Prema-rasa - "The Loving Mellow"

Prema-rasa “ The Loving Mellow”

Śrī Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swami Mahārāja

Prema-rasa “ The Loving Mellow”

PREMA-RASA - THE LOVING MELLOW The information in this booklet is an evening class, delivered by Çré Çrémad Gour Govinda Swami Mahäräja on 20 January 1996, Accra, Ghana, Africa. This lecture is from the book Tåëäd Api Sunécena.

Quotes from the books of Çréla A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupäda are copyrighted © The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.

ISBN: 978-0-648-16315-2 © 2020 TATTVA VICARA PUBLICATIONS

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Prema-rasa “ The Loving Mellow”

Śrī Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swami Mahārāja

Śrīla A.C. Bhativedanta Swami Prabhupāda

Śrī Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swami Mahārāja

Table of Contents Maṅgalācaraṇa

Auspicious Invocation

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Chanted before Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Class by Śrī Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swami

Prema-rasa “The Loving Mellow”

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Liquid Mellow 2 The Receptacle Is Your Heart 3 Four Constituents 4 Our Container Has Many Holes 6 Mahāprabhu Crushed Vallabhācārya’s Pride 7 Celestial Being 8 Where Is Your Śakti?

8 Pride Is the Measuring Rod 10 Take Care of Your Pot 11 How to Chant the Pure Name 11 Bhakti-vilocanena 12 You See a Sādhu Through the Ears 14 Develop Greed for Sādhu-sañga 14 Sādhu-saṅge Kṛṣṇa-nāma 15

Maṅgalācaraṇa Auspicious Invocation Chanted before Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Class by Śrī Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swami

näräyaëaà namaskåtya naraà caiva narottamam devéà sarasvatéà vyäsaà tato jayam udérayet “Before reciting this Çrémad-Bhägavatam, which is the very means of conquest, one should offer respectful obeisances unto the Personality of Godhead, Näräyaëa, unto Naranäräyaëa Åñi, the supermost human being, unto mother Sarasvaté, the goddess of learning, and unto Çréla Vyäsadeva, the author.”1 vede rämäyaëe caiva puräëe bhärate tathä ädäv ante ca madhye ca hariù sarvatra géyate “In the Vedic literature, including the Rämäyaëa, Puräëas and Mahäbhärata, from the very beginning (ädau) to the end (ante ca), as well as within the middle (madhye ca), only Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is explained.”2 mükaà karoti väcälaà paìguà laìghayate girim yat-kåpä tam ahaà vande paramänanda-mädhavam “The Supreme Personality of Godhead has the form of sac-cid-änanda-vigraha [Bs. 5.1] – transcendental bliss, i

Prema-rasa - The Loving Mellow knowledge and eternity. I offer my respectful obeisances unto Him, who turns the dumb into eloquent speakers and enables the lame to cross mountains. Such is the mercy of the Lord.”3 paramänanda he mädhava paduìgäluci makaranda se-makaranda päna-kari änande bolo ‘hari hari’ hariìka näme vända velä päri karive cakä-dolä se cakä-doläìka-päyäre mano-mo rahu nirantare mano mo nirantare rahu ‘hä-kåñëa’ boli jéva jäu hä-kåñëa boli jäu jéva mote uddhära rädhä-dhava mote uddhära rädhä-dhava mote uddhära rädhä-dhava “O supremely blissful Mädhava! The nectar is coming from Your lotus feet. Drinking that nectar, I blissfully sing ‘Hari! Hari!’ Taking the name of Hari, I am binding a raft on which Lord Jagannätha will ferry me across this ocean of material existence. May my mind always remain at the lotus feet of that Lord Jagannätha who has very large round eyes.

In this way, I call out, ‘Alas! Kåñëa!’ and give up my life. O husband of Rädhäräëé, please deliver me.”4

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Maìgaläcaraëa dharmaù projjhita-kaitavo’ tra paramo nirmatsaräëäà satäà vedyaà västavam atra vastu çivadaà täpa-trayonmülanam çrémad-bhägavate mahä-muni-kåte kim vä parair éçvaraù sadyo hådy avarudhyate’ tra kåtibhiù çuçrüñubhis tat-kåsaëät “Completely rejecting all religious activities which are materially motivated, this Bhägavata Puräëa propounds the highest truth, which is understandable by those devotees who are fully pure in heart. The highest truth is reality distinguished from illusion for the welfare of all.

