(2/10) Material Diseases

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Midnapore, 24 April 2019, evening, part 2
Translated from Bengali

There are five diseases. Quoting scriptures, I have written what they are at the end of our calendars: avidya (ignorance), asmita (false identification), raga (misdirected love), dvesa (aversion to anything that goes against one's enjoyment), and abhinivesa (being unable to give up unfavourable habits). We must always be aware and conscious of these diseases.

Avidya means ignorance. One of you asked me yesterday what ignorance is. It is one of the five material diseases. Ignorance means forgetfulness of your own identity, of who you actually are. I am a soul, I am not this body. If somebody asks you, 'Who are you?' you immediately say, 'I am such-and-such Jana', 'I am such-and-such Mondal', 'I am such-and-such Banerjee', and so on. This is the identity of your body; it is not who you are. Rice, dal and vegetables are food for this body, but do we ever think what the food for the soul is? The soul (atma) is meant to serve the Supersoul (Paramatma), this is what the soul wants, but we forget it and take shelter of Maya, illusory environment. If Maya Devi mercifully withdraws her shield, then we can understand the transcendental world and transcendental nature and paraphernalia of that world.

So, this is what is called ignorance (ajnanata, or avidya). The second disease is asmita, false identification. It means identifying yourself with and feeling deep affection for the material world and everything in it (your wife, children, etc.). For example, your son is getting married and you become very deeply and lovingly involved with the wedding, feeling much affection for him.

The third disease is raga – this is not anger but deep attachment to the things that are favourable or pleasing to your body. It means always thinking about your body and being always busy with, 'What will I eat?', 'What will I wear?', 'How will I live?'

The fourth disease is dvesa, aversion to the things that are meant for the Lord's service. We must not have any worry – offer and use everything in the service of the Lord. Everybody has their own capacity – somebody can cook, somebody can wash the dishes, somebody can sweep, somebody can make garlands, somebody can bring some vegetables from home. If somebody has no attachment, or is indifferent, towards the service of the Lord, it is called dvesa-buddhi. Also, if you see somebody is doing service and you feel jealous, that is also dvesa-buddhi. It is a disease. If you see somebody coming here and doing service and you become upset, 'Oh, I will not go there,' why be like this? This is everybody's temple, everybody is welcome here. This is not my or anybody's temple – it is everybody's temple. If somebody has no place to stay, if somebody has no temple but wants to stay at the temple, they can stay here full-time. But everybody can come here, everybody do service. But if somebody comes here and instead of serving comes for their own sense-gratification, that is another matter...

— : • : —

{ 2001  |   2002  |   2003  |   2005  |   2009  |   2010  |   2011  |   2012 }
{ 2013  |   2014  |   2015  |   2016  |   2017  |   2018  |   2019  |   2020  |   2021 }

CLICK TO LISTEN TO THE LECTURE

Size: 37 Mb
Length: 77 min
Language: Bengali

READ OTHER PARTS:

1) Prodigal's Favourite, Miser's Pensioner
2) Material Diseases
3) Master's Property
4) 'I Am My Gurudev's'
5) Disciple Lives in Guru's Shelter
6) Day for Service, Life for Service
7) Foundation of Knowledge
8) Pitfalls and Benefits
9) Temple Life
10) Keep Well