Not by vote! Last Instruction of Srimad BHakti Dayit Madhav Goswami Maharaj.

Instructions for the Math after His departure

"I have registered the Math. The Math is no one's personal property. But that doesn't mean that I am going to leave this place a mess, with everyone in charge. I have therefore devised a management scheme, which is necessary for the proper running of the Math after I am gone. One person will be named Acharya; he will be the headman or president.

When I am gone, one person will take my place. Who will that be? My spiritual master did not like the idea that there should be a vote to decide the matter. To elect an acharya is not in accordance with the principles of Hari bhakti. God himself will decide who is the acharya. The acharya is the person who is most dear to the Lord. Who will make that decision? The proper arrangement is when the Lord himself says, 'This person is the one who is most dear to me.' Therefore the rule of the disciplic succession is that the choice should come from above. The correct process is that the order should be given from higher up. From the worldly point of view, everyone can get together to elect a leader, but the correct process is that the Lord himself indicates which devotee is filled with love for him, and he makes him the acharya. This is the process approved by scripture.

When Srila Prabhupada was ill, he asked the solicitor, Mr. J. N. Basu, to write up a constitution. We heard that the constitution could be made according to one of two methods, by nomination or by election. Finally, the constitution was written according to the latter method. But Srila Prabhupada did not like it and he rejected it. I and two or three others were personally present when it happened. You cannot decide who is a sadhu, an acharya or realized soul by taking a vote on the matter. Someone will say one thing, another something else and the debate will simply go on. Therefore the proper method is that the Lord himself will choose which person should be honored with the position of acharya. The scripture enjoins us to respect this process.

This process is not followed only in the Gaudiya sampradaya; it can be seen in every Vaishnava sampradaya, the Ramanuja, Madhva, Nimbarka and Vishnusvami lines. This is the way that the disciplic succession is maintained. Therefore, the process ordained in the disciplic succession must be followed. I have therefore discussed with my senior godbrothers who are a part of the Gaudiya Math brotherhood, and I have decided to make Sriman Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha my successor and president in my absence....

When I have gone, that does not give you all an excuse to behave just as you please. The defining characteristic of a Vaishnava is following a devotee. The Lord's blessings follow the blessings of the devotee. When a devotee is merciful to someone, the Lord's mercy follows. This is the essence of my instruction to you, please follow it. I have written about this in more detail elsewhere.

It will not be correct if you try to expel someone from the Math as soon as there is some discord. That will result in chaos. You must first try to explain and clarify the situation. If that still doesn't work, then give the devotee some money and a letter and send him to another Math. Do not act impetuously, but try to work together by following the person who has been made leader. It is not proper to ignore his commands and to do as one pleases. One has to follow the directions of the temple commanders. All his commands are given for the service of the Lord, bear that in mind."

Who will come?

Generally people think that they should get some benefit from their activities. "If we engage our sense organs by hearing about Krishna, by speaking about Krishna, by remembering Krishna, what benefit will we get?" Here tonight, several devotees have attended, and in other places we see that the number attending may be less. But, if we were to announce in the streets that each person who attended a class here in Stanley Halls to hear a talk from a devotee and to chant the Holy Name would be given $1,000, how many people do you think would come then? You would have to call the police because so many people would become devotees for two hours. They would earn $1,000 and consider their time well spent. There would be no empty space in this room. But if you were to announce that if they were to come to hear saints from India and be rescued from the clutches of maya, from the entanglement in worldly, non-eternal things and go to the Lotus Feet of the Supreme Lord, they would not come. "What is this? They would say, "If we go there, they should give us something." They would not come. Everybody is thinking of how to make efficient use of his time - and time is money. It should not be utilised without any purpose. This is the mentality.

--- His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Goswami Maharaj

The Nature of the Guileless Servant of Sri Guru by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada

The Nature of the Guileless Servant of Sri Guru

by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada

Question 1: What is the nature of the guileless servant of sri guru?

Answer: Were a servant of sri guru truly selfless, he would consider sri guru to be devatatma – that is, he would consider him to be [non-different from] the Supreme Lord (devata) and the one person truly worthy of his love and affection (dear like his own atma). And he would always foster the conception, or belief, that “Srila Gurudeva is my eternal master, and I am his eternal servant.” Service to sri guru would be his very life; it would be his ornament and his existence.

He knows nothing but sri guru. Under all circumstances – while he is sleeping or dreaming or eating or engaged in bhajana – he is always thinking of sri gurudeva, taking his guidance and following in his footsteps. He knows that sri gurudeva, who is very dear to Sri Krsna, is completely independent and is isvara-vastu – an entity non-different from the Supreme Controller, Sri Bhagavan.

I pray that whether or not Srila Gurudeva accepts my service, as I am unqualified, I shall always remain present to render service exclusively to him by all means – through my mind, body and words. If he rejects me, I shall know that I am unqualified, but Srila Gurudeva is truth. So, my sole prayer is this: may temporary sensual pleasures never distract me from serving Srila Gurudeva, who is the eternal truth; may they not make me averse to serving him – not even for a second – may Srila Gurudeva mercifully accept my service; and may I never fall into bad association and thus be deprived of his association.

Although I am unqualified, my sole recourse is the fact that he is especially compassionate to those who are the most unqualified. Thus, with the hope of receiving his causeless compassion, my greed to engage in his service increases more and more.

Quem vai acreditar???

Quem vai acreditar que Deus, o criador de tudo e de todos, brinca e mendiga o amor das vaqueiras de uma simples vila?? Que Deus, o onipotente criador do universo, brinca de luta com seu amigos vaqueiros e quando perde é obrigado a carrega-los no ombro?? Que o mesmo Narayana pai de Brahma recebe castigo de sua mãe Yashoda?? Quem vai acreditar? Que o Senhor Supremo, o mesmo Allah, Jeovah, javeh, Khuda etc.. vive roubando yourgute na casa dos seus vizinhos e quando não acha nada dá um puxão de orelha nos bebês e os fazem chorar? De fato, nem mesmo o poderoso, o primeiro ser criado Brahmaji pôde compreender quem era a criança que andava descalço em Vraj e matava vários demônios .... Quem vai acreditar?? é dito ... sant sanga prapyate pumbhih sukrtaih purva sancitah ... "Aqueles que performaram muitas atividades devocionais(sukriti) (sabendo ou não) em milhões de vidas ao longo da sua jornada no mundo material, estes créditos condenssaram e o levou aos pés de lótus de um sad-guru fidedigno. Alí ele começa a praticar devoção pura á este vaqueirinho que na verdade é a Suprema Personalidade de Deus-parabrahman e se torna feliz e auto satisfeito"