Such truth uproots the threefold miseries. This beautiful Bhägavatam, compiled by the great sage Vyäsadeva [in his maturity], is sufficient in itself for God realisation. What is the need of any other scripture? As soon as one attentively and submissively hears the message of Bhägavatam, by this culture of knowledge the Supreme Lord is established within his heart.”5 nigama-kalpa-taror galitaà phalaà çuka-mukhä amåta-drava-saàyutam pibata bhägavataà rasam älayam muhur aho rasikä bhuvi bhävukäù “The Çrémad-Bhägavatam is the essence of all Vedic literatures, and it is considered the ripened fruit of the wishfulfilling tree of Vedic knowledge. It has been sweetened by emanating from the mouth of Çukadeva Gosvämé. You who are thoughtful and who relish mellows should always try to taste this ripened fruit. O thoughtful devotees, as long as you are not absorbed in transcendental bliss, you should continue tasting this Çrémad-Bhägavatam, and when you are fully absorbed in bliss, you should go on tasting its mellows forever.”6 anarthopaçamaà säkñäd bhakti-yogam adhokñaje iii

Prema-rasa - The Loving Mellow lokasyäjänato vidväàç cakre sätvata-saàhitäm “The material miseries of the living entity, which are superfluous to him, can be directly mitigated by the linking process of devotional service. But the mass of people do not know this, and therefore the learned Vyäsadeva compiled this Vedic literature, which is in relation to the Supreme Truth.”7 yasyäà vai çrüyamäëäyäà kåñëe parama-püruñe bhaktir utpadyate puàsaù çoka-moha-bhayäpahä “Simply by giving aural reception to this Vedic literature, the feeling for loving devotional service to Lord Kåñëa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, sprouts up at once to extinguish the fire of lamentation, illusion and fearfulness.”8 çrémad-bhägavataà puräëam amalaà yad vaiñëavänäà priyaà yasmin päramahaàsyam ekam amalaà jïänaà paraà géyate tatra jïäna-viräga-bhakti-sahitaà naiñkarmyam äviskåtaà tac chåëvan su-paöhan vicäraëa-paro bhaktyä vimucyen naraù “Çrémad-Bhägavatam is the spotless Puräëa. It is most dear to the Vaiñëavas because it describes the pure and supreme knowledge of the paramahaàsas. This Bhägavatam reveals the means for becoming free from all material work, together with the processes of transcendental knowledge, renunciation and devotion. Anyone who seriously tries to understand Çrémad-Bhägavatam, who properly hears and chants it with devotion, becomes completely liberated.”9 artho ‘yam brahma-süträëäm bhäratärtha-vinirëayaù iv

Maìgaläcaraëa gäyatré-bhäñya-rüpo ‘sau vedärtha-paribåàhitaù “The meaning of the Vedänta-sütras, the full purport of the Mahäbhärata, the commentary on Brahma-gäyatré, and the fully expanded knowledge of the Vedas are all present in the Çrémad-Bhägavatam.”10 sarva-vedetihäsänäà säraà säraà samuddhåtam “The essence of all Vedic literature and all histories has been collected in the Çrémad-Bhägavatam.”11 sarva-vedänta-säraà hi çré-bhägavatam iñyate tad-rasämåta-tåptasya nänyatra syäd ratiù kvacit “The Çrémad-Bhägavatam is declared to be the essence of all Vedänta philosophy. One who has felt satisfaction from its nectarean mellow will never be attracted to any other literature.”12 ‘kåñëa-bhakti-rasa-svarüpa’ çré-bhägavata täte veda-çästra haite parama mahattva “The Çrémad-Bhägavatam gives direct information of the mellow derived from service to Kåñëa. Therefore the ÇrémadBhägavatam is above all other Vedic literatures.”13 cäri-veda-upaniñade yata kichu haya tära artha laïä vyäsa karilä saïcaya

