23rd
May 1996
Devotee: For many years, she
has not taken shelter of another guru to take diksa. But for many years she has
been serving and some devotees are telling her that because she hasn’t accepted
diksa from a guru, her service is worthless.
Srila Gurudeva: I cannot say
like this. I speak on the authority of the sastra like the Srimad Bhagavatham
and I follow what the disciplic acaryas have to say. We should follow in the
footsteps of the associates of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. If any guru falls, we
should give him up. Then our faith will not be broken. So, we should wait and
look for a bona fide guru. By accepting him or a siksa guru, we will advance
rapidly in our devotion. If we don’t have faith in anyone, then we should wait
and pray to Krsna that He will arrange a bona fide guru for us. If you are not
satisfied by the character of any guru, then you shouldn’t accept him as your
diksa guru. I told some devotees of ISKCON to consider Svamiji as their siksa
guru.
I told them, “Thinking of
Svamiji as your siksa guru, you should try to develop your mood. You should pray
to him and to Krsna that they will manage a bona fide guru for you. Then there
will be no need for you to repent as you did earlier, when you thought, ‘The
guru I accepted has fallen down. The second guru I accepted has also fallen
down.’”
So, wait a little and see a
bona fide guru by his own mercy. Without having a bona fide diksa guru, you will
remain unqualified and you will not progress in your devotion. You will not come
in the line of devotion because of this shortcoming. Not coming in order, you
will not be able to totally follow anyone. Therefore, a diksa guru is needed.
Hence, in our disciplic order it has been told that we should give up the fallen
guru and accept a bona fide guru. But if he is chanting, his devotional services
will not go in vain. They will help him to some extent; they will help him find
a bona fide guru. Really, Krsna will manage and Krsna Himself will accept his
service. If anyone hasn’t accepted a diksa-guru or a siksa guru, but still,
chants, “Krsna Krsna,” then will his chanting go in vain? I think not because
Ajamila didn’t accept a guru. He named his son as Narayana and would always call
out to him, saying, “Narayana, Narayana.”
When he did so at the point of
his death, the messengers of Narayana came and chastised the messengers of Yama
Maharaja. They then instructed Ajamila on how he could obtain the service of
Narayana. They saved him from death and Ajamila had the good fortune of
listening to the discussion between the Yamadutas and Visnudutas. He then
realized the glories of the holy name.
He thought, “Oh the glories of
the holy name are so marvelous. To unintentionally chant or listen to the name
of Narayana even once, without having a guru, will bestow incalculable
transcendental benefit. Thus, I should go to Haridvar and accept the shelter of
a bona fide guru. From him, I will learn and engage in the service of Narayana.”
With this objective in mind,
Ajamila went to Haridvar to seek the shelter of a bona fide guru. He then
accepted the shelter of a bona fide guru and came in the line of devotion. He
chanted, worshiped, and meditated on the mantra of Narayana. Thus, he achieved
perfection. Although, he chanted nama-abhasa, a semblance of the holy name, his
chanting never went in vain. The bhakti we engage in presently is bhakti-abhasa,
a semblance of devotion; we are not practicing pure bhakti. When we perform
sadhana to attain bhava-bhakti, then the services we perform can constitute real
bhakti.
The definition of pure bhakti
has been given by Srila Rupa Gosvami in the following verse. We must know this
verse:
anyabhilasita-sunyam
jnana-karmady-anavrtam
anukulyena krsnanu-
silanam bhaktir uttama
By observing the limbs of
bhakti according to this verse, we will engage in svarupa-siddha bhakti. So, you
need not worry or bother yourself. All your devotional services like chanting
the holy name will never go in vain. The semblance of the holy name will provide
something, but it will not provide entrance into Vraja. By receiving the holy
name from a bona fide guru, you will enter Vraja.
Devotee: How will I find a bona
fide guru?
Srila Gurudeva: Krsna will
manage. You cannot find a bona fide guru by yourself. If you are sincere, Krsna
will arrange for you to take the shelter of a bona fide guru. Any of the
disciples of Svamiji had never made any effort to find him. But, he went door to
door of every house and gave everyone the instructions of Krsna. So, you should
not be worried about these matters. The opposing devotees cannot tell all these
truths to you. If I speak, they will patiently hear. I know.
So, you should see me as a
friend and not otherwise. Let them do whatever propaganda they wish to make
against me. One day, they will realize their folly. But, they may not have any
time for repentance.
Gaura Premanande! Hari Haribol!
[Devotee reads Srila Svami
Maharaja’s purport of a particular verse]
Devotee: When you become
convinced that Krsna is your intimate friend and protector, how happy and
peaceful you will be. When everyone will love Krsna, the world will be filled
with tranquillity. When you are protected by Krsna, you will never be worried
about insufficiency. You will become pure and make progress in spiritual life.
Srila Gurudeva: Svamiji has
written this?
Devotee: Yes.
Srila Gurudeva: Very good. Do
you want this as a blessing from me? Or should I keep my blessings to myself?
Now I will take prasadam and
become ready for the evening class. I should be excused if I have given pain to
any devotees. My mood is to only glorify your Prabhupada. I want everyone to
know who Svamiji really was.
Devotee: Maharaja, thank you
very much for answering my questions.
Srila Gurudeva: I am also glad
to have answered your questions. I will be gladder if you believe and act
according to my answers.
Gaura Premanande! Hari Haribol!
Is my daughter Anandini
satisfied by my answers?
Anandini dasi: Very much.
Devotee: I am also satisfied.
Srila Gurudeva: You are also
satisfied?
I want to see you all again.
[End of audio file]