Kṛpa-Pātra, The Reservoir of Mercy

Śrīla Gurudeva has been a cardio-patient in 1988, so there were very many restrictions made by doctors on his food intake. Nevertheless, in the beginning, if someone would bring some foodstuff for him, he would accept it and not consider whether it is good or bad for his heart. Later on, however, he would not immediately eat it. The devotees would be told to give it to Mādhava Mahārāja first. Then, when someone gave to me, I was very strict. If it was good for his health, I would give it to him; otherwise, not. People would later ask him, “Oh Gurudeva did you take what I sent for you?”

Śrīla Gurudeva would say, “What? When did you give? Oh, Mādhava Mahārāja is not giving to me, because he thinks it is not good for me. If milk will come, he will take the cream, and give me only the milk. If yoghurt will come, he will churn the yoghurt and give me the buttermilk, but he will keep the butter.”

Common people could not understand what Śrīla Gurudeva was saying. Gurudeva was saying that he is doing bhajana and such hard labour—whatever he has realised and what is proper siddhānta—the essence he’s giving to his sincere disciples and followers.

It is mentioned in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.13.3):

शृणुष्वावहितो राजन्न् आपि गुह्यं वादामि ते
ब्रूयुह् स्निग्धस्य शिष्यस्य गुरवो गुह्यम् अप्य् उत

śṛṇuṣvāvahito rājann āpi guhyaṃ vādāmi te
brūyuh snigdhasya śiṣyasya guravo guhyam apy uta

O King, kindly listen to me attentively. The activities of the Supreme Lord are very confidential, but I shall tell you about them, for the guru explains to a submissive disciple even topics that are very confidential and difficult to understand.

It is further stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.1.8):

वेत्थ त्वं सौम्य तत् सर्वं तत्त्वतस् तद्-अनुग्रहात्
ब्रूयुह् स्निग्धस्य शिष्यस्य गुरवो गुह्यम् अप्य् उत

vettha tvaṃ saumya tat sarvaṃ tattvatas tad-anugrahāt
brūyuh snigdhasya śiṣyasya guravo guhyam apy uta

You are learned because your gurus have bestowed upon you all the confidential knowledge given to a polite and obedient disciple. Therefore you can tell us all you have learned from them.

Śrīla Gurudeva will tell all confidential things about bhajana to a disciple who is very polite, gentle and especially loyal to him. In the same way, Śrīla Gurudeva said that due to the kind of service we are doing, we are being given all these things (the cream of his teachings, the buttery nature of his personality and the real essence and spirit of his moods).

The pure devotee is kṛpa-pātra, the reservoir of kṛpa, mercy. The full mercy of Bhagavān comes through the devotee—it doesn’t come from another direction or from another place. Our relationship with the Lord is arranged and established in this way. Without the devotee’s mercy, you will not understand the Lord or get His mercy.