English
13th May 2019
STAY AWAY FROM VAISHNAV APARADHS!
Today I am going to share one thing explained by HH. Bhakti Purushottam Maharajaa. It is about avoiding Vaisnava aparadha or offending Vaisnavas.
aparadh sunya haiya laho krsna nama ( Verse 3 - Nadiya godrume Nityanand Mahajan) Japa has to be done without offences and specially without offences towards Vaisnavas. I have been talking from time to time, how we should be doing preparation of this chanting.
Tomorrow's chanting preparation is done the day before or many days before. Avoiding offences towards Vaisnavas is among one of those. Offending Vaisnavas or other living entities or even common folks, why not?
So this pastime Maharajaa has narrated is about Rupa Goswami . Once he was chanting, but he was not feeling any ecstasy. No emotions or spiritual feelings were arising. It was dry chanting. He was wondering, “ Why it is so? Why I am not feeling any ecstasy? What could be the reason?” He was inquiring about this from someone. He was told that there is a possibility that he may have done some offence towards some Vaisnava.
Rupa Goswami was trying to recall. Thinking and thinking, he was not able to come to any conclusion. He
couldn't recall offending anyone. He exclaimed No! No! No ! I have not offended anybody.
I don't remember offending anyone.
So then there was a suggestion, that may be someone has been offended unknowingly or you have offended someone and forgotten about it. In this case, what you should do? You should invite Vaisnavas of this region and feed them Krsna prasada. Then that Vaisnava will forgive you for the offence you might have done. Then he was also told that you will invite everybody, but the one you possibly might have offended, will not turn up. He will not accept your invitation. Then you will come to know, “I might have offended this Prabhu or
that person and that’s why he has not come, for the prasada feast arranged by me. So then Rupa Goswami invited everyone. This must be at Radha Kunda or somewhere. All Vaisnavas came, except one lame person. Then the conclusion was that he must have offended him, that's why he has not come.
Then Rupa Goswami went to him and inquired from him, “ Did I offend you?”. Then this person said, “ Yes! Yes! You did offend. You are an offender. This person explained that one day around noon, you were sitting on the banks of Radha-Kunda and I was passing by. The way I was walking as I am lame, looking at me, you laughed. You made fun of me. How could you do this? I am hurt. How can I forget this and tolerant this? You are an offender.
Then Rupa Goswami tried to recall, and said , “ No! No! I saw you limping or struggling to walk or maybe falling, getting up. That was not the reason why I laughed. That was not directed to you. The reason I laughed, was not because of your walking. He then inquired, as to why they were laughing if that was not the reason? Then Rupa Goswami explained, 'I was doing lila smaran of Radha kunja Bihari.’ He explained one day Radha along with the Gopis , were picking up flowers at noon on the bank of Kusum Sarovar. But Krsna wanted to make fun of Radharani. So before the arrival of the Gopis and Radharani, Krsna reached there. And what did he do? He climbed up the branch of one tree. By his weight he lowered one branch. Then he was expecting Radharani to choose this branch to pick up the flowers.
Krsna knew that she would also hold on to the branch to reach out to that branch to pick up flowers. So that branch was lowered due to weight of Krsna. So as Krsna had planned , his strategy worked out. Radharani had come underneath that particular tree and she did catch hold of the branch. This was the time , he moved to the trunk of the tree. So immediately branch went up higher and Radharani was still hanging there, shouting for help. Help! Help! and then Krsna was laughing seeing this fun. Then Rupa Goswami explained, that's when I laughed also. That's why I was laughing that day. Not because of you , O! Lame Prabhu. I
wasn't even looking at you.
Sthavar janjam Dekhi na dekhi tar murti, sarvatra hoy Istadever sphurty. (CC madhya 8.274)
That is Rupa Goswami's status. Even if he sees this thing, that thing, that tree ,anything car, etc. They don't see any objects, they are absorbed in Istadever sphurty. Istadev Radha-Krsna ki jay! So all this was explained by Rupa Goswami. This is what happens to Vaisnavas of caliber of Rupa Goswami. They remain absorbed in remembrance of their Istadev and are not seeing anything around. This clarification cleared the misunderstanding. There was no offence actually. It was simply a misunderstanding. So we have to also be very careful while dealing with Vaisnavas. We have to make all efforts to avoid offences. Or sometimes we haven't offended, but it was perceived that way. But we should go out and possibly do all efforts to clarify the misunderstanding. Then that way there is a possibility of someone thinking that you have offended, will be cleared. Be careful, be cautious in dealing with Vaisnavas, and we say dealing with all the living entities. Prabhupada said, we don't wish to hurt even an ant. Like that of Mrigari, the hunter. His Guru Maharaja had come. He had seen his Guru Maharaja had landed some distance away from where Mrigari was standing.
But he did not rush to touch the feet of his Guru Maharaja or to bow down. Instead of bowing down, he was clearing the ground. Going zig-zag. Then Narada Muni inquired what had happened? You should have run to me , as soon as you saw me. But his response was how I could have run? There were so many ants on the way , so I was trying to clear the path. I was not wanting to hurt them or kill them. Of course he developed this state of mind, by chanting Hare Krsna. So by chanting , the same person who was Mrigari, enemy of all the animals of the forest (He would half kill them. They would scream and he would happily enjoy and see what happened ! He doesn't even want to hurt an ant. He had chanted Hare Krsna and then he developed:
titikshvaha karunika surudam sarva dehinaha ajat shatravaha shantaha sadhavaha sadhu bhushanaha. (S.B.3.25.21)
As one makes advancement in Krsna consciousness by chanting , one becomes more sensitive. Even a small or subtle offence is taken as big because now he is pure and advanced, he is also more sensitive, more kind and considerate. Then he becomes more cautious and caring also avoiding offences. That is what we observe from life of a mrigari. This is a big thing Bhakti Purushottam Maharaja said. When devotees are sitting around me
, Japa-talk becomes longer.
I will just conclude with Bhakti Purushottam Maharaja's statement. One time he was travelling with Jayapataka Swami Maharaja. Whole world is getting ready for Maharaja's 70 the birthday party in 2 to 3 days. He said , Maharaja used to carry a stick. Once that stick fell on Bhakti Purushottam Maharaja and immediately Jayapataka Maharaja started saying, “ I am sorry! I am sorry! Did I hurt you?” Bhakti Purushottam Maharaja was telling that it was not a big thing that his stick fell on me, but Jayapataka Maharaja took it as he has hurt Maharaja, I have hurt my disciple. Begging for forgiveness, saying, “ I am sorry! I am
sorry!!”
I have to get ready to move to next destination. I am here in Vallabh Vidyanagar since few days and I will be leaving for Rajkot where there is big temple opening coming up tomorrow. So it's possible that we can meet again tomorrow and hopefully chant with you again.