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Bound
by L
ve
Sri Srimad
Gour Govinda Swami
Maharaja
a
Bound
by Love
Table of Contents
Magalcaraa i
Bound by Love 1
What Is the Purpose of Our Eyes and Ears?
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Bound
by Love
Sri Srimad
Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja
A lecture on rmad-Bhgavatam 4.12.25, given on the 15th July, 1993
in Soho, London, UK.
TAT T VA V I C A R A P U B L I C AT I O N S
www.tvpbooks.com
www.gourgovindaswami.com
Magalcaraa
ka-bhakti-rasa-svarpa r-bhgavata
tte veda-stra haite parama mahattva
(Caitanya-caritmta, Madhya-ll 25.150)
rmad-Bhgavatam is the mellow of ka-bhakti. It is the essence of
all Vedas, Upaniadas, Vedic literatures.
cari-veda-upaniade yata kichu haya
tra artha la vysa karil sacaya
(Caitanya-caritmta, Madhya-ll 25.98)
This is the last contribution of rla Vysadeva. Taking the essence
of all Vedas, all Upaniadas, all Vedic literatures, Vysadeva compiled
the rmad-Bhgavatam under the instruction of his revered spiritual
master rla Nrada Muni.
yei stre yei k viaya-vacana
bhgavate sei k loke nibandhana
(Caitanya-caritmta, Madhya-ll 25.99)
As it is the essence of all Upaniadas, you will find the same verses
that are in rmad-Bhgavatam also in the Upaniadas.
jvera nistra lgi stra kaila vysa
myvdi-bhya unile haya sarva-na
(Caitanya-caritmta, Madhya-ll 6.169)
Vysadeva is the compiler of the Vednta-stra, and He Himself has
given the commentary on the Vednta-stra. The rmad-Bhgavatam
is the natural commentary on Vednta-stra. But the Myvds do
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He has repeatedly said, Only by bhakti can you approach Me. By
ananya-bhakti, unalloyed devotion, you can understand Me. There is
no other means to understand Ka, or to approach Ka: It is only
by bhakti. Similarly it is said, bhakty bhgavata grhya na buddhy na
ca kay, only through bhakti you can understand Bhgavata (Caitanyacaritmta, Madhya-ll 24.313). This is a statement given by Lord iva,
who is one of the mahjanas.
One may think, All right, it is written in Sanskrit. I am a
Sanskrit scholar so I can understand it, and I can take the help of
the commentaries. But you cannot understand Bhgavata by dint of
your own merit, your own scholarship, your own learning, your own
intelligence, or by taking the help of the commentaries given by
different commentators. There are so many famous commentators,
but the best of all commentators is rdhara Svm. Mahprabhu
has accepted him as the best commentator on rmad-Bhgavatam:
rdhara-svm guru kari mni (Caitanya-caritmta, Antya-ll 7.133),
rdharnugata kara bhgavata-vykhyna (Caitanya-caritmta, Antyall 7.136). Mahprabhu said to Vallabhcrya, Vallabha Bhaa,
accept rdhara Svm as guru. If you want to speak on Bhgavatam
or write something on Bhgavatam then follow rdhara Svm. So,
there is rdhara Svms commentary. There is Vivantha Cakravart
hkuras commentary. There is Jva Gosvms commentary. There is
Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvats commentary. There is our revered spiritual
master, Bhaktivedanta Swamis commentary, Bhaktivedanta-bhya.
There are so many commentators who have given commentaries. So,
someone may think, With the help of the commentaries I will be able
to understand Bhgavatam. But ivaj said, No, bhakty bhgavata
grhya na buddhy na ca kay, only by bhakti you can understand
Bhgavatam. You cannot understand Bhgavatam by your own
knowledge, learning, scholarship, merit, and intelligence or with the
help of commentaries, because rmad-Bhgavatam is not a mere book,
grantha. It is as good as Ka.
ka-tulya bhgavatavibhu, sarvraya
prati-loke prati-akare nn artha kaya
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rmad-Bhgavatam is as great as Ka, the Supreme Lord
and shelter of everything. In each and every verse of rmadBhgavatam and in each and every syllable, there are various
meanings. (Caitanya-caritmta, Madhya-ll 24.318)
Bhgavata is as good as Ka. It is one of the incarnations of Ka.
As Ka is vibhu, that means the Supreme Lord, similarly the Bhgavata
is also vibhu, the Supreme Lord. So, as we take shelter of Ka, similarly
we take shelter of the rmad-Bhgavatam. Thus, as Ka is understood
by bhakti, similarly the rmad-Bhgavatam is also understood by bhakti,
eknta raya kara caitanya-carae (Caitanya-caritmta, Antya-ll
5.131). Therefore, go and take shelter of Caitanya Mahprabhu. You
will get prema-bhakti. Then you will be able to understand the rmadBhgavatam.
bhgavata ye n mne, se yavana-sama
tra st che janme-janme prabhu yama
(Caitanya-bhgavata, di-kaha 1.39)
One who does not accept the Bhgavata is a mleccha and a yavana. He
is to be punished by Yamarja life after life. So we accept the Bhgavata.
These verses are glorification of the rmad-Bhgavatam. There
are many glorifications of the rmad-Bhgavatam. Before reading
Bhgavatam, or before speaking on Bhgavatam, we glorify Bhgavatam,
and beg for mercy. Without His mercy we cannot approach Him.
Grantharja rmad-Bhgavatam ki jaya!
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very easily go back home, back to Godhead. Here the practical
example is the case of Dhruva Mahrja. While the scientist and
philosopher go to the moon but are disappointed in their attempts
to stay there and live, the devotee makes an easy journey to other
planets and ultimately goes back to Godhead. Devotees have no
interest in seeing other planets, but while going back to Godhead,
they see all of them as passing phases, just as one who is going
to a distant place passes through many small stations. (rmadBhgavatam 4.12.25 Purport by rla Prabhupda)
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chatting, topics of politics, topics related to sense gratification.
But the ears are not meant for that. The ears are meant for hearing
ka-kath, such nice, sweet, nectarean ka-kath. What is the
use of those ears if one does not hear ka-kath?
Devotee: Snake holes.
r rmad Gour Govinda Swami: Snake holes, yes. Snakes
will come and reside there. The Caitanya-caritmta (Madhya-ll
2.31) describes such ears to be like kkai-chidra sama, a hole
(ka) in a kauri (shell). There is no value. Having eyes, but not
looking at the beautiful form of Ka, ymasundara and having
ears but not listening to such nice, nectarean, sweet ka-kath
kib kja, then what value do they have? Pauka tra mue
vja, let a thunderbolt strike his head (Madhya-ll 2.29). Let him
be smashed, because we have obtained this rarely achieved birth,
this human birth.
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In his purport, rla Prabhupda has said, The Ka consciousness
movement is so potent that by adopting these principles of life and
developing love of God one can very easily go back home, back to
Godhead. This love of God is the purpose of this rarely achieved
human birth. To get this love of God, bhagavat-prema, ka-prema,
that is known as parama-pururtha, pacama pururtha, or the
fifth pururtha and supreme paramrtha; this is the purpose, and
Dhruva Mahrja obtained it. It is said here, Devotees have no
interest in seeing other planets, but while going back to Godhead,
they see all of them as passing phases, just as one who is going to
a distant place passes through many small stations. An aeroplane
in the sky while going to a distant place, from London to Delhi,
passes through so many cities; Amsterdam, Paris, Turkey, and
Karachi. Similarly, devotees have no interest in seeing other
planets, but while going back to Godhead they see all of them as
passing phases. Those who are dear devotees of Ka, who have
developed ka-prema-bhakti, uddha-bhakti, pure devotion, they
go directly to Kaloka. The topmost planet in the spiritual sky
is Kaloka; that is Goloka Vndvana. A devotee penetrates
the whole material sphere when he passes through the material
universe. He penetrates eight layers. There are eight layers in the
material universe. What are the eight layers?
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and up. He enters into the spiritual sky and goes to the Vaikuha
planet. Crossing that, he goes further up, and up to Ayodhy,
Dvrak and Mathur, till he reaches the topmost planet Goloka
Vndvana. He has no interest in all these other affairs. His goal
is to go back home, back to Godhead, Goloka Vndvana, which
is Kas planet, Kas abode. A dear devotee of Ka who has
developed pure prema-bhakti goes there. This prema is needed.
