paṇḍita-gosāñira śiṣya — ananta ācārya kṛṣṇa-premamaya-tanu, udāra, sarva-ārya tāṅra ananta guṇa, ke karu prakāśa tāṅra priya śiṣya iha paṇḍita haridāsa caitanya-nityānanda tāṅra parama-viśvāsa caitanya-carite tāṅra parama-ullāsa vaiṣṇava-guṇa-grāhī nā dekhaye doṣa kāya-manovākye kare vaiṣṇava-santoṣa [CC Adi 8.59-62]
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: Pado, kya likhi hai? paṇḍita-gosāñira śiṣya — ananta ācārya kṛṣṇa-premamaya-tanu, udāra, sarva-ārya
Ananta Ācārya was a disciple of Gadādhara Paṇḍita. His body was always absorbed in love of Godhead. He was magnanimous and advanced in all respects. tāṅhāra ananta guṇa ke karu prakāśa tāṅra priya śiṣya iṅha — paṇḍita haridāsa
Ananta Ācārya was a reservoir of all good qualities. No one can estimate how great he was. Paṇḍita Haridāsa was his beloved disciple. Purport by Śrīla Prabhupāda:
Śrī Ananta Ācārya is one of the eternal associates of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Previously, during the advent of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, Ananta Ācārya was Sudevī, one of the eight gopīs. This is stated in the Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā (165), as follows: anantācārya-gosvāmī yā su-devī purā vraje. ‘Ananta Ācārya Gosvāmī was formerly Sudevī-gopī in Vraja [Vṛndāvana].’ In Jagannātha Purī, or Puruṣottama-kṣetra, there is a monastery known as Gaṅgā-mātā Maṭha that was established by Ananta Ācārya.
In the disciplic succession of the Gaṅgā-mātā Maṭha, he is known as Vinoda-mañjarī. One of his disciples was Haridāsa Paṇḍita Gosvāmī, who is also known as Śrī Raghu Gopāla and as Śrī Rāsa-mañjarī. His disciple Lakṣmīpriyā was the maternal aunt of Gaṅgā-mātā, a princess who was the daughter of the King of Puṭiyā. Gaṅgā-mātā brought a Deity of the name Śrī Rasika-rāya from Kṛṣṇa Miśra of Jaipur and installed Him in the house of Sārvabhauma in Jagannātha Purī.
The disciple in the fifth generation after Śrī Ananta Ācārya was Śrī Vanamālī; in the sixth generation, Śrī Bhagavān dāsa, who was a Bengali; in the seventh generation, Madhusūdana dāsa, who was an Oriyā; in the eighth generation, Nīlāmbara dāsa; in the ninth generation, Śrī Narottama dāsa; in the tenth generation, Pītāmbara dāsa; and in the eleventh generation, Śrī Mādhava dāsa. The disciple in the twelfth generation is presently in charge of the Gaṅgā-mātā monastery.
caitanya-nityānande tāṅra parama viśvāsa caitanya-carite tāṅra parama ullāsa
Paṇḍita Haridāsa had great faith in Lord Caitanya and Nityānanda. Therefore he took great satisfaction in knowing about Their pastimes and qualities.
vaiṣṇavera guṇa-grāhī, nā dekhaye doṣa kāya-mano-vākye kare vaiṣṇava-santoṣa
He always accepted the good qualities of Vaiṣṇavas and never found fault in them. He engaged his heart and soul only to satisfy the Vaiṣṇavas. It is a qualification of a Vaiṣṇava that he is adoṣa-darśī: he never sees others’ faults. Of course, every human being has both good qualities and faults.
Therefore it is said, saj-janā guṇam icchanti doṣam icchanti pāmarāḥ: everyone has a combination of faults and glories. But a Vaiṣṇava, a sober man, accepts only a man’s glories and not his faults, for flies seek sores whereas honeybees seek honey. Haridāsa Paṇḍita never found fault with a Vaiṣṇava but considered only his good qualities. Paṇḍita Haridāsa had great faith in Lord Caitanya and Nityānanda, therefore took great satisfaction knowing about their pastimes and qualities. He always accepted good qualities of Vaiṣṇavas, never found fault in them. He engaged his heart and soul only to satisfy the Vaiṣṇavas.
He always heard the reading of Śrī Caitanya-maṅgala, and all the other Vaiṣṇavas used to hear it by his grace. vaiṣṇavera guṇa gāna, korile jīvera trāṇa suniāche sādhu-guru mukhe [Gaudiya Gitanjali, Text 18]
I have heard this from sādhu guru, lips of sādhu guru. If you glorify Vaiṣṇavas, Kṛṣṇa will be very much pleased and will very easily deliver. It is a qualification of a Vaiṣṇava that he is adoṣa-darśī. He never sees others' faults. Never sees others' faults. Similarly, Haridāsa Paṇḍita never sees faults of others. He only sees the good qualities. Only sees the good qualities. Never...
vaiṣṇavera guṇa-grāhī, nā dekhaye doṣa kāya-mano-vākye kare vaiṣṇava-santoṣa
He always accepted good qualities of Vaiṣṇavas, never found fault in them, engaged his heart and soul only to satisfy the Vaiṣṇavas. This is a qualification of a Vaiṣṇava that he is adoṣa-darśī. He never sees others' faults. Of course, every human being has both good qualities and faults.
