Laulyam

TEXT 76 harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha SYNONYMS hareh nama--the holy name of the Lord; hareh nama--the holy name of the Lord; hareh nama--the holy name of the Lord; eva--certainly; kevalam--only; kalau--in this Age of Kali; na asti--there is none; eva--certainly; na asti--there is none; eva--certainly; na asti--there is none; eva--certainly; gatih--progress; anyatha--otherwise. TRANSLATION " 'For spiritual progress in this Age of Kali, there is no alternative, there is no alternative, there is no alternative to the holy name, the holy name, the holy name of the Lord.' PURPORT For progress in spiritual life, the sastras recommend meditation in Satya-yuga, sacrifice for the satisfaction of Lord Visnu in Treta-yuga and gorgeous worship of the Lord in the temple in Dvapara-yuga, but in the Age of Kali one can achieve spiritual progress only by chanting the holy name of the Lord. This is confirmed in various scriptures. In Srimad-Bhagavatam there are many references to this fact. In the Twelfth Canto (12.3.51) it is said, kirtanad eva krsnasya mukta-sangah param vrajet: In the Age of Kali there are many faults, for people are subjected to many miserable conditions, yet in this age there is one great benediction--simply by chanting the Hare Krsna mantra one can be freed from all material contamination and thus be elevated to the spiritual world. The Narada-pancaratra also praises the Hare Krsna maha-mantra as follows: trayo vedah sad-angani chandamsi vividhah surah sarvam astaksarantahstham yac canyad api van-mayam sarva-vedanta-sararthah samsararnava-taranah "The essence of all Vedic knowledge--comprehending the three kinds of Vedic activity [karma-kanda, jnana-kanda and upasana-kanda], the chandas, or Vedic hymns, and the processes for satisfying the demigods--is included in the eight syllables Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna. This is the reality of all Vedanta. The chanting of the holy name is the only means to cross the ocean of nescience." Similarly, the Kali-santarana Upanisad states, "Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare--these sixteen names composed of thirty-two syllables are the only means to counteract the evil effects of Kali-yuga. In all the Vedas it is seen that to cross the ocean of nescience there is no alternative to the chanting of the holy name." Similarly, Sri Madhvacarya, while commenting upon the Mundaka Upanisad, has said: dvapariyair janair visnuh pancaratrais tu kevalaih kalau tu nama-matrena pujyate bhagavan harih "In the Dvapara-yuga one could satisfy Krsna or Visnu only by worshiping Him gorgeously according to the pancaratriki system, but in the Age of Kali one can satisfy and worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead Hari simply by chanting the holy name." In his Bhakti-sandarbha (verse 284), Srila Jiva Gosvami strongly emphasizes the chanting of the holy name of the Lord as follows: nanu bhagavan-namatmaka eva mantrah, tatra visesena namah-sabdady-alankrtah sri-bhagavata srimad-rsibhis cahita-sakti-visesah, sri-bhagavata samam atma-sambandha-visesa-pratipadakas ca tatra kevalani sri-bhagavan-namany api nirapeksany eva parama-purusartha-phala-paryanta-dana-samarthani tato mantresu namato 'py adhika-samarthye labdhe katham diksady-apeksa. ucyate--yady api svarupato nasti, tathapi prayah svabhavato dehadi-sambandhena kadarya-silanam viksipta-cittanam jananam tat-sankoci-karanaya srimad-rsi-prabhrtibhir atrarcana-marge kvacit kvacit kacit kacin maryada sthapitasti. Srila Jiva Gosvami states that the substance of all the Vedic mantras is the chanting of the holy name of the Lord. Every mantra begins with the prefix nama om and eventually addresses by name the Supreme Personality of Godhead. By the supreme will of the Lord there is a specific potency in each and every mantra chanted by great sages like Narada Muni and other rsis. Chanting the holy name of the Lord immediately renovates the transcendental relationship of the living being with the Supreme Lord. To chant the holy name of the Lord, one need not depend upon other paraphernalia, for one can immediately get all the desired results of connecting or linking with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It may therefore be questioned why there is a necessity for initiation or further spiritual activities in devotional service for one who engages in the chanting of the holy name of the Lord. The answer is that although it is correct that one who fully engages in chanting the holy name need not depend upon the process of initiation, generally a devotee is addicted to many abominable material habits due to material contamination from his previous life. In order to get quick relief from all these contaminations, it is required that one engage in the worship of the Lord in the temple. The worship of the Deity in the temple is essential to reduce one's restlessness due to the contaminations of conditioned life. Thus Narada, in his pancaratriki-vidhi, and other great sages have sometimes stressed that since every conditioned soul has a bodily concept of life aimed at sense enjoyment, to restrict this sense enjoyment the rules and regulations for worshiping the Deity in the temple are essential. Srila Rupa Gosvami has described that the holy name of the Lord can be chanted by liberated souls, but almost all the souls we have to initiate are conditioned. It is advised that one chant the holy name of the Lord without offenses and according to the regulative principles, yet due to their past bad habits they violate these rules and regulations. Thus the regulative principles for worship of the Deity are also simultaneously essential.

"Dissolve Your Mind" - Buddha Then another class of philosophy is that of Buddha: "Only the combination of different things has created your mental system. With the dissolution of the mental system, nothing remains. So, somehow, we must dissolve the mental system. Practice ahimsa, nonviolence, satya, truthfulness, and so on." It is seen that all these philosophers are talking either of renunciation or of exploitation (bhukti, mukti). And by setting different types of enchanting traps, they arrange to capture the jiva soul. Bhaktivinoda Thakura says, "But I have come to realize that these fellows are all cheaters. And they all have this common stand: they have no touch of Your devotion, Your service. There, they are one. They cannot deliver any real good. They are common to oppose Your devotional service and supremacy. And ultimately they leave us in chaos. "But from the ultimate standpoint, I see that they are agents engaged by You to segregate the seriously diseased persons to another ward, for the good of the less seriously diseased patients. It is Your arrangement to segregate the hopeless persons to another side for the benefit of the good side. That is Your design, and they are playing at Your hand like so many dolls. They are Your agents and they are also serving You in some way, because nothing is outside You." Bhaktivinoda Thakura concludes saying, "I bid good-bye to them all. I feel in my heart that I shall show respect to all these so-called good agents from a distance, however my only real capital is the dust of the holy feet of Your devotees. I rely on that dust as the source of all my prospects. I seek to put all my energy into taking the dust of their holy lotus feet upon my head. This is everything for me."

Vrajanatha: Once an influential brahmana pandita arrived in Navadvipa, and in a conference of intellectuals, he established that only the jiva exists. His theory was that this jiva creates everything in his dreams, and it is because of this that he enjoys happiness and suffers distress. Then, when the dream breaks, he sees that he is nothing but brahma. To what extent is this idea correct?<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:" /><o:p></o:p> Babaji: This is, again, Mayavada. If, as they say, brahma is undifferentiated, how can it possibly produce the jiva and his dreaming state? Mayavadis use examples, such as, ‘the illusion of seeing mother-of-pearl in an oyster shell as gold’ and ‘the illusion of taking a rope to be a snake,’ but their philosophy cannot provide a consistent basis for advaya-jnana.<o:p></o:p> Vrajanatha: So maya has nothing whatever to do with creating the svarupa of the jivas – this has to be accepted. At the same time, I have also clearly understood that the jiva is by nature subject to the influence of maya. Now I want to know, did the cit-sakti create the jivas and give them their tatastha-svabhava (marginal nature)? <o:p></o:p> Babaji: No, the cit-sakti is paripurna-sakti, the complete potency of Krsna, and its manifestations are all eternally perfect substances.The jiva is not nitya-siddha, although when he performs sadhana, he can become sadhana-siddha and enjoy transcendental happiness like the nitya-siddhas, eternally perfect beings. All the four types of Srimati Radhika’s sakhis are nitya-siddha, and they are direct expansions (kaya-vyuha) of the cit-sakti, Srimati Radhika Herself. All the jivas, on the other hand, have manifested from Sri Krsna’s jiva-sakti. The cit-sakti is Sri Krsna’s complete sakti, whereas the jiva-sakti is His incomplete sakti. Just as the complete tattvas are all transformations of the complete potency, similarly innumerable atomic, conscious jivas are transformations of the incomplete sakti.<o:p></o:p> Sri Krsna, being established in each of His saktis, manifests His svarupa according to the nature of that sakti. When He is situated in the cit-svarupa, He manifests His svarupa as Sri Krsna and also as Narayana, the Lord of Paravyoma; when He is situated in the jiva-sakti, He manifests His svarupa as His vilasa-murti of Vraja, Baladeva; and being established in the maya-sakti, He manifests the three Visnu forms: Karanodakasayi, Ksirodakasayi and Garbhodakasayi. In His Krsna form in Vraja, He manifests all the spiritual affairs to the superlative degree. In His Baladeva svarupa as sesa-tattva, He manifests nitya-mukta-parsada-jivas, eternally liberated associates, who render eight types of service to Krsna sesitattva-svarupa, the origin of sesa-tattva. Again, as sesa-rupa Sankarsana in Paravyoma, He manifests eight types of servants to render eight kinds of services as eternally liberated associates of sesi-rupa Narayana. Maha-Visnu, who is an avatara of Sankarsana, situates Himself in the jiva-sakti, and in His Paramatma svarupa, He manifests the jivas who have the potential to be involved in the material world. These jivas are susceptible to the influence of maya, and unless they attain the shelter of the hladini-sakti of the cit-sakti by Bhagavan’s mercy, the possibility of their being defeated by maya remains. The countless conditioned jivas who have been conquered by maya are subordinate to the three modes of material nature. Bearing all this in mind, the siddhanta is that it is only the jiva-sakti, and not the cit-sakti, that manifests the jivas. <o:p></o:p> Vrajanatha: You said earlier that the cit world is eternal, and so are the jivas. If this is true, how can an eternal entity possibly be created, manifested or produced? If it is created at some point of time, it must have been non-existent before that, so how can we accept that it is eternal?<o:p></o:p> Babaji: The time and space that you experience in this material world are completely different from time and space in the spiritual world. Material time is divided into three aspects: past, present and future. However, in the spiritual world there is only one undivided, eternally present time. Every event of the spiritual world is eternally present.<o:p></o:p> Whatever we say or describe in the material world is under the jurisdiction of material time and space, so when we say – “The jivas were created,” “The spiritual world was manifested,” or “There is no influence of maya in creating the form of the jivas,” – material time is bound to influence our language and our statements. This is inevitable in our conditioned state, so we cannot remove the influence of material time from our descriptions of the atomic jiva and spiritual objects. The conception of past, present and future always enters them in some way or another. Still, those who can discriminate properly can understand the application of the eternal present when they comprehend the purport of the descriptions of the spiritual world. Baba, be very careful in this matter. Give up the inevitable baseness, or the aspect of the description that is fit to be rejected, and have spiritual realization. <o:p></o:p> All Vaisnavas say that the jiva is an eternal servant of Krsna, that his eternal nature is to serve Krsna, and that he is now bound by maya, because he has forgotten that eternal nature. However, everyone knows that the jiva is an eternal entity, of which there are two types: nitya-mukta and nitya-baddha. The subject has been explained in this way only because the conditioned human intellect being controlled by pramada (inattentiveness), is unable to comprehend a subject matter. Realized sadhakas, though, experience transcendental truth through their cit-samadhi. Our words always have some material limitation, so whatever we say will have some mayika defects. My dear son, you should always endeavor to realize the pure truth. Logic and argument cannot help at all in this regard, so it is futile to use them to try to understand inconceivable subject matters. <o:p></o:p> I know that you will not be able to understand these subjects in a moment, but as you cultivate these transcendental moods within your heart, you will realize cinmaya-bhava more and more. In other words, all the transcendental moods will manifest themselves in the core of your purified heart. Your body is material, and all the activities of your body are also material, but the essence of your being is not material; you are an atomic conscious entity. The more you know yourself, the more you will be able to realize how your svarupa is a tattva superior to the world of maya. Even if I tell you, you will not realize it, or simply be hearing you will not attain it. Cultivate the practice of chanting hari-nama as much as possible. As you go on chanting hari-nama, these transcendental bhavas will begin to manifest in your heart automatically, and to the degree that they do so, you will be able to realize the transcendental world. Mind and speech both have their origin in matter, and they cannot touch the transcendental truth, even with the greatest endeavor. The Vedas say in Taittiriya Upanisad (2.9)<o:p></o:p> yato vaco nivartante aprapya manasa saha<o:p></o:p> The speech and the mind return from brahma, being unable to attain Him.<o:p></o:p> I advise you not to inquire about this matter from anyone, but to realize it yourself. I have just given you an indication (abhasa). <o:p></o:p>

