Fear The Time Factor
Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.26.16
Bombay, December 25, 1974
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Take a testBombay, December 25, 1974
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Nitai: "The influence of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead is felt in the time factor, which causes fear of death
due to the false ego of the deluded soul who has contacted material
nature."
Prabhupada:
prabhavam paurusam prahuh
kalam eke yato bhayam
ahankara-vimudhasya
kartuh prakrtim iyusah
[SB 3.26.16]
So the time factor is the representation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In the Bhagavad-gita, when Krsna manifested His visva-rupa, Arjuna became very afraid of and inquired, "Who are You?" So at that time Krsna said, "I am kala. I have appeared to destroy." So kala is representation, time. We have discussed twenty-five elements. The five maha-bhuta and five suksma-bhuta, ten senses, twenty-four internal senses, these twenty-four elements, and above that, the kala, time factor. That's all. So kala is destructive factor.
We may, however, defy the existence of God. Atheist class of men, demons, they always defy, "Who is God? I am God." But everyone is under the control of time factor. The time factor, in due course, will bring him death. So at that time, how one can deny the existence of God? Mrtyuh sarva-haras caham [Bg. 10.34]. Krsna says that "I am death, and My business is to take away everything." Mrtyuh sarva-haras caham. So time factor will take away everything, what we create with these twenty-four elements. So time is very strong, kala. However we may defy the existence of God, the time factor is there. We have to accept it. And it is said, kalam eke yato bhayam. And because we are under the control of the time at the present moment in material existence, therefore there is bhayam. Bhayam means ultimately death. Bhayam. Bhayam dvitiyabhinivesatah syad isad apetasya viparyayo 'smrtih.
The description of bhayam is given in the Bhagavatam. What is this bhayam, fearfulness? Bhayam, isad apetasya viparyayo 'smrtih: "Those who have forgotten the Supreme Lord and have identified themselves with this material world, for them, the fearfulness is there." But those who are not in the material existence but in the spiritual existence or spiritual life or spiritual activities, for them, there is no bhayam. Abhayam sattva-samsuddhih, in the Bhagavad-gita it is said. Bhayam is there, fearfulness is there, so long our existence is not purified. Then there is bhayam. And when existence is purified, then there is no bhayam, no fearfulness. Just like Prahlada Maharaja was put to so many trials or tribulation by his father, but he was never afraid of. This is the sign of spiritual advancement, because so long I identify myself with this matter, there will be bhayam, and when I am out of this conception of material existence, when I understand that "I am spirit soul," aham brahmasmi, then there is no more bhayam, no fearfulness.
Brahma-bhutah prasannatma na socati na kanksati [Bg. 18.54]. This is the symptom of abhayam. Therefore Krsna's lotus feet are described, abhaya-caranaravinda re. Bhajahun re mana sri-nanda-nandana-abhaya-
So this kala, past, present, and future, tri-kala... Kala is exhibited in three features: past, present, and future. That is in the material existence. And if one becomes above the three kalas, in the eternal time... Time is eternal, but in the material existence there is past, present, and future. In the spiritual existence there is no past, no future, only present. Only present. Everything are fresh, present, nitya-navayamana, only feelings, new, new. That is spiritual existence, anandambudhi-vardhanam, only present -- no future, no past. That we cannot realize now, but we can get the knowledge from Vedic literature. The time factor... In the material world there is past, present, and future. Otherwise, time factor is eternal.
So prabhavam paurusam prahuh kalam. So we have to feel the influence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in this time factor. We cannot deny it. Because in due course of time, according to the time factor, everything will be finished. Everything will be finished. The present existence will be finished, and then we will have to accept another existence. This is all due to the time. Time is over; then one body is changed into another. So this is the influence of time. Nature is working under the influence of time, and that time factor is enforcing the influence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore it is called prabhavam paurusam prahuh kalam. This is the influence. You have to abide by the influence of time. That means influence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. However you deny... Just like crazy fellow. They think that "I have nothing to do with government laws." But the influence of government must be felt when he is arrested and put into the jail. Similarly, by time factor we may do something now without any fear, but time factor will place me in the fearful condition without any fail.
