Transcription made by: Sai Shrushti mataji and Sai Nidhi mataji
Gour Govinda Swami: Om namo bhagavate vasudevaya.
Devotee: Om namo bhagavate vasudevaya.
Gour Govinda Swami: Srimad Bhagavatam, Eighth Canto, Chapter seventeen, Ninth Verse.
visvayavisva bhavana sthiti samyamaya.
suairamgrita puru sakti gunayabhumne
sua sthayasasvad upabyhita purna bodha
vyapaditatma tamaseharayenamaste
SB 8.17.9
Translation by Srila Prabhupada: “My Lord, You are the all-pervading universal form, the fully independent creator, maintainer and destroyer of this universe. Although You engage Your energy in matter, You are always situated in Your original form and never fall from that position, for Your knowledge is infallible and always suitable to any situation. You are never bewildered by illusion. O my Lord, let me offer my respectful obeisances unto You.”
[Orissa Translation]
In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Ādi 2.117) it is said:
siddhānta baliyā citte nā kara alasa
ihā ha-ite kṛṣṇe lāge sudṛḍha mānasa
All right. Here, Aditi Devi says, offering prayers and Supreme Personality Godhead. And in purport Srila Prabhupada says, Chaitanya Caritamrta Adi lila it is said, siddhanta valya chite na karalas ya haite krishne lage sudruda manasa. Anyone trying to become fully Kṛṣṇa conscious must know the Lord’s glories as far as they are possible to understand. Here Aditi hints at these glories. The universe is nothing but the external potency of the Lord. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (9.4): mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam. Whatever we see in this universe is but an expansion potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, just as the sunshine and heat all over the universe are expansions of the sun. When one surrenders unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he surpasses the influence of the illusory energy, for the Supreme Lord, being fully wise and being situated in the heart of everyone, especially in the heart of the devotee, gives one intelligence by which one is sure never to fall into illusion. Anyone trying to become fully Kṛṣṇa conscious must know the Lord's glories as far as they are possible to understand. Here Aditi Devi hints at these glories. This is, this glories, this question of siddhanta, Kṛṣṇa-tattva, tattva vichar.
There are two types of considerations repeatedly we say: apavichar and tat—apparent consideration and absolute consideration. And all our discourse is based on absolute consideration, not apparent considerations. Those who are tattva acharyas, those who have seen tattva, advaya-jñāna-tattva, vraje vrajendra kumar, Absolute Truth is their son of Nanda Maharaj, Vrajendra Kumar Kṛṣṇa. One who sees Him, his tattva drashta is seer of the truth. One should go and approach such a tattva drashti guru. tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ (BG 4.34). That we say. Ah... this is the process. praṇipātena paripraśnena seva. First approach such a tattva drashti guru, bona fide guru who has seen the truth, not once, who sees always, who always sees. That advaya-jñāna-tattva of Supreme Truth Kṛṣṇa vraje vrajendra-nandana. Go and approach such a person, guru śiṣyas te ’haṁ śādhi māṁ tvāṁ prapannam. I become your śiṣya.
This is voluntary acceptance. Spontaneously śiṣya will come and surrender. Spontaneous, voluntary. There is no compulsion. Nobody can compel this thing. Ah... no compulsion. Voluntary acceptance. When fire will catch your head, your head will burn, what will you do? Fire has caught up your head. Your head is burning. Can you sit tight? "All right, let it burn." Get up, run hither and thither, "Where is water? Where is water? Where is water? How this fire will be extinguished?" He cannot sit tight. Head is burning. I was telling that story. There is a very celebrate, famous English writer has written. I was teaching it. "Praise of Idleness." Title is "Praise of Idleness." There is a story. He has quoted a story there. One king was there so proclaimed that I will give reward to the lazy persons. There will be competition among lazy persons, idle persons.
So let them come, join the competition, they will come out successful, they'll be very nicely, handsomely rewarded. Many lazy person, all are lazy. Many lazy person, "All right, so we get reward." Many lazy persons came, and the king had a very spacious barnyard. And that barnyard surrounded with high walls. "All right." He said, "All right, let them enter. Go, enter into barnyard." There's some carpet was spread there. "Lie down. Sleep there. Sleep there. Nice, lazy person, you sleep there." They slept there. Then he bolted the door of the barnyard. Uh, then he set fire on it. The whole barnyard was burning. Let us see and who is winning the competition and coming out victory, they will be rewarded. So many people raised a hue and cry, and anyhow jumped over the boundary wall and get out of it.
Only two persons remained there. "Oh, we'll get reward." Two persons remained. Yes. And they're burning. One person said, "Oh, my brother, friend, this portion is already burnt." "Oh, turn over the side, other side." This side is already burnt. What shall we do? "Turn over this side." Such lazy persons. Because they will get reward. Such a, such carelessness. Fire has already caught up your head. Your head is burning. Sitting straight. "All right. All right. Oh, go on, let it go on. Let it burn." Then it's hopeless case. Isn't it? Such carelessness. You are not aware. You are not conscious of your suffering, material suffering. saḿsāra-dāvānala-līḍha-loka- trāṇāya kāruṇya-ghanāghanatvam prāptasya kalyāṇa-guṇārṇavasya vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam. Isn't it? We offer this prayer in Guruastaka.
So all are burning as if in a burning and frying pan. In this material world, this samsara, all are burning, afflicted, 3 tapas: adhyatmika, adavaivika, adhibhautika, suffering from this janma, mrityu, jara vyadi, birth, death, old age, and disease. Many, many lives, lakhs, lakhs of lives, suffering, suffering, burning, burning, burning. Isn't it? But such carelessness. When you get the human birth, rarely achieved birth, that chance has been given to you. labdhvā su-durlabham idaṁ bahu-sambhavānte mānuṣyam artha-dam anityam apīha dhīraḥ (SB 11.9.29). Undergoing lakhs, lakhs of species of life, one gets a chance to have this rarely achieved birth, the human birth. And the purpose of this birth is to understand Kṛṣṇa. To have that's paramartha, supreme artha, fifth purushartha, that Kṛṣṇa bhakti, prem bhakti.
