Narada receives his Vina

While staying once with Krsna at Dvaraka, Narada and the former went out on a tour in an aerial chariot. On the way they saw a stream and Krsna stopped the chariot there as Narada wanted to quench his thirst at the stream. Narada drank water from the stream disobeying Krsna's injunction that he should bathe before drinking water, and the next moment Narada was turned into a woman and when `she' looked around neither Krsna nor the chariot was to be seen. She wandered about in the forest and at last reached an asrama.

When the Rsi of the asrama awoke from his samadhi he saw standing before him a beautiful woman who requested him to accept her as his disciple. He readily granted her request. The preceptor married the disciple and in due course of time she became the mother of sixty children. One day all the sixty children and their father expired together. The grief-stricken widow felt too weak to perform the necessary death rituals. An extraordinary hunger also held her in its grips. She raised her hand to pluck a fruit from the mango tree that stood nearby but could not reach the mango above. She placed together the corpses one atop the other, mounted upon the heap of dead bodies and plucked the mango-fruit. Immediately a brahmin arrived on the spot and chastised the widow on the impropriety of taking food without bathing after the death of husband and children.

Then the widow entered the stream and dived in its waters holding above water the hand in which was held the mango, and behold it was Narada who came out from the water. Only the hand, which had been held above water and did not therefore get wet, remained like that of a woman with bangles thereon. The brahmin, who stood thereon the banks of the stream transformed himself into Krsna.

As ordered by Krsna Narada again dived with the whole of his body in the water when the hand also turned into that of a man. The mango held in the hand turned into an excellent Vina. And Krsna told Narada: "The Rsi who lived with you as your husband and who is no more is Kalapurusa; and the sixty children are years Prabhava, Vibhava etc".

Maya Devi

Once Lord Vishnu told Sage Narada that , there is nothing real (permanent) in this world and what all we see is due to the playful acts (illusion) of Maya Devi. Narada did not understand it and requested Lord Vishnu to make him experience the powers of Maya Devi. Vishnu took sage Narada along with him and they reached a very deep forest in which there was a very big lake. Lord Vishnu requested Sage Narada to take bath in that lake. Narada kept his Veena called Mahathi and the deer skin on which he used to meditate on the shore and entered the lake to take bath. Suddenly Sage Narada was transformed in to a very pretty lady. She came out of the lake and was enjoying the beauty of nature around her. At that time a king called Thaladwaja reached near the shore. Attracted by her divine beauty he requested the lady to marry him. She also agreed and married him. Times rolled by. After 12 years of very happy married life they got a son called Veravarma. Then onwards, every two years she produced a child. And within another 24 years, she became mother of 12 children. Later she became mother for another eight children. All her children reached adulthood and married. And she got several grand children. At this time an enemy king invaded the country of Thaladwaja. In the battle most of his children and grand children were killed. Thaladwaja ran for his life. Then he left his country along with his wife and reached the same lake where he found her. Lord Vishnu in the form of a Brahmin was waiting there. He asked them to take bath in the lake. Narada regained his original form. He then could realize what all happened to him. Lord Vishnu then told him that all that happened was an illusion, which appeared real and was due to Maya Devi.

Note: When the living entity desires Independence from the spiritual atmosphere he is allowed to reside in the material world where he may identify with anyone of 8,400,000 false identities in his attempt to satisfy the senses.

When serving Krishna, Maya Devi also known as Yoga Maya (in the spiritual world), manifests as Maha Maya Devi in the material world. She serves Krishna by creating the illusion that one can be happy separate from Krishna and by providing false identities while in the illusory play ground.

In the spiritual world Maya Devi creates situations that enhance Krishna's eternal pastimes.

Lord Buddha's mother was also named Maya Devi.

