Superior Association | Offering Yourself in Service

Question: Sometimes we get the fortune of good association, but only externally. And internally, it feels like we cannot properly connect or get that association. This can feel even more confusing; at least from a distance we can understand why we may feel disconnected but in an association to feel this way is very discouraging. Why does this happen and how can we fix it?

Goswāmī Mahārāj:Śrīla Guru Mahārāj - he liked to quote that ślokā:
sajātīyāśaye snigdhe
sādhau saṅgaḥ svato vare
(Chaitanya Charitāmṛta Madhya: 22.131)

By superior association we improve our ability, in every way, to recognize what is substantial, to get at the inner meaning of the scripture, to come in connection with substantial service opportunities. In every way we benefit by superior association. But that is not achieved merely by recognizing that I'm in the presence of a superior Vaiṣṇava. [We are] told that with regard to the highest type of Vaiṣṇava — mahā-bhāgavata — that we should offer ourselves in service to them. That is the natural outcome of that recognition, that we should offer ourselves in service. And that will not be according to our idea. So the problem may be is that we have our idea of what that association will entail, as opposed to offering ourselves to the agent and following their direction.

So, we are told, [Śrīla Prabhupāda told about] Gaura Kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja —some men were seeking his association, and asking him for his blessings. And his blessings—he told [them] "just stay here and take Kṛṣṇa-nām with me, don't return to your previously conceived obligations, just stay here with me and take Kṛṣṇa-nām." AndŚrīla Prabhupāda said, they fled away. And then he said Gaura Kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja was a very humorous fellow. So. If there is no self-sacrifice, self-giving, offering oneself in service, then it's not — how can we expect association? Śrīla Guru Mahārāj mentioned [the following about] when he heard Professor Sanyāl say that if we go to read the Bhāgavatam under the direction of the Vaiṣṇava, it may be devotion. But, if [we do that] on our own initiative, for our own purpose, ulterior motive, the same activity, the same words, it's the Bhāgavatam, everything [is] the same, but it may be karma-kāṇḍa, which means imposing our desires upon the higher. That cannot be association. So it may be karma-kāṇḍa. He said it may [even] be karma, may even be detrimental.

Again, with Bābājī Mahārāj. When [a] Bhāgavat reciter wanted to recite the Bhāgavatam before Gaura Kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja with the intention that it will be profitable for his Bhāgavatam recitation business in the future — I feel they show a list, [and then advertise] I have recited for all these [and people will think] ohh, [you have recited for] Gaura Kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja! Somehow it occurred, and we hear afterwards Bābājī Mahārāj tell the people around to get some cow dung and cow urine and cleanse the place. And everyone is shocked. Because it is conventionally understood on the basis of the Bhāgavat itself and other scriptural evidence that the speaker is purified, the hearer is purified, the audience is purified. The very place where the activity [of reciting the Bhāgavatam] takes place is purified. We can quote the Gopī-gītā:

tava kathāmṛtaṁ tapta-jīvanaṁ
kavibhir īḍitaṁ kalmaṣāpaham
śravaṇa-maṅgalaṁ śrīmad-ātataṁ
bhuvi gṛṇanti ye bhūridā janāḥ
(Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: 10.31.9)

This is life-saving nectar. We are told only the fortunate people in this life will get the opportunity to hear about Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa conception, Kṛṣṇa and His Pastimes, Kṛṣṇa-līlā. But here Gaura Kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja, the spiritual expert, the substantial Vaiṣṇava, after this recitation he wants to cleanse the area. As if some type of slaughter just took place. Something unholy, polluting. Then, association, it cannot be understood in some literal sense.

So, Rupa Goswāmī is saying:

anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ
 jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam
ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-
 śīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 1.1.11)
No ulterior motive, not karma, not jñāna, of any sort —the desire to know. Ulterior motive means our own purpose. So, Śrīdhara Swāmi says: ādau arpyeta paścād kriyeta [sā cārpitaiva sati yadi kriyeta, na tu kṛtā sati paścād arpyeta].

Beginning, middle, and end, must be for Kṛṣṇa. Guru Mahārāj said, if the Guru, or Vaiṣṇava wants you to be at their side, should you flee and go away? And the inverse, if they are sending you to do some particular sevā, do you demand to stay at their side? Mahāprabhu is telling His associates: in the execution of His order, they will have His association. The mysterious aspect —one mysterious aspect—of Kṛṣṇa's pastimes is that He separates Himself, apparently, from the Vraja gopīs. What seems to be cruel, but it's revealed by the achāryās in their commentaries, that really the outcome is increased love and affection. Their devotion comes with increased intensity.

