Lost and Wasted

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Sri Nabadwip Dham Parikrama, Day One
Evening class, 23 March 2021, part 1
Translated from Bengali

মূকং করোতি বাচালং পঙ্গুং লঙ্ঘয়তে গিরিম্ ।
যৎকৃপা তমহং বন্দে শ্রীগুরুং দীনতারণম্ ॥

mukam karoti vachalam pangum langhayate girim
yat krpa tam aham vande sri-gurum dina-taranam

"The dumb can speak, the lame can climb a hill—all it takes is mercy from Gurudev."

(Bhavartha Dipika)

First of all, I am offering my full obeisance at the holy lotus feet of Om Vishnupad Jagad-Guru Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj, begging him for his causeless mercy, after that I am offering my obeisance to all Guru-varga, to all my God-brothers and sisters, to all the listeners, to all the motherly lady devotees, to all devotees, and I am praying to you all for your mercy to this low soul.

Yesterday was adhivas (the holy eve of Sri Nabadwip Dham Parikrama), and today was the first holy day of Sri Nabadwip Dham Parikrama. You have done this parikrama very well. Has everyone been to the parikrama today? [Devotees say 'yes'.] Have you done this parikrama on your head? You must do this parikrama with your heart, with your very being. One person has got lost today. When I was already in Nrisingha Palli, somebody called me and said they had got lost. I sent a devotee to bring them back. One-two people must get lost. We are all lost children of the Lord. The Lord has lost us, his children, and we also have lost our Father. He is looking for us, "My children have left Me. When will they come back to Me?" We are also searching for Him. Actually, not everybody really searches. Gurudev has a very small and nice book called In Search of the Original Source. Tell me, who truly searches for the real happiness, for their real self? Everybody in this world only thinks about the temporary happiness. Everyone only worries, "Where will I live? Where will I eat? Where will I sleep?"

"Saisava-yauvane, jada-sukha-sange, abhyasa ha-ila manda (শৈশব-যৌবনে, জড়সুখ-সঙ্গে, অভ্যাস হইল মন্দ). In my childhood and youth, I always indulged in material happiness and I have become habituated to bad things." "Nija sukha lagi' pape nahi dari, daya-hina svartha-para (নিজ সুখ লাগি' পাপে নাহি ডরি দয়াহীন স্বার্থপর). For our own happiness we are not afraid of engaging in sinful work. I am unkind and selfish."

বিষয়ে যে প্রীতি এবে আছয়ে আমার ।
সেই মত প্রীতি হউক চরণে তোমার ॥

visaye ye priti ebe achhaye amara
sei-mata priti hauk charane tomara

"May I have the same affection and attraction to your feet that I now have for material things."

(Gitavali, 4.5, Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur)

দুর্লভ মানব জনম সৎসঙ্গে
তরহ এ ভবসিন্ধু রে

durlabha manava-janama sat-sange
taraha e bhava-sindhu re

"Having attained this rare human birth, cross over the ocean of material existence by associating with sadhus."

'Bhajahu Re Mana' by Srila Govinda Das Kaviraj

We were singing this in a kirtan written by Sri Govinda Das. You know, Sri Govinda Das used to worship Kali before, but his brother worshipped the Supreme Lord. Sometimes, the two brothers would fight over the flowers growing in their garden. Govinda Das had many flowers growing in his garden, and his brother wanted to offer them to the Lord, but it was impossible to convince Govinda Das that everything was meant for the service of the Lord. So, his brother would offer those flowers to the Lord in his mind. One time, when Govinda Das offered some flowers to his Ma Kali, she moved her hand away and did not accept them. After that, she came to him in a dream saying, "You have so many flowers in your garden, but you are not giving these flowers to my Lord." After that, Govinda Das gave up his worship of Ma Kali and composed this famous kirtan, "Bhajahu re mana sri-nanda-nandana! O mind, serve the son of Sri Nanda's lotus feet which are an abode of fearlessness!"

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