(5/8) Do Not Cheat Yourself

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Hooghly District, preaching programme,
21 February 2019, evening, part 5
Translated from Bengali

What does it mean to be a disciple? One time, when Srila Prabhupad was asked, 'Can anybody be called a disciple?' he replied, 'No.' Disciples are those who place the words of their guru on their heads and follow what their guru says. Disciples are those who can digest their guru's chastisement and can correct and mould themselves accordingly.

Who is a Vaishnav? How does one become a Vaishnav? A Vaishnav is one who worships Vishnu. And who is a devotee? One devotee is higher than thousands of Vaishnavs. If we do not understand this, then we will want to become Vaishnavs without serving Vaishnavs. But first it is necessary to serve Vaishnavs, only then can one become a Vaishnav.

** Prabhu has invited you, thinking, 'Gurudev is coming to speak some Hari-katha so that people could come to this line and practise Krishna consciousness.' He gets some benefit and we also get some benefit through that. The only problem is that even after having listened to all this, you still do not practise anything. Because of some small, trifle interests, you cannot come to this path. I know this. But I cannot cheat people. If I were to say today, 'Eat whatever you want, do whatever you want – just come and take initiation,' everybody will come to take initiation today. But we have not come to cheat people, we cannot do that. We must not cheat anybody. Sad-gurus never behave like that.

There are family doctors in this world who only think about money, but they do not think, 'How will the patient survive? How can I help the person recover?' Instead they think, 'If I keep coming to see the patient for another five–ten days, I will get more money.' I have heard many times that when somebody dies, they ice the body and continue charging for the treatment. There are such nurses and doctors in this world. In the same way, there are also such gurus in this world who only come to steal your money. Sivji Maharaj said, 'O Devi! There are many vitta-harankari gurus in this world (those who steal your wealth, money, etc.), but there are very few santap-harankari gurus (spiritual teachers who will rob you of your material agony).' Both such bogus gurus and their disciples go to hell.

চারি বর্ণাশ্রমী যদি কৃষ্ণ নাহি ভজে ।
স্বকর্ম্ম করিলেও সে রৌরবে পড়ি মজে ॥

chari varnasrami yadi krsna nahi bhaje
svakarma karileo se raurave padi maje

'Whatever varna (a priest, fighter, manager or worker) or ashram (a celibate, householder, renouncer of the household life or monk) you belong to, if you do not worship Krishna but engage in your prescribed duties, you will have to fall into a terrible hell.'

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, 2.22.26)

You live following the rules of brahmacharya life, grihastha life, vanaprastha life, somebody also becomes a sannyasi – but whatever life you may lead, if you do not worship Lord Krishna, you will have to go to hell. This is stated in the scriptures. That is why I am telling you all: please do not waste your time.

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Length: 43 min
Language: Bengali

READ OTHER PARTS:

1) Your Necessity and Interest
2) My Mission
3) Hari-Kirtan Comes from Heart
4) Come Forward
5) Do Not Cheat Yourself
6) Soul's Shelter
7) Genuine Devotion Comes from Genuine Devotees
8) Leashed and Lashed Life