Association of Devotees
Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.24
Bombay, November 24, 1974
download flash player
Take a testBombay, November 24, 1974
download flash player
Nitai: "O My mother, O virtuous lady,
these are the qualities of great devotees who are freed from all attachment. You
must seek attachment unto such holy men, for this counteracts the pernicious
effects of material attachment."
Prabhupada:
ta ete sadhavah sadhvi
sarva-sanga-vivarjitah
sangas tesv atha te prarthyah
sanga-dosa-hara hi te
[SB 3.25.24]
So at our present moment we are sanga-dosa-yukta, we are contaminated by the attachment of modes of material nature. Some of us contaminated by the sattva-guna, some of us are contaminated by the rajo-guna, and some of us is contaminated by the tamo-guna, and some of us is contaminated by the tamo-guna. So out of the three, the rajo-guna and tamo-guna is very dangerous. Rajas-tamo-bhavah [SB 1.2.19]. Rajo-guna and tamo-guna means kama-lobhadayas ca ye, to be contaminated by lusty desires and greediness. So one has to overcome in the beginning, at least, the contamination by rajo-guna and tamo-guna. At the present moment, especially in this age, the contamination of tamo-guna is very prominent, and little rajo-guna also, but sattva-guna is practically nil in this age, Kali-yuga. It is said in the sastra that sattva-guna will be practically nil. Rajas-tamah. And the aim of life is to become free from all the contaminations, even sattva-guna contamination. This has been explained in the Bhagavad-gita very nicely in the Fourteenth Chapter, how to become not contaminated, disinfected.
So here Kapiladeva advises that "Mother, if you want to be disinfected, uncontaminated by this material nature, then you associate with sadhu." That was the beginning.
prasangam ajaram pasam
atmanah kavayo viduh
sa eva sadhusu krto
moksa-dvaram apavrtam
This was the beginning, how to become uncontaminated. We have got some attachment to the material modes of nature. That is the cause of our bondage. Now, if we want to be free from this bondage, uncontaminated, then the same attachment should be transferred to the sadhu. Sa eva sadhusu krtah, the same attachment. Everyone has got attachment. Nobody is free of attachment. The Mayavadi philosophy, they say that "Stop this attachment." The Buddha philosophy says that "Make this attachment zero." This is also a little advancement, but it is not possible to make our attachment zero. That is not possible. Therefore Bhagavan says in the Bhagavad..., param drstva nivartate [Bg. 9.59]. Just like a child has got attachment for playing, and gradually, his attachment should be transferred for reading, going to school, education. But if you stop his attachment, then he will become mad. You must give something. Param drstva nivartate. Just like we are. To the Western devotees, we are advising them -- at least, those who are accepted as our disciples, they must -- no meat-eating. They are accustomed to meat-eating, but that how this meat-eating has been stopped? We have given them nice things, kacuris, srngara, rasagulla. So they have given up meat-eating. So you must give something more palatable. Then detachment will be possible. First of all nullify the attachment, and then give him better attachment. Then he will forget. Param drstva nivartate. You cannot force a living entity by force. Gradually... The same example: a child has got attachment, but by some system, its attachment is turned over.
So similarly, our consciousness is there. Somehow or other, it is now contaminated. So gradually, this contaminated consciousness has to be purified, and then Krsna consciousness automatically will arise, will be awakened, because the Krsna consciousness is original consciousness. Somehow or other, it is now covered by material attachment. So how to give up this material attachment and become attached to Krsna, developing Krsna attachment? The process is sadhu-sanga [Cc. Madhya 22.83]. That is... Sa eva sadhusu krtah moksa-dvaram apavrtam. We have got so many attachment for so many things in the material world, and if you simply... You cannot make it zero; that is not possible. You have to purify. Just like if there is some disease in the eyes, if you simply say, "Pluck it out," that is not treatment. Treatment is: you must remove the disease. If there is cataract, by some way or other, then your eyesight will be revived. Similarly, we have got desires, we have got kama, krodha, lobha, moha, matsarya. These are there. But you have to divert these things for Krsna's service. Kamah krsna-karmarpane. Just like we have got very much attachment toward doing business, for earning money and become very happy. So Krsna says, "Yes, you can do business. There is no harm. But you give Me the result." Yat karosi yaj juhosi yad asnasi yat tapasyasi, kurusva tad mad-arpanam [Bg. 9.27]. He does not say that you have to do something particular. Of course, bhakta, bhakti, but one who is not accepting bhakti cult immediately, to him Krsna says, "All right, never mind. Whatever you do, that's all right." Yat karosi. He does not say that "Do this." Yat karosi yaj juhosi yad asnasi. "Try to give it to Me."
