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Month: August 2016
The Advance Towards Truth
Śrīla Bhakti Rakṣak Śrīdhar Dev-Goswāmī Mahārāj describes the eliminative, yet accommodating nature of progress.
The Absolute cannot admit any secondary position. He cannot tolerate that He will be second to someone, because He is absolute. He is not second to anyone, so no partnership is conceivable there. “I am such.” In logic we read, “as connotation increases, denotation decreases. When denotation increases, connotation decreases.” This religious conception is there everywhere.
muktānām api siddhānāṁ nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇaḥ
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, 6.14.5)
jñānibhyo ’pi mato ’dhikaḥ, karmibhyaś chādhiko yogī
(Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā, 6.46)yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā
śraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ sa me yukta-tamo mataḥ
(Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā, 6.47)The gradual development of sraddhā: elimination and improvement. Improvement means elimination. Improvement means elimination, so those that are very particular about quality cannot mix with the mass, and hankering of mass qualification or capacity. They are always trying to go higher in an eliminative nature. They are ruthless. They are ruthless in their progressing, eliminating nature.
While Yudhiṣṭhir Mahārāj was making advancement in his mahāpraṣṭhān, Draupadī, Sahadev, and Nakul were all falling down, and asking why it is so: “We are so intimately connected with you Maharaj, and you are going up, while we fall down.” Carelessly Yudhiṣṭhir Mahārāj was going up, “Oh you had such defect, so you fell down.” One by one, Draupadī, Sahadev, Nakul, Arjuna, Bhīma. “Why I am falling down?” “You had such defect of this nature, so you fall down.” Without caring he is marching onward.
Should we mark that this is a type of selfishness? No. To advance towards truth, it cannot be so. Truth is distributed by Himself. Truth is not only wholesome, but it is also distributive, self-distributive in nature, so I am going only to enhance that. By serving Him I am going to help Him in His self distribution. It is universal. Apparently, in the worldly sense, in the external sense, it may be thought to be very narrowed, but it is more universal from the qualitative difference.
Eliminating stone, earth, and water we are going to ether, but ether is more extensive than the earth. Water is more extensive than the earth, then the air is more extensive, spacious than the water. In this way, the gross is being eliminated and we are approaching towards sukṣma, subtle. We are going from subtler to subtlest, and in one sense that is more accommodating. Svayaṁ Bhāgavan Kṛṣṇa, the whimsical, absolute good, is at the back of every form of truth, so approaching Him is outwardly eliminating, but inwardly accommodating. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Nitāi Gaura.
This post is a continuation of No Partnership.
Source
Spoken 16 January 1982
Free Service
Śrīla Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswāmī Mahārāj discusses his appreciation for Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā, and Kṛṣṇa’s grant of freedom.
When I joined Śrī Chaitanya Sāraswat Maṭh I was given one year to spend full-time for reading. I was first impressed with Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā. That is my first book in missionary life. Before that I read so many material books, but after I joined the Maṭh the first book of knowledge that came to me was Bhagavad-gītā, and my teacher was Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāj Prabhupād. When I was with Śrīla Guru Mahārāj he would teach me—Guru Mahārāj was always teaching me something, his nature was like that, to discuss something with someone—and when I was in Kolkata Prabhupād would teach me.
The first impression that came to me about Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā was that such a clean and clear conception, as is presented there, is not given anywhere else. Kṛṣṇa Himself fearlessly, in a very determined and simple way, gives all His teachings in Gītā. No one has said, “I am God”, but without hesitation Kṛṣṇa says, “I am God. You are my friend; I am God. You do not know; I know. Everything that I know you cannot know, because you have a human brain and I am always infallible. Nāsato vidyate bhāvo, nābhāvo vidyate sataḥ (Bg 2.16), I am not entering into anything and not coming out from anything. I am in My own position.” I have not seen this type of clean and clear conception anywhere else.
If anyone will read Bhagavad-gītā the first impression they will get is how Kṛṣṇa fearlessly, openly, and without hesitation has told everything: “I am.” It is very difficult to find this type of mentality anywhere else. Then you must believe it. If you do not believe it that is another matter. But you must believe it, and Kṛṣṇa knows you must believe. But Kṛṣṇa is always in a neutral position, and always talking on a neutral platform.
Finally Kṛṣṇa also says, “I have given you freedom, and I will not take back your freedom. When I have once given it I will not take it back.” Bhīṣmadev’s conception is like that. Bhīṣmadev kept five arrows, and promised, “With these five arrows I shall kill the five Pāṇḍavas tomorrow.”
