The Essence of Devotion

Sri Vyasa-Puja Homage

2008-11-08T11:49:00.005+11:00

by His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

In ten short years, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada inundated the world with Krsna Consciousness. In the following excerpt from one of his essays, he smashes the sectarian misconception that the spiritual master is limited to a particular person, form, or institution, and establishes the universal conception of guru.

saksad-dharitvena samasta-sastrair
uktas tatha bhavyata eva sadbhih
kintu prabhor yah priya eva tasya
vande guroh sri caranaravindam

In the revealed scriptures it is declared that the spiritual master should be worshiped like the Supreme Personality of Godhead and this injunction is obeyed by pure devotees of the Lord. The spiritual master is the most confidential servant of the Lord. Thus let us offer our respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of our spiritual master .

Gentlemen, on behalf of the members of the Bombay branch of the Gaudiya Math, let me welcome you all because you have so kindly joined us tonight in our congregational offerings of homage to the lotus feet of the world teacher, acaryadeva, who is the founder of this Gaudiya Mission and is the President-acarya of Sri Sri Visva Vaisnava Raja Sabha-I mean my eternal divine master, Om Visnupada Paramaharnsa Parivrajakacarya, Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami Maharaja.

Sixty-two years ago, on this auspicious day, the acaryadeva made his appearance by the call of Thakura Bhaktivinoda at Sri Ksetra, Jagannatha Dhama at Puri.

Gentlemen, the offering of such an homage as has been arranged this evening to the acaryadeva is not a sectarian concern, for when we speak of the fundamental principle of gurudeva or acaryadeva, we speak of something that is of universal application. There does not arise any question of discrirninating my guru from yours or anyone else's.

There is only one guru, who appears in an infinity of forms to teach you, me and all others.

In the Mundaka Upanisad (1.2.12) it is said:

tad-vijnartham sa gurum evabhigacchet samit-panih srotriyam brahma-nistham

"In order to learn the transcendental science, one must approach the bona fide spiritual master in disciplic succession, who is fixed in the Absolute Tmth.''

Thus it has been enjoined herewith that in order to receive that transcendental knowledge, one must approach the guru. Therefore, if the Absolute Truth is one, about which we think there is no difference of opinion, the guru cannot be two. The acaryadeva to whom we have assembled tonight to offer our humble homage is not the guru of a sectarian institution or one out of many differing exponents of the truth. On the contrary, he is the jagad-guru, or the guru of all of us, the only difference is that some obey him wholeheartedly, while others do not obey him directly.

In the Bhagavatam (11.17.27) it is said:

acaryam mam vijaniyan
navamanyeta karhicit
na martya-buddhyasuyeta
sarva-deva mayoguruh

"One should understand the spiritual master to be as good as I am," said the Blessed Lord. "Nobody should be jealous of the spiritual master or think of him as an ordinary man, because the spiritual master is the sum total of all demigods." That is, the acarya has been identified with God Himself. He has nothing to do with the affairs of this mundane world. He appears before us to reveal the light of the Vedas and to bestow upon us the blessing of full-fledged freedom, after which we should hanker at every step of our life's journey.

The transcendental knowledge of the Vedas was first uttered by God to Brahma, the creator of this particular universe. From Brahma the knowledge descended to Narada, from Narada to Vyasadeva, from Vyasadeva to Madhva, and in this process of disciplic succession the transcendental knowledge was transmitted by one disciple to another till it reached Lord Gauranga, Sri Krsna Caitanya, who posed as the disciple and successor of Sri Isvara Puri. The present acaryadeva is the tenth disciplic representative from Sri Rupa Goswami, the original representative of Lord Caitanya who preached this transcendental tradition in its fullness. The knowledge that we receive from our gurudeva is not different from that imparted by God Himself and the succession of the acaryas in the preceptorial line of Brahma. We adore this auspicious day as Sri Vyasa-puja-tithi because the acarya is the living representative of Vyasadeva, the divine compiler of the Vedas, Puranas, Bhagavad gita, Mahabharata and Srimad-Bhagavatam .

We cannot know anything of the transcendental region by our limited, perverted method of okservation and experiment. But all of us can lend our eager ears for the aural reception of the transcendental sound transmitted from that region to this, through the unadulterated medium of sri gurudeva or Sri Vyasadeva. Therefore, gentlemen, we should surrender ourselves today at the feet of the representative of Sn Vyasadeva for the elimination of all our differences bred by our unsubmissive attitude. It is accordingly said in the Bhagavad-gita (4.34):

tad viddhi pranipatena
pariprasnena sevaya
upadeksyanti te jnanam
jnaninas tattva darsinah

"Just approach the wise and bona fide spiritual master. Surrender unto him first and try to understand him by inquiries and service. Such a wise spiritual master will enlighten you with transcendental knowledge, for he has already known the Aksolute Truth."

To receive transcendental knowledge, we must completely surrender ourselves to the real acarya in a spirit of ardent inquiry and service. Actual performance of service to the Absolute under the guidance of the acarya is the only vehicle by which we can assimilate transcendental knowledge. Today's meeting for offering our humble services and homage to the feet of the acaryadeva will enable us to be favored with the capacity of assimilating the transcendental knowledge so kindly transmitted by him to all persons without distinction.

Gentlemen, although it is imperfectly that we have been enabled, by his grace, to understand the sublime messages of our acaryadeva, we must admit that we have realized definitely that the divine message from his holy lips is the congenial thing for suffering humanity. All of us should hear him patiently. If we listen to the transcendental sound without unnecessary opposition, he will surely have mercy upon us. The acarya's message is to take us back to our original home, back to God. Let me repeat, therefore, that we should hear him patiently, follow him in the measure of our conviction and bow down at his lotus feet for releasing us from our present causeless unwillingness for serving the Absolute and all souls.

Sitting at the feet of the acaryadeva, let us try to understand from this transcendental source of knowledge what we are, what is this universe, what is God, and what is our relationship with Him. The message of Lord Caitanya is the message for the living entities and the message of the living world. Lord Caitanva did not bother himself for the upliftment of this dead world, which is suitably named Martyaloka, the world where everything is destined to die. He appeared before us four hundred and fifty years ago to tell us something of the transcendental universe, where everything is permanent and everything is for the service of the Absolute. But recently Lord Caitanya has keen misrepresented by some unscrupulous persons, and the highest philosophy of the Lord has been misinterpreted to be the cult of the lowest type of society. We are glad to announce tonight that our acaryadeva, with his usual kindness, saved us from this horrible type of degradation, and therefore we bow down at his lotus feet with all humility.

We are happy that we have been relieved of this horrible type of malady by the mercy of His Divine Grace. He is our eye-opener, our eternal father, our eternal preceptor and our eternal guide. Let us therefore bow down at his lotus feet on this auspicious day.

Gentlemen, although we are like ignorant children in the knowledge of Transcendence, still, my gurudeva has kindled a small fire within us to dissipate the invincible darkness of empirical knowledge. We are now so much on the safe side that no amount of philosophical argument by the empiric schools of thought can deviate us an inch from the position of our eternal dependence on the lotus feet of His Divine Grace.

Gentlemen, had he not appeared before us to deliver us from the thralldom of this gross, worldly delusion, surely we should have remained for lives and ages in the darkness of helpless captivity. Had he not appeared before us, we would not have been able to understand the eternal truth of the sublime teaching of Lord Caitanya.

Personally, I have no hope for any direct service of the coming crores of births in the sojourn of my life, but I am confident that some day or other I shall be delivered from this mire of delusion in which I am at present so deeply sunk. Therefore let me with all my earnestness pray at the lotus feet of my divine master to allow me to suffer the lot for which I am destined due to my past misdoings, but to let me have this power of recollection: that I am nothing but a tiny servant of the Almighty Absolute Godhead, realized through the unflinching mercy of my divine master. Let me therefore bow down at his lotus feet with all the humility at my command.

Abhay Charan Das [early name of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada]
For Members, Sri Gaudiya Math
Bombay

-This lecture was originally published in The Harmonist in 1936, on the advent day of His Divine Grace Om Visnupada Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura.

Selected Nectarian Advice

2008-11-05T16:01:00.013+11:00

Selected Nectarean Advice
of Sri Srimad Bhakti Srirupa
Siddhanta Goswami Maharaja

(1) Obtaining the shelter of the lotus feet of a genuine guru is, without a doubt, a matter of both great fortune and great dilemma for the baddha-jiva. If, however, a fortunate soul has a sincere longing and ardency to attain a true guru, he does so by the mercy of Sri Krishna.

(2) The baddha-jiva is extremely insignificant; it is impossible for him to realise the magnitude of Sri Guru.

(3) One who, birth after birth has accumulated bhaktiunmukhi-sukriti, or spiritual merits leading to bhakti, will, in one birth, come face to face with the devotee of Sri Krishna, Sri Guru, by Sri Krishna's mercy. By the mercy of that krishna-bhakta (Sri Gurudeva) one hears krishna-katha from his mouth and gradually experiences the appearance of devotion in one's heart. By the light of the sun, one sees the sun. Similarly, in the light of the sadhu's mercy one can comprehend the sadhu's svarupa (eternal nature), and an acute hankering awakens to engage in hari-bhajana in the shelter of his lotus feet.

(4) The sadhu mercifully gives mantra initiation (diksha) and instructions (siksha) in the path of hari-bhajana to that sincere and surrendered person.

(5) As a result of accepting the shelter of a sadhu's lotus feet, a person performs hari-bhajana, and as he gradually becomes free from anarthas, he becomes cognizant of the nature of the transcendental reality.

(6) Only a sadhu who knows the imports of all sastras, who is devoted to Bhagavan and who is intent on bhajana, is a genuine guru. Those who speak in order to appease the fancies of the baddha-jiva's mind and thus try to attract it are not worthy of the title guru; rather they are the jiva's enemies. Never associate with them no matter how fond of their charming words you may be.

(7) Know that the entirety of instructions given by the karmis, jnanis, yogis and pseudo bhaktas to the jiva so he can obtain his own pleasure contain no message of eternal, supreme auspiciousness. The association of such persons is always to be rejected, no matter how enjoyable it is.

(8) One cannot understand that the association of nondevotees brings utter inauspiciousness until, as a matter of fortune one achieves the pure devotee's mercy, which results from Sri Krishna's grace.

(9) The words of pure devotees are contrary to our sense gratification. No matter how pitiless and harsh their words may seem if we can sincerely submit to them with our body, mind and words, our eternal welfare is assured.

(10) Maha-bhagavata Vaishnavas are the eternal, dear associates of Gaura-Krishna. If a jiva has not accumulated an unlimited amount of bhaktiunmukhi-sukriti, the darsana and shelter of such Vaishnavas does not come within the scope of his fortune.

(11) Merely maintaining the arrogance that one has received the mercy of suddha-bhaktas does not actually award that mercy or the position of being their disciple.

(12) A genuine disciple is just as rare as a genuine guru.

(13) Sri Bhagavan, as antaryami, resides in the hearts of all. Since pure devotees are the antaryami of even Bhagavan, they can serve Him according to His internal desires and thus please Him. Thus they are known as bhagavat-preshtha. Even after becoming the genuine disciple of such a person, one must understand the inner desire of Sri Gurudeva and serve him accordingly.

(14) One cannot charm Sri Gurudeva with a display of external emotions, gestures and formalities. If one becomes a disciple without sincerely surrendering oneself at Sri Gurudeva's lotus feet, it is like trying to cheat a blacksmith regarding iron and one is bound to be cheated of his own welfare. (A blacksmith's primary occupation is working with iron.)

(15) Only at the time of Sri Gurudeva's disappearance can one recognise the actual identity of his disciples. One can then understand who has approached Sri Guru with what intention.

(16) Even after taking shelter of a sad-guru's lotus feet, some disciples secretly strive to occupy the seat of Sri Gurudeva at the time of his disappearance. Their acceptance of the shelter of Sri Guru's feet was merely deceit. They are, in fact, hostile and inimical to guru.

(17) Moreover, some disciples try to misappropriate the opulence and paraphernalia intended for the service of Sri Guru-Gauranga. This is not understood while Sri Gurudeva is still present, but after he has disappeared from this world, it assumes a terrible form. Know these disciples to be hypocrites, enjoyers and offenders.

(18) Even at the time of Sri Gurudeva's manifest presence, some try to control their godbrothers instead of regarding them as worshipable. Thus they become severe offenders of the Vaishnavas.

(19) Those who have been appointed to the position of temple-manager, but who do not serve in mutual cooperation with others and are reluctant to give due respect to their godbrothers, are sense enjoyers, that is, enjoyers of the matha. Instead of serving Bhagavan they are greedy to enjoy His property. They are a disgrace to the title "disciple".

(20) Many, who are disciples in name only, even try to destroy the institution when Sri Gurudeva disappears because the honour they receive decreases at that time. These people are most inimical to guru and most certainly condemned to hell.

(21) Those disciples who deviate and engage in numerous acts of malice against Sri Guru when he disappears were undoubtedly hidden deceivers at the time of his manifest presence.

(22) Those in the stage of sadhana, who are not careful about obeying Sri Guru and avoiding offences to Vaishnavas, fall down even though they may have reached an elevated level.

(23) Those who take shelter at the lotus feet of a sadguru with a desire to do hari-bhajana should simple-heartedly follow Sri Gurudeva's instructions with their body, mind and words. If they fail to drive extraneous desires from their hearts, the prohibited endeavours for karma and jnana will present numerous deterrents to remaining on the path of suddha-bhakti.

(24) If the disciple's heart is not clean, Sri Guru's heart does not reflect in it. Only out of immense fortune does the moon of bhakti that exists in the heart of Sri Gurudeva, maha-bhagavat, manifest within the heart of the disciple.

(25) A simple-hearted disciple, who desires his true benefit, practically never meets a bad end.

(26) A disciple surrendered at the lotus feet of a sad-guru should always keep in mind the teachings from "Sri Rupa-siksha" in Sri Caitanya-caritamrita. In this way he should serve Sri Guru without duplicity, and with utmost caution he should cultivate the limbs of sravana and kirtana of sri hari-katha.

(27) If the sadhaka's life lacks simplicity and caution, he will achieve the opposite of his cherished ideal.

(28) Among all the jivas who are wandering throughout the universe, one who has accrued spiritual merit over many lifetimes obtains the seed of the creeper of bhakti, or sraddha. This takes place when the jiva, by Krishna's mercy, is favoured by His dear associates. Endowed with that sraddha, the disciple as a gardener, plants that seed in his heart. He waters it by hearing and chanting the instructions flowing from the mouth of SriGurudeva. Thus by these activities, the creeper sprouts and gradually climbs to the lotus feet of Sri Krishna.

(29) That creeper of bhakti passes beyond this universe, and beyond the Viraja River, Brahma-loka and Paravyoma, the spiritual sky, and goes to Goloka Vrindavana where it climbs the kalpa-vriksha (wishfulfilling tree) of Sri Krishna's lotus feet. The gardener, still in this world, continues to irrigate the creeper with the water of sravana and kirtana and thus welcomes the fortune of tasting the fruit of prema.

(30) If, in the stage of sadhana, innumerable weeds, such as the desire for enjoyment, liberation, material gain, worship and fame grow, as well as the tendency to engage in prohibited behaviour cheating, violence, and so forth - then the main plant cannot grow. At the time of watering it, the sadhaka will first cautiously cut the weeds so that they don't grow.

(31) One fault can arise that is most detrimental to the bhakti-sadhaka. It is known as vaishnava-aparadha and it can either uproot or cut the creeper of devotion like a mad elephant uproots a plant. As a result, the creeper of devotion immediately dries up. Therefore, the sadhaka is to remain diligent to ensure this does not happen. If gurva-avajna (disobeying guru) and vaishnava-aparadha occur, all one's sadhana-bhajana is destroyed.