So ahankara-vimudhasya. We are now vimudha. Now when you say that "These mudhas," they become angry. But actually, this is the verdict of the sastra. So long you are within the time factor, within the material nature, you are vimudha. We are all vimudha. Ahankara-vimudhasya. And the same thing is explained in the Bhagavad-gita: ahankara-vimudhatma kartaham iti manyate [Bg. 3.27]. Nobody is karta. Here the prakrti is karta. Just like when you are under the influence of some contaminated disease, at that time, that disease infection is karta. You are not karta. That is our practical experience. When you are in high fever, then your so-called mastership is gone. You are under the mastership of the feverish condition. Similarly, we spirit soul, although we are better in quality than the material element... That is described in the Bhagavad-gita, apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakrtim param, jiva-bhutam: "The jiva, living entities, they are better quality than the material elements." But still, on account of his viparyayo 'smrtih, forgetting God -- we are leading a different type of civilization or different type of life -- therefore we have been subjected to the influence of time. This is Krsna's, or God's, influence.
Just like in the prison life we are subjected to the rules and regulation of the prison house on account of disobeying the government laws, similarly, when we are disobedient to the laws of God, at that time, we are put into this material existence under the influence of time, and therefore our conditional life is always fearful. Bhayam dvitiyabhinivesatah syad isad apetasya viparyayo 'smrtih. Everyone is thinking differently, all living entities. Somebody is thinking, "I am Indian." Somebody is thinking, "I am American," "Hindu," "Muslim," "Christian," "black," "white." So many ways we are thinking. Viparyayo 'smrtih. Our real identity is when we understand that "I am not Hindu, not Muslim, not Christian, nor American, nor Indian, but I am eternal servant of Krsna." Then there is no more fear. That is fear... Bhajahun re mana, sri-nanda-nandana-abhaya-
Therefore the Vaisnava poet advises that "You take to the shelter of the lotus feet of Krsna." Abhaya-caranaravinda re: "Just be engaged in the devotional service of the abhaya-carana, Krsna's..." Then your existence will be purified and you will have no more fear. Brahma-bhutah prasannatma [Bg. 18.54]. You will be... This material life, so long we are conscious of this material existence, we are always fearful, full of anxieties. Tat sadhu manye 'sura-varya dehinam sada samudvigna-dhiyam asad-grahat [SB 7.5.5]. The more we possess asat-vastu-asat-vastu means the material things -- there will be more anxiety. Therefore, according to Gaudiya Vaisnava principle, Caitanya Mahaprabhu's life and His next disciples', the Gosvamis', life is to completely get free from any material possession. Vairagya. Vairagya-vidya. This spiritual life... Therefore in Bharatavarsa, in India, you will see big, big kings, they give up their kingdom, their opulent life, wife, children, and become a mendicant, a beggar -- not beggar, but renounced everything. This Bharatavarsa is under the name of Maharaja Bharata. His life is described in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Fifth Canto, how he gave up his wife, children, kingdom, everything, and he lived alone in the forest, Pulastya, Pulaha-asrama. But still, maya is so strong, he became attached to a small deer. And for that reason, he had to wait for his liberation three lives.
So the spiritual life is very delicate. We have to conduct the spiritual life very cautiously. Little deviation may create great havoc. Great havoc means again material life. And material life means suffering, bhayam dvitiyabhinivesatah, always in fearfulness. So long we are in this material life, there must be fearfulness. Bhayam dvitiyabhinivesatah syat. That is described here. Kalam eke yato bhayam. So long you are wrapped up within these twenty-four elements, under the influence of time factor, then you will have to feel fearfulness, although actually by constitutional position, you have no fear. Every one of us, we know... Not everyone. At least, those who are little advanced in understanding Bhagavad-gita, the A-B-C-D of spiritual knowledge, at least theoretically, one knows that he is not this body. But still, when the body is in danger, we become fearful because we are existing in this material environment. Bhayam dvitiyabhinivesatah syat. So in order to get out of this fearful situation of life... That is material life. If we take shelter of the lotus feet of abhaya-caranaravinda re, Krsna, then this bhayam element, fearfulness element, will be completely nil.
