The Chanter of Kirtana is Always Prepared
to Submit to Being Trodden Upon
Sent in by Goloka Vrindavana dasa
Our Srila Gurudeva
Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja Acarya Thakura
is the Chanter of Hari-kirtana
A chanter of Hari-kirtana is necessarily the uncompromising enemy of worldliness and hypocrisy. It is his constant function to dispel all misconceptions by preaching the truth in its most unambiguous form, without any consideration of person, place, or time. The form to be adopted is that which is least likely to be misunderstood. It is his bounden duty to clearly and frankly oppose any person who tries to deceive and harm himself and others by misrepresenting the truth, whether due to malice or genuine misunderstanding. This will be possible if the chanter of kirtana is always prepared to submit to being trodden upon by thoughtless people, if such discomfort will enable him to benefit his persecutors by chanting of the truth in the most unambiguous manner. If he is unwilling or afraid of considerations of self-respect or personal discomfort to chant kirtana under all circumstances, he is unfit to be a preacher of the absolute truth. Humility implies perfect submission to the truth and no sympathy for such untruth. Those who entertain any partiality for untruth are unfit to chant Hari-kirtana. Any clinging to untruth is opposed to the principle of humility born of absolute submission to the truth.
Humility Employed in Unambiguous Service
Those who perpetually serve the truth with all their faculties, and who have no hankering for the trivialities of this world, are necessarily always free from malice born of competing worldliness. Thus they are fit to admonish those who are actively engaged in harming themselves and others by opposing or misrepresenting the truth for attaining rewards in the shape of a perpetuation of the state of misery and ignorance. The method employed by the servant of the good preceptor for preventing such misrepresentation of the truth is a part and parcel of the truth itself. It may not always be pleasing to the diseased susceptibilities of deluded minds, and may even be denounced by them as a malicious act with which they are only too familiar. But truthful words from the lips of a loyal and humble servant of Hari possess such beneficent power, that all effort to suppress or obstruct those words serves merely to vindicate to impartial minds the necessity of complete submission to the absolute truth as the only cure of the disease of worldliness. Humility employed in unambiguous service to the Absolute Truth is necessarily and qualitatively different from its perverted prototype, practiced by cunning people for worldly gain. The professors of pseudo-humility have reason to fear the preaching of Hari’s servant, one of whose duties is to expose the enormous possibility of mischief inherent in various forms of so-called spiritual conduct when they are prostituted for serving the untruth.
— Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja Prabhupada (Harmonist 26.249-50, April 1929)
From Srila Prabhupada, BTG # 29 1969 ch. Truthfulness
When one is truthful, he does not misrepresent the facts, but presents them fully for the benefit of others. Of course it is conventional from the social point of view to speak the truth, only when it is palatable to others, but this is not what is meant by truthfulness.
One should always speak the truth under all circumstances, although it may seem to be unpalatable at the time. Flattery, like insult, is directed to the body. How can one flatter the spirit soul? So, neglecting to be truthful for the sake of flattering others is indulging in a type of sense gratification.
In the Srimad Bhagavatam it is said that the Absolute Truth is that from which everything emanates. So we should understand what the Absolute Truth is, and we should always speak according to that understanding. Then we will be speaking truthfully.
Lord Jesus Christ has said, “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” The truth frees us, because when we tell the truth, we do not become entangled by trying to compromise with material situations, which are always changing.
Dear prabhus,
Dandavat pranams to one and all.
Please let us continue glorifying our beloved Srila Gurudeva, which is the purpose of this medium. As we have already requested, let us be a little moderate here, please.
Your lowly servants,
@ Tattva Vicara Publications
Unity and cooperation can only happen when we accept the the Absolute Truth, tattva vicar, spoken by the authorized tattva vit Guru in Mahaprabhu’s parampara!
BSST: “Humility implies perfect submission to the truth and no sympathy for such untruth.
Those who entertain any partiality for untruth are unfit to chant Hari-kirtana.
Any clinging to untruth is opposed to the principle of humility born of absolute submission to the truth”.
About Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura it was said that this is stated in Sarasvati Jay shree… anyway I have also noted in this book Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Vaibhava that certain persons said about him that if you did just changed his message a little bit and just had made some compromise then all the Vaisnavas of Bengal would have followed him.
They were saying there was no need for him to fight with everyone. If he just adjusted himself a little bit to them, everyone would appreciate him and even many people who are opposing him they would accept him as their leader. But he didn’t, he remained Bhakti siddhanta not karma siddhanta.
that was written by BHAKTI VIKASA SWAMI
AS IT IS
Young man: Srila Prabhupada, how does one surrendering to Krsna discriminate between being tactful in his speech, on one hand, and, on the other hand, compromising?
Prabhupada: To surrender to Krsna is the best tactfulness and if you surrender, He will give you instruction. Then all tactfulness will be there.
tesam satata-yuktanam
bhajatam priti-purvakam
dadami buddhi-yogam tam
yena mam upayanti te
If you become a completely surrendered devotee of Krsna — He is within your heart — will give you the right instruction so that in every sphere of life you’ll be perfect.
The devotee learns how to fight with the sword of knowledge, not simply brash abrasiveness. However, the fact is that not only is the knowledge of sastra heavy, but the manner of presentation in sastra is also extraordinarily heavy.
To preach Bhagavat religion sometimes we have to quote from the sastras what is not palatable to unscrupulous so called religious persons. But in preaching we cannot do without quoting the proper verses. Sometime they take it adversely and we become subject to unwanted criticism. We are presenting Krsna’s philosophy and teaching as it is and what can we do more? But this process of presentation has become fortunate and we have become successful. I do not wish to change the process. I hope you will appreciate this process of preaching to please the facts as they are confirmed by all Vaisnava acaryas.”
Srila Prabhupada letter, 16 May, 1974
“If we become overly concerned with what the karmis think, if we become involved in the likes and dislikes of others, we cannot possibly present the simple truth.: (c.f. CC Madhya 2.86)
Great quote.
We all need the association of the nama-tattva-vit-guru.
Here! Here!
HARE KRSNA!
Jai Srila Gurudev!
Who else can speak like this – “Such a Maha-Bhagavata, cannot be found in this world…”, said Srila Gurudev.
Only a sad-guru, sri guru can speak like a lion. Srila Gurudev can take my fithy, disgusting obnoxious heart out, place it on a platter and point out, “you see rascal, so many holes in your heart, you are arrogant, impudent, and now how to pour Krsna Prema rasa in such a filthy heart of holes”.
Only Srila Gurudev can utter and act like this. And, All Glories to the Great Revolutionary Hero Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddanta Sarasvati Takur Mahasaya!
How many disciples got beating on their heads from Srila Gurudev. Very fortunate souls indeed. They are real bhagyavans!
im not saying these because i may have that snigdha (termed as “spiritual chemistry”), due to being initiated by him, but because only Sri Guru, and not just ‘a guru’, can do such wonderful things – NATURALLY!
HARE KRSNA!
I agree Ram, one should be authorized and instructed to preach as a bona fide Guru, otherwise there will be no good effect….Here is the process as given by Srila Prabhupada:
SP lecture: Bombay Dec 2nd 1974:
…Guru means who follows the predecessor, authorized predecessor. He is guru. Not that everyone is guru. So therefore we have to follow the superior order. Then we become guru, not that by cheating others we become guru. No. That is cheater. That is not teacher.
Guru means who is following the superior order. The superior order is Krsna or His representative. …Therefore we have to follow. If we actually want to become guru, there is necessity of many thousands of gurus to teach this cheated public. But how to become guru? …“By My order, then you become guru.”
(SP lecture london Aug 3, 1973)
… “On My order.” That is the crucial point. One does not become spiritual master by his own whims. That is not spiritual master. He must be ordered by superior authority. Then he’s spiritual master. Just like in our case. Our superior authority, our spiritual master, he ordered me .… The only qualification is that I have tried to execute the order of superior authority. That’s all. This is the secret of success.
SB Lecture 1.2.18
You cannot become a spiritual master all of a sudden. There must be an order from a superior person, Superior to you. If he says, “Now you can make disciples,” then you can do that. That means, when one has received an order from the spiritual master, he can then be [spiritual master.]
(NOD Lectures Vrndavan, India 10/31/72)
He is self-made guru. Therefore he’s not guru. Self-made guru cannot be guru. HE MUST BE AUTHORIZED BY THE BONA FIDE GURU. Then he’s guru. BONA FIDE GURU MEANS HE MUST BE AUTHORIZED BY THE superior GURU…. HE MUST RECEIVE THE ORDER FROM THE SUPERIOR. AND THE SUPERIOR MUST BE BONA FIDE. THEN HE’S BONA FIDE, NOT SELF-MADE.
Bhagavad-gita 7.2 — Nairobi, October 28, 1975
Indian man: When did you become the spiritual leader of Krsna consciousness?
Prabhupada: When my Guru Maharaja ordered me. This is the guru-parampara. … Try to understand. Don’t go very speedily. A guru can become guru when he’s ordered by his guru. That’s all. Otherwise nobody can become guru….You should know that one can become guru when he is ordered by his guru, this much.
Just Repeat
Tape No.232.93
SGGSM: 931105 Darshan
Jagannath Misra: This morning you said we should
become pure so that we can reflect the sunshine and
so is there any value in our preaching if we are not
pure. For instance, my heart is very contaminated, so
if I speak to anybody, is it just empty words.
Gour Govinda Swami: If it is your words then it is
empty. If you are repeating the words of the mahajana
it is not empty. Your words are empty and if you are
purely reflecting then it is most effective. Nothing mine.
There will be no question of I and mine. You have I
and mine, so how will it be effective. You are not
free from I and mine.
Jagannath Misra: So if we just repeat what we’ve
heard, without adding anything.
Gour Govinda Swami: Yes, not adding anything, then
repeat. I have heard this thing so I am saying. It is
not my words.
Srila Gour Govinda Maharaja: Vrndavana, yes when that Krishna Balarama temple opened on Rama Navami day, you see, that day. I met Srila Prabhupada first in Vrndavana. I took sannyasa in Vrndavana. That is his causeless mercy on me. I have no qualification. I am not such a worthy person, unworthy fellow but he (Srila Prabhupada) showered his mercy on me. When he whispered to me in this room he told me, “You have to accept disciples and train them. You should have your own men, your own disciples. Otherwise how can you manage?”
He (Srila Prabhupada) told me that. So, then people came, they sought initiation from me but, I was not allowed (by the GBC) to accept disciples at that time and some devotees felt disappointed and left and went to the Gaudiya Math and accepted a spiritual master from there. So I told in GBC that Prabhupada had told me this thing (to initiate my own men). They said, “What is proof ?” I then said, “Proof is myself, Srila Prabhupada told me in my ear. It’s not recorded on a machine, but recorded deep in my heart.”
But in his first letter to me, Prabhupada has also mentioned this same thing. In that letter Prabhupada mentioned, “Under your leadership, under your leadership, under your leadership. . .” Three times he has mentioned this thing that this Bhubaneswar Project will be developed like that. I showed that letter in the GBC. I said, “This is the letter. If I won’t be a leader, then how can I do it?” Then they allowed and I told them emphatically, “If you may not allow, but I must carry out the order of my spiritual master, I must do it.” They were frightened. I was so strong. Then they finally allowed me.
Srila Gour Govinda Maharaja: Yes, that is the process. Because I am obeying the orders of my spiritual master. I am collecting or training men for my spiritual master’s mission, do you understand? As my spiritual master (Srila Prabhupada) told me, “You must have your own disciples. You must train them, you must have your own men, otherwise how will you manage?”
