"Become Dear To Krishna"

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.32
Mayapura, October 12, 1974

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Nitai: "Some say that the Unborn is born for the glorification of pious kings, and others say that He is born to please King Yadu, one of Your dearest devotees. You appear in his family as sandalwood appears in the Malaya Hills."

Prabhupada:

kecid ahur ajam jatam
punya-slokasya kirtaye
yadoh priyasyanvavaye
malayasyeva candanam

So Krsna has nothing to do. He is the Supreme. Why He shall have some thing to do? Na tasya karyam karanam... This is the definition in the Vedas: "God has nothing to do. He is self-sufficient. Neither He has got any aspiration." Just like we are thinking of purchasing this land, that land. Why Krsna will think like that? Because every land is belonging to Him. So He has nothing to purchase. Everything is there. So why He comes? That is the same way, as Krsna says personally. He comes for paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca duskrtam [Bg. 4.8]. He wants to give protection to the devotees, to glorify the devotees. That is His business. Otherwise He has no business. He has nothing to do. Just like a devotee has nothing to do except serving Krsna, except to see Krsna is pleased, similarly, Krsna has nothing to do, but He wants to glorify His devotee. This is reciprocation. Ye yatha mam prapadyante. If you... If you dedicate your life for glorifying the Supreme Lord, the Lord is also ready. His business is to glorify you. Otherwise, He has no business.

Therefore here it is said that priyasya, yadoh priyasya. King Yadu became very dear to Krsna by rendering service. Priyasya. The... As Krsna is very dear to the devotee, similarly, devotees are also very, very dear to Krsna. There is another verse, sva-pada-mulam bhajatah priyasya. Sva-pada-mulam bhajatah priyasya: "If one is engaged at the lotus feet of Krsna, he becomes very, very dear." Sva-pada-mulam bhajatah priyasya. Bhajatah, one who is simply engaged for rendering service to the lotus feet of Krsna -- he has no other business -- he becomes priya. And as soon as you become priya, or dear to Krsna, then your all problems solved. Just like if you become a dear child of a very big, rich man, then where is your problem? Automatically he's taken care of. Because he has become dear child of a very big man, so what is his problem? No problem. Similarly, we have to become very dear to Krsna. Then all our problems solved.

These rascals, karmis, they do not know. They want to become happy by their own endeavor. That is called karmi. They are working very hard -- the same thing -- to be very happy, and the devotee is also trying to become happy. Everyone is trying. Sukham atyantikam yat tad atindriya-grahyam. Everyone is trying to be, become happy, because to become happy is our natural tendency. Anandamayo 'bhyasat. Everyone is trying to become happy. But the karmis, the jnanis, the yogis, they do not know how to become perfectly happy. They're making their own endeavor. Karmis are trying to work harder, hard, day and night, to get money. "Some way or other, never mind black and white. Bring money. I must have nice car, nice house, nice bank balance." This is karmi. And jnani, when he is fed up with working, when he understands that "This working hard and bank balance could not make me anyway happy, so therefore this is false, all these activities, what I am..." The brahma satyam jagan mithya. So they become disgusted and take to Brahman. Brahma satyam.

But brahma satyam is fact, but because they are trying to understand Brahman by their speculative method, they cannot understand Brahman. Athapi te deva padambuja-dvaya-prasada-lesanugrhita eva hi, janati tattvam. You can understand the Supreme Brahman... Simply understanding Brahman will not give you satisfaction. Simply understanding aham brahmasmi, this will not... Suppose if you have got money, and you are aware that you are very rich man. So simply thinking that you are very rich man and you see your money in the treasury, you'll be happy? No. When the money is utilized in so many ways for your gratification, then you are happy. Similarly, simple understanding, aham brahmasmi, this realization, will not make you happy. You have to utilize his Brahman's position. That means bhakti. This is called santa-rasa, simply to understand aham brahmasmi. This is called santa-rasa. You must develop further. That is called dasya-rasa, to become the servant of the Supreme Brahman. Then further advance. Simply to understand that "I am Brahman" will not give you...

Just the same example... It is very easy, that, if you simply understand you have got much money... Just like we are trying to purchase land, but purchase land means I must have money. So money is there. So why I am not happy? Why I am trying to purchase land? To utilize the money. That is required. Every businessman has got money, enough money. But why they are active in the business circle? They are going to the market, share market, this market. Utilize the money. The same thing, simply to understand that aham brahmasmi... Therefore they fail. All these so-called sannyasis, simply understanding aham brahmasmi, "I have become now Narayana," not giving them satisfaction, but because they have no information about rendering service to the Parabrahman, they come to again to this material field to render service, to open hospital, to open school, to feed the daridra-narayana, and in this way they imagine because they want activities.

So Brahman realization without activity of Brahman will not allow you to stay in the Brahman position. You'll fall down. Aruhya krcchrena param padam tatah patanty adhah anadrta-yusmad-anghrayah [SB 10.2.32]. Patanty adhah. By great austerities and penance, they can rise up to the param padam, aham brahmasmi, brahma-pada. But aruhya krcchrena param padam tatah, from that place, patanty adhah, again falls down in this material world. Why? Anadrta-yusmad-anghrayah: "Because they did not learn how to honor Your lotus feet." Because they are impersonalists, they are -- "God, or the Brahman, has no leg." So how they will take shelter of the leg or lotus feet? Impersonal. Therefore the very word is used, anadrta-yusmad-anghrayah. Anghrayah means this leg, or lotus feet. So because they have no information, or they, even they have got information, they are not inclined to render service, therefore they fall down. This is the position.

So our business is not to realize simply that "I... aham brahmasmi." That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita, brahma-bhutah prasannatma [Bg. 18.54]. When you understand that you are not this body but you are spirit soul, then, actually, if you realize, then, if I understand... Na jayate na mriyate va. The soul does not die. Then here the karmis are working very hard because he's upset that "If I do not work hard, if I do not get money, then I shall die out of starvation." But if you are actually Brahman realized, if you understand that "I'll not die," then where is your activities? You'll not die. If somebody, some physician, gives you a tablet: "Now you take this tablet. You'll not die," then you'll stop working immediately, because "I'll not die." So brahma-bhutah prasannatma. "That is all right. Now I am spirit soul. I understand I will never die." That is prasannatma. Na socati na kanksati [Bg. 18.54]. There is no need of lamentation. Samah sarvesu bhutesu. But mad-bhaktim labhate param. If you do not take to devotional service, simply by realizing that you are Brahman will not help. And by devotional service, you can become dear.

Just like Arjuna is addressed by Krsna, bhakto 'si priyo 'si: "You are My devotee and very dear friend." So our business is, somehow or other, to become very dear to Krsna, as a servant, as a friend, or as father, mother, or as lover. Some way or other, you become... Make Krsna your dear as master or as son or as father or... Father, they are taki..., doing, everyone. Even ordinary person, if he is God conscious, he takes Krsna as supreme father. Just like the Christians, they take that "O Father, give us our daily..." Father means to ask Him, "Give me, give me, give me, give me." Nobody wants to give father, but wants to take from father. Sometimes our students, when they spend extravagantly and I point out, he says, "My father has sent money." Sometimes. "My father has sent money." Yes. "Why did you stay at Ashoka Hotel?" "My father sent money." "Why not ask your father to send money? Why you are collecting by making life member?" So means idea of father... Father means that "Whenever I want to stay in Ashoka Hotel, he'll send money," not that "I will send money to father. He may stay at Ashoka Hotel." Nobody thinks like that. "Father may send money, and I shall stay in Ashoka Hotel." This is the idea of father. Father means to exploit him, to exploit.

So the father conception of God, mother conception of God, is not bad. Just like in Bengal especially, they have got mother conception. Mother conception means the same thing, to exploit, take from mother, or father. But the Vaisnava conception is not to accept God as father or mother but as son. Son means to give. Father means to take from him, and son means to take from the father. So if you become father of God, then your business will be to give, not to take. That is Vaisnava conception. From the very beginning of the son's life, the mother is giving service to the son, the father is giving service. Therefore the service is there. Even Krsna is afraid of mother Yasoda. Why? Why mother Yasoda was trying to bind Krsna? Because He disrupted the process of service of mother Yasoda to Krsna. That is... Mother Yasoda tried that "You have broken the butter, and You have distributed to the monkeys, You rascal. Then how You will live? I kept the butter for You so that You will eat and You'll become fatty. And You have broken that, and You have distributed the butter to the monkeys, so You must be punished." So the aim is to serve Krsna, not that Yasoda is thinking, "My butter is spoiled by this child. Therefore He should be punished." He (she) is anxious to see that "Krsna may not starve for want of butter. He's child. He does not know. He has distributed the butter to the monkeys." But Krsna knows that "These monkeys are not ordinary monkeys." Those monkeys, they have taken birth in Vrndavana and come to Krsna. Do you think they're ordinary monkeys? They're devotees. They're devotees. They're playing as monkey for Krsna's satisfaction. These are the intricate meanings of understanding Krsna's lila. Therefore Krsna says, janma karma me divyam yo janati tattvatah.

So to understand krsna-lila... So therefore we have to understand Krsna-lila, Krsna, from these books, Bhagavata, Bhagavad-gita, but not directly. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu recommends, bhagavata giya paro bhagavata sthane. Just try to understand Bhagavata or Bhagavan from the realized soul, not from the professional man. So here: kecid ahur ajam jatam. Ahuh ajam jatam. Contradiction. Now Krsna says, ajo 'pi: "Although I am birthless, I do not take birth," ajo 'pi sann avyayatma bhutanam isvaro 'pi san... He is the Supreme Being, He's the master of everyone, and He never takes birth. Still, He takes birth -- contradiction. He never takes birth, aja; at the same time... Ajo 'pi... Here it is said, kecid ahur ajam. God, or Krsna, is aja. He never takes birth. But again he (she) says, jatam: "He has taken birth." This contradiction should be understood. The Vedas, there are many such contradictions like that. Pasyaty acaksuh: "Krsna, or God, sees, but He has no eyes." Similarly, God, Krsna, takes His birth although He never takes birth. These are contradictions. Pasyaty acaksuh. Apani-pado javano grahita: "He has no leg, but He goes so fast, nobody can compete Him." These are Vedic statements. You'll find in the Upanisads, apani-pada: "He has no leg, He has no hand," but javano grahita, "but if you offer Him something, He takes." Krsna says... It is not my word.

patram puspam phalam toyam
yo me bhaktya prayacchati
tad aham bhakty-upahrtam
asnami prayatatmanah

Now, if the Supreme Lord, God, has no hand, no leg, then how He can walk? Just like Saksi-gopala. Saksi-gopala, He was Deity, apparently showing as made of stone, and the devotee's asking, "My Lord, Gopala, You have to come to give witness." So Gopala was smiling and said, "How you expect a Deity can walk that I shall go to give witness for you?" The bhakta said, "If the Deity can speak and smile, He can walk also." That is the conviction of devotee. And the other party, they agreed that "If Gopala comes to give witness, my sister will be given to you." He... Because he's atheist, he is thinking that "How the Deity will come? He'll never come. Then I shall not have to fulfill my promise." He is... He was confident like that. That is the difference between a devotee and nondevotee. The nondevotee cannot understand. They will take it that "Once you say that God has no eyes, then how He can see? God has no leg. Then how can He walk? God has no hand. Then how can He accept your offering?" Therefore the conclusion should be that ajo 'pi, although Krsna never takes birth, and again He takes birth. He has taken birth. Therefore His birth is not like our birth. This is to be understood. He has no birth, but He has taken birth. Therefore, an intelligent man will conclude that His birth is not like our birth.

