Affectionate Guidance
Affectionate Guidance
Affectionate Guidance
Affectionate Guidance
by
Website: http://www.scsmath.com
Section 2 — ‘Biographical’
14 çr^la Mådhavendra Puripåd
—the Sprout of Love Divine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111
15 The Appearance of çr^ Gaurasundar . . . . . . . . . . . . . .127
16 The Flow of Mahåprabhu’s Line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .136
17 In Praise of çr^la Narottam Dås ëhåkur . . . . . . . . . . .148
(continued overleaf…)
Contents (continued)
Section 4
27 Excerpts from Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .245
28 Treasures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .267
Appendix 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .270
Appendix 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .272
cannot see the sun. Like a cloud. A cloud comes in the sky
and blocks our view of the sun. Måyå is like this. When
the illusion of ahaíkåra or false ego comes over us, we
cannot see God. But in the light of God we can see måyå,
and in the light of the j^va-soul, we can see our ahaíkåra.
In this way, we can realise everything. Our realisation will
come in this way, and this is the proper way.
Chapter Two
Secure at Home
Affection
Going Deeper
that karmma we will solve all our problems. But the only
way we can completely leave it is by surrendering to
Kù£òa. That is the final decision in the G^tå.
First Bhagavån, the Supreme Lord, said to practise
karmma-yoga, then jñåna-yoga—sarvva-karmmåkilaì pårtha
jñåne parisamåpyate—“the perfection of action is
knowledge.” Also in çr^mad-Bhågavatam:
kåmasya nendriya-pr^tir
låbho j^veta yåvatå
j^vasya tattva-jijñåså
nårtho yaß cheha karmmabhiè
(1.2.10)
“The purpose of accepting material facilities is not sensual
satisfaction; rather, to accept only as much material
facilities as keep body and soul together is the purpose of
desire, that is, the only justifiable desire. Therefore inquiry
after the Supreme Lord is the chief objective of life, and
the attainment of higher planes like heaven through
fulfilment of compulsory and conditional duties as made
much of in this world is not the objective.”
neha yat karmma dharmmåya
na virågåya kalpate
na t^rthapada-sevåyai
j^vann api mùto hi saè
(çr^mad-Bhågavatam: 3.23.56)
“In this world a person whose work does not lead him to
virtue, whose virtue upon becoming desireless does not
bear the fruit of his detachment from all things ‘non-
Kù£òa,’ and again whose abnegation does not culminate
in the service of T^rthapada çr^ Hari—such a person is
nothing more than the living dead.”
Going Deeper 39
Transcendental World
mahåbhåva-svar¨på ßr^-rådhå-éhåkuråò^
sarvva-guòa-khani kù£òa-kåntå-ßiromaòi
(Chaitanya-charitåmùta: Ad^-l^lå, 4.68–69)
“The essence of ecstasy is love; the essence of love is heart;
and the acme of heart is called ‘mahåbhåva.’ And the
personality of mahåbhåva is our Queen, çr^ Rådhå
ëhåkuråò^. She is the mine of all good, She is the jewel of
Kù£òa’s beloved.”
çr^la Bhaktivinod ëhåkur and çr^la Kù£òa Dås Kaviråj
Goswåm^ Prabhu composed these great things. We are not
actually in the practice of reading them constantly, but I
have heard such things from Guru Mahåråj. These matters
are very elevated for us. But there is our goal, and She is
actually our Guru, as our Divine Mistress. Her form is
being described here.
Although these are very high matters it is necessary for
us to remember them from time to time. We have our
future prospect, and that is very high. çr^la Kaviråj
Goswåm^ has quoted in çr^ Chaitanya-charitåmùta:
kù£òa-bhakti-rasa-bhåvitå-matiè
kr^yatåì yadi kuto ’pi labhyate
tatra laulyam api m¨lyam ekalaì
janma-koéi-sukùtair na labhyate
(Madhya, 8.70)
Real devotion to Kù£òa is very rarely attained. If you see
that type of devotion anywhere, purchase it with your
hankering, your laulyam. Only your hankering can give
you your share of that property. That is the only price for
that, otherwise you cannot achieve it after even billions of
lifetimes of merits. So hunger is necessary for that; and
hunger will come if you make your stomach empty first.
First take some purgative and cleanse yourself. Then
Transcendental World 47
Divine Service
sarvvåbhuta-chamatkåra-l^lå-kallola-våridhiè
atulya-madhura-prema-maòàita-priya-maòàalaè
trijagan-månasåkar£i-mural^-kala-k¨jitaè
asamånordhva-r¨pa-ßr^-vismåpita-charåcharaè
(Bhakti-rasåmùta-sindhu: 2.1.41–42)
Divine Service 57
mend that you try to read this book. Some of the inner
meanings are hard to understand, both in the Bengali and
the English. If you understand the original Sanskrit then
maybe you will get a little better understanding, but the
Bengali commentary is difficult to fully understand. That
is because the masters, when they are giving the explana-
tion of the ßlokas, they do so with full guard, so that the
meaning will not be adulterated.
So four unique qualities exist in that special plane of
Vùndåvan, the plane of dedication. That is called Vraja
Dhåm. The word ‘vraja’ is a verb, an action, it means to
‘dive deep into the Reality.’
sarvva-dharmån parityajya
måm ekaì ßaraòaì vraja
ahaì tvåì sarvva-påpebhyo
mok£ayi£yåmi må ßucaè
(Bhagavad-g^tå: 18.66)
In the last chapter of Bhagavad-g^tå, Kù£òa says, “Oh
Arjuna, what more can I say to you? You are My dear
friend, and so I am now imparting to you My most
affectionate advice. You please consider it. I have told
many things to you from the first to this last chapter, and
that is sufficient to understand the nature of the Truth. Of
course some further question may come later, but now it
is not necessary for you to know more. Only, what I will
tell you now, please give your full attention to that.
Whatever you know as religion, I am telling you to leave
that, and dive deep into the plane of Reality. Come to Me
in Vraja.”
This means that whatever our conception may be, that
must necessarily be useless in the ultimate analysis. We
have come to deal with the Infinite with our finite
60 Affectionate Guidance
Transcendental Knowledge
and The Fortunate Soul
Devotee: Mahåråj, though one may generally acquire
knowledge from an external source, we can see in the case
of çr^la Guru Mahåråj that transcendental knowledge was
always coming from within his own self.
çr^la Govinda Mahåråj: Yes, this is a very important
truth. Sometimes çr^la Guru Mahåråj would visit
Badarikåßram in the Himalayas, and once while he was
there he contracted pneumonia and was confined to bed
with a temperature of 102 or 103 degrees. I was not there
on this occasion but other highly respected Godbrothers
and disciples had accompanied Guru Mahåråj.
It happened that at this time one greatly learned paòàit
came to debate with Guru Mahåråj but when he heard of
Guru Mahåråj’s illness he decided he wouldn’t disturb
him. Instead he began his philosophical talk with the
other Vai£òavas present. All of these devotees were highly
qualified in scriptural knowledge, but none of them could
defeat that proud paòàit.
Meanwhile Guru Mahåråj, hearing everything from his
bed in the adjoining room, could not tolerate that the
opposing arguments of the paòàit would not be defeated.
So in spite of his high temperature and serious condition,
Guru Mahåråj sat up saying “Bring that man to me.” It
should have been impossible, all were astonished, and
62 Affectionate Guidance
A Life of Service
Emotion or Devotion?
somebody will chastise me, “Why are you not calling the
doctor, why are you treating Guru Mahåråj?” I was a little
afraid and still I could not consider myself as a very good
doctor. Then Guru Mahåråj said, “All the doctors have
already said that no medicine can work for me, so now
happily you can treat me.”
So I became Guru Mahåråj’s doctor, and after that his
main illness was a chronic headache. He had suffered
from this headache from the age of seventeen, and from
twenty-two it became very strong. When Guru Mahåråj
was suffering with this headache he could not eat
anything. Only he would take water and constantly be
throwing up. Sometimes this would last for three days,
sometimes six days, and sometimes up to twelve days. So
I began researching, and finally I told Guru Mahåråj,
“Mahåråj, now your headache must go. I can treat you
and forever it will be gone.” All the homeopathic doctors
who had treated Guru Mahåråj had prescribed nux-
vomica and administered it from thirty to ‘MM’ potency
but none had had the desired effect. As they had all
prescribed this same medicine, I concluded that nux-
vomica must be Guru Mahåråj’s constitutional medicine.
I then went to an allopathic doctor and asked him what is
the dosage of nux-vomica mother tincture in allopathy. It
was eight drops maximum, so I decided to give Guru
Mahåråj five drops. When the first signs of the headache
came I administered the five drops of the mother tincture
and the headache was reduced to a standby position. I
was confident that now this headache will go because
previously no medicine could check it.
The only other medicine that could give Guru Mahåråj
relief from this condition was cafergot, a type of ergota-
mine. Ergotamine is a very serious drug, and through
Emotion or Devotion? 73
oì ajñåna-timiråndhasya jñånåñjana-ßalåkayå
chak£ur unm^litaì yena tasmai ßr^-gurave namaè
våñchhå-kalpatarubhyas’ cha
kùpå-sindhubhya eva cha
patitånåì påvanebhyo
vai£òavebhyo namo namaè
namo mahå-vadånyåya kù£òa-prema-pradåya te
kù£òåya kù£òa-chaitanya-nåmne gaura-tvi£e namaè
he kù£òa karuòå-sindho d^na-bandho jagat-pate
gopeßa gopikå-kånta rådhå-kånta namo ’stu te
tapta-kañchana-gauråígi rådhe vùndåvaneßvari
vù£abhånu-sute devi praòamåm^ hari-priye
Today is çri Rådhå£éam^, the Appearance Day of çr^mat^
Rådhåråò^. In the Scriptures, especially çr^ Chaitanya-
charitåmùta there is much glorification of çr^mat^
Rådhåråò^.
hlådin^ra såra ‘prema,’ prema-såra ‘bhåva’
bhåvera parama-kå£éhå, nåma—‘mahå-bhåva’
mahåbhåva-svar¨på ßr^-rådhå-éhåkuråò^
sarvva-guòa-khani kù£òa-kåntå-ßiromaòi
(Chaitanya-charitåmùta: Ädi-l^lå, 4.68–69)
84 Affectionate Guidance
chintåmaòi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vùk£a-
lak£åvùte£u surabhir abhipålayantam
lak£m^-sahasra-ßata-sambhrama-sevyamånaì
govindam ådi-puru£aì tam ahaì bhajåmi
(Brahma-saìhitå: 5.29)
“Surrounded by millions of wish-fulfilling trees, in
abodes made of multitudes of wish-yielding gems, He
who tends the ever-yielding cows and who is perpetually
served with great affection by hundreds of thousands of
Lak£m^s—the Primeval Lord, Govinda, do I worship.”
The explanation of Goloka Dhåm given in çr^ Brahma-
saìhitå is inconceivable from this plane, but it exists
eternally and there all play is going on by the power of
çr^mat^ Rådhåråò^. She is always trying to satisfy Kù£òa in
so many ways. Her form is most beautiful, and Kù£òa is
also so nice and beautiful, and when they are playing
together, the whole transcendental universe also plays
through that mood of their love.
Here, is the shadow universe where jaàa-ßakti is the
power, and that power is also eternal. Still in the shadow
we cannot clearly see everything. The shadow of my hand
will not show the colour of my hand, and many other
things are unmanifest in the shadow. That jaàa-ßakti can
also be divided into three: gross matter, subtle matter or
the mental plane, and the ego or ahaíkåra. These three
cover the j^va-soul, so we are unable to perceive our real
self.
Where the play of the Power and the Powerful is
always manifest, that is called Vaikuòéhaloka, and there
unlimited manifestations of the Lord are playing eternally.
And where that play is supreme, where the principal
manifestation of the Power and the Powerful is to be
found, that place is called Goloka Vùndåvan. There the
Our Lord’s Beloved Power 87
for anything from Lord çiva, and offer some Ganges water
and bael leaves then he will happily give anything. His
mood is like that. But Nùsiìha is more difficult to please.
Still He is very merciful to the devotees and He will give
us some help in our devotional life; but the ßuddha bhaktas,
the pure devotees, they are not asking for anything from
anybody. And if they do ask for anything, then they will
ask Kù£òa. Their only business is with Kù£òa, and no-one
else. If you are indebted, you must be indebted to Kù£òa.
If you are earning, then you earn from Kù£òa, if you are
gaining you gain from Kù£òa. Their only transaction is
with Kù£òa, and this is the nature of the pure devotees.
There are many perspectives to the Absolute; what can
I say? çr^la Vyåsadev has composed eighteen separate
Puråòas, the Mahåbhårat, Vedånta-darßan, and so many
other Scriptures he has compiled for our adhikåra. Adhikåra
means one’s position in devotion, and Vyåsadev wants to
bring us all to the line of Kù£òa-bhakti. He is trying to
elevate all j^vas, from every position of life, and for that
reason he has compiled so many different scriptures. And
if we meditate on this we will realise that it is necessary
to give a chance to others to move towards Kù£òa.
If we are to rigidly exclude the validity of anything but
our own way then others will not be able to proceed
happily. There are many levels of development. We are
making many varieties of Prasådam because we are not
easily satisfied with only one. So similarly there are many
varieties of devotion and we must accommodate that to
give a chance to others. But for one who has exclusive
devotion for çr^ çr^ Rådhå-Kù£òa they cannot happily
compromise. If you say you are a follower of the Gauà^ya
Vai£òava line then you are immediately separated from all
other devotional moods.
104 Affectionate Guidance
So, it was then that Guru Mahåråj said, “If you make
something in the Vùndåvan locality, make it in
Govardhan. We will stay near to Rådhå-Kuòàa, but we
will not stay in the Rådhå-Kuòàa area itself. There,
Rådhå-Govinda are enjoying Their Pastimes; and They
will stay at Rådhå-Kuòàa. My Guru Mahåråj, Prabhupåd
çr^la Saraswat^ ëhåkur said, ‘We shall go from
Govardhan, very early in the morning, and on the order
of Rådhåråò^ we shall collect flowers at Kusum Sarovar
and collect milk from all around; then we shall go to
Rådhå-Kuòàa for service, and after Rådhå-Govinda go to
sleep we shall return to our shelter at the lotus feet of
Govardhan.’ So if you want arrange a place there, make it
in Govardhan.”
That was the desire of çr^la Saraswat^ ëhåkur, and çr^la
Guru Mahåråj. Anyhow, by the grace of çr^la Guru
Mahåråj, we have made a place for the shelter of the
devotees—çr^ Dayita Dås Sevåkuñja has manifested there;
we have named the ashram: çr^la çr^dhar Swåm^
Sevåßram.
So the exclusive devotional line of çr^la R¨pa Goswåm^
is very rarely achieved in this world. If anyone wants to
get it easily, they will be cheated and they will fall into the
black hole of pråkùta-sahajiyåism, and they won't be able to
come back out of it again. One should not try to get it
easily; but it will be easy—by the grace of Guru, by the
grace of Rådhåråò^.
Before that, we must wait; and Raghunåth Dås
Goswåm^ showed us how much it was necessary to wait.
He waited his whole life; and who is he? He is the
associate of Rådhåråò^. But he showed his pastimes in
Gaura-l^lå in the deepest mood of separation from Rådhå-
Govinda.
çr^la Mådhavendra Pur^påd 125
In Praise of
çr^la Narottam Dås ëhåkur
Today is the Disappearance Day of çr^la Narottam ëhåkur,
so I would like to say a few words to glorify him. Before
çr^la Bhaktivinod ëhåkur most of the Vai£òava songs
came from çr^la Narottam ëhåkur. ‘çr^ Guru charaòa-
padma, kevala-bhakati-sadma,’ you all know. This is from
Narottam’s Prema-bhakti-chandrikå, and Prårthanå. But
although he wrote many beautiful songs of devotion,
Narottam Dås ëhåkur was not just a song writer, he was
a great paòàit and more than that, he was a devotee of çr^
Chaitanyadev.
When Mahåprabhu travelled to Råmakeli, on the way
He had to cross the River Padmå. While on the banks of
the river He began to call, “Narottam, Narottam,
Narottam.” The devotees could not understand the
meaning at that time, but later it was revealed that from
that part of Bengal, a great devotee would appear, and his
name would be ‘Narottam.’ çr^man Mahåprabhu had left
a great treasure stored in the waters of Padmå Dev^ for
Narottam—Kù£òa-prema.
