(5/6) Mahaprabhu's Exclusive Gift

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Jaipur, evening class,
4 November 2019, part 5
Translated from Bengali

As you remember, we were in Kuruksetra yesterday. There, one devotee came to me and said, 'How come you do not read Srimad Bhagavad-gita here?' I thought about it later, and I thought that it is true, when we come to Kuruksetra, we should speak about Srimad Bhagavad-gita, but there is also another point.

Firstly, the teachings that Lord Sri Krishna imparts to Arjuna in Srimad Bhagavad-gita are actually meant for us. The ultimate decision expressed there was:

সর্ব্বধর্ম্মান্ পরিত্যজ্য মামেকং শরণং ব্রজ ।
অহং ত্বাং সর্ব্বপাপেভ্যো মোক্ষয়িষ্যামি মা শুচঃ ॥

sarva-dharman parityajya, mam ekam saranam vraja
aham tvam sarva-papebhyo, moksayisyami ma suchah

'Give up all kinds of religion and surrender to Me alone. I will liberate you from all sins, do not despair.'

(Srimad Bhagavad-gita, 18.66)

It is also said in Srimad Bhagavad-gita:

যৎ করোষি ষদশ্নাসি যজ্জুহোষি দদাসি যৎ ।
যত্তপস্যসি কৌন্তেয় তৎ কুরুষ্ব মদর্পণম্ ॥

yat karosi yad asnasi yaj juhosi dadasi yat
yat tapasyasi kaunteya tat kurusva mad-arpanam

'O Kaunteya, whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer in sacrifice, whatever you give and whatever vow you may keep – do everything as an offering unto Me.'

(Srimad Bhagavad-gita, 9.27)

Lord Krishna says, 'Whatever you do, whatever meditation you practise, whatever you think about, the main thing everywhere is I. I am the object and objective in whatever you may do. Do not think that you can do anything for yourself – I am the one whom all actions are meant for. So, whatever you do, do it for Me.'

This is karma-misra bhakti (devotion mixed with material pursuits or desires). However, when Sri Ray Ramananda spoke about this to Mahaprabhu, Mahaprabhu rejected it, saying, 'This is external, go further.' What does it mean? Lord Sri Krishna came in Kali-yuga assuming the form of Gauranga Mahaprabhu, and when He came this time, He taught even higher things. When Mahaprabhu rejected karma-misra bhakti, Ray Ramananda brought up jnana-misra bhakti (devotion mixed with knowledge-seeking), saying that trying to obtain knowledge is a higher stage. Mahaprabhu said again, 'This is external, go further.' Next, Ray Ramananda spoke about jnana-sunya bhakti (devotion devoid of knowledge-seeking), and then Mahaprabhu said, 'Yes, this will do. But is there anything higher? Can you go further than that?' After that, Ray Ramananda spoke about the different rasas: santa-rasa (neutral service to the Lord), dasya-rasa (servile service), sakhya-rasa (friendly service), vatsalya-rasa (parental service), and finally madhura-rasa (paramour service). But these things are not given in Srimad Bhagavad-gita – Gita finishes at karma-misra bhakti. So, Mahaprabhu gave a much higher conception, but who can understand and appreciate this elaborate, beautiful gift that Mahaprabhu gave us? Mahaprabhu is extremely magnanimous.

শ্রীকৃষ্ণচৈতন্য-দয়া করহ বিচার ।
বিচার করিলে চিত্তে পাবে চমৎকার ॥

sri-krsna-chaitanya-daya karaha vichara
vichara karile chitte pabe chamatkara

'Just consider Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's mercy! If you do, you will feel astonished in your heart.'

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, 1.8.15)

Mahaprabhu bestowed upon us the right to do service in various transcendental moods: as servants, friends, parents, etc. of the Lord. In the end, Mahaprabhu showed Ray Ramananda His divine form of Rasa-raja Maha-bhava. Those of you who have been to Kovvur have seen the place where that happened and have heard about this pastime.

So, it is my prayer to you all that you may accept this service right that Mahaprabhu came to distribute and may serve in your capacity and divine mood, meditating on the holy lotus feet of Sri Sri Radha-Krishna and always serving Them. This is what you should always aspire for, and this is something that comes only through the guru. The guru is the one who gives this kind of service right. If the guru becomes displeased and if you cannot understand the nature of service that exists in Goloka Vrindavan, then you will be in grave danger.

— : • : —

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Language: Bengali

READ OTHER PARTS:

1) Slaves of Lust
2) Consuming Callousness
3) Aversion to Service
4) Known and Knowable
5) Mahaprabhu's Exclusive Gift
6) Preach for the Math