Srila Gour Govinda Swami DID NOT Meet Narayana Maharaja

[Guest guest]

Dear respected devotees.

 

Hare Krsna. All glories to the lotus feet of Sri Guru and Gauranga.

 

There are currently many rumours surrounding an alleged meeting between His Divine Grace Srila Gour Govinda Swami and His Holiness Narayana Maharaja, which actually never took place. Many devotees may also have heard allegations that His Divine Grace Srila Gour Govinda Swami had talked intimately with Narayana Maharaja and asked him to "take care" of his disciples after he left this material world to return back to the spiritual abode of Sri Krsna.

 

Please note that His Divine Grace Srila Gour Govinda Swami NEVER met Srila Narayana Maharaja and all of these false statements and allegations, made not only by the followers of Srila Narayana Maharaja but also by Maharaja himself, are nothing more than concocted tales which have been devised by Srila Narayana Maharaja and his followers as part of a plan to bewilder inocent/ignorant people and recruit such people into the Maharaja's camp.

 

Please visit www.srilagourgovindaswami.org for more information.

[Puru_Das 0]

 

Dear respected devotees.

 

Hare Krsna. All glories to the lotus feet of Sri Guru and Gauranga.

 

There are currently many rumours surrounding an alleged meeting between His Divine Grace Srila Gour Govinda Swami and His Holiness Narayana Maharaja, which actually never took place. Many devotees may also have heard allegations that His Divine Grace Srila Gour Govinda Swami had talked intimately with Narayana Maharaja and asked him to "take care" of his disciples after he left this material world to return back to the spiritual abode of Sri Krsna.

 

Please note that His Divine Grace Srila Gour Govinda Swami NEVER met Srila Narayana Maharaja and all of these false statements and allegations, made not only by the followers of Srila Narayana Maharaja but also by Maharaja himself, are nothing more than concocted tales which have been devised by Srila Narayana Maharaja and his followers as part of a plan to bewilder inocent/ignorant people and recruit such people into the Maharaja's camp.

 

Please visit www.srilagourgovindaswami.org for more information.

 

<CENTER>Srila Gour Govinda Maharaj Did Meet Srila B.V. Narayan Maharaj

 

</CENTER><CENTER>by Giridhari Das

 

http://bvml.org/SGGM/sggmdmsbvnm.htm

</CENTER>Dear Rasikananda Prabhu,

 

Please accept my humble obeisances. Sri Guru-Gaurangau jayatah !

 

It is an irrefutable fact that Srila Gour Govinda Maharaj met Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayan Maharaj, when His Divine Grace stayed in Jagannath Puri in the house of Singhania. The dates I have presented might be incorrect (1994 or 1995 ?), but these are really external considerations. I think it is more important, at least to my understanding, how these two acaryas dealt with each other and what they spoke. For this reason I have interviewed an eyewitness, Sriman Subal Sakha Prabhu, a senior disciple of Srila Bhaktivedanta Vaman Maharaj who serves in Keshavji Gaudiya Math Mathura, during Srila Gurudeva's preaching tour in Holland this summer. About one dozen Srila Gour Govinda Maharaja's disciples were present at that time. Sriman Govinda Bhakta Prabhu, temple president of Gour Govinda Gaudiya Math, Birmingham, taped this gosthi.

 

As far as I can remember Subal Sakha Prabhu mentioned that a brahmacari-disciple of Srila Gour Govinda Maharaj was also present there, but he couldn't recall his name. The conversation between these two acaryas was in Hindi and lasted nearly an hour. If you want to know more, why don't you consult Subal Sakha prabhu? I forgot to say, however, that this meeting was gupta, secret, as the GBC forbade Srila Gour Govinda Maharaj to closely associate with Vaisnava acaryas outside of GBC-ruled ISKCON. So, it is no wonder that you haven't found any written records of that meeting. If the GBC knew about it, they would have pressurized him even more. Anyhow, prior to being banned from GBC-ISKCON he left that kanistha-institution for good. And so have many faithful disciples of His Divine Grace, in order to join ISKCON as it is. The GBC could never accept Srila Gour Govinda Maharaja's teachings on jiva-tattva, guru-tattva, rasa-tattva etc. You can imagine how the GBC was upset when they read following words by Srila Gour Govinda Maharaja in Krishna-Kathamrta:

 

"In Ujjvala-nilamani, our authority, Rupa Gosvami, who is known as the rasa-acarya, gives the definition of prema...Prabhupad has said it in one line, but it has a very deep purport to it. Rupa Gosvami has explained it in Ujjvala-nilamani, but unless you understand that, how can you understand Prabhupad ? "Oh, Prabhupada's books are there, I will just read them and understand it." But how can you understand these points ? No, Prabhupad gave a very short purport here, but so many things are there."

 

(lecture on Bhagavad-gita, June 1, 1993)

 

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayan Maharaja preaches these same tattvas, and is also heavily criticized by the GBC. Rasikananda prabhu, you will surely understand that many of your god-brothers and god-sisters don't want to be part of an institution governed by a Guru-aparadhi GBC. The main motive, however, why many of Srila Gour Govinda Maharaja's initiated disciples and aspirant disciples are taking siksa and diksa from Srila Narayan Maharaj is, that they are confident that their bhakti-lata will grow under his expert guidance. After all, sadhu-sanga is the birth-place of bhakti. There is no doubt that Srila Gour Govinda Maharaj regarded Srila Narayan Maharaj as an elevated Vaisnava acarya. He is certainly happy that Srila Gurudeva takes care of his sisyas. Otherwise what hope is there that our bhakti will grow without sadhu-sanga? I request you to read the VNN article of Aug 8 again like a sara-grahi (one who takes the essence), and not like a bhara-grahi (one who gives only importance to external considerations).

 

Some further observations inspired by interesting comments to your letter in "VNN forum":

 

The statements which Srila Gour Govinda Maharaj made about not leaving ISKCON were made in 1992 and 1994. At that time the GBCs have been more or less free to worship Srila Narayan Maharaj as their siksa-guru. In the book Sri Navadvip-dham parikrama published by Gaudiya Vaisnava Press there is a picture which shows Srila Narayan Maharaj giving a lecture in a packed temple hall of the ISKCON Mayapur Candrodaya Mandir. That was in 1993. However, at the annual GBC meeting at 1995, when it became an official ISKCON mandate that the members were to no longer associate with Srila Narayan Maharaja, Srila Gour Govinda Maharaj did not approve of this and said that he would challenge the GBC to a debate on this issue.

 

Unfortunately, Srila Gour Govinda Maharaj left this planet prior to the annual GBC meeting in 1996. After that meeting the GBC passed the infamous resolutions against Srila Narayan Maharaj, calling him a sahajiya who should be avoided. This paper was then sent to all ISKCON centers. I am confident that Srila Gour Govinda Maharaja with his bold and uncompromising nature would have strongly opposed this superlative vaisnava-aparadha. But again, he himself was about to be banned from GBC ISKCON.

 

So, it is significant to note the contrast of Srila Gour Govinda Maharaja's feelings on the "Don't leave ISKCON-matter" before the 1995 meeting and after.

 

The GBC resolutions of 1996 say that Srila Narayan Maharaj is a sahajiya. ISKCON members should not associate with him, nor read his books, nor glorify him. Yet, Srila Gour Govinda Maharaj relished reading his books and lecturing on them, he went to meet Srila Narayan Maharaj in Puri (offering his dandavat-pranams at his lotus-feet and humbly asking him questions related to Radha-Krishna-lila) and he glorified him as an elevated rasika acarya. Srila Gour Govinda Maharaj would have never touched any book written by a sahajiya, what to speak of associating with or glorifying such a person.

 

Rasikananda prabhu and all of you GBC-devoted Gour Govinda Maharaja disciples! Why don't you write any letter against the defamation of Srila Narayan Maharaj by the GBC body. Please follow your Guru Maharaj ! When it comes to vaisnava-aparadha you are either part of the solution or part of the problem.

 

In one letter you reproduced Srila Gour Govinda Maharaj says:

 

"It is a fact that if an elevated Vaisnava is there, ONE SHOULD GO AND TAKE HIS ASSOCIATION." (my emphasis)

 

I conclude my letter here.

