(11/11) What Do You Need?

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Lord Nityananda Prabhu's Appearance, morning class
Sri Ekachakra Dham, 25 February 2021, part 11
Translated from Bengali

Those who are averse to the service to Lord Krishna are called ‘griha-vrata’ (‘vowed to their house’), or ‘griha-medhi’ (‘house-minded’). Such persons, attached to their homes, can never develop attachment to Krishna. When talking about his father, Sri Prahlad Maharaj expressed his judgement:

শ্রবণং কীর্ত্তনং বিষ্ণোঃ স্মরণং পাদসেবনম্ ।
অর্চ্চনং বন্দনং দাস্যং সখ্যমাত্মনিবেদনম্ ॥
ইতি পুংসার্পিতা বিষ্ণৌ ভক্তিশ্চেন্নবলক্ষণা ।
ক্রিয়েত ভগবত্যদ্ধা তন্মন্যেঽধীতমুত্তমম্ ॥

sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam pada-sevanam
archchanam vandanam dasyam sakhyam-atma-nivedanam
iti pumsarpita visnau bhaktis chen nava-laksana
kriyeta bhagavaty addha tan manye ‘dhitam uttamam

‘Prahlad Maharaj said: Listening about the Lord, chanting the Lord’s Name, remembering the Lord, serving the Lord’s feet, worshipping the Deity of the Lord, offering prayers and obeisances to the Lord, serving the Lord as a servant, serving the Lord as a friend and surrendering yourself to the Lord – these nine processes constitute pure devotional service. Those who have dedicated their lives to the service of Krishna through these nine methods should be understood to be the most learned persons for they have acquired complete knowledge.’

(Srimad Bhagavatam, 7.5.23–24)

When Prahlad Maharaj’s father asked him what good teaching he had learnt at school, what was the highest teachings in this world, and what he had learnt so far, Sri Prahlad Maharaj spoke this sloka in reply.

Those who desire the highest benefit need only one thing – the shelter of Sri Nabadwip Dham. Their duty is to take shelter at the holy lotus feet Sri Gaura-Nityananda. Their duty is to serve Their Names, holy dham and desires. Consisting of nine islands, Nabadwip is the highest place for practising the nine kinds of devotions (nava-vidha bhakti). Those who leave strict adherence to their guru and Vaishnavs and become materialists, pursuing knowledge and sensual pleasures, do not serve the transcendental Lord.

আচার্য্যং মাং বিজানীয়ান্নাবমন্যেত কর্হিচিৎ ।
ন মর্ত্ত্যবুদ্ধ্যাসূয়েত সর্ব্বদেবময়ো গুরুঃ ॥

acharyam mam vijaniyan, navamanyeta karhichit
na martya buddhyasuyeta, sarva deva-mayo guruh

Sri Krishna said to Uddhav, ‘You should know the bona fide spiritual master as My very Self. Gurudev is the embodiment of all gods. Never dishonour him or find fault in him by ascribing any mundane conception of place, time or circumstances to him.’

(Srimad Bhagavatam, 11.17.27)

The meaning of this sloka does not enter such people’s heads. They only think within the framework of material intelligence, perceiving Sri Guru as a mere mortal. They see, ‘Oh, the guru passes stool just like me, he does everything just like me.’ Those who are attached to their houses (griha-vrata) are always busy with the trifle worldly knowledge perceived by their senses.

This is what is written here [in Sri Nityananda Mahimamrita], and I am telling you the same things. Guru Maharaj always said, ‘If you want to get great things, you must leave small things.’ If you want to get something valuable, you have to throw away fake things. You can remember the story of Jivan Chakravarti, who later became known as Jivananda Goswami. Jivan Chakravarti came running to Vrindavan for the sake of his daughter, but in the end he threw away the touchstone and chose to chant the Holy Name. Srila Raghunath Das Goswami left his wife, beautiful as an angel, and immense wealth and accepted the path of chanting the Holy Name, taking shelter in Sriman Mahaprabhu and Sri Nabadwip Dham. Unless you receive the blessing and mercy of Sri Rupa-Raghunath, you cannot understand or know Sri Nityananda Prabhu. We need Sri Rupa-Raghunath’s mercy. Without their mercy we cannot know Mahaprabhu, Nityananda Prabhu or anyone else. We need the mercy of Vaishnavs.

Srila Prabhupad says that it is necessary to give up all attachment to your house and become a proper grihastha. You must follow the example of Srivas Prabhu. What did Srivas Pandit do? He gave up even begging for alms. He used to collect alms, but because he was a householder, people criticised him, committing offences. That is why Mahaprabhu ordered him not to beg anymore. Srivas Pandit gave up begging and took an exclusive vow of chanting the Holy Name. He chanted the Holy Name the whole day, and everything (food and other necessities) was supplied to him on its own.

One day, Mahaprabhu came to Srivas Pandit and said, ‘Srivas, from tomorrow you must not go begging! People criticise you and make offences, thinking you beg to maintain your family and live comfortably.’ Srivas Pandit listened to Mahaprabhu and gave up begging, but he said at first, ‘One – clap, two – clap, three – clap!’ What does it mean? He was saying, ‘I will see one day, I will see two days, and on the third day, I will jump into the Ganges!’ Mahaprabhu replied, ‘Oh, so, this is how much faith you have? Even if Laksmi Devi has to personally come from Vaikuntha and beg, you will not go to people’s houses to beg!’ After that, Mahaprabhu sent a lot of people with all sorts of things and ingredients to Srivas Pandit.

When a prostitute Laksmihira was sent to Haridas Thakur, she became a great Vaishnavi by the influence of the Holy Name (by hearing Haridas Thakur’s kirtan). She left everything and started serving Tulasi Devi and the Holy Name. People would bring food to her, and she knew no want.

Look at all these examples and look at ourselves. Those great devotees left everything and lived by chanting the Holy Name knowing no lack of anything, but we always feel we lack everything… Sri Govinda Gosh writes, ‘Bhajahu re mana Sri Nanda-nandana. O mind! Worship the Son of Sri Nanda Maharaj!’

I will tell you more later. We should finish at this for now.

Jay Srila Guru Maharaj ki jay.

[His Divine Grace retires to prepare for the parikrama of Sri Ekachakra Dham.]

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Size: 33 Mb
Length: 67 min
Language: Bengali

READ OTHER PARTS:

1) Supremely Worshippable Day
2) Do Not Pass Your Life in Vain
3) Cleanliness Is Next to Godliness
4) Meaning of Discipleship
5) Ask Yourself, "Am I Practising?"
6) Become Pure
7) Who Is Nityananda Prabhu?
8) How and When?
9) Scattered Heart
10) Learn the Truth
11) What Do You Need?