After many years, Narottam Dås ëhåkur appeared in
the village of that area, known as Kheturi. He was a
prince, the only son of Råj Kù£òånanda Datta and Råò^
Nåråyaò^ Dev^. Narottam was enlightened even from his
early childhood, and one day he had a dream in which
çr^la Narottam Dås ëhåkur 149
that his calculations were true and that the books were
actually jewels although they were in the form of books,
and so that is why every day I am offering p¨jå.” And the
King took çr^nivås to the books.
The news was sent to Narottam and çyåmånanda and
in great jubilation Narottam ëhåkur arranged a grand
festival. As well as Narottam, çyåmånanda, çr^nivås and
other noted Vai£òavas, Mother Jåhnav^ Dev^—çr^
Nityånanda Prabhu’s ßakti—also came there to Kheturi
Gråm to attend the festival. After properly worshipping
Jåhnav^ Dev^, Narottam ëhåkur installed six deities in
different temples—çr^ Kù£òa, Vallav^-Kånta, Vraj-Mohan,
Rådhå-Kånta, Rådhå-Råmaò, and Gauråíga. Elaborate
p¨jå arrangements were made, including a month-long
festival of Hari-k^rttan. And every day in Narottam’s
k^rttan, those who were fortunate saw Nityånanda Prabhu
and Mahåprabhu dancing there, such was Narottam’s
devotion. Those who knew him considered he was the
incarnation of Nityånanda Prabhu and Mahåprabhu
combined.
Although Lokanåth Goswåm^ only had one disciple,
Narottam gave Kù£òa-Prema to everyone, and just like
Nityånanda Prabhu, he did not consider who was fit and
who was not. Whoever wanted Kù£òa-Prema, then
Narottam would give it them. He was given this special
power by the grace of Mahåprabhu, Nityånanda and
Lokanåth Goswåm^, Narottam’s Gurudev.
Narottam Dås ëhåkur was born in the kåyastha
community, and caused a great deal of controversy by
accepting disciples who were from the bråhmaòa caste.
The bråhmaòa section were very angry with him and tried
repeatedly to defeat him in debate, but the only result was
that more bråhmaòas were becoming his disciples. The
çr^la Narottam Dås ëhåkur 155
Message to Massage
the Devotees’ Hearts
class and general class. But all are worhipable, and when
we can see it, we ourselves will be benefited. They are all
connected with Mahåprabhu and Kù£òa consciousness,
therefore if anyone will come in this line we shall give
good nourishment to them. A heart massage. A message
to massage.
Always the devotees are asking questions; that is they
need to know something. And I believe whole-heartedly
that the devotees want to hear news of the devotees and
activities from this Maéh. Sometimes when I am alone I try
to consider why I cannot sleep at night, and what is it that
çr^la Guru Mahåråj requires of me.
I do not want any sort of position, but the chair of
Ächåryya has come to me, and I must serve that chair. It
was for this that çr^la Guru Mahåråj protected me from a
young age and cultivated me in my mind, and I must offer
all the fruits to his lotus feet otherwise my life is useless.
This is my feeling, and this is also the answer to why I am
doing this.
With what I have I can continue very happily, and in
one sense it is not necessary to think of many things. For
example, world preaching especially in this age is very
difficult, and I know it, but also I know that my çr^la Guru
Mahåråj needs it. It is sevå to him. There is no doubt that
everybody shall die one day, so if we give too much
attention for our health, it is not good for us. Actually we
must give our attention for the service of Guru-Gauråíga,
and if we leave this body through that service, it is very
good. In fact there is no higher good than that. In this
regard we shall not forget the words of çr^påd Såraíga
Goswåm^ Mahåråj when he told çr^påd Hùday Bon
Mahåråj, “I want to die in harness.”
çr^påd Bon Mahåråj was a friend of Goswåm^ Mahåråj
Message to Massage the Devotees’ Hearts 161
nikhila-bhuvana-måyå-chhinna-vichchhinna-kartr^
vibudha-bahula-mùgyå-mukti-mohånta-dåtr^
ßithilita-vidhi-rågårådhya-rådheßa-dhån^
vilasatu hùdi nityaì bhakti-siddhånta-våò^
Guru Mahåråj himself said that if çr^la Prabhupåd were
present to hear this ßloka, he would have said that his
entire personality had been embraced in only four lines.
