Foundation of Surrender

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
19 October 2018, Dum Dum Park, part 1

Jay Om Vishnupad Jagad-Guru Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj ki jay!
Vishva-varenya Srila Guru Maharaj ki jay!
Jay Om Vishnupad Paramahamsa-kula-churamani Jagad-Guru Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj ki jay!
Jay saparikara Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Gandharva Govinda Sundarjiu ki jay!
Jay Om Vishnupad Bhagavan Sri Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur Prabhupad ki jay!
Om Vishnupad Srila Gaura Kishor Das Babaji Maharaj ki jay!
Sach-chid-ananda Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur ki jay!
Sarvabhauma Sri Jagannath Das Babaji Maharaj ki jay!
Rupanuga Guru-varga ki jay
Namacharya Haridas Thakur ki jay
Vrinda Devi Tulasi Devi Sri Bhakti Devi ki jay
Sri Shyama Kunda Radha Kunda Sri Giri Govardhan ki jay
Sri Mayapur Dham Sri Nabadwip Dham Sri Vrindavan Mathura ki jay
Purusottam Ksetra ki jay
Baladev Subhadra Jagannath jiu ki jay
Akar-math-raj Chaitanya Math ki jay
Mayapur Yogapith ki jay
Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math ki jay
Tadiya sakha-math samuha ki jay
Sri Mather sevak-vrinda bhakta-vrinda ki jay
Ananta-koti Vaishnav-vrinda ki jay
Sri Gaudiya Acharya-gana tridanti-pada ki jay
Sa-parsada Sriman Nityananda Prabhu ki jay
Sa-parsada Sriman Mahaprabhu ki jay
Bhakta-prabara Prahlad Maharaj ki jay
Suddha-bhakti-vighnar vinasankari Bhagavan Nrisinghadev ki jay
Jay Sada Siva Gangadhar jiu ki jay
Harinam sankirtan ki jay
The appearance day of Sri Madhva Acharya ki jay
(Sri Madhvacharya Prabhur avirbhav tithi bara maha-mahotsav ki jay)
Sri Ramachandrer vijay utsav ki jay
Harinam sankirtan ki jay
Nitai Gour premanande haribol

sri-guru-gaura-gandharva-govindanghrin ganaih saha
vande prasadato yesam, sarvarambhah subhankarah

"I make my obeisance unto the lotus feet of my Divine Master, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Sri Sri Gandharva Govinda Sundar, that is Srimati Radha and Lord Sri Krishna, and Their associates. By Their grace, all endeavors are successful."

(Sri Sri Prapanna-jivanamritam, 1.1)

It is a very auspicious day today—the holy appearance day of Sri Madhvacharya; also, today is vijaya maha-mahotsav of Lord Ramachandra, the day when Lord Ramachandra killed Ravan and conquered Sri Lanka, which means He removed all inauspicious things and gave all auspiciousness. It is a very auspicious day, and we are getting some chance to speak some Hari-katha, to practise sravanam, kirtanam.

sravana-kirtanadinam, bhaktyanganam hi yajane
aksamasyapi sarvaptih, prapattyaiva harav iti

"Everything is accomplished by surrendering unto the lotus feet of Sri Hari, even for one who is unable to execute the integral practices of devotional service based on hearing and chanting."

(Sri Sri Prapanna-jivanamritam, 1.40)

When one surrenders to the Lord, even if they are unable to understand Krishna consciousness, if they practise sravanam, kirtanam, they too will get a great benefit through that. Through sravanam and kirtanam, we can clean our heart, we can clean our mind, we can clean our everything, and we can understand everything easily—we can understand what a devotee of Krishna is. Sravanam and kirtanam are the main things.

krsna-gatha-priya bhakta, bhakta-gatha-priyo harih
kathanchid ubhayor atra, prasangas tat prasidatam

"Tidings of Lord Krishna are naturally very dear to the devotees, and tidings of the Lord's devotees are also dear to Him. Since narratives of both the Supreme Lord and His devotees can be found within this book, I have hope, O pure devotees, that you may be propitiated hereby.

