Seek Sadhus' Shelter

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
23 October 2018, Kolkata, part 3

Srimad Bhagavatam says, "Who is the greatest donor (bhuri-da)?" You know the story of King Prataparudra from Jagannath Puri. Because he was the king, Mahaprabhu always avoided him. Despite being a king, King Prataparudra always did much service, much Vaishnav-seva, and he always wanted to meet with Mahaprabhu, always wanted to get Mahaprabhu's mercy, but Mahaprabhu always kept distance from him because of his position as a king. Even Nityananda Prabhu, Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya, Raya Ramananda, Svarup Damodar tried to persuade Mahaprabhu, but Mahaprabhu would not listen to anyone. Finally, Nityananda Prabhu instructed King Prataparudra, "Mahaprabhu will be chanting very much in front of the chariots at the Ratha-yatra time, and when, overwhelmed by ecstasy, He gets tired, He will come to lie down in Balagandi Udyan (Lord Jagannath's garden)—at that time, you will wear a devotee's dress, come there to massage His feet, and you must recite this sloka, then you will get Mahaprabhu's mercy." The sloka King Prataparudra recited is there in Srimad Bhagavatam,

তব কথামৃতং তপ্তজীবনং
কবিভিরীড়িতং কল্মষাপহম্ ।
শ্রবণমঙ্গলং শ্রীমদাততং
ভুবি গৃণন্তি তে ভূরিদা জনাঃ ॥

tava kathamrtam tapta-jivanam
kavibhir iditam kalmasapaham
sravana-mangalam srimad-atatam
bhuvi grnanti te bhurida janah

"My Dear, bestowing the greatest fortune that is attained after so many births, exalted souls come to this world and live here by singing and spreading Your nectarean glories that are life and soul for those suffering in this material world being devoid of Your divine love; that are the gist of all poets' songs; that are the destroyer of all sins; that benefit anyone who hears them; and that possess universal attraction."

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Madhya-lila, 14.13)

"O Krishna! How will all those who are suffering so much from adhibhautik, adhidaivik, adhyatmik (miseries caused by one's body, by the nature, and other souls) and so many problems in this mundane world be rescued from this kind of situation?"

"A sadhu will come for them."

"Who is the greatest donor in this world?"

"The greatest sadhu is the one who distributes Hari-katha, Krishna-katha, who distributes the Holy Name in this world. You must come and listen from him."

Such saints are the greatest donors in this world (maha-vadanya) because they distribute Hari-katha in this world, and through this Hari-katha all those who are full of sins, who are suffering from all sorts of problems, will get pleasure—all the conditioned souls will come to surrender to the Lord: they will get spiritual benefit and go to their home!

That is why we must go to that kind of vadanya, that kind of bhurida, that kind of data who distributes the Holy Name—we must come and surrender to him! We can understand that Krishna Himself comes in this Kali-yuga as His Name and as Radha-Krishna's combined form (Gaurahari, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu) with Hari-sankirtan. Srimad Bhagavatam contains the proof that it is the Lord Himself who comes in this age of Kali:

krte yad dhyayato visnum
tretayam yajato makhaih
dvapare paricharyayam
kalau tad dhari-kirtanat

"Whatever result was obtained in Satya-yuga by meditating on Visnu, in Treta-yuga by performing sacrifices, and in Dvapara-yuga by serving the Lord's lotus feet can be obtained in Kali-yuga simply by chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra."

(Srimad Bhagavatam, 12.3.52)

What you got in Satya-yuga through meditation (dhyan), in Treta-yuga through sacrifices, in Dvapar-yuga through Deity worship (archan, puja)—you can get everything in this Kali-yuga through Hari-sankirtan. That is why Hari-sankirtan is the main thing; Hari-sankirtan, Nama-sankirtan is the highest gift and practice in this world.

param srimat-padambhoja-sadasangaty-apeksaya
nama-sankirtana-prayam visuddham bhaktim achara

"Simply practise pure devotional service, mainly in the form of Nama-sankirtan, with the hope of gaining the eternal contact of the Lord’s divine lotus feet."

(Srimad Bhagavatam, 2.3.144)

If you aspire for the association of the lotus feet of a sadhu, then you must practise Nama-sankirtan with pure devotion, and you will get proper association.

হরের্নাম হরের্নাম হরের্নামৈব কেবলম্ ।
কলৌ নাস্ত্যেব নাস্ত্যেব নাস্ত্যেব গতিরন্যথা ॥

harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam
kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha

"Only chanting the Holy Name, chanting the Holy Name, chanting the Holy Name—there is no other way, no other way, no other way."

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, 1.7.76)

A jiva soul has no other way except for chanting the Holy Name, except for Harinam—without chanting the Holy Name, you will not get anything in this age of Kali.

কলিকালে নামরূপ কৃষ্ণ-অবতার ।
নাম হৈতে হয় সর্ব্বজগৎ-নিস্তার ॥

kali-kale nama-rupe krsna-avatara
nama haite haya sarva-jagat-nistara

"In the Kali-yuga, Krishna appears in the form of the Name. The entire world is delivered through that Name."

(Chaitanya-charitamrita, Adi-lila, 17.22)

Every scripture, every great soul (mahajan) says this.

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