(3/5) Control Yourself

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Preaching in Basirhat, evening programme,
13 December 2020, part 3

I have told you many times about the teachings of Srila Rupa Goswami Prabhu (Upadesamrita). You all know who he is; Srila Rupa Goswami Prabhu served the Lord in Vrindavan.

বাচো বেগং মনসঃ ক্রোধবেগং
জিহ্বাবেগমুদরোপস্থবেগম্ ।
এতান্ বেগান্ যো বিষহেত ধীরঃ
সর্বামপীমাং পৃথিবীং স শিষাৎ ॥

vacho vegam manasah krodha-vegam
jihva-vegam udaropastha-vegam
etan vegan yo visaheta dhirah
sarvam apimam prthivim sa sisyat

'A sober person who can tolerate (1) the urge of speech, (2) the urge of the mind, (3) the urge of anger, (4) the urge of the tongue, (5) the urge of the belly and (6) the urge of the genitals is qualified to make disciples all over the world.'

(Sri Upadesamrita, Srila Rupa Goswamipad)

I wrote purport to this verse in Guidance 4 [Chapter 'Srila Rupa Goswami's Siksamrita (Nectar of Instructions)']. Those who can conquer these six urges (who can conquer the six defects: chhaya-vega dami) can conquer the whole world. If you cannot control the urge of speech, the urge of anger, the urge of lust, the urge of stomach, what to speak of getting any result – whatever you have earned, or achieved, will all be destroyed. Srila Rupa Goswamipad said, 'The urge to speak or to control one's speech is the biggest obstacle on the path of devotional practice.' If you chastise people, if you say mean things to people, this obstructs your devotion. People say whatever comes to their mind; they say whatever they see; they gossip about whatever they have heard—this leads to destruction of devotion. Those who cannot control the urge of speech, the urge of anger, the urge of stomach and the urge of genitals, can never attain success, even if they practise Krishna consciousness.

If you follow all devotional programmes and practices, then firmness, taste, attachment, feelings and love arise, but if you cannot control the urge of speech, the urge of anger, the urge of lust, the urge of stomach, not only will you not get any result – whatever you earn will be all destroyed. If you keep water in a pot that has holes, all water will fall down. Prajalpa (idle talks, gossiping) is the main thorn on the path of devotion. Prajalpa means talking nonsense – talking about this person, that person. You must neither hear such things nor speak such things yourself. Everybody knows this, 'When somebody does wrong and somebody overlooks it, Your scorn burns both like straw (anyaya ye kore ar anyaya ye sahya, tava ghrina yena tare trnasama dohe; অন্যায় যে করে আর অন্যায় যে সহে তব ঘৃণা যেন তারে তৃণসম দহে).' In other words, those who do wrong and those who put up with others doing wrong are both offenders. So, those who speak prajalpa and those who listen to prajalpa, the Lord knows it, 'You are wasting My time on talking about others!' Such talks are useless.

If you have not overcome the six enemies, you have no self-control, then the result of your spiritual practice will fall through these holes. Everything except Hari-katha is nonsense talk. If you cannot control your urge to speak and insult, criticise and gossip about others, you can never progress on the path of devotion.

— : • : —

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Language: Bengali

READ OTHER PARTS:

1) Uncling from Maya
2) Surrender or Lose
3) Control Yourself
4) Purged Perpetrator
5) Disciples' Pitfalls