Letter 91 - The fortune of being born in a Devotee family,...

Language that conveys transcendental sentiment is the aid to attaining realization of transcendental substance • The fortune of being born in a devotee family • Things to be rejected in the course of sādhana-bhajana

श्री श्री गुरु-गौराङ्गौ जयतः

śrī śrī guru-gaurāṅgau jayataḥ

Śrī Vinoda-Bihārī Gauḍīya Maṭha 28 Haldar Bagan Lane, Kolkata–700004 12/5/1987

Snehāspadāsu—

As usual, I will continue to uphold the duty and responsibility I have for you as I am doing now. Even though I have come to such a faraway place, I cannot forget about you. I never forget you and your affection, nor will I ever. A son never dares test his mother like that, and it would not be proper to do so. Now, whether or not I will be able to pass your test or whether or not I have passed your test is something only you can say.

In order to develop śraddhā-bhakti (faithful devotion) to Śrī Hari, guru, and Vaiṣṇavas, it is necessary to have inner conviction. There is no worldly connection in the way the transcendental nurturer and those nurtured by him see into each other’s hearts. There is always some gross selfishness lurking in the things of this world, and as such there is no actual benefit to be gained from them. Language that conveys transcendental sentiment aids realization of transcendental substance. That language never invokes inauspiciousness.

Man roams the path of karma for as long he does not have apathy and remorse for the toil of that karma and as long as he does not have taste for topics related to Bhagavān and bhakti. The living entity develops taste for saintly company as a fruit of much devotional merit. In other words, by establishing faith in the words of saintly persons, a person develops enthusiasm to perform sādhana-bhajana. If one manages to take birth in an exemplary gṛhastha devotee family, one’s natural propensity will be to have a taste for bhajana of Hari. Very few people attain this opportunity and good fortune. From that perspective, you are especially fortunate. The fact that Śrī Bhagavān has granted you such a beautiful environment that is favourable for engaging in His service is indicative of His causeless compassion. If you utilize this [advantage] properly, then in the future, by your generosity and compassion, many individuals who long to worship Hari will become attracted.

Of all the affirmative and prohibitive injunctions given in scripture, the foremost affirmative statement is: 

येन केनाप्य् उपायेन मनः कृष्णे निवेशयेत्

yena kenāpy upāyena manaḥ kṛṣṇe niveśayet^[1] 

“One way or another, immerse your mind in Kṛṣṇa.” 

[And the foremost] prohibitive statement is: “Never forget that loving Lord and never doubt Him.” In the Gītā-śāstra, three types of individuals are said to be lame in regard to walking the path of sādhana and making other spiritual endeavours: “The ignorant, the faithless, and the sceptical can never find auspiciousness.” Therefore, in the field of sādhana-bhajana, these three faults are to be absolutely rejected. Besides these, arrogance related to birth, affluence, erudition, and physical beauty are also to be fully rejected. The flaws of bhrama (error), pramāda (delusion), karaṇāpāṭava (sensory imperfection), and vipralipsa (deceit) are also to be cast off. And if one cannot relinquish one’s motives for profit, worship, prestige, as well as the impulses of hatred, violence, envy, pride, arrogance, and egotism, it becomes utterly impossible to attain the well-being of the soul. You are mother, you have had the opportunity to hear all these teachings many times. Nevertheless, like Upendra offering instructions to Aditi, I have written this out of affection. Iti—

Forever your well-wisher,
Śrī Bhaktivedānta Vāmana

Footnotes and references:

[back to top]

[1]:

See Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (7.1.32)