The lectures in this series, originally delivered by r rmad Gour Govinda Swami Mahrja, a dear disciple of His Divine

Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda, Founder-crya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, following in the line of the r Brahm-madhva-gauya-sampradya,[1] are now being presented as e-books by his disciples and followers.

In the spirit of cooperative selfless service, devotees contributing to the V-Saga website, includes e-books, The Daily Quote, and audio/video uploads, are Titiku Ds, Jayant r Devi Dsi and Mahakti Dsi

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1. The sampradya originating from Lord Brahm and further descending through its principal teachers Madhvchrya and r Chaitanya Mahprabhu.

Originally delivered as a morning lecture on the rmad Bhgavatam 8.22.35-36 at the Ka Balarma Mandir, Bhubaneswar, India. March 13, 1993

Publisher V-Saga

Table of Contents :
Purport by rla Prabhupda.........................................2 Demoniac Mentality Is Vanquished.............................2 Who Is a Real Sdhu?...................................................3 Surrender Then Associate............................................5 Service Without Duplicity............................................6 The Dust from Their Feet.............................................7 Ka Becomes Completely Captured.........................8 Sdhu Saga Means To Hear.....................................10 Sdhus Are the Asset ................................................12 Sdhus Are Always Here............................................15 Servant of The Mind..................................................16 Getting That Vision...................................................16 Material Vision... ........................................................18 External Activities of A Sdhu ..................................21

The Strong Boat of Sdhu Saga

rakiye sarvato ha tv snuga saparicchadam sad sannihita vra tatra m drakyate bhavn tatra dnava-daityn sagt te bhva sura dv mad-anubhva vai sadya kuho vinakyati
O great hero, I shall always be with you and give you protection in all respects along with your associates and paraphernalia. Moreover, you will always be able to see Me there. Because there you will see My supreme prowess, your materialistic ideas and anxieties that have arisen from your association with the demons and Danavas will immediately be vanquished.[1]

1. Bhg. 8.22.35-36

Purport by rla Prabhupda

The Lord assured Bali Mahrja of all protection, and finally the Lord assured him of protection from the effects of bad association with the demons. Bali Mahrja certainly became an exalted devotee, but he was somewhat anxious because his association was not purely devotional. The Supreme Personality of Godhead therefore assured him that his demoniac mentality would be annihilated. In other words, by the association of devotees, the demoniac mentality is vanquished.

sat prasagn mama vrya-savido bhavanti ht-kara-rasyan kath [1]

When a demon associates with devotees engaged in glorifying the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he gradually becomes a pure devotee.

Demoniac Mentality Is Vanquished

The Supreme Personality of Godhead has indirectly spoken about the association of sdhus. Here, Bhagavn Viu says, Because there you will see My supreme prowess, your materialistic ideas and anxieties that have arisen from your association with the demons and Danavas will immediately be vanquished. In Sutala, Bali Mahrja will see the Supreme Personality of Godhead and His prowess. How could Bali Mahrja get such mercy? He is a great demon, king of the demons. How could he get this mercy having been pushed down to Sutala? Still the Supreme Personality of Godhead assures him, you will see Me. I am there with you. And, all your materialistic ideas and anxieties that have arisen from the association of demons and Danavas, will be immediately vanquished. That means the great demon, Bali, has now become an exalted devotee. So how could he get such an opportunity?

1. Bhg. 3.25.25

3 Devotee: Because Prahlda was a sdhu. Gour Govinda Swami: Yes. This is the mercy of a sdhu, the mercy of his grandfather, Prahlda Mahrja, a mah-bhgavata. So, he is kpsiddha, liberated by the mercy of Kas devotee. In the purport rla Prabhupda said: The Supreme Personality of Godhead therefore assured him that his demoniac mentality would be annihilated. In other words, by association with devotees, pure devotees, the demoniac mentality is vanquished. This is a most important thing. sat prasagn mama vrya-savido bhavanti ht-kara-rasyan kath [1]
When a demon associates with devotees engaged in glorifying the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he gradually becomes a pure devotee.

This is a devotee, one who is always, every moment engaged in glorifying the Supreme Personality of Godhead. When a demon associates with such a devotee he gradually becomes a pure devotee. This takes place by the association of sdhu. Therefore sdhu-saga is most important.

Who Is a Real Sdhu?

