Why Doesn't God Hear Your Call?

In Shri Hit Radha Keli Kunj, Vrindavan, an intimate conversation with Pujya Shri Hit Premanand Govind Sharan Ji Maharaj. Sadhaks bring their questions about their lives and their sadhana, and Maharaj Ji resolves them.

Full Discourse

To the supremely blissful, Sachchidananda-ghan, the very form of love, the bower of Navaniki Nikunj, the most glorious and supremely holy Shri Vrindavan Dham, the beloved darlings of Shri Vrindavan Dham, the life-worshipped, dear Shri Yugal Sarkar, Shyama Shyam Ji, all the sakhi-vrind, the birds, deer, animals, trees and creepers, Shri Yamuna, Ras Rani, Raj Rani, and the entire Brajvasi parivar, we offer millions of salutations and millions of pranams. The Merciful Lord, through His compassion, has given us the chance to cross over the unending Maya. He has shown great kindness, a grace that needs no cause. But because of our old habits and the nature we carried from past births, and because of the pull of Maya, we cannot take even one step.

We have been given a very good opportunity. The breeze of the Lord's grace is pushing us forward from behind. But on our own side we are being cowardly. What we should do is gather in our senses and our mind and fix them at the Lord's feet. Instead, we have given them freedom. We have made room for the enjoyment of worldly pleasures. We think the Lord will forgive us, so let us enjoy now. I don't know what faith has awakened in us regarding Kaal, time, that we postpone attaining Bhagwat and want to fulfil our enjoyments in the present. It should be the other way around: we should postpone the desire for enjoyment to later, and the desire for attaining Bhagwat should be in the present. Attain Bhagwat first, now.

Once Bhagwat-prapti happens, we have no worry. First we have to cut the cycle of the world. But our intellect is upside down. First, in the present, we want to fulfil the enjoyment-tendencies of our mind. After that, attaining Bhagwat becomes impossible, because the impressions of the past do not let us rest now. If the impressions of the present will not let us rest later, then when will Bhagwat-prapti happen?

ajhu soch vichar ke ga bhaktan pad o hari kripal sab pachhli chham hai teri khot

Even now, reflect and take shelter at the feet of devotees. Hari, the merciful one, will forgive all your past faults.

Think it over even today. What are you worthy of? How much strength do you have to fight these brave soldiers of Maya: kaam, krodh, lobh, moh, mad, matsar and the rest? Then accept servitude to the devotees. Take shelter in the dust of the devotees' feet. The grace of the devotees and the grace of the Lord: it is the Lord's grace that carries the weight.

Have faith. The Lord is showering His grace on everyone. The Lord dwells in everyone's heart. He is Paramatma, Parameshwar. But all jivas in the world are miserable, sorrowful, anxious, restless and full of worry. When one attains the company of the Lord's devotee, this state does not remain. Then one becomes fearless, free of grief, free of worry, supremely peaceful and filled with supreme bliss.

Therefore:

more man prabhu as vishwasa Ram te adhik Ram kar dasa

O my mind, such is my faith in the Lord: the servant of Ram is greater than Ram Himself.

tohu soch vichar ke gayi bhaktan pad oth to hari kripalu sab pachhli chham hai teri khot

Reflect, and take shelter at the feet of devotees. Hari, the merciful one, will forgive all your past faults.

If, even today, after reflection, you can decide that nothing will be achieved by your ego, then become servants of the great souls devoted to the Lord. Become a servant of the servants. By this alone you will cross over, and the Lord will forgive all your offences.

hari kripalu sab pachhli ksham hai teri khot

Hari, the merciful one, will forgive all your past faults.

When the Lord saw that "this one has become the servant of My servant," He forgave all his offences. Intense devotion (ghanibhut bhakti) dwells in the heart of the one who remembers the devotees. Company of the devotees, service of the devotees, and obedience to the devotees' commands: where ghanibhut bhakti is, no defect can enter. Bhakt-bhajan is the all-powerful bhajan.

Radha vallabh bhajat bhaj bhali bhali sab hoe. Bhali bhali sab hoe.

Those who worship Radha Vallabh, worship Him, and all will be well, all will be well.

That is, no one anywhere in the three worlds has the power to obstruct those who do bhajan of Radha Vallabh Lal.

bhali bhali sab hoe hoe Harivansh charan rati hoe vishay vinash hoe Vrindavan bas gati hoe sud satsang hoe ras riti agadha hoe sujas jag pragat hoe pad priti su Radha

May all be well. May there be love at the feet of Harivansh. May sense-objects be destroyed. May Vrindavan be one's dwelling and one's goal. May there be pure satsang. May the way of rasa be unfathomable. May fame spread through the world. May there be love at the feet of Radha.

Boundless love at the feet of the Acharya, the destruction of attachment to all sense-objects, residence in Vrindavan, and unique devotion (ananya rati) at the feet of Pyari Ji: this is all that "Radha Vallabh bhajat bhaj bhali bhali sab hoye" means. For those who do bhajan of those who do bhajan of Radha Vallabh Lal, no obstacle can trouble them.

Radha vallabh bhajat bhaj bhali bhali sab hoe jite Vinayak shubh shubh vighna kare nahi koi vighna kare nahi koi dare kalikaal kasht bhay hare sakal santap haras hari naam japat jai

Those who worship Radha Vallabh, worship Him, and all will be well. Victory to Vinayak. May all be auspicious. Let no one create obstacles. Let no one create obstacles. Fear, the troubles of Kalikaal, and danger are removed. All afflictions are removed. Victory to those who chant the name of Hari.

If there is no bhakt-bhajan, then whichever deity you worship or adore is like a merchant's shop: you get as many goods as the rupees you bring. As much austerity, sadhana, vrat, daan and punya as you do, that much fruit you will get. But with bhakt-bhajan it is not like that. The Lord Himself gets sold. Whoever takes shelter at the feet of the devotees who do the Lord's bhajan, the Lord first shows His grace upon that servant of servants. Therefore, those who serve other deities:

sakal kal chalat punji si khoe chalat punji si khoe roye jhak divas gavavat pura din raat aise vyarth mein

They lose their capital, they lose their capital, weeping, wasting the whole day and night like this, in vain.

So if one gets the shelter of some great devotee, and by the Lord's grace we get sold into his hands, and he drives us according to his own mind, then our work is accomplished. We cannot walk on our own. This is certain. History is witness, and the scriptures are witness: those who served and took shelter of the lovers of the Lord, the devotees and the saints, all attained certain welfare. The one who sustains is Shri Hari, who sustains through and through.

hit to kije kamal nain so jage sab hit lage pheeko kahit kije sadhu sangati so jo kalmas jae sab ji ko

Make your bond with the lotus-eyed one. Once it awakens, all other bonds will seem insipid. Keep company with the sadhus, by which the impurities of all beings are washed away.

If we wish to attain love for Bihari Ji, then we must surrender our head at the feet of Bihari Ji's own people. Shri Bihari, who is Shri Lal Ji Maharaj, sustains through and through. Even if many mistakes happen along the way, He never counts the offences of such a person, thinking, "This is My own person."

Jan avagun prabhu maan na kaau, deen bandhu ati mridul subhau; uma Ram subhau jehi jaana, tahi bhajan taji bhaav na aana.

The Lord never counts the faults of his devotees. The friend of the lowly is extremely gentle by nature. Uma, one who has known the nature of Ram gives up every other feeling and does nothing but bhajan.

Whoever has truly known the Lord's compassionate nature cannot do anything but bhajan. He gives up everything else. Chant Radha, Radha, Radha while you get up, sit, walk, eat, and drink, at every moment, and you will be blessed.

Every single word of what is written in the scriptures is the supreme truth. People wander around looking for a way to remove their troubles. They think, "Let someone perform a chhuchha, let someone tie a jantar (amulet), let someone do some remedy, so that we can indulge in sense pleasures and commit sins, and the jantar will do its work." Absolutely not. This is not so in the world, not in the scriptures, and not in the siddhanta. You will have to do bhajan to destroy your sins, and you will have to do bhajan to atone for your mistakes.

So, instead of wandering here and there, remember this: remembrance of Hari is the liberator from all calamities. It is absolutely true, word for word.

Hari smriti sarva vipad vimokshan
Remembrance of Hari liberates from every calamity.

However great the calamity may be, outer or inner, you should focus completely and call out to the Lord. Keep calling until the fog of calamity is destroyed.

Then you will see how bliss arises. Whenever an occasion of calamity comes, become completely focused and submit to your beloved Lord: "Nath, besides you I have no helper." Then begin to chant the Lord's naam with deep feeling. See whether the calamity is destroyed or not. Try it and see. It happens right in the middle of calamity.

