Lokagurudas

CC Madya Lila 19.151-152 TEXT 151 brahmäëòa bhramite kona bhägyavän jéva guru-kåñëa-prasäde päya bhakti-latä-béja SYNONYMS brahmäëòa bhramite—wandering in this universe; kona—some; bhägyavän—most fortunate; jéva—living being; guru—of the spiritual master; kåñëa—of Kåñëa; prasäde—by the mercy; päya—gets; bhakti-latä—of the creeper of devotional service; béja—the seed. TRANSLATION "According to their karma, all living entities are wandering throughout the entire universe. Some of them are being elevated to the upper planetary systems, and some are going down into the lower planetary systems. Out of many millions of wandering living entities, one who is very fortunate gets an opportunity to associate with a bona fide spiritual master by the grace of Kåñëa. By the mercy of both Kåñëa and the spiritual master, such a person receives the seed of the creeper of devotional service. PURPORT When we speak of brahmäëòa, we refer to the whole universe, or to the cluster of many millions of universes. In all universes, there are innumerable planets and innumerable living entities upon those planets in the air and in the water. There are millions and trillions of living entities everywhere, and they are engaged by mäyä in suffering and enjoying the results of their fruitive activity life after life. This is the position of the materially conditioned living entities. Out of many of these living entities, if one is actually fortunate (bhägyavän), he comes in contact with a bona fide spiritual master by Kåñëa's mercy. Kåñëa is situated in everyone's heart, and if one desires something, Kåñëa fulfills one's desire. If the living entity by chance or fortune comes in contact with the Kåñëa consciousness movement and wishes to associate with that movement, Kåñëa, who is situated in everyone's heart, gives him the chance to meet a bona fide spiritual master. This is called guru-kåñëa-prasäda. Kåñëa is prepared to bestow His mercy upon all living entities, and as soon as a living entity desires the Lord's mercy, the Lord immediately gives him an opportunity to meet a bona fide spiritual master. Such a person is fortified by both Kåñëa and the spiritual master. He is helped from within by Kåñëa and from without by the spiritual master. Both are prepared to help the sincere living being become free from this material bondage. How one can become this fortunate can be seen in the life of Çréla Närada Muni. In his previous life he was born of a maidservant. Although he was not born into a prestigious position, his mother was fortunately engaged in rendering service to some Vaiñëavas. When these Vaiñëavas were resting during the Cäturmäsya period, the boy Närada took the opportunity to engage in their service. Taking compassion upon the boy, the Vaiñëavas offered him the remnants of their food. By serving them and obeying their orders, the boy became the object of sympathy for the Vaiñëavas, and, by the Vaiñëavas' unknown mercy, he gradually became a pure devotee. In the next life he was Närada Muni, the most exalted of Vaiñëavas and the most important guru and äcärya of Vaiñëavas. Following in the footsteps of Närada Muni, this Kåñëa consciousness movement is rendering service to humanity by giving everyone a chance to come in contact with Kåñëa. If one is fortunate, he becomes intimately related with this movement. Then, by the grace of Kåñëa, one's life becomes successful. Everyone has dormant kåñëa-bhakti-love for Kåñëa-and in the association of good devotees, that love is revealed. As stated in Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 22.107): nitya-siddha-kåñëa-prema 'sädhya' kabhu naya çravaëädi-çuddha-citte karaye udaya Dormant devotional service to Kåñëa is within everyone. Simply by associating with devotees, hearing their good instructions and chanting the Hare Kåñëa mantra, dormant love for Kåñëa is awakened. In this way one acquires the seed of devotional service. Guru-kåñëa-prasäde päya bhakti-latä-béja. Madhya 19.152 TEXT 152 TEXT mälé haïä kare sei béja äropaëa çravaëa-kértana-jale karaye secana SYNONYMS mälé haïä—becoming a gardener; kare—does; sei—that; béja—seed of devotional service; äropaëa—sowing; çravaëa—of hearing; kértana—of chanting; jale—with the water; karaye—does; secana—sprinkling. TRANSLATION "When a person receives the seed of devotional service, he should take care of it by becoming a gardener and sowing the seed in his heart. If he waters the seed gradually by the process of çravaëa and kértana [hearing and chanting], the seed will begin to sprout. PURPORT To live with devotees or to live in a temple means to associate with the çravaëa-kértana process. Sometimes neophyte devotees think that they can continue the çravaëa-kértana process without worshiping the Deity, but the execution of çravaëa-kértana is meant for highly developed devotees like Haridäsa Öhäkura, who engaged in the çravaëa-kértana process without worshiping the Deity. However, one should not falsely imitate Haridäsa Öhäkura and abandon Deity worship just to try to engage in çravaëa-kértana. This is not possible for neophyte devotees. The word guru-prasäda indicates that the spiritual master is very merciful in bestowing