sri sri guru gauranga jayatah!
Year 3, Issue 4, Amāvasyā Special Edition
Posted: 11 May 2021
Dedicated to and Inspired by
nitya-lila pravista om visnupada
Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Māhārāja
The Highest Transcendental Wealth – Guru-sevā
A letter to a younger god-brother
Appearing in English for the first time
Śrī Śrī Guru-Gaurāṅgau Jayataḥ
Śrī Keśavajī Gauḍīya Maṭha
P.O. Mathurā (U.P.)
27-10-59
śrī śrī vaiṣṇava-caraṇe daṇḍavan-nati pūrvikeyam – I first of all offer my obeisances at the feet of the Vaiṣṇavas.
Ānanda, I became extremely delighted to receive your letter dated 14-10-59. Exhibiting your natural humility, you have requested a letter from me, giving you instructions. This natural humility indeed will award you the utmost treasure of paramārtha, the highest transcendental wealth [kṛṣṇa-prema].
I do not know a more excellent sādhana in this world than service to śrī guru. Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the Vedas, Pūrāṇas, itihāsas [historical treaties like Mahābhārata] have all determined that service to guru (guru-sevā) is the cause of one’s achieving that highest, transcendental wealth.
What's more, śrī guru-sevā alone is itself paramārtha. Guru-sevā alone is bhajana and guru-sevā alone is the prayojana, the living entity’s sole and topmost goal. That person who sees gurudeva as distinct from Bhagavān or who thinks of him as less than Bhagavān is deprived of that topmost wealth.
You are blessed to have attained service to such a gurudeva. What instruction can I give you? Indeed, if you would explain to me matters regarding service to him – how he will be pleased – then someone like me, a low and worthless jīva who has been deprived of guru-sevā, may attain auspiciousness. You are most fortunate. Sincerely and one-pointedly continue to serve śrī gurudeva’s lotus feet.
We are all well here. Knowing that you are all hearing profuse hari-kathā [from ŚrīlaGurudeva], I am developing greed [to hear that hari-kathā]. From time to time, send letter and make us happy by giving us news of everyone’s well-being.
My obeisances,
Śrī Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa
