(7/16) Satisfying Lord and Your Soul

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Temple inauguration programme, Hooghly
26 January 2020, noon, part 7
Translated from Bengali

Srimad Bhagavatam says:

স বৈ পুংসাং পরো ধর্ম্মো যতো ভক্তিরধোক্ষজে ।
অহৈতুক্যপ্রতিহতা যয়াত্মা সুপ্রসীদতি ॥

sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje
ahaitukyapratihata yayatma su-prasidati

"The highest religion of human beings is to practise that by which one attains devotion to transcendental Lord Sri Krishna, who is situated beyond the reach of senses or knowledge – such devotion is unmotivated (there is no hankering for any result), exclusive, natural and detached (there is no taste for the material world), and it is executed through sravan, kirtan, etc. Through such devotion, all unwanted elements are subdued and the soul (atma) attains the highest satisfaction."

(Srimad Bhagavatam, 1.2.6)

You have come to the path of devotion, so I will tell you about devotion today. It is necessary to be intent on the satisfaction of the soul. If the practitioner of exclusive devotion is not intent on the satisfaction of their soul, they begin to slacken in their spiritual practice. For example, you chant five kirtans today, but after that you do not want to chant anymore. So, one day, you start chanting three kirtans, then two and then eventually stop. You do not feel like chanting. You may feel apathetic towards spiritual practice because Maya always attacks you. Your attention and intent should be directed on the divine love for the Lord and the satisfaction of your soul (atma). Our highest attainment is the divine love for Lord Sri Krishna, so we must strive to please Krishna and to attain divine love for Krishna. Attainment of divine love for Krishna and great happiness of the soul – one must progress on the path of devotion becoming firmly focus on these two aspects. This is what is said in Srimad Bhagavatam. Always remember this: one must progress on the path of devotion becoming firmly focused on attainment of divine love for Krishna and great happiness of the soul.

You think, "I have become old, there are so many problems, so much struggle," but if you practise Krishna consciousness focusing on the difficulties, this is not Krishna consciousness. You must practise Krishna consciousness despite all difficulties (tolerating everything). Lord Krishna says, "If I a devotee calls out for My mercy, I very quickly become enamoured by them." He says in Srimad Bhagavatam also: "If a devotee speaks about Me, I very quickly become enamoured by them."

শৃণ্বতাং স্বকথাঃ পুণ্যশ্রবণকীর্ত্তনঃ ।
হৃদ্যন্তঃস্থো হ্যভদ্রাণি বিধুনোতি সুহৃৎ সতাম্ ॥

srivatam sva-kathah krsnah punya-sravana-kirtanah
hrdy antah stho hy abhadrani vidhunoti suhrt satam

"Sri Krishna, the Personality of Godhead, who is the Supersoul in everyone's heart and the benefactor of the truthful devotee, cleanses desire for material enjoyment from the heart of the devotee who has developed the urge to hear His messages, which are in themselves virtuous when properly heard and chanted."

(Srimad Bhagavatam, 1.2.17)

"If a devotee can speak about Me (Hari-katha) and glorify Me (kirtan), I become enamoured by this devotee." Therefore, speaking Hari-katha is the most valuable service. Do you understand now what the Lord loves? On the one hand, if somebody cooks very attentively and feeds the Lord nicely, and on the other hand, if somebody speaks about the Lord to devotees, then the Lord becomes very much enamoured by them. Always remember this. "If you can speak about Me to devotees, I very quickly become pleased and enamoured by that. If you speak about My glories in the association of devotees, I get so much pleasure—nobody on this human planet can give Me such happiness. I live in the hearts of devotees."

নাহং তিষ্ঠামি বৈকুণ্ঠে যোগিনাং হৃদয়ে ন চ ।
মদ্ভক্তাঃ যত্র গায়ন্তি তত্র তিষ্ঠামি নারদ ॥

naham tisthami vaikunthe yoginam hrdayesu va
tatra tisthami narada yatra gayanti mad-bhaktah

"My dear Narada, actually I do not reside in My abode, Vaikuntha, nor do I reside within the hearts of the yogis, but I reside in that place where My pure devotees chant My holy name and discuss My form, pastimes and qualities."

(Padma Purana)

"I do not live in the heart of yogis. If you do not serve Me, you will fail." You think, "If I do not do it, then it will not be done," but this is ego. The Lord Himself says that He serves Himself with many hands and in many ways—"You can never stop My service." Always remember this.

Vaikuntha is the place of Deity worship, and there is no kirtan there. When yogis meditate, there is also no kirtan (they only sit and meditate). However, devotees always stay submerged in the ecstasy of kirtan.

This book, Guidance (Volume 4), will come out soon, probably, at Nityananda-tryodasi. I am trying hard to finish it. I was proofreading it yesterday. I came back at half past eight and started reading it—there are some mistakes in the spelling. Sometimes, some mistakes can escape my eye also. I am still reading without glasses though—the Lord has not made me wear glasses yet...

— : • : —

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Length: 120 min
Language: Bengali

READ OTHER PARTS:

1) Opening Temple—Opening Your Eyes
2) Live As a Member of Krishna's Family
3) Meaning of Surrender (1)
4) Meaning of Surrender (2)
5) How to Pray to Vaishnav Thakur
6) Orphaned and Blind
7) Satisfying Lord and Your Soul
8) Trade Secret of Krishna Consciousness
9) Taste for Hari-Katha
10) Eternal Nourishment
11) Align Your Life
12) Two Keys to Success
13) Ekadasi Vrata (1)
14) Ekadasi Vrata (2)
15) Practise Day and Night
16) If You Want, You Can