What happens through guru submission? // 28/09/2026

Satsang of Pujya Shri Hit Premanand Govind Sharan Ji Maharaj—to listen to the full discourse, watch the video above.

The Complete Discourse

The Lord, Shri Varsh Yamaan, becomes accomplished, becomes immortal. Those who, birth after birth, have been wandering seeking joy in sense desires—when through the guru's grace they took shelter with the Beloved, the mortal desires, the desires of the mortal world's enjoyments, they strike us again and again with the punishment of death. Now, to us, the guru has given the sweet nectar of the name of Radha—this is nectar. The guru has given us the sweet ambrosia to drink. Now there is no fear of death. "Ya Yamaan Sidhho Bhavati"—one becomes accomplished. Accomplished means mature. Mature means even when streams of desires of various kinds approach, even upon the ground of various kinds of enjoyments, the mind will not be agitated.

"Tripto Bhavat"—one becomes satisfied. By constantly remembering the Lord, when the Lord appears in the heart, there is a wonderful bliss. That is the kind of joy that we seek. Just as our mind seeks godly bliss firmly. Then after every sense object, they become dissatisfied. Whether it be eating, or seeing, or hearing, or enjoying. After every enjoyment they remain unfulfilled. They feel they haven't found happiness. But they keep seeking the same thing. In the world, in food, in woman, in man, in wealth, in honor, in fame and prestige. They think there is happiness here, then dissatisfaction and burning and restlessness go from their heart.

"Tripto Bhavati"—when one does steadfast worship of the Lord, abandoning attachment to the world, then when a joy arises in the heart, from that comes contentment, from that comes peace. Then no thought remains, no worry remains, no desire remains, and they become the form of the Lord themselves. Because at the root, we are all the form of the Lord. The Vedas say, "Ekoham Bahuham"—the One Brahman, when it resolved to become many forms, became the entire universe. Now, having come into this world, it has forgotten itself.

Now, to remove that forgetting, the Lord Himself teaches through the form of the guru, through the form of the saint, through the form of the scriptures. If we follow conduct approved by the scriptures, accept submission to the guru, and practice the sadhana the guru has shown us—then certainly our heart will be filled with joy. That joy, even if the body is afflicted with special pain, even if the time of death is approaching, even if there is great suffering—then they will have no sorrow or fear. That is what is called bliss. They become a great person completely elevated above bodily identification. Through this comes the attainment of godly bliss. Therefore, everyone should learn to control the mind.

It is the mind itself that, even having come to the Lord's door, turns us away. Now, we have all come to the Lord's door. In the Vrindavan dhaam, this manifest Vrindavan is the first step. From here is the entrance to the divine Vrindavan, the Chidananda Vrindavan, where the Beloved are continuously showering the rasa. But the eternal Yugal Kishor—their entrance is through this Vrindavan, this Vrindavan that you see.

When there is attachment in this Vrindavan, when a firm resolve becomes firm that "Now I will not leave Vrindavan, even if life leaves the body," and there is continuous service and worship of the Yugal Maharaj. Then in their heart appears that Vrindavan—that Vrindavan where maya and time do not reach. Maya has a threefold nature, but that is not this. It is not perishable; it is imperishable. It is a hundred-fold nectar-filled Vrindavan. We have come into that Vrindavan, as if we have reached the door.

Now we should move our senses, our minds, under the guru's command. We should not act willfully. Willful conduct causes separation from the Lord. When we move under the guru's command, the guru's command means the straight path. Willful conduct means getting trapped in a maze. So avoiding the paths of maya which is like a maze, first, apart from the guru, we should not bring anyone else's teachings into our lives.

Whatever the guru has taught us, if it is accepted then we accept it, otherwise we don't. This is why in the Ras Sangosthee, the sakhis said, "When the beloved is found and the mind is found, when bhajana rasa is found, then meet fearlessly and make love."