There is no disease (so destructive) as lust; no enemy like infatuation; no fire like wrath; and no happiness like spiritual knowledge. - Canakya Pandit

Composition of Narottama Das

Sri Rupa Manjari Pada

Sri-rupa-manjari-pada, sei mora sampada,

sei mor bhajana-pujana

sei mora prana-dhana, sei mora abharana,

sei mor jivanera jivana

sei mora rasa-nidhi, sei mor vancha-siddhi,

sei mor vedera dharama

sei brata, sei tapa, sei mora mantra-japa,

sei mor dharama-karama

anukula habe viddhi, se-pade hoibe siddhi,

nirakhibo e dui nayane

se rupa-madhuri-rasi, prana-kuvalaya-sasi,

praphullita habe nisi-dine

tuya adarsana-ahi, garale jaralo dehi,

ciro-dina tapita jivana

ha ha rupa koro doya, deho more pada-chaya,

narottama loilo sarana

Commentary by Srila B.R. Sridhar Dev-Goswami:

Sri-rupa-manjari-pada, sei mora sampada, sei mor bhajana-pujana- my everything is Sri Rupa Goswami’s holy feet. We are to discuss so many classifications and positions of rasa: santa, dasya, sakhya, vatsalya, madhura. And in madhura-rasa Radharani’s camp is special. Then again there are so many gradations of sakhis. Then there is the class of the manjaris, the younger girls, and they have more freedom to approach: when Radha and Govinda are in union in a private environment, the manjaris can still approach. They have such freedom to visit Them. If any materials of service are necessary, the sakhis send the manjaris to that place. The sakhis do not approach there. In that way the manjaris enjoy the best confidence. The most secret service of both can be supplied through the manjaris. In the highest position they have free entrance, and their leader is Rupa Manjari. She is understood to be the leader of the whole group of younger girls, the manjaris, therefore in madhura-bhajan she is all-in-all. This has been taught to us by Narottama Thakur. For us - and the younger batch - she is our highest resort.

Sei mora sampada- my wealth is there in her feet. Sei mor bhajana-pujana - my worship and service is also in her. Sei mora prana-dhana, sei mora abharana- the very wealth and gist of my life is there; and the ornaments of my life, if any there may be, that is within her grace. Sei mor jivanera jivana - indeed, the very life of my life, if there is anything, that is also her. I am for her pleasure.

Sei mora rasa-nidhi - if there is anything, the source of any and all desirable ecstasy is only to be found there. The mine, source, and fountainhead of all rasa is there in her feet. Sei mora vancha-siddhi - and if I am to expect any other fulfilment in life, that is also there in her feet. Sei mor vedera dharama - if any duty is recommended by the Vedas for me, I would like that such duty be at her feet.

Sei brata, sei tapa - if at all there is any desired accumulation from any penance or observance of vows, that is also to be found there - sei mora mantra-japa - and the continuous repetition of a mantra in japa all ends there: all things have only one end in my case, and that is that they all meet in different phases in the feet of Rupa Manjari. If she is satisfied then the variegated nature of all sorts of my devotional practices are satisfied. Sei mor dharama-karama - and any of my conceptions of duty or activity of any phases or form all have one end and meet in one point: the holy feet of Rupa Manjari.

Anukula habe viddhi, se-pade hoibe siddhi - I only pray to the controller who is at the root of all these arrangements of affairs in this world, "Please connect me there. Oh Absolute Manager, may you grant my prayer that all my tendencies may go to attain her favour. Nirakhibo e dui nayane - and it will be so very intense and concrete as if I can see it with these eyes. It will not be vague, abstract, or imagination, but I want the most concrete realisation by the grace of the Absolute Manager."

Se rupa-madhuri-rasi, prana-kuvalaya-sasi - what sort of high class beauty is there in her holy feet! I want to jump. Let my heart be a lotus. There are two classes of lotus: the white lotus came from the sun and the red from the moon. The kuvalaya is a mixture of the two. The lustre of her body will feed me day and night as the life of my life which is compared to a kuvalaya. The kuvalaya is fed and nourished by the lustre of the moon, and her holy feet are the moon, and my very vitality is likened to the lotus. May the lustre of her beauty maintain and nourish my heart of hearts. Praphullita habe nisi-dine - and the lotus of my heart will grow by that ray, and dance.

