Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Jayata

Dharma Sabha
Gaudiya Math, Mumbai
09.02.2007
Pravachan by Srila Goswamipad

I, on behalf of Gaudiya Mission, welcome everybody gathered here to join us in paying our heartfelt gratitude, love and deep respect to our Gurudev, Srimad Bhakti Srirup Bhagavat Goswami Maharaj.

Srimad Bhakti Srirup Bhagavat Goswami Maharaj was a realized and enlightened soul. He imparted Krishna Katha in the hearts of the devotees incessantly and forcefully so that they can be rescued from the worldliness and reach the abode of Vaikunt.

Krishna and Krishna vigyan (knowledge regarding Krishna and devotees of Krishna) is essential for the fallen souls. Without knowing this, no one can approach the Divinity. Now-a-days, we are missing out on this knowledge of the Divine. The life history of the devotees of the Divinity should also be pursued closely and minutely. Without Divine Grace, we cannot step into spiritual life. Here, Gurudev’s role is significant. But, we are ignorant of this truth.

“Sadhu shastra kripai jadi Krishna unmukh hoi
sei jiva nistare maya tahare chadoi”

The shastra states that when the mercy of the servants of the Lord and the scriptures come as a downpour, one can find the right approach to the Divinity – to Lord Sri Sri Gaursundar and Sri Sri Radha Govinda.

Lord Gaursundar appeared in Gaurdesh, Bengal. He did not have to appear to save the mankind. Still, He appeared and revealed Himself in the hearts of His Divine Associates time and again. His Divinity is communicated to mankind through His Entourage and also by His merciful utterances.

Srila Bhagavat Maharaj was an enlightened soul. He was empowered by His merciful Gurudev, Srimad Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Prabhupad to preach Krishna Katha and Krishna Gatha in the tradition set by Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur. Therefore, Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur was Srila Bhagavat Maharaj’s predecessor.

Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur, father of Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Prabhupad, imparted teachings to Him as nobody in this world would have, inspiring him closely and constantly to eradicate the darkness in which the society was enveloped since long time.

“ajnana tamernam kaiye kaitava
Bhukti mukti vancha adi ei sab”

‘ajnana tama’ – ignorance is nothing but the thoughts which are contradictory to the divine path. As a remedy for this, we have to undergo treatment in the form of tutelage under the Divine Master whose life and teachings help and inspire us to reach the goal safely. This is really a formula. But the formula is still got to be practiced. Without the presence of practicing teacher, nobody can learn Bhakti Yoga.

“Bhakti yoga, Bhakti yoga, Bhakti yoga dhan
Bhakti yei Krishna Nam, smaran, krandan”

When a soul with devotional faith realizing that he is an infinitesimal part of the Divinity and is fallen, embarks on a spiritual quest, tuning his life with the revelations of the self-realized sages of yore, then a practicing teacher appears before him and blesses him with the instruction of the Divine Sound.

Normally, we are always following the sounds of this world. But here, we are talking about the sound that is transcendental in nature, ‘The Divine Words’ – pertaining to the Supreme Lord himself who is the ‘Shabdi’. “Shabdi’ is identical with ‘Shabda’. Therefore, the merciful Lord has come down in the form of the Divine Sound, Divine Words.

“NamNamakari bahudha nija sarva shakti
tatrarpita niyamita: smarane na kala:
etadrisi tava kripa Bhagavan mamapi
turdaivam idrisam ihajani na anuraga:”

Sri Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu thus declares in His Sikshastakam. Mahaprabhu’s philosophy is to be learnt from the chosen Associate of Sriman Mahaprabhu Himself. Srila Bhakti Srirup Bhagavat Goswami Maharaj is the chosen one. He was illumined by the mercy and power of Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur who closely followed the footsteps of Lord Mahaprabhu and became a real Preceptor, a Jagat Guru. ‘Jagat Guru’ means one who practices the truth that he preaches in his life because life and precepts are one and the same. In this way, Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur’s blessings have borne fruit through Srila Bhagavat Maharaj, the messenger of Divine Words.

Srila Bhagavat Maharaj is the embodiment of Srimad Bhagavatam. He is a great exponent of commentaries rendered by Bhagavatam scholars. Therefore, in this age of inauspicious kali, it is imperative to be equipped with this knowledge and to proceed towards Divinity.

“Jare dekho tare kaho Krishna upadesh
Aamar aagyay guru hoiya taro ei desh”

This is the Divine instruction of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to Sri Nityananda Prabhu. ‘Jare dekho tare kaho Krishna upadesh’ means you advise anybody you find to take to the path of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. But, who is qualified to undertake this task and how will he do it? (How does he get qualified?) Being trapped in the wretched condition of worldliness, how can we know the truth? We cannot know the truth unless truth itself is communicated to one’s heart. Srila Bhagavat Maharaj, in accordance with the critical period in which we are living, imparted Divine knowledge through Bhagavat siksha and teachings of Mahaprabhu and Lord Sri Krishna.

The Gaudiya Mission of Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati was his heart and soul. A mission cannot stand without a teacher. Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Prabhupad’s emissary Srila Bhagavat Maharaj successfully carried out the command of his Preceptor and the six Goswamis, the six apostles of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and disseminated their teachings to different parts of the world, that too with the opposition of many critics. He is the pillar of Gaudiya Mission’s success which was the dream of Srila Prabhupad. Gaudiya Mission boasts of the Guru Parampara in which Mahaprabhu’s line of thoughts is handed down from one preceptor to the other.

In a nutshell, devotion can be summarized under three headings.
Sambandha vijnan: (Krishna sambandha) our relationship with Krishna
Abhideya vijnan: (Bhakti prapter upay) the means to attain devotion
Prayojan vijnan: (Prem prayojan) the transcendental loving service at the lotus feet of the
Lord.

One who is vaidik, veda vijna - proficient in this knowledge, should be approached by the seeker with the intention of going under his tutelage. The follower who becomes a disciple of a practicing teacher would set a glorious example by becoming a teacher himself.

We have to know what devotion is truly. Nowadays, this knowledge has become very rare. Some people mistake meditation for devotion. But this is far from the truth. Meditation takes place on a mental plane where one tries to think or not think about something. But the plane of mental speculation is not enough to realize the Divinity or devotion or the devotee. To realize these, we should walk in the foot-steps of the realized Preceptor, heeding to every word of his advice, following closely the struggles and strivings of his life. Then, we will come to realize the truth bit by bit. This is the “mahajana yena gatah sa pantha” – the path set and treaded by the realized seers. That path is to be identified and followed truthfully in order to know the truth.

Without truth and realization, no one can live in peace and happiness.

Krishna and Krishna Katha are same and identical. Those like the six Goswamis who have realized this have preached Mahaprabhu’s teachings. Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur’s mission of spreading this teaching has been rendered successful by Srila Bhakti Srirup Bhagavat Goswami Maharaj and his predecessors.

They are such eminent examples who by their heart-rending cry, their stern outlook and their strict upadesh (guidance) have turned the unfortunate souls towards Godhead.

To attain the Lotus Feet of the Supreme Godhead, one should achieve Bhagavat Sammukhya (to turn towards Bhagavan). Then, by the mercy of Bhagavan, we can proceed towards His Lotus Feet slowly, bit by bit. This is what Srila Bhakti Srirup Bhagavat Maharaj used to believe and profess unto his last breath.

Vancha kalpa tarubhyascha kripa sindhubhyamevacha
Patitanam pavanebhyo vaishnavebhyo namo nama: