YOU ALL HAVE TO SERVE ME BY ANY MEANS
11th May, 1997 Watford, England
You will have to give me your whole energy and Kṛṣṇa will arrange your everything; we are like an umbrella on you. Kṛṣṇa will help. Kṛṣṇa is helping, means all are helping. So don’t be worried for your life’s living [maintenance]. All have to serve me by any means, by money, energy, your learning, your vidya, everything. I know that there are so many qualified persons. So you should be very energetic about this. If you are doing so, your energy is coming in that [seva], and it will develop your bhakti. Like Swamiji has done, in a very short time he has preached all over the world miraculously. So I want to repeat this. So you should give your energy and very sincerely pray. You should help in my this mission, of Swamiji, of Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s mission, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī’s Mission, Kṛṣṇa’s mission.
“WE SHOULD BE THE SERVANTS OF SRI GURU & VAISNAVAS”
While celebrating the disappearance days of Sri Guru or any Vaisnava, we must remember them within our heart and mind. We must think - How can I fulfil their most cherished desire (manobistha)? To consider and act in this way is called puspanjali.
If one simply offers flowers and many varieties of tasty prasada but does not follow their philosophy or conceptions, then such a puspanjali is not considered puspanjali. Sri Guru is never pleased with it.
That is why in the gathering which has been arranged to celebrate the disappearance or appearance of any personality, we must remember his conceptions, hear about the path he followed to attain Bhagavan, how he served his Gurudeva...If we tread the path by thinking of these conceptions, only then, in reality, this will be our guru seva or devotional service, otherwise not. For this reason we should imbibe the conceptions given by the Mahapurusas and speak the truth fearlessly; be the servants of Sri guru and vaisnavas. If we are able to do this then we can actually offer our puspanjali at their lotus feet. Otherwise not.
From a lecture spoken on the appearance day of Sri Bhakti Srirup Siddhanti Maharaj-Kartik Month
THE SECRET OF HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS
- Hari-kathamrta-bindu [1] (w/ English Subtitles)
“Today, due to lack of faith in Bhagavan, there is no love between husband and wife. There is no happiness in family life anywhere. If even a fraction of [this] mood appears, [if] one develops faith in Bhagavan, and while residing in one’s home, one engages in chanting Bhagavan’s name, worships Him, offers pranams to Thakuraji before leaving [for the day] in whichever form it may be, I definitely say it with guarantee that all the difficulties will go far away in a couple of minutes, in a snap of a finger. There will be no issue.
Even if there is some quarrel between husband and wife and the wife keeps in mind that my father [has offered my hand in marriage to him] or I have surrendered my life to my husband; even if the husband becomes upset, [but still] she interacts with him sweetly, knowing that the husband has come home after full day of hard labor, [if] she speaks some sweet words, that's it! He will be spontaneously happy. The issue will be resolved.
If for some reason, the wife still does not received affection, then she becomes upset. She hankers for love. If she observes that some other woman is receiving the love that is due to her, then she will feel hurt. That is why all these things should not exist.
Just see how the relationship will be imbued with love. Family life will become heavenly. It will turn into Vaikuntha. Together by serving Bhagavan this repeated chain of birth and death, they will transcend forever. Seems insignificant, however it is very powerful. Please remember these things. If you wish to be happy in life, don't do unto others, what you do not like or what makes you feel bad. What did I say? Don't behave with anyone the way you wouldn't like yourself. If you desire that everyone must lovingly interact with me, then you too must loving interact [with others]."
- Srila Gurudeva (May 31, 1998. Houston, USA)
MANTRAS WILL REVEAL THEMSELVES
- Hari-kathamrta-bindu [2] (w/ English Subtitles)
"If any individual, after receiving the mantra, follows it meticulously, on the advice of guru, then, on its own, just by the power of the mantra he will realize it. There could be some delay, but it will happen for sure. We [once] expressed to Guruji, “We heard from people that one must know the meaning of the mantra..." He responded, “For now, be patient and very firmly and respectfully chant the mantra. This mantra itself will reveal everything. There is power contained in it.'
Some delay may take place. Guru, or siksa guru, sadhus, while giving some outline, mention who is the worshipable Deity of the mantra, what is your relationship, what is contained in the mantra, they clarify it slightly. Just as there is Gopala mantra, who is the worshipable Deity of this mantra? The one who is the prana-vallabha [dearmost] of the gopis, He is the worshipable Deity."
- Srila Gurudeva (April 12, 1998. Vrndavana, India)
TAKING SHELTER OF SRIMATI RADHIKA
- Hari-kathamrta-bindu [3] (w/ English Subtitles)
“The main object of Swamiji to come here- not to be the servant of Krishna, He is crooked and sometimes so hard. But Srimati Radhika is so soft, sweet, fragrant and everything. Krishna has admitted in Caitanya Caritamrta that My guru is Srimati Radhika and He will have to serve. And for this Caitanya Mahaprabhu came to this world. This is the first mission and the most important mission of Swamiji.”
- Srila Gurudeva (July 15, 1996, New York, USA)
TONE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE WORDS
- Hari-kathamrta-bindu [4] (w/ English Subtitles)
"Rama, where had you gone? If I write this, what is the meaning of it?
Devotee: These words mean that Rama was asked where he had gone.
Srila Gurudeva: If I say it like this, 'Rama, where had you gone?' What would it mean?
Devotee: [Tone is] just like father asking his son or Guru asking his disciple.
Srila Gurudeva: He is not interested in asking 'where had you gone', he is asking 'WHY' did you go? If it is said, 'Rama, WHERE had you gone?' [Which implies] I know where he had gone.
So which words are filled with which TONE, how will one know this? It is the same Gita, [but] which tone of Krsna was filled in it? Who will tell this? One who has heard from Him, he will tell. Vyasaji has heard, he can tell. Arjuna can tell. That is why [we should] go by the tone. Don't just rely on the WORDS, otherwise you will be deprived. Majority of them, 90% of the people go on the words, they don't go by the TONE. In guru parampara we obtain that TONE, what is hidden within these words. 'Rama, WHERE had you gone!' means you had been to a bad place. You had been to a night club, I know this."
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Srila Gurudeva, 1st June, 1998
Houston, USA.