Therefore, it is said, saj-janā guṇam icchanti doṣam icchanti pāmarāḥ. Those who are saj-janā, devotees, sādhu, saj-janā. They only see good things, qualities. They never see faults. doṣam icchanti pāmarāḥ, Those who are pāmarāḥ, not devotees, rascals, they only see faults. Fault-finding nature.
Everyone has a combination of faults and glories, but a Vaiṣṇava, a sober man, accepts only a man's glories and not his faults. For flies seek sores, whereas honeybees seek honey. Mākṣikā vraṇam icchanti. The flies seek sores, whereas the honeybees seek honey. Haridāsa Paṇḍita never found fault with a Vaiṣṇava, but considered only his good qualities. Considered his good qualities. So, yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto ‘pi [Śrī Gurv-aṣṭaka, verse 8]
Isn't it? If a sādhu vaiṣṇava, guru, sādhu-guru-vaiṣṇava is pleased, satisfied, then Kṛṣṇa is pleased and satisfied, isn't it? This is the easy way. It's said in Āditya Purāṇa: harau ruṣṭe gurus trātā gurau ruṣṭe na kaścana tasmāt sarvaprayatnena gurum eva prasādayet [Śrī Hari‑bhakti‑vilāsa, 4.360]
If Lord Hari will be displeased, then Gurudeva can deliver you. Gurau ruṣṭe na kaścana. If Gurudeva will be displeased, Lord Hari cannot deliver you. Nobody can deliver you. Nobody. Lord Hari cannot, no Vaiṣṇava, nobody can deliver. Therefore, sarvaprayatnena gurum eva prasādayet. By all, giving all cost, in the cost of your life, you should please guru. Sarvaprayatnena.
He says, Brahmā-vaivarta Purāṇa says, upadeṣṭāram āmnāyagataṃ pariharanti ye tān mṛtān api kravyādāḥ kṛtaghnān nopabhuñjate bodhaḥ kaluṣitas tena daurātmyaṃ prakaṭīkṛtam gurur yena parityaktas tena tyaktaḥ purā hariḥ [Śrī Hari‑Bhakti‑Vilāsa, 4.363-364]
Guru, one who comes in bonafide disciplic succession, āmnāya-paramparā, is to be accepted. Once someone accepts a guru, he should not leave him. Should not reject him. Should not leave him. Those who reject or leave such a guru, they are great offenders. What do you say?
Devotee: Ungrateful.
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: Ungrateful.
Devotee: Unchaste.
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: Guru-droha, Ungrateful, yes. Ah. If such a person dies, even the vultures will not eat his flesh. Vultures. It doesn’t go down. They never touch him. Such a person dies. If a guru rejects somebody, prior to the rejection by the guru, that person has already been rejected by Lord Hari. That is what it says. That means whatever knowledge he has received from the Guru becomes polluted. Becomes polluted. Then that person will glide down and down and go to hell. He becomes a durātmā, he cannot become a mahātmā. Durātmā.
pratipadya guruṁ yas tu mohād vipratipadyate sa kalpa-koṭiṁ narake pacyate puruṣādhamaḥ (Brahma-vaivarta Purāṇa; Hari-bhakti-vilāsa, 4.365)
Brahma-vaivarta Purāṇa says, "Once you have uttered, addressed such a person as guru, if after delusion you reject such a person, then koṭi kalpa—koṭi means crore—crores of kalpas he'll suffer in Naraka, in hell." It says.
Ananta-saṁhitā says: adhikṣipya guruṃ mohāt paruṣaṃ pravadanti ye śūkaratvaṃ bhavaty eva teṣāṃ janmaśateṣv api [Hari-bhakti-vilasa, 4.369]
Those who consider or think of the guru as an ordinary human being, out of ignorance. Those who think of the guru as an ordinary human being and chastise the guru or speak ill of the Guru. For hundreds of lives, they will have a hog’s birth, śūkara-janma. Ananta-saṁhitā says this thing. Hmm. Ananta-saṁhitā.
Therefore it says, he only sees all good qualities, he never sees any fault. All ācāryas have said this thing. Śāstra says you have to. Kavirāja Gosvāmī says, Narottama Dāsa Ṭhākura says, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says. Again, Ananta-saṁhitā says, "Who cannot become a śiṣya."
akṛtyebhyo 'nivāryāś ca guruśikṣāsahiṣṇavaḥ evambhūtāḥ parityājyāḥ śiṣyatve nopakalpitāḥ [Hari-bhakti-vilasa, 1.68]
Who is incorrigible cannot be corrected. Guru tries his best to prevent him from committing sinful activities, but fails. He's incorrigible. He cannot become a disciple. Again, disciple means under strict discipline. Guru will inflict strict discipline. If a disciple cannot tolerate it, cannot accept it ungrudgingly, then he cannot be a disciple. He should be immediately rejected. They can never become a disciple. Then what is the duty of the śiṣya? In Viṣṇu Smṛti, it is said,
śrīviṣṇusmṛtau na guror apriyaṃ kuryāt tāḍitaḥ pīḍito 'pi vā nāvamanyeta tadvākyaṃ nāpriyaṃ hi samācaret ācāryasya priyaṃ kuryāt prāṇair api dhanair api karmaṇā manasā vācā sa yāti paramāṃ gatim [Hari-bhakti-vilasa Verse 1.99 -100, Viṣṇusmṛti]
Guru has that right. Guru-karṇadhāra. Guru catches hold of your ear and slaps you, inflicts severe discipline on you. Huh? So in spite of that, if the guru inflicts very severe discipline—slaps you, inflicts very severe punishment—one who doesn't do anything displeasing to the guru is a dear disciple. Understand, he is a dear disciple. Never do anything displeasing.
