Homage to a very special spiritual uncle – Sripada Maharaj(HH Bhakti Svarupa Damodara Swami Mhg)

[Guest guest]

Homage to a very special spiritual uncle –

Sripada Maharaj(HH Bhakti Svarupa Damodara Swami Mhg)

On 2nd oct 2006 I was in the field and didn’t see the latest ISKCON news and

around noon my God brother Ramanipati das called up and conveyed about having

heard regarding a sad news about Maharaja. I called up Maharajs disciple in

Kuwait HG Raghuchandar prabhuji and he confirmed the passing away of Maharaj.

Iam too small a person to pay respects and homages but with the great amount

of love and care received from maharaj over these years I felt that I should

share some of my memories about His Holiness.

Also I would like to extend my sincere condolences to all the disciples of

Maharaj who are now without his Physical presence.

In the year 1986 the Second floor of Juhu temple in Bombay where the

Bhaktivedanta Institute is located was Bubbling with many hectic activities in

final preparation of the First World Congress for the Synthesis of Science and

Religion going to take place from 9-14th of January that year. There were many

of Sripada Maharajs disciples in full action organizing the event. I remember

HG Rasaraja prabhu, HG Kapila Prabhu, HG Vijay Govindaprb, HG Rajahansa prabhu,

HG Jeeva Goswami das prabhu with many other helping hands from various

engineering backgrounds. Maharaj was a big guiding force with meticulous

planning and analyzing as to how the others would speak and what sort of

answers the ISKCON representatives could give. we all got some seva or the

other .as there was no search engines or computerization Things had to be dug

out from various books that were required for reference. The library there had

many multitudes of books and also deep search was done in the

books written by the noble laureates who were going to participate in that

event .HH Dalai Lama was going to the chief guest and many important

personalities were going to participate like George Wald(Nobel laureate in

biology)and others like Dr. E. C. G. Sudarshan, particle physicist, University

of Texas, Austin, Prof. Joseph Weizenbaum, pioneer in Artificial Intelligence

from MIT; John Searle, well-known philosopher, University of California at

Berkeley; Dr. Raja Ramana (Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission of India)-nearly

over 1000 top dignitaries were in this conference. During one such day I went

in his room to give some papers and Mharaj was applying his tilaka after an

evening shower. I waited for him to finish but had to wait a bit as maharaj was

a perfectionist in applying the tilaka and it was so wonderfully done . In a

flash he flicked a beautiful tilaka on my forehead also with a serious look and

then a big grin .It was very touching . Sometimes his composure

would be very serious but then would turn into a very compassionate smile

which reflected from his eyes also enlivening every ones sleepy bodies after

many hours of work on the project.. He was very affectionate and caring and

would inquire about our personnel well being many times. The first world

congress was a big success and its Maharajs driving force and foresight which

saw through it (Srila Prabhupadas vision of getting the Famous scientific

community involved with Krishna consciousness took shape in a big way after

this occasion culminating in great growth of Bhaktivedanta Institute world

over) Many an occasions In Bombay Juhu temple Maharaj would be talking to HH

Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaj With great amount of seriousness –we would not

be able to hear them as they conversed At the lobby side but they would part

hugging each other side ways on the shoulder and maharajs mood at that time

would be of very serious determination as we presume both the

Holiness must have set some targets discussed for further preaching . Other

times I would see Maharaj talking with Sreedhar Swami Maharaj in different

moods . one hand of Sreedhar Swami Maharaj would be on Sripad Maharajs

shoulder , sometimes they would nod at each other or be serious or suddenly

burst out in to such loud laughter that the lobby would shake . Then Sreedhar

Swami Mhg would take him to the side when he saw that their laughing was a

matter of every ones head turning towards them . They would then continue their

conversations with great mutual love and affection. . It would be very

difficult to do Vapu service to maharaj and would reluctantly accept any

massage . when Maharaj ate Prasad he had a particular style in eating the

rice. HH Would take the rice mixed with Dal in a fast motion turning into a

small ball and it would land up into his mouth with a speed and graceful motion

of Manipuri dancer. The kirtans in Manipuri tune was totally out of the

heaven when maharaj sang and the kartals also blended with HH. He would be

standing a little bend,Leaning forward with the kartals and then slowly go up

playing them till the kartals reached his face level and then twirl it with

special beat and again slowly go down with his body swaying . It was very

sublime to see Maharaj doing this and seeing the deities he would burst out a

big smile which was very enchanting . Once I heard him chide HG Jeevagoswami

das prb for some reason during the visit to Juhu Temple and pulled his ears up

slowly in a compassionate manner , grinning then and saying I will make you the

Indian spock .He would say that in Goloka every body is joyful and humorous and

Krishna likes that mood . Till 1994 I was fortunate to meet maharaj many times

but then for various reasons I could not see HH Till 2002 At Mayapur Dhan when

he had come for Gaurapoornima. I managed to video tape HH When he sang the

mangala arti and later when he was talking to his

spiritual daughter HG Jaganmohini mataji I waited for him to finish .Then HH

was speaking to HH Amayavilasa mhg and i went and paid my humble obeisance’s at

his lotus feet. On seeing me he called me by my karmi name and asked how are

you Radhakrishna? It was very touching moment for me where Maharaj

remembered a very insignificant person like me by name after many years and

gave so much care and warmth. I requested HH to visit us in Shyamadesh and

Damodarsdesh in the near future. Unfortunately we were not fortunate to have

his presence here due to some date problems . Before leaving I touched his feet

and he ran his hand over my head in an affectionate manner. This was the last

I had the mercy of Sripada Maharaj in person but his teachings and kindness

will always remain in my heart for ever. In fact during the last 4 years two

other of my very dear Siksha gurus with the Juhu temple connection left this

planet (HH Tamal Krishna Goswami mhg in2002 and HH Sreedhar

Swami Maharaj in 2004) and now another very very dear spiritual uncle also. I

am sure his going must have been with a higher purpose and destination as per

SRILA PRABHUPADAS Mercy. Your humble servant radhabhava gaur das

 

CHANT HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE

HARE RAMA HARE RAMA RAMA RAMA HARE HARE AND BE HAPPY

Your humble servant

radhabhava gaur das

 

 

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