The Voice of Sri Chaitanyadev (1)

As Practised and Preached by Om Vishnupad

Bhagavan Sri Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati

Goswami Prabhupada,

And Meticulously Continued by Om Vishnupad

Sri Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj:

Published from Nabadwip Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math

Under the Divine Inspiration and Guidance of

The Illustrious Successor-Acharya, Om Vishnupad

Sri Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj

© 1990 Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math
All rights reserved by the Successor President-Acharya

Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, Nabadwip, West Bengal, India

Compiled by Sripad Bhakti Ananda Sagar Maharaj and published originally on 12 October 1990, the booklet was subsequently reprinted on 8 March 1993.

This electronic version is prepared in 2025 as part of service to His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj.

Web address: www.scsmathinternational.com

Email: info@scsmathinternational.com

CONTENTS

(1) The Divine Service of Krishna

(2) The Voice of Sri Chaitanyadev

(3) A Day at Hapaniya

(4) Holy Talks

(5) Living Faith

(6) Sri Dasa-mula

The Logo of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math

Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math’s Mission

Headquarters of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math

Books and Publications of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math

nikhila-bhuvana-maya-chhinna-vichchhinna-kartri

vibudha-bahula-mrgya-mukti-mohanta-datri

sithilita-vidhi-ragaradhya-radhesa-dhani

vilasatu hrdi nityam bhaktisiddhanta-vani

—Srila Sri Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj

‘Slashing and smashing the illusion

of the whole mundane plane,

Dealing the death blow to the scholars’ manic search

for liberation’s throne;

Relaxing calculation,

for the realm of Pure Devotion

in Love of Sri Radha’s Lord Supreme:

O Abode of Divine Love—Divine Message

of Sri-Bhakti-Siddhanta,

May you dance and play and sing your song

within my heart forever.’

All Glory to the Divine Master

and the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna Chaitanya

(1) The Divine Service of Krishna

By the Merciful Order of Om Vishnupad Paramahamsa-chudamani

Sri Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj:

A talk by the Successor President-Acharya

Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math

Nabadwip, India, and internationally,

Om Vishnupad

Sri Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj

Krishna is the highest, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There are five types of rasas, or divine ecstasies, and every rasa is fully present in Krishna. The servitors of Krishna are all happy in His exclusive service. There are so many religious conceptions to be found in the world. Some favour santa-rasa (peacefulness), others dasya-rasa (servitude), sakhya-rasa (friendship), or vatsalya-rasa (parenthood). But madhura-rasa (divine consorthood) is found in the extreme only in the line of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

For example, Jesus Christ introduced himself as a son of God, and so he showed us the fatherhood of Godhead, taking himself as His son. That is taken as the highest relationship, and the Kingdom of God is heaven. This was Jesus’s explanation to the general masses. We see that his conception and that of the Vaishnavs is sometimes quite similar. Guru Maharaj also showed appreciation for Christianity. But the highest goal is madhura-rasa, and that is possible only by worshipping Krishna in various ways. That type of service is not explained anywhere in the general scriptures such as the Bible or Koran, etc. It is given in Srimad Bhagavatam, the glories of which were sung by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. It was He who distributed in the world the rasa of madhurya, divine sweetness. The good souls who are attracted by this sweetness cannot be attracted anywhere else but to the lotus feet of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and thus begin the worship of Lord Krishna.

The domain of Krishna is Goloka. We should know of two basic divine natures of the Lord—madhurya and audarya. In madhurya the Lord enjoys His own divine loving sweetness with His eternal associates, but in His mood of audarya He is always employing different ways to distribute divine ecstasy to the pure souls, the devotees.

In the Koran we hear of Khoda and banda. Khoda means ‘God’ and banda means ‘servant.’ There also we find a relationship between God and the soul. And in the line of Christ, the supreme relationship is shown as father and son. We have seen in the Song of Solomon only a hazy mention of consorthood. Actually, all the religions of the world generally reach to Brahmaloka, or the non-differentiative plane of the Absolute. Before Brahmaloka, or the plane of Brahman, is the river called Viraja, but beyond Brahmaloka is the divine plane of Vaikuntha. Our devotional life starts in Vaikunthaloka. This is Vaishnavism. Sankaracharya’s conception of nirvisesa or nirakara—an impersonal or formless ‘God’—is only the plane of Brahman. But our Vaishnav sastra, or scriptures, say that He has divine form.

Although we cannot perceive it, within the sun there are also many forms. If we can observe a jungle from afar, we see only a mass. But when we enter a jungle, we can properly observe so many things: birds, beasts, trees, flowers, etc., all engaged in their mutual affairs within the jungle. Similarly, from a distance people say, “God is this”, “God is that”, “He has no form”, etc. They describe Him according to their vision. But if we exclusively try to know the form of God and the domain of God, we shall have to come to the conception of Vaikunthaloka. From there, the five rasas progressively appear, culminating in Krishnaloka. Krishnaloka is the highest plane, as confirmed in Srimad Bhagavatam:

ete chamsa-kalah pumsah krsnas tu bhagavan svayam

indrari-vyakulam lokam mrdayanti yuge yuge

(Srimad Bhagavatam, 1.3.28)

“The descents of the Lord are either His plenary portions or portions of those portions. Every age They descend to relieve the world of the disturbance created by demons. But the original form of Godhead is Krishna, the son of Nanda.”

Whatever one may see with the eye of transcendence, all that is auspicious, has its origin in Krishna. This interpretation is given in Srimad Bhagavatam. The Supreme Personality has everything. In Him there are not only the five kinds of chief rasas, or mukhya-rasas, there are also the indirect, or gauna-rasas. Everything is in Him, and everything is auspicious in Him.

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu came to distribute the ecstasy of our transcendental life. And after Mahaprabhu, many of His pure followers, or associates, parsadas, came into this world. In this way, we think ourselves most fortunate to have as our guardian Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj. We are trying to serve him to our best capacity, in the company of the Vaishnavs. That is our happiness. I am very happy when devotees from all over the world come here to Sri Nabadwip Dham for transcendental life, leaving aside the mundane. We are trying to practice in the plane of seva—divine service. That alone can give us the highest goal.

In this mundane world there are the methods of karma, jnana, yoga, or works, knowledge, meditation, etc. But every method cannot take us to the Absolute, although every method is somehow connected with the line of bhakti, devotion. Otherwise they have no substance or factual existence. In Srimad Bhagavad-gita (4.33), Lord Krishna said,

sarvam karmakhilam partha jnane parisamapyate

“Works ultimately culminate in knowledge.”

tapasvibhyo ’dhiko yogi jnanibhyo ’pi mato ’dhikah

karmibhyas chadhiko yogi tasmad yogi bhavarjjuna

yoginam api sarvesam mad gatenantaratmana

sraddhavan bhajate yo mam se ma yuktatamo matah

(Srimad Bhagavad-gita, 6.46–47)

“I consider the yogi superior to the performer of austerity, superior to the worshipper of Brahman, and superior to the worldly worker. Therefore, Arjuna, be a yogi.

“And of all yogis, supreme is the faithful devotee who surrenders unto Me and serves Me with all his heart.”

Thus, the jiva-soul may progress in devotional life up to exclusive devotion, ananya-bhakti. He must be the gainer, and with the blessings of sadhu, guru and Vaishnav, he must come to the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Service is life. Everybody is always doing something—thinking, feeling and willing. It is the nature of the jiva-soul in this world to be always active. But if he functions properly, in the line of devotion, that is called seva, and he becomes the greatest gainer. So we are trying to maintain our spiritual life under the guidance of guru and Vaishnav. Our spiritual life is the service of Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Gandharva Govindasundar.

We are living souls, we are not dull matter. If we are not scholarly, it does not matter. We can communicate by heart. One boy came here from Hungary—he could not even speak to us. He could not even say, “I want to eat something.” Still, he stayed with us happily for about four or five weeks without difficulty. Maybe a little of course, but negligible. In this way, our sraddha, or faith, will guide us.

Guru Maharaj always directed his devotees to engage themselves twenty-four hours daily in the service of the Lord. In this way, you can ignore the mundane world and you must reach your destination. Some may engage themselves in fasting for spiritual life. It is very commendable that they want spiritual life, but in spiritual advancement we still need to maintain our mundane body. The safest course is to follow the line of Srila Ripa Goswami:

anasaktasya visayan yatharham upayunjatah

nirbandhah krsna-sambandhe yuktam vairagyam uchyate

(Sri Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu, Purva 2.255)

“Yukta-vairagya is said to be the detachment of one who with disinterest accepts objects favourable to the practice of devotion. Krishna’s relativity is the predominant factor.” The purport is that the person who is detached from mundane objects yet eager for objects associated with Krishna accepts with the spirit of detachment objects conducive to his devotion while rejecting those unconducive to it. His detachment is known as integrated detachment. For example, we cannot live in this world without food. But that food should be the prasad of Krishna and Mahaprabhu.

yajna-sistasinah santo muchyante sarva-kilbisaih

bhunjate te tv agham papa ye pachanty atma-karanat

(Srimad Bhagavad-gita, 3.13)

Those who cook for themselves are eating sinful things. But those who cook for the Deity, for Krishna, for Bhagavan—God—and take His remnants, as His mercy—they proceed correctly. They will not be attacked by Maya. They will not be attacked by Kali, or the onslaught of sin.

Everybody has some good qualities, no doubt; and in the absolute sense, there is no sin in the jiva-soul. Sin is a mayik form—an illusory form.

ahankara-nivritanam kesavo nahi duragah

ahankara-yutanam hi madhye parvata-rasayah

(Sri Brahma-vaivarita Purana)

“Kesava, Krishna, can be found in the company of the selfless, but the egotistic are mountains apart from Him.”

When we think, “This is mine”, that is called ahankara. “This boy is my son”, “This man is my father”, “This house is my house”—such consciousness that “this is mine” is called Maya. And when that type of shadow comes over us, we cannot see the sun. Like a cloud. A cloud comes in the sky and blocks our view of the sun. But we see the clouds in the sky by the sunlight. In the light of the sun only, we see clouds. But we cannot see the sun. Maya is like this. When the illusion of ahankara, or false ego, comes over us, we cannot see God. But in the light of God we can see Maya, and in the light of the jiva-soul, we can see our ahankara. In this way, we can realize everything. Our realization will come in this way, and this is the proper way.

