Divine Message for the Devotees

By Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj

© 1993 Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math
All rights reserved by the Successor President-Acharya

Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, Nabadwip, West Bengal, India

Compiled, edited and published by Mahamandalesvar Tridandi Swami Sripad Bhakti Ananda Sagar Maharaj on 8 March 1993 (Sri Gaura Purnima day), this book is a compilation of discourses of Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj.

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

Affection

Going Deeper

Transcendental World

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

Affection

(Spoken on 20th July 1992)

We need good association. Then affection will grow. Otherwise, the fitness will not come for us to progress in the higher plane. First, a relationship will come through association, and when a relationship is formed affection may come. It is first necessary to have a relationship with Guru and Vaishnava, the devotee of God; otherwise affection cannot be ours.

Here, we must know that regard for Guru and Vaishnava is necessary before affection. Then progress will come to us. Adau sraddha tatah sidhu-sango ’tha bhajana-kriya, tato ’nartha-nivrttib syat tato nistha.

Affection comes to us through nistha, then ruchi. Divine relationship is always closely connected with sadhu-sanga, association with the saint or pure devotee of God, but before that sraddha, or faith, is necessary. If faith is firm, then we can try to have a relationship with a sadhu, and through the association of the sadhu, learning to serve with devotion and becoming purified of evils, in a higher plane, affection may come to us. But it is first necessary to go through three or four stages before affection. Still, it may come to some immediately—affection is within everyone, and it can grow without any cause.

Even in this mundane world, we can sometimes see that from the very first day of meeting people are very good friends. As soon as they see each other, affection comes immediately. So that is also possible in spiritual dealings, but before that some sukrti—good fortune—must work in the background.

When practising spiritual life, doing what we call sadhana, at that time it is necessary to have the association of the saintly devotees. Through that association regard grows within, and hankering arises. Actually, hankering gives affection, but until we have real hankering for the divinity it remains suppressed.

After purification, firmness will come, and from that ruchi, or taste, for the divine will come. And from ruchi affectionate relationship begins. But all these things are attained through association of the saintly devotee. Without that association divine serving activity is not possible; when one is not qualified, the proper serving may not be accomplished. In an unqualified way, one’s mind may wander at random, thinking, “This is perfect, that is perfect.” But because one is living in the environment of illusion, it will not be real service. No doubt, by good fortune it may be sometimes correct, but generally it will not go in the correct line, because the illusory environment will misguide us.

Anor aniyan mahato mahiyan. If we say that Brahman, the Spirit, is very great, the idea of greatness means like the sky. Beyond the sky, we have no idea of greatness. But such knowledge will not act there! The Transcendental world is completely separate and beyond this knowledge. So, generally we shall go the wrong way. This is why the proper association (sadhu-sanga) is necessary.

There are two kinds of sadhu-sanga. When we have no person sadhu to associate with, the holy books will help us. But if we have the association of a good sadhu we can attain the divine goal under his guidance directly.

Not everyone will feel affection. Good fortune will work in the background. With strong good fortune, one can immediately cross over the next three stages after association with the sadhu. But this is possible in very special cases only.

What is Affection?

Our Guru Maharaj used the word ‘affection’, but it is necessary for us to know the line in which he did so. Affection is possible everywhere, even from the lower level to the higher level. Somebody wants to feed others—that is also a kind of affection. He does not want to eat so much himself, but he would rather feed others, and this gives him pleasure. If anybody eats more at that time, the affection of the distributer immediately goes to that person. Another example is that even before a child is born, affection for the child grows in the mother’s heart. When there is a firm relationship, affection may be established; and relationship will be firm through the sadhu-sanga. Everyone has a relationship with everyone, but feelings are manifest according to the relationship. Even if people may not know that they are relatives, by birthright they have an automatic relationship within.

Virtuous attitude

Sometimes our Guru Maharaj would say that “By dharma-buddhi—a virtuous attitude—sense-control is possible; at that time, a relationship with the higher will also come to us through that virtuous attitude.” Affection for the higher will grow if we keep a virtuous attitude.

I know that this medicine is bitter, but my tongue and senses do not want to accept it. But my intelligence will give me more than that. My intelligence can say, “If you take this bitter thing, your health will be better.” Then, affection comes to us for that bitter medicine. In this way we can try to have a proper relationship. In Mahabharata, we are taught that when we are not sufficiently eager to have a relationship, it can be established by a virtuous attitude.

And that virtuous attitude is living with us. We may be living in the mundane world, the illusory environment, but virtuous attitude does not forsake us. Otherwise we would live randomly. We do not live at random. When someone is travelling opposite to my direction, there will be a clash, or a crash, if I don’t leave some room for him. That is virtuous attitude.

When affection is not openly expressed, it is necessary to correct our vision. Then it will come. Sometimes during the time of Srila Guru Maharaj, he would insist on some plan of action according to his desire, but we could not understand his logic. And if we objected, he could not understand our idea either. Still, we followed Guru Maharaj’s idea. Virtuous attitude. And when the result came, we would think, “Oh! Guru Maharaj has done so much good for me!” This happened many times.

Affectionate faith

Sadhu-sanga. If we can follow it, will give us relief from so many things. It will give a very good result in the future. But al depends upon sraddha, faith. Adau sraddha, tatah sadhu-sanga. First faith, then the saintly association is ours. And the translation of sraddha is more than just ‘faith’. It is actually affectionate faith.

Chanting the Holy Name

Chanting the Holy Name is also like this. We are chanting Hare Krishna. Are we really chanting? Or are we just creating a completely material sound vibration?

Srila Rupa Goswami has described this very nicely: atah sri krsna-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih. How should we chant? Sevonmukbe jihvadau svayam eva sphuraty adah: He will reveal Himself. When He is happy with us, He will feel, “Here is My dancing stage.”

If we properly prepare that stage, He will happily come to dance on our tongues. We cannot expect to catch the Holy Name with our mundane tongues. The Holy Name is transcendental, and we cannot catch it by the use of our mundane senses.

Service Life

This is why Guru Maharaj gave much importance to service life. Seva is service. The attitude of service is necessary. And when we are firm in our service attitude, the stage will be automatically built in our bodies. So many say they are initiated. Have they got real initiation or not?

In Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita it is said:

diksa-kale bhakta kare atma-samarpana

sei kale krsna tare kare atma-sama

When one is initiated by a genuine Guru, because the Guru is non-different from Krishna, Krishna will take the full charge of the disciple. And when Krishna does that, nothing mundane can remain. Atma-sama means transcendental. Krishna makes him transcendental. When he surrenders to the Guru, Krishna makes him transcendental. Sei deha kare tara chid-ananda-maya—his form appears the same, but it is transformed to a transcendental form. We see this devotee seated here, but his form is transcendental. Sei deha means ‘that body’—it takes a transcendental form. Then aprakrta-dehe krsna-charana bhajaya—after that, the disciple does bhajan, divine service, and Krishna accepts his service.

So where is the justification of all this? If everyone says it is all false, then will no one take initiation?

The seed of Devotion

But another part of Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita explains to us that this is a certain stage of development.

brahmanda bhramite kona bhagyavan jiva

guru-krsna-prasade paya bhakti-lata-bija

Premno hi bija-pradam. The Guru takes the responsibility to give the seed of Krsna-prema, Love of God. So we are not to be hopeless! Now if we are given the seed, if we plant it properly, it will gradually become transcendental. This is the inner meaning.

So we cannot be hopeless. The other day I said that we have got two very great Gurus—one is Srila Swami Maharaj (Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj) and one is Srila Guru Maharaj (Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj). So we have no doubt that we have also got the real seed. The seed is genuine—we see that all over world people are chanting Hare Krishna. It is a fact—everybody knows now. Even in Russia, there also they know about Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu. Also in Hungary. And this consciousness was given by Srila Swami Maharaj, and Srila Swami Maharaj considered Srila Guru Maharaj as his Guru. So we have no doubt that we have not only got a great Guru, but we have two great Gurus.

