by - Amirta Gaurangi Devi Dasi
All glories to Srila Praphupada! All glories to our spiritual master His Holiness Gopal Krishna Maharaj.
I consider myself fortunate for having been given the opportunity to glorify Guru Maharaj's visit in Atlanta - Georgia.
Guru Maharaj arrived at the Hartsfield international airport by 12.40 pm on July 19th. The flight was on schedule and devotees were eagerly waiting to receive Him. Guru Maharaj arrived at the reception in about 1/2 hour with a pleasant smile on His face as usual (inspite of the continuous travel he has been doing for the past several days). All devotees offered their obeisances and flowers one after the other. Guru Maharaj talked to all devotees and enquired about their well being one by one. He wanted to wait till the baggage arrived. Until then, Guru Maharaj talked to the devotees making sure that he had not missed talking to anyone who was there at the airport to welcome him. Apart from the devotees of Atlanta there were devotees from Tennessee, Wisconsin, Texas and Florida.
After the baggage arrived, my family was fortunate to have Guru Maharaj in our car to take him to a house program at Gita Govinda dasa's residence. On our way to the house program we got opportunity to talk to Guru Maharaj. We asked him if he would like to have some water melon juice to which he said yes. While driving Guru Maharaj asked several questions in general about our work and Krishna conscious life. When we expressed our dissatisfaction on how not many people turned up to our weekly Bhagavatam and Bhagavadgita discourses, he adviced us to continue doing without giving up. He sounded very optimistic. I noticed Guru Maharaj taking out the bead bag from his hand baggage in between our conversation. This shows that Guru Maharaj uses every minute in thinking about the Supreme Lord.
We reached Gita Govinda Dasa's residence in about 1/2 hour at @ 2.00 pm. The house was packed with devotees doing Harinam Sankirtan. Guru Maharaj was heartily welcomed by the devotees with flowers and pranams. He then took a quick shower and in about 15 minutes got to the devotees to give an inspiring lecture on Ajamila. Guru Maharaj looked cheerful though his voice seemed to be broken due to sore throat. But he continued preaching to inspire the devotees. At the end of the lecture Guru Maharaj told devotees to ask questions and he patiently answered several questions. Some of the devotees who were listening to the lecture on phone asked questions to which Guru Maharaj answered very patiently. Before taking the lunch prasadam, he blessed the devotees and distributed cookies and peda sweets.
After the house program Guru Maharaj was taken to the Hare Krishna Temple in Downtown Atlanta in GitaGovinda Dasa's car. Guru Maharaj was requested to give the Sunday evening Program's lecture. Guru Maharaj reached temple at @ 5.30 pm and the temple was packed with devotees eagerly waiting to have his darshan. He gave a lecture on Dhruva Maharaj's staunch and focussed devotion to see the Supreme Lord under Narada Muni's guidance.
After the Sunday feast program, Guru Maharaj reached the guest house (which is in the temple premises) where devotees were lined up again to talk to him in person and take his blessings. He personally called on each devotee's family and talked to them and enquired about their life and spiritual progress. He remembers each devotee by name and enquired about their family members too. One of the initiated devotee couple Krishna Saranam Dasa and his wife were talking to Guru Maharaj. Krishna Saranam Dasa's wife had a knee surgery a few months back. Guru Maharaj having remembered that, immediately told her to sit on a chair. This demonstrates how empathetic Guru Maharaj is to his disciples! It was time for his dinner prasadam but Guru Maharaj continued talking to the devotees. Finally at around 10.00 pm after Guru Maharaj made sure that he talked to all the devotees, he had his prasadam.
Monday - July 20th.
We got to the temple for the 4.30 am Mangala arotika. After the Narsihma prayers and Tulsi puja, Guru Maharaj sat with the devotees in the temple hall and chanted Hare Krishna Maha mantra on the beads. He left for the guest house at around 6.30 am and came back again for the Guru puja at 7.30 am. Guru Maharaj himself was in the temple altar and performed the arotika. At around 8.00 am, Guru Maharaj gave again an inspiring Bhagavatam lecture (SB 1.15.39) for about 45 minutes talking about Ajamila and opened up the question answer session. There were many intelligent questions to which Guru Maharaj gave the most convincing answers. He went back to the guest house to get ready for the initiation ceremony that was scheduled to initiate 8 devotees (5 first initiations, 2 second initiations). I was one of the fortunate ones to get initiated by Guru Maharaj.
