His Message for a Troubled Planet
On Tuesday 11 September 2001, devotees from England, Holland, and the US waited at Heathrow Airport, London, with great anticipation and happiness for the arrival of His Divine Grace Śrīla Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Gosvāmī Mahārāj and his entourage of devotees, who were due to arrive from Moscow just afternoon that day. The plane landed only slightly later than scheduled and after smoothly passing through the baggage claim and customs, Mahārāj and his travel party came into the arrivals lounge, to be greeted joyfully by his dīkṣā and śikṣā disciples. A convoy of several cars made the two-hour journey from northwest London to the home in south London where Mahārāj and the devotees were to stay. Everyone was light-hearted and in a happy mood. The conversation was non-stop until they arrived at their destination sometime after 3 PM.
That mood was to change quickly, however. As Mahārāj and the other devotees were unpacking and settling in, there was a phone call from one of the Dutch devotees who was staying at another house nearby. "Have you seen the news?" he asked. He informed us of the tragedy in the US that had occurred while we were on the road coming back from Heathrow. The devotees turned on the news and all watched with shock as World Trade Center collapsed to the ground. As we had been waiting at the airport for Maharaj, who could have imagined that such a thing would happen only a few moments later? We then realized that had Maharaj's plane been delayed only slightly later than it had been, He would not be sitting here with us, as all flights into or out from London were now canceled. An American devotee who had also just arrived from the US earlier that same morning, would not even have had the opportunity to be with Mahārāj at all had she come only a couple of hours later, as all flights into and out from the US were now also grounded. It seemed most remarkable to all present that, somehow or other, we were now sitting in the presence of the sādhu at this particular time and place.
Upon being told the news, Mahārāj remarked, "Human beings are more ferocious than the so-called beasts. Animals at least kill others in order to survive, but humans will kill over politics." Many devotees speculated on what would be the global reaction to these events. Mahārāj further commented, "While governments certainly have a responsibility to stop the evil-doers, if, in doing so, they become involved in harming innocent living beings, then they will also have to face the ramifications of their own actions."
A śuddha-bhakta always has sama-darśana, equal vision to all. As such, we never see the śuddha-bhakta troubled by worldly affairs. In watching Mahārāj’s gentle behavior, the devotees could see first-hand how the ācārya never sees a difference between friend and foe. While our own personal views of the world may be clouded with false concepts of us and them, such thoughts never enter the mind and heart of the śuddha-bhakta, who sees all living creatures as part and parcel of his Most Beloved Supreme Lord.
The Guru is always extremely sensitive and loving towards his disciples. Thus, Mahārāj could sense the mood of anxiety that was prevalent among the assembled devotees and guests. At the program that evening, Mahārāj spoke about the nature of the world. "This material world is a forest fire, dāvāgni," he explained. "It is never a safe place, but we become complacent here, simply imagining ourselves to be safe." He said that such incidents as those that had occurred that day may remind us of our precarious position but, in actuality, while living in this world, we are always in such a precarious position at every moment.
Mahārāj related the pastimes of Supreme Lord Sri Kṛṣṇa in the 19th chapter of the Tenth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, wherein the cows and cowherd boys of Vraja became trapped in a blazing fire in the Muñjā Forest. As the flames of the forest fire threatened to engulf them, they appealed to Śri Kṛṣṇa to rescue them. Kṛṣṇa requested them to close their eyes. Once they closed their eyes, He opened His mouth and swallowed the fire. Our only refuge in this scorching fire of material existence is Supreme Lord Nandanandana Sri Kṛṣṇa. We are deluded to think that we are ever safe without Him. Simply by trusting Him, as demonstrated by the cowherd boys' shutting their eyes to imminent danger, His devotees are rescued from the relentless flames of the mundane world.
Mahārāj then quoted the Mahabharata, wherein Yamarāja asked Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāj many questions, of which the final four were of utmost importance:
kaś ca vārtā? kim āścāryaṁ?
That mood was to change quickly, however. As Mahārāj and the other devotees were unpacking and settling in, there was a phone call from one of the Dutch devotees who was staying at another house nearby. "Have you seen the news?" he asked. He informed us of the tragedy in the US that had occurred while we were on the road coming back from Heathrow. The devotees turned on the news and all watched with shock as World Trade Center collapsed to the ground. As we had been waiting at the airport for Maharaj, who could have imagined that such a thing would happen only a few moments later? We then realized that had Maharaj's plane been delayed only slightly later than it had been, He would not be sitting here with us, as all flights into or out from London were now canceled. An American devotee who had also just arrived from the US earlier that same morning, would not even have had the opportunity to be with Mahārāj at all had she come only a couple of hours later, as all flights into and out from the US were now also grounded. It seemed most remarkable to all present that, somehow or other, we were now sitting in the presence of the sādhu at this particular time and place.