Our guru system, our guru-bhajana system—we should first understand what our guru-bhajana system is. Then understand: in our guru-bhajana system, the first thing is guru attachment. First, service to the guru's feet. "Whatever the guru calls dharma, do that. The guru reveals the glory of the naam." So: first, guru attachment. Second, the guru-given naam-mantra-vani-seva. These are four. Four pillars of ours.

The naam-mantra—mantra is not chanted in an impure state. When we are pure, then we are continuously doing mantra jap, not [intermittently]. But whenever we feel pure, then the naam and vani singing is our life. When we sing vani, our Beloved hear it while hidden nearby. Just as when we sing Chaturasi, the Beloved listen while hidden behind a curtain of maya.

Where there is naam and vani, Shyam and Shyama are there. Where there is naam and vani, Shyam and Shyama listen. Just as with naam and vani nearby, Shyam and Shyama manifest. Naam, mantra, vani, and seva—whoever has these four in their life will understand the system of Harivansh Dharma.

If one of these four is removed, like cutting one leg of a four-legged throne, it will not be fit to sit on—it will fall. All four should be there. Naam, mantra, vani, and seva—these four things should continuously flow in our lives. Sometimes naam, sometimes guru-mantra, sometimes vani, and seva. In seva itself is naam, vani, and guru-mantra. This too should be understood.

It is not that you sit alone in a room and move the beads. With us, there is a broom in the hand and the naam, mantra, or vani in the mouth. Whether warming water, or chanting the naam, or chanting the mantra.

Making bread, wiping, grinding sandalwood. Whatever service we do for Shri Ji—whether it's standing there or applying sandalwood to Shri Ji—all of this is service. But if we do not use naam, mantra, and vani together in service, then service is incomplete. Service is considered complete only when it is done while chanting naam, or while repeating mantra, or while singing vani.

Service is external, and this is internal. If you only do external work, you will grow bored—it will seem to you that you came for bhajan and they've put you to work. But if naam, vani, and mantra are flowing, then your enthusiasm in service will keep increasing.

Look, we are not talking about studies. We feel restless when we lie in bed. Friend, what will come from lying in bed? Time will be wasted. If there is no naam jap, no mantra jap, and no vani recitation, then you will remain dissatisfied. Understand this: because this is external action. Inside you are thinking worldly thoughts—so how will you attain joy? Joy is attained through meditation.

So while doing service, we should practice so that naam is flowing, mantra is flowing, vani is flowing—if nothing else, whatever love there is, humming along, singing pads, continuing, doing our work.

Well, if we do not meditate on the divine, then worldly thoughts will arise, and if worldly thoughts arise, then worldly actions will follow. If worldly actions occur, then the effect of sattvic action will not take hold. The effect of your bhagavatic sattvic action is like milk—if sourness is mixed in it—this tamasic action is like sourness. The path of bhajan is like milk.

An example has been given:

तू बालक नहीं भयो सयान काहे कृष्ण भजत नहीं नीके
अति सुमिष्ट तज सुरभिन पै मन बंध तंदुर जल
कामधेनु के दूध का त्याग करके चावल की धवन पीना

You are not a child, you have become wise—why don't you serve Krishna properly? You abandon the extremely sweet, your mind binds to boiling water, giving up the milk of the wish-fulfilling cow to drink rice water.

तू बालक नहीं है बड़ा सयाना है होश में होकर भजन कर हरिवंश

You are not a child, you are grown and wise—practice bhajan with awareness, O Harivansh.

So when we remain engrossed in service and there is no naam jap, no vani singing, no mantra jap, then the mind will rest only in enjoyments. Then you will see something wrong on your mobile, wrong thoughts will arise, wrong actions will follow. Then you will feel: I came for bhajan—what is happening? Because you are not following the system, you are not following the guru's system.

सेवक शरण सदा रहे अनत नहीं विश्राम

May the servant always remain in shelter, endless, without rest.

—says the vani of Harivansh.

And Harivansh says: What is our place of rest? The naam, the vani. In the naam comes the mantra. Naam, mantra, vani, and service—these four are our complete 24-hour cycle.

We must revolve in this. If we separate from this, then maya will strike us down. The heart will not be filled with joy. But see how much joy is obtained in service! How can we tell you? One by one, each thing for Shri Ji—our life is for Shri Ji.

So you all came for that. Shri Ji dragged you here Himself. Therefore, with awareness, follow the guru's system. The saints have always emphasized the guru's system: follow the system your guru has given.

Let us do service while chanting naam, while chanting mantra, while singing vani. Whether we are progressing or not does not matter to us, because the sins of countless births are being destroyed. It may take a year, two years, or even ten years before you understand something. But through service, our dharma is fulfilled. Through service, our beloved is pleased.

And the most difficult is the dharma of a servant. If one speaks of difficulty, servant-dharma is the most difficult—because a servant does not live for his own happiness; a servant lives for the master's happiness. A servant may be poor, honored—these considerations do not enter into the path. They do bhajan their entire life because this is the highest thing: service to Shri Ji.

Brother, such a great Mahapurush wrote a pad:

राधा मुंह पे आग डरो

O fire of Radha's face

In it he says further: Make me a servant with a broom, make me the one who sweeps your garden.

So what is this Vrindavan—is it not Shri Ji's kunja? The entire Vrindavan is Shri Ji's kunja. This Vrindavan here—whatever you are doing, it is all for Shri Ji. Shri Ji chose you, separated you from the world, for His service. So now give your life to service.

You have offered your life, and Shri Ji is so gracious that you have come to the shelter of Shri Harivansh. You have come to the shelter of Shri Harivansh.

श्री वृषभान कुंवर नंद नंदन निज कर अपनी चिट्ठी चढ़ाए

The beloved, with His own hand, wrote the entry.

Believe it—a great siddha Mahapurush, Nagaridas, writes that whoever has come to the shelter of Harivansh Mahaprabhu, the beloved has recorded his name in His register with his own hand and the date.

Everyone has been given a name. Shri Ji has given it. What to say? Krishna Mohini Sharan—that is written there. It is written in the register: Krishna Mohini Sharan, [other names] Sharan, Vrindavaneswari Sharan—these are all their names. Vrindavaneswari—that is their shelter, written in the register. The name given by the guru is written in the register.

Now, when you here practice these four—naam, mantra, vani, service—then from there the name will come. What does this mean? This is the body's name. From there will come the name of your true form. This is not made up. It is posted from there. And in the heart, the true form and that name awakens.

The name is written in the register. But if you do not pay such attention, if guru-aparadha, guru-avajnya occurs, then the red ink will be erased. Because the writing is not in Shri Ji's hands—it is in Krishna's hands. Shri Ji is so merciful that He can never erase it. The writing is in Krishna's hands. He merely smiles and gives consent. Yes, alright. But if you commit guru-droha:

कबीरा हरि के रूठ उठते गुरु की शरण जाए
और का कबीर गुरु रूठते हरि नहीं हो
हरि उसी समय लाल स्याही फेंक देते कि हरिवंश चरण

O Kabir, if Hari turns away, go to the guru's shelter; and Kabir, if the guru turns away, Hari is not there—at that moment Krishna erases at Harivansh's feet.

However, those who do not follow the guru's words, who are guru-defiant, doing things their own way day and night—that is spiritual destruction. Everything is ruined. Therefore, follow the guru's tradition, accept the guru's supremacy. Even the great perfected ones cannot succeed—those who act arbitrarily, who are self-willed—cannot succeed. Therefore, you should be guru-oriented. When your life has been offered, its fulfillment doesn't happen every moment when we are with you. But our mantra, our name, the vani, Thakur, service—these are always with you. That is the form of the guru. So the essence of satsang is this: we should not listen to anyone else, we should not go anywhere else.