The initiation ceremony started at 10.30 am. All the arrangements were made by Amrit Karan Prabhu who was to be the priest for the ceremony. By the time Guru Maharaj arrived, we were all seated around the sacrificial fire. Guru Maharaj started giving the initiation lecture. He first explained the meaning and importance of the ceremony and appreciated us five devotees for having realised the actual goal of human life. His voice seemed to be broken and Maharaj looked very tired. I personally got tears in my eyes looking at the hard work Guru Maharaj is putting for helping liberate fallen souls like me. Guru Maharaj stressed the seriousness behind the process and also explained the 10 offenses that should not be committed by a devotee. He explained each offense elaborately making sure he does not miss to convey the seriousness and importance of not committing these offenses. In between his lecture, he stressed several times "Please be serious". This was a message to all getting initiated and also the audience that Krishna Consciousness is to be taken up very seriously. Guru Maharaj also explained the procedure to chant effectively. He stressed several times to chant attentively and told that doing so, would do miracles in one's spiritual life. He instructed the initiating devotees to try to chant early in the morning, do the Mangala arotika, read Bhagavadgita every day and visit the Hare Krishna temple every week to associate with other devotees and build up spiritual life. Guru Maharaj's voice throughout the lecture seemed firm and authoritative but kind and gentle. To me it gave a serious and strong conviction to spiritual life.
After giving the initiation lecture, Guru Maharaj instructed us five first time initiates to offer obeisances to Srila Prabhupada and the Deities in the temple. When we gathered back around the sacrificial fire, Guru Maharaj called us one after the other by our Karmi names. When it was my turn, I walked down to where Guru Maharaj was seated and offered my obeisances bowing down and chanting the Guru pranam loudly. Guru Maharaj asked me how many rounds we need to do every day and on special days like Ekadasi. He reiterated that on special days like Ekadasi, one should try their best to chant 25 rounds. He then asked about the four regulative principles and made sure that we mentioned no fish and eggs in the no meat eating principle. Also in the no intoxication principle, Guru Maharaj made sure that we are aware of the fact that we do not take coffee, tea and any type of alcohol. He also instructed that we devotees should cross check our spiritual activites by enquiring with the respective counsellors. In this respect I am greatly indebted to my Sisksa guru couple, Gita Govinda Dasa and Gita Devi Dasi who have been rendering selfless service to help fallen souls like me to understand the main and the only goal of human life - getting liberated from the cycle of birth and death. After having made sure that I am completely aware of the four regulative principles, Guru Maharaj then announced my spiritual name "Amrta Gaurangi Dasi". There was a loud applause and cheering from all the devotees. To me it was the most auspicious moment in my life. As Guru Maharaj explained the meaning of my spiritual name, I had tears of joy in my eyes. He handed the beads to me. I again bowed down to offer my obeisances and took Guru Maharaj's blessings.
Then Guru Maharaj called Anita mataji and gave her the name "Aarti dasi". Hitendra prabhu got the name "Hari Darshan dasa" while Parimala mataji was given the name "Parijata dasi". And Vijaya Lakshmi mataji got the name "Lila Vasini dasi". After the initiation, we offered grains and fruits into the sacrificial fire under Guru Maharaj's guidance and priest's directions. We then walked around the fire while chanting the Hare Krishna Maha mantra.
After the initiation ceremony, all devotees gathered in Guru Maharaj's room in the guest house to perform Pada puja and Gurupuja. Guru Maharj was kind enough to give us this oppurtunity. The room was tight packed and amidst loud Gurupuja being sung by all the devotees, we performed the pada puja and arotika. Devotees again took Guru Maharaj's blessings one after the other. After talking to everyone, he went for a walk and by the time he came back at around 2.00 pm, devotees again lined up to talk to him. Guru Maharaj was reluctant to have his lunch but was keen on talking to the devotees. I went in again with my family to take Guru Maharaj's blessings. He was very kind and compassionate. He talked to my sons and inspired them to chant more. He told them to watch less TV and suggested to watch epics like Ramayan and Mahabharat instead. To us he suggested to endeavor more in spiritual life. After thanking Guru Maharaj and offering our obeisances, we left with utmost satisfaction and happiness.
Finally, Guru Maharaj had his lunch at 4 pm and got ready to leave for the airport at 5:30 pm to catch the 7:40 pm flight to NY.
Again and again I consider myself the most fortunate for having been initiated by Guru Maharaj through the association of Gita Govinda Dasa and Gita Devi Dasi. I am glad to be a member of this Krishna conscious movement and getting connected to Krishna.
My pranams to all my God brothers and God sisters and All glories to Guru Maharaj.
Hare Krishna.
Yours humble servant,
Amrta Gaurangi Devi Dasi.