(18/OCT/2014) Today at 2pm, I joined the afternoon shift. When we entered, Guru Maharaj had just finished his participation in the GBC meeting, through Skype, which is being held in Tirupati. Then he took his lunch and went to bed.

At 5pm, he got up and immediately joined the GBC meeting, but the meeting got over early today. Guru Maharaj really got disappointed. However, Lokanath Maharaj, Kavichandra Maharaj, Niranjana Maharaj, Bir Krishna Goswami Maharaj, Virabahu pr, and Anuttama pr all updated Guru Maharaj about the afternoon session and they had some conversations with Guru Maharaj and asked about his health etc. Guru Maharaj was so happy to speak with each of them.

Then Guru Maharaj asked Sadasivananda Pr to gather the Tirupati devotees, headed by Revati Raman pr, to come on Skype. They all gathered and Guru Maharaj met them all. Revati Raman Pr introduced each devotee who is under him and told Guru Maharaj about their specific responsibilities and their respective services in this GBC meeting. Guru Maharaj blessed them all. One devotee in that group invited the GBCs and Srila Prabhupada disciples to the meetings with purna kumbha and chanting of vedic mantras. He chanted the mantras on Skype and invited Guru Maharaj to Tirupati as well. Then Revati Raman pr said that every three months, we change the Head of Department of the Pujari department. He said that one devotee is not ready to take that responsibility and needs your blessings. It is like the Madhva maths (there are 8 maths and once every two years, one math will take up the Lord's service; this is called Periyaya.) Similarly, this happens here once every 3 months. Then Guru Maharaj said, "Actually, you should make a big ceremony of handing over the key, keeping it in a velvet pillow, and in front of Radha Govinda, the devotee should accept the responsibility. And in this way, in his three months period, he should make much development in the Lord's service." Guru Maharaj continued, "In 1968, in Montreal, I was the President, Treasurer, Pujari, Cook, and Manager. At that time, I cooked 26 preparations. It was a chappana bhoga, half. Then, I was also pujari. I asked someone to make up the tray (arati plate) and I ran and took shower and then I took the plate to offer to the deities and I was feeling so blissful. I can't explain it through words. I felt so blissful, I was completely engaged from morning till noon. And then we had Sunday feast. Everyone loved those 26 preparations. At that time, we had around like 200 guests and they give $2 donation each. Everyone gave more, but the average was $2. And that was how we maintained the temple. That's $400. We got all the fruits and vegetables donated. So whatever service you do, if you are fully engaged and if you please Krishna, you will feel blissful. We were getting only 200 guests for the Sunday program, but in Tirupati, you are getting, every 10 minutes, 200 people. Such a wonderful boost for all the Tirupati ISKCON devotee leaders." And Guru Maharaj asked, "This month is urad daal fasting, and how do you manage to give dosa and idly to GBCs?" They replied, "We are using mung daal and other grains. But it is a little hard." Guru Maharaj said, "You give more sambar and chutney..." and laughed. Guru Maharaj then briefly explained about his health situation now. And he said, "By hearing all these happy and successful preaching reports, I am feeling blissful and healthier." Guru Maharaj suggested to Revati Raman pr to give ghee lamps to all the visitors to offer arati to Mother Yashoda and Child Damodar. They said that they are trying to do that - so far, their approximate count is 5000 visitors who have offered arati. Guru Maharaj asked, "I want the exact number, keep it all in track. I heard one of the Bangalore temples planned for 15,000 house visits in the month of Damodar and Sadasivanda pr said they did Damodar program in one school and had 3000 students including teachers performing Damodar arati. It is all inspiring me a lot." Then, Guru Maharaj blessed all the Tirupati devotees who are really doing a wonder by hosting the GBC meeting in Tirupati and taking care of all the GBCs and Srila Prabhupada disciples. Guru Maharaj was extremely pleased with them.

Then Guru Maharaj took a nap. Iksvaku prabhu read a few messages to Guru Maharaj after Guru Maharaj woke up. Then, Guru Maharaj remembered one disciple from Hungary whom he initiated in 2007 in a camp in Serbia. He wanted to somehow contact her, so Iksvaku pr has been trying to get the contact information through the JPS office database.

Next, Guru Maharaj got ready and sat on his cycling wheel chair and he drove himself to the hall and did Damodar Arati along with the secretaries and servants. Guru Maharaj had a cycle race with Chotta Madhava. It was a blissful race with Guru Maharaj there. In this way, it was a wonderful evening. Then Guru Maharaj had his dinner and chanted his gayathri and he asked me to calculate the totql amount of protein that he had taken during the whole day. He was very particular about the details, so it took 30 minutes of calculations to pen down the total amount. Finally, I left Guru Maharaj's room, and Golokeshwara pr and Maha Puran pr joined the night shift. - (Personal Diary - Shyama Rasika Dasa)