During the week Guru Maharaja’s schedule is very tight doing three kinds of
therapies. Weekly once on Sunday is a holiday for the physiotherapists and
it is a break day for Guru Maharaja. As today is Sunday the plan was to take
Guru Maharaja to Hanuman Tekri temple and Braja Hari prabhu also suggested
Guru Maharaja to be taken to the beach which is very close by. It was
scheduled to leave at 10am.
Guru Maharaja had his shower, breakfast and facial theraphy. Nimai Gaura
prabhu and his wife, the disciples of our Guru Maharaja from Juhu temple had
prepared some South Indian breakfast and brought it for Guru Maharaja. Just
before the facial theraphy began, Guru Maharaja’s main doctor Shyamalal
prabhu came to see him. He was enquiring about Guru Maharaja’s sleep the
previous night. Guru Maharaja said he had a dream. The dacoits where using
the newly built lift in Mayapur and had come up to the rooftop. Guru
Maharaja used his gun for his protection. Shyamalal prabhu recollected
Bhakti Caru Maharaja’s report wherein Maharaja had described his
courageousness to fight the dacoits in Mayapur. Guru Maharaja wanted to know
whatelse Maharaja had written in his report. So we were narrating the
various memories quoted by Maharaja. One of the incident was about the
wrestling match, wherein Bhakti Caru Maharaja got defeated and Guru Maharaja
rescued by defeating the tough Japanese devotee wrestlers in the sport
bringing victory to Mayapur. Guru Maharaja started making the jesters with
his hand like wrestling. Again when the incident was narrated how Guru
Maharaja used to save the devotees from drowning into Ganga, Guru Maharaja
expressed he doesn’t know if he will be able to do all these things again.
Shyamalal prabhu immediately replied to Guru Maharaja saying with Krsna’s
mercy he would regain all his strength and vigor.
By the time everything finished it was 12.30 noon. Guru Maharaja was taken
in a wheel chair and then he was to be transferred into the car. To transfer
Guru Maharaja into the car from the wheel chair is a big task. It has to be
carefully done. Usually there are 4 devotees to place him into the car. One
to hold the legs, one to hold his body, one to see Guru Maharaja doesn’t get
his head hurt and the other inside the car to make Guru Maharaja sit inside
the car. Previously Guru Maharaja didn’t have absolutely any balance to
stand but some improvement is found today. Guru Maharaja seemed to have
little bit strength to stand with the support of the devotees. This whole
scene of making Guru Maharaja to sit inside the vehicle reminds me of
carrying the Jagannath, Baladeva and Subhadra Deities into the car for the
Ratha Yatra parade and one has to carefully take the Deities step by step
into the vehicle.
It is an hour drive to Hanuman Tekri. Tekri means hill. The temple is
situated on a hill. Just by the foot of the hill a group of devotees from
Radha Giridhari temple had come spontaneously and when they knew Guru
Maharaja was on the way to Hanuman Tekri they started doing kirtan to
welcome Guru Maharaja. The vehicles stopped here for few minutes and then
we drove up on the hill.
As we drove up the hill the weather became cooler and nice fresh breeze was
blowing. The scenary was so beautiful and pleasant to the eyes. The place
has been maintained neat and clean. They have swimming pool, play ground and
a school as well up on the hill. The temple was closed and would be opened
only at 4 pm. There was a discussion what to be done. Finally it was decided
that Guru Maharaja will be taken to the beach nearby.
The sea shore was little wet and hard. The vehicles where droven all the way
nearby to the sea so Guru Maharaja could see the ocean. The ocean was
shallow and therefore the color was dark unlike the blue color of the sea.
It is a long beach and the vehicles were taken further down to find a good
spot with less crowd.
The devotees where thinking if it is safer to bring Guru Maharaja into the
wheel chair so he can have a closer view of the sea. The wheel chair was
brought down. Ekanath Gaura prabhu sat on the wheel chair and Maha Varaha
prabhu sat on Ekanath Gaura prabhu’s lap and they were rolling down on the
beach to see if it was safer for Guru Maharaja. It brought laughter to all
of us. The sand on the beach is quite hard and seemed to be safe for Guru
Maharaja. While this was happening Guru Maharaja was speaking to Vaisnava
Seva prabhu, one of the senior doctors of Bhaktivedanta Hospital. Guru
Maharaja asked him what was the name of the beach and he replied, “Gorai
Beach”. Guru Maharaja also spoke to some devotees who had come there with
him to the beach. Devaki Mataji, Prabhavishnu Maharaja’s disciple who
preaches in Bangladesh, Nepal and Ukraine had come to see Guru Maharaja a
couple of days ago. Guru Maharaja called her and asked her if she had been
to Cox Bazaar beach. She replied that she had been there several times. Guru
Maharaja seemed to like the Cox Bazaar beach better. Madhuri Yamuna Mataji
was leading Hare Krsna Maha Mantra kirtan melodiously in the background.