Upon being told the news, Mahārāj remarked, "Human beings are more ferocious than the so-called beasts. Animals at least kill others in order to survive, but humans will kill over politics." Many devotees speculated on what would be the global reaction to these events. Mahārāj further commented, "While governments certainly have a responsibility to stop the evil-doers, if, in doing so, they become involved in harming innocent living beings, then they will also have to face the ramifications of their own actions."
A śuddha-bhakta always has sama-darśana, equal vision to all. As such, we never see the śuddha-bhakta troubled by worldly affairs. In watching Mahārāj’s gentle behavior, the devotees could see first-hand how the ācārya never sees a difference between friend and foe. While our own personal views of the world may be clouded with false concepts of us and them, such thoughts never enter the mind and heart of the śuddha-bhakta, who sees all living creatures as part and parcel of his Most Beloved Supreme Lord.
The Guru is always extremely sensitive and loving towards his disciples. Thus, Mahārāj could sense the mood of anxiety that was prevalent among the assembled devotees and guests. At the program that evening, Mahārāj spoke about the nature of the world. "This material world is a forest fire, dāvāgni," he explained. "It is never a safe place, but we become complacent here, simply imagining ourselves to be safe." He said that such incidents as those that had occurred that day may remind us of our precarious position but, in actuality, while living in this world, we are always in such a precarious position at every moment.
Mahārāj related the pastimes of Supreme Lord Sri Kṛṣṇa in the 19th chapter of the Tenth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, wherein the cows and cowherd boys of Vraja became trapped in a blazing fire in the Muñjā Forest. As the flames of the forest fire threatened to engulf them, they appealed to Śri Kṛṣṇa to rescue them. Kṛṣṇa requested them to close their eyes. Once they closed their eyes, He opened His mouth and swallowed the fire. Our only refuge in this scorching fire of material existence is Supreme Lord Nandanandana Sri Kṛṣṇa. We are deluded to think that we are ever safe without Him. Simply by trusting Him, as demonstrated by the cowherd boys' shutting their eyes to imminent danger, His devotees are rescued from the relentless flames of the mundane world.
Mahārāj then quoted the Mahabharata, wherein Yamarāja asked Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāj many questions, of which the final four were of utmost importance:
kaś ca vārtā? kim āścāryaṁ?
kaś ca modate? kaḥ panthāḥ?
mamaitāṁś caturaḥ praśnān kathayitvā jalaṁ piba
(Mahābhārata, Vana-parva)
The main questions Mahārāj addressed that evening were the first two of these four: "What is the news of the world?" and "What is the greatest wonder?" The answers that Yudhiṣṭhira gave to Lord Yamarāja are relevant to all times and circumstances, unlike our common concerns with transient "news" that changes from day to day. Yudhiṣṭhira's answer with regards to the news of the world accurately describes the actual position of the living entity within the material universe. His answer with regards to the greatest wonder expresses the marvel of man's denial of the temporary nature of material existence.
Mahārāj continued to utilize the tone of the mood of the devotees to convey a special message to them throughout the rest of that week. One class was dedicated to emphasizing the importance of our human birth and how we should never take it for granted. "In this cycle of eighty-four lakhs of species of births, there is no guarantee that we will come back as a human being." He gave examples of his own eye-witness accounts of reincarnation. (These anecdotes and topics covered in this lecture also appear in A Taste of Transcendence in the chapter entitled "The Welfare of the Living Being.”)
In another class, Śrīla Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Gosvāmī Mahārāj discussed the foolish tendency of human beings to put off devotional practice until late in life. Again he reminded all that every moment is precious and that we should seize every opportunity to cultivate bhakti, and that it is unwise to think that we can make plans for our lives by delaying our bhajan in such a way.
Another day, Mahārāj explained how the actual sādhu has no fear, for he knows that everything happens as per the sanction of the Supreme Lord. "Those whom the Lord protects cannot be killed and those whom the Lord kills cannot be saved. With firm faith, the sādhu understands all things to be the sweet will of the Supreme Lord, and that everything Kṛṣṇa does is for the ultimate good of all living beings. There can be no fear in one who surrenders to the Supreme Lord. The sādhu is always calm and serene."
