Balaram's Plow and Krishna's Flute
Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja
Gour Govinda Swami: Rules and regulations are needed at the beginning, that's sädhana-bhakti. Therefore we have two paths: sädhana-bhakti and rägänugä-bhakti. Therefore, Balaram's plow and Krishna's flute. Balaram has a plow in his hands and Krishna has a flute in his hands. Why? Balaram will cultivate. Sädhana-bhakti is cultivation. The cultivated field is the heart. After being properly cultivated by sädhana-bhakti, then comes karñaëa, you'll come to räga-bhakti. Then Krishna's flute will attract you, äkarñaëa. Karñaëa and äkarñaëa are the activities of Krishna-Balaram.
Devotee 1: Doesn't sädhana-bhakti mean that very little love is there?
Gour Govinda Swami: Love will generate! Love will be produced if properly cultivated. If guru sows the seed of the bhakti creeper but your land is barren, then it will never sprout. Gopinath Acharya said to his brother-in-law Sarvabhauma, üñarabhümite yena béjera ropaëa — "I am just sowing seed in a barren land. How it will sprout, germinate?" täìra kåpä yabe habe — If Mahaprabhu showers mercy, then it will happen. (Cc. madhya 6.105-106] After the field of the heart has been cultivated and all anarthas are gone, then you'll be attracted to Krishna. Then you will hear Krishna's flute and be attracted. Then you'll run in the dead of night like the gopés. Bilvamangala was so mad that he was running to the prostitute Chintamani in the dead of night in spite of torrential rain and all the land being inundated. Then Chintamani gave him a great blow, saying, "What is this? Why are you so attracted to my body? All nasty things are inside this body — urine, stool,blood, bile, mucus, hair, bones, and marrow — all nasty things. Is there anything nice in my body? Why are you are not attracted to the all-beautiful Krishna? Why are you are not running to him, and instead are running to me?" Then Bilvamangal turned his face towards Krishna. The plow had gone very deep and rooted out the weeds. That is the action of Balaram's
plow. That is the slap of guru. Guru karëa-dhära— guru catches your ear and slaps you, "Hey, rascal!
What are you doing?" Guru gives you a kick to help you understand. With one kick, everything will be finished. One kick is enough. My Guru Maharaja used to say that the blacksmith has a big hammer. With one stroke of that hammer,everything is finished. Nityananda's kick is Balaram's plow. It goes to the deepest regions of the heart. That kicking is his mercy.
Devotee 1: Should we pray for that kicking?
Gour Govinda Swami: Yes! Pray for that kicking from Nityananda Ram, Balaram. You should beg for his mercy, welcome it. Don't be afraid of it. ·
— From a lecture in Bhubaneswar, 1 March 1992
© ISKCON Bhubaneswar/Gopal Jiu Publications
Posts
