(8) Clear Answers

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Siliguri, 30 April 2019, evening, part 8
Translated from Bengali

There are also ten offences that are described at the end of our books. We give everybody booklets at the time of initiation, but many may not be able to understand what is written in them.

The first offence is sadhu-ninda, criticising saints. The second offence is to consider gods to be equal to or independent of Lord Krishna. Some people say that Krishna and Gaura are different entities. Many people say, 'Oh, we worship Krishna, so why is it necessary to worship Gaura?' They draw difference between Gaura and Krishna. There are also people who think that worshipping Kali, Krishna or Ganesh is the same thing. Have you read the third volume of Upadesh? Read it. It is a hard book – those who have good education will be able to understand it. If you read it, it will help you in preaching a lot.

Question: Who is a guru?

Answer: A guru is the one who is the exclusive object of worship of all gurus and who serves the Supreme Lord perfectly.

People say, 'Oh, I have taken the Kali-mantra (or the Ganesh-mantra), so I can become a guru myself now!', 'Oh, I have already taken the Kali-mantra (or the Ganesh-mantra) and chant that, so why must I take another guru?' A guru is the one who is the exclusive object of worship of all gurus and who serves the Supreme Lord perfectly.

'A guru is the one who is the exclusive object of worship of all gurus and who serves the Supreme Lord perfectly. We are not talking about sitar teachers or some performance teachers – they cannot save one from death. As the sloka from Bhagavatam (5.5.19) says, 'If somebody cannot save you from death – cannot give you eternal life, cannot save you from material misidentification (birth) and ignorance (death) – then they are not your guru, they are not your father, they are not your mother, they are not your worshippable God, they are not your friend.' Such people can never be a guru.

Question: What is called sadhu-sanga (good association)?

Answer: If you associate with non-devotees (asadhu) or with false devotees, or if you make a show of coming to a bona fide devotee (sadhu) but protect your own independence, then this is not sadhu-sanga.

prema-dhana bina vyartha daridra jivana
dasa kari vetana more deha prema-dhana

'Without love for God, this penniless life is nothing. Make me Your servant and give me the wealth of divine love as my salary!'

Our only duty is to always search for Krishna's happiness (to always look for ways to make Krishna happy). What makes Lord Krishna happy? We must search and strive to provide that kind of happiness. Remember this.

Question: Who looks for faults in Vaishnav?

Answer: Those who practise Krishna consciousness never look for faults in Vaishnavs. When you become averse to devotees, you inevitably fall down.

This is the answer that Srila Prabhupad Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur gave to this question.

Question: Who are the visayi (materialists)?

Answer: Those who waste their time on service to their mundane wife, sons, etc. instead of seeking eternal spiritual benefit.

Question: What is the sole duty of the man?

Answer: There is no other practice or method on this earth except for chanting the Holy Name and glories of the Lord.

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