On Saturday 15 September, Mahārāj led a wonderful nagar-saṅkīrtan through the winding streets of the North Laines of Brighton, a quaint city on the seaside in south England. A program was then held at the Friends Meeting Hall, near the sea. After delivering a beautiful lecture which gave the devotees a glimpse into the sweet nature and pastimes of Nandanandana Sri Kṛṣṇa, Mahārāj, playing the kasar and loudly chanting "Jayā Dao! Jayā Dao!" led a lengthy and unforgettably uproarious Narasimha kīrtana which left everyone utterly breathless.
Emotions were extremely high, as we were unsure of how long we would be so fortunate as to have Mahārāj's presence in Europe. Every day, there was talk that the tour, which was originally scheduled to include England, Holland, Slovenia, Austria, France, Germany, and Switzerland, was to be curtailed due to the increased risk of war. Many felt that the dependability of flights back to India (or anywhere) would become increasingly unpredictable should full-scale war break out. Also, some of the household devotees in Mahārāj's entourage lived in Kashmir and Punjab, near the already volatile Pakistani border. Mahārāj was most concerned for both the physical and emotional well-being of their families.
It could not be ignored, also, that within hours of the US disaster, we received dozens of emails and phone calls from devotees throughout India, begging Mahārāj to return home. Many of these included other senior sannyāsis at Sree Caitanya Gauḍīya Maṭh. Mahārāj had to consider all things to decide between continuing the tour. At no moment did Mahārāj ever express any concern for his own safety or his own personal preference. His only thought was what was in the best interest of his disciples. It was inevitable that some devotees would be very disappointed, regardless of which decision would be made. But, to put his disciples in harm's way was something Mahārāj would not permit and this issue seemed to be his primary concern.
Mahārāj and a large party of devotees left London for Holland on Tuesday 18 September, where devotees from Germany and France now also came to have darśana, as it seemed nearly certain that Mahārāj would return to India very soon. These last classes in Lekkerkerk were intimate and touching. In the final class, the ultimate message was śaraṇāgati—the path of surrender to the Supreme Lord. "You cannot get Kṛṣṇa by your own efforts, "Mahārāj said. "He is revealed within your heart, proportionate to your surrender to Him. In order to surrender to Him, you must engage only in those activities that will remind you of Him and desist from all activities that do not. When you surrender to the Lotus Feet of the Supreme Lord, there is never any cause for fear of any kind. The boundless taste of the sweetness of Sri Kṛṣṇa is to be found within that boundless surrender." This was the summation of all the lessons the European devotees had heard throughout that most intense week.
Mahārāj and his entourage left for Delhi on Thursday morning, 20 September 2001, from Amsterdam Schipol Airport. It was impossible for the devotees to check their tears. The message of the previous week had hit home: we cannot take anything for granted. We cannot take for granted the time that we have been given in this precious human birth, nor the extraordinary time that we have been granted to have the invaluable association of the śuddha-bhakta. Therefore, we must seize every moment given to us to serve Guru-Vaiṣṇava-Bhagavān, leaving nothing to chance.
Although the European devotees are certainly sad that they did not have the personal association of His Divine Grace Śrīla Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Mahārāja for the full time originally planned, they can take solace in the words from a lecture delivered by Śrīla Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Gosvāmī Mahārāj in the US in 1999 where he said, "You can associate with the sādhu from here even if the sādhu is in India. India is so many thousands of miles away from the USA. But even from the USA, you can associate with the sādhu in India. The sādhu is thinking about the service of his object of worship: Rādhā-Govinda-Mahāprabhu. If you follow that thought, even from a great distance, then you are associating with the sādhu." From these words, we in the West can be assured that the guru is with the sincere devotee at every step, regardless of how far away he might appear to be on the physical plane.
—reposted from: http://www.bvmlu.org/SBBTM/mfatp.htm from a report dated Oct 25, 2001
The main questions Mahārāj addressed that evening were the first two of these four: "What is the news of the world?" and "What is the greatest wonder?" The answers that Yudhiṣṭhira gave to Lord Yamarāja are relevant to all times and circumstances, unlike our common concerns with transient "news" that changes from day to day. Yudhiṣṭhira's answer with regards to the news of the world accurately describes the actual position of the living entity within the material universe. His answer with regards to the greatest wonder expresses the marvel of man's denial of the temporary nature of material existence.
Mahārāj continued to utilize the tone of the mood of the devotees to convey a special message to them throughout the rest of that week. One class was dedicated to emphasizing the importance of our human birth and how we should never take it for granted. "In this cycle of eighty-four lakhs of species of births, there is no guarantee that we will come back as a human being." He gave examples of his own eye-witness accounts of reincarnation. (These anecdotes and topics covered in this lecture also appear in A Taste of Transcendence in the chapter entitled "The Welfare of the Living Being.”)
