Srila Gour Govinda Swami spoke on numerous topics numerous times, but ultimately he only ever spoke about krsna prema; this he did with all his heart.
It is obvious that there are a multitude of topics discussed within the Srimad Bhagavatam and the Caitanya Caritamrta alone, what to speak of the vast array of vedic literatures (although it could be argued that SB deals only with service to krsna), and as each day's class presented new topics Srila Gour Govinda Swami spoke on these topics.
He did, however, keep returning to similar very important themes, within his classes.
Note: Here, on the Sevamrta website, we anticipate that our visitors are already familiar with the ABCs of spiritual life such as "You are not the body", Bhagavad Gita 2.12-13, and "You are the eternal servant of krsna, nityo nityanam", Katha Upanishad 2.2.13 and Svetasvatara Upanishad 3.6.13. These topics are discussed in the Bhagavad Gita and other preliminary texts. It is obvious that there are a multitude of topics discussed within the Srimad Bhagavatam and the Caitanya Caritamrta alone, what to speak of the vast array of vedic literatures (although it could be argued that SB deals only with service to krsna), and as each day's class presented new topics Srila Gour Govinda Swami spoke on these topics.
He did, however, keep returning to similar very important themes, within his classes.
Srila Gour Govinda Swami often complained that he was teaching post graduate topics to primary students, but that since the topic had arisen, he was compelled to speak on it. This situation was at the heart of our good fortune.
Siddhanta
S o many topics were covered by Srila Gour Govinda Swami's lectures during his travels around the globe, according to the verse presented in the various sastra be it SB, BG, CC, according to where each local temple had recently been reading; topics could include guru seva, family life, lilas and their meanings, Srimati Radharani, brahmacari life, Lord Nityananda, aparadha, independence, maya, demons, harinama, pride, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur, Ramananda Raya, Srila Narottama das, sadhu sangha, krsna prema, rasa, simplicity, varnashrama, etc, etc.
The intelligent conclusion is that there is a definite goal to be achieved by all this knowledge, and as he imparted it to his audiences, SGGS made no secret that he wanted us to realise what this goal is, also by which methods one could reach the goal, and how to avoid pitfalls. The pitfalls are of course, aparadhas including the numerous offences one could commit. Offences may beset unwary neophytes just embarking upon the bhakti margha, even up to and including the stage of nistha, but if one knows and understands Sri Guru's instructions and follows strictly and without envy, to the best of one's ability (we are not always as strong as we'd like to be, and don't I know it), and if one NEVER abandons this bhakti-margha, one is sure to meet with success eventually, if not a lot sooner. HDG taught us that if we keep praying for the mercy of Sri Nityananda Prabhu, clinging tightly to His lotus feet, we shall reach our goal.
Suddha Nama
Not withstanding the fact that each of us has the ultimate goal of association with krsna in the mood most attractive to each of us as an individual, ie cowherd boy, parent, manjari, whatever, we also have a more immediate goal that applies to each of us right now even in this material world of kali yuga. Srila Gour Govinda Swami spoke extensively on such topics and IMHO I would unhesitatingly put forward the main goal of our attempts at bhakti to be chanting the pure name of the Lord as presented by Sri Sri Goura Nitai. This can only be acheived by one who has love of god, krsna-prema so it would appear that chanting pure name and loving krsna are not distinct from each other since the chanting is the path to krsna-prema. Whilst various other important topics were aired, the other topics appear to be presented in relation to this extremely important goal."To get krsna", Srila Gour Govinda Swami would so often say. To reach the stage of suddhanama-harinama is precicely this. Others might argue in favour of going back to Godhead but let me remind you that suddhanama-harinama is required to achieve Godhead, and chanting pure nama Himself is the perfection of life in and of itself; going back to Godhead is not actually necessary to be a perfect soul although it does present certain unique opportunities for sweet service in one's own mood.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu came to give us the Holy Name, the pure name. Patiently, with your heart filled with love and in a very humble mood, chant these Holy Names:
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Harefor the Lord is your very dear friend.
