The Nature of a

- -
Mahatma

Sri Srimad

Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja

TATTVA VICARA PUBLICATIONS

 Glorification
of His Revered Spiritual Master
His Divine Grace

Q
Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta
Swami

PrabhupadaQ

by
Çré Çrémad
Gour Govinda Swami
The Nature of a

- -
Mahatma
 Table of Contents

Kåñëa Is the Lord of His Heart  2

Inculcate Kåñëa Consciousness  2
The Ointment of Love  3
A Sädhu Opens the Eye  4
Çréla Prabhupäda is Nourished by Kåñëa-çakti  5
Prabhupäda Fulfilled Mahaprabhu’s Desire  6
The Nature of a Mahätma  7
A Vaiñëava Has No Birth  8
A Vaiñëava Is More Merciful than Bhagavän  9
Kåñëa Made All Arrangements for You  10
A Vaiñëava Suffers Out of Love  12
An Exemplary Society Without Envy  13
The Proper Celebration  13
The Nature of a

- -
Mahatma

Sri Srimad

Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja

A lecture delivered by Çré Çrémad Gour Govinda Swami Mahäräja
on 19th August 1995 Bhubaneswar, India.

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The Nature of a

- -
Mahatma

Y esterday we observed the holy appearance day of

Bhagavän Çré Kåñëa, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, and today we are observing the holy appearance day
of our revered spiritual master, Çré Çrémad A. C. Bhativedänta
Swami Prabhupädajé Mahäräja.
Kåñëa sent His own man, His very dear and very intimate
devotee, Çré Çrémad A. C. Bhativedänta Swami Prabhupädajé
Mahäräja to this world, just after His appearance day.
When Nanda Mahäräja is observing a great festival for the
appearance day of his beloved son, Çré Kåñëa, that very day
Kåñëa’s very dear devotee, very intimate devotee, His own man,
appeared.

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Kåñëa Is the Lord of His Heart

What is the necessity of the Vaiñëavas coming here? Sädhu-

vaiñëavas, Kåñëa’s own men are always with Kåñëa in that sat-
cid-änanda-maya-dhäma. Those who have attained Kåñëa, only
see kåñëa-sambandha, the relationship with Kåñëa. They see how
everyone, everything, every object is related to Kåñëa. Kåñëa is
the only relationship. Kåñëa nitya-sambandha — every jéva has
a perfect, eternal, loving relationship with Kåñëa. A completely
Kåñëa conscious person has this vision. For that premi-bhakta
Kåñëa is his most beloved and Kåñëa is his object of love.
Kåñëa präëanätha — Kåñëa is the Lord of his heart. The premi-
bhakta, Vaiñëava sees that everything, every jéva is related to
Kåñëa in this loving relationship. Therefore how can he tolerate
the suffering of Kåñëa’s jéva? His heart bleeds seeing the jévas
who are suffering because of their forgetfulness of Kåñëa and
forgetfulness of their relationship with Him. They are bereft of
Kåñëa consciousness therefore they are suffering. This is the
only cause. Sädhu Vaiñëava knows the cause very well. If they
will develop Kåñëa consciousness, that lost consciousness and
become completely Kåñëa conscious, then there will be no more
suffering. They will go back home to Godhead.

Inculcate Kåñëa Consciousness

janma karma ca me divyam

evaà yo vetti tattvataù
tyaktvä dehaà punar janma
naiti mäm eti so ’rjuna
(Bhagavad-gétä 4.9)

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In the Bhagavad-gétä Kåñëa has said, “My appearance, My birth,

My activities or léläs are not material, they are transcendental.
For one who knows this in tattva, it will be his last birth here in
this material world.” Tyaktvä dehaà punar janma naiti mäm eti so
’rjuna — after quitting this body he will definitely go back home,
back to Godhead. There is no doubt about this. He will come
to Me. No punar janma, no rebirth. He will never come back
here again to this prapaïca, material world, dukhalayam, this
miserable platform. No more, finished! The only requirement is
to inculcate Kåñëa consciousness unto them; thereby they will
be free from their suffering. They have been revolving in the
cycle of birth and death from time immemorial. Transmigrating
from one body to another, through lakhs of species, so how will
their suffering be done away with? A Vaiñëava, Kåñëa’s dear
devotee knows this, he has that vision. Therefore he comes and
wanders here.

