Sri Krishna Kathamrta

Bindu

Tav k-QaaMa*Ta& TaJaqvNaMa(

tava kathmta tapta-jvanam

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CONTENTS

Issue No. 16

11 November 2001

r Ram Ekda, 10 Dmodara, 515 Gaurbda

K RISHNA O NLY K NOWS V RINDA VAN

H IS D IVINE G RACE A. C. B HAKTIVEDANT A SWAMI P RABHUP ADA

H IDE Y OUR G URU

T HE F EAST

OF THE

R ENUNCIA TE

FROM THE LIFE OF S RILA G OUR K ISHOR D AS B ABAJI

K RISHNA O NLY
K NOWS V RINDA VAN
H IS D IVINE G RACE
A.C. B HAKTIVEDANT A S WAMI P RABHUP ADA
EXCERPT FROM A LECTURE ON
THE NECTAR OF DEVOTION, BOMBAY, 10 JANUARY 1973
Krishna is there. You havent got to
search out Krishna. He is already
within you. Simply He wants to see
whether you are sincere. Thats all. You
cannot deceive Chaitanya or Krishna.
He is always present. In the Bhagavadgt, He is described as anumant and
upadra, the overseer and permitter.
vat sva-kath ka puya-ravaakrtana If you simply hear about Krishna from
the lips of pure devotees, then it is puya
[transcendental piety]. (Bhg. 1.2.17) Ceto-darpaamrjanam bhava-mah-dvgni-nirvpaam, it will
cleanse your heart. (Cc. antya 20.12)
We have got many dirty things within our heart.
Krishna is there within and He will personally
cleanse our heart. Then everything will be clear. It
[only] requires a little willingness. sthne sthit rutigat tanu-v-manobhir ye pryao jita jito py asi
tais tri-lokym. This statement was given by Brahma,
and when it was quoted by Ramananda Raya to
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, He accepted. sthne sthit
ruti-gat tanu-v-manobhir You may remain
in your position. Not that you have to give up your

household life, to accept sannysa, or that you have

to do this, or some other thing. No. Remain in your
position. But try to hear from the proper source and
try to understand. That will make you so strong
that although Krishna is ajita, unconquerable, you
will be able to conquer Him ajito pi ... jito py asi.
Krishna cannot be conquered by anyone, not
by the demons, but a devotee can conquer Him.
Just like Yasodamayi, she has conquered
Krishna. The whole world is trembling before
Krishnas prowess, but Krishna is trembling
before Yasodamayi, or the stick [she is holding].
He wants to be controlled. Because everyone is
praying, My dear Lord, oh, you are so great!
Everyone prays like that, but no one shows his
stick [to Krishna]. But He wants that. It is also
enjoyment for Him. Sometimes He is
disappointed that, No one wants to show Me
their stick. Therefore He searches out such a
devotee who can show Him a stick. Krishna is
so kind. You can become the mother of
Krishna, or you can become the father of
Krishna. What is it to become one with Krishna?
You become the father of Krishna. The
myvds want to merge into the Supreme, but
we want to become the father of Krishna. Why
merge? [The devotee is] more than Krishna! The
devotee can beget Krishna! Krishna accepts
that, Yes, I shall become your child. I shall be
controlled by your stick.
[Krishnas parents] are not ordinary. We should
not think like that. This is nanda-cinmaya-rasa-

Issue Sixteen, Page 2

pratibhva, Krishnas expansion of pleasure
potency. Krishna wants to be controlled by
Yasodamayi. Krishna wants to be defeated by His
friends. Krishna wants to be refused Radharanis
darana. [When] Radharani is angry, she refuses
[to allow Krishna to see Her]. She has ordered the
sakhis, Dont allow Krishna to come here! [Then]
Krishna flatters [the sakhis], Kindly let Me go.
No sir, you cannot go. This is Krishna.
But at the same time, jaya r-rdh-mdhava gopjana-vallabha Krishna is gop-jana-vallabha, He is
rdha-mdhava, He is giri-vara-dhr. When the gops
and the cowherd boys were in distress, He lifted this
Govardhana hill, giri-vara-dhr. That is Krishnas life.
The gops, the cowherd boys, and the inhabitants of
Vrindavan, have sacrificed everything. They do not
know anything but Krishna. Similarly, Krishna does
not know anything beyond Vrindavan. That is
Krishna. That is Bhakti-rasmta-sindhu, the ocean of
blissful life. Thank you very much.

HIDE Y OUR GURU

In Hari Bhakti Vilsa, verse 2.147, Srila
Sanatan Goswami quotes Sammohana-tantra:
gopayed devatm i gopayed gurum tmana
gopayec ca nija mantra gopayen nija-mlikm
One should hide ones ia-deva, one should hide
ones guru, one should hide ones mantra, and one
should hide ones japa-ml.

