The Mystery Behind Gundica-Marjana-Lila

The Mystery Behind

Gundicà-Màrjana-Lìlà ..

´Srì´Srìmad Gour Govinda Swami Mahàràja

The Mystery Behind

Gundicà-Màrjana-Lìlà ..

Table of Contents The Mystery Behind Guëòicä-Märjana-Lélä 1 Our Only Shelter 2 Your Heart Should be a Befitting Seat for Kåñëa 4 Mahäprabhu Cleaned with His Own Cloth 4 Four Types of Anarthas 5 Material Desires 5 Weakness of Heart 6 Aparädha - Offence 6 Misconception of the Truth 6 Faith is the Foundation 7 The Cleansing Process 8 Clean the Mirror of the Heart 10 You Can Purify Your Heart Only by Bhakti 11 Läbha-Püjä-Pratiñöhä 12 Their Hearts are Filled with Anarthas 12 Kértanäkhyä Bhakti Must be Performed 13 Mahäprabhu’s Punishment 14 Develop Unflinching Faith in the Holy Name 15 When Your Heart is Spotless 17 Questions & Answers 19

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The Mystery Behind

Guëòicä-Märjana-Lélä

Çré Çrémad Gour Govinda Swami Mahäräja A lecture delivered by Çré Çrémad Gour Govinda Swami Mahäräja on 1st July 1992, Bhubaneswar, India.

TAT T VA V I C A R A P U B L I C AT I O N S

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The Mystery Behind

Guëòicä-Märjana-Lélä

T

oday is the day Çrémän Mahäprabhu exhibited His lélä of Guëòicä-märjana, the cleaning of Guëòicä Temple, and tomorrow is Ratha-yäträ.

When Mahäprabhu was in Puré, He would clean the inside and outside of the Guëòicä Temple. How did He do it? Why did He do it? What is the purpose behind it? What is the tattva behind it? What is the mystery behind it? Mahäprabhu taught

by His example. Therefore, particularly on this day, we should understand what Mahäprabhu is teaching in order to receive His mercy and make our lives successful. The purpose of this human birth is to develop kåñëa-prema and to get Kåñëa. To understand it clearly in tattva, and to practice the truth in our life, we must speak about this and discuss it.

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Our Only Shelter Çrémän Mahäprabhu came to teach us how to develop pure bhakti, prema-bhakti, and how to obtain Kåñëa, which is the purpose of this rarely achieved human birth. If you are not able to do this, then your human birth is spoiled. Kåñëa has given you the opportunity in this very birth to obtain Him and make your life successful, and to go back home back to Godhead. Then you no longer have to stay in this material world. The material world is a nasty place; pade pade vipadäà – at every step there is danger.

It is an illusory world, and the illusory energy of the Lord, mäyä, allures, enchants and entraps everyone here.

The conditioned souls of this world are attracted to that ugly witch, mäyä, who presents herself as a very beautiful, attractive maiden. She presents real as unreal, unreal as real, happiness as distress, distress as happiness, shelter as false shelter, and false shelter as shelter. Those who are captured by mäyä, accept these as reality. The only shelter is at the lotus feet of Kåñëa and in sädhu-saìga, the association of sädhus, but mäyä presents this as untrue. Therefore the mäyä-baddha-jéva, the conditioned soul, completely under the grip of mäyä, thinks mäyä to be the shelter, and thinks there is no shelter in sädhu-saìga, and no shelter at the lotus feet of Kåñëa. The conditioned soul thinks that material enjoyment, sense enjoyment is the only happiness and pleasure.

