Srila BV Narayana Maharaja 1998.12.27 Perth, Jiva Goswami and Introducto...

A poem to my Divine Master.

1                            

                                                                                                                                                                                  My Divine Master! Coming from the central lótus petals of the spiritual world (Goloka Vrindavan), you have enchanted all the universe with your transcendental sweetness. With your powerful hari-katha (divine instructions from Goloka), you enthroned suddha bhakti as the only means to attain the Supreme destination and you have stolen millions and millions of hearts with your supra-mundane love and affection. For  Srila Swami Maharaj´s disciples, you act like a bhakti-revival in their lives, and you gave them the ‘second wave of love’. For your own disciples you act like a father, mother and protector, and you have cleared  all the inauspicious things of this world, just like a sun coming in the morning. In this way you are the personification of the most elevated theistic conception –vraja-prema.

 2

Oh my Divine Master! The words (vani) coming from your lótus mouth in the form of the most sweet hari katha, have changed many , many souls - actually they became like street beggars by the influence of your powerful instructions. Fully detached, you came to western countries to preach the glories of Sriman Mahaparabhu and Radha Govinda and even with so many obstacles , you were supremely successful in your unbelievable efforts. You have estabilished that raga-marga is the only way by which  Krishna can be controlled , only by  spontaneous love and affection. Oh Radha-priya ! (who is the most dear to Radhika) In your transcendental form in krishna-lila as Ramana-manjari, you satisfy the most intimate desires of the Divine Couple. You  are the personification of  amorous service to Srimati Radhika and the ideal preacher of the Rupanuga Sampradaya. Never before has any Acharya preached so much and  so freely the glories of Radhika as you did and it was done by the direct order of Radharani. The universe now is eternally endebted to you Srila Gurudev . You were blessed by your transcendental potency  to bring the most high conception of devotion to the world (sva-bhakti-sriyam).

3

Oh my saintly Master. Your resplendent and powerful form (murti) enchants even demi-gods like Shiva and Brahma. Your blue eyes exceed the charm of the most beautiful and valuable diamond. With yours long arms extending to your knees and your strong chest,  you came in this world as the most powerful Acharya of this millennium. Your nose shames the beauty of the lotus and your bodily effulgence puts to shame the beauty of the full moon. Your sweet nature makes millions and millions of bee- like devotees , come to taste the mellows of the ambrosial divine instructions and narrations of Yugala Kishora Kishori. Such is the glory of your transcendental form,  in all ways similar to the form of jagad Guru Srila Prabhupada Sarasvati Thakur. Following the footsteps of your Master , Srila Bhakti Prajnana Keshav Goswami Maharaj (who was the most intimate disciple of Prabhupad) , ‘the lion-like Acharya ’, you also have destroyed the elephants in the form of the sahajism and erroneous concepts within Gaudiya sampradaya , and roaming like a lion in the every part of the globe, you have protected the purity of Mahaprabhu´s message of love. Oh Gurudev! You are also the personification of  Sad-Guru , " sweet like a flower and grave like a storm.” All the world has seen that.

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Oh Jagad Guru ! (Guru of the universe) .You have received the title  “Guru of the Millennium” – Yuga Acharya. Even devotees from others religions and sects recognize your saintly conduct and saw the Lord in you. Ornamented with all excellent and transcendental qualities of the Supreme Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, not a single person did not recognize your supreme position in the religious circle. With your impeccable character and honesty, you acted with no trace of duplicity and diplomacy in your divine preaching. With so much love and affection for your sons and daughters, even a few moment before you departed from this mortal world, you said , with tears in your eyes, and effulgent with Radharani and Mahaprabhu golden color, “Now my heart has become like the ocean. Millions and millions of  waves of affection come and go in my heart. These waves are due to the love and affection I am feeling for Mahaprabhu, Radha Govinda and for my disciples, sons and daughters”. Such affection coming from you now, is our only pride and hope that will be necessary to surpass all the difficulties and obstacles in our lives ,  now deprived of your divine presence. Praying to eternally serve you with all determination and energy, this fallen soul holds your lotus feet  , hoping that one single drop of mercy and compassion comes on my head. May your words inspire many , many  future generations , that your name be glorified with golden letters in all worlds and universes, forever ….

"Tomem bastante cuidado" Srila Gurudev B.V.Narayan Goswami Maharaj

Srila Gurudev Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayan Goswami Maharaj, Alemanha 2007.

   Sadhana Bhakti, a prática da devoção a Sri Krishna, é de dois tipos; 1- vaidhi bhakti e 2- raganuga bhakti. O que é vaidhi bhakti?