Kṛṣṇa wanted to steal these arrows, so He asked Yudhiṣṭhir, “Go and say to Bhīṣmadev, ‘Before the battle began I went to you and you gave me your boon, ‘Vijayi bhava, you be victorious’. You take back your boon. You gave a benediction that I will get victory, but now I am asking you to take back your benediction.’” Yudhiṣṭhir did this, and Bhīṣma asked, “Why?” Yudhiṣṭhir said, “Because if you will not die, how will we get victory? And no one can kill you, so it is not possible that I shall get victory. If you will not die, victory will not come to me, and no one can kill you, so victory will not come. Then why did you give that benediction? You should take it back.”
Bhīṣmadev said, “Who has said this, Kṛṣṇa? Kṛṣṇa is very clever. Anyhow, what I have once given I cannot take back. I will give you some clue about my death.” Then he said, “I shall not fight with a woman or anyone who was a woman in a previous life.” Yudhiṣṭhir considered whether Draupadī needed to come on the battlefield or not; Draupadī knew how to fight. Then he asked Bhīṣmadev, “Do you want to bring Draupadī on the battlefield?” Bhīṣma smiled and said, “You are foolish, go back to Kṛṣṇa, He will tell you everything. You cannot understand, you are foolish. I shall not say anything more. Kṛṣṇa sent you, so go back to Kṛṣṇa.”
Then Kṛṣṇa said, “Yes, what Pitāmaha, Grandfather Bhīṣma, has said is true: Śikhaṇḍī was a woman in his previous life, and this life she received a man’s body, after changing bodies with a demigod. Bhīṣma will not fight with Śikhaṇḍī, so make him your senāpati, your general, today. He will be the general today and Arjuna will protect him. He can kill Pitāmaha. Pitāmaha cannot kill Śikhaṇḍī because he will not shoot him, but Śikhaṇḍī can shoot Pitāmaha.” This is the policy Kṛṣṇa gave.
When once given, it will not be taken back: Kṛṣṇa’s nature is like that. Kṛṣṇa has given freedom to all jīva-souls and will not take it back. You can question, why has Kṛṣṇa given this freedom? Kṛṣṇa knows everything, so why has He given us freedom? The main reason that Kṛṣṇa has given freedom is so that you can make very nice food for Kṛṣṇa’s enjoyment. Kṛṣṇa has given a tongue, and the tongue can taste. The tongue can taste sweet, sour, chili, or bitter; you can taste everything through your tongue. The tongue has that capacity. This is the tongue’s freedom, and with that freedom you can taste so much opulent prasādam. Similarly, with your freedom you have the choice to make so many free services. You can choose so many services freely. Kṛṣṇa has given that freedom to you.
You want to enjoy with your freedom, and that is foolishness: you cannot enjoy, because you are not the Enjoyer. Enjoyment will come to you in the other way, by offering enjoyment to Kṛṣṇa. Use your freedom properly, and you will have no difficulty.
Source
Spoken August 1999 in Italy, during His Divine Grace’s 14th World Tour
No Partnership
Śrīla Bhakti Rakṣak Śrīdhar Dev-Goswāmī Mahārāj describes the type of exclusive adherence Śrī Vrajendra Nandan Kṛṣṇa expects from His devotees.
“I distribute truth by instalment, according to the capability of those to whom I give. One will have such fine understanding as to understand, as to know, as to feel, that this is his order, but to a particular group. But more intelligent and higher minded persons may cross those rulings and advance further.
“There are so many scriptures to be ignored, so many sādhus of that level to be ignored, and even the society and well wishers, well wishers of different interests—everything should be ignored if you want Me as Kṛṣṇa, Svayaṁ Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa, especially in Vṛndāvan, Vraja. I can’t tolerate any partner of any shade in My dealings with everyone. No partnership. I am the absolute enjoyer. I cannot tolerate any partnership, even with whom you should have some obligation, such as the guru section, pīta, mātā, the relatives, the parents, so-called superiors. None I can tolerate. If you have any partnership then I am not there. I am not there. I want cent per cent. If you want Me then I want to have cent per cent in quality. You may have to attend those duties but outwardly, as a show. You may make a show in attending to those duties, but I want the innermost heart. There I am. I am there. Otherwise you will have to come to My outer expression; I will engage you with one of so many other forms of mine. But Vrajendra Nandan, if you want Vrajendra Kiśor, you may have no other partner. Hare Kṛṣṇa.
sva-janam ārya-pathaṁ cha hitvā
bhejur mukunda-padavīṁ śrutibhir vimṛgyām
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, 10.47.61)“The Vedas, the rulings, law books, religious law books also cannot express, but they’re aiming at such a thing. Śrutibhir vimṛgyām, all the revealed truth, revealed expressions are aiming towards this but can’t express it fully. That is, My nature is such. I am most selfish in that respect, so selfish that even the scriptures cannot measure it. They fail to measure and express, that I am so selfish.”
But you will try to understand that He is your absolute good.
