Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja
June 16, 1996
Houston
To listen to the audio file, please click on this link:
http://sbnmcd.org/all_mp3/19960511NL__T9.mp3
[In the following conversation with the devotees, Srila Gurudeva, Paramaradhyatama Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja, speaks in alternately Hindi and English.]
Devotee: We are offering our heart, which is more beautiful than innumerable flowers at the feet of the guru.
Srila Gurudeva: The heart is like a flower. It is so soft, sweet, and fragrant. So, I cannot take out my heart, but this flower is like my heart. The devotee prays, “I want to give my heart at your lotus feet. We will do what you say. We know that you have come to help us to go to Krsna and be engaged in His service. You have no other desire at all.”
Hence, it is not just a flower we are offering. It is a representative of our sweet, soft, pure, and fragrant heart. We want to make our heart like this and it should be given at the lotus feet of the Divine Couple—Sri Radha and Krsna. We cannot make our heart like this flower, but Gurudeva can come and make it. He will offer it to the lotus feet of Radha and Krsna. He is qualified. Those who are helping us to be engaged in the service of Radha and Krsna, they are really our bandhava. Bandhava means?
Devotees: Friends.
Srila Gurudeva: They are really our father and mother.
sei se parama-bandhu, sei mata-pita
sri-krsna-carane yei prema-bhakti-data
[One who has established my relationship with Krsna, he is my supreme friend, my mother and father. He is guru.]
This is written in the Caitanya Caritamrita. Sei sei parama-bandhu means very beloved. Sei mata-pita, sri-krsna-carane yei prema-bhakti-data—the person who is giving us prema to the lotus feet of Srimati Radhika is our friend, mother, father, and guru. So, the person, the Vaisnava, the guru takes us and makes our heart pure. The heart will not have duplicity, hypocrisy, and other impure things. There will be no mood to chatter and patter; there will be no envy; there will be nothing impure in the heart. There will only be broadness, and a sense of brotherhood. Guru teaches universal love. Guru and Vaisnavas are our mother, father, brother, and dear most beloved. They will make our hearts into a place of pure devotion. But, if duplicity, envy, and hatred are taught, then what is to be said? You should respect even an ant. If we can have affection for dogs who are not serving Krsna, then why can we not have affection for human beings who are taking us towards Krsna?
A person thinks, “I want to make everyone engaged in the service of Krsna.” If someone else also thinks that “I will help everyone come towards Krsna,” then both the persons should be friends and not enemies. The person should think, “He is my friend. He is also doing my service.” Shouldn’t they be friends? Why should there be a need to fight? So, we should be liberal and we should think, “Those who are making us go towards Krsna are all friends. We are of one family. Those who are not serving Krsna are friends, but they are misguided. They should be helped.”
A person who is not doing bhajana should be taught how to do bhajan. He is also Bhagavan’s son. Everyone is Krsna’s sons and daughters. Everyone should unite and serve Krsna, the Supreme Father. Anyone who brings us to Him is our friend. So, you should duly consider this and engage in Krsna’s bhajan. If a devotee comes across another devotee, then he should think, “The devotee wants everyone to be pure and to serve Krsna. So, he is my friend. We are doing the same service.” Why should there be envy? There should be brotherhood; universal love.
Devotee: Maharaja, what should be our attitude towards mayavadis?
Srila Gurudeva: There should be a mood of brotherhood. Some of their conceptions are good because they understand that “This world is maya and we don’t belong to maya.” Up to this understanding, the Vaisnavas and the mayavadis are of one mood. They realize that “We are not this body. We are the soul, the atma.” What comes after this mood will be considered. But, up to this understanding, it is all right. Later, the mayavadis desire the annihilation of the atma; they want to merge into brahma. This difference will be considered.
Sankaracarya has said, “Bhaja govindam bhaja govindam bhaja govindam mudha-mate.” This is meant for his followers. He asked them, “Why do you chant brahma, brahma? Rather, chant Govinda’s name.” One day, if the mayavadis have the association of bona fide Vaisnavas, then they will return to this path. We think that Sankaracarya was a very good Acarya. But we don’t follow him.
