(9/16) Love Me, Love My Dog

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Uluberia, 23 April 2019, noon, part 9
Translated from Bengali

Gurudev said, 'If you love me, love my dog,' and he gave an example explaining it. Suppose you invite a High Court judge to the temple – you welcome him nicely, give him a good place to sit, feed him nicely, etc. But what about his driver? Do you show any care for him, or do you only worry to give prasad to the judge, ignoring his driver? When the judge comes back to his driver, he will ask, 'Have you had anything to eat?' The driver will tell the truth, 'Nobody called me, so I just had some snack at a shop.' Do you think the judge will not be upset about it? Will he not think, 'Oh, nobody cared about my driver...'? So, no matter how much care you have shown towards the judge, all your efforts will be wasted. This is what Gurudev taught me. 'If you love me, love my dog.' We sing in of the kirtans:

সর্ব্বস্ব তোমার চরণে সঁপিয়া
পড়েছি তোমার ঘরে ।
তুমি ত' ঠাকুর, তোমার কুকুর
বলিয়া জানহ মোরে ॥

sarvasva tomara, charane sapiya,
padechhi tomara ghare
tumi ta' thakura, tomara kukura,
baliya janaha more

'I have offered everything at Your feet and taken shelter in Your home. You are my Master; please consider me Your dog.'

বাঁধিয়া নিকটে আমারে পালিবে,
রহিব তোমার দ্বারে ।
প্রতীপ-জনেরে আসিতে না দিব,
রাখিব গড়ের পারে ॥

bandhiya nikate amare palibe
rahiba tomara dvara
pratipa-janere asite na diba
rakhiba gadera pare

'Please keep me – tie me up near Your home and I will stay at Your doorstep. I will not let anyone who is against you enter – I will keep them on the other side of the moat.'

(Saranagati, Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur)

'My Master, please tie me to Your home. I want to stay at Your door.' We must have this kind of loyalty. One time, I came to Gurudev and told him about some problem that had happened a while before that. At first, Gurudev was quiet and looked grave, but then he spoke in reply, 'I have got myself an Alsatian dog, and one day, when I went for a walk with this dog, an enemy attacked me, but instead of protecting me, the dog jumped on my shoulder and cried, "Save me! Help! Help!"' I offered my obeisance to Gurudev and left, and after that I never came to complain to him about anything. What Gurudev was saying was that 'I have kept you as my Alsatian dog, so if there is any problem downstairs, it is your problem – why do you come to tell me about it? If you have to resort to some remedy (apply some medicine), then do that.' What actually happened was that it was Gurudev's appearance day and Hari Charan Prabhu had installed a signboard next to the temple on this occasion, but another person, a sannyasi, came and tore that signboard down. So, I came to Gurudev and told him, 'Gurudev, it is your birthday, so Hari Charan Prabhu has installed a signboard at the temple, but that man came and took it down.' But what will Gurudev do? He cannot chastise them for this, but it is my job to fix it – I was the one who had to do what was necessary to do. That is why Gurudev told me, 'I have kept an Alsatian dog to guard me downstairs, but the dog jumps on my shoulder and cries, "Help! Save me!"' This is how Gurudev taught me.

After that I realised, 'Why must I be afraid of Gurudev? Why must I give him any headache? I must take all responsibility and resolve everything myself.' That was my mood. And if I could not do anything alone, then I would come to consult Gurudev.

Anyhow, much has been said. Let us chant some kirtan now, after that I will speak more.

[His Divine Grace chants 'Emona durmati', 'Jaya Radha Madhava' and the Hare Krishna maha-mantra.]

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Size: 41 Mb
Length: 85 min
Language: Bengali

READ OTHER PARTS:

1) Be Resolute
2) Pillars of Service Mood
3) Tongue's Attachment
4) Tread with Caution
5) Search for Reality
6) The Obstacle Is You
7) Bogus Love, Bogus Claims
8) Core of Devotional Life
9) Love Me, Love My Dog
10) Bad Days Turn Into Bad Life
11) Tottering Life
12) Control Your Mind
13) Devotees' Benevolent Kindness
14) Gift of Vision
15) Seal Your Heart from Maya
16) My Question to You