Question:What special service can the devotees living in other countries perform?
Srila Govinda Maharaj: In other countries everywhere, the devotees should hold festivals in remembrance of Sri Chaitanya S
araswat Math’s Golden Jubilee Year. I gave some hint in the Golden Jubilee Invitation that they can make sankirtan preaching programs, chant with mridangas and karatals in the streets, distribute books, publish books, and in many ways glorify Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, wherever they may be. They can start weekly weekend meetings, and they can inaugurate a main annual meeting with festivals and Prasad distribution as well as two or three other large festivals yearly.
Srila Govinda Maharaj at the Seva Ashram
They can do many things in their countries in remembrance of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math’s Golden Jubilee. At least everyone can chant, engage in glorification, and make some meetings. If it is possible, I may be able to send to their countries from here Sripad Bhakti Ananda Sagar Maharaj or others. I am also eager to meet with the devotees in the West, and if it is the desire of Krishna it must happen.
My nature is to be hopeful. Until death I am hopeful–and after death also I have no problem actually. When Srila Guru Maharaj gives us backing then what problem can there be?
raksha kabari tunha nishcaya jani pana karaburi hama Yamuna pani
Bhaktivinod Thakur, addressing Krishna, said in Sharanagati, “You must save us. It is your duty, I know, so what fear can I have? I can jump into the polluted waters of the Kaliya Lake without fear, and I can do anything.” In that way enthusiasm must come inside the devotees who are associated with such transcendental knowledge. Rupa Goswami said that sometimes the devotees may be a little disappointed also (ghana tarala), but mostly the devotees are very enthusiastic in the association of Krishna. Krishna always gives us His association, and if we have the capacity, we can recognize it immediately.
Srila Guru Maharaj's Mission Headquarters
When many problems are in front of me, I am eager to solve everything immediately, but it is not possible immediately therefore I sometimes feel some pain. At that time I think, “Everything comes by the will of Krishna so I should not be in too much anxiety about any situation.” Krishna knows how to purify His devotee, and my only duty is that I must be a devotee’s devotee. This also is always my intention. If everything will go in such a line, there will be no fear from anywhere. And our backing is very strong: our Srila Guru Maharaj.
Question: Finally, do you have any further message for the devotees, especially on this occasion of the Golden Jubilee?
Srila Govinda Maharaj: They will try to serve Srila Guru Maharaj heart and soul. Service to Srila Guru Maharaj means his Mission, his Deities, and his devotees. They can decorate their service, but these are the three main service duties. His Mission is living in every country and in a nice, decorated way they may try to do more and more.
"Guru Maharaj" (Srila Sridhar Maharaj), Srila Govinda Maharaj and "Swami Maharaj" (Srila Prabhupad)
I am happy with the devotees of the West, but they can do more and more, and if you ask me whether Srila Swami Maharaj is happy, I must reply that he is not. He always wants full service, not partial service. But Srila Guru Maharaj was mainly very accommodative in that way: he always accepted even partial service from the devotees. That is not the nature of Swami Maharaj: he wants always to take the full energy of the devotees. It is Guru Maharaj’s desire also, but he would look and give his mercy wherever any service was done: and that gives more home to the devotees. But the devotees must try in the line of Srila Swami Maharaj! And I like that also. Twenty-four hours per day service to Sri Guru and Vaishnava is necessary, but if it is not possible to do so for a whole year, then the minimum is to give that type of service for at least a few days.
Question: All the devotees are very indebted always to Your Divine Grace, even more so that you have taken the time and trouble to talk with us today.
Srila Govinda Maharaj: I also tried in this way to draw something from Srila Guru Maharaj for the devotees. He showed ill health, but I tried for the devotees’ wealth. I don’t know how much I was successful, but I think the intention was very good. Actually one moment can give us our full destruction. I have seen this in my life.
One second, if it comes in a bad way can destroy everything we have, and one second coming in a good way can give us everything.
–An excerpt from Golden Reflections (34-36). This interview was published during the Golden Jubilee anniversary of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, but we feel that the instructions Srila Govinda Maharaj gives are appropriate for every year. “Srila Guru Maharaj” refers to Srila Sridhar Maharaj and “Srila Swami Maharaj” refers to A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad.