20070429 Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.7.30-31

The following is a class given by HH Jayapataka Swami Maharaj on April 29th, 2007 in Sridham Mayapur, India. The class begins with a reading from the Srimad Bhagavatam 7th canto chapter 7 verse 30 and 31.

guru-śuśrūṣayā bhaktyā

sarva-labdhārpaṇena ca

saṅgena sādhu-bhaktānām

īśvarārādhanena ca

śraddhayā tat-kathāyāṁ ca

kīrtanair guṇa-karmaṇām

tat-pādāmburuha-dhyānāt

tal-liṅgekṣārhaṇādibhiḥ

Translation

One must accept the bona fide spiritual master and render service unto him with great devotion and faith. Whatever one has in one’s possession should be offered to the spiritual master, and in the association of saintly persons and devotees one should worship the Lord, hear the glories of the Lord with faith, glorify the transcendental qualities and activities of the Lord, always meditate on the Lord’s lotus feet, and worship the Deity of the Lord strictly according to the injunctions of the śāstra and guru.

Purport

In the previous verse it has been said that the process which immediately increases one’s love and affection for the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the best of the many thousands of ways to become free from the entanglement of material existence. It is also said, dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyām: actually the truth of religious principles is extremely confidential. Nonetheless, it can be understood very easily if one actually adopts the principles of religion. As it is said, dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam: the process of religion is enunciated by the Supreme Lord because He is the supreme authority. This is also indicated in the previous verse by the word bhagavatoditaḥ. The injunctions or directions of the Lord are infallible, and their benefits are fully assured. According to His directions, which are explained in this verse, the perfect form of religion is bhakti-yoga.

To practice bhakti-yoga, one must first accept a bona fide spiritual master. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, in his Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (1.2.74-75), advises:

guru-pādāśrayas tasmāt

kṛṣṇa-dīkṣādi-śikṣaṇam

viśrambheṇa guroḥ sevā

sādhu-vartmānuvartanam

sad-dharma-pṛcchā bhogādi-

tyāgaḥ kṛṣṇasya hetave

One’s first duty is to accept a bona fide spiritual master. The student or disciple should be very inquisitive; he should be eager to know the complete truth about eternal religion (sanātana-dharma). The words guru-śuśrūṣayā mean that one should personally serve the spiritual master by giving him bodily comforts, helping him in bathing, dressing, sleeping, eating and so on. This is called guru-śuśrūṣaṇam. A disciple should serve the spiritual master as a menial servant, and whatever he has in his possession should be dedicated to the spiritual master. Prāṇair arthair dhiyā vācā. Everyone has his life, his wealth, his intelligence and his words, and all of them should be offered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead through the medium of the spiritual master. Everything should be offered to the spiritual master as a matter of duty, but the offering should be made to the spiritual master with heart and soul, not artificially to gain material prestige. This offering is called arpaṇa. Moreover, one should live among devotees, saintly persons, to learn the etiquette and proper behavior of devotional service. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura remarks in this connection that whatever is offered to the spiritual master should be offered with love and affection, not for material adoration. Similarly, it is recommended that one associate with devotees, but there must be some discrimination. Actually, a sādhu, a saintly person, must be saintly in his behavior (sādhavaḥ sad-ācārāḥ). Unless one adheres to the standard behavior, one’s position as a sādhu, a saintly person, is not complete. Therefore a Vaiṣṇava, a sādhu, must completely adhere to the standard of behavior. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura says that a Vaiṣṇava, a person initiated into the Vaiṣṇava cult, should be offered the respect befitting a Vaiṣṇava, which means that he should be offered service and prayers. However, one should not associate with him if he is not a fit person with whom to associate.

Thus ends the Bhaktivedanta Swami translation and purport of canto 7 chapter 7 text 30 & 31 of Srimad Bhagavatam of Prahlad lying in the womb.

Hari Om tat sat!

