Entering Krishna's Family

Entering Krishna's Family

Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.12.19
Dallas, March 3, 1975

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Nitai: "By penance only can one even approach the Personality of Godhead, who is within the heart of every living entity and at the same time beyond the reach of all senses."

Prabhupada:

tapasaiva param jyotir
bhagavantam adhoksajam
sarva-bhuta-guhavasam
anjasa vindate puman
 [SB 3.12.19]

From this verse we can understand the Absolute Truth is realized in three features: bhagavantam adhoksajam, jyoti, param jyoti, and sarva-bhuta-guhavasam. The first realization is jyoti, the next realization is sarva-bhuta-guhavasam, and the last, final, realization is bhagavantam adhoksajam. The example we have given many times, that the sun is there. The first realization is that we come in touch with the sunshine. That is very easy. Anyone can come in light of the sunshine. It is open to everyone. Then the another feature of the sunshine is the sun globe. That is not so easily available. You cannot go to the sun globe. According to the modern scientific conclusion, we can understand that the sun globe is away from us by 93,000,000's of miles, and still, we cannot tolerate the temperature. And what will be your position if you go to the sun globe? Before reaching sun globe even by some millions of... We are already apart 93,000,000 miles, and suppose when there is three million miles apart from ninety, then the temperatures is so high that we will be finished. We cannot approach the sun globe even, and what to speak of entering into the sun globe? That requires a different body. Of course, there are living entities in the sun globe, within the sun globe. And there is the predominating deity also, the president. You may call. There is a state. Just like you have got here, United State, there is state also. And there is also president, and the president's name is Vivasvan. Everything is there in the sastra. We read from Bhagavad-gita, Krsna said, "I spoke to Vivasvan, the president or the predominating deity in the sun globe." So this is all fact. It is not fiction. You are seeing the sun globe, and you are seeing that the sunshine is coming from the sun globe. So it is a globe; therefore there must be inhabitants. But their body is different. That is... Just like this earthly planet is made of earth or dirt -- that is made of fire. This is within these five elements: earth, water, fire, air, ether. So the mixture of these things are there also, but the fire element is there prominent. As here, in this earth, all the mixtures are there, but here the earthly element is prominent. So this is also one of the material worlds.

So there are different varieties of planets. That is God's creation. This is also God's creation, that is also God's creation, but I cannot go there. Land is God's creation, water is God's creation, but you cannot live in the water, and the fish cannot live on the land. Similarly, although there are millions and trillions of planets within this universe, you have to live in that particular planet where you are destined to live. That is condition. You cannot go to the sun planet or moon planet. Otherwise what is the meaning of conditioned life? Conditioned life means you are given opportunity to live on this planet, or the other living entities, they have been given opportunity to live in the sun planet. So they cannot come and live here, and we cannot go there and live there. This is called conditioned life. You must live under condition. You are not free. Otherwise they are attempting so much to go to the moon planet. But we are doubtful whether they are actually going. But no benefit has been derived by this excur... Simply you have spoiled your energy, time and money. That is..., means conditioned, that you cannot violate the conditions of the nature. That is not possible. But they are thinking they are free. They can do whatever they like. That is called ignorance, mudha, rascal. They are living under condition, but they are falsely thinking that "We are free." Is it not? Where is that freedom? Prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah [Bg. 3.27]. This rascal civilization do not admit this. They are so fool that they are conditioned in every step, and still they are thinking they are free. This is called illusion.

Therefore, to get that freedom, you have to work for it. Freedom does not come so automatically. Just like you are diseased. You are under the control of fever or some other painful condition, under some disease. So you have to undergo some penance. Just like you are suffering from some boil on the body. It is very painful. Then, in order to cure it, you have to undergo the surgical operation if you want to be cured. Therefore tapasa. That is tapasa. Tapa means painful condition, tapa. Just like temperature. If you are put into high temperature, 110 degree, then it is very intolerable for you. It is very painful. Even for us Indians -- we are born in India, tropical climate -- still, when the temperature is more than hundred, it becomes intolerable. And what to speak of you? You are born in a different temperature. Similarly, we cannot tolerate lower temperature. If it is below fifty degree, it is intolerable for us. So there are different climates, different temperature. And in Canada they tolerate forty degree less than zero. So it is a question of different condition of life. But we are conditioned: high grade temperature, less temperature, high grade cold. But we can we trained up to any kind of conditional life. That capacity we have got. There is a Bengali proverb, sarire na mahasaya ya sahabe taya saya,(?) means "This body is," means, "it can tolerate any condition, provided you practice it." It is not that, that you are under certain condition, and if you are changed, it becomes so intolerable that you cannot live. No. If you practice...

