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The service-ethic of a true servant 鈥� Better to live at a distance from the 诲丑腻尘补 than risk making offences 鈥� The joy of service is the devotee鈥檚 sole motive 鈥� The beauty of 测耻办迟补-惫补颈谤腻驳测补 is lost on impersonalists 鈥� Thinking one is unworthy to serve grants one the qualification to serve 鈥� 笔补谤辞办峁�a (indirect) 诲补谤艣补苍补 versus 辫谤补迟测补办峁�a (direct) 诲补谤艣补苍补 鈥� Worrying about the well-being of one鈥檚 soul is appropriate selfishness

啶多�嵿ぐ啷� 啶多�嵿ぐ啷� 啶椸�佮ぐ啷�-啶椸�屶ぐ啶距�權�嵿�椸�� 啶溹く啶む��

艣谤墨 艣谤墨 guru-gaur膩峁単au jayata岣�

艢谤墨 Dev膩nanda Gau岣嵞珁a 惭补峁环补 Tegharipara, Navadvipa (Nadia) 21/11/1977

厂苍别丑腻蝉辫补诲腻蝉耻鈥�

M膩 Um膩! You write so many letters, one after another, yet never lose your patience, so I cannot help but praise you with a hundred mouths for your patience and tolerance. You are especially skilful for having broken my Ja岣峚 Bharata-like silence after so long and activating my pen, and for that, I am conveying to you infinite thanks. I am truly amazed and even stunned to see that your enthusiasm for writing letters never faltered, despite not having the convenience of my responses, as I did not want to respond. May 艢谤墨 艢谤墨 Guru-骋补耻谤腻峁単补-搁腻诲丑腻-Vinoda-Bih膩r墨-j墨u grant you even more enthusiasm and patience.

Do not be disturbed about my physical ill health, because, if need be, I must take my sick body out preaching, and there is no reason to be upset about that. Just going to see a good doctor does not rid one of disease; the illness will not subside until the results of one鈥檚 karma are exhausted. Rest that is devoid of service makes one 诲别丑腻谤腻尘墨 (鈥渂ody-indulgent鈥�) and 驳别丑腻谤腻尘墨 (鈥渉ome-indulgent鈥�). Auspiciousness lies in thinking about service in all conditions of life. You should know service to be real leisure. If I do not become disturbed, no one can cast me into inconvenience. My favourite secluded environment or place is wherever I have the convenience to chant 艣谤墨 丑补谤颈苍腻尘补 and gain the fortune to hear and recite 丑补谤颈-办补迟丑腻 and the scriptures; wherever I can perform 蝉腻诲丑补苍补-产丑补箩补苍补. Cultivation of 艣谤墨 苍腻尘补 and 产丑补驳补惫补迟-办补迟丑腻 in the association of 蝉腻诲丑耻蝉 is true solitude; that is the only thing I yearn for. The service ethic of a servant has no place for rest or holiday, because for a real servant a condition averse to service is beyond the scope of imagination.

Why would 惭腻测腻辫耻谤补-诲丑腻尘补 reveal itself to a sevaka or 蝉别惫颈办腻 if he or she does not worship its nine forests, which are the splendour of its form? If one considers 艣谤墨 诲丑腻尘补 to be a mundane township, then offences to the 诲丑腻尘补 befall one. 

Only by 艣谤墨 诲丑腻尘补鈥�s mercy can one realize its transcendental nature and appearance, and only then can one become acquainted with its true compassion.

啶�啶距く啶� 啶曕�冟お啶� 啶曕ぐ啶�

惭腻测腻 k峁沺膩 kari鈥� j膩la u峁環膩ya jakhana, 膩虄khi dekhe suvi艣膩la cinmaya bhavana^[1]

鈥淲丑别苍 惭腻测腻 has mercy and lifts the veil, then the eyes see the vast spiritual abode.鈥�

This is transcendental vision. Disregard, in its various expressions, for 艣谤墨 诲丑腻尘补, for Dh膩me艣vara (the Lord of that holy abode), and for the 蝉腻诲丑耻蝉 who have taken shelter of the 诲丑腻尘补, is also considered one of the offences to the 诲丑腻尘补. Only if one gains the mercy of 艢谤墨 Gaura-诲丑腻尘补 can one attain the qualification to serve the transcendental Vraja-诲丑腻尘补. 

