From Degradation to Devotion

From Degradation to Devotion

Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.32
Bombay, December 2, 1974

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Nitai: "Lord Kapila said: The senses are symbolic representations of the demigods, and their natural inclination is to work under the direction of the Vedic injunctions. As the senses are representatives of the demigods, so the mind is the representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The mind's natural duty is to serve. When that service spirit is engaged in devotional service to the Personality of Godhead, without any motive, that is far better even than salvation."

Prabhupada:

devanam guna-linganam
anusravika-karmanam
sattva evaika-manaso
vrttih svabhaviki tu ya
animitta bhagavati
bhaktih siddher gariyasi
 [SB 3.25.32]

Bhakti is transcendental even to mukti. People generally consider dharma artha kama moksa [SB 4.8.41, Cc. Adi 1.90]. In the beginning dharma, artha, economic development, kama, sense gratification, then moksa, merging into the supreme one. But bhakti is above that. Siddher gariyasi. It is above mukti. Mukti is not very much important thing for a bhakta. Bilvamangala Thakura says,

bhaktis tvayi sthiratara bhagavan yadi syad
daivena nah phalati divya-kisora-murtih
muktih svayam mukulitanjali sevate 'sman
dharmartha-kama-gatayah samaya-pratiksah

This is the experience of Bilvamangala Thakura. He was a South Indian brahmana, very rich brahmana. But by bad association or something like that, he became a very staunch prostitute hunter. So he engaged all his income, money, everything, after one prostitute. Her name was Cintamani. So it is a very nice story. I am briefly describing. So one night... Every night he was to go to that prostitute, and one night it was very terribly raining. So the prostitute thought, "Now this night Bilvamangala is not coming. It is terribly raining." But Bilvamangala went there, crossing the river, and the door was closed. He jumped over the door catching a snake. In this way, very dangerously, he reached the prostitute's house. And the prostitute was astonished, that "How is this condition you could come here? Oh, you are so much attracted by this skin. If this much attraction you would have to Krsna, how it would have been nice for you." So immediately he left the prostitute's house and went to Vrndavana.

The fact is in his previous life he executed devotional service up to bhava-bhakti. So his Cintamani, that prostitute, became his guru, remind that "You are so much fond of prostitute. If this attraction would have been to Krsna, how much successful you would have..." So it acted, and he left to Vrndavana and lived for seven hundred years. So he has a book, Krsna-karnamrta, Bilvamangala Thakura. That is recommended by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu for reading, Krsna-karnamrta. So in that book he writes, bhaktis tvayi sthiratara bhagavan yadi syat: "If we have got fixed-up devotion unto You, my Lord, Bhagavan," then daivena nah phalati divya-kisora-murtih, "then very easily we can see Your form," divya-kisora-murtih, "Your divine form," kisora-murtih, "very young boy." Krsna is always kisora. Krsna's another name is Kisora. Kisora-murtih. Kisora means kaisora, before marriage, before..., eleventh to sixteenth year. This is called kisora age. So kisora-murtih. Krsna is always kisora-murtih. So by devotional service, one can see the kisora-murtih of Krsna very easily. Bhaktis tvayi sthiratara bhagavan yadi syat: "If it is possible, then very easily we can see You."

When Bilvamangala Thakura was in Vrndavana he voluntarily plucked out his eyes. Because he was very much fond of seeing beauty of woman, so he thought, "These eyes are my enemies." So he personally plucked out his eyes. When he was going to Vrndavana, still he became attracted by a woman, and therefore... That woman, of course, was a very rich merchant's wife. So she told her husband that "This man is coming after me. What to do?" So that merchant received him. "Oh, he's saintly person. All right, you serve him." So Bilvamangala Thakura came to his senses. He said, "Mother, you give me the pins of your hair. So I am so much after the beauty of woman, so let me pluck out the eyes." So he made voluntarily blind. So he could not see, but still, Krsna was coming in Vrndavana. Krsna is always in Vrndavana. So He was supplying milk. So divya-kisora-murtih, he practically realized through bhakti. Therefore he wrote by his personal experience, bhaktis tvayi sthiratara bhagavan yadi syad daivena nah phalati divya-kisora-murtih. And so far dharmartha-kama-moksa [SB 4.8.41], moksa, muktih svayam mukulitanjali sevate asman: "Mukti is not very important thing. She is always standing at my service," mukulitanjali, "with folded hands, Mukti: 'My dear sir, what can I do for you?' " This is mukti's position.

So a devotee is not very much anxious for mukti because a devotee is always mukta. He is already mukta. Why should he... Suppose if you have got millions of dollars, why should you hanker after ten rupees? So bhakti is such a nice thing. But what is that bhakti? That bhakti is animitta bhagavati. That bhakti should be animitta, not with a motive that "I shall go to the temple and serve Krsna for this purpose." Krsna can fulfill any purpose you desire. It is not very difficult for Him, because He is almighty, full with all opulences. So if you want something, material happiness, from Krsna, it is not very difficult for Krsna. He can give you mukti even. But to ask from Krsna anything else than bhakti is foolishness. That is foolishness. My Guru Maharaja used to give this example: just like if you go to a rich man and he says, "Now whatever you like, you can ask from me. I shall give you," then if you ask him that "You give me a pinch of ash," is that very intelligent? Similarly, to... There is a story, that one old woman in the forest... I think it is in Aesop's Fable or somewhere. So she was carrying a big bundle of dry wood, and somehow or other, the bundle fell down. It was very heavy. So the old woman became very much disturbed, "Who will help me to get this bundle on my head?" So she began to call God, "God, help me." And God came, "What you want?" "Kindly help me to get this bundle on my head." (laughter) Just see. God came to giving benediction, and she wanted to "Give this bundle again on my head."

So we are doing the same thing. When we go to God we ask Him, "Kindly give me the bundle on my head. My family become may happy. I may have a large amount of money to enjoy material things." We ask that. That is our foolishness. Caitanya Mahaprabhu teaches us, therefore, that actually, if you want something from God, that should be only begging for His service. This Hare Krsna maha-mantra means addressing God, "Krsna," "Hari," and His energy Hara, Srimati Radharani or Laksmiji, Hare: "O this internal potency of Krsna..." Hara is Krsna's internal potency. The external potency is Durga, and the internal potency is Radharani. Jaya Radhe. So this is daivi-prakrti. Mahatmanas tu mam partha daivim prakrtim asritah [Bg. 9.13]. The devotees, they take shelter of the daivi-prakrti, Radharani, Laksmiji. They worship, therefore, Vaisnava, Radha-Krsna, Laksmi-Narayana, Sita-Rama, the first of all, the energy. The energy. So this Hare Krsna mantra is first addressing the energy, the internal energy, potency, of Krsna. Hare. From Hara to Hare. That is the sambodhana. So Hare Krsna: "O Radharani, or Laksmi, or Sita, and Krsna, or Rama, or Narayana" -- the same thing. Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, addressing Them, "O my Lord, O my Lord's energy." So when you address somebody, you want to ask something. So if they reply, "Yes, why you are calling?" then we're calling, "Please engage me in Your service." This is the prayer, not that "Give me money" or "Give me beautiful wife" or many followers. This is material hankering.

Everyone wants some prestigious position, labha puja pratistha, some material profit, labha, and prestigious position so that people will give him salaam, minister, president, and to become very famous, historically very famous. These are material hankerings. But Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, "No." Na dhanam na janam na sundarim kavitam va jagadisa kamaye [Cc. Antya 20.29, Siksastaka 4]. We don't want. This is animitta bhakti. Nimitta, for some certain reason, if you become a bhakta, then you are not a suddha-bhakta. You are a viddha(?)-bhakta, a polluted bhakta. Pure bhakti is anyabhilasita-sunyam [Brs. 1.1.11], zero. Material hankerings, anything material, hankering, should be void. The void philosophy, nirvana, that indicates that you should completely finish these material desires. That is Lord Buddha's philosophy, nirvana. Nirvana means material desires, to make it void, no more. Lord Buddha said up to that. Because the people who were following him, they were not so expert, advanced; therefore he did not say what is after giving up every desires. Because desireless it cannot be. Desires... People say that "You become desireless. Give up your all desires." That give up all desires means you give up your material desires, because you cannot be desireless. Then you are dead body. But we are eternal living entity. Nityah sasvato 'yam na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20]. We are getting different types of body on account of different desires. So I become desireless of this habit; then I desire another habit. So that is going on.

So desireless is not possible. Desirelessness means you have to purify your desire. Don't desire anything except the service of Krsna. That is desirelessness, animitta. Animitta bhaktih siddher gariyasi. If you come to that position... As Caitanya Mahaprabhu, teaching us, na dhanam na janam na sundarim kavitam va jagadisa kamaye, mama janmani janmanisvare... [Cc. Antya 20.29, Siksastaka 4]. He says, janmani janmani, "birth after birth." That means He does not require even salvation, because salvation means apunar bhava-janma, no more janma, no more birth. No more birth -- there are two kinds of more more birth. For the Mayavadis, or impersonalists, they want to stop birth, to merge into the existence of the Supreme, brahma-nirvana. Brahma-nirvana... The Buddha philosophy teaches nirvana, devoid of all material desires, that much. He does not give any more. Sankaracarya gives further, more, that brahma-nirvana, that "You become desireless of this material world, but you enter, merge into Brahman." That is called brahma-nirvana. And the Vaisnava philosopher says that "You make null and void all your material desires, enter into Brahman and be engaged in the service of the Lord." This is called bhakti. So brahma-nirvana is also siddhi, but more than that siddhi is to be engaged in the service, Brahman service.

That service is not ordinary service. The service to the Lord is not to be calculated as equal to this material service. The Mayavadi philosophers, they cannot understand it. But Krsna says personally that this devotional service is in the transcendental platform, Brahman service. Therefore He says, mam ca yo 'vyabhicarena bhakti-yogena sevate [Bg. 14.26]. This bhakti-yoga, one who is actually employed, engaged in pure devotional ser..., animitta, without any motives, without any material purpose, that is real spiritual service.

mam ca yo 'vyabhicarena
bhakti-yogena sevate
sa gunan samatityaitan
brahma-bhuyaya kalpate
 [Bg. 14.26]

Brahma-bhuyaya kalpate. That service is on the Brahman platform.

