Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayan Maharaja

Nitai Gauranga!

Swami BV Sajjan

My Appreciation of my Siksa and Sannyasa Guru... Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja!

All glories to Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, and his merciful benediction on all the living entities of this degraded Kali-yuga, who had the fortune of his association during his presence in this world. His benediction and mercy continues by his instructions in his books, recorded conversations, lecutures, letters, etc. By this he continues to be manifest and those who follow these teachings live with him.

Dear Maharajs, prabhus, didis,
please accept my obeisances.

I had heard that our Srila Prabhupada had said that we could approach two persons for knowledge: His Godbrother Srila BR Sridhara Maharaja, and Srila Narayana Maharaja of the Kesavaji Gaudiya matha in Mathura.

All Glories to Sri Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga! Hare Krsna, by the divine instruction of our beloved Srila Gurudeva, Bhaktivedanta Narayan Gosvami Maharaj, devotees are performing Nagara Sankirtan around London on a weekly basis.

Last message of Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur Prabhupada to His disciples before disappearance in Baghbazar Gaudiya Math, Calcutta – `With the sole purpose of worshipping Sree Hari we should pull on our life somehow in this most non-eternal world. We should not give up Hari-Bhajan inspite of hundreds of clamities, hundreds of obstacles, hundreds of reproaches and harassments. Don't be disheartened to serve Krishna without deceitfulness seeing majority of the worldly people are not accepting it. Don't give up your worship of Sree Krishna and your spiritual devotional wealth – listening and chanting Krishna Katha, under any circumstances. Always do Hari Kirtan with the two qualities of being humbler than a blade of grass and more tolerant than tree. We shall be able to realise Transcendental Delightfulness of service of Sree Krishna when we shall be entitled to do

Dear Vaishnavas , Srila Damodar maharaj and
Srila Narayan maharaj
Dear devotees ,
Many , many thanks for all the mails you sent me for years now .
They are like fountains of clear water for us .

I offer my respectful obeisances unto all the Vaisnava devotees of the Lord.
They are just like desire trees who can fulfil the desires of everyone, and they are full of compassion for the fallen conditioned souls.

Organized Religion

by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur

Sri Krishna manifests His eternal birth, the pure cognitive essence of the serving soul who is located above all mundane limitations. King Kamsa [the demon king who wanted to kill Lord Krishna] is the typical empiricist, ever on the lookout for the appearance of the truth for the purpose of suppressing Him before He has time to develop. This is no exaggeration of the real connotation of the consistent empiric position. The materialist has a natural repugnance for the transcendent. He is disposed to link that faith in the incomprehensible is the parent of dogmatism and hypocrisy in the guise of religion. He is also equally under the delusion that there is no real dividing line between the material and the spiritual. He is strengthened in his delusion by the interpretation of scriptures by persons who are like-minded with himself. This includes all the lexicographic interpreters.

Please accept my dandavat pranams
All glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga
All glories to Sri Sri Radha Vinode Bihariji

Dear Prabhus and Didis,

Srila Prabhupada says,

The second-class devotee, even though he cannot support his position with sastric reference, can gradually become a first-class devotee by studying the sastras and associating with a first-class devotee. However, if the second-class devotee does not advance himself by associating with a first-class devotee, he makes no progress.
Madhya Lila 22.71

"The root cause of devotional service to Lord Krsna is association with advanced devotees. Even when one's dormant love for Krsna awakens, association with devotees is still most essential.
Madhya Lila 22.83

NOI text 8 in which Srila Prabhupada calls the "essence of all advice" He says go to Vrindavan and find an eternal associate of Radha and Krsna and continue your spiritual development under their guidance. He did not not say go to ISKCON only, in an earlier purport He clearly speaks against institutional consciousness.

108 quotes about sadhu sanga

http://bvml.org/contemporary/108spq.htm

We are not concerned with a material connection. The mediator is not this flesh and body as we generally think. In studying the development of scientific thought, we may connect Newton to Einstein, leaving aside many unimportant scientists. We may trace the development of science from Galileo to Newton, and then to Einstein, neglecting the middle points. If their contributions are taken into account, then the whole thing is taken into account, and lesser scientists may be omitted. When a long distance is to be surveyed, the nearest posts may be neglected. Between one planet and another, the unit of measurement is the light year; distance is calculated in light years and not from mile to mile, or meter to meter. In the disciplic succession, only the great stalwarts in our line are considered important.

