Healthy Spiritual
Life
"We do not know what is good, what is bad for our spiritual life. We
sometimes want to eat some other food—we sometimes want to do some material
things, we want some material enjoyment, but Gurudev will never advise to do
what is bad for our spiritual life."
•
Download / listen to the audio (1.9 Mb, 5 min | 23 October 2018)
A Day at Sri
Nrisingha Palli (1 April 2021 | 17 photographs, 1.4 Mb)
Sharing photographs taken throughout the day at Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math
in Sri Nrisingha Palli. As almost all devotees have left after the festival,
the temple is now back to the quiet daily services and the construction works
are now resuming—the workers are currently finishing the new guesthouse and
continuing the works at the Prasadam Hall after the festival pandal has been
removed. His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
takes rest after the intense seven-day-long festival and in the afternoon
gives initiation to devotees in Ecuador.
Guidance, Issue #26(EPUB file, 1.1 Mb)
An ePub file for offline reading on mobile phones and tablets containing the
lectures of His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
published here from January to March 2021. We pray this serves as a
source of guidance, nourishment, and life to all the devotees and
well-wishers worldwide.
Other compilations of His Divine Grace Srila Acharya Maharaj's lectures
for offline reading (all posts published on the website since July
2014):
Fri, 2 April 2021 (Anniversary Festival at Sri Hapaniya Dham Temple)
Exclusive Mood
"A devotee's heart, their life, mind, everything is surrendered to the Lord,
and they always listen to Hari-katha, Hari-kirtan—they always spend their
life in sravanam, kirtanam, and they always derive pleasure from it."
•
Download / listen to the audio (2.1 Mb, 5 min | 23 October 2018)
Festival at Sri
Hapaniya Dham (2 April 2021 | 20 photographs, 1.4 Mb)
His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj comes to
Sripat Hapaniya Dham together with his associates to attend the annual
festival commemorating the Deities' Installation at the supremely holy
appearance place of Om Vishnupad Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami
Maharaj. Due to the pandemic situation, the festival manifests in a quieter
and a little more reserved form without the overwhelming crowds usual for
this festival.
Sri-gaura-mandala
majhe |
শ্রীগুর্ব্বাবির্ভাব প্রশস্তি "In Sri Gaura Mandal, there is a village called Hapaniya where my Lord, an
abode of all good qualities, appeared. It stands on the bank of the Ganga,
who is very merciful to the fallen souls; renowned in the whole world, this
abode is a holy repository of knowledge and jewels of logic."
Sripat Hapaniya
Dham: Highest Place
"Today is the pancham dol and it also the appearance day of Sri Sri
Guru Gauranga Radha Gopinathjiu. This is a highest place and we must give
respect to this place, Sripat Hapaniya Dham."
•
Download / listen to the audio (3.3 Mb, 10 min | 17 March 2017)
Sripat Hapaniya
Dham
"We come here to pay obeisance to Srila B.R. Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj
because he is not an ordinary person. We come and pray to his family, we pay
obeisance to them and beg them for mercy. That is why we come here."
•
Download / listen to the audio (6.4 Mb, 19 min | 28 March 2016)
A Day at
Hapaniya[From Affectionate Guidance]
"Today we have very happily come to Sripat Hapaniya Dham. Our destination is
Goloka, even if we may not know where Goloka is. However, we must know that
the abode of Goloka has personally become manifest in this world as the abode
of the Divine Master, the residence of the devotees and the Temple where the
Deities are worshipped."
Sat, 3 April 2021
Seek Sadhus' Shelter
"O Krishna! How will all those who are suffering so much from miseries caused
by one's body, by the nature, and other souls, and so many problems in this
mundane world be rescued from this kind of situation? — A sadhu will
come for them..."
•
Download / listen to the audio (2 Mb, 5 min | 23 October 2018)
Sun, 4 April 2021
What Are You Doing?!
"We must practise in the way that Gurudev tells us to practise. Think
properly about what Gurudev tells. You are always mixing with materialists,
you are always looking at ladies—what are you doing?! You are taking poison!
You must avoid all this!"
•
Download / listen to the audio (2.3 Mb, 6 min | 23 October 2018)
Vaishnav iCalendar
(Updated for 2021)(For iPhones, iPads, Mac OS)
Vaishnava iCalendar is prepared and now available for download and upload on
Apple mobile devices (iPads, iPods, iPhones, MacBooks, etc.). On computers:
download and launch. On mobile devices: upload by clicking on the link above,
through iTunes synchronisation or email.
-Follow the link above
-Click on a "plus" sign at the bottom of the page to add it to your Google
Calendar page
-If you are not logged in your Google account, enter your login
information
-The calendar will appear in your Google Calendar under "Other calendars"
-Final step, on your phone: synchronise your google account calendar in the
settings of your phone. Restart your phone if the Calendar events do not
appear immediately.
Note: the calendar has notifications set for the major
dates, but you need to see the calendar settings in your phone to make sure
you get these notifications. You can also receive notification by email, see
the settings in your online Google calendar.
Published previously:
SRI VAISHNAVA CALENDAR
FOR 2021-2022 The calendar of auspicious days, festivals and fasting celebrated and
observed at Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math for the following year (Sri Gaurabda
536, or 2021-2022) is now available online.
His Divine Grace instructs: "We should always check the calendar, and when we
see some dates mentioned there, even if we do not know anything about the
Vaishnav or events mentioned there, we can at least give 'jay' to
them—that also brings some good sukriti, some purification to us.
Seeing the calendar and taking devotees' names early in the morning, from the
beginning of the day, is very good for all devotees."
Mon, 5 April 2021 (Appearance of Srila Srivas Pandit)
Happy and Busy Days
"Past two-three weeks I have been busy in Nrisingha Palli, after that there
was Hapaniya pancham-dol—the appearance festival of Sri Sri Guru Gauranga
Radha Gopinath jiu in Hapaniya. When the festival in Hapaniya finished, I
returned the same day to Kolkata."
•
Download / listen to the audio (1.9 Mb, 5 min | 4 April 2021)
Today in the calendar:
Krishna Ashtami. Appearance of Srila Srivas Pandit.
His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad Srila B.N. Acharya Maharaj: "Even if you do
not know anything about the Vaishnav mentioned in the calendar, you must
still give them 'jay' on this day. We must always remember disappearance and
appearance days of all Vaishnavs. If we can remember such personalities, such
great souls, it will bring a great benefit to our spiritual life."
"We should always check the calendar, and when we see some dates mentioned
there, even if we do not know anything about the Vaishnav or events mentioned
there, we can at least give 'jay' to them—that also brings some good sukriti,
some purification to us. Seeing the calendar and taking devotees' names early
in the morning, from the beginning of the day, is very good for all
devotees."
In honour of Srila Srivas Pandit:
Srivas Pandit's
Devotion
"Srivas Pandit: 'You can get a son, a daughter, a father, a mother in every
birth, but you will not get the Lord in every birth Lord. This life is very
important, you can get the Lord in this life, then why should I misuse it?
Why should I not use this opportunity?'"
•
Download / listen to the audio (1.7 Mb, 5 min | 19 July 2013)
Malini Devi and
Vishvarup
"The name Srivas Pandit's wife is Malini Devi. You know, one time Malini
chastised Srivas Pandit. Once, Vishvarup Prabhu, Nimai's elder brother, came
to their house to ask Srivas Pandit for help..."
•
Download / listen to the audio (1 Mb, 3 min | 29 July 2012)
Why Can We Not Get
It?
"At Srivas Pandit's house there was a maidservant Duhkhi—she got Mahaprabhu's
mercy. There was a Muslim tailor near Srivas Pandit's house—he too got
Mahaprabhu's mercy. A great sinner Chand Kazi broke a mridanga, but
even he got Mahaprabhu's mercy. Why can we not get it?"
•
Download / listen to the audio (1.2 Mb, 4 min | 20 May 2017 | Bengali)
Prayers to Sri Vaishnav Thakur:
•SONG:
Ei-bara karuna kara |
এইবার করুণা কর "O worshippable Vaisnava, be merciful to me this time. O saviour of the
fallen, without you there is no one. In every birth I aspire for the dust of
your feet."
•SONG:
Ohe Vaisnava
Thakura |
(ওহে) বৈষ্ণব ঠাকুর "O worshippable Vaishnav, ocean of grace, be merciful to this servant.
Give me the shade of your feet and purify me. I clasp your feet. You can give
Krishna, you have that power. Calling, 'Krishna!' 'Krishna!', I run after
you."
