before meeting the guru, is it possible . . .

[Dayala 0]

before meeting the guru, is it possible do you think, to know that this person will indeed be your guru, and to love him / her and be filled with immense anticipation at the prospect of meeting him / her?

 

I seem to be having this kind of a thing going on. I'm not sure if it is just all in my head, or if there is some real unseen kind of connection that draws me to the guru?

 

Any words of wisdom would be appreciated.

[Guruvani 0]

There is a good chance that your balloon of high hopes will be burst by the actual meeting of this guru as you come to see that he is just a human being like yourself and not the superbeing that you have imagined.

 

 

 

[Dayala 0]

That is what I am afraid of, although I hope that will not happen.

 

The guru in question is Ammachi. I've heard wonderful things . . . Sounds like an Eastern version of Mother Theresa.

[theist 1]

Dayal, take your time and study the teachings of the one in question. Don't just go by some emotional feeling.

 

Ask yourself what does she teach? See if that teaching has any serious shortcomings.

 

Does she live up to her teachings when she is off stage etc. These will give some good clues but ultimately seek counsel from the Lord in your heart. Pray for proper guidance. By seeking the Lord in your heart I don't mean go by what you feel.

[Guest guest]

Television Interview

--

July 4, 1971, Los Angeles

 

 

 

Interviewer: As confirmed by all the Vedic scriptures and by the great sages in the disciplic succession, He has a body made of eternity, bliss, and all knowledge. God has infinite forms and expansions. But of all His forms, His original form, His transcendental form, is as a cowherd boy. A form which He reveals only to His most confidential devotees. So go the teachings of Krsna as laid down in the Vedic literature. And of the sages in the disciplic succession, which I mentioned, one is our guest for this conversation today. He is His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, founder of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, foremost teacher in the West of the Krsna philosophy, which, moreover, he teaches not only by word, but by example. He came to this country in 1965 on orders of his spiritual master. As a Krsna disciple, he is the present human exponent of a line of succession going back five hundred years to the appearance in India of Lord Caitanya, and beyond that, to a time five thousand years ago when Lord Krsna Himself was on this planet and His words were recorded. Welcome, sir. What is Krsna consciousness?

 

Prabhupada: Yes. Krsna consciousness means that every living being, part and parcel of Krsna. Krsna has got many expansion. That is called personal expansion and separated expansion. So separated expansions we are, we living entities. But although we are very intimately connected with Krsna, somehow or other we are now separated by contact of material nature. So we have practically forgotten that we are part and parcel of Krsna. Actually that is the fact. And because... Just like a rich man's son. Somehow or other, he has forgotten his father, and he's loitering in the street as a poor man. But actually that is not his position. He has forgotten simply. So our, this Krsna consciousness movement means we are trying to invoke that original consciousness that he's part and parcel of Krsna. Why he should remain in this material world and suffer the threefold miseries? So we want to revive that original consciousness. The original consciousness is Krsna consciousness. Just like a man born of a lord's family, his title should be the lord's family. But unfortunately, forgetting his own home, he is accepting some menial title. So our whole Vedic literature is meant for that purpose, to revive his original consciousness. Aham brahmasmi.

 

Interviewer: You came, sir, to this country in 1965, as I said, on instructions or orders given you by your spiritual master. By the way, who was your spiritual master.

Prabhupada: My spiritual master was Om Visnupada Paramahamsa Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada.

Interviewer: Now in this line of succession that we were talking about earlier, this disciplic line of succession which goes way back, all the way back to Krsna Himself, right, was your spiritual master the previous one before you?

 

Prabhupada: Yes. The disciplic succession is coming from Krsna since 5,000 years.

 

Interviewer: Is your spiritual master still alive?

Prabhupada: No. He has passed away in 1936.

Interviewer: So you are at this particular time then the head in the world of this movement? Would that be correct?

 

Prabhupada: I have got many other Godbrothers, but I was particularly ordered to do this from the very beginning. So I am trying to please my spiritual master. That's all.

 

Interviewer: Now you were sent to this country, to the United States of America. This is your territory. Is that correct?

 

Prabhupada: Hm. No. My territory, what he said, that "You go and speak this philosophy to the English knowing public."

 

Interviewer: To the English speaking world.

Prabhupada: Yes. And especially the Western world. Yes. He told me like that.

Interviewer: When you came, sir, to this country about 15, 16 years ago and started...

Prabhupada: No, no, not 15, 16 years.

Interviewer: Five, six years ago. I beg your pardon. To this part of the world, you did not come to a part of the world where religion was lacking as such, you know. In the United States of America we have many religions, and I think people in this country like to believe, in great majority, that they are religious people, people who believe in God, who devote themselves to some form of religious expression. And I wonder what your thinking was. What do you think that you could add to the already living religious expression in this country by coming here and adding your own philosophy to it?

Prabhupada: Yes. When I first came to your country I was guest of an Indian friend at Butler.

Interviewer: In Pennsylvania.

Prabhupada: Pennsylvania. Yes. So although it was a small county, I was very much engladdened there were so many churches.

Interviewer: So many churches. Yes. Yes.

Prabhupada: Yes. So many churches. And I spoke in many of the churches there. My host arranged for that. So it was not with that purpose, that I came here to defeat some religious process. That was not my purpose. Our mission is, Lord Caitanya's mission is, to teach everyone how to love God, that's all.

Interviewer: But in what way, sir, may I ask, in what way did you think, and do you think right now, that the teaching of the love of God which you are doing, is different and perhaps better than the teachings of the love of God which already were being conducted in this country and have been conducted in the Western world for centuries?

Prabhupada: That is fact. Because we are following the footsteps of Lord Caitanya. He is considered... He's accepted by us--according to the authority of Vedic literature--He is personally Krsna.

Interviewer: Which Lord is that?

Prabhupada: Lord Caitanya.

Interviewer: Oh yes. He is the one who came back five hundred yeats ago to India?

