Çré-Guru Bhakti Entering into the Heart of the Matter by Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura The jéva, blinded by the delusion of mäyä, and the power to view the storehouse of transcendence bound in the widespread network of material — Çré Kåñëa. Such is the endless mercy of the existence, wanders here and there. Having been Vaiñëavas. As Çré Gurudeva, the Vaiñëava blesses captivated in the hope of the extremely fallen and happiness, he searches for such insignificant jéva, who is filled happiness in knowledge, with hundreds of anarthas, intelligence, wealth, honour, tormented by mäyä in various etc., but by no means can he forms, and completely drowned make himself happy. In this way in the ocean of material existence, many lives of the jévas pass. As a with a place at his feet. He result of earning stocks of sukåti himself accepts the burden of this in many births, çraddhä for jéva's life, which presently is bhajana is transmitted within devoid of bhajana. By the the heart of the jéva. Only in example of his own supremely bhajana is there any possibility pure character and strong of his attaining happiness. Çré bhajana, Çré Guru captivates him Kåñëa is Svayam Bhagavän, and and transmits potency into his the jévas are His eternal heart. The disciple imbibes this servants. Çraddhä is the very strength and gradually moves strong and determined faith forward along the path of that, by performing bhakti unto bhajana. There is, indeed, no Çré Kåñëa, all the sufferings of extent to the unlimited mercy of the jéva are dispelled, and he such a Guru. It is endless and becomes situated in kåñëa- wonderful, and for this reason däsya, his constitutional Narottama Öhäkura Mahäçaya position. Possessing such has written: çraddhä, the jéva very soon takes çré-guru karuëä-sindhu, adhama janära bandhu, the shelter of the lotus feet of a lokanäth lokera jévana sad-guru. Then, by virtue of Çré hä hä prabhu koro doyä, deho more pada-chäyä, Guru's grace alone, he attains all ebe jaça ghuñuk tribhuvana types of perfection. cakñu-dän dilo jei, janme janme prabhu sei, The boundlessly merciful Vaiñëavas are the divya jïäna håde prakäçito supreme friends of the fallen jévas in this world. prema-bhakti jähä hoite, avidyä vinäça jäte, Knowing the jévas to be averse to Kåñëa, they vede gäy jähära carito preach bhakti-tattva to them. Developing çraddhä in bhakti-tattva, the jévas take shelter of a Çré Guru can be distinguished according to his two Vaiñëava’s lotus feet. As Çré Guru, he now instructs functions as dékñä-guru and çikñä-guru. Dékñä- guru them on bhagavad-bhajana. When the disciple is he from whom the mantra is obtained, and exhibits suitable qualification, having developed çikñä-guru is he from whom bhajana-çikñä, singleness in purpose and expertise in bhajana, Çré instruction on how to progress along the Guru bestows his mercy upon him by granting devotional path, is received. l Our spiritual master is the ocean of mercy, the friend of the poor, and the lord and master of the devotees. O master! Be merciful unto me and give me the shade of your lotus feet. Your fame is spread all over the three worlds. 2 He opens my darkened eyes and fills my heart with transcendental knowledge. He is my Lord birth after birth. From him ecstatic prema emanates; by him ignorance is destroyed. The Vedic scriptures sing of his character. A disciple should show equal respect to both, And only that disciple who is free from sins, who is and he should understand that both are the pure-hearted and submissive is fit to receive manifestation of Kåñëa’s sakti. If he maintains a instruction. If this advice is ignored, surely anarthas different opinion towards them, the disciple will will appear on the path of devotion. be an offender. In Çré Caitanya-caritämåta (Adi, 1.44-45.47) it is said: Çréman Mahäprabhu has said in His own words: yadyapi ämära guru—caitanyera däsa yei kåñëa-tattva-vettä, sei tathäpi jäniye ämi täìhära prakäça 3 ‘guru’ haya and guru yathä When, by the bhakti- çünya, tathä çiñyagaëa guru kåñëa-rüpa hana çästrera — “He who is enlightened in pramäëe mercy of Çré the science of Kåñëa is Guru”, guru-rüpe kåñëa kåpä karena bhakta- and “Where the Guru is gaëe 4 Gurudeva, one without bhakti, his disciples will be the same." Çré çikñä-guruke ta’ jäni kåñëera svarüpa crosses over the Caitanya Mahaprabhu's antaryämé, bhakta-çreñöha,—ei dui rüpa words always remain true in 5 ocean of anarthas all respects; in this there is no To consider Gurudeva to be and arrives in the doubt. directly the Supreme Personality of Godhead is an offensive realm of niñöhä It is said in the çästra that mentality, because such