Tuya adarsana-ahi - this is my prayer, but what is my present condition? My present condition is in the negative side, my Mistress. My present position is such that without having a sight of you, Your Grace, my heart will burn into ashes. That is my present position. Garale jaralo dehi - this is just like the poison of a cobra which produces pain within my heart. I have been bitten by a snake, and what is that snake? It is that I am not getting any direct contact with you, Your Grace. The serpent’s poison has captured my heart and I am going to die. Ciro-dina tapita jivana - and this is not a sudden thing, but from the beginning I have been suffering this sort of pain of separation from such a beautiful and hopeful life of fulfilment.

Ha ha rupa koro doya, deho more pada-chaya, narottama loilo sarana - but I have now reached the extreme position and for the last time I am begging for your favour; otherwise I am going to be finished.

This was composed by Narottama Thakur in praise of Srila Rupa Goswami. In this way he has given us light of the higher quarter of bhajan life. This sampradaya is named as the Rupanuga-sampradaya, and our Guru-parampara and all these things are adjusted according to that. He wrote many songs and they are of very substantive firmament, very ecstatic, and of deep faith.

Krsna-Kirtana

Kirtana is called sankirtana when many people perform it together. But will it be worthy of the name sankirtana if some worthless people, without any ardour for Sri Bhagavan’s service, come together to shout in unison?

It will be true hari-sankirtana when we join the sankirtana of true devotees who are serving Sri Bhagavan according to the principles established in the Vedas and allied sastras. Contrastingly, it is not hari-sankirtana when it is conducted for the prevention of the epidemics of cholera or pox, for prosperity in trade, for gain or for respect and fame. This kirtana is maya-kirtana - chanting within the jurisdiction of the illusory potency.

As long as we do not join the perfect Krsna-kirtana conducted by genuine devotees, maya will delude us in various ways. And if we join the kirtana of the blinded self-deceivers who are not anxious for their true well-being then surely we will not attain our own true well-being. If we follow people who never receive instructions from the true Vaisnavas but just imitate them by decorating their bodies with tulasi beads and other marks, and who shout out what appears to be names of God in external sound alone, we will not find sri hari-nama-sankirtana.
- Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Maharaj

Without proper acceptance

Pancha Samskara: The Process of Initiation

What follows is a translation of an article written in Bengali, entitled Panca-samskara, originally published in his ( Bhaktivinode Thakur ) journal, Sajjana Tosani (vol. 2/ 1) in 1885.

The sastras explain that a person who receives panca-samskara can practice two kinds of devotion and gain permanent happiness in the eternal abode of Sri Hari:

avapta-panca-samskaro
labdhva-dvi-vidha-bhaktikah
saksat krtya harim tasya
dhamni nityam pramodate

Persons who read this instruction with faith will want to understand the meaning of the expression panca-samskara. In order to help them, we will first explain the conventional understanding of the term and then give its deeper significance.

The smrti sastras explain panca-samskara in the following manner:

tapah pundram tatha nama
mantro yagas ca pancamah
ami hi panca-samskarah

paramaikanti-hetavah

"Tapa, pundra, nama, mantra, and yaga - these five items comprise panca-samskara. They are the cause of intense devotion to Lord Hari."

When a faithful person learns about panca-samskara, he approaches a religious teacher and humbly requests him for initiation, or diksa. After considering the student's sincerity, the teacher mercifully gives tapa and pundra to the student in order to sanctify his body. Some religious groups give tapa by marking the student's body in various places with the symbols of Lord Vishnu's conch, disc, club and lotus using hot iron brands. Other religious groups imprint the name of Hari with clay using a sandalwood stamp.

In reference to tapa the smrti sastras further state:

hari-namaksarair gatram
ankayet candanadina sa loka-pavano
bhutva tasya lokam avapnuyat

"One who marks his body with the syllables of Hari's name using sandal paste purifies the world and after death attains the kingdom of God."

In the Sri Sampradaya of Ramanuja tapa is given by branding the body with the symbols of conch and disc, but Sri Chaitanyadeva has instructed that we mark the body with Harinama using sandal paste etc. instead of brands.