So some people, they do not know that there is another platform of service or another platform of activities which is called Brahman activities, because those who are grossly in the bodily concept of life, they have no information there is Brahman, or soul, within this body. So mukti means to deliver that Brahman from this material encagement. But actually, if you don't give him engagement, because actually the soul is working... That everyone can appreciate. We are very active. "Oh, I am prime minister." "I am president," "I am Birla," "I am Srila (?)," and so many things. That's all right. But is... That prime minister is this body or the soul? Because as soon as the soul is out of the body, what is the value of this prime minister's body? It is no more useful -- finished. That we do not understand. Actually, the soul is working in different capacities. Either as prime minister or Lord Brahma, King Indra, or the cat, or dog, or the insect, the soul is working in different atmosphere, in different body.

 

So the perfection of these activities, of the soul, that he has got already indriyas... We are acting with our hands, legs, ears, eyes, nose, everything, karmendriya. Ten kinds of activities are being performed by the senses, and there are five kinds of sense objects, tanmatra, fifteen, and the eight elements material, earth, water, fire. So fifteen and eight, twenty-three, and the soul. This is twenty-four. That is the subject matter of Sankhya philosophy, how these twenty-four different items are combined together and work. This is the study of Sankhya philosophy. Yesterday we talked about sankhyam. Tattvamnayam yat pravadanti sankhyam. So there is material Sankhya philosophers. They (they're) simply satisfied, simply studying these twenty-four types of elements. But the real Sankhya philosophy, as propounded by Kapiladeva, that is bhakti. That is... He has said, bhakti-vitana-yogam. The activities of the spiritual field, that is Sankhya philosophy, not of the material fields. In the material field you will find these twenty-four kinds of elements analyzed, but beyond these twenty-four there is soul, and the soul is acting. That is called spiritual activities, or bhakti-yoga.

So because it is transcendental to material activities, therefore in the bhakti-yoga there is no such desire for material benefit, animitta. Therefore it is said, animitta. Here all activities are done for some material profit. Nobody is... Even the so-called political leaders sacrifice everything. That's all right. But everything is for material benefit. Even in our country a big man like Mahatma Gandhi, he sacrificed everything -- his family, his profession. And many other leaders... But what for they were working? They were working for some material benefits, that's all, not for any spiritual benefit. So that is not transcendental activities. That is material activities, expanded material thoughts. Somebody is working for his family or somebody is working for himself, like animals, the cats and dogs. They work for himself. And human being, they're little advanced. They work for family, for wife, children, or, further extended, for society, for community, for nation. You can expand. Even international. They are all material activities, nimitta, simply expanded, expanded. Suppose if you steal for yourself and if you steal for your family or if you steal for your community, that stealing is there. Because you are stealing for greater family, that does not mean that you are not a thief.

There was a story, Alexander and the thief. The Alexander arrested one thief, big dacoit, plunderer. So when he explained, "My dear sir, Alexander, so what is the difference between you and me? I am also plunderer; you are also plunderer. I am a small plunderer; you are a big plunderer. So where is the difference in quality?" So Alexander the Great, he was very sensible. He released him: "Yes, there is no difference." So to become a big thief, big plunderer, does not mean that he is advanced. Similarly, our sense, for personal sense gratification or my family's sense gratification or for my nation's sense gratification -- that is sense gratification. That is not spiritual activity. That is material activity.

So long you will have desire for sense gratification, localized or expanded, the quality does not change. The quality will change when this sense gratification will be transferred to Krsna, not sense gratification for me, for my family, for my society, for my nation, or for my species. Just like there are many philanthropists. They are busy doing welfare activities for the human race, but they are not interested for the benefit of the animal race. "Animal race should be slaughtered, and human race shall eat." This is their philosophy. But we have already discussed Kapiladeva's philosophy, suhrdah sarva-dehinam. Suhrdah sarva-dehinam. The animal has got also body; we have also got body. But a Vaisnava is not only a friend to the human society, but he is friend to the animal society also, the bird society, tree society, every society. A Vaisnava does not like unnecessarily a tree should be cut down. That is Vaisnava philosophy. A Vaisnava does not like to trample over an ant. That is Vaisnava philosophy. Sarva-dehinam. Titiksavah karunikah suhrdah sarva-dehinam [SB 3.25.21]. We have already discussed this verse.

So how this can be possible? This suhrdah sarva-dehinam is possible when one has surrendered himself to the Supreme Being. On His account, because he has surrendered to the Supreme Being, he is friend to all living being. Artificially you cannot. Artificially you select some section, the poorer section, and worship him like Narayana, and you call him daridra-narayana. But a devotee, if he has got vision of Narayana, he will see the daridra-narayana, the rich Narayana, the chaga-narayana, and the every Narayana, panditah sama-darsinah [Bg. 5.18]. Why a section should be called Narayana? If you have got such broader vision, that you are seeing Narayana in everything, then what the rich man has done? He is also Narayana. And the goat has... He is also Narayana. The cow, he is also Narayana. Then you should... If you have such broader vision, that you see everywhere Narayana, then why should you specify a section, daridra-narayana?

So it is not possible. So long one is not a devotee, one who is not on the transcendental platform, this equal vision is not possible. It is crippled, all crippled. Therefore bhakti-yoga should be animitta, ahaituki. These words are used. Sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje, ahaituki [SB 1.2.6]. "I am serving Krsna..." The devotee is serving Krsna not with any purpose; just to satisfy Him, not any purpose, my profit-Krsna's profit. That is the instruction of Bhagavad-gita. I... Several times we have repeated. Arjuna, on his own account, he was not willing to fight. "No, no, Krsna, I will not fight. The other side, they are my relatives, my brother, my nephews. No, no, I cannot kill them." But when he understood that "Krsna wants this fight," he said, "Oh, yes, I shall do." Karisye vacanam tava [Bg. 18.73]. So this is bhakti, that we have to do anything for pleasing Krsna. That is called animitta, no condition. Ahaituki. Ahaituki means no condition or animitta, no reason. Everything should be done for Krsna.

So animitta bhagavati bhaktih siddher gariyasi. That is better than siddhi. Siddhi means self-realization or Brahman realization. Therefore Krsna says also. What Krsna says and what Kapiladeva says, they are the same thing. Therefore here it is also said, bhagavan uvaca. And in the Bhagavad-gita also, you will find, bhagavan uvaca. Never said, krsna uvaca or kapila uvaca, because They are Bhagavan. So those who are self-realized soul, who know what is Bhagavan, so instead of speaking kapiladeva uvaca, he says, Vyasadeva says... Srimad-Bhagavatam is compiled by Srimad Vyasadeva. So as Bhagavad-gita also, it was heard by Arjuna, it was released to Sanjaya, and then, from Sanjaya heard Vyasadeva, and he made it recorded in writing in Mahabharata... So he says, bhagavan uvaca. Bhagavan uvaca means that is the perfect version. There is no mistake. If some ordinary says, there will be so many defects and cheating, because ordinary person has no perfect knowledge. He may be very, very advanced scholar, but that does not mean he is perfect. Perfection is different thing. Perfection means there should be no mistake, no illusion, no cheating, and no imperfections of the senses. That is perfection. And therefore it is said here, bhagavan uvaca. Bhagavan is all-perfect. Therefore we should take knowledge from Bhagavan or one who speaks according to the version of Bhagavan. We should not hear anybody else. That is imperfect.

So our Krsna consciousness movement on this principle. We are speaking not anything manufactured by us. That is not our business. Because how we can manufacture? We are defective. We are deficient, imperfect. What is the use of my philosophy? What is the use of my thinking? Generally they say, "I think," "In my opinion." He does not think that "I am a rascal. I have no value of my opinion." He thinks that he is something very big. No. Because our senses are imperfect, whatever knowledge we have gathered by our sense speculation, that is imperfect. That cannot be perfect. Therefore we have discussed already, tattva amnayam. We have to receive knowledge from disciplic succession, tattva. Then we will understand the truth. Tattvamnayam. This subject matter we have discussed already, amnayam, evam parampara, that we should not manufacture knowledge. We should take knowledge from the perfect. Just like here it is said, bhagavan uvaca. In the Bhagavad-gita also, bhagavan uvaca. If we follow this amnaya system, then we become guru.

Caitanya Mahaprabhu has said who is guru. He asked everyone to become guru. His mission is that people are suffering all over the world for want of this Krsna consciousness, or God consciousness. That's a fact. So He is advising everyone, especially those who are born in India,

bharata-bhumite haila manusya-janma yara
janma sarthaka kari' kara para-upakara
 [Cc. Adi 9.41]

That is His mission. He is requesting every Indian, every Indian, because they have got the facility for understanding what is Bhagavad-gita, what is Srimad-Bhagavatam, what is Vedas. They have got this opportunity. Therefore He says, janma sarthaka kari': "You have taken your birth in India. You make your life successful by taking advantage of these scriptures and then assimilate the knowledge and preach all over the world." They are in darkness. That is being repeatedly said. But we are not taking advantage of. We are so misfortunate. We are misguided by the so-called leaders that we are neglecting this valuable literature which is spoken by Bhagavan. We are talking of some nonsense. That is our misfortune. So we have to take knowledge from Bhagavan and spread it all over the world. That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's... So He says that "You become guru." He says, amara ajnaya guru hana: [Cc. Madhya 7.128] "By My order." Don't become a so-called guru, manufactured guru. "You become guru by following My instruction." Amara ajnaya guru hana.

Guru means who follows the predecessor, authorized predecessor. He is guru. Not that everyone is guru. So therefore we have to follow the superior order. Then we become guru, not that by cheating others we become guru. No. That is cheater. That is not teacher. Guru means who is following the superior order. The superior order is Krsna or His representative. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Krsna. He is ordering, amara ajnaya, "By My order," guru hana, "you become guru." "Sir, it is very difficult to become guru. I have no education. I have no culture. I am not born in a very high family. I am very low." A devotee always thinks like that. He never thinks that "I have become very great man." Just like Caitanya-caritamrta, author of, he says, purisera kita haite muni se laghistha [Cc. Adi 5.205]. Purisa, purisa means stool, and there are worms in the stool. So Caitanya-caritamrta author is saying that "I am lower than the worms in the stool." That is Vaisnava conception. Trnad api sunicena. He is very humble. He never says, "Oh, I am the Supreme. I have become God." A most rascal, foolish. So that is not... Therefore we have to follow. If we actually want to become guru, there is necessity of many thousands of gurus to teach this cheated public. But how to become guru? That is... Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, amara ajnaya: "By My order." "What is Your order, Sir?" Yare dekha, tare kaha 'krsna'-upadesa [Cc. Madhya 7.128]. Then you become guru. You simply advise people to follow Krsna's instruction. Then you become guru.

