A True Servant鈥擜 True Master
by Swami Bhaktivedanta Madhava Maharaja | 2021 | 174,865 words
This page relates 鈥楬ow to attain Darshana of one鈥檚 worshipful object,...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.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
Letter 113 - How to attain Dar艣ana of one鈥檚 worshipful object,...
How to attain 诲补谤艣补苍补 of one鈥檚 worshipful object 鈥� Becoming 驳耻谤耻诲别惫补迟腻迟尘补 鈥� Associating with 痴补颈峁ａ箛补惫补蝉 is a golden opportunity and the result of special 蝉耻办峁泃颈 鈥� How to deal with the anartha of anger 鈥� How to deal with worldly society 鈥� Studying 艢谤墨la 搁奴辫补 骋辞蝉惫腻尘墨 Prabhu鈥檚 艢谤墨 Upade艣膩m峁泃am helps solidify one鈥檚 蝉腻诲丑补苍补 鈥� Guru and 痴补颈峁ａ箛补惫补蝉 are omniscient, as 碍峁涐梗峁嘺 dwells in their heart and inspires them 鈥� Praying to Gaura-诲丑腻尘补 for residence in Vraja-诲丑腻尘补 鈥� 艢谤墨 guru鈥檚 cultivation and preaching of 艣谤墨 苍腻尘补-产丑补箩补苍补 鈥� The oneness and multiplicity of guru-tattva under the guidance of 艢谤墨mat墨 搁腻诲丑颈办腻 鈥� The glories of 艢谤墨 Gop膩la 鈥� The relationship between householder and renounced 蝉腻诲丑补办补蝉 鈥� The 驳耻补谤诲颈补苍鈥檚 indifference towards a fallen servant
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
艣谤墨 艣谤墨 guru-gaur膩峁単au jayata岣�
艢谤墨 艢测腻尘补蝉耻苍诲补谤补 骋补耻岣嵞珁补 惭补峁环补 Milanpalli, Siliguri Darjeeling 6/10/1992
厂苍别丑腻蝉辫补诲腻蝉耻鈥�
M膩鈥斺��! 鈥� For one who has fully surrendered to and taken shelter of 艣谤墨濒补 guru-辫腻诲补辫补诲尘补, he truly is like one鈥檚 own self. If one who is an intimate servant (惫颈艣谤补尘产丑补-sevaka) is deprived of his audience, instructions, etc., there truly remains no limit to the sorrow and misery. When we regard 艣谤墨 gurudeva to be extremely dear to us, it is possible to travel to where he is and be with him, simply by wanting to. Still, in this regard, one鈥檚 own moral courage is most essential. What you wrote is true: 鈥淲hen one cannot obtain direct 诲补谤艣补苍补 of one鈥檚 worshipful deity, what is the use of this most rare human birth?鈥� Your gurudeva has many children, but you have just one person. Knowing this allows me to have some understanding of your sorrow and suffering, your inner pain. By firm conviction, one-pointed focus, anxiousness, and desperation, one finds one鈥檚 cherished object close at hand and obtains peace and well-being via direct 诲补谤艣补苍补. No doubt or fear can cast the surrendered person off the course of his 蝉腻诲丑补苍补-bhajana. By the auspicious wishes and blessings of 艣谤墨 guru and 痴补颈峁ａ箛补惫补蝉, you will be able to traverse the path of bhajana properly. By their causeless compassion and by becoming drenched in the current of their mercy, you will certainly be capable of obtaining the success of your life.
Becoming bathed in the inexhaustible current of guru and 痴补颈峁ａ箛补惫补蝉鈥� parental affection nourishes one鈥檚 devotional life. There is no doubt in that regard. In due course of time, the attainment of 诲补谤艣补苍补 will occur. It is with this hope that we must wait with restless eagerness, like a thirsty 肠腻迟补办补 bird.