Just like nowadays nobody is going. Formerly they are going to the Himalayan mountain, and there is very cold. And the tapasya... There is practice, method: in high scorching heat the saintly person or sages, they will ignite fire all round. Already there is high temperature, and still they will get fire all round and go on, meditation. This is tapasya. These are the items of tapasya. There is scorching heat and they will arrange that. There is pinching, chilly cold, less than hundred degree, and they will go under water and put the body up to this and meditate. These are the items of tapasya. Tapasya. So for God realization formerly people used to undergo such severe type of penances, and at the present moment we are so fallen, we cannot tolerate these four principles? Is it very difficult? We are imposing some tapasya, that "Don't indulge in these things. No illicit sex, no intoxication, no meat-eating, no gambling." These are the items of tapasya for advancing in Krsna consciousness. So is it very difficult? It is not difficult. If one can practice, go within the water up to the neck in chilly pinching cold, is it more difficult to give up illicit sex and meat-eating and intoxication? We are not advising, "No sex." Illicit sex. So where is the difficulty? But the age is so fallen that even these primary tapasya we cannot execute. That is the difficulty.

But if you want to realize God, as it is said here, tapasaiva, only by tapasya, only by penance, one can realize. Otherwise not. Otherwise it is not possible. Therefore this word is used, tapasaiva. Tapasa eva: "only by tapasya." There is no other means. Tapasa eva param. Param means the Supreme. If you want to realize the Supreme, the Absolute, then you must agree to certain type of tapasya. Otherwise it is not possible. The preliminary little tapasya. Just like ekadasi. That is also item of the tapasya. Actually on the ekadasi days we shall not take any food, even drink water. But in our society we are not doing so much strictly. We say, "Ekadasi, you don't take food grains. Take little fruit, milk." This is tapasya. So we cannot execute this tapasya? So if we are not prepared to undertake even this very, very easily executable tapasya, then how we can expect go back to home, back to Godhead? No, that is not possible. Therefore here it is said, tapasaiva, tapasa eva. Eva means certainly. You have to. Now, executing this tapasya, penances, are you loser? You are not loser. Now, anyone who will come from outside, they will see in our society, our members, boys and girls. They say, "bright-faced." Do they not? They see distinction. One priest in plain cloth... I was going from Los Angeles to Hawaii. One priest, he came to me in the plane. So he asked my permission, "Can I talk with you?" "Yes, why not?" So his first question was that "I see your disciples very bright-faced. How it has been done?" He's sincere. So where is the loss? By undergoing, by denying all these things, sinful activities, we are not loser. We can live very simple life. We can sit down on the floor, we can lie down on the floor. We don't require much furniture, neither large amount of gorgeous dress. So tapasya required. If we want advancement in spiritual life, we must accept some sort of tapasya. In the Kali-yuga we cannot accept such severe type of tapasya as in the cold, we go underneath, under water, sometimes drowning or sometimes up to this, and then meditate or chant Hare Krsna. That is not possible. The minimum. So tapasya must be there.

So we should note it by this verse that some sort of tapasya must be done if we are serious about God realization. That is wanted. And then the first realization is jyoti, brahmajyoti. Generally, the Mayavadi transcendentalists, they think that this realization of brahmajyoti is all in all. The yogis, they think that realization of sarva-guhavasam, sarva-bhuta-guhavasam... Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese arjuna tisthati [Bg. 18.61]. God is there in everyone's heart. This is accepted in all sastra. In the Bhagavad-gita says, here also it is said, sarva-bhuta-guhavasam. Guha means the heart, core of heart. So He is there. So one feature is brahmajyoti; another feature is sarva-bhuta-guhavasam. The Lord is everywhere, not only your heart, my heart or any animal's heart, beast's heart, bird's heart, but He is also within the atom. Andantara-stha-paramanu-cayantara-stham [Bs. 5.35]. Paramanu means atom. Within the atom there is also. Sarva-bhuta-guha, within, avasa, He is living there. So this is one feature. This is called Paramatma feature, or Supersoul feature. As it is said in the Bhagavad-gita, ksetra-jnam capi mam viddhi sarva-ksetresu bharata: [Bg. 13.3] "I am also owner of this body, but I am distributed in everyone's heart." In another place, sarvasya caham hrdi sannivistah [Bg. 15.15]. So God is present everywhere. He is omnipotent, omnipresent. So in our temple He is already there, and still more manifest, He is present here as arca-vigraha, the form of the body by which He can accept our worship. He can accept. It is not that He is different from the original Krsna. No, He is Krsna, the same Krsna, goloka eva nivasati, who is living in Goloka Vrndavana, but akhilatma-bhutah [Bs. 5.37], He can present Himself in different forms for accepting service for realization.