So that is our mission. This Krsna consciousness movement is that we are simply trying to convince people what Krsna has said, that's all. We are not manufacturing anything. So that is our business. Krsna says, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. We are training our disciples "Just always think of Krsna, chant Hare Krsna, and become Krsna's devotee, offer Him prasadam, dress Him nicely." Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji: "Worship Me." Worship Krsna, the same thing. Krsna says, "Worship Me"; we are saying, "Worship Krsna." Krsna says, "Surrender unto Me"; we are saying, "Surrender to Krsna." So we have no difficulty. To become a guru there is no difficulty, provided we repeat the same thing as Krsna says. And if you say something more or less, then you are not a guru. Very simple thing. Very simple thing.

So that is advised here, animitta bhagavati, bhagavati bhaktih. You cannot manufacture the ways of bhakti. Bhagavati, what is advised by Bhagavan, the Supreme Lord. Dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam [SB 6.3.19]. You cannot manufacture a line of dharma. Dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam [SB 6.3.19]. Dharma is the law given by the Supreme Lord. You cannot manufacture, "This dharma, that dharma, this dhar..." No. Dharma is one. Dharma cannot be different. Dharma means to abide by the orders of God. This is dharma. But if you do not know God, if you do not know what is order, then you must manufacture something rubbish and fight amongst yourself. That is not dharma.

Therefore Bhagavata says, dharmah projjhita-kaitavo 'tra: [SB 1.1.2] "All cheating types of dharma is rejected and kicked out from Srimad-Bhagavatam." Dharmah projjhita. Projjhita, prakrsta-rupena ujjhita, just like you collect all dust and throw it. Similarly, this Bhagavata-dharma is not a cheating dharma. Bhagavata-dharma means in relation with the Supreme Lord. Bhagavati bhaktih. Bhakti can be applied only to Bhagavan. Bhakti means the business between Bhagavan and bhakta. That is bhakti. If there is no Bhagavan then where is bhakti? And where is bhakta? If Bhagavan is zero, then where is bhakti? Bhakti means the transaction between Bhagavan and bhakta. Just like here, the Bhagavan is there, and bhaktas are there, and the transaction is dressing the Bhagavan, feeding the Bhagavan, chanting the Bhagavan's name, calling people to hear about Bhagavan, to publish books about Bhagavan. This is bhakti, bhakti bhagavati, simply in relation with Bhagavan, no other business, animitta, without any material desire. Anyabhilasita-sunyam jnana-karmady-anavrtam [Brs. 1.1.11]. There is no touch even of jnana. Jnana means speculation. And trying to understand the Absolute Truth by his... [break]

jnanam parama-guhyam me
yad vijnana-samanvitam
sa-rahasyam tad-angam ca
grhana gaditam maya

These are the instruction of Lord Krsna to Brahma. Sa-rahasyam tad-angam ca. Anga, this bhakti-anga, this sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam pada-sevanam [SB 7.5.23], these are different, I mean to say, branches, or not actually branches, different phases or features of bhakti, to hear just like we are hearing and chanting. I am speaking, chanting; you are hearing. This is bhakti. Sravanam kirtanam. What we are chanting and hearing? Visnu, not any other one. No. Visnu. Visnu. Sravanam kirtanam visnoh. You cannot say any other demigod. No. That is material. That is material. If you try to hear about some great person or demigod, that is material. But when you hear and talk about Visnu, that is bhakti. This is bhakti, different processes. Sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam pada-sevanam.

So in this way we have to execute, as it is said, animitta bhagavati bhaktih, which is siddher gariyasi... [break] (end)

 

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Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.31
Bombay, December 1, 1974

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Nitai: "Sri Maitreya said: After hearing the statement of His mother, Kapila could understand her purpose, and He became compassionate towards her because of being born of her body. He described the Sankhya system of philosophy, which is a combination of devotional service and mystic realization and is received by disciplic succession."

Prabhupada:

viditvartham kapilo matur ittham
jata-sneho yatra tanvabhijatah
tattvamnayam yat pravadanti sankhyam
provaca vai bhakti-vitana-yogam
 [SB 3.25.31]

So Kapiladeva is the propounder of Sankhya philosophy. This is original Kapiladeva. Later on, there was another Kapiladeva, so he is called the atheist Kapila. And this Kapiladeva is known as Devahuti-putra, "the son of Devahuti" Kapila. So sankhya-yoga, the later atheist Kapila's sankhya-yoga, is different from this sankhya-yoga. The atheist Kapila's sankhya-yoga is analysis of the material elements. So this analysis of material elements by the atheist Kapila is very much liked by the Western philosophers. And the sankhya-yoga explained, propounded, by Devahuti-putra Kapila is practically unknown.

So this Kapila, Devahuti, son of Devahuti Kapila, His sankhya-yoga means bhakti-vitana-yogam, how bhakti, devotional service to the Lord, is expanded. That is sankhya-yoga. And how it is received, that is also stated here, tattva amnayam yad pravadanti sankhyam. Amnayam, by disciplic succession. No philosophical speculation, but as it is received by predecessor, by tradition, amnayam. Tattva amnayam. We cannot manufacture tattva. That is improper way of understanding the truth. Generally, the Western philosophers, they try to understand the Absolute Truth by the ascending process. There are two processes of understanding the Absolute Truth. One is called ascending process, or inductive logic, and another process is descending process, or deductive logic. So ascending process is based on speculation, and descending process is based on fact.

This evening we were talking about Bhagavad-gita, that Bhagavad-gita is understood by the descending process, as Krsna said. Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita that this yoga system... Bhagavad-gita is also yoga system. That is bhakti-yoga. Although there are description of karma, jnana, and the mystic yoga and ultimately bhakti-yoga, but actually it is meant for bhakti-yoga, the Bhagavad-gita. Those who are jnanis, speculative, for them also, it is described. And those who are hatha-yogis, they are also described there. But ultimately, the conclusion is bhakti-yoga. Just like in the Sixth Chapter of Bhagavad-gita the yoga system is described. The yoga system is described, that one has to go in a secluded place, and he has to sit down straight, right angular, and see the front portion of the nose, and the eyes half closed. In this way the hatha-yoga system, or astanga-yoga system, is described in the Bhagavad-gita. But when Arjuna said that "This system of yoga is very difficult for me. Krsna, I cannot concentrate my mind in this way"...

cancalam hi manah krsna
pramathi balavad drdham
tasyaham nigraham manye
vayor iva suduskaram
 [Bg. 6.34]

Five thousand years ago a personality like Arjuna, who was so qualified that he could talk with Krsna as ordinary friend... How much exalted he was, just we can imagine. And born in the royal family, very exalted position, great warrior. He said that "Krsna, I cannot execute this yoga system. It is not possible." Cancalam hi manah krsna pramathi balavad drdham, tasyaham nigraham manye [Bg. 6.34]. "My mind is so disturbed that to control the mind is exactly like that, to control the wind." Suppose there is very heavy wind, and if one tries to stop it by spreading his hand, is it possible? It is not possible. He has given this example. Pramathi balavad drdham. Mind is so uncontrollable, just like madman. Mind's business is like that. Immediately I am accepting something and again rejecting. Everyone has got this experience. Therefore he frankly said that "To control the mind is not possible for me. I cannot do so."

So now just try to understand the... A personality like Arjuna is not ordinary man. He was advised by Krsna to practice this yoga system, meditation, generally. Actually yoga system means meditation. Dhyanavasthita-tad-gatena manasa pasyanti yam yoginah [SB 12.13.1]. The yogis, they dhyanavasthita manasa, mind being absorbed in meditation and concentrates the mind on Visnu form of the Lord, four-handed Visnu. That is dhyanavasthita-tad-gatena manasa pasyanti yam yoginah [SB 12.13.1].

yam brahma varunendra-rudra-marutah stunvanti divyaih stavair
vedaih sanga-pada-kramopanisadair gayanti yam sama-gah
dhyanavasthita-tad-gatena manasa pasyanti yam yogino
yasyantam na viduh surasura-gana devaya tasmai namah

So this yoga system is meant for persons who are too much bodily attached, this hatha-yoga system. And otherwise, real yoga system is the sankhya-yoga or bhakti-yoga, real yoga system. This is preliminary. Therefore when Arjuna declined, that "I cannot execute the yoga system," so Krsna, in order to pacify Arjuna... Because he was friend -- Krsna thought that Arjuna is thinking unable to execute this yoga -- He pacified him by saying ultimately, "My dear Arjuna, don't be agitated." Indirectly He said that "You are a first-class yogi." "How is that, I am first-class yogi?" "Now, because you are always thinking of Me." Arjuna, he did not know anything but Krsna. Krsna, when He placed Himself divided into two in the battlefield... Because it was a family fight, so Krsna said that "I can divide Myself." Both of them approached. Duryodhana approached and Arjuna also approached, "Krsna, You become my side." So Krsna said that "I have got eighteen aksauhini, division of soldiers. That is one side. And I personally, one side." So Arjuna (Duryodhana) thought that "What shall I do simply by taking Krsna? And He says that 'I'll not fight. If I go to any side, I'll not fight.' " So Arjuna (Duryodhana) thought it wise that "Let me take His soldiers, eighteen divisions, many thousands of elephants, horses, chariot." There is estimate, very big number of elephants, horses. I don't remember exactly. But... So Duryodhana decided to take the soldiers of Krsna. (aside:) That child may be... But Arjuna thought that "If I get Krsna in my side, that is sufficient. I don't want His soldiers."

