Los Angeles Festival 2006
Venice, CA
June 8-12, 2006
Srila Narayana Maharaja arrived in Los Angeles on June 8, 2006. After his morning walk on the next morning, he visited the Sri Sri Radha-Govinda Gaudiya Matha, where Sri Sri Radha-Govinda preside along with Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai and Lord Nrsmhadeva. The devotees present performed guru-puja upon his arrival, and then he requested resident sannyasi Avadhuta Maharaja and Temple President Niscintya prabhu to speak. He himself then spoke for about ten minutes. He told the devotees that he would be happy if they could easily maintain the temple and that he would not be happy if they sell it.
In that regard he said, "I am very happy. This is a very good location and a very good temple room. So many persons can sit here. At the time of Srila Prabhupada Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja, his disciples easily established so many Mathas (temples) here and there, bigger than this one, and they very easily maintained them. So why can you not do so?
"I will be happy if you can easily maintain this Matha and I will come to this place. If you cannot, then sell it and make a smaller place — but I will not be happy. I think so many persons can sit here, maybe a thousand. If you try, you can easily do it. I request you all to keep this Matha in any respect. At the time of Prabhupada there were so many temples, everywhere in this world. Now, the devotees cannot maintain them, but at that time they used to do so.
So everyone should try; begging here and there, and serving. I will be happy if you can maintain, and keep this matha. Thank you."
After Srila Narayana Maharaja's talk, the LA devotees took him for a tour of the temple, especially showing him the garden and restaurant/store.
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