(5/5) Disciples' Pitfalls

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Preaching in Basirhat, evening programme,
13 December 2020, part 5

I wrote in Guidance, Volume 4:

Gurudev is the only shelter for a disciple. Those who have become disciples live in complete adherence to their guru. If one retains independence, they cannot be called a 'disciple'—they can take the mantra, they can take initiation, but if they do not accept guidance or disciplining of gurudev, they cannot be called a real disciple. Gurudev has a vast wealth. Those who are born into his lineage, can get the right for his wealth. When one is born into a king's family, one becomes a prince. In the same way, when one is born into gurudev's family or lineage, they become his disciple, or child. Gurudev's wealth is not temples, buildings, houses, money; his wealth is faith, devotion and love.

I wrote it straight here.

What happens when one takes initiation? Do you think that you have taken initiation and that is?

[His Divine Grace is distracted by a naughty boy in the audience] I have told you: no 'gramya-katha (গ্রাম্যকথা). Do not talk nonsense, do not gossip. Can you hear what I am saying? Come here. [An elderly devotee calls the boy to sit next to him] No, he should not sit next to you – you will beat him. Come and sit here, in front of me. Have you heard what I have been saying? Do not be fickle. Sadhus are controlled, reserved and peaceful. You must be peaceful, you must be sober, too. When elder people are speaking, you must listen to them quietly. How old are you? You are already ten. You must listen properly. I will be giving another class tonight – many children from all over the world sit and listen to me. Small children of six, seven, eight and ten years old listen, some even ask me questions. Small children wear tilaks, neckbeads, they chant the Holy Name on the beads, chant kirtans. They take initiation. They practise Krishna consciousness. You do not become a sadhu by watching TV. Do you understand? Will you remember what I have told you? Practise Krishna consciousness, do not be restless. Study and practise spiritual life, then you will chant kirtan and speak Hari-katha. Control your mischief. You must listen to your parents. Is that not so? What do you say? It is necessary to give them respect. It is necessary to treat them with respect, to give honour to them. What does it mean to give them both honour, tell me? [The boy: it means to give respect to them both.] What does it mean? What does giving honour to your parents mean? Does it mean not listening to your father and mother? Listen to your parents. Become sober and calm. You must give up this restlessness.

So, what happens after one takes initiation?

It is necessary to practise hearing and chanting, worship Deities and do service. You must serve with love, affection, extracting loving devotion from your very heart. You must always think about what makes Him happy. You must be anxious to make Him happy and always be alert and conscious of His happiness. Sacrifice your selfish interests for His happiness, serve for His happiness.

Sannyasis always sit amidst fire blazing on all four sides. What sorts of fire is it? This fire is the fire of Hari-kirtan, Krishna-kirtan. Sannyasis preach the glories of the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna.

There was one devotee who used to serve prasad to devotees. When he took the second initiation and was given a brahman thread and saffron clothes, he stopped serving prasad. Somebody asked him, 'Why are you not serving prasad?' He pulled out his brahman thread and, showing it to the person, said, 'Oh, I have got a brahman thread now!' What is this?! When you get a brahman thread, you are supposed to do even more service! What kind of intelligence is that? Must this be explained? Do you think you have got a brahman thread, so you have become a great sadhu? The brahman thread you are given is your service certificate – it gives you right, or qualification, to serve more, it actually gives you the right to serve prasad, but he shows his thread and says, 'I have finished serving prasad!' What will you say? The person is crazy. In English, there is what is called mental hospital – perhaps, if he is admitted there, he will recover... [His Divine Grace chuckles.]

[Devotees smile, uneasily] What? Is what I am saying true or not? I know the news from everywhere, I know what is happening and where. I know everything, but I am not saying anything. I only think, 'When will the Lord give His mercy to them? When will the Lord give some good intelligence to them?'

One of my devotees, a foreigner, is serving cows now. Somebody tells him, 'Oh, serving cows is not for brahmacharis, it is householders' job.' What kind of idea is that? They differentiate between grihasthas and brahmacharis.

গৃহী হউক ত্যাগী হউক ভক্তে ভেদ নাই ।

ভেদ কৈলে কুম্ভীপাক নরকেতে যাই ॥

grhi ha-uka tyagi ha-uka bhakte bheda nai
bheda kaile kumbhipaka narakete yai

'There is no difference between devotees—be they householders or renunciants. If someone makes distinctions between them, they go to the hell of boiling oil (kumbhipaka).'

(Sri Sri Prema-vivarta, 17.22)

Jagadananda Pandit says this in Sri Prema-vivarta. If you say, 'Oh, Maharaj says this,' then I am telling you even where you can find this. There is no difference between brahmacharis, sannyasis and householders – if anybody differentiates between them, they will go to a terrible hell of burning oil. This is written in a very direct way in Sri Prema-vivarta. Jagadananda Pandit is Mahaprabhu's close associate, he was very close to Mahaprabhu. These are his words.

Sannyasis always sit amidst fire blazing on all four sides. This fire is Hari-katha, kirtan, service to the Lord, and service to the guru. You must progress in your practising life keeping the sacrificial fire of your service ablaze. Therefore, Hari-katha and kirtan are the main practices. We must practise Krishna-kirtan, we must speak and listen to Hari-katha.

Do you understand what I am saying?...

...Gurudev has fled, leaving me seated on his throne of thorns, but I still have not got a suitable for service person who I would be able to rely on to some extent (এখনও সেবায় উপযুক্ত লোক পেলাম না যার উপর আমি কিছু ভরসা করতে পারি). Nothing comes out. I am teaching so much, I am doing so much, I am explaining so much, but I still have not been able to prepare, to create a suitable person. I am trying, but... I continue trying...

Gurudev told me: you are walking with your gurudev, and suddenly you see a snake crawling. You cry, 'Gurudev, a snake! A snake!' But gurudev says, 'No, it is not a snake. It is a rope.' This is what you must believe. If you insist, 'No, Gurudev, I saw that it is a snake!' – if you try to show off your pratistha or try to glorify yourself – it will be an offence. You must never behave defensively. Never argue to prove that you are right. Never do this with your guru: whatever gurudev says, that is right and that is the final decision.

If you take shelter of an ancestral guru or a false guru, then there is nobody who can save you from the hands of inauspiciousness. However, a bona fide guru gives a danger signal – he gives the right advice at the right time. If you listen to the advice or guidance of your guru, you will be benefitted. Those who do not listen to it, fall down. You can see how many good qualities one has, how much service one does, but if you criticise others, the result will be your falldown. If you speak about another person's hole, that fault will come to you and it will be a hundred times stronger. Be very careful. Never search for faults in others. Even if somebody does something bad, it is your fault that you see it or speak about it – it brings about ruination. If you do not actually rectify yourself having heard all this caution, you will suffer birth after birth. Many practitioners have good qualities but they cannot progress on the path of devotion. The impression of the actions of those who criticise and abuse others strikes gurudev's heart heavily. Striking a great soul does not bring any benefit.

'I know better than gurudev, I know everything' – if you think in this way, you will not get anywhere. Always remember these things. It is late now, so we will chant some kirtans and finish. [His Divine Grace then chants kirtans.]

— : • : —

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Length: 23 min
Language: Bengali

READ OTHER PARTS:

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