(5/13) God's Message

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Bandipur, 15 November 2019, evening, part 5
Translated from Bengali

It is written in the scriptures that if we keep failing to fulfil our purpose (if gurudev comes to us and tells us again and again what we should do, but do not surrender to him) – if we persist and refuse to give up small things – then we will not be able to attain anything great, we will not be able to come to the Lord, so we will have to continue coming and going in this world again and again.

If you live doing what you like, you will incur karma (it will be reactionary). The result of such karma is bondage (karma-bandhan), and the result of material bondage is hellish suffering. If you want to free yourselves from this bondage and suffering, we must surrender at the holy feet of a guru.

So, our main message is that first you should take shelter at the holy feet of a guru (guru-pada-asraya). Once you have taken shelter of a bona fide guru, you can receive initiation and the Holy Name, receive the second initiation, and after that you must practise properly:

আদৌশ্রদ্ধা ততঃ সাধুসঙ্গোঽথ ভজনক্রিয়া ।
ততোঽনর্থনিবৃত্তিঃ স্যাৎ ততো নিষ্ঠা রুচিস্ততঃ ॥
অথাসক্তিস্ততো ভাবস্ততঃ প্রেমাভ্যুদঞ্চতি ।
সাধকানাময়ং প্রেম্ণঃ প্রাদুর্ভাবে ভবেৎ ক্রমঃ ॥

adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sango ’tha bhajana-kriya
tato ’nartha-nivrttih syat tato nistha ruchis tatah
athasaktis tato bhavas tatah premabhyudanchati
sadhakanam ayam premnah pradurbhave bhavet kramah

‘First, there is faith; then, saintly association and practising life. After that, unwanted habits gradually go away, spiritual life becomes stable, and spiritual taste comes. Then comes attachment, feeling and, finally, transcendental love. This is how love for the Lord comes to those who practise Krishna consciousness.’

(Sri Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, 1.4.15–16)

We find much advice given to us by Lord Sri Krishna in Srimad Bhagavad-gita, but Mahaprabhu gave so much more than that. In Gita, Krishna says, 'Give up all religions and surrender to Me, I will take care of you.'

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)

'Give up your material religions, give up all your concocted religions, give up all your ideas of human duties, of your duties towards other souls, your duties towards your parents, relatives, friends and children – give up all kinds of religion and surrender only to Me. Do not despair, I will take care of you in every way.' Another instruction Lord Krishna gives in Gita is this:

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)

'Whatever you do – if you meditate, do fire sacrifice, anything – I am at the root of everything. Whatever sacrifice you make, offer everything to Me.' This is the advice Krishna gives to Arjuna after Arjuna had heard all the teachings and finally surrendered to Krishna fully. Before that, Krishna told Arjuna many things, but Arjuna still hesitated.

This time we went to Kuruksetra and visited the place where Gita was spoken. Arjuna was not the only one who heard that holy teachings – Sanjay also had the fortune to hear it, and he told it to Dhritarastra.

So, Lord Krishna tried to persuade Arjuna in many ways, but no matter what He said, it was in vain, so in the end He had to arrange everything Himself...

This same Lord Krishna comes also in Kali-yuga as Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, a combined golden form of Sri Sri Radha-Krishna. Assuming the role of a teacher, He went door to door and told everybody:

জীব জাগ জীব জাগ গোরাচাঁদ বলে ।
কত নিদ্রা যাও মায়া পিশাচীর কোলে ॥

jiva jaga jiva jaga gorachanda bale
kata nidra yao maya-pisachira kole

‘“Wake up, soul! Wake up, soul!” says Gorachad (Golden Moon). “How long are you going to sleep in the lap of this witch Maya?”’

(Sri Gitavali, Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur)

'O jiva soul! Stop sleeping! Wake up! Worship Krishna! Chant Krishna's Names!'

উঠরে উঠরে ভাই, আর ত সময় নাই,
‘কৃষ্ণ ভজ’ বলে উচ্চৈঃস্বরে ॥

uthare uthare bhai, ara ta samaya nai,
‘krsna bhaja’ bale uchchaihsvare

‘They call out loudly: ‘Wake up! Wake up, brother! There is no time left! Worship Lord Krishna!’’

(Acharya Vandana)

'There is no time! You must practise Krishna consciousness.' This is what Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu comes to tell everybody. And He does not come alone:

শ্রীকৃষ্ণচৈতন্য প্রভু জীবে দয়া করি’ ।
স্বপার্ষদ স্বীয় ধাম সহ অবতরি ॥

sri-krsna-chaitanya prabhu jive daya kari’
svaparsada sviya dhama saha avatari

‘Bestowing mercy on jiva souls, Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu descends with His associates and abode.’

(Saranagati, Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur)

In Kali-yuga, Lord Krishna comes as Gauranga Mahaprabhu, a combined form of Sri Sri Radha-Krishna, and begs everybody, 'I am begging you for one thing only: come with us and chant the Holy Name of Krishna (Krsna bala, sange chala, ei matra bhiksa chai; (কৃষ্ণ বল, সঙ্গে চল, এই মাত্র ভিক্ষা চাই))!' He did not ask anybody for money, wealth, cars, houses. Moreover, He said:

ন ধনং ন জনং ন সুন্দরীং কবিতাং বা জগদীশ কাময়ে ।
মম জন্মনি জন্মনীশ্বরে ভবতাদ্ভক্তিরহৈতুকী ত্বয়ি ॥

na dhanam na janam na sundarim kavitam va jagadisa kamaye
mama janmani janmanisvare bhavatad bhaktir ahaituki tvayi

‘O Supreme Lord (Master of the Universe, Jagadiswar)! I do not desire any wealth (religion, money or material desires), any followers (wife, sons, servants or maidservants) or material knowledge (beautiful poetry). My only prayer is that I may birth after birth have pure devotion to You, devoid of seeking any result.’

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, 3.20.29)

Have you heard about this? Do you not sing this kirtan?

নাহি মাগি দেহ-সুখ, বিদ্যা, ধন, জন ॥
নাহি মাগি স্বর্গ, আর মোক্ষ নাহি মাগি ।
না করি প্রার্থনা কোন বিভূতির লাগি’ ॥

nahi magi deha-sukha, vidya, dhana, jana
nahi magi svarga, ara moksa nahi magi
na kari prarthana kona vibhutira lagi’

‘O Lord! I am submitting this appeal at Your feet: I do not pray for any bodily pleasures, knowledge, wealth or companions. I do not pray for heaven or liberation, neither do I pray for any godly opulence or powers.’

(Sri Gitavali, Sri Siksastaka, Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur)

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Length: 76 min
Language: Bengali

READ OTHER PARTS:

1) Appreciate Your Fortune
2) Fossil Hearts
3) God Is Great
4) Getting in Touch With God
5) God's Message
6) Higher Purpose in Life
7) Service Is Not Abstract
8) Choose the Right Path
9) Purity Comes From Practice
10) Embrace Eternal Life
11) Search for the Eternal
12) Service Comes from Heart
13) Educate Yourself