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.
Other topics, integral to achieving our goal of chanting the pure name form the rest of this short list of topics as taught by Srila Gour Govinda Swami. Any other topics, whilst important, are integral to topics on this short list, or lead one to one, or more, of these.
As Srila Gour Govinda Swami told us how to reach the level of chanting the pure name, "There are some do's and some don't do's", he would say. Below I have listed two don't do's and three do's.
Avoid offences
Offences are the certain method of stalling and even failing in our spiritual life. Especially avoid offences to vaisnavas. Being offensive to ordinary jivas is sinful but being offensive to or criticising any vaisnava will erode and eventually destroy your spiritual life. A vaisnava is defined by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur as being anyone who chants the holy name even once, and given the three levels of chanting the holy name, ie, namaparadha, namabasa, and suddhanama, I would consider that ninda applies even to namaparadhi vaisnava devotees (souls who've reached the stage of blossoming consciousness), although sadhu ninda (criticising or blaspheming a pure sadhu who is completely blossoming counsciousness personified) is far worse as the results of sadhu ninda are considered to be both devastating and permanent.We are all familiar with the 10 offences to the holy name but perhaps we don't always remember that criticism is the key to sadhu ninda, vaisnava aparadha. When we criticise, we not only criticise the person we are criticising, but because everything happens according to the will of the Lord, we are also criticisning the Lord.
Whilst it could be said that offencelessness is actually a part of the "trinad api sunicena/humility" topic group, I have decided to mention it here, FIRST, due to it's sheer importance. Srila Gour Govinda Swami is always very down on offenders and spoke often regarding avoiding offences.
So please be very considerate of EVERY soul and do not criticise anybody, regardless of who they are.
Avoid bad association
This is really the opposite side of sadhu-sangha. Just as it behooves one to accept all things favourable for one's bhajan one should also reject unfavourable association that is not conducive to bhakti. If we can assist others by letting them know about krsna, by all means do so. It is a risk to associate with ordinary persons when preaching but it is a risk worth taking to offer them the gift of bhakti. Try to limit association with members of the opposite sex even if they are devotees as the wicked mind knows no boundaries. Bad association will always disturb the tranquillity of the mind.Bad association is not limited to the people with whom we associate and their materialistic conversations, but their ideas, irrelevant of the media that presents them. Books, television, movies, magazines, even our own indulgences such as gardening to impress the neighbours, playing rock, classical or jazz music, collecting vintage automobiles, stamps, coins, wines, old books or paintings, recollecting the games of one's childhood, daydreaming about some imaginary future, etc. This type of thing is an unnecessary distraction from our bhajan, which will lead to further distraction and useless attachments; it is best to avoid these things for, as our mind associates with them we accept a subtle message that Sri Sri Radha Krsna and our Gurudeva are not welcome at every moment. Unless They are wholeheartedly welcome at every moment, why should Sri Sri Radha Krsna be attracted to enter into your heart?
"Always remember krsna, never forget krsna", says Caitanya Mahaprabhu. If we can follow (or even approach) this instruction by not wasting a single moment by associating with the mediocrity of the material realm, we are certainly heading in the right direction. If you are one of those unfortunate persons who must work with all kinds of people to maintain one's family, at least do the best you can and try not to associate any more than necessary because when we fill our minds with useless things, in an insidious fashion we lose the inclination to dive into the divine ocean.
Most importantly, NEVER ever associate with persons who criticise devotees. In fact, I would go so far as to advise against any criticism, in any way, shape or form, and that's that. And NEVER, under any circumstance, associate with mayavadis. (See right hand column)
Sadhu Sangha
'sadhu-sanga', 'sadhu-sanga' – sarva-sastre kayalava-matra sadhu-sange sarva-siddhi haya
Translation: "The verdict of all revealed scriptures is that by even a moment's association with a pure devotee, one can attain all success." (Caitanya-Caritamrta, Madya, 22.54)
Taking the association of a bona-fide sadhu heads the following list of three things we should do. Sadhu sangha is much more than simply sitting in an audience whilst a sadhu speaks topics glorifying the Lord, His lilas, His devotees and the path of bhakti. Srila Gour Govinda Swami points out that one should not daydream whilst sadhu speaks, letting one's mind wander from Paris to Rome to London and back. One should, "with concentrated attention" hear the message of sadhu, AND one should follow the teachings. In fact Srila Gour Govinda Swami goes so far as to say, "Sadhu sangha means to imbibe the mood of the sadhu".
To do this, one will need to follow Bhagavad-Gita 4.34 to the letter and by getting to know the sadhu(s) as one who is very dear to one's heart, in short, by forming a deep, non-duplicious, dependant, sweet, personal relationship with the sadhu (based on service, friendship, and enquiry), one will understand the mood of the sadhu. Thus, by pleasing the sadhu, we can, by the sadhu's mercy, understand his mood, and finding it both lacking in our own heart and realising it to be so very attractive, we can take steps to imbibe said mood within our own heart.
It goes without saying that one may take a lifetime, or even many lifetimes, to imbibe the mood of the sadhu but at least knowing the mood of the sadhu arms us with the perfect direction to aim our efforts.
Srimad Bhagavatam
dharmah projjhita-kaitavo 'tra paramo nirmatsaranam satamvedyam vastavam atra vastu sivadam tapa-trayonmulanam
srimad-bhagavate maha-muni-krte kim va parair isvarah
sadyo hrdy avarudhyate 'tra krtibhih susrusubhis tat-ksanat
Translation: "Completely rejecting all religious activities which are materially motivated, this Bhagavata Purana propounds the highest truth, which is understandable by those devotees who are fully pure in heart. The highest truth is reality distinguished from illusion for the welfare of all. Such truth uproots the threefold miseries. This beautiful Bhagavatam, compiled by the great sage Vyasadeva [in his maturity], is sufficient in itself for God realization. What is the need of any other scripture? As soon as one attentively and submissively hears the message of Bhagavatam, by this culture of knowledge the Supreme Lord is established within his heart". (Srimad Bhagavatam 1.1.2)
Srimad Bhagavatam, according to Srila Gour Govinda Swami, should be a daily event; nitya he would say. He would often advise us that "A day without Srimad Bhagavatam is a very bad day indeed".
In describing the lilas of many of krsna's devotees, all (some, albeit, eventually) surrendering to krsna's will, from those somewhat accidentally finding darshan (Druva Maharaja) right up to those Who's bhakti is verily the ultimate pinnacle of service to krsna (Srimati Radharani and the gopis of Vrindavan), wherin krsna Himself laments His inability to repay the gopis' faultless service*, Srimad Bhagavatam assumes the role of the ideal guide to success for the aspiring, and indeed the already successful, devotee.
Pariksit Maharaja heard Srimad Bhagavatam for only seven days and nights. He was only hearing. He did not practice any of the other nine limbs of bhakti. However, simply by hearing, he received gopi-bhava.
Make Srimad Bhagavatam, especially if heard from the lotus lips of a sadhu, a part of your every day.
* na paraye ’ham niravadya-samyujam
sva-sadhu-krtyam vibudhayusapi vah
ya mabhajan durjara-geha-srnkhalah
samvrscya tad vah pratiyatu sadhuna
Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.32.22)
trinad api sunicena
The mood of trinad api sinicena is usually embodied in one word … humility. Srila Gour Govinda Swami spoke of the humble mood of Sri Caitanya when He sat outside a gathering of mayavadi sannyasins. Although He is the Lord Himself, He sat outside where the other sannyasins washed their feet. He glowed with a radiance that only absolute purity could manifest and via His humility, converted all the mayavadis to vaisnavism. Such is the power of humility.Srila Gour Govinda Swami sometimes spoke of the holes (or cracks) in our pot (our heart) wherein the nectar of sabda brahman flows into our heart but again flows out of the cracks. To keep the nectar within our heart we need to plug up the cracks. The cracks are our offences, thus, following the advice of the trinad api sunicena verse is tantamount to spiritual success, for the humble heart commits no offence.
Then when one has accrued enough sukruti to take sadhu sangha, one receives the nectar directly via the ears when listening to the words of Srimad Bhagavatam from a sadhu and, if the holes are all plugged tight by one's adherence to the habit of offencelessness, the nectar accumulates until it overflows into the hearts of others via the same process of loving instruction.
Humility is essential to chant pure name. Hearing the pure name from sadhu, the pure heart chants the name in a humble mood and spiritual success is ensured.
Impressions
Anyway this is the tattva-vichar as I see it, according to the impressions left upon my heart. Thus, this list of five main topics often reitterated by Srila Gour Govinda Swami may have more to do with my own mood rather than any reality as presented by Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga. How would I know? I am just a poor, slow-witted idiot, who is not only half deaf, but much worse than that, completely blind to the world of the vaisnavas, yet I have presented my conclusion here in the hope that it assists even one devotee to stay on the path of bhakti.You may have reached other conclusions, and who am I to say that I am correct and you are not? This is siddhanta as I see her (for bhakti is alive and very, very personal) presented here for the benefit of one and all. Absolutely no offense is intended to any soul. This is what I heard from Srila Gour Govinda Swami.
Kind wishes to all souls whoever and wherever you may be.
Quotes
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakhur says:
I practice great humility
in my dealings
with everyone
I try to keep simplicity
and purity prominent
in all my practical arrangements;
I maintain extreme tolerance
in all types of favourable
or unfavourable circumstances.
I offer all respect unto others
regardless of who they are.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Srila AC Bhaktivedanta says:
"So this Mayavadi philosophy, to become one with the supreme father, is like that". . ." So this is the last snare, that to become one with the Supreme. Ye 'nye 'ravindaksa vimukta-ma...tvayy asta-bhavat. Because they have no information that they can go back to home, back to Godhead, and enjoy the company of the Supreme Lord, they think that to become one with the Supreme, that is the highest perfection." [Srila AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Pabhupada, Bombay, December 3, 1974]. "The Mayavada philosophy, impersonalists, they say that if God has expanded in everything there is no particular personal existence of God. That is Mayavada philosophy. But that is not the fact. Fact is that although God is personal, He is person. Just like you are person, I am person, He is person, but He is the Supreme Person. And everything is expanded by His energy." [Srila AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Pabhupada, Melbourne, April 24, 1976].
Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu says:
jivera nistara lagi' sutra kaila vyasamayavadi-bhasya sunile haya sarva-nasa
Srila Vyasadeva presented the Vedanta philosophy for the deliverance of conditioned souls, but if one hears the commentary of Sankaracarya, everything is spoiled.
Factually, the devotional service of the Lord is described in the Vedanta-sutra, but the Mayavadi philosophers, the Sankarites, prepared a commentary known as Sariraka-bhasya, in which the transcendental form of the Lord is denied. The Mayavadi philosophers think that the living entity is identical with the Supreme Soul, Brahman. Their commentaries on the Vedanta-sutra are completely opposed to the principle of devotional service. Caitanya Mahaprabhu therefore warns us to avoid these commentaries. If one indulges in hearing the Sankarite Sariraka-bhasya, he will certainly be bereft of all real knowledge.
The ambitious Mayavadi philosophers desire to merge into the existence of the Lord, and this may be accepted as sayujya-mukti. However, this form of mukti means denying one's individual existence. In other words, it is a kind of spiritual suicide. This is absolutely opposed to the philosophy of bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yoga offers immortality to the individual conditioned soul. If one follows the Mayavadi philosophy, he misses his opportunity to become immortal after giving up the material body. The immortality of the individual person is the highest perfectional stage a living entity can attain.
NOTE: Srila Gour Govinda Swami sang this Bengali verse (above) daily, as part of his daily glorification of Srimad Bhagavatam. This stresses its importance.
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