{"id":10342,"date":"2012-02-28T13:25:16","date_gmt":"2012-02-28T12:25:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/?p=10342"},"modified":"2012-02-28T13:25:16","modified_gmt":"2012-02-28T12:25:16","slug":"harivilas-prabhu-on-sb-42330-mercy-of-guru","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/?p=10342","title":{"rendered":"Harivilas Prabhu on SB 4.23.30 – Mercy of Guru"},"content":{"rendered":"

Live From Sri Mayapur Candrodaya Mandir!
\nDate: February 21st , 2012
\nTopic: Maharaj Prthu’s Going Back Home
\nVerse: SB 4.23.30
\nSpeaker: HG Harivilas Prabhu
\n ________________________________________ <\/p>\n

ittham-bhutanubhavo ‘sau prthuh sa bhagavattamah kirtitam tasya caritam uddama-caritasya te<\/p>\n

TRANSLATION: Maitreya continued: The greatest of all devotees, Maharaja Prthu, was very powerful, and his character was liberal, magnificent and magnanimous. Thus I have described him to you as far as possible. PURPORT: In this verse the word bhagavattamah is very significant, for the word bhagavat is used especially to refer to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as the word bhagavan (“the Supreme Personality of Godhead”) is derived from the word bhagavat. Sometimes, however, we see that the word bhagavan is used for great personalities like Lord Brahma, Lord Siva and Narada Muni. This is the case with Prthu Maharaja, who is described here as the best of the bhagavans, or the best of the lords. A person can be so addressed only if he is a great personality who exhibits extraordinary and uncommon features or who attains the greatest goal after his disappearance or who knows the difference between knowledge and ignorance. In other words, the word bhagavan should not be used for ordinary persons. [End of Srila Prabhupada’s purport to SB 4.23.30]\n

HG Harivilas: Thank you very much. I am very fortunate to be in Sridham Mayapur in the association of so many exalted Vaisnavas. This is Srila Prabhupada’s favourite place. This is where he has his room, where he did much of his translation work. He started from nothing and look what has happened. This is all due to his mercy, his potency and his pure service to his spiritual master and to Krishna. We are very fortunate to be here and I feel very humbled by this wonderful sanga of Vaisnavas.<\/p>\n

Maharaja Prthu, by hearing his glorification we become very fortunate ourselves. Therefore we should always glorify the acarya. For us the most significant acarya in our lives is His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. So by glorifying Prabhupada all auspiciousness comes into our lives. Actually it is said, saksad-dharitvena samasta-sastraih – that the spiritual master should be considered non different that the Supreme Personality of Godhead because he is the most confidential servant of the Lord. He is not God but he is the confidential servant of the Lord. Therefore we should remember the spiritual master and at least three times a day we should offer our humble obeisances to our spiritual master.<\/p>\n

Saksad-dharit is a very important concept because Krishna speaks to us from our heart but we should never follow it without it being confirmed by the spiritual master eg. Sometimes people here a voice. In their dream a voice comes and says, “Tomorrow morning you will kill your wife.” Should we go and kill our wife? We should check with the guru first. [Laughter] Everything has to be confirmed by spiritual master. Therefore we have caitya-gura and you have the external manifestation that is the spiritual master. And there is a further level of verification ie. Anyone who claims to be a spiritual master in Krishna consciousness whether siksa-guru or vartmapradarsaka-guru or whatever must correspond in behaviour and teaching to His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Otherwise they are not a guru. They are not a teacher. That is a very high threshold of responsibility.<\/p>\n

One time when Lord Siva and his wife – and by the way Lord Siva and his wife always have a very sweet and gentle relationship. In fact the level of their discussions are most elevated of Vaisnavas. There are hundreds and thousands of pages of their discussions in the Padma-purana and it is all sweet. It is all nectar. Parvati wanted to know who the best person to worship is. Lord Siva said, aradhananam sarvesam, visnor aradhanam param [Padma Purana] Of all the demigods and all personalities Visnu is the best to worship. tasmat parataram devi, tadiyanam samarcanam – even better is worshipping whatever is connected to Visnu or Krishna such as His pure devotee, servant or even Goverdhan or Radha-kund or Syama-kund or anything in connection to the Lord.<\/p>\n

She was a little bit surprised. She was expecting him to say that he was the best person but he made it clear that Lord Visnu is the best person. Then he said anyone who is the servant of the Lord is even better. That is why we are trying to serve Prabhupada every day. Our mission in life is to please the spiritual master and masters and engage according to the Vaisnava principles of devotional service – pure devotional service. Therefore it is said, tadiya vaisnava seva nistara payecha keba – that only by serving the lotus feet of the spiritual master can we make spiritual advancement. Unless one serves the spiritual master and the acaryas hey cannot be liberated. Liberated from what? Lust, anger, greed, madness, envy and these type of negative qualities that destroy one’s goodness in life.<\/p>\n

