Serve with Faith

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Sri Ekachakra Dham, evening class, 26 February 2021
Translated from Bengali, part 2

Initiation is taken to serve one's Guru. Initiation means service to the Guru. Service can be different—one can serve close to Guru, and one can serve from far too. I myself did not stay with Gurudev so much. I listened to what Gurudev said, and I followed whatever he ordered me to do. Gurudev kept me in Nabadwip and wanted to go abroad. During six-seven years, I did not spent even one night anywhere outside the temple in Nabadwip. After that, when Guru Maharaj told me to preach, then I started going out to preach. Otherwise, before that, even if I went to Kolkata to meet with Gurudev, I would come back the same day.

"Guru-mukha-padma-vakya, chittete kariya aikya ara na kariha mane asa (গুরুমুখ-পদ্মবাক্য চিত্তেতে করিয়া ঐক্য আর না করিহ মনে আশা)—make the teachings from Sri Guru's lotus mouth one with your heart, and do not desire anything else within your heart." We sing this in the kirtan, and by singing, singing, and singing we must bring ourselves to this path. We must make the teaching from Sri Guru's lotus mouth one with our hearts and not desire anything else, but we have many desires and hopes... That is why, we must always be surrendered to Krishna and do service. Suppose you go to school or college—if you cheat or bunk off school, then you will not pass the exam. The same is true here—you cannot cheat or bunk off your service to the Lord. Worshipping the Lord, practising Krishna consciousness means service, so if you cheat or bunk off your service, there is no use practising Krishna consciousness.

You must surrender yourself completely. We sing this kirtan every morning:

দৈন্য, আত্মনিবেদন, গোপ্তৃত্বে বরণ ।
'অবশ্য রক্ষিবে কৃষ্ণ'—বিশ্বাস পালন ॥
ভক্তি-অনুকূল মাত্র কার্য্যের স্বীকার ।
ভক্তি-প্রতিকূল ভব—বর্জ্জনাঙ্গীকার ॥

dainya, atma-nivedana, goptrtve varana
'avasya raksibe krsna'—visvasa palana
bhakti-anukula matra karyera svikara
bhakti-pratikula bhava—varjanangikara

"Humility, self-submission, embracing the Lord's guardianship, maintaining the faith that 'Krishna will certainly protect me', engaging only in activities that are favourable to devotion, rejecting everything unfavourable to devotion."

(Saranagati, 1)

We must have this faith: Krishna is my protector, Krishna is my maintainer. As soon as you lose this faith, Maya will catch you.

কৃষ্ণ ভুলি' সেই জীব অনাদি-বহির্ম্মুখ ।
অতএব মায়া তারে দেয় সংসারাদি-দুঃখ ॥

krsna bhuli' sei jiva anadi-bahirmukha
ataeva maya tare deya samsaradi-duhkha

Having forgotten Krishna, the soul wanders throughout the universe. Being thus covered by illusion, the soul goes through all kinds of material suffering.

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Madhya-lila, 20.117)

সংসারের পার হই’ ভক্তির সাগরে ।
যে ডুবিবে, সে ভজুক নিতাইচাঁদেরে ॥

samsare para hai' bhaktira sagare
ye dubibe, se bhajuka nitaichandere

May those who desire to cross over samsara and dive in the ocean of devotion serve Sri Nitaichand.

(Sri Chaitanya-bhagavat, Adi-khanda, 1.77)

We are working so hard for Him, for Nityananda Prabhu—we arrange such a big festival. All the devotees are helping. You can see the Bokaro devotees. They live in their homes and work—some have families, some do not have. They work, but they come here and every time distribute prasadam. They are here and I know I do not need to worry about devotees getting prasadam. They always help during every festival, every parikrama. I have seen also that ladies were distributing prasadam too, many devotees helped. Thousands of people took prasadam during these four days, and arranging prasadam for them does not happen just by saying it (it is not lip-deep). It can only be possible by Nityananda Prabhu's. Today also, the festival finished and there is no bhoga left—three quintal (300 kg) rice was finished.

Many could not wait and have already left. I do not want anyone to go back. I want everyone to take prasadam. Everybody in this world are Nityananda Prabhu's family, and if I give some rice to one person, what loss is that for me?

— : • : —

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