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The Supreme TreasureVolume 2


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Tridai-bhiku

Svm Bhaktivednta Mdhava Mahrja

(Dr. Navna Ka Brahmacr, PhD Philosophy,PhD Vaiava Philosophy)

Volume 2The Supreme Treasure


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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 copyright

law 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 aspossible by adding citation errata in future volumes andby contacting copyright holders as quickly as possible. Weformally apologize for any oversight and unintended offenseand ask forgiveness. Further, any oversights are soley those ofthe 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:[email protected] or [email protected]

rla Gurudeva: The Supreme TreaSure, volume 2978-81909756-2-9First printing: 5,000 copies, Kartik,2012Printed at Rakmo Press, Okhla Industrial Area (India)


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Dedication

I am presenting this book as an offering of devotion to our dearlybeloved jgd-guru, o viupd prmhs privrjkcryottr-t

r rmad Bhaktivednta Nryaa Gosvm Mahrja

who has mercifully shown us an unadulterated life of utter dedicationand loving service to his beloved Guru Mahrja, nity-ll-prvio viupd prmhs privrjkcry ottr-t r rmadBhakti Prajna Keava Gosvm Mahrja.

This is an account of the most auspicious life, qualities andteachings of r rmad Bhaktivednta Nryaa Gosvm Mahrja.

rla Nryaa Gosvm Mahrja is expert in describingk-ll. He is endowed with the qualities of magnanimity and sweetness,and he is the best of great souls. Because he is always relishing Kassweetness, he is able to freely distribute that sweetness to others. I

bow down and place my head at his lotus feet.

Because he loves to speak hri-kth and relishes the sweettrancendental name, form, qualities and pastimes of the SupremeLord, he is the most qualified to erradicate from ones heart themost dangerous enemy in the path ofbhkti, the deceitful entrappingfallacy of impersonalism.

Tridi-bhiku Bhaktivednta Mdhava Mahrja


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The Three Pillars of rla Bhakti PrajnaKeava Gosvm Mahrja

My ik-guru, rla BhaktivedntaNryaa Gosvm Mahrja, mydk-guru, rla BhaktivedntaVmana Gosvm Mahrja and

param-pyjapda rla BhaktivedntaTrivikrama Gosvm Mahrja

Guru-varga


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o viupdaparamahasa parivrjakcrya

SrSrmadBhaktivednta Nryan. a GosvmMahrja


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nitya-ll-pravia o viupda

SrSrmadBhaktivednta Vmana GosvmMahrja


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Sr Srmad

Bhaktivednta SvmMahrja

S

riNandanandana(ww

w.s

tephen-knapp.com)


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Sr Srmad

Bhakti Prajna Kesava GosvmMahrja


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SrSrmadBhaktisiddhnta SarasvatGosvmPrabhupda


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SrSrlaGaurakisora dsa BbjMahrja


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Saccidnanda

Srla Bhaktivinoda T. hkura


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Contents

Dedication / viiForeword / xiiiIntroduction / xxviIntroduction (Continued) & Entering Aprakaa-ll / xxxiiiMagalcaraa / xxxix

r Guru Tattva and r Guru-sevaka / 1The Glory of Gauya Guru-parampar / 1

rman Mahprabhus Greatest Donation / 9The Holy name is the best process for perfection / 10Every Soul has a Particular Rasa / 12How Lobha (Spiritual Greed) will Awaken in the Heart / 14

r Kas Reflection Pastime / 15Madhumagala Exchanges Clothes with Ka. / 18Finding rmat Rdhrs Nose Ring / 19

I Must Do Bhajana / 21The Story of rjuna Mira / 23The Story of Padmavati and Jayadeva / 28

The Uttam Bhgavata and Kpa-Ptra / 31

Kpa-Ptra, The Reservoir of Mercy / 31Three Stages of Uttam Bhgavata / 32Examples of Occurrences of Siddha arra Symptoms

on the Sdhaka arra / 34r Ka is always in Vraja / 37rmat Rdhik is Always Absorbed in Pleasing Ka / 38The Mercy of a Rasika Vaiava / 42

Their Intimacy Could Not Have Been Greater / 45

At the Guest House / 46Relationship with rla Bhaktivednta Swm Mahrja / 51

Fools Do Not Know How to Honour Vaiavas / 53Compassion in LA / 54


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rla Gurudeva and rla Bhaktivednta Swm Mahrja / 57Our First Meeting / 57Editorial Sev / 58

Residing in r Keavaj Gauya Maha / 60Accepting Sannysa / 63At r Rdh-Dmodara Mandra / 66Preparation and Departure for America / 67Return to India / 68Visiting Him in His Last Days / 70His Divine Departure / 74My Message Is One With His / 75

Our Lasting Relationship / 79A Brief History / 79My Mission in the West / 88A Locked Treasure Chest / 90rla Swm Mahrjas Final Order: / 90

Letters From America / 99First Letter: / 99Second letter: / 102Third letter: / 106Fourth letter: / 109

There is No Place for Ritvik in r Guru-Tattva / 113The Four Most Prominent Types of tviks [priests] / 114

Why He Came? The Contribution of rla Gurudeva / 127The Glory of Bhakti / 128The Definition of Bhakti / 138

Early ISKCON Conversations with rla Gurudeva / 143Difference between Aivarya and Mdhurya / 146Rga-vartma-candrika / 152Saskras, impressions on the heart / 158Remembering Kas Pastimes and Serving in Separation / 159Bhvas and Rasas / 174Assisting and Meditating on our Gurudeva / 181Receiving all Moods from r Guru / 183Tadatmya (Oneness of Heart) / 184Gurudeva gives everything that Nitynanda

and Baladeva have come to give / 185


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Remembering Ka with His Dearmost Associates / 186Tulas / 189Essential Practices and Chanting of Mantras / 191

Eager to Hear / 199rla Gurudeva Testif ies to Save ISKCON / 203

ISKCON Leaders in Mathur / 205Juhu Bombay: Tamla Ka Mahrja Takes Lessons / 207Don't Think You are the Supreme Controller / 208Case Settled / 210Protector of the Sampradya / 211

Lessons on Service and Absorption / 217At Ramacandra Prabhus Home / 217Weeping Like A Village Girl / 218Serving Prasda / 219Service of Guest is Best, Either in East or West. / 219Bussing Not Allowed During Parikram / 220

Meeting With rla Gour Govinda Mahrja / 223

Pastimes with rla Bhakti Pramoda Puri Gosvm Mahrja / 235

Beginning of rla Gurudeva's Preaching in the West/ 237Obtaining Visas for the United States / 237Representative Heads West / 239First Stop, Holland / 241

Prayers to rla Gurudeva / 243rla Gurudeva's rati / 243r Ramaa-mjar-aakam (visamavttena viracitam ) / 245

The Concluding Transcendental Pastimes of r rmad BhaktivedntaNryaa Gosvm Mahrja / 253

Indications of Departure / 254Further Manifestations of Illness / 258Residing at Govardhana in Krtika / 264Absorbed in the Moods of Mahprabhu while residing in the abode

of separation (r Jaganntha Pur-Dhma) / 275The Closing of his Pastimes / 278The Journey from r Pur-dhma to r Navadvpa-dhma / 286Nagara-sakrtana / 287Samdhi / 288


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Foreword

This book is about the extraordinary character and sublime teachings ofour most revered holy master, o viupd prmhs privrjkcryottr-t r rmad Bhaktivednta Nryaa Gosvm Mahrja,affectionately known as our beloved rla Gurudeva. It is rla Gurudevasextraordinary mercy that he has revealed a glimpse of the spiritual world

and awakened within us a taste for the supremely sweet pastimes of rr Rdh-Ka.rpda Vidylakra1 Mdhava Mahrja is not writing just another

book about some charismatic individual who is accepted by the generalpublic as aguru. Nowadays the nameguru has become quite fashionable. Inthe modern world we have financialgurus, managementgurus, fashiongurusand so on, and it seems that any common man can be accepted asguru aslong as he shows some expertise in his field. The approach of many so-called

gurusmay be of great appeal to the masses by making them feel good aboutthe prospects of their material aspirations and the anticipated temporarypleasures of the mind and senses. One may receive some temporary upliftmentfrom these self-styledgurus, but in the end, their encouragement for us tocontinuously chase after material happiness produces only a mental image ofa possible future, but no ultimate satisfaction. That is because the materialenjoyment they offer always ends in misery. This material enjoyment is

just like a big fire; no matter how beautiful it is to look at, if you touchit, it will inevitably burn you and you will suffer tremendously. Similarly,harmful activities will make us suffer in the material world. People whoare overpowered by the illusory material my of Ka feel happiness andsuffering for many births under the influence of that illusory energy. Theirhappiness and sufferings are all the work ofmy, meaning forgetfulnessof Ka. There are many persons in this world who may appear or claimto be guru, but a bona fide guru follows r Brahm, the original guru

and grandfather of the universe. Ka consciousness was propounded1 rla Gurudeva gave the title Vidylkr, which means an ocean of knowledge, to

rpda Mdhava Mahrja because of his expertise in his assisting rla Gurudeva withhis books.


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by r Brahm aeons ago when the creation was still in its infancy.Only a bona fideguru representing hisguru and the Lord can give one theessential help to attain real freedom.

Guru is a Sanskrit word and its original and intended meanings areexplained in the Vedic literatures. Gu means ignorance and ru meansdispeller, so a realguru is someone who is in a disciplic succession ofgurusthat dispells our ignorance. Those in a material conception of life willteach others that they can and will become happy here, thus increasingtheir ignorance and boosting their false ego of bodily identification. A real

guru, on the other hand, gives eternal results by initiating us on the path

that activates and reveals our true spiritual identity. He mercifully givesinstructions, convincing us of the many perfect philosophical conclusionsofbhakti. Serving him and submissively hearing from him frees us fromthe ignorance that has been ingrained within our hearts since timewithout beginning. It gradually but firmly establishes within us a deeplove for r r Rdh-Ka, the divine Youthful Couple and the soulsfunction fully awakens. This is what aguru should give our pristineintrinsic nature, our eternal dharma. Thats what our rla Gurudeva, the

deliverer of the fallen, is giving to us.Our eternal natural function, or dharma, is bhakti or devotional

service. As one cannot separate heat from fire, so similarly, theservice nature of the living entities cannot be taken away from them.We have to serve someone or something. We serve either Ka or my.Unfortunately, during this age of quarrel and hypocrisy, the insincerity andhypocrisy is so widespread that those who have a desire to follow religionare oftentimes misled; consequently they are disheartened to pursue religionwith strong determination or conviction.

All religions propagated in the world are either steps leading tobhaktior else distortions of it. This being a fact, we should focus on ourown cultivation of devotion and not worry or criticize what others aredoing. We should be favourable towards the followers of other religionsand have no animosity towards them. All of us advance according to thetime that is ripe for us. Any religion should be respected according to its

proportionate degree of purity.In order to pursue our particular path with great devotion, we have tounderstand that there are mixed, polluted and imaginary concepts ofbhaktithat are falsely presented in the name of pure bhakti. There are different


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categories. One group may have a slight semblance of bhaktior a mixeddevotion (mixed with fruitive action or speculative knowledge, etc.). Theseare gradations ofbhaktibut only unalloyed devotion (uddha-bhakti) can give

lifes ultimate goal the nectar of pure love (prema). Only that uddha-bhaktican bestow the highest results. Yet, on the path ofbhakti, many try to givethe impression that they are practicing pure bhakti, though in actualitythey practice only a reflection or a shadow of devotion. It is importantto know that whoever you follow, you will only be able to attain whatthey have, not more than that. Whatever level of consciousness onesguruattains, the followers can advance up to that level, not higher than that.

That is why the gift of the higher part, the transcendental realm, can onlybe obtained by the exclusive mercy of rla Rpa Gosvm, the crya ofujjvala-rasa, and his intimate associates. The original form of Bhagavndescended in this age as r Caitanya Mahprabhu to deliver all the livingentities. rla Rpa Gosvm, who ispriya-svarpa, the very embodiment ofeverything dear to Him, is His foremost disciple in establishing the deepestwishes of His heart. Those who completely come under the guidance andcare of the genuine followers of rla Rpa Gosvm will attain realization

and advance through each successive stage ofka-prema.The realm of the Supreme Lord is naturally full of love and there is never

any force. Here also, we are never forced to love, but this world is a placewhere the Supreme Lord examines us. Do we want only Him, or do we stillwant something of this world? The Lord will fulfill our desire, as muchas we desire, not more than that. According to what we desire in life, wewill get an appropriateguru or spiritual teacher. If we want transcendentalvision, we can only get it by the special mercy of great devotees who see andperceive the Lord at all times and in all places. Only by their mercy will weexcel in the examination, be able to recognize our true selves and begin tohanker for the only thing that will satisfy us pure bhakti. One can onlyremember the Lord in all circumstances when the inclination to serve theLord arises in ones heart by the sweet association and mercy of such asdhu. Unless we have the opportunity to hear the pure nectar of their hari-kath, we will always go back and absorb ourselves in sense gratification,

even if we are inclined towards religious life. It is only by their mercifulglance and the sharp words emanating from their lotus mouths that thehidden fantasies in the mind for gross and subtle sense gratification arefinally eradicated from the heart forever.


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If someone possesses only pretentious devotion (chala-bhakti), that iswhat their followers will get from them. Some, even in the name ofbhakti,instruct others against the principles ofbhaktiand lead them on a path

that is totally opposed to it. Therefore our previous cryas have clearlycautioned us to avoid mixed and polluted concepts ofbhakti. Only thenwill our hearts be thoroughly cleansed, so that our activities can be mostfavourably executed for the pleasure of the Supreme Lord, r Ka.

Everyone is controlled by the desire for sense enjoyment, even when itcomes to modern day religion. Most of the general public become attractedto follow certain religious teachings to get material boons from God in

the form of economic development (artha) and sense gratification (kma).They are misled to ask and search for material benedictions, rather thanestablishing their pure loving relationship with the Lord. Although theirvalues are presented as the topmost and most relevant for God consciousness,they are in actuality a distortion of pure bhaktiand the practitioner can onlydevelop a little faith in God. Ultimately it is a deception and infinitelyinferior to the flawless and completely pure uddha-bhakti. That is why weshould always hear the perfect philosophical conclusions ofbhakti(bhakti-

siddhnta) from qualified persons. Unqualified persons with the four defectsof human frailty2 are unable to properly teach anything transcendentalthat is worth hearing. We need to seek help from those who are free fromthese very serious defects that prevent us from getting even a glimpse oftranscendence. Methods of learning under the operation of the four-folddefects are useless in our progress toward the Absolute, for they can neverfree us from those defects.

What rla Gurudeva has come to give is not a lower step onthe staircase of mixed bhakti, but the topmost level of pure love.Like the bhakti-rascrya rla Rpa Gosvm, he has come to fulfill theinnermost hearts desire (mano bhia) of Kali-yuga pvana vatr rCaitanya Mahprabhu, to give us the service to rmati Rdhik as Herconfidential maidservant. If rla Gurudeva had not come to make all thesethings accessible to us, we would have been grasping for straws, trying tounderstand these confidential pastimes with our mundane intellect, or we

would have foolishly ignored these pastimes, because others had advised2 As described in r Tttv-sndrbh,Anucched 9, the four defects of human frailty are:

(1) a tendency to make mistakes, (2) the tendency become under the illusion of fa lse ideasand beliefs, (3) the propensity to cheat and (4) imperfect senses.


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us that they were inappropriate and would compromise our spirituallives. The person to teach us the proper understanding and method toapproach the Lords amorous relationships without offence is a bona fide

representative of rla Rpa Gosvm, whose pure heart is immersed inthese loving pastimes. Only someone like rla Gurudeva, who is absorbedin the moods of these pastimes with r Rdh, can plant the seed of puredevotion and nurture it without impediments. These most confidentialpastimes are not at all subject to Sanskrit scholarship or artistic creativeimagination, but are only revealed to someone who has pleased theDivine Couple and Their devotees with unmotivated, pure, loving service.

The supreme treasure that the most munificent Lord r GaurgaMahprabhu came to give personally would have certainly been lost fromour vision unless rla Gurudeva had mercifully unveiled it. rla Gurudevacame to give the incomparable gift that Lord Caitanya Mahprabhu,rla Rpa Gosvm and all ourguru-varga came to give, namely thepremaof unnatojjvala-rasa-sva-bhakti-ryam.3 Our material desires and pridewould have kept us away if rla Gurudeva had not come into our lives andqualified us with his potent hari-kath. Without him, the pure desire to

render unalloyed devotional service in the mood of the Vrajavsis wouldperhaps never enter our hearts.

rla Gurudeva is a vastly learned scholar and author who haswritten and translated more than one hundred books in Hindi, thathave been translated into many languages around the world, withover seventy titles in English. Even though he is ninety-one yearsold, he is still producing more transcendental literatures every year.These books are relished and appreciated by all those who are serious tostudy the deep Ka conscious meanings of the rpnugacryas.

People are very much eager to learn more about this outstandingpreacher ofkeval-bhakti, who has manifest with his pen such a vast arrayof Gauya literature and who has spread this knowledge throughout thewhole world. This book helps us to know more intimately the personresponsible for all of those books and gives us a chance to become moreacquainted with the essential truths that he came to speak. It shows how he

protected the siddhnta whenever it was needed and how he is the guardianof the Gauya Vaiavasampradya. Here the readers will not only know

3 The prem of unntojjvl-rs-sv-bhkti-rym means the mjr-bhv of rmatRdhr s maidservants. (r Citny-critmt,di-ll 1.4)


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about the greatness of rla Gurudevas accomplishments, but also hisprofound, internal purpose and moods. These things cannot be understoodby outsiders, but rpda Mdhava Mahrja gives us a peek at the gravity

and depth of his personality, which no other biographer no matter howexpert can give.

rpda Mdhava Mahrja shows us in very simple language how rlaGurudeva personally applies and demonstrates the instructions of his booksin his own life, thereby instructing us how to ourselves act and advance inKa consciousness. rla Gurudeva perfectly exemplifies the conclusionof the Lord that one should teach by example. In this book you will see

how r Guru perfectly represents the siddhnta that is the very substanceof the entirety of the Vedas. With logic and discrimination, rpdaMdhava Mahrja has described the name, fame, devotional activities andtranscendental moods of rla Gurudeva and he has strung this together insuch a beautiful way, to show the very essence of the Absolute Truth.

He proves how rla Gurudeva has an eternal relationship with rlaBhaktivednta Svm Mahrja based on spontaneous love and how he isconsidered by him to be the realguru-sevaka, the real servant of r Guru.

Unscrupulous persons try to defame him in an attempt to establish theirown superiority, but their attempts simply increase his transcendentalfame and reputation.

rpda Mdhava Mahrja has done an amazing service in the formof this biography. Not only is rpda Mdhava Mahrja rla Gurudevaspersonal servant; rla Gurudeva himself has said on many occasions thathe is his mother, father, minister, doctor, dietician, cook and bosomfriend. He personally heard from many of the contemporaries of rlaGurudeva, but mostly he noted down these incidents from hearing directlyfrom rla Gurudeva himself, whom he has served for more than thirty

years. He was always by his side, attentively hearing his scriptural debateswith opposing parties, his answers to diverse questions, and his personaldealings with all types of different personalities and situations. He givesintimate details of the transcendental qualities and characteristics ofrla Gurudeva and explains how they are similar to those of the Lord.