The Ointment of Love

The Çrémad-Bhägavatam states:

janasya kåñëäd vimukhasya daiväd

adharma-çélasya suduùkhitasya
anugrahäyeha caranti nünaà
bhütäni bhavyäni janärdanasya

“O my Lord, great philanthropic souls travel on the earth

on behalf of the Supreme Personality of Godhead to show
compassion to the fallen souls who are averse to the sense
of subordination to the Lord.” (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 3.5.3 )

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You have forgotten Kåñëa and according to your prärabdha-

karma you have been wandering here in lakhs of species of
life, continuously suffering, afflicted by the three tapas — [the
three kinds of miserable conditions-adhyätmika, adhibhautika
and adhidaivika (miseries inflicted by the body and mind, those
inflicted by other living entities, and natural disturbances)].
Kåñëa’s intimate dear devotee comes and wanders here in
this material platform just to shower his mercy on the suffering
jévas and inculcate Kåñëa consciousness whereby their suffering
will end. Only for this purpose they come and wander here.
They are always here. If the sun and moon were not here
how would this world go on? Similarly, if Kåñëa’s dear devotees,
sädhus, would not be present, how would Kåñëa’s world keep
going? It would not be possible. Sädhus are always here, we only
lack the vision to see them. You cannot see a sädhu through
your material vision. They are not material beings. How can you
see them? How can you see Lord Kåñëa? Premäïjana-cchurita-
bhakti-vilocanena — if you are endowed with bhakti-cakñu, a
devotional eye, if the ointment of love is smeared on your eyes
then you can see the Lord, and how He is everywhere. Then
yähäì netra paòe tähäì kåñëa sphure — wherever you look you
will see “Yes, Kåñëa is there.” Similarly, how can you see His
dear devotee, sädhu-vaiñëava-mahäjana, with your material
eyes? He is not a material being.

A Sädhu Opens the Eye

oà ajïäna-timirändhasya jïänäïjana-çaläkayä
cakñur unmélitaà yena tasmai çré-gurave namaù
(Gautaméya Tantra)

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“The guru’s business is to open the disciple’s eyes of

knowledge. When the disciple is awakened from ignorance
to knowledge he can see the Supreme Personality of Godhead
everywhere because the Lord actually is everywhere.”

That guru-sädhu-mahäjana opens the eye, and with that

vision you can see Kåñëa’s dear devotee. Otherwise you are
blind. With material vision you think you are the seer. That is
completely wrong. You are not the seer. Sädhus, gurus, they are
the seers, and you are to be seen. It is completely the reverse.
You are not the seer. Kåñëa is the seer, His dear devotee sädhu-
mahäjana is the seer, and you are to be seen. When he casts his
merciful glance on you, all your bad fortune is gone, and then
good fortune arises. Sädhu-guru blesses you with that vision to
really see. Otherwise how can you see?

Çréla Prabhupäda is Nourished by Kåñëa-çakti

My revered spiritual master Çréla Prabhupäda is one such

Vaiñëava sädhu. Kåñëa has sent him and he is especially
empowered by Kåñëa. It is said, kåñëa-çakti vinä nahe tära
pravartana — without kåñëa-çakti one cannot fathom it and
inculcate Kåñëa consciousness unto the conditioned souls. His
guru especially ordered him to go to the Western world and
preach the science of Kåñëa consciousness, in English.
The Western world means countries where the people are
gross materialists, who have no Kåñëa consciousness, no God
consciousness at all. Therefore, who is able to spread Kåñëa
consciousness among them? It is completely impossible, unless,
kåñëa-çakti vinä nahe tära pravartana, one is empowered by
Kåñëa’s çakti and becomes kåñëa-çakti-puñöa-parikara. That is
guru-tattva. One who is sad-guru, çré-guru, a pure Vaiñëava,

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sädhu mahäjana is kåñëa-çakti-puñöa-parikara. He is Kåñëa’s

eternal associate. He is nourished by kåñëa-çakti. Without kåñëa-
çakti no one can spread Kåñëa consciousness alone, by his own
strength. It is impossible. Therefore, there is definitely no doubt
that Çréla Prabhupäda was empowered by Kåñëa, empowered
by Mahäprabhu. He had received the full mercy of Kåñëa,
Mahäprabhu and the previous äcäryas — Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura,
Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté, and all other sädhu-mahäjanas, who
gave him full power. Thus he was able to do it.

