(2/13) An Auspicious Birth

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Basirhat, 13 January 2021, part 2
Translated from Bengali

We keep coming to this world again and again. There is a sloka in Vishnu or Padma Purana, you can also find it in Srimad Bhagavatam:

জলজা নবলক্ষাণি স্থাবরা লক্ষবিংশতি
কৃময়োরুদ্রসঙ্খকাঃ পক্ষিণাং দশলক্ষনম্
ত্রিংশললক্ষাণি পশবঃ চতুরলক্ষাণি মানুষাঃ

jalaja nava-laksani sthavara laksa-vimsati
krmayo rudra-sankhyakah paksinam dasa-laksanam
trimsal-laksani pasavah chatur-laksani manusah

‘There are 900,000 aquatic species; 2,000,000 nonmoving living entities (trees, plants, etc.); 1,100,000 species of insects and reptiles; 1,000,000 species of birds; 3,000,000 species of beasts; and 400,000 species of humans.’

(Sri Padma Purana, Sri Visnu Purana)

We have been born 900,000 times in water as all kinds of crocodiles, sharks, fish and many other kinds of aquatic animals. We have been born 2,000,000 times as all kinds of trees, plants, hills, etc. We have been born 1,100,000 times as all kinds of insects, spiders, frogs, snakes, ants, etc. We have been born 1,000,000 times as birds (you can see so many kinds of birds flying in the sky). We have been born 3,000,000 times as all kinds of animals (cows, goats, sheep, cats, pigs, dogs, etc.). Finally, we have been born 400,000 times as humans in all kinds of countries. You can see how many devotees from different countries are here with us, too – there are devotees from Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia and a few other countries. They all come from so far. Can you imagine where their home is? It is right under the earth (on the other side of the globe). This Earth is like a ball – it is evening here for us now, but it is only early morning for them. It is just the opposite. There are such countries.

I have even been to places where the sun never sets – it is light there all day long. We find it hard to stay there because we are used to sleeping during the night, but there it is daytime all day long – the sun only sets for 5–10 minutes and then rises again. When I saw this, I thought, ‘O God, what kind of country have I come to?’ I went there at another time also, and that time there was no day – the sun did not rise and it was dark all day long! It is dark there twenty-four hours a day! I have been to that place; we have a temple there.

So, we have been born in very different countries before. Having crossed all these 8,400,000 species we have now got this human birth here in Bharata-bhumi (India).

দুর্ল্লভ মানব জন্ম লভিয়া সংসারে ।
কৃষ্ণ না ভজিনু দুঃখ কহিব কাহারে ॥

durlabha manava janma labhiya samsare
krsna na bhajinu duhkha kahiba kahare?

‘I have got a rare human life in this world, but I have not worshipped Lord Krishna. Who shall I tell about my misery now?’

(Sri Kalyan-kalpataru, Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur)

ভারত-ভূমিতে হৈল মনুষ্য-জন্ম যার ।
জন্ম সার্থক করি' কর পর-উপকার ॥

bharata-bhumite haila manusya janma yara
janma sarthaka kari’ kara para-upakara

‘One who has taken birth as a human being in the land of India should take advantage of this birth by bringing benefit to others.’

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, 1.9.41)

We have been born here in India, the place where there are so many pure things that you will not find anywhere else in this world, the place where the Lord has come so many times (He appeared here in Satya-yuga, Treta-yuga, Dvapar-yuga and Kali-yuga). This is a pure land. The Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswati are here. There is the Themes and many other big rivers in other countries, but you can never find there such beautiful things as you find here…

We have been born as human beings in this wonderful land, but we must fulfil the purpose of this birth – we must help others. What does ‘help others’ mean? It means to give people something having got which they will not have any other desires. When people talk about helping others they mostly mean giving somebody ten, fifty or a hundred rupees, giving somebody some food, a blanket in winter or some other material things, but these things are trifle. If you give somebody a blanket, they will again want something a month or two later. If you give somebody ten or fifty rupees, next time you see them they will ask you for a hundred rupees. All these things do not stop desires. But Mahaprabhu has given us such a gift, such mercy that you will be astonished to think about it.

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)

What did the Lord give us coming in this Kali-yuga? Going door to door, He distributed His very own Name to everyone! There is no difference between the Lord Himself and the Lord’s Name, the Lord’s form, the Lord’s pastimes. Mahaprabhu went door to door calling out to everyone,

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 Gorachand (Golden Moon). “How long are you going to sleep in the lap of this witch Maya?”’

(Sri Gitavali, Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur)

‘You are sleeping in the lap of the witch Maya! Wake up! Worship Krishna!’

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

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

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

(Acharya Vandana)

‘Chant loudly the Lord’s Name, “Krishna! Krishna!”’

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Length: 112 min
Language: Bengali

READ OTHER PARTS:

1) An Auspicious Evening
2) An Auspicious Birth
3) Turning Back Home
4) Beyond Perverted Comfort Zone
5) What Are Your Plans?
6) Life In Lord's Family
7) Not So Fast, Not So Cheap
8) Mano-dharma vs. Bhagavat-dharma
9) Eternal Values
10) Ultimate Word of Scripture
11) Guided and Misguided
12) Exclusive Zone
13) Insurmountable Devotion