18 Jun 2023 evening – Guru-nistha is Essential in Spiritual Life (English) – Sao Paulo, Brazil | Srila BV Vana Maharaja
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Caitanya Mahaprabhu used to say that it is very difficult to perform kirtana in front of Lord Jagannatha’s chariot, because kirtaniyas feel pain when playing instruments for many hours.
Jagannatha was very happy with the devotees in this Ratha Yatra.
One of the owners of the place receives harinama during harikatha: Gaura Sundara das.
Love is essential in human life.
Atyantik-sraddha: do or die.
We should be one-pointed to the Guru.
Lila from the Mahabharata: How the Pandavas and Kauravas learned archery from Dronacharya. Moral of the story: we should be one-pointed to Guru and Krishna (exclusive focus).
Only the Guru can give the highest love and the Guru is not different from Krsna.
Krsna-prakasa-vigraha: manifestation of embodied compassion.
Guru-vakya-visvasa: unshakable faith.
The neophyte devotee has a very fragile faith, like a very tender plant and insects can destroy this bhakti plant. Example of how we should avoid bad association.
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura said that it is very difficult to create, to build something, but it is very easy to destroy. Example of building construction.
Verse: brahmanda bhramite kona (Caitanya Caritamrta, Madhya-lila, 19.151).
We should water the seed of bhakti (bhakti-lata-bija) continuously in the heart.
Associate with a saint who has the same mood and same tattva-sidhanta as your spiritual master.
Example of bad association: Ganges water becomes impure with just one drop of alcohol.
Do not listen to harikatha from an avaisnava (non-vaisnava). Example of milk touched by snake venom.
Book: My Siksa-guru and Priya-Bandhu by Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja.
Nitya-sastra says that it is not in every forest that you find sandalwood tree.
Guru is Vaisnava and Vaisnava is Guru.
Vaisnavas are impartial, but show more love and affection for their disciples (sisya-vatsalya).
Srila Bhakti Prajnana Keshava Gosvami Maharaja said that the Guru can go several times to hell to rescue his disciple.
Song Sri Guru Carana Padma.
Gurudeva tells how he spent forty years at the lotus feet of his Gurudeva (Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja).