He tolerates it gladly and accepts it as the mercy of saj-jana, sādhu, mahatma guru. Kāya-manovākye—with body, mind, and speech. With his life and soul, with his wealth, at the cost of everything, he serves the guru and gives him pleasure and satisfies him. Then he gets the supreme perfection.
It is said, so those who are such sādhus, mahātmās, they have said this thing and they, in their life also, practically, they absorb this thing and they teach this thing. Here Kavirāja Gosvāmī, glorifying Haridāsa Paṇḍita, says how he always accepted the good qualities of Vaiṣṇavas, never found fault in them, and engaged his heart and soul to satisfy the Vaiṣṇavas.
Eleventh canto, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, you see:
nimajjyonmajjatāṁ ghore bhavābdhau paramāyaṇam santo brahma-vidaḥ śāntā naur dṛḍhevāpsu majjatām [ŚB 11.26.32]
yathopaśrayamāṇasya bhagavantaṁ vibhāvasum śītaṁ bhayaṁ tamo ’pyeti sādhūn saṁsevatas tathā [ŚB 11.26.31]
Kṛṣṇa says to Uddhava. Kṛṣṇa, here, glorifies the sādhus. This is glorification of sādhus and glorification of the association of the sādhus. The person who is drowning in the middle of the ocean, he needs what?
Devotee: Life, life jacket or boat.
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: Yes, he needs a strong boat. Needs a strong boat. Similarly, he who has been drowning many, many lives here in this dreadful ocean of materialistic existence needs the association of sādhus. That serves as, for him, a strong boat. That is the only requirement or need on his part, sādhu-saṅga. Hmm. Who is completely surrendered unto the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, that is a sādhu. Who knows kṛṣṇa-tattva, bhagavat-tattva, who is sober, always peaceful. One should take shelter of such a sādhu, then very easily he will be delivered from this dreadful ocean of materialistic existence. Hmm. Then says,
yathopaśrayamāṇasya bhagavantaṁ vibhāvasum śītaṁ bhayaṁ tamo ’pyeti sādhūn saṁsevatas tathā
You are very much affected by this freezing cold here or some place. What shall you do to be free from such cold?
Devotee: Fire.
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: Yes. You should serve the fire god. You should serve the fire god, Agnideva.
Devotee: Worship?
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: Worship that. Then the winter cannot approach you. If you serve the fire god, winter cannot approach you. You will be free from suffering from winters, such freezing cold. See? śītaṁ bhayaṁ tamo. Similarly, those who are in dark, dense dark of ignorance...
(25:10-34:54, Transcription missing)
Devotee: Psychophysical nature?
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: Huh? Yes. What do you say in English?
Devotee: Psychophysical nature?
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: Yeah. Svādhikāra-niṣṭhā means, it is not psychophysical. No. It's not anything material. According to your rasa-sambandha. Your rasa-sambandha, eternal relationship with the Lord, and what rasa you are related, that is known as svādhikāra-niṣṭhā. That is said.
According to your svādhikāra-niṣṭhā… if you can't serve a sādhu mahātmā, and if you can't understand what a sādhu says in tattva and accordingly if you don't cultivate it in your life, it's to be understood that you have not gotten any benefit out of that saṅga.
Devotee: You said according to your rasa-sambandha?
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: Yes, svādhikāra-niṣṭhā.
Devotee: What does it have to do with?
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: Guru and sādhu mahātmā teaches. He knows what is your svādhikāra. They have clear vision, the transcendental vision. They know it. Past, present and future. Kṛṣṇa knows past, present and future, so the sādhu also knows. So, he also teaches accordingly. But you should understand it in tattva and accept it and cultivate it in your life according to your svādhikāra-niṣṭhā. That is what is said, and so you mold your life, jīvana-gati-rūpa.
Hmm. Then you will be benefited, otherwise what benefit is there? Hmm? You follow me? Difficult to express on my part in English.
Devotee: Eagerness?
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: Eagerness must be there.
Devotee: (Odia)
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: Do you understand, Jayanta-krt? Huh? You now put it in English, what you understand.
Devotee: You're just saying that, um, guru gives us our sambandha.
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: Yes.
Devotee: And if we act according to that, then we get benefit.
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: Hmm.
Devotee: But after hearing our sambandha, if we don't act according to that there's no benefit.
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: Yeah. Hmm. Yeah. Most important is one cannot understand what is sambandha or asambandha in the beginning. When one makes some advancement, then it will be revealed to him. But sādhu-guru knows this thing. Sādhu-guru knows this thing, and he imparts such instruction, education, teachings. So, one should understand it.
And follow the advice, follow the instruction of sādhu-guru and cultivate in the life, daily life. It's a question of cultivation, following it and under the guidance of sādhu-guru should do bhajana, sādhana-bhajana. Then he will get the benefit, otherwise cannot get benefit. That is said.
