(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 26 April 2015, Radhadesh, Belgium, Vyasa Puja Morning Lecture, Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya Lila 24.124)
We wish to come to the stage of pure, unalloyed devotional service so that our heart can become completely satisfied with serving Krsna. Serving Krsna is our only aim – our only pleasure, our wealth and our single possession. Nothing else do we possess. We have an illusion that we possess many things, ‘This land is mine and these things are mine, so many things are mine…’ but that is the illusion. Time will definitely sever relationships that we have with anything material. Even our body is not really ours, even that belongs to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
There is a passage from Caitanya Caritamrta which is to be highlighted. When the body of Sanatana Gosvami, in Jagannath Puri, had been contaminated by sores and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was touching his body, embracing him and Sanatana Gosvami was thinking, ‘That is too much!’ Sanatana Gosvami thought he was making the greatest offence by allowing this to happen and wanted to give up his body. But Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu pointed out, ‘No! You have already surrendered to me and that means you surrendered your mind, body and words. Therefore, your body is now my property, not yours.’
So yes, we are all the property of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The spiritual master is sometimes called the postman and sometimes called a messenger of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Of course, the spiritual master, on behalf of Krsna, is also considering us his property and he can do anything and everything with us…
I remember, I was in New Vraja Mandala (Spain) one time and in the middle of the temple room, there is a pillar which is a perfect danda parking! To sannyasis, danda parkings are attractive places! So I noted the place that perfectly supports dandas and I had my danda parking there – it was close-by whenever I wanted it. It was a very convenient place. However, Jayadvaita Maharaj was also visiting there with his danda and then at one point, he took my danda. I had left it parking there although I was still in the temple room and Jayadvaita Maharaj walked around with it for a while. For a moment, I was thinking, ‘Is he going to give it back?!’ That is how it is, you know.
So, I definitely got the message that it was still his property and not really mine, and that he simply allows me to carry it. So he walked passed, handed it to me with the gesture saying, ‘Have a danda!’ It was an enlightening moment because I could understand that everything I have is his property. He allows me to use it, that’s all, and I better use it properly. I could see it clearly and that is our situation.
So, those in this room who are my disciples, everything you have is mine – just so you know that! (laughter) I am allowing you to use it but I can take it back at anytime! (laughter) But for now, I am happy that you are using it and not me, because the spiritual master does not desire to take all these things, with the mindset, ‘Yes, it is all mine!’ And have large quantities of different goods that are piling up. No, better you keep all those things and then you use them in Krsna’s service, and you do something with them for Krsna. But only for Krsna and not for sense gratification, that is not allowed, for sense gratification is strictly forbidden. So these things definitely help the guru-disciple relationship unfold.