Devotee: Maharaja, the mind is superior to the senses. The intelligence is superior to the mind. The soul is superior to intelligence. So, when Jada Bharata instructed King Rahugana, he glorified the mind in such a way that mind can lead to bondage or liberation. So, it seems the soul is inferior to the mind. In the second chapter of the Gita, the characteristics of the soul are given. But in the fifth canto, when Jada Bharata instructs the King, he glorifies the mind.
Srila Gurudeva: No, this is a wrong understanding. Jada Bharata said that the soul is superior to the senses, mind, intelligence, and false ego.
mana eva manusyanam
karanam bandha-moksayoh
—Amrta-bindu Upanisad 2
[For man, mind is the cause of bondage and mind is the cause of liberation.]
Bharata Maharajaji said this. Mind is the cause of bondage and liberation. But whose?
Devotee: The soul’s?
Srila Gurudeva: Not all the souls.
Devotee: The conditioned soul?
Srila Gurudeva: Yes. The conditioned soul doesn’t have any activities now. The conditioned soul has forgotten himself. But when the mind of the conditioned soul becomes clear; when the soul starts to associate with the sadhus, then by this sat-sanga, the mind becomes pure and that soul becomes inclined towards Krsna. This is meant for the conditioned soul.
Devotee: But isn’t the mind responsible for this conditioned state?
Srila Gurudeva: No. The mind has no influence there. The soul forgets Krsna because of his own self. The mind did not even exist at that time. For instance, there was a king who had thousands of kingdoms and millions of police officers. But this king stole something and was caught. A king who was superior to him put him in jail. Now, a soldier who holds a position that is far less than the king controls the king himself. The soldiers were under the king, but they control the king now. When the king is released, then when he reaches the kingdom, he will become the master of thousands of such soldiers. Therefore, the mind is guilty now. An offense was committed at the lotus feet of Krsna. So, by being guilty the soul is entangled in the net of maya. He is controlled by maya. The mind is the maidservant of maya. The mind is the soldier of maya who is controlling the soul. The king was imprisoned by this soldier.
Napoleon Bonaparte was a very influential figure. But he was caught and guarded by soldiers from all four sides in a ship. He could not eat, he could not walk. Then, he was made to drown in the ocean. Who drowned him? Soldiers, who were paid a very menial wage and who were controlled by higher authorities, drowned him. Soldiers, who held a position much lower than Napoleon, beat him and killed him. In this way, the mind is the maidservant of maya. The guilty soul is now being punished. The liberated souls are beyond; maya cannot even touch them.
Devotee: So, this is meant for the conditioned soul?
Srila Gurudeva: Yes, this should be understood. The conditioned soul cannot perform any activities now. The soul’s hands and legs are tied together. The soul cannot do anything on its own. The soul cannot take birth and die according to his will. He cannot enjoy happiness and distress according to his desire. The conditioned soul is controlled and caught in the net of maya. So, what you have said applies to them. The sadhus instruct the mind.
They tell the mind, “Oh you should follow what I say. You should help him have taste in hearing hari-katha and in chanting.”
By their assistance, they will go up. And at last, the mind will go away and they will be liberated.
[Visnu dasa questions Srila Gurudeva in Hindi and Gurudeva answers in Hindi.]
Visnu dasa: Maharaja, what are the symptoms of advancement in devotion?
Srila Gurudeva: There will be taste in chanting harinama. A person advancing in devotion will also have respect for sadhus. He will have so much ruci, taste in hearing and reading Bhagavan’s pastimes. He will not have the desire to sin. He will not be attached to wealth and samsara. This will happen naturally. If a devotee is advancing in Bhagavad-bhajan, then there will be no attachment to samsara. But why does the devotee still do karma? The devotee had been riding the cycle of karma since time immemorial, and now he has stopped cycling. So, although the cycle is continuing to run, it will stop in some time.
Another example can be given. When a train comes to a halt, it doesn’t do so immediately. It runs for a mile or two and then stops.
Sripad Madhava Maharaja: You had previously said in Puri that when a person stops a fan, then the fan gradually stops and not immediately.
Srila Gurudeva: Understand in this way.
Visnu dasa: You had spoken earlier that by being humble, a person is very anxious to hear hari-katha.
