Srila Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada about Srila Sridhara Maharaja

Hare Krishna, today article: Srila Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada about Srila Sridhara Maharaja is from Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada

Srila Prabhupada told his disciples: “Our relationship is very intimate. After the breakdown of the Gaudiya Math, I wanted to organize another organization, making Sridhara Maharaja the head.”

Srila Prabhupada asked Sridhara Maharaja to be the president of his newly formed society (ISKCON).

Srila Prabhupada asked Srila Sridhara Maharaja for sannyasa. Srila Sridhara Maharaja did not consider that a very good idea because he had such intimate contact with the whole family of Srila Prabhupada, and he didn’t want them to be angry with him. Srila Prabhupada took sannyasa from Keshava Maharaja which was the same line since Keshava Maharaja had taken sannyasa from Srila Sridhara Maharaja.

Srila Prabhupada told Hansadutta twice: “Everything I know I learned from Sridhara Maharaja.”

Srila Prabhupada said: “So we are very fortunate to hear His Divine Grace, Om Visnupada Paramahamsa Parivrajakacarya Bhakti Raksaka Sridhara Maharaja. By age and by experience, in both ways, he is senior to me. I was fortunate to have his association since a very long time, perhaps in 1930, something like that. At that time, he did not accept sannyasa; he just left home, and as vanaprastha, in white dress, he went to Allahabad. (To Sridhara Maharaja) Maharaja, I think you remember the incident when you went to Allahabad? On that auspicious occasion, we were connected. There is a long story, it will take time, but I had the opportunity of associating with Sridhara Maharaja for several years. Krishna and Prabhupada (Bhaktisiddhanta) liked him to prepare me.”

Srila Prabhupada said: “Sridhara Maharaja lived in my house for many years, so naturally, we had very intimate talks and he was my good advisor. I took his advice, instructions, very seriously because from the very beginning I knew that he is a pure vaisnava, a pure devotee, and I wanted to associate with him and try to help him also.”

Srila Prabhupada said on the day of the installation of Gouranga Radha Madhava in the Mayapura Chandrodaya Mandir upon the arrival of Srila Sridhara Maharaja: “Because of the arrival of Krishna’s pure devotee the Deities are already installed.”

Srila Prabhupada financed the construction of Srila Sridhara Maharaja’s Nath Mandir as a token of his appreciation.

Pisima financed the first printing of the famous book of Srila Sridhara Maharaja called Prapanna Jivanamrtam. Srila Prabhupada and many godbrothers kept personal copies of that book and praised it highly.

Srila Prabhupada wrote to Govinda Maharaja: “What Sripada Sridhara Maharaja has directed, I take it on my head. He is my always well-wisher. After the departure of Prabhupada (Bhaktisiddhanta) it is

appropriate that I should accept his direction. I got direction from him that I shall live in this country (America) forever.”

Srila Prabhupada wrote to one of his disciples: “Because you are my disciple and, I think, a sincere soul, it is my duty to refer you to someone who is competent to act as a siksa-guru. For spiritual advancement of life, we must go to someone who is competent to act as a siksa-guru. So, if you are actually serious to take instructions from a siksa-guru I can refer you to the one who is the most highly competent of all my godbrothers. This is B.R. Sridhara Maharaja, whom I consider to be even my siksa-guru, so what to speak of the benefit that you can have by his association. So, if you are serious about the advancement of your spiritual life, I will advise you to go to Sridhara Maharaja. It will be very good for your spiritual benefit, and I will feel that you are safe. When I was in India with the others, we lived with Sridhara Maharaja. you can also make arrangements for your other godbrothers in the future. So, live peacefully with Sridhara Maharaja, and thereby you will be spiritually enlightened.”

Srila Prabhupada wanted Srila Sridhara Maharaja to personally direct the construction of the vedic planetarium, based on Sridhara Maharaja’s favorite book, Brihad-Bhagavatamrtam.

Srila Prabhupada said: “This is my earnest desire. Since you could not go around the world and preach, at least stay there and people will come to you. I shall make that arrangement. If you stay, then it will be helpful to me also. Sometimes I need to consult with someone but there is no one. There is no one that I can consult. I feel this deficiency very greatly.”

Srila Prabhupada, just prior to his departure from this world, advised his senior disciples that in his absence, when the necessity arose to consult higher authority, they should consult Sridhara Maharaja.