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Prema-rasa - The Loving Mellow “Vyäsadeva collected whatever Vedic conclusions were in the four Vedas and 108 Upaniñads and placed them in the aphorisms of the Vedänta-sütra.”14 yei sütre yei åk-viñaya-vacana bhägavate sei åk çloke nibandhana “In the Vedänta-sütra, the purport of all Vedic knowledge is explained, and in the Çrémad-Bhägavatam the same purport has been explained in eighteen thousand verses.”15 jévera nistära lägi’ sütra kaila vyäsa mäyävädi-bhäñya çunile haya sarva-näça “Çréla Vyäsadeva presented the Vedänta philosophy for the deliverance of conditioned souls, but if one hears the commentary of Çaìkaräcärya, everything is spoiled.”16 “yäha, bhägavata paòa vaiñëavera sthäne ekänta äçraya kara caitanya-caraëe “If you want to understand Çrémad-Bhägavatam,” he said, “you must approach a self-realised Vaiñëava and hear from him. You can do this when you have completely taken shelter of the lotus feet of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu.”17 bhägavata ye nä mäne, se—yavana-sama tära çästä äche janme-janme prabhu yama “One who does not accept Çrémad-Bhägavatam is no better than a Yavana, and Lord Yamaräja punishes him birth after birth.”18 hare kåñëa hare kåñëa kåñëa kåñëa hare hare hare räma hare räma räma räma hare hare vi

Prema-rasa

“The Loving Mellow”

namo mahä-vadänyäya kåñëa-prema-pradäya te kåñëäya kåñëa-caitanyanämne gaura-tviñe namaù “O most munificent incarnation! You are Kåñëa Himself appearing as Çré Kåñëa Caitanya Mahäprabhu. You have assumed the golden colour of Çrématé Rädhäräëé, and You are widely distributing pure love of Kåñëa. We offer our respectful obeisances unto You.”1 This is the praëäma-mantra offered to Çrémän Mahäprabhu by Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé. When we pay obeisances to Caitanya Mahäprabhu we must chant this mantra. Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu is mahävadänyävatära, the most munificent incarnation, because He gives kåñëa-prema, pure love for Kåñëa. No other incarnation gives kåñëaprema. Caitanya Mahäprabhu is non-different from Kåñëa, and He gives kåñëa-prema without discrimination. Patita pämara nähi bäche, He never considers whether one is elevated or degraded.

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Prema-rasa - The Loving Mellow Kåñëa-prema is difficult to attain even for Lord Brahmä, the highest created being in the universe. Therefore how can we have it? It can be received only by the causeless mercy of Mahäprabhu.

He never considers whether one deserves it or not. Generally in this world, you get what you deserve, however Çrémän Mahäprabhu is so wonderfully merciful that He offers kåñëa-prema to one and all without discrimination. However, does everyone achieve it? That is another question.

Liquid Mellow Have you received prema? No? Mahäprabhu is the giver, and we are the receivers. We should receive kåñëa-prema, but why can’t we receive it? When He gives, how can you receive? If I give you something, “All right, take this” then how will you take it? You will put out your hands to receive it. Mahäprabhu gives prema-rasa, the loving mellow. änanda-lélämaya-vigrahäya hemäbha-divya-cchavi-sundaräya tasmai mahä-prema-rasa-pradäya caitanya-candräya namo namas te “O Lord Caitanya-candra, whose form is full of blissful pastimes, whose complexion is as splendid as gold, and who gives in charity the most glorious mellow of pure love for Lord Kåñëa, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You.”2 Mahä-prema-rasa. Rasa means “mellow”, it is liquid. When we speak of mellow, rasa, it is not solid, but it is liquid. Prema-rasa is to be tasted, relished. Mahäprabhu is the giver and we are the receivers of this rasa but how can we receive it? You may stretch out your hands and say, “Yes, please give me!”, but this is mellow. If someone gives you some mellow, you should approach with a container, a receptacle

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Prema-rasa - The Loving Mellow to accept it in. If there are holes in your container, how can you take it? Everything will pour out. Therefore, with what type of container will we approach Mahäprabhu to receive the prema-rasa He is giving?

If you go to the Ganges with a pot filled to the brim with filthy, nasty things, how can you collect Ganges water? You must examine the pot to see whether it is suitable or not. If it is filled with filthy things, first remove them and wash it out. Empty it, and then you can fill it with Ganges water. Similarly, Mahäprabhu is giving prema-rasa, the loving mellow. How can we approach Him, and with what kind of receptacle? Do you know?

The Receptacle Is Your Heart Another question arises. You can put cow’s milk in an earthen pot, but can you put a lioness’s milk in the same type of pot? No, because a lioness’s milk is very strong. If you put it in an earthen pot, which is porous, it will crack and everything will pour out. To hold a lioness’s milk you need a golden pot. Similarly, Mahäprabhu gives prema-rasa, the loving mellow, and you must approach Him with a proper nonporous container.

It is said that Caitanya is like a lion, Caitanya-siàha. He roars like a lion. He has the shoulders and waist of a lion and He was born on the full moon evening of the month of Phälguna, during the zodiac constellation of Leo, the lion. Therefore He is siàha, Caitanya-siàha.

Consequently when He gives prema-rasa, what type of container is required to receive it? The proper receptacle is the heart. You cannot receive it with your hands or any container other than your heart.

Only with that container you can receive the prema-rasa given by Mahäprabhu.

You should first examine your heart to check that there are no holes in it. Is it a pure heart? If there are holes or nasty things in it, how can you receive prema-rasa? Lust, anger, greed, pride, arrogance and envy are the nasty things. These are the holes in the container.

Though Mahäprabhu gives kåñëa-prema indiscriminately to one and

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Prema-rasa - The Loving Mellow all, why is it that not everyone is receiving it? How will our hearts be free from all these nasty things? How can we take care of the heart, so that we may receive Mahäprabhu’s mercy and make a success of our human birth?

Four Constituents Mahäprabhu gives prema through the chanting of the holy name of the Lord. If your chanting is pure, offenceless, then you will definitely get kåñëa-prema. Do not commit any offences, nämäparädha, chant the holy name purely. Mahäprabhu gives prema through chanting, but He also gives a condition, tåëäd api sunécena taror iva sahiñëunä amäninä mänadena kértanéyaù sadä hari3 The container of the heart should be made of these four constituents; tåëäd api sunécena, we should think of ourselves as humbler than a blade of grass lying in the street; taror iva sahiñëunä, we should be as tolerant as a tree; amäninä, we should not demand respect for ourselves; and mänadena, rather, we should give respect to one and all. Mahäprabhu is the giver, and you are the receiver. If your pot is not made of these constituents, how can you receive? To explain this verse, Kåñëadäsa Kaviräja Gosvämé has written, uttama haïä äpanäke mäne tåëädhama dui-prakäre sahiñëutä kare våkña-sama “These are the symptoms of one who chants the Hare Kåñëa mahä-mantra. Although he is very exalted, he thinks himself lower than the grass on the ground, and like a tree, he tolerates everything in two ways.”4

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Prema-rasa - The Loving Mellow

våkña yena käöileha kichu nä bolaya çukäïä maileha käre päné nä mägaya “When a tree is cut down, it does not protest, and even when drying up it does not ask anyone for water.”5 ei ye mägaye, täre deya äpana-dhana gharma-våñöi sahe, änera karaye rakñaëa “The tree delivers its fruits, flowers, and whatever it possesses to anyone and everyone. It tolerates scorching heat and torrents of rain, yet it still gives shelter to others.”6 uttama haïä vaiñëava habe nirabhimäna jéve sammäna dibe jäni’ ‘kåñëa’-adhiñöhäna “Although a Vaiñëava is the most exalted person, he is prideless and gives all respect to everyone, knowing everyone to be the resting place of Kåñëa.”7 A Vaiñëava is a very elevated person, but his mood is, “I am the lowest of the low. Everyone is superior to me. No one is below me”.