Srila Gurudeva: You will realize everything by being humble. Hanumanji is very humble; still he burnt Lanka to ashes. So how is he humble? To serve his Prabhu, he is ready to give up his life. This is humility. He cannot live without chanting Rama’s names. When Ramacandraji returned to Ayodhya, He was giving everyone something. He gave Angada and all the others some gifts. When it was Hanuman’s turn, Sitaji removed her necklace and gave it to Hanuman. Hanuman started biting the necklace and looked to see what was inside.
Rama asked, “Oh monkey, why are you doing like this? Don’t you know that this necklace is priceless? It has especially come from Sita’s neck. But you are breaking it and throwing it away.”
Hanuman replied, “Oh Prabhu, I was just seeing if this necklace had ‘Rama Rama,’ written inside it.”
“But is My name written in your heart?”
“Yes Prabhu,” said Hanuman. He then opened his chest and the name, “Sita-Rama,” was seen and heard.
This is humility. Humility is not an external display. A person falls at the feet of another, but at the slightest provocation, this person will try to strangle the same person whose feet he had caught. He has one hand on his feet and the other hand on his neck.
[Laughter]
This is not humility. I am seeing this happen to the sadhus here. I didn’t understand this when I was in India. But here, I am very surprised to see this. A mother had four sons and she dearly loved all of them. If one son beats his brother, then will he please his mother?
A son says, “Oh mother, be pleased for I am nicely beating and humiliating my brother.”
You should respect everyone.
trnad api sunicena
taror api sahisnuna
amanina manadena
kirtaniyah sada harih
—Caitanya Caritamrita Adi 17.31
[One can chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking himself lower than the straw in the street. One should be more tolerant than the tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige and ready to offer all respects to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly.]
These devotees are trnad api. They left their homes, and desire for prestige. This devotee has done so many paintings. She knows siddhanta also very well. She is not less than the GBC; she is more advanced than them. But she left everything for Bhagavan’s bhajan. She only desires that “My Krsna-prema should increase.”
[Srila Gurudeva speaks in English]
You should not think that I have left ISKCON and that they have forbidden me to be in ISKCON. You are really ISKCON and anyone cannot snatch Prabhupada away from us. No one can do so; they have no right. We have the right that “He is my Gurudeva and I am worshiping him.” Anyone cannot challenge this.
[Break of audio]
Devotee: Gurudeva, earlier you said that we should see all devotees as friends and family and not envy each other. Sometimes envy comes in very tricky ways and we don’t recognize it. So, what to do; how to protect ourselves?
Srila Gurudeva: Call Krsna, Guru and especially, Rupa-Raghunatha, and Svarupa Damodara. This has been told in Manah-siksa. Envy will then go away by itself.
Devotee: I get very angry Guruji.
Srila Gurudeva: Your anger should not be harmful. You may fight, by this prema will be renewed. How can an ocean be still and not have waves? Prema has waves; but your anger should not dry the ocean.
[Srila Gurudeva speaks a few words on Sri Vallabhacarya after Sri Madhurastakam is sung]
adharam madhuram vadanam madhuram
nayanam madhuram hasitam madhuram
hrdayam madhuram gamanam madhuram
madhuradhi-pater akhilam madhuram (1)
—Sri Madhurastakam 1
[His lips are sweet, His face is sweet, His eyes are sweet, His smile is sweet, His heart is sweet, His gait is sweet—everything is sweet about the original Lord of Sweetness.]
Vallabhacarya has written this astakam. He used to live in Gokula and he was a one-pointed Krsna-bhakta. He wasn’t the worshiper of Lord Krsna. Rather, he was the worshiper of baby Krsna; Bala-Gopala. So, this has been written from the mood of vatsalya-rasa where Krsna is considered as a son.
madhuradhi-pater akhilam madhuram
He has left something for others. Krsna’s mother is also sweet; His father is also sweet. His Mathura is sweet; His Vrndavana is sweet. Everything about Him is sweet. His weeping is also so sweet.
[Break of audio]
Whether you are in America, India, or anywhere else—just don’t leave Radha and Krsna.
In Vrndavana, there are many small, beautiful groves. The cuckoos coo and the peacocks dance. The cuckoos are dark complexioned like Krsna and they speak very sweetly; just as Krsna does. What do they say? They say, “Radhe Radhe.” In Vrndavana, everyone says, “Radhe Radhe.” They don’t chant, “Krsna Krsna.” There is so much inconceivable potency in the holy name.
