There is no harm if life is short,... [Letter 123]

A True Servant鈥擜 True Master

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

This page relates 鈥楾here is no harm if life is short,...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 123 - There is no harm if life is short,...

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There is no harm if life is short 鈥� Auspiciousness lies in rendering service 鈥� 艢谤墨 gurudeva, 痴补颈峁ａ箛补惫补蝉, and 叠丑补驳补惫腻苍 are our 蝉补峁僺腻谤补 鈥� Lending selfless assistance is characteristic of the saintly 鈥� Do not be angered by anyone else鈥檚 adverse mentality or bad behaviour 鈥� For those absorbed in bhajana, blasphemy and praise are equal

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 3/6/1995

厂苍别丑腻蝉辫补诲腻蝉耻鈥�

Dear鈥斺€�! We left around four in the morning on the date of 30/5/95 and reached Siliguri the same day around four in the evening, twelve hours later. Govinda 惭补丑腻谤腻箩补 came to the NJP station with the devotees. 鈥�

Someone was specially praising your tolerance. When there is no means to avoid cold, heat, rain, etc., then surely we have to tolerate them. This is 艢谤墨碍峁涐梗峁嘺鈥檚 instruction to his friend Arjuna. There is no harm if life is short. As long as one can patiently continue serving and performing worship, everything will be auspicious. Amid all manner of worldly duties, one must carry on as usual chanting a fixed number of 艣谤墨苍腻尘补 and studying scriptural texts. The success of the rare human birth is certainly imperative.

We worship 骋补峁単腻 with 骋补峁単腻 water. In other words, we really have no support or resources of our own. It is around 艣谤墨 gurudeva, 痴补颈峁ａ箛补惫补蝉, and 叠丑补驳补惫腻苍 alone that our 蝉补峁僺腻谤补 revolves. For those who thirst for bhajana, there is nothing more to do than remember guru and 叠丑补驳补惫腻苍. That is their meditation, knowledge, chanting, austerities鈥搕heir everything. Those who are blessed to become 驳耻谤耻诲别惫补迟腻迟尘腻, one in spirit with gurudeva, forever preserve on the paths of their memory the truth of guru and 痴补颈峁ａ箛补惫补蝉鈥� causeless mercy.

It is natural for everyone to have faith in and gratitude for those whose nature it is to help others, support them, and empathize with them. However, it is seen that most of the time, the recipients of such help end up being inimical, dishonest, and unappreciative. If man is ungrateful, then there is nothing to say. In this world, ungrateful people are in the majority. They are called opportunists and are selfish. You should carry on with your natural, simple concerns to help others. Do not help or empathize with others because you think they will help you in the future. That, according to 骋墨迟腻-艣腻蝉迟谤补, is considered a 谤腻箩补蝉颈办补-迟腻尘补蝉颈办补 undertaking. Lending assistance in a selfless mood is sat (virtuous) and befitting the nature of a 蝉腻诲丑耻. Know this to be the special virtue and ornament of 蝉腻诲丑耻s and 蝉腻诲丑惫墨蝉.

Do not be angered by anyone else鈥檚 adverse mentality or bad behaviour. If, as a result of bad association, someone does not cooperate, it is not proper to be upset. Man reaps only the fruits of his own actions. Never think evil thoughts about another. In this world, no one can subjugate another. On the other hand, even if they try, they are also incapable of giving them the pleasures of heaven. The transcendental love and affection of 艣谤墨 guru and 痴补颈峁ａ箛补惫补蝉 is the only provision we need on the path of 蝉腻诲丑补苍补-产丑补箩补苍补. Try to be satisfied with just that.

In the field of 蝉腻诲丑补苍补-bhajana, hatred, violence, and criticism are extremely damaging. Therefore, those things are wholly prohibited. For those who are always absorbed in the bliss of performing bhajana of 艢谤墨搁腻诲丑腻-Govinda, blasphemy and praise are in the same category.

They simply spend all of their time in the bhajana of their supremely worshipful 艢谤墨搁腻诲丑腻-Vinoda-濒腻濒补.

鈥溹い啷佮げ啷嵿く-啶ㄠた啶ㄠ啶︵ぞ-啶膏啶む啶むた啶班-啶啶ㄠ啶� 啶膏え啷嵿い啷佮し啷嵿啷� 啶啶� 啶曕啶ㄠ啶苦い啷嵿ォ啷ク鈥�

鈥�Tulya-nind膩-stutir-maun墨岣� santu峁ａ弓o yena kenacit^[1] 鈥�

鈥淔or them, blasphemy and praise are equal; they are silent and satisfied with anything.鈥�

This is their magnanimous attitude. Affection, possessiveness, love, and attachment鈥揳ll these virtues are the greatest ornaments of the 蝉腻诲丑补办补 and 蝉腻诲丑颈办腻. No worldly virtue is capable of gaining the transcendental tattva-vastu (Absolute Truth).

That is why we see the statement:

啶︵啶掂 啶啶む啶掂ぞ啶︵啶掂 啶啷囙い啷�

devo bh奴tv膩 deva峁� yajet^[2]

鈥淥ne must obtain divine status to worship that which is divine.鈥�

By the heartfelt mercy of 艣谤墨 guru and 叠丑补驳补惫腻苍, even the impossible becomes possible.

啶曕ぞ啶曕啶班 啶椸ぐ啷佮ぁ啶曕ぐ啷� 啶愢啷� 啶︵く啶距ぎ啶�

K膩kere garu岣峚 kare aiche day膩maya^[3]

鈥淗e is so merciful He turns even a crow into 骋补谤耻岣峚.鈥�

It is natural for those who thirst for bhajana to experience severe mental distress when, from time to time, they do not have the 诲补谤艣补苍补 of guru and 痴补颈峁ａ箛补惫补蝉. It is by their mercy that we can live a good life. Several of us will travel to 贬补谤颈诲惫腻谤补 via Delhi on the 12th of August by the Link Express. I will go to 惭补迟丑耻谤腻-痴峁沶诲腻惫补苍补 via Jaipur. On the 29th, I will travel from 惭补迟丑耻谤腻 to Dumka. In 狈补惫补诲惫墨辫补, after the virahotsava (separation festival), I will stay in Kolkata and observe 办腻谤迟颈办补-vrata.