Understanding--Krsna's Mercy

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.19
September 27, 1974, Calcutta


Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Nitai: "At the time loving devotional 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]

So the principle is that we have to place our mind, or consciousness, in the sattva-guna. That is the first business. Because the material world means sattva-guna, rajo-guna and tamo-guna. Sattva-guna is the qualification of pure brahmana. Samo damas titiksa arjavam jnanam vijnanam astikyam brahma-karma svabhava-jam. Sattva-guna. These are the symptoms of sattva-guna. Without coming to the platform of sattva-guna, or brahminical qualification, one cannot make any advance in spiritual life. Therefore in our Krsna consciousness movement we first of all bring anyone to the platform of brahmana. Therefore, at the time of second initiation, we offer the sacred thread, to recognize him that "He is now brahmana."

Without becoming a brahmana, nobody can become a Vaisnava. Or, when one is Vaisnava, it is to be understood that he is also brahmana. The common word... In India it is said, brahmana-vaisnava. Brahmana should become Vaisnava. Or one who is Vaisnava is already a brahmana. Brahma janatiti brahmanah. So a Vaisnava not only knows brahmana, er, Brahman, but he knows Paramatma and he knows Bhagavan. So Brahma janatiti brahmana. Simply by knowing Brahman, one can become a brahmana. But a Vaisnava, not only he knows what is Brahman, but he knows further, what is Paramatma and what is Bhagavan. Brahmeti paramatmeti bhagavan iti sabdyate. The Absolute Truth is present in three features: Brahman, Paramatma and Bhagavan. So Brahman realization is the first. Aham brahmasmi. That is the self-realization: "I am not this body." Aham brahmasmi. That is called brahma-bhuta stage. Brahma-bhutah prasannatma [Bg. 18.54]. That is the statement in the Bhagavad-gita.

Here is, also it is stated that sthitam sattve prasidati. Everyone is hankering after how to be peaceful in mind. Everyone. Everyone says, "Swamiji, kindly say how I can get peace of mind." The peace of mind, how it can be attained is stated here: sthitam sattve prasidati. If you fix up in sattva-guna, not in the rajo-guna, tamo-guna. Tamo-guna is the life of the karmis. Tamo-guna and rajo-guna. Or rajo-guna is actually karmis, and sattva-guna is the life of jnanis. And after coming to the sattva-guna, being peaceful in mind, that is called... (baby crying -- pause) ...brahma-bhutah prasannatma [Bg. 18.54]. You have to come to the platform of sattva-guna. Then you'll be prasannatma.

Prasanna means happy mode of life. Brahma-bhutah prasannatma [Bg. 18.54]. What is the happy mode of life? Na socati na kanksati. He does not lament. He does not hanker. Here in the material world we are hankering. We want this... Dhanam dehi rupam dehi yaso dehi rupavati bharyam dehi. Dehi dehi. That is hankering. This is not the stage of brahma-bhuta. Brahma-bhuta stage means na socati na kanksati. He does not hanker. Neither he laments. Then samah sarvesu bhutesu mad-bhaktim labhate param [Bg. 18.54]. Then bhakti begins, when actually you are in peace of mind. With disturbed mind (you) cannot execute devotional service. Therefore in the beginning, if somebody all of a sudden becomes a Vaisnava and in a solitary place, "I am chanting," that is cheating. How you can be...? How you can chant? You cannot, because your mind is not fixed up. Your mind is not... Na socati na kanksati. Unless you are purified, your mind is always disturbed. That is the material condition. The mind must be disturbed.

Sada samudvigna-dhiyam. Prahlada Maharaja says. That is the material symptom. What is the material symptom? Always full of anxiety. Sada samudvigna-dhiyam. Why? Asad-grahat. Because he has accepted the temporary position, asat. Asat means "which will not exist." Here everything will not exist. This body, it will not exist. But I have taken this body as everything. "I am Indian." "I am American." "I am the father of this family." "I am the manager of the so big business." And so on, so on, so on, so on. Asad-grahat. But everything concentrated on this body. So you must be an..., full of anxiety. Asad-grahat. You accepted this body as fact. But it is not fact. Similarly, the whole world. Asad-grahat samudvigna-dhiyam. This was a question several times. This is very nice question.

Hiranyakasipu asked his son, Prahlada Maharaja, "My dear boy, what you have learned the best thing? You are student." He said, tat sadhu manye asura-varya. He addressed his father, he addressed him as asura-varya, "the best of the asuras." He did not address him as "Father." But he said, "My dear the best of the asuras..."

tat sadhu manye 'sura-varya dehinam
sada samudvigna-dhiyam asad-grahat
hitvatma-patam grham andha-kupam
vanam gato yad dharim asrayeta
[SB 7.5.5]

That is the best thing. One is rotting in this family life, which is just like a blind well, andha-kupa, atma-patam. Just like a man falls in the blind well. He has no other alternative than to die, crying, crying. That's all. So he advises, hitva, "Just give it up." Hitvatma-patam andha-kupam, grham andha-kupam. Then where shall I go? Vanam gatah. Vanam gatah. Vanam gatah, "Go to Vrndavana, or in the forest." Then how shall I live? No, harim asrayeta: "Just take shelter of Krsna, Hari. He'll give you protection." This is the instruction of Prahlada Maharaja.

So here Bhagavata says, tada. Tada means "at that time." At that time. When? It is, in the previous verse it has been explained that,

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

At that time, when you are fixed up in devotional service. At that time, tada. Not otherwise. If you have no connection with devotional service, if you are attached to karma, jnana, yoga, you cannot be fixed up. Therefore Caitanya-caritamrta says, bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kami sakali asanta. Here we require... Tada, sthitam sattve prasidati. Prasidati means peace of mind, fully satisfied. But bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kami. As Caitanya Mahaprabhu... They cannot have peace of mind. It is not possible. Bhukti means karmis. They're trying to enjoy this material world -- more money, more woman, more eating, more, more and more. That is called bhukti. They are not satisfied by enjoying on this planet. They perform various kinds of yajnas so that they may be promoted to the higher planetary systems, Svargaloka, or Janaloka, Maharloka, like that. But Krsna says, abrahma-bhuvanal lokah. "You rascal, you are trying to be promoted to the higher planetary system for more and more material enjoyment..."

Certainly there is thousands and thousands times more material comforts in the heavenly planets, in the Candraloka... In the Candraloka... They are trying to go into Candraloka, and according to sastra, if one goes to Candraloka, he gets ten thousands of years his duration of life, and enjoy. So certainly there are many times more comfortable life, standard of life, very, very high, in the heaven, other planetary systems. But Krsna says that any one of the planets you can go, but the material disease will not be relieved, the material disease, janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi. We cannot understand. This is our real disease, repetition of birth, janma, and repetition of death. Janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi. And repetition of becoming old. And vyadhi, repetition of being affected by various types of disease. So therefore intelligent man should see that "Even if I go to the Brahmaloka..." When Brahma was asked by Hiranyakasipu, "Give me immortality, sir," he said, "I am myself not immortal. How can I give you immortality?" So abrahma-bhuvanal lokah punar avartino 'rjuna [Bg. 8.16]. Krsna advised Arjuna, "My dear Arjuna, you, if you go to the Brahmaloka, many millions of years duration of life, still, you have to die."

So that is the standard of highest perfection. If you do not die, if you do not take birth... If you know what are the miserable conditions of birth, to remain within the womb of the mother... Not only to remain. Nowadays, modern advanced civilization, they are being killed by the mother. Not only abortion, but they are being killed. Now the Western world is very familiar with these things. So just imagine. First of all, you have to remain within the mother's womb, head down, packed-up condition. You cannot move, ten months. And that is also not secure. Even within the... Now this is the... Within the mother's womb you are not secure. At any moment the doctor may advise that "Kill the child." So these are the miserable condition of birth, but we do not remember them. We have to know it from the sastra. So similarly, at the time of death, coma and... Nowadays it is a very common disease. For seven days or fifteen days he's unconscious, crying.

So this is the miserable condition of death, this is the miserable condition of birth, and between birth and death there are so many miserable conditions. This old age, this disease, so many calamities, catastrophes. So still, we do not want to make a solution of these problems. And the solution is very simple. In the Bhagavad-gita it is said, janma karma me divyam yo janati tattvatah. If you simply know Krsna, what is Krsna, why does He come, why He works like ordinary man -- janma karma me divyam yo janati tattvatah -- in truth, in actual fact. Not that "Oh, Krsna was born in Mathura, and then He was taken to Vrndavana." This is also knowing. But still, you know what is Krsna.

manusyanam sahasresu
kascid yatati siddhaye
yatatam api siddhanam
kascin mam vetti tattvatah
[Bg. 7.3]

It is very difficult to understand Krsna tattvatah, not superficially, but in fact. So Krsna says, janma karma me divyam yo janati tattvatah. So one who understands Krsna in truth, he becomes free. Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti kaunteya [Bg. 4.9]. These things are there. So why don't you be serious to study Krsna, to understand Krsna?

But to understand Krsna it will require Krsna's mercy. Without Krsna's mercy... So how you get Krsna's mercy?

tesam satata-yuktanam
bhajatam priti-purvakam
dadami buddhi-yogam tam
yena mam upayanti te
[Bg. 10.10]

One can understand Krsna by being constantly engaged in His service. Tesam satata-yuktanam. Not that weekly once go to the church. No. Twenty-four hours, satata-yuktanam, engaged in Krsna's service. That is Krsna consciousness movement. We are teaching people how to become twenty-four hours engaged in Krsna's service. This is our business. We don't allow karma, jnana, yoga. No. Simply. And that is krsna-bhakti. Jnana-karmady-anavrtam [Madhya 19.167]. There is no question of jnana and karma. That is not pure bhakti. Pure bhakti means anyabhilasita-sunyam jnana-karmady-anavrtam, anukulyena krsnanusilanam [BRS 1.1.11], simply to serve Krsna favorably, as Krsna becomes pleased. This is bhakti. This is pure devotion.

So this Krsna consciousness movement, therefore, teaching pure devotional service to Krsna. That will solve all problems. So how one can come to that stage? That is being explained in this portion of the Bhagavata, that srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah punya-sravana-kirtanah [SB 1.2.17]. Just hear. You haven't got to do anything more. Just hear about Krsna. Srnvatam sva-kathah... Then everything will be cleared, gradually. This is our purpose. This center is giving chance that you come here and hear about... We, we don't make any flattery to satisfy the whims of the ordinary... We speak from Srimad-Bhagavatam, we speak from Bhagavad-gita, and present them as it is, without any adulteration. This is our position. If you like, then you make progress. If you don't like, that is your option. But we cannot make any compromise. We must present the sastra as it is.

And where is the difficulty? Everything is explained here. Nityam bhagavata-sevaya [SB 1.2.18]. You have to attend Bhagavata class and serve the bhagavata person nityam, daily. If you cannot, that is a different thing. But this is the process. Nityam bhagavata-sevaya. Nasta-prayesu abhadresu. This conclusion comes when one is partially advanced. Nasta-prayesu. Not fully. Then it will come. He'll be ready to serve Bhagavatam -- Bhagavata, he person bhagavata and the book Bhagavata. Nityam bhagavata-sevaya, bhagavaty uttama-sloke bhaktir bhavati naisthiki. Nistha, I have explained already yesterday. Tada, at that time, when you are fixed up, "Now I shall devote my life in Krsna consciousness," when you come to this conclusion... Nityam. That will come. Nityam bhagavata-sevaya, bhaktir bhavati naisthiki [SB 1.2.18]. Not deviated. But... Not this worship, that worship, this worship, this worship... No. Kamais tais tair hrta-jnana yajante anya-devatah. Those who are worshiping other demigods... That is recommended for the less intelligent class men. Tad bhavaty alpa-medhasam. These things are recommended for the persons who are less intelligent, whose brain is packed up with cow dung, not intelligent persons. Intelligent persons -- sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. That is intelligence.

