GURU AND DISCIPLE

Cascavel/PR, Brazil
18 January, 2016
Morning Walk

Video: Click here!

In  Srimad Bhagavad Gita´s first sloka there is:

dhrtarastra uvacha
dharma-ksetre kuru-ksetre samaveta yuyutsavah
mamakah pandavas caiva kim akurvata sañjaya

[Dhṛtarāṣṭra said: O Sañjaya, after assembling in the place of pilgrimage at Kurukṣetra, what did my sons and the sons of Pāṇḍu do, being desirous to fight? (BG 1.1)]

Dhritarastra asked to Sanjay: “My sons and Padava´s sons arrived at Kuruksetra, a very auspicious pilgrim place – dharma ksetra – and they are going to fight with each other, but now I want to know what are they doing.” Then Sanjay received the mercy of the transcendental vision from Vyasadev and then he spoke.

I gave this example because if you want to see Lord, God, you will need light, the mercy:

om ajnana-timirandhasya jnananjana-salakaya
cakshur unmilitam yena tasmai sri-gurave namah

[I offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master, who has opened my eyes, which were blinded by the darkness of ignorance, with the torchlight of knowledge.]

By the mercy of Guru we receive the transcendental vision, the transcendental light.

A boy asked a candle, then put fire, the everything was completely illuminated, then you can see. By rendering service for Guru and Krsna you will receive Their mercy, this “light”.

Guru means “gu” – andhakar, dark – and “ru” – prakas, light: one who gives the light in my heart and dispels all kind of ignorance, darkness from my heart. This is guru-tattva.

But when will you receive this mercy of Guru or Krsna? When you surrender to Him.

śiṣyas te ’haṁ śādhi māṁ tvāṁ prapannam

Arjuna told to Krsna: “I am Your sisya, disciple.” To receive mantra, diksa, etc., these are not the meaning of being a perfect disciple. These are just for encouragement of the people. Guru says: “Ok, come, take harinam, chant the Holy Names”, just because the conditional souls have only a very thin sukrti, very thin sraddha, just a little bit of faith. In this way they cannot receive the mercy of Guru, so, first Guru gives encouragement to them. Then slowly, slowly they serving Guru and Vaisnav, Krsna, then their sukrti will be mature and when this sukrti will be mature and accumulated they will get the association of a sadhu and will listen hari katha; then more and more sukrti will be mature and then they will surrender completely and absolutely at the lotus feet of Guru.

Here, Arjuna is saying: śiṣyas te ’haṁ śādhi māṁ tvāṁ prapannam. Prapannam means surrender, saranagati: “I am Your disciple” Sisya means sas dathu, one who completely and absolutely surrendered at lotus feet of Guru and follows the instructions of Guru.

Nowadays many people take diksa and harinam from Guru, but actually how many of them are a perfect disciple? Sas dathu means one who follows the instructions of Guru, sasanavacho. He has to follow the instruction of Guru, Guru says sit dow, sisya will sit down; stand up, sisya will stand up. At that time the sisya will be as like a puppet of Guru.

Arjuna just folded his hands: “He Krsna, I cannot understand anything, just You give me order, for my own benefits you tell. māṁ tvāṁ prapannam. Whatever You will say, I will follow, without any arguments.” A sisya follows of his Guru without any arguments. 

Otherwise, Guru looks “my disciple is not following my instructions, he doesn´t want to follow my instructions… what to do?” In Kali Yuga this is also completely different: the disciple gives instructions for his Guru. “Oh Gurudev, you do this, this this. I don´t like this, you do this.” In this case, what Gurudev will do? He still gives love and affection to the disciple because he knows that for the conditional soul is not so easy to surrender at his lotus feet. Because of it he is giving chances, again and again, giving chances to disciple, and Guru creates the sukrti for his disciples.

One day I told the story of Gop Kumar, who told: “When I met my Gurudev I completely surrendered to him and listened hari katha.” But still his Guru realizes: “This my disciple is not perfect…” so, at that time his Guru Jayant told him: “Ok, bring me some milk.” Guru does not want anything. He is completely detached of everything. He has no need of milk or anything. But because Guru realizes that his disciples´ sukrti are not completely mature, he asks: “Oh bring me some milk.” Because this is the relationship coming.

dadati pratigrnati /guhyam akhyati prcchati

bhunkte bhojayate caiva / sad-vidham priti-laksanam

Offering pure devotees items in accordance with their requirements, accepting remnant items given by pure devotees, revealing to pure devotees one’s confidential realisations concerning bhajana, inquiring from more advanced devotees about their confidential realisations, eating with great love the prasada remnants tasted by suddha-bhaktas and lovingly feeding them prasadam – these are the six symptoms of loving association with pure devotees. (Sri Upadesamritam - 4)

These are the six limbs of saranagati, giving and receiving. This is very important. What Guru needs I will give and I am taking his remnants. This is an exchange of love and affection. Then slowly, slowly the relationship with Guru will come and then one day mamata will come too. Mamata is possessiveness. When possessiveness comes so much attachment also comes. As like a mother who has so much mamata with her baby. In the same way so much mamata will come towards Guru, an exchange of love and affection in this way will come then sambandha jñan will come, then service mood will come. Three things are theres: mamata (possessiveness), sambandha jñan (knowledge of the relationship) and seva vrtti (service mood). So, in this way the disciple will slowly, slowly develop his spiritual life. This is the process.

Otherwise, if the disciple has no mamata, no sambandha jñan, what they are doing they are doing, they are collecting sukrti, anything is better than nothing... doing, doing…

The completely surrender is not happening in one day. It is step by step. You cannot bend a green bamboo stick in just one day. If you want to bend a green bamboo stick you need slowly, slowly bend it. Surrender is not in one day. Sraddha, sadhusanga, bhajana kriya, anartha nivrtti, nistha, ruci, asakti, then bhav darsan, then completely surrender, I am saying in this way. This saranagati is going until mahabhav also. In bhakti all limbs, angas, are going from sraddha to mahabhav. They are going simultaneously. This is not first sraddha, then sadhusanga, then bhajana kriya, then… no. You cannot say that you first need to surrender then you will get sraddha, then… no. You surrender and simultaneously will have sraddha; then simultaneously will have saranagati, sraddha and sadhusanga. All of these limbs are increasing. Sometimes I give the example of a graphic. All the “bars” are increasing simultaneously.

When your sukrti is mature and accumulates, Yogamaya will arrange everything to develop your spiritual life for you to achieve your perfection goal. Whatever you are doing in the beginning is called “sukrti”. First you need sukrti. Bhakti will come later. Then Saranagati, then sraddha and all the other limbs are bhakti.

So, giving a definition of sraddha:

sraddha tv anyopaya–varjam

bhakty-unmukhi citta-vrtti-visesah

Srila Jiva Gosvamipad in his Sandarbha what is the meaning of sraddha: abandon all activities of karma, jñan, yoga, tapasya, put your only faith: “If I perform bhajan and sadhan to Lord Krsna then my life will be successful.

‘sraddha’-sabde—visvasa kahe sudrdha niscaya 
(CC Mad 22.62/BRSB p.33)

Firm faith. One is drdha and other is sudrdha, firm faith, “do or die”. “This life I have to perform bhajan and sadhan!” Firm faith in the instructions of Guru and sastra.

sadhu-sastra-guru-bakya

(Sri Prema Bhakti Candrika – text 10 – Srila Narottam Das Thakur)

Srila Narottam Das Thakur explains in Prem Bhakti Candrika three things: sadhu, sastra (instructions of the scriptures, especially Srimad Bhagavatam) and guru bakya (the instructions of Guru). The instructions of Guru are very important because the root of all our spiritual things is guru nistha, guru bhakti.

Guru nistha, guru bhakti is the backbone of our bhajan e sadhan. If you have no guru nistha, guru bhakti you cannot develop your bhajan and sadhan. Maybe you are very intelligent, know many meanings of the knowledge of the scriptures, have many kinds of good qualifications, but if you have no guru bhakti, guru sraddha you cannot develop it.

How Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupad was a scholar and learned person! You cannot imagine… But you can see how he completely and absolutely surrendered unto the lotus feet of Srila Gaur Kisor Das Babaji Maharaj.

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupad asked him: “I want to receive diksa from you!”, but Srila Gaur Kisor Das Babaji Maharaj told him, very humble: “He Bimal Prasad Sarasvati, I cannot accept you as my disciple, how is it possible? I cannot even sign my name…” Externally, Srila Srila Gaur Kisor Das Babaji Maharaj had no wordly education qualifications. With Srila Haridas Thakur was the same…

But Srila Prabhupad said: “No, I want to receive diksa mantra from you, to surrender.” For three times, Srila Gaur Kisor Das rejected him: “I cannot accept you as my disciple because you are very learned and scholar…” But Srila Prabhupad asked again. For three days he did not eat anything.

Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur has a friendly relationship with Srila Gaur Kisor Das and every day he also used to listen his katha. Can you imagine? Srila Bhaktivinod was a very learned and scholar person, the district´s magistrate also, but every day he used to listen hari katha from Srila Gaur Kisor Das Babaji Maharaj. So, so much friendly love and affection with him. So one day Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur requested to him: “Please, give diksa to Bimal Prasad, otherwise he will be die…” Then Srila Gaur Kisor Das Babaji Maharaj said: “Ok, but first I will ask to my Gaur-Nitai, if They give the permission to me, I will give diksa to him.” The next day, Srila Bhaktivinod asked: “Did you asked your Gaur-Nitai??” and Srila Gaur Kisor: “Oh… today I forgot to ask Them…” In the next day, Srila Bhaktivinod asked again: “Did you ask your Gaur-Nitai about the initiation of Bimal Prasad?” and Srila Gaur Kisor Das Babaji Maharaj said: “Yes, and Nitai give me permission.”

