(2/13) Pure Devotional Life (1)

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Tarakeshwar, 10 February 2021, part 2

It is necessary to always practise. There is one thing Gurudev always told me. He said, ‘Maharaj, you have been going to various districts ever since your brahmachari days – you have been bringing people to me, and they have received initiation, but how many people have actually become disciples?’ Being a disciple means you live following gurudev’s word and practising spiritual life. It is necessary to practise. It is necessary to practise chanting kirtans, it is necessary to listen to Hari-katha, and it is necessary to learn to give class. It is not enough to only practise yourselves – you should not only serve yourselves but also give others an opportunity to serve (engage others in service). Always remember this. Engage others in the service of the Lord. You cannot ‘eat’ yourselves and not give anything to others.

I take so much trouble going house to house, calling everyone to festivals. We can easily buy four hundred sacks of potato, there is no lack of money, but do not do it because it is necessary to go house to house to invite people to the parikrama. If you keep telling them about it again and again, they will eventually come.

It is Nityananda Prabhu’s appearance day soon. I know that many devotees are trying to come. Some have attended this festival in Ekachakra once, and they say that they liked it a lot, so this year they will be coming to the holy abode of Nitai, too. Although Ekachakra is very far, they are still trying to come. I have told everyone during the collection that this year they cannot make excuses because of the potato harvest – this year, the parikrama is on a later date, so they can easily come.

We also make Sri Nabadwip Dham parikrama every year. Many cannot come to Vrindavan and Govardhan because it is very far; apart from that, it is not possible to come there without Gauranga’s and Nitai’s mercy. First, it is necessary to have Gauranga’s mercy. That is why it is said, ‘Gaurangera sangi-gane nitya-siddha kari mane (গৌরাঙ্গের সঙ্গিগণে নিত্যসিদ্ধ করি মানে). Devotees consider Gauranga’s associates eternally perfected souls.’ We must associate with the devotees of Lord Gauranga eternally, every single day. How is it possible? By reading holy books, by chanting kirtans. When you chant, ‘Sri-guru-charana-padma kevala-bhakati-sadma (শ্রীগুরুচরণ-পদ্ম কেবল-ভকতিসদ্ম). The lotus feet of Sri Guru are an abode of exclusive devotion,’ gurudev will come to your mind. When you talk about gurudev’s words during the class, you will remember gurudev. When you take the names of Pancha-tattva – Sri Krishna Chaitanya, Prabhu Nityananda, Sri Advaita, Gadadhar, Srivas-adi Gaura-bhakta-vrinda (Srivas and other devotees of Gaura) – you can see Their images in front of you. When you chant ‘Ohe Vaishnava Thakura’, you will be remembering Vaishnav Thakur. When you chant prayers to Nityananda Prabhu, you will remember Nityananda Prabhu, and when you chant prayers to Gauranga, you will remember Gauranga. Lord Nityananda is Sri Gurupadpadma – without Nitai’s mercy, it is impossible to reach Sri Radha-Krishna in Vraja.

Even if you live for only ten years, it is sufficient. There is no use living for one hundred years if you do not practise Krishna consciousness – if you are ‘ruined by laziness and given to inauspicious works’ (nidra-alasya-hata sukarya virata; নিদ্রালস্য-হত সুকার্য্যে বিরত). You can live for ten years only, but if you can practise Krishna consciousness properly during this time, it can be sufficient – there is no need to live for one hundred years. If somebody is one hundred years old but does not practise Krishna consciousness, we do not look up to them. But if a ten-year-old girl or a ten-year-old boy comes and practises Krishna consciousness, we give them respect and called them ‘Didi’ and ‘Prabhu’. That is why we sing in one of the kirtans: ‘Sakale samman karite sakati deha natha yatha-yatha (সকলে সম্মান করিতে শকতি দেহ নাথ যথাযথ). O Master! Give me the strength to give everyone appropriate honour’ – if we can do it, then, ‘Tabe ta’ gaiba Harinama-sukhe aparadha habe hata (তবে ত’ গাইব হরিনাম সুখে অপরাধ হবে হত). I will happily chant the Holy Name and all my offences will be destroyed.’ We sing this every day when we do the temple parikrama.

শক্তিবুদ্ধিহীন, আমি অতি দীন,
কর মোরে আত্মসাথ ॥

sakti-buddhi-hina, ami ati dina,
kara more atmasatha

‘I have no strength, no intelligence, I am very poor. Please hijack me!’

যোগ্যতা বিচারে, কিছু নাহি পাই,
তোমার করুণা সার ।
করুণা না হৈলে, কাঁদিয়া কাঁদিয়া,
প্রাণ না রাখিব আর ॥

yogyata vichare, kichhu nahi pai,
tomara karuna sara
karuna na haile, kandiya kandiya,
prana na rakhiba ara

I find no quality or qualification within me – your mercy is everything. If I do not get your mercy, I will simply weep to death.

(Saranagati, Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur)

You must pray to gurudev, you must check the calendar every day. Wake up in the morning and give jay to gurudev, take gurudev’s name. Give jay to Vaishnavs, to our guru-varga. This is the rule. The more you talk about them, the more you will remember them. When you wake up in the morning, give jay to Gurudev, to Param Gurudev, to Prabhupad Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur and the rest of our parampara…

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