Guru-seva is Everything by Tattva Vicara Publications

! g n i h t y r e v E7 sri srimad gour govinda swami maharaja Tattva vicara publications

guru-seva is

! g n i h t y r Eve7

Guru-sevĀ is everything The information in this booklet is a lecture on Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.2.10, delivered by Çré Çrémad Gour Govinda Swami Mahäräja on 24 June 1994, Towaco, New Jersey, USA. This lecture is from the book Çré Guru Makes Kåñëa Appear in Your Heart. Quotes from the books of Çréla A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupäda are copyrighted © The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International. First Edition 200 copies. ISBN: 978-0-9943759-3-3 © 2017 Tattva Vicara Publications

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guru-seva is

! g n i h t y r Eve7 sri srimad gour govinda swami maharaja

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

Table of Contents Glorification of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Only Non-Envious Devotees Can Understand Dharma-Tattva

Hear Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from the Right Source

The Essence of All Vedic Literature

Kṛṣṇa Appears in Four Forms

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No Scripture Is As Good As Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam

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The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Is Filled with Ecstatic Love

Grantha-Bhāgavata & Bhakta-Bhāgavata

Nityaṁ Bhāgavata-Sevayā

Guru-sevā is Everything

What Is Proper Enquiry?

Who Knows the Perfect Answers?

Depend Completely on Kṛṣṇa

Be Restless and Cry in Your Heart

Saubhāgya or Durbhāgya — Good Fortune or Bad Fortune

Serve Kṛṣṇa Without Duplicity

Kṛṣṇa Assumes a Body and Appears as Guru

Bhagavat-Māyā Sends a Guru

How Can You Get Spiritual Strength?

Surrender – Serve & Enquire

Complete Surrender & Unflinching Faith

To Disobey the Order of the Spiritual Master

Who Can Save Us from this Precarious Situation?

What Does Sannyāsa Mean?

The Proper Use of Our Minute Independence

Follow the Order As It Is

Run Behind Him with Leech-Like Tenacity

You Must Approach Guru

Distress & Hardship Are My Supreme Asset

Kṛṣṇa and Sudāmā Set an Example

Serve Guru with a Loving Heart

n o i t a c i f i or l G of the – –

´ Srimad-bhagavatam 'kåñëa-bhakti-rasa-svarüpa’ çré-bhägavata täte veda-çästra haite parama mahattva (Çré Caitanya-caritämåta, Madhya-lélä 25.150) The Çrémad-Bhägavatam is kåñëa-bhakti-rasa, the mellow of kåñëa-bhakti, the essence of all Vedas, Upaniñads. It is the natural commentary on Brahmä-sütra, Vedänta-sütra. The Vedänta-sütra is compiled by Çréla Vyäsadeva and Vyäsadeva Himself gave the commentary.

yasyäà vai çrüyamäëäyäà kåñëe parama-püruñe bhaktir utpadyate puàsaù çoka-moha-bhayäpahä (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.7.7) Only by hearing Çrémad-Bhägavatam from the right source, one can very easily develop kåñëa-bhakti. As a result: fear, lamentation, and delusion will be completely destroyed.

Only Non-Envious Devotees Can Understand Dharma-Tattva 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 (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.1.2)

Glorification of the Srimad-Bhagavatam The Çrémad-Bhägavatam speaks about bhägavate-dharma, not kaitava-dharma, cheating dharma. Kaitava means ‘cheating’. Kaitava catuñöaya, there are four types of cheating dharma: dharma, artha, käma and mokña. But the Çrémad-Bhägavatam speaks of pure kåñëaprema-dharma, prema-pumarthaù. Who can understand this? Paramo nirmatsaräëäà satäà vedyaà, only those devotees who are not envious at all can understand this dharma-tattva.

Hear Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from the Right Source Hearing Çrémad-Bhägavatam from the right source is so effective that you will very easily develop kåñëa-bhakti. Not only that, but sadyo hådy avarudhyate’ tra kåtibhiù çuçrüñubhis tat-kåsaëät – if someone develops the desire to go and hear Çrémad-Bhägavatam, just by the development of that desire, the Supreme Lord who resides in their heart becomes immediately awakened. When you hear from the right source and develop prema-bhakti, the Supreme Lord becomes bound by that love. This is the effect of hearing Çrémad-Bhägavatam.

The Essence of All Vedic Literature artho ‘yam brahma-süträëäm bhäratärtha-vinirëayaù gäyatré-bhäñya-rüpo ‘sau vedärtha-paribåàhitaù (Garuòa Puräëa) The following four topics are present in the Çrémad-Bhägavatam: 1. artho ‘yam brahma-süträëäm – the natural commentary on Brahmäsütra. 2. Bhäratärtha-vinirëayaù – the purports of the Mahäbhärata. 3. Gäyatré-bhäñya – a commentary on the gäyatré-mantra. 4. Vedärtha-vistära – the elaborate explanation of all Vedic teaching.