He never thinks that such enjoyment is the cause of unhappiness and distress. Kåñëa speaks about this in Çrémad Bhagavad-gétä (5.22): ye hi saàsparça-jä bhogä duùkha-yonaya eva te ädy-antavantaù kaunteya na teñu ramate budhaù 2

The Mystery Behind Guëòicä-Märjana-Lélä

Saàsparça-jä bhogä means temporary sense enjoyment; ädy-antavantaù, it has a beginning and an end. In the beginning there may be a small amount of pleasure and happiness but the consequence is duùkha-yonaya, unlimited misery. Na teñu ramate budhaù, those who are really learned, paëòits, who understand this spiritual science, do not run after material sense enjoyment. They know that it comes with unlimited miseries. They know that real pleasure and happiness is eternal, and that the lotus feet of Kåñëa is such a place where there is eternal happiness and pleasure.

Bhaktivinode Öhäkura, a mahäjana, gaura-priya-jana, dear devotee of Gauräìga Mahäprabhu, has said, açoka abhaya amåta ädhära tomära caraëa-dvaya tähäte ekhana viçräma labhiyä chäåinu bhavera bhaya (Çaraëägati, 16) “O Lord, Your two lotus feet are a place where there is no fear, no lamentation and no death.” That abode is amåta, it is all nectar. One who takes shelter there and is completely cent percent surrendered, is freed from all material fear, lamentations, suffering and death. Therefore, the lotus feet of Kåñëa and sädhusaìga, the association of a sädhu, a çuddha-bhakta, a pure devotee of Kåñëa, who has bound up Kåñëa in his heart, who has made his pure heart a throne for Kåñëa, is real shelter. In the heart of a pure devotee there is not even a tinge of desire for material enjoyment or for liberation, hence, Kåñëa gets pleasure there eternally. Day and night, the premé-bhakta is engaged in Kåñëa’s loving service, only thinking of Kåñëa’s pleasure and happiness. Mahäprabhu taught this by manifesting guëòicä-märjana-lélä.

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Today, the day before Ratha-yäträ, devotees observe this festival of Guëòicä-märjana and clean the Guëòicä Temple on the outside and inside so that not even a tiny spot of dust or dirt will be left. Mahäprabhu did this Himself and thereby He instructed us.

Your Heart Should be a Befitting Seat for Kåñëa Thus, what is the tattva, the mystery behind guëòicä-märjanalélä? Those devotees, who are serious and very eager to have Kåñëa seated in their heart, should understand this teaching, and they should act accordingly. The first requirement is to make your heart spotless; free from the slightest tinge of material thinking and material desires. When it is spotless and sparkling like crystal then Kåñëa will happily sit in your heart. Your heart should be a befitting seat for Kåñëa so that He will remain there eternally, with pleasure.

Mahäprabhu Cleaned with His Own Cloth The day before Ratha-yäträ Mahäprabhu went with many of His devotees to the Guëòicä Mandir. While chanting Hare Kåñëa, He engaged everyone in cleaning firstly the outside, then the inside of Guëòicä. They completely cleansed the outside of the compound of any thorns, pebbles, dust, dry grass, and all kinds of dirt. The devotees were bringing water from Indradyumna Sarovara. They were cleaning with brooms and everyone kept the dirt they had collected in piles. Mahäprabhu would come to see who had collected the most dirt. Then Mahäprabhu would praise them or Mahäprabhu would chastise those whose pile of dirt was too small and had not cleaned properly. That is Mahäprabhu’s lélä.

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Thereafter the devotees cleaned inside the temple with brooms and brushes and plenty of water to clean everything nicely. Mahäprabhu Himself cleaned and wiped the floor with His own yoga-paöa, making it sparkle like crystal. With His own cloth, Mahäprabhu cleaned the siàhäsana where the Deities of Lord Jagannätha, Baladeva and Subhadra Devi were to sit. Every spot of dust or dirt had to be cleaned away; otherwise the Lord would not appear there.

Four Types of Anarthas One who is very serious and very eager to understand how to make Kåñëa sit in his heart, and to understand the mystery of Guëòicä-marjana, must first of all make his heart free of material desires or material thoughts. Only when his heart is spotless and peaceful, Kåñëa will reside there. To show this, Mahäprabhu swept up all the pebbles, thorns, grass, dust and dirt, which are compared to the anarthas. Girece nänä anarthare bhäi – O my brother, you are surrounded by many anarthas.

Material Desires There are four types of anarthas, what are they?

Devotee: Material desires, weakness of heart, aparädha, and tattvabhrama – misconception of the truth. Çré Çrémad Gour Govinda Swami: There are four types of anarthas.

Material desires, bhukti-käma and mukti-käma. Mukti – the desire for liberation, and bhukti – the desire for material enjoyment and happiness in this life and after, iha para. This is the first anartha.

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Weakness of Heart The second anartha is hådaya-daurbalya, weakness of heart.

What is that weakness of heart?

Devotee: Sometimes a devotee is performing sädhana, but at other times he fails to complete his sädhana, spiritual practice.

Sometimes he tries to renounce his family connections, at other times he is more attached. Çréla Gour Govinda Swami: Hådaya-daurbalya, weakness of heart, is kuöinäöi, käpaöya – duplicity. A duplicitous person, kapaöé, with envy, mätsarya, is never simple-hearted. One who has duplicity and envy, and runs after läbha-püjä-pratiñöhä, name, fame and adoration, is not attached to Kåñëa. Rather he is attached to things or objects other than Kåñëa, kåñëetarä-çakti. These are weakness of heart.

Aparädha - Offence The third anartha is aparädha, offence. There are four main types of aparädhas: näma-aparädha, vaiñëava-aparädha, svarüpaaparädha, as well as other aparädhas such as sevä-aparädha. The ten offences against the holy name (näma-aparädhas) all come under this third anartha.

Misconception of the Truth The fourth anartha is tattva-bhrama, misconception of tattva, truth. Sva-tattve-bhrama, kåñëa-tattve-bhrama, sädhya-sädhanatattva-bhrama, vira-tattva-bhrama. One may have misconceptions about jéva-tattva, about kåñëa-tattva, about sädhya-sädhana-tattva, or about many other tattvas. This is called tattvavad-bhrama, and it 6

The Mystery Behind Guëòicä-Märjana-Lélä

is the last of these four types of anarthas. Unless one is completely free from these anarthas, his heart will not be spotless.

Faith is the Foundation Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé has said, ädau çraddhä tataù sädhu-saìgo ‘tha bhajana-kriyä tato ‘nartha-nivåttiù syät tato niñöhä rucis tataù (Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu 1.4.15) The first requirement one must have is çraddhä, dåòha-viçväsa, strong unflinching and unshakable faith in sädhu-çästra-guruväkya, the words of sädhu, çästra, guru and Kåñëa. If you have no faith then there is no foundation, ädhä. A building cannot stand without a foundation. Otherwise, how will it be built? How will the building stand? It will collapse and you will only be building castles in the sky.

Faith is the foundation, strong, unflinching faith in the words of sädhu-çästra-guru and Kåñëa. This is Mahäprabhu’s teaching.

First is çraddhä, viçväsa, then sädhu-saìga, that means accepting guru, guru-pädäçraya, taking shelter at the lotus feet of a dear and pure devotee of Kåñëa, who is also gaura-priya-jana, a dear devotee of Gauräìga Mahäprabhu. One must accept dékñä from such a Vaiñëava guru, sädhu.

The second requirement is çraddhä läbhi’ jéva kare sad-guru vicära. You must associate, and with a humble attitude hear from the lips of a pure Vaiñëava, sädhu, placing full faith in what he says and then completely surrender to him. A sädhu speaks about tattva; jéva-tattva, kåñëa-tattva and sadhya-sädhana-tattva. He is tattva-darçé, the seer of the truth, and the knower of the truth.

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tad viddhi praëipätena paripraçnena sevayä upadekñyanti te jïänaà jïäninas tattva-darçinaù (Bhagavad-gétä 4.34) This verse describes the process. First comes praëipäta, which means surrender. Çiñyas te ‘haà çädhi mäà tväà prapannam (Bhagavad-gétä 2.7), without surrender and humility you will not be able to hear and you will not develop faith. If you have no humility but are proud and have a very great false ego, and think yourself to be very intelligent and all-knowing, then you cannot surrender. If such a person comes to hear, then this kathä will not enter his ears because he has no faith. He has doubts and thinks, “I know better. I am an all-knowing person.”

First surrender and hear with full faith. Then one can do paripraçna-sevä, service to that guru, äcärya, Vaiñëava, sädhu. After pleasing him, enquire humbly. You have so many doubts, and so many misconceptions, therefore you should humbly inquire. A bona fide sädhu-guru-mahäjana, comes in the bona fide disciplic succession, and is a gaura-priya-jana, therefore you should accept what he has said and practice that in your life. Then you will get the result. Otherwise, without first having faith, how can you receive anything? You cannot surrender because you have no faith, and this kathä will never enter into your ears, because you have no foundation. Without that foundation it is impossible.

The Cleansing Process Ädau çraddhä tataù sädhu-saìga, this means taking shelter of guru, sädhu-saìga, accepting the lotus feet of a sadhu-guru.

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Thereafter guru will teach you how to do bhajana, bhajana-kriyä.

You do not know how to do bhajana, which is serving Kåñëa through the nine types of bhakti, çravaëaà kértanaà viñëoù smaraëaà päda-sevanam arcanaà vandanaà däsyaà sakhyam ätma-nivedanam (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 7.5.23) Bhajana-kréya means sevä, loving service under the guidance of guru. Guru will teach you. He is himself engaged in it, and by practical demonstration he teaches you how to do bhajana. He never speaks theoretically; rather he is a practical teacher. This is Mahäprabhu’s process. After this comes anartha-nivåtti: when all of one’s anarthas are completely destroyed. Otherwise there is no question of being free from anarthas.

Just by Mahäprabhu manifesting this guëòicä-märjana-lélä He teaches this process. First of all you should make your heart spotless, free from all sorts of anarthas. That is the cleansing process. If even a little impurity remains in your heart, then Kåñëa will not reside there. Thus, you need to make your heart a fit place for Kåñëa to sit. Then there are the anyäviläsa anarthas. That means desire for material enjoyment, desire for mukti, liberation.

Such a person never takes to this path of bhakti, rather he takes to the path of karma, jïäna, or yoga, mystic yoga: äsana, präëäyäma, pratyähära dhyäna, dhäraëä and samädhi. These are anyäviläsa, impurities in the heart. Therefore Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé has said, anyäbhiläñitä-çünyaà jïäna-karmädy-anävåtam änukülyena kåñëänu-çélanaà bhaktir uttamä (Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu 1.1.11) 9

The Mystery Behind Guëòicä-Märjana-Lélä

No other thought or desire should arise, no desire for material enjoyment, no desire for liberation, no desire for yoga-siddhis, mystic perfections like aëimä, laghimä, mahimä, präpti, präkämya, éçitva, vaçitva and kämävasäyitä, which are temporary. änukülyena kåñëänu, a devotee should only be engaged in loving service of Kåñëa and giving pleasure and happiness to Kåñëa, desiring nothing for oneself. Everything is for Kåñëa. That is anyäbhiläñitäçünyaà, änukülyena kåñëänu. Where there are anyäviläsa, desires other than çuddha-bhakti, pure bhakti, Kåñëa will never appear in such a filthy, impure heart.

Mahäprabhu taught this by engaging in His guëòicä-märjanalélä, cleansing the Guëòicä Temple. Anyäviläsa also includes the desire to enjoy in this material world. This desire is compared to the thorns, stones and pebbles, straw and dried grass that Mahäprabhu cleared away from the Guëòicä compound. If such a desire remains, it will pierce your heart like a sharp arrow. These impurities should be cleaned away so that the heart can be çänta, peaceful, calm and quiet, and not pierced by the arrows and burning pains brought on by material desires.

