103th Appearance Day of Srila BV Vamana Gosvami Maharaja
“Bhoga bhave dukhe tan” when I heard this kirtan, I decided I’ll not stay here anymore, I will leave this place.”Brother where are you from? “, “I’m from mayapur”, “Whose disciple are you?”, “I’m BhaktiSiddhant Saraswati Goswami Thakur Prabhupad’s disciple. Wherever I did kirtan and Harikatha, I used to stay there and at last I left my job and left everything, gave everything to my brother and left”.My brother, Satish Chandra Das Adhikari, he gave everything and left, but Satish Chandra Das Adhikari’s wife was of very pious, she directly went to Srila Prabhupad and took diksha from him and used to live very confidently. She would even force her husband to mend his ways and correct his life. Whenever her husband used to eat meat she won’t let him get into the house, she kicked him out of the house, not just her husband, she kept her children under her control. Srila Bhakti vedant Vaman Maharaj ji had four brothers, he was the eldest of all, Nimai and Subal were Srila Keshav Maharaj’s disciples and his third brother, his name was Durbhaga, he was actually ‘durbhaga’(meaning Unfortunate), when Srila Keshav Maharaj had come, Durbhaga went to take Harinaam from him. So I said, “Brother first cut your hair then only diksha will happen”. He said, “ I won’t cut my hair”, I replied, “Then your Diksha can’t take place”. He said,” So be it, I’ll not take diksha, I’ll go to some other place and take diksha”.So he went somewhere, he didn’t take diksha from Srila Keshav Maharaj but apart from him, rest of his family was here only.
(One disciple asked Srila Narayan Maharaj): What was the name of Guru Maharaj (Srila Vaman Maharaj) earlier?
Srila Narayan Maharaj : “Santosh” .
Vaman Maharaj Ji’s father was still not a disciple, so Santosh’s mother told him, “I will not keep Santosh in the house”.Santosh’s mother asked Vaman Maharaj that we won’t keep you in house and would we give him in the lotus feet of Gurudev in Matha. She told her husband, “My son will not be like you”, he would be like me. She asked Santosh if he was willing to go, he obliged saying “yes, I will go”. She asked will you go to your ‘kaka’(uncle), he replied “yes”, and then he took name of his uncle, Narsimha maharaj and he came, his uncle (Narsimha maharaj) left this world (took sanyas) and stayed at math. Narsimha Maharaj would say many people would come to see him. One day a very big tall and giant man came to see him, he asked for my name, when I replied “Narsimha Maharaj”, he said, “I had thought you would have very big moustaches, tall and broad body,but you are very sweet and gentle”.
Vaman Maharaj’s mother gave him to Matha at the age of 9.5, his mother was a very religious lady that’s why she brought him, gave him at the lotus feet of our gurudev (Srila BhaktiPragyan Keshav Gosvami Maharaj). At that time Gurudev had great reputation in Mayapur. She gave him at the feet of Narsimha Maharaj, he asked to give him at the feet of Gurudev because he is the very owner. Vaman Maharaj was very young at that time. He was slim and his head was big. I came to Matha at the age of 23-24 at that time and he would be 25 years maximum, then.Guruji would keep him with himself all the time, and also enrolled him in a school. He would study there, they would say we will give you one glass of lemon juice, if you recite one verse, Maharaj would prepare 8-10 verses at once and he would get more juice.
Guruji loved him a lot from his childhood, he would either come First or Second in class, and since the time when he was child, before Prasadam gets served, he would give leaf (plates), salt and water. These three things should be given together. Leaf, water (which may or may not be given) but salt is a must, because rice and some vegetable dish etc. is there. His service was not just to serve leaf and then give water rather when people will finish eating then wash it as well. All of this was his work and he would do all this while studying side by side.After few days of learning to cut vegetables, he would do very first class job of cutting vegetables, by the time we would start, he used to finish. I didn’t know any of this, I learned all this after I came to matha, but Vaman Maharaj was living in math from childhood so he knew everything, how to serve vaishnav, etc. all this he had already learned in his stay at matha, and he would study Also dedicatedly. Those who were studying in matha after Finishing 12th Grade, everyone except Vaman Maharaj and another Brahmachari, left the matha post qualification. So Vaman maharaj was not in favour of educating anymore. I used to ask everyone to study or something similar but he said “No, as no one stays after being educated”, because once Guru Maharaj has taught them, they all left. To know new things they won’t stay. There were many who studied language and all subjects especially the people who studied Sanskrit (devotee speaking something), Guru Maharaj Ji did not teach them and those who came after studying would acquire the knowledge of it and those who would study and do something in a new form while staying here would become “atheists”. There were many people, whom he taught grammar etc., they studied all this completely, used to go to Thakurji’s temple for a little while, and there they broke Thakurji’s flute and all that, melted it and sold the gold, and after doing this they went home. Once there was one Panditji(scholar), we had kept milk for Guruji and there was cream on top of it (devotees laughing), so he put a reed(straw like), it has a hole inside, he just put it inside the glass of milk, drank it fully and left the glass is completely empty.
