Seperation from a pure Vaisnava

Seperation from a pure Vaisnava

Sunday 3 Februari is the appearance day of Srila Bhaktivedanta Trivikrama Maharaja. The following are excerpts from a class given by Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja together with unique pictures from Braja-mandala Parikrama 1996.

“Guru Maharaja had three pillars of devotion – three prominent sevakas. Parama-pujyapada Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Vamana Maharaja, Parama-pujyapada Sri Srimad Trivikrama Maharaja and I began to serve him totally, with our lives and souls, taking our lives in our hands [an Indian expression meaning "ready to risk our lives"]. From the very beginning, Pujyapada Vamana Maharaja, Pujyapada Trivikrama Maharaja and I were made the three pillars of the Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti by my Guru Maharaja.”

“Srila Trivikrama Maharaja used to preach all over India, and when he would go to preach with our Guru Maharaja. I would go with them as Guru Maharaja’s sevaka. I would massage him, cook for him, wash his cloths, carry a lantern for him because there was no electricity at that time, and I performed many other services. Sometimes I made mistakes, and at those times Srila Trivikrama Maharaja would protect me.

“Externally, Srila Trivikrama Maharaja took the place of my Gurudeva in the sense that he encouraged me in all activities. When I began preaching in the West and writing and translating books there, I would write to Parama-pujyapada Srila Vamana Maharaja, Srila Trivikrama Maharaja, Srila Pariyataka Maharaja, and others for advice – because they are very qualified preachers. Srila Trivikrama Maharaja would reply my letters without delay. He would encourage me and inspire me to write more books and to preach all over the world. I cannot forget him.”

“Sometimes we presented different ideas and we countered each other’s arguments, but he greatly honored me. Although I was giving honor to him as a siksa-guru, sometimes, in his last days, he used to offer me sastang pranama. He even used to offer pranamas to my sandals when I was not present before him. No one else could have done this; he was so polite and humble.”

“We have lost one of the pillars of the Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti, but I feel some relief knowing that he left during this Kartika month, during niyama-seva-vrata, and that he was in Navadvipa Dhama. Also, he left at the time of amrta-yoga, an auspicious time of the day according to the movement of the sun and moon, and it was also tritiya-tithi, one of the most auspicious days of the month. He inspired us to observe Annakuta Mahotsava, Dipavali, and Bhatri-dvitiya.”

“Internally, in my heart, Srila Trivikrama Maharaja told me that he would leave this world after we observe those festivals; it was a wonderful thing. Otherwise, if he had left before, we would have been absorbed in thoughts and activities in relation to him, and we would not have been able to properly observe those important holy functions.”