What is service?

Hare Krishna. Jay Sri Guru Gauranga Prabhu jai! Hare Krishna. Amia Sindhu Prabhu ki jai! Any questions?

Devotee: So she says, we have so many different service, things we have to do. And can you, please, tell how shall we attend arati programs? What is their necessity and how can we attend arati programs? What’s more priority, arati or service to Gurudev? And something about this. What is the meaning of going to arati in our situation?

Goswami Maharaj:  Srila Guru Maharaj, he’s given a formula, spiritual formula where he said, “Service according to the intensity of its necessity draws remuneration.” The very important point – service according to the intensity of its necessity draws remuneration.

And even more succinctly Srila Prabhupada, Swami Maharaj, he used to invoked the, “Do the needful.” Maxim. That slogan. Do the needful. What needs to be done, we can conceive of many different types of services. Do the needful. What needs to be done at a particular time that will rise to the top of the list.

Someone in the military, let’s say they’re trained to shoot as a martial, they’re shooting, they’re rightful, they’re practicing that every day. But in the time of war they may be asked dig a ditch, to pick up a shovel and dig a hole. That maybe be the most important at that time.

So, that’ll be decided by the superiors. Which seva, that’s descending into this plane, has priority. In terms of the arati we can say this that on the basis. Guru Maharaj would say sometimes that. There’s one concept of darshan – coming to see the Deity, to see the divine form of Krishna. But he would rephrase that as, “Coming to be seen by the Deity.” Because our capacity to see the Deity and to see Krishna is not developed. But the Deity can see us. It will be beneficial for us to come and present ourselves before the Deity and be seen by the Deity. That’ll bring auspiciousness into our lives. It’ll be purifying for us. It’ll be very good for us spiritually.

Then there’s also the concept of serving the Deity. Some things we do for the pleasure and service of the Deity: singing the songs, the different types of kirtan, the different offerings that are being made.But there’s a verse that Srila Gurudev would sometimes quote from the seventh canto of Srimad Bhagavatam, in the Prahlad Charit section that mentions an example of a mirror, “As you decorate yourself, the mirror’s decorated. The image that you see in the mirror is automatically decorated.” And it has something to do with the nature of service. That as we’re serving the Deity by either attending the arati, singing the songs, presenting ourselves before the Deity, reading the Scriptures for the pleasure of the Deity. We’re also benefiting in the process. It’s mutual in that sense. But the priority of service, that we take as descending into this plane.

Sometimes Srila Guru Maharaj will remind us when we hear Madana-mohan-vigraha associated with Sanatana Goswami Prabhu, Govindaji with Rupa Goswami, Giridhari with Raghunatha das Goswami. Guru Maharaj will remind us that they’re not performing archan but they’re engaged in bhajan which means direct service to the Deity. And drawing the parallel, he said that what we’re doing is like you call it ‘a mock battle’. But you know that you can have a mock battle with live ammunition. So you think in a sense what we’re doing is like that. The Deity, there’s nothing mock about the Deity. The Deity is Krishna. But we have a small capacity to appreciate that, so there’s the parallel dealing with live ammunition. But he’s saying like ‘a mock fight’ because we’re gesturing, we’re practicing. We’re told viddhi-bhakti, devotional service in practice. We’re who do not have a developed conception of the Deity are still trying to serve according to the statements of the Scriptures.

This is the contrast between viddhi bhakti and raganuga bhakti, devotional service in practice and spontaneous devotional expression. There’s, in the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu of Rupa Goswami,

vaidhi bhakta adhikaras tu bhavabhir raganav… I forget exactly how it goes, but it makes this contrast and Guru Maharaj renders this by saying, “Until one has come to the point of spontaneous heartfelt expression in Krishna consciousness, which is sometimes described as raga-marg, raga-margis, raga-path, pujala-raga-patha gaurava bhange matala sadhujana vishaya range. Until one has come to that level of spontaneous love and affection, attraction for Krishna, then they’ll be regulated by the Scriptures. The statements of the Scriptures and the prescription, what we’re being told to do there. So, the Scriptures are telling us that this will be beneficial for us if we’ll attend the arati of the Deity and participate in nam-sankirtan, sing the Holy Names of Krishna. All of these things, honor the prasadam.

