Selection From Harmonist (Part 1) - Page 3

As students of the empirical school, we are also expected to urge - ‘ we may obey God but but why need we obey a Guru?’ In anticipation of such words coming from our lips as the outcome of unconscious apathy towards Godhead, God Himself tells us in a language that cannot be misunderstood :-

‘You should know that the Acharyya is the associated counterpart of
Myself. He should never be disregarded in any way. With the very
limited power of mundane knowledge the transcendent conduct of the
Acharyya should not be measured and found fault with. The Acharyya
is the embodiment of all Godliness.’

Guru or the Spiritual Guide is a God-sent Super-human Personality to save us from the bondage of empiricism. We are not to look upon Him or trust in Him or His transcendent wisdom as if He were a mortal being; thereby we would be totally led astray from the path of devotion. The Spiritual Pastor to Whom we submit is the Ambassador of Vishnu to lead us into the eternal kingdom of Vaikuntha i.e. The kingdom which is free from all form of want. The Godhead helps us, speaks to us through His associated counterpart, we mean, our eternal Spiritual Master, the Gurudeva. We can never so surely discover God’s Will, God’s Voice as through the channel of humble obedience and sincere surrender to our Spiritual Master, so emphatically taught and devoutly practised by all the true devotees of olden times. The Spiritual Guide or Acharyya is our Model - the Highest Ideal, before us. We need not shrink through pride, vanity or self-sufficiency from treading in His footsteps. So we should take the vow of sincere obedience to the Divine Words of our Spiritual Guide, remembering Him to be the most beloved, the associated counterpart of the Godhead, - Who when condescends to come down from Baikuntha to lead us thither, our original abode. Without such a Spiritual Guide or Guru a person is like a boat without a helmsman or a ship without a rudder or compass, left to drift hither and thither with every wind that blows. Hence the Acharyya says;-

‘Those who attempt to approach the Godhead ignoring the Holy Feet
of the Gurudeva are put into great difficulties by the very means they
adopt. They are overtaken by hundreds of dissipations. Hence they are
surely forced to remain in the succession of births and rebirths.. As a
lay man in a boat without the assistance of a helmsman intending to
cross the ocean is sure to lose his life, so a man intending to approach
Godhead without the help of the Guru is sure to be lost.’

The true devotees of the Absolute truth - Krishna’, are the salt of the earth; they are the medicines of human lives that are suffering from spiritual sickness. Without their presence and occasional advent in this world, the world would not be worth living in. And our Guru or Spiritual Guide should be one who is the best of all such true devotees. Because the Spiritual Guide is above all human frailties, ignorance and weakness, because he is Krishna’s own Person - Krishna’s most beloved - Krishna’s associated counterpart, - so He is the fittest Person to guard us against the deceits of illusion or Maya. God’s own person can alone shield us from the clutches of illusion and confirm by His light of examples the importance of unalloyed devotion. There is healthy contagiousness in His undeviating adherence to the Absolute Truth, in every example of His devout action. His ever-living Words are like sharp edged weapons cutting the tangled knots of our mental attachment to empiricism. His words are inspiration to the weak in heart and healing balm to those who are constantly suffering from spiritual sickness. A Spiritual Guide is the living beacon on the path of devotion.

But where can be found such Highest Ideal? The truly sincere and humble soul that earnestly desires to advance in spiritual life will get such an Ideal. But if we consciously or unconsciously want to be cheated we shall accordingly get a cheat. For there run the words of God himself;-

‘I deal out justice according to the manner I am approached, i.e.
If one approaches me with a sincere heart I also deal with him
sincerely that is show him the true path by sending my own person
to him, on the other hand he who tries to cheat me is deluded
by my Maya.’

If good Guides are rare, much more are good subjects for guidance. The Sruti says:-

Too many of us want to be directed after our own fashion and would
fain combine the double service against which the Acharyyas have
us those of God and of the world: -

‘To try to retain all worldly advantages and to serve God at one and
the same time is incompatible.’

So if we earnestly and sincerely desire to devote our life for the eternal service of the Absolute Truth, - Krishna, we should pray most sincerely to Him to supply us with a Guide after His Own Heart (and not after our ever deceiving heart or emotional fancy); and never doubt but that He will kindly send us His own most trusted and beloved Agent - His associated counterpart. Verily except Krishna’s own Representative no one is fit to occupy the most responsible office of a Spiritual Guide.

So we should be most careful in choosing a Guru. Rather it is impossible for a man who is ever likely to be duped by the senses or phenomena to choose a Guru Who is not a thing of this world, Who is the Transcendent thing that has condescended to come down to the earth according to God’s Will.

No professional priest or “sale-tongued” preacher can hold the position of a Guru. Mercenary people are actuated by personal motives, self interest and vanity and are not intent solely on God’s Glory and the good of the fallen souls like a True Spiritual Guide. As a man in fetter and hand-cuff cannot unchain another man who is in a like predicament, so a man claiming to be Guru but himself fallen in the clutches of Maya, cannot free another from the same danger.

No question of heredity can arise in choosing a Spiritual Guide. As it has been previously said that our Spiritual Guide should be a God-sent Person - the direct Representative of Krishna so mundane reference has no value in His case. Even worldly common sense tells us that the son of a doctor cannot always necessarily be a doctor. Krishna’s Representative appears in this world irrespective of heredity. Sree Mahaprabhu says;-

Whether He appears in a Brahmin family, whether He is found in
the garb of a Sannyasin or even if He makes His appearance in the
world in a Shudra family, whosoever is versed in Krishna-tatva
(the transcendent knowledge of Krishna) He and He alone is fit
to be a Spiritual Guide.

It follows, therefore, that neither an elevationist nor a salvationist is fit to be a Guru because they themselves are in a state of want and not in their natural and true position. The man who has lost his natural position i.e. The eternal service of Krishna which is the only eternal function of the Soul, is in a state of want and, led astray by the energy of Maya, tries to fulfil his wants by the things that are mundane. In this way sometimes he thinks to make up his shortcomings by turning himself an elevationist so as to have the taste of soma - liquor, to have women, gold and fame in this and after-worlds, or sometimes critically ignoring such hedonistic attitude he takes the pessimistic view of the world and becomes a salvationist.

Both of them are needy persons, and it is a matter of common sense that a needy person cannot remove the needs of another. The Shastras enjoin strict avoidance of any spiritual dependence on these classes. It is incumbent on us, therefore, to take refuge at the Holy feet of a Devotee, Who serves Krishna, by all means and at all times.

In conclusion, let us prostrate ourselves at the Holy Feet of Gurudeva, Who is no other than the associated counterpart of Krishna and Who being Kindness Incarnate, is ever busy in kindly operating on the cataractous eye of ignorance of Jivas with the spikelet of transcendental knowledge, thus opening their eternal spiritual eyes and anointing them with the collyrium of unalloyed and disinterested love for Krishna.

Thakur Haridas

We shall reverently review the career of Sree Thakur Haridas who was so entirely devoted to the service of Sree Hari in the spirit of Thakur Haridas whose pride was in the servitude of the Supreme Lord and shall feel satisfied by thus honouring ourselves and hope that the reader will share our satisfaction. The great devotee made his appearance in this world at the village of Budhan, in the district of Jessore, towards the end of the 14th century. It is necessary to have some idea of the state of society in Bengal at that period in order to be able to understand the significance of the Thakur’s appearance. The caste system had lost all its propriety and its so-called purity was only another name for oppressive practices due to the grossest abuse of its principles. The views regarding religion that were then upheld by the public opinion of the so-called religious communities were nothing but the infuriated expression of sectarian rancour. On the one hand, the rotten Hindu-society swollen with the pride of caste showed every contempt for those who formed the lower grades of its own strata and in the name of religion endeavoured merely to realize selfish ambitions. Their practice of religion took the forms of hostility to Vaishnabas and attacks on the Sanatan Dharma - the Eternal Religion of all Jibas. The meanness of the selfish, contempt for the true faith, wanton cruelty showed all the virulence of a chronic disease that had penetrated to the very bones and marrow of the Hindu society. On the other hand the narrow minded Yavana Sampradaya was enacting scenes of malice, hatred, aggression and oppression towards the Hindu community. The Yavana society failing to appreciate the true greatness of Hinduism never desisted from its persistent and many-sided activities against the religion of the Hindus. The Aryas and the Yavanas of Bengal were acting towards each other on the conviction that the dharma of man was based on the principle of mutual animosity leading to unjustifiable attacks on the mode of worship of each by the other. The contending passions of the two parties brought untold suffering on society in Bengal. The generality of the people devoid of all religious association and demoralised by every form of luxury held in high estimation the pleasures of the world and material power. External display had become so prominent in all the religious practices of the Hindus that it would be no exaggeration to say that there was not a single person who had any sympathy for the method of artless devotion. Under the impression that the attainment of the kingdom of the next world was a feat as difficult as the crossing of the highest mountain peaks, the difficult methods of the Yoga, arduous bratas ‘vowed observances’ such as Chandrayana etc., severe Brahmacharyya and Sannyasa ‘asceticism’ etc. Were pointed out as the paths leading to Bhukti ‘enjoyment’ or mukti ‘annihilation’. As they had doubts regarding the possibility of attainment of the trivila fruits of dharma, artha and kama by offensive taking of the Name and of mukti the goal of the so-called vedantist practices by taking the dimly perceived Name, the Hindus had absolutely no respect for the straight path of devotion.