<CENTER>Thakur Bhaktivinode </CENTER>We avail of the opportunity offered by the Anniversary Celebrations of the advent of Thakur Bhaktivinode to reflect on the right method of obtaining those benefits that have been made accessible to humanity by the grace of this great devotee of Krishna. Thakur Bhaktivinode has been specifically kind to those unfortunate persons who are engrossed in mental speculation of all kinds. This is the prevalent malady of the present Age. The other Acaryas who appeared before Thakur Bhaktivinode did not address their discourses so directly to the empiric thinkers. They had been more merciful to those who are naturally disposed to listen to discourses on the Absolute without being dissuaded by the specious arguments of avowed opponents of Godhead. Srila Thakur Bhaktivinode has taken the trouble of meeting the perverse arguments of mental speculationists by the superior transcendental logic of the Absolute Truth. It is thus possible for the average modern readers to profit by the perusal of his writings. That day is not far distant when the priceless volumes penned by Thakur Bhaktivinode will be reverently translated, by the recipients of his grace, into all the languages of the world. The writings of Thakur Bhaktivinode provide the golden bridge by which the mental speculationist can safely cross the raging waters of fruitless empiric controversies that trouble the peace of those who choose to trust in their guidance for finding the Truth. As soon as the sympathetic reader is in a position to appreciate the sterling quality of Thakur Bhaktivinode's philosophy the entire vista of the revealed literatures of the world will automatically open out to his reclaimed vision. There have, however, already arisen serious misunderstandings regarding the proper interpretation of the life and teachings of Srila Thakur Bhaktivinode. Those who suppose they understand the meaning of his message without securing the guiding grace of the Acarya are disposed to unduly favour the methods of empiric study of his writings. There are persons who have got by heart almost everything that he wrote without being able to catch the least particle of his meaning. Such study cannot benefit those who are not prepared to act up to the instructions lucidly conveyed by his words. There is no honest chance of missing the warnings of Thakur Bhaktivinode. Those, therefore, who are misled by the perusal of his writings are led astray by their own obstinate perversity in sticking to the empiric course which they prefer to cherish against his explicit warnings. Let these unfortunate persons look more carefully into their own hearts for the cause of their misfortunes. The personal service of the pure devotee is essential for understanding the spiritual meaning of the words of Thakur Bhaktivinode. The Editor of this Journal, originally started by Thakur Bhaktivinode, has been trying to draw the attention of all followers of Thakur Bhaktivinode to this all-important point of his teachings. It is not necessary to try to place ourselves on a footing of equality with Thakur Bhaktivinode. We are not likely to benefit by any mechanical imitation of any practices of Thakur Bhaktivinode on the opportunist principle that they may be convenient for us to adopt. The Guru is not an erring mortal whose activities can be understood by the fallible reason of unreclaimed humanity. There is an eternally impassable line of demarcation between the Saviour and the saved. Those who are really saved can alone know this.Thakur Bhaktivinode belongs to the category of the spiritual world-teachers who eternally occupy the superior position. The present Editor has all along felt it his paramount duty to try to clear up the meaning of the life and teachings of Thakur Bhaktivinode by the method of submissive listening to the Transcendental Sound from the lips of the pure devotee. The Guru who realises the transcendental meaning of all sounds, is in a position to serve the Absolute by the direction of the Absolute conveyed through every sound. The Transcendental Sound is Godhead, the mundane sound is non-Godhead. All sound has got these opposite aptitudes. All sound reveals its Divine face to the devotee and only presents its deluding aspect to the empiric pedant. The devotee talks apparently the same language as the deluded empiric pedant who had got by heart the vocabulary of the Scriptures. But notwithstanding apparent identity of performance, the one has no access to the reality while the other is absolutely free from all delusion. Those who repeat the teachings of Thakur Bhaktivinode from memory do not necessarily understand the meaning of the words they mechanically repeat. Those who can pass an empiric examination regarding the contents of his writings are not necessarily also self-realised souls. They may not at all know the real meaning of the words they have learnt by the method of empiric study.Take for example the Name "Krishna". Every reader of Thakur Bhaktivinode's works must be aware that the Name manifests Himself on the lips of His serving devotees although He is inaccessible to our mundane senses. It is one thing to pass the examination by reproducing this true conclusion from the writings of Thakur Bhaktivinode and quite another matter to realise the Nature of the Holy Name of Krishna by the process conveyed by the words. Thakur Bhaktivinode did not want us to go to the clever mechanical reciter of the mundane sound for obtaining access to the Transcendental Name of Krishna. Such a person may be fully equipped with all the written arguments in explanation of the nature of the Divine Name. But if we listen to all these arguments from the dead source the words will only increase our delusion. The very same words coming from the lips of the devotee will have the diametrically opposite effect. Our empiric judgment can never grasp the difference between the two performances. The devotee is always right. The non-devotee in the shape of the empiric pedant is always and necessarily wrong. In the one case there is always present the Substantive Truth and nothing but the Substantive Truth. In the other case there is present the apparent or misleading hypothesis and nothing but un-truth. The wording may have the same external appearance in both cases. The identical verses of the Scriptures may be recited by the devotee and the non-devotee, may be apparently misquoted by the non-devotee but the corresponding values of the two processes remain always categorically different. The devotee is right even when he apparently misquotes, the non-devotee is wrong even when he quotes correctly the very words, chapter and verse of the Scriptures. It is not empiric wisdom that is the object of quest of the devotee. Those who read the scriptures for gathering empiric wisdom will be pursuing the wild goose chase. There are not a few dupes of their empiric Scriptural erudition. These dupes have their admiring under-dupes. But the mutual admiration society of dupes does not escape, by the mere weight of their number, the misfortunes due to the deliberate pursuit of the wrong course inaccordance with the suggestions of our lower selves. What are the Scriptures? They are nothing but the record by the pure devotees of the Divine Message appearing on the lips of the pure devotees. The Message conveyed by the devotees is the same in all ages. The words of the devotees are ever identical with the Scriptures. Any meaning of the Scriptures that belittles the function of the devotee who is the original communicant of the Divine Message contradicts its own claim to be heard. Those who think that the Sanskrit language in its lexicographical sense is the language of the Divinity are as deluded as those who hold that the Divine Message is communicable through any other spoken dialects. All languages simultaneously express and hide the Absolute. The mundane face of all languages hides the Truth. The Transcendental face of all sound expresses nothing but the Absolute. The pure devotee is the speaker of the Transcendental language. The Transcendental Sound makes His appearance on the lips of His pure devotee. This is the direct, unambiguous appearance of Divinity. On the lips of non-devotees the Absolute always appears in His deluding aspect. To the pure devotee the Absolute reveals Himself under all circumstances. To the conditioned soul, if he is disposed to listen in a truly submissive spirit, the language of the pure devotee can alone impart the knowledge of the Absolute. The conditioned soul mistakes the deluding for the real aspect when he chooses to lend his ear to the non-devotee. This is the reason why the conditioned soul is warned to avoid all association with non-devotees. Thakur Bhaktivinode is acknowledged by all his sincere followers as possessing the above powers of the pure devotee of Godhead. His words have to be received from the lips of a pure devotee. If his words are listened from the lips of a non-devotee they will certainly deceive. If his works are studied in the light of one's own worldly experience their meaning will refuse to disclose itself to such readers. His works belong to the class of the eternal revealed literature of the world and must be approached for their right understanding through their exposition by the pure devotee. If no help from the pure devotee is sought the works of Thakur Bhaktivinode will be grossly misunderstood by their readers. The attentive reader of those works will find that he is always directed to throw himself upon the mercy of the pure devotee if he is not to remain unwarrantably self-satisfied by the deluding results of his wrong method of study. The writings of Thakur Bhaktivinode are valuable because they demolish all empiric objections against accepting the only method of approaching the Absolute in the right way. They cannot and were never intended to give access to the Absolute without help from the pure devotee of Krishna. They direct the sincere enquirer of the Truth, as all the revealed scriptures do, to the pure devotee of Krishna to learn about Him by submitting to listen with an open mind to the Transcendental Sound appearing on His lips. Before we open any of the books penned by Thakur Bhaktivinode we should do well to reflect a little on the attitude, with which as the indispensable pre-requisite, to approach its study. It is by neglecting to remember this fundamental principle that the empiric pedants find themselves so hopelessly puzzled in their vain endeavour to reconcile the statements of the different texts of the Scriptures. The same difficulty is already in process of overtaking many of the so-called followers of Thakur Bhaktivinode and for the same reason. The person to whom the Acarya is pleased to transmit his power is alone in a position to convey the Divine Message. This constitutes the underlying principle of the line of succession of the spiritual teachers. The Acarya thus authorised has no other duty than that of delivering intact the message received from all his predecessors. There is no difference between the pronouncements of one Acarya and another. All of them are perfect mediums for the appearance of the Divinity in the Form of the Transcendental Name Who is identical with His Form, Quality, Activity and Paraphernalia. The Divinity is Absolute Knowledge. Absolute Knowledge has the character of indivisible Unity. One particle of the Absolute Knowledge is capable of revealing all the potency of the Divinity. Those who want to understand the contents of the volumes penned by the piece-meal acquisitive method applicable to deluding knowledge available to the mind on the mundane plane, are bound to be self-deceived. Those who are sincere seekers of the Truth are alone eligible to find Him, in and through the proper method of His quest. In order to be put on the track of the Absolute, listening to the words of the pure devotee is absolutely necessary. The spoken word of the Absolute is the Absolute. It is only the Absolute Who can give Himself away to the constituents of His power. The Absolute appears to the listening ear of the conditioned soul in the form of the Name on the lips of the sadhu. This is the key to the whole position. The words of Thakur Bhaktivinode direct the empiric pedant to discard his wrong method and inclination on the threshold of the real quest of the Absolute. If the pedant still chooses to carry his errors into the Realm of the Absolute Truth he only marches by a deceptive bye-path into the regions of darker ignorance by his arrogant study of the scriptures. The method offered by Thakur Bhaktivinode is identical with the object of the quest. The method is not really grasped except by the grace of the pure devotee. The arguments, indeed, are these. But they can only corroborate, but can never be a substitute for, the word from the living source of the Truth who is no other than the pure devotee of Krishna, the concrete Personal Absolute. Thakur Bhaktivinode's greatest gift to the world consists in this; that he has brought about the appearance of those pure devotees who are, at present, carrying on the movement of unalloyed devotion to the Feet of Shree Krishna by their own wholetime spiritual service of the Divinity. The purity of the soul is only analogously describable by the resources of the mundane language. The highest ideal of empiric morality is no better than the grossest wickedness to the Transcendental perfect purity of the bonafide devotee of the Absolute. The word 'morality' itself is a mischievous misnomer when it is applied to any quality of the conditioned soul. The hypocritical contentment with a negative attitude is part and parcel of the principle of undiluted immorality. Those who pretend to recognise the Divine Mission of Thakur Bhaktivinode without aspiring to the unconditional service of those pure souls who really follow the teachings of the Thakur by the method enjoined by the scriptures and explained by Thakur Bhaktivinode in a way that is so eminently suited to the requirements of the sophisticated mentality of the present Age, only deceive themselves and their willing victims by their hypocritical professions and performances. These persons must not be confounded with the bonafide members of the flock. Thakur Bhaktivinode has predicted the consummation of religious unity of the world by the appearance of the only universal church which bears the eternal designation of the Brahma Sampradaya. He has given mankind the blessed assurance that all Theistic churches will shortly merge in the one eternal spiritual community by the grace of the Supreme Lord Shree Krishna Chaitanya. The spiritual community is not circumscribed by the conditions of time and space, race and nationality. Mankind had been looking forward to this far-off Divine Event through the Long Ages. Thakur Bhaktivinode has made the conception available in its practicable spiritual form to the open minded empiricist who is prepared to undergo the process of enlightenment. The key stone of the Arch has been laid which will afford the needed shelter to all awakened animation under its ample encircling arms. Those who would thoughtlessly allow their hollow pride of race, pseudo-knowledge or pseudo-virtue to stand in the way of this long hoped for consummation, would have to thank only themselves for not being incorporated in the spiritual society of all pure souls. These plain words need not be misrepresented, by arrogant persons who are full of the vanity of empiric ignorance, as the pronouncements of aggressive sectarianism. The aggressive pronouncement of the concrete Truth is the crying necessity of the moment for silencing the aggressive propaganda of specific untruths that is being carried on all over the world by the preachers of empiric contrivances for the amelioration of the hard lot of conditioned souls. The empiric propaganda clothes itself in the language of negative abstraction for deluding those who are engrossed in the selfish pursuit of worldly enjoyment. But there is a positive and concrete function of the pure soul which should not be perversely confounded with any utilitarian form of worldly activity. Mankind stands in need of that positive spiritual function of which the hypocritical impersonalists are in absolute ignorance. The positive function of the soul harmonises the claims of extreme selfishness with those of extreme self-abnegation in the society of pure souls even in this mundane world. In its concrete realisable form the function is perfectly inaccessible to the empiric understanding. Its imperfect and misleading conception alone is available by the study of the Scriptures to the conditioned soul that is not helped by the causeless grace of the pure devotees of Godhead. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, The Harmonist, December 1931, vol. XXIX No.6

Sri Krsna-samhita Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur Chapter 8 Text 20 dhenukah sthula-buddhih syad garddabhas tala-rodhakah astame laksyate dosah sampradaye satam mahan Subtle discrimination is extremely important for Vaisnavas. Those who invent social distinctions and preach the unbreakable principles of Vaisnavism while breaking them to suit their needs are said to possess gross discrimination.This gross discrimination takes the form of the ass Dhenuka.The ass cannot eat the sweet palm tree fruits, and he opposes others' attemps to eat them.The purport is that the previous acaryas of the authorized sampradayas have written many spiritual literatures, which people with gross discrimination neither understand nor allow others to see. Asslike devotees who are simply interested in the regulative principles and under the control of gross discrimination are unable to attain a higher platform. Vaisnava principles are so unlimitedly exalted that those who simply remain entangled in the regulative process without endeavoring to understand the science of attachment are comparable to ordinary fruitive workers. Therefore, until the ass Dhenukasura is killed, one cannot advance in the science of Vaisnavism:smash:

<CENTER>TEXT 86 </CENTER><CENTER> bhrama, pramada, vipralipsa, karanapatava arsa-vijna-vakye nahi dosa ei saba </CENTER><CENTER>SYNONYMS </CENTER>bhrama--mistakes; pramada--illusion; vipralipsa--cheating; karana-apatava--imperfectness of the senses; arsa--of the authoritative sages; vijna-vakye--in the wise speech; nahi--not; dosa--faults; ei--these; saba--all. <CENTER>TRANSLATION </CENTER>"Mistakes, illusions, cheating and defective perception do not occur in the sayings of the authoritative sages." <CENTER>PURPORT </CENTER>Srimad-Bhagavatam has listed the avataras, the plenary expansions of the purusa, and Lord Krsna appears among them. But the Bhagavatam further explains Lord Krsna's specific position as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Since Lord Krsna is the original Personality of Godhead, reason and argument establish that His position is always supreme. Had Krsna been a plenary expansion of Narayana, the original verse would have been differently composed; indeed, its order would have been reversed. But there cannot be mistakes, illusion, cheating or imperfect perception in the words of liberated sages. Therefore there is no mistake in this statement that Lord Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Sanskrit statements of Srimad-Bhagavatam are all transcendental sounds. Srila Vyasadeva revealed these statements after perfect realization, and therefore they are perfect, for liberated sages like Vyasadeva never commit errors in their rhetorical arrangements. Unless one accepts this fact, there is no use in trying to obtain help from the revealed scriptures. Bhrama refers to false knowledge or mistakes, such as accepting a rope as a snake or an oyster shell as gold. Pramada refers to inattention or misunderstanding of reality, and vipralipsa is the cheating propensity. Karanapatava refers to imperfectness of the material senses. There are many examples of such imperfection. The eyes cannot see that which is very distant or very small. One cannot even see his own eyelid, which is the closest thing to his eye, and if one is disturbed by a disease like jaundice, he sees everything to be yellow. Similarly, the ears cannot hear distant sounds. Since the Personality of Godhead and His plenary portions and self-realized devotees are all transcendentally situated, they cannot be misled by such deficiencies.

<CENTER>The Art of Sadhana </CENTER><CENTER>by His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Pramode Puri Maharaja </CENTER><CENTER>Epilogue </CENTER> saiveyam bhuvi dhanya-gauda-nagari velapi saivambudheh so yam sri-purusottamo madhu-pates tany eva namani ca no kutrapi niriksyate hari hari premotsavas tadrha caitanya krpa-nidhana tava kim viksye punar vaibavam "This is the same city of Gauda, blessed on earth, this too the very same ocean beach, this, the town of Purusottama (Puri) and these, the very same Holy Names, Hare Krsna; but alas! Nowhere can I see the same festival of love. Oh, caitanya, source of all compassion, Will I ever again see Your glories?" (Prabodhananda Sarasvati's Chaitanya-candramrta,140) gorara ami mukhe balile na cale gorara acara gorara pracara laile phala phale "It is not enough to simply advertise repeatedly that one is a devotee of Mahaprabhu saying, 'I am Gaura's, I am Gaura's.' The result of being the Lord's Follower come to one who takes up Mahaprabhu's preaching mission as well as the practices taught by Him." (Prema-vivarta) Some of us affirm, with conviction, that we follow Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, have faith In Him, and are devoted to Him. When we interact with Vaishnavas from other traditions that do not have the same regard for Mahaprabhu that we do, we strongly rebuke them; And criticize them in articles and speeches. There is indeed a general notion among ordinary people today that Mahaprabhu is accepted throughout the world and that no one truly rejects Him. However, if we look deeply we find that very few of us truly follow Mahaprabhu. In fact, fearing to be called atheists for not offering respect to the Vedic scriptures and the Supreme Lord or of being vilified by the public in general, we claim to honor Mahaprabhu, but all we are really interested in is our own prestige. There is, these days, a class of people who, leading a reckless private life and following The partial discipline of the smartas, act permissively and whimsically and still dare to Publicly criticize the true followers of Mahaprabhu. Dismissing Mahaprabhu's teachings as sectarian, they neglect the standards of Vaishnava conduct and yet profess to know the Lord better than His devotees do. Thus they criticize in their publications the great personalities who have dedicated their lives to Mahaprabhu's service, making Him the ultimate goal of their lives. However, the honest inquirer finds that these people are affected by the disease of self deception, of weakness of character, of dishonesty. The arrogance of these people has nothing to do with true acceptance of Mahaprabhu and His message, but is only proof of sickening attachment to personal prestige and sense gratification. If we ask ourselves, "Are we truly following Mahaprabhu?" and then honestly seek the answer, we must first examine not only Mahaprabhu's own teachings and conduct, but those of His personal associates, through whom the Lord spread His message. We must then ask ourselves how closely we follow those teachings, especially in times of personal difficulty or social disapproval. Sadly, some people accept as Mahaprabhu's teachings only those portions that are convenient to their life styles or frame of mind. Such people believe that Sri Rupa, Sri Sanatana, Sri Jiva, Krishnadasa Kaviraja Goswami,Vrindavan dasa Thakura and other intimate associates of the Lord profess doctrines that in reality are different from Mahaprabhu's. They even go as far as to claim that Mahaprabhu's followers are narrow-minded sectarians who have made many exaggerated claims about the Lord's person and teachings. Thus they refuse to accept the statements of Mahaprabhu's associates as authoritative. But when genuine teachers of the doctrines of Vaishnavas expose these people's mock following of Mahaprabhu, showing that, for all intents and purposes, it is actually opposition to the Lord, they become angry and verbally attack the devotees. The foolish attitude of these people is comparable to the logic of half a hen-Mahaprabhu cannot be separated from His entourage. One cannot cut off the Lord's hands and feet and then pay respects to His head. When devotees quote the voices of authority from the disciplic succession, these self-styled followers of Mahaprabhu call it the Vaishnava sect's fanaticism and narrow-mindedness. As an example they quote the Caitanya Bhagavat verse in which Vrinavan dasa Thakura condemns Nityananda Prabhu's critics: eta parihareo je papi ninda kare tabe lathi maron tara sierra upare "I will take a stick and beat on the head those sinners who, ignoring everything I have said, continue to blaspheme Nityananda Prabhu" (Chaitanya Bhagavata 1.9.225; 17.158; 2.11.63; 2.18.223;2.23.522) The self-styled followers of Mahaprabhu call these utterances of Vrindavan Dasa Thakura violent and intemperate, and proof of the fanaticism of Vaishnavas in general. Their imaginary approval of Mahaprabhu is based on a rejection of the Lord's associates which is deep rooted in malice and malevolence. They, convinced that devotion is nothing but sentimentalism and unfounded enthusiasm, consider Mahaprabhu's devotees incapable of understanding the Lord's true nature. But they believe themselves, as independent third parties, capable of such understanding. The extant of the arrogance manifest in such a claim is completely beyond even their own comprehension. Such is the type of person that prominently propagates its ideas today on the editorial pages of newspapers and from podiums of various public assemblies. Other illegitimate modern-day followers of Mahaprabhu also are those who make a show of accepting Mahaprabhu and His associates, but actually profess all manners of heterdox views. Like wolves in sheep's clothing, these pseudo-Vaishnavas pose as orthodox thinkers, making a hypocritical display of devotion while actually being infected by caste consciousness, monism, or the so-called philosophy of synthesis (samanvaya-vada). These characters make a show of accepting Mahaprabhu and His close associates, but protest either openly or anonymously when Mahaprabhu's surrendered devotees fearlessly preach the Lord's message as it is. These duplicitous frauds tolerate the brow-beating of the impersonalist or the caste Brahmins, but when a bonafide acarya speaks out they are unable to tolerate it. Due to excessive sentimentalism and lust, these sahajiyas have become so inflated in their egotism that when told that Mahaprabhu's teaching and example direct one to give up bad association, they object, unwilling to give up their sensuous ways. In the Chaitanya Charitamrta, the story of Chota Haridasa is told as a lesson for potentially deviant followers. Certain aspects of Chota Haridasa's conduct were displeasing to Mahaprabhu and are to be avoided. When Krishnadasa Vipra was tempted away from Mahaprabhu's association by the Bhattathari woman, he was not acting as a branch of the Chaitanya desire tree of divine Love. Giving up the direct service of the Lord to consort with these woman, he was not keeping with what is expected of an eternal associate of the Lord. When in Vraja, the Lord's companion, Balabhadra Bhattacarya, wanted to leave the service of Mahaprabhu-Krishna Himself- to see the supposed reincarnation of Krishna in Kaliya lake,his behavior was not in accordance with the true standard of an eternal companion of the Lord. Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya supported the smarta and Mayavada philosophies and even refused to accept Mahaprabhu as an incarnation of Lord Krishna. His is another example of conduct uncharacteristic of the branches of the Chaitanya tree of divine love. Many such examples are found throughout the accounts of Lord Chaitanya's lila. There is the instance of Jagai and Madhai's sinful existence and their violent behavior towards Nityananada Prabhu and Haridasa Thakura, and their opposition to the chanting of the Holy Name. There is Gopinatha Pattanayaka, who stole from the royal treasury. Kamalakanta Visvasa, Advaita Prabhu's disciple, perceived Advaita to be in dept. Brahmananda Bharati, one of the roots of the desire tree of divine love, wore a deer skin,the dress of a Mayavadi sannyasi; and Mahaprabhu did not approve of this and corrected him. Vallabhacarya, who is identified in the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika as an incarnation of Sukadeva, proclaimed his own commentary on the Bhagavatam to be superior to that of Sridhara Svami- this kind of arrogance is not characteristic of a Sukadeva. Devananda pundit, also counted among the branches of the Chaitanya tree, tolerated offenses to Mahaprabhu's dear associate, Srivasa Pundit, he contemplated liberation; and interpreted the Srimad Bhagavatam in ways that opposed its true purport of devotion to Krishna. This is certainly not befitting an eternal companion to the lord. Sentimentalist prakrta-sahajiyas find it painful to hear such criticism of conduct that was disapproved by Mahaprabhu himself, But just as a good doctor does not hide his diagnosis in order to please the patient, the devotees of the lord do not hide from the fact that progress in spiritual life is dependant on giving up attachment to bad company, sense gratification, and immediate pleasures. The devotee does not withhold good advice out of a desire to deceive and flatter. If the straightforward, direct and honest devotee says that engaging in illicit sexual activity is determined to spiritual life and advises one to give it up; or if he tells someone overly attached to wife and children to give up that attachment, these are beneficial instructions. When spoken, the truth may cause pain, but the devotee would rather speak the truth out of kindness than add more fuel on the fire of people's material attachments. We may be very vocal about following Mahaprabhu, but when he declares that the essence of Vaishnava conduct is to give up bad association such as the company of womanizers and non-devotees, shall we call him cruel and unkind? Mahaprabhu called Chota Haridasa a "monkey renunciate," one who has given up the appearance of interest in sensual life but goes on to flirt with woman and do other things contrary to the vaishnava rules of conduct. Mahaprabhu said about Chota Haridasa that the only atonement for this grievous deviation was to drown himself. Shall we then call Mahaprabhu cruel and unkind? Shall we deny that he ever said such a thing? Shall we rather try to establish that Mahaprabhu approves of our own loose standards of worldly behavior? If we go about giving speeches in public assemblies to this end, is it not simply proof of our own dishonesty? We may say, "I accept and follow Mahaprabhu," but despite point-by-point evidence in Mahaprabhu's teachings, we do not accept that the only way of attaining God is devotion characterized by chanting the Holy names. Nor do we accept that karma, jnana and yoga are indirect and troublesome paths full of hornets, ghost, and poisonous snakes. Mahaprabhu and His followers sometimes called other spiritual paths " poison chalices," or " worse than hell," but we insist that these statements are not to be taken literally and that Mahaprabhu was making exaggerated claims in order to promote His doctrine. Is this accepting Mahaprabhu as He is? We want to fit Mahaprabhu's doctrines into the mold of our own subjectivity. Are we then not giving more weight to our own fancies or to current public opinion than to Mahaprabhu? When we put bhakti on the same platform with jnana or karma, are we not in effect rejecting bhakti? Mahaprabhu used the word satitva, or wifely chastity, to describe the attitude of a devotee who does not mix his devotional service with jnana or karma, or obscure his devotion with desires for sense enjoyment or gratification, all of which He compares to marital infidelity. When we say that bhakti is just one of many different ways of attaining the Supreme, we are saying, in effect, that a wife who cheats on her husband and one who is chaste and faithful are equal. No doubt those sects that promote illicit sexual activities will be glad to hear such tidings, for this liberal attitude gives their transgressions legitimacy. But normally, a respectable person objects to the idea that his chaste mother is on the same level as a prostitute. Of course, a wicked individual or a prostitute has no problem with a righteous man or a chaste woman being derided in this manner! They simply think, "Welcome to the club!" Privately and publicly, the world has introduced infidelity as part of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's pure doctrines. Thus quite naturally, many misled persons try to put their infidelity on the same level as the behavior of the chaste pure devotees of the Lord. This they call "the doctrine of synthesis." Like an infectious disease, this philosophy has spread from a few individuals to the society at large. Is it any surprise that Mayavada is rapidly proliferating in the world? So this is how we "honor" Mahaprabhu. We call our opposition to Mahaprabhu's doctrines " honoring" Him in order to keep up our public image. Some of us actually believe that by making a public show of accepting Mahaprabhu we are doing Him a service rather than ourselves one: " I am a brahmin and I honor Mahaprabhu. I have studied so much and I accept Mahaprabhu. I have a big, important job and I follow Mahaprabhu. I am a rich man and I accept Mahaprabhu. So Mahaprabhu is beholden to me." Others say that they will boycott Mahaprabhu if He opposes their imaginary concept of what is true religion, truth, service, or welfare work, even if his devotees can show from scripture that Mahaprabhu's position is orthodox. How can anyone claim this so-called acceptance of Mahaprabhu as authentic? Aren't we rather accepting our own whims and preferences as our authority? The teachings of Mahaprabhu cannot be changed to suit our own whimsical ideas. In the Chaitanya Charitamrta Mahaprabhu says: harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha "In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy the only means of deliverance is the chanting of the holy names of the Lord. There is no other way; there is no other way; there is no other way." ( Brhan-naradiya Purana, Chaitanya Charitamrta 1.7.76) <CENTER>Smartas and Pancopaskas </CENTER>In another verse of Chaitanya Charitamrta Mahaprabhu says: ekale isvara krsna ara saba bhrtya jara jaiche nacaya se taiche kare nrtya "Lord Krishna alone is the supreme controller, all others are his servants. As He makes people dance, so do they dance." (Chaitanya Charitamrta 1.5.142) And Mahaprabhu adds: "The goddesses Ganga and Durga are My servants. Shiva is My Servant." This is stated in the most authoritative text, the Brahma-samhita: Srsti-sthiti-pralaya-sadhana-saktir eka chayeva yasya bhuvanani bibharti durga icchanurupam api yasya ca cestate sa govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami "The external potency of Maya, who is of the nature of the shadow of the cit potency, is worshipped by all people as Durga, the creating, preserving and destroying agency of thes mundane world. I adore the primeval Lord Govinda in accordance with whose will Durga conducts herself." (Brahma-samhita 5.44) ksiram yatha dadhi vikara-visesa-yogat sanjayate na he tatah prthag asti hetoh yah sambhutam api tatha samupaiti karyad govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami "Just as, by the action of acids, milk is transformed into curd but yet the effect of curd is neither the same as, nor different from its cause, viz., milk, so I adore the primeval Lord Govinda of whom the state of Sambhu (Shiva) is a transformation for the performance of the work of destruction." (Brahma-samhita 5.45) yat-pada-pallava-yugam vinidhaya kumbha- dvandva pranama-samaye sa ganadhirajah vighnan vihantum alam asya jagat-trayasya govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami "I adore the primeval Lord Govinda, whose lotus feet are always held by Ganesh upon the tusks of his elephant head in order to obtain power for his function- destroying obstacles on the path of progress of the three worlds." (Brahma-samita 5.50) yac-caksur esa savita sakala-grahanam raja samasta-sura-murtir asesa-tejah yasyajnaya bhramati sambrta-kala-cakro govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami "The sun, king of all planets, full of infinite effulgence, the image of the good soul, is the eye of this world. I adore the primeval Lord Govinda in pursuance of whose order the sum performs his journey mounting the wheel of time." (Brahma Samhita 5.52) In all these verses we find endorsement of Mahaprabhu's rejection of the smarta doctrine of the Pancopasakas, or worship of the five deities-Shiva, Durga, Ganesh, Surya, and Vishnu. But sespite the clear evidence from Brahma-samita quoted in Mahaprabhu's teachings, Pancopasakas cling to their doctrine, arguing that the Vedas themselves authorize this process of polytheistic worship. They affirm that Mahaprabhu Himself visited the temples and holy places connected to these deities, prayed to them and danced before them. They further argue that if Mahaprabhu did not accept a type of worship that is authorized in the Vedas, then the Vaisnava religion must be considered out of line with the Vedic literature. Indeed, some foolish deviants desclare that Mahaprabhu's religion in not Vedic. Influenced by public opinion, we toss all these gheterodox ideas about in our heads. There are indeed many manes of gods in the Vedic literature, but only Vishnu is referred to as the supreme diety above all others, and independent of them. The most ancient of the Vedas, the Rgveda-samhita, clearly states that Vishnu is superior to all gods. Agnir vai devanam adhamah Visnuh paramah Tad-antara hy anya-devatah "Agni is the least of the gods; Vishnu is supreme. All other gods are somewhere in between these two." The Bhagavad-gita and other Vedic scriptures clearly state that the worship of any god other than the Supreme Lord in incorrect and goes against the Vedic principles. Gaurasundar may have visited numerous temples dedicated to gods and goddesses, and shown them respect, but He never considered them to be independent or supreme. Rather, He considered all the gods and goddesses to be servants of Vishnu, and therefore devotees, or Vaisnavas. In this sense only He considerd them worshippable. Otherwise, according to the Pancopasana understanding, the five gods are worshipped purely functionally and within the temporal world. The goal of the Pancopasana is to go beyond these deites' various forms and merge into the impersonal Brahman. At the end of the puja, the five deity forms are ultimately abandoned in the visarjana ceremony. Mahaprabhu accepted that Vishnu and the Vaisnavas have transcendental forms of eternity, bliss, and knowledge. Shiva, Durga, Ganesh, and Surya worshiped by Mahaprahu are the order carriers of the Supreme Lord Vishnu in His abode of Goloka-Vaikunth. There these deities are His eternal associates, and thus never purely functional and to ever be discarded. Who then are the true followers of the Veda, the Vaisnavas or the Mayavadis or the Mayavadis and Pancopasakas who simply consider these forms imaginary and as convienevt objects of worship to ultimately by discarded? Who showed greater respect of Shiva, Ravana, or the Pracetas? Therefore the question: Are we truly following Mahaprabhu? Or are we following Him according to our own convenience, our own tastes and imagination?

