(3/7) Path to Promotion

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Sri Ekachakra Dham, noon festival class
Sri Nityananda-Trayodasi, 7 February 2020, part 3
Translated from Bengali

সংসার-সমুদ্র হৈতে উদ্ধারহ মোরে ।
এই আমি দেহ সমর্পিলাঙ তোমারে ॥

"samsara-samudra haite uddharaha more
ei ami deha samarpilana tomare"

"Please rescue Me from this ocean of material existence! I am surrendering Myself to you."

(Sri Chaitanya-bhagavat, 1.17.54)

Some only take initiation into chanting the Holy Name and go away back to their homes, but they do not practise, they cannot follow what Gurudev says. Not everybody can be called a disciple. One does not become a disciple just by taking initiation. If you can live in strict adherence to Gurudev, if you can practise spiritual life following Gurudev's instruction, then your initiation is fully accomplished—then you can be called a disciple. A genuine disciple is the one who can take the order of Gurudev on their head and follow it.

You must come here from time to time. Why only once a year? There are facilities arranged for staying here. If anyone wants to stay at the temple permanently, then, by the desire of Gurudev, there are over 140 branches in the mission, and many 'employees' are required at these branches; there is a lot of work available in each of them.

prema-dhana bina vyartha daridra jivana
dasa kari vetana more deha prema-dhana

"Without love for God, this peniless life is nothing. Make me Your servant and give me the wealth of divine love as my salary!"

There is work available, and if you can take on this work, you will not have to look behind ever again—you will never be demoted. If you can get this job and can do it properly, then you will always be promoted, never demoted. If we can stay at the temple and practise Krishna consciousness, if we can serve Sri Guru and Vaishnavs, then all difficulties, pain, struggle and suffering will be nothing. I always say, "O Lord! Let me suffer! Give me difficulties! Give me more suffering! Give me unhappiness! Give me pain!" Those who do not want any difficulties and problems hanker for liberation. But the Lord's service is not so easy. Radharani cannot get Krishna easily—She serves the Lord foregoing all shame, shyness, fear, disregarding whatever anyone says, disregarding so much criticism. Who did not criticise Her? Among Vraja-basis, who did not criticise Her? There are very few of Her girlfriends who would not do it. Everybody blamed Her and considered Her bad, but the love of Radharani for the Lord—the love for the service of the Lord that is felt by Radharani, Lalita Devi and other asta-sakhis, by Rupa Manjari, Lavanga Manjari and few other gopis—is not seen in anybody else. Likewise, when Mahaprabhu has given a certificate to Nityananda Prabhu, nobody else has to give any other certificate to Him. Mahaprabhu personally said:

মদিরা যবনী যাদি নিত্যানন্দ ধরে ।
তথাপি ব্রহ্মার বন্দ্য কহিল তোমারে ॥

madira yavani yadi nityananda dhare
tathapi brahmara vandya kahila tomare

"Even if Nityananda Prabhu takes a drunk lady by Her hand, He is always worshippable even for Lord Brahma."

(Sri Chaitanya-bhagavat: Antya-khanda, 6.123)

"Even if Nityananda Prabhu grabs and brings a drunk Muslim girl, He has no fault! Why? Because He is Nitai; He is Avadhut."

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Language: Bengali

READ OTHER PARTS:

1) Life in Sadhu-Sanga
2) Immerse Yourself in Kirtan
3) Path to Promotion
4) Service Is Not Formality
5) Eternal Service Consciousness
6) Giving and Taking Prasad
7) Control Your Urges