His Divine Grace Çréla Bhakti Rakñaka Çrédhara Deva Goswämé Mahäräj
start of side B, 5/6.10.81
Çréla B.R. Çrédhara Swämé : Präyeëa veda tad idaà na mahäjano 'yaà, mahäjana means
manyadi, mano arti visno ardita yajna vakra samone?
The founders of so many çruti schools, they do not know anything about this Bhägavata that is nirguëa-dharma , pure bhakti-rasa, suddha-bhakti-rasa. What to speak of ordinary persons. Devyä vimohita-matir , the Mäyä Devé has benumbed them, their understanding, bata mäyayälam.Trayyäà jaòé-kåta-matir, the three guëas, sattya, raja, tama, three guëas tied tight by these three ropes of sattva, raja, tama. Madhu-puñpitäyäà , and they utter so many sweet words to the unfortunate people, good or bad, päpa, punya, all this, everything is futile. In the long run, no value they have got, no eternal value. Do you follow? Not clear?
Devotee : Yes Mahäräj.
Çréla B.R. Çrédhara Swämé : Yes, taken again.
Gaura Hari bol! Gaura Hari bol! Gaura Hari bol!
…
When Mahäprabhu He's walking through the banks of the Ganges, and wonderful golden, kalpa-taru means a tree which can give us whatever we desire, that is kalpa-taru, whatever is wanted from it, it gives away immediately. A golden kalpa-taru, He's wandering as if on the banks of the Ganges. And the whole environment has been enlightened. There is a flow of lustre around.
bhave nave he ma kalam batam?
By looking at Him it seems, it appears in the heart of the devotee, that who is moving here? Infinite, infinite magnanimity, kalpa-taru, whatever is wanted He gives at once, infinite magnanimity, and throwing His lustre all around He's moving here on the banks of the Ganges.
bhave nave he ma kalam batam kalpa taru suddha guni ki jal?
Ke ? Who is he?
Devotee : Kasiräma däsa.
Çréla B.R. Çrédhara Swämé : Kasiräma. Kasiräma däsa ke he sunya punya rama?
The author of Bengali Mahäbharata is Kasiräma däsa, he's the famous Kasiräma. Only on the way to Katwa there is a village named (Shingi?), Shingi there was his birthplace, Kasiräma.
he kasi kovisa kuli tumi punya van?
You have got a good prestige in the line of the poets of Bengal, Kasiräma däsa, Kasiräma. Kasi is a noted place of worship for Çiva, Çiva worshippers. And Çiva Himself, he's a devotee of Rämacandra. And it is mentioned in the Puräëa that whenever anyone dies there he comes himself to him and puts the name of Rämacandra in his ear, helps him to go towards the feet of Rämacandra. He himself gives the name of Räma.
Rämeçvara in the south - two sorts of interpretations.
Rämacandra says, "You are My Lord, Rämeçvara, Çiva, you are My Lord."
And Mahädeva says, Çiva says, "No, no, You are my Lord."
Rämeçvarayasya, so Rämeçvara. That is the interpretation of the Sanskrit word. Rämeçvara means "Räma, He's the Lord of whom? He's Rämeçvara."
"No, no, Rämeçvaraisvara, Räma's Lord,"
Rämacandra says, "Räma's Lord you are."
"No, no, no. Räma is Lord to him, He's Rämeçvara. You are my master, my Lord, Rämeçvara."
Rämacandra came here to lay the path of such unknown self externally, without self consciousness. In Nåsiàha avatära in the time of Prahläda, some, when He came out from the pillar with the violent sound, violent sound, at that time perhaps one brähmaëa lady she was, not full grown child in her womb, the child slipped away suddenly from that sound, that roaring sound. She could not tolerate and some convulsion in her body and the child came out. So the brähmaëa gave a curse, "Whoever is cause of this untimely birth of my child, you must be, must lose self consciousness." That was, and Nåsiàha gave, then next came Rämacandra, as without self consciousness He did not obey inner, the inner heart He knew, whatever, but He played the part of a self unknown man. So Rämacandra nara-lélä, He, as if He does not know that He's the Supreme Entity. That consciousness set aside to give respect to the words of the brähmaëa. So, here He worshipped Devé, and worshipped Çiva, all these things we see in His character, conduct. So Rämeçvara , Rämeçvara. Çiva is very fond of Räma-Näma, Mahädeva. And in his jurisdiction whenever anyone dies he comes there himself and puts the name of Räma through his ear. And of course he attains Vaikuëöha, Ayodhy ä dhäma, (kasirama?)
kasiksara rama, kasik sara sik tusye sara rama, kasirama?
