I have anarthas, can I read Ñaò Gosvämé Granthas?!?

Question – MAHÄRÄJA JÉ, when any devotee from Iskcon approaches us and when we tell them to read the Granthas of our Müla Äcäryas, like Prema Bhakti Candrikä, Viläpa Kusumäïjalé, Rädhä Rasa Suddhä Nidhi Grantha, then the first thing they say is – “We are not qualified to read these Granthas because we are full of anarthas.” They are told in their institution to read the books of their institutional äcäryas only. MAHÄRÄJA JÉ, if you can answer this question then it will immensely benefit the entire Gauòéya Vaiñëava Sampradäya.

MAHÄRÄJA JÉ– Well, I can only give answers on the basis of Scriptures. The decision, on us is on yourself, the hearers, what they want to take.

Well, I am trying to repeat the words of the Gosvämés..Çréla Narottama däsa Öhäkura. He tells in Prema Bhakti Candrikä ‘rati premamaya parabandhe’.  Narottama Däsa Öhäkura is giving instruction to all Gauòéya Vaiñëava devotees. You are chanting Hare Kåñëa? Yeah. Then, it means you are Gauòéya Vaiñëava. He is telling all Gauòéya Vaiñëavas that ‘rati premamaya parabandhe’. Meaning – one must have deep loving attachment to the Granthas of Gosvämés. Deep loving attachment.. ‘rati premamaya parabandhe’.

Deep loving attachment, one must have towards these Granthas. Why is He saying that? Why should one have attachment? Because, first of all, by reading these Granthas one will have ruci.. attachment for reading more and more of these Granthas. Then, ruci in these Granthas, will turn into äsakti in these Granthas. Äsakti for the Granthas will turn into äsakti for the Supreme Lord, that is why Narottama Öhäkura Mahäçaya is saying ‘rati premamaya parabandhe’.

One must develop a deep attachment for these Granthas. These Granthas are not words, they have got transcendental power within. They’ve got transcendental çakti, They are filled with çakti of the Divine Couple.

In Prema Bhakti Candrikä, Verse 9, it says –

yähära çravaëa haite, premänanda bhäse cite

Please understand, yähära çravaëa haite, when we hear these Granthas – Viläpa Kusumäïjalé, Rädhä Rasa Suddhä Nidhi, Våndävana Mahimämåta, Prema Bhakti Candrikä.. yähära çravaëa haite, premänanda bhäse cite’. Your heart becomes filled with Premänanda, love for the Lord.

This is the only way by which one can have love for the Divine couple. The hearing of these Granthas from the Great Souls will give you immense power, not just to destroy your anarthas, but also to float in ecstatic love for the Lord. Hearing and chanting of these Granthas is the primary and the most important thing that all Gauòéya Vaiñëavas must do, because very clearly, he is saying yähära çravaëa haite, premänanda bhäse cite’ By hearing this, your heart will float in love for the Lord. rati premamaya parabandhe

– one must have deep loving attachment for these Granthas.

And, well, in verse 100 of Prema Bhakti Candrikä it is said – ‘lélä rasa sadä gäna’…

‘lélä rasa sadä gäna’ – All these Lélä Granthas, they should be sung and heard. One must hear about them, and one must sing about them, talk about them. And Institutional commentaries say that– You are not qualified. Well, Mahäprabhu says in Caitanya Caritämåta Antaya Lélä, 5.45–46:

vraja-vadhü-saìge kåñëera räsädi-viläsa

yei jana kahe, çune kariyä viçväsa

håd-roga-käma täìra tat-käle haya kñaya
tina-guëa-kñobha nahe, ‘mahä-dhéra’ haya

This is Mahä Väëé of Lord Gauraäìga. What is Mahäprabhu telling? One who hears, ‘yei jana kahe, çune kariyä viçväsa’ – With faith, if you hear & chant about Rädhä and Kåñëa.. håd-roga… your lust never increases. What happens? håd-roga-käma täìra tat-käle haya kñaya. The lust & other anarthas in your heart, that moment only, they get destroyed. Such is the transcendental power, extreme transcendental çakti in these words, that all your anarthas get destroyed by hearing and chanting about them.