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yan npta karma-nihair na ca samadhi-gata yat tapo dhyna-yogair
vairgyais tyga-tattva-stutibhir api na yat tarkita cpi kaicit
govinda-prema-bhjm api na ca kalita yad rahasya svaya tan
nmnaiva prdursd avatarati pare yatra ta naumi gauram
Not attainable by the faithful performers of pious deeds,
not understood by those engaged in austerity, meditation,
and yoga, not guessed by those absorbed in detachment,
renunciation of the fruits of work, philosophical speculation or
recitation of prayers, and unknown even to the devotees full of
love for Lord Govinda, the secret of pure devotional service has
been revealed by the holy name during Lord Gauras advent.
Let me glorify that Lord Gaura. (Caitanya-candrmta text 3)
Prabhodnanda Sarasvatpd has said this in r Caitanyacandrmta, I pay my obeisances unto that Gaura who gives kaprema, which is not easily available. Even great is, great munis,
great yogs, sdhakas who are doing sdhana for crores and crores of
lives cannot have this ka-prema, but rman Mahprabhu gives
it indiscriminately.
brahmra durlabha prema sabkre yche
patita pmara nhi bche
(rla Locana Dsa hkura, Caitanya-magala)
It is very difficult even on the part of Brahm to get ka-prema,
but Mahprabhu gives it freely, indiscriminately even to the patitas
and pmaras, the most fallen, most degraded, most sinful persons,
anyera k kath jagi mdhi paryanta (Caitanya-caritmta, di-ll
8.20), like Jagi and Mdhi. So what to speak of others? rman
Mahprabhu is adbhuta kruya, adbhuta vadnya, adbhuta audarya
vigraha, wonderfully munificent, wonderfully magnanimous and
wonderfully merciful.
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Premnanda dsa, a Vaiava poet who is a dear devotee of
Caitanya Mahprabhu said,
uttama adhama kichu na bchila yciy dilaka kola
kahe premnanda emana gaurga hdaye dhariy bola
bhaja gaurga kaha gaurga laha gaurgera nma re
je jana gaurga bhaje sei haya mara pra re
Lord Caitanya does not discriminate whether one is uttama
or adhama, elevated or degraded. He never discriminates. Rather
He embraces everybody, yciy dilaka kola, Please come, please
come, offering this ka-prema to one and all indiscriminately.
Therefore, kaha gourga laha gourga nma re, je jana gourga
bhaje sei hoy mara prna re utter the name of Gaurga, speak
about Gaurga, and sing about Gaurga. Je jana gourga bhaje,
one who does Gaurga bhajana, sei hoy mara prna re, is my life
and soul.
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Rpa Gosvm Prabhu has said,
hari puraa-sundara-dyuti-kadamba-sandpita
sad hdaya-kandare sphuratu va ac-nandana*
(Vidagdha-mdhava 1.2)
Let that acnandana, son of acmt, Gaurga Caitanya
manifest in my heart. Because He is prema-puruottama, He freely
gives ka-prema through the chanting of the holy name; hare ka
hare ka ka ka hare hare, hare rma hare rma rma rma hare
hare. One who chants hare ka, and if your chanting is pure and
offenceless, nirapardhe nma laile pya prema-dhana (Caitanyacaritmta, Antya-ll 4.71), (if your chanting is offenceless then
it is pure) then you must get ka-prema. That is the chief result
*anarpita-car cirt karuayvatra kalau
samarpayitum unnatojjvala-ras sva-bhakti-riyam
hari puraa-sundara-dyuti-kadamba-sandpita
sad hdaya-kandare sphuratu va ac-nandana
May the Supreme Lord who is known as the son of rmat acdev be
transcendentally situated in the innermost core of your heart. Resplendent
with the radiance of molten gold, He has descended in the Age of Kali by
His causeless mercy to bestow what no incarnation has ever offered before:
the most elevated mellow of devotional service, the mellow of conjugal
love. (Caitanya-caritmta, Antya-ll 1.132)
This verse (Vidagdha-mdhava 1.2) also appears in the di-ll (1.4 and 3.4). In his
commentary on the Vidagdha-mdhava, rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura remarks,
mah-prabho sphrti vin hari-ll-rassvdannupapatter iti bhva: Without the
mercy of r Caitanya Mahprabhu, one cannot describe the pastimes of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. Therefore rla Rpa Gosvm said, vo yumka hdaya-rpaguhy ac-nandano hari pake siha sphuratu: May r Caitanya Mahprabhu, who
is exactly like a lion that kills all the elephants of desire, be awakened within everyones
heart, for by His merciful blessings one can understand the transcendental pastimes
of Ka. (Caitanya-caritmta, Antya-ll 1.132 purport by rla AC Bhaktivedanta
Swami Prabhupda)
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of chanting hare ka: ka-prema. He gives ka-prema through
chanting the holy name, nmnaiva prdursd avatarati pare yatra
ta naumi gauram (Caitanya-candrmta text 3).
