A Living Sadhu (2/2)

A Living Sadhu

Compassion

Therefore Prabhupada says, “The Krsna consciousness movement can create an exemplary society wherein there is no envy at all.” Prabhupada says in the concluding lines of his purport, “One should also have compassion for the people in general who are suffering due to forgetfullness of Krsna. “Who becomes compassionate for the people in general?

One who is a completely Krsna conscious person , who sees Krsna everywhere‹only he can become compassionate. Otherwise, how can one have compassion? The jiva is suffering. He is Krsna’s jiva, so why is he suffering? It’s because of his forgetfulness of Krsna. One who sees Krsna and who sess the jiva’s relationsip with Krsna, he becomes compassionate. Otherwise, there is no question of compassion. This is most important. Only such a Vaisnava who sees Krsna everywhere is a completely Krsna conscious person. He becomes compassionate.

Prahlada Maharaj, a pure devotee, saw his most beloved Lord in a stone pillar. “Yes, the lord is everywhere.” However when his very powerful demoniac father Hiranyakasipu, who had conquered the three worlds, heard his son Prahlada Maharaj speak like this, he became angry, “Why you say He’s everywhere. Is He there in this stone pillar?” Who sees? A completely Krsna conscious person, a premi-bhakta, always sees.

Bhakta ama preme bandhiyache hrdanya-bhitare, jahan netra pade tahan dekhaye amare‹wherever he looks he sees Krsna. Krsna gives him darsana. Krsna cannot keep Himself hidden from the vision of such a completely Krsna conscious person, a premi-bhakta, always sees. Bhakta ama preme bandhiyache hrdaya-bhitare, jahan netra pade tahan dekhaye amare‹wherever he looks he sees Krsna.

Krsna gives him darsana. Krsna cannot keep Himself hidden form the vision of such a completely Krsna conscious person, premi-bhakta. The premi-bhakta says, “Yes, He’s there.” But his demoniac father, who had conquered over the three worlds, could not see.

It is a question of vision. One who sees Krsna everywhere, one who sees krsna-sambandha‹the relationship with Krsna, that the jiva is suffering because of a lack of Krsna consciousness, he will think , “Let me go and inculcate Krsna consciousness into others.” That is the real beneficial work.

Therefore, if one develops Krsna consciousness, understands his position, and establishes his relationship with Krsna, there will be no suffering at all. Such a Vaisnava who sees Krsna and krsna- sambandha everywhere, his heart bleeds seeing the suffering of the jivas here. He cannot sit tightly.

He will go out and preach the science of Krsna consciousness. “Yes, let everyone be Krsna conscious, let everyone be happy.”

Prabhupada’s Purpose

Therefore, in this verse Narada Muni sayus, “Every man should act like this.” So there will be no miseries at all. This world will be turned into a vaikuntha jagat, “When he meets a person more qualified than himself he should be very pleased.” There should be no enviousness. This enviousness is one of your enemies. Kama, kridha, lobha, moha, mada, matsarya‹in Sanskrit it is matsarya. Enviousness is one of your six enemies.

The second verse of Bhagavatam says, darmah projhita-kaitavo Œtra paramo nirmatsaranam satam vedyam. Who can understand bhagavata-dharma-tattva‹what is said in Srimad-Bhagavatam? Paramo nirmatsaranam stam bedyam. Satam means devotee, Vaisnavas. Paramo nirmatsaranam‹those who are not envious at all. Only they can understand Srimad-Bhagavatam.

Only they can understand bhagavata-dharma-tattva. Otherwise the Bhagavata will never appear, never maniest at all. This is a most important thing and this is the purpose for which Srila Prabhupada formed the Society for Krsna Consciousness. The Krsna consciousness movement aims at creating an atmosphere of non-envy. “Of course it is notpossible for everyone to become Krsna conscious, but the Krsna movement can create an exemplary society wherein there is no envy.”

This is the purpose of Srila Prabhupada, the Founder- Acarya of ISKCON, International Society for Krsna Conscoiusness‹that all should be pure Vaisnavas, Vaisnava in the true sense. A Vaisnava is not envious. He’s nirmatsara, not envious at all. That is Vaisnava. Here Prabhupada says, “Generally when we find someone more qualified than ourselves we become envious of him.” All mahajanas have said. Bhaktivinoda Thakura has said. Sastra says. Narada Muni, a mahajana, here he says.