All Glory to the Divine Master

and the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna Chaitanya

(2) The Voice of Sri Chaitanyadev

[February, 1990, Advent Festival of

Vaishnava-siddhantacarya-samrat Jagad-Guru

Prabhupada Sri Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati

Goswami Maharaj]

In Direct Disciplic Succession from

Nitya-lila-pravista

Om Vishnupad Paramahamsa-chudamani

Sri Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj:

A lecture delivered by

Om Vishnupad Sri Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Maharaj

Present President-Acharya

Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math

Nabadwip, India and internationally

anyera hrdaya—mana, mora mana—vrndavana

‘mane’ ‘bane’ eka kari’ jani

tanha tomara pada-dvaya, karaha yadi udaya,

tabe tomara purna krpa mani

The illusory environment is always attacking and disturbing the jiva-souls in so many ways. But Prabhupada Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati started the cleansing process, like Gundicha-marjan, the cleansing of the Lord’s Temple. This was his first work in this world.

The heart must be made like Vrindavan. It won't do to keep a jungle in the heart. Many disturbing elements are in the jungle, but there is nothing like that in Vrindavan. Everything in Vrindavan is perfectly pure. So we must worship the Supreme Lord purely. To mix with Maya for our sense pleasure and invite God in our hearts is gross hypocrisy. With great force, Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur and Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur did everything in their power to smash such hypocrisy.

Their first work was to preach the Name. In Bengal so many would chant the Name, but in a hashish-smoking party. Some would chant for hours on end. There was no dearth of such Harinama in Bengal, but the qualification of real purity was absent. Because of this, Mahaprabhu’s sampradaya, or religious succession, became completely adulterated. People uttered the name ‘Vaishnav’ with hatred. The groups known as Neda, Darabesa, Sani, Aul, Baul, Kartabhaja, etc. made such a hodgepodge of Mahaprabhu’s high and confidential teachings of divine perfection that Mahaprabhu was no longer respected by the people. If anyone said, “A Vaishnav is at the door,” the head of the family would say, “Oh, give him a little rice and send him off.” Such was the conception the common people had of Vaisnavas.

Divine life of the soul

But real Vaishnava-dharma is jaiva-dharma, the nature of the soul, the divine life of the soul. Bhaktivinod Thakur wrote his book Jaiva-dharma to bring genuine Vaishnav religion out to the world.

jivera ‘svarupa’ haya—krsnera ‘nitya-dasa’

krsnera ‘tatastha Sakti’, ‘bhedabheda prakasa'

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, 2.20.108)

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu taught, “The real identity of the soul is eternal servitor of Krishna. He is Krishna’s marginal potency, present simultaneously distinct yet non-distinct from Krishna.”

And it was this type of transcendental knowledge that Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami brought here. That was already present but hidden in the scriptures or holy books, and he revealed it. Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami’s unique contribution was the daiva-varnasrama-dharma, or godly socio-religious society, according to the proper interpretation of the scriptures: daiva-varnasrama-dharma, hari-bhakti yara marma, sastra-yukti karila nischaya. The so-called ‘religion’ that goes on in the material world is demoniac or asura-varnasrama, but the daiva-varnaframa-dharma always strives to worship the Lord. There are many devotional duties, but their aim is exclusively the satisfaction of the Lord.

Sravanam, kirtanam, visnoh smaranam, pada-sevanam, or hearing, chanting, remembering, etc., are all duties for no purpose but worshipping the Lord. The execution of these functions is known, in its primary stage, as daiva-varnasrama. The bodily calculation of considering a brahman’s son a brahman, or a sudra’s son a sudra, etc., is false.

chatur-varnyam maya srstam guna-karma-vibhagasah

(Srimad Bhagavad-gita, 4.13)

“The four social divisions are created by Me, and divided according to man’s qualities and works.”

Prabhupada Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur showed us that the genuine socio-religious organization of varnasrama-dharma must worship the Lord, and above varnasrama-dharma is Vaishnavism, or jaiva-dharma, the divine life or religion of the soul. This is the line by which Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami established real Vaishnavism in the world. A Vaishnav is never inferior to a brahman. A Vaishnav is always superior to a brahman. That is his real position. The position of a Vaishnav is never merely ‘next’ to a brahman. The Vaishnav lives in the other world—the transcendental world of service, sevamaya-bhumika, or nirguna-bhumika, the transcendental plane. And varnasrama-dharma is in the saguna-bhumika, the plane of mundane qualities. But the attempt to rise above the mayik plane comes within the purview of varnasrama-dharma.

varnasramacharavata purusena parah puman

visnur aradhyate pantha nanyat tat-tosa-karanam

(Vishnu Purana, 3.8.9)

“Almighty Vishnu is worshipped by the person whose practices conform to the social and religious duties (varna-dharma, asrama-dharma). (In this world) there is no other way to propitiate Him.”

Such a teaching guides the world toward the worship of Lord Krishna. But the Vaishnavs live in the transcendental world. For example, if you take prasad, you are not taking mere rice, vegetables, water, etc. You are taking what was offered to Krishna. You cannot be responsible for any sin. The devotee offers everything for Krishna’s pleasure.

tvayopabhukta-srag-gandha-vaso ’lankara-charchchitah

uchchhista-bhojino dasas tava mayam jayema hi

(Srimad Bhagavatam, 11.6.46)

“Adorned with the garlands, scents and clothing enjoyed by You, and partaking of Your remnants, O Lord—we, Your servitors, can conquer Your Maya.”

Revealing an Eternal Gem

In this way, the eternally living and ecstatic (sac-chid-anandamaya) element that is present within is again fully manifest. Similarly, Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami once again revealed to the world that which is eternal and ever-fresh. Before his appearance, people might have been chanting the Name of God, but how did they chant it? In his time, he was the inaugurator of the genuine chanting of Harinama.

prthivite yata katha dharma-name chale

bhagavata kahe saba paripiurna chhale

Totalitarian war against Maya. What passes in this world in the name of religion—everything is false. You are a jiva-soul. Krishna is like the great sun, and you are like a sun-ray. The sun-ray must always be attached to the great sun. That is his nature. Krishna is like a big exalted magnet, and you are like iron. Therefore, He is called Krishna, meaning ‘Krs-‘ ‘to attract’ and ‘na’ ‘to give joy’. He attracts us and gives us ecstasy (karsan venu-svanair gopir gopinatha-sriye ’stu nah).

This is Prabhupada Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur’s gift. Many Acharyas such as Sankaracharya, Buddha, Ramanuja, Nimbaditya and Madhvacharya, came and distributed the mercy of the Lord, but the supreme position was given by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. That was suppressed by the illusory environment, and Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami came, cleansed and revealed that divine gem. He clarified to the world the real position of Vaishnava-dharma. Now nobody can accuse Vaishnava-dharma of being a lower-class religion or conception. It can only be admitted to be greater than the greatest.

He established, especially in Bengal, the renounced order of the Vaishnavs, tridanda-sannyasa. Previously the custom was eka-danda-sannyasa of the mayavadis. He established many things in a new light, in the pure line. The chanting process, the preaching process—he renovated everything and established the proper line, according to the Vedic culture, to take us to our supramental destination.

Once, along with Srila Guru Maharaj, we visited his godbrother Sauren Babu. A big pandit who was very much opposed to Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami also came to that meeting. Guru Maharaj gave his lecture, and after that, on the invitation of Sauren Babu, that pandit gave his lecture. He admitted, “We can now understand that we were wrong, and Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Prabhupada was right. In my youth, I heavily opposed his preaching, but that was my great wrong. I now can say that he was upholding genuine righteousness, and all of us who opposed him were wrong. The gosanis, pandits, sahajiyas—all were wrong.” At that time so-called Vaishnavism was very ‘low-classism.’ But after Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Prabhupada it again rose to its high, glorious position.

Pujala Raga-patha Gaurava-bhange

You will see two lines of a special song at the front of our nat-mandir: matala harijana kirtana-ratige, pujala raga-patha gaurava-bhange. This verse is the personification of Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami. What is the worship he showed us? And how is it executed? Both are shown here. Before, if a Vaishnav came to the door, everybody would think he was naked but for a kaupin; or at least his cloth must be dirty. And he wore beads and tilak. Matha neda kopani pada, nake tilak galay mala. This was how Bhaktivinod Thakur described the pseudo-Vaishnav. Eho ta’ ek kalira chela: like a servant of Kali, a devil. This whole anomaly was smashed by Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami. He established big maths (monasteries) and mandirs (temples). He engaged all the fruits of technology and materialism—motor cars, printing presses and so many things—for spreading Krishna consciousness all over the world.

A humble beginning

His preaching began at Ulta Dingi Junction Road, in Calcutta. There was a two-storied building, with only one room upstairs. Downstairs there were four rooms where four Vaishnav families lived, all his disciples, and with their donations they kept him in the single room upstairs. I have seen that room personally. His preaching began from there. Later, he rented another house for preaching. Despite that humble beginning, the world can now see the result of the preaching of Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami.

As described by Srila Vrindavan Das Thakur, Mahaprabhu said,

prthivite achhe yata nagaradi grama

sarvatra prachara haibe mora nama

(Sri Chaitanya-bhagavata)

“My Name shall be preached in as many towns and villages that be in the world.”

As predicted by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, we can now see devotees chanting and dancing all over the world in the Name of Nitai-Gauranga. The Hare Krishna maha-mantra has spread all over the world. No doubt, this knowledge is transcendental, but it is necessary to properly follow the line of Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur. Otherwise, after a few years, or fifty or a hundred years, all will fall into the pit of sahajiyaism (imitationism). We must be ever cautious to follow the principle of Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur Prabhupada.

