Gauḍīya Goṣṭhī Pati Śrī Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda asked, “What does it concern you if whole world is going to be burnt up? Just go on hearing hari-kathā to save yourself.”
Genuine hari-kathā is nothing but Vaikuṇṭha-vāṇī. It is aprākṛta śabda-brahma. Without taking the help of śabda-brahma, no one can cut material bondage to get eternal service. In this relative world, everything is relative and temporary; nothing is permanent.
Śrīla Prabhupāda used to say, “This material world is the perverted reflection of that Transcendental World (Vaikuṇṭha-jagat).”
There is nothing to lose and nothing to gain here in this material world. It is only full of fighting and natural calamities that upset the whole global system. But we should always remember that all that has happened in the past is all for the good. And everything that is happening at present is also for the good. Not only that, but we should also know that whatever will happen in the future is also all for the good.
This is the exact extract of the whole Bhagavad-gītā teaching. When we see that everything is upset, this means that the effort of nature is to reset the whole system. We are so crazy that we disobey the rules and regulations of nature, which will automatically provide a reverse reaction in order to rectify our lifestyle. To violate the instructions of the Supreme Lord means to invite total destruction of human life.
This is just like re-tuning the vinā. When the chord on a musical instrument is out of tune, it needs to be adjusted. At present, things are out of order. When the Supreme Lord wants to clean some garbage that has accumulated here in this material world, then surely some dust will come on our bodies, also.
There is no need to repent. Genuine Hari-bhajan – and nothing else – is the only solution. False hari-bhajan cannot help us in any way.
It is nothing but stupidity on our part to follow a blind leader who himself cannot see anything. How can we expect proper guidance from him? A kapat (duplicitous) spiritual leader is much more dangerous than a political leader.
The whole world is crying due to the merciless spread of the Corona Virus, but still devotees should understand that Śrī Kṛṣṇa is omnipresent. That means that, according to an appropriate conception of the advaya-jñāna-tattva, Śrī Kṛṣṇa is also there inside the Corona Virus. So, this is not a Corona Virus. Rather we should say this is the “KARUNA VIRUS!”
Sādhu–guru-Vaiṣṇava have exclusively always wanted to show us the way of Vedic culture. But who has sincerely wanted to accept that into their heart? This is the main question. Duplicity is the main property of our lives. Whom then should we blame?
But we can see the magic spell of the “KARUNA VIRUS.” Without any special effort on the part of the virus we are all currently ready to accept Vedic cultural etiquette. Presently, more or less everyone must avoid hostility and false ego. Each and every person is bound to believe that money power is not the solution. If money power, manpower, or educational power (etc.) could give us full protection, then why are Italy, Spain and America all feeling insecure and helpless? Why did Prince Charles of England or Boris Johnson become a victim of this virus? These men have no shortage of resources.
The lack of pure Vedic cultural etiquette or Vaiṣṇavism is the main cause of their problem. This is true not only with their problem, but we can also trace out the main root cause of all the problems in all countries and of the whole universe to this lack of Vedic culture and Vaiṣṇavism.
So, the maintenance of purity of body and mind (as spoken by me repeatedly) is the most essential objective on the way of Hari-bhajan. Hari is beyond any material conception. He is residing on the Vaikuṇṭha Platform.
To remember Hari always is the most vital instruction of all authentic scriptures. This is called “VIDHI.” To not forget Him at any time is the most vital instruction of all authentic scriptures. This is called “NISEDHA.” This is called mental purity.
You can remember at the beginning of civilization some foolish King wanted to make the whole world dust free which is next to impossible. Later on, the wise Prime Minister of the following King wanted to give him a nice piece of advice. He suggested he cover up his own legs with leather shoes to avoid touching dust.
Similarly, we can take preventive precautions to avoid the attack of the Corona Virus by using masks, sanitizer, etc. Also, if we avoid kissing, embracing or touching, these can also help us to avoid the infection. But genuine hari-kathā and kirtan is the best preventive technique to avoid the attack of the Virus.
Though it is not fully applicable here, the Darwinian formula of “Survival Of The Fittest” holds some truth regarding the gradual development of the jīva ātmā’s material body. Viruses and bacteria mutate. In response to attacks on them by medicine, their metabolic systems change and drug-resistant strains develop. Their capacity to multiply and sustain themselves can increase over time. Viral and bacterial mutations often lead to new diseases that continue to threaten world health.
