Newsletter by Kisori dd

April-May, 2003

April-May. Newsletter-His Holiness Bir Krishna das Goswami Maharaja.

Compiled June 1st, 2003.

This Newsletter will cover the months of April and May starting from when our dear Gurudeva left the shores of Fiji in late March. The aims of this Newsletter are to glorify Srila Gurudeva and to bring devotees closer to him. Contributions covering future travels of Srila Gurudeva from devotees around

the world are most welcome and most necessary for the regular two-monthly publication of this Newsletter. Please send to Kisori devi dasi at S984219@fsm.ac.fj (until further change). The contributors towards this Newsletter are Rangadevi Mataji and Caitanya Mataji from New Goloka (North Carolina), Nitai Lila Mataji from Atlanta and Bhaktin Natalia from Serbia. Without them, this Newsletter would not have been possible and I am deeply grateful towards them.

Compiled by Kisori devi dasi.

1st April 2003. Srila Gurudeva left Fiji on an overnight flight to Los Angeles on the 27th of March. He attended a few meetings in Los Angeles before finally returning home to New Goloka today. Srila Gurudeva has his own house, a gift from his Mother in New Goloka. He was coming home after almost 21/2 months of continuous traveling. This was, by far, Srila Gurudeva’s longest trip away from New Goloka. All the devotees from the temple and the neighboring houses were waiting to greet Srila Gurudeva. There are about 3 devotee families living just next to

the temple. Mayapur-candra Prabhu had picked Srila Gurudeva up from the airport. Mayapur-candra Prabhu is one of Srila Gurudeva’s disciples and the son of the famous Srutakirti Prabhu, who was one of Srila Prabhpada’s servants.

2nd April onwards. On the 2nd of April, morning class was from SB 1:10:27. on the 3rd, 4th and 5th, morning classes were from SB 1:10:28, 29 and 30, respectively. The Appearance day of Ramanuja Acarya fell on the 6th of April and for the Sunday Feast lecture this evening, Srila Gurudeva spoke about his world tour. He also showed some slides from his trip as well as two videos-one of Srila Tamal Krishna Goswami Maharaja’s Pusp Samadhi at Govardhana and the other of Fiji! It is very wonderful when Srila Gurudeva shows these videos. He has a projector connected to his computer and the temple lights are turned off while Srila Gurudeva projects the videos onto the ceiling of the temple dome! All the devotees and congregation were extremely happy to see him after such a long time. After the Sunday Feast lecture, Srila Gurudeva always goes down into the outdoor pavilion where he speaks with the guests and devotees and where prasadam is also served. The Sunday Feast congregation is comprised of initiated devotees and moistly Indian bhaktas and bhaktins. As the New Goloka community is located out in the countryside, not many Western newcomers attend, although a few do

come. The next week; 7th April onwards. On the 7th, morning class was from SB 1:10:31. on Tuesdays, Srila Gurudeva usually does not give class. Instead, Mother Urmila, a senior disciple of Srila Prabhupada, who is an expert in Education, lectures every Tuesday. Srila Gurudeva spends this time cooking breakfast for the deities and the devotees. Sometimes when Srila Gurudeva is in New Goloka for a short time, in between travels, Mother Krishna-priya, the Temple President, tries to convince him to give class rather than cook, Srila Gurudeva almost always says,” No, I’m cooking. I want to cook for the deities.” He always makes a large quantity of cereal and pasta. Srila Gurudeva doesn’t

really like to cook pasta for breakfast , and he actually stopped for some time, but some devotees really missed it, so he has started making pasta again. Srila Gurudeva is a very good cook. Somehow , everything he makes, tasted really sweet. Rangedevi Mataji says that even sabji or other salty preparations made by Gurudeva also taste sweet! She said that one day she had smelt coconut very strongly from the kitchen and she had asked Jagad-guru Prabhu, who had been Srila Gurudeva’s kitchen helper that morning, who also confirmed that it indeed smelt like coconut. However, later that day, when she mentioned it to Srila Gurudeva, he said that had had not used any coconut at all in cooking! When the devotees built Srila Gurudeva’s new house a few years ago, he had them put in separate sinks and counters-suci and muci. He wanted to keep his

kitchen deity standard so that he could cook for Sri-sri Radha-Golokananda at his home if he wanted. One morning Mother Krishna-priya mentioned that Radha-Golokananda hadn’t eaten laddu in a while, so Srila Gurudeva made Them some laddu. They were the best laddus the devotees had ever tasted! He later told the devotees that he had used a recipe from an old Hare Krsna cookbook which is no longer

in print and also loaded the recipe onto Rangadevi Mataji’s computer.

This Tuesday however, the 8th of April, Srila Gurudeva did give morning class from the SB 1:11:1. On the 9th, Srila Gurudeva gave class from SB 1:11:2 and on the 10th everyone listened to a lecture tape of Srila Prabhupada. Normally, the New Goloka community listens to Srila Prabhupada’s tapes every Friday, but because Ram Navmi fell on the 11th, which was a Friday, Srila Prabhupada’s lecture was switched to Thursday morning instead. On the 11th, Ram Navmi, Srila Gurudeva spoke about Lord Rama’s pastimes and on the 12th, morning class was from SB 1:11:3. the Sunday Feast lecture on the 13th was a continuation of Lord Rama’s pastimes from Ram Navmi which Srila Gurudeva hadn’t finished telling on Friday. There is one devotee named Ramananda Raya in the area. He is from South India and is a member of the Bhaktivedanta Institute. He is currently working on his PhD at North Carolina Central University and he had invited Srila Gurudeva to come and give a class at the University. So on Monday, the

14th, Mother Krishna-priya and a few other devotees went to the University.

The student body of this University is mostly all black Americans. Srila Gurudeva gave a very spirited talk about Krsna Consciousness and how a

real spiritualist is not sectarian. He also stressed that a bona-fide spiritualist is very compassionate. His talk was very well received and on the way home he said he had really like d the people in the class and how open-hearted they were. On the 16th, Srila Gurudeva gave class on Krishna and Balaram’s spring rasa dance as well as on the Appearance of Vamsivadana Thakur, Syamananda Prabhu and Gurudeva’s favorite servant of the Lord-Hanuman. Srila Gurudeva always stresses the importance of remembering and speaking about these devotees of the Lord on their Appearance and Disappearance days.

On the 17th, Kaunteya prabhu, who is a disciple of Jayapataka Maharaj came and gave class . this turned out to be very significant because Kaunteya Prabhu is involved in the Congregational Preaching and Development ministry.

At the end of his class, Srila Gurudeva asked him to speak about his work with the ministry. He became so inspired and enlivened hearing from Kaunteya

Prabhu about the bhakti-vriksa program especially. He then made arrangement for Kaunteya Prabhu to give presentation on his program during the morning class time the following Saturday and Sunday (19th and 20th). On Friday,18th, Srila Gurudeva gave class on SB 1:11:9.

20th April,2003. Today, Srila Gurudeva and the devotees from the temple as well as many devotees from the congregation went to a house-warming (ghar-bhoj) ceremony at Kardama Muni Prabhu and Devahuti Mataji’s house. They are very nice Gujerati disciples of Srila Gurudeva. They had a nice fire sacrifice in their new home , kirtana and abhisekha for their Gaur-Nitai deities and, of course, prasadam for the devotees. Srila Gurudeva, as usual, took only fruits. He never eats anything other than fruit in the middle of the day. The fire sacrifice was performed by Devahuti Mataji’s uncles. One is Visvambhara Prabhu, a disciple of Srila Prabhupada, who has taken vanaprastha and lives in the Chicago temple. Srila Gurudeva will most likely

give him sannyasa next year in India. The other uncle is the temple co-president of the Detroit temple. Srila Gurudeva was very happy to see both of these nice vaisnavas there and he spoke to them about the upcoming Temple Presidents’ Meetings in New Vrindavana. Rangadevi Mataji says she feels that the managerial responsibilities of ISKCON were very much on Srila

Gurudeva’s mind recently . The Temple Presidents’ Meeting in New Vrindavana was to begin on the 8th of May and before this meeting Srila Gurudeva wanted to visit the temples in Atlanta, New Orleans and New Talavana as these temples are part of his zone.

22nd April,2003…Today, Srila Gurudeva left for Atlanta. Here is Nitai-lila

Mataji’s diary of Srila Gurudeva’s visit there:

Srila Gurudeva arrived at Atlanta on Tuesday, the 22nd of April. Tuesday being the Harinama day, the majority of devotees were not in the temple. Only a few of us stayed back to greet Srila Gurudeva. We didn’t know the exact time of his arrival as he was coming by car from North Carolina. Not having seen him since January, we waited with great anticipation to see him. He arrived around noon time. As he came out of the car, he joked a little as he often does and told us that we would have the chance to talk later on. He then asked when the deities would open for darshan before leaving to change his clothes. After a short while, he came down to see the deities and we talked with him.

He inquired about his disciples in Atlanta and when they would come to see him. Srila Gurudeva has four disciples in Atlanta-Danakeli devi dasi and Madhava-priya devi dasi, who live outside of the temple and Manmohini devi dasi and myself live at the temple. We spoke a little about how everyone was doing and Srila Gurudeva said that he would stay until Saturday and that we would have a lot of time to talk. He asked who would cook for him and told us what his present diet was. That afternoon, I attempted my best to cook for Srila Gurudeva. I am very nervous about cooking since I am not experienced at it at all, but since we are not many disciples here, there was not much of a choice. The disciples living outside have different responsibilities which they couldn’t leave and

the other Mataji disciple living at the temple was supposed to cook together

with me, but, unfortunately she fell sick. All I could do was to pray to Radharani to help me. I am always so impressed by and proud of Srila Gurudeva’s simplicity and humility. One incident occurred that afternoon as I was cooking which made me admire him again for those qualities. As I was cooking and rushing to finish off, I mistook the time to be one hour ahead of what it really was. At this time, Srila Gurudeva came in and told me that he was taking black turtle beans as part of his diet too (which

he hadn’t told me before). I looked at the watch all the while thinking it was 5:15pm while in reality it was 4:15pm and I started to ponder really hard how I was to finish everything that hadn’t been done yet and prepare the beans as well in less than half an hour, so that there would be enough time for offering and transferring and the prasadam could be served by 6pm. On top of that, I wasn’t familiar with the kitchen and I knew neither if we had the beans nor where they were. With sadness and embarrassment, I had to admit to Srila Gurudeva that I wasn’t sure if I could make it on time. He looked at me with surprise, and smiling, he said-“it takes only half an hour to cook them.” Seeing that I was still doubtful and bewildered, he left, smiling and saying that I could make them from the next day on. Another Mataji who happened to be in the kitchen was amazed that Srila Gurudeva was so simple in his dealings with his disciples, and even though I

was sad that I couldn’t fulfill his order, I felt proud of his humble attitude. Later on I realized that there was much more time left that I had realized and finally cooked the beans for him.

23rd April, 2003. Today morning class was from SB 4:21:26. Afterwards, as we

served Srila Gurudeva breakfast, he spoke a little about his traveling plans

to Serbia and Slovenia. He will be traveling to these areas from the 12th to

the 27th of May. Later on he talked to the devotees.

24th April, 2003. Today morning class was from SB 4:21:27. starting from right after breakfast, all the disciples took turns in speaking with him-Manmohini, Madhava-priya and Danakeli as well as myself. We had chance to ask many questions and he replied them all. That afternoon, Srila Gurudeva visited Madhava-priya and her husband Chris at their store, which is within walking distance from the temple. Madhava-priya is an extremely talented writer and artist and Srila Gurudeva always takes pictures of her paintings. Today he also took pictures of her paintings for his preaching.

25th April, 2003. Morning class today was from SB 4:21:28. Srila Gurudeva expressed the desire to meet new temple visitors. Rauchelle, an American lady who had been coming to the temple regularly for the past couple of months, felt very happy and honored to be able to meet Srila Gurudeva. She came to meet him together with her children. She asked some questions and Srila Gurudeva gave her good advice on how to proceed in spiritual life. Another new devotee from Peru, South America, came to see Srila Gurudeva and

asked questions. I felt extremely happy upon seeing how spiritually enlivened they were after having met him. There is no greater joy than the joy experienced when souls come to the lotus feet of Krishna and his pure devotees. Srila Gurudeva gave a seminar on bhakti-vriksa preaching on this, his last evening with us. The bhakti-vriksa program was started by His Holiness Jayapataka Swami Maharaja and the Congregational Preaching ministry and its idea is to increase preaching unlimitedly by forming groups consisting of devotee leaders and newcomers, meeting at homes and training them systematically in the philosophy of Krishna Consciousness and preaching.

As each member of the group gets involved in preaching and invites interested people to the group’s meetings, the group will expand and get divided into two when the numbers of members grow sufficiently. In this way,

gradually the bhakti tree will expand into unlimited number of branches and will be able to give shelter to the unlimited number of conditioned souls. Sri Harinama Sankirtana ki Jaya!!! Srila Gurudeva said that he saw preaching in the United States was stagnating and he prayed to Krishna for the answer as to how the preaching could be revived and expanded, and later on he saw the idea of Bhakti-vriksa

teaching program as a solution. He encouraged the devotees to take up leading roles-which is the first necessary step for this program to get started-and to meet together and get trained up to lead the groups. Several devotees volunteered to take that training.

26th April, 2003. Srila Gurudeva left early this morning at mangal-arati time. He left immediately after greeting the deities. He assured us that he would visit more than once before the end of the year. That pacified our minds-the hope that we would see Srila Gurudeva soon again. With sadness, but with firm conviction, that he would always be with us as long as we carry his instructions with sincerity, we stayed back as the car headed off to the airport, where he would take a flight to New Orleans. All glories to Srila Gurudeva!! All glories to all the Vaisnavas!! All glories to Srila Prabhupada!!

We continue with Srila Gurudeva’s visit to New Orleans-by Rangadevi and Caitanya Matajis.

Srila Gurudeva traveled to New Orleans today. He held a darshan in his room (the sannyasa quarters at the temple), from 7-8:30pm. Many devotees attended

including the Temple president of the nearby New Talavana farm along with his wife and a few visiting devotees.