Yatra-ragan-avaptatvat-pravrttir-upajayate
sasanenaiva-sastrasya-sa vaidha bhaktir ucyate

   “Na ausência de atração ou serviço amoroso espontâneo a Deus, quando alguém se engaja no serviço a Deus simplesmente por obediência à ordem do mestre espiritual ou das escrituras, tal serviço obrigatório é chamado de vaidhi bhakti” (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.2.6)

Hoje em dia, especialmente nos países Europeus e na Rússia (hoje comum também no Brasil) os devotos pensam que são muito ‘rasika’ (pensam que estão saboreando o néctar da doçura do amor a Radha Krishna). Eles querem saborear as doçuras espirituais. Eles querem ir de uma vez até o topo da árvore de prema (amor puro por Deus). Eles apenas querem o mais elevado e extático amor devocional situado apenas em Srimati Radhika. Eles não querem seguir vaidhi bhakti. Eles não gostam de vaidhi bhakti.

   Esta ideia é muito perigosa, sejam cuidadosos com isto. Aqueles que têm estas ideias são tolos- sahajiyas (imitadores).

   Vemos alguns sahajiyas no Radha Kunda e em Vrindavan. Eles dão o que eles chamam de ‘siddha deha’ para qualquer um, até mesmo para aqueles que não sabem limpar as mãos depois de defecar. Tais sahajiyas não tem nenhum conhecimento; eles são muito tolos. Eles concedem o assim chamado ‘siddha deha’ a seus discípulos de diz a eles: “Agora, você é uma manjari de Vrindavan. Você está servindo Radha e Krishna lá.” Pessoas desqualificadas que aceitam esta ideia, mantêm jovens mulheres viúvas junto a eles e artificialmente saboreiam ‘parakiya bhav’ com estas mulheres e então eles geram muitos filhos. (Verdadeiro parakiya bhav é o amor extraconjugal entre Sri Krishna e as Gopis)

   Você compreende o significado? Isto é muito perigoso. I tenho alertado todos os meus discípulos- brahmacharis, sannyassis e todos os outros- seja bastante cuidadoso nisto.

   Sri Krishna nos explicou sobre a natural tendência deste mundo, em todas as entidades vivas, até mesmo nas cobras, asnos e macacos. Ele especialmente explicou a Uddhava que o burro (asno) é chutado pelas duras patas da jumenta enquanto a persegue para atuar sexualmente.

   O porco comedor de fezes é outro exemplo da indulgência sexual descontrolada, assim como a cabra e o cabrito. Até mesmo quando o cabrito está a caminho do matadouro para ser morto, se ele vê uma cabra, ele sem vergonha alguma deseja fazer sexo com ela. Isto é impressionante, ele quer fazer sexo até mesmo na hora da morte. Devemos ser muito cautelosos com isto. Mulheres devem ser cautelosas com os homens e os homens devem ser cautelosos com as mulheres. Tome cuidado com isto.

      Quando alguém não possui atração espontânea por Krishna e não está completamente absorta em Seu serviço, ela pode ler nas escrituras que ela deve se engajar em devoção por Krishna, e que se ela não fizer isto, irá ao inferno. E então, se ele engaja sua mente em bhakti devido á este medo, suas atividades devocionais recebe o nome de vaidhi bhakti.

   O que é raga? Raga refere ao amor por Krishna que está presente nos corações dos residentes de Golok Vrindavan- em Subala e Sudama, em Nanda Baba e Yashoda Maiya e especialmente em Lalita, Vishaka e Srimati Radhika. Raga significa apego espontâneo a Sri Krishna. É o amor com o qual os residentes de Vraja serve Krishna e O controla. Isto se chama raga e a pessoa que possui isto é chamada de ragatmika.

   Alguém pode desenvolver ânsia por seguir estes ragatmikas associados de Sri Krishna por ouvir o Srimad Bhagavatam de um Guru ou Vaishnava fidedigno e então desejar servir assim como Subala, Sridama ou como Mãe Yashoda.

Nandah-kim-akarod-brahman
sreya-evam-mahodayam
yasoda-va-maha-bhaga
papau yasyah stanam harih

 “Ó brahmana, que atividades piedosas Nanda Maharaj realizou para ter recebido a Suprema Personalidade de Deus Krishna como seu filho, e quais atividades Mãe Yashoda realizou para que a Suprema Personalidade de Deus Krishna a chamasse de “mãe” e tomasse leite em seus seios?” (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.8.46)

   Quais atividades piedosas Nanda Baba executou? Quão afortunada é Mãe Yashoda! Krishna, que é o Deus Supremo, bebeu leite dos seios de Mãe Yashoda. Alguém pode querer servir Krishna como ela, e mais que isso; como as gopis. Krishna disse às gopis:

Na-paraye-’ham-niravadya-samyujam
sva-sadhu-krtyam-vibudhayusapi-vah
ya-mabhajan-durjara-geha-srnkhalam
samvrscya tad vah pratiyatu sadhuna

   Eu não sou capaz de pagar minha dívida para com o seu serviço imaculado até mesmo durante uma vida de Brahma. Sua conexão comigo está além de qualquer censura. Você tem me adorado, jogando fora todos os nós domésticos os quais são difíceis de serem quebrados. Assim sendo, por favor, deixe que suas gloriosas atividades sejam sua recompensa.”  (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.32.22)

   Krishna considerou: “Não posso pagar a minha dívida com as gopis, porque elas deixaram tudo por mim. Elas abandonaram seus maridos e crianças, suas riquezas e seus interesses pelo corpo e seus ornamentos. Elas deixaram tudo por mim”.