One should not imitate. There is no question of imitation. It is only to follow. Anukāraṇa—imitation; follow—anusāra. Don't do imitation, but follow. As for example, Śiva is very powerful. Who can drink the ocean-like poison? You see? He drank it. It's so powerful. You cannot imitate Śiva. You cannot drink one drop of poison. So why imitate?
There is one saying that the incarnation of Śivājī is Śaṅkarācārya, also a powerful person. So Śaṅkarācārya had many disciples. Some of the disciples, Śaṅkarācārya saw that they are imitating him. So, once Śaṅkarācārya was going and they were following behind him. And Śaṅkarācārya was running and they're running. Beside an iron factory, molten iron was flowing. Śaṅkarācārya drank one handful of molten iron. Then he said, "Now you do it. You are imitating, now imitate. Can you do it?”
So, there's no question of imitation at all. Haridāsa Ṭhākura was chanting three lakhs of names; in 24 hours just chanting. He was not sleeping, he was not eating, nothing, because he has gotten siddha-deha. His body was not a mental body at all. There's no need of eating, sleeping, defending and mating. No demand because that is a spiritual body complete. Only the material body has these demands, urges. So, he could do it. Nobody can imitate him. No, I will do like that and become Haridāsa Ṭhākura. No, you cannot do like that.
Therefore, the svādhikāra-niṣṭhā—in what position you are? That is svādhikāra-niṣṭhā. Guru knows, "You are in this position. You are in this level of consciousness, in this stage. And this sort of sādhana is meant for you, and you should do such sādhana-bhajana." Don't imitate. Rather follow.
Devotee: So, it is according to your level, not according to your rasa. It's more according to the level of consciousness.
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: Level of consciousness and that rasa is also; gradual development will be there. That is what is svādhikāra-niṣṭhā. So this question comes. One should not imitate, rather follow. But we have this nature with us, like a monkey's nature. Monkey imitates. Monkey nature is to imitate. We have this monkey nature to imitate. But they said, "Don't imitate. Rather follow." If you imitate, then your bhakti is obstructed. There is obstruction. You cannot make any advancement. Rather, you will slip off from the path. Everything will be finished. So, this imitation is always condemned. Rather, follow. Anusaraṇa.
Then we're singing the songs written by Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura and Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura. 'Kabe mui vaiṣṇava', that song is there?
kabe mui vaisnava cinibo hari hari vaisnava carana, kalyaner khani, matibo hrdaye dhori' [Kabe Mui Vaisnava Cinibo, Prarthana Lalasmayi 7]
baisnava-thakura aprakrta sada, nirdosa, anandamoy krsna-name priti jade udasina, jibete dayardra hoy
"How can I recognize a Vaiṣṇava? Oh Hari, Lord Hari, how can I? I cannot recognize with my material vision." A sadhu, Vaiṣṇava is not on the material platform, he is on the transcendental platform. So, as you cannot see the Lord with your material vision, similarly you cannot see a sadhu-vaiṣṇava or recognize him through your material vision. No.
ajñāna-timirāndhasya jñānāñjana-śalākayā cakṣur unmīlitaṁ yena tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ
Isn't it? That sādhu-guru has that power. He can open your eye, transcendental eye, as Kṛṣṇa gave divine eye to Arjuna to see the universal form. Divyaṁ cakṣuḥ dadāmi te [BG 11.8]. In the 11th chapter of Bhagavad-gītā you find, when Kṛṣṇa manifested His universal form, He said, "You cannot see it with this eye. I give you this eye now, divine eye. Then you see."
Similarly, Sañjaya, sitting in the room of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, saw everything that happened in the battle of Kurukṣetra and heard everything. He could hear everything, saw and heard everything, because Vyāsadeva gave such an eye to him. So, he could see. Sañjaya also saw that universal form because he had been given that eye by Vyāsadeva.
So a sādhu has such power, sādhu-guru, he can open your eye. Through that eye you can see a sādhu. You cannot see a sādhu with your material eye. Because he's not on the material platform. What do you see? You see his outward form only, his body of flesh, bones, blood. This body you see, but you cannot see his own svarūpa. Jayantakrt? So, it is said,
ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyān navamanyeta karhicit na martya-buddhyāsūyeta sarva-deva-mayo guruḥ [ŚB 11.17.27]
Kṛṣṇa says this to Uddhava, that the ācārya is as good as Myself—‘māṁ vijānīyān’, don’t think of him as an ordinary human being. Na martya-buddhyāsūyeta sarva-deva-mayo guruḥ. Don't think he's a mortal being. All the demigods are present in his person.
How can you see? We haven't this vision that we can see. We see his outward body, body of flesh, bones, and blood. We see these things. He sleeps, he eats, he passes urine, passes stool, sometimes falls sick as we do. How can you think that he's not an ordinary human being? Automatically this thought comes. Yes, he is as good as ourselves. As we eat, he eats. As we sleep, he sleeps. We fall sick, he falls sick. Huh? How is he not an ordinary human being?
Because you cannot see his svarūpa. You see his outer body, not his real svarūpa, because you have no such vision. How can you see a sādhu? Have you the vision to see? Have you a measuring rod in your hand that will measure him? So? This is going on generally.
But you should understand, you cannot see a sādhu with your material vision. If the sādhu will see you, if the sādhu casts his merciful vision unto you, then you’ll be able to see him. Then such an eye will be opened. Then you will see a sādhu; his real svarūpa, what he is. Otherwise, how can you see? Oh, he is an old man, he is a crippled person, he is a sickly person, he is a lazy person. You may see like that. He eats so much. He sleeps for long hours. He never gets up, never comes to maṅgala-ārati. You may see all these things. Isn't it?
