(7/7) You Must Want To Learn

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Evening class, Sri Nrisingha Palli
3 November 2020, part 7
Translated from Bengali

[To a devotee] What do you say? Will you stay for some days? Stay. Stay. Stay for some time, you can chant kirtans, come to the class and do service. Can you chant kirtans? Mostly, it is necessary to chant kirtans. I did not chant kirtans in my childhood. When I came to the temple, I would chant together with everybody else, that is how I have learnt the Gaudiya Gitanjali book by heart. I could chant many kirtans without a book, but now I have forgotten many of them. I remember five morning and five evening kirtans and a few others. When I chant other kirtans, I look in the book and chant them. I remembered Srila Prabhupad's kirtan ('Sujjanarvuda...'), 'Samsara-davanala' and others by heart.

[To another devotee] Have you learnt any kirtans by heart? You have been here for six months already. How can you not learn even one kirtan by heart? Do you know the arati kirtans and the Tulasi parikrama kirtan by heart? Have you not learnt 'Yasomati-nandana'? If you cannot do it at this age, what will you do then? [Devotee: I wash the dishes.] You wash the dishes, it is all right, but what about the rest of the time? You have the rest of the day. If you come to the arati every day, you will learn every kirtan by heart. We did not learn kirtans by reading books. We just came, chanted with everyone, and that is how we remembered them. We did not have time to read the books. If you sing and sing kirtans, you will remember them, but it is necessary to chant, out loud, not with your mouth closed. You can keep a kirtan book with you and chant from the book. When we chant kirtans, you must sit with us and chant, reading the words from the book. Otherwise, you will not be able to learn them. If you chant only in your mind, you will not remember the kirtans like that.

When you go to school, college or university, you come there with your books, and when the teachers is giving a lecture, you have the book open in front of you and study by listening and reading. You must learn to chant kirtans in the same way; otherwise, your life will be gone and you will not learn anything. When you drop down dead, the only kirtan you will hear will be 'Bolo Hari'.

Some devotees have come to the temple after you, and they have learned to chant kirtans, but you have not. You should feel shy.

মত্তুল্যো নাস্তি পাপাত্মা নাপরাধী চ কশ্চন ।
পরিহারেঽপি লজ্জা মে কিং ব্রুবে পরুষোত্তম ॥

mat-tulyo nasti papatma naparadhi cha kaschana
parihare 'pi lajja me kim bruve purusottama

'There is no parallel to my sinful, criminal life. Everything that can be conceived of as bad is found in me. O Supreme Lord, I am even ashamed to come before You to petition, "Please forgive my offences." What more can I say than this?'

I tell you all these things so many times, but you are not listening. What will become of you?

কয় বার এলি কয় বার গেলি
তবু তত্ত্ব না শিখিলি ।
নিজের মাথা নিজে খাইলি
এ দোষ দিবি কারে ভাই ?

kaya bara eli kaya bara geli
tabu tattva na sikhili
nijer matha nije khaili
e-dosa dibe kare bhai?

'Coming and going, coming and going, and never learnt anything. You have been eating your own brain, who will you blame now, brother?'

Who will you blame? You are your own enemy, and you are your own friend. There are no enemies or friends in this world. Both sura (a god) and asura (a demon) reside within you.

I have told you that you must chant five kirtans in the morning and five kirtans in the evening. You must learn at least these kirtans by heart. I am not telling you to memorise the whole book. Five kirtans in the morning, five in the evening and the arati songs. If you go for preaching and you are asked to chant the arati, you will not be able to do it. Will you chant from a book then? It will not do. You must learn 'Yasomati-nandana', 'Bhaja bhakata vatsala' (the bhoga-arati song), 'Jaya Sachinanadana', 'Kali-kukkura-kadana' and other arati songs by heart. Come for the arati, chant with everyone, and you will learn them. Wake up early in the morning, come for arati and kirtans. When it first came to Kartik month, I chanted the Siksastakam kirtans for one month, and by the end of the month, I remembered them by heart. I always tell you:

তৃণাধিক হীন দীন অকিঞ্চন ছার ।
আপনে মানবি সদা ছাড়ি অহঙ্কার ॥

trnadhika hina, dina, akinchana chhara
apane manabi sada chhadi ahankara

'Give up ego and consider yourself lower than a blade of grass, poor, destitute and vile.'

বৃক্ষসম ক্ষমাগুণ করবি সাধন ।
প্রতিহিংসা ত্যজি অন্যে করবি পালন ॥

vrksa-sama ksama-guna karabi sadhana
pratihimsa tyaji anye karabi palana

'Practise tolerance like that of a tree, stop ill-treating others and nurture everyone.'

জীবন-নির্ব্বাহে আনে উদ্বেগ না দিবে ।
পর-উপকারে নিজ-সুখ পাসরিবে ॥

jivana-nirvahe ane udvega na dibe
para-upakare nija-sukha pasaribe

'Live without causing anxiety to others; do good unto others forsaking your own happiness.'

