The following is a transcription of a discourse delivered by Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja in Badger, California, on June 15, 2006
Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja: Even if a disciple is born of an aristocratic family, he should be humble. He should wake up in the morning before his Gurudeva and rest after him. He should always serve and obey his Guru. He should never disobey.
Devotee: He’s asking if the Guru has an attachment to his disciples.
Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja: The Guru has no attachment to anyone, but he is merciful. He is only attached to Śrī Śrī Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. He has no lust for anything in this world. He has no time at all for anything or anyone else.
tatra bhāgavatān dharmān
śikṣed gurv-ātma-daivataḥ
amāyayānuvṛttyā yais
tuṣyed ātmātma-do hariḥ
(Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.3.22)
[“Accepting the bona fide spiritual master as one’s life and soul and worshipable deity, the disciple should learn from him the process of pure devotional service. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, the soul of all souls, is inclined to give Himself to His pure devotees. Therefore, the disciple should learn from the spiritual master to serve the Lord without duplicity and in such a faithful and favourable way that the Supreme Lord, being satisfied, will offer Himself to the faithful disciple.”]
sarvato manaso ’saṅgam
ādau saṅgaṁ ca sādhuṣu
dayāṁ maitrīṁ praśrayaṁ ca
bhūteṣv addhā yathocitam
(Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.3.23)
[” A sincere disciple should learn to dissociate the mind from everything material and positively cultivate association with his spiritual master and other saintly devotees. He should be merciful to those in an inferior position to him, cultivate friendship with those on an equal level and meekly serve those in a higher spiritual position. Thus he should learn to deal properly with all living beings.]
When we meet others, we should not speak about our sufferings. For example, “My wife has divorced me. What should I do?” When Śrīla Rūpa and Sanātana Gosvāmīs used to meet together, they would only speak about Kṛṣṇa. A disciple should learn this from his Guru. Disciples should remind each other of the sweet pastimes of Kṛṣṇa so that māyā will not be able to enter their hearts – otherwise, māyā will come. The disciple should learn from his Gurudeva how kṛṣṇa-prema can be achieved.
kvacid rudanty acyuta-cintayā kvacid
dhasanti nandanti vadanty alaukikāḥ
nṛtyanti gāyanty anuśīlayanty ajaṁ
bhavanti tūṣṇīṁ param etya nirvṛtāḥ
(Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.3.32)
[“Having achieved love of Godhead, the devotees sometimes weep loudly, absorbed in thought of the infallible Lord. Sometimes they laugh, feel great pleasure, speak out loud to the Lord, dance or sing. Such devotees, having transcended material, conditioned life, sometimes imitate the unborn Supreme by acting out His pastimes. And sometimes, achieving His personal audience, they remain peaceful and silent.”.]
Gurudeva is always sinking in the ocean of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s sweet pastimes. That kind of sādhu or Guru has extraordinary character. Sometimes such sādhus think, “Until now I have not had darśana of Kṛṣṇa and Rādhikā. What shall I do? Where should I go?” He cries bitterly, wandering here and there, as exemplified by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Sometimes he begins to search for Them: “Where are You?” And sometimes he becomes silent. The disciple should learn all these moods.
Regarding the above-mentioned verse (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.3.32), the pure devotee sometimes weeps. Sometimes, he remembers, “Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord. Still, although He is full with so many opulences, He is hiding Himself in the assembly of the gopīs.” The pure devotee then becomes happy and begins to laugh loudly. Sometimes he feels, “I have seen Rādhikā and Kṛṣṇa.” He then becomes delighted and begins to sing the glories of Rādhikā and Kṛṣṇa. These are the moods a pure disciple should learn from his Gurudeva.
This human form is very mercifully given by Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, because He is causelessly merciful. So don’t waste your time in household life. Lord Kṛṣṇa has personally told us that it is a blind well. You have tasted sense gratification in your past millions of lives. Don’t go in that direction again. We should learn all these things from Gurudeva, and follow his instructions.
Gaura Premānande.
Devotee: You said that the Guru is not attached to the disciple; he is only attached to Kṛṣṇa. Another time you said that the Guru loves the disciple but is not attached. What is the difference?
Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja: The Guru has so much love and affection for his disciple, but he is not attached. He is totally attached to Śrī Kṛṣṇa; he does not have even a fraction of attachment anywhere else. He will be merciful and teach all these things.
Devotee: What is the difference between love and attachment?
Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja: There is so much difference. It is like the difference between Heaven and Earth or the Sky and Hell (Ākāśa and Pātāla). Attachment is lust, and love is pure.
Source: Purebhakti.com
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Unless indicated differently, all verse translations and quotes are from the books by Śrīla Prabhupāda (Vedabase.com)