   Ele disse a elas: “Eu não posso renunciar ninguém da mesma forma que vocês renunciaram a todos, simplesmente por mim. Não posso lhes pagar por isso. Vocês podem ser pagas apenas pelas suas boas qualidades”.

Ouvindo isto, as gopis respondem: “Ó Krishna, você aceita que está endividado conosco- gopis. Por dizer isto a nós, Você saiu vitorioso e nós fomos derrotadas”.

O verso seguinte revela um sentimento ainda maior de devoção a Krishna:

Anayaradhito-nunam
bhagavan-harir-isvarah
yan-o-vihaya-govindah
prito yam anayad rahah

   “Certamente esta gopi em particular adorou perfeitamente o Todo Poderoso Controlador Supremo (Iswara). Assim sendo, Govinda estava tão satisfeito com Ela que Ele abandonou todas nós e a levou até um local recluso.” (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.30.28)

   Srimati Radhika é a amada suprema de Krishna como exemplificado pelo fato Dele ter deixado todas as outras gopis durante a dança de rasa e ter se retirado com Ela. Certamente Ela satisfez o Senhor Supremo, por cuja misericórdia, Krishna é muito feliz com Ela.

   Se alguém declara ter um desejo intenso pelo serviço a Srimati Radhika ou o serviço como os outros residentes de Vrindavan, também deve haver alguns sintomas visíveis. Se alguém realmente vê ou associa com Srimati Radhika, esta pessoa não poderá permanecer neste mundo. Narad (no estágio de bhav bhakti) teve apenas um vislumbre do Seu Senhor Narayan e então o Senhor desapareceu e disse: “Eu nunca concedo esta visão a aqueles que não são puros.” Então, como é possível que uma alma condicionada possa ver Radhika?”

    Devemos saber todas estas verdades.

Sastroktaya-prabalaya-tat-tan-maryadayanvita
vaidhi bhaktiriyam kaiscin maryada-marga ucyate

 “Serviço devocional governado pelas regras e regulações das escrituras é também chamado de maryada-marga, ou o reverencial caminho da devoção, o caminho do serviço a Deus em opulência”. (B.R.S. Purva-vibhaga 2.269)

   Srila Vallabhacharya tem explicado sobre a etiqueta e regulação devocional (maryada). O Srimad Bhagavatam nos dá esta instrução; ouvir, cantar, lembrar, servir os pés de lótus do Senhor, adorar, orar, se tornar um servo do Senhor, se tornar amigo dele, e render tudo a Ele (Deus), constitui as nove práticas do processo de vaidhi-bhakti.

   Há também as cinco práticas principais de bhakti que são as mais importantes; sadhu-sanga- associar com os devotos, escutar o Srimad Bhagavat, viver em Mathura, cantar os santos nomes e adorar a deidade com firme fé e veneração.

   Se seguirmos estas práticas sem ofensa, vamos alcançar prema-bhakti (amor puro transcendental por Sri Krishna) muito em breve.

   Bhava Bhakti é muito elevado, como podemos ver pelos seus sintomas:

Ksantir-avyartha-kalatvam
viraktir-mana-sunyata
asa-bandhah-samutkantha
nama-gane sada rucih

asaktis-tad-gunakhyane-pritis-tad-vasati-sthale
ity-adayo-'nubhavah-syur-jata-bhavankure jane

 “Quando a semente dos sentimentos extáticos a Krishna se frutifica, os seguintes nove sintomas manifestam no comportamento do devoto: perdão, entendimento que o tempo não deve ser desperdiçado, desapego, ausência de falso prestígio, esperança, determinação, prazer em cantar os santos nomes de Deus, apego às descrições das transcendentais qualidades de Deus e afeição pelos lugares onde Deus reside- templo ou lugar sagrado como Vrindavan. Estes sintomas são chamados de anubhav ou sinais subordinados da emoção extática. Eles são visíveis em uma pessoa cujo amor por Deus começou a frutificar.” (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.3.25-26)

   Simplesmente dizer aos outros: “Eu tenho ânsia” não trará nenhum benefício. Se alguém diz: “Não quero performar vaidhi bhakti. Não há nenhuma necessidade em seguir isto,” isto vai contra as escrituras.

sruti-smrti-puranadi-pancaratra-vidhim-vina
aikantiki harer bhaktir utpatayaiva kalpate

   “Serviço devocional a Deus que ignora as literaturas Védicas como os Upanishads, Puranas, Narad-pancharatra etc.., é simplesmente um desnecessário distúrbio a sociedade.” (Bhakti rasamrta Sindhu 1.2.101)

Aqueles que não querem seguir as regras e regulações de bhakti são completamente independentes e prejudiciais. Eles não querem aceitar qualquer inconveniência ou sofrimento na execução de vaidhi bhakti. Eles querem pular direto ao topo da árvore de bhakti. Eles querem apenas radha dasya e manjari-bhav-serviço pessoal direto a Srimati Radhika em um bosque isolado. 

