This is Bhakti

Srila Gurudeva: I want to speak on archana, worship. You should know all these processes. You should know what archana is, what seva is, and how they are to be performed. You should also know the moods that predominate over archana, seva, kirtana, and mantra japa. You have a philosophical understanding of the limbs of devotion you are engaged in. These philosophical understandings are the basis of bhakti, and they are also connected to love and affection. Gradually, they will take us to Vraja. Why are we engaged in sadhana? Why? There should be a motive behind the services you perform. In Houston, I spoke on how the goal of our sadhana should be determined. You should not ascertain your sadhana before your goal. If you think, “I must learn to engage in sadhana,” then this mood characterizes ignorance. There should be an aim and object of our lives and also an aim and object of our sadhana and bhajana. First, the goal should be ascertained. Then, sadhana will follow. In Caitanya Caritamrita, in the dialog between Sri Raya Ramananda Prabhu and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the goal is always ascertained first. Throughout Caitanya Caritamrita, the goal of sadhana is established, it is established in especially Sanatana siksa, and Rupa siksa. In the fourth chapter of Caitanya Caritamrita, Adi Lila, why has Srila Krishna das Kaviraja Gosvami explained the highest conceptions of bhakti? He explained Krishna prema prayojana, bhakti abhideya, and sadhana sadhya. What is prayojana, the ultimate goal? Srila Krishna das Kaviraja Gosvami has explained prayojana first. In Caitanya Caritamrita, sadhana is not determined first.

But, Srila Krishna das Kaviraja Gosvami explains what the prema of Srimati Radhika is to Krishna. He has begun this description from the third chapter of Adi Lila. And he especially gives a lucid description of this love in the fourth chapter. Why did Caitanya Mahaprabhu come to this world? What was His goal? Then he said:

yada yada hi dharmasya
glanir bhavati bharata
abhyutthanam adharmasya
tadatmanam srjamy aham

–Sri Bhagavad Gita 4.7

[Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion-at that time I descend Myself.]

And then, he quoted another sloka:

anarpita-carim cirat karunayavatirnah kalau
samarpayitum unnatojjvala-rasam sva-bhakti-sriyam
harih purata-sundara-dyuti-kadamba-sandipitah
sada hrdaya-kandare sphuratu vah saci-nandanah

—Sri Caitanya-caritamrita Adi 1.4

[May the Supreme Lord who is known as the son of Srimati Saci Devi (Sacinandana), be transcendentally situated in the innermost chambers of your heart. Resplendent with the radiance of molten gold, He has appeared in the Age of Kali by His causeless mercy to bestow what no incarnation has ever offered before: the most sublime and radiant mellow of devotional service, the mellow of conjugal love.]

Srila Krishna das Kaviraja Gosvami then said:

sri-radhayah pranaya-mahima kidrso vanayaiva-
svadyo yenadbhuta-madhurima kidrso va maddish
saukhyam casya mad-anubhavatah kidrsam veti lobhat
tad-bhavadhyah samajani saci-garbha-sindhau harinduh

—Sri Caitanya-caritamrita Adi 1.6

[“Desiring to understand the glory of Radharani’s love, the wonderful qualities in Him that She alone relishes through Her love, and the happiness She feels when She realizes the sweetness of His love, the Supreme Lord Hari, richly endowed with Her emotions, appeared from the womb of Srimati Saci-devi, as the moon appeared from the ocean.”]

When Krishna’s pastimes in Dvapara Yuga ended, He went to Goloka Vrindavana. Krishna was in Vrindavana but His pastimes were unseen to the material eyes. Pastimes are always manifest in Vrindavana, but Yogamaya has no connection with this world, and hence the world has no direct connection with Krishna. That is why, we cannot see and realize what is going on in Vrindavana. But the earthly Vrindavana and Goloka Vrindavana are the same. When Krishna is engaged in His aprakata, (unmanifest) pastimes in Vrindavana, He thinks, “I know Srimati Radhika is My Guru. Her affection is My Guru. She loves Me more than I love Her. I don’t know Her moods of love and affection. When I see Srimati Radhika, I don’t become mad. But, when She sees Me, She becomes mad.” Any substance is tasted by its quality. Srimati Radhika has Mahabhava and other superior moods. Krishna doesn’t have Her moods. He has Mahabhava of another kind. Krishna is the object of love, while Srimati Radhika is the observer and abode of love. So, the object of love cannot have the mood of the abode or observer of love. What is Srimati Radhika’s mood?

