End Note

A lwAys E mbr A c E d by K åñë A

[the absolute consideration] not apara-vicära [the apparent consideration]; very deep philosophical question is here. Only those who have tattva-jïäna, are serving Kåñëa. They have eyes. They see Kåñëa and they are engaged in His loving service. But if you have no eyes, you cannot see Kåñëa. So how can you serve Him?

Then You Can See the All-Beautiful Śyāmasundara

“...So many nasty material desires are there in the heart. So, the guru by inflicting discipline and imparting tattva-jïäna, the anarthas* are completely gone. When the heart becomes purified, it becomes Våndävana, and in that purified place, Kåñëa appears. Guru can make Kåñëa appear there. The guru has Kåñëa in his heart. From his heart he will make Kåñëa appear in the heart of the çiñya (disciple). This is the guru’s work. This is the work of çré-guru. Without such a guru how can you get it? So first you have to hear the tattva, that he speaks, advaya-tattva [the Absolute Truth]. By the mercy of guru, you get this tattvajïäna. Then your eyes open and then you will be able to see the all-beautiful Çyämasundara. Not only His form, but all these very beautiful Vraja-léläs, Dvärakä-léläs and Mathurä-léläs. The variety of léläs will all float before your eyes...”

* Anarthas: unwanted desires that gravitate to the region of the heart. It is these anarthas that hold us back from attaining the goal of kåñëa-prema. Hence, leaving us stranded in this material world for hundreds of lifetimes.

Çréla Saccidänanda Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura, has written in his Çré Hari-nämacintämaëi, Chapter Two: “…In order to overcome nämäbhäsa and obtain the pure name, the jéva [the living entity] must serve the genuine guru with great attention. By doing this the anarthas or impurities in the heart will disappear and the pure name endowed with all spiritual potency, will dance on the devotee’s tongue. At that time, he will not be able to separate himself from the stream of sweet nectar emanating from the holy name; the jéva will chant constantly, mad with the sweetness of the name. In joy, the name will dance, the jéva will dance, and prema [the treasure of love of God] will dance with the the jéva. This will make the whole universe dance, and will force mäyä to flee…”

C hapter 17 t he S ädhu from the f ourth d imen S ion

Self-Realised Souls Are Very Rare

“When you see a Vaiñëava of the highest order who seems to be suffering from material misery, you should know for sure that he is really experiencing the highest ecstasy. Bewildered by sense enjoyment and puffed up with pride in their knowledge, education, birth, wealth, beauty, and so on, ignorant people cannot understand the activities or the position of a Vaiñëava. A Vaiñëava, by contrast, never considers birth, education, and wealth to be important qualifications, but distributes the Lord’s mercy to everyone, regardless of their social position.”16

“Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavour for perfection, and out of those who achieve perfection, hardly one knows Me [Kåñëa] in truth.”17

“O best of the brähmaëas, Çukadeva Gosvämé, out of many persons who follow religious principles, only a few desire liberation from this material world. Among many thousands who desire liberation, one may actually achieve liberation, giving up material attachment to society, friendship, love, country, home, wife and children. And among many thousands of such liberated persons, one who can understand the true meaning of liberation is very rare.”18

“O, great sage, among many millions who are liberated and are perfect in knowledge of liberation, one may be a devotee of Lord Naräyäna or Kåñëa. Such devotees, who are fully peaceful, are extremely rare.” 19

“I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is Çyämasundara, Kåñëa Himself with inconceivable innumerable attributes, whom the pure devotees see in their heart of hearts with the eye of devotion tinged with the salve of love.”20

“...That realm is known as Goloka only to a very few selfrealised souls in this world...”21