I replied, ‘“I have never contemplated whether I would accept this responsibility or not. But one thing I can say with certainty is that I have not yet developed so much affection for the living entities, as Śrī Prahlāda Mahārāja or Śrī Vāsudeva Datta, such that I would be prepared to go to hell for the sake of delivering them. For this reason, I am not keen on carrying out this responsibility at present.”
A person who renders service in a completely independent mood without accepting any guidance does not render true service to the Vaiṣṇavas or Bhagavān; rather, he endeavors only to gratify his own senses. Such a person is known as svecchācāri, or a person who acts only according to his own desires. Before beginning any service, one must understand the moods and desires of the sevya (object of service). It is only after gaining such an understanding that one’s service can truly please the sevya and even be called sevā.
Perhaps this is the reason our parama-gurudeva, Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Śrīla Prabhupāda, used to say that bhakti is not preached by language, but by bhakti alone. Although language is essential in communicating matters of the heart, for one whose heart is devoid of bhakti, mere knowledge of language is insufficient to inspire bhakti in the hearts of others. It is only because of the pure bhakti present in the heart that one’s words are infused with divine power. Only then is it possible for bhakti to be transmitted to the hearts of one’s listeners, and only then will the listeners feel inspired to render devotional service.
If one seeks wealth and performs charity on this tithi [with this motivation], one will never experience any deficiency of wealth in his whole life. His wealth will become inexhaustible; but it does not mean he will attain Vaikuṇṭha. With respect to the example above, the term ‘akṣaya’ implies that such an individual will never experience any deficit of wealth in this life.
Although a praṇayi-bhakta may be present before us, and though we may personally witness his conduct, we will be unable to recognize him until we become completely sincere and surrender ourselves to his will. Without sincerity and surrender, we will not realize that his activities are those of a mahā-bhāgavata, and not of an ordinary devotee.
(By Sri Srimad Bhakti Vijnana Bharati Gosvami Maharaja) While a bona fide guru protects the sentiments of his bona fide disciple and even glorifies him at times, he also chastises him according to the dictates of necessity. The disciple who yearns only to receive...
By Srila Bhakti Vijnana Baharti Gosvami Maharaja Śrīla Mahārāja used to mention, “Prior to performing every significant activity, Guru Mahārāja would first call upon different devotees in private to seek their opinions and only later reveal his personal verdict on the...
Mercy is the result of service Many people come to me and request, “Mahārāja-jī, please bestow your mercy and extend your blessings to us, so that we may attain śuddha-bhakti (pure devotional service) and ultimately attain prema for Śrī Bhagavān.” But truly speaking,...
(Excerpt from the book Visuddha Caitanya Vani, by Sri Srimad Bhakti Vijnana Bharati Gosvami Maharaja ) The beggar’s fortune There was once a beggar who was unable to eat properly, even after a full day of collecting alms. One day while walking alone through the...
By Srimad Bhakti Vijnana Bharati Gosvami Maharaja The topmost manifestation of bhakti – the ultimate fruit of sādhana-bhakti - is prema-bhakti. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has described the symptoms of the various stages of bhakti in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (1.1.17): kleśa-ghnī...
Prerequisites for the Sincere Observance of Bhāgavata-dharma by Sri Srimad Bhakti Vijnana Bharati Gosvami Maharaja In the beginning of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam,Śrīla Vedavyāsa has stated: dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo ’tra paramo nirmatsarāṇāṁ satāṁvedyaṁ vāstavam atra vastu...
By Srila Bhakti Vijnana Bharati Gosvami Maharaj Śrīla Prabhupāda used to say, “Never in my life have I once accepted anything from anyone belonging to this material world. As a servant of śrī guru, Vaiṣṇavas and Bhagavān, I have openly distributed what belonged to me...
By Srila Bhakti Vijnana Bharati Gosvami Maharaj Ordinarily, the term jīva-hiṁsā is understood by people to mean ‘a physical or emotional act of violence against living entities, including oneself.’ If a person commits suicide, it is said that person has committed...
(By Srila Bhakti Vijnana Bharati Gosvami Maharaja, Caitanya Vani Vol 1) Ordinarily, the term jīva-hiṁsā is understood by people to mean ‘a physical or emotional act of violence against living entities, including oneself.’ If a person commits suicide, it is said that...