[Srila Gurudeva speaks to some children]
You are little children. Among you, who will not become old? Raise your hand. How do you know that you will become old? Because you see that your father and mother have become old. They were like you before. Can you say who will never die?
Devotee child: Krsna.
Srila Gurudeva: Who will not die among you? Whoever thinks that they will not die should raise their hands. Will you die or not?
You should realize that you are not this body. You are the soul within the body. You should understand this. You will have to leave this body behind. Therefore, you should chant Krsna’s names from your childhood, and then you will know what your soul is. Krsna is everywhere and He is so merciful. He especially likes children; He always plays with them. All the cowherd boys and all the gopis were with Krsna and they would always dance very beautifully. Your master danced so well; but he cannot dance like Krsna. Krsna dances so sweetly. If He dances, the clouds will come. If He dances with much spirit, then fire will come at once. Sometimes, when He smiles during dancing, then the whole world will be satisfied. He dances in such a way. One Krsna danced with sixteen thousand gopis. He danced so beautifully, sweetly, and swiftly that one Krsna simultaneously danced with sixteen thousand gopis. It seemed that Krsna was dancing with each and every gopi.
Krsna did not become many; there was only one Krsna. But, He danced so swiftly that every gopi felt, “Krsna is only dancing with me.” But there was only one Krsna. It seemed that different forms of Krsna danced with all the gopis. How was this? If you take a firebrand and circle it, then it will seem that it is a ring of fire. So, Krsna was one and He was dancing so sweetly and marvellously. Sankara cannot dance like that; no one can dance like that. But the gopis can dance more sweetly and swiftly than even Krsna. Krsna is defeated there. Krsna can sing so sweetly, but Radha can sing more sweetly.
Krsna will then remark, “Sadhu! Sadhu! Very good! Very good!”
Krsna is powerful. If anyone folds their hands and prays to Krsna that, “You should be merciful to me, so that I can establish a relation and be engaged in Your service,” then birth, death, and old age will then be stopped. If anyone wants to be eternally young, if anyone doesn’t want to suffer and die, then that person should remember Krsna.
There was a sadhu called Agastya. He did not have anything; he only had a small piece of cloth. He would chant Rama’s name on the banks of the ocean. A bird had some eggs that fell into the ocean. The ocean took these eggs deep inside its surface. The bird cried out, “Please return my eggs.” But the ocean didn’t listen.
The bird went to Agastya Rsi and said, “The ocean has taken my eggs. He is not returning them.”
Agastya Rsi came and told the ocean, “Oh brother, you should return the bird’s eggs. She is bitterly weeping for her children.”
The ocean did not listen. Agastya Rsi then took a palmful of water and chanted Rama Rama. Then, all the water of the ocean entered Agastya Rsi and the ocean was now completely dry.
ulta nama japata jaga jana
valmiki paya brahma samana
If a person chants, “Mara Mara,” then he will also be delivered. By chanting Bhagavan’s names once; by chanting Narayana, Krsna, and Rama, a conditioned soul will cross this bhava-sagara. All you little children don’t understand this. But your parents understand the glories of the holy name. You don’t understand that this world is a place of misery. But this world is filled with sorrow and thorns. You don’t realize that this world is full of miseries, sufferings, ego, lust, and everything else. But a day will come when you will have to weep if you are not chanting Krsna’s names.
So, from the beginning chant Hare Krsna. All of you repeat after me. Chant, “Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.” The children should especially chant loudly. Don’t forget these names. At least chant these names once in your house. When you have taken a bath and are going to school, then chant the Hare Krsna Mahamantra once and then go out of your house. By chanting only once, you will see how beautiful your life is. There will be no more miseries. Crossing this material world, all of you will be with Krsna in Goloka-Vaikuntha.
Everyone should chant Krsna’s names, if they want to be happy. No money is spent in chanting these names. A poor man, a rich man, the big, the small, while sleeping, while walking—the holy names can be chanted by anyone at any time. Your auspiciousness is then assured.
[Break of audio]
Maya consists of two letters—ma-ya. Maya means that which is not. Whatever we see—father, mother, children, world, mind, eye, and everything else is not actually what we think them to be. Krsna is the actual Father; He supports all. All the beings are the sons or daughters of Krsna. Krsna is the real father and mother. But we think, “He is my father.” But where is your father?
