His Holiness Srila Gopal Krishna Maharaja's visit to Boise:

As soon as the devotees saw Guru Maharaja coming down slowly in to the lounge area they all bowed down with great respect and humility. As usual Maharaja had couple of carry-on bags with him as we waited for his danda and baggage. While waiting for baggage he personally asked everyone about chanting and services.

After arriving to the temple with His Grace Anantrupa prabhu, Boise Temple President, he immediately went inside the temple to have darshana of the Deities. He spent quite a bit time in beholding the beautiful Deities of Sri Sri Radha-Bankebihariji, Sri Sri Jagannath, Baladeva, and Subhadra, and Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai.

Since the evening program was full of events, he decided to go for his daily japa walk right away. After giving instructions to his personal servant Gopal Hari Prabhu regarding the care of his Deities, Guru Maharaja started for a walk with 6 devotees.

Maharaja loves to walk along the greenbelt of the Boise River, which flows through the heart of Boise and is located very near to the temple. While walking he would suddenly stop and make sure that no devotee would step on the ants he found on the way. We walked only about half a mile, Guru Maharaja suddenly started chanting loudly Mahamantra while looking compassionately on a dying bug. All glories to our Guru Maharaja, whose mercy and compassion have no bounds.

While on the greenbelt Guru Maharaja asked if there were any restrooms around, we saw a nearby RAM restaurant. Maharaja asked everyone to wait and went inside with me. When we were trying to locate the restrooms, the Manager of the restaurant came outside and offered help to Maharaja. When Maharaja asked about the restrooms he personally took him to the rest rooms inside the restaurant and opened the restroom door for him. All glories to Srila Guru Maharaja, who gave mercy even to the Manager of a restaurant, where all kinds of meat are served.

Maharaja, generally discourages children to go for a walk with him as they may get tired very soon. Bhakta Arjuna (Ian), son of mother April (who was initiated later in the evening by Maharaja and got spiritual name Amrita Devi Dasi) insisted and Maharaja reluctantly agreed. When Maharaja saw him getting tired instead of saying him anything he started walking slowly and made sure that he was not left behind. He also asked Ian if he wanted to go back early and that he would send one devotee with him. This shows how considerate Maharaja is. For him every bhakta is important. Everyone feels that he is under personal protection and care of Guru Maharaja. Guru Maharaja your greatness has no bounds when you take very personal care of not only the disciples but also their family members and other devotees.

After getting fresh, Guru Maharaja did his daily puja for about an hour. Then he came to our house, which is located next door to the temple, for his first meal of the day around 2:30 pm. Being very humble and a pure devotee of Lord Krishna, Guru Maharaja does not allow his glorification but he very kindly allowed us his charan abhishek for our pleasure. He performed a perfect role and duty of a loving spiritual father who always tries to bring all his children together by engaging them in the service of Krishna through him. When devotees were offering flower petals to the lotus feet of Guru Maharaja, he was very restless and wanted to reciprocate for their love. Right in time Laxmi Priya Mataji, disciple of H H Hanumat Preshaka Maharaja brought hot cookies for Maharaja to distribute. Maharaja was now very much happy and satisfied while distributing cookies. This whole event of loving exchange was very blissful. After Guru puja, Guru Maharaja honored prasadam and requested all the devotees to honor prasadam along with him. It was a very nice intercontinental prasadam cooked by several devotees, disciples, and aspiring disciples. At the end Maharaja distributed Maha-Maha prasadam to all the devotees who were present. Maharaja thanked to all the devotees for wonderful prasadam, which they cooked with love and devotion.

Lord Krishna is samadarshi, equal to all. Similarly, our Guru Maharaja is equal to all, no matter how big or small a devotee is. He makes sure no one is left out from his care and love. He tasted every single dish for the pleasure of the cooks even though he was not hungry at the end of feast. Maharaja, your mercy is unlimited and causeless.

After taking prasadam, Maharaja went inside to take rest and very kindly allowed me to massage his lotus feet for my pleasure. While massaging his lotus feet I felt like I wanted to get hold of these two lotus feet forever and may this moment last forever. I felt the magnanimity of Guru Maharaja. After taking a quick nap despite of my repeated request he declined to take more rest and got out of bed to get ready for the evening aarti and initiation ceremony. He was still drowsy and sleepy and turned right instead of left after coming out of my house. After seeing Guru Maharaja sacrificing his sleep and taking no rest while incessantly serving His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada, ISKCON, and the devotees, I felt great respect and love for our Guru Maharaja. Guru Maharaja puts all his time, energy, and efforts in maintaining ISKCON and fulfilling the desire of Sri Prabhupada.

Maharaja led evening Gaura aarti and gave an introductory class about Krishna Consciousness as he noticed there were so many newcomers and guests. The temple hall was filled by about 85-90 people. His Grace Balabhadra Prabhu, our famous Boise Temple priest conducted fire sacrifice for the initiation ceremnony in the temple courtyard.

Almost all the congregation members came to have his darshana in the temple guest house. It was around 1:00 am in the night when Guru Maharaja went to bed as I massaged his feet again in the guesthouse of the temple. Next day in the morning Maharaja was in the temple right in time at 4:45 am to do Mangal aarti at the altar. Then he went to do his daily abhishek and puja of his own Deities.

After seeing Maharaja full of energy and enthusiasm to serve Krishna, I asked Maharaja, "How are you able to do so much without taking any rest?" Maharaja humbly replied, "Lord Krishna provides energy and intelligence." Maharaja instructs devotees and engages them in all kinds of services according to their propensities. Being external manifestation of the Supersoul (Parmatma) in our hearts, Guru Maharaja is able to see through our hearts and guides from there.

Maharaja gave his morning Bhagvatam class to about 25 devotees. He maintained that we should accelerate and intensify our process of devotional service like Dhruva Maharaj did. Dhruva was able to see the Lord face-to-face in just six months. Maharaja also described about the ten offenses against the Holy Name, which he did not mention in the last night's lecture before initiation. He also stressed to avoid Vaisnava apradha. He suggested that the devotees should be very respectful to other devotees and should regularly invite each other for prasadam and exchange gifts. He suggested that devotees should respect, appreciate, and glorify others' good qualities without expecting the same for themselves.

Before leaving for the airport he requested all the devotees to work together to please Srila Prabhupada and Lord Krishna. He thanked all of us individually for every single service we did. He was able to check in without any difficulty. He waved to the devotees and devotees in loving reciprocation bowed down to him.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to Guru Maharaja and his love for Srila Prabhupada and ISKCON.

Yours servant,
Sri Hari Dasa