We have also seen that our Guru Maharaj could never accept anything but pure Vaishnavism. Many compromises have been seen in so-called Vaishnavism, but Guru Maharaj would never mix such ‘alloys.’ His talks were always completely straightforward, in the line of the pure, unalloyed devotion that was distributed in the world by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Thus, it is clear that Guru Maharaj purely distributed Unalloyed Devotion all over the world. We have all seen that when Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada toured all over the world for preaching, he would regularly return to India and meet with Guru Maharaj. Guru Maharaj was his very intimate friend, and he also took Guru Maharaj as his siksa-guru. He would come to see how Guru Maharaj was keeping, and give him a report about the progress of his preaching work. And Swami Maharaj said to Guru Maharaj, “I am bringing raw materials from the West—you please purify and use these materials for the service of Mahaprabhu and Lord Krishna.”

For the general preaching, Swami Maharaj distributed Hare Krishna maha-mantra all over the world. That is general preaching. But it is not that he did not know what good preaching is; he well knew. But he had to check himself, like Mahaprabhu. When many people came to see Mahaprabhu’s dancing in His intoxication of divine love, He would come to bahya-dasa, that is, He would check Himself.

So we see that Swami Maharaj brought many fortunate souls, from many countries, to Krishna consciousness. He thought that a special group would necessarily require higher spiritual education. He mentioned this to Guru Maharaj, “I am bringing raw materials—you please rectify them and use them for Mahaprabhu’s service.”

Guru of Gurus

Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami came into this world and distributed real Vaishnavism. And by his grace, we have our Guru Maharaj. He is the guru of both Srila Swami Maharaj and Srila Guru Maharaj. We can never come to the end of singing the glories of such great souls. How can we fully glorify the character of the supreme Vaishnavs?It is impossible to do them justice. We try, but time checks us.

Anyway, today, this day of Sri Krishna-panchami is most auspicious. We can only pray at the lotus feet of Srila Prabhupada Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur that he may be pleased with us—and no doubt he is always pleased with us, otherwise how could we have a place in his sampradaya? Especially in the line of his very dearmost Srila Sridhar Maharaj.

We have come under the guidance of Srila Guru Maharaj, so we have no doubt that we are very, very fortunate. But that is not the end of our work. We must proceed towards our destination. The blessings of Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakura and the Vaishnavs are always necessary. Everybody’s well-wishes are necessary for our practising spiritual life.

Sriman Mahaprabhu has said,

trnad api sunichena taror iva sahisnuna

amanina manadena kirtaniyah sada harih

Mahaprabhu has very kindly given us three rules. “Trnad api sunichena; do not disturb anyone—consider yourself lower than a blade of grass; taror iva sahisnuna: like a tree, tolerate everything in this mundane world; amanina manadena: the life of service is the eternal property of the exalted jiva-soul, or the liberated soul, and that is also the property of everyone—so you must respect everyone, without expecting respect in return. By following these principles, always sing the glories of the Supreme Lord Hari.” We have received these instructions by the grace of Sriman Mahaprabhu Chaitanyadev and Prabhupada Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur.

Our need for the Divine Master

The purport of such teachings has its own subtle connotation, which must be in the proper line. We cannot follow the proper line of thought without taking shelter in the lotus feet of a genuine guru. Such are the teachings of Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami. Previously, many sastras, many types of Vaishnavs and religions were to be seen in the world, but only after the appearance of Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami was it openly clarified that the only necessity is a life of service to Krishna, under the guidance of the genuine guru and Vaishnav.

May Srila Prabhupada Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur be gracious upon us. Srila Guru Maharaj wrote many Sanskrit verses about him. They are so exalted that if we enter into the purport of only one of them, hours can pass unnoticed. After the departure of Srila Prabhupada, Srila Guru Maharaj wrote this sloka (verse) about him:

nikhila-bhuvana-maya-chhinna-vichchhinna-kartri

vibudha-bahula-mrgya-mukti-mohanta-datri

sithilita-vidhi-ragaradhya-radhesa-dhani

vilasatu hrdi nityarn bhakti-siddhanta-vani

Guru Maharaj himself said that if Srila Prabhupada were present to hear this sloka, he would have said that his entire personality had been embraced in only four lines. Revealing his own identity, Guru Maharaj wrote,

vrsabhanu-suta-dayitanucharam

charanasrita-renu-dharas-tam aham

mahad adbhuta-pavana-sakti-padam

pranamami sada prabhupdda-padam

“I eternally bow unto the lotus feet of Srila Prabhupada, who is the dearmost attendant of Vrisabhanu-nandini. By taking the dust of his lotus feet (charanasrita-renu-dharah) I have now become Sridhar Maharaj. The dust of his lotus feet is so glorious—it purifies everything in an astonishing and miraculous way: mahad adbhuta-pavana-sakti-padam—glorious, wonderfully purifying lotus feet.”

All Glory to the Divine Master

and the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna Chaitanya

(3) A Day at Hapaniya

[October, 1989 Advent Festival of

Om Vishnupad Paramahamsa Parivrajakacharya-varya

Sarva-Sastra-siddhanta-vit Astottara-sata-Sri-

Srimad Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj]

A lecture delivered by

Om Vishnupad Sri Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Maharaj

Present President-Acharya

Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math

Nabadwip, India and internationally

I offer my obeisances to my respected Godbrothers, Godsisters, and the villagers of Sri Hapaniya. Today we have very happily come to Sri-Pat Hapaniya Dham. Our destination is Goloka, even if we may not know where Goloka is. However, we must know that the abode of Goloka has personally become manifest in this world as the abode of the Divine Master, the residence of the devotees and the temple where the Deities are worshipped. Today, whether we can perceive it or not, we have arrived in this holy place which is non-different from Goloka Dham.

Many years ago we brought our Divine Master back here to Hapaniya, the place of his advent. We had a purpose, as also did the residents of this village; and all wanted to have Guru Maharaj’s company once again, since so many long years had passed since Guru Maharaj left his family to accept the renounced order of life, sannyas, and went out to preach throughout the whole of India, after which Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur departed from this mortal world, and Guru Maharaj remained in Vrindavan, Gokula, and Sri Nabadwip Dham. His family members, especially his brothers Sriyukta Mani Babu and Sriyukta Amar Babu, tried their level best to bring Guru Maharaj back to his ‘home town’ Hapaniya, but he had no desire to come here and never agreed to their proposal.

Afterwards, on the request of Guru Maharaj’s Godbrothers, Param Pujyapad Srila Jajavar Maharaj, Paramahamsa Maharaj, Madhusudan Maharaj and others—all the Vaishnavs who had much regard and affection for him—Guru Maharaj finally agreed to come here for a day or two.

My underlying intention through all this was to locate the exact spot where Guru Maharaj took his birth. I thought that could be indicated only by him personally. No one else could do that because all were younger than him. He was the eldest remaining of all his family members of the village, and furthermore, his memory was the sharpest of all. Therefore I considered that only he could accurately point out the place of his birth.

When Jajavar Maharaj and other Godbrothers of Guru Maharaj, and myself, petitioned Guru Maharaj to come back here once, Krishna Das Babaji Maharaj also supported our proposal with great enthusiasm. He personally became most eager that Guru Maharaj should come. Our most revered Sriyukta Mani Babu and Sriyukta Amar Babu were most enthusiastic. Also Sriyukta Satyen Babu, Sriyukta Bon Babu, and many other distinguished brahmans and pious souls of this village and their families—all showed great eagerness. Young and old—everyone, even one elderly Muslim gentleman who lived nearby also expressed his heartfelt wish that Guru Maharaj might be brought back here once again. In this way, everyone propitiated Guru Maharaj, and at last he agreed.

A memorable day

When Guru Maharaj reached here, I requested him to indicate the place of his birth. Guru Maharaj happily agreed to do so, and the very spot directly before us where Sri Sri Guru-Gauranga-Radha-Gopinathjiu now graciously preside, was indicated by him to be the exact place of his birth.

On that day we collected 6,000 rupees for making a small place of worship here, to mark the spot. All the venerable Godbrothers of Srila Guru Maharaj who were present also graciously gave me contributions. Then at the request of Krishna Das Babaji Maharaj, Jajavar Maharaj and others, Mani Babu registered a deed and gave it to me for this place. Although it was a very small beginning, I was encouraged very much by the blessings and association of Guru Maharaj’s brothers and my Godbrothers. Sriyukta Amar Babu took full charge of the project, and in a very humble way we tried to make a small temple only for the worship of Guru Maharaj’s photograph. Originally there was no temple for the Deity, or any nat-mandir. Gradually, the devotees became more and more enthused to give contributions, and so after about eight years I thought that with our Guru Maharaj’s permission it would now be possible to build a temple here and install Deities.

Guru Maharaj was also very happy to hear that I wanted to install Deities here. He said, “I am sure you will have no problem to engage a good priest, invite the Vaishnavs and hold a grand festival for the installation of the Deities. But after that, how will you feed your Deities? It is not a matter of one or two years—it is an eternal service. So first you will have to try to manage for a permanent arrangement for the worship of the Deities.”

Birth of an Ashram

By the blessings of Guru Maharaj and through the affection of my Godbrothers sufficient facility came to enable me to arrange regular offerings and worship for the Deities. So, taking Guru Maharaj’s instruction, with the guidance of his honourable Godbrothers we installed the Deities of Sri Sri Guru-Gauranga-Radha-Gopinathjiu. Since then we have held four grand festivals every year, and we continue the daily worship of the Deities according to the scriptural regulations.

Guru Maharaj named the Deities Radha-Gopinathjiu. This name causes us to always remember Madhavendra Puripada. Madhavendra Puri received the profuse blessings, and sweet rice prasadam, from Gopinathjiu of Remuna. So Guru Maharaj said that since the Deity had manifest Himself here as Gopinathjiu, we must arrange very nice paramanna, or sweet rice, to offer to Him every day.