the boon of devotional service upon the disciple. That is the best possible gift the spiritual master has to offer. Those with a background of pious life are eligible to receive life's supreme benefit, and to bestow this benefit, the Supreme Personality of Godhead sends His representative to impart His mercy. Endowed with the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the spiritual master distributes the mercy to those who are elevated and pious. Thus the spiritual master trains his disciples to render devotional service unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is called guru-kåpä. It is kåñëa-prasäda, Kåñëa's mercy, that He sends a bona fide spiritual master to the deserving disciple. By the mercy of Kåñëa, one meets the bona fide spiritual master, and by the mercy of the spiritual master, the disciple is fully trained in the devotional service of the Lord. Bhakti-latä-béja means "the seed of devotional service." Everything has an original cause, or seed. For any idea, program, plan or device, there is first of all the contemplation of the plan, and that is called béja, or the seed. The methods, rules and regulations by which one is perfectly trained in devotional service constitute the bhakti-latä-béja, or seed of devotional service. This bhakti-latä-béja is received from the spiritual master by the grace of Kåñëa. Other seeds are called anyäbhiläña-béja, karma-béja and jïäna-béja. If one is not fortunate enough to receive the bhakti-latä-béja from the spiritual master, he instead cultivates the seeds of karma-béja, jïäna-béja, or political and social or philanthropic béja. However, bhakti-latä-béja is different from these other béjas. Bhakti-latä-béja can be received only through the mercy of the spiritual master. Therefore one has to satisfy the spiritual master to get bhakti-latä-béja (yasya prasädäd bhagavat-prasädaù). Bhakti-latä-béja is the origin of devotional service. Unless one satisfies the spiritual master, he gets the béja, or root cause, of karma, jïäna and yoga without the benefit of devotional service. However, one who is faithful to his spiritual master gets the bhakti-latä-béja. This bhakti-latä-béja is received when one is initiated by the bona fide spiritual master. After receiving the spiritual master's mercy, one must repeat his instructions, and this is called çravaëa-kértana-hearing and chanting. One who has not properly heard from the spiritual master or who does not follow the regulative principles is not fit for chanting (kértana). This is explained in Bhagavad-gétä (2.41): vyavasäyätmikä buddhir ekeha kuru-nandana. One who has not listened carefully to the instructions of the spiritual master is unfit to chant or preach the cult of devotional service. One has to water the bhakti-latä-béja after receiving instructions from the spiritual master.

CC Madya Lila 13.18 TEXT 18 mahäprabhu sukha päila se-sevä dekhite mahäprabhura kåpä haila se-sevä ha-ite SYNONYMS mahäprabhu—Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu; sukha päila—felt very happy; se-sevä—that kind of service; dekhite—to see; mahäprabhura—of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu; kåpä—mercy; haila—there was; se-sevä ha-ite—because of that service. TRANSLATION Upon seeing the King engaged in such menial service, Caitanya Mahäprabhu became very happy. Simply by rendering this service, the King received the mercy of the Lord. PURPORT Unless one receives the mercy of the Lord, he cannot understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead or engage in His devotional service. athäpi te deva padämbuja-dvaya- prasäda-leçänugåhéta eva hi jänäti tattvaà bhagavan-mahimno na cänya eko 'pi ciraà vicinvan (Bhäg. 10.14.29) Only a devotee who has received a small fraction of the mercy of the Lord can understand Him. Others may engage in theoretical speculation to understand the Lord, but they can not know anything about Him. Although Mahäräja Pratäparudra was very eager to see Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, the Lord refused to see him. However, when Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu saw the King engaged in menial service for Lord Jagannätha, He became very happy. Thus the King became eligible to receive Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu's mercy. If a devotee accepts Lord Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu as the universal guru and Lord Jagannätha as the Supreme Personality of Godhead Kåñëa, he is benefited by the combined mercy of Kåñëa and guru. That is stated by Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu in His instructions to Rüpa Gosvämé. (Cc. Madhya 19.151) brahmäëòa bhramite kona bhägyavän jéva guru-kåñëa-prasäde päya bhakti-latä-béja The seed of devotional service fructifies and becomes a transcendental creeper. Finally it reaches the lotus feet of the Lord in the spiritual sky. This seed is obtained by the mercy of the Lord and the guru. By the Lord's mercy one gets the association of a bona fide guru, and by the mercy of the guru, one gets a chance to render devotional service. Devotional service, the science of bhakti-yoga, carries one from this material world to the spiritual world.