12/AUG/2020 Sri Krishna Janmastami @ Sri Mayapur. India

Today is the day of Celebration but it is extremely silent due to this pandemic. The whole world is suffering, especially the devotee community around the world - they are not able to celebrate these wonderful surcharging festivals like Sri Krsna Janmastami.

Morning 7:30am Guru Maharaja's Srimad-Bhagavatam class. 6:30am His Holiness Bhakti Vijaya Bhagavata Maharaja's class. Maharaja was speaking mainly on Lord's opulence, and philosophical aspects. I was updating Guru Maharaja about Maharaja's lectures. Guru Maharaja made a sankalpa to fast with water only. It is hard for him with this health and the amount of medicines he takes. 

Radharamana Sevaka Prabhu was reading some emails before Guru Maharaja enters into his class. Guru Maharaja joined on time for the class, and Sujidentriya Prabhu joined over Zoom and made the translation in Bengali.

And Guru Maharaja launched Jayapataka Swami app that was developed by Satya Medha Gauranga Prabhu (UK). And after the class, Guru Maharaja gave time for Question and Answer session - which went for 30mins.

Today, Dr. Acarya Ratna Prabhu booked an Zoom appointment for Guru Maharaja with Dr. Dinesh in Rela Institute (where Guru Maharaja had his liver and kidney transplant) around 1:30pm. So, I came around 1:15pm and Guru Maharaja also came on time, but unfortunately the Doctor for delayed for one hour. In this one hour, Guru Maharaja was watching ISKCON Hyderabad temple's online exhibition and their temple live Deity Darsana, arcana, book stalls, etc. Then I played Srila Prabhupada's dictation of Krishna Book 51st Chapter along with text. And Guru Maharaja was listening sitting on his newstep machine and also, reading text along with the audio for 15 mins. Then we received a call from the Hospital - and Guru Maharaja got ready to meet with Dr. Dinesh. After seeing all thr blood reports of Guru Maharaja, Doctor was happy. And, his only concern was about the Guru Maharaja's weight, so he suggested some diet plan yo discuss with Guru Maharaja's dietitian. And after the meeting Guru Maharaja went and took a nap.

At 5:30pm there was a online class scheduled with Juhu Smarana Utsava festival. And Guru Maharaja addressed on Janmastami topic. Immediately after that, we had special Caitanya Book class. The day before Guru Maharaja asked, "Is there any pastimes related to Janmastami - then I will do that as Caitanya Lila class on Janmastami. And on Prabhupada Vyasa-puja, I will do the portion of "My Senapati Bhakta" from Caitanya Mangala." So, we found pastimes that are related with Janmastami and Jaya Radha Krsna Prabhu made an amalgamation. So, Guru Maharaja started to give lecture on that.

He was in super transcendental ecstasy reading this portion, where the Lord exhibits and confirms that He is the same Cowherd boy from Vrindavana. And, when he read the verse, the devotees who were acting as Nanda and Yasoda, in joy they distributed accumulated wealth as charity to everyone. Guru Maharaja couldn't control his ecstatic emotions. It is always blissful to read Caitanya Caritamrita with Guru Maharaja. His ecstasy will make you feel the spiritual vibration.

After the Caitanya Lila class, Guru Maharaja was extremely tired. And he went to his room and was watching Mayapur.TV. And Maha Varaha Prabhu said, "Let him rest! No more programs. Around 10 or 11pm will do abhishek and watch Mayapur TV." 

Then I saw a missed call from Santirupa Mataji from Malaysia. And she asked, "Is there any chance that Guru Maharaja visit Kuala Lumpur festival." I told her, Guru Maharaja just went to his room - he might take rest. But, let me try.

Maha Varaha Pr went to kitchen to help Ojasvini Mataji and cooking team. 