First of all I offer my humble obeisances to Srila Gurudeva and Srila Prabhupada and our Guru varga. Next I offer my humble obeisances to all sincere devotees of Lord Chaitanya's mission in whatever sanga they may be in.
I am so grateful to Iskcon and all the disciples of Srila Prabhupada who struggled so hard to continue his mission around the world after he left. For a lonely soul who took birth among the mlecchas in Australia due to his offences in a previous birth, Iskcon was the only chance that existed to even glimpse Lord Chaitanya's mercy. Growing up on a farm in the middle of nowhere, what were the chances that I could come in contact with His mission? Against all the odds I met a book distributor in a small country town who flipped through the pages of a first canto Srimad Bhagavatam on the street as I looked on. I couldn't afford what the devotees was asking but I gave him all the money I had ($2). That little bit of sucriti saved me 6 months later when I was hit by a car and spent two weeks in a coma. It guided me to the Iskcon temple in Adelaide Sunday feasts years later when I'd dropped out of university and was pursuing a career as a filmmaker. In London, running out of money, it led me to the macrobiotic store where I saw the cards inviting people to free lunches at Soho St. temple. Then the kindness of Srila Prabhupada's disciples once I went there took over and I was on my way on a journey that took me all over the UK distributing books for five years, then to France, Germany, Italy, India trying to serve the sankirtana movement. On the way there were many disappointments, both in my 'gurus', both of whom ran away from the battlefield in shame, and myself as I stumbled many times on the path of bhakti. Then I met Srila Gurudeva who mercifully accepted me and helped me understand Srila Prabhupada and his mission more.

HE INSTRUCTED ME AND ALL OF THE DEVOTEES PRESENT IN MURWILLUMBAH TO DISTRIBUTE BOTH HIS AND SRILA PRABHUPADA'S BOOKS IN WHATEVER SITUATION WE MAY BE IN.

So I am humbly attempting to do that by going in to the local hospital with my harp, playing to patients in difficult situations, and giving books to those who are receptive. I am just a lowly peon in this endeavour but if it pleases him and our sampradaya even a little then my life is successful.

So I humbly submit to the GBC that Iskcon can be a wonderful thing when the people who make the decisions are sincere; that it has done and is doing very valuable work; and that Srila Narayana Maharaja is following Srila Prabhupada 100%. After all, Srila Prabhupada also stressed constant improvement in bhakti.

begging to remain dasanudas,

Stoka Krishna das

My name is Visnujana das. I joined ISKCON in Russia in 1992. Following
most of the other young devotees joining the movement at the time I
was privileged to also be fully and blissfully engaged in book
distribution and other preaching activities. In fact I often think of
that special mercy of Srila Prabhupada upon us at those days and I
think that was extremely important for us. Time went on, I received
initiation from Srila Indradyumna Swami Maharaja (ISKCON). I was
inspired by his sincere determination in following the desire of Srila
Prabhupada to give the chanting to everyone, and also I was inspired
by his vaisnava qualities. In fact when I first met Srila Narayana
Maharaja in 2005, when he was told I had been initiated by Indradyumna
Swami, he began to glorify him, especially pointing out his successful
efforts in preaching Harinam-sankirtana all over the world. But I'd
like to jump a couple of years back..
In around 2004 some dissatisfaction began to develop in my heart. I
was thinking: "I have chanted the same mantra, have read the same
books as many great Vaisnavas (think of our acariyas) did.. However,
They were immersed in bliss and I was still oppressed by material
desires." I appreciated I had, what I would call at the time, some
test in Krishna Consciousness; for sure I had a lot of gratitude for
Srila Prabhupada and I definitely considered myself to be very lucky
having been introduced to this movement. However, I also began to
realize that the actual Bhakti must have been much more than what I
could imagine. I thought to myself: "Bhakti Rasamrita-sindhu – the
ocean of nectar of Bhakti", 'the lotus feet', 'beyond liberation'.. I
read this phrases every day. Do I have an idea of what they really
mean? I understood that I had not. But that did not discourage me, as
I thought: "Well, at least now I know (have faith) that Bhakti is
something extraordinary, something very high and beautiful. I also
have a strong faith that our acariyas do have that (what they are
talking about) in full and that is what they are passing down to us
out of Their unlimited kindness. Now this is my responsibility to
receive it. I got to have that!" Then I began praying to our
Guru-parampara to help me in this, to give me some guidance. I
especially wanted to know who nowadays can give that very same 'real'
bhakti. It's not that I knew what 'pure bhakti' was. (I still don't).
Neither did I feel I had had some special qualification to even expect
to receive it. I have none. However, since the acariyas, the pure
Vaisnavas have made so much effort to reach out to us I felt this was
my right and well, duty to try my best to receive it. I also felt
attracted by this new concept and some faith was there too that I
could in fact receive that mercy. Anyway, I did the prayers for some
weeks and then it all so happened that Srila Narayana Maharaja's
followers were to have a festival in the area and Srila Narayana
Maharaja was to stay in a house right next to mine! : ) (in Ramadas
Prabhu's house, Efland, NC, 2004). Although Srila Gurudeva could not
have come that year because of some illness (that was devastating news
especially for me as I had been really excited I could meet him now
for the first time.), sure enough that was still a good start for me.
Well, that's how I took it then. Sripad Bhagavat Maharaj with a few
other devotees stayed in our house for those a few days, and I got my
first book by Gurudeva from him. That was Bhakti-Tattva-Viveka by
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura. When I opened it up and started reading I
was amazed to see and feel how appealing it was! :) It immediately
reminded me 1990 when I got Bhagavat-Gita by Srila Prabhupada and 1998
when I got when I got to read 'Pariprashna' by Srila Gour-Govinda
Swami. – It had the same kind of effect on me. I am sure most of
devotees know what I am talking about. We've had this experience.
After this the story (which is quite amazing for me) continued, but I
guess I am taking too much time and space here. So, I will stop here

The Mercy Continues on:

There will always be a pure devotee on the planet to guide the conditioned souls. My prayers were answered after the disappearance of my gurdeva A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, when I met Srila Narayana Maharaja. He has helped to water, and nurture my Bhakti Creeper, planted by Srila Prabhupada. May all who thirst for beauty and truth, pray for the association of pure devotees........... Seek and ye shall find............ I was fortunate to have my prayers answered. All glories to the saintly soul, the pure devotee Srila Narayana Maharaja. May he continue to inspire and help all those who desire pure bhakti.. your servant Pracetana dasi.

Dadavat Pranams;

All Glories to Srila Prabhupada. All Glories to Srila Narayana Maharaja!

Siksa-guruke ta' jani krsnera svarupa
antaryami bhakta-srestha, ei dui rupa
CC Adi-lila 1.47

"One should know the siksa Guru to be Krishna's personality. In the form of the Supersoul (the Guru in the heart, caitya guru), Krishna gives encouragement and as the topmost devotee, He gives association and instructions (siksa)."

These are the words of shastra. In these words the role of Srila Narayana Maharja is revealed. For those who understand the words of shastra then the acceptance of Srila Narayana Maharaja is an easy transition. What is lacking for others is faith. Over the years the neophyte devotees have had their faith challenged by Maya in the form of fallen gurus, abused children, lost money/time, abandoned projects and a host of other events. These events forced some to seek the shelter of advanced vaishnavas. Others abandoned the process entirely or retreated into the false security of a religious institution. It is to these individuals that we must address our concerns.

I say to you do not despair. Do not lash out in anger or frustration. Rather look within and seek the guide in your own heart. There resides caitya guru. Supersoul and externally siksa guru. He must be of the topmost in order for the full benefit to manifest. Don't look for the obvious differences from your previous acharya. Look for the similarities. There you will find the oneness of purpose, the oneness of siddhanta. This is where your faith should reside. Do not be fooled by the brick and mortar. Do not be fooled by "regular" gurus. These can not take you to the transcendental realm. A hand must descend from that realm and reach down to you. That hand is the siksa guru who is completely liberated from the attraction of the material world. It is only he who has the power to remove all your anarthas. Don't throw away this chance because of social pressure, monetary considerations, or family obligations. Be brave and step into the light. No harm will come to you. You will not be cheated.