Then again it says tandera carana-sevi-bhakta-sane vasa, janame janame haya ei abhilasa. We simply want to take birth over and over again in a home or in the association of devotees and engage in their service. Then again it says that this is my only desire and Bhaktivinoda Thakura sings:<\/p>\n

suddha-bhakata-carana-renu, bhajana-anukula bhakata-seva, parama-siddhi, prema-latikara mula [SVA 2: Suddha-bhakata]\n

That is that the dust of the lotus feet of pure devotees is the best Prasad and the service of the Vaisnavas itself is the supreme perfection in life. It is the root of the tender plant of devotion. Then again it says that one time in Los Angles there was a controversy. That was people were reading the Krishna book and especially those chapters that were dealing with rasa-lila. And the group was called the Gopi-bhava Club. This created some kind of disturbance and when Prabhupada came to Los Angeles the leaders of that group met with him. And he asked them, “What are you doing?” And they said, “Well Srila Prabhupada it is said in the Krishna book that one can control material lust by meditating on the intimate pasties of Krishna. So we are reading those intimate pastimes according to your Krishna book and we are meditating on this one thing.”<\/p>\n

Prabhupada said, “If you want to meditate on one thing meditate on guru-mukha-padma-vakya, cittete koriya aikya, [Sri Guru-vandana The Worship of Sri Guru (from Prema-bhakti-candrika)] I want to have my consciousness purified by the words emanating from the lotus mouth of my spiritual master. And meditate on yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasado [Sri Sri Gurv-astaka] That without the mercy of the spiritual master one cannot get the benediction of Krishna and without pleasing the spiritual master one cannot make any advancement. Therefore ” he said, “you just concentrate on following my instruction and don’t manufacture your own way.”<\/p>\n

So this is essential in spiritual life – pleasing the spiritual master and following the order of the spiritual master – not imitating and not concocting anything. Therefore it is said sadhu-sastra-guru-vakya, cittete kariya aikya. The highest threshold of authority in our movement is sadhu-sastra-guru-vakya. In other words understanding the sadhu and the satras through the words of the spiritual master or pure devotee.<\/p>\n

We are very fortunate. Imagine if there was one tape of Jesus Christ or Mohamed speaking. That would be worth millions and millions of dollars. Everyone will be very anxious to hear it. But we have thousands and thousands of tapes of Srila Prabhupada speaking. And he is a genuine pure devotee and we have his books, we have his letters, we have his conversations therefore nityam bhagavata-sevaya [SB 1.2.18] We can go on.<\/p>\n

srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah punya-sravana-kirtanah hrdy antah stho hy abhadrani vidhunoti suhrt satam [SB 1.2.17]\n

nasta-prayesv abhadresu nityam bhagavata-sevaya bhagavaty uttama-sloke bhaktir bhavati naisthiki [SB 1.2.18]\n

By hearing these transcendental messages give to us by Srila Prabhupada and he has distilled the conclusions of all the great Vaisnava acaryas be become purified within. And by engaging in his service and regularly hearing and chanting all inauspicious things in our hearts are destroyed almost to nil.<\/p>\n

tada rajas-tamo-bhavah kama-lobhadayas ca ye ceta etair anaviddham sthitam sattve prasidati [SB 1.2.19]\n

By this regulated hearing and chanting and serving most inauspicious things like lust, anger and greed become lessened or diminished and therefore<\/p>\n

evam prasanna-manaso bhagavad-bhakti-yogatah bhagavat-tattva-vijnanam mukta-sangasya jayate [SB 1.2.20]\n

We become free from these things and we become happy and we are able to engage full time in devotional service.<\/p>\n

bhidyate hrdaya-granthis chidyante sarva-samsayah ksiyante casya karmani drsta evatmanisvare [SB 1.2.21]\n

Thus the hard knots of attachment to material life, to family, to wealth, to prestige is broken. It is cut and we are free. This is the process of devotional service. It all begins by appreciating devotee association. Sraddha means faith. It comes from appreciation of the devotees and what they are doing. Just like we appreciate very much what Ambarish Prabhu and his team of devotees is doing. We appreciate very much what Gopal Bhatta Prabhu and his team of devotees are doing. We appreciate everybody who is engaged in the service of Srila Prabhupada and what they are doing.<\/p>\n

