The Clever One

Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.29 Mayapur, March 7, 1976 download  flash player   Take a test Prabhupada: mat-prana-raksanam ananta pitur vadhas ca manye sva-bhrtya-rsi-vakyam rtam vidhatum khadgam pragrhya yad avocad asad-vidhitsus tvam isvaro mad-aparo 'vatu kam harami  [SB 7.9.29]

So before Hiranyakasipu was killed by His Lordship Nrsimhadeva, Prahlada Maharaja never addressed his father as "father," pituh. Now, after his death, he is addressing, pituh, "my father." Because before his death he was demon. Everyone knows. But if a demon is killed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he becomes liberated, either demon or anyone. Demons are generally killed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They enter into the impersonal Brahman. Therefore there is a verse -- I don't remember exactly now -- that "The monist and the demons, they go to the same place, impersonal Brahman." And what to speak of devotees? Devotees never enter to that impersonal Brahman. Devotees enter directly in the Vaikuntha planet. Mam eti. Mam eti. Krsna said, tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti [Bg. 4.9]. Yad gatva na nivartante tad dhamam paramam mama [Bg. 15.6]. If you enter the Vaikuntha planets... There are innumerable Vaikuntha planets, and above them there is the Goloka Vrndavana planet, Krsnaloka. So in either of them, if you enter, then that is not impersonal. Personal. Impersonal Brahman is outside. Although impersonal Brahman is also spiritual existence, but it is outside the Vaikuntha planets. So the demons and the impersonalists, they cannot enter into the Vaikuntha planet. And because they cannot enter into the Vaikuntha planet, they again fall down, again fall down in this material world. Aruhya krcchrena param padam tatah patanty adho 'nadrta-yusmad-anghrayah [SB 10.2.32]. Patanty adhah. Adhah means in this material world. Those who are impersonalists, they may enter into the Brahman effulgence, aruhya krcchrena, with severe execution of penance and austerities. The Mayavadis, they perform severe austerity. Those who are actually Brahmavadis, their mode of life is very, very strict and severe also. So even after severe penances and austerities one enters into the Brahman effulgence, there is no security. Aruhya krcchrena param padam tatah [SB 10.2.32]. Why they come down? Now, anadrta-yusmad-anghrayah: "Because they did not get the information about Your lotus feet." That means person. When we speak of "feet" or "hand" that means the Supreme Person, a person. But they do not accept the person. That is their difficulty. They'll never accept that the Absolute Truth is person. Therefore they fall down again and again. Bhutva bhutva praliyate [Bg. 8.19].

So Prahlada Maharaja says, mat-prana-raksanam ananta pitur vadhas ca. The two things are there. When Krsna incarnates there are two things. What are they? Paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca duskrtam [Bg. 4.8]. Two things. So here two things are being done. One thing is to save Prahlada Maharaja, paritranaya sadhunam, and another thing is vinasaya ca duskrtam yuge yuge sambhavami. So actually vinasaya ca duskrtam, it doesn't require the presence of the Supreme Lord. The nature's arrangement is so strong that anyone can be finished within a second, anyone. There is no need of Krsna's taking so much trouble to come here. But He comes especially for deliverance of the devotee, bhakta-vatsala, and side work, to kill the demons. That is not His business. The Maya, Durgadevi, is sufficiently powerful to kill any demon within a second. There is no difficulty. Simply by ordering Maya... Or Maya does not wait the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. She can understand what the Lord wants. Simply little indication, she can kill hundreds and thousands of demons in one stroke. Srsti-sthiti-pralaya-sadhana-saktir eka chayeva yasya bhuvanani vibharti durga [Bs. 5.44]. Srsti-sthiti-pralaya. She can do that.

So it is not the business of the Supreme Personality of Godhead to come to take this botheration. But why Lord Nrsimhadeva appeared? He appeared... One thing is that mat-prana-raksanam. This is one business. Another business was this. What is that? Sva-bhrtya-rsi-vakyam rtam vidhatum. Sva-bhrtya. Brahma is bhrtya, servant of Krsna. So he did something very, I mean to say, obnoxious by offering all the benediction to Hiranyakasipu. He was a very cunning materialist. First of all he asked for becoming immortal, but when he learned that that is not possible, then he thought, "I am very intelligent diplomat. I can screw out my fulfillment of desire in a indirect way." So all these people in this material world, they have got a cheating propensity. Out of four deficiency, one deficiency is cheating. Every wants... One wants to cheat his fellow man, man or beast, everyone. Even the dog, cats, they are also. You know the story. The dog wanted to take another flesh from the mouth of another dog, reflection, and he lost both. So this cheating, this misuse of intelligence, is going on, but that is never successful. It will never be successful because Krsna is always more than you. If you are a cheater, but Krsna can cheat you more than what you know. That Krsna knows. Otherwise how Krsna can be...? "God is great." So if you want to cheat Krsna, He can cheat you more than what you know. So that is not possible. Therefore this Hiranyakasipu thought himself to be very intelligent and wanted to cheat Krsna and His servant, but he was cheated actually.

Therefore he said that tad-bhrtya-rsi-vakyam rtam vidhatum. Rsi-vakya. Even the devotee or the servant of Krsna says something, even it is wrong, Krsna upholds this. Kaunteya pratijanihi na me bhaktah pranasyati [Bg. 9.31]. So even it is wrongly done, still, Krsna fulfills because He thinks that "My servant has promised; it must be fulfilled." Therefore Prahlada Maharaja, in the previous verse he has said, tava bhrtya-parsva. So to serve the servant of Krsna is better than to serve directly Krsna, because if the servant of Krsna promises something, if the servant of Krsna says, "I'll take you to Krsnaloka," you must go there. Even Krsna cannot do that. He can... I mean to say that He does not say very easily. But if a servant... Yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadah **. Therefore our philosophy is to please the servant of God, tad-bhrtya, bhrtyasya bhrtya. Then it is very nice. The success is...

So here it is said that sva-bhrtya-rsi-vakyam rtam vidhatum. So Brahma gave him benediction. He asked, "Sir, I'll not die at night." "Yes, that's all right." "I'll not die in daytime." "That's all right." "I'll not die in the sky," "That's all right." "On the land." "That's all right." "On the water." "That's all right." "No animal can kill me." "That's all right." "No man can." "That's all right." So he thought, "Now I am secure. There is no death." But Krsna is so intelligent that He killed him not at night, not in day, not in the sky, not on the land, not on the water, not by animal, not by man -- all things, rtam, yes, everything kept. Still, he was killed. He was killed in the evening, which you cannot say it is day or night. He was killed on the lap of the Lord. You cannot say it is sky, land or water. He did not kill him with the open weapon, but He killed with His nails. In this way you'll find that He kept everything intact, what benediction was given by Lord Brahma, rtam vidhatum. "Yes." At last, of course, He little chastised Brahma that "You should not give such benediction in future. This is botheration for Me." (laughter) But still, He kept His servant's promise intact. The demon was also killed, and the promise given by, a benediction given by Brahma, everything... That is the action of the Supreme Personality. In one stroke He is doing so many things. He's saving Prahlada Maharaja, He's killing Hiranyakasipu, He's keeping intact the promise of Brahma -- everything. That is God's intelligence. Our intelligence, however diplomat we may be, if we want to do anything, another thing is not managed nicely. But Krsna... That is called all potency. When He does something, in a moment He can adjust everything. Even opposite actions, He can adjust. That is Krsna. Therefore He's called all-powerful. We cannot do that.

So mat-prana-raksanam ananta pitur vadhas ca manye sva-bhrtya-rsi-vakyam rtam vidhatum: "So Your incarnation is there for fulfilling so many objects. And especially, there was challenge by my father, taking his sword." Khadgam pragrhya yad avocad asad-vidhitsuh. Asad-vidhitsuh: "I shall kill you." This is asat-vidhitsuh, to say like that, "I shall kill you." Nobody can kill anyone. This is asat. "I shall give you. I shall kill you. I shall protect you" -- no, you cannot do anything. Balasya neha saranam pitarau. Nobody can do anything unless it is sanctioned by God. You don't promise anything. Therefore a devotee always says, "If Krsna desires, it will be done." That is the fact. That is the fact. So when Hiranyakasipu was very much proud, unnecessarily challenging Prahlada that "You are not accepting my philosophy that I am God. You are searching after another God. All right, let me kill you and I'll see how your God can give you protection..." That was his challenge. Yes. So Prahlada Maharaja knew it, that "Unless Krsna desires, you cannot kill me." Therefore it is asat-vidhi. If one is very much proud and challenges the authority of the Supreme, that is asat; that is not sat. Rakhe krsna mare ke, mare krsna rakhe ke. Prahlada Maharaja knew it, that "You may challenge me, but I know you cannot kill me." He was confident devotee. "All right, "I am also challenging. I am standing here. Let me be killed by you." So that is not possible. Asad-vidhitsus mad-aparo 'vatu kam harami. And so it was challenged by the Hiranyakasipu that "You are searching after another God than me. Now I shall kill you. Let me see how another God..." This is demonic. The demonic means atheist and unnecessarily, falsely, very much proud of their knowledge. This is demonic. This morning as I was talking, the so-called scientists, they are falsely proud and challenge, "There is no God. Everything..." That is demonic. So in the Kali-yuga the demonic spirit is very very prominent. Everyone is thinking, "I am God." So it is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mercy to cure all these madmen. Madmen.

