A True Servant鈥擜 True Master
by Swami Bhaktivedanta Madhava Maharaja | 2021 | 174,865 words
This page relates 鈥楽hri Guru-Padapadma does not see any fault,...鈥� of book鈥�"A True Servant, A True Master" which offers a collection of 128 handwritten letters by Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Vamana Gosvami Maharaja鈥攁 revered figure in the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition. This book showcases the profound spiritual insights and practical guidance on executing devotional service and addresses both Sadhakas (male practitioners) and Sadhikas (female practitioners) with equal respect.
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Letter 108 - 艢谤墨 Guru-P膩dapadma does not see any fault,...
True fortune is having love and affection for guru and 痴补颈峁ａ箛补惫补蝉 鈥� 艢谤墨 guru-p膩dapadma does not see any fault, so he can forgive all mistakes 鈥� Only the individual can evaluate whether or not he is cheating or failing in 蝉腻诲丑补苍补 鈥� Real wealth, knowledge, and fortune is attaining bhakti to 艢谤墨 搁腻诲丑腻 and K峁涐梗峁嘺 鈥� Attaining 苍颈迟测补-谤腻蝉补-蝉迟丑补濒墨 痴峁沶诲腻惫补苍补 through the guidance of 蝉补峁卥墨谤迟补苍补-谤腻蝉补-蝉迟丑补濒墨 Navadv墨pa 鈥� The cheap policy of opportunists and the naked form of selfishness 鈥� Prayers from 艢谤墨 驰腻尘耻苍补-产丑腻惫腻惫补濒墨 鈥� Only by full surrender is completeness achieved
啶多啶班 啶多啶班 啶椸啶班-啶椸啶班ぞ啶權啶椸 啶溹く啶む
艣r墨 艣r墨 guru-gaur膩峁単au jayata岣�
艢谤墨 Vinoda-bih膩r墨 Gau岣嵞珁a 惭补峁环补, 28 Haldar Bagan Lane, Kolkata鈥�4 11/2/1991
厂苍别丑腻蝉辫补诲腻蝉耻鈥�
M膩鈥斺��! I have not heard from you in a long time. I hope you are well physically and that your bhajana is going well. I have been ill this whole time, since October of 1988. In the meantime, I have been travelling to northern Bengal, Assam, and other places because it was most necessary.
The love and parental affection of 艣r墨 guru and 痴补颈峁ａ箛补惫补蝉 is always there for their followers and always will be. They convey their generosity and magnanimity by granting their followers opportunities to do service. There is a certain measure of who is fortunate and who is unfortunate. From a spiritual perspective, only those who have love and affection for guru and 痴补颈峁ａ箛补惫补蝉 are truly fortunate. There exists a difference of heaven and hell between the fleeting fortunes of the social, materialistic world and the fortune that is spiritual well-being. Those who have been blessed with attainment of the latter fortune are truly the most blessed of all who have been blessed. What conviction in service is and what kind bliss exists therein is truly only a matter of realization. These things never come within the purview of the ordinary. By the mercy of guru and 痴补颈峁ａ箛补惫补蝉, all the unworthiness, misfortune, restlessness, and deceit of the 蝉腻诲丑补办补 or 蝉腻诲丑颈办腻 are completely dispelled. 艢谤墨 guru-p膩dapadma does not see fault in anyone. Therefore, he can forgive all types of disqualifications, faults, and mistakes. In attempting to serve the 腻艣谤补测补-and 惫颈峁测补-vigraha, it is very likely that there will be flaws and mistakes. As they possess the virtue of forgiveness for those who have taken shelter of them, the sevaka or 蝉别惫颈办腻 can be worry-free. Nevertheless, the line 鈥�vando mu末 s膩vadh膩na mate 鈥揑 worship [艣r墨 guru] with caution鈥� has been sung as a warning.
You alone have to evaluate whether or not you are cheating in the field of 蝉腻诲丑补苍补 or are regressing in some way. Those who are your well-wishers and who want the best for you are affectionate towards you and want good fortune for you, and they always will. In the field of 蝉腻诲丑补苍补, one鈥檚 destination is decided beforehand, and it is with that focus that the journey along said path has an auspicious commencement.
Those who think that high birth, opulence, erudition, physical beauty, profit, worship, and prestige are the only objectives of life are mistaken. I think being devoid of hatred, violence, envy and leading a life in an immaculate, penniless manner is 鈥渒eeping your head up and surviving鈥�. You should know this to be the real policy and ideal of spiritualists. Money and wealth are not the main objective of our lives. Humanity, patience, tolerance, tact, discretion, good behaviour, humility, and the dharma of relinquishing pride and honouring others are the special ornaments of the 蝉腻诲丑补办补 and 蝉腻诲丑颈办腻. This is where their glory lies. 鈥�K墨rtir yasya sa j墨vati 鈥搕hose whose deeds are glorious truly live.鈥� Those who have been blessed to attain 办峁涐梗峁嘺-产丑补办迟颈 are the greatest of those renowned for their deeds. Attaining 办峁涐梗峁嘺-bhakti is the most exalted accumulation of knowledge. Those rich with the wealth of love for 搁腻诲丑腻 and K峁涐梗峁嘺 are the true possessors of wealth and riches. K峁涐梗峁嘺鈥檚 name, qualities, and pastimes are the greatest things to be heard, sung, and remembered. Meditating on the lotus feet of 搁腻诲丑腻 and K峁涐梗峁嘺 is the great object of meditation for the living entities. 艢谤墨 搁腻诲丑腻 and K峁涐梗峁嘺鈥檚 unified names are the topmost object of worship and spiritual practice. Only those men and women who are extremely fortunate are blessed to attain the supreme refuge of the nectar of divine love for K峁涐梗峁嘺 in the association of K峁涐梗峁嘺鈥檚 devotees.
The qualification to live in the land of 艢谤墨 痴峁沶诲腻惫补苍补, the place of the eternal 濒墨濒腻-谤腻蝉补, and to remember those pastimes is only attained by the guidance of 艢谤墨 Gaura鈥檚 holy abode, the place of 蝉补峁卥墨谤迟补苍补-谤腻蝉补.
艢谤墨la Narottama 峁琱腻办耻谤补 Mah膩艣aya has also sung:
啶椸啶班ぞ啶權啶椸啶� 啶膏啷嵿啶�-啶椸ぃ啷�, 啶ㄠた啶む啶�-啶膏た啶︵啶� 啶曕ぐ啶� 啶ぞ啶ㄠ,
啶膏 啶溹ぞ啶� 啶掂啶班啷囙え啷嵿う啷嵿ぐ-啶膏啶�-啶ぞ啶� 啶多啶班-啶椸啶�-啶ぃ啷嵿ぁ啶�-啶啶た,
啶溹啶ぞ 啶溹ぞ啶ㄠ 啶氞た啶ㄠ啶むぞ啶ぃ啶�, 啶むぞ啶� 啶灌く 啶掂啶班-啶啶 啶掂ぞ啶�gaur膩峁単era sa峁単i-ga峁噀, nitya-siddha kari m膩ne,
se j膩ya vrajendra-suta-p膩艣a 艣r墨-gau岣峚-尘补峁囜笉补濒补-bh奴mi,
jeb膩 j膩ne cint膩ma峁噄, t膩ra haya vraja-bh奴me v膩sa[Those who regard the associates of Gaur膩峁単a to be eternally perfected go to be with the son of the King of Vraja. Those who know the land of 艢谤墨 骋补耻岣峚-尘补峁囜笉补濒补 to be composed of divine touchstones attain residence in the land of Vraja.]
啶椸啶�-啶啶班啶�-啶班じ啶距ぐ啷嵿ぃ啶掂,
啶膏-啶むぐ啶權啶椸 啶溹啶ぞ 啶∴啶,
啶膏 啶班ぞ啶оぞ-啶ぞ啶оさ-啶呧え啷嵿い啶班啷嵿驳补耻谤补-辫谤别尘补-谤补蝉腻谤峁嘺惫别,
se-tara峁単e jeb膩 岣島be,
se r膩dh膩-m膩dhava-antara峁単a[1][Those who drown in the ocean of love for Gaura are the intimate companions of 搁腻诲丑腻 and 惭腻诲丑补惫补.]
Though I cannot make proper sense of your family and well-wishers鈥� train of thought, I have conveyed in writing the real conception and scriptural truth of 鈥渒eeping your head up and surviving while leading a very stable life鈥�. This they cannot approve of, but you should know that it is of supreme benefit for you. Is it ever possible to stand on one鈥檚 own feet without inner strength? Even those whose mothers and fathers are still alive end up in dire circumstances due to their misfortune and are rushing around like lost travellers, are they not? Fortune, or what is written upon the forehead, is a different thing. If earthly resources, wealth, and riches were a guarantee of life鈥檚 prospects, then why the statement: 鈥�dhane jadi 辫谤腻峁嘺 dito, 诲丑补苍墨 谤腻箩腻 n膩 marito, dhar膩mara hoito 谤腻惫补峁嘺[2] 鈥搃f wealth gave life, then rich kings wouldn鈥檛 die and R膩va峁嘺 would have been immortal on this Earth.鈥� The so-called well-wishers of the world look at me and always laugh at and mock me, and they always will. They never want my real welfare. They want to take advantage of my weakness and, by tactics of trickery or force, capture me. 鈥�K膩jer bel膩y 办腻箩墨, k膩ja phur膩le p膩帽ji 鈥搘hen people need something done, you鈥檙e a king; when they have what they need, you鈥檙e a scoundrel.鈥� This is the cheap policy of opportunists and the naked form of selfishness. I hope you will not imitate this sort of corruption cultivated by opportunists.
