108 Transcendental Splendours of Srila Gour Govinda Swami

108 Transcendental Splendours of OṀ VIṢṆUPĀDA PARAMAHAṀSA

Śrīla Gour Govinda Swami Mahārāja

TAT T VA V I C A R A P U B L I C AT I O N S

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S R I S R I G U RU - G O U R A N G A R A D H A - G O P I N AT H A J I U J AYATA H

108 Transcendental Splendours Compiled by Nimāi Paṇḍita dāsa

This booklet is only the tip of the iceberg of the unlimited glories of Śrīla Gour Govinda Swami Mahārāja, presented to His Divine Grace on the occasion of his Vyāsa-pūjā, 10 September 2018, his 89th Holy Appearance Day. It is compiled from interviews with his family members, disciples, followers, well-wishers, godbrothers, sādhus from all sampradāyas and all branches of the BrahmaMadhva-Gauḍīya-sampradāya; sannyāsīs and ācāryas.

Also, there are quotes from his spiritual master His Divine Grace Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda. Plus quotes from interviews with mystics, astrologers, psychics and those that are fully conversant with the Vedic science of sāmudrika (the science of how to recognise the thirty-two symptoms present in the body of a mahā-bhāgavata).

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Śrī Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swami Mahārāja

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His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami PrabhupÄ da Founder-Acarya

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je jena vaiṣṇava, ciniya loiya adara koribo jabe vaiṣṇavera kṛpā, jāhe sarva-siddhi avaśya pāiba tabe

“At that time when I learn to properly honour such a pure devotee, recognising his real quality, then I will certainly achieve all spiritual perfection by his mercy.”

By Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura From Kalyāṇakalpataru - The desire tree of Auspiciousness Part 2 “Prarthana Lalasamayi” (Prayers of Eager Longing) Song 7 The Pure Devotee, verse 5)

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108 Transcendental Splendours 1.

Śrīla Gour Govinda Swami was born in a Vaiṣṇava family (02.09.1929) from the Gadāi-Giri village of Orissa (Odisha).

[This day is also the same day and month that His Divine Grace Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura took his birth in this world some 91 years earlier (1838).

One astrologer was even noted as saying that Śrīla Gour Govinda Swami was Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura come again.]

2.

Once, in 1929 the renowned astrologer and mystic, Nityananda Khadiratna, from Dhenkanal, came to Gadāi-Giri and stayed for two days. While he was in Gadāi-Giri, he met the young Śrīla Gour Govinda Swami

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[less than one year old] and his mother, and said: “This boy is full of devotion. He is very intelligent. He will marry, obtain government service, and in his middle age, he will renounce family life and become a sādhu. He will obtain higher knowledge and because of that he will occupy an important place in the line of sādhus. He will build temples. He will make Gopāla Jīu’s place bright.”

The astrologer then said, “Kṛṣṇa (God) Himself has sent this child from His eternal abode, to preach His message and to deliver the fallen conditioned souls.”

3.

His family was not just any Vaiṣṇava family, but a Vaiṣṇava family that is the most famous kīrtanīyas in Orissa, who are also mystics and renunciates.

4.

The famous family Deity Gopāla Jīu came of His own accord to Gadāi-Giri from Vṛndāvana to one of Śrīla Gour Govinda Swami’s ancestors who desired to worship Him. This Deity is to this day still worshipped in Gadāi-Giri.

5.

There has been a constant link between the

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Kings of Purī (who are coming in the line of Mahārāja Pratāparudra, who was an associate of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu) and the maternal family (Gadāi-Giri village of Orissa) of Śrīla Gour Govinda Swami since the seventeen hundred’s.

6.

The current King of Purī is Gajapati Mahārāja Dibyasingha Deva. He would visit Śrīla Gour Govinda Swami regularly. When he saw Śrīla Gour Govinda Swami he would pay obeisances to him. The residents of Purī lodged a complaint to the King, that the King of Purī must not pay his obeisances to any sādhu. The King’s reply was, “...I know this, but when I see this sādhu (Śrīla Gour Govinda Swami), he reminds me of Lord Jagannātha and therefore I must pay my obeisances to him...”