So Rupa Goswami in the Nectar of Devotion by 9:21should always take shelter of a bonafide guru. When we take initiation, then we are making 9:33, then we do service 9:37 apprehended. So in this verse, it also says we need to accept a bonafide spiritual master, render  service to him with great devotion and faith. This is the guru parampara system. I took the shelter of His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad and chance to render service to him with devotion and faith. Don't have any other purpose in my life. This is the system that's, similarly the disciples they serve their guru with devotion and faith. Sometimes disciples say, how can I have connection with my guru? But everything we are offering to Krishna. All the services we do, we are offering to the guru parampara. 10:56 to our guru, then to his guru, in this way it goes on to Krishna. In this way one has constant connection. Also this verse is encouraging, describes about the vapu seva. How the guru-śuśrūṣayā, serving as a menial servant in his daily activities. Prabhupad says here in bathing, dressing, sleeping, eating, so on. Some devotees are cooking for their gurus, some are doing some personal service. This will become vapu seva, it's guru puja and also vapu seva. When the guru's not present, then we have the service of instructions, his Vani, carrying out his instructions. This way reminded of. Some devotees are very fortunate. Their spiritual masters are presentvand still standing. They should serve them, follow their instructions. Some disciples spiritual masters have left the world. We have Krishna Maharaj, Govinda Maharaj, Bhakti Chaitya Maharaj, Sridhar Maharaj, Bhakti Damodar Maharaj. Krishna has already called them back for other services.So that disciples don't have so much opportunity to do vapu seva. They carry out the orders of the spiritual master. One of the service is that all  the devotees can do is also to serve the Vaishnavas. Especially since Iskcon is a family. We're following the instructions of His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad. We're carrying out his orders and fulfill his mission. We should reach out not only to one's god brothers, god sisters but also to the other Vaishnavas. They are all cousins, uncle's, aunts 13:59 to their situation, also encourage them and serve them. I was in 14:08. One of Gopal Krishna Maharaj's disciples invited me to his house and they did very nice hosting. I go to 14:25 Jagannath Swami disciple as we stay in his house. There's one family...Sometimes 14:37 disciples but they serve so nicely. This is standard of Vaishnava seva. Not only serving the senior Vaishnava in priority to other devotees. Specially reaching out to those devotees who don't have spiritual master so that they can feel very much loving time of Prabhupad's movement. We're very fortunate... Many are fortunate to have their spiritual master. I was present once in room Prabhupad was preaching to one disciple who was in a 15:23. He asked his wife, are you feeling depressed? He wouldn't answer. He said you can understand that the guru's 15:35 if you are having some problem, you can solve it right here. So any question any problem you can ask me, I can try to solve if 15:48. If the spiritual master is present then take the help. Prabhupad told him, I want you to be happy. 16:07 order. Disciples should be happy in the presence of the spiritual master. So like this Prabhupad was very concerned that his own disciple not happy. He was concerned how to help. Then Prabhupad has so many disciples, then he asked his senior disciples to help him to take care of the junior disciples. It was going on with the devotees. Some are more attached with Srila Prabhupad directly. They would come there. 16:53 devotees. When Srila Prabhupad times, those devotees are very fortunate. Also their grand disciples and not only the senior God brothers and God sisters, they helped from. There are so many brahminical sisters of the guru. They're also in good standing. They are like spiritual uncles, aunties. They should be offered respect according to their vision. They should get some mercy from them. Prabhupad's given us a legacy of lot of Vaishnava support. When his spiritual master left, there was one 17:55 Gaudita math. Everybody was kind of on their own. He tried to work with different God brothers but because he was a very active preacher, very charismatic, people started to approach him and ask him for initiation. Some of his God brothers objected because they didn't have this system or everybody to be a guru. Now GBC is saying all Prabhupad disciples should be 18:28 understanding like a 18:35, take care of devotees. That wasn't a situation and in Prabhupad's, everybody had their own math, their own institution. There was one guru preach institution. So they are nicely, they make their own institution. So 18:58 and Abhay, he just wanted to work with his God brothers 19:02. But it wasn't..they didn't want it. So finally then he established Iskcon. Not because he didn't want to co-operate or didn't want to, just make his own thing. There was truly no other choice. This was their price everyone was giving. But within Iskcon, Prabhupad made it much more of a family situation. This was when we read in Chaitanya Charitamrita, Chaitanya Bhagavat, Bhakti Ratnakar and the other historical books. Chaitanya pastimes, there was that kind of support, that kind of Vaishnava to 20:00. Kala Krishna Das, he 20:06 Lord Chaitanya. He had a fall down in South India. Lord Chaitanya, He personally saved him from the Bhattataris. Then they came back and He said actually, this devotee had a fall down. So it's not good that he be my personal servant. Also that personal servant should be in very good standing, personal servants of the guru. So all this time, since six years he was serving Lord Chaitanya everyday doing the menial service, the guru disciple type of service but afterwards Lord Chaitanya said, i don't want to keep him as a personal servant. So he was in a state of shock. So Nityananda Prabhu and the other Vaishnavas, they met together, they thought how do we help Kala Krishna Das. They thought we can send him back to Bengal 21:17 .Let Lord Chaitanya 21:21 so he can serve Him. They didn't tell anybody all the pastimes that he witnessed for 6 years travelling with Lord Chaitanya, the devotees in Bengal would be very happy. Later Nityananda engaged him in different services and as far as I can understand, He made him one of the 64 mahantas. He also authorised him later to be a bonafide guru. Because on the 