(4) Where Does Devotion Come From?

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Sri Krishna Janmastami, Tarakeswar
23 August 2019, midnight, part 4
Translated from Bengali

So, if devotion has not appeared in your heart, Lord Krishna will never appear there. But how can you get devotion?... Devotion is the only necessity of each and every jiva soul. How can the soul get devotion? Devotion comes from devotees. On whose door must you knock for devotion? On devotees' door. Brihan-naradiya Purana says, ‘Bhaktis tu bhagavad-bhakta-sangena parijayate (ভক্তিস্তু ভগবদ্ভক্তসঙ্গেন পরিজায়তে) – you can get devotion through the association of devotees.’ Devotion appears in the association of devotees.

If you find a devotee in your life, then you will also find devotion. You can develop devotion by associating with a devotee, by seeing a devotee or by coming in touch with a devotee. For the Lord to appear, you need devotion, and for devotion to appear, you need a devotee. So, the very basis and cause of Lord Krishna's appearance is association of His devotees. To come to Krishna, you must first become a devotee – you must find devotees' association. You cannot attain anything without devotees' association. Remember this.

কৃষ্ণভক্তি-জন্মমূল হয় ‘সাধসঙ্গ’ ।
কৃষ্ণপ্রেম জন্মে, তেঁহো পুনঃ মুখ্য অঙ্গ ॥

krsna-bhakti-janma-mula haya 'sadhu-sanga'
krsna-prema janme, teho punah mukhya anga

'Although sadhu-sanga is the root cause of devotion for Krishna, it remains the main part of life for those who have already attained transcendental love for Krishna.'

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, 2.22.80)

If you have not got a devotee's association, if you have not established any relationship with a devotee, but you say that you have become a devotee and have come to the Lord, that is sheer nonsense. This is not a matter to be debated – this is a strict scriptural truth, and it is most scientific. This is not just something that you must accept or something that has been made up – this is the path of truth that everybody must follow. Many proud people challenge, 'What is the need of a devotee?', 'Does the Lord not appear without association with a devotee?', 'I have seen God in a dream!' and so on. People say all kinds of things. 'I went to the Ganges and saw God there (or I went to a temple and saw God there) – Krishna appeared to me!', 'Oh, I saw Krishna playing the flute beneath a tree!' – these are all mental concoctions. This is not 'God's appearance' – this merely a dreamlike vision, it is a darshan of a ghost! Seeing something in a dream and attaining something tangibly are not one and the same. Only a devotee can enable you to perceive the Lord's appearance. Through his holy words, through his mercy, through his power, a devotee can make Lord's Name, beauty and associates appear within the soul's heart in a real, tangible way.

Faithful devotees can install the Lord within the soul through darshan, sravan and kirtan. God is not a figment of imagination, He is real! Devotees can reveal the Lord – it is not possible to come to God without devotees. 'I will make the Lord appear to me without any devotees' – it will never happen, and it cannot happen. No matter how much you practise devotion, you will get any result on your own.

When you come to the genuine path, you will develop faith, attachment, devotion and love for the Lord – pure devotees will take you to the Lord. They will bring the Master of Vaikuntha right in front of you, 'Look! Listen to this, touch this! Feel the Lord's power, touch His holy body!' When you realise all this, you will realise the presence of the Lord. In other words, devotees will allow you to see and feel the Lord – they will bring the Lord to you and make Him appear to you because Sri Krishnachandra is bound by His devotees. If devotees want, they can gift Krishna to you.

কৃষ্ণ সে তোমার, কৃষ্ণ দিতে পার,
তোমার শকতি আছে ।
আমি ত’ কাঙ্গাল, ‘কৃষ্ণ কৃষ্ণ’ বলি’,
ধাই তব পাছে পাছে ॥

krsna se tomara, krsna dite para,
tomara sakati achhe
ami ta’ kangala, ‘krsna krsna’ bali’,
dhai tava pachhe pachhe

'Krishna is yours, so you have the power to give Him. I am very poor – calling out, "Krishna! Krishna!" I am running behind you.'

Krishna does not belong to nondevotees – He belongs to His devotees! Therefore, it is devotees who can give Krishna to others. Krishna is their property, Krishna is their dearest person, and He loves His devotees. He is controlled by His devotees. God belongs to His devotees, so devotees can give God to you.

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