Wise persons keep their valuables in a

confidential place. Similarly, an intelligent sdhaka
does not advertise his or her guru, nor do they
broadcast themselves as disciples of their guru.
Considering themselves as low, fallen, and unfit
to be considered disciples, sincere devotees do not
want to advertise who their guru is.
Srila Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami has
illustrated the mood of a devotee and disciple:
jagi mdhi haite mui se ppiha
purera ka haite mui se laghiha
I am more sinful than Jagai and Madhai and even
lower than the worms in stool. (Cc. di 5.205)

Similarly, Thakur Bhaktivinode has stated:

garhita cre,
rahilma maji,
n karinu sdhu-saga
laye sdhu-vea,
ne upadei,
e baa myra raga
Remaining absorbed in abominable activities, I
never kept company with sadhus. Now I adopt the

[q k*-Z<ak-QaaMa*Ta ibNdu
garb of a sadhu and act out the role of instructing
others. This is mys big joke. (aragati 7.3)

Although Thakur Bhaktivinode had so much

association with elevated vaiavas, including
his ik-guru Jagannath Das Babaji Maharaj,
he did not flaunt that. Rather, he considered
that, n karinu sdhu-saga I have never had
association with sadhus.
The essential principle in being a disciple is
to follow the order of the guru. Srila Krishnadas
Kaviraj Goswami has described:
cryera mata yei, sei mata sra
tra j laghi cale, sei ta asra
The order of the spiritual master is the active
principle in spiritual life. Anyone who disobeys
the order of the spiritual master immediately
becomes useless. (Cc. di 12.10)

Similarly, it is stated in the Raghu-vaa:

sa uruvn mtari bhrgavea
pitur niyogt prahta dviad-vat
pratyaghd agraja-sana tad
j gur hy avicray
Being ordered by his father, Parashuram killed
his mother, Renuka, just as if she were an enemy.
When Lakshman, the younger brother of Lord
Ramachandra, heard of this, He immediately
engaged Himself in the service of His elder brother
and accepted His orders. The order of the spiritual
master must be obeyed without consideration.
(verse 14.46, quoted in Cc. madhya 10.145)

Srila Thakur Bhaktivinode has described that

there are two types of disciples, the antarmukhaiyas and the bahirmukha-iyas. Antarmukha
literally means inward-facing. It refers to
someone who is introspective. Bahirmukha
literally means outward-facing, and refers to
someone who is absorbed in external things.
Antarmukha-iyas are desirous of bringing
pleasure to their guru. Their focus is on
following the gurus instructions. The
antarmukha-iyas practice gopayed gurum
tmana. They keep their guru and their
relationship with him confidential. An
antarmukha-iya is not interested in advertising
himself as a disciple of his guru, but prefers to
follow the gurus instructions. His meditation
is to try to understand what will please his
guru. The antarmukha-iya is anartha-muktaavasth, he is free from anarthas. His vision of
guru is known as sevya-darana. He sees that
guru should be served and pleased.

Sri Krishna-kathamrta Bindu

Bahirmukha-iyas are disciples who practice the
opposite of gopayed gurum tmana. They are
absorbed in advertising their guru and in making
a show of themselves as being big or intimate
disciples. Such a disciple is also known as gurugiri, or one who makes a business out of guru and
ones relationship with guru. They are not absorbed
in the inner intention of guru. Srila Bhaktivinode
Thakur has described persons who act on such
an external platform as dharmadhvajs (religion
flag-wavers), meaning those who make a
hypocritical or pretentious show of religiosity.
Following the logic oftmavan manyate jagat
(everyone thinks like I do), the bahirmukha-iyas
consider that their guru thinks like they do.
Because they are motivated by the desires for
fame and adoration they think that their guru
also wants such things. The bahirmukha-iyas
are anartha-yukta-avasth, they have anarthas,
material desires, in their hearts. Because of those
anarthas they only see guru in terms of their own
pleasure. This vision is known as bhogya-darana.
They think that making a big show of devotion
will impress their guru and enable them to come
close to their guru. Their idea of guru-bhakti is
to loudly proclaim to the world, mr guru jagadguru My guru is the best or the only one
and any other guru is lesser. They think that
such publicizing will please their guru.
Neglecting or minimizing their gurus
instruction regarding the worship of Krishna,
the bahirmukha-iyas place more emphasis on
worshiping their spiritual master.
In the histories of all the major religions of
the world it is commonly seen that the followers
prefer to worship the guru, prophet, or founder
rather than follow the instructions of that
prophet to worship the Lord (who is unseen
and unknown to them). Srila Prabhupada
addressed this topic on a morning walk in
Bombay on 29 March 1974 when some devotees
mentioned to him that some of the followers of
Swami Narayan were chanting the name of
their guru instead of Krishnas name:
Devotee: In England they are chanting, Swami
Narayan, not Krishna.
Prabhupada: Just see.
Indian man (1): No, they are also ka-bhaktas.
Devotee: How are they, if they are chanting
Swami Narayans name?
Indian man (1): They actually work for the
Krishna only, and they...

