Today (7/14) – Chaturmas Begins, Guru Purnima

Hare Krsna dear devotees,

Dandvat pranam. Jai Srila Prabhupad.

Chaturmas begins today…a window of opportunity where we can make good progress in establishing a loving relationship with Sri Krsna which is goal of our human life. Each and every day passing in our life is an opportunity to rebuild and strengthen our relationship with Krsna. To help us with this endeavor, Krsna designs certain period in every year where endeavors done to serve Him gets multiplied benefit. Four months of Chaturmas is such an opportunity and it ends with month of Kartik which is very dear to Krsna. My sincere request to all of us to make good use of this time and focus on additional Krsna Conscious activities, simple but powerful activities, which will help us build a lasting strong relationship with Krsna.

Also today is Guru Purnima..,pls offer prayers to Srila Prabhupad who took so much pain at an old age of 69 to come to US for our benefit. Whatever Krsna Consciousness we are enjoying today, it is just by mercy of Srila Prabhupad. Please offer some dandvats to Srila Prabhupad today and also if possible sing the ‘Samsar davanal’ prayer or ‘Sri Guru charana padma’ prayer to him.

Without Guru it is impossible to get Krsna. There are mainly 2 kinds of Guru that help in our life. One is Shiksa Guru who shows us the path (sometimes called patha-pradarshak Guru) or one who helps us develop Krsna Consciousness. Second is Diksha Guru who connects us with the Guru parampara starting from Sri Krsna. Sometimes one person takes both the roles – of Shiksa Guru and Diksha Guru…but most of the times, there are multiple Shiksa Gurus and one Diksha Guru. Like Bhagawan Dattatreya who is glorified very nicely and elaborately in Srimad Bhagavatam by Srila Shukadev Goswami. Bhagawan Dattatreya had 24 Gurus from whom He took Shiksa. In our Gaudiya Vaishnav Guru parampara – We have Srila Jagannath Das Babaji Maharaj who is Shiksa Guru of Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur, while Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur is Shiksa Guru of Srila Gaura Kishor Das Babaji Maharaj.So we learn that both Diksha and Shiksa Guru are very important in our life.

Guru is like an eye doctor…Agyan timir andhasya…our eyes have become blind due to darkness of ignorance..but Guru comes as an expert eye doctor with ointment made from knowledge of Krsna Consciousness,,,,gyan-anjana shalakaya. Chaksura unmilitam…our eyes become illuminated by this ointment applied by our Guru…I pay obeisances to such Guru who brings me into light from darkness…tamai Sri Guruve namah.

So when we offer our obeisances to Krsna today morning, let us also thank Him for sending His agents in this material word – dukhalaya ashaswatam, this material which is full of misery and temporary in nature…to help us get some relief from this constant burning inside of us. This agents of Krsna are like expert boatmen, who helps us ferry our way through this material ocean, bhava-sagar…and help us cross it very easily. They dont look for any qualifications…only qualification is that anyone who is giving their hands to be held while drowning in this bahav-sagar, Gurudev holds that hand…so we just helplessly throw our hands to keep afloat and Gurudev will come and due to his unlimited mercy will hold our hand and pull us into the boat of Krsna Consciousness to expertly make us cross this ocean of nescience.

Pasted below is a wonderful bhajan written by Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur…glorifying the spiritual master.

gurudev!
kṛpā-bindu diyā, koro’ ei dāse,
tṛṇāpekhā ati hīna
sakala sahane, bala diyā koro’,
nija-māne spṛhā-hīna

Gurudeva, give to this servant just one drop of mercy. I am lower than a blade of grass. Give me all help. Give me strength. Let me be as you are, without desires or aspirations.

sakale sammāna korite śakati,
deho’ nātha! jathājatha
tabe to’ gāibo, hari-nāma-sukhe,
aparādha ha ‘be hata

I offer you all respects, for thus I may have the energy to know you correctly. Then, by chanting the holy name in great ecstasy, all my offenses will cease.

kabe heno kṛpā, labhiyā e jana,
kṛtārtha hoibe, nātha!
śakti-buddhi-hīna, āmi ati dīna,
koro’ more ātma-sātha

When will such mercy fall to this one who is weak and devoid of intelligence? Allow me to be with you.

jogyatā-vicāre, kichu nāhi pāi,
tomāra karuṇā-sāra
karuṇā nā hoile, kāndiyā kāndiyā,
prāṇa nā rākhibo āra

If you examine me, you will find no qualities. Your mercy is all that I am made of. If you are not merciful unto me, I can only weep, and I will not be able to maintain my life.

Sri Guru varga ki Jai !!! Vaishnav Thakur ki Jai !!! Nitai Gaura Premanandi Hari Hari Bol !!!

P.S. – the best service to our Guru is to follow the instructions given by him. This is more important than doing any personal physical service to him. following instructions is called vani seva…more important than vapu (body) seva.

your servant,
Padmanabh das

Prashant Patel
Program Manager, Lenovo WW Maint Inventory
2020 Technology Parkway,
Mechanicsburg, PA 17050
Phone: (717) 610-2140, T/L: 471-2140