艢谤墨 Guru and 叠丑补驳补惫腻苍鈥檚 incomparable mercy,... [Letter 13]

A True Servant鈥擜 True Master

by Swami Bhaktivedanta Madhava Maharaja | 2021 | 174,865 words

This page relates 鈥楽hri Guru and Bhagavan鈥檚 incomparable mercy,...鈥� of book鈥�"A True Servant, A True Master" which offers a collection of 128 handwritten letters by Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Vamana Gosvami Maharaja鈥攁 revered figure in the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition. This book showcases the profound spiritual insights and practical guidance on executing devotional service and addresses both Sadhakas (male practitioners) and Sadhikas (female practitioners) with equal respect.

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Letter 13 - 艢谤墨 Guru and 叠丑补驳补惫腻苍鈥檚 incomparable mercy,...

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艢谤墨 guru and 叠丑补驳补惫腻苍鈥檚 incomparable mercy 鈥� The power of humility 鈥� The detriment of pride 鈥� Giving up bad association and offences 鈥� Deliberations on guru-tattva 鈥� The speciality of madhura-rasa

啶多啶班 啶多啶班 啶椸啶班-啶椸啶班ぞ啶權啶椸 啶溹く啶む

艣r墨艣r墨 guru-gaur膩峁単au jayata岣�

艢谤墨 Goloka-驳补帽箩补骋补耻岣嵞珁补惭补峁环补 Golakganj, (Dhubri) Assam 6/6/1972

厂苍别丑腻蝉辫补诲腻蝉耻鈥�

M膩 Um膩! 艢谤墨 guru, the 痴补颈峁ａ箛补惫补蝉, and 艢谤墨叠丑补驳补惫腻苍鈥搕hese three are omniscient. They are seers of the truth and speakers of the truth. The causeless compassion they extend to the conditioned souls in ways that are unfathomable to them is truly incomparable to anything else in this world. A soul who possesses sufficient spiritual merit can grasp something of their unsurpassed compassion. 艢谤墨 guru and 叠丑补驳补惫腻苍 see into the heart. To unfold the inner love and devotion of the 蝉腻诲丑补办补蝉 and 蝉腻诲丑颈办腻蝉, 艣r墨 guru and 艢谤墨叠丑补驳补惫腻苍 fulfil their desires in ways known and unknown and, in this way, solidify their conviction in 蝉腻诲丑补苍补-产丑补箩补苍补.

If one does not become exclusively dedicated to bhajana, where is the chance one will reap any real result?

啶夃い啷嵿い啶� 啶灌啶ぞ啶嗋お啶ㄠぞ啶班 啶ぞ啶ㄠ 啶む啶｀ぞ啶оぎ

Uttama haiy膩膩pan膩re m膩ne t峁涐箛膩dhama^[1]

鈥淎n exalted person deems himself more insignificant than a piece of straw.鈥�

This mentality itself is the qualification or criterion for obtaining the mercy of 艣r墨 guru and 叠丑补驳补惫腻苍. If the inclination for devotion fails to arise, is there any scope for unsolicited mercy? Unconditional mercy is not subject to stipulations, but in a state bereft of devotion, it is not attainable.

啶啶椸啶い啶� 啶掂た啶氞ぞ啶班 啶曕た啶涏 啶ㄠぞ啶灌た啶ぞ啶�, 啶む啶ぞ啶� 啶曕ぐ啷佮ぃ啶� 啶膏ぞ啶�

Yogyat膩 vic膩re kichu n膩hi p膩i, tom膩ra karu峁嚹� s膩ra^[2]

鈥淲hen I consider my eligibility, I find nothing; your compassion is essential.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

This is the prayer of 蝉腻诲丑补办补蝉 and 蝉腻诲丑颈办腻蝉 expressing their humility. Though established in full qualification to attain 艣r墨 guru and 叠丑补驳补惫腻苍鈥檚 grace, the devotee is accustomed to expressing such natural humility; and that is his virtue or wealth [that he has accrued] from spiritual practice, and it is this that is the devotee鈥檚 prowess.

