(10/12) Learn and Live the Ideal

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Vaishnav-seva programme in Begampur (Hooghly),
Early February 2019, part 10
Translated from Bengali

We can see the example of how we must serve Vaishnavs from the pastimes of Mahaprabhu, Srila Das Goswami Prabhu, Srila Sanatan Goswami Prabhu, Srila Rupa Goswami Prabhu, Srila Jiva Goswami Prabhu, Acharya Srinivas. If we study their examples, we can understand how we must serve Vaishnavs. Many people say to me, 'Maharaj, you are the acharya of the Math – why do you go to the market yourself? Why do you go to Mayapur yourself to invite everybody to festivals?' But I remember how Srila Rupa Goswami Prabhu personally went door to door in Vrindavan inviting everybody to vaishnav-seva, how Mahaprabhu also went personally to the market to invite everybody and to collect for Srila Haridas Thakur's tirobhav-utsav – why must I not do it then? When I say this, everybody becomes quiet. We must not feel any pride, thinking that we are gurus, acharyas or Vaishnavs. I have told you earlier that if a person cannot save you from the jaws of death, this person can never be a guru.

We all have to leave this world, but if we can practise Krishna consciousness, we can get much benefit. First it is necessary to know what is Krishna consciousness. You have heard what is called spiritual life – one can never practise Krishna consciousness without strict adherence to the guru. Similarly, you cannot worship Gauranga bypassing the guru. Therefore, we must always think about how we can make our guru happy.

Srila Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj said, 'If somebody does not accept and follow Pujyapad Govinda Maharaj, I do not consider them my disciple.' Such people lose mercy and their sukriti becomes destroyed. You must not cross the line. Do not venture where you have no right to go. You all know this verse:

ব্রহ্মাণ্ড ভ্রমিতে কোন ভাগ্যবান্ জীব ।
গুরু-কৃষ্ণ-প্রসাদে পায় ভক্তিলতা-বীজ ॥
মালী হঞা করে সেই বীজ আরোপণ ।
শ্রবণ-কীর্ত্তন-জলে করয়ে সেচন ॥

brahmanda bhramite kona bhagyavan jiva
guru-krsna-prasade paya bhakti-lata-bija
mali hana kare sei bija aropana
sravana-kirtana-jale karaye sechana

'Having travelled throughout the universe, some fortunate souls receive the seed of the devotional creeper by the mercy of Sri Guru, who is non-different from Krishna. Becoming gardeners, they plant that seed and nurture it with the water of hearing and chanting.'

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, 2.19.151–152)

What is the water that you must water your devotional creeper with? Sravan (hearing) and kirtan (chanting). When the seed sprouts and you pour water on it, a creeper will appear from the seed. But if you pour too much water on the sprout, the whole plant will rot. This is what sahajiyas do – they transgress their right and pour too much water. It is those whose lives are full of lust and anger that go to perform rasa-lila and astakaliya lila. Even though they have no right to enter that kunja, they still go there and perform 'kunja bhanga' (কুঞ্জ ভঙ্গ; leaving the grove after the night). What to speak of leaving the grove, they do not even have the right to step into it! Only the highest devotees can enter there. If you read the seventh and eights verses from Siksastakam and Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur's kirtans explaining them, you can understand something about these things. When Mahaprabhu explained the limbs of devotion and devotional practise, He alluded to those pastimes that take place during the eight divisions of the day (astakaliya lila). Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur also writes about it in Bhajana-rahasya.

If we do not understand these things and do not approach them properly – if we just dance and sing to the astakala-lila kirtans – then our position is very deplorable. What to speak of growing the devotional creeper, the very seed of our devotional creeper will be spoilt and wasted – there is no question of any devotion.

You can see what Mahaprabhu said, what Srila Prabhupad said. They can show acharya-abhiman – they can set provisions and directives. Mahaprabhu said,

বৃন্দাবনে গিয়া না থাকিয়া চির কাল ।
গোবর্দ্ধনে উঠিয়া না দেখিয়া গোপাল ॥

vrndavane giya na thakiya chira kala
govardhane uthiya na dekhiya gopala

'When you go to Vrindavan, do not stay there for a long time and do not climb the Govardhan Hill to see Gopal.'

On the one hand, Madhavendra Puripad installed Gopal right on top of Govardhan to carry out his service. On the other hand, he also ran away from Remuna for fear of pratistha. He taught us in this way. We must not transgress our rights.

When I went to Ganga Sagar recently, one man, who is initiated, asked me, 'Who stays in Tulasi Devi's leaves? Who stays in Tulasi Devi's branches?' I told him, 'You talk too much. You have no devotion...' When Srila Prabhupad went to Vrindavan, he himself said, 'There are so many babajis in Vrindavan, but I have not seen a single Vaishnav there!

Srila Prabhupad also said that even 100 out of 100 people will not practise Krishna consciousness living as slaves to lust and anger, you must not become disheartened – you must continue practising Krishna consciousness. Even if you see people merely dressing up as renunciates or Vaishnavs, even if you see people collecting only to fill up their own bellies, you must not become distraught. We do not go to people's houses to beg for rice or dal – we come to take their hard-earned wealth to use it in the service to the Lord and thereby do them some good. Devotees do not go anywhere for rice or dal. Remember this.

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Length: 109 min
Language: Bengali

READ OTHER PARTS:

1) Your Sreyo Must Become Your Preyo
2) Joy in Sadness
3) Who Will Understand?
4) Vaishnavs' Dignity
5) Read and Absorb
6) Sincere Self-Realisation
7) Mahaprabhu's Conception
8) Gist of Spiritual Life
9) Prison of Misconception
10) Learn and Live the Ideal
11) Service Alertness
12) Be Attached and Detached