[August 27, 2004 was the divine disappearance day of Srila Rupa
Gosvami, under whose supervision the Krsna consciousness movement
is conducted. Srila Narayana Maharaja took about 400 devotees
to the Samadhi and bhajana-kutira of Srila Rupa Gosvami, located in
the courtyard of the Sri Radha-Damodara Temple.
After speaking about Rupa Gosvamis contribution, and performing
his worship, and after offering obeisances to Sri Radha-Damodara and
the other Deities on the grand altar, Srila Maharaja entered Srila
Bhaktivedanta Svami Prabhupadas bhajana-kutira. This was where
Srila Prabhupada had spent much of his time before coming to America
in 1966, and it was here that he completed his First Canto Srimad
Bhagavatam and had it printed, to take with him to begin his mission
in the West.
After offering his obeisances and prayers at Srila Prabhupadas
lotus feet, Srila Maharaja stood on the platform just between Srila
Prabhupadas room and kitchen, and spoke the following worlds:]
Here is the place of Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja, just off
the courtyard of Sri Sri Radha-Damodara. Srila Svami Maharaja took
sannyasa in Mathura, and then he moved near to here and would sometimes
go to Delhi. At last he came to this place the place of Srila
Rupa Gosvamis samadhi and bhajana kutira. Here, he used to write
books.
I would often come here from Mathura to be with him. He was penniless.
He did not have any provision for his material comfort. I would give
my chaddar to him and, sitting there, we would discuss many things.
While preparing prasadam, wed make the chapattis together
he would roll them, I would put them on the fire, and then he would
put on the ghee. I would then offer the bhoga to Radha-Damodara. We
used to sit and take prasadam right here.
By the grace of Srila Rupa Gosvami, his Gurudeva Srila Bhaktisiddhanta
Sarasvati Thakura, and also Sri Sri Radha-Damodara, he went to the
Western countries. In no time in a couple of years he
established preaching centers and beautiful temples over the whole
world. By his mercy Lord Jagannatha Deva appeared and Ratha-yatra
was established in most major cities. Most importantly, he wrote and
translated so many books more than one hundred and they
were translated in most languages of the world.
So many ladies, even though in their youth, very beautiful teenagers,
would distribute his books everywhere, all in a couple of years.
He accomplished a miracle in his last ten years. In the midst of oceans,
in forests and cities, on the tops of mountains and almost everywhere
else, his glory is manifest. But I think his real glory is that he
has established the same mission that Srila Rupa Gosvami established,
which came from the very heart of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Everything
he said came from Srila Rupa Gosvami, and his mission would have not
existed, had he left out Srila Rupa Gosvami.
He wanted to reveal all the confidential topics given by Srila Rupa
Gosvami Prabhupada, and he kept those truths in his books. He saw
that at that time there was a lack of qualification in his disciples
and others, and therefore, in general, he could not reveal those truths
openly. He kept that service for his disciples.
Now we will return to Sri Rupa-Sanatana Gaudiya Matha. I think you
should all be there in the evening at 4:30, for glorification of Srila
Rupa Gosvami.
Gaura Premanande
Editorial Advisors: Pujyapada Madhava Maharaja and Sripad Brajanatha
dasa
Transcriber: Janaki dasi
Typist: Janaki dasi
Editor: Syamarani dasi