A Hopeless Situation Through The Ego

July 11, 2003

The following is the basic transcription of Srila Gurudev's Internet Radio to help you hear His Divine Grace's message.

Transcribed by Vrindavanesvari devi dasi

by His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj

March 5th, 2001 - Sri Nabadwip Dham, India

Jay Om Visnupad Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj ki jaya! Jay Bhagavan Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur ki jaya! Sriman Mahaprabhu ki jaya! Rupanuga Guru Varga ki jaya! Harinam Sankirttan ki jaya! Guara Premanande Haribol!

"We are always using this word "devotee" but that type of respect we are not giving within our heart. That is a very bad thing....hope is coming through humility, and hopeless situation is coming through ego."

Here the devotees are presently assembled for the Gaura-Purnima festival. More and more are coming from abroad. All around the world we have so many centres; everyone is very enthusiastic to do something. The vital point is this: if we will not forget it, then we shall happily proceed in the line of Krishna Consciousness. Srila Guru Maharaj quoted so many slokas in Prapanna-jivanamrtam. One sloka I remember: what is necessary for our activity, it is necessary to communicate with some consciousness from the transcendental world. Communication is coming through the mood of devotion and association with the devotees.

We are always using this word "devotee" but that type of respect we are not giving within our heart. That is a very bad thing. Today I do not want to make anyone hopeless, but this is my expectation. They do not make me hopeless because hope is coming through humility, and hopeless situation is coming through ego. Mahaprabhu said: trnad api sunichena. why are we not realising these three directives with our heart, with our love, with our affection, with our mood of devotion? If we are practitioners, if we will think we will do something for our own spiritual life, leaving everything we join in Krishna Consciousness, but why we will not try to leave our ego? I cannot understand it.

Ego is a very bad thing. It is like a mountain between God and myself. So why we will put that mountain [in our path]? Srila Prabhupad, AC Bhaktivedanta Swami, when he entered into the western world, he demolished the ego and made a channel for us. But again it is attacking the devotees; this is a very hopeless situation. Why we cannot avoid ego we do not know. If we are trying to practise Krishna Consciousness, we must be qualified. At least we should try to get that qualification; that ego is very much (blank) of the practitioner's life. Then it is first necessary to leave the ego. If we cannot do that, then we cannot do any service, we cannot engage ourselves in service for the transcendental world.

We can do so many things in this material world, so many are experts as we can see. But all becomes useless if it is not related with God consciousness. When we are engaged ourselves for the service to Lord Krishna, associating with so many Vaisnavas, why can't we leave our ego? I do not know. If we want to make ourselves perfect, then first it is necessary to avoid our ego. Senior Vaisnavas, Junior Vaisnavas, middle Vaisnavas, it is not only necessary for them to demolish the ego, but for everyone. Mahaprabhu said: you have no honourable position. We must give honour to him also, and who has the dishonourable position, why we are (blank) to give them that honour. Everyone is our close relative who joined in Krishna Consciousness. We will give good nourishment to each other.

I am seeing in many places a disturbance; it is my request to my friends, to please be sincere and try to make yourselves perfect with the advice of Sriman Mahaprabhu. This song, trnad api sunichena how much are we following every day? It is necessary to account for that. This type of ahankara we must leave, and try to harmonise with everything. Harmony must come in the life of a devotee, because it is very easy to make harmony if they can see: "The Lord is very near to me." He is so great and so merciful to everyone. This way we can extend our vision. Who is drowning, I shall try to help him, and who is showing the path of my life, I shall try to follow him. Who is living with us, we will try to help each other, not discourage anyone. We should give encouragement to everyone because in this life we have got some opportunity to practise Krishna Consciousness.

What kind of life is waiting for us in the next stage we do no know. Our previous karma is pushing us. But by the grace of Sri Guru Gauranga we have got some opportunity. The connection with the Holy Name in this life; we will try to realise that we should chant the Holy Name with these three qualities and qualifications. Everyone is enthusiastic to do some Sankirttan; here I have no doubt. But it is necessary to get some quality and qualification; then they can practise. Without quality and qualification they are very enthusiastic to preach, but what will they preach? They cannot reflect from their own selves these three qualities, trnad api sunichena. How many times will we tell it?

No doubt it is necessary to give remembrance every day, at every moment. Prabhupad Saraswati Thakur said that, when getting up from the bed, we will 'broom' ourselves with this song. (Srila Gurudev sings the song). Bhaktivinoda Thakur composed this song and Prabhupad Saraswati said to his disciples that every morning you must clean your mind through this song. Meaning that a devotee can read a book; it will take a long time, but my point is this: to think, "I am qualified," this kind of ego is always an obstacle for me. I am servant of servant of servant of servant of Guru Vaisnava, of Bhagavan Sri Krishna. This is very (blank) feeling. That feeling we always try to keep with our whole attention.

Then we can avoid ego and we can serve Bhagavan Sri Krishna. Direct service is not possible; then we will try to serve the servant's servant's servant. Why we are not giving attention to this? Who is coming to me, I am giving them this advice, for myself also. I am feeling it is necessary for myself and necessary for everyone. So what can I say more? We do not want to be the worst enemy of our own selves, we want to be our best friend. Bhagavan Sri Krishna said: I can make the best for myself, or the worst for myself, so why do I want to make worst? How long I shall live I do not know, but what is in my hands that day -- I am looking in front of me, I shall use it wisely. Then we must be benefited.

Here in this material world there is (blank), lust, they have no value, but in spiritual life benefit will come. Through this process Mahaprabhu said. Every young person wants to make a book, every young person wants to preach to others, but it is my request to them: why they are not preaching to themselves? In front of you there are so many qualified older devotees. My English is difficult to understand but you are qualified in English. You will understand that. The quality and qualification exists within the devotees, then we will try to honour them. If they are not honoured, then that is also from my side; my (blank) will not be anything. I must give honour to everyone. This way if they will try to proceed, they will preach so much. I have seen the Western devotees' attitude is very enthusiastic for preaching. But they have some ego; they cannot avoid that.

Here is my request to everyone: please leave the ego and proceed in the proper line of Krishna consciousness. Mahaprabhu has given the very easiest practising procedure: Harinama Harinama Harinama eva kevalam. The Bhagavan Nama, the Divine Name of the Lord will give divine connection with that transcendental world. Only communication is possible through chanting the Holy Name of the Lord, because (His) Name, fame, quality, qualification, association, everything is transcendental. It will be in our heart when it will get a proper clean position; I also feel it.

It is told in the Scriptures that Bhakti means Seva, Bhakti means service to the Lord. Yet, direct is not possible anyway. Guru Maharaj told a telescopic system is applicable here, when we will offer it to Guru Vaisnava that will go very easily for the service to Lord Krishna. But it is necessary to connect with the transcendental wave, otherwise it will be karma. Karma is reactionary. With devotion there is no bad reaction; devotion is giving more devotional spirit.

All facility is in front of us. So many things we have seen in this material world, but why we will not try with humility, tolerance and giving honour to others? Why not we will try to practise it? This is a very suitable and sweet process. First it is necessary to make everyone our friend, not our enemy. This I can do best. Then make yourself as your friend, not to make yourself as your worst enemy. This is my prayer to all the devotees.

Today they are coming from so far, but with clean hearts they will do Navadwip Dham Parikrama and follow this clean procedure that Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has given. This is my prayer.

Jay Om Visnupad Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj ki jaya! All the devotees ki jaya!

Sri Nabadwip Dham

March 5, 2001