sri sri guru gauranga jayatah!
Year 3, Issue 12, Amāvasyā Special Edition
Posted: 2 January 2021
Dedicated to and Inspired by
nitya-lila pravista om visnupada
Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Māhārāja
When Genuine Humility Becomes Steadfast
A letter from
Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Māhārāja
4 July, 1991
Appearing in English for the first time
Śrī Śrī Guru-Gaurāṅgau Jayataḥ
Śrī Keśavajī Gauḍīya Maṭha
Kaṁsa-ṭīlā P.O. Mathurā (U.P)
04.07.91
Object of affection – daughter Madhu,
Accept my affectionate blessings and convey the same to your family members. Also convey my affectionate blessings to daughter Sapna, and also to Caru, Sveta and Barkha, along with news of my well-being.
I received your letter. You came to Mathurā and asked a very candid question. It was not possible to inquire more openly on that topic, nor was it possible to answer it extensively. Yes, only by sādhana-bhajana one can realize something more than what I answered. You inquired in a sober and appropriately grave language befitting a genuine sādhikā. I did not note any error or looseness in your presentation. Rather, I became enthused and happy by your questions.
Whether I miss you or not depends on the extent of my sentience, something you can only guess at. You can send me a copy of the picture you took on Śrī Narasiṁha Caturdaśī.
I am almost well these days, but it’s very hot here. There is no rain at all and a hot wind is blowing. I don’t feel like doing anything. There are power cuts from time to time.
[Here,] a discourse (pravācan) takes place every day. The topic of gopī-prema within śrī rāsa-līlā is now being discussed. Śrī Śubhānanda and other brahmacārīs are well. You all should keep on performing your sādhana with regularity, despite various obstacles. It is necessary for the sādhaka and sādhikā to have control of lust, anger etc., as well as to be able to speak with beautiful coherence, softness and amiability.
Prema and genuine humility are synonyms; they are mutually complementary. Therefore, as far as possible, do not, with your body, speech and mind respectively, perform any such activity, speak any such words, or produce any such thoughts and resolves by which your humility diminishes. Only when the genuine humility becomes steadfast can bhāgavata-prema manifest. This is the opinion of all great saintly personalities.
May the causeless mercy of Śrī Rādhā-Govindajī be upon you that you become immersed and continually drown in prema.
Do not get perturbed and always maintain patience. In the sādhana of bhakti patience is very essential. What else? Give news of your well-being by letter. Everything is well here.
Your ever well-wisher
Śrī Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa
Translated by the Rays of The Harmonist team
