Sri Gaura Vani

A Page of Instructions from Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga

Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math Philippines

The Spirit
of Sacrifice
Srila
Bhakti
Raksak
Sridhar
Dev-Goswami
Maharaj
explains
the
difference
between
a
civilisation based on karma
and a life of bhakti.
The plane of action and
reaction, the plane of
exploitation, is a suicidal
civilisation.
The
whole
civilisation is rotten to its
core. In the civilisation of exploitation people exploit nature for the apparent
good of human society, but by doing so they incur a debt from nature which
must be paid back to the farthing with interest. Yet they do not believe thisthey
do not believe they will have to clear their debt to nature. Still it is there, as is the
calculation of their debt, like calculations recorded in a computer. So this
civilisation is no civilisation; it is anti-civilisation. The whole thing is rotten. It is a

camouflage-like deception; a treachery to the souls world, to the living world.

The whole civilisation is a suicidal treachery.
Plain living, high thinking. Make the best of a bad bargain. These should
be our policies. Somehow we have come here; now we are to use our time and
energy in such a way that with the least amount of exploitation we can get out of
this world. The real solution for our life has been given in Bhagavad-gita.
yajrtht karmao nyatra loko ya karma-bandhana
(Srimad Bhagavad-gita: 3.9)
[The Lord says:] Karma, spending your energy here, will surely bind you within
this material environment. Yajnarthat, only if you act in the spirit of yajna,
sacrifice, will you be relieved of the reactions to your actions. What sort of
sacrifice? Not sacrifice for the sake of yourself, or your country, or your society.
Nothing less than sacrifice for the sake of the Infinite, that is, Myself, Vishnu.
Yajna vai Vishnu. Hari, the Supreme Lord, is Yajneshvar, the rightful enjoyer of
all sacrifices, the absolute owner of everything. You must have a proper
connection with Him. Not an imaginary connection, but a real connection you
must have with Him, then the reactions to whatever you do will not bind
whatsoever.
hatvpi sa imn lokn na hanti na nibadhyate
(Srimad Bhagavad-gita: 18.17)
There is even a plane in which, if we stand there, we can destroy many
planets, many universes, but remain unaffected. Na hanti na nibadhyate, a pure
agent of the Absolute neither kills nor has to suffer any reaction for his actions. If
someone who has exhaustively eliminated all selfish thinking walks, where does
he get his inspiration? Where does his inspiration come from? The Centre, the
Absolute. The Centre inspires him to act, and then he acts. So, no matter what a
cent per cent agent of the Absolute centre does, he does not have to undergo any
reaction to his actions, whatever their nature may be.

yajrtht karmao nyatra loko ya karma-bandhana

tad-artha karma kaunteya mukta-saga samchara
(Srimad Bhagavad-gita: 3.9)
[The Lord says:] Do, and do it for Me.
karmay evdhikras te m phaleu kadchana
(Srimad Bhagavad-gita: 2.47)
You are created only to work; you are not created to enjoy the fruits of work.
Your constitutional position is that you are to work. You are a potency. Your
duty is to exercise your power. But the results of your work are Mine.
aha hi sarva-yajn bhokt cha prabhur eva cha
(Srimad Bhagavad-gita: 9.24)
So dont look at the results of your activities. Simply do everything that is
imposed on you; do your duty. Go on acting, with a sense of duty. A doer should
never sit idle. Idleness is your greatest enemy.
m te sago stv akarmai
(Srimad Bhagavad-gita: 2.47)
I am afraid that you may have some apathy to activity. If so, then you are
doomedyou are gone to the world of annihilation, renunciation,
inconclusiveness, and destruction. Ma te sango, You should work for Me. That is
your position and Mine. Dont be afraid of that. Why should you be? I am your
friend; I am your guardian; I am your well-wisher. Everything is in My control. I
am the enjoyer of everything, but you are My own, you are My friend. So you
must not be apprehensive about your future in any way. It wont be hampered.
Rather, it will be improved when it is in My hand. So have no apprehension. Go
on, and work on My behalf. If you live that way, if you observe that policy, you
will be best benefitted.

In other words, you should intelligently use Me for your good. That is the best
type of intelligence.
r kkari cha s
(Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu: Purva-vibhaga, 1.17)
ktv hari prema-bhja
(Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu: Purva-vibhaga, 1.41)
This is the extraordinary power of devotion: devotion can convert the
Autocrat, the Supreme Lord, into the loving friend of anyone who takes to the
path of devotion. Devotion has such wonderful power: it can make Hari, the
Absolute Good, loving and affectionate towards you. It can force the Lord to
favour you, to befriend you, to act in your favour. This is the capacity of
devotion, svarup-shakti prem. The highest stage of devotion, prema, is so
powerful. Such extraordinary power is in her hand that she can force the
Autocrat to work on the behalf of His beloved servants.
Kritva harim prema-bhajam, this is the natural fortune we have. If you march on in
pursuit of mastership over the world, then the demon of the reactions to your
actions will come, break your neck, and drink your blood, but bhakti, she can put
the Infinite at your hand, bring Him within your fist.
Gaura haribol.