So the arca-vigraha is also Krsna. Therefore, adhoksajam. Adhoksajam, adhah-krtam aksajam jnanam. Our knowledge is what we see. We can see stone. We can see metal. We can see other material elements, wood. So Krsna has appeared as we can see Him. Because we cannot see more than stone, wood, metal, therefore Krsna has appeared as stone statue. But He is not stone statue. That we have to understand. He is Krsna, but He is so kind that He has appeared before us as we can see Him. This is the philosophy, not that stone is Krsna. Stone is also Krsna in the ultimate sense because stone is the expansion of energy of Krsna, material energy. Bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh kham mano buddhir eva..., bhinna me prakrtir astadha [Bg. 7.4]. This is called philosophy of inconceivable one and different. The same example can be given: just like the sunshine. In the sunshine there is heat and temperature. [break] ...say the sunshine has come... (aside:) Why you are standing? If you stand... This side. "If the sunshine has entered my room, therefore sun has entered my room." This is Mayavadi philosophy. No. By the entrance of sunshine within your room, the sun has entered and has not entered. This is right philosophy. Acintya-bhedabheda. Acintya, simultaneously one and different. This is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's philosophy, acintya-bhedabheda. We cannot think, adjust, that how one thing can be the other thing. That we cannot experience due to our little fund of knowledge, poor fund of knowledge. But in case of Krsna, God, that is possible, simultaneously one and different. So here, if you think... To the atheist this form is made of stone, and they are thinking that "These crazy fellow, they are worshiping a stone." In that sense, Krsna is not there. If a crazy man breaks the statue, he does not break Krsna, but he breaks the stone. This is simultaneously one and different. For the devotee, He is Krsna. All the time He is Krsna. Because even if you take it as stone, stone is also Krsna because it is expansion of Krsna's energy. The same example: the sunshine is also sun. And Krsna is, being omnipotent, He can accept your service any way. Provided you want to render service, Krsna is ready to accept it.

Therefore our duty is that we should never think of this Deity as something made of stone or metal. We should always think, "Here is Krsna personally present." That is devotion. And we should worship Him like that. We should offer respect, that "Here is Krsna. We cannot do anything wrong." And therefore there is list of offenses of worshiping, sixty-four... Or how many? It is stated in The Nectar of Devotion. Do you discuss this? So we should avoid these offenses, not that "Here is a stone statue. He is not going to see I am doing this offense." Then that is not very good. We should always feel that "Here is Krsna, personally present." Actually He is personally present. Then are we so fool, that we are worshiping a stone deity? No. "We" means we have installed this Deity under the direction of previous authorities, acaryas. So it is not whimsical. We have installed the Deity exactly under the direction of the previous acarya, and therefore the Deity is personally present, Krsna. As He is present everywhere, sarva-bhuta-guhavasam, similarly, He can live in many millions of temples simultaneously and live at the same time Goloka Vrndavana. That is Krsna. That is Krsna's omnipotency. So Krsna, being very kind, He has appeared in our various temple. So we should very careful that "Here is personally present Krsna. Here is... Personally, Radharani is there. Personally, Lord Caitanya is there, Lord Jagannatha is there." But He is keeping Himself is such a way that you can handle in any way. Even if you commit some mistake, He does not protest. But we should not commit any mistake. That is our duty. We should not create such thing as it is offensive. Therefore the direction is there in the sastra that "You do like this. Do like this; there will be no offense." And offenseless service will make you more and more advanced in spiritual life.

