Perfect Rules

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Siliguri—Worldwide, 26 April 2021, part 3

Question: We had a meeting with the devotees yesterday, and somebody brought a picture of Nabadwip Deities and put it on the altar. Can we keep that photo in our altar?

Yes, it is not a problem. Deities have no fault. Deities did not make any disturbance—why will you not keep Nabadwip Deities? You should always keep Nabadwip Deities on your altar. I have a problem with those who want to hijack the Deities—actually it is they who have a problem, not me...

Are there any other questions?

Devotee: I am sorry. I meant that somebody from another Math brought Gaura Nitai Deities and kept Them on the altar. Is it OK to keep these Deities from another mission?

Yes, you can serve Them. When a Deity has come, you must serve the Deity properly, with full faith...

[Addressing a devotee who did not go to the temple but made a festival at home.] Why did you have a home festival? You should have gone to the festival at the temple. If there is a temple in your city or nearby, you must go to the temple. How do you make a festival alone at home? You only cook, offer some bhog, and take prasadam—it basically means cooking too much and eating it yourself... You must always go to the temple. What did Gurudev make the temple for? For preaching, to arranging festivals and for giving you a place where you can gather and take devotees' association. It is necessary to understand this. Everybody have a right to stay at the temple, everybody has a right to go to the temple, and everybody must follow the rules and regulations of the temple—be humble, tolerant, and give honour to others. Follow the rules and regulations that Gurudev has established, that will be perfect. We cannot make our own rules, it is not good. The rules must be always the rules and regulations that Gurudev has set. Always behave very nicely with the devotees, be humble, tolerant, and give honour to others. This is what Gurudev teaches us, these are the main qualities we must have. Be humble, tolerant, and give honour to others, and you must also have proper surrender—do not be a hypocrite, do not practise false renunciation; surrender must be proper.

One time, Gurudev told me, "Come with me." I was very busy at that time and asked without thinking, "Where?" That was my mistake. Later, when I was in the car with Gurudev, Gurudev told me, "You are foolish. This is not 100% surrender. Your Gurudev is calling you with him, and you are asking where. You should have said, 'Yes, I am ready to go,' and go." Gurudev taught me in this way. Gurudev also told me much about what is called tolerance, how to behave, etc. Gurudev also told me that one time, when Srila Sridhar Maharaj was beating him, instead of running away Gurudev came closer to Srila Sridhar Maharaj so that he could beat him better. Srila Sridhar Maharaj asked him, "What is this? I am beating you, but why are you not running away—why are you coming closer to me?" Gurudev explained, "You do not know how to beat, that is why I am coming closer." Such was Gurudev's relationship with his Gurudev. And now, if I tell any follower that I am going to beat them, they will run away...

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