27th April,2003. Today was Ekadasi. Srila Gurudeva was in the temple room before mangal-arati chanting japa. At 4:30 am, he led mangal-arati. Then for Tulasi puja, he played harmonium and led the chanting . afterwards, Srila Gurudeva chanted japa till 6am then

went upstairs to his room. At 7am, Srila Gurudeva returned to the temple room for Gurupuja and then from 7:30 to 8:30, he gave class from SB 3:22:22.

after class, Srial Gurudeva returned to his room where he took his breakfast

of yoghurt, apples and nuts. In the afternoon, Srila Gurudeva took a japa walk, but besides this break he

worked in his room all day until dinner. Caitanya Mataji who had traveled from New Goloka to New Orleans to serve Srila Gurudeva, had cooked Ekadasi preparations for Srila Gurudeva including

one of his favorite Mexican preparations chilies rellenos. Chilies rellenos are Poblano chillis, a mild chilli about the size of a green pepper stuffed with cheese or curd. Because of Gurudeva’s dietary restrictions, Caitanya Mataji had stuffed them with curd. Mother Caitanya described that it was very challenging to cook in New Orleans as there are no small pots in the kitchen! The devotees in New Orleans do so much prasadam distribution that they would never think to have

a small pot! Gurudeva really liked the chilies rellenos as when Caitanya Mataji asked for

maha-prasadam remnants, she was told that there were no chilies left! Srila Gurudeva then came down for the Sunday feast lecture which began at 6pm. It was a special program as Bhakta Maina would be taking initiation. Bhakta Maina is a nice humble devotee from Kenya who has been serving in New

Orleans for about a year now. Everyone was happy to hear that Bhakta Maina’s

new name would be Madhusudhana das.

28th April,2003. Srila Gurudeva followed the same morning schedule. At about 8:15 am he stopped by the kitchen where Mother Caitanya was preparing his breakfast and informed her that they would be leaving at 8:4am sharp for

New Talavana. Kamala Mukha Krishna Prabhu, the New Orleans Temple President, graciously lent his car to one devotee who then drove Srila Gurudeva and Mother Caitanya to New Talavana. The devotees in New Talavan own a large tract of land-about 1300 acres. Srila Gurudeva arrived there at about 3:30pm and was greeted by many devotees. There was a special feast and program planned that evening in honor of Srila Gurudeva’s arrival. Most of the 60 devotees living in New Talavan are Srila Prabhupada’s disciples and their families. Srila Gurudeva very much enjoys being in the association of so many of his god brothers who reciprocate with loving feelings. Srila Gurudeva feels very relaxed here and he never takes prasadam

until his god brothers eat with him. There is a small house on the property that is reserved for Jayapataka Maharaja, so whenever Srila Gurudeva visits the farm he stays in Maharaja’s house. At 6pm, Srila Gurudeva took dinner. Many of his god brothers honored prasadam with him, with Tulasi Maharani Mataji,the Temple President’s wife, serving them big helpings of the rice and dahl that she had cooked. After prasadam, Srial Gurudeva gave class in the temple room until around 9pm. After class a feast was served outside for all devotees.

29th April, 2003. Srila Gurudeva rose early and followed his usual morning schedule. He lectured on SB 6:5:31 and also spoke about the bhakti-vriksa program, encouraging the devotees to start the program there. Class ended at around 9am but Srila Gurudeva spent quite some time talking with the devotees outside. Mother Caitanya said that Srila Gurudeva’s godbrothers-Yogindra Prabhu, the Temple president, Dvibhuja Prabhu, Pundarika Prabhu and Bhusaya Prabhu-are all very attached to Srila Gurudeva’s association and they spend as much time as possible with him. They all took breakfast of big bowls of cut fruit and yoghurt together. Srila Gurudeva was busy all day with meetings. He took a little dinner before 6pm and then went out for a meeting with the youth of the community. One interesting thing about Srila Gurudeva’s prasadam was that the devotees had picked some broccoli grown in their garden and set it aside especially for Gurudeva. Caitanya Mataji said this was the sweetest, best tasting broccoli she had ever had and that Gurudeva never left any over when he honored prasadam. Broccoli is one of Gurudeva’s favorite vegetables and he said that he likes it so much that he even likes it raw.

30th April, 2003. Srila Gurudeva rose early, following his usual morning routine. he lectured on Gadhadhara Pandita Goswami as it was his Appearance day. During class, several devotees were grinding sandalwood into paste for the upcoming Candan-Yatra celebration. Srila Gurudeva appreciated their devotion , although he did have to ask them to work a little more quietly during class. The devotees in New Talavana are very, very dedicated to their Lordships and

grow many varieties of flowers for their pleasure.

Srila Gurudeva left at noon to return to New Orleans. When he was preparing to get in the car, many of the devotees gathered around to see him off. They

presented him with maha-sweets from the deities and one devotee ran to offer

him a sweet smelling magnolia flower just before he departed. As the car drove away the devotees chanted the prayers to Lord Nrshimadeva. Pundarika Prabhu drove the car, Srila Gurudeva sat in the front and Mother Caitanya and Yogindra Prabhu sat at the back. Srila Gurudeva was very much enjoying the ride with his god brothers. On the way back to New Orleans, they stopped at a painting store located just outside the city. Mother Caitanya was surprised to see big paintings of

the Sri-sri Gaur Nitai and Sri-sri Radha-Radha-kantha deities in the shop. Actually the deities in New Talavana and New Orleans are the same and have the same name as well-Sri-sri Radha-radha-kantha. It was Srila Prabhupada’s instruction that the two temples should work together and so please their Lordships in this way. A tape of Srila Prabhupada’s was playing in the shop which is owned by devotees. They were very pleased and very surprised to see

their special guests and received them very nicely. After spending some time at the shop talking to the devotees there, Srila Gurudeva then continued on his way. He arrived at the New Orleans temple at 3:30pm and took his dinner at usual

at 6pm. At 7pm ,Srila Gurudeva went to Kamala Prabhu’s place for a program. The devotees received Srila Gurudeva with a foot-bathing ceremony and bhajana. Srila Gurudeva then spoke about the bhakti-vriksa program. The program went on till about 8:30pm and although Srila Gurudeva was very tired

during his talk, he still stayed for some time afterwards talking to the devotees and answering questions.

1st May, 2003. Today, Srila Gurudeva was to leave for the airport. He greeted the deities at mangal-arati then went to his room to pack. He came down a little before 5am. At 3pm, Srila Gurudeva arrived at the airport in North Carolina and was met by our god brother Jagad-guru Prabhu. They did not leave right away but waited for an additional hour for Mother Caitanya to arrive on a later flight. On the way home, Jagad-guru prabhu asked a very interesting question-the New

Goloka devotees had been reading in the SB about Krishna’s entrance into Dwarka after having been away in Hastinapura. In this description it is said

that Lord Krishna was greeted by many beautiful and well-known prostitutes. Jagad-guru Prabhu wondered how there could be prostitutes in Dwarka which is

one of the spiritual abodes of the Lord and free from all sin and materialism. Srila Gurudeva appreciated this question and answered it at length saying that the prostitutes were performing a needed and regulated function in society because there will always be a lower class of men who will not be able to control their senses. Therefore there were prostitutes so that these

men would not pollute innocent girls which would be irreligious, but as the system was it was not irreligious. Even though Srila Gurudeva had said that he did not a reception, still the devotees were waiting for him at his house when he arrived. He greeted everyone, asked about their welfare and asked about the devotees who were absent from the reception. Srila Gurudeva is extremely observant and notices

every small detail. Srila Gurudeva then changed and went to take darshan of his beloved Lordships Sri-sri Radha-Golokananda. Gurudeva has said that wherever he goes

in the world, he is always thinking of Radha-Golokananda. In one super-sweet

class in new Talavana last July, Srila Gurudeva was joking with the devotees

saying that “My deities are the most beautiful in the world.” They in turn told him, “No, no, Radha-radha-kantha is the most beautiful in the world. And back and forth like that they went!

