Philippine Tour Report

[Guest guest]

Highlights of Srila Gurudeva's stay in Cebu, Philippines

 

Srila Gurudeva's three week stay in Cebu has been very successful. That it was successful for those who were fortunate enough to have his association goes without saying, but on this occasion Srila Gurudeva also felt that it had been particularly successful for himself as well. Thanks to having no distractions he said, he had been able to become so deeply absorbed in his reading, chanting and writing that realizations had arisen in his heart which would not have been possible in Jagannath Puri. While in Cebu, he fulfilled his objective of completing the review of the book on Bhajan Rahasya by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, which is comprised of transliterations of his hindi classes which had been compiled by Savita didi.

 

One of Srila Gurudeva's senior disciples who comes from Vrndavana, Savita didi has contributed many valuable verses from Srila Gurudeva's lectures, and he was very pleased with her devotional and scholastic work.

 

The book also includes Srila Gurudeva's own commentary, which he completed while in Cebu. Speaking of the book, he said that it was the best he had ever written, and that whenever he reads one of his own books he becomes amazed at how good they are, which, in turn, makes him realize that he must continue to write more and more.

 

Srila Gurudeva's sojourn in Cebu was spent at the "Costabella Tropical Beach Hotel" in a self-contained apartment right on the white, palm-fringed beach.

 

For the last five days of his stay there, devotees and guests were invited to come and attend his daily classes.

 

On the evening of Ekadasi, Sunday 2nd January, Srila Gurudeva started his talk by addressing the newly initiated local devotees, some of whom had not shaved their heads for the occasion. He explained that nails and hair are produced from the bad blood in our bodies, and that by cutting it at the time of initiation one becomes free from one's accumulated sins. However, those who neglect to do this continue to "keep sin on their heads" despite having received initiation from their guru. To fail to shave one's head at this time he said, indicated that one did not have much regard for bhakti.

 

Srila Gurudeva spoke for most of the class about understanding clearly and exhaustively the definition of bhakti, which very few people have really grasped. He pointed out the ongoing trend by which devotees who, even though they may have been busily engaged in building temples, establishing gurukulas and gosalas or distributing books for twenty or thirty years are ultimately falling down and leaving Krsna consciousness altogether. Why? Because they do not understand what are the "constitutional characteristics of bhakti."

 

By Srila Gurudeva's order Prema prayojana prabhu then began to speak, defining bhakti as the sixty-four limbs of devotional service as mentioned in the bhakti-rasamrta-sindu, which are summarized in the nine devotional activities spoken by Prahlada Maharaja in Srimad Bhagavatam. Otherwise, any other activity, such as growing flowers or fruits for Thakurji, distributing devotional books, building temples or gosalas etc. cannot be called bhakti. Rather, they are aropa-siddha-bhakti, or activities to which bhakti has been *attributed*. Srila Gurudeva then pointed out the value and necessity of aropa-siddha-bhakti for a neophyte, when performed under the order of his guru:

 

"If these activities are really for a good purpose, like making a gosala, growing fruits for Thakurji, having a very good gurukula then it will give some fruits, sukrti. For beginners it is essential for them to do these activities, because they have no sukrti and cannot hear and chant.

 

Therefore Srila Gurudeva tells:

 

'Oh, go and do book distribution.'

 

"These will bring one to sadhu-sanga, initiation, then anarthas will go."

 

However, he added that if, while performing aropa-siddha-bhakti one makes aparadhas, then it is all useless.

 

Prema prayojana prabhu then defined sanga-siddha-bhakti. These are activities or qualities which, although in and of themselves are not bhakti, manifest as a by-product of the performance of svarupa-siddha-bhakti. The activities of sanga-siddha-bhakti are the tatastha-laksana or marginal characteristics of svarupa-siddha-bhakti. They are sometimes manifest and sometimes not, and are sometimes to be found in non-devotees too. For example, compassion, gravity, peacefulness, humility and renunciation are all examples of this.

 

Elaborating on what Prema prayojana prabhu had said, Srila Gurudeva then asked whether a pure devotee could become angry. The answer he said, is yes. Hanuman burnt Lanka out of his anger towards Ravana, who had stolen away Sita devi. During the battle of Kuruksetra, according to his vow, Bhima tore Duhsasana's arm from its socket, and drank his blood. Draupadi had five husbands, yet she served Krsna more than anyone. On the other hand one may be a renunciant with no wife yet be a big mayavadi. So bhakti does not depend on these things.

 

Now that we had heard in very precise terms what is and isn't bhakti, and the reasons why, Srila Gurudeva proceeded to turn the subject on its head by asking us whether Yasoda is performing aropa-siddha-bhakti when she milks cows and makes sweet preparations for Krsna. After all, these activities are nowhere mentioned among the sixty-four angas of bhakti.

 

However, in the case of Yasoda devi, everything she does is svarupa-siddha-bhakti since she is serving Krsna directly, in her own svarupa. If a neophyte devotee distributes books, then this is aropa-siddha-bhakti. But if a high class devotee, fixed in his relationship with Krsna, and heart melting reads Srimad Bhagavatam thinking: "Oh, I want to share this with others" is this aropa-siddha-bhakti? No, it is surely svarupa-siddha-bhakti. This kind of "book-distribution" comes in the category of "kirtanam". When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu discovered Krsna-karnamrta, and said that it should be copied and distributed, was it aropa-siddha-bhakti? Never.

 

After coming back from his morning walk on Tuesday 4th January, Srila Gurudeva spoke very wonderfully to a handful of devotees on the veranda outside his room.

 

When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was in Jagannath Puri He received a cryptic message from Sri Advaita Acarya in Bengal through Jagadananda Pandita. The message was: "Rice is no longer in demand in the market place. This is the message of one madman to another." Hearing this everyone present laughed, but Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu merely smiled, and then became grave.

 

Svarupa Damodara then asked Sriman Mahaprabhu to explain its meaning.

 

Mahaprabhu replied that Sri Advaita Acarya is so qualified that He can invoke the presence of the Deity for worship, and then send Him away. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu went on to say that the mind of Sri Advaita Acarya is so deep, that no one is able to understand it. By this reply, He answered Svarupa Damodara's question in an indirect way, which can only be understood by those who are highly intelligent. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu had come to this world and distributed love of God freely, fulfilling the purpose of everyone. However, He had not yet fulfilled His own purpose, which was to satisfy His own three desires. So after having received this message, He stopped going here and there and talking to others, but instead passed His days and nights in the Gambhira with Raya Ramananda and Svarupa Damodara. After six years of such seclusion, He one day went inside the Tota Gopinath temple, never to be seen again. Shortly after his disappearance Sri Svarupa Damodara, Sri Gadadhara Pandita and Sriman Mahaprabhu's other close associates began to leave this world, one by one.

 

This situation became unbearable for Srila Raghunath dasa gosvami, who now left Jagannath Puri for Vrndavana to go and give up his life.

 

Srila Gurudeva then told us that if you are always remembering these pastimes then maya can never touch you. But if you forget them then you will be captured by many material desires.

 

The next morning Srila Gurudeva again spoke to a small group of devotees after returning from his morning walk.

 

Prema prayojana prabhu started by asking Srila Gurudeva a question. He is currently translating an essay named "Sri Gaudiya Vaisnava Sampradaya and Sannyasa" which was written by Srila Gurudeva to defeat an article produced by one sadhu in Vrndavana called Sri Syamalal Hakim (of Harinama Press).

 

The author states that one who takes sannyasa cannot be in the line of Srila Rupa Gosvami. This essay by Srila Gurudeva, which has been distributed all over Vrndavana, has made an immense impact on the babaji community and nobody is able to refute it. Srila Gurudeva is very desirous that it be made available in English as soon as possible and has said that it should be printed immediately it is ready, regardless of which country we may be in. Referring to the essay, Prema prayojana prabhu quoted to Srila Gurudeva the words "caturthasrama jusam" from the second Sri Caitanya astakam of Srila Rupa Gosvami's Stava Mala which states that Sriman Mahaprabhu is the istadeva of those in the fourth asrama, sannyasa. He then asked Srila Gurudeva whether this should be included in the essay.

 

With his eyes closed and smiling, Srila Gurudeva replied that this was "good evidence" and should be included in the translation. Referring to the astakam just quoted, Srila Gurudeva asked what was the meaning of "the fourth asrama". He went on to explain that just as there are four asramas, within the fourth asrama itself are four divisions, and that it is this to which Srila Rupa Gosvami is referring. The first division is kuticaka, where one stays in a kuti. After this comes the stage of bahudaka, where one begins to move here and there. Then, as a hamsa, or swan, separating milk from water, one begins to take out all vaidhi bhakti, leaving behind only pure raganuga bhakti. Then, reaching the stage of paramahamsa the devotee is always drowning in an ocean of mood, continually remembering the asta-kaliya-lila of Radha-Krsna. Now he is untouched by time. Time does not control him, rather *he* controls time. Srila Gurudeva then held his cloth saying:

 

"Then he gives up this. We are not sannyasi. Crying, Srila Raghunath dasa gosvami said: 'vairagya-yug-bhakti-rasam prayatnair' that Sri Sanatana Gosvami mercifully forced him to become renounced and to taste bhakti-rasa.

 

So my Gurudeva, although I was not qualified, forced me to take renounced order out of his causeless mercy. Now, I am realizing that mercy."

 

Srila Gurudeva then turned to Urukrama and Prema prayojana prabhus saying:

 

"I also want to give this to you. You have to be very smart, not sleeping, always chanting and remembering. But I am afraid that no one can become like this. But when you have full faith in Guru, then it will be possible."

 

During the time that we were in Cebu, a Dvarakadhisa sila came to Srila Gurudeva in a very mysterious way. Every day Nabin Krsna prabhu was chanting his japa up and down the beach and one day he noticed a curious looking white stone which had apparently been washed up by the tide.

 

Picking it up, he flung it back into the ocean and thought no more of it. A couple of days later, in the same place, he again saw that white stone.

 

Surprised at the strange coincidence, he picked it up and once more threw it back into the ocean. To his amazement, after another couple of days he again encountered the same striking stone in the very same place. This time he picked it up and began to examine it carefully. Its whole surface was covered in cakras just like a Dvarakadisa sila, but this seemed unlikely, considering the fact that he was on a beach in the South China Sea, not in Dvaraka, India, some six thousand kilometres distant. Nevertheless, the uncanny way in which it seemed to keep coming back to him was enough to prompt him to bring it to Srila Gurudeva's attention. As soon as Srila Gurudeva was shown the stone, he touched it to his heart, his two closed eyes and his forehead, after which he placed it on the altar next to Tunga Vidya didi's two salagrama silas, Radha-Ramana and Radha-Damodara.

 

"Although we do not normally worship Dvarakadisa" he said, "because He has come to us in this way, appearing to you for three days like this we cannot send Him away."

 

He then told Tunga vidya didi that he wanted to take Sri Dvarakadisa with him back to Mathura to put on the altar at Sri Keshavjee Goudiya Math, and that she should care for Him until we all returned to India.

 

On his last day in Cebu, most of the local devotees who had been coming to hear him came to see him for one last time, in the afternoon. They had all written little offerings for Srila Gurudeva, expressing how much they felt the need for his guidance and help, and their gratitude and appreciation for all they felt he had done for them.

 

Srila Gurudeva then told the devotees a couple of stories from the Puranas which illustrate the power of harinama.

 

There was once a guru who lived in an asrama with a number of disciples.

 

One day he left the asrama for a couple of days, leaving one of his brahmacari disciples in charge. While the guru was away, one of his householder disciples whose son had just died turned up at the asrama in great distress. He had wished to beg his guru to bring his beloved son back to life, but, when he understood that his Gurudeva was absent, he instead in great desperation implored his brahmacari godbrother to try and do something. Wishing to help his godbrother, the brahmacari told him to bring a blackboard and some chalk to the asrama. When the householder returned with these items, his godbrother then wrote and washed clean with water three consecutive times the word "krsna" on the board, carefully catching the water mixed with chalk dust and saving it in a cup. He then went to where the dead body of the householder's son was lying, and poured some of that water into the boy's mouth. To the joy of his father the boy at once miraculously came back to life. After a few days Srila Gurudeva returned, and was immediately told this wonderful story by all the villagers, who praised his disciple again and again. However, upon meeting his disciple, Srila Gurudeva sternly ordered him to at once leave, saying that he was not qualified to live in the asrama. Hearing these harsh words everyone became astonished. On being asked why he had spoken in this way Srila Gurudeva explained that the reason was that his disciple had no faith in harinama.

 

Why had he written the name of Krsna *three* times? Did he not think that one time would have been quite sufficient?

 

On another occasion the guru gave his disciple a beautiful stone and told him to go to the market and to find out how much it would be possible to sell it for. However he said, the disciple should not actually part with the stone but ask a number of people first and come back and report what he had been offered. The disciple left for the market, and the first person he approached was a lady selling vegetables. As she looked at the stone she remarked on its beauty, and told the disciple that she could give him one kilo of spinach for it. Hearing this the disciple was very impressed, and rushed back to the asrama to tell his guru the good news. On hearing this Srila Gurudeva ordered his disciple to go back to the market and show the stone to some more people as he had originally told him to do. The next person whom the disciple went to was a blacksmith who, seeing the stone, said that he would give the disciple one hundred rupees for it. Becoming overjoyed, the disciple immediately went to tell this to his guru. However, the guru was not impressed and again ordered his disciple to return to the market. Once there, the disciple next went to the shop of a goldsmith and showed him the stone. After examining it, the goldsmith said that for this stone he would give the disciple one crore rupees. However, the guru was still not interested in selling the stone, even at this price. Instead, he told his disciple to take the stone to show to the king. On seeing the stone, the king called his experts to examine it. The experts were astonished to see a stone of this world, and told the king that he should immediately give his whole kingdom for it. Now the disciple was convinced that his Gurudeva would want to exchange the stone, and he returned to the asrama to relay what had passed. But Srila Gurudeva was adamant as ever.

 

Taking the stone he had given to his disciple he touched some normal stones with it, and in a moment they all miraculously changed their nature to become composed of exactly the same substance. Srila Gurudeva now handed all of these priceless touch stones to his disciples, and told them to throw them in the ocean. Although there was nothing in the world as valuable as these touch stones he said, no amount of wealth, possessions, position, fame or prestige can help us to attain the real wealth of existence which may be bestowed by harinama. This priceless gift is endowed by Gurudeva to his disciples, and they should nurture it as a very secret treasure within the depths of their hearts. Its fruits cannot be compared to anything in this mundane world.

 

Thus Srila Gurudeva mercifully gave a powerful injection to inspire faith in harinama in all his listeners, most of whom had only received it from him within the past few days.

 

While in Cebu Srila Gurudeva gave harinama to fifteen local devotees, and diksa to one of them. Prema Prayojana prabhu built and conducted a fire yajna for the new diksa disciple on the beach, which was also attended by the harinama disciples.

 

Srila Gurudeva left Cebu on 6th January for Manila.