(8/8) Watch Yourself

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Preaching programme
Translated into English from Bengali
20 February 2020, part 8

[An elderly devotee speaks. His Divine Grace explains then to everyone.] He lives with his sons, but because he does not eat or cook meat at home, his sons sometimes go outside to eat meat. One time, he tried to stop them because it was an ekadasi day or something, but because his sons did not listen to him, he became angry. The sons laughed at him in reply.

Anger can be there where it is due. I told today also about one pastime about Gopal Bhatta Goswami or Vallabha Acharya (when somebody asked, Gurudev said that both names are correct), I think not everyone was present at that time. One time, Srila Rupa Goswami composed a sloka. The sloka was correct, but when Gopal Bhatta Goswami (or Vallabha Acharya) came and read it, he said that the sloka was not correct. Srila Jiva Goswami, Srila Rupa Goswami's disciple and nephew, heard it from far and thought, 'What my Master has written is correct!' Later, Srila Jiva Goswami went to bathe in the Yamuna and as he met Srila Gopal Bhatta Goswami, he told him, 'Prabhu, you came in the morning and told that my Guru's sloka was not correct,' and then he explained to him the meaning of the sloka. Srila Gopal Bhatta Goswami was astonished, 'He is right! The sloka is correct.'

He returned to Srila Rupa Goswami and asked him, 'Who is this young boy I have just met?'

'He is my nephew. He lives me as my disciple,' Srila Rupa Goswami explained

'Take good care of this boy, he will be great in the future.'

'Why?' asked Srila Rupa Goswami Prabhu.

'I told you that the sloka you had composed was not right, but I have made a mistake! He explained it to me at the Yamuna.'

Hearing this, Srila Rupa Goswami became very angry. After Srila Gopal Bhatta Goswami (or Vallabha Acharya; whoever it was) left, he spoke to Srila Jiva Goswami, 'Why was it necessary for you to poke your nose into this? He is an elderly devotee and a great scholar. Even if he is wrong and I am right, it is not your duty to interfere. You have no right to stay in Vrindavan! You have made a Vaishnav aparadh!' Srila Rupa Goswami kicked Srila Jiva Goswami Prabhu from his temple, 'Go away! You have no qualification to stay here. Even if he was wrong, you have no right to teach him and show off your knowledge!' Srila Jiva Goswami left and had gone virtually dead when Srila Sanatan Goswami came to him and brought him back to the temple.

You will not get this kind of teachings anywhere now. These days, people like to always look for holes in others. Just as there is this festival here today, everyone has come: somebody will accidentally get served less prasad – they will eat it and later go around telling everyone, 'Oh, they did not give me prasad!' They do dosh-kirtan (দোষ-কীর্ত্তন; sing about others' faults). This is a very big offence.

For example, when we go to big programmes, everyone gets to say a few words. We never object. All speakers must say something. Many big Vaishnavs come, and somebody can say something wrong by mistake also, but does it mean that I must take the microphone and tell about it to everyone? It is a very bad offence to do this. Everybody must be given not just an opportunity but rather respect. We must give honour to everyone.

You can remember Ramachandra Puri's example. He always went everywhere and only looked for faults. He always thought, 'Where is Mahaprabhu's fault?' In the end, he came to Mahaprabhu's room and said, 'Oh, why do You have ants in Your room? You must be eating sweets in Your room!' Mahaprabhu replied, 'Yes, yes. My tongue is so greedy that I eat a lot of sweets.' At another time, Mahaprabhu was invited to somebody's house, and Ramachandra Puri went there to see what was on His plate.

It happened to Gurudev also. One time, we were on a plane. Gurudev was flying in the first class. It happened so that one sannyasi from another mission was on the same plane – he was flying with us, in the economy class. The first class fare is usually two–three times higher than the economy class, but devotees thought that it was difficult for Gurudev to sit in a crammed chair during the flight, so they would arrange for business or first class for him (Gurudev did not want it, but devotees would arrange it for him). So, that other sannyasi was walking around the plane, chanting on his mala. As he was walking and chanting, he would keep coming to the first class. Later, when Gurudev was telling us about it, he said, 'Do you know why that sannyasi kept coming to the business class? He would come to see what I was eating! So, I was showing him the food and eating it!' [His Divine Grace and devotees laugh.] Gurudev knew, 'Devotees have spent much money on the ticket, and this food is included in the fare, so why must I waste devotees' money?' So, Gurudev ate everything, showing what he was eating to that sannyasi. Gurudev joked like that. What is there to be afraid or ashamed of? So, there are such people who always like to criticise and gossip about others.

One time, Gurudev had spent twenty days in Russia. It is a very big country, and some devotees could not find where Gurudev was. When we were travelling on, he told me suddenly, 'Do not put all beads in the check-in luggage. Keep some chanting beads with you, on top of your handbag.' I thought, 'Why should I have new chanting beads ready when we are going to board the plane?' But Gurudev knew everything. Anyhow, Gurudev told me to keep some beads, and I did that. Just as we were going to enter the plane, three people, dressed in pants and shirts, came running to us. Panting, they told Gurudev, 'Maharaj, we have heard you speak in many places, we wanted to take shelter in you, but we could not find you anywhere. We have been looking for you all these days and already thought that we would not get your mercy.' Then Gurudev told me, 'See now? Do you see now why I told you to keep some beads?' Gurudev gave them initiation right on the plane! People come and take initiation on the plane, on the train – they have such a strong desire. They take initiation in any state, at any time, even in the evening. Actually, the Holy Name can be chanted at any time, so there is no problem.

কি শয়নে, কি ভোজনে, কিবা জাগরণে ।
অহর্নিশ চিন্ত কৃষ্ণ, বলহ বদনে ॥

ki sayane, ki bhojane, kiba jagarane
aharnisa chinta krsna, balaha vadane

"Whether you are sleeping, eating or waking up, incessantly think about Krishna and chant the Name of Krishna with your mouth."

(Sri Chaitanya-bhagavat, 2.28.28)

You can chant the Holy Name all day and night. There is no restriction preventing one from chanting or receiving the Holy Name in the evening.

প্রভু কহে,—"কহিলাঙ এই মহামন্ত্র ।
ইহা জপ' গিয়া সবে করিয়া নির্ব্বন্ধ" ॥

prabhu kahe—kahilan ei maha-mantra
iha japa' giya sabe kariya nirbandha

"Always chant the Holy Name—there is no obstruction, no binding, you can chant this Holy Name at any time."

(Sri Chaitanya-bhagavata, 2.23.77)

Hari bol. Jay Srila Guru Maharaj ki jay.

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Length: 44 min
Language: Bengali

READ OTHER PARTS:

1) My Soul's Well-Being
2) Unhealthy Mindset
3) Sincere Faith Does Not Come from Knowledge
4) Best Birth
5) Faith and Determination: Foundation of Krishna Consciousness
6) One-Pointed Life
7) Chanting or Vomiting?
8) Watch Yourself