Srila Gurudeva stayed at New Goloka from the 2nd to the 5th of May. During this time, he gave morning class from SB 1:11:20-23. on the 6th of May, which was a Tuesday, Srila Gurudeva left for the Temple Presidents’ Meeting in New Vrindavana. On the days before leaving, Srila Gurudeva was very busy preparing for these meetings. It seemed that the greater management issues of ISKCON were very much on his mind. Srila Gurudeva left early at 6:30am on the 6th. Mother

Krishna-priya,the New

Carolina Temple President, went as well. They were driven by Mayapur-candra Prabhu. Srila Gurudeva flew into Cleveland, Ohio, where he stayed at a very nice Indian devotee, Sukhada Prabhu’s place. Sukhada Prabhu is a disciple of Jayapataka Swami Maharaja and he loves Srila Gurudeva very much, taking all opportunity to have his association. The Temple Presidents’ Meetings were held in West Virginia and they will last for 2 days. After the 2 days of meetings, there will be a “Festival of Inspiration” at New Vrindavana which will be attended by hundreds of devotees and 5-6 sannyasis as well. Srila Gurudeva joked that he would not be able to attend the “Festival of Inspiration” but would just be going to the “Meetings of Perspiration”! before returning to New Goloka, Srila Gurudeva conducted a program at Sukhada Prabhu’s home. Srila Gurudeva returned from the meetings on the 10th of May.

11th May, 2003. Srila Gurudeva gave morning class from the SB 1:11:26. This was a very important class which Gurudeva wanted put on the Internet. The class was about the responsibility of a spiritual leader to keep the society

free from adharma. Srila Gurudeva also spoke on how to present Krishna consciousness effectively to the modern society.. this class was very powerful. In the afternoon, Srila Gurudeva attended the graduation ceremony of Bhakti Mataji who is Srila Gurudeva’s first disciple to get a PhD. In the evening, Bhakti Caru Maharaja gave the Sunday Feast lecture about Lord Nrshimadeva. Maharaja had actually expected that he and Srila Gurudeva would be giving the class together. However, Srila Gurudeva came in and took

his seat on a cushion amid the rest of the audience. Bhakti Caru Maharaja protested,” No, no we are supposed to speak together”, but Srila Gurudeva insisted that he wanted to hear Maharaja speak. They went back and forth for

a while until finally Bhakti Caru Maharaja had to agree. The relationship between Srila Gurudeva and Bhakti Caru Maharaja is very sweet and precious to see. Bhakti Caru Maharaja comes to New Goloka regularly as he has a group of disciples there who work on his Abhay Caran film project, as well as a group of disciples in Charlotte, 2 hours away from New Goloka, who have a factory where they make prasadam nut bars. The devotees in New Goloka very much appreciate Bhakti Caru Maharaja and relish his association. They feel very grateful to be able to witness Srila Gurudeva’s and Maharaja’s pure pastimes.

12th May, 2003. Morning class was from SB 1:11:27. Srila Gurudeva spoke about how a devotee should be simple. At least twice during the class he mentioned how happy he had been to hear Bhakti Caru Maharaja speak on the pastimes of Lord Nrshimadeva. He stressed that we should take so much pleasure in hearing about Lord Krishna rather than seeking satisfaction from so many other things. Srila Gurudeva left this afternoon for Europe. In this trip he will cover Serbia and Slovenia before returning to New Goloka on the 27th of May.

Here is Bhaktin Natalia’s sweet diary of Srila Gurudeva’s visit to Serbia. Unfortunately , it was not possible to get a contact from Slovenia to cover Srila Gurudeva’s visit there.

Hare Krsna dear devotees all around the world!!

I am writing from Serbia, and I will try to write something of the ecstatic days that we all spent with His Holiness Bir Krishna Goswami.

We had the fortune to spend nine days with His Holiness. This was our first time. We all pray that he will come again soon to Serbia.

May 14, Wednesday, 2003: Arrival of His Holiness Bir Krishna Maharaja! Airport 11:30

So much excitement, nervous, I really don’t know what I am speaking. I am going up and down, and my husband Boyan is calming me down. He says that I have to be peaceful. I wonder how to do that, I look all the time through the little window where we can see everyone who is coming from Slovenia. Tension becomes higher and higher, I am holding the photo camera, preparing for the first pictures. I wonder how Maharaja looks like, I mean I saw him in his web site, but it must be a little different than that. Devotees are arriving, from Novi Sad, and Belgrade. We all know that he will enter the country in western clothes; it is still not safe for a devotee like he is to

come into the country in Vaishnava clothes. And finally we see him. Among all the people there, one person with a hat on

his head, with such energy and walking so fast, he came into the Serbian land for his first time. Wonderful sannyasi! Boyan put the garland on his neck, and I am taking the first picture, also a second… He is getting another garland too. He looks at us, with such mercy. I so wish to offer my humble obeisances unto his lotus feet, but at the same time we all feel very

sorry because no one of us can do that. So many people, so many policemen, and we didn’t want to make trouble for His Holiness!! He looks at me and says, “You are Natalia?” I say, “Yes” and little bit shy,

I say “Please accept my humble obeisances”. He then looks at Boyan, and just

simply says “Boyan.” Boyan smiles and says “Yes.” Other devotees also tell

their names, Paramesvari d.d., her son Maha-Rata Prabhu with his wife Bhaktin Jelena, Sudevi d.d. and her little son Gaura-Nitai. Of course here also was Bhakta Veselin who will drive Maharaja to the apartment. Then we start to go to the car. I forget to speak English, my face is all red, and I

don’t know what to speak. I am in some kind of shock.

Beautiful “shock” because this is my first time to see Maharaja, who I have wanted to see for one and a half year with all my heart. Maharaja is so fast that we all just run behind him. We get into the car, and first mercy, he is giving me his sweater to take care of. Maharaja tells us how he had to pay 55 euros to enter the country, and that he was surprised because when he asked some days ago how much he need to pay they just said 6 euros, and now 55. He was really worried because he needed to pay with his credit card. On the way to a police station we mainly talk about if he needs to put the hat on his head, to take off the garland, and his bead bag also. Yes, that is much safer because of the police. Here the government is sometimes heavy.

We had many wars in the last years, so we think that it will be safer for Maharaja. Sudevi d.d. and I go into the police station with Maharaja to check him into

the country. Here that is necessary. Maharaja asks about everything there, about the people that he sees that are “wanted” by the government, and other

things. We finish very quickly, and on the way out I say to him, “Maharaja, Ratnavali from North Carolina wrote to me how you said some days ago in the

morning lecture that it is good that you are traveling on Lord Nrsimhadeva’s

Appearance Day , because Lord Nrsimhadeva will protect you!” He starts to laugh at what I said with all of his heart.

