Sadhu-Sanga: Primary Practice

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
12 May 2012

We must practise properly. I have told many times about the five types of practice:

সাধুসঙ্গ, নামকীর্ত্তন, ভাগবতশ্রবণ ।
মথুরাবাস, শ্রীমূর্ত্তির শ্রদ্ধায় সেবন ॥

sadhu-sanga, nama-kirtana, bhagavata-sravana
mathura-vasa, sri-murtira sraddhaya sevana

"One should associate with devotees, chant the Holy Name of the Lord, hear Srimad-Bhagavatam, reside at Mathura and worship the Deity with faith and veneration.

Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Madhya-lila, 22.124

Sadhu-sanga is necessary—always read Gurudev's books. You think you have time, but,

জীবন অনিত্য জানহ সার
তাহে নানাবিধ বিপদ-ভার ।
নামাশ্রয় করি' যতনে তুমি
থাকহ আপন কাজে ॥

jivana anitya janaha sara
tahe nana-vidha vipada-bhara
namasraya kari' yatane tumi
thakaha apana kaje

"Understand the essence: life is temporary and filled with all sorts of adversity. Carefully taking shelter of the Name, engage in your work."

'Udila aruna' by Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur

We sing this song of Bhakti Vinod Thakur every morning. We do not say that you must not do your job, but you must understand that life is not certain—there is so much danger—and take shelter of the Holy Name. Do your job, but do not waste your time on gossiping and other things—whenever you have time chant, read books.

Mind always disturbs, it is very naughty:

ঐছন আমার মন ফিরে যেন অন্ধজন
সুপথ বিপথ নাহি জানে

aichhana amara mana phire yena andha jana
supatha vipatha nahi jane

'Thakura Vaishnava-gana' by Srila Narottam Das Thakur

"My mind is blind." Just as a blind man can always get into an accident and needs help to cross the road, to go somewhere, etc., our blind mind can any time cause an accident, so we need help and advice from somebody with good qualification, from somebody who knows how to control mind.

Mind does not know what is the right way, what is the wrong way, that is why Gurudev and Srila Sridhar Maharaj always tell us not to follow our mind.

না লইনু সৎ মত অসতে মজিল চিত
তুয়া পায়ে না করিনু আশ

na la-inu sat mata asate majila chita
tuya paye na karinu asa

I have never accepted the proper conception. My mind has been immersed in illusion, and I have never aspired for your feet.

'Thakura Vaishnava-gana' by Srila Narottam Das Thakur

First thing for our practising life is sadhu-sanga—our mind always goes the bad way, but if we get proper advice, proper guidance and practise properly, our mind can be changed.

Life is very short, we can die any time, so we must realise now what we must do—what Srimad Bhagavatam says, what Srimad Bhagavad-gita says—and follow that.

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