaja to not be able to perform physical

services. He always had a lot of energy to do things, and his becoming sick

was a big change for him.

 

They called him, "Iron Man." He wanted to somehow do something for this

Mayapur Project. In Bombay, he, along with Ambarisa Prabhu and Abhirama

Prabhu, had met with life members and wealthy people regarding Mayapur

Project. Guru Maharaja once said, "If I am cured of this cancer, I have more

reason to preach about Mayapur dhama."

 

Over the years, he felt that the real priority is to get devotees together:

more association and hearing of the holy names. Even for the 25th Jubilee

Celebrations of ISKCON Juhu, Bombay, he spent countless nights calling up

devotees to attend the festival. We were visiting some Narasimha-ksetras,

but he was always happy when his Godbrothers came, performed kirtanas and

read for him.

---

 

Hari Sauri Prabhu then requested Gunagrahi Maharaja to speak about Sridhar

Maharaja. Gunagrahi Maharaja was often coming to see Sridhar Maharaja and

spent some time with him.

 

HH GUNAGRAHI MAHARAJA: I was speaking to Sridhar Maharaja in Vancouver,

before he left and came to Mayapur. His heartfelt desires were to see the

Panca-tattva installation and to be with the devotees. One evening he told

me privately, "I don't have any attraction for the chanting, or to the

philosophy. But I have attraction for the association of devotees." It's not

that the didn't have a taste for the chanting or the philosophy, but that

was not his attraction; he was attracted to the association of devotees. We

all need guidance and help, and if someone gives that out of the way, you

feel obliged. I saw in Buenos Aires, because he showed personal interest in

the people he preached to, he actually changed their lives.

 

But he didn't want all of that attention. He preferred to sneak in with the

crowds. He told me, "[in Mayapur] they are going to pay so much attention to

me." That was his humility. One evening here, after a kirtana, he sat up and

expressed his appreciation for 5 or 10 minutes: "I don't deserve all this. I

pray for your blessings for some attraction for the holy names."

 

He was fearless, as we could see by his actions. We call him "Jolly Swami,"

but he was jolly even when things were not great, when you are leaving your

body. It gave devotees such great faith and inspiration. For example, I

think, on the day after installation, he was very, very weak. He was getting

sick, his temperature was rising. We were having kirtana. His stomach was

very much swollen. There was a doctor from Nabadwip, not really a doctor,

but a mystic. Maharaja's was lying down and his eyes were closed. When the

mystic was feeling the swollen stomach, Maharaja opened his eyes and said,

"It's a boy!" [all laugh] He also used to ask, "Why is everyone so somber?"

That was due to his fearlessness. Hopefully we can follow in his footsteps.

---

 

Gunagrahi Maharaja then read out a letter from Nrsimhananda Prabhu. Hari

Sauri Prabhu then requested Sivarama Maharaja and BB Govinda Maharaja to

lead a kirtana, as Sridhar Maharaja was very fond of their kirtanas.

Sivarama Maharaja wanted to lead kirtanas in the evening and wanted BB

Govinda Maharaja, who was to leave by the afternoon, to lead a kirtana of

the Hare Krishna Mahamantra. Sivarama Maharaja then spoke.

 

HH SIVARAMA MAHARAJA: We [sivarama Maharaja and BB Govinda Maharaja] arrived

last night. Even before going to our place, we first went to see his

samadhi. We knew it is to be next to Tamal Krishna Maharaja's samadhi. He

always felt indebted to Tamal Krishna Maharaja. After it was detected that

his liver had a problem, Tamal Krishna Maharaja would every few weeks e-mail

him.

 

He was feeling great discomfort due to the dry cough that he was having. He

had a high pain threshold, but even then there are limits.

 

Sridhar Maharaja was in a dilemma -- he had to choose between maintaining

the will to live and accepting the fact that the body is temporary. In the

last couple of weeks, he was feeling stronger. With the Ayurvedic doctor and

medicines, he was thinking of preaching in the West. He told me, "I want to

give Srila Prabhupada to the devotees." But Lord Krsna had another plan. It

seemed to come quite abruptly. Death can happen so unexpectedly, so

abruptly.