We go into the apartment of Sudevi d.d. and her husband Atmabhu Prabhu. More

and more devotees are coming. We ask him to do the abisheka of his feet, he

says that it is all right. Devotees are all excited, because we are all seeing him for the first time. We also make many mistakes and that all looks

sweet like little kids trying to do something for their father. It is all very new for the devotees from Serbia, abisheka of the feet, arotik, guru puja. By the mercy of the devotees from North Carolina, and also from the newsletter from Kisori dd from Fiji, we found out many things in connection with His Holiness. Boyan already learned from Maharaja how to use his camera, so he started to record. Unfortunately Maharaja starts to sneeze. It is very polluted in the town of Belgrade, also it is spring now and a lot of pollen from the flowers is in the air. We take all of the flowers from the room. Then, Maharaja starts to

talk to devotees. He says that it was actually yoga maya that he is now in Serbia, and that he still doesn’t know how that happened. He says several times, “Yes, yes, it is actually yoga maya that I am here”. But he is always

smiling and the devotees feel very calmed. Then he speaks about the situation in our country, that the old system doesn’t work any more. He speaks a lot about the importance of varnashrama dharma. He says devotees should be very educated, doctors, engineers. He also talks a lot about Fiji

where there are so many educated devotees. The conversation was very long. At 5 pm. he takes lunch. Boyan and I were cooking for him for the first time in our lives. Boiled vegetables, we tried to cook nicely so that he will like it. I feel somehow that he is also little shy, and that is normal because he has

just started to meet devotees in Serbia. After lunch he takes a little rest,

and he has darshan with the hosts and also with one grihasta couple. About 8:30 he takes his rest.

May 15, Thursday, 2003: Lord Nrsimhadeva Appearance Day

About 6:30 we all start for our Belgrade Gaura-Nitai center. There are Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai Deities, also little Jagannatha, Lord Baladeva and Srimati Subhadra. We can’t sing loudly because of the neighbors, and we also could not use the instruments. Maharaja just claps with his hands, and sings so nicely ” Samsara dava…” He gives the lecture from the Srimad Bhagavatam on

a verse where Prahlada Maharaja doesn’t want anything from Lord Nrsimhadeva except for his father’s life. Through the lecture Maharaja always tells us many stories in connection with Srila Prabhupada, or makes some jokes and tells funny stories also. Devotees like this very much. The main point of the lecture is that we shouldn’t hate anyone, we should respect everybody. He says for an example Jesus Christ when he said that if

someone hits you on one cheek, you have to just turn the other one. Devotees

ask questions which Maharaja likes. Usually here devotees don’t ask questions, or it is usually the same devotees with the same questions. What happens now? One of the answers is that a big, big Sunshine came into Serbia, came into our poor hearts! After the lecture and the breakfast Maharaja has many darshans with a lot of

devotees, some bramacaris, and most of the grihasta couples from Belgrade. In Belgrade there are about 100 and maybe 150 devotees living. At 12:30 Maharaja takes a little rest in the one apartment down where he writes his email. At 2 PM Boyan knocks at his door. Maharaja has two darshans, and at 3 PM he goes with Atmabhu Prabhu to the house of Igor Spasov, one man from the television, a friend of devotees. Some years ago he used to record the concerts, big concerts of our famous group Nityananda band. There Maharaja could see the concerts with about sometimes two or three thousands people who came to listen to the Holy Names of the Lord. Maharaja says, “They were all dancing, rolling on the ground also, I really wish I was there”. And he

also says that he sees the people from the band now also, and that can be also now again. “Actually there is no problem, and you are not so poor as you are saying all the time. I’ve seen so many more countries with poor people and bad economy,” Maharaja says. What we should do is take responsibility. I remember that he also mentioned that it is not easy at all

for those devotees who lived in a temple for 10 or 15 years. When they came

out from the temple, what can they do accepting grihasta ashram? One beautiful sentence that Maharaja said, “You should be the best in whatever you do”!

Program starts at 5:30 in a place which is a night café. Everyone waits for Maharaja to come. There were devotees, some friends of the devotees. It was

about 100 people. It was like in the concerts, evening concert, lights off,

just the ones who were on the stage were lit. There were two guitar players,

mridanga , harmonium, and one lady was singing also. Maharaja in the beginning speaks about Lord Nrsimhadeva’s Appearance Day, and that we will talk about His Appearance, but first little bhajanas. Maharaja starts to sing “Namas te Narasimhaya.” Maharaja starts to clap with his hands, and devotees follow. Devotees all sing and clap their hands with great enthusiasm. Everybody is happy. Then a song, “Jaya Radhe, Jaya Radhe.” Then for the first time devotees hear the song that Maharaja composed, “Hanuman , o Hanuman.” Maharaja is stealing the hearts of devotees. After bhajanas he gives the lecture about Lord Nrsimhadeva’s Appearance Day,

and after the lecture we all go to Atmabhu`s apartment where Maharaja takes his dinner. It is about 8 PM.

One interesting thing that happened was that we devotees, who were in the car with him, forgot the prasadam to take for us. So, when Maharaja saw that

something is going on, he asked what was happening. We told him, and he wanted us to go back to take prasadam. Of course we said “no,” and before he

started to take prasadam he gave me his nuts in a little box. He was really worried, and we could only see how he is so kind, and cares for us. We said

to him that everything is all right, and that we are not so hungry. He said then that tomorrow we have to sleep a little longer to take enough rest. Boyan and I had prepared many preparations. Maharaja also wanted hot milk and bananas with the meal. When we took his plate full of prasadam to his room, he looked at the plate and said, “O, the whole feast for me”. I said, “Just for you”. After prasadam Maharaja of course took his rest till morning. It is so hard to leave such a person, and you simply can’t wait till morning

comes when you will see him, and try to serve him on some way. There is always a sorrow in the heart when you are not serving such a person like His

Holiness Bir Krishna Maharaja.

May 16, Friday, 2003: Appearance day of the Deity of Radha-Ramana, Madhavendra Puri, Srinivas Acarya and Paramesvara Thakura!

At 6:30 in the morning we start to go by car in to Belgrade. There is a big

crowd of cars going to the center like yesterday. Maharaja sings, “Samsara dava…,” “Jaya Nrsimhadev…,” and he gives a lecture about the Appearance day of the Deity Radha-Ramana, Madhavendra Puri, Srinivas Acarya, and he also mentioned Paramesvara Thakura. It seems that devotees listen very carefully, with attention. We all started and wish to know Maharaja better. Also this morning the lecture goes until after 9 o’clock. Devotees ask many

questions. At one moment Maharaja says that the devotees here are strong minded devotees. One devotee asks Maharaja that in the time when Caitanya Mahaprabhu was on this planet that it was so much easier to make new devotees, to spread Krishna consciousness. It was easier to get mercy, and now it is harder and harder, devotees fall down, and why is that happening? Maharaja answers, “That is because people are quarreling, and by that it is harder to cooperate. And naturally then there is no mercy of Caitanya Mahaprabhu.” Maharaja said again that we have to cooperate nicely. At 9:15 the breakfast is ready. But devotees simply can’t go from his room. Yes, it is really hard to leave his association. Actually his wish is to take breakfast with all the devotees together, but no prasadam is ready for the devotees. And about that Maharaja always teaches us about the hospitality of the devotees from Fiji. After breakfast Maharaja has many darshans like yesterday, and because it is

too intense for him, he again goes to the apartment one flat down to take his rest. A few of us devotees were there in the room next to his, someone making garland, someone doing some other services, and some simply talking. One devotee comes later, Bali Sadacari Prabhu. He knows a lot about massaging, and so he comes to massage Maharaja’s back and arms. Boyan goes inside with Bali because Bali is not so good in English, just to make sure if something starts to hurt Maharaja that Boyan can tell him to stop. But when they come out, Boyan says that everything is all right and that Maharaja feels good. About 2 PM Maharaja goes to visit the apartment of Vrindavana Vinodini mataji, an older devotee and disciple of Sri Rohini Suta Prabhu. There are three devotees waiting for Maharaja, Vrindavana Vinodini mataji herself and two other matajis. It is actually their small bhakti vriksa group, a new one. Little Deities of Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai on the altar. They all say something little about themselves, and Maharaja encourages them to just keep