As long as mundane conceit and egotism remain, causeless mercy is something one fails to realize. That is what inhibits the fulfillment of one鈥檚 longing to serve, and one fails to feel [艣r墨 guru and 叠丑补驳补惫腻苍鈥檚] omniscience. It is when the conditioned soul is gripped by mundane vanity that he becomes trapped in foolish arrogance, like the frog that puffs itself up till it bursts, thinking its little earthen dish is the whole of the Earth.

Those who have found shelter, however, overcome all obstacles and adversities on the strength of bhakti and shine with the divine, unsurpassable compassion of 艣r墨 guru and 叠丑补驳补惫腻苍.

啶呧ざ啷嬥-啶呧き啶�, 啶呧ぎ啷冟い-啶嗋ぇ啶距ぐ, 啶む啶ぞ啶� 啶氞ぐ啶�-啶︵啶掂く; 啶むぞ啶灌ぞ啶む 啶忇啶�, 啶掂た啶多啶班ぞ啶� 啶侧き啶苦く啶�, 啶涏ぞ啶∴た啶ㄠ 啶さ啷囙ぐ啶く

A艣oka-abhaya, am峁泃a-膩dh膩ra, tom膩ra cara峁嘺-dvaya; t膩h膩te ekhana, vi艣r膩ma labhiy膩, ch膩岣峣nu bhavera bhaya^[3] 鈥�

鈥淗aving found solace now at Your two lotus feet which, being the foundations of immortality, rid one of sorrow and fear, I have shed my mortal terror.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

This is the ardent prayer of a devotee who is resolute in his conviction to serve.

啶多啶班 啶椸啶班-啶掂啶粪啶｀さ-啶啶掂ぞ啶ㄠ鈥斷い啶苦え啷囙ぐ啶膏啶ぐ啶�, 啶むた啶ㄠ啶� 啶膏啶ぐ啶｀ 啶灌く啶掂た啶樴啶� 啶掂た啶ㄠぞ啶多え

艢谤墨 guru-vai峁ａ箛ava-bhagav膩n鈥攖inera smara峁嘺, tinera smara峁噀 haya vighna vin膩艣ana^[4]

鈥淩emembrance of 艣r墨 guru, 痴补颈峁ａ箛补惫补蝉, and 叠丑补驳补惫腻苍 destroys all obstacles.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

Extolling their qualities cleanses the heart and eradicates all the vices and impediments related to bhajana. Those who are sincerely absorbed in hearing, chanting, and remembering the glories of 艣r墨 guru and 叠丑补驳补惫腻苍 cannot retain any vanity or egotism. Initiated into the dharma of honouring all others with no expectation of respect, they have already abandoned all these adversities to bhajana.

This is a conclusive fact.

啶掂啶粪啶｀さ啷囙ぐ啶椸啶�-啶椸ぞ啶�, 啶曕ぐ啶苦げ啷� 啶溹啶掂啶� 啶む啶班ぞ啶�

Vai峁ａ箛avera gu峁嘺-g膩na, karile j墨vera tr膩峁嘺

鈥�Singing the 痴补颈峁ａ箛补惫补蝉鈥� glories delivers the living entity.鈥�

According to this statement, it is essential to offer prayers, praises, and hymns to 艣r墨 guru and 痴补颈峁ａ箛补惫补蝉, even though they are鈥�

啶膏啶掂啶ㄠ啶� 啶侧ぞ啶啶� 啶膏ぎ啶� 啶啶班ざ啶距え啷嵿い啶

svenaiva l膩bhena sama峁� pra艣膩ntam^[5].

鈥淓quipoised and content in their own achievements鈥�

Those who have taken shelter at the feet of a genuine guru have already deserted bad company, because only by establishing themselves in proper conduct could they have proceeded to accept a guru.

Once strong conviction in bhajana comes, one abandons all types of bad association鈥搉o matter how near and dear those persons may be, knowing them to be鈥�

啶膏啶掂啶ㄠぞ啶栢啶� 啶︵じ啷嵿く啷�

svajan膩khya dasyu

鈥淒acoits calling themselves relatives鈥�.

If you are to walk the path of bhajana, you must certainly be wary of offences, but retreating will not do.

