Dry Land

by His Divine Grace Shrila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj

October 3, 1999 - Calcutta, India

We are the practitioners [who have] taken initiation in Krishna consciousness. Initiation means we have connected with the conscious world. Then we must be conscious [of the conscious] world. Actually when we have got initiation at that time we have got connection with the wave of the conscious world. But within the wave forever we not will stay. Actually we will land in that world. Only like flood in our life some current will come, but we will try to be landed. From the current we will go to the land of consciousness. This is the real meaning of initiation. We are all jiva souls, our form is as a servitor of Lord Krishna. We come from Lord Krishna as part and parcel. The religion of all the part and parcels must be attracted to Lord Krishna. But we have forgotten that, by the influence of the illusory environment. When we are connected with that conscious world we must try to stay in that level. And it is possible only by shravan and kirtan. Because here the environment is always not favorable to us and the environment is giving so much disturbance also to us. Krishna said in Shrimad Bhagavad Gita, matra-sparshas tu kaunteya...(Bhagavad-gita 2.14), "0h Arjuna, it will come in your life; you are a warrior, then a kshatria's duty you must do, and what obstacles will come in your life you must try to cross that."

You cannot stay forever in this illusory environment and you cannot be surrendered forever to the illusion. When you have got consciousness (the spirit soul getting consciousness through initiation) they will try to get the land. If necessary they will burn their ship what was with them. Guru Maharaj said, "Die to live." Die means leave your all bad elements what is disturbing your spiritual life. From there you come out. That is death. It is not so easy we know that, but through shravan and kirtan it is possible.

In this age of Kali-yuga no other way is indicated by our Scriptures. Hari Nam, Hari Nam, Hari Nam eva kevalum... that means always you will be in that platform where everything is existing with consciousness. Those feelings will come to you and you will get life. What kind of life? That is service life. Krishna attracting, His attraction - inevitable attraction - but why I am not attracted to Him? Because rust come over me like a parcel and part of iron. Krishna is like a magnet and His nature will attract. But I need to clean my own self through Krishna kirtan and that is the process in this age of Kali-yuga. When we will chant the maha-mantra, we will meditate on the Gayatri-mantram, feelings will come to us. We can promote ourselves with those feelings in the conscious level. Gayatri-mantram giving so much hope to us because if we are surrendered to Lord Krishna, Krishna Himself by His nature, by His Supreme Power will give inspiration always for service to His Divine Lotus Feet. Prachodayat, this word in Gayatri-mantram is indicating this. Prachodayat, it is giving inspiration, always giving inspiration. But to whom the conscious level, who is living in some conscious level, to him. Otherwise we will try to practice as possible, but until that, the result not will come to us. When we will be within the conscious world, in conscious level, Prabodananda Saraswati Takur said, vishvam purnam sukhiyate... that time all disturbance what coming in our life everything will be auspicious for myself. Someone person if done little wrong, if punishment will come to him, if he is a perfect gentleman he must say, "It was necessary for me, that punishment. And it's come to me, I am happy that reaction more not will come to me." That way in this life when we will be alive with consciousness our feelings will come that way. Anything disturbance in this material world will come to me I must tolerate that and I am happy to tolerate. But more and more I shall engage for the service to the Lord because the conscious world is the service world.

Krishna attracting what for? To give joy to the jiva souls, condition souls. But when they will stand in the conscious layer they always will feel the association of the Lord. The Lord is always with me. I am not alone and what is coming to me that is coming from my Lord and I shall accept happily that. We are telling in Bengali, Bhagavan mangalmay... what is the English I do not know, we are writing sometimes: God is good. I do not know the meaning of good, but it is more than good. All auspiciousness for me is coming from the Lord. Then that way we will feel the presence of my Lord.

Bhaktivinode Takur said, "I have no difficulty to stay in any level but anybody, any material body like Pashupati..." This is the expression of Bhaktivinode Takur. I may be a bird form or I may be a beast animal form, maybe human form, maybe any form that is not a difficulty for me but I must stay in the platform of consciousness. That service world always will give me more service inspiration. Who is advanced in the level of consciousness his advancement will come more and more in his heart. It is told in Shrimad Bhagavatam: Bhakti parishanu... At the time that the three qualities and three results come to me, my devotional mood will increase; in my heart I feel the presence of my worshipable Lord Shri Krishna, and attachment from these material things will be removed from my mind. If we will hear it, if we will feel it, see it, then we must say, "I am advancing. My advancement is happening in the line of Krishna consciousness."

Then we, all the jiva souls, now at present the target is this: who is initiated or who is not initiated, initiated persons will get more opportunity and more facility because he will come in the zone, heat will come in the wave in consciousness. Then the conscious world will give him more and more service inspiration. There it is only necessary to get good association. Who is living in the conscious level I need his association. Always we are not living in the conscious level no doubt, but that is our target. The yogies they are in so many ways trying to meditate on their Lord Paramatma, and they want to stay in that conscious level. But we are only, not only meditation, we have not only meditation target, our target is to get our beloved Lord's service. We want that He will be happy with my activity. That type of inspiration will come with His devotees association and that is the good association.

Association in this material world is always attracting us and throwing us into the garbage of maha-maya. But devotees association is always taking us from there to the higher level and putting us in that level giving service to the Lord. Bhaktivinode Takur showed in his Jiva Dharma book, book of Jaiva Dharma many stories, through many stories which way advancement is coming for the conditions souls, he showed in his book. Brajanath his position, and others also, Paramahansa Babaji, Vishnava Das that character, not only character, there as a form of consciousness giving inspiration to us.

That way we will consider ourselves when we are initiated. That not will be a farce in this material world. It will be positive for our life and it will give us positive results also. This way we will try to get good association and try to hear from the sadhus and practice with glorification of the Lord and serve the Lord through His associate devotees. This type of consciousness Mahaprabhu has given us, but all will be within this quality and qualification, and that is: humility, tolerance and giving honor to others. All are honorable and I shall give my honor to everyone. This type of mentality can make everyone my friend and no one will be my enemy. And this way we will try. So many lives passed before. We do not know how many lives will come in the future and what kind of life, that also we do not know. But what is in our hand at present in that life we have got some opportunity, some good chance within this lifetime. Maybe it is very uncertain, we do not know how long we will live but every moment is very important for us. This way we shall consider our time and we shall try to pass with that consciousness the time. We must be benefited and we must be happy. What can I say more. My dandavats to everyone. Jai.

October 3, 1999

Calcutta, India