   Srila Rupa Goswami declarou (de acordo com as escrituras sruti e smriti) que há 64 práticas principais de bhakti-yoga, e as primeiras dez são especialmente importantes. A primeira é guru pada ashraya. Deve-se primeiro aceitar iniciação hari-nama e então iniciação no diksha-mantra. Deve-se aprender a como praticar bhakti-yoga e aprender o que é bhakti, o que não é bhakti, o que é sakama-bhakti (devoção visando satisfazer desejos materiais), niskama-bhakti (devoção sem nenhum desejo por resultado material), nirguna bhakti (devoção que não é afetada pelas qualidades da natureza material), uttama-bhakti (serviço devocional puro), aropa-siddha bhakti (atividades que não são bhakti, mas são nomeadas bhakti porque são oferecidas ao Senhor Supremo), sanga-siddha bhakti (esforços que são associados ou favoráveis ao desenvolvimento de bhakti, mas que não são puramente compostas de bhakti), swarupa-siddha bhakti (esforços que são puramente constituídos de serviço devocional).

   Aspirantes a devotos devem saber todas estas verdades, se não eles performarão bhakti que na verdade não é bhakti. Aqueles que não querem seguir estes princípios são tolos estúpidos. Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj usava estas palavras, estou simplesmente repetindo suas palavras. Então, tome bastante cuidado. 

Yasya-deve-para-bhaktir-yatha-deve-tatha-gurau

Tasyate kathita hi artah prakasante mahatmanah

 “Os significados do conhecimento Védico são automaticamente revelados apenas a aquelas grandes almas que possuem a mesma fé firme tanto no Senhor Deus quanto no mestre espiritual”.  (Svetasvatara Upanisad 6.23)

   Você deseja praticar bhakti para Krishna, mas primeiro você deve praticar bhakti ao seu Gurudev. Você deve saber que Srila Gurudev é uma manifestação do próprio Senhor Krishna. Krishna é vishaya-bhagavan (O Supremo objeto e desfrutador do serviço) e Srila Gurudev é ashraya-bhagavan (o reservatório e o provedor do serviço a Deus).

Saksad-dharitvena-samasta-sastrair
uktas-tatha-bhavyata-eva-sadbhih
kintu-prabhor-yah-priya-eva-tasya
vande guroh sri-caranaravindam

   “O mestre espiritual que atua em nome do Senhor Supremo deve ser adorado como sendo tão bom quanto o Senhor, pois ele é o servente mais confidencial ao propagar a mensagem de Deus para o benefício das almas condicionadas presas neste mundo material”  (Sri Gurvastakam 7)

Yasya-prasadad-bhagavat-prasado
yasyaprasadan-na-gatih-kuto-’pi
dhyayan-stuvams-tasya-yasas-tri-sandhyam
vande guroh sri-caranaravindam

   “Pela misericórdia do mestre espiritual, recebemos a benção de Krishna. Sem a graça do mestre espiritual, ninguém pode fazer qualquer avanço. Então, devo sempre lembrar e glorificar o mestre espiritual. Pelo menos três vezes ao dia, devo oferecer minhas respeitosas reverências aos seus pés de lótus.” (Sri Gurvastakam 8)

   Estas pessoas falsas não querem servir Srila Gurudev. Como estes tolos conseguirão obter raganuga-bhakti? Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu seguiu todoas práticas de vaidhi-bhakti que estão escritas no Sri Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu. Ele disse a Srila Raghunath Das Goswami:

Sthira-haiya-ghare-yao,-na-hao-vatula
krame krame paya loka bhava-sindhu-kula

   “Seja paciente e retorne a sua casa. Não seja louco. Muito em breve você será capaz de cruzar o oceano da existência material”. (Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya 16.237)

Antare-nistha-kara,-bahye-loka-vyavahara
acirat krsna tomaya karibe uddhara

    “No seu coração, você deve se manter cheio de fé firme, mas externamente você pode agir como um homem comum. Então, muito em breve Krishna ficará satisfeito e liberará você das garras de maya”. (Caitanya-caritamrta. Madhya 16.239)

   Srila Rupa Goswami é Sri Rupa Manjari (sua forma como uma gopi), mas externamente ele seguia todas as regras e práticas de vaidhi-bhakti. Se, pela misericórdia de um Guru qualificado, alguém possui verdadeira ânsia por servir Krishna de maneira espontânea em seu coração e se, esta pessoa está servindo Krishna internamente no caminho de raganuga em sua forma espiritual (siddha deha), ela deve estar pelo menos no estágio de rati. Verdadeira ânsia transcendental manifestará neste estágio (rati-bhav). Antes disso, a pessoa não possui verdadeira ânsia. Em nome desta ânsia, homens serão atraídos por mulheres e mulheres serão atraídas por homens. Isto é muito perigoso, pois eles irão ao inferno. Eles não irão ao mundo transcendental para ser manjaris.”

