Makara Sankranti memories from Facebook
Jan 15, 2013
If men do not learn the art of love from Radha, if women do not incarnate Radha to teach them, then Radha and Krishna have no existence.
Jan 15, 2018
Jan 15, 2017
Last darshan of Shriji Maharaj at Nimbarkacharya Peeth This article was published on Vrindavan Today, but it has been lost now. This is a version of it. You can see the album on Facebook.
By Haridas Sharan's kindness, I was able to go on a lightning run to the Nimbarkacharya Peeth in Rajasthan. We got the news through Vrajvihari Sharan that Shriji Maharaj -- Radhasarvesvarasharana Devacharya, the universally respected acharya for the entire Nimbarka Sampradaya -- had left his body yesterday morning.
We were told that Shriji Maharaj got up at his usual time of 3 a.m. and had done his nitya-kritya as every day. He then met with someone to discuss the panchang, as it was Makara Sankranti and its coinciding with other tithis had to be examined. After the meeting, Maharaj went into samadhi in a seated position and left his mortal body.
He was 96 years old and had adorned the Nimbark sampradaya's acharya gaddi for an amazing 74 years. A prolific author in Hindi and Sanskrit, yet able to communicate complex truths and give guidance in simple language, he has left an indelible mark on the sampradaya, establishing a unity in the tradition as well as a firm presence for it in the Vaishnava world. It would not be exaggeration to say that he was the most respected figure in the Vaishnava world of today.
His successor, usually called the "Yuvacharya" is 38-year-old Shri Shyam Sharandevji. For some reason I had been thinking of going to Salemabad for the past couple of weeks. Obviously I should have followed my instincts and gone when it was still possible to get Shriji Maharaj's personal association.
Jan 15 2013
Another friend whose talent, determination and desire to serve his guru and Gauranga-Gandharvika-Giridhari are meeting with success. I bow down to you Prem Prayojan and to your name. May it be ever realized in you and your followers. Jai Radhe!
Probing the pramans with Prem Prayojan Prabhu, one of the brightest lights on the Gaudiya Vaishnava horizon. I also wrote an article about this.
Jan 15, 2015
Our friend Pramod Sahoo has opened a yoga school in Tapovan near Laxman Jhula in Rishikesh. The name of the school is Hari OM Yoga Vidya School. He held a sacrifice today on Makara Sankranti to inaugurate it, inviting many of his friends from Swami Ram Sadhak Gram.
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After reading this blog post mentioning Prem Prayojan, my person had a look at his facebook page, and came across a December 2012 entry about his visit to Chotibaba Maharaja:
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=4300662667030&set=ecnf.1000583178
Quote: “Today I had the great fortune to have darshan of Chotibaba Maharaja. He is the most senior vaisnava in all Vraja Mandala, and probably the whole world. He remembers the Battle of Jhansi (1858), which took place when he was twelve years old. Yes. He is now 166, more humble than a blade a grass, unconditionally affectionate, and constantly absorbed in harinama. It was really quite extraordinary to sing bhajans with him in his tiny bhajan kutir and hear about the importance of seva and the glories of Vrndavan Dhama. In the photo, Maharaja is lovingly accepting the dipa during arati to Sri Gopal.”
Do you or your readers know anything about Chotibaba Maharaja, as there is no information online about the life of this Vaiṣṇāva saint?
My person wrote to Prem Prayojan, whom also replied yesterday: “Choti Baba Maharaja has passed away several years ago. His disciples still maintain his ashram on the parikrama marga, Vrndavan.”
Prem Prayojan was in truth blessed to have known this Vaiṣṇava Saint who resided on the parikrama mārga (परिक्रम् मार्ग).