Source
Spoken 16 January 1982
In the Ecstasy of Sankirtan
Śrīla Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswāmī Mahārāj describes Śrīla Prabodhānanda Saraswatī Ṭhākur’s vision of the Pañcha Tattva.
Śrīla Prabodhānanda Saraswatī Ṭhākur composed the book Śrī Rādhā-rasa-sudhā-nidhi. In that book, as an introduction, he first glorified Mahāprabhu and the Pañcha-tattva with a praṇām mantra. I have not read the book in full. Prabodhānanda Saraswatī explains the Pastimes of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa in Rādhā-rasa-sudhā-nidhi, but he starts with a praṇām mantra to the Pañcha-tattva.
nindantaṁ pulakotkareṇa vikasan-nīpa-prasūna-chchhaviṁ
prordhvī-kṛtya-bhuja-dvayaṁ hari harīty uchchair vadantaṁ muhuḥ
nṛtyantaṁ drutam aśru-nirjhara-chayaiḥ siñchantam ūrvī-talaṁ
gāyantaṁ nija-pārṣadaiḥ parivṛtam śrī-gaura-chandraṁ numaḥThis śloka. Iskcon made a picture of Mahāprabhu and the Pañcha-tattva going in a dancing mood. It is very nice. That śloka is manifested within that picture exactly. I think that one lady made that picture. It is done very perfectly.
nindantaṁ pulakotkareṇa vikasan-nīpa-prasūna-chchhaviṁ
Mahāprabhu is intoxicated with Rādhā-rasa-sudhā, and through that His whole body has become like a kadamba flower. Every hair on His body is standing on end and it looks like a kadamba flower has manifested. His hand is up, showing towards Goloka Vṛndāvan, prordhvī-kṛtya-bhuja-dvayam, and as He is walking He is always chanting, “Hari, Hari, Hari, Hari, Haribol, Hari, Hari, Haribol”. Uchchair vadantaṁ muhuḥ means continuously, “bolo Hari, Hari Hari, Haribol”, like that.
prordhvī-kṛtya-bhuja-dvayaṁ hari harīty uchchair vadantaṁ muhuḥ
and,
nṛtyantaṁ drutam aśru-nirjhara-chayaiḥ siñchantam ūrvī-talaṁ
When He is dancing, tears are continuously falling down on the earth, and the earth is becoming wet. Nṛtyantaṁ drutam aśru-nirjhara-chayaiḥ: the tears are falling down from His eyes and making the earth wet. Siñchantam ūrvī-talaṁ: ūrvī-tala means the earth.
Gāyantaṁ nija-pārṣadaiḥ parivṛtam, around Him are all His associates, Nityānanda Prabhu, Gadādhar Paṇḍit, Advaita Prabhu, Śrīnivās Ṭhākur, Ṭhākur Haridās, Mukunda, Murāri Gupta—many of His associates. They are also going with him.
Śrī-Gaura-chandraṁ numaḥ, we bow down to the lotus feet that Gaurachandra.
Then Prabodhānanda Saraswatī started Rādhā-rasa-sudhā-nidhi.
Source
Spoken on Rādhāṣṭamī day in Italy, September 2000, during His Divine Grace’s 16th World Tour
Real Friendship
Śrīla Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswāmī Mahārāj describes how we can be true followers of His Divine Grace.
Whenever I come to visit another country, I must give an explanation to immigration. They ask me, “Where are you going? Where are you staying?” It is natural that they will ask about these things. I always give the same answer: “I am going to meet with my friends and their families.”
The word ‘friend’ in Bengali and Sanskrit, bāndhava, is a very heavy word. The meaning is very heavy.
utsave vyasane prāpte durbhikṣe śatru-saṅkaṭe
rāja-dvāre śmaśāne cha yas tiṣṭhati sa bāndhavaḥ
(Chāṇakhya Niti: 12)Who is a real friend? A real friend is always with me during festival time and also when I am in a situation of much trouble. When a food crisis occurs in my family, a real friend will come forward to help me. When a political revolution occurs in the country, a real friend will be with me, and when my body goes for cremation, a real friend will stand by me.
A friend must have this mentality. When I say that you are all my friends, you must consider my meaning to be like that. I try to do good for you all, as best as possible by me, and I ask that you all try to accept that and behave like that with me.
Actually, we are all coming from Lord Kṛṣṇa’s power, and He is the creator of all the universes, not only the jīva-souls. So, when our father is the same, then we are all friends, brothers, and very close relatives.
The demoniac and illusory mentality has captured the whole world due to māyā. Through that, we are sometimes becoming enemies, sometimes becoming friends, sometimes becoming relatives, sometimes becoming this, that, and so on. But Prahlād Mahārāj said in Śrīmad Bhāgavatam to Hiraṇyakaśipu, his father, “You are differentiating between me, yourself, and others, but I do not see like that. I see that Kṛṣṇa is living everywhere and Kṛṣṇa is the friend of everyone. The tendency to analyse in a differential, inimical way comes from māyā.”
