23/APR/2021 - Sri Mayapur Dhama, India.

(23/APR/2021 - Sri Mayapur Dhama, India) Today is the most auspicious day for our family. Our beloved Guru Maharaja's Vyasa-puja. Last evening it was celebration of Adhivasa. This year also it became a lockdown Vyasa-puja and all the devotees joined through Zoom. At least last year, Sannyasis and senior disciples came up to take part in the celebrations. But, this year Guru Maharaja and servants, that all.

Visvambhara Krishna Prabhu, Sri Mayapur Pujari was quarantined in Conch building in advance to do all these ceremonies and arrangements. As he is one of the trained pujari from the school of Jananivasa Prabhu and Pankajanghri Prabhu. So slowly the festival mood was entering. 

Purandara Krishna Prabhu started to make the decoration plans with whatever limitations and restrictions. He got baby banana trees, mango leaves, mangal-ghats, ganga-clay, gangs water, balloons, etc. And they started to do things ready, Syama Gaurahari Prabhu, Isvara Visvambhara Prabhu, Krishna Krpamurti Prabhu team up and was assisting each other in decorations. 

Unfortunately, some important meeting was announced by ISKCON India bureau at 6:30pm to 8pm. So the whole program schedule got delayed. Still we thought we can manage. So, Maha Varaha PR arranged for Guru Maharaja's dinner at 6pm. So that Guru Maharaja can join the Adhivasa ceremony right after the meeting at 8pm. So the pujaris were getting ready and they got Salagrama, Mangala-ghat installed, and bhoga offering was done, and we are all waiting. In Zoom the devotees were waiting, then kirtana, Jananivasa Pr's lecture, Bhakti Purusottama Maharaja who was also part of Bureau meeting, but he took a break and came in Zoom and addressed the devotees and went back to the meeting. Then, Bhakti Vijaya Bhagavata Maharaja was asked to address, and Maharaja spoke on the book distribution instructions etc. 

But... The meeting was going on and on, and it is very intense meeting, and Maha Varaha Prabhu informed Guru Maharaja three times, but Guru Maharaja was completely focused in the meeting, and not able to come out. As he is one of the main leaders to be there. Then, Maha Varaha Prabhu wrote on the screen, please give us the permission to do the Adhivasa to your picture. As all the devotees are waiting - and it seems that this meeting is not going to get over now. Then Guru Maharaja said, "Okay! But, I also want to attend the meeting! What is the plan?"

Then we decided that, you can continue the meeting with audio, we will offer the articles of Adhivasa ceremony and then you can continue the meeting after that. With that agreement, we made it ready, and the servants all got ready and was standing in line to offer the articles. So, in this way the Adhivasa ceremony began!!!

First Guru Maharaja was offered with a fruit plate, and he chose two or three fruits and accepted few pieces. Then, each one of the servants offered one by one. It was very special as this is the first time servants are getting chance to offer. Normally, sannyasis and leaders do all these offerings. At last, Visvambhara Krishna Prabhu and Srivasa Prana Prabhu took the whole plate and offered to Guru Maharaja.

Then Guru Maharaja left the room and continued the meeting until 10:30pm. Even during the whole Adhivasa ceremony, he was fully observed in the discussion, at the same time he was mercifully accepting the offerings. So in this way the Adhivasa day ended successfully! 

And today morning Guru Maharaja will give a class. I asked Vidvan Gauranga Prabhu, what verse we can use for the Vyasa-puja day Bhagavatam class. And he suggested 1.1.22. But it was not read out to Guru Maharaja. Last night meetings with Zoom team, and uploading homages took time, so I slept at 2am. Again to wake up in the morning, I kept 6 alarms. But somehow managed to wake up at 6am. And Sabta Hari Prabhu started the Zoom session, and Mayapur TV called to let them in. And it started with Narasimhadeva Yajna. I quickly went to take shower; then I asked Jaya Radha Krishna Prabhu, "Have you read the verse to Guru Maharaja for today's morning class?" He said, "No! Guru Maharaja asked to read Ekadasi Mahatmya, so I read that!" Then I rushed to Guru Maharaja. 

And I saw that he was in the bathroom. So I went to setup for the Zoom. Then I heard a voice "Ganga! Ganga! Ganga!" Immediately I entered the bathroom, and Subhanga Govinda Prabhu was just taking the Ganga water to pour on Guru Maharaja to complete his bath! So I took the Ganga water and poured as abhiseka for Vyasa-puja day! Then, also did a pada-puja by washing his lotus feet. 