So when one comes to this conclusion, bhaktir bhavati naisthiki... Bhakti where? Not that bhakti to this god, that god. No. Bhagavati, unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Bhaktir bhavati naisthiki. Naisthiki, without any disturbance. Tada, at that time. Tada... What is the result? Rajas-tamo-bhavah... There are three bhavas: rajo-guna-bhava, tamo-guna-bhava and sattva-guna-bhava. So as soon as you come to the platform of devotional service, the two inferior qualities, namely rajo-guna and tamo-guna, they become finished. Simply sattva-guna remains. Because there are three gunas. If two gunas are finished, no more useful, then the other one is there. Tada rajas-tamo-bhavah [SB 1.2.19]. What are the symptoms of rajas-tamo-bhavah? Now, kama and lobha. Those who are infected with this rajas-tamo-bhavah, they are very lusty, greedy, lobhi. They are not satisfied. The modern civilization is based on rajas-tamo-bhavah. Nobody is satisfied. Everyone is greedy. And lusty. Kama-lobhadayas ca ye. Kama. So long you are lusty, so long you are greedy, there is no question of devotional service. There is no question of advancement to spiritual life. So therefore you have (to) come to the platform of sattva-guna, where simply knowledge... There is no other thing, ignorance or greediness, only knowledge.

So at that time, it is said, ceta etair anaviddham. Because everything is within the heart. We become greedy, we become lusty on account of distortion of the heart disease, kama. Tada hrdi lobha-kamau apahinoti(?). That is a heart disease. This kama and lobha is a heart disease. Actually, you don't require this, but it is a kind of disease. "More and more and more and more and more." Never satisfied. So we have to cure this disease. And this process, simple process, Caitanya Mahaprabhu has given: ceto-darpana-marjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. To cure the heart disease of lusty desires and greediness is chanting Hare Krsna maha-mantra. Param vijayate sri-krsna-sankirtanam. These are the shastric injunction, and spoken by personalities like Lord Caitanya and other acaryas.

So we have to follow. Mahajano yena gatah sa panthah. Don't follow rascals and fools. Then it will be useless waste of time. Follow the great acaryas. Acaryavan puruso veda. One who is acaryavan, who has accepted acarya, he knows. Others, all are fools, rascals. Acaryavan. Acaryopasanam. In the Bhagavad-gita it is said, amanitvam adambhitvam ahimsa ksantir arjavam, acaryopasanam. You have to first of all worship the acarya. Tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet [MU 1.2.12]. Guru and acarya, the same thing. So these are the process. Mahajano yena gatah. You cannot manufacture your ways of thinking. What you are? You are most insignificant living entity. And without following the acaryas, without following the mahajanas, without following the sastras, how you can teach?

But people are doing that. Without being followed by the acarya, without being followed by the sastras, they become guru, they become swami, they become yogi. It is useless. You cannot get... Here are the process, process is given: tada rajas-tamo-bhavah kama... [SB 1.2.19]. Tada means when you are fixed up in devotional service, then you can get out of these infections. These are infections. In... It is so dangerous infection. Infection, anyone can understand nowadays, scientific days. If you infect some disease, you have to suffer. You cannot escape. You infect today somehow or other. Not today, not tomorrow, but some day it will come out. It is called kutastha, phalonmukha, prarabdha, papa-bija. Papa-bija, remains as seed, kutastha. Then it is fructifying, phalonmukha. Then you suffer, prarabdha. This is called prarabdha-karma, infection.

You are under the complete subjugation of nature. Prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah [Bg. 3.27]. These gunaih. The prakrti is forcing you to work because you have infected a kind of guna. Karanam guna-sango 'sya sad-asad-yoni-janmasu. Karanam. Why one man is born, one living entity is born as a very rich man and one is born as a dog? Sad-asad-yoni. Yoni means mother, and bija means father. Yatha yoni yatha bijah. So the every living entity is born -- bija and yoni, father and mother. So why there are varieties? Nature is working. Why not one, one kind of living entities? No. Sad-asad-janma-yonisu. There are 8,400,000 of species. One has to take. Tatha dehantara-praptih. You have to change. But why one is in the lower grade birth, why in the higher grade? Now, karanam guna-sango 'sya. These guna. These guna, sattva-guna, rajo-guna.

So we have to give up the association of rajo-guna and tamo-guna. Then there is question of progress. Otherwise it is simply a bluff. Therefore in our society we say, "Don't associate... Don't be infected by these rajo-guna, tamo-guna." This meat-eating and illicit sex life and drinking and gambling, they are rajo-guna, tamo-guna. Kama-lobha. You see? There is a big fairground. Gambling, tamo-guna. They are going there. Thousands and thousands of people are going there for gambling. This is tamo-guna. Why? Lobha: "I must get more money. I must get more money." Lobha, kama. Kama-lobhadayah. So we have to get out of all this entanglement. Then there is spiritual life. Otherwise don't talk of spiritual life.

So this is fact. Tada. Tada means when you are fixed up in devotional service. Tada, kama-lobhadayas ca ye. Tada rajas-tamo-bhavah [SB 1.2.19]. We have to get rid of this rajo-guna and tamo-guna. We have to be fixed up in sattva-guna, pure life. Then sthitam sattve prasidati. If you are situated in the sattva-guna, then you will be peace of mind. And that is krsna-bhakta. That is explained in the Caitanya-caritamrta.

krsna-bhakta -- -- niskama, ataeva ‘santa'
bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kami -- -- sakali ‘asanta'

Krsna-bhakta, he does not desire anything. Krsna-bhakta says, "I don't mind I am born lowborn." No, because he'll chant Hare Krsna. Lowborn or highborn, he has nothing to do. If one is engaged in devotional service, it doesn't matter whether he's lowborn and highborn. As soon as he takes to devotional service, he becomes above lowborn and highborn. Sa gunan samatityaitan brahma-bhuyaya kalpate [Bg. 14.26]. He's in the Brahman platform.

So in this way, as they are stated in the sastra, if you follow, then it is step by step. First beginning is srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah [SB 1.2.17]. Try to hear Krsna's message. That is Bhagavad-gita As It Is. You hear it. You understand it. What is the difficulty? Srnvatam sva-kathah. Don't misinterpret. Hear it as it is. Krsna says, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. Hear it and execute it. Where is the difficulty? But we shall not agree to, we shall not hear. We shall not act according to the instruction given. And that is our misfortune. Caitanya Mahaprabhu therefore says, etadrsi tava krpa bhagavan mamapi durdaivam idrsam ihajani nanuragah: "You are so merciful that in this age You have incarnated, You have descended in Your name." Namnam akari bahudha nija-sarva-saktih. And in the name there is all potencies. Parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate. There are multipotencies of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. All the potencies are there in the holy name of the Lord. Namnam akari bahudha nija-sarva-saktis tatrarpita niyamitah smarane na kalah. Desa-kala-patra. There is no distinction. Anywhere, either in England or in Vrndavana or in Calcutta, you can chant Hare Krsna. Niyamitah smarane. No kalakala-vicara, that "This is asuddha-kala, this is suddha-kala." Anytime. Kirtaniyah sada harih [Cc. adi 17.31]. You have to chant only Hare Krsna.

So this opportunity is there. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, etadrsi tava krpa: "My Lord, You have..., You are so kind, You have given us this chance." Durdaivam idrsam ihajani nanuragah. "But I am so unfortunate, I have no attraction for this chanting Hare Krsna." This is our position. So if you are serious about peace of mind, if you are serious about advancing in spiritual culture, spiritual life, then you must follow what is there in the sastra and spoken by Krsna Himself, spoken by Lord Caitanya Himself. Then life is successful.

Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.19 -- Calcutta, September 27, 1974