(32) I have instructed those who have taken shelter of me to always remain cautious in this regard.I have tried to the best of my ability to repeat the instructions of Sri Sri Mahaprabhu, His associates and our Sri Guru-varga. Nevertheless, those who remain inattentive and consequently not cautious about committing offences to great personalities or about uprooting the weeds cannot be helped. After I leave this body, none of you [my followers] should commit offences and thus act to cause even slight damage to the institution. If all of you cannot cooperate to perform hari-bhajana together according to my instructions, it is better that you either enter household life or move to a place of pilgrimage and perform hari-bhajana.

[Translated from the Upadesamrita of
Sri Srimad Bhakti Srirupa Siddhanti Gosvami Maharaja
published by Sri Saraswata Gaudiya Asana and Mission]

The Rays of The Harmonist
No. 16 Karttika 2006

Chanting a Lakh Names

2008-11-03T15:37:00.002+11:00

by Srila Bhakti Promode Puri Goswami Maharaja

We attempt to speak about Krishna, but what can we really say? We memorise a few verses and recite them like a parrot, and that is the extent of our glorification of the Lord. Where is our inner feeling? Everyone goes around talking about raga-bhakti, but where is that spontaneous feeling that is the meaning of raga? Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu told us to follow some simple rules, the rules of vidhi-bhakti. He said to chant the Holy Name, to chant a lakh every day.

This happened in Puri when all the brahmanas there started to invite Him to accept dinner at their homes. So Mahaprabhu answered that He only ate at the houses of millionaires, which in Bengali is lakha-pati. All the brahmanas were disappointed to hear Mahaprabhu say this, because they were all very poor. Then Mahaprabhu laughed and said, “You know what I mean by a lakha-pati? I mean someone who chants a hundred thousand Holy Names every day.” The brahmanas were immediately relieved and said, “Is there anyone more merciful to us than You? You devise strategies like this to get us to chant the Holy Name. Of course we will chant a lakh every day, but please accept our invitation!”

Srila Prabhupada also told us to chant a lakh every day. Many of our godbrothers went to him and said, “But Prabhupada, we have to do so much service. How can we chant a lakh every day?” Prabhupada never said, “Just chant as much as you can. That is enough.” He said, “Make the time. Somehow or another, find the time.” I heard him say this myself. But we don’t. We can’t find the time to chant. This is the extent of our capacity to do bhajana. And yet we still think that we can talk about raga-bhakti. All these Western devotees who come here hear about something called raga-bhakti and immediately think that they understand everything there is to know about it. But they really know nothing about the qualifications that are needed to attain raga-bhakti. They don’t understand. This is why I have spoken about all these matters from the Srimad-Bhagavatam.

At the beginning of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, the following statements were made:

srinvatam sva-kathah krishnah
punya-sravana-kirtanah
hridy antahstho hy abhadrani
vidhunoti suhrit satam

“Hearing and speaking about Lord Krishna is a most pure activity, for as you engage in such activities, the Lord Himself enters your heart and destroys all the causes of inauspiciousness that are obstacles to your spiritual life. This is how Krishna acts as a friend to the pious.”

nashta-prayeshv abhadreshu
nityam bhagavata-sevaya
bhagavaty uttama-sloke
bhaktir bhavati naishthiki

“When all causes of inauspiciousness or anarthas are almost completely destroyed through regular service to the devotees and hearing the Srimad-Bhagavatam, then one comes to the stage of steadfast devotion to the Supreme Lord, Who is glorified in the best of poetry.”
(Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.17-18)

You have to hear the Srimad-Bhagavatam under the guidance of advanced devotees, who are also known as Bhagavatas. As one does so, one will gradually attain “steadfast devotion to the Supreme Lord, who is glorified in the best of poetry.” What is the nature of such steadfast devotion? That is explained in the commentary to the Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu with the words avikshepena satatyam: “constancy without distraction.” It is not enough to carry beads in your hand and to finger them from time to time. You have to achieve constancy in chanting without allowing your mind to be distracted. Bhaktivinoda Öhakura writes in his Hari-nama-cintamani:

laksha nama haile purna sankhya mala gani
hridaye nahila rasa bindu guna mani

“One may complete chanting a lakh of Names on his japa-mala, O Lord, but still not get a drop of the Holy Name’s ecstatic taste.”
(12.14)

The reason is that while chanting, the mind is wandering all over the place, thinking of so many different things. What is the point of chanting the Holy Name a million times if you still don’t experience krishna-prema? Is this raga-bhakti? Is this what raga-bhakti looks like? Will a raga-bhakta have no taste for chanting the Holy Name? Where is the attachment to chanting the Holy Name? You can’t catch a worm and yet you think you can go cobra hunting?

You talk to these people about developing affection for the Holy Name and they treat it as though it were irrelevant. They are attracted to the stories of girls, but they don’t realise who these girls are. Radharani is Krishna’s personal potency, and the gopis are all Her expansions, extensions of Herself. Therefore it is said that Krishna is not engaged in dalliances with anyone but Himself. He is the self-sufficient Supreme Lord, and all these gopis are not separate from His essence. There is no falldown, no question of material lust. The Bhagavata (10.33.25) uses the term avaruddha-saurata to indicate that no gross sexual activity is involved in the rasa-lila. Therefore, Sridhara Svami concludes that the rasa-lila is Krishna’s lust-conquering pastime. There is not the slightest trace of material lust in the activities shared by Krishna and the gopis, not the slightest tendency to selfishly seek the gratification of their own senses. We will not be able to understand this. Therefore, we must listen carefully from our spiritual masters in order to understand what qualifications are needed to enter into the Lord’s joyful world of play.

Mahaprabhu Himself relished such matters in private in the Gambhira with His intimate associates Svarupa Damodara and Ramananda Raya. There were no worldly-minded people present when these discussions went on. But what are these people doing? They say this is Radha-kunda, Radharani’s realm, but how many of us can really live in Radha-kunda? How many of us are even able to take the dust of Radha-kunda on our heads? We have to take these things into account. Do we dip our hands in the holy water of Radha-kunda only to shake it off again?

Srila Prabhupada used to tell a funny story about an opium smoker. The sun was setting and this addict felt the need to satisfy his addiction, but he was on one side of the river, while the village where there was fire to light his pipe was on the other. Our situation is something like this. We want to be united with Krishna, the Lord of Goloka, but we are separated by a raging river of disqualifications. We have to bear all this in mind. We can dive into Radha-kunda as often as we like, drink the water, submerge ourselves in it, but that does not mean that we have really bathed in Radha-kunda. What we really have to do is plunge into the waters of Radharani’s mood of spontaneous devotion, and to do that we must first develop enthusiasm for Krishna’s Name. Without such enthusiasm, nothing further will be gained. This is the teaching of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

When the sun of prema rises, then all the darkness of sin and suffering dissipates. This means lust and all it entails. This is how Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura awards eligibility for entering the rasa-lila, but that does not take place until one has attained raga-bhakti. Muslims are also listening to the rasa-lila while puffing on a bidi or some other weed. Such people are heard to applaud and ask the speaker for an encore, “Keep on speaking. Keep on speaking.” What is going on here? It is their material lusts that are being awakened, not any real mood of devotion.

One cannot steal one’s way into the highest stages of spiritual life. We must earn the right to enter the realm of Divine Love."

Sri-Nama-Tattva - Part Two

2008-10-31T19:18:00.007+11:00

From Bhaktinode Thakura's
Jaiva Dharma
(Prameya: Sri-Nama-tattva)

Vijaya: Prabhu, I have full faith that hari-näma is completely spiritual, but still, in order to be free from doubts with regard to näma-tattva, it is necessary to understand how Sri-hari-näma can be spiritual, when it is composed of syllables (which are apparently material). Will you please clarify this point?

Babaji: The svarüpa (nature and form) of Sri-nama has been explained in the Padma Purana.

näma cintämaëiù kåñëaç caitanya-rasa-vigrahaù pürëaù
çuddho nitya-mukto ’bhinnatvän näma-näminoù

Sri-krsna-nama is cintamani-svarüpa. This means that it awards the supreme goal of life and all transcendental good fortune. This is because çré-hari-näma is non-different from Him who possesses çré-näma. For the same reason sridivya-nama is the very form of mellows (caitanya-rasasvarüpa), and is complete, pure, and eternally liberated from contact with maya.

Sri-nama and Sri-nami (He who possesses Sri-nama) are nondifferent in tattva. Therefore, sri-krsna-nama has all the spiritual qualities present in Krsna Himself, the possessor of Sri-nama. Srinäma is always the complete truth, and has no contact with dull matter. He is eternally liberated, because He is never bound by material modes. Sri-krnsa-näma is Krsna Himself, and that is why He is the personified form of the aggregate wealth of transcendental mellows. Sri-hari-näma is a wish-fulfilling gem (cintämani), and thus can award all that one desires from Him.

Vijaya: How can the syllables of sri-hari-näma be beyond the realm of illusory, material words?

Babaji: Hari-näma has not taken birth in the material world. The conscious, spark-like jiva is qualified to utter hari-näma when he is situated in his pure, spiritual form. However, he cannot perform pure hari-näma with his material senses which are bound by maya. When the jiva obtains the mercy of the hladini-sakti, then the activity of realizing his svarupa begins, and suddha-nama arises at that time. When suddha-näma appears, He mercifully descends on the mental faculty, and dances on the tongue which has been purified through the practice of bhakti. Sri-hari-näma is not a form of letters, but when He dances on the material tongue, He is manifest in the form of letters; that is the secret of krsna-näma.

Vijaya: Which name is the sweetest of all the primary holy names?

Babaji: The Sata-näma-stotra says,

viñëor ekaikaà nämäpi sarva-vedädhikaà matam
tädåk-näma sahasreëa räma-näma-samaà småtam

Chanting one name of Visnu gives more benefit than studying all the Vedas, and one name of Räma is equal to a thousand names (sahasra-näma) of Visnu.

Again, it is stated in the Brahmanda Puräna,

sahasra-namnäà puëyänäà trir ävåttyä tu yat phalam
ekävåttyä tu kåñëasya nämaikaà tat prayacchati

If one utters Sri-krsna-näma once, one obtains the same result that comes from chanting the pure visnu-sahasranäma three times.

The purport is that a thousand names of Visnu equals one name of Räma, and three thousand names of Visnu – that is to say, three names of Räma – equals one name of Krsna. Chanting Krsna’s name once gives the same result as chanting Räma’s name three times.
Sri-krsna-näma is certainly the supreme name. Therefore, we should follow the instruction of the Lord of our life, Sri Gauränga Sundara, and always take Sri-näma as He has given it: Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna, Krsna, Hare, Hare, Hare Räma, Hare Räma, Räma, Räma, Hare, Hare.

Vijaya: What is the process of hari-näma-sädhana?

Babaji: One should constantly perform hari-näma by counting the names properly on a tulasi-mälä or in the absence of that, counting on the fingers. One should always stay far away from offenses. The fruit of sri-hari-näma—krsna-prema—is attained by chanting suddha-näma. The purpose of keeping count is for the sädhaka to understand whether his practice of Sri-hari-näma is increasing or diminishing. Tulasé-devé is very dear to Hari, so touching her while taking hari-näma means that hari-näma bestows more benefit. When one is practicing näma, one should understand that srikrsna-näma is non-different from His svarüpa (eternal, intrinsic form).

Vijaya: Prabhu, there are nine or sixty-four different angas of sädhana, but chanting sri-hari-näma is only one form. If one is always practicing näma, how can one have time for the other forms of sädhana?

Babaji: That is not difficult. The sixty-four different angas of bhakti are all contained within the nine-fold process of bhakti. The nine angas of bhakti, whether in the worship (arcana) of sri-mürti (the Deity) or in nirjana-sädhana, can be performed anywhere. Simply by the pure hearing, chanting, and remembering of sri-krsna-nama in front of sri-mürti, one has accomplished näma-sädhana. Where there is no mürti, simply remember the mürti, and perform sädhana to that mürti with the limbs of navadhä (nine-fold) bhakti, in the form of hearing and chanting sri-näma, etc. One who is fortunate enough to have special ruci for näma always performs näma-kirtana. Thus, he automatically follows all the aìgas of bhakti. Sri-nämakirtana is the most powerful of all the nine processes of sädhana: sravanam kirtanam etc. During kirtana, all the other angas are present, although they may not be evident.

Vijaya: How is it possible to perform continuous näma-sankirtana?

Babaji: Continuous nama-kirtana means performing kirtana of srihari-näma at all times, while sitting, getting up, eating, or working, except when sleeping. In näma-sädhana there is no prohibition regarding time, place, situation or cleanliness. That is, one may be in a pure or impure condition.

Vijaya: Oh, the mercy of näma-bhagavän is unlimited, but we have no hope of becoming Vaisnavas until you give us your mercy and bestow upon us the power to perform nama constantly.

Babaji: I have already explained that there are three kinds of Vaisnava: kanistha, madhyama, and uttama. Sri Caitanya Mahäprabhu told Satyaräja Khän that anyone who takes krsnanäma is a Vaisnava. One who constantly takes krsna-näma is a madhyama Vaisnava, and the uttama Vaisnava is he whose very sight makes krsna-näma appear spontaneously in one’s mouth. Since you sometimes take krsna-näma with faith, you have already obtained the position of a Vaisnava.

Vijaya: Please tell us whatever else we should know about suddhakrsna-näma.

Babaji: Suddha-krsna-näma is krsna-näma that has arisen through undivided bhakti resulting from full faith. Other than that, the chanting of sri-näma will be experienced as either nämäbhäsa or näma-aparädha.

Vijaya: Prabhu, should we understand that hari-näma is sädhya (the aim and purpose) or sädhana (the means)?

Babaji: When one takes hari-näma in the course of sädhana-bhakti, that näma can be called sädhana. However, when the bhakta takes hari-näma in the course of bhäva-bhakti or prema-bhakti, that manifestation of sri-hari-näma is sädhya-vastu, or the aim and object of practice. The sädhaka’s realization of the contraction or expansion of sri-hari-näma will depend on his level of bhakti.

Vijaya: Is there a difference in the experience of krsna-näma and krsna-svarüpa?

Babaji: No, there is no difference in the experience, but one should understand the confidential secret that krsn-näma is more merciful than krsna-svarüpa. Krsna’s svarüpa (form) does not forgive whatever offense is made to Him, but krsna-näma forgives both offenses committed to the svarüpa and offenses committed towards Himself. When you take näma, you should understand the nämaaparädhas very clearly and try to avoid them, because you cannot chant suddha-näma until you stop committing offenses. The next time you come, we will discuss näma-aparädha.

When Vrajanätha and Vijaya Kumära had learned about the glories of näma and näma-svarüpa-tattva, they took Sri Gurudeva’s footdust, and slowly returned to Bilva-puskarini.

Sri-Nama-Tattva

2008-10-19T09:47:00.008+11:00

Sri-Nama-Tattva

From Bhaktinode Thakura's
Jaiva Dharma
(Prameya: Sri-Nama-tattva)

The names that are always present both in the spiritual and material worlds are spiritual and primary. For example, names such as Narayana, Vasudeva, Janardana, Harisikesa, Hari, Acyuta, Govinda, Gopala, and Rama are all primary. These names are present in Bhagavan’s abode (bhagavad-dhama), and are one with His form (bhagavat-svarupa). In the material world, these names only dance on the tongues of very fortunate people to whose bhakti they are attracted. Sri-bhagavan-nama has no connection at all with the material world, and all the saktis of Bhagavan’s form (bhagavat-svarupa) are present in sri-nama. Therefore, the names also possess all these saktis. They have descended into the material world and are engaged in destroying maya. The jivas have no friend in this material world except for hari-nama. In the Brhan-naradiya Purana, hari-nama is said to be the only way.

harer nämaiva nämaiva nämaiva mama jévanam

kalau nästy eva nästy eva nästy eva gatir anyathä

Brihan-naradiya Purana (38.126)

Meditation is the predominant process for perfection in Satya-yuga, yajna (sacrifice) in Treta-yuga, and arcana (Deity worship) in Dvapara-yuga. But in Kali-yuga harinama is my only life, hari-nama is my only life, hari-nama is my only life. In Kali-yuga, other than sri-hari-nama, there is no other way, there is no other way, there is no other way.