Guruttama , another, to whom Guru is the uttama of Kåñëa, excellent, uttama, uttakrsna nama. Guru is very, is the highest to whom? He is guruttama. Not that he himself is the highest type of Guru, not that meaning, that ordinary comes that. Gurunama uttama. There are so many Gurus and he's the best amongst them. Guruttamadäsa, he's all right, the most superior Guru and who gives Kåñëa-bhakti or Mahäprabhu-bhakti, of all these different types of Guru, that Guru holds the supreme most position. And he's däsa, he's servant, guruttama däsa. Not Guru is uttama, he's uttama. Guru is all in all, healthy, that position, the supreme position in rasa is Guru, he's guruttama däsa.
Hare Kåñëa. Hare Kåñëa. Gaura Hari bol! Gaura Hari bol!
Then, who has got any questions?
Devotee : In Prapanna-jévanämåtam , in the fourth chapter there's a çloka by Raghunätha däsa Goswämé. Now after the çloka you have also given a Bengali verse, maybe that is by Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura. Krsna-värttä vinä äna, 'asad-värttä' bali' jäna, se veçyä ati bhayaìkaré. Is that Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura's writing, poem?
Çréla B.R. Çrédhara Swämé : Yes. What is other than Kåñëa, värttä , not in connection with Kåñëa. You know it for certain that that is asad, and that is unnecessary to you. You know it for certain that what has no connection with Kåñëa that is bad, that is bad, asad, non-existent. Know it for certain. That is the criterion of asad to you, to a devotee of Kåñëa. Whatever has no connection with Kåñëa that is bad. And he has been given the name as veçyä, the prostitute. What is the function of the prostitute? She entices the mind towards her direction, to charm. By her charm she wants to drive one's mind towards her. So that is like veçyä, it wants to keep us away from Kåñëa. So don't, hate him, learn to hate him whatever is not in connection with Kåñëa. Your concern exclusively is with Kåñëa cent per cent. So any deviation you consider like the hateful prostitute, 'asad-värttä' bali' jäna, se veçyä ati bhayaìkaré. And she has her dreadful aspect, you must be aware, I warn you, ati bhayaìkaré. Then mukti-näme çärdduliné, then there is another tiger that is called mukti, she will devour you like a tiger. Your self consciousness, you individual consciousness, will be dissolved in coming in her connection, she will devour you. Mahäprabhu already told in Caitanya-caritämåta we find, ajagare, like a big serpent, what is the name?
Devotee : Python.
Çréla B.R. Çrédhara Swämé : Python, it will come with mouth open, in mukti, and will devour you wholesale, that is mukti, sahajiyä mukti . Don't go that side. And here is the mukti background, the tiger will come and will eat you up, so bhukti, mukti and asad-värttä, both, both sides being full of danger and you must be careful very much about them.
Devotee : Then he says, tad ubhaya tyäga kara, mukti-kathä parihara.
Çréla B.R. Çrédhara Swämé : So both sides, both aspects, both alternatives, and give it up altogether. Then?
Devotee : Lakñmé-pati-rati räkha düre.
Çréla B.R. Çrédhara Swämé : Ah, and another warning, first, this charm of the transient world, asad-värttä , and the second, first the charm of exploitation, and the second, the charm of renunciation. And the third charm yet remains for Lakñmé-Näräyaëa, for inclination towards vidhi-bhakti, towards scriptural devotion, law, power, reverence, awe, all these things, (gauram?) maryäda, as respect. Give up all these also you will have to. If you want to come to Kåñëa bhakti only spontaneous, or automatic, no consideration of any law, or any society, or any power, or anything else like it. You will thrive, spontaneous, automatic, innate, actuated by love, no law. The source, the propensity comes, the fountain of energy is only love and nothing else. If you like, Kåñëa bhakti is of that type. Even Näräyaëa bhakti you are to set aside because there is the vidhi, there is the scriptural law, dictation, and there is awe, reverence, power, grandeur, all these things. Don't seek any grandeur. It is very plain, it will be the jungle, the flower, the tails of the peacock, and some other homely and which is available in the forest, simple things. Be trained to adore them and not allow yourself to be attracted by any grandeur of any kind, the diamonds, the gold, the respectable situation, all these things. The homely, simple, almost a jungle life, so plain, plain, plain living, try to adore and come to that of Våndävana. Very simple and plain, to show, no show of grandeur or anything like that, splendour even, like that (vaisadya?).
