14 Dec 2023 afternoon – How We Can Develop Our Spiritual Life (Bengali) – Taldi, India | Srila BV Vana Maharaja

– No one desires unhappiness, but in Bhagavatam, Kunti Devi considers her misfortunes as a great mercy. – ⁠Everyone is doing karma, but it is the Lord who bestows the fruits of all actions. – ⁠About Rupa, Sanatana and Locanatha Dasa Gosvamis. – ⁠Two types of bhajana: bhajananandi (practice to free yourself) and gosthyanandi (practice for all living beings to free themselves too). – ⁠Those who fry fish in boiling oil are cursed by the dying fish. Action and reaction. – ⁠Story of the daughter-in-law and her miserly mother-in-law who took new shoes, leaving the old ones, when leaving harikatha. – ⁠Respect, and do not criticise, the demigods, as they are Vaisnavas. But, you don’t need to worship them. – ⁠Worship Sri Krsna Syamasundara, by worshipping Him, all demigods become happy. – ⁠Song: Sri Guruastakam by Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura. – ⁠Do not think that Srila Gurudeva is an ordinary person. When your sukrti is mature and accumulated, you will understand. – ⁠It is through Srila Gurudeva’s mercy that we receive Krsna’s mercy and advance in spiritual life. – ⁠Even if one studies all the scriptures, if he does not attain the mercy of the Lord and the Guru, he will not make any progress, nor will he gain any realisation. – ⁠Your goal must be to achieve mercy; those who accept the Guru’s punishment are able to grow. – ⁠Parents punish their children with love for their growth. – ⁠Sloka: guru-śuśrūṣayā bhaktyā sarva-labdhārpaṇena ca (Srimad Bhagavatam 7.7.30-31). – Guru-seva must be done with sincerity and affection. He who serves wishing to be favored is a hypocrite. – ⁠You can fool everyone, but it is impossible to fool your Gurudeva. – ⁠Story of the hypocritical and stingy disciple who said: “Gurudeva, everything I have is yours, but your lotus feet are mine”. – ⁠By the mercy of Gurudeva, Bhagavad-tattva and Paramartha-tattva manifest themselves in our hearts. – ⁠Whoever has sukrti develops faith in the Guru, accepts his instructions and then renunciation is accepted naturally. Jnana and vairagya are the two sons of Bhakti Devi.