Whereas in contrast, Sanatana Goswami, being the epidemy of a raga-margi, Madana-mohan-vigraha is speaking to Sanatan Goswami and telling him that the offerings that he’s making leave something to be desired. As we hear Sanatan Goswami, those who’re making chapati know, first you make a ball. He’s just taking the ball and throwing it into the ashes of the fire, turning it a little bit and that’s what he’s… Not rolling them out and puffing them up. None of that, just make a ball, throw it into the fire, turn it a few times, pull it out. So Madan-Mohan’s saying, ‘”Sanatan, if you’d add a little bit of salt, that’d be an improvement.”

And Sanatan Goswami, what do he hear about his Six Goswamis of Vrindavan, nijahara vihara ka vijato chaitanya dina cheno and kaupina kanta strito tyaktva turnam asesa mandala patim srenim sada tuchha-vat budva dina ganesako karunayo kaupina kantasrito, only accepting the kaupin, living beneath a tree for a few days, sometimes change. Sanatan Goswami said, “Where am I, I don’t have luxury like salt.” In my ashram. No salt available here. But we’re told the will of a vaishnava, Krishna’s always trying to please the devotees. So what happens on a Yamuna River? A barge, full of salt, runs dry-dock. Runs into a, gets stuck. Sanatana Goswami comes down, gives them some advice how to unstick their vehicle and proceed, and out of gratitude they give him a lifetime supply of salt.

So, then he’s making the balls, draw them into the fire with adding a little salt. Then Madan-mohan is telling Sanatana Goswami that the salt was definitely an improvement, very happy to see things are progressing in this way, but if you can add a little bit of ghee, it’ would just be perfect. A little of bread with the salt and the ghee.

And Srila Gurudev’s saying, “At this point Sanatana Goswami realizes that the purpose of the Deity, the Deity’s intention is to serve him.” He’s asking for a little salt, asking for some… Really the Deity wants to feed Sanatana Goswami.

And that is, we think, “O, how wonderful, how extraordinary.” But from the point of view of an actual substantial devotee it’s embarrassing, humiliating and undesirable.

Because as he hear from Rupa Goswami, what is pure devotion? Anyabhilasita sunyam jnana karma dyanavrtam anukulyena krsna anusilanam bhaktir uttama. There should be no ulterior motive why we’re doing something. It should be for the pleasure of Krishna.

So, in Guru Maharaja’s words, “The actual and pure devotees their devotion is airtight, so, there’s not even a pinprick of a hole through which any remuneration can pass to them.” That’s unalloyed devotion.

So, when Sanatana Goswami realized, “O, the Deity’s trying to serve me!”, he’s thinking that’s the opposite of Krishna-bhakti. Krishna-bhakti should be, “I’m serving Krishna, for the satisfaction of Krishna.”

So, we can say from another point of view this different activities that we’re told, “This is for the pleasure of Deity. This is for the pleasure of Krishna. This is for the pleasure of Guru Gaurange Gandharva Govinda.” Then we’ll say, “What do I need to know more than it’s for the pleasure of the Upper World. And I want to offer myself in service to them as a vehicle for their service.”

But we’ll say from an objective point of view that really, and again referencing Rupa Goswami, that devotion can be traced to where the Infinite comes under the control of the finite. Where the Lord’s serving the devotee. Those devotees, they may not want to be served, they’re unconditional in their approach. But Krishna wants to serve them. So, parta-sarati, Krishna becomes the charioteer of Arjun.

