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EDITORIAL  Q&A With Srila Bhakti Bibudha Bodhayan Maharaj BY SRILA BHAKTI BIBUDHA BODHAYAN MAHARAJ  EDITORIAL, Dec 30 (VNN) — President and Acarya of Sri Gopinath Gaudiya MathQuestion 1: Does an eternal connection between the Spiritual Master and disciple exist? (M oþ E)„ E)„ disciple have in this life the same Guru which he or she had in the previous life(s) or not? And will he or she have the same Guru in the next life(s)? - (remark by Indradyumna das) Srila Bhakti Bibudha Bodhayan Maharaj: Actually there is a code as follows: "chaksu dana dila yei, janme janme prabhu sei" - means that Guru-tatva appeared in each life. Here Guru means Guru-tattva. So, if we accept sad-Guru in this life next life we will accept same type of Guru-tattva. Until we are not able to deliver from the planet we will accept same Sampradaya's Guru. Gurudeva is like a media to reach our ultimate goal of life. Question 2: Can the devotees of the Lord be called sentimental or not? What is the real meaning of the concept 'sentimental'? Srila Bhakti Bibudha Bodhayan Maharaj: According to our association we can be sentimental in the form of a devotee. The sentiment is not devotion at all. Sentimental things are changeable. At any movement we can change our mood, some time it can be favourable for devotion and sometime not favourable for devotion. Please watch it in your life then you can realize. Question 3: Guru Maharaj, in the holy scriptures the spiritually elevated devotees are described. We can read that when these devotees speak about Sri Krishna or chant His Holy Name then tears are appearing on their eyes. Can we call these feelings 'spiritual sentiments'? Srila Bhakti Bibudha Bodhayan Maharaj: Whatever an elevated devotee does, it is coming from his proper realization. Nowadays, mostly, we are very eager to get the prestige of being an elevated Vaishnava. Even if we look in the Caitanya Bhagavata, at the time of Haridas Thakur one day one snake-charmer was singing the pastime of Kalianag. At that time, as soon as Haridas Thakur heard the story of Kalianag Lila of Krishna, Haridas Thakur was feeling ecstasy and the assembled people were honouring him (Haridas Thakur) from the core of their heart. At that place, one so-called Brahmana was there. He thought if he does the same activity like Haridas Thakur then everybody will honour him in the same way. As soon as he imitated the act of Haridas Thakur, the snake-player understood the fake mood of the so-called Brahmin. That's the reason he started to beat the Brahmin in order to stop the fake activity. The assembled people were astonished and did not understand why he (snake-player) did not object to Haridas Thakur. Finally everybody understood that Haridas Thakur's action was real ecstasy, that is why the snake player was worshipping Haridas Thakur. But the Brahmana's ecstasy was only a show to the public in order to get the same type of prestige from them. Here, the Brahmin's mood proved that his position was not stable. For certain motives only, sentimental persons make a show of devotion in the public, but this type of emotion is not devotion at all. But though we are showing the symptom of elevated Vaisnavas in public, but it is not our real position of progress. It is in fact a symptom of their lack of progress as any real progress on the spiritual path is based in genuine humility and surrender, saranagati. The above explanation, the fact of Haridas Thakur, fake Brahmana and snake-charmer, I like to say that sentiment is not our real position. It may change at any time. Until, we are not in a position of pure devotion, in between what ever we will do, it should be under the guidance of pure devotee, otherwise our practice will not give us proper result. Our previous Acharyas give us instructions for chanting the Holy Name constantly, then gradually all our symptom of pure devotion will appear spontaneously. Here your explanation of sentiment, if he is in the position of pure devotion and his tears appear from real separation of Guru, Vaisnavas and God then it will not be sentiments. I like to worship this devotee for the rest of my life.  Comment on this storyContact VNN about this storySend this story to a friend
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