The ability to offer prayers comes from Bhagavān • The means of transcending saṁsāra • Instructions on daily sādhana • Bhagavān is more merciful to the fallen
śrī śrī guru-gaurāṅgau jayataḥ
℅ Śrī Rādhe Śyāma Vasāka
Nimānanda Cloth Stores
Ukilapara, P.O. Raya-Ganj
(West Dinājpur)
9/9/1975
Snehāspadāsu—
Mā Umā! “Āpana icchāya jīva koṭi-vāñchā kare, kṛṣṇa-icchā binā tāhe phala nāhi dhare – the living entity’s personal desires are such that he harbours millions of hankerings, but without Kṛṣṇa’s will, none bear fruit.” Man’s desires and ambitions have no end; they simply cannot be fulfilled. However, because Śrī Bhagavān fulfils the devotees’ wishes, He is called “bhakta-vāñcha kalpa-taru – the desire-tree that fulfils His devotees’ every wish” and His devotees also earn this title. I understand that you could not come to Navadvīpa because of your mother’s illness. Your mother is a great Vaiṣṇavī and by nature inclined to devotion; she has unshakeable faith and is profoundly devoted to Śrī Hari, guru, and Vaiṣṇavas. Therefore, you will have to accept some sacrifice in order to serve and care for her. Even though she does not expect you to serve and tend to her physical needs, you must certainly perform that duty, especially since it is an activity that is favourable to bhakti. …
“Śariram-ādyaṁ khalu dharma-sādhanam – maintaining the body is certainly the first step in accomplishing one’s religious duties.” On one hand, this statement is true, for who can perform dharma if their body falls ill? On the other hand, becoming indulgent on the pretext of taking care of the body will inevitably lead to trouble too. Therefore, it is the crucial duty of an intelligent person who longs to perform hari-bhajana to reconcile both elements. You are intelligent; I think it unnecessary to write anything more on this topic.
I understand you were very pleased to receive the letter I wrote to you from Śrī Nīlācala Gauḍīya Maṭha. Only the meek, destitute, and wretched are worthy of attaining mercy. “Dīnera adhika dayā karen bhagavān; paṇḍita, kulīna, dhanīr, baḓa abhimāna[1] – Bhagavān is more merciful to the meek. Scholars, priests, and the rich are very arrogant.” Therefore, only those who are blessed with the mercy of guru and Vaiṣṇavas in the form of their teachings and instructions are fortunate. We truly do not have the words to express our gratitude to śrī guru-pādapadma or Śrī Bhagavān. If they furnish us with the sentiments and language, then everything is possible. When Dhruva, a five-year-old boy, obtained a glimpse of that lotus-eyed Śrī Hari, he wanted to praise Him with hymns and prayers. An illiterate, uninitiated person does not obtain darśana of Bhagavān except by the mercy of śrī guru, and the ability to offer prayers and hymns to Bhagavān comes by His own special mercy. This is a fact, or siddhānta. It is Śrī Bhagavān alone who is inspiring the heart of each and every soul; it is He who has given them speech. Does a toddler’s garbled language not attract the love of his mother and father or do his superiors judge the purity or impurity of his language or speech? Rather, they become delighted and overjoyed by it.
Go to the śrī maṭha on a regular basis and take advantage of hearing and contemplating the hari-kathā, classes, and kīrtanas. If you hear from the worshipful mouths of the Vaiṣṇavas, then you will readily understand whatever you do not understand in your reading. This is because their words and utterances retain a special potency. Scripture recommends seeking the company of the sādhus through their literatures only when one is bereft of direct sat-saṅga. Sādhu, guru, and Vaiṣṇavas carry Śrī Bhagavān in their hearts. The sādhus are Bhagavān’s heart, and Bhagavān is the sādhus’ heart. Therefore, Vaiṣṇavas are adepts and veritable encyclopedias of the essence of all Bhagavān’s instructions. It is very true that becoming too entrapped in this mundane existence, or too attracted to it, creates impediments to the practice of bhajana. That is why we are specially instructed to remain in the proximity of Vaiṣṇavas, or bhaktas. Attachment to the mundane objects of the senses is called saṁsāra; Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the transcendental viṣaya (object), and the purpose of sat-saṅga is to heighten our attraction to Him. Thus, there is a difference of heaven and hell between the jaḍa-viṣaya (mundane objects of our senses) and the aprākṛta-viṣaya (the transcendent object), or between Śrī Kṛṣṇa and saṁsāra. If one serves the mundane saṁsāra, a dismal nadir of a destination awaits, whereas in Kṛṣṇa’s saṁsāra, there is always auspiciousness and elevation. Therefore, scripture teaches: “kṛṣṇera saṁsāra karo chāḓi’ anācāra; jīve dayā, nāme ruci—sarva-dharma-sāra[2] – Engage in Kṛṣṇa’s saṁsāra and give up improper behaviour. Compassion for all living entities and taste in the holy names is the essence of all religion.” Guru, Vaiṣṇavas, and Bhagavān, being omniscient, eradicate the devotee’s anguish. If the devotee becomes anxious to attain a glimpse of Bhagavān, then Bhagavān will surely fulfil the devotee’s longing. That is why His name is Bhakta-vatsala [“He is who is partial, like an affectionate parent, to His devotees”].
In the early hours, once you have cleansed yourself, bathed, and completed your ahnika, it creates auspiciousness to read and recite devotional songs and hymns or prayers. When that is finished, it is imperative to chant śrī nāma on your beads. Prayers, expressions of humility, and entreaties to śrī guru, Vaiṣṇavas, and Bhagavān can be found amid the collections of songs by the mahājanas, our great predecessors, and there is also Gurvaṣṭaka, Ṣaḍ-gosvāmyaṣṭaka, Nityānanda and Gaurāṅga Aṣṭaka, Daśāvatāra-stotra, and various praṇāma-mantras that can also be recited. These are also counted as limbs of bhajana, by which one’s faith in Śrī Bhagavān flourishes.
“Je jata patita haya, tava dayā tata tāya[3] – the more a person has fallen, the more compassion You have for him.” This statement is found in the words of the mahājanas. “I am bereft of devotion and faith.” If we can say this from our hearts, certainly Śrī Bhagavān will dispel all our shortcomings and grant us service to His feet, which are the abodes of fearlessness. That is when the opportunity comes to make the human form of life successful. In that case, there is no question of the worthiness of one’s sentiments, devotion, or language, because Śrī Bhagavān’s mercy is causeless; it has no precondition. “Yogyatā vicāre kichu nāhi pāi, tomāra karuṇā sāra, karuṇā nā ha’le kā̃diyā kā̃diyā, prāṇa nā rākhibo āra[4] – when I try to discern my qualifications, I find none. Your mercy is essential. If you are not compassionate, I will weep and weep, and no longer maintain my life.” Also, “vicārite ābahi guṇa nāhi pāobi, kṛpā kari choḓata bicāra[5] – upon ceaseless deliberation, I find no good qualities in me; therefore, please have mercy on me without consideration.” These are the sādhaka’s or sādhikā’s anguished prayers and are measures of his or her qualification or eligibility. Iti—
Always aspiring for your welfare,
Śrī Bhaktivedānta Vāmana
[1] Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Antya-līlā 4.68)
[2] Gītāvalī, Nadīya Godrume (4) by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura
[3] Gītamālā, Hari He! Agre Eka Nivedana (2) by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura
[4] Śaraṇāgati, Gurudeva! Kṛpā-bindu Diyā (4) by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura
[5] Prabhu He! Śuno Mora Duḥkhera Kāhinī (5) by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura
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