Meeting and Serving Srila Prabhupada

Devotees: His Holiness Giriraj Maharaja ki jaya!

Giriraj Swami: So, Dayanidhi Prabhu, I read your questions, and I could begin by giving some background, which you had asked for, and then at a certain point, you could ask the question and it could be more of an interview, if that’s alright.

Devotee: Yes, yes, Maharaja.

Giriraj Swami: Okay. So, in my youth, I aspired to attain perfect happiness, and soon, I realized that such happiness could not be achieved materially, but only spiritually. And through reading spiritual books, I came to understand that to achieve spiritual perfection, I needed a guru. In fact, I read that I didn't even have to choose a guru, he was already there. My dear devotees, other than the translator, I suggest that the rest of you mute yourself, so there are no other sounds. So, coming back to my story, whenever I heard about a guru anywhere, even a thousand miles away, I would go to meet him. [Skip 00:20:35–00:25:01]

But my doubt remained. Later, he came to Boston, near Brandeis University, where I was a student. After his talk and demonstration, someone in the audience asked about Vedanta. “I have enough trouble keeping up with Zen,” he answered. “How do you expect me to know about Vedanta?” My previous doubt was confirmed. He is not my perfect master.

Then a hatha-yogi came to Brandice to give a lecture. He had long hair, a beard, and flowing robes. He said that by yoga, you can attain complete mastery over your bodily functions, including the movement of the bowels. You could actually command your intestines, “Ascending colleen advance, transverse colleen advance, descending colleen advance.” That means you move the stool along. And finally, “Rectum pass.” I was really looking for a guru, so I thought, Anyway, maybe.

After the lecture, I tried to meet the swami, but he was leaving for the airport. I wanted to ride with him in his car, but there was no room, so I rode with some of his students. On the way, they discussed the various foods they missed since they had joined the ashram. So, I started to have some doubts, but then I thought, Anyway, they are just students. The master may be on a much higher level. When we arrived at the airport, I beheld the swami. There he was; long flowing hair, beard, draping orange robes, a flower in his hair, a twinkle in his eyes, the very picture of Indian spirituality. But then I saw him tightly embracing his women disciples. And I knew, “He is not my perfect master, I have to keep looking.”

Next, I heard about a so-called enlightened psychology lecturer, who was teaching at [Unintelligible 00:32:45] College in Ohio. The college was known as a progressive university, and I wanted to meet the so-called enlightened professor immediately. Ready to do anything to find my guru, I got in my car and drove the seven hundred miles. When I arrived with great anticipation and eagerness, I searched out the officer’s office and inquired about him from his secretary. “He is playing golf,” she informed me. “Playing golf?” I asked incredulously, “I thought he was supposed to be enlightened.” “That is his Zen,” she replied. Oh no, I thought, Playing golf? He is not my perfect master.

Back at Brandeis, one of my psychology professors invited J. Krishna Murthy to speak. I attended the lecture, and during the break, I told my professor that I wanted to meet Krishna Murthy. “Why?” My professor asked. “I may want him as my guru,” I replied. “Oh, he doesn’t accept disciples,” my professor said. “He doesn’t even touch money.” My professor was impressed, but I wasn’t. I thought, If he is actually able to help people, why should he refuse, just to be renounced? He is not my perfect master. I kept searching. I already had the idea that you don’t have to choose your guru, that he is already there. I even had a mental picture of what my guru looked like.