Devotee: He has gone.
Srila Gurudeva: Where has he gone?
Devotee: To Krsna?
Srila Gurudeva: We don’t know. We don’t know where he has gone. But his body was there, which we burnt. But he was not actually burnt. He is present even today. So, we think that “This body is my father.” This conception is wrong—this is maya. This mind is maya. A conditioned soul thinks, “I am this body.” But this is maya. These conceptions are characteristics of illusory maya. So, all the relations we have in this world are actually maya. They are not real but we think, “This is mine. This is mine.”
If your father was yours, then why has he left you and gone anywhere? So, this is maya. He is the son of Krsna and he is serving somewhere. All we see in this world is maya. Anything more?
Devotee: Why isn’t Siva considered Bhagavan? And why did he take poison?
Srila Gurudeva: Siva is not actually Bhagavan. He is the devotee of Rama or Krsna. With his wife, Parvati, he always serves Rama. He always chants Rama’s names. So, he should be considered like a Guru. But, he is not like Krsna or Rama; he is the servant of Rama and Krsna. He took poison because he is qualified to take it. He will not die by taking this poison. When the world was burning by this poison, then Krsna came and told Siva, “The whole world will be burnt if you don’t take this poison. You are powerful to digest it.”
So, he took that poison and kept it in his throat. Krsna is in his heart; Rama is in his heart. So, if that poison will go to his heart, then it will disturb Krsna and Rama. That is why, Siva kept that poison in his throat and it became blue. So, he is called Nilakantha.
Gaura Premanande! Hari Haribol!
[Break of audio]
Srila Gurudeva: To wait is bhajan. By waiting this way, you will become restless. Then, Krsna will be obtained immediately. But, we are unable to try like this.
Visnu dasa: Gurudeva, vipralamba-bhava is the opposite of milana.
Srila Gurudeva: The greater vipralambha-bhava is, the faster the goal will be attained. If vipralambha-bhava has come, then it means that your bhajan is becoming complete. You should want this mood; you should be restless for it. What did Mahaprabhuji say?
He would cry out, “Where is My Krsna? Where is My Krsna? My heart is breaking!”
Visnu dasa: Gurudeva, in Goloka Dhama, Caitanya Mahaprabhu is considered Krsna, but…
Srila Gurudeva: But this conception is only there for some moments. It is similar to when Krsna goes cow-herding. There is no vipralambha-bhava there.
Visnu dasa: Then it is not prominent there? There is vipralambha for three months in…
Srila Gurudeva: It is experienced in some sections. This mood is not experienced in all sections. Or else, no one will do bhajan. Then you will only cry day and night in separation. Therefore, milana, meeting is there. We should do the service of Radha-Krsna. How can we do Their service, when we have never met Them? We will only cry day and night in separation. In eternal meeting, nitya-milana, separation is experienced to small degrees. This is done to nourish meeting. For instance, maan is experienced. Radha-Krsna are sitting together, but They are not talking to each other. What is this mood? It is vipralambha. They are meeting together, but They are not talking to each other. This mood is also experienced when Krsna goes cow-herding. It is heard that Krsna is absent for three months for some reason. But, this applies only to some sections; this is not for all sections. How can vipralambha-bhava be experienced when Krsna never leaves Vrndavana?
The gopis feel a lot of separation when Krsna is playing with Baladeva Prabhu. At that time, the gopis are feeling so much separation. They think, “When will Baladeva Prabhu go? We cannot meet Krsna in front of Him.” So, vipralambha-bhava is here.
Visnu dasa: Gurudeva, Ananga Manjari is Baladevaji’s svarupa?
Srila Gurudeva: Baladevaji has lakhs of svarupas.
Visnu dasa: A person was telling me that “Where is the sloka that says Baladeva Prabhu is in madhurya-bhava?”
Srila Gurudeva: You should tell him, “Is it necessary for everyone to be a fool like you?”
[Laughter]
Is it necessary to be a fool?
Visnu dasa: Gurudeva, this person was a sannyasi. So, I could not tell him anything.