‘yei jana kahe’ who talks about them, speaks about them, yei jana kahe, çune kariyä viçväsa, tina-guëa-kñobha nahe, ‘mahä-dhéra’ haya’. Mahäprabhu is telling – if you really hear and speak from these Granthas of Rüpa Gosvämé, Raghunätha Däsa Gosvämé, then you will become Mahädhira. Lust will never be able to touch you.

And, this is a çloka from Rädhä Rasa Suddhä Nidhi, Verse 269, very beautifully it is explained here that, these çlokas, the saàskåta çlokas in these Granthas, Suddhänidhi, Viläpa Kusumäïjalé, etc. They are invested with very high obtained transcendental powers. The words emanating from Prabodhänanda Sarasvaté, Rüpa Gosvämé, Raghunätha Däsa Gosvämé, are mixed, they are gelled with the transcendental effulgence coming from Rädhäräné’s Lotusfeet.

All these words in these Granthas, they are mixed, they are not words… A, B, C.. ka, kha, ga..saàskåta.. They are not Saàskåta words. They are mixed with the transcendental effulgence coming straight from the Lotusfeet of Rädhäräné. What emanates from Rädhäräné? ‘prema parama sära mahäbhäva jäni, sei mahäbhäva rüpa rädhä thäkuräné.’ Know that the parama sära of prema is mahäbhäva. That condensed form of mahäbhäva is Rädhäräné. And what emanates from Her Lotusfeet? The Toe nails from Her Lotusfeet is Mahäbhäva-yukta only, filled with mahäbhäva.

So, these words emanating from Gosvämés, are filled with Mahäbhäva. They are filled with Transcendental çakti. So, whosoever hears them, this is what Mahäprabhu is telling.

That’s why, I took this Çloka with 269 from Suddhänidhi along with Mahäprabhu’s Caitanya Caritämåta çloka.

Mahäprabhu is saying, håd-roga-käma täìra tat-käle haya kñaya.. that very moment, the lust etc. gets destroyed. Why does it get destroyed, the question arises? Because these words are not words. They are filled with the transcendental çakti emanating from Rädhäräné’s Lotusfeet. These words are filled with Mahäbhäva.

So, when you hear something…scented with Rädhäräné’s Mahäbhäva….your lust is going to be destroyed, or your heart is going to be filled with Prema?

Try to understand, by hearing about these Granthas, your heart will get filled with Prema. This is what Öhäkura Mahäçaya is saying, yähära çravaëa haite, premänanda bhäse cite.

Now, you are understanding all the things? Mahäprabhu is saying- lust etc. gets destroyed all of a sudden. Why? Suddhänidhi is telling because they are filled with Transcendental mahäbhäva çakti. And this is what Öhäkura Mahäçaya is saying yähära çravaëa haite, premänanda bhäse cite‘. Forget lust, your heart will float in the kingdom of ecstatic love.

And who is averse to this, “No no no… I’m not qualified, no no no..” then Prema Bhakti Candrikä tells about those people also.

ihäte vimukha yei, tära kabhu siddhi näi,

nähi yeno çuni tära näma

 (rema Bhakti Candrikä, Verse 109)

ihäte vimukha yei – You’re opposed to these teachings that ‘hear about them’. ‘lélä rasa sadä gäna’..what Öhäkura Mahäçaya is saying. And you say- ‘You are not qualified.’

He said ‘sadä’. sadä means 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, sadä gäna. And you are saying ‘You are not qualified.’

Don’t oppose the words of Mahäprabhu. Don’t oppose the words of Narottama Däsa Öhäkura. He Himself is saying, ‘ihäte vimukha yei.’ If you are opposed to these teachings of hearing and chanting of Gosvämés, then, your lust will never get destroyed, it will always increase and you will never float in the kingdom of ecstatic love.

Do you want Prema? You are going to get this Prema, only by hearing these words. Why? Because these words, these çlokas, these explanations are filled with Mahäbhäva. This is what verse 269 of Suddhänidhi is telling.

Then again, I think it’s somewhere around 271, Suddhänidhi. ‘péyatäà péyatäà’..constantly drink these nectarean words & the explanation of these çlokas. ‘péyatäà péyatäà’.. they are not saying ‘just hear.’ They said drink, drink to such an extent, that it becomes a beverage, constantly drink. ‘péyatäà’. Bucket..Tub full of this, one must drink everyday, from the mouth of the realized souls.