(Gitavali, Sri Siksastakam Giti, Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur)

I learnt this by chanting. The problem is that people do not want to study, do not want to to learn anything. When you come for kirtans, you must take a book with you and chant from the book. Come, chant and learn the kirtans; otherwise, you will not get anywhere.

দুর্ল্লভ মানব জন্ম লভিয়া সংসারে ।
কৃষ্ণ না ভজিনু দুঃখ কহিব কাহারে ॥

durlabha manava-janma labhiya samsare
krsna na bhajinu—duhkha kahiba kahare?

'I have got a very rare human life in this world, but I have not worshipped Lord Krishna. Whom will I tell about my misery?'

সংসার সংসার ক'রে মিছে গেল কাল ।
লাভ না হইল কিছু ঘটিল জঞ্জাল ॥

'samsara' 'samsara' kari' michhe gela kala
labha na ha-ila kichhu, ghatila janjala

'Time has passed as I have been busy with my material life, and the result is nothing—only garbage.'

কিসের সংসার এই, ছায়াবাজী প্রায় ।
ইহাতে মমতা করি' বৃথা দিন যায় ॥

kisera samsara ei chhayabaji praya
ihate mamata kari vrtha dina yaya

'What sort of world is this? It is only a trick, a show. While I affectionately take it as my own, days pass by in vain.'

দিন যায় মিছা কাজে নিশা নিদ্রাবশে ।
নাহি ভাবি মরণ নিকটে আছে বসে ॥

dina yaya michha kaje nisa nidra-base
nahi bhavi marana nikate achhe base

'My days are passed in useless work and nights are wasted on sleeping. It never occurs to me that there is death sitting next to me.'

(Sri Kalyan-kalpataru, Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur)

You sing every morning:

জীবন অনিত্য জানহ সার
তাহে নানাবিধ বিপদ-ভার ।
নামাশ্রয় করি' যতনে তুমি
থাকহ আপন কাজে ॥

jivana anitya janaha sara
tahe nana-vidha vipada-bhara
namasraya kari' yatane tumi
thakaha apana kaje

'Know that the main thing is that life is temporary and filled with all sorts of danger. Continue your life trying your best to take shelter of the Name.'

(Sri Gitavali, Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur)

Even when you are doing service, you must chant kirtan. Even when you wash the dishes, you must chant kirtans at this time, if you know them by heart. Even if you are washing the dishes when everyone is sitting and chanting kirtans, you must wash the dishes and still chant kirtans with everyone at this time. It is necessary to have this kind of mood, this kind of nature. Always chant kirtan.

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-bhagavata, 2.28.28)

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, 2.28.27)

We have one devotee in our Math. He is staying at Dum Dum Park now. He does not know how to write. Somebody taught him only how to write his name, and he can write that. But he knows all kirtans by heart. He chanted together with everyone and learnt everything by heart. He knows even more kirtans than I do. For example, 'Bhuliya tomare' is a long kirtan, but he knows it by heart. He does not know how to read or write, but he knows all kirtans. There was a devotee, Madhu-mangal Prabhu (he died already). He was completely blind, but he knew all kirtans by heart. We used to take him by the arm and help him walk to take prasad. He not only knew all kirtans by heart, he could also keep all the keys from the rooms. If you came to him and asked the key from Room 7, he was able to find and give it to you. He had a very good memory. So, if you have Vaishnavs' mercy, you can get everything. If your Guru or Vaishnavs tell you to do something, but you do not listen, where does that take you? If a school teacher tells you, 'Read this,' but you do not do it, you can never learn anything like that.

There are so many beautiful kirtans. Wake up early in the morning and purify your mind through kirtan.

ঠাকুর বৈষ্ণবগণ করি এই নিবেদন
মো বড় অধম দুরাচার ।
দারুণ-সংসার-নিধি তাহে ডুবাইল বিধি
কেশে ধরি' মোরে কর পার ॥

thakura vaisnava-gana kari ei nivedana
mo bada adhama durachara
daruna-samsara-nidhi tahe dubaila vidhi
kese dhari' more kara para

'O Vaishnav Thakurs! I am offering this prayer to you. I am very fallen and vile. Providence has dunked me into the fathomless ocean of material existence! Please catch me by the hair and help me get across it!'

বিধি বড় বলবান্ না শুনে ধরম জ্ঞান
সদাই করম-পাশে বান্ধে ।
না দেখি তারণ লেশ যত দেখি সব ক্লেশ
অনাথ কাতরে তেঁই কান্দে ॥

vidhi bada balavan na sune dharama-jnana
sadai karama-pase bandhe
na dekhi tarana lesa yata dekhi saba klesa
anatha katare tei kande

'Providence is very strong—I do not listen to what is right and what is wrong, and I am always tied to my previous karma. Not seeing a trace of hope to get relief (wherever I look, I see only misery), this orphan is crying in distress.'

কাম, ক্রোধ, লোভ, মোহ, মদ, অভিমান সহ
আপন আপন স্থানে টানে ।
ঐছন আমার মন ফিরে যেন অন্ধজন
সুপথ বিপথ নাহি জানে ॥

kama, krodha, lobha, moha, mada, abhimana saha
apana apana sthane tane
aichana amara mana phire yena andha jana
supatha vipatha nahi jane

'Lust, anger, greed, illusion, pride, and ego all pull me in their own directions. Thus my mind wanders like a blind man who does not know the right way from the wrong way.'