Srila Gurudeva: By being a sannyasi, he shouldn’t speak this way. Should everyone remain a fool like him for their entire lives? Shouldn’t they advance? Does everyone have the same qualification? They can confine themselves to their particular understanding. But we have a greed for this. But they can remain where they are or they can go lower.
Visnu dasa: Gurudeva, you said that Baladevaji has lakhs of svarupas.
Srila Gurudeva: Baladevaji has lakhs of svarupas. Thus, He serves even in the form of Ananga Manjari. Sometimes, He becomes Narayana; He becomes Maha-Sankarsana; He becomes Karanabdhisayi Visnu. These are His eternal forms. Similarly, Ananga Manjari is one of His forms. This is the dearest form of His. He is always serving Radha and Krsna in this form. This is beyond worldly understanding. Logic does not apply there. Foolishness doesn’t have a place there. It is beyond logic.
Why did Krsna steal the saris of the gopis? Your intelligence and logic cannot comprehend this. Why? Why does fire have the potency of heat and light? Why does a man die upon consuming poison? Your intelligence cannot understand this. Why can’t your intelligence understand everything?
Devotee: Gurudeva, at the other house you said that when Krsna dances, then sometimes clouds come and sometimes fire comes.
Srila Gurudeva: Yes.
Devotee: Can you explain this?
Srila Gurudeva: These are strange occurrences. When it was the winter season and the gopis were feeling so cold, then Krsna danced in such a mood that fire began to come and the gopis were so happy.
Devotee: Is this fire sunshine?
Srila Gurudeva: So many things; fire, energy, and everything. Sometimes, fire is present and it is so hot. Sometimes, it burns. When the creation is to be destroyed, then Krsna becomes like Siva and dances. This dance is of Krsna. But, it is a very bad, angry dance. And a sweet dance is Krsna’s.
[Srila Gurudeva speaks to a devotee who is going to get harinama-initiation]
You should chant in such a manner that if anyone has drowned in a well and he is dying there, then being surrounded by so much water and snakes, he will call out to his father, mother, brother, or anyone.
He will cry out, “Save me! Save me! Save me!”
No one will hear his cries. But Krsna is everywhere. He is present even in atoms. So, if you call out to Him by chanting, “Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare,” then He will at once come and save you. We are drowning now in the endless ocean of birth and death. This is not your first birth. Lakhs and lakhs of births have passed. But now you have come in a very beautiful human form. It is not necessary that after the death of this body, you will again come in the form of a human. So, only in the human body can you chant Krsna’s names and call out to him. You will chant Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare with tears in eyes and your heart melting. This is pure bhakti. If you will want anything by chanting Krsna’s names, then that will be had. If you desire very good intelligence, or if you desire to be married in a very big family to a qualified spouse, if you desire much wealth, reputation, then you will have that. But, you will have to leave everything here. So, try to have something that will never be lost.
So, you should chant, “Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.” But there are some processes? What are those processes? Why do the police wear a uniform? Why do they wear this uniform? Can they not perform their duty without a uniform? They can do. But yet, they have a dress. So, you will have to take a dress that will be helpful. What is that dress? You should apply tilak. You should wear a kanti-mala. And, to eat what is helpful for us. You should eat anything that is offered to Krsna with Tulasi. And you should try to be in very good sadhu-sanga. What is sadhu-sanga?
Devotee: Good association.
Srila Gurudeva: What is that association? There is no envy at all. There is no malice in this association. There is no quarrelling here. There is no chatter and patter. There is nothing that is told, which is without Krsna’s mention. There are no bad qualities here. They can chant Krsna’s name. So, being in their association, we should chant, “Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.” If you want to make your heart and voice pure, then you will have to take a Tulasi-mala also. Without that, you cannot do. Tulasi is so powerful—more than gold. Gold cannot save us from death, but Tulasi can save us from death. So, you should try. You can do more or less. You should try to maintain your life also. But also, you should do this. All these material things are not the soul; we are the soul inside the body. And this soul is the servant and maidservant of Krsna.
Father and mother will be left behind when we die or when they will die. But Krsna never dies and the atma never dies. So, if you have done bhakti in this life, then your life is successful, otherwise not. Try to develop your bhakti from childhood.
You should not think, “I will chant harinama when I will be old and unable to sit straight.”
From today, you should chant harinama.
*Transcribed and edited by the Govardhana dasa.