Hari-nama has unlimited great and wonderful sakti which can destroy all kinds of sins within a moment.

aveçenäpi yan-nämni kérttite sarva-pätakaiù

pumän vimucyate sadyaù siàha-trastair mågair iva

Garuda Purana (232.12)

A person who performs the kirtana of Sri Narayana with absorption becomes at once freed from all sins. They fly away from him just like frightened deer who hear the roar of a lion.

When one takes shelter of sri-hari-nama, all his miseries and all kinds of diseases disappear.

ädhayo vyädhayo yasya smaraëän näma-kérttanät

tadaiva vilayaà yänti tam anantaà namämy aham

Skanda-Purana

I offer obeisances to the supreme Lord, who is known as Anantadeva. Remembering Him and chanting His name immediately dispels all kinds of diseases and miseries completely.

One who performs hari-nama purifies his family, his society and the whole world.

mahäpätaka-yukto’pi kérttayann aniçaà harim

çuddhäntaù karaëo bhütvä jäyate paìkti-pävanaù

Brahmanda Purana

Even if one is very sinful, if he constantly performs harinama, his heart becomes pure, he attains twice-born status, and he purifies the whole world.

One who is dedicated to sri-hari-nama is relieved of all unhappiness, all disturbances, and all kinds of disease.

sarva-rogopaçamaà sarvopadrava-näçanam

çänti-daà sarva-riñöänäà harer nämänukérttanam

Brihad-visnu Purana

When one performs sri-hari-nama-kirtana, all kinds of diseases go away, all kinds of disturbances are appeased, all kinds of obstacles are destroyed, and one attains supreme peace.

The degrading qualities of Kali cannot affect one who chants sri-hari-nama.

hare keçava govinda väsudeva jaganmaya

itérayanti ye nityaà na hi tän bädhate kaliù

Brihan-naradiya Purana

Kali cannot cause any impediment, even for a moment, to those who perform constant kirtana, chanting “O Hare! O Govinda! O Keçava! O Väsudeva! O Jaganmaya!”

One who hears sri-hari-nama becomes liberated from hell.

yathä yathä harer näma kérttayanti sma närakäù

tathä tathä harau bhaktim udvahanto divaà yayuù

Narasingha-tapani

If even the residents of hell chant hari-nama, they achieve hari-bhakti, and enter within the divine abode.

Chanting hari-nama destroys prarabdha-karma (the results of past pious or impious activity which is now bearing fruit).

yan nämadheyaà måiyamäëa äturaù

patan skhalan vä vivaço gåëan pumän

vimukta-karmärgala uttamäà gatià

präpnoti yakñyanti na taà kalau janäù

Srimad-Bhagavatam (12.3.44)

If a human being helplessly chants just one name of Sri Bhagavan at the time of death, in an afflicted situation, or when falling down or slipping, all the bondage of his karma is destroyed and he will obtain the highest goal. But alas! Due to the influence of Kali-yuga, people do not worship Him.

Hari-nama-kirtana is more glorious and beneficial than studying the Vedas.

mä åco mä yajus täta mä säma paöha kiïcana

govindeti harer näma geyaà gäyasva nityaçaù

Skanda Purana

There is no need to study and teach the Rig, Sama and Yajur Vedas, and so on. Simply perform constant sankirtana of Sri Hari’s name, Govinda.

Performing hari-nama is better than visiting all tirthas (holy places).

tértha-koöi-sahasräëi tértha-koöi-çatäni ca

täni sarväëy aväpnoti viñëor nämäni kérttanät

Skanda Purana

Kirtana of Sri Visnu’s names gives all the results obtained by going to millions of tirthas.

Even a dim glimmer of hari-nama (hari-namabhasa) gives unlimitedly more results than all kinds of sat-karma (pious fruitive activities).

go-koöi-dänaà grahaëe khagasya

prayäga-gaìgodaka kalpa-väsaù

yajïäyutaà meru-suvarëa-dänaà

govinda-kérter na samaà çatäàçaiù

One may give cows in charity on the day of a solar eclipse; one may reside in Prayaga on the banks of the Ganga for a kalpa; or one may perform thousands of yajnas, and give in charity a mountain of gold as high as Mount Sumeru. Still, all these cannot even be compared with a one-hundredth particle of Sri-govinda-kirtana.

Hari-nama can yield all kinds of benefits (artha).

etat ñaò-varga-haraëaà ripu-nigrahaëaà param

adhyätma-mülam etad dhi viñëor nämänukérttanam

Skanda Purana

Sankirtana of Sri Visnu’s names conquers the six senses and the six enemies (beginning with kama and krodha) and is the root of knowledge of the Supreme Self.

Hari-nama is invested with all Sakti.

däna-vrata-tapas-tértha-kñeträdénaï ca yäh sthitäù

çaktayo deva mahatäà sarva-päpaharäù çubhäù

räjasüyäçvamedhänäï jïana-sädhyätma-vastunaù

äkåñya hariëä sarväù sthäpitä sveñu nämasu

Skanda Purana

There are so many auspicious qualities within charity (dana), vows (vrata), austerity (tapa), the holy places (tirthaksetras), the devatas, within all kinds of sin-removing righteous activities, in the aggregate of all powers (saktis), in the Räjasüya and Açvamedha sacrifices, and in the goal of knowledge of the identity of the self (jnana-sadhya of atma-vastu). However, Sri Hari has assembled all of these potencies and invested them within His own names.

Sri-hari-nama gives bliss to the whole world.

sthäne håñékeça tava prakérttyä / jagat prahåñyaty anurajyate ca

Bhagavad-gita (11.36)

O Harisikesha, the world becomes delighted on hearing the kirtana of Your name and fame, and thus everyone becomes attached to You.

One who chants sri-hari-nama is worshipable in the world.

näräyaëa jagannätha väsudeva janärdana

itérayanti ye nityaà te vai sarvatra vanditäù

Brihan-naradiya Purana

Those who always perform kirtana, chanting “O Narayana! O Jagannatha! O Vasudeva! O Janardana!” are worshiped everywhere in the world.

Sri-hari-nama is the only method for those who have no way.

ananya-gatayo marttyä bhogino’ pi parantapäù

jïäna-vairägya-rahitä brahmacaryädi-varjitäù

sarva-dharmojjhitäù viñëor näma-mätraika-jalpakäù

sukhena yäà gatià yänti na taà sarve’ pi dhärmikaù

Padma Purana

Those who simply perform kirtana of Sri Visnu’s name may do so because they have no other means of support, and they may be absorbed in sense enjoyment. They may be troublesome to others, bereft of celibacy and other virtues, and outside all dharma. Still, the destination that they achieve cannot be attained by all the combined efforts of religious people.

Hari-nama can be performed at all times and under all circumstances.

na deça-niyamas tasmin na käla-niyamas tathä

nocchiñöädau niñedho’sti çré-harer nämni lubdhaka

Visnu-dharmottara

O you who are greedy for sri-hari-nama, there is no rule of time and place for kirtana of sri-hari-nama. One may perform hari-nama-kirtana in any condition, whether one is purified or contaminated, for example, if one’s mouth is not clean after eating.

Hari-nama certainly gives mukti very easily to one who desires it.

näräyaëäcyutänanta-väsudeveti yo naraù

satataà kérttayed bhuvi yäti mal-layatäà sa hi

Varaha Purana

The person who wanders about the earth always chanting the names Narayana, Ananta, Acyuta and Vasudeva will go with Me to My planet.

kià kariñyati säìkhyena kià yogair nara-näyaka

muktim icchasi räjendra kuru govinda-kérttanam

Garuda Purana

O best of men, what benefit can one derive from studying sankhya philosophy or practicing astanga-yoga? O King, if you desire liberation, just perform Sri Govinda’s kirtana.

Hari-nama enables the jivas to attain Vaikuntha.

sarvatra sarva-käleñu ye’pi kurvanti pätakam

näma-sankérttanaà kåtvä yänti viñëoù paraà padam

Nandi Purana

Even one who has performed sinful activities always and everywhere attains the supreme abode of Visnu if he performs nama-sankirtana.

Chanting hari-nama is the topmost means of pleasing Sri Bhagavan.

näma-saìkérttanaà viñëoù kñut-tåö-prapéòitädiñu

karoti satataà vipräs tasya préto hy adhokñajaù

Brihan-naradiya Purana

O brahmanas! Adhoksaja Visnu remains very satisfied with those who incessantly perform sankirtana of Visnu’s name, even when troubled by hunger and thirst.

Hari-nama has the sakti to control Sri Bhagavan.

åëam etat pravåddhaà me hådayäì näsarpati

yad-govindeti cukroça kåñëä mäà düra-väsinam

Mahabharata

When I was far away from Draupadi, she called out to Me, “Ha Govinda!” I am very much indebted to her for her distressed call, and I have not been able to remove that debt from My heart even today.

Hari-nama is the purusartha (supreme goal of life) for the jivas.

idam eva hi mäìgalyam etad eva dhanärjanam

jévitasya phalaï caitad yad dämodara-kérttanam

Skanda and Padma Puranas

Kirtana of Dämodara, is certainly the cause of all auspiciousness, and the source of real wealth. The only benifit of having life is to perform such kirtana.

Hari-nama-kirtana is the best of all the different kinds of bhaktisadhana.

agha-cchit-smaraëaà viñëor bahv-äyäsena sädhyate

oñöha-spandana-mätreëa kérttanaà tu tato varam

Vaisnava-cintamani

Sri-visnu-smaranam destroys all sins but is attained only after much endevor. Visnu-kirtana, however, is superior because the same benefit is attained simply by vibrating sri-nama upon one’s lips.

yad-abhyarcya harià bhaktyä kåte kratu-çatair api

phalaà präpnoty avikalaà kalau govinda-kérttanam

The same entire benefit obtained by performing hundreds of yajnas in Satya-yuga, can be achieved in Kali-yuga by performing kirtana of Sri Govinda’s names.

kåte yad dhyäyato viñëuà tretäyäà yajato makhaiù

dväpare paricaryäyäà kalau tad dhari-kérttanät

Srimad-Bhagavatam (12.3.52)

Simply performing kirtana of Sri Hari’s nama in Kali-yuga gives the same results as those that are achieved by meditating on Bhagavan in Satya-yuga, by worshiping Him with great yajnas in Treta-yuga, and by performing formal Deity worship in Dvapara-yuga.

The Blue Jackel

2008-10-14T09:34:00.009+11:00

The

Blue

Jackal

by Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja

Questions and Answers with Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja

The following article appeared in issue number 15 of Sri Krishna Kathamrita Bindu, the free fortnightly email magazine from ISKCON Gopal Jiu Publications.

QUESTION: How can we have unalloyed devotion to our guru and also see the godbrother of our spiritual master as our spiritual master?

GOUR GOVINDA SWAMI: We will offer the same respect to him as we pay to our spiritual master. But as Hanuman says, Rama has occupied my heart:

sri-nathe janaki-nathe cabhedah paramatmanih
tathapi mama sarvasvam ramah kamala-locanah

There is no difference between Sri-nath (Vishnu, the Lord of the goddess of fortune) and Janaki-nath (Rama, the Lord of Sita), since They are both the Supersoul. Still, lotus-eyed Rama is everything to me.
(Prema-bhakti-candrika, text 29)

We should not deviate from our guru. That is unalloyedness. Don't be affected by any differences between our guru and his godbrother. We should overlook them. Still, our attitude should be, "I am following the instruction of my guru. I am not following the instruction of the godbrother of my guru."

QUESTION: What should we do when we see that some superior vaisnava needs correction?

GOUR GOVINDA SWAMI: Keshava Bharati was the godbrother of Iswara Puri, who was the guru of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Mahaprabhu corrected Keshava Bharati. But we should not imitate Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and we are not. We should not try to correct anyone who is superior to us. We must act in such a way that Chaitanya Mahaprabhu will give us the intelligence what to do:

tesam satata-yuktanam bhajatam priti-purvakam dadami buddhi-yogam tam yena mam upayanti te

To those who are constantly devoted to serving Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me. (Bg 10.10)

Krishna says, "I'll give you the intelligence." So, if you are a true follower of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, He will give you intelligence. You will be able to act in such a way that the vaisnava becomes automatically corrected.

You won't need to correct him directly. You should not have this thought in your mind, "Let me correct him." No, no, no, no, no, no! We are not qualified to correct them. Our attitude should be, "trnad api su-nicena taror iva sahisnuna - I am the lowest of the low (Siksastaka 3).

QUESTION: How do you correct a godbrother?

GOUR GOVINDA SWAMI: With a godbrother we have a friendly relationship. So we may talk to him in a friendly way. Sometimes we may even cut jokes with him.

To correct him we may say something at some opportune moment when we know it will not hurt him. An intelligent man will do like this. You must speak in such a way that it will not hurt his feelings. Mahaprabhu said:

prani-matre mano-vakye udvega na diba

Neither by mind nor words should a devotee cause anxiety to any living entity, regardless how insignificant they may be. - CC Madhya 22.120

Don't speak or act in such a way that will hurt their feelings. Don't agitate them. This is the devotee's behavior.

yasman nodvijate loko lokan nodvijate ca yah
harsamarsa-bhayodvegair mukto yah sa ca me priyah

He for whom no one is put into difficulty and who is not disturbed by anyone, who is equipoised in happiness and distress, fear and anxiety, is very dear to Me. - BG 12.15

Krishna says, "He who is not agitated in any circumstances is very dear to Me. If someone tries to agitate him he never agitates back or disturbs anyone. He is equal in both harsa and amarsa, favorable and unfavorable conditions. In all conditions he is equal, sama. Bhayodvegair, he has no fear, no anxiety. He is very dear to Me."

As Mahaprabhu has instructed, one should speak very sweetly so the devotee may be corrected, but in such a way that they will not be disturbed. For one who is intelligent, who is a true devotee, Mahaprabhu will give them intelligence whereby you will know how to act and speak in such a way that you will not hurt the devotee and at the same time you will correct them.

And you should never have this thought in your mind that, "I'll correct him." You should think, "I am not a qualified person to correct him. I'm the lowest of the low. I am an ignorant fool, murkha. I have no qualification." You should not cherish the thought in your mind to correct them. This thought is very bad and offensive. This is a very, very subtle point. It is very difficult for ordinary people to understand. But those who are devotees, who have made some advancement in spirituality, they can understand this point.

QUESTION: We cannot approach Krishna without a spiritual master. What about approaching Chaitanya Maharabhu?

GOUR GOVINDA SWAMI: Unless you approach a spiritual master you cannot approach Mahaprabhu. Mahaprabhu is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is Krishna. The spiritual master is the expansion of Nityananda Prabhu. You get the mercy of Nityananda through the spiritual master, not directly. Guru is rupanuga-dhara - a follower of the Goswamis in disciplic succession.

QUESTION: Who will decide who is a spiritual master?

GOUR GOVINDA SWAMI: Are baba! The decision comes from Krishna. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has ordered:

yare dekha, tare kaha 'krsna'-upadesa
amara ajnaya guru hana tara' ei desa

"Whomever you meet, tell them about Krishna: 'O brother, Krishna has said this thing.' Don't concoct. Just present it as it is. I order you to become a spiritual master and deliver the world." If you just do this, if you just present things as they are, following the disciplic succession, you will become guru. Krishna will give you that position. Don't hanker after it.

