There Is No Satisfaction Of Atma

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.19
Vrndavana, October 30, 1972


Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

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

Translation: "At the time loving service is established in the heart, the modes of passion, rajas, and ignorance, tamas, and lust and desire, kama, disappear from the heart. Then the devotee is established in goodness, and he becomes happy."

Prabhupada:

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

The beginning of the chapter was yena atma suprasidati.

sa vai pumsam paro dharmo
yato bhaktir adhoksaje
ahaituky apratihata
yayatma suprasidati
[SB 1.2.6]

So everyone, even in this age, the advanced materialistic persons, they seek after peace, peacefulness of atma, or self. Take for example that in Western countries the younger generation, coming from very rich family, rich nation, but they have given up the standard of living as it is observed by their fathers or grandfathers. They do not like it. Because they do not like it. Because they are not satisfied. Yayatma suprasidati. There is no satisfaction of atma. Therefore they have given up.

Bhoga and tyaga. Bhoga means enjoyment, and tyaga means renunciation. So actually, in this world, some people are very much busy in the matter of bhoga, enjoying, the karmis. And some people are very much engaged in the business of tyaga, renouncement. These two kinds of activities are going on. One is very, very busy for acquiring things for enjoy, sense enjoyment, and when he's dissatisfied, he cannot fully enjoy, neither he's satisfied, he says, brahma satyam jagan mithya, "This world is false. There is no need of this world. The grapes are sour." The same story. The jackal and the grapes. A jackal wanted to eat the grapes, and it jumped many times, but could not approach the grapes. So at last he satisfied himself that "There is no need of the grapes. It is sour." So this brahma satyam jagan mithya is like that. When one is fed up or tired of this world, he cannot enjoy it due to age or other circumstances, at that time, he says, jagan mithya. Why jagan mithya? If God is truth, then creation of God is also truth. Why it should be mithya? But because he has no knowledge, sufficient knowledge of the Vedic instruction, isavasyam idam sarvam, purnam adah purnat purnam udacyate he does not know that creation of God is complete.

There is no defect. When God created this world, he created it perfect. Take, for example, we require water. So in every planet there is sufficient water, these oceans and seas. And they are very nicely preserved, adding with, what is called? Salt? What is the chemical name? Sodium...?

Devotee: Chloride.

Prabhupada: Sodium chloride. Sodium chloride is preservative. So the water is preserved, mixing with sodium chloride. Just see how perfect arrangement. And the water is evaporated on the sky by distillation, making sodium chloride separated from the water. Distillation means to take the pure water, distilled water. Now, the distilled water is taken on the sky, and as rain it drops on the ground, and it is stored on the mountain-hill. Gradually, the whole year, the water is coming down in this shape of river, and supply is there. First of all, the whole land is moistened with water by rainfall. Then portion, and some of the water is preserved in Iceland, in the shape of ice.

So there is complete arrangement. We have not seen. Pasyati jnana-caksusa. Because we have no knowledge, we do not see how things are nicely arranged by God for our maintenance. Everything is there. Purnat purnam udacyate. Purnasya purnam adaya purnam eva avasisyate. Everything is complete. It is our mismanagement. We, the so-called civilized human beings, we have created problems. We have created problems: "This is my land. This is my country. Why you are coming here?" Then there is fight, there is spoil of things, so many things. Because they do not know, isavasyam idam sarvam, everything belongs to God. The... Now they have developed the communist idea that everything belongs to the state. But that is also imperfect. There is no peace, still. Sthite sattvam. Ceta etair anaviddham sthitam sattve prasidati. What is that? Ceta etair anaviddham sthitam sattve prasidati. They do not know that we have to come to the platform of goodness, sattva-guna. Then there will be peace.

Because sattva-guna means knowledge, rajo-guna means passion, and tamo-guna means ignorance. So this world is being carried on by these three gunas. Those who are accepting the tamo-guna, they are kama, lusty, too much lusty. And those who are in rajo-guna, they're too much greedy. And those are in the sattva-guna, they know things. That is brahminical qualification. Veda janati iti brahmanah. Veda-pathad bhaved vipro brahma janati iti brahmanah. By reading Vedas, one becomes a vipra. Then not only vipra, but when... Vipra means brahmana. So to become brahmana by qualification is not sufficient. One must know the Brahman, the Supreme Brahman, Parabrahman. Just like Arjuna understood Krsna, param brahma, param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam bhavan [Bg. 10.12]. That is real stage. That is brahminical stage. Don't think that Arjuna was a ksatriya. He, after studying Bhagavad-gita, he became brahmana, because he understood Krsna. He says, param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam bhavan [Bg. 10.12]. He understood Krsna rightly. Others, they, that story of the yajnika-brahmanas... Not story, fact. They could not understand Krsna.

When the yajnika-brahmanas were engaged in sacrifice, Krsna and Balarama were requested by their friends, cowherd boys, "My dear Krsna, Balarama, we are hungry. Please give us some food." They knew Krsna. That's all. Krsna said that "There is a sacrifice, a great ceremony is going on. The brahmanas, the yajnika-brahmanas, are engaged. Go there and ask some food." So they approached. You'll find this description in the Krsna book. So the brahmanas refused, because they could not understand Krsna. They thought that "Unless the sacrifice is finished, how the foodstuff can be distributed?" But they were so ignorant, that they could not understand that the person for whom the sacrifice was being performed, He's asking personally. That is ignorance.

So Krsna says therefore in the Bhagavad-gita, naham prakasah sarvasya yogamaya-samavrtah [Bg. 7.25]. Simply by becoming brahmana, one cannot understand Krsna. He must become a devotee. Because Krsna is understood by simply devotional service. Bhaktya mam abhijanati [Bg. 18.55]. Krsna does not say that to "By becoming brahmana, one can understand Me." No. Brahmana stage is impersonal realization of Brahman. There is no personal realization. When the personal realization is there, he's called Vaisnava, brahmana-vaisnava. The brahmana has got two titles: brahmana-pandita. Still, in India, a brahmana is addressed as pandita, however rascal he may be. Because it is expected, when one is born in the brahmana family, he must be well-learned. These are the six occupational duties of brahmana: pathana-pathana yajana-yajana dana-pratigraha. A brahmana must be very learned scholar, studying. All Vedic knowledge is meant for the brahmanas. Satyam, tapasya, satyam, saucam, tapas, arjavam, titiksa, jnanam, vijnanam, astikyam, brahma-karma svabhava-jam. These qualifications must be there to become a brahmana.

So in spite of becoming a brahmana, qualified, sastra says, sat-karma-nipuno vipro mantra-tantra-visaradah. A brahmana, he is expert in his occupational duties. Sat-karma means pathana-pathana yajana-yajana. Six kinds of occupational duties. But avaisnava-mukhodgirna, uh,

sat-karma-nipuno vipro
mantra-tantra-visaradah
avaisnavo gurur na syad
vaisnavah sva-paco guruh

This is the injunction of the sastra. In spite of his good qualification, expert in six occupational duties of a brahmana, if he's an avaisnava, if he has not understood Krsna or Visnu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then he cannot become guru. Therefore, according to Vedic system, not a brahmana is accepted as guru, but when he becomes gosvami. Gosvami means fully controlled in full knowledge of Krsna consciousness. He can become guru.

The... Rupa Gosvami's... That six kinds of control. One who has controlled over his speeches, over his anger, over his tongue, over his mind, over his genital, over his belly, when one has full control over these six things, he's a gosvami. Prthivim sa sisyat. He can make disciples all over the world. That is the injunction of Sri Rupa Gosvami. He was himself a gosvami. In the beginning, when he was a minister, he was not a gosvami, but later on, when he became completely educated by Sri, Srila Mahaprabhu, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, both the brothers, Rupa Gosvami, Sanatana Gosvami, they became gosvamis. And other gosvamis, Gopala Bhatta Gosvami, Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, Sri Jiva Gosvami, they became their assistants. This Vrndavana, the present Vrndavana is the excavation of the Six Gosvamis. This place where we are sitting, here the Six Gosvamis used to assemble daily for discussing on Bhagavata. Especially it, it is the place of Srila Jiva Gosvami's nephew.

So this culture, as, Krsna consciousness, the progress, the system is described here, it is not that Krsna consciousness we have manufactured a type of religious system. No. We don't manufacture. Neither can we manufacture. It is not possible. Defective human being, how he can manufacture religion? That is not possible. Dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam [SB 6.3.19]. Dharma, the principles of dharma has to be accepted directly from the Supreme Lord. So now the Supreme Lord is helping. We have begun this process.

