Divine Words of His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj
“One who is sincere to dedicate himself naturally comes into contact with a higher and more subtle plane of life. By his readiness to give and serve, he will attain to a higher society and achieve an appropriate master.”
—Srila B.R. Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj
Divine Words of His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami
Learning the Gift of Giving Yourself
We must be very, very careful when we follow the highest object of our eternal life. Our Guru Mahārāja gave a special warning – “sevonmukhe”. We were not allowed to read much – even these ordinary subjects dealing with sādhana, devotional practices – what to speak of the higher literatures. But we were encouraged by “śravanaṁ-kīrtanam,” hearing from the real source and acting accordingly. In this way, by serving, learn to give yourself properly. There are different methods of service: śravanam, hearing; kīrtanam, chanting; smaranam, remembering; and vandanam, praying, etc. Then, Śrīla Rūpa Goswāmī has mentioned sixty-four kinds of devotional practices and it is further mentioned – a thousand kinds of devotional practices
[see Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu].
The Key to the Hidden Treasure
Work Under the Guidance of a Vaishnava
But practices are not very important. The very life of the practice is all-important and that is self-dedication, self-giving. So, be very particular to learn dedication and self-giving. This means practically to work under the guidance of a Vaiṣṇava devotee – getting ready to work under a proper agent. This will help you a great deal to learn, to practice what is dedication to that Sweet Lord. Guidance must come from those above you. It is very rare, but it is most valuable to us. Whatever directions are coming from above, we must selflessly embrace that as all in all. This is the clue; this is the key to the Hidden Treasures in your heart. I will not work with my whims or serve men on my level. But we shall very eagerly obey what directions will come from the above plane. This is service proper and it will be a real help for progressing on the path of dedication and self-giving.
Divine Words of His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami
We are finite beings that are lost here. We have a long journey ahead with much trouble, but the disappointment and dejection is minimized if we have good association on that long journey.
By talking with them about the Lord, we can go on. We forget the weariness of the journey.
krshna-bhakti-janma-müla haya ‘sådhu-sanga’
krshna-prema janme, teho punar mukhya anga
The root cause of devotion to Krshna is association with advanced devotees. Even when one’s dormant love for Krshna awakens, the association with devotees is still most essential.
(Cc. Madhya 22.83)
The very origin of devotion to Krshna comes from the association of the sådhu – krshna-prema janme, teho punar mukhya anga. And when we acquire a drop of divine love within our heart then also our hope, solace, consolation, health, everything comes from the association of the devotees. The devotees are all in all, from the beginning up to the end. Our favorable companions can help us in our journey towards the Infinite. They are something solid, something concrete – similar in nature to us.
Divine Words of The Guardian of Devotion
“Do not desire any position or prestige for yourself, and always be ready to give it to others,” means, “Try to feel your insignificant character.” If you can do so you will be able to draw the attention of the higher. If you feel yourself to be poor as anything, to be the poorest of the poor, then you will be able to draw the attention of the Supreme towards you.
“I am needy. I am the most needy.” First, feel yourself to be this, then put forward a petition. “I am the most need of Your grace, my Lord.” It is a simple thing. “I am the most needy, the most desolate. Please help me.” It is a simple attitude. Surrender is real and practical. Otherwise, it is only limited hypocrisy. He is omniscient. He sees everything, even the subtlest things. He can see what is within us. He can see within us what we cannot see. It is not very easy to acquire the qualification necessary to approach the Absolute.”
– Śrīla Bhakti Rakṣak Śrīdhar Dev-Goswāmī Mahārāja
Slow and Steady
Śrīla Bhakti Rakṣak Śrīdhar Dev-Goswāmī Mahārāj discusses the tṛṇād api principles in depth.
amāninā mānadena kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ
We should take resort to kīrtan always, but Mahāprabhu recommends that our attitude should be such: tṛṇād api sunīcha, taror api sahiṣṇu, amānī mānada. It is generally upwards, all towards high. Our attitude will be humble, and if we think that we are being done wrong still also we shall take to patience. Amānī, under no circumstances shall we work for our own position and prestige. That should not be our aim.
