A Test of Faith

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Vaishnav Seva Programme, Bangaon,
31 January 2021, part 13

People pray to Saraswati:

om sarasvati mahabhage vidye kamalalochane
visvarupe visalaksi vidyam dehi namostute

"O great Goddess Saraswati, the personified knowledge possessing large lotus eyes! I offer obeisance to you, please give me knowledge."

They pray to Saraswati, " Give me knowledge." They pray to Laksmi, "Give me money." What for? They say, "We serve 'poor' Narayan." Can Narayan ever be poor? Narayan can never be poor; neither can a poor man ever be Narayan. Both sayings are offensive. All this is jihva-lalasa, the greed of the tongue. People say, "Jiva-seva-i Siva-seva. Serving to people is service to Siva." People make up verses and poems.

Devotee: They also say "Jive prema kare yei jana sei jana sevichhe isvara" (জীবে প্রেম করে যেই জন সেই জন সেবিছে ঈশ্বর; "God serves those who love others"). They call this love for the souls!

Yes, there is also a popular writing, "The man is above all, there is nothing above him (sabara upare manusa satya, tahara upare nai; সবার উপরে মানুষ সত্য, তাহার উপরে নাই)." But we say, "The Lord is above all, there is nothing above Him." This is what we must say. "God serves those who love others (Jive prema kare yei jana sei jana sevichhe isvara; জীবে প্রেম করে যেই জন সেই জন সেবিছে ঈশ্বর)." What does "love others" mean? It means showing compassion for others; love God by showing compassion to others. Krishna serves those who are compassionate to others. The Lord says, "If you look after My devotees, I will look after you. Do not worry about yourself. If you are self-sufficient and take care of yourself, then I will not look after you." You think you are your own protector, but what did Draupadi get by thinking like this? When she was being disrobed, she was holding the cloth with one hand and calling the Lord with the other hand, but the cloth was still being taken; only when she realised that she could not do anything, she started calling the Lord with both hands upraised, and then she saw that her cloth was extended (Krishna Himself appeared within her cloth). When Radharani went to bring water in a pot with a hundred holes, She went to the river chanting Krishna's Name, and Krishna closed the holes in the pot with one hundred fingers. Could anyone see it? Those who have eyes could see it.

Therefore, it is necessary to leave everything to Krishna. This is what faith is, that is what surrender is. If you say, "Who can bring it? How will I bring it?" You do not do anything! Many say, "Oh, Gurudev has given this service, how will I be able to do it?" You do not do anything, Gurudev does everything! He will do it through you. Gurudev has given you some service, and whether you have the qualification to do it or not, Gurudev understands it; whether you can or cannot do it, Gurudev understands it. This is faith. Faith is the main thing.

There are many kinds of faith—kamala-sraddha (soft, fragile faith), taranga-sraddha (flickering faith), drdha-sraddha (strong faith), sudrdha-sraddha (the strongest faith). You can see many do not put tilaks, do not wear neck beads because they are shy...

You say, "I cannot do it," but Gurudev thought you were fit to do it, then he told you to do it, then you do the service, try your best. Gurudev will do everything. "Gurudev, if you do not do it, service will not be done." Gurudev serves with ten bodies. Even if you do not do some service, it will still be done. Baladev serves Krishna with ten bodies. Baladev is Gurudev. Service will not be spoilt—if you do not do it, it will still be done through somebody else, by hook or by crook.

Anyhow, much has been said...

[His Divine Grace concludes the programme with chanting kirtans ('E-ghora samsare', 'Ke yabi ke yabi re bhai', Hare Krishna maha-mantra), the evening Gaura Arati, and Jaya Dhvani.]

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