•SONG:
Ki-rupe paiba seva |
কিরূপে পাইব সেবা "I am so wicked, how will I ever get service? I do not have any attachment
to Sri Guru and Vaishnavs! Prabhu, you see no fault in others, you are the
saviour of the fallen. Please deliver Narottam this time!"
•SONG:
Dhana mora nityananda |
ধন মোর নিত্যানন্দ "The feet dust of the Vaishnavs is where I sport and take bath, Vaishnavs'
name is the water oblation. My mind is intently fixed upon the remnants of
Vaishnavs, and I am elated hearing the name of Vaishnavs."
Tue, 6 April 2021
Whose Child Are You?
"You have got this human body to serve your Gurudev. You did not get this
body to serve Maya. We only always serve Maya, we are always surrendered to
Maya, and this is our main problem. What is this? Sometimes I become very
annoyed unhappy about this kind of situation."
•
Download / listen to the audio (1.5 Mb, 4 min | 4 April 2021)
Today in the calendar:
Krishna Navami. Disappearance of Tridandi Swami Srimad Bhakti Vigraha Bhiksu
Goswami Maharaj.
His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad Srila B.N. Acharya Maharaj: "Even if you do
not know anything about the Vaishnav mentioned in the calendar, you must
still give them 'jay' on this day. We must always remember disappearance and
appearance days of all Vaishnavs. If we can remember such personalities, such
great souls, it will bring a great benefit to our spiritual life."
"We should always check the calendar, and when we see some dates mentioned
there, even if we do not know anything about the Vaishnav or events mentioned
there, we can at least give 'jay' to them—that also brings some good sukriti,
some purification to us. Seeing the calendar and taking devotees' names early
in the morning, from the beginning of the day, is very good for all
devotees."
Wed, 7 April 2021 (Tomorrow is Papa Vimochani Ekadasi)
Adjust Wavelength
"So much sadness, so many problems, so much bondage will come, but we must
overcome everything and always go forward. It is necessary to have a great
desire to do service. If you have the strongest faith, then you will succeed,
you will overcome all obstacles."
•
Download / listen to the audio (1.6 Mb, 4 min | 4 April 2021)
Thu, 8 April 2021 (Today is Sri Papa Vimochani Ekadasi,
tomorrow paran is 5:27-9:34 a.m.)
Avoid Provincialism
"It is necessary to preach and expand Srila Gurudev's mission. Everybody must
avoid enviousness, anger, and ego. Everybody says that there is a lack of
harmony in some countries, but everybody must understand that we do not
hanker for any post. You must understand what I am trying to say."
•
Download / listen to the audio (2.1 Mb, 5 min | 4 April 2021)
Today in the calendar:
Krishna Dvadashi. Papa Vimochani Ekadashi. Fast. Festival in honour of
Sriman Mahaprabhu's auspicious arrival at Varaha Nagar. Disappearance of
Srila Govinda Ghosh Thakur. Disappearance of Sripad Satyendrachandra
Bhattacharya Mahoday.
His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad Srila B.N. Acharya Maharaj: "Even if you do
not know anything about the Vaishnav mentioned in the calendar, you must
still give them 'jay' on this day. We must always remember disappearance and
appearance days of all Vaishnavs. If we can remember such personalities, such
great souls, it will bring a great benefit to our spiritual life."
"We should always check the calendar, and when we see some dates mentioned
there, even if we do not know anything about the Vaishnav or events mentioned
there, we can at least give 'jay' to them—that also brings some good sukriti,
some purification to us. Seeing the calendar and taking devotees' names early
in the morning, from the beginning of the day, is very good for all
devotees."
Sri Ekadasi Guidance Guidelines on how to observe and honour this holy day: Ekadasi takes an
indispensible part in the life of a sincere practitioner. At Sri Chaitanya
Saraswat Math, Ekadasi and paran are observed with affection and without
fail according to the dates given in the Calendar.
•"Sri Ekadasi"
(Sri Sri Prema Vivarta)
"One day, Gaurahari left the Gundicha Temple and sat in the Jagannath
Vallabha garden. It was pure Ekadasi, and the Lord spent the whole day and
night chanting the Name of Krishna..."
•SONG:
Suddha-bhakata |
শুদ্ধ ভকত-চরণ-রেণু "I carefully observe the holy days related to Madhava, they are the mother
of devotion."
