The Daily Activities of Śrīla Gour Govinda Swami

A lwAys E mbr A c E d by K åñë A

are extolled throughout the Vedic scriptures. In the Skanda Puräëa, which is the largest Puräëa containing 81,100 verses, there is one section dedicated to Lord Jagannätha and Orissa titled Utkala-khaëòa. Also, in the Çré Caitanya-bhägavata of Çréla Våndävana däsa Öhäkura the glories of Orissa are explained and in his commentary on this very wonderful book Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Öhäkura Prabhupäda writes between twelve to fourteen pages just on the glories of Bhubaneswar.*

* For more information on this topic please see the book: The Glories of Çré Bhuvaneçvara and Bindu-sarovara, by Tattva Vicära Publications.

CHAPTER TWO

Depend on Kṛṣṇa

Chapter Two

Depend on Kṛṣṇa

His sannyäsa initiation - the moment Gour Govinda däsa had been waiting for since leaving family life and many years prior to that, had been realised. He was now initiated into the renounced order of life and could begin preaching the mission of Mahäprabhu under the authority of his most worshipful eternal spiritual master, His Divine Grace Oà Viñëupäda Paramahaàsa Parivräjakäcärya 108 Çré Çrémad A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupäda. Before finally going to Bhubaneswar to begin the mission of Çréla Prabhupäda and to establish a temple there, Çréla Gour Govinda Swami went first to serve in Hyderabad. While in Hyderabad, he wrote to Subhash Biswal, his former student and old acquaintance. It was the second letter he had written to him since leaving family life. The letter was dated 28 September 1975 and Subhash received it on the 4 October 1975. In that letter he wrote:

“… One should depend on Kåñëa. Even the demigods Çiva, Brahmä etc. cannot do anything unless sanctioned by the Supreme Lord Kåñëa. According to Kåñëa’s desire everything is going on and no one can change it…”

A lwAys E mbr A c E d by K åñë A

In that letter he also urged Subhash:

“…You should become Kåñëa conscious and take shelter of the lotus feet of Kåñëa, then you can achieve the perfection of life. The human form of life is rarely achieved, so you should become Kåñëa conscious to make your life perfect…”

He was speaking from personal experience, “…one should depend on Kåñëa.” This, Gour Govinda Swami had been doing his whole life. In his own words, “...From the day I left home, Gopäla has looked after me. I have never gone without anything due to Gopäla’s mercy…” And this was especially the case since his departure from Government service and leaving his family.

Then on 24 December 1975, Çréla Gour Govinda Swami wrote to Subhash again and asked him to come to Cuttack because he would also be there and they could meet. But when Subhash arrived on the day arranged for the meeting, he could not find Çréla Gour Govinda Swami. He then learned from some of the local people that he had gone to Bhubaneswar, to the donated land where the ISKCON temple was to be built.

Subhash set off for that place and began to search for him. He learned from the local people that a sädhu was living in a dharmaçälä in the old town of Bhubaneswar, at the Liìgaräja temple area, to the east of Bhubaneswar. Subhash therefore went there, but he could not find his old friend Brajabandhu Manik. For the time being, Subhash was unable to find Çréla Gour Govinda Swami.