The following is a transcription of a discourse delivered by Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja in the UK on June 20, 1996 (Bhakta Bandhav Anthology Volume 2)

First of all, I bow down to the lotus feet of my spiritual master, nitya-līlā-praviṣṭa oṁ viṣṇupāda aṣṭottara-śata Śrī Śrīmad Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja, and then at the lotus feet of my śikṣā-guru, Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Svāmī Mahārāja, and to all the devotees.

When I heard from Raghunātha Prabhu, he reminded me of Svāmī Mahārāja’s pastimes from his early days until the time of his divine departure. Raghunātha Prabhu especially explained some heart-touching incidents which touched my heart. He spoke from the core of his heart and should realize what he just spoke. Svāmījī (Śrīla Prabhupāda) was so humorous, God-minded, and liberal. He loved anyone who approached him with all his heart, even a little boy.

Once, the learned and famous president of India, Radhakrishnan, said in his commentary of the Gītā, or one of his lectures, “There is a difference between Kṛṣṇa and His soul.” I don’t remember the actual words, but he said there is a difference between Kṛṣṇa’s soul and body. Upon hearing this fallacious claim, Svāmī Mahārāja immediately wrote an article addressed to the President and sent many copies of his letter to the members of parliament. The article was published in our Gauḍīya Patrikā and Bhāgavata Patrikā. My Gurudeva established the Śrī Gauḍīya Vedānta Samiti publishing house. My Gurudeva also established the Gauḍīya Vedānta Dispensary and Gauḍīya Vedānta Library. He prefixed all the names of his sannyāsīs with the word ‘Bhaktivedānta.’ He always used the word ‘vedānta’ as a suffix to all the activities of his preaching mission. The article that Svāmījī penned was very powerful. He supported his letter with references from the Vedas and Upaniṣads. He challenged the President, telling him he could write back if he had any argument. The President’s secretary received the letter, but he never replied. He could not reply. Our message is very powerful.

I know of many such instances when Svāmījī was staying in our Śrī Keśavajī Gauḍīya Maṭha. When our Gurudeva established Gauḍīya Vedānta Samiti, Svāmījī, known then as Abhaya Caraṇāravinda Prabhu, was also invited, and he spoke about Vedānta philosophy and other topics.

It was near the end of 1946, when I had just joined my Guru Mahārāja’s mission, and I could see that Svāmījī was an excellent writer. He wrote in Hindi, Bengali, and especially in English. He wrote several articles for our Gauḍīya Patrikā. My Guru Mahārāja appreciated his articles so much. Svāmījī wrote many articles opposing the preaching mission of certain societies, which Guru Mahārāja appreciated. However, some godbrothers of Svāmījī and Guru Mahārāja did not want the articles to be published because the many loopholes, transgressions, and erroneous conceptions of certain preaching missions would be exposed. But our Guru Mahārāja and Svāmījī wanted these transgressions to be exposed because once they are exposed, they can be rectified and corrected. We should be of the same attitude. If transgressions have occurred in a preaching society, we should try to remove them immediately, just as Svāmījī wanted. But now, these hindrances to our true well-being are overlooked.

If we are physically close to Gurudeva, we should not consider that we are actually near him. We cannot be near Gurudeva only by physical proximity. We will have to realize what our Gurudeva wants. Gurudeva said, “Everyone should serve my Gurudeva and my iṣṭadeva Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.”

Every being in this whole world is Their servant. My Gurudeva would always quote this śloka:

labdhvā su-durlabham idaṁ bahu-sambhavānte
mānuṣyam artha-dam anityam apīha dhīraḥ
tūrṇaṁ yateta na pated anu-mṛtyu yāvan
niḥśreyasāya viṣayaḥ khalu sarvataḥ syāt

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.9.29)

[After many, many births and deaths one achieves the rare human form of life, which, although temporary, affords one the opportunity to attain the highest perfection. Thus a sober human being should quickly endeavour for the ultimate perfection of life as long as his body, which is always subject to death, has not fallen down and died. After all, sense gratification is available even in the most abominable species of life, whereas Kṛṣṇa consciousness is possible only for a human being.]

