Diary of HH Jayapataka Swami on 21-02-2009 at Sri Mayapur Dham.
Dear devotees,
Sri Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir is not the same at all after the arrival of
HH Jayapataka Swami who has given more life and activity to this
transcendental place as it is the Headquarters of ISKCON. Many say it was
the biggest welcome event ever given to any devotee in the history of this
temple except for HDG Srila Prabhupada. Who is the founder Acarya and father
to all of us and the most merciful Jagath Guru as is His Divine Grace. Only
by his mercy is that we have back again with us our beloved Gurumaharaja HH
Jayapataka Swami, who have made hundreds of thousands of people come to
Krsna consciousness or at least hear the Mahamantra from his mouth and
inspiring them to follow the right path of devotion.
All devotees are super happy for having their desire fulfilled to see their
beloved Gurumaharaja, and those who are not disciples they just feel
magnetized by his Bhakti shakti and what he represents in the vaishnava
world.
Many important activities HH JPS had today and his day was very long, with
too much association given to many devotees, since early morning. (today was
the first lecture on Caitanya Lila, question and answers session, elephant
procession, GBC meetings, etc). His Holiness is really been taken care for a
lot of people, doctors, physiotherapist, devotees expert in healing, etc.
Last night Gurumaharaja had a very good sleep as all took care of this issue
since when we came from Bombay very early, so almost none of us slept more
then 4 hours, even Gurumaharaja didn’t sleep that night as I was told, maybe
he was very much excited to come back to Mayapur. When I asked him at the
airport, Gurumaharaja, How you feel going to Mayapur today? after a pause he
replied, I am going home. Today during his night lecture in the question and
answers session he said the same.
In the morning GM had his normal schedule with some facial physiotherapies,
his breakfast, etc. Then it was 10:20 am when He went to take darsan of
their Lordship Sri Sri Radha Madhava, Sri Panca Tattva Bhagavan, Sri Prahlad
Narasimha deva and Srila Prabhupada. The color of the outfits of The deities
was red, so just imagine the astonishing beauty of Their Lordships with the
color of the rose that predominates in their garlands.
After the temple Gurumaharaja went to the GBC meeting hall in the roof top
of the conch building, all were waiting for his arrival, as I went few
minutes ahead and informed the assembled vaishnavas and the actual GBC
Chairman HH Ramai Swami that GM is arriving in a short time. It was not easy
to go up to the GBC meeting hall as GM had to be taken few steps carried by
devotees and then the elevator which is not big enough nor the space at the
top of the building, but for sure everything is manageable.
HH Janananda Goswami was addressing the GBC members on the topic of Kirtan
when GM entered and was announced by Ramai Swami. The atmosphere completely
changed. All the senior devotees stood up to receive GM and were saying
haribol, haribol, while GM raised his arms and greeted all of them. It was
very touching, The GBC Chairman invited GM to sit always in the place he has
been sitting for more then 35 years. It was really a moment of happiness and
joy. It was amazing to see GM again in the gbc meetings even for short time.
We are posting the transcription below of the short speeches of this moment.
HH JPS first gave a short introduction of what has happened to him and
thanked all for their prayer, and gave special thanks to HH Gopal Krsna
Maharaja and HH Radhanath Swami and all the devotees who took care of him
from the first moment of the health collapse he had. I am pasting below at
the end of this text the transcription of the speech. HH Ramai Swami asked
the GBC members if some one want to say something? Then 3 devottes spoke: HG
Badrinarayan Prabhu, HG Harivilas Prabhu and HH Lokanath Swami who spoke
about a dream with Gurumaharaja. Madhusevita Prabhu said that HH JPS is our
parliamentarian. Many times there were laughing from the assembled devotees
like when he says to Harivilas prabhu, now I am your guest in Mayapur. GM
after his speech stayed till the end of this session like until 12:10 pm,
then had a chat with his god brothers and then came down for the
physiotherapy sessions. Two new therapist were brought specially from
Kolkatta by HH Bhakti Purusottama Swami, in order to continue with the
therapies started at Bhaktivedanta Hospital. Then GM took lunch prasad and
then rest.
Today HH Bhakti Purusottama swami called for a special meeting with senior
devotees and servants of Gurumaharaja to discuss about the immediate steps
to follow regarding his health and the places where GM may be taken
afterwards. In this meeting many important points came out but will be
finalized after some research is done and the advice of the doctors. We are
searching for the best place in physiotherapy in the world for after stroke
patients to offer a fast recovery to our beloved Gurumaharaja as we want to
see him back and stronger in the preaching field. HH Bhaktisidhanta Swami
and HG Simheswara prabhu were present.
The most important moment of GM´s activities today and the highlight of the
day was the first lecture on Caitanya Lila he gives to the devotees, They
have made a special pandal for this right in front of the room were Gm stays
in the ground floor of the Conch building. With a decorated stage for this
occasion, it was fully packed. HH JPS gave a very extraordinary lecture on
Caitanya Lila, after there was a good session of question and answers. He
also answered personal questions about his feelings and health conditions.
We are also uploading today the audio file of the same.
After finishing the lecture GM said, now I want to go for elephant
procession and take darsan in the temple. It was super ecstatic seeing many
devotees surrounding GM to take him to the procession path where the small
deities of Sri Sri Radha Madhava are taking in a very original and
traditional style parade over the body of Lakshmi priya, the elephant. It
is all like an extravaganza, with the specially dressed gurukulies for
this occasion chanting vedic mantras. Ecstatic kirtans and dance all over
the place, while on the path many drawings were made on the floor and on
every place the procession stops to offer arati and bhoga to the Deities,
(please see attached photos), The procession is always under the guidance of
HG Jananivas prabhu, the head pujari of Mayapur and maybe the most senior
and respected pujari in ISKCON. He is all bliss, devotion and surrender to
Sri Sri Radha Madhava. I heard that once they ask Srila Prabhupada about
him, and Srila Prabhupada replied, ¨oh Jananivas??.. Ahhh. No comparison and
no complains¨. So just imagine how exalted he is and how much loved is by
all the devotees, here.
