Since Maharaj came back and even before then,I find myself always offering my humble obeisances to him at his lotus feet both in the morning and evening before I go to bed when he is here. I also offer him Tulasi's flower after I offer it to her. And just this morning a realization hit me as I had offered my obeisances to him.
I had asked Maharaj this morning when he was leaving and he said in five minutes so I immediately bowed down to his lotus feet and when I did that I felt so sheltered and protected by him. I feel like there is a protective shield around me every time I offer my obeisances to him. Im so happy that Maharaj is so kind and thoughtful, gentle, and caring to everyone.
I do the same for Srila Prabhupada as well because I have been going to the last darshan lately. So I feel protected by Srila Prabhupada as well. I have something nice in mind to write in my offering to my guru maharaj when his appearance day comes. I just want it to be something that will touch his heart and something he won't forget.
I also feel the same when I offer obeisances to the Deities at Their Lotus Feet. They too make you feel sheltered and protected. Im grateful Krishna gave me this realization. I just may write this in my guru maharaj's offering for his appearance day. I just have to figure out how to say it.
People who are non devotees may think it strange bowing down before a spiritual master or priest but it should be done because he is a representive of God as he does preach about God which is why we bow down to our guru maharaj. It is said that the spiritual master is to be honored as much as the Supreme Lord because he is the most confidential servitor of the Lord. The spiritual master is not to be thought of as an ordinary person. He is a spiritual person. And I believe in that about my spiritual master. In fact my guru maharaj reminds me so much of Lord Chaitanya because he is so merciful and very tolerant of everyone and everything. So I know for sure that my guru Maharaj is very spiritual and he came from the spiritual world to here to help us return home to Krishna as Srila Prabhupada did when he was present in this world.
So I believe as long as I keep offering my obeisances to my guru Maharaj I know I will always feel sheltered and protected by him. One cannot make any spiritual advancement without the grace of the spiritual master.
