Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja’s Final Order

The following is a transcription, translated from a cassette-taped Bengali conversation between Śrīla Prabhupāda (Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja) and Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja. On this cassette, made in October–November 1977, we hear from Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja himself about his final order in this regard. Because the original conversation is in Bengali, with only small parts in English, it is probably a cassette you have never heard before.

Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja: Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja. He will come tomorrow?

Tamāla-kṛṣṇa Mahārāja: He will come when we (discussing with others). If we pick him up he might come tonight.

Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja: Hmm.

Tamāla-kṛṣṇa Mahārāja: If we go just now with the car. Bhakticaru is going just now with the car. Mahārāja may come tonight.

Someone begins to sing, “Govindam ādi-pūruṣaṃ...”

Tamāla-kṛṣṇa Mahārāja: Should we put a little fan on? A little bit.

The conversation with Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja begins:

Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja: Śrīla Prabhupāda (Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura) had a desire to preach all over the world–in Europe, America and so on. I tried my best to fulfill his desire. Now we should preach together.

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: Yes.

Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja: We have got experience that if we endeavor collectively, there is great possibility to spread the message of ākara māṭha, the mission of Mahāprabhu, pṛthivīte āche, everywhere in the world. I have contributed to this end to the best of my ability.

I wish that my godbrothers forgive my offenses.While preaching, many times we say things contrary to each other, or we cut each other’s philosophical arguments. That happens. Please ask my godbrothers to forgive my offenses. (inaudible)

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: Whatever you will order I accept completely. I consider you my guru.

Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja: (inaudible)

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: It has been done very beautifully. This is the proper way. It’s good that you have raised this point–that everyone should protect the mission of Mahāprabhu which you have established in Western countries, by good cooperation. Though you have taught them, still, in the future, if everyone helps them, a wonderful movement can be established on the Earth.

Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja: (inaudible)...I have brought these mlecchas and yavanas. They are like monkeys (banaras), very expert in quarreling. Accepting those who were sent to me by the arrangement of Kṛṣṇa, and considering their qualifications and disqualifications, I tried educating them, just to get things going. And they learned to their capacity. Things can be done in good cooperation. There is enough land, big, big temples and no shortage of money... (inaudible)

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: It’s proper for everyone to help in this matter. Everything will be still better if they are also humble and try to cooperate with everyone, with each other as well as with other Vaiṣṇavas. I will do my best to help. Whenever and whatever they will ask, I will try my best to help them. Whenever they will call me, any advice they will want, wherever they may want me to go, although my qualification is limited I will try to help to the best of my ability.

Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja: Are any of my godbrothers in Vṛndāvana now?

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: Yes.

Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja: Who?

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: Vana Mahārāja might be there, as well as Indupati Prabhu from Caitanya Gauḍīya Māṭha.

Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja: Any more?

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: Only these two at the moment.

Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja: Who is Indupati?

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: Indupati. He comes here often.

Bhakticaru Swāmī: From Mādhava Mahārāja’s Māṭha?

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: Yes. No one else is here.

Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja: Please call both of them—Vana Mahārāja and him.

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: This is very good proposal by you.

Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja: Please sit down. They will call them.

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: All right.

Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja: This cutting of arguments happens sometimes...

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: These are insignificant matters in such a substantial worldwide mission. A little something here and there is of no consequence. You have done this wonderful preaching work for the benefit of the whole world. There was no self-interest. You did everything only in devotional service to Kṛṣṇa–for benefitting all people at large.

Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja: It is all by your blessings.

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja: You have done a wonderful thing. It is necessary to care for and preserve this mission, and to see that it is managed skillfully.

Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja: Kindly instruct them in this matter. I’m unable to speak.

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: Yes. Please take rest.

Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja: Please sit a little longer.

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: Yes. I’m here.

Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja: Your health is all right?

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: Yes. You please keep remembering Kṛṣṇa. These are all very qualified men. They will manage nicely.

Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja: There is some problem (disturbance) in Māyāpura.

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: That will all be worked out. The guṇḍās have done that for their selfish motives. Everything will be all right. Some obstacles are always there in any work.

Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja: Twenty thousand people gathered for the meeting. Have you heard anything about it?

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: Yes, I have heard something. It was painful. The Communist Party people have done that nonsense. They have done utmost injustice. But now be free to peacefully remember Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa and Their sweet pastimes. Your people will take care of the necessities. All will be well by the wish of the Supreme Lord, Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

No need to think about it at all.

Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja: Hmm.

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: Don’t worry.

Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja: You have some affection for me? [This is an Indian expression of love.

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: Affection! What to speak of

affection, I regard you as my guru

Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja: I know that. That’s why I beg you to please forgive my offenses.

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: You kindly forgive our offenses, so that our intelligence māy be fixed at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Please give us this blessing.

Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja: Where is Sukhananda?

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: He has gone to Bengal.

Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja: When did he go?

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja: He went about a month ago. Śeṣaśāyī has come with me to take your darśana. He has rendered some services to you.

Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja: Brahmacārī?

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: Yes, Śeṣaśāyī Brahmacārī. Sometimes he has cooked for you.

Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja: Where is Tamāla?

Devotee: He is just coming, Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja. He is in the other room.

Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja: (inaudible)

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: Yes, I can see that. It is very good that you have returned to Vraja from overseas.

Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja: They wanted to keep me there, but I said, “No.” My health is not fit for any more travel...

Tamāla-kṛṣṇa Mahārāja enters the room.

Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja: Have you consulted with Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja?

Tamāla-kṛṣṇa Mahārāja: Yes, this morning. Bhakticaru Swāmī, Bhaktiprema Swāmī and Śrīdhara Swāmī went to see him, and Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja described the ceremony.

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: I have told them everything needed to be done. I told them, “Whenever you need me, I’ll come here.”

Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja: (inaudible)...When you enter the gate on the right side?

Tamāla-kṛṣṇa Mahārāja: On the entrance on the left side. On entering, looking towards the deities. In other words, when you come into the temple, there is a big open...

Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja: You must put salt around the body.

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: I have explained everything to them.

Tamāla-kṛṣṇa Mahārāja: It’s on the same side as the vyāsāsana.

Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja: Flowers should be placed in Māyāpura.

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: I have told them to keep some flowers, and wherever you desire those can be...

Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja: You will be there.

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: Yes, I’ll be there.

Tamāla-kṛṣṇa: He described the entire ceremony in detail, Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja.

Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja: (inaudible) Has Śeṣaśāyī taken sannyāsa?

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: No. He is still a brahmacārī.

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: All of your duties are completed. You have fulfilled everything in your lifetime. There is no need to worry about anything. Only remember the lotus feet of Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa.

Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja: By Their blessings only.

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: Yes, you have done everything. Nothing is left unfinished.

Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja: Hnu.

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: Only one thing. They should be told not to fight with each other for self-interest. They should work in cooperation to spread your mission.

Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja: Don’t fight among yourselves. I have given you my will. Execute that...Today is Ekādaśī?

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: Yes, today is Ekādaśī.

Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja: How is the service of Mahāprabhu going on?

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: Hmm.

Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja: Of Jhansi. Now He is at your place.

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: Yes, your Mahāprabhu is with me. His service is going on nicely with great affection.

Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja: At first I was trying to do something in Jhansi, but Kṛṣṇa had bigger plans. Now we have got so many places.

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: Why should you be confined to Jhansi? Kṛṣṇa wanted you to preach everywhere.

Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja: I wanted to live like a niṣkiñcana Vaiṣṇava in Vṛndāvana; but Kṛṣṇa inspired me to go out and preach at the age of seventy with only forty rupees in my pocket. And then it took a grand shape.

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: Yes, you have received the special mercy of Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī, and also that of Śrī Rādhā-Dāmodara.

Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja: (inaudible)

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: Do you have any pain in the body?

Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja: It’s so so. (inaudible)

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: (speaks to the devotees:) Give him caraṇāmṛta when he feels thirsty. Also, keep some tulasī leaves under his head.

Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja: Yei bhaje seī baḍa. [This is an excerpt from a verse from Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta:] “One who worships Kṛṣṇa is exalted.”

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: Hmm. Seī baḍa. “He is exalted.”

Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja: Abhakta hīnā chāra. “One who is a nondevotee is low-class and abominable.”

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: chāra. “Abominable.”

Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja: (inaudible)

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: They are fortunate. If one has single-pointed devotion to Lord Hari, then, even if he has any fault, āpi cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk / sādhur eva sa mantavyah samyag vyavasito hi sah. This is the principle.

Indupati Prabhu enters in the room.

Indupati Prabhu: Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: Please come. Has Vana Mahārāja also come?

Indupati Prabhu: (inaudible)

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: Indupati Prabhu has come.

Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja: Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja has called you on my request. I was saying to Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja that I beg forgiveness from you....

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: (speaking softly to Indupati Prabhu) Mahārāja is having difficulty in speaking. I’ll tell you.

Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja: I beg forgiveness for my offenses. I did not wish to offend anyone. While preaching sometimes we cut each other’s arguments...

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: (softly explaining Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja’s desire to Indupati Prabhu)

Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja: Will you forgive me?

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: (to Indupati Prabhu) Will you?

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: (to Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja) Mahārāja, you have not committed any offense. Please be merciful to us. You haven’t committed any offense.

Indupati Prabhu: (inaudible)

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: If anyone considers that you have committed an offense, he himself is at fault.

Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja: Hmm...?

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: (speaking softly to Indupati Prabhu about Śrīla Prabhupāda) He has just returned from London.

Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja: They had arranged the world tour program, but I had to return...

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: I will speak about your wish to those disciples of Śrīla Prabhupādā (Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura) who are not here. Everyone should try to help and give them (your disciples) the needed guidance, so they can manage nicely. Please do not worry about anything. Remember only the lotus feet of Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa.

Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja: Please guide them in arranging the festival properly and giving appropriate donations to the gosvāmīs.

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: (to Bhakticaru Svāmī) Have you understood what he is saying?

Bhakticaru Swāmī: Yes. (continues to softly speak with Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja)

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja (to Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja): I have a special request. Please do not worry about these matters anymore. They are qualified, and they know your desires. Now only think about Kṛṣṇa. Everything will be taken care of. You have made the whole world dance in kṛṣṇa-nāma. Now I’ll take leave.

Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāja: First take some prasāda.

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: Yes, I’ll take.

Bhakticaru Svāmī: Śrīla Prabhupāda, I’m arranging that.

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja leaves.