[In the mid-afternoon of November 7th,
just after Parama-pujyapada Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja's
Vraja-mandala parikrama party reached Varsana from the lap of Giriraja
Govardhana, the devotees heard the shocking news: "Prapujya-carana Sri Srimad
Bhaktivedanta Trivikrama Maharaja has just left this world." That very evening,
in great bereavement, all the assembled devotees, under the guidance of Srila
Narayana Maharaja and Srila Bhaktivedanta Pariyataka Maharaja, held a
viraha-mahotsava, separation festival, in his honor. The following is a
transcription of the puspanjali offerings (heartfelt speeches of glorification)
given by Srila Narayana Maharaja, Srila Pariyataka Maharaja, and Sripad
Radhanatha dasa brahmacari:]
[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] I offer my humble obeisances unto the lotus feet
of my Gurudeva, Nitya-lila-pravista Om Visnupada Sri Srimad Bhaktiprajnana
Kesava Gosvami Maharaja, to all the Vaisnavas, and to Sri Gauranga.By the
causeless mercy of Sri Guru and Gauranga, the first fifteen days of our
niyama-seva Kartika-vrata have passed without a problem; it passed sweetly and
happily. Today, however, we received very sad news. In Sri Caitanya Caritamrta
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked Srila Raya Ramananda: duhkha-madhye kona duhkha
haya gurutara?krsna-bhakta-viraha vina duhkha nahi dekhi para[Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu asked, "Of all kinds of distress, what is the most painful?"Sri
Ramananda Raya replied, "Apart from separation from the devotee of Krsna, I know
of no unbearable unhappiness." (Madhya 8.248)]Sri Mahaprabhu asked Sri Raya
Ramananda, "What is the worst type of suffering?" Sri Ramananda Raya replied,
"Vaisnava-viraha." Para means the highest or greatest. The greatest or most
grievous suffering is Vaisnava-viraha, separation from pure Vaisnavas.After the
disappearance of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada, my
Gurudeva, Srila Bhaktiprajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja, along with a few others,
established the Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti; and Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja
was one of the founding members. Gurudeva had already taken sannyasa and had
been preaching for a long time, but now he established the new Gaudiya Vedanta
Samiti's headquarters in Navadvipa and began preaching through the Samiti.
As Krsna is bhakta-vatsalya, very affectionate
to His devotees, Sri Guru is sisya-vatsalya, very affectionate to his disciples.
After some time, some of Guru Maharaja's god-brothers saw his sisya-vatsalya,
which was more affectionate than the most loving father could be to his son.
These god-brothers could not reconcile this, because previously they had been
the objects of all his affection. Hurt, most of them left Guru Maharaja, and
only a few stayed with him. Guru Maharaja had three pillars of devotion – three
prominent sevakas. Parama-pujyapada Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Vamana Maharaja,
Parama-pujyapada Sri Srimad Trivikrama Maharaja and I began to serve him
totally, with our lives and souls, taking our lives in our hands [an Indian
expression meaning "ready to risk our lives"]. From the very beginning,
Pujyapada Vamana Maharaja, Pujyapada Trivikrama Maharaja and I were made the
three pillars of the Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti by my Guru Maharaja. At that time
Srila Pariyataka Maharaja was not with us; he joined after some time.
Srila Vamana Maharaja, especially, served Srila Guru Maharaja in so many
ways. He was the publisher of our Gaudiya Patrika monthly magazine and many
other literatures. He was also the "scribe" of Guru Maharaja's dictations for
his correspondence, articles, and books. Even before I joined, when I was a
police officer and had never personally met Guru Maharaja, he would write to me
with great love and affection. He would dictate his letters, addressing me as
Tiwariji because I came from a high-class brahmana family with the surname
Tiwari, and Srila Vamana Maharaja would write down his words. Then, after I
joined and until I was initiated, Pujyapada Vamana Maharaja would also call me
"Tiwariji". Srila Vamana Maharaja was like the mother of the Gaudiya Vedanta
Samiti. He took care of everyone in the Matha and supplied whatever anyone
needed, like prasadam, clothing, and so on.