In front of the Prabhupada Samadhi HH JPS was able to offer arati to the
Deities. It is really inspiring to see the happiness of the devotees by
seeing their gurudeva active again and doing what he likes the most here in
Mayapur in serving His Divine Lords and His Divine Gurudeva Srila
Prabhupada.
An other surprise after the procession was that GM while returning to the
conch building decided to walk few steps helped by the walker and assisted
always by devotees, he broke his previous records of more then 51 steps, and
this time exceeded 60 at once. During his short distance walk He was greeted
by his very old freind and one of the most senior devotees in ISKCON, HH
Umapati Swami, He went to the house of GM to accompain him the day of his
surrender to iskcon in 1968. Also Her Grace Dina Sharana devi dasi the newly
female devotee appointed as a GBC memebr for Germany, came and greeted GM,
(please see pics) At the end Gm gave darsan to many devotees, some of them
who came from USA and Latino America who brought few gifts and some
ingredients for cooking prasad and personal items.
This time devotees made sure GM takes early prasad and rest so he can do his
program earlier today and it was done like that.
Later I will send the complete report on the arrival of GM with the details
of his departure from Bhaktivedanta Hospital in Bombay, at the airport,
during the flight and till reaching Mayapur dham. It is just I don’t have
enough time nor the laptop is available to do it on spot.
Ys
Tusti Mohan Krsna das.
Below is the transcription of part of the speeches of the GBC members and GM
while in the GBC meeting conference room, sent by HG Ananda Tirtha prabhu.
HH JPS Visit: first I offer my humble obeisance’s to Srila Prabhupada.
I want to thank all of you for giving your blessings at the Hinduja
hospital. I take that as the deciding factor that Krsna allowed me to
survive. I wanted to come up to get your association. One of the medicines
I’m taking dries the mouth that’s the reason I have difficulty talking. I
hope I’m excused from attending all of the meetings (laughter), of course I
value your association so I wanted to come to take your association this
year. You don’t know how dear all of you are to me, and I want to thank you
for some of the letters that all of you wrote that enlivened my stay in the
hospital.
And specially thanks HH Radhanath Swami and HH Gopal Krishna Goswami, who
oversaw my treatment and HH RNS and his yatra group of more than 4000
devotees praying for me. He also had three doctors around the clock taking
care of me, although they were from the other hospital ( GM was at the
Hinduja and they are from Bhaktivedanta Hospital) they checked that I was
being treated properly.
I’m very happy to see, Badrinarayan Prabhu asked me to raise both hands to
get two votes of course he doesn’t have the authority to do that. (Laugher)
(At this moment GM raised his hands and all did the same)
HH JPS continued, I have got a paralysis on the face and my eyes only see
one direction, they don’t see laterally yet. I can walk on the walker 50-60
steps and I am taking therapy to get better. They say the first three four
months are the most important. That’s why I’m spending more time for that.
They also suggested that after Rama-navami maybe I can go to the west where
they have better neurological therapy. So this is my report.
Please forgive me if I’ve made any offences, I want to try to still be
useful in Prabhupada’s movement after I recover and give service to the GBC.
Thank you very much for your service and your blessings.
Madhusevita Prabhu: On behalf of the GBC I want to thank you for coming to
the meeting and I feel Srila Prabhupada wants you stay with us with you, the
parliamentarian, without the historical depth and memory of Jayapataka
Maharaja, [it won’t be the same]. You will help us to remain sober and
balanced in our decisions and to avoid mistakes.
Our prayers were there, and were selfish, we need your association and we
don’t think we can function without you. So get better fast because we
don’t think we can function without our JPS. (These words were very touching
for us the disciples of HH JPS, when they say we cannot function without you
as you always correct us and made us sober and balanced and that GM is the
parliamentarian of the GBC. This shows the importance of HH JPS in our
society and the realization he has as a devotee).
Badrinarayan Prabhu: I was thinking, you may not remember as you travel so
many places, but I remember you arrived in San Diego just in time for the
Sunday Feast and you were obviously very tired, and I felt bad as you had
just flown in, maybe form Fiji or Hawaii or somewhere in the globe. You sat
and gave the talk, and you actually were falling asleep but as you began
talking on Caitanya lila, you were so enthused and everyone else was too,
and I was thinking that now that you are situated in Mayapur should stay and
write Caitanya lila and
your realizations in Srila Prabhupada’s service, you can do that in Mayapur.
That would be very wonderful.
Harivilas prabhu: My dear Jayapataka Maharaja, I’m very pleased to see you
and you are a testament that Srila Prabhupada and Krsna love you very much
as well as the devotees. Your service in this movement is indispensable, I
remember when I
First came to Mayapur in 1973 you took me to the Ganges and you said why
don’t you just stay here. I was tempted to do this as you were so nice, not
from the place. I was your guest, [ HH JPS replied now I am your guest.( all
laughed)]. You have been very brotherly and invited me for prasada, which is
quite an event, always appreciated, encouraging, every time that I come here
you always give us gifts, a little appreciation that we love you very much
and we appreciate all the sincere service that you are doing for Srila
Prabhupada.