Medical scientists can do this intentionally to create biological weapons that can very effectively kill lakhs of people. Battles can be fought between countries without any external symptoms of war. This is the topmost cruel operation of Kali Yuga and Maya is going to support this. This is doubtlessly an effective way to stop political, educational and spiritual fighting.
At present we are very, very anxious about another type of Corona Virus. The most critical virus or bacterium would be to create disbelief among people about Śrīla Prabhupāda and Śrī Gauḍīya Māthā. The current Corona Virus can cause physical death but a pandemic of lack of faith could cause spiritual death.
Śrī Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda used to say,
“ŚRĪ GAUDIYA MATH IS THE ONLY WAY TO GOD.”
Once, he was asked by a young man in Delhi, “Why do you claim that Śrī Gauḍīya Māthā is the only way to God? Is there no other way at all?”
Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda, The Illustrious Founder and Ācārya of Śrī Gauḍīya Māthā and its worldwide affiliated branches replied, “DO YOU THINK THAT THERE IS ANY OTHER PATHWAY TO GOD THAN THE ASSOCIATION OF THOSE WHOM GOD HAD HIMSELF SELECTED FOR HIS (SUPREME LORD ŚRĪ KRISHNA) SERVICE?”
Śrīla Prabhupāda also used to say, “With the smell of Gauḍīya Māthā there cannot be any danger.” Additionally, he often said, “[For] those who are coming to Gauḍīya Māthā with the motive to misuse the divine knowledge available here – Gauḍīya Māthā cannot have or does not have any relationship with them at all.”
Unfortunately, it would only be stupidity on our part to misunderstand or misinterpret this point. Some can leave Prabhupāda directly, and on the other hand some can leave Prabhupāda indirectly. The second group is more and more dangerous than the first group because they can keep Śrīla Prabhupāda in the forefront to take undue advantage of earning name and fame all over the world. This is a remarkable siddhānta.
Without the kṛpā of Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda, worldwide preaching is quite impossible. But to protect the name and fame of Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda and his Gauḍīya Māthā, every fraction of every second can prove the authenticity of actual guru ānugatya. Otherwise, the whole preaching procedure can come to a flop end.
Some devotees have asked me, “Can we read (accept) any siddhānta of any spiritual personality who was totally in line with Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda previously but left him later?”
My answer is, “Any siddhānta spoken or written by him when he was totally in line with Śrīla Prabhupāda can be accepted without hesitation because those are already approved by Śrīla Prabhupāda. Not only that but also only by Guru Shakti was it possible for him to write or speak that siddhānta.”
Once this same man has gone outside of srī guru kṛpā and started writing rubbish and writing against Śrīla Prabhupāda and Gauḍīya Māthā, it is proven directly that Guru Kripa is then missing. All the power comes from the original source. The appropriate conception of genuine “tṛṇād api sunīcena” is a disciple who is totally in line with Śrīla Gurudeva.
Śrīla Prabhupāda used to say, “Those Gauḍīyas … they never deserve any credit for any specialty at all [that] they have because they think that all power [is] coming from the original source.”
One truth gives hope to our search: that the aim and methods of Śrī Gauḍīya Māthā have not changed at all and nor will they ever. We are only changing our standpoints. So, we become blind like an owl. We can recall that the so-called Ganesha of Prabhupāda and the most efficient editor of the ‘Gauḍīya Patrika’ mercilessly left Prabhupāda. The Gauḍīya Māthā position is that in the name of bhagavat-dharma (Śrī Caitanya Mahaprabhu prema dharma) it is not proper to practice a trade.
Śrīla Prabhupāda Sarasvatī Ṭhākura often used to say, “More or less we all are contaminated with Mayavad-conception. Until and unless 100% submission unto the Lotus Feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahaprabhu is there, one cannot speak about that Absolute Truth. Half-truth is more dangerous than [a] lie.”
Śrī Gauḍīya Māthā cannot have (and actually does not have) anything in common with those who duplicitously join Gauḍīya Māthā with the motive to misuse divine knowledge for the service of their own selfish end. Feigned (false) diksha and obtainment of divine knowledge are never one and the same. Śrī Caitanya and His Sincere Devotees are eternally present in Śrī Gauḍīya Māthā. All those owl-like persons who are incapable of seeing the light are called Māyāvādi, karmis and Wavered Non-devotees.” (FROM THE LETTER OF ŚRĪLA PRABHUPĀDA OCTOBER 20, 1928).
Thanks a lot.
Truly yours in the service of Guru-Gauranga and GO MATA.
Guru Vaiṣṇava Das anudas
Śrī Shyam Das Baba.