Just do it. The decision comes from Krishna, from Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

There is no question that someone will decide (laughs). Apratihata - it will automatically come. If Chaitanya Mahaprabhu wants, if Krishna wants, no one can check it. You should have full faith and patience. Don't be pessimistic.

There is no question of pessimism. We should be full of optimism. We don't need to bother about these things. Those persons who are now blowing their own trumpet, beating their own drums, Krishna will finish them at any time.

Don't be disturbed. You should have patience and full faith in guru-sadhu-sastra. Because it is the material world some disturbances will come up. pade pade vipada - "At every step there is danger." And at the same time it is Kali-yuga, the age of quarrel and hypocrisy. This world is filled with hypocrites. So some hypocrites will come and say, "Oh, I am guru. I am sadhu. I am such a great man." He may come and beat his own drum, blow his own trumpet, and make some politics. It is quite natural. These things should not disturb you. Be dhira, don't be disturbed. Have full faith in guru-sadhu-sastra. Just do your duty as guru has instructed, as it is.

Present Krishna consciousness as it is. Time will change things in the long run. You need not be worried. Have patience. Quote sastra and the acaryas.

Our basis is guru-sadhu-sastra. I never say anything different. I always quote authority.

Although he was a householder, Srila Prabhupada got the full mercy of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. He never spent any time in the matha, but he became acarya because he was very, very simple, not envious. You cannot put a stamp on someone, "You are acarya." Or else the day may come to prove that he's not an acarya.

I will tell you a nice story. Once a jackal fell into the blue dye-water of a washerman. The jackal became blue. Then he went to the forest and declared to everyone, "I am the king of the animals." All of the animals said, "Oh yes! He is strange looking. He might be king." Thus they made the jackal king and he sat on the throne. Then when evening came, all of the jackals began howling, "Youka hou! Youka hou!" So the jackal king also started howling, and then everyone saw, "Oh! He's a jackal! Beat him! He's not king!" In this way, he was revealed. We know these things, so why we should be disturbed? Don't be disturbed. The time will come. Krishna and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu will reveal everything. Have patience.

QUESTION: We can see that envy may be very subtle. What is our hope?

GOUR GOVINDA SWAMI: We should have full faith in guru-sadhu-sastra and we must do our service. Some disturbance may come - and it will come. It is the nature of this material plane, and at the same time Kali-yuga is here. It is very, very horrible. But one should have firm determination and patience.

You should not deviate in any circumstance. Always pray to guru and Lord Chaitanya. They will help you. We are very weak, but caitya-guru is in our heart. He will give inspiration. For a sincere soul who is very eager to have this, Krishna makes arrangements. He knows, "This soul wants this thing." So He makes arrangements for it to happen. Is there anything impossible for Krishna? It is impossible for us, but nothing is impossible for Krishna. Our business is to always pray to Krishna, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and Guru Maharaja, "Just help me!" You'll get help. Have full faith in this. Don't be desperate. We should be very eager to get this mercy and to have association of pure devotees who are more advanced than ourselves. Then you'll benefit. Sadhu-sanga means you will associate with a person who is more advanced than yourself. Then you will benefit. Otherwise, no benefit will come. It may seem impossible to get such association. Still, nothing is impossible for Krishna. Krishna will make arrangement. Vani, instructions, are there. When nothing is available we should associate with instructions and books, and with our sincere prayers we will reach Krishna.

The day will come when you will meet such a person. It's impossible for us, but it's not impossible for Krishna. But we should always be praying, "Krishna, please help me!" Chanting hare krsna means the soul is crying, hare krsna hare krsna krsna krsna hare hare - "O Krishna's sakti Radharani! O Krishna! Please engage me in Your service. I am fallen."

ayi nanda-tanuja kinkaram patitam mam visame bhavambudhau krpaya tava pada-pankaja- sthita-dhuli-sadrsam vicintaya

"O Krishna! I am Your kinkara, Your servant! But somehow I've fallen into the depths of this ocean of nescience. Please shower Your mercy on me and accept me as a particle of dust at Your lotus feet."(Siksastaka 5) If the soul is crying and crying by uttering this hari-nama, "hare krsna hare krsna", if you chant in this way, then you'll get the necessary association miraculously and unexpectedly. It is impossible for us, but nothing is impossible for Krishna. Krishna wants that thing. The only lacking is with us. Thank you very much.

- Paris 1987, at the home of Sripad Harivilas Prabhu

Letter to Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati

2008-10-11T17:25:00.005+11:00

Letter to

Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura

(1910)

Saraswati!

"People of this world who are proud of their own aristocratic birth cannot attain real aristocracy. Therefore they attack the pure Vaishnavas, saying, 'They have taken birth in low-class families because of their sins.' Thus they commit offenses. The solution to the problem is to establish the order of daiva-varnasrama-dharma -something you have started doing; you should know that to be the real service to the Vaishnavas. Because pure devotional conclusions are not being preached, all kinds of superstitions and bad concepts are being called devotion by such pseudo-sampradayas as sahajiya and atibari. Please always crush these anti-devotional concepts by preaching pure devotional conclusions and by setting an example through your personal conduct.

"Please make great effort so you can start parikram of Sridham Navadwip as soon as possible. It is by those actions that everyone in this world will receive Krishna-bhakti. Please try very hard to make sure that the service to Sri Mayapur will become a permanent thing and will become brighter and brighter every day. The real service to Sri Mayapur can be done by acquiring printing presses, distributing devotional books, and sankirtan - preaching. Please do not neglect to serve Sri Mayapur or to preach for the sake of your own reclusive bhajan.

"When I am not present any more, please take care to serve Sri Mayapur Dham which is so dear to you. This is my special instruction to you. People who are like animals can never attain devotion; therefore never take their suggestions. But do not let them know this directly or indirectly.

"I had a special desire to preach the significance of such books as Srimad Bhagavatam, Sat Sandarbha, and Vedanta Darshan. You have to accept that responsibility. Sri Mayapur will prosper if you establish an educational institution there. Never make any effort to collect knowledge or money for your own enjoyment. Only to serve the Lord will you collect these things. Never engage in bad association, either for money or for some self-interest."

signed Kedarnatha Datta Bhaktivinode

Dissolution of False Ego

2008-10-09T14:08:00.005+11:00

Dissolution of False Ego

by Srila Bhakti Raksaka Sridhara Maharaja

Devotee: I talk to people about Krsna, many of the Christians can appreciate. I speak to many of my countrymen. They are mostly Christians.

Srila Sridhar Maharaj: You will talk about the ideal, you will discuss the ideal. Your conception is this, our conception is that, and what is the difference between the conception. In this way you can talk.

Devotee: When I explain bhakti they can appreciate it.

Srila Sridhar Maharaj: Yes, bhakti is a general thing but there is also the type of bhakti and the bhakti which is the model for all other forms.

Devotee: They can understand the focus of bhakti. When I talk to them they can appreciate bhakti, when I explain it.

Srila Sridhar Maharaj: Bhakti, you also know bhakti, you are talking about bhakti. I am also talking about bhakti. Do you find any difference there? So bhakti is the ideal and they have got also an ideal. Devotee: But it is the focus of the bhakti. I explain Mahaprabhu’s philosophy, bhakti even above mukti.

Srila Sridhar Maharaj: We are captivated by the ideal, the fine touch, appreciation for the ideal. Mahaprabhu has given an ideal, Christ has given another ideal. Our inner inspiration, which we cannot trace, the attraction for the ideal we are to analyze these fine things, our appreciation. Why do we appreciate Krsna and not God given by Jesus? That is a vague thing. This is some clear conception, sweet conception of the thing. Why am I attracted to this side? I am to analyze that. What is there that will be found on this side and not that side? I am to look into my inner heart and try to express that, the difference is there.

In my previous days, generally I used to collect money for the Mission and I met many gentleman many sympathetic, many apathetic. A sympathetic man asked me, “O, why you are running from door to door for collection when we see that you come from a very high family. You are educated and you are fit. Why do you waste your time by collection from door to door?” I replied, “What do you want me to do for God?” He said, “Go to the mountain caves. There is an arrangement by the religious householders. They will give food to you regularly. Then go on meditating.” On account of that request, I tried to look into my own heart. Why I am doing this service? They are saying sympathetically, “Begging from door to door what good can you derive? Go straight to the hill and sit in meditation for Him and try to connect yourself in a direct way.” Many times I looked to my heart for the answer and I found it.

I told him do you know the character of the Vedic disciples? They are sent by the Guru to the pasture ground to reap the cultivated land. What for? Krsna went to gurukula and went with four god-brothers to bring fuel wood from the forest. What is the necessity? So it is necessary to understand that whatever action I shall begin taking in response of my own ego will create a material atmosphere, spread my subjective atmosphere. But I have ceased to act according to my own inner thought. I have placed myself at the disposal of a higher devotee. The subtle system of my inner body I want to kill, finish, and I have stopped it’s food. If I obey it’s order it will thrive. I have stopped the ration. I have totally disconnected the food supply to the army. Let them die fasting and if they die, if that ego will die then another body, which works only in obedience to the higher agents will come out. This subtle body which gets its food from the ego will be finished. I want to do that.

The whole mental system may die without food. No insinuation from my ego within. I am doing what our Guru asked me to do, some service, and I am doing that. I am engaged with Vaikuntha, the transcendental world. I want to dissolve my ego, and the world produced where I am living by my ego. I want to get out of that. I am living in my own imaginary world. That world must go away. Then, another world will come to me. I am connecting with these material things, this person, this matter, this gross, conscious body and the world created by it, but another world I want to live in. I want the world of my Guru. I want to live in that way.

Once one sannyasi, leaving the engagement given by our Guru Maharaj went to visit Badarikashram and the holy places. Then he was punished, “Why have you left the responsibility of service given to you and you are going for pilgrimage.” I was a beginner at that time and it gave a heavy pressure in me, what is this, a sannyasi has gone to visit Badarikashram, the place of Vyasadev, Sukadev, what is the fault there? So great a fault that he would forbidden entrance? I was a new man, I was in charge of the Kuruksetra Math and I was sent a letter, “If that Sannyasi comes to the Math don’t allow him to enter.” He was a senior Sannyasi and I was a newcomer.

It was a great shock to me. That Sannyasi came in a day or two. Just previously, I showed so much respect to him and that day how can I say that, “You won’t enter this Math.” This was very difficult. When he came; I read the letter to him. This is the order of the central Math. First he was excited and began to abuse the higher authorities. Finally I said to him, “Maharaj I feel much apprehension in my mind and I am very much afraid.” He inquired, “Why you are afraid?” I replied, “After fifteen years of service, if you have come to such level that you are to be ousted from the Mission, then what hope I have got? I am a beginner. Your fifteen years service has earned such punishment to be ousted, then what hope I have got here?

It is not possible for me to waste my time here.” Then he came out in another color, “No, no, no you need not to be afraid. I may do wrong. A boy may not pass a B.A. degree or M.A. degree but it does not mean a primary student like you will also fail that.” Then he accepted that, “It is not injustice but it is justice and I have committed something wrong.” He came to that conclusion. This incident had a great impression in my mind. What is there in this service? Disengagement, leaving the desired service of Guru if you want to go to a holy place, that is a punishable offence? What is this? This service is the connection above.

God’s will through His agent to be engaged in His service is very, very valuable. Conversely, to select in my level what is good and bad and to go to a holy place is some sort of religious luxury, freedom. Divine service is above freedom of an ordinary soul. “It is a holy place and I am doing right visiting holy places.” The origin of this is from my ego and a far higher ego is giving instruction, “Do this! God wants this from you!” This is another world. It came to me gradually. To obey the orders of a Vaisnava that means to serve Divinity, the higher Divinity and this will give us the supreme destination. This is the order from the higher plane. We have to follow it.

I am in search after the infinite! Until the infinite comes to me graciously to reveal Himself I must go on searching. It is His pleasure not my pleasure and I do not have anything to force Him. It is absolute and I have come to get a drop of grace from the absolute, not any limited thing. Krsna says, “I am everywhere everything is in Me. Try to understand this peculiar, mystic position of Mine.”

Gaura Hari Bol!

The First Angas of Bhakti - Guru-Tattva

2008-10-05T12:33:00.008+11:00

By Bhaktivinoda Thakura

(from Jaiva-Dharma - Chapter 20
Prameya: Abhidheya – Vaidhi-Sadhana-Bhakti)

Vijaya: Prabhu, please give us some detailed instructions regarding sri-guru-padasraya. (#1)

Babaji: When the disciple has become qualified for undivided krsna-bhakti, he should take shelter at the feet of Sri Guru, and by coming close to the qualified guru, he will learn krsna-tattva. The jiva becomes qualified for krsna-bhakti only when he is faithful. By the influence of pious activities (sukriti) performed in previous births, he hears hari-kathä from the mouths of sädhus, and a strong faith in Krsna arises in him. This is called sraddhä. Together with sraddhä, the mood of taking shelter (saranagati) also appears to some extent. sraddhä and saranagati are almost the same tattva. The disciple is qualified for undivided (ananya) bhakti if he has developed the strong faith: “Krsna-bhakti is certainly the best and highest attainment in this world. Thus I will accept krsna-bhakti as my duty and to that end I will do whatever is favorable for it, and reject all activities that are unfavorable. Krsna is my sole protector, and I accept Him as my exclusive guardian. I am very poor, wretched and destitute, and my independent desire is not beneficial for me. Thus following Krsna’s desire exclusively is beneficial for me in all ways.” When the jiva attains that qualification, he becomes anxious to hear instructions on bhakti, and accepts shelter at the lotus feet of the sad-guru. That is to say, he becomes his disciple, and accepts instructions (siksä) on bhakti.

tad-vijïänärthaà sa gurum eväbhigacchet

samit-päniù çrotriyaà brahma-niñöham

Mundaka Upanisad (1.2.12)

In order to obtain knowledge of that bhagavad-vastu (the absolute truth concerning Sri Bhagavän), one should approach sad-guru, carrying fire wood for sacrifice. The qualification of sad-guru is that he is well versed in the Vedas, absorbed in the Absolute Truth (brahma-jnana) and devoted to the service of Bhagavän.

äcäryavän puruño veda

Chändogya Upaniñad (6.14.2)

He who takes shelter of sad-guru comes to know that parabrahma.

The qualities of a sad-guru (bona fide guru) and the sat-sisya (bona fide disciple) are given in detail in the Sri Hari-bhakti-viläsa (1.23.64). The essence is that only a person with pure character and sraddhä is qualified to become a sisya and only that person who is endowed with suddha-bhakti, who knows bhakti-tattva, and is of spotless character, simple, without greed, free from Mäyäväda philosophy, and expert in all devotional activities is qualified as sad-guru. A brähmana adorned with these qualities, and who is honored by the whole society, can be guru of all the other varnas. If there is no brähmana, the disciple can accept a guru who is situated in a higher varna than himself. Apart from these considerations of varnäsrama, the principal consideration is that whoever knows krsna-tattva can be accepted as guru. If a person born in one of the higher varnas – brähmana, ksatriya and vaisya – finds the above mentioned qualities present in a person born of a brahmana family and accepts him as guru, then he can get some facilities and favors in a society that respects the higher varna. Factually, though, only a worthy bhakta can be guru. The rules for testing the guru and disciple, as well as the determination of time, are given in the sästras. The purport is that the guru will bestow his mercy upon the disciple when the guru perceives the disciple to be qualified, and when the disciple has faith in the guru, understanding him to be a suddha-bhakta. There are two kinds of guru: diksä-guru and siksä-guru. One has to accept diksä from the diksä-guru; at the same time, one also has to take siksä concerning arcana (Deity worship). There is one diksä-guru, but there can be several siksä-gurus. The diksä-guru is also competent to act as siksä-guru.