Therefore Krsna says, janma karma me divyam. It is all transcendental. It is not this ordinary birth. Ordinary birth means male and female union, then there is pregnancy, then the child comes out of the womb. It is not like that. It is... We can take this example. Just like the sunrise in the morning: udilo aruna puraba-bhage. Before the sunrise, the sky becomes reddish, and then the sun comes out. So if somebody says that "The eastern side is the birthplace of sun," is it a fact? No. The sun is always there in the sky, but with your limited eyes you are seeing that now sun comes, sunrise. Sun does not rise nor set. Sun is already there. Your imperfect eyes -- you see there is sunrise, there is sunset. Is it not a fact? Similarly, Krsna is always there, but because we do not know Krsna, therefore we understand that Krsna is taking birth from Devaki, or Krsna has taken birth in the family of the Yadus. Yes, He appears like that, that He has taken birth in the Yadu family. Because why? The purpose is to glorify the family because it belongs to the devotee, Maharaja Yadu. That is His purpose. His real purpose is that the Yadu dynasty... Maharaja Yadu was a great devotee. Here the yadoh priyasya. He appears to take birth in the family of Maharaja Yadu. Just like Lord Ramacandra. He took birth in the family of Maharaja Raghu. Therefore Lord Ramacandra is called Raghunatha, Dasarathi, as Krsna is called Vasudeva because He accepted Vasudeva as His father.

So actually, Krsna has no birth. Krsna doesn't require. He can appear in any family. He... Just like Krsna appeared, matsya-avatara, in the family of fish. Kesava dhrta-mina-sarira, jaya jagadisa hare. Krsna took birth as a pig. Kesava dhrta-varaha-sarira, jaya jagadisa hare. Krsna is free. He can appear anywhere, everywhere. That is... Just like isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese arjuna tisthati [Bg. 18.61]. He's situated in everyone's heart. So He is with everyone's... Every living being has got Krsna. So Krsna is already there in the heart. From the heart, if He appears in front... Just like Dhruva Maharaja. He was meditating that Visnu form of Krsna, and all of a sudden he saw that Visnu is not there. Then he opened his eyes. He saw Visnu is in his front. So what is the difficulty for Krsna? If He is within the heart and if He comes in your front, is it very difficult task for Him?

But the rascals, atheists, they cannot understand. Krsna everywhere. That is explained here, yadoh priyasya anvavaye. He can appear... How it is? Malayasyeva candanam. The sandalwood is famous as produced in Malaysia, or Malaya. I think formerly they used to grow sandalwood in Malaysia. What...? What is that capital?

Devotee: Kuala Lumpur.

Prabhupada: Kuala Lumpur. Yes. We had been in Kuala Lumpur. Now, instead of sandalwood, they are growing rubber, rubberwood. Yes. So formerly malaya-candana, Malaysia, Malayasian candana, sandalwood was very famous. Still it is famous. So this candana tree can grow anywhere, but it is famous as Malayan candana. Similarly, Krsna can appear from anywhere. He is independent. But He appeared as this descendant of the Yadu dynasty. Why? Yadoh priyasya, punya-slokasya kirtaye. Those who are devotee, they are punya-sloka. Or Krsna is also punya-sloka, uttama-sloka, Krsna's another name... As Krsna is known as Uttama-sloka, similarly, the devotees are called punya-sloka. How they become punya-sloka? Simply by hearing about Krsna. Srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah punya-sloka-kirtanah [SB 1.2.17]. Anyone who is always in contact with Krsna, he's punya-sloka, and Krsna is Uttama-sloka. Uttama-sloke bhagavati bhaktir bhavati naisthiki.

So these are the terms used in the sastras. As Krsna is Uttama-sloka, similarly, a devotee is punya-sloka. As the devotee worships Krsna with selected poems, uttama-sloka... They are not ordinary poems. Cintamani-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vrksa-laksavrtesu surabhir abhipalayan... [Bs. 5.29]. These are not ordinary verse. These are transcendental verses: Govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami **. So Krsna is worshiped by transcendental verses, transcendental language, Vedic language. That is transcendental language. Therefore it is called uttama-sloka. So punya-sloka, when he's advanced, he can worship the Uttama-sloka. Nasta-prayesu abhadresu nityam bhagavata-sevaya [SB 1.2.18]. Nityam, daily, regular. So as you are daily hearing Srimad-Bhagavatam, so if you go on, then nasta-praya, everything, all dirty things within your heart, ceto-darpana-marjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12], it will be all cleansed. Then you become punya-sloka. Punya-sloka. Nityam bhagavata-sevaya. Srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah nityam..., punya-sloka-kirtanah [SB 1.2.17]. Simply by hearing...

So we are inviting everyone to become punya-sloka simply by hearing Srimad-Bhagavata. There is no... Come here. Take prasadam. Chant Hare Krsna. Dance in jubilation. Become punya-sloka, and Krsna..., you become very dear to Krsna. This is perfection of life.

Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.32 -- Mayapura, October 12, 1974

"Increase Your Love For Krishna"

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.31
Los Angeles, April 23, 1973

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Devotee:

gopy adade tvayi krtagasi dama tavad
ya te dasasru-kalilanjana-sambhramaksam
vaktram niniya bhaya-bhavanaya sthitasya
sa mam vimohayati bhir api yad bibheti

"My, dear Krsna, Yasoda took up a rope to bind You when You committed an offense, and Your perturbed eyes overflooded with tears, which washed the mascara from Your eyes. And You were afraid, though fear personified is afraid of You. This sight is bewildering to me."

Prabhupada: This is also another opulence of Krsna. Krsna is full with six kinds of opulences. So this opulence is beauty, beauty opulence. Krsna has got six opulences: all riches, all strength, all influence, all knowledge, all beauty, all renunciation. So this is the opulence of Krsna's beauty. Krsna wants everyone...

Just like we are, we are offering obeisances to Krsna with awe and veneration. But nobody comes here to Krsna with a rope: "Krsna, You have offended. I shall bind You." Nobody comes. That is the another prerogative of the most perfect devotee. Yes. Krsna wants that. Because He's full of opulence... This is also another opulence. Anor aniyan mahato mahiyan. The greater than the greatest and the smaller than the smallest. That is opulence.

So Kuntidevi is thinking of Krsna's opulence, but she did not dare to take the part of Yasoda. That is not possible. Although Kuntidevi happened to be aunt of Krsna, but she had no such privilege... This privilege is especially given to Yasodamayi. Because she's so advanced devotee that she has got the right to chastise the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is special prerogative. So Kuntidevi was simply thinking of the privilege of Yasodamayi, that how much fortunate and how much privileged she was that she could threaten the Supreme Personality of Godhead who is feared even by the fear personified. Bhir api yad bibheti. Who is not afraid of Krsna? Everyone. But Krsna is afraid of Yasodamayi. This is the superexcellence of Krsna.

Just like Krsna's another name is Madana-mohana. Madana means Cupid. Cupid enchants everyone. Cupid. And Krsna enchants Cupid. Therefore His name is Madana-mohana. He's so beautiful that even Cupid is enchanted by Him. But again on the other side, Krsna, although He's so beautiful that He enchants the Cupid, still He is enchanted by Srimati Radharani. Therefore Srimati Radharani's name is Madana-mohana-mohini. Krsna is the enchanter of the Cupid, and Radharani is the enchanter of that enchanter. So these are very high-grade spiritual understanding in Krsna consciousness. It is not fiction or imagination, concoction. They are facts. They are facts. And every devotee can have such privileges if he is actually advanced. If you...

Don't think that the privilege which was given to Mother Yasoda... If not exactly like that, everyone can have that privilege. If you love Krsna as your child, then you'll have such privilege. Because the mother has got... Because mother loves the most. Nobody... In this material world, there is no comparison of mother's love. Without any exchange. Even in this material world. Mother loves the child without any expectation of return, generally. Although in this material world it is so polluted, still sometimes mother thinks: "The child will be grown up. He will be big man. He will earn money, and I shall get it." There is still some feelings of exchange. But while loving Krsna, there is no such feeling of exchange. That is called unalloyed love. Anyabhilasita-sunyam [BRS 1.1.11], free from all material gain.

We should not love Krsna for some material gain. It is not that: "Krsna, give us our daily bread. Then I love You. Krsna, give me this. Then I love You." There is no such mercantile exchange. That is wanted. Krsna wants that kind of love. So here it is said that position, ya te dasa, dasa... When, as soon as Krsna saw Mother Yasoda is coming with a rope to bind Him, so He immediately became very much afraid so that tears came out. "Oh, Mother is going to bind Me." Ya te dasasru-kalila anjana. And the ointment is being washed off. And sambhrama. And with great respect looking to the mother, with feeling appeal: "Yes, Mother, I have offended you. Kindly excuse Me." This was the scene of Krsna. So that scene is appreciated by Kunti. And immediately His head became downward.

So this is another Krsna's perfection, that although He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead... In Bhagavad-gita He says: mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya [Bg. 7.7]. "My dear Arjuna, there is no superior being above Me. I am the supermost." Mattah parataram na anyat. There is nobody else." That Supreme Personality of Godhead, above whom there is none, that Supreme Personality of Godhead is bowing down before Mother Yasoda. Niniya, vaktram niniya. He is accepting: "My dear Mother, yes, I am offender." Niniya vaktram bhaya-bhavanaya, with a feeling of fearfulness. Sthitasya. Sometimes when Yasodamata, Mother Yasoda used to see that the child has become too much afraid, she also became disturbed. Because if the child is disturbed... It is a psychology. There is some mental reaction. So Mother Yasoda did not want that actually Krsna will suffer by my punishment. That was not Krsna, Mother Yasoda's purpose. But as a mother feelingly, when she feels too much disturbance, the child is...

This system is still current in India, when the child too much disturbing, he is bound up in a place. That is very common system. So Yasoda Mother adopted it. Sa mam vimohayati. So that is the scene appreciated by pure devotees, that how much greatness is there in the Supreme Person that He is playing exactly a perfect child. When He's playing like a child, He plays perfectly. When He plays a husband (with) 16,000 wives, He was playing perfectly as husband. When He was playing as lover of the gopis, He was playing perfectly. When He was friend of the cowherd boys, He was playing perfectly.

The cowherd boys all depend on Krsna. They, wanted to take the palm tree fruit, but there was a demon, Gardabhasura, they would not allow anyone to enter that palm tree. But the boy friends of Krsna, cowherds, they requested: "Krsna, we wanted to taste that fruit. If you can arrange..." "Yes." Immediately Krsna arranged. Krsna and Balarama went to the forest, and the demons, they were living there in the shape of asses, and immediately they came to kick by their hind legs Krsna and Balarama. And Balarama captured one of them and immediately threw on the top of the tree and the demons dies.

So the friends also were very much obliged to Krsna. There was fire all round. They do not know anything. "Krsna." "Yes." Krsna is ready. Krsna immediately swallowed up the whole fire. There were so many demons attacked. Every day, all the boys, they would come back to their home and explain to their mother: "Mother, Krsna is so wonderful. You see. This happened to day." And the mother would say: "Yes, our Krsna is wonderful." So much. That's all. They do not know Krsna is God, Krsna is the Supreme Person. Krsna is wonderful. That's all. And their love increases. The more they perceive Krsna's wonderful activities, they become more lover. "Perhaps he may be a demigod. Yes." That is their suggestion. When Nanda Maharaja will talk amongst his friends and the friends will talk about Krsna... "Oh Nanda Maharaja, your child Krsna is wonderful. "Yes, I see that. Maybe some demigod." That's all. "Maybe." That is also not certain. So the inhabitants of Vrndavana, they do not care who is God, or who is not God. That is not their business. But they want Krsna and love Krsna. That's all.

So those who are thinking of first of all analyzing Krsna, whether He's God, they are not first-class devotee. Those who have got spontaneous love for Krsna, they are first-class devotees. How you will analyze Krsna? He's unlimited. It is impossible. So this business... We should not try to analyze, to know Krsna. It is impossible. We have got limited perception, limited potency of our senses, how we can study Krsna? It is not possible at all. Krsna reveals Himself, that much sufficient. Don't try. That is not...

Neti neti. Just like the Mayavadis, they are trying to find out God, where is God, who is God. Neti, not this. They're simply "Not this." Their philosophy is based on "Not this." And what it is, they do not know. The so-called scientists, also, they are trying to find out the ultimate cause, but their process is "not this." So much. As, as much they're advancing, they're find: "Not this", and what it is, they will never find. They will never find. They can say: "Not this," but what it is, that is not possible. This is not possible.

panthas tu koti-sata-vatsara-sampragamyo
vayor athapi manaso muni-pungavanam
so 'pyasti yat prapada-simny avicintya-tattve
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
[Bs 5.34]

What to speak of Krsna, even this material object. They're trying to go to the Moon planet. Actually they do not know what it is. Actually. Then why they're coming back? If they knew it perfectly, what it is, then they would have resided there by this time. They are trying for the last twenty years. Simply they are seeing: "Not this. There is no living entities. There is no possibility of our living there." So many "Nos." And what is yes? No, they do not know. And this is only one planet or one star. The moon planet is taken as star.

The scientists, they say the stars are all suns, but according to our information, in the Bhagavad-gita: naksatranam aham sasi. Sasi means the moon is just like so many stars. So what is the position of the moon? Moon is bright being reflection of the sun. So according to our calculation the sun is one. But the modern scientists say that there are so many suns, the stars. We don't agree. This is only one universe. There are many suns, innumerable, but in each and every sun, every universe there is one sun, not many. So this universe, what we are experiencing, experiencing by seeing imperfectly... We do not know. We cannot count how many stars are there, how many planets are there. It is impossible. So the material things which is before us, still we are unable to count, to understand, and what to speak of the Supreme Lord who created this universe? That is not possible.

Therefore in the Brahma-samhita it is said: panthas tu koti-sata-vatsara-sampragamyah. Panthas... Koti-sata-vatsara. The space is unlimited. Now you take your plane or sputnik or capsule... So many things they have invented. So you go on. Now go on for how many hours or days or years? No. Panthas tu koti-sata-vatsara. For millions of years, koti-sata-vatsara, go on with your speed. Panthas tu koti-sata-vatsara-sampragamyah. And how I shall go? Now on the plane which is running on the velocity of the air. Not this velocity, not this speed, 500 miles or 1000 miles per hour. No. What is the speed of air?

Svarupa Damodara: 126,000 miles per second.

Prabhupada: 96 miles per second. These are mentioned in the Vedic literature that if you go by this speed, air, 96 miles per second... So just imagine what is the speed of air. So panthas tu koti-sata-vatsara-sampragamyo vayor athapi [Bs 5.34]. On the plane which is running on the speed of air. That speed, and for millions of years. Then again it is suggested not only on the speed of air but also on the speed of mind.

The mind you can, everyone, we know, what is the speed of mind. Even one ten-thousandth part of a second, you can go millions of miles. The speed of mind. You are sitting here and suppose you have seen something which is millions of miles, miles away, you can immediately, your mind can go immediately. So these two examples are given. Just see how much scientific they were. These rascals says that there was no advanced mind or advanced scientists. Then wherefrom these words are coming? The speed of air, the speed of mind. Unless they had some experiment, some knowledge. Why, how these books are written?

So panthas tu koti-sata-vatsara-sampragamyo vayor athapi manasah [Bs 5.34]. And how the speed, speedy planes are manufactured? Muni-pungavanam. By the greatest scientists and greatest thoughtful men. By, manufactured by them. So is that perfection? No. So 'pyasti yat prapada-simny avicintya-tattve. Still you shall remain in inconceivable understanding what is this creation. Still, if you are so advanced that you can run on on this speed and if you are greatest scientist and thoughtful philosopher, still you'll remain in the same condition, unknown. Still.

So how we can study Krsna? And Krsna has created all these things. So if you cannot understand Krsna's created things, how you can understand Krsna? This is not possible at all. It is not possible. Therefore this Vrndavana status of mind for the devotees is the perfection. They have no business to understand Krsna. They want to love Krsna, without condition. "Because Krsna is God, therefore I love." Their mentality is not like that. Krsna is not just playing in Vrndavana as God. He is playing there as ordinary cowherds boy. But at times, He's proving that He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But they do not care to know it. So outside Vrndavana...

Just like Kuntidevi. Kuntidevi is not inhabitant of Vrndavana. She is inhabitant of Hastinapura, outside Vrndavana. The outside devotees, the devotees who are outside Vrndavana, they are studying the in habitants of the Vrndavana, how great they are. But the inhabitants of Vrndavana, they don't care to know how great is Krsna. That is the difference. So our business is simply to love Krsna. The more you love Krsna, the more you become perfect. It is not that it is necessary to understand Krsna, how He has created. The things are mentioned here. Krsna is explaining Himself in the Bhagavad-gita so much. Don't bother very much to know Krsna. That is not possible. Simply increase your unalloyed love for Krsna. That is perfection of life.

Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.31 -- Los Angeles, April 23, 1973

"Devotee--'Higher' Than God"

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.31
Mayapura, October 11, 1974

---

Nitai: "My dear Krsna, Yasoda took up a rope to bind You when You committed an offense, and Your perturbed eyes overflooded with tears, which washed the mascara from Your eyes. And You were afraid, though fear personified is afraid of You. This sight is bewildering to me."

Prabhupada:

gopy adade tvayi krtagasi dama tavad
ya te dasasru-kalilanjana-sambhramaksam
vaktram niniya bhaya-bhavanaya sthitasya
sa mam vimohayati bhir api yad bibheti

So this is the description of Krsna's becoming Damodara. Krsna's another name is Damodara. The Damodara Temple, Radha-Damodara Temple, is there in Vrndavana, and I was staying there. Still I have my two rooms. So this Damodara description... The Damodara month is coming, and it will begin on the 18th of this October. So from that day, we'll observe Damodara-vrata for one month. From 18th to 17th November. The duty will be that in the evening you'll offer candle, a small candle, all of you, just before the Deity, not within the room, outside the room, and chant the Damodarastaka, namamisvaram. That is already printed in our song book. So this will be Damodara-vrata. That Damodara is explained here.

Srimati Kunti is also motherly. So how Krsna was afraid of His mother, Yasoda, that is described here. Gopya: "By Your mother, Yasoda." The Vallabhacarya made a book of Krsna's various names. And he came to Caitanya Mahaprabhu to request Him to hear that how he has described Krsna's name. At that time, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said that "I know Krsna's two names: Syamasundara and Yasodanandana." Syamasundara, "beautiful Syama, Krsna." Yam syamasundaram acintya-guna-svarupam. He's not syama -- syama means blackish -- but at the same time, the most beautiful. Here in this material world, if somebody is blackish, he cannot be called beautiful. But Krsna, although He is blackish, He is sundaram, very, very beautiful. How much sundaram? Kandarpa-koti-kamaniya-visesa-sobham [Bs. 5.30]. Kandarpa-koti. If you keep one side millions of Cupids, still, Krsna will appear more beautiful. Just like we sing, nitai-pada-kamala, koti-candra-susitala. Koti, millions of moons together, they cannot be so peaceful and cool as the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda. These examples are given in the sastra. They are not exaggeration but actual fact. And we have to take it in good faith. Then we'll make advance in spiritual life. Otherwise, if we think these things are exaggeration in the sastras or by the devotees, that is aparadha, offense.

So here it is said that krtagasi. Krtagasi... So Krsna was offender before His mother. The mother, Yasoda, was taking care of the milk, and Krsna wanted to suck his (her) breast. So mother was very busy. So when the milk was overflowing, she immediately left Krsna and went to take care of the milk. Krsna became very much angry. So He went to the butter stock and broke the butter pot, spoiled it, and when mother Yasoda saw that the child is breaking the butter pot, he (she) immediately wanted to catch Him, and Krsna fled away. And then, after all, He was a small child, and Mother Yasoda caught Him and wanted to bind Him with a rope. This is the fact. Krtagasi. Then gopy adade krtagasi tvam: "Because You were offender, therefore he (she) wanted to bind You." Dama. Dama means rope. Tavat. "And what was Your condition at that time? The condition was ya te dasa." Dasa means condition. So He was crying. Lord Krsna, out of fear of His mother -- "Now Mother will bind Me" -- so He was crying. And while crying, the tears washed the, what is called? Kajala? Mascara? So they were dropping, and He was fearful, crying, and He was, His head was down, flapping. This condition. Niniya. Vaktram niniya, face. He felt culprit, that "I have done wrong." Bhaya-bhavanaya. He was so much afraid that "Mother will bind Me. My freedom will be lost." Sthitasya: "In this way, when You were situated..."