Gradually, the temple and nat-mandir have manifested by the blessings of Guru Maharaj and the affection of the devotees. Along with his family, Guru Maharaj’s brother, Sripad Amar Babu, constantly serves this Math. Guru Maharaj named this Math ‘Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Ashram,’ and up to the present it is running very happily and perfectly under the guidance of Amar Babu. As at Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, all the spiritual functions are carried out every day, and devotees and villagers from far and wide come to see Gopinathjiu. Hundreds of villagers come for the festivals like Radhastami and Krishna-janmastami. On Janmastami they come for the worship of Gopinathjiu, and they observe fasting the whole day. The next day, for the great festival known as Nandotsav, five to six thousand people attend this Math and happily take prasadam. They all cooperate with us very nicely. In this way, the service of Gopinathjiu has become very glorious. We are also very happy because Guru Maharaj’s orders to make these service programmes have become fulfilled. Today, you have also seen the new land we have acquired, and the pond which we have named ‘Santi Sarovara.’ There, we are now cultivating our own crops. Devotees of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math now visit here regularly, especially for the festivals of Gaura Parnima, Guru Puja, and Janmastami, and they are very happy to see the service of Gopinathjiu and take His prasadam, and they feel transcendental ecstasy. Thus our service is always progressing with the kind assistance of the devotees.

Today so many of you have again attended, and this year my programme is a little different. Guru Maharaj’s form is transcendental, never mundane, and on the holy day of his advent we worship him in the same way as Lord Krishna or Mahaprabhu. Therefore, I thought that after his appearance day festival, which we observed yesterday in Nabadwip, we should hold a festival here today for Guru Maharaj in the same way as Nandotsav, the festival held by Nanda Maharaj the day after Krishna’s birth. Everything here is transcendental, and if we can have the vision to see this we must be spiritually benefitted. In this way we are trying to fulfill the desire of the exalted Vaishnavs.

The name of this Village is ‘Hapaniya,’ which means ‘sweet water.’ A place that produces sweet water is called ‘Hapaniya.’ Paniya means ‘that which is drinkable.’ Today we have drunk the water from the green coconuts here and experienced their sweetness. Because of these coconuts full of sweet water, this place has been called ‘Hapaniya.’

A child of that soil

Another feeling also comes to me when I am in Hapaniya, as a child of this village. Perhaps in the past I was a resident of this village. I do not know why, but whenever I come here I feel myself to be a part of this village. Perhaps it is because of the affection of Guru Maharaj’s family members. I first came here when I was 17 years old. At that time, Mani Babu, Amar Babu and their families were very affectionate to me and bestowed their blessings upon me; and Guru Maharaj’s sister, who now lives at Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math in Nabadwip, accepted me as her son. With so many such things combined, I feel myself to be a boy of this village. Now I have been coming and going to and from this village for about 42 years.

Guru Maharaj himself was so very affectionate to me, he did not like me to be away from him for even a few hours. Sometimes when I would go to Calcutta, Guru Maharaj would send a Godbrother by a shortcut on the cycle to the bridge to intercept me and call me back. “Call Govinda Maharaj back, I am not feeling well.” This happened many times. Sometimes, even if there was very important work in Calcutta, he would send someone by cycle with the order, “Bring him back immediately.” But whenever I had to come here to Hapaniya, Guru Maharaj would always very happily grant me permission. Even if he was not in very good health, his mood would change and he would become very pleased. He always encouraged me to come to Hapaniya. But so many times when I had to go to Calcutta, he would call me back. Therefore, I am very attached to Hapaniya Dham.

After the manifestation of the Deity, when I was about to go to Hapaniya, sometimes Guru Maharaj would ask, “Where are you going?” And I would reply, “I am going to my Math.”Guru Maharaj would enjoy, and laughing he would say, “Oh, Hapaniya is your Math? Alright. You may go.” Guru Maharaj’s mood was very happy if I served the Deity of Radha-Gopinathjiu. This is why I have become more and more enthusiastic to serve the Deity. Also, many of my Godbrothers, especially I can mention that Sripad Yudhamanyu Seva Vikram Prabhu and Sripad Aravinda Lochan Seva Sundar Prabhu are assisting me very much for the Hapaniya seva. Many other Godbrothers are also helping. Whenever the devotees hear that their contribution is utilized for Hapaniya, their hearts feel peaceful and happy. We enjoy here very freely. When I am in Calcutta I have heavy responsibilities, and in Chaitanya Saraswat Math also I am not worry-free. But in Hapaniya, I feel much peace at heart. I come here weekly or fortnightly. Although I don’t stay very long, I appreciate being here.

So now you have come to this very place, Hapaniya, where Guru Maharaj manifested himself to the world, where all the trees, all the animals, all the men, women—everything is transcendental. Even all the vegetables are transcendental. But it is necessary to eat with a transcendental body. Otherwise, how can we digest?

That day we came here with Guru Maharaj, a humble meeting was held here in this very place. As shelter, only a tarpaulin was erected above our heads. We sat on the ground, and Guru Maharaj sat on a chair. He discussed various slokas. At that time it was my greatest fortune to hear a special sloka from my Guru Maharaj for the first time. Guru Maharaj wanted to inject our hearts with the feeling that we had come to the holy abode.

yat kincha trna-gulma-kikata-mukham gosthe samastam hi tat

sarvananda-mayam mukunda-dayitam lilanukulam param

He told us, “Everything here is transcendental and very auspicious. If you can see in this way, you will be benefitted. You will retrieve your transcendental life, and also, you will attain the service of Srimati Radharani.” In this way, Guru Maharaj gave his blessings to us here on that day, and we always remember that. I have tried to speak a little of the glories of Guru Maharaj, for his satisfaction, and I know that if I can see the meaning of his sloka, my prayer must reach its destination very easily,

Now the offering is being made to the Deities. After the bhoga-arati we shall happily take the prasadam of Radha-Gopinathjiu, Giridharijiu and our Guru Maharaj. This is my desire and prayer. My obeisances to you all—the villagers, the sannyasins, brahmacharins, etc.

Jaya Om Vishnupad Paramahamsa-parivrajakacharya-varya Astottara-sata-sri Srimad Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj ki jaya!

Tadiya avirbhava-bhumi Sripat Hapaniya ki jaya!

Jaya Sri Sri Guru-Gauranga-Radha-Gopinathjiu ki jaya!

Tadiya bhoga-arati ki jaya!

Jaya Sripad Ananga Mohan Prabhu ki jaya!

Jaya Gauri Matadevi ki jaya!

Jaya Sri Upendrachandra Vidydaratna ki jaya!

Jaya samaveta vaisnava-mandala ki jaya!

Samaveta bhakta-vrinda ki jaya!

Harinama-sankirtana ki jaya!

Gaura-premanande Hari bol!

All Glory to the Divine Master

and the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna Chaitanya

(4) Holy Talks

Nitya-lila-pravista

Om Vishnupad Paramahamsa-chudamani

Sri Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj

[July, 1982]

Asvini, Varuni, Kirtika. Kirtika is the name of the third daughter of Daksa. It was a custom in Vraja-mandal to name one’s daughter after one of the daughters of Daksa Prajapati. So the name of Radharani’s mother was Kirtika, and Radharani is called Kartiki, in the sense that She is born from Kirtika. So, regarding the holy month of Kartika, Srila Sanatana Goswami has given the clue: masanam marga-sirso ’ham. Krishna says, “Of all months, the month Marga-sirsa (November–December) represents Me.” Kartika precedes Marga-Sirsa, or Agrahayan. So the Kartika month therefore has some reason to be conceived of as representing Radharani. As Krishna represents Marga-Sirsa, it can follow that the Goddess representing the preceding month, Kartika, represents Radharani. The Kartika month is the month of the vow known as urjja-vrata. ‘Urjjesvari’ is also a name of Radharani. Urjjah means ‘resources.’ All resources culminate in Her. She commands all resources. The sakti, power or resources, are commanded by Her. So the vow followed in the month of Kartika known as urjja-vrata goes ultimately to the connection of Urjjesvari, Sri Radhika, and thus Vaishnavs lay stress upon the observance of Kartika, especially with the aspiration of satisfying Radharani—to attain Her service, and the service of Krishna.

We are also told that in that month the gopis observed the worship of Katyayani, with the internal aim of satisfying the Devi (Goddess). Nanda-gopa-sutam devi patim me kurute namah. That was their internal prayer to the Devi Yogamaya: “Please manage in such a way that we can have the service of the son of Nanda in our own hearty way.” With that prayer, the kartika-vrata was observed by them.

So we also lay some special stress on the observance of the last portion of chaturmasya, known as kartika-vrata. And that is exclusively connected with service of the gopis, Radharani, and Krishna; and Srimad Bhagavatam also comes to encourage us in the line of the gopis’ worship of Katyayani. With that spirit within, we observe the last month of chaturmasya more attentively.

Revealed truth

Vedais cha sarvair aham eva vedyah—srutibhir vimrigyam. Sruti means ‘revealed truth.’ We cannot expect to find any truth here, in this world. This world is all misunderstanding, in the field of provincial and local interest. Beyond that, nothing can be conceived here. So absolute knowledge must come from a quarter other than this world. Revealed truth is our only solace, our only support.

Veda means, ‘Know this.’ Simply, ‘Know’; no rhyme, no reason. When a mother orders her child, she does not offer any reason: “Boy, do this.” There is no rhyme, no reason, no nyaya, sastra (logic or scriptural injunction), or anything of the kind. Similarly, Veda comes with a command, an affectionate command, “Do this—know this. I speak fact. Don’t challenge. Your challenging equipment is all futile and false, so don’t come, my child, to challenge what I say! Please know this!” This is Veda.

Vedais cha sarvair aham eva vedyah: “All the revealed scriptures try to reveal Me alone—I am to be known.”

yasmin jnate sarvam idam vijnatam bhavati,

yasmin prapte sarvam idam praptam bhavati,

tad vijijnasasva tad eva brahma

“You are searching for this and that—this is all futile. Only try to know Me, and everything is known. Your searching life will be finished. There will no longer be any necessity for searching if you can know Me.”

bhidyate hrdaya-granthis chhidyante sarva-samsayah

ksiyante chasya karmani mayi drste ’khilatmani

(Srimad Bhagavatam, 11.20.30)

“Your quest will be fulfilled only when you come to such a stage. Bhidyate hrdaya-granthih: your heart is sealed. That seal will be broken. There is a knot—that will be torn. The flow will come out towards Me. The heart is in bondage. If it is untied, the easy and natural flow will come to Me. The tie is removed and the heart will flow with love towards Me. Chhidyante sarva-samsayah: your searching trouble will be ended. No more search will be necessary. Always searching for better, better, better—that will be ended. Ksiyante chasya karmani: from your previous life, your obligation to the environment will also disappear; mayi drste ’khilatmani: when you will find that I am everywhere. I am the party with whom you have to deal. So, I am the one who can satisfy you wholly.”