A person should consider himself free from calamity only when bhagavat sakshatkar (direct realization of God) takes place. Then there is no calamity, only bliss upon bliss. Until bhagavat sakshatkar happens, the path to downfall can open at any time, and we can fall.

Therefore, constantly take shelter at the feet of the devotees, worship the Lord's naam, roop, leela, and dham, and see no strength in yourself. This is the complete means of attaining the Lord. See no strength in yourself. Taking refuge in the Lord's grace, remain always engaged in naam, roop, leela, and dham. Keep your mind attached, and the company of devotees is a very accomplished thing.

Uma sant samagam sam na labh kachhua
Uma, there is no gain equal to the company of saints.

If you have the company of saints, there is no greater gain. Finding the company of the Lord's devotees is the greatest gain, and following their words is even greater.

Supreme gain upon gain. There is no occasion for loss at all.

Sadhu te hue na karaj haani
Through a saint, no task is ever lost.

You have been given an excellent opportunity to attain the feet-lotus of Priya Pritam. Brother, don't let it slip. Such fogs descend that one feels, "I don't know whether I am doing bhajan, whether the Lord knows us or not, whether bhajan will benefit us or not." To pull such a base intellect away from worldly pleasures and turn it toward the Lord is the work of a very strong person. And only that person is strong who has already surrendered himself to the feet of the devotees and the Lord. Only he gets the strength to drag his intellect away from the world and surrender it at the feet of the Lord.

Pujyapad Shri Prabodhanand Ji Maharaj says:

haram prabham madhur madhuram mahyam tad rassar vigraham nav vrinda vipine bhajem
I worship, in the new grove of Vrinda, the Lord who is the sweetest of the sweet, the very embodiment of the essence of rasa.

One of them has a body the color of refined gold, the beloved Ladli. The other has the luster of the indranil gem, Shri Lal Ji Maharaj. In Vrindavan, adorned with ever-new splendor, these two, Priya and Pritam, are performing wondrous, love-filled play, intoxicated with joy.

Brother, do bhajan of the divine couple, Shri Shyama Shyam, in Vrindavan. If you want supreme rest, supreme peace, and supreme auspiciousness, then do bhajan of this fair and dark pair: one is the fair-limbed Priya, and the other is the dark-limbed Shri Lal Ji Maharaj.

vilsan navhe champakti manohram maha tad mrigay mutitam hrid Vrindavan pushp ketuna
The enchanting splendor of the newly shining champak flower, the one sought by the heart, is the banner of the Vrindavan flowers.

Earlier I said the luster of the new golden champak flower. Now let me describe it more fully. Like the champak flower, which has a fair complexion with a slight yellowish tint, the golden-yellow radiance blends with a faint reddish hue and white. Together this forms the fair-limbed form.

tero rup kahat nahi ave jaise hit Harivansh kachu jas gawe
Your beauty cannot be told. Just as Hit Harivansh sings a little of your glory.

Such is Shri Swamini Ji: the luster of the new golden champak flower, and a great youthful form that would stun even Kamdev.

We have taken shelter of both these divine couples, and I am searching for them in every lane and every corner of Vrindavan. Where is their home? I am investigating. I am looking for them and seeking them out. When someone does bhajan, he does not have to search for Priya Pritam. Priya Pritam come close to him.

naam vani jahan Shyam shyama tahan naam vani sunat Shyam shyama subsat madhury ati prem dani naam vani nikat Shyam shyama pragat Madan ter
Where the naam vani is, there are Shyam and Shyama. Hearing the naam vani, Shyam and Shyama dwell, sweetest and giver of supreme love. Near the naam vani, Shyam and Shyama appear.

There was a sant who lived in the forest. Both of his eyes were gone. Outwardly he had no sight, but the eyes of knowledge in his heart were lit. So he renounced the world. Now he could not see with his eyes, so he ate whatever he got, and day and night he chanted "Radha, Radha, Radha." A considerable amount of time passed.

One day he was sitting among the vines, weeping in a state of intense feeling: "Priyaji, it seems to us that because of your association with Lal Ji, you have also become hard. I am blind in the eyes, I am not worthy of anything, and I have no means, so I can't say to you, 'Give me darshan.' But I heard that you have a very gentle nature. You are the embodiment of softness, compassion, and mercy."

But there is also the fault of association. We feel that because of your association with Lal Ji, you have become hard. Otherwise you are full of compassion. We have been longing for so many days. Why don't you give us darshan?

As soon as he had said this, Shri Ji came very close, held his shoulder, and said, "Baba, I am not hard." Swamini Ji touched him, and he received immeasurable happiness.