pisaci paile yena mati-cchanna haya
mayar grasta jivera haya se dasa udaya

 Pisaci, ghost-haunted. A man is ghost-haunted; he speaks all nonsense. So in this age, Kali-yuga, they are mostly like that. They speak all nonsense. So we should be careful not to accept their proposal. We shall stick to Krsna consciousness. We shall accept what Krsna says and reject everything. Then we'll be saved.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

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Serpents and Servants

Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.28 Mayapur, March 6, 1976 download  flash player   Take a test Pusta Krsna: "My dear Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, on account of my association with material desires one after another, gradually I have now fallen in the blind well full of snakes. But Your servant Narada Muni kindly accepted me as his disciple and instructed me how to achieve this transcendental position. Therefore my first duty is to serve him. And how can I leave it?" Prabhupada: evam janam nipatitam prabhavahi-kupe kamabhikamam anu yah prapatan prasangat krtvatmasat surarsina bhagavan grhitah so 'ham katham nu visrje tava bhrtya-sevam  [SB 7.9.28]

So this is Vaisnava paddhati. Tava bhrtya-sevam. Vaisnava does not approach Krsna directly. That is not Vaisnava. This is impudency. You cannot approach Krsna. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has taught us, gopi-bhartuh pada-kamalayor dasa-dasa-dasanudasah [Cc. Madhya 13.80]. This is the process. You have to... As you have to receive the perfect knowledge by the parampara system -- imam vivasvate yogam proktavan aham avyayam [Bg. 4.1] -- similarly, you have to approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead through the parampara system.

sri-caitanya-mano-'bhistam
sthapitam yena bhu-tale
svayam rupah kada mahyam
dadati sva-padantikam

[When will Srila Rupa Gosvami Prabhupada, who has established within this material world the mission to fulfill the desire of Lord Caitanya, give me shelter under his lotus feet?]

We have to approach in that way. Sri-caitanya-mano 'bhistam. The Gosvamis, they established the mission of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Therefore we have to receive the mercy of the six Gosvamis, and we have to receive the mercy of the six Gosvamis through my spiritual master. Bhrtyasya bhrtyah. Narottama dasa Thakura says, rupa-raghunatha pade, haibe akuti, kabe hama bujhabo, sri yugala-piriti. Narottama dasa Thakura, he is also acarya. He is speaking, "When I shall be eager to serve the lotus feet of Rupa Gosvami, Sanatana Gosvami," rupa-raghunatha-pade, "six Gosvamis, beginning from Rupa Gosvami to Raghunatha dasa Gosvami?" Sri-rupa sanatana bhatta-raghunatha, sri-jiva gopala-bhatta dasa-raghunatha.

So we have to go through the Gosvamis and the parampara system. Then we can understand. Rupa-raghunatha pade, haibe akuti, kabe hama bujhabo, sri yugala-piriti. Generally some professional men, they chant Radha-krsna-pranaya-vikrtir. That is not the way. You cannot understand the loving affairs of Radha and Krsna without understanding the path given by the Gosvamis. If you surpass in this way, avoid the way of approaching Radha-Krsna by reading Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, The Nectar of Devotion, the Teachings of Lord Caitanya -- all of a sudden if you become an upstart to understand Radha-Krsna love -- then you'll misunderstand. That is the way. And people, they try to understand Radha-Krsna love affairs, jumping all of a sudden. This is not the way. One should be very much eager to understand. Radha-krsna-pranaya-vikrtir ahladini saktir asmad ekatmanav api deha-bhedam gatau tau, sri caitanya-prakatam adhuna tad-dvayam caikyam aptam radha-krsna-bhava-dyuti. There is a... This is the verse by Jiva Gosvami that "Radha-Krsna is one. Radharani is the pleasure potency of Krsna." Parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate sva-bhaviki jnana-bala-kriya ca [Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport]. Krsna is the Supreme Being. When He wants to enjoy pleasure, no material things can supply that. That is not possible. He expands His own energy, and by His own energy He gets the pleasure. So Radharani is not ordinary, as the sahajiyas, those who take Radha-Krsna love affair very easily... No. Then you'll misunderstand. Radha-krsna-pranaya-vikrtir ahladini saktih. It is the expansion of pleasure potency of Krsna.

So this science one has to learn from the authorities, Rupa Gosvami, Sanatana Gosvami and others. Then it is possible to understand what is loving affairs of Radha-Krsna.

rupa-raghunatha pade rahu mora asa
prarthana koroye sada narottamo das

We should not jump over. There are so many literatures. They place Radharani as ordinary baladar(?) woman because they do not understand. So therefore Sanatana Gosvami has forbidden strictly that avaisnava-mukhodgirnam puta-hari-kathamrtam, sravanam na kartavyam: "Don't hear from the professional men who are not situated in the Vaisnava behavior." One must be..., behavior in Vaisnava. Sadacara-sampannah. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura has warned that "Don't mix it with Vaisnava who is not well trained up, well behaved." You can offer him respect. A Vaisnava offers respect even to the ant. That is another thing. But he has warned, "Don't mix with them, these professional, so-called Vaisnava, sahajiyas." This is warned. Avaisnava-mukhodgirnam puta-hari-kathamrtam, sravanam na kartavyam: "You should not hear." "Eh? Huh? What is the wrong there? The Krsna-katha is there." No, Krsna-katha is there just like milk is there, but if it is touched by the lips of a serpent, it is no more to be taken. It has become poison. Unless one is situated as pure Vaisnava in his dealing, in his behavior, inside and outside, he should not become a preacher because it will not be effective, neither one should hear from such person. But people in general, they can not understand, but those who are preaching, they must be very sincere, the same way. Rupa-raghunatha pade, haibe akuti. They should read the literatures, the instruction, just like Upadesamrta, The Nectar of Instruction. We should follow, strictly follow. Then prthivim sa sisyat. Then you'll be able to preach and make disciples all over the world. This is the injunction. That is called gosvami. Don't be cheap preacher, cheap guru. No, no. That is not good. It is not possible.

So Prahlada Maharaja is one of the mahajana, authorities. How he has gotten this authority? Here it is said, so 'ham katham nu visrje tava bhrtya-sevam. So everyone must have his position by giving service to the spiritual master. And who is spiritual master? Tava bhrtya, who is a servant of Krsna.

yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasado
yasyaprasadad na gatih kuto 'pi
kintu prabhor yah priya eva tasya

Guru is described, yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadah:  "By the mercy of guru one can achieve the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Yasya prasada. Yasya aprasadat: "If guru is not pleased, then he has no place." Na gatih kuto 'pi.

saksad dharitvena samasta-sastrair
uktas tatha bhavyata eva sadbhih
kintu prabhor yah priya eva tasya

Why the spiritual master position is so great? Because he is very, very confidential servant of Krsna; therefore his position is so great.

So this is the process. Tava bhrtya-seva. We have to... Adau gurvasrayam. First beginning of Vaisnava life is to accept guru, spiritual master, adau gurvasrayam, then other things. Because who will teach you? So we have to approach a pure Vaisnava as spiritual master, follow his instruction. And what is his instruction? His instruction is as he was instructed by his spiritual master. He does not invent instruction. This is instruction. The pure Vaisnava, he does not invent anything new. Yare dekha tare kaha krsna upadesa [Cc. Madhya 7.128]. Caitanya Mahaprabhu says that "You all, every one of you become guru, everyone." Amara ajnaya guru hana tara ei desa [Cc. Madhya 7.128]. Wherever you are living, it doesn't require that you have to travel all over the world. If you have no such capacity, it doesn't matter. You remain wherever you are, but you become a guru. "How I become a guru?" Yare dekha tare kaha krsna upadesa: [Cc. Madhya 7.128] "Very simple thing. You instruct only what is instructed by Krsna. That's all." Don't invent. Don't become overintelligent. Remain a poor fool. Guru more murkha dekhi sasana, korila sasana [Cc. Adi 7.71]. Caitanya Mahaprabhu also presenting Himself as a great fool because He says, "My Guru Maharaja found Me a great fool." He was a fool? He was Krsna Himself. But one should remain always a fool before Guru Maharaja. That is progress. If he thinks, "I know more than my Guru Maharaja," then he's fallen. Yasyaprasadad na gatih kuto 'pi. Then he is finished. So we should always remain a fool before the spiritual master, even though one is incarnation, not that "I am incarnation; therefore I have become God." No. Even if you are incarnation, you should remain a humble servant. That is that, tava bhrtya-sevam. Prahlada Maharaja is... Daityanam prahlado 'smi. The Supreme Personality of Godhead incarnates in different societies, different platforms, and He says, "Amongst the Daityas..." Amongst the Daityas, there are also devotees. So prahlado 'smi. Prahlada Maharaja is saktyavesavatara, but still, he says that katham nu visrje tava bhrtya-sevam: "How can I give up this service?" Prahlada Maharaja does not say, "My Lord, Nrsimhadeva, I am now so competent. Give me Your service directly." No. Tava bhrtya-sevam: "First of all give me the opportunity to serve Your servant." This is Vaisnavism.

