"How To Be Fearless At Death"

"How To Be Fearless At Death"

16 Mar 74 , Vrndavana


Prabhupada:

variyan esa te prasnah
krto loka-hitam nrpa
atmavit-sammatah pumsam
srotavyadisu yah parah
[SB 2.1.1]

Srotavyadisu yah parah. The... Here in this material world we are busy in questioning and answering, or hearing. Question, hearing, and answering. This is the whole world. Even in the material field. You go to the market, you inquire, "What is the price of this thing?" and you hear the description of the thing and the price of the thing. So the prasnah, the question was made by Maharaja Pariksit just at the point of his death, "What I have to do now?" This is very intelligent. Only intelligent man can understand what is the value of this question, "What I have to do now?" Because intelligent person knows that "I am going to leave this body."

I am speaking... Pariksit Maharaja is talking with Sukadeva Gosvami at the point of death. He was given notice that "Within seven days you'll be bitten by a snake and you'll die." This was a curse by a brahmana boy. So he was ready. He was not afraid. Narayana-parah sarve na kutascana bibhyati [SB 6.17.28]. He could retaliate. He was a great devotee. He could counteract the cursing of the brahmana boy, but he did not do so. Because he was cursed, the Srimad-Bhagavatam came. He was perplexed what to do, and Sukadeva Gosvami appeared there, and everyone accepted the verdict of Sukadeva Gosvami, "Maharaja, you are a great devotee. So I shall quote from Srimad-Bhagavatam, and you hear only. That's all. You have nothing to do. Simply you hear."

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

These are the nine different processes of devotional service. So generally, we are expected to execute all the nine different processes. Sravanam kirtanam visnoh. Sravanam kirtanam about Visnu, not for any other demigods. No, Visnu. The Mayavadis, they take it that "We can hear of any demigod, of anyone," because they are Nirakaravadi. So "You can imagine anyone and hear about him." But sastra does not say. Sastra does not say that you can hear about anybody. No. Sastra says, sravanam kirtanam visnoh, about Visnu.

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

This is the sastra's injunction, that if you have to chant, if you have not to chant, means you must chant. Kalau nasty eva gatir anyatha. You cannot avoid it. If you actually want relief from this conditional life, duhkhalayam asasvatam [Bg. 8.15], then you must... This is the only means. Kalau nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha. Karma-jnana-yoga, there are different processes of self-realization, karma-jnana-yoga, but it is stressed, nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva, not karma, not jnana, not yoga. Simply chanting Hare Krsna. That is required. That is the preaching of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, this, this verse of Agni Purana:

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

So this is the bhakti process, chanting and hearing. So chanting, hearing, or questioning and answering, the same thing. So when Pariksit Maharaja was perplexed what to do at the time of death, so many great sages and saintly persons, brahmanas, they came there. Because the king is going to die. So not only of this planet, from other planets also, many, many exalted persons came. Somebody prescribed something, somebody prescribed something. So he was perplexed. Fortunately, Sri Sukadeva Gosvami arrived there, and he advised, "Maharaja, you simply hear harer nama, the name, the form, the quality, the pastimes. About Krsna, you simply hear." That was the... Therefore... And Pariksit Maharaja was a devotee from the very beginning of his life. He's a grandson of Arjuna and Maharaja Yudhisthira. Naturally, he was krsna-bhakta. He, Krsna was his grandmother's brother also. There was family relation. And he studied thoroughly... Although, when he was born, he did not see Krsna, but still, he knew that Krsna saved the whole Pandava family.

Krsna, when brahmastra was released by Asvatthama to kill the Maharaja Pariksit while he was within the womb of his mother, Krsna personally saved him. Because... He wanted because in the Battlefield of Kuruksetra, everyone died, of the Kuru dynasty. Only the son, this Abhimanyu's son, Krsna, uh, Arjuna's grandson, was within the womb of his mother. Therefore he was not killed in the battlefield. Still, Asvatthama, the son of Dronacarya wanted to kill him, and he released brahmastra, and it was going to kill the child. At that time his mother, Uttara, approached Krsna, that "I am feeling that my womb will be..., abortion there may be." So Krsna saved. This is the history. So after his birth, because he saw Krsna within the womb, so after his birth, as soon as he came out of the womb of his mother, he was looking here and there, "Where is that personality?" Therefore his name is Pariksit. Pariksit means he was examining, "Who is that? Who is that man?"

