Bound By So Many Knots

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.21
August 24, 1972, Los Angeles



Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

bhidyate hrdaya-granthis
chidyante sarva-samsayah
ksiyante casya karmani
drsta evatmanisvare

Translation: "Thus the knots of the heart and all misgivings are cut to pieces. The chain of fruitive actions, or karma, is terminated when one sees the self as master."

Prabhupada: So bhidyate means cut into pieces. What is that? Knot. Hrdaya-granthi. Hrdaya means heart, and granthi means knot. So our everyone's heart is knot. What is that knot? The knot is sex. Pumsah striya mithuni-bhavam etam. This is knot. The material enjoyment begins There is, everyone's heart, man, woman... Man wants to have woman; woman wants to have man. This is searching after. And some way or other, if they unite, the knot becomes tied up, very strong. That is called knot. Then as soon as the knot is there, then house, then land, then grha-ksetra-suta, children. Then friends, then money. In this way, one after another, one after another, we become knotted in so many things. This is called knot. Hrdaya-granthi, one after the other. Just like, to make it tight, you give one knot, again a knot, another knot, another knot, another knot, to make it secure. So this is our position. This material world, we are knotted in so many ways, and we are creating more knot. In this life... (tapping sound in background) Who is making that sound? Oh...

So we have to cut down this knot. We are bound up in this material life by so many knots. So the process of cutting down, we have begun: yad anudhyasina. What is that verse? Yad anudhyasina, yes.

yad anudhyasina yuktah
karma-granthi-nibandhanam
chindanti kovidas tasya
ko na kuryat katha-ratim

The fifteenth verse, we began, yad anudhyasina. These knots are there. The whole world is working so hard on account of being knotted in so many ways. But this Krsna consciousness, if you take this sword, and carefully work, then all these knots will be cut off. You will become free. The living entity, soul, is bound up the subtle body and gross body on account of these knots, attachment. And different attachment. And Krsna is giving us facilities as we want. If you want a human body, you get it. If you want animal body, you get it. If you want tiger's body, you get it. You want Brahma's body, demigod's body, you get it. That is going on. Prakrteh kriyamanani. You are, God is within you, and you are hankering after something, God is noting down: "All right." Even if you forget, He'll give you. "You wanted this facility. Now here it is. You can take." Krsna is so kind.

We are being harassed by getting these different types of body and engagement according to the body. That we can understand. We are not happy. One after another. Because our main business is sense gratification. So we cannot enjoy all these senses fully in one kind of body. There is some defect. Just like we are trying to gratify our senses by flying to another planet, moon planet. This is another sense gratification. We are meant for this planet. We are bound up by conditions. Artificially we are trying to go there. And making plans, so many plans: "There will be intermediate station, and the petrol will be carried from here," and this and that. So many things. Simply spending money. Just like childish. The child, they spoil their time and energy in certain playing. Similarly, this is going on. Because it is a sense gratification. That's all. Simply mere sense gratification: "Let us go, how it is, moon planet." You have no business there. You cannot do there anything. You cannot live there, but still, "Let us go, let us go. And spend all the money, taxpayers' money, spend like water." This is going on.

So if you actually want to go to moon planet, there is clear process:

yanti deva-vrata devan
pitrn yanti pitr-vratah
bhutani yanti bhutejya
yanti mad-yajino 'pi mam
[Bg. 9.25]

That Easy Journey... Long time ago, I think sometimes in 1960, so one gentleman met me: "Sir, your book, Easy Journey... So we shall go there?" "Yes, we shall go." "And again I shall come back?" "No, no coming back." So "Then what it is?" That means he want to sense gratification. He wants to go to moon planet or to any planet, come back, and become boast amongst his friends, "You see, I have gone there." (laughter) That is his business. Actually, he doesn't want to go there, neither he has got power to go, but he wants to satisfy his senses that "I shall go there and come back and show my chest very swollen, that ‘I have gone to the moon planet.' " Eh? That one aeronautics, he first went with that, what is called, capsule? And he was greeted all over the world. He went to India also. Our rascal leaders, they also greeted him. Kruschev and others. What? "He has gone round." And it was published in the... When he was rounding, then he was seeing, trying to see, "Where is my Russia? Where is my Moscow?" So the attraction is here, in Moscow.

Just like there is a proverb. The vulture goes very high, three miles, four miles high. It is very difficult for us to fly, single-handed. But the aim is, "Where is a dead body?" He's looking forward, "Where is a dead body?" The aim is, not very good. He's looking after some dead corpse to eat. That is his business. But he has gone very high, four miles high. Similarly, all these so-called rascal scientists, their aim is how to stuck-up in this knot of material existence, and they are trying to become so many things. You see? Hrdaya-granthi. Real attachment is here. Just like the hog; the real attachment is the stool. But he's getting very fat, "Oh, I am so happy." You see? So this is going on. Nature is very clever. Just to make you attached to stool, she gives you certain body, type of body, hog. You become very pleased: "Oh, I am so happy. I am living in heaven." Sometimes actually Indra, the king of heaven, he was cursed to become a hog, and he was, he became hog. He had so many kiddies, wife, and living in filthy place, eating stool. So Brahma came that for his absence, the management in the heavenly kingdom is not going nice. So he came: "Indra, now please come with me." "Where shall I go to, sir?" "Heaven." "What is that? I cannot go. I have got responsibility. I have got my wife, my children, and I am happy here. I do not know what is heaven."

So this is the attachment. Even if you say... Just like what we are, we are doing? We are canvassing, "Please come with us, go, let us go." Just like Bhaktivinoda Thakura says, radha-krsna bolo, sange calo, ei-matra bhikha cai. So Bhaktivinoda Thakura says that "Kindly chant ‘Radha and Krsna' and come with me. We are going back to home, back to Godhead." Nobody is interested. "What is this ‘Radha-Krsna' nonsense? We are very happy here." Knot. Even if you describe, "Oh, here is Radha-Krsna. You see how nicely They're dressed and They enjoy. Just see dancing here." They're... They don't care for it. "Oh, we are very happy here. Why shall I go to Goloka Vrndavana?" "You will not be able to stay here." "Oh, that's all right. As long as I can stay, let me enjoy this stool." That's all. Attachment. This is called attachment. Attachment is so strong that even if you explain that "You will go back to home, back to Godhead. Your father is Krsna, all-powerful. You can enjoy there blissful life, eternal life," "No. It is better here."

So by Krsna consciousness movement, if people take to it seriously and become advanced... The same process, srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah [SB 1.2.17], simply hearing about Krsna, as we are doing. Then, gradually, we come to the platform of goodness, and the lower modes of material nature, namely ignorance and passion, cannot disturb us. We become situated in goodness. And then, gradually, this stage comes, evam prasanna-manaso bhagavad-bhakti yogatah [SB 1.2.20]. You become engladdened, you become joyful, by discharging devotional service. And the knots, you will be no more interested with this rascal life of material existence. Bhidyate hrdaya-granthih.

Just like if you are, just like Dhruva Maharaja. Dhruva Maharaja wanted the kingdom of his father, but actually when he saw Lord Visnu before him, he said, "Sir, I do not want anything." Svamin krtartho 'smi varam na yace. "My dear Lord, I have no more any aspiration of this kingdom or that kingdom, that kingdom." This position comes. It is just like that... You are hungry, but if you are given food, if, when your belly is filled up, you will automatically say, "No, no, I don't want any, anything more. That's all right." Krsna consciousness is like that. Actually, we don't want to eat. We have nothing to eat. I am spirit soul, you are spirit soul. It is our material hankering. In order to maintain this body, we require some material things to eat. Otherwise, as spiritual soul, I or you don't want to eat anything. There is nothing to be eaten. Therefore the eating propensities should be satisfied by eating Krsna's prasadam, so that you gradually become spiritualized and your eating propensities may be diminished. Just like the Gosvamis. Nidrahara-viharakadi-vijitau catyanta-dinau ca yau. Nidrahara. These are our necessities, sleeping, eating. Nidrahara and vihara, and sex enjoyment. Nidrahara-viharakadi-vijitau, conquered. Conquered. Because in spiritual life there is no need of eating, there is no need of sleeping. That is a different thing. So nidrahara-viharakadi-vijitau.