Wicked Person

Bhaktivinoda Thakura Mahajana, who is considered the Seventh Goswami, a great acarya in our Gudiya-Vaisnava-parmpara has said (Sarangati 4):

parere udvegadiyachi je kata diyachi jivere klesa

I am such a rascal, such an envious person. I always give pain to others and put them in anxiety. nija sukha lagi’pape nahi dori daya-hina svartha-para

I am very selfish for my own name, fame, adoration and prestige‹for my own happiness.

I am not afraid of committing any sinful activity. Daya-hita, I am a merciless preson a greatly selfish person.

Para sudhe dukhisada mithya-bhasi Para-dukha sukha-kara

When I see someone is becoming more advanced it is very painful to me, so I become envious. Sada- mithya, I only speak lies. Para-dukha sukha-kara, when I see someone is suffering I become jolly, “Yes, very good, very good!”

asesa kamanahrdi majhe mora krodhi dambha-parayana

So many material desires are there in my heart. I gen angry in flimsy cases. Dambha-parayana. I am proud,puffed up fellow, “I am great! Is ther eanyone greater than I?” Especially in Kali yuga, the ost degraded age, this pride is the measuring rod. Everyone thinks, “I am great” Then another says, “What? You are great? I am great!” Then fighting , quarrelling begins.

This is Kali yuga. This dambha, pride, is the measuring rod. Two persons quarrel. Two groups quarrel. Two neighbors quarrel and fight. Two states, two nations, “I am great! Hey! What are you? You are great? I am great!!” Then fighting. This is dambha‹pride.

mada-matta sadavisaye mohita Himsa-garva vibhusana

I am always puffed-up and proud, intoxicated with the desire for material enjoyment. I am a great Materialistic person, and hims-garva, always envious and proud. These are my ornaments, vibhusana.

nidralasya hata sukarye virata akarye udyogi ami pratistha lagiyasathya-arcana lobha-hata sada kami

Such a person is a lazy fellow. He sleeps too much and never does any good work. He is always very enthusiastic to do evil, nasty, abominable activities for his own prestige, name fame and adoration. Sathya-arcana, he acts in a very duplicitous, crooked way. Lobha-hata sada kami, so much lust is in his heart.

e heno durjanasajana-varjita aparadhi nirantara

This is durjana, not sajjana. Such a person is rejected by sajjanas. He is always an aparadhi, a great offender, so his dealings are very crooked, duplicitous dealings. As it is said in the verse, “When one finds someone more qualified than himself he becomes envious of him. When one finds someone less qualified he derides him. When one finds someone equal with him he becomes proud of his activities. These are the causes of all material tribulations. ” Such a person is a durjana, a most wicked person. He is not a sajjana. He’s an aparadhi, always a great offender.

Subha-karya-sunyasada-anartha-mana Nana dukhe jara-jara

He never does anything auspicious. He’s covered up, surrounded with so many anarthas. He’s nana dukhe jara-jara, always afflicted, by the threefold miseries of this material world. He will never be happy at all.

This is the statement of Narada Muni, “Every man should act like this: when he meets a person more qualified than himself, he should be very pleased; when he meets someone less qualified than himself, he should be compassionate toward him; and when he meets someone equal to himself, he should make friendship with him.” Otherwise he’ll suffer. “In this way one is never affected by the threefold miseries of this world.” This is the statement of sadhu-sastra-mahajanas.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Devotee: I appreciate very much that you explained to us how Srila Prabhupada’s purpose is to create a society without envy.

Gour Govinda Swami: That I quoted from Prabhupada’s purports from Srimad-Bhagavatam.

Devotee: We see that amongst devotees that are most advanced, the principle is trnad api sunincena taror api sahisnuna. It’s not an artificial thing to actually believe. . .

Gour Govinda Swami: Not artificial, babba! How many days can you act like this? Before your svarupa (real form) will be revealed! How many days can it go on artificially. But with a Vaisnava it’s quite natural.

Devotee: My question is, Srila Prabhupada has said that even if one does not have the practical vision that Krsna is behind everything, is in everything, and is connected to everything, still, if one understands this theoretically he is a devotee that is rightly situated.

Gour Govinda Swami: Rightly situated? One who sees theoretically is rightly situated? Real Compassion?