So why it is required to serve Vaisnava? If you want to get relief from this conditional life, then you have to serve Vaisnavas. Chadiya vaisnava seva, nistara payeche keba. This is the... "Who has got," I mean to say, "liberty from this entanglement of material existence" -- chadiya vaisnava seva -- "if you do not serve a pure Vaisnava?" Mahat-sevam dvaram ahur vimukteh [SB 5.5.2]. This is everywhere. If you want liberation from this material entanglement, then you must take to mahat-sevam dvaram ahur vimukteh [SB 5.5.2]. You must. There is no alternative. Tasmad gurum prapadyeta jijnasuh sreya uttamam [SB 11.3.21]. "If you are actually interested to inquire about the transcendental subject matter, you must accept a guru." Tasmad gurum prapadyeta.

tad viddhi pranipatena
pariprasnena sevaya
upadeksyanti tad jnanam
jnaninas tattva-darsinam
 [Bg. 4.34]

So these are the ways. You cannot understand by your erudite scholarship what is Krsna. It is not possible. Then Krsna would have instructed Bhagavad-gita to..., finding out a very great Vedantist. No. Krsna found Arjuna. What was Arjuna? Arjuna was a grhastha. Arjuna was a ksatriya, and although a soldier... A soldier is not expected to become a Vedantist. We recruit soldiers not from the Vedantists' group. One who can fight, one who has got strength -- we recruit soldier. So Arjuna was not very qualified in that way to understand Bhagavad-gita or instruction, but Krsna said, "Yes, I will speak, speak to you. This Bhagavad-gita, the parampara is lost, so I shall again speak the old thing to you." "Why to me?" Bhakto 'si priyo 'si me: [Bg. 4.3] "Because you are My bhakta. You are My priya." So by scholarship one cannot understand Bhagavad-gita. That is not possible. One must become a servant of the servant of Krsna [Cc. Madhya 13.80]. Then one can understand what is Bhagavad-gita. Otherwise it (is) not possible.

So evam janam nipatitam prabhavahi-kupe. Ahi kupa. Ahi means the serpent. So we have got these serpents surrounded by us, surrounded, all round. What are the serpents? The senses. Everyone, we are in the dark well surrounded by serpents, this body. Bhaktivinoda Thakura has sung this song, sarira avidya-jal, jadendriya tahe kala. Kala means serpents, kala-sarpa. Kala-sarpa, it can bite at any moment and finish you. We are being bitten every moment. It is Krsna's grace that we are living. Otherwise our senses are so dangerous that it can bring me down at any moment, kala-sarpa. There are many places, kala-sarpa-patali protkhata-damstrayate. One devotee says, "Yes, I am surrounded by kala-sarpa, the serpent, that's nice, but I can break the teeth." But if kala-sarpa is the... What is called, that? Fangs? If they are broken -- they are taken out -- they are no more dangerous. Dangerous. They are dangerous so long the fangs are there. So protkhata-damstrayate. Sri Prabhodananda Sarasvati said, kala-sarpa-patali protkhata-damstrayate: "Yes, I have got my kala-sarpas, but by the grace of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, I have broken the fangs, so it is no more fearful." How it is possible? By the mercy of Caitanya Mahaprabhu it is possible. Just like you can break the fangs of the... There are expert snake charmer. Because this poison is required for some medicinal purpose, so they take it out. Then it is useless. But they again grow. The body is so made of the snake, even if you take once the fangs, again it grows. That is stated here, that how it is possible? Kamabhikamam anu yah prapatan prasangat. Once it may be broken, but if you have bad association, then again it will grow. Kamabhikamam. One kama, one lusty desire, produces another lusty desire. In this way, one after another, this is going on. That is the cause of our repeated birth and death. Bhutva bhutva praliyate [Bg. 8.19]. So therefore, if we want to enter into bhakti platform, then we should give up this. Anyabhilasita-sunyam. Anyabhilasita-sunyam [Brs. 1.1.11].

So "How it can be zero? I am a living being. How it can be zero? I am always thinking, planning. I have got so many desires," they say. One who does not know what is the position of a living being, they say that "Give up desires. Desireless." That is not possible. Desirelessness is not possible. Because I am a living being, I must desire. Therefore desires may be purified. That is wanted. You cannot make the desires zero. That is not possible. Sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. Now our desires are there according to my designated position. "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim. Why shall I take Krsna consciousness?" Because I am designated, I have taken this designation, "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian." Therefore we cannot take Krsna consciousness. "Oh, this is... Krsna is Hindu God. Krsna is Indian. Why shall I take Krsna?" No. "You have to be desireless" means you have to purify your this false understanding that "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian," "I am Indian," "I am this." This has to be purified. One has to understand that "I am gopi-bhartur pada-kamalayor dasa. I am the servant of the servant of the servant of Krsna [Cc. Madhya 13.80]." That is purification. Then desire. Then you'll not desire anything except Krsna's service. That is perfection. When you come to that platform, that you desire nothing but to serve Krsna, always, twenty-four hours, then you are liberated. Sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. Then you become nirmalam, without any material tinge. In that position only, hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam bhaktir ucyate. Then... My senses will be there; not that I become senseless nonsense. No. My senses are there. They will act. They'll act for simply to serve Krsna. That is wanted. So that can be possible when you are trained up by the servant of Krsna. Otherwise it is not possible.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

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Krishna's Touch

Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.26 Mayapur, March 4, 1976 download  flash player   Take a test Pusta Krsna: Translation: "O my Lord, O Supreme, what is my position because I am born in a family which is full of the hellish material qualities of passion and ignorance? And what to speak of Your causeless mercy, which was never offered even to Lord Brahma and Lord Siva and the goddess of fortune, Laksmi, because You never put Your lotus hand upon their heads, but You have done so on my head." Prabhupada: kvaham rajah-prabhava isa tamo 'dhike 'smin jatah suretara-kule kva tavanukampa na brahmano na tu bhavasya na vai ramaya yan me 'rpitah sirasi padma-karah prasadah  [SB 7.9.26]

This is the position. Prahlada Maharaja, humbly submitting, because he is Vaisnava, that "What is my position? My position is that I am born of rajas-tamo-guna." This birth takes place according to quality we acquire. Just like I was rebuking that toilet. This is so nasty, tamo-guna, and if I have no response to such tamo-guna place, that means I am also of that quality. Just like fire and fire, there is no reaction, but in fire and water there is reaction. Between fire and fire there is no reaction, but fire and water there is reaction. Similarly, sattva-guna -- sattva-guna, there is no reaction. Tamo-guna -- tamo-guna there is no reaction. It is... In English it is called incompatible. When different qualities, there is reaction, chemical reaction, acid and alkaline. Acid and acid, you mix; there is no reaction. But acid and alkaline, if you mix, there will be effervescence immediately. So karanam guna-sango asya sad-asad-janma-yonisu [Bg. 13.22]. If one is developing tamo-guna, then, if he becomes, he becomes a pig next life, there is no reaction. He'll be very glad that "I am pig," "I am dog." There is no reaction. But if one is sattva-guna, then he cannot tolerate. Immediately obnoxious: "Oh, such a nasty condition." So I am very sorry there was no reaction in such nasty toilet room. And you are getting sacred thread, the quality of brahmana, sattva-guna. It is very regrettable. Nobody reacted.

So this is the position, that unless we...

tada rajas-tamo-bhavah
kama-lobhadayas ca ye
ceta etair anaviddham
sthitam sattve prasidati
 [SB 1.2.19]

We have to curb down these rago-guna, tamo-guna; otherwise there is no improvement. If a person in Krsna consciousness is found, no reaction in rajo-guna, tamo-guna, then he's a dull stone. It is not improving. It is simply showbottle. So showbottle will not act help, Tada rajas-tamo-bhavah. This prescription is there. If one develops Krsna consciousness, then it is to be understood that he has surpassed sattva-guna, the brahminical qualification. Why we offer sacred thread to a person who is coming from very, very low family? Because it is to be understood by chanting Hare Krsna mantra, by following the regulative principle, he has already come to the platform of sattva-guna. But if it is a false thing, there is no need of second initiation. There must be. One must come. This, our process, is "Don't do this. Do this: Chant Hare Krsna mantra sixteen rounds, and don't do this -- no illicit sex, no meat-eating." That means he's becoming purified. He's becoming purified from the rotten condition of rajo-guna and tamo-guna. But if he does not, then there should be no second initiation. This should be the rule.