That appreciation leads to a taste for sadhu sanga and in the taste for sadhu sanga we develop strong desire to get initiated and strictly follow Prabhupada’s instructions and through that association especially accepting mentors all unfavourable things in our lives are purified one by one. This is the process of devotional service. Then we have strong faith – it is very hard to break our determination to continue in devotional service.<\/p>\n

satatam kirtayanto mam yatantas ca drdha-vratah namasyantas ca mam bhaktya nitya-yukta upasate [Bg 9.14]\n

The drdha-vratah, that strong determination to serve Srila Prabhupada and stay in the association of devotees and continually chant the holy names of Krishna – Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare\/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare takes place and then we develop a taste for this hearing and chanting. It becomes infectious and then we develop attachment to following this path. Then there is awakening transcendental pleasure and then of course we attain pure love of Krishna. So this is the process of devotional service.<\/p>\n

There was once a father who had four sons and he had over ten thousand crores of wealth and his will said that, “My four sons can chose one thing that I have in my possession.” So when the will was read by the lawyer he asked the first son, “What do you want?” And he was a sportsman so he said, “I want my father’s soccer team and all the advertisements and everything that goes with it.” That was worth one hundred crores and the lawyer asked, “Are you happy? Are you satisfied?” He said, “Yes.” Then he asked the second son, “What do you want?” he liked sailing so he said, “I want my father’s entire fleet of boats.” The father had a gigantic fleet of boats and merchant marine.” That was worth one thousand crores. And the lawyer said, “Are you happy?” He said, “Yes.” Then he asked the third son, “What do you want?” He was a business man in financial instruments and he said, “I want my father’s entire investment company.” That was worth three thousand crores. The lawyer asked, “Are you happy?” He said, “Yes.” The lawyer stipulated that the fathers will said that, “My sons can have one thing that they want the most. And after they all decided whatever is left will go to my personal servant.” He was like a slave servant. So they asked the forth son, “What do you want?” He thought about is and he said, “I want the servant.” [Laughter]\n

That is what we have done in our lives. We have chosen Prabhupada who is the servant of Krishna. There are so many other things we can choose in life – sense gratification, money, prestige and so on. We have chosen Srila Prabhupada. And what has Srila Prabhupada given us? He started Iskcon and what is the goal of Iskcon? To bring people closer to Krishna. And he started the BBT. What is the purpose of BBT – to educate people. And he started the BI. What is the BI – to convince the modern gurus, the scientists, the philosophers and the speculators to become devotees to speculate according to the bona fide way.<\/p>\n

So we see that by choosing Prabhupada we become most fortunate in our lives. In fact it says – janmadyasyayatah Krishna is the origin of everything. And it says that Krishna is Bhagavan. He has all opulence and beauty and fame and wealth and power and renunciation. Then it says that Krishna –<\/p>\n

aham sarvasya prabhavo mattah sarvam pravartate iti matva bhajante mam budha bhava-samanvitah [Bg 10.8]\n

Krishna says that He is the Lord of everything. Everything comes from Him – material and spiritual and somebody who knows this engages full time in His devotional service. Then,<\/p>\n

bhoktaram yajna-tapasam sarva-loka-mahesvaram suhrdam sarva-bhutanam jnatva mam santim rcchati [Bg 5.29]\n

Krishna is the original beneficiary of all sacrifices and He is the owner of everything and he is the best friend. Knowing this one attains peace.<\/p>\n

yo mam evam asammudho janati purusottamam sa sarva-vid bhajati mam sarva-bhavena bharata [15.19]\n

One who knows Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead without doubting is the knower of everything and that person engages in His devotional service and they attain the Supreme goal of life. So all this knowledge defines who Krishna is.<\/p>\n

On time there was a French professor who was an expert in Sanskrit. He came to see Srila Prabhupada and we had given him Prabhupada’s Bhagavad-gita and he read it. After meeting Prabhupada he asked him some questions. He came out of Prabhupada’s room and began to complain. He said, “Your guru has made a big mistake. He has written very biased and misleading purports to the Bhagavd-gita. In every purport he tries to skew out of the Sanskrit that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” He said, “This is not right. He has mis-translated.” So we couldn’t say anything because the man was a big expert in Sanskrit. So later on we told Prabhupada about what the professor said. Prabhupada smiled and said, “Yes. He has understood my mission.” [Laughter] Of course in the introduction of Bhagavad-gita Srila Prabhupada says that in every verse it says that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So this mission of Srila Prabhupada is not only transcendental but it is beneficial for everyone.<\/p>\n

iti guhyatamam sastram idam uktam mayanagha etad buddhva buddhiman syat krta-krtyas ca bharata [Bg 15.20]\n

This is the most secret part of the Vedic knowledge and Krishna says I am revealing it to you Arjuna because you are sinless. Anyone who understands this becomes wise and his endeavours will attain perfection.<\/p>\n

