This is one of the first photographs I had seen of my Guru
Maharaja. The very first one I ever saw was from the same photo shoot as this one, but instead of chanting
on japa beads he has his hands folded in a praying-hands greeting (namaste). This was
during the time he was known as Srila Krishnapada and was pioneering his IFAST
preaching strategy. When I first saw that photo it was a photocopied version on
the cover an IFAST booklet (from a program that Hladini-shakti and Radha-sundari
had arranged in Detroit).
I had been going to the Sunday feasts at the Detroit temple
(Fisher Mansion) for some months (back in ’94) when I was informed by Bob
Roberts of a new “bhakta program”. I was still a senior in high school at the
time, but I decided to make the time to attend the meeting. It was then that I
saw this picture of my Guru Maharaja. It struck me and stirred my soul. You
sometimes hear about devotees saying they just knew that a particular spiritual
master was their guru, whether they heard his voice or saw a photo or met in
person.
I didn’t know what I was feeling and I didn't want to just haphazardly accept someone as guru, so I talked to
Radha-sundari in her kitchen as she was pouring cold, berry zinger tea for
everyone. I explained that I felt like I had a connection with this spiritual
master. She said it could definitely be a past life connection, but that I
should just keep an open mind and open heart to instructions from everyone and
that in time I would know for sure. It was such practical, non-fanatical
advice.
After that moment though I knew he was my Gurudeva, just by
seeing that small, photocopied version of his photo.
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