going with their bhakti vriksa meetings, and of course to make new members of the group. At 3 PM we come to the house of one nice grihasta couple, Giridhari Prabhu, his wife Jyotsana, and their two daughters Sarasvati, and Lila. They live a

little outside of Belgrade, with fresh air, and Maharaja likes that. There is also one devotee there, Ganga d.d., an older devotee who lived many years

in our temple before. Quick abisheka of his Lotus feet, also garland, but because of his allergy, he immediately gives the garland to Jyotsana mataji,

and just simply puts it on her neck. She is very happy. Spontaneously Maharaja gives a short lecture from Bhagavad-gita, and then in private he talks with the hosts. At 5 PM we all take dinner together with Maharaja. This is our first time eating prasadam with Maharaja, and I had to take some pictures. With great devotion that grihasta couple cooked for Maharaja a beautiful feast with so many preparations. Maharaja eats all the plate of lasagna and many baked peppers filled inside with cheese. Immediately after lunch we drive again to the center of Belgrade to visit one bhakti vriksa group of about 10 devotees. They are mostly disciples of H.H. Jayapataka Maharaja, and they are all older devotees. With such enthusiasm they are waiting for Maharaja with bhajana, also a quick abisheka, and guru puja. This is really touching. All the devotees say a little something about themselves, what they do. Maharaja is surprised to hear that all of them have some higher education, like engineers, working in

social places, one lady works in the school with defect children, the professor of music on the university etc…

After half an hour Maharaja gives his blessings to everyone, and we quickly came back to apartment. It was really an intense day for Maharaja. One devotee Radha Sarana d.d., a disciple of H.H. Tamal Krishna Maharaja, is waiting for Maharaja to speak with him. It was a plan that Maharaja will visit her apartment tomorrow, but because of the busy schedule, he will not be able to visit her. I also come into the room with her, and Maharaja is so

kind to her. He suggests to her that she needs to be with her godsisters and

godbrothers more, and then it will be easier for her. He says that Fiji is the best place for that.

Radha Sarana asks Maharaja if there are some similar things between Serbia and Fiji. Maharaja says, “O, no! There on the street there are many devotees who say with raised hands ‘Hari bol’, and in Serbia everyone looks at you so strangely when you are in Vaishnava clothes.” With such shame I bow down my head. Maharaja then adds that Fiji is his favorite place on the earth, and if he needs to retire one day that will be in Fiji for sure. I was little envious of those devotees who are so fortunate. And then I thought that in fact I would like to go there and be with those devotees. It is really something special when Maharaja talks about the devotees from Fiji. He also mentions that one day he was in Fiji and the next morning he woke up

in Serbia. He asked himself how that happened, all the way from Fiji to Serbia. After this darshan Maharaja takes his rest about 9 PM.

May 17, Saturday, 2003:

Morning program at 7 AM, Maharaja reads from the prayers of Queen Kunti. By some miracle also this morning there are many questions. This does not happen so often in a place like Serbia. But this is all because Maharaja speaks with such understanding and practicality and very close to devotees so that they can understand. Also this morning Boyan and I prepare breakfast

for him. Almost of all mornings he eats bananas, but it was more than one, maybe three even. He says that we have very good bananas in the country, and

asked from where we get them. Maharaja is always asking about many things, about that or that, what is that, very practicaly, and we are so very happy that we can answer his questions, as well as we can. Somehow through every lecture, Maharaja always speaks about how we have to be servants because indeed we are servants, we are not the bosses. We have to cooperate. He says that if we are not behaving like servants, and if we offend Vaishnavas, in the next birth we will take birth as a sudra. Maharaja

tells a story of Manduka Muni, who in his childhood had killed an ant with the sharpened end of a straw. Oneday, some thieves came and hid at Manduka Muni’s place and the police arrested all the thieves as well as the Muni. Manduka Muni was sentenced to put to death by being pierced by a lance but as soon as the King heard of this, he came to personally free Manduka Muni. Upon being released, the Muni came straight to Yamaraja and questioned him. Yamaraja answered that the Muni was put into difficulty because he had killed an ant as a child. Manduka Muni thought it silly of Yamaraja to punish him for his childish behaviour and so cursed Yamaraja to be born as a

sudra .Yamaraja was therefore born as Vidura in his next birth.

After breakfast there are some darshans with devotees who wanted to meet Maharaja, and after that Boyan and I go inside his room. First I gave to him

55 euros that he had to pay for entering the country, and that is the donation from devotees. Maharaja so honestly asks if people will take that money from him at the customs, but we say, “No, that it is not much at all.”

Boyan then mentions to him about one devotee who has some questions. One of

the questions is why we devotees in this movement do not cooperate so well, and Maharaja answers, “The argument is a good thing, and in spiritual world they are also fighting but that is only for Krishna, and it is free from envy”! Maharaja asks about the people establishing a National Council here if possible, and asks which of the devotees can take that responsibility. Maharaja says that is important that there are devotees from different towns

all over Serbia.

After we go out of his room, I think how Maharaja is so merciful. I still cannot believe that he is here and that I actually met him. I remember one very beautiful thing that he did. When I first started to write to him, it was in January last year when Maharaja was supposed to come here for the first time, but he didn’t come. After some time he asked for Boyan’s and my mobile phones and asked if we could come to Slovenia to see him. For Serbian

people it is hard to get a visa to Slovenia. We told that to him, but then he asked if we can come to Croatia, and for that it is even harder to get a visa. In the end Maharaja asked if we can come just to the border. Just simply to meet him and talk a little and then come back to Serbia. We couldn’t believe what was happening. We were so excited, and I remember that we went outside and just walked and talked about his mercy that was unbelievable for the two of us. In the end it happened that Maharaja was sorry because later he found out that the border is too far away from the place where he was staying and he had to go on with his traveling. Just the thought of what he wanted to do I can’t describe in words.

Maharaja takes rest until 2:30 PM when he packs all his things. We are almost out of Atmabhu Prabhu’s apartment when Maharaja asks, “Should we take

the picture of Radha-Golokananda?” Boyan and I wanted to bring it with us to

put in Maharaja’s room wherever he will be to remind him of his beautiful Deities. Yesterday he had said that when the time comes for him to leave this world it will be probably near his Deities Sri-Sri Radha-Golokananda.

We come to one nice family; we call them here the “Happy family”, because they are always so enthusiastic and smiling. Govinda Gopal Prabhu, his wife

Sitarani d.d. and their daughter Vanu Rati d.d. and her husband Dharmasetu Prabhu. They are all disciples of H.H.Sacinandana Maharaja, except Dharmasetu Prabhu. They offer a garland to Maharaja, while chanting bhajana in their home. They have abisheka of Maharaja’s lotus feet, and also arotik. They have beautiful Deities of Radha-Syamasundara made of marble and

also Jagannatha Baladeva and Subhadra Deities. Because of his allergies, Maharaja keeps his garland on for just a short time. Nobody expects Maharaja to take a harmonium on his lap, and start to play and sing. We were all surprised. Maharaja asks everyone if someone has some song that he likes the most. It is such a good atmosphere in that Happy Family house. Then at 5 o` clock we all take dinner together with Maharaja. They had prepared so many preparations and Maharaja was so satisfied, that when he finished, he just put his back on the chair and said, “O, o.” That was so cute. After the lunch we pack all the things and we need to go. The Happy family had tears in their eyes, because a great Vaishnava is leaving them who in just one moment blessed their house and stole their hearts. We start to go to Novi Sad, in the north of Serbia. It is much better then Belgrade. On the way Paramesvari asks him many questions, and one is, “Maharaja, who is your best friend?” Maharaja smiles and says, “Krishna,” but then he says

that his best friend is Bhakti Caru Swami. In Novi Sad we stay in the apartment of Paramesvari`s mother. Maharaja takes

a shower, and then he takes his rest. He thanks me and Boyan, but no, we immediately thank him because he allowed us to somehow serve him. We ask him to forgive us if we make some mistakes and that we are learning now. Like always Maharaja simply says, “No, no, it is all right. Everything is fine.” Indeed his beautiful smile is a cure for our mental state.