Lakñmé-pati-rati räkha düre , se rati prabala ha'le, paravyome deya phele. If you have got the least attraction for the grandeur, grandeur and pleasure, then you will be cast down into the plane of Paravyoma, in the sphere of Näräyaëa. You won't be able to maintain your high position in the plain thinking of the land of simplicity and homely atmosphere. Paravyome deya phele. Then?
Devotee : Then, vraje rädhä-krsna-rati, amülya dhanada ati, täi tumi bhaja céra-dina.
Then, rüpa-raghunätha-päya, sei rati prärthanäya, e bhaktivinoda déna-héna.
Çréla B.R. Çrédhara Swämé : My earnest request if you want to keep your mind really in the service of the holy feet of Rädhä-Krsna, then these are the necessities, the cautions. The cautions are given in this way. Don't misunderstand it. And Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura says that this we can get only by the grace of Rüpa-Raghunätha. So I pray fervently for the grace of Rüpa-Raghunätha. Keep me steady and fixed in this idea of simplicity and grandeurless service of that of Rädhä-Govinda, Rädhä-Kåñëa. This awe, reverence, or the mukti or the exploiting tendency may not diverge my attention any day. This is my prayer to Rüpa-Raghunätha my Gurudeva.
Gaura Hari bol! Gaura Hari bol!
This is the highest attainment of our object, of our life.
Nitäi Gaura Hari bol! Nitäi Gaura Hari bol!
Se rati prabala ha'le , paravyome deya phele, nähi deya väsa vraja-pure
Nitäi Gaura Hari bol! Gaura Hari bol! Gaura Hari bol! Ke?
Devotee : Kaçiräma.
Çréla B.R. Çrédhara Swämé : Kaçiräma. And there?
Devotee : Guruttama.
Çréla B.R. Çrédhara Swämé : Guruttama. And he?
Devotee : Mukunda-mälä.
Çréla B.R. Çrédhara Swämé : Mukunda-mälä däsa. Mukunda-mälä. What is the meaning of Mukunda? Muku da, mu means mukti, the affix.
Devotee : Liberation.
Çréla B.R. Çrédhara Swämé : Mu means mukti, the seed of mukti, the word's not coming in my mind. Mu, mukti, represents mukti (pukucit?), which makes the mukti look awkward, (pu?) means (ku?), bad, a particular thing which can show the liberation as awkward thing, mu ku. And that thing can, who can give that thing He's Mukunda. (Mu ku dadati ja?), so Mukunda, mukunda dati. What is mukund? That thing which can blame, which can show the awkwardness of mukti, that thing is prema, and who gives that He's Mukunda. And Mukunda-mälä, Mukunda-mälä-stotra, that Yämuna Äcärya's stotra, no, Kulaçekhara's stotra, that is known as Mukunda-mälä-stotra. Mukunda-mälä. Mukunda keeps as His garland that stotra mälä. So many gems in the garland and Mukunda adores that. He keeps it around his neck, Mukunda-mälä. And the devotees are very happy to see the Lord with this Mukunda-mälä.
Hare Kåñëa. Hare Kåñëa. Gaura Hari bol! Gaura Hari bol! Gaura Hari bol! Nitäi.
Who is he?
Devotee : The same.
Devotees : Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha. He's coming a little closer. He's Guruttama.
Çréla B.R. Çrédhara Swämé : Guruttama, oh, come from there to here.
Devotees : Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.
Çréla B.R. Çrédhara Swämé : Ha, ha, ha. See how helpless am I. Ha, ha. Disturbing you, causeless .
Gaura Hari bol! Gaura Hari bol! Gaura Hari bol! Nitäi. Nitäi. Gaura Sundara.
Devotee : I always understood that renunciation means to utilise everything in the service of Kåñëa. So especially in the Western countries it’s very much opulent, so many times that opulence is utilised in Kåñëa's service to attract living entities to Kåñëa consciousness. So in the midst of all this opulence it seems almost like a paradox to live a very simple life because this opulence in the West especially brings a lot of complexities like a dependence on this material world.
