(7/9) Wrong Preoccupation

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Sri Ekachakra Dham, morning class
Sri Nityananda-Trayodasi, 7 February 2020, part 7
Translated from Bengali

The Lord can be served through sankirtan-yajna (the sacrifice of congregational chanting).

দীক্ষাকালে ভক্ত করে আত্মসমর্পণ ।
সেইকালে কৃষ্ণ তারে করে আত্মসম ॥
সেই দেহ করে তার চিদানন্দময় ।
অপ্রাকৃত-দেহে তাঁর চরণ ভজয় ॥

diksa-kale bhakta kare atma-samarpana
sei-kale krsna tare kare atma-sama
sei deha kare tara chid-anandamaya
aprakrta-dehe tanra charana bhajaya

"Devotees submit their entire being when they take initiation. At this time, Krishna accepts them as His very own and infuses their bodies with consciousness and bliss, and they serve His lotus feet with this transcendental body."

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, 3.4.192–193)

The most important thins is strict, chaste adherence (anugatya). People want to be temple managers, temple owners, and some are unhappy because Gurudev can make them the owners of temples but does not make them managers—they say, "If I cannot be in charge of the temple, it means they have no faith in me, then I will go back to my house."

Gurudev and Nityananda Prabhu are very merciful. When we are covered with unwanted elements, we have faults and shortcomings, but even seeing our faults and shortcomings, Gurudev does not reject us—he still pulls us and embraces us. We have many faults, and Gurudev explains it to us, he scolds us, trying to help us. Nityananda Prabhu and His mercy are also like that. The Lord likes only clean things—He does not like unclean things, and Gurudev also likes clean things. But even though Gurudev likes clean things, we often behave in an impure way—because we have many bad qualities, many faults and shortcomings emerge, but Gurudev forgives us. This is Nityananda Prabhu's mercy. But we cannot realize or understand this easily, that is why we must always worship Nityananda Prabhu, we must always chant His kirtan (glories and Name). Always remember Nitai.

Nityananda is the worshippable embodiment of shelter (asraya-vigraha)—if you remember Him, you will get supreme benefit. Do not talk nonsense, do not gossip. It is necessary to always spread Nityananda's mercy in this world.

We are pulled so strongly. You can see so many people come, but as soon as the festival is over, everyone will leave and go about their own business. We cannot stop thinking about money even for two–five days.

দেহ-গেহ-কলত্রাদি-চিন্তা অবিরত ।
জাগিছে হৃদয়ে মোর বুদ্ধি করি’ হত ॥

deha-geha-kalatradi-chinta avirata
jagichhe hrdaye mora buddhi kari hata

"Constant thoughts of my body, home, wife and other things arise in my heart and ruin my intelligence."

(Sri Kalyan-kalpataru, Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur)

We always think about our bodies and homes—we always think how to live and sleep comfortably. We feel attached to trifle things. That is why it is necessary for everyone to take shelter of Nityananda Prabhu. The problem is that because of small, trifle things, because of various obstacles and problems, we cannot come to this line easily. Not all of us can come to this path—and that is because of some trifle, small things. Somebody says, "I have not got my daughter/son married yet"; somebody says, "I do not have anyone to leave my land with," but you must hear about Pariksit Maharaj.

Pariksit Maharaj got the news that he had only seven days before his death. He distributed and handed over all responsibilities and urged his ministers to make all arrangements quickly. If we get the news that we will die in a month, then we will be busy the whole month allocating our money and land, distributing it among our sons, daughters and other family members. But Pariksit Maharaj decided that he would listen to Srimad Bhagavatam during the remaning seven days that he had left. As he listened to Srimad Bhagavatam during those seven days, all his problems were resolved.

Arjuna also said, "I will not fight, I do not need any happiness or kingdom. Even staying in a jungle is better than killing my relatives. I do not want a happy life or kingdom at the expense of killing my relatives." But Krishna explained everything to him—He told him about karma-yoga, jnana-yoga and other things. Finally, Arjuna said, "I am Your disciple. I will do as You say." When Arjuna surrendered, when he became a disciple, then Krishna arranged everything for him and told him what to do.

"Ye jana Krsna bhaje se jana chatur (যে জন কৃষ্ণ ভজে সে জন চতুর)—those who serve Krishna are very intelligent." Krishna is also very clever. When the Kuruksetra war finished, He came to His aunt, Kunti Devi, and said, "Auntie, I am leaving now. My work has finished. Your sons have got their kingdom back. I will go to Dvaraka (Hastinapur) now." What did Kunti Devi reply? She said, "If You leave, then the whole world is useless. If You do not stay, then what will we do with this kingdom? If You stay with us, then our kingdom will be all right, but if You leave, what is the use of this kingdom? If we worship and serve You, we will get everything; no kingdom is necessary, nothing else is necessary." What she said is right. I read about this conversation in Srimad Bhagavatam. Krishna was testing her—He wanted to see what she would say. He thought, "I was with them when they were in distress, but let Me see if they will forget Me when they are happy again." But we cannot understand this. When we are unhappy—when we are admitted to hospital or something happen, we call the Lord, but when we live comfortably, when we have money and wealth, we think, "Hari? What Hari?" We only call our daughters and sons then. I have seen many families—you come and call them to this line, but they do not come. These things do not even enter their ears...

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Language: Bengali

READ OTHER PARTS:

1) Value Your Time
2) Gaudiya Vaishnavs' Service
3) Perverted and Transcendental Charm
4) Our Greatest and Only Friends
5) Faith vs Acceptance
6) Pull of Maya
7) Wrong Preoccupation
8) World of Uncertainty
9) Inglorious Life