In this devotional address delivered during a Vyasa Puja ceremony, His Grace Rajendranandana Prabhu offers a basa‑puja homage to His Holiness Jayapataka Swami. He begins with the traditional Hare Krishna mantra and reflects on his long‑standing observation of the ceremony, recalling moments when Swami appeared pained while receiving garlands and gifts. Rajendranandana Prabhu then cites a historic address by Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Thākura (1936‑37) given in Mumbai, using it to illustrate the Vaishnava guru’s humility: the guru does not view devotees as servants but as masters, and he refuses personal glorification. He connects this teaching to the service mood embodied by Jayapataka Swami, describing the Swami as an “exalted Vaiṣṇava” who sees himself as lower than an insect, yet fulfills the mandate of Śrīla Prabhupāda and Lord Caitanya to spread Krishna consciousness worldwide. The speaker emphasizes the importance of the disciplic succession, the role of dik‑guru and sik‑guru, and the blessing that any devotee may become a guru. He extols Swami’s spiritual brilliance, his transcendental ecstasies when glorifying Lord Caitanya, and the transformative effect of hearing Swami’s chanting. The address concludes with a personal prayer for continued association with Swami, a wish for his long life, and a humble request to serve as a servant of the spiritual master.
Chapters
We will start with the basa puja offering. So we will start with Guru Maharaj's godbrothers. So first I would like to request His Grace Rajanananda Prabhu to come forward and offer his basa puja homage to Guru Maharaj. Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. I always look forward to this day and the opportunity to try and say some feeble words of glorification to Jayapataka Swami. I've been here many years observing the Vyasa Puja ceremony, and I can remember before his accident sometimes seeing, sometimes seeing a pained look on his face as all of you Prabhus were going and offering garlands and glorifications and gifts, etc. Last night I read Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī ���hākura's address to all the devotees who had glorified him in Mumbai on the occasion of his Vyāsa-pūja ceremony. It was 1936, 1937, something like that. And it reveals the heart of the exalted Vai����ava when they are taking this worship from the devotees. First of all, He said, "What can I say? All of my prabhus have already said so many wonderful things in glorification of the Lord and the guru." He said, "I have to let you know that you have pointed out very nicely all my deficiencies. You must understand that I don't think of you as my disciples. I don't think of you as my servants. I think of you as my masters. Being my masters, you are very kind to me because you are showing what real devotion to Guru is, and you are setting an example that I will try my best to follow. I don't want to follow the path to hell by thinking I'm worthy of being worshipped. I don't want to hear my praises. I don't want to be served. This is the personal mood of the exalted Vai����avas. That's something that I have some glimpse of. The exalted Vai����avas like His Holiness Jayapataka Swami, they actually embody the epitome of I'm lower than the insect in stool. More fallen than Jagai and Mādhāi. It's not poetry, it's not some type of fanciful language. They actually feel themselves most fallen and most insignificant. So what are they doing accepting such praise and such wonderful worship from all of you prabhus? They don't have a choice in the matter. Why? Because Śrīla Prabhupāda and Lord Caitanya has ordered him to take up the service of spreading K������a consciousness. And to do that, it means the disciplic succession has to carry on. Devotees have to take the responsibility of being dik��ā-guru, of being sik��ā-guru. He said in class, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta, he gave the order and one person carried it out. Actually, the order was given to so many disciples to go to the West and spread K������a consciousness in English. One devotee, one disciple embraced it and was blessed to fulfill that instruction. Śrīla Prabhupāda gave an open mandate, instructions to all of his disciples, all of his followers to become guru. A handful, a small number of devotees have done so. There are a few moons in our society. Jayapataka Swami is one of the most brilliant, effulgent moons in our society. We're so very fortunate that he's taken up this blessing, an open blessing that's there for any and all of us to take advantage of, but he has given his life in the service of Guru and all of us. We should not think this is his first time around. Being an eternal associate of the Lord, I don't think this will be the last time he offers such services to his divine spiritual master, Śrīla Prabhupāda. We are so incredibly fortunate to have the opportunity to see how an exalted Vai����ava acts, how he talks, how he thinks. He shares this with us. We don't really see with our eyes, we have to hear. Very carefully and submissively, catching up the service mood he was speaking of, to appreciate who this personality is or even have some glimpse of who he is. The spiritual master is honored as much as the Lord because he is most dear to the Lord. Anyone who can understand that point and then understand how he manifests in so many forms is most fortunate. Śrīla Prabhupāda: "I pray every day. The lotus feet of my spiritual master is the only way I can attain pure devotional service." Why do I run to glorify or attempt to glorify Jayapataka Swami every day? Because in him is my spiritual master. Śrīla Prabhupāda is present before us in his service mood, in his behavior, in his life. You cannot do anything near the service that Jayapataka Swami has done unless you are fully empowered by your spiritual master and the Lord. Personally speaking, I have to express my gratitude. I've read Navadvipa-dhamma-hatmya a number of times, but I have heard from the lotus mouth of Jayapataka Swami most all of these pastimes in the different islands of Navadvipa. And it is through the transcendental sound vibration from an exalted pure Vai����ava that those glorifications of the Lord and His Dāma can enter into the heart and react. They can purify the heart. This year when he was glorifying Lord Caitanya and the Dāma, every single day those who were fortunate could see the spiritual ecstasies, emotions, that were coming out, unable to suppress them. Every single day, these transcendental emotions. So if we are fortunate enough to hear, to see, and to pray, to worship this personality and the example he sets, there is some hope for us to be allowed to also engage in service of the devotees and in service of the spiritual master. Just a few days ago it was Rām-novamī. There's one pastime where Hanumān took his claws and he ripped open his chest, and who was in his heart? Sītā-rāma. In the same way, Mahārāja, if He were to open His heart, we would see Śrīla Prabhupāda and Lord Caitanya there. And that is manifest through the transcendental sound vibration every time He speaks. If we're eager to hear, submissively wanting to hear and serve, then that can be revealed to us. That is our prayer. When Maharaj chants, asking us to chant, "Gaura, Gaura, Gaura, Gaura," he's sharing with us his transcendental ecstasies. So not wanting to take too much time, not wanting to make a fool of myself, I have a prayer that I can become a servant of the servant of my spiritual master. I'm hoping that Your Holiness Jayapataka Swami can continue to be kind upon me and that You will not take seriously my shortcomings and continue to pray for me as You do for all the prabhus that are here. I hope to have Your association At least we can say, I hope, I wish you a healthy, long life. Anything is possible by the grace of Guru and K������a, but I don't want to lose your association. Vā��ī is always there, but I want to be with my spiritual master in serving the Lord, and I know you are always with him. So if I can kindly tag along, please, please, I would be most grateful. His Holiness Jayapataka Swami Maharaj ke, Śrīla Prabhupāda ke, Sāma Veda-gorā-bhakta vrind ke, just one time, Gaura��ga!
