Author: Srila B.R. Sridhar Maharaja

Darshan with Srila B.R. Sridhara Deva Gosvami. Filmed on 10th March 1987 at Sri Caitanya Saraswat Math, Navadvipa.

Thousands of devotees from across India and from around the world recently gathered in Vrndavana for Karttika and on the evening of October 11th the appearance of Radha-kunda was celebrated. In the days leading up to October 11th many devotees made their way to Radha-kunda and took a holy dip in the kunda that is considered as non-different from Srimati Radharani. The 11th evening saw the greatest crowds as devotees [especially Vraja-bhasi women] bathed in Radha-kunda throughout the night.

We did not venture to enter the details of madhurya-rasa. Our Guru Maharaja did not like it. But it will come irresistibly within you, you go on, sravana kirtana. Pujala raga-patha gaurava-bhange. Fools rush in where angels fear to tread. It is so high. When it will come it will awaken within you. It won’t be awakened by any other person.

"Guru Maharaja, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, preached exclusively this Madhurya-rasa, but with great precaution. What is not that thing, he used perhaps 90% of his energy to point out the negative side - "This is not Madhurya-rasa" - and clear away the negative side. He had to spare, in his words, 'gallons of blood' to establish what is not that Madhurya-rasa."

Since time immemorial, man has inquired about the origin of the soul. In the thinking of many neophyte devotees the soul falls down from eternal pastimes with Krishna due to mundane envy. In this brief essay, Srila Sridhara Maharaja answers this most vital of all questions: "Who am I? Where have I come from?

This song was composed by Guru Maharaja himself when we moved from the hired house in Calcutta (Bhaktivinoda Asana). The Deities were moved to a constructed matha (Bagh Bazaar Gaudiya Matha). The Deities were carried on a chariot and we were dancing and singing just in front of Them. At that time he composed some six lines perhaps.

O Divine Master of my Divine Master, my most venerable preceptor, you are supremely worshippable in the group of the foremost associates of Sri Gauranga. May you be gracious upon this servitor surrendered unto your loving servitor (Dayita Dasa). O Gaura Kisora, again and again do I make my obeisance unto you.

If immortality means 'no influence of mortality' what, then, is its positive conception? What will be the nature, movement, and progress of that which is immortal?

The gayatri mantra will excite us to be mindful about Srimati Radharani's lotus feet, to obey her order. Radha-dasyam, the service of Srimati Radharani, is the ultimate meaning to be extracted from the gayatri mantra.

The innate principle of life is to save one's own self, to become immortal, to come out of ignorance, and to become happy. Our very existence is being threatened at every second here where we live; also, ignorance is threatening to cover our knowledge; and we are always being threatened to be swallowed by misery. These are our standing enemies, our born enemies which are constantly threatening us.

"Pujala raga-patha gaurava bhange — That is Bhaktisiddhanta vani — the real existence of Bhaktisiddhanta is there." — Srila Sridhara Maharaja.