So, try to understand what kind of mahabhagavat is Srila Gaur Kisor Das Babaji Maharaj, but externally he had no education qualification. And how learned and scholar was Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupad. But he completely surrendered at Srila Gaur Kisor´s lotus feet. Then finally Srila Prabhupad took diksa from Srila Gaur Kisor and completely surrendered.

Bhakti doesn’t look for external qualifications of Guru, his educations, his PhD´s or if he speaks nice, eloquent sweet words or not. Bhakti is looking only for bhakti. Bhaktya sanjayate bhaktya, bhakti comes from the heart of the pure devotee.

Bhakti is another thing. Nowadays people don´t understand, they think that the one who speaks very nice and with eloquent words, maybe not perfect, not true, with cheating propensities, people think “Oh he is very nice!” but this is not true. So, the “sisya” means the one who is completely surrendered: “I am yours”. Then guru will accept everything. And this “surrender” is not happen in one day. It is not that one day the person will come “I am yours” and in the next day he will disappear, an arrow disciple. No.

You have to surrender to guru, to have a relationship with guru, to have a connection with guru. “What to do, what not to do” and always thinks that everything belongs to Gurudev.

mānasa, deho, geho, jo kichu mora
arpilū tuwā pade, nanda-kiśora

Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur in this very beautiful saranagati kirtan explain this. Mana means mind. Deho, geho, my body, my house, all that is related with these, I will offer to Guru. This is called “Saranagati”.

ṣaḍ-aṅga śaraṇāgati ha-ibe yahāra
tahāra prārthanā śune śrī-nanda-kumāra

Giving an exemple. This house is who´s? Who´s body? All is from guru, this house, this body.

Like Caitanya Mahaprabhu told to Sanatan Gosvami: “Sanatan, what is the relationship between you and me?”

Sanatan told: “You are my guru.” “Ok, so who is the owner of this body?” Sanatan: “This body belongs to You”, then Mahaprabhu: “So, Sanatan, why do you want to destroy other person´s property? Because if you say that your body belongs to Me, it is My property, not your property… So, in this case, why do you want to destroy My property??” Because Sanatan Gosvami, on the way to Vrndavan from Jagannath Puri he got a skin disease, then Sanatan was thinking “Oh, if I meet with Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, He will embrace me and all the pus will contaminate the body of Mahaprabhu… It is better not go in front Him. I will stay a little bit far to take His darsan and after this I will give up my body on the wheels of the chariot of Ratha Yatra.”

But Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Bhagavan, He knows everything and He said it to Sanatan: “Why do you want to destroy My body, My property??”

When you offer everything you will not think: “This belong to me”. You will think: “Everything belongs to Guru and Krsna! My wealth, money, everything belong to Krsna.”

Sometimes I give this example of Ramacandra who told to Vaisista: “Now I am very tired of My household life… Gurudev I want to give you everything.” At that time Vaisista told Him: “Ok, give me everything.” Then Ramacandra gave all. This is on Ramayan, this very nice and beautiful story. Then, Vaisista told Him: “He Ramacandra, this is not Your property anymore. All these belong to me, but now I am giving all to You, for You to protect my properties.”

So, the disciple should always think that his body, his mind, “everything belongs to Guru, and he gave all these back to me to protect guru´s properties. So, for this regard I have to take care.”

The perfect and higher example is the gopis. In Caitanya Caritamrita, Srila Krsna Das Kaviraj Gosvami explains why gopis decorate their bodies with very nice clothes and all? Because their bodies belong to Krsna, Krsna´s properties (verse).

For the pleasure of Krsna, the happiness of Krsna the gopis decorated themselves with very nice clothes, because Krsna will be pleased. All the activities of the gopis are exclusively to give pleasure to Krsna. This is the definition of bhakti.

anyabhilasita-sunyam jñana-karmady-anavrtam

anukulyena krsnanusilanam bhaktir uttama

Anukulyena krsnanusilanam – all their activities are for the exclusive pleasure of Krsna. Krsna sukh heto kore … ahara Bihari (verse) For the pleasure of Krsna they eat. This is explained in Caitanya Caritamrita. All for Krsna´s pleasure.