So, so Prahlada Maharaja is claiming. He's not neither in rajo-guna, tamo-guna, sattva-guna. He's Vaisnava; he's transcendental. Sa gunan samatityaitan brahma-bhuyaya kalpate [Bg. 14.26]. He's on the brahma-bhutah stage, on the spiritual platform. Otherwise how Krsna touching? Krsna is param-pavitrah. Param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam bhavan [Bg. 10.12]. He cannot touch a rajas-tamas-bhava. No. That is not possible. When Lord Nrsimhadeva touched his head, either by His touching he's already purified, or because he's purified, therefore Lord touched his head. This is the conclusion. So he is purified, but as a Vaisnava, he is placing himself in the platform of rajas-tamo-bhavah [SB 1.2.19]. The whole world, at least in this age, Kali-yuga, these two qualities, mostly tamo-guna, and little rajo-guna, that's all, but no sattva-guna. No sattva-guna. Therefore people cannot understand what is Krsna consciousness. They cannot understand. Rajas-tamo-bhavah, ceta etair anaviddha. Therefore we have to purify ourself. The prescription is there, very simple thing, to become purified, srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah punya-sravana-kirtanah [SB 1.2.17]. If we simply recite all these mantras... The Srimad-Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita, all these slokas, they're all mantras, just like as good as Hare Krsna mantra. There is no difference. So if we hear... That is the prescription given by Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and we are trying to introduce this. Our so many centers, we are inviting people in so many ways so that they can hear. This class is meant for that. It is not that everyone will understand each word, but simply if he hears, it will be beneficial, the mantra. Simply if one hears Hare Krsna mantra chanting, he'll be purified. If he hears this mantra, a verse from Bhagavad-gita, a verse from Srimad-Bhagavatam, attentively, even he does not understand the meaning, the purport, still, he'll get benefit. That is the way. So we must hear.

So Prahlada Maharaja is saying, rajah-prabhava: "My dear Lord, Isa, my, this body, I have got this body from father and mother. They belong to the low-grade family." Suretara. Sura itara. Sura means high-class family, demigods, brahmana. That is called sura. And itara means low grade. So suretara-kule: "Because I am born... because everything is being done very perfectly by the laws of material nature. Prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah [Bg. 3.27]. Prakrti, nature, is working. If you develop a kind of quality... There are three qualities: sattva-guna, rajo-guna, tamo-guna. So if you develop sattva-guna, then your body gradually will be sattva-guna-ized. Sattva-guna, the goodness... The body will be purified and become good. Good, bad, and via media, three kinds. So that is the process. Krsna consciousness movement means everything is being gradually developed into goodness. And at last, to surpass goodness... Here in this material world the goodness may be contaminated with the other qualities, but in the spiritual world it is so good... It is called suddha-sattva. There is no contamination, there is no tinge of rajo-guna and tamo-guna. That is spiritual quality. So Krsna consciousness can be possible in perfectness when we are above the quality of goodness. Above. Sa gunan samatityaitan brahma-bhuyaya kalpate [Bg. 14.26]. One who has surpassed the three qualities and has come to the spiritual platform, then it is called cinmaya. Cit means spiritual, and maya... These word, mayat-pratyaya, these are used when it is in great extent, in large quality. That is mayat. And vikarat. Vikara means transformed. Just like gold. Pure gold, you transform into a finger ring -- this is also gold. This is called vikararthe. Gold has become now a ring. And another meaning is that suppose it is made of iron or other base metal, but it is covered with gold, large quantity. That is called adhikarthe because a quantity of gold is there. That is not all gold, but there is gold, covered. So in two meanings, the mayat-pratyaya is there. So similarly, cinmaya. Cinmaya means if you cultivate spiritual knowledge in large quantity, then your body is no more material. It is spiritualized. Cinmaya. Therefore great saintly person's body, after demise it is not burned; it is buried, samadhi, because it is cinmaya. So adikarthe mayat-pratyaya and vikararthe... So a Vaisnava, his body is cinmaya, is cinmaya body.

So Prahlada Maharaja says that "My body is in large quantity this rajo-guna, tamo-guna. So it is not possible for me to approach You, My Lord. Because You are suddha-sattva and I am in the material contamination, how it is possible that You shall touch my head? It is simply Your causeless mercy." This is appreciation. "Otherwise how it is possible? You cannot touch this nasty quality of rajo-guna, tamo-guna. My body is made by my father and mother. They belong to the nasty rajo-guna, tamo-guna quality. So it is not possible that You'll touch my body, but You have done it. You have placed Your lotus hand on my head. It is simply Your causeless mercy. Otherwise I am not fit for this. So, and I... You are so merciful that this mercy You did not offer to Lord Brahma even." Brahma is supposed to be the supreme creature within this material world, Brahma. He's the first created creature, and he's called Svayambhu. He's not born of any material father and mother but directly came through the lotus stem which is growing from the navel of Visnu. So he's not ordinary person. He's not ordinary person. He's not... Therefore he's known as Svayambhu. We are not svayambhu. We are begotten by father and grown up by mother. We are not self-sufficient. But Brahma is called Svayambhu because he is not born of any material father and mother. So "He did not get this mercy. Although Brahma's position is so exalted, still, my Lord, he did not get this opportunity."

Na brahmano na tu bhavasya. Bhava means Lord Siva. Lord Siva's position is also very exalted, more than Brahma. Lord Siva is in between Lord Visnu and living entity. We are living entity. So Lord Siva is not ordinary living entity. Brahma is ordinary living entity, but very pious, exalted. But Lord Siva is more than Brahma. "So he also could not get this mercy." Na vai ramaya. Ramaya means Laksmi, the goddess of fortune. (S)he always remains with Narayana. She is not... She's... Her position is more than Lord Brahma or Lord Siva. She is Narayana in a different energy only. Radha-krsna-pranaya-vikrtir ahladini saktih. She is the manifestation of the pleasure potency of the Lord. The Lord has got unlimited potencies, parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate [Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport]. So one of the potency is Radharani or Laksmi or Sita. They are equal. There is no difference. Radha-krsna-pranaya-vikrtir ahladini-saktir asmat. These loving affairs between Radharani and Krsna or Narayana and Laksmi or Sita and Rama, they are both of them the same. One is potency; another is potent. That is the difference, potent and potency. So "Such Rama, the goddess of fortune, she also could not get this compassionate mercy or causeless mercy." So he's feeling proud that "You are so affectionate to Your devotee." Therefore Lord's name is bhakta-vatsala. He can offer to His bhakta any position, more than Himself. Just like mother Yasoda. She is bhakta, and Lord has given her the position for punishing Him. Mother Yasoda is threatening Krsna that "Krsna, You were very naughty. Now I shall bind You." So Krsna, out of being afraid, was crying. So Krsna has given the position to the bhakta that "You chastise Me. I'll accept it." This is bhakta's position. This is Krsna's causeless mercy. He can do that.

So Prahlada Maharaja is appreciating that "I am worthless. I have no qualification." That should be the position of the bhaktas always. Never we should think that "I have become a big bhakta." No. Caitanya-caritamrta author says humbly, purisera kita haite muni se laghistha: [Cc. Adi 5.205] "I am lower than the worm in the stool." Does it mean that he is actually? No. But he's feeling like that. An advanced devotee, they're always so humble and meek, they always think of himself as worthless. And still, the Lord is so kind and favorable. That is His causeless mercy, that "I am not qualified, I am not worthy of this facility." This is the humbleness. Kvaham rajah-prabhava isa tamo 'dhike 'smin. "Not only I am influenced by rajo-guna, but mostly, seventy-five percent, I am infested with tamo-guna." Adhika. Akhika means "in larger quantity." And there is no question of sattva-guna. Adhika 'smin jatah sure... "Otherwise why I am born in this family?" That is the test. Now they are... By force they are trying to be equal. Of course, in this age everyone is sudra. That is an... Otherwise lowborn means this differentiation of different low qualities. By nature it will give. I have several times explained that as you infect a certain type of contaminous disease, you get that, you suffer from that. So the brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, then antaja, (?) candala, mean, so many, kirata, huna, pulinda, pulkasa, abhira, sumbha -- so many, low-grade, low-grade, low-grade, low-grade, low-grade. Then why this low-grade birth? That is due to this karanam guna-sango 'sya [Bg. 13.22]. In the Bhagavad-gita it says. It is due to our association with low-grade qualities.

Therefore the human life should be very cautious that we may not be contaminated by low-grade qualities. There are so many rules and regulations, but it is very very difficult to follow. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu has recommended, just to remain purified, "Chant Hare Krsna." Harer nama harer nama harer nama eva kevalam, kalau nasty eva nasty eva [Cc. Adi 17.21]. You cannot... Otherwise you cannot purify. So kirtaniyah sada harih [Cc. Adi 17.31]. We should always chant Hare Krsna mantra. Then we'll gradually be spiritualized, cinmaya, spiritualized. Then our life will be successful.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

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Jealousy-It's Cause and Cure

Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.27 Mayapur, March 5, 1976 download  flash player   Take a test Pusta Krsna: "Like the ordinary living entity, my Lord, You have no such discrimination, thinking like 'He is my friend; he is my enemy; he is favorable; he is unfavorable.' Such conception of low grade and high grade You have not got. But according to one's gradation of service, You offer them benediction exactly like the desire tree offers fruits according to the desire of the person. The desire tree has no distinction of low grade and high grade position of the beggar." Prabhupada: naisa paravara-matir bhavato nanu syat jantor yathatma-suhrdo jagatas tathapi samsevaya surataror iva te prasadah sevanurupam udayo na paravaratvam  [SB 7.9.27]

It is very important verse. Discrimination. Sometimes the atheist class demons, they say, "Why God has made somebody so opulent and why somebody so poor?" This is the general question. Perhaps you have met, eh? So that is being solved. Paravaratvam. Para means better, and apara means inferior. Superior and inferior. There are two things, superior and inferior, everywhere, but in the eyes of God, Krsna, there is no such thing, superior or inferior. He's superior, and everything is superior. This should be understood. There is no such discrimination that "Here is a devotee, so he's superior, and here is a nondevotee, he's inferior." That is not God's discrimination. That is your discrimination. If you like to remain as inferior, you can remain. God has given you independence. And if you like to become superior, you can become superior. It is not God's discrimination; it is your discrimination. Mind this verse very carefully. Krsna says that "You fully become dependent upon Me, and I shall give you full protection." This is superiority. As soon as I fully surrender to the supreme superior, Krsna, then my position is immediately superior. And if I don't do that, then I remain inferior.

There is a verse in the Bhagavad-gita, ye yatha mam prapadyante tams tathaiva bhajamy aham: [Bg. 4.11] "It is up to you to... If you surrender cent percent, then I am also fully cent percent for you." But if you have got discrimination -- "Certain percentage for my wife, certain percentage for my children, certain percentage for my country, certain percent...," so on, so on, so on, so on, ultimately, "Zero for God" -- then God is also zero. It is up to you. But if you take God -- "You are my everything" -- then He is also for you, everything. It is up to you. Paravaratvam. He does not discriminate. You discriminate. There are many persons, they come to Vrndavana, and whatever they have earned throughout the whole life, so they give everything to the wife and children and make contract that "I am going to Vrndavana. You send me at least two hundred rupees for my expenditure." "And what about two lakhs and crores?" "Oh, that is yours. The two lakhs and crores, what I have earned, that is for you, my dear children, my dear wife, and you give me two hundred for God. So I am going to Vrndavana." So Krsna is very intelligent: "All right, I am also for you two hundred. (laughter) I am also for you two hundred." Ye yatha mam... This is the meaning, real meaning. Ye yatha mam prapadya... Krsna is for you. It is called... What is called the exact word? Responsive cooperation. "If you have surrendered to Me cent percent, then I respond cent percent. If you have surrendered twenty-five percent, then I respond twenty-five percent." This is the position.

So Prahlada Maharaja knows it, that naisa paravara-matir bhavato: "You have no such thing as discriminating." So one may say that "I may... I am foolish, I may not surrender to Krsna cent percent, but why He is not kind cent percent?" So that is Krsna's discrimination. Why He should? He can... He can become cent percent, but He does not do so. That means Krsna is sentient; He is not impersonal. Don't think that whatever you are doing, Krsna cannot see. In the Deity room, if you think that "This Deity is made of brass. Whatever nonsense I can do, He does not see," no, He can see everything. Angani yasya sakalendriya-vrttimanti pasyanti panti kalayanti. He sees. You rascal, you do not know how Krsna sees. You think that "He has these brass-made eyes. He cannot see. I can do all nonsense with..." No. That is not. He can see everything. Pasyanti panti. Angani yasya sakalendriya-vrttimanti. He can see with His lotus feet. He can see with His hand. We can see simply with our eyes, but Krsna can see with all the... Angani yasya sakalendriya-vrttimanti. You have seen. Krsna is playing the flute. The fingers are open. A finger touching: "What you are doing?" We do not know the fingers can also see. But this is absolute. Krsna can use His any energy, any power, any part of the body, for anything else. This is Krsna. Angani yasya sakalendriya-vrttimanti.

So Krsna can see within our mind how much we are surrendered and how much we are after material enjoyment. Therefore the best thing is we have to make zero. Anyabhilasita-sunyam [Brs. 1.1.11]. Sunyam means zero. Unless we make everything zero, simply Krsna fact... Krsna is only fact, and everything zero. Without Krsna, everything zero. Just like one is one and, zero is zero, but when zero is added with one, it becomes ten immediately, ten times, similarly, this material world is zero, and Krsna is one. If you want to enjoy the material world by your own effort, it will always prove zero. You'll never be satisfied. But you add this zero by the side of Krsna -- you enjoy like anything, ten times. Ten times. With zero, it is zero, But when it is added with Krsna, it is ten times. Just see practically. Our Krsna consciousness movement was started with forty rupees. Now that forty rupees or something added with Krsna, it has become forty crores. You see practically. When I started for your country, I came to Mayapur. I offered my obeisances to my spiritual master, then I went. At that time I had no money even to purchase the ticket. And after that, I have come with forty crores. This is the secret. Ye yatha mam prapadyante [Bg. 4.11]. If you fully surrender to Krsna, then Krsna is there. You have to learn how to take from Krsna. Of course, a devotee is never desirous to take anything from Krsna. He wants to give only. This is pure devotee. A pure devotee wants, "Krsna, whatever little I have got, You take it, everything." And Krsna says, "Yes, because you have given your everything, even up to your life, I'll also give you My everything to you." This is Krsna.

So Krsna has no discrimination, but it is up to us to know how to take from Krsna. Just like the example is given here that samsevaya surataror iva. Surataror iva. Surataroh means the desire tree. It is described in the Brahma-samhita, desire tree. Cintamani-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vrksa [Bs. 5.29]. That is kalpa-vrksa. Kalpa-vrksa means... You have no experience. We have no experience. Kalpa-vrksa, there is in the higher planetary system and especially in the Vaikuntha world. There are, trees are kalpa-vrksa, because everything is spiritual; nothing is dead. Here you can take some fruits or flower from a particular tree, but there, if you like, you ask kachori and samosa from a tree -- you get. But we have no idea what is surataroh, what is kalpa-vrksa. Whatever you desire, you'll get it. Surabhih, surabhir abhipal... The cows are surabhi. Here you have got limitation. You can milk morning and evening to a certain extent, but there the cows are surabhi. Surabhi means you can milk as many times as you like, and as much milk as you want, you can take it. But these things are there. But we have no information. We are struggling here. Manah-sasthanindriyani prakrti-sthani karsati [Bg. 15.7]. Because we are fools and rascals, we are trying to make some adjustment here. That is not possible. It is duhkhalayam asasvatam [Bg. 8.15]. This is maya. We are trying to be happy in this material... It will never be possible. But these fools and rascals, they do not know. They are making big, big plans how to become happy, how to become, "In our country, in our home, in our society, in our family," and so on, so on, so on. This means we are simply becoming entangled. Ato grha-ksetra-sutapta-vittair janasya moho 'yam, aham moha [SB 5.5.8], illusion. It will never be possible. Therefore, the conclusion is, we should fully surrender, cent percent to Krsna, and then we become happy. Samsevaya surataror iva te prasadah.

The example is: just like the desire tree, kalpa-vrksa. It can fulfill any desire, any desire. We have got so many desires. Krsna can fulfill all the desires. Please surrender to Krsna. This is the process.

akamah sarva-kamo va
moksa-kama udara-dhih
tivrena bhakti-yogena
yajeta paramam purusah
 [SB 2.3.10]

We go here and there for fulfilling our desire, but if we are fully surrendered to Krsna, all our desires will be fulfilled sitting at home. We haven't got to go here and there. Therefore it is said, surataror iva te prasadah. And how it is? Sevanurupa. This is... This is the secret. If you are engaged cent percent in service, sevanu..., anurupam. It is proportion to your service. You cannot order Krsna, "Give me this." That is not possible. He is not your servant. Krsna cannot become anyone's servant, "Krsna, give me this, give me that." Krsna's not your servant. He's not order-supplier. His order you should supply. Then you can take. You don't make Krsna your order supplier. That is mistake. Therefore anyabhilasita-sunyam [Brs. 1.1.11], pure devotion means first of all you learn not to order Krsna, "Krsna, give me this, give me that, give me that." Don't bother Krsna. That is the beginning of spiritual life. Anyabhilasita-sunyam [Cc. Madhya 19.167]. You prepare to carry out every order of Krsna. Then it is spiritual life. Don't make Krsna your order-supplier. You become order-supplier of Krsna.

Therefore it is said that sevanurupa. If you learn how to give service to Krsna cent percent, then you get everything, everything, without asking. Krsna knows everything, what is required for you. Just like a father knows what is the necessity of the child. The child never begs, "Father, give me this, give me that." No. He's simply dependent on parents. The parent knows. Similarly, if we become cent percent dependent and serve Him faithfully under His order or His representative's order, then the success is sure. Sevanurupa. Sevanurupam udayo. Udayo: "It becomes manifest." Just like the sun is rising in the sky. It is not by your order. It is rising by his own way. You cannot say that "My dear sun, please immediately come to the medium (meridian?) and make it noon." "No, I am not your servant. I shall rise according to my principle." So similarly, if you cannot order even the sun, a creation of God, or anything according to your order, then how you can order Krsna? This is foolishness. Don't order Krsna. Try to serve Krsna. Then you'll be successful. Sevanurupam udayo na paravaratvam. Krsna has no discrimination that you are inferior; therefore His favor is not bestowed upon you. This is foolishness. Don't become envious of somebody who is getting Krsna's favor. Krsna is favoring him because he has served. You serve; you'll get favor. This is God. Krsna has no discrimination that one is getting more opulence, more success; another is rotting. That is not Krsna's; it is your discrimination. You wanted some rotten things; you get it. You wanted some stone and wood, you take it. But if somebody wanted to serve -- "I have given Him service" -- all right, you serve. This is paravara... Not paravaratvam, it is foolishness, that "Krsna has favored him so much. I not favored." You become just eligible to be favored, then you'll be favored. This is the process. Na paravaratvam. He has no such discrimination. Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva sphuraty adah [Brs. 1.2.234].

Therefore the principle is sevanurupam. Always remember this, as it is said here, Prahlada Maharaja. Prasada... Krsna is always ready to give you prasada, all favor. Why not? Without doing something, you are getting so much favor. Without Krsna's favor you cannot live even for a moment. He's so kind. Even the cats and dogs, they are also getting Krsna's favor. Eko hi vidadhati bahunam kaman. Nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam... Eh? Eko bahunam yo vidadhati kaman (Katha Upanisad 2.2.13). Krsna is so kind that He is supplying stool to the hog because he wants to eat it. He wants to eat. He has desire: "Give me facility for eating stool." "Give me favor, facility, to drink fresh blood." "All right, you take the suitable body. You want fresh blood? I'll... You get the tiger's body, the nails and the claws and the teeth. As soon as touches you, immediately all blood sucking." So He has delivered: "All right, take this facility." But what is the advantage of this facility? The facility is... You know. The tigers, they do not get food every day. He has got the facility to suck blood, but... All the implements he has got, but there is no chance. Because every animal knows, "In that part of the forest there is tiger," they do not go, so he starves. He starves. You'll find so many rich men, they have got enough money, but they cannot eat more. They cannot eat more.

So this kind of facilities, it is our foolishness. It is not facility. That is punishment. Real facility is how to serve Krsna. That is real facility. So we should always ask, beg. That is the Caitanya Mahaprabhu's instruction.

na dhanam na janam na sundarim
kavitam va jagadisa kamaye
mama janmani janmanisvare
bhavatad bhaktir ahaituki
 [Cc. Antya 20.29, Siksastaka 4]

This facility we should always ask: "Krsna, I don't want any facility of this material world. I am not worth to serve You; still, I am begging. Give me this facility so that I can get the chance to serve You." That is life's success.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

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The Master Disease

Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.24 Mayapur, March 2, 1976 download  flash player   Take a test Dayananda: "My dear Lord, now I am completely experienced about worldly opulences enjoyed by all the living entities beginning from Lord Brahma down to the ant, the so-called mystic power and other material enjoyments like long duration of life, etc. Being completely experienced in them I do not wish to possess them. My dear Lord, therefore I request You to get me in touch with Your pure devotee and the service of him as sincere servant."   Prabhupada: tasmad amus tanu-bhrtam aham asiso 'jna ayuh sriyam vibhavam aindriyam avirincyat necchami te vilulitan uruvikramena kalatmanopanaya mam nija-bhrtya-parsvam  [SB 7.9.24]

This is intelligence. The karmis, they are trying to enjoy life by increasing the duration of life. The modern scientists, they are trying that there will be no more death. They think like that foolishly, that by scientific methods, the duration of life will be increased. Everyone is trying that. Nobody wants to become old. If you ask any old man, "What is your age?" he'll decrease it. He'll say... He is eighty years old, he'll say, "I am sixty years" or "sixty-five." That means he wants to live for long duration of life. That is the intention. Nobody wants to die. But still... They cannot do anything. Still, they are trying. One Marwari gentleman, at the age of seventy or eighty years old, he went to somewhere in Germany for undergoing surgical operation of the gland so that he can continue his sex life. Many monkeys are exported from India to Western countries for taking away the sexual glands, they know, hormone or something like, and replace it to man so that in old age they can enjoy sex. Perhaps you know all these things. So this attempt is going on, how to keep young and how to enjoy life. But nature will not allow. You may try your best. Nature's law is there. They forget that. And nature will not allow us to live here or to remain as young for all the years of life. It is not possible. But they're trying for that.

In this way, when one is experienced that these things are not possible, that is knowledge. We cannot increase our duration of life. We cannot increase our vitality of life. We cannot increase even our opulence than what we are destined to enjoy. Everyone... Karmana daiva-netrena [SB 3.31.1]. Just like here it is said, vibhavam aindriyam avirincyat. Virinci means Lord Brahma. So beginning from Brahma... "A." "A," this word, is used, this affix is used, with this meaning of beginning. So here in this material world Brahma is also a materialist, Brahma, what to speak of ourselves, Brahma, who is directly appointed the creator of this universe by the grace of God. Why he is in this material world? Because he has got some desire that "I shall be the master of a brahmanda." Just like everyone is trying to become the master of his house or the society or the community or the country. Just like in your country so many people are trying to become the President. Everywhere, everyone is trying to become master. It doesn't matter it is a small circle or big circle. This is material disease. So Brahma is also trying to become the master of this universe. The same mentality is there. Hiranyakasipu underwent severe penances. Why? To become the master of the world. This is the material disease. Krsna bhuliya jiva bhoga-vancha kare. So this bhoga-vancha are different degrees. One man is satisfied having a family, three, four men. He thinks, "I have become master." But other is not satisfied. Other wants, "No, no. Why a family? I must be master of a society or a community or a nation." So Brahma is also the same thing, same degree -- not same degree; different degree -- but the desire is how to become master. That disease is there. We are trying to be... Disease is disease. That...

Some of you have seen that my friend, Dr. Bose. I have said many times that when he was student, so one professor, he -- in those days medical professors were Englishmen -- he said in the class that "In our country, seventy-five percent of the students, they are infected with syphilis." So this doctor, he was a student. He said in the class, "Oh, horrible." So that professor said, "Why you are saying "horrible"? In your country eighty percent, ninety percent, they are infected with malaria, and they are in syphilis. So what is the difference? Why you make...? As a medical man, why should you make difference that 'This disease is better than that disease'? Disease is disease." Actually that is the fact. You say that "We are suffering from malaria. It is better than to suffer from syphilis." No. Disease is disease. Similarly, either Brahma or the ant, the disease is how to become master. This is the disease. Therefore, to cure this disease, Krsna comes to cure this disease, to say plainly, "Rascal, you are not master; you are servant. Surrender unto Me." This is the cure of disease. If one agrees that "No more," ara nare bapa (?), "No more trying for becoming master," that is the cure of disease.

Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, as Prahlada Maharaja says, nija bhrtya-parsvam: [SB 7.9.24] "Engage me as the servant of Your servant." The same thing Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, gopi-bhartur pada-kamalayor dasa-dasa-anudasah. So this Krsna consciousness movement means we have to give up this nonsense idea of becoming master. This is Krsna consciousness. We have to learn how to become servant. Not only servant, servant of the servant, servant of the... That is cure [Cc. Madhya 13.80]. Therefore Prahlada Maharaja said, "So I have understood all this nonsense of becoming master. My father also tried to become master. So this knowledge, now I am perfect. There is no use of becoming master. Better, if You kindly want to give me some benediction, kindly make me the servant of Your servant." This is benediction. So one who has learned to become the servant of Krsna's servant, he is perfect. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, trnad api sunicena taror api sahisnuna. A servant has to tolerate. Tolerate. Servant, sometimes master orders so many things, so he becomes disturbed. But still, he has to execute and tolerate. That is perfection. Here in India still, when a person goes to marry, so his... This is a custom. His mothers ask the bridegroom, "My dear son, where you are going?" He replies, "Mother, I am going to bring one maidservant for you." This is the system. "Mother, I am going to bring one maidservant for you." That means "My wife, your daughter-in-law, will serve you as your maidservant." This is Vedic civilization.

When Krsna with His sixteen thousand wives went to Hastinapura, so Draupadi... It is natural between woman and woman, they talk about their husband. That is natural. So Draupadi was inquiring from each and every wife of Krsna. Not all of them. It is impossible, sixteen thousand. At least the principal queens, beginning from... What is the end called?(?) Rukmini, yes. So every one of them were describing their marriage ceremony, that "My..." Rukmini explained that "My father wanted to hand over me to Krsna, but my elder brother, he did not agree. He wanted to get me married with Sisupala. So I did not like this idea. I wrote Krsna a private letter, that 'I have dedicated my life to You, but this is the situation. Please come and kidnap me.' So in this way Krsna kidnapped me and made me His maidservant." The queen's daughter, king's daughter... Everyone of them were king's daughter. They were not ordinary person daughter. But they wanted to become maidservant of Krsna. This is the idea, to become servant and to become maidservant. This is ideal of human civilization. The every woman should try to become maidservant of her husband, and every man should try to become the hundred times servant of Krsna. This is Indian civilization, not that "Husband and wife, we are equal rights." That, in Europe, America, the movement is going on, "Equal rights." That is not Vedic civilization. Vedic civilization is the husband should be a sincere servant of Krsna, and the wife should be a sincere maidservant of the husband.

Therefore here it is said, upanaya mam nija-bhrtya-parsvam [SB 7.9.24]. This is the best association. When Narada Muni is describing how the man should behave, how the woman should behave... We are discussing now in our tape dictaphone. You'll hear that. That there is no such thing to become master. It is useless. You cannot become master. Ahankara-vimudhatma kartaham iti manyate [Bg. 3.27]. You cannot become master. Jivera svarupa haya nitya krsna dasa [Cc. Madhya 20.108-109]. Either man or woman, everyone is servant of Krsna. We have to be trained up in that platform, how to become the best servant, not only servant directly, but servants, of the servant. This is called parampara servant. My spiritual master is the servant of his spiritual master, and I am also servant of my spiritual master. Similarly, we think "servant of the servant." There is no question of becoming... This is material disease [Cc. Madhya 13.80].

krsna bhuliya jiva bhoga vancha kare
pasate maya tare japatiya dhare

As soon as we become puffed up -- "Now I shall become master. I shall be simply giving order. I shall not follow anyone" -- that is maya.

So that disease is going on beginning from Brahma down to the ant. Prahlada Maharaja has understood this so-called false prestigious position of becoming a master. He says that "I am quite aware of this false thing. Kindly engage me..." Nija-bhrtya-parsvam. Nija-bhrtya-parsvam means just like apprentice. Apprentice, one apprentice is engaged to one expert man. By and by, the apprentice learns how to do the things. Therefore he says, nija-bhrtya-parsvam. "Not that immediately I become very expert servant, but let me..." Our this institution is for that purpose. If somebody comes here, the free hotel and free sleeping accommodation, then his coming to this association is useless. He must learn how to serve. Nija-bhrtya-parsvam. Those who are serving, the... One should learn from him how he's serving twenty-four hours; then our joining this institution will be successful. And if we take it that "Here is an institution where we can have free hotel, free living and free sense gratification," then the whole institution will be spoiled. Be careful. All the GBC's, they should be careful that this mentality may not increase. Everyone should be very eager to serve, to learn how to serve. Nija-bhrtya-parsvam, Then life will be successful.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.24 -- Mayapur, March 2, 1976

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Remember the Titanic

Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.19 Mayapur, February 26, 1976 download  flash player   Take a test Dayananda: "My Lord Nrsimha, the Supreme, persons who are neglected by You and not taken care of by You, such embodied souls cannot do anything better on account of bodily conception of life. And whatever remedial measures they take, they are certainly not permanent, although they may be beneficial temporarily. In this concern, there is the example of the father and mother who cannot give any protection to their children. The physician and medicine..." Prabhupada: "Cannot give any relief." Dayananda: "...which cannot give relief to the suffering patient, and the boat on the ocean which cannot give protection to the drowning man." [SB 7.9.19] Prabhupada: This is very instructive verse. The whole world is planning to give relief to the suffering humanity, but the foolish people, they do not know that you may do your best, but if it is not sanctioned by the Supreme Lord, all these measures will not be of any use. "Why? We have got science, medicine, and relief arrangement. They are all useless?" Yes. They are useful so long, as long as Krsna says "Yes." If Krsna says "No," then in spite of all this relief, nothing will be done. This is the answer. You can open many hospitals, but if Krsna says that "This patient must die," you cannot give any protection. That is not possible. In spite of your hospital, good medicine, good physician, the patient must die. So they do not see to this, that in spite of our so much advancement of civilization, hospitals and other relief measures, why still people are suffering? You are increasing hospital or beds of hospital. You are very much proud that "We have opened hospitals." That... What does it mean? That means people have become diseased. You have opened hospitals, you are very much proud, but what is the other side? Other side: that people have increased their diseased condition. That they do not see. They are simply proud of increasing hospital. Why there should be hospital? Why not stop disease? That is scientific advancement. Stop disease, and there will be no need of opening hospital. Krsna therefore presents in the Bhagavad-gita that "You rascal, you see. Real problem is janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi [Bg. 13.9]." You can invent very nice, up-to-date, modernized medicine, but why don't you stop disease? That you cannot do. That is not possible. Janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi. You are taking so many measures to stop untimely death. Just like in your country there are beaches and so many warning, "Don't come here." And there is guard seeing if anyone is dying, so... But you cannot stop death. That is not possible. You may take measure, so many. You cannot stop death. Children, somebody says, the parents do not take care, but even the parents take care, is it guaranteed that the children will not die? There are many rich men, they are taking care of their children. Rich men, they are taking care of the diseased person, good physician, good medicine. Why the diseased person is dying? Why the children suffering? So, these are to be observed. Why these things happen? That means the ultimate control is in the hand of Krsna. If Krsna sanctions, then everything will be possible. So why not take shelter of Krsna? This is the idea. You take shelter of Krsna, and if Krsna likes, He will give you all protection. And He promises that "I'll give protection." sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami...  [Bg. 18.66]

Because we become diseased, we become subject to birth and death, we... This is all due to our sinful activities. Why are repeatedly...? We are eternal. Na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20]. This is our position, that we do not die even after the body's destruction. Then why should I be in this position, that repeatedly I have to die, I have to give up this body, again accept another body, again suffer? This is the problem, but mudha, duskrtina, they do not see to the real problem. That is their fault. Neither they have knowledge to see the real problem. Therefore they are mudha. Is it not? He's understood that na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20]. So this question does not come, that "I am eternal. I do not die after the annihilation of the body. Why I am subjected to this tribulation?" Nobody thinks; therefore mudha. Just like animal. Animal, in the slaughterhouse, one animal is being killed, and the other animal is eating grass. He's thinking that "I am safe." He does not know that "Next moment I'll be killed." This is animal life. The human life means if somebody is being killed, so he should be immediately warned, taking warning, "Oh, my turn is coming. Let me go away."

There is one story in this connection. Not story; these are facts. A hunter spread his net. So some little birds, they fell down in the net and they are crying. They are crying. So the father, mother, when they came, they saw that their children are in danger: "It is caught by the net of the hunter." So mother immediately jumped over it to save the children, and she was also captured. Then the father saw, "Now if I go to save them, I'll be captured. Let me go away. Let me take sannyasa. That's all." (laughter) That is intelligence. (laughter) You cannot give protection to your family, to your society. To your... No, you cannot give. That is not possible. They must die. They must be captured by the network of maya. You cannot save them. If you want to save them, then make them Krsna conscious. That is the only remedy. Unless you are expert in saving your children by giving them Krsna consciousness, then you are not, you should not become father and mother. That is real contraceptive method, that "I shall... We are married, undoubtedly, husband and wife, but unless we are competent to give protection to my children -- no more death -- we should not beget children." This is real contraceptive.