So Pariksit Maharaja was so fortunate, so fortunate. From the very beginning of his life, he saw Krsna. Just like this child. These are fortunate children. Yoginam... That... Sucinam srimatam gehe yoga-bhrasto 'bhijayate [Bg. 6.41]. This child who was dancing before me, he's not ordinary child. Otherwise how he could dance symmetrically? He had his practice in his previous life, and he has got the chance to get Vaisnava father and mother, and from the very beginning of his life, he is chanting, dancing. So Pariksit Maharaja was like that. So to get the chance of having good father, sucinam... Sucinam means brahmana-vaisnava, especially brahmana. And srimatam. Srimatam means very rich. Bhaktivinoda Thakura has given his comment: sucinam means highly cultured brahmana, and srimatam means highly rich vaisya. So to take birth in this family, cultured family, rich family, is not ordinary thing. It is not ordinary thing. It is the result of pious activities, pious activities. The pious activities means you get your birth in a very good, aristocratic family, rich family or brahmana family. That is the result of pious activities. You become very beautiful. You become very learned. Janmaisvarya-sruta-sri [SB 1.8.26]. Four things. Janma means birth. Aisvarya means riches, wealth. Aisvarya. Janma aisvarya and sruta. Sruta means education. To become learned man, to become very educated, that is also a result of pious activities. To take birth in rich family, that is also result of pious activities. To become very beautiful, that is also result of pious activities. Janmaisvarya-sruta-sribhir edhamana-madah puman. Unfortunately... When we get these opportunities, very nice family or nice nation, beautiful body, education, we should consider that it is due to our past pious activities. Therefore they should be utilized for Krsna. Because pious activities means to approach Krsna. Those who are impious, sinful, they cannot approach Krsna. Na mam duskrtino mudhah prapadyante naradhamah [Bg. 7.15]. Those who are naradhamah, lowest of the mankind, always engaged in sinful activities, and rascals, may be very educated-mayaya apahrta-jnanah, their educational value has been taken away by maya... As, just like nowadays it has become. The more one is educated, the more one is atheist. We have received one report just now, Bombay. They are... That singing, Hare Krsna singing, nuisance, they say. You see. How degraded human being has become: "Hare Krsna singing is nuisance. And cinema singing is very good." Just see. They have become simply rascals, dogs and hogs. Simply.

So we should be very much careful of our next birth. Because... Yam yam vapi smaran bhavam tyajaty ante kalevaram [Bg. 8.6]. This is the verdict of Krsna. At the time of death, whatever thought is there, you get next birth a similar body. The mind, mind creates the body, gross body. As we have got this gross body, so within this gross body there is the subtle body: mind, intelligence and ego. These rascals, they do not know that when the gross body is annihilated, it does not mean that the soul is finished. No. Na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20]. This is the verdict. Don't think because the gross body is now finished, therefore the person is finished. No. The person is there within the subtle body. And the subtle body will carry him. Just like the fragrance is carried by the air. You cannot see what is this fragrance, but you can smell. A very good smell, wherefrom it came? That is subtle carrying. Similarly, the soul is carried after annihilation of this body, gross body, material... Mind, intelligence, ego -- that is also material, but subtle. You cannot see. Everyone knows that I have got mind. I have got soul, but you cannot see. Neither I can see. But there is. But one who does not know what is soul, what is subtle body, they become perplexed. Therefore Krsna says, dhiras tatra na muhyati. Dhira, those who are sober, one who knows how things are going on, dhiras tatra na muhyati.

dehino 'smin yatha dehe
kaumaram yauvanam jara
tatha dehantara-praptir
dhiras tatra na muhyati
[Bg. 2.13]

So one has to become dhira. These, nowadays, the modern civilization is a rascaldom. Everyone is adhira. He does not know... In the Western countries, big, big, professors, they do not know how the soul is existing, how the transmigration of the soul is taking place, how the body is changed, what is the purpose of life, what is the perfection of... Nothing they... Simply like cats and dogs. Work very hard like an ass and enjoy like cats and dogs, ahara-nidra-bhaya-maithunam ca samanyam etat pasubhir naranam. This life is most degraded life, that at the present moment we see that people are suffering because they have simply become animals, all over the world. Simply taking care of this body. But here Pariksit Maharaja, now he knows that "Taking part of the body is now finished; I have to take care of the soul." Therefore he wanted to ask from Sukadeva Gosvami, "Now what I have to do? Shall I fully think of Krsna?" Because he was a Krsna devotee. Naturally, he was thinking of Krsna. Satatam kirtayanto mam yatantas ca drdha-vratah [Bg. 9.14]. A devotee, he always thinks of Krsna. That is devotee.

So we have to practice: Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. This is the chance, this is the chance for remembering Krsna. Satatam smartavyam visnum. Visnu, Lord Krsna or Lord Visnu, has to be remembered always. Here... The sloka is there: tasmad bharata sarvatma.

tasmad bharata sarvatma
bhagavan isvaro harih
srotavyah kirtitavyas ca
smartavyas cecchatabhayam
[SB 2.1.5]

Icchata abhayam. Abhayam means fearlessness. One should be... Abhayam sattva-samsuddhih. There are three necessities, four necessities of conditioned life: eating, sleeping, mating and fearing. So one has to become abhayam, no more fear. How? When you take shelter of Krsna's lotus feet. Narayana-parah sarve na kutascana bibhyati [SB 6.17.28]. If you take shelter of the lotus feet of Krsna, then... Therefore Pariksit Maha..., er, Sukadeva Gosvami: icchata abhayam. Those who are actually willing to become fearless, hero, they must always... Satatam kirtayanto mam [Bg. 9.14]. Always chanting and hearing about Krsna. That is wanted. This Krsna consciousness movement is meant for that purpose, to become abhayam, no more fear. Why one should fear? Krsna assures, kaunteya pratijanihi na me bhaktah pranasyati [Bg. 9.31].

So if we take shelter of the supreme abhayam, Krsna... Therefore one Vaisnava kavi has sung, bhaja hun re mana sri-nanda-nandana, abhaya-caranaravinda re. Abhaya-carana. Krsna's lotus feet is to become free from fearfulness. Bhaja hun re mana sri-nanda-nandana. Particularly sri-nanda-nandana. Nanda-nandana means that Krsna has got many forms: Vasudeva, Sankarsana, Pradyumna, Aniruddha, then Visnu, Maha-Visnu. Ananta, advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam [Bs. 5.33]. But His real form is in Vrndavana, the son of Nanda Maharaja. Therefore he is advising, bhaja hun re mana sri-nanda-nandana. Krsna... There are Mayavadi philosophers, they say that the Absolute Truth, the Supreme, has no name. Yes. For the persons with poor fund of knowledge, they may not find out Krsna's name. But in the sastra we have got thousands of name. Visnu-sahasra-nama. But what are those names? Name means His behavior with His devotees. Just like "Nanda-nandana." Krsna is the father of everyone -- aham bija-pradah pita [Bg. 14.4] -- everyone. So how He has got a father? Oh, that is His mercy. He accepts one devotee as His father. And when He's addressed in relationship with His devotee... Nanda Maharaja wanted Krsna as his son. Krsna agreed, "Yes, I shall become your son." So everyone, if you want Krsna as your son... Not to become God, but to become the father of God. The Mayavadi philosophers, they want to become God. But we Vaisnavas, we want to become the father of God. This is Vaisnava philosophy. Father of God means he controls God. He's not controlled by God. So a devotee can get such position. Everyone is being controlled by God, but a devotee is so exalted that Krsna says that "I wish to be controlled by you." This is Krsna's position. Therefore the Vaisnava kavi advises, bhaja hun re mana sri-nanda-nandana, abhaya-caranaravinda re. Durlabha manava, durlabha manava-janama sat-sange taraha e.