As for Srila Trivikrama Maharaja, he was very, very qualified. Our
Guru Maharaja was in charge of publications, and he put Srila Trivikrama
Maharaja in charge of organizing all the preaching, and his services included
sending other preachers to various districts of Bengal. Srila Trivikrama
Maharaja would personally go collecting and preaching, especially in the
district of Bardavan, and Guru Maharaja did a great deal of preaching in
Midnapura, Chaubis Parganas, and other places.
When I first joined, Parama-pujyapada Srila Trivikrama Maharaja showed
me even more familial affection than did Srila Vamana Maharaja. Our Guru
Maharaja placed me in his hands, and we became very close. It was Srila
Trivikrama Maharaja who taught me how to perform kirtana, how to preach, and how
to collect donations. Sometimes, in a very loving way, he would also rebuke me.
In all the years that I spent with Guru Maharaja I was never rebuked by him, but
with so much love and affection Srila Trivikrama Maharaja used to do so. We had
such a close connection that sometimes our discussions would become very heated;
I would counter his arguments and he would counter mine, and our Guru Maharaja
would kindly support me by taking my side. Srila Trivikrama Maharaja used to
preach all over India, and when he would go to preach with our Guru Maharaja. I
would go with them as Guru Maharaja's sevaka. I would massage him, cook for him,
wash his cloths, carry a lantern for him because there was no electricity at
that time, and I performed many other services. Sometimes I made mistakes, and
at those times Srila Trivikrama Maharaja would protect me. For some time it was
a regular procedure that in each village, along with his lectures, Guru Maharaja
would present a slide show depicting Caitanya Mahaprabhu and other great
personalities. I once forgot to bring the slide projector and when I realized
this, I was in great anxiety that Gurudeva would be upset with me. Srila
Trivikrama asked me what was wrong and when I told him he said, "Don't worry. I
will handle the matter. I will take care of everything for you." Later on, when
our Guru Maharaja was ready to give his lecture and slide show presentation, he
asked Srila Trivikrama Maharaja, "So, is everything ready?" Trivikrama Maharaja
replied, "Oh, today is a very cloudy day and it may rain. If you also show the
slides, the program will take a long time. The rain may come and everyone will
leave before you have completed your class." Guru Maharaja asked him, "Then what
should I do?" Trivikrama Maharaja replied, "Why not just give the class?" And
Guru Maharaja was satisfied to do that. Years later, Srila Trivikrama Maharaja
reminded me of this incident and asked me if I remembered it. I said, "Yes!" and
we happily and tightly embraced one another.
Guru Maharaja entered nitya-lila in October of 1968, but internally he
is always looking after us and encouraging us. Externally, Srila Trivikrama
Maharaja took the place of my Gurudeva in the sense that he encouraged me in all
activities. When I began preaching in the West and writing and translating books
there, I would write to Parama-pujyapada Srila Vamana Maharaja, Srila Trivikrama
Maharaja, Srila Pariyataka Maharaja, and others for advice – because they are
very qualified preachers. Srila Trivikrama Maharaja would reply my letters
without delay. He would encourage me and inspire me to write more books and to
preach all over the world. Pujyapada Vamana Maharaja is the present acarya of
the Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti and he was very busy with many grave
responsibilities. He was always very happy with my preaching, but sometimes he
was sick and therefore he could not always answer my letters. Pujyapada
Trivikrama Maharaja, on the other hand, usually remained in one place, and he
always replied without delay; I cannot forget him. I consider both Bhaktivedanta
Vamana Maharaja and Bhaktivedanta Trivikrama Maharaja to be my siksa-gurus. They
supported, nourished and inspired me, so much so that I cannot express my
feelings in words; but Pujyapada Trivikrama Maharaja's familial love for me was
even greater than that of Pujyapada Vamana Maharaja. We used to sleep together,
quarrel together over philosophy, and we loved each other in so many ways.