Sri Radhaya pranaya mahima kidrso, what is pranaya? If Pranaya is there, then we can experience the beauty of Krishna, otherwise not. So, we are not tasting the beauty of Krishna. We have no realization of pranaya, what to speak of pranaya, we have no actual bona fide shraddha, so how can we taste the beauty of Krishna? You have the moods of tasting worldly pleasures and desires. But, you have no shraddha at all. You have very little shraddha and this shraddha is not bona fide. It can be upset. So, Radhaya pranaya mahima is embellished by the moods of sneha, maan, pranaya, raga, anuraga, and other transcendental moods. Krishna thinks, “These moods and qualities are not in Me. How can I taste Myself?” If you go deep into the purports, you will realize the import of Krishna’s statements.

Krishna says, “I am beautiful, but Srimati Radhika is more beautiful. I have many qualities, but Srimati Radhika has far more qualities. I have prema, love, but Her prema far exceeds Mine. But one quality of Mine stands out. I have a special quality in Myself that Srimati Radhika doesn’t have. What is that quality? Only Radhika knows of this quality. When She sees Me, She becomes mad. This quality is not in Srimati Radhika. I cannot be mad. But She becomes mad on seeing Me. There is some quality in Me, which makes Srimati Radhika mad.” Do you understand this?

Krishna further thinks, “So, I cannot define this quality. I cannot realize this. What is the nature of this love? I want to know this. What is this quality that I possess that makes Srimati Radhika, the gopis, My father and mother, and indeed everyone go mad?”

This is a very beautiful discussion in Caitanya Caritamrita. In the whole world, very few devotees can explain or realize these most exalted moods of Caitanya Caritamrita. Most cannot penetrate and go deep into these moods. They have no time at all. So, we should go deep into these moods. Realization of these moods can only be had by the association of an advanced devotee.

yaha bhagavat pade vaisnavera stana
ekante asraya kore caitanya carane

–Sri Caitanya-caritamrita Antya 5.131

[“If you want to understand Srimad-Bhagavatam, you must approach a self-realized Vaisnava and hear from him.”]

You should read Srimad Bhagavatham under the guidance of a devotee Bhagavat and hear from him. There are two kinds of Bhagavat, Grantha Bhagavat and Bhakta Bhagavat. Everything is there in Srimad Bhagavatham, the book Bhagavat. But it is under lock and key. Only the Bhakta Bhagavat can open this treasure chest and reveal to you the innermost meanings of Srimad Bhagavatham. So, you should go to the Bhakta Bhagavats. You cannot have these moods in schools, colleges, and philosophical discussions. But now we think that we should go to colleges and read about these moods there. The atheists have no knowledge of these moods nor have they ever practiced devotion in their lives, how can they teach us about these moods? They cannot teach us.

yaha bhagavat pado vaisnavera stane

Krishna says, “Though I am so beautiful, Radhika is more beautiful. I have much knowledge but Radhika has more knowledge. In all respects, Srimati Radhika is My Guru. But, I have qualities that are not to be found in anyone else. Srimati Radhika tastes these four special qualities—Venu madhuri, Guna madhuri, Lila madhuri, and Rupa madhuri, of Mine like no other. When I see Myself in a mirror, water, floor or anywhere else; I become mad. I want to taste My beauty like how Srimati Radhika does. If Radhika’s mood is not there, I cannot taste My beauty. On tasting My beauty and sweetness, what kind of happiness does She experience although She desires not even a scent of happiness? But yet, the happiness She experiences is lakhs and lakhs time more intense that what I experience. I want to taste these sweetness’ of Mine by Myself. I want to taste Srimati Radhika’s pranaya and the happiness she experiences in Her services to Me.”

Then, Krishna became Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Srimati Radhika’s prema is the goal of our life and the object of our practices of bhakti. This has been told by Srila Raya Ramananda Prabhu to Caitanya Mahaprabhu in their dialog. Krishna prema is Prayojana, the goal. Krishna and Radhika are not the prayojana. They are not prayojana, They are our ista-devas, worshipful deities. We want prema. If we don’t want prema, and if we don’t know what prema is; then we have no motive and our performance of sadhana is artificial. If you want any rupees or dollars, you will have to go and serve anywhere. Then you can have money. If you want to be a scientist, you will have to go to a suitable college. If you want to be a doctor, you will have to enroll in a medical college. If you want to be a lawyer, then you will have to go to law college. By enrolling in these colleges, the experts can teach you. Similarly, you will have to always be in the association of high class of Vaisnavas. This is sadhana. You should seek the association of bona fide devotees, and on meeting them, you should follow all their instructions.

