Yaṁ Yaṁ Vāpi Smaran Bhāvaṁ..

Harikatha, Sreela Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Goswami Maharaj

Srila Gurudev emphasizes on the importance of getting this precious human birth. In this regard he says that there is no guarantee that we shall get human birth again in our next life; nobody can give the guarantee. So, why should we lose this precious opportunity?

  • My humble submission to you all. You have to; especially I have to remember this always: Any moment we may lose this precious human birth, and again, if we are get a human birth there is no guarantee.

    yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvaṁ
    tyajaty ante kalevaram
    taṁ tam evaiti kaunteya
    sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ
    (Srimad Bhagavad Gita 8.6)

    Krishna has said in the Gita whatever you think at the time of death you will get your birth accordingly. For that all preparations should be done so we are remembering Krishna when we leave this body. If that is not done then there is no guarantee that I will get a birth in a human body. We may die while thinking of a dog.

    King Bharat, in his young age renounced his family—wife children etc. and went to the forest to engage himself fully for the service of the Supreme Lord. But he had attachment to a young-one of a deer and at the time of death, he died thinking, “Who will look after this young-one of a deer?” And because of that in the next birth he got the body of a deer. Such a person with so much penance and renunciation, he had such consequence. There is no guarantee that we shall get a human birth again. Nobody can give guarantee. Why should we lose this opportunity?

    siddha-deha diya,brndabana-majhe, sevamrta koro' dana, piyaiya prema, matta kori' more, suno nija guna-gana

    Very carefully we shall have to think about this. Bhaktivinoda Thakur has prayed “O Lord RadhaKrishna, give me realized form, transcendental realized form in the transcendental realm Vrindavan Dham. You are transcendental.

    It is very difficult to express the ancient Indian spiritual thoughts in material language. I have to explain the real meaning of the word 'transcendental'—beyond the comprehension of the human beings, mind intellect, sense organs, etc. It will descend to a completely surrendered soul. So, he is praying to Supreme Lord Krishna, or RadhaKrishna, “Please give me realized form—siddha-deha. You are in transcendental realm—nirguṇa. I am in this mundane world with this material body. How can I come in contact with You and speak about You? Please bestow upon me realized transcendental spiritual form and also bestow the ambrosia; actual ambrosia is the service of Krishna.” He is not praying for the nectar which emerges from the churning of the milk-ocean. That is worldly nectar. He is praying for transcendental nectar—the service of Krishna, which Krishna only can give. Without Divine Love (prema) you cannot have any real realization of Supreme Lord, He is All-Existence, All-Knowledge and All-Bliss, He is transcendental—aprākṛta, beyond this mundane sphere, completely. By your own capabilities you cannot get it. Whatever endeavor you do, everything will be a failure. For that reason, he is praying, sevāmṛta karô̍’ dāna, piyāiyā prema, matta kôr̍i’ more, śunô nija-guṇa-gāna, You make me drink prema and You speak Your glories through my mouth and You hear. That is called Harikathā.

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