YS
Gour Govinda das ACBSP

"We have got experience that if we endeavor collectively, there is great possibility to spread the message of akara matha: the mission of Mahaprabhu, 'prithvi te ache', everywhere in the world. I have contributed to this end to the best of my ability." -- Srila Prabhupada

I appreciate very much Shrila Narayan M.and Iscon alike.
It is NOT my intent to instignate more argumentation, but just to get clearer on this subject:

Please can anysoul coment on the conclusive statement of GBC:
wich goes something like this:
WE can not allow Shrila Narayan M. to act in Iskcon
becouse He ...
... . stresses more work on yoursef, than trying to preach ACCORDING TO SHRILA PRABHUPAD... .

Sincerly yours , fallen servant.

I read an incredible pastime of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu today in Srila Vrindavan Das Thakur's book "Caitanya Bhagavat", which through it, he easily and unequivacably defines the extroadinary benefit obtained from serving a pure devotee of the Lord.

In Chapter Two of the second part (Madhya-Khanda), Srila Vrindavan Das describes how Sri Caitanya had, till then, kept His real identity as the Supreme Lord secret to all for many years (even Sri Adwaita His own expansion hadn't recognized Him), but now He had finally decided to reveal Himself to Sri Adwaita and others.

It was at that time He went to Srivasa Pandit's house in the mood of the Supreme Personality of Godhead to reveal Himself to Srivas. On the Lord's revealing Himself, Srivas Pandit offered Him many beautiful prayers, just as Lord Brahma had done in a different age.

After that, Lord Caitanya then said to Srivas "Bring all the family members of the house and let them see My transcendental form".

Srivas brought all his family members including his wife, brothers, other relatives, servants and maidservants, and they all offered worship at the Lord's lotus feet.

The Supreme Lord then blessed all present by placing His lotus feet on their heads saying "May your attachment and attraction for Me increase". He then manifested His opulent Vaikuntha form and all present went into an ecstatic trance upon seeing this sublime revelation.

Even the servants and maidservants of Srivas Thakur were now seeing that Divine form, that even the personified Vedas are always very eager to see.

This extroadinary pastime revealed a very special and confidential secret... the unlimited benefit obtained by becoming a servant of a pure devotee of the Lord. What's more it reveals the best process of attaining the Supreme Goal, and that is, through the service and ensuing mercy of a Vaisnava, one can receive the shelter of the most sought after lotus feet of Sri Krsna Himself!

If by learning this secret, one is fortunate enough to be able to muster the faith and intelligence to actually desire to become a servant of the pure devotee (and thus actuaaly endeavor in his own best interest), then it would behoove one to inquire the whereabouts of a pure devotee of the Lord through humble inquiry, and upon finding one, serve him with life and soul and finally reap the ultimate reward!!

It can also be concluded through this lila that if one has heard that someone MAY actually be a pure devotee of the Lord, one should take careful note, and IN THE LEAST, not even THINK in an anatogonistic manner towards him, lest he desires to invite his own peril through the wrath of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself!

On Srila Swami Prabhupada's death bed he called on Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayan Maharaja and asked him if he "would take care of his disciples, they are just like monkeys". One would do well on dwelling on the reason why he asked Srila Narayan Maharaja to take care of his disiples and no-one else, and again, what the benefit is of pleasing the pure devotee in all respects.

Jaya Sri Sri Guru Gauranga!

Please accept my dandavat pranamas. All glories to Sri Sri Guru and
Gauranga and Sri Sri Radha-Vinoda-Bihariji.

Thanks for this mood. Srila Gurudeva has said many times in the past,
"The reason I brought you together is that you learn to cooperate like
a family. This is what I want most." If we remember we are all one
family, he is the father and we are all brothers and sisters, just big
babies spiritually, it would be easier to cultivate humility, trinad
api sunicena. SG has just said on a morning walk in Malaysia that
"This (trinad api) is for all, especially for sannyasis. If a sannyasi
thinks he is superior to a grihasta, than he is not sannyasi." He says
in Pinnacle of Devotion, "Don't try to control others. Don't think 'I
am the controller'. Try to have the mood that I am a servant of the
servant of the servants of Your devotees. I am the last servant's
footdust. This is humility." So many quotes are there.

