Spiritual Life Is Scientific

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.20
August 23, 1972, Los Angeles


Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

evam prasanna-manaso
bhagavad-bhakti-yogatah
bhagavat-tattva-vijnanam
mukta-sangasya jayate
[SB 1.2.20]

Translation: "Thus established in the mode of goodness, the man rejuvenated by loving service to the Lord gains liberation from material association, mukti, and comes to know scientifically of the Personality of Godhead."

Prabhupada: So bhagavat-tattva-vijnanam. Vijnana means science. It is not concoction, speculation. It is a science. Just like mathematics is a science: "Two plus two equal to four." You cannot make two plus two equal to five according to your whims. No. Anywhere you go, it doesn't matter. Because it is science, so either in America or in India or in England, everyone will accept "Two plus two equal to four." That is science. Science is true everywhere. Not that "I can imagine my God according to my whims; you can imagine your God..." That is going on. No, how you can imagine? There is no question of imagine. This bhagavat-tattva-vijnanam, this truth, this science, can be understood by a person who is mukta-sanga. Mukta-sanga, freed from material association. He can understand. Mukta-sangasya jayate. And the condition is evam prasanna-manasah. When you are enlightened, engladdened... Because so long we are in the jurisdiction of ignorance and passion, there cannot be any jubilant. There cannot be any enlightenment. Therefore you have to come to the platform of goodness.

As it is stated in the previous...,

tada rajas-tamo-bhavah
kama-lobhadayas ca ye
ceta etair anaviddham
sthitam sattve prasidati
[SB 1.2.19]

Cetas, everything is working within the heart, the whole thing. Heart is the central point of this body. So when the heart is not punctured by the rajo-guna and tamo-guna and you become situated on the modes of goodness, then you become jubilant. Jubilant means he can understand at that time that "Why these people are working so hard like cats and dogs?" The human life is meant for understanding what is God. Athato brahma jijnasa. This life is meant for simply understanding what is God. The animal life, they cannot understand. That life is different. But the human life is developed, consciousness is developed. He can understand. This is called goodness. Tasyaiva hetoh prayateta kovidah. How one becomes intelligent? He can study... When he is on the platform of goodness, he can study the nature that "Why I shall work so hard for getting all my material necessities?" This is being supplied by nature. The birds and beasts, they are getting their food, they are getting their mates, they are being protected in their own way, they have got a sleeping nest, apartment. So even an animal, even a small ant... We sit down in the garden, we see, even the small ant it has got family, it has got home, it has got eating. Everything is there. From ant to the elephant. Who is supplying? They have no business. They do not do any business. They have no profession. But they are getting their necessities of life.

Therefore, intelligent person... This is... Goodness means intelligence, prakasa. And ignorance means darkness. In darkness, we cannot see what is what. So goodness means light. Anyone can see that there are 8,400,000 species of life or forms of life. They are getting their food. They are getting their shelter. They are satisfying their sex. They are also defending without any extra endeavor. By nature, they are doing their own way. So why human being, so-called civilized human being, is so much harassed for these four things? We have got better intelligence. We shall be, rather, more comfortable without struggling for existence than the animals. But our struggle for existence is greater than their struggle of existence. What is this civilization? This is not civilization. Everyone wants peaceful, calm life. Even those who are struggling so hard, big business magnate. Still, at the weekend, they find out some secluded place, nice place, without trouble. That is the nature.

That human nature should be like that, that "Why should we work so hard, simply for eating, sleeping, mating?" This is a wrong type of civilization. But at the modern age, the human society is so made that one has to work like ass, whole day and night, simply for satisfying these four necessities of life. That is also not guaranteed. We thought that in your country... When I was in India, I was contemplating coming to your country. I thought that America is very rich. "There is no problem for eating, sleeping, mating." Actually, there is nil. There is no problem. But the civilization is so made that there is no shelter. They are lying down on the park, on the street. Why? There was no necessity, but they have created such civilization, that a certain section of people are voluntarily, or being obliged, lying down on the street, on the park, no dress, no food, no fixed..., fixed-up sex life. Everything is topsy-turvied. Everything is topsy-turvied. But this is not civilization, this is not civilization. Then how they can understand God? Their mind is always disturbed and full of anxiety.

So first of all you have to come to the stage of tranquillity. Prasanna-manasa. Evam prasanna-manasah. Prasanna-manasa means always jubilant. That is... That can be achieved by this process: bhagavad-bhakti-yogatah. By devotional service, not by no other process. Evam prasanna-manaso bhagavad-bhakti-yogatah [SB 1.2.20]. One can be jubilant only by practicing bhagavad-bhakti-yoga. There are many other yoga systems, karma-yoga, jnana-yoga, dhyana-yoga, hatha-yoga. Everything you endeavor for spiritual enlightenment, that is called yoga. So there are different types of yoga, but real yoga is bhagavad-bhakti, devotional service. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gita it is said, yoginam api sarvesam. "Of all the yogis..." There are different types of yoga systems and different types of yogis also. But Krsna says, "Of all the yogis..."

yoginam api sarvesam
mad-gatenantar-atmana
sraddhavan bhajate yo mam
sa me yuktatamo matah
[Bg. 6.47]

"That yogi who is devotee and always thinking of Me, or thinking of Krsna within the heart..." Yoginam api sarvesam mad-gatenantar-atmana. Sraddhavan, faithful. Bhajate. This is bhajana: Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. So he is first-class yogi, who is chanting Hare Krsna mantra and thinking of Krsna within his heart, first-class yogi. That is bhagavad-bhakti-yoga. And if he does it nicely, according to the rules and regulations, in the beginning, then he becomes prasanna-manasa, prasanna-manasa, enlightened, engladdened. There is no more any lamentation or hankering.

This is the sign. Evam prasanna-manaso bhagavad-bhakti-yogatah [SB 1.2.20]. Then you can understand what is God. God is not so cheap: "Come on, I shall show you God. You haven't got to follow any rules and regulations." People want to be cheated. Therefore there are so many cheaters. They take advantage of it. Because they want everything very cheap. That is not possible. This is the stage, prasanna-manasa. Then you can understand what is God. Bhagavat-tattva-vi... Because it is a science. If somebody says, "Come on, I shall teach you the science of chemistry within a second. Give me some money," is it possible? If somebody says, "I shall teach you mathematics. Come on, give me some money.," So why these rascals are misled? If... It is a science; it is not sentiment. It is science. There was... Understanding of the Supreme Personality of Godhead without reference to these scientific books, Vedic literature, it is simply a disturbance, simply rascaldom. Simp... Because they are creating disturbance, always, cheating some people. They are cheated. They do not get anything. Create some disturbance. That is the instruction of Rupa Gosvami.

sruti-smrti-puranadi-
pancaratra-vidhim vina
aikantiki harer bhaktir
utpatayaiva kalpate
[BRS 1.2.101]

Utpata, utpata means disturbance. So many rascals, without reference to the Vedic literature, revealed scriptures, Sruti-smrti. These are Vedic literatures, sruti-smrti-purana, pancaratra-vidhi. Without reference to all these books, if anyone poses himself that he has understood God and devotional service, it is simply a disturbance, creating disturbance. That's all. Sruti-smrti-puranadi... [BRS 1.2.101]. Because it is a science. How you can manufacture it? It is not that thing.

Therefore any religion without scientific understanding through philosophy, it is simply sentiment. It is not religion. And philosophy without religious understanding is mental speculation. That is also useless. Philosophy which does not search ultimately what is truth, what is God, that philosophy is mental speculation. And the knowledge of God without philosophy is simply sentiment. They should be combined. To understand God, our relationship with God, our duty, everything should be understood, scientifically. Bhagavat-tattva-vijnanam. Therefore this word has been used, vijnanam. Visesa-jnanam. Jnanam, ordinary knowledge, and vi, when the this word is added, vi, meaning visesata, particularly, for practical application... This vijnanam.

So this vijnanam, this science, can be understood by mukta-sanga, who is freed from the lower modes of material nature, especially tamo-guna and rajo-guna. So do not be befooled by so many rascals that bhagavat-tattva-vijnanam, the science of God, understanding is so cheap that anyone can give you by simply one day's association with some rascal. You see. This is not so possible. Yes, it has to be studied, it has to be practiced. It has to be realized. So this vijnanam is being stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Therefore in the beginning, in the Srimad-Bhagavatam: dharmah projjhita-kaitavo 'tra [SB 1.1.2]. All rascaldom going on under the name of religion, cheating religion, they're completely kicked out from Srimad-Bhagavatam. Simply on scientific understanding we are presenting what is Krsna consciousness. Not for sentimentalists. Read the purport.
Pradyumna: "In the Bhagavad-gita [Bg. 7.3] it is said that out of many thousands of ordinary men, one fortunate man endeavors for perfection of life. Mostly they are conducted by the modes of passion and ignorance, and thus they are engaged always in lust, desire, hankerings, ignorance and sleep. Out of many such manlike animals, there is actually a man..."

Prabhupada: Manlike animals. They show with two hands, two legs, but actually they are animals. Four-legged. Two legs have been transformed into two hands. Go on.

Pradyumna: "Out of many such manlike animals, there is actually a man who knows the responsibility of human life and thus tries to make life perfect by following the prescribed duties. And out of such many thousands of persons who have thus attained success in human life, one may know scientifically about the Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna."

Prabhupada: Yes. So it is not so easy to understand Sri Krsna. Manusyanam sahasresu kascid yatati siddhaye, yatatam api siddhanam: [Bg. 7.3] "Those who have endeavored for perfection of life, out of many such persons, one can hardly understand Krsna." It is not so easy. But it is by Krsna's grace. Krsna being very compassionate with these fallen souls of this age, He appeared as Lord Caitanya and distributed Krsna. That is His prerogative. That is His right. If Krsna wants to distribute Himself freely, that is a different thing. Otherwise, it is not so easy to understand Krsna. Just like to earn one million dollar is not so easy. But if you are fortunate, you meet somebody who can distribute million dollars at a time, that is a different thing. Therefore Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu was recognized by Rupa Gosvami, namo maha-vadanyaya krsna-prema-pradaya te: [Madhya 19.53] "My dear Lord, You are the most munificent of all incarnations. The other incarnations, people could not understand, but You are freely distributing Yourself." Krsna-caitanya-namne. Krsnaya krsna-caitanya-namne gaura-tvise namah. Therefore we have to follow the footsteps of Rupa Gosvami, rupanuga. Then we can understand Lord Caitanya. And if we get favor of Lord Caitanya, we can very easily understand Krsna. This is the process. Go on.

Pradyumna: "In the same Bhagavad-gita (18.55) it is also said that scientific knowledge of Sri Krsna is understood only by the process of devotional service, or bhakti-yoga..."

Prabhupada: Yes. Here also it is confirmed: bhagavad-bhakti-yogatah. It is not said, "By mystic yoga, by hatha-yoga, by jnana-yoga, by karma-yoga." No. Bhagavad-bhakti-yogatah. If you want to understand the science of God, then we have to adopt this devotional service. Not by other yogas. Otherwise, in Bhagavata it would have been said "By karma-yogatah, by jnana-yogatah, by hatha-yogatah, by dhyana-yogatah." No. It is clearly said, bhagavad-bhakti-yogatah. Bhagavat-tattva-vijnanam mukta-sangasya jayate. If you are still after jnana-yoga, dhyana-yoga, you cannot understand Krsna, God. It is clearly said. In the Bhagavad-gita also, it is clearly said, bhaktya mam abhijanati [Bg. 18.55]. Simply through devotional service.

So if you want to know God, then you have to follow the prescribed rules and regulations of bhagavad-bhakti-yoga. It is very simple. It is made very easy, especially in this age: simply by chanting Hare Krsna mantra. It's so made easy, but we are so unfortunate that we do not take advantage of this. Etadrsi tava krpa bhagavan mamapi durdaivam idrsam ihajani nanuragah. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu laments, "My dear Lord, You are so compassionate and merciful upon us that in this age You have descended in Your, as Your name, and one can chant this name without any regulation, without any regulation." Niyamitah smarane na kalah. Any time, any circumstances, one can chant this Hare Krsna mantra. Krsna has become so liberal. But Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, etadrsi tava krpa bhagavan mamapi: "My dear Lord, although You are so much merciful upon me, still, I am so unfortunate." Etadrsi tava krpa bhagavan mamapi durdaivam idrsam, "I am so unfortunate," durdaivam idrsam ihajani na, "I could not be attached to chanting of mantra. Oh, I am so unfortunate." You see? The things have been made so easy, actually, but unfortunate class of men, they cannot take to it.

Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.20 -- Los Angeles, August 23, 1972

Understanding--Krsna's Mercy

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.19
September 27, 1974, Calcutta


Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Nitai: "At the time loving devotional service is established in the heart, the modes of passion [rajas] and ignorance [tamas] and lust and desire [kama] disappear from the heart. Then the devotee is established in goodness, and he becomes happy."

Prabhupada:

tada rajas-tamo-bhavah
kama-lobhadayas ca ye
ceta etair anaviddham
sthitam sattve prasidati
[SB 1.2.19]

So the principle is that we have to place our mind, or consciousness, in the sattva-guna. That is the first business. Because the material world means sattva-guna, rajo-guna and tamo-guna. Sattva-guna is the qualification of pure brahmana. Samo damas titiksa arjavam jnanam vijnanam astikyam brahma-karma svabhava-jam. Sattva-guna. These are the symptoms of sattva-guna. Without coming to the platform of sattva-guna, or brahminical qualification, one cannot make any advance in spiritual life. Therefore in our Krsna consciousness movement we first of all bring anyone to the platform of brahmana. Therefore, at the time of second initiation, we offer the sacred thread, to recognize him that "He is now brahmana."

Without becoming a brahmana, nobody can become a Vaisnava. Or, when one is Vaisnava, it is to be understood that he is also brahmana. The common word... In India it is said, brahmana-vaisnava. Brahmana should become Vaisnava. Or one who is Vaisnava is already a brahmana. Brahma janatiti brahmanah. So a Vaisnava not only knows brahmana, er, Brahman, but he knows Paramatma and he knows Bhagavan. So Brahma janatiti brahmana. Simply by knowing Brahman, one can become a brahmana. But a Vaisnava, not only he knows what is Brahman, but he knows further, what is Paramatma and what is Bhagavan. Brahmeti paramatmeti bhagavan iti sabdyate. The Absolute Truth is present in three features: Brahman, Paramatma and Bhagavan. So Brahman realization is the first. Aham brahmasmi. That is the self-realization: "I am not this body." Aham brahmasmi. That is called brahma-bhuta stage. Brahma-bhutah prasannatma [Bg. 18.54]. That is the statement in the Bhagavad-gita.

Here is, also it is stated that sthitam sattve prasidati. Everyone is hankering after how to be peaceful in mind. Everyone. Everyone says, "Swamiji, kindly say how I can get peace of mind." The peace of mind, how it can be attained is stated here: sthitam sattve prasidati. If you fix up in sattva-guna, not in the rajo-guna, tamo-guna. Tamo-guna is the life of the karmis. Tamo-guna and rajo-guna. Or rajo-guna is actually karmis, and sattva-guna is the life of jnanis. And after coming to the sattva-guna, being peaceful in mind, that is called... (baby crying -- pause) ...brahma-bhutah prasannatma [Bg. 18.54]. You have to come to the platform of sattva-guna. Then you'll be prasannatma.

Prasanna means happy mode of life. Brahma-bhutah prasannatma [Bg. 18.54]. What is the happy mode of life? Na socati na kanksati. He does not lament. He does not hanker. Here in the material world we are hankering. We want this... Dhanam dehi rupam dehi yaso dehi rupavati bharyam dehi. Dehi dehi. That is hankering. This is not the stage of brahma-bhuta. Brahma-bhuta stage means na socati na kanksati. He does not hanker. Neither he laments. Then samah sarvesu bhutesu mad-bhaktim labhate param [Bg. 18.54]. Then bhakti begins, when actually you are in peace of mind. With disturbed mind (you) cannot execute devotional service. Therefore in the beginning, if somebody all of a sudden becomes a Vaisnava and in a solitary place, "I am chanting," that is cheating. How you can be...? How you can chant? You cannot, because your mind is not fixed up. Your mind is not... Na socati na kanksati. Unless you are purified, your mind is always disturbed. That is the material condition. The mind must be disturbed.

Sada samudvigna-dhiyam. Prahlada Maharaja says. That is the material symptom. What is the material symptom? Always full of anxiety. Sada samudvigna-dhiyam. Why? Asad-grahat. Because he has accepted the temporary position, asat. Asat means "which will not exist." Here everything will not exist. This body, it will not exist. But I have taken this body as everything. "I am Indian." "I am American." "I am the father of this family." "I am the manager of the so big business." And so on, so on, so on, so on. Asad-grahat. But everything concentrated on this body. So you must be an..., full of anxiety. Asad-grahat. You accepted this body as fact. But it is not fact. Similarly, the whole world. Asad-grahat samudvigna-dhiyam. This was a question several times. This is very nice question.

Hiranyakasipu asked his son, Prahlada Maharaja, "My dear boy, what you have learned the best thing? You are student." He said, tat sadhu manye asura-varya. He addressed his father, he addressed him as asura-varya, "the best of the asuras." He did not address him as "Father." But he said, "My dear the best of the asuras..."

tat sadhu manye 'sura-varya dehinam
sada samudvigna-dhiyam asad-grahat
hitvatma-patam grham andha-kupam
vanam gato yad dharim asrayeta
[SB 7.5.5]

That is the best thing. One is rotting in this family life, which is just like a blind well, andha-kupa, atma-patam. Just like a man falls in the blind well. He has no other alternative than to die, crying, crying. That's all. So he advises, hitva, "Just give it up." Hitvatma-patam andha-kupam, grham andha-kupam. Then where shall I go? Vanam gatah. Vanam gatah. Vanam gatah, "Go to Vrndavana, or in the forest." Then how shall I live? No, harim asrayeta: "Just take shelter of Krsna, Hari. He'll give you protection." This is the instruction of Prahlada Maharaja.

So here Bhagavata says, tada. Tada means "at that time." At that time. When? It is, in the previous verse it has been explained that,

nasta-prayesv abhadresu
nityam bhagavata-sevaya
bhagavaty uttama-sloke
bhaktir bhavati naisthiki
[SB 1.2.18]

At that time, when you are fixed up in devotional service. At that time, tada. Not otherwise. If you have no connection with devotional service, if you are attached to karma, jnana, yoga, you cannot be fixed up. Therefore Caitanya-caritamrta says, bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kami sakali asanta. Here we require... Tada, sthitam sattve prasidati. Prasidati means peace of mind, fully satisfied. But bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kami. As Caitanya Mahaprabhu... They cannot have peace of mind. It is not possible. Bhukti means karmis. They're trying to enjoy this material world -- more money, more woman, more eating, more, more and more. That is called bhukti. They are not satisfied by enjoying on this planet. They perform various kinds of yajnas so that they may be promoted to the higher planetary systems, Svargaloka, or Janaloka, Maharloka, like that. But Krsna says, abrahma-bhuvanal lokah. "You rascal, you are trying to be promoted to the higher planetary system for more and more material enjoyment..."

Certainly there is thousands and thousands times more material comforts in the heavenly planets, in the Candraloka... In the Candraloka... They are trying to go into Candraloka, and according to sastra, if one goes to Candraloka, he gets ten thousands of years his duration of life, and enjoy. So certainly there are many times more comfortable life, standard of life, very, very high, in the heaven, other planetary systems. But Krsna says that any one of the planets you can go, but the material disease will not be relieved, the material disease, janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi. We cannot understand. This is our real disease, repetition of birth, janma, and repetition of death. Janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi. And repetition of becoming old. And vyadhi, repetition of being affected by various types of disease. So therefore intelligent man should see that "Even if I go to the Brahmaloka..." When Brahma was asked by Hiranyakasipu, "Give me immortality, sir," he said, "I am myself not immortal. How can I give you immortality?" So abrahma-bhuvanal lokah punar avartino 'rjuna [Bg. 8.16]. Krsna advised Arjuna, "My dear Arjuna, you, if you go to the Brahmaloka, many millions of years duration of life, still, you have to die."

So that is the standard of highest perfection. If you do not die, if you do not take birth... If you know what are the miserable conditions of birth, to remain within the womb of the mother... Not only to remain. Nowadays, modern advanced civilization, they are being killed by the mother. Not only abortion, but they are being killed. Now the Western world is very familiar with these things. So just imagine. First of all, you have to remain within the mother's womb, head down, packed-up condition. You cannot move, ten months. And that is also not secure. Even within the... Now this is the... Within the mother's womb you are not secure. At any moment the doctor may advise that "Kill the child." So these are the miserable condition of birth, but we do not remember them. We have to know it from the sastra. So similarly, at the time of death, coma and... Nowadays it is a very common disease. For seven days or fifteen days he's unconscious, crying.

So this is the miserable condition of death, this is the miserable condition of birth, and between birth and death there are so many miserable conditions. This old age, this disease, so many calamities, catastrophes. So still, we do not want to make a solution of these problems. And the solution is very simple. In the Bhagavad-gita it is said, janma karma me divyam yo janati tattvatah. If you simply know Krsna, what is Krsna, why does He come, why He works like ordinary man -- janma karma me divyam yo janati tattvatah -- in truth, in actual fact. Not that "Oh, Krsna was born in Mathura, and then He was taken to Vrndavana." This is also knowing. But still, you know what is Krsna.

manusyanam sahasresu
kascid yatati siddhaye
yatatam api siddhanam
kascin mam vetti tattvatah
[Bg. 7.3]

It is very difficult to understand Krsna tattvatah, not superficially, but in fact. So Krsna says, janma karma me divyam yo janati tattvatah. So one who understands Krsna in truth, he becomes free. Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti kaunteya [Bg. 4.9]. These things are there. So why don't you be serious to study Krsna, to understand Krsna?

But to understand Krsna it will require Krsna's mercy. Without Krsna's mercy... So how you get Krsna's mercy?

tesam satata-yuktanam
bhajatam priti-purvakam
dadami buddhi-yogam tam
yena mam upayanti te
[Bg. 10.10]

One can understand Krsna by being constantly engaged in His service. Tesam satata-yuktanam. Not that weekly once go to the church. No. Twenty-four hours, satata-yuktanam, engaged in Krsna's service. That is Krsna consciousness movement. We are teaching people how to become twenty-four hours engaged in Krsna's service. This is our business. We don't allow karma, jnana, yoga. No. Simply. And that is krsna-bhakti. Jnana-karmady-anavrtam [Madhya 19.167]. There is no question of jnana and karma. That is not pure bhakti. Pure bhakti means anyabhilasita-sunyam jnana-karmady-anavrtam, anukulyena krsnanusilanam [BRS 1.1.11], simply to serve Krsna favorably, as Krsna becomes pleased. This is bhakti. This is pure devotion.

So this Krsna consciousness movement, therefore, teaching pure devotional service to Krsna. That will solve all problems. So how one can come to that stage? That is being explained in this portion of the Bhagavata, that srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah punya-sravana-kirtanah [SB 1.2.17]. Just hear. You haven't got to do anything more. Just hear about Krsna. Srnvatam sva-kathah... Then everything will be cleared, gradually. This is our purpose. This center is giving chance that you come here and hear about... We, we don't make any flattery to satisfy the whims of the ordinary... We speak from Srimad-Bhagavatam, we speak from Bhagavad-gita, and present them as it is, without any adulteration. This is our position. If you like, then you make progress. If you don't like, that is your option. But we cannot make any compromise. We must present the sastra as it is.

And where is the difficulty? Everything is explained here. Nityam bhagavata-sevaya [SB 1.2.18]. You have to attend Bhagavata class and serve the bhagavata person nityam, daily. If you cannot, that is a different thing. But this is the process. Nityam bhagavata-sevaya. Nasta-prayesu abhadresu. This conclusion comes when one is partially advanced. Nasta-prayesu. Not fully. Then it will come. He'll be ready to serve Bhagavatam -- Bhagavata, he person bhagavata and the book Bhagavata. Nityam bhagavata-sevaya, bhagavaty uttama-sloke bhaktir bhavati naisthiki. Nistha, I have explained already yesterday. Tada, at that time, when you are fixed up, "Now I shall devote my life in Krsna consciousness," when you come to this conclusion... Nityam. That will come. Nityam bhagavata-sevaya, bhaktir bhavati naisthiki [SB 1.2.18]. Not deviated. But... Not this worship, that worship, this worship, this worship... No. Kamais tais tair hrta-jnana yajante anya-devatah. Those who are worshiping other demigods... That is recommended for the less intelligent class men. Tad bhavaty alpa-medhasam. These things are recommended for the persons who are less intelligent, whose brain is packed up with cow dung, not intelligent persons. Intelligent persons -- sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. That is intelligence.

So when one comes to this conclusion, bhaktir bhavati naisthiki... Bhakti where? Not that bhakti to this god, that god. No. Bhagavati, unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Bhaktir bhavati naisthiki. Naisthiki, without any disturbance. Tada, at that time. Tada... What is the result? Rajas-tamo-bhavah... There are three bhavas: rajo-guna-bhava, tamo-guna-bhava and sattva-guna-bhava. So as soon as you come to the platform of devotional service, the two inferior qualities, namely rajo-guna and tamo-guna, they become finished. Simply sattva-guna remains. Because there are three gunas. If two gunas are finished, no more useful, then the other one is there. Tada rajas-tamo-bhavah [SB 1.2.19]. What are the symptoms of rajas-tamo-bhavah? Now, kama and lobha. Those who are infected with this rajas-tamo-bhavah, they are very lusty, greedy, lobhi. They are not satisfied. The modern civilization is based on rajas-tamo-bhavah. Nobody is satisfied. Everyone is greedy. And lusty. Kama-lobhadayas ca ye. Kama. So long you are lusty, so long you are greedy, there is no question of devotional service. There is no question of advancement to spiritual life. So therefore you have (to) come to the platform of sattva-guna, where simply knowledge... There is no other thing, ignorance or greediness, only knowledge.