Fulfilling the internal necessity

As our Guru Maharaj said, “If there is fire, don’t try to extinguish it and afterwards come to Krishna.” There is no necessity of extinguishing fire. All your internal necessity is with Krishna. But you go to extinguish fire as though you have some necessity with the thing to be burnt? No, no. You have no such necessity. The whole world maybe reduced to ashes—you won't lose anything. All your necessity is in the divine feet of Krishna. He can supply, He can manage. He can give you the fullest engagement, naturally in your serving relationship with Him.

Mayi drste ’khilatmani: “Wherever you cast your glance you will see that I am there. Maybe you want to do good to others? But you will see that I am there; so your attempt to do good is not necessary. I am fully conscious of any benefit. So you can bestow nothing.” He has the best interest and the best liking for everyone. He is there. So all other considerations are cancelled. “There is only you, and Myself. All others are subsidiary.” Of course, this is in a general sense. Then further readjustment comes through Yogamaya, in a serving group. There, another development will arise, where everything is similar but not the same.

Crossing the layer of satisfaction, there is again dissatisfaction:“I am not getting the service of Krishna.” Not a drop to drink—only hankering, hankering, hankering. “How can I get a drop of this nectar to drink?” That will be a further development. And Krishna’s different aspects will be unfolded to our hankering, and we will find infinite love.

Quality vs. quantity

Devotee: Is it true that by practising chaturmasya during the month of Kartika in the holy dham, one receives the benefit of observing the entire four months?

Srila Guru Maharaj: That depends on the quality of observance. One day’s or a second’s observance may cover the whole thing. Intensity and quality must get us relief from the ‘mathematics.’

eka krsna-name yata papa hare

pataki sadhya nahi tata papa kare

“No sinner can commit as much sin as one Name of Krishna can destroy.”

namno ’sya yavati saktih papa-nirharane hareh

tavat kartum na saknoti patakam pataki janah

(Kurma Purana)

Still, we are requested to observe the formalities of taking one thousand Names, one lakh Names, sixteen rounds, etc. These observances are necessary for the lower order. Our attention should nonetheless focus on the quality. One Name can be infinitely more effective than crores of Names if they are only namaparadha or namabhasa (offensive or an indirect, hazy facsimile). This must be discerned.

tunde tandavini ratim vitanute tundavali-labdhaye

karna-kroda-kadambini ghatayate karnarvudebhyah sprham

chetah-prangana-sangini vijayate sarvendriyanam krtim

no jane janita kiyadbhir amrtaih krsneti varna-dyayi

(Vidagdha Madhava, 1.15)

The highest section can never satisfy themselves that they have ‘reached the standard’ of taking the Name—they are paralysed from the beginning. When Yasoda takes the Name of Krishna, or Radharani takes the Name of Krishna, how many ‘volts’ are present there? The magnitude of that voltage is inconceivable to us!

anyabhilasita-sunyam jnana-karmady anavrtam

anukilyena krsnanusilanam bhaktir uttama

(Sri Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu, Purva 1.11)

Anyabhilasa is the layer of random, fleeting desires or the whims of every individual. Within the relativity of revealed truth, the path of karma which is recommended while catering for our present stage, produces a mixture. A certain percentage of devotion may be present in us, but it is mixed with the objects of this anomalous world.

Then above karma is jnana (knowledge): we can perceive the mortality of this world, so we should not keep any connection with such a world of death; we must rise above it, otherwise we cannot be happy. Both jnana and yoga come forward with this proposal to somehow escape from the difficulty of death. To drive away death should be the be-all and end-all of life, and we must be saved from the clutches of death, the chains of mortality. But all these things are merely to get out of the negative side. The word adi (etc.) signifies yoga and saithilya, our idleness and apathy. And anukulyena-krsnanusilanam indicates ‘not pratikulya’ or ‘not that which is undesirable,’ so cultivation of Krishna means service to Krishna. Our normal relation with our higher existence can only be that of service, not otherwise. So, somehow we must take that path, and progress. To begin with it may be calculative, but it will come to an automatic stage. We will find it within ourselves—spontaneously.

A river of love

This is love, the flow of a river of love. Then service is the service of love. Loving service is its own food, and clothing, and shelter. Everything is there. There is no other necessity outside. Every aspect of our life is engaged, in the entire twenty-four hours. The whole space, time, and the person—all three—are fully absorbed.

The Supreme Lord is rasa, or ecstasy personified, and He has His own group. Refugees come from one land for shelter in another, and the government takes the care to give them temporary shelter in a camp. Gradually, arrangements are made for their place of settlement in a particular district, in a suitable vocation according to their capacity. Similarly, in the absolute plane there are camps of different rasas—sakhya, vatsalya, madhura, etc.—and there are also groups within those, of variegated nature. In this way the fullest adjustment is managed. Proper livelihood is also arranged, that is, engagement, or service. When the refugees are settled, their shelter and engagement or livelihood, are all to be arranged.

yatha yatha gaura-padaravinde

vindeta bhaktim krta-punya-rasih

tatha tathotsarpati hrdy akasmad

radha-padambhoja-sudhambu-rasih

“The more devotion unto the lotus feet of Sri Gaurasundar is attained by the fortunate soul, the more the ocean of nectar—the service of the lotus feet of Sri Sri Radhika—spontaneously wells up within his heart.”

The internal identity of Sri Prabodhananda Saraswatipad (the writer of this sloka) is the sakhi Tungavidya, amongst the eight principal sakhis in Vraja-mandal. She became Prabodhananda in Gaura-lila. His writings are both very sweet and grand, most appealing, and hitting to the mark.

All Glory to the Divine Master

and the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna Chaitanya

(5) Living Faith

Nitya-lila-pravista

Om Vishnupad Paramahamsa-chudamani

Sri Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj

[December, 1982]

Devotee: When I return to England, what would be the best way for me to make spiritual advancement?

Srila Guru Maharaj: To have proper connection with the sadhu—association. Association can help us the most. This is repeatedly stated in the scriptures. There is living association as well as sastric, or scriptural association. Most preferable is ‘living scripture,’ which means the sadhu, the devotee. And that must, of course, be genuine and not imitation. A candle of small power may thrive nearby a flame of high power, but it may easily and quickly die in the proximity of an opposing element. It can’t maintain itself that way. But if the atmosphere is surcharged with heat by so many flames, it can stand and develop. We can thrive in favourable circumstances or soil. If we have to fight with the environment, then we waste our energy and we'll have to die.

What is your age?

Devotee: Twenty-one.

Srila Guru Maharaj: Are your parents living?

Devotee: Yes.

Srila Guru Maharaj: Are they devotees?

Devotee: No, they’re opposed.

Srila Guru Maharaj: They're Christians?

Devotee: Yes.

Srila Guru Maharaj: Protestants or Catholics?

Devotee: Catholics.

Srila Guru Maharaj: What is the meaning of Catholic and Protestant? What is the difference? Ideally, at least, ‘catholic’ means ‘very generous in faith’; and the Protestants want to calculate and measure by reason before accepting. Reason is the predominant factor with the Protestant. They were started by Martin Luther in Germany. Then, again, amongst the Protestants another subdivision appeared as the Puritans. Milton was a Puritan. The ultra-moralists were called ‘Puritans.’ Then another branch came from the Puritans as the Independents. Those Puritans or Independents may not remain today in their original forms, but Protestants and Catholics are still present side by side. The British Monarchy is Protestant.

‘Catholic,’ in the proper sense, is a good expression. How much faith in the infinite can we claim to have? There is a story of a frog. One of the children of a frog saw an elephant. The mother was not present at that time. When the mother came, it said to the mother, “I saw a very big animal.”

“How big?”

The frog puffs itself up: “So big? So big? So big?”

In this way, it puffs itself up to a bigger and bigger figure.

“No—bigger, bigger, bigger than that!”

Then the frog bursts—finished. So how catholic can we be? What capacity do we have? We are like frogs. The elephant is also a meagre thing. ‘Catholic’ means ‘generous.’ How generous can we be to contain the whole within us? Impossible.

Only faith can give some connection. Our reason and all our other ‘weapons’ must come to failure. Only faith can somewhat connect us, give us some touch. How spacious is the faith we can accommodate in our tiny selves? In the infinite, we shall have to accommodate infinite possibilities. Krishna says, “In your conception of infinite, thousands of infinite forms are only a negligible part of Me”:

athava bahunaitena kim jnatena tavarjjuna

vistabhyaham idam krtsnam ekamsena sthito jagat

(Srimad Bhagavad-gita, 10.42)

You cannot imagine a connection with Him—it is only possible by His grace. Then, the question is, how to get His grace? Total surrender and attempt to please Him; to enter into His sympathy by fully inviting and accepting His ways, in whatever meagre way we can know to do so.

We must approach Him through His bona fide devotees. They are our wealth and ultimate resort. His devotees, His agents, are our shelter. We should only try our utmost to connect with His bona fide agents. To attain the infinite is to make the impossible possible. Being finite, we aspire after a connection with the infinite? Apparently it is impossible. Yet, it is possible, and possible only through our most humbled attitude; to directly admit that we are nothing, we are so mean. We are so mean, so small, so negligible, so meagre. When we come to realize our proper position, the law of relativity will take us to Him. He will come, out of mercy.

We shall try our best to know ourselves as sinners: “If You take the path of justice, I have no hope. I am an infinite sinner. Only if the door of mercy is opened—only if the line of mercy is extended to me, can I have some hope. I am so mean, so low—You are so high, so noble. Only through the doorway of Your mercy, Your affection, can I approach You to enter into Your shelter.”

Saranagati—condemning one’s own self to the extreme, sincerely of course, and feeling the greatness of the Master party. “Will You graciously accept me? I am not fit to render any service to You, my Lord.” Only this kind of attitude may take us to Him. We must appeal to the mercy side. Affection, devotion. His grace, His kindness—that subtle aspect is to be tackled by the souls, and then they may have some hope and prospect.