   Vocês podem já ter lido este verso:

Bhayam-dvitiyabhinivesatah-syad
isad-apetasya-viparyayo-’smrtih
tan-mayayato-budha-abhajet-tam
bhaktyaikayesam guru-devatatma

   “O medo aparece quando a entidade viva se indentifica erroneamente como sendo o corpo material. Isto acontece devido a sua absorção na externa e ilusória energia material de Deus. Quando a entidade viva vira as costas para o Senhor Supremo (Deus), ela também se esquece da sua posição constitucional (natural) como um servente de Deus. Esta confusão- condição temerosa é imposta pela potência da ilusão, chamada maya. Então, a pessoa inteligente deve se engajar no serviço devocional uni direcionado a deus, sob a guia de um mestre espiritual fidedigno, a quem ela deve aceitar como sendo sua deidade adorável, sua vida e alma”.   (Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.2.37)

   Sri Kavi- um dos nove Yogendras proferiu a palavra “guru-devatatma” em sua conversa com Nimi Maharaj. Nós viemos a este mundo porque nos esquecemos de Krishna, e por isto estamos sempre sofrendo. Se alguém deseja acabar com todas as misérias da existência material, ela deve primeiramente servir Sri Guru, que é servido através dos seus ensinamentos. Primeiro sirva Sri Guru, e depois Krishna. Sem servir um Guru fidedigno, ninguém pode adentrar no campo de bhakti. Não seja impaciente como as pessoas que dizem que viram Radha ou Krishna. Estes são farsantes. Se alguém realmente vê a forma transcendental de Krishna, tal pessoa teria que abandonar seu corpo material e ir até Vrindavan, Vraj-mandal, no seu corpo transcendental perfeito (siddha deha) e então servir Krishna lá.

Tome bastante cuidado com isto. As pessoas que ignoram a importância de seguir os princípios de vaidhi-bhakti não querem seguir nada, mas você deve primeiramente seguir vaidhi-bhakti. Se você ler o Sri Chaitanya Charitamrta sob a guia de um Rasika Vaishnava, sua vaidhi-bhakti irá se tornar raganuga-bhakti automaticamente. Este é o processo.

Gaura-premanande!

Vaishnavism-Real and aparent by Prabhupad Saraswati Thakur

Once the soul awakens to a perception of the Real Truth it easily gets rid of unnatural domination of body and mind. It becomes the master in its turn and compels the mind and body to obey itself. Under these circumstances the mental and bodily activities of the jiva undergo a radical change and become spiritualized or dominated by the soul.

The awakened soul says In effect to the mind and body, "I am not identical with you. I do not want what you require. I have so long believed that I was identical with yourselves and that our interests were the same. But I now find that I am really and categorically different from you. I am made wholly of the principle of self-consciousness while both of you are made of dead matter. Being matter you can act and be acted upon by matter under the laws of Nature. Nature makes and unmakes you but she has no power over me. I am not benefited by your growth or harmed by your decay. You grow and decay by the laws of that govern your relationship with this physical universe. Falsely identifying myself with you I find myself compelled to suffer pain and pleasure due to physical vicissitudes that overtake you. I find myself unnaturally yoked to your functions such as eating, drinking, producing thought etc. and am forced to believe them to be my own functions by which I am benefited. I shall have of course to stay with you as long as it is intended by providence that I should suffer the consequences of this unnatural alliance with you. But I shall from this time do nothing to please you. I shall permit you to do only what I consider to be necessary for my well-being, viz., getting back into my natural position of free conscious existence unhampered by the unnatural domination by longing for material enjoyment. I refuse to be any more a slave of the sensuous inclinations of the mind and body."

This awakening is the result of unconscious association with liberated souls who are always coming down into this world to help us out of the fetters of worldliness. The awakened soul is now in a position to listen consciously to the voice of the Absolute Truth that is ever knocking at the closed portals of our offending ears for admission. It now believes in the tidings of the spiritual Scriptures and also in the necessity of understanding and adopting in life the teachings of the Scriptures. As soon as this disposition is sincere the necessity of seeking the help of a proper spiritual preceptor is really felt. It begins to distinguish between a liberated and bound soul. It also realizes clearly that it can be helped only by the former. It is the inevitable characteristic of the bound soul to deceive itself and others. The bound soul can never understand, nor is ever willing to recognize its utter incompetence to grasp the real meaning of the spiritual truths recorded In the Shastras because they are under the domination of the mind and body, which being things of this world are naturally unfit to understand the nature of spiritual communications. But awakened souls have no other function than helping the bound jiva to regain its spiritual consciousness. The cooperation of the bound jiva is necessary for this recovery of its lost consciousness. As long as the bound jiva retains any liking for things of this world it is unwilling to recieve the words of the Sadhu or the real meaning of the spiritual Scriptures. The Sadhus and the Shastras tell us that we have really nothing to do with the things of this world but much to do with the things of another world which is categorically different from this, that it is possible for us to enter upon our proper function even in this life, that the method by which this deliverance from the thraldom of our present false temporary existence can be obtained is recorded in the Shastras but in order to be able to really understand the message of the holy Scriptures it is necessary to listen to its exposition from the lips of a Sadhu who alone possesses a real knowledge of it.