So, I went to Guru Maharaja's room and said, about the Kuala Lumpur temple's request. Guru Maharaja thought for ten seconds and said, "Take me to the glass room, I will address them!" I said, "You are tired, and fasting. May be, we will bring the laptop. And you just bless them. And we will end the program in five mins." But, Guru Maharaja said, "No! I will go there." Then he came, and he joined in their Zoom. There were only 4 participants, and Guru Maharaja asked, "Why there is no devotees!" The temple management said, "Everyone watch on Facebook live!" Guru Maharaja said, "I want to see them all!" And they posted the link, and devotees started to join in Zoom. Guru Maharaj then took Deity Darsana. Kripa Sindhu Pr (Temple President) gave a report to Guru Maharaja. Then Guru Maharaja gave a short class on Janmastami. He mainly quoted the quote from Hari-bhakti-vilasa, that Sanatana Gosvami said, "One who watch the abhishek of the Lord and one who perform the abhishek wj get the same benefit." So, Guru Maharaja said, if a person watch online or directly participate - they will get the same benefit. Then Guru Maharaja visited different devotee's house, and they were all thrilled. Some said, "This is my best Janmastami ever!" This sudden surprise of Guru Maharaja visit made them all extremely jubilant. Then Guru Maharaja said, "I will visit like this to all the temples in my zone contact now!" Then I called Murali Syama Pr, he called all the temples in South India, and I called Chennai and Coimbatore. And we started to connect one by one. Guru Maharaja spent like five to ten mins for each temple... Devotees and leaders everyone was in so much of bliss. When he visited Seshadri Puram temple, Dina Bandhu Pr from Vrindavana was giving class. And Guru Maharaja paid his obeisances, and asked him, "Do you know, Lord Caitanya celebrated Janmastami in Vrindavana?" And Anadi Jagannatha Pr said, "Seeing you both is like Vrindavana meets Mayapur." Like it was very much transcendental mins. Then Guru Maharaja was welcomed by Anukulya Kesava Pr abd pujaris with Purna Kumbha and Jagannatha Darsana. Then Guru Maharaja spoke few words and blessed the devotees.

Then like this Guru Maharaja visited Coimbatore, Mangalore, Gandharvika Giridhari Temple, Chennai... Then we arranged for the Abhishek for Sri Sri Radha Madhava and Rupa Manjari along with Salagramas. Sarva Mangala Krishna Nama Pr being the pujari, arranged for everything. Prasanna Gauranga Pr supplied all the necessary things for abhishek. And the Deities came from Vraja Krsna Pr and Rasa Priya Gopika Mataji's (my sister's) house. Guru Maharaja went inside, and changed his kurta, and put on his cardar, and came in. Gopati Krsna Pr started to recite Brahma Samhita and all the servants started Kirtana, and joined the festival. 

Guru Maharaja personally did abhishek for the Deities, and one by one servants came and joined Guru Maharaja and bathed Sri Sri Radha Madhava. Then at last Guru Maharaja did arati and completed the abhishek. Then again we started the temple visit. Now we also got links through Subhanga Govinda Pr -temples in Assam. 

Guru Maharaja covered, Hyderabad, Medchal, Gwahati, Tirupati, ICC Bangalore, Perambur, Madurai, Tirunelveli, Tirupalai, etc. Around 12:10 we ended all the sessions. And Guru Maharaja took his breakfast. There are details on Guru Maharaja's twitter posts. Guru Maharaja was giving short messages about each visit in his app, and Twitter instantly through Haridasa Caitanya Pr. Then we also took Prasadam. And came back Sarva Mangala Krishna Nama Pr was feeding Guru Maharaja. Then Guru Maharaja went to bed at 2am. I was there until 3am in assisting night shift and came and slept by 3:30am. For sure, I know that I can't wake up tomorrow early for Srila Prabhupada Vyasa-puja. As I am extremely tired. But, because of this busy schedule, I didn't feel the fasting. It was really wondeful Janmastami to be with Guru Maharaja, celebrating along with him. The whole atmosphere was different. I couldn't write more, as there were many more details to add. It is simply his causeless mercy, I am here with him in these days. (Personal Diary - Syama Rasika dasa)

11/AUG/2020 @ Sri Mayapur, India

Guru Maharaja wil be giving class tomorrow for Janmastami, so we requested him to go to bed earlier. But, somehow, it became night 12am. Jaya Radha Krishna Prabhu read out the verse for tomorrow and he read the purport also. Then Guru Maharaja said, "I will be the second speaker, the first speaker will read the verse, translation and purport. So when I begin I will read only translation. And give class." Then Haridasa Caitanya Prabhu came and asked Guru Maharaja about Sarvajaya Madhava Prabhu's Janmastami Celebration on Zoom, and his request to broadcast it on Guru Maharaja's channel. Then, Guru Maharaja said, "He can broadcast until I give a class tomorrow morning! As devotees in USA, Canada will get benefitted and I am not using it during night." And we all said, "Happy Janmastami!" And Guru Maharaja slept. As I have to be there for morning recording and broadcast Maha Varaha Prabhu asked Sarva Mangala Prabhu to take care of the whole night shift with yhr help of Haridasa Caitanya Prabhu. So, I slept around 1pm. (Personal Diary - Syama Rasika dasa)

10/AUG/2020 @ Sri Mayapur, India

I woke up at 9:30am and took shower and got ready, then Srivatsa Syama Sundara Prabhu said, that Guru Maharaja will give recording for Janmastami messages now. Initially I told him to record, then I thought, better to go and do it - as many days we were waiting for this recording.

