Timeline of His Holiness Jayapataka Swami's Life - 2001-2010

His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Guru Mahārāja usually visits Siṁhades’a only during the yearly initiation ceremony. For many years the sincere devotees of Siṁhadeśa headed by His Grace Haladhara Priya Prabhu and Bhadra Govinda Prabhu were trying to get Guru Mahārāja to come and spend some time with the congregation on a Friday program. Finally, their prayers were answered. Guru Mahārāja was to arrive at 4.30 in the afternoon. Each and every devotee were so intense in their service to Guru Mahārāja. Everyone was engaged in some kind of service. Īśvarī-kṛpā Mātājī was so busy cooking the prasāda for Guru Mahārāja as well as for all the devotees.

Guru Mahārāja was to arrive at the home of Acyuta Gaurāṅga Prabhu and his wife Mādurya Rāṇī Mātājī. Guru Mahārāja was schedules to take prasāda there and Guru Mahārāja was also going to stay in Acyuta Gaurāṅga Prabhu’s home. The scenario in the home of Acyuta Prabhu was completely filled with devotion. Everyone was eagerly waiting for the arrival of Guru Mahārāja. At around 4.45 Guru Mahārāja arrived and every devotees' face lighted up with a smile. His Grace Hema Lavaṇya Prabhu was traveling with Guru Mahārāja. Guru Mahārāja gave blessings with his daṇḍa to some of the devotees and immediately went inside the room to change. Meanwhile, the devotees were preparing for Guru Mahārāja to take prasāda. Half an hour later Guru Mahārāja came out to honor prasāda. He seemed to be enjoying what was served to him. While honoring prasāda he inquired from a few devotees about the well-being of themselves and their yātrā. Guru Mahārāja does not ask any time for him to be alone. He is so very merciful. Even while honoring prasāda, he is preaching and motivating the devotees. Such a wonderful quality! Guru Mahārāja commented to Īśvarī-kṛpā Mātājī that he liked the spinach sabji and he also told her that she may use three drops of ghee when she is cooking for him. This information is useful to those who are and will be cooking for Guru Mahārāja. Right after prasāda, Acyuta Gaurāṅga Prabhu requested for a pāda-pūjā to be held. Ananta Śrī Siṁha dāsa lead the kīrtana and we had a simple but sweet pāda-pūjā for Guru Mahārāja. Everyone got the opportunity to perform pāda-pūjā. Guru Mahārāja was a little tired because of the travel and he decided to take some rest.

At 8.15pm Guru Mahārāja left in the van to the Yishun Balasubramaniam Temple with a group of devotees. At the temple, Guru Mahārāja was welcomed by the smiling faces of devotees. Guru Mahārāja went straight to the main altar to pay his obeisances to Lord Skanda. The temple priests have always been happy to receive Guru Mahārāja in their temple and they usually open the altar to give our dearest Guru Mahārāja a special darśana of Lord Skanda.

His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Guru Mahārāja then went upstairs to the hall where the program is to be held. About 150 devotees were already waiting patiently in the hall. Guru Mahārāja gave a Bhagavad-gītā class on the 3 modes of material nature. He explained how devotional service is beyond these three modes. He also stressed that in the life of a devotee, everything should be related to Kṛṣṇa. He said to be a brahmacārī or sannyāsī is the freedom of the individual but what Kṛṣṇa wants is that we all be always Kṛṣṇa conscious in whatever ashram we are in. He quoted from Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura's song, kṛṣṇera saṁsāra kari chaḍi anācāra, create a Kṛṣṇa conscious family, and give up bad habits!

Guru Mahārāja also spoke about the importance of Tulasī Mahārāṇī. Because Tulasī Mahārāṇī is a devotee of Kṛṣṇa and thus connected to Kṛṣṇa she is so potent that if one chants the holy names before her, they will get a thousand-fold benefits. Mother Gaṅgā, who is also connected to Kṛṣṇa is said to be by Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu as liquid kṛṣṇa-prema. Guru Mahārāja told everyone that we should associate with things that are connected with Kṛṣṇa, in this is way our lives will become perfect. After the class, GM distributed prasad and many new devotees were introduced to Guru Mahārāja by the leaders. There are also many Bengali speaking devotees in Siṁhadeśa. Guru Mahārāja spoke a little Bengali in the class. After distributing the prasāda, Guru Mahārāja took prasāda in that hall itself. Many devotees cooked various preparation of the pleasure of Guru Mahārāja. After prasāda, Guru Mahārāja went straight back to Acyuta Gaurāṅga Prabhu’s home. He was explaining a few details to his secretaries, Hema Lāvaṇya Prabhu and Mahā Varāha Prabhu. Guru Mahārāja then went to bed at about 12 Midnight. Guru Mahārāja woke up at 2.50am and got ready to leave to the airport. Before leaving to the airport, he went around speaking with all the devotees and left at 3.20am. Guru Mahārāja’s flight was scheduled at 5.30am to Balarāmadeśa.

All glories to Śrīla Jayapatākā Swami Guru Mahārāja!

Your servant,

Mathurā Līleśvarī devī dāsī