This rule is a blessing for the souls of Kali-yuga.

Pundra, or tilaka marks, are vertical lines drawn on the body. The sastras interpret these vertical marks either as symbols representing the Temple of Hari, or as His footprints. Accordingly each religious group has its own prescription for pundra which is universally accepted within that particular group.

Nama or name is the third samskara.

Mercifully the teacher utters the name of Hari into the ear of the faithful student. This name is to be recited daily by the student.

The fifth and final samskara is yaga or deity worship.

Using the mantra which he has received from his teacher, the student begins the worship of salagrama sila or sri murti, the Deity of Vishnu. This is known as yaga.

By receiving panca-samskara, the five sacraments, a faithful person enters into bhajana-kriya or the personal worship of God, which eventually leads to pure love for Sri Hari.

When we analyze the stages that lead to love of God, we understand that faith or sraddha is the first stage. Without sraddha, there is no way to obtain love of God. From faith, one seeks saintly association which is called sadhu-sanga. This leads to shelter at the feet of a spiritual teacher. Thereafter, panca-samskara or initiation follows. Panca-samskara gives rise to bhajana-kriya or the personal worship of God.

Bhajana-kriya leads to anartha-nivrtti, which is the stage where one clears up unwanted things from his heart. After anartha-nivrtti one's faith can develop and enters the stage called nistha or mature faith. From nistha, taste or ruci develops. This leads to the stage of asakti or deep attachment. From asakti spiritual emotions called bhava spring forth. This eventually ripens into the stage called love of God, prema. Therefore, everyone should seek shelter at the feet of a spiritual teacher and receive panca-samskara, which is the source of bhajana. Without panca-samskara, bhajana is not spontaneous. Instead, it is performed with difficulty.

Some people think that prema or love of God can be obtained without panca-samskara. This is incorrect. The conditioned soul in this world has become hostile to the Divine, and consequently his original spiritual nature has become distorted. As a result he must sanctify himself before that true spiritual nature can develop. And what is the means to attain this pure state? The best way is through samskara or sanctification. Without samskara how can his distorted nature be given up? If we see someone whose nature is not distorted then we think that in a previous birth, through the mercy of a spiritual teacher, he must have received samskara, and on the strength of that samskara he has attained his true spiritual nature wherein prema or love of God has arisen. Otherwise we think that this person has been imperceptibly sanctified by the inconceivable mercy of the Lord Himself. No matter how you look at it, samskara is always there.

On the other hand, samskara is not necessary for liberated persons because their nature is not distorted. Distortion of the soul's original spiritual nature is the cause of his bondage in this world. For this reason, without samskara the life of the conditioned soul is impure. Even if a person has attained prema on account of previous samskara, still in his present life he again receives samskara in order to set a proper example for the good of all.

Samskaras exist in all religions and in all countries. The purer a particular religion is, the more its samskaras are sacred and complete. Although we have not had the opportunity to thoroughly study the samskaras of all religions, we at least can say that the samskaras of the Aryan religion appear to be of a higher order than the samskaras of other religions. In particular, the samskaras of Vaisnava culture are the best part of the Aryan religion. No other practise is as sacred and complete.

The question arises, "if the practise of samskara found in Vaisnava culture is so good, then why are those who practise it still bound by distorted natures?" The answer is that Vaisnava samskara is the best, but at the present time it is practised in name only. Both the spiritual teacher and the student block their own spiritual advancement by being content with the external aspects of samskara alone, as I've just described.

Today, the deeper significance of samskaras is not understood at all. When the student submits himself to the teacher, the teacher gives panca-samskara and then abandons him. What good can come from panca-samskara of this type?

Externally the student looks good, but internally there is nothing. The symbols of divine conch, disc and the name of Hari mark the body. The tongue utters the name of Hari and worship of salagrama sila or sri murti with mantra is performed, but the student is addicted to endless sinful practises. At night, he takes intoxicants and practises debauchery!