How can one develop bhakti? The purpose of this rarely achieved human birth, durlabha mnava janma, is to develop bhakti, the fifth pururtha, supreme pururtha, ka-bhakti. So how can one develop bhakti? Devotee: Only in the company of sdhu. Gour Govinda Swami: Yes. Bhgavatam says, bhaktis tu bhagavadbhakta-sagena parijyate [2] by the association of bhagavad-bhakta, pure devotees of Bhagavn one can develop bhakti. This is the only means. Mahprabhu said:
1. Bhg. 3.25.25 2. Bhan-nradya Pura 4.33

ka-bhakti-janma-mla haya sdhu-saga ka-prema janme, teho puna mukhya aga

The root cause of devotional service to Lord Ka is association with advanced devotees. Even when ones dormant love for Ka awakens, association with devotees is still most essential. [1]

Mahprabhu came to teach us practically how to develop bhakti. He said, ka-bhakti-janma-mla haya sdhu-saga by the association of sdhu one can develop ka-bhakti. Gour Govinda Swami: Who is a real sdhu? Devotee: One who is completely attached to Ka. Gour Govinda Swami: Yes. One who is completely surrendered unto the lotus feet of Ka and has no other desires. In the Bhakti-rasmtasindhu, rla Rpa Gosvm says: anybhilit-nya jna-karmdy-anvtam nuklyena knu lana bhaktir uttam [2] He is sdhu who is completely free from all desire for bhukti and mukti, material enjoyment and liberation. This is anybhilit. He is always, every moment engaged in the loving service of Ka, engaged in the service or activity that gives pleasure and happiness to Ka. This is nuklyena knu lana. This is sdhu. If someone is fortunate and gets the association of such a sdhu, he will very easily develop kabhakti, uddha-bhakti, and consequently he will develop ka-prema and get Ka. Mahprabhu set the example in His own life.

1. Cc. Madhya. 22.83 2. Brs 1.1.11

Surrender Then Associate

Mahprabhu is Ka but He came as a devotee to teach devotion, bhakti. In His own life He associated with exalted devotees of Ka, Rmnanda Rya and Svarpa Dmodara Gosvm, great devotees, premi-bhaktas. They are always with Ka, and they were always with Mahprabhu. They had developed pure ka-prema. They had bound Ka by the rope of love in their hearts. In His antya-ll, Mahprabhu associated with them. Mahprabhu says: The association of My dear devotees is greater than associating with Me. He has established that example in His own life. One should associate with such a devotee, sdhu, being completely surrendered unto him. Without surrender there is no question of association. You will not get any benefit at all. It will be fruitless. One may be surrendered to Ka, but Ka is not at all pleased with him if he doesnt do sdhu-saga. Try to understand this. It is most important. One may be surrendered to Ka, but if he doesnt do sdhu-saga Ka will never be pleased with him. That means he cannot capture Ka. Sdhu-saga is required. If he is completely surrendered to the sdhu and associates with sdhu then he gets the real benefit of sdhusaga. This verse in rmad Bhgavatam [1] says: tatra bhgavatn dharmn iked gurv-tma-daivata amyaynuvtty yais tuyed tmtma-do hari That means one should always be with the guru, thinking of guru as the very dear and worshipable deity of my heart, tma-devat. With that mentality, if someone surrenders unto guru and hears rmad-Bhgavata kath from him he will get the mercy of guru, thereby bhgavata-dharmatattva will be revealed to him.

1. Bhg. 11.3.22

yasya deve par bhaktir yath-deve tath gurau tasyaite kathit hy arth prakante mahtmana The Svetvatara Upaniad [1] says the same thing. One who has parbhakti, supreme bhakti towards the Supreme Lord as well as to guru, this truth, bhgavata-dharma-tattva, Vedic truth, is revealed before him. Otherwise you cannot get it.

Service Without Duplicity

And, your surrender, your service, whatever you render, should be rendered without duplicity, nikapaa vtta. This is most important. If someone surrenders unto sdhu-guru and serves him, renders service without duplicity, Ka is very pleased with him, yes, tmad hari, He gives Himself. Otherwise, upon seeing Gurudeva you fall flat like a rod, paying daavat, kp karo kp karo, Gurudeva, please shower your mercy on me. But, inside there is so much duplicity. You are only speaking from the lips, Gurudeva, kp karo, please shower your mercy. You cannot please sdhu-guru and you cannot please Hari either. He knows that your heart is full of duplicity. You cannot cheat Lord Hari. He is in your heart. Oh, his heart is filled with so much duplicity. He is only speaking from the lips, Daavat, daavat, kp-karo kpkaro. Please shower your mercy, O Gurudeva,but inside there is much duplicity. Hari is never pleased. Ka only becomes pleased if you do sdhu-saga and sdhu-guru sev, service to sdhu-guru without duplicity. This is the means to please Ka. Daily we chant this verse from the Gurvaaka prayer:

1. Svetvatara Upaniad 6.38

7 yasya prasdd-bhagavat-prasdo, yasy-prasdn-na gati kuto pi [1] If sdhu-guru is pleased then Ka becomes pleased. If sdhu-guru is displeased, Ka cannot be pleased.