Our Guardians—the captains of our ship

They are karna-dhara—they are our guardians. The Guru is the captain of the ship. If we do not follow the orders of the captain, that is our defect, not his. So we should now try to plant that seed properly. That duty is called bhajana-kriya, or proper performance of devotional duties and services. Through that, anartha-nivrtti, or purification, will automatically come.

A sense-controlled person is free from mundane attachment. We are fortunate that we have seen many of such souls.

But all credit goes to my Guru. He can make a crow into a Garuda. No credit is mine. If I feel anything is to my credit then I fall to the worst position. And such a sentiment must come from the heart, not just formally. If somebody wants to show ‘I am a Vaishnava, so I must show my humility’—that is not Vaishnavism. Humility will come from the heart. That is real humility.

Going Deeper

In this world we are always playing with fire. Mayadevi is very powerful. She always wants to take our time for her service. But Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has shown us that the path of our life is the practising of Krishna consciousness. That is necessary for our transcendental super-benefit. And we can cross over the illusion of Miya only if we practice Krishna consciousness under the guidance of a good Vaishnava who is giving twenty-four hours a day to Krishna for His service; with his association we must get our super-benefit.

You understand, “I am not this body.” Further, “I am not a man or a lady.” Still, in fact we are all of female nature in the sense that we are to be enjoyed by Krishna. So the male or female bodies that we have at present are illusory. But it is necessary to cross over that illusion. We have some desire, but that desire is also illusory. Our potency, that is soul, is made of willing, feeling, thinking; it is transcendental. We come from the transcendental power of Krishna. You will find tal-lingam bhagavan sambhuh in Sri Brahma-samhita. Also in Sri Gita Krishna says:

mayadhyaksena prakrtih siyate sacharacharam

hetunanena kaunteya jagad viparivartate

Krishna throws His vision, and that vision is also transcendental. The place of that vision is Sambhu (Siva). With the agency of Maya, that vision produces this mundane world. And the transcendental world is produced by Baladev through Sankarsan.

sahasra-patra-kamalam gokulakhhyam mahat-padam

tat-karnikara-tad-dhama tad anantamsa sambbavam

(Sri Brahma-samhita 5.2)

And where Krsna-lila, or the pastimes of Krishna, are going on, everything is transcendental and full of ecstatic joy. And that, in general, is produced by Sankarsan. This means we should know that Sankarsan is the Guru of Lord Siva. But Lord Siva’s forms are in general two—one is Sadasiva, and one is gunavatara Siva (incarnation in the modes of material nature). Gunavatara Siva is the vision of the Lord. His original form is Sadasiva, but when he mixes with the modes (gunas) of material nature, he takes the form of gunavatara Siva. In our present situation we cannot actually differentiate between the two. Sadasiva is above Maya. He is pure Vaishnava, and his highest position is in Paravyoma (Vaikuntha), the spiritual world. And when the gunavataras Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswar incarnate here, Sadasiva’s incarnation is as Mayadhipati, or the husband of Maya; and the husband of Yogamaya, the divine potency, is Sankarsan. Tad anantamsa sambhavam. This is the way in which the transcendental world and the mundane world are produced and flow.

Our real form is transcendental. The jiva-soul has the capacity to go to the transcendental world; and that is the actual place of the jiva-soul. But in this world everything is an illusory environment. The problem is that we are running through our previous karma. If we can leave that karma we will solve all our problems. But the only way we can completely leave it is by surrendering to Krishna. That is the final decision in Gita.

First Bhagavan, the Supreme Lord, said to practice karma-yoga, then jnana-yoga—sarva-karmakilam partha jnane parisamapyate, “The perfection of action is knowledge (4.33).” Also in Srimad Bhagavatam (1.2.10),

kamasya nendriya-pritir labho jiveta yavata

jivasya tattva-jijnasa nartho yas cheha karmabhih

“The purpose of accepting material facilities is not sensual satisfaction; rather, to accept only as much material facilities as keep body and soul together is the purpose of desire, that is, the only justifiable desire. Therefore inquiry after the Supreme Lord is the chief objective of life, and the attainment of higher planes like heaven through fulfillment of compulsory and conditional duties as made much of in this world is not the objective.”

neha yat karma dharmaya na viragaya kalpate

na tirthapada-sevayai jivann api mrto hi sah

(3.23.56)

“In this world a person whose work does not lead him to virtue, whose virtue upon becoming desireless does not bear the fruit of his detachment from all things ‘non-Krishna,’ and again whose abnegation does not culminate in the service of Tirthapada Sri Hari—such a person is nothing more than the living dead.”

naiskarmyam apy achyutabhava-varjitam

na sobhate jnanam alam niranjanam

kutah punah sasvad abhadram isvare

na charpitam karma yad apy akaranam

(1.5.12)

“Knowledge or liberation in Brahman that denies love for the infallible or devotion for Sri Krishna—that liberation is not glorious even if it is spotless or free from all material coloration. Why? Because the variegatedness of divine pastimes is absent. Then how can worldly work, karma—which is by its very nature inauspicious—ever be glorious when it is not offered to the Lord, even when it is selfless?

“Karma depends on the material body, and its fruits are also mundane. Therefore karma is most inauspicious for the spiritual soul. Even if that karma becomes desireless or selfless it cannot directly yield any spiritual fruit. Still, if one’s work yields bhakti, or devotion, only then does work, being offered to the Lord, become unblemished and the indirect yielder of an auspicious result. Even jnana, or enlightenment, or liberation in pure spirit is not perfect. At times it is rather completely injurious or opposed to real progress. Only when liberation is a servant of devotion, which is full of divine variegatedness, does it succeed in becoming one with or merging with devotion” (Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur).

Therefore Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s teachings begin from this point:

jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva

jivanti sanmukharitam bhavadiya-varttam

sthane sthitah srutigatam tanu-van-manobhir

ye prayaso ’jita jito ’py asi tais trilokyam

(Srimad Bhagavatam, 10.14.3)

(Lord Brahma said to the Supreme Lord,) “O Lord, completely shunning the attempt for enlightenment by meditating on the nondifferentiative Brahman, those devotees who hear the talks about You that flow from the mouths of sadhus (saints) and pass their lives remaining by thought, word and deed on the path of sadhus—they attain You, O Lord, who are practically impossible to reach in the entire universe.”

The beginning of Transcendental Life

That is life—actual transcendental life starts from that point. The tendency of jnana is also being thrown out. The surrendered soul lives with the sadhu who is glorifying Krishna. That is the primary lesson for taking the jiva-soul upwards. That is the primary lesson of bhakti. Real ananya-bhakti—exclusive devotion—begins here. And Mahaprabhu said, “Yes, but you proceed. No doubt here is real devotion. But proceed, don’t stop here.” In that way one by one Ramananda Raya elucidated the stages of rasa, or divine serving levels.

And lastly, the bhakti-yoga in parakiya-rasa (divine consorthood in paramour sentiment) that was shown by Mahaprabhu is the most elevated. Still, although it may be very high, it is our own property. We can have it. The question always arises here—can we achieve it or not? But we can.

In this world we say, “He is my son, she is my wife, he is my husband,” etc., but after a few years I must see that my husband, etc., has gone. “Husband” means this body. But I have never seen who was inside. I never saw him either before or after. That is the problem, but we are very attached. We are crying, crying, crying. Sometimes crying and crying we leave our body also. Then the position is very insecure for the jiva-soul, but by his bad karma he is suffering like this.