That is why the eternally perfected intimate associate of 艢谤墨 Gaura, 尘补丑腻箩补苍补 艢谤墨la Narottama 峁琱腻办耻谤补 Mah膩艣aya, has sung: 

啶多�嵿ぐ啷� 啶椸�屶��-啶�啶｀�嵿ぁ啶�-啶�啷傕ぎ啶�, 啶溹�囙が啶� 啶溹ぞ啶ㄠ�� 啶氞た啶ㄠ�嵿い啶距ぎ啶｀��

艣谤墨 gau岣峚-ma峁囜笉ala-bh奴mi, jeb膩 j膩ne cint膩ma峁噄, t膩虄ra haya vraja-bh奴me v膩sa^[2]

鈥淭hose who know this land of 艢谤墨 骋补耻岣峚 to be made of wish-fulfilling gemstone attain residence in the land of Vraja.鈥�

Therefore, rather than inviting 诲丑腻尘补-apar膩dha upon oneself, it is much better to live at a distance and, recognizing that one鈥檚 own misfortune and bad luck are responsible, yearn to serve 艣谤墨 诲丑腻尘补 and the residents of the 诲丑腻尘补 and remember them. These sorts of thoughts prove favourable to 补尘腻苍墨-尘腻苍补诲补-dharma.

The 蝉别惫补办补鈥檚 realization of his incapacity and disqualification inspires him to serve 艢谤墨 Hari, guru, and 痴补颈峁ａ箛补惫补蝉. Service is never possible with an attitude that is prone to material enjoyment. 

So, if one adopts caution in all areas, one develops finesse in service, which is why:

啶掂え啷嵿う啷� 啶�啷佮�� 啶膏ぞ啶掂ぇ啶距え 啶�啶む��

vando mui s膩vadh膩na mate

鈥淚 venerate with caution鈥�. 

The devotee鈥檚 sole motive is to be devoted to the joy of serving guru and 痴补颈峁ａ箛补惫补蝉, and that alone is the main connection needed to attract and attain their transcendental affection. There is no place for mundane exchanges in this.

It is only proper that spiritually-minded persons be concerned with artha (wealth), because artha facilitates the accumulation of 辫补谤补尘腻谤迟丑补. 

Only devotees realize and appreciate this supreme truth. 

啶�啷嵿ぐ啶距ぃ啷堗ぐ啷�-啶呧ぐ啷嵿ぅ啷堗ぐ啷�-啶оた啶�啶� 啶掂ぞ啶氞ぞ 啶多�嵿ぐ啷囙�� 啶嗋�氞ぐ啶｀�� 啶膏う啶�

Pr膩峁嘺ir-arthair-dhiy膩 v膩c膩 艣reya 膩cara峁嘺峁� sad膩 

鈥淥ne ought to pursue the ultimate good with one鈥檚 life, money, intelligence, and words.鈥�

This is a truth only the servant realizes. The 办别惫补濒腻诲惫补颈迟补-惫腻诲墨 monists, who are absorbed in contemplation of a featureless divinity, adopt a dry and empty sort of renunciation referred to as 尘补谤办补峁璦-惫补颈谤腻驳测补 (monkey mendicancy) and, trapping themselves in the idea that 鈥渙ne should always consider wealth to be worthless鈥�artham-补苍补谤迟丑补峁� 产丑腻惫补测别苍-苍颈迟测补尘,鈥� advertise their personal heroics by rejecting even those objects of the senses that are favourable to the service of 艢谤墨 Hari, thinking them to be useless.

The beauty of service found in yukta-惫补颈谤腻驳测补 (holistic renunciation) is never theirs to realize and appreciate.

啶む�嬥ぎ啶距�� 啶оえ 啶む�嬥ぎ啶距�� 啶︵た啶�啷� 啶む�嬥ぎ啶距�� 啶灌く啷� 啶班��

Tom膩ra dhana tom膩ya diye tom膩ra haye rai 

鈥淚 give to You what is already Your wealth, and thus I remain Yours.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

This is beyond their comprehension.

鈥淓veryone is sincerely and excellently serving guru.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

This sort of attitude aids the performance of bhajana and is uplifting. 

啶掂�堗し啷嵿ぃ啶� 啶灌�堗く啶� 啶嗋お啶ㄠぞ啶班�� 啶�啶距え啷� 啶む�冟ぃ啶距ぇ啶�

痴补颈峁ａ箛补惫补 haiy膩 膩pan膩re m膩ne t峁涐箛膩dhama^[3]

鈥淲丑别苍 one becomes a 痴补颈峁ａ箛补惫补, one naturally considers oneself lowlier than a blade of grass.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

The thought 鈥淚 am unworthy of rendering service鈥� grants one the qualification to serve. Yearning for unwavering conviction in 艣谤墨 guru and 痴补颈峁ａ箛补惫补蝉 for firm devotion and for a selfless propensity to serve constitutes the innermost motive of the true servant.

