Dedication to śrī guru and Vaiṣṇavas is essential • Bhagavān fulfils the desires of His devotees, but one must make an effort • The teachings of sādhu, guru, and śāstra exist to ensure the quality of one’s surrender to Bhagavān • Devotees are focused only on service • The teachings of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī • Pampering the body interrupts the search for Śrī Kṛṣṇa
śrī śrī guru-gaurāṅgau jayataḥ
Śrī Nīlācala Gauḍīya Maṭha
Gourbatsahi, Swargadwar (Purī)
23/6/1976
Snehāspadāsu—
Mā Umā! Even if I do not have a chance to reply to your letter in a timely fashion, I have no cause to object to your writing me letters. Rather, since writing letters entails expressing the moods of the heart, writing them is beneficial for everyone. Those who always have the opportunity to hear, chant, remember, and behold Śrī Bhagavān’s transcendental name, form, qualities, pastimes, and so on are surely blessed. One must try to control the wicked and unruly mind by telling oneself that true auspiciousness can only come from following śrī guru and Vaiṣṇavas’ orders and instructions. “I have not been able to perform bhajana of Hari.” “When will He have compassion on me?” “Surely Śrī Bhagavān will have mercy on me.” These sorts of lamentations and hopeful expectations push the sādhaka or sādhikā further in bhajana. “Tava nija-jana, parama bāndhava, saṁsāra-kārāgāre – Your close associate is my supreme friend in this jail of material existence.” “Vaiṣṇava dekhiyā, paḓibo, caraṇe hṛdayera bandhu jāni[1] – when I see a Vaiṣṇava, I will fall at his feet, knowing him to be my heart’s friend.” This is a matter of personal realization. Only a person whose heart overflows with bliss when they behold guru and Vaiṣṇavas is a truly peaceful and desireless devotee.
To convey obeisance to someone else in a letter addressed to Śrī Guru-pādapadma or to ask him to convey said regards is contrary to proper etiquette. It seems like an order or instruction instead of a request and would indeed be offensive.
Bhaktas are called “vāñchā-kalpa-taru – wish-fulfilling trees” because Śrī Bhagavān Himself fulfils their desires. It is because you had a strong wish to behold Śrī Dhāma Mathurā–Vṛndāvana and other places that Bhagavān granted you such an opportunity. “I am going to hide in my house, sit here, not making any effort, and say, ‘If the Lord does not drag me to the dhāma, how can I behold it?’ ” These are the words of an atheist. If the heart is anxious and overwhelmed, Śrī Bhagavān surely offers His assistance and mercy. If He does not see my effort, why would He show sympathy and mercy?
All the darkness of ignorance in the heart is eradicated by the mercy of śrī guru and Vaiṣṇavas; the delusions of māyā affecting the soul are eliminated. Their transcendental affection is the only support for the sādhaka or sādhikā. Sincerely offering one’s heart and soul to Śrī Bhagavān is itself the attainment of the ultimate fruit of sādhana. It is to ensure the excellence of this [surrender] that the instructions of sādhu, śāstra, and guru exist. Śāstra has given instructions specifically about loving and serving sādhu, guru, and Bhagavān, because “the root cause of the birth of devotion for Kṛṣṇa is the association of saintly personalities – kṛṣṇa-bhakti janma-mūla haya sādhu-saṅga.”
People of the world are preoccupied with mundane comforts and sorrows. Those who desire the welfare of their souls have no use for this duality of good and bad. They are forever concerned only with sevya (the master), sevaka (the servant), and sevā (service). The bhaktas never invoke topics that have nothing to do with Śrī Bhagavān, the bhaktas, and bhakti. Minding which matters serve them no purpose, they keep far away from such unfavourable entanglement at all times. Their only consideration is the health of their soul and they derive delight only from said cultivation. If one cannot perform sādhana-bhajana, then what is the benefit of feeding and providing for the body and mind? It is forever accepted that the speciality of someone who is keen on the welfare of his soul is that his body and mind, everything, is aimed at the joy of service. That is precisely why the pursuit of karma, jñāna, yoga, and so on has been curbed, to create a field of inquiry into brahma and inquiry into bhakti.
It is a matter of great fortune that you had the opportunity to sit in Allahabad, or Prayāg, and remember topics of Bhagavān. It is considered a special duty to discuss the teachings to Śrī Rūpa in Prayāg. Without the grace of Śrī Rūpa and Sanātana, the truths of sambandha and abhidheya cannot be realized. If one is to make a rule to read the teachings given to Śrī Rūpa from Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta every day while in Prayāg, one will gain so much peace of heart. The specific glories of each and every tīrtha and dhāma that is bathed in the mercy of the devotees and Bhagavān have been extensively documented. You gain greater results by discussing topics relevant to where you are. This fuels and aids bhajana.
Sundarban is home to tigers, boars, snakes, and other such deadly and cunning creatures. If you stay there for too long, you will naturally become influenced by such violence and enmity. Nevertheless, even vicious creatures become non-violent by gaining the association of devotees. There is plenty of proof of this in scripture. The lives of devotees are dedicated to the welfare of others: “janma sārthaka kari’ karo para-upakāra[2] – make your life a success by helping others.” This is something only a devotee can understand. The greatest aid is aimed at the welfare of the soul. Therefore, devotees are never uncharitable; to the best of their abilities, they grant everyone the opportunity to serve. One must remain eager to obtain that opportunity to serve.
In his nectarean instructions, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmīpāda has conveyed, “guru-padāśrayas tasmāt kṛṣṇa-dīkṣādi-śikṣaṇam, viśrambhena guroḥ sevā sādhu-vartmānuvartanam[3] – the preliminary limbs of bhakti are taking shelter of guru, receiving initiation and training pertaining to Kṛṣṇa, serving guru with deep affection, and following the path of the saints.” The necessity of taking shelter of a bona fide guru and receiving śrī nāma and dīkṣā initiation is taught in scripture. “Brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva, guru-kṛṣṇa-prasāde pāya bhakti-latā-bīja[4] – wandering throughout the universe, some fortunate souls, by the mercy of guru and Kṛṣṇa, attain the seed of the creeper of devotion.” This is what one receives when accepting śrī nāma and dīkṣā. If someone wants to attain this seed, Śrī Bhagavān grants that person every facility and fulfils said desire. What more doubt can there be in this? A person more concerned with the welfare of others than with his own is said to be exceedingly magnanimous. You are particularly concerned for your friend, and I am satisfied to see how content you are in the success of her ambitions.
None of you should be worried about my poor health. This material body is always going through a process of genesis, subsistence, and disintegration. You can deliberate on “mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya”, “dehino ’smin yathā dehe”, and other Gītā verses in this regard. “Ei dehera kriyā, abhyāse karibo, jīvana-jāpana lāgi’; śrī kṛṣṇa-bhajane anukula jāhā, tāhe habo anurāgī[5] – I will fulfil the functions of this body out of habit and thus spend my life becoming attached to that which is favourable to the performance of bhajana of Śrī Kṛṣṇa.” This should be our ideal. If we start pampering our body, we will become indulgent in bodily pleasures and deviate from our practice of sādhana-bhajana. Our eternal truth, the search for devotion to Kṛṣṇa, will be interrupted. Iti—
Your eternal well-wisher,
Śrī Bhaktivedānta Vāmana
[1] Kalyāṇa-kalpataru, Kabe Āhā Gaurāṅga Boliyā (5) by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura
[2] Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Ādi-līlā 9.41)
[3] Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (1.2.74)
[4] Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Madhya-līlā 19.151)
[5] Kalyāṇa-kalpataru, Hari Hari! Kabe Mora Habe Heno Dina (2) by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura
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