Clean the Mirror of the Heart Some people worship demigods, perform different yajïas or perform some pious activities in order to be elevated to the heavenly planets and enjoy there. There is immense enjoyment in the heavenly planets. These desires, anyäviläsa, are compared to dust. Thus, Mahäprabhu cleansed the Guëòicä so that not even a single speck of dust remained. Mahäprabhu thoroughly cleaned everything and engaged all His devotees in the cleaning as well.

He threw all the dirt outside the compound, because if a strong wind was to come, again all the dirt and dust would blow back

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inside. He threw the dust far away and made sure that it would not come back again. This is because all the dirt and dust will cover the heart, which is like a mirror. If the mirror is covered with dust then there is no reflection. Ceto-darpaëa-märjanam, ceto means cita, the heart; darpana means the mirror, so after cleaning the mirror of the heart, then there will be a clear reflection. The dust that covers the mirror of the heart has accumulated over many lakhs of lives, but it can be cleaned away forever by chanting: hare kåñëa hare kåñëa kåñëa kåñëa hare hare, hare räma hare räma räma räma hare hare. Äçraya laiyä bhaje, by taking shelter of guru and doing pure, offenceless bhajana, your heart will become clean.

Without this cleansing process you will continue accumulating more and more impurities in your heart.

You Can Purify Your Heart Only by Bhakti Those who are not devotees think that by engaging in fruitive activities, karma, they are purifying their heart, but this is their misconception, bhrama. The example is the elephant entering a river to bathe. As soon as he comes out of the river, he sprays dirt all over his body. What then is the benefit of taking a bath? If you want to clean your heart through karma, it is like a hasti-snäna, the bath of an elephant; it has no value at all. Only by bhakti, pure bhakti will you be able to purify your heart, not by karma, not by jïäna, not by yoga and not by mystic yoga. There is no other way.

Once your heart is spotless, sparkling, and peaceful, it will be the fittest place for Kåñëa to sit. Then He will be seated there. This is Mahäprabhu’s teaching for us and Narottama Däsa Öhäkura has given this to us in a very nice song bhaktera hådoye sadä, vaiñëavera hådoye sadä govinda-viçräma, “Govinda, Lord Kåñëa rests in the heart of that bhakta, that Vaiñëava, whose heart is completely pure and spotless.”

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If someone takes to the path of karma or jïäna or yoga, what happens? He pierces the body of Kåñëa with a very sharp spear.

Karma-jïäna-yoga is like that. There is no question of cleansing your heart by karma-jïäna-yoga, only by engaging in pure bhakti will that happen. This sharp piercing is like the dried grass, dust and pebbles that Mahäprabhu and His devotees swept up and threw far away, leaving the area spotless.

Läbha-Püjä-Pratiñöhä After thorough cleaning, it may be that some minute spots of dust are still left behind, but they should also be removed. Those minute specks of dust are kuöinäöé, prathiñöhäçä, running after name, fame, prestige, and adoration; jéva-hiàsä, enviousness; and käpaöya, duplicity or crookedness. Some people who are running after pratiñöhä and desire name, fame and adoration, go to a solitary place to execute nirjana-bhajana. They leave the society and the association of sädhus, thereby they cheat the innocent people who think them to be great sädhus, “Oh, a great sädhu, doing nirjana-bhajan.”

Common people will offer that person who desires läbha-püjäpratiñöhä, name, fame and prestige, some respect, but he does not come out to preach the message of Guru and Gauräìga, Kåñëa.

Such a so-called “sädhu” stays in a secluded place and does nirjanabhajan, simply presenting himself as a great sädhu to the innocent people, but he is only cheating them. This is pratiñöhä.

Their Heart is Filled with Anarthas Living in seclusion, such a person does not follow niñidhäcära, the four regulative principles; no illicit sex, no intoxication, no 12

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fish-eating and meat-eating. He will say, “I am a great sädhu, don’t you know me? I am very great. I am like Lord Çiva who drank an ocean of poison. I have such çakti. Why will I follow niñidhäcära, rules and regulations? I can digest and burn them to ashes. I am like fire. Don’t you know me?” He speaks like that.

