Following a recent visit to the BAPS Neasden temple, Sruti Dharma das, Temple President of ISKCON Bhaktivedanta Manor, casually invited Mahant Swami Maharaj, international spiritual head of BAPS, to visit the Manor. Considering the Swami’s elderly age and his international priorities, Sruti Dharma had not expected the call he would receive on Sunday 8th October: “Mahant Swami has accepted your invitation and will arrive at Bhaktivedanta Manor tomorrow at 10.15am’. And there he was, surrounded by over twenty saffron turbaned sadhus and a huge entourage of followers, at 10.15 on the dot.
Mahant Swami Maharaj along with Atma Swarup Swami, and the European head Yogvivek Swami, were received with mantras, lamps and a shower of flower petals. In the temple, Mahant Swami prayed to the presiding deities Shree Shree Radha Gokulananda and offered a garland to the murti of ISKCON’s founder Acarya, Srila Prabhupada. Sitting in the sacred rooms of Srila Prabhupada, Mahant Swami address the august gathering of ISKCON and BAPS leaders:
“From the moment I received your invitation, I had decided to accept. Bhakti has brought us together. Bhakti unites us, when embraced with the spirit of das-anudas bhava, unconditional love and service.”
Since visiting the early ISKCON temple that was once in Bury Place, London in the 1970’s, along with HH Yogiji Maharaj, HH Pramukh Swami Maharaj, Mahant Swami has deeply admired the work of Srila Prabhupada in establishing temples all over the world. ISKCON and BAPS have worked closely together for the last two decades on spiritual and humanitarian initiatives. Uniting their members in devotion, the organizations submitted a joint response on the recent ‘caste’ consultation, joined together in interfaith, supported Diwali in London and launched Diwali in the European Parliament.
As the sadhus and visitors arrived on the site of ISKCON’s future Haveli building, Mahant Swami offered flower petals praying for the success of the project. The visit was concluded with darshan of the Tulsi temple and visiting the Goshala cows. As Mahant Swami held out a large bundle of fresh green grass, the cows came with excitement to eat from his hand. With that he turned, beaming with smiles, and said that he was himself was blessed by the visit.