That is the beginning of bhakti-yoga. If you do business and you earn money and spend it for Krsna consciousness, that is also bhakti. That is also bhakti. Just like vivid example is Arjuna. Arjuna is a fighter, and by fighting, he became a devotee; not by chanting Hare Krsna, but by fighting. Krsna advised him to fight. He was, rather, because he was a Vaisnava, he was not willing to fight, to kill. Vaisnava does not like to kill. But if there is necessity... Just like Arjuna had to kill. That is by the order of Krsna, not by his own will. By his own will, Krsna did..., Arjuna did not like to kill, to fight. That is Vaisnava's natural instinct. He does not wish to do harm or to kill anybody. But when a Vaisnava knows that Krsna wants it, he doesn't care for his own consideration. "Never mind." That is practical example, Krsna.
So similarly, sva-karmana tam abhyarcya [Bg. 18.46]. Everyone has got his some particular duty, occupation. If, by executing your occupational duty, you worship Krsna, then your life is perfect. That is the instruction given in Srimad-Bhagavatam, Naimisaranya.
atah pumbhir dvija-srestha
varnasrama-vibhagasah
svanusthitasya dharmasya
samsiddhir hari-tosanam
[SB 1.2.13]
Atah pumbhir dvija-sresthah. Pumbhih, by person. Everyone is engaged in some occupational duty. Formerly it was the varnasrama: brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, and brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha, sannyasi. Everyone has got some particular duty according to his position. Now, the different occupational duties have expanded. It doesn't matter. If you are engineer, if you are medical man, if you are something else, it doesn't matter. Sva-karmana tam abhyarcya [Bg. 18.46]. But try to serve Krsna by the result of your work. That is bhakti. That we have to learn. Our Krsna consciousness movement does not mean that we are going to stop all activities. No, this is not our mission. You be engaged in your activities, but don't forget Krsna. This is our mission. Be always Krsna conscious.
Therefore Krsna says... How to become Krsna conscious? Yat karosi: "Whatever you do," kurusva tad mad-arpanam: "the result you give Me." Then it will be Krsna consciousness. You always think that you are doing for Krsna. Of course, by the order of Krsna or by His representative, not whimsically. If you do something nonsense and if you think that "I am doing for Krsna," that will not be accepted. It must be verified by the acceptance of Krsna and Krsna's..., or Krsna's representative. Arjuna did not fight without Krsna's order. Therefore we must receive the order. If we say that "We do not find Krsna. How shall I...?" then Krsna's representative. That is sadhu. The Krsna's representative is sadhu. Therefore Kapiladeva is advising herewith that "You, mother, you associate with sadhus." Ete sadhavah.
He has described the symptoms of sadhu. By the last three, four slokas, he has described what is the symptom. Everything should be accepted by the symptom, characteristic. Not that anyone will come: "I am a sadhu." No. We must know by the characteristic of sadhu. That has been described. Similarly, incarnation of God, not that anyone will come and say, "I am incarnation of God." That will not be accepted. We have to see the characteristics of God as they are stated in the sastra, then we can accept somebody as God by uncommon quality.