So Kuntidevi is remembering that scene, and she became astonished. Why? Now, bhir api yad bibheti. The... There is one thing, bhaya. Everyone is afraid of something. That is called bhaya. So there is the personified bhaya, bhih. So he's also afraid of Krsna. Because Krsna is the supreme being, controller, isvarah paramah krsnah [Bs. 5.1], so He can control... Just like the superintendent of police. So everyone is afraid of the superintendent of police. Especially those criminals, they are very much afraid. But why the governor should be afraid of the police superintendent? As that is not possible, that is unnatural, similarly, if there is any director of the fear department in the kingdom of Krsna, so he's afraid of Krsna because everyone is servant. Ekale isvara krsna ara saba bhrtya. Whoever may be... Just like Goddess Kali. She is personified fear. Just see, just imagine the bodily feature of Goddess Kali. She is killing all the asuras. So many asuras has been killed that all their heads have been made into a garland, and she is putting on the shoulder. And one asura killed, and she has taken the head in the left hand. And the other hand is engaged with the, what is called, chopper? Khanga. What is the English of khanga?

Devotee (1): Chopper.

Prabhupada: Chopper?

Devotee (2): Sword?

Prabhupada: Yes. And the, she's standing, bhih, bhir api. Bhih means personified, personified fearfulness. So those who are criminals, they worship Kali, Goddess Kali: "Mother, please excuse me. I, I am criminal. I'll give you one goat."

So these things are going on in the name of worshiping God. But that is not God worship. That is worshiping the fearful personified by the criminals. Just Durga... Kali is expansion of Durga. Just like Visnu is expansion of Krsna, similarly, Krsna's energy... Energy has also many expansions. Dasa maha-vidya. There are many expansions of Durga because she has to look after... Just like police department. Police department is there, but there are many officers in that police department. Similarly, Durga is the superintendent of police of this universe. Durga. Durga means the fort, durga. Ga means going, and dur means difficulty.

So where you cannot go unless you accept so many difficulties, that is called durga, or fort. So this universe, material world, is just like a durga. You cannot escape. Conditioned souls, you cannot escape. It is very difficult. Daivi hy esa gunamayi duratyaya [Bg. 7.14]. There are rules and regulations. Just like immigration department, security department -- same thing. These are simply reflection of the original function of the supreme government. So this is... Just like prison house. You cannot escape so easily. If you try to escape, then you'll be again punished. So the bhih, the superintendent of police... The original superintendent is Durga. Durga means the protector of this durga, where you cannot escape. So she is also servant of Krsna. Therefore it is said, bhir api yad bibheti. This Durga is the fearful personified, but still she cannot disobey Krsna's order. That is her position, dasi. Mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam taranti te [Bg. 7.14]. The bhih, the fearful feature of Krsna's potency, can only excuse you when you are surrendered to Krsna. Otherwise, you have to suffer these material pangs. We can understand how we are materially inconvenienced. We are... We have got such a nice house, and we are living on the third floor, so nicely decorated with marble. But the Durga's agent, the flies, they can go there and disturb you, so much so that you would like to go away from this house. This is our position. So the bhih, the fearful personified agent, can punish you anywhere. You may think that "I am very comfortably situated," but that fearful agent can go anywhere.

So that fearful agent, Durga, is also fearful of Krsna. This is Krsna's position. Because she is servant. Srsti-sthiti-pralaya-sadhana-saktir eka chayeva yasya bhuvanani bibharti durga [Bs. 5.44]. She is so powerful, Durga, that she can create one universe. Just like Krsna can create, Krsna also creates through her agent. As it is stated, na tasya karyam karanam ca vidyate. He does not do anything directly, but as soon as He desires, "Let there..." Sa aiksata sa asrjata. These are the statements of the Vedas. In the Bible also it is said, "God desired: Let there be creation." Is it not like that? "And there was creation." Yes. The modern men, they cannot understand. "Eh! What is this? If somebody says ‘Let there be creation,' and immediately that is ready? And He hasn't got to do it? These things are simply exaggeration." But no, that is the fact. God does not do anything by Himself. He's so powerful. Simply by His will... There are so many agents, and they are so powerful that immediately they can do it. The foolish people, they cannot see the hands of God is working everywhere.

So srsti-sthiti... Mayadhyaksena prakrtih suyate sa-caracaram [Bg. 9.10]. So prakrti, this material nature is working, and if one is criminal... Criminal means we are. Just see the flies, the insects, how much they are suffering. Whole night, they struggle to enjoy the lamp. And in the morning all dead. All dead. This is their life. So we are thinking that we are better situated. No, we are not better situated. Our, the principle is the same, that you come here, you accept a certain type of body, and whole night, or whole life... Night means ignorance, darkness. So in ignorance you go on struggling whole life, and then you become dead, finished. The same thing. There is no difference between the life of the insect... Therefore Prabodhananda Sarasvati says that, that the, these big, big demigods... Yat karunya-kataksa-vaibhavavatam. There is a verse. I just now forget it. Kaivalyam narakayate. Prabodhananda Sarasvati says that kaivalya, the impersonalists' theory of becoming one, monist, with the Absolute... That is called kaivalya. So he says: kaivalyam narakayate: "For a devotee who has got little favor of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, for him, this kaival ya-sukha, happiness of becoming one with the Supreme, is as good as the hell." Kaivalyam narakayate. And tri-dasa-pura akasa-puspayate. Tri-dasa-pura means where thirty-three millions of demigods live, heavenly planets. It is something like phantasmagoria, akasa-puspa, which has... Just like in Bengal they say, jokingly, ghora dim. Ghora dim means a ghora, a horse, never gives eggs. It is fantastics. It is not possible. Similarly, these heavenly planets, for a Vaisnava, is ghora dim. They don't care for it. It is no fact.

So kaivalyam narakayate tri-dasa-pura akasa-puspayate. Karmis, they want to go to the heavenly planet. This is the sarcastic remark upon the karmis. And kaivalyam narakayate, a sarcastic remark upon the jnanis. They want to become, want to become one. Kaivalyam narakayate tri-dasa-pura akasa-puspayate, durdanta indriya-kala-sarpa-patali protkhata-damstrayate. Durdanta indriya. Our senses are very powerful, durdanta. We cannot control. Just like snake. A snakes..., if you get some snakes here, it is very difficult to control. If you go to control, immediately it will bite and your life is finished. But mantrausadhi, those who know mantra and osadhi, they can control. But common man, they cannot control. But this Prabodhananda Sarasvati says that there is no control. There is no question of control. The snake is horrible, very fearful, so long it has got the poison teeth, visa-danta. So sometimes the physicians, according to Ayur Vedic system, they take out the poison from the teeth. They do not kill, but catch and take out the poison. So if the poison teeth is taken away, the snake is no more fearful. So Prabodhananda Sarasvati says that durdantendriya-kala-sarpa-patali protkhata-damstrayate. Damstrayate. Just like the dentists take away the teeth, similarly, if one snake's poison teeth is taken away, so no, it is no more fearful. In Bengal it is said that visa nai kula pana cakra.(?) So one who knows that this snake's poison teeth is taken away, he's not afraid. But this snake is fearful to the boys, to the children, not to the elderly men.

So anyone who has become devotee, for them, these senses, which are compared with the snakes, are not fearful. Just like Haridasa Thakura. He was young man, he has got all the senses, and the young girl, beautiful girl, came before him. But he was not fearful because the poison teeth is taken away of his senses. The senses, being engaged in Krsna's service, it is no more controller of the sense proprietor. This is the system. Therefore Prabodhananda Sarasvati said that durdanta: "The senses are like the snakes; it is very difficult to control. But it can be controlled because the poison teeth is taken away." This is the position of devotee. Kaivalyam narakayate tri-dasa-purakasa-puspayate durdanta indriya-kala-sarpa-patali protkhata-damstrayate.

And what is the other? Now, vidhi-mahendradis ca kitayate. I was going to come to this point. Vidhi-mahendradis ca kitayate. Vidhi means Brahma, and mahendra means the king of heaven, Indradeva. Such, such, big, big men, what to speak of these Churchill or Subhash Bose or... These big, big, they're kitayate. Kitayate means a devotee thinks this Brahma and Indra exactly like these insect. That is the conception. So that is actually the fact. Everyone... It is the relative world. Relatively, it looks very gorgeous, but the actually... Just like proportionate. You put five upon ten, and five millions upon ten millions. The ratio is the same, half. Similarly, these big, big men, these big, big politicians, they are struggling exactly like the insect. The whole life, they struggle. And in the morning, at a certain time, they're heap, heaps of dead body. That's all. We have seen it in Calcutta. When there was Hindu-Muslim riot, they fought, and in Bhag Bazaar there were heaps of dead bodies. And when it is dead body, nobody could understand who is Hindu and who is Muslim. Simply it was to be cleared from the road. So our position is like that.

So we may be afraid of this fearful agent, but Krsna is not fearful, afraid of fearful agent. We do... Because we should not. Therefore Kunti is astonished, vimohayati, that "This is my astonishment, that how Krsna is afraid of His mother? The... Everyone is afraid of Krsna." That Krsna, Kunti admits that... Therefore it is called lila. Everything, whatever Krsna does, it is lila. Lila means He's enjoying that fearful attitude of Himself. Everyone prays Him as the Supreme Lord. He is adored, He's worshiped. Nobody can be fearful to Him. Nobody goes to Krsna: "I have come to chastise You, Krsna." That is not possible. Nobody goes to the temple with the attitude, with a stick -- "Sir, I have come to chastise You." Everyone is praying. So when Krsna thinks that "I want to be chastised," at that time He become subordinate to His devotee to be chastised. This is Krsna's lila. Krsna agrees that "Nobody comes to chastise Me, all My devotees. If some devotee comes to chastise Me, I would like it." So Krsna accepts such great devotee as His mother and father, and they are able to chastise Krsna.

So these people, these Mayavadi people, they are trying to become one with the God. But a devotee doesn't like to be one with God but better than God or higher than God. That is devotee's position. Devotee's so powerful that Krsna, a devotee can claim to become higher than God. They can produce God. Just like Yasoda-mata, Devaki. He (she) produced God. And God agrees. These Devaki and Vasudeva, they underwent severe penances, austerities. Without any conjugal union, they undergone tapasya. And Krsna came to them, that "What do you want?" "Now I, we want a son like You." So Krsna said, "Who can be equal to Me? That is not possible. I shall become your son." This is the reason that Krsna took birth as the son of Devaki, because they become... Krsna... Vasudeva and Devaki or mother Yasoda or Nanda, they became the father and mother of Krsna, and now they are chastising Krsna. It is not so easy thing. They had to undergo thousands of years in penances to take this position of chastising Krsna. It is not... (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.31 -- Mayapura, October 11, 1974

"Krishna's Active Inactivity"

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.30
Mayapura, October 10, 1974

---

Nitai: "Of course, it is bewildering, O soul of the universe, that You work, though You are inactive, that You take birth, though You are the vital force and the unborn. You Yourself descend amongst the animals, men, sages and aquatics. Verily, this is bewildering."

Prabhupada:

janma karma ca visvatmann
ajasyakartur atmanah
tiryan-nrsisu yadahsu
tat atyanta-vidambanam

This vidambanam word, the English translation is almost similar -- "bewildering." Vidambanam, "bewildering."

So this is to be understood, what is Krsna, because He descends out of His causeless mercy as human being for reestablishing the principles of religious system.

yada yada hi dharmasya
glanir bhavati bharata
abhyutthanam adharmasya
tadatmanam srjamy aham
[Bg. 4.7]

(aside:) That's all right. So this is to be understood. Superficially understanding Krsna... Of course, even not understanding. Simply by uttering the word "Krsna" in love and affection, one becomes delivered. It is said: eka krsna name yata papa hare, papi haya tata papa karibare nare(?). Krsna-nama is so powerful... It is said, if you chant thousand times Lord Visnu's name, then the result is equal to once chanting Lord Rama's name... I forget that, to recite that verse. But the purpose is this that... Visnu-sahasra-nama is recommended to be chanted by common man. But sastra says that after chanting one thousand of Lord Visnu's name -- there are hundreds and thousands of names -- it is equal to if you chant once Lord Rama's name. Similarly, if you chant three times Lord Rama's name, then it is equal to once chanting Krsna's name. So we understand or not understand, if we chant Hare Krsna, the result is there. Without any offense, if we chant, then the result is... Once chanting of Krsna's name is so powerful that immediately the chanting makes you free from all kinds of reaction of sinful activities. Eka krsna-name yata papa hare, papi haya tata papa kari bare nare(?). The papis, they are very much expert in committing sinful activities, but Krsna, this holy name, once chanted, is so powerful that this expert sinful man cannot commit so many sinful activities. This is there. So some way or other, if we offenselessly chant Hare Krsna name, it is so powerful.

So here Kunti says, janma karma ca visvatmann ajasya. Aja means who never takes birth. Ajasya. Aja, the living entities, they are also aja, but sometimes the living entity, being attracted by the material energy, they come to this material world. Then their quality of aja, or not to take birth, becomes vanquished, because in the material world one has to take birth. But actually spirit soul, or the Supreme Spirit, Krsna, they are aja. Ajo nityah sasvato 'yam. In the Bhagavad-gita it is said clearly that living entity is aja, nitya, sasvata, ayam. "Then how he is dying?" one may question. That is also replied: na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20]. Don't think... That dying means he's changing body, not dying. Therefore... Because Krsna says the living entity is aja, everyone can question that "If he's aja, he does not take birth, then why he's taking birth? Why he's dying?" The answer is immediately there: na hanyate: "Don't think that he's dying." Na hanyate. "No, I see his body's being burned." No, na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20]. That body is being burned. That...

Suppose if your cloth is burned... In my childhood, when I was three, four years old, I was saved. My all cloth burned, and there is a scar. You have seen. I would have died that day, but fortunately I was saved. The cloth was burning. That, what is that called, matches color? So I was trying to burn, and it caught my cloth. So the cloth burned, but I did not burn. Similarly, this body also burns, but the soul... Nainam chindanti sastrani na dahati pavakah. The soul is never cut into pieces by any weapon, neither it is burned by the fire, soul. That is eternity. Anything material, it will burn, it will be cut into pieces, it can be dried up, it can be moistened. Because we cannot see the soul, so Krsna has explained in a negative definition what is the characteristic of the soul. Nainam chindanti sastrani nainam dahati pavakah, na sosayati marutah. Like that.

So aja... We are also aja because we are part and parcel of Krsna. And nitya. Nityah sasva... Ajo nityah. Nitya... The Mayavada philosophy is that we are aja, and Supreme Brahman is aja. So when we are uncovered by this material body, we mix with the aja. That is their theory, monist. We merge into the existence of aja. But that is not fact. You merge. That is like merging a green bird into a green tree. When a green bird enters a green tree it appears that the green bird is now merged and he, it has no more existence. No. That is not... One can understand. The bird enters into the green tree does not mean the bird has lost his existence. His individuality is still there. Similarly, when we merge, even in Brahman effulgence, we do not lose our individuality. Although it appears that we have lost our identity, individuality, but actually that is not the fact. And because it is not fact, therefore our another quality is anandamayo 'bhyasat: we want ananda.

As Krsna is anandamaya... We see Krsna is always engaged in pastimes, either with the cowherd boys or with the gopis or with His father, mother, or in the fight of battlefield, Kuruksetra, or in killing some demon. But His pastimes are always there. He's never inactive. He's never inactive. There it is said, visvatmann ajasya akartuh. He has nothing to do, but still He is acting. Akartuh. Akartuh means He has nothing to do. Here, so far we are concerned, we have to do something in the material world. We are destined. Sarira-yatrapi ca te na prasiddhyed akarmanah. Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita that "If you do not work, you cannot maintain even your body. You have to work." You see therefore all living entities... At night, millions and trillions of living entities, they come, fly and work. The work has no meaning. The work is death. Still, they are working. So what to speak of others? The birds, the sparrows, they are working, from here to there, here... And we are also working. So that is the nature of material existence.

But Krsna has nothing to do. Akartuh. He has nothing to do. Na mam karmani limpanti na me karma-phale sprha [Bg. 4.14]. He has not... But He comes as a human being just to teach us how to work, how to work. That He explains in the Bhagavad-gita, how to work and be happy. But not to work, Krsna has never... And neither this place is like that, that you will not work, and everything will come automatically. Things are coming automatically, but you have to pick up the things by working. That is the nature. Just like you have got gold mine under your feet. So you have to take it by working, by digging. You cannot say, "Now I have got the gold mine. Now sit down tightly." No. That is not material nature. But Krsna has nothing to do. Na tasya karyam karanam ca vidyate. That is the Vedic instruction. That is akartuh. He has nothing to do. Why He has nothing to do? Now, because He has got many energies. Just like nowadays, by electronics, one man is sitting... We have seen the pilot. He's sitting in his place. He's simply pushing on the button, and the whole, big gigantic 747 is flying in the sky. We see the pilot is sitting there. He's doing nothing, but he's doing everything. But the electronic arrangement is so perfect. But sitting in one place he is working the big gigantic machine. As it is possible for a small material man, how much it is possible for Krsna. Although He does not do anything, still, He's visvatman: He is controlling the whole universe, visvatman. He's the vital force, visvat... This is Krsna.

So we have to understand Krsna. Kunti is helping us. Every devotee, Vaisnava, they voluntarily takes this business just to satisfy Krsna, to explain Krsna, just like Kunti is explaining, because if we understand Krsna thoroughly, then we are liberated. Therefore Krsna..., Kunti's trying that "Krsna has nothing to do. Don't think that Krsna is helping Arjuna in the Battlefield of Kuruksetra, it is His duty." No, it is not His duty. He's doing it voluntarily, but He has nothing to do with it. That is Krsna. Na me karma-phale sprha. He has nothing to do. We are forced to do. According to our karma-phala, we are forced to do. Tasyaiva hetoh prayateta kovidah. Tal labhyate duhkhavad anyatah sukham. Here we have to, we are forced to accept happiness or distress according to destiny. You cannot deny, that "I'll not take this distressed condition of life. I'll simply take the happiness portion." That you cannot do. You must. Krsna is not like that. That is understanding of Krsna. (aside:) Why you are standing? You can sit down. Krsna is not like that. Krsna is akartuh. Atmanah..., although He is the vital force of everything.

So if we simply understand Krsna, as explained in the sastras, sadhu-sastra, or saintly persons, devotees, if we try to understand, then we become liberated. Janma karma me divyam. As it is said, janma karma ca visvatmann ajasya akartur atmanah, vidambanam. Vidambanam. They are all bewildering, bewildering. Therefore, if one understands properly, then the result is that he becomes liberated. That means he gets full knowledge. Bahunam janmanam ante [Bg. 7.19]. Then he understands that Krsna is everything. He's the origin of everything. Visvatman. This is to be understood. He's the vital force of the whole universe. The whole universe is moving not automatically, but under the guidance and superintendency of Krsna. Mayadhyaksena prakrtih suyate sa-caracaram [Bg. 9.10]. Krsna says, "Under My superintendence" So Krsna is active, but He has nothing to do. This is acintya, inconceivable. He is very active because He is supervising the whole activities of the universe, but still, He has nothing to do. That is Krsna. We have to understand that. Pasyaty acaksuh. "He is seeing, but acaksuh. Acaksuh means... You may say, "Not seeing." Acaksuh. He does not place His eyesight, but still, He's seeing. How it is? Now, He can see from any part of His body. Just like I close my eyes -- I cannot see you. My seeing activities stop. But because, although I am, I have closed my eyes, but my hands are there. So Krsna can see by hands, by nails. That is Krsna. Angani yasya sakalendriya-vrttimanti pasyanti... This very word is used, pasyanti. The limbs of the body of Krsna, any part, He can see. Although He may close His eyes, but because other parts of the body are open, therefore He can see. Angani yasya sakalendriya-vrttimanti.

In this way, Krsna is explained in so many sastras, and He explains Himself. If we simply try to understand the constitution of Krsna, then we become liberated. And if we try to understand, Krsna will help. Krsna says, srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah punya-sravana-kirtanah [SB 1.2.17]. The more we hear about Krsna, we become purified. We cannot understand Krsna because we are not purified. But the, simply if you hear the Krsna name -- Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare -- if you chant and hear, you become purified. So why should we not this, take this simple method and as it is recommended in the sastra, harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam [Adi 17.21], simply chant Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, twenty-four hours? Kirtaniyah sada harih [Cc. adi 17.31]. You become perfect. Why we are losing this opportunity? That is our misfortune. That is explained by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, etadrsi tava krpa bhagavan mamapi: "My Lord, You have shown Your mercy so liberally that name, chanting of Your name, is sufficient." Namnam akari bahudha nija-sarva-saktih. This chanting of the name, abhinnatvan nama-naminoh..., there is all potency of Him. Namnam akari bahudha nija-sarva-saktis tatrarpita. There is all potencies. Namnam akari... And there are many names, not only one name. If you don't like to chant Krsna's name, then there are other names also, any name. Must be name of harer nama, nama, the name of Hari, not others, harer nama. Then you get all the potencies. Namnam akari bahudha nija-sarva-saktis tatrarpita. And niyamitah smarane na kalah. And there is no, I mean to, consideration whether you shall chant in the morning or in the evening or while you are, mean, purified or not purified. Any circumstances, you can chant. Niyamitah smarane na kalah. There is no such consideration.

So Krsna is available so cheaply for the people, especially kalau, in this age of Kali. Still, we are reluctant to chant the holy name. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu regrets, etadrsi tava krpa bhagavan mamapi: "Although You are so liberal and kind upon this fallen soul, still, unfortunate as I am, I am not inclined to chant this holy name." This is our position, obstinacy, dog's obstinacy. But if we do it, then we become purified. Nasta-prayesv abhadresu nityam bhagavata-sevaya [SB 1.2.18]. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu's recommendation is to read Srimad-Bhagavatam either yourself, being purified, or without being purified, you can read, chant. This is our Vaisnava regulation, duty. As much as possible, we should read Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam. And any such literature -- Caitanya-caritamrta, Brahma-samhita. Any one of them or all of them, it doesn't matter. And chant twenty-four hours Hare Krsna. This is our business.

So we are giving this chance to everyone. We have constructed this big building, or constructing more and more -- why? To give this chance to everyone. Please come here. Chant, join Hare Krsna kirtana, take prasadam and do your best, whatever talent you have got, easily, not very overburdened. If you know something to do, do it for Krsna. Everyone knows. Everyone has got some talent. So that talent should be utilized for Krsna. And if you think that "No, I shall chant simply," all right, you chant. But don't sleep in the name of chanting. That... Don't cheat. That cheating is not good. If you think that you can chant like Haridasa Thakura, then you simply chant. We shall supply you food. There is no anxiety. But don't try to cheat. You must be engaged. Yat karosi yaj juhosi yad asnasi, kurusva tad mad-arpanam. Of course, if we can chant twenty-four hours, that is very good. But that is not possible. We are not so highly elevated. We must do something for Krsna.

So this is... This institution, Krsna consciousness movement, is giving chance to everyone. And we are opening centers all over the world for this purpose, that you come, chant Hare Krsna mantra, hear about Krsna, Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita, and whatever you can do, just do it for Krsna. Then your life is successful.

Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.30 -- Mayapura, October 10, 1974

"Chant, Chant, Chant..."

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.30
Los Angeles, April 22, 1973

---

Devotee:

janma karma ca visvatmann
ajasyakartur atmanah
tiryan-nrsisu yadahsu
tad atyanta-vidambanam

"Of course it is bewildering, O Soul of the Universe, that You work, though You are inactive, and that You take birth, though You are the vital force and the unborn. You Yourself descend amongst animals, men, sages, and aquatics. Verily this is bewildering."

Prabhupada: So Krsna is addressed here as Visvatman, the vital force of the universe. Just like in my body, in your body, that there is a vital force. The vital force is the atma, the living being, living entity or soul. So because the vital force, the soul is there, the whole body is working.

So similarly there is the supreme vital force. Supreme vital force is Krsna or the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore where is the question of His taking birth, appearance and disappearance? In the Bhagavad-gita it is said: janma karma ca me divyam [Bg. 4.9]. Divyam means it is spiritual. Ajo 'pi sann avyayatma. Aja means unborn. Avyayatma, without any destruction. So Krsna is existing as in the beginning of this stotra, Kuntidevi addressed Krsna that: "You are within, You are without, still invisible." Krsna is within, without. That we have explained. Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati [Bg. 18.61]. Sarvasya caham hrdi sannivistah. Krsna is situated in everyone's heart. Therefore He is within everything. Andantara-stha-paramanu-cayantara-stham. He, He is within the atom even. And without also.

Visvarupa, as Krsna showed, the Visvarupa, external feature. This gigantic cosmic manifestation. That is Krsna's external body. These are described in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. The, the hills, the mountains, they are described as the bones. Just like we have got in our body some part raised by the bones, similarly these big, big mountains and hills, they have been described as the bones. And the big, big oceans they have been described as different holes in the body, down and up. Similarly the Brahmaloka is the skull, upper skull.

So one who cannot see God, they have been advised to see God in so many ways. These are the instruction in the Vedic literature. Because you can simply conceive of God, the great... The greatness... You also do not know how great He is. So in your conception of greatness... Just like the very high mountains, the sky, the big, big planet. So the description is there. You can think of. That is also Krsna consciousness. If you think that: "This mountain is the bone of Krsna," that is also Krsna consciousness. Actually that is so. If you think that big Pacific Ocean is the navel of Krsna. These big, big trees, plants, they are hairs in the body of Krsna. Then the head, the skull of Krsna, is the Brahmaloka. The sole is the Patalaloka. Similarly... This is mahato mahiyan. When you think of Krsna as the greater than the greatest, you can think like this. And if you think Krsna is both, smaller than the smallest. That is also greatness. That is also greatness. Krsna can manufacture this gigantic cosmic manifestation and He can manufacture also a small insect, smaller than the point.

You have seen sometimes in the book you'll find one insect is running. The shape is smaller than the full stop. This is Krsna's craftsmanship. Anor aniyan mahato mahiyan. He can create bigger than the biggest and the smaller than the smallest. Now human being, according to their conception, they have manufactured the 747 airplane, supposed to be very big. All right. According to your consciousness, you have produced something big. But can you produce a small airplane like insect flying? That is not possible. Therefore greatness means that who can become greater than the greatest and smaller than the smallest. That is greatness. If you can act one-sided... That is also not perfectly.

Supposing you can manufacture still more bigger. I don't think that the modern age they have manufactured the biggest. We get information from Bhagavatam. Kardama Muni, the father of Kapiladeva, he manufactured a plane, a big city. A big city, with lakes, with gardens, with big, big houses, street. And the whole city was flying all over the universe. And Kardama Muni showed to his wife all the planets, all the planets. He was a big yogi, and his wife, Devahuti, was Vaivasvata Manu's daughter, very big king's daughter. So Kardama Muni wanted to marry, desired. So immediately Vaivasvata Manu... His daughter, Devahuti, she also said: "My dear father, I want to marry that sage." So he brought the daughter: "Sir, here is my daughter. You accept her as your wife." So she was king's daughter, very opulent, but coming to her husband, she had to serve so much that she became lean and thin, not sufficient food and working day and night.

So Kardama Muni became little compassionate that: "This woman has come to me. She is king's daughter, and in my protection she is not getting any comfort. So I shall give her some comfort." He asked wife: "How you'll be comfortable?" So woman's nature is a good house, good food, good dress and good children and good husband. This is woman's ambition. So he proved himself that the best husband she has got. So he first of all gave her all opulences, big, big house, maidservants, opulence. And then this airplane was manufactured by him, yogic process. Kardama Muni, he was a human being. If he could perform such wonderful thing by yogic process...

And Krsna is the yogesvara, the master of the all yogic mystic power. Krsna. Krsna is addressed in the Bhagavad-gita as Yogesvara. A little mystic power, when we get, we become so big, important man. And now He's the master of all yogic mystic power. Yatra yogesvaro harih. In the Bhagavad-gita it is said that wherever Yogesvara-Hari, Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of all mystic power, is there, and where there is Dhanurdhara Arjuna, Partha, so everything is there. Everything is there.

So we should remember this. That if you can keep yourself always in company with Krsna, then all perfection is there. Yatra yogesvaro harih. All perfection is there. And Krsna has agreed especially in this age. Nama-rupe kali-kale krsna-avatara, Krsna has incarnated in this age as the holy name. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu says that: "My dear Lord, You are so kind that You are giving Me Your association by, in the form of Your holy name." Namnam akari bahudha nija-sarva-saktis tatrarpita niyamitah smarane na kalah. "And this holy name can be chanted in any situation. There is no hard and fast rule." You can chant Hare Krsna anywhere.

Just like these children. They also chant, they also dance. It is not at all difficult. While walking, just like our students, they take the beads. They're walking on the sea beach, still chanting. Where is the loss? But the gain is so great, that we are associating with Krsna personally. The gain is so much. If you feel very much proud... If you are associating personally with President Nixon, how much proud you feel? "Oh, I am with President Nixon." So will you not feel very much proud if you are associating the supreme Nixon? Who can create millions of Nixons?

So this is your opportunity. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu says: etadrsi tava krpa bhagavan mamapi. "My dear Lord, You are so kind upon Me that You are giving Your association always, constantly. You are prepared. You are giving Durdaivam idrsam ihajani nanuragah. But I am so unfortunate. I am not taking advantage of it." Durdaiva. Misfortune. Our, this Krsna consciousness movement is simply requesting people: "Chant Hare Krsna."

There was a caricature-picture in some paper. Perhaps you remember. From Montreal or here, I don't remember. One old lady and her husband, sitting, face to face. The lady is requesting the husband: "Chant, chant, chant." And the husband is answering: "Can't, can't, can't." So this is going on. We are requesting everyone: "Please chant, chant, chant." And they are replying: "Can't, can't." This is their misfortune. This is their misfortune.

So still it is our duty to make all these misfortunate, unfortunate creatures fortunate. That is our mission. We therefore go in the street and chant. Although they say: "Can't," we go on chanting. That is our business. And, somehow or other, we push on some literature in his hand. He is becoming fortunate. He would have squandered his hard-earned money in so many nasty, sinful ways, and if he purchases one book, never mind what is the price, his money is properly utilized. The beginning of Krsna consciousness is there. Because he is giving some money, hard-earned money, for this Krsna consciousness movement, he is getting some spiritual profit. He's not losing. He's getting some spiritual profit. Therefore our business is, somehow or other, bring everyone in this Krsna consciousness movement. He will be profited.

So this business is going on not only in the human society. Krsna's plan is so great that, that Krsna appeared as human being or as Lord Krsna, not everyone knew that He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He was dealing just like ordinary human being. Not ordinary. When there was need, He proved Himself the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But generally He was known as ordinary human being.

Therefore Sukadeva Gosvami is describing Krsna in a description when He was playing with the cowherd boys. Krsna. So Sukadeva Gosvami is pointing out who is this cowherd boy? He said: ittham brahma-sukhanubhutya, satam. The impersonalists, they are meditating upon the impersonal Brahman and feeling some transcendental bliss. And Sukadeva Gosvami says the source of that transcendental bliss is here, Krsna. Aham sarvasya prabhavah. Krsna is the source of everything. Therefore the transcendental bliss which the impersonalists try to experience by meditating upon impersonal Brahman, Sukadeva Gosvami says: ittham satam brahma-sukhanubhutya. Brahma-sukham, the transcendental bliss of realization of Brahman. Dasyam gatanam para-daivatena. Here is the person who is the source of brahma-sukha and dasyam gatanam para-daivatena. Dasyam gatanam means devotees. A devotee is always prepared to render service to the Lord. Dasyam gatanam para-daivatena. Supreme Personality of Godhead. And... And mayasritanam nara-darakena. And those who are under the spell of illusory energy, for them He is ordinary boy.

