Lava-Mātra: A Moment with Jayapatākā Swami: HG Sumadhura Śyāma Dāsa #JayapatakaSwamiArchives

Hare Krishna. My name is Sumudura Shamdas from Chennai. I joined Krishna consciousness in year 1996 when I was doing my college in Madurai. I was doing engineering in Dindikal, basically near Madurai, where I used to go to Madurai ISKCON every weekend where our Madurai temple president Sankadari Prabhu, he is the one who inspired us and then like gave us the Krishna Consciousness. He was preaching to all the college students and then I was part of that group.

So how you got to know Guru Maharaj?

So. So I think in the year 96, 97 period when I took up Krishna Consciousness in Madurai. So Guru Maharaj, I think the year 97 or 98 I believe. So Guru Maharaj came for the safari. He brought all the safari devotees. And then like they were all staying near Balaram Prabhu's house where like our Tangamal Jewellery Balramprabhu. I think like where I met Guru Maharaj. I think very inspiring. And then he was gigantic person. So that's where I met Gur Maharaj. First time in Madurai during safari devotees visit.

Then how was your initiation? Interview for initiation?

Yeah. So after my degree 2000, I came to Chennai and then 2002 I got first initiation from Guru Maharaj. I think like in Madurai, I think we follow the systematic process where Shraddha 1, all the shelter process, right. Krishna Sadhaka, Savaka and then Prabhupada, Guru Ashreaya and then Sankadari Prabhu. I think he is the one who took the interview. And then ensure that we are understanding the philosophy because we want to ensure that devotees are staying in the Prabhupada movement. And then Savdha Guru and then Prabhupada. So he was ensuring that people are reading all the scriptures perfectly. And then after moving to Chennai in 2000, I think I was practicing under the devotees in Chennai, Rangakrishna Prabhu and then Sumitra Prabhu and all. Then 2002 I got initiated and then interview was very tough. They were asking a lot of questions. Not like today, right. But they were asking lot of questions. And then it was tough. But I think the devotees were helping preparing well before no initiation, ensure that we have the proper knowledge. So I think that's how we got initiation. 2002.

You have interview with Guru Maharaj.

Yeah, Guru Maharaj is asking like, no, whether, like he was asking the basic question, like now have you fulfilled Prabhupada, the mission? And then like, will you be Supporting me in like fulfilling the Prabhupada this year. And all those things he was asking, I said, yes, Guru Maharaj, I'll fulfill all your desires. He said, yes. And that's where he has given me the name Su Madhura Sham. And some devotee, they were asking what is the meaning of his name, Guru Maharaj. And Guru Maharaj was saying that Madhuram like very sweet. He is Su Madhuram very super sweet. Like Krishna is the very super sweet person for his servant. That's how Guru Maharaj introduced to all the devotees while getting the initiation.

Any other instructions from Guru Maharaj?

So see, there is no direct instructions. I was praying to Guru Maharaj mentally, like whatever the service, whatever, like, you know, the Guru Maharaj I think gives the like lot of instruction in the classes, right? I consider them as some of the instruction to us, right? Even now if you look at the current situation, right? Guru Maharaj sent the message stating that no, I watered the to the Tulasi leaf, right? And then like, no. And then I attended a Mangalarati. And then like, you know, I did I while taking bath, I just said Ganga, Ganga. So those are all like inspiring. And then I take this as instruction. And then we also need to know, reciprocate how Guru Maharaj is doing. Then we need to also follow the very strictly rules and regulation very strictly. And then we. And then also still even today he is Prabhupada. Guru Maharaj completed the Bhakti Vaibhav, right? And then like that is instruction I am taking. And then I am doing the Bhakti Sastri currently.

Mataji, any opportunity you had to do.

Personal service for Guru Maharaj when he came to Chennai. I think I was doing some personal service like sometime like massaging the Guru Maharaj feet. And then also when he came to Atlanta, I was preparing during the, you know, the Panihati festival. Me and then my wife, we were assisting Guru Maharaj to prepare the. The Panihati Chittadagi festival, right? So we used to prepare along with Guru Maharaj. We were enjoyed. We enjoyed in Atlanta. New Panihati down.

Can you tell us in detail how was Panihati festival with Guru Maharaj in Atlanta?