Aspiring for the service of Sri Hari, Guru and Vaisnavas

BV Giri

I joined the Hare Krishna Movement in 1988 and spent ten years living in ISKCON ashrams, including 6 years (91-97) in Mayapur & Vrindavan. In that time I was not initiated. After leaving India I drifted away from the devotees, perhaps I had a chip on my shoulder. I ended up at university, suffering a lot.

A friend, a very nice ISKCON devotee, offered me shelter, and he recommended that association with Srila Gurudeva's followers might re-inspire my thoroughly wilted bhakti-lata. Prior to that I had met Srila Gurudeva in Mathura in 1992, but had thought he was 'outside' of ISKCON. I knew that many very senior devotees were hearing from him, but adopted a 'wait and see' attitude. Being concerned about the state of ISKCON (you hear and see lot living in Mayapur & Vrindavan, and for some time I was also assistant to the GBC secretary), I had even written to Syamarani Didi asking why the advanced devotees were seemingly abandoning their managerial duties to Srila Prabhupada's institution to go to hear from Srila Gurudeva. I though then that management was apart from the cultivation of bhakti. How stupid.

Later I had taken to praying to Srila Prabhupada for the shelter of that person who sits at his lotus feet. Meeting Srila Gurudeva's sincere disciples brought me back into the flow of love of God. Humble, uncritical of others and sincerely dedicated to Srila Gurudeva's lotus feet, in their association I felt like I had the immense good fortune of joining the Hare Krishnas again!

In an army there are different battalions - same objective. Please think about this.

I have been associating with Iskcon devotees since somewhere in 1992. There I learned many things. In 1995 by some causeless mercy I got the darshan of Srila Gour Govinda Maharaja. Meeting him and seeing the surrender of his disciples left a strong impression in my life. His presence was clearly different then that of anyone else I had ever met before.

In 1996 my Iskcon temple received a flyer about Srila Narayana Maharaja and his schedule. On his schedule we noticed that he would be giving a class in a Hindu temple just down the road. The temple-president told the few devotees who were present in the temple, that we could go but we shouldn't tell the others because he is not in line with Srila Prabhupada. I kept in my head that he was against Srila Prabhupada and the day that I went to see him I put on a sweater with a big picture of Srila Prabhupada on it, as if to say, "I am a follower of Srila Prabhupada".

When Srila Narayana Maharaja entered the temple, I offered a garland and touched his feet. After this he gave me a look and I knew that he was going to be my Guru. I felt again that strong power which I experienced in the presence of Srila Gour Govinda Maharaja and I decided then and there not to loose and waste such a rare opportunity again.

Without even hearing a single word from Srila Narayana Maharaja, just having his direct darshan, turned him from Srila Maharaja into Srila Gurudeva. I had Srila Prabhupada on my sweater but he started showing how he has Srila Prabhupada in his heart.

But still, just like an owl cannot appreciate sunlight, many cannot see the great service Srila Gurudeva is doing for Srila Prabhupada. I pray with this testimonial that all sincere seekers of devotion look into their hearts and ask themselves what it is they are looking for. If it truly is love and servitude to the Supreme and His beloved as thought by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu then it is impossible to aspire for this without recognising and appreciating Srila Gurudeva’s contribution in this world. Not appreciating him falls in the category of Vaisnava Aparadh, by which failure in devotional life is guaranteed. No matter who your Guru is and no matter how many services you performed, all will be lost. So please be careful and respectful.

ramananda das (Holland)

Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Jayatah!

I was the 4th child from my parents that are Srila Prabhupad's disciples, but when i was born they were not so connected with the devotees anymore, after spending maybe 20 years living inside the temples. From time to time my parents would bring me to the temple, and when i was small we had a nice community of devotees around and we had regular programs, but outside the temple. I've always liked Krsna, and the maha-mantra. But i was not so interested in listening to the classes, etc.

