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EDITORIAL  About the AuthorOther Stories by this Author Sa Mahatma Sudurlabha BY MAHAVEGAVATI DASI EDITORIAL, Dec 11 (VNN) — Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Jayatah I am submitting the following for the pleasure of the assembled Vaishnavas: ?At school his teachers were astonished to hear Srila Gurudev say things that showed a level of wisdom beyond his years. The following story can serve as an example: One day, he and some of his fellow students were playing the way boys of that age do. They were engaged in various competitions of speed and strength, including a running race. Srila Gurudev was a good runner and quickly took the lead, but tripped on a root and fell with great force, causing him to bleed profusely. "When the school teachers and other guardians heard what had happened, they rushed to the scene and applied medicines to his cuts and bruises. They also said many things to calm him, but he answered, ?You need not worry on my account. I will get better soon. The Lord does everything for our good. I could have injured my eyes, ears, or broken my nose, but nothing serious like that has happened. I no doubt committed so many sins in previous lives that I should have suffered a more serious accident, but God is so merciful that He did not allow it to happen.? When Srila Gurudev?s school teachers heard him say these things, they realized that he was no ordinary child.? The description above is an excerpt from Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Maharaja?s new book, ?The Holy Life of Srila Bhakti Dayita Madhava Goswami Maharaj,? a brief summary of the life and activities of Srila Bhakti Dayita Madhava Maharaj, one of Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj Prabhupada?s Godbrothers. When Srila Prabhupada sent Jayapataka and Acyutananda to India, they were sent to and accommodated in Srila Madhava Maharaj?s math. It was there, under the guidance of Srila Madhava Maharaj, they were taught their spiritual practices, Gaudiya Vaishnava bhajans, mrdanga, Bengali, and so many other things in the devotional line. (It should be noted that Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Maharaj was specifically assigned by Srila Madhava Maharaj to be their teacher.) Only the pure devotee can truly know another pure devotee; thus, it is only the pure devotee who can write the biography of another pure devotee, and so it is in this case. Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha has written a heart-warming summary of the life of His beloved Guru Maharaj, who, he explains, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur described as being possessed of ?volcanic energy? due to his dedication and unflinching resolve to serve the order and desire of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur Prabhupada. ?Srila Gurudev began to display extraordinary qualities from a very early age. Under no circumstance would he tell a lie. He would furthermore explain the moral value of truthfulness to his friends and companions. Everyone was impressed by the young lad?s character?It was personally heard from Srila Gurudev?s mother that whenever she gave him some special delicacy or sweet, he would only eat whatever was left after he had called his friends and distributed it amongst them.? By the age of eleven, Srila Madhava Maharaj had memorized all of the verses of Bhagavad Gita, which his mother would make him read every day when he was young. After going to school for primary and secondary education, Srila Madhava Maharaj went for higher studies in Calcutta. It was at this time that he exhibited the pastime of becoming intensely anxious to find the Lord, calling out the names of the Lord and crying in the middle of the night. Taking permission from his mother (as his father had expired when he was four years old), Srila Madhava Maharaj left home and went searching for his Guru Maharaj. First to Hardwar, then to the Himalayan jungles, he received (as Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Maharaj writes), ?a divine order?. This order told that he would meet his Guru Maharaj in the very place that he had left. Accepting those divine words, Srila Madhava Maharaj left that place. Maya devi came to test his determination, in the form of a very wealthy household couple. Both husband and wife gave him the offer that if he would become their son through adoption, they would give him all of their wealth. Determined to find his Guru Maharaj, Srila Madhava Maharaj left that place seeing this was Maya devi?s trick. It was very shortly after this that Srila Madhava Maharaj met Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur Prabhupada. Realizing the purity of the Mahatma, (parshad of Krsna), who was giving the lecture he was attending, Srila Madhava Maharaj started attending lectures and rendered service through the Gaudiya Math. On the Radhastami of 1927, Srila Madhava Maharaj accepted initiation from Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur Prabhupada. Dedicated to his Guru Maharaj and the preaching mission of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur Prabhupada, Srila Madhava Maharaj remained as nisthika brahmacari, (Hayagriva das Brahmacari), and later took sannyas vows. Golden in complexion, very tall in stature, and with beautiful bodily features, when it was decided that Hayagriva das Brahmacari would go to England for preaching, Rajarshi Saradindu Narayan Ray went to Srila Prabhupada (Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur) and explained that he felt it would not be a good idea to send such a handsome looking brahmacari to such a place. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur Prabhupada considering these words, changed his decision to send Srila Madhava Maharaj. (It may be noted here that if one looks at a picture of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur Prabhupada, and that of Srila Madhava Maharaj, their facial features and height are very similar, so much so, that many people thought that Srila Madhava Maharaj was a biological son of his Guru Maharaj.) Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Maharaja?s book (in this rendition in English), is very short, but so sweetly written, it brings tears to the eyes. One can feel the presence and potency of Srila Madhava Maharaj through the pages of this book. The magic of the book is due to fact that Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Maharaj has captured the heart of his beloved Guru Maharaj. It can only be a true disciple to whom the heart of the Guru is revealed, and this is such a case. For anyone who would like a look into the life of one of our recent Gaudiya Vaishnava acaryas, I recommend this book. (PS: Just as a side note, to quell any false rumors: I am not ?with? Sri Caitanya Gaudiya Math, nor any other mission for that matter. If I can find some Krsna consciousness somewhere, I go and try to get what ever association of such a personality that Krsna will allow me, to serve that personality in some capacity, and to glorify him or her. For some reason, a few devotees brought to my attention that I ?joined? Sri Caitanya Gaudiya Matha and that I had ?lost myself? to (living in one of the maths of) Sri Caitanya Gaudiya Matha. Contrary to these rumors, I am not living in Sri Caitanya Gaudiya Math, nor any other math. I have also not left my body as of yet, as one devotee recently, (expressing surprise to see me still alive), brought to my attention the ?news? that some devotees have been exchanging, that I have died. (My apologies to anyone who wishes that I have. As of yet, I have not accomplished that in this body yet.) HOPEFULLY Krsna will give me some more time that I may be able to get the association of His pure-hearted servants, to allow me to purify my heart that I be able to further my chances for developing pure, unadulterated love, Krsna prema, in this lifetime. I pray for the mercy and well wishes of the Vaishnavas.) I remain your servant, Mahavegavati Dasi Hare Krsna About the Author Other Stories by this AuthorContact VNN about this storySend this story to a friend
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