Yeah, so Atlanta I think, I think is very excellent festival, right? So where all the devotees, they were making the pots, they painted with, you know, different colors, meaning the Gauranga, Nithyananda, Prabhu, all the paintings will be there. And then Guru Maharaj will come to the kitchen with, you know, the gigantically he'll come and then he'll say that, okay, you take this like, you know, he'll take one, one part. Like now each devotees will bring some items, right? We will bring one items and then we'll go to Guru Maharaj. And the Guru Maharaj personally mix all the parts, okay? Here Daghi has to go, the other one, the sweet has to go. He will personally he will now he will mix the all the parts. And then we will know. And then we will come to. We will bring him to the altar. All the parts will be brought to the altar. And then after the, you know, aarati and everything, Guru Maharaj personally give the action on the all the parts. And then, and then, and after that, whoever like, you know, took the action parts, right? They will go and distribute to all the devotees. And then Guru Maharaj also personally take this like, you know, all the parts and then go around. Because the Atlanta temple is a very big temple, right? When they say temple hall is small, but outside now there are so many trees. And then very good open space, right? Then Guru Maharaj goes. And then also Guru Maharaj distribute the prasadam. And then, moreover, he always used to carry one notebook, right? And then he will ask, have you taken the shelter? And then have, you know, if you have not taken the shelter, please I'll be your Shiksha guru kind of thing. He will make sure that he getting their contact and then he'll connect with them. And then ensure that that's how Guru Maharaj deals with the devotees. Because he takes care of them all the devotees, very nicely. That is the kind of very inspiring how Guru Maharaj deals with the devotees, how he interact with them and personally go on there and talk to each devotees. And then how are you? How are the things? How is your sadhana? All those things he will ask and then immediately he'll write their name. Can you write their name? And then all those things. I think Guru Maharaj does so. Atlanta festival is very nice. And then also subsequent year we had fortunate enough to have a conducted Aryatra within the park. Within the park where Loknas Maharaj Maharaj came. And then Guru Maharaj and there are many. The senior Prabhupada disciple came and then we did excellent Radhayatra festival. And then after that we all took group photo with Guru Maharaj in the park itself. So I think Atlanta festival is Paniyeti festival is great. Because every year Guru Maharaj without fail he'll go to Atlanta when he was active, right? So now I think now due to his current Situation he is not able to travel. But previously every year all the panihati, then Guru Maharaj will be there. And then like now he'll be spending time with the devotees. And then that time only they used to have a. Not the other festivals.

Did you see or you can tell us how you saw Guru Maharaj dealing with his God brothers from Pakistanis.

So the Guru Maharaj is very affectionate to all the his God brothers, right? Because he treats others as the brothers and the sisters, right. He always like, you know, takes care of them very nicely. And then even like when they meet each other, right? Radhana sway Maharaj always he hugs each other and then he'll express the kind of the full satisfaction with them and then feels the complete kind of the brotherhoodly nature he will express. Guru Maharaj, he's very affectionate to all the devotees. And then also I was reading when Bhakti Char Maharaj, when he was beginning stage, right, when he was coming to Krishna consciousness and then he went back home and then Guru Maharaj personally went and then gave him Prasadam and then brought him back to iskcon, right? He was so affectionate because whatever the Prabhupada was dealing with the disciple and then same mood in which I think Guru Maharaj is expressing with his God and then he want to ensure that all the God brothers are united and then serving Prabhupada movement. So Guru Maharaj is amazing in this.

Any dream with Guru Maharaj or letters.

Yeah, I had many dreams with the Guru Maharaj. I think I had a dream where Guru Maharaj is active in a sense like people. He has become normal now. He took us to all the parikrama. We were I think myself and then some more devotees, we were there. And then Guru Maharaj came. I think if I remember correctly, that is the Puri Haridas Thakur Samadhi Samadhi Mandir. We were there and then just we were all chanting. And then Guru Maharaj came from the beach towards like Haridas Tagore. And then when we go to the Iskcon Mandir, the turning, they're turning. I think like Guru Maharaj coming with the normal walk with a stick. And he's coming and then he went down to the Haridasthaga Samadhi Mandir. We were all there. We were doing kirtan and then just we went back to the other temple. So I had a dream with Guru Maharaj and then multiple times he came. And then I used to see Guru Maharaj in the dream. But this is really special because I Used to think that okay, Guru Maharaj will become normal because he is like now in the current health condition. But with the dream I think I can pray to Krishna that he wants to he'll become normal one day. And then he will come to all the parikrama with normally and then with regaining is now the original thing. And then how he when he come to the Radhyatra and Chennai and all right. He will come with gigantic like now he will take the wamper and then he play zoom zoom, zoom, right? That similar kind of. I think I had a dream when Guru Maharaj came and then he was doing all the parikrama in Puri.