Therefore we have something that is extremely precious but we just have to realise how valuable it is. That is why we have class. That is why we come together. But there are things that can destroy this. Krishna says:<\/p>\n

isavasyam idam sarvam yat kinca jagatyam jagat tena tyaktena bhunjitha ma grdhah kasya svid dhanam [Iso mantra 1]\n

He is the isavasya – the owner and controller of everything and he has set aside for every living entity their minimum needs. Knowing this one should take only the minimum and use everything else in the service of Krishna.<\/p>\n

kurvann eveha karmani jijivisec chatam samah evam tvayi nanyatheto ‘sti na karma lipyate nare [Iso mantra 2]\n

One who works in this way can live for hundreds and thousands of years but they are never affected by the reactions of work. There are no reactions because they are engaged in akarma. These are very profound verses of the Bhagavad-gita.<\/p>\n

There was once a predator bird that swooped down and got a big fish out of a lake and it started flying but there were a thousand crows that saw this and they started following the bird. The bird felt the other birds following it so it flew as high as it could but they followed. Then it flew as low as it could. They followed. Then it flew to the right, flew to the left and finally got exhausted and let go of the fish. When it let go of the fish all the other birds let the bird go and they went for the fish. Then the bird was sitting on the branch of the tree and he was thinking, “That fish was a real problem.” This is our life. As soon as we take even one paisa of what was meant for Krishna beyond our minimum needs we get affected by the material nature.<\/p>\n

In fact there is a very nice verse in the Bhagavatam seventh canto that says, “O my Lord because of lusty desires from the very beginning of one’s birth the functions of one’s senses, mind, body, religion, patience, intelligence, shyness, opulence, strength, memory and truthfulness are vanquished. So Prabhupada explains that the real sickness in the heart is kamam hrd-rogam [SB 10.33.39] It is lust. The successive desire to own and control things and exploit them for sense gratification. It is undoing us all in this material world.<\/p>\n

It says that liberation is freedom from this lust we are troubled continually in this material world. Unless we can get a higher taste param drstva nivartate [Bg 2.59] When there’s lust we remain anchored, shackled prisoners and our way of seeing things is affected eg. A mother sees her child with love, with a protective eye and with compassion but a child molester looks at the same child differently. They see it as an object to exploit, to control. They have no care at all about the welfare of the child. Therefore we are in this world because we don’t see things correctly. The purpose of the Vedic knowledge is to teach us to see correctly. Just like it says an educated person sees all women except his wife as his mother. He sees the wealth of others as garbage in the street and he sees the sufferings of others as if it is his own. This is an educated person.<\/p>\n

vidya-vinaya-sampanne brahmane gavi hastini suni caiva sva-pake ca panditah sama-darsinah [Bg 5.18]\n

Prabhupada is trying to train us to become panditah sama-darsinah – have equal vision so when we look at the person we don’t see the body we see the soul, more than that we see the souls connection to Krishna. Then we see correctly and we can deal with the person in a proper way with respect and in a way to help that person and that person will help us become Krishna conscious. Therefore,<\/p>\n

karma-jam buddhi-yukta hi phalam tyaktva manisinah janma-bandha-vinirmuktah padam gacchanty anamayam [Bg 2.51]\n

Devotees are people who are striving spiritually rid themselves of all unnecessary things by engaging full time in the devotional service of the Lord. It frees them from fruitive activities. It frees one from the cycle of birth and death and one can attain the state that is beyond all miseries.<\/p>\n

sri-bhagavan uvaca idam tu te guhyatamam pravaksyamy anasuyave jnanam vijnana-sahitam yaj jnatva moksyase ‘subhat [Bg 9.1]\n

Krishna speaks this knowledge to Arjuna is anasuyaye – he is not envious. And this knowledge gives theoretical knowledge and practical application of that knowledge in real life situations. On top of all that it frees one from all the miseries of life.<\/p>\n

raja-vidya raja-guhyam pavitram idam uttamam pratyaksavagamam dharmyam su-sukham kartum avyayam [Bg 9.2]\n

This is the secret of all secrets and it gives direct perception of the soul and it is happily performed. Therefore when a person becomes non envious – in other words we cannot become non envious until we understand the greatness of Krishna and how small we are. Or as Prabhupada said, krsna mahante ham tucche (?) Krishna is everything and I am less than an insignificant spec. Once that humility through following the regulative principles and associating with devotees happens then we begin to understand something about Krishna. And by understanding about Krishna this incorrect way of seeing the world,<\/p>\n

dhyayato visayan pumsah sangas tesupajayate sangat sanjayate kamah kamat krodho ‘bhijayate [Bg 2.62]\n

