Srila Gurudeva-The Supreme Treasure

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The Supreme TreasureVol. 1


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The Supreme TreasureVol. 1

Tridai-bhikuSvm Bhaktivednta Mdhava Mahrja (D . Navna Ka B ahmac , PhD Philosophy,

PhD Vaiava Philosophy)


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Authors & Editors' Copyright Note:In the production of this book, the Author and Editors haveattempted to adhere to both the spirit and letter of copyrightlaw and regret unintended copyright violations that mayhave occurred. We fully acknowledge and understandthat it is rla Gurudevas order and desire that only thehighest legal standards of compliance with copyright lawbe maintained now and in the future. Accordingly, we willmake every effort to correct these oversights as quickly as possible by adding citation errata in future volumes andby contacting copyright holders as quickly as possible. We formally apologize for any oversight and unintended offenseand ask forgiveness. Further, any oversights are soley those of the Author and Editors and in no way represent an intentionor act of rla Gurudeva.

2010 SVm B. V. Mdhava. Some Rights Reserved.Except where otherwise noted, content in this book

is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License.

To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/3.0/Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available by writing to:swamibvmadhava @gmail.com or [email protected]

la G d va: Th S p m T as 978-81909756-1-2

Fi st p inting:5,000 copies, Ka tik, 2010P int d at Sam at Offs t Ltd, Okhla (India)


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DEDICATION

I am p s nting this book as an off ing of d votion too d a ly b lov d jagad-guru, o viupda paramahasa parivrjakcrya aottara-ata

r rmad Bhaktivednta Nryaa Gosvm Mahrja

who has m cif lly shown s an nad lt at d lif of tt d dication and loving s vic to his b lov d G

Mah ja, nitya-ll-pravia o viupda paramahasa parivrjakcrya aottara-ata mad Bhakti P ajnaK ava Gosvm Mah ja.

This is an acco nt of th most a spicio s lif , q aliti sand t achings of mad Bhaktiv dnta N yaaGosvm Mah ja.

la N yaa Gosvm Mah ja is xp t in d sc ibingka-ll. H is ndow d with th q aliti s of magnanimityand sw tn ss, and h is th b st of g at so ls. B ca s h isalways lishing Kas sw tn ss, h is abl to f ly dist ib tthat sw tn ss to oth s. I bow down and plac my h ad at hislot s f t.

B ca s h lov s to sp akhari-kath and lish s th sw tt anc nd ntal nam , fo m, q aliti s and pastim s of th S p mLo d, h is th most q alifi d to adicat f om on s h a tth most dang o s n my in th path of bhakti, th d c itf l

nt apping fallacy of imp sonalism.

Tridai-bhiku Bhaktivednta Mdhava Mahrja


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Contents

Foreword / xv Preface / xxviiGuru-varga Photos / xxxiiiIntroduction / xliMagalcaraa / xlix

Sr Guru Tattva And S r Guru Sevaka / 143The Path Of Auspiciousness / 1The Bona Fide Guru / 7The Sampradya / 17Vysa-Pj Of The Bona Fide Guru / 21r Guru-Parampar By

rla Bhaktisiddhnta hkura / 26A Thief Of Hearts / 30

Srla Gurudevas Pu -rvsrama / 43104 Birthplace / 43rla Gurudevas Childhood Name / 49rla Gurudevas Inclination As A Boy / 52Childhood: Eating With Father / 54Powerful Grandfather / 55Fathers Mango Orchard / 56Horse Riding / 57Mango Pulp Cure / 57Taste For rmad-Bhgavatam / 58rla Gurudevas School Days / 59Preaching To The Son Of His Family Guru / 62rla Gurudevas Previous Occupation / 65A Business Of No Loss But Only Gain / 66Disciples Main Identification Is Guru-Parampar / 71Life Before Joining The Maha / 72


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Serving The Society Serving The Devotees / 78Serving rla Bhaktivednta Svm Mahrja / 79Eternally Indebted To rla Bhakti Prajna

Keava Gosvm Mahrja / 83Be Careful Of The First Offence In Chanting / 85Service To Vaiavas Is Best / 87Ka Is Svayam Bhagavn / 88Sthy-bhva Never Changes / 96

The Preaching Of S r Narottamnanda PrabhuTo Srla Gurudeva / 105138

The Nature Of The Soul / 105Story Of The King And The Saint / 110Family Duties / 113Worship Of The Demigods / 115The Process Of Bhakti-yoga / 121The Deity Of Gopntha In Remun / 125The Story Of Mdhavendra Pur And r Gopala / 125Malayan Sandalwood / 130r Kra-cor Gopntha / 131Fame Follows The Devotee / 133Leaving Home And Going To Navadvpa / 135

Life In The Mat.ha / 139155

Rdhe yma ym yma / 139A Well-Known Krtany / 141The Dancing Of Bhakti Prajna

Keava Gosvm Mahrja / 143Teaching A Very Good Lesson / 146Maha-sev / 147rla Gurudeva Is Awarded

The Title Bhakta-Bndhava / 147Vaiava-sev / 147

At Devaghara In Bihar / 153


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Back To Home Village / 157208Talking With The Learned Scholar

Vaaropaa Siha / 157Viu-tattva As Stated By r Madhvcrya / 180Avatras As Stated By r Madhvcrya / 185Lakm-dev As Stated By r Madhvcrya / 187The Jva As Stated By r Madhvcrya / 189Mukti As Stated By r Madhvcrya / 195Bhakti As Stated By r Madhvcrya / 196Types Of Evidences According To Madhvcrya / 199Why Do You Addressr Ka Caitanya Mahprabhu As God? / 202

Return To Mat .ha Life / 209245Leaving For Navadvpa / 209Travelling With His rla Gurudeva / 211Taking Sannysa On Gaura Prim,1952 / 212Mnasa Deha Geha / 213rla Bhaktivednta Vmana Gosvm Mahrja / 215r rmad BhaktivedntaTrivikrama Gosvm Mahrja / 222rla Gurudeva Begins Serving In Mathur / 227Establishing The Proper Chanting

Of The Mah-mantra / 227

A Visit From Parents / 233Association With rla BhaktivedntaSvm Mahrja / 241

Photo Gallery / 246Charts / Tables

Calendar Chart of theAppearance of Gods Incarnations / 31

rla Gurudevas Family Tree / 49The Four Sampradyas / 161


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xiii

FOREWORD

THIS VOLuMe IS THe FIrST BOOK abo t th xt ao dina ycha act and s blim t achings of o most v d holy mast ,oviupda paramahasa parivrjakcrya aottara-ata madBhaktiv dnta N yaa Gosvm Mah ja, aff ctionat ly knownas o b lov d la G d va. It is la G d vas xt ao dina y

m cy that h has v al d a glimps of th spi it al wo ld andawak n d within s a tast fo th s p m ly sw t pastim s of rdh-Ka.

pda Vidylak a1 Mdhava Mah ja is not w iting j stanoth book abo t som cha ismatic individ al who is acc pt d byth g n al p blic as aguru. Nowadays th namguru has b comq it fashionabl . In th mod n wo ld w hav financialgurus,manag m ntgurus, fashiongurusand so on, and it s ms that anycommon man can b acc pt d asguru as long as h shows somxp tis in his fi ld. Th app oach of many so-call dgurusmay b of g at app al to th mass s by making th m f l good abo t th p osp ctsof th i mat ial aspi ations and th anticipat d t mpo a y pl as sof th mind and s ns s. On may c iv som t mpo a y pliftm ntf om th s s lf-styl dgurus, b t in th nd, th i nco ag m nt fo

s to contin o sly chas aft mat ial happin ss p od c s only am ntal imag of a possibl f t , b t no ltimat satisfaction. Thatis b ca s th mat ial njoym nt th y off always nds in mis y.This mat ial njoym nt is j st lik a big fi ; no matt how b a tif lit is to look at, if yo to ch it, it will in vitably b n yo and yo wills ff t m ndo sly. Simila ly, ha mf l activiti s will mak s s ffin th mat ial wo ld. P opl who a ov pow d by th ill somat ialmyof Ka f l happin ss and s ff ing fo many bi ths

nd th infl nc of that ill so y n gy. Th i happin ss and

s ff ings a all th wo k of my, m aning fo g tf ln ss of Ka.Th a many p sons in this wo ld who may app a o claim to1 la G d va gav th titl Vidylak a, which m ans an oc an of knowl dg , to pda

Mdhava Mah ja b ca s of his xp tis in his assisting la G d va with his books.


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b guru, b t a bona fid guru follows B ahm, th o iginalguru and g andfath of th niv s . Ka conscio sn ss was p opo nby B ahm a ons ago wh n th c ation was still in its infancOnly a bona fidguru p s nting hisguruand th Lo d can giv onth ss ntial h lp to attain al f dom.

Guru is a Sansk it wo d and its o iginal and int nd d m aningsa xplain d in th V dic lit at s.Gu m ans igno anc andru m ans disp ll , so a alguru is som on who is in a disciplics cc ssion of gurusthat disp lls o igno anc . Thos in a mat ialconc ption of lif will t ach oth s that th y can and will b com

happy h , th s inc asing th i igno anc and boosting th i fals of bodily id ntification. A alguru, on th oth hand, giv s t nals lts by initiating s on th path that activat s and v als o t

spi it al id ntity. H m cif lly giv s inst ctions, convincing s th many p f ct philosophical concl sions of bhakti. S ving himand s bmissiv ly h a ing f om him f s s f om th igno anc has b n ing ain d within o h a ts sinc tim witho t b ginninIt g ad ally b t fi mly stablish s within s a d p lov fo rdh-Ka, th divin Yo thf l Co pl and th so ls f nctionf lly awak ns. This is what agurusho ld giv o p istin int insicnat , o t naldharma. Thats what o la G d va, thd liv of th fall n, is giving to s.

O t nal nat al f nction, odharma, is bhaktio d votionals vic . As on cannot s pa at h at f om fi , so simila ly, s vic nat of th living ntiti s cannot b tak n away f om th

W hav to s v som on o som thing. W s v ith Ka omy.unfo t nat ly, d ing this ag of q a l and hypoc isy, th insincand hypoc isy is so wid sp ad that thos who hav a d si to follo

ligion a oft ntim s misl d; cons q ntly th y a dish a t np s ligion with st ong d t mination o conviction.

All ligions p opagat d in th wo ld a ith st ps l adingbhaktio ls disto tions of it. This b ing a fact, w sho ld foc s on oown c ltivation of d votion and not wo y o c iticiz what oth s adoing. W sho ld b favo abl towa ds th follow s of oth liand hav no animosity towa ds th m. All of s advanc acco ding toth tim that is ip fo s. Any ligion sho ld b sp ct d accoto its p opo tionat d g of p ity.


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In o d to p s o pa tic la path with g at d votion, w havto nd stand that th a mix d, poll t d and imagina y conc ptsof bhakti that a fals ly p s nt d in th nam of pbhakti.Th a diff nt cat go i s. On g o p may hav a slight s mblancof bhaktio a mix d d votion (mix d with f itiv action o sp c lativknowl dg , tc.). Th s a g adations of bhaktib t only nalloy dd votion (uddha-bhakti) can giv lif s ltimat goal th n cta of p lov ( prema). Only that uddha-bhaktican b stow th high st

s lts. Y t, on th path of bhakti, many t y to giv th imp ssionthat th y a p acticing pbhakti, tho gh in act ality th y p actic

only a fl ction o a shadow of d votion. It is impo tant to know thatwho v yo follow, yo will only b abl to attain what th y hav , notmo than that. What v l v l of conscio sn ss on sguru attains,th follow s can advanc p to that l v l, not high than that.That is why th gift of th high pa t, th t ansc nd ntal alm,can only b obtain d by th xcl siv m cy of la rpa Gosvm,th cryaof ujjvala-rasa, and his intimat associat s. Th o iginalfo m of Bhagavn d sc nd d in this ag as Caitanya Mahp abhto d liv all th living ntiti s. la rpa Gosvm, who is priya-svarpa, th v y mbodim nt of v ything d a to Him, is Hisfo most discipl in stablishing th d p st wish s of His h a t.Thos who compl t ly com nd th g idanc and ca of thg n in follow s of la rpa Gosvm will attain alization andadvanc th o gh ach s cc ssiv stag of ka-prema.

Th alm of th S p m Lo d is nat ally f ll of lov and this n v any fo c . H also, w a n v fo c d to lov , b t thwo ld is a plac wh th S p m Lo d xamin s s. Do w wanonly Him, o do w still want som thing of this wo ld? Th Lo dwill f lfill o d si , as m ch as w d si , not mo than that.Acco ding to what w d si in lif , w will g t an app op iatguru o spi it al t ach . If w want t ansc nd ntal vision, w can onlyg t it by th sp cial m cy of g at d vot s who s and p c iv thLo d at all tim s and in all plac s. Only by th i m cy will w xc l

in th xamination, b abl to cogniz o t s lv s and b gin tohank fo th only thing that will satisfy s pbhakti. On canonly m mb th Lo d in all ci c mstanc s wh n th inclinationto s v th Lo d a is s in on s h a t by th sw t association and


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m cy of s ch asdhu. unl ss w hav th oppo t nity to h a thp n cta of th ihari-kath, w will always go back and abso bo s lv s in s ns g atification, v n if w a inclin d towa

ligio s lif . It is only by th i m cif l glanc and th sha p womanating f om th i lot s mo ths that th hidd n fantasi s in th

mind fo g oss and s btl s ns g atification a finally adicaf om th h a t fo v .

If som on poss ss s only p t ntio s d votion (chala-bhakti), thatis what th i follow s will g t f om th m. Som , v n in th nambhakti, inst ct oth s against th p incipl s of bhaktiand l ad th m

on a path that is totally oppos d to it. Th fo o p vio scryas hav cl a ly ca tion d s to avoid mix d and poll t d conc pts obhakti. Only th n will o h a ts b tho o ghly cl ans d, so thao activiti s can b most favo ably x c t d fo th pl as oS p m Lo d, Ka.

ev yon is cont oll d by th d si fo s ns njoym nt, v n wit com s to mod n day ligion. Most of th g n al p blic b coatt act d to follow c tain ligio s t achings to g t mat ial boof om God in th fo m of conomic d v lopm nt (artha) and s nsg atification (kma). Th y a misl d to ask and s a ch fo mat iab n dictions, ath than stablishing th i p loving lationshwith th Lo d. Altho gh th i val s a p s nt d as th topmost amost l vant fo God conscio sn ss, th y a in act ality a disto tiof p bhaktiand th p actition can only d v lop a littl faith inGod. ultimat ly it is a d c ption and infinit ly inf io to th flawl sand compl t ly p uddha-bhakti. That is why w sho ld always h ath p f ct philosophical concl sions of bhakti (bhakti-siddhnta)f om q alifi d p sons. unq alifi d p sons with th fo d f ctsh man f ailty2 a nabl to p op ly t ach anything t ansc nd ntathat is wo th h a ing. W n d to s k h lp f om thos who a ff om th s v y s io s d f cts that p v nt s f om g tting vglimps of t ansc nd nc . M thods of l a ning nd th op atioth fo -fold d f cts a s l ss in o p og ss towa d th Abs

fo th y can n v f s f om thos d f cts.2 As d sc ib d inr Tattva-sandarbha, Anuccheda9, th fo d f cts of h man f ailty a : (1)

a t nd ncy to mak mistak s, (2) th t nd ncy b com nd th ill sion of fals id as andb li fs, (3) th p op nsity to ch at and (4) imp f ct s ns s.


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What la G d va has com to giv is not a low st p onth stai cas of mix dbhakti, b t th topmost l v l of p lov .Lik th bhakti-rascrya la rpa Gosvm, h has com to f lfillth inn most h a ts d si (mano bhia) of Kali-y ga pvana vatr Caitanya Mahp abh , to giv s th s vic to mati rdhikas H confid ntial maids vant. If la G d va had not com tomak all th s things acc ssibl to s, w wo ld hav b n g aspingfo st aws, t ying to nd stand th s confid ntial pastim s with om ndan int ll ct, o w wo ld hav foolishly igno d th s pastim s,b ca s oth s had advis d s that th y w inapp op iat and wo ld

comp omis o spi it al liv s. Th p son to t ach s th p opnd standing and m thod to app oach th Lo ds amo o s lationshipswitho t off nc is a bona fid p s ntativ of la rpa Gosvm,whos p h a t is imm s d in th s loving pastim s. Only som onlik la G d va, who is abso b d in th moods of th s pastim swith rdh, can plant th s d of p d votion and n t itwitho t imp dim nts. Th s most confid ntial pastim s a not at alls bj ct to Sansk it schola ship o a tistic c ativ imagination, b ta only v al d to som on who has pl as d th Divin Co pl andTh i d vot s with nmotivat d, p , loving s vic . Th s p mt as that th most m nific nt Lo d Ga ga Mahp abhcam to giv p sonally wo ld hav c tainly b n lost f om o vision

nl ss la G d va had m cif lly nv il d it. la G d vcam to giv th incompa abl gift that Lo d Caitanya Mahp abh , la rpa Gosvm and all oguru-vargacam to giv , nam ly thp ma of unnatojjvala-rasa-sva-bhakti-ryam.3 O mat ial d si sand p id wo ld hav k pt s away if la G d va had not cominto o liv s and q alifi d s with his pot nthari-kath. Witho t him,th p d si to nd nalloy d d votional s vic in th mood oth V ajavsis wo ld p haps n v nt o h a ts.

la G d va is a vastly l a n d schola and a tho who hasw itt n and t anslat d mo than on h nd d books in Hindi, thathav b n t anslat d into many lang ag s a o nd th wo ld, with

ov s v nty titl s in english. ev n tho gh h is nin ty-on y a sold, h is still p od cing mo t ansc nd ntal lit at s v y y a3 Th prema of unnatojjvala-rasa-sva-bhakti-ryamm ans th majar-bhva of mat

rdh s maids vants. (r Caitanya-caritmta, di-ll1.4)


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Th s books a lish d and app ciat d by all thos who a sto st dy th d p Ka conscio s m anings of thrpnuga cryas.

P opl a v y m ch ag to l a n mo abo t this o tstanp ach of keval-bhakti, who has manif st with his p n s ch avast a ay of Ga ya lit at and who has sp ad this knowlth o gho t th whol wo ld. This book h lps s to know mointimat ly th p son sponsibl fo all of thos books and giv s a chanc to b com mo acq aint d with th ss ntial t ths thah cam to sp ak. It shows how h p ot ct d thsiddhntawh n vit was n d d and how h is th g a dian of th Ga ya Vaiav

sampradya. H th ad s will not only know abo t th g atnof la G d vas accomplishm nts, b t also his p ofo nd, intp pos and moods. Th s things cannot b nd stood by o tsidb t pda Mdhava Mah ja giv s s a p k at th g avity and d pof his p sonality, which no oth biog aph no matt how xpcan giv .

pda Mdhava Mah ja shows s in v y simpl lang ag h la G d va p sonally appli s and d monst at s th inst ctof his books in his own lif , th by inst cting s how to o s lvact and advanc in Ka conscio sn ss. la G d va p f c

x mplifi s th concl sion of th Lo d that on sho ld t ach byxampl . In this book yo will s how G p f ctly p

th siddhntathat is th v y s bstanc of th nti ty of th V dasWith logic and disc imination, pda Mdhava Mah ja hasd sc ib d th nam , fam , d votional activiti s and t ansc nd ntmoods of la G d va and h has st ng this tog th in s chb a tif l way, to show th v y ss nc of th Absol t T th.

H p ov s how la G d va has an t nal lationship w la Bhaktiv dnta Svm Mah ja bas d on spontan o s lovand how h is consid d by him to b th alguru-sevaka, th als vant of G . unsc p lo s p sons t y to d fam him inatt mpt to stablish th i own s p io ity, b t th i att mpts simpinc as his t ansc nd ntal fam and p tation.

pda Mdhava Mah ja has don an amazing s vic ith fo m of this biog aphy. Not only is pda Mdhava Mah j la G d vas p sonal s vant; la G d va hims lf haon many occasions that h is his moth , fath , minist , docto


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di tician, cook and bosom f i nd. H p sonally h a d f om manyof th cont mpo a i s of la G d va, b t mostly h not d downth s incid nts f om h a ing di ctly f om la G d va hims lfwhom h has s v d fo mo than thi ty y a s. H was always by hissid , att ntiv ly h a ing his sc ipt al d bat s with opposing pa ti s,his answ s to div s q stions, and his p sonal d alings with alltyp s of diff nt p sonaliti s and sit ations. H giv s intimatd tails of th t ansc nd ntal q aliti s and cha act istics of laG d va and xplains how th y a simila to thos of th Lo d.H also shows how la G d va chang s p opl s h a ts by d liv in

th p t ansc nd ntal nam ,Hare Ka, Hare Ka, Ka Ka,Hare Hare, Hare Rma Hare Rma Rma Rma Hare Hareand byalways d sc ibing th pow , q aliti s and m cy of th holy nam .Th holy nam , which is id ntical with th Lo d, has th pow to f

s and associat s with thos spi it al b a ti s of th high st possiblstanda ds of xc ll nc .

pda Mdhava Mah ja giv s a d tail d acco nt of how in1952, at th yo ng ag of thi ty-on , la G d va tooksannysa,th no nc d o d . At that tim h ta ght and p s nt d sc ipt alq ot s which b o ght abo t th p op chanting of thismah-mantra wh n it was b ing chant d in v s s q nc by almost v yon inth holy plac s of Kas pastim s in V aja-maala. la G d vawo ld nth siastically go to th pastim plac s of th Lo d ov andov again and d sc ib th Lo ds t ansc nd ntalllsthat took placth , g atly inspi ing all th d vot s who cam fo pilg imag .H also xplains how la G d va is constantly chanting thmah-mantra nd any ci c mstanc . His p s ntation will asto nd

v n a ston -h a t d p son.That m cy yo g t f om thrasika Vaiava is p p t al.

It go s on fo v and will n v stop. This is th s p m t asIt is not som thing p ishabl , lik all b n dictions yo c iv f ommat ialistic p opl . Spi it al g d (lobha) will inc as wh n onassociat s with th rgnuga-rasikaVaiava, h a s f om him, o

h a s abo t him. Wh n a p son h a s f om his lot s lips abo t ths p m ly blissf l, sw t pastim s of Ka and sp cially thLo dsmdhuryapastim s with thvraja-gops that g n in g d(lobha) nt s th mind o th h a t (citta-vtti).


