14th March 2015 is Disappearance Day of HH Sridhar Swami Maharaj- Also Known as Jolly Swami (Srila Prabhupada Disciple)
HH Sridhar Swami began his Krishna Conscious at the ISKCON temple in San Francisco, US and was instrumental in connecting thousands of people to ISKCON in his thirty-five year spiritual journey in which he travelled several continents to spread the message of Lord Krishna. He rendered substantial service at Sri Sri Radha Rasabihari Temple and founded the BHISMA dept. to connect people to Lord Krishna through mailing.
HH Sridhar Swami Maharaj was Sridhara dasa brahmacari when he was serving Srila Prabhupada in Juhu, Mumbai. He had a hefty built. His manifest form to us was a hefty built, like a football player. So Srila Prabhupada said that he must take care of the construction materials because he has this hefty built when he walks around and they know he is in charge of the construction materials,
nobody will steal. And you know HH Sridhara Swami he walked like that, "I am looking after Krishna's paraphernalia." And what is that paraphernalia? Construction materials - aprakat material to be prakat in the form of this beautiful marble temple for Sri Sri Radha Rasabihari.
When the news came that Srila Prabhupada wanted him to do that, HH Giriraj Swami went to HH Sridhar Swami and he said that Srila Prabhupada wants you to look after the construction materials. He said, "Why me? I want to preach. You go back to Srila Prabhupada and you tell him that." So back and
forth Giriraj Swami was going to Prabhupada and Sridhar Swami. "He wants you to do this." "No I want to preach." Then eventually Srila Prabhupada seeing his determination to preach gave him sannyasa. And we see that his desire to preach was without duplicity and he became one of the best
preachers practically in India and the whole world. He spent considerable time here in India itself.
When HH Sridhar Swami was in Conch Building Mayapur, where he left us in his manifest pastimes, the doctor came to him and his stomach was quite bloated. So the doctor was examining him and he was feeling his stomach to asses the situation. While he was doing that he was watching HH Sridhar Swami's face and Sridhar Swami slowly opens his eyes and he looked at the doctor and said, "You know it's a boy!"[Laughter.] Because his stomach was swollen. Amazing personality. In the most grave situation he could joke. He just cracked up. Therefore he is known as the Jolly Swami.
HH Sridhari Swami told HH Giriraj Swami on the phone when he was still considering what to do now that it was eminent that he has to leave. And he said, "You know I only have three desires. Everything else is fulfilled. I just want to survive to want to be in Mayapur. And then survive to see the installation of the Panca-tattva. And therafter, if Krishna wills I should leave after Gaura-purnima." Lord Krishna, Lord Caitanya and the Panca-tattva fulfilled all three desires. He lived beyond Gaura-purnima for the installation of the Panca-tattva and Srivasa Thakur was One of Them. So Krishna fulfilled all three desires.
Srila Prabhupada ki Jai !
Sridhar Swami ki Jai !
Comments