Çréla B.R. Çrédhara Swämé : What does he say?
…
This is individual case. What is vairägya , vairägya, though there is a general law, but still it must be applied in individual cases in different ways. What is vairägya to another, what is vairägya to Rämänanda Räya that may not be vairägya to Raghunätha däsa. Rämänanda Räya, he can handle the most tempting thing for the service of Kåñëa. He has showed his ideal, in that way. But that is not to be accepted in a general direction. And Raghunätha däsa, he has shown the extreme vairägya abnegation, very strict. That is not possible for an ordinary soul.
So the general rule 'to renounce everything', that is not vairägya. Real vairägya is to handle everything for Kåñëa. But in a particular case where that is not possible, that will tempt his own self towards that, he will try to be aloof and indifferent from that sort of handling. As much as he can manage he will do.
Suppose rich food is necessary for great labour for the service, some sort of rich foods of ghee and milk may be necessary if we are to labour much for the service of the mission of Kåñëa. But if one is a patient, he cannot digest milk, what should we do? Then he'll do accordingly and he must be satisfied with that sort of service.
So general law as well as special law for the individual case, we are to adjust according to our capacity. The general, the highest law is that, 'don't leave everything, anything, but try to utilise everything for His service.' That is the highest law. You are a servant, you are to serve, and so many objects through which you are to serve, and it does not behove, look well, that you'll be tempted, what will be offered to Kåñëa, seeing that you'll be tempted to use it for your own pleasure. If it is so you are not a standard servant, servitor. The highest type of servant he will handle everything for Kåñëa, but he won't feel any tendency to exploit that and enjoy that. That is the highest standard. Then, but if one is not in that highest plane then he will adjust accordingly so that he may not have to be entangled in the land of exploitation.
At the same time we should be careful that we may not enter into the group of renunciationists, 'that this is bad, that is bad, everything is bad.' Because I cannot utilise them in the service of Kåñëa, I am disturbed, so I think 'this is bad, that is bad.' That hateful temperament, that is also dangerous. So renunciation is bad, exploitation is bad. To use everything for the service of Kåñëa, that is the highest model, but we must adjust ourselves so that I may not be entangled into that accordingly. Am I clear? No?
Devotee : Yes, very clear.
Çréla B.R. Çrédhara Swämé : Individual case should be different according to his own capacity. But the highest ideal he utilises everything, nothing is bad, everything may be utilised in the service of Kåñëa. If we can do that we are the real servant, real servitor. But if we are unfit, and either the enjoying spirit comes in the way, that will be bad. I shall try to avoid that. And at the same time I shall think that there is nothing bad in that thing, the bad thing is in me. So that is not hateful, the environment is not to be hated. The hated thing is within me and that must be eliminated then I am, viçvam purnasukhäyate, I shall see everything is meant for Kåñëa and I am also meant for Kåñëa's service. Until and unless I realise that sort of position I must be careful in discharging my duty towards my Lord, that I may not tamper on the way, may not be a thief. So carefully I should handle thinking that it is meant for the service of Kåñëa. And when that day will come when I will feel enjoyment and see that everything is for Kåñëa, and my inner enjoyment lies only in that stage, in that feeling, that everything is…
Just as a mother, she may not eat a thing but she feels pleasure feeding her child, feeding her child she feels pleasure. So, one who loves another, he rather gives things to him, or her, and finds pleasure, rather than taking it himself. So it is possible.
Kåñëa sukhe çuka , by seeing the pleasure in Kåñëa we will be happy. That should be our model, that we do not want any independent pleasure for us, but our quest will be always to draw pleasure from the pleasure of Kåñëa. Serve Kåñëa and I shall find that He is happy, then I will be happy. My happiness will be dependent on the happiness of Kåñëa, or käåñëa, a Vaiñëava, Kåñëa or Kåñëa's servitor. That should be our ideal. Our attitude should always try to have the source in the happiness of Vaiñëava and Kåñëa, and not independent. That should be the position, safe position, happy position, and that is normal. And this is all abnormal - to exploit a thing, to try to enjoy a particular thing, and otherwise to cast it off hatefully, thinking that it will cause injury to me - both these are artificial. The only natural thing is the happiness of my master who will sustain me in my happiness. That should be the normal position. Kåñëa sukhe çukhi , Guru sukhe, Vaiñëava sukhe , should be our - we should be happy looking, facing the happiness of the Guru, Vaiñëava, Kåñëa. That happiness will be purest happiness, pleasure, their pleasure. Kåñëa sukhe çukhi , the happiness that depends on the happiness of Kåñëa and His own. We are saved there, and we have attained our best position. Otherwise independent search for gratification, that is condemned for a Vaiñëava. All in an organic whole and the centre will be our life of attention, everything, the centre, and the near connected with the centre. That will be the quest of our all, goodness. You are satisfied, no?