So Krsna was so friendly and very loving friend, not ordinary friend. Therefore Krsna said, "My dear Arjuna, don't be disappointed because you cannot execute this astanga-yoga. The first-class yogi is he who always thinks of Me." Yoginam api sarvesam mad-gatenantar-atmana [Bg. 6.47]. One who has taken Krsna within his heart and always thinking of Krsna, satatam smartavyah visnuh, this is the system. This is meditation. If one is thinking of Krsna twenty-four hours, that is the first-class meditation. You are seeing Krsna here, standing with Radharani. And if you see always, then you naturally you get impression of Krsna within the heart. And if you serve Krsna... Those who are engaged in service, just like they are offering this foodstuff, Krsna. They have prepared this foodstuff very nicely, thinking that "Krsna will eat. Let us do it very cleanly and attentively." And whatever they can offer, first-class thing... That is meditation, because they are thinking of Krsna, "This foodstuff will be taken by Krsna. This dress will be used by Krsna. These flowers will be offered to the lotus feet of Krsna." Real meditation is this. And that is the first-class yoga. Therefore Krsna is advising in the Seventh Chapter that "If you cannot think of Me, then you can think of Me in your ordinary dealings." Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya: [Bg. 7.8] "I am the taste of the water."

So that, this yoga system, we have to practice, this yoga system. This is called sankhya-yoga. That is explained here, provaca vai bhakti-vitana-yogam. The more you think of Krsna... Satatam cintayanto mam, satatam kirtayanto mam [Bg. 9.14]. These are advised in the Bhagavad-gita. If you always chant Hare Krsna mantra, then you remember Krsna. Immediately the form of Krsna is awakened within your heart. And Krsna says, yoginam api sarvesam mad-gatenantar-atmana: "Always within the heart..." That is the sankhya-yoga system, or perfect yoga system, bhakti-yoga-vitanam. And Krsna says personally,

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

They are first-class yogi. So anyway, some way or other, if you can think of Krsna always... That is... We have named Krsna consciousness, always conscious of Krsna. Then you become the first-class sankhya-yogi. Bhakti-vitanam.

So Kapiladeva could understand the desire of His mother. The mother was submissive because to understand the sankhya-yoga, bhakti-yoga, it requires... The first condition is submission. Tad viddhi pranipatena [Bg. 4.34]. You cannot understand the sankhya-yoga system or bhakti-yoga system by falsely being proud that you are very learned scholar or speculator. These things will not help. You have to hear about Krsna very submissively and accepting, not challenging. Then you will be able to understand. Sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhih. You remain in your position. It doesn't matter what you are, simply you hear about Krsna. There are so many things about Krsna we can hear. Even if we are not educated, we can hear from a person who can speak rightly. But that person must be selected, not ordinary person, not professional person, but here it is said, tattva amnayam. Amnayam means by disciplic succession. We have to accept a positive party.

Just like in political activities you accept some party, Congress party or this party or that party. That is the system, even in politics. Similarly, you have to accept a party of devotee. There are not different parties; they are of the same party. Just like the political parties may be different, but their aim is how to improve the condition of the country or the people. The aim is the same, but they may be a little different in their ways. Similarly, there are four amnaya party. Amnaya means disciplic succession. One party is coming from Lord Brahma, and one party is coming from Laksmi, goddess of fortune, or the consort of Narayana, Visnu. That is called Brahma-sampradaya and the Sri-sampradaya. Sri. Sri means Laksmi. Sri means beauty. Sri means fortune. Therefore, according to Vedic system, the "sri" word is added before anyone's name, sri. So there is Sri-sampradaya, and there is Kumara-sampradaya, and there is Rudra-sampradaya. There are four sampradayas of Visnu, er, Vaisnava. So Brahma-sampradaya, Sri-sampradaya, Rudra-sampradaya, and Kumara-sampradaya -- they are called amnaya. If you want to know the truth, then you have to accept. Tattva amnayam. Tattva amnayam yat pravadanti sankhyam. This is Sankhya philosophy. You try to understand the Absolute Truth through the disciplic succession of amnaya, amnaya.

So in the Vaisnava sampradaya these four sampradaya, this Brahma is Brahma-sampradaya and Sri-sampradaya. The Brahma-sampradaya is, at the present moment, is represented by the Madhva-sampradaya. Just like we are belonging to the Madhva-gaudiya-sampradaya, our original sampradaya from the Madhvacarya. So in that sampradaya, disciplic succession, there was Madhavendra Puri. From Madhavendra Puri his disciple is Isvara Puri, and Isvara Puri's disciple is Lord Caitanya. And we are coming through the disciplic succession of Lord Caitanya. Therefore our sampradaya is called Madhva-gaudiya-sampradaya. But we are in the amnaya-sampradaya. We are not upstart. We have not manufactured a sampradaya. It is coming from Lord Brahma. Similarly, there is Ramanuja-sampradaya. They are coming from Sri-sampradaya. Similarly, there is Visnu Svami. They are coming from Lord Siva, Rudra-sampradaya. And there is Kumara-sampradaya, Nimbaditya-sampradaya. So sastra says, sampradaya-vihina ye mantras te nisphala matah: "If you do not belong to any sampradaya, party of bhakta or devotees, then nisphala matah, your verdict or conclusion is nisphala, without any fruit." It is not acceptable.

So our this Krsna consciousness movement is to present the Krsna consciousness, or the conclusion given by Krsna, or the conclusion in the Bhagavad-gita, in this amnaya Sankhya philosophy, disciple after disciple, not that "I know little more ABCD. I am, therefore, a big scholar. I can interpret Bhagavad-gita in my own way." This is useless. This is useless. You cannot make your own comment. But that is not also good. So many commentaries which have been made without this amnaya, Sankhya process, they are useless. There is no effect. This is very essential. Therefore Bhagavan Krsna says in the Fourth Chapter, evam parampara praptam imam rajarsayo viduh [Bg. 4.2]. That is required, parampara, amnaya, disciplic succession. Otherwise it will be useless. This is the secret of success. You have to accept the same philosophy as it was contemplated by Brahma, by Narada, by Brahmacarya, er, Madhvacarya, by Madhavendra Puri, by Isvara Puri, by... You cannot make any new thing beyond the scope of the amnaya Sankhya philosophy system. That is called amnaya. Because we are imperfect. We must first of all know that we are all imperfect. However great scholar I may be, because my senses are imperfect, therefore, whatever conclusion I make by my so-called scholarship, that is imperfect. Therefore all these scientists, philosophers, they use this word "perhaps," "it may be," because there is no right conclusion. There is no right conclusion. He is simply speculating.

So speculative knowledge cannot be perfect. Just like we are sitting here. If there is some sound on the roof... Now we are, say, one hundred persons sitting here. We can speculate that "This sound may be for this reason." That, all of them, may be imperfect, and if somebody says from the roof that "This sound was caused for this reason," that is perfect. That is perfect because he has got direct experience. That I was speaking in the evening, that you have to accept Bhagavad-gita by this amnaya-patha. Tattva amnayam. Krsna says to Arjuna that this bhagavad-bhakti-yoga or Bhagavad-gita yoga... That is a yoga. Yoga means which connects, and viyoga means which disconnect. So we are now disconnected with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Now we have to connect again our relationship. That is called yoga. That yoga is described in the Bhagavad-gita as karma-yoga, jnana-yoga, and astanga-yoga, and at last bhakti-yoga.

So bhakti-yoga is the last status of yoga system. Therefore it is said, bhakti-vitana-yogam. Bhakti... Just like you are going upstair, and step by step, when you go to the topmost step, that is the end of your going up, similarly, the karma-yoga, jnana-yoga, and dhyana-yoga, and then bhakti-yoga, so ultimate end is bhakti-yoga. So if you have got, gone few steps, that is karma-yoga, if you have got few more steps, that is jnana-yoga, and if you go few more steps, that is dhyana-yoga, and when you reach the ultimate status, that is called bhakti-yoga. The step is the same. Mama vartmanuvartante manusyah partha sarvasah. Everyone is going, trying to reach the ultimate Absolute Truth. But it is simply a partial understanding. By jnana-yoga, dhyana-yoga, karma-yoga, you can understand partially the Absolute Truth. But bhakti-yoga you can understand completely. Therefore Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, bhaktya mam abhijanati [Bg. 18.55]. He does not say, "By jnana, by karma, by meditation, one can understand Me fully." No. He does not say. He says clearly, bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yas casmi tattvatah: [Bg. 18.55] "Tattvatah, in truth what I am, that can be understood only by bhakti-yoga." You see Bhagavad-gita.

So to understand the Absolute Truth you have to accept this sankhya-yoga or bhakti-vitana-yogam. Then you will understand very... Because question was, by Devahuti, that manda-dhih sukham buddhyeya. Sukham buddhyeya: "Very easily, without any much trouble, I may understand. You kindly describe in this way -- the Absolute Truth I can understand very easily." So that is bhakti-yoga. In the Ninth Chapter of Bhagavad-gita it is said, susukham kartum avyayam [Bg. 9.2]. Susukham. If you practice bhakti-yoga, it is very easy, at the same time very pleasing, very pleasing. Susukham kartum avyayam. And avyayam. Avyayam means not deteriorating. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trayate mahato bhayat. If you execute even partially, it has got so potency that it will lead you more and more to the ultimate goal of life. This is called perfect sankhya-yoga.

So this Krsna consciousness movement is meant for giving education to the people of this sankhya-yoga system or bhakti-yoga system, because it is the recommended process by authorities. And all the amnaya, origin of the amnaya, just like Lord Brahma, Lord Siva, then Kapiladeva -- here is Kapiladeva -- they are mahajana. Mahajana means great authorities. Dharmasya tattvam nihitam guhayam mahajano yena gatah sa panthah [Cc. Madhya 17.186]. It is very difficult to understand the path of perfection. Therefore the sastra recommended that "You follow the mahajana." This is called amnaya. "You follow the mahajana." And who are mahajana? They are also described in the sastras: svayambhur naradah sambhuh [SB 6.3.20]. Svayambhu means Lord Brahma. Lord Brahma is... Another name is Svayambhu. He was found in the lotus flower emanating from the navel of Visnu. So practically, he was not born of father and mother; therefore he is called Svayambhu. Svayambhur naradah sambhuh. Narada Muni is authority. And Sambhu, Lord Siva. Therefore there is Rudra-sampradaya, amnaya, because he is authority. Svayambhur naradah sambhuh kumarah [SB 6.3.20], this Kumara. And Kumara means catuhsana, Sanat-kumara, catuhsana. They are also authorities. And Kapiladeva, here, Devahuti-putra Kapiladeva, He is also authority. In this way, Lord Brahma, Lord Siva, Kapiladeva, Manu, and Bhismadeva, Janaka, Janaka Maharaja, Bhismadeva, and Sukadeva Gosvami, Prahlada Maharaja -- in this way there are twelve authorities, and all of them are following the Sankhya philosophy or bhakti-yoga, all of them.