21:52to his samadhi, next to his samadhi is his disciple's samadhi. So he was also initiating later. That was by the mercy of Nityananda Prabhu. So there was that kind of Vaishnava support vand that you're not my disciples, so I don't worry about you. Kala Krishna Das was a Vaishnava. He was in the community. So they all would care all the Vaishnavas. It was the mercy. He went to South India. He went to the holy places in some of the Sri sampradaya. Then they also encouraged the new Vaishnava seva, to feed the Vaishnavas. There they are feeding them food water. That's part of their culture to respect the Vaishnavas. Vaishnava will serve guru as 23:12. He's a Vaishnava, as he's also representing Krishna for us. Krishna comes to us in two forms: externally as the Diksha and Siksha guru and internally as Chaitya guru. So He's helping us and guiding us and also we see that the senior disciples should help the junior disciples. I got a very good news. Somehow last Sunday, we already observed the Vyasa Puja of Jayapataka Swami in Houston. Because it was Sunday, they did it 24:06. There the president was saying that the 24:10 was working with so many disciples. They appreciated. You can see the tree by the fruit and the disciples are doing such nice service there. So if every disciple tries to be a good example, that will the glory to the guru. To be a good disciple so that people recognise, oh this this disciple, whoever the guru may be. Some disciples are not good examples. Some disciples are good examples. We are looking for the good examples to be. Prabhupad says here in the purport that the person initiating the Vaishnava 25:05 should be offered respect including the Vaishnava which means he should be offered service and 25:13. one should associate with him in 25:16 we should not associate, that means not with person with whom we associate. So may be a Vaishnava  may be initiated or may be fallen, then we respect them from the heart. We don't intimately associate,  no one will be pulled down if they are not practising. Therefore 25:42 trying to help them, encourage them to get back on the track. Otherwise if we are not strong enough then we go intimately associate. Their good standing can serve them 26:03. So I hope all the devotees, especially here in Mayapur are very fortunate because we have many Prabhupad disciples here. It's an opportunity for you to serve them. Let's offer them some prayers and get some instructions, some advice. Many temples in the world, they have no Prabhupad disciples. They don't see them so much. May be some places they are not in good standard. So here you have the opportunity of servicing your 26:49.;Only the Prabhupad disciples or all the Vaishnavas are in good standing. They are working or serving. Prabhupad also encouraged the  sadhus. Sadhu means sadhava sat achara. Someone who has sadachar, spiritual behaviour. Behaviour in the mode of goodness, transcendental goodness. So I appreciate all the devotees who are 27:33 are serving the other Vaishnavas, all the disciples and all. I've become by so many devotees not only disciples but also god brothers, god sisters, disciples of other guru's, bhaktas, bhaktis. So many devotees are 27:58. We've just done the safari in South India and many cultural programs, lot of preaching, a lot of 28:14. Lot of devotees in the safari are 50% are disciples of other guru's who are not initiated. So they are helping so much in the preaching tolerating all the difficulties. We did programs in Chennai, Tirupati, Rajamundry, in Tiruchi, Madurai Meenakshi temple, Tirunelveli, Bangalore, Udipi, every place. People were appreciating very much and we are very grateful for their help. Some of them were not disciples, still they were doing menial services. They saw very good examples. Like this we are trying to spread Prabhupad's mission. We worked together as a family, worked together to please sadhu, guru, Vaishnavas, please Krishna. So we should offer everything to the guru. I don't personally want anything. You can offer to me. By offering in spreading the Krishna conscious movement, studying Prabhupad's mission, spending money to have house programs and preaching including Vaishnavas. Only the Iskcon temples, in this way a little help for my travel, basic needs are not so much. So therefore I get extra. Then I go need it through temples. We need the temples in Bangladesh. We have Krishna's mercy, we feel at every step. When we read in newspaper, first aerial attack of the tunnel tigers in Sri Lanka. The attack 30:34:next to the airport. At that time, I was in the airport. They told me, we are attacking the airport. I was already at my aeroplane ready to take off in 10 minutes and they speak, evacuate! evacuate! We had to run out of the aeroplane to a nearby stop. They told us, run! run! Get out of here and go to the! They don't know. They thought may be they are attacking the airport. Only took 2-3 hours 31:09 the airport space and they are shooting from the airport at this aeroplane. So everyone's hearing gunsots, bombing, 3-4 mini explosions. Windows are shaking. No one knows what's going on. The staff is running. Everybody is completely 31:37. That time, we were just remembering Lord Narasimha Dev, Prabhupad 31:45 one's going to have. As Lord Narasimha Dev protected, all activity was too 31:54 away but so close together, all the bombing and everything. So like this padam param yad vipadam, danger at every step. 32:05 never knows what's going to happen. Even in London, they're blocking people in the South ways. That is why the world is a dangerous place now. Somehow we have to always remember Krishna. Life is very short. We want to dedicate our life in serving Guru and Krishna by 32:31 different ashrams, do our respective services. Those who are grihasthas, they are serving Vaishnavas 32:44 they are doing their devotional service, their deity worship, following the principles given in the Nectar of Devotion. Brahmacharis are distributing books 32:56.doing their different services in the temple s. Students are studying, so they can have some knowledge to use in Krishna's service. Even Jiva Goswami also working in a university and studying. He learned Sanskrit, so he could write the Vaishnava literature who was studying in the dias. So everything we do, we offer it to the Guru's lotus feet. Know that this world is a temporary place. We don't know how long we are going to be here. So better to use all the time in Krishna consciousness in the best possible way. So Prabhupad ki Jai!  Granth Raj Srimad Bhagavatam ki Jai! Guru Maharaj ki Jai!