As for example, one devotee of Lord Śiva was there. So, on Śivarātri day, he fasted. He went to the Śiva temple that night. He saw the rats running over the Śiva-liṅga and eating the prasāda offered to Śiva. He said, "How is it? If Śivajī is so powerful, how is it that rats are running on him and eating his prasāda? He's not doing anything?" No, Śiva is not powerful. From that day, he gave up worshiping Śiva.
What do you mean by this? You want to see Śiva with your material vision. How can you see Śiva with your material vision? You see the outer face. Similarly, you want to see a sādhu with your material vision. You see the outer face, his body of clothes, flesh, bone, urine, stool, blood. This outer thing you will see. You can't see his own svarūpa. Therefore, you should understand...
(53:04-54:37, Transcription missing)
Devotee: Is that Brahmo Rāya? Is that the name?
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: Anyhow, I don't know the names. Yes.
Devotee: Brahmo Samaj.
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: Yes. Brahmo Samaj. Yes. Such a thing is there. Because you rely on your eye, but your eye has a defective vision. A conditioned soul has four defects; you have imperfect senses. What you see is not... You cannot see correctly. Your vision is defective. How can you see perfectly?
You should understand this thing. It says here, "kabe mui vaiṣṇava cinite pāriba, hari hari." O Hari! When can I see a Vaiṣṇava, recognize a Vaiṣṇava? Unless I'm endowed with some vision, I cannot see. So, if a Vaiṣṇava showers—say a sādhu showers—his mercy on you, then you'll be endowed with some vision. Then you can see him with the vision given by him. Otherwise, you cannot see a sādhu or Vaiṣṇava. They are the seers. If they cast their merciful glance on you, then you become fortunate. Then you can understand and see. Otherwise not. That is it.
vaisnava carana, kalyaner khani, matibo hrdaye dhori' baisnava-thakura aprakrta sada, nirdosa, anandamoy
He's always aprākṛta. He's always on the transcendental platform. He's never on the material platform. He's nirdoṣa, free from all defects, free from all faults. He's always in transcendental bliss. ānanda-maya.
kṛṣṇa-nāme prīti joḍe udāśīna jībete doyārdra hoya
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: He's always absorbed in nāma-prema. Absorbed. He is completely detached from materialistic affairs, and his heart is so soft, so merciful towards the suffering souls.
abhimāna hīna bhajane prabīna biṣayete anāsakta antara-bahire niṣkapaṭa sadā nitya-līlā-anurakta
In and out. Within and without. He is simple. No crookedness is there. No duplicity is there. Niṣkapaṭa, he says. We understand because simplicity is Vaiṣṇavism; Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has said that. Always he is absorbed in transcendental līlās. Samudra, ocean of līlās, sunk in that līlā-samudra. Ocean of līlā, nitya-līlā. Antare bāhire niṣkapaṭa. Within and without he is free from duplicity, crookedness. He is very simple.
kaniṣṭha madhyama uttama prabhede baiṣṇaba tri-bidha gaṇi kaniṣṭhe ādara madhyame praṇati uttame śuśrūṣā śuni
You should understand what type of kaniṣṭha or madhyama or uttama. Accordingly, you will behave with him. Your behavior should be according to him. One who is kaniṣṭha, you should develop affection towards him. Don't hate him.
Devotee: Respect.
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: Madhyame praṇati. Madhyama - pay obeisances. And uttama? Serve Him. Worship him. That is what the dealings will be.
je jena baiṣṇaba ciniyā loiyā ādara koirbo jabe baiṣṇabera kṛpā jāhe sarba-siddhi abaśya pāibo tabe
So, if you accordingly serve a Vaiṣṇava, then you will get his mercy. Then achieve all perfection. Siddhi.
baiṣṇaba-caritra sarbadā pabitra jei ninde hiṁsā kori’ bhakatibinoda nā sambhāṣe ta’re thāke sadā mauna dhori’
Vaiṣṇava means Vaiṣṇava in the true sense. Guru means guru in the true sense. One who blasphemes a Vaiṣṇava, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura never speaks to him. sadā thāke mauna dhori. Never speak to him. Such a great offender. Blasphemous.
Spotless character. Vaiṣṇava has spotless character. But if someone becomes envious towards such a Vaiṣṇava and blasphemes him, Bhaktivinoda never speaks to him, he remains silent. Yes?
Devotee: What is Vaiṣṇava in the true sense?
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: Vaiṣṇava in true sense?
Devotee: Pure Vaiṣṇava.
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: Pure Vaiṣṇava. Yes. He is Vaiṣṇava. As Mahāprabhu says,
“kṛṣṇa-nāma nirantara yāṅhāra vadane sei vaiṣṇava-śreṣṭha, bhaja tāṅhāra caraṇe
[CC Madhya 16.72]
kṛṣṇa-nāma nirantaro yāṅhāra vadane is vaiṣṇava-tara. yāṅhāra darśane mukhe āise kṛṣṇa-nāma [CC Madhya 16.74]
Vaiṣṇava, best of all vaiṣṇavas. Three. If you have heard once that a person has uttered Kṛṣṇa, that pure name of Kṛṣṇa, he is a Vaiṣṇava. Pay obeisances to him.