So we have to accept one of these mahajana. Mahajano yena gatah sa panthah [Cc. Madhya 17.186]. Then you will be successful. Tarko 'pratisthah: If you want to learn the Absolute Truth by logic and argument, it will never be possible. Logician... You may be one logician, better logician than me, and another logician may be better than you. But the Absolute Truth is avan manasa-gocara. By logical arguments how you can reach? That is not possible. Tarko 'prati... Therefore it is useless waste of time. Tarko 'pratisthah srutayo vibhinnah. Scriptures, even you take the Vedic scriptures, there are so many: four Vedas... Some of them are following the Yajur-veda, some of them following Rg-veda, some of them Sama-veda, Atharva-veda. Then there are Upanisads. Then there are Puranas, then Brahma-sutra, the Ramayana, Mahabharata. They are all right. But because I am ill-advised, I take conclusion differently. Srutayo vibhinnah. Or you take Bible or Koran. So by simply reading all the scriptures, it is very difficult also. So srutayo vibhinna nasav munir yasya matam na bhinnam. Muni, means thoughtful men, philosophers, they are also defeating, one thoughtful man, another thoughtful man. Unless he defeats another man, philosopher, he does not become a very big philosopher. Therefore it is said, nasav munir yasya matam na bhinnam. Why? You cannot become a muni unless you propound a different system of philosophy. So this is the position. Dharmasya tattvam nihitam guhayam. Therefore the truth of spiritual life is very complicated. It is very difficult to understand. Then how I shall be able to understand? The conclusion is mahajano yena gatah sa panthah [Cc. Madhya 17.186]. You follow the mahajana. Out of these twelve mahajana, you follow any one of them, and you will be successful.

So our proposition is that Krsna is the original mahajana. Krsna instructed Brahma. Brahma is also mahajana. And Krsna instructed everyone. Just like Bhagavad-gita. He is instructing everyone. How? Aham adir hi devanam: [Bg 10.2] "All the demigods, they are subordinate to Me." Aham adih: "I am the original." Everyone has learned from Krsna. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam it is said, tene brahma hrda adi-kavaye. So Krsna is teaching personally just like Kapiladeva is teaching personally. So you take Kapiladeva's philosophy, Sankhya philosophy, Krsna's philosophy, Bhagavad-gita, but try to understand as He says. Don't interpret in the wrong way. So this is amnaya-tattvam. So if we fix up the idea how to receive transcendental knowledge and how to practice it, if we simply take the instruction of these mahajana, amnaya, so that will be very beneficial and easy also.

So Kapiladeva will describe the Sankhya philosophy to His mother, and not only mother, but tanvabhijatah. Naturally, if we take birth from my mother, I have got natural affection for my mother, but Devahuti is not ordinary mata. She is very submissive. Therefore it is said that jata-snehah. Naturally there is affection, and when Kapiladeva saw that "This woman... Woman is supposed to be less intelligent, but she is very submissive and My mother," in both ways He became compassionate, that "She is eager to know about the truth, and she is so submissive, and after all, I have taken, I have received this body from this woman, My mother. So let Me try to give her the best of the philosophical conclusion." And that is Sankhya philosophy. He will speak from the next verse.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.31 -- Bombay, December 1, 1974

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Understanding-Standing Under

Understanding-Standing Under

Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.30
Bombay, November 30, 1974

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Nitai: "...after all, I am a woman. It is very difficult for me to understand the Absolute Truth because my intelligence is not very great. But if You will kindly explain it to me, even though I am not very intelligent, I can understand it and thereby feel transcendental happiness."

Prabhupada:

tad etan me vijanihi
yathaham manda-dhir hare
sukham buddhyeya durbodham
yosa bhavad-anugrahat
 [SB 3.25.30]

So this is submission. The process of understanding transcendental subject matter is not by challenge but by submission. The whole bhakti process is submission. That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's preaching.

trnad api sunicena
taror api sahisnuna
amanina manadena
kirtaniyah sada harih
 [Cc. Adi 17.31]

If one is interested to advance by chanting, then Caitanya Mahaprabhu advises that you should be humbler than the straw or grass and tolerant than the tree. Trnad api sunicena taror api sahisnuna, amanina: Without feeling oneself becoming very proud of intelligence, he should give respect to others and in this way one can chant Hare Krsna maha-mantra offenselessly.

So Devahuti, although mother of Kapiladeva, because she is woman, not only woman, because she is going to be disciple or the student, she is presenting herself as very humble student, not that superior mother, no. Tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya [Bg. 4.34]. One has to learn. The first condition is pranipata. Prakrsta-rupena nipata, complete surrender. Pranipatena. Then pariprasna. Sad-dharma-prcchat. First of all, pranipata, a full submission, then pariprasna, guided by seva, service. We have to please the spiritual master, the teacher, by service. This whole bhakti process depends on service attitude. Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau. I have several times explained this verse. Atah sri-krsna-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih [Cc. Madhya 17.136]. Our present material senses are blunt. By these present senses it is not possible to understand the transcendental nature of Krsna, His name, His form, His quality, His pastimes. Everything of Krsna, they are all divyam, divine. Janma karma ca me divyam [Bg. 4.9]. So divyam, transcendental subject matter, is not possible to understand by these material blunt senses. Therefore one has to purify it. That is bhakti-marga. Sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. One has to purify the senses, and when the senses are purified, then, with that purified senses, hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam bhaktir ucyate. When our senses are purified, then we can serve Hrsikesa. Hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam. Bhakti means to serve Krsna, the master of the senses, by our senses. But these present senses, they cannot be fit for serving Krsna. It has to be purified.

So how this purification is possible? Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau: [Brs. 1.2.234] by engaging oneself in service of the Lord, and the first service begins from the tongue, jihvadau. We have got many senses, sense organs, but devotional service begins from the tongue, jihvadau, by chanting. It is very difficult subject matter, but it is made easy because... Devahuti says, sukham buddhyeya: "Very easily I can understand, because I am woman." Krsna is open to everyone: striyo vaisyas tatha sudrah [Bg. 9.32]. Although they are considered less intelligent, still, Krsna is open to everyone. And especially in this age, kirtanad eva krsnasya mukta-sangah param vrajet: [SB 12.3.51] "Simply by chanting Krsna's name, this Hare Krsna maha-mantra," kirtanad eva krsnasya mukta-sangah, "one becomes liberated, and then param vrajet, he is transferred to the spiritual world. Although this Kali-yuga is full of faulty things, everyone is embarrassed with so many difficulties, still, very easy metho..."

This is spoken by Sukadeva Gosvami after describing the faults of Kali-yuga. There are many, many hundreds and thousands of faults. People will suffer. They are all described in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. People's intelligence, bodily strength, mercifulness -- everything will be reduced. And so many things are described. Some of them are very prominent even at the present moment. Just like in the Kali-yuga, it is stated lavanyam kesa-dharanam: "People will think by keeping long hairs they will become beautiful." Lavanyam kesa-dharanam. So that is very visible now, especially in the Western countries. They keep very long hairs. Dampatye ratim eva hi: "Marriage, husband and wife, they will be simply by agreement." Nowadays that is happening. You go to a marriage-maker and agree, and marriage is finished. Not like before. Dampatye ratim eva hi. And rati means sex desires. So long their sex desires will be completed, they can live. Svikara eva codvahe. These are stated, all. Vipratve sutram eva hi: "Become a brahmana, just have a sacred thread." Sacred or not sacred, get a thread. That's all, without executing the brahminical duties. That is going on. In this way there is a long list of Kali-yuga's activities.

So after submitting the list, Sukadeva Gosvami says, kaler dosa-nidhe rajann asti hy eko mahan gunah: "My dear King Pariksit, I have described all the faults of this Kali-yuga. But there is a special advantage in this age. That is," he said, kirtanad eva krsnasya mukta-sangah param vrajet [SB 12.3.51], "people can become liberated and go back to home, back to Godhead, simply by chanting Hare Krsna mantra."

harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam
kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha
 [Cc. Adi 17.21]

So this easy process, sukham jihvadau, that begins from the jihva, tongue. If you kindly train your tongue to chant Hare Krsna mantra, and if possible without offense... There are ten kinds of offenses. If we avoid the offenses and you chant Hare Krsna mantra, you become liberated. And it is very easy. Kirtanad eva krsnasya mukta-sangah param vrajet [SB 12.3.51]. Mukta. Anyone who is chanting Hare Krsna mantra, if he is chanting sincerely... Sincerely or not sincerely, if he chants, then he will become sincere and purified. Ceto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam [Cc. Antya 20.12].

So this is the easiest process. So durbodham yosa bhavad-anugrahat. But this chance is gotten by the grace of Krsna. Bhavad-anugrahat. If Krsna sees somebody, that he is sincerely chanting Hare Krsna mantra... He is within everyone. Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati [Bg. 18.61]. So He can understand that "Here is a sincere devotee." Then He gives chance. He as caitya-guru, the Supersoul, caitya-guru, and this external guru. He gives the chance of meeting external guru also, His representative, so that Krsna helps a sincere devotee externally and internally. Internally, He helps, Himself, as Paramatma. Buddhi-yogam dadami tam. Krsna says that "I give him intelligence from within." And without, externally, His representative, the spiritual master, is there. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, guru-krsna-krpaya paya bhakti-lata-bija [Cc. Madhya 19.151]. Combination of guru and Krsna. By the grace of Krsna, one gets a bona fide guru, and by the grace of the bona fide guru, one gets Krsna. This is going on. So as we are fallen, similarly, sastra has given us very easy method to appreciate our transcendental life, our blissful life. That is Krsna consciousness movement. This we are teaching everywhere, that "You chant this Hare Krsna maha-mantra," sravanam kirtanam visnoh. And when they are advanced, they are engaged in Deity worship, in preaching work, and so many other.

sravanam kirtanam visnoh
smaranam pada-sevanam
arcanam vandanam dasyam
sakhyam atma-nivedanam
 [SB 7.5.23]

So Devahuti-devi, she thinks herself, because woman, yosa, durbodham. So she is accepting her son as guru and very submissively, and she wants to understand the very difficult subject matter very easily by the grace of Kapiladeva. This is very important thing, to receive the causeless mercy of Krsna and the spiritual master, both. By Krsna's mercy we shall get spiritual master, and spiritual master's... Yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadah **. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, he has very much stressed on the mercy of guru. And that is actually fact. If we receive the mercy of guru, if we can satisfy guru by our service, and if he gives his blessing, that is very, very great opportunity. Yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadah **. Guru is confidential servant of Krsna. Guru never claims that he is Krsna, he is God. That is not guru. Guru, although worshiped as Krsna, Krsna... Saksad-dharitvena samasta-sastraih. Not in one sastra, but all the Vedic sastra, they describe guru, guru-brahma. They describe on the equal footing. Guru, being representative of Krsna, he is worshiped as Krsna. Saksad-dharitvena samasta-sastraih. All sastra recommends that. Tatha bhavyata eva sadbhih. And those who are pure devotees, they accept. But that does not mean that guru declares himself that "I am Krsna. I am God." No. Kintu prabhor yah priya eva tasya. He is the most confidential servant of Krsna. Therefore he is very dear. And as he is very dear to Krsna, if he recommends somebody, "Krsna, accept him," He will accept him. Yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadah **. That is the system.