Many people may believe that he is a very great sädhu, and that Vaiñëavas are not on the same level as him, so those people may follow such a pretender. They may think that he is such a person that he can burn all these things to ashes, that he can do anything; smoke gaïjä, enjoy sex, take intoxication, drink liquor and think, I am Indra now! But those innocent people are cheated by such a person. This is his behaviour, äcära, and foolish people may flatter him, and pay respect to him, “Oh, great sädhu, these other people are not so advanced. They have so many restrictions, no fish-eating, no meat-eating, no gambling, no intoxication and no illicit sex. What is that? But you are such a great sädhu, you can do everything, digest it and burn it to ashes. I want that too!” In this way he is seen as a great sädhu.

We should understand that this is all nonsense. This is niñidhäcära, in the category of hådaya-durbalya anartha, tri-saìga karmé-jïäné-anyäviläsi is kåñëa-abhakta. Such people cannot develop bhakti at all. They cannot make Kåñëa sit in their heart. Their heart is completely filled with all these nasty, filthy anarthas.

Kértanäkhyä Bhakti Must be Performed Again and again Mahäprabhu made His devotees pour water and sweep with brooms. After that, with pieces of cloth they cleaned the area so well that not even a spot of dirt was left inside the Guëòicä. The siàhäsana, the throne where Lord Jagannätha, Kåñëa, was to sit was sparkling like crystal, and the Temple

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was so peaceful, calm and quiet. As they engaged in märjanalélä, cleaning the temple, Mahäprabhu and His associates were chanting loudly together, in saìkértana, hare kåñëa hare kåñëa kåñëa kåñëa hare hare, hare räma hare räma räma räma hare hare. This is known as kértanäkhyä bhakti. Çréla Jéva Gosvämé describes this in his Bhakti-sandarbha (173), yadyapi anyä bhaktiù kalau kartavyä, tadä kértanäkhyä bhakti-saàyogenaiva. Although there are eight other types of bhakti in Kali-yuga, they must be performed along with kértanäkhyä bhakti, the process of hearing and chanting the name and glories of the Lord, without this one cannot understand siddhänta. harer näma harer näma harer nämaiva kevalam kalau nästy eva nästy eva nästy eva gatir anyathä (Caitanya-caritämåta, Ädi-lélä 17.21) “In Kali-yuga there is no other way, no other way, no other way, harer näma eva kevalam, for self-realisation than harinäma.”

Thus, everyone should take shelter of harinäma and be engaged in hari-saìkértana: hare kåñëa hare kåñëa kåñëa kåñëa hare hare, hare räma hare räma räma räma hare hare. Otherwise you will not be able to develop bhakti at all in Kali-yuga, there is no other way. It is only possible through chanting Hare Kåñëa, in saìkértana.

Mahäprabhu’s Punishment While they were cleaning the Guëòicä Temple Mahäprabhu was looking to see how much each devotee was cleaning, and how much dirt they had collected, whether it was a large or a small amount. Mahäprabhu was personally overseeing the cleaning and taught the devotees, “Do it like this. Polish in this way, and pour

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water, and sweep. Then pour more water, and wipe it. There is another spot here, clean the area.” Mahäprabhu would praise the one who had cleaned the best, or if they had not cleaned properly He would mildly chastise them and sometimes catch hold of a devotee’s hand to show him how to clean in a certain way.

Mahäprabhu was a practical teacher, and He was encouraging the devotees to completely destroy all these anarthas so that not even a tiny dirty spot remained. In this way, the heart becomes a fit place for Lord Kåñëa to sit, hådaya-siàhäsana. Otherwise Kåñëa will never sit there. Some may not have become completely cleansed of all their anarthas. If they have only cleaned a percentage, maybe 75%, then 25% remains, but it should be cent percent; not even a tiny dirty spot should be left. If the heart is not 100% clean then Mahäprabhu inflicts a punishment. What kind of punishment is it? The punishment is to serve Hari, guru and Vaiñëava. Come, be engaged in the service of Hari, guru and Vaiñëava. That is the punishment for you. When sädhu-guru-vaiñëava inflicts punishment on you, and if you accept their punishment gladly and get their mercy, then you will be completely cleansed.

Develop Unflinching Faith in the Holy Name ära kabe nitäi-cänder karuëä hoibe saàsära-bäsanä mora kabe tuccha ha’be kabe nitäi-cänder karuëä hoibe viñaya chäòiyä kabe çuddha ha’be mana kabe häma herabo çré-våndävana (Gauräìga Bolite Habe / Lälasmayé Prärthanä Song 1) This is Narottama Däsa Öhäkura’s song: “When will the day come when I will get the causeless mercy of Nitäicand, Nityänanda

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Prabhu, and my heart will be completely cleansed of the desire for material enjoyment, and not even a tiny speck of dust will be there? Viñaya chäòiyä kabe çuddha habe mana kabe häma heraba çré-våndävana, when my mind will be completely pure, without a tinge of material desire, then I can enter and see Våndävana and see how Kåñëa is there performing His transcendental pastimes.

Otherwise I will not be able to see.” Through chanting Hare Kåñëa, Mahäprabhu has taught us this. nämnaiva präduräséd avatarati pare yatra taà naumi gauram (Çré Caitanya-candrämrta 11) We pay obeisances to that Gaura who gave kåñëa-prema, love of Kåñëa indiscriminately through chanting hare kåñëa hare kåñëa kåñëa kåñëa hare hare, hare räma hare räma räma räma hare hare.

One should develop unflinching faith in the holy name. There is no difference between the name of Kåñëa and Kåñëa Himself, abhinnatvän näma-näminoù. Moreover, this holy name of Kåñëa is more merciful than Kåñëa. Kåñëa is most merciful, but the name of Kåñëa is more merciful than Kåñëa. That is extra, and one should have complete faith in it, unflinching faith. It is a question of faith, nothing else, dådha-çraddha. Çréla Bhaktivinode Öhäkura has written a song about this in his Hari-näma-cintämaëi, näme dåòha haile nähi haya päpe mati pürva-päpa dagdha haya citta çuddha ati (Hari-näma-cintämaëi 9.4) “If you are fixed in the holy name and have unflinching faith in chanting it, and are completely taking shelter of this holy 16

The Mystery Behind Guëòicä-Märjana-Lélä

name of Kåñëa, then there is no question at all that the thought of material enjoyment will enter into your mind. In other words this means that there will be no thought of sinful activity in your mind. Rather, all sinful reactions from previous births will be completely destroyed, and your heart will be completely pure.” kåñëa rakñä-kartä eka mätra bali jäne jévane pälana-kartä kåñëa eka mane (Hari-näma-cintämaëi 9.11) “Kåñëa is my maintainer, Kåñëa is my protector, no one else.”

Such a devotee considers Kåñëa to be his only protector and the maintainer of his life. At every moment, a person with such unflinching faith is chanting and remembering the holy name.

When Your Heart is Spotless ahaà-mama buddhy-äçakti nä räkhe hådaye déna-bhäve näma laya sakala samaye (Hari-näma-cintämaëi 9.12) A person with a clean heart does not think in terms of ‘I’ and ‘mine’. Janasya moho ‘yam ahaà mameti*, I am this and that or something else. This is mine, and that is mine. This body is mine, this family is mine, my wife and children are mine, my bank balance is mine, this land and property is mine, everything is mine! This is delusion, moha.

Rather that person thinks; everything belongs to Kåñëa. He is my eternal master, and I am His eternal servant. I do not belong to myself. I belong to Kåñëa and this body is Kåñëa’s property, *Çrémad-Bhägavatam 5.5.8

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it is meant for Kåñëa’s service, not for me or my enjoyment, it is for Kåñëa’s enjoyment. Such a person is completely free from the concept of ‘I’ and ‘mine’, and is always, day and night, with humility chanting, hare kåñëa hare kåñëa kåñëa kåñëa hare hare, hare räma hare räma räma räma hare hare. Because he is fixed in it, he gets the mercy of the holy name, which is more merciful than Kåñëa. He has strong unflinching faith in the holy name and that faith is never shaken, not even for a moment. He has dåòha mana, a very strong mind that is completely fixed in the holy name.

He never deviates from Kåñëa. He never forgets Kåñëa, he is completely attached, and therefore no other thought will enter into his mind. He gets the mercy of Mahäprabhu and His dear devotees, and then very quickly he develops kåñëa-prema and gets Kåñëa. In this way he achieves perfection in his human birth. In other words, when your consciousness and mind are spotless, your heart is spotless and has not even a speck of impurity; then Kåñëa resides there.

This is the mystery behind guëòicä-märjana-lélä. Tomorrow will be Ratha-Yäträ, we will drag Kåñëa to Guëòicä, to our purified heart, and He will sit there. Otherwise Kåñëa will never come. So today each and every one of you should make your hearts clean, so that Kåñëa will appear in your heart. Otherwise you will not be able to take part in Ratha-yäträ. Jagannätha will never come into your heart.

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The Mystery Behind Guëòicä-Märjana-Lélä

Questions & Answers Devotee: Mahäräja, you said, “For those whose hearts are not completely clean, Mahäprabhu inflicts punishment upon them that they should serve Hari, guru, and Vaiñëava.” But what is the formula for those whose heart is clean? Is it not the same process for everyone? Çré Çrémad Gour Govinda Swami: Those with a cent percent clean heart will go out and preach and help others, inculcate Kåñëa consciousness unto them. That is doing good to others.

Such a person never hesitates to go out and preach. He never hesitates or says, “I am sick or very weak today, I can’t do it.” No such thoughts come. He has life, real life, jévana, otherwise he is a dead body, without life, breathing only like the bellows of a blacksmith.

He will run hither and thither, speaking and speaking without feeling tired. I was not tired, even with this old body. I just arrived, and then calo, we had to leave again because we had a program and the people were waiting. But it was so enlivening. It is real life. Everyone hears pure kathä, kåñëa-kathä, and wherever you go everyone becomes attracted. Kåñëa is all-attractive. When you speak pure kåñëa-kathä, there is no other tinge of desire. The result is that you feel so blissful and so enlivened and do not feel tired. One can go without resting and eating, travelling for many hours, just to preach. We went to a place far away, the car was winding its way up and around so many hills. Many devotees and many disappointed and disheartened Prabhupäda disciples were there. So I went there to speak. You see, this is what Mahäprabhu taught us.

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The Mystery Behind Guëòicä-Märjana-Lélä

Devotee 2: Guru Mahäräja, we engage in this process to increase our faith but then it seems sometimes it becomes lost. Çré Çrémad Gour Govinda Swami: Why lost?

Devotee 2: As you said, “Some devotees are disappointed, they lose their faith”. Çré Çrémad Gour Govinda Swami: Because they are not accepting discipline of Hari, guru and Vaiñëava. That is the only reason. I said that Mahäprabhu inflicted this punishment upon those whose anarthas are not cent percent cleansed away. This is the process for you; engage in the service of Hari, guru and Vaiñëava. Then Hari, guru and Vaiñëava will discipline you. If you accept it gladly then you will get the mercy and inspiration; and enthusiasm will come. There is no question of disappointment at all. There is no question of pessimism; it is all optimism.

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The Mystery Behind

Gundicà-Màrjana-Lìlà ..

“W

hen Mahäprabhu was in Puré, He would clean the inside and outside of the Guëòicä Temple. How did He do it? Why did He do it? What is the purpose behind it? What is the tattva behind it? What is the mystery behind it?

Mahäprabhu taught by His example. Therefore, particularly on this day, we should understand what Mahäprabhu is teaching in order to receive His mercy and make our lives successful.”

TAT T VA V I C A R A P U B L I C AT I O N S

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www.gourgovindaswami.com