So ahankara-vimudhatma kartaham... [Bg. 3.27]. Our identification, false identification... The four subtle senses: mana, buddhi, ahankara, citta, consciousness... So when the consciousness is materially absorbed, then there is fear, and when the consciousness is pure -- "consciousness pure" means Krsna consciousness, "I am eternal servant of Krsna" -- then there is no bhaya. The more we advance in Krsna consciousness, the more we become free from fearfulness. Therefore Prahlada Maharaja advises hitvatma-patam grham andha-kupam vanam gato yad dharim asrayeta [SB 7.5.5]. The real position of fearlessness is harim asrayeta, take shelter of Hari. Hari means who takes away all subjective things of fearfulness. That is Hari. He takes away all our miserable condition of life, Hari. Harim asrayeta. Tat sadhu manye 'sura-varya dehinam sada samudvigna-dhiyam asad-grahat.
We have accepted the asat, these twenty-four elements as described before, as identification with me. Asat: they are not permanent: temporary situation, changing one after another. So asad-grahat, sada samudvigna-dhiyam, always full of anxiety, "What will happen next? What will happen next?" You will see even a small insect, birds, beasts, human being, animal, even elephants, tiger, lions -- everyone is fearful. There cannot be any fearlessness in this material existence. Even big nation, American nation, they are also fearful of the Russian. And the Russians are fearful of the Americans. You can see. The whole political field... Our Indians are fearful of Pakistan. Pakistan is fearful... This is material existence. You cannot avoid it unless you take shelter at the lotus feet of Krsna.
Krsna assures, aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami ma sucah [Bg. 18.66]. He gives shelter and assurance that "Don't be afraid of. When you have taken shelter of Me, then there is no cause of fear."
samasrita ye pada-pallava-plavam
mahat-padam punya-yaso murareh
bhavambudhir vatsa-padam param padam
padam padam yad vipadam na tesam
[SB 10.14.58]
This material world is padam padam vipadam, only danger. Every step there is danger. That's a fact. So if we take shelter of that abhaya-caranaravinda, then we have no fear. This is a fact. Abhayam sattva-samsuddhih. Sattva-samsuddhih. Our existence, when it is purified... So this bhakti-marga, or devotional service, is the process of purifying, purifying process.
srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah
punya-sravana-kirtanah
hrdy antah-stho abhadrani
vidhunoti suhrt satam
[SB 1.2.17]
Satam, those who are devotees, they are simply engaged in Krsna consciousness. This Krsna consciousness begins: srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah. Simply these centers are created to give chance to the people in general to hear about Krsna. Srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah. Because as soon as we hear about Krsna attentively and try to assimilate it, then the purification of the heart begins.
ceto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam
sreyah-kairava-candrika-
anandambudhi-vardhanam prati-padam purnamrtasvadanam
sarvatma-snapanam param vijayate sri-krsna-sankirtanam
[Cc. Antya 20.12]
So sri-krsna-sankirtanam is so nice. It has no expenditure, no loss, simply gain. If you kindly hear sri-krsna-sankirtana, if you cannot chant Sri Krsna, the holy name of Krsna, you are so reluctant, or if you cannot because to chant Hare Krsna mantra, that also requires little fortune... Aho bata sva-paco 'to gariyan yaj-jihvagre nama tubhyam. Anyone who is chanting on the top of his tongue, where there is name, holy name, he is gariyan sva-paco 'tah. Even though he is born in low-grade family, the dog-eaters, it is still gariyan. Aho bata sva-paco 'to gariyan yaj-jihvagre nama tubhyam. So in this Kali-yuga, if you simply chant or even if you cannot chant -- because that requires little fortune -- if we simply hear, that will also help us. So these centers are meant for chanting and hearing about Krsna. Simply this process, chanting and hearing, will purify our existence. Srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah punya-sravana-kirtanah [SB 1.2.17]. It will increase piety of life. Punya-sravana-kirtanah. Anyone who is hearing and one who is chanting, both of them, sravana-kirtanah... This is the beginning.
So srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah punya-sravana-kirtanah. We become purified. This is purificatory process. Sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. Nirmalam means purification. On account of impure life, we are embarrassed with so many designation, impure life. So we have to become designationless, no designation, sarvopadhi... "I am not Hindu. I am not Mussalman. I am not Christian. I am not brahmana." This is designation. Even sannyasi... Caitanya Mahaprabhu, therefore, naham vipro na ca nara-patir yatir va, He described Himself, "No, I am not ksatriya. I am not brahmana. I am not sannyasi. I am not grhastha. I am not vaisya." simply negation. He simply said, gopi-bhartuh pada-kamalayor dasa-dasanudasah: [Cc. Madhya 13.80] "I am the servant of servant of servant of the gopi-bhartuh, the maintainer of the gopis, Krsna."