Oh good teacher, how have you benefited your student? What is the difference in him before and after diksa? In fact, he is worse. He is a hypocrite. There is no remorse, "I am sinful. It is my fault. How can my sin be given up?" These days no one thinks like this when they take shelter of a spiritual teacher. Sinful activities are performed without the slightest concern. What misfortune!!

Why is this? The reason is that the wrong kind of relationship exists between teacher and student. The sastra gives rules to guide this relationship, but they are not followed. The student who is burning in the fire of material life, who analyses his predicament and concludes, "My relationship with material nature is not permanent, therefore I must take shelter of a spiritual teacher in order to obtain the feet of God" has reached the stage of faith and is qualified to take shelter of a spiritual teacher. The teacher should study the student for one year and observe his atonement. This is called tapa.

During this examination period the student is encouraged to atone even more and when the teacher is satisfied, he brands the student with the symbols of conch and disc. These marks are permanent and they symbolize the purity that the student must maintain for the rest of his life. This is tapa, the faithful soul's first samskara. In English we define the word tapa as "repentance, atonement, and the permanent impression of higher sentiment on the soul." Tapa applies not only to the body, but also to the mind and the soul. If it is only physical, in the form of branding or stamping, then tapa has not actually taken place and religious practise becomes hypocritical. At the present time this kind of hypocrisy has weakened Vaisnava culture. Without tapa or inner repentance, the soul cannot live as a Vaisnava. Without tapa, the whole process becomes useless. Without tapa the heart remains impure. Therefore, good friends, seek atonement without delay!

When the teacher sees that the student has received tapa properly (in other words, genuine atonement has occurred), then out of his mercy, the teacher gives him urdhva-pundra. What is urdhva- pundra? It is effulgence! It is also known as urdhva-gati, the path of advancement. After receiving tapa the student voluntarily accepts a suitable amount of renunciation from worldly activities. This is the path of advancement. However, if the student accepts no renunciation then his tapa or atonement is useless. So much trouble! So much asceticism! So much renunciation of one's happiness! So much work to control lust, anger and greed, but it is all useless labor if one does not perform these austerities in order to obtain Vaikuntha, the kingdom of God.

In other words, by taking shelter of Sat Cit Ananda Lord Hari, a soul follows the path of advancement, urdhva-gati. The illumination of the soul, the mind and the body is called urdhva-pundra. Aversion to material life and attachment to the Supreme Lord is called tapa and pundra, and these two ornaments are absolutely necessary for the conditioned soul.

Without urdhva-pundra the body is as good as dead. Realizing this we must bathe in atonement. Without urdhva-pundra the mind drifts and becomes attached to lowly sense objects and then wastes its time discussing the lowest subjects. O repentant soul! Do not delay, mark the body, mind and soul with urdhva-pundra and follow the path of advancement which leads to the kingdom of God. Without urdhva-pundra the soul's real nature is extinguished.

Therefore adopt urdhva-pundra.

Seeing the beloved student shining with tapa and urdhva-pundra, the teacher gladly gives nama, the holy name of God which awakens the soul's eternal nature. The eternal nature of the soul is servitude to the Lord, and by tasting the nectar of the Lord's holy name the soul is carried to the supreme abode. Then he says, "I am Hari Dasa. I am not the enjoyer of this world. Even Maya herself is eternally connected to Krishna and I must utilize her in the service to Krishna." The eternal soul is then enchanted by singing the name of Hari. By taking shelter in the nectar of the Lord's holy name, the soul becomes aware of his own spiritual nature. Intelligent men, always sing the name of Hari! Let the mind always remember the name of Hari. May the soul always be adorned with the name of Hari.

Out of affection, teacher next gives a mantra that allows his student to easily experience the nectar of the Lord's holy name. A mantra is a kind of prayer that contains the name of God that is inflected grammatically in the dative case. The mantra also includes certain adjectives that qualify the name of God and allows it to express a particular mood or taste. By giving a mantra the teacher helps his student taste the holy name by selecting a suitable 'flavor' for him. When we say "namah", obeisance to Hari, we employ the 4th or the dative case ending. The dative case expresses the proper relationship between the worshiper, the worshiped and the worship that allows the taste of the holy name to be easily experienced.