Mercy above justice

vicharite aobi, guna nahi paobi,

krpa kara chhodata vichara

(Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur says) “If You come to judge, You won’t find anything in my favour, so kindly leave aside the way of judgement. In the way of justice I have no hope. If You come with mercy, then I can hope to enter into Your Domain.”

That is devotion proper, saranagati. And in Krishna consciousness, that is the plane of mercy, love and affection. Mercy is not as intense in Vaikuntha; some justice, calculation, or vidhi, is mixed there. But Vrindavan is the land of mercy, love, and affection. And more, there is no want there—it is infinite; the mercy there is also infinite, so an infinite number of culprits can be accommodated there without the slightest difficulty. There is no possibility of pollution of the atmosphere if so many nasty souls like us are accepted. It’s infinite.

Krishna consciousness is so generous. It may be extended to the lowest, but the negotiation with Him must be sincere. Still, there is no fear of the meanness of the negotiation. There is no sinner that cannot be purified by Krishna. The greatest sinner may be purified in a second or less. There is so much dynamic power. But we must enter into those doors of mercy and affection, not of justice. Vicharite aobi, guna nahi paobi, krpa kara chhodata vichara.

Divine slavery

“Take me by the door of mercy, my Lord.” That is our real nature, and we should live in such an atmosphere. If we are to live in Vrindavan, no vanity can stand. There, all are of such a temperament. We are all dependants, parasites. We may be cast away and rejected at any moment. As slaves, the Master has all rights over us (Krsnera nitya-dasa). We have to enter with the mentality of a slave: “I am His property, and He can do anything and everything with me; He has cent-per-cent lordship over me.” Such a conception is our wealth. We are always thirsty for mercy. In that plane all are fully cognizant of the fact that they are living dependent on the mercy of the Master, the Lord.

Still, we sometimes find that one party asserts itself over another, but this is arranged by Yogamaya to accomplish the lila of Krishna. One slave may be appointed the master of many. In a drama, a slave may play the part of a landlord, yet he is still a slave in fact. A slave can play different parts in a drama. Such things are arranged by Yogamaya to satisfy Krishna. There, a slave may also have such a unique right, according to his degree of sacrifice, self-abnegation and intensity of hankering for mercy. There may be a gradation according to progress on the negative side. We are told that one who holds the highest position thinks himself to be the lowest of all. This is the measure of negativity. He or she who is rendering the greatest service thinks, “I am most unsatisfied, I can’t do any service to Krishna. I am the worst of all the servants. I can’t serve properly.”

In fact, that is the qualification for rendering service to the Lord. That dissatisfaction is the capital of service. “I can’t satisfy my Lord; I can’t work as directed.” Such a devotee is always alert in this way to the highest degree. He is always suspicious about his own self. This is the ego of the negative type—never asserting, but always self-abusing. The combination of such servitors becomes very, very sweet. The atmosphere is very sweet—no aggressors, all contributors. Famine is created artificially by hoarding, which forces the government to place a prohibition on hoarding and order all commodities fairly to the open market, With the fair, open market, opulence flourishes, and with hoarding, dearth is felt. Similarly, when all are earnestly contributing service without any hoarding, the market is full. Any passer-by will find all abundance for there is hearty contribution for Krishna and His own. There is ample of all necessities.

Prema means that Love. That is the nature of love—die to live. There may be ‘kill to live,’ and ‘die to live.’ In the land of exploitation, everything is ‘kill to live,” but here is the opposite—‘die, and live’; ‘give, and live,’ not ‘take and live.” And that is the order of that land where everyone lives happily. It may appear that they are dying, but really we thrive there. By giving we thrive, and by taking we lose. Exploitation and devotion, or dedication, are opposite numbers. And most important is the link with the centre. This cannot be a nationalistic pursuit, or that of any similar separate group. One must have a proper connection with the centre, otherwise there will be selfishness and partiality. In national unity, religious unity, etc., there will always have to be a hitch. Religious classification which is provincial or local (sampradayik) will not do. The Absolute Centre represents love, affection, beauty, harmony, and we must connect with that to live, to give. Worldly giving is not giving at all. Giving to a goonda (rogue) or giving to a prostitute is only exploitation or to invest some energy for greater exploitation in the future. Not that. But give in the proper sense—to give is to ‘die.’ That is ‘die to live,’ that is dedication. And die for what? Die for the centre, the central good. Merge there. Merge yourself wholly in His interest. Then you will be happy. Consider yourself a slave to the Absolute Lord. You will be happy.

Slavery is a most contemptible thing in this world. Even to utter the word ‘slave’ is considered most objectionable and unthinkable, the most hateful and dishonourable connotation. But in connection with the Absolute Good it is the actual honourable position. To be reckoned as a slave to the highest good is the most honourable position: “I don’t want to assert myself; to assert myself will be a loss to my own interest. The more I assert myself, the more I shall be the loser. I shall be denied His perfect decision and interference by taking my fate into my own limited hand.”

Depend on Him—learn to believe in Him

So depend on Him as much as you can. Learn to believe in Him, the Absolute Good. You are afraid of believing in your neighbour. You have earned such a position by your own previous action. Your intellect is always keenly alert to being robbed by your neighbour, only because of your previous karma. Doubt and suspicion cause you to think, “I’m being exploited by the environment, I’m being robbed.”To be always alert with such suspicion is a most miserable and intolerable life. So we have to become good enough to have a cottage in that soil where none deceives his neighbour, where one always opens his heart to his neighbour in that kingdom of Krishna.

We should not rely on the future. We do not know where we shall be hurled to at any moment, by the course of the different currents of the environment. So act in the living present, believe only the present. Try to make the most of the present. The future is not in your hand. It depends on the resultant of so many actions, forces and currents in the world outside. Where and how it will take us is unknown, so we must try to utilize the chance of the present. Don’t bother retaining the previous incidents of your life.

Heart within and God overhead

Act in the living present, with heart within—with sincerity—and with God overhead; the ultimate reality must be Good Absolute. Accept a life of this type. Na hi kalyana-krt kaschid durgatim tata gachchhati: if you be sincere, well-meaning, no one will be able to defeat you. Your victory is assured.

With spirit we have to take the Name Divine. With the help of the Divine Sound we can approach that soil. The absolute sound is assertive. It contains divinity. That sound will gradually guide us, but we must follow the direction sincerely. The Name appears in a most concise form, but as much as we progress we shall see the broadness of that sound, what it contains in its substance—figure, colour, appearance. The sound will produce the appearance as food for the eye; then attributes as food for the mind; then parikara, the entourage, for our movement. It will show a soil where can live and move, and then lila, or pastimes, which is the product and object of that movement. As in a big organization we find that money is the product—so many labourers are moving so many parts of machinery in the factory only for the result—money; we shall similarly find that lila means movement with intrinsic satisfaction. It is not only that movement is the cause of satisfaction, but automatically every movement means the wave of love, the wave of joy, the wave of ecstasy. The whole movement is that of joy, ecstasy, happiness. Lila means that. In Sri Brahma-samhita it is said, natyam gamanam. Ordinary movement is a general thing, but as dancing, movement contains joy. Katha ganam: speaking becomes singing; in the sound wave there is sweetness all through, within and without. Sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet. Charm, beauty, sweetness, love, affection—all these come to give some conception of that highest soil that Krishna consciousness promises to take us to.

All Glory to the Divine Master

and the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna Chaitanya

(6) Sri Dasa-mula

The Ten Fundamental Divine Principles

By Om Vishnupad Sri Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur

[The Nineteenth Century Pioneer of Exclusive Devotion]

Rendered into English by

Tridandi-bhiksu Sri B.A. Sagar Maharaj

amnayah praha tattvam harim iha paramam sarva-saktim rasabdhim

tad bhinnamsams cha jivan prakrti-kavalitams tad vimuktams cha bhavat

bhedabheda-prakasam sakalam api hareh sadhanam suddha-bhaktim

sadhyam yat pritim evety upadisati harir gaurachandro bhaje tam [1]

Analysis: iha (In this world) amnayah (the voice of Veda, attainable through the divine succession of gurus) praha harim (declares Sri Hari) paramam tattvam (the Supreme Truth), sarva-saktim (replete with all potencies), rasabdhim (the nectarine ocean of all mellows); [tatha] (thus) jivan cha (all the jivas also) tad bhinnamsan (His distinct spiritual particles) prakrti-kavalitan (are swallowed by Maya) tad vimuktan cha (or liberated from Maya) bhavat (by bhava, that is, bhava-bhakti); sakalam api (indeed, the entire creation, both spiritual and material) bhedabheda-prakasam (is an inconceivably one and different manifestation) hareh (of Sri Hari); [amnayah praha] (the Vedas declare) suddha-bhaktim (pure devotion) sadhanam (the singular means), yat pritim eva sadhyam (love for Sri Krishna, the end). iti (such a message of the Vedas) harih gaurachandrah (the Supreme Lord Sri Hari Gaurachandra) upadisati (teaches us); tam bhaje (I serve that Supreme Lord Sri Gaurachandra with all my heart).

Translation: (1) The supreme holy teachings are the Vedas received in the bona fide divine succession of spiritual masters. The divine authority is the Vedas and allied scriptures headed by Srimad Bhagavatam, smriti, and others. By that authority it is established that: (2) Sri Hari [Krishna] is the Supreme Truth, (3) He is replete with all potencies, and (4) He is the nectarine ocean of all divine ecstasy. (5) The individual souls are His distinct spiritual particles. (6) Some of them are captivated by Maya and (7) some of them are liberated from Maya. (8) The entire creation, both spiritual (chit) and mundane (achit), is an inconceivable simultaneously different yet identical manifestation of the Supreme Lord Sri Hari. (9) Devotion (bhakti) is the singular means to attain to (10) love for Sri Krishna—the singular Supreme Ultimate Objective. I serve with all my heart the Supreme Lord Sri Gaurachandra, who graciously teaches us these ten fundamental divine principles.

svatah siddho vedo hari-dayita-vedhah-prabhrtitah

pramanam sat-praptam pramiti-visayams tan nava-vidhan

tatha pratyaksadi-pramiti-sahitam sadhayati no

na yuktis tarkakhya pravisati tatha sakti-rahita [2]

Analysis: hari-dayita-vedhah-prabhrtitah [praptah] (Received in the divine succession of gurus headed by Lord Brahma, the recipient of Sri Hari’s grace), svatah siddhah vedah (the innately perfect, or self-evident, Veda), pratyaksadi-pramiti-sahitam sat-praptam pramanam (the perfect and eternal authority, properly assisted by direct perception, verbal evidence and inference) nah (in our relativity) sadhayati (establishes) tatha (thus) nava-vidhan (nine kinds of) tan pramiti-visayan (truths to be known); tarkakhya yukti (argumentative logic) na pravisati (cannot enter) tatha (that thought) sakti-rahita (being impotent).