Prabhupäda Fulfilled Mahäprabhu’s Desire

Who else could go to the Western world at that time? He

went to the West when he was an old man, near the end of his
life. Anyone would say, “Where shall I go? I am a stranger in
a foreign land. My friends are not here. Who will take care of
me?” Anyone else would be afraid to embark on such a journey
in their old age. No one would go, but he went, to carry out
the order of his guru and to fulfill the desire of Mahäprabhu:
påthivéte äche yata nagarädi-gräm sarvatra pracara haibe mora
näma — “My name and My teachings will spread throughout
the world, nagarädi-gräm — reaching all cities, towns, villages,
in every nook and corner of the world.” That was Mahäprabhu’s
mano-’bhéñöaà, desire, and Mahäprabhu’s prophecy. Who did
it? Who fulfilled the desire of Mahäprabhu? Who fulfilled the
desire of the previous äcäryas?
My dear guru-päda padma, my most revered spiritual master,
Çré Çrémad A. C. Bhaktivedänta Swami Prabhupädajé Mahäräja,
he did it, fearlessly. He was empowered, otherwise no one could
have done as he did. In the short span of twelve years he travelled
around the world fourteen times, preaching the science of

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Kåñëa consciousness. The result is here; these Westerners, gross

materialists, have developed Kåñëa consciousness and they are
realising that they are kåñëa-däsa, eternal servants of Kåñëa,
and now they are preaching and speaking about Kåñëa, and are
engaged in Kåñëa’s loving service. How have they done this?

The Nature of a Mahätma

mahad-vicalanaà nèëäà
gåhiëäà déna-cetasäm
niùçreyasäya bhagavan
kalpate nänyathä kvacit

“O my lord, O great devotee, persons like you move from

one place to another not for their own interests but for the
sake of poor-hearted gåhasthas [householders]. Otherwise
they have no interest in going from one place to another.”
(Çrémad-Bhägavatam 10.8.4)

O Lord, these materialistic people, who are overly attached

to home and hearth, whose consciousness is very, very low,
and degraded, are suffering. O Lord, You are so merciful that
You send Your own men to the material world. Those sädhu,
mahäjanas go to the doorstep of the gåhé, householder, who is
overly attached to home and hearth, and completely bereft of
Kåñëa consciousness, in order to inculcate Kåñëa consciousness
unto them. No other purpose is there. This is mercy.

mahänta-svabhäva ei tärite pämara

nija kärya nähi tabu yäna tära ghara

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“It is the general practice of all saintly people to deliver

the fallen. Therefore they go to people’s houses, although
they have no personal business there.” (Caitanya-caritämåta
Madhya 8.39)

This is the nature of a mahätma. He has no other business

going to the house of a materialistic person, who is too attached
to household life, who only thinks, “I” and “mine” — my home,
hearth, my wife, son, daughter, and family. His only purpose is
to inculcate Kåñëa consciousness and to deliver them.

A Vaiñëava Has No Birth

na karma-bandhanaà janma
vaiñëavänäà ca vidyate
viñëur anucaratvaà hi
mokñam ähur manéñiëaù

“A Vaiñëava does not take birth under the jurisdiction of

karmic law. His birth and disappearance are transcendental.
The wise have declared that the servants of Viñëu are eternally
engaged in the liberated service of the Lord and hence are
free from the laws of material nature.” (Padma Puräëa, quoted
in the Hari-bhakti-viläsa, 10.113)

A Vaiñëava is not a conditioned soul. He is a dear devotee

of Kåñëa and Viñëu therefore a Vaiñëava is free from karma-
bandhana, the bondage of karma, and he has no birth. As Kåñëa
appears and disappears, he also appears and disappears. His
janma, birth is not a duùkha, misery, for him. He never feels
such pain. Whereas a conditioned soul feels pain; staying in the
womb is a very painful situation. A Vaiñëava on the other hand,

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though apparently he comes accepting a father and a mother,

he does not get any pain. Therefore a Vaiñëava has na karma,
no birth, karma-bandhana, no bondage of karma. He is free.
This is vaiñëava-sädhu-mahäjana. It is said, bhagavän ye-hena
avirbhava tithi ye-hena pavitra, vaiñëava janma ye-hena pavitra
— as the appearance of Bhagavän is all-auspicious, similarly the
appearance day of a Vaiñëava, a very dear devotee of Kåñëa, is as
auspicious as the appearance day of Kåñëa Himself.

A Vaiñëava Is More Merciful than Bhagavän

Bhagavän is very, very merciful, parama doyäl, but His dear

devotee, sädhu Vaiñëava is more merciful than Bhagavän. Kåñëera
samatä haite baòa bhakta-pada — no one is equal to Kåñëa. He
is Supreme. Kåñëa has said in the Gétä (7.7), mattaù parataraà
nänyat kiïcid asti dhanaïjaya — “O Dhanaïjaya, O Arjuna,
there is no one superior to Me.” Everyone is His kiìkarä, His
däsa, His servant. He is parameçvara, the supreme éçvara — ekali
éçvara kåñëa ära saba bhåtya, and all others are His servants. He
is asamordhva-tattva, He is unequalled and unsurpassed.