Guru Maharaja was brought down into the wheel chair onto the beach. As soon
as Guru Maharaja was brought down it was so amazing to see how the waves of
the ocean rushed down towards Guru Maharaja’s lotus feet. Maha Varaha prabhu
fed some fruits to Guru Maharaja. Group photos were taken.
Guru Maharaja spoke with Anil prabhu, the husband of his disciple, Kavirupa
Mataji. Anil prabhu stays in Mumbai and he is an aspiring disciple of
Radhanath Maharaja and his wife stays at Mangalore. She is a Gynaecologist.
She got initiated from Guru Maharaja while studying at medical college in
Patna and now she is practicing at Mangalore. Guru Maharaja asked Anil
prabhu how often they meet each other and he replied once in 3 to 4 months.
Guru Maharaja responded saying, “Kali Yuga”. As Guru Maharaja wanted to
speak to Shiromani Mataji, I called her. Guru Maharaja mentioned about
Kavirupa Mataji to her and she knew her well as they used to meet in
Bangalore. Guru Maharaja asked Shiromani Mataji to give the details of
ISKCON temple at Mangalore and also about the preaching programs in Manipal.
It is so overwhelming to see Guru Maharaja’s concern for the devotees even
to the minute details.
We asked Guru Maharaja if he was ok and if he was tired and Guru Maharaja
replied he wasn’t thinking of tiredness until I reminded him about it.
We were about to leave and just then Guru Maharaja’s cook, Ivesvara prabhu
and Madhava Kanta prabhu had brought Guru Maharaja’s lunch. The devotees
informed them that Guru Maharaja will take lunch in Hanuman temple. They had
got down in the wrong spot of the beach and they had to walk a long distance
to find all of us.
As the waves were rising a devotee’s car got stuck into the sand and all the
strong men went to help pulling the car. He was warned before not to keep so
close to the waves. They were struggling a lot to relieve the car out of the
sand. Maha Varaha prabhu thought it is time to put Guru Maharaja back into
the car. By the time Guru Maharaja was taken into his car, the car which was
stuck also got released.
We all went to Hanuman temple. It was 4pm and the temple was open. Hanumanji
is one of Guru Maharaja’s favorite personality. He always prays to him,
seeking his blessings and protection. The Pujari there is a Bengali. He is
from Murshidabad. He was so happy to see Guru Maharaja and they spoke with
each other in Bengali. The Pujari asked Guru Maharaja to give him blessings
so he can get bhakti. Guru Maharaja blessed him by saying, “Krsner matir
astuh”, which means, “May your mind be drawn closer to Lord Sri Krsna’s
lotus feet.” Guru Maharaja always remembers to give some donation whenever
he visits a temple. A Maha garland from Srimati Radharani was offered to
Hanumanji. In reciprocation the pujari also gave a maha flower from
Hanumanji to Guru Maharaja and also put a maha saffron tilak on his
forehead. Guru Maharaja offered prayers to Hanumanji.
Tusti Mohan prabhu was leading the kirtan this time by singing, “Jaya Ram,
Sri Rama, Jaya Jaya Ram, Raghupati Raghava Rajaram Patita Pavana Sita Ram
and also Hare Krsna Maha Mantra” while all of us did parikrama around the
temple along with Guru Maharaja for 4 times. After the parikrama finished
the pujari spontaneously gave a camara for Guru Maharaja to fan Hanumanji.
Even though it was difficult for Guru Maharaja to hold and do the camara but
he managed to do it. Guru Maharaja was asking what was written on the Hundi.
The pujari explained it is the name of the Hanuman which is ‘Vidyaprada
Hanuman’ meaning one who gives knowledge. Since there is a school here on
the top of the hill they have installed this particular form of Hanuman.
Guru Maharaja was taken just below the temple under the shade for lunch.
Nearby there is a nice garden with so many campaka, papaya and palm trees.
Also some tulasi and flower plants are there. The scenery is so wonderful
with so many green hills adjacent to each other.
Dharesa prabhu, Ivesvara prabhu, Madhava Kanta prabhu and Srivas Nimai
prabhu were feeding prasad for Guru Maharaja. Since some of the devotees
were hungry Ekanatha Gaura prabhu jumped into the car to buy some snacks
from a nearby shop. It takes a long time for Guru Maharaja to eat his
prasad. Very little food is fed with spoon each time and it is not so easy
for Guru Maharaja to chew and swallow the food. His face muscles are still
stiff but there is improvement day by day.
Slowly the sun was setting. It was such a beautiful view to see. After Guru
Maharaja took the prasadam all of us took a group photo with the sun setting
behind. Guru Maharaja tried to hold his mouth to give an appearance of
smiling. Since it was time to go back to the hospital a devotee said, “Let’s
pack and go quickly.” Guru Maharaja responded, “Don’t forget me!” Of course
no one forgot him but Guru Maharaja jokingly said it.
Bhajarang Bali Hanumanji Ki Jai!