Prabhupāda's Guru Mahārāja Was the Person Behind the Power

To the outside world, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura was the "Lion Guru"—a fierce debater and strict ascetic. But how did he appear to his own disciples? Śrīla Prabhupāda peels back the curtain to reveal the humor, the kindness, and the overwhelming stature of his spiritual master.

The Living Encyclopedia

Śrīla Prabhupāda often highlighted the immense intellectual weight his Guru Mahārāja carried. He was not just a scholar; he was the authority on every subject. In the beginning, Śrīla Prabhupāda admits he was "puzzled" by the high philosophical terms, yet he knew he was in the presence of greatness.

"My Guru Maharaja was called "Living Encyclopedia, he could talk with anyone on any subject"

The Calcutta Gentleman

Contrary to the stern image often portrayed, Śrīla Prabhupāda remembers his Guru’s humanity. He describes him as a "Calcutta bhap" (gentleman), noting that this shared cultural background created a unique, humorous bond between them.

"My Guru Maharaja was very humorous. He was a Calcutta bhap.(?) Therefore he liked me. All others, they came from East Bengal. I was the only disciple, Calcutta"

The Risk-Taking General

Above all, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī was a gosthyānandī—a general in the war against māyā. He was not an armchair philosopher; he took risks to save souls, even to the point of danger.

"The preaching work is not easy-going. There are so many difficulties. All the big, big preachers... Sri Ramanujacarya. His life was attempted to be killed. Why Ramanujacarya? My Guru Maharaja was attempted to be killed"

Conclusion

Śrīla Prabhupāda’s reminiscences show us that Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī’s greatness was not just in his philosophy, but in his ability to be both a "Living Encyclopedia" to the world and a kind, humorous father to his disciples.

Dive Deeper into Srila Prabhupada's Vani

Srila Prabhupada lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category My Guru Maharaja Was... (Bhaktisiddhanta).

We invite you to click the link above to study the complete compilation and experience Srila Prabhupada's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.