(9/10) Temple Life

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Midnapore, 24 April 2019, evening, part 9
Translated from Bengali

[His Divine Grace reads from Guidance 3]

What does service to the guru give? What is the difference between Vaishnavs and brahmans? I have written about it here, in Guidance 3 (the chapter '108 Questions and Answers') What is a temple (Math)? A temple is place for Hari-kirtan.

38) Question: What is the meaning of a Math?

Answer: A Math is a centre for practising glorification of the Lord (Hari-kirtan). Hari-kirtan is its life and soul. A Math is where laziness, unrighteous behaviour, 'village' thoughts, 'village' talks or base material desires have no place whatsoever. That is why when you go door to door for collection, you will generally go through examination. Common people will criticise you saying that they are donors and you are beggars, i.e. they hold a higher position than you, that you are the recipients of their mercy; some will be ready to chastise you—as the result, your tolerance can grow, you will have an opportunity to be humble and give honour to others. Just by seeing your qualities of being humbler than a blade of grass, more tolerant than a tree and respectful to others, common jiva souls will be benefited.

A temple is always only for Hari-kirtan; there must not be any other things here. Just as a school is a place for education, a temple is a place for spiritual education. There must be nothing else here.

40) Question: Who is a bona fide guru (sad-guru)?

Answer: It is a person who is, first of all, devoid of any cheating, who gives genuine advice on religion of the soul, or bhagavata-dharma (religion based on the precepts of Srimad Bhagavatam). Besides, a genuine guru is a person who does not have material defects (selfishness, etc.) because only bhagavat-dharma accepts the eternal and transcendental nature of the guru. There are many vitta-harankari gurus in this world (who steal your wealth, money, etc.), but there are very few santap-harankari gurus (who 'steal' material misery). A person who cannot save a conditioned soul from the cycle of birth and death and cannot sincerely engage them in the service of the Lord can never be called a guru.

A guru always encourages everyone to serve the Lord.

[Addressing a male devotee] When I was giving second initiations, I told you all about it. You must listen carefully. You must shave your head. What is the use keeping all this hair? Usually it is necessary to shave your head every month, on Purnima, but, personally, I do not always get time on these days, and I cannot also tolerate grown hair, so I shave it more often. In Gurudev's time, I used to shave my head myself...

58) Question: What is the result of sincere service?

Answer: When someone preaches Krishna consciousness without deceit or worships the Lord of all four directions, Sri Gaurasundar in the form of His Deity and His instructions (vani), the devotees of Gaura become affectionate to such person and the environment, percolated with their affection and mercy, makes others' service successful too.

Listen to this:

61) Question: Can anyone be called a disciple?

Answer: If one does not accept punishment with a lowered head (with humility), they cannot be a disciple. Servants of the Lord live in a temple. If the residents of the temple (math) give up proper practice and do not follow the proper conception, they will become 'enjoyers of kamath'. If one gives up the interest of the Math and the service to the Math, such averse soul becomes a kamath resident. [Kamath is a play of words: it means a 'turtle', but in Indian pronunciation it sounds similar to 'commode', a toilet.]

One does not become a disciple just by taking initiation. If somebody stays at the temple but always thinks about their home, about their room, etc., this is not a disciple. If the residents of the temple (math) give up proper practice and do not follow the proper conception, they will become 'enjoyers of kamath'. Do you understand what kamath (commode) is? What is there in a commode? Stool. Who eats that stool? Bugs, worms, etc. These are not my words! These are Srila Prabhupad's words. So, if somebody stays at the temple but always thinks about their family, they live in a commode, not at a temple. Another meaning of kamath is a tortoise. A tortoise pokes its head out only to eat and then it again hides it inside: a tortoise externally looks in one way, but internally it is something else.

66) Question: What is the only duty of the man?

Hari-kirtan is the only duty. If you always, constantly chant the Holy Name, then all other works (enjoyment, etc.) will stop. If you do not stay always on the path of remembrance of the Lord, then you will be enjoying your material life. If you do not know how every single thing is related to the Lord, then there will be no need for divine love. Foolish people pray to get some material religion, things, money, lust, liberation. In the words of Sri Gaurasundar, these are basic things taught to children—He taught higher and the highest things. Upanisads, Gita are taught in the infant class; those who want to enter a higher study must discuss Srimad Bhagavatam.

Serious Vaishnavs study Gita as part of their infant-class education, and when they progress to a higher grade, they can study Srimad Bhagavatam. It is necessary to study the teachings of Srimad Bhagavatam.

— : • : —

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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