7.

There is an open invitation that still holds to this day, from the seventeen hundred’s and is written in the history book of the Temple of Lord Jagannātha - the Madāla-pañji for the

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kīrtana party from Gadāi-Giri village to come at least once in a year to perform kīrtana for Lord Jagannātha in Purī.

8.

He never broke the principles of Vedic culture, ever.

9.

He was never attached to the mod-cons of this world. Therefore he was akiñcanā.

10.

From his childhood onwards he was trained in Kṛṣṇa Consciousness by his exalted family members.

11.

He was taught to chant the Holy name from the age of two by his esteemed grandfather, Bauri Bandhu Giri, who was a pure Vaiṣṇava and famous kīrtanīya.

12.

He was taught the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam when he was six years old by his esteemed Vaiṣṇava father, Isvara Manik Dāsa.

13.

From the age of eight he was accompanying his uncles on kīrtana throughout the local villages, and sometimes the kīrtana would go

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on for twenty-four hours.

14.

He was taught the Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta from the age of twelve by his uncles Gopinatha Giri and Jagannatha Giri.

15.

He lived in that famous village Gadāi-Giri from twelve years of age and learned kīrtana and Sanskrit there and excelled in this language.

16.

From the age of seventeen he began a systematic study of the four Vedas, the 108 Upaniṣads and the eighteen Purāṇas. A study that he continued from that age to when he left family life at the age of forty-four; he went without sleep so as to maintain this śāstric study program.

17.

He met his wife at the day of the marriage, he had had no prior contact with her, and at the marriage ceremony he saw her for the first time in his life. His parents and the parents of his wife-to-be arranged his Vedic marriage!

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18.

As a gṛhasta, he would work all day as a teacher and study the śāstra into the late hours of the night, only sleeping up to two or three hours each night.

19.

As a gṛhasta he had a checklist of 27 vows he would go through each day; below are a few of these vows: a) How many hours did you sleep? b) At what time did you get out of bed? c) How many mālās of japa did you chant today? d) How many Bhagavad-gītā ślokas did you read today or learn by heart? e) How long did you spend in the company of sādhus today, (sat-saṅga)? f) How many mantras did you write today? g) How long did you spend today in the study of religious books?

20.

He had memorised the whole Gītā.

21.

He would read one chapter of the Gītā each day and on Ekādaśī he would fast the whole day and read the full eighteen chapters of

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the Gītā. Bear in mind this was all done prior to joining ISKCON.

22.

He was thoroughly proficient in all the śāstras.

23.

He had never been to a movie theatre to watch mundane movies.

24.

He did not watch television.

25.

He did not listen to the radio.

26.

He did not read mundane newspapers and magazines. Only after he met Śrīla Prabhupāda who instructed him to read the newspaper, in order to be informed of what was going on in society, then he would daily read it.

27.

He had never entered a bar or hotel to drink alcohol or to take any type of intoxication.

28.

He never took any form of intoxication.

29.

He never had a girlfriend.

30.

He was celibate until he married and only

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engaged in sex life seven times and from that seven children were born. Who can do that in family life?

31.

He was pure and I reiterate - all this before he met his spiritual master.

32.

He never gambled.

33.

He never ate meat.

34.

In his book, The World Famous Gour Govinda Swami and the Village Gadāi-Giri, Fakir Caran Kanungo writes: “...In 1971 we, Śrīla Gour Govinda Swami [who was then a householder] and myself, both went in February to the Himalayas. We had a meeting with a sādhu who foretold the future of Śrīla Gour Govinda Swami. That sādhu said, in 1974 you must leave your home and your most cherished desire will be fulfilled. You will utilise all your power and ability for the use of God’s [Supreme Lord’s] service.

Devotees will feel very much fortunate by reading your life story and they will come under your feet for help and advice. At the time of distress and danger

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your love and purification will be the only solace for hundreds of souls and you will be famous among great saintly persons. You will be the best among the devotees, you will be an ācārya, a great ṛṣi and you will show the path of perfection to many. In the end you will return to Goloka Vṛndāvana, your eternal home...”