Prahlād Mahārāj says in Śrīmad Bhāgavatam,
sa yadānuvrataḥ puṁsāṁ paśu-buddhir vibhidyate
anya eṣa tathānyo ’ham iti bheda-gatāsatī
(7.5.12)[“When the Lord favours a soul, the animalistic mentality that, ‘He is separate and I am separate’ is destroyed.”]
When Kṛṣṇa mercifully gives His divine rays of mercy upon us, we will understand what is what.
Source
Spoken in Italy, August 2000, during His Divine Grace’s 16th World Tour.
The Essence of Revealed Truth
Śrīla Bhakti Rakṣak Śrīdhar Dev-Goswāmī Mahārāj offers his obeisance to Śrī Kṛṣṇa and Śrīmad Bhāgavatam.
Translated Sanskrit verses
originally published in Śrī Gauḍīya Darśan,
Volume 6, Issue 9,
on Monday, 10 April 1961.vedārtha-sphūṭa-vāg-bhāgavata-suviditaṁ hy advaya-jñāna-tattvaṁ
jñānendra-brahma yogeśvara-gaṇa-paramātmāpi yaj jyotir aṁśaḥ
bhaktaughair archyamāno vilasati paramavyomni nārāyaṇo yaḥ
sāndrānandaika-kandaṁ nikhila-rasa-sudhā-dhāma kṛṣṇaṁ bhajāmi[He is] suviditaṁ–renowned bhāgavata–in Śrīmad Bhāgavatam— sphūṭa–the [fully] manifest vāg–expression artha–of the meaning veda–of the Vedas— [as] hi–verily advaya–the nondual jñāna–spiritual tattvaṁ–Truth, yaj–whose jyotir– effulgence [is] brahma–the Brahma indra–of the masters jñāna–of knowledge, [yaj]–whose aṁśaḥ–expansion [is] api–indeed paramātmā–the Supersoul īśvara-gaṇa–of the masters yoga–of yoga, [and] yaḥ–who vilasati–plays paramavyomni–in the spiritual sky nārāyaṇaḥ–as Nārāyaṇ, archyamānaḥ–being worshipped oghaiḥ–by multitudes bhakta–of devotees. bhajāmi–I serve kṛṣṇaṁ–Kṛṣṇa, [the] eka–sole kandaṁ–source sāndra–of [the most] intense ānanda–joy, dhāma–the abode sudhā–of the nectar nikhila–of all rasa–rasas.
He is renowned in Śrīmad Bhāgavatam—the fully manifest expression of the message of the Vedas—as the Absolute Truth. His effulgence is the Brahma sought after by the masters of knowledge, His expansion is the Supersoul sought after by the masters of yoga, and He plays in the spiritual sky as Nārāyaṇ, worshipped by multitudes of devotees. I serve Him, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the sole source of the highest joy, the abode of the nectar of all rasas.
vedo vā dharma-śāstro bhajati viphalatāṁ yo ’pi tantraḥ purāṇo
yady āvirbhāva urvyāṁ na bhavati sarito bhāgavatyāḥ sudhāyāḥ
yo vṛndāraṇya-līlā-rasa-parama-chamatkāra-mūrtiṁ prakāśya
atrādāt sarva-śāstre charama-saphalatāṁ naumi taṁ grantha-rājamyadi–If yaḥ āvirbhāva–the appearance saritaḥ–of the stream sudhāyāḥ–of the nectar bhāgavatyāḥ–of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam na bhavati–does not manifest urvyāṁ–on the earth, [then] vedaḥ–the Vedas, tantraḥ–Tantras, purāṇaḥ–Purāṇas, api vā dharma–and other religious śāstraḥ–scriptures bhajati–attain viphalatāṁ–the state of being useless. naumi–I bow taṁ–to Him, grantha-rājam–the king of scriptures (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam), yaḥ–who adāt–gave atra–here charama–the ultimate saphalatāṁ–fulfilment sarva–of all śāstre–the scriptures prakāśya–by revealing parama–the supremely chamatkāra–wonderful mūrtiṁ–embodiment rasa–of the rasas līlā–of the Pastimes vṛndāraṇya–of Vṛndāvan [—Śrī Kṛṣṇa].
If the stream of the nectar of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam had not appeared on the earth, then the Vedas, Tantras, Purāṇas, and other religious scriptures would be useless. I bow to the king of scriptures, Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, which gave the ultimate fulfilment of all the scriptures by revealing the supremely wonderful embodiment of the rasas of the Pastimes of Vṛndāvan—Śrī Kṛṣṇa.