Service under Guidance

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Speaking online to devotees in Johannesburg
15 September 2018, part 3

Gurudev told you all, "Acharya Maharaj has so many faults, I know that, but even though he may have some faults, he also has some virtue, some good qualities. You must help and love him." Gurudev told this to all the devotees all over the world, you know that, it was in his declaration. Many devotees keep connection with me, and many devotees may not like me. It is not a problem. I think that I am guilty, that I am not a good person that is why they do not keep connection with me. It is not a problem for me—I am not blaming anyone, I do not think it is anyone's fault. I think that I am very guilty and I have so many faults that is why they do not come to me...

By some fortune, you have got a human body, but you must realise what you have got this human body for. If you do not come to Krishna consciousness, if you do not serve the Lord, then you will go to a worse place—you may get a cat's body, a dog's body, a cow's body or even some other worse body. It is your fortune that you have got a human body—you must use it for the service of the Lord. Whatever you do—whether you cook or work, it is not a problem. I do not tell anyone, "Stop your business, stop your work." Srimad Bhagavad-gita told,

যৎ করোষি ষদশ্নাসি যজ্জুহোষি দদাসি যৎ ।
যত্তপস্যসি কৌন্তেয় তৎ কুরুষ্ব মদর্পণম্ ॥

yat karosi yad asnasi, yaj juhosi dadasi yat
yat tapasyasi kaunteya, tat kurusva mad-arpanam

"O Kaunteya, whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer in sacrifice, whatever you give and whatever vow you may keep-do everything as an offering unto Me."

(Srimad Bhagavad-gita, 9.27)

Krishna says in Srimad Bhagavad-gita, "Whatever karma (work, business) you do, whatever sacrifice you make, you must do it for Me." After that, He said, "You must surrender fully."

সর্ব্বধর্ম্মান্ পরিত্যজ্য মামেকং শরণং ব্রজ ।
অহং ত্বাং সর্ব্বপাপেভ্যো মোক্ষয়িষ্যামি মা শুচঃ ॥

sarva-dharman parityajya, mam ekam saranam vraja
aham tvam sarva-papebhyo, moksayisyami ma suchah

"Give up all kinds of religion and surrender to Me alone. I will liberate you from all sins, do not despair."

(Srimad Bhagavad-gita, 18.66)

Krishna says, "You must reject whatever I told in the Vedas, Vedanta, etc. Avoid it and only surrender to Me. I will look after you, I will remove all your sins. Do not cry, do not be unhappy. Always be happy."

Then, you understand,

সর্ব্বধর্ম্মান্ পরিত্যজ্য মামেকং শরণং ব্রজ ।
অহং ত্বাং সর্ব্বপাপেভ্যো মোক্ষয়িষ্যামি মা শুচঃ ॥

sarva-dharman parityajya, mam ekam saranam vraja
aham tvam sarva-papebhyo, moksayisyami ma suchah

"Give up all kinds of religion and surrender to Me alone. I will liberate you from all sins, do not despair."

(Srimad Bhagavad-gita, 18.66)

Now, Hindu people are starting doing pujas in Bengal, but how many pujas can they do? There are 33 crores (330 000 000) demigods. You can do some Durga puja, Kali puja, Laksmi puja, Ganesh puja, but you cannot do all pujas. If, however, you surrender to Krishna and worship Krishna, then all puja, all demigod puja will be accomplished. That is why you must surrender to Krishna, you must serve Krishna.

Gurudev always sings,

তব নিজ-জন কোন মহাজনে
পাঠাইয়া দিলে তুমি ॥
এক বর দয়া করি' মোরে পতিত দেখিয়া
কহিল আমারে গিয়া ।
ওহে দীনজন শুন ভাল কথা
উল্লসিত হবে হিয়া ॥
তোমারে তারিতে শ্রীকৃষ্ণচৈতন্য
নবদ্বীপে অবতার

tava nija-jana kona mahajane
pathaiya dile tumi
(ek bar) daya kari' more patita dekhiya
kahila amare giya
ohe dina-jana suna bhala katha
ullasita ha'be hiya
tomare tarite sri krsna-chaitanya
navadvipe avatara

"You have sent a great soul, Your associate (to rescue me). Seeing me so fallen and being merciful, he came to me and said, 'O humble soul, listen to this wonderful message and your heart will rejoice. Sri Krishna Chaitanya has appeared in Nabadwip to deliver you.'"

Who told me about Chaitanya Mahaprabhu? Chaitanya Mahaprabhu sent somebody to tell His message to us, and that is Gurudev, that is Guru Maharaj—Chaitanya Mahaprabhu sent them to tell us about Himself.

"Tava nija-jan" means the closest friend of Mahaprabhu, that is Gurudev. Vishvanath Chakravarti Thakur also said

সাক্ষাদ্ধরিত্বেন সমস্ত-শাস্ত্রৈ-
রুক্তস্তথা ভাব্যত এব সদ্ভিঃ ।
কিন্তু প্রভোর্যঃ প্রিয় এব তস্য
বন্দে গুরোঃ শ্রীচরণারবিন্দম্ ॥

saksadd-haritvena samasta-sastrair
uktas tatha bhavyata eva sadbhih
kintu prabhor yah priya eva tasya
vande guroh sri-charanaravindam

"I offer my obeisance unto the lotus feet of Sri Guru, who is said by all the scriptures to be the Lord Himself, and considered to be so by the sadhus, yet is also the Lord's beloved devotee."

(Sri Sri Gurvastakam, 7)

"Gurudev is saksad Hari (the Lord Himself)." Krishna says (acharya Mam vijaniyam) that the Guru is mat-svarup, non-different from Krishna Himself—he is the Lord Himself. Vishvanath Chakravarti Thakur also says that on the one hand, Gurudev is saksad Hari, saksad Krishna, and on the other hand he is His associate (kintu prabhor yah priya eva tasya). Guru is the dearmost of Krishna, that is Radharani. So, in one way Gurudev is Radharani, and in another way Gurudev is Sriman Nityananda Prabhu. Nityananda Prabhu did what even Mahaprabhu could not do. Gurudev can do what even Krishna cannot do. At the same time, Gurudev gives us some power called anugatya.

Another point is the saying, "Aham vedmi, Suka vetti, Vyasa vetti na vetti va." Sivji Maharaj told, "Aham vedmi, I know; Suka vetti, Sukadev knows; And Vyasadev may or may not know." He who composed and narrated Srimad Bhagavatam, Vyasadev, may not know Srimad Bhagavam, but who did Vyasadev give his mercy to? Sukadev Goswami, his disciple and son. This Sukadev knows Srimad Bhagavatam.

Then, you can understand that Krishna may or may not know something, but He whom He sends (the Guru) knows it. Gurudev also may not know something, but if Gurudev gives his mercy to somebody, they may know it. Those who serve under the guidance have anugatya.

It is our duty to serve under the guidance of Gurudev. If we can do that, if we can serve under the guidance of Gurudev and the Vaishnavs, that is very good.

— : • : —

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