As we the Gokul Bhajan Gaudiya Matha is fully aligned and following the strict teachings of Yuga Acharya Srila Gurudeva, learning Jaiva Dharma is one of the most important things for us. While Srila Gudeva read the whole Jaiva Dharma 108 times from the begining to the end, we should not be reluctant to hearing for any number of times. Lack of boredom in hearing again indicates the lacks of our seriousness in raganuga bhakti.
Srila Gurudeva has told repeatedly that any one who has not read Jaiva Dharma at least 32 times, is not fit to preach to even a single person. Thus, we can see the heaviness about the importance of Jaiva Dharma. Also only the translation by Srila Gurudeva is the topmost authorized and has the power to shower us the deepest truths.
As we are gearing towards restarting the Jaiva Dharma class on Saturdays in english as well, here is a portion from its phala-stuthi for us to understand the importance of this great scripture that manifested to Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura in his trance.
jaiva-dharme nahi ache deha-dharma-kathā
nahi ache jiva-jñane mayavada-pratha
“This book, entitled Jaiva-dharma, neither discusses matters related to the dead material body, nor does it propound the Mayavada doctrine of the jiva’s oneness with brahma.”
jiva-nitya-dharma bhakti – tahe jada nãi
suddha-jiva “prema’ seva-phale paya tai
“The jiva’s nitya-dharma is bhakti devoid of material motivation. The jiva, purified by seva, attains the fruit of that seva in the form of prema.”
jaiva-dharma’ pathe sei suddha-bhakti haya
jaiva-dharma’ nà padile kabhu bhakti naya
“One who reads Jaiva-dharma with faithful deliberation will surely attain suddha-bhakti, but one who does not read Jaiva-dharma can never attain suddha bhakti.”
rūpānuga-abhimana pāthe drdha haya
jaiva-dharma vimukhake dharma-hina kaya
“Faithfully reading Jaiva-dharma will surely strengthen one’s abhimana as a rupanuga (follower of Sri Rupa Gosvãmi). One who is averse to reading Jaiva-dharma is certainly devoid of religious principles.”
krsnera amala-seva labhi’ sei nara
sevā-sukhe magna rahe sadā krsna-para
“Such a man, being fully devoted to Sri Sri Radha-Krsna Yugala-Kisora and having attained Their amala-prema-seva, remains forever merged in the bliss of such immaculate loving service.”
All glories to Srila Gurudeva!
Thank you!