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 become disciples?" Being a disciple means you live following Gurudev's words, practising spiritual life. It is necessary to practise it. It is necessary to practise chanting kirtans. It is necessary to listen, it is necessary to learn to give class. Moreover, it is not sufficient to only do it yourself—you should serve yourself and give others an opportunity to serve (engage others in service). Always remember this. Engage others in the service of the Lord. You cannot eat yourself and not give anything to others.

I take so much trouble going house to house, calling everyone. We can buy 400 sacks of potato, there is no lack of money, but we must go house to house, invite people to the parikrama. When you keep telling them about it for one day, two days, eventually they come.

It is Nityananda Prabhu's appearance day soon. Many are trying to come—they have been once and they say they have liked it a lot, so this year too they will be coming to the holy abode of Nitai. Although it is very far, they still try to come. I told some people that this year they cannot make excuses because of their potato harvest. This year, the parikrama is late, so they can easily come. We make Nabadwip Dham parikrama every year. Many cannot come to Vrindavan, Govardhan because it is very far—moreover, those who do not have Gauranga's and Nitai's mercy cannot go there. First, it is necessary to have Gauranga's mercy. That is why it is said, "Gaurangera sangi-gane nitya-siddha kari mane. I consider associates of Gauranga eternally perfected souls." We must associate with the devotees of Gauranga—eternally, every day. How is it possible? By reading the holy books, through the medium of chanting kirtans. When you chant, "Sri Guru-charana-padma kavala bhakati sadma," 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, Srivadasi Gaura-bhakta-vrinda), then you can see Their picture in front of yourself. When you chant "Ohe Vaishnava Thakura," then you will be remembering Vaishnav Thakur. When you chant prayers to Nityananda Prabhu, you will remember Nityananda Prabhu. When you chant prayers to Gauranga, you will remember Gauranga. Lord Nityananda is Gurupadpadma, and without the mercy of Nitai, it is impossible to reach Sri Radha Krishna in Vraja.

Even if you live for ten years, it can be sufficient. There is no use living one hundred years if you do not practise Krishna consciousness (nidra-alasya-hata sukarya virata, ruined by laziness and attached to inauspicious works). You can live for ten years, but if you can practise Krishna consciousness properly, this can be sufficient—there is no use living for one hundred years. If somebody is one hundred years but they do not practise Krishna consciousness, we do not look up to them; however, if some 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): My Lord! Please give me the ability to give honour to everybody properly." Then, "Tabe to' gaibo Harinama-sukhe aparadha habe hata (তবে ত' গাইব হরিনাম সুখে অপরাধ হবে হত): I will chant the Holy Name happily and all my offences will be removed." 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 atma-satha

"I have no power, 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 kichu nahi pai
tomara karuna-sara
karuna na ha-ile 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, then I will weep and give up life.'

You must pray to Gurudev, you must look in 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 it, the more you will remember it. You wake up in the morning, give jay to Gurudev, to Param Gurudev, to Prabhupad Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur, and the rest of the parampara...

— : • : —

{ 2001  |   2002  |   2003  |   2005  |   2009  |   2010  |   2011  |   2012 }
{ 2013  |   2014  |   2015  |   2016  |   2017  |   2018  |   2019  |   2020  |   2021 }

• Listen to the audio or download (2 Mb, 5 min)