In2-MeC

Timisoara, Romania
15 July 2004

A Letter from Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura
Translated by Punya-palaka Prabhu, ISKCON Prague

The Dispelling of Grief

(the worldly relationship between a father and a son is based on the material bodies - actually the soul of both of them is an eternal servant of Krsna and their eternal duty is service to the Lord - whenever a true devotee comes to this world as if due to his karma and accepts anybody's sonhood, after the predestined time he goes to the place that has been fixed for him - the living entity in his original form is a soul born from Nityananda Prabhu - a thorough liberation from missing a worldly mortal son by establishing Lord Visnu as the eternal son - the example of Srivasa)

sri sri guru-gaurangau jayatah

Sri Gaudiya Math, Calcutta
May 29, 1927

My dear -

This morning I came, along with Sriman Paramananda, from Puri to Sri Gaudiya Math. Just when I arrived at the station, I heard that, by the Lord's desire, Tota had left us and passed away. Tota was known as your son, otherwise he is a servant of Krsna. He had come to a house of devotees; you were serving him as devotee father and mother, for a short period he had to be accepting service, and after receiving that, he has departed. Tota had certainly received his body from you, but he is a living entity, a devotee of the Lord. His eternal duty is to serve the Lord. A devotee comes to this world as if due to his karma, and for the predestined time he lives in this atmosphere, afterwards he goes wherever Lord Baladeva sends him, according to his eligibility. Inside this Baladeva Maha-Laksmi is situated, inside Maha-Laksmi is the Supreme Lord -- therefore Tota has gone to serve the object of his worship. Since he is a devotee living entity born from Nityananda Prabhu, thus if you learn how to put Lord Visnu in the position of a son, you will feel no lack any more. The Lord was there with Tota as Antaryami, and you were serving that Lord, so now continue serving Lord Baladeva. The material body has mixed with the stock of five elements. Tota's soul shall remain engaged in the service of the energy and the energetic. Your dear son has become separated from the association of his dear father. He is dear to God, so his engagement is to act as a Vaisnava, in the role so dear to the Lord. Because the Lord knows that you are not bound by maya as I am, He will give you His unlimited mercy and strength and will not let you become struck with grief, that is my conviction. Remember how the son of Srivasa was talking. Read the Soka-satana [chapter 3 of Sri Sri Gita-mala by Bhaktivinoda Thakura] and the Caitanya-bhagavata. When Mahaprabhu took sannyasa, at that time He told His old mother, His wife Visnupriya and the inhabitants of Navadvipa that "I am only a human being, situated in various relationships with you. When I go away, establish all those relationships with Krsna instead of Me, and give Me the freedom to serve the Lord in seclusion. " Now without Tota, you have also gained a lot of time for serving the Lord. Whatever the Lord does is meant for our good. I am a conditioned soul, what more can I explain to you.

your ever well-wisher,
Sri Siddhanta Sarasvati

<< Back