Prabhupada: Yes. So he is Krsna Himself, and He is teaching how to love Krsna. Therfore His process is most authorized. Just like you are the expert in this establishment. If somebody is doing something, if you personally teach him, "Do like this," that is very authorized. So God consciousness, God Himself is teaching. Just like in Bhagavad-gita, Krsna is God. He is speaking about Himself. And at last He says, "Just surrender unto Me. I take charge of you." But people misunderstand. So Lord Caitanya--Krsna again came as Lord Caitanya to teach people how to surrender. And because we are following the footsteps of Lord Caitanya, the method is so sublime that even foreigners who never knew Krsna, they are surrendering. The method is so potent. So that was my purpose. We don't say that "This religion is better than this religion," or, "My process is better." We want to see by the result. In the Sanskrit there is a word, phalena pariciyate. A thing is judged by the result.

Interviewer: A thing is just...?

Prabhupada: By the result.

Interviewer: Oh yes.

Prabhupada: You can say, I can say my method is very nice. You can say your method is very nice, but we have to judge by the result. That is... Bhagavata says that that process of religion is very good following which one becomes a lover of God.

Interviewer: Yes. But of course, you know, your religion is not the only one which teaches this particular precept.

Prabhupada: That I am explaining, that it is not the only one. There may be many. But it is practically effective.

Interviewer: Now let's say, in the part of the world where, if I'm understanding your philosophy and your history correctly, in the part of the world where this particular philosophy and this particular belief originated, which is in India, in the Eastern part of the world, at least as we look at it. Is it successful there? Do you have a large following over there?

Prabhupada: Oh yes. Recently I was in India. I held two meetings continued for ten days everywhere, and 20 to 30 thousand people were attending daily. So India's position is that they are naturally Krsna conscious, but at the present moment by the so-called leaders, they want to replace this Krsna consciousness into material consciousness.

Interviewer: Is the Krsna consciousness belief or philosophy compatible with the Hindu religion which...

Prabhupada: With any religion.

Interviewer: Beg your pardon?

Prabhupada: Any religion. Because God is one. It is the science of God. The "two plus two equal to four," it is understood by everyone. It is not that it is to be understood by the Christian, not by the Hindus. "Two plus two equal to four" is a fact for everyone. Similarly God is fact for everyone. Now how to love God. This is the only process. That is.

Interviewer: Now do you claim then that your way of loving God is the way to love God?

Prabhupada: Yes. At least for this age.

Interviewer: For this age?

Prabhupada: Yes.

Interviewer: You meant for Kali-yuga? For the time that we live in right now?

Prabhupada: Yes. Because the method is authorized. Krsna prescribes this. Krsna Himself as Lord Caitanya, He says that this is the only method for self-realization or for God realization or to learn how to love God. He says. Krsna says. Therefore it is authorized. And it is practically happening. Otherwise, these boys and girls, they are foreigners. They never knew Krsna. Now I have got sixty centers and each center, they are on the average hundred devotees and they have dedicated their life. How it is happening unless it is authorized?

Interviewer: Well, you know they say they never knew Krsna, and you are, of course right. But different peoples name their Gods in different ways. You name your God Krsna. In the Western world, many, many people name their God Jesus, Jesus Christ. There are other peoples in different parts of the world who have different names for the Gods which they pray to.

Prabhupada: Yes. that's all right. We say in that connection that if you have got a name which is actually referring to God, that will also do. Just like we are chanting Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare. So according to Vedic literature, krsnas tu bhagavan svayam. Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is the... He has got many names. Thousands and millions of names. This is the original name. So Caitanya says not that you have to chant Krsna, but if you have got actually a name for God, you can chant that. We are not asking you that you chant Krsna. If you have got actually a name for God, then you can chant that. We are requesting that you chant God's holy name.

Interviewer: But before... When you came here... Now you came here in the middle sixties, less than a decade ago. What was it? This is what I'm trying to find out from you. What was the motivating force behind your coming to the United States?

Prabhupada: That is already explained. That is already explained. Caitanya Mahaprabhu wanted that this propaganda should be made all over the world and they will accept. So my Guru Maharaja said that "You go and try to do this." So I came with this purpose. And it is happening.

Interviewer: There must have been an element, though, of dissatisfaction then on your part, with the way God was being... Godhead was being professed in this part of the world before you came. Otherwise there would have been no sense in you coming here.

Prabhupada: Not this part. Every part. Every part of the world, practically everyone... There is very little interest in God. They have more interest in dog.

Interviewer: You are in general, then, trying to increase the interest in God. Is that correct?

Prabhupada: Yes. That is the only interest we must have in human life.

Interviewer: And you are not particularly interested in what particular name this God has.

Prabhupada: No. Our purpose, mission, is that people may become God conscious. And the process is in this age by chanting the holy name of God. If you have got any name for God which is actually name of God, then you'll be successful by chanting that name.

Interviewer: The chanting of Krsna's name, the Hare Krsna mantra, seems to play a very important role in the profession of your religious belief. Right? In fact, I think I will ask you and some of your followers who are sitting here with us tonight a little bit later to chant the name of Krsna.

Prabhupada: Yes.

Interviewer: That probably would be a proper ending to this particular program. However, I'm still wondering, you know, about some of the aspects. In reading a little bit... I have not read much, of course, but in reading a little bit about your beliefs and your writings, your magazines, your publications...

Prabhupada: I may correct here that it is not my belief.

Interviewer: Well, as you interpret it in your writings. Let me put it that way. It seems to me, sir, that there is a very high emphasis placed on the relationship between the individual and God.

Prabhupada: Yes, yes.

Interviewer: Much more so than upon the...

Prabhupada: That is for everyone.

Interviewer: Yes but more emphasis on that relationship than on the relationship between one individual and another individual. Am I right in that?

Prabhupada: No. We have to establish first of all our lost relationship with God. You see? Then we can understand what is the relationship between one individual to another. If the central point is missing, then there is practically no relationship. Just like you are American. Another is American. Both of you, you feel American nationally because the center is America. So unless you understand God, you cannot understand what I am, neither I can understand what you are. So we have to first of all reestablish our lost relationship with God; then we can establish, talk of universal brotherhood. Otherwise there will be discrimination. Just like in your country, or any country, the national... National means a man born in that land. Is it not? But they do not take the animals as national. Why they have no right to become national? That is imperfect knowledge. There is no God consciousness. Therefore they think only the man born in this land is national, not others.

Interviewer: Yes. That is not necessarily based on the religious principles, of course, what you are talking about.

Prabhupada: No, that is a philosophical principle. Religion without philosophy is sentiment.

Interviewer: Don't you think there are very good reasons for the existence of these rules and regulations in this respect?

Prabhupada: Yes. Rules and regulations must be established on philosophy. Otherwise it is sentiment, defective. Religion without philosophy is sentiment, and philosophy without religion is mental speculation. They should be combined, philosophy and religion. Then it will be perfect.

Interviewer: I think that in this part of the world, in the Western world, at least, as much as I am aware of it, we do place a good deal of emphasis on religion and...

Prabhupada: Based on philosophy.

Interviewer: Well, on religion... What I would like to highlight, what I would like to emphasize is that we place a good deal of emphasis on religion in the ways it gets one man to deal with another man. The ethic of religion. Now...

Prabhupada: No. Our point is not that.

Interviewer: In the Krsna consciousness movement...

Prabhupada: No, no. Our... We must clear. We are not concerned how one man deals with another man. Our point...

Interviewer: As a part of your Krsna consciousness movement?

Prabhupada: No, no.

Interviewer: This is not important?

Prabhupada: No. This is not important. Because we know as soon as one understands how to deal with God, he'll automatically deal with other men very nicely.

Interviewer: But you know... Let's take the Christian religion for example.

Prabhupada: No, I do not wish...

Interviewer: You know the ten commandments for example, there is a heavy emphasis in the ten commandments on the relationships between one human being and another. "Thou shall not kill. Thou shall not steal." That sort of thing.

Prabhupada: But I say that Jesus Christ never said, he never meant, "Thou shall not kill," means only human being. Where is that evidence? Jesus Christ never said "Thou shall not kill means it means only human being." Thou shall not kill any animal.

Interviewer: Any life.

Prabhupada: Any life. That is religion.

Interviewer: It has never been interpreted that way.

Prabhupada: But you have interpreted different way, but he said "Thou shall not kill." He never said "Thou shall not kill amongst human being." Why do you interpret in that way?

Interviewer: How would I recognize a true follower of the Krsna consciousness movement by his behavior? What would his traits be? What would his outward expressions be?

Prabhupada: Yes. His behavior, he's a perfect gentleman. That's all. You cannot find any fault in him. That is perfect Krsna consciousness. They are prohibited not to eat meat.

Interviewer: Not to eat meat?

Prabhupada: No. They are prohibited from illicit sex life. They are prohibited to intoxication. They do not smoke even, what to speak of other intoxications. And they are prohibited not to indulge in gambling. So if they can observe these four rules and regulations, they become perfect men. Simply.

Interviewer: Or women I presume.

Prabhupada: Woman or man. Anyone.

Interviewer: Men or women. There is place for women in the religion too isn't...?

Prabhupada: Woman and man have got the same right. Just like we are getting married boys and girls. They're following the same principles. The same principles. So these are the four pillars of perfect life. And if we indulge in these things, illicit sex life, meat-eating, and intoxication, and gambling, then they become the four pillars of sinful life. And If we take them away, then they become, the prohibited portion becomes the pillars of perfect life.

Interviewer: Now I would like to ask you one more question and I would like to ask you to end the program by chanting your mantra of Hare Krsna. One more question, though. In the six years that you have been in this country, in the United States, have you been encouraged or discouraged? (end)

[Guest guest]

Sri-Guru-vandana

by Narottama dasa Thakura

 

sri-guru-charana-padma, kevala bhaktati-sadma bando mui savadhana mate

yahara prasade bhai, e bhava toriya yai krishna-prapti hoy yaha ha'te

 

The lotus feet of our spiritual master are the only way by which we can attain pure devotional service. I bow down to his lotus feet with great awe and reverence. By his grace one can cross the ocean of material suffering and obtain the mercy of Krishna.

 

guru-mukha-padma-vakya, chittete koriya aikya ar na koriho mane asha

sri-guru-charane rati, ei sei uttama-gati ye prasade pure sarva asha

 

My only wish is to have my consciousness purified by the words emanating from his lotus mouth. Attachment to his lotus feet is the perfection that fulfils all desires.

 

chakhu-dan dilo yei, janme janme prabhu sei divya-jnana hride prokashito

prema-bhakti yaha hoite, avidya vinasha yate vede gay yahara charito

 

He opens my darkened eyes and fills my heart with transcendental knowledge. He is my Lord birth after birth. From him ecstatic prema emanates; by him ignorance is destroyed. The Vedic scriptures sing of his character.

 

sri-guru karuna-sindhu, adhama janara bandhu lokanath lokera jivana

ha ha prabhu koro doya, deho more .-chaya ebe yasha ghushuk tribhuvana

 

Our spiritual master is the ocean of mercy, the friend of the poor, and the lord and master of the devotees. O master! Be merciful unto me. Give me the shade of your lotus feet. Your fame is spread all over the three worlds.

 

[Guest guest]

The Lotus Feet of Sri Guru

 

nama om visnu-padaya krsna-presthaya bhu-tale

srimate bhaktivedanta-svamin iti namine

 

namas te sarasvati-deva-gaura-vani-pracarine

nirvisesa-sunyavadi-pascatya-desa-tarine

 

Repeatedly we offer our prayers at the lotus feet of the guru, who is the expert navigator that can ferry us across the dreadful ocean of material existence. Unless one gets the causeless mercy of guru and Gauranga one will never be able to cross over this dreadful ocean and go to the other side, to our eternal home beyond the material world, the abode of the Lord. Therefore I offer prayers at the lotus feet of that guru, who is the expert navigator to ferry me across this dreadful ocean and take me to the abode of the Lord.

