GURU PÜRËIMÄ 2018

When the Lord wishes to bestow His mercy on a conditioned soul (jéva), He gives him human body. And when the mercy of the Lord reaches its pinnacle, the Lord appears before him as his Eternal Guru. This is the highest mercy.

Further to this mercy is the opportunity to celebrate the Guru Pürëimä of one’s Guru. Such highest mercy was bestowed upon the KARM Devotees as they were blessed to celebrate Guru Pürëimä of ÇRÉ BÄBÄJÉ MAHÄRÄJA and of ÇRÉ GURUDEVA.

For a disciple, every day is Guru Püjä but on the All-Auspicious, Merciful Day of Guru Püjä, one gets the opportunity to physically worship his Çré Guru, get purified by the Darçana and be blessed by rendering service and making offerings.

KARM Devotees were blessed to be a part of Guru Püjä of ÇRÉ BÄBÄJÉ MAHÄRÄJA with ÇRÉ GURUDEVA at Çré Rädhäkuëòa. Devotees had Darçana of Caraëa Abhiñeka of ÇRÉ BÄBÄJÉ MAHÄRÄJA by ÇRÉ GURUDEVA and did worship with Prasädé Candana, Tulasé, Flower and Garland and offerings.

Thereafter Guru Püjä of ÇRÉ GURUDEVA was celebrated by devotees in New Delhi, preparations for which started well in advance.

The very first thought which comes in everyone’s mind for Vyäsa Püjä is of ‘Garland’ and ‘Flower’. Devotees meditated, searched, discussed and ordered different garlands, each with different and exclusive designs and flowers. Gifts for serving ÇRÉ GURUDEVA and devotees were also thought of by the devotees.

Red- silver was the theme of the festival. Devotees very beautifully decorated the venue with red and silver fabrics, hangings, latkans, balls etc. the previous day.

Just as the presence of Çré Guru in the life of a conditioned soul brings with it showers of mercy relieving one from the three-fold miseries, so was the pleasant cloudy day of Guru Pürëimä relieving everyone from the scorching summer heat. Devotees enthusiastically and lovingly prepared sumptuous bhoga in the morning for the festival.

At noon, devotees gathered at the venue on scheduled time. With their hearts full of gratitude to be a part of this blessed occasion and their cars full of gifts for serving, devotees arrived with full enthusiasm. Then, there was one big commercial vehicle of a devotee. On seeing it, everyone wondered- “Why..? such a big vehicle!!” Later it was known that the big vehicle was of a big-hearted devotee, which carried big gifts for serving. This occasion was all the more special for some devotees, it being their 1st Vyäsa Püjä after Dékñä.

With Mådaìga and Zambé hanging along shoulders, Kartälas in hands and lips singing ‘Svägataà Gurudeva, Su-svägataà Gurudeva’, devotees welcomed ÇRÉ GURUDEVA. Nearby residents also gathered to have Darñana of our revered ÇRÉ GURUDEVA. The clouds also began to drizzle signifying as if Indra Devatä also wished to purify himself by having Darñana and touching the Lotusfeet of the Divine Personality, our ÇRÉ GURUDEVA.

As ÇRÉ GURUDEVA presided over the Äsana, Celebrations began. At first, Prasädé Roses-Garland of ÇRÉ BÄBÄJÉ MAHÄRÄJA was offered to ÇRÉ GURUDEVA. Offering respectful obeisances unto the lotusfeet of ÇRÉ GURU, Devotees sang saàsära dävänala together. Simultaneously, Prasädé Tulasé, Flowers, Candana and Garlands were offered to ÇRÉ GURUDEVA by few disciples.

A presentation thanking GURUDEVA was then shown.

In GURUDEVA’S Presence, each moment is peaceful, each second is relishable, each minute is blissful, each hour is memorable, still one of the best time of the celebration was the “Glorification Time” when disciples tried to glorify the All-Glorious GURUDEVA. Devotees shared their fortune of being under GURUDEVA’S Shelter; shared their feelings of being loved, of being protected, of being taken care of, every moment; shared the unbelievable, unimaginable reciprocations from GURUDEVA, etc. and expressed their gratitude.

Then devotees did Guru Vandanä together, after which came the most awaited moment as GURUDEVA began the melodious Maìgaläcaraëa. The Opportunity to hear the Highest Tattva “Guru Tattva” directly from the Lotusmouth of Çré Guru on the All-Auspicious “Guru Pürëimä” is a matter of great fortune..

ÇRÉ GURUDEVA delivered a detailed discourse on “Guru Tattva” thus explaining the deepest mysteries. One can see the full Lecture on- https://youtu.be/O9fOT3VQA0E

Understanding Guru Tattva is not a luxury but a dire necessity, for without understanding it, what to talk of advancement in Bhakti, no one can even survive in Bhakti. There is no Tattva which is equal to Guru Tattva. Of all the Tattvas, Guru Tattva is the highest. The Lecture was further enriched with beautiful pada-gänas.

After the eye-opening discourse, other disciples also took the opportunity to do Guru Püjä of ÇRÉ GURUDEVA. Numerous garlands were offered, yet each one was different from any other.. Be it roses or carnations, sunflowers or lilies, jasmine or rajnégandhä, kanera or orchids in red, pink, yellow, orange, blue, mauve, white etc… all varieties in all colours were offered to our revered GURUDEVA.

As it is said, “ÇRÉ GURU is All Merciful and Always Merciful”, our supremely merciful ÇRÉ GURUDEVA even accepted Tulasé Candana and Garlands offerings of Disciples who could not make up for the Function due to unavoidable circumstances but rather sent Their lovefilled offerings through other Devotees.

A very beautiful 12-month Poster Calendar was then served, which was shown at first to all.. amidst very loud Kértana. With the turning of each month of the Calendar, the beauty of Pictures and Kértana became more and more electrifying.

Then came the time.. the conclusion of the festival.. ÇRÉ GURUDEVA Left the Venue.. after drenching all of us in the overflowing love.

Gifts were exchanged thereafter among devotees. KARM Culture of following Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé’s Instructions of dadäti pratigåhëäti reaches newer and newer heights with each function, each celebration.. and so as to say, this culture is very contagious too, in other words, new devotees who became a part of KARM Family only a while back also served, thereby taking the opportunity to become a recipient of Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé ‘s Blessings. The awaited and desired gift of 12-month Table Calendar was served. To name a few, Healthy offering of porridge and wheat puffs; namkeen murukku, sweet dry-fruit cookies and salty käju biscuits; borosil glass bowls and spices box; stack of boxes and plastic baskets set; chapäté box and fruit vegetable bags; hand grinder and plastic bowl; taòkä pan and non-stick kaòäé; a pack of variegated envelopes and a very beautiful umbrella were served. A 3-step ladder was also served by a devotee, thought behind serving it was to attain blessings of devotees to enable him climb the ladder to Goloka.

Sumptuous Prasädaà lovingly cooked by devotees was then served. Winding up seva was done, after which devotees left for their places once again with their hearts even more filled with love and gratitude and cars filled with gifts.