(11/14) Learn to Appreciate Service

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Sri Ekachakra Dham, evening class,
16 February 2019, part 11
Translated from Bengali

How can you get the right to serve Krishna? Whom does Krishna belong to? He belongs to Radharani, and Radharani is non-different from the guru, so it is only the guru who can give you the right to serve Lord Krishna.

Srila Prabhupad also said when we come to the temple, we sometimes complain, 'Oh, this Maharaj is not good. He does not give me money or clothes, and whenever I come to him, he only tells me to do this or that; he always tells me to do some work. I will not go to him!' But can anybody understand how much benefit you can get through that? If somebody only engages you in service to the Lord, if somebody bestows upon you the right to serve the Lord, this is such a great thing. Almost 100% people cannot understand it. But you must never become disheartened because of that. Even if 100% people do not practise Krishna consciousness but practise Maya consciousness instead, you must not be disheartened to see that. You must continue preaching Mahaprabhu's message in this world. Go door to door and beg alms from people: 'Krsna bala, sange chala, ei matra bhiksa chai (কৃষ্ণ বল, সঙ্গে চল, এই মাত্র ভিক্ষা চাই). I am begging you for one thing only – come with Me and chant the Holy Name of Krishna!' This is all we must beg others for. We must fight against Maya – we must save souls from this illusory environment and send them to serve Radha-Krishna in Goloka Vrindavan. This is what bona fide gurus think about.

A bona fide guru never runs after pleasures and enjoyment. Those who do get caught – their deceit will be exposed. It is not possible to hide anything from a bona fide guru. Many people think, 'Oh, Gurudev will not know about it. If I do this, he will not be able to know it.' But gurudev can understand everything. He is omniscent. If he were not omniscent, then he would be a common mortal man, a common soul, but gurudev is an associate of the Lord.

তব নিজ-জন, কোন মহাজনে,
পাঠাইয়া দিলে তুমি ॥
এক বর দয়া করি', মোরে পতিত দেখিয়া,
কহিল আমারে গিয়া ।
ওহে দীনজন, শুন ভাল কথা,
উল্লসিত হবে হিয়া ॥

tava nija-jana, kona mahajane,
pathaiya dile tumi
eka bara daya kari' more, patita dekhiya,
kahila amare giya
ohe dina-jana, suna bhala katha,
ullasita ha'be hiya

'You have sent a great soul, Your associate (to rescue me). Seeing me so fallen and being merciful, he came to me and said, "O humble soul, listen to this wonderful message and your heart will rejoice."'

তোমারে তারিতে শ্রীকৃষ্ণচৈতন্য
নবদ্বীপে অবতার ।
তোমা হেন কত দীনহীন জনে
করিলেন ভবপার ॥

tomare tarite sri-krsna-chaitanya
navadvipe avatara
toma hena kata dina-hina jane
karilena bhava-para

'"Sri Krishna Chaitanya has appeared in Nabadwip to deliver you. He has brought many humble souls just like you to the shore of the ocean of material existence.""'

(Saranagati, Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur)

Who says these things? A close associate of the Lord!

সাক্ষাদ্ধরিত্বেন সমস্ত-শাস্ত্রৈ-
রুক্তস্তথা ভাব্যত এব সদ্ভিঃ ।
কিন্তু প্রভোর্যঃ প্রিয় এব তস্য
বন্দে গুরোঃ শ্রীচরণারবিন্দম্ ॥

saksadd-haritvena samasta-sastrair
uktas tatha bhavyata eva sadbhih
kintu prabhor yah priya eva tasya
vande guroh sri-charanaravindam

'I offer my obeisance unto the lotus feet of Sri Guru, who is said by all scriptures to be no doubt the Supreme Lord Himself and considered to be so by pious souls but who is also no doubt the Lord's dear associate.'

(Sri Sri Gurvastakam, Srila Visvanath Chakravarti Thakur)

Srila Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj wrote very beautifully about Srila Prabhupad:

জয়রে জয়রে জয় গৌর-সরস্বতী ।
ভকতিবিনোদান্বয় করুণামুরতি ॥

jayare jayare jaya gaura-saraswati
bhakativinodanvaya karuna murati

'All glory, all glory to Sri Gaura–Saraswati, the holy embodiment of mercy in the line of Sri Bhaktivinod Thakur'.

