Tåëäd Api SunécenA“Lower than the straw in the street”

by

His divine GraceÇréla Gour Govinda Swami Mahäräja

TATTVA VICARA PUBLICATIONS

“One who thinks himself lower than the grass, who is more tolerant than a tree,

and who does not expect personal honour

yet is always prepared to give all respect to others

can very easily always chant the holy name

of the Lord”

i

Foreword

T his revised and expanded edition of Tåëäd Api Sunécena, is a compilation of lectures delivered by His divine Grace Çréla Gour Govinda Swami, elaborating on Çréla A.C Bhaktivedanta

Swami Prabhupada’s purports to the Çrémad-Bhägavatam and Caitanya-caritämåta. Çréla Prabhupäda’s purpose in forming the International Society for Krishna Consciousness is to create an exemplary society wherein there is no envy.

Çréla Gour Govinda Swami who embodied tåëäd api sunécena bhäva, expertly describes how to develop the mood of humility, tolerance, patience, and perseverance, and in this book he teaches us how to behave in a Vaiñëava society. one who is able to develop these qualities and who is always prepared to give all respect to others can very easily always chant the holy name of the Lord. However, as Çréla Prabhupäda has said in one of his purports, if a devotee thinks that he is very much advanced in devotional service, he is considered puffed up and unfit to sit beneath the shelter of the Lord’s lotus feet. Unless one is humble and meek, one cannot qualify to sit at the lotus feet of the Lord.1 The more one advances spiritually, the more humble one becomes.2 Vaiñëavas offer respect not only to the Supreme Lord and His direct representatives, but to all living beings. The greatest devotee, the mahä-bhägavata, sees everyone except himself as a servant of Lord Kåñëa.

Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Gosvämé writes in his Anubhäñya that Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, who is the object of Vedänta philosophical research, has very kindly determined who is an appropriate candidate

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for study of Vedänta philosophy. The first qualification of such a candidate is expressed by Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu in His Çikñäñöaka prayers:

tåëäd api sunécena taror iva sahiñëunä

amäninä mänadena kértanéyaù sadä hariù

one must be very humble and meek, more tolerant than a tree and think himself lower than the grass. one should not claim respect for himself but should be prepared to give all respect to others. one must have these qualifications to be eligible to understand Vedic knowledge.3

This is the essence of Caitanya Mahäprabhu’s instruction and He taught this principle to all His devotees. Therefore, following the orders of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, one who preaches the glories of the Lord should be humbler than grass and more tolerant than a tree because a preacher cannot live an easygoing life. Indeed, a preacher must face many impediments. Not only is he sometimes cursed, but sometimes he must also suffer personal injury. For example, when Nityänanda Prabhu went to preach Kåñëa consciousness to the two roguish brothers Jagäi and Mädhäi, they injured Him and made His head bleed, but nevertheless, He tolerantly delivered the two rogues, who became perfect Vaiñëavas. This is the duty of a preacher.4

It is said that the beauty of a tapasvé, or saintly person, is forgiveness. There are many instances in the spiritual history of the world in which many saintly persons, although unnecessarily harassed, did not take action, although they could have done so.5

Çréla Gour Govinda Swami furthermore explains herein the importance of selecting our association, which is also very clearly explained by Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura in his Çré Bhaktyäloka in the following way: “one should give up the association of dharmadvajés,

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the hypocritically devout, with special care. Those who accept the external signs of dharma but do not actually follow dharma are called dharmadvajés. There are two types of dharmadvajés: the hypocrites and the fools, or the cheaters and the cheated. Such hypocrisy in jïäna-kaëòa and karma-kaëòa is also condemned. In devotional service this hypocrisy ruins everything. Better associate with sense enjoyers, for in this whole world there is no worse association than the dharmadvajé. The deceitful dharmadvajés accept the signs of dharma with a desire to cheat the world, and to fulfill their crooked desires they cheat the foolish by helping them in their rascaldom. Some of them become gurus and others become disciples, and by trickery they accumulate wealth, women, false-prestige, and material assets. If one gives up the association of crooked hypocrites, then he can honestly engage in devotional service. Honest worship is the only way to attain Kåñëa’s mercy”.6

Kåñëa has said in Bhagavad-gétä,

nirmäna-mohä jita-saìga-doñäadhyätma-nityä vinivåtta-kämäù

dvandvair vimuktäù sukha-duùkha-saàjïairgacchanty amüòhäù padam avyayaà tat

Those who are free from false prestige, illusion and false association, who understand the eternal, who are done with material lust, who are freed from the dualities of happiness and distress, and who, unbewildered, know how to surrender unto the Supreme Person attain to that eternal kingdom.7

Çréla A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupäda describes the surrendering process very nicely in his purport to this verse; “The first qualification is that one should not be deluded by pride. Because the conditioned soul is puffed up, thinking himself the lord of material nature, it is very difficult for him to surrender unto the Supreme

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Personality of Godhead. one should know by the cultivation of real knowledge that he is not the lord of material nature; the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the Lord. when one is free from delusion caused by pride, he can begin the process of surrender”.8

His divine Grace Çréla Gour Govinda Swami Mahäräja, as a true follower of Çrémän Mahäprabhu, showed by example great humility, tolerance, patience and perseverance in his service to the Lord. May his words and deeds be eternally engraved in our hearts.

we offer our prostrated pranams over and over again to our most beloved Çréla Gurudeva who descended to this dreadful ocean of material existence to impart one and all with the Absolute Truth.

Your lowly servants,The PublishersAkñaya-tåtéyäGauräbda 526Beginning of Candan Yatra

Tattva-vicära Publications

I

IntroductIon

Rädhäräëé’s Order

sakala sannyäsé muïi kainu nimantraëatumi yadi äisa, purëa haya mora mana

“My dear Lord, I have invited all the sannyäsés of Benares to my home. My desires will be fulfilled if You also accept my invitation.”1

This brähmaëa knew that Caitanya Mahäprabhu was the only Vaiñëava sannyäsé in Benares at that time and all the others were Mäyävädés. It is the duty of a gåhastha to sometimes invite sannyäsés to take food at his home. This gåhastha-brähmaëa wanted to invite all the sannyäsés to his house, but he also knew that it would be very difficult to induce Lord Caitanya Mahäprabhu to accept such an invitation because the Mäyävädé sannyäsés would be present. Therefore he fell down at His feet and fervently appealed to the Lord to be compassionate and grant his request. Thus he humbly submitted his desire.2

nä yäha sannyäsé-goñöhi, ihä ämi jänimore anugraha kara nimantraëa mäni’

tåëäd ApI SunécenA

II

My dear Lord, I know that You never mix with other sannyäsés, but please be merciful unto me and accept my invitation.3

An äcärya or great personality of the Vaiñëava school is very strict in his principles, but although he is as hard as a thunderbolt, sometimes he is as soft as a rose. Thus, actually, he is independent. He follows all the rules and regulations strictly, but sometimes he slackens this policy. It was known that Lord Caitanya never mixed with the Mäyävädé sannyäsés, yet He conceded to the request of the brähmaëa, as stated in the next verse.4

prabhu häsi’ nimantrana kaila aìgékärasannyäsére kåpä lägi’ e bhaìgé täìhära

Lord Caitanya smiled and accepted the invitation of the brähmaëa. He made this gesture to show His mercy to the Mäyävädé sannyäsés.5

Tapana Miçra and Candraçekhara appealed to the lotus feet of the Lord regarding their grief at the criticism of Him by the sannyäsés in Benares. Caitanya Mahäprabhu merely smiled, yet He wanted to fulfill the desires of His devotees, and the opportunity came when the brähmaëa came to request Him to accept his invitation to be present in the midst of the other sannyäsés. This coincidence was made possible by the omnipotency of the Lord.6

ataeva ämi äjïä diluì sabäkäreyähäì tähäì prema-phala deha’ yäre tare

ekalä mäläkära ämi kata phala khäbanä diyä vä ei phala ära ki kariba

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Chapter Six

Käpaöya“Crookedness”

The Great Stumbling Block

asuräëäà sudhä-dänaàsarpäëäm iva durnayam

matvä jäti-nåçaàsänäàna täà vyabhajad acyutaù

Demons are by nature crooked like snakes. Therefore, to distribute a share of the nectar to them was not at all feasible since this would be as dangerous as supplying milk to a snake. Considering this, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Acyuta, who never falls down, did not deliver a share of nectar to the demons.1

It is said, sarpaù krüraù khalaù krüraù sarpät krürataraù khalaù: “The snake is very crooked and envious, and so also is a person like a demon.” Mantrauñadhi-vaçaù sarpaù khalaù kena niväryate: “One can bring a snake under control with mantras, herbs and drugs, but an envious and crooked person cannot be brought under control by any means.” Considering this logic, the Supreme Personality of Godhead thought it unwise to distribute nectar to the demons.2

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This is one of Cäëakya Paëòita’s niti väkya, moral instructions. Çréla Prabhupäda Mahäräja has quoted it in his purport,

sarpaù krüraù khalaù krüraù sarpät krürataraù khalaùmantrauñadhi-vaçaù sarpaù khalaù kena niväryate

The snake is crooked and envious, and so also a demoniac person is crooked and envious. One can bring a snake under control with mantras, herbs and drugs, mantrauñadhädi, but an envious and crooked person, krüraù, cannot be brought under control by any means. Such a crooked person is more dangerous, more envious, and more cruel than a snake. “Considering this logic, the Supreme Personality of Godhead thought it unwise to distribute nectar to the demons”.