Guru is very confidential servant of Krsna. Why confidential servant? Because he is canvassing door to door, "Please become Krsna conscious. Please surrender to Krsna." Krsna says to Arjuna, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66], and guru takes that very mission, but does not say like Krsna, that "Your surrender to me." He says, "Surrender to Krsna." One has to surrender to Krsna through the via media of guru, directly. This is the process. Therefore guru accepts respects from the disciple not for his personal self, but conveying the respect to Krsna. This is the process. Yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasado yasyaprasadan na gatih kuto 'pi **. If you cannot get the mercy of guru, then it is very difficult to approach Krsna. We cannot approach Krsna directly. Evam parampara-praptam imam rajarsayo viduh [Bg. 4.2]. That is the statement in the Bhagavad-gita. Parampara. Guru, he offers the same respect to his guru, his guru. It goes. In this way, it goes to Krsna, parampara system. Therefore it is stated, bhavad-anugrahat. Bhavad-anugrahat: "Please kindly become merciful upon me."

So in this way, one has to learn how to approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Our Vaisnava system is adau gurv-asrayam. If we want to approach Krsna, then in the beginning, adau, the beginning is to take shelter of guru. That is being shown by Devahuti. Although He is son, (s)he is begging the mercy of Kapiladeva so that by His mercy she could understand what is devotional service and how to approach Krsna. Tad etan me vijanihi yathaham manda-dhih. So this is very good qualification. Manda-dhih: "My intelligence is not very sharp, manda." That is especially in this age. Of course, Kapiladeva and Devahuti was not in this age. Still, she is submitting because she happens to be woman, and although she is such exalted woman that she could give birth to the Personality of Godhead Kapiladeva -- she was not ordinary woman -- still, she thinks manda-dhih: "I am less intelligence." Manda-dhir hare: "My dear Kapila, You are Supreme Personality of Godhead, but I am manda-dhih. My intelligence is not very sharp. Still, I want to understand the sublime subject matter, transcendental subject matter, from You. So it is possible." Bhavad-anugrahat: "If You become merciful, then it is possible." This is the process.

So in order to get the mercy of guru, so yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadah **, we must search out a bona fide spiritual master, representative of Krsna or Kapiladeva, and then we shall submit and offer service. In this way we shall please the guru, and if he is satisfied, then our business is complete. Yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasado yasyaprasadan na gatih kuto 'pi **. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu recommended this process, this process, jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva. The process of understanding or approaching the Supreme Personality of Godhead is this. Caitanya Mahaprabhu approved this when He was discussing with Ramananda Raya. So the process of approaching the Supreme Lord... So he first of all explained the varnasrama-dharma. Varnasramacaravata purusena parah puman, visnur aradhyate [Cc. Madhya 8.58]. The human life is for visnur aradhanam. That is the human life,  Visnur aradhanam. In varnasrama, the system... Catur-varnyam maya srstam [Bg. 4.13], Krsna says. Why establish this catur-varnyam maya srstam? Because through the catur-varnya, systematic institution, following the rules and regulations of brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, one can approach Lord Visnu. Visnur aradhyate. This varnasrama-dharma is very important. But Caitanya Mahaprabhu said that it is very difficult even to execute the rules and regulation of varnasrama-dharma in this age. Actually that is a fact. Therefore, after explaining varnasrama-dharma before Caitanya Mahaprabhu, He said, Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, eho bahya: "Yes, it is one of the processes, but in this age it is very difficult." Who is going to be brahmana? It is very difficult. Especially it has become very difficult in India. We are advertising, we are soliciting, "Please come here in this Hare Krsna Land and just become a brahmana-vaisnava, and we shall try to serve you by giving you good place," but nobody is coming. Therefore it is very difficult to revive the old varnasrama-dharma culture.

Caitanya Mahaprabhu, therefore, said, "No, no, it is all right, but it is very difficult now." He is practical. Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the...Namo maha-vadanyaya krsna-prema-pradaya te [Cc. Madhya 19.53]. He is studied by Rupa Gosvami as the most munificent avatara, incarnation. There are many incarnation, but He's the most munificent, vadanya, the supreme charitable. Why? Krsna-prema-pradaya te. He is distributing love of Krsna like anything. Krsna-prema-pradaya te [Cc. Madhya 19.53]. One cannot understand Krsna.

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

To understand Krsna is very, very difficult. Out of many, many millions of person, one tries for making his life successful. And out of many, many such successful, yatatam api siddhanam [Bg. 7.3], one who has attained siddhi, such person, may... One may understand Krsna. So Krsna, to understand... So first of all, we cannot understand Krsna. Then what is the, where is the question of love of Krsna? If you do not understand somebody, how you can love him? Love is far, far away. But Caitanya Mahaprabhu is so kind that He is distributing krsna-prema: "Take, anyone. Come on." Krsna-prema-pradaya te [Cc. Madhya 19.53]. So therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu is very practical, that "I want to give krsna-prema. One should be ecstatic, emotional in krsna-prema. One shall cry for Krsna." And He taught everyone by His practical example how He was mad after Krsna. Govinda-virahena me. Sunyayitam jagat sarvam govinda-virahena me. This is krsna-prema: without Krsna, one should see everything vacant. This is Radharani's prema.

But that is not possible for ordinary human being. It might be possible for Caitanya Mahaprabhu and few devotees. Just like His immediate disciples, the Six Gosvamis, they were also following the same principle. In the Vrndavana the Six Gosvamis used to live. But they were seeking Krsna, becoming mad.

he radhe vraja-devike ca lalite he nanda-suno kutah
sri-govardhana-kalpa-padapa-tale kalindi-vane kutah
ghosantav iti sarvato vraja-pure khedair maha-vihvalau
vande rupa-sanatanau raghu-yugau sri-jiva-gopalakau

So they were mad after Krsna: "Where is Krsna?" They never said, "We have seen Krsna." And Caitanya Mahaprabhu also, He said, "I was dreaming of Krsna, and why you wake Me? I have lost the chance." In this way they were making bhajana. This is called viraha-bhajana, viraha-bhajana, separation. That is very recommended process. So we should be awakened, awaken our consciousness, Krsna consciousness, in such a way that being separated from Krsna, we shall become mad after Him. This is called krsna-prema. That prema was being distributed by Caitanya Mahaprabhu. And He is still distributing.

So how this prema can be awakened easily, that has been recommended by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, quoting from Lord Brahma's prayer to Krsna, jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva. Don't try to understand Krsna by your tiny knowledge. We are imperfect. How we can speculate on Krsna? That is not... Because there are certain persons, jnanis, they want to know. Just like theosophists. They want to know the Absolute Truth by speculation. But that is not possible.

athapi te deva padambuja-dvaya-
prasada-lesanugrhita eva hi
janati tattvam bhagavan-mahimno
na canya eko 'pi ciram vicinvan
 [SB 10.14.29]

 Ciram, for many, many years, if you speculate, you cannot understand Krsna. You have to receive the mercy of Krsna through the spiritual master. Then it is possible. That is recommended by Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhir ye prayaso 'jita. Krsna's another name is Ajita; you cannot conquer Him. When Krsna was present, He had to fight with so many demons, but nobody could conquer Him. That is the history. He conquered everyone, but nobody could conquer Him. He is conquered by His devotee only. That's all. Therefore His name is Ajita. Ajita. If you want to conquer over Ajita, then you simply... Caitanya Mahaprabhu says that "Don't speculate." Sthane sthitah... Jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva. Be submissive: "Krsna, I am very poor. Krsna, I have no means to understand You. So if You kindly be merciful upon me, then I can understand something about You." Surrender. That is wanted. Krsna is very merciful as soon as He sees that somebody is surrendered.

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

If we... This is the process. If we hear about Krsna...Sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhih. You remain in your position. Don't change. Either you are brahmana or sudra or grhastha or sannyasi, it doesn't matter. But you hear about Krsna. This is the process. This is the first-class process.

So we are opening hundreds and thousands... Not thousands, we have opened about 102 centers all over the world. But we want to open thousands. But we are in need of assistance. But nobody is coming. Anyway, the Europeans, Americans, some of them have joined. Still, we required many thousands because Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission is prthivite ache yata nagaradi grama: He wants to spread this Krsna consciousness movement not in this city or that city but nagaradi grama. Just like here we have opened a center in Gandhigram. But in Bombay such hundreds and thousands centers can be opened. It is so big city. Similarly, there are other cities. It is required. That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission.

prthivite ache yata nagaradi grama
sarvatra pracara haibe mora nama

And that is the duty of the Indians, bharata-vasi. That is also Caitanya Mahaprabhu's desire.

bharata-bhumite haila manusya-janma yara
janma sarthaka kari' kara para-upakara
 [Cc. Adi 9.41]

This Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mercy, krsna-prema distribution, is the best, topmost para-upakara, welfare activity. Therefore every Indian should understand the philosophy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu or the philosophy of Krsna, Krsna consciousness, the same philosophy. Krsna says His philosophy is sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja: [Bg. 18.66] "Just surrender to Me. I will give you protection." And Caitanya Mahaprabhu's philosophy is the same. He is Krsna, but as He has appeared as devotee. He says, yare dekha, tare kaha 'krsna'-upadesa: [Cc. Madhya 7.128] "Whomever you meet, you Indian, bharata-vasi, you just try to understand this Krsna philosophy, Bhagavad-gita, and make your life successful and go door to door and say this 'krsna'-upadesa." Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja. Bas. You become guru. That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission.

