Hare Krishna Prabhujis and Matajis,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudev.

Last night HG Devakinandan prabhu had requested us through a message to read very carefully Srila Prabhupada's conclusion to Caitanya Caritamarta. After reading it we realized that our life would never be the same again. Before we begin we would like to thank HG Devakinandan prabhu for pointing our dull head towards this most transcendental realization of Srila Prabhupada.

With the permission of the devotees we would like to share some points which very soothingly struck our heart. We are just sharing our realization on 7 points which inspired us. For devotees who had not read the conclusion before, it is better if you could read the entire conclusion at your own time.

1."Although according to material vision His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvathi Thaakura Prabhupada passed away from this material world on the last day of December, 1936, I still consider His Divine Grace to be always present with me by his vaani, his words. There are two ways of association by "vaani" and by "vapuh". Vaani means words, and vapuh means physical presence. Physical presence is sometimes appreciable and sometimes not, but vaani continues to exist eternally. Therefore we must take advantage of the vaani, not the physical presence."

The truth is that the Spiritual master never leaves the disciple, rather he is more dynamically present with the disciple after his departure without any consideration of material distance. One who always takes advantage of the instructions of the Spiritual master will surely achieve true success in devotional service. The Supreme Lord confirms this truth in Srimad Bhagavatam 10.23.33.

shravanaad darshanaad dhyaanaan / mayi bhaavo 'nukeertanaat
na tathaa sannikarshena / pratiyaata tato grhaan

"It is by hearing about Me, seeing My Deity form, meditating upon Me and chanting My names and glories that love for Me develops, not by physical proximity. Therefore please go back to your homes."

2."Fortunately, even at our first meeting His Divine Grace advised me to preach the cult of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in English in the Western countries. Because at that time I was a complete nationalist, a follower of Mahatma Gandhi's, I submitted to His Divine Grace that unless our country were freed from foreign subjugation, no one would hear the message of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu seriously. Of course, we had some argument on this subject, but at last I was defeated and convinced that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's message is the only panacea for suffering humanity. I was also convinced that the message of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was then in the hands of a very expert devotee and that surely the message of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu would spread all over the world."

Most of us who are on the path of devotion also have our material duties to carry out, and as such we are always advised to carry out all our duties expertly. The fact that our material duties should be carried out nicely doesn't mean that our material duties should take precedence over our duties to our Spiritual master. Our duty to our Spiritual master cannot wait at any point of time. In the name of being sensible many times we try and sort out all our material duties before attending to the Spiritual master's instructions. This does not show the disciple's sensibility but his/her lack of faith. The Spiritual master's instructions are always in-line with Mahaprabhu's message and thus are non-different from the words of the Lord. As mentioned by Srila Prabhupada above, the message of Mahaprabhu (his Guru's order to preach) could not wait for any other material consideration. While instructing about ideal family life to Maharaj Yudhisthir, Narada Muni says in Srimad Bhagavatam verse 7.14.6,

jnaatayah pitarau putraa / bhraatarah suhrdo 'pare
yad vadanti yad icchanti / caanumodeta nirmamah

"An intelligent man in human society should make his own program of activities very simple. If there are suggestions from his friends, children, parents, brothers or anyone else, he should externally agree, saying, "Yes, that is all right," but internally he should be determined not to create a cumbersome life in which the purpose of life will not be fulfilled."

So even though we run around to fulfill our material duties the living entity should at the back of his/her mind, deep in the heart always know that the goal of life is to actually please Guru and Krishna and act accordingly.

3."I could not, however, immediately take up his instructions to preach, but I took his words very seriously and was always thinking of how to execute his order, although I was quite unfit to do so."

Even though the disciple many a times is not able to carry out the order of the Spiritual master immediately he/she should always realize the gravity of his words and try and always think about how to fulfill them. We should desire very strongly to fulfill his desire. We can be curtailed by our physical inabilities, but no one can stop us from desiring to serve the Guru's instructions. And the disciple should always realize that only through Guru's mercy that he is able to carry out his instructions.

Krishna willing, I shall write the remaining points on this topic in the next mail.

Thank you very much.
Your servant,
Madan Mohan das,
Singapore.

Hare Krishna Prabhujis and Mathajis,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudev.

In Bhagavad-Gita verse 8.14 Lord Krishna says,

ananya-cetaah satatam / yo maam smarati nityashah
tasyaaham sulabhah paartha / nitya-yuktasya yoginah

"For one who always remembers Me without deviation, I am easy to obtain, O son of Prtha, because of his constant engagement in devotional service."

Srila Prabhupada in his purports says that the special qualification of the pure devotee is that he is always thinking of Krishna without deviation and without considering the time or place. There should be no impediments. He should be able to carry out his service anywhere and at any time. Some say that the devotee should remain in holy places like Vrindavan or some holy town where the Lord lived, but a pure devotee can live anywhere and create the atmosphere of Vrindavan by his devotional service. It was Sri Advaita who told Lord Caitanya, "Wherever You are, O Lord-there is Vrindavan."

I was listening to one of the nectarean classes given by our beloved Guru Maharaj HH Mahavishnu Goswami on the above verse and I shall make a humble effort to transcribe the same. Maharaj says – 'There are so many deviations in devotional service so a devotee should try not to engage himself in materialistic association. Grazing the cows is Vedic activity. Krishna doesn't do anything else. It is his daily paricharya to graze the cows. As told many times, the science of Vedic culture is present everywhere. When I was In Uganda I heard that the President of Uganda was on his annual leave. In those holidays he was grazing the cows. And he insists that all presidents should graze the cow once in year to keep themselves mentally healthy. That is very correct. We devotees have chosen not to associate with men attracted to money and women. We have voluntarily accepted this austerity and this austerity should be performed very nicely. Temples should be away from city and should be large, so that it is easy for devotees to perform unflinching devotional service. Every vibration is stored in the atmosphere be it material or spiritual. So creating a spiritual vibrations is very important. Devotees think, how to glorify Lord, where to go and preach, how can I serve Srila Prabhupada - then these vibrations stay in atmosphere, thus cleaning the atmosphere around the devotees and temple. If you are engaged in thinking auspicious things and about Krishna, everything auspicious comes to you. Even if you think inauspicious, forget about vibrations, even then you are destroyed. Words come afterwards, just thinking brings inauspiciousness to you. The talk comes afterwards, ideas come before that. As soon as idea is polluted, your life is polluted. That's why Krishna says in above verse "ananya-cetah satatam yo maam smarati nityasah". "Undeviatingly you think of Me." One can understand that at material platform, if just thinking brings those results then what to speak at spiritual platform ? Krishna here rewards, those who remember Him regularly. Find out ways and means so that we will not forget Him. Then "tasyaaham sulabhah paartha" - They can very easily attain Krishna and how ? "nitya-yuktasya yoginah" - "always engaged in remembering Me."

We are very lucky while reading this that we are thinking about Krishna and our mind is not deviated. It's a pure devotional service. Right now we are ananya cetah – Undeviated. In our available time, each second has got to be utilized in serving and remembering Krishna. Rest of the work should be minimized to meet our requirements. Don't run behind money. Our faith in Krishna should not dwindle. As soon as our faith dwindles we try to take shelter of money, gold, good country, high paid job etc though you know that you are not body, but soul. This body has to die one or the other day. In order to strengthen the faith we have to get rid of inauspicious ideas. If a lady is attached only to her husband and if husband is attached only to his wife then though married, they both are brahmachari.

Atri Rsi had wife named Anasuya. Once demigods Brahma Vishnu and Mahesh went to test Anasuya. And Anasuya was very chaste. Anasuya came out with some charity in her hands, but then these demigods said that they will accept the charity if she gives without wearing a single cloth. It was a great problem. She cannot deny charity and cannot even give charity. She was chaste lady. Chastity has huge power. Even a chaste husband has lot of power. They can do whatever they want. So Anasuya converted these 3 demigods into 3 small babies. She then took out clothes and gave charity to 3 demigods. The demigods were very much pleased. Then they asked her to ask for any benediction and she asked them that, "If you are all really pleased then please combine together and become my son." Thats how Dattatreya was born. Dattatreya is Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh.

Similarly chastity should be there in devotional service also. ananya cetaah satatam yo maam smarati nityasah. Constantly attached only to Krishna without deviating our mind. Our Bhakti must be undeviated, unflinching. If you are attached to Krishna through knowledge, scriptural evidences then we will remain unflinchingly devoted to Krishna. Unless you read Srila Prabhupad books, you won't be able to convince yourself. Then what to speak of convincing others ? First you have to convince yourself. And arguments that helped you in convincing yourself will help in convincing others also. This is the secret of studying Vedic scriptures. This is the way of "ananya cetaah satatam yo maam smarati nityasah".'

Krishna willing, we shall hear the remaining part of Maharaj's class, on how to attain Him in the next mail.

Thank you very much.
Yours in service of Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudev,
Vinayasheela devi dasi,
Indore.