You have conveyed to me by body, mind, and words how anguished your heart was that you were not able to communicate in any way, neither in person nor by letter, this past 1st of 痴补颈艣腻办丑补. How can those who are capable of offering their mind, intelligence, and ego be wretched and miserable, orphaned, fallen, and despicable? That is beyond my understanding. A vow of full submission of the soul is observed in their stick-like prostrations of all eight bodily limbs (蝉腻峁ａ弓腻峁単补-诲补峁囜笉补惫补迟-辫谤补峁嘺迟颈). By means of their senses, they accept the vow of serving 叠丑补驳补惫腻苍 贬峁涐梗墨办别艣补, the Lord of the transcendental senses, in every way, by body, mind, and words. Following the path indicated by 艣谤墨 guru-辫腻诲补辫补诲尘补 constitutes all the vows, chanting, meditation, and knowledge of their lives. It is to grant qualification to those who are unworthy and undeserving that 艣谤墨 guru and 痴补颈峁ａ箛补惫补蝉 appear in this world. They are truly empathetic, the most generous, the greatly, greatly magnanimous (尘补丑腻-尘补丑腻-vad膩nya). Afflicted by the fear of material existence, man strives for objects other than 叠丑补驳补惫腻苍, and because he forgets 叠丑补驳补惫腻苍, he endures endless sorrow, difficulty, suffering, and torment. The result is the upheaval of his intelligence. His ultimate well-being is only possible if he gains awareness and, with faithful devotion, takes shelter of a bona fide guru, thereby becoming 驳耻谤耻诲别惫补迟腻迟尘补 (one in soul with his guru).
It is certainly not possible to obtain proximity to 艣谤墨 gurudeva by any meagre measure of 蝉耻办峁泃颈. By the effect of accumulated 蝉耻办峁泃颈, one obtains a taste for associating with saintly personalities, and by that sat-蝉补峁単补, one obtains devotion to 叠丑补驳补惫腻苍. This has been described in the scriptures and other places. Without the mercy of exalted personalities, no activity can be perfected. Nevertheless, with powerful effort and eagerness, even the impossible becomes possible. Between 1991 and 1992, three or four times I had the opportunity to live at the Siliguri 尘补峁环补 and other nearby places for extended periods of time. I think of this lengthy period of time as a golden opportunity for a negligible person such as I to come into the proximity of 痴补颈峁ａ箛补惫补蝉 and cultivate the ultimate goal of life. If we are to consider the impermanence of life, its deterioration and destructibility, then we have no time at all. Having attained this rare human form, it is a matter of special 蝉耻办峁泃颈 in this material world to serve and provide joy and comfort to guru and 痴补颈峁ａ箛补惫补蝉. 艢谤墨 叠丑补驳补惫腻苍 Himself fulfils those powerful longings to have 诲补谤艣补苍补 of guru and 痴补颈峁ａ箛补惫补蝉, and by such 诲补谤艣补苍补, we can gain peace of mind. Even an unworthy person becomes worthy if he can abandon the desire for respect and instead give respect to others. That is when the merciful blessings of guru and 痴补颈峁ａ箛补惫补蝉 can be held on to.
Arrogance, pride, ego, vanity, and conceit throw us far from the path of 蝉腻诲丑补苍补. It is because of arrogance and conceit that anger arises. That is why to experience suffering inwardly and then try to remedy it is certainly praiseworthy. The anartha of anger creates significant obstacles on the path of bhajana. Therefore, it is our duty to be diligent in giving it up. When we are angry, it is imperative to pray fervently to 艣谤墨 guru, 痴补颈峁ａ箛补惫补蝉, and 叠丑补驳补惫腻苍. As soon as one meditates on their 艣谤墨 尘奴谤迟颈 (beautiful forms) equilibrium returns. Mistakes and blunders, flaws, and errors can happen in any situation, but it is the effort to rectify them that is worthy of honour in all respects.
A person who has taken shelter of 艢谤墨 碍峁涐梗峁嘺鈥檚 mantra has no use for any worldly, societal undertakings. Still, if some specific affairs of mundane society are favourable to the service of Hari, one often must participate in them. While living in society, it does not work to be altogether antisocial or fully indifferent. For that purpose, one must certainly give up trifling individual self-interest for the greater self-interest. 厂腻诲丑耻蝉 and gentlemen are accommodating and obliging. There is no doubt in that regard. We must proceed according to considerations of time, place, and the individual. This is the order and instruction of scripture. With this manner of consideration, the wretched become exalted, those gripped by anarthas obtain 辫补谤补尘腻谤迟丑补 (the ultimate goal of life), the helpless obtain help, and the unworthy become capable of gaining qualification.
In the field of hari-bhajana, the aspiration for profit, worship, and prestige is fearsomely harmful. This is seen to be naturally present in the heart of the 箩墨惫补 who is gripped by anarthas. The humblest expression of 补尘腻苍墨-尘腻苍补诲补-dharma (expecting no respect from others yet offering others full respect) made by 蝉腻诲丑补办补蝉 and 蝉腻诲丑颈办腻蝉 who have attained the mercy of guru and 痴补颈峁ａ箛补惫补蝉 is truly to be honoured.
啶涏く-啶掂啶� 啶︵ぎ啶库��, 啶涏く 啶︵啶� 啶多啶оた鈥�, 啶涏く-啶椸啶� 啶︵啶� 啶︵ぞ啶膏
Chaya-vega dami鈥�, chaya do峁 艣odhi鈥�, chaya-gu峁嘺 deha d膩se[1]
鈥淪ubdue my six urges, cleanse me of my six faults, and grant this servant six virtues.鈥�
These achievements, in conjunction with the six types of saintly association, make successful the vow of giving up bad association and adopting good association. Know that maintaining fortitude in all circumstances is a special 蝉腻诲丑补苍补. If one nicely studies 艢谤墨la 搁奴辫补 骋辞蝉惫腻尘墨 Prabhu鈥檚 艢谤墨 Upade艣膩m峁泃am, one鈥檚 蝉腻诲丑补苍补 becomes firmly fixed. It is by following the instructions and directions of guru and 痴补颈峁ａ箛补惫补蝉, which are beneficial to the soul, that one renders heartfelt service to them.
The demigods are not capable of describing the incomparable glories of 艣谤墨 gurudeva, who is affectionate to his disciples, his children.
Even those human beings who have taken shelter of guru and 痴补颈峁ａ箛补惫补蝉 display a lack of qualification in extolling guru and 痴补颈峁ａ箛补惫补蝉鈥� glories. 艢谤墨 碍峁涐梗峁嘺鈥檚 residence is in the core of the devotees鈥� hearts. To behold 艣谤墨 guru and 叠丑补驳补惫腻苍鈥檚 presence within those simple, pure hearts is also a matter of special fortune. The ability to know another鈥檚 heart (补苍迟补谤测腻尘颈迟惫补) is considered the devotees鈥� unique virtue and speciality for all time.
How will those whose consciousness is not properly dovetailed be able to experience or realize 艣谤墨 guru and 叠丑补驳补惫腻苍鈥檚 omniscience?
啶ぅ啶� 啶ㄠた啶啶曕啶む 鈥權じ啷嵿ぎ啶� 啶むぅ啶� 啶曕ぐ啷嬥ぎ啶�&啶ㄠ啶啶膏啶;
Yath膩 niyukto 鈥檚mi tath膩 karomi
鈥淚 do as You inspire me to do.鈥�
Only 尘补丑腻-bh膩gavatas, who are absorbed in the bliss of their spiritual realizations and who are self-realized associates of the Lord, are qualified to utter such a statement. The glory of becoming one in mind and soul with the 驳辞峁ａ弓丑墨 (spiritual community) and performing hari-蝉补峁卥墨谤迟补苍补 is greater [than solitary practice]. The statement 鈥�saj膩t墨y膩艣aye snigdho s膩dhau 蝉补峁単补岣� svato vare[2] 鈥� specifically recommends the proximity of saints who are endowed with the same kind of longing [for the Lord] and who are more exalted than oneself. The instruction has been given to relish and cultivate the purports of 艢谤墨mad-Bh膩gavatam with loving, rasika devotees.