35.

He gave up family life (wife and seven children) 1 April 1974, Rāma-navamī.

Then wandered India seeking a bona fide spiritual master who could give him sannyāsa and entrance into the preaching mission of Mahāprabhu.

36.

At the time of meeting Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda (15 September, 1974 at midday) he was proficient in the Mahābhārata, Rāmāyaṇa, Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Śrī Caitanyacaritāmṛta and many, many other śāstras and he knew many languages.

37.

His dīkṣā-guru is Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda.

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38.

He never joined at a temple; he joined at a construction site in Rāmaṇ Reti Vṛndāvana and was then sent to the jungle (not forest) of Orissa to build and open a temple. This area still had tigers, elephants and bears roaming wild. The land was also infested with snakes and scorpions. He did this all alone!

39.

“We were all Prabhupāda’s soldiers; we were all from mleccha families. We were from the west, taking drugs, you know, we were really out of it people. I always see my relationship with Prabhupāda like that: I will always be a soldier. That is what soldiers do: they work hard, but Śrīla Gour Govinda Swami was not a foot soldier; he was special, he had a special connection with Prabhupāda.” (From an interview with Guṇārṇava dāsa)

40.

“Then of course I met for the first time His Holiness Gour Govinda Mahārāja. I could immediately appreciate that here is a true Vaiṣṇava. His whole appearance, his

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humility, his tone of voice, everything about him made me feel relieved and happy to be in his company. He was not like the other sannyāsīs.” (Devadharma dāsa, first devotee to arrive in Bhubaneswar to assist with the project)

41.

“I was in Bhubaneswar with Gour Govinda Swami in 1975, and for a six month period there I did not see him sleep, he was always serving.” (Abhinandana dāsa)

42.

Śrīla Prabhupāda said he was a devotee from his birth.

43.

Śrīla Prabhupāda said: “Oh! Gour Govinda Swami, he is so sincere.” (Spoken in Bhubaneswar 1977)

44.

Śrīla Prabhupāda said Kṛṣṇa has sent him.

45.

In Māyāpura 1979, he entered into a state of bhava and prema; the likes of which had never been witnessed in ISKCON before.

And has never been witnessed in ISKCON since then.

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46.

In Māyāpura 1979, The kavirāja (Āyurvedic doctor)/mystic Śrī Nārāyaṇa Rāmānuja dāsa, from the Śrī-sampradāya, observed Śrīla Gour Govinda Mahārāja and said, “...

If Kṛṣṇa does not take him, then he will become a rare personality, a great preacher, an ācārya!

Everyone will see...”

47.

In that same year 1979, Śrī Śrīmad B.R. Śrīdhara Mahārāja (disciple of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda) said of Śrīla Gour Govinda Swami, “...such ecstasy, such bhava, you have never seen in your life. Leave him alone. He is OK. He is OK... This is very high Vaiṣṇava, very high Vaiṣṇava...”

48.

In Māyāpura 1979, Śrīla Akiñcana Kṛṣṇa Dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja (disciple of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda) arrives to see Śrīla Gour Govinda Swami, and states that he is in bhāva and he is a mahā-bhāgavata.

49.

In Māyāpura 1979, Śrīla Akiñcana Kṛṣṇa

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Dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja also states that Śrīla Gour Govinda Swami is in Kṛṣṇa-līlā and pays obeisances to him. [Bearing in mind it was common knowledge that Akiñcana Kṛṣṇa Dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja was known everywhere as paramahaṁsa and akiñcana.

If you read about his life you will be astounded! Very amazing.]

50.

His śikṣā-guru is Śrīla Bhakti Caran dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja, disciple of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda. Śrīla Gour Govinda Swami said of his śikṣā-guru that he never came down from bhava.

51.

He took a vow never to drink milk ever again.

52.

Srila Gour Govinda Swami was definitely the diamond under the haystack. We who lived with him knew of his advanced status.