So we should give chance to people to hear about Krsna. Therefore we are opening so many centers. Please come and hear about Krsna. Then gradually you will assimilate. Because Krsna and Krsna's words, they are not different -- absolute. When we hear about Krsna, that means we are directly associating with Krsna. And the more you associate with Krsna, the more you become purified. Hrdy antah-stho hy abhadrani vidhunoti. Krsna helps in washing your dirty things within the heart. Ceto-darpana-marjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. The same thing, Caitanya Mahaprabhu says. Then, when we are free, tat-paratvena nirmalam [Cc. Madhya 19.170], you become purified, we become purified. Then immediately we revive our Krsna consciousness and engage ourself in Krsna's service.

Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.30 -- Bombay, November 30, 1974

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Understanding Highest Truth

Understanding Highest Truth

Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.29
Bombay, November 29, 1974

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Prabhupada:

yo yogo bhagavad-bano
nirvanatmams tvayoditah
kidrsah kati cangani
yatas tattvavabodhanam
 [SB 3.25.29]

Tattva avabodhanam. Tattva means truth. So the idea is how to understand the Supreme Person, Supreme Being, in tattvatah, in truth.

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

This tattva word has been used in the Bhagavad-gita, that everyone has got some idea of God. Not everyone; but out of many many millions of person: manusyanam sahasresu. Not ordinary men. There are millions and millions of person who don't care, just like animal. They don't care to know what is God, what is our relationship with God, how to act in that relationship. The Vedic instruction, the whole Vedic instruction is for this purpose. Vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah [Bg. 15.15]. That is the purpose of Veda.

So first of all we have to know what is our relationship with God. That you do not know. Neither you try for it. This child... Therefore Krsna says, Krsna says, not we say, that out of many many thousands and millions of persons, manusyanam sahasresu [Bg. 7.3], so kascid, somebody becomes interested what is the purpose of life. That is actually awakening of human life. Otherwise like cats and dogs: eating, sleeping, having sex intercourse, and after some time finished, that is the life of cats and dogs. That is not human life. Human life as it is stated in the Vedas, athato brahma jijnasa. This life is meant for inquiring about the Supreme Being, Brahman, Parabrahman. That is human life. The whole Vedic civilization is based on this basic principle that to understand the Absolute Truth.

So in this Kali-yuga nobody is interested even. We are spreading Krsna consciousness, very few people are interested to know about Krsna or the Supreme Being. So that is not human life. Human life means when we inquire about the Absolute Truth. That is human life. So there are so many societies, so many religious institutions. But nobody is interested to know Krsna, or the Supreme Being. Krsna means the Supreme Being, all-attractive. No educational system, no university. Therefore Krsna said, manusyanam sahasresu kascid yatati siddhaye [Bg. 7.3], that is siddhi of... Siddhi means perfection of life, to understand God. Because in the human life if one tries he can understand God, he can understand himself, he can understand what is his relationship with God, he can understand how to act in that relationship and thus make his life perfect. That is human life. So manusyanam sahasresu kascid yatati siddhaye. Siddhi. Siddhi means self-realization. And yatatam api siddhanam [Bg. 7.3]. And even though one is siddha, or self-realized, he also does not understand what is Krsna. Even one is siddha. That siddha has still to be progressed. Then he will come to jnanavan. Jnanavan means one who is siddha, one who has understood himself. That siddhi means to understand oneself that "I am not this body." That is siddhi.

Everyone is misguided, everyone is acting in this world under the bodily concept of life. And they are very very much unhappy on account of this. Because as soon as one understands that "I am not this body," he immediately becomes Brahma-bhutah prasannatma. Prasannatma means, what do you mean by prasannatma? Na socati na kanksati [Bg. 18.54]. No more material desire. That is brahma-bhutah. Everyone is trying for material sense gratification -- the animals, the beasts, the birds, and the human being. That is material world. He is simply socati and kanksati. When there is loss he is crying, and when there is no possession he is hankering. These are the two diseases of material existence.

So when one is brahma-bhuta [SB 4.30.20], he realized that "I am not this body, I am pure spirit soul," aham brahmasmi, then the next stage is nasocati na kanksati. That is the. But that is not all. That is not all. That is not steady. Brahma-bhutah prasannatma na socati na... [Bg. 18.54], samah sarvesu bhutesu. At that time, because he is not in the bodily platform of life, he does not see the body but he sees the soul. So as spirit soul we are one. Simply we are differently dressed in different body on account of our desire and karma. So one who has realized that "I am not this body," he does not make any difference of body.

vidya-vinaya-sampanne
brahmane gavi hastini
suni caiva sva-pake ca
panditah sama-darsinah
 [Bg. 5.18]

He does not make any difference that "Here is a learned brahmana and here is a dog." Because he knows the learned brahmana has got a different body and the dog has got a different body. Ultimately the dog is also a spirit soul and the brahmana is also a spirit soul. That is his vision. It does not mean that he's so fool he makes a brahmana equal to the dog. No. That is not. But he knows the fact what is the dog and what is the brahmana. That is Brahman realization. Samah sarvesu bhutesu. Then mad-bhaktim labhate param [Bg. 18.54]. Then the real bhakti begins.

That means after self-realization, when he understands that he is not this body... In the bodily conception of life I am thinking "I belong to this family," "I belong to this society," "I belong to the country," and so many. Aham mameti [SB 5.5.8]. Janasya moho 'yam, this illusion is going on. And brahma-bhutah means one who is above this illusion. He has no more such distinction that "I am this body. I am belong to this family, I belong to this country or community." No. "I belong to Krsna." Krsna says jiv..., mamaivamsa. Krsna says. And brahma-bhutah stage means I have realized that I am part and parcel of Krsna and my only business is to serve Krsna. That is Brahman realization. Therefore Krsna says yatatam api siddhanam kascin mam vetti tattvatah [Bg. 7.3]. Tattvatah means one has to understand in truth what is Krsna and what is my relationship with Krsna. Simply siddha is not perfection. Siddha means "I am not this body." That is all right, that is perfection. But you have to make further progress. Brahma-bhutah, you have become now self-realized, that's all right. Na socati na..., samah sarvesu. But you have to enter into the para-bhakti. Then your self-realization will stand. Otherwise again you will fall down. Aruhya krcchrena param padam tatah patanty adhah anadrta-yusmad-anghrayah [SB 10.2.32].

I have given this example that you have got a very nice sputnik, airplane, you can go many thousands and millions miles up. But if you don't get any shelter either in the moon planet or any other planet then you come back again. The same example. Similarly, you may become brahma-bhutah, Brahman realized, but if you simply remain in the impersonal or void... Brahma-bhutah means to make this material world null and void and you come to the another world, spiritual world. So if you cannot enter into the spiritual world, mad-bhaktim labhate param [Bg. 18.54], if you simply remain brahma-bhutah, then you will fall down. Because you are by nature seeking ananda, blissful life. So if you do not get varieties of life... Just like we want varieties in this material world. This material world is simply imitation of the spiritual world. So we are attached to the varieties; therefore we are seeking ananda. But because it is material and we are spiritual being, we cannot enjoy this ananda, material varieties fully. There are so many defects, inebrieties, and we are seeking that spiritual variety. So if you don't enter into the spiritual world with spiritual variety then you will again fall down. That is called bhakti-yoga.

Just like Krsna says yad gatva na nivartante tad dhama paramam mama [Bg. 15.6]. When you get spiritual varieties, that you can get when you enter into the spiritual world, either in the Vaikuntha world, planet or in the Goloka Vrndavana planet, there are varieties. The varieties are mentioned in the sastra.

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

Venum kvanantam aravinda-dalayataksam [Bs. 5.30]. Don't think that Krsna figure is the imagination of some artist or painter. No, no. These are the description in the Vedas. Venum kvanantam, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Govinda, is playing on His flute. Venum kvanantam aravinda-dalayataksam [Bs. 5.30]. And His eyes are like the petals of lotus flower. Venum kvanantam aravinda-dalayataksam barhavatamsam. There is a feather of peacock, asitambuda-sundarangam, His complexion is like black cloud but very, very beautiful. Venum kvanantam aravinda-dalayataksam barhavatamsam asitambuda-sundarangam, kandarpa-koti-kamaniya. He is so beautiful that more attractive than many, many hundreds and thousands of Cupid. Kandarpa-koti-kamaniya-visesa-sobham govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami [Bs. 5.30]. This is the Govinda's description. There are so many descriptions.

So this is spiritual varieties. Material varieties cannot give us full satisfaction. Therefore you want change. Change, another change, another change. Punah punas carvita-carvananam [SB 7.5.30]. Here in the material world we are simply chewing the chewed. Once chewed and thrown it away, again somebody is coming chewing. So spiritual variety is not like that. Spiritual varieties is anandambudhi-vardhanam. The more you are attached to spiritual variety, it is just like ocean. An ocean does not increase, but spiritual varieties are said they are increasing. Now just like here you have got the Arabian Sea. It is not increasing. It would have increased, then Bombay town would have been finished long ago. So it is not increasing. It has got a certain limit. You go to the beach you see no, no more than. But it is compared with anandambudhi, the ocean of bliss, increasing, vardhanam. Anandambudhi-vardhanam. The more you enter into the spiritual bliss, the more you become joyful. That is spiritual. Spiritual, just like these boys, these girls they are chanting Hare Krsna. Had it been hackneyed, how long they would have chanted? No. That is not possible. Unless it is spiritual, nobody can be satisfied simply by chanting Hare Krsna Hare Krsna. You take any other word, "Mr. John, Mr. John, Mr. John," how long you will chant? After chanting for half an hour you will be fed up. But this is anandambudhi-vardhanam. The more you chant the more you become spiritually advanced. This is called anandambudhi-vardhanam. Otherwise how one can be satisfied simply by chanting, chanting Hare Krsna? They are not mad, they are not foolish. They are human being. And how they have given up everything simply by chanting if it is not anandambudhi-vardhanam, if it is not increasing in spiritual blissfulness. Practical. They have forgotten everything, they are also young men. They don't go to cinema. Just one block after there is cinema, they will never go, giving up this chanting and go to the cinema. Don't you see practically?

