Serving the Society–Serving the Devotees

During the time of Śrīla Gurudeva’s own gurudeva, nitya-līlā-praviṣṭa oṃ viṣṇupāda aṣṭottara-śata Śrī Śrīmad Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja, our Śrīla Gurudeva was the Vice-president of Gauḍīya Vedānta Samiti, the society that his guru founded. Śrīla Gurudeva and his two dear godbrothers–my guru-pādapadma, nitya-līlā-praviṣṭa oṃ viṣṇupāda aṣṭottara-śata Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Vāmana Gosvāmī Mahārāja, and nitya-līlā-praviṣṭa oṃ viṣṇupāda aṣṭottara-śata Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Trivikrama Gosvāmī Mahārāja–were the three main pillars of Gauḍīya Vedānta Samiti. Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Vāmana Gosvāmī Mahārāja was the President of the society, and Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Trivikrama Gosvāmī Mahārāja was the General Secretary. When Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Trivikrama Gosvāmī Mahārāja resigned from the Secretary’s seat, Śrīla Gurudeva took that post as well.

For many years, as Śrīla Gurudeva maintained these posts, his influence expanded within the Samiti and its congregation, and all over India as well, as he travelled and preached Mahāprabhu’s mission. In 1996, he began preaching in the Western countries and as a result, his influence grew even more and he began to gain many followers.

When Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Trivikrama Gosvāmī Mahārāja passed away from this world in Kārtika 2002, my beloved dīkṣā-guru Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Vāmana Gosvāmī Mahārāja became as if dumb. In fact, the doctor diagnosed him as having Alzheimer’s disease, because he apparently did not know or recognise anyone around him. However, whenever Śrīla Gurudeva went to see him, Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Vāmana Gosvāmī Mahārāja recognised his dear godbrother, and there were no signs of Alzheimer’s disease at all. Much discussion took place about the years they had spent together in the maṭha, right from when Śrīla Gurudeva had joined and of all the sevā they had done. During those days, when brahmacārīs of Śrī Keśavajī Gauḍīya Maṭha in Mathurā came to visit him, he recognized them–he knew their names and replied to their questions. Thus, there was no sign of Alzheimer’s disease.

As is always the case in this world with the rise of a great and influential person, certain personalities felt that Śrīla Gurudeva’s growing fame and influence threatened their own positions and respect. As a result, some of them began to criticize and disrespect Śrīla Gurudeva, directly and indirectly. In March 2003, this lead to Śrīla Gurudeva's moving on from some old connections and establishing temples of his own. With the loyalty and support of many old devoted friends, his followers increased more and more.

Lord Śiva does not consider what has happened in the past; he forgets it. Whatever anyone asks of him, he will always grant it. The same is true of Śrīla Gurudeva as well. Whenever anyone who has disrespected Śrīla Gurudeva comes to see him, he treats them as if nothing has happened. He forgets or disregards those happenings of the past. He fulfills their desires and loves them as before. This is his nature.