The Power of His Ācaraṇa

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āpane ācare keha, nā kare pracāra

pracāra karena keha, nā karena ācāra

‘ācāra’, ‘pracāra’, — nāmera karaha ‘dui’ kārya

tumi — sarva-guru, tumi jagatera ārya

(Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya, 4/102-103)

[Some people have good character but do not preach while other preachers have no personal example of their own. One has to execute both of these activities in a proper measure to do the work of an ācārya.]

Śrīla Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Gosvāmī Mahārāj is a vital link among those established ācāryas such as Bhakti Vaibhav Puri Gosvāmī Mahārāj, Bhakti Pramod Puri Gosvāmī Mahārāj, Śrī Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākur, and Śrīla Bhakti Dayita Mādhava Gosvāmī Mahārāj whose ācaraṇa is very powerful. An ācārya can inculcate true siddhānta in the heart of the bonded soul.  In this way, they can deliver and emancipate all bonded souls.  Otherwise, it is not possible; this point is vital. 

One must follow all vaiṣṇava etiquette and at the same time have the power through ācaraṇa to inculcate that vaiṣṇava etiquette or vaiṣṇava-siddhānta into the heart of a bonded soul.  Otherwise, one has no power to act as an ācārya.  This is the most vital thing.  He is practicing ācaraṇa, that is why he is an ācārya.  Those who are not actual ācāryas can make all problems through negative preaching. Preaching can be done in a positive or negative way. Positive preaching is only possible by those who are pure devotees; preaching is not possible for bonded souls. Positive preaching is very slow but very steady and has a deep preaching effect inside the heart of the bonded soul.  

Until and unless one bonded soul can see one vivid example in front of his eyes he cannot get the power to do bhajan.  That is a big problem, they cannot do bhajan.  You have to see that there is a big ācārya, follow his ācaraṇa, and stay under his guidance. Only then it is possible for you to preach and do bhajan; otherwise not possible.

Prabhupāda did Vraja-maṇḍala parikramā only once in his whole life. After that Śrīla Mādhava Gosvāmī Mahārāj did this parikramā for a long time and my Gurupādapadma used to stay with him. And one day some devotees expressed dissatisfaction by saying, "We are always late because of Śrīla Bhakti Pramod Puri Gosvāmī Mahārāj. He is very old and so very slow and he cannot go fast.  So we would like to complete parikrāma and we are hungry sometimes and also we would like to take rest."

Then Śrīla Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Gosvāmī Mahārāj became very angry like a lion. In a raised voice he said, "You go, go, you go! I want to follow my Gurupādapadma Bhakti Pramod Puri Gosvāmī Mahārāj. I cannot see Vraja-dhāma.  I would like to see Vraj-dhāma under the guidance of Śrīla Bhakti Pramod Puri Gosvāmī Mahārāj. He can see Rādhākuṇḍa, Śyāmakuṇḍa, and everything!  What you can see?  Take prasād quickly now and go rest.  I am not going to violate my rules."

He was so strict. Every time you give him the same āsan as Gurupādapadma, he is not going to take that āsan.  He said, "No, I cannot take this āsan.  I must below my Guru-varga."  So, I got the chance to learn Vaiṣṇava etiquette from him.  His ācaraṇa is very powerful.  So, I beg for pardon if I have made any mistake; I am praying for full kṛpā from him.  

One day when I was in Gokul-dhāma I wrote him a letter with a resolution: Mahārāj, it is one hundred percent sure that I am going to get your full kṛpā. By this, he can bestow his full kṛpā on me.  

Throughout his whole life, Śrīla Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Gosvāmī Mahārāj exemplified the perfect ācārya. He is so pure that nobody can speak anything against him.  He is my śikṣā guru.  He is glorifying my Gurudev (Śrīla Bhakti Pramod Puri Mahārāj) all the time.  This kind of ācārya is very rare.  He is always staying under the guidance of my Gurudev after his Gurudev had disappeared and he thinks (Śrīla Bhakti Pramod Puri Mahārāj) is almost non-different from his Gurudev.  

—Śrī Śyāmadāsa Bābajī Mahārāj

Excerpted from a transcript of this video dated March 25, 2018





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