24/APR/2021 - Sri Mayapur dhama, India

24/APR/2021 - Sri Mayapur dhama, India: Today being the dvadasi day, there was a special Bhagavatam class lecture as usual, as every year! And I went inside Guru Maharaja's room and he was getting ready. And along with Srivatsa Syamasundara Prabhu we were setting up the live class, and I saw that the Srimad-Bhagavatam verse is not selected, rather it is usual verse from temple. So I asked Radharamana Sevaka Prabhu to select one emphasising on Guru-tattva, and he selected one 3.29.17. And we read the verse and purport to Guru Maharaja and he gave his class on this verse mercifully.

After the class, we had temple visits and home visits, many were offering cakes and so many different dvadasi feasts. Especially we visited Australia, Malaysia, Singapore devotees. So it was very blissful, around 10:15am we ended the darsana. Then Guru Maharaja went to rest. 

I got some calls regarding Pankajanghri Prabhu's health, so I went up to Guru Maharaja's room again at 11am. He was lying down and Maha Varaha Prabhu asked, would you like to sleep? Guru Maharaja said, I just want to give rest to my body, but I don't want to sleep. So, I took the opportunity and updated about Pankajanghri Prabhu's health, and after that Guru Maharaja started to talk about Navadvipa Map game. 

Last evening, we had the discussion and in that he said, how the players will receive mercy coins, nama, dhama, seva aparadhas, how they can get attoinment for that, like if they do Vaisnava Aparadha then they have to visit Aparadha-vancana-kuliya-pat, like that, he was sharing his vision. And today as a continuation, he said, in Yogapitha, we have to show Saci's house, Laksmi-narasimha temple, Gaura Gadadhara temple, Neem tree. And he was asking, what route are we going to follow? We have to start the parikrama from Antardvipa and end in Antardvipa. Normally the Bengali parties they do it proper route, other parties they start from different dvipas but ends in Antardvipa. Then I said, we will follow Nityananda Prabhu's path, where he took Jiva Gosvami around. And that is the path that Bengali Parikrama party follows under the guidance of Gauranga Prema Swami Maharaja as per your instruction. Then Guru Maharaja asked questions like, how Nityananda Prabhu's route goes? And I was explaining him, but when we came to Godrumadvipa, Guru Maharaja asked from Narasimhapalli, where did Lord Nityananda goes? And how He crossed the Jalangi and Ganga? So, I told him, I will make a route of Lord Nityananda and submit to you!

And then we discussed about establishing 108 Pada-pithas of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu around India and Bangladesh. Guru Maharaja said, this is our previous acaryas desire - Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura desired to install 108 Pada-pithas and he established 8 and his followers did few, and I did two one in Ahovalam, another in Trivandrum. 

And he said, “We need to make list of 108 spots, where it is already existing, and where we need to install, this list we have to make from Caitanya-caritamrta, Caitanya Bhagavata, Caitanya-mangala. 

I said, “South India!”

Then Guru Maharaja said, “Not only South India, Mahaprabhu visited Pandarpur, Vrndavana, Gaya, Prayag, Bangladesh, Orissa, Kolkata area, etc. So, once we get a list, we can discuss with SIDC and possibilities to install these Pada-pithas. I asked him, will it come under Sarasvata Gaudiya Vaisnava Association or ISKCON as individual. 

He said, Srila Prabhupada said, "Bhaktivedanta Swami Charity Trust is only for Gaura Mandala development. So, it can be Sarasvata Gaudiya Vaisnava Association, or ISKCON.”

Another question is, "If we establish these Pada-pithas - it is required to have daily worship of these Footprints? or it is to say that this is to tell the world that Mahaprabhu visited here?". 

Guru Maharaja said, "We have to see what Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura did." 

I said, "It is mentioned that Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura gave some funds for its maintenance!" 

Guru Maharaja said, "We have to check!

I said, “In Mantara mountain, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura installed the lotus footprint there, but I don’t think regular worship goes on there, as there is no Matha, the village also it is couple of kilometers away! So I don’t think – there is regular worship there, as it is very interior place.

I said, I also desire to do the chandelier of TOVP for kids. Then also to make a game based on Gopa Kumar – Brhat Bhagavatamrta – going from Earth to Goloka, may be like snake and ladder, board game, and Guru Maharaja said, it is interesting, and he closed his eyes for some time and said, “It will be good to make theme park based on Gopa Kumar story!

But it was 30 mins of discussion all together. I couldn’t record as his voice was extremely low, and I didn’t think that the discussion will take place. As 11:45am there is going to be bhoga offerings.

And Guru Maharaja was answering and hearing some emails – Radhramana Sevaka Prabhu was reading out! And I went to setup the Zoom session and Naru Gopala Prabhu was there in the temple and he was showing the bhoga offerings and a big Vyasa-puja cake. It was very nice, they made totally 750 offerings. And Guru Maharaja was ringing bell and offering to Srila Prabhupada and the guru parampara, also like 100+ devotees joined the Zoom and they were also offering bhoga, and Guru Maharaja offered those also to Srila Prabhupada and guru parampara. And Subhanga Govinda Prabhu asked Guru Maharaja, I will ring – it will make you tired – but Guru Maharaja didn’t give him the bell, he just continued to ring for 15 mins or so, and then he offered bhoga and did his gayatri. After offering, again some more devotees showed him bhoga offerings, again he took the bell and started to offer.

Then there was a letter from a disciple about worshipping Gopala as she got it, and she was praying for child. So she asked, where can we worship Gopala? Then Guru Maharaja said, “Asking for a child is material, but asking for a Krsna conscious child, who will worship the lotus feet of Gopala is not material!” And he gave permission to worship, and offer everyday sweet and butter.

There was one more disciple, she asked about her marriage with a disciple in USA, she serves here in Mayapur, Guru Maharaja blessed her as well!

Then Guru Maharaja honored his lunch dvadasi prasadam, and there was a cake cutting. 

In the evening as usual we had Caitanya-lila class and home visits, and many devotees offered cakes and feast again! The day ended like this in the association of Guru Maharaja! (Personal Diary – Syama Rasika dasa)