Fallen Souls: Imitation, Ego, Faith

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj,
8 July 2012, speaking online to Caracas

When you practise devotion, more devotion comes, but emotion comes in one minute...

Actually, a perfect devotee will not fall down, but there can always come some problem—even bad association can do harm. Once, Bhagavan Acharya came to Svarup Damodar and asked him, "Why do you not hear Sankar Acharya's scriptures, or read something from the Vedanta-bhasya?" Svarup Damodar replied, "Even a great scholar, a great sannyasi can fall down—their mind can be changed—by hearing the mayavadi conception." That is why we must be careful. Do not hear bad things, do not do bad things, and do not mix or go to misconception.

Any questions?

Devotee: I read in one of Srila Govinda Maharaj's books that devotion is important, and that is why we must be careful about imitation...

Yes, it is correct—false renunciation, or imitation. It is not necessary to pretend and show your devotion—you can always see devotion through one's service. At first, Raghunath Das Goswami showed much renunciation, but Mahaprabhu told him, "Go back to your home! It is not necessary to show so much renunciation."

It is also necessary to practise from an early age. Tapan Mishra's son, Raghunath Bhatta Goswami, practised much from the age of five, but later he got married. Marriage life is not a problem. After passing the brahmachari age, it is your right, you can get married. It is not bad, but it must be an honest householder life.

If somebody takes brahmacharya life, but after that they cannot continue it and get married, it is not the worst thing that can happen. The main thing is that you must not pretend and show renunciation or imitation—if you cannot continue your brahmachari life, then you can be a good grihastha, householder, and still serve your Guru. It is not a problem, but do not pretend.

Ok, any other pregunta?

Devotee: If there is a genuine Guru, why do many people take shelter of false Gurus?

That is their bad karma, and they are running with it. That is why the scriptures say:

ব্রহ্মাণ্ড ভ্রমিতে কোন ভাগ্যবান্ জীব ।
গুরু-কৃষ্ণ-প্রসাদে পায় ভক্তিলতা-বীজ ॥

brahmanda bhramite kona bhagyavan jiva
guru-krsna-prasade paya bhakti-lata-bija

Having travelled throughout the universe and got the mercy of Guru, Krishna, a fortunate soul receives a seed of the devotional creeper.

Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Madhya-lila, 19.151

Only fortunate souls can get there. If everybody took shelter of the Sad-Guru (an honest, genuine Guru), then everybody would go to Goloka Vrindavan, and who would stay here?

When Ramachandra came to Ayodhya, everybody went to Goloka Vrindavan; when Mahaprabhu came, everybody was rescued, everybody got mercy—then why did we come here again? We are fallen souls, that is why we are still here...

[Addressing one of the devotee:] You are a big boy now, learn to play mridanga and do kirtan, OK? I am sad, some devotees cannot sing even one word. When I look at them, I am very sad because I see they are not practising properly—only becoming fat...

Gurudev gave me that power—I can see who is doing nonsense, and who is practising and doing proper service.

They only go to school and get jada-vidya, material education—I do not mind anybody getting material education, but through material education we must become good. When I was twelve years old, I also went to school, but every day I would read one chapter from Srimad Bhagavad-gita, then I would go to school. My father did not want me to read Bhagavad-gita, but I read it secretly. That was my practice from childhood.

They do some service, but I am praying to the Lord that through their service ego will not come. I see when I am chanting their mouth is shut, and I feel like punching or throwing a bomb into their belly to make them chant!

Harinam is chetan vastu (conscious)... Gurudev placed the seed of the Holy Name in our heart, and that Holy Name will come to our tongue, but our tongue must be levelled. If I tell Madhurani to dance but do not give her a proper place, how will she dance? Harinam will dance on your tongue, but if you do not make it levelled, do not give a proper place to Harinam, how will the Holy Name dance? You must give proper adjustment to the tongue. If you talk so much nonsense with your tongue, if you eat so many bad things and not take prasadam, how will Harinam go there and dance? Harinam is non-different from Krishna, so Krishna Himself will dance on your tongue, but if you do not make your tongue a proper place, how will He dance there?

We must be careful—we are doing some service, but if ego comes, then we can also fall down...

One day I asked Gurudev something—it is a private question, but I want to say it now. I asked Gurudev, "Gurudev, Bhakti Ananda Sagar Maharaj took you abroad for the first time, he preached so much, helped so much, printed so many books, but why, after so many years, did he fall down?" Gurudev explained it to me: he had done so much service and ego came, he thought, "I made Govinda Maharaj a visva-guru, a world guru." Actually, he was not more than a translator—he knows English well and he helped Gurudev with English—but because that ego came he fell down. This is the answer that Gurudev gave me.

Actually, Guru brings us here and engages us in service, but if we forget Guru's position, we can go back to the position where we were before. I may think I have a great education, I am a big scholar, a big person, but Gurudev made me that, Gurudev gave me that service. So, if somebody gives me honour, it is for Gurudev. The honour I get is only for Guru. If I get a garland, this garland is only for Guru—all pratistha (name and fame) is for Guru. If Gurudev had not given me this position, who would give me a garland? Who would call me a Guru, who would call me Acharyadev? Who would call me President Sevaite Acharya? It is only because Gurudev gave me this position, but if I forget Gurudev's position, if I do not believe that position comes for him, if I neglect him, then any time name and fame and everything else can run away and I can return to what I was before.

Actually, I am saying very strong things, and you may be sad, but I have to do my job and I have to do what is right. I cannot hide it. Prabhupad Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur said, "তোষামোদ করি' তখন কখনো গুরু হতে পারে না, tosamod kari' takhon kokhon guru hate pare na." It means if you butter your disciple, "Oh, you are very good, you are very good," you cannot be a guru. I cannot do like this. If somebody is doing wrong, I must tell what their fault is. And I must say what my position is. Actually, my position is nothing, except that Gurudev gave me mercy, and he is still testing me—every day I get examination. I have to tolerate much, so many things come...

Do not be discouraged. Prabhupad said that everybody in this world would not chant, everybody would not follow pure Krishna consciousness, but do not be discouraged. Gurudev told me: when you go to primary school, there are so many pupils there, but when you go to high school, only 50% of those pupils get there. Then you go to college, and only 10% get there, and when you go to university, just 2% get there. You must understand it.

Gurudev said also, "Sometimes a storm comes and some doors will close but other doors will open. Your temple, your society will run smoothly, do not worry." When you go fishing, you see fish in some place, but when you throw the net some fish will swim away, do not worry about that. You think, "Oh, now not so many people come to the class," but you must have faith: there may be some problem, but do not worry whether everybody comes or does not come. Everybody will not go to Goloka Vrindavan—there is 10% devotion, 20% devotion, 50% devotion, 90% devotion, etc...

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