To understand Kṛṣṇa, to get Kṛṣṇa. That is the perfection, supreme perfection of human birth. That is the purpose of rarely achieved birth is human birth. How can one do it when he his head is burning, he's afflicted. In saḿsāra-dāvānala, dāvānala, the forest fire. Nobody sets fire in the forest automatically. The fire is produced there in the whole jungle. Forest is burning. So, all the animals there, but they're, they're burning, dying. How that fire will be extinguished? If you telephone fire brigade service, "Please come. Extinguish this fire of this forest." Can they do? Fire brigade service cannot extinguish. If Indra Deva, Lord Indra will be very merciful and pour incision, torrential rains, days, days together, that may be extinguished. So, what will extinguish?
How this fire, this saḿsāra-dāvānala? You are burning here; head is burning now. In this material world afflicted, three tapas. How this fire will be extinguished? What sort of water is required to extinguish this fire? Where is that water available? Yes, really, my head is burning now. Fire has cut off my head now. Burning whole body and it has cut off my head. So how can I sit tight? Run hither and thither. Where is water? Where is water? That means take shelter of guru-pada-padma. Who has come down from the spiritual world, abode of Supreme Lord, carrying the whole ocean of mercy. karunya guṇārṇava. Ocean of mercy has come down here to extinguish; if you will pour water from that ocean of mercy, then this fire will be extinguished.
That means you have to take shelter at the lotus feet of guru. Without taking shelter of guru, without becoming servant of guru, you cannot become servant of Kṛṣṇa. guru-dasyaṁ vina. Without becoming servant of guru, nobody can become servant of Kṛṣṇa. No. mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā. Kṛṣṇa says in Bhagavad-Gita, "Though this maya, external energy, illusory energy, inferior energy of the Lord, still very strong, unconquerable. Nobody can conquer it. duratyayā. Nobody can conquer it." One process is there. What is that? mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te. One surrenders unto the master of maya, Māyā adhiśa, that is Kṛṣṇa, then able to conquer maya. Otherwise, no possibility.
That means one has to surrender unto Kṛṣṇa. sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Giving up all varieties of dharma, just surrender. Last concluding instruction. Last instruction. Most confidential instruction, latest one. jīvera ‘svarūpa’ haya — kṛṣṇera ‘nitya-dāsa’ (CC Madhya 20.108-109). That Kṛṣṇa came as Mahaprabhu. Then He said, "Who, who are you? What's your real identity?" Kṛṣṇadas. You are Kṛṣṇadas. Kṛṣṇa nitya prabhu jīva nitya das. Kṛṣṇa is your eternal master. You are his eternal servant. This is your identification. nija tattva jani' āra kṛṣa-sansāra na chāhе, kene vā bhajila māyā kore hāya hāya. One who is very intelligent, one who has sukriti, previous sukriti, he comes for association of sadhus and hears a sadhu says with full faith, complete faith.
Surrendering unto sadhu with complete faith, he has... Then he understands, "Oh, I am Kṛṣṇadas. I am Kṛṣṇadas. Now I know, understand it." But many, many lives, lots, lots of lives already passed and not become Kṛṣṇadas. I've become mayadas. nija tattva jani' āra kṛṣ- saḿsāra na chāhе. Then you will develop detachment towards this material world. Because I'm Kṛṣṇa das, I have to serve Kṛṣṇa. kene bale he Kṛṣṇa ami tava dasa tomara canu sari harinu sarvana. Then cry before Kṛṣṇa and say, "Oh Kṛṣṇa, I am your das, but I have not taken shelter at your lotus feet." Without taking shelter at your lotus feet, many births have gone, lots, lots, not taken shelter at lotus feet, not become your das, not served you.
Therefore, I am fallen here in this dreadful ocean of materialistic existence. I've been drowning, drowning, drowning, suffering here. Isn't it? I'm now so much afflicted. This, this fire... Materialistic fire, three tapas, my head is burning now. Then what is to be required? What is to be needed? How this fire will extinguished? We have heard from sadhus, one has to take shelter of guru. Guru-pad-ashrayah. That is stated. guru-pādāśrayas dīkṣā. Should take shelter the lotus feet of guru. Mahaprabhu has given that teaching in Sanatana Shiksha and Chaitanya-caritamrita. You will also find there: guru-pādāśrayas tasmāt kṛṣṇa-dīkṣādi-śikṣaṇam viśrambheṇa guroḥ sevā sādhu-vartmānuvartanam (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.74). Ah? viśrambheṇa guroḥ sevā sādhu-vartmānuvartanam.
Same teaching Mahaprabhu has imparted. This is Rupa pada, Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu. First thing, śraddhā labhi jiva kare sadguru vichar. ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu- saṅgo 'tha bhajana-kriyā tato 'nartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt tato niṣṭhā rucis tataḥ (Cc. Madhya 23.14-15). Spiritual development. First thing is śraddhā—unflinching faith in the words of sadhu, sastra, guru. Associating. When you associate with sadhus and hear Kṛṣṇa Katha from them, they speak about Kṛṣṇa, their discourses always, and tattva vichar. They impart tattva jnan. That is their mercy. Those who have acquired this previous sukruti, they naturally attracted towards sadhu sangha. Those who have achieved this bhakti unmukhi sukruti, they are naturally attracted for sadhu sangha.
They come. Those are not so sukruti, they are not attracted. Sadhumukha sravana. Hearing from sadhu understands this, develop śraddhā, first thing. śraddhā labhi jiva kare sadguru vichar. Then, if this is first requisite, one should take shelter at the lotus feet of guru. sadguru, bona fide guru, that's guru. Dear devotee of Kṛṣṇa, sudha bhakte loibe ena guru rupe vari. Pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Accept such a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa as guru, and by his mercy you can understand Kṛṣṇa. You can understand Kṛṣṇa. Thereby you get the mercy of guru, mercy of Kṛṣṇa. That mercy is available through guru. Without guru's mercy nobody can get the mercy of Kṛṣṇa.
Because he has come down here with the ocean of mercy. Kṛṣṇa is karuna sindhu. He's the ocean of mercy. But He's their devotee. Very intimate. He has come down here to this material world, that ocean of mercy, to distribute here. If one shower that mercy from the ocean of mercy, then this fire, saḿsāra-dāvānala, will be extinguished. Ah! Otherwise it will not be extinguished. Your head has caught up ... Fire has caught up your head. How this fire will be extinguished without taking shelter at lotus feet of guru? Then he runs hither and thither. Where is water? Where is water? Where is water? How the fire will be extinguished? Then he takes shelter at the lotus feet of guru. sisyate 'ham sadhi mam tam prapannam.
I accept your divine grace as guru. I become your sisya, your disciple. Disciple means under strict discipline. Strict discipline. Please inflict discipline on me. This is spontaneous. This is voluntary acceptance. No compulsion. This is voluntary acceptance from sisya side. No compulsion, nothing. Who is really conscious. Yes, my head is burning. I am burning. Isn't it? Yes. Fire should be extinguished. Only he comes. Whoever is careless, as, as I say, the two lazy persons, "Oh, this side is burnt. Oh, turn over the other side." Such lazy persons, careless persons, they cannot, hopeless case. Hopeless case. They cannot get. tāte kṛṣṇa bhaje, kare gurura sevana māyā-jāla chuṭe, pāya kṛṣṇera caraṇa (CC Madhya 22.25).
Ah, ah. Takes shelter at the lotus feet of guru, becomes servant of guru. guru dasya gladly accepts the strict discipline inflicted by guru, guru karnadhar. He has right to hold of your ear and slap you. That is guru's discipline. Unless you are disciplined, accept gladly the discipline inflicted on you, you cannot have the mercy of guru. Cannot have the mercy of guru. That is vaisnavera danda. Guru danda, the punishment inflicted by vaisnava guru, that is mercy. That is mercy. sisyate 'ham sadhi mam. Ah, please, sadhi mam means please inflict severe punishment on me. Let my heart be purified, then impart tattva jnan. That is guru's mercy. Then you can understand Kṛṣṇa, who are you, who is Kṛṣṇa, what is your relationship with Kṛṣṇa.
That is what all these things. anartha-nivrttih grahe chhe nana anartrere bhay. You are surrounded with so many anarthas. asat-trsna hrdaya-daurbalya tattva-vibhrama aparadha. Four types of anarthas are there, not free from complete anarthas. How can you—how your heart will be purified? How you can understand this tattva jnan? You cannot. Then accepting guru-pada-padma, taking shelter at the lotus feet of guru under his guidance, do bhajan. He will teach you how to do bhajan, bhajaniye vastu is Kṛṣṇa. How to do bhajan? How to serve him? Under his guidance you will engage in Kṛṣṇa's service, then do sadhan bhajan. Then your anarthas will be gradually destroyed, then complete destroys anarthas, then heart is purified.
Then heart will be purified. Then you can understand Kṛṣṇa in tattva; otherwise, no tattva understanding. That is the mercy of Sadhu guru. He imparts tattva jnan. That is their mercy. And that is the mercy yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo. By the mercy of guru you will get the mercy of Kṛṣṇa. In this way, Kṛṣṇa's mercy is received, then you can understand Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise, you cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. No other way is there. īśvarera kṛpā-leśa haya ta’ yāhāre sei ta’ īśvara-tattva jānibāre pare—one who has received some mercy from the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, he can understand Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise, nobody can. Even if those who are, free from the three modes of material nature, situated in the platform of mukti, still they cannot understand.
Only by bhakti one can understand. Mukti can—cannot help you. anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu- śīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā (CC Madhya 19.167). Therefore, Rupapad says like this. No other desire. No desire for material enjoyment, no desire for mukti. Those who are free from these two types of desires, two pisachis, witches. Bhukti, mukti, they are considered two witches, two pisachis. One has come free from these clutches of two witches. He cultivates the pure devotion, parama bhakti, supreme devotion, pure devotion. Pure devotion, he can understand. Therefore, it says situated in the platform mukti, still he cannot understand. Those karmis, yogis, jnanis achieved some yogic perfection, they cannot understand Kṛṣṇa.
They are very puffed up. Their false ego is very great. They cannot accept... what you say? The nectarian Katha, the flow of nectar of Kṛṣṇa Katha, nectarian Kṛṣṇa Katha emanating from the pure lips of those pure devotees, Vaishnavas, they don't accept it. They think themselves very great learned. "I know." So puffed up, like Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, great scholar. Bruhaspati avatara, incarnation Bruhaspati, that instance there in Chaitanya Charitamrita. Gopinath Acharya, dear devotee, tried his best to convince but he has not convinced at all. They never, they never hear. They are so puffed up, they never hear. We know it. matto ahankari matto. They cannot understand this transcendental leelas of Kṛṣṇa by dint of their own material learning, scholarship, intelligence, merit.
They cannot understand. By the eye of the mundane historians—nobody can see Him and understand Him. Those who try to understand in this way, Kṛṣṇa said they are mudhas. They are mudhas. avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam paraṁ bhāvam ajānanto mama bhūta-maheśvaram (BG 9.11). nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yoga-māyā-samāvṛtaḥ mūḍho ’yaṁ nābhijānāti loko mām ajam avyayam (BG 7.25). He said this thing. He is mūḍhā. He is rascal. When Kṛṣṇa comes here 5000 years ago when Kṛṣṇa appeared here in the material world in His own swaroop, cowherd boy, gopa vesa, nava-kishora, nata-vara, vyanukara, isn't it? That is His two-handed form, human form. Two handed form.