That is the instruction in the Srimad-Bhagavatam: pita na sa syaj janani na sa syat 'na mocayed yah samupeta-mrtyum. Your duty is to give protection to children, father, mother. That's very good. But real protection is that "My children, this boy, this girl, has come in my belly. Now this is the last. I shall train them in such a way that next birth, he'll not have a material body." How it is? Yes, it is possible. How? Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti kaunteya [Bg. 4.9]. One can give up this material body... Everyone has to give it up. There is no doubt. But one is giving up this body and accepting another body. Tatha dehantara-praptih [Bg. 2.13]. But there is another method, that he's not going to accept any more material body. That is said in the Bhagavad-gita, tyaktva deham punar janma naiti: [Bg. 4.9] "After giving up this body, he's not going to accept another material body." Who? Janma karma ca divyam ye janati tattvatah: "Anyone who has understood Krsna has He is." This is the secret, to teach your children like that, that what is Krsna. From the beginning, you can do that. The children are under your control. Just like we are teaching these boys. They are simply chanting, dancing. That is Krsna consciousness. They are advancing in Krsna consciousness. It is not that useless education -- after some years they will learn how to smoke bidi. It is not like that. They'll never touch bidi. This is education. Tan manye adhitam uttamam. Even they are not literary person, they will have character and they'll become Krsna devotee. That is real education. Don't think that "These boys are brought here. They're not giving any education, academic. They do not know what is history, what is geography." They know little, little, not very much. We don't require to know very much, neither we are very much concerned, learning A-B-C-D. Even without A-B-C-D, they will be advanced in education. This is Prahlada Maharaja's instruction. Tan manye adhitam uttamam. One who has taken to Krsna consciousness directly, he is actually advanced in education. What is this education? This education has no value. Even from mundane point of view, Canakya Pandita... I have several..., recited this verse,

matrvat para-daresu
para-dravyesu lostravat
atmavat sarva-bhutesu
yah pasyati sa panditah

Who is a pandita? Pandita means one who has learned how to see other women, means except one's wife, anyone, any woman-mother. He's pandita. Where is that education? Where is that education? No. But these children will be educated in that way, to see all woman as mother. Matrvat para-daresu para-dravyesu lostravat. Para-dravyesu: other's property as garbage in the street. Nobody touches. That is pandita. He'll not touch even anything. Even valuable jewel is lying on the street, a pandita will say, "I shall not touch it." This is a moral education. And atmavat sarva-bhutesu. Atmavat. If you feel some pain by pinching, why should you pinch others? And that is pandita. If you cry when your throat is cut with a knife, why you should slaughter other animals? Therefore Lord Christ says, "Thou shall not kill." But these people are so uneducated. In spite of their Ph.D.s, they have no, this simple education, that "I suffer when I am killed. Why I shall kill others?" This is the modern education, all nonsense rascals' education. This is not education.

So if we have to become father and mother, we shall have to teach our children in such a way that next life, no more material life. He goes back to home, back to Godhead. That is real father and mother. Therefore it is said, balasya neha saranam nrsimha pitarau. If the father, mother do not know how to give protection to the children, then what is the use of taking shelter? Huh? In Prema-vivarta it is said, janame janame sabe pita mata paya, krsna guru nahe mile bhaja hari ei. Every... Cats and dogs, they also get father and mother. Without father, mother, who can take birth? So to become the father, mother, like cats and dogs, that is not human civilization. The father, mother's duty is to train the children in such a way that they will be interested in Krsna and guru. That is father, mother. Because, Caitanya Mahaprabhu says,

ei rupe brahmanda bhramite kono bhagyavan jiva
guru-krsna-krpaya paya bhakti-lata-bija
 [Cc. Madhya 19.151]

So it is the duty of the father and mother to train children in such a way that they will be interested in guru and Krsna. Why? By the mercy of guru and Krsna, he'll get bhakti-lata-bija. And that is real life. Sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje [SB 1.2.6]. That is real religious system, which teaches the follower how to become a devotee. Yato bhaktir adhoksaje. Ahaituky apratihata yenatma suprasidati. If you want to make him happy, then you must teach in such a way that he becomes a devotee of the Lord. Then, throughout the whole life, he'll be peaceful and happy. This is required.

Therefore the ordinary father and mother, like cats and dogs, they are not real shelter of the children. That is... Prahlada Maharaja said, balasya neha saranam pitarau nrsimha. Balasya neha saranam pitarau nrsimha na artasya. Artasya means diseased, suffering from some disease. No, just like I have already explained, we are opening hopitals and bed... That is not. You can do it, but at the same time he must be Krsna conscious. We have got practical examples. Some of our devotees, they go to the hospital, and they purchase our books and they become a devotee. Even in hospital bed they're reading Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita, and taking benefit. That is real remedy. So after being cured, he'll become a devotee. So this medicine is not cure. This literature is cure, Krsna consciousness. That is real cure. Nartasya cagadam. And udanvati majjato nauh. Everyone is drowned, either you take figeratively or really. In the samudra, in the sea, ocean, there are always ojhs, (?) waves. So your tiny boat or big ship, that is not safe side. We have got experience. When I was going to New York on ship -- I had no money to go by plane -- so in the deep sea ocean, especially in the Atlantic Ocean, it was nothing, like a small ball, tottering like this. At any moment can be capsized. Although very big ship with very big load, but it is nothing in the sea. So that is not sure. There is no surety that because you are in a big ship you'll be saved. No. In your country, it happened, say, fifty, sixty years, the Titantic, or what is that? In the first voyage, everything was drowned, all big, big men. So nature's freak is so strong that you cannot say that "Because I have got a nice ship, I'll be saved." No, that is not possible. Without Krsna's protection, this, all these counteracting measures, will be all useless.

Therefore teach people how to take shelter of Krsna. Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. You can say that "Does it mean that God is partial? He take only care of the devotees and not others?" He takes care of everyone, but everyone is not fortunate to take shelter of Krsna. When He says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam, He does not say to His devotees only. He says to everyone. But everyone is not fortunate to take shelter of Krsna. Unfortunate. Samo 'ham sarva-bhutesu. He's not partial. Samo 'ham sarva-bhutesu ne me dvesyo 'sti na priyah [Bg. 9.29]. Nobody is enemy or friend of Krsna. Everyone is His son. Aham bija-pradah pita [Bg. 14.4]. Just like the father teaches every son to become good, but there are unfortunate sons who do not take care of the father and remains to be unfortunate. So it is not Krsna's partiality; it is our misfortune that we do not take care of the instruction of Krsna and suffer in this material world. This is the position. These rascals, they inquire, "Why, if Krsna is so good, why He has put me into this position?" The rascal does not know that Krsna wants you all to be happy, and He has given the instruction how to become happy, but we are unfortunate. We do not take Krsna's instruction and suffer. This knowledge is not there. Mayayapahrta-jnana. He's suffering for his own fault, and he's accusing God that "He has put me into this position." No. Therefore those who are devotees, they do not become so foolish. When they are suffering, they do not accuse Krsna. They say, "My Lord, it is Your mercy that I am suffering." Just the opposite. Tat te 'nukampam susamiksamanah [SB 10.14.8]. Because he knows that "I am suffering on account of my own fault. So better Krsna is adjusting the thing, giving me little trouble, that's all." That is the position. Karmani nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhajam [Bs. 5.54].

So we have to learn all these things. Then, taptasya tat-pratividhih. I think in some reading there is yat-pratividhih. Eh? But here it is tat-pratividhih. All right, what it is... So they, we have so many countermeasures for..., because this whole world, this material world, means duhkhalayam asasvatam [Bg. 8.15]. It is a place for suffering. And that also not permanent place. But our struggle is that "We may not suffer, and we may remain here permanently." That is foolishness. This place is meant for suffering, and you cannot stay here for permanently. This is the constitution of this place. And the whole world, this foolish world, they are struggling to stop suffering and to remain here, permanent. Just see their foolishness. Everyone is trying to remain permanently. Just like we are constructing temples very sound, very strong, but they are constructing skyscraper building, strong, permanent. But he does not know, "Whether I shall be able to live here permanently?" So they can put the argument to us also, that "This is the case with you also." But our case is different. We are constructing this temple not for our living but for Krsna's. That is the difference. That is the difference. We do not make any temple or house for ourself. We try to give chance to the devotees, and Krsna shall live here. Krsna's devotees will learn how to worship Him. That is our purpose. Here it is not a free hotel for learning how to gratify senses. No. This is not our aim and object. That is the difference. Therefore nirbandhe krsna-sambandhe yukta-vairagyam ucyate. The same energy is being enacted here for constructing big house, but it is nirbandhe krsna-sambandha.

anasaktasya visayan
yatharham upayunjatah
nirbandhe krsna-sambandhe
yukta-vairagyam ucyate

So taptasya tat-pratividhir ya iha anjasa istas tavat. The example is given already, that unless there is sanction by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, you cannot get any benefit with all the machines and all the instrument and all the measures that you have invented to counteract your struggle for existence. The struggle for existence will not be stopped.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.19 -- Mayapur, February 26, 1976

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© 2001 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.