That is tåëäd api sunécena, he has no pride at all. In Bhagavad-gétä Lord Kåñëa states, dambho darpo ’bhimänaç ca krodha päruñyam eva ca ajïänaà cäbhijätasya pärtha sampadam äsurém “Pride, arrogance, conceit, anger, harshness, and ignorance—these qualities belong to those of demoniac nature, O son of Påthä.”8

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Prema-rasa - The Loving Mellow Pride is a demoniac quality. A Vaiñëava is prideless, and he gives respect to one and all because kåñëa-adhiñöhäna, he sees Kåñëa in the heart of everyone. He does not disrespect even a tiny ant, because he sees their relationship with Kåñëa, “This is Kåñëa’s jéva”. This is complete Kåñëa consciousness, knowing everyone’s heart to be the resting place of Kåñëa. ei-mata haïa yei kåñëa-näma laya çré-kåñëa-caraëe täìra prema upajaya “If one chants the holy name of Kåñëa in this manner, one will certainly awaken one’s dormant love for Kåñëa’s lotus feet.”9

Our Container Has Many Holes This is the condition given by Mahäprabhu. Though He gives kåñëa-prema and though we may chant for many years, still we will not achieve that prema if we do not follow His teachings. We are not taking care of the pot. Our heart is the container in which we can receive the prema-rasa given by Mahäprabhu, but we have not examined that pot. Our pot has so many holes that although He gives, everything just pours out. We must understand this.

Kåñëa has said that pride, arrogance, conceit, anger, harshness, and ignorance are demoniac characteristics. Demons are generally proud, puffed-up persons. However one who has come to the path of devotional service, bhajana-patha, or bhakti-patha should not be proud at all. One should be very humble, much humbler than a blade of grass. A Vaiñëava is a very elevated person, but he always thinks, “I am the lowest of the low”. Mahäprabhu was teaching this, not theoretically, but practically. Mahäprabhu is not an ordinary person, He is Kåñëa Himself, the Supreme Personality, mattaù parataraà nänyat kiïcid asti dhanaïjaya,10 “No one is superior to Me, O Arjuna”.

However, when Kåñëa, who is a theoretical speaker, comes in the

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Prema-rasa - The Loving Mellow form of Mahäprabhu, which means as a bhakta, devotee, He is very humble and teaches practically.

The point is to show how humble Mahäprabhu is. Tåëäd api sunécena, one should think himself much humbler than a blade of grass. Unless you have such a mood, you cannot develop pure devotion nor can you chant the pure name. Demons are generally proud, but a Vaiñëava should not be proud at all. If a person has pride he cannot chant the pure name, he cannot develop pure devotion, and he cannot become a Vaiñëava at all. Otherwise he is only a great pretender, a demon in the guise of a Vaiñëava.

Mahäprabhu Crushed Vallabhäcärya’s Pride Sometimes devotees also develop pride. When this happens, Kåñëa crushes their pride. Çré Vallabhäcärya is a Vaiñëava. He is the founder of the puñöi-märga, but he had developed pride. Once Vallabhäcärya came to Mahäprabhu and said that he had written a commentary on Çrémad-Bhägavatam, but he had not touched the commentary of Çrédhara Svämé. As such, this was to be a completely new commentary.

Mahäprabhu became angry because he felt that Vallabhäcärya was arrogant and proud for not following Çrédhara Svämé. Mahaprabhu said, “çrédhara-svämé ‘guru’ kari’ mäni”.11 If you want to write something about Çrémad-Bhägavatam you must approach Çrédhara Svämé as guru. One who does not accept the Svämé (svämé literally means husband) is a prostitute. In this way Mahäprabhu crushed Vallabhäcärya’s pride.

On another occasion Vallabhäcärya approached Advaita Äcärya with a question. “Kåñëa is the only puruña, or male, and the jéva is feminine like a wife, because the jéva is çakti-tattva. It is the duty of a chaste wife not to utter her husband’s name, but all of you chant the name of Kåñëa. How can this be called a religious principle?”

According to Vedic etiquette, a chaste and devoted wife will never utter the name of her husband. If they have children, a wife might say, “Oh, is Räma’s father there?” However, she will never directly say her husband’s name.

