(5/7) Cannot Have Your Feet in Two Boats

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Ganga Sagar, anniversary festival, noon class
12 January 2020, part 5

There are certain things that are against spiritual life, against Krishna consciousness. You must always keep away from anything that is against devotion. Always accept what is favourable to devotion and always reject what is unfavourable to devotion. Always remember about chastity. I told the other day that it is very important to keep chastity. You know that when Srila Raghunath Das Goswami was staying at Radha Kunda, he threw away a leaf pot that had been brought from another place. He was a close associate of Srimati Radharani, so he did not accept anything from those who oppose Her. Guru Maharaj asked me one day, "Where do you want to stay? At Radha Kunda or Surya Kunda?" It is necessary to think and remember about this. We must serve those who belong to Radharani's group. This is the qualification within which we must serve.

One's devotion depends on one's faith (sraddha-anusare bhakti-adhikari). Listen!

শ্রীকৃষ্ণচৈতন্য-দয়া করহ বিচার ।
বিচার করিলে চিত্তে পাবে চমৎকার ॥

sri-krsna-chaitanya-daya karaha vichara
vichara karile chitte pabe chamatkara

"If you consider the mercy of Sri Krishna Chaitanya, you will be wonder-struck to realise it."

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Adi-lila, 8.15)

সংসারের পার হৈয়া ভক্তির সাগরে ।
যে ডুবিবে সে ভজুক নিতাই চান্দেরে ॥

samsarera para haiya bhaktira sagare
ye dubibe se bhajuka nitai chandere

"To cross over material existence and dive into the ocean of devotion, you must worship Nitaichand."

(Sri Chaitanya-bhagavata, 1.17.152)

You must serve and worship Nitai if you are to cross over this ocean of material existence; Nityananda is non-different from Sri Gurupadpadma. It is necessary to practise spiritual life taking shelter of a bona fide guru. Always very carefully read the ten offences against the Holy Name. Those who have recently taken initiation must read about these offences. You will see that it is written there that the first offence is to consider the guru an ordinary man. It means not following what Gurudev says. Always read about it.

You cannot do something good and at the same time do something bad. If you drink liquor and at the same time drink milk, you will not get any benefit from drinking milk. You cannot do both at the same time. Suppose you are doing a fire sacrifice. You are putting a spoon of ghee into the fire and then a spoon of water. You cannot keep a fire burning like this. You do something good, but in the meantime you do something bad, then the benefit of your good actions will be diminished. Always remember this.

প্রতীপ-জনেরে আসিতে না দিব,
রাখিব গড়ের পারে ॥

pratipa-janere asite na diba
rakhiba gadera pare

"I will not allow anyone who is against You to enter, I will keep them outside."

(Saranagati, Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur)

"I will keep those who oppose devotion far from you." Remember this.

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Language: Bengali

READ OTHER PARTS:

1) Increase Glory of Temple
2) Coming to Ganga Sagar
3) Service Eyes
4) Know Your Place
5) Cannot Have Your Feet in Two Boats
6) Our Exclusive Duty
7) Gift of Pilgrimage