Revealing his own identity, Guru Mahåråj wrote:
vù£abhånu-sutå-dayitånucharaì
charaòåßrita-reòu-dharas-tam aham
mahad adbhuta-påvana-ßakti-padaì
praòamåmi sadå prabhupåda-padam
“I eternally bow unto the lotus feet of çr^la Prabhupåd,
who is the dearmost attendant of Vù£abhånu-nandin^. By
taking the dust of his lotus feet (charaòåßrita-reòu-dharaè)
I have now become çr^dhar Mahåråj. The dust of his lotus
feet is so glorious—it purifies everything in an astonish-
ing and miraculous way: mahad adbhuta-påvana-ßakti-
padaì—glorious, wonderfully purifying lotus feet.”
Chapter Twenty-three
A Day at Håpåniyå
Caringly Educating
well, but lastly all the burden for the running of çr^
Chaitanya Såraswat Maéh came upon my head. I was
practically alone and my time was very short, therefore
the magazine became a little weaker later. Also çr^la Guru
Mahåråj showed his health to be less strong and it was
very difficult for him to give articles regularly. But we
tried to continue.
We always held a very neutral position. In the çr^
Gauà^ya Darßan, glorification to others connected through-
out the whole sampradåya was given where it was
warranted, also guidelines were given when required.
Everyone knew çr^la Guru Mahåråj was their guide and
they accepted his advice. In this way çr^ Gauà^ya Darßan
gained a high reputation.
All the articles were either in Bengali or Sanskrit. çr^la
Guru Mahåråj sometimes composed in Sanskrit, and
especially at the beginning of each new year çr^la Guru
Mahåråj would generally compose some Sanskrit ßlokas.
Also I must name one good compositor, Khapanaka
Prabhu, who helped untiringly for hand-setting the type
of the magazine. He was a disciple of çr^påd Keßava
Mahåråj but with çr^påd Keßava Mahåråj’s permission he
was living with us. Then, like now, many devotees from
other Maéhs would come and stay with us from time to
time. They were disciples of other Mahåråjs but they
would come in order to serve çr^la Guru Mahåråj.
At first we printed the magazine from an outside
commercial press, but after some time I felt the necessity
to print from our own press. We then acquired a press and
began publishing from it. It was larger than the machine
we have here today. Khapanaka Prabhu finally took
charge of our printing press. He greatly helped with the
çr^ Gauà^ya Darßan, but gradually I became exhausted and
Caringly Educating 219
I felt there was any praise to myself I did not publish such
material, but where there was praise to çr^la Guru
Mahåråj, I published that. From so many quarters, many
praised me: “Oh, now Govinda Mahåråj is doing this:
Govinda Mahåråj has started çr^ Gauà^ya Darßan.” But it
was impossible by me to publish that.
With what we have, we shall continue happily, and
with this çr^ Gauà^ya Darßan it is my hope that really we
can succeed in giving happiness to çr^la Guru Mahåråj
and our çr^ Guru-varga as well as nourishment to the
newcomers and other Vai£òavas. By the cooperation of all
the devotees, I think it must be possible.
Chapter Twenty-six
their studies and we would try to bring them into the line
of Kù£òa consciousness. He said that if necessary then we
will supply them with food from the hotel, and that means
meat, etc. Hearing this, Guru Mahåråj objected, “If we
supply this kind of food to the students then the prestige
of the mission will be lost.” Prabhupåd replied angrily, “I
contemplated this question a thousand births ago.
Vaikuòéha vùtti karite habe. We must live in Vaikuòéha, not
in this material world.”
Vaikuòéha means vigata kuòéha yasmåt—where there
are no restrictions, where nothing bad can exist, where
everything is auspicious—we must direct our con-
sciousness in that direction. We want to do good for others
and whatever is necessary we shall use that. çr^la
A C Bhaktivedanta Swåm^ Mahåråj Prabhupåd also had
this mood. Swåm^ Mahåråj told me that when he first
came to America, having no money, he stayed with a
gentleman who had become his friend. This gentleman
didn’t prepare his own food, but he would buy it from the
local shop. Prabhupåd, on the other hand, would prepare
chapati and subji for himself, and would happily take that.
His friend asked him to also make some for him and in
exchange he offered to purchase the ingredients, and so
Prabhupåd would cook for him with his own hand.
