(1/16) Keep Trying

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Sri Ganga Sagar, evening class,
11 January 2019, part 1
Translated from Bengali

ভাল মন্দ খাই, হেরি, পরি, চিন্তাহীন ।
নাহি ভাবি এ দেহ ছাড়িব কোনদিন ॥

bhala manda khai, heri, pari, chinta-hina
nahi bhavi, e deha chhadiba kona dina

'I eat, see and wear whatever I fancy without any thinking and never think that one day I will leave this body.'

(Sri Kalyan-kalpataru, Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur)

I never think that one day I will leave this body.

দিন যায় মিছা কাজে নিশা নিদ্রাবশে ।
নাহি ভাবি মরণ নিকটে আছে বসে ॥

dina yaya michha kaje nisa nidra-base
nahi bhavi marana nikate achhe base

'My days are passed in useless work and nights are wasted on sleeping. It never occurs to me that there is death sitting next to me.'

(Sri Kalyan-kalpataru, Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur)

We never think that death can come to us at any time, in any possible way. We always think, 'I will do this', 'I will eat', 'I will wear clothes', but nothing can happen without the will of the Lord. If you serve the Lord, He will arrange everything.

To cross the River, you must leave all shame, all shyness when it comes to our Lord. We must leave everything and go. It is necessary to make an effort towards the Lord. Keep trying, keep making effort. It is said in Srimad Bhagavad-gita also, 'Do your duty and do not think about the result,' but Mahaprabhu's conception is much higher. When Ramananda Ray mentioned Gita to Mahaprabhu, Mahaprabhu said, 'This is external, go further (eho bahya age kaha ara; এহো বাহ্য, অগে কহ আর.'

It is said in Gita:

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)

This is Gita's last word. 'Leave all religions and surrender to Me, I will look after you. Leave everything that I have told you! Only surrender to Me, and I will look after you.' This is called karma-misra bhakti (devotion mixed with material endeavours). 'Whatever I do, I will do it for the Lord', 'If I cook, I will cook for the Lord', 'If I cultivate the land, run a business or go to work in an office, I will do it for Govinda', 'I will do everything for the Lord and make my family Krishna-centred.' This is what Gita says. But Mahaprabhu said, 'This is external, go further.' Have you heard it? Mahaprabhu said, 'Give it up! This is not it. Go further.'

After that, Ramananda Ray spoke about jnana-misra bhakti (devotion mixed with pursuits of knowledge) – worshiping the Lord to get some knowledge. Mahaprabhu said, 'This is also external. Give that up, too.' When Ramananda Ray told about jnana-sunya bhakti (devotion without seeking knowledge), Mahaprabhu said, 'Yes. This is acceptable.' In the end, Ramananda Ray spoke about santa-rasa (neutral relationship with the Lord), dasya-rasa (servitude), sakhya-rasa (friendship), vatsalya-rasa (parenthood) and madhura-rasa (conjugal relationship). For example, Prahlad Maharaj is a santa-rasa devotee. Vraja-gopis are madhura-rasa devotees – this is the highest conception, and it is intelligible for common jiva souls...

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Language: Bengali

READ OTHER PARTS:

1) Keep Trying
2) Highest Realm of Devotion
3) Bribing and Increasing Stool
4) What Is a Soul?
5) Service with Faith and Love
6) Core of Devotion
7) Set Your Heart for Govinda
8) Think and Learn
9) Think about Your Soul
10) Sadhya-Sadhan-Tattva
11) With Faith and Surrender
12) Surrender and Learn
13) Bhakta-Seva Pravritti
14) See Good and Do Good
15) See Through It
16) 'Lord Exists for Those Who Have Devotion'