Superbenefit of Life

Few days you are getting association of the Vaiṣṇavas here. Different type of country the Vaiṣṇavas come from America, Śrīpad Bhakti Sudhir Goswāmī Mahārāj, Śrīpad Giri Mahārāj, Śrīpad Bhakti Kusum Āśram Mahārāj from Mexico. Śrīpad Tīrtha Mahārāj and Śrīpad Āchārya Mahārāj from India and Śrīpad Śrutaśravā Prabhu, he is always hiding but he is so great devotee of Kṛṣṇa and Chidānanda Prabhu and others and here in Russia also, so many dignitary Vaiṣṇavas I am meeting with them and I am happy, very happy with them. First it is my expression to you all.
Honourable Vaiṣṇavas respected gentlemen and ladies and beloved children, I am also in front of you just three days today.

After hearing some Kṛṣṇa Consciousness from the dignitary devotees you must feel something new experience in your spiritual environment.

āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ cha
sāmānyam etat paśubhir narāṇām
dharmo hi teṣām adhiko viśeṣo
dharmeṇa hīnāḥ paśubhiḥ samānāḥ
(Hitopadeśa)

Animal and human where is different animals or other entities they’re living with food enjoying fearing and sleeping, human also doing like that but here express the Scripture where is different, difference is this the human can think proper way which way he will get some benefit which way he can promoted himself from this plane to higher plane. And for that they can practice some process that is called religion. Without religion existence is like a beast or animal.

Super-benefit which way come into our life you are also now also feeling something something the association, association of a higher plane liver. Actually if we wants to promoted from this plane to higher plane necessary to get proper association. Association will give us all facility, make our mind, make our atmosphere very clean and feelings will come in the clean mind some transcendental substance. You have also this experience about association, sat-saṅga. Who is mixing with nonsense person, mixing with crazy person, his mind also becoming nonsense and crazy. In this material world this experience we have many.

Śrīmad Bhāgavatam teach us through one story like this –

Two birds born in a nest. Their father mother is same. And one bird went to some sadhu’s house, muni’s house and another bird catch by some bad-character man’s house. This story given in Śrīmad Bhāgavat for association what is the value of association. One living with a very bad-charactered man’s house and another living a muni’s house. And someone, ṛṣi went for begging food it is natural in India, munis, ṛṣis they are going for collecting some food and everyone giving one roti or one chapati, something milk, like that.

He went first that bad-charactered man’s house and when he wants to enter into that house, suddenly some sound come like human, “Get out, get out, who are you? Why you are here you nonsense” etc... etc... so many bad words using that bird. Insulting words. He have seen in the door there is one cage and there living one bird and that bird telling this. “Get out, why you are here?” This way. Until he standing there no one man or woman come from the house but that bird always chastising, chastising, chastising, and he folded hand from that house come out and gone some other house.

And that muni have seen so far someone house and went there. And ask I am hungry, anyone can give me something? But when he in the door there also he heard some human sound like that, “Oh you the gentleman come come, please come inside and please sit here oh who is inside give some water, give some flower to him, give some food to him," like that invitation sound he have got from that bird. Who is existing in the door in the cage that muni have seen that.

And that muni was very surprised. Same kind of bird, same age, I think so but this bird talking so much nice nice good word and that bird chastised me so much, what is cause? And muni’s have some power, muni asked that bird, muni knows some language also, some bird’s language, he asked, “What is this? Like you I have seen in that house one bird, but you are cultured and he is very much uncultured, what is this?” That was the muni’s house. Then that bird also was very cultured. And that bird given answer, this śloka stated in Śrīmad Bhāgavatam;

mātā-pekṣa pitā-pekṣa avaṁś cha vana-pakṣinoḥ
ahaṁ munibhiranitaṁ svaranita gabhāśanaiḥ
ahaṁ munīnaṁ vachanaṁ sṛnomi gabhāsanānaṁ sahasṛnoti vāgyam
na paśya doṣa na cha me guṇovā saṁsarva yā doṣa guṇa bhavanti
(The Vedas)

This śloka stated in Śrīmad Bhāgavatam from the mouth of that bird. “Oh, Muni Ba, our father and mother is same, we are brothers. Stayed in the jungle and that bad man taken him that uncultured man taken him and muni have got me. And he is learning from that man, I am learning from muni, “ahaṁ munīnaṁ vachanaṁ sṛnomi…,” I am hearing the sweet words from the muni of this householder. And “gabhāsanānaṁ sahasṛnoti vāgyam…” He is hearing from that householder who is a very cruel and very bad man. And his association that my brother getting his association and I am getting the muni’s association, “ahaṁ munīnaṁ vachanaṁ sṛnomi gabhāsanānaṁ sahasṛnoti vāgyam…” Then it is not his fault and it is not my quality. My quality come from muni, his association and his quality he have got through that gabhāsanānaṁ association that means that cruel man’s association.

