Health Update of Srila B.B. Tirtha Goswami Maharaja

July 12, 2003

In last 20 years of my association with Sri Guru Maharaj, His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Goswami Maharaj, I never saw or heard of any unfavourable health conditions. But I was shocked to know that Guru Maharaj was taken to Batra Hospital, New Delhi. This was for the first time that Guru Maharaj spent one night in the Hospital due to so called angina. Later we were told by the Doctor that there are some complications (coronary artery disease).

In all these 30 hours of hospitalisation, Guru Maharaj only wanted to continue the uninterupted sadhan-bhajan (devotional practice). Unconcerned with the bodily needs and limitations, His only concern was to discharge HIS DUTY as consistently as He was doing before!

There is still not an iota of concern for Himself. The only thought is how best He can serve Guru-Vaishnava-Bhagwan in these changed circumstances. So the only question asked to the doctors by Guru Maharaj was that whether He can continue the Hari Katha, Kirtan and writing work?!

After coming back to the New Delhi Math, Srila Guru Maharaj is showering His special blessings with His daily Hari-katha, spiritual discourses. During these discourses, He forgets Himself, engrossed in the Divine thoughts. All our efforts to remind Him of the health situation go in vain.

On 15th dec. 02, Moksda-ekadasi day, Srila Guru Maharaj glorified Ekadasi vrata, as one of the 64 kinds of devotional practices prescribed by Srila Rupa Goswami in Bhakti Rasamrita-sindhu.

Then He suddenly remembered that the situation has changed now . He exclaimed in a charming manner : "The doctor has advised me not to speak loudly".

Why Sadhus (Pure devotees) display bodily discomfort? Just to give us an opportunity to serve. This is the only way we can get deliverance. They give us a golden opportunity to get this deliverance by serving them. This our SEVA-SUYOG, a golden opportunity to serve Sadhus. It will cleanse the dust on our heart.

In Chaitanya Bhagwata, 29.240., it is written that whatever privations are seen in the behaviour of Vaishnavas, know for certain that they are expressions of their esoteric internal supreme bliss.

"It appears that pure devotees are receiving various tribulations, but actually they do not feel them, as their minds are fully engrossed in Me." (Srimad Bhagwatam, 3..25.23.)

We can only pray for their mercy to get an opportunity to serve them!

"This material world is full of problems. Nobody on earth can avoid it. There are ups and downs in this world. Supreme Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has said - "This world is forest fire and doing the Holy Name - Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare - Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare' Mahamantra will extinguish the forest fire". The difference between a realised soul and conditioned souls in this world is that the realised soul, by the grace of Supreme Lord, has got the capacity to tolerate all afflictions and tribulations, but a conditioned soul cannot. A conditioned soul remaining in darkness cannot solve any problem. When light comes, problems created by darkness are automatically removed. Parampujyapad Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj in one of his sermons said - "When one is enlightened by knowledge by which ignorance is destroyed, then his knowledge reveals everything as sun lights up everything at daytime". Supreme Lord, who is All-Bliss is self-effulgent. He descends to a completely surrendered soul. As for instance, Prahlad Maharaj, who was apparently in the grief of extreme torture by his own father and was surrounded by hostile demons, was always in peace because of his total submission to Supreme Lord Sree Krishna, he never became unbalanced. Our Most Revered Gurudeva used to advise us - Finite human beings, when they take any decision by their finite intellect and wisdom for their benefit, they commit mistakes and the result is reverse. If we take absolute shelter to The Lotus Feet of Guru-Vaishnava-Bhagawan, by Their grace, light of transcendental knowledge will descend to our heart and solve all problems. In my life I have practical experience of it."

Rasaviharidas