Sadhu Sangha

For those who never really thought about the personal side of krsna consciousness, sadhu sangha and sadhana will appear to be a part of a mechanical process. Please note that krsna consciousness is an extremely personal process and the connection(s) one makes with sadhu(s) are emotional. The spirit soul is pure love as is krsna Himself, since we have been "made in His image".

Our relationship with sadhu-guru, like our relationship with Srimad Bhagavatam, Who is not different to krsna Himself, is pleasing to the heart.

If we follow the loving example of our sadguru and become as sweet natured as he is, naturally we will develop love for Sri Krsna; it is our lack our love, our unfavourable attitude, that is our only real enemy, as all of our material desires will eventually dissapear if we keep following our Srila Gurudeva by giving up all offensive behavior and following his instructions regarding sadhana, henceforth we will be left loving krsna and all of His devotees, including every living being.

One who preaches by example

S adhu sangha is about the love radiating from the heart of Sri sadhu. Speaking from the heart, ultimately, our Srila Gurudeva is speaking only about madanyakya-maha-bhava and no other topic. As you probably are already aware, madanyakya-maha-bhava is the highest expression of love of god, prema, which includes all levels of surrender and expression that exist below it, as part of Herself.

Apart from krsna-prema which includes love for all living beings, pure, unconditional, love cannot be said to exist. Srila Gurudeva is a close associate of Srimati Radharani and he experiences Her exhalted bhava; to the degree that we can receive it, this is what we experience streaming from the heart of our Srila Gurudeva. Pure love.

Love can be known by loving.

There is no text book, no body of knowledge, no scientific theory, that teaches us to love. Bhakti is the only love. Love can only be known by experiencing love from a person who loves us. Bhakti Rasamrta Sindu and Sri Ujjvala Nilamani can offer us guidelines but even these texts can only be realised in retrospect. One does not achieve the heights of krsna-prema by reading books but by associating with one who's heart is filled with krsna-prema.

In fact, desire for knowledge (jnana) outside of that knowledge that helps us to understand our own relationship with Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga, is a distraction from prema.

No theory, only practice.

Love is experienced, appreciated and reciprocated by loving. Our Srila Gurudeva comes to us and demonstrates how love is so soft and caring, how love is so sweet and attractive, how love is without condition. Only those who are extremely offensive are deprived of Srila Gurudeva's love.

If we develop this love ourselves, in conjunction with our sadhana, trying hard to be as kind and caring as our own gurudeva, then naturally, we will not commit offences to vaisnavas, nor offences to harinama-krsna. Some material attraction is there in our impure heart, and sometimes, maybe even often, we fail our gurudeva, but in our heart we repent our selfishness, thus Srila Gurudeva continues to guide us towards Vraja, the land of love.

Insight can be achieved by such books as those by the goswamis, but ultimately, words cannot describe an attraction so sweetly overwhelming that it induces us to eagerly surrender ourselves wholeheartedly and completely to our beloved Srila Gurudeva.

Not on the map

Although no map of the road to pure love, prema, exists anywhere in the three worlds, one may be led down the highways of the heart by a loving, caring leader who knows the way. Therefore we should take every opportunity to associate with each and every sadhu anytime an opportunity may arise because such a kind hearted leader is sadhu-guru, and such fortunate association is very rare, not to be taken for granted.