So at that time, it is said, ceta etair anaviddham. Because everything is within the heart. We become greedy, we become lusty on account of distortion of the heart disease, kama. Tada hrdi lobha-kamau apahinoti(?). That is a heart disease. This kama and lobha is a heart disease. Actually, you don't require this, but it is a kind of disease. "More and more and more and more and more." Never satisfied. So we have to cure this disease. And this process, simple process, Caitanya Mahaprabhu has given: ceto-darpana-marjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. To cure the heart disease of lusty desires and greediness is chanting Hare Krsna maha-mantra. Param vijayate sri-krsna-sankirtanam. These are the shastric injunction, and spoken by personalities like Lord Caitanya and other acaryas.

So we have to follow. Mahajano yena gatah sa panthah. Don't follow rascals and fools. Then it will be useless waste of time. Follow the great acaryas. Acaryavan puruso veda. One who is acaryavan, who has accepted acarya, he knows. Others, all are fools, rascals. Acaryavan. Acaryopasanam. In the Bhagavad-gita it is said, amanitvam adambhitvam ahimsa ksantir arjavam, acaryopasanam. You have to first of all worship the acarya. Tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet [MU 1.2.12]. Guru and acarya, the same thing. So these are the process. Mahajano yena gatah. You cannot manufacture your ways of thinking. What you are? You are most insignificant living entity. And without following the acaryas, without following the mahajanas, without following the sastras, how you can teach?

But people are doing that. Without being followed by the acarya, without being followed by the sastras, they become guru, they become swami, they become yogi. It is useless. You cannot get... Here are the process, process is given: tada rajas-tamo-bhavah kama... [SB 1.2.19]. Tada means when you are fixed up in devotional service, then you can get out of these infections. These are infections. In... It is so dangerous infection. Infection, anyone can understand nowadays, scientific days. If you infect some disease, you have to suffer. You cannot escape. You infect today somehow or other. Not today, not tomorrow, but some day it will come out. It is called kutastha, phalonmukha, prarabdha, papa-bija. Papa-bija, remains as seed, kutastha. Then it is fructifying, phalonmukha. Then you suffer, prarabdha. This is called prarabdha-karma, infection.

You are under the complete subjugation of nature. Prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah [Bg. 3.27]. These gunaih. The prakrti is forcing you to work because you have infected a kind of guna. Karanam guna-sango 'sya sad-asad-yoni-janmasu. Karanam. Why one man is born, one living entity is born as a very rich man and one is born as a dog? Sad-asad-yoni. Yoni means mother, and bija means father. Yatha yoni yatha bijah. So the every living entity is born -- bija and yoni, father and mother. So why there are varieties? Nature is working. Why not one, one kind of living entities? No. Sad-asad-janma-yonisu. There are 8,400,000 of species. One has to take. Tatha dehantara-praptih. You have to change. But why one is in the lower grade birth, why in the higher grade? Now, karanam guna-sango 'sya. These guna. These guna, sattva-guna, rajo-guna.

So we have to give up the association of rajo-guna and tamo-guna. Then there is question of progress. Otherwise it is simply a bluff. Therefore in our society we say, "Don't associate... Don't be infected by these rajo-guna, tamo-guna." This meat-eating and illicit sex life and drinking and gambling, they are rajo-guna, tamo-guna. Kama-lobha. You see? There is a big fairground. Gambling, tamo-guna. They are going there. Thousands and thousands of people are going there for gambling. This is tamo-guna. Why? Lobha: "I must get more money. I must get more money." Lobha, kama. Kama-lobhadayah. So we have to get out of all this entanglement. Then there is spiritual life. Otherwise don't talk of spiritual life.

So this is fact. Tada. Tada means when you are fixed up in devotional service. Tada, kama-lobhadayas ca ye. Tada rajas-tamo-bhavah [SB 1.2.19]. We have to get rid of this rajo-guna and tamo-guna. We have to be fixed up in sattva-guna, pure life. Then sthitam sattve prasidati. If you are situated in the sattva-guna, then you will be peace of mind. And that is krsna-bhakta. That is explained in the Caitanya-caritamrta.

krsna-bhakta -- -- niskama, ataeva ‘santa'
bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kami -- -- sakali ‘asanta'

Krsna-bhakta, he does not desire anything. Krsna-bhakta says, "I don't mind I am born lowborn." No, because he'll chant Hare Krsna. Lowborn or highborn, he has nothing to do. If one is engaged in devotional service, it doesn't matter whether he's lowborn and highborn. As soon as he takes to devotional service, he becomes above lowborn and highborn. Sa gunan samatityaitan brahma-bhuyaya kalpate [Bg. 14.26]. He's in the Brahman platform.

So in this way, as they are stated in the sastra, if you follow, then it is step by step. First beginning is srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah [SB 1.2.17]. Try to hear Krsna's message. That is Bhagavad-gita As It Is. You hear it. You understand it. What is the difficulty? Srnvatam sva-kathah. Don't misinterpret. Hear it as it is. Krsna says, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. Hear it and execute it. Where is the difficulty? But we shall not agree to, we shall not hear. We shall not act according to the instruction given. And that is our misfortune. Caitanya Mahaprabhu therefore says, etadrsi tava krpa bhagavan mamapi durdaivam idrsam ihajani nanuragah: "You are so merciful that in this age You have incarnated, You have descended in Your name." Namnam akari bahudha nija-sarva-saktih. And in the name there is all potencies. Parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate. There are multipotencies of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. All the potencies are there in the holy name of the Lord. Namnam akari bahudha nija-sarva-saktis tatrarpita niyamitah smarane na kalah. Desa-kala-patra. There is no distinction. Anywhere, either in England or in Vrndavana or in Calcutta, you can chant Hare Krsna. Niyamitah smarane. No kalakala-vicara, that "This is asuddha-kala, this is suddha-kala." Anytime. Kirtaniyah sada harih [Cc. adi 17.31]. You have to chant only Hare Krsna.

So this opportunity is there. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, etadrsi tava krpa: "My Lord, You have..., You are so kind, You have given us this chance." Durdaivam idrsam ihajani nanuragah. "But I am so unfortunate, I have no attraction for this chanting Hare Krsna." This is our position. So if you are serious about peace of mind, if you are serious about advancing in spiritual culture, spiritual life, then you must follow what is there in the sastra and spoken by Krsna Himself, spoken by Lord Caitanya Himself. Then life is successful.

Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.19 -- Calcutta, September 27, 1974

The Bhakti Lift To Love

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.19
August 22, 1972, Los Angeles



Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

tada rajas-tamo-bhavah
kama-lobhadayas ca ye
ceta etair anaviddham
sthitam sattve prasidati
[SB 1.2.19]

Translation: "At the time loving service is established in the heart, the modes of passion, rajas, and ignorance, tamas, and lust and desire, kama, disappear from the heart. Then the devotee is established in goodness, and he becomes happy."

Prabhupada: So rajas-tamo-bhavah. There are three stages, you know: sattva, rajas, tamas. The material world is conducted by three modes -- the modes of goodness, modes of passion, and modes of ignorance. Therefore we find varieties of men. So one has to come to the platform of the modes of goodness. Just like illiterate, uncultured, animal-like man is trained up to come, to become civilized. By training, it is possible. Just like, by training, even cats and dogs and tigers, they are also become obedient. That is our practical experience. The tiger in the circus, they play obediently to the orders of the master. So by training, it can be possible. But there are two kinds of training process. One process is scheduled: tapasa brahmacaryena samena ca damena ca [SB 6.1.13]. Undergoing tapasya, austerity, brahmacaryena... Brahmacaryena means controlling sex indulgence or sex impulse. Brahmacarya means practically no sex life. Tapasa brahmacaryena samena, damena [SB 6.1.13], by controlling the senses, by controlling the mind. Tyagena, by giving up in charity. So there are gradual process, but there is another process. Another process means this Krsna consciousness. Either you practice in this way... Just like if you want to go up, there are two vehicles or process. You go step by step, one step after another. Suppose you have to go one hundred steps. So you have to go step by step. Tapasa brahmacaryena samena damena [SB 6.1.13], practicing. The another process is... (someone making tapping sound) (aside:) Why you are making this sound? Stop it. Another process is the lift. You go by step by step or take the process of lift. Within a second, you come up.

So the bhakti-yoga process is like that. Bhakti-yoga process means if you take to this process, then immediately, very quickly, within a second, you come to the top floor. Otherwise, you have to go by step by step, one step, two step. Although both the process leading to the target, to the topmost floor, the one is very slow and the other is very quick, immediate. Just like another example: if there is fog. You have got experience in your country, sometimes there is fog. You cannot see even a person one yard off from you. So there are so many processes to take precaution in the fog. But somehow or other, if the sun is little strong, immediately, the fog is over. So similarly, to purify ourself... This is the purification process, austerity, penance, controlling sex life, controlling the mind, controlling the senses, giving in charity whatever you possess, everything regulated. This is one process. And the other process is this bhakti-yoga.

srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah
punya-sravana-kirtanah
hrdy antah stho hy abhadrani
vidhunoti suhrt satam
[SB 1.2.17]

Simply by this process, sravanam kirtanam, hearing about Krsna. This is, we were discussing. Nasta-prayesv abhadresu, simply by hearing. Abhadresu, nasta-prayesu, all the dirty things within heart, being almost cleansed, you come to the stage of goodness. There are three stages, three platforms -- ignorance, passion and goodness. So simply by hearing about Krsna, you are promoted immediately to the platform of goodness. And as soon as you come to the platform of goodness, then, tada, at that time, rajas-tamo-bhavah. Because there are three platforms: ignorance, passion and goodness. So you have come to the point, to the platform of goodness, means that you have passed over the other lower stages. If you have come to the college, that means you have passed your school stages. It is to be understood. Therefore we offer sacred thread. The idea is one who has become Krsna conscious, he has already passed the stage of becoming a brahmana. Brahmana means to come to the stage of goodness. That is brahmana. Ksatriya means to remain on the stage of passion. Vaisya means to remain on the stage of mixture, passion and ignorance. And sudra means to remain on the stage of ignorance. There are four divisions of the three modes. So when we come to the stage of becoming a devotee, that means we have already passed all these lower stages. Tada rajas-tamo-bhavah [SB 1.2.19].

So what are the symptoms of goodness? Kama-lobhadayas ca ye. Lusty. Lust and greediness. The whole world is moving by lust and greediness. This is the stage of ignorance and passion. Those who are embarrassed with the lower qualities of material nature, they are embarrassed with two things: lust, not satisfied; and greedy, and lobha. "Give me more, give me more, give me more." "Give me..." Anything, he's not satisfied. The whole world, you see... They, sometimes they think that "If I get my income, say, one thousand dollars, I will be satisfied." But as soon as he gets one thousand, he wants one hundred thousand. If he gets one... Just like in your... Everywhere, all over the world, the worker class, they are given increment, but again they undergo strike, "More, more wages, more wages, more wages." So... But as soon as they get more money... Not only... Here in these Western countries, then they'll utilize it for lust. Lust and greediness. That's all. They do not know how to utilize money. That a millionaire is so lusty that... I have seen in Paris. They are going to some clubs. What is the business in that club? Old men, they are going. So lusty that they enter the club by paying fifty dollars, and then there is young women and wine, and that is their pleasure. Lust, kama-lobhadayas ca ye. One thing, one side, they are not satisfied, even they have got millions of dollars, "Still I want, still I want, still I want." This is one side, greediness, lobha, and the other side is lust. This is called kama-lobhadayas ca ye.

So to become Krsna conscious means immediately -- that is the test -- immediately he will become free from lust and greediness. If he's not free from lust and greediness, he is making a show; he's not Krsna conscious. This is the test. If one is actually advanced in Krsna consciousness, then these two symptoms will be visible in his character: no more lusty, no more greediness. He should be satisfied with one wife or one husband. Why hankering after others? That is lusty. That means it is not on the stage of Krsna consciousness; it is in the material platform. These are the test. Therefore we advise our students, "Voluntarily, you try or you become free from these things: illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating, and gambling." Because indulging in these four things, you'll remain in darkness.

So voluntarily you have to try to give up these bad habits, and at the same time, to maintain yourself on the platform, you have to chant sixteen rounds: Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. This is the process. Tada rajas-tamo-bhavah kama-lobhadayas ca ye [SB 1.2.19]. Then the result will be this: ceta etair anaviddham. Because they are, maya is attacking you with these... Daivi hy esa gunamayi mama maya duratyaya [Bg. 7.14]. Gunamayi. Guna means these qualities, the three modes of nature. The material nature is gunamayi. Gunamayi means involved or full of these three modes of material nature, gunamayi. Maya means... Just like golden. It is smeared with gold or it is gold, you can..., you can say golden. Golden means it is made of gold or it is covered with gold glittering. Similarly, this maya, this material nature, is made of these three modes of nature, sattva, rajas, tamas. Therefore it is called gunamayi.