Vijaya: Since the diksä-guru is not to be given up, how will Gurudeva give siksä if he is not competent of giving sat-siksä?

Babaji: Before accepting a guru, one should examine him to see that he is expert in the tattva spoken in the Vedas and has realized para-tattva. If he is, then he will certainly be capable of giving all kinds of instructions about the Absolute Truth. Normally, there is no question of giving up the diksä-guru. There are two circumstances, however, in which he should be abandoned. First, if the disciple accepted the guru without examining the guru’s knowledge of the Absolute Truth, his Vaisnava qualities, and his other qualifications, and second, if after initiation, the guru does not perform any function, he should be given up. Many passages in sastras give evidence for this:

yo vyaktir nyäya-rahitam anyäyena çåëoti yaù

täv ubhau narakaà ghoraà vrajataù kälam akñayam

Hari-bhakti-viläsa (1.62)

He who poses as an äcärya, but gives false instructions that are opposed to the sattvata-sästras, will reside in a terrible hell for an unlimited period of time, and so will the misguided disciple who mistakenly listens to such a false guru.

guror apy avaliptasya käryäkäryam ajänataù

utpatha-pratipannasya parityägo vidhéyate

Mahäbhärata Udyoga-parva (179.25) and Närada-païcarätra (1.10.20)

It is one’s duty to give up a guru who cannot teach the disciple what he should do and what he should not do, and who takes the wrong path, either because of bad association or because he is opposed to Vaisnavas.

avaiñëavopadiñöena mantreëa nirayaà vrajet

punaç ca vidhinä samyag grähayed vaiñëaväd guroù

Hari-bhakti-viläsa (4.144)

One goes to hell if he accepts mantras from an avaisnava-guru, that is, one who is associating with women, and who is devoid of krsna-bhakti. Therefore, according to the rules of sästra, one should take mantras again from a Vaisnava guru.

The second circumstance in which one may reject the guru is if he was a Vaisnava who knew the spiritual truth and principles when the disciple accepted him, but who later became a Mäyävädi or an enemy of the Vaisnavas by the influence of asat-sanga. It is one’s duty to give up such a guru. However, it is not proper to give up a guru whose knowledge is meager, if he is not a Mäyävädi or an enemy of the Vaisnavas, and is not attached to sinful activity. In that case, one should still respect him as guru, and with his permission, one should go to another Vaisnava who is more knowledgeable, and serve that Vaisnava and take instructions from him.

Vijaya: Please tell us about krsna-diksä and siksä. (#2)

Babaji: One should accept siksä about the process of arcana (Deity worship) and pure devotional service from Sri Gurudeva, and one should then perform krsna-sevä and krsnaa-anusilanam with a simple mood. We will consider the angas of arcana in more detail later. It is essential to take siksa from Sri Gurudeva regarding sambandha-jnäna (one’s relationship with Krsna), abhidheya-jnäna (the process of devotional service), and prayojana-jnäna (the ultimate goal).

Vijaya: What does it mean to perform guru-sevä with faith? (#3)

Babaji: One should not consider Sri Gurudeva to be a mortal or an ordinary jiva. Rather, one should understand him to be the representative of all the devatäs (sarva-devamaya). One should never disobey him, and one should always know him to be vaikuntha-tattva.

Pure Devotion And The Competitive Spirit

2008-09-28T17:03:00.006+10:00

Pure Devotion and the Competitive Spirit

Part Two

by Srila Bhakti Bibudha Bodhayan Maharaja

All glories to Sri Guru, Sri Gauranga and the Brahma Madhva Gaudiya Saraswata Sampradaya!

It is sad to say that in our contemporary Gaudiya Vaishnava community, many of us are Vaishnavas in name only. We make a show of devotion, but what we are calling devotion is in fact the observance of few rules of moral behavior at best. In essence, it is thus not devotion at all. Moreover, in the name of pure devotion, we are also abusing the ideal of yukta vairagya, renunciation with proper adjustment to time, place and circumstances. We are not supposed to be followers of Ekalavya, who was rejected by even his own guru Dronacharya. We must take stock of our true standing on the bhakti marga? Service to the spiritual master is based on surrender, and not on just following a few moral codes. Service to the guru means following the pure devotional path according to his instructions. It goes beyond morality. Krishna proved this when He instructed Arjuna to kill his own kinsmen.

Krishna told Arjuna: "Do it! You will not incur any sin. I shall protect you." It was not "moral" to kill Dronacharya, Bhishma and all the other great and pious heroes fighting for the Kauravas, but Arjuna surrendered to Krishna, his guru. He thus surpassed the mundane principles of morality, which involve following rules and regulations to keep peace and order in human society. We must not neglect the instructions of our diksha guru. For, if we are not surrendered, we cannot actually render any true service to Krishna. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupada gave us the proper conception of yukta vairagya for our present times. We should try to understand it properly if we are to serve the cause of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

Surrender to Krishna gives life in the Bhagavad-Gita (18.66), Sri Krishna told Arjuna, "Abandon all varieties of religion (sarva-dharmAn) and take exclusive shelter of Me. I shall deliver you from the reactions of your sinful activities. Do not fear." Sarva-dharmAn indicates "all kinds of religious attitudes." This means that we must without hesitation reject all other methods of spiritual advancement other than surrender. Srila Rupa Goswami also recommends that we cultivate devotion free from personal interests (anyabhilanita-cunyam) and the tendencies toward karma and jnana (jnAna-karmAdy-anAvRtam). Surrender is the primary characteristic of bhakti. It cannot be found anywhere else. Other attempts to reach the Absolute by adopting the path of karma yoga or jnana yoga, for example, are destined to disappoint us. Sharanagati, or surrender to Krishna, is the name Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur gave to a collection of wonderful songs of his own composition. In the introductory song of that book, Bhaktivinoda writes,

zrI kRSNa caitanya prabhu jIve dayA kari
sva-parSada svIya dhAma saha avatari
atyanta durlabha prema karibAre dAna
zikhAya zaraNAgati bhakatera prANa

Out of compassion for the fallen souls, Sri Krishna Chaitanya came to this world with His personal associates and divine abode to teach sharanagati, surrender to Krishna, and to freely distribute ecstatic love (prema) for God, which is ordinarily very difficult to obtain. This sharanagati is the very life (prana) of the true devotee."

This song clearly says that without surrender, a devotee is without life (prana). Surrender to guru, Vaishnavas and Krishna will give us back our life. We have nothing to lose. This is the benefit of the bhakti process. On the other hand, if a person has a good character, but no devotion, he can be considered a moralist at best. The soul gives life to the body, which is otherwise dead. Similarly, a life of so-called devotion without surrender is like a useless corpse. It is impossible to achieve divine love (prema) without surrender. In this regard, we can learn a good lesson from the famous story of Ekalavya.

The story of Ekalavya

Once, when Arjuna, the celebrated Pandava, was still a boy, he, his brothers and his cousins studied the military sciences from the great master Dronacharya. At that time, Ekalavya, the son of Hiranyadhanu, the king of an aboriginal tribe, was moved by his faith to approach Dronacharya and request him for instruction in archery. Dronacharya refused to teach his prospective disciple because he wanted to test his faith, but Ekalavya was stubbornly determined to learn archery from the master. So unbeknownst to Drona, Ekalavya went to the forest and fashioned an image of him out of clay. He then began to practice archery in front of this image all day long. Concentrating his mind on Dronacharya in this way, Ekalavya gradually became the most expert archer in the world, more skilful than even Arjuna. Arjuna was not only Krishna's intimate friend, but also Dronacharya's dearest disciple. The master had once promised him, "No one will ever excel you in this art. You will become the best archer on this earth and so will you remain, I promise you!" One day, the Kauravas and the Pandavas went together for a walk in the forest when they suddenly saw something quite astonishing. Lying peacefully on the ground was a dog whose mouth had been sewn closed by seven arrows. The boys thought that one who could perform such extraordinary feat was undoubtedly the best archer in the world. They also thought that perhaps he was even better than Arjuna. As they continued to penetrate deeper into the dense forest, they came across an unknown archer tirelessly practicing his marksmanship. It was he who had shot the arrows at the dog because the animal had been barking and disturbing his concentration. When the boys returned to the palace, they related the incident to Dronacharya in detail. Arjuna humbly reminded Dronacharya of his promise that no one would ever excel him in archery. Dronacharya, who was very surprised to hear of the existence of such an expert bowman, went to the forest with Arjuna to meet him. When they reached Ekalavya's cottage, they saw him sitting down before the clay image of Dronacharya and shooting arrows with great expertise. As soon as Ekalavya saw them, he paid them their due respects, honoring Dronacharya as his master. When Dronacharya heard that Ekalavya considered him to be his guru, he requested dakshina from him. Dakshina is the donation or gift given to a priest or one's own guru. In ancient times, masters used to demand their due dakshina from their disciples at the time of initiation. Ekalavya stood with folded palms in front of Dronacharya, and told his master that he was ready to do whatever he ordered. Dronacharya then demanded that Ekalavya give him the thumb of his right hand. Though the loss of the thumb meant that he would no longer be able to shoot, Ekalavya cut it off without hesitation.

A dangerous example

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur explains that Krishna, bhakti and the bhakta partake of the same absolute nature. A devotee enjoys a special position because the Lord is favorably inclined to him. On the other hand, a non-devotee may have many good qualities and moral virtues according to the standards of worldly life, but all these assets have no value in the eyes of the Lord. Any one who thinks that morality surpasses bhakti will fail to catch this subtle point. Though Ekalavya had initially been rejected by Dronacharya, he was moved by his own faith to make an image of clay of his master. He had then achieved perfection in archery by practising in front of that image. This seems to be an example of devotion to the master. Indeed, it seems that Ekalavya was completely surrendered to his guru. Otherwise, how could he cut away his thumb without thinking twice? However, it is my humble opinion that a devotee on the path of surrender must dismiss the example of Ekalavya. When Dronacharya refused to instruct Ekalavya in archery, he had good reasons for not doing so. Ekalavya should have waited for his guru's mercy, but he did not. Instead he concocted his own way of achieving his mercy by moulding the image of clay and training in front of it. In fact, the mind of Ekalavya was tainted by the desire to become a famous, skilful archer. He wanted to surpass Arjuna's dexterity in bowmanship. This was not at all a good attitude, especially if we consider Arjuna's status as a pure devotee of the Lord. The desire to be "bigger" or more famous than another Vaishnava is not devotion at all. This was also against the desire of Dronacharya. Therefore, Ekalavya committed guru aparadh by neglecting Dronacharya and Vaishnava aparadh by being envious of Arjuna. This is perhaps the reason why later on Ekalavya was killed by Krishna and merged into His brahmajyoti effulgence. This is the way Krishna deals with the demons. They achieve sayujya mukti, the liberation that is always despised by devotees. Ekalavya's dealings with Dronacharya were also tainted with impersonalism. He really did not take the instructions of his guru to heart. Instead of following the directions of the living guru, he used his guru's clay image as a means to achieving his own cherished ambition. Ekalavya tried to draw his guru's attention to himself instead of surrendering to his guru. This shows that his devotion was artificial. In other words, he outwardly showed the behavior of a disciple, but his heart was consumed by egotism. Similarly, one should not have the outward dress of a Vaishnava while harboring the attitude of a mundaner. Penances without the sanction of the guru and the Vaishnavas do not fall in the category of bhakti. Materialistic people with a demoniac mentality also perform many austerities, but their aim is to get material benefit and enjoy sense gratification. Although Ekalavya was not interested in gross sensual pleasure, his austerities had not been sanctioned by any senior authority. Thus the expert Dronacharya was able to detect that his devotion was mere pretense. For these reasons, therefore, Ekalavya's example is a dangerous one, particularly for beginners on the path of bhakti.

Remove Ekalavya from our hearts

We are living in difficult times. We have to face many problems even in the association of other Vaishnavas. Senior members of our Gaudiya Vaishnava community are somewhat puzzled by the nature of these problems. They too confess that they have no idea of how to bring about positive solutions. The subject matter is very intricate and requires more analysis. What must be done? It is true that if we stick to the instructions of our guru, Krishna will remove the ghost of Ekalavya from our mind. We must surrender and if we are sincere, the Lord will accept our service. We should not be Vaishnavas in name and dress only. We should stop thinking and acting like Ekalavya. We have to become saragrahi Vaishnavas, not just worshipers of the form like Ekalavya. In the words of Srila Sridhar Maharaj we have to dive deep into reality. Lochan Das Thakur stated that we are just chewing a piece of dry wood instead of sugarcane.

ikhu daNDa bhAvi kATha cunili man kemone paibi meoha

How will we taste the sweetness of the sugarcane juice by sucking on a piece of dry wood? Sugarcane looks like dry wood but is sweet and tasty. Vaishnavas in name or dress may put on many programs, but are not able to inspire pure devotion in others. Vaishnavas who are externally oriented are always busy building more temples and expanding their religious organizations. Unfortunately, they have little or no time to cultivate devotional practices such as hearing and chanting in the association of other devotees or counselling neophytes in how to strengthen their faith. If we chew the dry wood of false surrender, how can we taste the sweetness of bhakti? Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur explained the symptoms of surrender in Sharanagati:

dainya, Atma-nivedana, goptRtve varaNa
avazya rAkhibe kRSNa vizvAsa
pAlana bhakti-anukUla mAtra kAryera
svIkAra bhakti-pratikUla-bhAva varjanAngIkAra

"The ways of sharanagati are humility, dedication of the self, acceptance of the Lord as one's only maintainer, faith that Krishna will surely protect, execution of only those acts favorable to pure devotion and renunciation of conduct averse to pure devotion."

SaD-anga zaraNAgati haibe jAMhAra
tAMhAra prArthanA zune zrI-nanda-kumAra

"The youthful son of Nanda Maharaj, Sri Krishna, hears the prayers of anyone who takes shelter of Him by this six-fold practice."

Unless we surrender to Krishna, He will not accept any prayer from us. How then will He accept any service? This is indeed very sad. By nature, we are the eternal servants of Krishna, but as we lack surrender, sincerity, or both, we are unable to serve Him. The sign of sincerity is accepting that Krishna comes to us through our guru. All scriptures confirm this. My spiritual master, His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Promode Puri Goswami Maharaj, told me that so-called freedom is detrimental on the spiritual path. We should not detach ourselves from the desire of guru and Vaishnavas as Ekalavya did. We should not try to establish moral codes other than surrender to the will of guru and Krishna. We should not feel envious of others' opulence as Ekalavya did with Arjuna. The example of pretentious devotion set by Ekalavya can infect the heart of any aspirant on the spiritual path. Devotion to guru and Krishna should never be performed with an aim to achieving material benefits. Therefore, we have to keep very alert and remove the weeds of unwanted desires as soon as they sprout.

In conclusion, I request the readers of this piece with folded palms to excuse all my offences and bless me so that I may become a true disciple of my Gurudeva and a true servant of all the Vaishnavas.

Pure Devotion And The Competitive Spirit

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Pure Devotion and the Competitive Spirit

Part One

by Srila Bhakti Bibudha Bodhayan Maharaja

If we study the example set by all our previous acharyas, we will find that competition is not a religious principle. Nowadays, however, we see that in the Vaishnava Sampradaya, especially the Sri Brahma Madhva Gaudiya Saraswata Sampradaya, almost all societies and acharyas are trying to show that they are better than the others. That is one reason explaining all those articles on the Internet that seem to have defeating others as their only purpose.

Every disciple naturally follows his or her spiritual master's mood and so preaches in the same competitive spirit. If a follower asks his master, Can I achieve my spiritual goal through chanting the Holy Name and propagating my society and acharya's glories as much as possible?, the acharya replies with silence as a sign of his tacit approval: maunam sammati-laksanam. As a result, the Madhva Gaudiya Saraswata world as a whole sometimes looks like a battlefield.