The Lord’s sadness

Seeing this, Krishna Himself becomes very sad and so He sometimes sends a sadhu, a Guru, and He also descends, as an avatara. And also Svayam Bhagavan, or the Lord in person, comes and reveals His pastimes. In many ways He tries, but He doesn’t want to disturb their freedom. If you can freely and spontaneously render seva—devotional service—that is genuine seva. He can influence us very easily, but He does not want to do that. He wants you to eagerly, with your full devotion, try to serve His associates and His lotus feet. That is your super-benefit and He does not want to disturb that. But He can advise through sastra, or scriptures, through the Vaishnava, and through the Guru. He teaches us in many ways and circumstances, sometimes taking the form of a fish as Matsya avatara, or a tortoise as Kurma avatara, and so many other avataras. There are ten main avataras listed in the scriptures, and others also. But all His advice, all His directions “lead to Rome” in the sense that He does everything for our super-benefit by showing that path to the service world. And that is necessary. Only through service can we go there, otherwise we have no possibility to touch that plane.

na tad bhasayate suryo na sasanko na pavakah

yad gatva na nivartante tad dhama paramam mama

(Srimad Bhagavad-gita, 15.6)

“That place having attained which the (surrendered) souls never return from again—that is My supreme (all-illuminating) abode. Neither the Sun, the Moon nor fire can illuminate it.”

This Sun, this Moon—nothing in this world can supersede or touch that world. In the middle portion there is the vast Viraja river. But if you plant the seed of devotion very nicely, the bhakti-lata (creeper or vine of devotion) can cross over Mayaloka, the illusory environment, cross over the Vaitarani and also the Viraja.

upajiya bade lata ‘brahmanda’ bhedi’ yaya

‘viraja,’ ‘brahmaloka,” bhedi’ ‘paravyoma’ paya

tabe yaya tad upari ‘goloka-vrndavana’

‘krsna-charana’-kalpa-vrkse kare arohana

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Madhya 19.153.4)

Devotee: Are Vaitarani and Viraja the same?

Srila Maharaj: No, Vaitarani is before Viraja. We have seen in Puri, there is also a river called Vaitarani representing that. It is described as being like a moat surrounding Svargaloka (Heaven).

The whole brahmanda, or universe, is floating in Viraja. Above are the seven planes Bhur, Bhuvar, Svar, Maha, Jana, Tapa and Satyalokas, and below are the seven planes called Atala, Vitala, Sutala, Talatala, Mahatala, Rasatala and Patala. Total fourteen. That is one brahmanda, and millions of millions of such brahmandas are floating in the Viraja river, which is like an ocean. And the bhakti-lata, or creeper of devotion, has the strength to cross over that Viraja. But when the creeper of our devotion is young and tender like a child, at that time we must protect her.

yadi vaisnava-aparadba uthe hati mata

upade va chinde, tara sukhi’ yaya pata

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Madhya 19.156)

“If offence to the Vaishnava (Vaishnava-aparadha) occurs, the mad elephant uproots and breaks the creeper, and its leaves dry up.”

This is the greatest difficulty. If one commits Vaishnava-aparadha his creeper of devotion will be uprooted as though by a mad elephant. And Srila Jiva Goswami has mentioned in his Bhakti-sandarbha:

‘sarvaparadha-krd api’ ityady ukty anusarena nama-paradha-yuktasya bhagavad-bhakti-mato py adhah-pata-laksana-bhoga-niyamach cha.

In general there are ten kinds of offences to the Holy Name, headed by sadhu-ninda, or offence to the sadhu, then to disbelieve in the transcendental Name, qualities, forms and pastimes of the Lord and consider the demigods like Siva to be equal to Krishna; then to offend the Guru, the scriptures, and so on. So even if one may be a very high Vaishnava, his creeper of devotion will be destroyed and even he will go down if he offends another Vaishnava. So we must try to avoid Vaishnava-aparadha, and then we can succeed with everything else in our spiritual life. For our real goal of life we must cross over Viraja. At present our universe is actually floating in Viraja. But beyond Viraja and Brahman also is Paravyoma, or the transcendental world.

