Instructions by Sri Srimad Bhakti Jivana Janardana Gosvami Maharaja

  1. The one and the only way of achieving the Supreme Lord is to cultivate one-pointed, unalloyed devotion for Him. One must have the same type of devotion for the spiritual master who is the condensed form of the mercy of the Supreme Lord.
  2. I have many instructing spiritual masters (siksa-guru) but only one initiating spiritual master (diksa-guru) who is one without a second. Everybody can give instructions and teachings; however, only one person can accept me as his own and offer me to the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord.
  3. One on the path of devotional practice (sadhana-bhakti) eternally sees the Lord present in all Vaishnavas and lovingly deals with them, offering appropriate respect, reception, and service. Such behavior is the life of the devotees who are practicing devotion (sadhana-bhakta).
  4. A rupanuga is one who practices devotion following in the footsteps of Srila Rupa Goswami and Srila Raghunath Das Goswami; a rupanuga is totally overwhelmed in the mood shown by Sri Rupa and Raghunath in both their forms on earth and in the spiritual world. Amongst all of the Vaishnavas on earth, a genuine rupanuga Vaishnava is extremely rare and supreme.
  5. How can those who cannot unitedly serve here following in the footsteps of Sri guru-Vaishnavas serve in the footsteps of the devotees in the spiritual world? Without following in the footsteps of the devotee, service becomes mundane work. Lack of tolerance and lack of following in the footsteps of the devotees is equivalent to suicide.
  6. A life favorable for devotion consists of straightforwardness and simplicity. The sign of Vaishnavism is to not give trouble to any living entities while carrying out one’s daily work. Before instructing others, one must accept and follow the instructions in one’s own life.
  7. One can gain spiritual qualifications solely through one-pointedly surrendering unto Sri Hari, Guru, and the Vaishnavas. One-pointed surrender is the sign of a healthy devotional life. There is no time for independence in the practice of surrender.
  8. If practicing devotees do not remain careful from offending Sri Guru, Vaishnavas, the deity, the holy name, and the holy places, then even if they perform service and chant the holy names for a long time, it will be impossible for their consciousness to become turned away from the desire to enjoy material sense objects. Rather, unwanted material motives and tendencies (anarthas) and ignorance that are unfavorable for devotion and various desires that are not beneficial for devotion will gain strength in the heart.
  9. Being established in one’s relationship with Krishna, being constantly engaged in loving service, chanting the names of Krishna causelessly without deception is the main duty and constitutional function of a servant of Krishna. If this occurs, then one’s mind, intelligence, consciousness, and heart will be purified and it will be possible to attain pure loving devotion (Prema-bhakti). The holy name is the bud of divine love.
  10. The extent to which one’s absorption in material sense objects decreases is the extent to which a practitioner of devotion gains more devotion. As long as one does not develop a true feeling of compassion towards all living entities, one will continue to have a lack of taste in chanting the holy names. Having compassion upon the living entities, understanding their relationship with the Supreme Lord, is the ornament of the Vaishnava.
  11. Genuine chanting of the holy names is to be done in the way that was taught by the most merciful Sri Sacinandana Gaurasundara. Sri Vrsabhanu-Nandini Radharani is the main blissful potency (Mula hladini). Without Her mercy, it is impossible to serve Sri Krishna.
  12. Sri Gaurasundara is the incarnation of the Supreme Lord, Sri Vrajendranandana, in the form of the spiritual master who teaches by example (Acarya-avatar). The beauty of Lord Gaurasundara’s form, His behavior and preaching, and His unparalleled magnanimity is but a wonder of the extremely merciful sweetness of Sri Vrsabhanu-Nandini who cannot even be reached by the sruti, smrti, Puranas, Brahma, and the devas.
  13. Srimati Radharani is my master. The dust of Her lotus feet is just like a wish-fulfilling cow (kama-dhenu). A particle of transcendental dust of Her lotus feet controls the all-attractive young cupid-like king of all mellows, Sri Shyamsundar. My constitutional function is to be Her servant. The servants of Srimati Radharani are my shelter. Srimati Radharani is most merciful and loves Her servants very much. Sri Radharamana is an unlimited ocean of nectarine mellows; He increases the love of Srimati Radharani. He is the love of My life.
  14. Gaining devotion for the Supreme Lord, Sri Krishna, is very rare. Even rarer than that is to gain devotion for becoming the servant of Srimati Radharani who is the form of supreme ecstatic bliss. Under the shelter of the spiritual master in his form as a Sakhi, one gains the desire for becoming the servant of Srimati Radharani.
  15. Becoming the servant (dasi) of Srimati Radharani is even more glorious than becoming one of Srimati Radharani’s friends (sakhis).

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