However, kåñëera samatä haite baòa bhakta-pada, if you

become His bhakta, His very dear devotee, sarva-dharmän
parityajya mäm ekaà çaraëaà vraja — and abandon all
varieties of dharma, just surrendering unto Kåñëa, and if you
can understand Kåñëa’s concluding instruction in Bhagavad-
gétä, that will be a benediction to you. What greater benediction
do you want or expect from Kåñëa than this? This is the best
benediction He has offered to you, sarva-dharmän parityajya
mäm ekaà çaraëaà vraja — abandoning all varieties of dharma
just surrender unto Me, become My däsa, nothing else is

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required. Then you become very dear to Him. Bhakta-vatsala

bhagavän, the devotee is very dear to Bhagavän. Therefore,
kåñëera samatä haite baòa bhakta-pada — if you become His dear
devotee, completely surrendered, Kåñëa will make you greater
than Him. Otherwise you have no adhikära (qualification)
to occupy such a superior position. If you become His dear
devotee, completely surrendered, and can understand Kåñëa’s
concluding instruction, He will bestow the best benediction
on you. Just accept it, and then He will become very pleased.
“Yes, this person has understood. He deserves My mercy. He
has received My benediction, sarva-dharmän parityajya mäm
ekaà çaraëaà vraja — abandon all varieties of dharma and just
surrender unto Me.” Such a devotee, Vaiñëava becomes a very
intimate associate of Kåñëa and Kåñëa elevates his position to
being greater than Him.

Kåñëa Made All Arrangements for You

na tathä me priyatama
ätma-yonir na çaìkaraù
na ca saìkarñaëo na çrér
naivätmä ca yathä bhavän

“My dear Uddhava, neither Lord Brahmä, Lord Çiva, Lord

Saìkarñaëa, the goddess of fortune nor indeed My own self
is as dear to Me as you are.” (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 11.14.15)

Kåñëa said to Uddhava, “Ätma-yonir, Brahmä is not so dear to

Me. Çaìkara, Çivajé is not so dear to Me, My brother Saìkarñaëa
is not so dear to Me, My wife Lakñmé is not so dear to Me, My
soul is not so dear to Me, naivätmä ca, I am not so dear to Me
as you are dear, O Uddhava.” A bhakta is so dear; dearer than

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His own soul. A bhakta, devotee cries for Kåñëa, but what more
wonderful is, is that Kåñëa is crying for His devotee. He is crying
more! Are you crying for Kåñëa? No, but how Kåñëa is crying
for His dear devotee, you cannot understand. This is wonderful,
most wonderful, and is stated in Çrémad-Bhägavatam. Therefore
He sends His very dear devotee to this material world to
preach the science of Kåñëa consciousness, because the jévas
are His children. Kåñëa is the Supreme Father. Kåñëa’s heart
aches seeing that His children are suffering because of being
devoid of Kåñëa consciousness. He cannot tolerate it. He has
made all the arrangements for you. Think about this very
deeply, and seriously. Then you can understand it if you are a
thoughtful person and have good consciousness. He made all
the arrangements; He gave the Veda Puräëas, and to understand
what has been said in the Veda Puräëas, the tattva, He sends His
own man, guru, the bona fide representative, who is a very dear
and intimate associate, nija-jana, to preach the science of Kåñëa
consciousness. Otherwise you cannot understand this science.

Furthermore, in the form of Paramätmä He is in your heart.

He has not deserted you; you have deserted Him. You have
forgotten Him. Kåñëa has never forgotten you. He is always with
you, running behind you. You should understand this. He has
made all these arrangements. He is so merciful because it is very
painful for Him to see His children suffering, and therefore He
makes all arrangements. Unless such a sädhu Vaiñëava, Kåñëa’s
own man, a very dear associate, comes here and preaches the
science of Kåñëa consciousness, how will the jévas develop their
Kåñëa consciousness? It is impossible. Therefore He makes all
the arrangements.

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A Vaiñëava Suffers Out of Love

