May 24, 1996 Bath, U.K. Srila Gurudeva: Without the mercy of Nityānanda Prabhu, we cannot go forward even an inch in the realm of bhakti. Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s mercy will be achieved only by the mercy of Nityānanda Prabhu. Nityānanda Prabhu is Himself Baladeva Prabhu. Without the help of Nityānanda Prabhu or Baladeva Prabhu, we cannot…
Srila Gurudeva: Why should we do kirtana? Why? Why? Kirtana is a process, but not only a process. If you are doing kirtana in a melodious tune and everybody is singing and praising you, “Very good, very good,” if it is only to collect honor for oneself, then the power of kirtana goes away. We should not do kirtana for any selfish reasons, especially for making money. We should especially not do kirtana to gather all kinds of honor from the audience. We should not do this. We should try to know the meaning of kirtana. Gauranga bolite ha’be pulaka sarira: “O Krsna, O Gurudeva, O Vaisnava Thakura, I want to weep when I am chanting your name.” But we are not weeping. Then what to do? Gauranga bolite ha’be pulaka sarira hari hari bolite nayane babe nira: “When I will chant, my heart will be melted. Tears will be coming, hair will be standing on end and our throat will be choked…
We offer puṣpāñjali at His lotus feet and pray for His mercy. His glories are unlimited. One who respects Nityānanda Prabhu will achieve nitya ānanda, eternal bliss. We pray for a place nearby His lotus feet. When we receive Nityānanda Prabhu’s mercy, we will become related to the Vaiṣṇavas, harināma, the dhāma,..
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has given instructions on ten types of tattva to the faithful jivas. This is the Dasa-mula Tattva as written by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura in Jaiva-dharma. Note down these principals in your heart and when needed, you can boldly say, “This is our philosophy.”
1. Chastisement by guru and vaisnavas is highly beneficial for me.
2. I am willing to be humiliated and beaten by maya thousands of times, but I cannot accept the affectionate discipline of guru and vaisnavas. In this way I commit spiritual suicide…
Certain forms of jnana and karma are integral parts of bhakti. Pure jnana is present within bhakti as the search for one’s worshipful deity and as knowledge of the reality of God, bhagavat-tattva-jnana. Pure karma is present within bhakti as serving the Supreme Lord by cleaning His temple, cooking for Him and so on. These activities are included among the nine limbs of bhakti…
1. Hearing harikatha is also seva.
2. Sadhus travel only for the welfare of others, to distribute harikatha.
3. Simply by hearing with faith, harikatha enters the heart.
You think, ‘What is the use of wearing tilaka? I can chant within my mind, so what need is there of beads? One’s diet has nothing to do at all with bhajana. So don’t think that you have to give up eating meat, fish or eggs. Don’t think that you must stop drinking wine or tea and taking intoxicants such as pana, tobacco, marijuana, hemp or opium…’