"Great Devotee-Great Discipline"

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.5.24
Vrndavana, August 5, 1974

Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Nitai: "Although they were impartial by nature, those followers of the Vedanta blessed me with their causeless mercy. As far as I was concerned, I was self-controlled and had no attachment for sports even though I was a boy. In addition, I was not naughty and I did not speak more than required."

Prabhupada:

te mayy apetakhila-capale 'rbhake
dante 'dhrta-kridanake 'nuvartini
cakruh krpam yadyapi tulya-darsanah
susrusamane munayo 'lpa-bhasini

These are the qualifications how to receive favor of the devotee. He was, Narada Muni, in his previous birth, a boy servant. But boys are generally restless. But Narada Muni was not restless. Capale. What is given there? Proclivities. Generally, boys are attached to so many different types of playful things. This also becomes possible by association. Just like you are all young men, you have got so many desires, naturally, especially in the Western countries. But you have voluntarily given up not to go to the restaurant, not to go to the club or theater or cinema. These are good qualifications.

So he was a boy, but he gave up all these things. Arbhaka. Arbhaka means not experienced very well. Or almost foolish, ignorant, they are called arbhaka. So although he was a child, he was a boy, but by the association of exalted devotees he also became very sober. Sober. Susrusamane munayah alpa-bhasini. And he was not talking very much. Too much talking unnecessarily is against spiritual advancement of life. Therefore, sometimes those who are very, very talkative, they are ordered by their spiritual master that "You keep silence." Mauni. Mauni-baba. Somebody, they practice to become always silent. You'll find some of the sadhus, the mendicants, they also keep silence. But they sometimes make this, that, this... And way (?) "onnnnh." That is not good. Silence means don't talk nonsense. Whenever you speak, you speak about Krsna. That is real silence. The... "Make a vow that ‘I shall not speak anything except topics of Krsna.' " That is real silence. Not that to become silent. To become silent... Mind will work. Better chant Hare Krsna and hear. There is no question of becoming silent.

There is a verse about Ambarisa Maharaja, sa vai manah krsna-padaravindayor vacamsi vaikuntha-gunanuvarnane. Manah krsna-padaravindayoh. If you fix up your mind on Krsna, naturally these things will be controlled. First of all our mind must be fixed up on the lotus feet of Krsna. Always chant Hare Krsna, and... Chant and hear. Naturally, with the chanting of the holy name of Krsna, you will memorize the form of Krsna, the lotus feet of Krsna. In this way if we fix our mind always on the lotus feet of Krsna, naturally these good qualities will come. Yasyasti bhaktir bhagavaty akincana sarvair gunais tatra samasate surah. Bhakti. Unless you have got bhakti... Man-mana bhava mad-bhaktah. Who can fix up his mind on the lotus feet of Krsna unless he's a bhakta? Man-mana bhava mad-bhaktah.

So these are the primary qualification. And alpa-bhasini. Alpa-bhasini. Munayah alpa-bhasini susrusamane. At the same time, service must be there. And simply, "I'm chanting, but no, I'm not giving service..." That may be possible for Haridasa Thakura. He was simply chanting 300,000 times. That was possible by Haridasa Thakura. But if we imitate Haridasa Thakura, that "I shall chant only," that is not chanting. You'll sleep only. That's all. That is not possible. It is possible only for the liberated person. Therefore we should not imitate. Our Guru Maharaja has condemned this. Mana tumi kisera vaisnava, pratisthara tare nirjanera ghare, tava hari-nama kevala kaitava. In Vrndavana you'll find there are so many, they imitate. In a secluded place they are chanting, but they cannot give up even smoking bidi. You see? So this kind of imitation has no value. Therefore susrusamane. Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva sphuraty adah. You must give service to the spiritual master. Spiritual master does not accept any service for his personal benefit, but for Krsna's benefit. So this is required, susrusamane. Dante 'dhrta-kridanake anuvartini. Following the principles. Whatever the sages order, "Boy...," immediately. Susrusamane. Immediately he carried out. Anuvartini. These are the qualifications.

Cakruh krpam. Then... Cakruh means "did," krpam, "mercy." Naturally... If anyone follows without any hesitation whatever the spiritual master says, naturally he becomes kind. Anyone will become kind. Why the spiritual master? Spiritual master is pledged to become kind, but anyone, if you follow, if you obey, then he becomes merciful: "This boy is very nice. He obeys orders. He serves very nicely." That is required. Cakruh krpam yadyapi tulya-darsanah. Tulya-darsanah. Because saintly persons, they have no discrimination that "This man should be shown special favor." They have no such discrimination. They are merciful to everyone. Sama-darsinah. Panditah sama-darsinah [Bg. 5.18]. So... But still, although they are equal to everyone, still, one who is very much inclined to render service, especially inclined. Therefore it is said, yadyapi tulya-darsanah. It is not that saintly person is partial, showing somebody special favor and somebody no favor. No. They are open to everyone. Just like Krsna, He's open to everyone. Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. It is not it is meant for only Arjuna. He's open to everyone. Just like sunlight. Sunlight is open to everyone. Everyone can enjoy sunlight. But if you keep your doors closed voluntarily, then what sun will do? Sun is tulya-darsanah.

There is a verse of Canakya Pandita, na hi harate jyotsnam candras candala-vesmani. Candala. Candala means the low caste, lower than the sudras. The meat-eaters. Meat-eaters, in India they are called candala. So especially pig, pig-eater. Still you'll find in villages, the sweeper class, they capture one pig. They maintain the pigs. They sell as well as they eat. So the living pig they burn into fire. Still, publicly. And it cries like anything, but they are allowed. Publicly they do that. So candala-vesmani. That is very polluted, sinful place, but that does not mean that the moonlight is refused there. Moonlight is not refused. Because it is the house of a candala, therefore moon does not consider that he should be refused, or sunlight is refused there. No. Sunlight is equally distributed. Na hi harate jyotsnam candras candala-vesmani. Candra means the moon. Similarly, all devotees, or Krsna, He's not reluctant. Either devotee, Krsna's devotee, or Krsna is reluctant to bestow the mercy to anyone. Tulya... That is called tulya-darsanah. The mercy is open for everyone.

But still, if one is inclined to give service, susrusamane, special... That is not, I mean to say, partiality. That is natural. Just like one man has got his own son and there are others' sons, others' children also, playing together. If there is danger the man goes first of all to save his own son. You cannot say, "Oh, you are so partial." No, that is not partial. That is natural. That is natural. Nobody will criticize, that "You did not save others' son; you simply took care of your own son." That is natural. Krsna also says, samo 'ham sarva-bhutesu na me dvesyo 'sti na priyah. That's a fact. How Krsna the Supreme Personality of Godhead can be enemy of somebody and friend of somebody? That is not possible. Na me dvesyo 'sti na priyah. "Nobody is My especially favorite, and nobody is My enemy." But, ye tu bhajanti mam pritya: "But a person who has taken devotional service and with love and faith is engaged in devotional service, I am especially inclined to him."

Just like government. Government is not anyone's enemy or anyone's friend, but if anyone gives special service to the government, he is recognized. He is given the title "Sir" or C.I.E.,(?) or something like that. These things are natural. This is not partiality. It is not that if government offers anyone special recognition for his service, that is not partiality. Similarly, when Narada Muni in his previous birth was very sincerely, obediently engaged in the service of the saintly persons, they cakruh krpam, special favor. Unless there was special favor, how immediately after that birth he could become Narada Muni? Special favor. Everyone is engaged, but this is the special favor. There are many instances like that. But that we should not take, that this special favor is partiality. No. Therefore this word is used, tulya-darsanah.

So if we acquire these qualities... Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva sphuraty adah. The main basic principle is susrusamane, susrusa, service. So service is very important thing. So susrusamane munayo 'lpa-bhasini, very grave. One should be very grave and refrain from unnecessary engagement. These things are possible when we detach ourself from the so-called material engagements. That is illicit sex, meat-eating, and intoxication, and gambling. These are unnecessary things. There is no need of these things, but we are accustomed. We have become accustomed to, on account of bad association. So we should refrain from all these things. This is called dante. What is the meaning of dante? Given here?

Devotee: "Having controlled the senses."

Prabhupada: Having controlled the senses. This is dante. We have to control these things, then the special favor will be there. (reading purport) "In the Bhagavad-gita the Lord says ‘All the Vedas are searching after Me.' Lord Sri Caitanya says that in the Vedas the subject matters are only three, namely to establish the relation of the living entities with the Personality of Godhead, perform the relative duties in devotional service, and thus achieve the ultimate goal, back to Godhead. As such, vedanta-vadis..." They have been described veda-vadin, veda-vadini, in the previous verse. "Vedanta-vadis, or the followers of the Vedanta, indicates the pure devotees of the Personality of Godhead." That is vedanta-vadi, veda-vadi. Veda-vadi means actually one who knows what is the objective of Vedas, they take to Krsna consciousness. And when Caitanya Mahaprabhu discussed Vedanta philosophy with Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, he said that in the Vedanta or Vedas there are three things only: sambandha, abhidheya and prayojana. He de... All sastras. In the Bhagavad-gita also the same three things are there: sambandha, abhidheya and prayojana.

Sambandha means "First of all, what is my relationship with God." That is called sambandha. Just like first of all a boy or a girl is to be married. So... That is the Vedic system. The father, mother, selects. That is called sambandha. When they fixed up that "This boy will be married with that girl," that is called sambandha. So relationship. Then when the sambandha is established by marriage, when the boy or girl is married, then the sambandha is done. "Now... Now the boy and the girl may remain separately in their respective homes." No. That is abhidheya. Abhidheya. When they are united by the marriage there must be dealings between them. That is called abhidheya. Abhidheya. Abhidheya means not that "Our now marriage ceremony, relationship is established. Now you Mr. such and such, you go home, I go home." No. There must be actual activities. The wife should take care of serving the husband, and the husband should take care of the wife. Then the relationship... Why this relationship? Why these are activities? Now, there is prayojana.

What is that prayojana? To get son. Marriage means to get son. That is prayojana. Putrayate kriyate bharyah. Bharya means wife. One has to accept a bharya, a wife, why? Putrayate. For the matter of getting a son. Why? Why there is necessity of getting a son? Putra-pinda-prayojanam. This is Vedic civilization. Putra. Putra means Pun-namno narakad yasmat trayate iti putra. Pu-tra. Pu means pun-namno narakat. There is a hell which is called put. So from that hellish condition, one who delivers, trayate iti tra, therefore he is called putra. This is... Every Sanskrit word has got meaning, root meaning. Putra. Putra-pinda-prayojanam. Putra is required. Why? After death, if by chance the father does not get ordinary life or goes to the hellish condition of life, the son will deliver. Therefore sraddha ceremony. There is sraddha... What is that sraddha ceremony? Sraddha ceremony means to offer foodstuff to Visnu, and with the prasadam, to the forefathers or father it is offered so that by eating prasadam, if he is in ghost life or in hellish life, he'll be delivered. This is called sraddha.

So it is the duty of the son, sraddha ceremony. And Advaita, Advaitacarya, He was also performing the sraddha ceremony, and He offered the prasadam, the remnants of foodstuff, to Haridasa Thakura. Haridasa Thakura. Haridasa Thakura was in Santipura, and he was chanting Hare Krsna mantra day and night, and when he was to take some prasadam he used to come to Advaitacarya's place and take prasadam there. So one day Haridasa Thakura asked Advaitacarya that "Why You are giving me prasadam?" Means he presented himself that "I am coming from Muhammadan family, but why You take so much care upon me? You are giving me prasadam, You are taking so much care, You are making a cottage for me. Why? You are one of the leaders of the brahmanas in Santipura, all very exalted learned brahmanas, and if You are taking so much care upon me, then they may criticize You, blaspheme You. So I think You should not do this. I don't want that You may be criticized, or I may be criticized."

So Advaitacarya said, "No, no, no. I'm not doing anything against the sastras, so nobody can criticize. I'm doing nothing against the sastra." So in the sastras... Jiva Gosvami also has given quotation from the sastra that it doesn't matter from which family a person is coming, but if he's a pure devotee, he should be taken all care, and he should be offered charity, he should be offered prasadam. All care should be taken for him. There is sastra indication. So Advaitacarya said that "I am doing the right thing. And by feeding you I am feeding daily many millions of brahmanas by feeding you. By feeding you." These are statement in the Caitanya-caritamrta. So this offering prasadam, the putra, a right putra is meant for offering prasadam to Visnu so that his forefather and father may be delivered. That is the system of putra.

So (reading), "Such vedanta-vadis or the bhaktivedantas are impartial in distributing..." This Bhaktivedanta title was given on this vedanta-vadi because in our society there was no Vedanta. So some of the Vaisnavas selected me to get this title Bhaktivedanta. Vedanta means bhakti, understanding bhakti. Because vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah [Bg. 15.15]. So who can understand Krsna unless he has bhakti? So this is the bhaktivedanta. So (reading) "Vedanta-vadi or the bhaktivedantas are impartial in distributing the transcendental knowledge or devotional service. To them no one is enemy or friend, no one is educated or uneducated, no one is specially favorable, and no one is unfavorable. The bhaktivedantas see the people in general are wasting time in false sensuous things. Their business is to get the ignorant mass of people to reestablish the lost relationship with the prayojana, lost relationship with the Personality of Godhead. By such endeavor even the most forgotten soul is roused up to the sense of spiritual life, and thus being initiated by the bhaktivedantas the people in general gradually progress on the path of transcendental realization. So the vedanta-vadis initiated the boy even before he became self-controlled and was detached from the childish sporting, etc. But before the initiation, he (the boy) became more and more advanced in discipline, which is very essential for one who wishes to make progress in the line. In the system of varnasrama-dharma, which is the beginning of actual life, small boys, five years of age, are sent to become brahmacari at the guru's asrama just to learn discipline."

So unless one is disciplined... This is the only qualification, that Narada Muni was disciplined. So much disciplined that he's a small boy, still, he would not talk anything nonsense. He was so disciplined. So the more we become disciplined... As it is stated in the sastras, utsahad dhairyat niscayat tat-tat-karma-pravartanat. These are disciplines. The more we become advanced... And naturally we get the mercy of the spiritual master and Krsna. Through the mercy of spiritual... Guru-krsna-krpa. There must be mercy both of them, guru and Krsna. Without guru's krpa, one cannot reach Krsna, and without Krsna's krpa, one cannot get a bona fide spiritual master. This is correlative terms. So we should follow the disciplinary methods sincerely under the guidance of spiritual master. Then it will be very, very easy to go back to home, back to Godhead. Narada Muni. Narada Muni, next life became... Narada means he went back to home, back to Godhead. He was promoted in the Vaikunthaloka. Then in the next creation, to distribute this bhakti-marga, he took birth as the son of Brahmaji, and his business was to convert only all others to devotional life. You'll find Narada Muni's name in connection with Valmiki, in connection with Prahlada Maharaja. Long, long ago. And still, we are also following Narada Muni's path, Narada-pancaratra. Our method is Narada-pancaratra.

So Narada Muni is the original spiritual master of Vyasadeva, and from Vyasadeva our disciplic succession is coming. Therefore guru is representative of Vyasadeva. On his birthday the ceremony is offered as Vyasa-puja. This is the disciplic succession. So we should try to follow Narada Muni. Mahajano yena gatah sa panthah. There are twelve mahajanas, great authorities, of whom, out of the twelve, Narada Muni is one of them. Svayambhur naradah sambhuh [SB 6.3.20]. Svayambhur naradah sambhuh, yes. Is not that the verse? Svayambhur naradah sambhuh kapilah kumaro manuh. So Narada's name is there, the, one of the mahajanas. So Narada Muni is mahajana, and he became mahajana on account of his austerity and following the principles. So anyone who follows Narada, he also becomes mahajana. This is the disciplic succession.

Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.5.24 -- Vrndavana, August 5, 1975