5/2013

Sri Sri Radha Govinda Gaudiya Math

All Glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga!

Sri Guru Mahima Glories of the Spiritual Master

śrī-guru karuņā-sindhu, adhama janāra bandhu,lokanāth lokera jīvana

hā hā prabhu koro doyā, deho more pada-chāyā,ebe jaśa ghuşuk tribhuvana (4)

O Gurudeva, you are the ocean of mercy, friend of the fallen souls, teacher and life of everyone. O master, be gracious unto me and give me shade of your feet.

I have surrendered at your feet. May your glories now spread throughout the three worlds.

(Sri Prema Bhakti-candrika - Srila Narottam Das Thakur)

• 1 •

Editorial Srila Prabhupad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur

To surrender to the Supreme Lord in happiness and distress is the only path of auspiciousness. Krsna will certainly protect us. If we give up this security and try to protect ourselves, we are doomed. Our fortune lies in fully depending on Krsna. Otherwise, we will have to suffer misery birth after birth. The affectionate Lord takes all responsibility for His surrendered devotees.

One who has firm faith that “Krsna will certainly protect me” will surely attain perfection. To be qualified for such protection, we must take complete shelter at the lotus feet of those who are already fully dependent on the Lord and who constantly discuss krsna-katha. These souls deliver other souls. Simply by taking shelter of them, we will be delivered. Only the surrendered souls are saved, not those who maintain their independence, because full surrender attracts Krsna’s full mercy.

There is no way to attain freedom or peace other than to take shelter at the Supreme Lord’s lotus feet. Surrender, under the Guru’s guidance, is the proper use of our independence. Surrender is complete independence or real independence because it leaves us free to act according to our eternal constitutional position.

• 2 •

What Gaudiya Math is Doing

There are many hypocrite sects who counterfeit bhakti (devotion) by assuming the paraphernalia of the false devotee but are not aware that bhakti is an impulse

of the soul. Of these, some for the purpose of filling their bellies, some for fame, some again by simulating for some other purpose, practise deception on men.

The Gaudiya Math says, that in the name of dharma it is not proper to practise trade. Not using Hari to serve our own pleasures, our duty is only to serve Sri Hari. The Gaudiya Math says that imitating the devotee of Hari or putting on the

dress of Narada as in a theatrical performance is far from walking after the devotee of Hari or following Narada. The delightful tune, time, cadence alone do not constitute the hari-kirtan of the Gaudiya Math; those are found even in the performances of the gramophone or harlots. Cetanata, ‘consciousness’ is necessary, the fiery life is necessary, simultaneous practice and preaching is necessary. The Gaudiya Math says that he who does not possess a pure character is not fit even to be styled ‘man’ not to speak of being regarded

• 3 •

as religious (dharmik). The Gaudiya Math keeps at a distance from the five kali-sthanas (abodes of quarrel). The kali-sthanas according to the opinion of the Bhagavata are the following:

1) dissipating games such as cards, dice etc.; trade or the profession of a trader in the name of dharma; 2) indulgence in luxuries such as betel, tobacco, wines, etc.; 3) improper association with women or unusual addiction to one’s own wife; 4) animal slaughter; not to proclaim the truth to people but to deceive them by lies; not to preach hari-katha ‘the word of God’ to jiva; in lieu of hari-katha to give other kinds of advice; 5) by cheating people or by accepting money that is earned by their labour from the people in general, to apply such wealth to the maintenance of wife and children, or increasing the scope of one’s own enjoyments; not to employ everything—the body, mind and speech of the jiva, life, wealth and intellect—in the service of Sri Visnu Who is the proprietor of all things and the Lord of all wealth.

The sastra says, of all things the human body is the dearest to God; the human body is the giver of the paramartha (highest good) and is very difficult to obtain; and therefore, while this body lasts, without being immersed in any other thing, not being deceived by supposing that any other method except sorrow-stupor-fear-killing bhakti is productive of good, it is our duty unceasingly to practise devotion. Other forms of devotion to God are weak, the devotion denoted by kirtana is strong. Once the protection of the strong bhakti is secured, it gives to jivas the highest good with little effort on their part.