He also shows how rla Gurudeva changes peoples hearts by deliveringthe pure transcendental name, Hare Ka, Hare Ka, Ka Ka,Hare Hare, Hare Rma Hare Rma Rma Rma Hare Hare and by alwaysdescribing the power, qualities and mercy of the holy name. The holy name,


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which is identical with the Lord, has the power to free us and associate uswith those spiritual beauties of the highest possible standards of excellence.

rpda Mdhava Mahrja gives a detailed account of how in

1952, at the young age of thirty-one, rla Gurudeva took sannysa,the renounced order. At that time he taught and presented scripturalquotes which brought about the proper chanting of this mah-mantrawhen it was being chanted in reverse sequence by almost everyone inthe holy places of Kas pastimes in Vraja-maala. rla Gurudevawould enthusiastically go to the pastime places of the Lord over andover again and describe the Lords transcendental lls that took place

there, greatly inspiring all the devotees who came for pilgrimage.He also explains how rla Gurudeva is constantly chanting the mah-mantra under any circumstance. His presentation will astound even astone-hearted person.

That mercy you get from the rasika Vaiava is perpetual.It goes on forever and will never stop. This is the supreme treasure. It is notsomething perishable, like all benedictions you receive from materialisticpeople. Spiritual greed (lobha) will increase when one associates with the

rgnuga-rasika Vaiava, hears from him, or hears about him. When aperson hears from his lotus lips about the supremely blissful, sweet pastimesof r Ka and especially the Lords mdhurya pastimes with the vraja-

gops that genuine greed (lobha) enters the mind or the heart (citta-vtti).This book is about the person who is a supreme treasure for the

world and who gives the supreme treasure of bhakti to the world.People are looking everywhere in the world for treasures, but theyfail to realize that the supreme treasure is right there in their heart.Unfortunately, they do not see this and are running after a mirage.Only r Guru can dissolve the mirage, remove the ignorance andgive us entrance into the kingdom of supreme, everlasting happiness.We want happiness, but for the most part, it escapes us. Even if we findtemporary happiness in some superficial pleasures, it is short-lived andmisery comes and takes its place. It is useless even to enter some kind ofpseudo-religious movement and externally break our bad habits, if there

is no lasting transformation. The speculations of the pseudo-religionistsshow that they are still completely bewildered by their material existence.We were also painfully wallowing in total forgetfulness of the Lord,

but rla Gurudeva, who is the friend of the destitute and lowly, has


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overlooked our disqualifications to give us that supreme treasure whichis our real welfare.

Ultimately material life and sensual pleasure is a deception that entraps

us, bewilders us, keeps us entangled and leaves us hurt. Due to all thesuffering, we gain some power of discrimination and eventually we cometo the point in our life... where we are exhausted... where we have hadenough... where we are truly crying out to the Lord.

When we are truly destitute and deep in our hearts, desperate tohave a connection only with God, the Lord hears our sincere longingand warms our hearts by sending His pure devotee, who is our only

friend and shelter in this world. Although such association is extremelyrare, the Lord will reveal to us His own eternal personal associate,the bhakta-bhgavata. When we know how difficult that association is toattain, then we should sincerely pray for it without duplicity.

We cannot always get the association of livingsdhus, so in the absenceof the bhakta-bhgavata, the Lords devotee, we can take the associationof the other all-auspicious type of sdhu, the grantha-bhgavata, thestra. The sdhus, have with great endeavor meticulously written down

the stras for our benefit and we can receive their association there.When we take shelter of these two sdhus, the bhakta-bhgavata and the

grantha-bhgavata, they will make us qualified so that we will never giveup Vrajendra-nandana r Ka. When we always hear their hari-kathladen with their potency, our intelligence will become firmly fixed in theproper philosophical conclusions.

r Ka is the fountainhead of all rasas (akhila-rasmta-mrti) and we can offer Him our eternal loving service in the moodof deep friendship, maternal or fatherly love, or in amorous love.In the worship of other forms of the Lord, although we can completelysurrender unto Him with unwavering faith and love which is fullysatisfying, we are not able to offer such confidential service andunconditional love as His friends, parents or lovers.

r Caitanya Mahprabhu, who is r Ka Himself in the mood andcomplexion of rmat Rdhr, descended to this world to give love

of God. Having reflected on the living entitys difficult and unfortunatesituation, r Rdh and r Ka personally appeared in Their combinedform of rman Mahprabhu, who is an ocean of compassion for the fallensouls. rpda Bhaktivednta Mdhava Mahrja in this book is showing


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how devotees all over the world are becoming happy and satisfied by hearingthe pure message of rman Mahprabhu from rla Gurudeva. r CaitanyaMahprabhu came some five hundred years ago to give us the topmost,

all-auspicious spiritual knowledge and to show us how to practice it inpure love. He has now arranged to send His messenger rla Gurudeva tous so that we can hear pure hari-kath (topics in glorification of Lord Hariand His devotees) flowing constantly from his lotus mouth. If we have theextreme fortune to continually drink the ambrosial nectar that emanatesfrom his lotus mouth and which flows from his pen, we shall never have tolive again in misery, adverse to the Supreme Lord. While persons in this

world are becoming more and more mad to enjoy their mundane senses, butare instead drowning in misery, searching for wealth, women and mundanereputation and fame, this book will help them to forget such fleetinghappiness. rla Gurudeva has never been in forgetfulness of the Lord andhe can teach us how to live our life in such constant remembrance. Heshows us how we can truly be happy by engaging in Kas service. There isimmense happiness in serving Him and a very relishable love and affectionthat is not found in material relationships. There are oceans of love and

affection in Kas transcendental abode.Not only is rla Gurudeva the supreme treasure; he is also giving

us this invaluable treasure, namely the awakening and nurturing of oureternal loving personal relationship with the Divine Couple. He is notgiving us a partially developed understanding, but is giving us the fulland perfect philosophical conclusion (siddhnta) of the bona fidegurus(cryas) including Lord Caitanya Himself.

The book also talks about some controversial subjects, misunder-standings and slanderous statements. People are deceiving themselves ifthey do not properly respect a Vaiava and it is an offence to the holyname to disrespect and blaspheme the saintly devotees whose charactersare spotless. rpda Bhaktivednta Mdhava Mahrja addresses manymistaken viewpoints and misguided mentalities and gives the facts of manyincidents that were previously presented giving the wrong impression ofrla Gurudeva. He does this to protect the immaculate reputation of our

most illustrious rla Gurudeva and the Gauya Vaiava sampradyathat he represents. He presents it not as a challenge, but to acquaint theinnocent with the real facts and dispel their doubts and to warn them aboutthe seriousness of offending Vaiavas who are so very dear to the Lord.


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A pure devotee has no hostile mentality, personal grudges ordissatisfaction with anyone. Thus anyone who takes initiation of the holyname must wholeheartedly reject any tendency to disregard or disrespect

any Vaiava. r Guru is our greatest well-wisher and best friend. Thereis no one more merciful than him in this world, but those who are adverseto him cannot see it. A person develops his or her mentality and body inaccordance with the activities that they have performed in their previousbirth. The Lord is bestowing the fruits of their action, whatever theymay be, to enjoy and engage in further acts. Those who are adverse to theLord will be impelled to act by the external, illusory energy (my) of the

Lord, and those who are surrendered without duplicity will see all thevirtues of the Vaiava revealed in their true features. They will see theVaiavas extraordinary transcendental qualities and will not liken themto mundane qualities, whereas those who are impelled bymy and whocommit offences, will not.

The example has been given of a palace made entirely of gems. Thosewhose hearts are pure will see its splendor, whereas an ant or someonewith an offensive mentality will only try to find the hole. If we see how

rla Gurudeva is always serving r r Rdh-Ka Yugala and how heis exclusively surrendered to Them, that will attract us and arouse in us anaffection for him. And those who are not gentle and well-behaved towardshim, will still unfortunately not be able to recognize the transcendentalVaiava, no matter how many virtues and material intelligence they mayhave developed by their karmas. They will not be able to judge his exclusivesurrender to Their Lordships and will instead select a mundane personality.

rla Gurudeva has brought with him the immaculate moodsof the pure devotees and placed it right in the forefront of ourconsciousness. All we have to do is faithfully pay attention to himand we will benefit remarkably. He is not simply giving us an idea toponder over like the armchair philosophers. Rather, he is showingus our exact spiritual identity and abode, and how to realize them.We should take advantage of this opportunity. This divine mercy comesonly from a specially empowered personality who is overflowing with mercy

from Lord Ka and rmati Rdhr. No matter how low we jvas havefallen, a powerful guru like rla Gurudeva can bring us to the highestspiritual position by nourishing us and awakening our real nature andintrinsic mood of pure love of God.


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We invite the sincere readers to deliberate on this book fullyand relish the nature of rla Gurudevas uddha-bhakti, the ultimategoal of all scriptures. See for yourself how the nectar of the ka-

prema that he came to give manifests in his life and actions.We sincerely pray that rla Gurudeva, who is the personification of mercyand forgiveness, may transmit his potency into the core of our hearts,so that we can render some pleasing service to fulfill his inner heartslonging to giveprema-bhaktito the world. If we remain aloof from adverseassociation, hear from the lotus lips of pure devotees and read theirdevotional literatures, we will receive the highest, most sublime revelation

of all, the supreme treasure, service to r r Rdh-Ka Yugala.I humbly beg your forgiveness for any mistakes,

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


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Inoduion

o jn-timirndhsy jnjn-lkyckur unmlit yen tsmi r gurve nm

This book is about the most auspicious life and teachings of r rmadBhaktivednta Nryaa Gosvm Mahrja. It is with great pleasure that

we finally present this long anticipated book about rla Gurudeva whois a treasure house of the most ecstatic form of pure love of God. Thosewho are fortunate will take advantage of this book. This is more thanan historical timeline of events, for this book wonderfully summarizesthe entire Ka conscious philosophy and siddhnt as practised by anunalloyed, pure devotee of the Lord.

Hearing about a pure devotee is very auspicious, as it eradicates all

doubts, misconceptions, misunderstandings and confusions on the path ofpure devotional service. Those who are seriously looking for happiness inKa consciousness must certainly give up all preconceived assumptionsand transcend all sectarian designations, so that they can read this bookwith an open mind and get the real benefit of association with a fullyrealized Vaiava.

r guru is the personification of Ka's mercy in this world. He

comes to deliver the conditioned souls by enlightening them on theconstitutional nature and eternal function of the soul. Gradually hereveals our eternal relationship and intimate service to the Lord. Whenwe sincerely offer our life and soul to his lotus feet, our good fortunearises and in this way r guru opens the way to boundless peace andhappiness for the conditioned soul.

Everyone tries to remove their suffering and increase their happiness.

Some try to achieve this by hard labour and following moral principles,while others take drugs, have illicit relationships, steal and such in anattempt to improve the material conditions of their life. However, we seethat all these attempts are baffled and happiness still remains elusive.


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rla Gurudeva

Whatever happiness we find in this world is meager and not everlasting.For example, one gains some pleasure by eating food, but if one keeps oneating, the same food that gives one pleasure will cause suffering. Onedoes not want old age, diseases and death to come; yet they come. Anysane person will ponder over this problem and try to find a solution.

The scriptures tell us that we are not our bodies; rather we are souls,eternal parts and parcels of the supreme personality of Godhead, r Ka.The soul's eternal constitutional function (dhrm) is eternal service andobedience to Ka. When the soul forgets his true identity as an eternalservant of the Supreme Lord r Ka, and instead identifies himself

with the body, he is subjected to the tyranny of the illusory potency of theLord (my) and his eternal constitutional function becomes perverted.

In an attempt to enjoy, the soul wanders in the material world takingone material body after another. However, all of his efforts to enjoy areobstructed by the external potency of the Lord. The material body issubjected to various types of suffering such as birth, old age, disease anddeath. The embodied living entity is always subject to the three types of

miseries, namely, miseries caused by the mind, miseries caused by otherliving entities and miseries due to natural disturbances. However, thepurpose of suffering is simply so that the living entities can realize thatthis suffering is unwanted and that this material world is not their home.The living entities can then strive for something everlasting or eternal.

The only way to achieve everlasting happiness is by performingdevotional service to r Ka. r Ka, who is infinitely merciful, sends

his eternal associates to teach us this process, so a seeker of everlastinghappiness must necessarily take shelter of such people and learn thisprocess from them. Such a teacher who can give us this supreme treasureis called aguru.

Service to guru is the backbone of devotional absorption (bhjn).Whoever wants to enter into the realm of bhjn, must first dedicatehis life to the service of a bona fideguru. Such aguru will never consider

the disciple to be his own property. Rather, he will consider the discipleto belong to r Caitanya Mahprabhu and the Divine Couple, r rRdh-Ka. The bona fideguru will transfer the disciple's attachmentand dedication for himself (forguru) to Them. Altough he is an expansion


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(ve) of r Ka, He never considers himself to be r Ka; He alwaysthinks that he is His eternal servant.

Our beloved Gurudeva, rla Bhaktivednta Nryaa GosvmMahrja, is such aguru. Whoever reads this work will have a clearconception of the subject of rla Gurudeva and his teachings.

This book will be like a lighthouse that guides those aspirants whowant to progress in Ka consciousness to reach spritual perfection.

Just as rla Vysadeva got inspiration by hearing the life history ofhis Gurudeva, r Nrada i, one can get inspiration from hearing thebiography of rla Gurudeva. Without hearing about and servingr guru,no one can advance in Ka Consciousness either now, or in the future.

The mercy ofr guru and Vaiavas is causeless, as it is independentof any material cause or piety. It is only by such causeless mercy that the

jv can obtain the merciful, sidelong glance of the eternally youthfulcouple of Vraja r Rdh and r Ka and join Them in Their eternalloving pastimes.

Therefore, without the mercy of real sdhusand r guru, pure spiritual

desires for perfection will never awaken and fructify.In describing the bona fide guru, it is never enough to just describe

his external pastimes what he was wearing, where, when, what foodshe likes, etc. To properly glorify him, one must explain his teachingsand his siddhnt. Unless one understands the teachings of the spiritualmaster, one cannot understand his mood, and if one does not understandhis mood, one will not understand what his mission is all about. By

understanding his mood, one can properly execute his mission. Themission of the bona fideguru is not independent of the previous crys;it is the continuation of the mission that rla Rpa Gosvm establishedon behalf of r Caitanya Mahprabhu.

rla Rpa Gosvm understood the inner mood of r CaitanyaMahprabhu and thus wrote many transcendental books on pure bhktito establish His mission. r Caitanya Mahprabhu came to give vrj-

prem through nm, the Hare Kamh-mntr.In the same way, rla Rpa Gosvmpda is giving the same vrj-

prem through nm. The same mood and objective is being carried outby the pure devotees in the Gauya Vaiava line such as rla Ka dsa


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rla Gurudeva

Kavirja Gosvm, rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura, rla BaladevaVidybhana, rla Bhaktivinoda hkura, rla BhaktisiddhntaSarasvat hkura, rla Bhakti Prajna Keava Gosvm Mahrja andrla Bhaktivednta Svm Mahrja.

rla Bhaktivednta Nryaa Gosvm Mahrja is similarlycontinuing this powerful wave of pure bhkti bhktithat is without atinge of speculation, mundanejn or krm.

r guru and his mission are thus never independent. The entiredisciplic succession (guru-vrg) is always with him. r guru teaches lucidlyand systematically all that he received from his spiritual master the

a,b,c, the x,y,z, and everything in between. Without securing his guidinggrace, one will not be able to understand the deep meaning of his message.

People with ambitions other than to humbly serve r guru and r Kaare led astray by their own mind. Such unfortunate persons create enmityby finding faults in pure devotees and are unable to reconcile the apparentdifferences in the pure teachings of Vaiavas. We should not hear fromsuch persons who are the cause of their own misfortune. To understand

the spiritual meaning of the pure devotee's words, one has to serve thepure devotee favourably and intimately and thus by the grace of r guru,everything will be revealed in the heart. We will then be able to appreciateand understand the uncompromised quality of the siddhnt ofr guru.

There is no confusion as to what is pure bhktibut as long as our heartis torn with material desires we will not be single pointed in our desireto serve purely.

Unless we are ready and willing to accept pure bhktiin our heart,we will not be able to recognize or fully appreciate a pure devotee. Ourintelligence will be polluted and we will lose this rare opportunity whichhas been made accessible to humanity by the most munificent r CaitanyaMahprabhu.

r Caitanya Mahprabhu has clearly explained that the greatestopposition in the path ofbhktiis the impersonal myvda philosophy.

This impersonalism comes in many forms and keeps us deeply entrenchedin illusion, such as the hollow pride of empirical ignorance, which makesits way into the heart of immature devotees, who under such influenceregard certain Vaiavas as enemies.


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All devotees of the Supreme Lord r Ka Caitanya should takeshelter in His eternal spiritual community and unite to fight against suchimpersonalism and voidism.

r Ka alone is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This isdeclared by all authorities and throughout the Vedas. Every living entityis His eternal servant. Our mind and senses are meant to be engaged inHis service and only by such engagement will we be truly happy. Thisengagement is only given by a pure devotee. r Ka reveals Himself toHis pure devotee. To the non-devotees, Ka appears in His deludingfeature. When the conditioned soul associates with the non-devotee, theLord does not reveal Himself. Therefore the association of living puredevotees is most essential.

One's nature is determined and shaped by the company one keeps. Suchassociation shapes one's character. The fruitive activities we performed inour past life and our past associations have moulded our nature in thiscurrent life.

By association with the living pure devotees and by understanding

the Vaiava books, under their guidance, our lower nature will betransformed into good character.

The example is described in the Vedic scripture of a clear quartzcrystal. It assumes the colour of any object in its proximity. Similarly, aperson will acquire the qualities of whomever they join company with.Therefore association with saintly persons (sdhu-sg) is recommendedthroughout all revealed scriptures.

rmd-Bhgvtm (3.23.55) clearly affirms:

sgo y sster hetur stsu vihito 'dhiys ev sdhuu kto nisgtvy klpte

By associating with worldly-minded materialists, a person isbound to undergo severe suffering in material existence. He willcertainly have to bear the consequences of his association, even if he

cannot distinguish between good and bad. By associating with saintlypersons, however, a person attains complete freedom from worldlyattachments (nisgtv).


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rla Gurudeva

Besides earnestly engaging in good association (sdhu-sg), it is alsoessential to give up unfavourable association, as recommended in rmadBhgavatam (3.31.3334):

sty uc dy mun buddhi rr hrr y kmmo dmo bhg ceti yt-sgd yti skymtev nteu mheu khittmsv sdhuu

sg n kuryc chocyeu yoit-kr-mgeu c

Worldly association destroys all of one's virtues like truthfulness,cleanliness, mercy, gravity, intelligence, shyness, prosperity, reputation,

forgiveness, control of the mind, control of the senses, good fortuneand opulence. One should utterly reject the company of a person whois not asdhu, considering such association to be extremely miserable,for such a wicked and restless fool is but a dancing dog in the hands ofa woman and is thereby simply bent on annihilating himself.

This book describes the necessity of association of saintly persons

(sdhu-sg) and explains who is a bona fide guru, what are the rarelyunderstood symptoms of a genuine sdhu and especially, how to attain thedesired goal of life. The pastimes of rla Gurudeva have been presentedhere so as to enable the devotees to associate with him.

When I joined the Gauya Maha, my revered dk-guru rlaBhaktivednta Vmana Gosvm Mahrja specifically put me underthe loving care of rla Bhaktivednta Nryaa Gosvm Mahrja

and ordered me to serve him. Consequently, I received the opportunityto associate closely with both of these divine personalities. They wereGodbrothers, dear disciples of Parama-gurudeva rla Bhakti PrajnaKeava Gosvm Mahrja and the respect and intimacy they shared wasunparalleled. For many years mydk-guru, rla Bhaktivednta VmanaGosvm Mahrja was the cry and initiatingguru of r GauyaVednta Samiti.

At that time rla Gurudeva was not initiating disciples, but wasalways guiding and instructing devotees. He taught all of us in the mhby his personal example, always emphasizing the td-pi suncenverse by Lord Caitanya, which states that one should be humbler than a


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blade of grass and more forbearing than a tree, and that one should offerrespect to everyone without desiring respect from others. His uniquequality was that he was always speakinghri-kth and telling us that inorder to get r Ka's mercy, we should constantly pray for the mercyof His beloved rmat Rdhr. In his bhjn he was never proud,but on the contrary was always tolerant, merciful and a well-wisher ofall. If there were any issues or disagreements between any devotees,whichever way rla Gurudeva decided to handle the matter was alwaysfully backed by my dk-guru, rla Bhaktivednta Vmana GosvmMahrja. Therefore, whatever rla Gurudeva ordered was the mandatefor everyone in the Samiti.

The Vedic scriptures and the writings of the Vaiavacrysdirectthe sincere seeker of the truth to the pure devotee of Ka. By submissivehearing with an open mind to the transcendental sound appearing on thelips of a pure devotee, one learns about Ka who is the Absolute Truth.

The conditioned soul cannot directly hear r Ka on his ownstrength. His words have to be heard from the lips of a pure devotee.

If one does not seek help from the pure devotee, one will surely bedeluded. r Ka appears in the heart of the pure devotee and onlywhen the conditioned soul hears the holy name and pastimes of the Lordfrom the lips of such a sdhu can he perceive the Lord who is identicalwith His transcendental name, His divine form, qualities, activities andparaphernalia.

To properly understand the teachings of the great Vaiavas, one

requires a service attitude that is free from mundane desires, mundaneknowledge and speculation. The divine message is not transmitted byscholars interested in displaying erudition and minor details of technicalknowledge. One will only be in a position to receive the divine message that same message that was received by theguru inprmpr when the

guru is pleased.One cannot approach the Lord without adhering to the method He

has Himself prescribed. r Ka Himself created the guru-prmprsystem in order to receive transcendental knowledge. Thus the livingpure devotee is the perfect medium for the appearance of the Lord tothe conditioned souls. Otherwise, the Lord will remain covered and the


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teachings of the great Vaiavas will also be grossly misunderstood. Thisis the bona fide way to understand and attain r Ka that He Himselfhas given. There is no other way. Any other speculative and unauthorizedmethods to attain Ka are simply manifestations of impersonalism.

Lord iva once said to his consort Prvat:

"O Bhagavat, among thousands upon thousands of persons desiringsalvation, perhaps one exhibits the characteristics of a liberated soul.Among thousands upon thousands of such persons, maybe one actuallyachieves spiritual realisation and perfection. And among millions and

millions of perfected and liberated souls, perhaps one, on the strengthof his past virtuous activities (sukti) and good association (st-sg),is devoted to Lord Nryaa. Just see, the devotees of Lord Nryaaare self-satisfied and therefore they are extremely rare. But lookhere. If the pure devotee who serves Lord Nryaa in the mood ofservitorship (dsy-rs) is so rare, how much more uncommon is hewho serves r Ka in the mood of amorous love (mdhury-rs)."

May this glorification of rla Gurudeva, who is very dear to rmatRdhik, bring great happiness to the hearts of all the Vaiavas.

Completed on the occasion of r Annaka,r Gaurabda 524, 7 November, 2010

Tridi-bhiku Bhaktivednta Mdhava Mahrja

(Dr. N. K. Brahmacr, Ph.D.)


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Inoduion (Continued)

and Entering Aprakaa-ll

The above first part of this introduction was written in the presence of ourbeloved rla Gurudeva. When I presented an advance copy of Volume I ofthis biography in Govardhana to rla Gurudeva, he became very happy. Heasked me later in Jaganntha Pur, How many volumes will you do?

I told him, Minimum four. Gurudeva said, Minimum four? Youcan do so many? I said, Yes. By your grace I could do more, but I willdo a minimum of four.

This second volume is being presented after rla Gurudevastranscendental disappearance and return to Lord Kas eternal abode. Iam therefore adding this entry to my original introduction for this volume.

rla Gurudeva entered the prk-ll, the eternal pastimes of

r r Ramaa Bihrj, on the 29th of December, 2010. This specificday is very auspicious for all in the Gauya Vaiava community. Thatparticular day was also the appearance day of my Guru Mahrja, Nitya-ll Pravia O Viupda rla Bhaktivednta Vmana Gosvm. As rKa's and His pure representatives appearance and disappearance are allspiritual, why did rla Gurudeva choose this very day for his departure?There are so many reasons behind this which include:

1) When rla Gurudeva, rla B.V. Nryaa Gosvm Mahrja cameto Navadvpa dhma at midnight, my Guru Mahrja rla B.V.Vmana Gosvm Mahrja received him at the railway stationof Navadvpa and brought him to Devnanda Gauya Mha inNavadvpa, Nadia. My Guru Mahrja took rla Gurudeva inside therealm of the Divine Couple, under the guidance ofparama-gurudevarla Bhakti Prajnana Keava Mahrja whose eternal constitutional

form is r Vinoda Mjar in the service of Rdh-ka. To showthat rla Gurudeva is going to his Gurudeva along with his elderbrother, rla Gurudeva chose the auspicious occasion of my GuruMahrjas Vysa-pj (appearance day). Just as rla Gurudeva


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came to param-gurudeva with his dearmost elder god-brother,similarly, he now entered into nitya-ll choosing the appearanceday of his elder god-brother who is so near to param-gurudeva.

2) Their intimacy has no bound and has no limit. During rlaGurudevas sickness pastimes at Govardhana, all devotees werethinking that rla Gurudeva would enter into nitya-ll on thedisappearance day of my Guru Mahrja rla BhaktivedntaVmana Gosvm Mahrja and the disappearance day (exactlytwo years earlier) of one of my prominent ik gurus, who is alsotheir near and dear godbrother rla Bhaktivednta Trivikrama

Gosvm Mahrja. Hence, all devotees were very scared andextremely alert, thinking that rla Gurudeva may depart on thatday. The devotees were doingkrtana and bhajana throughout theday and night, constantly praying to r Girirja Mahrja and rNarasiha-deva. Knowing the devotees hearts, rla Gurudevadecided not to depart on that very auspicious day in Krtika. Lateron, Gurudeva chose the date of my Guru Mahrjas appearance day.In Jaganntha Pur, Gurudeva was always absorbed in the mood ofseparation, manifesting various symptoms. Sometimes he would getthe hiccups non-stop, sometimes tears would flow from his eyesincessantly trickling down his face and sometimes his body wouldshake and foam would come from his mouth. All these were ecstaticsymptoms ofprema. Due to our foolishness we could not recognizeall these ecstatic symptoms. Whoever has seen these manifestationsof rla Gurudeva is extremely fortunate; of this, there is no doubt.

None of the devotees attending him informed rla Gurudevaof the day of the appearance of my Guru Mahrja. How rlaGurudeva knew that very day and chose it to depart for his finaljourney is a mystery for those in general. This is inconceivableand is evidence that their intimacy has no limit. Surely there aremany more causes for his final journey! Certainly there are manymore explanations, but these reasons Ive listed above are primary.

The special attraction of this book is the eternal identity of our mostbeloved rla Gurudeva who expertly explained the spontaneous devotionalmoods of the residents of Vraja like no one else did at this time and istherefore naturally the most prominent rgnug-rsik-cry of our time.


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The siddh-deh or constitutional form of rla BhaktivedntaNryaa Gosvm Mahrja, our most beloved rla Gurudeva is rRaman Mjar, an eternal associate of r Rdh and r Ka. Hereternal sev (loving transcendental service) is performed in the nikuj-llof the Divine Couple, under the guidance of r Rpa Mjar and others.Fortunate are those who follow and receive the mercy of rla Gurudeva.

I wrote r Rm-mjr-km, a poem of eight verses inSanskrit in 1992 and presented it to rla Gurudeva much later, in 2008.rla Gurudeva became very much pleased when I read it to him. Hekept his merciful hand on my head and on my back. He blessed me torender ever-increasing devotional service under his guidance. Thosedevotees who are eager for vrj-prem and thirsty for bhktiwill relishthe explanation of this km.

rla Gurudeva is a pure, rsik devotee and for those wanting to servein the mood of the residents of Vraja and wanting qualification to practicergnug-bhkti, he gives the qualification.

The main attraction and source of inspiration for this book isprm-

rdhytm rla Gurudeva, r rmad Bhaktivednta Nryaa GosvmMahrja, by whose mercy all things are possible. Many others have kindlyencouraged me throughout the years to write and were also great sourcesof inspiration. There are far too many to mention here, but I would liketo thank all of them. I particularly want to give special credit to rpdaBhaktivednta Trtha Mahrja, rman Premnanda Prabhu, rpdaBhaktivednta Parivrjaka Mahrja, rpda Bhaktivednta Vana Mahrja,

rpda Bhaktivednta Padmanbha Mahrja, rpda BhaktivedntaSajjana Mahrja, rpda Bhaktivednta rdhar Mahrja, rpdaBhaktivednta Siddhnti Mahrja, rpda Bhaktivednta DmodaraMahrja, rpda Bhaktivednta Govinda Mahrja, rpda BhaktivedntaHarijana Mahrja, rpda Bhaktivednta Nraiha Mahrja, rpdaBhaktivednta Paramahasa Mahrja, rman Brajantha Prabhu, rmanMdhava-priya Prabhu, rman Amala Ka Prabhu, rman Vijaya Ka

Prabhu, rman Dvija Ka Prabhu, rman Rmacandra Prabhu, rmanRohi-nandana Prabhu, rman Hare Ka Prabhu, rman BalarmaPrabhu, rman Sanjay Prabhu, rman Mahbuddhi Prabhu, and rmatVnd-dev Ds.


