(7/10) Snowball of Offences

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Sri Ekachakra Dham, evening class, 26 February 2021
Translated from Bengali, part 7

When we visit Puri, we hear the story of Ramachandra Puri there. Ramachandra Puri and Ishwar Puri were godbrothers (they had one guru, Srila Madhavendra Puripad), but everybody knows Ishwar Puri on the account of him being Mahaprabhu’s guru, and everybody knows Ramachandra Puri on the account of him being a big offender. Ramachandra Puri has no other fame – all he is known for is his big offences and criticism of others. This is what finished him off. There is not any mention of him in the guru-parampara, whereas we always mention Sri Ishwar Puri’s name when we chant the guru-parampara song:

মাধবেন্দ্র পুরীবর, শিষ্যবর শ্রীঈশ্বর,
নিত্যানন্দ, শ্রীঅদ্বৈত বিভু ।
ঈশ্বরপুরীকে ধন্য, করিলেন শ্রীচৈতন্য,
জগদ্গুরু গৌর মহাপ্রভু ॥

madhavendra puri-bara, sisya-bara sri-isvara,
nityananda, sri-advaita vibhu
isvara-purike dhanya, karilena sri-chaitanya,
jagad-guru gaura mahaprabhu

‘The great disciples of illustrious Madhavendra Puri are Sri Isvar Puri, Lord Nityananda Prabhu and Omnipresent Lord Sri Advaita. Jagad-Guru Sri Chaitanya (Gaura) Mahaprabhu blessed Isvar Puri (by accepting him as His guru).’

(Sri Guru-Parampara kirtan)

And when we ever mention Sri Ramachandra Puri, all we have to say about him is that he made offences against Vaishnavs. Driven out of Puri, he was eventually nowhere to be found. He kept making offences and ended up criticising Mahaprabhu for eating. Devotees invited Mahaprabhu and gave Him prasad. Everybody invited Mahaprabhu all the time. We are also often invited to people’s houses, and they bring us various offerings – I barely touch it (I do not eat and enjoy that food – I only touch it to try some). So, one day, when Mahaprabhu was invited to take prasad, Ramachandra Puri came there and secretly watched what Mahaprabhu was eating. He thought, ‘Oh my! This sadhu sannyasi is eating such nice things!’ Then, he came out and asked the devotees, ‘How come you do not invite me?’ When Mahaprabhu heard what he had to say, He declared, ‘Do not invite Me again. And if you do invite Me, then make only one–two preparations – I will not take more than that!’ Very sad, devotees came to Lord Jagannath and prayed, ‘O Lord Jagannath, please remove this Ramachandra Puri from Puri Dham; otherwise, we will not be able to invite Mahaprabhu anymore!’

Another time, Ramachandra Puri came to Mahaprabhu’s room in Gambhira to see what He ate and what He did there. When he came there, he noticed there were many ants in the room, so he said to Mahaprabhu, ‘Oh, why are there ants in Your room? You, new sannyasi, must be eating lots of sweets, are You not?’ Mahaprabhu said, ‘Yes, My tongue is very greedy and I follow My tongue. I like to enjoy, that is why I eat sweets!’ What will Mahaprabhu do or say? It did not matter. Ants always come on their own. If there are no sweets in a room, does it mean no ants will come there?

This is how if one keeps making offences, their offences reach the guru. Do you understand what I am saying? If one keeps making and making offences, their offences will go up to their guru. You can never get any benefit like this. Such people become alienated because nobody likes them. Nobody.

— : • : —

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Size: 39 Mb
Length: 80 min
Language: Bengali

READ OTHER PARTS:

1) Main Festivals
2) Serve with Faith
3) Service Duty (1)
4) Service Duty (2)
5) Heed My Word
6) Perverted Tastes and Habits
7) Snowball of Offences
8) Path to Indigestion
9) Memorable Pastimes
10) Kali Yuga Brahmans