The moment the Lord touches a person, jivatva (the sense of being a separate individual) is destroyed. Whatever deh abhiman (identification with the body) and deh bhav (body-consciousness) there is, it is instantly destroyed. The jiva attains its own true nature.

Who are you?

So they said, "the one you worship." Lalu said, "Oh, that baba is very clever. With great cleverness he is trapping you in his net of love. See how he said that she became hard because of Lalu's company, and you spoke up. No, we see her every day, and we stay near her every day."

Ladli Ji said, "The one you worship, that is me. So let me see once what the one you worship is like, because I have no eyes." Shri Ji touched him, and the darshan of Shri Ji happens only through the eyes that Shri Ji gives.

Just as the Lord, when He showed Arjuna His cosmic form, gave him vision. He gave bhagavat drishti, which is called divya drishti. Here even divine sight cannot work. Here prem drishti is needed.

chashma nitya bihar ko diyo biharin moh ye Priyaju hi deti hai.

The spectacles were given by Nitya Bihar, and the attachment to Biharini is given only by Priya Ji.

When Priya Ji touched his eyeballs, he saw the divine. He saw the rasa of beauty, Swamini Ji, saying, "Look, mother, at the beauty." Beside her was Shri Lal Ji Maharaj, scattering sapphire (indranil mani). He took darshan, held it in his inner bhava, and said, "Make me blind." She said, "No, not now, the eyes have now appeared." He said, "No, Swamini Ji. If you are pleased with us, then make me blind. In my life I have seen no form. I saw your form once, and I see no other form in life. Now I don't want to see anything else. The purpose of the eyes is to have your sakshatkar. You showed grace."

[sound of clearing throat] "Born blind, I never saw anyone's form. I saw your form. Now let no other form come into my vision."

Shri Ji and Lal Ji, wherever we remember them, they are there. But we do not have the vision, so we cannot see them. So we should do anusandhan, a search for them.

Search for them. Where should we search? In our heart. Narayan, or Gaur Shyam, in the nikunj of the heart: that is where our Priya and Pritam are seated. Only the curtain needs to be removed. Naam and vani will set this right, and everything will be set right. Chant naam abundantly, with joy, believing that you will get Priya Lal. You will meet them right here in this Vrindavan. You will meet them right here. The name of Radha has great power.

In the beginning, during the Kumbh, there was the rasa of Pujya Shri Ram Swaroop Ji Maharaj. At the time when the rasa paused for rest, he would sing this:

chalo re Manu shri Vrindavan dham ratenge Radha Radha naam milenge kunj bihari odh ke kavarkari

Come, O mind, to Shri Vrindavan Dham. We will chant the names Radha Radha and meet Kunj Bihari, draped in a shawl.

You see the rasa every day. At the final moment, when everyone begins to leave, they sang, "Chalo re." His sweet voice remained like a cuckoo's until old age. The sound of Pujya Shri Swami Shri Ram Swaroop Ji Maharaj still echoes in my ears: "Chalo re mana, we will chant at Shri Vrindavan Dham, Radha Radha naam, and we will meet." Grace is true. Whoever develops love for the Radha name, whoever develops taste for it, whoever develops faith in it,

Bihari Ji is sold to those who chant the Radha name. The Lord considers himself indebted to whoever chants "Radha, Radha, Radha, Radha." On hearing "Radha Radha," Lalu Maharaj's eyes fill with tears. The name is so full of love that the Bansi Ji chants it day and night, devoted to it alone. Even Kishori Ji herself, in overflowing love, sometimes begins to say, "Ha Pyari Ju, ha Radha." This is the love secret of Vrindavan. If, by Bhagavat's grace, one develops love for the Radha name, the dust of Rajrani begins to feel like nectar, like sanjeevani.

muri hai rajrani vyas shri Harivansh bataai ye Brajraj sanjivni mo jaise dharivansh anat sach nahi bin ya raj liye

Rajrani is the sanjeevani herb, as Vyas Shri Harivansh has told us. This is the sanjeevani of Brajraj. Like me, there is no other truth without taking this dust.

Love the dust, chant the Radha name, and make Vrindavan your final resting place. Wherever you live, take shelter in this: "My final resting place is Vrindavan." Then you will come right here, and your life will be fulfilled.

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This text is taken from the auto-generated subtitles of the video. It may contain word errors. For authentic words, be sure to listen to the video.

Original video: Bhajan Marg (YouTube)