So Krsna has... Bhagavantam. Here it is said, bhagavantam. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is Krsna, but He is adhoksajam, beyond our sense perception. Adhoksaja. Adhah-krtam aksajam jnanam. Our knowledge is limited within this sense perception. That's all. We can see so long the light is there. If the light is not there, then our seeing power is finished. Therefore it is limited. And Krsna is beyond this limitation. Therefore His name is Adhoksaja. Adhah-krtam aksajam indriya-jnanam yena. Aksajam jnanam means "knowledge acquired by sense perception." Aksaja. Aksa means "eyes," and ja means "generated." So I see this book because my eyes are seeing it is book. But as soon as the light is off, I cannot see where is the book and where is the table, where you are. Similarly, we cannot see at the present moment by the imperfect senses what is Krsna. Therefore it is Krsna's kindness that He has appeared before you in a manner by which you can see Him. This is Krsna's mercy. Not that the atheistic philosophy, "They are worshiping Deity, some stone, some metal," not like that. He is adhoksaja. We cannot see Krsna with our present eyes, but we can see Him through the scripture. The "through the scripture" is that although we cannot see Him by our present imperfect senses, adhoksaja, beyond our perception, still, we can see Him. How? Through the authorities. Through the authorities. The same example, as I have given, that I do not know who is my father, but through the authority of mother, I can see him: "Here is my father." This is called authority seeing. If mother certifies that "My dear child, here is your father," that is the only certificate, authority, you can understand who is your father. Otherwise there is no... By experimental knowledge, by mental speculation, "He may be my father, he may be my father, he may be my father..." That you go on speculating for many millions of years. Still, you will not be able to understand who is your father. But if you take the authority of your mother, immediately you understand. That is, means, adhoksaja. You cannot speculate what is God, but if you take the authority, then you can understand God. Otherwise it is not possible.

athapi te deva padambuja-dvaya-
prasada-lesanugrhita eva hi
janati tattvam bhagavan-mahimno
na canya eko 'pi ciram vicinvan
 [SB 10.14.29]

This is a verse. It is said, "My dear Lord, Your lotus feet," padambuja-dvaya, "can be understood by a person who has received a little favor of You." Athapi te deva padambuja-dvaya-prasada-lesanugrhita eva hi: [SB 10.14.29] "One who has received little favor, he can understand." And what for others? "For others," na ca anya eko 'pi ciram vicinvan, "if they speculate for millions of years, still, they will not be able to understand." Just like in your country Bhagavad-gita was being read for the last two hundred, three hundred years. So many scholars, so many Indian scholar or American, they have written Bhagavad-gita. But not a single person understood Krsna, not a single person. But now, when they are reading Bhagavad-gita As It Is, they are understanding by the mercy of God. The mercy is shown if you follow the process, authoritative process. Prasada-lesanugrhita eva hi. One who has received a little, minute quantity of the favor of Krsna, he can understand Krsna. And others, if they go on speculating for millions of years, they will not be able to. This is a fact. Therefore He is called Adhoksaja.

So our Krsna consciousness movement is the authorized process by which you can understand Krsna, the Supreme Lord. By other methods it is not possible. Krsna personally says,

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

Nobody can understand. Out of many millions and trillions of persons, one is interested how to make his life success. Otherwise they are not interested even. Like cats and dogs they are jumping here and there. That's all. And out of those persons who are interested, some may understand what is Krsna. So Krsna is not so very easily understood, but by the grace of Krsna we can understand Him if we follow. Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya: [Bg. 7.7] "My dear Dhananjaya, there is no more superior power than Me, or greater than Me." So if we accept the statement of Krsna, then we understand Krsna immediately. Otherwise, by speculation, it is not possible. That is the fact. There are so many... Such a person, such a big, who is estimated as very, very big person, Mahatma Gandhi, he could not understand Krsna. From his writing we see. He said, "I don't believe that there was any person Krsna living ever." Just see. He could not understand. Similarly, Dr. Radhakrishnan, Tilak, so many big, big scholars, they have written comment on Bhagavad-gita, but they, still they have proved that they're rascal number one. Because they did not follow the process of understanding Krsna, therefore they could not understand. And here even a child, our Syamasundara's daughter, (s)he used to go to somebody and ask him, "Do you know what is Krsna?" He says, "No, I do not know." "He's the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Just see. And all these boys and children, they are learning so easily Krsna, and a person like Mahatma Gandhi, he said that, something different. You see? Just see. This is the position.

So you have to follow the authoritative principles by the parampara system. Yasya deve para bhaktir yatha deve tatha gurau [SU 6.23]. If you have got faith in God, Krsna, and similar faith in the spiritual master and follow his instruction, then you will understand Krsna in His different features: jyoti, bhagavan, and sarva-bhuta-guhavasam. He is the brahmajyoti just like the sunshine, and He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Krsna, and He is the Supersoul, Paramatma, in everyone's heart. The process is tapasaiva, a little tapasya. So whatever little tapasya we have prescribed, you follow. You will understand Krsna. And if you understand Krsna, then your life is successful.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

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Sage Advice For Human Society

Sage Advice For Human Society

Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.1.10
Dallas, May 21, 1973

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Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

yadopahuto bhavanam pravisto
mantraya prstah kila purvajena
athaha tan mantra-drsam variyan
yan mantrino vaidurikam vadanti
 [SB 3.1.10]

Translation: "When Vidura was invited by his elder brother Dhrtarastra for consultation, he entered the house and gave instructions which were exactly to the point. His advice is well known, and instructions by Vidura are approved by expert ministers of state."

Prabhupada: So Vidura was a great devotee and great politician also. Not that a devotee should not take parts in politics. They knew everything, but they did not take part. Just like Vidura and his elder brother Dhrtarastra. He was politician, Dhrtarastra. His whole life was diplomacy and politics. But still, in difficult position he used to consult Vidura. So why a politician should consult a devotee? No. If I want to do something, I must take advice, the best advice, from the best man. That is the principle.

So Vidura was so expert advisor, counselor, that there was a statement, vaidurikam. Just like the canakya-sloka. On ordinary things, canakya-sloka is evidence. Canakya Pandita said... I think you can introduce canakya-sloka amongst the students. Canakya Pandita said that vidvatvam ca nrpatvam ca naiva tulyam kadacana. A man who is learned, and man who is very rich, so how they should be compared? The Canakya Pandita says, "There is no comparison." Comparison must be there when there is points of similarity. Just like we say, "Your face is just like moon." So if the face is actually similar to the moon, then we can say. Points of similarity. Analogy means there must be points of similarity. The largest number of similarity makes the analogy perfect. This is logical rules. So Canakya Pandita says that to a rich man and a learned man, there is no comparison. They are different categories. Why? Sva-dese pujyate raja vidvan sarvatra pujyate. A rich man, a king, may be very respectful, respectable, in his own country amongst his own men, but a vidvat, a learned scholar, he is respected all over the world. Tri-bhuvane manyau. So if one is respected all over the world and if one is respected in his own village, so how there can be any comparison? These are the Canakya Pandita's instructions, very valuable. There are many.
And another:

matrvat para-daresu
para-dravyesu lostravat
atmavat sarva-bhutesu
yah pasyati sa panditah

Who is a learned scholar? Now, somebody will say one who has passed the M.A., Ph.D. degrees in university, he is learned scholar. Canakya Pandita says, "No, that is not the criterion." Simply to hold degrees of university examination, that is not the test of his becoming learned scholar. That is not. Then what is the test of his becoming learned scholar? Three things. Matrvat para-daresu. Except one's married wife, if one sees all other woman like mother, he is a learned scholar. Matrvat para-daresu. Para-dravyesu lostravat. And other's property, just like garbage in the street. And atmavat sarva-bhutesu yah pasyati sa panditah. If one has acquired... By education, there must be some effect. So these are the tests how one has advanced in education. He must treat all woman except his mother, except his wife, as mother. In India still, women, especially in asramas, any woman, visitor, she is addressed as "Mother" by all the... She may be young girl, but she is addressed as "Mother." This is the etiquette. "Mother, what can I help you?" This is the very relationship.

The brahmacari goes to householders' place for begging alms. The system cannot be introduced here. It is very difficult. Otherwise, another business of these children were to go door to door and knock and ask some alms: "Give us some alms." So in India they have got sufficient stock of rice, flour, dal. They keep at least one month provision in every house, even in poor's man. As soon as he gets his money, he purchases the whole month provisions -- rice, dal, ata, ghee -- and keeps it. So when the brahmacari goes there, a little rice or little dal, they contribute. In this way by collection of these alms from the neighboring householders, practically the asrama's eating problem is solved. Brahmacari is supposed to live in gurukula at the place of guru just like a menial servant. Even Krsna, He also lived as a menial servant. His teacher asked Him to bring some fuel from the jungle, and He went with Sudama Vipra, and while collecting these dry woods there was a storm and there was heavy rain, and they became lost in the jungle, Krsna and Sudama Vipra. Then his teacher, Sandipani Muni... With the assistance of other boys, they were rescued. So this is the position of the brahmacari, that they go to collect alms, all kinds of, for gurukula.

So Vidura... Krsna consciousness includes varieties of activities. They, in..., the press representatives they asked me, "Whether your students, do you take part in politics? Is it sanctioned?" Why not? Our Bhagavad-gita is produced in battlefield, in battlefield. So why should I deride battle? No. When there is need for fighting, there must be fighting. This world is like that. Otherwise there is no need of fighting. But there is a class of men who will fight. Still it is existing. When there is fight, those who are meant for military purposes, they fight. Not the civilians go and fight. No. Similarly, in the society, there must be divisions. Not that everyone should be called, "Come on, you go to fight." Where is his training? That was not the system. First of all, catur-varnyam maya srstam [Bg. 4.13]. These children, according to strict Vedic principle, by practical psychology, they should be tested, "What is the tendency of this boy?" There can be four kinds of tendencies: brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra. Some child is to become a brahmana, some child is to be become a ksatriya, some child is to become a vaisya, and the rest, sudras. They do not... Sudras does not require any training. Sudra means no training. Ordinary worker class. Otherwise other three, especially two, namely the brahmanas and ksatriyas, they require very magnificent training. Because they will administer the whole affairs of the society.

So brahmanas, they would give advice to the ksatriyas, and ksatriyas, according to their advice, would rule over the citizens. This was the system. Catur-varnyam maya srstam guna-karma-vibhagasah [Bg. 4.13]. Vibhagasah, "by division of quality and work." A brahmana must be qualified and at the same time work as a brahmana. So we are training, especially, our students to become qualified brahmanas. We cannot take up all other department. Similarly, others may take up the line of training... Military men... Others may take... There are training classes. Maybe mercantile firm, you can get your lessons. So there was organized method to train these mercantile men, administrator and brahmana. So Vidura, although he was born of sudra mother... His mother was sudra, maidservant. Formerly, when a prince was married, along with the princess, a few dozens of maidservants would go with the king. So to become king, always it is to be understood he has to maintain more than one wife. That is king. Even in Muhammadan kingdom, Nawab was Ridali Shah (?). After the Mogul period... In Lucknow, if you go... So he had 164 wives, begam(?) And all of them had children. And when Britishers occupied, the Britishers had to give them pension according to the share. So amongst the Muhammadans also, polygamy was allowed. And Hindus, especially the higher class, brahmanas and ksatriya, polygamy is allowed. Now they have made laws. But that is quite natural. If every woman has to be married, then polygamy must be there. Otherwise how every woman is going to get a husband? Because male population is always shorter than the female population.

So Vidura was born of a maidservant. The father was the king. The father was the same, Maharaja Yudhisthira, er, Dhrtarastra, and the father, Vidura, the same, and the mother different. So Vidura, because he was not born of the queen, he had no share in the throne. But Dhrtarastra loved him very much. Although stepmother's son, he would like him very much because he was very intelligent. So on every occasion he would consult him, and his consultation was so valuable that later on it became vaidurikam, "consultation as expert as given by Vidura." So he was invited. Diplomacy, politics were going on, how to cheat the Pandavas. That was his politics, Dhrtarastra. Dhrtarastra was born blind, although he was eldest son of his father, but he was born blind. So he could not occupy the throne. His next brother, younger brother, Pandu, the father of the Pandavas, he occupied. He became king. Now, this Pandu died at an early age, and the sons of Pandu, they were minor children. So Dhrtarastra took charge for their maintenance as his other sons. But his policy was that "I could not be elevated on the throne because I was blind, but actually the kingdom belongs to me. So anyway, my brother occupied the throne. Now he is dead and gone. So why his sons should be king? My son should be king." This was the politics. So he was trying how to kill the Pandavas from the very beginning. And Vidura was restricting him, restraining him. So this is the subject matter. He called Vidura, "What is to be done?" Vidura, he disclosed everything to Vidura. Vidura said, "No, you cannot do that." That will be discussed next morning.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

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How have we fallen in this material world?

How have we fallen in this material world?

Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.9.1
Tokyo, April 20, 1972

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Pradyumna: (chanting verse) Na ghatetartha-sambandhah.

Devotees: Na ghatetartha-sambandhah.

Prabhupada: It is sandhi? Na ghateta artha. It has been lost? Na ghatetartha-sambandhah. Na ghatetartha-sambandhah. Again, recite the whole sloka.

Pradyumna: (devotees repeating)

sri suka uvaca
atma-mayam rte rajan
parasyanubhavatmanah
na ghatetartha-sambandhah
svapna-drastur ivanjasa
 [SB 2.9.1]

Svapna. Drastur. Svapna-drastur. Iva. Anjasa. Ivanjasa.

Prabhupada: Svapna-drastur ivanjasa.

Pradyumna: Svapna-drastur ivanjasa.

Prabhupada: Now read again.

Pradyumna: Whole thing?

Prabhupada: No, this same verse. Practice it. In this way you practice one mantra daily. Each mantra will purify you hundred yards daily. Go forward. These mantras are very powerful, given by Vyasadeva Gosvami, vibrated. And spoken by... Suka-mukhad drava-samyutamrtam. That is explained in the beginning. Just like a ripened fruit in the tree is already very sweet, and if it is touched by the beak of the parrot, it becomes sweeter. These are natural course. If the parrot touches the fruit, he cuts little by his beak, beak. Beak, you call beak? Then it becomes still sweeter. Suka-mukhad drava-samyutam. Similarly, Srimad-Bhagavatam is already sublime, transcendental. And when it is spoken through the mouth of Sukadeva Gosvami, it becomes still sweet, just like the fruit. The parrot is also called suka. It is called suka-paksi, suka bird. So this comparison is given. As the fruit becomes still sweeter by the touch of the beak of the parrot, similarly, Sukadeva Gosvami, because it is already spoken by Vyasadeva, ripened fruit, the experienced contribution of Vyasadeva, all the Vedic literatures, but when it is spoken through the parampara system of Sukadeva Gosvami, it becomes still sweeter.

Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu recommended to study Srimad-Bhagavatam from bhagavatam. Bhagavata para giya bhagavata sthane. Bhagavata means the grantha-bhagavata, book bhagavata... Bhagavata means about Krsna. Bhagavan is Krsna. And anything in relationship with Krsna is called Bhagavata. So the devotee is also in relationship with Krsna. He is also called bhagavata. Maha-bhagavata. Those who are highly advanced, or first-class devotees, they are called maha-bhagavata. So this Bhagavatam, it is the essence of the Vedic knowledge and when it is received through the parampara system of pure devotee, then it becomes still more sweet than before. That is the purport.

So we should try to learn, get it by heart, at least one sloka, two slokas in a week. And if we chant that... Just like you are chanting so many songs, similarly, if we chant one or two verses of Srimad-Bhagavatam, that will make you very quickly advanced for spiritual realization. We are therefore taking so much trouble to get this transliteration, the meaning, so that the reader may take advanced step, full advantage of the mantra. It is not that to show some scholarship, that "I know so much Sanskrit." No. It is just offered with humility to learn the mantra because one who will chant the mantra... They are all transcendental vibration. Just Hare Krsna mantra... This is maha-mantra, but they are also mantras, all the verses from Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, spoken by Krsna, spoken by... Bhagavata also, spoken by Krsna. Vyasadeva is incarnation of Krsna. They're also mantras, infallible instructions. So try to get it by heart, chanting. Either you chant by seeing the book or get it by heart, it is all the same. But try to chant one, two slokas daily. Chant.

Pradyumna: (chants with devotees responding)

sri suka uvaca
atma-mayam rte rajan
parasyanubhavatmanah
na ghatetartha-sambandhah...
 [SB 2.9.1]

Prabhupada: (correcting) Na ghatetartha-sambandhah. Like that. It is written like that?

Pradyumna: Ghatetartha-sambandhah.

Prabhupada: artha, artha separated?

Pradyumna: No. Together. Ghatetartha.

Prabhupada: No. Ghatetartha-sambandhah. It should, should not be. Na ghatetartha-sambandhah. Like that. Ta should be long. Ta. Ghateta artha-sambandhah. Na ghatetartha-sambandhah. Is that all right?

Pradyumna: Yes.

Prabhupada: So pronounce like that.

Pradyumna: Na ghatetartha-sambandhah.

Prabhupada: Loud. Na ghatetartha-sambandhah.

Pradyumna: Na ghatetartha-sambandhah.

Prabhupada: Yes. Na ghatetartha-sambandhah.

Devotees: Na ghatetartha-sambandhah.

Pradyumna: Svapna-drastur ivanjasa.

Prabhupada: Oh. Again pronounce.

Pradyumna: Sri suka uvaca (repeats verse)

Prabhupada: Very important verse. Now we shall go to the words and meaning. Again recite. Sri suka uvaca.

Devotees: (repeat verse)

Prabhupada: Once again. Do it again.

Pradyumna: (repeats verse)

Prabhupada: Again. (devotees repeat verse again) Anyone can recite? All right. See the book and recite.

Syamasundara: Sri-suka uvaca atma-mayam rte rajan parasyanubhavatmanah.

Prabhupada: Parasya. The transliteration is the long a. You have seen? You just try to follow the transliteration. That will be easier.

Syamasundara: Parasyanu...

Prabhupada: Parasyanubhava, bhavatmanah. Atma.

Syamasundara: Yes. Long a over a. Atmanah.

Prabhupada: Yes. Now, beginning.

Syamasundara: Parasyanu...

Prabhupada: No. First line. (devotees repeating)

Syamasundara: Sri suka uvaca atma-mayam rte rajan parasyanubhavatmanah.

