Perfect Humility
trnad api sunicenataror iva sahisnuna
amanina manadena kirtanyah sada harih
“One should chant the Holy Name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street: one should be more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige, and should be ready to offer all respect to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the Holy Name of the Lord constantly.” (Sri Sri Siksastaka verse 3)
Srila Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja practically lived all his life based on this verse. He often said, “This is the most important teaching of Sriman Mahaprabhu! Srila Kaviraja Gosvami has said, “Make a garland of this verse and place it around your neck, then do hari-bhajan. This is Mahaprabhu’s most important teaching. Mahaprabhu is an ideal acarya. As an ideal acarya, He is teaching practically. He Himself practiced in His own life. He never spoke theoretically!” An Ideal Acarya
Srila Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja appeared on September 2nd, 1929 (the Holy appearance day of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura) in a small mud hut in the village of Jagannatha Pura in Orissa, India, in a family of pure vaisnavas. His grandfather was a pure devotee of Lord Krishna. By the age of eight he had read Caitanya-caritamrta, Srimad Bhagavatam, Bhagavad Gita and the Ramayana, and was able to explain their meanings to others.
He regularly went on padayatra from village to village with his uncles chanting Hare Krishna Maha-Mantra and singing the bhajans of Srila Narottama Das Thakura and other Vaisnava Acaryas from his very childhood. His love for Srimad Bhagavatam was so deep and intense that every night, he would read Srimad Bhagavatam in the meager light of the cooking fire, as the family had no money for lamp oil. Rising from bed before 4.00am every morning chanting Hare Krsna, dancing and doing kirtan and bhajan for his Lordship Sri Sri Radha Gopaljiu of Gadei Giri. Every morning and evening all through his school years he would devote all his time to Sri Gopaljiu.
The following excerpts have been taken from the book called, “Krsnalingita-vigraha: One Who is Always Embraced by Krsna.” |
