Tad-Vidhi : 'That' is the process

 Tad-Vidhi : 'That' is the process 

{ Octa-floraled offering unto the lotus feet of Sri Guru}

आतां हृदय हें आपुलें । चौफाळुनियां भलें ।

वरी बैसऊं पाउलें । श्रीगुरूंचीं ॥ 

1. Let me prostrate my initial offerings of respectful obeisances unto the son of Mahadeva and Bhavani, Ganesha, who is wisdom-personified constantly bearing the name of Sri Rama on his tongue and whose tumuli always holds the lotus feet of Sriman Govinda, I, then offer my humble obeisances unto the lotus feet of Lord Shiva- the crest jewel of husband of Janaki, and Mata Bhavani, the external potency of Sriman Narayana!

I then begin worshiping my spiritual master by whose mercy a dumb like me is writing the following, as ‘Tad-Vidhi: 'That' is the process’.

2. Now, In the dark room filled with ignorance, I make my heart as a quadrilateral stool, Chauranga as it was done by Srila Jnaneshwar Maharaj- the disciple of Srila Nivrittinath, and then place the lotus paduka of my spiritual master, Om Vishnupada Parivajrakacaraya Ashtottara Sri Sri Srimad Abhay Charanaravinda Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada on it. I, then, sincerely surrender and unanimously offer myself (with mind, body, heart) as my Pranaam-offering.

3. Seeing the lotus feet of my spiritual master as the only shelter for me in existence, I perform the abhisheka, firstly with the waters of faith, milk as love, curd as determination of single-mindedness, service as ghee, honey as sincerity, and sugar-water as devotion. 

The charanamrit of whose, eradicates the blazing fire of material existence.

4. Now, gently cleaning my master's lotus feet with the cloth of servitorship, I, kindly smear the lotus paduka with the transcendental fragrant tikka/gandha as my enquiries on account of my disciplic engagement.

 I offer my desires in the form of floral oblations, the rose as my devotional attachment, along with lotus flower as my wholehearted consciousness surrendered at Gurudeva’s lotus feet. Lighting the lamp of ghee personifying service, cotton of life and fire of capabilities, thus, dissipating the ignorant darkness around.

5. The fragrant incense sticks as my false ego finds its way then, as I burn the incense in the ghee-lit lamp thereby offering vertical circumambulations with the mood of immense humbleness, of which the fragrance of spiritual joy blooms as the incense burns in the association of my Guru-Maharaj.

6. Then, I, with mind absorbed in remembering the glories of my spiritual master sung by the Vedas, say the following with repeated obeisances, 

“ I was born in the darkest ignorance, and my spiritual master opened my eyes with the torch of knowledge. I offer my respectful obeisances unto him. 

I offer my respectful obeisances unto His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who is very dear to Lord Krsna, having taken shelter of his lotus feet. Our respectful obeisances unto you, O spiritual master, servant of Sarasvati Gosvami. You are kindly preaching the message of Lord Caitanyadeva and delivering the Western countries, which are filled with impersonalism and voidism.” 

7. With body being engaged in vapu-seva and intelligence in vani-seva, I, now, with complete surrender, offer my sensuous and passionate desires as chamara-seva unto my Gurudev’s lotus feet, the grand disciple of Srila Gaur Kishore Das Babaji Maharaj. 

8. Thus, the octaversed-offering ‘Tad-Vidhi: 'That' is the process’ was composed by the disciple of Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami and friend of Jnaneshwar, in the 538th Gaurabdha, on Gaura(shukla) paksha ashtami (Radha-ashtami) tithi of Hrishikesha (bhadra) month, as a octa-floraled garland to kindly submit at my Gurudev’s charan-paduka, pleased by which, His Divine Grace, blessed a materialistic person desirous of constant worldly achievements toppling in the waves of bodily affection-hatred like me, nonetheless, the Guru-parampara of Sri Brahma-Madhva Gaudiya Vaisnava Sampradaya was revealed to me and the fruit of harinaam was received by me as prasad, by the Divine Grace of His Divine Grace, who is deliverer of fallen souls, the disciple of His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Goswami Thakur Prabhupada! 

           ~Harrison

   {538th Gaurabdha,  

 Gaura(shukla) paksha ashtami (Radha-ashtami) tithi,

of Hrishikesha (bhadra) month,

11th September, 2024}