From an article about Srila Gurudev

written by

Srila Gurupad-padma Om Vishnupad Bhakti Promod Puri Goswami Maharaj

on 5th Vamana 512 Gaura-era (15th june,1998) in Sri Gopinath Gaudiya Math, Chakratirtha, Sri Kshetra Dham

I am sending a few words about my beloved Tirtha Maharaj, who was bathed by the mercy of the Founder and President-Acharaya of All India Sri Chaitanya Gaudiya Math Organisation, great Acharaya Highly Revered Nityalila Pravishta Tridandi Goswami Srimad Bhakti Dayita Madhava Goswami Maharaj and installed by him as his successor.

As far as I can remember, the appearance place of Shrila Tirtha Maharaj is situated in Assam, at the confluence of Bhramaputra and Mahanadi rivers, on a high hill. Beautiful panorama opens on four sides from this place. After graduating from Calcutta University with a M.A degree in Philosphy, he was about to go for further education, required for getting a position of Magistrate, when by the Will of Providence he met Sripad Madhava Maharaj and was fortunate enough to hear discourses on Hari from his holy lips. After listening to Revered Maharaj's explanation of pore shune lok Krishna-Bhakti labhibare / ta' jodina hoilo, vidyay ki kore? // ("The only purpose of studying is to obtain Devotion to Krishna. If that has not happened, then what is the use of such education?"), sei se vidyaro phol janiho nishcoy / Krishna-pada-padme jodhi vitto-chitto roy // ("Know for certain that the actual fruit of knowledge is when the treasure of your conciousness rests on the lotus feet of Krishna"), and other uttering of the great devotees , substantiated with plenty of scriptural evidence, our young man was fascinated and following Sripad Madhava Maharaj's instruction, took to the study of Jaiva Dharma and other works, written by Shrila Bhaktivinod Thakur. In a few moments all his aspirations for gain,name and fame, indispensable for mundane way of life, were changed into completely different ones. Falling flat at the lotus feet of Revered Maharaj, he sacrificed his very self. Since that time, after being initiated and instructed by Maharaj and having taken shelter in the Math, he started a life of pure devotion by constantly and exclusively dedicating his body, mind and words for the service of Sri Guru, Vaishnavas and Bhagawan.

Although Revered Madhava Maharaj is junior to me both by his age and by time of initiation, yet remembering the saying of Sriman Mahaprabhu in regard that jei bhaje, sei bodo ("Senior is the one who serves the Supreme Lord"), I continue even nowadays to pay him due respect as my senior brother. No doubt, never desirous of any respect from any quarter and always ready to honor others, Revered Maharaj always had much adoration for his God brothers. I feel ashamed that he has honored me as " President of the Editorial Board of " Sri Chaitanya Vani" magazine, founded by his holy self.

Together with his God brothers and Tirtha Maharaj, the recipient of his special affection, Revered Madhava Maharaj performed pilgrimage to all the Holy Tirthas of The Bharata-Varsha, including Aryyavarta (North India) and Dakshina Varta (South India). I also accompanied Maharaj. It was at that time that I took special note of Shrila Tirtha Maharaj. Even on the roads, strewn with coarse gravels, he used to move very quickly, completely forgetting himself in dance and loud singing. But no sign of fatigue was to be read on his face. From Revered Madhava Maharaj I also heard about Tirtha Maharaj, that from his very childhood he used to loose himself in Kirtan. He is now approaching his eighties. Yet through his performance, ( even until now) of incessant glorification of Hari - Katha in English, Bengali, Hindi and other languages, we observe that only in pure loving Devotees of Krishna can the truth of the statement Krishna - Shakati bina nohe taro provortton (" Without being empowered by Krishna's pot ency it is not possible to spread His Holy Name") * manifest itself. Especially immense and affectionate blessings from Shri Shri Guiru, Vaishnavas and Bhagwan he has received for following in the footsteps of Revered Madhava Maharaj by saving innumerable sincere souls in regions like Punjab, which have succumbed to the trap of mayavada and introducing them by way of initiation and instruction into the religion of pure Bhakti taught and practiced by Mahaprabhu. In the life - example of our Supremely worshipable Prabhupada we have seen, how happy he was with Nitya - Lila Pravishta Pujyapad Bhakti Rakshaka Shridhar Maharaj, Pujyapad Bhakti Dayita Madhav Maharaj, Pujyapad Bhakti Srirup Sidhanti Maharaj and others for there saving people from Mayavada, this terrible aversion to Bhakti, by explaining Revealed Scriptures, congregationally singing the Name of the Lord and delivering speeches.

