Icchā-Mṛtyu
Simply by His Will a Pure Devotee Leaves
Today we celebrate the holy disappearance day of our most beloved and eternal spiritual master, His Divine Grace Oṁ Viṣṇupāda Paramahaṁsa Parivrājakācārya 108 Śrī Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swami MahārājaTime To Leave
Excerpt from the article “Cry for Kṛṣṇa”. Published in Back to Godhead Magazine 330-03, 1996.In late January of 1996, Śrīla Gour Govinda Swami mentioned privately, “Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta said that this material world is not a fit place for any gentleman. Therefore, because he was disgusted, he left this world prematurely. I may also. I don’t know. I simply depend on Gopāl. I will do whatever He wants.” The next day Śrīla Gour Govinda Swami went to Gadai-giri to see his Gopāl. The word of Śrīla Gour Govinda Swami’s remarks quickly spread among his disciples, who felt confident that Gopāl would not let him leave them.
For a further four days he preached more powerfully than ever to thousands of people who flocked to a Prabhupāda Centennial festival in Bhubaneswar. Then he left for the annual ISKCON management meetings in Śrīdhām Māyāpur.
On February 9, 1996, the holy appearance day of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasavatī, two senior devotees requested an appointment to see Śrīla Gour Govinda Swami. They had never spoken with him before, but they had become eager to hear from him after reading some of his books.
As if by providential arrangement, they entered his room at 6:00 P. M. and submissively inquired, “Why did Caitanya Mahāprabhu stay in Jagannātha Purī?” He laughed with delight and began to explain the confidential significance of Lord Caitanya’s pastimes.
In answer to the question, he lovingly described the pain of separation felt by Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa when Kṛṣṇa was away from Vṛndāvana. Enchanting all the devotees in his room with the nectarean topics of Kṛṣṇa, he gradually unfolded the pastime to the point where Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa were finally united after Their long separation. He described how Kṛṣṇa became so ecstatic upon seeing Rādhārāṇī that He manifested a form with big round eyes, known as Lord Jagannātha. With a choked voice Śrīla Gour Govinda Swami said, “Then the eyes of Kṛṣṇa fell upon the eyes of Rādhārāṇī. Eye-to-eye union.”
Overwhelmed with love for Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, he apologized with folded hands, “Please excuse me. I cannot speak.” Then, in a barely audible voice, he gave his final instruction: “Kīrtana! Kīrtana!”
The five devotees still in the room began to chant as their spiritual master lay back on his bed, breathing very slowly and deeply. A servant nearby placed a picture of Gopāl Jiu in his hand. Then, gazing lovingly at that picture of his worshipable Deity, Śrīla Gour Govinda Swami called out, “Gopāl!” and departed for the spiritual sky to be united with his beloved Lord.
Epilogue
Every day before the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam class, Śrīla Gour Govinda Swami would sing a song he had learned as a boy. Now his prayer was fulfilled:
From Oriya Bhajan by Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Swami
Listen to the song
Paramananda He Mādhava
paramananda he mādhava paduṅgāluci makaranda se-makaranda pāṇa-kari ānande bolo hari hari hariṅka name vandal vela, pāri karibe cākā-dolā se cākā-dolāṅka-payare, māna_mo rahu nirante māna mo nirantare rahu, ha-kṛṣṇa bali jīva jāu mote udhara rādhā-dhava“O supremely blissful Mādhava! Nectar is coming from Your lotus feet. Drinking that nectar, I blissfully sing ‘Hari! Hari!’ Taking the name of Hari, I am binding a raft on which Lord Jagannātha will ferry me across this ocean of material existence. My mind always remains at the lotus feet of that Lord Jagannātha, who has very large round eyes. In this way I call out, ‘Alas! Kṛṣṇa!’ and give up my life. O husband of Rādhārāṇī, please deliver me.”
The sādhu never speaks theoretically.
Article by Parantapa Dāsa, Rāghava Paṇḍita Dāsa, and Gokula Dāsa, 1996. Disciples of Śrī Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swami Mahārāja.Icchā-Mṛtyu
Simply by His Will a Pure Devotee Leaves
Below is a wonderful lecture delivered by Śrī Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swami Mahārāja on 4th July, 1994, in Bhubaneswar, wherein he, at his unique way, explains how a pure devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa can leave when he wishes too.
To read the lecture click on Expand :
where’s the link to the lecture?
If you are not able to see the booklet you will have to change some setting on your browser or try a different browser. You can also click on the ‘open publication’ link. Hope that will work for you. It is a very nice lecture! (As per usual 😉
Obeisances and well wishes always to all the beloved disicples. I remember how at night, Maharajah would call out, “Govinda!” in his sleep. I brought him a picture of Radha Govinda from Jaipur, in a silver colored steel frame, in back and white, and he liked to keep it on his desk when he was translating Srila Prabhupada.s books, as a blessing to me.
He always rose very early, and we rose not long after he did. His humble managal
artik kirtan, which he led wih karatalas, was usually accompanied by his tears .I can hear him now.
Bhubaneswara was a very simple ashrama at the time, just a handful of us, a two roomed hut, very intimate and village like. Two small children, Sooji and Sanat Kumara from Nayapalli village across the street would often join us, maybe three or four brahmacariesm sometimes Dikpati Prabhu played mrdanga.
There was never anything ostentatious about Maharajah, he was naturally simple and humble and tolerant as a tree, silent and happy and in enthusiastic positive spirits, encouraging us like an older brother to be of stong faith and sadhana and high hopes, knowing we were in the best of places doing the best of things, like small swans floating abouve the waters of material existence as our natural way of being.
We all knew fully well he was a great devotee even back then when the rest of the Iskcon society chose to ignore his existence, and we even relished knowing that we had the best kept secret and kept him for ourselves, we did not really need im going off to Mathura, though we tried to do the right thing and tell his glories to others, as much as possible for we humble village bhaktas from the outer edge of Nayapalli village.
My thoughts and prayers are with you all this day, and i feel your joys and your pain also.
I beg to remain your well wishing uncle
Tamohara dasa
Bhubaneswara acting president, 1978 to 1980
Thanks prabhu,
Great words of wisdom.
Your servant,
Nimai Pandit dasa.