There is no end to the happiness of a person who has received a mantra. Those who analyze the meaning of the 18 syllable mantra, generally used in the worship of Sri Krishna, know that it is a condensed sampling of the taste available from the Lord. The same also applies to the 24 syllable gayatri and other mantras that are used to worship the Lord. Those who have not received a mantra can only speculate about the taste of the holy name, but unfortunately most of their considerations are useless. Therefore you must receive a mantra. Those who have received it consider it to be a most important samskara.

There are those who are aware of these principles and yet are not firmly fixed in the matter of worship because they have not received tapa, pundra, nama, and mantra from a qualified teacher. Every subject has its rules and regulations and those who reject the rules and regulations of worship often experience difficulty.

Therefore it is said:

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

"Devotional service of the Lord that ignores the authorized Vedic literature like the Upanisads, Puranas and Narada-pancaratra is simply an unnecessary disturbance in society."

Therefore my friends! With logic and pure reasoning receive tapa, pundra, nama and mantra from a qualified teacher. Not only will you become happy, but by establishing this divine link with God you will benefit all the people around you.

Out of love the teacher next explains the procedure of yaga or Deity worship to his student. Without Deity worship the conditioned soul cannot advance properly. Even though one has received tapa, pundra, nama, and mantra the soul's material condition has not fully abated. Only when one has pleased Lord Hari is the soul freed from this material world at the time of death. Therefore, until the end of life, yaga is necessary even for those who have received mantra. Even though one lives in this world without attachment to matter, still there is danger from matter. Therefore, yaga, or the path of Deity worship, is the proper way to deal with matter. Yaga is the procedure of worshiping the Lord by employing all the physical and mental faculties of seeing, touching, smelling, tasting, thinking, discriminating and acting.

Utilizing each of these faculties in the worship of salagrama, for example, is a good way to cultivate love of God. Service of Sri Vigraha, the Deity, is called Vaisnava yaga. No matter what our situation, we must live in this world by working. Therefore a person who has received mantra has the duty to spend his life worshiping God with devotion following the rules of Deity worship. By teaching yaga the compassionate teacher rescues his student from the ocean of material existence.

Yaga is the fifth and final samskara. A person without yaga has no life and he is forced to accept the results of his karma. Therefore, one should live in this world as Vaisnava and engage in Deity worship. A detailed explanation of the principles of Deity worship is offered in the book Sri Chaitanya-siksamrta in the discussion under vaidhi-bhakti.

I have now explained both the conventional understanding and the inner significance of the expression panca-samskara. But still one question arises. "Why do teachers not give this kind of instructions to their students today?" The answer is that due to the degenerative effects of time, man's understanding about the role of spiritual teacher has become extremely corrupt. Today people take instruction from kula-gurus, hereditary family teachers or similar such persons and therefore they are unable to take shelter of a qualified teacher. It is said in the sastras that the seriously inquisitive student must approach a spiritual teacher who has attained shelter and faith in the Vedas and God, and surrender to Him.

tasmad gurum prapadyeta
jijnasuh sreya uttamam
sabde pare ca nisnatam
brahmany upasamasrayam

When one surrenders in this way, the material ocean diminishes to the size of a calf's hoofprint. However, if that surrenders is in name only, then it is pointless. At the present time most people do not want the shelter of a genuine teacher because very few want to solve the problems of life. However, it is the responsibility of the living soul in this world to search for a teacher and solve these problems. The Lord reveals Himself to the serious student in the form of a teacher who can rescue him. It is good to have a strong desire for a teacher, but it is wrong to accept just any person simply to satisfy one's desires. A genuine teacher will come to one who is sincerely searching, but before the student accepts that teacher he should also examine him for one year. Without examination the teacher - student relationship is only a disturbance.

After close study we conclude that without proper acceptance of panca-samskara the conditioned soul cannot develop intense devotion to Sri Hari.

Therefore panca-samskara is extremely necessary.

