No Greater Gain

Srila Bhakti Raksaka Sridhara Deva Goswami Maharaja describes the feeling of one who even once slightly connects with the Lord. Originally published at Gaudiya Darshan.

Once, when I first had some spiritual impressions, I had an educated cousin who wanted to discourage me from this path. He told me, quoting a lecture from an erudite scholar of the Brahmo school, that if there is any God, he is so far, far, far away. “There is a star whose light has not yet touched this earth. The speed of light is such. There is a star whose light has not yet reached this earth. The infinite is so great, and if there is any creator of that infinite world, he is so, so, so far away that it is almost impossible for us to connect with him.”

In this way, my learned cousin wanted to discourage me from this path. But I had some experience, and I at once put forward this answer: “Can you show me a place where he is not present?” My cousin stopped. “He is everywhere. Yes, the infinite is so great, but he is everywhere. Tad dure tad v antike—he is in the most distant of the distant, but he is also the nearest of the near.” That stopped my cousin. I told him, “Can you show me such a place where he is not existing? He is existing everywhere, and it can’t be denied.”

So, tam eva saranam gaccha sarva-bhavena bharata—if we sincerely seek after him, then he is always very eager to meet with us. Only the sincere attempt from our side to seek his guidance is necessary. “Where are you, my Lord? I can’t stay without your company. Please give me a chance to understand you, to have a look at you. By any means, I want your guidance.” In this way, we can pray fervently. We can try, in a raw way.

When connected with the guru, we’ll try to find that the Lord has come to me through this agent, and he will talk with me through this agent. Acaryam mam vijaniyat. If my quest is sincere and the transaction is right and lawful, then his coming nearer to me will also be true. And when that connection is there, then we are to try to see that his voice is coming to me through that agent through whom he has accepted me. Acaryam mam vijaniyat—he is everywhere, so he is especially present where he has selected me as his special, considerable devotee.

tam eva saranam gaccha sarva-bhavena bharata
tat-prasadat param santim sthanam prapsyasi sasvatam
“O Bharata, wholeheartedly surrender to [the Absolute]. By his grace you will attain the supreme peace and the eternal abode.”
Bhagavad-gita 18.62

In no time one will get a conception of the eternal plane—sthanam, sasvata, one will be introduced to the eternal aspect of the world. One will be saved from the relativity of this mundane, flickering, and changing aspect of the world, and one will rise in connection with an eternal, all-pervading, and all-blissful plane. That will come in touch with one’s heart.

yam labdhva caparam labham manyate nadhikam tatah
yasmin sthito na duhkhena gurunapi vicalyate
“Upon gaining this he thinks there is no greater gain. Being situated in such a position, one is never shaken, even in the midst of the greatest difficulty.”
Bhagavad-gita 6.22

If we come into a slight connection with him once, then this impression will be received therefrom, that there cannot be any gain better than this. “Caparam labham manyate nadhikam–no greater conception of gain can be existent than this.” We shall get this sort of direct understanding from that. “If I can maintain my connection with this wonderful thing, no trouble—even losing anything and everything—will be able to pain me. If all things at present that seem to be indispensable to me are lost, I won’t be the loser.” This will remind me of such hope. We shall get this positive proof by his direct connection. We shall get this sort of assurance there. “All may abandon me, but I won’t be the loser if I get my connection with this friendly thing, which is the highest achievement of my life.” We shall have this sort of conviction and experience if we can come into a slight connection with him. A guarantee is there, with that connection. Gaura Haribol.