He Preaches With His Conduct

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To follow the conduct of pure devotees of the Lord is essential.  When Pujyapad (Bhakti Pramod) Puri Gosvami Maharaj was speaking harikathā, a foreign devotee (Nrsimha Maharaj) placed a tape recorder in front of him.  Puri Gosvami Maharaj asked him what it was.  He replied that it was a tape recorder.  Then Maharaj asked, "What does it do?"  He knows everything, but still, he asked.  He explained that it records your kathā simultaneously, which we can hear again later.  Then Puri Gosvami Maharaj made a gesture indicating his heart region and said, "You record it here. There is no benefit of recording on the tape recorder.  If you really want eternal benefit, you have to record it in the heart."  

Guruji was in Agartala for Kartik-vrat during the year of Mahaprabhu's five hundredth appearance anniversary. A photographer was called to take Guruji's photo for the local newspaper.  Before taking the photo, the photographer asked Guruji to adjust his posture a little and Guruji asked why. He told him he wanted to take his photograph. Then Guruji asked him, "Does it make any difference if I change my posture? Can you take a photograph of my heart?" Guruji wanted the photographer to consider if he could take a photograph of his mind, his thoughts, and his feelings. The photographer said, "No, Maharaj." Guruji replied, "Then what is the benefit of taking such a photograph?"

What is the inner meaning of this?  A recording is only recording, there is no real benefit in it unless and until it is taken to heart. 

I had two to three recordings (cassettes) of Param Gurudev. I was residing in Kolkata maṭha then. Sitting on the balcony, I was hearing one of the recordings on the tape-recorder.  I never saw Guruji coming to the balcony at any time previously but that time he came there while he was chanting on his beads.  Seeing me, he asked what  I was doing. I replied that I was hearing Param Gurudev's lecture from the cassette.  Guruji told me, "You should not hear it like this. It amounts to breach of Vaishnava etiquette (maryādā-ulangan). Then he said, "If you really want to hear, spread an āsan, place Gurudev's photo on it, garland him, offer praṇams, and placing the recorder there, listen with the knowledge of the relationship." This is Guruji's teaching to me.  From that day on I never played cassettes like that. Guruji showed me that this was an offense at his Guru Maharaj's lotus feet. 

It is not an ordinary recording that whenever, wherever you like you play, like while driving the car. Without giving due respect and hearing with rapt attention we will not benefit; instead, we commit a breach of Vaishnava etiquette and commit an offense. This is Guruji's vāṇī. 

Also, Bhagavad Gita is comprised of words directly from Lord's mouth, so it should be read and studied with great respect. So when beginning reading of Gita, a brahmin is invited who will perform the puja of Bhagavad Gita placing it on the vyāsāsan, offers praṇams, and sings the glories of the Gita—then Gita is opened to read. Gita is Lord Himself, Lord's words are Lord Himself, and Guru's vāṇī is Guru Himself. This siddhānta (principle) was given by Guruji himself. Guruji was never seen hearing cassettes of Param Gurudev's kathā any time. Thinking we are devoted we hear, but we are not aware that our action involves offense. It is not this material world's māyā-kathā, it is Guruji's vāṇī, it is not ordinary vāṇī, not ordinary kathā, not ordinary kirtan, it is that which the Lord Himself hears.  Srila Puri Gosvami Maharaj said when Tirtha Maharaj sings Lords Gaur Nitai dance appearing in person.  Playing it here and there why should we knowingly commit such offense? If we do not properly conduct ourselves, what teachings we can give to others?  

Some say, "Maharaj you had a lot of association with Guruji, we have not been so fortunate to have such."  If you feel so, come sit and hear what was Guruji's conduct, I will speak whatever I know, saw, and heard.  If nobody is hearing, then what is the use of speaking?  

In Chaitanya Charitamrita, (1.3.20) Mahaprabhu said, āpani ācari’ bhakti śikhāimu sabāre: I shall teach devotional service by practicing it myself. So we need to give attention to Guruji's conduct and teachings, first practice and then preach and you will benefit. Otherwise, life will be futile.     

Acaran itself is prachar. At present it is apparently seen a lot of preaching is going on all over the world, but do we really see any such preaching happening after our Guruji left?  During Guruji's time, people got attracted to Guruji's kathā and came to his shelter. When Puri Gosvami Maharaj told Guruji to go on prachar abroad, initially Guruji was not willing to go but went honoring Puri Gosvami Maharaj's orders to spread Mahaprabhu's teachings all over the world. Presently there are some people who are taking benefit of Guruji's earlier prachar, they visit the same places and hearing their praises of our Guruji, devotees feeling happy donate huge sums of money and thus they are taking benefit of Guruji's prachar. Prachar without ācaran (preaching without practice) is zero, has no value.  

Śāstra (scripture) is a weapon of shashan, (discipline).  One which liberates through discipline is Śāstra. Shashan is a strict code of conduct, what to do and what not to do. Scriptures like Gita and Bhagavat give us such teachings of conduct and after this comes, teachings on bhajan.  

—Srila Bhakti Kushal Padmanabha Maharaj

spoken on June 24, 2021, from Chandigarh Math (morning) during daily readings of Chaitanya Charitamrita

Excerpt from a transcription-translation from Hindi to English








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