Bhakti Bibuddha Bodhayan Maharaj Visits Europe

July 8, 2003

Shripad Bhakti Bibuddha Bodhayan Maharaj, the disciple of Pujyapad Bhakti Promode Puri Maharaj of Shri Gopinath Gaudiya Math, has just returned to Vrindavan after his first European preaching tour. Maharaj has been traveling for only thirteen days, visiting Germany, Holland and France. He stopped also in Belgium for a while. All the programs were sponsored by Arjun Prabhu and Bindhu Madhav Prabhu.

In Germany Maharaj stayed four days in Berlin at the Vrinda temple of Shripad Paramadvaiti Maharaj. There he was also interviewed by a local TV channel for one hour. Bodhayan Maharaj discussed the common points between the Vaishnava faith and the Christian faith. The journalists appreciated the broad-mindedness of Maharaja's answers and invited him to come back again to Germany.

"I am very impressed with the hospitality the devotees offered to me everywhere." Maharaj commented. Many European devotees belonging to different sangas gathered around Maharaj in order to relish his association, philosophical understanding and simple, affectionate nature. "They asked me questions for several hours and on one occasion the class ended around 1 o'clock in the night." When asked what was his opinion about the West, Bodhayan Maharaj laughingly replied, "Kali Maharaj has established his kingdom there." In a few days Maharaj will be in Jagannath Puri, Chakra Tirtha, to tell his dear Gurudev about his first preaching tour out of the land of Bharat. We hope Maharaj will bless again the devotees in Europe or other countries very soon.

Reported by

Tridandi Bhikshu Sri Bhaktivedanta Parivrajak

Vrindavan