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How to harmonize with Guru-Vaiṣṇava — this is the most vital question in our bhajan life (Part 3)
Without testing Kṛṣṇa never gives kṛpā so easily to anyone. Testing is a must. Like sometimes we go to the market and buy some earthen pot, but before buying one has to make a test if the mud pot has any cracks or not. This can be done by knocking on the pot on different places. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa in the form of guru-Vaiṣṇava can test us to see whether there is any germ of pratiṣṭhā asha inside our heart or not. When we can prove that we are free from any smell of pratiṣṭhā, then and only then Śrī Kṛṣṇa can fill up our heart with divine nectar. In this way one sincere and honest disciple can go on singing the glories of Śrī Śrī guru-Vaiṣṇava-Bhagavan forever. Tṛṇād api sunīcena is a must.
How to get harmonized with Guru-Vaiṣṇava — this is the most vital question in our bhajan life (Part 2)
Śrīla Bhakti Rakshak Śrīdhar Dev Gosvāmī said that— “Sevā must originate from above. If we thrust something on the higher authority then that is karma-kāṇḍa. The origin of our motivation must not be within. That must come from Hari, guru and Vaiṣṇava. And we must carry it out. We should not be creators of the wave of command. We must carry out the news that comes through the wave from above, from Hari, guru or Vaiṣṇava. We are only to carry out orders and not to make any such order.”
How to get harmonized with Guru-Vaiṣṇava — this is the most vital question in our bhajan life (Part 1)
To be a disciple means to be disciplined, or controlled. If a person outwardly accepts the shelter of Sree Guru but arrogantly maintains the attitude that he knows best about his spiritual life, then he is but a cheater, deceiving both himself and others. Pure Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas are most magnanimous and bestow the highest auspiciousness. If we can become eligible to understand even a single aspect of their exemplary lives, we will become delightfully dedicated to sādhana-bhajana.”
The explanation of the Song “Mana Tumi sannyāsī Sajite Keno Cao”
What use of using those costly items like rajasik Sandalwood and aguru cent. On the basis of yukta vairagya suddha bhajan is established. Only the natural gift like ordinary earth clay can be used to decorate the forehead with tilaka for the satisfaction of the Lord. What use of very costly necklace which can invite Kali. Only the tulasī mālā can decorate your neck to purify you to avoid your arrest by Yama. In this way in your dedicated life, you can avoid your attachment for material things to satisfy your renunciation in true sense.
Tridandi
In Sri Gaudiya Matha, the brahmacaris, sannyasis etc. are all bhiksus. I ask them to go out and beg. I alone have accepted the responsibility for this activity and in this work I will not bypass any house. Therefore I constantly send our men from door to door everywhere for bhiksa. For our preaching of the Holy Name of Krsna, for the sake of benefiting this world, we will approach everyone and accept something from them to use in Krsna’s service. Simply to collect money and convert it into stool and urine is the occupation of monkeys, not of the Gaudiya Matha. It is necessary to engage billions of Vaisnavas — such a service is assigned to me.
Guru–Vaishnavas are not the convict of our material judgment
The following quotation was given by Śrīla Bhakti Prajñana Keshava Gosvāmī Mahārāj in Gauḍīya that— “With a strong hope to get pratiṣṭhā by exhibiting our personal talent, if we never hesitate to identify our most favourable benefactor (or true well-wisher) previous ācāryas as ignorant and foolish, then in that case our children (our next generations) they also can call us ignorant, foolish or uncivilized (or brute) etc., what strange or surprise can be there in it?”
Pañca Saṁskāra (The Five Purificatory Processes)
I have explained the literal meaning and the fundamental explanation of pañca-saṁskāra. At this point a question may arise as to why nowadays disciples do not see this sort of teaching from their gurus. The answer is that due to the defects found at this present time, people’s discernment regarding gurus has become extremely corrupted. Today people accept instructions from kula-gurus (family gurus) or other such persons, thus they are unable to take refuge in a worshipable Gurudeva. Śāstra states that inquisitive persons seeking the ultimate good of the ātmā should approach and surrender to a Gurudeva who is devoted to and has taken shelter of śabda-brahma (transcendental sound) and the Supreme.
Our only duty is to serve Krsna
Sri Caitanyadeva gave the order to people throughout India, “Advise everyone, whomever you encounter: worship Krsna!” Thus He told them to make endeavours for God from whatever position they occupied, no matter where or when they lived or who they were.
Now, to carry out His commandment, there is no other course than to cultivate what we have learned at the lotus feet of our Sri Gurudeva. The only work for a worshipper of God is to see that His worship increases more and more. Our prayer should ever be that our attachment to Krsna may increase more and more. We do not want power and pelf. Nay, we do not even want cessation of further births.
The Gravity of the Post of Ācārya
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.”
Observance of Cātur-māsya
Although for many years Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupad had assiduously accepted many austerities during Cātur-māsya, after founding Śrī Caitanya Maṭha and focusing on preaching he ceased doing so. He then followed only minor rules of Cātur-māsya: refraining from food forbidden for that period, eating only once a day, and shaving only on Viśvarūpa Mahotsava, which falls exactly in the middle of the four-month observance. He continued to execute Ūrja-vrata each year, residing in one place during Kārtika and practicing the directions given in Hari-bhaktivilāsa. Yet some of his disciples, mostly maṭha-vāsīs less active in outside preaching, continued to perform Cātur-māsya in all details.