By incorrectly looking at things we develop an attachment and by such attachment by thinking, feeling and willing comes lust and the overpowering desire to own and control thinks and when lust is a little bit frustrated there is anger and when there is anger there is bewilderment and from bewilderment confusion in the memory and loss of intelligence. Then we fall down into a whorl pool of material life.<\/p>\n

Once in the Vedic history Narada Muni who was born the son of Lord Brahma and Brahma asked him to become a prajapati and Narada Muni refused. Lord Brahma became upset and he cursed Narada to take birth as a Gandarva of the name Upabarhana and as a Gandharva he was very beautiful, a very handsome person, had a nice body, was an excellent singer and musician but he was always troubled by lusty desires and he always kept the association of very beautiful women.<\/p>\n

One day there was a sankirtan party organised and he went with the apsaras and the other Gandharvas and he began to sing beautifully. He was glorifying the demigods and the prajapatis and other great devotees there cursed him to take birth as a sudra because – sravanam, kirtanam visnu. It doesn’t say sravanam kirtanam devatas. We should glorify and remember Lord Krishna always. So kirtan is not meant for glorifying the devatas. It is meant for glorifying Krishna. That was one mistake he made.<\/p>\n

Second mistake was when he was chanting he was surrounded by very beautiful women – the apsaras and this was very inappropriate for him especially in such a spiritual atmosphere. So he was cursed and he took his birth as a son of a maid servant. Fortunately his mother served great devotees – Bhaktivedantas and Narada in the association of those great devotees was given the opportunity of eating the remnants of their food and listening to their discussions and offering them some service. Sometimes his mother wasn’t present and he would do the service. And by eating, eating, eating the Prasad of the pure devotees he became purified. He developed a taste for hearing the messages of the Bhaktivedantas and he developed a strong desire to chant the holy name of the Lord and to engage in devotional service. He attained perfection simply by eating. It just shows you how powerful maha prasad is and there is maha, maha – the prasadam that is given to pure devotees and then the pure devotees offer it.<\/p>\n

So he did not have any education. His mother was too poor to send him to school. Simply by associating with great devotees he became Narada Muni. Prakasas ca karmany abhyasat [Vedanta-sutra (3.2.26)] Simply by engaging in the pure service of pure devotees one is liberated from all inauspicious things in their lives and they can develop pure Krishna consciousness. Therefore the story of Narada is very important for us because none of us – maybe some people are – most people aren’t great scholars in Vedic knowledge. But you don’t have to be. Many of us are not great in austerity. You don’t have to be. Some of us even have difficulty following the four regulative principles which is very important but even if you can’t, as long as you accept that Prabhupada’s instructions are all perfectly given for our ultimate benefit and don’t speak against it and just accept that it is my weakness. There is not anything wrong with what Prabhupada has given us. It is simply my weakness. Even with that consciousness if one goes on in the association of devotees they will be purified.<\/p>\n

One time I was with Prabhupada and said, “Prabhupada I am going to open a shop and I am going to call it ‘Krishna’s Shop'” He said, “No. Call it Hare Krishna Shop.” [Laughter] He said let them say Hare Krishna once. This is for their benefit. Then he said to me, there was once a gentleman walking in his village and a wild boar ran toward him. Just as the boar ran into him he said, “Haram.” He was some kind of a Muslim. Haram means untouchable. That was the last thing he said and because of that he attained liberation because he got the benefit of saying Hare Rama. So Prabhupada said, “Call it Hare Krishna shop. Let them have the benefit of saying Hare Krishna once in their life. Imagine if you chant everyday: Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare\/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. Imagine the benefit of doing that. In fact it is said,<\/p>\n

etan nirvidyamananam icchatam akuto-bhayam yoginam nrpa nirnitam harer namanukirtanam<\/p>\n

O King, constant chanting of the holy name of the Lord after the ways of the great authorities is the doubtless and fearless way of success for all, including those who are free from all material desires, those who are desirous of all material enjoyment, and also those who are self-satisfied by dint of transcendental knowledge. [SB 2.1.11]\n

So if we want auspiciousness in our life – people always say, “Prabhu give me your blessings.” The blessing is Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare\/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.<\/p>\n

There was once a king and he had a guru. Actually he was a gauru[Laughter] and he taught him all is one. He extensively explained this to him. So after being brain washed by the guru he came to his wife and said, “My dear Rani now I have achieved the truth of my life – all is one and because of this philosophy now I am going to marry many other wives. All is one.” His wife was very upset but she didn’t know what to do. But she had a guru so went to the guru and said, “Maharaj this is what my husband is saying. I know it is nonsense but it is his guru saying it. What can I do?” He said, “You do like this my child. Just follow what I say.”<\/p>\n

