Such an Exalted Personality

C hapter 3 O n the I sk CO n L and I n B hu B aneswar

He took the responsibility to build a hut on this piece of land for Çréla Prabhupäda.

While living in the hut, one day Çréla Gour Govinda Swami was paid a visit by Anapurna Das, the wife of Vasudeva Das [Das being the Oriya surname]. On first meeting him she had desired to take initiation from him. With this desire, she went to the hut where he was residing. When she expressed her desire before Çréla Gour Govinda Swami, he explained to her, “I am not empowered to give initiation. You will be given initiation by my spiritual master, Çréla Prabhupäda when he comes here.”

Anapurna Das: At the very first sight of Gour Govinda Swami, I developed the feeling that he was my very own master; something in me had developed this feeling. By looking at him, I could see that he was a great saintly person. We were all greatly affected by his association.

Prior to meeting Çréla Gour Govinda Swami, Anapurna had the desire to take initiation from a very pure sädhu, a pure devotee of Kåñëa. Because all of her sisters were initiated by different Vaiñëava sannyäsés, she had considered to take initiation from one Çré Baya-baba. He was one of the renounced saints of Orissa, but belonged to an apa-sampradäya. Many times, Baya-baba had told her, “Initiation is no joking matter, that I can pick up anyone from the road and give them initiation.” This did not encourage her at all, however in the association of Çréla Gour Govinda Swami, she was becoming very inspired.

Once Çréla Gour Govinda Swami brought a big book, opened it and showed her a picture of Çré Çré Rädhä-Kåñëa and

A lwAys E mbr A c E d by K åñë A

then the picture of Çréla Prabhupäda; then he said, “This is my Guru Mahäräja in our disciplic succession.” She said, “I want to take initiation from a sädhu.” She was little worried about taking initiation from Çréla Prabhupäda because she had never met him. She first had this impression. But subsequently she was deeply influenced by Çréla Gour Govinda Swami, who encouraged her to chant and gave her a japa-mälä, with the advice to chant the holy name of the Lord without offence.

Anapurna Das: Once, in the year 1975, I asked Çréla Gour Govinda Swami, “How will I take initiation? Who will give me initiation and when?” Then he told me, “Only a qualified sädhu can give you initiation and he is my Gurudeva, Çréla Prabhupäda.” Then he said to me, “Take this japa-mälä and chant the holy name offencelessly. When Çréla Prabhupäda comes, you will be initiated.” I was somewhat unsure what to do but he convinced me to chant and to take shelter of his great and mighty guru, Çréla Prabhupäda.

Anapurna Das was unsure whether to take initiation from Çréla Prabhupäda or not as she had not personally met him. She had, however been introduced to him by his disciple Çréla Gour Govinda Swami, through his books. The duty of the aspiring disciple is described in the Bhagavad-gétä verse 4.34:

tad viddhi praëipätena paripraçnena sevayä upadekñyanti te jïänaà jïäninas tattva-darçinaù

“Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realised soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth.”

C hapter 3 O n the I sk CO n L and I n B hu B aneswar

In this verse three very important points have been made:

1. praëipätena – to approach a spiritual master. 2. paripraçnena – to inquire submissively. 3. sevayä – to render service unto him.

This is very simple; meet him, inquire from him [very important*] and serve him.

Another very important point made in the above verse is that the spiritual master should be a tattva-darçé, [tattva – of the truth; darçinaù – seer]; a seer of the truth.** In other words, he should be a self realised soul. So Anapurna Das had met Çréla Gour Govinda Swami and felt that he was her guru but now he was explaining to her that he is not her guru but Çréla Prabhupäda was and she would take initiation from him. This of course is the duty of the disciple, to bring those persons who are interested in spiritual life to the lotus feet of a bona fide spiritual master.

Then the duty of the aspiring disciple is also explained in the Çré Caitanya-caritämåta:

sarva-desa-käla-daçäya janera kartavya guru-päçe sei bhakti prañöavya, çrotavya

“It is therefore the duty of every man—in every country, in every circumstance and at all times—to approach the bona

* Author’s comment: paripraçnena – to inquire submissively; means both guru and disciple are present together. He is there and you are there. A personal relationship. Very simple. ** Author’s note: “...The word tattva-darçé refers to one who has perfectly realised the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Such a person can become a guru and propound Vaiñëava philosophy all over the world...” (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 5.15.4, purport by Çréla A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupäda)

A lwAys E mbr A c E d by K åñë A

fide spiritual master, question him about devotional service and listen to him explain the process.” 19

In this verse there are also three points made:

1. guru-päçe – to approach the bona fide spiritual master, 2. prañöavya – question him about devotional service, 3. çrotavya – listen to him explain the process.

Again, this process is very simple: approach the spiritual master, question him and listen to his answers.

In fact, Çréla Svarüpa Dämodara Gosvämé, in the Çré Caitanya-caritämåta, has said: yäha, bhägavata paòa vaiñëavera sthäne, “...If you want to understand Çrémad-Bhägavatam,” he said, “you must approach a self-realised Vaiñëava and hear from him...” 20

To Meet the Spiritual Master

So, Çréla Gour Govinda Swami, as the disciple of Çréla A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupäda was preparing the groundwork for when his great and illustrious spiritual master would arrive in the local area. He was in fact preparing the local people to meet and take initiation from Çréla A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupäda. They would meet him and then take initiation, according to the above quoted criteria.

Väsudeva däsa* recalls his first meeting with Çréla Gurudeva:

“I had heard that a sädhu had arrived in this village of Nayapalli, and was trying to establish an äçrama next to the

*Not to be confused with Mr. Vasudeva Das [this is his family name, not his initiated name].