Gopa vesa cowherd boy, nava-kishora always kishore. Ten eleven years old very beautiful form. Nata-vara, tribhangi mathani, three vyanukara. Flute hand. This Kṛṣṇa. How many have understood that He is Lord, Supreme Lord? Very few. Very few. All mudhas there. Oh, he is a cowherd boy, tending cows in the jungle. Isn't it? A coward boy tending cows in the jungle, Nanda Maharaj's cows.... in the sacrificial arena, Rajasuya yajna. The rajasuya sacrificial Yudhistira Maharaj, that question arose. Who is to be worshipped? Bhishma Dev says Kṛṣṇa should be worshipped. Bhishma Dev is a devotee. There are many demoniac kings…… standing cows in the jungle. So many great personalities are there. How do you say? Ah. mūḍhās how can they understand. avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā.
They cannot understand. Kṛṣṇa has said that. Those who want to understand Kṛṣṇa by dint of their own speculation. Own mental speculation, merit, intelligence, learning, they cannot. Rather, again and again, they will get the lashes of Mahamaya only, nothing else. Again and again, they will get the lashes of Maha Maya. That is their reward. They cannot. That is their reward. Maha Maya gives the reward. "Take this reward." And this very popular story is there, we always take. Once, one blind man... There was a blind man. From birth, he was blind. He wanted to know what is the color of the milk. What is the color of the milk, he wanted to know. He's blind. He can't see.
So, to whom he trust, he asked him, "My brother, will you please tell me what is the color of the milk?" Then that man says, "Oh, it's plain. It's plain." "Oh, plain? What is that? How it is?" Then he says, "It's like baka. Crane. It's like crane." Crane is white. "It's like crane." He had never seen crane. "What is that crane? How is it?" Then that man just raised his hand and showed him in that way from a baka. Then, oh, just asked, one, two minutes, remains silent. Then, "Oh, I, now I understood what is the color of the milk. I understood now. I will never drink milk. It will stuck into my throat." (laughs) This is what he understood what the color of the milk. Blind man.
This speculation. So those who are so puffed up. Those who are running after their own name, fame, adoration, they are a sort of blind man. Madandha. Puffed up persons. They are madandha. They are sort of blind men. They want to understand Kṛṣṇa by dint of our own mental strength, mental speculation, transcendental lrrla, transcendental appearance and disappearance, leelas of Kṛṣṇa. Then there, they can understand as a, this blind man understands the color of the milk. That will be their understanding. Nothing else Āśraya laiyā bhaje, kṛṣṇa nāhi tāre tyaje, āra saba more akara. One who has taken shelter of the lotus feet of guru, guru padashraya and engaged in Kṛṣṇa's bhajan service. Devotional service.
Only he gets mercy of Kṛṣṇa. Through guru understands Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa manifests before him. He gets... his eye is opened. His devotional eye with that eye you can see Kṛṣṇa. premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti yaṁ śyāmasundaram acintya-guṇa-svarūpaṁ govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi (Bs 5.38). Brahma Samhita says. His eye is open. He has received devotional eye. Bhakti c cakṣu is open. cakṣu-dān dilo jei, janme janme prabhu sei. Who has opened my eye? With what sort of eye? This bhakti cakṣu, devotional eye, through which I can see the beautiful Kṛṣṇa. He is my master life after life, isn't it? We are singing prema-bhakti jāhā hoite, avidyā vināśa jāte, Isn't it? Guru? Guru? Puja?
You sing, isn't it? What do you sing? prema-bhakti jāhā hoite, avidyā vināśa jāte, Who has given me prema bhakti and my all ignorance? Ignorance is darkness. Darkness is removed. Isn't it? Then the presence of light is there. Then I can see Kṛṣṇa. That is the light of krupa aloka. Krupa shakti aloka. That light comes, emanates from krupa, krupa shakti. I have received some light from guru krupa. The eyes open. Eyes are opened so I can see. sei se parama bandhu, sei pitā-mātā śrī-kṛṣṇa-caraṇe yei prema-bhakti-dātā sakala janme pitā-mātā sabe pāya kṛṣṇa guru nāhi mile, bhajaha hiyāya (Caitanya-maṅgala: Madhya-khaṇḍa).
Locana Das Thakur has said, "He is my Supreme Friend. He is my father and mother who has given me prema bhakti at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. He is my Supreme Friend. He is my father. He is my mother who has given me prema bhakti at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa." prema-bhakti jāhā hoite, avidyā vināśa jāte. prema-bhakti jāhā hoite, avidyā vināśa jāte, From whom I receive Prema bhakti is my ignorance. Darkness is completely removed. Isn't it? My eyes are opened. oṁ ajñāna-timirāndhasya jñānāñjana-śalākayā cakṣur unmīlitaṁ yena tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ. I pay my obeisance, obeisance to that guru-pada-padma who has opened my eyes. With the torch, light of knowledge. removed my darkness, ignorance.
prema-bhakti jāhā hoite, avidyā vināśa jāte, From whom I get prema bhakti that by my avidyā? Ignorance! Darkness is completely vanquished, removed. My eyes are opened. He is my master life after life. janme janme prabhu sei. sabe janame pitā mātā pāya kṛṣṇa guru nahi mile baja hari ei. In every birth you have father and mother, that is material father and mother. Isn't it? You have undergone lakhs of births and you have lots of fathers and mothers, isn't it? Only one set of father and mother you have in a Deena Bandhu. Lakhs, lakhs, lakhs, lakhs of fathers and mothers, material fathers and mothers. It's available in every birth.
