All Glories to Sri Brahma Madhva Gaudiya Saraswata Sampradaya (lineage). All Glories to my beloved Grand Spiritual Master His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur PRABHUPADA and my beloved Spiritual Master His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Pramode Puri Goswami Thakur.
Offering on the occasion of the disappearance of His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaja
Our sampradaya’s prominent personality, His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaja, physically left all of us on the 4th of July 2020. I feel a lot of separation, remembering our association from the previous days.
I witnessed how Srila Charu Maharaja used to come to my spiritual master, His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Pramode Puri Goswami Thakur, at Kolkata’s Sri Chaitanya Gaudiya Math and also at Sri Gopinath Gaudiya Math, Mayapur with many spiritual queries. Srila Charu Maharaja’s service attitude to serve my Gurudeva was very beautiful. I have also seen Srila Charu Maharaja’s faith in others’ spiritual uncles like His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Rakshak Sridhar Goswami Maharaj and His Divine Grace Bhakti Alok Paramahamsa Goswami Maharaj.
(with His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Pramode Puri Goswami Thakur)
As I remember, Srila Bhakti Charu Maharaja engaged his disciples, Sriman Chaitanya Das Prabhu and Malini Devi (Sriman Chaitanya Das Prabhu’s wife) to look after the education of my Gurudeva’s brother’s grandson, Vasudeva Prabhu. Srila Charu Maharaja also engaged Sriman Chaitanya Das and Malini Devi to give some monthly financial support for my Gurudeva’s Ananta Vasudeva temple located at Kalna.
In 1994 Srila Charu Maharaja’s disciple, doctor Subal Sakha Prabhu, from Anudul, Howrah (West Bengal) facilitated the health care of my Gurudeva. Thus, Srila Charu Maharaja taught his disciples to generously serve senior Vaisnavas without discrimination. As I feel, Srila Charu Maharaja and his disciples were always loyal to my Gurudeva.
When I was a brahmachari, I used to attend Srila Charu Maharaja’s classes in the Conch Building. At the time Srila Charu Maharaja used to give classes on Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur’s Jaiva Dharma on the rooftop. I found his classes very interesting and engaging. I have many fond memories with Maharaj.
Two months ago, I requested Srila Charu Maharaja to write a homage for my Gurudeva which would be included in my Gurudeva’s biography. Srila Charu Maharaja composed a very sweet and faithful offering which was very heart-touching for me.
Thinking of Srila Charu Maharaj’s sweetness I really feel separation from him. Right after he sent me his homage, he went to USA. I did not know that within such a short period of time we would get such heart-wrenching news of his departure.
I am praying to my worshipful Lord, Sri Sri Radha Gopinath Jiu, for engaging Srila Charu Maharaja in the service of his Gurudeva, His Divine Grace Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada eternally. From the bottom of my heart, I pray at Srila Maharaja’s lotus feet- please forgive me for all of my offenses and bestow upon me your blessings to carry on the loving mission of Lord Chaitanya for the rest of my life under the shelter of my Gurudeva, HDG Srila Bhakti Pramode Puri Goswami Thakur with purity.
Haribol.
Yours in the Service of Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s Mission,
Bhakti Bibudha Bodhayan.
Sri Gopinath Gaudiya Math (President)
6/July/2020
ALL GLORIES ALL GLORIES TO GURU AND GAURANGA 🙏🙏🌹
Dear Maharaja,
My respectful obeisances to you. All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga.
The touching, personal, and loving way you speak of Bhakti Caru Maharaja shows the purity of your heart, which itself, like a shining mirror, reflects the exalted qualities of your spiritual master and his matha with a purity and beauty that so perfectly represent all your spiritual master was, and all that he deposited in his Gopinatha Gaudiya Matha, and in you. Our hearts are pained; splintered, cracked, and breaking throughout the days and nights, knowing that we have lost a loving and affectionate person who embodied, in the same way, all that Srila Prabhupada deposited in iSKCON, and in Maharaja himself in so many ways. He was the embodiment of Vaisnava sadachar, a legacy of written teachings and personal conduct that excelled anything I had ever come across; qualities are the first thing to fall from the lips of other Vaisnavas so readily, so freely, without end. He was faultless, and his heart was full of Srila Prabhupada and Krishna. I wish you had been able to come to our ISKCON mandira on the first day it was again opened to the community devotees: the day after Maharaja left this world, Monday morning our time. I am not embarrassed to say I cried the whole time. It was such an intimate atmosphere, and Bhakti Caru Maharaja was there in everyone’s heart, voice, and tears…the whole temple was filled with him. Later in the morning, I watched Sivarama Swami’s class from New Vraja-dhama, and he began by singing Je Anilo Prema-dhana, and I felt my heart break into pieces, because every year on Tamal Krishna Goswami’s tirobhava, that sweet bhajana of lament is sung after mangala-arati, the time that Goswami Maharaja left his body. Bhakti Caru Maharaja would always seek me out days before and ask if he could lead: he always wanted to sing that song to my Srila Gurudeva, whom he loved so much. So many times he led those prayers … and now, here was Sivarama Swami singing it to Bhakti Caru Swami. From the treasure trove of precious jewels that are the saintly Vaisnava, one shining diamond has been taken, leaving a hole in our hearts…
your servant
Braja Sevaki dd
Dear Maharaja Bhakt Caru, my heart started to beat more slowly, after your melodious voice, which sings to Mahaprabhu, will not be present on this planet. However, your image will always be in my heart and your voice will always chant the sweet voice of Mahaprabhu.