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This book is abo t th p son who is a s p m t as fo wo ld and who giv s th s p m t as of bhakti to th wo ld.P opl a looking v ywh in th wo ld fo t as s, bfail to aliz that th s p m t as is ight th in th i unfo t nat ly, th y do not s this and a nning aft a mi agOnly G can dissolv th mi ag , mov th igno anc giv s nt anc into th kingdom of s p m , v lasting happinW want happin ss, b t fo th most pa t, it scap s s. ev n if wfind t mpo a y happin ss in som s p ficial pl as s, it is shliv d and mis y com s and tak s its plac . It is s l ss v n to n

som kind of ps do- ligio s mov m nt and xt nally b ak ohabits, if th is no lasting t ansfo mation. Th sp c lations of thps do- ligionists show that th y a still compl t ly b wild dth i mat ial xist nc .

W w also painf lly wallowing in total fo g tf ln ss of thLo d, b t la G d va, who is th f i nd of th d stit t and lohas ov look d o disq alifications to giv s that s p m t awhich is o al w lfa .

ultimat ly mat ial lif and s ns al pl as is a d c ption thant aps s, b wild s s, k ps s ntangl d and l av s s h t. D

all th s ff ing, w gain som pow of disc imination and v ntw com to th point in o lif ... wh w a xha st d... whhav had no gh... wh w a t ly c ying o t to th Lo d.

Wh n w a t ly d stit t and d p in o h a ts, d sp ahav a conn ction only with God, th Lo d h a s o sinc longiand wa ms o h a ts by s nding His p d vot , who is o f i nd and sh lt in this wo ld. Altho gh s ch association is xt m

a , th Lo d will v al to s His own t nal p sonal assocth bhakta-bhgavata. Wh n w know how diffic lt that associationis to attain, th n w sho ld sinc ly p ay fo it witho t d plicity.

W cannot always g t th association of livingsdhus, so inth abs nc of thbhakta-bhgavata, th Lo ds d vot , w cantak th association of th oth all-a spicio s typ of sdhu, th

grantha-bhgavata, th stra. Th sdhus, hav with g at nd avom tic lo sly w itt n down thstras fo o b n fit and w canc iv th i association th . Wh n w tak sh lt of th s

sdhus, th bhakta-bhgavataand th grantha-bhgavata, th y will


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mak s q alifi d so that w will n v giv p V aj nd a-nandana Ka. Wh n w always h a th ihari-kath lad n with th ipot ncy, o int llig nc will b com fi mly fix d in th p opphilosophical concl sions.

Ka is th fo ntainh ad of allrasas (akhila-rasmta-mrti) and w can off Him o t nal loving s vic in th moodof d p f i ndship, mat nal o fath ly lov , o in amo o s lov .In th wo ship of oth fo ms of th Lo d, altho gh w can compl t lys nd nto Him with nwav ing faith and lov which is f llysatisfying, w a not abl to off s ch confid ntial s vic and

nconditional lov as His f i nds, pa nts o lov s. Caitanya Mahp abh , who is Ka Hims lf in th mood andcompl xion of mat rdh , d sc nd d to this wo ld to giv lovof God. Having fl ct d on th living ntitys diffic lt and nfo t natsit ation, rdh and Ka p sonally app a d in Th icombin d fo m of man Mahp abh , who is an oc an of compassionfo th fall n so ls. pda Bhaktiv dnta Mdhava Mah ja in thisbook is showing how d vot s all ov th wo ld a b coming happyand satisfi d by h a ing th p m ssag of man Mahp abh f om la G d va. Caitanya Mahp abh cam som fiv h nd dy a s ago to giv s th topmost, all-a spicio s spi it al knowl dg andto show s how to p actic it in p lov . H has now a ang d tos nd His m ss ng la G d va to s so that w can h a phari-kath (topics in glo ification of Lo d Ha i and His d vot s) flowingconstantly f om his lot s mo th. If w hav th xt m fo t n tocontin ally d ink th amb osial n cta that manat s f om his lot smo th and which flows f om his p n, w shall n v hav to liv againin mis y, adv s to th S p m Lo d. Whil p sons in this wo ld ab coming mo and mo mad to njoy th i m ndan s ns s, b t ainst ad d owning in mis y, s a ching fo w alth, wom n and m ndan

p tation and fam , this book will h lp th m to fo g t s ch fl tinghappin ss. la G d va has n v b n in fo g tf ln ss of th Loand h can t ach s how to liv o lif in s ch constant m mb anc .

H shows s how w can t ly b happy by ngaging in Kas s vic .Th is imm ns happin ss in s ving Him and a v y lishabl lovand aff ction that is not fo nd in mat ial lationships. Th aoc ans of lov and aff ction in Kas t ansc nd ntal abod .


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Not only is la G d va th s p m t as ; h is also gs this inval abl t as , nam ly th awak ning and n t ing

o t nal loving p sonal lationship with th Divin Co pl . Hnot giving s a pa tially d v lop d nd standing, b t is giving s thf ll and p f ct philosophical concl sion (siddhnta) of th bona fidgurus( cryas) incl ding Lo d Caitanya Hims lf.

Th book also talks abo t som cont ov sial s bj cts, mis ndstandings and sland o s stat m nts. P opl a d c iving th ms lif th y do not p op ly sp ct a Vaiava and it is an off nc to thholy nam to dis sp ct and blasph m th saintly d vot s who

cha act s a spotl ss. pda Bhaktiv dnta Mdhava Mahadd ss s many mistak n vi wpoints and misg id d m ntaliti s angiv s th facts of many incid nts that w p vio sly p s nt d givth w ong imp ssion of la G d va. H do s this to p ot ctimmac lat p tation of o most ill st io s la G d va th Ga ya Vaiavasampradyathat h p s nts. H p s nts itnot as a chall ng , b t to acq aint th innoc nt with th al factsand disp l th i do bts and to wa n th m abo t th s io sn ss off nding Vaiavas who a so v y d a to th Lo d.

A p d vot has no hostil m ntality, p sonal g dg s dissatisfaction with anyon . Th s anyon who tak s initiation of thholy nam m st whol h a t dly j ct any t nd ncy to dis ga ddis sp ct any Vaiava. G is o g at st w ll-wishb st f i nd. Th is no on mo m cif l than him in this wob t thos who a adv s to him cannot s it. A p son d v lohis o h m ntality and body in acco danc with th activiti s thatth y hav p fo m d in th i p vio s bi th. Th Lo d is b stowth f its of th i action, what v th y may b , to njoy and ngain f th acts. Thos who a adv s to th Lo d will b impto act by th xt nal, ill so y n gy (my) of th Lo d, and thoswho a s nd d witho t d plicity will s all th vi t s oVaiava v al d in th i t f at s. Th y will s th Vai

xt ao dina y t ansc nd ntal q aliti s and will not lik n th m t

m ndan q aliti s, wh as thos who a imp ll d bymyand whocommit off nc s, will not.Th xampl has b n giv n of a palac mad nti ly of g m

Thos whos h a ts a p will s its spl ndo , wh as ano som on with an off nsiv m ntality will only t y to find th


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hol . If w s how la G d va is always s ving rdhKa Y gala and how h is xcl siv ly s nd d to Th m, thatwill att act s and a o s in s an aff ction fo him. And thos whoa not g ntl and w ll-b hav d towa ds him, will still nfo t nat lynot b abl to cogniz th t ansc nd ntal Vaiava, no matt howmany vi t s and mat ial int llig nc th y may hav d v lop d byth i karmas. Th y will not b abl to j dg his xcl siv s nd toTh i Lo dships and will inst ad s l ct a m ndan p sonality.

la G d va has b o ght with him th immac lat moodsof th p d vot s and plac d it ight in th fo f ont of o

conscio sn ss. All w hav to do is faithf lly pay att ntion to himand w will b n fit ma kably. H is not simply giving s an id ato pond ov lik th a mchai philosoph s. rath , h is showing

s o xact spi it al id ntity and abod , and how to aliz th m.W sho ld tak advantag of this oppo t nity. This divin m cycom s only f om a sp cially mpow d p sonality who is ov flowingwith m cy f om Lo d Ka and mati rdh . No matt howlow w jvashav fall n, a pow f lgurulik la G d va can b ing

s to th high st spi it al position by no ishing s and awak ningo al nat and int insic mood of p lov of God.

W invit th sinc ad s to d lib at on this fi st bookf lly and lish th nat of la G d vasuddha-bhakti, th

ltimat goal of all sc ipt s. S fo yo s lf how th n cta of thka-premathat h cam to giv manif sts in his lif and actions.W sinc ly p ay that la G d va, who is th p sonification of m cy and fo giv n ss, may t ansmit his pot ncy into th co of oh a ts, so that w can nd som pl asing s vic to f lfill his innh a ts longing to giv prema-bhaktito th wo ld. If w main aloof f om adv s association, h a f om th lot s lips of p d vot sand ad th i d votional lit at s, w will c iv th high st,most s blim v lation of all, th s p m t as , s vic to rdh-Ka Y gala.

I h mbly b g yo fo giv n ss fo any mistak s,

Aspiring for the service of r Hari, Guru & VaiavasRpa-Raghuntha dsa


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PREFACE

FOLLOWING THe SPIrITuAL HIerArCHY of India, I fi st off myp ost at d ob isanc s at th lot s f t of my initiating G -pdapadma, nitya-ll-pravia o viupda madBhaktiv dnta Vmana Gosvm Mah ja and I off my p ost at dob isanc s at th lot s lik f t of my inst cting G ,o viupda

parivrjakcrya aottara-ata mad Bhaktiv dnta N yaaGosvm Mah ja.

It is on th o d of my godb oth s, godsist s and oth Vaiavas,that I compl t d and s bmitt d this docto ial th sis, Th S p mT as la G d va, in 2009. I achi v d this PhD d g f oFlo ida V dic Coll g , unit d Stat s, on 26th May, 2010.

On th inspi ation and o d of th Vaiavas, I took this s vic asa chall ng b ca s it is a v y ha d task. I think that by th ca s l ssm cy of la G d va, oguru-paramparand all th Vaiavas,I will b s cc ssf l in this s bj ct matt .

Sinc 1996, la Bhaktiv dnta N yaa Gosvm Mah jahas b n contin o sly t av ling a o nd th wo ld. So fa , h hast av ll d mo than thi ty-fiv tim s a o nd th whol wo ld. H isalways giving disco s s onbhakti, o s lfl ss d votion to th S p mLo d. H g la ly had m giv l ct s on th s bj ct of guru and

th discipl in th Ga ya Vaiava t adition, and pa tic la ly onguru-sev. Wh v I t av l with la G d va, on his o d , in myfi st class among th many class s that I giv wh v w stay, I havt i d my l v l b st to disc ssr guru, th lation b tw nr guru and discipl , and how to p fo mguru-sev. In this way, I am bo ndto say som thing abo t both mydk-guruand ik-guru. I coll ct din not fo m what I hav h a d at diff nt tim s f om myik-guru, la Bhaktiv dnta N yaa Gosvm Mah ja, mydk-guru, la Bhaktiv dnta Vmana Gosvm Mah ja, and param- pyjapda la Bhaktiv dnta T ivik ama Gosvm Mah ja, andalso what I hav h a d f om diff nt Vaiavas and th n t i d tomak th m into a book.


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Fo th past thi ty y a s, I hav gath d diff nt q otatioand s bj ct matt . Wh n I fi st sta t d this wo k, I q st d G d va to ch ck my wo k to s if th s points w okay o At th tim I sta t d this book I was in C b in th Philippin s.Wh n I told la G d va two o th of th points, h h mbly sNo, I sho ld not list n.