Text 22 khalata dasame laksya kaliye sarpa-rupake sampradaya-virdho yam davanalo vicintyate Kaliya's malice always pollutes the water of the Yamuna, which is the spiritual liquid of the Vaisnavas. It is everyone's duty to give up this tenth obstacle [see Appendix C]. The eleventh obstacle of the Vaisnavas is sectarianism, which takes the shape of the forest fire. Due to sectarianism a person cannot accept anyone outside of his own group as a Vaisnava, and a result he faces many obstacles in finding a guru and associating with devotees. Therefore extinguising the forest fire is most important. Appendix C <CENTER>The Serpent Kaliya </CENTER>The following essay was printed in the May 1932 edition of The Harmonist, or Sree Sajjanatoshani. There is a beautiful lake of very sweet water in the Yamuna which bears the name of Kaliya. This lake happened to be infested by a most venomous Serpent from whom the lake derives its name. On a certain day while the cow-boys of Braja were out pasturing their calves on the wooded banks of the Yamuna they happened to feel thirsty and not knowing that the water of the lake had been poisoned by Kaliya drank of its water which resulted in their instantaneous death. On being apprised of their plight Krishna came to the spot and restored them to life. Thereafter Krishna got down into the lake with the intention of sporting in its water. This enraged the hideous monster who forthwith came out of the depths of the lake in the company of his adherents and fell upon Krishna coiling Him up in their great hoods for Kaliya was a thousand-hooded Serpent and his brood were equally formidable. Thus attacked by Kaliya with his whole brood Krishna appeared to faint away under their murderous onslaught. On seeing Him apparently slain by His enemies the cow-boys and all the assembled milkmen filled the air with their loud lamentations. But Krishna soon showed that He was quite safe and He forthwith climbed up the hoods of Kaliya and began to dance on his thousand heads. He danced in an infinite variety of the most marvelous of figures. The pressure of Krishna's Feet crushed the towering pride of the myriad-hooded monster. Kaliya lowered his hoods and vomited blood. But the Dance of Krishna did not cease. Kaliya was found tottering towards death when his wives came out of the lake and with palms joined in prayer begged Krishna to spare the life of their husband. The prayers of the wives of Kaliya who had faith in Krishna moved the Son of Nanda to have mercy on Kaliya. Krishna now desisted from His terrific Dance on condition that Kaliya was to quit the lake at once and to betake himself to his original home in the island of Ramanaka. Krishna gave him His assurance that Garuda would now do him no harm as he would respect the print of His Feet on hoods of Kaliya. The water of the Kaliya lake was now rendered immune from all poison and became as sweet as it was before the advent of Kaliya. The taming of Kaliya is one of the Brindaban Pastimes of Boy-Krishna. Kaliya is the type of cunning and malice. He is the embodiment of unrelenting cruelty. There is no place for Kaliya in the happy realm of Braja. Deceit and cruelty are as poison to the artless loving nature of the denizens of Braja. It is quite conceivable for the confiding chums of Krishna not to entertain any suspicion regarding the malicious intention of cruel and deceitful persons whose purpose is to poison them against Krishna. They may even unwittingly fall into the counsel of such evil persons. But Krishna is sure to rescue His Own from the wiles of His enemy. Nay Krishna has also a plan for curing the evil propensity of Kaliya himself. The process consists in making him feel the touches of His Dancing Feet. But Kaliya attempts to bear up against all curative chastisement. Instead of feeling the joy of supporting the Feet of Krishna on his nasty hoods the monster finds it impossible to bear his good fortune without undergoing the pangs of actual death. Even the loyal wives of Kaliya who desire the reformation of the monster and whose good wishes for his well-being are the cause of Krishna's mercy towards him are at last forced to intercede by a prayer for his banishment from the realm of Braja. But the pride of Kaliya had received a mortal check. The banishment of Kaliya from the lake of the Yamuna has a most important spiritual significance. Those who have a purpose to create trouble among the pure devotees of Krishna by infecting their nature with their own malicious disposition meet with a certain degree of initial success in their nefarious undertaking. This emboldens them to make a direct attack on Krishna Himself when He appears on the scene of their depraved activities in order to restore the living faith of His Own bonafide associates. Those who are not exceedingly clever can never be servants of Krishna. But the service of Krishna is also never available to those whose cunning is employed for depriving Krishna of the fullness of His enjoyment. Kaliya and those who are actuated by a naturally malicious disposition are also styled clever in the ordinary phraseology of this damned world. Such rascals may also have the impudence of taking their stand upon the texts of the Scriptures by using their cunning in the graceless attempt of depriving Krishna of the service His Own. This kind of conduct may also pass undetected and may even be regarded as possessing the perfect skill of confidential service. But Krishna is sure to expose the real nature of the villainy just at the moment when it has been successful in misleading His best-beloved ones. It is, indeed, very difficult to understand the Ways of Krishna. Krishna apparently permits almost every form of offense to be perpetrated with impunity against His most beloved ones. This has the effect of providing an opportunity to His Own for proving their incomparable love for Himself and by means of this unique exhibition of their love to defeat in the most fruitful manner the machinations of His worst enemies. The friends and chums of Krishna are offered to the malice of cunning and relentless brutes in order to bring out the difference between the two and thereby enable the latter to desist from troubling the devotees of their own accord. But these brutes are never allowed to associate with the servants of Krishna even after they forego their malice towards them. They are eternally debarred from the service of Krishna in Braja. But the touch of Krishna's Feet makes a real difference between the recipient of His mercy and the other brutes. Kaliya is no longer regarded by Garuda as the enemy of Krishna. Kaliya is, therefore, allowed a place among the protected of Krishna. It does not follow that it is a paying business to poison the hearts of His servants against Krishna which is sure to be rewarded by the grant of His protection. Yes, this is so after the pride of the miscreant is thoroughly broken by being trod upon by Krishna Himself. His is thereby inspired with a most wholesome dread which effectively prevents him from trying to breed mischief among the bonafide devotees by owning an unwilling allegiance to Krishna and assuming the badge of His servitude by wearing on his head the print of His lotus Feet. The mercy shown to Kaliya is so obviously and disproportionately great in its magnitude in face of the extreme gravity of his offense that no rationalistic explanation can do justice to its full beneficent significance.

Prologue by Bhaktivinoda Thakura It was after this that some of the jealous and low-minded brahmanas of Kulia picked a quarrel with Mahaprabhu and collected a party to oppose him. Nimai Pandita was naturally a soft-hearted person, though strong in his principles. He declared that party feelings and sectarianism were the two great enemies of progress and that as long as he should continue to be an inhabitant of Nadia belonging to a certain family, his mission would not meet with complete success. He then resolved to be a citizen of the world by cutting his connection with his particular family, caste and creed, and with this resolution he embraced the position of a sannyasi at Katwa, under the guidance of Kesava Bharati of that town, on the 24th year of his age. His mother and wife wept bitterly for his separation, but our hero, though soft in heart, was a strong person in principle. He left his little world in his house for the unlimited spiritual world of Krsna with man in general.

Vrajanatha: What are the symptoms of those who are liberated from maya?<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:" /><o:p></o:p> Babaji: They have eight symptoms, which Chandogya Upanisad (8.7.1) describes as follows:<o:p></o:p> ya atmapahata-papma vijaro vimrtyur visoko ‘vijighatso ‘pipasah<o:p></o:p> satya-kamah satya-sankalpah so ‘nvestavyah<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> The liberated soul has eight qualities: He is freed from all sinful activity, as well as the addiction to sinful activities that arises because of the nescience of maya; he is not subject to the miseries of old age; he always remains young and fresh, and has no tendency to decay; he never comes to an end, or dies; he is never morose; he has no sensual desires; he has a natural inclination towards serving Krsna, with no other desires; and all of his desires become realized. These eight qualities are absent from the baddha-jiva.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Vrajanatha: It is said in the Dasa-mula sloka, “The good fortune of the jiva who is wandering aimlessly in the material world arises when he meets a rasika Vaisnava who relishes the nectar of Hari.“ One might raise the objection that one could eventually attain hari-bhakti by performing pious activities, such as astanga-yoga and cultivating brahma-jnana.<o:p></o:p> Babaji: These are Sri Krsna’s own words:<o:p></o:p> na rodhayati mam yogo na sankhyam dharma eva ca<o:p></o:p> na svadhyayas tapas tyago nesta-purttam na daksina<o:p></o:p> vratani yajnas chandamsi tirthani niyama yamah<o:p></o:p> yathavarundhe sat-sangah sarva-sangapaho hi mam<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.12.1-2)<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Sri Bhagavan said, “I am not controlled by those who perform yoga, study sankhya philosophy, perform religious duties and pious activities, study the Vedas, perform penances and austerities, practice renunciation or accept sannyasa, perform sacrifice and welfare activities, give donations in charity, practice fasting and other vows, perform yajna, chant confidential mantras, go on pilgrimage, and follow all the rules and regulations for spiritual life. However, one who accepts sat-sanga, which destroys all material attachments, can control Me. How much can I say? Astanga-yoga can slightly satisfy Me indirectly, but sadhu-sanga controls Me completely.” <o:p></o:p> It is also stated in Hari-bhakti-sudhodhaya (8.51):<o:p></o:p> yasya yat-sangatih pumso manivat syat sa tad-gunah<o:p></o:p> sva-kularddhyaitato dhiman sva-yuthany eva samsrayet<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Just as a jewel or crystal reflects the color of the object with which it is in contact, so a person develops qualities according to the company he keeps.<o:p></o:p> Therefore, by keeping association with pure sadhus, one can become a pure sadhu. Thus the association of pure sadhus is the root cause of all good fortune.<o:p></o:p> In the sastras, the word nihsanga means ‘to live in solitude.’ This implies that we should only live in the association of bhaktas.<o:p></o:p> Nihsanga means to leave all other association and to take the association of bhaktas. Even unintentional association with saintly people brings good fortune for the jiva.<o:p></o:p> sango yah samsrter hetur asatsu vihito ’dhiya<o:p></o:p> sa eva sadhusu krto nihsangatvaya kalpate<o:p></o:p> Srimad-Bhagavatam (3.23.55)<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> The association of materialists is the cause of bondage in the material world, even though one may not know that this is so. Similarly, association with saintly people, even if it happens by chance or unknowingly, is called nihsanga.<o:p></o:p> It is said in Srimad-Bhagavatam (7.5.32):<o:p></o:p> naisam matis tavad urukramanghrim<o:p></o:p> sprsaty anarthapagamo yad-arthah<o:p></o:p> mahiyasam pada-rajo-’bhisekam<o:p></o:p> niskincananam na vrnita yavat<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> The lotus feet of Urukrama, who is glorified for His uncommon activities, destroy all anarthas in the heart. However, those who are very materialistic cannot be attached to His lotus feet until they smear their bodies with the dust from the lotus feet of great souls who are absorbed in bhagavatprema and who are completely freed from material attachments

<CENTER>Questions and Answers </CENTER>Devotee #1: Sabda-brahma is Krishna in sound vibration? Gour Govinda Swami: Yes. One has to hear. It is not that, "All right, tapes are there, I'll hear the recorded tapes." Sabda-brahma will never descend. Devotee #2: It doesn't descend through transmission of tape? Gour Govinda Swami: No, no. Devotee #2: Only when you are personally sitting there with a pure vaisnava? Gour Govinda Swami: Yes. Now in this material scientific age so many techniques are there. People, say, "No more teacher are required. We'll teach through television." Nonsense. Sabda-brahma will never descend. Devotee #3: What if one is a disciple of a bonafide guru, then later on that guru stops his lila. What should one do? Gour Govinda Swami: Lila is always there: adyapiha sei lila kare gaura-raya, kona kona bhagyavan dekhibare paya (Cb. quoted in Bhaktivinode Thakur's Navadvipa Mahatmya Pramana-khanda) Gauranga's pastimes are still going on. People say, "Oh Gauranga Mahaprabhu has disappeared." One who is very fortunate and has vision he can see how gaura-lila is going on. Devotee #3: That means that guru is always there? Gour Govinda Swami:Yes. He is always there. His lila is going on. Devotee #3: I may think, "I have already taken the dust of the lotus feet of my guru. Now he is not here. So I don't need that dust anymore." Gour Govinda Swami: Darsana is there. The guru is always there if you have the eye to see. If you are a sat-sisya you can always see how the guru is present. Devotee #4: How can we see guru? Gour Govinda Swami: Blind man! If you are endowed with that vision you can see.I never lost sight of my guru. I see my guru is always there. Therefore I cannot say,"nitya-lila-pravistha". It is so painful to me. No! He is here. Devotee #4: Do you have to be a pure dovotee to see a pure devotee? Gour Govinda Swami: Yes! That vision is required. If you have no vision then you are a blind man.How can a blind man see? The object is there. What is required to see the object? The first thing is the eye. Next is light. You may be endowed with vision, but if there is no light, how can you see? Can you see in the darkness? Therefore two things are required, first vision and then light. Even if you are endowed with eyes, if there is no light then you can't see. What is that light? The enlightenment by the mercy potency. If you are devoid of that, how can you see? Devotee #5: Anarthas are like clouds in front of the eye? Gour Govinda Swami: Yes, Yes. Anarthas are like clouds covering the sun. The eye is covered. Devotee #2: Can one see guru appearing in different forms, or is he coming in dreams? Gour Govinda Swami: He may come in a dream. He has different forms also, just as Krishna has different forms. Krishna has so many manifestations. Therefor we have described in our book Sri Guru-vandana about samasti-guru and vyasti-guru. Devotee #6: What are those kind of gurus? Gour Govinda Swami: Guru Krsna-rupa hana sastrera pramane (Cc. adi-lila1.45} -- scripture describes that it is Krishna who appears as guru. Krishna is one. Guru tattva is also one. Guru is one, but he appears in different, different, forms. That is samasti-guru. The particular forms such as Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami, Srila Bhakitisiddhanta, this person and that, this is vyasti-guru. Devotee #3: When Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati left, guru was still there? Gour Govinda Swami: Yes. Devotee #3: Guru is always present? Gour Govinda Swami: Yes, always present. Devotee #3: Because guru is non-different from Krishna we understand that to be a guru is not an easy thing. So why is it said that someone maybe on the level of kanistha or madhyama and be guru? Gour Govinda Swami: All are gurus. There is kanistha-guru, madhyama-guru, uttama-gurus. Divisions are there. What you deserve you get. Krishna knows what you deserve so He makes an appropriate arrangement for you. Devotee #7: Some devotees are not accepting guru now. They are saying, "I'll just accept sastra. Gour Govinda Swami: How can you understand sastra? Devotee #7: But we have seen, as in Russia, that some devotees have only gotten books and they are now chanting, worshiping the deity, and preaching. Gour Govinda Swami: You cannot understand. In sastra, mantra is there. Nama is there. But unless it comes out from the lips of sad-guru, Sri Guru, your chanting will never be effective. The potency will never be there. Devotee #7: But they say that smrti-sastra is coming from the lips of vaisnavas, so we are heaing smrti. Gour Govinda Swami: Yes. This is how sastra manifests. When is comes out from the lips of sad-guru, Sri Guru, then it manifests. Though sastra is there, by itself it will never manifest to you. It's a question of manifestation. Devotee #7: Other persons say that we can hear from the commentaries of the vaisnava-acaryas. Gour Govinda Swami: For that reason it is said, bhaktya bhagavatam grahyam na buddhya na ca tikaya Srimad Bhagavatam can only be understood by bhakti, not be dint of one's intelligence or by reading commentaries. (Cc.24.313) You cannot understand Bhagavata by taking help of the tikas, commentaries. So many commentaries are there. One may think, "Yes, I am a scholar. It is all written in Sanskrit. I know the language so I can read and understand it." No! You can only understand Srimad Bhagavatam by bhakti. You cannot understand Bhagavata by dint of your material scholarship, learning, intelligence, or by taking the help of the commentaries. No, no. Hear from acarya and then you can develop bhakti. Unless you hear, how can you understand just by reading? You cannot understand. Grantha-avatara will never manifest to you. You will only see paper, and black and white. Nothing else. Devotee #7: Then what is the meaning of the brhad-mrdanga-sankirtana? Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati has said that our kirtana is brhad-mrdanga-sankirtana, the printing press. Gour Govinda Swami: Yes. That will inspire you. Just one book distributed spreads so far. First you read the book and then one friend says, "Oh, let me read it." Then he lets someone else read it. In this way it sprads so much. The sound of the mrdanga only goes rom here to there. But the brhad-mrdanga spreads so far. That will inspire you. You will think, "Who is the source? Let me go and see and hear from him." Devotee #7: So first you hear and then if you read the same thing in the sastra... Gour Govinda Swami: Yes. It is only in Kali-yuga that books are required.. In other yugas there are no books. Just by hearing once they would never forget. But in this yuga, if I ask you to repeat what you have heard after the class, how much can you repeat? You will have already forgotton ninety to ninety-five percent. Only five percent you may be able to repeat. Books are required. Therefore Vyasadev came and wrote books. In other yugas there are no books. They will help you remember, "Oh yes. I have heard. Now it is here." Devotee #7: In your book Sri Guru-vandana, you have described this flow of nectar as padma-madhu.You said that it comes to a devotee who is a sincere hearer. So someone who is very sincere to hear from guru and serves guru, he may get that nectar even though he may not have physical contact? Gour Govinda Swami: You should be greedy. Physical contact is required. You must hear directly, not just by listening to tapes. Sabda-brahma will never descend through a tape. One must hear from a physically present Sri Guru.

