miércoles, 7 de septiembre de 2011

BHAKTI DOES NOT DEPEND ON ONE’S ĀŚRAMA --- June 5, 1998: Los Angeles, California

BHAKTI DOES NOT DEPEND ON ONE’S ĀŚRAMA --- June 5, 1998: Los Angeles, California

Oṁ viṣṇupāda paramahaṁsa parivrājakācārya aṣṭottara-śata Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja 

Once I was with my Gurudeva, Śrīla Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja, in Assam – we were about forty brahmacārīs (celibate students) and about ten sannyāsīs (those in the renounced order of life). One day, one of the brahmacārīs was giving a class and saying that all householders are rotten. He told his audience:

”They have nothing to do with bhakti. We strong brahmacārīs and sannyāsīs can preach and do bhakti, but not these rotten householders.”

At that time, none of the sannyāsīs or Śrīla Gurudeva were there in class. Afterwards we heard about what that brahmacārī had been saying, and we told this to Śrīla Gurudeva. He at once became furious and told that brahmacārī:

”You are rotten. You have no connection with bhakti. You don’t know any siddhānta (philosophical conclusions). Most of our Ācāryas (previous spiritual preceptors), and even Kṛṣṇa, have been in married life. Kṛṣṇa was married in Dvārakā. Even Sri Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Śrīnivāsa Ācārya, and all of the gopīs were married.

Are they rotten?

The Pāṇḍavas were householders.

Are they rotten? 

Oh, I think that you are especially rotten, and are not even a Vaiṣṇava. I don`t think you have taken initiation at all.”

After this incident, everybody became very careful in this regard.

Advancement in devotion to Kṛṣṇa depends only on devotion itself (bhakti).

yei bhaje sei baḍa, abhakta—hīna, chāra
kṛṣṇa-bhajane nāhi jāti-kulādi-vicāra

[”Anyone who takes to devotional service is exalted, whereas a non-devotee is always condemned and abominable. In the discharge of devotional service to the Lord, there is no consideration of the status of one`s family lineage or of socio-cultural background.” (Caitanya-caritamrta, Antya 4.67)]

kibā vipra, kibā nyāsī, śūdra kene naya
yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā, sei 'guru' haya

[”Whether one is a brāhmaṇa, a sannyāsī, a śūdra or whatever, if he is fully conversant with the science of Kṛṣṇa, he is eligible to become a guru.” [Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya 8.128)]

One may be a gṛhastha, a brahmacārī, a sannyāsī, or anyone else, but if he does not know the established philosophical truths – the philosophy of the love and affection that was taught by Sri Caitanya Mahāprabhu – he is not a pure Vaiṣṇava.

From Sri Caitanya Mahāprabhu up to Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Svāmī Mahārāja and ourselves – we take this view. We do not think:

”All the gṛhasthas have nothing to do with bhakti and they are rotten.”

I prefer the gṛhastha devotees to the sannyāsīs when they are more polite than the sannyāsīs. If the sannyāsīs have a very big false ego, thinking:

”I am learned; I am a sannyāsī,”

They will surely fall down. I see this as the very reason why all the sannyāsīs with false egos have fallen down. If they have not left the teachings of Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Svāmī Mahārāja and his paramparā – the Vaiṣṇava line coming from Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī – and if they have not offended any Vaiṣṇava, they may return to the path of bhakti. On the other hand, those who are offending the Vaiṣṇavas, their guru, and the devotees, they are not able to return.

If any sannyāsī, brahmacārī, or a gṛhastha is offending a Vaiṣṇava, it is very harmful for him. I think that mostly the gṛhasthas do not make offences. They are fearful of committing offences. Nowadays sannyāsīs and brahmacārīs are not at all afraid of committing offences; in fact they are desperate to commit offences. They are committing offences; one, after another, after another. They have no fear, but the gṛhasthas are somewhat polite, thinking:

”We don`t know anything. We don`t have so much association with high-class Vaiṣṇavas because we are in family life.”