This human birth is extremely rare and is only obtained after many births. But although this birth is temporary, it can bestow spiritual perfection. Therefore, an intelligent person does not delay even for a moment to endeavour for the ultimate auspiciousness before death.

He used to tell us this important śloka quite often. I have heard this śloka from my Gurudeva many times. It is an important śloka from the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Labdhvā su-durlabham idaṁ bahu-sambhavānte: We have obtained this human body after such a long time. We have not done anything meritorious to get this body, but Kṛṣṇa is so merciful – He has given us this human body out of His causeless mercy. Only in this human body can we have artha-dam – understanding of spiritual knowledge. We will realize how to serve Kṛṣṇa and be happy only in this human body. We cannot have a guru in any other body. All beings are karma yoni – they can only taste the fruit of their karma created in their human form of life. In one minute, we can create lakhs and lakhs of karma. We don’t know that in one minute, when air goes through our nose, lakhs and lakhs of jīvas are smashed. When we walk on the ground, so many living entities are killed. We are engrossed by thoughts of committing violence and other unfavourable activities to another, and sometimes we think of doing good activities to others. All of these activities generate fruits of karma, which you will taste in due course of time.

In the human body, we will taste the fruits of our previous karma, and, of course, we can continue accumulating karma – or we can choose to engage in bhakti. By engaging in bhakti, new karma will not be created. A devotee will only have to taste the fruits of his previous karma. If a serpent happens to bite us, we should not try to take revenge, as we must have done something that made it bite us. If we beat and kill the snake, new karma is created.

While we suffer the fruits of our previous lives’ karma, we also have the freedom to utilize our independence and engage in bhakti. We have the freedom to do bhakti – to serve our holy master. This is not possible in any other body. By good fortune, we have gotten this human body. In this body, we can associate and engage in service to our holy master and proceed on the path of bhakti. We cannot do this if we are in the body of a goddess or even Brahmā’s body. We don’t know what will happen the next moment – if we will die or if we will live.

Svāmījī and our Gurudeva would always quote this śloka from the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

labdhvā su-durlabham idaṁ bahu-sambhavānte
mānuṣyam artha-dam anityam apīha dhīraḥ
tūrṇaṁ yateta na pated anu-mṛtyu yāvan
niḥśreyasāya viṣayaḥ khalu sarvataḥ syāt

Most humans are engaged in the same activities as animals: sleeping, begetting children, being fearful, and eating. From this perspective, there is no difference in the activities between animals and human beings. But I think there are more problems in the human body than in other life forms. Animals need not cook; they have nothing to do, yet they always have tasty and fresh food. There is no need to explain the ‘freshness’ of this food.

In India, it is very difficult to divorce. But nowadays, a contagious wind from the West is blowing on India, and the Indians are falling prey to it. Here (in the UK), a lady or a gentleman can divorce 10 or 20 times. Even at 100 years old, if he wants, a man can marry. But hogs and dogs can breed with 1,000’s of mates. We can beget one child at a time, but they can produce hundreds and hundreds of offspring at a time – like a tortoise. A snake can produce hundreds of offspring at a time. A hog produces not less than 16 offspring at a time. Dogs also produce not less than eight. So, they are much more advanced than us in this regard – so much more advanced.

(Laughter)

We have to support our children and provide everything for their marriage. In India, if a man has daughters, he has to sell everything for their marriage, but the animals don’t have to do this.

We always have fear. We fear even after entering spiritual life and accepting a bona fide guru. Why do we fear? If we have surrendered to Gurudeva or Kṛṣṇa, why should we fear?

In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is stated:

bhayaṁ dvitīyābhiniveśataḥ syād
īśād apetasya viparyayo ’smṛtiḥ
tan-māyayāto budha ābhajet taṁ
bhaktyaikayeśaṁ guru-devatātmā

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.2.37)

[Fear arises when a living entity misidentifies himself as the material body because of absorption in the external, illusory energy of the Lord. When the living entity thus turns away from the Supreme Lord, he also forgets his own constitutional position as a servant of the Lord. This bewildering, fearful condition is affected by the potency for illusion, called māyā. Therefore, an intelligent person should engage unflinchingly in the unalloyed devotional service of the Lord, under the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master, whom he should accept as his worshipable deity and as his very life and soul.]

When someone is bereft of full-fledged faith in Kṛṣṇa or his spiritual master, he will fear – he has to. Those who have fear are not fully surrendered to the lotus feet of their spiritual master or Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise, they should have no fear. By accepting shelter at the lotus feet of Gurudeva, there will be no need for a devotee to fear. Why will he fear? But we see now everyone is plagued by fear. If you see a new devotee, you will fear and think, “Why has he come? He will make a hole and trespass.” We fear so much.

Once in India, in Vṛndāvana, a devotee told me, “I have initiated a devotee, but now a certain guru enters my preaching field. I have made a very good preaching field, but this guru trespasses and enters my area. What should I do?”

I politely replied, “You are helping people of your area become Kṛṣṇa conscious. If this guru, who you accuse of trespassing, is helping you in your preaching, then why are you fearful of him? There is nothing to fear at all.”

We should be very liberal. We should be indebted to the devotee who helped us without prior motivation or invitation. Prabhupāda called me and said, “Oh, come on! Come on and help me.” He did not fear another person entering his preaching field.

(Laughter)

Has he told you, “None should enter my territory or boundary?” Some people think the whole world is their territory and no one should enter it. Do you know how dogs are?

(Laughter)

They bark if a new dog comes, “Don’t come near us.” Svāmījī has written of how the visa system is like the barking of the dogs. All the countries think, “This is our own country.” All their forefathers have died, but they still believe that the place of their birth is their rightful possession. They think, “No one should enter our territory.” For this purpose, they have manufactured visas and various rules and regulations that make it cumbersome for a person to enter another country. If you have a similar mentality, how can you be a devotee? If a devotee is helping us and thinks, “Everyone should become a pure devotee,” how can he be opposed? If any worldly gain or loss is considered upon a devotee’s arrival in your ‘field,’ then fear will arise – surely it will come. If there is fear, you should know that you have not become a true devotee – something is lacking in you.

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam states:

labdhvā su-durlabham idaṁ bahu-sambhavānte
mānuṣyam artha-dam anityam apīha dhīraḥ
tūrṇaṁ yateta na pated anu-mṛtyu yāvan
niḥśreyasāya viṣayaḥ khalu sarvataḥ syāt

At once! Don’t procrastinate. Don’t think of engaging in bhakti later – like tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. We should not think, “It’s alright not to perform bhakti now since our life is so long.” Rāvaṇa wanted to build a staircase to heaven; he proposed to build it on the same day he was going to fight with Rāmacandra. The war between Rāmacandra and Rāvaṇa was fought for many days, and only one day remained for the war to be finished. So Rāvaṇa wanted to build a staircase to heaven, where anyone, regardless of prior qualification or merit, could climb the stairs and enter heaven. But he had no time the next day (the last day of the war). The monkeys attacked, and Rāma came before Rāvaṇa, and a big fight ensued, and Rāvaṇa was killed. In India it is said: kāla kare so āja kara, āja kare so aba. This means, “What you want to do tomorrow you should do now.” There is no guarantee regarding your lifespan. Tūrṇam, give up your bad habits (like smoking) at once. You should not think of waiting for tomorrow. You should give it up at this very moment. You should try to chant harināma starting today, not tomorrow or any other day. You should not think, “Oh, I will gradually give these things up.” You should engage in bhakti at once. Who knows what will happen tomorrow? Tūrṇaṁ yateta na pated anu-mṛtyu yāvan. Before we die, we should try to go to a bona fide guru.

We are not qualified to recognize a bona fide guru. We should pray to Kṛṣṇa to bestow His mercy on us so that we can find a bona fide guru. Kṛṣṇa knows everything. We should start searching for a bona fide guru from this very moment and surrender to him because we have found him by Kṛṣṇa’s mercy. We should surrender to Gurudeva first, then to Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise, by only serving Kṛṣṇa, our services will be fruitless.

There was a king called Khaṭvāṅga Mahārāja. He was very strong. He was called to heaven to participate in a war between the demigods and the demons. He was the leading general of the demigod’s army. At last, the demons were defeated. The demigods told Khaṭvāṅga Mahārāja, ”You can ask us for any benediction.”

Khaṭvāṅga Mahārāja replied, “I want to cross the ocean of birth and death. I want salvation. I only want to serve Kṛṣṇa.”

The demigods said, “We cannot give this benediction. None can give this benediction. Only Mukunda can bestow this mercy.” ‘Mukunda’ means one who can give mukti. Only Kṛṣṇa can give this.

Then he said, “Let me go to Vṛndāvana of the earthly realm.”

The demigods fulfilled his request at once, and Khaṭvāṅga Mahārāja came to earth. Once in Vṛndāvana, he began to chant, “Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare, Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare.” At once, four messengers of Viṣṇu came and took him to Vaikuṇṭha. This pastime is found in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

So, we should know what the guru has given us and endeavour to keep it carefully in our hearts. He has given us the seed to serve Kṛṣṇa. This seed is called bhakti-latā – the seed of the creeper of devotion. He also gives us the water to nourish the seed. What is that water? It is śravaṇam-kīrtanam (hearing and chanting). Unfortunately for us, and not for him, he was called by his Supreme Master for the direct association of his Prabhu; he is engaged in serving in more intimate, essential, and confidential ways. Some seeds he has sown in the hearts of devotees have not sprouted; some seeds have sprouted, but they need more water. Some water was given, but it wasn’t enough. The seeds need more water. So, Svāmī Mahārāja requested me to water the seedlings and sprouts.

He said, “Take this water; I will be engaged in another service. You should go and give this water.” What is that water I was told to give? The water is what I have heard from Svāmījī, from my spiritual masters, and from what I have gained from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta – this is the water. I have come for this purpose: to obey his divine orders. The devotional plants have grown, but they need more water. They have been neglected. Svāmījī specifically told me to water these plants. Otherwise, they may wither. And those whose seed of devotion hasn’t yet sprouted, they should also take this water. I want to perform this service that Svāmījī has entrusted to me. I pray that Svāmījī will be pleased with my service. Also, Kṛṣṇa and His associates are very merciful; I pray that they bestow their mercy on me so that I will be able to perform the service that Svāmījī has entrusted with me.

My mission is to help everyone, especially those devotees who have been neglected so much and who are on the verge of giving everything up. Some have been given harināma and dīkṣā, but they have given up and gone to other sampradāyas like the Nimbārka sampradāya in India. I know them all. Some have gone to astrologers in their search for fulfilment. Some have gone to the Rāmānuja sampradāya. And some have gone to Rādhā-kuṇḍa and have become sahajiyā-bābājīs. Svāmījī never wanted this to happen. I requested him to bring them back again with more love and affection. They cannot be controlled otherwise. We cannot even control an ant, what to speak of controlling devotees.

Svāmījī has never controlled or ordered anyone, as far as I know. His love and affection controlled them. We should control devotees with love and affection so they do not give up their holy master’s lotus feet. Those who have left should be brought again to their holy master’s feet and given energy to serve their holy master’s lotus feet with renewed vigour and confidence. By doing so, they will break the chain of birth and death and will surely have the service of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa conjugal, or Gaura-Nityānanda Prabhu, or the service of Jagannātha. We will have to serve Jagannātha first because He is in this jagat, and then gradually, we will advance and direct our services to Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. Or if it is convenient, at once you can have a relation with the Divine Couple – Śrī Śrī Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, both are the same. By serving Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu in Navadvīpa with dāsya-bhāva, we will see that – when we jump in the Ganges from the Jagannātha-ghāṭa (bathing place) or from Nāgariyā-ghāṭa in Navadvīpa where Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu used to take bath – when we dive into the waters of the Ganges with the words ‘Śacīnandana Gaurahari’ dancing on our tongues we will see that in less than a moment we will have arrived at Keśī-ghāṭa in Vṛndāvana with the words ‘Rādhe Kṛṣṇa, Rādhe Kṛṣṇa’ dancing on our tongues.

Do you understand? I cannot fully express myself, but the gist of what I am saying is that anyone who dives in the waters of the Ganges in Navadvīpa from the ghāṭa (bathing place) where Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu used to take a bath or from Nidayā-ghāṭa, he will find himself in Vṛndāvana. Do you know Nidayā-ghāṭa? It is the ghāṭa where Mahāprabhu jumped into the waters of the Ganges and swam across the river. Once He had crossed the river, He accepted sannyāsa at Kaṇṭaka-nagarī. Mahāprabhu renounced His wife, mother, and everyone. He also shaved His beautiful curly hair. Thus, this ghāṭa from where Mahāprabhu mercilessly left everyone to take sannyāsa is called ‘Nidayā-ghāṭa’ (ni – no; dayā – mercy = merciless). Mahāprabhu left Viṣṇupriyā, a young lady who had no children. He also left His aged mother, who had nothing to support her. Renouncing them, Mahāprabhu became nirdaya and jumped into the waters of the Ganges. It was winter then, and the waves of the Ganges were crashing against each other. Mahāprabhu did not hesitate. He dove into the waters of the Ganges while chanting, “Haribol! Haribol!” He walked to Kaṇṭaka-nagarī and accepted sannyāsa from Śrī Keśava Bhāratī.

When we dive into the waters of the Ganges from the ghāṭas of Navadvīpa, we will emerge from the waters of the Yamunā in Vṛndāvana. We will see that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is in the form of Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. We will see the Divine Couple sitting at Sevā-kuñja or Vaṁśī-vaṭa. We will see how Kṛṣṇa is playing on His flute and calls us from the corner of His eyes with the most bewitching smile adorning His face.

We cannot repay our Gurudeva. You should not think you can repay him with your actions. We cannot repay him by distributing books or serving him personally. There are no actions by which we can we repay Gurudeva. Kṛṣṇa told the gopīs:

na pāraye ’haṁ niravadya-saṁyujāṁ
sva-sādhu-kṛtyaṁ vibudhāyuṣāpi vaḥ
yā mābhajan durjara-geha-śṛṅkhalāḥ
saṁvṛścya tad vaḥ pratiyātu sādhunā

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.32.22)

[I am not able to repay My debt for your spotless service, even within a lifetime of Brahmā. Your connection with Me is beyond reproach. You have worshiped Me, cutting off all domestic ties, which are difficult to break. Therefore please let your own glorious deeds be your compensation.]

Kṛṣṇa told the gopīs, “I cannot repay you for your spotless service.” In the same way, we cannot repay our Gurudeva, our holy master, because he has sown the seeds of kṛṣṇa-prema in our hearts. But we have forgotten this most magnanimous act of Gurudeva and the seed of kṛṣṇa-prema that he sowed. Regardless of our consideration, the seed of kṛṣṇa-prema has been sown by him in our hearts. Instead of trying to repay Gurudeva by our actions, we should always serve him by following his orders. We should offer our lives and souls to carry out Gurudeva’s order.

I will stop my lecture here. I think my English is not as good as Raghunātha Prabhu’s.

(Laughter)

In Hindi, I can explain better. I will have to understand what Raghunātha Prabhu has fully said. I will ask him to explain it to me again. Did Raghunātha Prabhu perhaps use a lot of colloquial and ornamental English in his speech?

Devotees: Very much.

Śrīpāda Mādhava Mahārāja: He also spoke very fast.

Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja: But I have to take so much time to understand his colloquial and ornamental English.

(Laughter)

Please excuse me if I have said anything wrong. I want to serve Svāmījī’s mission more and more. This is the same mission of my Gurudeva, our disciplic succession and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. By this service, we can serve Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and in no time, we will see that our hearts have been changed and become immaculately pure. We will then be qualified to serve Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Gaura-premānande! Haribol!

Source(s): Purebhakti.com, Serve Love – Bhakta Bandhav (Bhakta Bandhav Anthology transcribed and edited by the Bhakta Bandhav Team)

Image(s) made possible by Pixabay.com, Krishnapath.org.in and/or Bhaktiart.net
Unless indicated differently, all verse translations and quotes are from the books by Śrīla Prabhupāda (Vedabase.com)