All Troublesome Is Destroyed

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.18
October 29, 1972, Vrndavana



Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

nasta-prayesv abhadresu
nityam bhagavata-sevaya
bhagavaty uttama-sloke
bhaktir bhavati naisthiki
[SB 1.2.18]

Translation: "By regularly hearing the Bhagavata and rendering service unto the pure devotee, all that is troublesome to the heart is practically destroyed, and loving service unto the glorious Lord, who is praised with transcendental songs, is described as an irrevocable fact."

Prabhupada: Nasta-prayesu abhadresu. Abhadra. We have discussed yesterday, abhadrani: all dirty things. This material life means dirty life. People do not understand it. They think by nice dress and nice apartment and nicely washed body, that is civilization. They do not know what is the dirty things which has attacked him. What is the contamination, that he does not know. Lokasya ajanatah. It is said that the fools, rascals, they do not know it.

anarthopasamam saksad
bhakti-yogam adhoksaje
lokasyajanato vidvams
cakre satvata-samhitam

The anartha... In the name of civilization, we have increased so many unwanted things, unnecessarily. This is called anartha. Artha means which is substance. So just like we can give so many examples. When there was no so-called advancement of civilization, people used to eat on utensils made of silver, gold, at least metal. Now they're using plastic. And still, they are proud of advancement of civilization. Actually it is anartha, anartha, unwanted things. At least, in, two hundred years ago in India, there was no industry. I think I am correct. Yes. But people were so happy. They did not have to go two hundred miles or five hundred miles away from home and for earning livelihood. In Europe and America, I see people are going for earning their livelihood by aeroplane, daily passengers. I've seen. From Vancouver, they were coming to Montreal and other places. Five hundred miles. At least fifty miles, one must go. In New York, many people are coming from distant place, Long Islands, crossing the sea, and then again bus, again... Anartha, simply unnecessary. People...

Canakya Pandita says that "Who is happy?" He says, "The man who does not go out of home, and who is not a debtor he is happy." Very simple thing. Who does not go out of home, and he's not a debtor, he's happy. So now we see everyone is out of home, and everyone is a great debtor. So how you can be happy? In America the bank canvasses that "You take money, you purchase motorcar, you purchase your house, and, as soon as you get your salary, you give me." That's all. Finished. You take the card... American... What is it called? Am-card? Yes.

Syamasundara: Bankamericard.

Prabhupada: "Bank-card" or something. "Bank-rupt." (laughter) You see? So you take the card and you purchase whatever you like. And deposit your money in the bank. Then again, you are without any money. Simply that card. That's all.

So actually we are creating anarthas. Anarthas means unwanted things. So just like practical example: anarthopasamam saksad bhakti-yogam adhoksaje. If one is engaged in bhakti-yoga practice, devotional service, immediately the anarthas will be diminished. Just like our students. Since they have joined this Krsna consciousness movement... They were all Americans, Europeans. They knew how to increase anarthas, unwanted things. It is confirmed. Immediately they have given up the cinema bill, the gambling bill, and so many bills. And medical bill also. We don't pay very much medical bill. That's a fact. So actually Krsna consciousness movement is so nice that if one takes to it, immediately he reduces so many rascal anarthas which is not required. Does a man die without smoking? It is anartha, un..., unnecessary. They are habituated by bad association. Sangat sanjayate kamah kamat krodho 'bhijayate. By bad association, they learn how to smoke, how to gamble, how to eat... Just like, in India, so-called gentlemen, they go to hotel to taste meat, cow's flesh, how it is tasting. I know, personally, some friends.

So these are anarthas. So Suta Gosvami said that if you want to reduce your anarthas, which are not wanted... Anartha upasamam saksad bhakti-yogam adhoksaje. If you engage yourself in devotional service of the Lord, then immediately, directly, the anarthas will be diminished. Which is not required, unnecessary. Anartha upasamam saksad bhakti-yoga... Just like in America, the government is spending lots of money, millions of dollars, to stop this intoxication habit of the young men, LSD. But they do not know. How they can be stopped? The government is so rascal that they do not know. Government means full of rogues and rascals. I tell you, frankly. They do not know. Here it is the medicine given, and it is practically happening. Anyone who is coming to us, although he was habituated to so many bad habits, immediately gives up. No intoxication, immediately. But they will not come to patronize this movement. They'll pay their officers and spend lavishly for some nonsense program and plan. Is it not? Yes. Here is the medicine: anarthopasamam saksad bhakti-yogam adhoksaje. Teach people bhakti-yogam. All anarthas will be vanquished immediately. Anartha. Anarthas means things which are not required. Anarthopasamam saksad bhakti-yogam adhoksaje, lokasya ajanatah.

But these foolish people, they do not know. Here is the remedy. They don't consult the perfect knowledge, Vedic knowledge. They won't consult. They will manufacture their own ways. That, this is the... Lokasya ajanatah. Because these fools, they do not know, how to get out of the clutches of unwanted things. Therefore vidvan, one who knows, vidvan... Vit means knowledge, and van means one who possesses. Vidvan. So Vyasadeva, vidvan, the perfect vidvan, lokasya ajanato vidvams cakre satvata-samhitam. Vidvan, Vyasadeva, has made this Srimad-Bhagavatam. Take shelter of Srimad-Bhagavatam and you know perfectly how you can diminish your unwanted things. And the simple process is, as we have already discussed yesterday, that

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

If you simply hear about Krsna,... Krsna is speaking Himself in the Bhagavad-gita. Don't malinterpret. Simply hear as Arjuna heard it. Sometimes some rascals say that "Bhagavad-gita, Arjuna heard directly, but we do not find now Krsna. So how we can hear?" His words are there. Krsna is not different from His words. He's absolute. If you read Bhagavad-gita as it is through disciplic succession, then you are as good as Arjuna, hearing directly from Krsna. There is no difference. But if you ras..., play rascaldom, "This word means this, this word means that, this word means..." This is rascaldom. If you play rascaldom, then you'll remain a rascal. You'll not improve. But if you hear exactly like Arjuna...

As Arjuna said, sarvam etad rtam manye [Bg. 10.14], "My dear Krsna, whatever You are saying, that is all right, in toto. I don't misinterpret." Param, param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam bhavan [Bg. 10.12]. This understanding of... You understand Bhagavad-gita as it is in devotion, bhakto 'si. Krsna instructed Bhagavad-gita to Arjuna. He said that this Bhagavad-gita, this yoga system is now lost. Yoga-nastah parantapa. "Now I shall again begin that yoga through you. Because you are My devotee." Bhakto 'si. Krsna did not go to find out a Vedantist to teach, a so-called Vedantist. "A Vedantist" means he's devotee. Veda. Veda means knowledge, and anta means ultimate. So what is the ultimate knowledge? Ultimate knowledge is described: bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate [Bg. 7.19]. That is ultimate knowledge. After speculating life after life, when one comes to the point to surrender unto Krsna, that is real knowledge. That is real knowledge. Unless you come to the point of surrendering unto Krsna, your knowledge is defective. You may advertise yourself as very learned scholar, but we have got simple formula. Our position is strong and simple. We... We take the words of Krsna and corroborate with Krsna's words.

Now, when I see, when we see that one man is not a devotee or Krsna, or he does not surrender to Krsna, immediately we take him belonging to the four classes: duskrtinah, mudhah, naradhamah, mayaya apahrta-jnanah. Immediately we take. It doesn't require much time to test him, what he is, because he has no surrender to Krsna and talks all nonsense. There are so many Gita explainers in our country -- simply talking nonsense, minus Krsna. That's all. Bhagavad-gita means minus Krsna. That's all. Such rascals have spoiled the whole country, you see. Everyone is so... Politicians, and this, that, all, they are... "Oh, we are student of Bhagavad-gita." And what do you know about Krsna? "Krsna is zero." That's all. This is going on. So therefore Krsna says, na mam duskrtino mudhah prapadyante naradhamah [Bg. 7.15]. So we have to hear. If we actually want to diminish our anarthas, then we must hear Krsna as He's speaking, without any interpretation.

So this is the process of diminishing all dirty things within the heart. Srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah punya-sravana-kirtanah, hrdy antah-sthah [SB 1.2.17]. Krsna is hrdy antah-sthah, within your heart. Vidhunoti. He washes all dirty things. Krsna is taking charge of washing your dirty things. Simply by hearing about, you... Why don't you take this opportunity? What is this nonsense? Krsna simply says that "You hear about, from Me." Satatam kirtayanto mam [Bg. 9.14]. "Always chanting about Me, and hearing about Me." Simple process. But the rascals will not take. They will make humbugs, jugglery of words: "This is meaning, this is meaning, this is meaning." Therefore they do not advance. Andha yathandhair upaniyamanah. The story of anchor. The anchor was not taken, and the whole night they rowed on the boat, and it was where it was there.

Now, the next verse is that if you hear about Krsna from Krsna or Krsna's representative, not from bogus men... According to this Vedic philosophy, if somebody speaks about Bhagavad-gita, but he's not a Vaisnava... Sanatana Gosvami has forbidden that "Don't hear from him." Because he will create rascal. And Caitanya Mahaprabhu has said, mayavadi-bhasya sunile haya sarva-nasa. If you hear about Krsna from an impersonalist, so-called Mayavadi, then your future is doomed, finished. And Sanatana Gosvami has said,

avaisnava-mukhodgirnam
putam hari-kathamrtam
sravanam naiva kartavyam
sarpocchistam yatha payah

Avaisnava. Those who are not following the principles of Vaisnava behavior, professional. There are some professional reciters. That is forbidden. Don't hear from them. Now here it is said, nityam bhagavata-sevaya [SB 1.2.18]. It is not said saptaham bhagavata-sevaya. Nityam bhagavata-sevaya. Where this saptaha comes, I do not know. Is Bhagavata such a thing that by hearing one saptaha he'll understand everything? He cannot understand one word by reading Bhagavata-saptaha, what to speak of eighteen thousand verses. The whole Vedic knowledge is there. Nigma-kalpa-taror galitam phalam idam. What you'll understand? This is profession.

The real prescription is given here: nityam bhagavata-sevaya. Every day or every moment, you should remember Bhagavatam. Then nasta-prayesu abhadresu, the dirty things which are within our heart, that is the... The process is going on to wash the dirty things. And the process is hearing about Krsna. This is Krsna consciousness movement, is that, that you hear about Krsna patiently and the dirty things within your heart will go away. What is the dirty things? The dirty things is the rajas-tamo-bhavah. That will be explained. So by hearing about Krsna from Krsna or from His devotee, nasta-prayesu, not completely finished... The contamination is there.

Therefore Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita,

api cet su-duracaro
bhajate mam ananya-bhak
sadhur eva sa mantavyah
samyag vyavasito hi sah
[Bg. 9.30]

Nasta-prayesu, one who has taken to devotional service, hearing about Krsna, he has not become completely perfect even. Because, due to his past habit, he may do something wrong. Just like one was habituated in smoking. And he has taken initiation, and he has taken to Krsna consciousness, but due to the influence of some friend, he sometimes, suppose he smokes. So if unconsciously induced by others he commits some sinful activity, that is excused. But if he consciously does something sinful activity, that is not excused. Krsna says therefore that api cet su-duracaro bhajate mam ananya-bhak. If he sticks to the devotional service sincerely, but due to his past habit, if he's seen that he has committed something wrong, so Krsna said, "Still, he's sadhu." Sadhur eva sa mantavyah, samyag vyavasito hi... [Bg. 9.30]. Because his faith in Krsna is there. Therefore he is sadhu.

Now one may say that "He's not following strictly the rules." But intentionally, if he's doing so, then it is very risky. He'll fall down. But by chance, if he does so, the next line says, ksipram bhavati dharmatma. Because he's sticking to Krsna consciousness, he will be again reformed. Ksipram. Very soon, he'll be reformed. These are, the things are there. Therefore it is said, nasta-prayesu. Not that completely one becomes perfect. Even prayesu, almost perfect, still, almost, not that completely, abhadresu, he has, he's trying to give up all bad habits, unwanted things. Nasta-prayesu abhadresu. How it is possible? Nityam bhagavata-sevaya [SB 1.2.18]. Not saptaham bhagavata-sevaya, officially. This is karma-kandiya. "I sit down for one saptaha in a year, and then 357 days I do all nonsense." No. Nityam bhagavata-sevaya. One has to serve bhagavata.

Bhagavata means this, one who is related with Bhagavan. Bhagavata. From bhagavat-sabda, from the word bhagavata, bhagavata. So bhagavata means the grantha-bhagavata, the book Bhagavata, and the devotee bhagavata. So either you read Srimad-Bhagavatam... But Srimad-Bhagavatam should be relished, understood through person bhagavatam. It is recommendation. Svarupa Damodara, Caitanya Mahaprabhu's secretary, personal secretary, he chastised one brahmana. He wrote something wrong, and after all, he gave him advice that "If you want to study Bhagavata, then bhagavata paro giya bhagavata sthane(?), try to understand Srimad-Bhagavatam from a devotee, not from a professional man who is earning his livelihood by reading Bhagavata." He must be practical bhagavata. Then you will gain. Sanatana Gosvami has also said that avaisnava-mukhodgirnam putam hari-kathamrtam. Hari-katha, amrta, nectar, but still, although it is amrta, it is not to be received from the mouth of a non-devotee. One must be practical devotee, pure devotee. When he speaks, you should receive Bhagavata, the message of Bhagavata, Bhagavad-gita from him. Avaisnava-mukhodgirnam putam hari-kathamrtam, sravanam naiva kartavyam. Do not hear. Reject. Professional readers. Reject immediately. Those who are earning their livelihood by the Bhagavata reading profession, you should immediately reject. This is the injunction. Not that "Oh, here is Bhagavata. Here is Bhagavata. I must sit down." No. Sanatana Gosvami says no. Sravanam naiva kartavyam.

Why? Hari-katha. "He may be whatever he may be, but he's speaking Bhagavata. What is the harm to hear from him?" One can argue like that. No, Sanatana Gosvami says, "Yes, sarpocchistam yatha payah. Milk is amrta, nice, but as soon as it is touched by the tongue of a serpent, it is, it is poison." Sarpocchistam yatha payah. He has given this very example. Milk is very nice, undoubtedly. Everyone will agree. But as soon as it is touched by the lip of a serpent, you cannot drink it. Then you'll die. Now Caitanya Mahaprabhu has also warned like that, that mayavadi-bhasya sunile haya sarva-nasa. If you hear from a Mayavadi who misinterprets things according to their whims, so then you'll be spoiled. You'll not get any benefit. And Svarupa Damodara, secretary of Lord Caitanya, he has also the same thing, that bhagavata paro giya bhagavata sthane. Those who are practical bhagavata, life bhagavata, from them, from him try to understand Bhagavata.

So Caitanya Mahaprabhu's instruction, His secretary's instruction, and Sanatana Gosvamis... These are mahajana. Mahajano yena gatah sa panthah. We have to follow the path of great personalities. Not of the fools and rascals. Then you'll get the result.

satam prasangan mama virya-samvido
bhavanti hrt-karna-rasayanah kathah
taj-josanad asv apavarga-vartmani
sraddha ratir bhaktir anukramisyati

This is the process. So nityam bhagavata-sevaya, nasta-prayesu abhadresu [SB 1.2.18]. Not even completely. Because you cannot approach Krsna in sinful life. Those who are thinking that "We are living in Vrndavana, and I can do all sinful activities because I am living in Vrndavana. Vrndavana-raja will cure me, will purify me." That's a fact. Yes. But if you go on indulging in such sinful activities, then you'll have to live in Vrndavana in like the hogs and monkeys. At least one life you have to spend like that. Then you'll be purified. So why should you waste you're time in that way? Dhamaparadha. If one is committing sinful activities in the dhama, Vrndavana-dhama, that is a great offense. Namno balad yasya hi papa-buddhih. These are the injunction of the sastras.

So we should be very careful. We should finish our business very quickly. Turnam yateta. Why should we take another risk of become hog and live in Vrndavana? Don't take that risk. Nasta-prayesu abhadresu. Finish all contamination, dirty things, and become completely pure. Because Krsna is param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam bhavan [Bg. 10.12]. He's complete pure. Apapa-viddham. In the Isopanisad: Krsna is uncontaminated, complete. Any contaminated thing goes to Krsna, He makes purified. Just like the gopis. Actually they approached Krsna in a lusty attitude, but because He was Krsna, He, they become purified. So it is not that we shall purposefully remain impure and approach Krsna, but the process is that if you regularly hear about Krsna and serve Srimad-Bhagavatam, or a devotee, then gradually your contaminated things being washed off, bhagavaty uttama-sloke bhaktir bhavati naisthiki. The result will be bhagavati, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is glorified by uttama-sloka, by transcendental prayers...

Just like Brahma-samhita. This is not ordinary words. All Vedic words, they are not ordinary, mundane words. Just like Hare Krsna mantra. This is not mundane sound. This is transcendental sound. Golokera prema-dhana hari-nama-sankirtana. Hari-nama-sankirtana is not a, a, mean, a material sound. Therefore it is effective. But if you contaminate it, it will not be effective. If you take it, Bhaga..., Hari-nama, purely, without any offense -- there are ten kinds of offenses -- then it will act immediately. Immediately it will act.

golokera prema-dhana, hari-nama-sankirtana,
rati na janmilo kene tay
samsara-bisanale, diba-nisi hiya jvale
juraite na koinu upay

So this is the upaya. If we actually serious to get out of these material clutches, then we should hear regularly about Krsna from a pure devotee of Krsna. Nityam bhagavata-sevaya [SB 1.2.18]. Then bhagavaty uttama-sloke bhaktir bhavati naisthiki, then your firm steady, steadiness in devotional service will be fixed up. Bhakti... Naisthiki. Naisthiki means nobody can, I mean, push out of it. That is naisthiki, nistha, firm faith, drdha-vrata. In ordinary case, in neophyte state, if somebody says that "Why you are...?" You'll be surprised. This girl, Sri Sarasv..., Sarasvati... Some boy said, "Oh, why you are chanting? This is not very good." He, she gave her (him) a slap. Just see. Naisthiki. How firmly she is fixed up, although she is a small child. Bhaktir bhavati naisthiki. Nobody can deviate him (her). A pure devotee of Krsna cannot be deviated. You cannot cheat him. No. He'll give you a slap. Naisthik..., bhavati, bhavati naisthiki.

So that is required. Tato nistha rucis tatah, athasaktis tato bhavah, sadhakanam ayam premnah pradurbhave bhavet kramah. Anartha, when the... The same thing is described by Rupa Gosvami. As it is said here, nasta-prayesu abhadresu. These abhadra, these anartha... Anartha-nivrttih syat. Bhakti, when, if one takes seriously to bhakti path, then the test is that he has given up all nonsense unwanted things. Not that he's a bhakta, and still smoking. He's not a bhakta. He's not a bhakta. That is the test. So these things are to be noted very carefully, and to try to associate with devotee. Tandera carana-sebi-bhakta-sane bas. Try to serve the superior acaryas, Gosvamis. Ei chay gosai janr mui tanr das. Make a conviction, firm determination, that "We shall follow only the, the path chalked out by the Six Gosvamis. We shall not deviate." With this determination, if you can go on, everything is clear, and there is no difficulty to become liberated or become a devotee of Krsna.

Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.18 -- Vrndavana, October 29, 1972