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-
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)
© 2001 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.
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