Hare Krishna and pranams dear devotees,

I hope you all read the last blog on the amazing article written by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur on the essence of Lord Jagannath temple at Puri. In the second part today we will read a transcendental letter written by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur, spiritual master of Srila Prabhupada, to one of his disciple. Like the exalted acharya himself, his letter too is highly illuminating and inspirational. Here it goes-

Sri Caitanya matha

Sridhama Mayapur

05/08/1926

I understand your anxiety in writing such a letter as you are single-handedly maintaining the Varanasi Matha.

“krame krame pāya loka bhava-sindhu-kūla”

(Gradually one can cross this material world, CC M 16.237)

Optimism, enthusiasm, Krishna-seva, service to the devotees and Sri Nama- kirtana are beneficial for advancement. If all our endeavors are focused on fulfilling Krishna’s desires, then maya’s allurement will never be able to captivate us. Always engage in hearing, chanting and reading the books of the mahajanas and the “Gaudiya” magazines, so that there will be no laziness in the matter of accepting the philosophy.

Discuss hari-katha with the devotees who are with you and as you advance in your bhajana you will start realising your fallen condition. You must be aware of this phrase – “the most advanced devotee considers himself the most fallen.” Always endeavor for the well being of your subordinates, as by doing so we make advancement in our own bhajana.

Krishna-seva, vaishanava-seva, and Sri nama-kirtana, may appear to be separate activities but all three have the same purport.

“By nama sankirtana, Krishna-seva and vaishanava-seva are possible.

By vaishanava-seva , Krishna-kirtana and Krishna-seva are possible.

By Krishna-seva, nama sankirtana and vaishanava-seva are possible.”

The proof is – sattvaṁ viśuddhaṁ vasudeva-śabditaṁ (SB 4.3.23)

By studying Sri Caitanya Caritamrta one can perform Krishna-seva and nama sankirtana . By studying Srimad Bhagavatam in good association one gets the same result. By Deity worship all these three activities are performed. By nama-bhajana these are performed immaculately.

Engage your past history in judging what is favorable for your bhajana. That is, know that what is unfavorable is just a pre-condition of what is favorable. When an unfavorable situation gives rise to difficulties, those same difficulties lead to a favorable situation for bhajana. Every visible object in this world is an ingredient for Krishna’s service.

Lack of service attitude illusions our mind and engages us in sense enjoyment. With the rise of transcendental knowledge in our heart we start seeing everything in this world in connection with Krishna. Only then will the poisonous fruit of desire for distinction not be able to swallow us.

“The restless stream of life flows towards the ocean of death” ⎯ such realisation makes us engage in hari-seva in every step of life. For this reason, what brings pleasure to Krishna should be accepted by us with satisfaction. If Krishna’s happiness is in disappointing us, then such disappointment should be accepted.

“Whatever sufferings I undergo in Your service that is my ultimate pleasure” ⎯ this is the realisation of a Vaishnava. Try to follow this carefully. When our anarthas are exposed in the service of Krishna, then those same anarthas become the main cause of all auspiciousness for us. Thakur Bilvamangala’s past history, Sarvabhauma’s incident, Prakashananda’s bad argument – all such anarthas ultimately became the cause of their complete surrender to the service of Krishna. So, don’t worry for your past anarthas. Present anarthas can be subdued by hearing and chanting. Our lives are short, so till death we should engage in Hari seva without hypocrisy. This you should be careful about. Following in the footsteps of the mahajanas is our only bridge to auspiciousness.

“ahaṁ tariṣyāmi duranta-pāraṁ” (CC M 3.6) ⎯ discuss this Sloka. I have read your letter to Sri Bhaktivilasa Thakur, he has expressed his satisfaction.

I hope everybody out there is engaged in hari kirtana and vaishnava seva with enthusiasm. Offer my heartfelt greetings to all of them accordingly.

Because of my past karma sometimes I am fit and sometimes indisposed. When I think I am fit, I became disinclined to bhajana and as a result I start considering other advanced devotees to be inferior to me. So, considering my situation, Krishna always keeps me in different sorts of sufferings, pains, sickness and problems. Then only I try to realise the meaning of the sloka “tat te ’nukampāṁ su-samīkṣamāṇo…” (SB 10.14.8). When I am not properly engaged in Krishna’s service I want to quarrel with people. When I am engaged in service to Krishna people attack me.

Hope you are doing well.

Nityashirvadaka Siddhanta Sarasvati

Your ever-well wisher,

Siddhanta Sarasvati

(Srila Prabhupada Patravali (Vol-1))

(There are multiple gems in this letter and if we repeatedly read this letter and contemplate on each point then we can find multiple keys to many closed doors in our spiritual journey. )

All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada

your servant

Giriraj dasa