In the same way, all of our activities should be to please Sri Guru. How Guru will be pleased? If Guru will be pleased if I seat here, I will seat here. If Guru say to me: “Go!”, if he will be pleased, ok, I will go away. As like a dog. Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur says:

sarvasva tomār,  caraṇe saḿpiyā, poḍechi tomāra ghare

tumi to’ ṭhākura,  tomāra kukura, boliyā jānaho more (1)

bāńdhiyā nikaṭe,  āmāre pālibe, rohibo tomāra dwāre

pratīpa-janere,  āsite nā dibo, rākhibo gaḍera pare (2)

bosiyā śuiyā,  tomāra caraṇa, cintibo satata āmi

nācite nācite,  nikaṭe jāibo, jakhona ḍākibe tumi (4)

I will sit outside the doorway, the dog never enter in the room, I noticed it. Dog is always sitted on the doorway, and if you call him: “Come, come!” then he will come. Otherwise, he will stay there, outside. So, Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur sings this song.

sarvasva tomār,  caraṇe saḿpiyā, poḍechi tomāra ghare

nācite nācite,  nikaṭe jāibo, jakhona ḍākibe tumi

pratīpa-janere,  āsite nā dibo, rākhibo gaḍera pare

Pratīpa-janere, those who are against Guru and Krsna, Krsna bhakti, I will kick them out from Gurudev or Krsna. I will not allow them to enter in the realm of bhakti. Kick out!

Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur wrote: pratīpa-janere,  āsite nā dibo, rākhibo gaḍera pare, nācite nācite,  nikaṭe jāibo, jakhona ḍākibe tumi. If Guru say: “Go!” you will have to go, if Guru say “Sit down!” you will have to sit down. This is called bhakti. Because all my activities should be exclusively for the pleasure of Krsna. This is the process of surrender.

You cannot give order to Guru. If you do so, it means you have no faith with Guru. And you should have firm faith with Guru, nistha, what to do, what not to do, give me instruction and I will have to follow. Arjun told in this way in Gita. This sloka is very important:

kärpaëya-doñopahata-svabhävaù påcchämi tväà dharma-sammüòha-cetäù

yac chreyaù syän niçcitaà brühi tan me çiñyas te ’haà çädhi mäà tväà prapannam (BG 2.7)

Devotee: What is to give order to Guru?

Srila Gurudev: What Guru says you have to follow, his instruction. This is the process. Once Prabhupada was travelling by train and one of his very influent disciples, a Prabhupada´s very nearest and dearest, I think Paramananda Prabhu. When the train came, Prabhupada enter and sat, with all devotees around him, but Paramananda did not come. Then Prabhupada asked: “Hey, why Paramananda did not come?” Then the devotees answered: “Prabhupada, because you did not give permission to him to come, so he did not come.” Then Prabhupada said: “Ok, Paramananda, come!” Then Paramananda came. When there is surrender, it will be in this way. But nowadays is completely different. This is a very difficult thing to find out.

How to surrender? How to follow the instruction of Guru? This is our aim and objective. Do bhajan and sadhan, chant the holy names, serve Guru and Vaisnavas. Then, when your sukrti will be mature, you will understand.

“I will preach if with this Gurudev will be happy!”, “I will sleep if Gurudev will be happy!” Why I am sleeping? For the pleasure of Guru and Krsna. If I sleep, my mind and body will be fresh and then I can give more hari katha, can serve Guru and Krsna more. Why will I eat? If I eat my body will be strong and I will serve more and more, Guru and Vaisnava. So, all our eating, sleeping, all our activities are exclusively only for the pleasure of Guru and Krsna, not for my own pleasure.

Give up the atma sukh, your own happiness. All happiness is for Guru and Krsna.

Devotee: Should I impose these things or should I collect sukrti for these?

Srila Gurudev: First you need to impose, arop siddha bhakti; then sanga siddha bhakti; then svarup siddha bhakti. There are three stages here: arop – first, on the beginning you have to impose. I know you have no sukrti, but you have to impose. Not pretending! There are two things: pretending and impose. Pretending is when you want show it to others. And impose is to do it continuously, in a simple and spontaneous way, saral hrday, as like a baby. A baby is not imitating. Baby is imposing, but in baby´s heart there is no duplicity, no hypocrisy, no deceit. Like an example: sometimes a baby is doing pranam to Thakurji, he doesn’t know about Thakurji, but what the superiors are doing, he is doing, doing pranam. But sometimes a person is doing pranam, but his heart is not clean, it is unclean. So this person is imposing but with duplicity and hypocrisy, with a heart full of anarthas.

Our heart should be free from duplicity and hypocrisy. Are you doing pranam to Guru and at the same time are criticizing Guru, so what is the meaning of doing pranam? So, never criticize Guru and Sadhu. The baby is an example only for being simple, not other things, as ignorance, etc. Your heart should be like a baby´s heart, saral hrday, very saral, simple, with no duplicity, no hypocrisy, in this way.

Chant the holy names!