Sri Krishna Kathamrita Tav k-QaaMa*Ta& TaáJaqvNaMa( tava kathämåtaà tapta-jévanam BinduBindu Fortnightly email mini-magazine from Gopal Jiu Publications Issue No. 15 27 Oct 2001 Çré Päçäìkuçä Ekädaçé, 27 Padmanäbha, 515 Gauräbda • ODE TO THE ENVIOUS S S HIS DIVINE GRACE A. C. B HAKTIVEDANT A SWAMI PRABHUP ADA T T EAL ELFARE ORK N • R W W N E E SRILA BHAKTISIDDHANT A SARASW ATI THAKUR T T • THE BLUE JACKAL N N SRI SRIMAD GOUR GOVINDA SWAMI MAHARAJA O O • THE EXTRAORDINAR Y KINDNESS OF JAHNAVA THAKURANI · · · · · · · · · · · · C C FROM ÇRÉ BHAKTI -RATNÄKARA ODE TO THE ENVIOUS REAL WELFARE WORK HIS DIVINE GRACE A. C. SRILA BHAKTISIDDHANT A BHAKTIVEDANT A SWAMI PRABHUP ADA SARASW ATI THAKUR PRABHUP ADA The author of Çré Caitanya-caritämåta, The following is an excerpt from Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami, has a conversation between Srila condemned all his enemies by compar- Bhaktisiddhanta and Pandit ing them to envious hogs and pigs. The Shyamasundar Chakravarty, a Krishna consciousness movement, which is spread- famous leader of the independence ing throughout the world, is being appreciated by movement in India and the then-chief sincere people, although they have never previously editor of the English magazine, Servant and heard of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Krishna’s Vasumati. pastimes. Now even the higher, priestly circles are Pandit Shyamasundar Chakravarty: What appreciating this movement. They have concluded do you mean by the term, jéva-dayä, kindness to that this movement is very nice and that they have other creatures? Is it not the offering of help in something to learn from it. Nonetheless, in India there the form of supplying food, clothes, etc.? are some people who say that they belong to this Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur: cult but who are actually very envious of the äcärya. We shall offer such help to those who, after They have tried to suppress our activities in many having faith in God for several births, have be- ways, but as far as we are concerned, we follow gun service to God. We should feed and clothe in the footsteps of Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami the needy and do them other benefits in order and take them as envious pigs and hogs. We sim- to make them serve Hari; otherwise, what is the ply wish to present the pastimes of Lord Krishna need of nourishing a snake with milk and ba- and Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to the best of nanas? That is not kindness, rather it will en- our ability so that those who are really honest trap men with mäyä or tempt them towards can cleanse their hearts. We hope that they en- nihilism. The kindness that Sri Chaitanya joy this literature and bestow their blessings upon Mahaprabhu has shown to the jévas eternally us. It appears that even such a great personality absolves them from tritäpa, all of the three types as Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami met with some of distress. That kindness does not produce any envious obstacles; what, then, to speak of us, who evil, and the jévas who have gotten it will not be are only insignificant creatures in this universe? victims of the evils of this world. Rather, they We are simply trying to execute the orders of our will swim in the nectarean ocean of love, eter- spiritual master to the best of our ability. nally enjoying its sweetness.· — Concluding note at the end of the madhya-léla of Çré Caitanya-caritämåta. — Shri Chaitanya’s Teachings p.306-307 Issue Fifteen, Page — 2 é[q k*-Z<ak-QaaMa*Ta ibNdu THE BLUE JACKAL won’t need to correct him directly. You should not have this thought in your mind, “Let me QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS WITH correct him.” No, no, no, no, no, no! We are not SRI SRIMAD GOUR GOVINDA SWAMI MAHARAJA qualified to correct them. Our attitude should PARIS 1987, AT THE HOME OF be, “tåëäd api su-nécena taror iva sahiñëunä — I SRIPAD HARIVILAS PRABHU am the lowest of the low (Çikñäñöaka 3). Question: How can we have unalloyed de- votion to our guru and also see the godbrother Question: How do you correct a godbrother? of our spiritual master as our spiritual master? Gour Govinda Swami: With a godbrother we Gour Govinda Swami: We will offer the have a friendly relationship. So we may talk to same respect to him as we pay to our spiritual him in a friendly way. Sometimes we may even master. But as Hanuman says, Rama has occu- cut jokes with him. To correct him we may say pied my heart: something at some opportune moment when we know it will not hurt him. An intelligent man will çré-näthe jänaké-näthe cäbhedaù paramätmaniù do like this. You must speak in such a way that it tathäpi mama