We must follow our guru's words and spend our life following our guru's system. That's it—that is all. Just remain. Remain silently. Endure suffering—what suffering do you have? It is only a matter of the mind. It is a matter of self-will. If you don't follow self-will, there is no suffering. Tell me, what is lacking? Look, I am telling you the system of bhajan. Having been in Guru Ji's service for ten years, service has been happening. Coming to my cottage at eleven o'clock, I would do Shri Ji's mangla. You have seen—sweeping and mopping, bathing in two minutes and applying fragrance, going to ask for bread and eating it.

Then I went to Guru Ji's service. I did not have the understanding that our Shri Ji is my Guru Ji. Aha, jai jai! Our Shri Ji is my Guru Ji. In their command, take me to mean something. If you have served ten hours and returned to your cottage, bow to Thakur Ji and sleep. So if you understand Guru Dev as just a human, then you won't know. But if you understand him as an omniscient master, then he is watching every moment, every second. Who is taking care of you? Then if Guru Dev doesn't know you, who is taking care of you? Guru Dev doesn't know you and you are seeking refuge.

How can this be? Now knowing doesn't mean sitting in front and showing affection. Here there is inner love constantly. Everyone's well-being, everyone's—and all are filled with enthusiasm. One hundred fifty seekers are living here. All one hundred fifty filled with enthusiasm in service. Meaning, we bow to the seekers here. Whatever sect they belong to—the sadhana is founded on the guru's command. If it is not on the guru's command, then all this service is the guru's. Well, who is the guru? Ladli—Ladli is the guru. Guru Ji is Ladli. If our feeling becomes strong, then liberation won't be far off.

Understanding the guru as merely human—thinking he doesn't even see us, he doesn't even talk to us, how would he know us?—he has been knowing you since the moment you left home and came. He brought you out. You didn't come out on your own. He brought you out. He is nourishing you. The guru is the guru-principle. Ask me standing up: "If you know us, what is our name?" I haven't given you one. But I don't know. But the guru-principle knows. It sees everything. It is the guru-principle that is all-pervading and infinite. We must worship that principle. So where you are serving, is the principle not seeing what service you are doing? Then this is wrong. There are seekers you know, and there is one serving from far away. Eight to ten hours, they are also doing. So will the fruit be more for the one from far away or the one nearby? The one nearby doesn't think of us. The one far away doesn't think of us.

When I went for the guru's darshan, the guru said this: People say that remembrance is greater than darshan. Think of me. Come sometimes in fifteen days or a month. Think of me. That is the command he gave. He said in fifteen days, "Think of me." What grace—that he is saying this. He didn't say "Think of Shri Ji." Jai jai! Pay attention. Jai! The Guru graciously said, "Think of me." Such compassion—he didn't clearly say "Think of Radha Vallabh Lal," so that darshan would be complete from his darshan. He didn't say that. Think of him. Understand this: we are thinking of him and we are far, so we are near. We are near but not thinking, so we are far. Nearness is understood through remembrance. Even from a thousand kos away, if you remember the guru, the guru will take care of you, because the guru is all-pervading there. Just as there is sky, so is the guru.

गगन सदसम ब्रह्मंदम परम सुखदम केवलम ज्ञान मूर्तिम द्वंदातीतम
Sky-like, the abode of Brahman, supremely blissful, pure knowledge-form, beyond duality

गगन सदसम ततस लक्षम एकम नित्यम विमल अचलम सर्वध साक्षी भूतम भावातीतम त्रिगुणितम सद्गुरु तम नमाम
Sky-like, its nature is one, eternal, pure, immovable, witness of all, beyond becoming, beyond the three gunas—I bow to that sadguru

This is the form of the sadguru. Therefore, do bhajan with great joy and don't wander here and there. Victory to Shri Radha.

This text is taken from the video's auto-generated captions—there may be errors in the words. Be sure to listen to the video for the authentic discourse.

Original video: Shri Hit Radha Kripa (YouTube)