•SONG:
Sri hari-vasare |
শ্রীহরি-বাসরে হরি "On the holy day of Sri Hari, Sriman Mahaprabhu, the life and
soul of the universe, began dancing..."
Dubious Actions
"There is a devotee who took a lock of Gurudev's hair when Gurudev left and
tied it to his sikha. But Gurudev's things, everything related to him
is auspicious, and we sometimes go to the bathroom, go to the toilet—we do
not want to take any part of Gurudev to the bathroom or toilet."
•
Download / listen to the audio (1.4 Mb, 4 min | 4 April 2021)
Arrival at Sri Vrindavan
Dham (8 April 2021 | 5 photographs, 0.6 Mb)
His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj arrives
with his associates safely at Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math Temple in Sri
Vrindavan Dham to attend to the accumulated services and nourish the local
devotees after a rather long time of being unable to come due to the pandemic
situation. Sharing a few holy glimpses from the evening programme.
Sat, 10 April 2021
Effect of Pure Chanting
"How can I explain this to you?! When you chant, chant, and chant, this kind
of pleasure can come. Yet, we cannot experience that until we become
qualified to chant the Holy Name purely. If you can chant through good
association, you will get pleasure and more pleasure."
•
Download / listen to the audio (1.6 Mb, 4 min | 4 April 2021)
Sun, 11 April 2021
Correcting Your
Attitude
"If they listen to lectures, if they want to change, then slowly, slowly they
can change. If somebody wants to correct themselves, if somebody wants to
purify themselves, then if they try, they can do it. If somebody is not
interested in that, then there is no question."
•
Download / listen to the audio (2.1 Mb, 5 min | 4 April 2021)
Visiting Sri Govardhan
Dham (11 April 2021 | 19 photographs, 1.9 Mb)
His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj visits Sri
Srila Sridhar Swami Seva Ashram to check on the temple maintenance and
project a goshala for the temple. Sharing a few holy glimpses from a very
special and exclusive temple in our Mission.
Mon, 12 April 2021
Pure Surrender
Without Gaps
"If you do not surrender properly, then some lack of devotion and some gap
will come. We sometimes follow all rules and regulations, we put water in the
pot—we put, put, and put again and again—but the pot never gets full, it
always remains empty. What is happening?"
•
Download / listen to the audio (2.8 Mb, 7 min | 4 April 2021)
Tue, 13 April 2021
Current of
Eternal Service
"I am now in Vrindavan, in front of Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Gandharva
Rasabihari, in the nat mandir. I have been to Govardhan today—I had
some service in Nandagram and at the Govardhan Temple. I also went briefly to
Varshana returning to Vrindavan after lunch."
•
Download / listen to the audio (2.1 Mb, 5 min | 11 April 2021)
Wed, 14 April 2021
Proper
Preaching
"If you practise Krishna consciousness without the guidance of Gurudev, then
your practise will be the practise of Maya (worship of illusion). Always have
chastity, always be sincere. If you make a temple or preach in this way,
Krishna will send people."
•
Download / listen to the audio (1.7 Mb, 4 min | 11 April 2021)
Thu, 15 April 2021
Srila
Gurudev's Festival Etiquette
"There are many rules and regulations. You can cook something that Gurudev
likes and offer it to Gurudev. Remember him, speak in his glorification. That
is sufficient. Also try to serve the mission Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math
according to your capacity. These are the main things."
•
Download / listen to the audio (1.2 Mb, 3 min | 11 April 2021)
Starting Goshala at Sri
Govardhan Dham (15 April 2021 | 7 photographs, 0.9 Mb)
Fulfilling a long standing desire of His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad Srila
Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj, His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj establishes a small goshala on the
premises of Sri Srila Sridhar Swami Seva Ashram in Sri Govardhan Dham and
welcomes first four resident cows to the temple.