Why did he tell such thing? So disciples, as my disciple they are grand disciple of Prabhupada, do you understand? But I am collecting men for my spiritual master to fulfill his desire in his mission. So I say, this is quite logical saying, “I am accepting for my spiritual master. You are all his men, and my spiritual master is sending you to me, to get training from me. Under my guidance you should work. That is the process. Do you understand? This is the vaisnava philosophy and this is the humble way because vaisnava is humble.
SRILA GURUDEVA TOLD IN CLASS “THAT WHEN WE SPEAK ABOUT KRSNA IT SHOULD NOT BE LIKE A CAT (THEN HE MADE A NOISE LIKE A CAT MAIOW MAIOW) YOU SHOULD SPEAK LIKE A LOIN ”
REMEMBER THE STORY SRILA GURUDEVA TOLD ABOUT THE BOY THAT WANTED TO TAKE INITIATION AND THE GURU ASKED WHAT GOTRA HE BELONGED TO .THEN THE BOY WENT TO HIS MOTHER AND ASKED HER OH MOTHER WHAT GOTRA DO I BELONG TO , SHE REPPLIED THAT WHEN I HAD YOU I WAS A PROSTITUTE . I DO NOT KNOW WHO YOUR FATHER IS ,. SO THAT BOY WENT BACK AND TOLD TO THE GURU THAT MY MOTHER WAS A PROSTITUTE AND I DO NOT KNOW WHO MY FATHER IS OR MY GOTRA.
THAT GURU WAS SO HAPPY HE TOLD YOU ARE ACHUTA GOTRA BECAUSE YOU SPOKE THE TRUTH . THEN SRILA GURUDEVA TOLD THAT” A BRAHMANA BOLDLY SPEAKS THE TRUTH ALWAYS .
ONE TIME IN AMERICIA IN LOS ANGELES I WAS SELLING SRILA GURUDEVS BOOKS AND TALKED TO A NEW BHAKTA WHO LEFT THE TEMPLE TO COME TO BHUBANESWAR ,. THEN THEY HAD BANNED ALL THE DISCIPLES OF SRILA GURUDEV FROM THE TEMPLE. SRILA GURUDEVA WAS VERY ANGRY WITH ME HE TOLD HOW A FATHER CAN GO THERE IF HIS CHILDREN ARE NOT ALLOWED TO GO .
THEN A FEW MONTHS LATER I ASKED SRILA GURUDEVA ” GURUDEVA YOU TOLD IN CLASS THAT WE SHOULD BOLDLY SPEAK THE TRUTH ,. ” THE ANSWER I RECEIVED WAS VERY PAINFUL AND WRITING THIS IS FAR MORE PAINFUL ,. SRILA GURUDEVA REPPLIED ” I CAN NOT SPEAK BECAUSE THEY ARE HITTING ME ON MY HEAD ” THEN WITH HIS OWN HAND SRILA GURUDEVA HIT HIS HEAD ,. SO THEN I SAID SO WE SHOULD NOT SPEAK THEN SRILA GURUDEVA TOLD ” WHEN I AM GONE ,. AT THAT TIME YOU MAY SPEAK ”
I MAY BE BANNED FROM THIS SITE BUT I MUST SAY THAT THOSE THAT OPPOSED OUR GURUDEVA WERE AND ARE THE WORST AND BIGGEST CRIMINALS OF THIS PLANET THE MOST DEGRADE LOW FORM OF SO-CALLED HUMEN BEINGS THEY DEPRIVED US ALL OF OUR FATHER. IF IT WAS UP TO ME I WOULD HAVE THEM ALL PUT BEHIND BARS FOR LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE .
BROTHER
JAGADISH PANDIT DAS
Krsna is and will, hand out appropriate punishment, in His time and way…… We should not allow this to distract us or disturb us to the point that we can not serve in Srila Gurudeva’s or Srila Prabhupada’s Mission. We should try our best to follow all of Srila Gurudeva’s instructions, and do that also as a service for Srila Prabhupada’s pleasure.
Just my humble realization on this topic.
ys
mks
Dear brother Jagadisha prabhu,
Do not worry about being banned from this site. We share your feelings. Our thoughts of punishment are worse than yours. Although we do not want to go into details about this topic here in public as this site is entirely dedicated to GLORIFY our Sri Guru, Srila Gurudeva. Let us be a little moderate here, please.
