(4/9) Mukunda's Faith

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Vasanta Panchami, Tarakeshwar,
10 February 2019, evening, part 4
Translated from Bengali

Today is also the appearance day of Srila Raghunandan Thakur. Most of you have all heard about him, but some may not know. Srila Raghunandan Thakur was Mukunda Thakur's son. Mukunda Prabhu was a very good kirtan singer (he had a very good voice).

One day, Mahaprabhu sat on a simhasana and started calling out everybody's names one by one, blessing each devotee, 'You will get mercy', 'You will get mercy', 'You will get mercy', and so on. Although Mukunda Prabhu's name was not mentioned, he had a very strong faith.

'শ্রদ্ধা' শব্দে—বিস্বাস কহে সুদৃঢ় নিশ্চয় ।
কৃষ্ণে ভক্তি কৈলে সর্ব্বকর্ম্ম কৃত হয় ॥

'sraddha'-sabde—visvasa kahe sudrdha nischaya
krsne bhakti kaile sarva-karma krta haya

'Sraddha is a firm, determined faith that by serving Krishna all actions are accomplished.'

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, 2.22.62)

Faith is the main quality. Faith comes first (adau sraddha), and it can be of three types: kamala-sraddha (soft, fragile faith), taranga-sraddha (flickering faith), drdha-sraddha (strong faith), sudrdha-sraddha (the strongest faith).

So, when Mahaprabhu called out devotees' names, He had called everybody except Mukunda. Mukunda felt sad, 'Prabhu is not giving me mercy. I am so unfortunate.' He did not dare come in front of Mahaprabhu himself, so he asked Srivas Pandit, 'Prabhu, the Lord is not saying my name, so I have not got His mercy. There is no sense in keeping this body; I want to commit suicide... But before I do it, can you please ask the Lord if I will ever get His mercy in any future birth?'

Srivas Pandit came to Mahaprabhu and asked Him, 'Prabhu, Mukunda is such a good kirtan singer – when he sings kirtan, tears come to Your eyes. But You have not called out his name, You have not given him Your mercy. He wants to commit suicide.' Mahaprabhu replied, 'Oh really?' Srivas Pandit continued, 'Yes, but before he does it, he wants to know when he can get Your mercy.' Then, Mahaprabhu said, 'He will get mercy, yes, but not now – he will get it after ten million births.'

Mukunda heard from afar what Mahaprabhu had said – he was eager to know what He would reply when Srivas Pandit asked him. When the devotees heard Mahaprabhu's reply, they were taken aback, 'Mukunda is such a good kirtan singer, but if he gets mercy in ten million lifetimes, then what to speak of us?' But Mukunda did not even think of it – as soon as he heard what Mahaprabhu had said, he began to dance with his arms upraised! 'I will get mercy! I will get mercy one day! Whether it is tomorrow or ten million lives later, but one day I will get it!'

Mahaprabhu heard him crying, so He asked Srivas Pandit, 'Who is chanting "Hari bol! Hari bol!" over there? What is going on?' Srivas Pandit said, 'It is Mukunda. He is so excited that he has thrown his clothes off and is dancing like mad!' Mahaprabhu said, 'Oh, call him. Tell him to come here.' When devotees came to call him, Mukunda came to his senses, 'Oh, the Lord is calling me...' Then, Mahaprabhu told him, 'Mukunda, you have so much faith! I told you that you would get mercy after ten million lives, but you began to dance for joy! You do not have to wait for ten million lives to pass. You will get the Lord right now. You will come to the Lord in this very birth – after this birth, you will go to the Lord's abode.'

Srila Raghunandan Thakur was the son of this Mukunda Prabhu.

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Length: 62 min
Language: Bengali

READ OTHER PARTS:

1) Conquering the Conquerer
2) Two Phenomenal Personalities
3) Srila Raghunath Das Goswami's Pastimes
4) Mukunda's Faith
5) Sri Raghunandan Thakur
6) Remembering Lord's Associates
7) Devotees' Wealth
8) Do As You Please
9) Remember Great Souls