Stay Awake

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
25 December 2010, part 1

sri-radhayah pranaya-mahima kidrso vanayaivasvadyo
yenadbhuta-madhurima kidrso va madiyah
saukhyam chasya mad-anubhavatah kidrsam veti lobhat
tad-bhavadhyah samajani sachigarbha-sindhau harinduh

"'What is that great glory of Sri Radha's love? What is My extraordinary loving sweetness and charm that Sri Radha enjoys? And what is the joy Sri Radha feels by experiencing My sweetness and charm?' Yearning to taste these three sentiments, the moon—Krishna-chandra—was born from the ocean of the womb of mother Sachi."

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Adi-lila, 1.6)

"What does Sri Radha feel relishing my extraordinary sweetness? Why is Radharani crying for Me? Why does She chant My Name? I have to taste that Name! What kind of joy does She feel when She serves Me?"—to taste this kind of mood, Bhagavan Sri Krishna appears in this age of Kali.

Srimad Bhagavatam says (3.25.25),

সতাং প্রসঙ্গান্মম বীর্য্যসংবিদো
ভবন্তি হৃৎকর্ণরসায়নাঃ কথাঃ ।
তজ্জোষণাদাশ্বপবর্গবর্ত্মনি
শ্রদ্ধা রতির্ভক্তিরনুক্রমিষ্যতি ॥

satam prasangan mama virya-samvido
bhavanti hrt-karna-rasayanah kathah
taj-jonanad asv apavarga-vartmani
sraddha ratir bhaktir anukraminyati

"In devotees' association, the talks about the Lord are like nectar to one's heart and ears, they are endowed with special power. By constantly hearing about the Lord, very quickly the soul becomes liberated and established on the spiritual path—first comes faith, then attachment, and finally love awakens."

(Quoted in Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Adi-lila, 1.59)

What do the intelligent people do? They always avoid bad association. This sloka is from Bhagavatam.

ততো দুঃসঙ্গমুৎসৃজ্য সৎসু সজ্জেত বুদ্ধিমান্ ।
সন্ত এবাস্য ছিন্দন্তি মনোব্যাসঙ্গমুক্তিভিঃ ॥

tato duhsangam utsrjya satsu sajjeta buddhi-man
santa evasya chhindanti mano-vyasangam uktibhih

"Therefore, those who are intelligent will avoid bad association and keep good association. When devotees follow devotional guidance, everything that is unfavourable to devotion, all binding desires will cease."

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Adi-lila, 1.59)

What do the intelligent people do? They always avoid bad association and they always keep good association. What happens then? Through the association of the sadhus, what is unfavourable to devotion, all desires that bind you, everything will finish.

সতাং প্রসঙ্গান্মম বীর্য্যসংবিদো
ভবন্তি হৃৎকর্ণরসায়নাঃ কথাঃ ।
তজ্জোষণাদাশ্বপবর্গবর্ত্মনি
শ্রদ্ধা রতির্ভক্তিরনুক্রমিষ্যতি ॥

satam prasangan mama virya-samvido
bhavanti hrt-karna-rasayanah kathah
taj-jonanad asv apavarga-vartmani
sraddha ratir bhaktir anukraminyati

"In devotees' association, the talks about the Lord are like nectar to one's heart and ears, they are endowed with special power. By constantly hearing about the Lord, very quickly the soul becomes liberated and established on the spiritual path—first comes faith, then attachment, and finally love awakens."

(Quoted in Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Adi-lila, 1.59)

By continuously hearing what sadhus, Vaishnavs tell, by hearing about the spiritually powerful pastimes of the Lord, all apavarga (what is not good) is removed and one gets faith, attachment, love, and devotion.

At the same time, do you know what Maya Devi says? Maya Devi said, "Where there are sadhus discussing about the Lord, when there is Hari-katha is going on, I will come and disturb at that time." Why? Because Hari-katha can remove all kinds of illusory environment.

You saw the other day when we were chanting kirtans, one lady was fast asleep. You can actually never sleep during a kirtan—kirtan is so loud, there is so much sound, can anybody sleep at that time, tell me? But when Maya comes and attacks, she makes you fall asleep, makes you unconscious. When you are asleep, you can hear the sound of one drop of water fall and your sleep is broken, you wake up; but if somebody is asleep during the kirtan, when the drums are playing, when everybody is singing, that is Maya Devi's work—it means the pisachi has come and attacked them (kata nidra yao maya-pisachira kole, কত নিদ্রা যাও মায়া-পিশাচীর কোলে—"how much longer will you sleep in the lap of the witch Maya?").

[Devotees laugh.] Why are you laughing? It is not a joke! As soon as your mind and heart go to some other place, Maya is near and she seizes you!

কৃষ্ণ-বহির্ম্মুখ হঞা ভোগ বাঞ্ছা করে ।

নিকটস্থ মায়া তারে জাপটিয়া ধরে ॥

krsna-bahirmukha hana bhoga vanchha kare
nikatastha maya tare japatiya dhare

"When souls become averse to Krishna and desire enjoyment, nearby Maya seizes them."

(Sri Sri Prema-vivarta, 6.2)

You feel drowsy and then fall asleep... Three sisters come. Do you know who they are? Ghum-parani (ঘুমপাড়ানী), Dol-dolani (দোল-দোলানি) and Jhim-parani (ঝিমপাড়ানি). [His Divine Grace and the devotees burst out laughing.] The first one is Ghum-parani—while so much kirtan, singing is going on, somebody goes, "Z-z-z-z" [fast asleep and snoring]. The next one is Jhim-parani, you start feeling very drowsy. And the last one is Dol-parani—you start rocking, or drooping and jerking while asleep. This youngest sister is very dangerous [His Divine Grace laughs].

The witch Maya seizes immediately. This is actually no news, it is true—the scriptures say it.

পিশাচী পাইলে যেন মতিচ্ছন্ন হয় ।

মায়াগ্রস্ত জীবের হয় সে ভাব উদয় ॥

pisachi paile yena mati-chchhanna haya
maya-grasta jivera haya se bhava udaya

"When someone is possessed by a ghost, they become bewildered. This condition overtakes souls bound by Maya."

(Sri Sri Prema-vivarta, 6.3)

It is said also that Maya is nine(!) times stronger than a jiva soul. It is necessary to understand this and to know what your position is...

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