by Madhavananda das
We are shocked and deeply pained today to hear about the sudden departure of one of the bright moons of our society. H.H. Gaura Krishna Das Goswami, a beloved disciple of HH Radha Govinda Maharaja suddenly passed away in the sacred land of Vrindavan. I don’t know any other details except that he had a sudden heart-attack and that it was somewhere in Vraja.
Our phone has been ringing this morning with devotees contacting us and pouring out their hearts in grief. Gaura Krishna Maharaja was a very simple and powerful devotee, a genuine sādhu uninterested in politics or position. Always speaking about Krishna and doing kirtana, Maharaja was a very learned and famous speaker on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam. His kathā brought good fortune and inspiration to thousands of persons.
I don’t know his age, but I think he was only in his 40’s. Gaura Krishna Das Goswami received sannyasa just a few months ago on the auspicious occasion of Apara Ekadasi on the 14th of May 2015 at Haridwar on the banks of the Ganga.
‘duḥkha-madhye kona duḥkha haya gurutara?’
‘kṛṣṇa-bhakta-viraha vinā duḥkha nāhi dekhi para’
Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu asked, “Of all kinds of distress, what is the most painful?”
Sri Ramananda Raya replied, “Apart from separation from the devotee of Krishna, I know of no unbearable unhappiness.”
It’s always a sad thing when friends and relatives pass away, however when a devotee who is always speaking Krishna-katha leaves it is the greatest agony for those left behind in this prison of material existence.
When such a devotee leaves, especially in Vrindavan, the vaiṣṇavas conduct a viraha-utsava, a festival of separation. For the residents of the spiritual world who are lovingly receiving the association of such a devotee it is a great utsava or festival of joy. But for those of us here, who are suddenly bereft of such saṅga it is viraha, an intolerable burning pain of separation, which ultimately brings us closer to Krishna.
I offer my pranams again and again at the lotus feet of Gaura Krishna Goswami and pray for his blessings. I’m sorry to have lost such wonderful association and even more sorry that I was not able to get more association with him than I did. I will always remember and honor those few times I had with him.
Sri Srimad Gaura Krishna Goswami Maharaja ki jaya! Śuddha-vaiṣṇava saṅga ki jaya!
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Here is a link to audio recordings of some of Maharaja’s Hindi lectures:
http://audio.iskcondesiretree.com/index.php?q=f&f=%2F02_-_ISKCON_Swamis%2FISKCON_Swamis_-_D_to_P%2FHis_Holiness_Gaur_Krishna_Das_Goswami%2FHindi_Lectures
Here is a link to some Gaura Katha by His Holiness:
