What Gaudiya Math is doing? (Part 7)

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

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

There is no other dharmma of the jīva except kīrttan (singing God). To the extent that one disbelieves Bhakti (devotion) as denoted by kīrttan of the Holy Name—in other words those who think that all wants cannot be fulfilled by kīrttan—to that extent are such people nāstik (atheistical). The degree of help one gives in the propagation of Bhakti as denoted by kīrttan is the sole measure of one's belief in God! On the other hand, a man is a nāstik (disbeliever) to the extent that he obstructs kīrttan. As the Name has to be taken every moment even while eating or sleeping, as Bhakti denoted by kīrttan is the only dharmma of the jīva, as there is no other dharmma except this, where is then time for getting rid of flood or famine or founding hospitals? Those who claiming to be positivists are forgetful of the greatest of all facts viz. death,—those who being fallen, like the blind man led by the blind, under the spell of the enchantress, loiter about like travellers without an objective,—it is such people that have time for work other then Hari-kīrttan (singing Hari). All other efforts with the exception of Hari-kīrttan are the cause of saṁsār (the worldly sojourn)—the road leading not to the East, but in the opposite direction; on the other hand all-time Hari-kīrttan is turning away from every other direction to face the East or journey Home-ward. 

The Gauḍīya Maṭh is the missionary of this all-time kīrttan. The Gauḍīya Maṭh begs every one of us to offer his all to Kṛṣṇa. The dhum-dhām or pomp and display of the Gauḍīya Maṭh is for the sole purpose of making all efforts of the world Kṛṣṇa-para 'having Kṛṣṇa as their goal'; the offering to Kṛṣṇa comes first and after the offering has been made, Bhakti begins. The Gauḍīya Maṭh says, "make the offering to Kṛṣṇa first and after that has been done profess to be a bhakta (devotee)." The Gauḍīya Maṭh says, "do not imitate the kīrttaṅkārī (one who does kīrttan). Dhang 'burlesque' is the other name of anukaraṇ 'imitation.' By arraying oneself in the trappings of dhang or shang 'harlequin', people can be deceived but no good is done either to oneself or to others. It is those who follow the kīrttaṅkārī that are really their own benefactors, or properly alive to self-interest, and also benefactors of others, or mindful of others' interests. They are not blinded by considerations of undue personal advantages, nor do they cheat others and are, therefore, truly disinterested. It is by kīrttan alone that the claims of self-interest, interests of others, and disinterestedness are simultaneously satisfied."

Bhog (enjoyment) or Mukti (freedom from misery) in the shape of prevention of famines etc. is gained by Nāmāparādha (offensively taking the Name) or by Nāmābhāsa (taking the dimly perceived Name). That by which crores of times greater eternal good is produced—whereby the lotus of the eternal well-being of the jīva blossoms forth, that Śrī Nāma—the Holy Name itself—the Gauḍīya Maṭh endeavours to give away freely. They are earnestly trying to give away freely Kṛṣṇa Himself.

(To be continued...)