çr^la Swåm^ Mahåråj would keep his food in one area
of his friend’s fridge, and his friend would keep his
food—meat, etc.—in another part of that same fridge.
When I heard this I thought it must have been intolerable
and I asked him, “You would still eat your food?” and he
replied “What shall I do? I had no other way. I simply
considered that Kù£òa is giving me this food, and in this
way I am eating.” This was the type of broad mind of
Prabhupåd A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swåm^ Mahåråj, and
Address to the Assembled Devotees 233
My dear Devotees,
Please accept my humble daòàavat praòåms in
remembrance of my Divine Masters çr^la Guru Mahåråj
and çr^la Swåm^ Mahåråj. I received your phone call and
faxes….
Fortunately I have got the opportunity with my friends
like çr^påd Sågar Mahåråj to preach Kù£òa consciousness
in Brazil, by the grace of the devotees there, especially
Your Graces. I think you are all qualified, mature devotees
in Kù£òa consciousness. When it is you who are recom-
mending someone for initiation, how can I think that they
don’t know the rules and regulations? For me it is impos-
sible to think that one who comes to receive initiation does
not know about the four directives and the rules and
regulations of Kù£òa consciousness. I am thinking that
they must all know the primary rules and regulations.
çr^mad-Bhågavatam has stated that by following the direc-
tives one will be pious, otherwise if one is engaged in
sinful activities, how can he get the connection with, and
the practice of, Kù£òa consciousness? It is a very simple
matter. Before eating it is necessary to wash our hands,
wash the plate, take clean water, and then respectfully
take Prasådam. Everywhere there is a natural process of
rules and regulations. The four regulations are the basic
foundation for everybody. These regulations are like
learning the alphabet. Without learning the alphabet it is
not possible to read any book.
Now, when the position you mention has come within
our society, I must say it clearly that when anyone wants
to practise Kù£òa consciousness he must formally or
248 Affectionate Guidance
Through that you get your elixir of life, and it will easily
spread to others through your sincere activities, and they
will be extremely benefitted as you are.
Reading your whole letter I have also got much enthu-
siasm,…
…I have no doubt about Your Grace that if you will try
sincerely you can do something for the greatest auspi-
ciousness of all. To practise Kù£òa consciousness is a very
nice process. Who will practise must be benefited and
through his practising others also must be beneficiaries.
Our lifetime is very short and we do not always get
such an opportunity. Then what one wants to do, do
immediately, this is the advice of the Scriptures. So please
realise all these things and do the needful.
k£åntirabyarthakålatvaì biraktirmånaߨnyatå
åßåbandhaè samutkaòéhå nåmagåne sadå ruchiè
åsaktistadaguòåkhyåne pr^tistadvasatisthale
ityådayohanubhåvåè syurjåtabhåvåíkure jane
Treasures
will listen, that is very good, but if they won’t listen then
there is nothing we can do.
Above everything the will of Kù£òa will act. Man pro-
poses, God disposes; therefore we cannot control and we
cannot do everything. But we will try as much as possible
by us, and we shall try sincerely. Without diplomacy or
duplicity we shall try to do good for others and ourselves.
“As Ächåryya my situation is that the good of all the
disciples will come to me, and everyone’s bad will come
to me also. That is my situation. We cannot make miracles,
but the main thing is that we shall at least give
encouragement so none will leave the line of Kù£òa
consciousness.
One who does ‘sevå’ but is always thinking about his own
interest must be ignored by bhakti, and bhakti will not go
to him.
Oì tat sat
Appendix 1
The translation of the verse referred to on page 167, as given in
‘çr^ Guru and His Grace’ by çr^la B.R. çr^dhar Dev-Goswåm^
Mahåråj:
çr^ Såraswat-årati
by çr^la Bhakti Rak£ak çr^dhar Dev-Goswåm^ Mahåråj
(1) jayare jayare jaya gaura-saraswat^
bhakativinoda nvaya karuòå murati
(2) prakåßile gaura-sevå bh¨vana maígala
bhakatisiddhånta ßuddha prajñåna ujjvala
(3) rådhå-ßyåma ekatanu dak£e gorå råya
båme rådha madhye svayaì ßyåma-gopa jaya
(4) vraja rasa nava bhåve navadw^pe råje
udåre madhura råga obhinovo såje
(5) mådhuryya kaivalya råga vrajera niryyåsa
pråpti paråkå£éhå tåhe gauråíga vilåsa
(6) rådhå bhåva-kånti aígikari’ bhåla mate
dak£iòe åsana rasa garimå dekhåte
(7) rådhå-rasa-troyo-svåda rahasya proyåsa
nirakhi praphulla rådhå mukhe manda håsa
(8) madhye rahi vaìß^rave gho£e vaìß^dhara
rådhåra sampade åm^ gauråíga-sundara
(9) madabh^£éha r¨pa rådhåra hùdaya mandire
gauråíga bhajile su£éhu sph¨rtti påya tåre
(10) nad^yå prakåße mahåprabhu gaura-nidhi
patita påvana deve milåila vidhi
(11) e-r¨pa årati brahmå ßambhu agocara
gaura bhakta kùpå påtra måtra siddhi såra
(12) ßr^ svar¨pa, råmånanda, r¨pa, sanåtana
ßr^ raghu, j^vådi kùpåya dekhe bhakta-jana
(13) jaya guru-gaura-rådhå-govinda-sundara
jaya dåo bhakta vùnda nitya nirantara
Appendix 2 273
çr^ Såraswat-årati
(Translation)
All Glory, all Glory to Ír( Gaura-Saraswat(,
Of the Line of Bhaktivinode—Pure incarnate Mercy. [1]
You reveal’d Ír( Gaura’s Service—the world’s greatest fortune,
Brilliant as the Perfect Teaching, Perfect Truth—Devotion.* [2]
On the right side Rådhå-Íyåm in one Form—our Lord Golden,
Left is Rådhå, middle—dark cowherd Himself is shining. [3]
Braja-Ras in Nabadwip, effulgent new form charming,
Magnanimity of Sweetest Love in novel posing. [4]
Unity of Loveliness Divine, essence of Braja,
One can find its acme there in Ír( Gaurå&ga-L(lå. [5]
Taking Heart and Halo of Ír( Rådhå beautifully,
He is honoured on the right to show His Rasa’s Glory. [6]
Mystic’lly the Lord hankers for Rådhå’s threefold relish,
Seeing this Her heart blooms, Lotus Face sweet smile embellish. [7]
In the centre playing His flute, announces the flute-player,
“In the Glory of My Rådhå, I’m Gaurå&ga-Sundar¡ [8]
My most cherished Form lives in the Temple of Her heart dear,
When you serve Gaurå&ga I shine forth in that Form so clear.” [9]
Blessed Gaura Mahåprabhu came down in Nadia,
Sent me by His Mercy to my Lord, Master, Saviour. [10]
Such an •rati—Lord Brahmå, Lord Íambhu cannot see,
Such perfection’s only for those blessed by Gaur’s devotee. [11]
Ír( Svar)pa, Råmånanda, R)pa, Sanåtana,
Ír( Raghu, J(va and others, bless devotees’ vision. [12]
Glory¡ Guru, Gaura, Rådhå, Beautiful Govinda,
Sing Their Glories, O devotees¡ ever and forever. [13]
*“Bhakti-Siddhånta”
274 Affectionate Guidance
Chapter Sources
Chapters 1, 3, 22, 24
are from Sri Chaitanya Saraswati
originally edited and printed by
Sripad Swarupananda Prabhu.
Chapter 14
is from Sri Gaudiya Darshan (Sri Gaura-Purnima 1996)
originally edited and printed by
Sripad Swarupananda Prabhu.
Chapter 2
is from Exclusive Guardianship
originally edited and printed
by Mahananda Dasa Bhakti Ranjan.
Chapters 4, 16, 18–21, 23, 25
are from Sri Gaudiya Darshan
originally edited and printed
by Mahananda Dasa Bhakti Ranjan.
Chapters 5–7
are from Divine Message
originally edited and printed by
Sripad Swarupananda Prabhu.
Chapters 8–13, 17, 26
are from Counterpoint
originally edited and printed by
Sripad Devashis Prabhu.
Chapter 15
is from Guardian of Devotion (Calcutta edition)
originally edited by
Sripad B.M. Puri Maharaj.
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