(1) Qualification for Holy Life

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Preaching programme in Singur,
7 May 2019, noon, part 1
Translated from Bengali

The Holy Name always considers who is an offender (who commits offences) and who does not. What happens after that, after this judgement? If the Holy Name decides that somebody is an offender, it will not come to this person's mouth. Nama Prabhu will not arise on such a person's tongue.

‘কৃষ্ণনাম’ করে অপরাধের বিচার ।
কৃষ্ণ বলিলে অপরাধীর না হয় বিকার ॥

‘krsna-nama’ kare aparadhera vichara
krsna balile aparadhira na haya vikara

‘The Holy Name of Krishna considers offences: when one who commits ten offences of the Holy Name takes the Name of Krishna, it produces no transformation in them.’

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, 1.8.24)

Even if such persons try to chant the Holy Name, it produces no effect in their hearts – their hearts do not change. The Holy Name cannot come to the mouths of offenders. These are Mahaprabhu's words.

When Mahaprabhu went to Kasi, one of Prakasananda Saraswati's disciples came to Him and asked, 'Prabhu, the people here know so much about the Vedas and Vedanta but why does the Holy Name not come to their mouths?' Mahaprabhu replied, 'Why? Because they are offenders of the Holy Name.' Srila Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami wrote in Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, expressing Mahaprabhu's words:

‘কৃষ্ণনাম’ করে অপরাধের বিচার ।
কৃষ্ণ বলিলে অপরাধীর না হয় বিকার ॥

‘krsna-nama’ kare aparadhera vichara
krsna balile aparadhira na haya vikara

‘The Holy Name of Krishna considers offences: when one who commits ten offences of the Holy Name takes the Name of Krishna, it produces no transformation in them.’

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, 1.8.24)

If you chant the Holy Name with offences, such chanting will not produce any change in your heart – your heart will not become pure.

You have all been chanting the Holy Name for a long time. You chanted the Lord's kirtan: guru-vandana, vaishnav-vandana, etc. All this is also the Holy Name. Chanting the glories of Vaishnavs is also chanting the Holy Name. Serving the Lord is also chanting the Holy Name. Any kirtan related to the Lord is also chanting the Holy Name. For example, we have just chanted a kirtan from Saranagati:

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

sarvasva tomara, charane sampiya,
padechhi tomara ghare
tumi ta’ thakura, tomara kukura,
baliya janaha more

‘Submitting everything at Your feet, I have come to Your home. You are my Master, so please consider me Your dog.’

(Saranagati, Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur)

We tell the Lord, 'O Lord! Please know me as Your dog.'

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

badhiya nikate, amare palibe,
rahiba tomara dvare
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)

'If somebody is not favourable to you – if somebody opposes you – I will not let them come near you.'

So, those who have no right must not enter the Deities' room. Those who have not taken the second initiation have no right to enter there. Only those who recite Brahma-gayatri and follow all rules and regulations strictly can enter the altar room.

So, we are present here today on the auspicious occasion of the manifestation anniversary of Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Radha Shyamasundar in this newly constructed temple. On this day, Sri Sri Radha-Shyamasundar were installed here, in this temple. We have all come on this day to get some association of sadhus and devotees.

Do you know how you can get relief from the life in this material world? The only way to get out of this material existence is by practising sravan and kirtan in sadhu-sanga (by listening about the Lord and by chanting the Lord's Names and glories in the association of pure saints). This is the only remedy.

— : • : —

{ 2001  |   2002  |   2003  |   2005  |   2009  |   2010  |   2011  |   2012 }
{ 2013  |   2014  |   2015  |   2016  |   2017  |   2018  |   2019  |   2020  |   2021 }