Sri Guru Puja 2000.pdf - Srila Bhakti Vaibhava Puri Maharaja

He was well versed with the scriptures of the Vaishnavas as well as
Ayurvedic literature. Exactly at that time the staunch followers of Srila
Prabhupada who were sannyasis of Brahmacharies came to Ganjam
District for preaching the doctrine of Mahaprabhu and stayed at
Bhanjanagar. The disciples of Srila Prabhupada advised Srila Maharaj to
live with them in a math, seeing his wonderful zeal in preaching the Lord's
doctrine and his self interest in reading scriptures. Srila Maharaj has
narrated his life-story as follows:
"I continued to visit Radhakanta Temple in the westside of the village right
from my childhood. A 'Malati flower tree was stretching around a mango
tree.' I used to climb on the tree, pluck the flowers and offer to the deities
with garlands.
In my childhood days my elder brother and myself studied sanskrit and
oriya from a pandit. We also took part in the sankirtan group organised by
Narasingha Padhee of the village. Every year "Jhulan' festival is conducted
in Balaji Math, We attend the picnic on the hill situated near Golanthra Rly.
Station.
Our family guru Ramanujiya Mahant of Sariapalli gave Dikhya to my
father, elder brother and me and induced mantra by marking sign of
'Sankha' and 'Chakra' on our arms after performing 'Homa'. We recite daily
"Bishnu Sahasranama" 'Mukunda Mali Stotra, "Stotraratna", Srimad
Bhagabat of Jaganath Das in oriya and Gita. Pandit Dinabandhu Mohapatra
of Kortharsingh, a teacher, used to recite Ramayan and Sarala Mahabharat
from 9 pm to 11 pm near the Tulsi Tree on the middle of the village. Being
very near to our house, I also listen to that.
In the year 1923 we two brothers studied in the high school at Surangi and
stayed in a rented house. Amiappa, sister of Sri Laxman Das of Tulsigam
village, used to cook for us. She was unmarried. A devotee was carrying
the articles for cooking once in a week from our village. We also go to our
village on saturdays and sundays. All this was looked after by my father.
Thus we returned to Kotharsingh in April 1930 after completing studies.
When at Ichhapore, we go up the hill, meet Sri Brindaban Choudhury and
discuss on spiritual matters. We visit the house of Sri Laxmi narayan
Samant and Yogindra Samant. They are sons of Sri Chakrapani Samant
who is causin of Sri Surangi Raja. We frequently visit Tulsi village.
Wherever we go, we have to walk on foot. No other conveyance. We go to
Puri on the railways. We go on foot to Ichhapur and return even if it is 15
km from our village.
After talking to Head Lecturer Sri Premanand Mohanty of Berhampure
college we started reading there. But I developed apathy for studies owing
to freedom movement launched by Mahatma Gandhi. Still, on account of
father's wish, I had to be attentive towards my studies. Later my father
and then my mother passed away. Then I thought of studying Ayurveda in
order to serve the people and started my study under kaviraj Madhusudan
Sharma who was then a famous Kabiraj at Berhampore and Proprietor of