So this Krsna consciousness, as we have discussed, gradually will bring you to that stage where no more knot for the material attachment. Bhidyate, bhidyate hrdaya-granthis chidyante sarva-samsayah. Samsayah. Now everyone is... We are speaking that "You are not this body; you are soul..." The people cannot understand. They are in doubt, "Oh, how is it I am soul? I am this body." But as soon as you come perfectly in spiritual consciousness, or Krsna consciousness, the doubts will be over: "I am spirit soul, I am eternal servant of Krsna." Then that will be fixed up.

bhidyate hrdaya-granthis
chidyante sarva-samsayah
ksiyante casya karmani
drsta evatmanisvare

We are bound up by karma, by karma acting. In this life, I am acting in such a way so that I am preparing my next life. Again, next life, I shall act in such a way, I shall prepare my next life. In this way, one after another, one after another, one after another. But if we take to Krsna consciousness and if we simply act for Krsna, yajnarthat karmano 'nyatra loko 'yam karma-bandhanah [Bg. 3.9], simply if we act for Krsna, there will be no more karma-bandhana. Then one after another, that will be finished.

Karmani nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhajam [Bs. 5.54]. In the Brahma-samhita this is, that "Those who have taken to Krsna consciousness, their karma, their action of, resultant action of karma, is stopped." How it is stopped? Krsna gives you assurance in the Bhagavad-gita: aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami. "I shall give you protection from all kinds of resultant action of your sinful life. You just surrender to Me." Krsna can do everything. Just like king can give you, excuse you. Although by law you are condemned to death, but if you appeal to the supreme executive, the king or the president, if he likes, he can excuse you. Similarly, by nature's law we cannot be freed from the resultant action of our sinful life. That is not possible. But if Krsna desires, if Krsna is pleased upon you, He can excuse, He can excuse you. Chidyante sarva-samsayah, ksiyante casya karmani. How casya karmani? Drsta eva atmani isvare. Because, at that time, actually when you are Krsna conscious, we'll always see Krsna atmani, within mind, within heart. That very seeing is, what is called, immunity from all sinful activities. Then you become free, go back to home, back to Godhead.

Thank you. (devotees offer obeisances) Begin. [break] (initiation ceremony) Thank you. Your name is Rupa-narayana dasa. Rupa-narayana. Hare Krsna. (Prabhupada chants japa) So what are the rules and regulations?

Devotee: No meat, fish or eggs, no intoxicants, no gambling or mental speculation, and no illicit sex.

Prabhupada: So your name is Mayapura-candrodaya. That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's name. (japa)

Devotee: No meat, fish or eggs, no intoxicants, no gambling, and no illicit sex life.

Prabhupada: So your name is Nitai-gauracandra dasa. Hare Krsna. (japa)

Devotees: Jaya! [break]

Devotee: ...sex, eating of fish, meat or eggs, no intoxicants.

Prabhupada: So your name is Madana-mohana dasa. Hare Krsna. (japa)

Devotee: Richard.

Prabhupada: (japa) Hm. What are the rules?

Richard: No meat, fish, or eggs, no intoxications, no illicit sex, and no gambling.

Prabhupada: So your name is Radha-gopinatha dasa. (japa) What are the rules and regulations?

Devotee: No meat, fish, or eggs, no illicit sex life, no intoxicants, and no gambling.

Prabhupada: So you are Vrnda-devi dasi. Vrnda-devi? Yes. Vrnda-devi is another name of tulasi. (japa) So what are the rules?

Devotee: No illicit sex life, no intoxications, no gambling, no mental speculation, no intoxicants...

Prabhupada: Hm, what is the name?

Devotee: ...no meat-eating, meat, fish or eggs.

Prabhupada: So your name is Mathura-mohana dasa. Hare Krsna

Devotee: Thank you very much, Srila Prabhupada. (japa)

Prabhupada: ...rules? What are the rules?

Devotee: No illicit sex, no fish, meat or eggs, no intoxicants, no gambling.

Prabhupada: All right. Your name Ravindranatha (pause) dasa. (laughter)

Devotee: Mark Prabhu. No, Paula. (japa)

Prabhupada: What are the rules?

Devotee: No illicit sex, no meat, fish or eggs, no gambling and no..., intoxication.

Prabhupada: So your name is Paramahamsi-devi. (laughter) Don't laugh. Hare Krsna. (japa) (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.21 -- Los Angeles, August 24, 1972