When the Guru Disappears

Disappearance of the Guru

Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura Srila Prabhupada

Student: After the disappearance of the Spiritual Master, how should the disciples continue his Mission?

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Śrīla Śrīdhar Mahārāj: You must not neglect your conscience. You may go to fight as a soldier, to save your country, or your people, or your honour. Your environment does not depend on your whim. It may appear extremely perplexing, but you will have to face that. However complex the battlefield may be, as a soldier, you will have to fight. Otherwise you have no faith in your own cause.

Bhakti Rakshaka Shridhar Dev Goswami Maharaja

There may be disturbances. Rather we say there should be, there may even be fighting amongst devotees, but we should not leave the preaching of Mahāprabhu, despite all differences. Disturbance must come, because our most beloved Guru has withdrawn from amongst us.

 

Such a great curse has been thrown on our heads; should we like to live peacefully? In its wake disturbances must come, and we must undergo them. Still, we must remain sincere; we must face the difficulty in a proper way. It has come to train us to go in the right direction.

What we received from our Spiritual Master we understood only in a rough estimation. Now, things have come in such a way that we have to scrutinise ourselves in every position. 

We have to analyse ourselves. Ātma-nikṣepa, self-analysis, has begun. We are under trial. What we received from our Spiritual Master, in what way have we received it? Properly, or only showingly? 

"are we real students or only in face and confession?"

The time has come to purify us, to test whether we are real students, real disciples, or his disciples only in face and confession. What is the position of a real disciple? 

If we live in the society, what is the depth of our creed? In what attitude have we accepted his teachings? How deep-rooted is it within us? The fire has come to test whether we can stand. Is our acceptance real? Or is it a sham, an imitation? This fire will prove that.

So, we must not be afraid of any adverse circumstances. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, “A happy kṣatriya hankers for the battle you are facing” (sukhinaḥ kṣatriyāḥ Pārtha labhante yuddham īdṛśam). 

"Happy are the warriors who die in battle"

Our karma has come to face us, to surround us, and we can’t avoid it. These disturbances are a result of our own karma; they came from within us. So, we must not quarrel. We must act properly in dealing with that.

We have to scrutinise more accurately what we thought we understood. Everyone must ask himself, “Where am I? What is my real need? And how much am I hankering for the real thing?” All these things will be expressed and made public. So, this is the real field of sādhana, or practice. 

Our practice, our advancement, needs all these difficulties. Otherwise we may not know what is progress. We will become hypocrites and give the same adulterated thing to others. So, to purify ourselves it is necessary that so many disturbances come.

And God has no error. He commands the environment. It is not our responsibility. The responsibility of the environment does not rest upon us. Our responsibility is within ourselves alone. The environment is in the hands of the Lord. He has not done any wrong to me. If I am sincere, then I have to adjust myself with this environment and put my faith before Him. By our stand in any circumstances in the battle, our patriotism will be put to the test. We will be tested to see whether we are real soldiers or not.

"we will be tested."

Anything may come, but we will have to face that. I must not forget my Lord, my Guru, my Gaurāṅga, my Rādhā-Govinda, under any circumstances. 

Under all unfavourable circumstances, I must stand with my head erect and say, “Yes! I am a servant of that clan, that sampradāya. Everyone may leave me, but I shall stand alone!” With this attitude we must march on, whatever the circumstances may be. Then the recognition may come in my favour, that “Yes, under such trying circumstances he is still there.” Our superiors will be pleased with us.

We must analyse ourselves. How much are we selfish? To what percent are our unwanted bad habits, anarthas, still present within our hearts? How much are the impurities of karma, jñāna, mental desires, and other filthy things mixed with the real faith—that must come out, and that must be eliminated in different ways. If we want real good, no one can hinder us. With this spirit we must move, and then we will be able to understand what is what.