Residing in the Abode of Separation (Śrī Jaganntha Purī-dhāma)

[Full title: Absorbed in the Moods of Mahāprabhu while residing in the Abode of Separation (śrī jaganntha purī-dhāma)]

On the November 30, Śrīla Gurudeva arrived at Jayaśrī-Dāmodara Gauḍīya Maṭha, which is located at Cakra-tīrtha in Śrī Jagannātha Purī-dhāma. He was greeted by the devotees there who welcomed him with much affection and proper ceremony. As before, his sevakas continued serving him around the clock. From time to time, they would chant kīrtana or read from śāstra to him in his bhajana-kutīra. Whenever Śrīla Gurudeva saw any of them sitting idle, he would say, “Do not be idle. Speak harikathā to the other devotees. Speaking hari-kathā is a limb of bhakti.”

One day, while looking across the wide beach toward the ocean, Śrīla Gurudeva said softly, “Previously, whenever I would come to Śrī Jagannātha Purī dhāma, I would meditate on Śrīman Mahāprabhu’s bathing in the ocean along with His associates. I would also meditate on the words of Śrīman Mahāprabhu at the time of Śrīla Haridāsa Ṭhākura’s disappearance from this world, after He had bathed him in the ocean. Śrīman Mahāprabhu said that now this ocean is a mahā-tīrtha (supreme holy place) because it has become the caraṇāmṛta (foot-bathing water) of Śrīla Haridāsa Ṭhākura. So, I would bathe in the ocean nearly every day. Now, also, I want to take bath with this ocean water. Can you arrange some water from the ocean for me to bathe?” From that day onward, Śrīla Gurudeva was bathed after massage every day with water carried from the ocean.

Each morning and evening, he would walk in the corridor of the temple guest house, assisted by his sevakas, headed by Śrīpada Mādhava Mahārāja and Brajanātha Prabhu who supported him on either side, and he would sit on his balcony to have darśana of that most holy of oceans. Simultaneously, he would give darśana to the devotees standing on the ground below. One day, as Śrīla Gurudeva gazed at the ocean, he said, “This place is the very spot to which Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu floated when He was immersed in mahābhāva and His body assumed a form like that of a turtle.” Most of the time, however, Śrīla Gurudeva sat quietly. His deep absorption was most apparent.

Another time, when he was looking at the ocean, he asked his sevaka if he could count the ocean waves. “No.” the sevaka answered, “the ocean waves are unending.” “My heart is like that,” Śrīla Gurudeva told him. “It is flowing with uncountable waves of moods for the service of Śrīman Mahāprabhu and Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, and also with waves of affection for my disciples and followers.”

One thing was especially noticeable in Śrī Jagannātha Purī dhāma. If someone offered obeisances to Śrīla Gurudeva, even from as far away as the shore of the ocean, Śrīla Gurudeva would invariably raise his hand to bless them. Furthermore, until the conclusion of his manifest pastimes, he would fold his hands and offer respects to any kind of prasāda that was brought to him. Only then would he honour it. At times, Śrīla Gurudeva was so deeply immersed in internal consciousness that his sevakas had to endeavour for 30–45 minutes to get him to accept just one spoonful of food. This occurrence had repeated itself in Delhi, Govardhana and then also, Śrī Jagannātha Purī. Śrīpada Mādhava Mahārāja used to feed him by his own hand in the last one month of Gurudeva's manifest pastime. Śrīpada Mādhava Mahārāja used to carouse his head and touch his chin like a mother dealing with a baby. Mahārāja will tell, "Bābā khā lo, lālā khā lo." If sometimes Śrīpada Mādhava Mahārāja allowed others to feed him on some special occasion, hardly will he eat from others. Śrīpada Mādhava Mahārāja had to come back to feed Gurudeva. Seeing this situation, Brajanātha Prabhu, Siddhanti Mahārāja and Mādhava priya prabhu used to comment, "Baby will eat from his mothers hand only." Whenever any new sevaka made him drink water or baby food at night shift, Śrīla Gurudeva used to look towards the sevaka's face and ask, "Why are you giving this? Where is the previous sevaka?"

The Book Fair in Bhubaneśvara

The annual Bhubaneśvara book fair took place during Śrīla Gurudeva’s stay in Śrī Jagannātha Purī. The devotees of the Jayaśrī-Dāmodara Gauḍīya Maṭha had, as usual, reserved a stall for the purpose of distributing Śrīla Gurudeva’s books. Some devotees came to Śrīla Gurudeva to ask his permission and blessings to distribute his books at the fair, and he most happily gave them. After that, he would inquire daily about the book distribution, and whenever he noted the presence of any local temple devotee in his room, he would inquire, “Why has he not gone to the book fair?” When the devotees, Western and Indian alike, heard about Śrīla Gurudeva’s daily inquiry, it greatly stimulated their enthusiasm.

Sārasvata Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas from Purī Arrive for Śrīla Gurudeva’s Darśana

In Jagannātha Purī, many sannyāsīs and brahmacārīs from different Gauḍīya maṭhas came to take darśana of Śrīla Gurudeva and offer him respects. Prominent among them were, from Śrī Caitanya Gauḍīya Maṭha, Śrīpad Bhakti Viveka Paramārthī Mahārāja and Śrīpad Bhakti Sambandha Śuddhādvaitī Mahārāja; from Śrī Gopīnātha Gauḍīya Maṭha, Śrīpad Bhakti Śaraṇa Vāmana Mahārāja and Śrīpad Gopīnātha Brahmacārī; from Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mission, Śrīpad Bhakti Vicāra Viṣṇu Mahārāja and Śrīpad Bhakti Svarūpa Śrīdhara Mahārāja; and from Śrī Nīlācala Gauḍīya Maṭha, Śrīman Saccidānanda Brahmacārī.

Attaining a Complexion Similar to Śrī Gaurahari’s

As soon as Śrīla Gurudeva arrived in Śrī Jagannātha Purī, he manifested some noticeable transformations. One was that the radiance emanating from his body increased constantly and his complexion became more golden. This caused us to consider that perhaps because he was in deep meditation on his most worshipful Śrī Gaurahari and Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, he was attaining Their bodily complexion.

In this way, the days passed.

On the morning of December 27, Śrīla Gurudeva went on to his balcony as usual, and the devotees who had gathered on the beach below performed guru-pūjā for the first time. Due to cold and windy weather, His personal sevaka, Śrīpada Mādhava Mahārāja wanted him to return to his room because Gurudeva caught cold very easily. Once he caught cold, it very hard to get rid of. His physical health was in a fragile stage. Keeping in mind this situation, Śrīpada Mādhava Mahārāja and Brajanātha Prabhu wanted to take him back. But Śrīla Gurudeva waited until the āratī was finished. He was then wheeled to the landing above the lobby. All the devotees rushed to the lobby to see him there. Again, his sevaka requested him to return to his room, but Śrīla Gurudeva insisted on remaining where he was. He looked intently at each and every devotee and raised his hand, blessing them all. Maybe it seems to us that Śrīla Gurudeva wanted to give his hearltly blessing to all his devotees for the last time.

The next day, 28 December, he remained in his room and did not give darśana.