(8/16) Think and Learn

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Sri Ganga Sagar, evening class,
11 January 2019, part 8
Translated from Bengali

One time, somebody asked me, 'It is said that if you serve Vishnu, all kinds of services are accomplished. Then what is the need to serve Krishna?' There are many places that serve Lord Vishnu, not Radha-Krishna. For example, the sampradaya of Ramanuja Acharya serves Lord Vishnu in the mood of servitude. The truth is that, first of all, Lord Balaram and Lord Krishna are one, but They manifest Themselves as two. Lord Balaram is also Mul-Sankarsan. From Balaram come four Vishnu forms: Vasudev, Sankarsan, Aniruddha and Pradyumna. From there, there are three further forms of Vishnu: Garbhodakasayi, Ksirodakasayi and Karanodakasayi. Then, from Karanodakasayi come all the ten incarnations of the Lord: Matsya avatar, Kurma avatar, Varaha avatar, Parasuram avatar, Buddha avatar, Rama avatar, Nrisingha avatar, Vaman avatar, Baladev avatar, and Kalki avatar.

You must remember these things by heart. I will die one day, and if what I am telling you goes in one ear and out the other, then what is the use? You must listen carefully and try to understand these things. Listen with your heart. If you listen, listen and listen, then one day devotion to Lord Krishna will come to you and you will be able to serve the Lord.

We have been averse to Lord Krishna since time immemorial – we keep coming and going.

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?'

How many times have we come and how many times have we gone away? You have entered this transcendental university and you must study well. When I went to grade one, I learned many things there; when I went to grade two, I learned many things there, too; when I went to high school and then college, I learned every more there; and when I went to university, I learned even more. You get spiritual education in the same way. Lord Siva said, 'Aham vedmi, Suka vetti, Vyasa vetti na vetti va. I know it, Sukadev knows it, but Vyasadev may or may not know it.'

We keep coming to this world again and again to only eat, sleep, fear and increase posterity. What is the difference between us and animals? Dogs and goats do the same. You run a business, do farming or work in an office and always think about yourself. You must think about the Lord.

Think about the Lord! Make your family Krishna-centred. You must think how you can live in Krishna's family. How many times we have come and how many times we have gone away? We have got a very rare human birth now

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

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

'I have got a very rare human life in this world, but I have not worshipped Lord Krishna. Whom will I tell about my misery?'

(Sri Kalyan-kalpataru, Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur)

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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'