Letter 41 - Those who chant Nāma and Gāyatrī,...

Those who chant nāma and gāyatrī have no need for demigod amulets • “Do not be lazy about siddhānta” • A philosophical conclusion is only to be accepted if favourable to bhajana • Refuting misconceptions is guru-sevā and not contrary to genuine humility • Performing kīrtana of hari-kathā is imbued with life and changes hearts

श्री श्री गुरु-गौराङ्गौ जयतः

śrī śrī guru-gaurāṅgau jayataḥ

Śrī Nīlācala Gauḍīya Maṭha Gourbatsahi, Swargadwar (Purī) Orissa 28/3/1977

Kalyāṇīyāsu—

Dear——! I have received your letter. It is particularly delightful news that you all have returned home from Navadvīpa without any obstacle. …

I left Navadvīpa with Jayadeva and arrived here at the Purī maṭha yesterday. I had to come because of some especially urgent matters concerning the maṭha here. I will only stay four or five days. From Purī, I will go to Kolkata this upcoming 2nd April. On the way, I will stay in Kharagpur for one day. On 4th April, I will go from Kolkata to Diamond Harbour. From there, the next day, I will go to Sundarban (Maipith). There are three days of lectures in this region. On 13th April, I will return from Sundarban to Navadvīpa, and on 14/4/77, I will travel to Mathurā via the Toofan Express. From Mathurā, on 21/4/77 (8th Vaiśākha), I am hoping to reach Behrampur with Sundarānanda. …

The comments a certain gṛhastha devotee astrologer made about you on the train back from Navadvīpa and the rituals he prescribed may have some partial truth to them. He likely says these things in a general way. You have nothing to worry about. You do not need to wear any sort of amulet (kavaca) for Śani and Rāhu. If you need, I will make and give you a nṛsiṃha-kavaca.

Those who have taken shelter of śrī nāma, are initiated in a Viṣṇu mantra, and are chanting gāyatrī at the three junctures of the day have no need to wear any sort of amulet or remnant garlands from various presiding demigods or goddesses. That only invokes nāma-aparādha. Only those who do not have faith in śrī nāma offer these sorts of erroneous instructions and derive pleasure from doing so.

The association and sight of an immaculately pure Vaiṣṇava who has taken shelter of śrī nāma, whether householder or renunciate, is extremely rare. Most people in the world are resorting to karma-jaḍa-smārta-vāda (reward-seeking ritualism) and prākṛta-sahajiyā-vāda (mundane sentimentalism) and belittling simple Vaiṣṇava dharma to the public. Vivarta-vāda (impersonalist doctrine) wants to bleach their brains. Those who want real well-being maintain caution and alertness in regard to sādhana-bhajana at all times.

If one does not have knowledge of tattva-siddhānta, advancement in bhajana is not possible. 

That is why it is written in Caritāmṛta [Ādi-līlā 2.117]: 

सिद्धान्त बोलिया चित्ते ना करो अलस, जाहा हैते कृष्णे लागे सुदृढ मानस

siddhānta boliyā citte nā karo alasa, jāhā haite kṛṣṇe lāge sudṛḍha mānasa 

“Do not be lazy about siddhānta, whereby the mind becomes firmly fixed upon Kṛṣṇa.” 

Do not accept any sort of misleading teachings or instructions from sahajiyā, nāma-aparādhī people. Whatever you hear, you should only accept it when you have confirmed it with the views and reasonings of scripture. A statement is worth accepting if it is favourable to bhajana, and if it is contradictory to that, then it is to be wholly rejected, just as you would reject vile company.

To refute misconceptions is guru-sevā. If, at any point, one can understand that someone is giving misleading teachings, one should, in a civil manner, refute them and establish the faultless siddhānta. Doing so is the ideal of conviction in service to guru.

If, despite knowing and hearing the truth, one conceals it, hypocrisy finds its outlet, and that entails a lapse of duty. This (refuting someone’s views) is never contrary to humility or amānī-mānada-dharma. The frivolous sentiments of prākṛta-sahajiyās have ulterior motives and spawn more or less from selfishness. In the name of Vaiṣṇavism, they cultivate attachment to material objects and the accumulation of prestige. A person who thirsts for bhajana never lacks simplicity. Hence, the dedication of their every effort for Kṛṣṇa’s sake is beautifully proven in all respects.

You should utilize whatever knowledge of scripture you have, and taking the support of but a particle of guru and Vaiṣṇavas’ mercy, refute the impropriety.

ततो दुःसङ्गम्-उत्सृज्य सत्सु सज्जेत बुद्धिमान्

Tato duḥsaṅgam-utsṛjya satsu sajjeta buddhimān^[1]

“Therefore, giving up bad association, an intelligent person should associate with saintly personalities.”

Remember this. By this, you will be able to perceive guru and Vaiṣṇavas’ direct mercy in your heart. Performing kīrtana of hari-kathā is called preaching. As it is imbued with life, it enters the innermost chambers of the heart and echoes sweetly there. That is what changes a man’s heart. Man thereby gains a new, divine life. You should preach hari-kathā with enthusiasm. 

Never be distracted by concerns of what to eat, what to wear, or where to live.

योग-क्षेमं वहाम्य् अहम्

Yoga-kṣemaṃ vahāmy aham^[2]

“I bear the burden of their necessities and safeguard what they have.” 

Steady your heart by studying this statement of the Gītā. The longing for service means service is one’s life; that is something gained by patience and enthusiasm.

What more can I say? Accept my boundless affectionate blessings. I will answer your other letters later. Iti—

Your eternal well-wisher,
Śrī Bhaktivedānta Vāmana

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.26.26)

[2]:

Bhagavad-gītā (9.22)