I q st d, Why not? la G d va pli d, It is not good fo m to list n to my o

glo ification.I said, If yo dont t ll m if this is co ct o not, th n who wi

ctify m ? Who will co ct m ?G d va said, No, Im so y, I cannot h lp yo with this.Two days lat , I q st d la G d va, If yo think tha

list n to yo own glo i s is not good fo yo , wh n v it is yvysa-pj, diff nt d vot s a glo ifying yo . At that tim , a yp tting in a pl gs, o a yo list ning to th i off ings?

Th s cond a g m nt I gav was as follows: At th tim of thvysa- pj of o b lov d Pa ama-g d va, la Bhakti P ajna K avaGosvm Mah ja, yo s lf, my G -pdapadma, la Bhaktiv dntaVmana Gosvm Mah ja and param-pujyapada la Bhaktiv dntaT ivik ama Gosvm Mah ja, s d to glo ify o Pa am-g dAt that tim , did Pa am-g d va list n to his glo i s f om all of yonot? At that tim , did h p t in a pl gs o not?

My thi d a g m nt was, Wh n la Bhaktisiddhnta Sa asvahk a P abh pda was p s nt in this wo ld, h had so manq alifi d discipl s and at th tim of vysa-pj, th y also glo ifi dhim. At that tim , did h mak any obj ction, o did h allow th mto sp ak abo t him? If P abh pda allow d his discipl s to glo ify hiand if Pa ama-g d va allow d all of yo to glo ify him and at thtim of yo ownvysa-pj, yo allow all discipl s and d vot s toglo ify yo , if I glo ify yo and q st yo to ch ck if this pointokay o not, th n what w ong am I doing?

la G d va b cam sp chl ss and co ld not f t

a g m nts. Aft that, h list n d to v ything tho o ghly antold that, Y s, this is v y nic . It will b v y good. And thI got bl ssings f om la G d va to compil this docto al thA l vant s l ction of th s points is p s nt d in this wo k.


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This t atis s v s towa d th f lfillm nt of a Ph.D. in VaiavaPhilosophy f om Flo ida V dic Coll g . Sinc th GVP is xcl siv lyfo th p blication of la G d vas books, this book is not p int d

nd th GVP logo. How v , it is with m ch g atit d that I havcompl t d this wo k sing th val abl mat ials p blish d by GVP,f om which, I hav xt nsiv ly mad xc pts and q otations in manyimpo tant s ctions of th book.

I wo ld lik to thank th individ als who hav nco ag d andassist d m in on way o anoth . I p ay to th lot s f t of laG d va (who has capt d Caitanya Mahp abh and th

Divin Co pl in his h a t, and is s ving Th m contin o sly, tw nty-fo ho s a day) that h bl ss s who v has h lp d m in any way tob ing fo th this book, to p og ss apidly in Ka conscio sn ss.

May la G d va, who is th mbodim nt of th S p m Lo dscompassion, show pon m ab ndant m cy by which I can attain

v -inc asing q alification to s v his inn most d si . This is myh mbl p ay at his lot s f t, which can b stow prema.

If any d vot wants to p od c o t anslat this wo k, o po tionsof th wo k, th n th y a advis d to contact th a tho .

Hare Ka!

Source of InspirationTh main so c of inspi ation in this book isparamrdhya la

G d va, la Bhaktiv dnta N yaa Gosvm Mah ja.Many oth s hav kindly nco ag d and s ppo t d m s ch as:

B.V. T tha Mah ja, P mnanda dsa, B.V. Pa iv ajaka Mah ja,B.V. Padmanbha Mah ja, B.V. Sajjana Mah ja, B.V. N miMah ja, B.V. dha a Mah ja, B.V. T idai Mah ja, B.V.Dmoda a Mah ja, B.V. Govinda Mah ja, B.V. Ha ijanaMah ja, B ajantha dsa, Mdhava-p ya dsa, Ka-kp dsa,Amala-ka dsa, Vijaya-ka dsa, Dvija-ka dsa, rmacand adsa, rohininandana dsa, Sajaya dsa (S .), Ha -ka dsa,Bala ma dsa, Sajaya dsa (J .), S bala-sakh dsa, yma dsand Vnd-d v ds.


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Advisory Board.B ajantha dsa, Pnama ds, Pakaja dsa and Acy tnanda dsa

RecordingMadh v ata dsaTranscribing

Anantc ya dsa, Madh v ata dsa, Ga ga dsa andSajaya dsaEditorial Board

rpa- agh ntha dsa, Madh v ata dsa, Bhad ds, V ajad v dand Vinaya-ka dsa

Chi f edito rpa-ragh ntha dsa, nd th di ction of man B ajantha P abhDiacritics and Proofreading

Ga ga dsa, Acy tnanda dsa, nt ds, And-ka dsa,Ga a- ja dsa, Ga agopla dasa and Gi idh i dsa.Layout & Design

An pma dsa, Anaga-mohana dsa, Ka-ka ya dsaLegal Consultation and Copyright Permissions

Ann M ting, Vavadana dsa and M k nda dsaPublic Relations & Communication

B ajantha dsa and Vnd-d v dsFinancial Board

M kha -d v ds, Tamopaha dsa& Campakalat ds, V aj adsa & Ka-bhmin ds, Na aha i dsa& Bhavat in ds,A ianana dsa, D . Pa am va a dsa& Ml ds, Ta na-kadsa & family, Nandana dsa& Svit ds, S nda nanda dsa& Gt ds, Indi ds, Nandana dsa, Ka dsa, Dha ma ja dsaVinaya-ka dsa, H mant dsa, Jan dana dsa, Sa vamagalds, Lalita-p ya ds, Yaod ds, Vndvana dsa, Vivambhadsa, Vndvana-bih dsa& P amila ds, Dhanajaya dsa,Mahmant a dsa, Yam n-jvana dsa, Jagamohin ds, Yaomatds, P avallabha dsa, Vinta ds, Amala-ka dsa, ramaligamdsa, rma dsa and yma dasa.

Chi f Of Financial Boa d M kha -d v ds (China)


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Many oth s ag ly p ovid d th i assistanc in va io scapaciti s. I cannot list v yon b t I wo ld lik to xt nd mysinc app ciation to all of th m, sp cially Acintya-ga a dsa, Jna-akti dsa, rma dsa, rdh-p iy ds, Govinda dsa, BhaktaSva pa dsa and Binaya Ka dsa.

ApologyBy th ca s l ss m cy of la G d va,guru-paramparand all

Vaiavas, I hav t i d my l v l b st to p s nt th ad s th t achingsand biog aphy of la G d va. Fi st of all, I b g fo giv n ss fo nop tting all th v nts in g la histo ical s q nc . I co ld hav don sob t this is to ns that app op iat philosophical t ths and incid ntsa p s nt d tim ly to th ad s. In this way, I hav co d d many oth s pastim s f om m mo i s that cam fi st in my mind, inspi d byth styl of Paita Jagadnanda who w ot th pastim s of th Lo d inPrema-vivartaacco ding to his loving m mb anc s and not acco dingto th standa d s q ntial o d . This book is th fo by no m ans

an att mpt to na at th pastim s of la G d va in ch onologicals q nc .This biog aphical styl may not app al to v y ad .....not

possibl . Still, this book may b consid d as a biog aphy f ll of siddhnta, ath than an impa tial st dy.

la Ka dsa Kavi ja has w itt n inr Caitanya-caritmta 2.2.85, prabhur yei caraa, sei kari varana, sarva-citta nri ardhite Som may complain that I hav b n nd ly ha sh and p haps oth smay obj ct that I hav b n ov ly mild. How v , I am only t ying tod sc ib th t th.

I think sragrahVaiavas will nd stand th s t achings byov looking th fa lts and acc pting th good q aliti s.

I off homag at th lot s f t of all Vaiavas holding a blad of g ass b tw n my t th. I h mbly b g fo th i m cy.

Tridai-bhikuBhaktiv dnta Mdhava Mah ja(D . Navna Ka B ahmac , PhD Philosophy,PhD Vaiava Philosophy)


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The Three Pillars of Sr la Bhakti PrajnaKesava Gosvm Mahrja

My ik-guru, la Bhaktiv dntaN yaa Gosvm Mah ja, mydk-guru, la Bhaktiv dntaVmana Gosvm Mah ja and param-pyjapda la Bhaktiv dntaT ivik ama Gosvm Mah ja

GURU-VARGA


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o viupda paramahasa parivrjakcryaSr Srmad

Bhaktivednta Nryan. a Gosvm Mahrja


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nitya-ll-pravia o viupdaSr Srmad

Bhaktivednta Vmana Gosvm Mahrja


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Bhaktivednta Svm Mahrja

S

r i N a n

d a n a n

d a n a

( w w

w . s

t e p

h e n - k n a p p . c

o m

)


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Bhakti Prajna Kesava Gosvm Mahrja


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Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat Gosvm Prabhupda


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nitya-ll-pravia o viupdaSr Sr la

Gaurakisora dsa Bbj Mahrja


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nitya-ll-pravia o viupdaSaccidnanda

Sr la Bhaktivinoda T . hkura


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INTRODUCTION

o ajna-timirndhasya jnjana-alkaycakur unmlita yena tasmai r gurave nama

This book is abo t th most a spicio s lif and t achings of

mad Bhaktiv dntaN yaa GosvmMah ja. It is with g at

pl as that w finally p s nt this long anticipat d book abo t la G d va who is a t as ho s of th most cstatic fo mof p lov of God. Thos who a fo t nat will tak advantagof this book. This is mo than an histo ical tim lin of v nts, fo thisbook wond f lly s mma iz s th nti Ka conscio s philosophyand siddhntaas p actis d by an nalloy d, p d vot of th Lo d.

H a ing abo t a p d vot is v y a spicio s, as it adicat sall do bts, misconc ptions, mis nd standings and conf sions onth path of p d votional s vic . Thos who a s io sly lookingfo happin ss in Ka conscio sn ss m st c tainly giv p allp conc iv d ass mptions and t ansc nd all s cta ian d signations,so that th y can ad this book with an op n mind and g t th alb n fit of association with a f lly aliz d Vaiava.

r guru is th p sonification of Kas m cy in this wo ld.H com s to d liv th condition d so ls by nlight ning th m on

th constit tional nat and t nal f nction of th so l. G ad allyh v als o t nal lationship and intimat s vic to th Lo dWh n w sinc ly off o lif and so l to his lot s f t, o goodfo t n a is s and in this wayr guruop ns th way to bo ndl ssp ac and happin ss fo th condition d so l.

ev yon t i s to mov th i s ff ing and inc asth i happin ss. Som t y to achi v this by ha d labo andfollowing mo al p incipl s, whil oth s tak d gs, hav illicit

lationships, st al and s ch in an att mpt to imp ov thmat ial conditions of th i lif . How v , w s that all th satt mpts a baffl d and happin ss still mains l siv . What vhappin ss w find in this wo ld is m ag and not v lasting.


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Fo xampl , on gains som pl as by ating food, b t if on kon ating, th sam food that giv s on pl as will ca s s ffOn do s not want old ag , dis as s and d ath to com ; y t th ycom . Any san p son will pond ov this p obl m and t y to fa sol tion.

Th sc ipt s t ll s that w a not o bodi s; ath wso ls, t nal pa ts and pa c ls of th s p m p sonality of Godh Ka. Th so ls t nal constit tional f nction (dharma) is

t nal s vic and ob di nc to Ka. Wh n th so l fo g ts t id ntity as an t nal s vant of th S p m Lo d K

and inst ad id ntifi s hims lf with th body, h is s bj ct d to thty anny of th ill so y pot ncy of th Lo d (my) and his t nalconstit tional f nction b com s p v t d.

