The Wealth of Heart

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Sri Nabadwip Dham
12 December 2010

We sing,

গুরুমুখ-পদ্মবাক্য চিত্তেতে করিয়া ঐক্য
আর না করিহ মনে আশা

guru-mukha-padma-vakya chitete kariya aikya
ara na kariha mane asa

"Make the teachings from Sri Guru's lotus mouth one with your heart, and do not desire anything else within your heart."

We must always keep the advice that our Guru gives us in our heart, chittete. It is necessary to do it otherwise we cannot proceed...

Gurudev has left, but he kept so many good souls, so many good devotees for me—that is my only hope. Sometimes some disturbance, some problems come, but I think it is the will of Krishna, it is a test to see how much tolerance we have, how much chastity we have. We must think that problems come because of this. Gurudev also said that problems can come, but samyik (সাময়িক, temporary), for a short moment—it will not continue long because devotees always want good. When the river current is going on, then all dirty things will be removed. That is our main things...

Not only in our preaching movement, even in Mahaprabhu's time also there were so many problems. When Mahaprabhu came, only some few people practised Krishna consciousness, otherwise there was nothing, and even after Mahaprabhu appeared, so many problems came. Prabhupad Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur's time also so many problems came, there was so much misconception around the world and around the country. Whatever the circumstances are, we have to continue, have to proceed with our practising life. Some kind of obstacle can come—not only can come, we must think that it will definitely come—but we must proceed even with obstacles.

শ্রীরাধার ভাবে যিনি সুবর্ণ বরণ ।
সাঙ্গোপাঙ্গে নবদ্বীপে যাঁর সংকীর্ত্তন ॥
কলিতে উপাস্য সেই কৃষ্ণ গৌরহরি ।
নবধা ভক্তিতে তাঁরে উপাসনা করি ॥ ১॥

sri-radhara bhave yini suvarna varana
sangopange navadvipe yanra sankirtana
kalite upasya sei krsna gaura-hari
navadha bhakti tanre upasana kari

(Sri Sri Nabadwip-sataka, 1, Bengali translation by Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur)

Mahaprabhu taught navadha bhakti: first sukriti, then sraddha, then,

আদৌশ্রদ্ধা ততঃ সাধুসঙ্গোঽথ ভজনক্রিয়া ।
ততোঽনর্থনিবৃত্তিঃ স্যাৎ ততো নিষ্ঠা রুচিস্ততঃ ॥
অথাসক্তিস্ততো ভাবস্ততঃ প্রেমাভ্যুদঞ্চতি ।
সাধকানাময়ং প্রেম্ণঃ প্রাদুর্ভাবে ভবেৎ ক্রমঃ ॥

adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sango 'tha bhajana-kriya
tato 'nartha-nivrttih syat tato nistha ruchis tatah
athasaktis tato bhavas tatah premabhyudanchati
sadhakanam ayam premnah pradurbhave bhavet kramah

"In the beginning there is faith, then good association, then practising life. After that, the offences gradually go away, faith becomes stronger, taste comes, then attachment, then there arises affection and love. This is how love to God comes to those who practise Krsna consciousness."

(Sri Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhuh, 1.4.15-16)

অন্যাভিলাষিতা-শূন্যং জ্ঞান-কর্ম্মাদ্যনাবৃতম্ ।
আনুকূল্যেন কৃষ্ণানুশীলনং ভক্তিরুত্তমা ॥

anyabhilasita sunyam jnana-karmady anavrtam
anukulyena krsnanusilanam bhaktir uttama

"The highest devotion is that which satisfies Lord Krsna, free from the coverings of any pursuits such as action, knowledge."

(Sri Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhuh, 1.1.11)

অন্য অভিলাষ ছাড়ি, জ্ঞান কর্ম্ম পরিহরি,
কায়মনে করিব ভজন ।
সাধুসঙ্গে কৃষ্ণসেবা, না পূজিব দেবী-দেবা,
এই ভক্তি পরম কারণ ॥

anya abhilasa chhadi, jnana karma parihari
kaya-mane kariba bhajana
sadhu-sange krsna-seva, na pujiba devi-deva
ei bhakti parama karana

"The topmost process of devotional service is to worship the Lord with body and mind, giving up desires for fruitive activities and mental speculation. One should serve Lord Krsna in the association of devotees without worshipping any demigods."

(Sri Sri Prema-bhakti-chandrika, 13, Srila Narottam Das Thakur)

It is written very nicely.

Anukulyena, you must accept what is favourable to devotion, and pratikulya-visarjana, give up what is not favourable. Both are necessary.

It is said in one of the songs,

দীনহীন পতিত পামর নাহি বাছে ।
ব্রহ্মার দুর্ল্লভ প্রেম সবাকারে যাচে ॥

dina-hina patita pamara nahi bachhe
brahmara durlabha prema sabakare yache

"The sinful, unfortunate, and fallen did not desire this divine love, which is difficult for even Brahma to attain, yet Nitai begged them to accept it."

('Nitai gunamani amara')

"Brahmara durlabha prema"—prema dulaya gada gadi yaya (প্রেম ধুলায় গড়াগড়ি যায়)—the prema that Lord Siva, Lord Brahma cannot get and always think of, always rolls in the dust of the yard of Ma Yasoda and Nanda Maharaj!

যে যথা মাং প্রপদ্যন্তে তাংস্তথৈব ভজাম্যহম্ ।
মম বর্ত্মানুবর্ত্তন্তে মনুষ্যাঃ পার্থ সর্ব্বশঃ ॥

ye yatha mam prapadyante, tams tathaiva bhajamy aham
mama vartmanuvartante, manusyah partha sarvasah

"Howsoever people surrender to Me, I accordingly reward them. Being the ultimate goal of all paths, I am the objective to be attained by all. O Partha, all men follow My various paths."

Srimad Bhagavad-gita, 4.11

Who knows about this? You can understand it... It is said in a kirtan,

যদি গৌর না হ'ত তবে কি হইত
কেমনে ধরিতাম দে ।
রাধার মহিমা প্রেমরস-সীমা
জগতে জানাত কে ? ॥

yadi gaura na ha'ta tabe ki ha-ita
kemane dharitam de
radhara mahima, prema-rasa-sima
jagate janata ke?

How could we understand Radhara mahima, the glory of Srimati Radharani if Gaura had not come? Her glory is not mentioned anywhere in Srimad Bhagavatam...

— : • : —

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