Glorification of the Srimad-Bhagavatam You will find that Çrémad-Bhägavatam begins with gäyatré artha. gäyatréra arthe ei grantha-ärambhana “satyaà paraà” sambandha, “dhémahi” sädhana prayojana (Caitanya-caritämåta, Madhya-lélä 25.147)

The Caitanya-caritämåta states gäyatréra arthe ei granthaärambhana. The grantha bhägavata äpanä begins with the gäyatré artha, which is an explanation of the gäyatré-mantra: satyaà paraà dhémahi. So it contains gäyatré-bhäñya and everything else: it is the essence of all Vedic literature.

Kṛṣṇa Appears in Four Forms bhägavata, tulasé, gaìgäya, bhakta-jane caturdhä vigraha kåñëa ei cäri sane “Kåñëa appears in this material world in four forms: ÇrémadBhägavatam, tulasé, Gaìgä, and the bhakta-bhägavata.” (Caitanya-bhägavata, Madhya-khaëòa 21.081)

No Scripture Is As Good As Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam bhägavata-çästre se bhaktira tattva kahe teïi bhägavata-sama kona çästra nahe (Caitanya-bhägavata, Antya-khaëòa 3.509) Prema-bhakti-tattva is described in Bhägavata, therefore no scripture is as good as Çrémad-Bhägavatam.

Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Gosvämé Prabhupäda said that if all the books from the library of the world would be destroyed there will be no harm if only Çrémad-Bhägavatam remains because it contains everything.

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Glorification of the Srimad-Bhagavatam The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Is Filled with Ecstatic Love prema-maya bhägavata—çré-kåñëera aìga tähäte kahena yata gopya kåñëa-raìga “The Çrémad-Bhägavatam is filled with ecstatic love. It is the body of Lord Kåñëa. All confidential pastimes of Kåñëa are described in it.” (Caitanya-bhägavata, Antya-khaëòa 3.516)

Çrémad-Bhägavatam is non-different from Kåñëa, it is the body of Kåñëa, kåñëera çré-aìga. Kåñëa is prema-maya, sat-cid-änanda, änandamaya, so Bhägavata is also prema-maya. Tähäte kahena yata gopya kåñëaraìga, all confidential nectarean pastimes are described in the ÇrémadBhägavatam.

Grantha-Bhāgavata & Bhakta-Bhāgavata Dui sthäne bhägavata-näma çuni-mätra, eko grantha-bhägavata, ära eko bhakta-bhägavata – in two places we hear the name bhägavata. One is grantha-bhägavata, the book bhägavata and another is bhakta-bhägavata, the devotee bhägavata. dui bhägavata dvärä diyä bhakti-rasa täìhära hådaye täìra preme haya vaça (Caitanya-caritämåta, Ädi-lélä 1.100) Through these two bhägavatas, grantha-bhägavata and bhaktabhägavata, Kåñëa gives bhakti-rasa, the mellow of bhakti, which is prema-bhakti. He becomes bound by that prema-bhakti. These are all glorifications of the Çrémad-Bhägavatam.

Glorification of the Srimad-Bhagavatam Nityaṁ Bhāgavata-Sevayā 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 mleccha or yavana, and he will be punished by Yamaräja life after life.” (Caitanya-bhägavata, Ädi-khaëòa 1.39)

Therefore, nityaà bhägavata-sevayä, as a daily activity one should go and approach a bhakta-bhägavata to hear and study Bhägavata from him. This should be done: sthäne sthitäù çruti-gatäà tanu-väì-manobhir, ye präyaço ‘jita jito ‘py asi tais tri-lokyäm*, in whatever position one may be, there is no need of changing that position. The only thing you should do every day is to approach a bhakta-bhägavata to hear and study Bhägavata from him. Thereby you will develop prema-bhakti, çuddha-bhakti, pure bhakti, and you will be able to conquer the unconquerable, ajita jita. Although Ajita, Kåñëa is unconquerable in the three worlds; in so doing you can conquer Him. By hearing Çrémad-Bhägavatam from the right source you will develop such kåñëa-bhakti. That is the effect of hearing Çrémad-Bhägavatam. This is all glorification of the Çrémad-Bhägavatam. Before studying or speaking the Bhägavatam we glorify Bhägavata as we glorify the Supreme Lord, because the Bhägavatam is non-different from the Supreme Lord Kåñëa.

1. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 10.14.3, Brahmä’s prayers to Lord Kåñëa.

Oà Viñëupäda Paramahaàsa Parivräjakäcärya Añöottara-çata

Çré Çrémad Gour Govinda Swami Mahäräja

Guru-sevá8 is Everything

What Is Proper Enquiry? In the Çrémad-Bhägavatam it is said: kämasya nendriya-prétir läbho jéveta yävatä jévasya tattva-jijïäsä närtho yaç ceha karmabhiù “Life’s desires should never be directed toward sense gratification. One should desire only a healthy life, or selfpreservation, since a human being is meant for enquiry about the Absolute Truth. Nothing else should be the goal of one’s works.” (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.2.10)

hat is proper enquiry and what subject should one enquire about? Jévasya tattva-jijïäsä närtho yaç ceha karmabhiù – one should not enquire about the comforts and pleasures of the body. “How can I fulfill my material desires?” “How can I enjoy?” These are not tattva-jijïäsä, enquiries about tattva. Do not enquire about these things: kämasya nendriya-prétir läbho jéveta yävatä.