So spiritual life, that is spiritual life, that if you take to spiritual life and take to the process then your anandambudhi-vardhanam, your spiritual life, will be blissful more and more. It is not decrease. Because we want ananda. Anandamayo 'bhyasat (Vedanta-sutra 1.1.12). That is the Vedanta-sutra. Living being or Parabrahman or Brahman, everyone is anandamaya. That ananda can..., you get perfectly when you take anandamaya with Krsna, in association with Krsna. You associate with Krsna as servant or as friend or as father, as mother, as conjugal lover. There are five rasas: santa, dasya, sakhya, vatsalya, madhurya. Here also in this material world we have got the same rasas. We are related with somebody as father, or somebody as son, somebody as lover, somebody as beloved, somebody as master, somebody as servant. This is relationship. This is the perverted reflection of the spiritual world. Therefore although we have got the same relationship for relishing... Today I am loving my son and tomorrow my son may be the greatest enemy. There is no eternity of such love. Or the son may die. There is no eternity. Today I am loving some man or woman; it may break tomorrow. That is the defect of the material world. But in the spiritual world the same relationship will never break. It will anandambudhi-vardhanam, simply increase, simply increase. That is called perfection. That is called per...

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

If we understand Krsna tattvatah, not superficial... Here the word is used yatas tattvavabodhanam. Tattvavabodhanam: "Kindly explain to me that bhakti-yoga which we can fully understand the truth, Absolute Truth." Tattvavabodhanam.

So how that tattva can be understood? That is explained by Krsna that janma karma ca divyam me yo janati tattvatah. So we have to understand Krsna, tattvatah, by truth. And how? We can understand that Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yas casmi tattvatah [Bg. 18.55]. This is tattva word. So tattvavabodhanam. Devahuti is asking Kapiladeva that "Kindly describe that process of yoga by which we can understand in truth, tattvavabodhanam, not superficially." Tattvavabodhanam. And in another place the tattvam is described in three ways: vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvam yaj jnanam advayam [SB 1.2.11]. They are not different. That is everything is tattva, tattva. There are three kinds of tattva: brahmeti paramatmeti bhagavan iti sabdyate. This very thing, tattva, is described in three features: impersonal Brahman, localized Paramatma, and at the end Bhagavan.

So understanding of Bhagavan means understand of Brahman and Paramatma. But understanding of Brahman or Paramatma is not understanding Bhagavan. Therefore the Brahmavadis, the Paramatmavadis, they are impersonalists. They cannot understand the Supreme Being Personality of Godhead, Krsna. They cannot understand. That is the defect. Therefore some yoga system, jnana-yoga system, or dhyana-yoga system, and there is bhakti-yoga system. That bhakti-yoga system is the perfect. And jnana-yoga system or dhyana-yoga system, that is partial understanding, Paramatma feature. Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati [Bg. 18.61]. In that way you can understand, you can come to the platform of understanding samah sarvesu bhutesu. But that is not perfection. Still you have to go. Samah sarvesu bhutesu mad-bhaktim labhate param [Bg. 18.54]. After realizing samah sarvesu bhutesu, this principle, then you will have to enter into the devotional service, para-bhakti. Para-bhakti means transcendental. Bhakti means para. Bhakti does not mean material. Material, it looks like material activities, but it is not material activities. Just like the example can be given just like a man, a boy is flying kite. He is, what is called, the reel? So sometimes he brings down the kite and sometimes he allows the kite to go. There are two kind of playing. So similarly, the one kind of activity means you are becoming free from the resultant action of activities, and one kind of activity is you are becoming entangled.

So that is also explained in the Bhagavad-gita, yajnarthe karmanah anyatra karma-bandhanah. If you work for Yajna, for Krsna, then you are becoming relieved from the resultant action of karma. But if you work for your sense gratification, then you are becoming entangled with the resultant action of your karma. Therefore sometimes this bhakti-yoga is misunderstood as karma. Mayavadis, they cannot understand. They think that bhakti-yoga is also karma. "These people are less intelligent, so they are in the... Because jnana-yoga means vikarma or akarma, akarma. There is no resultant action." That is the view of the jnanis, Mayavadi philosophers. But because they see that the bhaktas they are working also just like ordinary man, therefore it is maya, that is Mayavada. They think bhakti activities as maya. Therefore we call them Mayavada. But actually bhakti-yoga, if you act according to the shastric principles, if you act according to the order of your spiritual master in bhakti-yoga, that is not karma. That is bhakti-yoga, beyond this karma-yoga. But they cannot understand.

Just like Krsna described in the sastras: cintamani-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vrksa-laksavrtesu surabhir abhipalayantam [Bs. 5.29]. Surabhir abhipalayantam. Krsna is very much fond of tending cows, surabhi cows. The Mayavadi will see, "What is this Krsna?" Even Brahma was bewildered, "How is that this Krsna, this boy in Vrndavana is being worshiped? He's spoken like the Supreme Personality of Godhead. How is that He is taking care of the cows, this cowherd boy?" Indra was also bewildered. Muhyanti yat surayah. To understand Krsna, even Brahma, Indra, they become bewildered. Therefore,

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

We have to understand Krsna in truth. Otherwise we will be bewildered. And for that reason you have to hear from Krsna or His representative to understand Krsna. Otherwise you will also be bewildered.

So if we can understand Krsna, that these activities of Krsna, divyam..., janma karma ca me divyam [Bg. 4.9], divine, and they are not ordinary activities. If we can understand it, immediately we become liberated. Simply if we can understand the activities of this Krsna's dancing with the gopis, they are divyam, they are not ordinary. Just like here also a young man wants to dance with many young girls; it is not like that. And because people cannot understand Krsna, and if they hear about the dancing of Krsna with the gopis, they take it the concession, "Now let us dance with young girls." And they are going to hell. Therefore you have to learn from the proper person about Krsna's activities. If you learn Krsna from the professional uneducated person, nondevotee, then you will go to hell. Therefore immediately we should not try to understand Krsna's dealing with the gopis. It is very confidential. It is kept in the Tenth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam. That means you have to understand Krsna as He is by reading first nine cantos of Srimad-Bhagavatam. Then you will be able to understand janma karma ca divyam. The Krsna's activities, they are not ordinary thing. They are divine. And if we actually understand, then immediately you become liberated. Janma karma ca divyam yo janati tattvatah.

Therefore here it is said, kidrsah kati cangani. How that bhakti-yoga is situated and how many processes or branches are there? Kidrsah kati ca angani yatas tattvavabodhanam. Then we can understand Krsna in tattva, in truth. That is required. That is bhakti-yoga. And that angani, angani means they are all the same. Sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam pada-sevanam [SB 7.5.23]. There are nine angas, nine... Anga means different varieties. They are the same. Spiritually they are the same, spiritually absolute. Sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam pada-sevanam. Either you hear or you chant or you memorize or you offer worship, arcanam vandanam dasyam, or you simply work under the direction of your spiritual master or Krsna. Just like Hanuman: he dasyam. He simply carried out Lord Ramacandra's order. He was supposed to be animal. He's not animal. But he was looking like a monkey animal. But having no education, no. He had everything. But superficially he..., he is not teaching Vedanta. He is simply carrying order of Lord Ramacandra, that's all. He appears to be very foolish. Not foolish, but superficially animal. He was simply carrying out, dasyam. Arjuna, simply he took Krsna as his most intimate friend, that's all. He was not a Vedantist; he was a fighter, he was a ksatriya. He had to deal with politics. No time to become Vedantist. But still he's the greatest devotee. Bhakto 'si priyo 'si me [Bg. 4.3]. Krsna says, "My dear Arjuna, you are My very dear friend and devotee." So people may say, "Oh, he is not a Vedantist, he is not even brahmana, he is not a sannyasi. How Krsna accepts him as bhakto 'si?" That is called bhakti. Bhakti is ahaituky apratihata. If you become a devotee there is no impediment. No material condition can check your progress of bhakti, if you are a bhakta.

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

If you want real life, prasanna... Brahma-bhutah prasannatma [Bg. 18.54]. If you take to bhakti, automatically you become prasannatma. Yayatma suprasidati. What is that? Ahaituky apratihata bhakti. Without any motive. "I shall serve Krsna with a motive," that is also good in this sense, that he is pious, he has approached Krsna. He is not impious like the atheist, like the nonbeliever. But he is good, although he has approached... Just like Dhruva Maharaja. Dhruva Maharaja worshiped Krsna with a motive. But after being perfect in devotional service he becomes without motive. When he saw actually Krsna, he said, "No, no, no. I don't want anything from You." Svamin krtartho 'smi varam na yace [Cc. Madhya 22.42]. "I don't want any benediction." That is bhakti. Ahaituky apratihata. Not that we shall worship Krsna to serve some material purpose. That is also good, because he has come to Krsna. Someway or other he has come. Catur-vidha bhajante mam sukrtino 'rjuna. That is his piety. Anyone who comes to Krsna someway or other, he is very fortunate. He is not ordinary man. Ei rupe brahmanda bhramite kona bhagyavan jiva [Cc. Madhya 19.151]. Bhagyavan jiva means very fortunate person. He comes to Krsna consciousness. Not ordinary person.

yesam tv anta-gatam papam
jananam punya-karmanam
te dvandva-moha-nirmukta
bhajante mam drdha-vratah
 [Bg. 7.28]

Krsna-bhajana is not so easy. But if you voluntarily, if after hearing so many qualities of Krsna, transcendental qualities, if you somehow or other become attracted to Krsna consciousness, then your life is successful. Yena tena prakarena manah krsne nivesayet. Somehow or other you attach your mind to Krsna consciousness. Sarve vidhi-nisedhah syur etayor eva kinkarah.

Then Krsna says that "Anyone who is engaged in My devotional service with love and faith, buddhi-yogam dadami tam." This is buddhi-yoga. Buddhi-yoga means bhakti-yoga. Buddhi-yoga means, bhakti-yoga is not for the foolish person. Bhakti-yoga means buddhi-yoga, one who is highly intelligent. Or somehow or other he has become intelligent, that "I shall take to Krsna consciousness." Then his life is perfect immediately, and gradually he will realize Krsna, tattvatah. Bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yas casmi tattvatah [Bg. 18.55]. You somehow or other take to Krsna consciousness, engage yourself in devotional service under the direction of sastra and the spiritual master, then you will understand Krsna and then your life is perfect.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.29 -- Bombay, November 29, 1974

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