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Brahmaloka, the abode of Brahm, then what does Brahm do?
Lord Brahm thinks, Oh, that devotee is coming this way now.
He will pass Brahmaloka. And he very quickly prepares the rati
tray. Let me get a chance to offer rati to that person.
The Padma Pura states,
vepante duritni moha-mahim sammoham lambate
staka nakha-rajan kalayati r-citragupta kt
snanda madhu-parka-sambhti-vidhau vedh karoty udyama
vaktu nmni tavevarbhilaite brma kim anyat param
Someone who is very fortunate approaches a Vaiava, a dear
devotee of Caitanya Mahprabhu, gaura-prya-jana, and gets harinma from him during his initiation. Like those who approached
Prabhupda Mahrja who gave it, Take this ml and chant
hare ka hare ka ka ka hare hare, hare rma hare rma
rma rma hare hare. Do you know what happens then? When
he starts chanting all the sins become afraid, Now we will all
be burnt to ashes, vepante duritni. Here it is stated, vepante
duritni moha-mahim sammoham lambate, that all sins become
very fearful and all his attachments to this material world, this
moha, delusion, also becomes afraid, All right, I am finished
now, bb. This person will never be attached to me anymore. I
will be kicked out. That illusion, moha becomes so disappointed,
He was embracing me and was very much attached to me, but
now that he has started chanting hare ka, he will kick me
out. Moha-mahim sammoham lambate staka nakha-rajan
kalayati r-citragupta kt Citragupta, the minister of Yamarja,
is keeping a record of everyone. What this person is doing, what
that person is doing, everything, every moment is recorded. But
now Citragupta also becomes afraid, My record of that person
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is finished now. Staka nakha-rajan kalayati r-citragupta
kt, Citragupta becomes afraid of recording that devotees name
in the list of the pps, sinful persons.
That devotee directly goes up, and up, and up. He has no
interest at all in all these phases, material planets. While going
up, when he is going to cross the topmost planet in the universe,
Brahmaloka, the abode of Brahm, madhu-parka-sambhti-vidhau
vedh karoty udyama, vedh brahm, then Lord Brahm very
quickly prepares an rati tray to offer rati to him. Can you see what
such a devotee gets compared to so-called scientists, philosophers,
mental speculators, who strive to merge into the spiritual sky, but
can never go there? Even the Brahmavds, those who meditate
on Brahman and try to merge into Brahman, fall down. The Tenth
Canto of rmad-Bhgavatam states ruhya kcchrea para pada
tata patanty adho ndta-yumad-aghraya (rmad-Bhgavatam
10.2.32), that they undergo kcchra-sdhana, very severe sdhana,
very severe austerity and penance to go there and merge into
Brahman. Very few may go, but they cannot stay there because
that is not the placeto stay; it is not a place of shelter. Therefore
patanty adho, they fall down.
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dharmn parityjya mm eka araa vraja, give up all varieties
of dharma and just surrender unto My lotus feet.
Bhaktivinoda hkura, who is a mahjana, an crya and dear
devotee of Mahprabhu, has also said that in aragati, which is
very famous. He has written many songs, and in this song here,
he has said,
tma-nivedana tuw pade kari
hainu parama sukh
(mr) dukha dre gela cint n rahila
caudike nanda dekhi
aoka abhaya amtera sthala
tomra caraa-dvaya
thte ekhana virma labhiy
chinu bhavera bhaya
(aragati)
O Lord, O Ka, by completely surrendering myself at Your
lotus feet, tma nivedana tuw pade kori, hoinu parama sukh, I am
parama sukhi, supremely happy. mr dukha dre gela cint n
rahila, caudike nanda dekhi, all my distress and unhappiness have
gone, dukha dure gelo. Now I am free from all sorts of anxieties.
I have no anxiety at all. Wherever I look, I see Your all-beautiful
form ymasundara, which is sat-cid-nanda-maya vigraha full
of eternality, full of knowledge, and full of bliss. Therefore I see
everywhere blissfulness, caudike nanda dekhi. One who can
see the ymasundara form, how can he see miseries? Then
Bhaktivinoda hkura says:
aoka abhaya amtera sthala
tomra caraa-dvaya
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thte ekhana virma labhiy
chinu bhavera bhaya
O Lord, Your two lotus feet are a place where there is no
lamentation, no fear, and no death. Taking shelter there I am
free from all lamentations, all fears, and even free from the fear
of death.
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Devotee: That love is the stage where no matter what happens
one still has that love. Nothing can destroy it in any situation.
r rmad Gour Govinda Swami: Yes. rla Rpa Gosvm has
given the definitions yad bhva-bandhana ynor* and budhai
prema nigadyate**. In Ujjvala-nlamai Rpa Gosvm gives the
definition of that prema, where Prabhupda refers to in his
purport as developing love of God, being yad bhva-bandhana
ynor budhai prema nigadyate. This is bondage (bandhana). Bhvabandhana is loving bondage, bondage of the loving mood. Budhai,
those who are budha, learned paitas, who know this tattva, they
say that this is prema. It is eternal and indestructible, ever fresh
and new; it never becomes old. This is prema. Apparently, you
may feel that there are causes that it will be destroyed, but it will
never be destroyed, sarvatha dhvasa-rahita saty api dhvasakrae.
This is the eternal, perfect, loving relationship between bhakta
and Bhagavn, Ka and His devotee. This is prema. But the
bhva-bandhana, the bondage of that mood which is temporary,
*sarvath dhvasa-rahita saty api dhvasa-krae
**samya masita-svnto
mamatvtiaykita
bhva sa eva sndrtm
budhai prema nigadyate
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is not prema. Whatever the bondage of the mood is here in the
material world is temporary. The material world is temporary,
thus everything here is temporary. There is no question of prema
in the material world. Here it is lust, not love. It is lust. So love
is not available here, but Gaura-Niti have brought it golokera
prema-dhana hari-nma-sakrtana through nma-sakrtana.
They very mercifully brought it from Goloka Vndvana. They
are wonderfully merciful. They are offering it to us, but we are so
unfortunate that we cannot have it.
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The pure devotee is always within the core of My heart,
and I am always in the heart of the pure devotee. My devotees
do not know anything else but Me, and I do not know anyone
else but them. (rmad-Bhgavatam 9.4.68)
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Greedy for the Loving Mellow
In the Heart of His Premi-Bhakta
bhakta m preme bndhiyche hdaya-bhitare
yh netra pae th dekhaye mre
(Caitanya-caritmta, Madhya-ll 25.127)
That premi-bhakta has bound Me in his heart by love, so
wherever he looks he sees Me and I see him. Yes, see Ka! Do
you see Ka?
Devotee: No.
r rmad Gour Govinda Swami: No? Then blind yourself.
Why do you possess eyes if you cannot see Ka? Mthe tra
pauka vja, let a thunderbolt fall on your head. It is better to be
smashed. Why do you survive if you cannot see Kas beautiful
form? Are you surviving to see ugly my? See the beautiful form
of Ka! Ka wants, Bind Me! Bind Me! Bind Me! That is
the wonderful nature of Ka. He is bhakta-vatsala, His devotee is
very dear to Him. He wants to be bound up with the rope of love
of that devotee. Yes. Ka is a greedy person. What sort of greed
has He developed?
Devotee: He is greedy for the love of His devotees, for their love.
r rmad Gour Govinda Swami: Greedy for that prema-rasa,
the mellow of love of the devotee. We are greedy for what? We
are greedy for the . . .
Devotee: Lust of the material world, kma, sense enjoyment.
r rmad Gour Govinda Swami: Oh yes, you are. [Laughter]
But Vaiavas, sdhus, such premi-bhaktas, they are greedy for the
nectarean mellow emanating from the lotus feet of Ka. And
Ka is greedy for what? He is greedy for that prema-rasa in the
heart of the devotee, premi-bhakta. This is the wonderful nature
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of Ka and it is inconceivable, avicintya. You cannot conceive
of it with your tiny material mind, your tiny brain. How can you
conceive of it? It is inconceivable.
Ka does not become bound up by only one premi-bhakta.
No, He is simultaneously bound up by many, many premi-bhaktas.
It is inconceivable. Simultaneously He becomes bound up in the
heart of so many premi-bhaktas with the rope of love because He
is greedy, prema-rasa lolupa. He is greedy for that rasa, mellow,
loving mellow in the heart of His premi-bhakta. He wants to be
bound up. That is His nature.
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Devotees: Pastime expansion.
r rmad Gour Govinda Swami: Oh, in your language you
understand it.
Prema is the vilsa of hldin-akti. Hldin-akti means pleasure
potency. And the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Puruottama
Ka becomes bound by that prema which is the vilsa of hldinakti, the pleasure potency. This is also the svarpa-gata-dharma of
prema. It is the constitutional (natural) dharma of prema. Svarpagata means constitutional. It is the svarpa-gata-dharma (natural
tendency) of prema to bind Ka. And this is a very amazing,
very wonderful, and very startling activity.
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Ajita Is Conquered by Love
The Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya (14.29) describes the words of
Nsihadeva addressing His dear devotee Prahlda,
sad mukto pi baddho smi bhaktena sneha rajjubhi
ajito pi jito ha tair avao pi va kt
Although I am supremely free and independent, I am in
bondage, sad mukto pi baddho smi bhaktena sneha rajjubhi. What
is that bondage? That bondage is prema-bandhana, the bondage of
love. I become bound up with the rope of love of My devotee. I
am bound by that love. Ajito pi jito ha tair avao pi va kt,
although I am ajita, unconquerable, I am conquered by this love,
bhaktair jitatva. This is true love.
bhakti-yoge bhma tom jinilo samara
bhakti-yoge yaodya bndhilo tomre
The example is Bhma who conquered Ka through premabhakti. Ka had promised never to take up any weapon on
the battlefield of Kuruketra, I will not fight. I will only be a
charioteer and hold the reins of the horses. But Bhma promised,
I promise that I will break Your promise. I will make You take up
a weapon. And he did. How?
bhakti-yoge bhma tom jinilo samara
bhakti-yoge yaodya bndhilo tomre
(Caitanya-bhgavata, Madhya-kaha 9.212)
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[Kholvec rdhara to Lord Caitanya] Through that bhakti,
pure bhakti Bhma broke Your promise. Which means that
Bhma conquered You, although You are unconquerable. And
mother Yaod bound You up. All the gops complained, Oh,
that naughty boy! Ka is eating mkhan, mkhan khaya hai, and
stealing mkhan, butter from the other gops. Yaod, take care of
your naughty child. He is stealing our mkhan, and creating so
many disturbances in our houses.
Mother Yaod replied, I have so much mkhan. How can He be
hungry? Why are you telling lies?
No! We are not telling lies. Your child is very naughty. He is a
great thief, mkhan-cora, a butter thief.
Then mother Yaod said, All right, I will bind Him up.
Who can bind Him? Can you bind Ka with an ordinary
rope? No, it is done with prema-rajju, bhakti-yoge yaodya bndhilo
tomre, with pure vtsalya-prti, parental love. Mother Yaods
pure vtsalya-prti, motherly love, bound Him. It is a question of
love. So, do not try to develop anything else; just try to develop
this love. Develop prema-bhakti, especially in Kali-yuga.
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There is no other way, no other way, no other way besides harer
nmaiva kevalam. He said this three times. What is the purport of
saying it three times?
Devotee: No karma, no jn, no yoga.
r rmad Gour Govinda Swami: Yes. No karma-yoga, no jnyoga, no dhyna-yoga, but only pure bhakti-yoga in Kali-yuga, nsty
eva nsty eva nsty eva gatir anyath; especially in this Kali-yuga,
wherein Ka incarnates in the form of the holy name, nmarpe ka-avatra.
kali-yuge nma-rpe ka-avatra
nma haite haya sarva-jagat-nistra
In this Age of Kali, the holy name of the Lord, the
Hare Ka mah-mantra, is the incarnation of Lord Ka.
Simply by chanting the holy name, one associates with the
Lord directly. Anyone who does this is certainly delivered.
(Caitanya-caritmta, di-ll 17.22)
Bound by L ve
hare ka hare ka ka ka hare hare
hare rma hare rma rma rma hare hare
Flood the whole world, bs! [Finished] Then the whole world
will be delivered, nma haite haya sarva-jagat-nistra. The holy
name has that potency: It gives ka-prema. Nma vinu kali-kle
nhi ra dharma, there is no other dharma in Kali-yuga besides
chanting the holy name, harer nmaiva kevalam. The dharma of
Kali-yuga is hari-nma sakrtana. This is the conclusion given in
all Vedic literature, sarva-stra marma. If the name gives prema,
why would you adopt the process of karma, jn or yoga? Give
up that sinful process and take shelter of the holy name under
the guidance of a dear devotee of Caitanya Mahprabhu, a gauraprya-jana, and chant hare ka hare ka ka ka hare hare,
hare rma hare rma rma rma hare hare. If your chanting is pure,
offenceless, then you will get ka-prema, get Ka! Then your
human life is perfect; you have achieved the supreme perfection.
Great is, munis, yogs and sdhakas who were undergoing sdhana
for crores and crores of lives, were not able to get that ka-prema.
23
Bound by L ve
vinodera vkya dharo, nn kna tyga koro
nirupdhi ka-preme hdoye deho roya
Besides ka-bhakti no other sdhana can give you perfection,
reya. The supreme perfection is ka-prema-bhakti. So-called
religiosity, irreligion dharmdharma are all false material
designations, miche saba dharmdharma jvera updhimoya. Yogayga-tapo-dhyna, sannysdi brahma-jna yogs performing yogasdhana, mystic yoga sana, pryma, dhyna, dhra, samdhi;
performing yga, so many types of sacrifices Indra-yaja, ivayaja, deva-yaja; yoga-yga-tapo tapasvs undergoing very severe
tapasya; taking up sannysa; brahma-jna brahmavds who are
undergoing very severe sdhana to merge into Brahman, all these
various processes of sdhana without ka-bhakti are nothing but
the cause of bondage of the jva, jvana bandhana-karma. Why are
you taking this up? Bhaktivinode hkura asks us to accept his
instruction, vinodera vkya dharo, nn kna tyga koro, and give
up all these different types of sdhana, nn kna. Develop premabhakti, which is nirupdhi, free from designation, nirupdhi kapreme hdoye deho roya. Keep it in your heart, and then you will
achieve the supreme perfection. Why would you practice all these
various processes of sdhana, and go to this planet, or that planet?
Go directly to the planet of Ka, Goloka Vndvana: Go back
home, back to Godhead!
24
Bound
by L
ve
he Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya
(14.29) describes the words of
Nsihadeva addressing His dear
devotee Prahlda,
sad mukto pi baddho smi
bhaktena sneha rajjubhi
ajito pi jito ha tair
avao pi va kt
Although I am supremely free
and independent, I am in bondage, sad mukto pi baddho smi
bhaktena sneha rajjubhi. What
is that bondage? That bondage is
prema-bandhana, the bondage of
love. I become bound up with the
rope of love of My devotee. I am
bound by that love. Ajito pi jito ha tair avao pi va kt,
although I am ajita, unconquerable, I am conquered by this
love, bhaktair jitatva. This is true love.
TAT T VA V I C A R A P U B L I C AT I O N S
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