"See Whether Your Life Is Perfect"

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.5.32
August 13, 1974, Vrndavana

Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Pradyumna: Translation: "O Brahmana Vyasadeva, it is decided by the learned that the best remedial measure for removing all troubles and miseries is to dedicate one's activities to the service of the Supreme Lord Personality of Godhead [Sri Krsna]."

Prabhupada:

etat samsucitam brahmams
tapa-traya-cikitsitam
yad isvare bhagavati
karma brahmani bhavitam

Now, in the last verse Narada Muni says, yena gacchanti tat-padam: "by which one can go back to home, back to Godhead, tat-padam." Padam means abode or position. Position. That is, after liberation, one can get the spiritual position.

Sayujya, sarupya, salokya, sarsti, samipya. There are different types of position, although they are all spiritual. The one is the sayujya-mukti, or to become one with the Supreme, merge into the Supreme. This is one position. Another position: sarupya, the same feature of the body. Just like Narayana, four-handed. In the Vaikuntha planets, the inhabitants, the citizens, they have got four hands. When Ajamila was delivered by the Visnudutas, they appeared exactly looking like Visnu. That is described. That is called sarupya. Sarupya, sarsti, same opulence. Or samipya, always near, associate. There are five kinds of... Gacchanti tat-padam. But out of the five, the first one, namely to merge into the existence of the Supreme, that is very dangerous, not safe.

Therefore Vaisnava never accepts sayujya-mukti, to become one with the Supreme. Because Vaisnava knows that impersonal advancement is risky. They know it perfectly. Therefore a Vaisnava never... Vaisnava is not anxious for any kind of mukti. Diyamanam na grhnanti. They don't want... Especially Gaudiya Vaisnavas, they don't want mukti. They are happy wherever they are existing. If they get the chance of chanting Hare Krsna mantra, that is perfection of life. They don't want anything more. Just like Haridasa Thakura. We should not imitate, but the position is like that. Just like Prahlada Maharaja. He was not at all afraid of this material world. He was very cautious. A spiritualist, a devotee, a Krsna conscious person, should be very cautious. But not afraid to meet any dangerous position. But must be cautious. Cautious in this way, that he may not fall down again under the clutches of maya. This should be, care should be taken.

If we fix up our mind... Mam eva ye prapadyante. If we fix up our saranagati, surrender to the Supreme, then there is no question of falling down. Mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam taranti te [Bg. 7.14]. Just like Haridasa Thakura was tested once by Maya, and in another time he was tested by a prostitute to allure him... He was young man. Haridasa Thakura was very beautiful young man. So under diplomacy of Ramacandra Khan he was to be entrapped. You know the story. That is stated in the Caitanya-caritamrta. But Haridasa Thakura was not entrapped, because he was strong, strong enough. Mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam taranti. Maya could not do anything. Although Maya came there at dead of night, very beautiful, attractive dress, attractive feature, attractive words -- this is maya -- so he was not allured. The... Rather, the vesya, or the prostitute, became converted into a Vaisnavi.

That is the resultant action. If one is polluted, if he comes in contact with Krsna, or Krsna's pure devotee, he or she will be purified. Krsna is never allured, neither Krsna is become a victim of anything material. Krsna's position is different. That is stated in the Isopanisad. Apapa-viddham. Krsna is never afflicted by any kind of contamination. He is purnah suddho nitya-muktah. Similarly, those who are advanced devotees, they are not allured. But the result is that one who comes to allure a devotee or one who comes to allure Krsna, he or she becomes purified. He or she. Kamat krodhad bhayat. Some way or other, if one comes in contact with Krsna, then he becomes purified. Tejiyasam na dosaya. Apparently, it appears that Krsna is dancing with the young girls at dead of night. But it is not that Krsna is contaminated. They become purified. On the... Actually, they are eternal associates of Krsna, the gopis. They are not ordinary women. There are all description in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. They were dancing in their spiritual body, not in the material body. They were dancing in their spiritual body. Their material body was lying down with their husband. These are, these descriptions are there in the Bhagavatam. So gopis' lila is not material. So there was no question of contamination. But materially this kind of activities, to dance at dead of night with young girl, that is not permitted. With other's wife. You can dance with your own wife, but you cannot do that. That is sinful.

So the real business is, as Narada Muni says, mayanubhavam, anubhavam avidam. One should know what is maya. Yena, after complete knowledge of maya and Krsna, yena gacchanti tat-padam, then one is promoted to the spiritual world. But the promotion... I have already described, there are five kinds of promotion, elevation. Out of that, the one promotion, namely to merge into the existence of the Supreme, that is very dangerous. Dangerous means that is risk of falling down. Because it is not possible to merge into the personal body of Krsna. Or you can take the bodily effulgence or the rays of the body. Everything is absolute. (aside:) Who is talking? So merge into the Brahman effulgence, that is also Krsna's bodily rays. Yasya prabha [Bs. 5.40]. So we are a small particle. So we, we merge into the Brahman effulgence. Brahman effulgence means collection of so many Brahmans together. That is Brahman effulgence. Unlimited number. Anantyaya kalpate. We are a small particle. Kesagra-sata-bhagasya satadha kalpitasya ca [Cc. Madya 19.140]. One ten-thousandth part, a small particle. Just like the sunshine, it is a combination of bright molecules of sunshine. Is not that?

Svarupa Damodara: Yes, they are called photons.

Prabhupada: Protons?

Svarupa Damodara: No, photons.

Prabhupada: Photons. We have got name. But this is al... We know. Kana, kana, a small particle. So when they are put together, it appears homogeneous. But they are not homogeneous. They keep their individuality. They keep their individuality.

So that is eternal. That's a fact. But we are not only eternal... Krsna is sac-cid-ananda-vigraha [Bs. 5.1], and His bodily effulgence, that is only eternal part. Sat means eternal, cit means knowledge, and ananda. So these three things are required. Simply eternity is not good. There must be knowledge and ananda. So this monist theory, Advaitavada, eternity, that may be achieved. Aruhya krcchrena, by severe penances and austerities, they can be attained. But patanty adhah anadrta-yusmad-anghrayah. That is the statement of Bhagavata. They again fall down. Why? Anadrta-yusmad-anghrayah. They could not get the information of the shelter of Krsna, lotus feet of Krsna. Without taking shelter of Krsna, they fall down again. Patanty adhah. Again.

We have explained many times. There are many Mayavadis, they merge, they give up this world, but again fall down, in so many ways. We have several times explained. So that is not very safe. (howling sound in background) What is that?

Devotee: Some dog.

Prabhupada: Dog friend? Hm. So Narada Muni, by the grace of the mahatmas, he could understand that this material position is very dangerous, and... Dangerous means duhkhalayam, always miserable condition. But one cannot understand. Unless he's Krsna conscious, he cannot understand what is the miserable condition of this material world. He cannot understand. This is maya. He's suffering, but he's thinking, "I am happy." This is called maya.

So when one becomes Krsna conscious by the grace of the Supreme Personality, guru-krsna, by the grace of guru and Krsna, then he understands that this place, this material world, is full of miseries. Then brahma-jijnasa. But foolishly people do not understand that it is a miserable condition. Sanatana Gosvami, he was minister. By contact with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu he could understand that "Although I am minister, although I am holding very high, exalted position, I am learned scholar in Sanskrit, Urdu, Parsi, but I am not happy." Therefore he approached Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Ke ami kene amaya jare tapa... He understands that "I am in the suffering." Suffering, everyone can understand. Why you are moving the fan? I am in suffering. But foolish people cannot understand. They think that I am enjoying. (laughter) Just see the example. Why I am moving the fan? Because I am suffering. Every step. Padam padam yad vipadam. Every step danger, every step suffering.

But on being illusioned, moha... It is called moha. Janasya moho 'yam aham mameti [SB 5.5.8]. "I am this. I am brahmana." "I am ksatriya. I am American." Aham. False identification. "I am very strong, beautiful." "I am very ugly." "I am poor." "I am rich." Janasya moho 'yam aham mameti [SB 5.5.8]. But you are none of these. You are simply servant of Krsna. Jivera svarupa haya nitya-krsna-dasa [Cc. Madhya 20.108-109]. This is happiness. Otherwise, in whichever way you identify... When they fail to identify with all this nonsense, then "I am God. I am Narayana." This will not help. When one will understand that "I am servant, eternal servant of Krsna..." This question was put by Sanatana Gosvami: ke ami kene amaya jare tapa-traya.

But foolish people, they do not understand what is tapa-traya, although we are suffering, everyone. This is tapa-traya. Just like we are feeling very warm. This is one of the traya. It is called adhidaivika. You cannot check it. Similarly, when you will feel severe cold, you will wrap, you'll go to the fireplace. That is another suffering. So either in warmth or in, I mean to say, winter, you are suffering. Everyone is suffering. Suffering is there. Even when we are within the womb of the mother there is suffering. For ten months, packed-up condition. That is suffering. Then come out from the womb of the mother -- suffering. In the womb also there is suffering. Not only packed-up, but there are worms with the stool and urine of the mother, and they find very delicate skin. They enjoy by cutting him. The worms enjoy. Naturally, he's... He cannot move. Therefore at the seventh month, when he's little conscious, he feels, "How can I get out of...? Krsna, save me." If one is little pious, he prays to Krsna, "Krsna, this time save me. Now I shall begin worshiping You so that get out of this entanglement of birth and death, birth and death." He becomes conscious.

But as soon as he comes out, then, maya is there. Maya is there, and there is father, there is mother, nice child. Now the child thinks, "I am very happy. I have got such a nice father. Nice father, nice mother. And other friends, they are taking..." This, these are described by Bhaktivinoda Thakura in a song. What is that song? Who can say? Janama haila...?

Indian devotee: (indistinct)

Prabhupada: No, no, that after...

Indian devotee: (indistinct)

Prabhupada: Ah! So in this way maya is always entrapping him. We are always suffering three kinds of suffering -- adhyatmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika -- and we think, "Now we are very happy. Now we have got this electric fan, or air-conditioned room. So Yamaraja will not be able to enter, and I am secure. I have got good bank balance and good wife, good children..." No, no, no. This is illusion. Na sadhu manye yata atmano 'yam asann api klesada asa dehah [SB 5.5.4]. So long you will possess this material body, so you'll have to suffer. That is described here, tapa-traya. Tapa means miseries, and traya means three. So cikitsitam. A sane man, when he's suffering, he goes to the doctor, physician: "Sir, I am suffering from disease. Give me some medicine." So he takes medicine. That is sane man. And insane man, he does not go to the physician for treatment. He thinks, "This is natural. What is that?" This is the difference between foolish man and sane man.

The Vedas, therefore, instruct that tad-vijnanartham sa gurum eva abhigacchet [MU 1.2.12]. One who is actually human being... Just like Sanatana Gosvami. Sanatana Gosvami, even up to the position of his ministership, he was not on the standard of human being. When he approached Caitanya Mahaprabhu and submitted, "Sir, I have come to You to know what I am, why I am suffering in this threefold miserable condition of life," that is human life. That is the beginning. Before that, it is animal life. Athato brahma jijnasa. When one is inquisitive about himself, aham brahmasmi, "Why I am suffering?"... Ke ami kene amaya jare tapa-traya.

So that realization is here. Therefore Narada Muni says, tapa-traya-cikitsitam. Cikitsitam means treatment. By the grace of guru, he could understand that "I am in this condition, material condition, means suffering from threefold types of miseries, and I am uselessly wasting time for material comforts, for economic development." Srama eva hi kevalam. "Even I act as a perfect brahmana or as a perfect ksatriya or a perfect vaisya or sudra, still, I am wasting time. Still, I am wasting time." How? That is confirmed in the Srimad-Bhagavatam:

dharmah svanusthitah pumsam
visvaksena-kathasu yah
notpadayed yadi ratim
srama eva hi kevalam
[SB 1.2.8]

Dharma... Dharma means own dharma, brahmana's dharma, ksatriya's dharma, vaisya's dharma. There are different occupational duties. Do it. But side by side, you should test "Whether I am going to be perfect?" That is required.

That perfection, how it is made perfect? That is stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Sa... What is that? Samsiddhir hari-tosanam [SB 1.2.13]. What is that verse? Dvija-srestha varnasrama-vibhagasah, svanusthitasya dharmasya samsiddhir hari-tosanam [SB 1.2.13]. Svanusthitasya... Atah pumbhir dvija-sresthah. This is the word by Sukadeva Gosva..., Suta Gosvami. "You are all learned brahmanas..." Dvija-sresthah. Dvija means brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya. But sresthah means brahmanas. They have got... Brahmanas, they are interested for spiritual advancement of life. Ksatriyas are not so much interested, neither the vaisyas, and what to speak of the sudras. And in the Kali-yuga almost everyone is a sudra. It is very difficult to find... So how they can be interested? Therefore training should be given how to become brahmana. Then he'll be interested. Otherwise, nobody is interested.

Therefore it is addressed, atah pumbhir dvija-sresthah, "O the best of the dvijas, twice-born." Varnasrama-vibhagasah. There is division, varnasrama. Varna and asrama. Varna means brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, and asrama means brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha and sannyasa. So for the brahmana, one who is brahmana, for him, the four asramas are recommended. One... First of all he must become brahmacari, a brahmana, son of a brahmana. Then, when he's fully trained up, he should become a grhastha. Not should, but if he likes. Then... Otherwise, sometimes you will find naisthika-brahmacari. Never... Just like my Guru Maharaja was. He never married. Naisthika-brahmacari. So brahmacari, grhastha, then not to stuck up with the family affairs up to the end of death. No. At a certain stage, after fifty years, he must give up. That is called vanaprastha. And then, after being trained up in vanaprastha very nicely, he takes sannyasa. This is brahmana's..., four asrama. And for the ksatriya, up to vanaprastha. Up to vanaprastha. Just like Maharaja Yudhisthira and all the brothers, they left home, but the wife was there. That is called vanaprastha. They did not take sannyasa. Ksatriya. Up to vanaprastha. Vaisyas. No vanaprastha, no sannyasa. Up to grhastha. Brahmacari... Brahmacari is compulsory for the dvija. Because there is the training. And for the sudra there is no brahmacari. Only grhastha, married. Otherwise, life will be very irregular. So in this way varnasrama. So there are duties.

Therefore it is said, atah pumbhir dvija-srestha varnasrama-vibhagasah. So you may be staying in any asrama or any varna, it does not matter. But you should see whether your life is perfect. If you don't see... Otherwise, srama eva hi kevalam. If you don't see, "How my life is being perfected," then... Dharmah svanusthitah pumsam visvaksena-kathasu yah, notpadayet... [SB 1.2.8]. If he does not awaken his dormant Krsna consciousness, then srama eva hi kevalam. Simply. Simply waste of time. But if he develops Krsna consciousness and he learns how to serve Krsna, how to please Krsna, that is perfect. That he understood... Etat samsucitam brahmams tapa-traya-cikitsitam. This is the cikitsa, treatment, of tapa... If you want to get relief from this material condition of life, then you should learn how to please Krsna, how to satisfy Krsna. That is called bhakti. Without bhakti, you cannot be relieved. Jnana, karma, yoga will not get you released from this tapa-traya. And if you execute devotional service, then immediately, immediately you become free from this tapa-traya.

Susukham kartum avyayam. Krsna says. It is so nice. Devotional service is so nice that susukham kartum avyayam, it is very pleasing to transact. And avyayam. And whatever you do, that is your permanent asset. Susukham kartum avyayam. How it is susukham? Why we have been constructing this big temple? Just to give you happiness. What is that happiness? You take prasadam, nice prasadam. Don't take more, otherwise you'll sleep more. But as much as you require. Yavat artha, prayojanam. Chant Hare Krsna mantra, and go to, back to home, back to Godhead. Is it not susukham? Otherwise you'll have to work like an ass day and night simply for sex life. Yan maithunadi-grhamedhi-sukham hi tuccham [SB 7.9.45]. So sex life we also allow, but not illegitimate, not illicit. But that is not required. As you advance, you'll give it up. But so long you are not advanced, oh, there is... [break] ...according to regulation, even your grhastha does not have. But this chanting of Hare Krsna mantra, taking prasadam and work for Krsna... That is recommended here: karma brahmani bhavitam. Brahmani bhavitam. Only for satisfaction of Krsna, you work, chant Hare Krsna mantra, take prasadam. So bhakti-yoga... You un... Try to understand Krsna. Then? What will be the result? Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti kaunteya [Bg. 4.9]. Immediately.

So everyone should be alert to treat this miserable condition of material life, tapa-traya. Tapa-traya unmulanam. One has to uproot this tree of tapa-traya. That is perfection of life. Here Narada Muni realizing that tapa-traya-cikitsitam. Not unmulanam. Unmulanam means when we are liberated. That is unmulanam. But why... So long we are not liberated, the cikitsa. The cikitsa. In another place Pariksit Maharaja says, bhavausadhi. Bhavausadhi, the medicine for this disease of repetition of birth and death. So this Hare Krsna maha-mantra is the bhavausadhi. Some way or other you have got it, and you are chanting. Go on, continuously. Kirtaniyah sada harih [Cc. adi 17.31]. This is the easiest process of tapa-trayonmulanam or tapa-traya-cikitsitam, and that is required in human life. Don't forget this principle. Continue this principle. And even there is little inconvenience, don't give up the association of devotees. Because... Rupa Gosvami says... What is that?

utsahan niscayad dhairyat
tat-tat-karma-pravartanat
sanga-tyagat sato vrtteh
sadbhir bhaktih prasidhyati

Sadhu-sanga. Don't give up the company of devotees. Then it will be lost. We are opening so many centers because to cooperate between devotees and devotees. Even there is inconvenience, don't give up the company of the devotees. Even I am not devotee, with the company of the devotees, working with devotees, I become devotee. Association has got such power.

So our business is how to get out of this tapa-traya. That is first-class civilization. Otherwise hackneyed. Again and again, bhutva bhutva praliyate. That is not. Now, those who are thinking of worshiping other demigods, that is not recommended. That is not recommended because Krsna clearly says, kamais tais tair hrta-jnanah prapadyante 'nya-devatah [Bg. 7.20]. Even there are some inconveniences, Krsna is completely able to remove your inconvenience. Krsna assures, aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami. So we should stick to the position of devotional service, execute regularly the orders of the spiritual master and the sastra, and try to understand Krsna. And you can understand Krsna only by service. There is no other way. Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva sphuraty adah. If you want to see Krsna or want to understand Krsna, then it can be possible only by your service, nothing else.

So the best service, as recommended by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, is this preaching work. Yare dekha tare kaha krsna-katha, krsna-katha. Amara ajnaya guru hana tara' ei desa, yare dekha tare kaha krsna-upadesa [Cc. Madhya 7.128]. That's all. This is preaching. Doesn't require any good academic qualification. You have got your tongue. You chant Hare Krsna, and whomever you meet, you ask him, "You become a devotee of Krsna." That's all. In this way preach and live very nicely by eating krsna-prasada, chanting, dancing, and then get a life like Narada Muni. This is the formula.

Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.5.32 -- Vrndavana, August 13, 1974