Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Incident that could have turned into an accident!

Srila Gurudeva Ki Jai

Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayan Gosvami Maharaj

Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Jayatah!

An incident happened yesterday at Janak Puri Math Delhi that could have turned into a serious one.
After the Harikatha as usual the devotees despite of announcement to be seated at their respective seats gathered around Gurudeva and delayed his exit towards the elevator back to his room. Along with Madhava maharaja and Brajanath prabhu somehow Gurudeva managed to reach the elevator. Within 5 seconds of the elevator's doors closed there was a power failure. Gurudeva, Madhava maharaja and Brajanath prabhu got stuck in the elevator. This lift is not very spacious. It can carry only four people at a time, so it can be imagined how suffocating the inside atmosphere of the elevator was. Every minute was like a yuga, nobody knew at what level the elevator was. It was hard to communicate as the evening aarti was going on and the crowd near the elevator was becoming panicky. The generator at Delhi Math is not connected to the lift so there was no power supply to the lift. One of the senior western lady devotee started creating drama by screaming Mahamantra as if something bad was going to happen. She was stopped. Ladies and girls started crying.

Time was ticking.
Every effort was failing and even ones with a strong heart started feeling seriousness of the situation. Amongst this chaos me and 2 more devotees went to the mid level of the building and with bare hands created a gap between the elevator doors to let some air pass into the elevator. Through that gap we could see Gurudeva inside the elevator. We realized that we should try opening the door with manual force. From one side we were pushing the outside door to open and from inside Brajanath Prabhu was using all his strength to open the inside door. Within few moments we broke the elevator door with help of a rod and bare hands. We saw that the elevator was a down from the actual level; Gurudeva was carefully pulled out from that. He was chanting and was as cool as if nothing happened. He was carried to his room immediately, where he was attended to see if he needed any medical assistance.

News is: Gurudeva is healthy and fit. No medical issues.

But I am angry, Very angry.


I understand love and thirst of devotees for Gurudeva's darshan, but "Not" at cost of some serious incident like this. If Gurudeva had reached the elevator in time, this mishap would not have happened. Yesterday I felt like piercing the crowd, smash everybody who was obstructing Gurudeva’s prasthan time.


Since beginning of my spiritual life under Srila Gurudeva’s guidance I’ve practiced and learned from sincere devotees that if Gurudeva is alone or not surrounded by crowd only then I should offer my dandvat, pranam or touch his lotus feet, otherwise I should do my pranam from a distance. Here through this blog, I request devotees all around the world:-
  • We all love Gurudeva, Please do not suffocate and hurt him with your love.
  • Try to offer your pranams from a distance at class or at festivals
  • Follow discipline and instructions when announced. Inspire others devotees to follow the same.
  • In crisis always remain calm and in control, do not create panic or support people who try to do so by showing off how much "they" love Gurudeva, by demonstrating their overwhelmed condition and create an artificial crisis situation, instead they create problems for devotees who try to resolve that situation.
  • We have Gurudeva's love and strength that can take care of any situations. And he himself is powerful enough to take care of himself and this whole world.
Do Not Forget We Only Have One Gurudeva! And We Want Him With Us Forever

I apologize for my rudeness, I will ask for forgiveness from the ones who would like to use this opportunity to lecture me. It is better showing my anger in words rather than becoming fierce to spread awareness for protecting “OUR” beloved Gurudeva.

6 comments:

  1. that is shocking news! I am always pained to see the pushing relentless crowds around Gurudeva, however much "love" is in the pushing. I think it is very good advice during these times to give pranams from a distance and not get in the way of his path when he is walking anywhere. Lets become more dignified as a sanga and more considerate towards the person we love the most Srila Gurudeva.

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  2. Thank you, thank you Vikas Thakurji for your assistance to Srila Gurudeva in this incident! All glories to Guru Seva! All glories to His Divine Grace Srila Gurudeva!
    We must always remember, Guru is for us to serve, not for us to enjoy.
    Bankebihari dasa

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  3. Thank you so much for understanding. I request please try to educate people next to you to practice discipline and control their urges to touch Gurudeva.

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  4. Hey Vikash ji, dandavat pranams dear brother.

    Thanks for the post and information. I understand your feelings of frustration and the need to speak up instead of just wait until .... "something happens".

    I am also wanting that we should try to organize ourselves better and in more sattvic ways, so that we may create a more peaceful situation for Srila Gurudeva an dthe devotees and guests that long for his darshan. If you're so inclined I invite you to post your thoughts and ideas on a new platform we created called "My Sanga Idea" to share and discuss good ideas to be implemented. Please visit http://ipbys.ideascale.com/ and explore.

    I would love to hear from you.

    Jay Radhey. Jay Srila Gurudeva.
    Yas, Raghava

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  5. Good to hear your calm and measured comments on this event. Unfortunately from my experience this is just typical India. Why have an elevator for Gurudeva and not connect it to the generator? Why people have to almost trip Gurudeva over to get his foot dust? (doesn't happen anywhere else) Why have no plan for accidental eventualities? There is no answer that has ever satisfied me except for 'Its just India.' In the same way a train yesterday in India entered a station at full speed and collided with a stationary train. I mean ???????
    Saying that though Srila Gurudeva is happiest when he's in the holy land of Bharata, despite the chaos, and he has told us its the only place where we can really perform bhajan.

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  6. Radhe Radhe! Haribolo, prabhuji and all God brothers and sisters!
    I was wondering on the internet and saw this post today. I was totally shocked for what happened.
    When I got initiated for Harinama for the 1st time in 2003, it is told to me by the senior devotee (my current husband Jagadbandhu das) that when I was alone in the Gurudeva's room, I should not touch Gurudeva. So I took Harinama without touching Gurudeva, not even His lotus feet, although during this Harinama I did get a moment to sit in front of Gurudeva alone. I only did Anjali to Gurudeva.
    Last time when we were in Italy in July, it was so crowded that we could not come close to Gurudeva. On the morning of departure, we were standing outside Gurudeva's room from some distance. We finished a talk with a new initiated didi. Through the glass door, we could see Gurudeva was sitting there resting. Madhavan Maharaja and Brajanatha prabhu were around with Gurudeva. By realising that we should leave the festival within an hour, Jagadbandhu made dandavat pranam on the grassground from the distance towards Gurudeva. To our biggest surprise, Gurudeva raised up His blessing hand...He saw us (from such a distance that I just did not expect that he could somehow notice us) !!! Tears rolled in our eyes and we left in silence...
    Gurudeva responds to us in His subtle and sensitive way...therefore in return we may approach Gurudeva in a subtle and sensitive way.

    The Attitude of a Servant: Being the Seen, not the Seer. I think this is one of the most important lessons I should learn. Radhe Radhe!

    Thank you prabhuji for the wonderful bhakti art you create and shared with us on this blog! Please continue to share them with us!

    Jaya Srila Gurudeva! Ki Jay!
    Aspiring servant of Sri Hari, Gurudeva, Gauranga and Vaishnava's,

    Yamuna devi dasi

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