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

First of all, one has to wash off all these dirty things from the heart. Then he can come to Krsna consciousness. Not abruptly. But Krsna is so kind that even without washing, if one comes seriously to the shelter of Krsna's lotus foot, then He takes charge. Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita,

sarva-dharman parityajya
mam ekam saranam vraja
aham tvam sarva-papebhyo
moksayisyami ma sucah
[Bg. 18.66]

He takes charge. If we... So there are two processes. Either you can go through the prescribed method, as they are described in the Vedic injunctions... Tapasa, brahmacaryena, tyagena, samena, damena [SB 6.1.13]. These are the processes. One must undergo austerity, penance, tapasa; brahmacarya, one must be brahmacari, not unnecessarily using sex life. So tapasa brahmacaryena samena damena va, tyagena [SB 6.1.13]. Tyaga, renunciation, is required. So this is one process. Another process that if you fully surrender unto the lotus feet of Krsna sincerely, then all things are done automatically, immediately. Only by krsna-bhakti, one becomes purified, immediately. So that krsna-bhakti begins, as we have studied, the previous verses, srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah [SB 1.2.17]. We have to hear patiently, by aural reception. Caitanya Mahaprabhu also accepted this process. This is the process, Vedic process -- to hear about Krsna.

So nasta-prayesu abhadresu nityam bhagavata-sevaya [SB 1.2.18]. Nityam. This point we have discussed. The Bhagavata has to be studied from a person bhagavata. Bhagavata-sevaya. Tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya [Bg. 4.34]. One has to learn Bhagavatam from a person you can surrender. Pranipatena. Pariprasnena sevaya. Two things. There must be service and surrender. And between the two things, surrender and service, there is pariprasna. You cannot ask about spiritual knowledge from a person by challenging. No. That will not help you. Just like Krsna (Arjuna). When he was talking with Krsna like friend, the problem was not solved. Then Arjuna surrendered unto Krsna. Sisyas te 'ham sadhi mam prapannam. He understood that "Simply by friendly talkings and argument, there cannot be any conclusion of spiritual life." One must surrender. He knew it. Gurum eva abhigacchet. Must. Abhigacchet is vidhilin form of verb. Means "he must." There is no other alternative. So therefore Arjuna submitted. And he was also enlightened. So simply by hearing from the authoritative sources, nityam bhagavata-sevaya, as it is described. But we don't find anywhere: saptaham bhagavata-sevaya. No. Nityam bhagavata-sevaya.

So nityam bhagavata-sevaya [SB 1.2.18]. Nasta-prayesu abhadresu. Abhadra. Abhadra means the quality of ignorance and passion. They are abominable. Ignorance is most abominable, abominable, and passion is abominable. These two things must be given up. But simply by hearing about Krsna, simply by hearing about Srimad-Bhagavatam, from the person bhagavatam, one can get rid of these dirty things, namely mode of ignorance and mode of passion. Then the balance is the mode of goodness. There are three guna, modes, ignorance, passion and goodness. So if we can, somehow or other, can avoid the lower-grade modes, namely ignorance and passion, then naturally we come to the platform of goodness. That is also not sufficient. Therefore it is said here, nasta-prayesu, almost finished all dirty things. "No, I am now situated in goodness, in brahminical qualifications."

So the sastra says it is all right. But still it is dirty. Because in the Bhagavad-gita it is described that that is also a cause of bondage. "I am very learned. I am now become brahmana." So he does not know that is also this false ego, that "I am brahmana. I am very learned. I am very advanced." This is also cause of bondage. He does not know that. Simply to become free from the modes of ignorance and passion is not sufficient. One must be free from the modes of goodness also, the so-called goodness. Then you come to the transcendental platform. That is called sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. These are upadhis. "I am a good man. I am a bad man." Both of them are designations. From spiritual point of view, there is no difference between good man and bad man. Caitanya-caritamrta says, dvaite bhadrabhadra sakali samana. So long you are in the material platform, the so-called goodness and badness, they are all the same -- because you are in the material platform.

So to become a very good man... Just like an ideal good man was Gandhi. Or somebody else. We are giving because Gandhi's respected all over the world as a very good man. That's a fact. But that is not sufficient. That is not sufficient. Therefore the sastra says that you should become free from becoming a good man or bad man. You must become a devotee. That is required. To become a good man of this world is not a very good qualification. Therefore it is said here, nasta-prayesu abhadresu. To become bad man... And if you become a good man, it is partially acceptable, because you have avoided the two other things, namely ignorance and passion. But that is not sufficient. But it is favorable. To become a good man, to become a brahmana, is favorable. Because to, by becoming a brahmana, one is able to understand things as they are. He's not in ignorance. Just like a ignorant, a cats and dogs, they are under the bodily concept of life: "I am this body." But a brahmana is not in the bodily concept of life. He knows, aham brahmasmi, "I am part and parcel of Brahman." This knowledge will help him. And here it is said that ce..., tada rajas-tamo-bhavah... [SB 1.2.19]. So long one is influenced by the modes of ignorance and passion, he is busy in greediness and lusty affairs.

So at least he's free from the lusty desires and greediness. The whole world is working, especially in Western countries, you see... They are working so hard. They have got their nice motorcar, nice roads, and very, very nice ways also, fly over, one road is flying over another road, another road. Very good facility for driving motorcar, and they have got enough motorcar also. Every third man has got a car. But what are these civilization? Kama and lobha, lustiness and greediness. That's all. The basic principle is lust and greediness. That's all. This is their qualification. So anyone who has become free from this lusty and greedy status of life, he's advanced. He's advanced. Kama-lobhadayas ca ye. Because these lusty desires and greediness will not help him at any time to realize his self or to realize God. That will not be helpful.

So at least, if he comes to the platform of goodness, sattva-guna, then he can at least understand that "I am not this body. I am spirit soul. My duty is different from these bodily activities." Brahma-bhutah prasannatma na socati na kanksati [Bg. 18.54]. The lusty and greediness keeps one always in lamentation and hankering. Na socati na kanks... Na kanksati. Kanksa. These people, they have no end of their kanksa, hankering. One after another, one after another, one after a... Sarva-kama. In the sastra they are called sarva-kama. There is no end of their lusty desires. So nasta-prayesu abhadresu. By the hearing process, one becomes gradually free from the lusty and greedy platform, and he comes to the platform of knowledge. And at that time he can understand at least that "I am not this body. I am spirit soul. And what is my duty as spirit soul?" That duty, if he understands, that is, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gita, samah sarvesu bhutesu mad-bhaktim labhate param [Bg. 18.54]. That is the duty. When he comes to this platform that "My duty is to execute devotional service," that is required. He comes to the platform. Or at least, in between sattva-guna and suddha-sattva. Sattva, sattva-guna, without being contaminated by the other two gunas, modes of nature, namely, ignorance and passion. Pure. That is devotional stage.

So tada rajas-tamo-bhavah kama-lobhadayas ca ye [SB 1.2.19], if we can come to that platform, suddha-sattva... Sattvam visuddham. Sattvam visuddham. When we, our existence becomes completely purified from the influence of these material qualities... The beginning is the modes of goodness. Then at that platform, at least, the other lower-grade modes, namely passion and ignorance, cannot attack us. Ceta etair anaviddham. When a man is in the platform of goodness, he's satisfied in any circumstances. That these boys, European and American boys, they are coming of rich family and rich nation. They are accustomed to so many material advances. Each and every one of them knows how to drive car, and they were driving cars also. They had cars. But now, because they have to come to the platform of goodness, they don't care for anything. They can lie down on the street underneath a tree. Ceta etair anaviddham sthitam sattve prasidati. Because their heart now cannot be pierced by the desires, lusty desire and greediness. So in this way we have to make progress in spiritual life and advance in Krsna consciousness.

Thank you very much. [break]

Acyutananda: "...have already enjoyed sense gratification. So you can take to it."

Prabhupada: Eh?

Acyutananda: Most people say to us that "Because in America you have already enjoyed sense gratification, so now you are taking to this."

Prabhupada: Then the hog would have been the first-class devotee. (laughter) Because he has enjoyed sense gratification without any restriction, without caring for mother, sister, or daughter. Then the hog would have gotten the first-class certificate to become a devotee. That is not... Of course, they think like that, rascaldom, that "Let us finish our sense gratificatory process. Then we shall think of our Krsna consciousness." That is rascaldom. You have to give up. Not that... What is that? Havisa krtam(?)... Or what is that verse? That if you pour ghee on the fire it will increase; it will not decrease. You have to stop. So they put this argument. Especially in India, they are thinking that "Now, first of all, we have to become Americans. And then we shall think of Krsna." This is rascaldom. Chant Hare Krsna. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.19 -- Vrndavana, October 30, 1972