[Excerpt from Srila Gurudeva: Around the World, U.K. 1996 (Radlett, 16 May), the second book in a series of volumes on Srila Gurudeva’s world preaching tours.]

We just sang the bhajan, “Sri Guru carana Padma, kevala bhakti sadma,” that has the excerpt, “Divya jnana hrde prakasito.” What is the meaning of this excerpt? We should realize the import of this bhajan. If you are chanting like a parrot, you will not have prema bhakti. The chanting will create some good impressions, impressions that karmis (materialists) and yogis seek, acquiring which they will be very happy in this world. You can also get salvation by this nonchalant chanting, but you will not get Vraja prema for which Caitanya Mahaprabhu, our Guruvarga, and Svamiji came to give to the conditioned souls of this world. You will not be able to attain this prema.

“Divya jnana hrde prakasito,” what is divya jnana? You will have to try to know what divya jnana is. “Caksu dana dilo jei, janme janme prabhu sei, divya jnana hrde prakasito,” chanting, chanting, and also engaging in kirtana to the accompaniment of the playing of the harmonium, mrdingas, karatalas, and dancing; but not knowing anything of this divya jnana, transcendental knowledge, then what will be the effect? You should try to know the deep underlying moods of this kirtana. “Caksu dana dilo jei,” what is caksu dana?

It is the vision by which you will realize that you are not this physical, mortal body. You may manage to have all worldly requirements and facilities like how Hiranyakasipu did, he had many boons that made him nearly invincible or like Ravana, who ruled over the city of Lanka, which was made entirely of gold. He didn’t have only son. He had one lakh sons and one hundred, twenty five thousand grandsons. Each son had a golden palace. Their kingdoms were far more advanced that any scientist could ever imagine. Scientists have made many countries like—England, France, Germany, and America very advanced, but yet, the citizens of these countries are not satisfied. Ravana could not be satisfied, he was killed with all his brothers, sons, and grandsons. The golden city of Lanka was burnt to ashes. Material facilities and advancements cannot help us. “Divya jnana hrde prakasito,” we are all the servants of Krishna, His part and parcels. We are not of this material world. We have come like refugees here for some days. We should realize this by divya caksu, transcendental eyes. We should come to the conclusion that we cannot live in this world as refugees for more than hundred years. Out of those allotted hundred years, half of the time, is spent in sleeping. And those who are not Jitendriyah, who haven’t conquered their senses, they will sleep even more. They will sleep for more than twelve hours a day.

So, one half of a person’s life is spent entirely in sleeping. And then, out of the remaining fifty years, twenty years or more will be spent during one’s childhood upbringing, and education, where the student wants to become a doctor, engineer, business man or a leader. By spending time in getting educated this way, they will be qualified to earn more and more, and thus, they will aim to fulfill their worldly requirements. So, a lot of time is spent in earning money. And in the age between eighty to hundred, you will become so old that you will not be able to move without the help of a stick. Your hair will become dry and your eyes will lose their power of sight. Your teeth will fall out. When the age of forty comes, your hair will start turning white, but being undeterred, you will have them removed. But after single strand of hair is removed, on the next day, you will see that many strands of hair have turned white. After some time, you will see that half the hair on your head has turned white. Then you will think, “What to do?” At that time, you will not be able to do anything, you cannot do anything. You will be old, and after that, you will die.
Therefore, out of hundred years; fifty years is spent in sleeping; twenty years is spent in an upbringing and on one’s education. Old age will conquer twenty years. This way, ninety years is lost. For the remaining ten years, you will plan and think, “I have to marry. I have to raise children and make them qualified. I have to earn enough money to buy a television, car, and many other things.” Sitting within your living room, by the medium of the television, you will see all that is happening around the world. Sitting and lying down in your home, you especially want to see football and cricket.

[Laughter]

So, the remaining ten years will also pass this way. When will you realize, “I should serve Krishna.” But, even if you desire to serve, you will have no time. You should try to serve Krishna from your boyhood. And to aid you in your service to Krishna, you must have the association of bona fide Guru and Vaisnavas. If you don’t follow the instructions of Sri Guru and Vaisnavas, you will not be able to proceed an inch in the realm of bhakti. “Krishna bhakti janma mula hoya sadhu sanga,” sadhu sanga is the mother of Krishna bhakti. If there is no sadhu sanga, there is no bhakti. But, sadhu sanga is rarely found in this world. Sadhu sanga is very rare indeed. There are many people who don the guise of a sadhu, they will wear red cloth and claim that they are of the renounced order. But they have no divya caksu, transcendental eyes. So, many problems come. Hence, it is stated here that a person should be in sadhu sanga from the beginning of his life and accept the shelter of a real guru. But how to accept the shelter of a real guru? You cannot manage to find a bona fide guru by yourself. If you have past samskaras, where you have rendered any service to Krishna, Krishna bhakti, the devotees, Vrindavana, Yamuna, and Ganga, then as a fruit of this service, Krishna will very easily manage a bona fide guru and sadhu sanga for you. Otherwise, it is very hard to find a bona fide guru and the association of devotees.

So, if you have performed these activities that are conducive for devotion for lakhs and lakhs of births, then sadhu sanga will be obtained. But, if you don’t have the necessary samskaras, impressions from previous lives, then on coming across a sadhu, you may associate him with a couple or more days and then leave his association. By leaving his association, your heart will be dry. I think when Svamiji returned to serve his Divine Couple, many of his disciples’ hearts became dry. The devotees having these dry hearts left ISKCON, re-married, and returned to their previous materialistic ways. Many persons in the renounced order of life re-married or without being married, they left their renounced order and went to various places. So, you will always need the association of a high class of Vaisnava. This Vaisnava should be more advanced and qualified than you. By his association, bhakti will come.

[CC-by-NDNC Bhakta Bandhav]