• 4 •

“The delightful tune, time, cadence alone do not constitute the hari-kirtan of the Gaudiya Math; those are found

even in the performances of the gramophone or harlots. Cetanata, ‘consciousness’ is necessary,

the fiery life is necessary, simultaneous practice and preaching is necessary.”

Therefore, by preaching kirtana at all times to induce, by right of the highest kinship, the whole of the jiva to turn Homeward is true universal love, true help of others, true kindness and the true duty of life. The Gaudiya Math

• 5 •

embracing all the inhabitants of the universe without exception, in sadness calling upon all to turn their face towards God to be preachers of this bhakti denoted by kirtana, say:

he sādhavaģ sakalam eva vihāyā dūrātcaitanya-candra-caraņe kurutānurāgam

Ye, the righteous, bidding good-bye to everything from a distance, offer the devotion of your hearts to the feet of Caitanyacandra.

(Caitanya-candramrtam 90)

Saranagati - SurrenderSrila Bhaktivinod Thakur

Dainyatmika - Humility (Fourth Prayer) with

Sri Laghu-candrika-bhasya Gentle Moonlight CommentarySrila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Gosvami Maharaj

āmāra jīvana, sadā pāpe rata,nāhika puņyera leśa

parere udvega, diyāchhi ye kata,diyāchhi jīvere kleśa [1]

My life is always engrossed in sin; there is not a trace of piety within it. I have caused others so much anxiety and trouble.

• 6 •

nija sukha lāgi’, pāpe nāhi ďari,dayā-hīna svārtha-para

para-sukhe duģkhī, sadā mithyā-bhāşī,para-duģkha sukha-kara [2]

I am never afraid to engage in sinful activities for the sake of my own happiness. I am merciless and selfish. I am distressed by the happiness of others, I am a perpetual liar, and the distress of others pleases me.

aśeşa kāmanā, hŗdi mājhe mora,krodhī, dambha-parāyaņa

mada-matta sadā, vişaye mohita,hińsā-garva vibhūşaņa [3]

There are unlimited sinful desires within the core of my heart. I am angry and arrogant, always maddened with vanity, infatuated with mundanity, and ornamented with malice and pride.

nidrālasya-hata, sukārye virata,akārye udyogī āmi

pratişţhā lāgiyā, śāţhya-ācharaņa,lobha-hata sadā kāmī [4]

I am subdued by laziness and sleep, averse to performing good deeds, and eager to perform sinful deeds. I engage in deceitful behaviour in pursuit of prestige. I am ruined by greed and constantly covetous.

e hena durjana, sajjana-varjita,aparādhī nirantara

śubha-kārya-śūnya, sadānartha-manā,

• 7 •

nānā duģkhe jara jara [5] Such a sinner as I is shunned by devotees, and is a constant

offender. I am devoid of virtuous motives, always intent upon evil, and racked by various miseries.

vārddhakye ekhana, upāya-vihīna,tā’te dīna akiñchana

bhakati-vinoda, prabhura charaņe,kare duģkha nivedana [6]

Now aged, I am devoid of any means of deliverance, and thus destitute and distressed. Bhakti Vinod submits this remorseful confession at the feet of the Lord.

Commentary by Srila BR Sridhar Maharaj(1) sadā pāpe rata: “Always engrossed in sin.” As Śaňkar

Āchārya expresses in his Mohā-mudgara-stotram:pāpo ’hań pāpa-karmāhań pāpātmā pāpa-sambhavaģ

“I am sinful, my actions are sinful, my soul is sinful, and my birth is sinful.”

(3) dambha-parāyaņa: “Arrogant.” This refers to a dharma-dhvajī, a hypocrite who makes a show of being religious for mundane purposes (lit. one who waves the flag of dharma but does not practise it).

(5) sadānartha-manā: “Always intent upon evil.” This means incessantly malevolent.