This story first I heard from Śrīla Guru Mahārāj before fifty-five years ago. That time I joined with the lotus feet of Guru Mahārāj and in some one city there was a big meeting and there Guru Mahārāj expressed this śloka. Fortunately I not forget that śloka still now. Guru Mahārāj always given us instruction must do sat-saṅga and not to do asat-saṅga. Not to take bad association. Take good association.

Within this thinking another śloka told Guru Mahārāj,

tato duḥsaṅgam utsṛjya
satsu sajjeta buddhimān
santa evāsya chindanti
mano-vyāsaṅgam uktibhiḥ
(Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.26.26)

Avoid completely as possible bad association. Bad association atheistic association is super-bad association. Because I have not seen God then God is nothing. God has no existence this type of thinking is very bad association. So many things I do not know in this material world, but I believe it. Through some source, like my birth, who is my father I do not know. But when my mother will say, “He is your father," I must consider he is my father.

This type of many evidential proved in front of us. We do not know Surya the sun rising and setting, that means Surya rounding the world or world rounding sun, we do not know that. We are hearing and we believe it.

The seeds of devotion to the Lord will be destroyed with the association of a bad person. That’s called duḥsaṅgam. Then duḥsaṅgam utsṛjya. Avoid that bad association and satsu sajjeta buddhimān who have little consciousness, little brain, he must avoid bad and will take association as good as possible.

Śrīmad Bhāgavat said santaḥ is very good association, santaḥ means sadhu, sadhu means who is firm in god consciousness or Kṛṣṇa Consciousness. Any doubt will come in our mind and it is coming, always coming the doubt in our mind, but who is expert and experienced and who have knowledge about God consciousness about Kṛṣṇa Consciousness he can give me some solution.

For that Śrī Chaitanya Mahaprabhu when asked to Rāmānanda Rāy, “What is religion good for the conditioned souls, jīva-souls?” Rāmānanda Rāy said so many ślokas evidential ślokas from Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, but Mahaprabhu, Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, Śrīmad Bhagavad-Gita, etc. But Mahaprabhu summarily told, “It is external, it is external, it is external, tell me the fundamental position of spiritual life. Then when Rāmānanda Rāy said this Bhāgavata śloka,

jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva
jīvanti san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām
sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhir
ye prāyaśo ’jita jito ’py asi tais tri-lokyām
(Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.14.3)

And Mahaprabhu given recognition. This is fundamental right of the jīva-souls and from this plane they can go to transcendental service life. Meanings of this śloka is that in this material world we can experience so many things and we can collect so many different type of knowledge. But what not will give us divine connection with transcendental plane all that knowledge is useless. And Śrīmad Bhāgavat said throw that bucket full knowledge to the ocean and folded hand be surrendered to a good, divine personality who can give you some rescuing process from this illusory environment.

“Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva, jīvanti san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām,“ with association of that holy person you will get some divine seeds of knowledge and hear from him so many glories and glorification of transcendental world and your Lord and you also recite that you also can ask many questions and he will give many answer to you, and through that your association will be with him and you will get super-benefit in your spiritual life. Here is no question where you are staying, you are staying in thatched room or in a building or in a palace.

Question is that you must take association of that holy person. Sthāne sthitāḥ anywhere you can stay, any position you have maybe not will be obstacle except asat-saṅga. Then you avoid the asat-saṅga and take that sat-saṅga you will be super-benefitted in your spiritual life. This super-benefit will come when we will be dedicated to that devotional land. We can attract the mind of our Lord through our devotional activities, what we have learned from that holy personality.

Somewhere one question come to Guru Mahārāj, God is infinite, which way, you are a finite, finite, part and parcel of the God, you can catch that God. He is infinite. It is true, the a part and parcel of that big infinite form of Lord. Cannot do that. But because he is infinite he can bestow his mercy upon me if I can be surrendered soul to him. That capacity he have and for that he is infinite. This is fact, ajitāpi jitaḥ whom no-one can control. He also will be controlled by that little jīva-soul by devotional mood.