Sometimes we presented different ideas and we countered each other's
arguments, but he greatly honored me. Although I was giving honor to him as a
siksa-guru, sometimes, in his last days, he used to offer me sastang pranama. He
even used to offer pranamas to my sandals when I was not present before him. No
one else could have done this; he was so polite and humble. He was a senior
Vaisnava in all respects and he could help the entire world, but he used to
write me, "We cannot do the services you are doing for Gurudeva, so I especially
favor you and praise you. May you preach for a long time. May you write and
publish many books."
We have lost one of the pillars of the Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti today,
but I feel some relief knowing that he left during this Kartika month, during
niyama-seva-vrata, and that he was in Navadvipa Dhama. Also, he left at the time
of amrta-yoga, an auspicious time of the day according to the movement of the
sun and moon, and it was also tritiya-tithi, one of the most auspicious days of
the month. He inspired us to observe Annakuta Mahotsava, Dipavali, and
Vhatri-dvitiya [Yamaraja and Yamuna devi are brother and sister. Yamuna devi was
upset that so many conditioned souls were being punished by her brother and sent
to Hell. Desiring to help those souls, she told him, "I want people to have an
opportunity to become free from your punishments." Yamaraja replied, "I am
therefore giving a boon that anyone who takes bath in your waters on the
auspicious day of Vhatri-dvitiya will be delivered from sinful reactions.]
Internally, in my heart, Srila Trivikrama Maharaja told me that he would leave
this world after we observe those festivals; it was a wonderful thing.
Otherwise, if he had left before, we would have been absorbed in thoughts and
activities in relation to him, and we would not have been able to properly
observe those important holy functions.
Now, being the representative
of you all, I am offering my heartfelt puspanjali at his lotus feet. I think
that he has been placed in Samadhi today. Where is he now? He will be in
Navadvipa Dhama or Vraja Dhama. He was always especially inclined towards
Mahaprabhu in Navadvipa Dhama, and therefore I think that he is there. I pray
for all of us that he will be very merciful to me, and to all of you, and that
he will inspire us and give us blessings so that we can try to serve Gurudeva
and do bhajana as he did.
Parama-pujyapada Trivikrama
Maharaja Ki Jaya!
The disappearance day of Pujyapada Srila
Trivikrama Maharaja ki jaya!
Gaura premanande
[Following Srila Narayana Maharaja's
puspanjali offering, Pujyapada Pariyataka Maharaja, one of the prominent
preachers of the Gaudiya Vedanta Samhiti, offered his. Pujyapada Madhava
Maharaja then translated excerpts of Srila Pariyataka Maharaja's Bengali
presentation into English, and he also added other remembrances, which he had
previously heard from Srila Narayana Maharaja.]
[Sripada Madhava
Maharaja:] First I offer my humble obeisances unto the lotus feet of my
Gurudeva, Om Visnupada Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Vamana Maharaja, and at the same
time to my siksa-gurupadapadma Om Visnupada Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana
Gosvami Maharaja and Om Visnupada Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Trivikrama Maharaja.
After that I pay my obeisances to all Vaisnavas and Vaisnavis who have assembled
here. Srila Gurudeva has ordered me to translate Pujyapada Srila Pariyataka
Maharaja's lecture. I shall try at my level best to do so, and if there are any
defect in my attempt, please excuse me.