How you see Guru Maharaj following Srila Prabhupada instruction.

See Prabhupada instruction. I think sometimes we ourselves will miss some of the instruction. But Guru Maharaj is very, very particular. And then he want to ensure that Prabhupada is happy with his service, right? For example, I think book distribution, right? Every day on behalf of Guru Maharaj. And then he distribute in the Mayapur they announced the morning how many books the Guru Maharaj distributed, right? Especially they will mention the Guru Maharaj name, right? And then other thing, right? Identifying the Dhams, right? The Sripad, Sripat identifying Sripad and then all those things. I think he's very, very cussy. Won't his only vision is to fulfill the Prabhupada this year, nothing else. He is here to fulfill the Prabhupada this year. And that's where now he is continuing even with this condition. He is there to help us in Ka consciousness only to fulfill the Prabhupada this year. So he is very focused on Prabhupada mission.

Any memories with Guru Maharashtra in Mayapur?

Mayapur? I think not. Recently I think I heard a lot of stories about Guru Maharaj in the olden days where Prabhupada used to go to the morning duty because there is no proper place, right? Today Mayapur is like this because of Guru Maharaj. No one can deny that. But how he made this happen? The devotee was sharing that. Like how like in Lokanath Goswami we used to go to the, you know, the morning thing. And then the disciple, he cleaned the Narutam Das. He cleaned the place similarly like when Prabhupada used to go to the, you know, the morning routine. And then like, you know, Guru Maharaj take this and then to the put it on his head. And then he'll go to the different place. And then like throw this, you know, the stool, right. When Guru Maharaj is carrying. And then the local people and all, they used to laugh at him and then throw some of, you know, the stones and all. But even then he was tolerating because it's Prabhupada. Because of Prabhupada, Guru Maharaj tolerated everything. And then he sacrificed so much for us. Right? So those are the memories. And then so always like Guru Maharaj with Mayapan when he goes to Mayapurana, he feels his home. And then he's always like, you know, give the special mercy to the all the devotees who come to the temple, even non devotees also who more comes. And then he'll interact with them. And then he'll make sure that everybody is like coming back to the Mayapur again. So that kind of mood in which you think he will reciprocate and then he'll.

He was still there in myput.

I was there for six months. I was there in Mayapur. So during the COVID The lockdown period, right. Fortunate to my office they had a working from home. So we went to Mayapur and then stayed. And then every day we attend all the morning programs. And then the Guru Maharaj was there. So. Yeah.

Any other memory you would like to share?

The Guru Maharaj? Yeah. So the Chennai I think like here, right? Whenever comes, like every year he comes for Radhyatra, the Pongal festival. And then he give the excellent class. And then like you know, he does the. He will be initially sitting with Banasai Maharaj in the rat. And then after that he'll come down and then he just does the kirtan. And then a lot of time my head up. Fortunate to carry Guru Maharaj chanting bead and then stick and all danda and all. We used to carry so lot of things I then had. And then now like when he was in Chennai, I think whenever we time permits we go and then meet Guru Maharaj. We attend the class on a daily basis, nine o' clock and all. Then one day Guru Maharaj is coming from hospital. Then Tulasi Prabhupada took the photo of me. And then Guru Maharaj was just came from the hospital. And then myself and then the two more devotees were there. Then he came directly towards me. He was asking what's up? I said nothing, Guru Maharaj. I came to collect the vessels. Because that day I think our service to bring the prasadam to all the devotees who stayed in the Ajita Prabhu's home and Then just I came. My office is close to opposite to Ajita Prabhu's house. I came to just collect the vessels. So Guru Maharaj came directly WhatsApp. And I said like just came for collect the Guru Maharaj vessels. Immediately he was asking who are the devotees, the standing. And then I was talking about them like what kind of services there then immediately took the stick and then gave blessings to all the devotees. And then very memorable. So he was talking to me like one on one kind of thing.

Like to say Guru Maharaj.

I think I do not have any personal instruction from Guru Maharaj. But whatever Guru Maharaj giving instruction through classes and then other medium. I think I want to follow his instruction throughout my life. And then I am seeking his blessings for me and then for entire family to fulfill Guru Maharaj Desir. And then Prabhupada this year always engage in the Guru and Vaishnava service. So that one day we'll go back home, back to garden. And always I want to assist Guru Maharaj in any of the services. Always we want to be with the Guru Maharaj Hare Krishna.