Kåñëa’s own man, Mahäprabhu’s own man, my dear guru-

päda-padma, my revered spiritual master Çré Çrémad A. C.
Bhaktivedänta Swami Prabhupädajé Mahäräja descended here
to preach the science of Kåñëa consciousness.
We have printed a book, The Holy Life History, an abridged
edition for the centennial celebration. We are going to celebrate
his 100 year birth centenary and for that purpose we have also
printed another smaller book. Today, please take a book, read
Çréla Prabhupäda’s biography, the life history of a Vaiñëava, and
then you will be able to understand what He has done for us and
how he has suffered for this. Yes, he suffered, a Vaiñëava suffers.
Why does he suffer? He suffers because he loves you; out of
love. Unless you have love, how can you suffer? A mother has
love for her child, a baby, therefore a mother suffers. Similarly,
a Vaiñëava suffers here because he has love for you. “Kåñëa is
my most beloved, Kåñëa is the object of my love.” Therefore,
because he has love, he sees Kåñëa’s jévas suffering. If you can
develop love for Kåñëa you can love one and all, otherwise there
is no question of love here at all, because kåñëa-sambandha,
there is only the relationship with Kåñëa. There is only one
sambandha; all are related to Kåñëa who is the most beloved.
This is love. If you cannot develop this love, how can you love
one and all? Devoid of this love, how can you love one and all?
You cannot truely love.
Therefore there is räga-dveña, liking and disliking, in this
material world. You are in bodily consciousness; you love this
body. You love those who are related to the body; your husband,
wife, son, daughter, or countrymen. You hate those who are
not related to this body, who are not your family members.

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Therefore there is räga-dveña, liking and disliking, love and

hatred. There is no true love here. Unless you develop kåñëa-
prema, love of Kåñëa, you cannot love one and all. This is the
only requirement, how one can love one and all. He who sees
kåñëa-sambandha, the relationship with Kåñëa who is the object
of love, will love one and all.

An Exemplary Society Without Envy

Therefore Prabhupädajé Mahäräja established this society

for Kåñëa consciousness: the International Society for Kåñëa
Consciousness. He expressed his intention for this society,
“This will be a society of true Vaiñëavas, where there will be
no envy.” Vaiñëavas are not envious. Demons are envious. A
true Vaiñëava sees one relationship: the relationship with Kåñëa,
who is the object of love. Everyone and everything is related to
Kåñëa. Everything belongs to Kåñëa. Therefore how can anyone
be envious of it? Demons are envious, whereas true Vaiñëavas
are not envious. When you develop true, complete Kåñëa
consciousness, and see kåñëa-sambandha everywhere then how
will there be envy? There is no question of envy. These are
Prabhupäda’s words, which he has expressed in his Bhägavata
purport [5.13.11], “There will be no envy. Of course it is not
possible for everyone to develop Kåñëa consciousness, still, this
will be an exemplary society wherein there will be no envy at
all.”

The Proper Celebration

Vaiñëavas will teach this and set an example by their own

activities and behaviour. If it will not be like that, will he, the

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founder-Äcärya of ISKCON, be happy? You are going to celebrate

his centennial, his one hundredth birth centenary. He is looking
at you, he sees and observes everything. If he can see that his
purpose is fulfilled then he will be very, very happy. This is the
proper centennial celebration. Otherwise, what is the value of
the centennial celebration if you cannot fulfill his desire? When
you have fulfilled his desire, there will be no envy at all. When
there is love and friendship, then he will be very, very happy.
This is the proper centennial celebration. Otherwise, if he sees
that his purpose is not fulfilled, then he will not be happy at
all. You may be performing so many activities, however it may
all be external. If the real purpose is not fulfilled, how will Çréla
Prabhupäda be happy?

vaiñëava guëa-gäna karile jévera träëa

çuniächi sädhu guru mukhe

I have heard from the mouth of sädhu-guru, if you glorify a

Vaiñëava, Bhagavän, the Lord will be very pleased that His dear
devotee is glorified and you will get His mercy. When you get
all mercy of sädhu-Vaiñëavas, then you will be easily delivered
from the clutches of mäyä and your life will be successful.

Thank you very much.

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Mahatma

“The Western world

means countries where
the people are gross ma-
terialists who have no Kåñëa
consciousness, no God con-
sciousness at all. Therefore,
who is able to spread Kåñëa
consciousness among them? It
is completely impossible, un-
less, kåñëa-çakti vinä nahe tära
pravartana, one is empowered
by Kåñëa’s çakti and becomes
kåñëa-çakti-puñöa-parikara.
That is guru-tattva. One who is sad-guru, çré-guru, a pure
Vaiñëava, sädhu mahäjana is kåñëa-çakti-puñöa-parikara. He
is Kåñëa’s eternal associate. He is nourished by kåñëa-çakti.
Without kåñëa-çakti no one can spread Kåñëa conscious-
ness alone, by his own strength. It is impossible. Therefore,
there is definitely no doubt that Çréla Prabhupäda was
empowered by Kåñëa, empowered by Mahäprabhu. He had
received the full mercy of Kåñëa, Mahäprabhu and the pre-
vious äcäryas — Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura, Bhaktisiddhänta
Sarasvaté, and all other sädhu-mahäjanas, who gave him full
power.”

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