Nothing Belongs to Us - 4/6

(Compiled from notes on lectures of H. H. Mahavishnu Goswami)

Hare Krishna Prabhujis and Mathajis,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudeva.

This mail is in continuation of the transcription series "Nothing Belongs to Us" - based on the Bhagavatam class given by our beloved spiritual master HDG Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj in Kaula Lumpur, Malaysia in 1992. In previous postings we could see how Gurudev enlightened us on

a) The importance of being preapred for death
b) How even our own body is not under our control - but is working purely by the mercy of Lord.
c) How even though we are in precarious situation, we foolishly want to enjoy and are not even ready to accept the help of acaryas who are trying to deliver us.

Now let us continue to hear more nectar from Maharaj

"There is Krishna and He attracts you and that is why His name is Krishna - The Supreme Attractive force. He is the supreme animating force in our body. He is the supreme intelligent force in our relationships. Without that force, I will not be able to talk to you and you will not be able to hear me without that force. As soon as that Supreme force, withdraws His energy from this material body, this body completely becomes useless. And as soon as body becomes useless, we don't even keep it for an hour. We say that this dead body needs to be cremated or buried and we finish it off. That is the value of the body. If this is the condition, then we should accept on our own that the ignorant person was trying to taste the honey. Honey is sweet - no doubt. Honey here refers to material enjoyments. We are busy in enjoying our lives. But we don't know that we are in a precarious condition. Anytime the root will be eaten by the rats and we will fall down. Any time our life will come to an end and we will meet Yamaraj. If we remember this, then we will never leave the scriptures and try to understand it very carefully. This is our position and with this we try to go to Srimad Bhagavad Gita. Bhagavad Gita is most wonderful scripture and this was liked by everybody in the world. Now with Srila Prabhupada's translations, word-to-words and purports, it is all the more respected by everyone and this book is the text book for religious studies in all the universities in America and so many other countries.

It is our culture, Vedic culture coming to us from innumerable years. You take Christianity. It is only 2000 years old. Mohammed came about 1000 years ago. Buddhism 2500 years ago. All other sects are only 200 or 300 years ago. Lord Ram was in this planet million years ago and before Him, this Vedic culture is flowing in parampara from Krishna Bhagavan to the present gurus. This is the beauty of our own culture. How can you dream to leave this Ganges and go to other religions? We should not. But because we don't know

a) The value of our culture,
b) That our body is not the all in all in our life,
c) That our house and property does not belong to us,
d) The money and bank balance does not belong to us,
e) The wife, children and whole show does not belong to us.

We are attracted to these things and to hide our own folly, we do so many things and claim that I am correct. In the end, kaala - the eternal time, forces your body to become old. The hair becomes grey. Once the hair goes grey, that is the notice from the Lord that now our time is up and we have to get ready. If we don't get ready, then death will automatically come and pick us up and Yamaraj will ask - "Did you act according to the notice? Now come with me." Please remember these facts daily and when you remember these facts, you will not forget Bhagavad Gita. When you take Bhagavad Gita in your hand, there are 5 important things mentioned in this scriptures. The first thing nicely dealt in this book is Ishvara. Ishvara means controller. As I told you, we are not the controllers. We are puny controllers. We try to be the controller. Then as we are not the controllers and are trying to act like controller, the real controller gets upset. Then He sends you sickness and some material disturbances. These are checking points to remind us that we are not the controller and that He is the controller. If we still don't come to our senses, then our life shortens and we face untimely death. This is His control and He controls us through the time factor and that is why, He is known as Ishvara. We are mini ishvaras. But He is the Supreme Ishvara - Parameshwara. This way He is very nicely described in the pages of Bhagavad Gita. One verse gives 10 characteristics of Supreme Lord. 10th Chapter verse 12 in Gita.

Arjuna said: "You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the ultimate abode, the purest, the Absolute Truth. You are the eternal, transcendental, original person, the unborn, the greatest."

We may be controlling the house, job etc. But Ishvara Krishna is the Supreme Controller. Like this there are so many verses in Gita about Parameshwara Krishna.

The second thing that is described here is about jiva. We saw "jiva" word somewhere in Malaya language on the road. What was it? "Pandu chalna jiva salaama" - "Drive slowly and you will survive." It should be "Read Bhagavad Gita and jiva salaama". (Gurudev and devotees laugh) What is it in Malay for "Read Gita" ? (Devotees reply and then Gurudev says) Baachaa Gita - Jiv Salaam. Everywhere this should be printed. "Baachaa Gita - Jiv Salaam". Otherwise you are in danger. Doesn't matter how much yo do. Even if you do little bit, Lord is satisfied. He is very kind. If you take one step towards the Lord, He will take 10 steps. He is so very kind. He wants all the jivas back. Because we are his children. He wants His children to come back to Him. He doesn't want us to be in miserable condition. But our own activities are forcing us to be in miserable condition and this is how jiva is very nicely discussed in the pages of Gita. So first thing described is Ishvara and then about jivas - Who are we? Why have we come here? How should we behave here? After our end where will we go? What are the activities there? Everything in minute details is described in the pages of Bhagavad Gita and more minute details are given in Srimad Bhagavatam and these are the beauty of these scriptures."

We are all forever indebted to Jagat Guru Srila Prabhupada for revealing these beautiful scriptures in a sublime manner for the welfare of all man-kind and our spiritual master for constantly hammering us the importance of studying Srila Prabhupada's books. If not for such great acharyas, we would have never touched these scriptures in this lifetime. On this most auspicious occasion of the appearance of His Divine Grace Prabhupada, let us offer our satakoti dandavat pranams to him, study his books and try to strictly abide by his instructions.

His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada Appearance Day ki Jai ! Jagat Guru Srila Prabhupada ki Jai !

Thank you very much.
Yours in service of Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudeva,
Sudarshana devi dasi.

Chant,

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna

Krishna Krishna

Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama

Rama Rama

Hare Hare

and be happy.