We seem to think that our acharya or society's qualifications are proved by the number of supporters, devotees, or centers they possess, or how much wealth and mundane opulence they have accumulated. As a result, so many devotees in our sampradaya seem to be running after religion, wealth, sense pleasure and liberation in Mahaprabhu's name, instead of seeking Divine Love, the fifth goal of life or Panchama Purushartha that He really came to give.

Mahaprabhu said prithivite ache jata nagaradi gram / sarbatra prachar hoibe mor nam. My name will be spread in every town and village, everywhere in the world. This prediction has for all intents and purposes come true and His name has indeed spread to almost every corner of the globe, leaving hardly any place untouched. Even so, most senior devotees in the sampradaya are feeling frustration at the way the present Vaishnava organizations and their acharyas are behaving. They feel that instead of spreading Mahaprabhu's message, the followers of these groups are engaged in subtle politics against other devotees -- pure or impure -- in order to promote their own society and acharya.

When devotees begin to lose their taste for chanting the Holy-Name after long practice, they naturally want to know why. We have heard from our acharyas that when this happens, it is because from the starting point of our bhajan life, knowingly or unknowingly, we have been committing offences. When this happens, some of us remain active in our society and follow its acharya without any real hope or enthusiastic mood. Others leave their society with a negative attitude to Vaishnavas in general. Such former devotees are now engaged in some business or work in mundane places to make their livelihood. This is a synopsis of the current situation in the Vaishnava world.

Prabhupada Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur once said that we have not come into the association of Vaishnavas in order to become construction workers in brick, wood, and stone. If it is necessary to sell the bricks and other wealth in order to spread Mahaprabhu's message of Divine Love, we should do that. We should try to cultivate this attitude in the service of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur Prabhupada, Prabhupadas Rupa, Sanatana and Sri Jiva Goswami, and Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu!

Are we preaching just to increase the mundane wealth of our particular society? If so, what do we achieve? Are we really following the path of the previous spiritual masters? Or are we simply using their name and words to further our own ends of increasing mundane wealth? Is this why Prabhupadas Rupa, Sanatana, and Sri Jiva Goswami set the example of building glorious temples for their Deities, while they themselves spent the rest of their lives under trees, writing books?

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur has sung in one of his kirtans (Kalyana-kalpa-taru) as follows:

mukhe bolo prem prem bastuta tyajiya hem
shunya granthi anchale bandhan

We are repeatedly speaking and preaching about Divine Love to others, but actually we are far from it. We have lost this diamond by our present activity. Now we have nothing, an absolutely empty pot in the name of full divine pot.

At another place in same kirtan, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur wrote as follows:

akaitaba krishna prem jena suvimala hem
ei phal nriloke durlabh
kaitabe vanchana matra hou age jogya patra
tabe prem haibe sulabh

Divine Love is like a rare piece of bright gold or diamond. When we are absolutely free from hypocritical activities and surrender absolutely to His service, then we will be qualified to get this Divine Love. Actually the diamond of Krishna Prema is very rare on this planet. Rather than taking shelter of hypocrisy to deceive others, we should try to become worthy to receive Divine Love, for though Prema is very rare, it comes very easily to those who have attained eligibility by ridding their hearts of hypocrisy and the desire to deceive others.

If we examine the essence of the above quote, we see that Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur is explaining that what we are nowadays calling Prema (Divine Love) is actually fakery or deceit. My beloved Spiritual Master, His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Promode Puri Goswami Maharaj, explained in one of his discourses that the first symptom of feeling separation is tears at the time of chanting the Holy Name. He himself would ask, Where are my tears? Tears don't come easily to me, even if I put hot peppers in my eyes!

Srila Gurudeva expressed himself in this humble manner just to teach us a lesson, for I often saw him in the middle of the night, secretly crying and lamenting to someone out of separation from Krishna's service. What is the present condition of our hearts regarding the feeling of separation for Krishna? How can we pretend to have Divine Love (Prem) as long as we maintain selfish goals and are more and more dedicated to achieving them?

According to Srila Narottam Das Thakur, apana bhajana katha na kahiya jatha tatha, which means we should not show or discuss our feelings of separation to anyone and everyone. We should keep them secret so that they can grow and develop. Nowadays, we are showing off, broadcasting our so-called mood of separation and our secret relation with Krishna to neophyte people in order to attract them to our camp. Furthermore, we are discussing very intimate topics of Radha-Krishna's conjugal pastimes to those neophyte devotees, just to show off that we have full knowledge of Vaishnava siddhanta. But look at Mahaprabhu's example: He discussed such matters in a very intimate place, the Gambhira in Jagannath Puri, where He lived for eighteen years along with Swarupa Damodar Prabhu and Ray Ramananda Prabhu, His most intimate associates. Are we really following the above instructions of Narottam Das Thakur and the example given by Mahaprabhu?

Nowadays, though we belong to the same sampradaya, we criticize each other in order to steal devotees from other camps to make our own bigger, so we can show off our power. And we do it all in the name of preaching abroad! Is this the type of preaching Mahaprabhu showed? We all know what His standards of behavior were. When He converted Prakashananda Saraswati, the leader of the impersonalist camp, He did not do so in a challenging mood or in order to prove Himself on the field of competition. Though Prakashananda was an impersonalist, Mahaprabhu still displayed the Vaishnava qualities of humility and politeness to him.

Once upon a time, when Mahaprabhu was visiting Kashi, Sripad Tapan Mishra and Chandrashekhar Acharya requested Him with great feeling to establish pure devotion in their town, because as devotees they were tired of constantly being insulted by the impersonalists. At that time, Mahaprabhu was invited to a Brahmin's house where the impersonalists congregrated. The leader of the Mayavadis, Prakashananda Saraswati, asked Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu why He did not associate with them. Mahaprabhu replied with humility, The instruction of my spiritual master is that foolish persons should only chant the Holy Name, instead of reading Vedanta, the essence of all scripture. I am fool number one according to my spiritual master's judgment, so how can I associate with all of you who are giving such learned discourses from the scripture? harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam / kalau nastyeva nastyeva nastyeva gatir anyatha

In this way Mahaprabhu tried to say that the essence of Veda and all Scriptures is Sri Holy Name. Then Mahaprabhu went on to make the following statement about Krishna Prema, quoted in Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita:

krishna vishayak prema-- parama purushartha
jar age trina tulya chari purushartha
panchama purushartha premanandamrita sindhu
brahmadi-ananda jar nahe ek bindu

Among the five purushartha, Prema is the best, better than other four purusharthas: religion, wealth, sense pleasures and liberation. Next to the fifth purushartha, these four goals of life are valueless, like a piece of grass. The fifth purushartha, Krishna Prema, is like an ocean of blissful nectarean love. Even Lord Brahma, the son of God and creator of the universe, has not tasted a drop of it.

Then, with proper Vaishnava etiquette, Mahaprabhu defeated Shankararachaya's commentary and established His own siddhanta: God is opulence, full-bliss, eternity, and consciousness. After that, Prakashananda, the Mayavadi sannyasi, and his group of followers surrendered to Mahaprabhu's lotus feet. The point is that Mahaprabhu did not display a competitive or aggressive challenging mood, even to these opponents. Contrast this with our attitude nowadays, when we behave in this manner even with those who are in our own same sampradaya, what to speak of the Mayavadis.

Again, in Srimad Bhagavatam, Lord Krishna shows us that the challenging and competitive spirit are not included in devotion through the story of Arjuna, Ugrasena Maharaj and a pious Brahmin whose children had died as soon as they took birth.

Once, there was a Brahmin in Maharaj Ugrasena's kingdom, whose wife had given birth to nine baby sons. Unfortunately, every time she gave birth, her children would die for no apparent reason. The father of these babies widely accused the king, Maharaj Ugrasena, of responsibility for their death. Each year, the Brahmin would come to the King's palace, carrying his dead child, and shout curses at Maharaj Ugrasena, blaming him for the death of his child. The king himself remained silent, showing tolerance as an acharya.

After the ninth such death, Arjuna, the third Pandava happened to be present and heard the Brahmin hurling invective at the king. He asked him what was his complaint. The Brahmin blamed the death of all his children on the sinful activities of the king. Arjuna was astonished to hear the Brahmin's accusation, but was convinced that what he said was true. Arjuna was filled with false pride and the desire to defeat Maharaj Ugrasena and so told the Brahmin that the next time his wife was ready to give birth, he should call him. He would go and protect the child from the forces of death.

The pious Brahmin felt it was strange that Arjuna was claiming he could succeed where Vasudeva, Sankarshan, Pradyumna and Aniruddha had all failed. How can you save my children? he asked. Arjuna immediately replied, I am Arjuna and I carry the Gandiva bow. I don't care for all these others. I will show you my power when your wife gives birth.

The Brahmin still had doubts, but Arjuna very proudly gave his promise that if he was not able to save the Brahmin's next child, he would enter the fire and destroy his body.

When the time came, the Brahmin remembered Arjuna's promise and sent for him. Arjuna went to his house equipped with his bow and other weapons. On arriving, he chanted a few mantras to protect the area and sat down in front of the Brahmin's wife to watch over her.

Unfortunately, Krishna's beloved friend Arjuna forgot Krishna out of pride on that day. When he chanted the mantra for protection, he did achaman for purification of his body and mind using the mantra namah Shivaya instead of the Krishna Mantra. Arjuna sat in front of Brahmin's wife with his fighting-bow, awaiting the messenger of death, but as soon as she gave birth, her child died, as had happened every time previously. Arjuna was astonished to see the child die right in front of him.

He set off to find out where the child had gone after death. He searched in so many places without finding the child. Finally, he had to admit his failure and arranged to keep his promise by entering a fire to end his life. Lord Krishna immediately appeared and spoke to Arjuna, Please come with me and I will show you where that Brahmin's children have gone. Then both went to Mahakalpur and Krishna ordered Karanodashayi Vishnu to give back the Brahmin his ten children.

The teaching to be taken from the above story in the Srimad Bhagavatam is that when we commit offences to the acharya, Vaishnavas and God, our whole devotional practice is nipped in the bud. Favoring the words of the Brahmin, Arjuna, committed offence to Maharaj Ugrasena, who was an acharya. Due to that offence, he forgot Vasudeva, Sankarshan, Pradyumna and Aniruddha, i.e., his relation with God. Thus when the Brahmin told Arjuna that Vasudeva, Sankarshan, Pradyumna and Aniruddha had failed to save his children, Arjuna pretended to be more powerful than them. With his proud answer to the Brahmin, Arjuna committed an offence to the lotus feet of the Chaturvyuha (God). Therefore at the time of achaman, he uttered namah Shivaya instead of a Krishna mantra. In this way, there are so many examples in the scriptures showing that competitiveness and the challenging mood destroy pure devotion.

From the above facts, it is shown that when we commit offences towards the acharyas and Vaishnavas, we are pulled away from the lotus feet of God. Though Arjuna was Krishna's dearest devotee, his offence caused him to take on a competing mood and to challenge Maharaj Ugrasena and Vasudeva, Sankarshan, Pradyumna and Aniruddha.

Please, readers, do not take any offence from me, I am simply expressing my heartfelt worries. Kindly bless me that I may follow the proper devotional path. I wish to continue writing more on this topic, giving more evidence from other scriptures.

Your humble servant,
B.B.Bodhayan
President of Sri Gopinath Gaudiya Math

ISKCON Constitution

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CONSTITUTION OF ASSOCIATION

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

1. The name of the society is the International Society for Krishna- Consciousness.

2. The headquarters of the Soceity are located at Radhakrishna Temple, 26 Second Avenue, New York City, 10003, USA.

3. The objectives for which the Society is being established are:

(A) To educate the greater human society in the techniques for spiritual life as the basis for a balanced psychic and biological development, and thereby achieve for the first time in human society a real peace and unity among the contending forces in the world today.

(B) To propagate the Sense of Godhead, the all attractive Personality of primal and eternal Form, as He Himself revealed in His own words in the Bhagavad-gita, The Holy Scripture of the Lord Sri Krishna, the Godhead.

(C) To bring together individuals in a Society, regardless of national- ity and irrespective of creed or caste, in order to develop a nearness to the Godhead and thereby the idea that within the members and humanity-at-large there is an infinitesmal soul-spirit that is part and parcel in quality with the Godhead, the Supreme Soul.

(D) To encourage the teachings of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu who demonstrated practically the transcendental process of approaching the absolute Personality of Godhead by His acts of congregational chanting of the holy name of God, a process known as Samkirtan.

(E) To prove by active work and preaching that Lord Sri Krishna is the only enjoyer of all the outcomes of individual and collective sacrifice, penance, meditation, arts, culture, sciences, because He is the Supreme Proprietor of the whole universe, eternally apart of Him eveyone knows Him as a friend. Real peace can be attained when this is realized, in fact.

(F) To assist whenever and wherever possible in the buidling of a social structure on the real foundation of spiritual progress and es- tablishment of peace and unity between men throughout the world.

(G) to attempt to save men individually from the chain of victimization the ongoing trend in modern civilization operates by, in the name of ideologies of false sentiment, so that man may again be a free soul, to act and live freely with spiritual vision. This is possible by individual spiritual initiation, Diksha, when a man can see everything in Godhead and Godhead in everything.

(H) To further toward realization this highest truth as revealed by Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and the six Goswamins headed by Srila Rupa and Santana Goswamins.

(I) To have for its objective amongst the others four principles which the Goswamins had in view. They are the following: 1. To erect a holy place of transcendental pastimes as well as a place where members of the Lord Sri Krishna can flourish.

2. To propagate all over the world in the form of missionaries the process of devotion, the transcendental service to the Godhead, and to make known that this devotional service is the main function of the human being.

3. In order to accomplish this, to adopt proselytizing methods of peaceful means and to establish a broader society of association for all members, including scholars and admirers, to engage in this service as put forth in the Srimad Bhagwatam.

4. To install, wherever it is possible, the worship and temple of Radhakrishna and that of Sri Chaitanya, and to give facility to everyone to become trained in the modes of Archan or preparatory principles of devotional service.

(J) To introduce to the members of the Society and humanity-at-large a simpler and more natural purpose in life by means suitable to the particular place and time, and as enjoined in the Bhagavad Gita.

(K) To organize educational programs, such as classes and lecture tours, and to institute services, such as mailing, for the benefit of the members of the Society and humanity-at-large.

(L) To publish periodicals, books and/or pamphlets in all important languages in order to reach human society and give an oportunity to same to communicate with the Society.

(M) To invoke the quality of goodness particularly in every member of the Society, individually by the process of Diksha and by establishing one in the status of a Brahmin (good and intelligent man) on the basis of truthfulness, knowledge and faith in the transcendental service of the Lord.

(N) Among the secondary objectives of the Society, it shall undertake the following activities:

1. To revive the scientific system of social orders of classification based on intellligence, martial spirit, productivity and commmon assis- tance, generally known as the four castes with reference to quality and worth for the common cause of world society.

2. To discharge as a matter of course the vitiated system of supremacy of one man over another by false prestige of birthright or vested interests.

(*Note from Puru Das Adhikari - Please don't misunderstand "2." The New Webster's Dictionary defines discharge -.to unload, to discharge cargo,to absolve, free oneself from, to release (am arrow or bullet) to rid of an electrical charge, to dismiss etc. . . . vitiated- spoiled ., made defective, corrupted (morals or taste), invalidated or made wholly or partly ineffective.)

3. To popularize the vegetable-grain diet under apporved methods in order that full value of protein, carbohydrate, fat and vitamin benefit may be derived therefrom.

4. To discourage intoxication or addicting habits of all descriptions and dimensions and to expose such persons thus affliced to approved methods of spiritual realization.