 

sri-guru-carana-padma, kevala-bhakati-sadma

bandon mui savadhana mate

janhara prasade bhai, e bhava toriya jai

krsna-prapti hoy janha ha’te

 

"The lotus feet of the spiritual master are the abode of pure devotional service. I bow down to those lotus feet with great care and attention. My dear brother, it is through the grace of the spiritual master that we cross over this material existence and obtain Krishna." (1)

 

Only by the mercy of Sri Guru can one cross over this dreadful ocean of material existence, develop krsna-bhakti, and get Krishna. This is the krpa, mercy, of Sri Guru. The lotus feet of Sri Guru are the abode of pure bhakti, bhakati-sadma. I offer my prayers and respectful obeisances there with utmost care, savadhana mate.

 

One should understand what is sri-guru-carana-padma. The words “sri-guru“ are very significant. “Sri” means sobha, beauty; sampada, transcendental wealth, or asset; and srestha, the topmost. “sri-guru” means that guru who is endowed with sri, with prema-bhakti. The word ‘sri’ is used because there is no question of Sri Guru disappearing or not being manifest. It is only applicable to a guru who is eternally manifest. Otherwise such a word would not be used.

 

The Only Wealth

 

In this world, Sri Guru is the only beauty or asset, wealth. There is nothing else. Carana means feet. Sri-guru-carana-padma — the feet of Sri Guru are compared to the lotus. This is also very significant. Why are his feet compared to the lotus and not to anything else? The lotus flower looks very nice and beautiful, and it also provides very sweet honey, madhu. The bumblebee collects honey from different flowers, but especially from the lotus flower. So what sort of special quality is there in the honey collected from the lotus flower that is not present in the honey collected from other flowers? It is a special type of honey known as padma-madhu. The disciple who is like a bumblebee, who is very hungry and greedy for that honey, relishes it.

 

Mellow of Bhakti

 

Although the lotus flower grows out of the water, it is not touched by it. One of the synonyms for water is rasa, mellow. The feet of Sri Guru are compared to a lotus, but this lotus grows in the transcendental water of bhakti-rasa, the mellow of bhakti. Such are the lotus feet of Sri Guru. His lotus feet are aprakrta, not material, but transcendental. They are bhakati-sadma, the abode of transcendental bhakti-rasa as well as all madhuri, beauty. The lotus looks beautiful to the eye and is very attractive to the heart. Similarly, the shining lotus feet of Sri Guru are very beautiful in the eyes of the disciple and very attractive to his heart. All of the activities, form, qualities, and pastimes of Sri Guru are very beautiful in the eyes of the sadhaka-bhakta. Through the eye of meditation the sadhaka-bhakta sees the beautiful lotus feet of Sri Guru. Upon seeing those lotus feet he feels a soothing effect in his afflicted heart. His heart is afflicted with the three tapas, sufferings: adhyatmika, sufferings arising from one’s own mind and body; adhidaivika, sufferings arising from nature; and adhibhautika, sufferings arising from other living entities. When the disciple meditates on the beautiful lotus feet of Sri Guru he feels a soothing effect and his affliction is cooled down. At the same time he also smells the nice scent that is coming from the lotus feet of Sri Guru, like the scent that comes from the lotus.

 

Cooling Shade

 

The bumblebee wanders everywhere, going to various types of flowers. One type of flower is the ketaki flower. That flower is found in India, but not in the West. The tree on which the ketaki flower grows, like the rose plant, has thousands of thorns. The ketaki flower has a nice scent, and a bumblebee that becomes attracted by the scent from the ketaki flower goes there. But because of the many thorns on the tree his wings become torn and he feels so much pain and affliction. The bumblebee thinks, “Where to go now? Can I get shelter in a place where there is no pain and affliction? Where can I get peace?” After wandering hither and thither, at last he comes to the lotus flower and experiences the cooling, soothing effect there. He takes shelter inside the lotus flower, sucks the sweet honey there, and thus gets nourishment.

 

Similarly, the jiva who is wandering and wandering through the innumerable universes and through the innumerable species of life of this material world — brahmanda bhramite kona bhagyavan jiva (2) — gets only more and more suffering, misery, and torture. There is no cooling effect in the material world, which is like a blazing forest fire — samsara-davanala. Nobody starts the forest fire, but automatically by the rubbing of two pieces of wood the whole forest is burned and the animals that live in the forest are burned to ashes. They feel the burning heat, which is very painful. Similarly, the conditioned souls in this material world feel the burning sensation coming from the three tapas: adhyatmika, adhibhautika, and adhidaivika. After wandering through innumerable universes and innumerable species of life, at last the fortunate soul, bhagyavan jiva, comes to the lotus feet of Sri Guru and takes shelter in the cooling shade there. As the bumblebee sucks honey from the lotus flower, similarly, the guru-.-padma, the lotus feet of Sri Guru, allow that jiva, who is compared to the bumblebee, to suck the nice honey whereby he gets real nourishment and also premananda, loving happiness.

 

Special Type of Honey

 

Padma-madhu, the honey collected from the lotus flower, is a special type of honey. The Ayurveda-sastra says that it is a good medicine for the eye. If someone has some eye disease due to impurities in the eye the kaviraj, ayurvedic doctor, will advise him to rub some padma-madhu in his eyes. Because of these impurities one cannot see clearly and feels pain. Applying some padma-madhu on the eyes will clean out all the impurities and then one will be able to see clearly. Similarly, the guru-.- padma-madhu, the honey emanating from the lotus feet of Sri Guru, is so sweet and nectarean that if a fortunate disciple gets it and relishes it then the disciple’s eyes will be cleansed of the material conception.

