(28/FEB/2022 - Chennai, India) As last few days my interaction with Guru Maharaja was very minimum, as I come during class hours, and set up the class and wind up the setup, then assist in preparing Guru Maharaja to go to bed, and then Guru Maharaja goes to sleep. And at morning 4:45 am we wake him up and give him medicine and he starts chanting, or rest for some more hours, so this was our routine, so I was not having much to share. But during morning hours - there are lot of activities and interactions.
Also on 26th Varada Krsna Prabhu and few of his congregation members from Bangalore visited Guru Maharaja and some took aspiration and shelter. Also he presented the first rendition of "Our Glorious Spiritual Master" English rendition of Bangalore IYF Vaisnavi forum. Dr. Hari Guru Prabhu said about this to me, and it is planned to offer on Vyasa-puja day.
On 27th morning there was a Guru-puja and Pada-abhisekam performed by Ajita Gopinatha Prabhu and family, also joined by Amarendra Pr, Sukirti Madhavi Mataji, Prasanna Gopinatha Prabhu and his wife, Ranga Krishna Prabhu and his wife, so few families, who are mainly taking care of Guru Maharaja's stay gathered and performed Guru-puja. It was their request that, during Guru Maharaja's stay in Chennai, at least once they want to do Guru-puja.
Also in the evening, after Guru Maharaja's afternoon nap, he goes down and go around the building, and take some fresh air. As he is almost whole day and night inside his room, and this program of evening spending outside with fresh from the ocean, makes him feel much better.
As Guru Maharaja recovered and now we are preparing to travel to Sri Mayapur dhama tomorrow (1st March 2022) Guru Maharaja wanted to pay his respect to the Deities in ISKCON Chennai. So it was planned today to visit ISKCON Chennai temple. Morning 10:30am along with all the servants Guru Maharaja headed towards ISKCON Chennai. Around 11:30am Guru Maharaja reached the temple; there were 100s of congregation devotees, and devotees from nearby cities also came to take darsana of Guru Maharaja.
Jayarama Prabhu, a disciple of Bhakti Vrajendranandana Swami Maharaja came to me and said that today is Maharaja's Vyasa-puja and asked me to inform Guru Maharaja. I remember before stroke, Guru Maharaja celebrate Maharaja's Vyasa-puja in Sri Mayapur dhama; usually it falls during GBC meeting period and Guru Maharaja always be at that time in Mayapur.
When Guru Maharaja car arrived there were nice arrangement to stop overwhelming devotee crowd, Guru Maharaja got down, and I informed him that today is the auspicious Vyasa-puja day of Srila Bhakti Vrajendrananda Swami Maharaja, and Guru Maharaja very happy and said, "Wow!" Then Sumitra Krishna Prabhu, ISKCON Chennai President welcomed Guru Maharaja along with Purna-kumbha. Then Guru Maharaja went up and paid his obeisances to Srila Prabhupada and offered garlands and rose flowers. Then Jayarama Prabhu was holding His Holiness Bhaktivrajendra Nandana Swami Maharaja's photo and a garland to offer, and Guru Maharaja immediately offered a garland to Maharaja and paid his respect to him.
There there was a beautiful darsana of Sri Sri Nitai Gauranga, Sri Sri Radha Krishna Lalita Visakha, Sri Sri Rukmini Satyabhama Krishna, Laksmi Narasimhadeva, Sri Sri Jagannatha, Baladeva, Subhadra. Guru Maharaja offered ghee lamps, flowers. And Pujaris offered a garland from Deities. Initially servants stopped, but Guru Maharaja accepted that lotus garland. Then after taking darsana of Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadra Guru Maharaja was taken apradhaksana of the garbha-graha. And I went and told Guru Maharaja that it is apradhaksana, then Guru Maharaja said, turn around - why they are taking me in this way? Then we turned our route and went on proper pradhaksana. While coming down, Dr. Vasanti Mataji got her mother and Guru Maharaja saw and blessed. By this time, the crowd management was failure, and we servants were trying to manage devotees - devotees were going little wild and trying to give dakshina, to pay obeisances, etc. So we stopped for while until they all cam-down. Then we took Guru Maharaja to his room.
There Guru Maharaja met with Bhanu Swami Maharaja for 45 mins. It was like kind of a meeting and they were talking many different things, managerial, friendly talks etc. Murali Syama Prabhu - who is going to start a preaching work in Tamil Nadu, so he was discussing with Guru Maharaja about some land in Chengalpattu District. Guru Maharaja was asking the details. It is an agricultural land, and Guru Maharaja was saying that, they can do agriculture and the produce can be given to ISKCON Chennai Deities. And also they can setup a small temple, so that local villagers can come and take part in programs and daily temple activities. Also Guru Maharaja asked about ISKCON Aruppukottai, Venudhari Kanhaiya Prabhu's temple status - so like this there were some discussion about SIDC and other temple managements.