Guru-sevá is Everything What is the purpose of my survival? What is the goal of my life? What is the purpose of this rarely achieved human birth? What is the supreme attainment? That is proper enquiry. All of your activities should centre on tattva-jijïäsä: enquiry about tattva. Çréla Sanätana Gosvämé is a mahäjana. Mahäjano yena gataù sa panthäù – the mahäjanas have shown us the path, so we follow in their footprints. When Çréla Sanätana Gosvämé met Çrémän Mahäprabhu, what did he enquire about? He asked, “Who am I? What is my real identification? Why have I been afflicted with the three täpas, ädhyätmika, ädhibhautika, and ädhidaivika? What shall I do so that I will achieve all auspiciousness? What is the goal of my life, and what shall I do to achieve that goal? What is my duty? What is my necessity?” These are all enquiries about tattva: tattva-jijïäsä.

Who Knows the Perfect Answers? tad viddhi praëipätena paripraçnena sevayä upadekñyanti te jïänaà jïäninas tattva-darçinaù “Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Enquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realised soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth.” (Bhagavad-gétä 4.34)

This verse from the Bhagavad-gétä describes who it is that knows the perfect, correct answers to your questions: a tattva-darçi – he who is a seer of the truth. What is the truth? Advaya-jïäna-tattva vraje vrajendra-nandana – the Absolute Truth is Vrajendra-kumära, the son of Nanda Mahäräja in Vrajabhümi. He is

Guru-sevá is Everything the Absolute Truth. Who is the seer of the truth? One who is the knower of the truth. Only that person who is a seer of the truth, a knower of the truth, can answer these questions perfectly. Otherwise, no one can answer these questions. One should meet such a guru who is the seer of the Absolute Truth – Nanda-nandana Kåñëa.

Depend Completely on Kṛṣṇa Where is such a person available? Do you know him? If you do not know him, then how can you get him? Do you have knowledge about him? The conditioned soul has no knowledge about such a person. The conditioned soul has four defects: bhrama – the tendency to make mistakes; pramäda – the tendency to be illusioned; vipralipsä – the tendency to cheat; and karaëäpäöava – imperfect or defective senses. If you think that you will accept something as true if you can see it with your eyes, then you will be cheated. What you see is not correct. You have defective senses. When you are sitting in a fast-moving train and look at the trees outside, what do you see? The trees seem to be swiftly running backwards, don’t they? But is that correct? You are moving and the trees are standing still, but you see something different. So how can you think – I will see? You have defective senses, so how can you see? How can you understand and recognise who is guru? Devotee: Kåñëa will send him to us. Çré Çrémad Gour Govinda Swami: Yes, that is a fact. Pray to Kåñëa, Kåñëa knows. “O Kåñëa, I am Your servant. You are my eternal master. I want to serve You. How can I serve You? Where are You and where am I? I am rotting in this whirlpool of mäyä, here in the material world. It is impossible on my part to serve

Guru-sevá is Everything You. Who is there to help me and take me to You? That is guru, Your dear devotee, Your pure devotee. You know him. I do not know him. You know who is dear to You. You know Your own men. I do not know them. Please help me. I need such a person as Your dear devotee. If I meet him, surrender unto him, render service to him, and if he is pleased, then he will introduce me to You. Otherwise, how can I be introduced to You?” This is the only process: depend completely on Kåñëa. Kåñëakaruëä-maya, Kåñëa is very merciful. Kåñëa is the supreme father. We are His children. We have forgotten Him. We have been placed here in this dreadful ocean of material existence, but He always thinks of His children, and how we can come to Him. He is always very merciful.

Be Restless and Cry in Your Heart You have to cry and cry before Him: Kåñëa please help me! Please send one of Your own very dear men who will help me and take me to You! Then Kåñëa will make that arrangement. Kåñëa’s arrangement is the perfect arrangement. If you make your own arrangement, it will be defective. You should depend completely on the mercy of Kåñëa and you should cry for it in your heart. Not that you will sleep soundly, thinking; Oh, Kåñëa will send him to me. No, you should feel restless; How can I get it? When will I get the mercy of Kåñëa and meet His dear devotee, a sädhu-guru? You should always be feeling restless and cry in your heart. If your head has caught on fire, can you sit still? No. You will run! Looking for water you will not be able to sit still. You are actually in a similar condition, so you should cry: O Kåñëa, O Kåñëa! Please, please shower Your mercy on me. Send Your dear devotee to me. I am burning. I am burning here in a frying pan.

Guru-sevá is Everything The material world is saàsära-dävänala, a blazing forest fire. There is a verse in the Fifth Canto of the Çrémad-Bhägavatam wherein Jaòa Bharata says to Räja Rahügaëa that this material world is a forest, bhaväöavé. You are inside that forest and do not know your way. Is it this way or is it that way? Which way is it? In the jungle there are so many trees, thorns, pebbles, ferocious animals, mountains – so many obstacles. I am bewildered – Where to go? Where to go? Sometimes the friction of two pieces of wood generates a fire there. Oh, I am burning now in the forest fire. Your head is on fire. How can you sit still? Where is water? Where is water? Where is water? You quickly run! Similarly you have to cry, then Kåñëa can understand – Yes, now he is crying for Me. And then Kåñëa will make an arrangement.