Tolerance

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Tolerance

By Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur

Bhaktivinoda-vānī-vaibhava is a collection of the teachings of Srila Thakur Bhaktivinode compiled by Sri Sundarananda Vidyavinode, a prominent disciple of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur, and published in 1938. The book is in the form of a series of questions composed by the compiler, with answers extracted from Thakur Bhaktivinode’s teachings. The following are some extracts from chapter 91:

What is the duty of a tolerant person?
If anyone blasphemes you, you should tolerate it. Do not insult anyone. You should not take shelter of the material body and envy others. There is no doubt that lust is a place where Kali can reside. Becoming lusty to serve Krishna is transcendental and is also known as love of God. To desire sense gratification is mundane and is Kali’s residence. One must give up such mundane desires. (Sajjana Toaī 15.2)

Is it part of one’s occupational duty to display intolerance toward other processes?
Those who blaspheme, hate, or envy other processes are certainly ignorant and foolish. They are not as concerned about their own goal of life as they are about indulging in useless argument. (Caitanya-śikāmrita 1.1)

Can devotees who maintain material desires be tolerant?
Those whose devotional service is motivated cannot conquer anger. It is not possible to conquer anger only by one’s intelligence. In a short time, attachment for sense enjoyment will overcome the intelligence and give anger a place in the intelligence’s kingdom. (Sajjana Toaī 11.5)

How should a devotee who chants the holy names practice tolerance?
One should be more tolerant than a tree. One should also give up envy and maintain proper respect for everyone. (Sikātaka 3)

What kind of compassion is indicated by the phrase taror api sahisnunā — “More tolerant than a tree?”
The phrase “more tolerant than a tree”indicates that although a tree is cut, it does not protest. Rather, it helps others by its shade, fruits, and flowers. Similarly, Krsna’s devotees should show greater compassion than a tree by helping everyone whether friends or enemies. Such compassion is the ornament of the non-envious devotees who chant the holy names. (Sikātaka 3)

Can one who is impatient engage in the worship of Hari?
For the practitioner of devotional service, dhairya, patience, is extremely necessary. Those who possess dhairya are called dhīra, sober. When men lack this quality, they become restless. Those who are impatient cannot work. By dhairya, a practitioner controls first himself and then the whole world. (Sajjana Toaī 11.5)

Bibliography:
—Sundarananda Vidyavinode. Bhaktivinode-vāī-vaibhava. Gaudiya Mission. Calcutta. 1998. Bengali.
—Sundarananda Vidyavinode. Bhaktivinode-vāī-vaibhava. English translation by Bhumipati Das. Touchstone Media. Vrindavan. 2002.

This article was taken from the Krsna-kathamrita Bindu - Issue 170.

A special thanks to Bhakta Richard for provided this nice article.

Selected Gems

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Selected Gems

by Srila Bhakti Raksaka Sridhara Maharaja

Die to live means sacrifice or seva (service). Seva means death. Seva means to give one’s own self for a particular cause, for Krishna. That this mad, mundane concocted self should be saved is not a very laudable thing. It is a mortal thing, and the depot of many reactions. So one should get rid of this centre as soon as possible, and enter into the land of confidence, goodness, fairness and sweetness. Try to enter that land with a sincere attitude. Your campaign must be partial. Taking one step forward and three steps back won’t do. There should be no such hesitation. You are finite and you want to get the advantage of the infinite? You are so small, and do you think that by sacrificing only a part of your smallness your aspiration for the whole can be fulfilled? Is it reasonable to expect such? No, it is not so easy.

Our own tendency for exploitation and renunciation creates so many units of this plane, like so much dust to blind our eyes so we cannot see Him. Kanaka pasyanti kamini mayayo jagat. Those who are lustful try to find out where is a beautiful lady. Pasyanti dhana mayo jagat. The greedy people always busy their minds with the thought. “Oh, there is Birla, there is Tata, there is Ford,” who are the moneyed men in this world. They only think about moneyed men because they love wealth the most. Dhara mayo jagat and khira prayanti narayano jagat.

Those who are liberated from the outer external influences may find, “Oh, I am in the kingdom of Narayan, who is the support and guardian of the whole world. We see His hand everywhere. Without His direction nothing can move.” They may boast that, “I have got such power, I have got such beauty, I have got wealth,” but it is all a false show. The real backing spirit is Narayan, the all pervading, all knowing, all good principle. And the temporary external plane is the killing aspect of existence. It is only our prejudices of so many types that have captured us.

So by whatever process we approach the Lord the tenor of our movement should be, if we want a guarantee that it will actually be for the satisfaction of Krishna, that my whole effort depends upon the genuine character of the agent through whom I am rendering my services. If the agent is a false man then my whole energy is wasted. But if he is a real agent then I must be the gainer through him. If I connect with Vaikuntha through him then my actions will be valued.

Otherwise we may be the loser, aparadha (offender). Nama aparadha, seva aparadha, archana apradha – there are so many aparadhas. It is also written in the scriptures that if service is not done properly, then we are sure to commit some offences against the Deity. Either we will get satisfaction or trouble. Aradhana is the proper thing, and the hateful handling of the holy things is aparadha. It all depends on the satisfaction of whom it is we are serving. So we must be careful.

We must not be overconfident of our previous acquisition – so much I have acquired, my progress is so much. I must not be satisfied with my self-certificate, self-satisfaction, the certificate of my own making. Mahaprabhu Himself said, “I am taking the name, I am showing so many tears in the name of Krishna. But why? It is all a false show na prema gandho ‘sti. My crying is only a show to canvas others to see what a great devotee I am.” So much you are to disbelieve your own self that you are a devotee. In this way we must be very careful, very, very careful!

Kotis vapi maha mune. Krsnadas Kaviraj Goswami and Narottam Das Thakura were seeing, “The whole world is absolved from sin, but I am neglected, I am left as the only exception. I am so low and ill fated that I am rejected from that most benevolent infinite lila. I alone am rejected. I could not utilize this great fortunate wave.” This should be the real tendency of a genuine vaisnava who has actually come in relation with the infinite. Whenever the finite comes in touch with the infinite his temperament cannot be otherwise. “I am empty, I don’t get anything”, that should be the temperament.

I feel emptiness within me. I can’t get the goal. My life is frustrated. Neither do I get a drop of grace from the Lord, and the World, of course, I have left. So both sides gone. I have no alternative. O Lord. If you don’t accept me then I am undone. Please, just make me the servant of the servant of the servant. Give the remotest connection to me. Graciously give the most distant connection of Yourself to me. Don’t leave me, My Lord. I cannot tolerate the craving for You. This heart-felt, heart rendering prayer must come to the vaisnava devotee of the Lord. Onlookers will find that he has got a peep of the fortune. The charm for the world outside is fully eliminated for that person, from the core of his heart, and in the near future his heart will be filled with the nectar of the grace of Krsna.

Bhukti, mukti spriha yavat pisaci na nivartate. The desire for enjoyment, and also for renunciation or mukti, no engagement, are compared to two ghosts (pisaci). So how do you dare to express that bhakti, real love for Krishna, will descend in your heart? Those two demons are there, and do you think the noble lady of devotion will come and sit on the same bench with those demons? How can you expect that? Have you freed yourself from all those nasty things that you dare to invite the lady of Krsna bhakti to come?

Krishna bhajan is independent of any external form of life. Mahaprabhu says, na ‘ham vipro na ca narapati na vaisya na sudro …. Gopi bhartu pada kamalayor dasa dasanu dasa. Varnashrama dharma is just the beginning, then gradually improving we are to go up to the absolute service of Krishna. Without consideration of any law or form, thinking only of service, whatever we do or think or speak, everything should be done for the service of Krsna. That is the standard of real devotion. And mere form may be a little favourable, but not always. The spirit, even crossing every formality, is what is required of us. Our absolute attraction for the service, the beauty does not allow law to have any status. In the beginning they have got some sort of utility.

But when a little advanced they do not care for anything. Only sadhu sanga, adherence to the saint of similar type and a little better. Those who are on the path of raga bhajana, divine love and attraction, find that the only way, the only thing which can guide us is spontaneous desire, laulyam atram mulyam ekalam. The only price is earnest desire and nothing else. Krsna bhakti rasabavita mati, murti kriyatam yadi kuto ‘pi labhyate. Ramananda Raya says to Mahaprabhu, “Anywhere you find it, try to purchase it at any price.” The pure inclination towards the service of Krishna, the innermost tendency to want Krishna, to get Him, the earnest desire to have Him – a drop of that desire for the divine attraction, anywhere you find it, one must try to purchase it at any price. You may acquire it anywhere. It may be from a brahmana or from anyone. It does not matter about the form.

Kiba ivpra kiba nyasi sudra keno haya, yei krsna tattva vetti sei guru haya. Wherever there is a drop of that divine love, try to get it. And what is the price? Earnest desire for it. No other price but earnest desire, laulyam. It is not to be purchased by any money, or anything else which is acquired by so many formal practices in crores of births. Substance is necessary and not form. Form may be adopted only as much as it may connect me with that higher thing. So, sarva dharman parityajya all phases of duty you perceive as perfect, give up. At once try to jump in Me, into the ocean of nectar. I am the ocean of nectar.” Try to jump. That is the direct teaching. So our addiction to this or that, to vanaprastha, sannyas, or grhastha has got very negligent value. But the earnest desire, that is to be acquired by any means. That is bhakti proper.

Others try to know about Krishna from the scriptures (sastra). Ramakrishna once remarked that in the almanac it is written that this year so much rain is expected. But it does not mean that if we please the almanac a drop of water will ooze out of it. So the sastra is something like that. The sastras say do this and do that. But that does not mean the sastra will give us the result, too. They give direction, and as much as we practice we get.

Taken from the Bhaktivedanta Memorial Library.

Should One Accept Disciples?

2008-09-01T15:53:00.012+10:00

Should One Accept Disciples?

by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada

Question 1: Is it necessary to be in the association of saintly persons (sadhu-sanga) at all times?
Answer: We must be in sadhu-sanga at every moment. I am weak. Without sadhu-sanga I cannot possibly save myself. If I remain far away from sadhu-sanga, then I will fall pray to the ill-mentality that "I am the master." If we do not live in accordance with the instructions of the sadhu or the guru, then we will be plunged into great calamity. The moment we are without shelter, maya will capture us. Consequently, we will roam here and there in this material world as a servant of maya.

Question 2: How is one delivered from the cycle of material existence (samsara)?

Answer: Without the mercy of Bhagavan, no one can ever be delivered from material bondage. We are the eternally purchased slaves of Krsna. As soon as we forget this, we must become the slaves of maya. Only service to Bhagavan constitutes bhakti. The desire for sense gratification is not bhakti (abhakti); it is entanglement in material existence. The only way to be delivered from this disastrous material existence is to hear krsna-katha from Sri Guru and the Vaisnavas, accompanied by self-surrender, submissive inquiry and a service attitude. By hearing hari-katha with affection (priti), the tendency to get entangled in material existence will come to an end.

Question 3: Should one accept disciples?
Answer: Without becoming a suddha-bhakta* or a mukta (liberated soul), a person should not accept disciples. First, he should become a disciple himself by taking shelter of a bona fide guru, and he should also hear hari-katha from his lips. Then in his own life he should practise all he has heard from Sri Guru. Thereafter, by humbly performing kirtana – that is, repeating to others what he has heard – gradually he may also become a guru himself.

It is self-deception to think "I will intentionally remain laghu (insignificant) forever." One must become guru.** This means one has to become a true devotee of Krsna, fully engaging all one's senses in service to Krsna, at every moment.

This does not necessarily mean that one must accept disciples. Still, by the desire of Bhagavan, some suddha-bhaktas impart instructions for the welfare of the people in general. They are devoid of any selfish motive in doing so. Their purpose is to make those who are laghu (insignificant) become guru (significant); to make those averse to Bhagavan inclined towards Him; and to make everyone a devotee of Krsna.
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* One of the definitions of suddha-bhakta given by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada is one who is free from the desire for wealth, women and fame.

** A literal definition for guru is heavy, or weighty with significance. In other words, to perform significant service to Krsna, one must accept heavy responsibility.

Question 4: Is Krsna the wealth of the guru?
Answer: Srila Gurudeva is the proprietor of Bhagavan. Bhagavan Sri Krsna is the wealth of Sri Gurudeva, so only Sri Guru can give us Bhagavan. It is solely by the mercy of Sri Guru that one will attain Krsna's mercy and have darsana of Him.

Question 5: What does "darsana of Bhagavan" mean?
Answer: To have darsana of Bhagavan means cent-per-cent engagement of the senses in the service of Godhead. In other words, it means to serve Bhagavan with all of one's senses throughout the twenty-four hours of the day. To be thus engaged is in fact to be established in atma-dharma (the constitutional function of the soul) and is actual bhagavat-darsana. Internal and external sphurti (transcendental vision) of Krsna, which arises by Sri Guru's mercy as well as by the influence of one's bhajana, is indeed darsana of Krsna.

Question 6: Is it especially necessary to have antar-darsana (internal darsana)?
Answer: Certainly. To relinquish external vision – vision aimed at enjoying this world – along with the physical forms therein, it is especially necessary to have internal vision. Someone who does not have internal vision will surely have external vision, in which he sees everything as meant for his own enjoyment. Indeed, external vision means seeing maya, or illusion.

When someone is extremely eager to see the contents of the letter, he won't waste his time staring at the external envelope. If we can perceive the whole universe as engaged in the service of Bhagavan, our external vision of it will be dispelled.

"Bhagavan pervades the whole universe; everyone's heart is His place of residence. He constantly resides in the temple of my heart to bestow upon me the opportunity to serve Him."

When this realization intensifies and becomes strong, we will see the whole world as His residence, just as we see our heart – atmavat manyate jagat. We will perceive the presence of our worshipable Lord everywhere. At that time there will be no question of having bahir-darsana, external vision; itara-darsana, separate vision from he interest of Krsna; laghu-darsana, insignificant vision; visva-darsana, objective vision of the phenomenal universe; and so forth. Only then will we perceive the whole world to be full of transcendental happiness.

Question 7: Can I protect myself?
Answer: Never. To think, "I will protect myself," is a fiendish, non-devotee mentality. As soon as this type of ill-thought comes, one is endangered.

"Sri Krsna is my sole protector. What do I have to fear?" We should exclusively imbibe this exalted conception, just as Bhakta Prahlada Maharaja did. If we become indifferent to the narrations and instructions of Sri Bhagavan, then soon after, our reliance on Him will lessen. As a result of this, our various ill-thoughts and our false-egos would place us in a calamitous situation.

We will constantly busy ourselves in service to Bhagavan without wasting even a single moment. We have to serve, remaining exclusively in the association of sadhus. By constantly remaining in such sadhu-sanga, our aptitude for service will continuously be enhanced.

Bhagavan fulfils every desire of His surrendered bhaktas without fail,and He never rejects them – krsna sei satya kare, yei mage bhrtya [Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila, 15.166]. Only Sri Bhagavan has the ability to protect us by giving us shelter. Other than He, no one else has such power. With such resolute faith, we can become free from fear and anxiety, and become happy and successful. Krsna is the embodiment of auspiciousness; and therefore, if we have complete faith in His nature to bestow auspiciousness, we will certainly attain such auspiciousness. Words cannot express the kind of great auspiciousness that is obtained by surrendering fully at the lotus feet of Bhagavan.

Question 8: Who will be delivered?
Answer: It is only when we do not engage ourselves in service to Bhagavan that other thoughts, characteristic of the enjoying mentality, grasp us. The embodiment of compassion, Sri Krsna, is
always ready to protect us from this danger, but how will we be protected if we do not entirely depend upon Him? As the guru, Krsna protects the jiva. Sri Guru is the embodiment of Krsna's mercy. Sri Gurudeva, the representative of Sri Krsna, descends to this world to deliver the jiva from material existence and bring him back to Krsna. Only those fortunate seekers of the Truth who whole-heartedly accept the mercy of Sri Gurudeva can be delivered from this material existence and enter into the abode of transcendental peace and happiness.