But such father and mother is not so easily available. Who is my Supreme Friend, who is my father and mother, who gives me prema bhakti at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. This is not easily available. Rarely achieved. Fortunately, he gets such thing. Ah, one who is really devotee, he knows, "I am Kṛṣṇa Das. By the mercy of my guru I understand." So, he engages himself day and night, twenty-four hours for the pleasure or the happiness of Kṛṣṇa, for the pleasure and happiness of Kṛṣṇa and his dear devotees, devotees. Karshana. Kṛṣṇa and Karshana. Kṛṣṇa and His dear devotees. He is always engaged for their happiness, for their pleasure, not for his own happiness, own pleasure.
nāmāśraya kari’ yatane tumi, thākaha āpana kāje. Thus devotee has completely dedicated himself. Completely dedicated himself. Yes. And engaged in loving service of Kṛṣṇa and his dear devotees, Karshana, to give them pleasure and enjoyment, nothing for his own pleasure and enjoyment. Completely dedicated. Atma sarga. Atma samarpana. And he is free from all sorts of anxieties. There is no anxiety at all. nāmāśraya kari yatanetumi thako apana kaje bhakti me na thakos ka. Bhakti Vinod Thakur says take shelter of holy name. And free from all anxieties. Now engage. Do your service. Engage in your service. What service? Loving service unto guru and Kṛṣṇa.
That is nishchinta bhayam, without anxiety. For the pleasure of the, for the happiness, for the enjoyment of Kṛṣṇa. He is always desiring how to give happiness, how to give pleasure, how to give enjoyment to Kṛṣṇa. No other desire he has. And his only asset is the causeless mercy of Guru and Gauranga, Guru and Kṛṣṇa. That is his only asset. No other asset he has. Deena. So such a dear devotee of the Lord gets mercy, gets the enlightenment. Merciful enlightenment. Enlightenment comes from the mercy. Through that enlightenment he sees all transcendental, the beautiful form of Kṛṣṇa. Not only form, all beautiful transcendental leelas of Kṛṣṇa.
Always that, those, they manifest before his eyes. Then very still he understands most confidential and mysterious transcendental leelas of Kṛṣṇa, how He is. No. Tattvas, siddhantas, manifest before him. siddhānta baliyā citte nā kara alasa ihā ha-ite kṛṣṇe lāge sudṛḍha mānasa (Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 1.2.117). The siddhāntas manifest before him. This tattva has manifested before him. Before his vision, before his eyes. Rupa guna Lila His complete surrender unto the Holy Name. nāme sphuratta hai ropa guna karma, krsnera samagra leela name vidyamana. This is nam tattva. All transcendental leelas are there in the holy name of the Lord, because holy name of the Lord is not different from Kṛṣṇa.
abhinnatvān nāma-nāminoḥ. Completely surrender unto Holy Name! One gets the mercy of the Holy Name, nāmā kṛpā. Then he sees all beautiful form of Kṛṣṇa. Not only beautiful form, all transcendent leelas of Kṛṣṇa. This tattva. This is tattva. This is siddhānta! All this transcendental, beautiful leelas manifest before his eyes. Those who have not endowed with such eye vision... Those are not fixed in tattva received tattva jnana by the mercy of guru, are not fixed in tattva. Their eyes are not open. Jnan cakṣu, shastra cakshu. They are blind. Isn't it? Eyes are not open, they are blind! andha If there's no vision then they is blind! Isn't it?
There is activities are the activities of the blind man! The blind man understands the color of the milk. Isn't it? Andera kriya So first of all, the sadhaka bhakta should accept, take shelter at the lotus feet of tattva acharya, tattva drashi guru, and hear from him, surrendering unto his lotus feet here, humbly putting complete faith in the words of sadhu sastra guru here. Thereby, his heart will be purified. Heart will be purified. Mercy of sadh guru, he'll be situated in the platform of tattva jnana. Tattva jnana. Then shuddha jnana, pure knowledge. Then will be bhakti sadhana. Then he understands who am I. "I am Kṛṣṇa at last. Kṛṣṇa is my eternal master, and eternal servant."
Then one engages in loving service. Srila Jiva Goswami Tattvacharya is known as Tattvacharya. He has first said one should develop sastra śraddhā. Two types of śraddhā: śāstra śraddhā, loukika śraddhā. We stress on śāstra śraddhā. Sadhu śāstra guru. śāstra siddhāntas. śāstras, sastra siddhānta. śāstra conclusions, Vedic conclusions, they are siddhāntas. Put complete faith on it. śāstra śraddhā. One is initiated with śabda-brahma, accepting Tattvacharya guru. He has developed śāstra śraddhā. One should understand, he has developed śāstra śraddhā. Ah? He has received the effulgence, light emanating from śāstra.
śāstra alok. You follow my language? Alok means effulgence, emanating from śāstra. That is who? Who? This guru pada guru-pada-padma. Guru-pada-padma, that spiritual master, bona fide guru gives this light. śāstra alok, śāstra śraddhā. And that sisya his completely. Has taken complete shelter at the instruction of that guru. The teachings of the guru. The tattva jnana he imparts is completely dependent on it. He's taken complete shelter at it. He is fixed now in tattva. Unshaking, unshaking, fixed. Then he can live, stay anywhere without any difficulty. He can stay in a very palatial building.
He can stay under a tree also. No difficulty because he's fixed in tattva. He sees Kṛṣṇa always. Oh, Kṛṣṇa is here. Under this tree and under palatial building also? Then why grumble? There are no such arrangement. No, I cannot stay. So much problem. I'll go, leave. So... Isn't it? Hm. Where- wherever he may be, he's always engaged in śravan kirtan. Cultivating the limbs of the bhakti. And the śravan hearing is the first thing, ādau, first to hear. And the most famous limb of bhakti, navavidha bhakti. Sravan is first. srutah kirta patham. If you hear then you can see. Sruta ikita.
