Learn Proper Conception

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Kolkata, speaking online to
devotees in São Paulo (Brazil),
26 May 2019, part 2

Who can understand Sriman Nityananda Prabhu? Nityananda Prabhu is so merciful—because He bestows His mercy all over the world so many fallen souls like us have taken shelter at the lotus feet of Srila Gurudev, then we can easily understand the extent of His mercy. Sometimes, however, we cannot understand it because of maya. When we get good association—when we feel the desire to listen to these things, when we feel the desire to serve the Lord—then we can surrender to a great Vaishnav and Krishna will remove maya (illusion). That is why we must understand and know some teachings; we must know sambandha, abhidheya, and prayojan. First we must establish the relationship (sambandha), then we must practise (abhidheya):

সাধুসঙ্গ, নামকীর্ত্তন, ভাগবতশ্রবণ ।
মথুরাবাস, শ্রীমূর্ত্তির শ্রদ্ধায় সেবন ॥

sadhu-sanga, nama-kirtana, bhagavata-sravana
mathura-vasa, sri-murtira sraddhaya sevana

"One should associate with devotees, chant the Holy Name of the Lord, hear Srimad Bhagavatam, reside at Mathura and worship the Deity with faith."

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Madhya-lila, 22.124)

Sadhu-sanga, good association, is necessary. Through good association we can hear and understand the proper things, proper guidance, proper etiquette, and proper consciousness. We should listen to our Guru-varga's, Vaishnavs' classes from time to time. We should listen to what they tell, then we can understand how we can avoid Vaishnav-aparadh, how we can avoid seva-aparadh. If we do not know it, then no matter how much we practise, how much we chant and how much service we do, we can still sometimes be doing Vaishnav-aparadh, seva-aparadh, dham-aparadh, Nama-aparadh. We must know what seva-aparadh is, what Vaishnav-aparadh is, what dham-aparadh is. We must understand it.

You know, once Sriman Mahaprabhu told Devananda Pandit, "You have made a Vaishnav-aparadh," but Devananda Pandit was puzzled, "When did I do a Vaishnav-aparadh? I do not know!" Then Mahaprabhu reminded him about Srivas Pandit. Devananda Pandit gave class on Srimad Bhagavatam every day and he was a very good commentator—he would give very good explanation of Srimad Bhagavatam, and so many devotees would come to hear his Bhagavatam class. One day, Srivas Pandit came to hear his Bhagavatam class, and as he was listening to his good explanation, suddenly asta-satvika vikara (ecstasy) came over him and he began to cry, etc. Some of the followers of Devananda Pandit said to Srivas Pandit, "Stop it, you are disturbing the Bhagavatam class! Leave!" In the end, they took Srivas Pandit out from the class, and Devananda Pandit he did not say anything to them. That was his offence.

That is why we must understand that sometimes we can unconsciously make an offence—we make an offence but we are not aware of it.

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