Lectures and personal talks with Srila Sridhar Maharaj
“The Faults You Find May Be Your Own”
There must be some affectionate heart within
Srila Sridhar Maharaj: We go to judge in the case of others: “Why should he receive all this mercy? He has got so many defects, so many disqualifications, an opposing attitude. Why should he be accepted or given any chance?”
But we want mercy for ourselves:
“Don’t come to judge me because then I have no hope, my Lord.”
Format: PDF
Peacefulness and tolerance are favorable for the execution of devotional service.
(Sri Purusottama Matha, Puri, February 5, 1935)
If devotion for the Supreme Lord is manifest then the living entities have no reason to be discontent. Due to our aversion to the Lord’s service, we are forced to enjoy the fruits of our karma. As a result of our deeds, sometimes we enjoy happiness and friendship, and sometimes we suffer distress and envy. If we feel the need for the Lord’s service then all kinds of distress and desires for material happiness cannot harm us.
If you constantly engage your mind in the Lord’s service then no one can harm you. If you are restless or dissatisfied with others then an inclination for the Lord’s service will not be present within your mind. Your words, body, and mind will form a mental displeasure that will not allow you to serve Hari. Therefore become tolerant like a tree, and by the Lord’s will stay at Samanta-pancaka. This will be beneficial for you. Wait for the day when Lord Gaura Hari will send you elsewhere.
Patramrita – Nectar from letters by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Thakura Prabhupada
Devotee: Maharaj, I have one question. I am very much afraid to write anything about Krsna consciousness because I see that I am having so many material desires; but at the same time, when I go out and I speak to people about Krsna, and the sweetness of Krsna, I see how much they are enjoying that. So I am thinking, even though I have no qualification, I should continue to write or to preach. Is this correct?
Srila Sridhar Maharaj: It is laudable that you want to do good to others. Mahaprabhu has given general instruction:
yare dekha, tare kaha ‘krsna’-upadesa
amara ajnaya guru hana tara ei desa
(Caitanya Caritamrita Madhya 7:128)
“Wherever you go, whomever you meet, talk with them only about Krsna. Deliver this news to anyone and everyone, and the new light will come to you, which in turn you are to distribute to others. In this way you will have a dynamic and progressive life and there will be no shortage of higher backing. If you obey my command, then you will find that I am there, backing you in this work.”
SERVICE FOR KRISHNA
Service is nourishing. Service is not depleting; it is not killing. Therefore our attempt should not be so much for knowledge, for trying to know everything, but it should be directed towards how we can utilize ourselves in the highest function: service.
Service, service, service.
Don’t be afraid that service is depleting energy. Service is life-giving. It is feeding you properly.
Service!
— Srila Bhakti Rakshak Sridhar Dev Goswami
Song Name: Krsna Bhakti Vina Kabhu
Official Name: Sreyo Nirnaya Song 1
Author: Bhaktivinoda Thakura
Book Name: Gitavali
Language: Bengali
LYRICS:
(1)
kṛṣṇa-bhakti vinā kabhu nāhi phalodoy
miche sab dharmādharma jīver upādhimoy
(2)
yoga-yāga-tapo-dhyān, sannyāsādi brahma-jñān,
nānā-kāṇḍa-rūpe jīver bandhana-kāraṇa hoy
(3)
vinoder vākya dharo, nānā kānḍa tyāg koro,
nirupādhi kṛṣṇa-preme hṛdoye deho āśroy
TRANSLATION
Devotee: When performing bhajan and kirtan, what should be our attitude?
Srila Sridhar Maharaj: Meditation of a formal nature does not have much effect here. We shall try saranagati -surrender. Our whole attention should be concentrated on surrender. Once, a gentleman, a zamindar, took Harinama initiation from our Guru Maharaj and asked,
“While I count on the beads, what should I think of in my mind? Is there any portrait of Krsna or Sri Murti? How can I engage and utilize my mind at that time while counting the Beard?”
Our Guru Maharaj answered: „The mind has nothing to do in the supra-mental area. The mind is like a vulture. As a vulture goes to the cremation ground, so mind and other senses will try to fall there and make it mundane – a cremation ground. This is all mortal. They have got all mortal experience. The mind, the eye, the ear, etc. – everything has got mortal experience.“
So, whenever you take the Holy Name, the other senses, including the mind, will try to make it a mortal field with their prejudices and experiences of this relative world. They fall on it and make it a cremation ground. Do not allow it. Instead, we must try to understand.
About Srila Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
Srila Vrindavan Das Thakur
bimala hema-jini tanu anupama re!
tahe sobhe nana phula-dama
kadamba kesara jini ekati pulaka re!
tara majhe bindu bindu ghama [1]
His figure defeats pure gold! Various flowers garlands adorn Him highlighting His beauty, and, in His ecstatic thrill, the hairs on His body standing erect defeat the stamens of kadamba flowers! His body is covered with drops of perspiration.
jini’ mada-matta hati gamana manthara ati
bhava-vese dhuli dhuli yaya
aruna-vasana chhabi jini prabhatera ravi
gaura-ange lahari khelaya [2]
His paced gait defeats the walk of a mad elephant; overcome with divine love, He staggers and walks about; The glow of His crimson garments defeat the glow of the morning sun; His golden limbs sway like large waves of an ocean.
Vrindavan Das Thakur has written this song “Are Bhai Nitai Amar Doyara Avadhi”. In this song, Vrindavan Das Thakur sings the glories of Lord Nitai, who wanders village to village giving the love of God to one and all.
(1)
are bhai nitai amara dayara avadhi
jivera karuna kari dese dese phiri phiri
prema-dhana yace nirabadhi
(2)
adwaitera samge ramga dharane na yaya amga
gora-preme gadha tanu-khani
dhuliya dhuliya cale bahu tili hari bale
du’-nayane bahe nita-ira pani
(3)
kapale tilaka sobhe kutila kuntala lole
gunjara antuni cuda taya
kesari jiniya kati kati-tate nila dhati
bajana nupura ramga paya
(4)
bhubana mohana besa maja-ila saba desa
rasabese atta atta hasa
prabhu mora nityananda kebala ananda-kanda
guna gaya brndabana dasa
na bhajati kumanīṣiṇāṁ sa ijyāṁ
harir adhanātma-dhana-priyo rasa-jñaḥ
śruta-dhana-kula-karmaṇāṁ madair ye
vidadhati pāpam akiñcaneṣu satsu
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Personality of Godhead becomes very dear to those devotees who have no material possessions but are fully happy in possessing the devotional service of the Lord.
Indeed, the Lord relishes the devotional activities of such devotees.
Those who are puffed up with material education, wealth, aristocracy and fruitive activity are very proud of possessing material things, and they often deride the devotees.
Even if such people offer the Lord worship, the Lord never accepts them.
(Nârada Instructs the Pracetâs)
Divine Words of His Divine Grace
Srila Bhakti Raksaka Sridhar deva Goswami
We can’t try to apply our reason or our standard of measurement to the movements of the infinite.
Sometimes reason, logic, and analysis are necessary, but only to preach to the people in general who have a lower understanding.
Krishna’s divine movements are kept in reserve by His sweet will: “All rights reserved.” We want to search for some law above His sweet will, but this is inconsistent.
It is self-contradictory.
Leaving aside all doubts and suspicions, we shall be most generous in approaching the absolute, free from all inhibitions. We shall approach Him with that spirit, and try more and more to leave aside our past prejudices and precedents, the records of our past experience.