Srila Pariyataka Maharaja said
that Parama-pujyapada Trivikrama Maharaja entered in the Lord's midday pastimes,
because he disappeared today at about 12:25 pm. Guru and Vaisnavas are eternal,
but today we are feeling bereft of his causeless mercy. Vraja Mandala parikrama,
Navadvipa parikrama and other pilgrimage parikramas used to take place at the
time of Srila Parama-gurudeva Srila Bhaktiprajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja
[Being the guru of Sripad Madhava Maharaja's guru] (Srila Vamana Maharaja),
Srila Bhaktiprajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja is addressed by him as
"Parama-gurudeva"]. Srila Trivikrama Maharaja also used to attend. Srila
Parama-gurudeva preached and managed all the parikrama affairs for many years,
but by the time Srila Pariyataka Maharaja joined in 1964, Parama-pujyapada Srila
Trivikrama Maharaja was taking care of all the management and preaching.
Srila Pariyataka Maharaja said that Srila Trivikrama Maharajaji was
born in Bardavan district in West Bengal, near Ambika Kalna. This was also near
the birthplace of Sri Gauridasa Pandit, who was one of the intimate associates
of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
Previously, before Pujyapada Trivikrama Maharaja joined the Gaudiya Matha, Srila
Parama-gurudeva used to go to his birthplace in Bardavan along with
Parama-pujyapada Srila Bhakti Kamala Madhusudana Maharaja, whose name at that
time was Sri Narottamananda brahmacari. By Narottamananda brahmacari's
preaching, and by his causeless mercy, Parama-pujyapada Trivikrama Maharaja
joined the Matha. And, by the causeless mercy of Narottamananda brahmacari,
Srila Gurudeva (Sripad Madhava Maharaja's siksa-gurudeva, Srila Narayana
Maharaja) who was a police officer at the time, also joined.
Many years later, Parama-pujyapada Trivikrama Maharaja returned to
Bardavan to preach, and our Parama-gurudeva preached in the Midnapura district.
Srila Trivikrama Maharaja often went alone to preach. Once, while he was engaged
in speaking at a home program in his village, a large group of angry relatives
and others entered the home of Srila Trivikrama Maharaja's host and demanded
that the host hand over the speaker. They wanted him to return to his old
materialistic household association, and they threatened to take him by force if
they had to. The host immediately picked up a stick in one hand and a
coconut-cutting knife in the other. As he swung them around, he loudly and
boldly said, "I want to see the head of anyone who will try to take Srila
Trivikrama Maharaja. I want to see who has a head on his body." The host was
alone, and the relatives were many and could have attacked him. Instead, they
all became afraid and immediately fled. This showed that Krsna was protecting
Srila Trivikrama Maharaja. He protects His dear devotee who has surrendered to
Him.
When Srila Trivikrama
Maharaja become old and he no longer preached there, Srila Parama-gurudeva
ordered Srila Pariyataka Maharaja to take care of his preaching area.
Pujyapada Parjataka Maharaja also said that there were three main
pillars in Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti: Srila Narayana Maharaja, Srila Vamana
Maharaja and Parama-pujyapada Srila Trivikrama Maharaja. Now, due to Srila
Trivikrama Maharaja's disappearance, Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti has lost one
pillar. Although there are so many qualified Vaisnavas, none can make up for the
loss. The Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti will suffer spiritually due to his separation.
Pujyapada Pariyataka Maharaja told us about the condition of Srila Trivikrama
Maharaja's heart. Externally he was harder than a thunderbolt, but internally he
was softer than a flower. He was a straightforward speaker. If at anytime he
would see a fault in any person, he would tell them immediately and directly –
face to face – not indirectly or behind his back. There is no one in the Gaudiya
Vedanta Samiti who was not fortunate enough to receive rebuke from him; and his
rebuke was always for the devotee's betterment, not for his own self-interest.
Sometimes, he also used to have loving quarrels with his own Gurudeva regarding
logic and philosophy. Param-gurudeva Srila Bhaktiprajnana Kesava Gosvami
Maharaja would say, "It is this way," and Srila Trivikrama Maharaja would say,
"No, it should be this way." In this way, like a little son, he used to quarrel
with his father in a loving way.
Every day in Navadvipa-dhama, we sing
Parama-gurudeva's arati, written by Srila Trivikrama Maharaja. There are two
particularly noteworthy slokas at the song's end: "Nana chande sajjana camara
dhulaya / gaura-jana ucca-kanthe sumadhura gaya. With many moods Sri Sajjana
fans him with a camara while Sri Gaura-narayana sings very sweetly and loudly.
Sumangala nirajana kare bhakta-gana / duramati dura haite dekhe trivikrama. From
a distance the unworthy Trivikrama beholds the devotees performing this
immensely auspicious arati."
The brahmacari name of my Guru Maharaja (Srila Bhaktivedanta Vamana
Maharaja) was Sajjana-sevaka dasa brahmacari. Srila Trivikrama Maharaja wrote
that Sajjana-sevaka prabhu is fanning his Gurudeva, Srila Bhaktiprajnana Kesava
Gosvami Maharaja, and Gaura-jana is very sweetly singing his Gurudeva's kirtana.
Who is Gaura-jana? Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja's brahmacari
name was Gaura Narayana Brahmacari. At last he wrote that all the devotees are
singing and doing many wonderful services – all but himself. He was so humble.
About himself he wrote, "Oh, I'm so unfortunate. I do not serve Gurudeva like
Gaura-jana or Sajjaja-sevaka prabhus, and therefore, I am looking at their
service from a far distance." As Srila Narottama Thakura, who expressed himself
as very fallen and full of bad qualities, Srila Trivikrama Maharaja was
extremely humble.
Pujyapada Trivikrama Maharaja was also very brilliant in mathematics.
His calculations were never wrong, and therefore devotees from other Gaudiya
Mathas used to come to him to take suggestions about panjika, proper calender
dates for observing holy occasions. Just before his own departure, Srila
Bhaktiprajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja ordered Srila Trivikrama Maharaja,
"Please discuss Vedanta." After his departure, therefore, Pujyapada Trivikrama
Maharaja wrote many articles about Vedanta.
Srila Pariyataka Maharaja
concluded his puspanjali offering by saying, "I pray to Srila Bhaktivedanta
Narayana Gosvami Maharaja and Srila Bhaktivedanta Vamana Maharaja. They are both
my senior god-brothers. They should not give up this world, leaving us as
orphans. I pray to Srila Gurudeva, Sri Gaurasundara and Sri Sri Radha-Vinoda
Vihari that these senior god-brothers will have a long life in this world and
guide us forever. I pay my obeisances to all of them and beg that
Parama-pujyapada Trivikrama Maharaja may guide us so that by the grace of his
causeless mercy I can serve Gurudeva and the Guru-parampara eternally."
Hare Krsna.
[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] Radhanatha dasa
brahmacari was very close to Parama-pujyapada Srila Trivikrama Maharaja in his
last days, and also before that. Srila Trivikrama Maharaja used to love
Radhanatha very much, and therefore I would like him to speak a few words and
offer his puspanjali.
[The following is an excerpt of the speech of
Sripad Radhanatha dasa:] I had the good fortune to meet Pujyapada
Trivikrama Maharaja in 1996. At that time my siksa-gurudeva Sri Gour Govinda
Maharaja had just entered nitya-lila and I had come to Mathura for the first
time.
I saw many wonderful and
extraordinary things in the character of Parama-pujyapada Trivikrama Maharaja.
One thing I noticed was how he was completely detached. Our purva-acaryas have
said that if one in the renounced order relies upon other persons, Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu will definitely neglect that person. But I saw that Srila Trivikrama
Maharaja, even in his old age of over 85 years, still used to make his own
shirts and hats. When we visited him in Cinchura, he cooked paratas, dahl and
subji for us; and afterwards, when we went to wash the pots, he said to us, "No,
no. You are my guests; I cannot let you wash the pots." And he was completely
serious! He would not let us do any seva; he washed the pots, our plates, and
served us as a perfect host. This was an amazing thing.