Saubhāgya or Durbhāgya Good Fortune or Bad Fortune brahmäëòa bhramite kona bhägyavän jéva guru-kåñëa-prasäde päya bhakti-latä béja “According to their karma, all living entities are wandering throughout the entire universe. Out of many millions of wandering living entities, one who is very fortunate gets an opportunity to associate with a bona fide spiritual master by the grace of Kåñëa. By the mercy of both Kåñëa and the spiritual master, such a person receives the seed of the creeper of devotional service.” (Caitanya-caritämåta, Madhya-lélä 19.151)

The word ‘bhägyavän’ is very significant. After wandering through many, many universes, a jéva who is bhägyavän – fortunate, by the mercy of Kåñëa, gets guru. Then by the mercy of guru,

Guru-sevá is Everything he gets Kåñëa. Guru-kåñëa-kåpä – by the mercy of Kåñëa and the mercy of guru, the seed of the bhakti creeper will be available. So according to one’s bhägya, good fortune, guru is available. One may have good fortune or bad fortune, saubhägya or durbhägya. One who has good fortune gets Kåñëa’s mercy and gets a guru sent by Kåñëa. But, if one has bad fortune, how can he obtain çré-guru? Kåñëa is the all-knowing person, sarvajïa. He knows that different persons have different tastes and temperaments. They are not all equal. Your taste is not the same as his or hers. All individuals differ. Kåñëa knows all this. So accordingly, an arrangement is made. This devotee needs a different type of guru. That type of guru will be made available. “Yes, you want to marry a nice lady? That is what you desire? All right, marry her.” But that is not the business of guru. That is Mäyä’s business. So Kåñëa says, “All right, Mäyä, you send a guru to him. He needs that kind of guru.”

Serve Kṛṣṇa Without Duplicity Simplicity is Vaiñëavism – saralatä hi vaiñëavatä. Those who are simple have no other desire in their heart. Oh no, Kåñëa, I only want to serve You. I do not want anything from You. This is niñkapaöa-seväta, to serve Kåñëa without duplicity. na dhanaà na janaà na sundaréà kavitäà vä jagad, éça kämaye mama janmani janmanéçvare bhavatäd bhaktir ahaituké tvayi (Çré Çikñäñöaka 4) “O Kåñëa, I do not want material wealth from You. I do not want material followers – janam from You. Na sundaréà kavitäà – I do not want a beautiful woman from You. I do not want lib-

Guru-sevá is Everything eration from You. Janmani janmanéçvare bhavatäd bhaktir ahaituké tvayi – life after life, I only want to render loving service unto You, giving You all pleasure and happiness. I do not want anything else from You.” This is niñkapaöa-seväta – service without duplicity. He, who is completely dependent on the Supreme Lord Kåñëa, is bhägyavän – a fortunate soul. He is simple-hearted, without duplicity. He does not want anything for himself from Lord Kåñëa. He only wants to give all pleasure and happiness to Kåñëa. Kåñëa becomes pleased with him. He is a really fortunate soul, bhägyavän jéva. Kåñëa Himself appears before him as guru. And when he speaks it is very sweet, pleasing to hear: karëa-rasäyana.

Kṛṣṇa Assumes a Body and Appears as Guru The Kaöha Upaniñad (1.2.23) states: näyam ätmä pravacanena labhyo na medhayä na bahunä çrutena yam evaiña våëute tena labhyas tasyaiña ätmä vivåëute tanuà sväm You cannot understand ätma-tattva, paramätmä-tattva by dint of material scholarship, learning, merit, or intelligence. Na bahunä çrutena – you cannot understand it by hearing from many orators, karmés, jïänés, yogés and panditäs. One may then wonder, how can I understand You, Kåñëa? How can I get Kåñëa? How can I serve Kåñëa? For one who only has this desire and nothing else, Kåñëa manifests before him as guru – yam evaiña våëute tena labhyas, tasyaiña ätmä vivåëute tanuà sväm. Kåñëa

Guru-sevá is Everything is there in the heart as Paramätmä. He understands – he is crying for Me. So He assumes a body, tanu, and appears as guru.

Bhagavat-Māyā Sends a Guru Kåñëa knows those who are not simple-hearted, who are crooked, and who have some other desires. Kåñëa knows all this very well. So Kåñëa directs Mäyä to send a guru to them – send a guru to her, send a guru to him. Mäyä then makes an arrangement, and instead of obtaining a real teacher they get a cheater. Bhagavat-mäyä sends a guru to them, but for those who are without duplicity, simple-hearted, who have no other desire, who are crying in their heart how to get Kåñëa, how to understand Him and serve Him, Kåñëa Himself appears before them as guru. This is how you can get guru.

How Can You Get Spiritual Strength? How can you get strength? I am not talking about physical strength, but spiritual strength. Devotee: Is it by the combined mercy of guru and Kåñëa? Çré Çrémad Gour Govinda Swami: If you serve guru with love and affection, you will get immense strength. Guru-sevä and näma-sevä – service to guru and service to the holy name. If you can do that then you will get immense strength. To whom does Kåñëa listen? One who prays – O Kåñëa, I do not want anything from You, na dhanaà na janaà na sundaréà kavitäà. I do not want anything for my pleasure and happiness

Guru-sevá is Everything from You. I am completely dependent on Your will. Whatever You want from me, even if it is very, very difficult on my part to fulfill Your will, still I want that. It is my happiness to fulfill Your will.” Kåñëa listens only to his prayers. Kåñëa is all-auspicious. There is nothing inauspicious in His arrangements, but we cannot understand them. We are on the bodily platform. We always want bodily comforts and enjoyment. If there is anything uncomfortable for the body we do not want it. Kåñëa will never listen to such a person. Kåñëa listens to one who with a pure, open heart says, “O Kåñëa! I don't want anything from You.” Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura sings about this in Gétävalé (4.1): prabhu tava pada-yuge mora nivedan nähi mägi deha-sukha, vidyä, dhana, jana “O Lord, this is my prayer at Your lotus feet. I do not want deha-sukha. I do not ask You for my bodily comfort, happiness or enjoyment. Vidyä, dhana, jana – I do not ask You for material education, material wealth or material followers.” This is the same prayer Mahäprabhu gave us, na dhana na jana. Bhaktivinoda sings: nähi mägi svarga, ära mokña nähi magi*, I do not ask you for heavenly enjoyment, svarga-sukha. The demigods are having an abundance of enjoyment in the heavenly planets. I do not want it. I am not asking for that. I also do not want mokña, liberation. I am not asking for that. nija-karma-guna-doñe je je janma päi janme janme jeno tava näma-guna gäi (Gétävalé, Jhäìphi-Lophä 4.2) *Gétävalé, Jhäìphi-Lophä 4.2

Guru-sevá is Everything Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura says, “I am not asking You to destroy my karma-phala, the reactions to my karma. If according to my guëa and karma I deserve to take birth as a worm, let me have it, but, in that birth I also want to serve You. Janme janme jeno tava näma-guna gäi, whatever birth I deserve according to my karma, in that birth I want to sing Your holy name. I want to serve You.” Kåñëa listens only to his prayer. Otherwise, Kåñëa will not listen. Kåñëa, give me a good wife. Kåñëa give me this, give me that. Jumping from one branch to another branch. He will not listen to you. How can one understand the Supreme Lord? Devotee 2: By bhakti, devotional service. Çré Çrémad Gour Govinda Swami: Do you know what devotional service is? You have to hear, çravaëaà. You have to hear bhagavat-kathä with strong, unflinching faith from the lips of sad-guru, çré-guru. You have to surrender yourself completely at the lotus feet of guru and listen. There is no other way to understand Kåñëa.

Surrender - Serve & Enquire Devotee 2: Does such a guru have to be physically present? Çré Çrémad Gour Govinda Swami: Oh yes. He is a person. He is not impersonal. Devotee 2: One may say, I will read books and ... Çré Çrémad Gour Govinda Swami: The books say, çästra says: accept guru. You have to accept. You have to go there and do praëipäta, paripraçna and sevä – surrender, serve, and enquire. From whom will you enquire, the book?

Guru-sevá is Everything Devotee 2: If the guru leaves the planet before you have attained prema … Çré Çrémad Gour Govinda Swami: Are bäbä! Guru makes all these arrangements. Do not worry about it. His arrangements are perfect arrangements. He has taken that responsibility; he has accepted you as a disciple. He has not rejected you. Guru means heavy, not laghu, light. The opposite of guru is laghu. Guru’s responsibility is very heavy. He has accepted the heavy responsibility to take you out of the fort of Mäyä. You are imprisoned in the fort of Durgä-devé or Mäyä. Guru has accepted that responsibility to take you out. He knows his responsibility. It is up to him. Do not worry about it. You just serve guru. You just completely surrender. You should have firm, unflinching faith in guru and completely surrender. Listen to what he says and follow it as it is. Do not twist it. Do not add any of your deliberation to it. Do not concoct anything. Then everything is assured.

Complete Surrender & Unflinching Faith Devotee 1: Prabhupäda initiated about 10,000 disciples, and perhaps 95% have gone. What is their destination? Çré Çrémad Gour Govinda Swami: Why did they go? Devotee 2: No faith? Çré Çrémad Gour Govinda Swami: Yes, they had no faith. Devotee 1: So is Prabhupäda still responsible for them? Çré Çrémad Gour Govinda Swami: Why? If you have no faith in guru, why will he be responsible for you? They have no faith in guru and are not surrendered. They were great pretenders. They

Guru-sevá is Everything pretended that they were surrendered, but they were not surrendered. Otherwise why did they go away? Devotee 1: So even though we get initiation, unless we actually surrender, the guru will not take responsibility for us? Çré Çrémad Gour Govinda Swami: No. Why will he not surrender? He has no faith in guru. It was only a formality. You have no faith. You are not really surrendered. You have only pretended that you were surrendered. As Kåñëa knows everything, guru knows everything. As you sow so you reap. Devotee 1: If Prabhupäda knew that this would happen, why did he initiate them? Çré Çrémad Gour Govinda Swami: Are bäbä, the devotee wanted that. All right, take it. “I want it, father! I want it!” “That’s fire.” “No, I want it!” The father says, “Hey! That is fire! Don’t touch it!” But the child cries and says, “No, nooooo! I want it!” “All right, take it.” What to do? Let him be burnt. Then he’ll learn. Then he’ll cry for help. Complete surrender is needed – not partial, not conditional, and not artificial – at the lotus feet of guru, to hear bhägavata-kathä from him with firm, unflinching faith. Then you will understand Bhagavän, otherwise not.