A Sadhu is Always Present<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:" /><o:p></o:p> by Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Devotee: Srila Prabhupada always emphasized that he was eternally present in his books, instructions, tapes and letters. So when you say we should take association of a sadhu, can we do that through Srila Prabhupada’s books?<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Gour Govinda Swami: If Prabhupada says he is there, then you try to see him, to associate with him and listen from him. Do you see Prabhupada? Do you hear from Prabhupada? Is he speaking to you?<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Devotee: Through his books.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Gour Govind Swami: Through his books, yes. All sadhus speak through their books. Jiva Goswami, Rupa Goswami, Sanatana Goswami, Bhaktivinode Thakura, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarswati and Srila Prabhupada all say that they speak through their books. This is not a new thing. This is our vaisnava procedure. But you should see him. Can you see Bhaktivinoda Thakura? Can you see Jiva Goswami? You may say, “Oh I have read their books; I have their asociation.” That won’t help you. You cannot understand what they have said merely by reading their books. Your consciousness is very low, so you cannot understand their words. They are very, very merciful, but you should follow the proper path. If you are intelligent you will understand how they are still here, not only in the form of their books but also they are here. You should see them. Why are you thinking so foolishly? So many books were already there, so why has Srila Prabhupada said this? You are thinking, “We need only to read books. There is no need of associating with a sadhu who is physically present. Is there any sadhu? No, there is no sadhu at all.” Your motto is, “Seeing is believing.” You cannot see, so you cannot believe. Because you are a conditioned soul, your vision is defective. You cannot see a sadhu. Krishna is there, can you see Him? No, you cannot, because you are not endowed with proper vision. First develop the proper vision, and then you can see Krishna. Then you can see how a sadhu is there. It is not a fact that sadhus are not present. How is everything going on? How does the sun rise, the wind blow, and Indra give rain? All these things are going on. No sadhu? No Krishna? It’s nonsense, foolishness. We are so proud and puffed up. We are identifying ourself as the body, mind and false ego. We think we are very great. So we say, “Oh, there is no sadhu.” We are in the category of identification with the body and mind.We have not come to the beginning of the stage of purity. No!<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Devotee: So we have to associate with a living sadhu? 1<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Gour Govinda Swami: Definately. 2 There is always one there. But he is not a cheap person. Such a person is very rare. If you can get his mercy then you can see him. Otherwise, by your own effort and perceptoin, you cannot see him. No, no, no.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> You always think that you are drasta, the seer, and that the sadhu is drsta, the one to be seen. Everyone is like this. They think they are the seers. But it is just the reverse. You are to be seen and they are the seer! Think this over very deeply. I think you cannot completely understand what I say. We always think that we are the seer and that they are to be seen, but this is not a fact. It is just the reverse. They are the seers and we are to be seen.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Devotee: How are we seen by sadhu? By our service?<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Gour Govinda Swami: Yes, the sadhu is the seer. If he showers his mercy upon you, he sees you. If you receive that merciful glance then you are very fortuntae. However, you are in the category of bodily consciousness. How can you have it? Guru is the manifestation of the Supersoul, caitya-guru in the heart. He manifests a body and appears. He knows your heart.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Devotee: I don’t quite understand. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Gour Govinda Swami: Yes, try to understand. As I told you, just hear patiently. A new bhakta cannot understand it because it is a topic of the highest class. You are in pre-primary class, how can you understand? You are not even in the primary class. How can you understand this topic of the highest class? Just accept the bona fide authorities. That will help you. The teacher says, “Two plus two is four.” The primary student accepts it. If the teacher asks the child, “What is two plus two?” The child will reply, “Two plus two is four.” “ Why is two plus two four?” “My teacher says.” He will answer like this. That means he has accepted authority. This is the only principle in the beginning. How is two plus two four? Why not three or five? That will be explained in a higher mathematics class, not in the beginning. You have to have patience and get a promotion. My guru maharaja says in his purport that the beginning is purity of consciousness. First come to this beginning stage, then gradually other things will come up. You are not in the beginning stage, so how will the higher topics come up? This is a very, very subtle and very deep philosophy. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Putting full faith in the sadhu, you need only submissively hear --- sravanam, sravanam, sravanam. In that way you can get the mercy of that sadhu. That will help you. Only one thing is required, nothing else --- sravanam, sravana, sravanam. Just hear. Serve that sadhu, please him, hear submissively, surrender yourself at his lotus feet and submissively ask questions. Out of mercy the sadhu will impart this tattva jnana to you. This is the only process.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Unless you get association with a living sadhu, what can you do? Will you put some question to Srila Prabhupada and Srila Prabhupada will answer you? This process is a living thing. It is always there, and it is always current. It is not that inquiry was done a certain way in the past and now things are done differently. No! It is an eternal process, pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> ---The Process of Inquiry, Chapter Six. Gopal Jiu Publications. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> APPENDIX<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> 1 <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> TEXT 53<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> bhattera hrdaye drdha abhimana jani'<o:p></o:p> bhangi kari' mahaprabhu kahe eta vani<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> SYNONYMS<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> bhattera hrdaye--in the heart of Vallabha Bhatta; drdha--fixed; abhimana--pride; jani'--understanding; bhangi kari'--making a hint; mahaprabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; kahe--spoke; eta vani--these words.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> TRANSLATION<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Knowing that Vallabha Bhatta's heart was full of pride, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu spoke these words, hinting at how one can learn about devotional service.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> PURPORT<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Vallabha Bhatta was greatly proud of his knowledge in devotional service, and therefore he wanted to speak about Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu without understanding the Lord's position. The Lord therefore hinted in many ways that if Vallabha Bhatta wanted to know what devotional service actually is, he would have to learn from all the devotees He mentioned, beginning with Advaita Acarya, Lord Nityananda, Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya and Ramananda Raya. As Svarupa Damodara has said, if one wants to learn the meaning of Srimad-Bhagavatam, one must take lessons from a realized soul. 2 One should not proudly think that one can understand the transcendental loving service of the Lord simply by reading books. One must become a servant of a Vaisnava. As Narottama dasa Thakura has confirmed, chadiya vaisnava-seva nistara payeche keba: one cannot be in a transcendental position unless one very faithfully serves a pure Vaisnava. One must accept a Vaisnava guru (adau gurv-asrayam), and then by questions and answers one should gradually learn what pure devotional service to Krsna is. That is called the parampara system.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Cc. Antya lila, Ch. 7. Txt 53<o:p></o:p> Translation and Purport by<o:p></o:p> His Divine Grace Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> 2<o:p></o:p> TEXT 131 <o:p></o:p> "yaha, bhagavata pada vaisnavera sthane<o:p></o:p> ekanta asraya kara caitanya-carane<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> SYNONYMS<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> yaha--just go; bhagavata pada--read Srimad-Bhagavatam; vaisnavera sthane--from a self-realized Vaisnava; ekanta asraya kara--fully surrender; caitanya-carane--at the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> TRANSLATION<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> "If you want to understand Srimad-Bhagavatam," he said, "you must approach a self-realized Vaisnava and hear from him. You can do this when you have completely taken shelter of the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu."<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> PURPORT<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Herein Svarupa Damodara Gosvami instructs the poet from Bengal to hear Srimad-Bhagavatam from a pure Vaisnava and learn from him. In India especially, there is now a class of professional Bhagavatam readers whose means of livelihood is to go from village to village, town to town, reading Bhagavatam and collecting daksina, or rewards, in the form of money or goods, like umbrellas, cloth and fruit. Thus there is now a system of Bhagavata business, with recitations called Bhagavata-saptaha that continue for one week, although this is not mentioned in Srimad-Bhagavatam. Nowhere does Srimad-Bhagavatam say that the Bhagavatam should be heard for one week from professionals. Rather, Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.2.17) says: srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah punya-sravana-kirtanah. One should regularly hear Srimad-Bhagavatam from a self-realized Vaisnava. By such hearing, one becomes pious. Hrdy antahstho hy abhadrani vidhunoti suhrt-satam. As one thus hears the Bhagavatam regularly and sincerely, his heart is purified of all material contamination.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> nasta-prayesv abhadresu<o:p></o:p> nityam bhagavata-sevaya<o:p></o:p> bhagavaty uttama-sloke<o:p></o:p> bhaktir bhavati naisthiki<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> "As one regularly hears the Bhagavatam or renders service unto the pure devotee, all that is troublesome to the heart is practically destroyed, and loving service unto the glorious Lord, who is praised with transcendental songs, is established as an irrevocable fact." (Bhag. 1.2.18)<o:p></o:p> This is the proper process, but people are accustomed to being misled by professional Bhagavatam reciters. Therefore Svarupa Damodara Gosvami herein advises that one should not hear Srimad-Bhagavatam from professional reciters. Instead, one must hear and learn the Bhagavatam from a self-realized Vaisnava. Sometimes it is seen that when a Mayavadi sannyasi reads the Bhagavatam, flocks of men go to hear jugglery of words that cannot awaken their dormant love for Krsna. Sometimes people go to see professional dramas and offer food and money to the players, who are expert at collecting these offerings very nicely. The result is that the members of the audience remain in the same position of grham andha-kupam, family affection, and do not awaken their love for Krsna.<o:p></o:p> In the Bhagavatam (7.5.30), it is said, matir na krsne paratah svato va mitho 'bhipadyeta grha-vratanam: the grhavratas, those who are determined to continue following the materialistic way of life, will never awaken their dormant love of Krsna, fur they hear the Bhagavatam only to solidify their position in household life and to be happy in family affairs and sex. Condemning this process of hearing the Bhagavatam from professionals, Svarupa Damodara Gosvami says, yaha, bhagavata pada vaisnavera sthane: "To understand the Srimad-Bhagavatam, you must approach a self-realized Vaisnava." One should rigidly avoid hearing the Bhagavatam from a Mayavadi or other nondevotee who simply performs a grammatical jugglery of words to twist some meaning from the text, collect money from the innocent public, and thus keep people in darkness.<o:p></o:p> Svarupa Damodara Gosvami strictly prohibits the behavior of the materialistic so-called hearers of Srimad-Bhagavatam. Instead of awakening real love for Krsna, such hearers of the Bhagavatam become more and more attached to household affairs and sex life (yan maithunadi-grhamedhi-sukham hi tuccham). One should hear Srimad-Bhagavatam from a person who has no connection with material activities, or, in other words, from a paramahamsa Vaisnava, one who has achieved the highest stage of sannyasa. This, of course, is not possible unless one takes shelter of the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. The Srimad-Bhagavatam is understandable only for one who can follow in the footsteps of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Cc. Antya lila, Ch. 5, Txt 131<o:p></o:p> Translation and Purport by<o:p></o:p> His Divine Grace Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p>

TEXT 18 nasta-prayesv abhadresu nityam bhagavata-sevaya bhagavaty uttama-sloke bhaktir bhavati naisthiki SYNONYMS nasta--destroyed; prayesu--almost to nil; abhadresu--all that is inauspicious; nityam--regularly; bhagavata--Srimad-Bhagavatam, or the pure devotee; sevaya--by serving; bhagavati--unto the Personality of Godhead; uttama--transcendental; sloke--prayers; bhaktih--loving service; bhavati--comes into being; naisthiki--irrevocable. TRANSLATION By regular attendance in classes on the Bhagavatam and by rendering of service to the pure devotee, all that is troublesome to the heart is almost completely destroyed, and loving service unto the Personality of Godhead, who is praised with transcendental songs, is established as an irrevocable fact. PURPORT Here is the remedy for eliminating all inauspicious things within the heart which are considered to be obstacles in the path of self-realization. The remedy is the association of the Bhagavatas. There are two types of Bhagavatas, namely the book Bhagavata and the devotee Bhagavata. Both the Bhagavatas are competent remedies, and both of them or either of them can be good enough to eliminate the obstacles. A devotee Bhagavata is as good as the book Bhagavata because the devotee Bhagavata leads his life in terms of the book Bhagavata and the book Bhagavata is full of information about the Personality of Godhead and His pure devotees, who are also Bhagavatas. Bhagavata book and person are identical. The devotee Bhagavata is a direct representative of Bhagavan, the Personality of Godhead. So by pleasing the devotee Bhagavata one can receive the benefit of the book Bhagavata. Human reason fails to understand how by serving the devotee Bhagavata or the book Bhagavata one gets gradual promotion on the path of devotion. But actually these are facts explained by Srila Naradadeva, who happened to be a maidservant's son in his previous life. The maidservant was engaged in the menial service of the sages, and thus he also came into contact with them. And simply by associating with them and accepting the remnants of foodstuff left by the sages, the son of the maidservant got the chance to become the great devotee and personality Srila Naradadeva. These are the miraculous effects of the association of Bhagavatas. And to understand these effects practically, it should be noted that by such sincere association of the Bhagavatas one is sure to receive transcendental knowledge very easily, with the result that he becomes fixed in the devotional service of the Lord. The more progress is made in devotional service under the guidance of the Bhagavatas, the more one becomes fixed in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. The messages of the book Bhagavata, therefore, have to be received from the devotee Bhagavata, and the combination of these two Bhagavatas will help the neophyte devotee to make progress on and on.

<CENTER>TEXT 98 </CENTER><CENTER> dui bhai hrdayera ksali' andhakara dui bhagavata-sange karana saksatkara </CENTER><CENTER>SYNONYMS </CENTER>dui--two; bhai--brothers; hrdayera--of the heart; ksali'--purifying; andhakara--darkness; dui bhagavata--of the two bhagavatas; sange--by the association; karana--cause; saksat-kara--a meeting. <CENTER>TRANSLATION </CENTER>But these two brothers [Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda] dissipate the darkness of the inner core of the heart, and thus They help one meet the two kinds of bhagavatas [persons or things in relationship with the Personality of Godhead]. <HR> <CENTER>TEXT 99 </CENTER><CENTER> eka bhagavata bada----bhagavata-sastra ara bhagavata----bhakta bhakti-rasa-patra </CENTER><CENTER>SYNONYMS </CENTER>eka--one; bhagavata--in relation to the Supreme Lord; bada--great; bhagavata-sastra--Srimad-Bhagavatam; ara--the other; bhagavata--in relation to the Supreme Lord; bhakta--pure devotee; bhakti-rasa--of the mellow of devotion; patra--the recipient. <CENTER>TRANSLATION </CENTER>One of the bhagavatas is the great scripture Srimad-Bhagavatam, and the other is the pure devotee absorbed in the mellows of loving devotion. <HR> <CENTER>TEXT 100 </CENTER><CENTER> dui bhagavata dvara diya bhakti-rasa tanhara hrdaye tanra preme haya vasa </CENTER><CENTER>SYNONYMS </CENTER>dui--two; bhagavata--the bhagavatas; dvara--by; diya--giving; bhakti-rasa--devotional inspiration; tanhara--of His devotee; hrdaye--in the heart; tanra--his; preme--by the love; haya--becomes; vasa--under control. <CENTER>TRANSLATION </CENTER>Through the actions of these two bhagavatas the Lord instills the mellows of transcendental loving service into the heart of a living being, and thus the Lord, in the heart of His devotee, comes under the control of the devotee's love.

<CENTER>TEXT 58 </CENTER><CENTER> jive saksat nahi tate guru caittya-rupe siksa-guru haya krsna-mahanta-svarupe </CENTER><CENTER>SYNONYMS </CENTER>jive--by the living entity; saksat--direct experience; nahi--there is not; tate--therefore; guru--the spiritual master; caittya-rupe--in the form of the Supersoul; siksa-guru--the spiritual master who instructs; haya--appears; krsna--Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; mahanta--the topmost devotee; sva-rupe--in the form of. <CENTER>TRANSLATION </CENTER>Since one cannot visually experience the presence of the Supersoul, He appears before us as a liberated devotee. Such a spiritual master is none other than Krsna Himself. <CENTER>PURPORT </CENTER>It is not possible for a conditioned soul to directly meet Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but if one becomes a sincere devotee and seriously engages in devotional service, Lord Krsna sends an instructing spiritual master to show him favor and invoke his dormant propensity for serving the Supreme. The preceptor appears before the external senses of the fortunate conditioned soul, and at the same time the devotee is guided from within by the caittya-guru, Krsna, who is seated as the spiritual master within the heart of the living entity. <CENTER>TEXT 35 </CENTER><CENTER> mantra-guru ara yata siksa-guru-gana tanhara carana age kariye vandana </CENTER><CENTER>SYNONYMS </CENTER>mantra-guru--the initiating spiritual master; ara--and also; yata--as many (as there are); siksa-guru-gana--all the instructing spiritual masters; tanhara--of all of them; carana--unto the lotus feet; age--at first; kariye--I offer; vandana--respectful obeisances. <CENTER>TRANSLATION </CENTER>I first offer my respectful obeisances at the lotus feet of my initiating spiritual master and all my instructing spiritual masters. <CENTER>PURPORT </CENTER>Srila Jiva Gosvami, in his thesis Bhakti-sandarbha (202), has stated that uncontaminated devotional service is the objective of pure Vaisnavas and that one has to execute such service in the association of other devotees. By associating with devotees of Lord Krsna, one develops a sense of Krsna consciousness and thus becomes inclined toward the loving service of the Lord. This is the process of approaching the Supreme Lord by gradual appreciation in devotional service. If one desires unalloyed devotional service, one must associate with devotees of Sri Krsna, for by such association only can a conditioned soul achieve a taste for transcendental love and thus revive his eternal relationship with Godhead in a specific manifestation and in terms of the specific transcendental mellow (rasa) that one has eternally inherent in him. If one develops love for Krsna by Krsna conscious activities, one can know the Supreme Absolute Truth, but he who tries to understand God simply by logical arguments will not succeed, nor will he get a taste for unalloyed devotion. The secret is that one must submissively listen to those who know perfectly the science of God, and one must begin the mode of service regulated by the preceptor. A devotee already attracted by the name, form, qualities, etc., of the Supreme Lord may be directed to his specific manner of devotional service; he need not waste time in approaching the Lord through logic. The expert spiritual master knows well how to engage his disciple's energy in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, and thus he engages a devotee in a specific devotional service according to his special tendency. A devotee must have only one initiating spiritual master because in the scriptures acceptance of more than one is always forbidden. There is no limit, however, to the number of instructing spiritual masters one may accept. Generally a spiritual master who constantly instructs a disciple in spiritual science becomes his initiating spiritual master later on. One should always remember that a person who is reluctant to accept a spiritual master and be initiated is sure to be baffled in his endeavor to go back to Godhead. One who is not properly initiated may present himself as a great devotee, but in fact he is sure to encounter many stumbling blocks on his path of progress toward spiritual realization, with the result that he must continue his term of material existence without relief. Such a helpless person is compared to a ship without a rudder, for such a ship can never reach its destination. It is imperative, therefore, that one accept a spiritual master if he at all desires to gain the favor of the Lord. The service of the spiritual master is essential. If there is no chance to serve the spiritual master directly, a devotee should serve him by remembering his instructions. There is no difference between the spiritual master's instructions and the spiritual master himself. In his absence, therefore, his words of direction should be the pride of the disciple. If one thinks that he is above consulting anyone else, including a spiritual master, he is at once an offender at the lotus feet of the Lord. Such an offender can never go back to Godhead. It is imperative that a serious person accept a bona fide spiritual master in terms of the sastric injunctions. Sri Jiva Gosvami advises that one not accept a spiritual master in terms of hereditary or customary social and ecclesiastical conventions. One should simply try to find a genuinely qualified spiritual master for actual advancement in spiritual understanding.

Lecture by HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.12, Los Angeles, August 15, 1972 Excerpt The idea is that if you once see Krsna, then you will forget all this nonsense material enjoyment. That is seeing Krsna. No more. Svamin krtartho 'smi varam na yace. "My dear Lord I don't want anything." Dhruva Maharaja... Dhruva Maharaja went to see Krsna to get the kingdom of his father, but when he saw Krsna, Visnu... Visnu offered, "Now, whatever benediction you want, you take." He said, svamin krtartho 'smi varam na yace, "My dear Lord, I have no more any desire." That is Krsna seeing. That if you want to see Krsna for some business, that "I shall see Krsna..." Just like... Of course, if you are eager to see Krsna, the motive may be different, but somehow or other, due to your eagerness, you'll see Krsna. That is the only qualification. In another poetry Rupa Gosvami says, krsna-bhakti-rasa-bhavita matih kriyatam yadi kuto 'pi labhyate. The, our this Krsna consciousness, I have taken this from this word krsna-bhakti-rasa-bhavita matih. This is actual translation in Sanskrit or... Krsna-bhakti-rasa-bhavita matih. So Rupa Gosvami advises that "Krsna consciousness, if it is possible, please purchase. Don't delay." Krsna-bhakti-rasa-bhavita matih kriyatam. "Purchase immediately!" Krsna-bhakti-rasa-bhavita matih kriyatam yadi kuto 'pi. "Where it is available? It is very nice thing." "Yes, it is available. You can purchase. The movement is going on.And what is the price?Price?It is such a nice thing; you have to pay price.Yes, there is price.What is that?" Tatra laulyam ekalam mulyam: "Simply your eagerness. That is price. This price you have to pay." Then you get Krsna. Immediately. Krsna is not poor. And the Krsna-seller, the Krsna devotee, he is also not poor. He can distribute Krsna free. And he's doing that. Simply you have to purchase by your eagerness. That is wanted. Tatra laulyam. "Oh, eagerness? I have got eagerness.Oh, it is not so easy." Tatra laulyam ekalam mulyam janma-koti-sukrtair na labhyate: "This eagerness cannot be achieved even by pious activities for millions of births."1 If you simply go on doing pious activities... Because without being pious, you cannot approach Krsna. So if you go on doing simply pious, janma-koti-sukrtaih... Sukrti means pious activities, simply pious. Still, this eagerness is not awakened. So this eagerness is very important thing. But it can be awakened by the association of devotees. Therefore we are giving chance to everyone to invoke that eagerness. Then you will see God eye to eye. It is not difficult. Tac chraddadhana munayah. Those who have developed that eagerness, faith, that "I must see Krsna in this life..." This life is meant for seeing Krsna. It is not meant for becoming dogs and hogs. Unfortunately, the whole civilization is going on, they are being trained to become dogs and hogs. It is the only institution that is teaching people how to see Krsna. This is the only institution, this Krsna consciousness movement. It is so important. Tac chraddadhana munayo jnana-vairagya-yuktaya. By eagerness, automatically you will be enriched with knowledge and detachment. Knowledge does not mean, "Now we have discovered this atomic bomb." That is not knowledge. What knowledge this is? People are dying. You have discovered something which will accelerate death. But we are giving some knowledge to stop death. That is Krsna consciousness. This is knowledge. Jnana-vairagya-yuktaya. And as soon as you get this knowledge, automatically you become detached to all this nonsense material happiness.

TEXT 265 krsna-tattva, bhakti-tattva, prema-tattva sara bhava-tattva, rasa-tattva, lila-tattva ara SYNONYMS krsna-tattva--the truth of Krsna; bhakti-tattva--the truth of devotional service; prema-tattva--the truth of ecstatic love of Godhead; sara--the essence; bhava-tattva--the emotional truth; rasa-tattva--the truth of transcendental mellow; lila-tattva--the truth of pastimes of the Lord; ara--also. TRANSLATION Krsna consciousness means understanding the truth of Krsna, the truth of devotional service, the truth of love of Godhead, the truth of emotional ecstasy, the truth of transcendental mellow and the truth of the pastimes of the Lord.

<CENTER>Thakur Bhaktivinoda by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura </CENTER>We avail of the opportunity offered by the Anniversary Celebrations of the advent of Thakur Bhaktivinode to reflect on the right method of obtaining those benefits that have been made accessible to humanity by the grace of this great devotee of Krishna. Thakur Bhaktivinode has been specifically kind to those unfortunate persons who are engrossed in mental speculation of all kinds. This is the prevalent malady of the present Age. The other Acaryas who appeared before Thakur Bhaktivinode did not address their discourses so directly to the empiric thinkers. They had been more merciful to those who are naturally disposed to listen to discourses on the Absolute without being dissuaded by the specious arguments of avowed opponents of Godhead. Srila Thakur Bhaktivinode has taken the trouble of meeting the perverse arguments of mental speculationists by the superior transcendental logic of the Absolute Truth. It is thus possible for the average modern readers to profit by the perusal of his writings. That day is not far distant when the priceless volumes penned by Thakur Bhaktivinode will be reverently translated, by the recipients of his grace, into all the languages of the world. The writings of Thakur Bhaktivinode provide the golden bridge by which the mental speculationist can safely cross the raging waters of fruitless empiric controversies that trouble the peace of those who choose to trust in their guidance for finding the Truth. As soon as the sympathetic reader is in a position to appreciate the sterling quality of Thakur Bhaktivinode's philosophy the entire vista of the revealed literatures of the world will automatically open out to his reclaimed vision. There have, however, already arisen serious misunderstandings regarding the proper interpretation of the life and teachings of Srila Thakur Bhaktivinode. Those who suppose they understand the meaning of his message without securing the guiding grace of the Acarya are disposed to unduly favour the methods of empiric study of his writings. There are persons who have got by heart almost everything that he wrote without being able to catch the least particle of his meaning. Such study cannot benefit those who are not prepared to act up to the instructions lucidly conveyed by his words. There is no honest chance of missing the warnings of Thakur Bhaktivinode. Those, therefore, who are misled by the perusal of his writings are led astray by their own obstinate perversity in sticking to the empiric course which they prefer to cherish against his explicit warnings. Let these unfortunate persons look more carefully into their own hearts for the cause of their misfortunes. The personal service of the pure devotee is essential for understanding the spiritual meaning of the words of Thakur Bhaktivinode. The Editor of this Journal, originally started by Thakur Bhaktivinode, has been trying to draw the attention of all followers of Thakur Bhaktivinode to this all-important point of his teachings. It is not necessary to try to place ourselves on a footing of equality with Thakur Bhaktivinode. We are not likely to benefit by any mechanical imitation of any practices of Thakur Bhaktivinode on the opportunist principle that they may be convenient for us to adopt. The Guru is not an erring mortal whose activities can be understood by the fallible reason of unreclaimed humanity. There is an eternally impassable line of demarcation between the Saviour and the saved. Those who are really saved can alone know this.Thakur Bhaktivinode belongs to the category of the spiritual world-teachers who eternally occupy the superior position. The present Editor has all along felt it his paramount duty to try to clear up the meaning of the life and teachings of Thakur Bhaktivinode by the method of submissive listening to the Transcendental Sound from the lips of the pure devotee. The Guru who realises the transcendental meaning of all sounds, is in a position to serve the Absolute by the direction of the Absolute conveyed through every sound. The Transcendental Sound is Godhead, the mundane sound is non-Godhead. All sound has got these opposite aptitudes. All sound reveals its Divine face to the devotee and only presents its deluding aspect to the empiric pedant. The devotee talks apparently the same language as the deluded empiric pedant who had got by heart the vocabulary of the Scriptures. But notwithstanding apparent identity of performance, the one has no access to the reality while the other is absolutely free from all delusion. Those who repeat the teachings of Thakur Bhaktivinode from memory do not necessarily understand the meaning of the words they mechanically repeat. Those who can pass an empiric examination regarding the contents of his writings are not necessarily also self-realised souls. They may not at all know the real meaning of the words they have learnt by the method of empiric study.Take for example the Name "Krishna". Every reader of Thakur Bhaktivinode's works must be aware that the Name manifests Himself on the lips of His serving devotees although He is inaccessible to our mundane senses. It is one thing to pass the examination by reproducing this true conclusion from the writings of Thakur Bhaktivinode and quite another matter to realise the Nature of the Holy Name of Krishna by the process conveyed by the words. Thakur Bhaktivinode did not want us to go to the clever mechanical reciter of the mundane sound for obtaining access to the Transcendental Name of Krishna. Such a person may be fully equipped with all the written arguments in explanation of the nature of the Divine Name. But if we listen to all these arguments from the dead source the words will only increase our delusion. The very same words coming from the lips of the devotee will have the diametrically opposite effect. Our empiric judgment can never grasp the difference between the two performances. The devotee is always right. The non-devotee in the shape of the empiric pedant is always and necessarily wrong. In the one case there is always present the Substantive Truth and nothing but the Substantive Truth. In the other case there is present the apparent or misleading hypothesis and nothing but un-truth. The wording may have the same external appearance in both cases. The identical verses of the Scriptures may be recited by the devotee and the non-devotee, may be apparently misquoted by the non-devotee but the corresponding values of the two processes remain always categorically different. The devotee is right even when he apparently misquotes, the non-devotee is wrong even when he quotes correctly the very words, chapter and verse of the Scriptures. It is not empiric wisdom that is the object of quest of the devotee. Those who read the scriptures for gathering empiric wisdom will be pursuing the wild goose chase. There are not a few dupes of their empiric Scriptural erudition. These dupes have their admiring under-dupes. But the mutual admiration society of dupes does not escape, by the mere weight of their number, the misfortunes due to the deliberate pursuit of the wrong course inaccordance with the suggestions of our lower selves. What are the Scriptures? They are nothing but the record by the pure devotees of the Divine Message appearing on the lips of the pure devotees. The Message conveyed by the devotees is the same in all ages. The words of the devotees are ever identical with the Scriptures. Any meaning of the Scriptures that belittles the function of the devotee who is the original communicant of the Divine Message contradicts its own claim to be heard. Those who think that the Sanskrit language in its lexicographical sense is the language of the Divinity are as deluded as those who hold that the Divine Message is communicable through any other spoken dialects. All languages simultaneously express and hide the Absolute. The mundane face of all languages hides the Truth. The Transcendental face of all sound expresses nothing but the Absolute. The pure devotee is the speaker of the Transcendental language. The Transcendental Sound makes His appearance on the lips of His pure devotee. This is the direct, unambiguous appearance of Divinity. On the lips of non-devotees the Absolute always appears in His deluding aspect. To the pure devotee the Absolute reveals Himself under all circumstances. To the conditioned soul, if he is disposed to listen in a truly submissive spirit, the language of the pure devotee can alone impart the knowledge of the Absolute. The conditioned soul mistakes the deluding for the real aspect when he chooses to lend his ear to the non-devotee. This is the reason why the conditioned soul is warned to avoid all association with non-devotees. Thakur Bhaktivinode is acknowledged by all his sincere followers as possessing the above powers of the pure devotee of Godhead. His words have to be received from the lips of a pure devotee. If his words are listened from the lips of a non-devotee they will certainly deceive. If his works are studied in the light of one's own worldly experience their meaning will refuse to disclose itself to such readers. His works belong to the class of the eternal revealed literature of the world and must be approached for their right understanding through their exposition by the pure devotee. If no help from the pure devotee is sought the works of Thakur Bhaktivinode will be grossly misunderstood by their readers. The attentive reader of those works will find that he is always directed to throw himself upon the mercy of the pure devotee if he is not to remain unwarrantably self-satisfied by the deluding results of his wrong method of study. The writings of Thakur Bhaktivinode are valuable because they demolish all empiric objections against accepting the only method of approaching the Absolute in the right way. They cannot and were never intended to give access to the Absolute without help from the pure devotee of Krishna. They direct the sincere enquirer of the Truth, as all the revealed scriptures do, to the pure devotee of Krishna to learn about Him by submitting to listen with an open mind to the Transcendental Sound appearing on His lips. Before we open any of the books penned by Thakur Bhaktivinode we should do well to reflect a little on the attitude, with which as the indispensable pre-requisite, to approach its study. It is by neglecting to remember this fundamental principle that the empiric pedants find themselves so hopelessly puzzled in their vain endeavour to reconcile the statements of the different texts of the Scriptures. The same difficulty is already in process of overtaking many of the so-called followers of Thakur Bhaktivinode and for the same reason. The person to whom the Acarya is pleased to transmit his power is alone in a position to convey the Divine Message. This constitutes the underlying principle of the line of succession of the spiritual teachers. The Acarya thus authorised has no other duty than that of delivering intact the message received from all his predecessors. There is no difference between the pronouncements of one Acarya and another. All of them are perfect mediums for the appearance of the Divinity in the Form of the Transcendental Name Who is identical with His Form, Quality, Activity and Paraphernalia. The Divinity is Absolute Knowledge. Absolute Knowledge has the character of indivisible Unity. One particle of the Absolute Knowledge is capable of revealing all the potency of the Divinity. Those who want to understand the contents of the volumes penned by the piece-meal acquisitive method applicable to deluding knowledge available to the mind on the mundane plane, are bound to be self-deceived. Those who are sincere seekers of the Truth are alone eligible to find Him, in and through the proper method of His quest. In order to be put on the track of the Absolute, listening to the words of the pure devotee is absolutely necessary. The spoken word of the Absolute is the Absolute. It is only the Absolute Who can give Himself away to the constituents of His power. The Absolute appears to the listening ear of the conditioned soul in the form of the Name on the lips of the sadhu. This is the key to the whole position. The words of Thakur Bhaktivinode direct the empiric pedant to discard his wrong method and inclination on the threshold of the real quest of the Absolute. If the pedant still chooses to carry his errors into the Realm of the Absolute Truth he only marches by a deceptive bye-path into the regions of darker ignorance by his arrogant study of the scriptures. The method offered by Thakur Bhaktivinode is identical with the object of the quest. The method is not really grasped except by the grace of the pure devotee. The arguments, indeed, are these. But they can only corroborate, but can never be a substitute for, the word from the living source of the Truth who is no other than the pure devotee of Krishna, the concrete Personal Absolute. Thakur Bhaktivinode's greatest gift to the world consists in this; that he has brought about the appearance of those pure devotees who are, at present, carrying on the movement of unalloyed devotion to the Feet of Shree Krishna by their own wholetime spiritual service of the Divinity. The purity of the soul is only analogously describable by the resources of the mundane language. The highest ideal of empiric morality is no better than the grossest wickedness to the Transcendental perfect purity of the bonafide devotee of the Absolute. The word 'morality' itself is a mischievous misnomer when it is applied to any quality of the conditioned soul. The hypocritical contentment with a negative attitude is part and parcel of the principle of undiluted immorality. Those who pretend to recognise the Divine Mission of Thakur Bhaktivinode without aspiring to the unconditional service of those pure souls who really follow the teachings of the Thakur by the method enjoined by the scriptures and explained by Thakur Bhaktivinode in a way that is so eminently suited to the requirements of the sophisticated mentality of the present Age, only deceive themselves and their willing victims by their hypocritical professions and performances. These persons must not be confounded with the bonafide members of the flock. Thakur Bhaktivinode has predicted the consummation of religious unity of the world by the appearance of the only universal church which bears the eternal designation of the Brahma Sampradaya. He has given mankind the blessed assurance that all Theistic churches will shortly merge in the one eternal spiritual community by the grace of the Supreme Lord Shree Krishna Chaitanya. The spiritual community is not circumscribed by the conditions of time and space, race and nationality. Mankind had been looking forward to this far-off Divine Event through the Long Ages. Thakur Bhaktivinode has made the conception available in its practicable spiritual form to the open minded empiricist who is prepared to undergo the process of enlightenment. The key stone of the Arch has been laid which will afford the needed shelter to all awakened animation under its ample encircling arms. Those who would thoughtlessly allow their hollow pride of race, pseudo-knowledge or pseudo-virtue to stand in the way of this long hoped for consummation, would have to thank only themselves for not being incorporated in the spiritual society of all pure souls. These plain words need not be misrepresented, by arrogant persons who are full of the vanity of empiric ignorance, as the pronouncements of aggressive sectarianism. The aggressive pronouncement of the concrete Truth is the crying necessity of the moment for silencing the aggressive propaganda of specific untruths that is being carried on all over the world by the preachers of empiric contrivances for the amelioration of the hard lot of conditioned souls. The empiric propaganda clothes itself in the language of negative abstraction for deluding those who are engrossed in the selfish pursuit of worldly enjoyment. But there is a positive and concrete function of the pure soul which should not be perversely confounded with any utilitarian form of worldly activity. Mankind stands in need of that positive spiritual function of which the hypocritical impersonalists are in absolute ignorance. The positive function of the soul harmonises the claims of extreme selfishness with those of extreme self-abnegation in the society of pure souls even in this mundane world. In its concrete realisable form the function is perfectly inaccessible to the empiric understanding. Its imperfect and misleading conception alone is available by the study of the Scriptures to the conditioned soul that is not helped by the causeless grace of the pure devotees of Godhead. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, The Harmonist, December 1931, vol. XXIX No.6