So He is, according to the conception, ye yatha mam prapadyante. If Krsna is taken as ordinary boy, human being, Krsna will deal with him as ordinary human being. If Krsna is accepted as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the devotee will enjoy the association of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And if the impersonalists are very much fond of Brahmajyoti, He's the source. So therefore He's everything. Brahmeti, paramatmeti, bhagavan iti sabdyate.

So with such exalted Personality of Godhead, these boys are playing. How, why, how they have been so much fortunate, to play with the Supreme Personality of Godhead?

ittham satam brahma-sukhanubhutya
dasyam gatanam para-daivatena
mayasritanam nara-darakena
sakam vijahruh krta-punya-punjah
[SB 10.12.11]

These boys, cowherd boys, now who are playing with Krsna, they're also not ordinary. They have got now the highest perfection, that they have been able to play with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. How they have achieved this position? Krta-punya-punjah. Many, many lives pious activities. Because these boys for many, many lives underwent austerities, penances to achieve the highest perfection of life. Now they have got the opportunity -- playing with Krsna personally on equal level. They do not know that Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is vrndavana-lila. The cowherd boys, they simply love Krsna. Their love is unending. Everyone in Vrndavana.

Just like Yasoda-mata or Nanda Maharaja. They are in paternal affection with Krsna. So the father and mother love Krsna, the friends love Krsna, the girl friends, they love Krsna, the trees love Krsna, the water love Krsna, the flower, the cows, the calves, everyone loves Krsna. That is Vrndavana. So if we simply learn how to love Krsna, then we can create immediately this world as Vrndavana. This is the only central point. How to love Krsna. Prema pum-artho mahan.

Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu said that the dharma-artha-kama-moksa. People are after these four things. Dharma-artha-kama-moksa. Caitanya Mahaprabhu disregarded this. "This is not achievement of life." Of course, a human being... Human life does not begin unless there is conception of religion, dharma. But at the present moment, in the Kali-yuga, dharma is practically nil. So according to Vedic calculation, the present human civilization, they are not even human being. Because there is no dharma. There is no religion. No morality. No pious activities. Do not care. Everyone can do anything without caring. Formerly there was morality, immorality, irreligious, religious. But with the progress of Kali-yuga, everything is being vanquished. It is stated in the Kali-yuga about eighty per cent people, they are sinful, all sinful. And we can practically see. The sinful list we have given, the four principles, illicit sex life, intoxication, meat-eating and gambling. These are the four pillars of sinful life.

Therefore we request our students first of all break these four pillars. So the roof of sinful life will collapse. Then chant Hare Krsna, you remain fixed up in transcendental position. Simple method. Because one cannot realize God if his life is sinful. That is not possible. Therefore Krsna says: yesam anta-gatam papam. Anta-gatam means finished. One who has finished sinful life. Yesam anta-gatam papam jananam punya-karmanam. Who can finish sinful life? Who are engaged in pious activities. Because one must have activities, engagement. So if one is engaged in pious activities, naturally his sinful activities will vanish. One side, voluntarily he should try to break the pillars of sinful life. Another side, he must engage himself in pious life. Simply theoretically one cannot, because everyone must have some engagement. If he has no pious engagement, then simply theoretically he will not be able.

For example, practical, your government is spending millions of dollars for stopping this intoxication. Everyone knows. But the government has failed. How simply by law or by lecturing you can make them without LSD or intoxication? That is not possible. You must give them good engagement. Then it will be automatically... And practically you see that our students who come here we instruct: "No intoxication." Immediately given up. And the government has failed. This is practical. Param drstva nivartate. If you don't give somebody good engagement, you cannot stop his bad engagements. That is not possible. Therefore we are giving two sides good engagements, at the same time prohibition. We simply don't say that: "No illicit sex, no intoxication, no, no..." Simply negative is no meaning. There must be something positive. Because everyone wants engagement. That is because we are living entities. We are not dead stone.

The other philosophers, they are trying to become dead stones by meditation. "Let me think of void, impersonalism." The, artificially how you can make it void? Your heart, your mind is full of activities. So these are artificial things. This will not help the human society. The so-called yoga, so-called meditation, they are all rascaldom. Because there is no engagement. Here there is engagement. Here everyone is engaged to rise early in the morning for offering aratrika to the Deities. They are preparing nice food. They are decorating, making garlands, so many engagements. They are going for sankirtana party, they are canvassing for selling books. Twenty-four hours engagement. Therefore they're able to give up this sinful life. Param drstva nivartate.

Just like... The, everything is described in the Bhagavad-gita. Just like in hospital. In hospital there are many patients, they are not eating anything on the Ekadasi day. Does it mean that is observing Ekadasi? He is simply hankering after, "When I shall eat, when I shall eat, when I shall eat?." But these students, they voluntarily don't eat anything. We, we don't say that you don't eat anything. Some fruits, some flowers. That's all. So param drstva nivartate. Just like a child. He has got in his hand something he's eating. and if you give him better thing, he will throw away the inferior thing and will take that better thing. So here is Krsna consciousness, this better engagement, better life, better philosophy, better consciousness, everything better. Therefore they can give up the sinful activities of life and that will promote to Krsna consciousness.

So these activities are going on not only in the human society. The animal society also. Animal society, aquatic, because everyone is Krsna's part and parcel, sons. So they are rotting in this material world. So Krsna has a plan, a big plan to deliver them. Personally He comes. Sometimes He sends His very confidential devotee. Sometimes He comes Himself. Sometimes He leaves instructions like Bhagavad-gita. The whole propaganda is going on. Therefore it is said here: tiryan nr, tiryan nr rsisu. Everywhere Krsna's incarnation is there. Yadahsu. Aquatics also.

Just like Krsna appeared as the Fish Incarnation. Tad atyanta-vidambanam. So Krsna's disappearance and appearance, His taking birth, these are all bewildering. It is not that... We are forced to take birth. We are, we are , we living entities, conditioned souls, we are transmigrating from one body to another, being forced by the laws of nature. But Krsna does not appear by being forced by the laws of nature. That is the difference. Therefore those who are foolish rascals, they think that: "I have taken my birth in this world and Krsna has also taken. Therefore I am also God." They, they do not know that you have to take birth by the force of laws of nature. You have been given the chance of very nice body, beautiful body, as American boys and girls, educated, with opulence. If you misuse it, then you are going to get another body according to your mentality.

Just like at the present moment. in spite of so much arrangement by the government, nice school, nice university, colleges, but they are producing hippies. They're so much frustrated. So they are now worshiping hog. Is it not? So what is the next? Prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah [Bg. 3.27]. If you associate with the hog's quality, then you are going to become a hog. Nature will give you full opportunity. "All right sir, you become a hog." Nature's arrangement is like... Prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah. Prakrti, nature has got three modes of nature, and as soon as you associate with one type of modes, you get the next body according to that.

So therefore Krsna's, this plan of appearance and disappearance, they are to be very greatly understood. Not that whimsically Krsna has come. He has got a great plan. Otherwise why He should come here? He is very much eager to take you back to home, back to Godhead. That is Krsna's business. Therefore He says:

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

He is giving assurance. "My dear..." Everyone of us, we are children of Krsna, God. So He is more unhappy. Because we are unhappy on account of this material body, we are undergoing repetition of birth, death, old age and disease. That is not very comfortable situation. But we are so fool, rascal, that we do not take care of this. We are busy for a temporary comfort of this life. But we are neglecting the real discomforts of life, birth, death, old age and disease. This is our ignorance. This is our foolishness.

Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.30 -- Los Angeles, April 22, 1973

"Try To Satisfy Krishna"

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.29
Los Angeles, April 21, 1973

---

Devotee:

na veda kascid bhagavams cikirsitam
tavehamanasya nrnam vidambanam
na yasya kascid dayito 'sti karhicid
dvesyas ca yasmin visama matir nrnam

"O Lord, no one can understand Your transcendental pastimes which appear to be human and so are misleading. You have no specific object of favor, nor do You have any object of envy. People only imagine that You are partial."

Prabhupada: So the Lord says in the Bhagavad-gita: paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca duskrtam [Bg. 4.8]. So two purposes. When God incarnates, He has got two mission. One mission is paritranaya sadhunam and vinasaya dus... One mission is to deliver the faithful devotees, sadhu. Sadhu means saintly persons.

The sadhu... I have explained several times. Sadhu means devotee. Sadhu does not mean the worldly honesty or dishonest, morality or immorality. It has nothing to do with material activities. It is simply spiritual, sadhu. But sometimes we derive, "sadhu," a person's material goodness, morality. but actually "sadhu" means in the transcendental platform. Those who are engaged in devotional service. Sa gunan samatityaitan [Bg. 14.26]. Sadhu is transcendental to the material qualities. So paritranaya sadhunam. The paritranaya means to deliver.

Now if a sadhu is already delivered, he is on the transcendental platform, then where is the necessity of delivering him? This is the question. Therefore this word is used, vidambanam. It is bewildering. It is contradictory. It appears to be contradictory. If a sadhu is already delivered... Transcendental position means he's no longer under the control of the three material modes of nature, goodness, passion and ignorance. Because it is clearly stated in the Bhagavad-gita: sa gunan samatityaitan [Bg. 14.26]. He transcends the material qualities. A sadhu, devotee, Then where is the question of deliverance? The deliverance... He does not require deliverance, a sadhu, but because he is very much anxious to see the Supreme Lord eye to eye, that is his inner desire, therefore Krsna comes. Not for deliverance. He's already delivered. He's already delivered from the material clutches. But to satisfy Him, Krsna is always...

Just like a devotee wants to satisfy the Lord in all respects, similarly more than the devotee, the Lord wants to satisfy the devotee. This is the exchange of loving affairs. Just like in your, in our ordinary dealings also, if you love somebody, you want to satisfy him or her. Similarly, she or he also wants to reciprocate. So if that reciprocation of loving affairs is there in this material world, how much it is greatly elevated in the spiritual world? So there is a verse that: "Sadhu is My heart, and I am also the sadhu's heart." The sadhu is always thinking of Krsna and Krsna is always thinking of His devotee, sadhu.

So the appearance and disappearance of Lord within this material world, that is called cikirsitam. What is the word meaning of cikirsitam?

Devotee: Pastimes.

Prabhupada: Pastimes. It is Krsna's pastime that He comes. He... When He comes, of course, He works something. The The work is to give protection to the sadhu and to kill the asadhu. But both the activities are His pastimes. He's not envious. He cannot be envious. The killing of the demons, that is also His affection. Just like sometimes we punish our children, we give him a very strong slap. That is not out of love. There is love. So when Krsna kills a demon, the, the business is not on the platform of material jealousy or enviousness. No.