To Disobey the Order of the Spiritual Master What is the most severe näma-aparädha? Disobeying the order of the spiritual master. Who commits that aparädha? Kåñëa has said:

Guru-sevá is Everything äcäryaà mäà vijänéyän nävamanyeta karhicit na martya-buddhyäsüyeta sarva-deva-mayo guruù “One should know the äcärya as Myself and never disrespect him in any way. One should not envy him, thinking him an ordinary man, for he is the representative of all the demigods.” (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 11.17.27)

Kåñëa says, “Guru, äcärya, is as good as Myself, mäà vijänéyän. Do not think of him as an ordinary mortal being, na martya-buddhyäsüyeta. He is as good as Me.” All the demigods are manifest in him. Kåñëa says that this is guru. But if one thinks – how is it that he is not a mortal being, that he is as good as Kåñëa? I cannot see this. He feels hungry. He eats, as I eat. He feels tired, as I feel. He passes stool and urine, as I do. Sometimes he falls sick, as I do. How is it that he is not a mortal being, na martya-buddhyäsüyeta? I cannot see it. I cannot accept it. This is the most severe näma-aparädha. This type of person disobeys the guru’s order. That devotee was remarking that Prabhupäda initiated thousands of people, but now they have gone. Why did they go? They committed this aparädha. They did not follow Prabhupäda’s order. They did not understand Prabhupäda. They did not understand him at all. Prabhupäda instructed them to chant sixteen rounds of the pure name, and to follow the regulative principles very strictly. Are they doing this? They are all breaking the regulative principles, and they are not chanting sixteen rounds. Because they are not surrendered, they have not accepted guru like that. They are thinking that he is like us. So we may break his order.

Guru-sevá is Everything Who Can Save Us from this Precarious Situation? Here in the material world, padaà padaà yad vipadäm*, at every step there is danger, vipada. We have unlimited material desires that are pulling us down, and keeping us in this dreadful ocean of material existence. We have been drowning, drowning, drowning! Who is there to save us and to protect us in this dangerous situation? No one except guru-päda-padma – the lotus feet of guru can save us from this precarious situation. If you think of guru as an ordinary human being then you commit the most severe näma-aparädha. Then you cannot have faith in his words. You cannot surrender unto him. You will only be a pretender. That is the reason why these devotees left – nothing else.

What Does Sannyāsa Mean? What is sannyäsa? To be constantly engaged day and night, twenty-four-hours, in hari-bhajana. For those who are pretender devotees, their sannyäsa is for bhukti and mukti, material enjoyment and material liberation. But sannyäsa means no material desires, no material enjoyment and no material liberation. Bhavatäd bhaktir ahaituké tvayi – life after life I only want unalloyed *samäçritä ye pada-pallava-plavaà mahat-padaà puëya-yaço muräreù bhavämbudhir vatsa-padaà paraà padaà padaà padaà yad vipadäà na teñäm “For those who have accepted the boat of the lotus feet of the Lord, who is the shelter of the cosmic manifestation and is famous as Muräri, the enemy of the Mura demon, the ocean of the material world is like the water contained in a calf’s hoof-print. Their goal is paraà padam, Vaikuëöha, the place where there are no material miseries, not the place where there is danger at every step.” (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 10.14.58)

Guru-sevá is Everything devotion. Nothing else. That is sannyäsa. These persons receive the mercy of Bhakti-devé.

The Proper Use of Our Minute Independence What sort of consideration, vicära, should we have so that everything will be auspicious for us? Guru gives the understanding that whatever you find here is all paraphernalia for Kåñëa’s enjoyment, not for your enjoyment. One who has this understanding gets all-auspiciousness. He uses everything in Kåñëa’s service. There is no suffering for him. He has no more independence at all. Once you surrender completely, your independence is gone. If you retain your independence then you are not surrendered. You are a pretender. Minute independence has been granted to you for this purpose: to surrender to Guru and Gauräìga. That is the proper use of independence. Once you surrender completely, your independence is gone. Then you are in the hands of guru. One who completely surrenders gives up all his crookedness and duplicity. With a simple heart and mind, he serves guru and Gauräìga and engages himself in hari-bhajana. It is guaranteed that in this life he will get Kåñëa. But how many are doing that? All are pretenders. Guru knows that they are pretenders. They are retaining their independence. They do as they like. They do not listen to guru. They only say, “Yes, yes, yes, Guru Mahäräja. Yes, I understand. Oh, all right, all right. I’ll do it. I’ll do it, but right now I am in a dangerous situation. There is a problem. There are monetary difficulties. There are family difficulties. I am trying to solve them and then I’ll do it.” If you behave like that, then how can you get mercy? Guru ädeça nirvicärare grahaëéya – whatever the guru orders, immediately do it. Do not add any of your deliberation to it.* *Rämäyaëa, ayodhyä-käëòa 22.9

Guru-sevá is Everything Follow the Order As It Is We cite the example of Lord Räma. He is the Supreme Lord Bhagavän, not an ordinary human being. It was declared in Ayodhyä that Lord Räma would become king the next morning, but in the night, everything changed completely. When the day dawned, instead of the order that He would sit on the throne, the order came: Bharata will be king and Räma will go to the forest for fourteen years.” Without any deliberation, Lord Räma accepted it. He did not ask why shall I go to the forest? It is My birthright to sit on the throne. Immediately He accepted it and started out without delay. He did not add any deliberation to the order, but executed it straight away. When Bharata returned to Ayodhyä, he asked how this had happened? He understood that it was the conspiracy, politics, of his mother Kaikeyé, and he became angry with her. Bharata is the ideal brother. He said, “No! Ayodhyä belongs to Räma. Räma is the king. Only He can sit on the throne. I am Räma’s servant. How can I sit on the seat of my master?” He went to Räma, who was staying in a nearby forest, to bring Him back, but Räma would not return. He said to Bharata, “Whatever the order is of your gurujanas, just follow that as it is. Do not add any of your deliberation to it. That is good for you and good for Me. For fourteen years I must live in the forest. I am banished. This is guru’s order. However difficult it may be, I must carry it out, and for fourteen years you have to rule. Just follow as it is.” Then there was nothing to say. Bharata replied, “I am Your servant. Ayodhyä belongs to You. Only You can sit on the throne. I will rule. I will carry out that order, but I will not sit on the throne. I will rule as Your servant.

Guru-sevá is Everything You are my Lord and master and You order me. For fourteen years I will rule on Your behalf, as Your servant.” He took Räma’s wooden sandals, put them on his head, and then put them on the throne and declared, “Räma is the king. I am ruling in His absence for fourteen years as His representative or servant. I am carrying out His order.” This is the process. He did not deliberate. This is how to execute the order of the guru. [Speaking to a devotee in the class:] You are thinking, Oh, I have this difficulty. I have this problem now. I am in this condition. I cannot follow guru’s order. But at every moment there are problems in the material world. It is beset with problems. How can you say, ‘no problem’? This material platform is such a nasty platform. In the words of Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Gosvämé Prabhupäda Mahäräja; it is not a fit place for any gentleman to live. There are always problems. The body gives problems. The situation gives problems. The environment gives problems. The so-called bodily relations give problems. There are so many problems. Execute the order of guru as it is. Do not add any of your deliberation. That is what you should understand. Then you will get the mercy of Guru and Gauräìga. Give up your independence. Completely surrender unto the tattva-darçé-guru, who has seen the Absolute Truth, and render service to him without duplicity, niñkapaöa-sevä. I say that if you do so, in one life it is guaranteed that you will go back home, back to Godhead, and get Kåñëa. It is guaranteed. If you can engage yourself in the service of such a personality day and night, twenty-four-hours, without duplicity, and hear bhagavän-kathä from him, then you will definitely get Kåñëa. This is the only consideration. There is no other consideration, vicära.

Guru-sevá is Everything Run Behind Him with Leech-Like Tenacity Such a premé-bhakti has bound up Kåñëa in his heart with the rope of love. Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura, in Çaraëägati (7.7.4) sings, kåñëa se tomära, kåñëa dite pära tomära çakati äche ämi ta’ käìgäla, ‘kåñëa’ ‘kåñëa’ bali’ dhäi tava päche päche “O Vaiñëava Öhäkura! Kåñëa belongs to you. You have bound Kåñëa. Only you can give me Kåñëa. I am käìgäla, a pauper, since I am bereft of Kåñëa. Give me Kåñëa, give me Kåñëa.”

A poor man runs behind a wealthy man, “Oh Sir, please give me one penny. Please give me one penny.” Similarly, you should approach a Vaiñëava sädhu and beg from him, running behind him with leech-like tenacity; not leaving him – that is needed. Then sädhu-guru will shower his mercy on you, because Çyämasundara is there in his heart. If you can serve such a guru and get his mercy, then he can transfer Kåñëa from his heart to your heart. He has the çakti to do so. He can make Kåñëa appear in your heart. Kåñëa listens to him. Otherwise, how can you get Kåñëa?