Devotee :But if one has theoretical understanding that he has gotten form the words of the spiritula master, then one is rightly situated. So in your class you said that only the topmost devotee can be compassionate.

Gour Govinda Swami: Yes, only one who sees Krsna.

Devotee: So my question is, does that mean no one else can be compassionate? Gour Govinda Swami: One may be compassionate to fulfill his own selfish desire. One may be compassionate to some and not compassionate to others. He has raga and dvesa, liking and disliking. He is not equal to one and all. He cannot be. Unless one sees Krsna how can he be compassionate?

He will see, this is Krsna’s jiva suffering. His heart bleeds. He cannot sit tight. He will go out and preach Krsna consciousness. And who preaches? Prana ache yara, sei hetu pracara‹one who has life? What is life? Jivanam sarva- bhutesu‹Krsna says, “I am jivan, I am the life in all living entities.” One who sees Krsna everywhere.

Who sees Krsna’s jiva suffering because of forgetfulness of Krsna, because of a lack of Krsna conscoiusness‹he has prana, life. He goes out and preaches. He is completely surrendered to Krsna. Therefore Krsna came as Mahaprabhu, as a bhakta‹a devotee, to teach devotion, to teach how to surrender unto Krsna‹sikhaya sarangati bhakater prana. Saranagati is the life of the devotee who is completely surrendered.

Krsna tare kore atmasara‹then Krsna accepts him. Prana ache yara, sei hetu pracara‹he has got life, therefore he goes out and preaches. Otherwise, who can preach? How can one preach unless one sees Krsna, sees Krsna’s jiva suffering? He does not want anyone to suffer. Everyone should be Krsna conscious. Therefore, here Narada Muni says that everyone should act like this. This is the purpose of Srila Prabhupada forming the society for Krsna consciousness.

Uttama Acting as Madhyama

Devotee: Maharaja, a mdhyama-adhikari has strong faith in the process of Krsna consciousness but he doesn’t have a very good knowledge of the scriptures. How can he preach if he doesn’t have good knowledge of the scriptures? Gour Govinda Swami: He should have it by associating with an uttama adhikari.

He should get it. Maha-bhagyavan, he’s very fortunate [the madhyama-adhikari] because he has strong faith. This is most important. Adau sraddha, the first thing is your faith. He has strong faith in the words of sadhu-sastra-guru. He has strong fiath in Krsna. He puts faith in Krsna, in the words of Krsna. And sadhus, those who are mahajanas, they speak what Krsna has said.

Devotee: If an uttama-adhikari wants to preach, generally he comes down to the level of madhyama and acts like a madhyama.

Gour Govinda Swami: Yes. Otherwise he cannot preach, because an uttama-adhikari sees moving and nonmoving living entities, but he never sees the outward form. He always sees Krsna.

sthavara-jangama dekhe,na dekhe tara murti sarvatra haya nija ista-deva-sphurti (Madhya 8.274)

He sees only Krsna. He says, “Oh, this living entity is Krsna’s devotee, he is engaged in Krsna’s service.” He never sees the outward form. His vision is completely different. Therefore he steps down to madhyama, otherwise how can he speak? How can he see that the jiva is suffering from a lack of Krsna consciousness, from forgetfulness of Krsna?

Therefore, one who preaches, he steps down to madhyama-adhikari‹but he’s uttama-adhikari, otherwise he cannot preach. Those who are uttama- bhagavata, cannot preach. Therefore, one who preaches steps down to the madhyama-adhikari stage. But he is not a madhyama as described here, sastra-yukti nahi jane‹who doesn’t know sastra. The uttama-adhikari knows sastra. Such an uttama-adhikari who acts as a madhyama-adhikari is not like the general type of madhyama-adhikari, madhyama-bhakta.

This madhyuama-adhikari, he is uttama- adhikari, but he has stepped own. He knows sastra and he is very expert in presenting and quoting sastric evidences, because, tasmac chastram pramanam te karyakarya-vyavasthitau (Bg. 16.24). This is sastra-pramana. What is to b done, karya, and what is not to be done, akarya‹how can we decide? Unless he presents sastra-pramana, how can he decide what is to be done and what is not to be done? He is not a general ordinary madhyama-adhikari.