Kṛṣṇa-nāma nirantara yāṅhāra, always the pure name is coming out from his lips. He is superior to that type—that Vaiṣṇava from whose lips once the pure name has come out. That means there is competitivity, vaiṣṇava-tara.
yāṅhāra dekhile mukhe āise kṛṣṇa‑nāma. By seeing such a Vaiṣṇava automatically, the name of Kṛṣṇa is uttered from your lips, then you should understand he's the supermost Vaiṣṇava, topmost Vaiṣṇava, vaiṣṇavottama. He's superlative degree. That is Mahāprabhu's definition. So, accordingly you behave with such Vaiṣṇavas.
vaisnaver krpa, jahe sarva-siddhi, avasya paibo tabe vaisnava caritra, sarvada pavitra, jei ninde himsa kori' bhakativinoda, na' sambhase ta're thake sada mauna dhori'
So, a Vaiṣṇava's character is a spotless character, but if someone out of envy or intolerance blasphemes and calls ill of him, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura never speaks to such a person. He remains silent. That is because he's a great offender. This is Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura's song. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura also wrote,
ki rūpe pāibo sevā mui durācāra śrī guru vaiṣṇave rati nā hoilo āmāra
I'm such a durācārī, patita, most sinful person. How can I? I cannot develop respect or reverence and respect towards Śrī Guru Vaiṣṇava. I cannot develop attraction towards their lotus feet. How can I get an opportunity to serve?
aśeṣa māyāte mana magana hoilo vaiṣṇavete leśa mātra rati nā janmilo
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: I'm completely drowned in the ocean of māyā. My mind is completely occupied with illusory thoughts. There is no tinge of attraction towards the lotus feet of the Vaiṣṇava.
viṣaye bhuliyā andha hoinu divā-niśi gale phāńsa dite phire māyā se piśācī
Completely bound up with that māyā, the witch, and māyā is dragging me. She has put...
Devotee: Rope?
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: Around my neck and dragging me completely. I am under her captivity. Always materialistic thoughts are there, engaged in materialistic activities, I have become blind. Day and night, I am completely engaged in materialistic activities and materialistic thoughts. And that māyā-piśācī, māyā the witch, has put a loop?
Devotee: Noose.
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: Noose, around my neck and dragging me. Ihāre (māyāra) koriyā jaya chāḍāno nā yāya sādhu kṛpā vinā āra nāhiko upāya
I cannot conquer that māyā. I'm so weak, māyā is so strong, I cannot conquer that māyā without the mercy of sādhu-guru. Nobody can conquer māyā. Adoṣa-darśī prabhu - here he says,
adoṣa-daraśi prabhu! patita uddhāra ei bāra narottame koroho nistāra
Then Narottama dāsa, with folded hands. Praying! Begging mercy! He's begging mercy at the lotus feet of such a Vaiṣṇava, sādhu. O! O! Vaiṣṇava ṭhākura! You are adoṣa-daraśi. Here, Prabhupāda has said, adoṣa-daraśi. This is a qualification of a Vaiṣṇava, that he is adoṣa-darśī, he never sees others' faults. I am such a person, I have unlimited faults. But you are adoṣa-darśī.
O, Vaiṣṇava ṭhākura! You are adoṣa-darśī. You are the deliverer of the most degraded. I am most degraded. I have unlimited faults. But you are adoṣa-darśī. You never see the fault of others, and you are patita-uddhāra, you are the deliverer of the most degraded. I am such a person. Please shower your mercy on me. Otherwise, I cannot be delivered. ei bāra narottame koroho nistāra. Please shower mercy on me.
I am such a most degraded person who has unlimited faults, but you are adoṣa-darśī. You never see fault with anybody. You are patita-uddhāra. Please shower mercy on me and deliver me. Otherwise, how can I be delivered? And how can I recognize a Vaiṣṇava, and how can I serve a Vaiṣṇava? This is only begging mercy, nothing else. That's all we do. Karma nāhi, jñāna nāhi, bhakti nāhi. I have nothing. I have no karma, no jñāna, no bhakti, so how can I get the opportunity to serve you?
I'm such a person, most degraded, unlimited faults I have. No good qualification. Nothing good in me, all bad. Everything evil with me. Most degraded, most rascal, most stupid. What shall I do? But you are adoṣa-darśī vaiṣṇava ṭhākura patita-uddhāra. You never see faults with anybody, and you are the deliverer of the patitas, the most degraded. Please shower mercy on me and deliver me. This is only begging mercy, nothing else.
And the Vaiṣṇava sādhus are so merciful, wonderfully merciful, wonderfully magnanimous, wonderfully munificent. Nityānanda Prabhu... Mahāprabhu is wonderfully merciful, wonderfully munificent and wonderfully magnanimous, but Nityānanda Prabhu is much more than that. More merciful, more magnanimous, more munificent than Mahāprabhu is Nityānanda Prabhu. dharo nitāi‑carana du’khani
(1:09:40-1:10:53, Translation missing)
Devotee: Field of the heart.
