(2/2) Who Is Gurudev?

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Disappearance festival, Tarakeshwar
16 April 2019, morning, part 2
Translated from Bengali

Gurudev is not a man of this world – he is not an ordinary man. When we think of Gurudev as of an ordinary man, we commit an offence, we make a mistake. Gurudev is the Lord Himself. The Lord personally comes in the form of guru to bestow His mercy upon us.

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)

Gurudev is the Lord Himself, and if we cannot get his mercy, then our human birth is wasted. Gurudev engages us in the service to the Lord. He has come to this world to bestow mercy upon such fallen and lowly souls as ourselves. He is seen to have taken birth as an ordinary child in an ordinary family, but this is external vision. Gurudev appears in this world in the same way that the Lord appears in this world. Gauranga Mahaprabhu appeared in this world in a village in Nabadwip Dham; and Lord Sri Krishna appeared in Kamsa's prison house in Mathura and grew up in Nandalay. Therefore, there is no necessity to discuss where or how Gurudev, the Lord's personal associate, appeared in this world or where he grew up, but what we should talk about is what he has given to this world. You can see that people come here from all over the world. Gurudev came to this world to spread Mahaprabhu's message to every corner of the world.

তব নিজ-জন কোন মহাজনে
পাঠাইয়া দিলে তুমি ।

tava nija-jana kona mahajane
pathaiya dile tumi

'You have sent a great soul, Your associate (to rescue me).'

(Saranagati, Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur)

The Lord sends His own to this world to tell everyone about Him.

I have told you many times that you cannot get a letter from the Supreme Lord – He will not send you any letter. But if you approach and appeal to the dearmost, beloved associate of the Lord, they will convey your appeal to the Lord. Gurudev is the Lord's associate, so if you tell gurudev anything, about your sadness or happiness, he will pray for you to the Lord. If you pray to gurudev, he will pray for you to the Lord. You must remember that you will never get any letter directly from the Lord. The Lord will never give you any letter. But who can send a letter to you? Gurudev.

Gurudev will send you letters, calling you, 'Come! Listen about the Lord!' If you have any appeal or request, you can convey it to the guru, and the guru will convey your message to the Lord and pray for you to Him.

বৈষ্ণবের আবেদনে কৃষ্ণ দয়াময় ।
এ হেন পামর প্রতি হবেন সদয় ॥

vaisnavera avedane krsna dayamaya
e hena pamara prati habena sadaya

'Hearing Vaisnav Thakur’s appeal, merciful Lord Krishna will take pity on this wretched sinner.'

(Sri Kalyan-kalpataru, Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur)

When Vaishnav come and tell something to Lord Krishna, Lord Krishna listens to them. The main thing, however, is that we must approach Vaishnavs sincerely, without any duplicity, without keeping any other motives inside us.

বৈষ্ণবের গুণ-গান করিলে জীবের ত্রাণ
শুনিয়াছি সাধুগুরুমুখে

vaisnavera guna-gana karile jivera trana
suniyachhi sadhu-guru-mukhe

'Singing the glories of the Vaishnavs rescues and protects the jiva soul – I heard this from the mouth of sadhus and my guru.'

(Acharya-vandana)

I came to see Gurudev in Kolkata the day before he left this world. I left Kolkata in the evening. Srila Ashram Maharaj stayed with him at that time, and he got an opportunity to serve him. He would take care of all Gurudev's needs (medicine, etc.). Sometimes, he would stay at until midnight, until two or three o'clock in the morning, looking after Gurudev. Forgetting all about his own happiness, he did not think about his own needs, about his own sleep. I saw how he served at that time. Gurudev felt very deep separation from Gauranga Mahaprabhu, from Srimati Radharani. He felt very deep anxiety towards Srimati Radharani and Krishna, and he suffered from that anxiety, from that deep attraction, or pull. He said, 'I do not want anything. I do not want to stay in this world. Krishna, whatever happens to me, You are always there.' He would get annoyed and shout, 'Take this saline out! Take this oxygen tube out! I do not want all this!' Srila Ashram Maharaj was there with him at that time, and he would try to explain it and pacify him...

We must always remember these things. It is my prayer to you all: try to understand this deep pain of losing your guru, try to understand the relationship between the guru and Lord Krishna.

Anyhow, there is still much to be told, we have time. More devotees are coming later today, so I will speak again later. I would like to ask Srila Ashram Maharaj to speak now.

[Srila Ashram Maharaj then speaks recalling the holy pastime of Srila Haridas Thakur's disappearance and expressing his appreciation for the all the devotees who follow Srila Govinda Maharaj's express instruction and will to stay with and serve Srila Acharya Maharaj, and the morning programme finishes with kirtan.]

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Length: 60 min
Language: Bengali

READ OTHER PARTS:

1) 'I Cannot Forget This Day'
2) Who Is Gurudev?