Translation: Those supreme sacred teachings are the perfect Vedas received in the line of Lord Brahma, the beloved servitor of the Supreme Lord Hari and the fit recipient of His grace. Assisted by our favourable perception, aural reception and inference, those supreme teachings establish beyond all doubt the nine truths (2–10 above).

Common logic can never approach the inconceivable, so argument cannot enter into this line of thought.

haris tv ekam tattvam vidhi-siva-suresa-pranamito

yad evedam brahma prakrti-rahitam tat tanu-mahah

paratma tasyamso jagad anugato visva-janakah

sa vai radha-kanto nava-jalada-kantis chid udayah [3]

Analysis: harih (Sri Hari) tu (only), vidhi-siva-suresa-pranamitah (prostrated unto by Brahma, Siva and Indra) ekam tattvam (is the singular supreme truth); yad brahma (Brahman, which is) prakrti-rahitam (devoid of potency), idam eva (that is) tat tanu-mahah (the brilliance of Sri Hari’s form); paratma (the Supersoul) visva-janakah (the Creator of the universe) jagad anugatah (who has entered the universe) tasyamsah (is only a plenary portion of Sri Hari); sah (that Sri Hari) nava-jalada-kantih (of the hue of a fresh raincloud) chid udayah (of divine form) radha-kantah (is the beloved of Sri Radha).

Translation: Sri Hari, unto whom Brahma,Siva and Indra offer their prostrate obeisances, is the singular supreme truth. The non-differentiative neutral Brahman is simply the brilliance of Sri Hari’s form. The Supersoul, Paramatman, the universal Creator who has entered the universe, is just a plenary portion of Sri Hari. That Sri Hari, His bodily hue of the fresh raincloud, is our divine darling of Sri Radha.

parakhyayah sakter aprthag api sa sve mahimani

sthito jivakhyam svam achid abhihitam tam tripadikam

svatantrechchhah saktim sakala-visaye prerana-paro

vikaradyaih sunyah parama-puruso ’yam vijayate [4]

Analysis: sah (That Supreme Personality), aprthag api (despite being non-different) parakhyayah sakteh (from the transcendental potency) sthitah (is situated) sve mahimani (in His intrinsic glorious form) svatantra ichchhah (in His sweet will), prerana-parah (perpetually casting forth) sakala-visaye (into all matters) tam saktim (that potency) tripadikam (of threefold nature), jivakhyam ([viz.] the jiva potency), svar (His personal divine potency) achit abhihitam ([and] the Maya potency, known as mundane); ayam parama-purusah (this Supreme Personality), vikaradyaih sunyah (immutable), vijayate (ever presides in His glory).

Translation: Although He is inseparable from His inconceivable divine potency, He remains independent by His sweet will. He perpetually activates all that be by His divine potency in three ways: (i) the potency of the innumerable distinct spiritual particles or souls, (ii) His personal Potency, and (iii) the illusory Potency (Maya). Despite doing all this, He is personally in all respects eternally resplendent as the immutable supreme truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

sa vai hladinyas cha pranaya-vikrter hladana-ratas-

tatha samvich-chhakti-prakatita-rahobhava-rasitah

taya sri-sandhinya krta-visada-tad-dhama-nichaye

rasambhodhau magno vraja-rasa-vilasi vijayate [5]

Analysis: sa vai (Indeed, that Supreme Personality), hladana-ratah (always deeply absorbed) pranaya-vikrteh (in the loving emotion) hladinyas cha (of the hladini potency), tatha (and thus), samvit-sakti-prakatita-rahobhava-rasitah (of the nature of being ever ecstatic by His heart’s love made manifest by the samvit potency), vraja-rasa-vilasi (the enjoyer of the ecstatic pastimes of Vraja) krta-visada-tad-dhama-nichaye (in Sri Hari’s holy abodes, headed by Sri Vrindavan, manifest) taya sri-sandhinya (by that Illustrious sandhini potency), [krsnah] (Krishna), magnah (merged) rasambhodhau (in the ocean of ecstasy), vijayate (presides in His grace).

Translation: The personal potency of the Supreme Lord is comprised of three basic Potencies: hladini, the ecstatic; samvit, the perceptual; and sandhini, the existential. Sri Krishna’s Heart is always deep in the loving emotion of His ecstatic potency, and His intrinsic nature is to be ever newly ecstatic by His internal emotion made manifest by His perceptual potency. In His holy abodes headed by Sri Vrindavan, which are manifest by His existential potency, Sri Krishna—that whimsical enjoyer of the sweetness of His material nature—He is the Lord; and one who, even in Vraja pastimes—presides graciously, merged in the eternal ocean of joy.

sphulinga rddhagner iva chid-anavo jiva-nichaya

hareh suryasyaivaprthag api tu tad-bheda-visayah

vase maya yasya prakrti-patir evesvara iha

sa jivo mukto ’pi prakrti-vasa-yogyah svagunatah [6]

Analysis: sphulinga iva (Like sparks) rddhagneh (from a blazing fire) jiva-nichayah (the unlimited jivas or souls), chid anavo (of the nature of atoms of consciousness) suryasya eva hareh (of the sun of all consciousness, Sri Hari), aprthag api (despite being inseparable) tu (yet) tad bheda-visayah (eternally separate from Sri Hari), iha (in this world) yasya vase [asti] (whose subordinate is) maya (the Maya potency) [parantu yah svayam] (yet who is personally) prakrti-patih isvarah (the Lord of material nature); sa jivah (that jiva) (despite being liberated) prakrti-vasa-yogyah (is prone to be subjugated by the mayik, or illusory potency) svagunatah (by dint of his nature).

Translation: As sparks are situated on the periphery of blazing fire, similarly, the unlimited souls, who are atomic particles of consciousness, are as rays of the original sun of consciousness, Sri Hari. Despite being inseparable from Sri Hari, those unlimited souls are eternally separate. The eternal distinction between the Lord and the soul is this: that person who by His specific nature is the Master of material nature—He is the Lord; and one who, even in his liberated state is by nature prone to be subjugated by the Illusory Nature—he is the jiva.

svaruparthair hinan nija-sukha-paran krsna-vimukhan

harer maya-dandyan guna-nigada-jalaih kalayati

tatha sthulair lingair dvividha-varanaih klesa-nikarair

mahakarmalanair nayati patitan svarga-nirayau [7]

Analysis: svaruparthair hinan (Those who have forgotten their intrinsic nature), krsna-vimukhan (who are averse to Sri Krishna) nija-sukha-paran (for their selfish pleasure), maya-dandyan (deserve to be punished by the Maya Potency) hareh (of Sri Hari) [ataeva] (therefore) kalayati ([Maya] captivates them) guna-nigada-jalaih (by the chains of sattva-, raja- and tamo-guna), tatha (and thus) dvi-vidha-varanaih (by the two types of coverings) sthulair lingaih (of the gross and subtle bodies), klesa-nikaraih (by multiple tribulations), mahakarmalanaih (by severe bondage in karma), nayati patitan (takes the fallen souls) svarga-nirayau (to heaven and hell).

Translation: By his innate nature, the soul is Krishna’s faithful servant. The fallen souls have forgotten that innate nature, and, bent on fulfilling their selfish pleasures have become averse to Sri Krishna. They deserve punishment, and the Maya potency of the Lord takes them captive in the chains of the illusory modes of illumination, activation and stultification, and leads them to heaven and hell by binding them within the dual envelopes of the gross and subtle bodies, afflicting them with multifarious worldly tribulations by the force of overwhelming karmik (reactionary) bondage.

yada bhramam bhramam hari-rasa-galad-vaisnavajanam

kadachit sampasyams tad-anugamane syad ruchi-yutah

tada krsnavrttya tyajati sanakair mayika-dasam

svarupam vibhrano vimala-rasa-bhogam sa kurute [8]

Analysis: yada (When) bhramam bhramam (wandering hither and thither), kadachit (at some time) sampasyan (seeing) hari-rasa-galad-vaisnava-janam (a Vaishnav whose heart is melted in the joy of love for Sri Hari) ruchiyutah tad anugamane (the desire to follow that Vaishnav) syat (becomes possible), tada (then) krsnavrttya (by continuously chanting the Holy Name and glories of Krishna) sah (that jiva) sanakaih (gradually) tyajati (loses) mayika-dasam (his illusory situation), vibhranah (gaining) svarupam (his own form), vimala-rasa-bhogam kurute (and revels in the nectar of Krishna’s divine service).

Translation: After wandering throughout the higher and lower species of life, when he is blessed with a holy glimpse of a Vaishnav whose heart is melted in the joy of love for the Supreme Lord Hari, the attraction to live the life of following in the wake of the Vaishnav is born for the conditioned soul. Continuously chanting the Holy Name and glories of Lord Krishna, his life of illusory existence is gradually dispelled. He soon attains to his own intrinsic form and becomes eligible to revel in the joy of the unadulterated service of Sri Krishna.

hareh sakteh sarvam chid-achid-akhilam syat parinatir

vivarttam no satyam sruti-mata-viruddham kalimalam

harer bhedabhedau sruti-vihita-tattvam suvimalam

tatah premnah siddhir bhavati nitaram nitya-visaye [9]

Analysis: chid-achid-akhilam sarvam (All that be, both conscious and unconscious) parinatih syat (is a transformation) hareh sakteh (of Sri Hari’s potency); vivarttam (the mayavadi theory, vivarttavada) satyam no (is false); [tat] (that theory) kalimalam (is dirt of the Kali-yuga) sruti-mata-viruddham (contrary to the teachings of the Vedas); hareh (Sri Hari’s) bhedabhedau (principle of simultaneous distinction and non-distinction) suvimalam (is the perfectly pure) sruti-vihita-tattvam (the principle recognized by Veda); tatah (from that principle) nitaram (extreme) siddhim (perfection) premnah (of love) nitya-visaye (for the eternal objective) bhavati (ensues).