啶呧お啶班ぞ啶�-啶多啶ㄠ啶� 啶灌啶ぞ啶侧す啷� 啶曕啶粪啶�-啶ㄠぞ啶�

Apar膩dha-艣unya haiy膩 laho k峁涐梗峁嘺-n膩ma

鈥淏e devoid of offenses and take the name of 碍峁涐梗峁嘺.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

This is 艢谤墨man 惭补丑腻辫谤补产丑耻鈥檚 instruction.

啶ㄠた啶班お啶班ぞ啶о 啶ㄠぞ啶� 啶侧啶侧 啶ぞ啶� 啶啶班啶�-啶оえ
Nirapar膩dhe n膩ma laile p膩ya prema-dhana^[6] 鈥�

鈥淚f one utters the holy name without offence, one attains the wealth of divine love.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

啶啶班啶�-啶оえ啶掂た啶ㄠぞ啶掂啶ぐ啷嵿ぅ啶︵ぐ啶苦う啷嵿ぐ啶溹啶掂え
Prema-dhana vin膩 vyartha daridra 箩墨惫补na^[7]

鈥淲ithout the wealth of divine love, this life is worthless and destitute.鈥�

This is why it is instructed that one stay far away from the blasphemy of saintly persons, the scriptures, and guru.

Although in preliminary stages one may be chanting the holy name with some offences, by the grace of 艢谤墨狈腻尘补 Prabhu, all offences are dispelled.

啶椸啶班 啶ぞ啶むぞ, 啶椸啶班 啶た啶むぞ, 啶椸啶班 啶灌え啶い啶�

Guru m膩t膩, guru pit膩, guru hana pati^[8]

鈥�guru is mother, guru is father, guru is husband.鈥�

There is nothing in this statement of the 尘补丑腻箩补苍补蝉 that is opposed to the established philosophical conclusions or flawed by any improper sentiment of 谤补蝉腻产丑腻蝉补. Gurudeva is 腻艣谤补测补-vigraha (the personified abode of divine love). He is 艢谤墨叠丑补驳补惫腻苍鈥檚 beloved maidservant. The principle of 艣r墨 guru is that of 艣补办迟颈 (potency), or 辫谤补办峁泃颈 (divine feminine nature). Teaching others to serve 艢谤墨叠丑补驳补惫腻苍 is his natural function. He is a 驳辞辫颈办腻, one eligible to serve under the direction of the 蝉补办丑墨蝉.

In the pastimes of 艢谤墨叠丑补驳补惫腻苍, who is the supreme enjoyer and 惫颈峁测补-vigraha (personified object of divine love), he is a beloved, highly adept in amorous service.

啶涏啶∴い啶啶班啶� 啶呧き啶苦ぎ啶距え, 啶曕た啶權啶曕ぐ啷€ 啶灌啶侧 啶嗋啶� 啶曕ぞ啶�; 啶掂ぐ啶�-啶掂た啶た啶ㄠ 啶膏啷€-啶膏ぞ啶�, 啶膏啶掂え啶曕ぐ啶 啶班ぞ啶оぞ啶ㄠぞ啶�

Cho岣峚ta puru峁 abhim膩na, ki峁卥ar墨 hailu 膩ji k膩na; varaja-vipine sakh墨-s膩tha, sevana karabu r膩dh膩n膩tha^[9]

鈥淎bandoning my male ego, today I have become Your maidservant, O 碍腻苍补. In the forest of Vraja, in the company of the 蝉补办丑墨蝉, I will serve You, O 搁腻诲丑腻n膩tha.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

This is the natural position of perfected souls. Outwardly, though garbed in male form, they are 蝉补办丑墨蝉 (girlfriends) or 诲腻蝉墨蝉 (maidservants) who have achieved the mood of 驳辞辫墨蝉. Facilitating the love sports (濒墨濒腻-惫颈濒腻蝉补) of the transcendental, ever-fresh Cupid is their sole service.