One who has seen the truth can make you see the truth. And, here, Öhäkura Mahäçaya says ihäte vimukha yei, tära kabhu siddhi näi, nähi yeno çuni tära näma. He is saying – one who is opposed to these teachings that one should hear & chant…. one should not even hear their names. You are sitting in an institution, and Mahäprabhu is saying ‘You should not even hear their names, who tell you not to hear the words of our Gosvämés.’ Don’t even hear their name. ‘nä çuniye tära jeno näma’.

And, in Verse 101 of Prema Bhakti Candrikä,

äna kathä nä bolibo, äna kathä nä çunibo,

sakali koribo paramärtha

prärthanä koribo sadä, lälasä abhéñöa kathä,

ihä vinä sakali anartha

äna kathä nä bolibo, äna kathä nä çunibo, lälasä abhiñöa kathä. He is saying– don’t hear anything else, don’t speak anything else, just hear and chant these words of the Gosvämés. And exactly opposite, these institutions are teaching.

Bhakti Sidhhänta and his followers are teaching – Don’t hear, you are not qualified. They are saying you will become qualified by hearing this only. Not qualified?!? You’ll be able to make others qualified also!!

And, He’s saying, äna kathä nä bolibo…. don’t hear anything else, any other pastimes of the other forms of the Lord. Hear about Rädhä Kåñëa, as explained by our Gosvämés. This is not sahajiyä. This is being Rüpanugä. Following Rüpa Gosvämé, their words as it is. ‘lälasä abhiñöa kathä, ihä vinä sakali anartha.’ If you do anything else other than hearing & chanting of the Lord, Öhäkura Mahäçaya is saying ‘ihä vinä sakali anartha.‘ everything you are doing is just anartha, has got no meaning.

You are doing sevä? It has got no meaning. You are hearing anything else? It has got no meaning.

We are not saying this. Öhäkura Mahäçaya is saying this. If you don’t like it, you can put up a court case against Narottama Däsa Öhäkura. ‘O! Why the hell are you saying this? ihäte vimukha yei. O, my institution says ‘You are not qualified’. You said, one who is not qualified, if one thinks and doesn’t hear all this, then tära kabhu siddhi näi. Yes, He is saying this. “You’ll never get perfection!”

Iskcon-Gauòéya Maöha are the only institutions on the planet in all the four Sampradäyas, in all the yugas, who tell– “You can’t hear about your Lord. You can’t speak about your Lord. You can’t remember your Lord.” I mean, is this a Sampradäya?

Sampradäya means where you only hear about your Lord, where you speak about the Lord, where you remember the Lord. This is the meaning of Sampradäya.

In all the four yugas such a cult has never come into existence which tells you not to hear about your God, not to hear about God, not to remember anything about your God. I mean, is this a Sampradäya?

And, even Çukadeva Gosvämé is telling in Çrémad Bhägavatam, this rasa païcädhya, last Çloka,

vikréòitaà vraja-vadhübhir idaà ca viñëoù

çraddhänvito ‘nuçåëuyäd atha varëayed yaù

bhaktià paräà bhagavati pratilabhya kämaà

håd-rogam äçv apahinoty acireëa dhīraù

It means that one who faithfully hears these pastimes about Rädhä Kåñëa, attains the supreme devotion to the Lord and he will become free from all the diseases such as lust etc.

And the one who remains far from them? Then Prema also remains far away from them, and anartha will only embrace them nonstop! It means you will not embrace Rädhä Kåñëa, you will embrace only käma, krodha and lobha. If you remain opposed to them, you will remain far away from these Granthas. yähära çravaëa haite, premänanda bhäse cite. What more Gauòéya Vaiñëavas need to hear? By hearing this your heart floats in ecstatic love.

I have been speaking about Rädhä Kåñëa for around two decades at least, and I haven’t seen any of my followers, that lust has ever come into existence, by hearing about them. Rather, I have seen lust getting destroyed.

And, Çréla Sanätana Gosvämé who gives commentary on this Verse.. We have given all these explanations in our Grantha.. Be a Gauòéya Vaiñëava. Page 178.. Vaiñëava toñiëi commentary, Çréla Sanätana Gosvämé tells –

atra tu håd-rogäpahänät pürvam eva parama-bhakti-präptiù, tasmät parama-balavad evedaà sädhanam iti bhävaù

He says that “Attainment of the highest bhakti is mentioned in this verse.”