A sinthese of Gaudiya Vaishnava philosophy. by Swami Bhakti Sundar Govinda Maharaj.

http://www.gaudiyadarshan.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Revealed-Truth.pdf

Srila Gurudev-Morning walk. Guru tattva, Jiva tattva, necessity to advance and more.

[Badger, California: June 17, 2006]

[Devotee:] Because of Gurudeva, by his kind mercy, we are able to receive Krsna consciousness. At the time of death, should we think about Gurudeva or should we think about Krsna?

[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] At the time of death, Sri Krsna. Gurudeva and the entire world are there in Krsna. Do you understand? The entire world, Gurudeva, all Sri Krsna's associates, and everything else are in Krsna. Remember Sri Krsna but also His power � both the gopis and Srimati Radhika. This was told to us by Srila Rupa Gosvami.

krsnam smaran janam casya
prestham nija-samihitam
tat-tat-katha-ratas casau
kuryad vasam vraje sada ["The devotee should always think of Krsna within himself and should choose a very dear devotee who is a servitor of Krsna in Vrndavana. One should co nstantly engage in topics about that servitor and his loving relationship with Krsna, and one should live in Vrndavana. If one is physically unable to go to Vrndavana, he should mentally live there."
(Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya 22.160)]

Remember Sri Krsna, His associates and Sri Vrndavana. [Srila Narayana Maharaja and the devotees continue walking & chanting]

[Devotee:] It is stated in the scripture:

yasya deve para bhaktir
yatha deve tatha gurau
tasyaite kathitahy arthah
prakasante mahatmanah [�Unto those great souls who have implicit faith in both the Lord and the spiritual master, all the imports of Vedic knowledge are automatically revealed.�
(Svetasvatara Upanisad 6.23)]

Krsna's holy name is non-different from Krsna. So does it follow that we should have the same faith in the name of Gurudeva?

[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] You can, but here in this verse, "Yasy a deve para-bhaktir, yatha deve tatha gurau," this has been told for the Supreme Lord and Guru. The holy name has no mention here, but you should always chant with great attraction, affection and attachment for the holy name.

[Brajanath dasa:] Gurudeva, he is saying, that since Krsna's holy name is non-different from Krsna, can we think of 'deve' (God) as 'nama' (His name).

[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] You can think in that way, but it is not stated in this verse.
[Devotee:] How can we increase our faith in Guru and Krsna?

[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] I am telling so much � so much � about this in my classes. First become detached. Be in the renounced order (sannyasa). Not only be in the renounced order, but follow what I am telling in these classes [June 14-18, 2006]. Remember all the examples (of the twenty-four siksa-gurus) that were told by Dattatreya. Give up everything � all worldly desire for wife, children and everything else. Give your heart, mind and everything you possess to Guru and Krsna. Then everything will be alright.

[Jayanta Krsna dasa:] Some have the opinion that there is always prema in the jiva, and some say there is initially no prema, but the seed or potentiality to develop and receive prema is there. What is the established philosophical truth?

[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] Prema is there, but like a seed.

[Sripad Madhava Maharaja:] Not manifested, but in a latent position.

[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] Just as everything about a tree is present in its seed � the tree, its flowers, its leaves and everything else � so krsna-prema is present in the soul of the living entity, but in a latent position. That prema will first appear as sraddha (initial faith), then nistha (firm faith), then ruci (relish), and in this way it will gradually grow.

[Sripad Padmanabha Maharaja:] Krsna says in the Gita:

yanti deva-vrata devan
pitrn yanti pitr-vratah
bhutani yanti bhutejya
yanti mad-yajino 'pi mam [Those who worship the demigods will take birth among the demigods; those who worship the ancestors go to the ancestors; those who worship ghosts and spirits will take birth among such beings; and those who worship Me will live with Me.
(Bhagavad-gita 9.25)]

Here, Krsna is indicating that one goes to the place of the object of ones worship. So if someone worships a pure devotee of Sri Krsna, what will be his result? Suppose his bhakti towards Sri Krsna is not very developed.

[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] Sometimes, the mercy of sadhu-sanga (association with a self-realized soul) is superior to the mercy of Sri Krsna Himself. I have told you that it is the madhyama-adhikari (intermediate devotee) who comes to us. He realizes our position � that we are suffering. Lord Krsna is not aware of this, because He is always drowning in the ocea n of prema. The uttama-bhagavata (topmost devotee) also does not know whether or not we are suffering. Srila Sukadeva Gosvami will not be aware. However, a madhyama-adhikari � Gurudeva � is here in this world. He knows about us and his sadhu-sanga is for us.

[Devotee:] The residents of Goloka have no consciousness towards the suffering of the jivas (living entities). You said that only a madhyama-adhikari can understand the suffering of the jivas in the material world. Can we then understand that the uttama-bhagavata associates (nitya-siddhas) ^{*[see endnote 1]} come here for preaching, and here he acts like a madhyama devotee and is aware of our suffering? Or, do only sadhana-siddha or krpa-siddha ^{*[see endnote 2]} devotees come here from the spiritual world to act like madhyama-adhikaris?

