Spiritual Trade-Off

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Sri Ekachakra Dham, evening class
5 February 2020, part 3
Translated from Bengali

When it comes to the knowledge of the relationship, this is not coming to us. A one- or two-year-old child does not understand anything—it can eat soil; the child's mother will then come and take that soil out of the child's mouth—she will not even say anything, she will just take open the child's mouth and take the soil out. However, if you give a sweet to the child after that, then the child will understand, "Oh, I like this much more than what I ate before!" We are also like that. Like small children, we tell the Lord, "I want a car, I want a house." We have no intelligence—we are foolish. This is the same as eating soil—you want a car, you want a house, you want money. I told Maharaj yesterday what is written in Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita (I always say it to you all also):

কৃষ্ণ যদি ছুটে ভক্তে ভুক্তি মুক্তি দিয়া ।
কভু ভক্তি না দেন রাখেন লুকাইয়া ॥

krsna yadi chhute bhakte bhukti mukti diya
kabhu prema-bhakti na dena rakhena lukaiya

"If devotees want enjoyment, liberation, etc., Krishna will set them free by hiding the existence of pure devotion (suddha-bhakti-tattva) and giving them enjoyment, liberation, etc."

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Adi-lila, 8.18)

Actually, there are two things written. On the one hand, if I want money, a car, a house, etc. from Krishna, the Lord will give this to me and He will make me forget devotion—He will not give me devotion ("All right, you keep crying, You are begging Me so much for some money, a car, a house, etc. So be it. I am giving you this, be happy now"). On the other hand, it is also written:

কৃষ্ণ কহে,—আমা ভজে, মাগে বিষয়-সুখ ।
অমৃত ছাড়ি’ বিষ মাগে,—এই বড় মূর্খ ॥
আমি-বিজ্ঞ, এই মূর্খে ‘বিষয়’ কেনে দিব ?
স্ব-চরণামৃত দিয়া ‘বিষয়’ ভুলাইব ॥

krsna kahe,—ama bhaje, mage visaya-sukha
amrta chhadi' visa mage,—ei bada murkha
ami—vijna, ei murkhe 'visaya' kene diba?
sva-charanamrta diya 'visaya' bhulaiba

"Krishna says, 'They worship Me, desiring material happiness—leaving aside nectar, they ask for poison. They are great fools. I am very intelligent though. Why will I give these fools material things? Instead, I will give them the nectar of My lotus feet and make them forget the material world."

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Madhya-lila, 22.38-39)

The Lord says here, "I will give them My lotus feet, and I will make them forget all about the material world." However, before that, the Lord says, "I will not give you devotion, I will not give you My lotus feet!" Both points are there in Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, and both point are correct even though there is an apparent contradiction.

This reminds me of Dhruva Maharaj. Dhruva Maharaj went to the forest and spent there five years sitting in one place, unswervingly meditating on Krishna. He did not think about anything else—he was a great king, but he tolerated all kinds of austerity, and Krishna saw that. What did Dhruva Maharaj practise this meditation for? He did not meditate on the Lord to get the Lord—he actually meditated on the Lord to get the throne of his father's kingdom! Still, seeing Dhruva Maharaj's one-pointed determination and meditation, Krishna became pleased. What did Krishna do? Krishna did not come Himself—He first sent to Dhruva Maharaj Narad Goswami in the form of a guru. Sometimes, Krishna comes Himself, and sometimes, He sends His close associates to us. You know this—Krishna Himself comes in the form of a guru or sends one of His associates in the form of a guru to bestow mercy on some fortunate souls. In this way, our Gurudev (the Lord's close associate) came to this world to bestow his mercy on us. So, when Narad Muni came to Dhruva Maharaj, Dhruva Maharaj received spiritual instruction and initiation from him. After that, he stopped his severe meditation and started practising Krishna consciousness according to Narad Muni's instruction. Krishna was again pleased with his service, and then He Himself came to him. Krishna told Dhruva Maharaj, "Here! Take! Take your kingdom! You wanted this throne, then go and take it!" Dhruva Maharaj became shy. He said, "My Lord, please do not embarrass me any further. I was a fool, I was ignorant. I made a mistake by asking You for the throne. Now that I have got You, I do not need any throne any more." He went to the Lord to get the throne, but when He got the Lord, he felt he did not need anything else—he forgot all about the material world. That is why it is said,

কৃষ্ণ কহে,—আমা ভজে, মাগে বিষয়-সুখ ।
অমৃত ছাড়ি’ বিষ মাগে,—এই বড় মূর্খ ॥
আমি-বিজ্ঞ, এই মূর্খে ‘বিষয়’ কেনে দিব ?
স্ব-চরণামৃত দিয়া ‘বিষয়’ ভুলাইব ॥

krsna kahe,—ama bhaje, mage visaya-sukha
amrta chhadi' visa mage,—ei bada murkha
ami—vijna, ei murkhe 'visaya' kene diba?
sva-charanamrta diya 'visaya' bhulaiba

"Krishna says, 'They worship Me, desiring material happiness—leaving aside nectar, they ask for poison. They are great fools. I am very intelligent though. Why will I give these fools material things? Instead, I will give them the nectar of My lotus feet and make them forget the material world."

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Madhya-lila, 22.38-39)

The Lord gave Dhruva Maharaj His own lotus feet and he forgot all about his material desires, all his desires for the throne—having got the Lord, he felt he did not need anything else.

We must remember all this. The Lord is truly merciful.

— : • : —

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