Today is going to be a hectic day. Morning, I woke up at 5am, then again slept and Dr. Hari Guru Gaura Prabhu was calling me and woke me up and said, Prabhu, I don’t want want Guru Maharaja to go to temple for Bhagavatam class, you please make some arrangement to do a broadcast from Glass room. It was 5:30am. I said, “give me some time, let me take bath and come, then we see what to do!” While taking bath, again he came and said, “Guru Maharaja said, it is not possible to arrange for Syama Rasika in this short notice.” Then, finally, we decided that Guru Maharaja can be on top of the platform in front of Panca-tattva and give class. So that, he will have his space and the audience will be far. I went down, and called the securities and had a meeting on how to bring Guru Maharaja, and how to reach the platform, Subala Sudama Prabhu was making all the arrangements, then Mādhava Hari Prabhu came, and we explained the same, they were all went top on the Radha Mādhava platform, and we decided to move Yasoda Damodara in front, so that Guru Maharaja can be all front and take darsana of the Lotus footprints of Gopis and Radharani. But the exit plan was still not clear.
Then, I went and said to Guru Maharaja, this is how we go. Guru Maharaja agreed, only one issue, we cannot keep any Tv display there. As there is not enough space. So, Srivatsa Syamasundara Prabhu managed with a laptop. We got Guru Maharaja to the stage as per the plan. The hall was packed, there was no space, and Guru Maharaja was going on with very good voice, even though, there was a dialysis yesterday.
I forgot to mention about one meeting with a devotee family from Australia. Through Srivatsa Syamasundara Prabhu, they came to meet with Guru Maharaja in the 3rd floor. Last year, when they came for a vacation to India, in Mumbai, their 16 old son passed away due to gas water heater, emission this Carbon Monoxide and the boy went into Coma stage, the parents were in great pain, and the father explained about his passing, he was not able to recognise the parents, but he was only chanting the holy name and left the body. Guru Maharaja said, “He went back to Krishna!” And he said to mother, “you have brought him up, very nicely in Krishna Conscious!” The father said, “We are very much in pain, we are not able to bare his separation!” Guru Maharaja consoled them very much, and they had second son and instructed him, “You have to be more Krishna Conscious and take care of your parents!” And then Guru Maharaja took a photo with the family, and they connected Yogesvara Prabhu from Australia over video call, and connected them. Such situations are really painful even to hear, and the pain for the parents cannot be said by words.
Back to Gopastami day: we requested Guru Maharaja to combine the class for the initiation as well, so one third of the class was for initiation, and rest on Gopastami. The whole idea is not to leave Lotus building, as it is a recovery time - we wanted to skip Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam class also. But, Guru Maharaja didn’t agree.
While Bhagavatam class was going on Ekanatha Gaura Prabhu send me a message that, today is Gopastami, so we have to arrange for Guru Maharaja to do one go-puja, so after Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam class we take Guru Maharaja to Panca-tattva courtyard and do a puja and come back for darsana. Wow! The temple is packed with 3000+ devotees, and taking Guru Maharaja in normal days itself a difficult task, and now how to do? So again I went and had a meeting with securities. And we decided to take Guru Maharaja through the back door, but still the crowd will be there in the Panca-tattva courtyard. Then we said, bring one cow and its calf just next to the place where Guru Maharaja was give class, then they immediately got the cow and all the puja paraphernalia. Guru Maharaja came and did the puja, by the time, Narasimhadeva altar got opened and Guru Maharaja again got up on the platform and was seeing darsana of Panca-tattva and offering lamps to the Lord. Immediately, when the song reached Ramacandra Sanga mage Narottama dasa. We took Guru Maharaja to Radha Mādhava altar platform. Guru Maharaja was well in advance and was sitting in the centre, and just below, and the curtain got opened… wonderful Gopastami darsana, and Govindam Adi Purusam prayers. I always think that, whenever Guru Maharaja comes for darsana, Gocindam Adi purusam song.
Soon after the darsana Arati, Guru Maharaja wanted to go to the side, and we had a plan that Guru Maharaja will stay back - then when Śrīla Prabhupāda starts his parikrama, then Guru Maharaja could go back. But, our servants decided that first we take Guru Maharaja before Prabhupada. So, there we failed and got stuck in the crowd. But somehow managed to bring Guru Maharaja out. When servants are pushing and trying to make a path, Guru Maharaja was calming down, do not do that! Then finally, reached back to lotus rooftop.
It was 8:30am: breakfast was ready, and when I entered the room, Guru Maharaja asked, what about Zoom visit? I said, we didn’t announce it or any arrangement done. As we thought, let Guru Maharaja take rest, not to have Zoom Darsana and initiation ceremony also there.
Ekanatha Gaura Prabhu explained, Deva Gauranga Prabhu explained, still Guru Maharaja said, “I won’t eat without Zoom Darsana. I want to go to glass room!” We couldn’t say anything, then I said, we will do arrangement, but one condition, you have to do multi-tasking of taking breakfast and do the Zoom Darsana. Because we need to save time. Guru Maharaja agreed, then there was very less participants, and we were even unmuting some devotees, but they don’t know what to speak. So in this way, the breakfast ended as per Guru Maharaja’s desire.
Guru Maharaja suppose to take one hour rest be for the initiation ceremony, so he went to bed, Dr. Hari Guru Gaura Prabhu said, we will make a new IV line and give an antibiotic, which will go for an hour. And, as he cannot use permacath - they wanted to make an IV line on left hand, Guru Maharaja was shouting in pain, then in they gave a local anaesthesia and Guru Maharaja also went to sleep, then they made a small IV on his fingure and started to antibiotic. But, Guru Maharaja was too tired, he slept immediately.
Before that, I went down to check diksa organisation and saw that the devotees are all sitting in the Prabhupada Park, and the hot sun started to come, then we changed all of them to Panca-tattva courtyard. There Bhakti Vijaya Bhagavata Swami was giving class on ten subject matter.
During Gopastami darsana, many servants were around Guru Maharaja, actually they suppose to control the crowd. But, somehow, it was not happening. Two devotees were also there, and after Guru Maharaja got into the lift after his Deity Darsana, I really chastised them. As we are an always with Guru Maharaja, so we just have to give be conscious, but some are always wants to be with Guru Maharaja. I was repeatedly saying that, only three servants should go with Guru Maharaja. But, none follows. Later I asked forgiveness to those two.
Guru Maharaja was resting, and antibiotic was going on, then Mani Gopal Prabhu said, we need to finalize the venue for second initiation, then Mādhava Kānta Prabhu said, better to have have it in Panca-tattva extension hall. Then I went up again, Guru Maharaja didn’t sleep, so, I asked him - can we arrange it in Lotus Conference hall? What is the square feet? Guru Maharaja gave a suggestion to remove all the chairs and sofa to put it out. So that we could accommodate 85 candidates. And I went down again, and conveyed the same with Mani Gopala Prabhu, and we immediately called volunteers and started to vacate the chairs and tables. Then I called Jagatguru Jayadeva Prabhu, and Asraya Govinda Prabhu to inform them. Now so much space now, there now.
Continuing the 9th Nov Diary: Guru Maharaja wanted to take rest after the Zoom darsana and his breakfast. It was almost 10am. Dr. Hari Guru Gaura Prabhu said, now he will give antibiotic and it will take one hour. The IV line was connected to his index finger in his left hand. Guru Maharaja got ready for initiation around 11:15am. Then I went and informed Bhakti Vijaya Bhagavata Swami Maharaja, and he was talking on 10 Nama aparadhas - Maharaja quickly winded up his class, and then Guru Maharaja gave "Maha-mantra" via phone, and Devesvara Jagannatha Prabhu connected his phone to the sound system, and everyone heard and repeated. Srila Prabhupads initiated even through letter. So nowadays more Zoom initiations are also happening...
Devotees lined up from the ground floor to the lotus rooftop. Almost 600 candidates. Many volunteers were organized on each floor to guide the candidates. So, it was easy in one sense. Guru Maharaja was in his glass room giving out beads. It took 1 hour 20mins to complete the initiation. Then, immediately, Guru Maharaja went down to the lotus building conference hall and gave Gayatri initiation to 85 candidates. Around 1:20pm he returned to his residence to honor his lunch prasadam. Then he went to take rest.
It all happened very smoothly, after his afternoon nap, Guru Maharaja joined the co-directors meeting - Ekanatha Gaura Prabhu was repeating and also this was a confidential meeting, so no servants were allowed, around 6pm Tarun Gaura Prabhu called me and said, we were knowing the door, Ekanatha Gaura Prabhu was not opening - we have to feed 6pm pre-dinner." Then I messaged Ekanatha Gaura Prabhu, we need to feed pre-dinner! Then he opened - Hrdaya Caitanya Prabhu said, "Maharaja! Please continue with your snacks." Tarun Gaura Prabhu started to feed to Guru Maharaja. As Ekanatha Gaura Prabhu was repeating - so feeding and repeating will be difficult. We follow the timing - as after giving pre-dinner, we have to wait for 45 mins or 1 hour to give a medicine, then after giving the medicine it will take one hour to take his dinner - so during that time only, Guru Maharaja gives his class, chants Gayatri and meet with devotees. If the pre-dinner gets late, then all schedule will be late. Then the day ended with class and darsana and dinner. [END]
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