Then Ajita Gopinatha Prabhu said as per Guru Maharaja's advice he searched and found sugar-free ice-cream in one shop and he got five flavors: 1. Vennila 2. Chocolate, 3. Kesar Pistha, 4. Strawberry, 5. Kulfi. And Guru Maharaja said, he will try all - and then Guru Maharaja said, Bhanu Maharaja you can chose whichever you like, then Maharaja chose Kulfi. Guru Maharaja liked Kesar Pistha. Even though as per Guru Maharaja's diet there are restriction; but coming out after a long time, so it was excused. Guru Maharaja was talking to Bhanu Maharaja about Ukraine war, and then Bhanu Swami Maharaja was telling about his experience in Dubai Expo, and he was suggesting what are the best things to see there. And Guru Maharaja asked Maha Varaha Prabhu to get the details from Maharaja and we can plan accordingly.
Then it was almost 1:30pm so Guru Maharaja prepared to leave ISKCON Chennai, but there were hundreds of devotees were outside - waiting for Guru Maharaja's darsana. Then the crowd was organized in a line, and Guru Maharaja got in to his car and was giving darsana to devotees and left the temple. On the way back - Guru Maharaja honored his lunch prasada, Tulasi Prema Krsna Prabhu was feeding lunch to Guru Maharaja.
In the evening I reached for Guru Maharaja's class setup - during the setup itself, Guru Maharaja arrived and I was not prepared, and Guru Maharaja started his class - as Aravinda Prabhu is not there, they left this morning to Mayapur along with Madhava Sumangala Prabhu, Kamyavana Govinda Prabhu - carrying excess luggage Mayapur by train - so it become hectic to do the setup all alone. But somehow, I managed.
After the class, we tried to give darsana to as many devotees as possible in Zoom. Then, one mataji who is staying in the same building in 18th floor (one floor down) she happened to see Guru Maharaja in the evening and got attracted to Guru Maharaja, so she came to take his blessings. This is second time she is coming for class. She is pregnant - and Guru Maharaja explained her about the Simantanayana samskara. And with Jagannatha Stick - he blessed mother and the baby in her womb. And Guru Maharaja also blessed all the devotees assembled there with Jagannatha Stick. It was very special moment. Then Little Kisori came in front of Guru Maharaja and she also got special blessings. She tells lot of stories from Ramayana and pastimes of Jagannatha in her childish voice, with tamil brahmanical accent.
After giving blessings to everyone, Guru Maharaja went to his room - then he started to ask about his carbs, protein, and his intakes and Dr. Hari Guru Prabhu and Caru Hasini Radhika Mataji were going crazy in calculating it - and Guru Maharaja said, until you give me the final report now I won't take milk with protein powder! Then he was watching News about UNO on Ukraine Russia war. Then finally they came and said the figures then Guru Maharaja took his milk. Then there was a discussion about Kuzhi-paniyaram, Idly, Dosa - same batter but how come it's carbs, protein and other things change? They were not able to answer - and Guru Maharaja was asking, how come idly is puffy and soft? How come Dosa is crispy? Paniyaram is having more carbs. Then at last I said, "Now it is 10:30pm - and You have to travel tomorrow - let them find out the answers and let us know tomorrow Guru Maharaja! Please - your body need rest!" Then Guru Maharaja agreed, we asked Dr. Hari Guru Prabhu to read Bhagavatam and Guru Maharaja also agreed.
Guru Maharaja was saying that I am not Ukraine Army, I am not in Russia Army, I am not in Nato Army, I am not in American Army, I am not in India Army - I am in Krishna's Army. Everyone saying, "Let there be Peace! But they have to say lets chant Hare Krishna! That will give real peace!" And in this way Guru Maharaja slept very fast - as his body was tired. Tomorrow is a travel day! And we have to leave from Ajita Gopinatha Prabhu's house around 8am and there may be traffic due to office hours - and our flight is at 11:30am. Then, from Kolkata we need to travel to Mayapur by road - that also will very much tiring for a normal person - what to speak of Guru Maharaja! Lets pray that Guru Maharaja reach Sri Mayapur dhama safely and celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Sri Sri Radha Madhava along with devotees. (Syama Rasika dasa - Personal Diary)
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