Here one question is very important. Which way we will understand this is devotion and this is emotion. Emotion looking like devotion and devotion also doing, looking like emotion. For that always necessary to get the sat-saṅga means good association. Who is the devotee of the Lord, his association.

dūre śuddha-prema-gandha, kapaṭa premera bandha,
seha mora nāhi kṛṣṇa-pāya
tabe ye kari krandana, sva-saubhāgya prakhyāpana,
kari, ihā jāniha niśchaya  
(Chaitanya-charitāmṛta, Madhya 2.46)

In Śrī Chaitanya-charatāmṛta this śloka is there dūre śuddha, Kṛṣṇa-prema is so far from me, I have no love for Kṛṣṇa. If I have love for Kṛṣṇa which way I am existing which way I am aliving. Which way I alive without Kṛṣṇa’s association. Then real Kṛṣṇa-prema I have not. But I am showing I have much affection, much love, much attachment for Kṛṣṇa. It is showing to others, it is not real, it is emotion it is not devotion. The devotee will think that way.

With association of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswatī Goswāmī Ṭhākur’s disciples specially association of Śrīla Guru Mahārāj, sometimes when we are talking about Lord Kṛṣṇa, tears wants to come in our eyes. Immediate we are giving weeping to us. This is not Kṛṣṇa-prema, what you are doing. This way teachings come from the Divine Master. Śrī Kṛṣṇa-līlā like this if you will hear and what we read so many books etc. etc. for our service to Guru Mahārāj, that time when you are reading the books, holy books the character of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, Rādhārāṇī etc., automatically tears wants to come to you. But… weeping was behind of Śrīla Guru Mahārāj, not to be surrendered to imitation. Not to be surrendered to emotion. Be practical and give your devotion of Lord Kṛṣṇa.

But sometimes this question can come who is crying in the name of Kṛṣṇa who is crying in the name of Radharani and other associates of Kṛṣṇa and Pastimes, everyone is imitation everything is false, everything is emotion? That question can come. For that question Śrīla Rupa Goswāmī Prabhu given answer to us, “nisarga-picchila-svānte tad-abhyāsa-pare’pi cha” (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 2.3.89)…

Natural melted heart can cry it is not imitation, but it is not real devotional action.
Goswāmī Mahārāj: Someone may be softhearted by nature…
Govinda Mahārāj: And someone want to show others, I am a devotee I am crying for Kṛṣṇa. That is another type of character. And that character always abusable. Try to make your heart soft with association of sadhu and the devotion but not to be emotional.

I have some experience so many devotee we are telling devotee no doubt, but before asking anything start to cry first then asking. No doubt they’re soft hearted but be careful for that position and be serious in your spiritual life, in your practicing life and try to proceed with some divine direction.

Mahaprabhu Śrī Chaitanyadeva said, “Be humble be tolerant giving honour to others and chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahāmantra you will be steady with your spiritual life.” This famous śloka you may know many you may know this famous śloka

tṛṇād api sunīchena
taror iva sahiṣṇunā
amāninā mānadena
kīrttanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ
(Śrī Śikṣāṣṭakam 3)

Always be careful you not will fall down. There in Upaniṣad one śloka in Upaniṣad we can see,

uttiṣṭhata jāgrata prāpya varān nibodhata
kṣurasya dhārā niśitā duratyayā
durgaṁ pathas tat kavayo vadanti
(Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.3.14)

You are now sleeping, wake up wake up and be conscious about your existence. But try to get some strength to crossover this bridge which is sharper then a blade, “kṣurasya dhārā niśitā duratyayā, durgaṁ pathas tat kavayo vadanti.”  With association of a sadhu it is very easy because we can follow that sadhu, but everywhere that good association we not will get. There also we can take association of the books, holy books association that’s also one kind of association, but never try to get bad association. Avoid forever, you must be victorious.

Devotees have several kinds of position, first quality, second quality, third quality ten percent, fifteen percent, twenty-five percent, fifty percent, seventy-five percent devotee mixing so many devotee but all the devotee will be conscious about their own position and try to proceed carefully not will get any bad association.

This is my earnest request to you all devotees of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Be serious about your spiritual life and proceed on with devotee and devotional scripture and activity. I feel you are all my rescuer because you are giving me opportunity to explain about devotional world what I heard from my Guru Mahārāj that I do not wants to forget. If I shall get some association of the devotee and that way Śrīla Prabhupada Saraswati Thakur also express his heart, “Oh, vipada uddhāraṇa bandhu-gaṇa,” in front of you I cannot do wrong easily but alone I can do many things wrong and that is my protection. Your association is my protection and I am giving that return to you. You also take good association you must be benefitted.

Jaya Oṁ Viṣṇupāda Śrīla Bhakti Rakṣak Śrīdhar Dev-Goswāmī Mahārāj ki Jaya

Another three four days I am here. If any way I can serve you I am able to serve you you come to my place ask your questions but the dignitary devotees here they are also distributing many things prasādam of that transcendental knowledge treasure. You will be benefitted through them. Then what I can do I shall try to do. Kṛṣṇa bless you. Guru Mahārāj bless you Prabhupad bless you.

Jaya Śrī Gurudeva