sarvasvaà rämaù kamala-locanaù will not hurt his feelings. Mahaprabhu said: There is no difference between Sri-nath (Vishnu, präëi-mätre mano-väkye udvega nä diba the Lord of the goddess of fortune) and Janaki-nath (Rama, the Lord of Sita), since They are both the Neither by mind nor words should a devotee Supersoul. Still, lotus-eyed Rama is everything to cause anxiety to any living entity, regardless how me. (Prema-bhakti-candrikä, text 29) insignificant they may be. — Cc. madhya 22.120 We should not deviate from our guru. That Don’t speak or act in such a way that will is unalloyedness. Don’t be affected by any dif- hurt their feelings. Don’t agitate them. This is ferences between our guru and his godbrother. the devotee’s behavior. We should overlook them. Still, our attitude yasmän nodvijate loko lokän nodvijate ca yaù should be, “I am following the instruction of harñämarña-bhayodvegair mukto yaù sa ca me priyaù my guru. I am not following the instruction of the godbrother of my guru.” He for whom no one is put into difficulty and who is not disturbed by anyone, who is equipoised Question: What should we do when we see in happiness and distress, fear and anxiety, is very that some superior vaiñëava needs correction? dear to Me. —Bg. 12.15 Gour Govinda Swami: Keshava Bharati Krishna says, “He who is not agitated in any was the godbrother of Iswara Puri, who was circumstances is very dear to Me. If someone tries the guru of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. to agitate him he never agitates back or disturbs Mahaprabhu corrected Keshava Bharati. But anyone. He is equal in both harña and amarña, we should not imitate Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. favorable and unfavorable conditions. In all con- He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and ditions he is equal, sama. Bhayodvegair, he has we are not. We should not try to correct any- no fear, no anxiety. He is very dear to Me.” one who is superior to us. We must act in such As Mahaprabhu has instructed, one should a way that Chaitanya Mahaprabhu will give speak very sweetly so the devotee may be cor- us the intelligence what to do: rected, but in such a way that they will not be teñäà satata-yuktänäà bhajatäà préti-pürvakam disturbed. For one who is intelligent, who is a dadämi buddhi-yogaà taà yena mäm upayänti te true devotee, Mahaprabhu will give them intel- ligence whereby you will know how to act and To those who are constantly devoted to serving Me with love, I give the understanding by which speak in such a way that you will not hurt the they can come to Me. (Bg 10.10) devotee and at the same time you will correct them. And you should never have this thought Krishna says, “I’ll give you the intelligence.” in your mind that, “I’ll correct him.” You should So, if you are a true follower of Chaitanya think, “I am not a qualified person to correct him. Mahaprabhu, He will give you intelligence. You I’m the lowest of the low. I am an ignorant fool, will be able to act in such a way that the murkha. I have no qualification.” You should not vaiñëava becomes automatically corrected. You cherish the thought in your mind to correct them. Sri Krishna-kathamrita Bindu Issue Fifteen, Page — 3 This thought is very bad and offensive. This is a This world is filled with hypocrites. So some very, very subtle point. It is very difficult for or- hypocrites will come and say, “Oh, I am guru. I dinary people to understand. But those who are am sadhu. I am such a great man.” He may come devotees, who have made some advancement and beat his own drum, blow his own trumpet, in spirituality, they can understand this point. and make some politics. It is quite natural. These things should not disturb you. Be dhéra, don’t be Question: We cannot approach Krishna disturbed. Have full faith in guru-sädhu-çästra. without a spiritual master. What about ap- Just do your duty as guru has instructed, as it is. proaching Chaitanya Maharabhu? Present Krishna consciousness as it is. Time will Gour Govinda Swami: Unless you ap- change things in the long run. You need not proach a spiritual master you cannot approach be worried. Have patience. Quote çästra and Mahaprabhu. Mahaprabhu is the Supreme Per- the äcäryas. Our basis is guru-sädhu-çästra. I sonality of Godhead. He is Krishna. The spiri- never say anything different. I always quote tual master is the expansion of Nityananda authority. Prabhu. You get the mercy of Nityananda Although he was a householder, Srila through the spiritual master, not directly. Guru Prabhupada got the full mercy of Srila is rüpänuga-dhara — a follower of the Goswamis Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati and Chaitanya in disciplic succession.