The Dust from Their Feet

Therefore, many songs by Narottama dsa hkura and Bhaktivinode hkura, all vaiavas, vaiava cryas, mahjanas, they sing the glories of sdhu. vaiava-caraa-reu bhaa kariy tanu jha haite anubhba haya marjjana haya bhajana sdhu-sage anukaa ajna-abidy-parajaya [2] In Prema-bhakti-candrik, Narottama dsa hkura says: By the association of sdhu, if you do bhajana, nma-bhajana, chant hare ka, your bhajana will be pure, free from apardha and free from anarthas, contamination, and ajna vidy, ignorance will be completely destroyed. He says: the dust from the feet of a vaiava-sdhu is very powerful. If someone smears his body with the dust of the vaiavas then his consciousness is gradually completely purified, and all Vedic truth, bhagavata-tattva, bhakti-tattva is revealed to him. This is the mercy of the vaiavas. hkura vaiava-pada avanra su-sampada suna bhi ha eka mana raya laiy bhaje tre ka nhi tyaje ra saba mare akraa [3]
1. r r Gurv-aaka text 8 2. Prema-bhakti-chandrik Song 1 Text 5 3. Prrthan song 44

In Prrthan, rla Narottama dsa hkura says, these vaiava-sdhus are the worlds invaluable assets. They are the bhaa, ornaments of the world. Taking shelter of a pure sdhu, one who does ka-bhajana, Ka never deserts him. Without taking shelter of such a sdhu, though he does bhajana, Ka kicks him, Get out! Your bhajana is no bhajana at all. It is only mental speculation. Do you know how to do bhajana? You can be taught how to do bhajana only in the association of one who is engaged in bhajana. Otherwise, you will only be speculating, Yes, I can do this or do that, or that, or that, or that. It is speculation, nothing else. Therefore Bhaktivinode hkura and Narottama dsa hkura have written many songs about the glories of the vaiavas.

Ka Becomes Completely Captured

When Bhagavn Viu became pleased with the severe austerity and penance of the Pracets He appeared before them and told them to ask for a boon. What did the Pracets answer? Devotee: They wanted a most wonderful boon. Gour Govinda Swami: What was that? Devotee: They asked for the association of devotees. Gour Govinda Swami: Yes. They said, martyn kim utia, What boon is there? tulayma lavenpi na svarga npunar-bhavam bhagavat-sagi-sagasya martyn kim utia [1]

1. Bhg. 4.30.34

9 We are the residents of Martyapura, this earth planet, subject to birth and death. What boon is there for us? There is only this one boon, bhagavat-sagi-sagasya, the association of that sdhu who is day and night with Bhagavn, bhagavat-sagi. The association of a sdhu, even for a moment, cannot be compared with elevation to the heavenly planets, heavenly enjoyment, apavarga labha, or the bliss obtained in the Brahman platform. So what boon is there? There is only this one boon, to associate with a sdhu, because by that association one can attain pure bhakti, prema-bhakti, which is durlabha, rarely achieved. That is stated by Mahprabhu. I have already quoted that verse. You will get ka-prema, and get Ka. Ka becomes completely captured by him. Therefore sdhu-saga, bhakta-saga, the association of devotees, pure devotees, sdhus, is superior to that of the Lords association. If you associate with sense-gratification or associate with people who are attached to sense-gratification, what is the result? The result is that material entanglement, material delusion, moh will develop. ki vidyay ki tapas ki tygena rutena v ki viviktena maunena strbhir yasya mano htam [1] What is the use of higher education or the practice of austerities and renunciation, and what is the use of studying religious scriptures, of living in solitude and silence, if, after all that, ones mind is stolen by a woman? Keep Ka in your mind. One who keeps Ka in his mind, day and night, if he associates with sdhu, then by sdhus association, by his mercy, all anarthas will be completely destroyed. A demon will become a devotee. That is said here. Yes, a great demon, a two-legged hog, a great demon. Mahrja! Mahrja! I will go to Australia. Why

1. Bhg. 11.26.12

10 will you go to Australia? To become a greater demon? Yes, in Australia so much stool is available. There is no stool available here in the Ka Balarma Mandira. You are saying, O Mahrja, Mahrja, it is very difficult. I cannot tolerate. There is no stool here. It is so intolerable. Is our goal is to get Ka, to develop ka-prema, or is it to eat stool? Become a devotee, not a demon. By the association of sdhu a demon becomes an exalted devotee. Prabhupda says in the purport, it is stated here in this verse. As yoit-saga, association with those who are too much addicted to sense gratification develops delusion and material entanglement, similarly the association of an elevated devotee, pure sdhu, who has developed ka-prema, develops pure bhakti. An intelligent and wise person always hankers for elevated association. He will develop greed to get the association of such a sdhu. Develop that greed. Why are you developing greed for eating stool? Develop greed for prema, ka-prema, in the association of sdhus. Therefore it is said, the association of such a sdhu is superior to the association of the Supreme Lord. If you will gain the association of such sdhus you will never be deluded. You will never be materially entangled. That delusion is completely destroyed. All anarthas will be completely destroyed. This is how you can get spiritual strength. By the association of sdhu you will get spiritual strength, bhakta-saga-bala, the strength derived from the association of sdhu. One who has spiritual strength cannot be deluded by anyone. My cannot enchant him and my cannot entrap him. Nobody can shake him from the path of pure devotion. He is fixed. He is unshakeable.

Sdhu Sa ga Means To Hear

With the exception of Mahaprabhus sampraday, the Gauysampraday, the glory of vaiava-saga or bhakta-saga has not been

11 declared, chanted or described in other Sampradyas. To think of a vaiava or vaiavas, to engage in the glorification of a vaiava, to remember the instructions of the vaiavas, is a rarely achieved boon, durlabha airvda. Only one who does so will be able to do the bhajana of Rdh-Govinda. Otherwise you cannot do the bhajana of RdhGovinda or serve Rdh-Govinda. The opportunity will not be available to you. Therefore you have to hear from the lips of a devotee, vaiava. That is association. Association means to hear bhgavatam-kath, kakath from the lips of a pure devotee vaiava. Mahprabhu gave this simple definition of who is guru: yei ka-tattva-vett, sei guru haya [1] one who knows Ka is a guru. To hear from him with concentrated attention, completely taking shelter, surrendering unto him, putting complete faith in his words, that is saga, that is association. Association means to imbibe the mood of the sdhu. What is sdhus mood? Ka-prema. It is that loving mood. One who loves Ka loves one and all. One who loves Ka sees Ka everywhere. And, he sees in all jvas, Oh, he is Kas dsa. He is Kas. So he loves everybody. That is the mood of a sdhu. That is saga. What is saga otherwise? This is the purport of saga, association. And one should develop greed for it. This is the real utilization of greed. Material greed is your enemy. It will drive you to the hell. So, utilize greed in this way. sdhu-sage hari-kath ei-mtra ci sasra jinite ra kona vastu ni [2] I have only one desire, how to get sdhu-saga, associate with sdhu more and more, and hear ka-kath more and more, then I will be able to conquer my, and conquer this material world. There is no other means.
1. Cb. Madhya 8.128 2. Jaiva-dharma Ch. 7

12 One should develop this greed. Otherwise, how can you develop kabhakti? How can you serve Ka? How can you serve Rdh-Govinda? You cannot serve at all. It will only be artificial, external, and simply pretension, not real service. Without love, Rdh-Govinda will never accept your service. This is loving service. Prahlda Mahrja, Dhruva Mahrja, all the great devotees have given many statements about sdhu-saga. And they have all developed this one aspiration, as the rmad-Bhgavatam [1] explains: nimajjyonmajjat ghore bhavbdhau paramyaam santo brahma-vida nt naur dhevpsu majjatm
The devotees of the Lord, peacefully fixed in absolute knowledge, are the ultimate shelter for those who are repeatedly rising and falling within the fearful ocean of material life. Such devotees are just like a strong boat that comes to rescue persons who are at the point of drowning.

Sdhus Are the Asset

A person who is drowning in the ocean, what does he need? Devotee: A strong boat. Gour Govinda Swami: Yes, he is in need of a strong boat. Those who are drowning in this dreadful ocean of the material existence, what do they need? Devotee: The strong boat of sdhu-saga. Gour Govinda Swami: They need the association of sdhu. Sdhusaga is the strong boat for them. Without it they cannot be delivered from this whirlpool of material existence, my. They will continue revolving in the cycle of birth and death, sometimes taking birth in higher species, sometimes in lower species. How can they be free from it?

1. Bhg. 11.26.32

13 How can they stop this revolution unless they have sdhu-saga? rmad Bhgavatam [1] says: anna hi prin pra rtn araa tv aham dharmo vitta n pretya santo rvg bibhyato raam
Just as food preserves all creatures, just as I am the ultimate shelter for the distressed, and just as religion is the wealth of those who are passing away from this world, so My devotees are the only refuge of persons fearful of falling into a miserable condition of life.

The living entities need anna for their survival. Anna means food. Similarly, Bhagavn says, I am the life and soul of the distressed living entity, rti. As dharma is the asset for the human beings up to death, parloka, similarly, sdhu-gaa, sdhus are the asset of the materially distressed persons, those who have been drowning, from time immemorial in this dreadful ocean of material existence. This is the purport of this verse. Offering prayer to the Supreme Lord Anantadeva, Dhruva Mahrja prayed for sdhu-saga: bhakti muhu pravahat tvayi me prasago bhyd ananta mahatm amalaynm yenjasolbaam uru-vyasana bhavbdhi neye bhavad-gua-kathmta-pna-matta
O Supreme Lord Anantadeva, please grant me this opportunity to have the association of Your dear devotees, sdhus, those who are constantly attached to You, and are every moment engaged in Your loving service. By the association of sdhus, mahtms I will hear Your glorification and Your sweet kath from their lotus lips, thereby I will

1. Bhg.11.26.33

14
gain the spiritual strength to cross over this dreadful ocean of material existence without difficulty. [1]

Again, in another verse, Dhruva Mahrja prays for sdhu-saga: te na smaranty atitar priyam a martya ye cnv ada suta-suhd-gha-vitta-dr ye tv abja-nbha bhavadya-padravindasaugandhya-lubdha-hdayeu kta-prasag
O Lord Padmanabha, who have a lotus navel, persons who are greedy for the nectar emanating from Your lotus feet, seeking their sweet scent, who are dear to You, who are completely free from material attachment of the material body, and those who are related to the body, wife, husband, sons and daughters, home and hearth, assets, please bestow mercy upon me the opportunity of the association of Your sdhus, then all thoughts of material enjoyment will no longer haunt my mind. You will be there, completely, in my mind. [2]

Throughout the Bhgavatam there is glorification of sdhu-saga by all the vaiavas, great devotees, Pracets, Dhruva Mahrja and Prahlda Mahrja. But, in the material world, materialistic people are very proud of their own senses. They want to see a sdhu with their material vision. If you ask, O my brothers, why are you not doing sdhu-saga? They say, Oh, is there a sdhu? Where is sdhu? I cannot see any sdhu. I am in search of a sdhu. They are known as adhyakia, those who rely on their senses. They say, We are searching for sdhu. But they only find fault with the sdhu. They are not seeing the good qualities of the sdhu because their vision, their mentality is material. They say they are continuously searching. The day will come when I will get a real, pure sdhu. But you should understand these people are only posing that they are doing bhakti-sdhana, bhakti-yjana. They only pretend. In fact they are great impersonalists.
1. Bhg. 4.9.11 2. Bhg. 4.9.12

15

Sdhus Are Always Here

There is a story about a famous dharma-net. What is the English translation? Devotee: A religious leader. Gour Govinda Swami: This religious leader was a devotee of Lord iva. On the ivartri day he fasted. At midnight he went to the iva temple to offer worship to Lord iva. In the temple he saw some rats moving around on the iva-liga and eating the bhoga offered to iva. Immediately he thought, What is this? I have heard that iva is a very powerful person. The rats are running around eating his bhoga and he is not doing anything? No. iva is not at all powerful. From that day he gave up iva-bhakti, worshipping iva. Then he became a sannys and began to find fault in the deities, bhagavata-vigraha and rmadBhgavatam. This is the consequence. Such persons are great offenders at the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord and His dear devotees, vaiavas. You are living on the bank of Ganges, digging a well on the bank of Ganges to get water. Digging a little hole, the water is not coming out. No, there is no water in this place. Let me go to another place. Digging a little hole there. No, water is not available here either. Let me go to another place. Living on the bank of Ganges and moving from here to there, from here to there, digging a well on the bank of the Ganges to get water. The adhyakia, they say like this. What will you get? You cannot get any Ganges water. You will die of thirst. Yes, this is their lot in life. As the saying goes, water, water, everywhere but not a drop to drink. This is the result for the nirviesavds, impersonalists. Bhaktivinode hkura therefore says, sdhus are always in the world. Without the sun and the moon, how will the world go on? Similarly, without sdhus how would Kas sasra go on? Sdhus are always present. But the asdhus have no vision to recognize sdhu. Therefore they say, Oh, I am searching, I am searching, I am searching, I am searching, but I cannot find one. The adhyakias they say so.

16

Servant of The Mind

rla Bhaktivinode hkura has also said that in life we meet many sdhus but due to our duplicitous dealings we cannot get any benefit from their association. This is most important. Such people think they have the kcan pathara, the stone goldsmiths use to test gold. When the goldsmith scours the gold with the stone and mixes in a liquid chemical he can understand whether it is pure gold or impure gold. That is the kcan pathara. These people think they have the kcan pathara, the method to examine the sdhu, to test him, then they can accept him. If you have a kcan pathara instrument in your hand why are you engaged in baga gdh, creating something and again destroying it? Why have you been deluded? Why have you been cheated? Why have you become the dsa of your mind, go-dsa mano dharma, if you have that measuring ability, like the kcan pathara in your hand? Today you build something, the next day you destroy it. Why are you so fickle? Why are you not fixed in the siddhnta? Why have you developed misconception about the pure siddhnta, bhaktisiddhnta, if the kcan pathara is with you? Why is your dua mana, stupid mind, rascal mind not fixed? Why is the mind oscillating if you have such an instrument that can test or examine a sdhu? Those who are not duplicitous, simple-hearted persons, in their heart they are always crying to get sdhu-saga. They have developed greed for sdhu-saga. Ka, who is in the heart, knows, and He makes the arrangement for them to meet a real sdhu, in whose word they have put complete faith. They immediately surrender to that sdhu and thereby they get the mercy of that sdhu. They develop the vision to recognize a sdhu.

Getting That Vision

We often say sdhu has two things, kp and vacana - mercy and cheating. What one deserves he gets. If someone deserves to be cheated,

17 he gets cheated. If he deserves mercy, he gets mercy. In other words sdhu keeps himself hidden, as Ka keeps Himself hidden. Though He is all-pervading, Ka says: nha praka sarvasya yoga-my-samvta mho ya nbhijnti loko mm ajam avyayam
I am never manifest to the foolish and unintelligent. For them I am covered by My internal potency, and therefore they do not know that I am unborn and infallible. [1]

I dont manifest everywhere and before everybody. One who is completely surrendered, a dear devotee, only he can see the Supreme Lord everywhere. The example is Prahlda Mahrja. He saw the Supreme Lord in a stone pillar whereas his demoniac father Hirayakaipu couldnt see Him. Though they see the same stone pillar, Prahlda Mahrja sees the Supreme Lord but his father doesnt see the Supreme Lord. Ka didnt reveal Himself before Hirayakaipu. He revealed Himself before Prahlda. This is a question of vision. Prahlda had developed that vision whereas his father had not. How does one get that vision? You can only have that vision by the mercy of a sdhu. You can see a sdhu, you can recognize a sdhu through the mercy of a sdhu. Do you have this vision? You have material vision, defective vision. Bhaktivinode hkura says in life we meet so many sdhus, but because of our duplicitous dealings we cannot get the real benefit of that association. One can develop that vision to see sdhu by the mercy of the sdhu. Otherwise nobody can recognize a sdhu. Gaura-prada, Jagadnanda Paita says:

1. Bg. 7.5

18 sdhu poya kaa baa jbera jniy sdhu-bhakta-rpe ka ila nady In this Kali-yuga it is very difficult for the jva, conditioned soul to get a sdhu-guru. Therefore Ka appeared in Nadia as a sdhu-guru, as Gaurga Mahprabhu. But, how many people recognized Him as sdhuguru? Only those who had that vision. Did Rmacandra Pur recognize Mahprabhu? Though he saw Mahprabhu, why didnt he recognize Him? Because of his kpaya vyavahra, duplicitous dealings. What did Rmacandra Pur see in Mahprabhu? Devotee: He saw a sannysi eating too many sweets. Gour Govinda Swami: Yes, a sannysi eating too many sweets, a sannysi eating too much. He said, He is a glutton. He eats so much. He saw this thing. Though Gaurasundara was sitting before him, he couldnt see the sdhutva in Gaurasundara. Then, before whom does He manifest and before whom does He not manifest? That is the question.

Material Vision
The pas (non-devotees) of Navadvipa couldnt see the sdhutva in Gaurasundara. They criticized Mahprabhu so much. Amoga, the sonin-law of Sarvabhauma Bhacrya lacked vision. What did he see? He saw the same thing as Rmacandra Pur, a sannys eating too much. Sarvabhauma Bhacrya and his wife nicely prepared hundreds of varieties of anna (rice), khra (sweet milk rice), pia (cake), subj (cooked vegetables), dl (soup), fried baigan (brinjal), fried potatoes, and offered everything to Mahprabhu. When he served Gaurasundara a portion of each item on a large plantain leaf it became a big amount. Amoga was just waiting and watching. Sarvabhauma Bhacrya knows that his son-in-law is a materialistic person, without true vision. Sarvabhauma Bhacrya sat at the doorstep with a stick in his hand ready to drive him out. Hey! Get out! Get out! When Sarvabhauma Bhacrya went in to the kitchen to bring another item of food Amoga came and peeped, Oh, a sannysi is eating so much. He saw only this. Then what

19 happened to him? He fell ill with cholera - diarrhea and vomiting. He committed such an offense and was about to die. But Mahprabhu is merciful, by Mahaprabhus mercy he survived. That is the story there. Though Mahprabhu is Ka, when He appeared as sdhu-guru, how many could see Him? You think, I can see with my eyes. I can test. I have the ability to test. Yes, this is pakka, not kacch, this is good, not bad. This is true, not false. How can you do that? Mahprabhu sent Pradyumna Mira to Rmnanda Rya. Go and take lessons from him. So Pradyumna Mira went to him. Rmnanda Rya was staying in Jaganntha-vallabha garden. It is still there in Jaganntha Pur. Have you seen it? Rmnanda Rya wrote a drama known as Jaganntha-vallabha-naka. He was personally training the young girls who were learning to dance for Jaganntha. When PradyumnaMira saw that Rmnanda Rya was allowing the young girls to sit on his lap while he massaged their naked limbs, he was amazed. What is this? He is viaya-yoit sag, so addicted to women. Mahprabhu sent me here? He was thinking like this so he came back. Mahprabhu knows everything. He knew that this thought had arisen in his heart. Mahprabhu chastised him, You rascal! What are you saying? I am a sannys. If I see a woman My mind is agitated. Rmnanda Rya is a greater sannys than Me. His mind is never agitated. Though he allows the young girls to sit on his lap while he massages their naked limbs, his mind is never agitated. Such a sannys he is. But Pradyumna Mira couldnt see it. Do you understand my point? You want to see, but how can you see? Have you that vision? Similarly, Puarka Vidynidhi, a mah-bhgavata, he was cheating others. If someone sees him they would see a bhog, a materialistic enjoyer, chewing pn (betel nut) and spitting that pn into a very valuable spitting pot made of nava-dhtus, nine precious metals. He wore gold jewel-studded rings on all ten fingers. He wore bright costly clothes, and his sitting place was adorned with valuable cushions. Anyone seeing him would think, Oh, he is a big enjoyer. How do these people say that he is a maha-bhgavata?

20

One day Mukunda Datta said to Gaddhara Paita, Please, let us go to have the association and darana of Puarka Vidynidhi. Gaddhara Paita saw all the external things, his cheating. Mukunda Datta immediately understood the thoughts in Gaddhara Paitas mind so he quoted this verse from the rmad Bhgavatam [1]: aho bak ya stana-kla-ka jighsaypyayad apy asdhv lebhe gati dhtry-ucit tato nya ka v daylu araa vrajema
Alas, how shall I take shelter of one more merciful than He who granted the position of mother to a she-demon [Ptan] although she was unfaithful and she prepared deadly poison to be sucked from her breast?

As soon as Mukunda Datta uttered this verse immediately Puarka Vidynidhi became ecstatic and the bhva of ecstasy swelled up inside. He shed tears and rolled on the ground kicking away the valuable cushions, valuable spitting pot, everything. When Gaddhara Paita saw this he realized, Oh, I have really committed a great offense thinking this mah-bhgavata is a bhog. How will I ever be free from such offense unless I am punished by him? If he will inflict punishment on me, slap me, then I will be free from this offense. Yes, guru can slap you, inflict punishment on you. So Gaddhara Paita became the disciple of Puarka Vidynidhi. Otherwise, he couldnt think how he would be free from the offense. How can you recognize a sdhu with material vision? Unless you are endowed with proper vision, obtained by the mercy of sdhu, you cannot recognize a sdhu. rman Mahprabhu, therefore, has given a very simple definition of sdhu-guru:

1. Bhg. 3.2.23

21 yei ka-tattva-vett, sei guru haya One who knows ka-tattva he is guru. Therefore we often put this question, how can you see a sdhu? You cannot see a sdhu through your eyes. You see a sdhu through your ears, hearing the ka-tattva he speaks. This is Mahprabhus teaching. On this path of devotion, bhakti-patha, there is no question of measurement. You cannot measure a sdhu. What means do you have to measure a sdhu? The impersonalists, the adhyakias, materialistic people, those who rely on their material senses, they want to measure everything, but the consequence of that is they are cheated. yasysti bhaktir bhagavaty akican sarvair guais tatra samsate sur [1] He who has developed unalloyed devotion unto the Supreme Lord, all divine qualities automatically develop, and all the demigods reside in his person. It is automatic. Most important is unalloyed devotion, pure devotion, then divine qualities automatically develop. But these adhyakias, they want to see the secondary things. They cannot recognize how he has developed unalloyed devotion. They are lacking that vision. They see external, secondary things, suniti, durniti, tapasya, vairgya, pitya morality, renunciation, scholarship. They lack the vision to see that the most important thing is unalloyed devotion. If you can develop unalloyed devotion automatically all divine qualities will develop in you. Therefore it is said, vaiavera kriymudr vije n bujhya however learned one may be materially no one can understand the activities of a vaiava. For example, no one could understand the activities of Puarka Vidynidhi.

External Activities of A Sdhu

Therefore in Caitanya-bhgavata, Vndvana dsa hkura says:

1.Bhg. .5.18.12

22 adhikr-vaiavera n bhuji vyavahra ye jana nindaye, tra nhika nistra adhma-janera ye cra, yena dharma adhikr-vaiaveo kare sei karma ka-kpye se ih jnibre pare e saba sakae keha mare, keha tre [1] One can recognize the uttama-adhikr, kaniha-adhikr, madhyama-adhikr, and kaniha-adhikr by their symptoms. Without proper vision no one can recognize the uttama-adhikr, mah-bhgavata. Without understanding him, if someone blasphemes him he commits a great offense. He cannot be delivered. Life after life he will suffer in hell. The external activities are the same for a material person, adhama, and the highly elevated person. For example Puarka Vidynidhi was chewing pn (betelnut), wearing gorgeous clothes, gold rings on all ten fingers, seemingly such a bhog, and the materialistic persons activities are the same. But, what was Puarka Vidynidhis consciousness? He had developed pure Krishna consciousness and he was always with Ka. He was not attached to all these bahya, external things. The adhyakias, those who develop reliance on their material senses, cannot recognize the uttama-adhikr, so they slander such devotees, abuse such devotees and thereby they commit a great apardha, and consequently they suffer in hell. ka-kpye se ih jnibre pare e saba sakae keha mare, keha tre If someone has really received the mercy of Ka he will be able to recognize who is a sdhu. Otherwise he will be in a dilemma, sakaa,

1. Cb. Anyta 9.387-389

23 a dangerous situation. What is that dilemma? Is he really a sdhu or not? Is he really, or not? Is he really, or not? Only if he has received the mercy of Ka will he be able to recognize a sdhu, and then he will be able come out of that dangerous situation. Otherwise, what will happen? He will develop doubt in such a sdhu, blaspheme him or think ill of him, as Gaddhara Paita, just by thinking ill thoughts of Puarka Vidynidhi, committed apardha. This is sakaa, a dangerous situation. If someone has received Kas mercy he can immediately recognize a genuine sdhu. Otherwise, he will commit apardha. He will go to hell and suffer. Vndvana dsa hkura has said, one may be delivered or one may die. I gave the example of Rmacandra Pur, the pads (non-devotees) of Nadia, and Pradyumna Mira, they couldnt see the sdhutva in Gaurasundara, in Rmnanda Rya. Rather, they committed apardha. They are most unfortunate. They have not gotten the mercy of the Supreme Lord Ka. They cannot see, and sdhu cannot reveal himself before them. But, for the really fortunate, who have gotten the mercy of Ka and have developed that vision, sdhu cannot hide himself before them. Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat Gosvm Mahrja has said that one should be very, very careful not to commit any apardha, any offense at the lotus feet of a sdhu. That is the real teaching, and that is Mahaprabhus teaching: td api suncena taror api sahiun amnin mnadena krtanya sad hari
One who thinks he is lower than the grass, who is more tolerant than a tree, and who does not expect personal honor yet is always prepared to give all respect to others can very easily always chant the holy name of the Lord. [1]

1. Cc. di 17.31

24 Anyone who is really serious to engage in hari-krtana should develop this attitude of amnin mnadena, thinking that everyone is superior to me. I am the lowest of the low. Then you will not commit any apardha. Jvera svarpa haya-kera nitya-dsa, [1] the svarpa, real identification of the jva is ka-dsa. That means he is a sdhu. In his constitutional position the jva is a sdhu. So, pay respect to one and all then you will never commit any apardha. Mahprabhu gave us this teaching. Otherwise, you cannot do hari-krtana. Kavirja Gosvm said: Make a garland of this verse and put it around your neck and then do hari-bhajana. Be as tolerant as a tree. Dont demand respect. Rather, pay respect to one and all because ka adhihn jni, Ka is in the heart of every living entity, as paramtm. Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura said one should develop this attitude and do hari-bhajana then you will never commit offense. Hear Bhgavatam from the lips of such a sdhu and study Bhgavatam carefully. Otherwise you wont be able to recognize a sdhu or his wonderful character. In other words you welcome all sorts of in auspiciousness. Those who are simple-hearted persons, there is no duplicity in them. In their heart they are always crying for sdhu-saga, to get a real sdhu and hear ka-kath from him. Ka, in the heart, helps him. That is His mercy. Ka will give him the proper understanding and intelligence, divy-buddhi. te satata-yuktn bhajat prti-prvakam dadmi buddhi-yoga ta yena mm upaynti te To those who are constantly devoted to serving Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me. [2] Ka says, for one who is constantly engaged in My bhajana with love, constantly

1. Cc. Madhya 20.108 2. Bg. 10.10

25 attached to Me, crying in the heart to develop devotion and to get the association of sdhus, I give him pure intelligence. Thereby he gets the association of sdhus and he recognizes a true sdhu. Otherwise you will commit apardha and thereby welcome all sorts of inauspiciousness. Ka will test you severely. You have to face that test and you have to pass that test. In the face of such a dangerous situation one is either delivered or one is destroyed. Thank you very much.

Your surrender, your service, whatever you render, should be rendered without duplicity, nikapaa vtta. This is most important. If someone surrenders unto sdhu-guru and serves him, renders service without duplicity, Krishna is very pleased with him, yes, tmad hari, He gives Himself. Otherwise, upon seeing Gurudeva you fall flat like a rod, paying daavat, kp karo kp karo, Gurudeva, please shower your mercy on me. But, inside there is so much duplicity. You are only speaking from the lips, Gurudeva, kp karo, please shower your mercy. You cannot please sdhuguru and you cannot please Hari either. He knows that your heart is full of duplicity. You cannot cheat Lord Hari. He is in your heart. Oh, his heart is filled with so much duplicity. He is only speaking from the lips, Daavat, daavat, kp-karo kp-karo. Please shower your mercy, O Gurudeva,but inside there is much duplicity. Hari is never pleased. Krishna only becomes pleased if you do sdhu-saga and sdhu-guru sev, service to sdhu-guru without duplicity. This is the means to please Ka.