• 8 •

In Praise of SaranagatiSrila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Maharaj

We have heard from Srila Guru Maharaj (Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Gosvami Maharaj)

many times that Prabhupad Srila Sarasvati Thakur would tell his disciples that some

of the songs are very important to realise. He would say especially that the song Āmāra jīvana sadā pāpe rata is very important for practitioners to realise. Srila Guru Maharaj told us that he would say that we must realise the position of our own self. What are we doing? What are we eating? How are our activities going on? We must have some realisation about these things.

I am thinking it is no doubt difficult for everyone to go on living every day without worldly forms of enjoyment. I am always thinking so much about the situation of the conditioned souls in this mundane world. It is unpalatable and very hard, no doubt. But Srila Sarasvati Thakur’s advice is that we must clean our mind every day by singing the songs of Saranagati, and especially this song, Āmāra jīvana sadā pāpe rata. Just as we clean our home when we awaken in the morning by sweeping with a broom, so we should clean our mind by sweeping it with this song. By sweeping our mind with this song, the dirt within it is removed, it becomes cleaned, and our activities are

• 9 •

redirected in the proper way. Srila Guru Maharaj told us this many times: it is necessary to sweep clean our minds every day through sankirtan.

It is very good that the devotees are patiently trying to follow this. I am getting inspiration by seeing their activities. Maya, the illusory environment of Lord Krsna, is always living beside us and trying to attract us. But by the grace of the mood of surrender and devotion to Lord Krsna, under the direction of Guru-Vaisnava, we must cross over the illusory environment.

Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur, Srila Prabhupad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur, and Srila Guru Maharaj have tried to give the conditioned souls inspiration to surrender. This is the primary purpose of their teachings. I have seen that it is not necessary to know so many things. If you know how to swim then you can cross a river. You do not need to know where the river is coming from, where it is going, what is inside the river, or which way the river is flowing. You do not need to check the speed at which the river is flowing or analyse the river with a barometer, temperature gauge, or anything else. You only need to know how to swim and in which direction you need to swim. That is sufficient for swimming across a river. The knowledge presented in Saranagati by Bhaktivinod Thakur is like that. It is clear, simple knowledge which by itself is sufficient for us to cross over this illusory environment and reach the divine abode of the Lord.

Saranagati is a small book, but all wealth is present within it in a glorious way. Through the songs of Srila

• 10 •

Amrta VaniSrila Prabhupad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur

How can we understand the Absolute Truth?

The Absolute Truth is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is the cause of all causes. The Absolute Truth is self-manifest. He is not dead matter. He is

fully cognizant. He manifests before us out of His own sweet will. It is impossible to know Him by mundane experience or the ascending path. The Absolute is not an object belonging to the third dimension. We can measure objects belonging to the third dimension. Anything that can be measured with our material senses belongs to the world of Maya.

As we have to open our eyes if we wish to see the sun, we have to wait until our internal spiritual consciousness is revived before we can realize the Absolute. As we cannot see the sun at night even if we illuminate the sky with thousands of electric lights - and as there is no need of artificial lighting once the sun rises in the morning - so the Absolute Truth cannot be illuminated by sensually acquired knowledge.

Bhaktivinod Thakur we get the gist of all the scriptures. If all the scriptures disappeared from this mundane world but Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur’s songs remained, we would still have everything. We can get everything through his songs.

• 11 •

“As long as we are materially conditioned, we cannot understand the Absolute Truth’s identity. We must hear about Him from our spiritual master.

Thus there is no way to know the Absolute Truth except to surrender at our spiritual master’s lotus feet.”

Srila Prabhupad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur

• 12 •

The Standard for Nama Sankirtana

Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Gosvami Maharaj

A connection with divinity must always be there. Bhaktivinod Thakur has said that the leader of the congregational sankirtan party must be a suddha-

bhakta (pure devotee) – the kirtan party must be guided by such a person. Otherwise it will be dancing and jumping on the mundane plane. A divine connection must be there. If the congregational chanting is not under the guidance of a man of a higher plane, then it should be discarded. We should not mix with that. Bhaktivinod Thakur has written – suddha-bhakta anugati, kirtana haile sekhana yaya.

If it is under the guidance of a suddha-bhakta, then we may attend that function, otherwise not. There will be nama-aparadha – offences committed against the Holy Name. We should not participate there. It will be namakara (imitation of the Name) – only the sound of the Name will be there, but the inner realization is missing and that is the main thing.

As long as we are materially conditioned, we cannot understand the Absolute Truth’s identity. We must hear about Him from our spiritual master. Thus there is no way to know the Absolute Truth except to surrender at our spiritual master’s lotus feet.

• 13 •

What sort of vibration is being created? That is all-important. We do not care for the sweet tone nor the expertise in the pronunciation. We must try to improve the quality. So there must be a connection with the divine, a connection with

“We do not care for the sweet tone nor the expertise in the pronunciation. We must try to improve the quality.

So there must be a connection with the divine,a connection with a descending agent.

One who has the eye can perceive that connection.”Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Gosvami Maharaj

• 14 •

Pure Devotion (Fourth Part)

Om Visnupad Sri Srimad Bhakti Vaibhav Puri Gosvami Maharaj

Complete surrender. Ātma-nikşepa means surrender. Just like Bali Cakravarti surrendered, we must surrender.

Complete surrender means, “Nothing goes into my account. Everything is in the account

of Lord Krsna.“ “Am I sincerely following the teachings?” I must ask myself. Nobody knows my heart except Lord

a descending agent. One who has the eye can perceive that connection. Oń ajñāna timirāndhaysa jñānāñjana śalākayā. Our own realization will be the guarantee, our own knowledge. That perception is given by Gurudev. He removes the cataract of ignorance and gives divya-darsan – the divine eye. Divya-caksu diksa – diksa means that he imparts transcendental knowledge. As much as one has that knowledge they will impart it to the disciple. Guru will teach the disciple how to exclusively connect with Krsna – exclusive identification with the interest of Krsna. And Krsna is not seen, therefore the connection is through Guru, or Vaisnava. In this way, we must develop self-abnegation to the extreme and according to our degree of surrender, we will be benefited.

• 15 •

Krsna. I must always remember Him, and accept Him as my protector. Nothing else will protect me except His mercy.

What is that karpanyam? Karpanya means that you must not think, “I have surrendered everything.” You have surrendered everything, except for your ego. This ego, this ahankāram, you must also surrender. You say, “I have offered my belongings to Lord Krsna. I have given everything - my wealth, my wife and children, my house and my possessions, my body.” However, you have not given that ahankāram because you are always using “I and my”. Have you really given Him everything? As long as ahankāram is there, it will bind you. In this way, Bali Cakravarti, was tied with a rope of false ego. That ahankāram was destroyed only when Bali Cakravarti surrendered. He said, “I have given all. Let me give my ahankāram immediately. Please accept this body.” So the third footstep was placed on his head.

Now we also must surrender like Bali Maharaj. When surrender is complete, then we will be happy. Language, lectures, and outward qualifications are not necessary. The only thing necessary is surrender.

sthāne sthitāģ śruti-gatāń tanu-vāń-manobhirye prāyaśo 'jita jito 'py asi tais tri-lokyām

(Srimad Bhagavatam 10.14.3)Wherever we may be, in whatever position we may be

in, with whatever faith we may have, and whatever condition we may be in - we must surrender from there. If we surrender,

• 16 •

then He will come and accept us. Always remember Him. How to remember?

ananyāś cintayanto māńye janāģ paryupāsate

teşāń nityābhiyuktānāńyoga-kşemań vahāmy aham

Those who always worship Me with exclusive devotion, meditating on My transcendental form - to them I carry what they lack, and I preserve what they have.

(Bhagavad-gita 9.22)You must understand Gita with your heart. If you

submit at the feet of Gita, that transcendental sound will be revealed to you. Then you can realize the teachings of Gita. So surrender is the only means. First we have to surrender. Give up this ego, “I and mine”. These two should go. Unless they are gone, we cannot enter into the spiritual world and we will have to stay in this material world. With this ego we can go up to Satyaloka, or even Brahmaloka, but we cannot go further. We will remain in this universe.

ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokāģ, punar āvartino 'rjuna (Bhagavad-gita 8.16)

Even if we go to Brahmaloka, we still have to come back again. We need to go to such a lokam, from where we will not return. That is, yad gatvā na nivartante, tad dhāma paramam mama. Those who reach it never return to this material world

• 17 •

“Give up this ego, ‘I and mine.’ These two should go. Unless they are gone, we cannot enter into the spiritual world and we will have to stay in this material world.”

Om Visnupad Sri Srimad Bhakti Vaibhav Puri Gosvami Maharaj

• 18 •

(Bhagavad-gita 15.6). That parama-dhāma, the supermost dhāma, is the place from where we don’t need to return to this world. We must always consider, and do, what’s required so that we must not come back again. Whatever we give up in this world, we again intensely desire. We are running after it. No!! You must give it up. You have given it up externally, but now you must give it up internally. You should not worship the Lord only to get material benefit. Search for spiritual benefit and that can be attained through the teachings of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Caitanya Mahaprabhu said:

tŗņād api su-nīcena taror api sahişņunāamāninā māna-dena kīrtanīyaģ sadā hariģ

One should chant the Holy Name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street; one should be more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige, and should be ready to offer all respects to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the Holy Name of the Lord constantly.

(Sri Siksastaka 3)You must give respect to all, because Krsna dwells

everywhere.---------------------------------------------------------------------------

jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta evajīvanti san-mukharitāń bhavadīya-vārtām

sthāne sthitāģ śruti-gatāń tanu-vāń-manobhirye prāyaśo 'jita jito 'py asi tais tri-lokyām

Those who, even while remaining situated in their

• 19 •

established social positions, throw away the process of speculative knowledge and with their body, words and mind offer all respects to descriptions of Your personality and activities, dedicating their lives to these narrations, which are vibrated by You personally and by Your pure devotees, certainly conquer Your Lordship, although You are otherwise unconquerable by anyone within the three worlds.

(Srimad Bhagavatam 10.14.3)

ānukūlyasya sańkalpaģprātikūlyasya varjanam

rakşişyatīti viśvāsogoptŗtve varaņań tathāātma-nikşepa-kārpaņyeşaď-vidhā śaraņāgatiģ

The six divisions of surrender are the acceptance of those things favorable to devotional service, the rejection of unfavorable things, the conviction that Krsna will give protection, the acceptance of the Lord as one’s guardian or master, full self-surrender, and humility.

(Caitanya Caritamrta, Madhya 22.100)

ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokāģpunar āvartino 'rjuna

mām upetya tu kaunteyapunar janma na vidyate

From the highest planet in the material world down

• 20 •

to the lowest, all are places of misery wherein repeated birth and death take place. But one who attains to My abode, O son of Kunti, never takes birth again.

(Bhagavad-gita 8.16)

na tad bhāsayate sūryona śaśāńko na pāvakaģyad gatvā na nivartante

tad dhāma paramań mamaThat supreme abode of Mine is not illumined by the sun

or moon, nor by fire or electricity. Those who reach it never return to this material world.

(Bhagavad-gita 15.6)

Sri Caitanya BhagavataAdi-khanda 2nd Chapter (17-22)

by Vyasa Avatar Srila Vrndavan Das Thakur

Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion-at that time I descend Myself.

Commentary by Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur: The only injunction governing My appearance is that I am independent, so I appear whenever I desire. Whenever there is a decline in religious principles and a predominant rise of irreligion,