When I was 14, i met Srila Bhaktisvarupa Damodara Maharaja, who until now is very famous in our sanga, even though he never left iskcon. I felt very inspired by him, everything about his perfected devotional character inspired me to try devotional life. So i asked him if i could be his disciple, and he said yes, he asked me to keep contact through e-mail, and said that soon he would be back in Brazil to give me formal initiation. After one year was passed, Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharja came to Brazil, this was in 2003 and i was 15 years old then. We heard that Gurudeva was in Brazil, and that many were forbidden to go see him, but we went anyway, me, my mother and father.

I remember very clearly the first time i saw Srila Gurudeva's lotus face, my heart was completely gone from my chest and i was his from that moment on. I remember i could not stop crying, and i took harinama and diksa while crying. And the whole experience was very strong, because Srila Gurudeva was the part that was missing inside of me, it was like I've always known him, and without him i was empty.

So i am very thankful to Srila Bhaktisvarupa Damodara Maharaja (who left this world in 2006), for accepting me as his disciples and for isnpiring me and making me ready to meet my Gurudeva, and i hope i can always serve both of them with all my heart. I also hope that Srila Gurudeva will never leave me, meaning that i will realize that Gurudeva is eternally with me just like Prabhupada is eternally with his disciples, and he even manifested externally in the form of Srila Gurudeva.

dandanvats to all Vaisnavas and Vaisnavis,

sincerely,
Ananda Mayi devi dasi (from Brazil)

Please accept my humble obeisances at your feet,all glories to Srila Prabhupada ,all glories to Srila Gurudeva

I m an Isckon devotee from 1982 I took first and second initiation in the zonal guru ' times(I'm not gone a mention any name)Twenty five years after I felt very disappointed ,my entire life, spiritual an material was ruined.

So I began to beg Krsna for help... .In those days a friend of mine, one female isckon mataji give me a small present ,a little pic of Radha-Krsna that appears in pure bhakti and Srila Gurudeva loves, where the manjaris are hiding in the forest.At that moment I didn t know anything about that picture and Srila Gurudeva.

So,last year by the mercy of the Lord and His pure devotees,I got the shelter of the Lotus feet of Srila Gurudeva , my spiritual life is revived and I feel very happy.Some days ago another Isckon devotee,who did know anything about this,brought me the same present!!!but this time was a big and gorgeous reproduction of that lovely picture!!!

I feel myself really connected with Srila Gurudeva as He said me ,"Now you are closer...going on..."

ys Candramukhi d

My name is Madhurika Devi Dasi
i`m from South Africa.I lived
in ISKCON temples for 9 years
serving as pujari.I had an ISKCON
guru who who forbade us to take
siksha from our Beloved Srila Gurudeva.
Who used to take siksha from Srila
Gurudeva and also up to now allows
certain of his disciples to read
Srila Gurudeva`s books and asks them
to keep it quite.

When my husband and i told him
we were associating with Sripad
Sajjan Maharaja who was preaching
in South Africa he was very angry
imagine being angry at his own
godbrother.After this we decided
to leave him and take initiation
from our beloved Srila Gurudeva
at Govardhana personally we received
Diksha from an Uttama Maha Bhagvat.
Now although we are banned from all
ISKCON temples and programmes we
do not miss that at all.We are enjoying

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayan Maharaj has inspired me in Krsna Consciousness as Srila Prabhupada did. His character qualities are similarly exceptional. He has one thing on his mind only; and constantly: Sri Guru & Sri Gauranga, and Sri Sri Radha & Krsna. His association is the best, and the disinformation that's been delivered about him is a disservice to Srila Prabhupada and his disciples and grand-disciples. Sure, there may be some of his followers you don't particularly like, same with Srila Prabhupada's, but he himself is not only our senior, but our superior. He's Srila Prabhupada's sannyas guru's best disciple (our other parama gurudeva, Srila BhaktiPrajnana Kesava Maharaj; Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarsvati Thakur's right hand); so he's our Guru. Prabhupada recommended him to us, as he did Srila BhaktiRaksak SridharDeva. He's also Srila Prabhupada's 1st siksha disciple; (Vrindaban, 1956) and therefore our senior most godbrother. most probably the one

Srila Prabhupada always spoke of when he'd sometimes say; (Calcutta/Mayapur 1973), (paraphrasing) "If only I could have one pure devotee disciple to sit down with under a tree in Mayapur who could completely understand these teachings of Lord Chaitanya."
Srila Narayan Maharaja has never discouraged me from worshipping or serving Srila Prabhupada. On the contrary, he's always insisted. "You should 1st offer your dandavat pranams to your Swami Maharaj". "You should try to develop your internal relationship with your Guru Maharaj". "Your Swami Maharaj will not leave me alone." (with regard to Prabhupada insisting Narayan Maharaj not just agree but promise to help his disciples {Vrindaban 1977).

