In honour of the appearance day of Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj we are posting some heartfelt expressions of appreciation for His Divine Grace from here in Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math Nabadwip.
All glory to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga
Srimach Chaitanya Saraswata Mathavara udgita kirtir Jayasrim – Dear Srila Acharyadev, we are wholly indebted to you, for you are proudly bearing and announcing that flag of exclusive dedication in the line of Radha-dasyam.
You are holding your deep serving connection to the lotus feet of Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga and simultaneously, constantly trying to draw us all in closer to that same connection. Again and again you implore us: “Give your attention to the lotus feet of Mahaprabhu, stop wasting your time with the mundane world; don’t go to the illusory environment. Dive deeper, come closer. Give every drop of blood that you have – nothing else will do.” Exclusive, wholesale, 100% dedication to the lotus feet of Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga – you are not satisfied with anything less, you will not tolerate anything less, you are disgusted with anything less: “Give your heart; nothing else will do.”
This is your deep faith and heart’s feeling, this is the message you spread – yet simultaneously we see, again and again, your compassion, affection, tolerance, acceptance, and constant accommodation of all of us fallen souls who are still dragging along, unable to fully give ourselves.
You are continuing with the same message Srila Gurudev spread: come together on one ship in Hari-nam-sankirtan, come under one umbrella and proceed together to the lotus feet of Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga.
So we are wholly and eternally indebted to you for your example of wholesale, wholehearted dedication. We are trying to follow you and pray you will always keep us under that umbrella you are holding high. We ever pray to please you, to serve you, to assist you in any way we can. Could there be any greater happiness for us, than to continue in such a noble endeavour?
mahaudārya-līlāmaya śrī-chaitanya-charaṇātma-nikṣepasya paramatvam—
pātrāpātra-vichāraṇām na kurute na svaṁ paraṁ vīkṣate
deyādeya-vimarśako na hi na vā kāla-pratīkṣaḥ prabhuḥ
sadyo yaḥ śravaṇekṣaṇa-praṇamana-dhyānādinā durllabhaṁ
datte bhakti-rasaṁ sa eva bhagavān gauraṁ paraṁ me gatiḥ
Sri-Prabodhanandapadanam
The dignity of casting oneself unto the lotus feet of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the Hero in the Divine Pastimes of supreme magnanimity—
He makes no distinction between the worthy and the unworthy, and He does not differentiate between Himself and others; He does not consider who should be given to and who should not, and He makes no preparation for an auspicious or inauspicious moment; and He swiftly awards the rarest nectar of pure devotion beginning with hearing about the Lord, beholding Him, making obeisance
unto Him, and absorbing one’s thoughts in Him—that Supreme Lord Gaurahari is my one and only shelter.
—Sri Prabodhananda Saraswati
You are continuing that line of distribution and with the same kind of mood: without considering qualification or disqualification, in a truly non-envious way you eagerly try to make one and all noble servants of Mahaprabhu. Without considering the vast difference between us and yourself, you take us all as your intimate friends and treat us as your very own.
Praying for forgiveness for my many offences,
Your aspiring servant.
Sri Sri Guru-Gaurangau Jayatah
Dear Srila Acharyadev,
Please accept my obeisance at your lotus feet.
On this day of your appearance in this world, I am remembering your exalted qualities and the profound inspiration you have been in my life.
I have no capacity to chant your glories, the glories of Sri Gurudev, but Sriman Mahaprabhu extolled the glory of his Param Gurudev, Srila Madhavendra Puri, with the following verse which expresses my heart’s appreciation for you:
purīra prema-parākāṣṭhā karaha vichāra
alaukika prema chitte lāge chamatkāra
pragāḍha-premera ei svabhāva-āchāra
nija-duḥkha-vighnādira nā kare vichāra
(Śrī Chaitanya-charitamrita: Madhya-lila: 4.178, 186)
“Just consider the super-excellent prem of Madhavendra Puri! His extraordinary prem strikes the heart with wonder! He does not consider his own distress, difficulties, and so forth, whatsoever. This is the nature of his profound prem.”
As I see you daily exemplify this verse in your service to your Gurudev, Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj, I feel forcefully inspired to commit my full energy to somehow assisting you in your service. I feel that the heartfelt and self-evident devotion to Srila Govinda Maharaj you exhibit in the face of all adversity naturally shines only more gloriously as you continue overcoming the obstacles and challenges that present themselves in your way. Moreover, I feel all such adversity has come about only by the benevolent will of Providence to show us your exalted devotional qualities and attract our hearts to your mood of surrender and devotion (ei tāra gāḍha prema loke dekhaite, gopāla tā̐re ājnā dila chandana ānite).
I feel confident you are a true guardian for the surrendered souls who want only to dedicate their lives to the service of our Guru-varga and that you are a saviour of the lost servants of the Lord wandering in the illusory world.
guru-pāda-padme rahe yāra niṣṭha bhakti
brahmāṇḍe tārite se dhare mahā-śakti
“One who has chaste devotion for the lotus feet of Sri Guru has the power to deliver the entire world.”
My heart soars with joy when I remember the great mercy you have shown me, the wonderful association I have had with you, and the service you have engaged me in.
Simultaneously, I repent the innumerable shortcomings in my endeavours to reciprocate with the love and affection you have shown me and have no alternative but to perpetually pray to you for the guidance and support necessary to fulfil your desires.
viṣaye ye prīti ebe āchaye āmāra
sei mata prīti hauk charaṇe tomāra
“May whatever loving attachment I have for all else be transferred to your lotus feet.”
Your fallen servant.