Service with Full Enthusiasm

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Divine Appearance Day, Sri Vyasa Puja
Kolkata—Worldwide, 17 October 2020, part 4

Actually, when I joined the temple, I gave everything—my heart, mind, etc.—to my Gurudev. Now I see devotees are giving everything to me... So many foreign devotees have called me today. Actually, devotees all over the world are giving so much mercy to me, they also give their blessing to me. You know that my health was very bad some time ago, but by the mercy of Gurudev and by the mercy of devotees, owing to their love and affection, I have recovered and my enthusiasm to do my service is now as full as it was before, when I had just joined the temple. I am doing my service with that full enthusiasm—I am making temples and branches everywhere, I am trying to expand Gurudev's Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math Mission. It has already expanded so much. I have no quality, no qualification, but all I have is mercy from Gurudev, and through that medium, through that mercy I am carrying on and able to do so many things. I can understand what is real mercy—what Gurudev has given me.

You know, even those who criticise me, even those who do not like me, called me today! Some devotees from the Indian side called me today and prayed, "Maharaj, come back to the main headquarters of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math (Nabadwip) and take the chair, take the acharyaship. It is impossible to run the temple without an acharya!"

I am very proud and very happy with that. Gurudev is giving me so much energy to build Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math in another way now. I remember when Gurudev had declared me as his successor, some problems happened and Gurudev said at that time, "OK, if they do not like Acharya Maharaj, I will take Acharya Maharaj to another place and he will make another Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math! If you do not like him, you can stay here, but I like him. You refuse to follow my order, there is no more anugatya in this world. I will take him and you can see if he can make another Chaitanya Saraswat Math or not!" I remember Gurudev said it when he felt much pain because of what was happening at that time. Gurudev said that, and you can see that it is actually happening now. This is Gurudev's inner wish.

I was very happy to hear that, and I can see that Gurudev is always with me, he always helps me in everything. Through that, all the devotees all over the world also show their support. In one of the countries, there was a part of the country who was against me, but even they also called me yesterday and they were very happy with me. Before, they used to be unhappy with me, but later on they came and joined me again. They realised, "It was our mistake." So, everyone gradually realises their mistake. As I have told you today, people may have some good things in their heart and may also have some asura things in their heart. There are sometimes two sides of one's nature. When one shows their good side, they do something good, and when they show their asura (demon) side, they do bad things. When one does something good, it is very nice—when an asura becomes a devotee, they can pay dandavat (bow down) and get mercy, like it happened in the case of Jagai and Madhai.

For example, Hiranyakasipu gave so much austerity to Prahlad Maharaj. How much his father Hiranyakasipu tortured him! Compared to Prahlad Maharaj, our difficulties are nothing. How much are we suffering and how much did Prahlad Maharaj suffer because of his father? His father threw him under an elephant, he threw him from a mountain, he threw him into fire, etc. How much his father tortured him! Compared to Prahlad Maharaj, we have no austerity at all in our lives.

Gurduev said, "You will not listen to me, you will not follow what I say—OK, I will take Acharya Maharaj and make another Chaitanya Saraswat Math!" Gurudev said that and you can understand now that this is what is happening—Nrisingha Palli is now becoming like the main temple of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, there is a big temple, and a big guesthouse construction is going on.

The most important thing is that all the devotees are with me. If there is a house but there is no life in that house, then nobody will stay there. There can be a temple, but if no devotees stay there, then it cannot be called a temple. At the headquarters of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, there are only buildings standing now, there is no life there—there is no Vaishnav, no devotees living there. What is called a Math? Even all the Mayapur devotees do not go there...

Now is the pandemic time, but even in this situation they are making festivals in all the temples—in Tarakeshwar, Nrisingha Palli, Ekachakra, Ganga Sangar, Bankura, Mahadiya, Uluberia, etc. Everybody calls me and says, "Maharaj, come to us, come to us." I said I would not go anywhere in this situation, that I would stay here in Kolkata. If I went to Uluberia, then Tarakeshwar would be unhappy; if I went to Tarakeshwar, then Uluberia would be dissatisfied; if I went to Bankura, then Birbhum devotees would be unappy; if I went to Nrisingha Palli, then some other region would be unhappy, and so on. That is why, I decided that I would stay here, and I told everyone, "You can do guru-puja, but do not try to make a festival," but now I am getting the news they have still made festivals everywhere. All the devotees call me and tell me the news.

So, by the mercy of Gurudev, everything is going on properly. Many countries all over the world are holding this festival, all temples are making guru-puja today. I am very happy with them. I am only a dog, but they love this dog, they lovingly take this dog on their lap and say, "Maharaj, where you are, that is Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math—and we will go wherever you are!" When I hear devotees say this, my heart overflows. I am very happy to hear that. I told everyone that it was not necessary for anyone to come here to Kolkata today, I have only invited one-two devotees who were very dear to Gurudev.

So, I am giving my full obeisance to all the Vaishnavs, all the devotees all over the world. I am giving my full obeisance to your service and praying to my Gurudev for you. You have already got a place at Gurudev's lotus feet through your service—you have already got shelter at the lotus feet of Gurudev, and that is my happiness. What makes me happy? When you do not think about material things (visaya) and always give yourself, give all your best things, to the service of your Gurudev. Give your everything for the service to your Guru. I can see that you have already got the shelter of the lotus feet of Gurudev, and that is my happiness.

Jay Srila Guru Maharaj ki jay.

Jay Om Vishnupad Jagad-Guru Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj ki jay
All the assembled devotees ki jay
All the sannyasi-vrinda ki jay
All the worldwide devotees k jay
Samagata Sri Gaura bhakta-vrinda ki jay!
Nitai Gaura premanande Hari bol

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