Teachings of Srila Gurudeva

 

1) We should always remember that we belong to Sree Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s school of thought. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu teaches us to love all human beings, nay even other living beings, seeing their eternal relation with our most beloved object of worship — Supreme Lord Sree Krishna

 

2) How Prahlad Maharaj could stay in the most hostile atmosphere with calm and serene mentality, it should be thought over deeply. He never became unbalanced or lost his calmness of mind. We should try to adjust ourselves according to the environment; we cannot adjust the environment according to us. Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and our Guruvarga repeatedly advise us to go through the holy biographies of Prahlad Maharaj and Ambarish Maharaj

 

3) Ecstatic feelings of Divinity are helpful to that extent when we have remembrance of Divinity. It is the devotional scriptural instruction to remember Sree Krishna always and never to forget Him. There are lists of positive assertions – commandments and negative assertions – prohibitions, to remember Krishna always and never to forget Him. This is the criterion to understand what you are to do and not to do. Although feelings of Divinity are helpful to some extent for remembrance of Divinity but this is not direct realization of the Divinity. If there be direct realization of Divinity, the persons who have got such realization cannot live in this world. Gradual development of realization depends on the intensity of sadhan (Devotional practice).

 

4) Kapil Bhagawan in Srimad Bhagavat, 3rd Canto, clearly pointed out that real quality of a Sadhu is – exclusive one-pointed devotion to The Supreme Lord. Without this no one can become a real Sadhu. Meera Bai has also substantiated this.

 

5) Any serious endeavor for eternal devotional benefit will be successful, if it is done by invoking grace of Divine Master, Revered Vaishnavas and Supreme Lord for the purpose of propitiating Them only and not for any other purpose. Any desire of mundane name and fame or for any other ulterior motive will frustrate our devotional, spiritual life. We should remember that teachings of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, “Trinadapi Suneechena, Tarorapi Sahisnuna, Amanina Manadena Kirtaneeya Sada Hari.”

 

6) Repugnance to the service of Sri Krishna and his devotees is the cause of nescience. Nescience, i.e., ignorance is the cause of misidentification of self. Misidentification of self is the cause of material desires. Material desires are the cause of committing sins. Committing sins is the cause of suffering. So the root cause of suffering is averseness to serve Sri Krishna.

 

7) Everything depends upon the determination of self. If anybody realizes that the real self is neither the physical body, nor the subtle body, it is beyond these two, it is a particle of externally blissful principle, he will surely try for spiritual development. Therefore, if we sincerely want actual bliss, we should give up our arrogance that we can get it by our own efforts.

 

8) Lord Balram appeared in Kaliyuga as Nityananda Prabhu, Who is gracious to all fallen souls. If you pray to Him with sincere heart, all doubts and obstacles in your Bhajan will be removed.

 

9) Our minds are preoccupied with thoughts of the world. We cannot totally eradicate these worldly unholy ideas all of a sudden. It will take time. It depends upon the intensity of sadhan. Even Mahabhagwat Ambrish Maharaj could not remove worldly ideas in a day; he also could remove these ideas gradually. The more you will imbibe in your mind divine ideas, the more worldly ideas will be purged out. This is the only way, applicable to all.

 

10) There is no difficulty in the worship of Sree Krishna, as He is nearest and dearest. He is residing within our hearts. He does not see mundane merits. He sees the sincerity of our hearts whether we actually want Him or not.

 

11) Congenial association is a great factor in achieving enhancement in Bhajan. Uncongenial association diverts the mind of a practitioner. Under exceptional cases spiritually well-established people can perform Bhajan under any circumstances anywhere and everywhere. In this Kaliyuga congenial association is necessary for making progress in Bhajan. Thakur Bhaktivinode says, “I don’t get strength in practicing Harinam (Sankirtan) alone.”