All Glory to Sri Sri Guru Gauranga
— · Invitation Letter · —
Disappearance Festival of Om Vishnupad Paramahamsa
Parivrajakacharya-varya Ashtottara-shata-sri
Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj
gurvvabhista-supurakam guru-ganair asisa-sambhusitam
chintyachintya-samasta-veda-nipunam sri-rupa-panthanugam
govindabhidham ujjvalam vara-tanum bhakty anvitam-sundaram
vande visva-gurun cha divya-bhagavat-premno hi bija-pradam
I offer my obeisance unto he who perfectly fulfils his Gurudev's most
cherished desires; who is fully adorned with the blessings of his Gurudev’s
associates; who is expert in all aspects of Vedic knowledge, both conceivable
and inconceivable; who is the pre-eminent follower of Srila Rupa Goswami
Prabhu's line; who is known as 'Govinda'—Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda
Dev-Goswami Maharaj; whose beautiful, effulgent, exalted form is infused
with pure devotion; who is the Guru of the entire universe; and who is the
giver of the seed of divine love for the Supreme Lord.
Dear respected Devotees, Friends and Well-Wishers,
We are offering obeisance at your holy lotus feet and on behalf of His Divine
Grace Om Vishnupad Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj humbly extend a letter
of encouragement to observe the disappearance day of our most worshippable
and beloved Om Vishnupad Jagad Guru Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami
Maharaj, which manifests on 24 April (Saturday) this year, in every branch of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math
throughout the world.
Considering the ongoing difficult situation all over the world, many temples,
centres, and devotees are currently constrained in their capacity to host
large programmes, however it is good if this festival can still be observed
within each temple, centre and heart of devotees according to their
capacity.
His Divine Grace has many times instructed on how to hold special
programmes and taught it many times by his own example. Usually such
programmes consist of: kirtans, lecture or reading of scriptures, arati,
pushpanjali (offering of flowers to a photograph), and prasad-seva (cooking a
special offering, offering it at the altar or to a photograph, and
distributing it to devotees).
We hope all devotees find an opportunity to observe this holy day for the
satisfaction of Sri Gurupadpadma keeping the divine Guidance on their heads:
"Always sit amidst fire blazing on all four sides. This fire is Hari-katha,
kirtan, service to the Lord, and service to the guru. You must progress in
your practising life keeping the sacrificial fire of your service
ablaze."
Dates
24 April 2021 Email address for enquiry
Note:
Some of the many preparations known to be favourite to His Divine Grace Srila
B.S. Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj: Rice, mung or chana dal, stir-fried karela,
sak, posto bora, aloo siddho (boiled potato, mashed with chilli and salt),
cauliflower pakoras, singara (samosa), mixed vegetable subji, paneer rasa,
boiled potato, tomato chutney, achar (pickle), avocado salad (with a little
salt and olive oil), cucumber salad, mango, paramanna (sweet rice),
rasagullas, sandesh, a cake, vanilla ice-cream.
Daily Practice:
Observing
Festivals A page of the Daily Practice section dedicated to Vaishnav-seva and
observing festivals. "Why are you making a festival? Making a festival
means you are inviting many people and you are giving them some
prasadam, engaging them in Krishna consciousness—it means practising
Krishna consciousness."
Service in
Separation
"If you follow your Guru's instruction, if you fulfil his desire, even
after his disappearance, if you always think what will make him happy,
then you will get his association, you will feel joy..."
•
Download / listen to the audio (5 Mb, 13 min | 22 April 2013)
Separation Day
"Our supreme Gurudev, Om Vishnupad Jagad Guru Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda
Dev-Goswami Maharaj accepted this day as the day to leave this world for his
eternal abode, and he has left us, fallen souls, here to chant his
glories..."
•
Download / listen to the audio (3 Mb, 9 min | 8 April 2017 |
Bengali)
Make Service
Your Goal, Means, and Sustenance
"Sacrificing his own life, forgetting his own happiness and comfort, Gurudev
would go door to door preaching the message of Mahaprabhu: be merciful to the
souls, chant the Holy Name, and serve the Vaishnavs. Besides this, there is
no other religion."
•
Download / listen to the audio (3 Mb, 9 min | 8 April 2017 |
Bengali)
Festival: Vision
and Focus
"Gurudev's disappearance festival means Vaishnav seva. Vaishnav is the
main focus for us. Appearance and disappearance look different, but following
Vaishnavs' vision we think that on these two tithis Gurudev always
takes worships from us."
•
Download / listen to the audio (1.8 Mb, 5 min | 16 April 2013)
Overpowered by
Service
"You may have everything, but if you do not have mercy of your Guru, then you
have nothing. Gurudev gave you all his blessings, and if we can serve him, we
will get supreme benefit. You must always live remembering Gurudev's
words."
•
Download / listen to the audio (4.1 Mb, 12 min | 8 April 2017 |
Bengali)
Fri, 16 April 2021
Quality and
Qualification
"The scriptures, Gurudev, and Guru Maharaj say, 'What is called seva? Service
means we must satisfy Gurudev and the Lord.' If we think how Gurudev, Guru
Maharaj, and the Lord will be satisfied and do that, that will be
service."
•
Download / listen to the audio (1.5 Mb, 4 min | 11 April 2021)
Sat, 17 April 2021
Best Worship
"Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's worship is the best and main worship, but first
it is necessary to take shelter of a bona fide Guru. Without the mercy of
Gurudev, without the mercy of Nityananda Prabhu, it is not possible to
worship Gauranga."
•
Download / listen to the audio (2.4 Mb, 6 min | 11 April 2021)
Today in the calendar:
Gaura Panchami. Appearance of Sripad Ramanuja Acharya. Appearance of Tridandi
Swami Srimad Bhakti Hriday Bon Maharaj (a diksa and sannyas disciple of Srila
Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupad, the first Gaudiya Math preacher
in the West).
His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad Srila B.N. Acharya Maharaj: "Even if you do
not know anything about the Vaishnav mentioned in the calendar, you must
still give them 'jay' on this day. We must always remember disappearance and
appearance days of all Vaishnavs. If we can remember such personalities, such
great souls, it will bring a great benefit to our spiritual life."
"We should always check the calendar, and when we see some dates mentioned
there, even if we do not know anything about the Vaishnav or events mentioned
there, we can at least give 'jay' to them—that also brings some good sukriti,
some purification to us. Seeing the calendar and taking devotees' names early
in the morning, from the beginning of the day, is very good for all
devotees."
In honour of Sri Ramanuja Acharya:
•Service: Faith
and Surrender "Gurudev told the story of Dhanur Das and his wife, Ramanuja Acharya's
disciples, and how they maintained their family life..."
•How
to See the Guru: Chastity "Ramanuja Acharya heard there was a Guru in Alwar (South India). He came
to that Guru and asked, 'You know one mantra that can give liberation.
I want to get this mantra...'"
•Odds and Ends:
Ramanuja Acharya's bed "One time Ramanuja Acharya he went to Tirupati and stayed one month at one
ashram there. He had a good servitor called Govinda who always served
him..."
In honour of Sripad Bhakti Hriday Bon Maharaj:
Srila B.R. Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj remembers:
When I got sannyas, Sripad Bon Maharaj was present there, as well as many
others also. Sripad Bon Maharaj remarked, "Prabhupad has got a high
satisfaction by giving you sannyas. We have never seen so much satisfaction
in him at the occasion of any other sannyasi. He is highly satisfied with
conferring sannyas to you."
....When Sripad Bon Maharaj returned from England, he put so many disturbing
questions to our Guru Maharaj (Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur
Prabhupad), "What do you know about that country? They are so brave, so
gorgeous! Staying here, we cannot have any proper estimation of the
civilisation in London at present. We are all ignorant. If we are to preach
in London or Europe, we will have to be trained in a different way!" That was
his advice to our Guru Maharaj, and Guru Maharaj, being pressed, rather
attacked by his own disciple in such a way, withdrew himself by saying, "This
is not our way of thinking. Our Guru Maharaj, Srila Gaura Kishor Das Babaji
Maharaj, did not even know how to sign his name, but we think that all the
scholarship, wealth, everything is there in a nail of his toe." Guru Maharaj
represented himself in a mild and humble way, but there was also professor
Sanyal present there, and he came out like a tiger at our Bon Maharaj, "Have
you lost all you have got from Guru Maharaj?! You are bold enough to talk in
such a boisterous way? Have you forgotten how to behave with your Divine
Master?" He was furious; Bon Maharaj had to check himself. Anyhow, Prabhupad
said about him, "Bon Maharaj went to preach in my first year in
England and in my second year in England." Prabhupad had gone through
it using Bon Maharaj.
