20240722 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.7.39

nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale
śrīmate bhaktivedānta-svāmin iti nāmine
namas te sārasvate deve gaura-vāṇī-pracāriṇe
nirviśeṣa-śūnyavādī-pāścātya-deśa-tāriṇe

jaya śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya
prabhu nityānanda
śrī-advaita gadādhara
śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda

hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa
kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare
hare rāma hare rāma
rāma rāma hare hare

hari haraye namaḥ kṛṣṇa yādavāya namaḥ
gopāla govinda rāma śrī-madhusūdana

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam
paramānandaṁ mādhavaṁ śrī caitanya iśvaram
hariḥ oṁ tat sat

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.7.39

nimittāni ca tasyeha
proktāny anagha-sūribhiḥ
svato jñānaṁ kutaḥ puṁsāṁ
bhaktir vairāgyam eva vā

Translation: Spotless devotees of the Lord have mentioned the source of such knowledge. How could one have knowledge of devotional service and detachment without the help of such devotees?

Purport by Śrīla Prabhupāda: There are many inexperienced persons who advocate self-realization without the help of a spiritual master. They decry the necessity of the spiritual master and try themselves to take his place by propagating the theory that a spiritual master is not necessary. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, however, does not approve this viewpoint. Even the great transcendental scholar Vyāsadeva had need of a spiritual master, and under the instruction of his spiritual master, Nārada, he prepared this sublime literature, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Even Lord Caitanya, although He is Kṛṣṇa Himself, accepted a spiritual master; even Lord Kṛṣṇa accepted a spiritual master, Sāndīpani Muni, in order to be enlightened; and all the ācāryas and saints of the world had spiritual masters. In Bhagavad-gītā Arjuna accepted Lord Kṛṣṇa as his spiritual master, although there was no necessity of such a formal declaration. So, in all cases, there is no question about the necessity of accepting a spiritual master. The only stipulation is that the spiritual master should be bona fide; i.e., the spiritual master must be in the proper chain of disciplic succession, called the paramparā system.

Sūris are great scholars, but they may not always be anagha, or spotless. The anagha-sūri is one who is a pure devotee of the Lord. Those who are not pure devotees of the Lord, or who want to be on an equal level with Him, are not anagha-sūri. Pure devotees have prepared many books of knowledge on the basis of authorized scriptures. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī and his assistants, under the instructions of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, have all written various literatures for the guidance of prospective devotees, and anyone who is very serious about raising himself to the standard of a pure devotee of the Lord must take advantage of those literatures.

* * *

Jayapatākā Swami: Today we have a very special verse. You see, normally I give class on Saturday morning. Because in Australasia and other Eastern countries, they have off on Saturday. But the previous weekend was His Holiness Bhakti Cāru Mahārāja’s special weekend. Then I heard that a class was given by a disciple of His Holiness Bhakti Cāru Swami Mahārāja. So, I thought this was a nice thing because we want to see the succession of the next generation.

I heard that I was giving class during the announcements this morning. And normally, the night before someone reads the text to me. But they read to me from the 8^th chapter of the Caitanya-caritāmṛta yesterday night.

So, this verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam purport is that how we all need a guru. Śrīla Prabhupāda first, he was staying in the grass hut which we have preserved. And Śrīla Prabhupāda was instructing us how to be a proper Vaiṣṇava. And then he moved to the Lotus Building. So, from there, Śrīla Prabhupāda was giving a lot of association and instructions.

In the next weekend, we are having a special “Śrīla Prabhupāda Connect” program. I don’t know much about it but as far as I know, every devotee will get a chance to speak something about Śrīla Prabhupāda - how Śrīla Prabhupāda is our Founder Ācārya and he established the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. He told us to build the TOVP and this week we are having a program to select our consultant. Three companies have been shortlisted and they are having a competition.

Here we find in this śloka that it is mentioned that we must accept a spiritual master. And some examples have been given how everybody must accept a spiritual master. Lord Kṛṣṇa, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, They all had accepted spiritual masters.

I was thinking that I would have to go but Śrīla Prabhupāda had given me various instructions. And I wanted to complete as many as possible. And I need a lot of help! People come up to me and ask me, I have taken initiation now, what instruction would you give me? Not only letters, they also personally ask me. And I am thinking Śrīla Prabhupāda gave me so many instructions, so which instruction you want to help me with, tell me!

I was in Delhi for about three months. And some leading disciples called me up and said, don’t come, don’t come to Māyāpur. When everything is alright, then you may come. When your health is good, then you may come. So after three months, I came to Māyāpur. And then I was told that the hospital is not ready for me. And then I went back to Kolkata. I found that even the hospitals in Kolkata were not up to the mark! Then I was told that one hospital has the machines that you want. And so, I did my dialysis there and I stayed for the entire Ratha-yātrā festival in Kolkata! After that here in Māyāpur, everything was ready so I came back here! And I had a chance to participate in His Holiness Bhakti Cāru Swami’s disappearance festival.

As last night they read to me Caitanya-caritāmṛta, how Rādhā and Mādhava combined together and produced Lord Caitanya. Also, Lord Caitanya is the most merciful form of Kṛṣṇa. And He came in this Kali-yuga, to particularly liberate and free all the conditioned souls. But if someone thinks that they will worship Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa and if they exclude or neglect Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, they will not be delivered.

Since this is a Monday, and Australians are working, a few may be able to hear the class. But you Māyāpur-vāsīs, residents of Māyāpur, you should tell your relatives and friends and acquaintances who visit Māyāpur to take shelter of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Because without Lord Caitanya’s shelter, there is no hope! So He came to deliver all the conditioned souls! Lord Caitanya, Nitāi, Advaita, Gadādhara, Śrīvāsa, ādi Gaura-bhakta-vṛnda! Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, he said, mahā-vadānyāya, the most merciful Lord Caitanya! Now, we have the opportunity that we should take the shelter of Lord Caitanya and the Pañca-tattva. So Lord Caitanya gives out His mercy even more than Lord Kṛṣṇa! Although He is Kṛṣṇa, He combined with Rādhārāṇī, therefore His mercy is more.

Jayapatākā Swami: Haribol!

Devotees: Haribol!

Jayapatākā Swami: Gaurāṅga!

Devotees: Gaurāṅga!

Jayapatākā Swami: So we have the rare good fortune! We are living in the dhāma of Lord Caitanya! (Devotees: Haribol) So, people should know how great is the mercy of Lord Caitanya! So those of you who know this deep subject matter, when visitors come to Māyāpur, you should explain to them this. You see, Kṛṣṇa has said that He reciprocates with His devotees. But He told the gopīs, I can’t pay you back! Because your devotion is so great for Me that I cannot pay you back. So in Vraja, you have a special sakhya-rasa. The parental rasa is very special. And the mādhurya-rasa of Vraja is super excellent. So Kṛṣṇa thought, I am enjoying these special rasas in Vraja and other places. But the devotees, the conditioned souls, they are deprived. So how to give them? So Caitanya Mahāprabhu arrived! Kṛṣṇa, has this power of icchā. Other expansions don’t have only Kṛṣṇa has icchā. So, Pañca-tattva, Lord Caitanya, They came. We have this opportunity to preach the mercy of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Whether you are a brahmacārī or gṛhastha, or whatever you are, you should be preaching the message of Lord Caitanya.

Gaurāṅga! Nityānanda! Śrī Advaita Gadādhara! Śrīvāsa ādi Gaura-bhakta-vṛnda! (Devotees repeat)

So, Śrīla Prabhupāda, he was instructing, he said Māyāpur was his place of worshiping Lord Caitanya. He said, Vṛndāvana was his place of residence and Bombay was his office. So, somehow, he sent me to Māyāpur. Māyāpur is my residence, Māyāpur is my place of worship! (Devotees: Haribol) So, you all prayed for me to stay.

A problem came with those who are caring for me… They have morning shift, afternoon shift, and night shift. Now, in Mayapur, these people, the disciples, males, they can offer themselves to do one day’s service in the shift. And ladies, they can cook or something. Jai ho!

Anyway, I have many instructions, if any of you would like to help me with any of them please come forward and tell me.

So, here we see how without a guru we cannot progress. And it is not an option - we have to have a bona fide guru. So this verse shows how by serving a guru we get to progress to serve Kṛṣṇa. So, this is a very special mercy! And Śrīla Prabhupāda, he gave this mercy which is descended by the paramparā. Śrīla Prabhupāda was predicting that there would be fifty thousand devotees here. Unfortunately, I have only seen seven thousand five hundred! So, still, seven times to be seen!

Any questions and answers?

Announcement (His Grace Janmāṣṭamī Prabhu (ACBSP): Hare Kṛṣṇa Mahārāja, thank you for your wonderful class. Just for clarification sake the “Śrīla Prabhupāda Connect Day” is the 58^th anniversary of the incorporation of ISKCON in New York in 1966. And it will be on 27^th, 28^th and 29^th, three days. And there is a humble request that the Śrīla Prabhupāda network team is making to all the devotees, particularly to the Bengali devotees that they activate their FM receivers on their phones. If they are not sure how to do that, we will have tables in the Pañca-tattva courtyard and also Rādhā Mādhava courtyard from 6.45 am until 8 am to help out. We will also put out instructions on the internet, how that can be done in Bengali. The program will be in Pañca-tattva temple.

Jayapatākā Swami: It would be better if the program details are written out.

Announcement: We are posting it today around the campus and it has already been posted on social media.

Jayapatākā Swami: Maybe we don’t want all people to have to find out by seeing social media.

Announcement: We will have 12 posters around the campus and also outside the campus as well. At the incorporation of ISKCON, Śrīla Prabhupāda established seven purposes of ISKCON. So this event, this festival, Mahotsava, coming up next week will help everybody understand those purposes and be part of fulfilling them.

Jayapatākā Swami: Haribol! Gaurāṅga! Nityānanda! Advaita! Gadādhara! Śrīvāsa ādi Gaura-bhakta-vṛnda! (Devotees repeat)

Announcement: And we guarantee that everyone will be in complete bliss, it will be so amazing!

Jayapatākā Swami: Haribol!

Devotees: Haribol!

Jayapatākā Swami: Are there any questions?

Question: Thank you so much Guru Mahārāja. Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet. You are so merciful. You are giving us so nice instructions we can follow but still we are not progressing in our spiritual life, especially me. We know that we should cut all our attachment to the material world, our relatives and all, then only we can go back to Godhead. I feel it is difficult to cut down the attachment. And we don’t have the purity in us, especially me. So Gurudeva, how to bring purity in us? Please advise. Thank you so much Gurudev!

Jayapatākā Swami: Now we read in this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam verse how the pure devotees are getting the mercy. So whatever you are saying, tell that to Lord Caitanya that you need mercy. I NEED MERCY!

Devotees: Haribol!

Jayapatākā Swami: Gaurāṅga!

Devotees: Gaurāṅga!

Jayapatākā Swami: Gaurāṅga!

Devotees: Gaurāṅga!

Jayapatākā Swami: Gaurāṅga!

Devotees: Gaurāṅga!

Thank you very much!