Devotees' Nature

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Kolkata, speaking online to
devotees in São Paulo (Brazil),
26 May 2019, part 4

[His Divine Grace enquires about a young devotee living on his own:] Who cooks for him?

Devotee translates: Sometimes he cooks, and sometimes he buys food.

বিষয়ীর অন্ন খাইলে মলিন হয় মন ।
মলিন মন হৈলে, নহে কৃষ্ণ-নাম গ্রহণ ॥

visayira anna khaile malina haya mana
malina mana haile, nahe krsna-nama grahana

"If you take food that comes from materialistic people, your mind becomes contaminated. When your mind is contaminated, you cannot chant the Name of Krishna."

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Antya-lila, 6.278)

Always take prasad, that will be good. Do not buy outside food, it is not good. Practise from a young age. If you dream about another world now, it is not good—you must remove material desires from your heart.

Do you have any questions?

Devotee: Could you speak about tolerance, please?

Tolerance, patience should be devotees' nature. It is necessary to have tolerance.

কুলিয়াতে পাষণ্ডীরা অত্যাচার কৈল যা'রা
তা সবার দোষ ক্ষমা করি ।
জগতে কৈলে ঘোষণা 'তরোরিব সহিষ্ণুনা'
হন 'কীর্ত্তনীয়ঃ সদা হরিঃ ॥'

kuliyate pasandira atyachara kaila ya'ra
ta sabara dosa ksama kari'
jagate kaile ghosana 'taroriva sahisnuna'
hana 'kirtaniyah sada harih'

"You [Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupad] forgave all the atheists of Kuliya village, despite their bad behaviour. Loudly you proclaimed to one and all: one who is more tolerant than a tree can always chant the glories of Lord Hari."

So many people from Nabadwip town even came to beat Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur—they even tortured Mahaprabhu, after which Mahaprabhu left Nabadwip and went to Puri. Gurudev also tolerated so much. We should learn from them. How much they tolerated in their lives! If you read the description of lives of Srila Rupa Goswami, Srila Sanatan Goswami, Srila Raghunath Das Goswami, Srila Jiva Goswami, if you see how they maintained their lives, then you can understand what is called tolerance.

Srila Raghunath Das Goswami went to Puri on foot—he walked during twelve days and only took some milk three times. He ate nothing, but if we fast for one day, we become angry, "No food!" We fight for milk, we fight for prasadam—we fight for simple things; but if you read the description of the lives of Srila Raghunath Das Goswami, Srila Rupa Goswami and others, then you can easily understand what tolerance is.

Devotee: We would like to ask why the fasting on 13 June this year is nirjan [dry, without water]. Why is this one particular Ekadasi nirjal?

Actually, this is the ekadasi rules, but Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur and Srila Gurudev gave us some relief because we want to do some service and if you fast the whole day without drinking anything, it is very hard for you—it is better if you serve and chant; these are the main things for you. It is not necessary to follow too many rules and regulations and fast without water (nirjal). Do not damage your health.

Sithilita-vidhi-raga-aradhya-radhesa-dhani: Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj wrote this about Srila Prabhupad Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur in his pranam mantra. It means that Srila Prabhupad gave us some relief, he allowed less restriction for us. Gurudev also did that. For example, Gurudev and all Vaishnavs say that one must not drink tea. I also do not drink tea, but Gurudev told for the Western devotees, "They are so much suffering from cold, etc., then they can sometimes drink some herbal tea."

Also, we sometimes joke about the nirjal ekadasi [dry fasting]—we say, "Nirjal ekadasi means you can take everything except water!" [His Divine Grace laughs.] It is a joke.

Nirjal ekadasi means you can observe it as usual ekadasi, not necessary to do a full fast without water.

Devotee: Could you say something about the Ratha-yatra that is coming soon?

I can tell about Jagannath, Baladev, Subhadra, later one day, it is a big story.

You can remember that every year before Ratha-yatra, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu would clean Gundicha, the temple, and also scriptures say that if somebody is a fallen soul and cannot enter the Jagannath temple, Jagannath, Baladev, and Subhadra come out on Ratha-yatra day and ride the chariots bestowing Their mercy everywhere and if we can see Jagannath on the chariot, then we do not have to take birth again, we can get relief from birth and death.

If you cannot come this year, try to come for the Ratha-yatra next year, it will be good. OK?

Jay Om Vishnupad Jagad-Guru Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj ki jay
Visva-varenya Srila Guru Maharaj ki jay
Om Vishnupad Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj ki jay
Sa-parikara Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Gandharva Govinda-sundarjiu ki jay
All the Brazilian devotees ki jay
All the assembled devotees ki jay
Bhakta-prabara Prahlad Maharaj ki jay
Suddha-bhakti-vighnar vinasankari Bhagavan Nrisinghadev ki jay
Harinam sankirtan ki jay
Nitai Gaura premanande Hari bol

You will make the chira-dahi mahotsav festival of Srila Raghunath Das Goswami on 15 June. This day Nityananda Prabhu gave His mercy to Srila Raghunath Das Goswami—he had all his bondage removed through that Vaishnav seva and finally got the mercy of Mahaprabhu. So, do Vaishnav seva on this day. Offer flat rice, yoghurt, mango, jackfruit, etc.—whatever you have there.

Harinam sankirtan ki jay
Nitai Gaura premanande Hari bol

Devotees: Jay Om Vishnupad Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj ki jay!

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