If you hear from group, mukhopadma, śabda-brahma emanates from lotus mouth of guru. Surrendering yourself and putting complete faith in it, then eye will be opened. Then you can see they are beautiful form of Kṛṣṇa, beautiful leela of Kṛṣṇa. That is perfection of the life, human life. Hm. And again and again you have to hear it again. punaḥ punaḥ nityaḥ. Daily you have to hear. Daily. Then you will be endowed with that vision, that eye, bhakti cakṣu. Hm. Then attracted, Kṛṣṇa is all attractive. His Katha is all attractive. Then develop taste for nectarian Katha of Kṛṣṇa, hari Katha ruci.
In Bhakti Sandarbha, Srila Jiva Pad... Jiva Goswami has stressed upon it and has developed taste for it, this nectarian Hari Katha. How nectarian, how sweet it is. Ah. viṣvaksena-kathāsu yaḥ notpādayed yadi ratiṁ śrama eva hi kevalam (SB 1.2.8). Isn't it? One who has not developed taste for viṣvaksena-kathā, nectarean Katha, Kṛṣṇa Katha, hari Katha, is engaged in useless labor only. Isn't it? Only engaged in useless śrama eva hi kevalam. Those who have developed taste for this Kṛṣṇa Katha, nectarian Katha, one should understand that he is the fit person to do Hari bhajan. He is the only fit person to do Hari bhajan, otherwise cannot do Hari bhajan.
The so-called bhajan will be only, what do you say, artificial. Duplicity only. Hypocrisy only. Nothing else. Yes?
Question and Answer Section
Devotee: That taste, that is ruci?
Gour Govinda Swami: Ruci, yes.
Devotee: So below ruci stage is (...)
Gour Govinda Swami: Yes.
Devotee: Unless, until one has achieved the ruci platform (...)-
Gour Govinda Swami: Yes. Because it is nectarian, so tasty, so relishing. Isn't it? You have developed taste for gramya Katha, politics. rajanitir Katha, indra priti Katha. Topics related to your own sense enjoyment, you have developed taste for it. That is, you have developed taste for the stool, like hog. Sukhar. Eat stool gets pleasure. He's in mound of stool. Amidst a mound of stool, sukhar is there. Hog is there. Enjoying, enjoying, enjoying. Thinks, "Oh, these human beings are so foolish. They're not eating such nice, sweet food I am eating. They're eating something else." hog thinks like that. Ah. Developed taste for it. Ah. So you develop taste for gramya Katha, rajani tir Katha. Developed taste for politics, developed taste for topics related to your sense enjoyments, sense gratification. Not developed taste for Hari Katha, Kṛṣṇa Katha. Then? That means not developed taste for stool, not nectar. Developed a taste for liquor, not nectar. So many liquor shops are there, open. It's an aristocratic, aristocratic, liquors of aristocratic. Aristocratic people born in aristocratic families, they will come here, taste it. So higher taste this is. Please come drink, dine and dance. Big, big sign boards. Liquor shop, 24 hour opened. 24 hour opened liquor, liquor bar, wine bar. And some have also mentioned madhushala. Is madhushala. Madhu means honey. Yes. Is madhushala. "Come, come," they say, "Come, drink, dine and dance." Then how can he develop taste for Kṛṣṇa Katha, Hari Katha, so nectarian, sweet Katha? These people come here, just look (chalo jayenge). These people are just husking the husk. They cannot taste that we are tasting. So (chalo jayenge) liquor shop that we are going to dine and dance there. how can they taste it? Jiva pad, Jiva Goswami has said, "This is the symptom. When worth they will have taste for Hari-Katha, Kṛṣṇa-Katha, should be understood that he is a fit person for Hari Bhajan." Again, because bhajan should be done with love. Priti bhajan
teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam
[BG 10.10]
Is not mere bhajan. Bhajan with priti, with love, real bhajan. Otherwise, your so-called bhajan is a hypocrisy. It's artificial. It's only artificial, only hypocrisy. Nothing only cheating. Kaitava only cheating. Nothing else. How can you understand? Thank you.
Devotee: Indistinct.
Gour Govinda Swami: Yes?
Devotee: I was thinking.
Gour Govinda Swami: Yes?
Devotee: If something is done by us all.
Gour Govinda Swami: Kiks?
Devotee: Keertan. Keertan.
Gour Govinda Swami: Keertan.
Devotee : Keertan.
Gour Govinda Swami: Hmm..
Devotee : You see, to my mind it appears that the lagha, that is the way it is done-
Gour Govinda Swami: Uh-huh.
Devotee : ... it should resonate with the heartbeats.
Gour Govinda Swami: It never touches the heart.
Devotee : No, I don't say that. You see, the rhythm of the heart-
Gour Govinda Swami: Yes, yes, yes.
Devotee : ... the rhythm of the keertan-
Gour Govinda Swami: Uh-huh.
Devotee : ... should be the same.
Gour Govinda Swami: Yes.
Devotee : The rhythm of the dance should be identical with the rhythm of the heart.
Gour Govinda Swami: Mm-hmm.
Devotee : Because-
Gour Govinda Swami:: Mm-hmm.
Devotee : ... a little bit I know of the way they teach us-
Gour Govinda Swami:: Mm-hmm.
Devotee : ... which are chanted in Varanasi.
Gour Govinda Swami: Mm-hmm.
Devotee : When you hear them chant it appears-
Gour Govinda Swami: Mm-hmm.
Devotee : ... that the chanting is in infusion with your-
Gour Govinda Swami:: Mm-hmm.
Devotee : ... movement of the heart. Physically, I am not talking of sentiment or real feeling. I am talking of the physical part. That is suggestion for your consideration and enlightenment on that. I leave it for tomorrow when we have time.
Gour Govinda Swami: No, no, no, no. I cannot understand what your point.
