Srila Swami B.G. Narasingha Maharaja at Saranagati Village, July 2001

There is wonderful news we would like to share with you. As you may know, our Guru Maharaja, Srila Bhakti Gaurava Narasingha Maharaja recently returned from a 2 week preaching engagement, held at Saranagati Village - a most wonderful community of devotees, outside of Vancouver, Canada. Sriman Harivilas Prabhu, the GBC of the region, wrote a letter glorifying Maharajas preaching service and welcomed Maharaja in his visit to Canada. Gopal Krishna Maharaja and Bhakti Marga Swami, the other GBC's of the region, welcomed Maharaja the same.

Srila Guru Maharaja went by invitation to Saranagati, also stopping by request at Sripad Tripurari Maharajas project in Mendicino county CA, to Sriman Agnideva Prabhu house in Eugene Oregon, and to Rupa Raghunatha Prabhus house in Vancouver. Along with Srila Guru Maharaja went Sriman Govardhan Prabhu - who did the service of filming Maharajas classes throughout the whole trip. More than 33 hours of footage was caught on tape. These darshans will be available through Mandala Media shortly.

Departing from Sriman Ramdas Prabhus home, whom I would like to mention here, graciously sponsored our entire journey, we arrived at Sri Audarya Dham, the beautiful ashram of Sripad Tripurari Maharaja, tucked away into the hills and redwood trees of Mendicino county. A wonderful day was spent there as Srila Guru Maharaja and Srila Tripurari Maharaja spoke about their realizations after a life of service under Srila Prabhupada in Krishna Consciousness.

Biding Haribol to the devotees of Audarya Dham the following day, we left for Eugene Oregon, where Maharaja and the devotees were received in a very affectionate way by a small group of his god-brothers/god-sisters - Agnideva Prabhu, Ratna Cintamani Mataji, Satananda Prabhu and some of Maharajas disciple as Prahlad Prabhu & Balaram Prabhu. The next evening Srila Guru Maharaja gave a wonderful class from Sri Chaitanya Charitamrta (Madhya lila Chapter 8) on the topic of Sri Ramananda-samvada, the talks between Lord Chaitanya and Ramanda Raya. Maharaja explained how only through Mahaprabhu can one attain the service of Sri sri Radha Govindadev. There were bhajans led by Agnideva Prabhu and splendid Sri Krishna prasadam.

 

The next day we were off to Vancouver, where Maharaja's god-sister Mother Madhumati Devi arranged a program at the house of Sriman Rupa Raghunatha Prabhu and Srimati Braja Devi. That evening, Srila Guru Maharaja kept about 40 devotees is rapt attention as he gave an enlightening lecture about Srila Rupa Goswami Prabhupad, and how the followers of Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur are the carriers of that line. We are Rupanugas - the followers of Sri Rupa Goswami. Glorifying Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Srila Sridhardev Goswami Maharaja and Srila Puri Goswami Maharaja, by explaining how these three Acaryas, whom Maharaja had the opportunity to hear from and serve, even though apparently different in their way of preaching, never deviated an inkling from the siddhanta and proper way of presentation of it. Maharaja chose to stress this point as there are other preachers today who claim to follow the same line, but who are in actuallity extemely far from it.

That night many devotees learned the glories of our Acharyas and asked questions, which kept the program going late into the night. Among the devotees were quite a few of Guru Maharajas god-brothers, including Sriman Dhananjaya Prabhu, one of Srila Prabhupadas first disciples. Prabhu deeply thanked Maharaja for preaching on the topics and with the strong style he had the privilege to hear that night. As the program ended (after 3 1/2 hours or so) the devotees repeatedly requested Maharaja to return to Vancouver soon and teach them more and more of the true siddhanta of our sampradaya.

Traveling for four hours the next day out of Vancouver, through magnificent open scenery of snow-capped mountains, waterfalls and then through arid peaks of sand which seemed as if we were in the desert, we arrived at an complete oasis - both geographicly and spiritually - the oasis of Saranagati Village. A valley of over 3,500 acres with lakes, hills, plateaus, open meadows, beautiful spruce, oak, pine and fir trees, is home to some of the most wonderful devotees.

Srimati Jamuna Devi, Srimati Dina-tarini Devi, Sriman Yadubara Prabhu, Srimati Visakha Devi, Sriman Bala Krishna Prabhu, Srimati Hari-lila Devi, Sriman Partha Prabhu, Srimati Uttama Devi are some of the devotees there just to name a few.

A large group of devotees at Saranagati were anxiously awaiting Maharajas arrival. Entering the Sri sri Gaura-Nitai Mandira built by Sriman Kulashekar Prabhu (Srila Prabhupadas first initiated brahmacari diciple from Canada), Maharaja was welcomed by many devotees as kirtana was going on.


         Dina-tarini devi

One of the eldest residents of Saranagati, Sriman Bala-krishna Prabhu (along with his daughter Krishna-devata Devi who had flown in from California with other devotees and has been working for Mandala Publishing, had coordinated much of Maharajas tour along with her kind mother Srimati Madhumati Devi) had arranged for Maharaja to show the first public showing of the newly finished video documentary - Kumbha Mela (available from Mandala Publishing Group). So, for the first evening, after a little introductory talk - and reciprocating in appreciation his welcome, Maharaja presented the video to the devotees. Maharaja later answered questions and the evening ended with kirtana.

By the request of the devotees, Bala-krishna Prabhu and Krishna-devata Devi arranged a three day seminar at the schoolhouse on "The Authorized Sri Chaitanya-Saraswat Parampara." That began the next morning at the schoolhouse.Jamuna devi dasi

To our amazement, we found out that the Canadian government had done wonderfully in funding a school for the children in Saranagati Village. All the facility of a complete school was given to the devotees, as well as the support for teaching Krishna Consciousness and the sanction of teaching any other vedic sciences, such as sanskrit, etc.. Some of the students mothers with teaching degrees teach there, along with another teacher hired by the government that comes in from the nearest town, about half an hour away. After seeing the schools facility and how expertly it ran, Guru Maharaja became very impressed and commented that it is by for the best schooling facility the movement has ever had. Between 30 to 40 children between the ages of 6 and 16 study there.
                       Jamuna devi

Being vacation time for the kids, the school was empty and available for the seminar. There, Srila Guru Maharaja gave a group of about 40 devotees, of whom about half were disciples of Srila Prabhupada, a wonderful presentation of the authorized philosophy of Suddha Bhakti - Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhus movement of divine love. Writing on the chalk board "pujala ragapatha gaurava bhange," Maharaja explained in great detail how this is the motto of our sampradaya - from the followers of Sri Chaitanya down to disciples of Srila Prabhupada Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakura. Showing that this line had been carried by Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Srila Sridhardev Goswami Maharaja and Srila Puri Goswami Maharaja, Srila Guru Maharaja explained why it is so important to keep this concept our focus, and pray to never be steered away from it. "Pujala ragapatha gaurava bhange," the verse Srila Bhakti Siddhanta composed at the beginning of his preaching mission, meaning - the intimate pastimes of Sri Sri Radha-Govinda which are aprakrta or completely divine, we must keep high above our heads and worship with all our existence from some distance. We should not try to barge our way into the intimate circle of the Lords love affairs. We should not think of ourselves of having any qualification to serve within that highest quarter. Rather we should try to aspire to be a speck of dust at the lotus feet of the lords true devotees. We should move in our service with this ambition alone. And then, according to the desire and pleasure of the divine couple, Sri Sri Radha-Madhava, we shall be placed eternally in Their Lordships service.

Radha BanabihariAsking questions and revealing their hearts, the devotees began to develop an eagerness to hear more and more from Maharaja. After three days of an intense and illuminating seminar, Srimati Jamuna Devi and Srimati Dina-tarine Devi, requested Maharaja to give the following programs at their ahrama and residence - Sri sri Radha-vana-bihari Mandia - the residing place of the gorgeous Sri sri Radha Krishna deities that were personally given to Srimati Jamuna Devi by Srila Prabhupada in 1976, sometime after her husband had accepted sannyasa.

Four days of Srimad Bhagavatam class which started at 7 am and never ended before 10 am moved the devotees hearts and brought tears of appreciation to many. Having the devotees choose the verse for the daily class, Maharaja spoke on a variety of subjects. Maharaja spoke in particular on matters relevant to todays confusion is the Vaisnava world. Some of the topics discussed were, who is a true follower of Srila Prabhupad?, what is the qualification for hearing higher topics?, how to recognize a siksa guru in Srila Prabhpadas line?, what is the importance of guidance throughout our devotional lives? And many many other topics. The last day of Bhagavatam class, was the day before the villages' annual Ratha Yatra festival. On this day Maharaja spoke about the esoteric meaning of Lord Jaganatha, His divine lila and how the Srimad Bhagavatam as well as the Srimad Bhagavad-gita point to the same thing - surrendering in service to the lovesick Sri Govinda in the mood of the residents of Sri Vrndavana. All classes were recorder/filmed and will be available through Mandala Publishing Group.