So the next day she invited the guru, her husband, many of the noble people, other gurus and so many prominent people to a big lunch to honor the guru and to honor the fact that her husband has imbibed this knowledge – all is one. She served the food, prasadam out to everyone herself and she had made a special preparation herself. It was pure cow dung and she served it with everything else and when people started to eat her husband and the guru took some spoonfuls. There was matar-paneer, raita, palak-paneer and so many things and then this other thing that they did not know what it was but they knew the wife made it so they had to eat it. So they took a spoonful and they gagged on it and the husband spat it out and he said, “What is this you have done?” And the wife said, “Pati, I have made this special preparation for you. He said, “What do you mean preparation? Are you crazy? This is cow dung!” She said, “Prabhu I have accepted your guru’s instruction – all is one. What is the difference between matar-paneer and cow dung because all is one?”[Laughter]\n

So he became very upset. He got up. The guru got up and he walked out. The next day the king arrested the guru and put him in jail for teaching him nonsense. And he apologised to his wife. Then the wife went back to her guru and thanked him. She said, “Maharaj I still have a problem.” He said, “What is that?” She said, “Now we know that all is one is nonsense but what is the truth?” He said, “Ah. Thank you my child. The truth is the following and you will explain this to your husband.” He said, “Once there was a guru and he had many disciples and he travelled to one village where he had only two disciples. One was a very rich man and one was a very poor man. And both had prepared Prasad for him. At least he thought so. So he wanted to go to the rich man’s house so he sent his disciples there ahead of time to discuss with him the arrangements. When they came the rich man was very busy with his business affairs and it was announced to him the purpose of his visit of the disciples and he said, “I know. I know. Don’t worry.” They said they wanted to talk to him. He said, “I don’t have time.”<\/p>\n

So he didn’t talk to them. He didn’t give them any respect at all and he went on doing his business and making arrangements. He made a big feast for the guru and the disciples felt very discouraged and they left. They reported back to their guru. They said, “We went to him. The message was given to him but he didn’t even speak to us. He was too busy and we felt very unhappy.” The guru said, “I am not going to his house. If he doesn’t know how to respect my disciples how will he respect me? How will he respect Krishna? So I am not going.”<\/p>\n

So he decided to go to the house of the poor man and the poor man was really poor. He only made his money by begging. He was a brahmana. Brahmanas don’t work for any one. They are independent. Otherwise they become corrupted when they work for someone. So he would earn a little bit of money by begging. He was out begging and his wife was taking a bath and there was a knock on the door and she said, “Who is it?” And they announced the name of the guru. She was like overwhelmed and she came next to the door and said, “I can’t see you. I am naked.” He said, “Why?” She said, “I only have one cloth and it is wet. I don’t want to put it on. It will be insulting to you.’ He said, “Don’t worry mata.” He had his disciples throw in his chaddar and she put that on and she opened the door and bowed down. She asked, “What can I do?” He said, “I have come to have prasada in your house.” She said, “Okay. Please come in.” So he came in with his many disciples. She gave him a place to sit and she offered him some water and she said, “You wait. I will come back and make a big feast.<\/p>\n

She had no money. Her husband wasn’t there. She went to see a local grocer who was always trying to take advantage of her because she was a very beautiful women and she begged him, “Please give me something for my guru. I will pay you in the way you want me to pay you.” He said, “Oh. Very nice.” So he gave her whatever she wanted. She went back and cooked a big feast. Everyone was satisfied. When the husband came home he couldn’t believe his eyes. He privately asked his wife, “Where did you get all these things.” She said, “Don’t worry. I will tell you later.”<\/p>\n

After the guru was satisfied she explained to husband what she did and he said, “Don’t worry. I know you only had a pure desire in your heart to please gurudev. But we must tell him. Everything we do in our life we must have his blessings otherwise it will be a disaster.” So they went and humbly submitted to him what the wife did and the guru understood. He said. My child I understand you wanted to please me and you were willing to do anything to please me. Please don’t worry. Here take the remnants of my Prasad and you give it to that business man and you tell him that I would like to see him.”<\/p>\n

So she and her husband went to see the business man. They both came in. He was a little embarrassed with her husband being there because he thought he was going to take advantage of the wife. The both humble submitted to him that they were very thankful for what he did. The offered him prasad from their guru. He was a little surprised and they asked him, “Please take it.” So he ate some of that. When he ate that he felt something changing in his heart. Then he looked at the husband, he looked at the pure wife and he felt very sorry and he said, “I am very sorry that I am trying to take advantage of your wife.” He was speaking to the husband. He said, “All along I have been lusty. I have never been able to control these desires. But now I am seeing you have such a pure wife and you are such a pure person. It is affecting my heart. You please excuse me. Something has happened to me. I don’t know what it is. I have never felt like this before.” The husband said, “My dear friend why don’t you come with us and see the guru. He is a wonderful person. It might help you. He said, “Okay.”<\/p>\n

