Entering Gurudev's Family

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Bengali/English lecture on Sri Vyasa Puja Day
29 September 2019, Tarakeswar, part 10

The Lord accepts one's offering with all and any of His senses, however one cannot offer to the Lord impure and inauspicious items—such offerings will not reach Vaikuntha or Vrindavan. Such things cannot be used in service.

Krishna lives with His family in Vaikuntha and you live in the world of Sakuntha. Yet the Lord resorts to an amazing trick, or deception, for you—the Lord sends His own associate from Vaikuntha in the form of Gurudev. Gurudev comes to the material world and lives within a spiritual family of Krishna according to the principles of true religion and recruits others into this family.

You think, "Oh, I have a small house, a small family, but Maharaj has a big building, many cows, etc." but this is Krishna's family—come to this family too. If you come to this family, you will get an opportunity to serve here, and you will be able to go to Vaikuntha and take part in the service of the Lord. Gurudev uses you for the Lord's pleasure, engages you in the Lord's service—Gurudev stretches his hand to you, but why do you not accept his hand? I have kept nice preparations on a plate, but if I do not eat it, will my stomach be full? The Lord and Gurudev arrange for such beautiful things for you, but if you do not accept it, do you think your anarthas will go away? Never.

So, by the order of the Lord, Gurudev lives in the family of Krishna, and his eternal husband in this family is Krishna, therefore Gurudev uses everything in His service, and those who have taken shelter of Gurudev's lotus feet are also accepted into this family, that is why Gurudev says, "We live in the family of Krishna. We are fuel for Krishna's enjoyment."

Bhajananandi gurus practise Krishna consciousness on their own. Many say, "Running a temple is so much of a problem. I will stay alone and live in some cave in the Himalaya." Such persons do their own practise and go to the Lord, but they do not think about others in this world—they do not think about all the conditioned souls that live in Maya's bondage (like us). When Srila Sridhar Maharaj decided to practise on his own, he went to Vrindavan and stayed at Pavan Sarovar, but later he came back here and started rescuing the fallen souls. On the other hand, even when Gurudev was not staying at the temple (when he left Nabadwip and stayed in Kolkata), he served the Lord, he served his Guru from there also. That is why Srila Sridhar Maharaj chose him.

So, bhajananandi gurus, who stay alone or in some cave, do not do anything for common souls, but mahanta gurus give many souls an opportunity to serve the Lord and can rescue them from their inauspicious state (can remove their anarthas). Gurudev can live alone and practise on his own. For example, I could easily say there is too much problem in the temple and go to stay in America, London or any other place, but is that my duty?

There are industrialists in this world. They open a factory and give people work (give them an opportunity to work at the factory). Gurudev also makes one factory—this Math can be compared to a factory—and he gives everybody work at this factory, "You do the dishes," "You look after the cows," "You clean the building," "You do some construction works," "You do the electric works." Gurudev has opened a factory (a temple) and gives job to such fallen souls as we. What is the salary? The salary is your ticket to Vrindavan. He makes you a servant and gives you salary, but that salary is not the money or wealth of this world—the salary you get from Gurudev is mercy and a ticket to Vrindavan.

The problem is, however, that you get on the train to Vrindavan, but you go to Bardhaman, Gaya, Kasi, etc. Gurudev gives everyone a ticket to Vrindavan, but many get off on the way. How will you go to Vrindavan then? You follow your mind and do not listen to what your Gurudev tells you. I told you yesterday that you can get many gurus in this world, but it is rare to find a disciple who obeys his Guru. Just giving some flower or putting a garland on Gurudev is not guru-seva. Guru-seva is continuous, non-stop service. It is necessary to take initiation, but one does not become a disciple just by taking mantra at the initiation time.

So, Gurudev opens a service factory and many people get an opportunity to serve the Lord—many can come and join the family of Krishna. You chant the Holy Name, you chant kirtans, but you must enter the family of Krishna. Therefore, Gurudev calls out, "Come, come! Come to my family!" Unless you enter this family, unless you enter the family of Krishna, your anarthas will never leave you even if you chant millions of Holy Names with offences. Many chant the Holy Name, but do they get the result? Can you go to Vaikuntha or Vrindavan only by chanting the Holy Name? If you enter Gurudev's family and serve Guru, you can become perfect quickly and progress towards your goal quickly.

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