You Must Approach Guru Devotee 3: What if someone says that they did not receive any specific instruction from Prabhupäda? Çré Çrémad Gour Govinda Swami: The guru gives general instructions to everyone, but there are specific instructions to in-

Guru-sevá is Everything dividuals. You must ask for it. How can I serve you? My Guru Mahäräja asked Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Prabhupäda, “How can I serve you?” Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté told him, “You must go to the Western world and preach the science of Kåñëa consciousness in English.” That is a specific order. Devotee 3: What if you have never received a specific order from Prabhupäda? Çré Çrémad Gour Govinda Swami: That means you have been cheated. You wanted to be cheated, and you are cheated. You should have asked – Please instruct me. How can I serve you? What do you want from me? If you enquire in this way then the guru will give specific instructions. General instructions are for one and all, for the whole world, even those who are not disciples. Devotee 3: The movement was so big at that time. Unless you were a big leader, you could not get a personal instruction. Çré Çrémad Gour Govinda Swami: When you are a disciple, you have a right. You must approach guru. Offer millions of daëòavat-praëämas to him, and say, “Please, what do you want from me? How can I serve you? What will please you? Please tell me.” You must do that. If you don’t, it means that you want to be cheated. You are an easy-going person. You are thinking; why shall I go and bring such danger for myself? If I go near him then some hardship will come on my head. You keep yourself away from guru. You think, Oh, his instruction is in the books. It is all right. I will get whatever instruction I need from whoever gives the lecture. This is the mentality of an easy-going person who is not prepared to undergo hardship for the service of Guru and Gauräìga. How will such a person advance?

Guru-sevá is Everything Distress & Hardship Are My Supreme Asset tomära seväya duùkha hoya jato seo to’ parama sukha sevä-sukha-duùkha parama sampada näçaye avidyä-duùkha (Çaraëägati 8.4) “All the troubles encountered in Your service shall be the cause of great happiness, for in Your devotional service joy and sorrow are equally great riches. Both destroy the misery of ignorance.”

Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura gives us instructions, “O Lord, O Guru and Gauräìga! Whatever distress comes, whatever hardship comes in Your service, those hardships are my greatest pleasure. That distress and hardship are parama sampada, my supreme asset.” Näçaye avidyä-duùkha – all of your ignorance will be dispelled and your eyes will be opened. There will be enlightenment, no darkness. You will be able to see clearly. Whereas, one who keeps himself away from guru thinking – If I go near him then some hardship will come on my head, better to stay away. Oh yes, books are there, all the instructions are there in the books that describe this deep nectar. I will get it from there – he does not take his service to guru seriously.

Kṛṣṇa and Sudāmā Set an Example When Kåñëa and Sudämä were students in Sändépani Muni’s äçrama, they set an example. Once there was no firewood for cooking. So Sändépani Muni’s wife, guru-mätä, said to the boys,

Guru-sevá is Everything “There is no firewood. How can I cook? Go and fetch wood in the forest.” Both Kåñëa and Sudämä took an axe in their hand and went out. Why? This is service, guru-seva. He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. His will is supreme. By the will of the Supreme Lord the creation and the annihilation takes place; by His mere willing. If He had wanted, immediately truckloads of firewood would have come there. What is the necessity of going to the forest with an axe in His hand on the part of the Supreme Personality of Godhead? This is guru-seva. We have to do it. This fire is needed. The order came. There was no fuel, no dry wood. Therefore, they went to the forest. Then this wonderful incident took place; black clouds appeared in the sky, a very heavy storm came blowing torrential rain. The whole land became inundated. It was a very dark night with roaring thunder and lightning. The two boys were in the forest and could not go back to the äçrama. The Supreme Personality of Godhead could not come back to the äçrama. Sändépani Muni could not sleep that night – Oh, these two boys went out, and it is such a bad night with torrential rain, such a heavy storm. No one can go out of the house or even open the door. The whole land is inundated. What has happened to them? He was just thinking, and thinking in this way, and had a sleepless night. As soon as day dawned and the rain stopped, Sändépani Muni went out to see where they were. After some time he saw Kåñëa and Sudämä standing beneath a tree. They were soaked from the rain and were shivering. Kåñëa was acting as if He had a material body. His body is not material, but He was teaching us. They were shivering and shivering. They contracted such bodily pain and distress in the service of guru. Sändépani Muni embraced them, “You are sat-çiñya. This body is very dear to everyone. No one

Guru-sevá is Everything wants to give distress to the body, but you both took such bodily distress and unhappiness for me.”

Serve Guru with a Loving Heart Kåñëa has said, näham ijyä-prajätibhyäà tapasopaçamena vä tuñyeyaà sarva-bhütätmä guru-çuçrüñayä yathä (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 10.80.34) “I am not very pleased with a brahmacäré, who is tapasopaçama – very strict in following brahmacäré life, or a sannyäsé, who may be very strict in following the sannyäsa order, or a very strict gåhastha, but I am pleased with persons who, not caring for their own discomfort, serve guru with a loving heart.”

Here Kåñëa has said that He becomes very pleased with that person who serves the guru with a loving and pure heart, offering niñkapaöa-sevä with love and affection, not caring for his own discomfort, bodily pain, unhappiness or distress.

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ray to Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa knows. 'O Kṛṣṇa, I am Your servant. You are my eternal master. I want to serve You. How can I serve You? Where are You and where am I? I am rotting in this whirlpool of māyā, here in the material world. It is impossible on my part to serve You. Who is there to help me and take me to You? That is guru, Your dear devotee, Your pure devotee. You know him. I do not know him. You know who is dear to You. You know Your own men. I do not know them. Please help me. I need such a person as Your dear devotee. If I meet him, surrender unto him, render service to him, and if he is pleased, then he will introduce me to You. Otherwise, how can I be introduced to You?'"

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