• 21 •

at that time I descend by My own sweet will. The regulations that govern the entire universe are beginningless. But when in due course of time these regulations become defective by some undetermined cause, irreligiousity becomes prominent. No one is able to counteract this situation other than Me. Therefore I appear in this material world along with My internal potencies in order to destroy irreligious principles. It is not that I appear only in the land of Bharata-varsa, but according to the need I also appear amongst the demigods and lower species. So do not think that I do not appear amongst the mlecchas and other low-born human beings. I also appear among them as a saktiavesa-avatara, or empowered incarnation, to protect them and whatever little religious principles those impure persons follow. Yet I am more anxious to appear amongst My dependents in India, because varnasrama-dharma is followed there without obstruction. Therefore all the pleasing yuga-avataras and avesa-avataras are found only in the land of Bharata-varsa. Activities performed without fruitive desire (niskama-karma-yoga), philosophical speculation (jnana-yoga), and the ultimate process of devotional service (bhakti-yoga) are not properly practiced where there is no practice of varnasrama-dharma. But know for certain that the traces of devotion found amongst the low-born humans are due to the mercy of the devotees.

To deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I Myself

• 22 •

appear, millenium after millenium. Whenever there is a decline in religious principles and irreligion becomes more prominent day by day, at that time the demigods headed by Brahma pray at the feet of the Lord to protect the sadhus (saints) and destroy the miscreants.Commentary by Srila Prabhupad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati: When the living entities who are averse to the Lord remain in the midst of temporary sense enjoyment, their material conceptions gradually increase. From Satya to Treta to Dvapara-yuga, religious principles gradually diminish and the propensity for material enjoyment gradually increases. At the same time, due to a lack of religious activities, irreligious activities become more prominent. The ascending process is a form of irreligion, because in this process there is no service attitude towards Sri Adhoksaja. The pure devotees of the Lord who are engaged in the service of Adhoksaja are always disturbed by the conditioned living entitie’s irreligious endeavors. The mental speculators consider themselves rich and powerful by five opulences: (1) gambling, (2) drinking, (3) illicit sex, (4) animal slaughter, and (5) gold. They thus attempt to attack the Absolute Truth, who descends for the eternal benefit of the living entities. In order to check such endeavors of the mental speculators and make them slip from their path, the unlimitedly powerful destroyer of nescience and bewilderer of the demons, the Supreme Absolute Truth, Lord Visnu, incarnates. In this way Lord Brahma offers prayers at the lotus feet of the Lord in every millenium.

• 23 •

The Lord then appears in this material world with His associates and paraphernalia in order to reestablish the principles of religion. The religious principle for the age of Kali is the congregational chanting of the Holy Names of the Lord. Sri Sacinandana incarnates to establish this principle.Commentary by Srila Prabhupad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati: The living entities are delivered by the process of meditation in Satya-yuga, fire sacrifice in Treta-yuga, worship of the Lord in Dvapara-yuga, and congregational chanting of Lord Hari’s Names in Kali-yuga. Lord Sri Sacinandana appeared in this world to propagate this congregational chanting.

• 24 •

Srimad BhagavatamSarartha-Darsini-tika

Commentary bySrila Visvanath Cakravarti Thakur

Srimad Bhagavatam 11.2.48

gŗhītvāpīndriyair arthānyo na dveşţi na hŗşyati

vişņor māyām idań paśyansa vai bhāgavatottamaģ

Even while engaging his senses in contact with their objects, one who sees this whole world as the energy of Lord Visnu and is neither repelled nor elated is the greatest among devotees.

Srila Visvanath Cakravarti Thakur: Other qualities of the uttama devotees are now mentioned in eight verses according to differing dispositions of those devotees.

Srimad Bhagavatam 11.2.49

dehendriya-prāņa-mano-dhiyāń yojanmāpyaya-kşud-bhaya-tarşa-kŗcchraiģ

sańsāra-dharmair avimuhyamānaģ

• 25 •

smŗtyā harer bhāgavata-pradhānaģA person who, by remembering the Lord, is not

bewildered by the qualities of samsara, such as birth and death of the body, hunger of the pranas, fear in the mind, longing in the intelligence and fatigue in the senses, is the best among the devotees.

Srila Visvanath Cakravarti Thakur: One who is not bewildered by the qualities of samsara such as birth in different bodies is the best of devotees. He is not bewildered by birth and death concerning the body, by hunger and thirst concerning the pranas (life airs), by fear in the mind, by longing in the intelligence and by fatigue (krcchram) of the senses.

Srimad Bhagavatam 11.2.50

na kāma-karma-bījānāńyasya cetasi sambhavaģvāsudevaika-nilayaģ

sa vai bhāgavatottamaģThe person completely surrendered to the Lord,

in whose mind no impressions, desires or actions arise, is considered to be the best of devotees.

Srila Visvanath Cakravarti Thakur: Impressions do not arise in his mind. Furthermore desires for women etc, and actions

• 26 •

by the senses do not arise. These three do not occur in his mind. The three verses starting from verse 48 answer the question about the conduct of the devotee. He is free from hatred, joy, illusion and lust in his actions. The rest of the chapter mentions more qualities of the devotees.

Srimad Bhagavatam 11.2.51

na yasya janma-karmabhyāńna varņāśrama-jātibhiģ

sajjate 'sminn ahań-bhāvodehe vai sa hareģ priyaģ

He whose body does not give rise to false identity with good family, pious actions, or caste considerations is dear to the Lord.

Srila Visvanath Cakravarti Thakur: Janma refers to being born in a good family. Karma means activities like japa and meditation. Jatibhih means “by castes such as ambastha (mixture of brahmana man and vaisya woman.)” He in whose body there is no ahankara (false ego) is dear to the Lord.

Srimad Bhagavatam 11.2.52

na yasya svaģ para iti vitteşv ātmani vā bhidāsarva-bhūta-samaģ śāntaģ sa vai bhāgavatottamaģ

• 27 •

Guru Tattva (Second Part)

Srila Bhakti Sadhak Muni Maharaj

cakșu-dāna dilā jei, janme janme prabhu sei,divya-jnāna hŗde prakāśita

“He is my master birth after birth, as he has given me the gift of transcendental vision.” *

What does “Guru” mean? Who is Guru? It is said that there is actually only one Guru. Who is the original Guru? Do you know? Sri Krsna, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Whoever calls himself Guru must be a tool of Krsna, he must speak for Krsna. He is not different from Krsna.

sākşād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrairuktas tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiģ

(Gurvastakam - Srila Visvanath Cakravarti Thakur)The Guru is not different from Krsna. Why is he not

different? Can he create the whole universe? No. He is not

He who does not think that wealth is his, who does not think in terms of self and other, who is equal to all beings and peaceful, is the best devotee.

Srila Visvanath Cakravarti Thakur: Svah means one’s own group and para means an enemy. He does not consider wealth to be his. He does not show affection for his body and hatred for other bodies.

• 28 •

different because he is moving according to Krsna’s desire. How can one move according to Krsna’s desire? This is possible only when one becomes a tool of Krsna, or a member of Krsna’s family. The necessary qualification for this is surrender.

If Krsna wants something from me, I cannot say, “Sorry, I have a very important email to write. I have no time now. I must do this, or that.” I also cannot say, “No, this gives me too much trouble.” No! One becomes qualified when one becomes pure in heart. And “pure in heart” means, when one doesn’t desire anything from this world anymore. All desire for the things of this world become secondary- not really important.

What you desire in the first place should be Krsna’s satisfaction. This is the qualification. If Krsna calls, or wants something from me, then I cannot say, “But I have some very important thing to do. You wait until later. You are in the second or third place.”

Someone who wants to become a transparent medium must have this qualification. He must give up pleasure seeking and interest in this material world. It doesn’t matter if one is brahmacari, sannyasi, grhastha or vanaprastha. These are external designations. What matters is how much importance is given to Krsna. When Krsna has first place I must think, “Is He satisfied when I do this?” This is qualification. Someone who has given up material desire and enjoyment becomes qualified.

“Let him be my master birth after birth, as he has given me the gift of transcendental knowledge. By his mercy, divine knowledge is revealed in the heart; installing prema-bhakti and

• 29 •

destroying ignorance.” *By knowledge, divya-jnana, our ignorance will be

destroyed- depending on how much we let this knowledge in, and how seriously we take the instructions. This is the point.