প্রকাশিলে গৌরসেবা ভূবনমঙ্গল ।
ভখতিসিদ্ধান্ত শুদ্ধ প্রজ্ঞান উজ্জ্বল ॥

prakasile gaura-seva bhuvana mangala
bhakatisiddhanta suddha prajnana ujjvala

'Revealing service to Sri Gaura, which spreads auspiciousness in this world, you presented devotional teachings (bhakti-siddhanta) that radiate self-effulgent pure transcendental knowledge'.

(Sri Saraswat Arati)

We sing this song every day during the evening arati. Srila Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj wrote a very beautiful arati song. He is a very dear associate of Prabhupad Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur. He also wrote very beautifully:

জয় শচীনন্দন, সুর-মুনিবন্দন,
ভবভয়-খণ্ডন জয় হে ।

jaya sachi-nandana, sura-muni-vandana,
bhava-bhaya-khandana jaya he

'All glory to the son of Sri Sachi, who is worshipped by demigods and sages and who destroys all fear of material existence! Glory to Him!'

How beautiful these words are. 'Glory to Sri Sachi-nandan! All demigods and sages sing His glories. By worshipping Him, all our material fear (fear of death) will go away.'

জয় হরিকীর্ত্তন, নর্ত্তনা বর্ত্তন,
কলিমল-কর্ত্তন জয় হে ॥

jaya hari-kirtana, nartana vartana,
kali-mala-kartana jaya he

'He is the inaugurator of dancing and chanting of the Lord's Names and removes the contamination of Kali! Glory to Him!

'He comes in this Age of Kali to destroy the filth of this age.'

নয়ন-পুরন্দর, বিশ্বরূপ স্নেহধর,
বিশ্বম্ভর বিশ্বের কল্যাণ ।

nayana-purandara, visvarupa sneha-dhara,
visvambhara visvera kalyana

'He delights everyone's eyes, He is affectionate to His brother, Visvarup. He maintains the whole world and bestows benediction onto all creation.'

He appeared in this world to bestow benediction onto all creation. There are fourteen worlds in this universe (Bhur, Bhuvar, Svar, Maha, Jana, Tapa, Satya; Atal, Vital, Sutal, Talatal, Mahatal, Rasatal, Patal), and to rescue all these worlds, the Lord comes personally or sends His associate. In this Age of Kali, the Lord came personally as Gauranga Mahaprabhu, a combined form of Sri Sri Radha-Krishna, and when He came, He would go door to door, calling out to everybody:

জীব জাগ, জীব জাগ, গোরাচাঁদ বলে ।
কত নিদ্রা যাও মায়া-পিশাচীর কোলে ॥

jiva jago, jiva jago, gorachanda bale
kata nidra yao maya-pisachira kole

'Sri Gorachand says, "Wake up, souls! Wake up! How much longer will you sleep in the lap of the witch Maya?"'

(Sri Gitavali, Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur)

Mahaprabhu also sent Nityananda Prabhu, Haridas Thakur and other close associates to preach in this world. After that, Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur and Srila Prabhupad came and flooded the whole world with the Holy Name of the Lord. As the result, we can see now that people from all over the world come to Nabadwip, Mayapur, and Ekachakra Dham. They now chant kirtans, chant the Lord's Names, chant, 'Nitai-Gaura Hari bol!' and roll on the floor at their homes...

We must learn what genuine Krishna consciousness is. Krishna consciousness is not something you do for one day – it is necessary to have sincerity. You come to the festival today, dance and sing, 'Nitai-Gaura Hari bol!' and when you go back to your houses, you again plunge into material bondage and forget everything. Do not forget these things! You must serve eternally, every single day. You must think about the shelter of your gurudev every single day. You must practise Krishna consciousness every single day. Just as we eat and fill our stomaches every single day, we must also feed the Lord every single day, we must serve the Lord every single day, do arati every single day. Just as you brush your teeth, take a shower, etc., you must also serve the Lord in the same way. This service must be eternal. You must serve the Lord doing all the things you do for yourself. You must serve with heart and soul.

We must live always thinking about this.

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Language: Bengali

READ OTHER PARTS:

1) Students' Chastity
2) Parikrama Outline
3) We Cannot Ignore Nityananda Prabhu
4) Reaching Out to Nityananda Prabhu
5) Dasya-Abhiman
6) Be Sincere and Serious
7) Worship Nitai!
8) Illusion of Devotion
9) Vaishnavs' Qualities
10) Who Are You Serving?
11) Learn to Appreciate Service
12) Lesson for Householder Devotees
13) Covering Up Prejudices
14) Devotion to Devotion