It is said that crookedness, käpaöya, is a great hindrance on the path of devotional service. All çästras, Çrémad-Bhägavatam, äcäryas, sädhus, and mahäjanas have said this. Saralatä hi vaiñëavata, simplicity is Vaiñëavism. Those who are real Vaiñëava-sädhus, they are as simple as children. Therefore crookedness, in Sanskrit käpaöya, is a great hindrance on the path of perfection.

Suppose you are eating with other people. Many people are sitting with you when the meal is being served. You are a greedy fellow, with a big belly. You cannot be satisfied with just a little food, you want more, but you are thinking, “O, what will they think of me if I take more food?” “He is such a greedy fellow, a glutton”. When the food is served a second time, you say, “No, no, no, I don’t want more. I am satisfied”. This is crookedness. By pretending that you do not want more, you will remain hungry. Why do you pretend like that? “Yes, I need more. Please give me more”. Why don’t you say that? One who is very simple will be honest and say, “Yes, I am hungry, please give me more”. However, when you say, “No, no, no. I don’t want more. This is enough for me. I am satisfied”. It is käpaöya, crookedness. Then you are not a simple-hearted person. You have no simplicity at all.

In the mathematics classroom there are different levels of students. Some are intelligent and others are dull-headed. The teacher asks,

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Chapter eight

The Source of Envy and Intolerance

çré-çuka uväcaiti dänava-daiteyä

nävindann amåtaà nåpayuktäù karmaëi yattäç ca

väsudeva-paräìmukhäù

Çukadeva Gosvämé said: O King, the demons and Daityas all engaged with full attention and effort in churning the ocean, but because they were not devotees of Väsudeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kåñëa, they were not able to drink the nectar.1

sädhayitvämåtaà räjanpäyayitvä svakän surän

paçyatäà sarva-bhütänäàyayau garuòa-vähanaù

O King, after the Supreme Personality of Godhead had brought to completion the affairs of churning the ocean and feeding the nectar to the demigods, who are His dear

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devotees, He left the presence of them all and was carried by Garuòa to His own abode.2

sapatnänäà paräm åddhiàdåñövä te diti-nandanäù

amåñyamäëä utpeturdevän pratyudyatäyudhäù

Seeing the victory of the demigods, the demons became intolerant of their superior opulence. Thus they began to march toward the demigods with raised weapons.3

tataù sura-gaëäù sarvesudhayä pétayaidhitäù

pratisaàyuyudhuù çastrairnäräyaëa-padäçrayäù

Thereafter, being enlivened because of drinking the nectar, the demigods, who are always at the shelter of the lotus feet of Näräyaëa, used their various weapons to counterattack the demons in a fighting spirit.4

tatra daiväsuro nämaraëaù parama-däruëaù

rodhasy udanvato räjaàstumulo roma-harñaëaù

O King, a fierce battle on the beach of the ocean of milk ensued between the demigods and the demons. The fighting was so terrible that simply hearing about it would make the hair on one’s body stand on end.5

tatränyonyaà sapatnäs tesaàrabdha-manaso raëe

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Chapter eleven

Prema-Rasa“The Loving Mellow”

namo mahä-vadänyäyakåñëa-prema-pradäya te

kåñëäya kåñëa-caitanya-nämne gaura-tviñe namaù

O most munificent incarnation! You are Kåñëa Himself appearing as Çré Kåñëa Caitanya Mahäprabhu. You have assumed the golden colour of Çrématé Rädhäräëé, and You are widely distributing pure love of Kåñëa. We offer our respectful obeisances unto You.1

This is the praëäma-mantra offered to Çrémän Mahäprabhu by Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé. When we pay obeisances to Caitanya Mahäprabhu we must chant this mantra. Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu is mahä-vadänyävatära, the most munificent incarnation, because He gives kåñëa-prema, pure love for Kåñëa. No other incarnation gives kåñëa-prema. Caitanya Mahäprabhu is non-different from Kåñëa, and He gives kåñëa-prema without discrimination. Patita pämara nähi bäche, He never considers whether one is elevated or degraded.

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Kåñëa-prema is difficult to attain even for Lord Brahmä, the highest created being in the universe. Therefore how can we have it? Only by the causeless mercy of Mahäprabhu. He never considers whether one deserves it or not. Generally in this world, you get what you deserve, however Çrémän Mahäprabhu is so wonderfully merciful that He offers kåñëa-prema to one and all without discrimination. However, does everyone achieve it? That is another question.

Liquid Mellow

Have you received prema? No? Mahäprabhu is the giver, and we are the receivers. We should receive kåñëa-prema, but why can’t we receive it? When He gives, how can you receive? If I give you something, “All right, take this” then how will you take it? You will put out your hands to receive it. Mahäprabhu gives prema-rasa, the loving mellow.

änanda-lélämaya-vigrahäyahemäbha-divya-cchavi-sundaräya

tasmai mahä-prema-rasa-pradäyacaitanya-candräya namo namas te

O Lord Caitanya-candra, whose form is full of blissful pastimes, whose complexion is as splendid as gold, and who gives in charity the most glorious mellow of pure love for Lord Kåñëa, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You.2

Mahä-prema-rasa. Rasa means “mellow”, it is liquid. When we speak of mellow, rasa, it is not solid, it is liquid. Prema-rasa is to be tasted, relished. Mahäprabhu is the giver and we are the receivers of this rasa but how can we receive it? You may stretch out your hands and say, “Yes, please give me!”, but this is mellow. If someone gives you some mellow, you should approach with a container, a receptacle

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About the Author

H is Divine Grace, Çréla Gour Govinda Swami, appeared in this world on the 2nd of September, 1929, in the village of Jagannäthapura, in the state of Orissa, India. The families on both the paternal and maternal sides have

been Vaiñëavas for hundreds of years, dating back to the time of Çyämänanda Prabhu, and prior to that, in Bengal for many centuries. His divine appearance in this world was not the appearance of an ordinary being. He appeared only to fulfill the order of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu.

Tattva-vicära

He dedicated his whole life to preaching the absolute consideration, tattva-vicära, and spoke uncompromisingly against accepting apära-vicära, the apparent consideration. Speaking in his own words, His Divine Grace said, “ ... I am stressing on tattva. In all my lectures I stress on it, tattva-vicära. Do you know the real tattva? You are all

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Tåëäd Api SunécenA

after this apparent consideration, not tattva-vicära. That mistake is there. You do not know who you are, who Kåñëa is, who is guru, who is sädhu, and what is the relationship, like this, you do not know the tattvas ...”

By Kåñëa’s Arrangement

His Divine Grace, Gour Govinda Swami is a disciple of His Divine Grace, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupäda (1896-1977), the Founder-Äcärya of The International Society for Krishna Consciousness. By Kåñëa’s arrangement they met in the transcendental land of Våndävana, in 1974. This transcendental meeting has been nicely described by Gunanarva Däsa, in the book, Encountering the Kåñëäliìgita-vigrahä, Part One, a meeting that can only be described as a meeting of two Divine Graces. They had not met previously, but there was immediate recognition.His Divine Grace, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupäda said of his disciple, Çréla Gour Govinda Swami, “... Kåñëa has sent him...” and “...Gour Govinda Swami is a devotee from birth...”

The Three Sevas

Çréla Prabhupäda entrusted Çréla Gour Govinda Swami with three important services:

1. To stay in Orissa and build a temple like the Jagannatha temple in Jagannath Puri. As Orissa is a very important place in Mahäprabhu’s lélä.

2. To translate all of Çréla Prabhupäda’s books into Oriya.3. To accept disciples and train them.

Upon receiving these instructions from his spiritual master, Çréla Gour Govinda Mahäräja immediately returned to Orissa and started working earnestly on plans for what would become the famous

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About the Author

Kåñëa-Balaräma Temple in Bhubaneswar, to which Çréla Prabhupäda said, “This temple will be one of the best ISKCON temples in the world. This place will be the heart of the city.” Gour Govinda Swami embraced the sevä of translating Çréla Prabhupada’s books into Oriya as a sacred duty that he continued, without fail, every day for the rest of his life.

Çréla Gour Govinda Mahäräja executed the first two instructions without wasting a precious moment, but the third final instruction he received from Çréla Prabhupäda was to prove more difficult to carry out and he was not able (given permission by the GBC) to begin for many years, and when he did, he very hesitantly took on the role of being a guru, as he knew being guru meant very heavy responsibility.

Lord Jagannätha is in Bhubaneswar

Çréla Prabhupäda had accepted many Western disciples and taught them the glories of Puruñottama-kñetra Jagannätha Puré dhäma where Mahäprabhu performed His pastimes. However, when his disciples went to visit Jagannätha Puré they were refused entrance to the famous Lord Jagannätha temple because that temple refuses entry to anyone who is not a Hindu.

Çréla Prabhupäda said, “I will build a temple in Bhubaneswar similar to the Jagannätha temple in Jagannätha Puré, because my Western disciples are not allowed there. Lord Jagannätha will come and stay in Bhubaneswar. So all my disciples can go there and have His darçana”.

Çréla Prabhupäda had been donated land in Bhubaneswar and instructed Gour Govinda Swami to stay on the land and build a temple. He entrusted Çréla Gour Govinda Swami the mission of establishing ISKCON in Orissa, the most important place in Mahäprabhu’s pastimes, and instructed him, “Gour Govind, you will take me to Orissa.”

Çréla Gour Govinda Swami returned to Orissa and stayed on the ISKCON land under the most extreme austere circumstances.