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: Field of the heart, you cannot be attracted by this sweet flute-singing of Kṛṣṇa. That's Kṛṣṇa-Balarām: plough and flute. Plough and flute. You see? Kṛṣṇa-Balarām. This Kṛṣṇa-Balarām Mandir, yes. Plough and flute—karṣaṇa; ākarṣaṇa. With the plough is karṣaṇa, with the flute ākarṣaṇa, attraction. Then there will be attraction. There is no attraction unless your heart, the field of your heart, is properly cultivated by the plough of Lord Balarām. It cannot be attracted by the sweet singing flute of Kṛṣṇa. Yes. Kṛṣṇa-Balarām. Karṣaṇa-Ākarṣaṇa.
Vaidhi and bhāva. Vaidhi-bhakti means karṣaṇa, bhāva-bhakti means ākarṣaṇa. Then prema will come. First is vaidhi, first karṣaṇa. Balarām's plough will cultivate. Cultivation with Balarām's plough is vaidhi. Properly cultivated? Then bhava; ākarṣaṇa. The sweet singing of Kṛṣṇa's flute will attract you. That is ākarṣaṇa, bhava. Bhāva stage. Then bhāva matures, then prema, then kṛṣṇa-prema. Understood?
So sādhu, guru, mahānta, mahātmās, they are manifestations of Nityānanda Rāma. Their mercy is always sought, prayed for. Their mercy is so powerful. They are adoṣa-darśī, patita-uddhāra. Yes, such Vaiṣṇava sādhus, such sādhus-gurus-vaiṣṇavas should be glorified. So, Kavirāja Gosvāmī is now glorifying Haridāsa Paṇḍita Ṭhākur Gosvāmī. So many verses he wrote in glorification of Haridāsa Paṇḍita. vaiṣṇavera guṇa‑gāna karile jīvera trāṇa śuni sadhu-guru mukhe
I've heard it from the lips of sādhu and guru that a Vaiṣṇava should be glorified. If someone glorifies such a Vaiṣṇava, very soon he will be delivered, jīvera trāṇa. Yes?
Devotee: It's difficult to consider oneself now—completely foolish and intelligent. No, nothing, nothing. I mean, intellectually we say yes, yes, but...
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: Inside different. Yes.
Devotee: It's hard to realize this. So, I want the first installment of mercy to realize this.
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: Mm. (laughing)
Devotee: So, I place an order to you.
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: (laughing)
Devotee: I give one order for some mercy for that. And after that, we will proceed. Further mercy is needed.
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: (laughing) Yes.
Devotee: At least... No, not much. At least one drop, just one drop so I can feel humble.
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: Yes.
Devotee: Then I will come for more.
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: Yes. Only if I can get only a drop from that ocean of mercy, then my life will be successful. That's all. Yes.
Devotee: No, no. One drop is just the beginning. We want more than one drop, but—
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: That one drop is so powerful.
Devotee: We are greedy for more.
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: One drop is so powerful. Do you understand? One speck of dust is so powerful. Yeah.
Devotee: I heard one drop can inundate the entire universe.
Devotee: Caitanya‑caritāmṛta.
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: Yes. Chaitanya‑caritāmṛta pāi tāra eka bindu, sei bindu jagat ḍubāya [CC Madhya 2.49]
tāra eka bindu—only one drop can inundate the whole world. You see?
Devotee: Oh so, I'd settle for half a drop.
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: (laughing) You are a greedy person.
Devotee: Yes.
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: Greedy. Greedy.
Devotee: And I was thinking, "Oh, all right. I'm following the right path," but now I see, “Oh, no! Here I'm stuck because I have to be humble."
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: It's very nice to be greedy of these things. Yes. One should develop such greed. This is proper utilization of greed. Otherwise, greed is an enemy in the material sphere. kāmaḥ krodhas tathā lobhas tasmād etat trayaṁ tyajet [BG 16.21]
narakasya dvāra. Gītā says—lust, greed, anger. Give up these three. You can be affected by these three. Then narakasya-dvāra—it opens the gate towards hell. But all this kāma, krodha, lobha can be utilized in the service of Kṛṣṇa. You see?
kāma kṛṣṇa-karmārpaṇe krodha bhakta-dveṣi-jane lobha sādhu-saṅga hari-kathā [Premai-bhakti-candrikā]
Hmm? This is lobha. Develop greed for more and more sādhu-saṅga, and hear more and more nectarean kṛṣṇa-kathā from his lips; that is greed. One should be such a greedy person. Then your life will be successful. Becoming greedy.
How to acquire more and more materialistic objects of enjoyment? Isn't it? Material objects of enjoyment. So, give up such greed. There is one saying that Ganges water is not material water. It's spiritual water. Cinmaya-jala.
Devotee: Transcendental water.
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: But outwardly you'll see Ganges water looks muddy. Isn't it? It looks muddy. Yamunā's water looks very sparkling; it's clear. Ganges water looks muddy and bubbles are there. So the sādhus say, śāstra says, "Don't see the bubble and mud in Ganges water. Similarly, don't see any fault with the Vaiṣṇava.”
Haridāsa Paṇḍita never sees any fault, sees all good. So, they say the saying – ‘See good in others. See bad in yourself.’ In the purport Śrīla Prabhupāda says, everybody has some good, some bad. The percentage may vary, but everybody has. But don't see bad in any. Always see good in others. See bad in yourself. Then you will make advancement.
Devotee: I heard one conversation on a tape. Śrīla Prabhupāda was talking about this fault finding. And one devotee mentioned another devotee and said, "Oh, this devotee is always fault finding and very critical." And Prabhupāda said, "You should teach him our philosophy very well. And then he can criticize and find fault with the Māyāvādīs."