 

Eyes of Knowledge

 

om ajnana-timirandhasya jnananjana-salakaya

caksur unmilitam yena tasmai sri-gurave namah

 

"I was born in the dense darkness of ignorance, blind, without real vision. Sri Guru, by his causeless mercy, has opened my eyes with the torchlight of knowledge." (3)

 

For a person who has some painful eye disease, who cannot see well, the kaviraj will advise him to apply some padma-madhu by which the drsti-sakti, the power to see clearly, will develop. Then not only will he get nice eyesight but also he will be able to see even very subtle things that he would otherwise never have been able to see. Similarly, when one takes shelter at the lotus feet of Sri Guru and gets the guru’s mercy, the guru allows the surrendered disciple to taste that sweet honey emanating from the guru’s lotus feet. That is the medicine whereby his material eyes will be cleansed of all material contamination. He develops transcendental vision. He may have been blinded by the dense darkness of ignorance, ajnana-andhakara, but that will all be gone now. The darkness is dispelled and he receives the eyes of knowledge — divya-jnana-caksu. Sri Guru imparts tattva-jnana, and by his mercy the disciple develops transcendental vision. With that vision he will be able to see the beautiful form of the Supreme Lord, Syamasundar. This is the honey, or madhu, emanating from the lotus feet of Sri Guru; it acts in such a wonderful way. Therefore the phrase, ‘sri-guru-carana-padma’ is very significant — the lotus feet of Sri Guru are compared to a lotus. Why is this comparison made and how to explain it?

 

Wonderful Characteristic

 

Padma-madhu cures eye disease and clears out all the impurities from the eye, but it cannot clear the impurities from the heart. However, the honey emanating from the lotus feet of Sri Guru, guru-.-padma-madhu, has such a special and wonderful characteristic that it cures both the eye and the heart. Sri-guru-carana- padma-madhu cleanses and purifies the heart so that it will become a suitable place for Govinda, Krishna, to reside.

 

tomara hrdoye sada govinda-visram

govinda kohena—mora vaisnava paran (4)

 

Narottam Das Thakur sings, “O vaisnava-thakura! Govinda, Krishna, resides in your heart, which is like Vrindavan, the eternal abode of Govinda. He stays there very blissfully and peacefully. He never leaves your heart.” The guru makes the heart of his surrendered disciple a suitable place for Krishna to reside. By giving the disciple shelter at his lotus feet and allowing him to suck that special type of honey, which has that wonderful characteristic, the heart of the surrendered disciple is cleansed.

 

Wandering Hopelessly

 

The conditioned souls are like a diseased person suffering from various kinds of material ills — bhava-rogi. Their disease is very chronic. They have already taken many medicines — allopathic, homeopathic, and ayurvedic — but the disease is still not cured. The disease is incurable and has become chronic. They have already lost their vitality, jivana-sakti, and cannot digest any food. They have taken so many medicines and that has also produced a bad effect. These days you will find so many strong drugs, but what is their effect? They simply result in chronic incurable disease. People lose their vitality and they cannot even eat anything because their digestive fire is very low. How can they survive? They are dying. They cannot eat or digest anything. The kaviraj will advise, “You should only eat one thing — madhu. And especially padma-madhu, the special type of honey from the lotus flower.” He prescribes padma-madhu whereby they will regain their vitality. This honey will give them life. Any other type of food cannot be given, only padma-madhu is advised. Then they can regain their vitality. Such jivas, wandering through innumerable universes and experiencing the miseries of innumerable species of life, have become completely hopeless. They are only getting suffering, so many material ills — bhava-roga. If such persons are fortunate, they will come to the lotus feet of Sri Guru. That guru is like a physician, sadhu-vaidya. He knows the perfect and unfailing medicine to cure the material disease, bhava-roga. He knows the cause of the jiva’s suffering. There is only one medicine, the honey emanating from the lotus feet of Sri Guru — guru-.- padma-madhu. So, as the lotus allows the bumblebee whose wings are torn by the thorns of the ketaki flower to take shelter inside the flower, similarly, the guru allows the disciple to take shelter at his lotus feet. The guru-.-padma, the lotus feet of Sri Guru, gives such hopeless wandering souls shelter and allows them to suck honey, whereby they regain their vitality. The suffering jiva gets nourishment and life there. That is why we say, ‘sri-guru-carana-padma.’ The lotus feet of Sri Guru are compared to a lotus, and not to anything else. This phrase has great significance.

 

Transcendental Nature

 

saksad-dharitvena samasta-sastrair

uktas tatha bhavyata eva sadbhih

 

kintu prabhor yah priya eva tasya

vande guroh sri-caranaravindam

 

"The spiritual master is honored as much as the Supreme Lord because he is the most confidential servitor of the Lord. This is acknowledged in all revealed scriptures and is followed by all authorities. Therefore I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spiritual master, who is a bona fide representative of Sri Hari." (5)

 

Sri Guru is saksad-dharitvena, he is as good as Lord Hari. He does not belong to this material world. He belongs to the spiritual world, Krishna’s world. He comes down here out of his causeless mercy, either voluntarily to deliver the fallen souls or when the Lord sends him. Whether he comes here voluntarily or by the will of the Lord, that guru-.-padma descends here to shower his mercy on the suffering conditioned souls who have been drowning in the dreadful ocean of materialistic existence since time immemorial. That guru-.-padma descends and stays here in the material world. Someone may raise the question, “ This material world is illusory, mayika jagat. The three modes of material nature are here, sattva, raja and tama — goodness, passion, and ignorance. If the guru comes and stays in this material world, will he not be affected by those three modes? How can his transcendental nature remain unaffected in this dreadful ocean of material existence? How does he act here? This is very easy to understand from the example of the lotus flower. The lotus flower lives in the water, but it is not affected. It remains untouched. Similarly, although Sri Guru comes here to this material world, he remains untouched. He is never affected by the three modes of material nature. Therefore the feet of Sri Guru are compared to a lotus. The bumblebee that comes to the lotus that is in the water and takes shelter inside that lotus is also untouched by the water. Similarly, the fortunate soul who has taken shelter at the lotus feet of Sri Guru will never be afraid of this material world. Just as the lotus gives shelter to the bumblebee and protects him from being touched by the water, so the disciple who takes shelter at the lotus feet of Sri Guru will not be affected by the material nature. This is the lotus feet of Sri Guru.