Therefore, the main object of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was to taste the prema of Srimati Radhika and to preach Raga marga bhakti. Raga marga bhakti and Ragatmika bhakti are not one. Do you understand? Try to understand. Raga marga signifies the way to spontaneous attachment for Krishna. The way and the goal are not the same. By treading the way, you can reach the goal. Raganuga is a way, by following which you can reach the stage of Ragatmika bhakti. What is Ragatmika bhakti? The mood and services of the Vrajavasis like Nanda Baba, Yasoda, Subala, Sridhama, and the gopis to Krishna constitutes Ragatmika bhakti. There is raga in their atma, in their soul. This is Ragatmika bhakti and this is our goal. How to go there, to that realm of spontaneous devotion? By performing a particular sadhana. If you make a note of this spontaneous devotion to Krishna and develop a greed where you think, “I want to achieve that goal,” and with this purpose in mind, you are going to the experts of devotion who have realization of these moods, then know that these experts are called Raganuga or Rupanuga Vaisnavas who are in the line of Srila Rupa Gosvami. If you have a very little greed and think, “I want to serve Krishna like Subala. I want to serve like Nanda-Yasoda. I want to serve like the gopis.” You want to serve like this, but there is nothing; no prior platform is made for the cultivation of these moods. But you are of the firm conviction, “I only want their moods of love and affection to Krishna.” If you have some greed, then you will have to follow Raganuga bhakti. But if you have no greed, then on hearing from Srimad Bhagavatham, Caitanya Caritamrita, and other books, you will realize how you are entangled in the endless ocean of birth, sorrows, sufferings, and death. By money and any commodity of this world, you cannot attain those transcendental moods. You cannot attain. Happiness in one’s life will not be attained by futile endeavors.

The highest position in this world is that of Indra’s. You cannot be like Indra but we see that even Indra is always beset by sorrows and sufferings. He has many worldly desires. He often goes to ladies like Gautama Rsi’s wife and he goes here and there. He has much anger, lust, and so many things. Sometimes, he goes to Manasa-Sarovara, and hides in the stem of a lotus. Demons searched for him while he hid in the stem of a lotus for lakhs and lakhs of years. So, no one is happy in this world and can never be happy by fulfilling their worldly desires. Money cannot help. If a person sees the many miseries of this world and is anxious to cross over this endless, turbulent ocean of despair, then he will have to follow vaidhi-bhakti. What is bhakti?

It is to follow and practice:

anyabhilasita-sunyam jnana-karmadyanavrtam
anukulyena krsnanusilanam bhaktir-uttama

–Sri Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu 1.1.11

[Perpetual, ardent endeavour meant exclusively for Sri Krsna and performed out of genuine kindness to Him, when neither prone to any selfish, ulterior desires nor eclipsed by impersonal knowledge, fruitive work, or any other occupation, is known as uttama–bhakti.]

This is bhakti. This is the highest form of Raganuga bhakti. From top to bottom, you will have to follow every word of this sloka. Uttama bhakti, the topmost bhakti, is present only in Vraja and is not to be found anywhere else. A part of this bhakti is in Vaikunta. Some part of this bhakti is in Ayodhya and Dvaraka has a greater degree of this bhakti. Bhakti is most complete in Vraja, and especially among the gopis. Bhakti is not found to a greater degree anywhere else.

It will take me at least one hour to explain this anyabhilasita sloka. Bhakti is our goal. Bhakti is of three kinds—Sadhana bhakti, Bhava Bhakti, and Prema bhakti. Bhava bhakti and Prema bhakti are not Sadhana bhakti. Sadhana bhakti is worship of Krishna that maintains a conception of being distant from Krishna. If you want to serve Krishna, then you will have to follow sadhana bhakti. If you have greed, you will immediately gallop to the stage of asakti (attachment to Krishna) or ruci (taste). If you have no previous impressions from past lives, then you will have to advance gradually from one stage of devotion to another. If there is sukriti, the association of devotees will be obtained. By their association, you will first engage in guru-karana, where you listen to the instructions of guru. And you will engage in other activities of devotion while being situated at a distance from spontaneous worship. Mature devotional service is called seva, and when you learn the a, b, c, d’s of devotion, your worship will be called archana. What is archana? We know that it is seva-puja. It is service to Krishna while being situated far away from Him. Guru tells you to ring the bell and to give water to Krishna. What is the use of ringing the bell? What service is performed by blowing on the conch? Can you understand my message? What is the use? You will engage in these services for one or two hours, and the assembled devotees will be tired and they will return to their homes.

You may on the fan because Bhudara Prabhu is sweating.

Devotee: All the fans have one connection.

Srila Gurudeva: Are they the kaya-vyuha expansions of any Rsi? All with one? But it is not like so with Krishna. [Gurudeva laughs]

If Krishna will dance, out of His thousands of ankle-bells, only one ankle-bell will speak, if He so desires. But this will not happen in this world.

[Srila Gurudeva resumes his class]

Why should you perform arcana? If a bona fide Guru comes and we have the good fortune of hearing from him, then by the effect of listening from the bona fide guru, we can advance from the stage of arcana to the stage of seva-puja. We don’t know the inner essence of performing services like blowing on the conch, offering a ghee-lamp, and ringing the bell. Why do you ring the bell? Krishna is not deaf, but we ring the bell. If you enter Thakuraji’s room, you will to clap your hands and enter. It means, “Be alert, we are coming.” Why should we engage in these services? Why should we fan Thakuraji? I will give an outline on why these services should be performed.

First asana suddhi must be done, an asana must be laid out. Why should asana suddhi be done? Because we have no suddhi at all, we are not pure. What is this asana suddhi? It is said, “Om Visnu paramam padam, sada pasyanti surayah diviva caksur atatam,” by this mantra we can be pure. So, we should enter the temple room and lay an asana out. We should take some water, this is called acamaniya. And we should tell, “Om Visnu paramam padam, sada pasyanti surayah diviva caksur atatam.” This mantra has been quoted from many Vedas. This mantra is found in the Rig Veda, Sama Veda, Yajur Veda, Atharva Veda, and other Puranas. This mantra is commonly found in many scriptures and is very important. Om tad Vishnu, who is Vishnu? Evam vikriditam Vraja vadhubir idam ca visnoh—Krishna is that Vishnu. He is not the Vishnu who is present in everyone’s hearts in His Paramatma feature, not this Vishnu. Vishnu is Krishna Himself. Krishna has distributed His many names to other incarnations and expansions. Krishna has given His names like Rama, Vishnu, and Nrsinga to all. But actually, all the names that we see and hear; all are for Krishna. But Krishna has distributed the names to Them.

Om tad Vishnum, paramam padam. Paramam padam, this means the highest padam, the highest loka, the highest sri carana kamala. There are many meanings to the word “Pada.” Pada means loka, sri carana, the glory, it also means to know and shine; there are so many meanings to this word. So, Suri refers to those who are liberated. They are nitya-mukta, eternally liberated. Even the sadhana-siddhas, the souls who achieved perfection by sadhana, are included in this category. They see Vishnu and serve Him there. Pasyanti means they see the Lord’s abode by their eyes like how we see the world around us. Who will see Krishna? Only those who are like Krishna, can see Krishna. How can they become like Krishna? By having bhakti, they have been liberated. The souls partly have some qualities of Krishna. All the qualities are in their fullest forms in Krishna, while they are present partly in the jivas. When these qualities have been awakened in us by the medium of pure devotion, then we can see and serve Krishna; otherwise not. We will have to go on the same platform where Krishna is. We will have to go to Vrindavana and possess many qualities like the gopas, gopis do. Then we can serve Krishna. At present, we have nothing. We have no greed, nothing. So, it has been stated that a devotee of this stage must engage in arcana. This way the devotee will be with Krishna, but the devotee will also be very far away from Krishna. We know that an Uttama-mahabhagavat can do arati, how does he do arati? Who does arati in Vraja?

Devotee: Lalita.

[Srila Gurudeva to a devotee]

Do you have no interest in this? Have some interest, otherwise this will come.

Krishna returns from His cow herding pastimes. Yasoda was waiting and watching out for Krishna since morning. She was constantly thinking, “When will Krishna come? When will Krishna come?” When it became noon, and the time for Krishna to return approached, Yasoda looked at the position of the sun. Looking at the sun, she thought, “What is the time?” She watched the movement of the sun and the pathways of Vraja intently and waited for her dear Kanhaiya to return. While she was thinking about her son, she suddenly heard the mooing of cows, which was accompanied by a flute sound.

On listening to these sounds, she became upset and began to think, “What to do? What to do?” Anyhow, she collected a golden plate, some camphor, water, and all other necessary paraphernalia. She saw dirt being kicked up by the hooves of the cows. She intently thought, “Oh Krishna will come very soon!” All the Vrajavasis, all the mothers of the boys, all the elderly residents, all the kisoris, all the children of Vraja, and everyone was waiting for Krishna. At last, Krishna came, accompanied with lakhs and lakhs of cows. Yasoda came out of the precincts of the village and ran past the entrance gate. At a little distance, she saw Krishna. She knows that there are some naughty boys who play with Krishna. Subala, Sridhama, Madhumangala, and the other sakhas are very naughty. Sometimes, they wrestle with Krishna and pin Him to the ground. Taking the dust of Vraja, they smear it all over Krishna. And sometimes, they scratch Krishna with their nails. They are so naughty that they play in the kunjas. Playing hide and seek, thorns scratch their bodies. Yasoda is so worried for them.

As soon as Krishna returns, Yasoda takes Him on her lap. With the end of her sari, she wipes all the dust from Krishna’s body. This is the significance of offering cloth to Krishna during arati.

Devotees: Jaya!

Srila Gurudeva: She doesn’t wipe the dust using a handkerchief, rather she uses the corner of her saaree, the veil of her saaree. This is the significance of offering cloth during arati. Why is water offered to Krishna? Yasoda takes some water and gives it to Krishna. She wipes Krishna’s body using this water. A lamp is then offered to Krishna. What is the use of offering a lamp to Krishna? Using the lamp, Yasoda eagerly and anxiously sees and discovers scratches made on the different limbs of Krishna by His naughty friends. She eagerly uses the lamp three or four times. The smell of camphor is very good for the treatment of all kinds of diseases. So, Yasoda uses camphor. The ghee wicks are also very fragrant smelling. This way, Yasoda searches for different scratch marks on the body of Krishna. She searches very patiently.

[Srila Gurudeva makes some signs to show how a pujari performs arati very quickly and haphazardly]

Very patiently, Yasoda watches where the scratches have been made. She encircles the lamp around Krishna’s mouth, and feet four times. The boys are very fond of Krishna’s chest, they are always wrestling with Him. Yasoda thinks, “There must be some scratches made on Krishna’s chest.” Yasoda then examines Krishna’s whole body. Searching for scratches, very patiently and slowly, Yasoda encircles the ghee lamp around Krishna’s body. The total number of times the ghee lamp should be offered and encircled around Krishna is fourteen times and not more than that. Otherwise, Krishna will be…

Sripada Madhava Maharaja: Tired.

Srila Gurudeva: Angry!

[Laughter]

He will say, “Mother I am so hungry! And you are still offering Me the ghee lamp!”

[Laughter]

So, don’t offer the ghee lamp so many times. You will have to know all the deep moods behind these offerings. And the ghee lamp should be given to all from where you are standing. But, if there is a man standing next to you, you can give him the lamp and he can give to others. Otherwise, you cannot offer the lamp to thousands and thousands of devotees who are watching the arati ceremony. In such an instance, the priest will offer the lamp to everyone at once from the deity room and everyone will reverentially worship the ghee lamp offering. In the temples of Govindaji, Gopinatha, lakhs of people attend the arati ceremony, so the ghee lamp cannot be brought to each and every person. It is very difficult. In such a scenario, you can offer the ghee lamp to everyone from where you are standing. This will do. For the water offering, you can pour water last. You should not give the peacock feathered fan to others. Mor-panka (peacock feathered fan) should not be given to others. If you do so, it will be contaminated. You should only offer the ghee lamp to others. The ghee lamp should be offered to Krishna very patiently. The peacock feathered fan should only be used during the summer and not during the winter season. Krishna should be fanned for some time, not for so much time that by fanning Krishna, the pujari will start to sweat. The pujari should fan Krishna very patiently, like how Yasoda, Srimati Radhika, Lalita, and Visakha do. They fan Krishna in a very pleasant and sweet way. Except for the ghee lamp, no other paraphernalia should be given to the assembled devotees and guests. Don’t fan Krishna for an extended period of time, or else He will be angry and He will also be angry with Yasoda.

