Śrī Upadeśāmṛta, Śloka 5

Śrī Upadeśāmṛta, Śloka 5

15 de junio de 2011 a las 13:22

new Braja, 18 May 1997

ŚRĪ ŚRĪMAD BHAKTIVEDĀNTA NĀRĀYAṆA GOSVĀMĪ MAHĀRĀJA

Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Swāmī Mahārāja has written a ṭīkā, an explanation, on Śrī Upadeśāmṛta, Nectar of Instruction. These instructions are for all devotees, from neophytes up to those in the highest stage. Śrī caitanya Mahāprabhu inspired Śrīla rūpa Gosvāmī Mahārāja at prayāga, giving him many instructions, especially for performing sādhana in rāgānugā-bhakti. he outlined all types of bhakti, culminating in prema-bhakti, explaining how to enter it and how to cultivate it.

Kṛṣṇa came and tasted all kinds of bhakti-rasa, but he did not give the process by which neophyte devotees (kaniṣṭha-adhikārīs) practice and advance into madhyama-adhikārī, how a madhyama-adhikārī gradually cultivates his bhakti to uttama-adhikārī, how the uttama-adhikārī can come into svarūpa-siddha-bhakti, and how someone in svarūpa-siddha-bhakti can come into sādhana-siddha and become vastu-siddha, a premī-bhakta.

We will begin here with the fifth śloka. We should not give our attention to anything else. our whole meditation should be focused here. If you read something, you should get absorbed in it, having the attitude that “I am serving this grantha (sacred text) and am taking all these instructions in my heart.” We should not read superficially, hearing with one ear and letting it out the other.

There is a very beautiful story which illustrates this point. In India there was once a king named Vikramāditya. he had so many “jewels”—his counsellors—nine court jewels. all nine were highly learned, but among them Kalidāsa was supremely intelligent. One day a person looking like a madman came, holding a skull in his hand. he was quite naked and very dirty. he came in the council of Vikramāditya and put that skull on the desk, saying:

“I have heard there are many intelligent jewels in your court. Let them come here and test whether the person whose skull I have placed here was intelligent or a fool and a rascal.”

Eight jewels were there, very learned persons, participating in the king’s council, but none of them were able to reply.

Only the skull was there, nothing else, so how could they test it?

Then that madman began to laugh and said: “You are all bogus, foolish persons with no sense. I had heard this, and now I have found out that it is true. So I am going.”

And he took the skull, preparing to leave. In the meantime, Kalidāsa came. the King requested the madman:

“oh, wait a little. another one of my counsellors is coming, and he will answer your question.”

That person put the skull on the desk again, and Kalidāsa came. this same question was asked to Kalidāsa, who then took a long coconut stick made of very fine, long strands used for sweeping and went to the skull. he put the stick in one ear and it came out the other side, through the other ear, then he said:

“Your question is answered.

Do you understand?”

“Oh, you should clarify more,”

The King said.

“I do not understand.”

Kalidāsa explained: “If anything comes in one ear and goes out the other, that person is surely foolish. and if something goes in one ear and does not come out the other, but instead goes into the heart, then he is surely a very intelligent person. thus, from his skull we can understand that this dead person was very foolish.”

If we hear so many things but do not take them into the heart, if we do not cultivate all these teachings, then we are like a foolish person and cannot develop our kṛṣṇa-prema. You have come from many distant, far-away places. So don’t merely take these teachings in one ear and let them go out the other, but keep them in your heart and follow them. Not one of us has come for any worldly gain. We have come here only to see how we can develop our kṛṣṇa-bhakti.

Generally, we are kaniṣṭha-adhikārīs. It may be rare that some of us are madhyama-adhikārī, but not uttama-adhikārī in any case. As kaniṣṭhas and madhyamas, we should try to develop by hearing the instructions of Śrīla rūpa Gosvāmī, as explained by Śrīla Swāmījī. When I say “Swāmījī” or “Bhaktivedānta Swāmījī Mahārāja,” you should understand that I am speaking of my śikṣā-guru, Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Swāmī Mahārāja, your Prabhupāda.

