(6/6) Answers to Many Questions

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Ganga Sagar, evening class
12 January 2020, part 6

You should get Guidance 3 and read it. There are many beautiful things written in it. At the end, there is a chapter called "108 Questions and Answers". You can see there what is called sadhu-sanga. If you associate with non-devotees (asadhu) or with false devotees, or if you make a show of coming to a bona fide devotee (sadhu) but protect your own independence, then this is not sadhu-sanga. If you associate with non-devotees (with false sadhus), you will be removed from the association of bona fide sadhus.

How can one live in Vrindavan? If you live in Vrindavan with the enjoyment mentality, this is not living in Vrindavan. Enjoyment mentality means you live in Vrindavan but think how to earn money, how to get something. Living with such a mood is pretence of living in Vrindavan, imitation; it is not living in Vrindavan. Remember this. Many people live in Vrindavan and sit on the street, begging for money, but this is not living in Vrindavan.

Some say that Kali, Krishna, Ganesh and other gods are one and the same. Is it true? You can read about it here, in Guidance 3 ("Questions and Answers" chapter). I have also written here who is called a guru, quoting a verse from Srimad Bhagavatam. A guru who cannot rescue us from the jaws of birth and death is not a guru. Similarly, a mother who cannot bring us to the path of Krishna consciousness is not a mother.

Many say that when they feed poor children, they serve 'poor Narayan'. This is complete ignorance, complete atheism. They call beggars Narayan, the Lord, and consider humans Gods. Rama Krishna Mission also says that serving God means serving mankind. This is ignorance. Narayan can never be poor; neither can a poor man ever be Narayan. Always read and listen about these things.

Always practise Krishna consciousness. How can you make Mahaprabhu happy? Through kirtan. Always engage in sankirtan.

Devotee: Can you please explain the meaning of sankirtan?

It means chanting all together.

Devotee: What can I do if I am alone at home?

Then it is kirtan. There is no problem with that.

Those who look for holes in Vaishnavs always see others' faults. Those who practise Krishna consciousness cannot see any faults in others. If you see others' faults, it means that you are not genuinely practising Krishna consciousness. When you become averse to the Lord and devotees, your falldown is inevitable. Such people forgo Krishna consciousness and become griha-medhi (become engrossed in the household affairs). Who is called a visayi (materialists)? It is those who, instead of seeking eternal spiritual benefit, waste their time on the service to their mundane wife, sons and so on instead of seeking eternal spiritual benefit.

Spiritual association means offering worship to the Lord. There is no other practice or method on this earth except for chanting the Holy Name and glories of the Lord. The only duty of a human being is to call the Lord by His Name. All services are accomplished through chanting the Holy Name of the Lord. There is no other practice or method on this earth except for chanting the Holy Name and glories of the Lord. Service to Sri Hari, Guru and Vaishnavs is service to the associates of Sri Gaura Hari. We must leave unholy association and always keep holy association. You must always remember and follow this.

There are 108 questions and answers in this book (Guidance 3), you should read them every day during the class. There are many references and quotations from Srimad Bhagavatam. I explain here what material attachment is, what the interest of the temple and the interest of the house is; I also wrote about provincialism, about the mood of devotees, about the fight between householders and renunciates. I have also written about hell and different types of hell, about offenders, about home-interest vs. Math-interest and many other important things.

Do you understand what provincialism is? Suppose there is somebody from Uluberia at the temple—when other devotees from Uluberia come, that person gives them more prasad. And when Ganga Sagar people distribute prasad, they give more paneer rasa to the local Ganga Sagar people. (I always watch everyone to see if prasad is distributed properly or not.) This is provincialism: placing the interest of your province above everything else and not being able to see everyone as equal. Always remember this. I also wrote about the asta-kala lila and asta-prahar kirtan. Read about it. I also wrote about what Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math is. These are very beautiful things, always read them. This is Guidance 3, and this Nityananda-trayodasi, Guidance 4 will also come out. I am making one more book. Actually, I am not getting time now. This is my position now. I used to study much, but when I write for an hour now, my hand begins to pain. When I sit in a chair, my body starts paining. Before, I would sit for four hours at exams. When I sat for my honours' exams, I sat for four hours, writing eighty-ninety pages at a time, and there was no pain. I would write so much before. I studied very hard, and everyone says now, "He has got such a good education, but he ended up becoming a sadhu at a temple!" [His Divine Grace chuckles.]

Jay Srila Guru Maharaj ki jay.

[His Divine Grace chants 'Hari haraye Nama Krsna' and concludes the evening class.]

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READ OTHER PARTS:

1) Daily Duty
2) Unfaltering Determination
3) Live Within Service
4) Clouded Intelligence
5) Play of Maya
6) Answers to Many Questions