鈥�艢谤墨 尘补迟丑耻谤腻-尘补峁囜笉补濒别 蝉迟丑颈迟颈岣�[3] 鈥� or, in other words, living in 艢谤墨 Mathur膩-诲丑腻尘补 means living in 碍峁涐梗峁嘺鈥檚 abode. The lineage of the 艢谤墨 厂惫补谤奴辫补-R奴p膩nuga 骋补耻岣嵞珁补 腻肠腻谤测补蝉 know the land of 艢谤墨 骋补耻岣峚-尘补峁囜笉补濒补 to be 肠颈苍迟腻尘补峁噄 (touchstone) and offer their prayers to it to gain the qualification to live in 碍峁涐梗峁嘺鈥檚 abode of 艢谤墨 Mathur膩. They have conveyed that living in 顿腻办峁峁嚹乼测补 (the holy places of South India), in 艢谤墨 K峁tra-尘补峁囜笉补濒补, in various regions of Vraja-尘补峁囜笉补濒补, and other 诲丑腻尘补s is non-different from 尘补迟丑耻谤腻-惫腻蝉补, dwelling in Mathur膩.[4] Therein it has been demonstrated that living in 艢谤墨 Gaura鈥檚 pastime place of 艢谤墨 惭腻测腻辫耻谤补-诲丑腻尘补 and the surrounding sites is non-different from living in 痴谤补箩补-产丑奴尘颈. The 痴补颈峁ａ箛补惫补 腻肠腻谤测补蝉 have taught that the vanity, deceit, or egotism of so-called residence in Mathur膩 possessed by those who see a difference between 艢谤墨 Gaura-诲丑腻尘补 and Vraja-诲丑腻尘补 provides the degraded destination of endeavouring for material enjoyment. In regard to practising five limbs of devotion, the eligibility for 谤腻驳腻苍耻驳补-谤腻驳腻迟尘颈办腻 prema-bhakti is far superior to the sort of 蝉腻诲丑补苍补-bhakti that is achievable through following rules and prohibitions. What is observed therein is that none of the 办补苍颈峁ａ弓丑补-补诲丑颈办腻谤墨鈥檚 mundane thoughts are invoked. Eternally perfected great souls who have attained the highest level of eligibility perform these five limbs, develop their inherent equal vision of all, and attain transcendental realization.
It is not easy or natural for the average person to appreciate 艣谤墨 guru-辫腻诲补辫补诲尘补鈥檚 transcendental cultivation of bhajana and follow it in a mood of simplicity if that person does not become free from deceit. 艢谤墨 guru maintains steadiness in his 艣谤墨 苍腻尘补-产丑补箩补苍补. With the firm belief that 艣谤墨 苍腻尘补-brahma, 艣补产诲补-产谤补丑尘补, is the only worshipful object of spiritual practice for the living entities, he preaches the glories of 艣谤墨 苍腻尘补 with the intention of liberating the unconscious world from its conditioned state, by granting a taste for 艣谤墨 苍腻尘补.
In this way, he fulfils his designation as patita-辫腻惫补苍补 (deliverer of the fallen).
啶溹啶掂 啶︵く啶�, 啶ㄠぞ啶 啶班啶氞た鈥斷じ啶班啶�-啶оぐ啷嵿ぎ-啶膏ぞ啶�
J墨ve 诲补测腻, n膩me ruci鈥攕arva-dharma-s膩ra[5]
鈥渃ompassion for the living entities and taste in the holy names is the essence of all religion.鈥�
This is worthy of special attention. In this age of Kali, 艣谤墨 苍腻尘补-产丑补箩补苍补 alone is the best means by which to obtain direct service to 苍腻尘墨 Parabrahma 艢谤墨 碍峁涐梗峁嘺candra along with His potency.
The eternal path of bhajana originates from a single source (别办腻测腻苍补). The worshipful objects are 艢谤墨 Gaura 搁腻诲丑腻 Vinoda-bih膩r墨-j墨u, along with the 腻艣谤补测补-箩腻迟墨测补 艣谤墨 guru-tattva. The oneness, or shared identity (ekatva), of the 蝉补办丑墨蝉 and 尘补帽箩补谤墨蝉 who are under the guidance of the 诲墨办峁Ｄ�-驳耻谤耻-谤奴辫腻 蝉补办丑墨, who is under the guidance of the root 腻艣谤补测补-vigraha 艢谤墨mat墨 搁腻诲丑腻r膩峁嚹�, is corroborated by the words of 蝉腻诲丑耻, 艣腻蝉迟谤补, and guru. However, the multiplicity of 艣颈办峁Ｄ�-驳耻谤耻蝉 is also definitively proven. Still, the 诲墨办峁Ｄ�-guru alone has, all at once, the qualifications of the 艣颈办峁Ｄ�-驳耻谤耻, the bhajana-guru, the vartma-辫谤补诲补谤艣补办补-guru, the 艣谤墨 苍腻尘补-guru, and the 尘补丑腻nta-guru. The 艣颈办峁Ｄ�-guru is indispensable when it comes to endowing one with conviction in bhajana and providing instructions on k峁涐梗峁嘺-诲墨办峁Ｄ� and other matters. One鈥檚 life will not prove fruitless if one is reliant on a single 诲墨办峁Ｄ�-驳耻谤耻 who has all qualifications in 蝉腻诲丑补苍补-bhajana. In that case also, it has been observed that there is no lack of beautifully imparted consolations regarding the attainment of perfection.
