Uncommon Dialogues

Sri Sarammii Saniapa is a collection'of marvelous dialogues between Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati. Thakura and eminent scholars, theologians and philosophers of his time. These dialogues have been classified as "Uncommon Dialogue". Why uncommon? The dialogue is not the everyday dialogue that pervades this world where everyone engages in conversations that benefit no one. ._1.-aricul-Blicigavutam explains that ordinary type of conversation is a pilgrimage place for crows or crow-like persons of this world, and simply invites miseries, whereas real conversations of swanlike personalities bring about a revolution in the misdirected lives of the people. Such conversations are not a product of this material world but are a direct revelation of the higher realm - the spiritual world.

SrTla Sarasvati Thakura's dialogues are not of this world, and thus anyone fortunate enough to hear from him develops a sudden change of heart that propels him to abandon the follies of materialistic engagements and turn his attention to the ser-vice of the Supreme Lord, which is the real engagement of the g entities. Srila Sarasvati Thakura devoted his life and energy in this mission of turning people away from the materialistic life of selfishness to the life of eternal beneficial activities of the soul, rendering loving service unto Lord Sri Krishna, the Lord of our hearts.

Much has been said or written about the life and teachings of His Di-vine Grace Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura. Just as if one dives into an ocean and hopes to reach the end of it, the result will be futile, similarly if one tries to discuss the characteristics of agents of the Lord who have been sent from the spiritual abode for the purpose of disseminating spiritual knowledge, the result will always be baffling. Lord Ananta continually glorifies the Lord's activities but has not reached the end, similarly the glories of the great devotees of the Lord, who share the same qualities as the Lord, can also have no end.

Those who were fortunate to have heard from Srila Sarasvati Thakura bear testimony to his divine characteristics. He was an uncompromising spiritual master who never tired of speaking the teachings of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Lord Krishna. Speaking topics of Krishna was his only reason for existence. He lived only for that. And when he realized that his mission had been accomplished as desired by Krishna, he closed his manifest activities to the mundane vision.

We have been privileged to capture some of Srila Sarasvati Thakura's essential teachings. The central element of his teachings is often repeated throughout his many writings. His central theme has always been how a jrva sees himself in relationship to serving Krishna. Is Krishna to be seen as an object of enjoyment or the jrva as an object of Krishna's enjoyment? In the mood of trying to practice bhakti, an aspirant often thinks of what is in it for him. The mentality is to see God as the provider of all needs in the guise of performing bhakti. But such a mentality is cheating if God is seen as the provider, if God is to provide all needs of existence. In that way, God is seen as the servant, rather than the served. God, the provider is not the object of unalloyed devotional service but rather, the sprit soul's full surrender is for the enjoyment of Krishna.

Srila Sarasvati Thakura was the living embodiment of the teachings of the six Gosvamis of Vaidavana, who forsook everything and established the places of Krishna's pastimes in Vmdavana and wrote volumes of bhakti scriptures for the benefit of humanity who needs to revive its eternal loving relationship with Krishna. Srila Sarasvati Thakura was thus a living encyclopaedia of Vedic knowledge. All branches of knowledge were at the tip of his tongue. Lay people and scholars alike were always amazed by his erudition.

This compilation of his conversations includes some of the interactions Srila Sarasvati Thakura had with his magazine editors, eminent scholars of his time, and religious figures. Some of these conversations have been made available to the English readers as some were originally spoken in English by Srila Sarasvati Thakura. But the rest of these conversations are in Bengali, and were originally compiled by Sripad Sundarananda Vidy-avinoda. It is these Bengali conversations that we have translated into English, so the people of the world can have this treasury of his teachings in their possession. We have also included the remaining seven chapters of the Vaktrtavalt in this book. Those seven chapters were later discovered after our book, "Vaktrtavalt" had been published. The readers are there-fore given more ammunition in their fight against any hindrances that may come while practicing bhakti.

Many of Srila Sarasvati Thakura's teachings have been published in the English language including biographies. We however continue to discover more manuscripts which are almost getting lost due to circumstanc-es that are often difficult for persons like myself to explain. But it has al-ways been my prayer that as these manuscripts are discovered, the attempt will be made to translate and publish them. In this way, I am hoping to be able to render some insignificant service to the actiryas.

**Contents and Sample Pages**