In these dark days of Bengal, thirty or thirty-five years in advance of the appearance of Bhagaban Sree Chaitanya-deva, in order to help the transcendent activities of Him Who is Love Himself, the four-faced Birinchi appeared in non-Hindu Yavana family in the village of Budhan. The actual site of the Budhan village is not known at the present day. But several maujas belonging to Budhan pargana are remembered by the inhabitants of the locality. We do not learn anything about the boyhood of Thakur Haridas from authoritative works. No reliance can be placed on recent books on the subject that offer fictitious accounts bearing the names of ancient authors. In the opinion of some the appearance of Brahma in non-Hindu Yavana family was in expiation of the offence of stealing the calves. There are some again who hold that Shree Pralhad became visible under the name of Haridas.

When he grew up in years Thakur Haridas, giving up the social customs and principles of the Yavana family was found constantly taking the Name of Shree Hari. The writers who have recorded the lila of those days are silent as regards the agent by whose instigation Thakur Haridas was initiated in the rite of the Name of the Godhead transgressing the rules of Yavana society and also as regards the person whose mercy he obtained. We therefore, feel a certain degree of apprehension in adducing proofs in support of those facts after the lapse of such a long period. Haridas ascertained that to pray to God without any selfish object giving up all mundane expectations and impulses is the only duty of life. After having arrived at this decision though still very young, Thakur Haridas left Budhan and taking up residence in a solitary cell close to Benapole began loudly taking the name of Krishna.

(To be continued)

ALL GLORY TO SREE GAUR AND NITYANANDA
THAKUR BRINDABAN’S

SRI CHAITANYA BHAGABAT

(Done into English)
First Part
Chapter 1.

Summary:- The chapter constitutes the brief introduction to the subject. In the five opening verses which are in Sanskrit obeisance is made to Sree Chaitanya, Nityananda and the devotees of Vishnu. This is followed by the Mangalacharana (auspicious act in the beginning for the success of the work)in which the obeisance to the devotee takes precedence of that to Chaitanyachandra Himself then comes the obeisance to Nityananda the tutelary Divinity of the author, His grace is recognised as the source of the author’s inspiration in the undertaking which is beyond the capacity of mortals. In this connection Nityananda tattva (the truth about Nityananda)is established and elaborated. The chapter concludes with a succinct enumeration of the transcendent activities of Gaursundar and ends as in the case of every subsequent chapter, with a declaration of the author’s dependence on the grace of Nityananda. The attitude is that of resigned humility.

The lila (transcendent activities) of Sree Chaitanya has been decided into three separate parts. The first part Adikhanda is devoted mainly to the display of His learning. In the middle part Madhyakhanda is described the display of ‘kirtan’(preaching). The last part Antyakhanda chiefly deals with the preaching of Sreenam (Holy Name)in the garb of ascetic during His residence of Nilachal (Puri).

1. With arms extending to the knee of colour yellow like that of gold, the only two progenitors of the Sankirtan (1), with wide eyes resembling the lotus flower, the two Protectors of the world, the two Supremes of the twice-born, the two Divine fosterers of yuga-dharma (2) Make I obeisance to the Twin, the Benefactors of the world, the Embodiments of the Divine Pity.
2. Obeisance to the Existent in the three-fold time, son of Jagannath. Obeisance to thee with Thy servants, sons and consorts.
3. Appearing in the world, with mercy, of average human Form, Ever Existent Lords, Sree Krishna Chaitanya and Nitynanda, the two Brothers I do worship.
4. Glory to Him, of tempered prowess, bright as gold, with lotus-wide eyes, with six arms reaching to the exquisite knee, diversely dancing to perfection replete with mellow devotion.
5. All Glory to Divine Krishna Chaitanya Chandra, All Glory to His deeds That are eternal and holy. All Glory to the servant of the Lord of the Universe, All Glory to the Dance of all His beloved.
6. In the beginning at the feet of Sree Chaitanya’s loved followers My prostrated obeisances I make in endless ways.
7. Then I bow to Sree Krishna Chaitanya, the Great Lord, Who appearing in Nabadvipa bore the Name of Bisvambhar.
8. ‘The worship paid to My devotees is higher than Mine’, the selfsame Lord didst affirm in the Vedas and the Bhagabata.
9. ‘I hold as higher in every way the worship that is paid to My devotees,
10. Wherefore have I in the beginning offered my homage to His devotees; thus augurs it well for the success of the undertaking.
11. Obeisance to the cherished Divinity of my worship, Nityanandarai, By whose Grace the glorious deeds of Chaitanya manifest themselves.
12. Obeisance to Lord Balaram with a thousand Faces, Whose thousand Mouths are the abode of the glorious deeds of Krishna.

(1) Congregational preaching by the devotees
(2) Divine dispensation for the age.

(To be continued)

The Para-Vidhya-Pitha ar Sree Mayapur

History bears testimony to the fact that Sree Nabadvipa at the same time as Mahaprabhu was a vast University town to which students from all countries flocked in very large numbers for advanced studies in all branches of Sanskrit or unalloyed learning. They sat for the purpose at the feet of numerous eminent Professors who had their 'tols' in the town and who freely admitted those who submitted to the rules of pupilage into the household where the students had the privilege of sharing the pure and simple life of their preceptors. If the purity of the fountainhead can be restored we may reasonably expect that we would again have in our midst, eminent Professors capable of guiding to transcendence deeply versed in all branches of learning devoting their lives to expounding the real meaning of the Shastras that has well nigh been forgotten to inquisitive seekers of the Truth and enable Nabadvipa to regain its glorious position as the greatest seat of transcendental Sanskrit learning.

With the above object in view the Para-Vidya Pitha has been established at Sree-Dham Mayapur, the place of Advent of Sreeman Mahaprabhu. The Vyakarana (Harinamamrita Vyakarana of Sripad Jiba Goswami) and Kavya classes have already been started. Classes in Navya and Madhwa Nyaya, in Vedanta with the commentaries of the different schools and in other subjects will be opened as soon as a sufficient number of of pupils of the right type are available. The Para-Vidya Pitha will in the long run provide for the teaching of the Vedas, Vedanta, Nyaya, Sahitya, Smriti and other branches of Vedic and Sanskrit learning.

Para-Vidya means learning by which the Godhead can be realised and the term indicates the spirit in which all studies should be undertaken. The Para-Vidya Pitha hopes to provide by the Grace of Mahaprabhu the highest training in the different Shastras in a pure and unworldly atmosphere to all sincere students.

News Topics

(Communicated)

Sreedham Mayapur: - The annual function of the Circum-ambalation of the nine islands of Sree Nabadvipa was duly performed by thousands of devotees who had assembled from all parts of India. The huge procession of the devotees started from the Sree Chaitanya Math preceded by Sankirtan and led by His Divine Holiness Paramahansa Thakur going the round of each island in one day and completing the Circum-ambalation of Sree Nabadvipa in nine days. At each island Mahaprasad and accommodation were provided for everybody free of cost. The advent of Sree Gour Sundar was celebrated on the following day by treating all assembled people to Mahaprosad and by Sankirtan and Harikatha by His Divine Holiness Paramahansa Paribrajakacharyya Sreemad Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur with their Holinesses the Tridandi-Swamijis of the Gaudiya Math. The next day Sree Sree Gandharbika Giridhari solemnly installed by His Divine Holiness Paramahansa Thakur in the specially designed and newly built Temple. It is a composite structure consisting of the main shrine which is in the middle from which project laterally four minor shrines. Sree Gandharbika Giridhari and Sree Mahaprabhu occupy the main shrine. Each of the minor shrines is occupied by one of the founder Acharyyam of the four Vaishnab Sampradayas, viz. Sree Ramanuja, Sree Nimbarka, Sree Vishnuswami, and Sree Madhwa. The lofty temple stands with its spacious Natmandir within the Sree Chaitanya Math. An immense concourse of people witnesses these grand ceremonies and joined enthusiastically with the Sankirtan party that circumambulated the temple. Mahaprosad was distributed to all without stint.

The Suddha Sanatanist-Conference assembled next day in the Sree Chaitanya Math under the presidency of His Divine Holiness Paramahansa Thakur. It was attended by the devotees from all parts of India at the special invitation of the Vishwa Vaishnab Raj-Sabha. It was proposed to take immediate steps for the establishment of of a Veda Vidyalaya attached to the Sree Chaitanya Math. Careful arrangement had been made for the accommodation of those devotees who came from a distance to take part in the conference.

Separate and special arrangements were made for the accommodation of ladies who came to witness these ceremonies. Mahaprasad and accommodation were provided in all cases.