 

Vaisnava-dasanudas

 

Giridhari das

[Puru_Das 0]

<CENTER>Srila Gour Govinda Maharaj And Srila Narayan Maharaj

 

</CENTER><CENTER>By Giridhari Das

 

http://bvml.org/SGGM/sggmasnm.htm

</CENTER>Srila Gour Govinda Maharaj glorifies Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayan Maharaj

 

Eager to know more about the auspicious meeting between Srila Gour Govinda Maharaj and Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayan Maharaj in Jagannath Puri five years ago, disciples of nitya-lila-pravista Srila Gour Govinda Maharaj approached Sriman Subal Sakha Prabhu, who was personally present when these two acaryas met. The following account is based on the interview with Subal Sakha prabhu, who is a respected, senior member of the Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti:

 

"In 1993 or 1994 Srila Narayan Maharaj stayed in the House of Singhania in Jagannath Puri. About 5.00 pm Srila Gour Govinda Maharaj arrived there with the intention to meet Srila Narayan Maharaj. As soon as Srila Gour Govinda Maharaj saw Srila Narayan Maharaj, he offered his full prostrated sastanga-dandavat pranams. Srila Narayan Maharaj humbly responded to this Vaisnava gesture, telling him that he is not qualified to receive so much respect from him: "You are staying in Jagannath Puri dham, so you are near and dear to Sri Jagannath. Please give me your blessings." Srila Gour Govinda Maharaj answered promptly answered: "No, you should bless me as you have come from Vraja, the topmost dhama." In this way they were exchanging affectionate words in a friendly and humorous mood. Finally Srila Gour Govinda Maharaj asked some important questions on:

 

1) dhama-tattva

 

2) Why did Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu reside in Jagannath Puri for 18 years, and especially 12 years in Gambhira?

 

3) What is the mood of Srimati Radharani when she sees Krsna in Kuruksetra ? Srila Narayan Maharaj then disclosed all the rasika purports of these questions. He especially quoted and explained two slokas from the Srimad Bhagavatam (10.82.48 and 10.82.39).

 

As Subal Sakha Prabhu was sitting in front of Srila Gour Govinda Maharaj, he witnessed how Srila Gour Govinda Maharaj listened:

 

"He was listening with utmost concentration, not uttering a single word. His face complexion changed, taking on a beautiful reddish colour and tears were coming from his eyes." After Srila Narayan Maharaj completed his exposition, Srila Gour Govinda Maharaj only said this much: "When I come to Vrindavan, I MUST SEE YOU!"

 

He then confided Maharaj that he always wanted to speak more about these topics but the leaders of his institution were opposing him. Srila Narayan Maharaj encouraged him saying: "You are so fortunate to have such an exalted Guru in the line of Rupa Gosvami. If we don't speak about the pastimes of Bhagavan, what else shall we speak ?". When Subal Sakha prabhu accompanied Srila Gour Govinda Maharaj to his riksha, he asked for his blessings. Srila Gour Govinda Maharaj responded: "You are already so fortunate to have the association of such an elevated rasika-guru." Then with a very sweet smile on His face he waved his hands and departed.

 

Some of Srila Gour Govinda Maharaja's disciples have witnessed how their spiritual master would fold his hands and bow his head with respect, as soon as he heard the name of Srila Narayan Maharaj. He once even announced. "Srila Narayan Maharaj is so many life-times more advanced than me !" Sriman Govinda Bhakta, a prominent disciple of Srila Gour Govinda Maharaj, recalls. "Whenever I gave him a book of Srila Narayan Maharaj, he would immediately read it on the very same day, from cover to cover. Then on the next day he would give a lecture on that book."

 

Because of their intimate relationship, it was Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayan Maharaj who installed the murti of Srila Gour Govinda Maharaj in the Krishna-Balaram mandir in Bhubaneshvar.

 

By the arrangement of Sri Guru and Krishna the majority of Srila Gour Govinda Maharaj disciples have taken shelter at the lotus feet of Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayan Maharaj.

 

Ananta-koti-vaishnava-vrnda ki jaya!

 

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