Sitting on His throne and worshipped as the 惫颈峁测补-vigraha, 艢谤墨 Gaura-驳辞辫腻濒补, or 碍峁涐梗峁嘺-驳辞辫腻濒补 accompanied by 艢谤墨 搁腻诲丑腻, is capable of fulfilling all the desires of the sevaka or 蝉别惫颈办腻. Knowing this, Nanda-驳辞辫腻濒补 or 驰补艣辞诲腻-dul膩la, 艢谤墨 顿腻尘辞诲补谤补-驳辞辫腻濒补, accompanied by His beloved 搁腻诲丑颈办腻, accepts faithful offerings and, like nectar that brings one back from the dead, grants the 辫奴箩腻谤颈峁嚹� (priestess) the 尘补丑腻-m峁泃yu帽jaya-kavaca (great, death-conquering amulet), thereby fulfilling her ambitions. Then the maidservant of 艣谤墨 vigraha becomes utterly blessed by obtaining new life through the medium of service and worship. Becoming exceedingly attracted to the 腻艣谤补测补-vigraha, she obtains enthusiasm and consolation in bhajana. Among intimate servitors (惫颈艣谤补尘产丑补-sevakas), there is no difference between exemplary householders and those who have abandoned their homes [renunciates]. If those who are devoted to 艣谤墨 苍腻尘补-产丑补箩补苍补 exchange news or maintain communication about each other鈥檚 蝉腻诲丑补苍补-bhajana, they will be mutually benefited. 艢谤墨 guru-辫腻诲补辫补诲尘补 will follow proper etiquette and preach the philosophical conclusions of the scriptures from door to door throughout the world. This is the injunction of scripture. Only if he is deprived of the power of mobility does he establish a permanent residence, a 产丑补箩补苍补-办耻峁玶补, at a specific place in 艣谤墨 诲丑腻尘补. The 尘补丑腻nta-guru does not take anyone as his disciple. Hence, he generally becomes homeless, remaining devoted to preaching the message of 艣腻蝉迟谤补 and guru.
Even if children or sevakas become veterans, they are still dependent on others. If they become reliant on their caretakers, they become one of the six types of fallen sevakas. Their 驳耻补谤诲颈补苍鈥檚 responsibility for them thus increases greatly. If that is the case, the prudent thing to do is adopt the stance of an impartial observer. A person whose dharma is service maintains his life by the medium of service alone. The instruction to serve, having given up 艣谤墨 苍腻尘补-apar膩dha, 诲丑腻尘补-apar膩dha, and 蝉别惫腻-补辫补谤腻诲丑补, must certainly be followed. The omniscient 艣谤墨 guru and 叠丑补驳补惫腻苍 see the anguish and desperation of the sevaka and surely manifest and distribute to him their amandodaya-诲补测腻 (mercy from which nothing bad can ever arise).
Take my affectionate blessings. I will discuss various other topics in person. Iti鈥�
Your eternal well-wisher,
艢谤墨 Bhaktived膩nta 痴腻尘补苍补
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
艢补谤补峁嚹乬补迟颈, Ohe 痴补颈峁ａ箛补惫补 峁琱腻办耻谤补 (2) by 艢谤墨la Bhaktivinoda 峁琱腻办耻谤补
[3]:
艢谤墨 Bhakti- 谤补蝉腻尘峁泃补- sindhu (1.2.92)