Country: USA
www.sevaashram.com, www.scsmission.com
His Divine Grace Oṁ Viṣṇupād Śrīla Bhakti Pavan Janārdan Mahārāj first joined the Krishna Consciousness Movement around 1970 in Europe, where he took shelter of the lotus feet of His Divine Grace Śrīla Bhaktivedanta Swāmī Prabhupad. He remained there actively helping with the preaching activities until Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāj asked him and many other disciples to go to India to help expand the Mission there. Seeing that this was very important service Śrīla Janārdan Mahārāj immediately went there and helped with his full energy.
After serving in India for two years, Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāj conferred the sannyās ashram on him and thus he began to lead various preaching and collecting programs throughout the length and breadth of India.
After doing all he could in that environment, he was asked by Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāj to organize the program in Hong Kong, then finding that Śrīla Janārdan Mahārāj was fluent in Spanish, he was dispatched to South America where he headed many preaching programs and finally took full charge of the large Mission in Mexico.
After the disappearance of Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāj in 1977, Śrīla Janārdan Mahārāj continued to preach, publish and manage the mission, but in his heart, he felt something lacking. So in 1987, his internal inspiration sent him to the lotus feet of Śrīla Bhakti Rakṣak Śrīdhar Dev-Goswāmī Mahārāj, an intimate friend and associate of Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāj and whom Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāj had described as “My śikṣā-guru.” After establishing a deep, heart connection with Śrīla Śrīdhar Mahārāj, he was given the sannyās title of Śrīpad Bhakti Pavan Janārdan Mahārāj. Shortly after this, he purchased the first “owned” Temple of the Śrī Chaitanya Saraswat Maṭh in Mexico and he also began to spend more time preaching and inspiring the devotees in the United States.
It was around this time that due to a financial crisis, the former San Jose Temple was lost. So with great endeavor, and under the instruction and guidance of Śrīla Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswāmī Mahārāj, Śrīla Janārdan Mahārāj, together with Śrīpad Yudhamanyu Prabhu Seva Vikram, were able to reestablish the San Jose Temple and a short while later, with the order and backing of Śrīla Govinda Mahārāj, were able to purchase the magnificent Śrī Chaitanya Saraswat Seva Ashram, located in the hills of Santa Cruz, California.
During this period, Śrīla Janārdan Mahārāj continued to travel and preach on behalf of Śrīla Govinda Mahārāj and his relationship with him developed more and more and became deeper and deeper as the years went by. Śrīla Janārdan Mahārāj would visit India regularly and personally collected donations on behalf of the central Math. He would also participate in the Śrī Chaitanya Saraswat Maṭh Nabadwīp Dham Parikrama in a glorious way bringing so much inspiration to the devotees and much joy to Śrīla Govinda Mahārāj’s heart.
Finally, before leaving this world, Śrīla Govinda Mahārāj declared in his Last Will and Testament “And in America Śrīpad Janārdan Mahārāj is a perfect personality. He is a perfect gentlemen. He will be Acharya. He is Acharya already but has given all the respect to me; I am giving in return to him. Śrīpad Janārdan Mahārāj will become the Acharya and Sevaite of the Soquel Maṭh.” So, under Śrīla Govinda Mahārāj’s instruction, Śrīla Janārdan Mahārāj has continue to care and serve his divine mission.