What Gaudiya Math is doing? (Part 4)

Written by Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda - Paramahaṁsa Jagad-Guru

First published by VISHWA-VAISHNAVA-RAJA-SABHA in the 1930's

The majority of the people of the world, although they profess to be positivists, fail to see, although it must be quite patent, the greatest of all the phenomena. They at any rate forget it in practice even when they appear to know. The greatest of the positivists like Cārvāka, although he could not but have observed this greatest of all the phenomena, failed to take notice of it—that great phenomenon is generally known by the name of—death.

If the memory of this great event is retained in our minds, we would assuredly be solicitous for the amṛta (deathlessness). The Śruti says we are all children of the amṛta—heirs of the amṛta—

शृण्वन्तु विश्वे अमृतस्य पुत्त्राः—

śrnvantu viśve amrtasya puttrāh /

—Śvetāśvatara 2.5

"Listen all over the universe, ye children of the amṛta."

In this world there are found two kinds of endeavour for obtaining this amṛta. Like unto the sons of kings of the epochs recorded in history some try to ascend the throne of their father by treason against the father; on the other hand, loyal sons in seeking to be heirs of a kind-hearted and affectionate father look upon constant service as being both the means and the end.

The Śrī Gauḍīya Maṭh understands the last-named as being the appropriate and eternal method. Why is it appropriate? Because

श्ृण्वतां स्वकथाः कृष्णः पुण्यश्रवणकीर्त्तनः ।

हृद्यन्तःस्थो ह्यभद्राणि विधुनोति सुहत्सताम्॥

śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ Kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrttanaḥ/

hṛdy antaḥ stho hy abhadrāṇi vidhunoti suhṛt satām//

—Bhā: 1.2.17

"Śrī Kṛṣṇa, appearing in the hearts of men who listen to the transcendental (Aprākṛta) history of Himself, destroys the evil propensities of the heart to the very root.” This seed of sin or sinful desire or ignorance (avidyā) is the cause of the worldly state of the jīva. Why is this method eternal? Because

भेजिरे मुनयोऽथाग्रे भगवन्तमधोक्षजम्।

bhejire munayo'thāgre bhagavantam Adhokṣajam/

—Bhā: 1.2.25

"Formerly (which here means 'even before pre-historic ages'), the Munis (Mahājans) or 'sages' worshipped the Adhokṣaja Bhagavān (the transcendental God in His plenitude) in this way."

That type of kindness which does not give rise to manda (evil) is termed amandodayā dayā. As for example, if a sick man is allowed to eat tamarind or a drunkard is helped to proceed to a liquor shop, kindness is indeed shown, but in the sequel it turns out to be productive of harm to the person who is the recipient of kindness. If the sick man is placed under medical treatment against his will and inclination, if the drunkard is protected from his evil course, amandodayā dayā (non-harm-producing kindness) is shown. Preventing floods and famines, nursing the sick, pleasing or displeasing anybody, or stultifying the faculty consciousness of any one—every one of these is an instance of mandodayā dayā (harm-producing-kindness). Man can not understand it untill he realises his true position. By such acts the jīva is not really benefited. Cutting the root of misery is doing real good to others; the treatment that allows the gangrene of sensual desires to remain does no real good to the patient—neither is it a proof of great wisdom to lead the sick man out of spite to sensual desires by holding out the prospect of mukti (salvation) as complete and permanent cure.

स्वयं निःश्रेयसं विद्वान् न वक्त्यज्ञाय कर्म्म हि।

न राति रोगिणोऽपथ्यं वाञ्छतोऽपि भिषक्तमः ॥

svayaṁ niḥśreyasaṁ vidvān

na vakty ajñāya karmma hi/

na rāti rogiṇo'pathyaṁ

vāñchato'pi bhiṣaktamaḥ//

—Bhā: 6.9.49

"Just as a good physician, even if the patient evinces a desire for unwholesome food, does not allow it, in like manner he who is himself aware of niḥśreyaḥ (the highest good) never advises an ignorant person to do karmma (work)." The Śruti says— 

अविद्यायां बहुधा वर्त्तमाना

वयं कृतार्था इत्यभिमन्यन्ति बालाः ।

यत्कर्म्मिणो न प्रवेदयन्ति रागात्

तेनातुरा: क्षीणलोकाश्च्यवन्ते॥

avidyāyāṁ bahudhā varttamānā

vayaṁ kṛtārthā ity abhimanyanti bālāḥ/

yat karmmiṇo na pravedayanti rāgāt

tenāturāḥ kṣīṇa-lokāś cyavante//

—Muṇḍaka 1.2.9

"Ignorant persons being themselves in the midst of manifold avidyā (errors) think thus, 'We have gained what we want'. Because they are workers (karmmī) they have no experience of the real truth by reason of their devotion to work. With extreme solicitude they gain little as the result of their activities. After a time they fall from that position."

The Śruti further says—

अविद्यायामन्तरे वर्त्तमानाः

स्वयं धीराः पण्डितम्मन्यमानाः ।

जंघन्यमाना: परियन्ति मूढा

अन्धेनैव नीयमाना यथान्धाः ॥

avidyāyām antare varttamānāḥ

svayaṁ dhīrāḥ paṇḍitam-manyamānāḥ/

jaṁghanyamānāḥ pariyanti mūḍhā

andhenaiva nīyamānā yathāndhāḥ//

—Muṇḍaka 1.2.8

"Those who remaining in the midst of ignorance, consider themselves to be conscientious and enlightened, such perverted and ignorant men come to grief like the blind man led by the blind."

Most people of the world, forgetful of their own home under the spell of the enchantress, are running headlong in the opposite direction—in this performance again their intoxication, eagerness,  concentration, and firm determination are so intense that they have indeed very little opportunity to think about home. But the voice of the Gauḍīya Maṭh, the flying, red-tinted banner of the Gauḍīya Maṭh, arresting the ear and the eye of all persons is proclaiming—

कृक वल,

अरेगाब डिक। हाशे।

Kṛṣṇa bolo, sange colo,

ei-mātra bhikṣā cāi/

"Say 'Kṛṣṇa', come along; this is the only alms we beg."

"Back to God and back to home is the message of Gauḍīya Maṭh."

"To arrest the current, perverted tide is the seemingly unpleasant duty of Gauḍīya Maṭh."

(To be continued...)