Amāninā mānadena, and we shall try to respect everybody. It is all mostly connected towards the upper world, towards the Vaiṣṇava world. Tṛṇād api sunīcha, taror api sahiṣṇu, amānī mānada. Our conduct will be always like that, and then only can we thrive well in our campaign.
Slow and steady wins the race: it is a long journey, not a journey to finish within a few hours, or few days, or few years. It is a continued appointment. It is to go on a long way, so we are to adjust accordingly. It is not that we shall run quickly and then we shall stop and sleep, it is not a matter of that type. But it is a long way: we shall have to walk on, and so our attitude will be such, then we will be successful.
“Srimad-Bhagavatam says that just as in the vast ocean, when nothing else can be seen, the compass is the only guide, so in the world of the infinite, our only guide is the footsteps of those great souls who have traveled on the path of faith. The way has been marked by the holy footsteps of those who have gone to the highest quarter. That is our only hope.”
(Srila B.R. Sridhara Dev Goswami Maharaja)
Divine Words of The Guardian of Devotion
Divine Words of Srila B.R.
Sridhar Dev Goswami
bhidyate hrdaya-granthis
chidyante sarva-samsayah
ksiyante casya karmani
mayi drste ‘khilatmani
“Our inner aspiration for rasa, ecstasy, is buried in the heart and the heart is tied down and sealed. But hearing and chanting the glories of Krsna breaks the seal of the heart, and the heart awakens and opens to receive Krsna, the reservoir of pleasure, ecstasy Himself (rasa vai sah, akhila rasamrta murtih).”
Divine Words of Srila B.R.Sridhar Dev Goswami
aho ananta-dasanam, mahattvam drstam adya me
krtagaso ‘pi yad rajan, mangalani samihase
(S.Bhag. 9:5:14)
“O King, today I have experienced the greatness of the devotees of God, of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, because in spite of my offense against you, you have prayed for my protection.”
Durvasa was astounded to find the depth of generosity in the servitors of Ananta, Narayana. That great rsi began to speak aloud, to announce on all sides the magnanimity, the nobility of the servitors of Narayana: “How great they are! I did so much wrong towards him, and he saved my life from the reaction, the danger that came as reaction! I insulted him, and he is honouring me so much.”
“Consciousness means endowed with free will, for without free will no consciousness can be conceived.
An atomic pinpoint of consciousness has very meager free will, and by misuse of their free will some jivas have taken their chance in the material world. They refused to submit to the supreme authority; they wanted to dominate. So, with this germinal idea of domination, the jiva enters into the world of exploitation.
In the Bhagavad-gita (7.27) it is stated:
iccha-dvesa samutthena
dvandva-mohena bharata
sarva-bhutani sammoham
sarge yanti parantapa
“Two principles in a crude form awaken in the jiva: hatred and desire. Then, gradually the soul comes down to mingle with the mundane world.”
Mā Muñcha-Pañcha-Daśakam
Composed by
Śrīla Bhakti Rakṣak Śrīdhar Dev-Goswāmī Mahārāj
Originally Published in Śrī Gauḍīya-darśan
Volume 12, Issue 6, Thursday 12th January, 1967
mā muñcha muñcha māṁ kṛṣṇa! dāsaṁ dīna-dayārṇava!
patitaṁ ghora-saṁsāre hy avaśaṁ prakṛter vaśat [1]
mā–do not; muñcha–abandon; muñcha–deliver; māṁ–me; kṛṣṇa!–oh Kṛṣṇa!; dāsaṁ–servant; dīna–destitute; dayā–(of) mercy; arṇava–ocean; patitaṁ–fallen; ghora–terrible; saṁsāre–in the material world, within conditioned life, within mundane family life; hi–certainly; avaśaṁ–helplessly, unwillingly; prakṛteḥ–by material nature; vaśat–under control.
Don’t abandon me. Deliver this servant. Oh Kṛṣṇa! Oh ocean of mercy for the destitute! Helplessly subjugated by material nature, I am fallen within this terrible world.
