(8) Sri Guru's Mission

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Bhanjipur, 2 December 2019, noon, part 8
Translated from Bengali

(It is so hot today. This is the situation in the country – it is already December, but it is still not cold. That is all because people cut down trees. It is necessary to plant trees... You know, there is so much smog in Delhi that you cannot even see the sun in the sky. Last night I went to bed with the fan on. At first, I could not sleep, and I wondered why. After I put on the fan, I was able to sleep.)

Sri Gurupadpadma is the worshippable embodiment of the Lord's mercy (karuna-murti). We always sing in a kirtan, 'Sri-guru-charana-padma, kevala-bhakati-sadma (শ্রীগুরুচরণ-পদ্ম, কেবলভকতিসদ্ম). Sri Guru’s lotus feet are an abode of exclusive devotion.' The jiva souls who have mundane vision cannot see, or have the darshan of, the guru – they see him as an ordinary man of flesh and bones, that is why they cannot attain genine spiritual benefit.

Gurudev is an embodiment of the service of the Lord. If gurudev had not come, who would have come to tell people to serve the Lord? When gurudev comes, he explains and teaches everything and engages everybody in the Lord's service. You know that before people, for example, worshipped ghosts and witches – they would make idols from mud and worship them. There are still many places in Bardhaman where people do this. There are places where people have never even heard about Gauranga Mahaprabhu or Krishna. So, it is not possible to see the guru with your material eyes. It is possible to see him only through aural reception (with your ears). Thus, gurudev’s property is realised via aural darshan.

The Supreme Lord is an object of devotion and love. Devotion is eternally present within the Lord and His devotees. The Lord, who is full in six opulences, eternally plays in the lotus heart of gurudev. We sing also in one of the kirtans:

তোমার হৃদয়ে সদা গোবিন্দ-বিশ্রাম ।
গোবিন্দ কহেন মম বৈষ্ণব পরান ॥

tomara hrdaye sada govinda-visrama
govinda kahena mama vaisnava parana

‘Always resting in your heart, Govinda says, “My devotees are My heart and soul.”’

Without his mercy and association, jiva souls have no other way to escape from material bondage. When one takes shelter at the lotus feet of Sri Gurupadpadma, their previously accumulated bad elements gradually become destroyed. If we can genuinely take shelter at his holy lotus feet, then all unwanted elements within us will be removed. Always remember this.

'Even amidst hundreds of dangers, hundreds of reproaches and hundreds of abuses, do not leave Krishna consciousness.' This was Srila Prabhupad's instruction in his last days. You must always remember this. Even amidst hundreds of dangers, hundreds of reproaches and hundreds of abuses – no matter what happens – never leave Krishna consciousness. As soon as we think, 'I want to leave kirtan, I want to stop serving the Lord,' all the enemies surrounding us will come to attack us. If you want to attain the highest happiness, Nama-sankirtan is the way. Without Nama-sankirtan, it is not possible to ever feel that kind of happiness.

Gurudev always pleases the Lord, always serves the Lord, and he always tries to engage everybody else in service to the Lord. Viviktanandi gurus serve the Lord alone, but gosthanandi gurus engage everybody in service. Gurudev is a devotee of the highest level, but to be able to give benefit to this world, he comes down from that highest level to the middle level. Serving the Lord with love and making friends with all the devotees, he bestows mercy upon ignorant jiva souls and tolerates all hostility. When the souls who have taken shelter at the lotus feet of Sri Guru worship their gurudev (regardless of whether their guru is manifest or has disappeared), the guru sends this worship to the Lord. Genuine gurus never use their disciples' worship or any offerings for their own pleasure. They always send everything to the Lord. That is why they do not take obeisances from anybody. In this world, there are many obeisance-taking gurus and donation-taking gurus, but genuine gurus send all obeisances and donations to the Lord. Always remember this.

— : • : —

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