After these offerings, you should give puspanjali, flowers. By engaging in archana for one birth, or for two, three, four, eight, ten years, or twenty years; any bonafide and Rasik Vaisnava will come and change your archana to seva. At first, you performed arati not knowing Yasoda’s moods, but now, you know Yasoda’s moods. Higher than Yasoda’s arati is the arati of Lalita and Visakha. “Arathi koroye lalitadi sakhi gana,” “Visakhaadi sakhi gana nana rage gaya,” are two lines from the kirtana, “Jaya Jaya Radha Krishna Yugala milana” that describe the intimated services performed by Srimati Radhika’s sakhis. “Radha Krishna prana mora Yugala Kisora jivane marane gati ara nahi mora,” is another kirtana that describes the services performed by Srimati Radhika’s sakhis, friends.

“Radha Ramana Hari, Govinda Jaya Jaya,” is also sung by the sakhis as they perform the arati of Radha Krishna. Lalita’s arati offering is much more superior than Yasoda’s Maiya’s. Where do Radha and Krishna meet Each Other? They meet Each Other in Sanket. Where is Sanket? There are many Sankets, meeting places all over Vraja. They are especially in the pastime-places of Vamsi vata, Nandagaon, and Varsana. When Lalita and Visakha see the Divine Couple-Sri Radha and Krishna, they take mridangas, karatalas, khol, sarangi, vina, violin, jumpha, and all other instruments. Playing on these instruments, they very sweetly and gently sing in unison. So, they see Sri Radha-Krishna and even laugh on beholding the Divine Couple. They tell each other, “Oh Krishna and Srimati Radhika have many scratches on Each Other’s bodies.” On seeing Sri Radha and Krishna, all the sakhis are so happy! But Srimati Radhika and Krishna display a little shyness and shame. But They smile in such a way that They steal all hearts.

So, by performing arcana sincerely, a bonafide Guru and Vaisnava will be found. By their blessings, arcana will be turned and made into direct service to Sri Radha and Krishna. Then the devotee will not perform arcana artificially. His arcana will be bhava-seva, the kind of seva that Srila Rupa Gosvami and Srila Raghunatha das Gosvami were absorbed in. Hence, every devotional practice should culminate in Vraja-seva. Rupa Gosvami and especially Sanatana Gosvami wrote a scripture called Hari-bhakti-vilasa. In this book, Srila Sanatana Gosvami has wonderfully explained how the deities should be worshiped, how the priest or pujari should serve, and how the priest should learn the proper method and mood of worship. Srila Rupa Gosvami has explained bhava-seva in Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu.

[Break of audio]

Srila Gurudeva:…Also, those who are liberated like Srila Rupa Gosvami will perform the same devotional services, but they will add their own moods to their services. To your eyes, they are performing service to Sri Radha and Krishna while being situated in this world, but these liberated personalities while being absorbed in their services think, “I am in Vraja. Evening has come. Sakhis like Lalita and Visakha have come. And everyone is performing the arati of Sri Radha and Krishna.” By performing arati with bhava, tears will come and your heart will melt.

Therefore, the arcana of a kanistha-adhikari and the bhava-seva of an Uttama-adhikari can never be equated and considered one. There is a wide gulf of difference between their services. Svamiji has come to give these moods. But, we don’t know why he left early and didn’t speak often on these moods. But, he has written and given the description of all these moods in his books. He saw during his physical presence that the disciples weren’t qualified, they could not follow all these moods. He has given us the essence of Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu. The essence is also embellished by his commentary. He saw that the devotees could not follow the exalted moods mentioned therein. Hence, he did not give Ujjvala Nilamani and the other books of the Gosvamis. He explained Sri Caitanya Caritamrita, but for whom? For all. But some devotees say, “We are not qualified.” When will you be qualified? Only those who have shraddha, faith are qualified.

Shraddavan jana he! Shraddavan jana he! Only shraddha is needed. Shraddha is of three kinds, depending on the practitioners of bhakti who are the Kanistha-adhikari, Madhyama-adhikari, and the Uttama-adhikari. Gradually, the Kanista-adhikari will become a Madhyama-adhikari. So, we should delve deep into the meanings and purports of Caitanya Caritamrita and all the books of Svamiji. Everything is there in his books. If you delve deep into his books, your eyes will open and behold the entire vista of spiritual wisdom, moods, and knowledge. You will then see that there is no difference between Svamiji, Rupa Gosvami, Srila Prabhupada, our entire Guruvarga, and me. Their instructions speak of the same goal, and carry the same motives. But, only the words are different and there is no other difference. The moods that the words carry never be different. Some devotees will call the culmination of these moods, “Prema,” while other devotees will call this culmination, “Sneha,” while yet another group of devotees will call this essence of all moods, “Maan or Mahabhava.”

I end my class for today.

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.

Gaura Premanande! Haribol!

Devotee: How can we understand what devotion is?

Srila Gurudeva: You will have to go to the devotional school and associate with devotees who are more advanced than you. Without sadhu sanga, nothing can be achieved. You will have to go and ask them and they will answer all your questions.

Devotee: By what means will we understand? By our intelligence?

Srila Gurudeva: No, no! You will have to follow what the sadhus teach you. They mercifully give you the idea, by which you can understand. You cannot understand what bhakti is by any worldly qualification or intelligence. Only the sadhus can make you understand. You will have to give up all worldly knowledge and all its corollaries.

Krishna said in the Bhagavad Gita, “Sarva dharmam parityajna mama ekam sarana vraja.”

Arjuna told Krishna, “I have given up everything. I am surrendered to You. I will only do and follow what You say.”

So, intelligence has no access to this transcendental knowledge. You must listen like how Pariksita Maharaja and Arjuna intently heard from Sukadeva Gosvami and Krishna respectively. Sukadeva Gosvami will speak the same harikatha to the many members of his audience, but only those who have past impressions and impressions from their present lives, who serve and are very polite will understand what Sukadeva Gosvami has to say. Otherwise, intelligence will not make him understand. So, you must repeatedly engage in sadhu-sanga. By repeated engagement in sadhu-sanga, you will achieve the topmost goal. Only shradda, faith will do. You must faithfully surrender to Gurudeva and tell him, “I want to follow you. I want to serve you.” This surrender to Gurudeva is of the essence here. Hence, we should try to have this shraddha.

[Srila Gurudeva leads the devotees in singing the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra and Gurudeva speaks a few sentences before ending his class]

Srila Gurudeva: You should understand that I am not telling you to give up arcana. We will have to follow. There is no other way besides this. But to your arcana, you should add the moods I spoke about. When the pujari is offering the ghee lamp to Krishna, the assembled devotees and the pujari himself should think that Yasoda Ma is offering the ghee lamp to Krishna. And if someone’s devotion is of the highest grade, they will think, “Oh Lalita and Visakha are performing the arati of Sri Radha and Krishna.” Do you understand? When you take water for acaman by uttering the mantra, “Idam acamaniyam,” then you should think, “Oh Yasoda is performing the acaman for Krishna.” You should apply all these moods to your devotion. And then you will realize that all realizations are spontaneously appearing in your heart. Arcana and these moods of the Vrajavasis may seem to be separate from each other, but we will have to apply them in our worship. When arcana and bhava-seva become one, Prema will arise.

Some devotees may think, “Oh Narayana Maharaja is telling the devotees to not perform arcana. He says it is only for third-class devotees.”

[Laughter]

I never speak like this. If you will stay with me for some time, all your questions will be solved automatically. But, you can ask me your questions and I will answer them. I will answer your questions and speak more harikatha gradually. Don’t expect all your questions to be answered in a day or two.

Bas.

Gaura Premanande! Haribol!

Jaya Jaya Sri Radhe Shyama!

Srila Gurudeva to a devotee: Have all your preparations been done?

Devotee: No Gurudeva.

Srila Gurudeva: Then when will they be offered to Thakuraji?

Devotee: I think they cooked separately for Thakuraji.

Srila Gurudeva: Why?

Devotee: Because they have a temple schedule here Gurudeva.

Srila Gurudeva: Even so, the preparations should be offered to Thakuraji. You should not take these preparations without offering them to Thakuraji with Tulasi leaves.

Devotee: Yes Gurudeva. The delay was because we started late.

---

Srila Narayana
Maharaja Page