Preaching

Devotee: One who has laukika-sraddha has to act under the guidance of one who has sastriya sraddha? Gour Govinda Swami: Yes, he should have a guru, a bonafide Vaisnava guru. He should do bhajana under such expert guidance. He should not acti whimsically. Unless you have guru, how can you preach? Sravana kirtana, preaching means kirtana.

Unless one has heard from a bona fide guru, what will he preach? What he has heard, he will say that thing. “I have heard this from authorities, from my guru.” Preaching is another name for sravana, anorhte name for hearing. What I’ve heard I’m repeating. Therefore , only one who has heard, he can preach and do kirtana. Otherwise who can do kirtana? One who has not heard, what will he say, and who will hear all those nasty things?

Devotee: Many disciples of Srila Prabhupada were preaching under the orders of Srila Prabhupada and, seeing the miseries of the people, were spreading Srila Prabhupada’s teachings. Now many have stopped preaching.

Gour Govinda Swami: One who has life and sees Krsna can never stop preaching. He sees, “Krsna’s jiva is suffering.” He will preach in spite of all obstacles. When Bhaktivinoda Thakura became very old he had to lift up his eyelids to see. But even at that age he would say “I want to ride on a horse and go out and preach.” One whose heart bleeds, who has compassion, he says such a thing. It is a question of compassion.

Are you preaching out of compassion? One who is not preaching out of compassion, he may preach for some days, but then he stops. “I lost all my enthusiasm.” “Oh, why did you lose it? You lost Krsna?” Devotee: There re some that are still trying to preach, can we say they are actually keeping the orders of Srila Prabhupada?

Throw the Vedas Gour Govinda Swami:

Prabhupada said to keep Krsna. He came to give you Krsna. Following the siddhanta, he said, “Let them somehow be attracted to Krsna.” That was his aim. He went to the land of mlecchas and yavanas, the western countries, and gave Krsna to them. How can they understand? They cannot understand all this sastra now.

Why did Buddha Deva, who was an incarnation of Lord Visnu say, “Throw out the Vedas.” How can Visnu, who s the source of the Vedas, say like that? He is so cmpassionate. What were they doing? They were killing animals, sadaya-hrdaya darsita-pasu-ghatam. His heart became so compassionate, seeing this killing “Hey! Stop this killing!” They replied, “Oh, it is descrived in the Vedas.

Why youa re stopping?” So Buddha Deva said, “Throw out the Vedas.” Why does he speak like that? Because unless they stop killing they cannot come ot the stage of sattva‹goodness. They are in the mods of ignorance and passion. They cannot understand the Vedas. So he did like that. This is not siddhanta. Then all the Buddhists said, “Oh Buddha Deva said we can throw out the Vedas.”

The result was that they bcame nastika, atheists. But the edas can not be lost. The Vedas are apauruseya they come from the Lord, so they should be established. Therefore the Supreme Lord Narayana gave the order of the very powerful Lord Siva, “You go, Mahadeva. You go and establish the Vedas, but keep Me hidden.” Then what did Siva establish? The gauna portion of the Vedas, the secondary portion‹karma-kanda jnana-kanda. Sankaracarya came to do this. He thought. “This is the order of my master. I am the order carrier.

(end of Gour Govinda Maharaj’s talk)

Post script: Pure devotees of the Lord recognize each other when they meet in this material world. They know each other because they are eternally related and know each other from Goloka Vrndavan. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura and Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur recognized each other.

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur recognized so many of his pure devotee disciples, Srila Sridhar Maharaj, Srila Prajnana Kesava Maharaj, Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, Srila Promode Puri Maharaj, Srila Santa Maharaj. . Our Srila Prabhupada similarly recognized Srila B.V. Narayana Maharaj, who in turn recognized Srila Gour Govinda Maharaj.

They are all Lord Caitanya’s men, and if we are fortunate we can also recognize them as our gurudevas, vande ham sri-guroh sri yuta-pada- kamalam sri gurun vaisnavams ca sri-rupam sagrajatam saha gna-raghunathanvitam tam sa-jivam sadvaitam savadhutam prijana-sahitam krsna-caitanya-devam sri radha-krsna-padan saha-gana-lalita- sri viskanvitams ca

“I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spiritual master and unto the feet of all Vaisnavas. I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of Srila Rpa Goswami along with his elder brother Sanatana Goswami, as well as Raghunatha Dasa and Raghunatha Bhatta, Gopala Bhatta, and Srila Jiva Goswami.. I offer my respectful obeisances to Lord Krsna Caitanya and Lord Nityananda aong with Advaita Acarya.

