He Gives Us Every Opportunity to Correct Ourselves

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Many of Gurudeva's godbrothers and Guru-varga did not support him and backed out when he was attending many court cases and meeting many Government officials during the re-claiming of Prabhupāda's birthplace in Śrī Jagannath Puri. They felt it is not devotional to get into controversies and litigations with opposing parties. But Gurudeva's reply was that "I do not know what is bhajana and what is not. But this is my Gurudeva's innermost desire that we establish a maṭha on the birthplace of Prabhupāda and I am just serving my Gurudeva's wish." And when the case was won the same people came in to congratulate him and expressed their great pleasure at the success of his efforts.

Illness is just one of the innumerable pastimes of Gurudeva. He is performing this to give his mercy and sevā opportunities to all his disciples, close sevāks and associates, and also to doctors and nursing staff at the hospital. What sevā? Śrāvaṇa, kirtan, and smaraṇa of Gurudeva and Bhagavān's glories, Śrī vigraha-sevā, vaishnav-sevā, guru-sevā, dhāma-sevā, assembling all devotees and bringing them together, and inspiring all to perform nāma-sevā by nāma-saṅkīrtana, etc. 

In this connection, Mahārāja had given the instance of Śrī Mādhavendra Purī's pastimes of illness with the intention of bestowing kṛpā on his dear disciple Īśvara Purī, giving him an opportunity to guru-sevā and in the process showering him with mercy and all divine knowledge; giving him so much mercy making him a Guru to Śrī Chaitanya Mahāprabhu Himself.

Guru is transcendental, not of this material world. He is beyond the three modes of material nature and has to be viewed such, otherwise, we will be committing an offense at the lotus feet of Gurudeva. Another important point brought out is that at no point in time should we contend that Gurudeva is suffering in illness as a result of the bad effects of sins committed by his disciples/followers. This is totally wrong. No sin of this mundane world can touch the transcendental body of Gurudeva. This notion is totally wrong. Gurudeva is in this world on Kṛṣṇa's work and is fully under the care and protection of Kṛṣṇa. 

Gurudev is so merciful that he is giving us every opportunity to correct ourselves and He tries to put us in the eternal service of Kṛṣṇa, pardoning our sins and overlooking our shortcomings and giving us strength in our sadhana-bhajana.

—Śrīla Bhakti Kuśala Padmanābha Mahārāj

Translated to English

Guwahati, Dec 2013 



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