 

His departure forces his disciples to take shelter of his vani. Service to

vapuh has its extraordinary advantages, but vani is eternal. His disciples

should not allow these to become memories which fade over time. His

disciples should continue to live with his vani. His vani was to make ISKCON

the movement that Srila Prabhupada wanted. He mentioned to me that he wanted

ISKCON to become a quality world-class movement. World-class. I don't think

that any of our ISKCON leaders have any specific vani other than to make

ISKCON a success.

---

 

Hari Sauri Prabhu then requested one of Sridhar Maharaja's lady disciples,

Shyama dasi to speak.

 

SHYAMA DASI: Most of the pastimes I remember have to do with prasadam. I met

him first in Vancouver, at the time of Govardhana Puja. At that time, I had

some sweets in my hand. Maharaja asked me, "Give me some sweets now!" So I

gave him some sweets. At that time, Mayapur Prabhu came, and suddenly

realized what had happened. He asked, "What are you doing?" I was mortified,

thinking that he was asking me. Later I came to know that he had such a

relationship with Sridhar Maharaja that he was asking Maharaja.

 

For preaching purposes, Guru Maharaja did initiation during the Sunday

Feast. Fire yajna and other such arrangements were set up. At the time when

we are supposed to throw bananas into the fire, he said into the mike, "Now

we are going to throw the initiates into the fire!" [all laugh]

 

He was like a father to me. I was serving at the Govinda's, and when he was

here, I would help make lunch and dinner for him. I was so anxious to please

him.

 

Thank you very much for helping me/us in serving him. I notices so many

small miracles that happened in Mayapur in our attempts to serve him. I

think that these miracles happened so that we disciples can get together to

serve this family of devotees.

---

 

BHAKTI BHRNGA GOVINDA MAHARAJA: It is difficult to be one of the last

speakers, after the previous speakers have said so many nice things. So I

will make a couple of points.

 

In the Caitanya-caritamrta, there is a description of a devotee: he can be

as soft as a rose and as hard as a thunderbolt. We saw that in Sridhar

Maharaja's nature. He was very sweet, kind and accommodating. However,

regarding the integrity of ISKCON or Srila Prabhupada, he was as strong like

thunderbolt.

 

My first encounter with him was at Toronto in 1976. I was a grhastha and he

was a sannyasi. On that particular day, it was my turn to give class and he

was there in the class. I was terrified. So afterwards, I expressed my fear

of audacious in speaking the class. He told me, "No, you spoke the truth,

and you spoke about Krsna. That's okay."

 

Another time, I was a cook in Vrndavana. Every morning, Srila Prabhupada

would come before Krsna-Balarama, and someone usually led kirtanas at that

time. I had a hankering to lead a kirtana, but no opportunity. One day,

Sridhar Maharaja started the kirtana, but after chanting Prabhupada's

pranama mantra, he made me sing. He told me, "You sing better than me."

 

Yet another time, in 1987, in the roof of the temple, during one cool

evening, we were there. He opened up his heart to me. He was humble. He said

I don't have a good character, but I pray that for the rest of my life and

ever after I never leave the preaching service and Srila Prabhupada. He was

both gentle and very strong.

 

Bhaktivinoda Thakura has said:

 

"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."

 

Sridhar Maharaja gave everything, his mind, body and words to serve his

spiritual master. He had 100% dedication to serve. We, especially his

disciples, should always keep this impression in life. He could have had

anything, but he only chose to serve his spiritual master. These

instructions should be kept alive.

---

 

Tusti Mohan Krsna Prabhu then read out an offering from HH Jayapataka

Maharaja.

 

After this, there was puspanjali (offering of flowers) and then guru-puja

was performed for HH Sridhar Maharaja. And then there was a feast in the

devotee kitchen behind Srila Prabhupada's Puspa-samadhi Mandir for all

devotees. Disciples of Sridhar Maharaja took part in serving prasadam for

the devotees.

 

At 5:00 PM, Sivarama Maharaja was scheduled to sing some bhajanas, and other

devotees were to talk on Sridhar Maharaja.