In another class, Śrīla Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Gosvāmī Mahārāj discussed the foolish tendency of human beings to put off devotional practice until late in life. Again he reminded all that every moment is precious and that we should seize every opportunity to cultivate bhakti, and that it is unwise to think that we can make plans for our lives by delaying our bhajan in such a way.
Another day, Mahārāj explained how the actual sādhu has no fear, for he knows that everything happens as per the sanction of the Supreme Lord. "Those whom the Lord protects cannot be killed and those whom the Lord kills cannot be saved. With firm faith, the sādhu understands all things to be the sweet will of the Supreme Lord, and that everything Kṛṣṇa does is for the ultimate good of all living beings. There can be no fear in one who surrenders to the Supreme Lord. The sādhu is always calm and serene."
On Saturday 15 September, Mahārāj led a wonderful nagar-saṅkīrtan through the winding streets of the North Laines of Brighton, a quaint city on the seaside in south England. A program was then held at the Friends Meeting Hall, near the sea. After delivering a beautiful lecture which gave the devotees a glimpse into the sweet nature and pastimes of Nandanandana Sri Kṛṣṇa, Mahārāj, playing the kasar and loudly chanting "Jayā Dao! Jayā Dao!" led a lengthy and unforgettably uproarious Narasimha kīrtana which left everyone utterly breathless.
Emotions were extremely high, as we were unsure of how long we would be so fortunate as to have Mahārāj's presence in Europe. Every day, there was talk that the tour, which was originally scheduled to include England, Holland, Slovenia, Austria, France, Germany, and Switzerland, was to be curtailed due to the increased risk of war. Many felt that the dependability of flights back to India (or anywhere) would become increasingly unpredictable should full-scale war break out. Also, some of the household devotees in Mahārāj's entourage lived in Kashmir and Punjab, near the already volatile Pakistani border. Mahārāj was most concerned for both the physical and emotional well-being of their families.
It could not be ignored, also, that within hours of the US disaster, we received dozens of emails and phone calls from devotees throughout India, begging Mahārāj to return home. Many of these included other senior sannyāsis at Sree Caitanya Gauḍīya Maṭh. Mahārāj had to consider all things to decide between continuing the tour. At no moment did Mahārāj ever express any concern for his own safety or his own personal preference. His only thought was what was in the best interest of his disciples. It was inevitable that some devotees would be very disappointed, regardless of which decision would be made. But, to put his disciples in harm's way was something Mahārāj would not permit and this issue seemed to be his primary concern.
Mahārāj and a large party of devotees left London for Holland on Tuesday 18 September, where devotees from Germany and France now also came to have darśana, as it seemed nearly certain that Mahārāj would return to India very soon. These last classes in Lekkerkerk were intimate and touching. In the final class, the ultimate message was śaraṇāgati—the path of surrender to the Supreme Lord. "You cannot get Kṛṣṇa by your own efforts, "Mahārāj said. "He is revealed within your heart, proportionate to your surrender to Him. In order to surrender to Him, you must engage only in those activities that will remind you of Him and desist from all activities that do not. When you surrender to the Lotus Feet of the Supreme Lord, there is never any cause for fear of any kind. The boundless taste of the sweetness of Sri Kṛṣṇa is to be found within that boundless surrender." This was the summation of all the lessons the European devotees had heard throughout that most intense week.
Mahārāj and his entourage left for Delhi on Thursday morning, 20 September 2001, from Amsterdam Schipol Airport. It was impossible for the devotees to check their tears. The message of the previous week had hit home: we cannot take anything for granted. We cannot take for granted the time that we have been given in this precious human birth, nor the extraordinary time that we have been granted to have the invaluable association of the śuddha-bhakta. Therefore, we must seize every moment given to us to serve Guru-Vaiṣṇava-Bhagavān, leaving nothing to chance.
Although the European devotees are certainly sad that they did not have the personal association of His Divine Grace Śrīla Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Mahārāja for the full time originally planned, they can take solace in the words from a lecture delivered by Śrīla Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Gosvāmī Mahārāj in the US in 1999 where he said, "You can associate with the sādhu from here even if the sādhu is in India. India is so many thousands of miles away from the USA. But even from the USA, you can associate with the sādhu in India. The sādhu is thinking about the service of his object of worship: Rādhā-Govinda-Mahāprabhu. If you follow that thought, even from a great distance, then you are associating with the sādhu." From these words, we in the West can be assured that the guru is with the sincere devotee at every step, regardless of how far away he might appear to be on the physical plane.
—reposted from: http://www.bvmlu.org/SBBTM/mfatp.htm from a report dated Oct 25, 2001
Comments
Post a Comment