(3/7) Seva-Vigraha

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Srila Gurudev's Vyasa Puja, Nrisingha Palli
14 December 2019, morning, part 3
Translated from Bengali

Sri Gaura Hari is extremely magnanimous. Assuming a human form, He came in this Kali-yuga to teach us all.

কৃষ্ণ ভুলি' সেই জীব অনাদি-বহির্ম্মুখ ।
অতএব মায়া তারে দেয় সংসারাদি-দুঃখ ॥

krsna bhuli' sei jiva anadi-bahirmukha
ataeva maya tare deya samsaradi-duhkha

'Forgetting Krishna, the soul turned towards the external illusory world in primaeval times. As the result, illusion (Maya) gives such a soul various material miseries.'

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, 2.20.117)

Because we have forgotten the Lord, we are suffering from the agony of so much misery. If you want to get relief from this suffering, the only way to do it is to take shelter in the Lord. Although the Lord comes personally for us, He also sends His close associate as a guru. By chanting his glories, by always thinking about him we can come to the Lord. If we can get Sriman Nityananda Prabhu's mercy, Sri Baladev's mercy, then we can enter His eternal domain. Always remember these things – these are not just some words. What do outside people say? 'The man is above all, there is nothing above him (sabara upare manusa satya, tahara upare nai; সবার উপরে মানুষ সত্য, তাহার উপরে নাই).' But what do we say? 'The man is not above all – God is above all.' You must explain this to the people. Mayavadis place the man above everything, they do not believe that God is above all.

In this world, problems are unavoidable. It is impossible for a jiva soul to solve these problems without service to the Supreme Lord. If you serve the Lord, you can get joy, happiness, divine love, sweetness – nothing else.

It is said in the scriptures:

নৃদেহমাদ্যং সুলভং সুদুর্লভং
প্লবং সুকল্পং গুরুকর্ণধারম্ ।
ময়ানুকূলেন নভস্বতেরিতং
পুমান্ ভবাব্ধিং ন তরেৎ স আত্মহা ॥

nr-deham adyam sulabham sudurlabham
plavam sukalpam guru-karnadharam
mayanukulena nabhasvateritam
puman bhavabdhim na tares sa atmaha

"Those who get this human body but do not try to practise Krishna consciousness, do not try to cross the ocean of material existence, are suicidal (atmaghati). In this human body there is only one way how you can bring benefit to yourself—this body is like a boat and you must accept a Guru as the captain of this boat. What does the Guru do next? When you surrender at his lotus feet, when within your heart you take shelter in him, he gives you mercy that works like a favourable wind. In this way, propelled by that favourable wind of the Guru's mercy, this boat can take you to your destination. However those who cannot understand who is the captain, what is the mercy of devotion, who do not know what is favourable to devotion, what that favourable wind is, are suicidal."

(Srimad Bhagavatam, 11.20.17; translation quoted from Sri Guru Tattva: The Captain of Your Boat)

The human body we have got is like a boat. We must appreciate this birth, we must not lose this chance. Use this birth to serve the Lord! Taking shelter of Sri Guru and Sri Govinda, we must fulfil the true purpose of this birth. Service to the Lord is the highest attainment in life.

You divide property and wealth among the family and friends, among the residents of your village, city, state, country and the whole world, and you think that this is the basis of religion. You must understand where it all leads to. We serve our society and our country, but what we do not understand is that this is not the main purpose in life. Service to jiva souls is not everything. It may be religion, but there is something higher than that – that something higher is service to the Lord. This is what we should think about.

Gurudev is a worshippable embodiment of service to Krishna (Krsnera seva vigraha). He is a dearmost associate of the Lord and a potency of Sriman Nityananda Prabhu.

গুরু কৃষ্ণরূপ হন শাস্ত্রের প্রমাণে ।
গুরুরূপে কৃষ্ণ কৃপা করেন ভক্তগণে ॥

guru krsna-rupa hana sastrera pramane
guru-rupe krsna krpa kare bhagyavane

‘The scriptures confirm that the guru is a form of Krishna. In the form of a guru, Krishna bestows His mercy upon the fortunate.’

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, 1.1.45)

Many scriptures say that the guru is a manifestation of Lord Krishna. Through guru, Lord Krishna comes to bestow mercy on His devotees. The problem is that we cannot see it. Only few fortunate souls can see it.

অধ্যাপিহ সেই লীলা করে গোরা-রায় ।
কোন কোন ভাগ্যবানে দেখিবারে পায় ॥

adyapiha sei lila kare gora raya
kona kona bhagyavane dekhibare paya

'Gora Ray continues performing His Pastimes, and those who are fortunate can see it.'

Guru-tattva is non-different Baladev-tattva. Gurudev is non-different from Baladev. They are one.

সাক্ষাদ্ধরিত্বেন সমস্ত-শাস্ত্রৈ-
রুক্তস্তথা ভাব্যত এব সদ্ভিঃ ।
কিন্তু প্রভোর্যঃ প্রিয় এব তস্য
বন্দে গুরোঃ শ্রীচরণারবিন্দম্ ॥

saksadd-haritvena samasta-sastrair
uktas tatha bhavyata eva sadbhih
kintu prabhor yah priya eva tasya
vande guroh sri-charanaravindam

'I offer my obeisance unto the lotus feet of Sri Guru, who is said by all scriptures to be no doubt the Supreme Lord Himself and considered to be so by pious souls but who is also no doubt the Lord's dear associate.'

(Sri Sri Gurvastakam, Srila Visvanath Chakravarti Thakur)

We also sing, 'Kesavadhrta-haladhara-rupa jaya jagadisa hare (কেশব ধৃতহলধররূপ জয় জগদীশ হরে): O Kesav who assumes the form of a plough-holder (Balaram)! Glory to You, O Lord of the universe, O Hari!' Who is Keshav? On the one hand, Keshav is Krishna; on the other hand, Keshav is Balaram. Who is the plough-holder? Balaram. So, Krishna is Keshav, and Keshav is Balaram. They are one. Nitai and Gaura, Baladev and Krishna are one but They manifest Themselves in two forms. Although Baladev is an alter ego of Krishna (although He is Krishna), He assumes the form of a worshippable embodiment of service to Krishna (seva-vigraha).

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Length: 50 min
Language: Bengali

READ OTHER PARTS:

1) Take Advantage of This Day
2) Leave False Hopes
3) Seva-Vigraha
4) Rules of Love
5) Science of Devotion
6) Do Not Take This Birth for Granted
7) Sweetness in Bitterness