Nowadays we see that some Vaisnava missions have many disciples. Most of them, however, have so many obstacles that they cannot allow this knowledge, divya-jnana, to enter into their hearts. They are afraid to lose all of their external possessions and pleasure- what they think is pleasure. If you want to get prema-bhakti you have to allow this knowledge to enter. Then ignorance, which is coming to us through the influence of the three gunas in this material world, is destroyed.

Vede gay jahara carito. “The Vedic scriptures sing about Guru’s character.” *

There is only one Guru, and the original Guru is Krsna. So one who speaks, should speak only what he has heard, and realized, from his spiritual master. He should speak what he understood. As well as what he has heard from the sastras: Srimad Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita, Sri Caitanya Caritamrta, and all the sastras in the line of Rupa Gosvami. He should have understood these properly, by the teachings of Gurudev.

Otherwise it is dangerous if we independently read the sastras. Without the guidance of an advanced devotee we will only speculate. We will just hear and see what we want to hear and see. This is a common problem nowadays. Many have lost physical association of their spiritual master and

• 30 •

“One becomes qualified (to be Guru) when one becomes pure in heart. And ‘pure in heart’ means, when one doesn’t

desire anything from this world anymore.”Srila Bhakti Sadhak Muni Maharaj

• 31 •

then do not accept guide anymore. They like to say, “He has given everything in his books.” He has given everything, true. The Caitanya Caritamrta and Srimad Bhagavatam are there. However, they cannot understand it, this is the problem. You have no one from the realized platform to teach the Bhagavad-gita, Srimad Bhagavatam, and Sri Caitanya Caritamrta. And because of this, many offenses, aparadhas, appear. In this way, the spiritual progress of many is stunted, stuck. They cannot go further. Many of them fall back. We always have to follow a qualified spiritual guide.

If you know that there is only one Guru, Krsna, you won’t differentiate between one Guru and another. Of course there is a difference, because everyone has a different character, a different mood. But the truth that they present must be the same. It must come purely, uncontaminated. We may accept or not accept the truth, but the truth must not be changed. Guru Maharaj also said that many times.

We have to tell the truth. Why should I flatter anyone? Nowadays many Gurus come just to flatter people. They are nice, they smile, talk about love. They give this feeling of being a father. But actually they just flatter and cheat. I have seen many of this type. The problem is that they want the disciple to feel happy and enjoy life. But actually Guru Maharaj wants that you attain a real happiness, that you become eternally happy.

* (Sri Prema Bhakti-candrika – Srila Narottam Das Thakur)

• 32 •

Wherever we may be,

in whatever position we may be in,

with whatever faith we may have,

and whatever condition we may be in

we must surrender from there.

If we surrender,

then He will come and accept us.

Always remember Him.

Om Visnupad Sri Srimad Bhakti Vaibhav Puri Gosvami Maharaj

Permanent Temple ProgramSunday Festival

17.00 Bhajan • 18.00 Lecture • 19.00 Sandhya Arati•19.15 Tulasi Parikrama • 19.30 Prasadam

• 20.25 Sayan Arati

Morning Program (daily)4.30 Mangala Arati • 4.45 Tulasi Parikrama

• 5.00 Bhajan follows Japa • 7.45 Sringara Arati, follows Bhajan • 8.25 Bhagavad-gita-patha, follows lecture from Sri Caitanya Caritamrta • 9.15 Guru-Puja, follows Bhoga Arati

• 9.30 Prasadam

Evening Program (daily except Sunday)19.00 Sandhya Arati • 19.15 Tulasi Parikrama, follows Bhajan

• 19.55 Lecture • 20.30 Sayan Arati, follows Prasadam

Bhajan – spiritual songs • Arati – temple ceremony • Prasadam – spiritual vegetarian food

Sri Sri Radha Govinda Gaudiya Math Sri Krishna Chaitanya MissionWienerbergstrasse 29A/Top3 • 1120 Vienna

Tel. +43 18 120 574 • www.radha-govinda.org

Acarya Nitya-lila-pravista Om Visnupad 108 Sri Srimad Bhakti Vaibhav Puri Gosvami Maharaj

Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare