The Nature of a

- -
Mahatma

Sri Srimad

Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja

TATTVA VICARA PUBLICATIONS

 Glorification
of
His Divine Grace

Q
Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta
Swami

PrabhupadaQ

by
Çré Çrémad
Gour Govinda Swami
The Nature of a

- -
Mahatma
 Table of Contents

Inculcate Kåñëa Consciousness  2

Our Material Vision  3
A Sädhu Opens the Eye  4
Çréla Prabhupäda is Nourished by Kåñëa-çakti  5
Their Only Purpose  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  11
A Vaiñëava Suffers  12
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 devotee, 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, His own man, very intimate devotee,
appeared.

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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, 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? Kåñëa, who is my object of love, who is
the most beloved of everyone, therefore he cannot tolerate it. 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,
develop that lost consciousness and become completely Kåñëa
conscious, 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.
One who knows in tattva, this 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 in 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
circle 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.
Our Material Vision

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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According to your prärabdha-karma you have forgotten

Kåñëa and you are 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 itself, those
inflicted by other living entities, and natural disturbances)], and
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 and thereby 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 there would not be any of
Kåñëa’s dear devotees, sädhus, how would Kåñëa’s world keep
going? It would not be possible. Sädhus are always here, only
we 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, 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 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 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.
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 there, 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,
every nook and corner of the world.” That was Mahaprabhu’s
mano-’bhéñöaà, desire, and Mahaprabhu’s prophecy. Who did
it? Who fulfilled the desire of Mahaprabhu? 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, and 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 Kåñëa consciousness. The result is here, these Westerners,
gross materialists; they have developed Kåñëa consciousness
and they are realising that they are kåñëa-däsa, eternal servants

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of Kåñëa, and now they are preaching and speaking about Kåñëa,
engaging in Kåñëa’s loving service. How have they done this?

Their Only Purpose

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,
degraded consciousness, are suffering. O Lord, You are so
merciful that You send Your own men to the material world,
the sädhu, mahäjanas, and they go to the doorstep of the gåhé,
householder who is overly attached to home and hearth,
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

“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)

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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, 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 has no birth, no karma-bandhana; he is not a

conditioned soul. There is no bondage of karma. 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, is not a misery for him. He
never gets such pain, but a conditioned soul gets pain, staying
in the womb in a very painful situation. A Vaiñëava on the other
hand, though apparently he comes accepting a father and a
mother, he does not get 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

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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.

A Vaiñëava is More Merciful than Bhagavän

Moreover, 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 more 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
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)

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to occupy such a superior position. If you become His dear

devotee, completely surrendered, and can understand Kåñëa’s
concluding instruction, the best benediction He will bestow on
you, just accept it 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 the 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 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 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
His own soul. Bhakta, devotee is crying for Kåñëa, and more
wonderful is, Kåñëa is crying for His devotee, 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 Çrémad-Bhägavatam has said this. Therefore He

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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 pains
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. Thinking about it very deeply, seriously,
then you can understand; if you are a thoughtful person and
have good consciousness. He made all the arrangements; He
gave the Veda Puräëas, and to understand tattva, what Veda
Puräëas have said, He sends guru, the bona fide representative,
who is a very dear, intimate associate, nija-jana, His own man,
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
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.

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.

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A Vaiñëava Suffers

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 his biography, the life history of a Vaiñëava, and you can
understand what He has done 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 love.
Therefore there is räga-dveña, liking and disliking in this
material world, hatred. You are in bodily consciousness; you
love this body. Those who are related to the body, your husband,
wife, son, daughter, countrymen, or the same group you identify
with, you love them. Those who are not related to this body,
who are not in your family group, you hate them. 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 thing,
how one can love one and all. If he sees kåñëa-sambandha, the

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relationship with Kåñëa, who is the object of love; then he will

love one and all.

The Proper Celebration

Therefore, Prabhupädajé Mahäräja has said that. He 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 Vaiñëavas, 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, everything is
related to Kåñëa; everything belongs to Kåñëa. Therefore how
can anyone be envious of it? Demons are envious. However 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.”
Vaiñëavas will teach this and set an example by their own
activities and behavior. If it will not be like that, will he,
the 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 love and friendship will be there then he will be

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very, very happy. This is the proper centennial celebration.

Otherwise, if he sees his purpose is not fulfilled, he will not be
happy at all. You may be doing so many things, it may be all
external however if the real purpose is not fulfilled, how will he
be happy?

vaiñëava guëa-gäna karile jévera träëa

çuniächi sädhu guru mukhe

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

Vaiñëava, Bhagavän, the Lord will be very much pleased that His
dear devotee is glorified and you will get His mercy, you will get
all mercy of sädhu-Vaiñëavas, than 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

“It is completely impos-

sible, 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,
sädhu mahäjana is kåñëa-çakti-
puñöa-parikara. He is Kåñëa’s
eternal associate. He is nour-
ished by kåñëa-çakti. With-
out 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.”

Sri Srimad

Gour Govinda Swami

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