Entering Higher Study

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh
5 January 2020, part 5

[His Divine Grace reads from Questions and Answers chapter from Guidance, Volume 3:]

Sometimes we think, "Why do the teachings of Sri Rupa-Raghunath not enter our ears?"

Answer: When our material desires stop completely, then the teachings and pastimes of Sri Rupa-Raghunath will enter our ears—not before that.

Question: What is the purpose of this body?

Answer: Srila Prabhupad said, “We will not stay in this world for long. If you use your body for chanting the glories of the Lord until its demise, this is the purpose of this body.”

Question: What is the highest religion of the jiva soul?

Answer: Srila Prabhupad said, “Our highest religion is to serve the Vraja-vasis afflicted by the pain of separation from Krishna when He left for Mathura.”

Question: How can one live in Mathura?

Answer: If you want to enjoy and imitate living in Mathura, this is not living in Mathura.

Question: What is the only duty of the man?

Answer: Mahaprabhu teaches:

তৃণাদপি সুনীচেন তরোরিব সহিষ্ণুনা ।
অমানিনা মানদেন কীর্ত্তনীয়ঃ সদা হরিঃ ॥

trnad api sunichena taror api sahisnuna
amanina manadena kirtaniyah sada harih

One who is humbler than a blade of grass, more forbearing than a tree, who gives due honour to others without desiring it for himself, is qualified to always chant the Holy Name of Krishna.

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Antya-lila, 6.239)

Hari-kirtan is the only duty. If you always, constantly chant the Holy Name, then all other works (enjoyment, etc.) will stop. If you do not stay always on the path of remembrance of the Lord, then you will be enjoying your material life. If you do not know how every single thing is related to the Lord, then there will be no need for divine love. Foolish people pray to get some material religion, things, money, lust, liberation. In the words of Sri Gaurasundar, these are basic things taught to children—He taught higher and the highest things. Upanisads, Gita are taught in the infant class, if one wants to enter higher study, then they must discuss Srimad Bhagavatam.

Question: What is the result of sincere service?

Answer: When someone preaches Krsna consciousness without deceit or worships the Lord of all four directions Sri Gaurasundar in the form of His Deity and His instructions (vani), the devotees of Gaura become affectionate to such person and the environment percolated with their affection and mercy makes others’ service successful too.

Question: How can we protect the seed of devotional creeper?

Answer: We can see in Sri Chaitanya-charitamrta that if you do not water it, the seed of the devotional creeper (bhakti-lata bij) will dry and be destroyed. In general, if you plant some seeds and do not water them after that, they will dry up, and if you water them too much, the seeds will rot. It is the same here too—sravan and kirtan (hearing and chanting) is the way to protect the seed of the devotional creeper, but if unqualified people listen to or discuss the highest topics found in the works by Chandi Das, Vidyapati, chapters about rasa-lila, etc. on pretext of sravan, then the tiny seed of their devotional creeper will not sprout, it will die very quickly.

Question: What is the reason of our suffering?

Answer: If we do not discuss the answer to the question ‘Who am I?’, then we experience difficulties in life. Various temptations of material life try to drown us. The moment we drop our guard, Witch Maya grabs us by the throat. Unless we do perpetually listen to discussions about Krishna consciousness, there is no way for us to escape the bondage of Maya.

Question: What is devotion?

Answer: When will the industrious materialists get their promised reward? Who will get it? Where will they get it? We debate about this among ourselves, but almost everyone is going down the wrong path without realising this. Those who have even a little realisation of the spiritual world exclusively worship Chaitanya’s feet dust—Brahma, Brihaspati, Indra and other demigod in charge of various duties—reject such trifle knowledge like stool and urine. Devotion is objection against enjoyment and liberation.

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