May 18, Sunday 2003:

Bir Krishna Maharaja said that once when he and H.H. Hridayananda Maharaja were on traveling sankirtana, they met one interested boy. His parents had hired a guardian for him, but Maharaja and Hridayananda Maharaja went to his

home and simply put him into the van. When that woman saw, she stood in front of the van. Bir Krishna Maharaja was driving, and Hridayananda Maharaja told him to start driving even though the woman standing in front. Maharaja was even more scared then, and he drove faster and faster. The woman was just pushed out from in front of the van, and not hurt, so they left. Later that devotee that they had rescued became H.H. Bhakti Vidyapurna Swami.

At 6:30 Maha Rata is comes and we all drive to a little mountain named Fruska Gora 5 km. outside of the city. It is in the nature. We are going to the house of Bahulasva Prabhu and Bhakti d.d., and they have two children. Maharaja leads the morning program, and gives a lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam

3rd chapter 9th canto, text 10. He makes many nice points during the lecture

about household life. He says that in Vedic system the concept of dharma was

the real thing. Maharaja adds that nowadays people just want to enjoy, even

they know that something is good, they don’t want to follow that, that Vedic

literature. They do whatever they like to do. The other point is that we have to be nice, but to speak the truth. I wonder

how to say the truth to someone and not to hurt anyone. Maharaja answers that if we know that it will hurt someone, then we don’t say anything.

Maharaja all the time mentions the point of “long term” because devotees here mostly live from today to tomorrow, and that of course is not good. Also, Maharaja says that nowadays we have to present grihasta ashram, because they are the ones who will make the future. Brahmacari’s are the past, and sannyasis are also not so stable. Breakfast is at 9:15 and then darshans with the hosts. We drive back to Paramesvari`s apartment where Maharaja takes his daily rest. In the afternoon Maharaja takes the guitar and we all sing. He sings many songs, his songs. It is almost 6 o’clock and Maharaja is still singing. He says that he likes

more to sing than to eat. Everyone takes prasadam, and Maharaja also today gets so many preparations. In the end he says that this house is the most Krishna conscious house that he has seen in all of Serbia. Rain is falling outside like a good sign, and we all go back to the apartment. Maharaja then takes his rest at 9 PM. Boyan and I were all alone

with Maharaja in the apartment. What great mercy, will that ever happen again? And do we know to appreciate that?

May 19, Monday, 2003:

Man proposes, and God disposes (Maharaja said that)

We are ready at 6 o’clock to go to the house of Bio Land. The morning lecture is on the Brihad Bhagavatamrita by Srila Sanatana Goswami. Real separation from Krishna is when person can’t eat, speak, and do anything else. At 9 AM is breakfast with all devotees, and we are ready to go to Sombor. Maharaja gives his blessings to the whole family for the house, family, also

business and he is giving like that his many blessings. It is a miracle that Maharaja feels better and he doesn’t sneeze at all, just once. On the way to Sombor, one interesting thing happens that makes us

all laugh. The phone of Maha Rata rings and his brother says that just after we left Bio Land, one man ordered one big order of prasadam for 800 euros. We tell Maharaja this and it is all because he blessed them. On the way to Sombor Maharaja visits one simple family, man and wife, in one

village. He encourages them to write to him if they like. At noon we come to the house of Karuna Mayi d.d.and her mother. They are actually gypsy people, and Maharaja says that they are originally Indian people. There are a lot of devotees, abisheka of the feet, kirtana, and bhajanas. Maharaja gives a short lecture about Srila Prabhupada and the ISCKON society. One devotee asks if there are some nice grihastas in the West and Maharaja answers, “You are a nice grihasta” and smiles. And that devotee says again,

“No, no, you are a nice sannyasi!” Maharaja laughs and says that because he said that he will give him any blessings that he wants from him.

At 3 PM Maharaja goes to the apartment of Akincana Prabhu and his wife Dahani d.d.and their daughter Saska. Maharaja takes his rest until 5 o’clock. Boyan and I cook for Maharaja and about 5:30 we all take prasadam together. After lunch Maharaja speaks to Akincana and Dahani, and tells them

that they can write to him if they need any help. We are traveling to Subotica then, and about 7:30 PM we are in the house of Ivesvare Prabhu and his wife Teja Gaurangi d.d. They are both disciples of H.H. Jayapataka Maharaja. They have big brass Gaura-Nitai Deities, and also

big Lord Jagannatha, Lord Baladeva and Srimati Subhadra. These Deities are going actually to our Ratha-yatra festivals. Maharaja likes the Deities, and

look at Them for a while. They have quick abisheka of his Lotus feet, arotik, and Maharaja simply says, “This is the most enthusiastic place in Serbia, you win the prize!” Maharaja tells a little about himself, that he is the G.B.C. for Serbia, and

that he came as a servant, and that if anyone needs some help they can look for that. He says that the devotees here are hankering for more association, that they

are enthusiastic, and anxious to progress in Krishna consciousness. He is impressed by the honesty and devotion of the devotees in Serbia. At 9 PM he takes his rest.

May 20, Tuesday, 2003:

At 7 o’clock is the morning program. For the first time we have Tulasi puja

here, the whole morning program. I am only sad because we didn’t have time to chant our japa together with him in the morning. Then he gives a lecture about the Disappearance Day of Ramananda Roy. At 9 AM we have breakfast prasadam together with Maharaja, and at 10:30 Maharaja starts going to visit some devotees in Subotica. First we go to the

apartment of Syama priya d.d. and her mother. Maharaja really loves her paintings and says that she is an expert in painting. He asks her where she

learned to paint. She didn’t learn anywhere, and Maharaja says that then it

is from her previous life. Maybe she was some Rembrandt famous artist, or someone else. He takes some pictures of her paintings with his camera. Then we visit one devotee who has a little baby, named Jayananda. She is a disciple of Jayapataka Maharaja. We quickly went to the home of Sabda Saha Prabhu and Braja Radhe d.d. There Maharaja instructed Sabda Saha Prabhu to be the leader of the bhakti vriksa program for all of Vojvodina. About 2 PM we come back to Ivesvara Prabhu’s house and Maharaja takes his daily rest. I somehow find myself sleeping in temple room because I am so tired, and I wake up remembering my whole dream. Bir Krishna Maharaja was leaving Serbia,

we should go to the airport, and I am so sad and crying all the time.

Ivesvara Prabhu is a very good cook, and Maharaja thanks him, saying that he

is very good and that he needs to open a restaurant.

After lunch, Maharaja takes the guitar, Boyan also takes a guitar and we all

sing “Nitai Pada kamala…” Maharaja says that it is one of his favorite songs. After bhajanas the devotees ask many questions, plenty of them. Also here the devotees like how Maharaja speaks with so much understanding to the devotees, very close so that they can understand well. In the end we all take a picture together with Maharaja. At 9 PM Maharaja goes to take his rest.