Sriman Bala-krishna Prabhu and his very kind wife Srimati Hari-lila Devi hosted Srila Guru Maharaja and party of 6 for their entire 10 day stay in Saranagati. Maharaja and the devotees were extremely touched by the serving nature and wonderful hospitality of their hosts. Bala-krishna prabhus home in Saranagati is known as a gathering place for kirtan and krishna-katha, so with Maharaja there, it became especially active, with devotees visiting throughout the day and evening asking questions and revealing their concerns of the direction the movement was going. Maharaja would tirelessly give his insight into the matters of their concern and was able to inspire many devotees by sharing his realizations with them.

Swami B. G. Narasingha & Ramadasa at Saranagati Farm 

By invitation, Maharaja visited the homes of many devotees during his stay there and took mid-day prasadam at the homes of Sriman Yadubara Prabhu and Srimati Visakha Devi, Srimati Jamuna Devi and Dina-tarine Devi and others.

On a couple of occasions, there were showings of videos which Maharaja compiled of Srila Sridhara-dev Goswami Maharaja and Srila Puri Goswami Maharaja (now available from Mandala Publishing Group). This was the first time the majority of the the devotees would see these great Vaisnava Acaryas in person and hear the issue of Krishna Consciousness from their own lotus lips. Just about all who had the opportunity to watch and hear, were moved to tears by the purity, humility, and immensely spiritual-depth of these exhalted Vaisnavas, and realized that they have indeed always been none other than our spiritual affectionate guardians and dear brothers of our Srila Prabhupada. Some devotees came forward to Maharaja to express their gratitude of having been able to have their eyes widened by his grace.

The last day of Maharajas visit, was the Lords Ratha-yatra festival. Maharaja participated in the parade barefoot as he chanted and danced for hours. After Their Lordships reached their destination - an altar under a pavilion near one of the larger lake - Maharaja took a seat not far away and spoke with different devotees as Sriman Nara-narayana Prabhu and Sriman Makhan-lal Prabhu. Maharaja answered many philosophical questions that day as the talks went on into the late evening and different devotees would gather around to hear. Mandala Publishing Group was given a very nice space for a book/cd & video table as many devotees purchased copies. Title such as Of Love and Seperation, The Art of Sadhana and Heart of Krishna by Srila Bhakti Promode Puri Goswami Maharaja and Follow the Angels, Sri Guru and His Grace, Loving Search for the Lost Servant, The Golden Volcano of Divine Love, The Search for Sri Krishna - Reality the Beautiful by Srila Bhakti Raksaka Sridhara Dev-Goswami are some just to name a few. Many copies of other titles as The Authorized Sri Caitanya-Saraswat Prampara, Prabhupada Saraswati Thakura, Sri Gayatri Mantrartha Dipika, Illuminations from the Bhagavad-gita, and Form of Beauty were also sold. Booklets of Srila Guru Maharajas essays wire also distributed there. Meanwhile, the other children, Mothers and Prabhus sang, danced, and performed dramas for the pleasure of Lord Jagannatha, Sri Baladeva and Lady Subadra. Wonderful prasadam was prepared for Lord Jagannath and the devotees feasted in bliss.

By the end of Maharajas stay, the devotees had developed a very strong attachment to his presence and instruction. Some devotees approached disciples of Maharaja with the desire for his formal guidance and spiritual connection. Some of the devotees offered Maharaja land to build an ashram of his in Saranagati. Other devotees offered to provide funding for the construction of the ashram and others committed to raising more funds to maintain it. Maharaja accepted the invitation to return to Saranagati within a few weeks in order to meet with the devotees again and make solid plans of starting an ashram and temple in Saranagati by the end of the year.

So, there is surely much more to unfold at Saranagati. In the service of Srila Guru Maharaja - Tridandi Goswami Sri Srimad Srila Bhakti Gaurava Narasingha Maharaja and by the blessings of all the dear Vaisnava-devotee readers of this humble report, I beg to remain in your service by being able to present any future events.

Sri Hari-Guru-Vaisnava sevaka,
Tridandi-bhiksu,
Bhakti Sri Rupa Madhava

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