(8/8) Study and Learn

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Kolkata—Worldwide, 7 February 2021, part 8

Question: I want to take your shelter and ask you for instruction…

My instruction is ‘jive daya, Name ruchi, vaishnava-seva’. Preach in your country – this is how you can practise jive daya (kindness to the jiva souls); chant the Holy Name – this is Name ruchi (taste for the Holy Name); and vaishnav-seva – serve Vaishnavs, serve devotees. These are the main things. If you can follow this, it will be good.

I want to say to the devotees that it is necessary to make a centre in Spain so that everybody could join programmes. Everybody together should try to make a centre there. If you can do it, it will be good because so many devotees left Venezuela and went to other countries, and I think more than 50% went to Spain, so try to make a centre there. You can start by renting a house. Start preaching there. I am telling this to everybody – try to stay together. It is not necessary to think who will be the president, who will be the secretary, and so on. These things are not necessary – it is only necessary to establish and maintain Gurudev’s Mission.

[A devotee makes a complaint] Those who do not harmonise are committing a sin, but if you are telling about it, you are committing an even bigger sin. It is not necessary to tell anyone about these things. Those who do wrong will reap the result, but why must you bring the reaction for their actions into your own life? Always remember: ku-dekhiba na, ku-baliba na, ku-suniba na (কুদেখিব না, কুবলিব না, কুশুনিব না) – we must not see bad things, we must not say bad things, we must not hear bad things. Close your eyes and only see the Deities – see your guru, see the devotees; do not see any other things. It is very important. ‘Aparadha-phale mama chitta bhela vajra-sama, tuya name na labhe vikara (অপরাধ-ফলে মম, চিত্ত-ভেল বজ্রসম, তুয়া নামে না লভে বিকার). As a result of offences, my heart has become as hard as a thunderbolt, and when I chant Your Name, it does not produce any transformation in me’ (Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur). Our offences are so strong that our hearts have become very hard, like stones – when we chant, tears do not come to our eyes. It is not necessary to say what others are doing. We are offenders ourselves, so we should not see others’ offences. We must consider ourselves the worst offenders, the most fallen souls. Who am I to talk about others’ faults?!

Question: My diksa-guru has abandoned his vows, and as I have been very attracted to Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, to the devotees there and to Your Divine Grace, I would like to ask you to please grant me shelter and engage me in some service to your disciples…

Yes, no problem. [His Divine Grace is aware of the background of the person speaking.] If your diksa-guru has made some offence to Srila Sridhar Maharaj, you can still come and join Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math – you can come and serve here, it is not a problem. You have already joined Krishna consciousness, and if you take shelter under the guidance of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math in any temple all over the world, it will be your great fortune. If you serve Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, if you serve this mission of Srila Sridhar Maharaj, I will be even happier.

I am finishing for today. We will make another programme next Sunday. I will be here on Sunday. I have a preaching programme at noon and will come back in the evening to attend this zoom programme. After that, I will again go for preaching on Monday or Tuesday and then to Ekachakra…

Please forgive my offence. I am telling some hard things, but it is necessary for devotees to know and understand the proper teachings. Be humble, tolerant and give honour to others – these are the main principles for us. Srila Gurudev also always told about it.

You can see how much Gurudev tolerated, and you can see also my example – how much I am tolerating… Gurudev always said: I am teaching so many things, I am teaching Mahaprabhu’s conception, but what have they understood? Somebody has been reading Ramayana the whole year, and after having finished the whole Ramayana, they ask, ‘Whose father was Sita Devi?’ So, hearing some questions, Gurudev would sometimes say, ‘I have been teaching them Mahaprabhu’s conception (humility, tolerance and giving honour to others), and one year later, they are asking me such questions…’ Somebody beats devotees, somebody throws devotees out of the temple – it is a very big problem. Beating and kicking devotees out is wrong. Who gave them permission to beat or throw others out? It is necessary to tolerate and tolerate. Somebody does something wrong – first see, see and see. Anybody can make a mistake, it is necessary to tolerate, tolerate and tolerate. You cannot take the law into your own hands. Sometimes we have to digest so many things. Gurudev tolerates us so much – he does not tell us to get out. Only when it becomes too much can he tell somebody to get out.

I can remember also one example that Gurudev told me. Once, ants made a nest in a tree and some outside people broke their nest and used the ants’ eggs as fishing bait (they used to fish in Govinda Kunda when Govinda Kunda was not manifested so much). Somebody came and complained to Srila Sridhar Maharaj about it. Then, Srila Sridhar Maharaj called those men and asked them, ‘Why have you done this? Why are you giving so much austerity to these ants? They did not go to your homes – they took shelter here, at Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, then why do you come to disturb them?’ I heard this from Gurudev.

So, Gurudev always said, ‘If somebody offends me, I can tolerate it, but I cannot tolerate those who offend my Guru Maharaj.’ I also cannot tolerate those who offend our Gurudev. It sometimes becomes a problem for me. But if somebody offends me, I do not have any problem with that – they can swear me, they can say so many bad things, I do not mind it, I am happy to digest it. That is why I always pray to Gurudev, ‘Please give me some power! I have no strength, no intelligence (ami sakti-buddhi-hina), please give me some mercy so that I can tolerate everything!’ That is sufficient for me…

Jay Srila Guru Maharaj ki jay.

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Length: 49 min
Language: English

READ OTHER PARTS:

1) "Guru-mukha-padma-vakya chitete kariya aikya"
2) Internal and Eternal
3) Clearing the Path
4) Cause of All Causes
5) Do Not Be Disheartened
6) Forthcoming Festivals
7) On Importance of Chastity
8) Study and Learn