“For the consolation of the distressed and shattered.” Srila B. S. Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj and Srila B. N. Acharya Maharaj
For the consolation of the distressed and shattered
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“Wherever Gurudev keeps one, everyone must accept and follow it. This applies to every single practitioner. ‘Guru kripa hi kevalam’—the mercy of Gurudev is all in all; but those who are clever at their practising life and service life, want to bring satisfaction and happiness to Gurudev. It is necessary to always be conscious, ‘What is favourite to Gurudev?’ For example, puspanna, khichudi and paramanna—these three offerings are given to the Lord. But what does my Lord love? What does He really like? If you know it and can arrange for such things, it is good. Those who are very observant in their service life, must always be alert towards such things.”
(Srila B.N. Acharya Maharaj)
“Having been taught Sril Bhaktivinod Thakur’s exalted teachings and ideal, Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Prabhupad has made a great arrangement for the preaching of pure devotion—he established temples and centres in many countries and places all over the world and sent Vaishnav sannyasis to preach. He was an embodiment of bhagavat-vani (message of Srimad Bhagavatam). In his instructions he told, ‘We have not come to become carpenters and builders. We are merely messengers of divine message. You will be abused and humiliated a hundred times, but you must never leave Hari-kirtan. As soon as we leave Hari-kirtan, the surrounding environment will come to attack you.’ His ultimate advice for the surrendered souls was chaste adherence to the Guru: ‘Stay all together in strict adherence to the main shelter-giver (Sri Gurupadpadma), your only duty is to continue practising and preaching Sri Rupa-Raghunath’s message.’”
(Srila B.N. Acharya Maharaj)
“The disciples did many activities enthusiastically but they actually did not know what devotional service is. When Gurudev disappeared, his influence of covering the shortcoming in the disciples also withdrew with him. At that time some of the devotees got back their previous subtle position, and they became confused. Ultimately it depends upon their own karma, their good fortune, and also the quality of their practising life—these three will contribute towards a good result. It is necessary for the devotees to know very clearly what they want to practise, then they will not go off the track—and in that also their own good fortune and good activities are necessary, otherwise they will not reach their goal. We must be able to recognise what is what.”
(Srila B.S. Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj)
Question: It seems that we have one type of fear that having got some connection with your self we may lose that at death. I do not want to have connection with anyone else, I want to stay with you. So, I feel some type of fear...
Srila B.S. Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj: Fear? But why have fear? I cannot understand it.
Devotee: Because if we do not finish our sadhana nicely, then next life we do not know where we will go—we may not find Govinda Maharaj there.
Srila Govinda Maharaj: What do you think about Govinda Maharaj?
Devotee: We think that we want to serve you.
Srila Govinda Maharaj: No, it is okay that you want to serve Govinda Maharaj, but what do you think about Govinda Maharaj? He is your Guru, but in which form do you think about him? Do you think that Govinda Maharaj is a mundane man or an incarnation of the Lord coming in front of you to give you connection with Him? If you think he is an incarnation of the Lord, then he cannot leave your heart and you cannot leave your Lord. Even if you die, you will get that connection in another form, perhaps, but you will not be able to leave your Lord. When you have faith that the Lord always lives with you, then there will be no fear.
That is the main thing. By the mercy of Vaishnavs I also always feel that my Srila Guru Maharaj (Srila B.R. Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj) is present with us. By the mercy of Vaishnavs and the supremacy of Srila Guru Maharaj, such feeling always comes to us that Srila Guru Maharaj has not left us, that he is with us.
I have service of Srila Guru Maharaj, and I must do that. Service to Srila Guru Maharaj is my only goal of life, and whichever way that service comes to me, I will try to serve.
Devotee: In my next life, I want to forever be a blade of grass wherever you walk...
Srila Govinda Maharaj: I do not want to wait for the next life. Actually, we must finish all our job here this life, then we shall all go to Goloka!
Question: Srila Sridhar Maharaj told Srila Govinda Maharaj that he would live until eighty-two years old, and he did. How many years did your Gurudev, Srila Govinda Maharaj, tell you that you would live?
Srila B.N. Acharya Maharaj: Gurudev did not tell me that. Gurudev only said, “Krishna will save you.” I never asked Gurudev, “How many years will I live?” Srila Gurudev told Srila Guru Maharaj, “You are giving me this position, but my horoscope says I will not live more than fifty or fifty-five,” and Srila Sridhar Maharaj said to Gurudev, “Throw your horoscope away! I am giving you eighty-two years of life!” Gurudev saw my hand, but I never asked him how many years I would live. One day, he told me, “Bring your hands here.” When I showed him my hands, he said, “Oh! Brihaspati is tunge.” I asked him, “What does Brihaspati mean?” He said, “It means guru-kripa. Guru-kripa is very powerful [tunge—at its peak] in your life.” After that, he told me, “Krishna will protect you, Guru Maharaj will protect you.” He did not tell me how many years I would live and I never asked it either. I always think that it does not matter how many years I will live, it is not a question, the main question for me is how much service I can do for my Guru. I do not want to live two hundred years, all I want is to serve my Guru for as long as I am alive, until my death. This is the main thing for me.
(Srila B.N. Acharya Maharaj, year 2020)
“Sri Gurudev is the only shelter for a disciple. Those who have become disciples live in complete adherence to their Guru. If one retains independence, they cannot be called a ‘disciple’—they can take the mantra, they can take initiation, but if they do not accept guidance or disciplining of Śrī Gurudev, they cannot be called a real disciple. Gurudev has a vast wealth. Those who are born into his lineage, can get the right for his wealth. Gurudev’s wealth is not temples, buildings, houses, money; his wealth is faith, devotion and love.
“What happens after initiation? It is necessary to practise hearing and chanting, worship Deities and do service. You must serve with love, affection, extracting loving devotion from your very life. You must always think about what makes Him happy. You must be anxious to make Him happy and always be alert and conscious of His happiness. Sacrifice your selfish interests for His happiness, serve for His happiness.
“Sannyasis always sit amidst fire blazing on all four sides. This fire is Hari-katha, kirtan, service to the Lord, and service to the Guru. You must progress in your practising life keeping the sacrificial fire of your service ablaze.”
(Srila B.N. Acharya Maharaj)
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