<CENTER><CENTER><H1>The Glories of Sadhu-sanga</H1></CENTER><CENTER><H3>A lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam 1.18.10–13 delivered by Sri Srimad Bhakti Sri-rupa Siddhanti Gosvami Maharaja </CENTER></H3> Our Inability to Actually Associate </CENTER>Real sadhus, however, are extremely rare and therefore difficult to find; and if they are found, it is very difficult to associate with them in the real sense. Although people of this world may attain the association of a bhagavad-bhakta, they remain unable to comprehend his bhava-dhara, line of thought that is his moods. We may, by the accumulation of previous sukriti, come close physically to a bhagavad-bhakta; but we then discover that we cannot associate with him in any real sense. If those who have attained the sanga of bhagavad-bhaktas find themselves unable to benefit from it, what can be said of the predicament of those who have not even attained such sanga. Why is this so? Why can we not properly associate with bhagavad-bhaktas despite being in their company? Sanga means “samyak rupena gamana – to completely follow the bhagavad-bhakta.” It is difficult for us to comply with their instructions. Moreover, the foundation of sanga is priti. Without priti, there can be no sanga. We go to the market and see, meet and talk with many people, but can this be called sanga? No. Priti is the real requirement. What is priti? Srila Rupa Gosvami has written: dadati pratigrihnati guhyam akhyati pricchati bhunkte bhojayate caiva shad-vidham priti-lakshanam Sri Upadesamrita (4) Offering pure devotees items in accordance with their requirements, accepting remnant items given by pure devotees, revealing to devotees one’s confidential realizations concerning bhajana, inquiring from them about their confidential realizations, eating with great love the prasada remnants given by devotees and lovingly feeding them prasada – these are the six symptoms of loving association with pure devotees. Are we able to deal with bhagavad-bhaktas with these six symptoms of priti? We can have these six exchanges with worldly people, but not with bhagavad-bhaktas, because maya does not let us do so. Such is the oppression of maya that she will not allow us to associate with sadhus. Hence, the sanga of bhagavad-bhaktas is very rare; we are unable to attain it even after attaining their company. This is our misfortune. Why is this so? Man is the sangi (associate) of maya and likes associating with her. Ordinary people may come close to a bhagavad-bhakta, but they will prefer to discuss worldly topics with him and go away. They are not influenced by his association. It is very difficult for them. Therefore it is said that the result of associating with a bhagavad-bhakta for a single moment cannot be compared to the attainment of Svarga and moksha. What a significant matter! What a precious commodity is sadhu-sanga. Is such a highly worshipable and desirable thing attained in the course of everyone’s fate? It is said in Sri Caitanya-caritamrita (Madhya-lila 22.54): ‘sadhu-sanga’, ‘sadhu-sanga’ sarva-sastre kaya lava-matra sadhu-sange sarva-siddhi haya The verdict of all revealed scriptures is that by even a moment’s association with a sadhu, one can attain all success. <CENTER>Smearing One’s Body with a Sadhu’s Foot Dust </CENTER>In Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bharata Maharaja speaks as follows to King Rahugana: r ahuganaitat tapasa na yati na cejyaya nirvapanad grihad va na cchandasa naiva jalagni-suryair vina mahat-pada-rajo-’bhishekam Srimad-Bhagavatam (5.12.12) How significant are the words spoken by Bharata Maharaja to King Rahugana. “O Rahugana, you want to know Bhagavan, but He cannot be known by austerity (tapasya), nor by worship, nor by giving up one’s home, nor indeed by living in one’s home. He cannot be known by reciting the Vedas nor by worshiping the demigods such as the Sun-god, Varuna and so on. Why? Because vina mahat-pada-rajo-’bhishekam: as long as one does not smear himself with the foot dust of the mahat, great saintly personalities, one cannot achieve any result by performing all these other activities. So one should first seek the sanga of a great saintly personality, and only when he can smear himself with the foot dust of this personality, can Bhagavan be known to him.” Prahlada Maharaja gave the same instruction to the sons of his guru: naisham matis tavad urukramanghrim sprisaty anarthapagamo yad-arthah mahiyasam pada-rajo-’bhishekam nishkincananam na vrinita yavat Srimad-Bhagavatam (7.5.32) Prahlada Maharaja told the sons of his teacher that they should give up everything. “What benefit can you derive from your father Sukracarya, who you consider a great pandita?” he asked. “His consciousness is unable to touch the lotus feet of Bhagavan, who performs uncommon activities. These lotus feet have the effect of removing a person’s anarthas and awarding him complete perfection. They deliver to him his prayojana, or goal. “So how can we attain Bhagavan? Can everyone attain him? Mahiyasham pada-rajo-’bhishekam: one must smear himself with the dust of the lotus feet of mahat, a saintly personality. Who is such a saintly personality? Niskincananam na vrinita yavat: one who possesses no wealth other than Bhagavan. As long as we do not accept and smear upon our bodies the foot dust of a niskincana mahapurusha, we will achieve nothing at all.” The essence of the whole subject, in the language of my gurupada-padma Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada, is that the jiva’s supreme auspiciousness comes about by hearing hari-katha in sadhu-sanga. This is because sadhusanga is the sole means to attain krishna-bhakti: krishna-bhakti-janma-mula haya ‘sadhu-sanga’ Sri Caitanya-caritamrita (Madhya-lila 22.84) The root cause of bhakti to Sri Krishna is association with sadhus. Hare Krishna. Original Bengali lecture transcribed and translated into English. Audio recording courtesy of the disciples of Sri Srimad Bhakti Pramoda Puri Gosvami Maharaja. Audio recording courtesy of the disciples of Sri Srimad Bhakti-Pramoda Puri Gosvami Maharaja RAYS OF THE HARMONIST No. 12 Gaura Purnima 2003 RAYS OF THE HARMONIST No. 13 Karttika 2003

<CENTER>Questions and Answers </CENTER>Devotee #1: Sabda-brahma is Krishna in sound vibration? Gour Govinda Swami: Yes. One has to hear. It is not that, "All right, tapes are there, I'll hear the recorded tapes." Sabda-brahma will never descend. Devotee #2: It doesn't descend through transmission of tape? Gour Govinda Swami: No, no. Devotee #2: Only when you are personally sitting there with a pure vaisnava? Gour Govinda Swami: Yes. Now in this material scientific age so many techniques are there. People, say, "No more teacher are required. We'll teach through television." Nonsense. Sabda-brahma will never descend. Devotee #3: What if one is a disciple of a bonafide guru, then later on that guru stops his lila. What should one do? Gour Govinda Swami: Lila is always there: adyapiha sei lila kare gaura-raya, kona kona bhagyavan dekhibare paya (Cb. quoted in Bhaktivinode Thakur's Navadvipa Mahatmya Pramana-khanda) Gauranga's pastimes are still going on. People say, "Oh Gauranga Mahaprabhu has disappeared." One who is very fortunate and has vision he can see how gaura-lila is going on. Devotee #3: That means that guru is always there? Gour Govinda Swami:Yes. He is always there. His lila is going on. Devotee #3: I may think, "I have already taken the dust of the lotus feet of my guru. Now he is not here. So I don't need that dust anymore." Gour Govinda Swami: Darsana is there. The guru is always there if you have the eye to see. If you are a sat-sisya you can always see how the guru is present. Devotee #4: How can we see guru? Gour Govinda Swami: Blind man! If you are endowed with that vision you can see.I never lost sight of my guru. I see my guru is always there. Therefore I cannot say,"nitya-lila-pravistha". It is so painful to me. No! He is here. Devotee #4: Do you have to be a pure dovotee to see a pure devotee? Gour Govinda Swami: Yes! That vision is required. If you have no vision then you are a blind man.How can a blind man see? The object is there. What is required to see the object? The first thing is the eye. Next is light. You may be endowed with vision, but if there is no light, how can you see? Can you see in the darkness? Therefore two things are required, first vision and then light. Even if you are endowed with eyes, if there is no light then you can't see. What is that light? The enlightenment by the mercy potency. If you are devoid of that, how can you see? Devotee #5: Anarthas are like clouds in front of the eye? Gour Govinda Swami: Yes, Yes. Anarthas are like clouds covering the sun. The eye is covered. Devotee #2: Can one see guru appearing in different forms, or is he coming in dreams? Gour Govinda Swami: He may come in a dream. He has different forms also, just as Krishna has different forms. Krishna has so many manifestations. Therefor we have described in our book Sri Guru-vandana about samasti-guru and vyasti-guru. Devotee #6: What are those kind of gurus? Gour Govinda Swami: Guru Krsna-rupa hana sastrera pramane (Cc. adi-lila1.45} -- scripture describes that it is Krishna who appears as guru. Krishna is one. Guru tattva is also one. Guru is one, but he appears in different, different, forms. That is samasti-guru. The particular forms such as Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami, Srila Bhakitisiddhanta, this person and that, this is vyasti-guru. Devotee #3: When Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati left, guru was still there? Gour Govinda Swami: Yes. Devotee #3: Guru is always present? Gour Govinda Swami: Yes, always present. Devotee #3: Because guru is non-different from Krishna we understand that to be a guru is not an easy thing. So why is it said that someone maybe on the level of kanistha or madhyama and be guru? Gour Govinda Swami: All are gurus. There is kanistha-guru, madhyama-guru, uttama-gurus. Divisions are there. What you deserve you get. Krishna knows what you deserve so He makes an appropriate arrangement for you. Devotee #7: Some devotees are not accepting guru now. They are saying, "I'll just accept sastra. Gour Govinda Swami: How can you understand sastra? Devotee #7: But we have seen, as in Russia, that some devotees have only gotten books and they are now chanting, worshiping the deity, and preaching. Gour Govinda Swami: You cannot understand. In sastra, mantra is there. Nama is there. But unless it comes out from the lips of sad-guru, Sri Guru, your chanting will never be effective. The potency will never be there. Devotee #7: But they say that smrti-sastra is coming from the lips of vaisnavas, so we are heaing smrti. Gour Govinda Swami: Yes. This is how sastra manifests. When is comes out from the lips of sad-guru, Sri Guru, then it manifests. Though sastra is there, by itself it will never manifest to you. It's a question of manifestation. Devotee #7: Other persons say that we can hear from the commentaries of the vaisnava-acaryas. Gour Govinda Swami: For that reason it is said, bhaktya bhagavatam grahyam na buddhya na ca tikaya Srimad Bhagavatam can only be understood by bhakti, not be dint of one's intelligence or by reading commentaries. (Cc.24.313) You cannot understand Bhagavata by taking help of the tikas, commentaries. So many commentaries are there. One may think, "Yes, I am a scholar. It is all written in Sanskrit. I know the language so I can read and understand it." No! You can only understand Srimad Bhagavatam by bhakti. You cannot understand Bhagavata by dint of your material scholarship, learning, intelligence, or by taking the help of the commentaries. No, no. Hear from acarya and then you can develop bhakti. Unless you hear, how can you understand just by reading? You cannot understand. Grantha-avatara will never manifest to you. You will only see paper, and black and white. Nothing else. Devotee #7: Then what is the meaning of the brhad-mrdanga-sankirtana? Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati has said that our kirtana is brhad-mrdanga-sankirtana, the printing press. Gour Govinda Swami: Yes. That will inspire you. Just one book distributed spreads so far. First you read the book and then one friend says, "Oh, let me read it." Then he lets someone else read it. In this way it sprads so much. The sound of the mrdanga only goes rom here to there. But the brhad-mrdanga spreads so far. That will inspire you. You will think, "Who is the source? Let me go and see and hear from him." Devotee #7: So first you hear and then if you read the same thing in the sastra... Gour Govinda Swami: Yes. It is only in Kali-yuga that books are required.. In other yugas there are no books. Just by hearing once they would never forget. But in this yuga, if I ask you to repeat what you have heard after the class, how much can you repeat? You will have already forgotton ninety to ninety-five percent. Only five percent you may be able to repeat. Books are required. Therefore Vyasadev came and wrote books. In other yugas there are no books. They will help you remember, "Oh yes. I have heard. Now it is here." Devotee #7: In your book Sri Guru-vandana, you have described this flow of nectar as padma-madhu.You said that it comes to a devotee who is a sincere hearer. So someone who is very sincere to hear from guru and serves guru, he may get that nectar even though he may not have physical contact? Gour Govinda Swami: You should be greedy. Physical contact is required. You must hear directly, not just by listening to tapes. Sabda-brahma will never descend through a tape. One must hear from a physically present Sri Guru.