Do not think that Swāmījī Mahārāja is not in the line of rūpa Gosvāmī, and do not think that Swāmījī is saying anything different from rūpa Gosvāmī. Even though Swāmījī has sometimes used different words and has elaborated further. What Śrīla rūpa Gosvāmī has described in two lines or in one śloka, Swāmījī has explained in ten pages, but he is not telling anything different. He is only illuminating the same thing for the benefit of those he is helping, those who are not understanding. So understand that Swāmījī is in the same line as rūpa Gosvāmī. I am reading Swāmījī's commentary, and I will explain it. Don't think that, because his words are not the same as rūpa Gosvāmī's, he is saying something different. Swāmījī is not actually repeating the same words that Śrīla rūpa Gosvāmī has used, but the meaning and the eternal motive are exactly the same.

I shall begin reading from text 5:

kṛṣṇeti yasya giri taṁ manasādriyeta

dīkṣāsti cet praṇatibhiś ca bhajantam īśam

śuśrūṣayā bhajana-vijñam ananyam anya

nindādi-śūnya-hṛdam īpsita-saṅga-labdhyā

You should read the translation.

Devotee reads from The Nectar of Instruction: One should mentally honour the devotee who chants the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa, one should offer humble obeisances to the devotee who has undergone spiritual initiation (dīkṣā) and is engaged in worshiping the Deity, and one should associate with and faithfully serve that pure devotee who is advanced in undeviated devotional service and whose heart is completely devoid of the propensity to criticize others.

Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja: In this translation or even in the text, has Swāmījī mentioned anywhere that “the devotee must be initiated by me, myself only?”

Has he said this?

“We should deal with only those devotees initiated by me?”

has he said this?

Or has he said, “We should consider that only my disciples and the disciples of my disciples are bona fide Vaiṣṇavas”?

In the whole world no others are to be considered as Vaiṣṇavas?

has he said this?

Is there any indication for this?

No!

We should not think that he is speaking about only “my disciples in my society.” No; he is speaking about the whole Vaiṣṇava community. This verse applies to someone who may not even be in caitanya Mahāprabhu’s sampradāya. He may be from the Śrī or rāmānuja sampradāya or in one of the other sampradāyas, even a person outside the four Vaiṣṇava sampradāyas is to be accepted as a Vaiṣṇava if he has heard anything about Kṛṣṇa’s glory. He may not even have taken initiation but he knows the glory of Kṛṣṇa’s name and is uttering Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare. Swāmījī has given the example of his friend who was not in the Kṛṣṇa conscious society. He had not even taken any kind of initiation, he was a famous English musician who had not left all his bad habits in eating, drinking, and smoking, but in his house he had some photos of Kṛṣṇa that he was respecting. In some of his famous songs, he used to sing Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare. Swāmījī is saying in his explanation that we should think of such a person as a member of our family, and he should be respected, even if he is drinking, taking intoxication, or anything else. And if he is initiated by a Vaiṣṇava or is in caitanya Mahāprabhu’s family, we must respect him. If he is coming to our temples or programs, do not criticize him.

So here rūpa Gosvāmī is saying kṛṣṇeti yasya giri taṁ manasādriyeta.

Yes, you should read the purport.

Devotee reads: We can see from practical experience that there are different types of Vaiṣṇavas. the prākṛta-sahajiyās generally chant the hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, yet they are attached to women, money and intoxication.

ŚRĪLA BHAKTIVEDĀNTA NĀRĀYAṆA MAHĀRĀJA: You should know the definition of sahajiyā. Some devotees are telling that nārāyaṇa Mahārāja is a pakkā (complete) sahajiyā. But you should hear the definition of sahajiyā. repeat what you just read.

Devotee reads: The prākṛta-sahajiyās generally chant the hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, yet they are attached to women, money and intoxication.

ŚRĪLA BHAKTIVEDĀNTA NĀRĀYAṆA MAHĀRĀJA: What things?

Women, money and intoxication. But you should not think that by “women” Swāmījī is referring only to men who are attached to women; it also includes women who are attached to men. for men it is women, and for women it is men. otherwise it will be misunderstood. Women will think this does not apply to them and will commit an offense.

Devotee reads: Although such persons may chant the holy name of the Lord, they are not yet properly purified.

ŚRĪLA BHAKTIVEDĀNTA NĀRĀYAṆA MAHĀRĀJA: Wait a little. can anyone say that I am involved with women? Do I drink and smoke, or have any bad habits?

Do I wear my sannyāsī dress when I come to my room in the mandira but change my cloth when I go to other countries?

And about money—I want pure hearts only, I don't want money.

So who is the sahajiyā, myself or those who are saying this?