Transcendental World

virajara pare suddha paravyoma-dhama,

tad upari sri gokula vrindaranya nama [1]

vrndavana-chintamani, chidananda-ratna-khani,

chinmaya apurva darasana,

tahi majhe chamatkara, krsna vanaspati-sara,

nilamani tamala yemana [2]

tahe eka svarnamayi, lata sarva-dhama-jayi,

uthiyache parama pavani,

hladini-saktir sara, ‘mahabhava’ nama yara,

tribhuvana-mohana-mobhini [3]

“Beyond Viraja river is the Holy Dham Vaikuntha,

above that is Sri Gokula, known as Vrindaranya.

Vrindavan, jewel of our hearts, mine of divine gems,

what a joy to see that holy beauty!

In the middle a miracle, Dark Lord of forest trees,

appearing like a sapphire tamal.

And there a golden vine, Queen of all the dham,

appearing, She’s supremely gracious;

She’s the joy of ecstasy—‘Mahabhava’ is Her Name,

as She charms the Charmer of the world.”

hladinira sara ‘prema’, premasara ‘bhava’

bhavera paramakastha, nama ‘mahabhava’

mahabhava-svarupa sri-radha-thakurani

sarva-guna-khani krsna-kanta-siromani

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Adi 4.68, 69)

“The essence of ecstasy is love; the essence of love is heart; and the acme of heart is called ‘Mahabhava.’ The personality of Mahabhava is our Queen Sri Radha Thakurani. She is the mine of all good, She is the jewel of Krishna’s beloved.”

Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur and Srila Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami Prabhu composed these great things. We are not actually in the practice of reading them constantly, but I have heard such things from Guru Maharaj. These matters are very elevated for us. But there is our goal, and She is actually our Guru, as our Divine Mistress. Her form is being described here.

Although these are very high matters it is necessary for us to remember them from time to time. We have our future prospect, and that is very high. Srila Kaviraj Goswami quoted in Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita:

krsna-bhakti-rasa-bhavita matih

kriyatam yadi kuto ’pi labhyate

tatra laulyam api mulyam ekalam

janma-koti-sukrtair na labhyate

Real devotion to Krishna is very rarely attained. If you see that type of devotion anywhere, purchase it with your hankering, your laulyam. Only your hankering can give you your share of that property. That is the only price for that, otherwise you cannot achieve it after even billions of lifetimes of merits. So hunger is necessary for that; and hunger will come if you make your stomach empty first. First take some purgative and cleanse yourself. Then gradually hunger will come.

This cleansing means sadhu-sanga. Through devotional association you will get everything. Those who have heard about Devahuti, the mother of the Lord when He appeared as Kapiladev, may know about this story:

Devahuti was asking Kapiladev, “My son, I know that You are Bhagavan, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but how shall I reach You? The munis, rishis and yogis have so many processes, but I have no capacity to follow them. My body is a woman’s body, and a woman has no right to practise in the Vedic scriptural way. Then tell me, my son, how shall I get devotion to Your lotus feet?”

Kapiladev said, “Don’t worry, it is very easy. It is not necessary to read many books, perform yajna, or fire sacrifice, etc. Nothing like this is necessary for you. I am telling you only one point and you are to follow this:

satam prasangan mama virya-samvido

bhavanti hrt-karna-rasayanah kathah

taj josanad asv apavarga-vartmani

sraddha-ratir bhaktir anukramisyati

(Srimad Bhagavatam, 3.25.25)

“By the association of the sadhus, talks revealing My super-glories take place. Those talks are nectar to the pure ear and heart. Continue affectionately in this way, and rapidly you will gain first faith in Myself who am the way to purification of al evils. Then heart’s devotion and finally divine love, or prema-bhakti, will graciously appear within your heart.”

“Mother, associate with the sadhus and follow their directives. Then you will understand everything. Why? The sadhus always try to satisfy Me; and you can see how they satisfy Me by having their association. If they are affectionate to you, they will give that consciousness to you and you will easily get My grace. This is the only way. Whoever follows it reaches Me very quickly; and this is also My direct advice in the scriptures.”