Others in ISKCON thought him just some simple country Vaiṣṇava gentleman, but did not know his name even. When we went

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to Māyāpura for Gaura-pūrṇimā, they did not even schedule him to give a single class! “Śrīla Gour Govinda Swami was actually qualified to take disciples from all over the world.

He was qualified spiritually to lead us after Śrīla Prabhupāda had left. He was the most advanced and realised of all the devotees of ISKCON, to our best knowledge, but he was neglected by them at the time.” (From an interview with Tamohara dāsa, in Bhubaneswar Orissa India in 1997)

53.

In 1980 the Rāmānuja brāhmaṇa, astrologer and mystic, Śrī Badri Nārāyaṇa Rāmānuja dāsa (disciple and secretary of Śrī Lakṣman Rāmānuja Jeeyar Śrīla Ācāryadeva), had said on his first glimpse of Śrīla Gour Govinda Swami Mahārāja, that he could see an effulgent personality, who had all auspicious markings on his body, the symptoms of a mahā-bhāgavata.

54.

One of the foremost astrologers in Orissa Tirthananda Dasa said of Śrīla Gour Govinda Swami, “he is from Vaikuṇṭha-loka,

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the kingdom of God, not this material world.”

55.

He spoke on siddhānta-rakṣaṇa (how to protect the siddhānta).

56.

He spoke on sampradāya-rakṣaṇa (how to protect the sampradāya).

57.

He spoke on the four sampradāyas.

58.

He spoke incessantly on the need for a living sādhu-guru-vaiṣṇava.

59.

He spoke incessantly on the need for sādhusaṅga. He urged everyone almost incessantly regarding the imperative requirement of taking constant sādhu-saṅga. He instilled upon his audiences that sādhu-saṅga is imperative, not optional.

60.

He spoke incessantly on the need for a śikṣāguru.

61.

He spoke incessantly on prema-tattva: a) prīti-āśraya – the abode of love. b) prīti-viṣaya – the object of love.

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c) prīti-dharma – love and affection for one and all.

62.

He never abandoned the service his spiritual master had requested of him: a) Translate the books into Oriya. b) Build the temple in Bhubaneswar. c) Train and make disciples.

63.

Sādhus and ācāryas from different sampradāyas, and different branches of our sampradāya would come to see him. Many paying full daṇḍavats to Śrīla Gour Govinda Swami in the hot dust of the Orissa landscape.

64.

He was a friend to one and all.

65.

He translated almost every single book his spiritual master, Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda had written, into the Oriya language. No technology was used what-so-ever for translation work, it was all done by hand with pen and paper. This in itself is an amazing feat.

66.

He lived in a small thatched hut the entire

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time while collecting money, building, and later maintaining the massive KṛṣṇaBalarāma Temple which Śrīla Prabhupāda founded.

67.

He spoke ten to fifteen thousand hours of lectures, in Oriya and English; and sometimes in Hindi.

68.

He departed India twenty-three times to travel the world and preach.

69.

He was humility personified.

70.

He would, seated on the vyāsāsana, roar like a lion, whereas at other times, he was simple like a child.

71.

He was able to read peoples minds. Whist speaking Hari-kathā, he would answer peoples questions that were formulating in their minds and before they could even present their question verbally, he had already answered it. Many, many persons witnessed this.

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72.

A very special feature of his preaching was that he would often sing, not quote or chant, but sing the verses, of Śrī Caitanyacaritāmṛta, Śrī Caitanya Bhāgavata, the songs of Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura and Śrīla Narottama-dāsa Thākura in the middle of his lectures. This unique style of preaching was completely unheard of in ISKCON, up until then.

73.

Another very special feature of his preaching was that he would, prior to speaking the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, glorify the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam for twenty to thirty minutes and then he would begin his lecture. This unique style of preaching was previously unprecedented in ISKCON, up until then.

74.

Another very special feature of his preaching was that he would, prior to speaking on the Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, glorify the Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta for twenty to thirty minutes and then he would begin his lecture.

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Again, this was completely unheard of in ISKCON, up until then.

75.

He would speak hari-kathā between 2 to 5 hours at one time.

76.

He was most concerned about the wellbeing of his disciples and followers.

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He was also most concerned for those who were not his disciples.

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He was able to melt the hardest hearts.

79.

He tolerated and co-operated with those who were unjust, ruthless and tried to work against him; whilst relentlessly working to resurrect their fallen mentality.

80.

Finalised the building of the Śrī Śrī KṛṣṇaBalarāma Temple and installed the deities 1991, for Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda’s last founded, 108th project.

81.

He inaugurated the yearly Ratha-yātrā in Bhubaneswar (1991).

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82.

The Ācārya from Śrī Raṅgam, [the head of the Śrī Vaiṣṇavas] Śrī Lakṣman Rāmānuja Jeeyar Śrīla Ācāryadeva (1930 – 2012) said of Śrīla Gour Govinda Swami: a) He indeed did have the auspicious markings on his body of a mahā-bhāgavata, which verified what his disciple, Śrī Badri Nārāyaṇa Rāmānuja dāsa, had recognised many years earlier. b) The birthmarks on the body of Śrīla Gour Govinda Swami represent different avatāras (incarnations) of the Lord, such as Varāha, Matsya, and Kūrma. c) Then he went on to say, “He is a śaktyāveśa-avatāra, a spiritually effulgent personality… a mahā-bhāgavata of the highest order.” d) He also said that such a person is very rarely seen on this earth planet. e) He paid full daṇḍavats to Śrīla Gour Govinda Swami on his first sight of him.

83.

“...I was greatly influenced by Śrīla Prabhupāda and Gour Govinda Swami, by their way of

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preaching... Gour Govinda Mahārāja was a most cultured man and he was expert in the writing of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books...” (Choudhary Jagannath Prasad, Official of the Government of Orissa)

84.

He inaugurated Pāda-yatra in Orissa (1992) and participated in it yearly.

85.

In Spain 1992 amidst a massive, enduring drought he made it rain by performing Gaura-kīrtana!

86.

He never criticized anyone, not even those that criticized him, nor those who were not his well-wishers.

87.

He never purchased any luxurious items for himself. All the money he collected went to building the temple and printing his spiritual master’s books.

88.

He built a wonderful Lotus Temple in Bhubaneswar dedicated to Śrīla Prabhupāda for his Centennial celebrations.

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89.

He left this world (9 February 1996, the divine appearance day of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda) whilst delivering the deepest hari-kathā. After speaking about the eye-toeye union of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa he said, “please excuse me, I cannot speak anymore”; then he lay on his bed while looking at a picture of his beloved Deity Gopāla Jīu and instructed his disciples, “nāma koro, nāma koro!

- have kīrtana, have kīrtana!”

90.

He was the saint of ISKCON and he was a saint prior to joining ISKCON!

91.

Śrīla Bhakti Promode Purī Goswami Mahārāja (disciple of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda) stated on the 10 February 1996, that Śrīla Gour Govinda Swami is sad-guru, topmost spiritual master; perfect spiritual master. [At this point in time Śrīla Bhakti Promode Purī Goswami Mahārāja was the senior most Vaiṣṇava on planet earth, 99 years of age and was a very good friend of

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Śrīla Gour Govinda Swami Mahārāja].

92.

The deity maker Professor Bipra Charan Mohanty declared that Śrīla Gour Govinda Swami did not conform to any known category of conditioned souls, and that he did not have the normal bodily construction of such souls. Then he said: “...Gour Govinda Swami does not fit into the category of a conditioned soul, he is mahā-bhāgavata...” (Bearing in mind Professor Bipra Charan Mohanty is, or was one of the foremost deity makers in India and knew the śāstra to make deities.

He knew who is conditioned soul and who is not. He had the śāstra to support his claims.)

93.

GBC minutes on Śrīla Gour Govinda Swami’s leaving: “...His [Śrīla Gour Govinda Swami Mahārāja’s] departure shows all auspicious symptoms and his success fills our hearts with admiration. His life and disappearance pastimes shall remain a great inspiration to all members of ISKCON...” ~ ISKCON GBC 1996 Resolution

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94.

GBC and mūrtis of Śrīla Gour Govinda Swami: ISKCON law 6.4.8.6 states that no other mūrtis, other than Śrīla Prabhupāda’s, may be installed in the temple room; however they have allowed mūrtis of Śrīla Gour Govinda Swami Mahārāja in the temples of Orissa (Odisha).

95.

He is the ācārya, some say gupta-ācārya, [not founder ācārya] for ISKCON in succession after Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, who is the founder ācārya. Thus, maintaining and allowing the sampradāya-praṇālī, the flow of the spiritual lineage, from guru to śiṣya – from spiritual master to disciple.

96.

He has also been glorified by many senior Gauḍīya Maṭha members as the only moon in ISKCON, shining very brightly [self effulgent] amidst everyone else. The Self Effulgent Ācārya.

97.

“He was very learned and he had come in a true devotee family. His fathers and mothers were Vaiṣṇavas in our line. From boyhood he was brought

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up in the line of the Vaiṣṇavas. Even before he joined ISKCON he was of that spirit - inward Vaiṣṇava.

So he was so humble. He was a true Vaiṣṇava.

He was in the same line in which Swamījī [His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Śrīla Pradhupada] was. I have read his books. So he was in the rāgānuga way of doing bhajan (devotional service), for which Caitanya Mahāprabhu had come.

In this world rāgānuga Vaiṣṇavas are very, very rare. I honour him as a pure Vaiṣṇava, and he surely was. So I am giving my puṣpāñjali to his lotus feet.” ~ Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedanta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja

98.

Śrīla Gour Govinda Swami Mahārāja was not a conditioned soul joining a branch of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s movement to perform vidhi-bhakti. He was a fully liberated soul, coming to this world to deliver the fallen conditioned souls. Thus he takes his place in the sampradāya as an ācārya and saviour of the fallen, as all ācāryas do!

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99.

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It is a well known fact that any mystic, psychic, astrologer, palmist, those that knew Sāmudrika (the science of how to read the auspicious marks on the body, especially the 32 symptoms of a mahā-bhāgavata), sādhus, Vaiṣṇavas and Ācāryas throughout India, that met Śrīla Gour Govinda Swami Mahārāja could see that he was a great mahā-bhāgavata devotee.

100. The teachings of

Śrīla Gour Govinda Swami Mahārāja are still inspiring Vaiṣṇavas and many, many aspiring Vaiṣṇavas, twentythree years after his divine disappearance.

The test of time has proven that the words of the sādhu-vaiṣṇava-mahājana are eternal and will continue to inspire many, many generations to come.

101. From his life and emphasis we know Śrīla Gour Govinda Swami Mahārāja’s mission was not limited to building a temple and a guesthouse, he is glorious for that; however his glory goes far beyond that. As well as

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clearing all the misconceptions of the main fundamental tattvas he came to distribute the very rare gift of Kṛṣṇa-prema. This is the main internal cause by which Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu appeared, to fulfill his three internal desires, to taste that prema Himself and to distribute to one and all. (Taken from an article written by our godbrother Janārdana dāsa UK/Spain.)

102. “I was then intensely praying to Śrīla Prabhupāda to send me some genuine sādhu to help me. I then met Śrīla Gour Govinda Mahārāja [1985], and I was so impressed by his devotion, knowledge and saintly character. I approached him for śikṣā and he plainly told me that since I was praying to Śrīla Prabhupāda for help, Prabhupāda had told him to help me. When I asked him, after having been accepted as a śikṣā disciple, what was the etiquette how to deal with the śikṣā-guru, he answered that, ‘do not see me as anyone special; you were praying to Prabhupāda and he asked me to help you.’ I took śikṣā from him for ten years [1986 - 1996]”. (Suddhadvaiti Swami)

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103. “So that was a wonderful time in Purī [1977 with Śrīla Prabhupāda and Śrīla Gour Govinda Swami].

Then we went back to Bhubaneswar and it was very austere, passing stool in the open paddocks, bathing under a pump and eating in the open, sleeping on the ground. For us westerners we were really finished.

It was really difficult. I think that bodily distress was so great that it really clouded the intelligence at that time, it was so austere! In retrospect, for Gour Govinda Mahārāja to stay there on that piece of land, living in that mud hut and building that wonderful temple under such harsh conditions, he must be a great Vaiṣṇava! This is not a normal occurrence. The vision for the temple was Gour Govinda Mahārāja and Śrīla Prabhupāda and no one else was into it.” (From an interview with Jayadharma dāsa Coory Qld. Australia, Dec. 1991)

104. “…Gaura [Gour] Govinda Mahārāja was an elderly Indian disciple of Bhaktivedanta Swami and Vaiṣṇava by birth, thus more senior, learned, exemplary, and inspirational than the younger Westerners who comprised the majority

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of ISKCON’s gurus...” (The Hare Krishna Movement, The Post Charismatic Fate of a Religious Transplant, by Edwin F. Bryant (Ph.D.) and Maria L. Ekstrand Ph.D.)

105. “When Śrīla Gaura [Gour] Govinda Mahārāja was present in this world I was not so fortunate to have his darśana. I was raised in the Gauḍīya Maṭha. One day I received his book ‘Embankment of Separation’. When I started reading this book, I became so amazed to understand that Śrīla Gaura [Gour] Govinda Mahārāja is totally in the mood of our Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava dhāra. He knew exactly why Kṛṣṇa became Gaura-avatāra and accepted the dress of sannyāsa, he described so precisely and beautifully - by reading all this, my heart became so much moved. Later on, when I was staying in the house of Paramānanda Purī prabhu I saw his videos. I was amazed to see how strong, straight-forward and bold he was! He knew perfect siddhānta, he was completely detached from this world and fully dedicated to his Gurudeva. He is a true follower of Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Mahārāja and our Śrī Rūpānuga Guru-varga.

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He understood their moods and therefore is a true Ācārya, a rasikā Vaiṣṇava, and a well-wisher to all. I offer my repeated, respectful puṣpāñjali to his lotus feet.” (Umārāṇī dāsī [Umā Didi])

106. “One of

the great qualities of Śrīla Gour Govinda Mahārāja is his childlike simplicity. He was straightforward and he had a very friendly nature.

Without any difficulty you could relate with him in all circumstances. And he was extremely compassionate. From the scriptures we know that these are the qualities of a saintly person. The disciples and followers of Śrīla Gour Govinda Mahārāja are extremely fortunate to possess such a wonderful saintly spiritual master.” (Śrīpāda Bhakti Svarūpa Dāmodara Svāmī Mahārāja)

107. Thus he is śaktyāveśa-ācārya-avatāra.

108. Therefore your Honour, I rest my case. He is akiñcanā, he is mahā-bhāgavata, he is ācārya, he is Ācārya-Ṭhākura, he is fit to sit on the vyāsāsana, make disciples all over planet earth and be worshipped like Hari and his

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appearance and disappearance should be celebrated in all ISKCON temples and centres around the world.

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tvpbooks.com

108 Transcendental Splendours of

OṂ VIṢṆUPĀDA PARAMAHAṀSA

Śrīla Gour Govinda Swami Mahārāja

This booklet is only the tip of the iceberg of the unlimited glories of Śrīla Gour Govinda Swami Mahārāja, presented to His Divine Grace on the occasion of his Vyāsa-pūjā, 10 September 2018, his 89th Holy Appearance Day. It is compiled from interviews with his family members, disciples, followers, well-wishers, godbrothers, sādhus from all sampradāyas and all branches of the Brahma-MadhvaGauḍīya-sampradāya; sannyāsīs and ācāryas. Also, there are quotes from his spiritual master His Divine Grace Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda. Plus quotes from interviews with mystics, astrologers, psychics and those that are fully conversant with the Vedic science of sāmudrika (the science of how to recognise the thirty-two symptoms present in the body of a mahā-bhāgavata).

TAT T VA V I C A R A P U B L I C AT I O N S