Chanted by Devarsi Narada

We shall be enabled to realise our lasting good if only we place ourselves wholly under the protective guidance of Srila Vyasadeva. Note in particular a verse from one of the Upanisads that tells of having vision of the Golden Lord: “yada pasya pasyate rukmavarnam – The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna, appears in a form the colour of molten gold. (Mundaka Upanisad 3.1.3).”

Our lasting good will be the repercussion of learning to view that Unlimited Entity by means of transcendental service, which links us to Him, engaging our thoughts in Him and seeking to attain knowledge of Him in loyal pursuance of the teachings of Sri Vyasa.

In the act of listening to discourses about the Transcendental Entity, the faculty of hearing will expand and acquire new powers. The Transcendental Word chanted by Devarsi Narada made His way into the cavity of Srila Vyasadeva’s ear. He was thus enabled to have a vision of the Absolute Personality. Under the influence of the domineering aptitude that prevails in this mundane world, we adopt the cults of hero-worship and apotheosis on the one hand, or, on the other hand, we become anthropomorphists, zoomorphists and the like. 1) By being infected with these respective modes of thought, Godhead will surely reveal Himself to us in just the way we chose to embellish Him.

1. Apotheosis refers to declaring a mortal man to be God or a god, and conversely, anthropomorphism in this context indicates the tendency to mistake God as a mortal man (or animal as with zoomorphism).

If we abuse the prerogative of human life, if we choose to consider ourselves to be on an equal footing with Sri Krsna, then we shall fall into the snare of delusion and be consigned to perdition. The consequence of conceitedly supposing oneself to be master in one’s own right has been analysed by Srila Vyasadeva in the verses “ye ’nye aravindaksa – those who approach the platform of liberation egoistically claim to be liberated, but they fall down again by neglecting the lotus feet of the Lord (Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.2.32)”, “gyane prayasam – one should give up trying to know Godhead through the empirical process (Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.14.3)”, and “sreyah-sritim bhaktim – the effort of cultivating knowledge that is devoid of bhakti is as useless as beating empty husks of grain (Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.14.4)”. We are truly benefited by listening attentively to these discourses of his.

“Without any delay, Godhead enters the heart of one who constantly and faithfully hears and chants the narrations of His transcendental activities.” Our real good is assured if we have the good fortune to hear the Word of Godhead at the lotus-feet of Sri Guru. The divine master constantly chants the Word of Godhead. He has no other function.

It is imperative that we listen to and accept the Word chanted by Sri Guru and yet, even after we have been enabled to receive the Word issuing from the lotus lips of Sri Guru, we still cannot retain Him for He tends to be eclipsed if He is not chanted to others. If we busy ourselves in any unnecessary pursuit by abstaining from chanting the Word received from Sri Gurudeva, we lose our connection to the eternal entity and render ourselves fit for welcoming sorrow.

tat te ’nukampam su-samiksamano
bhunjana evatma-kritam vipakam
hrid-vag-vapurbhir vidadhan namas te
jiveta yo mukti-pade sa daya-bhak

A person is entitled to the treasure of serving the lotus feet of Godhead, who redeems us of our worldly bondage, if he lives with his heart, speech and body submitted to Him and if, through his good vision, he truly sees the Mercy of Godhead in the sufferings he brought about by his own deeds (Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.14.8).

There is no other way of being delivered from this world. Whatever Godhead does is for our good. We can be redeemed if we behold His Mercy in every event and in every activity. But if we notice any defect in His work, or realise any cruelty therein, it is sure to result in evilness and difficulty.

All my difficulty is due to the fact that I happen to be engrossed in activities other than serving Sri Krsna. If my taste for serving Sri Krsna truly increases day by day, then I shall be blessed indeed. He who engages us in activities of this nature is certainly Sri Gurudeva. The line of genuine gurus consists only of persons who are loyal followers of Sri Vyasadeva.

Just by being touched by my Srila Gurudeva’s lotus feet, I lost all sense of this external world. I do not know if any transcendental agent equal to him in greatness has ever appeared in this world. How may those who are busy with the likes of lust and anger present in this world, ever know him?

From the pen of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur