25th November.
I got a call in the evening from HG Achyut Hari Prabhu ji that HH Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaj will be visiting Gurgaon tomorrow and he may visit my home !! Hari Bol ! I could not believe my good fortune. I shared the same with HG Rukmini Prabhuji after the seminar, he too was surprised and very happy for me. I told him for me `he may come’ has done the job and as far I am concerned he has come.
26th November
I was waiting for the confirmation and also tried to push the labour to clean the living room as we were still a week away from shifting in the new apartment. Finally HG Achyut Hari Prabhu ji called up and confirmed that Maharaj will be visiting my home around 5.30pm before his lecture at the centre. My happiness knew no bounds, I thanked Prabhuji profusely and then came home early from office to arrange for everything. The apartment was in a mess as it was in the final stage of handover but by Krishna’s grace we could clean the living room and make space for few devotees to sit comfortably. We decorated the entrance with diyas and flowers, it was another Diwali for me.
Maharaj came around 6 pm and I just melted in his presence as I could not believe my good fortune of hosting him. I paid thousand obeisances to HG Vidur Priya Prabhuji for arranging it. Maharaj came upstairs in our new apartment and blessed it with his lotus feet. He spent close to 35 minutes with us, some senior devotees too came for his darshan. He asked about my spiritual journey and how I came in Krishna consciousness and he desired to meet Mukul Prabhu who first introduced me to Krishna Consciousness. Maharaj said that he will be in Punjabi Bagh temple on 28th and I promised to come with Mukul Prabhu if is in town. He then asked everyone to push for the Gurgaon temple as the construction was to be started soon. He was so polite and gentle and caring and humble, I can go on and on.
Maharaj then wanted to use the restroom and we hurriedly ripped open the packing for him to use it. Now our home is purified with double mercy as Maharaj used the first facility at our new home.
I gathered enough courage to request Maharaj if I can wash his lotus feet. Maharaj replied that he normally does not allow it. I requested Maharaj that `this’ is not `normal’ for me and he most mercifully agreed. We washed Maharaj’s lotus feet. It was the first time that I washed any sanyasi’s feet and was very nervous from inside. I prayed to Srila Prabhupada and for me with this opportunity I washed the feet of whole Gaudia Vaishanava Guru parampara.
Maharaj left for the centre around 6.10 after taking darshan of our deities in the current home.I then followed hurriedly to the Gurgaon centre. The centre was decked up beautifully and devotees danced to welcome Maharaj. Maharaj sang Jai Radha Madhava again and again and it was blissful to hear maharaj singing Kirtan. Maharaj spoke on the verse from CC madhya 22.128
sādhu-sańga, nāma-kīrtana, bhāgavata-śravaṇa
mathurā-vāsa, śrī-mūrtira śraddhāya sevana
I don’t think I have ever heard a simpler and easier explanation of this verse. I am sure everyone sitting in the packed hall would have absorbed something from maharaj’s lecture. Maharaj spoke for a long time and by the time he finished it was already close to 9.30pm. Then another magic happened, as Maharaj left the Kirtan started playing again. HG Asit Prabhu started dancing first and within 5 minutes the whole temple danced and danced. It was as if Maharaj’s mere presence spread gold dust over everyone. It was transcendental atmosphere and it was an effort for the team in charge of serving to lay down the mats.
We had delicious prasadam and I came back home flying in the air, as I still could not fully absorb Maharaj’s visit to my humble home. What can we call this other than causeless mercy of a pure Vaishanava on a street urchin.
All glories to HH Gopala Krishna Goswami Maharaj.
All glories to Srila Pranhupada
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