(9) Come Forward

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Deities' Manifestation Anniversary festival, Siliguri, 1 May 2019, morning, part 9
Translated from Bengali

If you want to come to the Lord, you must serve under the guidance of your guru and Vaishnavs. You must accept this in your own lives.

We live worshipping Maya, but:

মায়ারে করিয়া জয় ছাড়ান না যায় ।
সাধুকৃপা বিনা আর না দেখি উপায় ॥

mayare kariya jaya chhadana na yaya
sadhu-krpa bina ara na dekhi upaya

‘It is impossible to conquer illusory environment and break free from it. I see no other way to get relief except by sadhus’ mercy.’

(Prarthana, Srila Narottam Das Thakur)

Maya Devi keeps us as her servants. I have told you about how Maya works. If you put a piece of iron into fire, the iron will become red. After that, if you touch some cloth or somebody's body with that red-hot iron, it will burn everything. Where does iron get this power to burn? From fire. Maya Devi is also like that. Getting her power from the Lord, she engages us in her work and keeps us away from the Lord. She turns us into her servants and maidservants.

Do you understand now why we, people of this world, are always busy with anything and everything except God? This is Maya's game. She turns us into her servants. She get the power to do this from the Lord.

If some fortunate soul associates with the Lord's devotees and surrenders to the Lord, then Maya Devi will see, 'This person is surrendering to my Lord,' and she leaves that person alone. She runs away from surrendered souls. For example, you serve the Lord and practise Krishna consciousness, but many people do not do it. Most people serve Maya. How are you different from them? You understand these things and try to surrender to the Lord, so Maya Devi gradually leaves you. Always remember this.

So, we have come here to celebrate the joyous festival (utsav) of the Lord's manifestation. 'Utsav' means you must have 'utsaha' (enthusiasm, eagerness). You must feel excited, 'Oh, Gurudev's festival is coming soon!' We must celebrate all festivals with joy (ananda-utsav) and enthusiasm (utsaha). This is how you must serve your guru, Vaishnavs and the Lord. Serve them, then you will get supreme benefit.

We have many temples. I have told you so many times that if you cannot stay here in Siliguri, come to any of our temples. For example, a lady from Siliguri is now staying in Nrisingha Palli, and she is serving so nicely there. There was another devotee who wanted to work as a driver – I told him that he could stay at the temple and drive a car for the temple. We have many cars, and he could drive any of them – I was even ready to pay him the money he would earn if he worked as a driver outside. You can stay at the temple, you will get food and shelter. They cook for the Lord every day anyway, so everybody can take prasad – it is not a problem. How much further must I go to reach out to you? The rest is up to you – you must make a step forward to cover the rest of the distance. That lady cooks at the temple alone and also washes the dishes herself. Sometimes she cooks for ten–fifteen people, but sometimes she cooks for twenty, sixty or even a hundred people. She does everything herself – she cooks and she does the dishes herself. Now Asha Didi has also come to the temple – she is old and invalid, so that lady helps her take bath, etc. Asha Didi gave all her health and body for the service to the temple. She comes from Srila Sridhar Maharaj's times – she took initiation sixty years ago! But they kicked her out of the temple... When I heard it, I told her, 'We have no lack of temples, come and stay in Nrisingha Palli.' You must have seen her – she stayed behind our temple. When we were constructing the Prasadam Hall, she gave sixty thousand rupees and we bought thirty thousand bricks with that money. A whole building was built with her money, but they kicked her out.

Devotee: In her old age, too!

Yes, they stopped feeding her. She took prasad only once a day, but they stopped even that. I sent a car there and brought her to Nrisingha Palli. She is a disciple of Srila Sridhar Maharaj. And they say that I do not take care of them... Such is their dirt. I am not like that – if somebody takes care of the temple and serves the temple, no matter how old they get, I will clean their stool. They belong to the temple; they are our own.

So, even if you are old, come to me, I do not mind it. I have made a temple for old people in Ganga Sagar. We are renting out some rooms there now. You can come there and do service. If you cannot do any service, then stay and just chant the Holy Name. I do not have any objection. Do not come to gossip and talk nonsense, though. Come to chant kirtan, to listen to the classes, and even if you cannot do any service, then just stay and chant the Holy Name.

I am telling you – come with me. I came here by car, and I can take five–seven people with me. If you want to come, then come with me, I will engage you in service in different temples.

— : • : —

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