In 艢谤墨 驰腻尘耻苍补-产丑腻惫腻惫补濒墨, we see the 蝉腻诲丑补办补s and 蝉腻诲丑颈办腻s鈥� prayers to 艢谤墨 叠丑补驳补惫腻苍:
啶い啶苦い-啶ぞ啶掂え 啶む啶た, 啶い啶苦い 啶呧ぇ啶� 啶嗋ぎ啶�,
啶む啶た 啶啶� 啶忇-啶ぞ啶む啶� 啶椸い啶�; 啶むさ 啶う-啶啶侧 啶啶ㄠ,
啶む啶ぞ啶� 啶多ぐ啶� 啶侧啶ㄠ, 啶嗋ぎ啶� 啶︵ぞ啶� 啶む啶た 啶啶� 啶い啶�patita-p膩vana tumi, patita adhama 膩mi,
tumi mora eka-m膩tra gati; tava pada-m奴le painu,
tom膩ra 艣ara峁嘺 lainu, 膩mi d膩sa tumi mora pati[3]鈥淵ou are the saviour of the fallen. I am fallen and wretched. You are my only hope. I have taken shelter at the soles of Your feet. I am the servant, You are my master.鈥�
啶膏啶むえ啷嵿く-啶ぞ啶 啶多た啶多-啶溹え啷�, 啶ぞ啶むぞ 啶涏ぞ啶∴ 啶曕啶班啶�-啶え啷�,
啶多た啶多 啶むが啷� 啶ㄠぞ啶灌た 啶涏ぞ啶∴ 啶ぞ啶�; 啶溹-啶灌啶む 啶むぞ啶灌ぞ啶� 啶嗋ぐ,
啶忇 啶溹啶掂え 啶оぐ啶苦が啶距ぐ, 啶ぞ啶むぞ 啶た啶ㄠぞ 啶ㄠぞ啶灌た啶� 啶夃お啶距くStanya-p膩y墨 艣i艣u-jane, m膩t膩 ch膩岣峞 krodha-mane,
艣i艣u tabu n膩hi ch膩岣峞 m膩ya; je-hetu t膩h膩ra 膩ra,
ei j墨vana dharib膩ra, m膩t膩 bin膩 n膩hika up膩ya[4]鈥淭he breastfeeding infant may push the mother away in anger, but still the mother does not leave the child, because the child has no way to survive except for his mother.鈥�
啶む啶た 啶溹啶む啶� 啶た啶むぞ, 啶む啶た 啶溹啶む啶� 啶ぞ啶むぞ, 啶︵く啶苦い-啶むえ啶�斷す啶班た 啶む啶た;
啶む啶た 啶膏啶灌啶ㄠ-啶た啶む啶� 啶椸啶班, 啶む啶た 啶椸い啶� 啶曕げ啷嵿お啶むぐ啷�, 啶む啶掂う啷�啶� 啶膏ぎ啷嵿が啶ㄠ啶�-啶ぞ啶む啶� 啶嗋ぎ啶�Tumi jagatera pit膩, tumi jagatera m膩t膩, dayita-tanaya鈥攈ari tumi;
tumi suh峁沶-mitra guru, tumi gati kalpataru, tvad墨ya sambandha-m膩tra 膩mi[5]鈥淵ou are the world鈥檚 father, You are the world鈥檚 mother. Lover, son鈥搕hat is You, Hari. You are guru, the well-wishing friend. You are the destination, a wish-fulfilling tree. Yours is the only relationship I have.鈥�
If the 蝉腻诲丑补办补 and 蝉腻诲丑颈办腻 do not have this sort of intimate, inseparable connection and 蝉补尘产补苍诲丑补-箩帽腻苍补 with 艣r墨 guru and 叠丑补驳补惫腻苍, then real 蝉腻诲丑补苍补-bhajana is impossible.
Only by full surrender is fulfilment achieved.
啶む啶ぞ啶� 啶曕ぐ啷佮ぃ啶� 啶ぞ啶�,
啶むが啷� 啶む 啶むぐ啶苦く啶� 啶溹ぞ啶�,
啶嗋ぎ啶� 啶忇 啶︵啶班え啷嵿い 啶膏ぞ啶椸ぐTom膩ra karu峁嚹� p膩i,
tabe to tariy膩 j膩i,
膩mi ei duranta s膩gara[6]鈥淚f I obtain Your mercy, then I will cross over this fearsome ocean.鈥�
This is the exclusive prayer of the 蝉腻诲丑补办补 dedicated to guru and 叠丑补驳补惫腻苍. Pacify your restless mind. Know that you have not made any offence to me. 艢谤墨 guru and 痴补颈峁ａ箛补惫补 can never, under any circumstance, abandon that sevaka and 蝉别惫颈办腻 who is in a helpless condition. Rest assured. You must know that 艢谤墨 叠丑补驳补惫腻苍 has surely embraced the souls of those who have dismissed all manner of material enjoyment and become exclusively dedicated to 艢谤墨 叠丑补驳补惫腻苍. They are supremely fortunate. We will have to become such that all our efforts come from a desire to please 叠丑补驳补惫腻苍. The service of those whose lives are devoted to service is the real beauty of life. That is the ornament, the unique virtue. Accept my affectionate blessings. What more? Iti鈥�
Your eternal well-wisher,
艢谤墨 Bhaktived膩nta 痴腻尘补苍补
Footnotes and references:
[4]:
骋墨迟补尘腻濒腻, Hari He! Anya 膧艣膩 狈腻丑颈 J膩鈥檙a (2) by 艢谤墨la Bhaktivinoda 峁琱腻办耻谤补