Many people used to come for his darsana. When a wealthy Bengali man
once came to see him, Pujyapada Trivikrama Maharaja began to chastise him in
very strong Bengali language. He said, "Oh, your idea is completely wrong. You
have come on the parikrama with your wife. You have come here to enjoy the
Dhama; you have not come here to serve Hari, Guru, and Vaisnava." That man began
to tremble and he ran out of Srila Maharaja's room. Pujyapada Trivikrama
Maharaja then turned to me and asked, "Do you know who he is?" I said, "No
Maharaja, I don't." He then said, "He's a crorepati. That means he has more than
ten million rupees. But because I don't need anything from anyone, I speak as I
like." We could see that in his character.
[Pujyapada Madhava Maharaja:] Srila Gurudeva just said that Srila Trivikrama
Maharaja was more inclined to Sri Navadvipa Dhama and he also had a very strong
desire to leave his body in Sri Navadvipa Dhama. However, he also had a strong
desire to come and join this Parikrama. His ticket was booked for October 25th
from Calcutta, and it was when he went to Calcutta that he became ill.
Therefore, in one form he must be in Navadvipa Dhama and in another form he must
be among us, encouraging us and blessing us by his causeless mercy.
Srila Gurudeva also just said that about ten years ago, when Srila Trivikrama
Maharaja was over 75 years of age, he came to Vraja Mandala and he lived on the
banks of Radha-kunda with Narayana Prabhu. There, although he was getting many
blisters under the soles of his feet, he did the entire one-month parikrama of
Giriraja Govardhana. Of course he did parikrama every year, even in his old age,
but that year he did it continuously, for 30 days, barefoot.
[In the mid-afternoon of November 7th,
just after Parama-pujyapada Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja's
Vraja-mandala parikrama party reached Varsana from the lap of Giriraja
Govardhana, the devotees heard the shocking news: "Prapujya-carana Sri Srimad
Bhaktivedanta Trivikrama Maharaja has just left this world." That very evening,
in great bereavement, all the assembled devotees, under the guidance of Srila
Narayana Maharaja and Srila Bhaktivedanta Pariyataka Maharaja, held a
viraha-mahotsava, separation festival, in his honor. The following is a
transcription of the puspanjali offerings (heartfelt speeches of glorification)
given by Srila Narayana Maharaja, Srila Pariyataka Maharaja, and Sripad
Radhanatha dasa brahmacari:]
As Krsna is bhakta-vatsalya, very affectionate
to His devotees, Sri Guru is sisya-vatsalya, very affectionate to his disciples.
After some time, some of Guru Maharaja's god-brothers saw his sisya-vatsalya,
which was more affectionate than the most loving father could be to his son.
These god-brothers could not reconcile this, because previously they had been
the objects of all his affection. Hurt, most of them left Guru Maharaja, and
only a few stayed with him. Guru Maharaja had three pillars of devotion – three
prominent sevakas. Parama-pujyapada Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Vamana Maharaja,
Parama-pujyapada Sri Srimad Trivikrama Maharaja and I began to serve him
totally, with our lives and souls, taking our lives in our hands [an Indian
expression meaning "ready to risk our lives"]. From the very beginning,
Pujyapada Vamana Maharaja, Pujyapada Trivikrama Maharaja and I were made the
three pillars of the Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti by my Guru Maharaja. At that time
Srila Pariyataka Maharaja was not with us; he joined after some time.
[Following Srila Narayana Maharaja's
puspanjali offering, Pujyapada Pariyataka Maharaja, one of the prominent
preachers of the Gaudiya Vedanta Samhiti, offered his. Pujyapada Madhava
Maharaja then translated excerpts of Srila Pariyataka Maharaja's Bengali
presentation into English, and he also added other remembrances, which he had
previously heard from Srila Narayana Maharaja.]