In an att mpt to njoy, th so l wand s in th mat ial wo ldtaking on mat ial body aft anoth . How v , all of his ffo t

njoy a obst ct d by th xt nal pot ncy of th Lo d. Th matbody is s bj ct d to va io s typ s of s ff ing s ch as bi th, old adis as and d ath. Th mbodi d living ntity is always s bj ct tth th typ s of mis i s, nam ly, mis i s ca s d by th mmis i s ca s d by oth living ntiti s and mis i s d to natdist banc s. How v , th p pos of s ff ing is simply so thatliving ntiti s can aliz that this s ff ing is nwant d and that thimat ial wo ld is not th i hom . Th living ntiti s can th n st ivfo som thing v lasting o t nal.

Th only way to achi v v lasting happin ss is by p fo mid votional s vic to Ka. Ka, who is infinit ly ms nds his t nal associat s to t ach s this p oc ss, so a s k

v lasting happin ss m st n c ssa ily tak sh lt of s ch p opll a n this p oc ss f om th m. S ch a t ach who can giv s ts p m t as is call d aguru.

S vic toguruis th backbon of d votional abso ption (bhajana).Who v wants to nt into th alm of bhajana, m st fi st d dicathis lif to th s vic of a bona fidguru. S ch aguru will n v

consid th discipl to b his own p op ty. rath , h will considth discipl to b long to Caitanya Mahp abh and th DivinCo pl , rdh-Ka. Th bona fidguru will t ansf thdiscipl s attachm nt and d dication fo hims lf (foguru) to Th m.


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Alto gh h is an xpansion(avea)of Ka, H n v consid shims lf to b Ka; H always thinks that h is His t nal s vant.

O b lov d G d va, la Bhaktiv dnta N yaa GosvmMah ja, is s ch aguru. Who v ads this wo k will hav a cl aconc ption of th s bj ct of la G d va and his t achings.This book will b lik a lightho s that g id s thos aspi ants whowant to p og ss in Ka conscio sn ss to ach sp it al p f ction. J st as la Vysad va got inspi ation by h a ing th lif histo y of his G d va, N ada i, on can g t inspi ation f om h a ingth biog aphy of la G d va. Witho t h a ing abo t and s ving

r guru, no on can advanc in Ka Conscio sn ss ith now, oin th f t .Th m cy of r guruand Vaiavas is ca s l ss, as it is ind p nd nt

of any mat ial ca s o pi ty. It is only by s ch ca s l ss m cy thatth jvacan obtain th m cif l, sid long glanc of th t nallyyo thf l co pl of V aja rdh and Ka and join Th m inTh i t nal loving pastim s.

Th fo , witho t th m cy of alsdhusand r guru, pspi it al d si s fo p f ction will n v awak n and f ctify.

In d sc ibing th bona fidguru, it is n v no gh to j st d sc ibhis xt nal pastim s what h was w a ing, wh , wh n, what foodsh lik s, tc. To p op ly glo ify him, on m st xplain his t achingsand his siddhnta. unl ss on nd stands th t achings of thspi it al mast , on cannot nd stand his mood, and if on do snot nd stand his mood, on will not nd stand what his missionis all abo t.By nd standing his mood, on can p op ly x c t hismission. Th mission of th bona fidguruis not ind p nd nt of thp vio scryas; it is th contin ation of th mission that la rpaGosvm stablish d on b half of Caitanya Mahp abh .

larpa Gosvm nd stood th inn mood of CaitanyaMahp abh and th s w ot many t ansc nd ntal books on pbhakti to stablish His mission. Caitanya Mahp abh cam togiv vraja-prema th o ghnma, th Ha Kamah-mantra.

In th sam way, larpa Gosvmpda is giving th samvraja- premath o ghnma. Th sam mood and obj ctiv is b ing ca i do t by th p d vot s in th Ga ya Vaiava lin s ch as laKa dsa Kavi ja Gosvm, laVivantha Cak ava t


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rla Gurudeva

hk a, laBalad va Vidybhana, laBhaktivinodahk a, la Bhaktisiddhnta Sa asvat hk a, la Bhakti P ajnaK ava Gosvm Mah ja and la Bhaktiv dnta Svm Mah

la Bhaktiv dnta N yaa Gosvm Mah ja is simila lcontin ing this pow f l wav of pbhakti bhaktithat is witho ta ting of sp c lation, m ndan jna o karma.

r guruand his mission a th s n v ind p nd nt. Th ntidisciplic s cc ssion (guru-varga) is always with him.r gurut ach sl cidly and syst matically all that h c iv d f om his spi it al mastth a,b,c, th x,y,z, and v ything in b tw n. Witho t s c ing h

g iding g ac , on will not b abl to nd stand th d p m aniof his m ssag .P opl with ambitions oth than to h mbly s vr guru

and Ka a l d ast ay by th i own mind. S ch nfo t np sons c at nmity by finding fa lts in p d vot s and a

nabl to concil th appa nt diff nc s in th p t achingVaiavas. W sho ld not h a f om s ch p sons who a th caof th i own misfo t n . To nd stand th spi it al m aning of thp d vot s wo ds, on has to s v th p d vot favoand intimat ly and th s by th g ac of r guru, v ything willb v al d in th h a t. W will th n b abl to app ciat a

nd stand th ncomp omis d q ality of thsiddhnta of r guru.Th is no conf sion as to what is pbhaktib t as long as o

h a t is to n with mat ial d si s w will not b singl point d in d si to s v p ly.

unl ss w a ady and willing to acc pt pbhaktiin o h a t,w will not b abl to cogniz o f lly app ciat a p d vO int llig nc will b poll t d and w will los this a oppo twhich has b n mad acc ssibl to h manity by th most m nific n Caitanya Mahp abh .

Caitanya Mahp abh has cl a ly xplain d that th g atopposition in th path of bhakti is th imp sonalmyvda philosophy. This imp sonalism com s in many fo ms and k ps

d ply nt nch d in ill sion, s ch as th hollow p id of mpi iigno anc , which mak s its way into th h a t of immat d votwho nd s ch infl nc ga d c tain Vaiavas as n mi s.


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All d vot s of th S p m Lo d Ka Caitanya sho ld taksh lt in His t nal spi it al comm nity and nit to fight againsts ch imp sonalism and voidism.

Ka alon is th S p m P sonality of Godh ad. This isd cla d by all a tho iti s and th o gho t th V das. ev y living

ntity is His t nal s vant. O mind and s ns s a m ant to bngag d in His s vic and only by s ch ngag m nt will w b t ly

happy. This ngag m nt is only giv n by a p d vot . Kav als Hims lf to His p d vot . To th non-d vot s, Ka

app a s in His d l ding f at . Wh n th condition d so l associat s

with th non-d vot , th Lo d do s not v al Hims lf. Th fo thassociation of living p d vot s is most ss ntial.On s nat is d t min d and shap d by th company on k ps.

S ch association shap s on s cha act . Th f itiv activiti s wp fo m d in o past lif and o past associations hav mo ld d onat in this c nt lif .

By association with th living p d vot s and by nd standingth Vaiava books, nd th i g idanc , o low nat will bt ansfo m d into good cha act .

Th xampl is d sc ib d in th V dic sc ipt of a cl a q a tzc ystal. It ass m s th colo of any obj ct in its p oximity. Simila ly,a p son will acq i th q aliti s of whom v th y join companywith. Th fo association with saintly p sons (sdhu-saga) is

comm nd d th o gho t all v al d sc ipt s.rmad-Bhgavatam(3.23.55) cl a ly affi ms:

sago ya saster hetur asatsu vihito dhiysa eva sdhuu kto nisagatvya kalpate

By associating with wo ldly-mind d mat ialists, a p son isbo nd to nd go s v s ff ing in mat ial xist nc . H willc tainly hav to b a th cons q nc s of his association, v n if h cannot disting ish b tw n good and bad. By associating withsaintly p sons, how v , a p son attains compl t f dom f omwo ldly attachm nts (nisagatva).


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B sid s a n stly ngaging in good association (sdhu-saga), it isalso ss ntial to giv p nfavo abl association, as comm nd drmad Bhgavatam(3.31.3334):

satya auca day mauna buddhi rr hrr yaa kamamo damo bhaga ceti yat-sagd yti sakayamtev anteu mheu khaittmasv asdhuusaga na kuryc chocyeu yoit-kr-mgeu ca

Wo ldly association d st oys all of on s vi t s lik t thf lncl anlin ss, m cy, g avity, int llig nc , shyn ss, p osp ity, p ta

fo giv n ss, cont ol of th mind, cont ol of th s ns s, good fo tand op l nc . On sho ld tt ly j ct th company of a p son wis not asdhu, consid ing s ch association to b xt m ly mis ablfo s ch a wick d and stl ss fool is b t a dancing dog in th hands oa woman and is th by simply b nt on annihilating hims lf.

This book d sc ib s th n c ssity of association of saintly p son(sdhu-saga) and xplains who is a bona fidguru, what a th

a ly nd stood symptoms of a g n insdhuand sp cially, howto attain th d si d goal of lif .Th pastim s of la G d va havb n p s nt d h so as to nabl th d vot s to associat with

Wh n I join d th Ga ya Maha, my v ddk-guru laBhaktiv dnta Vmana Gosvm Mah jasp cifically p t m ndth loving ca of la Bhaktiv dnta N yaa Gosvm Mah and o d d m to s v him. Cons q ntly, I c iv d th oppo tto associat clos ly with both of th s divin p sonaliti s. Th y wGodb oth s, d a discipl s of Pa ama-g d va la Bhakti P aK ava Gosvm Mah ja and th sp ct and intimacy th y shawas npa all l d.Fo many y a s mydk-guru, la Bhaktiv dntaVmana Gosvm Mah ja was thcryaand initiatingguruof Ga ya V dnta Samiti.

At that tim la G d va was not initiating discipl s, b twas always g iding and inst cting d vot s. H ta ght all of s ith mahaby his p sonal xampl , always mphasizing thtd-

api suncenav s by Lo d Caitanya, which stat s that on sho ldb h mbl than a blad of g ass and mo fo b a ing than a tand that on sho ld off sp ct to v yon witho t d si ing sf om oth s. His niq q ality was that h was always sp akin


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hari-kathand t lling s that in o d to g t Kas m cy, wsho ld constantly p ay fo th m cy of His b lov d mat rdh .In his bhajanah was n v p o d, b t on th cont a y was alwaystol ant, m cif l and a w ll-wish of all.If th w any iss s odisag m nts b tw n any d vot s, which v way laG d vad cid d to handl th matt was always f lly back d by mydk-guru, laBhaktiv dnta Vmana Gosvm Mah ja. Th fo ,what v laG d va o d d was th mandat fo v yon inth Samiti.

Th V dic sc ipt s and th w itings of th Vaiavacryas

di ct th sinc s k of th t th to th p d vot of KaBy s bmissiv h a ing with an op n mind to th t ansc nd ntal so ndapp a ing on th lips of a p d vot , on l a ns abo t Ka whois th Absol t T th.

Th condition d so l cannot di ctly h a Ka on his ownst ngth. His wo ds hav to b h a d f om th lips of a p d votIf on do s not s k h lp f om th p d vot , on will s ly bd l d d. Ka app a s in th h a t of th p d vot and onlywh n th condition d so l h a s th holy nam and pastim s of thLo d f om th lips of s ch asdhucan h p c iv th Lo d who isid ntical with His t ansc nd ntal nam , His divin fo m, q aliti s,activiti s and pa aph nalia.