না লইনু সৎ মত অসতে মজিল চিত
তুয়া পায়ে না করিনু আশ ।
নরোত্তম দাসে কয় দেখি শুনি লাগে ভয়
তরাইয়া লহ নিজ পাশ ॥

na la-inu sat mata asate majila chita
tuya paye na karinu asa
narottama dase kaya dekhi' suni' lage bhaya
taraiya laha nija pasa

'Failing to embrace a pure life, my heart is always drowning in falsehood. I do not even hope to attain your feet. Narottam Das is crying and saying, "Seeing and hearing all this, I am afraid. Please rescue me and keep me by your side."'

'Thakura Vaishnava-gana' by Srila Narottam Das Thakur

This is a very beautiful kirtan, prayer to Vaishnavs.

অক্রোধ পরমানন্দ নিত্যানন্দ রায় ।
অভিমান শূন্য নিতাই নগরে বেড়ায় ॥১॥

akrodha paramananda nityananda raya
abhimana-sunya nitai nagare bedaya [1]

'The anger-less, prideless, supremely joyful Nityananda Ray wanders throughout the towns.'

অধম পতিত জীবের দ্বারে দ্বারে গিয়া ।
হরিনাম মহামন্ত্র দেন বিলাইয়া ॥২॥

adhama patita jiver dvare dvare giya
hari-nama mahamantra dena bilaiya [2]

'Going from door to door to the homes of the lowly and fallen souls, He distributes the Hare Krishna mahamantra.'

যারে দেখে তারে কহে দন্তে তৃণ ধরি' ।
আমারে কিনিয়া লহ ভজ গৌরহরি ॥৩॥

yare dekhe tare kahe dante trna dhari'
amare kiniya laha bhaja gaurahari [3]

'With straw between His teeth, He says to whoever He sees, "Purchase Me: simply serve Gaurahari."'

এত বলি' নিত্যানন্দ ভূমে গড়ি যায় ।
সোনার পর্ব্বত যেন ধুলাতে লোটায় ॥৪॥

eta bali' nityananda bhume gadi yaya
sonara parvata yena dhulate lotaya [4]

'Saying this, Nityananda rolls on the ground like a golden mountain rolling in the dust.'

হেন অবতারে যার রতি না জন্মিল ।
লোচন বলে সেই পাপী এল আর গেল ॥৫॥

hena avatare yara rati na janmila
lochan bale sei papi ela ara gela [5]

'Lochan Das says of one who has not developed attachment to this Avatar, "Such a sinner simply came and went."'

নিতাই গুণমণি আমার নিতাই গুণমণি ।
আনিয়া প্রেমের বন্যা ভাসাল অবনী ॥১॥

nitai gunamani amara nitai gunamani
aniya premera vanya bhasala avani [1]

'Nitai, the jewel of all good qualities, my Nitai, the jewel of all good qualities, brought a flood of divine love and inundated the earth.'

প্রেমবন্যা লয়ে নিতাই আইল গৌড় দেশে ।
ডুবিল ভকতগণ দীনহীন ভাসে ॥২॥

prema-vanya laye nitai aila gauda-dese
dubila bhakata-gana dina-hina bhase [2]

'Nitai brought a flood of divine love to the land of Gauda. The devotees immersed themselves in it, but the unfortunate floated on its surface.'

দীনহীন পতিত পামর নাহি বাছে ।
ব্রহ্মার দুর্ল্লভ প্রেম সবাকারে যাচে ॥৩॥

dina-hina patita pamara nahi bachhe
brahmara durlabha prema sabakare yache [3]

'The sinful, unfortunate, and fallen did not desire this divine love, which is difficult for even Brahma to attain, yet Nitai begged them to accept it.'

আবদ্ধ করুণাসিন্ধু কাটিয়া মুহান ।
ঘরে ঘরে বুলে প্রেম-অমিয়ার বান ॥৪॥

abaddha karuna-sindhu katiya muhana
ghare ghare bule prema-amiyara vana [4]

'Nitai cut a canal into the sealed ocean of mercy and a flood of nectarean divine love spread to every home.'

লোচন বলে হেন নিতাই যেবা না ভজিল ।
জানিয়া শুনিয়া সেই আত্মঘাতী হৈল ॥৫॥

lochan bale hena nitai yeba na bhajila
janiya suniya sei atma-ghati haila [5]

'Lochan Das says, "Anyone who did not serve Nitai knowingly committed suicide."'

[His Divine Grace chants 'Jaya Radhe Jaya Krsna', 'Hari Hareye Nama Krsna', recited Sri Jaya Dhvani and concludes the evening class.]

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READ OTHER PARTS:

1) Worship Gauranga
2) Keep Your Fire Ablaze
3) Happiness Is Service
4) Make Kirtan Your All-In-All
5) Qualification for Kirtan
6) Sadhus' Surrender
7) You Must Want To Learn