sri sri guru gauranga jayatah!
Issue 12, Fortnightly Centennial Edition
Posted: 12 December 2021
In honour of the centennial appearance year of
nitya-līlā-praviṣṭa oṁ viṣṇupāda
Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Vāmana Gosvāmī Māhārāja
Dedicated to and Inspired by
nitya-līlā-praviṣṭa oṁ viṣṇupāda
Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Māhārāja
The Instructions of the Gītā
Excerpts from the upcoming book Patrāvalī (a collection of letters) by
Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Vāmana Gosvāmī Māhārāja
Presented in English for the first time
It is not possible for the living entity to attain perfection in sādhana without weeping before Śrī Bhagavān and humbly supplicating Him. Although the restless mind is scattered here and there during the chanting of śrī nāma, one must draw it back and steady it. By abhyāsa-yoga (the yoga of practice), this becomes possible and, along with that, it is necessary to practice some vairāgya-yoga (the yoga of renunciation) or in other words, regulation of one’s diet and leisure and maintaining self-restraint. A natural distaste for things unrelated to Bhagavān is referred to as vairāgya. The injunctions Śrī Kṛṣṇa imparted in Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā to His dear friend Arjuna to help him control his mind are the focus of our spiritual practice. As a supreme devotee absorbed in divine love, Śrīla Nāmācārya Haridāsa Ṭhākura bestowed upon the world the perfect methodology and instructions to perform śrī nāma-sādhana. Those constitute the ideal of our lives.
Patrāvalī (English) Letter 2
Being doubtful of others is the cause of distress. Rather than calling it deceptive, it would be more accurate to call it the source of mental disturbance. In the Gītā, Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇacandra addresses His friend Arjuna as He delivers an instruction to all the inhabitants of the world: “The ignorant, unfaithful and doubtful – these three types of people cannot find happiness in life.” If you harbour the dogma of doubt and suspicion, then you too will never find peace of mind.
Only if we can relinquish our individual selfishness, be tolerant of suffering, and heed our responsibilities can we find auspiciousness. In order to honour love’s demands from those who seek it, there is much we must concede to sacrifice. This is a paramount truth, widely accepted by the wise. Without selfless renunciation, one cannot attain Bhagavān, who is the form of truth (sad-vastu). Acceptance of this sort of renunciation is necessary in order to obtain the mercy of guru and Vaiṣṇavas as well.
Patrāvalī (English) Letter 87
Of all the affirmative and prohibitive injunctions given in scripture, the foremost affirmative statement is: “yena kenāpy-upāyena manaḥ kṛṣṇe niveśayet – one way or another, immerse your mind in Kṛṣṇa.” And the foremost prohibitive statement is: “Never forget that loving Lord and never doubt Him.” In the Gītā-śāstra, three types of individuals are said to be lame in regard to walking the path of sādhana and making other spiritual endeavours: “The ignorant, the faithless, and the sceptical can never find auspiciousness.” Therefore, in the field of sādhana-bhajana, these three faults are to be absolutely rejected. Besides these, arrogance related to birth, affluence, erudition, and physical beauty are also to be fully rejected. The flaws of bhrama (error), pramāda (delusion), karaṇāpāṭava (sensory imperfection), and vipralipsa (deceit) are also to be cast off. And if one cannot relinquish one’s motives for profit, worship, prestige, as well as the impulses of hatred, violence, envy, pride, arrogance, and egotism, it becomes utterly impossible to attain the well-being of the soul.
Patrāvalī (English) Letter 91
Translated by Rays of The Harmonist team
