True Devotion – Not Mythology

Nowadays, we are misrepresenting the word devotion. The actual definition of devotion is to render service to the Lord with a loving attitude and not expect anything in return. When we have this mood, then that is devotion. One of the greatest teachers in our lineage, Srila Rupa Goswami-pad, in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.1.11, composed a verse which defines what devotion is:

anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ, jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam
ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu, śīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā

Anya abhilāṣ means no other desire. Śūnyam means zero. Jñāna refers to one who searches for liberation, and karma refers to those who want material appreciation and recognition. When we completely surrender and do whatever is favourable for Krishna’s service.

First, we must accept a bona fide devotee of Krishna as our teacher and follow their instructions wholeheartedly. A bona fide teacher always informs us how to follow true devotion. They have taught us that we must serve the devotees (Vaishnavas) of Krishna, keep due respect to all living beings, and then we can attain their blessings. With their blessings, we will get the strength and willingness to chant the Hare Krishna Mahamantra.

The Hare Krishna Mahamantra will gradually give us all the qualifications to practise devotion. For example, we learn to get up before sunrise, attend Mangal Arati, and offer to the Lord before eating anything, thereby respecting all living beings that come in the form of fruits and vegetables. The Lord will deliver these souls. We also learn not to get involved in discussing material affairs, not to quarrel, and not to criticise. Thus, our devotional practice will bear fruit if we are humble like a blade of grass.

Lord Chaitanya instructed in His Shikshashtakam:

tṛṇād api su-nīcena, taror iva sahiṣṇunā
amāninā māna-dena, kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ

One who considers himself humbler than a blade of grass, who is more tolerant than a tree, who does not seek honour for himself, and who is always ready to offer respect to others can effortlessly chant the holy name of the Lord at all times.

Our behaviour should be humble like a blade of grass. Under any circumstances, we must be tolerant, not run behind material appreciation, and, at the same time, respect everyone and chant the Hare Krishna Mahamantra.

Srila Rupa Goswami pad also said in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (1.1.12):

sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ, tat-paratvena nirmalam
hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa, sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate

In order to serve Rishikesh Bhagavan wholeheartedly, we have to be free from material appreciation and recognition and become nirmala, or spotless. This is called devotion. Nowadays, we have seen that when we go to the temple with material expectations, we think this is devotion. When our expectations are not fulfilled, we blame God, thinking that He is not being favourable towards us. Devotion is not a myth.

I remember back in 1990, the day after the Gaura Purnima festival, before people started to leave the Math for their homes, they came to take permission to leave from my spiritual master, HDG Srila Bhakti Pramode Puri Goswami Thakur, the founder-acharya of Sri Gopinath Gaudiya Math. Before they arrived, he was deeply immersed in chanting. His room was full of devotees, but he was not aware of anyone. One devotee called him loudly to get his attention, and then my Gurudev looked up and said, “Please forgive me, but Srimati Radharani engaged me to serve in Radha Kunda; therefore, I could not attend to you all.”

Physically, he was in his room at Sri Chaitanya Gaudiya Math in Mayapur, but in spirit, he was in Radha Kunda for rendering service as per Srimati Radharani’s instruction. A known and similar incident is stated in our literature about Srinivas Acharya. His house was in Jajigram (Katwa) in Bardhaman. Srinivas Acharya is Manimanjari in Krishna’s pastimes. He was meditating in his house in Jajigram for a long time. Several hours passed, and he was not returning to his normal state. His followers and family members were worried about his state of deep meditation.

To know where his Gurudev was, his dear disciple Srila Ramchandra Kaviraj sat down in meditation. He saw that his Gurudev, Srinivas Acharya, as Manimanjari, was in the transcendental abode by the river Yamuna. Radharani had lost her nose ring in the Yamuna River, and Manimanjari was searching for it. On behalf of his Gurudev, Srila Ramchandra also started searching for it and soon found it. He said loudly, “Gurudev, I have found it!” Both then returned to their normal state.

Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita narrates the wonderful pastimes of Sri Madhavendra Puri-pad, who was the spiritual master of Advaita Acharya, Ishwar Puri-pad, and Nityananda Prabhu. Once in Vrindavan, he vowed to accept only milk, and that too only if it was offered to him. He would not even beg for it. If someone brought it of their own will, then he would accept it. Having made this vow, he sat at Govinda Kunda in Govardhan. The day was almost over, but no one had brought any milk. During twilight, Krishna Himself came as a cowherd boy with a pot of milk and said, “Oh Madhav, why are you not begging?”

Then Madhavendra Puri-pad said, “How do you know I am not begging?”

Krishna cleverly said, “I don’t know. Some housewives sent me with this pot of milk. Please drink it. I will come again to collect the pot.”
Sri Madhavendra Puri-pad started to drink the milk. It was unbelievably tasty. He thought, “This is not ordinary milk. When the boy comes back to collect the pot, I will catch him and enquire,” he thought.

After drinking the milk, he waited for the cowherd boy, but he did not come. Madhavendra Puri-pad felt dizzy and fell into a dream. The boy came into his dream, grabbed Madhavendra Puri-pad’s hand, and took him to a jungle on Govardhan Hill. He pointed at the jungle and said, “I am staying in this grove. I am suffering due to the sun and rain, and I have been waiting for you. You should go to the villagers and call them to clean the jungle and discover me.”

According to the dream, Srila Madhavendra Puri-pad asked the villagers to help him clear the jungle and find the Govardhan Dhari Gopal form. Still, the Gopal deity we can visit in Nathadwara, Rajasthan. True devotion is the only way one can realise spiritual matters and experience them, just like my spiritual master, who was always immersed in pure devotion. We have also heard from my shiksha guru, HDG Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Goswami Maharaj, the founder-acharya of ISKCON, well known as Srila Prabhupada. When he first started for the USA, travelling to New York City aboard the Jaladuta ship, he suffered two heart attacks. From his biography, we know that there were no doctors on the ship. Krishna placed His hand on his head and chest, which saved him.

When he reached the USA, there was no one to receive him or help him in any way. However, even with many material obstacles and hardships, he managed everything and remained in a healthy state. With the blessings of his Gurudeva, HDG Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur, and the mercy of his worshipful Lords, Sri Sri Radha-Krishna, he established the ISKCON society in July 1966 in New York. Then, gradually, his preaching movement expanded. This was the Hare Krishna miracle that happened.

He was not at all young then. He was born in 1896 and was in his seventies when he started his ISKCON society. At that age, people get ready to retire, but he started his mission abroad. This happened due to the power of devotion. It is not simply an imaginary thing!

In 1995, my spiritual master was in Mayapur. It was Chandan Yatra then, and it was very hot. Our temple pujari was feeling hot and frustrated whilst changing the dresses of the Deities. The temple has Sri Sri Radha-Gopinath, Sri Sri Gaura-Gadadhara, Lord Sri Jagannath, and Sri Nrishingadev Deities, without any partitions between the Deities. The pujari was smearing sandalwood paste on the Deities but was doing so in a frustrated manner. In an unfaithful manner, the pujari pushed the Gadadhar Deity with his left elbow. Sri Gadadhar personally appeared to my spiritual master in his room and complained about what the pujari had done.

My spiritual master was 97 years old then. I never saw my spiritual master angry, but I did that day. He pressed the calling bell to call for his assistant, Ashit Krishna Prabhu. I was the temple manager at that time. I went to his room (bhajan kutir). When I entered the room, he said angrily, “Call the pujari now.” I was wondering what had happened. I went and called the pujari. My Gurudev asked the pujari, “Why did you do that? Why did you push Sri Gadadhara with your elbow ?”

The pujari admitted his actions and apologised, but my spiritual master said, “It is not a joke. You offended Sri Gadadhar, and He is the potency of Srimati Radharani. You must go and beg pardon from the bottom of your heart; otherwise, it will be very difficult for you to manage your renounced spiritual life.”

I don’t know how sincerely he asked for forgiveness, but not long after this incident, the pujari got married. He used to be a saffron-clad brahmachari who became a householder. The Deities of Sri Gaura and Sri Gadadhar were made from neem wood. The pujari did not serve sincerely, thinking that they were just neem wood Deities.

How did my spiritual master, who was sitting in his room, know about what the pujari had done behind closed doors? I was curious to know, so I asked him. He said, “Baba, Sri Gadadhar came to me and complained about the pujari’s service attitude. How else could I know? I am an old man, bedridden.”

When we practise with purity, then the Supreme Lord, along with His associates, appears to us accordingly.

A true intellectual person will never say that bhakti or devotion is a myth or imaginary. We must practise devotion to realise the ultimate goal of life and attain it. Devotion is not an imaginary thing. We can realise the significance of devotion once we sincerely start practising it.

If we continue to hold attachment to material things, then we will come back here again and again. With spiritual practice, when we become free from material attachment, our attachment towards the spiritual energy will grow. Attachment to spiritual service to Sri Sri Radha-Krishna can be established through His bona fide devotees.

I humbly pray today to my spiritual master, HDG Srila Bhakti Pramode Puri Goswami Thakur; my grand-spiritual master, HDG Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur, the founder-acharya of the entire Gaudiya Math; my great-grand-spiritual master, HDG Paramahamsa Kula Chudamani Thakur Srila Gaura Kishore Das Babaji Goswami Maharaj; and the seventh Goswami of Gaudiya Math, HDG Srila Sachidananda Bhaktivinode Thakur, to please give me their blessings and the spiritual strength to chant sufficient rounds of the Hare Krishna Mahamantra and serve the Vaishnavas wholeheartedly.

May they bless me to reach the ultimate spiritual destination—the lotus feet of Sri Krishna—and help me to realise the eternally blissful and peaceful loving abode of Goloka Vrindavan, and the happiness one feels in serving Them eternally.

An unworthy servant of Lord Chaitanya’s loving Mission.

Sri Gopinath Gaudiya Math.
B.B.Bodhayan.
President.