Eternal and Internal Devotion

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
8 February 2017, Sri Ekachakra Dham
Translated from Bengali

যে দিন গৃহে ভজন দেখি ।
গৃহেতে গোলোক ভায় ॥

ye dina grhe bhajana dekhi
grhete goloka bhaya

On the days when I see devotional service taking place in my home, I feel that Goloka has manifested there.

('Suddha-bhakata-charana-renu' by Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur)

The house where the eternal service of the Lord is going on every day, where eternal kirtan is going on, is Goloka Vrindavan. You can use your house for the eternal service of the Lord. Many of our devotees live like that.

They offer the bhog to the Lord and then take prasad. They do not take or enjoy anything except prasadam. They wake up, take full prasad, go to work, and, if they do not come home for lunch, they take a tiffin box (a lunch box) to work. They do not take outside things.

When you buy something outside (fried savouries, snacks, samosas, etc.), the person who you buy it from or who gives it to you has material desires in their mind and those desires will come to you. You think, "Let me get some sweet rice and some samosas," but when you buy it from outside people, the desires of that person who you buy it from will come to you. That is why we do not take outside food, nor do we eat food that comes from non-devotees.

In some houses we do not even take water from people because if somebody gives me a glass of water, I am thinking some other non-devotee people have drunk from that glass, and it is not good to drink from it. So, it includes even water too. Devotees have no job at any house, at any place except their homes. Sometimes, when there is a programme at a non-devotee house, they will be making nice fries, luchis, etc., but I lie and say, "Oh, sorry, I do not eat in the evenings"—I will go and take prasadam at the house where I am staying, and not anywhere else. I have no difficulty with that, but if I do not do it, then there will be a difficulty for me.

...Tomorrow is upavas (fasting). Do you know about it? Tomorrow is fast till noon. Do you know the meaning of upavas? "Upavas" means "nikate vasa", sitting near. Near whom? Near the Lord, near Hari. So, tomorrow is the appearance day of Lord Nityananda Prabhu, fast on this day—even if it is a bit difficult for you, fast. Fast till noon, after that you can take prasad full stomach. And appreciate whatever prasad comes...

Jay Srila Guru Maharaj ki jay! Harinam sankritan ki jay!

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