Dandavat pranams,
Yls TVP
Pranams prabhu ji, so now you are speaking not only in CAPS but also in BOLD …. very good….. ys Raghava
From Srila Prabhupada; BTG # 29 1969 ch. Truthfulness
When one is truthful, he does not misrepresent the facts, but presents them fully for the benefit of others. Of course it is conventional from the social point of view to speak the truth, only when it is palatable to others, but this is not what is meant by truthfulness.
One should always speak the truth under all circumstances, although it may seem to be unpalatable at the time. Flattery, like insult, is directed to the body. How can one flatter the spirit soul? So, neglecting to be truthful for the sake of flattering others is indulging in a type of sense gratification.
In the Srimad Bhagavatam it is said that the Absolute Truth is that from which everything emanates. So we should understand what the Absolute Truth is, and we should always speak according to that understanding. Then we will be speaking truthfully.
Lord Jesus Christ has said, “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” The truth frees us, because when we tell the truth, we do not become entangled by trying to compromise with material situations, which are always changing.
What is the Nature of Truth?
HDG Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja Prabhupada
“Do not try to discover the nature of truth by the exercise of your imagination. Do not endeavor to attain the truth through experience of this world. Do not manufacture truth in order to satisfy your erring inclinations, or hastily accept anything for the reason that it satisfies such inclinations. Do not regard as truth anything that has been “built up” or has the support of a majority of people like yourself, nor as untruth anything that is rejected by the overwhelming majority.
According to the scriptures there will be found hardly one in a crore of human beings who really worships the truth. What is proclaimed by the united voices of all the people of this world as truth may turn out to be false. Therefore, cease to confront the truth in a challenging mood. The truth is not brought into existence by such arrogance.
One has to approach the truth in the spirit of absolute submission. It is necessary to listen to truth. Truth is self-revealing, and only when it is pleased to reveal itself can its actual nature be known to us, and not otherwise.” (Harmonist 25.230, March 1928)
Srila Prabhupada Bhagavad-gita 9.15 — New York, December 1, 1966
Therefore sravanam. Sravanam means hearing. Hearing is the first stage. And hearing is so powerful that simply by hearing from authoritative source, you can become completely perfect, simply by hearing. Submissive hearing, of course. Submissive.
Don’t be upstart. Don’t try to understand the supreme knowledge, the Absolute Truth, by your own strength. You are very poor. Your senses are imperfect. You cannot understand. This process, you should give up, attempting to know the Supreme Truth by the ascending process. “Oh, I shall know. I’ll manufacture my own way.” This is the way going on nowadays. Everyone is thinking that “Why shall I accept any authority? I shall think for myself what I am and what is my duty.” This is going on. But this is not the Vedic process.
The Vedic process is to sravanam, hear. So simply if we give up this foolish process of understanding the Absolute Truth by my own attempt, and rather become submissive… Yes. Submissive means we must know our imperfectness.
….One must know from the authoritative sources and preach that thing.
….So therefore, our attempt to understand the Absolute Truth by our faulty senses and experience is futile. We must hear. Sravanam. That is the Vedic process.
SP Bhagavad-gita 10.2-3 — New York, January 1, 1967
As soon as you become submissive and hear from authorities, then the whole thing will reveal within yourself. God is the always ready to be revealed to you. But how does He reveal? He reveals as soon as you become submissive, you become devotee, you become Krsna conscious, you just follow the path traversed by the great mahajanas, great acaryas. Then it is… Everything is known.
…That is also mentioned in the Bhagavad-gita. Tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya [Bg. 4.34]. If you want to understand that transcendental science, then you have to follow this principle. What is that? Tad viddhi pranipatena. You have to surrender. … Unless you become submissive, you cannot be a surrendered soul….no reservation.
If you find out such person, then surrender there. Pranipata. And try to serve him, try to please him, and question him. The whole thing will be revealed. You have to find out such an authoritative person and surrender unto him. Surrendering unto him means surrendering unto God because he is God’s representative.
….So everything is there. We have simply to adopt it. But if we don’t adopt the process and simply waste our time by intoxication and speculation and all nonsensical activities, oh, then that is not possible ever. You’ll never understand what is God.
…. But if you want to be cheated there are so many cheaters. So don’t make a cheater and cheated society. Just follow the parampara system as it is prescribed in the Vedic literature, as it is recommended by Krsna. Try to understand it from the authoritative source and try to apply it in your life. Hare Krsna!
Hare Krsna Jagadish Prabhu
Dandavat Pranams! Jai Srila Gurudev!
“Preach like a lion” (garja – roar), and when Srila Gurudev says those words, oh Krsna, what a roaring thunderous voice when he speaks! And one sannyasi remarked, “when Srila Gurudev spoke, it was like a huge roaring lion, and the moment he placed his foot down on the floor from the vyasa asana, he was like a soft gentle flower, a Vaishnava in total humility and like a gentle simple child”.
Jai Srila Gurudev! Hare Krsna.
Yes,….”Humility implies perfect submission to the truth and no sympathy for such untruth”.
Srila Gurudeva’s roaring like a lion was also a complete example of his total submission to and utter humility in presenting the truth, Tattva Vicar style!
Ys
Murali Krsna Swami
Wow! Great article.
Our Gurudeva was definately the uncompromising enemy of worldliness and hypocrisy.
He only spoke the siddhanta ‘AS IT IS’. There were those who did not like it and critisized our Gurudeva and even opposed him. But Gurudeva did not stop he preached uncompromisingly.
His Grace Sripad Fakir Mohan Prabhu said to us in Vrndavan last year that, ‘I told him [our Gurudeva] you should not speak so bold.’ whereupon Gurudeva replied, ” Ok, I will not do that anymore.” And then with a tear in his eye Sripad Fakir Mohan Prabhu said, ‘…and he did not return from Mayapura.’
Lagudi prabhu said many times that the astrologers that they took Gurudeva to all said that he would live up to 90 years on this planet. Gurudeva cut his mission short by up to 24 years. Even the astrologer that made the predictions about our Srila Prabhupada said that our Gurudeva was a maha-bhagavata. Many could see it.
In Melbourne in 1990 on the first Australian tour Gurudeva said to me that this was the beginning of his world preaching [the Australian tour of 1990]. It seems to me, but I am only a conditioned soul with all the anarthas and four defects etc., that Gurudeva’s mission had just begun and then to quote the obvious, it was cut short. Too short.
Our Gurudeva left this world of his own volition.
On another point Gurudeva was always very humble;
In Angul High School I think it was, that the principle would always sit on a very large seat and Gurudeva would sit on the concrete floor at his feet.
Then when Tejas dasa was the regional secretary in Bhubaneswar, in the early ’80s he would sit on a big seat and Gurudeva would sit on the concrete floor next to him. You cannot get lower than the floor, Gurudeva let everyone have the big seats and he took the concrete floor. The epitome of humility. Gurudeva was not for competing, if someone wanted the big seat Gurudeva gave it, he was not at all interested in worldliness. However he came with a mission and that mission was cut short…!
Also we met some devotees last year in Vrndavan [Kartik time] who did not realise Gurudeva was only in his 66th year when he had left the planet, they were visibly shocked!
YS
NPdasa.
Srila Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja;………
“So his bhajan kutir is there. We have kept it because that will always remind us of his staying there and working there, his dictaphone. You can also hear it from here, dictaphone. When all are asleep, he is saying on his dictaphone; at 2 a.ms at 2:30 a.m. you can hear. Still it is being heard, can you hear him? You have deaf ear, so you cannot hear it. Open your ear, hear it, that transcendental sound that will purify your whole body. It is always there, it is eternal always purify¬ing.
….Vaisnavas are always there. Though apparently my revered, beloved spiritual master, the spiritual master of the whole world Sri Srimad A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupadji Maharaj has disappeared, but he actually has not disappeared, he is still present…..Similarly, the lilas of His pure devotees are eternal. Though apparently it is not manifested, it is there; if you are fortunate you can see it.
As I say, still Srila Prabhupada is speaking in his bhajan kutir. You may hear it, how he is speak¬ing in his dictaphone at 2a.m., 2:30 a.m. . He was speaking and he is still speaking, and you can hear, how he is present. I never feel his separation, I always feel his presence, how he is teaching me, how he is slapping me, how he is directing me, how he is instructing and guiding me, you understand?
When you give this “jay nitya lila…” like that, it is very painful for me. His nitya lila is going on, here!
He has brought down here Krsna-Balaram, Gour-Nitai, Jagannath Baladeva and Subhadra, and he is always at Their Lotus Feet, sitting there. So pray for his mercy, and through his causeless mercy you can also feel his presence”.
Why and how can anyone tell Srila Gurudeva not to speak boldly about the Absolute Truth, Krsna katha??? That’s WHO Srila Gurudeva is!
That bold preaching, like a lion, about the nature of the Absolute Truth is why Sri Guru and Krsna brought Srila Gurudeva to this material world. Srila Gurudeva said that, “If I cannot speak like that, better they cut off my head”!
HARE KRSNA
All Glories to Srila Gurudev!
Yes, Srila Gurudev is the ultimatum of humility. Once one big sannyasi came to visit Srila Gurudev in BBSR, wanting to seek Srila Gurudev’s permission for something. Srila Gurudev already entered the bathroom for his afternoon bath. But as this sannyasi came to meet him, Srila Gurudev’s servant went outside the bathroom and informed him of this sannyasi’s arrival. Srila Gurudev quickly wore his clothes again and came out of the bathroom, and entered the room and paid dandavats to this sannyasi (despite Srila Gurudev’s apparent physical self). The sannyasi instead said, “you are bowing down to me”. Srila Gurudev replied, “Yes, you are Srila Prabhupada’s disciple, i must pay my pranams”.
Once in Singapore (1991?) in Senan Prabhu’s house upstairs, Srila Gurudev met well-wishers. Srila Prabhupada’s disciple HG Vidyapati Prabhu also met up with Srila Gurudev and asked him, in a little bitter tone, “Why are you initiating disciples?”. Srila Gurudev with folded hands and tears swelled in his eyes replied, “So that one day they will be able to save me”. From that day onward, HG Vidyapati Prabhu had deep respect for Srila Gurudev.
The lilamrta of a Vaishnava can never end, and let it be known that these are not some fad or some mundane attachment or whimsical emotional words of so called disciples of their guru. This can be discussed further. Jai Srila Prabhupada. Jai Srila Gurudev! HARE KRSNA!
from Sarasvati Thakura;
“…If he is unwilling or afraid of considerations of self-respect or personal discomfort to chant kirtana under all circumstances, he is unfit to be a preacher of the absolute truth. Humility implies perfect submission to the truth and no sympathy for such untruth….”.
Srila Gurudeva instructed us that, “You should speak the truth, (as he did), boldly, fearlessly and with out compromise. You shouldn’t hesitate to speak the truth thinking that, ‘If I speak the truth, someone may not like me and thus, they may not give me prasad’ ”.
Srila Gurudeva said that, “If you hesitate to speak the unpalatable truth, it means you have no faith in Sri Guru and Gauranga!”.
ys
MK SWami
The nectar of Bhakti Siddhanta Sarasvati Thakura’s Instruction:
Disciple: Shall we always tell the unadulterated truth?
Srila Sarasvati Thakura: Absolutely! We will fearlessly tell everyone the truth, without deceiving anyone. We have to speak the truth that is truly beneficial for the living being, even if it is unpleasant. …Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga will not be pleased until we can speak the truth fearlessly.
If I am afraid that if I tell the truth objectively, it may become unpleasant, and so I do not speak the truth, then that means I have given up the path of revealed truth and I have accepted a path which is not bona fide; then I am an atheist and a cheater.