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Prema-rasa - The Loving Mellow Advaita Äcärya said, “You had better ask this question to Mahäprabhu”. Therefore, when Vallabhäcärya posed that to Him, the Lord replied, “A devoted wife will do whatever her husband has asked. Therefore when the husband says, “Chant my name”, then the devoted wife will do it, hare kåñëa hare kåñëa kåñëa kåñëa hare hare hare räma hare räma räma räma hare hare”. In this way, and on many occasions Vallabhäcärya’s pride was crushed by Mahäprabhu, and thereby he received the Lord’s mercy.

Celestial Being The demigods are also devotees, because they carry out the orders of the Supreme Lord, but they are very proud and arrogant. There is always fighting between demigods and demons. Sometimes the demons emerge victorious and the demigods are defeated, or else the demons are defeated at the hands of the demigods.

Once upon a time when the demons were defeated, the demigods became proud, “Now we are victorious!” When the demigods think in this way, the Supreme Lord understands this and crushes their pride. That is Kåñëa’s mercy. In Çrémad-Bhägavatam the gopés, Kåñëa’s cowherd girlfriends, say, nija-jana-smaya-dhvaàsana-smita,12 “O Lord, You crush the pride of Your own men. That is Your mercy”.

Therefore when the demigods became puffed up, Kåñëa wanted to crush their pride and He appeared before them in the wonderful form of a Yakña, a celestial being.

When the Supreme Lord appeared in this wonderful form, the demigods were unable to recognise Him. Out of curiosity, Indra asked Agni and Väyu to find out who the celestial being was.

Where Is Your Çakti?

Agnideva went there and asked, “Who are You?” The Lord in His wonderful Yakña form replied, “Who are you?”

Agnideva replied very arrogantly, “Don’t You know who I am? I am

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Prema-rasa - The Loving Mellow Agni, the famous jätaveda, the fire-god!”

“Oh, you are the fire-god? Are you very great?”

“Oh, yes!”

“What can you do?”

“I can burn anything to ashes”.

The Lord took a blade of grass and placed it before Agni. “All right, burn this tiny piece of grass”. Agni applied all his power and energy but could not even begin to burn it.

“Where is your çakti [power]?” the Lord asked.

With his pride crushed. Agni hung his head and left.

Then Vayu went to see the Yakña and asked, “Who are You?” The Yakña said, “Who are you?”

“I am the wind-god!” Väyu said proudly.

“Are you very great, wind-god?”

“Oh, yes!”

“What can you do?”

“I can blow away anything”.

The Yakña pointed to the tiny blade of grass, “All right, blow this grass away”.

Väyu applied all his force, uprooting huge trees, but the tiny blade of grass was not shaken at all. Väyudeva’s pride was also crushed.

Hanging his head, he also left.

At last, Indradeva came to investigate, but the wonderful Yakña had disappeared. There Indra saw Umädevé, the wife of Lord Çiva.

“Who was He?” Indra asked.

Umädevé said, “Don’t you know? He is the Supreme Brahman, Parabrahman. You are devoid of brahma-jïäna, knowledge of the Absolute Truth. Therefore how can you recognise Brahman? You should have brahma-jïäna”.

This is a story from the Upaniñads.13

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Prema-rasa - The Loving Mellow

Pride Is the Measuring Rod As we can see, sometimes pride crops up even among devotees.

It is very subtle. Especially in Kali-yuga, the present age, it is said, “Pride is the measuring rod”. Everyone thinks himself to be very great, “Yes. I am great!” Then others will say, “What? You are great?

No. I am greater!” Then they quarrel and fight. This is Kali-yuga, the age of quarreling and fighting. Two persons fight and quarrel, two groups fight and quarrel, two villages, two towns, two nations.

This quarreling is going on because everyone thinks, “I am great!” In such a horrible age, where pride is the measuring rod, Mahäprabhu’s teaching is essential. tåëäd api sunécena taror iva sahiñëunä amäninä mänadena kértanéyaù sadä hari “One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street; one should be more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige, and ready to offer all respect to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly.”14 Mahaprabhu gave the Hare Kåñëa mahä-mantra and you should chant it, but you should chant in a humble state of mind, then the pure name will come out. You will definitely get kåñëa-prema and Kåñëa, because the pure name is non-different from Kåñëa. You will see Kåñëa and get Kåñëa. Your life will be successful and you will go back home, back to Godhead. You will never come back to this material world. Mahäprabhu has given the highest to those who chant in a humble mood, but sometimes devotees develop pride.

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Prema-rasa - The Loving Mellow “Don’t you know who I am? I am the temple president!” “Don’t you know who I am? I am the saìkértana leader, yeah!” Such pride is there. “Don’t you know who I am? I am the number-one book distributor!” “Don’t you know who I am? I am a member of the GBC!” It is so subtle that it may happen unconsciously. If you develop such pride, how can you chant the pure name? Unless your pride is crushed, you cannot chant the pure name. It is said, “Pride comes before a fall”. Therefore Kåñëa is so merciful, He crushes His devotee’s pride, as He did with Arjuna when they met the jambuka.

Take Care of Your Pot When one develops pride it is a great obstacle on the path of devotional service. Therefore, though we are engaged in devotional service for many years, still we cannot obtain the mercy of Mahäprabhu. We cannot chant the pure name and get kåñëa-prema.

Although Mahäprabhu gives kåñëa-prema-rasa, we cannot receive it because our container, the heart, is not perfect. Pride, arrogance, conceit, lust, anger, greed and enviousness are the holes in the pot.

Though this prema is being given indiscriminately, if we have not taken care of our heart, everything just pours out. Therefore take care of what is in your heart.

How to Chant the Pure Name tåëäd api sunécena taror iva sahiñëunä amäninä mänadena kértanéyaù sadä hariù15 One should think oneself to be the lowest of the low, much humbler than a blade of grass. Mahaprabhu personally set up the example. There should be no pride at all. One should be as tolerant as a tree. You should not demand respect for yourself, but rather you

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Prema-rasa - The Loving Mellow should pay respect to one and all, because Kåñëa is there in everyone’s heart. If you chant hare kåñëa in this mood you will definitely get kåñëa-prema. Otherwise you cannot chant the pure name. Nämäkñara bahiräya baöe, tabu näma kabhu naya,16 the sound and the syllables of the mahä-mantra may be uttered, but without humility, it is not real chanting. Only letters of the alphabet will come out. Akñara, just the syllables ‘ha’, ‘re’, ‘kåñ’, ‘ëa’, ‘rä’, ‘ma’. The name is not coming out. The pure name is non different from Kåñëa, but what are you chanting?

What is coming out, the syllables or the name? The pure name is Kåñëa and only one who has kåñëa-prema can chant that pure name. No one else can chant the pure name. Sometimes nämäbhäsa, a shadow of the holy name may be there, or nämaparädha, the offence against the name. Yadi karibe kåñëa-näma, sädhu-saìga kara,17 if you really desire to chant kåñëa-näma purely, earnestly seek sädhu-saìga, the company of the pure devotees of Çré Kåñëa. Sädhu means a pure devotee who is completely Kåñëa conscious, who has kåñëa-prema and who chants the pure name. His vision is such that he sees Kåñëa everywhere and he sees everything in its relationship with Kåñëa, kåñëa-sambandha.

Bhakti-vilocanena bhakta ämä preme bändhiyäche hådaya-bhitare yähäì netra paòe tähäì dekhaye ämäre Çréla Kåñëadäsa Kaviräja Gosvämé quotes Kåñëa’s own words. “My pure devotee, premi-bhakta, has bound Me up in his heart with the rope of love. Wherever he looks he sees Me.”18 premäïjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaù sadaiva hådayeñu vilokayanti yaà çyämasundaram acintya-guëa-svarüpaà govindam ädi-puruñaà tam ahaà bhajämi

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Prema-rasa - The Loving Mellow “I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is Çyämasundara, Kåñëa Himself with inconceivable innumerable attributes, whom the pure devotees see in their heart of hearts with the eye of devotion tinged with the salve of love.”19 This vision is required. One whose eyes are smeared with the ointment of love of Godhead, who is endowed with bhakti-vilocanena, the eye of devotion; he sees the beautiful form of Çyämasundara within and without. Such a completely Kåñëa conscious person is known as a sädhu. If you associate with such a sädhu and chant hare kåñëa, then the pure name will come out. asädhu-saìge bhäé, kåñëa-näma nähi haya nämäkñara bahiräya baöe, tabu näma kabhu naya “If you do not associate with a pure sädhu, but associate instead with non-devotees, the pure name will never come. One will chant only syllables or letters of the alphabet, sometimes nämäbhäsa, otherwise only nämaaparädha.”20 If you want to chant kåñëa-näma, definitely you have to take sädhusaïga. Otherwise the name will never come out in your chanting.

