Enthusiasm for Service

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Translated from Bengali, part 5
27 January 2018, Sri Ekachakra Dham

It is necessary to think about pure things. We must serve pure devotees. Those who are real devotees never go travelling to so many different places. Such travelling is just eye exercise, but those who practise real Krishna consciousness, their practice is not like that. We must follow their example.

If we can progress in Krishna consciousness, then we can join the eternal service of Radha-Krishna. The duty of the Guru is to engage the low and fallen souls like us in the service of the Lord's lotus feet. So, all of you who have come here should always engage yourself in the eternal, daily service of the Lord (nitya-seva).

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)

Goloka Vrindavan is in the house where the Lord is offered bhog every day, where the Lord is offered arati every day. It is necessary to do such daily service (nitya-seva) with sincerity. "I will do today, and tomorrow I will not do"—not like that. It must be eternal service. We must always remember this. "How can I use myself in the service of the lotus feet of my Gurudev? How can I use myself in the service of the Lord? What service can be done through me?" We must think about this at every moment.

We must leave offences. Have you not heard it:

অপরাধ ঘুচি' শুদ্ধ নামে রুচি
কৃপা-বলে হবে হৃদয়ে সঞ্চার ॥

aparadha ghuchi' suddha name ruchi
krpa-bale ha'be hrdaye sanchara

"When will my offences be finish and the taste for the pure Name appear within my heart by your mercy?"

Always think about this. We must live thinking about this. If we can live always thinking about this, then we can achieve supreme benefit. There is no other way for us. "Bahu grantha na paribe, bahu kalabhyasa na karibe (বহু গ্রন্থ না পড়িবে, বহু কলাভ্যাস না করিবে): do not read so many books, and do not practise so many things." It is necessary to always serve the Lord. When you go to Goloka Vrindavan, you will get there an eternal service. It can be washing dishes, gardening, making garlands, etc. Whatever service we get here by our fortune, that kind of service we can get there also. Otherwise we will have to keep coming here again and again.

কয় বার এলি কয় বার গেলি
তবু তত্ত্ব না শিখিলি ।
নিজের মাথা নিজে খাইলি
এ দোষ দিবি কারে ভাই ?

kaya bara eli kaya bara geli
tabu tattva na sikhili
nijer matha nije khaili
e-dosa dibe kare bhai?

"Coming and going, coming and going, and never learnt anything. You have been eating your own brain, who will you blame now, brother?"

Who will you blame then?

It is necessary to have desire, to have enthusiasm for service, for mercy. Do you remember who Nityananda Prabhu gives mercy to? He does not discriminate—He does not see who is junior, who is senior.

উত্তম, অধম, কিছু না করে বিচার ।
যে আগে পড়য়ে, তারে করয়ে নিস্তার ॥

uttama, adhama, kichhu na kare vichara
ye age padaye, tare kraye nistara

"Nityananda Prabhu does not consider who is good and who is bad, He saves anyone who falls before Him."

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Adi-lila, 5.208-209)

Nityananda Prabhu gave mercy to whoever fell at His feet. That is the speciality of Nityananda Prabhu. He did not think whether someone is ready or not, what dharma one follows, what caste they belong to, how much money they have, etc. What did He look at? Whoever would fall at His feet. That was his criteria. So, if having got this human birth, we cannot serve the Lord in this life, if we cannot do anything for the Lord in this life, if we only live satisfying our own senses, worrying about our own welfare, then we will not get anything.

দুর্লভ মানব জন্ম লভিয়া সংসারে ।
কৃষ্ণ না ভজিনু দুঃখ কহিব কাহারে ॥

durlabha manava janma labhiya samsare
krsna na bhajinu duhkha kahiba kahare?

I attained a human birth, which is most rare in this world, but did not serve Krishna. To whom shall I express my sorrow?

সংসার সংসার ক'রে মিছে গেল কাল ।
লাভ না হইল কিছু ঘটিল জঞ্জাল ॥

'samsara' 'samsara' kari' michhe gela kala
labha na ha-ila kichhu, ghatila janjala

"Time has passed as I have been busy in my material life, and I have got nothing—only became burdened."

How beautiful these words are. Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur also writes about the qualifications required to chant the Holy Name:

তৃণাধিক হীন দীন অকিঞ্চন ছার ।
আপনে মানবি সদা ছাড়ি অহঙ্কার ॥
বৃক্ষসম ক্ষমাগুণ করবি সাধন ।
প্রতিহিংসা ত্যজি অন্যে করবি পালন ॥
জীবন-নির্ব্বাহে আনে উদ্বেগ না দিবে ।
পর-উপকারে নিজ-সুখ পাসরিবে ॥

trnadhika hina, dina, akinchana chhara
apane manabi sada chhadi' ahankara
vrksa-sama ksama-guna karabi sadhana
pratihimsa tyaji' anye karabi palana
jivana-nirvahe ane udvega na dibe
para-upakare nija-sukha pasaribe

"Give up your false ego, and always consider yourself lower than grass, poor, needy, and mean. Practise tolerance like a tree. Give up vengeance and nurture others. Live without causing anxiety to others; do good unto others without considering your own happiness."

(Sri Siksastakam Giti)

We must throw our own happiness for others' benefit.

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