“O brothers”, “you all please don’t do this type of study”, sometimes we teach, we feel merciful, we have taught to so many of them and they became atheists, one was from Vrindavan, who came after completing studies is fine, otherwise while studying, like us after coming to math and by studying shastra we are successful. Vaman gosvami Maharaj is very experienced because he has been in matha since he was 9 years old. Srila Prabhupad was also present at that time. I asked Vaman maharaj that Srila Sridhar Maharaj would also be there from a very long time, he replied “No ,you know nothing, he is my junior”. Vaman Gosvami Maharaj is very old in Matha, he is like Kakbhushundi(The crow Sage). He is a very old and experienced person, even his language was standard. He would speak in colloquial. It is a language of bengal. Where was Mahaprabhu from? Was he from Shilhati??, this is how he used to tease everyone. Later on, when he passed his matric(10th Grade) exams,at the same time Srila Prabhupada disappeared from this world. Now the Question was who will give him diksha ? After Prabhupada ji, Anant das prabhu ji was there, but he was replaced then Yayavar Maharaj then Guru Maharaj. Because Guru maharaj was the first disciple of Prabhupad that is why we say that it was him, who was engaged in spiritual welfare, that’s why Guru Maharaj (Srila Bhakti Pragyan Keshav Gosvami Maharaj) was greatest of all and thus Srila Guru Maharaj gave him Harinaam, Initiation and in the end he took Sanyasa as well from him and he accepted this gleefully, sometimes Yayavar Maharaj would used to come, he wanted to say something like this but he did not have the courage to do so. So, after that, some fight came up in the Gaudiya Math after Prabhupada disappeared. Everything was scattered here and there, at that time there was a lot of disturbance. Even, in the name of Guru Maharaj Ji, Narahari Prabhu, and Narishma Maharaj and everyone close to them, a fake murder case against these 15 people. And they were sent to jail. At that time, only Vaman Maharaj was outside with all the files, he was still very young, around 16-17 years old, he used to run here and there around lawyers. He used to prepare food and take it to the jail. Everyone was scattered here and there, but not Vaman Maharaj. He also used to make the lawyers understand, he was still small what would he tell them? But still he used to do everything. Guru Maharaj used to trust him so much that he was sick 103°,he would come to him “Santosh, sajjan”. At our time he called him “Santosh”. Wherever Guru Maharaj went, Vaman Maharaj would follow him. Also, be it fifty people, a hundred people, ten people or five, even at midnight, “make food” and he used to cook, everything was ready very quickly. He used to do all the works from up till down , Vaman Maharaj used to say “ From sewing shoes to chandi path, Guru Maharaj gave me everything to do.” And now, if we are able to get bhiksha of five rupees or we did some work we won’t do any other work , that’s it . Then how will there be welfare?
We should do everything according to our ability, like he used to do. We saw that, even after I came, he was serving plates, giving salt. He used to do everything. And simultaneously, he was also editing for the Gaudiya Patrika, it started after I came. He used to look over press, all to and from Kolkata, and he used to wear khadau. If he wants to pluck flowers from a tree he would climb it wearing the khadau. For a long time, we lived wearing khadau, and he was the master of us all. Going to and from Kolkata everything. And, one day he slipped in the tram. So, everyone, me and guruji refused him to wear khadau, then he stopped. Till the last, before coming to mathura, and even here, we wore khadau. And, what kind of cloth we wore? Thick cloth. Even with 103° fever, we worked work all time.
Everything is of Guru Maharaj, we all came afterwards. I came in the end of 1946. And in 1943, Gaudiya Vedanta Samitih (GVS) was established, and even before that, in 1930, at that time, he didn’t had much workload. However, when Guru Maharaj Ji established Gaudiya Vedanta Samitih (GVS), any of His work, be it letter writing, going for preaching, kitchen work, he used to do all of these. If we were there, we would not have done, we would have ran away. When I was with Guruji, I was going for preaching, and Vaman Gosvami Maharaj started managing press, so Guruji said, “he cannot cook for everyone, he will only cook for me and 2 people, rest of you can cook for all and mix my prasad in it and distribute it all. Because, thousands of devotees used to gather for every occasion. And, Gurudev knew about me that he would not be able to handle it, that’s why he never asked me. I had so many servants to cook for me and I have never cooked in life, but I learned to cook for Gurudev, but not during programs.