So, when I heard that Sripad Bon Maharaj had returned from Europe and put
forth so many arguments of the Western persons saying that they could not be
answered, I wanted to hear what those questions were that could not be
answered. He reluctantly spoke about the arguments he had had to face there,
and I began to answer them one by one. Then, when Sripad Bon Maharaj could
not say anything more, Srila Swami Maharaj [Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Maharaj], who was present at that round table meeting, said, "Here, Europe is
defeated by Asia!"
* * *
...At that time, all the preachers had been taken back from the compass of
the country and were concentrated to work in Kolkata—they used to have to go
door to door collecting bhiksa (alms, donations). Sripad Bon Maharaj's
party, he and one or two brahmacharis, went to some part of Kolkata for
collection. Generally, seeing some gentleman standing by, one of the members
of the party would run up to him and say something like, "We come from
Gaudiya Math, we want to make some collection. Dear sir, you are a devoted
person of this locality, please make some contribution." So, one time, Bon
Maharaj asked some gentleman to give him some addresses of good benevolent
gentlemen whom they could approach to get some money for their purpose. The
gentleman showed Bon Maharaj the way saying, "Just go to that house, you will
find the right person there." Bon Maharaj went there in good faith. When he
knocked on the door, the door was open. A lady came out. Seeing him, she
said, "Oh, you are a sadhu! What do you want from me?" The gentleman who had
directed Bon Maharaj there, was laughing behind him—the lady was a
prostitute. Bon Maharaj was perplexed—it was a lady. Anyhow, he still gave
her the letter of invitation saying, "We have got such and such festival, we
want you to come and we want to ask you for some contribution." I do not know
if the lady had given him anything or not, but all the people around were
laughing. After that, Bon Maharaj came back to Prabhupad and said,
"Prabhupad, I will not go for any collection again." Prabhupad asked him,
"Why? What has happened?" Bon Maharaj related the incident saying that some
rogues had guided him to a prostitute's house. After that, Prabhupad
delivered a lecture: "There are many of you who have left their own property,
but still I send you out for collection. Do you think that I am doing wrong?
I am not. The visayi (materialists) always want to entrap us within their
material life, but we must learn to utilise everything and anything in the
service of Krishna, then only are we saved; otherwise, if we leave, give
everything away, all this visaya (material elements) will be left there and
as soon as it gets any chance, it will come to bite me. So, whatever comes to
us, we should deal with everything in such a way that rather, 'Whatever I
shall come across, it will give me some impression to remember
Krishna—everything should utilise me for a particular service to Krishna.' If
left there, they will be enemies, but they should all be turned into friends.
They will help me, remind me, excite me in the service of Krishna. We must
have this kind of adjustment in this world. So, nothing should be left off.
'Nirbandhah Krsna-sambandhe yuktam vairagyam uchyate: when one is not
attached to anything, but at the same time accepts everything in relation to
Krishna, one is rightly situated above possessiveness.'"
Prayers to Sri Vaishnav Thakur:
•SONG:
Ei-bara karuna kara |
এইবার করুণা কর "O worshippable Vaisnava, be merciful to me this time. O saviour of the
fallen, without you there is no one. In every birth I aspire for the dust of
your feet."
•SONG:
Ohe Vaisnava
Thakura |
(ওহে) বৈষ্ণব ঠাকুর "O worshippable Vaishnav, ocean of grace, be merciful to this servant.
Give me the shade of your feet and purify me. I clasp your feet. You can give
Krishna, you have that power. Calling, 'Krishna!' 'Krishna!', I run after
you."
•SONG:
Ki-rupe paiba seva |
কিরূপে পাইব সেবা "I am so wicked, how will I ever get service? I do not have any attachment
to Sri Guru and Vaishnavs! Prabhu, you see no fault in others, you are the
saviour of the fallen. Please deliver Narottam this time!"
•SONG:
Dhana mora nityananda |
ধন মোর নিত্যানন্দ "The feet dust of the Vaishnavs is where I sport and take bath, Vaishnavs'
name is the water oblation. My mind is intently fixed upon the remnants of
Vaishnavs, and I am elated hearing the name of Vaishnavs."
•SONG:
Ye
anila prema-dhana |
যে আনিল প্রেমধন "Where has Advaita Acharya gone? Where are my Svarup, Rupa, Sanatan? Where
is my Raghunath? Where are the saviours of the fallen souls?"
'When we go along the current it is not necessary to do much hard labour; but when
the current is going against us, then we have to labour hard. We must practise hard
for our spiritual life.'