One must know 艣r墨 gurudeva to be bhagavat-蝉惫补谤奴辫补 (the form of God) but, when 艢谤墨叠丑补驳补惫腻苍 Himself descends in the form of guru, then He is resolutely 惫颈峁测补-vigraha. Though He acts like the 腻艣谤补测补-vigraha, He is in truth the supreme enjoyer and object of all service. In that case, why would it be wrong to address guru as pati (protector)? Guru is one indivisible principle, but in discerning that principle, there are different specialities or wondrous features. There are various designations, such as 补苍迟补谤测腻尘墨 (Supersoul), caitya- (inner guide), and 尘补丑腻苍迟补-guru (the saint or religious figure). Thus, if one is addressing that indivisible total principle, there is no fault in referring to that 惫颈峁测补-vigraha 艢谤墨碍峁涐梗峁嘺candra, who is 笔耻谤耻峁迟迟补尘补, the supreme male, as pati, even when He manifests His pastimes as the 腻艣谤补测补-vigraha. The 痴补颈峁ａ箛补惫补 stalwarts have written the above verse after thorough deliberation of all the various aspects of guru-tattva.

Furthermore, the love shared by a husband and wife is quite different from the nurturing affection a mother and father have for their child. No matter how old a son or daughter gets, in the eyes of the mother and father, he or she will always be the beneficiary of their affection or, in other words, junior. Between a husband and wife, however, there is a level field鈥搕hey are the same. The equality among friends, even though they are like 鈥渙ne life, one soul鈥�, still retains a sense of inequity. In 惫腻迟蝉补濒测补-产丑腻惫补 also, there is a sense of younger and older, one party being the dependent, the other being the caregiver.

But in conjugal love, there is no intervening distance, even though some rules and restrictions are imposed on it.

啶膏啶掂啶�-啶膏啶掂 啶膏ぎ啷嵿き啷嬥啷� 啶︵啶掂く啷嬥ぐ啷�-啶啶︵ 啶曕啶む 啶さ啷囙い啷�? 啶掂た啶啶班げ啶啶 啶む 啶膏ぐ啷嵿さ啶膏啶� 啶啶︵ 啶膏う啶� 啶掂た啶掂ぐ啷嵿ぇ啶む

Sevya-sevaka sambhoge dvayor-bheda岣� kuto bhavet? vipralambhe tu sarvasya bheda岣� sad膩 vivardhate^[10]

鈥淚in the union of master and servant, where is the difference between them? In separation, however, there is an ever-increasing disparity.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

This verse substantiates the intimacy and equality that exists between husband and wife. This is why when we offer 迟耻濒补蝉墨 leaves at the feet of 艢谤墨碍峁涐梗峁嘺鈥檚 form that is embraced by 艢谤墨搁腻诲丑腻, we are offering 迟耻濒补蝉墨 at 艢谤墨搁腻诲丑腻r膩峁嚹€檚 feet^[11], but when Their forms are separate, 艢谤墨搁腻诲丑腻 cannot accept 迟耻濒补蝉墨 at Her feet. On the other hand, you see, in this mundane world, there are differences between male and female. In Goloka-痴峁沶诲腻惫补苍补, 笔耻谤耻峁迟迟补尘补艢谤墨碍峁涐梗峁嘺 is the only male and all others are His 艣补办迟颈 or 蝉别惫颈办腻蝉 (female servants). The 骋墨迟腻 scripture states that the 箩墨惫补 is 艣补办迟颈 and is therefore an abstract noun or, in other words, a characteristic, or function, of 艢谤墨叠丑补驳补惫腻苍; hence, it is never possible for the 箩墨惫补 to be the enjoyer. In the material world, a woman or wife experiences three stages of life: as daughter, as wife, and as mother. Each of these three stages has specialities and differences. As daughter and mother, there are the exchanges of parental affection, and as a wife, the advent of amorous love. The mood of servitude exists within each type of rati, in 诲腻蝉测补, sakhya, 惫腻迟蝉补濒测补, and madhura, yet each rasa has its own unique speciality. So, in the case of 补办丑补峁囜笉补-辫奴谤峁嘺 guru-tattva (the indivisible, complete principle of 艣r墨 guru), if one were to use the word pati, it must be understood to be directed strictly towards the 惫颈峁测补-vigraha. Full submission of the self is the exclusive aim of every 蝉腻诲丑补办补 and 蝉腻诲丑颈办腻. If fullness does not come in 蝉腻诲丑补苍补, 叠丑补驳补惫腻苍 will be very far away. 顿谤补耻辫补诲墨 as well as the Vraja-办耻尘腻谤墨蝉 are evidence of this.