Then they went. He also bowed down in front of the guru. And the guru said, “My dear Sir you are very fortunate.” He said, “I don’t feel fortunate. I feel like I am a very bad person. He said, “No you are fortunate to be in the association of this couple. They have thought only of your benefit. Even though you have had such nasty thoughts they were always praying for you.” He said, “Gurudev, please excuse me. Please give me your mercy. Other than your mercy there is no way I can overcome lusty desires.”<\/p>\n

In this way the guru explained this to the wife. She said, “The only way your husband will become civilised is by following your example. First of all it is very difficult to find a bona fide spiritual master. And the only way you can is if you are bona fide is if you are pure in heart. Therefore chant the names of Krishna, follow instructions of Vaisnavas and you will eventually become pure in heart. Then you will be able to recognise a genuine representative of Krishna. Take shelter and under the instructions of Krishna you will be able to understand your eternal relationship with the Lord and be free of your previous karma and engage in the service of the Lord.<\/p>\n

yasya deve para bhaktir yatha deve tatha gurau tasyaite kathita hy arthah prakasante mahatmanah[SU 6.23}<\/p>\n

Only to one who has unflinching faith in guru and Krishna are the imports of the Vedas revealed. Therefore it is said you follow this and you will attain perfection in this life. This is what we are doing. We have chosen Prabhupada. We have chosen Iskcon, we have chosen Prabhupada’s books and we have chosen Prabhupada’s standards. We are most fortunate. And we have chosen each other. This is the most favourable position we can ever attain in this life.<\/p>\n

Once I heard a lecture by Prabhupada and he said, “Never leave Iskcon.” He said, “I know there are difficulties. I know this. But never leave Iskcon.” He said it three times. He said, “Never leave Iskcon.” That went into my heart and I decided at that moment that if I ever did leave Iskcon I would commit suicide. Fortunately I haven’t up until now. Thank you very much. We will stop right there. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. [Applause] I don’t know if we have much time for one or two questions i will take it.<\/p>\n

Prabhu: Thank you very much Prabhu for the inspiring class. This thing that you mentioned at the end struck my heart. I want to know if at some particular period in your life you were officially out of Iskcon. Can you explain what it means – never leave Iskcon? Harivilas: You can’t actually fathom the thought unless one has been affected by Srila Prabhupada’s words – guru-mukha-padma-vakya, cittete kariya aikya. Therefore Prabhupada emphasised morning and evening program. He emphasised hearing and chanting in the association of devotees and reading his books. And he gave us so many books. It would take us many lifetimes to read them and understand them. So we don’t have to read any other books. These books contain all knowledge.<\/p>\n

susrusoh sraddadhanasya vasudeva-katha-rucih syan mahat-sevaya viprah punya-tirtha-nisevanat [SB 1.2.16]\n

So susrusoh- one must hear very, very seriously and every time you hear Prabhupada’s books something new will strike you because it is a proportion to how much we are getting purified by chanting. This process of self realisation never stops, it just increases because it is nityam bhagavata-sevaya [SB 1.2.18] It is eternally going on. You feel great satisfaction in your heart by this hearing and chanting. This is the reason why we have Iskcon. This is the reason why we have temples. You can sit down peacefully in the morning and evening and hear about who Krishna is and the more you understand who Krishna is the more you become convinced – I am not going anywhere. I am staying right here because I can’t have this anywhere else. I might think I can have this somewhere else but it is not as good as this.<\/p>\n

So one thing is sure from the story I told about the disciples of the guru. One thing has to be understood. Women become mystically empowered by chastity and women become extraordinary by being submissive and loyal to their husband and especially loyal to guru and their service. Men become good by having such a wonderful wife who is always encouraging them to be a devotee. If they mistreat their wife they are making a major mistake. Just like when Kamsa tried to kill yoga maya and she flew up in the air. He didn’t see yoga maya – he saw Durga and he became afraid. So all the gentleman here understand this: If you treat you wife as a material object she becomes like Durga and you will suffer. I guarantee you. But if you treat you wife as a devotee, as a sincere devotee of Krishna, she becomes like yoga maya and she will take you back to Godhead by teaching you that there is no hope for material pleasure in the material world. That is her mercy.<\/p>\n