[Madhava Maharaja:] Srila Rupa Gosvamipada is an eternal associate in Gokoka-Vrndavana. Does he not come? Srila Sanatana Gosvamipada does not come? They do not preach here?

[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] They may come when Lord Krsna comes, and sometimes Krsna sends them or Srimati Radhika sends them. She sent Her associate Gopa-kumara.
An example of a sadhana-siddha devotee is Sri Narada Gosvami. He had realized the nature of this world after some births, and now he has become Sri Krsna's associate. So he knows; he can come and help us. Otherwise, how could he have initiated Dhruva, Prahlada, Valmiki, Vyasa and so many others?

[Raghunatha Bhatta dasa:] So should the disciple see Sri Guru as nitya-siddha, sadhana-siddha or krpa-siddha?

[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] They should think he is siddha � an nitya parikara (eternal associate). Even if he is madhyama-adhikari, the disciple should regard him as he regards Krsna: yasya deve para bhaktir yatha deve tatha gurau. (Svetasvatara Upanisad 6.23) Always remember this.

[Madhava Maharaja:] Otherwise they cannot advance.

[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] If you see like this, Krsna will help you.

[Devotee:] Lord Krsna and His paraphernalia are non-different. He and His maha-prasada are non-different. Yet, I have heard that krsna-prasadam can become affected by a living entity's karma or consciousness? How is it possible? For example, I've heard that if we eat prasadam from the plate of another conditioned soul, we can be affected by the second person's karma or consciousness. How is that possible that prasada � which is Krsna Himself � can be contaminated in that way?

[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] Padmanabha, what is your idea about what he is saying?

[Padmanabha Maharaja:]

maha-prasade govinde nama-brahmani vaisnave
sv-alpa-punyavatam rajan visvaso naiva jayate "Persons who are not very highly elevated in pious activities cannot believe in the remnants of food of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, nor in Govinda, the holy name of the Lord, nor in the Vaisnavas."
(Skanda-purana)]

If a person doesn't have enough svalpa-punya, meaning pious activities from previous lives, he will not have full faith in maha-prasadam. In Jagannatha Puri, devotees understand there that Lord Jagannatha's maha-prasadam is completely transcendental, even if it is touched by the mouth of a dog and it falls on the ground. If a person properly understands maha-prasadam, he will not hesitate to eat those remnants. It depends on the person's faith. I can give an example. There was a disciple of our Srila Prabhupada Bhaktivedanta Svami Maharaja who liked to eat maha-prasadam that was three or four days old. He didn't want to throw anything away. And not only that; he was also forcing the other devotees to eat it. He wrote a letter about this to Prabhupada and Prabhupada replied that it is a matter of faith. Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami had the highest faith. He was taking the maha-prasadam that even th e cows wouldn't eat because it was so rotten. He was washing it and eating that, but he was tasting it as nectar. In fact, Mahaprabhu Himself came and stole that from his hand, and He was overwhelmed in ecstasy by eating it. So it depends on the person's actual deep faith.

[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] Another example is Sri Narada Rsi. In his previous birth he once took the prasadam remnants of the Four Kumaras with their permission � from their leaf plates � and after that, all his impurities were washed away. He said, "I received rati (transcendental ecstasy) at once."

[Sugata dasa:] During our Prabhupada's time, we had farm projects all over the country . He wanted us not only just to live in our asrama, but to grow our own food, make our own cloth, and use bullock carts instead of cars and tractors. That was a long time ago, and things have changed. What is your vision for the New Vraja village community in the long run? Do you want the devotees there to have a modern life with modern jobs and modern things, or should they go back to simple, old village life, and not be dependent on the Western civilization?

[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] A bullock cart will not do. You cannot preach here and there by bullock cart. If Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja and I would have used only bullock carts, could we have come?

[Devotees:] No

[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura also said that we should take advantage of what the scientists are inventing and engage those things in preaching.

[Sugata dasa:] Yes, but this is a different thing. Our Srila Prabhupada said the same thing you are saying � to use things for Krsna. But he also had a long term vision of communities engaging in an old, traditional lifestyle, with activities like making ones own food, cloth and milk, and being self-sufficient.

[Srila Narayan a Maharaja:] How much will you do? If you are going to be cultivating the field for making grains and making your cloth, when will you do bhajana?

[Sugata dasa:] Srila Maharaja, sometimes at Gita-Nagari where I did service, our bhajana was just farming � from four in the morning until twelve midnight. But for our Srila Prabhupada this was preaching. It was daivi-varnasrama. This was his preaching.

[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] He did this for those who were not so qualified. It was for them.

[Sugata dasa:] Yes, this is the thing.

[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] They can go to the grhastha-asrama (they can be householders), they can cultivate the land, they can make their cloth and they can perform other activities of that nature. But when they will advance by sadhu-sanga, they will think that this is a waste of time. We should not waste a moment. Better to beg something and spend the entire day like Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami.