So that is pure life, when we think like that, that "We are no more servant." Nayam kinkaram, that is, what is called, indemnifying this contaminated existence of material life. "Simply I identify as servant of the Supreme Lord." Then you become purified, designationless.
sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam
tat-paratvena nirmalam
hrsikena hrsikesa-
sevanam bhaktir ucyate
[Cc. Madhya 19.170]
Bhakti means when you are designationless, purified in Krsna consciousness, then, when your senses are purified, the senses are no more material. In our contaminated state, our senses are acting in designation. "I am Indian. I have to work for India. The others must go out of India." Or others are thinking, "Now your visa is finished. Now you can go out. You cannot stay here." This is all due to designation. But real life is designationless. The United Nations is working, but there is not... They are not working on the platform of becoming designationless. They want to keep the designations. They are struggling there to become united for the last twenty years. And the... We have seen in New York the United Nations center. Only the flags are increasing, because unless one becomes designationless, no designation, there cannot be any unity.
Unity is possible on the spiritual platform, not on the material platform. Material platform means "I am envious of you; you are envious of me." Matsarata. Matsarata means matsarata para utkarsah asahanam:(?) When I cannot tolerate other increasing in opulence, I become envious. This is material life. The spiritual life is different. Spiritual life means if somebody has advanced in spiritual life, and somebody, one, he is still in the neophyte stage, he will eulogize, "Oh, how fortunate he is. He has advanced. He is serving Krsna in such a nice way. When I can get that position." There is no enviousness. That is glorifying. That is the distinction between material life and spiritual life. Spiritual (material) life means enviousness: "How to kill you, how to stop you." But spiritual life means to see you advancing, one becomes happy, "Oh, how fortunate he is." This is spiritual life. Therefore spiritual life is meant for a person who is completely not envious. That is spiritual life. Paramo nirmatsaranam satam vastavam vastu vedyam atra. Dharmah projjhita-kaitavo 'tra [SB 1.1.2]. This Bhagavata-dharma is meant for the person, paramo nirmatsara, paramahamsa. He is not envious of anyone. Suhrdah sarva-dehinam [SB 3.25.21].
We have discussed this word in Kapiladeva's Sankhya philosophy: sadhu. Sadhu is suhrdah sarva-dehinam. Sarva-dehinam means all living entities in all forms of life. That is called sarva-dehinam. "I am for Indians and not for the Englishmen or Americans," or "I am for the human being. I am not for the cows and goats. They should be sent to the slaughterhouse" -- these things are happening on account of no Krsna consciousness, limited, crippled ideas. And it is going on in the name of philanthropism, nationalism, communism, this "ism" and that "ism." These "isms" will not help us unless you come to the platform of Krsna-ism, that "Everything belongs to Krsna." Isavasyam idam sarvam [Iso mantra 1]. Practically. If we accept... The United Nations, is working so hard, but they cannot make that the whole world belongs to all living being. Then immediately it will be... All questions will be solved. I was discussing this evening: there is so much land still uncultivated. And if the overpopulated people are allowed to go there and cultivate and grow their food grains, ten times of the living entities on this face of the globe can be fed without any difficulty. Annad bhavanti bhutani [Bg. 3.14].
So everything is there, but we don't accept. Under designation, we are fighting, that's all. Under designation, under ignorance, we are fighting. We are forgetting Krsna. Therefore our miserable condition, bhaya, fearfulness. Bhayam dvitiyabhinivesatah isad apetasya viparyayo 'smrtih. Viparyayo 'smrtih means just opposite understanding. Everything belongs to God. Isavasyam idam sarvam [Iso mantra 1]. That's a fact. But I am thinking, "It is my land." Aham mameti [SB 5.5.8]. Janasya moho 'yam aham mameti. Nothing belongs to us. Everything belongs to Krsna. If we accept Krsna, the center, and we work under His direction, as it is said in the Bhagavad-gita, our life is successful, our whole program is peaceful. All tranquility, everything is there.
Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. (end)
© 2001 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.
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