By Radhanath Swami
We Celebrate Both, Appearance & Disappearance: On the disappearance of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur, Srila Prabhupada taught us how to observe this day of the disappearance of the Guru. He explained that there is no difference between appearance and disappearance on the spiritual level. Because, for such divine realized souls who are in contact with the eternal soul, there coming and going into this world are both only for the benefit of those who love them. Of course, on the appearance there is usually a great celebration and on the disappearance there is the celebration of tears – a celebration in the mood of separation. Appearance means unity, meeting, coming together and disappearance means the pains of separation. Krishna sometimes is known as Madan Mohan. One definition of this Madan means meeting and Mohan means separation. So Krishna teaches us to love Him through meeting with us and then through casting us into the realm of separation.