Vaman Maharaj Ji is so proficient in all the works like writing, arrangements, seeing and listening to Gurudev’s letters, watching and listening to all his works. Once Vaman Maharaj’s hand got hurt in the press, his finger was cut. Guru Maharaj Ji started crying and he and his friends immediately took him to the medical college. He took care of him till he got recovered. Will Guru Maharaj Ji ever forget such devotees? God himself said those who sacrificed the world, woman, son, brother and money, will God ever abandon him? No, the God will never abandon them. I remember so many things about Vaman Maharaj, not one or two, if we open the storehouse, infinite stories will come out. Along with me and Guru Maharaj Ji, he did preaching at so many places. I used to work in the kitchen, to make food (prasadam) and washing utensils is my duty , but he came and wash utensils to help me. Then he will collect all the utensils and place them properly and he also present six pictures for Guru Maharaj Ji, tell everyone what they will say, where and when guru maharaj will present his speech, what kind of lecture did guru maharaj will say and then publish them in the magazine, he will do all the work.
Whatever I remember, I am telling you, but not in a particular order.
One day, I sat down and saw that he was talking to children (babies), both boys and girls. Gyan Babu from Chidchuda, his kids along with many boys and girls from around, He was so indulged in talking to those kids, as if he was their Grandfather.
In between doing his patrikas, when he used to get tired after we came, without telling anyone, he went to Krishna Chandra Koot, there lived our spiritual mother, he went to her house silently. She treated him like a son and loved us a lot, so sometimes he would go away silently. And if he want to talk, he tell those children directly.
Now Srila Narayan Maharaj is telling a story.
Srila Vaman Maharaj to children – See, I went around 7 o’clock in evening, from Chichuda to Kolkata by 9 o’clock and then went to Siyalda, I got the last train around 10 o’clock and reached there after 10 -12 stations to Majimpur , Jainagar. It was late by 11 o’clock because the train also came late, then I go 4-5 miles walking from there, it is a dense jungle and there is no rickshaw route, no bus, only garden, and it is a very terrible path, but I was used to these kind of paths. I came to the middle of the road and saw that all the lights were on, what was happening?
(Narayan Maharaj ji – Vaman maharaj ji speaking all this to children, Are others listening? {Are they frightening in middle or what then speaking something in Bengali and laughing}).
A marriage procession was taking place. 2-4 men came near me, hey come here with us, a wedding is taking place here, have some food, then go and take care of the road. And I thought that I don’t know him but why still this man is talking so well to me, he must be someone else. At a few meter away. today there is a trolley factory, but that time. it was a graveyard and I thought this man doesn’t know and he is going on that graveyard way where the dead bodies were burnt, I went there to a small door and saw that all this is happening very well. Some people sat down around me and said me to perform the marriage procession just like a priest or pandit does, they told me you are a priest, right? You are a celibate person, right? And he started saying something that I started to fear, I started thinking that this path is very bad, but they are not coming near me because I took out my Tulsi Mala which I had around my neck ,and started chanting Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna.
Children to Srila Vamana Maharaj – What happened after that? (Everyone laughing.)
Srila Vaman Maharaj to Children – Someone said to go after having food, but this is not a proper place to have food, my guess is correct, he might be a dacoit or a scoundrel, they are not saying much to me but they are sitting and talking to each other. I realized that they were talking about me for a little while, if there was no chanting beads, then I don’t know what they would have done, I stand up and just said that I should not stay here anymore. So the person who took me there, he was not coming near me, I also told him that I will not stay here anymore, saying this, I started walking outside, they also started following me and circled me from all sides and I also started chanting Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna very loudly. So they moved aside a little, after that I somehow came out from that place. So they returned and said that today he has been saved, he has been saved very well, if he didn’t do this (chanting), he doesn’t say this (hare Krishna), we wouldn’t let him go. If he did not did this I would not have left him and then sent him on a horse cart along with a basket of fruits. As soon as he reached here and steped out of horse cart, the cart as well as the fruit basket. I was scared. At what kind of place I’ve come?! I felt fear then I went to someones house .
She said: Baba, at this time of night, where were you? Your life is saved, it itself is a very big deal. Youmight have been died.
He told what he saw on his journey,
The woman told about what they did and how many people they have killed. He chanted Harinam, that’s why you are safe, otherwise they spare no one.