You can decide. those who are saying this and who are not following

all these instructions are sahajiyās. Kṛṣṇa has given you the intelligence to deliberate on all these matters. Don't accept blindly. Don’t believe their rumours and propaganda. Today, in Kali-yuga, propaganda and rumours are the most prominent weapons, but a Vaiṣṇava is not affected by all these things. read on.

Devotee reads: Although such persons may chant the holy name of the Lord, they are not yet properly purified. Such people should be respected within one’s mind, but their association should be avoided. those who are innocent but simply carried away by bad association should be shown favour if they are eager to receive proper instructions from pure devotees, but those neophyte devotees who are actually initiated by the bona fide spiritual master and are seriously engaged in carrying out the orders of the spiritual master should be offered respectful obeisances.

ŚRĪLA BHAKTIVEDĀNTA NĀRĀYAṆA MAHĀRĀJA: Now come to the purport. We will try to properly re-establish what Swāmījī is saying.

Devotee reads: In order to intelligently apply the six-fold loving reciprocations mentioned in the previous verse, one must select proper persons with careful discrimination. Śrīla rūpa Gosvāmī therefore advises that we should meet with the Vaiṣṇavas in an appropriate way, according to their particular status.

ŚRĪLA BHAKTIVEDĀNTA NĀRĀYAṆA MAHĀRĀJA: What is the paribhāṣā, the definition, of Vaiṣṇava?

He has used the term Vaiṣṇava.

What is the meaning?

Vaiṣṇava is one who has taken mantra, kṛṣṇa or rāma mantra, and is worshiping his deities by that mantra and following the Vaiṣṇava rules and regulations.

Is Swāmījī saying that he is my disciple so he is Vaiṣṇava, and all others are not Vaiṣṇavas?

This would be an offense. We should not make offenses like this. We should adopt this complete paribhāṣā of Vaiṣṇava, regardless of birth, caste or creed. We should accept anyone who is chanting, who is initiated in Vaiṣṇava mantra and worshiping deities by that mantra, following the rules—all these persons are Vaiṣṇavas. The worshipers of Rāma, Nṛsiṁha, Viṣṇu, Kṛṣṇa—all who are worshiping in the proper way—are Vaiṣṇavas. Māyāvādīs also chant Kṛṣṇa’s name, but they are not in a proper Vaiṣṇava process.

Then?

Devotee reads: In this verse he tells us how to deal with three types of devotees—the kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, madhyama-adhikārī and uttama-adhikārī. the kaniṣṭha-adhikārī is a neophyte who has received the hari-nāma initiation from the spiritual master and is trying to chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa.

ŚRĪLA BHAKTIVEDĀNTA NĀRĀYAṆA MAHĀRĀJA: If someone has taken harināma, what is the need of his taking dīkṣā?

Can anyone reply?

Devotee: In Caitanya-Caritāmṛta, Prabhupāda says that it brings one closer to the spiritual master.

ŚRĪLA BHAKTIVEDĀNTA NĀRĀYAṆA MAHĀRĀJA: What is the difference, I want to know, between harināma and dīkṣā?

Which is prominent?

Name or dīkṣā?

Devotee: Name is non-different from nāmi, Kṛṣṇa.

ŚRĪLA BHAKTIVEDĀNTA NĀRĀYAṆA MAHĀRĀJA: Suppose I went to cook somewhere.

Was there a stove?

Yes, a stove was there, a pot was there, the fire was there, water was there, everything was there, but no rice.

So can cooking be done or not?

So take this nāma as rice. Without the help of a stove, water, fire and a pot, the rice cannot be boiled. If all things are there, but there is no rice, then we cannot cook. But if there is rice and all other needed items, then we can boil the rice and take it.

Understand my example?

You should think that nāma is himself Kṛṣṇa, or rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. Nāma is like rice, and the dīkṣā-mantras are like the fire and all other things. To actually realize that the name is himself Kṛṣṇa, all items are required—to purify ourselves, not to purify Kṛṣṇa’s name. Kṛṣṇa’s name is always pure:

nāma-cintāmaṇiḥ kṛṣṇaś

caitanya-rasa-vigrahaḥ

pūrṇaḥ śuddho nitya-mukto

'bhinnatvān nāma-nāminoḥ

(Padma Purāṇa, quoted in CC. Mad. 17.133)

[The holy name of Kṛṣṇa is transcendentally blissful. It bestows all spiritual benedictions, for it is Kṛṣṇa himself, the reservoir of all pleasure. Kṛṣṇa’s name is complete, and it is the form of all transcendental mellows. It is not a material name under any condition, and it is no less powerful than Kṛṣṇa himself. Since Kṛṣṇa’s name is not contaminated by the material qualities, there is no question of its being involved with māyā. Kṛṣṇa’s name is always liberated and spiritual. Because the name of Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa himself are identical, his name is never conditioned by the laws of material nature.]

