By Gopaljiukatha
An interview with Madhavananda Das about the new book, “When Good Fortune Arises, the Life and Teachings of Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja.”
By Gopaljiukatha
An interview with Madhavananda Das about the new book, “When Good Fortune Arises, the Life and Teachings of Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja.”
Very nice interview and often moving answers from our dear Godbrother Madhavananda Prabhu.
Yet, in terms of content of the book, we would have liked the relationship Srila Gour Govinda Maharaja had with Srila Bhakti Svarupa Damodara Maharaja to be highlighted, as Srila Gour Govinda Maharaja confided to this menial servant of his: “He is my best friend in ISKCON” and on some other occasion “He is a pure devotee!”.
We also regret that no mention has been made about our dear Godsister Srimati Yamuna devi dasi – whom I had the privilege to serve till her last breath, as she was uttering the pure Name of Krishna – about whom Srila Gour Govinda Maharaja said: “She is a gopi manjari, maidservant of Srimati Radharani” and “She went straight back to Goloka Vrindavana”. He also publicly declared: “My guruship has now become successful, as one of my disciples went back to Godhead…”.
Nevertheless, we do value and cherish this worthy recollection of memories from many different devotees about Sri Sriman Gour Govinda Maharaa, as well as the excerpts from his valuable teachings on many crucial points, presented in the second part of the book.
Hence, we would like to express our gratitude to our dear Godbrother for his valuable seva and his on-going contribution both to the glorification of a nitya-siddha having come down from the spiritual world, out of his causeless mercy, to rescue the jivas by delivering Krishna prema, and for the proper presentation of the teachings of the person Bhagavata, which are valid for all times and are meant to be appreciated by all Vaishnavas, who are known to be non-envious, truthful and honest.
As Srila Prabhupada often explained, as in this Lecture on BG 1.1 given in London on July 7, 1973: “Politics are always there, and enviousness, jealousy. This is the nature of this material world. You cannot avoid it. Spiritual world means just the opposite. There is no politics. There is no jealousy. There is no enviousness. That is spiritual world. And material world means politics, jealousy, diplomacy, enviousness, so many things. This is material world. So even in the heavenly planets, these things are there, politics. Even in animal kingdom, these politics are there. This is the nature. Matsaratā. Matsaratā means enviousness. One man is envious of another man. It doesn’t matter, even they are brothers or family members…
So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not for the persons who are envious. Envious. It is a movement to train people how to become not envious. It is very first-class scientific movement, yes. Not to become envious. Therefore Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in the beginning introduces, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo atra (SB 1.1.2). In this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, dharma, religious principles, cheating type of religious principle is completely eradicated, thrown away, projjhita. They are kicked out, projjhita. Just like you collect all the dirty things from the room, sweeping and then kick out, don’t keep it within the room. Similarly, cheating type of religious system—kicked out. It is not such religion, “this religion,” “that religion.” Any religion system, if there is jealousy, that is not religion. Jealousy means… We should understand jealousy, what is jealousy. Jealousy means that you are rightful owner of something; I won’t allow you to take it. This is jealousy. This is jealousy. Jealousy, try to understand. Suppose you are rightful owner of something, and I am trying that – You don’t own it. I shall own it. Or somebody own it. I shall not allow it. – This is jealousy.”
And again during his lecture on BG 1.36 in London, on July 26, 1973: “Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant for the paramo nirmatsarāṇāṁ those who are not envious. How they can be envious? Paramahaṁsa, one who has understood what is this creation, who is the creator, what are these living entities, one who has got this knowledge, he is called paramahaṁsa. So how a paramahaṁsa can be envious of others? Therefore it is said paramo nirmatsarāṇām (SB 1.1.2).”
Thanks to the seva of our good friend Vishnu Murti Prabhu and his team, we now have access to many quotes from Srila Prabhupada, which can be selected per theme. Here are a few more, for your pleasure:
Lecture on SB 7.9.4 — Mayapur, February 18, 1977: “If simply we remain stuck up in Deity worship and we do not feel for others—na cānyeṣu na tad-bhakta—you do not know who is devotee, how to worship him, then we remain kaniṣṭha-adhikārī. And madhyama-adhikārī means he must know his position, others’ position, devotee’s position, God’s position, and that is madhyma-adhikārī. Īśvare tad-adhīneṣu bāliśeṣu dviṣatsu ca. He’ll have four kinds of vision: Bhagavān, īśvara; tad-adhīneṣu, he’s one who has taken shelter of Bhagavān—that means devotee—īśvare tad-adhīneṣu baliśu, innocent children, just like these children, baliśa, arbhakaḥ; and dviṣatsu, envious. A madhyama-adhikārī can see these four different persons, and he deals with them differently. What is that? Prema-maitrī-kṛpopekṣā. Īśvara, to love God, Kṛṣṇa, prema. And maitrī. Maitrī means to make friendship. One who is devotee, we should make friendship with him. We should not be envious. We should make friend. Maitrī. And innocent, just like these children, kṛpa—to show them mercy, how they’ll become devotee, how they’ll learn chanting, dancing. Give them food. Give them education. This is called kṛpa. And last, upekṣā. Upekṣā means those who are envious, don’t take. Don’t associate with them.”
The Nectar of Devotion — Calcutta, January 30, 1973: “Vaiṣṇava cannot be envious. Therefore Vaiṣṇava cult… This is paramo nirmatsarāṇām (SB 1.1.2). No matsaratā, no enviousness. Satām, devotees. Devotees means he must be nirmatsara.”
Lecture on SB 6.3.16-17 — Gorakhpur, February 10, 1971: Viśvanātha Cakravartī said that “Guru is as good as God by the verdict of the śāstra.” Sākṣād dharitvena samasta-śāstraiḥ. And Kṛṣṇa says, ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyāt: “Ācārya should be known as good as Myself.” Nāvamanyeta karhicit: “Never become disobedient to ācārya.” Na martya buddhyāsūyeta: “Never be envious of the ācārya, considering him to be an ordinary person.”