Translated from Srila Prabhupadera Upadesamrta

Questions re-numbered for this on-line presentation

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Srila Prabhupadera Upadesamrta is a compilation of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada's instructions in question-and-answer form.

With kind thanks to Jayadeva Prabhu for providing this article!

2008-08-05T13:54:00.002+10:00

Guru and Sisya

By Tridandi Swami Srila Bhakti Bibudha Bodhayan Maharaj

(Rendered into English by Sri Gaurgopal Sarkar, retired Headmaster of Mayapur Thakur Bhaktivinode Institute)

The meaning of the word, Guru (Spiritual master), is very grave. If the word is analyzed it's only two parts 'Gu' and 'ru' are obtained. Here 'Gu' signifies 'Darkness' and 'ru' means 'Light'. It simply indicates that he who is able to save forever illusioned persons from the clutches of darkened maya (illusion) and is able to make them reach the sun or light-like God will be considered to be described as a 'Guru'. Similarly the meaning of the word, 'Sisya' (Disciple), has its own speciality. A disciple promptly places on his head every order of all known as spiritual masters. He carries out the order in question with responsibility, regularity and pleasure and adds to the happiness of Krishna, the original Guru of all, and his Diksha Guru and Siksa Guru and all other Vaisnavas. The inherent meaning of the word Sisya, is associated with a person who always joyfully follows without any question the rules of all sorts of preceptors. In this age the difference between a preceptor and a disciple is going to be abolished forever. This article is presented in this context.

In the Gita Krishna, the Supreme Godhead, taught lessons to all living in the world by addressing Arjuna. In the very way, the saviour from Kali and the apostle of love, Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, addressed Sri Rupa Goswami and his brother, Anupam, when He was seated with them at Dasaswamedh Ghat in Prayag, and taught us that innumerable bounded up jiva souls wonder through 8 400 000 species in the fourteen worlds. There are two classes of jiva: mobile and immobile. Mobile creatures are of three types: aquatic, terrestrial and flying creatures. Among them terrestrial class is the best. Man is the best in this class. Among them the human beings are very small in number. There are many persons who are devoid of civilization and virtue and are atheists. One-half of those who are called virtuous, have reverence for the Vedas and accepts them verbally. Most of these religious persons who have attachment to the Vedas are workers. On analysis one wise person is found among many thousands of workers. In the same way one liberated persons will be detected among thousands of wise men. Similarly, one devotee of Sri Krishna is very scarce among one crore liberated persons.

According to Sriman Mahaprabhu, the apostle of love, devotee of Sri Krishna is very rare. But, in recent days so many rare devotees of Krishna are found all around. Is the utterance of the Lord a false one then? No, it can never be so. His words will never be false. Devotees of Krishna are truly very rare.

Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu instructed Nityananda Prabhu and Namacharya Haridas Thakur after observing the troubles of jivas struck by Kali:

suna suna nityananda suna haridas
sarbatra amara ajna karaha prachar
prati ghare ghare giya kara ei bhiksha
bala krishna bhaja krishna kara krishna siksa

[My dear Nityananda and Haridas, please, give ample publicity of my order to all places. Go to every house and beg for uttering Krishna, worshiping Krishna and learning Krishna.]

In order to follow the instruction and to place on high positions the flag signifying the conquest over all views in the foreign countries my Param Gurudev Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur, at first sent there his three competent disciples: Tridandi Swami Srimad Bhakti Pradip Tirtha Maharaj, Tridandi Swami Srimad Bhakti Saranga Goswami Maharaj and Srimad Bhakti Hriday Bon Maharaj, for propagating in every house the way to make lives significant by pronouncing the Name of Krishna, taking part in the service of Krishna and going through the books having bearings on Krishna. He also wanted to overflow the world by the Holy love of Lord Krishna through the above requests. After that Srila Prabhupada disappeared.

In his absence nobody came actively to the foreign countries for a long time for preaching the lessons of Sriman Mahaprabhu. In 1965 Srila Bhakti Vedanta Swami Maharaj, my siksha Guru blessed by Srila Prabhupada and the Founder Acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, preached with the vigour given by Srila Prabhupada almost everywhere in the world as per the following desire of Srila Prabhupada and instruction of Sriman Mahaprabhu 'Harer-nama harer-nama harer-namaiva kevalam' (The Name of Hari, The Name of Hari, only the Name of Hari). He did so with the desire and grace of Sriman Mahaprabhu and Srila Prabhupada to make the following saying of Sriman Mahaprabhu a trueone:

prithivite ache yata nagaradi gram
sarvatra prachar haive mor nam-

[My name will be preached to all towns and villages in the world.]

He made it known to all that Hari-nam only is the natural faculty of the people struck by Kali. It is the only means to get peace by giving up quarrel and enviousness. As a result, at least a number of people having devotion to Mahaprabhu can be found out.

During the time of the prakasa-lila (life-time) of Srila Bhakti Vedanta Swami Maharaja, the founder of ISKCON, many enthusiastic foreign devotees of Sriman Mahaprabhu were available. In course of time with the disappearance of Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja and his class-fellows all Vaisnavas belonging to Sri Brahma Madhva Gaudiya Saraswat Sampradaya (community) and all other so called Vaisnava sects were griped by the awful seizure of Kali.

Men living in this material world lost their awareness about their abode and became devoid of religion. They believe in the so called worldly affairs, disregard the rules of religion and almost all of them are entangled in transgression. Now in the name of religion we, the devotees in the eyes of the worldly people have made the very flow of the preaching of the message of Sriman Mahaprabhu the way to earn our livelihood. Each jiva is after enjoying sensual pleasures. He never gave us the chance of such an enjoyment. The entrance of the British in India about 254 years ago with measuring instrument of a businessman can be taken up as an instance. They found that the hearts of the Indians are soft like flowers. Their measuring instrument gradually broke the said hearts by a magic power and they took over the ruling power in their hands with the aid of their enjoyment tendency.

In this way the religious arena is actually devoid of a true Guru today. We neglected the rules of the scriptures in the name of religion and like the British we made our religion a way to earn our livelihood. As a result, people living in this country and the foreign lands United themselves in the foreign lands and in this country respectively in the beguile of accepting Guru and preaching religion. By the attraction of Mahamaya we are detached from our religion and Varnasrama and gave religion an ugly form in connection with the relation of Guru and his disciples. Guru is the container and conveyer of religion. It makes us describe our Guru as the identical revelation of God. Previously we were proud of the judgment and characteristic of the practice of pure devotion by my Param Gurudev Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur. Afterwards my Gurudev, Om Vishnupad108 Sri Srimad Bhakti Promode Puri Goswami Maharaj and his godbrothers showed the same ideal of Srila Prabhupada and taught us that the real home of every jiva is Bhagavatdham, Golok, where the Supreme Godhead Himself is engaged in lila (Pastimes) in company with His associates. Jiva is forever related with Him as His servant. They taught us this matter and showed us the way to return to our real home, Bhagavatdham.

'Asakti rahita, sambandha sahita kara ucchaisvare Harinam.' - 'Pronounce loudely the Name of Hari by discarding attachment and embracing relation with Him.' It is a matter of great regret that we have down-trodden those ideals of the mahajanas (Great saints) as very insignificant ones and have used their great names. On the other hand we bade good bye from the core of our hearts to the land of religion, India and came to the foreign countries to earn money by hook or by crook in the name of the service of God and Guru-Vaisnava. By getting money in this way we saved it giving birth to attachment and leaving our ideal of detachment. Finally we are very much engaged in fulfilling our greed for the enjoyment of our senses.

Some persons disclose, 'after earning money in the foreign countries we shall go back to our Dham and accept strict Bhajan like Rupa and Sanatana.' In the words of Srila Viswanath Thakur this type of alternative thinking is called byudhavikalpa. It means a plea to enjoy worldly possessions in the name of service to God by forgetting Saranagati. In fact, only Saranagati (complete surrender) and nothing else is the stair to reach to the door of the knowledge of Bhagavata. At the time of composing the kirtan 'Vaisnava ke' - 'Who is the Vaisnava?', Srila Prabhupada said 'Kanaka, Kamini Pratistha baghini chariache yare, sei to vaisnava' - 'He who has discarded gold, female sex and the tigress, reputation is the Vaisnava'. Yet we being his prasisya (followers of the next generation) are worshiping the three hindrances to Hari Bhajan: gold, female sex and reputation. In fact, most of us made Srila Prabhupada and His initiated personalities the capital of our business, entrapped ourselves in the guise of Vaisnavas and after accepting materialistic views we are in the look out for making the number of Apasampradaya so many in place of only thirteen.

Srila Prabhupada always said 'The condition of so called Guru and Sisya is very miserable. The condition of all Gurus is more regrettable than Sisyas'. In the words of Srila Prabhupada both Guru and Sisya of this type are blind while they follow the path to devotion. Gurudev is the pathfinder to the Bhagavat-dham. A blind can not show the way to another blind. If a person plays the role of a guru without practicing pure devotion and shows negligence to the scriptures he will receive two pushes at the time of trying to show the way to his sisya and his sisya will get one. His venture of this type will bring to him the first push. He will fall down in a ditch. His second push will come when his sisya will fall flat on him from behind having the first push.

In recent days another problem appeared very prominently. On getting in touch with different posts in religious organizations Guru and sisya both are now busy with these positions. Whenever they are asked of pure devotion, they being burdened with the posts say with wonder 'What is that?! Now we are very busy.' Srila Sukadeva Goswami told us to chant the Name of Hari for sixteen rounds on the beads and look after the property as the one belonging to Krishna. The exact time for taking Hari Nama sixteen times on the beads is not found out in view of the malice of property. Practically when a property is taken as one belonging to me instead of Krishna, jiva by unbiased strength of Krishna goes far away from Him and gets a burning sensation as a separate entity.

Now gold, female sex and reputation are our necessity in place of love to Krishna. What will be the consequence? Will our taking shelter of the lotus feet of Guru and endeavour or service be proved futile? Our taking shelter of the lotus feet of Guru will then be meaningful when we shall be able to follow with pleasure all the principles laid down by him instead of imitating them and chant the Name of Hari whole-heartedly. In this way, our venture to be united with the soul of our Guru chanting of Harinam everyday and measures to serve the Vaisnavas and the Lord will make us follow Bhakti-anga instead of playing the role of accepting pure devotion. If a Guru is engaged in the robbing of the wealth of his sisya instead of removing his miseries and a sisya is entangled in enjoying his Guru instead of rendering devotional service to him (that was described previously at the time of showing the attempt of Guru to earn his livelihood by making the Name as the capital and his engagement in enjoying the senses) then Yamaraj will construct a special naraka (hell) for both the Guru and his said sisya.

This dasadhama prays with a piece of cloth fastened around his neck to Srila Guru Padapadma, Srila Prabhupada and the Acharyas following the footsteps of Rupa 'Please, wake every one living in the world, making them detached from Anyabhilasa (other aspirations) by defeating the two hindrances to pure devotion - knowledge and work, and give them that is conducive to the nourishment of pure devotion and allow them to be the eternal devotees of the Lord Krishna Chandra.' They are also requested by him to allow the boat of his human body to serve the lotus feet of the pilot who takes us to the opposite bank of the ocean in the form of this world, to rescue us by creating the chance for establishing an eternal relation with the Lord and to make us liberated from our condition of confinement in Maya.

This Dasadhama politely submit to the readers to kindly forgive the Aparadha (offences) for his faults.

Vaisnava-Dasanudasa,

Bhaktibibudha Bodhayan

There is No One Like My Guru

2008-08-04T12:50:00.004+10:00

[From a Lecture given by Srila Gour Govinda Maharaj, 7 April , l992, BBSR]

Retyped from "Sri Krsna-kathamrta", by Puru Das Adhikari

"The Gaudiya sampradaya, the parampara of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, is a bona fide Vaisnava sampradaya. One should accept the instructions which are coming from the acaryas in this parampara as it is and practice them in one's life. Then You will get the mercy of Mahaprabhu. With a simple heart, that is krsna-seva. We are not speaking anything pseudo-sampradayist. We should not hear the words of pseudo-sampradayists. When Mahaprabhu ordered, "You become guru and deliver this world," that instruction has come unto my guru, Srila Prabhupada, and my guru gave me this same order. So I will never develop any duplicity or crookedness in executing this order.

That means I will never come in murkha--sampradaya or kapatya-sampradaya or phalgu-sampradaya, the school of fools, hypocrites and pretenders. I will never teach duplicity or crookedness to anybody. Those who are visayis, materialistic persons, are duplicitous, crooked, and envious, they come under pseudo-sampradaya. They are selfish persons. Those who are under the bonafide sampradaya coming from Gauranga Mahaprabhu, they are so powerful that they kick all such sampradayas. They are always twenty-four hours day and night engaged in loving service ot the lotus feet of Radha and Krsna, executing the order of their guru. They never desist from rendering pure service without duplicity, nikapata-seva. An acarya is natural, not pretending, he is not pretentious. He is not pretending as acarya. He is a natural acarya, not artificial. He is more humble than a blade of grass lying on the street and as tolerant as a tree. He gives respect to one and all, seeing Krsna in everybody and never demands respect for himself.

Our teachings which are coming through our parampara are true, coming form Mahaprabhu. They are our sadacara, our regulative principle. They are law for all humanity. And this law, this sadacara, has come down to us through parampara. If we disrespect it, if we don't execute it in our life, if we add any deliberation, if we twist it, then we will become offenders. We will commit offence by not obeying the orders of guru. Yes, namaparadha. Then we will be far away from the lotus feet of our guru. Guru will never keep us at his lotus feet. If, in order to execute, to obey the order of my guru, it is needed to become very proud, I will never hesitate to become very proud. If it is needed to become an animal, I will never hesitate to become an animal. If it is needed to go to hell for guru, I will never hesitate to do it. Do you follow me? That is how to execute the order of the guru. That is how to become a true follower of guru.

I will never hesitate to do it. I will never hear from anyone but my guru. Those who are saying something different form this teaching coming through bonafide parampara, coming from Mahaprabhu‹we will never listen to them. If somebody says something different, then like Bhimasena, with my fist, I will crush it. I will destroy it. I will defeat it. I am so proud. With just one speck of dust form the lotus feet of my guru, crores and crores of people of this world will be delivered. You should understand how powerful one little speck of dust of my guru's lotus feet is. There is no such a scholar as my guru. I will never accept anyone else as a scholar. There is no such teachings as those that my guru has imparted, to be found in any human being, or in any demigod. I know it very well. No one else can give such teachings. There is nothing in thiw world that is as heavy as a tiny speck of dust from the lotus feet of my guru. This is the follower of true parampara, I am following such parampara. This is the teaching, one should understand it very well.

Only Mahaprabhu gives prema. Mirabai got sayujya mukti, but we hate it. Gaudiya Vaisnavas hate it. We won't hear all these things. Get out from here! I am so proud, I will crush it with my fist! Entering into the body of the Lord, that was her desire. Jiva Goswami appreciated that she said that Krsna is the only male, but after that finish, chelo! Get out! Do you follow? Only Mahaprabhu gives prema, nobody else. It is a simple fact. Why are you making it complicated? It is very simple. Don't twist it, don't add any deliberation to it. As it is. This is most important. It appears contradictory but in tattva there is no contradiction. You should understand in tattva. Apparent considerations are not tattva. Apparent considerations and absolute considerations, apara vicara and tattva vicara. All our Gaudiya Vaisnava philosophy is based on tattva vicara, not apara vicara."