Mercy Incarnate

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Sri Krishna Janmastami, evening, Tarakeswar
23 August 2019, part 5, translated from Bengali

As a part of His pastimes, the Lord also tests the demigods. When demigods get their heavenly happiness, they forget the Lord, and this happens to us too—when we get much money, wealth, a good house, a good car, etc., we stop thinking about the Lord, but when something happens, when we are admitted to hospital, for example, then we call out to the Lord. We always worry about accumulating money, but when somebody steals that money from you and you forget about money, then you realise, "It is good that it has been stolen!" Those who go against the Lord and His devotees may at first feel some peace, but after that they end up nowhere. That is why the demigods too enjoy their wealth, houses, etc. but they forget the Lord and from time to time the Lord punishes them by creating demons, and sometimes the Lord also appears to defeat the demons and return heaven to the demigods. Such are the Lord's pastimes.

The Lord performs various pastimes for His own pleasure—He assumes the form of a boar, fish, lion, etc. Krishna performs all these pastimes, He kills Aghasur, Batsasur, He performs the Kaliya-daman lila bestowing mercy on the wives of wicked Kaliya-nag who prayed to Him, "If You kill him, we are going to become widows! Please spare him!" Kaliya-nag symbolises ego. When Krishna ousts Kaliya-nag, He ousts ego. You can read about all these pastimes in Srimad Bhagavatam, and later today I will read to you about the birth of Lord Krishna. Try to always remember about the service to the Lord.

As you know, the Lord appears in this Kali-yuga too—He appears as the most magnanimous Lord, mercy incarnate—

কলিকালে নামরূপ কৃষ্ণ-অবতার ।
নাম হৈতে হয় সর্ব্বজগৎ-নিস্তার ॥

kali-kale nama-rupe krsna-avatara
nama haite haya sarva-jagat-nistara

"In the Kali-yuga, Krishna appears in the form of the Name. The entire world is delivered through that Name."

(Chaitanya-charitamrita, Adi-lila, 17.22)

People used to meditate in Satya-yuga and worship Deities in Dvapar-yuga, when their lifespan was 1,000 years. However, people's lifespan is only 120 years in Kali-yuga, so the Lord Himself comes in this age to rescue the fallen souls.

Near our temple in Vrindavan there is a place called Imlitala. 'Imli' means 'a tamarind tree'—there is a tamarind tree growing there. Now only the bark of that tree is left there and a new tree sprouted near it—the original tree has left its body. If you go to Radha Kunda, you can also see the Pancha Pandavas (Yudhisthir, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakul, and Sahadev)—they became trees and live to this day at Radha Kunda(!). They are Krishna's friends, and, aspiring to hear about Radha-Krishna, they came to live on the bank of Radha Kunda. So, one day, Krishna was sitting at Imlitala, under the tamarind tree, on the bank of the Yamuna. He meditated, "Why does Radharani cry so much chanting My Name? What sort of peace does She feel when She serves Me? I must get that taste too!" That is why the Lord appears in this world as Gauranga Mahaprabhu, a combined form of Radha-Krishna.

জীব জাগ, জীব জাগ, গোরাচাঁদ বলে ।
কত নিদ্রা যাও মায়া-পিশাচীর কোলে ॥

jiva jago, jiva jago, gorachanda bale
kata nidra yao maya-pisachira kole

Sri Gorachand calls, “O souls, awake! O souls, awake! How long will you sleep in the clutches of the witch Maya?

পিশাচী পাইলে যেন মতিচ্ছন্ন হয় ।

মায়াগ্রস্ত জীবের হয় সে ভাব উদয় ॥

pisachi paile yena mati-chchhanna haya
maya-grasta jivera haya se bhava udaya

"When someone is possessed by a ghost, they become bewildered. This condition overtakes souls bound by Maya."

(Sri Sri Prema-vivarta, 6.3)

We too are souls caught by Maya—we are possessed by a witch, or a ghost... Always remember this, always think about this—Krishna, the Lord Himself appears in this world as Gauranga Mahaprabhu, a combined form of Radha-Krishna, and He goes door to door calling out to everyone, "Wake up, jiva soul! Stop sleeping! You have lost your home! Krsna bolo, sange cholo, ei matra bhiksa chai: I am begging you for one thing only—come with Me and chant the Holy Name of Krishna!"

তব কথামৃতং তপ্তজীবনং
কবিভিরীড়িতং কল্মষাপহম্ ।
শ্রবণমঙ্গলং শ্রীমদাততং
ভুবি গৃণন্তি তে ভূরিদা জনাঃ ॥

tava kathamrtam tapta-jivanam
kavibhir iditam kalmasapaham
sravana-mangalam srimad-atatam
bhuvi grnanti te bhurida janah

"My Dear, bestowing the greatest fortune that is attained after so many births, exalted souls come to this world and live here by singing and spreading Your nectarean glories that are life and soul for those suffering in this material world being devoid of Your divine love; that are the gist of all poets' songs; that are the destroyer of all sins; that benefit anyone who hears them; and that possess universal attraction."

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Madhya-lila, 14.13)

Those who give some lakhs of rupees are not great donors! The greatest donors are those who preach about the Holy Name, about the Lord, about Krishna consciousness in this world—those who rescue the souls who have turned away from the Lord and are in Maya's clutches and engage them in the service of the Lord, and after engaging them in the service of the Lord, they send them to the service to the lotus feet of Radha-Krishna, Govinda. They are the greatest donors!

By a great mercy, by a great fortune, we have got the darshan of sadhus, Guru and Vaishnavs in this lifetime. Having got their darshan, we have got everything!

গঙ্গার পরশ হৈলে পশ্চাতে পাবন ।
দর্শনে পবিত্র কর এই তোমার গুণ ॥

gangara-parasa ha-ile paschate pavana
darsane pavitra kara—ei tomara guna

If the Ganges touches someone, he is later purified, but you purify souls simply by seeing them—such is your power.

You must first touch the Ganges to become clean, but you can become clean just by merely seeing a Vaishnav, by getting their darshan. Hearing Hari-katha from such Vaishnavs, hearing about such Vaishnavs, about their qualities purifies the heart:

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."

('Jayare jayare jaya paramahamsa mahasaya')

We must always chant the glories of Vaishnavs. Always think about this.

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