Addressing Shri Sriman Nityananda Prabhu and Shri Shrila Thakur Haridas, Shriman Mahaprabhu said:-

...jaho Nityananda, jaho Haridas/ Prati ghore ghore giya koro ei bhiksha/
'bolo Krishna, bajho Krishna, koro krishna shiksha'//
iha boi aro na boliba, bolaiba/diba- abasone asi' amare kohiba//
(Ch. Bh. Madhay 13.8-10)

"Go Nityananda! Go Haridas! From door to door and beg these alms: 'Say Krishna, worship Krishna, act as Krishna teaches, besides that don't say anything else and don't let other's say anything else. At the end of each day return to report me.'

This very example of life and preaching, set by Paramaradhya Shrila Prabhupad, is continued to be followed by great Acharayas, such as Revered Madhava Maharaj and his close associate Shrila Tirtha Maharaj. All Vaishnava Qualities naturally adorn Tirtha Maharaj, for the following words of Shriman Mahaprabhu are fully applicable to him:

horshe Prabhu kohe, - 'shunu Swarup - Ramaray/ Nama-Sankirtan kalaua parama upay//
(Kintu) je- rupe loiile Nam Preema upajoy/ tar lokshon shuno Swarup - Ramaray//
Trinad api sunichena taror api sahishnuna/ amanino manadena kirtaniyah sada Hari//
(Ch.Ch. Antya 20.8.20, 21)

"Joyfully the Lord said, 'Listen Swarupa Damodar and Ramananda Ray! In the age of Kali, Nam Sankirtan is the highest path! But how one should chant the Name so that the Name may give Prema? Regarding this listen to a verse Oh Swarupa and Ramaray:!

One should be more humble than a blade of grass, more tolerant than a tree, paying due due respect to other without expecting any honor to one self. Possessed of these qualities one can constantly perform Kirtan of Lord Hari."

In Shrila Tirtha Maharaj, even at this age, we can easily observe strict obedience to this instruction. One will get dumb folded to see even now his vigor in preaching. May Shri Shri Hari, Guru and Vaishnavas gift him with long life. May he remain in the best of his devotional life and thus increase the joy of his followers and of all of us.- This is my prayer at the lotus feet of Shri Shri Bhagwan.

By empowering his dear one, Tirtha Maharaj, with the power of his Mercy, Highly Revered Shrila Madhava Maharaj preaches through him pure conclusions of Bhakti to many sincere souls and thus saves many enslaved jivas of this world. That is why I pray to the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord, " May such a pure Devotee obtain a long life of unimpeded devotional service."

He has written many books by which even ourselves are highly benefited. Today is the appearance day of Shrila Vakreshwar Thakur, one of the dearmost associates of Mahaprbhu- and right now Shriman Bodhayan Maharaj is bringing Shrila Tirtha Maharaj's work ( On the lives of Mahaprabhu's associates ) downstairs to hold a discourse on Thakur's pastimes.

Shrila Tirtha Maharaj is constantly engaged in different services for the math, including writing articles for ' Sri Chaitanya Vani' , writing and editing devotional Scriptures and replying to the letters of sincere souls.

Following the footsteps of Shrila Prabhupad, Revered Madhava Maharaj performed the circumambulation of Shri Shri Vraja- mandala, Gaur-mandala and Kshetra- mandal, taking with him Tirtha Maharaj. I was also fortunate enough to get their association when I was fit to participate. An account of these Parikramas was published in the same ' Sri Chaitanya Vani'.

May Sri Sri Jagannathadev, Sri Narasimghadev- the Destroyer of all obstacles to Bhakti, remove all obstacles from his path.

From Shrila Prabhupada's commentary on this verse : "without the direct desire of krishna, in other words without the participation of His Mercy Potency, no man, merely by the power of his mental activities, is able to perform the function of Teacher and Acharya of the world by manifesting in this world the presence of Krishna through the Kirtan of the Pure Name of Krishna, which is non different from the Transcendental Unlimited Lord Sri Krishna, and thus cleansing the mirrors of enslave jiva's hearts, extinguishing the great forest fire of material existence, and showing the brightness of the Lotus of the Supreme Blessedness. The Acharya, who by performance of the Pure Name's Kirtan, teaches the Kirtan of the pure Name to be the only means and end, is a non-different manifestation of Krishna- He is an Avatra of Krishna's Planery Potency the personality resting in Krishna's embrace. He is Gurudeva of four varnas and four ashramas- Mahabhagwata Paramahamsa Thakur."