Simplicity and Duplicity

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Kolkata-Worldwide, 31 May 2020, part 5

Are there any other questions?

Question: How can ordinary people get enlivened in Krishna consciousness?

You can tell them what is Krishna consciousness, what for we serve the Lord, what for we practise Krishna consciousness, what is our duty. Sanatan Goswami asked Mahaprabhu five questions:

'কে আমি', 'কেনে আমায় জারে তাপত্রয়' ।
ইহা নাহি জানি—'কেমনে হিত হয়' ॥
'সাধ্য' 'সাধন' তত্ত্ব পুছিতে না জানি ।
কৃপা করি’ সব তত্ত্ব কহ ত’ আপনি ॥

'ke ami', 'kene amaya jare tapa-traya'
iha nahi jani—'kemane hita haya'
'sadhya'-'sadhana'-tattva puchhite na jani
krpa kari' saba tattva kaha ta' apani

"(1) Who am I? (2) Why do I suffer so much? I do not know it. (3) How can I get relief? Actually, I do not know how to inquire about (4) the goal of life and (5) the process for attaining it. Being merciful upon me, please explain all these truths."

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Madhya-lila, 20.102-103)

(1) Who am I? (2) Why are we suffering? (3) How can we prosper in our life? (4) What is our goal? (5) How will we get that goal? These questions and answers are there in Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita. You must tell them that we never die, that we only change our bodies. People think that we die, but only our body does—we never die. You can encourage outside people in this way. Give them some love and affection, sometimes give them some prasadam, sometimes do Harinam sankirtan. In this way new people will join Krishna consciousness. Also, you can use your own practical experience—you can tell how you joined Krishna consciousness, share your experience with others.

Question: It is said that the Name of Krishna and Krishna Himself are non-different, but why do I not get so much feeling when I am chanting the 'Hare Krishna' maha-mantra?

Because there are some material desires in your heart. You do Harinam, but it is not proper Harinam—you sometimes do Nama-abhas (shadow of the Holy Name), sometimes Nama-aparadh (offence of the Holy Name).

aparadha sunya haye laha krsna-nama
achirat tumi pabe krsna-prema-dhana

"Chant the Holy Name of Krishna without offence and you will quickly get the treasure of divine love to Krishna."

If you chant the Holy Name without offence, then you can feel that Krishna's Name, beauty, pastimes are non-different from Krishna. You must chant without offences. Do you understand? Without offence. When you are chanting, "Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna," etc., this is only the alphabet because at this time you are thinking about other things. Is it correct or not? If you think about Krishna's service when you chant the Holy Name, then you can feel that Krishna's Name, beauty, pastimes are non-different from Krishna. On the other hand, if you chant the Holy Name and think about other things, if you have material desires—kanak (money), kamini (companions), and pratistha (name and fame); kama (lust), krodha (anger), lobha (greed), moha (illusion), mada (madness), matsarya (envy); rupa, ras, gandha, sabda, sparsa (desire to enjoy through the senses of sight, taste, smell, sound, touch)—then you will not feel anything when chanting.

Question: How can we stay simple?

Simplicity is necessary for our spiritual life. First, one must be saral (সরল, simple-hearted). Gurudev always says that we must be simple. We must always open everything to our guru, we must not hide anything—we must not be hypocrites. Try to live simply (saral vairagya, সরল বৈরাগ্য, simple renunciation). Live a simple life. Simplicity comes through practice, and how one practises depends upon the practitioner. To be a Vaishnav, to be a sadhu, you must first be simple. Do not be very difficult, do not be a 'zigzag' person. Be straight in your thoughts and behaviour. Scripture also say (and Gurudev had it written on his door), "Saralata-i vaisnavata (সরলতাই বৈষ্ণবতা). Being a Vaishnav means simplicity." Another thing that Gurudev also had written at his veranda is that we must always tell the truth, but we must not tell unpleasant truth (it may be the truth, but if it hurts others, do not tell it). It is necessary to practise. All these things come through practice. Another thing is that, if somebody is duplicitous, we must not see their fault—if somebody does that, let them do it, we will not see their fault.

Sripad Keshto Prabhu year 2006

There was one devotee named Keshto Prabhu who lived in the crops field of our Math. Gurudev always said that he was his dearmost Godbrother and that he was a saral Vaishnav. One time, this Keshto Prabhu came to Gurudev and said, "Maharaj, I came to the temple so many years ago, but I have not taken the second initiation yet..." Gurudev said to him, "Keshto Prabhu, you are already more than a sannyasi, then why is it necessary for you to take the second initiation?"

Devotee: How is he now? Is he still there?

He is no more. He left his body about two years ago...

— : • : —

{ 2001  |   2002  |   2003  |   2005  |   2009  |   2010  |   2011  |   2012 }
{ 2013  |   2014  |   2015  |   2016  |   2017  |   2018  |   2019  |   2020  |   2021 }

• Listen online:

• Download (2.2 Mb)