 

Intense Desire

 

Another point is there. When the sun rises the lotus blossoms, and when the sun sets the petals of the lotus close. Similarly, the petals of the guru-.-padma will open when it sees the intense desire and crying in the heart of the suffering soul to go back to Godhead and get Krishna. This crying for bhakti is like the rising of the sun.

 

When the sun sets the petals of the lotus close. Similarly, a disciple who has developed an intense and burning desire in his heart has come to the guru and received shelter. But many times we see that later on that disciple loses his bhakti-vrtti, his devotional engagement. Because of committing some offense like nama- aparadha or vaisnava-aparadha he loses his bhakti-vrtti. His bhakti becomes shrunken and he does not carry out the orders of the guru or hear the guru’s message. He is avoiding or disobeying his guru. When the sun sets, the petals of the lotus close. Similarly, the guru disappears from the vision of that disciple.

 

Always Manifest

 

Of course, for one who has made advancement and developed some taste for this transcendental mellow, this is not applicable. It is only applicable to neophytes who have not yet made much advancement and who have not developed any taste for this mellow. If such a devotee commits some aparadha and associates with offenders and materialistic persons, if he does not do real sadhu-sanga, then the sun will never rise. He will disobey the order of the guru and violate his instructions. The guru-.-padma will disappear from such a disciple who is acting according to his own whims. This is not applicable for advanced devotees who have developed taste for this transcendental mellow. They cannot leave it because it has become their life and soul. They cannot survive without it. For such a disciple the guru-.-padma will never disappear. He is always with the guru and the guru is always with him. In all conditions he is engaged in the loving service of guru-.-padma. He is a nisthapara-bhakta, who has achieved at least the minimum stage of nistha. For such a very advanced devotee who has developed a taste — meaning he has come to the minimum stage of nistha, or beyond that like ruci, asakti or bhava — for him there is no question of disappearance of the guru. He is with guru. The guru never disappears from him. He always sees and realizes the presence of his guru. For that bhakta the guru is always manifest, the guru will never leave him. But for one who has not achieved the stage of nistha the apprehension is there that if he commits some aparadha or violates the guru’s instructions the guru may disappear from his vision. That means the sun will set and the petals of the lotus will close.

 

Crying is Required

 

The sisya or sadhaka should always cry for guru-krpa, the causeless mercy of the guru. Unless you cry for it you cannot get it. Nobody can get that mercy without crying. For example, when the child cries, the mother runs, thinking, “Oh, my child is crying.” The child cannot be pacified by anything without the mother’s presence. Because she is engaged in performing household duties the mother may give the child a toy or a doll to play with, but the child will throw down that toy or doll and cry and cry. So unless you cry, how can you get that mercy? This crying is required — karuna na hoile, kandiya kandiya, prana na rakhibo ara. Therefore we sing this song. We must cry and cry for the mercy of guru. Unless you cry how can you get it? Those who have cried have received the mercy.

 

gurudeva!

 

krpa-bindu diya, koro’ ei dase, trnapekha ati hina

sakala-sahane, bolo diya koro nija mane sprha-hina

 

sakale samman, korite sakati, deho’ natha! jathajatha

tabe to’ gaibo, harinama-sukhe, aparadha ha’be hata

 

kabe heno krpa, lobhiya e jana, krtartha hoibe, natha!

sakti-buddhi-hin, ami ati din, koro’ more atma-satha

 

jogyata-vicare, kichu nahi pai, tomara karuna sara

karuna na hoile, kandiya kandiya, prana na rakhibo ara

 

"Gurudeva! By a drop of your mercy make this servant of yours more humble than a blade of grass. Give me strength to bear all trials and troubles, and free me from all desires for personal honor.

 

O lord and master! Invest me with the power to properly honor all living beings. Only then will I sing the holy name in great ecstasy and will all my offenses cease.

 

O lord and master! When will this person be blessed by obtaining your mercy? I am low, fallen, and devoid of all strength and intelligence. Please make me your beloved servant.

 

When I examine myself, I find nothing of good value. Your mercy is therefore essential to me. If you are not merciful, I will constantly weep, and I will not maintain my life any longer." (6)

 

This is our prayer. This weeping or crying is required. Unless the child cries the mother will not run and the child cannot get the mother’s breast. Similarly, unless you cry how can you get the darsana of Sri Guru? When the child cries the mother runs to him. Similarly, although the guru may be in some other part of the world, when the disciple cries the guru runs there. Sri Guru is karuna-maya, he is causelessly merciful. Thus whether he is manifest or unmanifest he gives darsana to his disciple. He may also come in a dream to give his darsana. This guru-tattva is nitya-tattva — an eternal transcendental tattva. It is eternally prakata, manifest. It is not aprakata, unmanifest. There is no question of guru-tattva becoming unmanifest. This sri-guru-carana is inconceivable. It cannot be understood through one’s material knowledge, intelligence, or merit.

 

References

 

1) Sri Guru Vandana from Srila Narottam Das Thakur's Prema-bhakti-candrika.

2) Cc. madhya 19.151.

3) Gautamiya Tantra.

4) Vaisnava Vijnapti from Prarthana.

5) Srila Viswanath Chakravarti Thakur, Gurv-astaka, verse 7.

6) Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur, Saranagati.

 

[Guest guest]

Although I have found some useful elements in your posts, I find it difficult to understand what you are trying to express through the dissertations, etc. of others. I am especially perplexed by your first post - the interview. I am very grateful that you have spent time and effort responding to my post, but I'm wondering if you would be so kind as to express your opinion regarding my question.

[Dayala 0]

The last post was from Dayala. I guess I wasn't logged in when I went to post. Sorry for any confusion

[Dayala 0]

Thank you Theist for this sage advice. Interestingly, I have done some of this already. The more I read, the more I am really drawn to her. But I will continue my research.

[Guest guest]

Dayala,

 

I am curious as to what she teaches as the ultimate goal of life. This is a very important point. We all must have a clear understanding of what our own goals are and then we can choose to follow a teacher who can lead us there.