I may not be the best example of a Gaudiya Vaishnava, but I am grateful that Srila Prabhupada lives on through his dear friend and disciple by instruction Srila Narayana Maharaj. I am grateful that Srila Prabhupada cared enough about me and all of his disciples to request of him his aid, and for giving me the intelligence to seek his siksha. I am grateful for all of the books that he's given us, the exact same supplemental literatures which Srila Prabhupada would be giving us were he still physically with us. I am grateful for each time he's melted my hardened heart as Srila Prabhupada so often did by Perfectly reflecting the Qualities, Names, Forms, and Pastimes of Sri Krishna.

Madhavananda das (HDG ACBSP 1970)

Haribol,
   All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudeva
  There was a time, about two years ago, that one of the primary "attackers" of Srila Narayan Maharaj was more open to looking at a different side of this controversial Vaisnava.  This man knows who he is, I won't mention names here....but I recall how deeply I respected one of his realizations.  He told me something I had never heard anywhere before, and I have not heard anywhere since.....but was such an interesting conception.  He said, "If the guru says, that's a rope, pick it up".....and the disciple says back to Sri guru, "my dear guru, that is not a rope lying on the ground, it is a snake, and its bite could hurt you or I very much"...truly the guru would be so appreciative .  He would be so happy that he had a disciple who understood his heart.....a disciple who was willing to take the risk of not following blindly, to be able to consider, with deepest repsect, what is in my gurus best interest. 

All Glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga,
Dandavat Pranams,

I was introduced to Srila Narayan Maharaj while I was serving an ISKCON sanyasi who came to meet Srila Maharaj at Keshavaji Gaudiya Math in Mathura. It was late in the afternoon but Srila Narayan Maharaj arranged prasadam for us both from his humble room. He looked after us with love and care. He made an impression on me in this regard. My wife was a disciple of Srila Vaman Goswami Maharaj. Srila Narayan Maharaj at that time was was not blessed to accept disciples but Srila Vaman Maharaj sent many of his young disciples to Srila Narayan Maharaj for training. One day we recieved a letter from Srila Narayan Maharaj saying that He was coming to the west for the first time and wanted to stay with us for some days! My wife asked me and we made some arrangements with the help of Sunder Gopal Prabhu in Leicester, England. Being I fool,I continued to go to my work while Srila Maharaj was staying with us while hundreds of people were coming to see him from all over the world to see Him. This made another impression on me. Before He was to leave us,He offered to give me money towards the cost of all the arrangements for the devotees. Another wedge of love had been hammered into my heart and another impression was set of who and what Srila Narayan Maharaj represented. Then I found out Srila Prabhupad asked Him to conduct His samadhi ceremony and left instructions to look after His disciples after His departure.

My name is Devarsirat das, I am an initiated practicing disciple of HDG Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada since 1976 .
To those who are making offences against HDG Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayan Maharaja I like to say, "you must stop this straight away" otherwise according to Srila Prabhupadas books, to make an offence against a pure devotee of the Lord, is the greatest offence. You should to know this, because you are preaching this philosophy and yet when I visit an Iskcon temple and only mention Srila Narayan Maharajas name so many devotees will immediately spit poison at me using words I would not dare to speak against any devotee, what to speak against a pure devotee. You should remember that HH Sivarama Swami HH Tamal Krishna Swami HH Giriraja Swami and so many others all worshipped Srila Narayan Maharaja with love honor and reference and they only stopped, when threatened by the rest of the GBC that they would loose their positions and disciples if they continued their association with Srila Narayan Maharaja. I still remember the GBC letter on the notice board in Bhaktivedanta Manor. Until then those "outsiders"  knew and accepted, that Srila Narayan Maharaja is a completely harmless and a pure devotee of the Lord and that Srila Narayan Maharajas purports are identical and 100% in line with the teachings of our disciplic succession. At that time those "outsiders" where all "divine graces" and accepted gurus of Iskcon and surely they would not make a mistake to take siksa from an unqualified person? But there you are, today Iskcon is unfortunately completely contaminated with negative politics about Srila Narayan Maharaja and its only those who have a free inquiring mind and dare to look beyond the walls of the institution have a chance to see the truth. Just believe me, all the politics against Srila Narayan Maharaja  are total crap, nothing is true, its illusion and false.