Then Guru Maharaja was honoring his breakfast, every ekadasi the kitchen team makes Uttappam (Kitto) for Guru Maharaja, said Gopati Krishna Prabhu. So, when Guru Maharaja was taking his breakfast, I said, "Happy Vyasa-puja!" And started to read the verse and purport of 1.1.22. Then Guru Maharaja came after his breakfast and gave a class. And question and answer, which were very much instructive for all the disciples.

Then there was flag hoisting in TOVP, Vraja Vilasa Prabhu did on behalf of all the disciples of Guru Maharaja for Guru Maharaja. And he spoke, how much it is important for Guru Maharaja, this TOVP project. And how the Mayapur is incomplete without Guru Maharaja. 

Vyasa-puja book suppose to reached Mayapur, due to some flight cancellation and lockdown, Nandalala Kisora Prabhu couldn't sent it to Mayapur, then His Holiness Bhakti Vinoda Swami Maharaja agreed to released via Zoom from ISKCON Coimbatore. Maharaja offered it to Guru Maharaja, and also offered four new books from Victory Flag Publications.

In this way, the homages started one by one. His Holiness Bhakti Vijaya Bhagavata Maharaja wrote a nice Bengali poem offering. Then we prepared for the pada-puja. Naru Gopal Prabhu was saying feet washing ceremony, then Guru Maharaja said, "Say it as Pada-puja!" And all the servants got the opportunity to do pada-puja. And, at the end Maha Varaha Prabhu said to Guru Maharaja, "This is the special vyasa-puja. This is the first time we, servants got the opportunity to offer pada-puja. And this is first time, I got this chance in all these years!" When Guru Maharaja heard this, he laughed.

Then Maha Varaha Prabhu also announced that, "I offered tentor coconut - on behalf devotees who couldn't participate in thus vyasa-puja even through Zoom, YouTube, Facebook! Some may be sick or hospitalized - on behalf of them I offered it." It was very nice, unexpected, but Maha Varaha Prabhu was thinking for those devotees who couldn't come. 

Then, I asked Guru Maharaja - will you offer bhoga to Srila Prabhupada and Guru Parampara? Originally, we thought, we will just bring the offerings that made in Guru Maharaja's kitchen as per his diet by Prasanna Gauranga Prabhu! He made 25 offerings for deities, and 32 offerings as per Guru Maharaja's diet and a cake. Then Guru Maharaja said, "I will offer it by watching the bhoga offerings arranged in front of Srila Prabhupada and I will offer it." So, it was arranged. Prasanna Gauranga Prabhu got a plate with the bhoga that was cooked in the Guru Maharaja's kitchen. So, Guru Maharaja offered, and I put picture of Srila Prabhupada on screen - and Guru Maharaja offered. Then we requested Guru Maharaja to speak few words as Vyasa-puja address. Since he was too tired, his voice was down, "How many mins you want me to speak?" Guru Maharaja asked. Seeing his voice is too tiresome, I said, "At least five mins!" But, Guru Maharaja spoke almost 30mins. Very wonderful address!

Puspanjali started, Naru Gopal Pr started to chant the pranama mantra. And Guru Maharaja said, "Show my feet on Camera!" So, we did! And all the devotees were offering flowers in Zoom and the servants offered directly. Deva Gauranga Prabhu, offered Maha Arati, and Acarya Ratna Prabhu offered the Maha lamp from outside, as inside the room it might become too much smoke. So, he did it from outside. So in this way the Vyasa-puja celebration came to an end. All the devotees were happy!

Then Guru Maharaja went to take his lunch‌, but, he continued watch on YouTube the celebrations. It is Guru Maharaja's order to do 24 hrs celebration from 12am to 11:59pm. As per GBC rules we can celebrate only one day! But so many disciples and different timezones. So Guru Maharaja came up with this idea. But, Sri Vallabha Prabhu took it seriously, and pushed the whole team to do it. Radhapati Gopinatha Pr and team started it from 12am and successfully carried out technically, and 6am onwards Santa Hari Prabhu and Jagannath a Kirtananda Prabhu took over. So it all got organized in short time.

Due to all these busy services, I couldn't offer puspanjali. So, I went out and plugged some flowers and entered Guru Maharaja's room, and offered flowers. And paid my obeisances.

I got a call from Sri Vallabha Prabhu to present JPS Archives and Publicarions. But I didn't prepare any presentation - and only one hour in hand. And I was hungry, tired. But, I thought okay let's try. So, made a short presentation, along with Vidvan Gauranga Prabhu and Pandava Prabhu presented it to all the devotees. And then went to take prasadam at 4pm. After that, I was not control my sleep. So I was collapsed for one hour. The whole afternoon session was managed by Ciranjiva Syama Prabhu, and presented JPS Seva Committee, JPS Secretariat, JPS Office, JPS Care, Navadvipa Mandala Development, Bhaktivedanta Swami Charity Trust, etc. Guru Maharaja was taking rest after his lunch, and when he woke up, he started to watch in YouTube whatever he missed.

Then, I enter Guru Maharaja's room, and he asked to.check whether he can check, whether any temple celebrating Vyasa-puja now. Then I checked, but all the temples ended their celebrations by afternoon. Then Guru Maharaja said, "May be, in Europe, UK, USA, they might have some celebration!" Then I checked with Jagannath a Kirtananda Prabhu, he said, "As it is a working day, we celebrate it here around 10PM IST or 11PM IST!" So that plan was dropped!

Guru Maharaja's servants were given a slot to speak, so Radharaman Sevak Prabhu, Deva Gauranga Prabhu, Prasanna Gauranga Prabhu, Haridasa Caitanya Prabhu and Janki Ramacandra Prabhu. So Guru Maharaja enter at that time, and I was in the class room, and Maha Varaha Pr, Guru Maharaja and few other servants were there in Darsana room. And Guru Maharaja was talking with them! Guru Maharaja said, "I am thinking about Navadvipa Map, and to make a game..." Immediately Maha Varaha Prabhu's mind started to think - (he said) someone doing something on this. Then he said to Guru Maharaja, "Please wait!" And he called me, I came in front of Guru Maharaja! Then Guru Maharaja started to explain his heart, "We have to make Navadvipa Dhama map, and a game, with that all the devotees can play and do parikrama everyday three to four times! And in this way they can meditate on Navadvipa Dhama always!" 

I was simply stunned and my heartbeat just went high!!! And it was a very unique feel, I just told, "I started this project 25 days, there was a force from inside as Caitya-guru - you asked me to do! You haunted me and explained all these 25 days back." Guru Maharaja said, "Oh! I have already said!" I was simply not able to imagine, what is happening? Actually, when I started to do this Map - I was not getting things proper to put whatever the images that I was getting in my mind! I was having severe force from inside to do this! Even though, I got lot of services and not having time to do this, but still this thought of Navadvipa Map was not allowing me to do anything. So I began this, and the artist Rasikananda Prabhu also asked me when I said to him that, "I want to make a map of Navadvipa! But, I don't know how to do? Can we try?" He said, give me three days I am already in another work. And we met on Zoom, he said, "Let's try! But, I don't know - how we proceed!" But we started and it. He was just doing one by one, and when I saw the results, it was like hair standing, and tears flowing experience. And, I sent these sample to Jananivasa Prabhu and told him also, I don't know, why I do this? At least, please say whether, it is okay? But, Prabhu gave a green signal and blessings, then when I went with Pankajanghri Prabhu to Kolkata, he also saw and blessed and he was very happy. 

So today, when Guru Maharaja said exactly what is going on... And I just had feeling that, he is really doing things through his disciples, he can be physically not able to move, but he can do through any one. I felt so fortunate that, he use me as his instrument to do this project. And then I got like 30 mins of Guru Maharaja's time, and I showed him the Map, whatever so far we did. And Guru Maharaja gave some clarity. He asked to add some more place in Yogapitha, and in Rasa-sthali, etc. And almost for 45 mins, the happiness of this great feeling was there in me. Even now, I feel so happy about it. Simply stunning experience.

Then like this, this Vyasa-puja never get out of memory. And Guru Maharaja gave a very instructive class once again for his disciples especially, then at the end, Satya Raja Prabhu's (ACBSP) From Milwaukee to Mayapur book (short Bio-graphy) of Guru Maharaja. So, this book was released. Also Europe disciples memories compiled by Vaikuntha Nitai Prabhu also got released. End of the program, we got Tusti Mohana Krishna Prabhu spoke, and His Holiness BB Bodhayan Maharaja spoke, how much Guru Maharaja thinking to fulfill the desire of Srila Prabhupada - and gloried the effort to bring the Sarasvata Gaudiya Vaisnava Sanga. 

Guru Maharaja sang, Namaste Narasimhaya - Narasimha Pranama for the protection of Pankajanghri Prabhu and took leave from the Vyasa-puja celebration. But Middle East and London will continue the celebration until 11:50pm. Hare Krishna!  It was unfortunate situation, as Janaki Ramacandra Prabhu, suppose to join the Vyasa-puja services, but he got tested positive. So, he couldn't come!

Sorry for this long diary, it took almost two hours to key it. But, if I don't do, then I will forget these important day from my memory. So, just to keep it always fresh in my mind, I just put all the details for future reference. Happy Vyasa-puja! (Personal Diary - Syama Rasika Dasa)