To p op ly nd stand th t achings of th g at Vaiavas, onq i s a s vic attit d that is f f om m ndan d si s, m ndan

knowl dg and sp c lation. Th divin m ssag is not t ansmitt dby schola s int st d in displaying dition and mino d tails of t chnical knowl dg . On will only b in a position to c iv thdivin m ssag that sam m ssag that was c iv d by thguru in parampar wh n th guruis pl as d.

On cannot app oach th Lo d witho t adh ing to th m thodH has Hims lf p sc ib d. Ka Hims lf c at d thguru- parampar syst m in o d to c iv t ansc nd ntal knowl dg .Th s th living p d vot is th p f ct m di m fo th app a anc

of th Lo d to th condition d so ls. Oth wis , th Lo d will maincov d and th t achings of th g at Vaiavas will also b g osslymis nd stood. This is th bona fid way to nd stand and attain Ka that H Hims lf has giv n. Th is no oth way. Any oth


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sp c lativ and na tho iz d m thods to attain Ka a simplmanif stations of imp sonalism.

Lo d iva onc said to his conso t P vat:O Bhagavat, among tho sands pon tho sands of p sons d si in

salvation, p haps on xhibits th cha act istics of a lib at d soAmong tho sands pon tho sands of s ch p sons, mayb on act allachi v s spi it al alisation and p f ction. And among millions anmillions of p f ct d and lib at d so ls, p haps on , on th st nof his past vi t o s activiti s (sukti) and good association (sat-saga),is d vot d to Lo d N yaa. J st s , th d vot s of Lo d N y

a s lf-satisfi d and th fo th y a xt m ly a . Bh . If th p d vot who s v s Lo d N yaa in th moos vito ship (dsya-rasa) is so a , how m ch mo ncommon is hwho s v s Ka in th mood of amo o s lov (mdhurya-rasa).

May this glo ification of la G d va, who is v y d a to rdhik, b ing g at happin ss to th h a ts of all th Vaiavas.

Compl t d on th occasion of Annaka, Ga abda 524, 7 Nov mb , 2010

T idai-bhik Bhaktiv dnta Mdhava Mah ja(D . N. K. B ahmac , Ph.D.)


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MAN.GALCARAN

. A

r-rpa sgrajta saha-gaa-raghunthnvita ta sa-jvamsdvaita svadhta parijana-sahita ka-caitanya-devar-rdh-ka-pdn saha-gaa-lalit-r-vikhnvit ca

I off pramas to th lot s f t of r gurudeva(both dkand bhajana-ik-gurus); to o nti disciplic s cc ssion(guru-varga) and all oth Vaiavas; to rpa Gosvm, andhis ld b oth la Santana Gosvm, accompani d by ragh ntha dsa Gosvm and la Jva Gosvm and th iassociat s; to Ka Caitanya Mahp abh and His associat sh ad d by Advaita P abh , Nitynanda P abh ; and to thlot s f t of rdh-Ka, who a accompani d by Lalit, Vikh and all th othsakhs.

o ajna-timirndhasya jnjana-alkaycakur unmlita yena tasmai r-gurave nama

O la G d va, yo a so m cif l. With th to chlight of divin knowl dg , yo hav op n d my y s, which w blind dby th da kn ss of igno anc . P aying f om th co of my h a t,I h mbly off my d p prama at yo lot s f t.

vande r pdpadmh r vmana-nrayaa-trivikramhye kp prasdaih vraja bhakti hdi prakaiyati

I wo ship th lot s f t of la Bhaktiv dnta Vmana GosvmMah ja, la Bhaktiv dnta N ayaa Gosvm Mah ja and la Bhaktiv dnta T ivik ama Gosvm Mah ja. By th i

vande ha r-guro r-yuta-pada-kamala r-gurn vaiav ca


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ca s l ss m cy,bhakti will manif st in th h a ts of thos whofollow th m.

r thkurn priya dayitya kpbdhayetattva-traya pradnya vmanya namo namah

I off my ob isanc s to th lot s f t of nitya-ll praviha oviupda mad Bhaktiv dnta Vmana Gosvm Mah ja,who always s d to add ss mat rdh as hak n; who is v y n a and d a to H ; who is an oc an of m cy; and who

giv s th condition d so ls t ansc nd ntal knowl dg of th thtattvas, nam ly,sambandha, abhidheyaand prayojana.

r-nitynanda-abhinnya gaura-kmaika-carinerpnug-pravarya r-rga iti svarpini

H is th non-diff nt manif station of akhanda-guru-

tattva (th p incipl of r guruas on ndivid d whol ), manNitynanda P abh . H f lfill d th inn d si of Ga as ndaby p achingrga-mrga-bhaktito th whol wo ld. I off pramato th most wo shipabl lot s f t of my G d va, who is thb st among th rpnugasand who, in his t nal t ansc nd ntalfo m (siddha-svarpa), is mat rdh hk ns rga -maja i.

nama o viu-pdya rdhikya priytmaner-rmad-bhaktivednta-nryaa iti nmine

I off prama to o viupda mad Bhaktiv dntaN yaa Gosvm Mah ja, who is v y d a to mat rdhik.

r-ka-lil kathne sudakam audrya-mdhurya guais ca yuktamvaram vareyam puruam mahntam nryaam tvam iras nammi

la Bhaktiv dnta N yaa Gosvm Mah ja is xp tin d sc ibingka-lil. H is ndow d with th q aliti s of


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magnanimity and sw tn ss, and h is th b st of th g at so ls.H is abl to f ly dist ib t Kas sw tn ss to oth s b ca sh is always lishing that sw tn ss hims lf. I bow down and placmy h ad at his lot s f t.

yugcrya prabhum vande nryaa karualayamrdh-dsye lobham dattv trayati bhuvana trayam

I wo ship la Bhaktiv dnta N ayaa Gosvm Mah ja whowas awa d d th titl of yugcryaand who is th abod of m cy. H

shows th path of rgnug-bhaktiand th s d liv s th th wo lds.1

nama o viu-pdya ka-prehya bhtalermate bhaktivednta svmin iti nmine

namas te srasvate deve gaura-v-pracrienirviea-nyavdi-pctya-dea-trie

I off my sp ctf l ob isanc s to th lot s f t of nitya-ll- pravia o viupda mad Bhaktiv dnta Svm who isv y d a to Ka.

O sp ctf l ob isanc s a nto yo , O d a s vantof Sa asvat Gosvm. Yo a kindly p aching th m ssag of Lo d Ga as nda a and d liv ing th W st n co nt i s whicha fill d with imp sonalism and voidism.

vch-kalpa-tarubya ca kp-sindhubhya eva ca patitn pvanebhyo vaiavebhyo namo nama

I off pramas nto all th Vaiavas, who a j st lik wish-f lfilling d si t s, who a an oc an of m cy and who d livth fall n, condition d so ls.

1 la G d va was awa d d th titl of yugcryaby man Dipak Bhaa, thguru andmahnta (spi it al l ad ) of Va ana T mpl ( mat rdh s fath s oyal palac )in V aja, India. Th most b n vol nt Caitanya Mahp abh d liv d pbhakti to thth wo lds and la G d va contin s to d liv that sam pbhakti in a simila way.


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r-ka-caitanya pracbhu nitynandar-advaita gaddhara rvsdi-gaura-bhakta-vnda

I off my sp ctf l ob isanc s to th most m nific ntS p m Lo d Ka Caitanya who is known as Ga a b ca sof His gold n compl xion. I off my sp ctf l ob isanc s to Hisimm diat xpansion, Nitynanda P abh ; to His inca nation, Advaita c ya; to His int nal pot ncy, Gaddha aPaita; to His g at p d vot , vsa Paita; and to all thd vot s who follow Him.

hare ka hare ka ka ka hare harehare rma hare rma rma rma hare hare


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THE PATH OF AUSPICIOUSNESS

H man lif is m ant fo inq i y abo t th S p m Absol t T th.This is stat d inVednta-stra (1.1.1), athato brahma-jijsa Nowis th tim to nq i abo t th Absol t T th.

This S p m Absol t T th is manif st d in th f at s:(1) Th imp sonal B ahman (th ff lg nc of th Lo ds

t ansc nd ntal body)(2) Th localiz d Pa amtm (S p so l)(3) Svayam Bhagavn (S p m P sonality of Godh ad)

This is confi m d inrmad-Bhgavatam(1.2.11):

vadanti tat tattva-vidastattva yaj jnam advayam

brahmeti paramtmetibhagavn iti abdyate

G at s s who know th nat of th Absol t T thd sc ib that non-d al ality in th ways: as imp sonal

B ahman, as localiz d Pa amtm and as Svayam Bhagavn, thP sonality of Godh ad.

Of th s th f at s, Svayam Bhagavn is th high st andmost compl t manif station of th S p m Absol t T th.

haris tv eka tattva vidhi-iva-surea-praamita

yad eveda brahma prakti-rahita tat tv anumaha partm tasyo jagad-au-gato viva-janakasa vai rdh-knto nava-jalada-knti cid-udaya

Dsa-mla-tattva (2)

SRI GURU TATTVA AND SRI GURU SEVAKA


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Ind d, Ha i, to whom B ahm, iva, Ind a and othd migods contin o sly off ob isanc s, is th on and onlyS p m Absol t T th. Th imp sonal B ahman (nirviea-brahma), which is d void of akti, is Ha is bodily ff lg nc .Mah-Vi , who has c at d th niv s and who has nt dinto it as th indw lling S p so l (Pa amtm) of all, is simplyHis pa tial manif station. That Ha i alon , th v y fo mof t ansc nd ntal ality (cit-svarpa), whos compl xion is thcolo of a f shly fo m d th nd clo d, is rdh-knta, thb lov d of mat rdh .

Bhagavns fo m (vigraha) is th f ll st mbodim nt of t nity(sat), knowl dg (cid) and bliss (nanda). Bhagavn poss ss sall six op l nc s in f ll, fo H has compl t b a ty, compl tfam , compl t w alth, compl t st ngth, compl t knowl dgand compl t n nciation. Bhagavn t nally xists as ths p m ly pot nt purua, V aj nd a-nandana Ka, whos fo mof t nity, know dg and bliss (sac-cid-nanda-vigraha) is ado n dwith th six op l nc s to th high st d g .

vara parama kasac-cid-nanda-vigraha

andir dir govindasarva-kraa-kraam

r Brahma-sahit(5.1)

Ka, Govinda, is th mbodim nt of t nity, knowl dgand bliss. H is th S p m P sonality of Godh ad, thcont oll of all cont oll s, and th so c of all inca nations.H has no b ginning o o igin, tho gh H is th so c of

v ything and th p ima y ca s of all ca s s.

All th V das, upaniads and P as d cla by di ct oindi ct analysis that Ka is th only s bj ct to b known.


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This is v al d inBhagavad-gt(15.15):vedais ca sarvair aham evavedyo. Vednta-strais th ss nc of th V das andrmad-Bhgavatamis th xplanation of V dnta.rmad-Bhgavatamd cla s:

ete ca-kal pusakas tu bhagavn svayam

rmad-Bhgavatam(1.3.28)

All avatras b ginning with rma, Nsiha and soon, a pa ts and pa ts of th pa ts of th S p m P son, Bhagavn. Ka is th o iginal P sonality of Godh ad,Svayam Bhagavn.

Ka confi ms inBhagavad-gtthat th is no t th g ato high than Him:

matta paratara nnyatkicid asti dhanajaya

mayi sarvam ida protastre mai-ga iva

Bhagavad-gt(7.7)

O A j na, th is nothing s p io to M . ev ything andv yon is d p nd nt on M , sting pon M as p a ls a

st ng on a th ad.

To app oach and to attain that Bhagavn, Ka, th isno oth m thod than th p oc ss of d votional s vic .

bhakty mm abhijntiyvn ya csmi tattvataBhagavad-gt(18.55)


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It is only th o ghbhakti that on can know th tattva of My glo i s andsvarpa.

Th concl sion of all t ansc nd ntal knowl dg is d votionals vic to Ka.

yo mm evam asammho jnti puruottamam

sa sarva-vid bhajati msarva-bhvena bhrata

Bhagavad-gt(15.19)

O Bh ata (A j na), on who is not d l d d by va io sopinions, and who knows M as P ottama, th S p mP sonality of Godh ad, act ally knows v ything and h ,th fo , ngag s whol h a t dly inbhajana to M .

This Ka Hims lf cam as Caitanya Mahp abh to t achs how to p fo m d votional s vic . Caitanya Mahp abh isHims lf V aj nd a-nandana Ka.

yad advaita brahmopaniadi tad apy asya tanu-bhya tmntar-ym purua iti so sya-vibhava

a-aivaryai pro ya iha bhagavn sa svayam ayana caitanyt krj jagati para-tattva param iha

r Caitanya-caritmta, di-ll(2.5)

What th upaniads d sc ib as th imp sonal B ahmanis b t th ff lg nc of His body, and th Lo d known as thS p so l is b t His localiz d pl na y po tion. Lo d Caitanyais th S p m P sonality of Godh ad, KaHims lf, f llwith six op l nc s. H is th S p m Absol t T th and nooth t th is g at than o q al to Him.

Caitanya Mahp abh 's compassion is also compl t .In compa ison, th m cy of all othavatras s ch as th fish


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inca nation, Matsyad va; th to tois inca nation, K mad va; thboa inca nation, Va had va; Lo d Nsihad va; Lo d rmacand a;and v n Svayam Bhagavn Kacand a is pa tial.Th y b stow d Th i compassion only pon thos who s nd dto Th m and Th y annihilat d thos who w antagonistic to th m.Mahp abh , how v , b stow d His compassion v n pon off nd ss ch as Chnd Kzi and th follow s of B ddhism in So th Indiawho w antagonistic to Him. H is th fo known as th mostm nific nt (mah-vadanyaya) and His compassion ismagnanimo sand f ll of a spicio sn ss(amanda-udaya-day).

Caitanya Mahp abh cam to giv that which was n vgiv n b fo :nma-prema. What is nma-prema? It is prema thatmanif sts th o gh th holy nam s: Ha , Ka and rma:

sei dvre cale krtana sacrenma-prema-ml gthi parila sasre


H th s sp adkrtana v n among th nto chabl s andga land d th nti mat ial wo ld with a w ath of th holynam and prema.

In this ag of Kali, th p sc ib d ligio s d ty (yuga-dharma)

stablish shari-nma and ligio s p incipl s, b t CaitanyaMahp abh cam sp cially to givnma-prema. This premais lika th ad and th s ving moods of s vit d , f i ndship, pa nthoodand amo o s lov towa ds th Lo d (dsya, sakhya, vtsalya andmdhurya-rasas) a lik flow s that a conn ct d by th th adof prema. Prema is th common basis of all th s s ving moodsj st as a th ad is th basis of a ga land. Th fo , Mahp abh

dist ib t d th holy nam with prema. H gav th premaof dsya,sakhya, vtsalya and mdhurya-rasa; and H sp cially gav thlovingmdhurya-rasa of th gops.


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rla Gurudeva

anarpita-car cirt karuayvatra kalausamarpayitum unnatojjvala-ras sva-bhakti-ryam

hari puraa-sundara-dyuti-kadamba-sandpitasad hdaya-kandare sphuratu va ac-nandana


May that Lo d, who is known as th son of mat Sacd v,b t ansc nd ntally sit at d in th inn most chamb s of yoh a t! r spl nd nt with th adianc of molt n gold, H hasapp a d in th ag of Kali by His ca s l ss m cy to b stow whathas not b n giv n in a v y long tim :rdh-plya-dsyam, ths vic of mat rdhik as H confid ntial maids vant.

That sam Ka has m cif lly app a d in this mat ialwo ld as Caitanya Mahp abh , taking th mood and bodilyh of mat rdhik, to sp adunnatojjvala-rasa paraky-bhva, s vic to rdh-Ka as a maids vant of matrdhik. How v , it is not possibl to c iv that m cy of Caitanya Mahp abh o Ka witho t c iving thm cy of r gurudeva. Ka isr gurudevasp op ty, so oncan n v b com ligibl to nd s vic to Ka witho

nd ing s vic tor gurudeva. To s v Ka, on m stfi st b comr gurusp op ty. Only in this way, will on attains vic to Ka (ka-sev). It is not possibl to s v Ka witho t taking sh lt of r guru(guru-anugatya) and s ving him(guru-sev).

la Bhaktisiddhnta Sa asvat hk a P abh pda xplainsthat knowl dg of o lationship with th Absol t (sambandha- jana ) is awak n d only by th m cy of r guru. Wh n this happ ns,w com to know that w a th t nal s vants of Ka andthat v y obj ct th o gho t th niv s is an inst m nt fos ving Ka (svsyam ida sarvam). In that s lf- aliz d,constit tional stat , o only activity is to s v Ka.

Kas nam is t ly Ka Hims lf, so s vic tor nma is ind d s vic to Ka. Th d vot s s that h is th s van


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of r nma, that v y living ntity within this niv s is m ant tob ing joy to Ka and that ach and v y obj ct is an inst m ntto b s d in s ving Him.

r nma, Kas holy nam , is th oc an of t ansc nd ntalh mo s (akhila-rasmta-sindhu) and th cond ns d fo m of

t nality, cognizanc and bliss (sac-cid-nanda-vigraha). r nma is di ctly ymas nda a, Yasoda-nandana. S vic tor ka-nma, who is th oc an of all t ansc nd ntal m llows is di cts vic to Ka Hims lf. Th fo , d vot s pl asr guru and Ka by nd ing nint pt d s vic to Ka th o gh thm di m of th cong gational chanting of th holy nam (r nma-sakrtana).

yasya prasdd bhagavat-prasdoyasyprasdn na gati kuto pi

dhyyan stuvas tasya yaas tri-sandhyavande guro r-cararavindam

r Gurvakam(v s 8)It is by th m cy of r guruthat on c iv s th m cy of

Ka. Witho t his m cy, on cannot attain th goal of spi it alp f ction. Th fo I sho ld always m mbr guruand atl ast th tim s a day I off my sp ctf l ob isanc s nto hislot s f t.

On cannot stablish a loving lationship with Ka nl sson fi st d v lops a loving lationship withr guru. Th s, th pathof s p m a spicio sn ss b gins withr guru, d v lops withr guru,and th hol p oc ss of bhaktid p ns on th lationship with him.

THE BONA FIDE GURU

It is imp ativ fo a s io ssdhaka to nd stand whor guruis; how to on cogniz a bona fidguru. It is stat d inrmad-Bhgavatam:


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bhaya dvitybhiniveata sydd apetasya viparyayo smti

tan-myayto budha bhajet tabhaktyaikayea guru-devattm

rmad-Bhgavatam(11.2.37)

F a a is s wh n a living ntity misid ntifi s hims lf as thmat ial body b ca s of abso ption in th xt nal, ill so y

n gy of th Lo d. Wh n th living ntity th s t ns away f omth S p m Lo d, h also fo g ts his own constit tional positionas a s vant of th Lo d. This b wild ing, f a f l condition is

ff ct d by th pot ncy fo ill sion, call dmy. Th fo , anint llig nt p son sho ld ngag nflinchingly in th nalloy dd votional s vic of th Lo d, nd th g idanc of a bona fidspi it al mast , whom h sho ld acc pt as his wo shipabl d ityand as his v y lif and so l.

How can on cogniz s ch a bona fid wo shipablr guru? la kad va Gosvm answ s this q stion inrmad-Bhgavatam:

tasmd guru prapadyeta jijsu reya uttamambde pare ca nita

brahmay upaamrayamrmad-Bhgavatam(11.3.21)

Th fo , anyon who s io sly d si s al happin ssm st s k a bona fid spi it al mast and tak sh lt of himby initiation. Th q alification of th bona fidguru is that h

has aliz d th concl sions of th sc ipt s by d lib ation,and is abl to convinc oth s of th s concl sions. S ch g atp sonaliti s, who hav l ft asid all mat ial consid ations and


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tak n sh lt of th S p m Godh ad, sho ld b consid dbona fid spi it al mast s.

la kad va Gosvm h s s th wo dtasmd.This indicat s that th fo o fo this ason on sho ld app oacha spi it al mast . So, what is th ason? All living b ings d sihappin ss, and h man b ings sp cially always s k happin ss andt y to avoid dist ss. How v , condition d so ls (baddha-jvas) aafflict d by th th -fold mis i s ca s d by th body and mind(dhytmika), by oth living ntiti s (dhibautika), and by thd migods (dhidaivika). How can th on b com f f om th sth -fold mis i s? And how can on attain on s ltimat w lfa ?Wh n this typ of inq i y a is s in th mind of a p son, h sho ldapp oach a bona fid guru. O dina y m n cannot giv th p f ctansw s to all th s q stions. Th answ s can only com f om at ansc nd ntal so c : f omguru, f om oth s lf- aliz d so ls, andf om th sc ipt s (guru, sdhu and stra).

Th fi st symptom and fi st q alification of a bona fidguru isthat h m st b xp t in all sc ipt s (stra) and is abl to movall th do bts of his discipl s. This is th int ntion of th wo dbdein th abov loka. la kad va Gosvms n xt wo ds pare canita a v y confid ntial and will b disc ss d lat .

Th n xt q alification of th a bona fid guru is compl td tachm nt f om th mat ial wo ld and m ndan njoym nt(brahmany-upaamrayam). J st as a lot s flow is sit at d abovth wat in which it liv s, so th spi it al mast , alto gh app a ingin this wo ld, is totally d tach d fo m it.

Th s two q aliti s,sabde and brahmany-upaamrayam,a th xt nal q alifications of r guru. la BhaktisiddhntaSa asvat hk a P abh pda giv s a cl a wa ning in this ga d.Thos who hav not s nd d th ms lv s to God and who aattach d to som obj ct oth than God will fost within th ih a ts f a , affliction, ill sion, s ns al d si s, g d and f lingsof f st ation in lation to th i bodi s, th i w alth, th i f i nds


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and so on. S ch individ als who a not s nd d cannot advisoth s to s nd to th Lo d. Th i v bal inst ctions ain ff ctiv b ca s th y cannot show a p actical xampl by th iown cond ct.

Now w will disc ss th most impo tant and int nal symptom of r guru, nam ly, pare ca nita . Pare m ans that th gurum st ba s lf- aliz d so l. Th bona fidguru is h with s in this wo ldand at th sam tim h s v s Caitanya Mahp abh and thdivin co pl rdh-Ka in th spi it al alm.r guruisth p s ntativ of mat rdhik, and b ing H confid ntialassociat , is non-diff nt f om H .

nikuja-yno rati-keli-siddhyaiy ylibhir yuktir apekay

r Gurvakam(5)

rla gurudevais always p s nt with thsakhsand majars,a anging fo th p f ction of th Divin Co pl s amo o spastim s within th kujas of V aja.