Gunamayi... Another meaning of guna is rope. Just like you have seen rope. There are three layers, they are twisted very strong, and such rope becomes strong. So similarly, these three gunas, these three modes of nature, are twisted like rope, and we are bound up. You cannot get out. Daivi hy esa gunamayi mama maya duratyaya [Bg. 7.14]. If your hands and legs are tied with such rope, then it is very difficult. Similarly, we are all bound up. We are declaring freedom, and so many things, nonsense, we are speaking, but we have forgotten that we are under the grip of this maya. Immediately, you can be overcome by maya. Maya is so strong.

So therefore by this process,

srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah
punya-sravana-kirtanah
hrdy antah stho hy abhadrani
vidhunoti suhrt satam
[SB 1.2.17]

nasta-prayesv abhadresu
nityam bhagavata-sevaya...
[SB 1.2.18]

This is the process. Nityam, daily. Or twenty-four hours. By studying Srimad-Bhagavatam or associating with devotees, bhagavata-sevaya... Bhakti, bhagavaty uttama-sloke bhaktir bhavati naisthiki. Then the Supreme Personality of Godhead, bhagavaty uttama-sloke, bhaktir bhavati naisthiki, devotional service becomes strong and fixed up. Simply by this process, hearing. There is no necessity of education or Ph.D. degree. Simply God has given you these ears and you hear, srnvatam. Hear about Krsna from realized soul. This process will make you to be situated on the platform of goodness, and as soon as you are promoted to the platform of goodness, that means you have already surpassed the other two platforms -- means ignorance -- and the symptom will be... That is clear here. The symptom is that the two things, lust and greediness, will not disturb you. You haven't got to take certificate from anyone, "Just give me certificate that I have become a Krsna conscious." You take your certificate yourself, see yourself, whether you are free from lust and greediness. That's the certificate. If you are confident that "I am free from lust and greediness," then I am making progress. Otherwise, (chuckles) I am again in the same, no progress. This is test.

This is test. If we want to cheat others, that is a different thing, that "I have become very advanced in Krsna consciousness." That is another thing, cheating. But you test yourself by this process, whether you are free from lust and greediness. This is the test. Tada rajas-tamo-bhavah [SB 1.2.19]. And when you become free from these two things, lust and greediness, tada, ceta etair anaviddham sthitam sattve prasidati. Ceta, consciousness, not being attacked by these two nonsense things, ignorance and passion... Ceta etair anaviddham. Viddham means piercing. They are always piercing, pinching, pinching. "Come on, come on." They are always pinching. But if you are actually situated in Krsna consciousness, these things will not pinch you. Tada, ceta etaih... Because everything is in the heart. Whole thing is cleansing the heart.

So heart is being pinched. "Here is... I am beautiful boy," "I am beautiful girl. Why not come?" So this is pinching. So if you are actually situated on the platform of Krsna consciousness, not fully, a little advanced, then these things will be visible. Tada ceta etair anaviddham. And when you stop, when you are able to stop this pinching in your heart by these two modes of material nature, passion and greediness -- tada ceta etair anaviddham sthitam sattve prasidati -- prasidati, then you become joyful. That is the stage of joyfulness.

brahma-bhutah prasannatma
na socati na kanksati
samah sarvesu bhutesu
mad-bhaktim labhate param
[Bg. 18.54]

That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita. When you have come to this status, joyful, no more pinching by these two modes of material nature, joyful, that is called brahma-bhuta stage, the platform of liberation.

So the next stage is brahma-bhuta. So brahma-bhuta stage means na socati na kanksati. No more hankering, no more demanding. Na socati na kanksati. Because here the business is we hanker after something which we do not possess, and if we lose something which we possessed, then we lament. This is our business. Some... First of all, we possess. Then, by nature, we lose it. When it is lost, then we cry. So these two things are material position, na socati... But when you come to the brahma-bhuta stage, spiritual platform, then these two things will be absent. Na socati na kanksati samah sarvesu bhutesu. Then you will be able to see everyone on the spiritual platform. Panditah sama-darsinah [Bg. 5.18]. Then you are learned. You are seeing the cats and dogs and a human being, a learned man, because you don't see the dress, outward covering, tabernacle, but you see, "Here is a spirit soul, part and parcel of Krsna." That is universal brotherhood. Not by passing resolution with the United Nations and fighting. That is not possible. You have to come to the stage of spiritual platform; then there is question of love, brotherhood, equality, fraternity, otherwise, all bogus propaganda. It's not possible. Samah sarvesu bhutesu mad-bhaktim labhate param [Bg. 18.54]. Then real, pure devotional service begins. Then we become completely fit to serve Krsna. Krsna accepts your service at that time.

This is the process, but if we follow the rules and regulations given by spiritual master, sastra, then gradually, gradually... Therefore we should be very careful. We should be very cautious that maya may not attack us. Because she is always ready to attack. Rajas-tamo-bhavah. Even in goodness also, maya, there is maya. Therefore in the material platform, even goodness is not pure. Therefore there is another stage, which is called suddha-sattva. Goodness is sattva, sattva-guna. There is another stage, transcendental stage, which is called suddha-sattva. Sattvam visuddham vasudeva-sabditam. That is called vasudeva stage, and in the vasudeva stage, Vasudeva, Krsna, appears. You can see Krsna. Not that a rascal inviting everyone, "Come on. I shall show you God, I shall show you God," and some rascals are going there to see God. God is not so cheap. One has to qualify himself to see God. These are the processes.

Read the purport.

Pradyumna: "A living being in his normal constitutional position is fully satisfied in spiritual bliss. This state of existence is called brahma-bhuta or atmanandi, or the state of self-satisfaction. This self-satisfaction is not like the satisfaction of the inactive fool. The inactive fool is in the state of foolish ignorance..."

Prabhupada: Yes, just like a cat and dog are sitting silently, very good men. That kind of inactivity is useless. Rather, one who is devotee, he is very active to serve Krsna: "How shall I serve Krsna more and more? How shall I advance this Krsna consciousness movement?" That activity, you see; not sitting idly, "I have become Krsna conscious." Go on.

Pradyumna: "The inactive fool is in the state of foolish ignorance, whereas the self-satisfied atmanandi is transcendental to the material state of existence. This stage of perfection is attained as soon as one is fixed up in irrevocable devotional service. Devotional service is not inactivity, but the unalloyed activity of the soul."

Prabhupada: Soul. This is, this is the activity of the soul. You stop the activity of the body, of the mind; then you must be engaged in the activity of the soul. Actually, the soul is active, not this body and mind. As soon as the soul is out of this body, there is no activity. So the real source of activity is coming from the soul. So how it is that after one becomes liberated, he becomes inactive? That is the theory of the Mayavadis. Real activity begins there. Here we are active. We have got so many impediments offered by the mind and the body; and when we actually come to the platform of soul, that is liberated position. The activity should be very nice and very polished, very advanced. Then?

Pradyumna: "The soul's activity becomes adulterated in contact with matter, and as such the diseased activities are expressed in the form of lust, desire, hankering, inactivity, foolishness and sleep. The effect of devotional service becomes manifest by complete elimination..."

Prabhupada: Sleep and inactivity is a sign of ignorance. The more we are inactive and sleepy, that means we are in the modes of ignorance. And passion means activity for sense enjoyment. And goodness means free from the inactivity of ignorance and the activity of passion, but to see things as they are: "Oh, I am eternal servant of God. So my actions should be to serve God." That is goodness. These are the stages. When one is inactive, lazy, sleeping, that means ignorance. When one is very active for sense enjoyment, it is passion; and when one is neither active like the sense gratifiers nor sitting idly like the ignorant, but he is trying to engage himself in Krsna consciousness, service, that is goodness. And one who is actually serving Krsna, that is transcendental platform, liberated platform. Then?

Pradyumna: "The effect of devotional service becomes manifest by complete elimination of these effects of passion and ignorance. The devotee is fixed at once in the mode of goodness, and he makes further progress to rise up to the position of vasudeva, or the state of unmixed sattva, or suddha-sattva state. In this suddha-sattva state only can one always see Krsna state, eye to eye, by dint of pure affection for the Lord. A devotee is always in the mode of unalloyed goodness; therefore he harms no one. But the nondevotee, however educated he may be, is always harmful. A devotee is neither foolish nor passionate. The harmful, foolish, and passionate cannot be devotees of..."

Prabhupada: The... It is said, manina bhusitah sarpah kim asau na bhayankarah. Snake. Some snakes are decorated with jewel on the hood. So this materialist, however qualified he may be, just like jewel on the head. The sastra says, "Do you think that a snake coming to you with a jewel on head is not dangerous or ferocious?" He's as dangerous, as ferocious, as the serpent without jewel. Similarly, any materialistic person, however educated he may be, so-called educated, he is simply a snake, dangerous. That's all. He has no qualification. Harav abhaktasya kuto mahad-gunah. One cannot have good qualities unless one is advanced in Krsna consciousness. Read.

Pradyumna: "The harmful, foolish and passionate cannot be devotees of the Lord, however they may advertise themselves as devotees by outward dress. A devotee is always qualified with all the good qualities of God. Quantitatively, such qualifications may be different, but qualitatively, both of them are one and the same."

Prabhupada: Chant Hare Krsna. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.19 -- Los Angeles, August 22, 1972

There Is No Satisfaction Of Atma

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.19
Vrndavana, October 30, 1972


Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

tada rajas-tamo-bhavah
kama-lobhadayas ca ye
ceta etair anaviddham
sthitam sattve prasidati
[SB 1.2.19]

Translation: "At the time loving service is established in the heart, the modes of passion, rajas, and ignorance, tamas, and lust and desire, kama, disappear from the heart. Then the devotee is established in goodness, and he becomes happy."

Prabhupada:

tada rajas-tamo-bhavah
kama-lobhadayas ca ye
ceta etair anaviddham
sthitam sattve prasidati
[SB 1.2.19]

The beginning of the chapter was yena atma suprasidati.

sa vai pumsam paro dharmo
yato bhaktir adhoksaje
ahaituky apratihata
yayatma suprasidati
[SB 1.2.6]

So everyone, even in this age, the advanced materialistic persons, they seek after peace, peacefulness of atma, or self. Take for example that in Western countries the younger generation, coming from very rich family, rich nation, but they have given up the standard of living as it is observed by their fathers or grandfathers. They do not like it. Because they do not like it. Because they are not satisfied. Yayatma suprasidati. There is no satisfaction of atma. Therefore they have given up.

Bhoga and tyaga. Bhoga means enjoyment, and tyaga means renunciation. So actually, in this world, some people are very much busy in the matter of bhoga, enjoying, the karmis. And some people are very much engaged in the business of tyaga, renouncement. These two kinds of activities are going on. One is very, very busy for acquiring things for enjoy, sense enjoyment, and when he's dissatisfied, he cannot fully enjoy, neither he's satisfied, he says, brahma satyam jagan mithya, "This world is false. There is no need of this world. The grapes are sour." The same story. The jackal and the grapes. A jackal wanted to eat the grapes, and it jumped many times, but could not approach the grapes. So at last he satisfied himself that "There is no need of the grapes. It is sour." So this brahma satyam jagan mithya is like that. When one is fed up or tired of this world, he cannot enjoy it due to age or other circumstances, at that time, he says, jagan mithya. Why jagan mithya? If God is truth, then creation of God is also truth. Why it should be mithya? But because he has no knowledge, sufficient knowledge of the Vedic instruction, isavasyam idam sarvam, purnam adah purnat purnam udacyate he does not know that creation of God is complete.

There is no defect. When God created this world, he created it perfect. Take, for example, we require water. So in every planet there is sufficient water, these oceans and seas. And they are very nicely preserved, adding with, what is called? Salt? What is the chemical name? Sodium...?

Devotee: Chloride.

Prabhupada: Sodium chloride. Sodium chloride is preservative. So the water is preserved, mixing with sodium chloride. Just see how perfect arrangement. And the water is evaporated on the sky by distillation, making sodium chloride separated from the water. Distillation means to take the pure water, distilled water. Now, the distilled water is taken on the sky, and as rain it drops on the ground, and it is stored on the mountain-hill. Gradually, the whole year, the water is coming down in this shape of river, and supply is there. First of all, the whole land is moistened with water by rainfall. Then portion, and some of the water is preserved in Iceland, in the shape of ice.