Srila BV Narayan Gosvami Maharaj: They (children) come daily to hear all this.
One day, he saw all kids were sitting, while doing prachar after taking sanyaas. Some asked, “Do you know palm reading?” He answered, “Yes, I know.” So, like this, he used to start a conversation and then he said, “See, your mind is unsteady and your stomach remains upset (by seeing a thin man, one can notice it), your health does not remain fine and stomach upset and your mind is unsteady, you cannot focus on study.” Everyone used to think, “Oh! He is an accomplished man, he knows everything.” And if any spiritual person visited him, he talk with them in spiritual terms. Depending on person, he talk to them.
Like I said, when we went to Assam and Gurudev’s opinion was needed in a debate sparked on whether Mahaprabhu, Himself is God or not. Gurudev presented 39 facts in that case. He was well-versed with those facts, he didn’t even have to look at them while presenting. One after another, he presented 39 facts on the spot. Similarly, he was proficient with the dictionary. We cannot learn it, we forget easily.
I told in Radharani’s Kunj, Parikrama is going on & Guruji is making us write an essay in an order,
There were so many people there who asked for more than 10 times, he answers without looking into books, this was our Guruji. When Guru Maharaj Ji gave us dictation, Vaman Maharaj writes as it is and it goes to printing, no need of rechecking. He was 1st class proof reader, we can skip something while proof reading, Trivikram Maharaj never misses anything, but he may also miss something. No one is as good as him as a prof reader nowadays.
The time when I came, we were not introduced to each other. When I firstly arrived here, I wasn’t personally familiar with anyone except Madhusudan Maharaja Ji, he was then known as Narottama Brahmachari, so I handed him the letter which he forwarded to Guruji. Guruji used to make him write all the letters on his behalf. He used to call me ‘Taiyari Ji’ instead of ‘Tiwari ji’. So when I first came, I didn’t recognised anyone but as Gurudev’s letters, which I normally received, were written in his handwriting on behalf of Guruji. I was familiar with his handwriting, When I came to the math after leaving everything, it was in the month of December in 1946.
When I arrived at the railway station, I found someone searching for me with a lantern (Srila Vaman Maharaj), asking if I was ‘tayyariji’ in a mixed tone of hindi and bangla languages. Then I asked him for his introduction, “Who are you?” He replied “I write letters on Guruji’s behalf.” Then I asked, “how did you came to know?” Srila Vaman Maharaj answered, “because Gurudev told that you (Srila Narayan Maharaj) will be arriving today.”
Srila Narayan Maharaj further continued that “I did not give any letters and came without informing at 11pm from Katwa from Badwan from light railway and then he took me to the Ashram and provided everything I needed. He normally used to help and accompany Gurudev in preaching. And, he used to make notes and every other arrangements, as well.
One time, we all went to Gehukalhi, used to be in Medinipur, near a big river, somewhere near Haldia. Along with Guruji, we did almost 40 different big Sabhas (meetings) in one month at various places and during that, he (Vamana Maharaj) used to take notes from everyone.
So, when we went to Gehukheli, there was an assembly going on, where many renowned educationists like teachers and headmasters were also present. Pujyapad Shroti Maharaj Ji took us all there. I (Srila Narayan Maharaj) was the kirtaniya (leading the kirtan) in these programs under Guruji. Vamana maharaj was himself great at doing kirtans, but he was so humble that he never used to come forward unless asked for. When his qualities were reminded by some others devotees, only then he would come forward otherwise he would humbly stay behind the scene, just like Hanuman Ji, not saying anything like he didn’t know anything. We also had our Deen Bandhu Baba Ji, disciple of Prabhupad Ji. He did not know how to play the Khol (mridang), but he only used to play it along. So, there Guru Maharaj gave lectures and in that big assembly, Guru Maharaj at Ramkrishna Mission. They say that, whether you go by car, bullock-cart, motor, train or ship, or by anything, you will reach the same destination. One may believe in Lord Shiva, Goddess Kali or Durga or any other god. However, everyone will go to the same destination. Secondly, when you reach high in the sky you see everything is at the same level on the land. Just like when we go in the sky in an airplane,we see that everything is at the same level on the land. So, one who sees everyone and every religion equally in this material world, they all would return to God. Atheist or Believer, everyone will return to God one day. Every path leads to the same destination. Therefore, one who sees everyone equally, is a true “Samadarshi”. Like, if we put any letter in the post office, every letter will be delivered at the same place.
Gurudev refuted this. One who goes in the sky, and sees grass and mountains equally, his eyes are impaired, it looks like because of durratva, grass or mountain or tree or plant and river, sewer will never be equal and the one who sees everything equally his mindset is wrong. Like in the post office, we put two different addresses. Will it reach the same place? Put Kolkata on one letter and Mumbai on the other, in same post office, will it reach the same place or different places? Post a letter at a thousand places, it will be delivered at a thousands places, it will not reach only one place. And, there’s a train that goes to Kolkata and one goes to Mumbai. So, can we reach Bombay, by boarding the Kolkata train?! This is all wrong that people don’t understand. That’s why one and only way devotion to God (Bhagvad Bhakti), we can attain God. There’s no other way than Bhakti to attain God. Every religion is not the same!
A thief who steals, will he attain God? Will a dacoit reach God?
An atheist can also reach God? This is all wrong. The one who worships Lord Shiva , desires wealth, son and family, like Banasur. He worshipped Lord Shiva because he wanted wealth. He got wealth and he was a Brahmin from Govardhan. He went to Kamakhya Devi, so Durga Ji turned him towards God as well as Lord Shiva told him to go to Mathura from Kashi, don’t stay here.
So a person is bestowed with whatever he wants. If we ask for Bhagwad Bhakti as well as wordly things, then will everyone reach one place? Gita doesn’t say like this. Gita says in (20:36 – 23:47), “One who worship Devatas, go to Devaloka, one who worships ghosts will go to Bhutaloka, and the one who worships me will never perish, he comes to me in Vaikuntha. That’s why not every worship is the same.
At that time,all those people started getting influenced, all those masters and the people from Medinipur, and those who were Vaishnavas were supporting Guru Maharaj. They said ,”Tomorrow let’s keep a meeting and we’ll call Swami Ji from Belur”. Guru Maharaj said , “Guruji will not come, I’ll write and do the registry”.
They said ,”Alright. Give us a time of 5 days. We’ll bring him in 5 days”.
Guru Ji said, “okay then”.
Guru Ji said,”Tomorrow I’m going to Chichuda and I’ll keep this child here (Vaman Maharaj). I’ll not need to come, you can ask everything to him and he’ll answer. If needed, I’ll also come but our most youngest child (disciple) I’ll keep him here, he’s more than enough for everyone and if they heard that Keshav Maharaj Ji is here then even their father won’t come here”. And it really happened like that, they all went. He said that he’ll pay for the travelling fare. If it would have happened Vaman Maharaj would have won. It had been two to four months since it happened and there was some district judge who came to talk to Guru Ji and by chance, he started talking to me regarding Sanatan Goswami. He said that, “Shankracharya is more authentic than Sanatan goswami”. I said that ,”Hari Bhakti Vilas of Sanatan goswami is more authentic, I said that Shankracharya was the incarnation of Shankar. And, Sanatan Goswami is the Lavanga Manjari of Vrindavan & Goloka.” You can’t compare both of them. The judge replied, “How?” Suddenly, Guru Maharaj was inside, He came running, and explained to the judge. The judge submitted and ran away. So, in this way, Guru Maharaj was also, what to talk about Prabhupad, Guru Maharaj also had such glories. Especially, Pujyapad Vaman Maharaj, Trivikram Maharaj, and all the disciples of Prabhupad Ji were very impressed. Even Shroti Maharaj among many others. “After I go, you all will protect this, it is my firm belief.”, Guruji used to say. That’s why, when we’ll go, we’ll go with immense pleasure, and we bless you to look after all this after us. That’s why we respected all 3 of Them so much. Even Shroti Maharaj imparted all His knowledge to us and then He left.
Like I said, Vaman Maharaj was very tolerant (Sahishnuta), and one of his Qualities is that he would never appreciate himself. By any means, we would appreciate ourselves, but He never did that. We have seen many people. When I went England, and from there America, France, and through many places, I gave lectures in English, while everyone else used to get stressed. But we didn’t see Him (Vaman Maharaj) doing that anywhere, ANYWHERE! We sometimes appreciate ourselves, but He never did. He was very tolerant.
Wherever I am, in early times, I used to tell Him “Dumb”. I used to say Him earlier, and even now. But today He says, if you go away, I’ll not say anything. or else, He’ll quarrel with me, “You say, you say, you say….” He was very shy & hesitant. This shyness is an ornament. We are shameless! But, he is shy, very tolerant, very calm and composed. He was well-versed with every facts, every shlok from the scriptures.
But, now the time is up. I’m reminded of too many of his stories.
(Devotees insist him on continuing)
Srila BV Narayan Gosvami Maharaj: No, it’s already 6:15. Let’s end this here.