an idea the guru will examine the leads to the conception of the and ruci, Çré disciple for a considerable jéva's oneness with Éçvara—like amount of time, and the that of a mäyävädé. However, if Guru's mercy disciple will also observe the one performs bhakti with the guru's character. In this understanding that Çré Guru is flows very manner, after understanding the special manifestation of Çré forcefully. At that the purity of each other, Bhagavän Himself, or His çakti, both of them will establish a then there will be no fault. "Çré time Çré Gurudeva relationship. The guru- Bhagavän, who is the disciple relationship is not embodiment of prema, has becomes the very only for a few days; it will manifested Himself within Çré continue to exist even after Gurudeva and has given me wealth of a this life. If the disciple initiation." If this thought disciple’s life. cannot take shelter of a sad- remains in the mind of the guru, (even after having disciple, he will be blessed. He searched with great care), will then nurture firm faith in he then he becomes deviated from the path of the words of Çré Guru and develop unshakeable supreme goal due to the fault of neglect. If the devotion to him. guru is unfit, the disciple, having abandoned him, should accept a sad-guru. If the disciple is Those jévas who are possessed of faith should take fallen, and Çré Guru is unable to reform him, he shelter of a sad-guru with great care and effort. can give him up. Having compiled information from various çästras, Vaiñëava äcärya Çréla Sanätana Gosvämé It is appropriate for the disciple to follow with has given the symptoms of Çré Guru, and the determined faith whatever instruction is given to symptoms of a disciple, in his book Hari-bhakti- him by Çré Gurudeva. If the disciple fails to do viläsa. The purport of all such words of çästra is so, and hears different instructions from various that one who has a strong character stemming people, due to the fault of unnecessary from bhakti, who is a viçuddha-bhakta (a hankerings, he will be unable to do bhajana. If it supremely pure devotee), and the best among the appears that Çré Guru has given an order contrary bhagavatas is alone the guru of the jévas. to çästra, then, with a simple heart, the 3 Although I know that my spiritual master is a servitor of Çré Caitanya, I know Him also as a plenary manifestation of the Lord. 4 According to the deliberate opinion of all revealed scriptures, the spiritual master is nondifferent from Kåñëa. Lord Kåñëa in the form of the spiritual master delivers His devotees. 5 One should know the instructing spiritual master to be the Personality of Kåñëa. Lord Kåñëa manifests Himself as the Supersoul and as the greatest devotee of the Lord. disciple should express himself at his feet and A Glimpse into then reconcile it with the words of çästra. However, if one does not carry out Çré Gurudeva's Çréla Prabhupäda’s Guru-bhakti directions with special care and firmness, the Where are your pure teachings to be found at this disciple by no means can attain His mercy. dark hour? Standing as we are Simply by his desire, that Gurudeva who is the on the shore of the ocean of spiritual topmost of bhagavatas can transmit potency within devastation, Only your lifesaving glance of the heart of the disciple and thus make him a causeless mercy can save us from certain death. parama-bhagavat. Naturally, however, such Only by your infallible grace inclination does not arise in Çré Gurudeva to instill can we perceive a way to somehow retrace our steps: To return to a life of divine remembrance of the Holy that potency in an unfit disciple. That disciple who Name in great happiness carries out the instructions of Çré Guru with great And implicit faith in your “Vaikuëöha message.” vigilance soon becomes qualified to receive the 0 blessed master, please awaken some good wealth of Guru's mercy. Only then can he realize intelligence in this insignificant servant of yours, the real meaning of guru-kåpä. Increasing the fullness of his faith in your sublime message day by day. You compassionately took the suffering of misguided As long as anarthas remain in the process of bhajana, humanity the disciple should continue to move forward on the upon your own holy head, path of bhajana as instructed by Çré Gurudeva, And I am feeling severe pangs of separation from your prudently following the laws and prohibitions of lotus feet on this day upon which you disappeared from our vision. çästra. When, by the mercy of Çré Gurudeva, one Çré Viraha Añöaka (V5) crosses over the ocean of anarthas and arrives in the realm of niñöhä and ruci, Çré Guru's mercy flows very forcefully.