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rmat ymarn Ds was on the Advisory Board together withrmat Vaijayant Ml Ds, rman Brajantha Prabhu, rmat PoonamDs, rman Pankaj a Prabhu and rman Acyutnanda Prabhu.

Recording was enthusiastically done by rman Madhuvrata Prabhuand rman acnandana Prabhu.

Transcribing was kindly done by rpda Anantacrya, rmanMadhuvrata Prabhu, rman Dmodara Prabhu, rman acnandanaPrabhu and rman Sanjay Prabhu.

On the Editorial Board, there were rman Rpa Raghuntha dsa,rman Madhuvrata Prabhu, rman Sundar Gopla Prabhu, rmatBhdra Ds and rmat Vrajadevi ds. Many other devotees eagerlyprovided their assistance in various capacities such as rman JnaShakti Prabhu, rman Acintya Gaura Prabhu, rman Rma Prabhu,rmat Rdh Priya Ds and rman Vinaya-Ka Prabhu.

The service of Chief Editor was done by Rpa Raghuntha dsa underthe direction of rman Brajantha Prabhu.

Layout was done by rman Ka Kruya Prabhu.

Public Relations & Communications was headed by rman BrajanthaPrabhu and rmat Vrinda-dev Ds.

The Financial Board consisted of rman Nandana Prabhu & SvitrDidi, rman Amala Ka Prabhu, rman Janrdana Prabhu, rmanVinay Ka Prabhu, rman Rishi Kumra and Jayasri didi, Jagannthadsa, and Indupati dsa

There are many more and I would like to extend my thanks to all

of them, especially to the Chief of the Financial Board, rman NandarPrabhu and rmat Svitr didi.

Apology

By the causeless mercy of rla Gurudeva, r Guru Parampar and all theVaiavas, I have tried my level best to present to the readers the teachings

and biography of rla Gurudeva. I beg forgiveness for not putting allthe events in regular historical sequence. I have recorded many of thesepastimes from memories that came first in my mind, in the style of rla


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Jagadnanda Paita who wrote the pastimes of the Lord in his Prema-vivarta according to his loving remembrances and not according to thestandard sequential order. This book is therefore by no means an attemptto narrate the pastimes of rla Gurudeva in chronological sequence. Bytalking with rla Gurudeva, researching my personal notes and hearingthe tape recordings, I have, from time to time, added extra details.

This biographical style may not appeal to every reader; indeed to writea biography approved by all readers is not possible at all. Still this bookmay be considered as an authentic biography full of bona fide siddhntrather than an analytical study of a great person.

rla Kadsa Kavirja has written in his Citny-critmt,Mdhy-ll 2.85:

prbhur yei cr, sei kri vrn,srv-citt nri rdhite

Some may complain I have been unduly harsh and perhapsothers may object that I am overly mild. I am only trying to

describe the true facts as they are without unduly trying to satisfyeveryone.

I think the srgrh Vaiavas will understand these teachings byoverlooking the faults and accepting the good qualities.

skl viv gosi doy koro morednte t dhori khe e dn pmre

I offer my humble obeisances at the lotus feet of all Vaiavas andtaking a blade of straw between my teeth, I humbly beg for their mercy,

Trid-bhiku Bhaktivednta Mdhava Mahrja,Ph.D Philosophy, Ph.D Vaiava Philosophy


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Magalcaraa

vnde 'h r-guro r-yut-pd-kml r-gurn viv cr-rp sgrjt sh-g-rghunthnvit t s-jvmsdvit svdht prijn-shit k-citny-devr-rdh-k-pdn sh-g-llit-r-vikhnvit c

I offer pramas to the lotus feet ofr gurudev (both dk and bhjn-ik-gurus); to our entire disciplic succession (guru-vrg) and all otherVaiavas; to r Rpa Gosvm, and his elder brother r rla SantanaGosvm, accompanied by r Raghuntha dsa Gosvm and rla JvaGosvm and their associates; to r Ka Caitanya Mahprabhu and Hisassociates headed by r Advaita Prabhu, r Nitynanda Prabhu; and to thelotus feet of r r Rdh-Ka, who are accompanied by r Lalit, rVikh and all the other skhs.

o jn-timirndhsy jnjn-lkyckur unmlit yen tsmi r-gurve nm

O rla Gurudeva, you are so merciful. With the torchlight of divineknowledge, you have opened my eyes, which were blinded by the darknessof ignorance. Praying from the core of my heart, I humbly offer my deep

prm at your lotus feet.

vnde r pdpdmh r vmn-nry-trivikrmhye kp prsdih vrj bhkti hdi prkiyti

I worship the lotus feet of rla Bhaktivednta Vmana GosvmMahrja, rla Bhaktivednta Nrayaa Gosvm Mahrja and rlaBhaktivednta Trivikrama Gosvm Mahrja. By their causeless mercy,bhktiwill manifest in the hearts of those who follow them.

r thkurn priy dyity kpbdhyetttv-try prdny vmny nmo nmh

I offer my obeisances to the lotus feet ofnity-ll prvih o viupdr rmad Bhaktivednta Vmana Gosvm Mahrja, who always used to


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address rmat Rdhr as hakurn; who is very near and dear to Her;who is an ocean of mercy; and who gives the conditioned souls transcendentalknowledge of the three tttvs, namely, smbndh, bhidhey andpryojn.

r-nitynnd-bhinny gur-kmik-crinerpnug-prvry r-rg' iti svrpini

He is the non-different manifestation of khnd-guru-tttv (theprinciple of r guru as one undivided whole), rman Nitynanda Prabhu.He fulfilled the inner desire of r Gaurasundara by preachingrg-mrg-bhktito the whole world. I offerprm to the most worshipable lotus feetof my r Gurudeva, who is the best among the rpnugsand who, in hiseternal transcendental form (siddh-svrp), is rmat Rdh hkurn'sRga Majari.

nm o viu-pdy rdhiky priytmner-rmd-bhktivednt-nry iti nmine

I offer prama to o viupd r rmad Bhaktivednta Nryaa

Gosvm Mahrja, who is very dear to rmat Rdhik.

r-k-lil kthne sudkm udry-mdhury guis c yuktmvrm vreym purum mhntm nrym tvm irs nmmi

rla Bhaktivednta Nryaa Gosvm Mahrja is expert indescribingk-lil. He is endowed with the qualities of magnanimityand sweetness, and he is the best of the great souls. He is able to freely

distribute Ka's sweetness to others because he is always relishing thatsweetness himself. I bow down and place my head at his lotus feet.

yugcry prbhum vnde nry krulymrdh-dsye lobhm dttv tryti bhuvn trym

I worship rla Bhaktivednta Nrayaa Gosvm Mahrja who wasawarded the title ofyugcry and who is the abode of mercy. He shows

the path ofrgnug-bhktiand thus delivers the three worlds.1

1 rla Gurudeva was awarded the title ofyugcry by rman Dipak Bhaa, the guruand mhnt (spiritual leader) of r Varana Temple (rmat Rdhrs fathers royalpalace) in Vraja, India. The most benevolent r Caitanya Mahprabhu delivered pure


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nm o viu-pdy k-prehy bhtlermte bhktivednt svmin iti nmine

nms te srsvte deve gur-v-prcrienirvie-nyvdi-pcty-de-trie

I offer my respectful obeisances to the lotus feet ofnity-ll-prvio viupd r rmad Bhaktivednta Svm who is very dear to rKa.

Our respectful obeisances are unto you, O dear servant of SarasvatGosvm. You are kindly preaching the message of Lord Gaurasundara

and delivering the Western countries which are filled with impersonalismand voidism.

vch-klp-truby c kp-sindhubhy ev cptitn pvnebhyo vivebhyo nmo nm

I offer pramas unto all the Vaiavas, who are just like wish-fulfilling desire trees, who are an ocean of mercy and who deliver the

fallen, conditioned souls.r-k-citny prcbhu nitynnd

r-dvit gddhr rvsdi-gur-bhkt-vnd

I offer my respectful obeisances to the most munificent SupremeLord r Ka Caitanya who is known as Gaura because of His goldencomplexion. I offer my respectful obeisances to His immediate expansion,

r Nitynanda Prabhu; to His incarnation, r Advaita crya; to Hisinternal potency, r Gaddhara Paita; to His great pure devotee,rvsa Paita; and to all the devotees who follow Him.

hre k hre k k k hre hrehre rm hre rm rm rm hre hre

bhktito the three worlds and rla Gurudeva continues to deliver that same pure bhktiin a similar way.


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r Guru Tava and r Guru-sevaka

The Glory of Gauya Guru-parampar

The first and general understanding of r Katttvis that thejv orsoul is the eternal servant of Lord r Ka,jver svrp hy-kernity-ds (Citny-critmt, Mdhy-ll, 20.108).

When attachment and desire to serve r Rdh becomes morepowerful than attachment to r Ka, then ivry (the Lords majesticopulence) becomes covered.

The majestic aivarya mood of great awe and reverence is not manifestin the maidservants of rmat Rdhik.

rla Bhaktivinode hkura explains in his Bhajana-rahasya, 5.10:

rdh-pd v kbhu k nhi mileWithout taking shelter of the lotus feet of Rdh, one can never

meet Ka.

rdhik dsr k srv-vede bole

The Vedic scriptures declare that Ka is the property of themjars, the maidservants of r Rdh.

The glorious position of r Rdh is revealed by rla KadsaKavirja Gosvm:

jgt-mohn k, thr mohinCitny Critmt,di-ll 4.95

That very r Ka, who attracts the entire universe with His beauty,

qualities, pastimes, nature, opulence, sweetness, and other aspects,is Himself attracted and rendered helpless by the unpararalled andunsurpassed love of Vabhnu-nandini rmat Rdhik.


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rla Gurudeva

govindnndini rdh, govind-mohingovind-srvsv, srv-knt-iromi

Citny-critmt, di-ll 4.82

r Rdh is the one who gives pleasure to Govinda.The worldis enchanted by Govinda but Govinda Himself is enchanted by rRdh.r Rdh is everything for Govinda and She is the crest

jewel of all His beautiful consorts.

The pleasure-giving potency of r Kas internal energy is calledthe hldin-akti. The purest and most complete manifestation of thehldin-aktiis displayed by the Vrajagops, among whom r Rdh is thetopmost crest jewel.

The essence of this pleasure giving potency or hldin is love of God,prema.The essence ofprema or love of God is called bhva.The ultimatemanifestation of bhva is mahbhva.The embodiment of that exaltedmahbhva is rmat Rdhik as is stated in Caitanya-caritmta [di-ll4.69], mahbhva-svarpa r rdh hkurn.

Of all the loving devotees and eternal intimate associates of r Ka,r Rdhs transcendental loving service to Her beloved r Ka is thehighest.

Therefore to become a maidservant, a kikarof r Rdh is thetopmost cherished goal of all the Gauya Vaiavas in the line of rlaRpa Gosvm. This is the speciality and glory of our line, sva-priya-caraa-kinkarim kuru (r Rdh-Prrthan 2).

rla Bhaktivednta Nryaa Gosvm Mahrja reveals - r Korsmaidservants (kinkaris) are always devoted to Her service. The wordkainkarya expresses a mood of being ardent to serve and it means kimkaromi, What may I do? What service can I do?

This mood of pure rdh-dsya is called mjar-bhva. Sva-priya-caraa-kinkarim kuru, please make me akikarat the lotus feet of rVabhnu-nandin birth after birth.

By the causeless mercy of the maidservants of Vraja, and by thecauseless mercy of r Guru, that mjarbhva svarpa, the mood of amjar, is revealed in the heart of a sober sdhaka.


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These topics should be understood soberly by a iya (servant of rGuru) who fully controls their senses.

In the practice ofrgnugabhakti, the mdhurya feature of the Lordcovers His aivarya feature. The sdhaka tastes the unlimited sweetness ofr Kas name, form, qualities and pastimes. In this way, the sdhakarealizes r Guru as a confidential associate of r Rdhik.

In vaidh-bhakti, a disciples relationship with r Guru is dominated byawe and reverence; he understands r Guru is skd-hari, non-differentfrom r Bhagavn.

skd-dhritven smst-strirukts tth bhvyt ev sdbhi

r Gurvkm 7

rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura writes that all the scripturesand all the saints proclaim r Guru to be skd-hari, one who isendowed with the potency of r Hari and is His direct representative.Many of the same qualities of the Lord automatically reside in r

Guru. This understanding of r Guru is in vaidh-bhakti.

kintu prbhor yh priy ev tsyvnde guroh r crrvind

r Gurvkm 7

rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura further reveals that r Guru isvery dear to the Lord because he is a very confidential servitor of the

Lord. r Guru is thus simultaneously different and non-different fromr Hari, acintya-bhedbheda-praka-vigraha.

Such a personality is therefore most worshipable and I offer prayersunto his lotus feet.

Understanding r Guru as a very dear and confidential servitor is amanifestation ofrgnuga-bhakti.

Following in the line of r Caitanya Mahprabhu and rla Rpa

Gosvm, argnugabhaktas realization of r Guru is as mukunda-preha,the nearest and dearest of r Ka.His relationship with r Guru willbe marked by intimate service and friendship.


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rla Gurudeva

rla Raghuntha Gosvm reveals in his Manah ik verse 2:

n dhrm ndhrm ruti-g-nirukt kil kuru

vrje rdh-k-prcur-pricrym ih tnuc-snu nndvr-pti-suttve guru-vr

mukund-prehtve smr prm jsr nnu mnh

O my dear mind! Please do not perform either the dharma oradharma mentioned in the rutis or Vedas. Rather, you shouldrender profuse loving service to r r Rdh-ka-Yugala herein Vraja, for the rutis have ascertained Them to be the highestprinciple of supreme worship and the Supreme Absolute Truth.

Always meditate on acnandana r Caitanya Mahprabhu, richlyendowed with the complexion and sentiments of rmat Rdhik,as non-different from r Nandanandana and always rememberrla Gurudeva as most dear to r Mukunda.

r Guru is mukunda preha, the nearest and dearest of r Ka.

Mukunda means that personality who refutes the happiness of mukti(impersonal liberation) and givespremnanda to His dear devotee. It alsomeans Mu, jubilant; mukha-padma kua, whose face is like akua orlotus f lower.

The rga-bhakti sdhaka sees his guru, not as skd-hari, but as anintimate friend of the Lord. The highest limit of friendship with rKa is manifest in the mood of the maidservants of rmat Rdhik.

In Bhat-bhakti-tattva-sra, it is said,rdh-snmukh-sskti skh-sg-nivsinm

tm h stt vnde guru-rp pr schem

I forever worship myguru, who in his form as an exalted skh, ishappily immersed in the company of rmat Rdhik and the otherskhs.

It is described here that Gurudeva is apriya-sakh, maidservant ofrmat Rdhik.

rla Raghuntha dsa Gosvm previously described r Guru asmukunda preha, asmost dear to Ka. Ka has unlimited relationships


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with the Vrajavss such as with Raktrak and Patrak who are servants ofNanda Bb, in dsya-rasa; with Subhal and Madhumagal in sakhya-rasa,with Nanda and Yaod in vtsalya-rasaand with the sakhsin mdhurya-rasa such as Lalit, Vikh, Campakalata and so on. Amongst them all,rmat Rdhik is most near and dear to Ka. Of all thegopsin Vrajawho have madhura (loving service and devotion in the conjugal mood),rmat Rdhiks madhura-rasais of the highest limit.

r Rdhik has five types ofsakhsor dear friends. Among them, theprasakhsand nityasakhsare very near and dear to rmat Rdhik.These dear friends are called mjars. The position of the mjarsor

young friends of rmat Rdhik is given in r Caitainya Caritmta:

rdhr svrpk-prem-klpltskh-g hy tr pllv-pup-pt

Citny-critmt Mdhy-ll 8.209

By nature r Rdh is like a creeper of ka-prema and thesakhs(mjars) are the leaves, flowers and twigs of that creeper.

When the nectar of Kas pastimes is sprinkled on that creeper,the leaves, flowers and twigs experience a happines millions timesgreater than if they were to be directly sprinkled with this nectar.The mjarshave much greater affection towards Rdhik thantowards Ka (bhva-ullsa rati, tat-tad bhva icchmy); thus theyare known as Rdh-sneha-adhika, and because rmat Rdhikloves them so much, they are also very near and dear to Ka.

yt-kikru bhuh khlu kku-v,nity prsy purusy ikh-muleh

r Rdh-rs-sudh-nidhi8

rla Prabhodhnanda Sarasvat, another great rasikacrya in our line,has mercifully revealed in the above verse, how r Ka, the SupremeEnjoyer who wears a peacock feather in His hair, who is the source of all

incarnations, falls at the feet of r Rdhiks young maidservants, themjars, begging them to allow Him to meet with r Rdhik.

Thus r Guru is celebrated as mukunda preha, one very dear toMukunda (Ka), by rla Raghuntha dsa Gosvm.


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rla Gurudeva

The realization that r Guru is a maidservant of rmat Rdhik isessential for the rgnugasdhaka. Under the guidance of hisguru-sakhorguru-mjar, at the appropriate time, r Guru reveals that mjar-bhva in the heart of his qualified disciple. The sdhaka thus remembersthe aa-kliya-ll or eight-fold daily pastimes of Rdh and Ka,meditating on his Gurudeva as amjarserving in those pastimes underthe affectionate guidance of rla Rpa Mjar.

There is no room for mental speculation, imagination or fantasy inthis factual bona fide process ofrga-mrga.

When the sdhaka achieves qualification, the manifest guru willaccordingly instruct him on his service to the Divine Couple in hisspiritual body.

The rgnuga sdhaka while remaining in this world meditatesinternally on the service given to him by r Gurudeva; as rlaBhaktivinoda hkura prayed in his Gta Ml:

brne tdit, bs trvli,

kml mjr nmsde br brs, bys stt,

svnnd-sukhd-dhm

My color will be lightning, my garments a host of stars, myname Kamal Mjar, my age eternally twelve and a half years, myhome Svnanda-sukhada.

rla Bhaktivinoda hkura is revealing his own siddha svarpa asKamal Mjar and her eternal service, which is, among other services,to supply camphor and betel nuts to the Divine Couple. In the same way,meditating on his eternal form and service, the sdhaka will receive themercy of Yogamy Dev and one day enters into the eternal pastimes ofthe Divine Couple.In due course of time, these will be revealed in thepure heart of the disciple, by the causeless mercy of r Guru.

r Guru is manifest here with us in this world and simultaneously inthe spiritual realm is serving r Caitanya Mahprabhu and the DivineCouple r r Rdh-ka. One may question how can r Guru bepresent in this world and also be serving in the spiritual world? All this


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is possible by the execution of the inconceivable potency and mercy ofr Gaurga Mahprabhu, the unified form of the Divine Couple. rlaBhaktivinoda hkura explains in his Jaiva Dharma that when a soulis performing sdhana in the line of r Caitanya Mahprabhu in thisexceptionally fortunate Kl-yuga, at the time of achieving perfection,that soul will attain two svarpas, that is two eternal forms - one willbe eternally present in the pastimes of Mahprabhu and one will serve inthe nitya-ll of the Divine Couple r r Rdh-ka. In the same way,rla Gurudeva can be present in the material world in one svarpa andsimultaneously be serving in the pastimes of r Caitanya Mahprabhuand r r Rdh-Ka conjugal.

When the sdhaka of rgnuga bhakti is absorbed in his internalmeditation, a state ofsamdhior trance is attained. In his internal spiritualbody, he enters into the eternal pastimes of the spiritual realm while stillsituated in his manifest form in the material world. This is the specialityof one totally immersed in rgnuga bhakti.This cannot be achieved byone who is still a prisoner of his material mind and senses. If a homeless

person who is sleeping on a torn mattress, dreams that he is the presidentof a country, does that make him the president?No, as this is just a dreamof a conditioned soul. One should be very careful not to think and mistakethe meditation or spiritual trance of a fully liberated devotee, who is notunder the influence of the material modes of nature, to be an illusion, adream or an imagination.By the mercy of r Guru, the qualified devoteemeditates on his eternal, spiritual form situated in a grove or kuja in Vraja

and serves the Divine Couple under the guidance of his guru-sakh. Thistopmost reality is not a wishful fantasy, a dream or an illusion in the realmof the mundane world.Pure, spontaneous devotional service is eternal andtranscendental in nature. The pure spiritual desires of the sdhaka becomean eternal reality by the mercy of r Guru and r Guru-parampar .

rla Bhaktivednta Nryaa Gosvm Mahrja explains that rGuru is like a desire-tree. By his causeless mercy, r Guru causes the

spiritual svarpa or identity of the disciple to appear within the disciplesheart. Having full faith in r Gurus words, the sdhaka whole-heartedlyperforms bhajana (devotional service) with firm nih (steadiness), andby the mercy of the hldin-akti (the spiritual pleasure potency), he


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rla Gurudeva

fully realizes his ultimate svarpa or identity. The sdhaka then intentlyengages in the service of his most cherished r Ka, the skillful enjoyerof pastimes.r Guru will instruct everything necessary to the cent-per-cent surrendered disciple, truly rewarding him spiritually, far beyond anyexpectations.

By his unalloyed sincere service to his Gurudeva, the devotee canunderstand how r Guru is simultaneously serving both in this worldand in the spiritual world.He therefore assists r Guru at all times.Thisuninterrupted selfless service or assistance to his Gurudeva is the naturalcause of the auspicious manifestation of his spiritual svarpa or form.

In the practice ofrgnugabhaktithe conception that r Guru is Karpa and svarpa, the direct manifestation of Ka, will be covered.

The sdhaka will continuously serve r Rdh and Ka in thegroves, the kujasof Vndvana under the guidance of his Gurudeva whois Mukundapreha, the dear maidservant of Rdhik.

This conception is the essence and highest understanding of r GuruTattva and r Guru-sevaka.


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rman Mahprabhus Greate Donation

rla Gurudeva has explained that Mahprabhu came to give us the moodof maid-servitorship to rmat Rdhik.

In Kl-yuga, a qualified sdhaka in the line of Mahprabhu and rlaRpa Gosvm only needs to understand, by realization, that Gurudevahas an eternal form as amjarin Vraja-ll.

As revealed by rla Kadsa Kavirja Gosvm in r Caitanya-caritmta, there are two processes by which one may execute thisrgnuga bhakti, externally and internally. The self-realized, advanceddevotee externally remains just like avaidh-bhakta and executes all thescriptural, stric injunctions especially hearing and chanting. However,internally as an eternal associate of the rmat Rdhr, he alwaysserves the Divine Couple in Vndvana.In this way he serves r Kathroughout the day and night.

In the physical and subtle body the jvtm is performing manyactivities (walking, talking, thinking, calculating, etc). These activitiesare only going on due to the presence of the soul. In the same way, thesoul of devotional service or bhajana is r ka nm-sakrtana, thechanting of the holy names, without which the other limbs of bhakti

cannot function.Although in the practice ofrgnugasdhana, smaraa or remembrance

is prominent, it must be understood that this remembrance is a limb ofbhajana or devotional service, as are the other practices ofbhaktisuch asarcana, etc.

r Caitanya Mahprabhu came to give this extremely unique andastounding gift of maid-servitorship (mjar bhva) to r Rdh through

the glorious process of nma-sakrtana.This glorious appearance andmatchless gift of Mahprabhu is very exceptional as it happens only oncein a day of Brahm.


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rla Gurudeva

In answer to questions from Paita ymasundara Cakravart, a famousleader of the independence movement in India, rla BhaktisiddhntaSarasvat Prabhupd said that others acts of kindness are defectivebecause they are part of the myika (illusory) energy. rla BhaktisiddhntaPrabhupda explained, The kindness that r Caitanya Mahprabhuhas shown to jvas, absolves them eternally from all wants, from allinconveniences and from all the distresses known as tritpa. That kindnessdoes not produce any evil and thejvaswho have got it will not be victimsof the evils of the world; they will rather be swimming in the nectarian seaof Love, eternally enjoying its sweetness Unlike other forms of kindness,His Lordships Grace is unproductive of evils Kavirja Gosvm Prabhu(the author of r Caitanya-caritmta) has asked us to make a comparativestudy between r Caitanya Mahprabhus Grace and all the so-calledkindnesses that are incomplete and imperfect. Where there is not the giftof an eternal nature, there must be inadequacy, defect and deception(Quoted from r Sajjana-toani The Harmonist)

The Holy Name is the Best Process for Perfection

rla Gurudeva explained again and again, Chanting the Holy Name of rKa is the process for attaining perfection ofbhajana. The age of Kl isconsidered the most wretched age, but this present Kl-yuga is extremelyfortunate and rare because of the appearance of r Caitanya Mahprabhu,who personally comes to deliver the pure process of devotion. He comes in

Kl-yuga, but onlyoncein a thousand cycles ofKl-yuga or after billionsof years. r Caitanya-dev opens the heart of the sincere chanter of HareKa, to an intimate loving relationship with the most beautiful relisherof all relationships, r Ka. Without His mercy and the mercy of theentire Paca-tattva , r Ka-Caitanya, Prabhu Nitynanda, r Advaita,r Gaddhara, rvsa and the Gaura-bhaktas, one cannot get the mercyof Rdh and Ka.rla Gurudeva continuously explained to us that the

Holy Name, the Hare Kamah-mantra, Hare Ka Hare Ka KaKa Hare Hare Hare Rma Hare Rma Rma Rm Hare Hare, is theembodiment of Rdh and Ka.


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The loving intimacy with God that r Caitanya Mahprabhu isbestowing is not available or attainable by any other method or in anyother religion or at any other time. This invaluable gift that Lord CaitanyaMahprabhu came to give is brought to us by the mercy of r Guru.Thepure Nma given by r Guru and his pure representatives contains andbestows all spiritual benedictions that can be achieved by following anyother process in any of the fouryugas.

Any type ofsdhana or devotional practice, be it rgnuga (spontaneous)or vaidh (regulative) are rendered useless without the presence of rNma-sakrtana. This is confirmed by rla Santana Gosvm in hisBhad Bhgavatmta 2.3.158:

ksy nn-vidh-krtneutn-nm-skrtnm ev mukhymtt-prem-smpj-jnne svy drkkt tth rehtm mt tt

Of the many ways to glorify Lord Ka, chanting His holy

name is the first. Because it has the power to give the great wealthof pure love for Him, it is considered the best.

rla Jva Gosvm has also written in his Bhkti Sndrbh 275:

nm-snkrtn pritygen smrm kuryt

Without the performance ofkrtana one cannot do smaraam,

meditation or remembrance.Although there are fundamental differences in the path ofrgnuga

and vaidhbhakti, in the beginning both stages appear to be the same.Thus the development from faith or raddh toprema (love) is almost thesame for the vaidhsdhaka as it is for the rgnugasdhaka.

In the path of vaidh, the sdhaka or practitioner is following theinjunctions of scripture in a regulated way and tries to perform devotional

service or bhajana. His propensity toward bhakti(devotion) is based onlyon hearing the injunctions ofstra.


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rla Gurudeva

The devotee in rgnugabhaktialso meticulously follows the prescribedrules and regulations but internally cherishes an intense transcendental greedto hear the sweet pastimes of r Ka, and thus he is attracted to serve andhave arasa or a relationship with r Ka such as in mdhurya-rasa.

Such a rgnuga sdhaka or devotee, while still in his sdhaka-deha(manifest body in the material world), will perform the nine limbs ofbhaktior devotional service in his external body, and at the same time meditateinternally on his eternal form.This form or svarpa is not given prematurelyand as mentioned previously it is revealed or gradually given by r Guruwhen one comes to an advanced stage of uninterrupted favorable devotionalservice.This svarpa is the devotees real constitutional eternal spiritualform. By hearing this, one should develop strong faith in the process ofdevotional service, beginning with initiation by a bona fideguru.

Every Soul has a Particular Rasa

rla Gurudeva has explained so many times that different devotees

have different characteristics, desires or tendencies and will choose tofollow a particular Vrajavs in order to attain the goal of service in theirparticular rsaa. In Vraja there are many rasasor relationships such assakhya (friendship), vtsalya (parental) and mdhurya (conjugal).

The sdhaka may meditate on Ka with His cowherd friends insakhya rasa and consider their Guru to be a sakh; in the same way, bymeditation upon parental love between r Ka with His parents, Nanda

Bb and Mother Yaod, the sdhaka follows the mood ofvtsalya-rasa.The Gauya Vaiavas however, who are in our Guru Parampar, the

disciplic line of r Caitanya Mahprabhu, follow rla Rpa Gosvm whoin Vraja-ll, is r Rpa Mjar, an eternal maidservant, confidentiallyassisting rmat Rdhik in Her conjugal pastimes with r Ka.

By hearing such conjugal pastimes, someone may think, If I wereunder the guidance of

sg-supreme treasure vol2 (1)

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