Such sädhus, dear devotees of Mahaprabhu, are very merciful. They go everywhere throughout the world to preach the science of Kåñëa consciousness. They preach the message of Kåñëa and Mahäprabhu, and inculcate Kåñëa consciousness to those who are devoid of it.

Anugrahäyeha caranti nünaà bhütäni bhavyäni janärdanasya21, those sädhus have descended here out of mercy and only wander this world to deliver those who are devoid of Kåñëa consciousness.

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Prema-rasa - The Loving Mellow

You See a Sädhu Through the Ears Many may say that such sädhus are not available, “I cannot see a sädhu, and I cannot find a sädhu”. However, Bhaktivinoda Thakura and other äcäryas have said, “If there were no sun and moon, how would the world continue to exist? Similarly, if there are no sädhus, how will Kåñëa’s world go on?” We have defective vision. Because we cannot see the sädhu we say, “No such devotees are present”. However, that is not correct. Sädhu is always there. How can you see a sädhu?

Can you see a sädhu with your eyes? No, you see a sädhu through the ears. Sädhu-saìge haya kåñëa-kathä äläpana, a sädhu only speaks kåñëa-kathä. He is completely Kåñëa conscious and he is always with Kåñëa. He is fully joyful and as soon as he opens his mouth kåñëakathä comes out like the flow of a river. Then you can understand, “Yes, he is a sädhu. He only speaks kåñëa-kathä”.

Develop Greed for Sädhu-saïga One should develop such greed, “How can I associate more and more with a sädhu?” Prahläda Mahäräja, Dhruva Mahäräja and all exalted personalities have asked only for this, “O Lord, please give us sädhu-saïga”. The Pracetäs also asked for that boon when Lord Viñëu offered, “What benediction do you want?” They said, tulayäma lavenäpi na svargaà näpunar-bhavam bhagavat-saìgi-saìgasya martyänäà kim utäçiñaù “Even a moment’s association with a pure devotee cannot be compared to being transferred to heavenly planets or even merging into the Brahman effulgence in complete liberation. For living entities who are destined to give up the body and die, association with pure devotees is the highest benediction.”22

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Prema-rasa - The Loving Mellow We are residents of this martya-pura, this earth planet of birth and death. What boon is there for us? The only boon is sädhu-saïga.

There is no other boon. Even one moment’s association with such a sädhu cannot be compared to the attainment of heavenly opulence or liberation.

By having sädhu-saïga, you achieve everything. You will develop pure bhakti and thereby you will get Kåñëa. This is the only greed that should be developed. Then Kåñëa, who is there in your heart, will fulfill your desire.

Sädhu-saìge Kåñëa-näma sädhu-saìge kåñëa-näma’—ei-mätra cäi saàsära jinite ära kona vastu näi23 Jagadänanda Paëòita has said, “The only requirement is real sädhusaïga and chant the name of Kåñëa. Thereby I will be able to cross this dreadful ocean of material existence very easily and go back home, back to Godhead”. Nothing else is required.

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Prema-rasa “ The Loving Mellow”

“W

hen we speak of mellow, rasa, it is not solid, but it is liquid. Prema-rasa is to be tasted, relished. Mahäprabhu is the giver and we are the receivers of this rasa but how can we receive it? You may stretch out your hands and say, “Yes, please give me!”, but this is mellow. If someone gives you some mellow, you should approach with a container, a receptacle to accept it in. If there are holes in your container, how can you take it?

Everything will pour out. Therefore, with what type of container will we approach Mahäprabhu to receive the prema-rasa He is giving?”

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