Therefore it is mentioned in the sastras that even the demons, who were killed by Lord, they also get immediate salvation. The result is the same. Just like Putana. Putana was killed. Putana wanted to kill Krsna, but who can kill Krsna? That is not possible. She was killed. But she was killed, but what was the result? The result was that she got the position of Krsna's mother. Krsna accepted her as His mother. She came with poison-coated nipple, that: "Krsna will suck my nipple, and the child will die immediately." But that is not possible. She was killed. Krsna sucked the nipple and the life altogether. But Krsna took the bright side, that: "This woman, demon, she came to kill Me, but somehow or other I have sucked her breast milk. So she is My mother. She is My mother." So she got the position of mother.

These are explained in the Bhagavatam, Uddhava explained to Vidura that Krsna is so kind, God is so kind, even the person who wanted to kill Him with poison, she was accepted as mother. Such a kind God, Krsna, that "Whom shall I worship others, except Krsna?" This example is given. So actually Krsna has no enemy. Here it is said: na yasya kascid dayitah. Dayitah means favor. Nobody is favored. Na yasya kascid dayito 'sti karhicid dvesyas ca. And nobody is His enemy. But who can be His enemy, who can be His friend?

Suppose we create friends. We expect some benediction or some profit from the friend and enemy means we expect some harmful activities by the enemy. But Krsna is so perfect that nobody can do any harm to Krsna, neither anybody can give anything to Krsna. So where is the necessity of friend and enemy? There is no necessity. Therefore it is stated here: na yasya kascid dayito 'sti. He doesn't require anyone's favor. He's complete. I may be very poor man. I expect some friend's favor, somebody's favor. But that is my expectation because I am perfect. I am not full. I am deficient in so many ways. So I am in needy always. Therefore I want to create some friend, and similarly I hate the enemy. So Krsna, His being the Supreme nobody can do any harm to Krsna, nobody can give anything to Krsna. So why we are offering Krsna so much comforts? We are dressing Krsna, we are decorating Krsna, we are giving nice food to Krsna.

So the idea is... Try to understand this fact. Krsna does not require your nice dress or nice flower or nice food. Krsna does not require. But if you give Him, then you become benefited. It is Krsna's favor that He's accepting. The example is given: Just like if you decorate the original person the reflection of the person in the mirror, it also appears decorated. So we are reflections. In the Bible also it is said that man is made after the image of God. So our, as Krsna is transcendental, we... He has got two hands, two legs, one head. So man is made after God means we are reflections of the image of God. Not that we manufacture, imagine some form according to our form. That is mistake.

The Mayavadi philosophy is like that. It is called anthropomorphism. They say that: "Because the... The Absolute Truth is imperson, but because we are persons, we imagine that Absolute Truth also person." Just the opposite. Actually that is not the fact. We have got this personal form as reflection of God. So in the reflection, if the original person is benefited, the reflection is also benefited. That is the philosophy. The reflection is also benefited.

So if you decorate Krsna, so you become decorated. If you satisfy Krsna, then you become satisfied. If you offer nice foodstuff Krsna, then you eat them. Perhaps those who are outside the temple, they have never imagined such nice foodstuff. But because it is being offered to Krsna, we have got the opportunity to take it. This is the philosophy. So you try to satisfy Krsna in all respects. Then you'll be satisfied in all respects. This is...

Krsna does not require your service. But He kindly accepts. Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. Krsna is asking you that: "You surrender unto Me." It does not mean that Krsna is lacking one servant, and if you surrender then He'll be profited. Krsna can create millions of servants by His only desires. So that is no point. But if you surrender to Krsna, you becomes saved. You become saved. That is your business.

Krsna says: aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami. You are suffering here. Just like without any shelter. You see so many people loiter in the street, no aim, no life. We go in the beach side. We see so many boys and girls, without an aim, loitering, do not know what to do, all confused. So... But if you take shelter of Krsna, then you'll know: Oh, I have got now shelter." There is no more confusions. There is no more hopelessness. You can understand it very well. And I receive so many letters daily, how they are hopeful in Krsna consciousness.

So Krsna has come here, has descended, to collect some servant, that is not the fact. If we agree... Instead of becoming Krsna's servant, we are servant of so many things. We are servant of our senses, and sense activities. Kama, krodha, lobha, moha. Actually the whole world is serving the senses, servant of the senses. Godasa. But if we engage the senses in the service of Krsna, then we shall no longer remain the servant of the senses. We shall be the master of the senses. Because we, we, we shall not allow our senses to be engaged otherwise. That strength we shall get. Then we shall be safe.

So here Kuntidevi is describing that: "Your appearance in this material world is not misleading, bewildering." We are thinking that: "Krsna has got some mission, some purpose. Therefore He has appeared." "No. It is His pastimes." It is pastime. Just like sometimes the governor goes to inspect the prison house. He has no business to go the prison house. He is getting report from the superintendent. He does not... Still sometimes he comes: "let me see how they are doing." It is called pastime. It is his free will. Not that he has become subjected to the prison laws and he has to come to the prison. No, not like that. But if the prisoners think: "Oh, here the governor is also in the prison. So we are equal. We are equal. I am also governor."

The rascal thinks like that. "Because Krsna has come, descended, avatara, so I am also avatara." This rascaldom is going on. So here it is said: na veda kascid bhagavams cikirsitam. "Nobody knows what is the purpose of Your appearance and disappearance. Nobody knows." So tava, tava ihamanasya nrnam vidambanam. It is bewildering. Nobody can understand what is the real purpose. The real purpose is His free will. "Let Me go and see." He doesn't require to come to kill the demons. There are so many agents that if there is a strong wind, thousands of demons can be killed in a moment. So Krsna does not require to come to kill the demons. And He does not require also to come to give protection to the devotee. By His simply will, everything is there. But He takes a pleasure pastime, "Let Me go and see."

Sometimes He wants to fight. Because the fighting spirit is also there in Krsna. Otherwise, where we get? Because we are part and parcel of Krsna, all the qualities of Krsna in minute quantity, they are within us. We are sample of Krsna, but the, wherefrom we get this fighting spirit? The fighting spirit is there in Krsna. Therefore, just like sometimes a big man or king, they engage some wrestler to fight. They, they pay the wrestler to fight with the king. But he's not enemy. He is giving pleasure to the king by fighting, mock fighting.

Similarly, when Krsna wants to fight, who will fight with Him? Some of His devotee, great devotee will fight with Him. Not ordinary. Just like a king, if he wants to practice mock fighting, some very exalted fighter, wrestler will be engaged. Similarly... That is also service. Because Krsna wants to fight, therefore some of His devotees come down to become His enemy. Just like Jaya-Vijaya. This Hiranyakasipu and Hiranyaksa. Do you think they are ordinary living entity? If... That... Nrsimhadeva, God Himself has come to kill him. Do you think they're ordinary? No, they're not ordinary. They're devotees. But Krsna wanted to fight. In the Vaikuntha world there is no possibility of fighting because everywhere there, everyone there is engaged in Krsna's service. With whom He'll fight? Therefore He sends some devotee in the garb of enemy and Krsna comes here to fight with Him.

At the same time, to teach us that becoming enemy, enemy of Krsna is not very profitable. Better become friend. That will be profitable. Therefore it is said that: na veda kascid bhagavams cikirsitam. "Nobody knows what is the purpose of Your appearance and disappearance." Tava ihamanasya nrnam vidambanam. "You are in this world just like ordinary human being. This is bewildering." Therefore ordinary man cannot believe. "How God can become ordinary person like...?" Krsna is playing. Although He was not playing ordinary person. He was playing as God. Wherever there was necessity...

Just like He married 16,000 wives. When He married He was one, and 16,000 girls offered the surrender to Krsna that: "We are now kidnapped. If we go home, nobody will marry us." That is a strict Vedic system. If an unmarried girls goes out of home even for one night, nobody will marry her. Still it is going on. Nobody will marry her. So this is the old system. All the 16,000 girls who were kidnapped by Bhaumasura... So they prayed to Krsna and Krsna came, killed the Bhaumasura, delivered all the girls. So when Krsna asked them: "Now you can safely go to your father's house," they replied: "Sir, if we go back to our father's house, what will be our fate? Nobody will marry us. Because this man, this raksasa, they kidnapped us." "Then what do you want." " We want that You become our husband." So Krsna is so kind. "Yes." Immediately accepted. That is Krsna.

Now, when they were brought at home, not that 16,000 wives will have to wait for 16,000 nights to meet Krsna. Krsna expanded Himself into 16,000 forms, and constructed 16,000 palaces, and establishment, on each palace... The description is there in the... That is Bhagavan. So those rascals, they cannot understand. They criticize Krsna, that: "He was very lusty. He married 16,000 wives." Even if He's lusty, He's unlimitedly lusty. Because He's unlimited. Why 16,000? If He would marry 16,000,000s of wives still it is imperfect. That is Krsna.

So for Krsna there is no such thing that you can accuse Krsna as lusty, sensuous. No. He showed favor to all His devotees. There are so many devotees Of Krsna. Some devotee's asking Krsna to become her husband. Some devotee's asking Krsna to become his friend. Some devotee's asking Krsna to become His son. And some devotee's asking to become his playmate. In this way, millions and trillions of devotees are there all over the universe. And Krsna has to satisfy them all. He does not require any help from the devotees. But, as the devotees want... So these 16,000 devotees wanted Krsna as their husband. Krsna agreed. And that is... Just like common man. But as God, He expanded Himself into 16,000 forms.

So Narada came to see. "Krsna has married 16,000 wives. How He's dealing with them, let me see." So he, when he came here, he saw in 16,000 palaces, Krsna is acting differently. And somewhere He's talking with His wife. Somewhere He's playing with His children. Somewhere He's getting marriage ceremony of His sons and daughters. So many, 16,000 ways He's engaged. That is Krsna. Krsna, although... Just like He was playing just like ordinary child. But when Mother Yasoda wanted to see His mouth open, whether He has eaten earth, dirt, He showed within the mouth all the universes. So this is Krsna. Although He is playing just like ordinary child, ordinary human being, but when there is need, He shows His Godly nature.

Just like Arjuna. He was driving the chariot, but when Arjuna wanted see His universal form, immediately He showed him. Thousands and millions of heads and weapons. This is Krsna. So na yasya kascit. Otherwise Krsna has no enemy. Krsna has no friend. He is completely independent. He does not depend on enemy. But He plays like that for the benefit of the so-called friend and so-called enemy. He's Krsna... That is Krsna's absolute nature. When Krsna favors either as enemy or as friend, the result is the same. Therefore Krsna is absolute.

Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.29 -- Los Angeles, April 21, 1973