(4/5) Spiritual Balance and Maturity

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Sri Baladev Purnima
Kolkata-Worldwide, 3 August 2020, part 4

Do you have any questions today?

Question: How can I reach a balance between Gurudev's desire and my life as a householder? Should I understand that the most important thing is what Gurudev arranges?

Of course. You must always choose that which Gurudev arranges and always take a decision based on Gurudev's desire. You must surrender properly. I was saying yesterday that you must become a property of your guru, then you will feel, 'I will do whatever gurudev says. It is his matter how he will use his property.' Your desire should not matter. Only his desire will matter.

Are there any other questions?

Question: Can you please tell us about the guru principle?

The guru principle? The guru always follow his gurudev's instruction. If somebody wants to be a guru, he will follow his guru's instruction. Otherwise, without gurudev's order, how can he even become a guru? Also, the guru's principle is that he will not be fickle-minded. The guru will always be strict; he will always follow all rules and regulations and all principles. The main qualification of the guru is that he must always be loyal to his guru. We must run in this way. There must be no question of having no faith in the guru or having doubts about the guru. You must have the strongest faith in your guru. It is said in the scriptures:

যদ্যপি আমার গুরু বেশ্যা-বাড়ি যায় ।
তথাপিও আমার গুরু নিত্যানন্দ-রায় ॥

yadyapi amara guru vesya-bari yaya
tathapio amara guru nityananda-raya

'Even if my guru, Nityananda Ray, goes to a prostitute's house, He is still my guru.'

It means, 'Even if my guru goes to a prosquarter, he is still my guru.' We have no right to judge the guru. We cannot judge who is a good Vaishnav or who is a great vaishnav. We cannot do that. Even Brahma cannot recognise who is a great Vaishnav. If even Brahma cannot recognise a Vaishnav, then how can we do that? So, we should not make any offences. We should be always like Bhaktivinod Thakur:

বৈষ্ণব-চরিত্র, সর্ব্বদা পবিত্র,
যেই নিন্দে হিংসা করি’ ।
ভকতিবিনোদ না সম্ভাষে তাঁ’রে,
থাকে সদা মৌন ধরি’ ॥

vaisnava-charitra sarvada pavitra
yei ninde himsa kari'
bhaktivinoda na sambhase tan're
thake sada mauna dhari'

'The character of Vaishnavs is always pure. Bhaktivinod keeps quiet and does not associate with those who are envious of Vaishnavs and who criticise Vaishnavs.'

(Sri Kalyan-kalpataru)

When somebody criticised a Vaishnav, Bhaktivinod Thakur never said anything – he would become quiet (mauna, মৌন) and very serious (gambhir, গম্ভীর).

Question: How can we develop maturity in our spiritual practice?

[His Divine Grace chuckles.] How can you become mature in your practice? I told about it many times.

আদৌশ্রদ্ধা ততঃ সাধুসঙ্গোঽথ ভজনক্রিয়া ।
ততোঽনর্থনিবৃত্তিঃ স্যাৎ ততো নিষ্ঠা রুচিস্ততঃ ॥
অথাসক্তিস্ততো ভাবস্ততঃ প্রেমাভ্যুদঞ্চতি ।
সাধকানাময়ং প্রেম্ণঃ প্রাদুর্ভাবে ভবেৎ ক্রমঃ ॥

adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sango 'tha bhajana-kriya
tato 'nartha-nivrttih syat tato nistha ruchis tatah
athasaktis tato bhavas tatah premabhyudanchati
sadhakanam ayam premnah pradurbhave bhavet kramah

'First, there is faith; then, saintly association and practising life. After that, unwanted habits gradually go away, spiritual life becomes stable, and spiritual taste comes. Then comes attachment, feeling and finally transcendental love. This is how love for the Lord comes to those who practise Krishna consciousness.'

(Sri Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, 1.4.15-16)

You can practise in this way. First, you must surrender (have saranagati). Surrender is the main thing. You should ask yourself, 'Am I practically surrendered or not? Am I surrendered properly or not?' Only a surrendered soul can become mature in their practise. I have told you and read to you from the books many times about what surrender means.

দীক্ষাকালে ভক্ত করে আত্মসমর্পণ ।
সেইকালে কৃষ্ণ তারে করে আত্মসম ॥

diksa-kale bhakta kare atma-samarpana
sei-kale krsna tare kare atma-sama

'Devotees submit their entire being when they take initiation. At this time, Krishna accepts them as His very own.'

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, 3.4.192)

At the time when we take initiation, do we surrender properly or not? 'Atma-sama' means at the time of initiation, if the devotee surrenders properly, Krishna thinks, 'He is mine.' The disciple will also feel, 'I am Krishna's, and Krishna is mine. I am Gurudev's, and Gurudev is mine.' You must realise this properly and establish yourself in this, then you can do everything properly – read spiritual books, practise sravan and kirtan, come to the mangal-arati and so on. Practise and do the service that you have properly.

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, Madhya-khanda, 28.28)

When you are sleeping, taking prasadam or waking up, always think about Krishna (aharnisa chinta krsna balaha vadane). Mahaprabhu told to everybody also:

যদি আমা'-প্রতি স্নেহ থাকে সবাকার ।
তবে কৃষ্ণ-ব্যতিরিক্ত না গাইবে আর ॥

yadi ama'-prati sneha thake sabakara
tabe krsna-vyatirikta na gaibe ara

'If you have any love and affection for Me, then only say 'Krishna'—do not say anything except "Krishna".'

(Sri Chaitanya-bhagavata, Madhya-khanda, 28.27)

'If you have love and affection for Me, if you love Me, if you like Me, then you will say only "Krishna", nothing else.' This is Mahaprabhu's teachings.

Mahaprabhu's teachings are very nice. Read the Siksastakam, there are very nice topics in it. The Kartik month is coming soon, and you must sing the Siksastaka songs every day. It is our main practice.

মন্মানস-মধুকর মর্পয় নিজপদ-পঙ্কজ-মকরন্দে ॥
যদ্যপি সমাধিষু বিধিরপি পশ্যতি ন তব নখাগ্রমরীচিম্ ।
ইদমিচ্ছামি নিশম্য তবাচ্যুত তদপি কৃপাদ্ভুতবীচিম্ ॥

man-manasa-madhukaram arpaya nija-pada-pankaja-makarande
yadapi samadhisu vidhir api pasyati na tava nakha gramarichim
idam ichami nisamya tavachyuta tadapikrpadbhutavichim

'Please place the bee of my heart in the honey of Your lotus feet. O Achyuta! Although even Brahma, in samadhi, cannot see the lustre of the tips of Your toenails, I have heard of the waves of Your wonderful mercy and I desire to see it.'

(Krishna-vandana, Srila Rupa Goswami Prabhu)

The meaning of this song is very sweet like honey. Mahaprabhu would recite this Krishna-vandana. Mahaprabhu told in His teachings (siksa) also:

ন ধনং ন জনং ন সুন্দরীং কবিতাং বা জগদীশ কাময়ে ।
মম জন্মনি জন্মনীশ্বরে ভবতাদ্ভক্তিরহৈতুকী ত্বয়ি ॥

na dhanam na janam na sundarim kavitam va jagadisa kamaye
mama janmani janmanisvare bhavatad bhaktir ahaituki tvayi

'I do not want wealth, I do not want followers or beautiful women, I do not want to be a poet or a scholar. I only want causeless devotion to Your lotus feet. Give me that kind of devotion to Your lotus feet so that I could serve You life after life.'

(Siksastakam, 4; Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, 3.20.29)

নাহি মাগি দেহ-সুখ, বিদ্যা, ধন, জন ॥
নাহি মাগি স্বর্গ, আর মোক্ষ নাহি মাগি ।
না করি প্রার্থনা কোন বিভূতির লাগি’ ॥

nahi magi deha-sukha, vidya, dhana, jana
nahi magi svarga ara moksa nahi magi
na kari prarthana kona vibhutira lagi'

'I do not pray for bodily pleasure, learning, wealth, or followers. I do not pray for heaven, I do not pray for liberation, and I do not pray for any supernatural powers.'

(Gitavali, Sri Siksastakam Giti, Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur)

We do not ask for any heaven or liberation.

নিজ কর্ম্ম-গুণ-দোষে যে যে জন্ম পাই ।
জন্মে জন্মে যেন তব নাম গুণ গাই ॥

nija karma-guna-dose ye ye janma pai
janme janme yena taba nama guna gai

'Whatever birth I get as the result of my own actions and good and bad qualities, may I birth after birth sing Your Name and glories.'

(Gitavali, Sri Siksastakam Giti, Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur)

'Prabhu, You can give me any birth, but please allow me to always glorify your pastimes.' This is Mahaprabhu's eightfold teachings (siksa-astak).

চেতোদর্পণ-মার্জ্জনং ভব-মহাদাবাগ্নি-নির্ব্বাপণং
শ্রেয়ঃকৈরব-চন্দ্রিকা-বিতরণং বিদ্যাবধূ-জীবনম্ ।
আনন্দাম্বুধি-বর্দ্ধনং প্রতিপদং পূর্ণামৃতাস্বাদনং
সর্ব্বাত্ম-স্নপনং পরং বিজয়তে শ্রীকৃষ্ণসঙ্কীর্ত্তনম্ ॥

cheto-darpana-marjanam bhava-mahadavagni-nirvapanam
sreyah-kairava-chandrika-vitaranam vidya-vadhu-jivanam
anandambudhi-vardhanam prati-padam purnamrtasvadanam
sarvatma-snapanam param vijayate sri-krsna-sankirtanam

'Sri Krishna-sankirtan cleanses the mirror of consciousness, extinguishes the raging forest fire of material existence, shines moonlight on the evening lotus of good fortune, is the life of the divine knowledge—the life of souls enlightened with paramour love for the Lord, expands the ocean of ecstasy, is the taste of full nectar at every moment, and soothes the entire self. May Sri Krishna-sankirtan be supremely victorious!'

(Siksastakam, 1; Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, 3.20.12)

These are very nice things. You can practise in this way.

I know that the person who asked the question is a small girl, but she should practise properly, it will be very nice. The problem is that illusory environment is sometimes very powerful, and it takes us away removing us from service. But:

মায়ারে করিয়া জয় ছাড়ান না যায় ।
সাধুর-গুরুর কৃপা বিনা না দেখি উপায় ॥

mayare kariya jaya chhadana na yaya
sadhur-gurur krpa bina na dekhi upaya

'You cannot conquer illusory environment and become released from it. I see no other way to get relief except by the mercy of saints and the guru.'

(Prarthana, Srila Narottam Das Thakur)

We cannot conquer the illusory environment without the mercy of sadhus, gurus and Vaishnavs. That is why we always pray to their lotus feet, 'Please rescue me! Please save me from this illusory environment!'

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READ OTHER PARTS:

1) Appearance of Lord Baladev
2) Understanding Baladev's Glory
3) Sticking with Pure Life
4) Spiritual Balance and Maturity
5) Understanding Gurudev