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Reflections after visiting Srila Acharyadeva
camarillo2012aThe following letter was written by Sri Govardhan das after a recent visit with Acharyadeva.

I would like to talk a little bit about my visit, during the last days of December and the beginning of January, with my spiritual master, His Holiness Hridayananda Das Goswami Acharyadeva (trying not to repeat what HH Dhanvantari Swami has so nicely described in his letter written several months ago).

As a brief personal introduction, my name is Sri Govardhana das. I was formally initiated by Srila Acharyadeva approximately one year ago. Although when I was born, he gave me the name Giri Govardhana. I am 20-years-old, and I am studying my BMA in Engineering. Both of my parents are disciples of Srila Acharyadeva. In addition to their individual professions, they are the owners and administrators of a Radha Govinda restaurant and a preaching center in Leon, Guanajuato. I arrived with Srila Acharyadeva in the evening of December 23rd. My plane was delayed for a few hours, and he, characteristic of a gentleman, maintained contact with my father and wrote him, "Do you have news about Govardan's flight? Has he arrived? Of course now is the worst traffic to depart from L.A." When I finally arrived to his home, he wrote to my father: "He's here! All happy."

When my father told me this, I felt very embarrassed and surprised to know that a personality like Srila Acharyadeva would worry about me, a young devotee, who with a lot of effort is trying to slightly advance in his spiritual life. During the time I was visiting, I realized that he has a great concern not only for his disciples and devotees in general but also for mankind, and that is why he is so concerned about continuing and giving emphasis to his writing service.

The first thing Acharyadeva showed me in his apartment was his altar. Although it appears simple, it emanates a lot devotion to the Supreme Lord. Then he showed me my room, bathroom, the internet access code, etc. Something very interesting to note here is that even though these are inevitable, everyday acts, his consciousness is above this atmosphere, just like the Bhagavatam explains in relation to these elevated personalities. I perceived this within minutes of being with Srila Acharyadeva.

Even though I was born into a devotional atmosphere, I have been a little skeptical and rebellious about some things. However, because I had the chance to observe Acharadeva's daily life more closely- a simple life externally, the life of a real sadhu in the 21st century- when I observed Srila Acharyadeva's life and his devotion to Srila Prabhupada, I subjugated my little salvage ego and accepted that in this very degraded age, there are still genuinely saintly and exemplary people.

Acharyadeva offers very healthy foods to Krishna, as organic as possible and walks every day. He has a real “yukta” life. Sometimes when we went to walk and climb a hill, he would ask me to push him up from behind saying, “Hey engine push me up.” Later, he would say in a joking mood, “To climb hills like this is not so difficult.”

A very sweet part of the day was the daily kirtan, accompanied by his artistic and melodious piano. Nama om Visnu padaya... Sri Krsna Caitanya... Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna... Namaste Narasimhaya... Tulasi Krsna preyasi... Kiba jaya jaya goracander... baje parama rasala... ”The harmony of this kirtan is supreme; its sweetness gives pleasure to the ear."

Acharyadeva is, indeed, a polite person. Every time he entered my room, he would kindly knock. Sometimes he asked about me and my family's well being, and he frequently asked if I was hungry or needed anything. Nevertheless, as an exemplary master that he is, he also used his compassion in the mode of instruction for my well being and consciousness. For example, one time when I was cutting and taking out the seeds of an apple for him, he observed that I was taking out more than necessary, and he said, "This is apple also! You must not waste the Lord's mercy." This embarrassed me a little bit. But on the other hand, I realized the difference in conscience, since in order to do it faster, for me it was normal to take off a piece of apple without perceiving the waste of the Supreme Lord's energy.

He was nice with me but also firm when the occasion and my not so small false ego merited it. When devotees visited him, he was very cordial and attentive with them, but I noticed that listening and talking to them wearies him a lot. On one occasion he told me that both talking with the devotees and writing was very complicated for him and his head (he made signs as if his head was warming up then spinning and making him tired). At that point, I could comprehend the enormous effort he is taking on in order to be able to complete his writings for the general well being of humanity. Thus, I feel obliged to let others know about this and to exhort their comprehension so we can permit him to continue his transcendental service.

I could say so many things about the objectively exemplary character of Srila Acharyadeva. But I would like to finish by saying that after this experience, I am convinced (although I am far away from it) that the spiritual realm is a reality which we should strive for; a conclusion gained after observing the life of a pure, exalted person absorbed in that reality.  

I would like to end this letter by sharing the last sentence of His Holiness Dhanvantari Swami's letter in relation to his visit with Srila Acharyadeva last October. He writes, "Acharyadeva is a gentleman and a devotee whose internal level of Krishna consciousness is very difficult to find in this day and age.”

Your servant,
Sri Govardhana das
January 26, 2012
 

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