So there is complete arrangement. We have not seen. Pasyati jnana-caksusa. Because we have no knowledge, we do not see how things are nicely arranged by God for our maintenance. Everything is there. Purnat purnam udacyate. Purnasya purnam adaya purnam eva avasisyate. Everything is complete. It is our mismanagement. We, the so-called civilized human beings, we have created problems. We have created problems: "This is my land. This is my country. Why you are coming here?" Then there is fight, there is spoil of things, so many things. Because they do not know, isavasyam idam sarvam, everything belongs to God. The... Now they have developed the communist idea that everything belongs to the state. But that is also imperfect. There is no peace, still. Sthite sattvam. Ceta etair anaviddham sthitam sattve prasidati. What is that? Ceta etair anaviddham sthitam sattve prasidati. They do not know that we have to come to the platform of goodness, sattva-guna. Then there will be peace.

Because sattva-guna means knowledge, rajo-guna means passion, and tamo-guna means ignorance. So this world is being carried on by these three gunas. Those who are accepting the tamo-guna, they are kama, lusty, too much lusty. And those who are in rajo-guna, they're too much greedy. And those are in the sattva-guna, they know things. That is brahminical qualification. Veda janati iti brahmanah. Veda-pathad bhaved vipro brahma janati iti brahmanah. By reading Vedas, one becomes a vipra. Then not only vipra, but when... Vipra means brahmana. So to become brahmana by qualification is not sufficient. One must know the Brahman, the Supreme Brahman, Parabrahman. Just like Arjuna understood Krsna, param brahma, param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam bhavan [Bg. 10.12]. That is real stage. That is brahminical stage. Don't think that Arjuna was a ksatriya. He, after studying Bhagavad-gita, he became brahmana, because he understood Krsna. He says, param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam bhavan [Bg. 10.12]. He understood Krsna rightly. Others, they, that story of the yajnika-brahmanas... Not story, fact. They could not understand Krsna.

When the yajnika-brahmanas were engaged in sacrifice, Krsna and Balarama were requested by their friends, cowherd boys, "My dear Krsna, Balarama, we are hungry. Please give us some food." They knew Krsna. That's all. Krsna said that "There is a sacrifice, a great ceremony is going on. The brahmanas, the yajnika-brahmanas, are engaged. Go there and ask some food." So they approached. You'll find this description in the Krsna book. So the brahmanas refused, because they could not understand Krsna. They thought that "Unless the sacrifice is finished, how the foodstuff can be distributed?" But they were so ignorant, that they could not understand that the person for whom the sacrifice was being performed, He's asking personally. That is ignorance.

So Krsna says therefore in the Bhagavad-gita, naham prakasah sarvasya yogamaya-samavrtah [Bg. 7.25]. Simply by becoming brahmana, one cannot understand Krsna. He must become a devotee. Because Krsna is understood by simply devotional service. Bhaktya mam abhijanati [Bg. 18.55]. Krsna does not say that to "By becoming brahmana, one can understand Me." No. Brahmana stage is impersonal realization of Brahman. There is no personal realization. When the personal realization is there, he's called Vaisnava, brahmana-vaisnava. The brahmana has got two titles: brahmana-pandita. Still, in India, a brahmana is addressed as pandita, however rascal he may be. Because it is expected, when one is born in the brahmana family, he must be well-learned. These are the six occupational duties of brahmana: pathana-pathana yajana-yajana dana-pratigraha. A brahmana must be very learned scholar, studying. All Vedic knowledge is meant for the brahmanas. Satyam, tapasya, satyam, saucam, tapas, arjavam, titiksa, jnanam, vijnanam, astikyam, brahma-karma svabhava-jam. These qualifications must be there to become a brahmana.

So in spite of becoming a brahmana, qualified, sastra says, sat-karma-nipuno vipro mantra-tantra-visaradah. A brahmana, he is expert in his occupational duties. Sat-karma means pathana-pathana yajana-yajana. Six kinds of occupational duties. But avaisnava-mukhodgirna, uh,

sat-karma-nipuno vipro
mantra-tantra-visaradah
avaisnavo gurur na syad
vaisnavah sva-paco guruh

This is the injunction of the sastra. In spite of his good qualification, expert in six occupational duties of a brahmana, if he's an avaisnava, if he has not understood Krsna or Visnu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then he cannot become guru. Therefore, according to Vedic system, not a brahmana is accepted as guru, but when he becomes gosvami. Gosvami means fully controlled in full knowledge of Krsna consciousness. He can become guru.

The... Rupa Gosvami's... That six kinds of control. One who has controlled over his speeches, over his anger, over his tongue, over his mind, over his genital, over his belly, when one has full control over these six things, he's a gosvami. Prthivim sa sisyat. He can make disciples all over the world. That is the injunction of Sri Rupa Gosvami. He was himself a gosvami. In the beginning, when he was a minister, he was not a gosvami, but later on, when he became completely educated by Sri, Srila Mahaprabhu, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, both the brothers, Rupa Gosvami, Sanatana Gosvami, they became gosvamis. And other gosvamis, Gopala Bhatta Gosvami, Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, Sri Jiva Gosvami, they became their assistants. This Vrndavana, the present Vrndavana is the excavation of the Six Gosvamis. This place where we are sitting, here the Six Gosvamis used to assemble daily for discussing on Bhagavata. Especially it, it is the place of Srila Jiva Gosvami's nephew.

So this culture, as, Krsna consciousness, the progress, the system is described here, it is not that Krsna consciousness we have manufactured a type of religious system. No. We don't manufacture. Neither can we manufacture. It is not possible. Defective human being, how he can manufacture religion? That is not possible. Dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam [SB 6.3.19]. Dharma, the principles of dharma has to be accepted directly from the Supreme Lord. So now the Supreme Lord is helping. We have begun this process.

srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah
punya-sravana-kirtanah
hrdy antah-stho hy abhadrani
vidhunoti suhrt satam
[SB 1.2.17]

First of all, one has to wash off all these dirty things from the heart. Then he can come to Krsna consciousness. Not abruptly. But Krsna is so kind that even without washing, if one comes seriously to the shelter of Krsna's lotus foot, then He takes charge. Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita,

sarva-dharman parityajya
mam ekam saranam vraja
aham tvam sarva-papebhyo
moksayisyami ma sucah
[Bg. 18.66]

He takes charge. If we... So there are two processes. Either you can go through the prescribed method, as they are described in the Vedic injunctions... Tapasa, brahmacaryena, tyagena, samena, damena [SB 6.1.13]. These are the processes. One must undergo austerity, penance, tapasa; brahmacarya, one must be brahmacari, not unnecessarily using sex life. So tapasa brahmacaryena samena damena va, tyagena [SB 6.1.13]. Tyaga, renunciation, is required. So this is one process. Another process that if you fully surrender unto the lotus feet of Krsna sincerely, then all things are done automatically, immediately. Only by krsna-bhakti, one becomes purified, immediately. So that krsna-bhakti begins, as we have studied, the previous verses, srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah [SB 1.2.17]. We have to hear patiently, by aural reception. Caitanya Mahaprabhu also accepted this process. This is the process, Vedic process -- to hear about Krsna.

So nasta-prayesu abhadresu nityam bhagavata-sevaya [SB 1.2.18]. Nityam. This point we have discussed. The Bhagavata has to be studied from a person bhagavata. Bhagavata-sevaya. Tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya [Bg. 4.34]. One has to learn Bhagavatam from a person you can surrender. Pranipatena. Pariprasnena sevaya. Two things. There must be service and surrender. And between the two things, surrender and service, there is pariprasna. You cannot ask about spiritual knowledge from a person by challenging. No. That will not help you. Just like Krsna (Arjuna). When he was talking with Krsna like friend, the problem was not solved. Then Arjuna surrendered unto Krsna. Sisyas te 'ham sadhi mam prapannam. He understood that "Simply by friendly talkings and argument, there cannot be any conclusion of spiritual life." One must surrender. He knew it. Gurum eva abhigacchet. Must. Abhigacchet is vidhilin form of verb. Means "he must." There is no other alternative. So therefore Arjuna submitted. And he was also enlightened. So simply by hearing from the authoritative sources, nityam bhagavata-sevaya, as it is described. But we don't find anywhere: saptaham bhagavata-sevaya. No. Nityam bhagavata-sevaya.

So nityam bhagavata-sevaya [SB 1.2.18]. Nasta-prayesu abhadresu. Abhadra. Abhadra means the quality of ignorance and passion. They are abominable. Ignorance is most abominable, abominable, and passion is abominable. These two things must be given up. But simply by hearing about Krsna, simply by hearing about Srimad-Bhagavatam, from the person bhagavatam, one can get rid of these dirty things, namely mode of ignorance and mode of passion. Then the balance is the mode of goodness. There are three guna, modes, ignorance, passion and goodness. So if we can, somehow or other, can avoid the lower-grade modes, namely ignorance and passion, then naturally we come to the platform of goodness. That is also not sufficient. Therefore it is said here, nasta-prayesu, almost finished all dirty things. "No, I am now situated in goodness, in brahminical qualifications."

So the sastra says it is all right. But still it is dirty. Because in the Bhagavad-gita it is described that that is also a cause of bondage. "I am very learned. I am now become brahmana." So he does not know that is also this false ego, that "I am brahmana. I am very learned. I am very advanced." This is also cause of bondage. He does not know that. Simply to become free from the modes of ignorance and passion is not sufficient. One must be free from the modes of goodness also, the so-called goodness. Then you come to the transcendental platform. That is called sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. These are upadhis. "I am a good man. I am a bad man." Both of them are designations. From spiritual point of view, there is no difference between good man and bad man. Caitanya-caritamrta says, dvaite bhadrabhadra sakali samana. So long you are in the material platform, the so-called goodness and badness, they are all the same -- because you are in the material platform.

So to become a very good man... Just like an ideal good man was Gandhi. Or somebody else. We are giving because Gandhi's respected all over the world as a very good man. That's a fact. But that is not sufficient. That is not sufficient. Therefore the sastra says that you should become free from becoming a good man or bad man. You must become a devotee. That is required. To become a good man of this world is not a very good qualification. Therefore it is said here, nasta-prayesu abhadresu. To become bad man... And if you become a good man, it is partially acceptable, because you have avoided the two other things, namely ignorance and passion. But that is not sufficient. But it is favorable. To become a good man, to become a brahmana, is favorable. Because to, by becoming a brahmana, one is able to understand things as they are. He's not in ignorance. Just like a ignorant, a cats and dogs, they are under the bodily concept of life: "I am this body." But a brahmana is not in the bodily concept of life. He knows, aham brahmasmi, "I am part and parcel of Brahman." This knowledge will help him. And here it is said that ce..., tada rajas-tamo-bhavah... [SB 1.2.19]. So long one is influenced by the modes of ignorance and passion, he is busy in greediness and lusty affairs.

So at least he's free from the lusty desires and greediness. The whole world is working, especially in Western countries, you see... They are working so hard. They have got their nice motorcar, nice roads, and very, very nice ways also, fly over, one road is flying over another road, another road. Very good facility for driving motorcar, and they have got enough motorcar also. Every third man has got a car. But what are these civilization? Kama and lobha, lustiness and greediness. That's all. The basic principle is lust and greediness. That's all. This is their qualification. So anyone who has become free from this lusty and greedy status of life, he's advanced. He's advanced. Kama-lobhadayas ca ye. Because these lusty desires and greediness will not help him at any time to realize his self or to realize God. That will not be helpful.

So at least, if he comes to the platform of goodness, sattva-guna, then he can at least understand that "I am not this body. I am spirit soul. My duty is different from these bodily activities." Brahma-bhutah prasannatma na socati na kanksati [Bg. 18.54]. The lusty and greediness keeps one always in lamentation and hankering. Na socati na kanks... Na kanksati. Kanksa. These people, they have no end of their kanksa, hankering. One after another, one after another, one after a... Sarva-kama. In the sastra they are called sarva-kama. There is no end of their lusty desires. So nasta-prayesu abhadresu. By the hearing process, one becomes gradually free from the lusty and greedy platform, and he comes to the platform of knowledge. And at that time he can understand at least that "I am not this body. I am spirit soul. And what is my duty as spirit soul?" That duty, if he understands, that is, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gita, samah sarvesu bhutesu mad-bhaktim labhate param [Bg. 18.54]. That is the duty. When he comes to this platform that "My duty is to execute devotional service," that is required. He comes to the platform. Or at least, in between sattva-guna and suddha-sattva. Sattva, sattva-guna, without being contaminated by the other two gunas, modes of nature, namely, ignorance and passion. Pure. That is devotional stage.

So tada rajas-tamo-bhavah kama-lobhadayas ca ye [SB 1.2.19], if we can come to that platform, suddha-sattva... Sattvam visuddham. Sattvam visuddham. When we, our existence becomes completely purified from the influence of these material qualities... The beginning is the modes of goodness. Then at that platform, at least, the other lower-grade modes, namely passion and ignorance, cannot attack us. Ceta etair anaviddham. When a man is in the platform of goodness, he's satisfied in any circumstances. That these boys, European and American boys, they are coming of rich family and rich nation. They are accustomed to so many material advances. Each and every one of them knows how to drive car, and they were driving cars also. They had cars. But now, because they have to come to the platform of goodness, they don't care for anything. They can lie down on the street underneath a tree. Ceta etair anaviddham sthitam sattve prasidati. Because their heart now cannot be pierced by the desires, lusty desire and greediness. So in this way we have to make progress in spiritual life and advance in Krsna consciousness.

