Nothing Can Be Hidden From Him

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Hearing and singing of the glories of Gurudeva are the most auspicious activities for the devotees and should be performed by all whether eligible or ineligible, first praying for the grace of Gurudeva. Seeing our efforts, Guru imparts us the power to sing their glories in kirtans and kathas. Śrāvaṇa-kirtan of Gurudeva's glories is the backbone of our devotional life. The strength of our relation with Bhagavān is directly proportional to the strength of our deep bond with our Guru, because He is our connecting link to Bhagavān. He is so merciful he accepts us as we are (the most ineligible), prepares us by imparting saṃbandh jñāna and making us eligible for bhāgavat sevā. Without saṃbandh-jñāna, we cannot enter into the field of abhidheya, the practice of devotion.

Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstraiḥ: All scriptures sing that the Guru is Sākṣād Hari, non-different from Bhagavān. So Guru possesses all the unlimited qualities like Bhagavān of which there are sixty-four main qualities. But Guru possesses one special extra quality than Bhagavān: Bhagavān is the most attractive and can attract all the living non-living entities of the three worlds, but Gurudeva possesses the power to attract the most attractive Bhagavān Himself by his devotion. That is why Guru is the dearmost of Bhagavān.

Just like Bhagavān, Guru is everywhere—omnipresent. When he is in Guwahati he is also present in Goalpara, Kolkata, Delhi, or anywhere; he is not restricted. This also means that wherever his portrait is, he is present. He is here, he is in your home, too. He resides within you as caitya-guru and guides you always. He is very near and very dear to your heart. As he is non-different from Bhagavān, he is also omniscient. He knows everything; he knows you inside and out. Everything is happening before his eyes and behind his eyes. Nothing can be hidden from him.

I will recall some instances that I observed while associating with Gurudeva. Once he gave me and another maṭhavāsī clothes for daily wear. The other maṭhavāsī saw that the piece given to me was of fine cloth and it was of a slightly rougher variety. When he pointed it out to me and I readily proposed exchanging it with him. But he declined and went and spoke about this with Gurudeva, exchanging it for another piece of finer quality cloth. 

This person did not stay long after that and left the maṭha, leaving devotion altogether. It seemed that I was observing that somehow the maṭhavāsī's act had displeased Gurudeva as was seen in the end result. 

yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo
yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto ’pi

(Śrī Gurvastakam)

[The spiritual master is receiving benediction from the ocean of mercy. Just as a cloud pours water on a forest fire to extinguish it, so the spiritual master delivers the materially afflicted world by extinguishing the blazing fire of material existence. I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master, who is an ocean of auspicious qualities.]

When you are in the loving protection and care of Gurudeva, even if Bhagavān is displeased with you, it really does not matter because Gurudeva will put forth your case with Bhagavān and set things right for you. But if Gurudeva is displeased with you, you have nowhere left to go.

Gurudeva's words are avicāraṇīya, one must simply act on Gurudeva's words by following them literally, verbatim. To explain the point, I remember once when Gurudev asked a devotee to have annaprasādam (rice) when it happened to be an Ekadāsi day. The devotee was surprised and took only phalahara. Again in the evening when he went for darśana, Gurudeva remembered to ask him whether he had annaprasādam. Then he replied as it was Ekadāsi he had only phalahara. That devotee later left the maṭha and returned home to family life (saṃsāra).

Gurudeva's words are avicāraṇīya means there is absolutely no need for us to use our brains or intelligence. Śrīla BV Bhāratī Mahārāja told us that once Prabhupāda asked Param Gurudev to go out on some important work on an Ekadāsi day and asked him to take prasādam and go. But Param Gurudev observed nirjala-ekadāsi on every ekadāsi always and so said he will be fasting as it is Ekadāsi day. Pleased with his reply, Prabhupāda by his own hands squeezed a few lemons and added a lot of sugar to make a concentrated syrup for Param Gurudeva. He filled it in a bottle and told him to drink it adding plain water now and then.

This again is a simple example of Gurudeva's expression of love for his dear disciple, and also an expression of love and depth of śaraṇāgati of a disciple to his Gurudeva. It is also a teaching for us dumb and ignorant disciples to learn and follow instructions with full trust and faith in guru.

—Śrīla Bhakti Kuśala Padmanābha Mahārāj

Translated to English

Guwahati, Dec 2013 (Beginning stage of Śrīla Gurudev's antaraṅga/ illness pastimes)





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