[Sugata dasa:] So preaching is the essence; preaching is the important thing.

[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] Yes.

[Devotee:] My parents are both Prabhupada's disciples, and it seems that the older they get, the further they seem removed from Krsna. I was wondering if there is something you can tell me � something that I can do to help them come back.

[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] This is due to lack of sadhu-sanga � association with pure devotees. If your parents would have come here, they would have been inspired again. I think it will be best if they associate with sadhus and hear hari-katha. You can make arrangements that sadhus may go to your house and speak hari-katha. Or, your parents can go to that place where hari-katha is going on.

[Rasasindhu dasa:] We have heard from you about many renounced persons, including Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami. When young Raghunatha wanted to leave his family, Mahaprabhu told him, "Na hao vatula � don't be crazy." And then He said, "krame krame paya loka bhava-sindhu-kula."

[Sripad Madhava Maharaja:]

sthira hana ghare yao, na hao vatula
krame krame paya loka bhava-sindhu-kula [Be patient and return home. Don't be a crazy fellow. By and by you will be able to cross the ocean of material existence.
(Caitanya-caritamrta 16.237)]

[Rasasindhu dasa:] It seems that the path of bhakti is very gradual and slow, but we see that Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami left his family very soon � a short time after receiving Mahaprabhu's instructions. How is it possible?

[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] He is a nitya-siddha parikara, an eternal associate of Sri Sri Radha and Krsna. He is eternally Rati-manjari, so for him it was possible. Mahaprabhu also left His own house and everything connected with it. He is the Supreme Lord Krsna Himself. What is possible for the Lord and His pure devotee i s not possible for you and others.
Mahaprabhu had told him, "First be qualified, and then give up material activities." This is the purpose of varna-asrama. If you have given up household life without being qualified to do so, you will again remember the same thing and return there. So we should first be qualified and then give up the grhastha-asrama. Be qualified while in grhastha-asrama. All the verses in Sri Upadesamrta have been told for grhasthas. After practicing bhakti according to the verses therein, you will become renounced. This is the process.

vaco vegam manasah krodha-vegam
jihva-vegam udaropastha-vegam
etan vegan yo visaheta dhirah
sarvam apimam prthivim sa sisyat [�A sober person who can tolerate the urge to speak, the mind�s demands, the actions of anger and the urges of the tongue, belly and genitals is qualified to make disciples all over the world.�
(Sri Upadesamrta, verse 1)]

[Sripad Srauti Maharaja:] Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura said that if we put our Gurudeva in our heart, have him travelling and walking and sitting there, then the Supreme Personality of Godhead will appear there also. So what is the process of putting Guru in the heart?

[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] Gurudeva is always with you. So you can�

[Sripad Srauti Maharaja:] But he is outside.

[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] It is very hard to keep Krsna in the heart because we have not seen Him. We have never had His association. We are simply serving Him according to what we know from Gurudeva. But Gurudeva is personally coming to you. You see him walking�

[Sripad Srauti Maharaja:] How can we put Guru in the heart? Once, when I had just arrived from Europe to attend your Vyasa-puja festival in Alachua, I opened the door of your car. I was very happy and I told you, "Oh Gurudeva, you see? I have come to see you ." And you said, "You should put me in your heart."

[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] Yes

[Sripad Srauti Maharaja:] So how to do it?

[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] You can always remember him, his mercy and his glorification. I can remember how my Gurudeva is so glorious. I can continually remember his qualities.

[Sripad Padmanabha Maharaja:] Suppose Gurudeva gives sannyasa to some person, knowing that the person was not so qualified, but he wanted to utilize the person for his mission. An example of this is our Srila Prabhupada AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja. He gave sannyasa to so many persons, knowing that they were not qualified.
He even said on one occasion, "I am giving you sannyasa even though you are unqualified. Actually it is like in war time. I am giving you battle commission. I am giving you this, and it is possible that in the future you may fall down." And then our Prabhupada said, "Bu t it will be a glorious death." On the battle field, when a soldier dies it is a glorious death, because he tried. Now some persons are using this argument and saying, "Oh, Gurudeva gave sannyasa to this person, and then he fell down. Since he wasn't qualified, there is no harm that he fell down and gave up his sannyasa.

[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] No, no, no. This is not good. You should not think like this. Gurudeva has kindly, mercifully, given that person a chance, and that person should utilize the chance. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu also gave a chance without a person's qualification, and Gurudeva also sometimes does this. Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja gave sannyasa to so many. He knew that most of them were not qualified, and that is why he did not give any of them Vedic sannyasa names.

[*Endnotes 1 and 2: In Vaisnava philosophy there are three ways for perfection-namely, sadhana-siddha, perfection attained by executing devotional service according to the rules and regulations; nitya-siddha, eternal perfection attained by never forgetting Krsna at any time; and krpa-siddha, perfection attained by the mercy of the spiritual master or another Vaisnava. Kaviraja Gosvami here stresses krpa-siddha, perfection by the mercy of superior authorities. (Caitanya-caritamrta Adi-lila, 8.5)]