© 2001 VNN
|
WORLD  Life Is Valuable BY SRILA BHAKTI SUNDAR GOVINDA DEV-GOSWAMI MAHARAJ  NAVADWIP DHAM, INDIA, Feb 6 (VNN) — I am living by the grace of Lord Krishna and Guru Maharaj. Guru Maharaj has given his blessings and thereby I continue. As of yesterday seventy-two years have passed. Now after my recent stroke, I have again started life for service to Lord Krishna. I am very happy to see that from all over the world so many devotees have come this year. I think they are thinking, "We may not see him again next birthday." So this year they have come. There are so many here at Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math. They want to make their spiritual life strong with much austerity and association with Vaisnavas. In the scriptures it is said, and Mahaprabhu Himself told: prabhu kahena, krsna seva vaisnava seva nirantar kora krsna nama sankirtan (Chaitanya Charitamrta, Madhya 15.104) This atmosphere: Vaisnava seva, Krishna seva and Guru seva; this is the goal of life. Mahaprabhu has shown us. Always chant the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, then your heart will never be without Krishna. Krishna will always be in your heart if you chant the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. Devotees know this. Chanting without offense is difficult, no doubt, but here at Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math all can get that inspiration when they come and stay with other devotees and me. Then strong feelings will come within the devotee. This year yesterday, my birthday ceremony was observed. And they enjoyed that with all the devotees. But now, today they are going to my birthplace, Brahmanpara. I am surprised with all the attention. I am a very insignificant and innocent boy. From just after boyhood I joined with Srila Guru Maharaj's lotus feet. I caused many disturbances but Guru Maharaj tolerated me and gave me many good instructions. By the grace of Guru Maharaj seventy-two years have passed. It is my good fortune, because when we die, where will we go? We do not know. This is a dark cloud for us, that place, at present. When birth comes, then death must come. My lifetime was not so long, only sixty- five years I calculated, and it was calculated by others. But Guru Maharaj said, "Throw away your horoscope. I shall give a longer lifetime to you." That was my good fortune because life is valuable. In the scriptures it is said that when you are living within a human body you can do so much for yourself. So much means you can practice Krishna consciousness, and until death you can do that. Then, do not invite death. Always invite service, good atmosphere, good health and a good situation, that is the desire of a servitor. When Guru Maharaj gave me a longer life I was happy to hear that. But, now I believe it. Already seventy-two years have passed. I am trying to continue my service to Krishna, because that was the desire of Srila Guru Maharaj. Service to Guru, Vaisnava, and Bhagawan is the best activity for all jiva souls. The jiva souls at birth come with so much karma and then they accrue more karma; and are suffering from that. But when we get a human body, we get more consciousness. Srimad Bhagavat said, labdhva sudurlabham sambhavante (S.B., 11:9.29) After so many births we have got this form of human body, sambhavante manusyam, the human body, we have got. It is giving us much facility for advancing our consciousness for the service of Lord Krishna. But we can not control our lifetime. Then we must be concerned for our existence. While living within this body we will try heart and soul to satisfy Guru, Vaisnava and God. When we serve Vaisnava, easily guru-seva will come to us for our spiritual upliftment. That service will go to Lord Krishna and thereby Krishna will get good nourishment from the devotee. That gives us transcendental service life. All benefit we are getting through this body. What we do here materially is karma, but when our activity is for the Lord, that is spiritual and transcendental work. We can see or not, if the result will come to us in the future, then we will understand where we were and what I am now. Therefor, until death everyone should try to satisfy Lord Krishna, Gurudev and Vaisnava. Gurudev is the non-different form of Krishna as representative in this material world. Without hesitation we should try to practice Krishna consciousness and fulfil the desire of Guru Maharaj. I am trying as possible by me. At the present time, a very good opportunity is available to me. When I was very strong and when I was younger I did so many good things; but there was much wrong also. Not all my activities were suitable for Krishna's service. But day by day now when I am becoming old, I am very much concerned about every moment: that not a moment will pass without service to Lord Krishna. Mundane hankering exists for everybody. But when one is engaged in divine service under guidance of Guru-Vaisnava, one will gain more consciousness and mundane desires will go out. This is our situation. Then at every moment we shall try to engage in service to Lord Krishna. Time takes every passing day and adds it into our account with Krishna. Then just like every year we are giving account to the government, seventy-two years of accounting Krishna has already gotten from me. A new year started yesterday, and a new job and situation has come to me. Everything will be counted, so every moment we must beneficially use the time allotted to us. That way we will be Krishna conscious, otherwise everything will be spoiled. Not only spoiled, but will go against us. We must be conscious about our time, living time. I am trying whole-heartedly as possible by me to serve my Guru Maharaj. I am advising this point to my friends and their families: they will evolve with full consciousness via Krishna seva, service to Lord Krishna. One may be brahmacari, may be grhastra, may be vanaprastha, or sannyasi that is not the question. The question is Krishna's seva, service. When opportunity comes to us, we must respect and observe that. Service, this is our life's goal. Day by day we can not afford to loose time. The sun rises and the sun sets. For one who is serving Lord Krishna by hearing, chanting etcetera, time is not going against them; time is going in their favor. A credit is entered into their account. After death it must give us much benefit for more service. Liberation from this material world easily will come through that. My blessings to all the devotees. From New Year's Day may all engage themselves as possible by them in service to Lord Krishna. This is my desire, this is my blessing and this is my prayer to all, and prayer to Lord Krishna. Hare Krishna. Navadwip Dham, India Transcribed by Krishna Asraya Dasa Reference Research by Bhakti Sudhir Goswami and Bhakti Pavan Janardan Maharaj  Comment on this storyContact VNN about this storySend this story to a friend
|