Rasapaïcädhyãya, phala çruti, of Rasapaïcädhyäya is – one who hears and chants about Rädhä & Kåñëa, his lust will get destroyed and he will get Prema.

In simple words, I’m telling you what Sanätana Gosvämé is saying. Sanätana Gosvämé tells that the very fact is that you will get Prema first and lust will get destroyed later on. It means, it’s such a powerful practice that, hearing and chanting, will destroy ignorance completely and it will appear that anarthas went later and Prema came first. It’s such a powerful practice. By hearing and chanting this Prema for the Lord will come so fast, that you’ll think Prema came first.

If you really want to attain love for the Supreme Lord very quickly then there is only one way, there was only one way and there will always be only one way. That one way is ‘yähära çravaëa haite, premänanda bhäse cite’… ‘lélä rasa sadä gäna’, ‘jivane marane ei’…

Öhäkura Mahäçaya says – Whether you are alive or dead just do this thing. What? Lélä Rasa Sadä gäna. Always hear about the lélä of your Éñöa Deva. Lord Räma’s followers don’t have to do this. They have to hear and chant about Lord Räma. And followers of Rädhä Kåñëa, devotees of Rädhä Kåñëa, they don’t have to do anything else, they have to hear and chant about their Éñöa Deva, that is Rädhä & Kåñëa.

And on top of that, if you read, Çré Rädhä Rasa Suddhä Nidhi, Verse 217, it says that ‘Dont bring me any scriptures which don’t have anything to do with Rädhäräné. I will read only those scriptures, which are filled only with Rädhäräné.’ He is telling us very clearly, scriptures, which don’t carry the nectarian glorification of Çrémati Rädhäräné, which don’t explain about Her bhäva, what is the need for such holy scriptures for Gauòéya Vaiñëavas.

Please listen attentively, Verse 217, Rädhä Rasa Suddhä Nidhi. Äcäryas, not a senior devotee from the organization is saying this. Çréla Prabodhänanda Sarasvaté, an Äcärya Himself is saying. He is telling what is the need of any other holy scriptures, if it doesn’t have to do anything with Rädhäräné. What is the need for such a path of devotion which has got nothing to do with Rädhäräné!

Well, what He wants to tell us by this is, read only those scriptures which have got everything to do with your Éñöa deva and don’t read any scriptures which have got nothing to do with your Éñöa  deva. Who are our Éñöa deva?

rädhä kåñëa präëa mora,

yugala kiçora..

jivane maraëe gati ära nähi mora…

Rädhä Kåñëa..Just have some common sense also, that devotees in Rädhä Vallabha Sampradäya, they are qualified to hear and speak about Rädhä & Kåñëa. Devotees in Nimbärka Sampradäya, they are also devotees of Rädhä & Kåñëa, and they are also qualified to hear about Rädhä-Kåñëa. And Haridäsés also, they are qualified to hear about Rädhä-Kåñëa.

No Äcäryas in their hundreds of years old paramparä tells them– ‘You are not qualified.’ We are also followers of Rädhä-Kåñëa, devotees of Rädhä-Kåñëa. Why are we, the only unfortunate Rädhä-Kåñëa devotees, are not qualified to hear??

And all the nimbärkis are qualified to hear about Rädhä-Kåñëa, all the Rädhä Vallabhis are qualified to hear about Rädhä-Kåñëa and all the Haridäsés… all of them are qualified to hear about Rädhä Kåñëa. Only we are the unfortunate Gauòéyas who can’t read about Rädhä & Kåñëa !?!

Are we the unfortunate Gauòéyas? Or we are the Supreme fortunate Gauòéyas, Mahäprabhu’s followers? I mean, Have some common sense! Don’t be an institutional fanatic! Institutional fanaticism will never take you anywhere in spiritual life. Keeping devotees away from hearing and chanting of these Rasa Granthas, this is like berefting them from getting Prema. This is the highest atrocity on a devotee that you stop them from hearing and chanting about Rädhä & Kåñëa. Greatest torture on a Gauòéya Vaiñëava can be if you somehow stop him, to stop hearing and chanting about Rädhä & Kåñëa from Gosvämé Granthas. And Iskcon and Gauòéya maöha are doing only this. Morning to night they have only one parroting ‘You are not qualified’, ‘You are not qualified’.