(Sri Sri Prapanna-jivanamritam, 1.10)

Who is a devotee? A devotee is the one who is always the dearmost of Lord Krishna. If we hear about devotees, if we listen to the glorification of devotees, Krishna likes that; and devotees of Lord Krishna like it if we speak about Lord Krishna, about His glories, if we speak about what is favourable to devotion and what is unfavourable to devotion.

anakulyasya sankalpah, pratikulyavivarjanam
raksisyatiti visvaso, goptrtve varanam tatha
atmaniksepa karpanye, sadvidha saranagatih
evam paryayatas chasminn, ekaikadhyayasangrahah

"These six chapters have been compiled, each consecutively dealing with the six limbs of surrender, which are as follows: (1) to accept everything favourable for devotion to Krishna; (2) to reject everything unfavourable for devotion to Krishna; (3) to be confident that Krishna will grant His protection; (4) to embrace Krishna's guardianship; (5) to offer oneself unto Him; and (6) to consider oneself lowly and bereft."

(Sri Sri Prapanna-jivanamritam, 1.26-27)

We must accept what is favourable to devotion, and we must reject what is unfavourable to devotion. It is necessary to have faith that Krishna will protect us. To accept this kind of saranagati—to be able to surrender yourself, following all six types of saranagati—is the main thing in our spiritual life.

As I have just said,

sravana-kirtanadinam, bhaktyanganam hi yajane
aksamasyapi sarvaptih, prapattyaiva harav iti

"Everything is accomplished by surrendering unto the lotus feet of Sri Hari, even for one who is unable to execute the integral practices of devotional service based on hearing and chanting."

(Sri Sri Prapanna-jivanamritam, 1.40)

If you are surrendered to the Lord, even if you cannot understand something, even if you cannot worship properly, you too can understand and get everything through practising sravanam and kirtanam. Krishna always looks after us—this is goptrtve varan. We think that our father, mother, our relatives look after us, but they are not our relatives. Who is your relative? You must understand this. Those who show you the path of Krishna consciousness, who show you the real path, following which you can get Krishna, those who can show how to practise properly and teach how to chant the Holy Name—they are your relatives.

What is favourable to devotion? There are six kinds of favourable practices, one of which is enthusiasm (utsaha). We must accept these practices. Srila Rupa Goswami Prabhu described what is favourable:

utsahan nischayad dhairyat, tat tat karmapravartanat
sangatyagat sato vrtteh, sadbhir bhaktih prasiddhyati

"Enthusiasm, determination, patience, virtuous engagement, rejection of unfavourable association, and following pure devotional practices are the six good qualities through which one attains devotion."

(Sri Sri Prapanna-jivanamritam, 3.5, verse by Sri Rupa Goswami)

Because of their favourability, the six qualities beginning with enthusiasm should be honoured:

bhajane utsaha yara bhitare bahire,
sudurlabha krsna-bhakti pabe dhire dhire
krsna-bhakti prati yara visvasa nischaya,
sraddhavan bhaktiman jana sei haya

krsna-seva na paiya dhira-bhave yei,
bhaktira sadhana kare bhaktiman sei

yahate krsnera seva krsnera santosa,
sei karme vrati sada na karaye rosa

krsnera abhakta-jana-sanga parihari',
bhaktiman bhakta-sange sada bhaje hari

krsna-bhakta yaha kare tad anusarane,
bhaktiman acharaya jivane marane

ei chhaya jana haya bhakti adhikari,
visvera mangala kare bhakti parachari

"(1) Those who practise spiritual life, both externally and internally, with enthusiasm gradually attain the rarest pure devotion to Lord Krishna. (2) One who has firm faith in devotion to Lord Krishna is a faithful and devoted soul. (3) Those who continue practising spiritual life with patience despite failing to attain Sri Krishna’s service are endowed with devotion. (4) Devotees keep the vow of doing that which is aimed at serving Krishna and pleasing Krishna and do not become angry. (5) Devoted souls abandon the company of non-devotees and worship the Lord in the company of devotees. (6) Those who live following devotees of Krishna are great spiritual teachers in the matters of both life and death. Those who follow these six qualities have the right to receive pure devotion: they bestow auspiciousness in the whole universe through their preaching of devotion."

(The Bengali verse by Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur)

If you feel enthusiasm to practise Krishna consciousness, if you feel enthusiasm coming to serve Krishna, inside and outside, then you will get proper devotion. Devotees know what is devotion to Krishna, they have faith, they have love and affection for the Lord, and they also know what Krishna bhakti is, so they do not become impatient. They always think, "Even if I do not get anything, I must continue practising." It is necessary to have patience. Sometimes they may feel they are not getting Krishna bhakti, but they still practise properly and regularly; and when they get some service to Krishna, they are pleased with that, they are never angry. Also, they always avoid bad association of non-devotees and always do service with devotees.

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