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: Yes. Māyāvādīs, yes. There is one saying also about Bhaktisiddhānta. One disciple came and spoke all bad things about some other disciple. “Mahārāja Prabhupāda, Mr. X is doing such a thing. This thing, this thing.” All bad he said.
Bhaktisiddhānta then said, "Has he nothing good in him? All, everything is bad in him?" Then he said, "Yes Prabhupāda, he sings very nice kīrtana." "Then why don't you say that thing? Why don't you magnify it? Why are you saying all bad things?" He says like that. Don't say anything bad. If any good is there, magnify it. Speak loudly about it.
Devotee: And minimize the bad.
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: Don't say anything bad. That he says.
Devotee: Cāṇakya Paṇḍita said something like that, isn't it? One should neither criticize nor praise.
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: Huh?
Devotee: I've heard one saying once, that one should neither criticize nor praise, but if you're going to do one then only praise. Don't criticize. It's been quoted quite a few times over the years.
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: I'm thinking of that verse. I can think of that. Maybe there. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita said nice things, nitivadi. But this saying he says there. Here he says, adoṣa-darśī. Don't see any fault, because the real Vaiṣṇava never sees any fault.
Devotee: My question was: Prabhupāda said that to this devotee, "Then teach him the philosophy so he will criticize Māyāvādīs." He said Māyāvādīs. So, if there is some tendency to find fault, can we find fault with something? Or find fault with ourself?
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: Yes. See bad in yourself. See good in others. Yes. You have many bads, many faults. See that thing in you. And if anything good is in him, see that good in him. That’s right.
Devotee: Prabhupāda said about the Māyāvādīs, he said that, "We should pay our respects because at least they’ve given up sex life." The sannyāsīs. One time in Vṛndāvana, we’re going with Prabhupāda on morning walk and there were some ekadaṇḍa sannyāsīs.
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: Yeah.
Devotee: And some disciple said, "Oh, Prabhupāda, the Māyāvādīs." Prabhupāda said, "You pay obeisances, they are sannyāsīs."
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: Hmm. Then?
Devotee: The devotees were awed.
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: Here he says, "Pay obeisances to the sannyāsī." There he says, "Teach him philosophy." Nice.
Devotee: Yes.
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: (laughs) Then how can you—
Devotee: Pay obeisances because he’s a sannyāsī. He has renounced sex life. But criticize their philosophy.
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: Philosophy. Criticize their philosophy, yes.
Devotee: Hate the sin, not the sinner.
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: Whatever sannyāsī or what he may be. He is a soul, pay obeisances to the soul as kṛṣṇa-dāsa. Jīvera svarūpa haya — kṛṣṇera nitya-dāsa [CC Madhya 20.108]
So we have this philosophy. Therefore, Mahāprabhu says this thing, prāṇi-mātre mano-vākye udvega nā diba [CC Madhya 22.120]
Through mind, body, and spirit don't hurt even an animal. But only the guru has that right. Otherwise, nobody has such a right.
Devotee: I want to make a bargain with you. You have given me already a lot of mercy. Now I want a little more to become humble. Then if you give that, then I will become humble, then I’ll come for more.
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: (laughing) Prahlāda Mahārāja says na sa bhṛtyaḥ sa vai vaṇik [SB 7.10.4]. One who makes those bargains—taking and giving business—is a merchant. He’s not a servant.
Devotee: No, but the purpose is to be a better servant. That is, the aim is to be a good servant. Now I cannot be a good servant, so you have to give me mercy so I can be a good servant.
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: (laughs)
Devotee: So, I have to make a bargain.
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: You see it is not demanded. It is prayed for. It is not because we’re demanding.
Devotee: Yeah, but in one class I clasped your feet and you pulled the feet away and you say "No, no."
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: Why clasp my feet? Clasp the feet of a mahātmā.
Devotee: You said in the class... dharo nitāi‑carana du’khani.
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: Ah, dharo nitāi‑carana du’khani. Yes, I am not such a person. You are going to make me an offender and drag me to hell? Why you drag me to hell? (laughs)
Devotee: Then you are double-talking because in the class you said that Vaiṣṇavas should be glorified.
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: Vaiṣṇavas should be glorified.
Devotee: Whenever we want to glorify you then you turn a different face.
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: All are Vaiṣṇavas but not me. I say Vaiṣṇavas. I don't say myself.
Devotee: But we have just heard. I have heard from sādhu and guru that if Vaiṣṇavas are glorified, one becomes very quickly delivered. I have heard that from sādhu and guru. Now I try to glorify a Vaiṣṇava and...
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: (laughs) You glorify sādhu, Vaiṣṇava, that’s all right. Who is sādhu or Vaiṣṇava—I’m not. So don't do it. Don't do it. I have not even been touched by Vaiṣṇavism. So, I am not a Vaiṣṇava.
Devotee: Then what is the hope for us?
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: (laughs)
Devotee: Then we should just go back to our mothers. If you have not touched Vaiṣṇavism, then we should run back home.
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: Yes, back home. Back home. Back home.
Devotee: Forget about devotion.
Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swāmī: Back home is the real home. Back home. In the language of Prabhupāda, back home.
Devotee: Jaya Śrīla Gurudeva!