<CENTER>Questions and Answers </CENTER>Devotee #1: Sabda-brahma is Krishna in sound vibration? Gour Govinda Swami: Yes. One has to hear. It is not that, "All right, tapes are there, I'll hear the recorded tapes." Sabda-brahma will never descend. Devotee #2: It doesn't descend through transmission of tape? Gour Govinda Swami: No, no. Devotee #2: Only when you are personally sitting there with a pure vaisnava? Gour Govinda Swami: Yes. Now in this material scientific age so many techniques are there. People, say, "No more teacher are required. We'll teach through television." Nonsense. Sabda-brahma will never descend. Devotee #3: What if one is a disciple of a bonafide guru, then later on that guru stops his lila. What should one do? Gour Govinda Swami: Lila is always there: adyapiha sei lila kare gaura-raya, kona kona bhagyavan dekhibare paya (Cb. quoted in Bhaktivinode Thakur's Navadvipa Mahatmya Pramana-khanda) Gauranga's pastimes are still going on. People say, "Oh Gauranga Mahaprabhu has disappeared." One who is very fortunate and has vision he can see how gaura-lila is going on. Devotee #3: That means that guru is always there? Gour Govinda Swami:Yes. He is always there. His lila is going on. Devotee #3: I may think, "I have already taken the dust of the lotus feet of my guru. Now he is not here. So I don't need that dust anymore." Gour Govinda Swami: Darsana is there. The guru is always there if you have the eye to see. If you are a sat-sisya you can always see how the guru is present. Devotee #4: How can we see guru? Gour Govinda Swami: Blind man! If you are endowed with that vision you can see.I never lost sight of my guru. I see my guru is always there. Therefore I cannot say,"nitya-lila-pravistha". It is so painful to me. No! He is here. Devotee #4: Do you have to be a pure dovotee to see a pure devotee? Gour Govinda Swami: Yes! That vision is required. If you have no vision then you are a blind man.How can a blind man see? The object is there. What is required to see the object? The first thing is the eye. Next is light. You may be endowed with vision, but if there is no light, how can you see? Can you see in the darkness? Therefore two things are required, first vision and then light. Even if you are endowed with eyes, if there is no light then you can't see. What is that light? The enlightenment by the mercy potency. If you are devoid of that, how can you see? Devotee #5: Anarthas are like clouds in front of the eye? Gour Govinda Swami: Yes, Yes. Anarthas are like clouds covering the sun. The eye is covered. Devotee #2: Can one see guru appearing in different forms, or is he coming in dreams? Gour Govinda Swami: He may come in a dream. He has different forms also, just as Krishna has different forms. Krishna has so many manifestations. Therefor we have described in our book Sri Guru-vandana about samasti-guru and vyasti-guru. Devotee #6: What are those kind of gurus? Gour Govinda Swami: Guru Krsna-rupa hana sastrera pramane (Cc. adi-lila1.45} -- scripture describes that it is Krishna who appears as guru. Krishna is one. Guru tattva is also one. Guru is one, but he appears in different, different, forms. That is samasti-guru. The particular forms such as Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami, Srila Bhakitisiddhanta, this person and that, this is vyasti-guru. Devotee #3: When Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati left, guru was still there? Gour Govinda Swami: Yes. Devotee #3: Guru is always present? Gour Govinda Swami: Yes, always present. Devotee #3: Because guru is non-different from Krishna we understand that to be a guru is not an easy thing. So why is it said that someone maybe on the level of kanistha or madhyama and be guru? Gour Govinda Swami: All are gurus. There is kanistha-guru, madhyama-guru, uttama-gurus. Divisions are there. What you deserve you get. Krishna knows what you deserve so He makes an appropriate arrangement for you. Devotee #7: Some devotees are not accepting guru now. They are saying, "I'll just accept sastra. Gour Govinda Swami: How can you understand sastra? Devotee #7: But we have seen, as in Russia, that some devotees have only gotten books and they are now chanting, worshiping the deity, and preaching. Gour Govinda Swami: You cannot understand. In sastra, mantra is there. Nama is there. But unless it comes out from the lips of sad-guru, Sri Guru, your chanting will never be effective. The potency will never be there. Devotee #7: But they say that smrti-sastra is coming from the lips of vaisnavas, so we are heaing smrti. Gour Govinda Swami: Yes. This is how sastra manifests. When is comes out from the lips of sad-guru, Sri Guru, then it manifests. Though sastra is there, by itself it will never manifest to you. It's a question of manifestation. Devotee #7: Other persons say that we can hear from the commentaries of the vaisnava-acaryas. Gour Govinda Swami: For that reason it is said, bhaktya bhagavatam grahyam na buddhya na ca tikaya Srimad Bhagavatam can only be understood by bhakti, not be dint of one's intelligence or by reading commentaries. (Cc.24.313) You cannot understand Bhagavata by taking help of the tikas, commentaries. So many commentaries are there. One may think, "Yes, I am a scholar. It is all written in Sanskrit. I know the language so I can read and understand it." No! You can only understand Srimad Bhagavatam by bhakti. You cannot understand Bhagavata by dint of your material scholarship, learning, intelligence, or by taking the help of the commentaries. No, no. Hear from acarya and then you can develop bhakti. Unless you hear, how can you understand just by reading? You cannot understand. Grantha-avatara will never manifest to you. You will only see paper, and black and white. Nothing else. Devotee #7: Then what is the meaning of the brhad-mrdanga-sankirtana? Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati has said that our kirtana is brhad-mrdanga-sankirtana, the printing press. Gour Govinda Swami: Yes. That will inspire you. Just one book distributed spreads so far. First you read the book and then one friend says, "Oh, let me read it." Then he lets someone else read it. In this way it sprads so much. The sound of the mrdanga only goes rom here to there. But the brhad-mrdanga spreads so far. That will inspire you. You will think, "Who is the source? Let me go and see and hear from him." Devotee #7: So first you hear and then if you read the same thing in the sastra... Gour Govinda Swami: Yes. It is only in Kali-yuga that books are required.. In other yugas there are no books. Just by hearing once they would never forget. But in this yuga, if I ask you to repeat what you have heard after the class, how much can you repeat? You will have already forgotton ninety to ninety-five percent. Only five percent you may be able to repeat. Books are required. Therefore Vyasadev came and wrote books. In other yugas there are no books. They will help you remember, "Oh yes. I have heard. Now it is here." Devotee #7: In your book Sri Guru-vandana, you have described this flow of nectar as padma-madhu.You said that it comes to a devotee who is a sincere hearer. So someone who is very sincere to hear from guru and serves guru, he may get that nectar even though he may not have physical contact? Gour Govinda Swami: You should be greedy. Physical contact is required. You must hear directly, not just by listening to tapes. Sabda-brahma will never descend through a tape. One must hear from a physically present Sri Guru.

Srila Gour Govinda Swami Maharaj Pariprasna The Process of Inquiry Chapter Nine Always Present Devotee: The disciple is eternally hearing? Gour Govinda Swami: Yes, this process is eternal. I am eternally the disciple of my guru. I am constantly hearing from him Whatever I am hearing I am speaking. I am not concocting anything. What my guru says, I say. Devotee: For a disciple who is still conditioned and whose spiritual master has left the planet, although he has books he still has to hear sabda-brahma? Gour Govinda Swami: Yes, hearing is more effective. Books will help you but nevertheless you have to hear. It is not that only by reading books you can have it. Devotee: So he cannot achieve this position of tattva-jnana just by reading? Even if he has had physical contact with guru still he must hear from the tattva-acharya who is physically there, who is acting as a pipe? Gour Govinda Swami: Yes, guru is always there and Krsna is always there, manifested and unmanifested. Guru may have become unmanifest, but still he is there. However, you should understand how is there, in what form. I see my guru always. He is not gone. He has not disappeared. If you say that he has disappeared it is very painful to me. No, he is there! I see him every day, every moment. Every day I am hearing him. Therefore I am speaking. How can I speak unless I hear? I am not hearing any tapes, I am hearing directly from him-but you cannot understand it. From a discussion in Paris, France July 24,1995

<CENTER><CENTER><H1>The Glories of Sadhu-sanga</H1></CENTER><CENTER><H3>A lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam 1.18.10–13 delivered by Sri Srimad Bhakti Sri-rupa Siddhanti Gosvami Maharaja Excerpt </CENTER></H3> Our Inability to Actually Associate </CENTER>Real sadhus, however, are extremely rare and therefore difficult to find; and if they are found, it is very difficult to associate with them in the real sense. Although people of this world may attain the association of a bhagavad-bhakta, they remain unable to comprehend his bhava-dhara, line of thought that is his moods. We may, by the accumulation of previous sukriti, come close physically to a bhagavad-bhakta; but we then discover that we cannot associate with him in any real sense. If those who have attained the sanga of bhagavad-bhaktas find themselves unable to benefit from it, what can be said of the predicament of those who have not even attained such sanga. Why is this so? Why can we not properly associate with bhagavad-bhaktas despite being in their company? Sanga means “samyak rupena gamana – to completely follow the bhagavad-bhakta.” It is difficult for us to comply with their instructions. Moreover, the foundation of sanga is priti. Without priti, there can be no sanga. We go to the market and see, meet and talk with many people, but can this be called sanga? No. Priti is the real requirement. What is priti? Srila Rupa Gosvami has written: dadati pratigrihnati guhyam akhyati pricchati bhunkte bhojayate caiva shad-vidham priti-lakshanam Sri Upadesamrita (4) Offering pure devotees items in accordance with their requirements, accepting remnant items given by pure devotees, revealing to devotees one’s confidential realizations concerning bhajana, inquiring from them about their confidential realizations, eating with great love the prasada remnants given by devotees and lovingly feeding them prasada – these are the six symptoms of loving association with pure devotees. Are we able to deal with bhagavad-bhaktas with these six symptoms of priti? We can have these six exchanges with worldly people, but not with bhagavad-bhaktas, because maya does not let us do so. Such is the oppression of maya that she will not allow us to associate with sadhus. Hence, the sanga of bhagavad-bhaktas is very rare; we are unable to attain it even after attaining their company. This is our misfortune. Why is this so? Man is the sangi (associate) of maya and likes associating with her. Ordinary people may come close to a bhagavad-bhakta, but they will prefer to discuss worldly topics with him and go away. They are not influenced by his association. It is very difficult for them. Therefore it is said that the result of associating with a bhagavad-bhakta for a single moment cannot be compared to the attainment of Svarga and moksha. What a significant matter! What a precious commodity is sadhu-sanga. Is such a highly worshipable and desirable thing attained in the course of everyone’s fate? It is said in Sri Caitanya-caritamrita (Madhya-lila 22.54): ‘sadhu-sanga’, ‘sadhu-sanga’ sarva-sastre kaya lava-matra sadhu-sange sarva-siddhi haya The verdict of all revealed scriptures is that by even a moment’s association with a sadhu, one can attain all success. <CENTER>Smearing One’s Body with a Sadhu’s Foot Dust </CENTER>In Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bharata Maharaja speaks as follows to King Rahugana: r ahuganaitat tapasa na yati na cejyaya nirvapanad grihad va na cchandasa naiva jalagni-suryair vina mahat-pada-rajo-’bhishekam Srimad-Bhagavatam (5.12.12) How significant are the words spoken by Bharata Maharaja to King Rahugana. “O Rahugana, you want to know Bhagavan, but He cannot be known by austerity (tapasya), nor by worship, nor by giving up one’s home, nor indeed by living in one’s home. He cannot be known by reciting the Vedas nor by worshiping the demigods such as the Sun-god, Varuna and so on. Why? Because vina mahat-pada-rajo-’bhishekam: as long as one does not smear himself with the foot dust of the mahat, great saintly personalities, one cannot achieve any result by performing all these other activities. So one should first seek the sanga of a great saintly personality, and only when he can smear himself with the foot dust of this personality, can Bhagavan be known to him.” Prahlada Maharaja gave the same instruction to the sons of his guru: naisham matis tavad urukramanghrim sprisaty anarthapagamo yad-arthah mahiyasam pada-rajo-’bhishekam nishkincananam na vrinita yavat Srimad-Bhagavatam (7.5.32) Prahlada Maharaja told the sons of his teacher that they should give up everything. “What benefit can you derive from your father Sukracarya, who you consider a great pandita?” he asked. “His consciousness is unable to touch the lotus feet of Bhagavan, who performs uncommon activities. These lotus feet have the effect of removing a person’s anarthas and awarding him complete perfection. They deliver to him his prayojana, or goal. “So how can we attain Bhagavan? Can everyone attain him? Mahiyasham pada-rajo-’bhishekam: one must smear himself with the dust of the lotus feet of mahat, a saintly personality. Who is such a saintly personality? Niskincananam na vrinita yavat: one who possesses no wealth other than Bhagavan. As long as we do not accept and smear upon our bodies the foot dust of a niskincana mahapurusha, we will achieve nothing at all.” The essence of the whole subject, in the language of my gurupada-padma Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada, is that the jiva’s supreme auspiciousness comes about by hearing hari-katha in sadhu-sanga. This is because sadhusanga is the sole means to attain krishna-bhakti: krishna-bhakti-janma-mula haya ‘sadhu-sanga’ Sri Caitanya-caritamrita (Madhya-lila 22.84) The root cause of bhakti to Sri Krishna is association with sadhus. Hare Krishna. Original Bengali lecture transcribed and translated into English. Audio recording courtesy of the disciples of Sri Srimad Bhakti Pramoda Puri Gosvami Maharaja. Audio recording courtesy of the disciples of Sri Srimad Bhakti-Pramoda Puri Gosvami Maharaja RAYS OF THE HARMONIST No. 12 Gaura Purnima 2003 RAYS OF THE HARMONIST No. 13 Karttika 2003

TEXT 18 nasta-prayesv abhadresu nityam bhagavata-sevaya bhagavaty uttama-sloke bhaktir bhavati naisthiki SYNONYMS nasta--destroyed; prayesu--almost to nil; abhadresu--all that is inauspicious; nityam--regularly; bhagavata--Srimad-Bhagavatam, or the pure devotee; sevaya--by serving; bhagavati--unto the Personality of Godhead; uttama--transcendental; sloke--prayers; bhaktih--loving service; bhavati--comes into being; naisthiki--irrevocable. TRANSLATION By regular attendance in classes on the Bhagavatam and by rendering of service to the pure devotee, all that is troublesome to the heart is almost completely destroyed, and loving service unto the Personality of Godhead, who is praised with transcendental songs, is established as an irrevocable fact. PURPORT Here is the remedy for eliminating all inauspicious things within the heart which are considered to be obstacles in the path of self-realization. The remedy is the association of the Bhagavatas. There are two types of Bhagavatas, namely the book Bhagavata and the devotee Bhagavata. Both the Bhagavatas are competent remedies, and both of them or either of them can be good enough to eliminate the obstacles. A devotee Bhagavata is as good as the book Bhagavata because the devotee Bhagavata leads his life in terms of the book Bhagavata and the book Bhagavata is full of information about the Personality of Godhead and His pure devotees, who are also Bhagavatas. Bhagavata book and person are identical. The devotee Bhagavata is a direct representative of Bhagavan, the Personality of Godhead. So by pleasing the devotee Bhagavata one can receive the benefit of the book Bhagavata. Human reason fails to understand how by serving the devotee Bhagavata or the book Bhagavata one gets gradual promotion on the path of devotion. But actually these are facts explained by Srila Naradadeva, who happened to be a maidservant's son in his previous life. The maidservant was engaged in the menial service of the sages, and thus he also came into contact with them. And simply by associating with them and accepting the remnants of foodstuff left by the sages, the son of the maidservant got the chance to become the great devotee and personality Srila Naradadeva. These are the miraculous effects of the association of Bhagavatas. And to understand these effects practically, it should be noted that by such sincere association of the Bhagavatas one is sure to receive transcendental knowledge very easily, with the result that he becomes fixed in the devotional service of the Lord. The more progress is made in devotional service under the guidance of the Bhagavatas, the more one becomes fixed in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. The messages of the book Bhagavata, therefore, have to be received from the devotee Bhagavata, and the combination of these two Bhagavatas will help the neophyte devotee to make progress on and on.

After his fourth proposal was rejected, Ramananda Raya said that devotional service rendered without any attempt at cultivation of knowledge or mental speculation is the highest stage of perfection. To support this view, he gave evidence from Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.14.3) wherein Lord Brahma tells the Supreme Personality of Godhead: <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:" /><o:p></o:p> jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva jivanti san-mukharitam bhavadiya-vartam sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhir ye prayaso 'jita jito 'py asi tais tri-lokyam <o:p></o:p> "My dear Lord, one should give up monistic speculation and the cultivation of knowledge altogether. He should begin his spiritual life in devotional service by receiving information of the Lord's activities from a realized devotee of the Lord. If one cultivates his spiritual life by following these principles and keeping himself on the honest path in life, then although Your Lordship is never conquered, You become conquered by such a process." When Ramananda Raya presented this proposal, Lord Caitanya at once said, "Yes, this is right." In this age there is no possibility of acquiring spiritual knowledge by renunciation, by mixed devotional service, by fruitive activity in mixed devotional service, or by the culture of knowledge. Because most people are fallen and because there is no time to elevate them by a gradual process, the best course, according to Lord Caitanya, is to let them remain in whatever condition they are in but to engage them in hearing of the activities of the Supreme Lord as those activities are explained in Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam. The transcendental messages of the scriptures should be received from the lips of realized souls. In this way a person may continue to live in whatever condition he is in and still make progress in spiritual advancement. Thus one can surely advance and fully realize the Supreme Personality of Godhead.