When Mahaprabhu is travelling in South India and He comes upon a scene where there is some man who’s illiterate, holding Bhagavat-gita and all the people are laughing at him and Mahaprabhu says, “What’s the fun?” And they go, “Well, this man…” You’re saying, “Why attend the arati?” “His Guru told him to read Bhagavat-gita but unfortunately he’s illiterate.” So that man could say, “Why should I read Bhagavat-gita? I don’t know how to read.” But what was his mood? He thought, “Well, my guru asked me to do this, even if I can’t read, I’m doing it.” So he’s holding the book and making a show of reading. So everyone’s going, “Ha-ha-ha! He (?)” Maybe he’s got the book the wrong he’s showing but he thinks, “O, it’s the  order of Guru, so I do it.” Why do we take the name of Krsna? Order of Guru, I’m doing. Someone may say, “Well, you’re probably doing nama-aparadha.” “My Guru’s told to do this, I’m trying to follow this somehow.” When Prabhupad would talk about his success in spreading Krishna consciousness all over the world, many times he would say, “My Guru Maharaj wanted book distribution or book publishing. I’m blindly following that order, I don’t know what results are. He wanted this, I’d just do it.”

But we see results of an unparalleled magnitude to the degree Guru Maharaj saying, saktya-vesa avatar. Why saktya-avesa avatar? He said, “He wholly emptied himself of any other desire than the desire to fulfill the order of his Guru.” So then some special power descended is the special instrument for the fulfillment of the will of Krishna.

But anyway Guru Maharaj is making this point, “Devotion is traced where the Infinite comes under the control of the finite. Where Krishna’s serving the devotee.” But these devotees are unalloyed devotees that won’t allow Krishna to serve them. So then what? Then Guru Maharaj says, “We get an opportunity.” So then we’ll try and get the service of that devotee. And if we’re so fortunate as to be able to do that to assist him on some level, Guru Maharaj said, “Then what Krishna wanted to do personally, but is unable to do by the nature of pure devotion, you’re doing that.” He said, “Then how pleased Krishna will be with you. The very thing He wants to do, you’re doing.” So the strategy of devotees is to get the service of another devotee, of a substantial devotee.

And as Guru Maharaj told Achyutananda when he came to stay with him. He was telling what the rules will be, like we know, he told Gurudev, “Are you ready to listen to me and not your own mind?” At one point Guru Maharaj said to Achyutananda, “A young man, you will have to follow my orders, however, whimsical or whamsical they might be…” And there isn’t any word like ‘whamsical’, he made up a word. Whimsical or whamsical. The world itself is proof of what he’s talking about. And he’s like, “Yes, I’m prepared!” And Guru Maharaj is telling him, “And in your room, there’ll be one bed.” He’s welcoming him, “There’ll be one bed and one chair.” And Achyutananda, he’s trying to show his, he’s nineteen years, like he’s detached, he’s like, “I don’t need a chair!” Guru Maharaj said, “The chair is not for you, son. The chair, in case some dignified guest comes, a gentlemen comes to visit you, the chair is for them.” He’s like, “Oh.” “I don’t need a chair! Give me milk in a dirty glass!”

So, Madhavendra Puri, Gopal appears to him in a dream. He’s old, he’s very old, Madhavendra Puri. And Gopal appears in a dream and says, “Everything’s going great here since the installation, but I was so long in these jungle, my body’s still hot, so I need some sandalwood.” “How much sandalwood?” “Like around two hundred kilos.” Not like a little sandalwood, a little camphor. Now old Madhavendra Puri, he could say, “Is this really necessary?” But he just said, “Gopal wants it.” “Yes, sir! Mister Gopal.” He’s going to get that and going through great hardship to achieve that. And we know the story he goes all the way to Orissa, to Remuna. And therefore that’s where he sees the Khirachora Gopinath. But when he sees Him, He’s not Khirachora Gopinath. He’s Gopinath. Didn’t get the Khirachora yet.

So, and he’s there. And what is he doing? He watches the arati. So you never what’s going to happen when you watch one of these aratis. He’s watching the arati and seeing how they’re serving the Deity. And he thinks, “They have some special things they make for the Deity.” And that’s one thing everybody they should have something, that’s like special for the Deity. Wherever they are, some special things just for this Deity. Maybe Giriraj will reveal what are His special preferences.

So, he’s seeing, “They make this khir and they call it amrita keli,” it has a special name and they cook it a special and they offer it. And then he’s thinking, “Oh, that would be nice. When I go back with this sandalwood pulp and the camphor to Govardhan, it would be nice if we could make that amrita-keli  khir for Gopal.” And then, because he’s such a great devotee, he’s Madhavendra Puri. How great is he? His disciples are Nityananda Prabhu, Advaita Acharya, Paramananda Puri, Ranga Puri, Isvara Puri, Mahaprabhu’s Guru. Those are his disciples.

So, Madhavendra Puri first he thought like that, “O, for service to Gopal I should find out how they make this khir.” Then he thought, he cought himself and he thought, “Oh, I see what I’m doing.” Because devotees are self-analytical. He’s thinking, “In a name of, like, oh, I want to serve Gopal, really I want to taste that khir. And I’m disguising my desire as seva.” So he’s feeling very disgusted with himself, like, “Oh, I’m enjoying the bhoga of the Deity before He’s ever tasted it in a name of, ‘Oh, I’ll increase the seva of Gopal.’” That’s how a devotee thinks. So he’s disgusted with himself. But that night, we know, the pujari, in a dream Gopinath appears to the pujari and says, “There’s a great devotee here of Mine, named Madhavendra Puri. And I stole some of the khir tonight. I want to give it to him and I hid it under my dhoti. So, take it to him.” And the pujari wakes up, cleanses himself, goes in, looks under the Deity’s clothes and sees khir. And then goes out, “Is there some Maharaj here named Madhava Puri, Madhavendra Puri? Please identify yourself! Gopinath has stolen khir for you.”

Khirachora. What’s the meaning? ‘Chor’ means ‘thief’, so, khir-chora. How as He Gopinath? Khirachora Gopinath. Now Krishna is happy. His name is Khirachora Gopinath. “I steal khir for my devotee!” He wants everybody to know that. Who’s telling this pastime in Charitamritam? Mahaprabhu, “O, I heard it from Isvara Puri, my Gurudev about his Gurudev, Madhavendra Puri. He’s so great.” So, anyway they find Mandhavendra Puri, give him that khir and again what is his classification as a devotee to think, he’s happy to receive the khir, but he realizes as a result of this, I’m going to get pratistha, name and fame that I’m great devotee of Krishna.” What’s the greatest name and fame in a world? That you have Krishna-prem, that you have love and affection for Krishna.

So, whereas others are running to embrace name and fame, he leaves in the dead of night to escape, to run away from name and fame. And we hear also while in the day it’s following that pot that held the khir, he broke the pot and in many pieces, carries it in his clothes. And he’ll take one piece of the clay pot and that’s putting him in some divine mood. And when he returns, he gets all the camphor and the sandalwood. He’s travelling, has government papers, devotees are helping him along the way. When he gets back to Remuna where’s Gopinath, Gopal appears to him in a dream and says, “Actually, Gopinath and I are identical. You can give all the sandalwood pulp, make it in the pulp and offer to Gopinath and then I’ll get relief.” So, we can understand Gopal’s also testing him, his devotion.

But Srila Guru Maharaj made one observation that as we’re told in the beginning Sanatana Goswami, Rupa Goswami, they’re living so simply. And maybe the time of Sanatana Goswami’s appearance day came, Rupa want to offer something nice, because they’re eating so simply. And from the village of Yavat one girl, cowherd girl gave him some ingredients and he makes like paramana, sweet rice. Something like that or khir, same sort of thing. But Sanatana Goswami, he’s a true rasik bhakta. He’s a kanasur of rasa. And tasting this substance, it’s unmistakably, recognizably of particular divine taste. So Sanatana Goswami says to Rupa Goswami and he knows Rupa Goswami doesn’t have so much facility, ‘”Where did you get this?” And Rupa Goswami says, “From one girl in a nearby village.” And Sanatana Goswami says, “Find that girl.” And Rupa Goswami goes searching for that girl and cannot find her, inquires from many people. No one has heard of this girl or ever seen her. He returns to Sanatana Goswami and Sanatana Goswami’s crying, and lamenting, and saying, “Whom our whole life, our life’s aspiration, is to offer ourselves in service to Her Lotus Feet, meaning radha-dasyam, Srimati Radharani, we’ve accepted service from Her.” And he’s devastated by that.

So Guru Maharaj who can do that he made some comparison, saying, “Look, Sanatan Goswami, he’s destroyed internally that he’s received service from Radharani.” To show you to what degree the devotees are dedicating themselves and not interested in being remunerated with any particular thing. So, to approach that plane, whenever possible, we’ll try and offer ourselves in service, without any expectation of reward, remuneration or perceived benefit. Just to offer ourselves in service to the Lord, His devotees, the divine service plane.

But another things comes to mind is Guru Maharaj is explaining of famous sloka, maybe of Rupa Goswami was it. Nikhila sruti moli ratnamala nirajita, he explained the word ‘arati’ in an interesting way. Sometimes we say, if we go back to the original, ‘aratri’. So ‘ratri’ means ‘night’ or ‘darkness’. And ‘arati’ means that which dispels the darkness. So one of the meanings of offering the panch-pradip, the ghee lamp is, like Avadhut Maharaj has seen in the South India’s temple where there was no electricity. The only illumination was from ghee lamps. So in the ancient system when they’re offering to the Deity, they’re also showing, part of the panch-pradip, the five-flamed ghee lamp, is you’re showing the Deity. You’re revealing by the way someone might (?) a spot-light, the ghee lamp is showing the divine form of the Deity. So arati means, part of one meaning, is to remove the darkness and provide illumination. So we could make a case that if attend the arati, the darkness within us, of forgetfulness of Krishna, this divine ceremony will bring about remembrance and illumination, illuminating Krishna conception in our hearts. So on any level that we can participate, either directly by hearing, seeing or even in a secondary, assisting capacity, it’ll be very beneficial for us.

Any other questions? Yes.

Devotee: I want to ask about the individual soul and divine soul. Why were they separated and why individual souls have to come to Earth? What’s the purpose of it? And what was their primary reason for this?

Goswami Maharaj: One thing to understand is that they’re never actually separated. Because if you say the individual soul, let’s say  the divine soul. So, three aspects of Krishna we can see, Brahmeti, Paramatmeti, Bhagavan. So, Paramatma means the Supersoul or the Oversoul, says the Bhagavat-gita,

upadristanumanta cha parkta bhokta mahesvara paramenmeti chapyokto dehesmin purusapora.

So, even when the soul, individual soul comes into this world, they’re accompanied by the Paramatma. And perhaps Ramanuja Acharya is giving example of two, or the Upanishads actually, say, “Two birds on the tree.” So the tree is the tree of material existence and the fruits of karma. “One bird’s tasting the fruits, the other bird’s next to it, observing that bird.” So the Oversoul or the Supersoul is always accompanying the jiva-soul. Even within this world and this world is forgetfulness of our relationships with Krishna. Where we’re exercising our free will.

So Srila Guru Maharaj, he liked to give this example from Paradise Lost of Milton, this famous poem. Because in there, this proposition is made by Satan. Satan proposes, “You have this choice, do you want to serve in heaven or reign in hell?” So, you want to be a servant in heaven, that’s your choice, or king in hell? So, those who come into this world are exercising the reign in hell option. So, it means from a marginal position, situated between the spiritual, the serving domain and the world of exploitation we sense that our prospect for fulfillment and potential will be realized in the world of exploitation. So we’re turning our backs on a loving relationship with the Supreme Entity, in this case, Krishna and entering the world of exploitation. But even in a world of exploitation, we’re accompanied by the Supersoul who’s a passive observer, none interference, who is not interfering with the exercise of our free will and independence. So, even in that state of outer forgetfulness at every moment we’re accompanied by the Supersoul. Does it answer your question?

But we could make the point too just for the sake of. Paramatma is not the goal of bhaktas, of devotees. They’re not trying to achieve Paramatma-jnana. Paramatma, Brahma, Brahmeti, Paramatmeti, Bhagavaneti iti sabdyate. Paramatma is the target of yogis and meditators. The Paramatma doesn’t have a consort, a female consort.

So, the target of the devotees [is] Bhagavan, begins with in earnest with Lakshmi-Narayan, Sita-Rama, Radha-Krishna where Krishna is in the company of His Shakti and Shaktimaan, Supreme male aspect of divinity and the feminine aspect of divinity. And there, under the guidance of feminine aspect of divinity, we can be engaged in service which is our natural function of the soul. So, just to achieve Paramatma-jnana is not the target of the bhakti or devotee. Any other questions?

Devotee: Very often we can hear or sometimes we can hear Srila Sridhar Maharaj is saying we should listen to voice of our heart, something like this. How is that connected to what we just were speaking about? Is it Paramatma or is it chaitya-guru? What is the nature of this voice?

Goswami Maharaj: Until someone is thoroughly detached from the mundane, they do not have the capacity to at will tune in to the Paramatma plane, as such. No, that voice they’re hearing, until one’s thoroughly detached from any mundane interaction, can they be sure that is the divine voice and not someother kind of voice in a name of divinity? You will see actual devotees are very cautious about this kind of things. Whereas in modern times fundamentalists, they are always or easily referring to, “The Lord said to me the other day,” something like that. And there’s a Russian joke that I heard about three men in an insane asylum, where one man says, “God said this to me the other day!” And then the second one says, “No, God told me just the opposite!” And then the third one said, “I didn’t tell that to either one of you!” So he’s crazier than the other two. They’re only hearing the voice of God, he thinks he is God.

So, that kind of cheap idea is found upon by devotees. But still then we’ll say like we sing in a song,

guru mukha Padma bakya chitete koriya aikya ara na koriha mane asa.  So at what point is the guru mukha Padma bakya chitete koriya, when’s that enter the heart? The voice of Guru? That it’s authentic. So, through service sincere hearing, svadhanvato anusranaya data varna edhya, then we’ll say, sincere, inner necessity, jnaninastato darshanam pariprashnena sevaya, through service. So, hearing the Scriptures, hearing the instructions of Guru, one gets dharma buddhi, spiritual intelligence. Then, with increasing reliability that what we’re hearing inside is the remembrance of the divine instructions of Sadhu, Sastra, Guru and vaisnav.

But Srila Guru Maharaj will remind us that we shouldn’t be overly confident in our own judgment of things. Our natural tendency is to degrade. We have a natural tendency towards self-deception. Factoring in those things then we won’t be overly confident in our own estimation of things. So that will lead us to consult others who’re more senior, more experienced and proven themselves in time to be reliable. So we may say, “On the basis of what I heard from the Sadhu, Sastra, Guru and vaisnav, I feel I should proceed in this way, do you agree?”

Even in the case of higher vaisnavas, Sanatana Goswami, he feels something internally. When he comes to be part of the entourage of Mahaprabhu, after sometime he’s feeling the opposite of what in he envisioned is happening that he feels he’s committing offences. And so he’s being taken down rather than up.

What does he do? He consults with one of Mahaprabhu’s servitors Jagadananda Pandita and he said, “I’m thinking after this upcoming festival, I should return to Vrindavan.” And Jagadananda Pandita says, “Yes, yes, I also agree. I think it’s correct.”

So, I suggest as a way of understating because this story continues but at this point the reason I bring this up is Sanatana Goswami is in a superior position. Cause when Mahaprabhu hears this that Jagadananda Pandit dare instruct Sanatan Goswami, He is very angry. And he’s saying, “Jagad, he’s a boy and he dares instruct Sanatan?” Rupa Goswami reveals Sanatan Goswami as Guru.

That’s generally how the story plays out. But I mean to draw attention to another point – the humility of Sanatana Goswami and approaching someone who’s even inferior and junior to him and asking, seeking consultation. So, if someone is greater than of Sanatan Goswami, Mahaprabhu asks advice from His devotees from time to time.

So, and we saw examples of that in the case of Srila Guru Maharaj and Srila Gurudev never arrogantly ascertaining their own position as divine and dismissing the opinions of all others as insubstantial, insincere, irrelevant or any such thing.

But very carefully we’re dealing with Infinite, with the Divine so at every moment we have to be cautious and seek guidance. As Guru Maharaj would say, “Jiva is an impoverished shakti. Jiva only achieves her wealth, ashraya vigraha, under the shelter of the superior, chit-shakti, servitors.

Jayadev when he’s writing the Gita Govinda, so much inspiration’s coming to him and then he writes, things of writing that in a divine love affairs of Radha and Krishna, its lila, pastimes, sometimes there’s an argument for no reason. It’s a very beautiful, deeply beautiful thing. Even in this world between the lovers there may be an argument for no reason. And if someone can get their head around this, you can’t understand anything about divine pastimes. If in this world there can an argument for no reason, there you don’t think that can’t be like that in the spiritual world? That it’s even more interesting. Because here, as Gurudev would quote this one friend of his saying, sometimes when he’s having some difficulties with his wife, he’d quote this one Sanskrit verse that said, “Even the God cannot understand the mind of a Woman.” And that’s just in this world. What about the parallel in the spiritual reality? So sometimes there’s argument for seemingly no reason. But he’s writing these things and then he’s thinking to write that in one particular instance that Krishna is apologizing to Radharani considering Himself an offender and goes to touch Her feet, bows down to touch Her feet to beg forgiveness. And then he thinks, “How can I write this?” This isn’t written is any scripture, anywhere. There’s no book to consult. So he thinks, “Is this my ego or what’s that?” He doesn’t think, “O, I’m Jayadev Goswami! I’m writing the Gita Govinda, I’m the greatest poet of all times, I know that I’m doing!” He’s not thinking like that, he’s just thinking, “This is too much. Yes, it came to me. I could see it, feel it, but can I write? I don’t know. I don’t think I can write that.” Puts his pen down and thinks, “I need to calm down, go bathe and think about this. Or maybe stop thinking about this, just leave it for some time.” And when he goes, Krishna, His divine will, He wants to reveal devotion in this world. There are certain things Krishna personally wants to be known in this world. And goes out of His way to make it known.

And we’re saying, srutivir srutibhir the mrgyam. The Vedas are indicating the direction, but sometimes Krsna wants to spell it out in great detail or in an indisputable way. So, He takes the form of Jayadev Goswami and writes it in, the things are. Dehi pada-palavam-udharam. That Krishna bows down to touch the lotus feet of Radharani. And then he comes out of his room and the wife, Padmavati, I believe was her name, she sees her husband, she thinks, it’s Krishna in a form of her husband, and she serves lunch to him. He retires and she’s taking the prasad, then the actual Jayadev comes back from bathing and sees his wife eating. And their custom is that she’ll eat after him and he thinks, “What’re you doing?” And she’s saying, “What do you mean? I don’t understand.” And she’s thinking, “Oh, maybe he’s becoming a little absent-minded” and she said, “Don’t you remember you finished your sloka, then you came, took prasadam.” And he’s thinking, “What?!” And he goes and looks in a book and he sees it’s written what he hesitated to write. Krsna wrote personally, “Dehi pada-palavam udharam.” And he’s astonished in more ways than one. And one is that Krsna wanted that to be broadcast in the world. “Yes, sometimes I bow down and beg forgiveness of the lotus feet of Radharani for some perceived wrong doing or misbehavior.” And then also He wanted Jayadev to get some of that prasadam from his wife. Realizing that Krsna personally ate that. So, even such a great devotee, in these examples that these great devotees, they’re not overly confident, they want to make sure it’s something divine descending in passing through them.

As Mahaprabhu tells Sanatana Goswami, hamvedhmi sukhaveti vyasaveti naveti bha, what’s passing through me, I don’t understand it fully. All I know for certain is Krsna wants to grace you through me and He’s causing me to say these things. But what I’m saying, I don’t fully understand. They want that type of certainty of divine transaction. Whether sure, “I’m just being used as an instrument for expression.”

So, how cautious they’ll be? Devotee doesn’t think, “Oh, I’m thinking like this, why do I need to consult anyone?” No. They’ll consult those who’re superior, senior, more experienced and reliable. Hare Krsna.