So, association implies some level of adherence to what is heard. Fidelity, faithfulness. Sometimes Guru Mahārāj will speak of accuracy and reproduction. And fidelity, faithfulness to the concept, to the conceptual seed that has been expressed. Will it enter the heart, in the deep heart's core and influence movement and activity and dedication as an outcome?

So, at the heart of the matter is to—in recognition of superior association, to offer oneself in service. Either literally, or in principle by faithful reproduction of what has been received, extending that to others. And that verse, from Mahāprabhu says:

yāre dekha, tāre kaha ‘kṛṣṇa’-upadeśa
āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra’ ei deśa
(Chaitanya Charitāmṛta Madhya: 7.128)
"In pursuit of this order of Mine, to extend Kṛṣṇa conception to others, if you are sincere and faithful, you won't be overwhelmed by the mundane current."

So, we are interested in the lifelong pursuit of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Lifelong service aspiration. In a sense we can say...Mādhavendra Purī. This highest type of expression, when is it coming to him? He is on his disappearance bed. At that time, something deep from within the core of his heart is rising and being expressed. So, we cannot demand realization, association, achievement. There is no, you know, quick fix. [This] means to engage in spiritual culture, with an aspiration to serve. So we are described as "aspiring servitors." The heart's inner aspiration to —that's a very high position, to be Kṛṣṇa dās, servant of Kṛṣṇa.

When Gaudiya Math was assailed, attacked, that they are preaching slavery, which is the degradation of a human being, Śrīla Saraswati Ṭhākur's response was "Gaudiya Math stands for the dignity of the human race." To achieve the position of a servant of Kṛṣṇa, [is] the most exalted attainment. So we don't consider that we are that. It is an aspiration that we are nurturing. And except for service what is our capacity to associate with a higher Vaiṣṇava, the most superior type of association. How can we interact? As those men, they went to Gaurakiśora dāsa Bābājī, [and] he immediately responded, "here is what you can do [stay here and take Krishna Nam]." [But] that [what he commanded] they were unable to do.

So, Śrīla Gurudev, Śrīla Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev Goswāmi Mahārāj, his way, what he demonstrated personally is, to serve the lotus feet of Śrīla Guru Mahārāj. And arrange all the services in connection with the service of his holy lotus feet. He is not concerned about his own level of achievement, but wherever there is clearly some service opportunity, he is eager for that. However trivial it might seem to be. He epitomized what is expressed by Rupa Goswāmi in Lalitāṣtakam:
rādhā-mukunda pada-sambhava-gharma-bindu-
nirmañchanopakaraṇī-kṛta-deha-lakṣām
uttuṅga-sauhṛda-viśeṣa-vaśāt pragalbhāṁ
devīṁ guṇaiḥ sulalitāṁ lalitāṁ namāmi
(Śrī Lalitāṣṭakam: 1)
Ready to sacrifice herself a thousand times, a hundred thousand times to see to the least aspect of service of the higher plane, [the] upper world.

In praise of Rādhārāṇī, Rūpa Goswāmī says:
hari-pada-nakha-koṭī-pṛṣṭha-paryanta-sīmā-taṭ
am api kalayantīḿ prāṇa-koṭer abhīṣṭam
pramudita-madirākṣī-vṛnda-vaidagdhya-dīkṣā-gurum
ati-guru-kīrtiḿ rādhikām archayāmi
(ŚrīRādhikāṣtakam: 7)
The least aspect of the upper world, we are told repeatedly to approach the lotus feet. But here is [an] even more refined conception - what would be the least aspect of the lotus feet? [That] would be the nails —Hari-pada nakha —means the nails of the holy lotus feet of Śrī Hari, Kṛṣṇa. And what is said here is that Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī considers that, that least aspect of Kṛṣṇa is more valuable than Her own highest aspect of Herself magnified millions of times. What kind of a concept is that? The least aspect of that plane is more valuable than the highest aspect of Myself magnified a million times. That's actually an intoxicating vision and that sort of vision will draw the greatest remuneration from the least type of connection. To appreciate the value and to understand how to assess and weigh its merit, its substance, its value, what is the system for doing that? That means Kṛṣṇa consciousness has to be conceived properly. Therefore, at the beginning, sambandha jñāna. See the proper relationship between things, and the proper perspective. We are told again, Professor Sanyal, when he came to Gaudiya Math, although he was the head examiner of the University—means of a PhD committee, he is the head examiner, you have to get his approval to get your PhD. [Although he held such a high position] when he came to the Gaudiya Math, he is sweeping the stairs. He thinks, sweeping the stairs of the Math, is superior to karma,jñāna of this world. A sweeper in the Math is a superior position to the head examiner at the University. So, [he thought] how fortunate am I to get this opportunity? Of course, in time he became the editor of the books, he made so many literary contributions. But this points to his spirit, his understanding, the perspective. So, we are told, one word from Guru is ... we are incapable of repaying the wealth within one word of Sri Guru. We can't....if we offered the world as praṇāmi, it would be insufficient. That type of vision and thinking [is necessary]. Śrīla Gurudev, about Śrīla Guru Mahārāj he said, "One word from Śrīla Guru Mahārāj is sufficient to make us his slaves forever."

Slavery is a good way to associate with the higher. There was something in what those people said. Yes, teaching slavery, divine slavery. We've seen the grandfather, grandmother, say happily, they are the slaves of the grandchild, with a big smile on their face. They might have had a big position in the world. Have [had] so much wealth. They openly, happily, admit, "I am the slave of this child." And everyone praises them for that type of love and affection. "Oh, see, how sweet! Grandma and grandpa. We didn't know that such sweetness was within them." Guru Mahārāj said, "In Vṛndāvan, what do we aspire to be? Happy, dancing, slaves." But slave to whom? We object to that, why, because we want to defend being slaves of our senses, that's the only kind of slavery that makes sense to us. Right? Being a slave of the tongue, belly, genital etc. That we understand. We are ready to die for that freedom. Freedom for the senses, that's our flag. We march for freedom for the senses. That we are willing to die for. Right? People always say, "I am willing to die for that freedom." But Guru Mahārāj said no, there's another concept, [which is]: freedom from the senses. And as the Netāji statue at the Kolkata airport —the bust of Netāji Subash Chandra Bose, the famous Bengali freedom fighter —says, "give me your blood and I will give you freedom." People like that kind of thing. Fires up the troops. Give me your blood and I'll give you freedom. But Gurudev said — if you can catch what this [the following] says we can get something substantial —Gurudev said, "and Guru Mahārāj would say 'give me your blood and I will give you devotion.'" That we should line up for.

What if association means giving your blood? It's fine if it means nectar collector, right? I have got the higher association, I am getting so much nectar, and my nectar collection is expanding, because of higher association. That's true if one has the capacity. Viśvanāth Chakravartī Ṭhākur, in his commentary, Sārārtha-darśinī-ṭīkā, at one point he begs forgiveness from the reader, saying, "forgive me, I have become a jeweller, a jewel merchant." Chakravartī Ṭhākur has become a businessman. Now he is selling jewellery. What? What does he mean? Chintāmaṇi ślokās. These ślokās are like so many gems, and his interpretations of them are like facets, coruscating flashes of divine devotional brilliance coming out of his heart, really. His deep heart's core, that's where all that comes from. But he is begging forgiveness from the readers. That's another plane.

Saraswatī Ṭhākur would sometimes quote the Bhāgavatam ślokā that has the word chindantiin it. I forget the verse...the one where it says that sādhu is one who cuts sharply with sometimes unpleasant language. Back to Bābājī Mahārāj. So...main thing is adherence. Faithful adherence — śraddhā.

śraddhānvito ’nuśṛṇuyād atha varṇayed yaḥ
(Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: 10.33.39)
Faithful representation, not in a literal sense, but in the spirit. That's why we have to go to particular Guru for the mantram. Particular line. sampradāya-vihīnā ye mantrās te niṣphalā matāḥ(Padma Purāṇa). Otherwise it won't produce the fruit. Or maybe it will produce poison fruit.

avaiṣṇava-mukhodgīrṇaṁ
pūtaṁ hari-kathāmṛtam
śravaṇaṁ naiva kartavyaṁ
sarpocchiṣṭaṁ yathā payaḥ
(Padma Purāṇa)

We are only interested in hearing these things, this Kṛṣṇa conception from our Guru-varga. Not from any other source. So we demonstrate our faithful adherence to their general orders and instructions, and there may be specific orders and instruction. By offering ourselves as instruments to the fulfilment of those orders, we have their association.

Anything else on that, or other [questions]?

[About] Pratāparudra Mahārāj..... Ratha- yātrā is coming, we are approaching Ratha-yātrā. The Guṇḍicā-mārjana is coming [in] a couple of days, and Ratha-yātrā. Pratāparudra Mahārāj so much wanted the association of Mahāprabhu. And we know, Mahāprabhu..is mysterious..He is playing...it hurts. We are rooting for Pratāparudra Maharaj. We want him to get the association of Mahāprabhu and we are hopeful. And then, and so are all the devotees. And when they bring it up to Mahāprabhu, He is saying, "What are you asking Me?" In that culture, in that [environment], He is saying, "To vibrate the name of a king is polluting." To get the association of that type of materialist? And it's so upsetting to Mahāprabhu that He threatens to leave the association of all the devotees, if they bring it up again, or if they pursue it. How crushing would that be, to be in the position of Pratāparudra Maharaj! Mahāprabhu is so near, and He refuses to allow you to have His darśan and makes some derogatory comments. Who could withstand that, what type of devotee, what type of heart. He [Pratāparudra Mahārāj] sees in the absence of that prospect [having Mahāprabhu's darśan], everything is useless.

But, Rāmānanda.........that [the above request on behalf of Pratāparudra Mahārāja] is a conversation that's I believe represented by Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭāchārya, to Mahāprabhu. Rāmānanda comes, his order from Mahāprabhu was to retire from the government service and come and join Him in Jagannātha Purī. So, he mentions that this Pratāparudra Mahārāj had allowed him to retire with a full salary, pension, everything. And he [Rāmānanda] started praising his [Pratāparudra Mahārāj's] devotional qualities. He [Rāmānanda] is not necessarily aware of this conversation of Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭāchārya. When Mahāprabhu hears that, and coupled with the king's desire for His association, His darśan, He says that "He has got the grace of a devotee like you, Rāmānanda. Then, certainly Kṛṣṇa will be merciful to him." That he has got the grace of the devotees, Mahāprabhu is saying, that...then, that will bring Kṛṣṇa in his connection. It is actually even better this way.

And then Sārvabhauma gets that idea and tells Pratāparudra Mahārāj: "When the Ratha-yātrā comes, and Sri Chaitanyadev —He is dancing madly in ecstasy. He has got His uddaṇḍa, [His] nṛtya — leaping straight up in the air and coming down; then his tāṇḍava, nṛtyahas the madhur —sweet type of dancing; and tāṇḍava-nṛtya —dance of devastation, depending on the type of ecstasy He is feeling; he is saying, but certainly a break will come along the way in this particular garden and at that time, without your royal dress, in the dress of a simple Vaiṣṇava, you enter there and massage the Lord's feet from the exhaustion of dancing and sing to Him the pañcha-adhyāya, these five chapters of the Rāsa- Līlā from the Tenth Cānto beginning with the Gopī-Gītā. And I am sure He will be merciful to you." And at that time Mahaprabhu doesn't know, He is so lost in divine thought and ecstasy. Pratāparudra Mahārāj is massaging His feet and he sings:

tava kathāmṛtaṁ tapta-jīvanaṁ
 kavibhir īḍitaṁ kalmaṣāpaham
śravaṇa-maṅgalaṁ śrīmad ātataṁ
 bhuvi gṛṇanti ye bhūri-dā janāḥ
(Srīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.31.9)
This makes Mahāprabhu so happy. bhūri-dā janāḥ —that means "this is the greatest thing you can do for anyone and you just did it for me."

Traveling with Muralishwar Prabhu once, in Mother Russia - [there was] this place with a big lake, Petrozavodsk - is that the name of the city? Right? And there is a big lake. If you guys don't know.....[laughter]. Let's just say there is. And we're staying in one place and we are having these programs and the devotee there, his sister is like, listening to the programs. And this is sort of an answer to this question as well. She is asking, "you are always, you know, talking about Kṛṣṇa. Why don't you do something, you know, to help other people? Like, you can go out and distribute food, or clothes, you know, do something. Here, you're all just happily talking about Kṛṣṇa every night." [Laughter]. And I thought — this is...somehow this is right, in other words, not to fault her, but she is saying she cannot understand how this [talking about Kṛṣṇa] is a valuable thing. Mahāprabhu is embracing Pratāparudra Mahārāj, saying, "Bhūri dā-janāḥ." Yes, those people who tell us about Kṛṣṇa, they are giving us something substantial, this is the best thing you can do for somebody in this world. Right? If it's real, not for your purpose — then it goes somewhere else, [that's] why Babaji Maharaj is objecting.

śraddhānvito ’nuśṛṇuyād atha varṇayed yaḥ
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.33.39)

But faithful to Guru and Vaiṣṇava, sādhu and śāstrā, that sort of representation, this is the best thing you can do for anybody in this world. [You may ask] you mean, better than giving them some food, something to eat or some shelter? Yes, better. Because all of those will vanish. Only this [talk of Kṛṣṇa] addresses the inner necessity of the heart. Only this is capable of touching the heart in a meaningful way.

When Guru Mahārāj went to collect the donations on behalf of Gaudiya Math for a temple — Madras —and really he thought all he has to do is go to this place and they'll give the cheque, [and he can] give a receipt and go. But something happened, and the government there, whatever — [someone is] saying it was in Jaipur, maybe in Rajasthan, I forget — and he got there and there [was] another man, suddenly. Another bureaucrat showed up. And he was hard. And he said, if there is any extra funds, they will be used for some sort of philanthropic work. So suddenly, they are not going to get anything. He is saying it won't be used for some temple, we'll use it to help serve the people, if there's extra funds. But not to fund some temple. And Guru Mahārāj, he was in trouble, as a preacher. What should have been something simple, now [he was] going to come back empty-handed. So he prayed to Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Saraswati Ṭhākur, to his Gurudev, for some help, for some inspiration. And where it came, and how it descended is atypical, unexpected, shocking almost. Because he quoted this verse from the Bhāgavatam that comes after the Rāsa-līlā has been shown. When Śukhadev looks at the group, we are told, all these great Rishis — Gurudev would say, with big long, beards — some of them were shocked by what he said. In the beginning of the Bhāgavatam, he said:jugupsitaṁ dharma-kṛte ’nuśāsataḥ (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 1.5.15) [he] talks about what is irreligious. He is saying that...what has become irreligious? Religion. Religion is the worst thing. Vyāsa is being chastised by Nārada, for what?
"You gave religion to the world."
"What? I thought that was a good thing."
"No, everyone will think by following what you said they'll just remain — it's like a system to be happy and attached in the mundane world. No one will get liberated that way. Really, you won't break the knot that's got a stranglehold on the heart, with your religion. You have given them a way to remain bound. You didn't mean that, but that's how they'll take it. So you have got to free the people, with something that can cut —bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiś chidyante sarva- saṁśayāḥ(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 1.2.21).That can cut the knots that have a stranglehold on the heart. What is that? hṛd-rogam — Lust. muktir hitvānyathā rūpaṁ svarūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 2.10.6).If you don't educate the people about a life of prospect in a world other than this one, they will conclude [that] the only place you can express these sort of tendencies, including eros, is here. So, unless you properly describe Kṛṣṇa conception and comprehensively culminating in madhura-rasa and the possibility of divine service in that plane, they will conclude the only thing you can do is exploit others for enjoyment. [They] cannot conceive how you could offer yourself and experience another type of happiness. And[they cannot conceive] self-giving, dedication, and [how it can lead] to the extremes of happiness."

They are saying, so in the beginning you told us that religion was bad. Basically. And now you are going to give us the real thing. Following these moral codes and everything — bad. Now, you are going to tell us the real thing. What do you tell us? That the Supreme entity, the aprākṛta līlā of Kṛṣṇa — as Guru Mahārāj put it this way, not only are you telling us that God is a man, that's difficult enough to digest, but you are telling us that he is an immoral man. [Laughter]. So, Śukadev and Parīkṣit Mahārāj......[Laughter].

vikrīḍitaṁ vraja-vadhūbhir idaṁ ca viṣṇoḥ
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.33.39)

That's why Viṣṇu. No, he is not a man, he is Vishnu, He is God. Sometimes Viṣṇu means God. I mean, always, but here particularly. To not think that Kṛṣṇa is less than the Supreme. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam. (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 1.3.28) —in the list of so many avatārs — incarnations, that's what Śukadev said. But Sūta when he was repeating what he heard, [he said] if you just hear the list like that, Kṛṣṇa is buried in the list, they'll take Him as one of them. Kṛṣṇas tubhagavān svayam. But Kṛṣṇa [of all] you have heard in this list, 24, Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān— He is Bhagavān —svayam Bhagavān is Kṛṣṇa. It's His play to descend like this. Aprākṛta līlā.

kṛṣṇera yateka khelā, sarvottama nara-līlā,
nara-vapu tāhāra svarūpa
gopa-veśa, veṇu-kara, nava-kiśora, naṭa-vara,
nara-līlāra haya anurūpa
(Chaitanya Charitāmṛta Madhya: 21.101)

It's just perfect, for Kṛṣṇa's pastimes. His saumya rūpam, that makes Arjuna calm. Virāṭ rūpa was scary. His saumya rūpam—he [Arjuna] becomes calm again. The beautiful form of Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa says "This is the form that is rarest and ever sought by all the great devatās." They are waiting at the end of day when Kṛṣṇa comes back from a hard day of cow-herding, Kṛṣṇa, Balarām, the cow-herd boys. Brahmā, Śiva, other devatās, they are waiting to have a glimpse of Kṛṣṇa. The paramātmā yogīs, how much austerity, penance they are doing to have glimpse of Kṛṣṇa in their hearts. And that Kṛṣṇa, with His brother, and cow-herd boys, they are having lunch on the banks of the Jamuna. And having so much fun. [Laughter]. Yajña-bhuk— who only eats by yajña, that's what they know, what the Vedas know and the followers of the Vedas know. He eats by yajña. Brahmā knows that too. And Brahmā sees, that yajña-bhukis sitting on the bank of the Jamuna with His brother, and [His] friends are all playing around and playing games with each other and stealing each other's lunch. That...is that possible?

So, Parīkṣit Mahārāj and Śukadeva, they are working in tandem. So, he has to give some qualifiers. Nīlakanṭha, Śiva, by drinking an ocean of poison, his neck turned blue. He can digest this. He is saying, these pastimes of Kṛṣṇa, if you are not [like Śiva] — what is Śiva known as? [He is known as] Dhīra , the last line in that verse:

bhaktiṁ parāṁ bhagavati pratilabhya kāmaṁ
hṛd-rogam āśv apahinoty acireṇa dhīraḥ
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.33.39)

If you are not like Śiva, who is undisturbed by his consort, Pārvatī — she couldn't agitate him, disturb him—otherwise then you won't be able to digest these topics. But, śraddhānvito ’nuśṛṇuyād atha varṇayed yaḥ (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.33.39)but if you can hear from a proper source, with faith — that means the disciplic line, that means Chaitanya Saraswatī, Saraswatī Ṭhākur, Gaudiya Math. Guru Mahārāj said, "We are establishing that center, the place where you can become free from the stranglehold that lust has on the heart. The hṛd-rogam —the heart disease, that is the cause of everyone's suffering in material existence. We are opening up a hospital that treats that condition."

And then, Guru Mahārāj, with some peculiar inspiration, said, "When I was in the body of an elephant, I ate jungles, and that hunger wasn't satisfied. In the body of a stool-eating pig, I ate a mountain of stool, that hunger wasn't satisfied." Hṛd-rogam — heart disease. Consumption, [the idea] that I am a consumer, I am an exploiter, I am the lord of all I survey. Lord of the tiny skull-sized kingdom.

And, the man started [crying], tears welled up his eyes. Guru Mahārāj had touched his heart, and then the man said, "Swamiji, I believe in God, don't get me wrong." Guru Mahārāj said, "Your eyes are the evidence of that" as tears were coming down his eyes. So, Guru Mahārāj said, "Our Math is the hospital that cures this disease that everyone is suffering from." And the man writing the cheque [said], "Yes, that money should be given for a Math." Not just to give someone their necessity so they can spend another day in hell. Right?

Śrīla Guru Mahārāj said of Saraswatī Ṭhākur that someone said, "He must have been very sweet." Guru Maharaj said, "Yes, but it could only be detected within. [Laughter]." He said, "Externally he appeared like a devastator."

nikhila-bhuvana-maya-chinnavicchinna-karttri
vibudha-bahula-mrgya-mukti-mohanta-dhattri
sithilita-vidhi-ragaradhya-radhesa-dhani
vilasatu hrdi nityam bhaktisiddhānta-vāṇī
(Śloka by Śrīla Srīdhar Mahārāj glorifying Śrīla Saraswatī Ṭhākur)

He said, "Yes, the sweetness of Vṛndāvan [was] within and it could only be detected within." He is more affectionate than your own mother and father in desiring your supreme welfare. By his mercy, we are sitting here, having this talk. Repeating what he —his conception, that he pushed into the hearts of his followers— vilasatu hṛdi nityam bhaktisiddhānta-vāṇī....—still vibrating. We want to offer ourselves in service to that divine vibration. Guru Mahārāj said [that] Saraswat, Brahmin, and by extension, you can say in this Saraswat Math, [we are] "word traders." [Our] business is words, but divine words. Divine speech, divya-vāṇī. Bhakti Siddhānta-vāṇī. Saraswat, Saraswati. Life-changing words. Heart of Kṛṣṇa conception:

praviṣṭaḥ karṇa-randhreṇa
 svānāṁ bhāva-saroruham
dhunoti śamalaṁ kṛṣṇaḥ
 salilasya yathā śarat
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 2.8.5)

So, Mahāprabhu embraced Pratāparudra Mahārāj saying, "You are giving, this is the real thing, that needs to be given to everybody." Saraswatī Ṭhākur said, "Hari-kathā durvikṣā." The only shortage, the only famine there is in this world is a shortage of talks of Kṛṣṇa. And Gauragāthā gṛṇanti. The primary function of members of the Chaitanya Sāraswat Maṭh [is] Mahaprabhu Gaura- kathā, means, Kṛṣṇa- kathā, Rādhā Kṛṣṇa-kathā. So that's the only shortage there is in this world. Sometimes Saraswatī Ṭhākur [is] walking to the press, looking at the flats of what is about to be published, some articles, and saying: "How many times does he mention Kṛṣṇa in that article?" [Someone answers] "Well, this many times." "Oh, then it is a good article." [Laughter]. How many times do you hear of Kṛṣṇa, and Gaurāṅga, Nityānanda — that's a good article. We have songs, [like] the morning songs, there are the names of all these exalted Vaiṣṇavās:Mālinīśrīvāsa jayajaya chandraśekhara āchāryajaya nityānanda rāyagadādhara jaya jaya. Just singing their names will liberate people. Don't need to understand that, what it all means, just vibrate the names of these personalities and it will be for your supreme benefit and welfare.

It's the same thing that Śukadev Goswāmī was giving, the same thing, from Nārada, from Brahmā to Nārada [to] Vyās [to] Śukadev to Sūta. Bhakti Vinod parivār, Saraswatī Ṭhākur, our guru- varga. The same thing, thread, divine stream, current, coming down into this plane and we are trying to offer ourselves in service to that. Bhaktiṁ parāṁ bhagavati pratilabhya kāmaṁ hṛd-rogam āśv apahinoty acireṇa dhīraḥ(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.33.39)

But at the heart of the matter for Pratāparudra Mahārāj, Mahāprabhu Himself indicated his future fortune by saying "If the devotees, they have some appreciation for you, and they are your ......." what is it, someone who pleads on behalf of another person .... well, you can say many things, well-wisher is one of them. They can direct Krishna's mercy to someone. Then, it's for sure. aśraya la-iyā bhaje,tāre kṛṣṇa nāhi tyaje āra saba mare akāraṇa —Narottam Ṭhākur is saying, don't try to approach to Kṛṣṇa directly, take shelter of His devotee, then automatically you get Kṛṣṇa.

sādhavo hṛdayaṁ mahyaṁ
sādhūnāṁ hṛdayaṁ tv aham
(Chaitanya Charitāmrta: Ādi: 1.62)
"I am in the hearts of sādhus, they are in my heart." That's how to get to the heart of Kṛṣṇa. Take shelter of His devotee, offer oneself in service. Then the association can become deeper, more substantial, more meaningful. Has to be some service connection.