Devotee : Yes.
Çréla B.R. Çrédhara Swämé : We get, hear, but we hear and hear and then we shall realise, come to realise.
Devotee : …the standard set by Caitanya Mahäprabhu as a sannyäsé , we see that in Caitanya-caritämåta Lord Caitanya would not even associate with Mahäräj Prat ä parudra because he was a king, someone who was involved with women and wealth. So we see this point in life that these things are great obstacles on the path of advancement, associating, or with people who are very much entangled with women and wealth. So also again in the West there are many people who are very much, who are very wealthy, who we are making endeavour to preach to. What extent should we preach to these people?
Çréla B.R. Çrédhara Swämé : What does he say?
Devotee : He asked the question…
Çréla B.R. Çrédhara Swämé :
ipamin dita kisor bhava sa istya
san darshanam vishay nama sudeshi tanta
ha hanta hanta visha voka na prasadam?
That is diplomat, and we are asked to wander door to door and even to see the prostitutes also and trying to help her. The risky position. What is his activation? Is it? Easy want? That is the question?
That is also that individual case. If one is contributing his own bhajana individually in a secluded life, he'll be very careful of that. But this is, as I told beforehand, just before, keep off the danger, avoid the danger to keep it in the distance but no solution.
The final solution will be to handle everything for the service of Kåñëa. The highest type of vairägya is there, but that will also depend upon the individual capacity. You will meet, you will always, you must have to be sincere first then you will go to give something to others, Kåñëa-kértana . You will give, Kåñëa will be with you and your earnest desire will be always to give Kåñëa to him, and not to take these worldly things in return. That will be the meaning of it. You won't accept it. But still the money and other things what you take on behalf of Kåñëa you will connect with your Gurudeva and sädhu and Kåñëa, and you will be the mediator, generally.
For the final solution this is necessary, that the soldiers will not always be kept within the fort. To be posted within the fort that is very safe, but soldiers must come out and work wonders towards the length and breadth of the country, and then the safety of the land will be proved.
Your solitary sädhana, that is when one is a sädhaka when he's living his individual life, he'll be very careful of that. But when under the guidance of a great propounder of the Lord, who has got, who is empowered, and has delegation, delegated power to give something to the both, and as His agent we can approach one and all.
And there also, individual question, he wants the, "I feel much disturbed to approach the women, I approach the sick." Then he should inform it to his master and ask, "What should I do? Should I approach to them? I feel so much within." There are so many diseased patients, and the nurse and the doctor should approach them for their healing, for the help of those patients. But if any particular soul, he has got some weakness, that, "Should I venture to nurse a TB patient? I am so weak in health." Then perhaps the agent, the master will say, "No, you are so weak, you should not go to attend that particular type of patient. Another man will go. I will send there." Such arrangement may be made in particular cases, individual cases.
But generally the solution is only there, to approach everyone, to approach everyone and also to be able to pass all sorts of variegated temptations. That, "I must have to see that it is not for me, it is for Krsna." This practice should be affected in any and every corner of temptation. Without that the solution is not complete. The complete solution is required that we shall try every point of temptation and try to find out that this is not a ghost but this is my friend. The apprehension that, "that is a ghost, he will come to attack me," that must be cleared. He is my friend, he's not the ghost. So if I feel some individual temptation, my weak point is that so that must be solved. Until and unless that is solved, I am incomplete. But that must be solved, that the highest point of temptation, that should not tempt me, it is for Kåñëa, otherwise I am imperfect. I am imperfect. I am not a reliable servant. I am a traitor. I have come to serve Kåñëa but in the meantime I take it, in the path near. So, in order to become a bona fide servant of Kåñëa it requires that I shall handle everything and I shall feel pleasure, His own thing, it is so good it will produce pleasure in Kåñëa, in Gurudeva, in Vaiñëava." Such faithfulness we must have to acquire. And only for fear of…
End of recording, 5/6.10.81
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