So apart from God, now our present problem is that we are entangled by the infection of material qualities, rajas-tamo-bhavah [SB 1.2.19] especially. Kama-lobhadayas ca ye, ceta etair anaviddham sthitam sattve prasidati. We have to conquer over the quality, the infection of quality of rajas-tamah, and then we have to situate ourself in sattva-guna. Then we are in the safe position. And if we do not allow to be infected again by the rajo-guna and tamo-guna, if we keep ourself purely in sattva-guna, that is called suddha-sattva, simply purified sattva-guna. Then we will be able to understand what is Krsna, what is God. So not only we have to acquire the qualities of sattva-guna, satyam samah saucah arjavam titiksa, jnanam vijnanam astikyam brahma-karma svabhava-jam... [Bg. 18.42]. These are the characteristic of sattva-guna: truthful... So much so truthful that, as they are stated by the commentators, that even an enemy asks some secret from you, you can say. Suppose a thief has come: "Now, what you have got in your box?" So if you say, "I have got so many thousands of rupees" or "hundreds," truthfulness should be like that. Even to your enemy it should be disclosed. That is called truthfulness. Satyam samah damah saucah, cleanliness. Then controlling the mind, controlling the senses, and simplicity, very simple in behavior, arjava; titiksa, tolerance; and full knowledge; vijnanam, practical application of knowledge; astikyam, full faith in Vedic literature and in God. These are the qualification of sattva-guna.
So everything can be attained very nicely and easily simply by this sadhu-sanga. Sadhu-sanga [Cc. Madhya 22.83]. Therefore we repeatedly say that we are trying to create some sadhu so that in different parts of the world they will preach Krsna consciousness, and people will be able to associate with them, and they will become purified. This is Krsna consciousness movement, that sadhu-sanga. It is very essential. People are suffering on account of being contaminated by the tamo-guna and rajo-guna, becoming entangled simply by lusty desires always, just like cats and dogs. So they are becoming more and more entangled. Unfortunately, they do not know that there is life after death, but they do not know what kind of life is going to happen next after death. They are blind, andha. Andha yathandhair upaniyamanah [SB 7.5.31]. The leaders are also blind.>>> ... <<
So this is our position, and the human life is the opportunity to stop this dehantara. And to stop this dehantara, that is the main business. And how it can be done? Simply by understanding Krsna. And how you can understand Krsna? Simply by association of the devotees. That's all. It is not very difficult. Adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sangah [Cc. Madhya 23.14-15]. Rupa Gosvami says. If you get some faith, "Now I shall become free from this material attachment," then, as it is advised here, sa eva sadhusu krtah. The attachment we have got for material enjoyment -- similar attachment should be for the sadhu, that's all. Suppose I want to drink. As I become mad without getting any drinking, similarly, when you become mad without sadhu-sanga [Cc. Madhya 22.83], then you are liberated. You have to simply divert the attachment. Not to speak of drinking, even those who are smoker, if he cannot smoke for one hour, his throat becomes dried up, "Give me bidi. Give me bidi." So as you have got attachment for the bidi, similar attachment for sadhu will be our liberation. Tat krtah sadhusu. That is to be learned. That you can learn with sadhu-sanga, if you mix with the sadhus. Therefore our mission is if we can create some sadhu and they distribute themself all over the world... As Caitanya Mahaprabhu says,
prthivite ache yata nagaradi grama
sarvatra pracara haibe mora nama
He wants that in every village, every town of the whole world, there may be a center of Krsna consciousness so that people will take advantage of it and they will also become sadhu. This is the mission of Krsna consciousness.
So the sadhus have been described in different way:
titiksavah karunikah
suhrdah sarva-dehinam
ajata-satravah santah
sadhavah sadhu-bhusanah
[SB 3.25.21]
We have discussed these verses. A sadhu... Because everything you want to learn, you have to take some penance voluntarily, so we have to give up something in the beginning. Just like we advise, "No illicit sex, no intoxication, even up to smoking bidi and taking tea." So one who is accustomed to these habits, for him to give up immediately these things, it becomes a little painful. Therefore one has to become tolerant, "Never mind. I will have to become free." Just like to become cured from some disease, we agree to undergo surgical operation although it is very painful, tolerate; similarly, we have to learn toleration although there will be some pain. That is called titiksavah.
At the same time we have to become karunikah, taking compassion on the fallen souls. We have to go from country to country, town to town, city to city, village to village, to enlighten them to become Krsna conscious. That is sadhu's duty. Those who are preachers, they are better sadhu than those who have gone to Himalaya. The sadhus who have gone to Himalaya for his personal benefit, that is also good, but those sadhus who are preaching and facing so many difficulties, so many opposing elements, they are better sadhu. They are better sadhu. They are fighting for Krsna's sake. So karunikah. Because they are more compassionate. One sadhu has gone to Himalaya, sitting there in a secluded place not to be bothered by any asadhu. That is also nice, but that is personal interest. But those sadhus are not gone to Himalaya but have left Vrndavana, easy life, and gone to fight to the world, they are better sadhu. That is the opinion of Krsna. Ya idam paramam guhyam mad-bhaktesv abhidhasyati [Bg 18.68]. Na ca tasman manusyesu kascin me priya-krttamah [Bg. 18.69]. Those who are preaching the message of Bhagavad-gita, facing many opposing elements, many difficulties, Krsna says, na ca tasman manusyesu kascin me priya-krttamah: [Bg. 18.69] "Nobody is dearer than him."
So if you want to become very quickly under the recognition of Krsna, then every one of you become a preacher of Krsna consciousness. That is the message of Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
bharata-bhumite haila manusya-janma yara
janma sarthaka kari' kara para-upakara
[Cc. Adi 9.41]
And in India everybody is conscious of Krsna. Somebody... I am asked in foreign countries, "How many Krsna conscious people are there in India?" That "India... In India the cent percent, they are Krsna conscious. Unfortunately they have artificially covered that by the so-called blind leaders." Andha yathandhair upaniyamanah [SB 7.5.31]. The leaders are advising them, "What is the use of becoming Krsna conscious? Now you become technical conscious." So no, that will not make us happy. We have to become Krsna conscious, especially in India, because he has got his birth in India for developing Krsna consciousness. So we should not give up this opportunity. Not only that, we shall become fully Krsna conscious, and we shall go out, outside India, to preach Krsna consciousness movement. That is para-upakara. That is the best welfare activities in the human society. That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission. Bharata-bhumite haila manusya-janma yara [Cc. Adi 9.41]. Of course, He expected from the human being, not from the cats and dogs.
So sadhu-sanga [Cc. Madhya 22.83] is so essential. And sadhu's symptoms are described. And suhrdah. Suhrdah. We have already explained. Suhrdah means well-wisher for everyone. His heart is full of well-wishing for everyone. "Everyone" means for Indians, nationals? No, sarva-dehinam. Sarva-dehinam, all bodies, even for the cats and dogs. A devotee wishes welfare even of the cats and dogs by giving him prasadam: "Take little prasadam." So the dog will be also... There is an instance during Caitanya Mahaprabhu's time. Devotees from Bengal were going to see Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and on the way a dog also began to follow them. So the leader of the party, Sivananda Sena, he was also giving food, prasadam, to the dog, and they had to cross one river, and the boatman would not take the dog. Sivananda Sena paid him some more money, that "You take the dog." This is Vaisnava, that "This dog has taken our company. He is going with us. How I can leave him behind?" So he paid more money: "Please take this dog." This is called suhrdah sarva-dehinam [SB 3.25.21]. And the dog was emancipated. He went to Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and he was sitting as dog, and Caitanya Mahaprabhu was eating something and throwing it to the dog. In this way, the dog got Vaikuntha. This is Krsna consciousness movement, that this consciousness, this sympathy for everyone, can dispatch even a dog to Vaikuntha. Suhrdah sarva-dehinam.
Ajata-satravah: A Vaisnava is not enemy of anyone, ajata-satravah santah, always peaceful. Sadhavah sadhu. This is the first, preliminary symptoms of a sadhu. The next? Mayy ananyena bhavena: "simply attached to Krsna," ananyena bhavena. These are the external, and these are internal. Ananyena bhavena bhaktim kurvanti ye drdham. Simply as Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66], so a devotee, a pure devotee, is simply attached to Krsna. They are not dis... A devotee is not disrespectful to other demigods. That is a mistake, that "These Krsna devotees, they do not care for other demigods." No. A Krsna devotee cares for the other demigods very rightly because he knows what is the position of the other demigods in comparison to Krsna. Just like Durga, Goddess Durga. In the Brahma-samhita the goddess Durga is worshiped. In which way? Srsti-sthiti-pralaya-sadhana-
So don't think that this material energy is working independently. She is working under the direction of Krsna. So a devotee knows this. Just like a policeman is working. A sane man knows that he is working not independently, but under the government order. This knowledge required, not that that because policeman has got some power, he becomes God. No. God is not so cheap. You can accept... Parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate [Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport]. God has got multi-energies. One of the energies is Durga, not that she is all in all, no. There are many millions of Durgas, many millions of Sivas, because there are many millions of universes. Just like many millions of police force, similarly, these demigods, there are many, many millions. But God is one. God is not million. Of course, He can expand in million forms; that is different thing. Svamsa, vibhinnamsa.
So this devotee offers respect to the demigods as the assistant or energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, not as the supreme power. That is the difference. And one who does not know what is God, they take these demigods as supreme. They are less intelligent. So therefore a devotees offer respect to the demigods, but he knows that Supreme Lord is Krsna. Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam [SB 1.3.28]. Therefore, mayy ananyena bhavena bhaktim kurvanti ye drdham. Drdha-vrata. Bhajante mam drdha-vratah, Bhagavad-gita.
mahatmanas tu mam partha
daivim prakrtim asritah
bhajanty ananya-manaso
jnatva bhutadim avyayam
[Bg. 9.13]
Ananya-bhavena. They... It is not that they disrespect demigod; they give proper respect to everyone. What to the demigods? Even to the ant.
trnad api sunicena
taror api sahisnuna
amanina manadena
kirtaniyah sada harih
[Cc. Adi 17.31]
Amanina. Everyone is given respect by Vaisnava. Mat-krte tyakta-karmanas tyakta-svajana-bandhavah. But they are ready to give up family, relatives, everything. Sarva-dharman parityajya [Bg. 18.66]. Mat-krte, only for Krsna's sake, they can... This is sadhu. Then what is their business, activities? Mad-asrayah katha mrstah. They simply take pleasure in talking about Krsna. They simply take pleasure, srnvanti kathayanti ca, by hearing about Krsna. We have got so many things to hear about Krsna, how Krsna is fighting, how Krsna is killing the demons, how Krsna is behaving with the gopis, how Krsna is playing as a cowherd boy, so many things we have got. Therefore Krsna has given us so many literature. If you simply hear and talk about Krsna... We are translating all these books about krsna-katha. Already there are about one and half a dozen books, big, big books. We have to publish sixty books like that, simply about Krsna, simply about Krsna, apart from Bhagavad-gita. So we can read. Srnvatam kathayanti, srnvanti kathayanti. So we have got enough to become sadhu if you simply hear about Krsna and speak about Krsna. Tapanti vividhas tapa naitan mad-gata-cetasah. The immediate relief will be that we shall be saved from the sufferings of this material condition of life.
So these are the symptoms of sadhu, and Kapiladeva is summarizing, "Mother," ta ete sadhavah sadhvi sarva-sanga-vivarjitah, "these symptoms are visible when one has no more any material attachment." Sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. This is sadhu, no more designation, "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian," "I am American" -- these devotees, they have got no such conception. They are... Every one of them is thinking, "I am servant of Krsna." This is called sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam. These are upadhi. Even this varnasrama, that is also... "I am sannyasi," "I am grhastha," "I am vanaprastha." Caitanya Mahaprabhu has rejected all these things. Naham vipro na ca nara-patih: "I am neither brahmana, nor ksatriya, nor vaisya, nor sudra." Then what You are? Gopi-bhartuh pada-kamalayor dasa-dasanudasah: [Cc. Madhya 13.80] "This is My position." This is called sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam [Cc. Madhya 19.170], no more designation.
So if we become no more designation, then immediately the whole world becomes Vaikuntha. We are fighting -- "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian," "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am German." The whole disturbance is there. "This is my land. This is your land." The whole world is doing. As soon as they become Krsna conscious, immediately this hellish world become Vaikuntha, immediately, tat-ksanat. Simply one has to learn.
So such important movement we should take very seriously and try to spread it all world wide. That will be the best service to the human society.
Thank you very much. (end)
© 2001 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.
No comments:
Post a Comment