“Please Forgive my Offences, I Have Offended You so Much.”

A lwAys E mbr A c E d by K åñë A

period. What auspiciousness is there? So, we must cry for the effulgent sun to again rise. Let that dark cloud disappear! We must cry for it. We are just spending the dark night in a motel, but we should not sleep and snore. We should just cry and cry, anxiously waiting for the rising of the effulgent sun. ‘Let the darkness disappear and the effulgent sun rise so that I can carry on my journey to Puruñottama-dhäma! I am just a traveller spending the dark night in this motel.’ This illusory material world is compared to a motel. The illusory energy of the Lord is the darkness, whereas Kåñëa is like the sun, kåñëasurya sama, mäyä haya andhakära. Those who are covered by this illusory energy are in darkness. So, we must pray for that effulgent sun to rise. Do not forget this. This is severe grief for us. We have to cry and then pray for the effulgent sun to rise, then all happiness, all auspiciousness and enlightenment will come and then we will carry on along the road to Puruñottamadhäma, the abode of Lord Jagannätha. Otherwise, where is there any auspiciousness for us if we are bereft of devotion, Kåñëa and his very dear devotee?

Both Ghanshyama Giri* and Damodara Giri**, (cousins of Çréla Gour Govinda Mahäräja), recall, “...After A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Çréla Prabhupäda left this world, Gour Govinda Swami he just wanted to build this temple; however, he had no source of income. It was a matter of great urgency for him. Therefore, he would have to walk, going door to door to beg. And because of this his feet were swelling up. Still, he was following the instructions of his Gurudeva, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and he was going for collection, every day...”***

* Mådaìga (drum) player. From the famous Gadäi-Giri, Oriya Vaiñëava kértanéyas. ** Kértanéya (singer) extraordinaire and harmonium. From the famous Gadäi-Giri, Oriya Vaiñëava kértanéyas. For more information on the famous Gadäi-Giri, Oriya Vaiñëava kértanéya family of Çréla Gour Govinda Mahäräja please see Volume One of this publication, Part One, Chapters One, Two & Six. ***Interview, 8 November 2002, with Ghanshyama Giri and Damodara Giri.

C hapter 15 Ç réla p rabhupäda

In no way, what-so-ever, did Çréla Gour Govinda Mahäräja, after the disappearance of his gurudeva lose his enthusiasm to preach, translate, print, publish and build the temple. He was the driving force behind this new and isolated project that A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupäda wanted completed.

Ghanshyama Giri: At that time, I was doing managerial work in the office of the Kananugo family here in Gadäi-Giri. Near Gadäi-Giri, the Kananugo family are staying. So, I knew that one piece of land had already been donated to ISKCON. Then, when Çréla Gour Govinda Mahäräja came to the Nayapalli area to develop the land, he said to me, “I know this is not the proper time for you to come to join with me. However, if you could join here (ISKCON Bhubaneswar land), it would be better but I know you cannot because you are already employed in the Kananugo’s family business. Anyway, we have got this land and we must build this temple.” There was a mood of great urgency when he spoke about the proposed temple. It was his gurudeva’s desire! *

* Chaitanya Chandra däsa: The house of the Kananugo family is near Gadäi-Giri Village. Nityananda Kananugo’s son is Bijananda Kananugo. Bijananda Kananugo’s wife is Chabbi Kananugo, and she is the one who donated this land. They hail from Narilo village, adjacent to Gadäi-Giri. Not even half a kilometre from here [Gadäi-Giri Village]. Generally, they stay in Cuttack because they have a residence there, but they have land, property and their business is here. And Ghanshyama Giri was managing this for them. (Interview, 8 November 2002, with Ghanshyama Giri and Damodara Giri. Caitanya Chandra däsa translating.)