Guru and 痴补颈峁ａ箛补惫补蝉 do not nurture within themselves hopes of attaining any sort of mundane respect or status available in this world.

Rather, they are the embodiments of the following: 

啶�啷嵿ぐ啶むた啶粪�嵿�犩ぞ啶� 啶膏�嵿さ啶�啶距さ 啶忇�� 啶溹�椸い啷� 啶掂た啶︵た啶�, 啶溹�� 啶ㄠぞ 啶掂�炧�嵿�涏�� 啶むぞ啶� 啶灌く 啶掂た啶оぞ啶むぞ 啶ㄠた啶班�嵿ぎ啶苦��

prati峁ａ弓h膩ra sva产丑腻惫补 ei jagate vidita, je n膩 va帽che t膩ra haya vidh膩t膩 nirmita^[4]

鈥�The nature of prestige is well known in this world; those who do not hanker for it are blessed with it by fate.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

Never are they agitated or distressed by the puerile devotions or remarks of the material world. They do not see the faults in others. This is the exemplary quality and speciality of their immortal character.

Whether I stay in 狈补惫补诲惫墨辫补 or go out preaching, I have come to regard both situations as one. I go out traveling to collect provisions for the service of the 尘补峁环补 in 艢谤墨 狈补惫补诲惫墨辫补, for the 尘补峁环补鈥檚 servants, for my 艣颈办峁Ｄ�-驳耻谤耻蝉, and for the 艣谤墨 vigraha established there in the 艣谤墨 尘补峁环补, and I go out to preach the message of 艣谤墨 guru and 叠丑补驳补惫腻苍 and propagate 艣谤墨 苍腻尘补. Therefore, if the motive is one and the same in both circumstances, then it is my firm belief that whoever comes to the 艣谤墨 尘补峁环补 at whatever time to take 诲补谤艣补苍补, there is no chance of their being deprived of 诲补谤艣补苍补 (a诲补谤艣补苍补-yoga). In this case, the superiority and reality of 辫补谤辞办峁�a (indirect, invisible) 诲补谤艣补苍补 versus 辫谤补迟测补办峁�a (direct, visible) 诲补谤艣补苍补 is a matter of special experience and realization. 

This will make sense to you some day.

啶膏�囙さ啶� 啶膏�� 啶ㄠた啶�啶�

Sev膩 se niyama

鈥淪ervice, that is the rule.鈥�

If service is not our motive, then living in the 尘补峁环补 is the same as living anywhere else. There is no joy or charm in taking my ill body out preaching. 

Many think, 

鈥淓ven if he were told to stay in the 尘补峁环补, he would not, because everyone is attached to money.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

Then again, others want to say, 

鈥淗e can鈥檛 eat the 产辞驳谤腻 (unhusked, musty, fat-grain, autumn rice that is mixed with grit and husks) rice in the 尘补峁环补, so he finds it better to stay away.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

Someone else spreads rumours:

鈥淗e goes around outside eating rich dishes, touring about, and to keep the 尘补峁环补-resident sevakas in 鈥榗heck鈥�, he sends them a measly 100 to 150 rupees a month and avoids his responsibilities.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

But the individuals who are circulating all this gossip share the same responsibility to take care of the 尘补峁环补. How much financial support are any of them offering per year to the central 尘补峁环补? As soon as the topic of support comes up, no one has anything to say, because then the responsibility would fall on their shoulders. 

Up till now, these same people have come to me and said,

鈥淪omehow or other keep managing things. Don鈥檛 let go of your responsibility.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

Today they are saying, 

鈥淪top all expenditures for the 尘补峁环补, then everything will be taken care of nicely.鈥�

How does that reconcile things? Those who criticize for no good reason have facilities like stoves, heaters, and cookers to prepare rice and mashed potatoes in their own time. They order their own milk and have their own independent arrangements for food and drink.

They offer lip service, saying: 

鈥淵ou should sit here in the 尘补峁环补. Don鈥檛 worry about anything; just start your writing work.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

But when it is time to do something, everyone is indifferent to the wondrous need for rice. By mouth, they say, 鈥淵es!鈥� But by actions, they are saying, 鈥淣o.鈥� Good work will never be possible with this sort of two-faced policy. It is a matter of great delight that you have accepted a vow of service to provide 艢谤墨 艢谤墨 闯补驳补苍苍腻迟丑补-deva with outfits.

I am sad to know that you wrote two letters but did not post them because you thought I would be annoyed. If I get a letter from you, be it sooner or be it later, I always respond. Who is not happy to receive letters from one who is dear to them? So there was no reason for you to hesitate in sending me the letters. I have decided to go to 笔耻谤墨-诲丑腻尘补, but it will not be possible for me to halt in Chunchura on the way. When I am on my way back from there, I will try to go to Chunchura.鈥斺��惭补丑腻谤腻箩补 asked for money for the Siliguri 尘补峁环补 from a person that Hare 碍峁涐梗峁嘺 [Prabhu] and I know. That person had agreed to give five thousand rupees in the service of the 笔耻谤墨 尘补峁环补.鈥斺�攃ollected this money and wants to use it as he pleases to make a mosaic in the 笔耻谤墨 尘补峁环补. I went to so much effort to explain to him that it would be better to complete the half-finished rooms first, which will also increase the 尘补峁环补鈥檚 income. Even though I have asked him not to do this, he has gone ahead with this work to show off his capabilities. Now everyone is whimsical and does as they please. Those who have taken responsibility to forbid certain activities and provide discipline are speechless and are modest persons. There is no possibility of a transgression of etiquette or offence if you write a letter to the servant in the middle of writing to the master.

Even people in spiritual society need to abide somewhat by worldly conduct and behaviour. Since 厂补谤补测奴 D墨d墨鈥檚 body is ill, you have become duty-bound to return to Chunchura swiftly. You still have a sense of duty and responsibility to her. She was central to your entrance on to this spiritual path. You cannot disregard that. Therefore, you will surely have to endeavour to serve her, even though she does not expect that. Wherever a human being gains the good fortune of being fearlessly and uninhibitedly engaged in hearing, chanting, etc., receiving 诲补谤艣补苍补 and rendering service is always a desirable environment. The opportunity to gain love and compassion arises only if one can become selfish in the truest sense. There is no cause for the master to be annoyed or disturbed in any way by that. The 蝉腻诲丑补办补 or 蝉腻诲丑颈办腻 reaps real well-being precisely by worrying about the well-being of his or her soul, and that is appropriate 鈥渟elfishness鈥�. In the absence of direct association with devotees, 辫补谤辞办峁�a 蝉腻诲丑耻-蝉补峁単补 (internal association with saints) or contemplating and remembering [叠丑补驳补惫腻苍鈥檚] beautiful name, form, qualities, etc. aids in the performance of bhajana. Separation from 叠丑补驳补惫腻苍 and 叠丑补驳补惫腻苍鈥檚 devotees makes the heart restless and anxious, but there is no material sorrow or suffering in that.

I understood that you have given 艢谤墨辫腻诲补 Trivikrama 惭补丑腻谤腻箩补 the copy of 笔补诲尘补-笔耻谤腻峁嘺 I keep for letters and reference. Ask him to return it to the library in 狈补惫补诲惫墨辫补 once he is finished with his work. My 痴别诲腻苍迟补-诲补谤艣补苍补 (four volumes) is with him. If he does not need it anymore, please ask him to return it to me. You have prayed to develop full surrender, and therein lies the very purport of the word 腻迟尘腻-蝉腻迟 (one鈥檚 own). The very fact that 鈥測ou are my unworthy, fallen, destitute daughter鈥� makes you most worthy and rightly situated on this path of bhakti. This is my sincere and loving blessing to you. How is your mother? You can send your response to this letter to the Golakganj 尘补峁环补 address. What more? Iti鈥�

Forever your well-wisher,
艢谤墨 Bhaktived膩nta 痴腻尘补苍补

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

艢谤墨 狈补惫补诲惫墨辫补-产丑腻惫补-迟补谤补峁単补 (11) by 艢谤墨la Bhaktivinoda 峁琱腻办耻谤补

[2]:

Gaur膩峁単era Du鈥欋弓墨 Pada (3)

[3]:

See 艢谤墨 Caitanya-肠补谤颈迟腻尘峁泃补 (Antya-濒墨濒腻 20.22)

[4]:

艢谤墨 Caitanya-肠补谤颈迟腻尘峁泃补 (Madhya-濒墨濒腻4.146)