Guru Maharaja in Gainesvile

Guru Maharaja in Gainesville, Aug-Sep 2006

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Please accept my humble obeisances. Jaya Srila Prabhupada! Jaya Guru Maharaja!

Guru Maharaja arrived in Gainesville on Aug 18, 2006. Dhanurdhara Prabhu (who came on a 7 hr drive from Atlanta) and Rasatala Prabhu prepared Guru Maharaja’s room at the Gainesville Student (Preaching) Center. You might have heard that this center has been serving “Krishna Lunch” to the students since 1971. So Guru Maharaja will be staying there until the end of his semester in December.

As you have read in the Kshetra Samacar, Guru Maharaja is one of the professors on World’s Religions at the University of Florida. This is a very big university!

By Krsna’s grace, my husband and I happen to be visiting Alachua for 6 weeks.
We went to visit Guru Maharaja on Aug 26. He invited us to his room and, to my embarrassment, he treated us as a first-class host.

I was surprised to see how small Guru Maharaja’s room was. Just enough to fit a simple bed, two chairs, one drawer cabinet (which also serves as Giriraja’s altar) and a small fridge…and a yoga mat. In order to pay full dandavats, the Prabhus will have to stick out the door! Guru Maharaja lives so simple. Much more simple than his students! One would hardly believe that he is the guru, the Prabhupada disciple, the GBC Minister, the PhD, the professor, the author… Guru Maharaja is just free from these designations, although he expertly plays his roles, as his service to guru and Krishna.

We spoke about many things and all together, Guru Maharaja spent with us 3 generous hours of his time. He was proud to show us a slideshow of his house in Groatia. He spoke with such affection and gratitude of the devotees who helped him with this project.

The TP of Gainesville, Kalakatha Prabhu, offered us banana splits (bananas, cream, jam + ice cream) and we had fun eating it before it melted. This was very refreshing on the hot summer day.

Guru Maharaja then took us to his office and classroom at the University. It’s a small office which he shares with 3 other professors, one of them a devotee.
Guru Maharaja really wanted to show us the university library. He asked us what we wanted to search for and then he guided us on how to find it. It was real fun, as the library shelves are on wheels which move when you push a button. And sure enough, we found what we were looking for!

I am preparing a presentation on chanting, so I asked Guru Maharaja, “We hear that our material problems, be they physical, mental, psychological, etc., will go away if we just chant Hare Krsna. On the other hand, in my practical experience, if I don’t address my issues (gross or subtle), they keep persisting and become serious obstacles to my chanting and spiritual progress. What is your comment on that?”

Guru Maharaja explained that bhakti-yoga means both paths: prapati (full surrender) and saranagati (the process of surrender). If we chant the pure holy name, we will not be bothered by material problems. But that is rare. Saranagi means the six things—anukulyasya sankalpa… accepting everything favorable to devotional service, rejecting everything unfavorable, trusting Krsna as one’s protector and maintainer, humility and offering oneself. So in one’s heart one may be fully surrendered, and at the same time, one has to constantly apply the 6 principles of surrender.

As an example I asked if it is OK for a devotee to undergo therapy with a psychologist or healing therapy in one’s endeavors to overcome personal obstacles in devotional service. Guru Maharaja replied that again, anukulyasa sankalpa… if the therapy is favorable for your devotional service, go for it.

Guru Maharaja came to the Alachua temple for Radhastami. He could only stay until about 8:30 am because he was teaching that day. He didn’t miss much anyway, because there was no SB class but some spiritual entertainment instead.

Last Saturday, Sep 1, Rasatala Prabhu took Guru Maharaja for a swim in the ocean, in St. Augustin (a small, very beautiful town about 1 hr drive from Gainesville). Guru Maharaja liked it—it was his type of beach—soft sand, warm water, small waves and less people!

I always appreciate Guru Maharaja’s astounding ability to remain balanced. He does take care of his health by regularly exercising, swimming, diet, etc. I am particularly inspired to follow his example, as I tend to be so imbalanced…

When I saw Guru Maharaja on Radhastami, I asked him if we could visit him again on the upcoming weekend. When I asked him what would be the best time for him, he answered, “Why don’t you come for lunch? And why don’t you bring something for lunch?!” So last Sunday (Sep 2), we brought Guru Maharaja some Ekadasi lunch prasada. He doesn’t like to eat alone, so we all relished prasada together. After that we spoke briefly and then we left because we didn’t want to take much of his precious time.

Guru Maharaja reminded me that there are a few Godsisters in Alachua: Jatamamsi (from Poland), Saragrahi Vaisnavi (Argentina), Kamaleksana (Argentina). And of course Rasatala Prabhu. Maybe we could all get together…?

That’s for now. There are many more details. If you would like to know something more specific, please ask. In general, Guru Maharaja’s health is good and his throat is not as troublesome.

Hoping you’re all well in your services to Guru Maharaja.

Your servant,
Divyambara dasi