May 21, Wednesday, 2003:

Now we are going to the south of Serbia, all away from Subotica to Smederevo, the town where Boyan and I were born. It is a long trip, about 3 hours driving. At 9:30 we come to house of Vaikuntha Nitai Prabhu and his wife Sundari Madhavi d.d. and their cute little daughter Tara. They are disciples of Jayapataka Maharaja, and in the house is one more disciple of Jayapataka Maharaja, and his name is Adi Caitanya Prabhu. Of course they have abisheka of Maharaja’s Lotus feet and bhajanas. We all take

prasadam together with Maharaja, and they speak about the importance of the bhakti vriksa program. Maharaja wants to know who will be able to take care

of that for Smederevo. Maharaja asks to Vaikuntha Nitai Prabhu if he can lead the Smederevo bhakti vriksa program, but Vaikuntha Nitai Prabhu with humbleness says that he will first need to ask the devotees from the town. Maharaja likes their house and goes to see their second floor who is not finished yet. He says that he would like to come to their home next time. About 11 AM Maharaja goes to the apartment of one mother of a devotee. Devotees are waiting for him with bhajanas. Boyan and Bhakta Boba do the abisheka of Maharaja’s Lotus feet. We put the garland at his lotus feet, and I am taking the garland all in excitement. Maharaja wants to know all devotees, and they all say a little something about themselves. One I am using free time to go to my home, where I get a big letter from Gurubhakta d.d and her family from North Carolina. They send a beautiful big picture of Radha-Golokananda, in beautiful yellow creme

outfit. That picture should actually have traveled with Maharaja to put in his room, but the picture came now. Maharaja takes prasadam at 5:15 PM in his room alone because many devotees have come and there is not much room for everyone. After taking prasadam Maharaja comes into the room and tells something about

himself and why he is in Serbia. Then he sees Sri-Sri Radha-Golokananda on the altar, and just says, “O, Radha-Golokananda, how did They get there?” I

answer, “I just got Them today from Gurubhakta and her family”. Maharaja smiles and is so pleased. And then the real nectar begins. Three guitars, Boyan, and Danudar Prabhu play, also one devotee friend. Maharaja says that karatals are very noisy, so it is much better if we use our hands for clapping. Maharaja sings many songs, and also here in this town, all devotees like all the songs. And a new surprise, Maharaja sings his Kali yuga rap song. At the end we all repeat, “Eat prasadam chant and be free, eat prasadam chant and be free.” Everybody likes that, because they have never seen anything like this before. In the end we sing the strongest one, “Namas te Narasimhaya”.

About 7 PM he asks if anyone has some questions, and devotees are asking about their daily sadhana, about faith, how to chant not mechanically, why is Krishna sometimes black, and sometimes blue, many questions. Bhn. Milica speaks to Maharaja, and Maharaja is so kind to her, he gives his

card to her and tells her to write.

Also in this town Maharaja says that it is polluted in the air, but that we have to tolerate things!

May 22, Thursday, 2003:

Like every morning, Maharaja gets up at 4 AM. Boyan goes to see if he needs

something and if he feels cold, but Maharaja has already turned on the heat in the room. He really knows how to do everything. We are ready to go then to Nis all the way in the south of Serbia. We arrive at the house of Dina Vatsala Prabhu, and Maharaja gives the morning lecture. He meets the devotees, and after breakfast he also has darshans with different devotees. It was really cold in Nis, rain and the wind, and Maharaja says, “Krishna’s mercy!” We then go to the nice house of Manjari Seva d.d. She is a disciple of Jayapataka Maharaja. Maharaja goes inside the room and connects the telephone to his lap top. Boyan is again amazed that he knows how to do that also, and says that to him. Maharaja answered that after 50 years he had to learn something. And also very a good point he says is, “If you stop learning life will leave

you behind and death will come.” I got permission to make copies of Maharaja’s music albums and distribute them to the devotees for donations. About 1 PM Maharaja takes his rest. Boyan and I are cooking for him, and about 5 o’clock we give him prasadam. He says to us, “This is your last time cooking an evening prasadam for me. You can now take a rest.” But it is not like that, we wish that we can cook

more than this for him. A lot of devotees come, and after a quick abisheka of Maharaja’s lotus feet,

the bhajanas begin. Maharaja shows me how to use his camera, so I am taking pictures. Maharaja sings again today his Kali yuga rap song. Here also the devotees are surprised and amazed, and all like it. Everyone wants to dance but there is no place in the room for that, unfortunately. He again encourages the devotees to write to him, and says that they can ask for help

if it is needed. At 9 PM Maharaja goes to sleep.

May 23, Friday, 2003:

Last day, Maharaja leaves at 3 PM from the Belgrade airport.

Maharaja says that we should go earlier just to be safe, so we leave from Nis at 5:30. It is quiet all away the way on our trip from Nis, but in one moment in high speed, something explodes. I am a little afraid, but continue to chant, also everybody else continues chanting. And somehow Bhakta Jova pulls aside, and we see that our car tire has exploded. Maharaja

also comes out from car to see it, and Boyan and Jova change the tire for a new one. It is not so pleasant. We are all peaceful,and Maharaja says that it is good how he said to leave earlier. We arrive in Belgrade at 9 AM, and we prepare breakfast for Maharaja and for the devotees. Naksatri Prabhu comes and also Vrindavan Vinodini, and Bhakta Sale. Naksatri Prabhu is only one from the National council that has come to meet Maharaja on this last day. It was not so cultured of the other devotees not to come. Maharaja says that it seems like at least this time he can’t establish a National Council, because no one likes to take responsibility. After prasadam we go to the police station to check Maharaja out of the country, and it is very quick. We get to the airport very quickly also. We bring the guitar inside the airport, to see if we can maybe play and sing. For this we really need to be brave. Boyan goes to change some Serbian money

for Euros to give to Maharaja, and because there are some dinars left, Maharaja said to Boyan, “With this you buy some earrings or flowers for your

wife.” We all then laugh so much. Maharaja finds some peaceful place where he sits down on his suitcase, and we sit down close to his lotus feet. Boyan plays guitar, Maharaja sings quietly, and it is really nice. In some moments some policemen pass by, but

they just look and don’t say anything. Maharaja says that if they ask something then we will say that we are hippies. We sing for more than hour, and then Maharaja goes with Boyan to check in. We all sat down in the chairs then, Maharaja asks if there are some more questions. Some devotees ask. I feel so sad, that I couldn’t talk, that if I

start to talk that I will cry. So I was just listening. Maharaja then speaks to every person according what they should do and gives

personal instructions. To Boyan and me he gives blessings for preaching, but says that we also have to think for the future. To Paramesvari he again wishes all the best, and says how her service is very important, to visit people, to associate. Maharaja again talks about the importance of prasadam distribution, household life, and that we have to learn to listen and not just talk. We take one last picture, and Maharaja has to go. Everyone is quiet, and Maharaja hugs all the prabhus, thanking them for their service. I start to cry, trying to hide my tears, but it is not possible. It is so hard to be separated from someone who simply took your heart, simply because he is what

he is, a pure devotee of Lord Krishna. In one moment he turns and says, “Don’t worry” and he waves to us until we can’t see him any more. The devotees feel so sad. Who can’t love such a person like His Holiness Bir Krishna Maharaja?