Sri-gurun, plural not singular, unto the feet of all Vaisnavas. (Puru Das Adhikari) SRILA BV NARAYANA MAHARAJA’S VISIT TO BALI

17 21 December 1998 (by Sridam Sakha dasa)

First Day, Thursday 17 December 1998

Srila Gurudeva arrived in Bali on 17th December with his Indian brahmacaris and immediate travelling party. Most of us had already arrived two days before.

Srila Gurudeva was driven from the airport to the house of Ananta Krsna prabhu and Rangavati didi where he also stayed one year before. His hosts had adorned their house very beautifully in traditional style to welcome Srila Gurudeva. Various exotic flowers had been strung crisscross between the gateway and front door and many palm leaf decorations had been hung wall to wall, woven ingeniously into a number of different designs.

The temple room is the largest room of the house, and it was there that Srila Gurudeva spoke for a short while upon arrival. The temple’s simhasana was made from wood and was beautifully carved in an ornate and intricate way. At the front were small wooden sliding doors, the right one of which had a carved relief of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu on it, while the left was decorated with a corresponding Lord Nityananda.

Srila Gurudeva spoke praisingly about the beautiful culture of Bali and the many similarities between Bali and India, saying that he was reminded of the villages of Bengal and Orissa. He also remarked on the similarities of cultures too, particularly the beautiful art and architecture. He then expressed his appreciation at being able to stay in a place where Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Maharaja had sojourned in the past, on at least five occasions.

“The reverent and honorable Srila Gour Govinda Maharaja used to come and stay here also. You have kept a room for him here. You were so lucky to serve him. He was so bold to speak true siddhanta, too bold. That is why in a very few days he became so popular and the leaders became very fearful ‘We’ll lose all our disciples to Gour Govinda Maharaja’ and that is why they wanted to ban him from ISKCON.

And that is why he left this world. He thought that it would be better to leave than to be banned. He was not a person to be banned. He was following in the line of Srila Rupa Gosvami preaching raga-marga, not only vaidhi, and I also want to be bold like him. The teachings of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura may seem like vaidhi-bhakti, but they are not. If you hear his teachings very patiently then raganuga will gradually come, some greed.

But if not then you are bogus, you should go to another sampradaya like the Sri-sampradaya of Ramanuja or the Rudra-sampradaya of Sri Visnusvami. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu did not come to give only vaidhi. He came to give the seed of krsna-seva-barsana in the hearts of devotees, this was His main objective, and that of Srila Rupa Gosvami and his followers.

“We have not come to make any problem, to make money, to make disciples or take them from others. We’ve come to help as Lord Nityananda and Haridasa Thakura did even though they were abused. But no harm. We have not come for any rivalry. Srila Gour Govinda Maharaja came to preach the mission of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and so have we, to touch the hearts of devotees and help them if they need it.

But I know they do, surely. After Srila Svami Maharaja and Srila Gour Govinda Maharaja left, their disciples and followers were like a paddy (rice) field, starting to dry. So much rain was coming but it was not touching that field. And what is this water that is needed? The hari-katha from a pure devotee of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who has not come for self gain, but only to give what the Lord came to give.

That water is hari-katha. So we want to give it to devotees, so that they should again become inspired. I want their creepers of bhakti to go up so that many sweet fruits should grow and that they will be able to taste them.”

Srila Gurudeva then talked to Ananta prabhu about what the daily program should be during his stay in Bali. Ananta prabhu told Srila Gurudeva that he had invited many local spiritual leaders to come and hear Srila Gurudeva’s classes. Srila Gurudeva asked Ananta prabhu how progress on the temple building project was going, to which Ananta prabhu said that it was 75% finished.

(end)

“Vande ham sru- guroh sri- yuta- pada-kamalam sri- gurun vaisnavams ca!” sri gurun!!! I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spiritual master and unto the feel of all Vaisnavas. All glories to Srila Gour Govinda Maharj! Satyam eva jayate (Bg. 10.4-5) truthfulness.

Your servant, Puru Das Adhikari Curator of The Bhaktivedanta Memorial

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