In the eleventh canto of Srimad Bhagavatam we find a sloka:

ye vai bhagavata prokta upaya by atma-labdhaye

anjah pumsam avidusam viddhi bhagavatan hi tan

(Srimad Bhagavatam, 11.2.34)

“The ways for even the ignorant to reach Him have been told by the Supreme Lord; know those ways to be bhagavat-dharma.”

If Bhagavan says, “I like fried potato” and I give Him fried potato, He will be satisfied. It is not necessary to think out what will satisfy Him if He tells us what He likes. So this is the directive of Bhagavan, the Supreme Lord. He is telling you what to do—do this, do that. This is bhagavat-dharma.

So Kapiladev was saying, “Bhagavat-dharma is what is practised by the real sadhu. You follow that. You need the association of sadhu and this is My final advice to you, mother. That is, satam prasarigan mama virya-samvido, bhavanti hrt-karna-rasayanah kathah—they hear about Me—sravanam; they glorify Me—kirtanam; they remember Me—smaranam. Sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam. They try to serve Me in every way possible. Also padasevanam archanam vandanam dasyam sakhyam atma-nivedanam—serving My Feet, prayer, servitorship, friendship and self-surrender. They are offering everything to Me. They try to do everything with My association. If you associate with such sadhus then you must also do that. There is no other work there in their association. So you must be benefitted if you take advice from the sadhu and follow the sadhu’s character.”

This is the first and last advice, and very simple advice, of Bhagavan Kapiladev. And in the eleventh canto the Lord Himself also defines bhagavat-dharma. So what is followed by the Vaishnav and written in Srimad Bhagavatam is bhagavat-dharma. Then in the next verse we find:

yan asthaya naro rajan na pramadecta karhichit

dhavan nimilya va netre na skhalen na pated iha

(Srimad Bhagavatam, 11.2.35)

If you take that path you have no fear from anywhere. Just run—whether your eyes are open are closed it doesn’t make any difference, you won’t fall down. We cannot guess from here how much joy and ecstasy is there, how much happiness and enjoyment. We are trying to guess but we can’t because our puppy brains can’t conceive it.

Everything is explained in Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu by Srila Rupa Goswami; that is called the science of devotion. There, Srila Rupa Goswami has said,

vyatitya bhavanavartma yas chamatkara-bharabhuh

hrdi satvojjvale badam svadate saraso matah

What can we guess about that plane? It is living. The slightest idea of that ecstasy you cannot guess with your puppy brain. What can you think? You can try to imagine how great the sky is, but how will you imagine it? In your estimation only two kilometres or two miles is great. But your brain can think, “Yes, the same sky is in America and in India” so some kind of broader conception is possible. Still even that is less than a mustard seed. ‘One mustard seed’ means fourteen worlds, up and down. All those planes together are called one brahmanda, or universe, and that is like no more than a mustard seed in the presence of the divinity. Then how much can you guess?

If you can surpass the ideas of your entire consciousness then perhaps you can consider what kind of wonder that ecstasy is. Our brains always agitate this way and that trying to understand, but we cannot guess what kind of wonder that is, but it is. And the sages and seers—the munis and rishis—they feel for us, and for our benefit they have compiled the sastra to guide us; especially Srila Vedavyasa.

So it is not helpful to try to understand this with our tiny brains. Only when that ecstasy comes and conquer our hearts can we feel it. And we must wait for that, not try for it. This is the way to taste it. When He comes, my heart will be fulfilled within a second. That is the ecstasy, the essence given in the perfect philosophy of Vedanta.

raso vai sah, rasam hy evayam labdhvanandi bhavati

If you want that ecstasy you can try to worship that plane. Then you will get it by the mercy of the real associates of Krishna. And that is the main thing. But there’s no need to be hopeless; much hope is here, especially in this Kali-yuga. Mahaprabhu said, “Harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam—chant the Hare Krishna maha-mantra without offence and you will get everything.”

* * * * *

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.)