Thank you very much. [break]

Acyutananda: "...have already enjoyed sense gratification. So you can take to it."

Prabhupada: Eh?

Acyutananda: Most people say to us that "Because in America you have already enjoyed sense gratification, so now you are taking to this."

Prabhupada: Then the hog would have been the first-class devotee. (laughter) Because he has enjoyed sense gratification without any restriction, without caring for mother, sister, or daughter. Then the hog would have gotten the first-class certificate to become a devotee. That is not... Of course, they think like that, rascaldom, that "Let us finish our sense gratificatory process. Then we shall think of our Krsna consciousness." That is rascaldom. You have to give up. Not that... What is that? Havisa krtam(?)... Or what is that verse? That if you pour ghee on the fire it will increase; it will not decrease. You have to stop. So they put this argument. Especially in India, they are thinking that "Now, first of all, we have to become Americans. And then we shall think of Krsna." This is rascaldom. Chant Hare Krsna. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.19 -- Vrndavana, October 30, 1972

The Choice--Krishna Or Maya

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.18
August 21, 1972, Los Angeles



Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

nasta-prayesv abhadresu
nityam bhagavata-sevaya
bhagavaty uttama-sloke
bhaktir bhavati naisthiki
[SB 1.2.18]

Translation: "By regularly hearing the Bhagavatam and rendering service unto the pure devotee, all that is troublesome to the heart is practically destroyed, and loving service unto the glorious Lord, who is praised with transcendental songs, is established as an irrevocable fact."

Prabhupada: So here it is said bhagavata-sevaya, not bhagavan-sevaya. Bhagavan is Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and bhagavata means in relation with Bhagavan, who has got relationship with Bhagavan. So here it is recommended bhagavata-sevaya, not bhagavan-sevaya. The idea is that you cannot approach Bhagavan, God, directly. That is not possible. First of all, you have to serve bhagavata, the devotee bhagavata.

There are two kinds of bhagavata: book bhagavata and devotee bhagavata. So in the Siva Purana, there was a question by Parvati to Lord Siva. Lord Siva and Parvati, husband and wife. Parvati means the material nature. Srsti-sthiti-pralaya-sadhana-saktir eka chayeva yasya bhuvanani bibharti durga [Bs. 5.44]. Durga-devi. Durga-devi is in charge of this material world. It is called durga, durga, just like fort. And the superintendent of this fort is Durga. You cannot go out of this fort; you are imprisoned. So such Durga-devi, who is so powerful energy -- she can create, annihilate, maintain, srsti-sthiti-pralaya-sadhana -- she is always sitting by the side of her husband, Lord Siva, and questioning about spiritual enquiries. Just see. Such powerful deity is also ignorant about spiritual life. So the husband, Lord Siva, is Vaisnava, and she's always asking, and sitting down underneath a bael tree. She can create so many universes, but for her, no building; only underneath a tree.

So the question was, "Which worship is best?" So Lord Siva replied, aradhananam sarvesam visnor aradhanam param: "My dear Parvati, of all methods of worship, Visnu worship is the topmost." There are many demigods' worship, even Lord Siva's worship, but Lord Siva says, "Visnu worship is the best." Then he says again, tasmat parataram devi. "My dear Devi, better than that Visnu worship is tadiyanam samarcanam." Tadiya. Tadiya means those who are in relationship with Visnu, tadiya. Just like His devotee, tadiya. Tulasi-vrksa. Tulasi is tadiya. Or temple tadiya. Preaching tadiya. Tadiyanam samarcanam. This is bhagavata. So Lord Siva recommends that "Of all methods of worship, Visnu worship is the best, and better than Visnu worship is to worship His devotee or things in relationship with Him."

Tadiyanam, that is bhagavata. Here it is also said, tadiyanam, bhagavata-sevaya. This book bhagavata, spoken by the devotee bhagavata, this should be taken very seriously daily. Otherwise you..., we do not understand what is Bhagavan. Therefore it is recommended here: nityam, daily, or constantly, twenty-four hours. We have to mold our life in such a way that twenty-four hours, not a single moment leaving aside, we should be engaged in bhagavata-sevaya, in the service of Lord's relations. The Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita, the spiritual master, tulasi-devi, the temple, the preaching, the books -- these are all bhagavata. So nityam bhagavata-sevaya. Nasta-prayesu. If we engage ourself in this bhagavata-sevaya... Just like we are doing daily, trying to read one verse of Srimad-Bhagavatam, discussing amongst ourselves. This is bhagavata-sevaya. Nityam, daily, regularly. By this process, when the dirty things within the heart, nasta-prayesv abhadresu [SB 1.2.18].

Abhadra means dirty things, inauspicious things. What is that inauspicious thing? Inauspicious things means the heart disease for sense enjoyment; this is inauspicious, Different varieties, abhadresu. There are three modes of material nature. And multiply it three, mix it again, it becomes nine, and again multiplied, nine by nine, it becomes eighty-one. So these, this... Originally the three... Just like three colors, yellow, red and blue. These three colors, you mix... Those who are artists, those who know the color display... Simply you mix three colors in different way, and it becomes varieties of color. So our heart disease, dirty thing, varieties of sense enjoyment, varieties. So heart is full with varieties of sense enjoyment. Therefore by nityam bhagavata-sevaya [SB 1.2.18], by daily, regular worshiping Bhagavatam, we become free from the dirty things.

In the previous verse we have read that srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah punya-sravana-kirtanah, hrdy antah stho hy abhadrani [SB 1.2.17]. We have got abhadrani, so many inauspicious things, within our heart. This can be cleansed simply by hearing the message of Krsna from Srimad-Bhagavatam, from Bhagavad-gita, from the lips of devotees. In this way, when almost the dirty things are cleared off -- not all... As soon as all dirty things are cleared off, then we are liberated soul. Immediately love of God, the original consciousness. You become mad. Just like Caitanya Mahaprabhu,

yugayitam nimisena
caksusa pravrsayitam
sunyayitam jagat sarvam
govinda-virahena me

"Feeling separation of Govinda." How? "One moment is equal to twelve years," yugayitam. One yuga means twelve years. One moment appearing. Sometimes we have got experience, if we want to see something, it is called expectant psychology. I am expecting something, somebody, that my friend or my lover is coming. So on the door, if there is "koot," "Oh, you have come? No, no. He has not come." The one moment is twelve years. Such kind of separation, when we feel for Krsna, that means all dirty things are over. And something for Krsna, something for sense enjoyment, that means still the dirty things are there. But the more we engage our time, nityam bhagavata-sevaya, the dirty things becomes cleansed, gradually. Just like when you are hungry, you are given foodstuff, you eat. The more you eat, your hunger is satisfied. You feel strength, you feel satisfaction. Similarly, the more you advance in Krsna consciousness, you feel comfortable, released from the material discomforts. In this way, nasta-prayesu. Gradual process.

So nasta-prayesv abhadresu nityam bhagavata-sevaya [SB 1.2.18]. Not all cleansed, but praya, say, seventy-five cleansed. At that time, you become fixed-up in devotional service, naisthiki. There are different stages of devotional service. That I have explained several times. First of all, sraddha, sadhu-sanga, bhajana-kriya, anartha-nivrttih syat. When anartha-nivrttih syat, all unwanted things are finished, at that time, nistha, firm faith. So bhagavaty uttama-sloke bhaktir bhavati naisthiki. So, so long there are dirty things, our faith and devotion in Krsna is not very fixed up, sometimes we deviate, we go away. But then nasta-prayesu, when seventy-five percent of the dirty things are cleansed, then our faith in God becomes fixed up. Bhagavaty uttama-sloke.

Uttama, uttama means udgata-tama. This material world is tama, ignorance, darkness. And Krsna is beyond this material world; therefore He is called para. Para means transcendental. So uttama-sloka. So when we offer our prayers to Krsna, they are not ordinary words. Therefore those who are not liberated soul, they cannot offer prayers actually. We have to repeat the prayers offered by liberated soul, not by ordinary man. Because he is not yet uttama, he is not yet in the transcendental platform. Therefore we don't allow songs which are not sung by liberated souls like Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Narottama dasa Thakura. They are liberated souls. We don't allow any literature which is not given by liberated soul. Literatures, they are always following Vedic principles. Vedas, the original transcendental literature, and any literature which is produced under the guidance of Vedic literature, that is also nice. That is perfect. Therefore whenever we write something, we give immediately Vedic evidence. We give some Sanskrit verse. This means that we are not manufacturing ourself. What we have heard from the parampara system, from higher authorities, we are presenting, simply, in our own language, and the evidence is this Vedic verse. This is perfect literature.

So whimsically, we cannot write any poetry for Krsna. That is not possible. That will create havoc. Srila Rupa Gosvami says,

sruti-smrti-puranadi-
pancaratra-vidhim vina
aikantiki harer bhaktir
utpatayaiva kalpate
[BRS 1.2.101]

Any devotional sentiment which is not supported by Vedas, sruti... Sruti means Veda, and smrti means corollary to the Veda, or things which are written in corroboration with the Vedic ideas... That is called smrti. Just like Bhagavad-gita is smrti. Bhagavad-gita, the purpose of Bhagavad-gita is the same as the Vedas, but it is not directly Veda; therefore it is called smrti. Sruti-smrti-puranadi [BRS 1.2.101]. The Puranas, there are eighteen Puranas. Puranadi means Ramayana, Mahabharata also. Sruti-smrti-puranadi-pancaratra-vidhim vina [BRS 1.2.101]. Pancaratra-vidhi, given by Narada Muni for worshiping the Deity. We are worshiping the Deity under the pancaratra-vidhi. So Rupa Gosvami says that "Any devotional service which has no reference with sruti, smrti, purana, pancaratra, that is simply a disturbance. Simply disturbance, creating disturbance." We cannot manufacture. Sometimes we are questioned, "Can we do this? Can we do that?" Of course, it is good. But there is no need of manufacturing some idea. Whatever idea is already there, follow strictly.

So bhagavaty uttama-sloke bhaktir bhavati naisthiki. That fixed up bhakti is required, not oscillating: sometimes this side, sometimes that side. So this can be possible, fixed up devotional service, by nityam bhagavata-sevaya [SB 1.2.18], regularly worshiping the bhagavata-grantha and the devotee bhagavata. Because without hearing about God authentically, how we can fix up? So we should hear, srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah. Sva-kathah krsnah [SB 1.2.17]. Krsna's word is given by Krsna. Just like Bhagavad-gita. Sva-kathah means "His own words." So this is bhagavata. And sva-kathah, Srimad-Bhagavatam is also sva-kathah. The Puranas also, sva-kathah. Because all these books are given by Vyasadeva. Vyasadeva is incarnation of Krsna. So that is also sva-kathah. So we have to hear about Krsna which is given by Krsna. Bhagavad-gita is given by Krsna, and Bhagavata and other Puranas and Vedic literature given by Krsna Dvaipayana Vyasa. And the method is taught by Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu. So therefore, everything is Krsna's. Krsna directly, Krsna as Vyasadeva; Krsna as Caitanya Mahaprabhu devotee.

So we have to follow this. Sri-krsna-caitanya prabhu nityananda, sri-advaita gadadhara srivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrnda. Krsna is teaching how to approach Krsna. That is bona fide. We cannot take any other method. This is the authorized method. The, the person concerned, He is teaching how to worship Krsna, how to become devotee. Krsnaya krsna-caitanya-namne. Rupa Gosvami said,"Lord Caitanya, You are Krsna, but You have appeared as Krsna Caitanya." Krsnaya krsna-caitanya-namne. Namo maha-vadanyaya krsna-prema-pradaya te [Madhya 19.53]. "You are distributing love of Krsna." How it is possible for ordinary man? "But Krsna, because You are Krsna, simply You are in the name of Krsna Caitanya. So therefore You can distribute. Your thing, You can distribute."

So,

srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah
punya-sravana-kirtanah
hrdy antah stho hy abhadrani
vidhunoti suhrt satam
[SB 1.2.17]

Nasta-prayesv abhadresu. A little, maybe; not all. There may be some habitual... But still, even there are some flaws in the beginning, if we fix up our devotion to Krsna... That is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita:

api cet su-duracaro
bhajate mam ananya-bhak
sadhur eva sa mantavyah
samyag vyavasito hi sah
[Bg. 9.30]

ksipram bhavati dharmatma
sasvac-chantim nigacchati
kaunteya pratijanihi
na me bhaktah pranasyati

So in the beginning we must be sincere, very sincere, to follow the rules and regulations. But due to our past habits, if there is some flaw, that is excused. Not intentionally. Because I am habituated to something, and I am, although engaged in Krsna consciousness, my past habits sometimes becomes manifest. So Krsna says, "All right, you try your best. It will be rectified." Ksipram bhavati dharmatma. Ksipram means "Very soon, you'll be dharmatma, perfect, religious." Ksipram bhavati dharmatma sasvac-chantim nigacchati: "And you'll be elevated to the eternal platform of peace and tranquillity." Kaunteya pratijanihi na me bhaktah pranasyati: "If one is sincere devotee, he'll be not lost. He'll make progress." But if there is any ulterior motive, then he'll be lost. Maya is there. The maya, just like shadow and light, they're side by side. A little crossing the marginal line between shadow and light, you are in the darkness. Similarly, a little crossing of the marginal line from the darkness to light, you are in light.