Issue Sixteen, Page 3

Prabhupada: No, no. Krishna recommends stra,
harer nma, harer nma, harer nmaiva kevalam. So
why they should chant Swami Narayan? ... In
the Bhagavad-gt it is said, satata krtayanto mm
Krishna. Why should one chant any other
name? Krishna says satata krtayanto mm. Hare
Krishna. Not any other name.... But they are
chanting Swami Narayan. Theyre saying
Swami Narayan is better than Krishna. What kind
of preaching is this? ... This is nonsense. People
will go to the temple and the preacher will say
that Swami Narayans name should be chanted....
Indian man (2): Swami is their guru and Narayan
is God, so both, Prabhupada and Krishna,
Prabhupada and Krishna, Prabhupada Krishna...
Prabhupada: But that does not mean they should
chant [like that]. Just like, we are not instructing
our disciples to chant my name, Bhaktivedanta
Swami, Bhaktivedanta Swami. No. Theyre
chanting Hare Krishna. hari-tvena samasta-strair
ukta Guru is respected as good as Krishna.
But that does not mean I shall teach them to go
and chant my name, Bhaktivedanta Swami,
Bhaktivedanta Swami, Bhaktivedanta Swami.
What is this? We are teaching, Chant Hare
Krishna. Harer nma, harer nma...
Srila Prabhupada morning walk, 29 March
1974, Bombay.

Although the antarmukha-iyas, who follow

the instructions of guru, get the full blessings of
guru, the bahirmukha-iyas do not get the
proper result. In this connection Srila
Jagadananda Pandit has written:
gorra mi gorra mi mukhe balile n cale
torra cra gorra vicra laile phala phale
It is not enough to repeatedly advertise that one is
a devotee of Mahaprabhu by saying, I am
Gauras! I am Gauras! Rather, those who follow
the practices taught by Mahaprabhu are
understood to get the results of being the Lords
follower. Prema-vivarta 8.6

Sometimes we see that bona fide spiritual

masters allow themselves to be advertised in
order to preach. However, this is done in service
to Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Such personalities
are not materially desirous of receiving prestige
from their disciples. The daki, gift, that the
guru wants is jna-sandea the sincere
search for spiritual knowledge (Bhg. 11.19.39).
As the ideal guru, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
has taught us how to please the spiritual master.
Mahaprabhu instructed His followers:
yadi m prati sneha thke sabkra
tabe ka-vyatirikta n gibe ra

[q k*-Z<ak-QaaMa*Ta ibNd u

Issue Sixteen, Page 4

If you really love me, then you should love My
instructions: Dont think of anything but Krishna.
Dont utter any name but Krishna. (Caitanya
Bhgavat madhya 8.27)

Understanding that his spiritual master is

always with Krishna, the antarmukha-iya knows
that by chanting Krishnas name he will come
closer to his guru. In the Vmana-kalpa, Lord
Brahma explains:
yo mantra sa guru skd yo guru sa hari svayam
One should understand that the mantra one has
received from the guru is identical with the guru
and that the guru is identical with Lord Hari. (cited
in Srila Jiva Goswamis Bhakti-sandarbha,
anuccheda 237.8)

Srila Rupa Goswami has described:

atha guro r-pada-dvandva-bhaktim
The holy name gives devotion to the guru.
(Padyval text 24)

Historically, the sdhu-samja, the society of

saintly vaiavas, has never been impressed with
mere external shows of devotion. They are
moved, however, when they see the genuine
vaiava humility and other good qualities that
have manifest in a devotee due to that devotees
dedication to the instructions and bhajan given
by guru (guru-nih). Hence, introspective
devotees prefer to keep their guru hidden and
glorify him by exhibiting exemplary behavior.
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For some devotees, pushing their guru is an

easy way to avoid facing the reality of their own
lack of advancement. They want respect, and
they think it is easier for them to get it by
broadcasting themselves as a disciple of a great
personality than for themselves to manifest the
qualities of a vaiava. However, this kind of
cheating mentality will never attract the
attention of saintly persons. They are not
impressed with whom we have taken initiation
or instructions from. Rather, they want to see
what is our own level of realization.
Since such neophytes equate the showing of
respect to themselves with the showing of
respect to their guru, when they become
chastised or fail to receive the honor and
recognition they want, they accuse the devotees,
You have offended my guru! In this way, Kali,
the personification of this age of quarrel and
hypocrisy, is able to enter the movement of Sri
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and cause dissension,
distracting them from their real business of
chanting and distributing the holy names.
So Srila Sanatan Goswamis instruction
gopayed gurum tmana one should hide
ones guru is advising devotees to go
deeper in their relationship with guru by
basing that relationship on following the
instructions about service and bhajan that their
guru has given.

THE F EAST

OF THE

R ENUNCIA TE

FROM THE L IFE OF S RILA K ISHOR D AS B ABAJI

Once, on the day before the disappearance of
Srila Sanatana Goswami, Srila Gour Kishor Das
Babaji Maharaja called one devotee and said,
Tomorrow is Srila Sanatana Goswamis
disappearance and we will have a grand festival.
In Nabadwip, none of the Goswamis (temple
proprietors) observe this festival .
The devotee then said, How will we be able
to bring all of the things here which are
necessary for the feast?
Srila Babaji Maharaja answered, You dont
have to go anywhere or say anything. Tomorrow
we will simply not eat even once and we will only
chant Hare Krishna. That will be our festival!
Translated by Vyankata dasa Brahmacari from Anaran Prabhura Katha, a
collection of articles written by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati
Prabhupada