In this way, they have respect for pure Vaiṣṇavas.

Householders are more tolerant and advanced in devotion to Kṛṣṇa than many modern sannyāsīs. They cannot fall down – they cannot give up renounced order because they have not accepted it in the first place. – Whereas the sannyāsīs are giving up their renunciation. Sannyāsīs tell others to be careful with women, and that others should give up their wives and children. After saying all this, they themselves associate with women in the mood of sensual enjoyment and become lusty. Sometimes, as a reference, a teacher can say:

”Don`t be lusty, don`t be angry, don`t criticise.”

But if he criticises others, gradually all the bad qualities he is describing will come upon his head and in his heart.

Always glorify Kṛṣṇa, Gurudeva, the Vaiṣṇavas, and the pastimes of Sri Caitanya Mahāprabhu and especially Śrīla Nityānanda Prabhu. Nityānanda Prabhu also became a householder after some time.

What harm was there?

No harm. He became a householder because His wives, Vāruṇī and Revatī, were feeling separation from Him [Nityānanda prabhu is none other than Balarāma, whose wives are Vāruṇī and Revatī]. So He married [His own wives], and there was no harm in that. His marriage was transcendental.

What we think in this world is different from the thinking of the transcendental world; in that world there is no lust. The gopīs were beloveds of Sri Kṛṣṇa. They had no children, and no lust and other bad qualities as we have.

So we should be careful. Do not criticise. Even if someone is doing something to be criticised, still do not criticize.

  • Rama Kānta Dāsa Advancement in devotion to Kṛṣṇa depends only on devotion itself (bhakti).

    yei bhaje sei baḍa, abhakta—hīna, chāra
    kṛṣṇa-bhajane nāhi jāti-kulādi-vicāra

    [”Anyone who takes to devotional service is exalted, whereas a non-devotee is always condemned and abominable. In the discharge of devotional service to the Lord, there is no consideration of the status of one`s family lineage or of socio-cultural background.” (Caitanya-caritamrta, Antya 4.67)]

    kibā vipra, kibā nyāsī, śūdra kene naya
    yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā, sei 'guru' haya

    [”Whether one is a brāhmaṇa, a sannyāsī, a śūdra or whatever, if he is fully conversant with the science of Kṛṣṇa, he is eligible to become a guru.” [Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya 8.128)]

    One may be a gṛhastha, a brahmacārī, a sannyāsī, or anyone else, but if he does not know the established philosophical truths – the philosophy of the love and affection that was taught by Sri Caitanya Mahāprabhu – he is not a pure Vaiṣṇava.

    From Sri Caitanya Mahāprabhu up to Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Svāmī Mahārāja and ourselves – we take this view. We do not think:

    ”All the gṛhasthas have nothing to do with bhakti and they are rotten.”

    I prefer the gṛhastha devotees to the sannyāsīs when they are more polite than the sannyāsīs. If the sannyāsīs have a very big false ego, thinking:

    ”I am learned; I am a sannyāsī,”

    They will surely fall down. I see this as the very reason why all the sannyāsīs with false egos have fallen down. If they have not left the teachings of Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Svāmī Mahārāja and his paramparā – the Vaiṣṇava line coming from Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī – and if they have not offended any Vaiṣṇava, they may return to the path of bhakti. On the other hand, those who are offending the Vaiṣṇavas, their guru, and the devotees, they are not able to return.

    If any sannyāsī, brahmacārī, or a gṛhastha is offending a Vaiṣṇava, it is very harmful for him. I think that mostly the gṛhasthas do not make offences. They are fearful of committing offences. Nowadays sannyāsīs and brahmacārīs are not at all afraid of committing offences; in fact they are desperate to commit offences. They are committing offences; one, after another, after another. They have no fear, but the gṛhasthas are somewhat polite, thinking:

    ”We don`t know anything. We don`t have so much association with high-class Vaiṣṇavas because we are in family life.”

    In this way, they have respect for pure Vaiṣṇavas.

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