Pa t of th guru gyatr mantrathat is giv n at th tim of dk initiation is krsnnandya dhmahi. Krsnnandya is mad p of two wo ds:ka and nandaya. Acco ding to Sansk it g amma ,th s wo ds may hav th m anings:

(1) Kain knandaya f s to Ka Caitanya (who isKa Hims lf), who is th mbodim nt of Ka conscio sn ss. ByHis own xampl , H v als who Ka is, how to s v Him, andwhat o lationship with Him is. And H d fin s o ltimat goalof ka- prema. Knandayam ans thatr guruis always givingpl as (nanda) to Ka Caitanya.

(2) Anoth m aning of knnandayais that r guruis always

giving pl as to V aj nd a-nandana ymas nda a Ka, tht nally yo thf l son of Nanda Mah ja in Vndvana.

(3) Ka in knandaya m ans Vabhn -nandin matrdhik, th t nal conso t and b st s vant of Ka.


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This thi d m aning of knandayais that r gurudevais alwaysgiving pl as to mat rdhik.

A bona fid guru is with his discipl s in th mat ial wo ld andat th sam tim in hissvarpa ( t nal fo m), h di ctly s v sin th spi it al alm. Th s a th q alifications of r guru.A q stion may a is in th mind, If th so l is a singl ntity, howcan h b p s nt and s ving in two plac s? la Bhaktivinodahk a xplains in Jaiva-dharma that wh n a so l p fo mssdhana-bhajana in th lin of Caitanya Mahp abh , at thtim of achi ving p f ction h will attain two t nal fo ms. Onwill b t nally p s nt in th pastim s of Mahp abh and thoth will b t nally p s nt in th pastim s of th divin co pl rdh-Ka. Simila ly, v n whilr guruis h in thmat ial wo ld, h can sim ltan o sly s v in th spi it al alm in Caitanya Mahp abh s pastim s in onsvarpa and in rdh-Kas pastim s in anoth svarpa.

Oth than Ka Hims lf, no on has compl t knowl dg of th p oc ss to attainka-bhakti. Th Lo d Hims lf is th coll ctivo ndivid dguru, and in His fo m as th s pa at fo ms of bona fidgurus (vyai-guru) h d st oys th igno anc of th inn m ablso ls by dist ib ting p bhakti. That fo m of Ka asguru is alsoknown asraya-bhagavn. Ka, and nobody ls , isguru. Ka ison and ndivid d, y t H manif sts Hims lf as His divin ff lg nc(nirviea-brahma), as His localiz d xpansion who is p s nt in

v yon s h a t(Pa amtma), and in his compl t fo m as Bhagavn.As p vio sly m ntion d, H also app a s as th ndivid dguru-tattva o th coll ctivguru ( jagad-guru o samai-guru).

Varha Pura stat s:

guru r brahmano viu surnnca guror-gurumlbhto guru sarvajann puruottama

Vi is thguru of all th d migods, incl ding Lo dB ahma. H nc , P ottama Vi is th oot of allguru-tattva.


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rla Gurudeva

Th following v s app a s inBhagavad-gt:

pitsi lokasya carcarasyatvam asya pjya ca gurur garyn

na tvat-samo sty abhyadhika kuto nyoloka-traye py apratima-prabhva

Bhagavad-gt(11.43)

Yo a th fath of this compl t cosmic manif station, thwo shipabl chi f and th spi it al mast . No on is q al toYo , no can anyon b on with Yo . Within th th wo lds,Yo a imm as abl .

H , it is m ntion d that Ka is jagad-guruo samai-guru, which m ans that H is th guru of v yon . And H is alsoviaya-bhagavn, th s p m njoy . This is on asp ct of Kasmanif station asguru. Th oth asp ct is th bona fidguru whoinca nat s in this wo ld to d liv condition d so ls f om mat ial

xist nc (sasra ). H is an xpansion of th Lo d call d s vitoBhagavn (raya-bhagavn) o th p sonalguru (vyai-guru).

Wh n Caitanya Mahp abh w nt to Gay and took initiationf om va a P , va a P told Mahp abh :

tumi se jagad guru janila nichaya

tomr gurur yogya keha kabhu nayar Caitanya-bhgavata, Madhya-khaa(28.128)

By th m cy of hisguru, Mdhav nd a P , and byth Lo ds m cy, va a P cogniz d Mahp abh as non-diff nt f om Ka, and said, Now it is confi m d in mymind that yo a jagad-guru. No on in this wo ld is q alifi d

to b yo guru, y t yo hav acc pt d m as yoguru. I cannd stand that this is only to inst ct th whol wo ld and to

giv an xampl to p opl in g n al.


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Altho gh Ka is th s m total of allgurus (samai-guru),H manif sts as diff nt p sonaliti s in His fo ms as th p sonalguru (vyai-guru). r guruas th xpansion of Ka is to bconsid d non-diff nt f om Ka, y t at th sam tim H isth intimat s vant of Ka.r guruand Ka only wantto d liv th s ff ing so ls f om mat ial xist nc . If r guru and Ka w diff nt f om ach oth ,stra wo ld not cl a lyinst ct s to p fo m th sam typ of bhakti fo both. Th guru is an mpow d xpansion (avea) of Ka, b t still h n vconsid s hims lf to b Ka. rath , h always thinks that his th s vant of Ka. H nc , h is th inconc ivably diff ntand non-diff nt wo shipabl manif station of th S p m Lo d.

r Caitanya-caritmtastat s that it is a g at off nc fo thso l to consid that thguru is Bhagavn Hims lf:

jve viu buddhi dreyei brahma-rudra-samanryae mne tre pate gaana

r Caitanya-caritmta, Madhya-ll(25.79)

Caitanya Mahp abh d cla s, To say nothing of o dina y living ntiti s, v n Lo d B ahm and Lo d ivacannot b consid d on th l v l of Vi o N yaa.If on consid s th m as s ch, h is imm diat ly consid d anoff nd and ath ist.

r ka-caitanya prabhu-nitynandar advaita gaddhara rvsdi-gaura-bhakta-vnda

I off prama nto Ka Caitanya Mahp abh in Hisfiv f at s as Mahp abh , th v y p sonification of a d vot(bhakta-svarpa); as Nitynanda P abh , th fo m of a d vot

(bhakta-rpa); as Advaita c ya, th inca nation of a d vot(bhakta-avatra); as vsa Paita, a d vot (bhakta); and asGaddha a Paita, th int nal d votional pot ncy (bhakta-akti).


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Mahp abh , Advaita c ya and Nitynanda P abh aconsid dviaya-bhagavn, so it is co ct to wo ship Th i lot sf t withtulasl av s. How v , it is an off ns to offtulasat thlot s f t of Gadadh a Paita o vsa hk a, b ca s th ya th s vants of th Lo d (raya-bhagavn).

Th bona fid discipl will s hisgurudeva as non-diff ntf om Ka. Th spi it al mast is a di ct manif station of thLo d b ca s h is a p s vant and p s ntativ of th Lo dTh so l g ts in to ch with s ch a bona fidguru by Ka'sm cy, th n in th fo m of th spi it al mast , Ka d liv s Hisd vot s. Th lationship of th discipl with his spi it al mastis th fo as good as his lationship with th S p m Lo d.Lo d Bala ma o Lo d Nitynanda is th fi st di ct xpansionof Ka. H is th fo th o iginal spi it al mast (akhaa-guru-tattva), and th bona fid guru p s nt in this wo ld is hismanif station.

vara-svarpa bhakta tra adhihnabhaktera hdaye kera satata virma

r Caitanya-caritrmta, di-ll(1.61)

A p d vot who is inc ssantly ngag d in th loving s vicof Ka is id ntical with th Lo d, fo Ka is always s at din his h a t.

In this v s , id ntical m ans on at h a t with Ka o v yn a and d a to Ka. It do s not m an that th spi it al mast hasm g d into Ka o that h is non-distinct f om Him.

Th a fo typ s of spi it al mast s ogurus:

(1) Vartma-pradaraka-guru is on who shows th path andg id s s to a bona fidguru.

(2) Caitya-guru is Bhagavn Hims lf as th S p so l(Pa amtm), and inspi s th living ntity f om withinth h a t.


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(3) Dk-guruis on who giv s initiation and b stowsdk Mantras. H giv s knowl dg of sambandha2, th lationshipb tw n jvaand Ka. Aft initiation, on sho ld s vs ch aguru with intimacy.

yadyapi mra guru-caitanyera dsatathpi jniye mi thra praka


ev n tho gh I know that my spi it al mast is a s vito of Lo d

Caitanya, I also know Him as a di ct manif station of th Lo d.(4) ik-guruis on who giv s knowl dg of th p oc ss of

bhakti (abhideya-jna). la rpa Gosvm is th fo mostik-guruin o lin .

Th ik-guru is as highly q alifi d as th dk-guruandm cif lly shows on how to nd d votional s vic .Dk-guru

and ik-gurua non-diff nt manif stations of Ka. Both at nally lib at d. All bona fidgurus and Vaiavas oth than

on sdk-gurua to b consid dik-guru.It may b n c ssa y fo d vot s to tak sh lt of aik-guru

who has an intimat lationship with th idk-guru. This isn c ssa y wh n thdk-gurudo s not hav no gh tim to sp ndwith th individ al discipl s to t ach th m how to nt into th

p oc ss of bhakti, o if th dk-guruhas d pa t d f om this wo ld.Th ik-gurusho ld b as highly q alifi d as thdk-guruandsho ld hav faith and aff ction fo thos who tak sh lt of him.

Th discipl sho ld also hav g at faith in thik-gurub ca sit is f om him that h can l a n how to nd d votional s vic . la Ka dsa Kavi ja Gosvm has xplain d thatdk-guruisth fo m (rpa) of Ka, andik-guruis th p sonality (svarpa)

of Ka.

2 Sambandha-jna (th lationship b tw n Bhagavn and th d vot ) is disc ss d inmo d tail in th s ction ntitl d P aching to th Son of th Family G .


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Th vetvatara Upaniadstat s:

yasya deva par bhaktiryath deve tath gurau

tasyaite kathit hy arth prakante mahtmana

vetvatara Upaniad(6.23)

Th concl siv ss nc of th sc ipt s is v al d only to thosg at so ls who hav t ansc nd ntal d votion ( par-bhakti) nto Bhagavn and q al d votion for gurudeva.

H , la G d va xplains that par-bhakti f s tobhakti which is nd th di ct sh lt of mat rdh . Th ss ncand all th m anings of th V das will manif st along withbhakti in th h a ts of thos who hav s p mbhakti fo th lot s f t of th S p m P sonality of Godh ad Ka and who also hav

q albhakti fo th lot s f t of th igurudeva(who v als Lo dKa to th m).

Th a th p incipl s of t nal t ths ( pramrthika-tattva):

(1) Bhagavn Ka, th S p m P sonality of Godh ad(2) th living ntity ( jva)(3) th ill so y n gy of th Lo d (my).

Amongst th s th p incipl s, Bhagavn Ka is ths p m t nal p incipl and is th so c and fo ndation of thoth two p incipl s, nam ly, th living ntity ( jva) and th ill so y

n gy of th Lo d (my). This is confi m d inKaha Upaniad (2.2.13):

nityo nityn cetana cetannmeko bahn yo vidadhti kmn

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Srila Gurudeva-The Supreme Treasure

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