Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Maharaj
691209DB.LA Lectures 240564/530501
When he was a child two, three years old, he ate one mango fruit
which was kept for offering to the Deity. So his father mildly rebuked
him, “Oh, you have done a very wrong thing. It was meant for Deity,
and you have taken it. You should not have done it.” The child was two
or three years old. He took it so seriously that never after that he
took mango. Whenever we offered him mango he said, “No, I am offender.
I cannot take mango.” He was thinking like that, you see. Never in his
life he took a mango. He was thinking that “I offended in my childhood
by taking the mango of the Deity.” This is the characteristic of
acarya. They teach by their life’s action that one should be so much
determined, that one should not be… A child took the mango, there
was no offense. But he took that vow.
Another instance, in my presence. At that time, we were also young
men, and one of my Godbrothers, his name is Dr. Oul Bihari Kapoor…
He’s now retired in Vrndavana, last time I saw him. He was also young
man, and his wife was also young. So we were sitting together, talking
with Guru Maharaja, and the girl proposed, “My dear master, I want to
speak with you.” So Guru Maharaja said, “Yes, you can talk whatever
you like.” So she said, “I want to talk with you secretly, not in the
presence of everyone.” Guru Maharaja said, “No. I cannot talk with you
secretly. You can talk in the presence of my all other disciples.” So
even that girl was just like his granddaughter by age calculation, he
refused to talk with a young woman in a secret place. These are the
instances. So in his life he was akhanda brahmacari.
At that time, Guru Maharaja was
indisposed little, and he was staying at Jagannatha Puri, on the
seashore. So I wrote him letter, “My dear master, your other
disciples, brahmacari, sannyasi, they are rendering you direct
service. And I am a householder. I cannot live with you, I cannot
serve you nicely. So I do not know. How can I serve you?” Simply an
idea, I was thinking of serving him, “How can I serve him seriously?”
So the reply was dated 13th December, 1936. In that letter he wrote,
“My dear such and such, I am very glad to receive your letter. I think
you should try to push our movement in English.” That was his writing.
“And that will do good to you and to the people who will help you.”
That was his instruction. And then in 1936, on the 31st December–that
means just after writing this letter a fortnight before his
departure–he passed away. But I took that order of my spiritual
master very seriously, but I did not think that I’ll have to do such
and such thing. I was at that time a householder. But this is the
arrangement of Krsna. If we strictly try to serve the spiritual
master, his order, then Krsna will give us all facilities. That is the
secret. Although there was no possibility, I never thought, but I took
it little seriously by studying a commentary by Visvanatha Cakravarti
Thakura on the Bhagavad-gita. In the Bhagavad-gita the verse
vyavasayatmika-buddhir ekeha kuru-nandana, in connection with that
verse, Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura gives his commentary that we
should take up the words from the spiritual master as our life and
soul. We should try to carry out the instruction, the specific
instruction of the spiritual master, very rigidly, without caring for
our personal benefit or loss. So I tried a little bit in that spirit. So he has given me all
facilities to serve him…
Devotee: When your spiritual master was a little boy, did, was he, um,
did he do things like Lord Caitanya did like when He went to the, um,
like when Lord Caitanya went to the water and all girls were asking
for…
Prabhupada: No, he was not so much naughty. (laughs) My Guru Maharaja
was very gentle boy. Yes. Caitanya Mahaprabhu was very naughty boy.
Yes. (laughs) And Krsna was also very naughty boy. (pause) Chant Hare
Krsna. ….
731213DB.LA Lectures 240591/530501
So at that time we had some talks, and of course I was defeated by
his argument, my argument. (laughter) And then, when we came out, we
were offered prasadam, very nice treatment, the Gaudiya Matha. And
when I came out on the street, this my friend asked me, “What is your
opinion of this sadhu?” Then I said that “Here is the right person who
has taken up Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s message, and now it will be
distributed.”
Devotees: Jaya!
Prabhupada: So I was at that time a fool, but I opined like this. And
I accepted him as my spiritual master immediately. Not officially, but
in my heart. That was in 1922. Then, in 1923, I left Calcutta on my
business tour…
If somebody wants to be actually devotee of
Krsna, at the same time, keeps his material attachment, then Krsna’s
business is He takes away everything material, so that cent percent he
becomes, I mean to say, dependent on Krsna. So that actually happened
to my life. I was obliged to come to this movement to take up this
very seriously. And I was dreaming that “Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati
Thakura is calling me, ‘Please come out with me!’ ” (pause) So I was
sometimes horrified, “Oh, what is this? I have give up my family life?
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura is calling me? I have to take
sannyasa?” Oh, I was horrified. But I saw several times, calling me.
So anyway, it is by his grace I was forced to give up my family life,
my so-called business life. And he brought me some way or other in
preaching his gospel. So this is memorable day. What he desired, I am trying little bit,
and you are all helping me
761210DB.HYD Lectures 240635/530501
So 1922 I met my Guru Maharaja through the exigency of my intimate
friend, Mr. Narendranath Mullik. And I would not go. He told me
information, “There is a nice sadhu. Let us go and see.” I did not
like very much these sadhus in those days, national spirit. So I said,
“I have seen many sadhus. They come at my father’s care. I was not
very much pleased with their behavior.” So he dragged me forcibly:
“No, I have heard this person is very exalted.” So I went. And his
first opening version was that “You are educated young men. Why don’t
you preach Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s gospel in the Western countries?” I
did not know. So this was his blessing in the first meeting. I did not
know, but because we belonged to a Vaisnava family we were very much
worshiper of Lord Caitanya and Nityananda, our family Deity. So I was
very much pleased that “Here is a personality who is going to preach
Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s gospel.” I was very much pleased.
So anyway, from 1922 to 1933 practically I was not initiated, but I
got the impression of preaching Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s cult. That I was
thinking. And that was the initiation by my Guru Maharaja. Then
officially I was initiated in 1933 because in 1923 I left Calcutta. I
started my business at Allahabad. So I was always thinking of my Guru
Maharaja, that “I met a very nice sadhu.” …..
…. And in 1933 I was officially initiated, and my only qualification was when I was
introduced to my Guru Maharaja for initiation, so Guru Maharaja
immediately said, “Yes, I shall initiate this boy. He is very nice. He
hears me very patiently. He does not go away.” So that was my
qualification. The high standard of philosophy which he was speaking
at that time, practically I could not follow what was, he was
speaking, but still, I liked to hear him. That was my hobby.
Whenever… I was asking that “When Guru Maharaja will speak?” So he
took it very seriously.
761210DB.HYD Lectures 240643/530501
So I am very much happy that he is doing there very nice. So this should be
the attitude. My Guru Maharaja wanted me to preach in the Western
countries, although I was at that time a ordinary manager in a
chemical firm. I never thought, but I took it seriously. So from that
1922, in 1965 it was fruitful. How many years?
Devotee: Forty-three.
Prabhupada: Forty-three years. So it is better late than never. Yes.
So he desired me. I thought, “Now I am a family man. Let me adjust
things.” I would have accepted immediately, but I was not so
intelligent at that time. I thought “My responsibility to family is
there. Let me wait.” But still, Guru Maharaja was so kind to me that
when I was grhastha, I was seeing him in dreaming and I was… He
asked me, “You come with me.” So I was going, and after that, I was
thinking, “Oh, I will have to take sannyasa and go with him?” So it
appeared to me very horrible. I was not very much inclined to take
sannyasa, but Guru Maharaja is so kind that he ultimately forced me to
take sannyasa and do this work. So it is all his kindness. So this is
the memory of his kindness.
Generally a girl dresses also to attract the attention of the boy. So
the same thing is there but it is Krsna’s sense gratification, not the
gopis’. The gopis did not want anything. But Krsna will be satisifed.
That is the difference between lust and love. Love is there, only
possible, when it is diverted towards Krsna. That is love. And beyond
that… Not beyond that… Below that, everything is lust. So we
should always remember this. The senses are not stopped, but when the
gratification of the senses is directed towards Krsna, that is bhakti,
or love. And when the sense gratification is directed towards personal
self, that is lust. This is difference between lust and love.
So Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura knew this art, how to
turn our activities for the satisfaction of Krsna. This is Krsna consciousness movement
