(8/10) Embrace Devotion to Lord Krishna

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Sri Ganga Sagar, morning class,
Deity Manifestation Anniversary day
12 January 2019, part 8
Translated from Bengali

During the class yesterday, I told you about santa-rasa, dasya-rasa devotion, the same things that Mahaprabhu told many times. If we look at what Mahaprabhu said, we will find that He rejected many lower stages, but when it came to santa-rasa, dasya-rasa and sakhya-rasa, He accepted it as real devotion. For example, we serve our gurudev in dasya-rasa. If gurudev says, 'Oh, I have a very strong backache. Can you hit my back nicely?' you will do it to please gurudev, not to beat him; or gurudev can ask you, 'Can you massage my back with your feet (walk on my back)?' but does it mean that you are going to kick gurudev with your feet? No. You do it to serve gurudev, then it will not be an offence on your part. You can also see Vraja gopis' example. They gave their footdust to put it on Krishna's head, did they not? Even Laksmi Devi, Brahma, Siva, Narad could not give it, although they are all crying to attain devotion. Laksmi Devi (the potency of Lord Narayan Himself!) says, 'I have not been able to get any devotion! I do not even have any right to enter Vrindavan!' It is necessary to get the right for that kind of rasa, devotional mood. Krishna can tell Sridam, Sudam, Vasudam, 'Climb on My shoulder!' Lord Krishna showed many pastimes to them, but they never thought that Krishna was the Supreme Lord – they took Him as their friend. So, they can climb on Krishna's shoulder for His pleasure. When Mother Yasoda feeds Krishna with milk, she does not do it for her own pleasure – she does it for Krishna's pleasure. So, it is necessary to do service for Krishna's happiness, to make Him happy, not to make yourself happy. You must always remember this. If you read Mahaprabhu's conversation with Ramananda Ray, you will find these things mentioned there.

When Mahaprabhu first asked Ramananda Ray, 'Pada sloka sadhyera nirnaya. Please recite verses concerning the ultimate goal of life,' Ramananda Ray replied, 'One can attain devotion to Krishna by following their duties.' When I went to Nepal recently, somebody asked me, 'Why is it necessary to worship Krishna if Vishnu is the Supreme Lord?' There are many devotees of Vishnu and Narayan in South India and other places also, they always take Lord Narayan's and Lord Vishnu's Names ('Narayan, Narayan', 'Vishnu, Vishnu'). What we say comes from the scrpitures – we present scriptural siddhanta (conclusions, truths). Krishna has one body, but it is manifest in two forms, as Krishna and Balaram. Balaram is Mul-Sankarsan. From Mul-Sankarsan come four forms of Lord Vishnu: Sankarsan, Vasudev, Aniruddha and Pradyumna. From those forms come three more forms of Lord Vishnu: Ksirodakasayi Vishnu, Garbhodakasayi Vishnu and Karanodakasayi Vishnu. Finally, from Karanodakasayi Vishnu come the ten incarnations of the Lord: Matsya avatar, Kurma avatar, Varaha avatar, Nrisingha avatar, Vaman avatar, Parasuram avatar, Rama avatar, Baladev avatar, Buddha avatar and Kalki avatar. All these incarnations are various expansions of Lord Vishnu, but who is our Lord Krishna?

ঈশ্বরঃ পরমঃ কৃষ্ণঃ সচ্চিদানন্দবিগ্রহঃ ।
অনাদিরাদির্গোবিন্দঃ সর্ব্বকারণকারণম্ ॥

isvarah paramah krsnah sach-chid-ananda-vigrahah
anadir adir govindah sarva-karana-karanam

'Krishna, who is known as Govinda, is the supreme controller. He has an eternal, blissful, spiritual body. He is the origin of all. He has no other origin, for He is the prime cause of all causes.'

(Sri Brahma-samhita, 5.1)

He is the cause of all causes. He is beginningless. He is the one we must think about, but we have forgotten about it.

কৃষ্ণ ভুলি' সেই জীব অনাদি-বহির্ম্মুখ ।
অতএব মায়া তারে দেয় সংসারাদি-দুঃখ ॥

krsna bhuli' sei jiva anadi-bahirmukha
ataeva maya tare deya samsaradi-duhkha

'Forgetting Krishna, the soul turned towards the external illusory world in primaeval times. As the result, illusion (Maya) gives such a soul various material miseries.'

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, 2.20.117)

Because we have forgotten the Lord, we are now suffering from the agony of three-fold miseries. If you want to get relief from this agony, you must take exclusive shelter at the Supreme Lord's holy feet.

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Length: 50 min
Language: Bengali

READ OTHER PARTS:

1) Power of Mindful Service
2) Service Is All About Mood
3) Help Yourself and Others
4) Beyond Body and Bondage
5) Do Not Cheat Yourself
6) Your Life, Your Escape
7) Keep Internal Purity
8) Embrace Devotion to Lord Krishna
9) Know Where You Belong
10) Result of Sadhu-Sanga