And, when I entered the glass room, Jaya Radha Krsna Prabhu was reading the Janmastami Mahatmya from different scriptures - and from Hari-bhakti-vilasa mainly. Guru Maharaja was asking to get different references. And we were preparing and setup the video camera etc. Then at last, Guru Maharaja came to give the recording, we did in Bengali, English and Spanish. Guru Maharaja was super tired, when he was doing Spanish, so he did the short one.

Then Guru Maharaja asked about the BRC emails that he sent out. And there was a discussion about Bhaktivinoda Vani Vaibhava. And I told Guru Maharaj, "If you permit and promote, the DIGITAL GAUDIYA project, we can complete the whole Gaudiya scriptures into digital searchable text in 6 months time with the help of Bangladesh and all the Bengali devotees. We have to do mass marathon." Guru Maharaja wanted to know, all the writings of acaryas and their instructions, pastimes and history. Then I left to do my works.

Again in the evening Guru Maharaja had the MEB meeting, Covid Meeting. Then began Caitanya Lila class. At the end of the class, we show devotees who attends the Class. And by seeing them, Guru Maharaja feel so much happy. And devotees also feel very happy. Today one Mataji was there and her name is Krishnaa. And Guru Maharaja said, "This is Draupadi's name. Like this some very few seconds of interactions, and few seconds of darsana makes the devotees super joy!!!

After that, Guru Maharaja took his dinner and joined Medinipur Namahatta Zoom session. Over 250 participants and more than 2000+ devotees where present in this session. The session ended at 10pm. And I asked Guru Maharaja, " You are too tired! Today you should sleep by 11pm" Guru Maharaja said, "Before 11pm." And he came and took his jot milk, and then nebulization. And was watching some news updates, watching on Covid-19 in America, Singapore, etc. Then Jaya Radha Krsna Prabhu was called and he started to read Janmastami glories, what was the previous births of Vasudeva, Devaki and Rohini, etc. And, by 11:15pm Guru Maharaja went to bed. I told Guru Maharaja, "If you sleep and take nice rest, then tomorrow morning you wil be fresh." Guru Maharaja slept... His body is too tired. But, he is not. (Personal diary - Syama Rasika dasa)

9/AUG/2020 @ Sri Mayapur, India

Last night, I was helping Sarva Mangala Krishna Nama Prabhu and Haridasa Caitanya Prabhu in their night shift. After many months I am doing shift, so many new things to learn... So, I was just assisting them. The time is packed, there is no free time for Guru Maharaja.

After completing Zoom session with Chile devotees Guru Maharaja came to his room at 10:20pm. And, he had his hot milk, and he watched world news for 30mins - mainly on the updates of Covid-19 pandemic. And before watching the news Guru Maharaja said, "I get strange dreams and it disturbs me." Like last night he had dream like he hot slipped from the hill cliff. And, another night he had a dream of going on a boat and suddenly a giant crocodile attacks him. And he fights with that giant. So, I said to Guru Maharaja, may be please avoid watching these news at night, because they show all the tragedy things, like the aircraft goes into two half, Beirut explosion, etc. But this is the only time, Guru Maharaja gets to know about - what is going on around the wold. 

And there was a second argument and thoughts that, it is not Guru Maharaja's fault. As I heard from Guru Maharaja earlier, when his disciples do sinful acts - Guru Maharaj have to suffer and getting disturbed sleep is also one of the suffering for the sins that disciples commit.

And, then Guru Maharaja was taking nebulization - before going to bed. This will take 30mins. At that time, Jaya Radha Krishna Prabhu came to read sastra - tonight he read from Hari-bhakti-vilasa, about the mahatmya of Janmastami vrata, also he read from Padma-Purana - the glories of Radhastami.

Guru Maharaja asked, in 18 Puranas - which are in sattvik, rajasic and tamo? And Jaya Radha Krsna Pr read, Sattvik Puranas: Padma, Bhagavata, Garuda, Narada, Visnu, and Varaha.

And, before Guru Maharaja went to sleep, we played Narasimha mantras to get rid of any negative energies - so that Guru Maharaja may get a undisturbed sleep at least for 4 hours. He went to bed at 12:10am. (Personal Diary - Syama Rasika dasa)