So there are many lessons we have to learn but most of all we have to see Srila Prabhupada and then how to see Krishna. Then how to see our self and then how to see others? When we see properly we are not going anywhere. We are going to stay in Iskcon and dedicate our whole life without any regrets. Hare Krishna. <\/p>\n

Prabhu: Thank you for your class. Real nice. I really liked. I just wanted to ask suppose you can like a bona fide guru and your mission in life is to please him but sometimes he may not be there so you do not know what does and does not please him. So what to do when you do not know what to do? <\/p>\n

HG Harivilas Prabhu: We always know what to do. In fact my Latin teacher in high school said, “Whenever in doubt do the right thing.” So the right thing is first guru and foremost guru is Krishna. Unless you get that straight you can never understand guru tattva. Krishna says:<\/p>\n

ya idam paramam guhyam mad-bhaktesv abhidhasyati bhaktim mayi param krtva mam evaisyaty asamsayah [Bg 18.68]\n

na ca tasman manusyesu kascin me priya-krttamah bhavita na ca me tasmad anyah priyataro bhuvi [Bg 18.69]\n

In other words one who explains this Bhagavad-gita, spiritual knowledge to others – that is the best thing you can do and there is no one dearer to Krishna than that person. So you go on chanting and hearing Bhagavad-gita and doing service in the association of devotees – that is what the original guru wants you to do. That is what Srila Prabhupada and Lord Caitanya wants you to do and if you have a bona fide guru that is what he wants you to do. You understand? So there is no question that I don’t know what to do. It originally comes from Krishna through the disciplic succession through Prabhupada and through Iskcon gurus right to you. There is no doubt about what you should do. You have any doubt? man-mana bhava mad-bhakto [Bg 18.65] Prabhu: But there are situations in life, emotions and sometimes you just don’t know what to do now. So what to do then? HG Harivilas Prabhu: When that confusion takes place you sit down very tightly and you get your beads like this and you look at Krishna or you look at Prabhupada and you start Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare\/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. And you don’t stop until you are absolutely sure that you should go on chanting, hearing, taking prasadam, associating with devotees. You don’t stop. It might take an hour, it may take ten hours, it may take three days, it may take a month. You just keep doing it ’til it clears up because Krishna and the entire parampara are going to bless you because you are doing the right thing. Just like I had a friend of mine – he used to be a guru, he used to be a GBC, he used to be BBT – he was all the acronyms and then he left. We still remain very close friends.<\/p>\n

One time I saw him and I said, “Prabhu, how are you?” He said, “I am doing great.” I said, “Really? Are you chanting?” He said, “Ya. I chant once every year on new year’s eve while I am dreaming. But that one time is worth much more than what you are doing. You are doing Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare\/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. I don’t chant like that. I am not chanting mechanically. I chant one time in a year.” Hare Krishna. Even when he was a guru he was a very powerful speaker. Now he is not a guru but he still was a powerful speaker.<\/p>\n

So I said, “Prabhu that is not what Prabhupada says. You should never stop chanting.” Why because if you stop chanting then how will you get the mercy of Krishna\/ Everything is in the holy name of Krishna. Even if you chant incorrectly, even if you chant with offenses, your duty is to associate with devotees who chant properly. Sit next to them and learn how to chant without offences but never stop chanting. I said, “At least you chant once a year. That is better than nothing but it is not good enough. You should chant seriously. You come stay with me. You are my friend. We will chant together.”<\/p>\n

There are many arguments in this world; many intelligent people say clever things. But unless you rely on what Prabhupada has said you will always be confused, So you are telling me you are confused. I am going to tell you right now you are not reading Prabhupada’s books in the association of good devotees. You are like that king. He was taught ‘all is one’ but today we learn ‘all is one’ is all nonsense. If you are confused the simply.<\/p>\n

man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru mam evaisyasi satyam te pratijane priyo ‘si me [Bg 18.65]\n

You remember Krishna, become His devotee, worship Krishna, give all your homeage and love to Krishna and if you do this you become dear to Krishna and Krishna promises you that you will come back to Him. Don’t stop. Haribol. We will stop right there. Thank you very much. All glories to Prabhupada. [Applause] [To receive Mayapurlive lectures by email, write to mayapurlive@pamho.net] Listen or download at http:\/\/www.mayapurtvarchives.com<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Harivilas Dasa<\/strong><\/p>\n

So there are many lessons we have to learn but most of all we have to see Srila Prabhupada and then how to see Krishna. Then how to see our self and then how to see others? When we see properly we are not going anywhere. We are going to stay in Iskcon and dedicate our whole life without any regrets<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[75],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10342","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-classes"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10342","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=10342"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10342\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=10342"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=10342"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=10342"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}