Timeline of His Holiness Jayapataka Swami's Life - 1991-2000

At 6 am: I saw Guru Mahārāja walking out of his room looking for me. I was getting dressed. He asked me whether there was enough time to go for a japa walk and discussed the program for the day. After shower Guru Mahārāja went to the temple hall, took darśana and straight onto the vyāsāsana to give the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam class. Nobody was in the temple hall. Everyone was waiting outside thinking that Guru Mahārāja will go for japa walk. Devotees rushed in as soon as Guru Mahārāja start singing ‘Jaya Rādhā Mādhava’. About 40 devotees attended the morning class. Being Ekādaśī, Guru Mahārāja only took varieties of fruits for his breakfast.

After breakfast few devotees came forward to talk with Guru Mahārāja. They asked some personal questions regarding their spiritual life. Today Guru Mahārāja has to attend The ISKCON Malaysia National Delegates Meetings at Sg. Petani Cinta Sayang Club. We left at 11.30 am. It is an hour drive from Penang Island. Caitanya Hari Prabhu was driving all of us. Guru Mahārāja was chanting all the way along the journey. All the leaders from all ISKCON Branches and Nāma-haṭṭas around Malaysia attended the meeting. Besides that, His Holiness Bhānu Swami and His Holiness Bhaktivrajendra Nandana Swami were there too. Discussion were mainly on national programs and activities for year 2000, preaching reports of the year 1999 and many other matters as well. Ekādaśī lunch was served for all right after the meeting. All the Swamis went to their chalets to take a nap after the lunch.

About 5.30 pm 15 candidates for initiation came for their interviews. Interviews went on for nearly 2 hours. These candidates had sat through a preliminary interviewed by senior local devotees. His Holiness Bhānu Swami helped us to choose the name for all the candidates. He gave the whole list to Guru Mahārāja.

Guru Mahārāja finalized with appropriate names. Around 8.30 pm we went to the local center where the initiation ceremony was to take place. Upon arrival we saw 300 devotees sitting under a tent listening to His Holiness Bhānu Swami’s lecture. After His Holiness Bhānu Swami’s lecture Guru Mahārāja spoke for 15 minutes and started the ceremony. Everything went as planned.

Dinner was served at 10pm. We served fruits and milk for Guru Mahārāja. Before Guru Mahārāja finished his dinner about 40 local devotees were ready to take darśana of Guru Mahārāja. With much difficulty we finished everything by 12 midnight and drove 45 minutes to Bukit Mertajam center for night’s rest. Guru Mahārāja got rest at 1 am.

Yours in the service of Guru Mahārāja,

Mahā Varāha Dāsa