Kṛṣṇa is the same as his name—there is no difference. His name cannot be impure. It is always pure, always cinmaya, sac-cid-ānanda-maya. But in our stage, we cannot chant the pure name.

Understand?

If we are full of ignorance, full of all kinds of worldly desires, anarthas and offenses, then what we utter as kṛṣṇa-nāma will not actually be kṛṣṇa-nāma. At this time you are standing on the platform of māyā, avidyā, so that name will not be pure. To purify our hearts and to get a real taste in chanting name, dīkṣā is needed.

It is needed for so many other reasons as well: to have a link, a relationship between Kṛṣṇa and oneself, his name and oneself, and to give up all kinds of anarthas and avidyā. Fire is needed to boil water, but boiling water alone is not enough, rice is also required. Dīkṣā is given to purify our heart and develop a link with Kṛṣṇa so that very soon we can realize that the name is himself Kṛṣṇa. Dīkṣā helps to establish the relationship between Kṛṣṇa and the devotee.

Gopī-jana-vallabhāya svāhā. Svāhā means I am offering myself; I am dedicating myself fully at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa.

Which Kṛṣṇa?

Kṛṣṇa’s name, which is the name of brahma, the Supreme truth.

With what relationship?

That same relationship as the gopīs have with Gopī-jana-vallabha. By this relationship we should chant the name, giving up all kṣa, unwanted things. Dī-kṣa: dī means divya jñānaṁ dadāti, giving divya-jñāna, transcendental knowledge.

What is this divya relationship?

Kṛṣṇa is my beloved. It makes no difference whether one is male or female. Dīkṣā gives this relation. If you do not take dīkṣā, this relationship will not come, and you will not be able to give up all your worldly desires and bad habits.

So it helps. But we see examples of devotees, like haridāsa Ṭhākura, who chant harināma but have not taken dīkṣā. there are so many examples of this—no initiation. But yet by chanting and chanting and being in the association of highly realized devotees, they have received kṛṣṇa-prema. But these cases are rare. So we should follow rules and regulations in this matter. We must take dīkṣā.

If you are thinking that “I am like haridāsa Ṭhākura,” then nothing will come. So now I think that you have properly realized this point—what is the difference between harināma and dīkṣā.

Suppose you have only taken dīkṣā but not harināma, what will you get?

If you are not chanting the name but only dīkṣā-mantra, thereby taking out the Kṛṣṇa name from the gopāla-mantra, what remains?

Svāhā, svāhā. nothing remains—no liberation, nothing, zero. So the name has two functions.

Kliṁ and śriṁ are the bīja mantras, and mixing with svāhā, namaḥ or namaskāra, they give us a special kind of power to give up all our bad habits. Without dīkṣā you cannot give them up.

The name can also work, but why should you use it for this?

You should not use the name in this way. Something less powerful can be used instead. the name alone can do everything, but it will take a very long time. Therefore, our ṛṣis have manifested these mantras by which our kṛṣṇa-nāma will quickly develop into śuddha-nāma, pure name. That is why dīkṣā is given in our disciplic order.

Swāmījī has explained this, and I am not telling anything different. You should not think, “oh, if you are saying that but not using the same words, then we will not accept what you say.” I find that if I am using the same words as Swāmījī, you will not understand what his deeper moods are. they are very hard to explain. now go on.

Devotee reads: A madhyama-adhikārī has received spiritual initiation from the spiritual master and has been fully engaged by him in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. The madhyama-adhikārī should be considered to be situated midway in devotional service. The uttama-adhikārī, or highest devotee, is one who is very advanced in devotional service. An uttama-adhikārī is not interested in blaspheming others, his heart is completely clean, and he has attained the realized state of unalloyed Kṛṣṇa consciousness. According to Śrīla rūpa Gosvāmī, the association and service of such a mahā-bhāgavata, or perfect Vaiṣṇava, is most desirable.

ŚRĪLA BHAKTIVEDĀNTA NĀRĀYAṆA MAHĀRĀJA: Again I am repeating: should he be the disciple of the same guru or any other guru?

Swāmījī is not saying, “among my disciples only.” he would never write like this. Never. Nor will you find this idea in any books, in Caitanya-Caritāmṛta, in Upaniṣad, or in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Who initiated parīkṣit Mahārāja?

Who was the guru of parīkṣit Mahārāja?

Devotee: Śukadeva.

ŚRĪLA BHAKTIVEDĀNTA NĀRĀYAṆA MAHĀRĀJA: He did not initiate him. But parīkṣit Mahārāja is saying that Śukadeva is his Gurudeva. He is taking his saṅga and hearing hari-kathā from him. So you should not think that only one’s initiating guru is a Vaiṣṇava and no one else. This mood is offensive. We should not think like this. It is not found anywhere. It is asat-sampradāya. Especially if someone coming in Śrī caitanya Mahāprabhu's sampradāya is qualified, he is a Vaiṣṇava. Even a madhyama-adhikārī should be honoured and heard from.

Go on. Listen very carefully to this line. “one should ...”

Devotee reads: One should not remain a kaniṣṭha-adhikārī.

ŚRĪLA BHAKTIVEDĀNTA NĀRĀYAṆA MAHĀRĀJA: I am always repeating this. Some are saying that you should always be distributing books, always, always, always, and making money, money, money for your whole life and this will take you to Goloka Vṛndāvana in the service of gopī-prema. This is quite absurd, quite absurd. I am thinking that those who are saying this are foolish. Swāmījī is not saying this. These activities are meant for building up one’s sukṛti. They are for newcomers who must do all these activities that Swāmījī has approved, but they should know that this book distribution alone will not be sufficient to achieve the final goal. They should go deep into Swāmījī’s purports, then they will have success. If a devotee is only distributing lākhas and lākhas of books, he will continue coming and going in the cycle of birth and death. By these activities he will only accumulate some sukṛti (spiritual merits).

Swāmījī has not told that one should always remain as a kaniṣṭha-adhikārī. Rather, he has said that one should not remain a kaniṣṭha-adhikārī forever. But some are insisting that we should be like that, and that this is the highest level of service! They are simply bluffing. Quite bluffing. We should not bluff anyone.

Why are they falling down?

They are blaspheming persons for their own gain, and when collecting donations in the name of Guru, they give 25% to the temple and 75% profit goes into their own pockets. Swāmījī is seeing everything, and he cannot tolerate this.

We should advance. one should not remain a kaniṣṭha-adhikārī; he should try to move on, by hearing from a bona fide Vaiṣṇava. Greed will come if he is hearing in this way. If he is cultivating and obeying the orders of bona fide Vaiṣṇavas, like Swāmījī, he will surely become a madhyama-adhikārī. The madhyama-adhikārī will become an uttama-adhikārī, and the uttama-adhikārī will develop kṛṣṇa-prema, in vastu-siddhi. We have not come here to remain in the same kaniṣṭha-adhikārī stage and make offenses. anyone who perpetually remains kaniṣṭha-adhikārī will have limited satisfaction.

Then, “one who is situated on the lowest ...”

Devotee reads: One should not remain a kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, one who is situated on the lowest platform.

ŚRĪLA BHAKTIVEDĀNTA NĀRĀYAṆA MAHĀRĀJA: You should all try to become madhyama-adhikārī, and those who are in madhyama-adikārī should come to madhyama-madhyama-adhikārī, those who are in madhyama-madhyama should come to madhyama-uttama, and those in uttama should try to realize svarūpa-siddhi. And after svarūpa-siddhi, vastu-siddhi. Swāmījī has written everything, everything—śravaṇa-daśā (the stage of hearing), varaṇa-daśā (the stage of acceptance) smaraṇa-daśa (the stage of remembrance), then āpana-daśā (the stage of spiritual ecstasy), and sampatti-daśā (the stage of highest success of prema). He has explained all of this. But we have no chance to go through these books, because we are always only distributing and distributing. We should know, however, that this will not take us to that higher goal.

Devotee: Gurudeva, if one is hearing from a rasika, tattva-jña madhyama-adhikārī Vaiṣṇava, and advancing from kaniṣṭha to madhyama stage, then if that person is still distributing books, is that merely acquiring sukṛti?

ŚRĪLA BHAKTIVEDĀNTA NĀRĀYAṆA MAHĀRĀJA: No harm, no harm. at that time to distribute books is bhakti.

Devotee: Is it the level of consciousness of the person who is distributing that makes the difference?

ŚRĪLA BHAKTIVEDĀNTA NĀRĀYAṆA MAHĀRĀJA: Yes, in any activity. a man is brooming but this is not mentioned in the 64 kinds of bhakti. But brooming in the kuñja will be the highest type of sevā. So all our activities can be utilized—what we are doing and even what we should not do. Sometimes the nonsense of worldly persons, when performed by a devotee, can be the highest service to Kṛṣṇa. But it depends on our stage. So we must try to come to madhyama-adhikārī, and the madhyama-adhikārī must try to come to uttama-adhikārī. Swāmījī Mahārāja is not saying that one should remain a kaniṣṭha-adhikārī forever; he should go forward. he must make some endeavour to progress. If he is not trying, then we should think that he is not in good association. there is some weakness, some leakage there, either in his guru or in himself.

If his guru is not qualified, then he should give up that guru. If our eagerness or enthusiasm is not coming, and we are not trying to develop our Kṛṣṇa consciousness from kaniṣṭha-adhikārī to madhyama-adhikārī due to an unqualified guru, then that guru should be given up.

Devotee reads: One should not remain a kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, one who is situated on the lowest platform of devotional service and is interested only in worshiping the Deity in the temple.

ŚRĪLA BHAKTIVEDĀNTA NĀRĀYAṆA MAHĀRĀJA: Only worshiping and worshiping for thousands of years, but not serving a high-class Vaiṣṇava, will not be sufficient. If you want to develop, you can perform deity worship, but at the same time you will have to develop your Kṛṣṇa consciousness by the association of uttama-rasika Vaiṣṇavas. Otherwise you will not advance.

Devotee: Gurudeva, I was wondering what is the minimum qualification of a....

ŚRĪLA BHAKTIVEDĀNTA NĀRĀYAṆA MAHĀRĀJA: You should hear all these things and gradually all your doubts will be resolved. But hear very patiently and very deeply. Try to absorb yourself in one thing. Don’t let your mind go to other subjects. You should try to become absorbed in what we are doing now. Concentrate on one thing only, on what I am giving here, what Swāmījī is saying. Don’t stray from the subject. Try to understand these words, the deep meaning of Swāmījī’s statements and his mood. then you can develop.

Devotee reads: A person who is very faithfully engaged in the worship of the Deity in the temple, but who does not know how to behave toward devotees or people in general is called a prākṛta-bhakta, or kaniṣṭha-adhikārī.

ŚRĪLA BHAKTIVEDĀNTA NĀRĀYAṆA MAHĀRĀJA: You should know what is kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, and then take your hand here (pointing to his heart) and judge for yourself what kind of adhikāra you have, what stage you are in. You can easily judge this for yourself. otherwise you cannot advance. and then try to develop.

Who is kaniṣṭha-adhikārī?

One who has no association of any advanced Vaiṣṇava and is only worshiping the Deity may think that he is more advanced than all others. If someone comes who may give so much money, the pujarī will think, “If I do not honour him, he may leave and not give money.

So I should honour him.”

He will take the garland of Ṭhākurajī, but how will he give it?

He will not touch the person, he will throw it. If you go to Bihārījī Mandira or any mandira of Vṛndāvana where all the Gosvāmīs are kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, you will see that they throw garlands even to devotees who are uttama-mahā-bhāgavata. If Śukadeva Gosvāmī or nārada Muni come, they will throw the garland like this, because they don't know anything. they think, “Oh, that Deity is not mine so he can be dishonoured, but this is my Ṭhākura, and only he is to be honoured—not all others.

Why are those people giving donations to that Deity?

They should all give to my Deity.” He is not thinking that my Deity is everywhere, that my Deity is fully Kṛṣṇa. They cannot think like this because they have not developed their Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You should try to develop your Kṛṣṇa consciousness. I think it will be interesting for you to genuinely realise Swāmījī’s teachings. I am not saying anything new; I am only explaining the words of Swāmījī here.

Do not think that I am saying anything separate here and there?

You will also see this in all other authentic books. You should try to hear, because I think that you did not have much opportunity to be with Swāmījī and to serve him practically in a direct relationship. I have had that opportunity. I was lucky to serve him personally for more than 30 years, so you can safely hear something from me to develop your bhakti.

Gaura premānande!