Gems of Truth (An Old and Rare Book)

Preface

Sri Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is only the Truth. He is the Supreme Entity focussing All-being, All- Intelligence and All Bliss. He is the Fountainhead of all the Manifestations. He is All-love, All-beauty and All-harmony. He is the only Attractor, the only Proprietor of all that exists. He is endowed with innumerable unlimited Potencies of which the three are main (1) His Chit or Internal spiritual Potency from whom emanates His Perfect Transcendental Realm with all His Divine Entourage (2) His Achit or external deluding Potency or Maya- Shakti (3) His Marginal Jiva Potency viz. Jiva-Shakti lying in between the Chit and Achit Potencies giving rise to all jiva souls. In Vaikuntha He is being worshipped by His Chid-Vibhutis. There Sri, Bhu and Leela Shaktis serve Sri Narayana, the Majestic Self of the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna. In the Chidvilasa- maya-Goloka Bhagavan Sri Krishna is being served by His exalted devotees. Goloka is the Sveta- dwipakhya Paramapitha. In the Brahmasamhita we find the narration of Goloka Dham : 'I worship that Transcendental Seat, known as Sveta-Dvipa where as loving Consorts the Lakshmis in their unalloyed spiritual essence practice the amorous service of the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna as their only Lover, where every tree is a transcendental purpose tree; where the soil is the purpose gem, water is nectar, every word is song; every gait is a dance, the flute is the favourite attendant, effulgence is full of transcendental bliss and the supreme spiritual entities are all enjoyable and tasty, where numberless milch cows always emit transcendental oceans of milk, where there is eternal existence of transcendental Time, who is ever present and without past or future and hence is not subject to the quality of passing away even for the duration of half a moment. That Realm is known as Goloka only to a very few self-realized souls in the world.

The Highest Blessedness of human life lies in devoting oneself wholeheartedly to the worship of Sri Krishna's Lotus Feet. The Ontology of the Lord no doubt is incomprehensive, y it is easily comprehended through Bhakti. As the Lord Himself says, Bhaktiyogashya Madgathi' (Bh, XI. 14. 14) My Realm Vaikuntha is reached through the discipline of Devotion). Bhaktyaham Eyaya Grahyam ' (I, the Beloved Self of the righteous can be captured only through exclusive devotion (Bh. XI - 14-21). Mayi Bhaktihi Bhutanamamritateya Kalpate' (Loving devotion to Me brings immortality to all who practice it (Bh. X. 82. 45) etc All these statements aver same distinguishing truth. Bhaktidevi rises in one's heart from the Sadhusanga only. Brihannaradiya Purana says, ........ Bhaktishtu Bhagavatbhakta-sangena parijayate ' ......... The company of the pure devotees alone is conducive to cultivate Bhakti which leads to Divinity. So the Lord reveals His Own Tattva to those aspirant souls who have surrendered themselves unconditionally at the feet of Niskinchana-Bhagavat-Bhakta with humble pupil age. And they also become super- exalted by propitiating the Satchidananda- Vigraha of Bhagavan, the Fountainhead of all auspicious qualities. On the other hand, by discarding the loyalty to the' Bhagavatbhakta Mahajana if one wants to obtain the divine wisdom he can have only perverted knowledge of the Veda and other scriptures. There are some people who being enthralled by the desires of worldly enjoyments and celestial pleasures. think Karma-marga as the best way of reaching their goal. Others proceed further going beyond the limitation of Karma-marga, betake themselves to the Inductive Process of Impersonal Brahman. They discard the Chidvilas-Savisesh-Bhagavat- Vigraha and try to destroy totally their eternal relationship between the Lord and themselves. That is to say they deny the relationship as Lord is the Master or Sevya-Vastu and jiva-soul is essentially His servant or sevaka. Besides this there is another group of people who endeavours much in order to acquire eight accomplishments of Yoga by meditation viz. Subtlety (Anima), lightness (Laghima), attainment (Prapti), irresistible will (Prakamya), greatness (Mahima) superiority (Isitws), self -controlled (Vasitwa) and control of passion (kamavasaita). So to get release from the hand of all these riddles of Maya one should adopt the method of Bhaktiyoga exclusively.