Now we have got this human form of body, durlabha, very, very rare. This human form of body is obtained after many millions of years. Not very easily. Because we had to come through the evolutionary process, 8,400,0000 species of life. Jalaja nava-laksani sthavara laksa-vimsati. Therefore this human form of life should not be wasted. Here is the solution of all the problems of life. Don't neglect it. Therefore it is advised, durlabha manava-janama sat-sange taraha e bhava-sindhu re. E bhava-sindhu. This is the ocean, this is the ocean of nescience, ignorance. What is that? Bhava. Bhava-sindhu means take birth again and again. Bhutva bhutva praliyate [Bg. 8.19]. This is very botheration. And there is no guarantee what kind of... Therefore Pariksit Maharaja... He's also devotee. He's going to Vaikuntha. There was no doubt about it. Still, for our lesson, he inquired from Sukadeva Gosvami that "What is my duty now, now I am going to die?" This is intelligence.

So Pariksit Maharaja had a notice of death for seven days, but we do not know what is the notice. We can die immediately. So how much for us it is necessary to chant Hare Krsna mantra. Pariksit Maharaja had some time. This Bhagavata-saptaha is imitated under Pariksit Maharaja's... Pariksit Maharaja had only seven days' time, so he might have listened to the Bhagavata lesson for seven days. But for us, it is not that we observe a Bhagavata-saptaha and finish our business. No. Our business is nityam bhagavata-sevaya.

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

nasta-prayesv abhadresu
nityam bhagavata-sevaya
[SB 1.2.18]

Nityam. Not that for seven days. Seven days is meant for Pariksit Maharaja because he had no more time. His seven days was sufficient nityam. So we should not imitate that, that "I'll hear seven days." That is also a formality. Actually to understand one verse of Srimad-Bhagavatam it requires at least seven months. Janmady asya yatah anvayad itaratas ca arthesu abhijnah sva-rat [SB 1.1.1]. My Guru Maharaja explained this verse in Dacca for three months. Janmady asya. Actually, it is so important. The beginning.

So we must be very serious to understand Bhagavatam. If we can understand even one line, one verse, our life becomes sublime. It is so nice. There is no comparison of this literature, Srimad-Bhagavatam. That we are actually finding in the Western countries, how nicely they are receiving these granthas. We have translated into English, and they're enjoying. Actually that is the fact. Nityam bhagavata-sevaya [SB 1.2.18]. Now, our problem, what is this problem? Problem is that we have got so many dirty things within the heart. The first dirty thing is that "I am this body." "I am Indian," "I am Englishman," "I am American," "I am brahmana," "I am ksatriya," "I am sudra," "I am fat," "I am thin," "I am black and white..." These conceptions, these are all dirty things. "I am not this body," that is real knowledge. Therefore Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, ceto-darpana-marjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12], to cleanse the dirty things from the heart, that is my first business. And what is that dirty things? To identity myself with this body. That is the dirty things. The whole world is in distressed condition on account of this dirty thing, that "I am this body." This is the conception of the ass.

It is said in the...

yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke
sva-dhih kalatradisu bhauma ijya-dhih
yat-tirtha-buddhih salile na karhicij
janesv abhijnesu sa eva go-kharah
[SB 10.84.13]

Go-kharah. Go-kharah means... Go means cow, and kharah means ass. Yat-tirtha-buddhih salile. Now many persons come here in Vrndavana, tirtha, but what do they think? They think, "Let me take bathing in the Yamuna River. Then my business is finished." But no. Sastra says that you should approach to a bhagavata, a devotee who is living in Vrndavana, pure devotee, and surrender unto him. That is tirtha-yatra. Not that coming here and taking bathing in the Ganges or... They are going to dure vary-ayanam tirtham. General people think, in this Kali-yuga, at least, that if you go thousand miles away from your home, then your tirtha is finished. Just like in Calcutta there is Ganges, but people come to Hardwar to take bathing in the Ganges. Now, what is the difference between the Hardwar Ganges and Calcutta Ganges? But he thinks, "If I go three thousand miles and take bathing there, that is real Ganges." So dure vary-ayanam tirtham. These are the symptoms of the Kali-yuga. Yat-tirtha-buddhih salile na karhicit. Many thousands of people come to Vrndavana, but they think by taking bathing in the Yamuna, his tirtha is finished. Or going to Prayaga, taking... Christian also, they go. They take bathing in the...? Water of...? Jordan?

Devotee: Jordan River.

Prabhupada: Yes. So... No. Nityam bhagavata-sevaya [SB 1.2.18]. If you have to cleanse your heart from all misgivings, then you have to do this: srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah punya-sravana-kirtanah [SB 1.2.17]. You hear about Krsna. Where? Krsna is speaking about Himself in the Bhagavad-gita. "I am this. I am that." You hear. Or you hear about Krsna from Srimad-Bhagavatam. Srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah. So if you hear... Krsna is within your heart. He can understand. If you are seriously hearing, then Krsna can understand. Not that karma-kandiya-vicara. "Let me hear on Srimad-Bhagavatam for seven days, and I'll get... I have got now one lakh of rupees. I'll get three lakhs." That is karma-kandiya-vicara. That is not wanted. The hearing of Bhagavatam means to cleanse your heart, that you are not this body, you are spirit soul, eternal servant of Krsna. That is purification. When you come to this understanding, that "I am not this body, I am spirit... Aham brahmasmi," then... Brahmasmi, finished? The Mayavadi says as soon as you come to this conclusion, brahma-bhutah, then your business is finished. No. Your business begins there. That is the verdict of Bhagavad-gita.

brahma-bhutah prasannatma
na socati na kanksati
samah sarvesu bhutesu
mad-bhaktim labhate param
[Bg. 18.54]

After being liberated, brahma-bhutah, then bhakti begins. People misunderstand that by bhakti one gets mukti. No. One who is engaged in bhakti, he is always... He has already got mukti. Muktir mukulitanjali sevate 'sman. Bilvamangala Thakura says that if one has attained to the platform of bhakti, then mukti is hankering after his feet: "What can I do for you?" Muktih svayam mukulitanjali sevate 'sman dharmartha-kama-gatayah samaya-pratiksah.

So bhakti is above mukti. Therefore a pure devotee does not aspire for mukti. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, na dhanam na janam na sundarim kavitam va jagadisa kamaye [Cc. Antya 20.29, Siksastaka 4]. Na dhanam na janam na sundarim kavitam va jagadisa kamaye, mama janmani janmani. He says, janmani janmani. Janmani, when He says janmani, it is not mukti. Because mukti means you stop your material transmigration from one body to another. That is mukti. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu: mama janmani janmani. A devotee doesn't require mukti. Janmani janmani tvayi bhaktih. If you are situated in the devotional service of the Lord, then you are already mukta. Avyabhicarini.

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

Brahma-bhutah prasannatma... [Bg. 18.54]. This is the verdict. So for a devotee mukti is not very big thing. Mukti's already there if he's actually a pure devotee. A pure devotee means just like Caitanya Mahaprabhu says. He has no other desire. Na dhanam na janam na sundarim [Cc. Antya 20.29, Siksastaka 4]. Everyone is desiring in this material world for riches, wealth, dhanam, and janam, good family, high aristocratic family, or good followers, leader, minister. Janam. They are aspiring popular votes. Na dhanam na janam na sundarim kavitam. And next is to have a very beautiful, obedient wife. These are the aspirations of material life. But Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "I do not want all these things." Na dhanam na janam na sundarim. This is bhakti life. When one is free from all such material desires, he's fit for executing devotional service. That is mukti.

Therefore we have to cleanse our heart. Our heart is always aspiring how to get money, how to get women, how to get prestige, how to become leader, how to become minister, how to become guru. These are the things, always hankering in our heart. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, ceto-darpana-marjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. First of all cleanse your heart. And that is also said in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, that nasta-prayesv abhadresu nityam bhagavata-sevaya [SB 1.2.18]. Nityam. Not seven days. Nityam. Read every day. Especially those who are in Vrndavana. Every day, as much as possible, read Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita. Nityam. Then our heart will be cleansed, and we shall know what is our constitutional position, what is our relationship with Krsna, and then if we serve in that relationship, our life is perfect.

So here Pariksit Maharaja asked that "Shall I think of Krsna, or I shall hear about Krsna?" And Sukadeva Gosvami's congratulating him, variyan esa te prasnah: [SB 2.1.1] "Yes, it is very nice." Variyan, first class, glorious. Variyan esa te prasnah krto loka-hitam. "Now, your question is so nice that when I shall answer, it will be beneficial for the whole universe, loka-hitam." Loka-hitam. Because this Bhagavata is so nice, transcendental subject matter discussed about Krsna, it is loka-hitam. It should be spread all over the world. Loka does not mean your country or your society, brahmana society, gosvami society. No. Loka-hitam, for the benefit of the whole world. That is loka-hitam. Not only of this world, but other worlds also. Of the whole universe. Loka-hitam nrpa. "My dear King, your prasna..." So this message of Srimad-Bhagavatam should be spread all over the world.

ya idam paramam guhyam
mad-bhaktesv abhidhasyati
[Bg 18.68]

na ca tasman manusyesu
kascin me priya-krttamah
[Bg. 18.69]

Don't make it stagnant, that "This Bhagavata is meant for a certain class of men, and it is to be recited by certain professional men, and make some money, and provide your family, and you become... Bas. Very good, religious." No. Loka-hitam. Bhagavata should be spread.

That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission. Yare dekha tare kaha krsna-upadesa [Cc. Madhya 7.128]. Whole world, whomever you meet, you speak of Krsna. That is guru. That is gosvami. Not that gosvami profession means that I make a means of my livelihood, and I bring money from outside and engage in my son's marriage and daughter's marriage. That is not gosvami. One who is engaged in loka-hitam, spreading Srimad-Bhagavatam all over the world, that is gosvami. Gosvami means... Go means indriya. Svami means... Indriya means senses, and svami means the master. One has to control. If one is busy only family matters... What is this family? It is simply sense gratification, sexual intercourse. Yan maithunadi-grhamedhi-sukham hi tuccham [SB 7.9.45]. So if one is engaged in these family affairs only, sexual affairs, he's not a gosvami. Gosvami means who has, one who has... Wherefrom this gosvami comes? Rupa Gosvami. Vande rupa-sanatanau raghu-yugau sri-jiva... They, they were not family men. They were not in sense gratification. They were in the service of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Krsna. That is gosvami. We must know what is gosvami. Loka-hitam ratam. Everyone who is on behalf of Krsna, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, is engaged to preach Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita, throughout the whole world... Prthivim sa sisyat. A gosvami means he must have disciples all over the world. That is gosvami. Not that within some area. These are the things.

We should scrutinizingly study what is Srimad-Bhagavatam, what is Bhagavad-gita, what is a preacher, what is gosvami. These things we must study. Loka-hi... These will be discussed by Sukadeva Gosvami, that what is what. You'll find in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Therefore it is our duty: nityam bhagavata-sevaya. Nityam. Not that seven days. Nityam. Nasta-prayesv abhadresu [SB 1.2.18]. First of all we have to hear. Srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah punya-sravana-kirtanah. We acquire pious result of hearing. And the result will be manifested... Hrdy antah-stho hy abhadrani...

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

Then he must be free from the material bondage. That is called hrdy antah-stho hy abhadrani vidhunoti, washed off. If it is not completely washed off, if it is partially washed off, nasta-prayesu... Nasta-praya means we have got all these filthy things within the heart. It is not yet cleansed fully, but even some percentage is cleansed, then... Nityam bhagavata... But how it can be cleansed? The process is to hear Srimad-Bhagavatam. That will be explained:

srotavyadini rajendra
nrnam santi sahasrasah
apasyatam atma-tattvam
grhesu grha-medhinam
[SB 2.1.2]

These verse are very nice, I mean to say, instructive verses, and you try to read them regularly, every morning. Or whenever you find time. Then you will understand Srimad-Bhagavatam. Everything is explained there. Then the dirty things in our heart will be cleansed, and then we will understand what is our constitutional position, and what is our duty, and how to execute it.

Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.1.1 -- Vrndavana, March 16, 1974

© 2001 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International. Used with permission.

For higher quality audio, you may purchase the MP3s/CDs from www.Krishna.com