All Glories to Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Gandharvika Giridhari!
Pushpa Samadhi Mandir
of Om Vishnupad Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda
Dev-Goswami Maharaj
July 4, 2010
Proposed construction plans at
Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Seva Ashram in Soquel, California, USA
Expected completion date: Sri Radhastami - September 15, 2010
Artistic rendition of proposed samadhi of Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj, overlooking the Seva Ashram grounds from a shady spot
His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev Goswami Maharaj in California
and His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharyya Maharaj
A letter from Sripad Bhakti Pavan Janardan Maharaj
Temple President
Sripad Bhakti Pavan
Janardan Maharaj
Our Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Seva Ashram in Soquel has always felt that our inspiration is ever coming from the Divine blessings of Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj. He will always be in our hearts, and by his blessings we will continue to make progress in Krishna consciousness and to serve his Divine mission.
It was by Srila Govinda Maharaj's grace that we acquired this beautiful land in 1993, on Sri Radhastami day, and he gave us Their Lordships, Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Gandharvika Giridhari Jiu. When he performed the ceremony to install the Deities, Srila Govinda Maharaj said they are non-different from the beautiful Deities of the same name installed in the Mayapur Sri Chaitanya Math by Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur.
Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Gandharvika Giridhari Jiu and
Sri Guru himself: His Divine Grace on
Sri Govardhan Puja in 2007
When Srila Govinda Maharaj visited here on several of his world tours, he always lovingly spoke of our Seva Ashram, of the beautiful hills that reminded him of Govardhan, and remarked how pleased he was being here and happy to see the deer that came down to take the Lord's prashadam. We, of course, are all feeling great separation from Srila Govinda Maharaj, who departed from our vision on March 27, 2010. Before leaving this world, Srila Govinda Maharaj lovingly commented that he would come here and sit on the branches of our trees and observe what we were offering to him.
His Divine Grace and the devotees on the hill in 2007
It is now our loving desire to build a pushpa samadhi for Srila Govinda Maharaj overlooking his house, near the oak trees that he indicated would be where he would sit. A pushpa samadhi (which is non-different from the actual samadhi) means that flowers that were on Srila Gurudev's body when he was placed in samadhi in our Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math in Nabadwip, along with sacred earth from his samadhi, have been brought here and will be placed in the his samadhi at the Seva Ashram. Examples of pushpa samadhis are the samadhis of Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur in Sri Godrumadvip, and the samadhi of Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad in Mayapur.
A cardboard mock-up gives an impression of the size and possible
The samadhi’s location is very shady, cool, and has a broad view of the Soquel Seva Ashram
The pushpa samadhi will have nice gardens and a patio where devotees can sit together for classes.
We hope to begin construction of this samadhi soon, and are asking for the support of all the devotees. We of course want to make a loving offering for Srila Govinda Maharaj and are sure that all his dear servitors will want to contribute to this very personal offering. Please, all of you, help us in this service to our beloved Spiritual Master so that we can have a beautiful samadhi at our Seva Ashram in the memory of our most beloved Divine Guardian, Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj.
Affectionately,
Swami Bhakti Pavan Janardan
The community gathered with His Divine Grace in the Prasadam Hall to watch a childrens’ play
on Sri Govardhan Puja in 2007
A note from Sripad Bhakti Chandan Parvat Maharaj
Sripad Bhakti Chandan
Parvat Maharaj
This Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Seva Ashram was considered to be Gupta Govardhan by our beloved spiritual Master Sri Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj. It is a very sweet way for the Devotees to memorialize his wonderful sweet mercy to the West by constructing a Pushpa Samadhi here in his beloved Soquel Ashram.
Hasyapriya Prabhu has located the proposed pushpa samadhi under an oak tree where the children of the Ashram like to play. It will be enclosed by a parikrama path and a small area where devotees can gather to worship or just simply remember our beloved Gurudev. Planned landscaping and flower gardens will further beautify this area.
The devotees trying to keep up pace with His Divine Grace in Soquel
A letter from Sripad Hasyapriya Prabhu
Sripad Hasyapriya
Prabhu
It is our humble honor to propose to the community of devotees the plan to build a pushpa samadhi mandir in glorification of Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj at the Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Seva Ashram in Soquel, California. We wish to establish a place here at the Seva Ashram that is exclusively dedicated to the glorification of His Divine Grace. A place of dignified beauty, where the devotees can come and remember him, glorify him, worship him and pray to him.
The samadhi and gardens will be on a lovely slope:
up front and visible from the whole Seva Ashram property.
Srila Gurudev often expressed his affection for the Soquel Seva Ashram. He visited here on his world tours ten times and even stayed here for six months from September 2004 to March 2005. When we expressed to him that it was our dream that came true for him to stay for six months, he expressed to us that it was also his dream that had come true!
The samadhi site is to the right as one follows the driveway up to the barn.
Construction of retaining walls to support the pathways has already begun.
Work will continue constantly until the project is finished.
Pushpa samadhi of Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur
Srila Gurudev previously expressed that after he departed this world, he wanted to come to Soquel and sit in Samadhi under the tree where the children played. So it is in this spot, under the shade of two majestic oak trees, that we have cleared and prepared for the building location of his pushpa samadhi mandir. This is the most beautiful place on the whole Ashram. With a commanding view from the hillside, Gurudev can see all the devotees who visit and upon arriving at the Ashram the devotees first see His Divine Grace.
Working for so long on our plans for the expansion of the Soquel Seva Ashram, we are very happy to find that the very first construction project that we will do is to build this memorial to His Divine Grace.
Master craftsman
Bahulavan Prabhu
Getting inspiration from the design of the Pushpa Samadhi Mandir of Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur, at the Radha Damodar Temple in Vrindavan, we have designed a similar structure, surrounded by gardens and a parikrama path for circumambulating the Mandir. We are very fortunate that Bahulavan Prabhu has agreed to oversee the construction and build the Mandir. He is a master craftsman with many years of experience in construction, including building temples, altars, rath carts and other devotional projects.
Srila Bhakti Nirmal
Acharyya Maharaj
Work has already started on the parikrama paths, with leveling the ground and pouring concrete walls. The work will continue and it is our prayer that we will be finished for a grand inauguration festival at Sri Radhastami on September 15, 2010, when Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharyya Maharaj is planning on coming to the Soquel Seva Ashram for his first visit.
We humbly ask for the blessings and assistance of all the devotees in this endeavor.
Service donations may be sent to:
Vaishnava Seva Society,
PO Box 8040
Santa Cruz, CA 95061
or via Paypal at: http://www.SevaAshram.org.
Any suggestions or comments may be sent to me at: Hasyapriya@SevaAshram.org.
Sincerely,
Hasyapriya das