Translation: The entire creation, conscious and unconscious, is a transformation of Sri Krishna’s potency. Vivarttavada, the theory of illusion, is fallacious—a contamination of the age of Kali, contradictory to the wisdom of the Vedas. The perfectly pure principle recognized by the Vedas is the principle of inconceivable simultaneous distinction and non- distinction, known as achintya-bhedabheda-tattva. From that axiomatic teaching, the perfection of love for the Supreme Truth is ever realized.

srutih krsnakhyanam smarana-nati-puja-vidhi-ganas

tatha dasyam sakhyam paricharanam apy atmadadanam

navangani sraddha-pavita-hrdayah sadhayati va

vraje seva-lubdho vimala-rasa-bhavam sa labhate [10]

Analysis: srutih (Hearing), krsnakhyanam (singing the glories of Sri Krishna), smarana-nati-puja-vidhi-ganah (remembering, praying, worshipping, etc., as enjoined in the scriptures), tatha (thus) dasyam (servitude), sakhyam (friendship), paricharanam (personal attendance), atma-dadanam api (up to self-giving); navangani sadhayati va (practising the nine integral limbs of devotion), sraddha-pavita-hrdayah (with the heart sanctified by faith) sah (the soul) vraje seva-lubdhah (hankering for service in Vraja) vimala-rasabhavam labhate (attains the holy joyous loving emotion).

Translation: Hearing, chanting, remembering, praying, worshipping, serving, befriending, attending the lotus feet of the Lord and offering one’s very self—cultivating these ninefold integral limbs of devotion with a heart sanctified by faith, the soul becomes filled with the deep aspiration for divine service in Sri Vrindavan and attains the nectar of pure love divine for Krishna.

svarupavasthane madhura-rasa-bhavodaya iha

vraje radha-krsna-svajana-jana-bhavam hrdi vahan

paranande pritim jagad-atula-sampat-sukham aho

vilasakhye tattve parama-paricharyam sa labhate [11]

Analysis: iha (While still living in this world), svarupava-sthane (when established in one’s intrinsic form), madhura-rasa-bhavodaye (when bhava, the dawning of love in madhura-rasa, is aroused), sah (that jiva practising pure devotional service), vraje radha-krsna-svajana-jana-bhavam (the deep aspiration to render divine service in the wake of the personal associates of Sri Sri Radha-Krishna in Vrindavan) vahan (having become infused) hrdi (within his heart), pritim (love) paranande (for the supreme transcendental Ecstatic Truth), jagad-atula-sampat-sukham-aho (the great treasure of joy unparalleled in the entire world), parama-paricharyam (the acme of personal divine service) vilasakhye tattve (unto theTruth known as ‘playful’), labhate ([he] does attain).

Translation: When the soul’s practice in devotion (sadhana-bhakti) becomes fully mature and he is established in his intrinsic form, the dawning of love in divine consorthood appears in his heart by virtue of the ecstatic potency—a deep aspiration to follow in the wake of the personal associate-servitors of Sri Sri Radha-Krishna in Vraja awakens in the innermost regions of his heart. Gradually his heart is captured by the Divine Ecstasy personified, and he attains the supreme joy, unparalleled in the entire world—the zenith of personal service unto the One known as the Playful Sweet Absolute.

There is no greater attainment for the jiva.

prabhu kah ko jivah katham idam achid-visvam iti va

vicharyaitan arthan hari-bhajana-krch-chhastra-chaturah

abhedamsam dharman sakalam aparadham pariharan

harer namanandam pibati hari-daso hari-janaih [12]

Analysis: prabhuh kah (Who is the Lord)? jivah kah (who is the jiva)? katham va (and what is) idam achid-visvam (this material world)? vicharya (Considering) etan arthan (all these matters) hari-bhajana-krt (the ever earnest to serve Sri Hari) sastra-chaturah (scripturally adept) hari-dasah (servitor of Sri Hari, established in his intrinsic form) pariharan (giving up) abhedamsam (desire for ‘oneness with the Absolute’), dharman (all religiosity and irreligiosity, duty and non-duty) sakalam aparadham (and all kinds of offences), pibati (drinks) hari-janaih (in the company of the pure devotees) namanandam (the joy of Sri Harinama, the Holy Name of the Lord).

Translation: “Who is Krishna? And who am I, the soul? And what are the unconscious and conscious worlds?”

Deliberating on these matters, the person who is ever earnest in his service to the Lord Hari, and who is adept in the purports of scriptures, abandons the desire for oneness with the Absolute, all ‘do’s and don’ts’ of the world, and all kinds of offences—and in his innate nature of servitor of Hari he ever drinks the nectar of the Holy Name in the company of the holy.

samsevya dasa-mulam vai hitva ’vidyamayam janah

bhava-pustim tatha tustim labhate sadhu-sangatah [13]

Analysis: samsevya (Following) dasa-mulam (these ten basic principles), vai (indeed), janah (the jiva), hitva (destroying) avidyamayam (the disease of ignorance), labhate (attains) bhava-pustim (nourishment of devotional heart) tatha pustim (and satisfaction) sadhu-sangatah (from the association of genuine devotees).

Translation: Embracing these ten root principles, the soul deals the death blow to the malady of nescience; his devotional heart is nourished and satisfied in the holy association of the devotees.

* * * * *

The Logo of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math

By His Divine Grace
Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj￼

Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, where sankirtan is always going on, is inside Krishna’s flute, and the sound om, which is the very gist meaning of gayatri, comes from Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, radiating merciful rays. Srila B.R. Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj explains that everything is found within om—coming from Krishna’s flute, its meaning is “Gayatri muralista-kirtana-dhanam Radha-padam dhimahi. Krishna’s flute does not make any other sound except for the glorification of Srimati Radharani.” That is the real meaning and gist of the gayatri mantram.

The position of the guru is like water; the servitors of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math are like lotuses; and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, worshipped in His divine form of Radha-Krishna (om), is the sun. The sun’s merciful rays nourish the lotus, but if there is no water—if one cannot take shelter of Sri Guru and His grace—then the lotus becomes burnt by the rays of the sun.

Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math’s Mission

srimach-chaitanya-sarasvata-mathavara-udgita-kirtir jaya-srim

bibhrat sambhati ganga-tata-nikata-nabadwipa-koladri-raje

yatra sri-gaura-sarasvata-mata-nirata-gaura-gatha grnanti

nityam rupanuga sri-krtamati-guru-gauranga-radha-jitasa

‘At this supremely enchanting divine ashram, destitute and spiritually loving devotees of Sri Gaura-Saraswati, who are expert at favourable practices of Krishna consciousness, constantly chant within their hopeful hearts the glories of Lord Sri Sri Gaurasundar, the greatly magnanimous source of all incarnations of the Lord, following in strict adherence the line of Sri Sri Rupa-Raghunath, the inexhaustible storehouse of the wealth of divine ecstatic consorthood love, and being eternally eager to engage in the loving service of Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Gandharva Govindasundar and Their associates. This effulgent and supremely worshippable King among all temples, Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, is situated within Koladwip, which is non-different from Sri Govardhan, the King of Mountains, on the enchanting bank of the revered Bhagirathi River, who rescues all fallen souls, in Sri Nabadwip Dham, a holy abode of touchstones, non-different from Sri Vrindavan. Capturing Jayasri (the Goddess of Victory – Srimati Radharani), it exists eternally, leaving the entire creation of moving and non-moving entities astonished in the extremely cooling and loving shade of the soaring victory flag of its ever-increasing celebrated renown.’

(The translation of the verse is rendered from the original Bengali translation written by Srila B.S. Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj.)

Headquarters
of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math

Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math

Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math Road,

Kolerganj, W.Bengal, 741302

Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math

Bhanjipur, Tarakeshwar,

Hooghly, West Bengal, 712410

Phone: +91 96093 02310

Please see scsmathinternational.com for other addresses in India and worldwide.

Books and Publications of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math

(English language)

(Available at scsmathinternational.com)

By Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj:

Search for Sri Krishna Reality the Beautiful

Sri Guru and His Grace

The Golden Volcano of Divine Love

Subjective Evolution of Consciousness

Loving Search for the Lost Servant

Centenary Anthology

Divine Aspiration

Exclusive Guardianship

Golden Staircase

Heart and Halo

Holy Engagement

Home Comfort

Inner Fulfillment

Ocean of Nectar

Sri Sri Prapanna-jivanamaritam

Sri Sri Prema-dhama-devam Stotram

Sermons of the Guardian of Devotion – Volumes I, II, III, IV

By Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj:

Divine Servitor

Dignity of the Divine Servitor

Divine Guidance

Golden Reflections

The Benedictine Tree of Divine Aspiration

Affectionate Guidance

Life’s Destination

In Search of the Original Source

Nectarean Glories of Sri Nityananda Prabhu

Religion of the Heart

Revealed Truth

By Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj:

Guidance – Volumes I, II, III, IV

Guidance (Issues 1–30): collections of lectures (electronic)

Sri Nabadwip Dham Mahatmya-mukta-mala

By Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur:

Saranagati

Sri Nabadwip Dham Mahatmya

Dasa-mula Tattva

The Bhagavata

Other scriptures:

Sri Gaudiya Gitanjali (Kirtan Guide)

Holy Name and Offences to Be Avoided

Service Life

Srimad Bhagavad-gita

Sri Sri Prema-vivarta

Sri Brahma-samhita

(Many more publications in various languages are available at Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math in India and abroad. Please contact any of the Mission’s temples for further information.)