 

For instance we are all frustrated with material life. It just doesn't satisfy us. So we then seek a higher way of life, a more substantial view of reality. Our disadvantage is from our present perspective we cannot see very clearly the nature of that reality.

 

I have learned that we can understand the the Supreme Absolute Reality (God) in three features basically. One is as the impersonal formless all pervasive light, which resides everywhere and within everyone.We call that light Brahman.

 

The second as the Personal source of that light who resides within the heart of everyone and everything,or the Supersoul. As the Supersoul the Lord sees and directs everything and everyone while remaining aloof. That Brahman is one of His energies. He is the energetic. So from this level both the impersonal light and the personal source of that light are appreciated.

 

Even beyond this there is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whom we call Krishna. He is God in the fullest and sweetest manifestation of Himself. He resides in the world of spiritual form, that we call the Spiritual Sky. (The spiritual light that pervades us all is the effulence or aura of the Lord and the spiritual sky). This is the summum bonum of spiritual realization, to have a relationship with Him.

 

Those that choose to enter only into the spiritual light, or Brahman, lose awarness of their own individuality and also that of God's, so no relationship is possible. It is actually only a cessation of suffering. The best option would be to develop a relationship with the Personality of Godhead. From that position we can still appreciate the impersonal light but in addition we gain so much more, a positive relationship with Krishna, and one that is characterized by an ever increasing bliss that comes from that loving relationship.

 

This is a very important distiction of goals and I feel it would be best to take as much time as needed to fully contemplate this before selecting a guru.

 

Please stay with us here. We are all just struggling souls who are trying to get home and we welcome the company.

 

Hare Krishna

[theist 1]

also wasn't logged in

[Dayala 0]

Well, in answer to your question Theist, what she teaches is love and service to others. She is specifically a Bhakti person, although she emphasizes in her teachings that you can't have Bhakti without Jnana, and her work seems to be Karmic.

 

I would post her website here, but I'm not sure how that would be received by administration.

 

I will heed your advice, but I think she is the right guru for me. It's kind of like when you're in love, I think, and the know you've found ther person you want to marry and spend the rest of your life with. But I have not met her yet, and I will take my time as suggested.

 

What you say about having a personal relationship with Krishna confuses me somewhat. Although Jnana yoga annoys me somewhat, I am from the Advaitist camp and I believe that God is one. Therefore theoretically I am not separate from Krishna (IMO). Having a personal relationships with Krishna seems to be a more dualist idea. I don't quite know how to synthesize these two ideas. But maybe the ideas are not even separate and I have misunderstood.

 

Theist, it looks like you're becoming my posting buddy /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[Guest guest]

when the time is right for one, a genuine guru automatically comes to one, and one easily accept him/her.

 

when parikshit majaraj sat at the banks of ganga to figure what best to do, knowing that he was going to die in 7 days,

sukadev gaswami just came naturally there, and parikshit accepted him as his guru.

 

for most people however, they need to use their intelligence and faith combined to select a guru.

one can take guidance from scriputres or sadhus that describe the characteristics of a genuine guru.

 

the faith, intelligence, and the background of each person is different. consequently each will make a choice differently. this also means a guru for one may not be a best guru for another.

 

if one whats to get a masters degree in math, one does not directly go to a university and to a professor who teaches the final highrest math course. one has to go through high school under 12 or more gurus to prepare himself to be able to understand 4-6 different gurus in college.

 

The same is true in spiritual life.

if you are just a toddler-devotee, you need a guru who walks. if you walk, you need a guru who runs. when you learn runnning, you need a guru who flies. when you learn to fly, you need a guru who already has flown at god. i hope you get the idea. guru can be changed when you reach guru's level or lost faith in him/her.

 

what is important is that one needs to choose a sampradaya to follow, and then take guru from that sampradaya according to one's advanceement. to take a guru in x sampradyay, and then take another guru in y sampradaya would really confuse and waste time of life. however, some learn like that - hard way.

 

yes, there is some risk in accepting a guru.

 

genuine gurus usually are not eager to make you a disciple.

if you find a person is after women, wine, meat or gambling, or sense gratifications, then he is a fake guru.

 

hope this helps.

 

jai sri krishna!

 

[Dayala 0]

thank you for this good advice.

 

what is sampradaya????

[theist 1]

Well, in answer to your question Theist, what she teaches is love and service to others. She is specifically a Bhakti person, although she emphasizes in her teachings that you can't have Bhakti without Jnana, and her work seems to be Karmic.<<

 

Many people use the term bhakti but sometimes the meaning varys greatly. Some people teach that bhakti is practical for this age because we are all not so sharp. But what they mean by bhakti is that eventually you will merge into you worshipful deity and realize that you are that deity yourself and that deity is also everything or the impersonal Brahman.

 

The Krsna devotees are teaching somthing very different and speak of bhakti as something that begins in full purity after we have achieved basic self realization.

 

One sees bhakti as a means to a different end,simple liberation. The other sees the practice of bhakti as the means to pure bhakti or loving devotion to the Supreme Lord Sri Krsna.

 

Groups often use similar terms but with very different meanings.

 

>>I would post her website here, but I'm not sure how that would be received by administration.<<

 

That's ok. I'm curious now and will do a google search to learn something more. I think this is the "hugging saint," right?

 

>>I will heed your advice, but I think she is the right guru for me. It's kind of like when you're in love, I think, and the know you've found ther person you want to marry and spend the rest of your life with. But I have not met her yet, and I will take my time as suggested.<<

 

This makes me want to strengthen my caution to you to be careful. You see i have found my eternal soul mate at least three times when i was younger.I was so sure each time. Hmmm...? I wonder where they are now? /images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

>>What you say about having a personal relationship with Krishna confuses me somewhat. Although Jnana yoga annoys me somewhat, I am from the Advaitist camp and I believe that God is one. Therefore theoretically I am not separate from Krishna (IMO). Having a personal relationships with Krishna seems to be a more dualist idea. I don't quite know how to synthesize these two ideas. But maybe the ideas are not even separate and I have misunderstood.<<

 

Lord Caitanya taught a combination simultaneous oneness and difference. Advaita is incomplete realization. Dualism persists even after attaining a realization of oneness. they don't cancel each other out but rather compliment each other.

 

The fact is there is a Supreme Lord and he has His own personal existence and awareness. Since we have come from Him and are therefore of the same quality there is oneness.But the fact remains that we came from him and not He from us. The example I heard and seems the most clear to me is the one of the sun and the sunrays. Krishna is the Supreme Sun, the original. And like the sun He radiates so many countless photons. We are the photons and we are unlimited and all pervading. Together we are one and can be said to make up God. Yet which photon would dare to call himself the sun. There is still only one sun, unlimited photons, but one sun. He is the chief eternal amongst all eternals.

 

Others here can speak to this more specifically and offer detailed scriptural references. That has never been my strong suit.

 

>>Theist, it looks like you're becoming my posting buddy <<

 

Good. I always appreciate a new friend. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

Are you chantng Hare Krsna any?

[Guest guest]

Taking a real guru is not child's play. Take your time and examine the guru in question thoroughly.

[Dayala 0]

for that very clear and concise response

[Dayala 0]

>>>>>That's ok. I'm curious now and will do a google search to learn something more. I think this is the "hugging saint," right?<<<<<

 

Yes, she is the hugging saint. You should find her website very easily.

 

>>>>>This makes me want to strengthen my caution to you to be careful. You see i have found my eternal soul mate at least three times when i was younger.I was so sure each time. Hmmm...? I wonder where they are now?<<<<<

 

Hmmm . . . different situation for me entirely.

 

>>>>>The fact is there is a Supreme Lord and he has His own personal existence and awareness. Since we have come from Him and are therefore of the same quality there is oneness. But the fact remains that we came from him and not He from us. The example I heard and seems the most clear to me is the one of the sun and the sunrays. Krishna is the Supreme Sun, the original. And like the sun He radiates so many countless photons. We are the photons and we are unlimited and all pervading. Together we are one and can be said to make up God. Yet which photon would dare to call himself the sun. There is still only one sun, unlimited photons, but one sun. He is the chief eternal amongst all eternals.<<<<<

 

Wow, brilliant analogy Theist. So tell me something more. If I believe what you have just said, does that mean I'm not really an Advaitist? If not, what am I?

 

>>>>>Are you chantng Hare Krsna any?<<<<<

 

Not officially chanting the Maha Mantra, but the only music I listen to really is Bhajans and Mantras and I sing along often. I listen to lots of Krishna Das (who inspired me to explore Hinduism in the first place) and he has a lot of the Maha Mantra on his CDs. Officially, with prayer beads, I am chanting the Gayatri Mantra.

 

[Dayala 0]

O.K., I have re-read your post about Bhakti, etc. and I am so utterly and totally confused that I don't even know how to ask to right questions.

 

Can you please explain to me in the simplest terms possible: What is the difference between Hinduism and Krishna Consciousness?

 

Sorry to make you repeat yourself.

[theist 1]

O.K., I have re-read your post about Bhakti, etc. and I am so utterly and totally confused that I don't even know how to ask to right questions.<<

 

Sorry, I often have that affect on people. /images/graemlins/confused.gif /images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

>>Can you please explain to me in the simplest terms possible: What is the difference between Hinduism and Krishna Consciousness?<<

 

I can't easily understand or explain the term Hinduism. So many different philosphies seem to take shelter of that umbrella. From polytheism to monism to monotheism to god knows what else, all claim to be Hindu's, so I try to avoid the term.

 

Ammachi appears to be a monist."all is one, all are God" etc. with no distinctions made. This I choose to avoid.

 

Krsna consciousness is the highest form of theism. To be Krsna Conscious would be to see Krsna everywhere and in and as everything simultaneously.To see ourselves as both one with Him and simultaneously distinct from Him. He is the one enjoyer and all others are the enjoyed. And further, to relate to Him as the Suprem Person and have Him relate back to you as a person. To have a reciprocal loving relationship with God.

 

These questions are addressed on every page of A.C. Bhaktivedanta's books. That is why I really recommend his translation and purports to the Gita.

 

Vaisnavism is the natural funtion or state of the awakened soul. Where one is eternaly fixed in loving devotion to the Supreme Lord. This is relationship. Not that one conceives of God in some imaginary form and then merges into the formless light eventualy through that form. Krsna accepts our love and reciprocates in kind. The advanced devotees actual experience this on the eternal platform.

 

Right from the beginning when searching for guru it is important to pray to the Caitya-guru for direction. That is the Lord in the heart who will guide us and instruct us. Now we can't hear Him so well, but He hears us and will guide us to His representative in this world. He teaches us from within and without in this fashion.

 

This mantra which I am sure you know is for everyone and there is no need to wait to begin chanting it.

 

Hare Krsna Hare Krsna

Krsna Krsna Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama

Rama Rama Hare Hare

 

We take this mantra from Caitanya Mahaprabhu and repeat it as much as possible. This chanting will clear up all misconceptions in due course.

 

[Guest guest]

Who is God?

God is the mother/father of everyone in this world yet God does not have a mother/father. Only He is God, who is accepted by everyone in this world as his/her mother & father. That is his form must be acceptable to everyone in this world.

 

Then in that sense can anyone in the form of a Human being be God? No. Because if one shows a picture of Hindu Deity

to a Christian/Muslim would he accept it as God. No. Would

a Hindu accept Christ as God. No.

 

Then What is the form of God:

Form of God is that he is DivineLight(this form is

accepted by all religions in the world).

 

Then who are the dieties in the human form?

They are perfect human beings without any defects.

God is creator of dieties in other words there is a

Creator called God whose creation is a perfect world

& where dieties used to live. God is the highest of all

and there is no one higher than him.

 

That is all there is to know of God. The only thing remaining is to experience Him and his lovely company by considering yourself to be a worthy child of God. By doing so one can be a Diety - a perfect human.