Dandavat Pranams;

All Glories to Srila Prabhupada and all glories to Gurudeva!

Bhaktya sanjatya bhaktya
Madhurya-Kadambini ch. 1 SB(11.3.31)
Bhakti arises from bhakti(not from any other cause). From the heart of a pure devotee, A LIVING SAD-GURU, it is inspired into the heart of a surrendered sadhaka.

This is the message coming from Gurudeva. When we can not come to this position of accepting a pure devotee's help then we have severed our relationship to our own guru.

"Bhakti reposes in the heart of the maha-bhagavata pure devotee and uses him as a vehicle for further movement. When a jiva becomes free from envy and inclined to devotional service, the bhakti potency(suddha-sattva) is transferred from the pure devotee's heart into that jiva's heart whereupon it takes shelter of his soul and ultimately awards him perfection. THIS IS A GREAT MYSTERY." (Harinama-cintamani ch. 4 footnote 1)

No Kalki Avatar In This Kali Yuga (from VNN)

BY JADURANI DASI (nick name from Srila Gurudeva Syamarani didi)

I first met Srila Narayana Maharaj about 16 years ago, at the Rupa Sanatana Gaudiya Math, his temple near Seva Kunja in Vrndavan. Since that time I'd always strongly felt Srila Prabhupada's presence when ever I met Srila Maharaja. His answers to any of my questions seemed as brilliant and astounding as those of Srila Prabhupada, and everything he said gave me new insight into Srila Prabhupada's books. After several meetings with him, therefore, I was so overwhelmed that I asked him, "Can I understand that when you tell me something, that it is Srila Prabhupada telling me through you?" With a soft smile he answered, "if you have got that faith." And daily my faith became stronger and stronger.

Excellent words prabhu, thank you ... I have not yet personally taken Srila Narayan Maharaj's darshan, being so bound up by the demands of the material energy ... I hope to be able to do so soon ... meanwhile, I am sad to see so much neophyte 'my' camp vs. 'yours' continue to plague our spiritual community ... but at least I have been able to see how I also used to arrogantly participate in the same mentality (as in bhaktas vs karmis, brahmacaris vs grihasthas, men vs women, book distributors vs pujaris and other temple servants, ISKCON vs Gaudiya Matha, this 'guru/zone' vs that one .... and so on). When we are 'too close to the wood to see the trees,' we imagine that the point of contention is the point itself ... but if we stand back and see how the self-same contention has been arising again and again under the pretext of so many different contexts, we may recognize that the actual problem lies within ourselves, that, as the old saying goes: "wherever you go, there you are" - so that if we keep running into the same basic divisive argumentation wherever we go, we may at last recognize the source of this divisiveness is not out there, but within me, within my own inability to actually live inside of a consciousness of yoga, of seeing everything in connection with the Suprem Lord, Who alone is the owner, enjoyer and friend of EVERYONE and EVERYTHING.

I want to share some thoughts I have, as to why some persons are
inimical.
As humans, we want things to be clearly defined. We want our
choices to be obvious. We don't like complex issues with ill-defined parameters.
When I was young, I watched old cowboy movies on Saturday mornings.The plots were simple. There was a struggle between good and evil. The hero, wore a white hat. The bad guy had a black hat. Even a child could follow the plot. Emotions were easily evoked. I cheered for the good guy and booed the bad guy.
I see the appeal of Christianity to be like that. For the
fundamentalists, Christianity provides easy, clear-cut choices.