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(7/7) Gist of Pilgrimage

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Ganga Sagar, anniversary festival, noon class
12 January 2020, part 7

 

Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur wrote one very beautiful poem, "Mana tumi tirthe sada rata." I published it in one of my books.

মন, তুমি তীর্থে সদা রত ।
অযোধ্যা, মথুরা, মায়া, কাশী, কাঞ্চী, অবন্তীয়া,
দ্বারাবতী আর আছে যত ॥

mana, tumi tirthe sada rata
ayodhya, mathura, maya, kasi, kanchi, avantiya,
dvaravati ara achhe yata

"O mind! You are always attached to places of pilgrimage—Ayodhya, Mathura, Maya, Kasi (Varanasi), Kanchipuram, Avantiya, Dvaraka and so many other places."

তুমি চাহ ভ্রমিবারে, এ সকল বারে বারে,
মুক্তিলাভ করিবার তরে ।
সে কেবল তব ভ্রম, নিরর্থক পরিশ্রম,
চিত্ত স্থির তীর্থে নাহি করে ॥

tumi chaha bhramibare, e sakala bare bare,
mukti-labha karibara tare
se kevala tava bhrama, nirarthaka parisrama,
chitta sthira tirthe nahi kare

"You want to travel all these places again and again for the sake of some liberation. These places will never help you fix your mind, so all this is just your illusion, a meaningless labour."

You are going to a holy place, but your mind is unsettled—you keep worrying if a goat has eaten your garden plants and eggplants. Your mind remains fickle. What is the result of going to a holy place? The result of pilgrimage is sadhu-sanga (saintly association).

তীর্থফল সাধুসঙ্গ, সাধুসঙ্গে অন্তরঙ্গ,
শ্রীকৃষ্ণভজন মনোহর ।
যথা সাধু, তথা তীর্থ, থির করি' নিজ-চিত্ত,
সাধুসঙ্গ কর নিরন্তর ॥

tirtha-phala sadhu-sanga, sadhu-sange antaranga,
sri-krsna-bhajana manohara
yatha sadhu, tatha tirtha, sthira kari' nija-chitta,
sadhu-sanga kara nirantara

"The result of visiting a place of pilgrimage is sadhu-sanga (holy association) and being drawn to the exclusive service of Sri Krishna. A place of pilgrimage is where a sadhu (pure devotee) is. Always keep the association of pure devotees and firmly fix your mind."

যে তী থে বৈষ্ণব নাই, সে তীর্থেতে নাহি যাই
কি লাভ হাঁটিয়া দূরদেশ ।
যথায় বৈষ্ণবগণ, সেই স্থান বৃন্দাবন,
সেই স্থানে আনন্দ অশেষ ॥

ye tirthe vaisnava nai, se tirthete nahi yai
ki labha hantiya dura-desa
yathaya vaisnava-gana, sei sthana vrndavana
sei sthane ananda asesa

"I never go to a place of pilgrimage if there are no Vaisnavs in that place (what is the use walking so far?). Vrindavan is where Vaisnavs are, in such a place there is no end of joy."

Wherever there is a Vaishnav, that place is Vrindavan. Be it on a boat or in a car, if a Vaishnav is there, that place is Vrindavan. This is a very beautiful poem.

কৃষ্ণভক্তি যেই স্থানে, মুক্তিদাসী সেইখানে,
সলিল তথায় মন্দাকিনী ।
যথায় বৈষ্ণবগণ, সেই স্থান বৃন্দাবন,
সেই স্থানে আনন্দ অশেষ ॥

krsna-bhakti yei sthane, mukti-dasi sei-khane,
salila tathaya mandakini
yathaya vaisnava-gana, sei sthana vrndavana
sei sthane ananda asesa

"In the place where there is devotion to Krishna, liberation is a maidservant, all water is the Mandakini. Vrindavan is where Vaisnavs are, in such a place there is no end of joy."

কৃষ্ণভক্তি যেই স্থানে, মুক্তিদাসী সেইখানে,
সলিল তথায় মন্দাকিনী ।
গিরি তথা গোবর্ধন, ভূমি তথা বৃন্দাবন,
আবির্ভূতা আপনি হ্লাদিনী ॥

krsna-bhakti yei sthane, mukti-dasi sei-khane,
salila tathaya mandakini
giri tatha govardhana, bhumi tatha vrndavana,
avirbhuta apani hladini

'In the place where there is devotion to Krishna, liberation is a maidservant, all water is the Mandakini, all mountains are Govardhan, all land is Vrindavan, and the internal energy of the Lord automatically appears on her own."

Wherever there is devotion to Lord Krishna, Mukti (liberation) stays there. Not only that—Mukti Devi stays there as a maidservant.

বিনোদ কহিছে ভাই, ভ্রমিয়া কি ফল পাই,
বৈষ্ণব-সেবন মোর ব্রত ॥

vinoda kahichhe bhai, bhramiya ki phala pai,
vaisnava-sevana mora vrata

'Vinod says, "Brother, what will I get by all this pilgrimage? My sole vow is service to Vaisnavs."'

It is necessary to serve Vaishnavs. This is our duty. What does it mean to chant the Holy Name? Service to Vaishnavs is at the root of everything. When Gurudev and Vaishnavs say something, you must follow it to a T. Do you understand? Remember this.

This is the meaning of visiting Ganga Sagar. We can pray to Kapil Muni, whose ashram is situated here, "You are present here in your samadhi, please steer my mind down the path of devotion."

Jay Srila Guru Maharaj ki jay.

Hari bol! Hare Krishna!

[His Divine Grace chants 'Bhaja bhakata-vatsala Sri Gaura Hari' and arati songs, concluding thus the festival programme.]

 

 

— : • : —

 

 

 

 

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CLICK TO LISTEN TO THE LECTURE

Size: 24.3 Mb
Length: 53 min
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

 

 


 

Food for Thought
'If you give your mind, your heart to material things, these material things, visaya, will always stay with you. Do not give any food to your mind—if you give food to your mind, it will become strong and can take you away from the service.'

We should not fight, should not quarrel—we must tolerate and harmonise with everybody, with the society and the people around you.

"HUMILITY, TOLERANCE, GIVING HONOUR TO OTHERS | HUMILITY, TOLERANCE, GIVING HONOUR TO OTHERS"