Homage By HH Bhaktividya Purna Swami Maharaja

Srila Prabhupada points out the important element of associated with Vaisnavas and  the element of their instruction, both in the way of their personal example and also what they speak. When we see both these examples of instruction, that’s ideal. Bhakti Charu Maharaj very nicely spoke about Krishna and also set the example how someone lives through his absorption in Krishna.

It is not a matter of sentiment, it is not that there is not feeling and emotions. But it’s about understanding what is being explained and practiced. So, these things are something that we can keep with us, contemplate and we ourselves practice. We are not imitating what they do but we are follow in the footsteps. Everything that a great personality does that is a lesson we can learn, we can follow and we can practice.

Bhakti Charu Maharaj was looking for something more than his regular day to day activities. It’s not that he had not a background or he was lacking something or he was looking for something more, but coming from an aristocratic background in Calcutta, educated in the west, all what ever people in the contemporary time think is the value, he had all the things. So we see that having something and then comparing it and saying that it is still lacking, then one needs great focus and great determination. But it takes great pity to be able to appreciate and take advantage of that understanding. 

In an example of Maharaj position we see that when Srila Prabhupada was going to offer him Sanyas, many of the senior devotees at that time were little apprehensive. They saying, “A few months after joining he got first and second initiation and the few months later Prabhupada offering him Sanyas. He is new, what if he falls down.” They were in great anxiety. Srila Prabhupada said, “Yes, if he falls down, he falls down to the mode of goodness, from pure goodness to goodness.” Hearing this all the senior members were quite. They knew that their position was coming from passion and ignorance. So falling down to goodness was pretty good. In other words he started off on the material platform better than they started off. Srila Prabhupada said, “Don’t worry about him, he is ok.”

Bhakti Charu Swami was very interested in studying the books. He got the nectar of devotion and we see that in 80s and 90s the interest in devotees was to study specific subject. Bhakti Charu Maharaj favourite topic to have a seminar on was the nectar of devotion, discuss about the Vaishnav Sadhana and Vaishnav aachar. We see very few others take it as a major focus. Like Tamal Krishna Maharaj any topic, any verse he can bring it around to preaching, Sankirtan and book distribution. So anything that you bring it up Bhakti Charu Swami he can bring it to what is the Vaishnava etiquette, how do Vaishnav interact, how are their loving exchanges.

Lord Chaitanya mentioned three things as very important and His whole mission is based on these three things

1. Jive doya, the preaching mission.

2. Vaishnav Seva, association of the devotees and 

3. Nama Ruchi, appreciating the glory of the relationship between Krishna and His devotees.

Most were more talking about aspect of the jive doya but Maharaj would do that as he was a great preacher but his focus was especially on this Vaishnava seva. So he can speak on any subject but in speaking he try to brings it to the point where we understand how to apply it in our life and our life in association with other Vaishnava. We should keep this with us that this focus, this angle is something very important in the mission of Lord Chaitanya and Maharaj embodied this. We should see ourselves as our direction is there, we simply have to follow in the foot steps and try to take advantage of Vaishnava association and service and an advantage of this it is pointed by the Aacharya, as that it is only through Vaishnava association and seva that we actually then appreciate the Holy name, we appreciate the Bhagvatam, we worship the deity, we live in the Dham. It is the central feature. So follow in the footsteps of Maharaj, to take the examples and instruction, we will be solidly situated on the devotional path. By accepting this we always remain in the association of Bhakti Charu Maharaj by his instructions and example.

Srila Bhakti Charu Maharaj ki Jaya!