'Advayajnanatattva -Krishna Swayam Bhagavan ' ......... Sri Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead without any second. Such Paramount God Sri Krishna is bound in the heart of devotee with his steadfast loving devotion. The genuine devotees of the Lord remain intoxicated in drinking the nectar of Bhakti and float in that Ambrosial Ocean of Lord's Pastimes. As they drink through their ears the Nectarine Leela-Katha of Sri Hari so they never crave the joy of Trivarga viz. Dharma (piety), Artha (wealth) and Ksma (desire). Not only this. They also relinquish out and out the Brahmananda. They consider Dharma, Artha, Ksma and Moksha (salvation), the fourfold human pursuit as most insignificant.

The word 'Bhakti' implies Seva ('Bhaj' dhatu Sevayam '), It indicates the single minded intention of serving the Object of worship, The Most Munificent Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has proclaimed in the universe His unprecedented Message of Krishna Narna-Bhajan. He has promulgated His Concept of Pure Theism "Kirtaniya-sadn-Hari ' (one should chant the Divine Name of Lord Krishna always) for the real welfare of the afflicted humanity of Kali. Many confirmed devotees have attained the summum bonum of their lives by taking dip in the sacred water of His Bhakti-rasa-sindhu. Kirtanakhys Bhakti (the adoration of the Lord with Sankirtana Yajna) is the only method of attaining the spiritual excellence in the age of Kali. So true to the fact, the greatness of the Cult of Bhaktiyoga is beyond description. And the person whose mind has become like a greedy bee for tasting the Nectar of the Bhakri Rasa is truely solemn.

To practise the rules of devotional life of such Bhaktiyoga is the right royal road of Highest Good. Krishnaprema which is the Foremost Beseeching of the Jiva-soul is attainable by chanting the Divine Krishna Nama without any offence. So the people who are being scorched by the wild-fire- of worldliness can become free from every type of tormentation by the earnest practising of Bhaktiyoga, And they become really successful in their life by getting Nitya- Premamaya-Seva of the Amritamaya-Paramapurusha Sri Krishna in His Saswata-Loka (Eternal Abode).

In the preface 1 express my deep gratitude to His Holiness Tridandiswami Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnan Yati Maharaj, the present General Secretary of the Math and the Sikshaguru of myself in the path of spiritual practice. He laboured hard for fulfilling the Mission of our Gurudev Sri Srimad Bhakti Vilas Tirtha Goswami Maharaj and encouraged, lovingly all the sincere seekers of truth who dedicated the lives for the service of Sri Krishna He inspired much by correcting my writings very affectionately. And it is due to his able guidance and excellent suggestion only I could complete my first book in 1983. Also I should mention here the name of Sri V. Krishnamurthi who laboured hard by seeing the proofs, etc. to bring out this book. Sri Krishna belongs to Akinchana Vaishnavas only. Because all the twenty four hours they are dovetailed in Krishna seva. But for myself who is void of all the good qualities Krishna Bhakti is far cry. My only hope is the feet-dust of Vaishnavas-Mahabhagavatas who are like the' Wish-yielding trees' and the very ocean of kindness.

In the conclusion I offer my humble prostrated obeisances at the feet of Sri Hari-Guru-Vaishnavas with a prayer of attaining an iota of unalloyed devotion after becoming free from evil desires.

I crave the blessings of Sripad Bhakti Prasun Sadhu Maharaj, Sripad Nityananda Brahmachari, Sripad Bhaktikamal Padmanabha Maharaj, Sripad Bhaktisudhir Damodar Maharaj-from whom I draw much spiritual inspiration and also of other Vaishnavas of the Math.

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