So Krsna and maya are side by side. As soon as you forget Krsna, or as soon as you want to utilize Krsna for your sense gratification, it is immediately maya, darkness. And as soon as you want to serve Krsna, immediately it is light. So if we keep ourself on this side, light side, always serving Krsna, then there is no possibility of our being in contact with maya.

daivi hy esa gunamayi
mama maya duratyaya
mam eva ye prapadyante
mayam etam taranti te
[Bg. 7.14]

This maya is very strong. The same example yesterday we were giving. The sun, little deviation, the whole world, universe, becomes frozen, and little deviation, the whole universe becomes ablaze. This is the position, very... Therefore our position is marginal. We are called marginal energy. We may be dark side or in the light side. So Krsna consciousness means to keep always in the light side. If we always think of Krsna, by chanting Hare Krsna mantra, then we shall keep ourself on the light side. And as soon as we think of sense gratification, immediately we are on the dark side. So our... We should be very cautious that we may not fall down on the dark side. We can keep ourself in the light side by nityam bhagavata-sevaya [SB 1.2.18]. Simply studying Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita, try to understand, chanting Hare Krsna mantra. Twenty-four hours be engaged in this way. You'll be on the light side.

Read the purport.

Pradyumna: "Here is the remedy for eliminating all inauspicious things within the heart which are considered to be obstacles in the path of self-realization. The remedy is the association of the Bhagavatas. There are two types of Bhagavatas, namely the book Bhagavata and the devotee Bhagavata. Both the Bhagavatas are competent remedies, and both of them or either of them can be good enough to eliminate the obstacles. A devotee Bhagavata is as good as the book Bhagavata because the devotee Bhagavata leads his life in terms of the book Bhagavata and the book Bhagavata is full of information about the Personality of Godhead and His pure devotees, who are also Bhagavatas. Bhagavata book and person are identical. The devotee Bhagavata is a direct representative of Bhagavan, the Personality of Godhead, so by pleasing the devotee Bhagavata one can receive the benefit of the book Bhagavata. Human reason fails to understand how by serving the devotee Bhagavata or the book Bhagavata one gets gradual promotion on the path of devotion. But actually these are the facts explained by Srila Naradadeva, who happened to be a maidservant's son in his previous life. The maidservant..."

Prabhupada: There is another Vedic evidence:

yasya deve para bhaktir
yatha deve tatha gurau
tasyaite kathita hy arthah
prakasante mahatmanah
[SU 6.23]

To... Vedic literature, the meaning becomes revealed to a person who has got unflinching faith in God and the spiritual master. Just like Gaura Kisora dasa Babaji Maharaja, he was illiterate, but he became the spiritual master of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami. So the purport of the Vedic literature becomes revealed to a person who has got unflinching faith in God and the spiritual master. Go on.

Pradyumna: "The maidservant was engaged in the menial service of the sages, and thus he also came into contact with them. And simply by associating with them and accepting the remnants of foodstuff left by the sages, the son of the maidservant got the chance to become the great devotee and personality Srila Naradadeva. These are the miraculous effects of the association of Bhagavatas. And to understand these effects practically, it should be noted that by such sincere association of the Bhagavatas one is sure to receive transcendental knowledge very easily..."

Prabhupada: So our principle should be not to disassociate ourself from the devotees. Narottama dasa Thakura therefore sings, tandera carana-sebi-bhakta-sane bas, janame janame hoy ei abhilas: "I desire birth after birth to serve the acaryas and to live with devotees." So our this association, society's is giving these two opportunity: you serve the purpose or the orders of the acaryas and live with devotees. Then you will be secure in devotional service. Tandera carana-sebi-bhakta-sane bas. Bhakta-sane bas is very important thing. Even there is little inconvenience, still we should stick to live with the devotees. Then we shall be profited. Go on.

Pradyumna: "...with the result that he becomes fixed in the devotional service of the Lord. The more progress is made in devotional service under the guidance of the Bhagavatas, the more one becomes fixed in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. The messages of the book Bhagavata, therefore, have to be received from the devotee Bhagavata, and the combination of these two Bhagavatas will help the neophyte devotee to make progress on and on." (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.18 -- Los Angeles, August 21, 1972

Hear Krsna's Glories--Be Cleansed

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.18
September 26, 1974, Calcutta


Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Bhagavata: "By regularly hearing the Bhagavatam and rendering service unto the pure devotee, all that is troublesome to the heart is practically destroyed, and loving service unto the glorious Lord, who is praised with transcendental songs, is established as an irrevocable fact."

Prabhupada:

nasta-prayesv abhadresu
nityam bhagavata-sevaya...
[SB 1.2.18]

(sound of small children)

Bhagavata: Go! Celo.

Prabhupada: Hm.

...nityam bhagavata-sevaya
bhagavaty uttama-sloke
bhaktir bhavati naisthiki
[SB 1.2.18]

Naisthiki. Nistha. From nistha... Nistha means "firmly fixed up." Firmly fixed up. Adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sango 'tha bhajana-kriya tato 'nartha-nivrttih syat tato nistha. Srila Rupa Gosvami has explained how one can be fixed up, nistha. This nistha stage comes when one is freed from anartha. Adau sraddha. Just like you all have come here out of sraddha, some faith, that "Let us go to the Hare Krsna temple, see the arati, or hear from the swamis." This is the beginning, sraddha. To create sraddha, little faith, these centers are established. And one takes to faith, then he gradually advances. Adau sraddha. And that sraddha has been explained by Kaviraja Gosvami, what is sraddha.

That sraddha, he has said, sraddha-sabde visvasa kahe sudrdha niscaya. Sraddha means firm faith, visvasa, sudrdha niscaya, unflinching. What is that sudrdha niscaya? Krsne bhakti kaile sarva-karma krta haya. This is the beginning of sraddha. Sraddha means... As in the Bhagavad-gita it is said, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. If one is agreeable to this condition, that krsne bhakti kaile, if one agrees, "Yes, if I surrender to Krsna, my all perfection of life is achieved," this is sraddha. Not that "Krsna is also good, and this demigod is also good, you are also good, I am also good. You are also God, I am also God." There is no sraddha. Just like a chaste woman cannot say that every man is good. She'll say, "Only my husband is good." That is chastity. If some woman says that "Any man is good..." Similarly, sraddha means to become chaste, pure krsna-bhakta. That is sraddha.

sraddha-sabde visvasa kahe sudrdha niscaya
krsne bhakti kaile sarva-karma krta haya

Now practically you can see. These American and European boys, they began with sraddha. I told them that "Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam." They accepted it. They did not present so many rascals, that "Here is another God, here is another God, here is another God." No. Krsne bhakti kaile sarva-karma... They fixed up their faith. That is their fortune. They had no hodge-podge idea. Therefore they are making progress. Adau sraddha. Then sadhu-sanga. That sraddha, that firm faith in Krsna, can be more and more firm by sadhu-sanga. Sadhu-sanga means... Who is sadhu? A sadhu means a devotee. Sadhur eva sa mantavyah [Bg. 9.30]. Who is sadhu? Sadhu means..., does not mean that having a long beard and saffron-color dress. Sadhu means, mahatma means, who is pure devotee.

That is the explanation in the Bhagavad-gita:

api cet su-duracaro
bhajate mam ananya-bhak
sadhur eva sa mantavyah
samyag vyavasito hi sah
[Bg. 9.30]

He is sadhu, even he is su-duracarah. Just like sometimes we find these American, European boys, from our angle of vision, they are deviating little. But Krsna confirms, "Even if he's deviating, still, he's sadhu." Why? Bhajate mam ananya-bhak. "Because he does not know except Me, Krsna." This is the certificate given by Krsna. Sadhur eva sa mantavyah [Bg. 9.30]. Samyak... "Oh, he may be sadhu, but not complete." No. Samyag vyavasito hi sah. He's complete sadhu. So what is the qualification? Now, bhajate mam ananya-bhak. The example you can see, how they are making bhajana by the Deity worship. You'll never find in Calcutta such nice Deity worship. Bhajate mam ananya-bhak. They do not know. All these boys and girls, they do not know anything but Krsna. So this is the qualification, sadhu.

So we have to associate with such sadhus, who has got unflinching faith in Krsna and fully engaged in Krsna's service. He is sadhu. Bhajate mam ananya-bhak. Mahatmanas tu mam partha daivim prakrtim asritah, bhajanty ananya-manasah [Bg. 9.13]. That is mahatma. We are after mahatma. Who is mahatma? Sa mahatma sudurlabhah. Vasudevah sarvam iti sa mahatma sudurlabhah [Bg. 7.19]. One who's accepted Krsna as everything, such mahatma is very rarely to be seen. Otherwise, so-called mahatmas, they are loitering in the street: "You are God, I am God, everyone is God." Not that kind of mahatma. Mahatma means bhajanti, "He worships Me, Krsna." Krsna is bhajaniya, and we are servant. One who is convinced on this platform, he is mahatma, he is sadhu. So we have to associate with such sadhus.

Adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sangah. Pure devotee of Krsna. They have no other desire. Anyabhilasita-sunyam [BRS 1.1.11]. They have no other desire. Anyabhilasita-sunyam jnana-karmady-anavrtam, uncovered by the mental speculation or fruitive activities, karma-kanda. Jnana-karmady-anavrtam [Madhya 19.167]. Not covered. If you mix up karma with bhakti, if you mix up jnana with bhakti, or if you mix up yoga, it is contaminated. It is not pure. Pure devotional service is given by Rupa Gosvami: anyabhilasita-sunyam [Madhya 19.167]. No desire for fruitive activities or philosophical speculation or yogic, mystic yogic magic. No. Simply how to satisfy Krsna. That is bhakti. Anukulyena krsnanusilanam. Anukulyena. Anukulyena means what is favorable, what Krsna desires. Just like Arjuna. He did not like to fight. He wanted to be a very nice, nonviolent gentleman. But Krsna was inducing him, "You fight." Then later on, he agreed: "Yes, karisye vacanam tava [Bg. 18.73]." This is anukulyena. "Krsna wants it. Doesn't matter whether it is violent or nonviolent, Krsna wants it. I must do it." This is called anukulyena, not against the desire of Krsna, but in favor of Krsna. This is called anukula, anukula-seva. So anukulyena krsnanusilanam bhaktir uttama. That is first-class bhakti. Not that "If I like it, then I shall do it." That is not anukula. That is pratikula. You like or not like, that doesn't matter. Krsna likes it,; you must do it. That is anukulyena krsnanusilanam.

So if we associate with sadhu... Sadhu means, mahatma means, who are fully engaged in Krsna's service. That is sadhu. That is mahatma. Therefore it is recommended, adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sangah. And if you associate with sadhu, then bhajana-kriya. If we... Just like so many thousands of Europeans, Americans, they have joined us on account of sadhu-sanga. First of all they come in the temple and hear for some days. Then all of a sudden he becomes shaven-headed. We haven't to request. He takes a bead and bead bag, although he's not initiated. Then, after some days, he approaches, "Please get me initiated." The bhajana-kriya. This is called bhajana-kriya. So we initiate. "Yes, now you are interested, we initiate." We give him hari-nama: "Chant Hare Krsna mantra." This is the first initiation. "And chant sixteen rounds and observe these rules and regulations." Then, when I see, six months or one year, he's doing very nicely, then we accept him as my disciple, the second initiation. So this is bhajana-kriya. Then he's admitted to worship the Deity or cook for the Deity, so many things. Bhajana-kriya.

Adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sango 'tha bhajana-kriya tato 'nartha-nivrttih syat. If there is bhajana, then he'll be freed from all anarthas. Anartha means unwanted things. Just like one man is smoking. Smoking is not essential for living. If you don't smoke... Just like we don't smoke. That does not mean we are dying. It is an anartha. But anyone who has learned this smoking, he cannot stop it. Anartha. The result of bhajana will be substantiated when anartha-nivrttih syat, he's no more interested with some unwanted things. We have practiced so many unwanted things. The first of all -- illicit sex, making so-called lusty affairs without any married bondage, illicit sex. This is anartha. Why? If you want sex, get yourself married according to sastra. Then there is no hindrance. According to Vedic civilization, the, a girl must be married. But in every country I see the female population is more than the male population. Then how every girl should be married? Therefore in India more than one wife was allowed. Now it is not allowed. That is the Vedic injunction, kanya-dana. The father must get, find out a husband for his daughter. There are many histories, the Kulina brahmana.

So anartha. We should not create in the society anarthas, unwanted disturbances. The unwanted disturbance is illicit sex. And meat-eating. Meat-eating... Why one should eat meat? No animal foodstuff. Krsna has given so many nice things. Produce. Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, annad bhavanti bhutani. Krsna never says, mamsad bhavanti bhutani, matsyad bhavanti bhutani. Never says. Annad. Anna, anna. Anna means food grain. Produce sufficient food grain. So the... In the village side you go, hundreds and thousands of acres of land is lying vacant. Nobody is interested. Now they are interested (in) opening slaughterhouse. Kill the poor animals and eat, but don't produce food grain. The whole world, this rascaldom is going on. I have traveled over many countries, all over the world. In Africa there are so much vacant land. In Australia there are so much vacant land. But nobody is producing food grains. They, they have kept some cattles, these cows. They are automatically maintained. There is grass. And when they are fatty, take them and send to the slaughterhouse and eat. But the land is lying vacant. The land is lying vacant.

So therefore people are not following the rules and regulations given by God or by nature's own way. They have invented their own way of living condition. Therefore they are suffering. Now we see in Calcutta or any other... Now it is a problem. Everywhere the problem will be food shortage and fuel shortage, power shortage. This is the prediction of many, many great scientists. Because people are committing so many sinful life, they must starve. That is the punishment. That is the punishment. These sinful rascals must be punished. Tan aham dvisatah kruran ksipamy ajasram andha-yonisu. These godless persons, dvisatah, envious of God: "Why there should be God? Why Krsna shall be God?", envious...

So these are dirty things. We began in this chapter that,

srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah
punya-sravana-kirtanah
hrdy antah-stho hy abhadrani
vidhunoti suhrt satam
[SB 1.2.17]

Abhadrani, all dirty things, they are accumulating. So by hearing about Krsna... Nityam bhagavata-sevaya. Nityam bhagavata-sevaya [SB 1.2.18]. You have to hear... Not that Bhagavata-saptaha. I don't find this Bhagavata-saptaha in anywhere in the Bhagavad, Bhagavata. But they have invented some means for professional reading. Nei. In the Bhagavata it is said..., not said, saptaha bhagavata-sevaya. Why it is said, nityam bhagavata-sevaya? You have to hear Bhagavatam daily, regularly. That is the injunction of Bhagavatam. You have to hear from, not from the professional men, professional reciters. Bhagavata-saptaha, and then, after one saptaha, you do your all nonsense things and he takes some money for livelihood, for maintaining his wife and children. And so many umbrellas, so many suits, so many utensils, and sell in the market, get some money, and maintain them. This kind of bhagavata-seva will not help. Nityam bhagavata-seva. Caitanya Mahaprabhu's order is bhagavata pada giya bhagavata-sthane(?). If you want to realize what is Bhagavata, then you must go and learn Srimad-Bhagavatam from a person whose life is Bhagavatam, not the professional Bhagavata reciters.

So here it is said... And who will recite Bhagavatam daily unless he has dedicated his life for Bhagavan? He's bhagavata. Grantha-bhagavata, and the person bhagavata. Bhagavata. Maha-bhagavata. A person, a devotee is called bhagavata. And the grantha-bhagavata. So we have to serve both. We have to hear daily Srimad-Bhagavatam from the realized person. Nityam bhagavata-sevaya [SB 1.2.18]. The guru, the devotee, they are bhagavata. So we have to serve, we have to please them. That is also said in the Bhagavad-gita. Tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya [Bg. 4.34]. If you want to learn the transcendental subject matter, then you must adopt three things. Tad viddhi... First of all surrender. Find out that kind of person where you can surrender. If there is no surrender, it is not possible.

So the, the Vaisnava philosophy begins from surrender. Therefore Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. That is the order of Krsna. And what is the difference between Krsna and His representative? The representative says that "You surrender to Krsna." He never says that "You surrender to me. I have become Krsna." That is a nonsense, rascal. He will say the same thing. Therefore he's Krsna's representative. Krsna is personally asking that "You surrender to Me," and it is the duty of the bona fide spiritual master, guru, to say to his disciple that "You surrender to Krsna." He'll never say that "You surrender to Me. I have become Krsna. Now I have realized soul. I have become Bhagavan." He's a rascal.

So these are the process. Tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya [Bg. 4.34]. Here it is also, the same thing. The same thing is said in a different way. That is sastra. Actually, as Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita... What is Veda? There are four Vedas and 108 Upanisads, then Vedanta-sutra, then so, so many books. All of them are Vedas. And what is the purpose? Vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah [Bg. 15.15]. You read all the Vedas, all the Puranas, Brahma-sutra, Ramayana, Mahabharata. What is the purpose? To understand Krsna. If you don't understand Krsna, then it is useless. Your so-called study of Vedas are useless. Srama eva hi kevalam. That is the confirmation of Srimad-Bhagavatam.

dharmah svanusthitah pumsam
visvaksena-kathasu yah
notpadayed yadi ratim
srama eva hi kevalam
[SB 1.2.8]

You are spoiling your energy. You are... Dharma... A brahmana is executing his brahminical culture very nicely. It is very good. A ksatriya is doing his duty very nicely. That's all right. A vaisya, he's dutying... But the test, whether he's perfect or not, or simply working for nothing, wasting his time, what is that test? That is also stated by Suta Gosvami:

atah pumbhir dvija-srestha
varnasrama-vibhagasah
svanusthitasya dharmasya
samsiddhir hari-tosanam
[SB 1.2.13]

He must understand whether by executing his... It doesn't matter whether Hindu or Muslim or this or that. Your duty is, by executing your religious principles, whether you are satisfying Krsna. That is wanted. Tasmin tuste jagat tustam.

So the Krsna personally says that "You surrender unto Me." That is the only business. There is no other business. Simply to see that "Whether I am satisfying Krsna?" So that will be possible... Here it is said that nasta-prayesu abhadresu. Not completely. There are so many dirty things within our heart. If at once it becomes all cleared, then immediately we are liberated person. And that is not possible. Gradually. Gradually, you go on hearing, hearing, srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah [SB 1.2.17]. Gradually, all the dirty things will be cleansed. So nasta-prayesu, almost clean. Not purely, not completely clean. Even it is almost clean... Nasta-prayesu abhadresu. How it is cleansed? Nityam bhagavata-sevaya [SB 1.2.18]. You serve your spiritual master, the representative of Bhagavan, bhagavata, and you hear Srimad-Bhagavatam -- these are the two kind of Bhagavatam -- and you do it. Nityam bhagavata-sevaya. Nasta-praye... Almost, almost cle... Then what is that? Bhagavaty uttama-sloke bhaktir bhavati naisthiki. The result will be that you'll be fixed up in the devotional service.

Uttama-sloka. Bhagavan's another name is Uttama-sloka. Uttama-sloka means selected prayers. Just like Brahmaji is offering prayers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead:

cintamani-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vrksa-
laksavrtesu surabhir abhipalayantam
laksmi-sahasra-sata-sambhrama-sevyamanam
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
[Bs. 5.29]

There are so many prayers in the sastras. So therefore His name is Uttama-sloka. These prayers are composed by not ordinary rascal poet. They are composed by very, very stalwart, great personalities like Lord Brahma, Lord Siva and others, Suta Gosvami, Sukadeva Gosvami, Vyasadeva. Therefore they are called uttama-sloka, selected poetry. Therefore Bhagavan's another name is Uttama-sloka. He is offered prayers by the great personalities with selected composition of poetry and prayers. So bhagavaty uttama-sloke.

If actually we follow these regulative principles, nityam bhagavata-sevaya [SB 1.2.18], then gradually our heart will be cleansed. Ceto-darpana-marjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. Caitanya Mahaprabhu said. The process is to cleanse the dirty heart. Actually, we are clean. Asango 'yam purusah. We have no business to be contaminated with the material qualities. We do not contaminate. Just like we know... In Bengali we say, tele jale mesera(?). You put oil in the water, it will never mix. Similarly, we are spirit souls, aham brahmasmi. We have nothing to do with this material world. But somehow or other, I am in contact. So simply I have to be contactless. That Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, ceto-darpana-marjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. As soon as your heart is cleansed with all dirty things, then bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam, immediately you become out of this contamination, bhava-maha-davagni.

This contamination means we are in the blazing fire of this material world. Blazing fire. It is, has been... Blazing fire... Bhava-maha-davagni. Maha-davagni. Davagni means the fire in the forest. In the forest nobody goes to set fire, but it takes place. Just like we, in India we thought that "By driving away the Britishers, we shall be happy." No. The davagni is so that... That is not the medicine. Medicine is bhavausadhi. Medicine is Krsna consciousness. Not that simply changing from this ism to that ism, this political party to this... That is not. Because everyone is imperfect. How they can give you perfect happiness? It is not possible. They are themselves andha. Andha means blind. So if you follow the blind man, how you'll cross? That is not possible. Andha yathandhair upaniyamanah. Why they are andha? Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum [SB 7.5.31]. They do not know the ultimate goal of life is to surrender to Krsna. That they do not know. They are manufacturing their own ways of advancing. That will never be successful. They do not know. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum durasaya ye bahir-artha-maninah [SB 7.5.31]. They are thinking, "By adjustment of this material world, we shall be happy." That is not possible. The maya, the material energy, will not allow you to become perfect unless and until you surrender to Krsna. That is her business. Therefore it is said in the Bhagavad-gita,

daivi hy esa gunamayi
mama maya duratyaya
mam eva ye prapadyante
mayam etam taranti te
[Bg. 7.14]

This is the way.

So in this verse it is confirmed... The same thing. In the Vedic literature the same thing is spoken in a different way, in different circumstances. But the ultimate goal is how to know Krsna. Vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah [Bg. 15.15]. So if we follow this principle, hear Bhagavatam... Bhagavatam means the words or the activities of Bhagavan. But the impersonalists, they think the ultimate goal, ultimate truth, Absolute Truth, is not a person. So there is no activity. If one is person, he has got activities. But if one is not person, void, just like a sky... In the sky, there is no activity. The only activity is the sky is covered with cloud, and you cannot see the sun. That is the only activity.

So that kind of activity is not required. Regular, varieties of activities. Therefore we have to hear about Krsna. You'll hear about Krsna in so many varieties of activities. Bhagavad-gita, you hear. It's so many activities of Krsna. So we have to hear about these. And unless there are activities, what you will hear? Simply "Brahman, Brahman, Brahman... nirakara." How long you will hear? And how long you will enjoy? That is... There is no enjoyment. Therefore they, these Brahmavadis, these Nirakaravadi, although by austerities and penances they may rise up to the Brahman effulgence, still, they will fall down. Because we are living entities, we want varieties of enjoyment. We are not satisfied in void, in zero. That is not possible. Therefore srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah [SB 1.2.17]. One has to hear about Krsna, varieties of activities. Varieties of activities. Not nirakara, without any activities. No. That activity is different from material activity. Janma karma me divyam. Therefore it is called divyam. They are not ordinary activities. They are all transcendental, spiritual activities. The Mayavadi philosophers, they cannot understand.

So we have got enough matter for hearing about Krsna. Srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah punya-sravana... If we simply sit down and hear, we become pious. And as soon as we become pious, then we can understand what is Krsna, what is God. If we are involved or implicated in sinful activities, there is no chance. Therefore anartha-nivrttih syat. By sadhu-sanga, by association with the sadhus, bhaktas, and by bhajana-kriya, we'll be seen, a person will be seen that he's no more involved in unwanted things. He's simply interested in executing devotional service. Nityam bhagavata-sevaya, bhagavaty uttama-sloke bhaktir bhavati naisthiki [SB 1.2.18]. When we are almost free from all this contamination, then we become fixed up in the devotional service. That is...

Bhagavan said in the Bhaga... Bahavo jnana-tapasa putah. Putah. Puta means purified. So this bhakti process means to become purified, purified. That is... The Narada-pancaratra-sutra also says that,

sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam
tat-paratvena nirmalam
hrsikena hrsikesa-
sevanam bhaktir ucyate
[Cc. Madhya 19.170]

Bhakti can be performed when you are purified. Sarvopadhi-vinirmuk... Upadhi. These are the upadhis: "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am black," "I am white." These are upadhis. This is the description of the skin, not for me. Aham brahmasmi. I do not belong to the skin. I do not... Because I do not belong to the skin, then so many skin descriptions... Caitanya Mahaprabhu says that "I am not a brahmana. I am not a sudra. I am not a sannyasi. I am not a brahmacari. I am not a ksatriya." In this way, "not, not, not..." Then what You are? "I am gopi-bhartuh pada-kamalayor dasa-dasanudasah." When you understand that "I am eternal servant of Krsna," that is purification. That is purification. You accept it blindly, or by the process of reading sastra and Vedas, you have to come to the conclusion: vasudevah sarvam iti sa mahatma sudurlabhah [Bg. 7.19]. Then you become mahatma and your life is perfect.

Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.18 -- Calcutta, September 26, 1974