And Narottama Däsa Öhäkura is saying– ‘lélä rasa sadä gäna’, ihäte vimukha yei, tära kabhu siddhi näi.’ All Sampradäyas are qualified about hearing and chanting about Rädhä Kåñëa. Only the Gauòéya Vaiñëavas, not even total Gauòéya Vaiñëavas, only the small sect called Iskcon, Gauòéya maöha, they are unqualified to hear about Rädhä Kåñëa. Rest Rädhä Vallabhis are qualified to hear, Nimbärkis are qualified to hear about Rädhä Kåñëa, Haridäsés also. We all also are Gauòéya Vaiñëavas, Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura & his followers are qualified to hear about Rädhä Kåñëa, Gaura Kiçora Däsa Bäbäjé’s followers are qualified to hear about Rädhä Kåñëa. In Jagännätha Däsa Bäbäjé’s Samädhi in Mäyäpura, they are also qualified to hear about Rädhä-Kåñëa.

Three out of five in your Altar, are qualified to hear about Rädhä-Kåñëa. We are qualified, Nimbarkis are qualified, Rädhä Vallabhis are qualified, Haridäsés are qualified. Only Bhakti Sidhhänta and Prabhupäda followers are not qualified!!

Come on, have mercy… Have some common sense! See what kind of cult you are in!

These words are filled with Mahäbhäva, emanating from the Tips of the Toe nails of Çrémati Rädhäräné’s Lotusfeet! They are so powerful, ‘varsantam eva sahaja saukhya dhärä….’ ‘varsantameva’. From Rädhäräné’s Lotusfeet is constant rain of Mahäbhäva, Prema is there. And these words are filled with that. If you hear about them, these words will 100% touch your heart.

I’m assuring you, these words will destroy the anarthas in your heart, plus they will give you Prema. This is all you want, remedy is this! And the problem is you are not taking the medicine and you want to become okay, transcendentally fit, without taking any medicine.

This is the greatest injustice any spiritual leader can do to the follower by making him not hear about these Granthas, greatest injustice. Devotees in Iskcon-Gauòéya maöha can’t even conceive how much they are being bereft just because of this kälpanika.. imaginary concept– You are not qualified!

Everyone on the planet, all Sampradäyas are qualified except this Bhakti Siddhant & Prabhupäda’s followers. And three of them in their Altar, their followers are qualified, just these two Bhakti Siddhänta and Bhakti Vedanta’s followers, they are not qualified! And the question is, if you, the Gauòéya Vaiñëavas who have taken initiation, tying kaëöhé & doing tilaka, if you are not qualified, then, who on the earth is qualified to read these granthas?  Obviously, Nimbärkis are not going to read our granthas. Obviously, Rädhä Vallabhis are not going to read our granthas. Obviously, they will read their Äcäryas’ Granthas. Then for whom Raghunätha Däsa Gosvämé, Rüpa Gosvämé, for whom they have written these Granthas? Have some common sense! They’ll read only their Äcäryas’ Granthas… all these Rädhä Vallabhis, Haridäsés… they are My friends. Äcäryas, I meet with them, they are My friends. They do only this thing. They hear and talk about their Äcäryas’ Granthas. We have to do the same thing!

Is there any rocket science which we are talking about?

If you are a follower of Lord Räma, just hear and speak about them, and remember Him. Remember how you’re going to serve Him in the spiritual world.

Similarly, if you are a devotee of Rädhä Kåñëa, hear about Them, speak about Them, just think, how you’re going to serve Them. Can’t you even understand this thing!?

‘jäki upäsana, tähi ki väsana, tähi ke näma rüpa guëa gaiye…’

Whatever worship you are doing, if it is of Rädhä-Kåñëa, then have that desire…”O, I want to attain Rädhä-Kåñëa”. Then tähi ke näma rüpa guëa gaiye…’ hear about Them, talk about Them. Be happy hearing and talking about Them. By this you will get love for Them.

Now you understand, why do we get love by hearing about Them? Because these words are not words, they are gelled, mixed, imbued with the Mahäbhäva emanating from the Lotusfeet of Çrémati Rädhäräné.