Devotee : I think that there is on a material platform they say that in Varanasi when they chant mantras-
Gour Govinda Swami: Uh-huh.
Devotee : ... it is said within the 90 times the heartbeat.
Gour Govinda Swami: Uh-huh.
Devotee : So it's like to, to suggest that we also do kirtan on the heartbeat.
Gour Govinda Swami: Our keertan? Our keertan?
Devotee : Our keertan.
Gour Govinda Swami: Uh-huh. Yes?
Devotee : And that activity-
Gour Govinda Swami: Only in Bara- Varanasi they do? In other-
Devotee : He said Varanasi- (cross talk)
Gour Govinda Swami: Please silent.
Devotee : Varanasi they do like that.
Gour Govinda Swami: Uh-huh. And of, anywhere else, nobody knows. That he says?
Devotee : No, no. He suggests that we do the same.
Gour Govinda Swami:....
Devotee : We cannot close. He is suggesting that we should do the same.
Gour Govinda Swami: What?
Devotee : Kirtanrhythm should be on the same heartbeat.
Gour Govinda Swami: Silently.
Devotee : No, no, no. Same rhythm. Heart is beating (tapping chest) one, two, three. Same speed as the heart.
Gour Govinda Swami: Uh-huh.
Devotee : Kirtanshould be like that he is suggesting. From the heart. Same rate as heart.
Gour Govinda Swami: Yes, that's what. Priti means that is in the heart. That is not in the lips.
Devotee : (laughing)
Gour Govinda Swami: That is not in the lips. That is not theoretical. That is not external. That is not outward. This is internal thing.
Devotee : He's speaking on external. Material platform. He's saying the physical beat of the heart, we should chant to Hari Kṛṣṇa, "Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa."
Gour Govinda Swami: We have. Mahaprabhu, Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava." Mahaprabhu says, “ aharnisa cinta Kṛṣṇa, balaha vadane , ki sayane, ki bhojane, kiba jagarane”. Day and night, 24 hours, every moment you think of Kṛṣṇa and utter His name. All condition, waking condition, sleeping condition, dreaming condition, even while taking food. Then what is that?
Devotee : Speaking sir, of the time when you should have other than keertan. He's, he's on a material platform and says it should be like the same beat of the heart. Material heartbeat.
Gour Govinda Swami: Heartbeating is going on day and night, 24 hours. Our bhajan is going on day and night, 24 hours. That Mahaprabhu said that Kṛṣṇa says man-manā bhavaThat we say, that we do. These are only based on love. Without love you cannot do it artificially, Baba. Stupid mind will never think of Kṛṣṇa if there is no love. Stupid mind is thinking of suta-mitā-ramaṇ Thinking of your son, daughter, wife, so-called friends, because you have developed some love and affection for them, not for Kṛṣṇa. Then? This is based on pure love.
And Kṛṣṇa is the only object of love. I have said that thing. You have not put Kṛṣṇa in the platform of love. You have put your body and bodily relationships, your wife, your children, son, daughter, kith and kin in the platform love. How can do Hari Bhajan? Cannot do Hari Bhajan. Though you are breathing, the breathing is like the breathing of the blacksmith's bellow. Blacksmith's bellow. Bellow blacksmith's breathing. You are breathing like that. (laughing)
Devotee : Nonetheless, we choice. Again, we'll be talking with you.
Gour Govinda Swami: All right. Thank you very much.
Devotee : Thank you. What's your question? (laughs) Sometimes with this silence in the office.
Gour Govinda Swami: (laughs) Looking out of the side is best, still he cannot convince.
Devotee : Ah.
Gour Govinda Swami:: Sarvabhauma Bhaṭṭāchārya.
Devotee : Ah.
Gour Govinda Swami:: Such persons cannot understand this thing, Baba.
Devotee : Ah.
Gour Govinda Swami: Not an easy thing unless pure heart is there.
Devotee : Same here. (laughs)
Gour Govinda Swami: Cannot do. You cannot make them understand not.
Devotee : See you.
Gour Govinda Swami: Kusara bhūmi ke bīja gopāl. If you sow seed in a barren land, how will it germinate?
Devotee : Yeah.
Gour Govinda Swami: The land is barren. Not cultivated properly. Is not fertile at all.
Devotee : Oh.
Gour Govinda Swami: That is, their heart is like that.
Devotee : A waste of time.
Gour Govinda Swami: Yes. A waste of time. Nothing else.
Devotee : It seems, Guru Mahārāj, that every, everybody wants to be the guru instead of follower.
Gour Govinda Swami: Yes, that I say.
Devotee : Mm-hmm.
Gour Govinda Swami: I first say it, those are so puffed up.
Devotee : Ah.
Gour Govinda Swami: With their material knowledge and false ego is so great, they cannot understand. Their activities is like that activity of that blind man who tries to understand the color of the milk.
Devotee : Hmm.
Gour Govinda Swami: I have already answered.
Devotee : (laughing)
Gour Govinda Swami: He's already answered.
Devotee : And Kṛṣṇa gives us a vivid example, though.
Gour Govinda Swami: (laughing) Yes. He's already answered.
Devotee : (laughing)
Gour Govinda Swami: He's already answered. And their reward is the, to get again and again the kicks from Mahamaya.
Devotee : Oh.
Gour Govinda Swami: That is their reward. Bas. (laughing) They cannot understand.
Devotee : It seems also, Guru Mahārāj, that many people-
Gour Govinda Swami: Oh-oh.
Devotee : ... although they want to speak many things, they don't have ears to listen.
Gour Govinda Swami: No. Speculators.
Devotee : Huh.
Gour Govinda Swami: They think, "I know!"
Devotee: (laughing)
Devotee : (laughing)
Gour Govinda Swami: "Better! Who knows better than I? I know the best."
Devotee : (laughing)
Gour Govinda Swami: Why should I hear? I know. This is for the person mūḍhas. Kṛṣṇa says mūḍhas. They're mūḍhas.
Devotee : Mm-hmm.
Gour Govinda Swami: Kṛṣṇa has already said, they're mūḍhas. They cannot. Why? Mahāprabhu said, tṛṇād api sunīchena taror iva sahi śuni, amāninā mānadena kīrtanayoḥ sadā hariḥ (Wink) How can you understand Baba? Supposed a fellow demon, pride is demoniac. Characteristic quality, demoniac quality, not divine quality. Ha-ah.
dambho darpo ’bhimānaś ca
krodhaḥ pāruṣyam eva ca
[BG 16.4].
These are demoniac qualities. We are singing the Bhakti Vinod Thakur song, saralata helo naie. You are not at all simple, you are such a crooked person. Kapati is there. Crookedness and duplicity, that is anartha. Gire se nana anartha bayi. How can you understand? How can you get Radha-Kṛṣṇa? How can do bhajan? No. No. Unless you are free from it.
Devotee : Simple that.
Gour Govinda Swami: Yes. Unless th- these things are rooted out from your heart, how can you understand? Then Balarām's plow is needed.
Devotee : Ah.
Gour Govinda Swami: To very deep plowing, plowing, plowing, root it out.
Devotee : Ah.
Gour Govinda Swami: Then Balarām's plow is there. That is needed. That is guru, guru's plow.
Devotee : (laughing)
Gour Govinda Swami: Guru's discipline.
Devotee : (laughing)
Gour Govinda Swami: That is plowing, chalo. Very deep furrow.
Devotee : (laughing)
Gour Govinda Swami: Deep furrow.
Devotee : (laughing)
Gour Govinda Swami: (laughing) Then this anarthas, weeds will be rooted out.
Devotee : Ah.
Gour Govinda Swami: Then this field is now fertile. Then seed will be sown, it'll fructify. Eh?
Devotee : Hey.
Gour Govinda Swami: Do you understand? But if you sow seed in a barren land, how can it fru- fructify?
Devotee : Hmm.
Gour Govinda Swami: No. Don't sow seed in a barren land.
Devotee : No.
Gour Govinda Swami: It is useless labor w- will become useless labor. Brutha shramah. Srama eva hi kevala.
Devotee : (laughing)
Gour Govinda Swami: Nothing else.
Devotee : Yes.
Gour Govinda Swami:: Useless labor.
Devotee : Guru Mahārāj, just, uh, you were saying that-
Gour Govinda Swami:: Hmm.
Devotee : ... Kṛṣṇa says, "My devotee never perishes."
Gour Govinda Swami: Yes.
Devotee : Who is a devotee?
Devotee : (laughing)
Devotee : How do you know who a devotee is, like?
Gour Govinda Swami: Hmm. It's completely surrendered at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. It's completely surrendered at the lotus feet of Guru. He is a devotee. I say without becoming das of Guru, you cannot become das of Kṛṣṇa.
Devotee : Hmm.
Gour Govinda Swami: No. He is devotee. Yes. He is devotee. Hmm. Hmm. By the mercy of Guru, you can have it, develop bhakti. bhaktis tu bhagavata-bhakta-sangena upajayate. By the association of bhakta, Vaishnavas, devotees, you can develop bhakti. Without that, how can you develop bhakti? Then how can become bhakta? One who has bhakti, he is bhakta.
Devotee : Mm-hmm.
Gour Govinda Swami: Without the association of Vaishnavas, sadhus, you cannot develop bhakti. That mean you cannot become bhakta.
Devotee : Mm-hmm.
Gour Govinda Swami: Then you can understand who is bhakti, who is bhakta, who is devotee. Did you follow Jagdish Pandit.
Devotee : Like, like you hear people coming to ISKCON, they say, "Oh, you just have to surrender to Srila Prabhupada. That's enough." I- is it-
Gour Govinda Swami: Prabhupada said, "Surrender to his words."
Devotee : Yeah. Yes.
Gour Govinda Swami: What is that? Prabhupada said. Then? So that-
Devotee : They don't know, they don't know his words. (laughing)
Gour Govinda Swami: Surrender to Prabhupad means what? Surrender to his words.
Devotee: Hmm.
Gour Govinda Swami: Prabhupada said, "guru padashraya."
Devotee: Hmm.
Gour Govinda Swami: Surren- he has quoted Jiva Goswami, he has quoted Rupa Goswami in Caitanya-caritamrita, where Sanatana, Mahaprabhu teaches to Sanatana Goswami, he has quoted. That is his words. Then? Then you are only saying, but you are not really surrendered to Prabhupada. Yes. Ignorant fools. Do you understand? They are in complete darkness. No ray of light is, has penetrated there. So, they are groping in the darkness, oh, oh, oh, oh, nothing else. So when they have not understood Prabhupada-
Devotee : No.
Gour Govinda Swami: ... they have not understood Prabhupada, yes, so how can they say?
Devotee: We begin with this, we sing Yasya prasado bhagavat prasado yasya prasado. It says without the mercy of the guru, one cannot make any advancement.
Gour Govinda Swami: No.
Devotee: But people come to devotional service and say, "I'm making so much advancement, I'm chanting 16 rounds a day, I'm doing so much service."
Gour Govinda Swami: They are measuring themselves.
Devotee: Oh.
Gour Govinda Swami: They are judging themselves. They are their own judges.
Devotee: Ah.
Gour Govinda Swami: Are their own judges? They have measuring rod in their own hand? If you have measuring rod in your own hand, why you are cheated?
Devotee: (laughing)
Gour Govinda Swami: Baba.
Devotee: (laughing)
Gour Govinda Swami: If you have measuring rod in your own hands, why you are cheated, baba?
Devotee: (laughing)
Gour Govinda Swami: (laughing) Fools. Fools.
Devotee: (laughing)
Gour Govinda Swami: Great fools. Oh.