Prabhupada: Read it again.

Syamasundara: Sri suka uvaca atma-mayam rte rajan parasyanubhavatmanah na ghatetartha...

Prabhupada: Na ghatetartha-sambandhah. Svapna-drastur ivanjasa. Next. Next. You read. Go on. One after another. (continues devotee reciting, Prabhupada correcting) You read the transliteration. The thing is hearing the meter and repeat. That's all. The writing is already there, transliteration. Simply you have to hear the written. Just like you have chanted so many verses, songs, by hearing. The hearing is very important. A child learns another language simply by hearing, pronunciation, hearing. That is natural. If we hear one thing repeatedly, you will learn. You will learn. So one has to hear little attentively. Then it will be easy. There is no difficulty. Just like you are singing our song in tune, (sings) samsara-davanala-lidha-loka **. This is by hearing. So simply you have to hear. Therefore whole Vedic sastra is called sruti. It is a process of hearing. (coughing) This is a disease of old age. These are the warnings that the body is getting rotten. Go on. (recitation continues) Next. Each one of you. Na ghatetartha-sambandhah svapna-drastur ivanjasa. What is the anjasa spelling?

Devotee: I-v-a-n-j-a-s-a. Ivanjasa.

Prabhupada: Long a or short a?

Devotee: Long a.

Prabhupada: Yes. Ivanjasa. Anjasa. Anjasa means wholesale. Go on. (recitation and corrections continue) Na ghateta artha sambandhah, combined together it becomes na ghatetartha-sambandhah. Tartha. What is the spelling? Tartha?

Devotee: T, long a, r-t-h-a.

Prabhupada: Of tha? What is the...?

Devotee: T-a-r-t-h-a. Na ghata...

Prabhupada: T-h-a. There must be r.

Pradyumna: Yes. Ghatetartha. G-h-a-t-e-t-a-r...

Prabhupada: T-a-r. Yes. T-a, artha. So you were missing that r. Na ghatetartha-sambandhah. All right. Next. (recitation continues) Get it next. Come here. So you have to study like that. So many slokas, I am taking so much labor. If you do not read it carefully... It is not for that I am making business, for selling only, and not for my students. You must all read like this, practice. Why so much trouble is being taken, word to word meaning and then transliteration? If you chant this mantra, that vibration will cleanse the atmosphere. And wherever you go, in any part of the world, if you can chant this mantra, oh, you'll be received like God. It is so nice. And in India he'll actually receive like Gods if you chant this mantra. They will so offer their respects, so many. Veda-mantra. Next chant. (another devotee recites verse) Very good. Next, next. Bhanu prabhu (Bhanu recites) Thank you very much. He has pronounced very nicely. So he will teach you. Yes. Next. (another devotee recites verse) Very good. (another devotee recites verse) Very good. Yes. In this way, each one of you, you chant and others will follow. Then one or two days, you get the sloka by heart. You can chant. It is not difficult. Now read the word meanings and translation.

Karandhara: "Sri-sukah uvaca -- Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said; atma --  the Supreme Personality of Godhead; mayam -- the energy; rte --  without; rajan -- O King..."

Prabhupada: Rajan.

Karandhara: Rajan -- O King.

Prabhupada: It is address, addressing. Nominative is raja and addressive is rajan. Go on.

Karandhara: Parasyasya...

Prabhupada: Parasya.

Karandhara: Parasya.

Prabhupada: Parasya. Yes.

Karandhara: "Parasya -- of the pure soul; anubhava-atmanah --  of the purely conscious; na -- never; ghateta -- it can so happen; artha -- meaning; sambandhah -- relation with the material body; svapna -- dream; drastuh -- of the seer; iva -- like it; anjasa -- completely."

Prabhupada: Anjasa.

Karandhara: "Anjasa -- completely. Translation: Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said: O King, unless one is influenced by the energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, there is no meaning to the relationship of the pure soul in pure consciousness with the material body. It is just like the dreamer seeing his own body working."

Prabhupada: So, purport?

Karandhara: "Purport. The question of Maharaja Pariksit is perfectly answered as to how a living entity began his material life, although he is apart from the material body and the mind."

Prabhupada: It is a very important question. Pariksit Maharaja inquired... Many people inquired that "How the living entity was with Krsna, he became fallen in this material world?" Is not done? This question is raised? So this question is answered here, that "How the living entity who was with Krsna became fallen down in contact with this material qualities?" So this is the answer. Read the translation.

Karandhara: "Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said: O king, unless one is influenced by the energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead..."

Prabhupada: It is simply the influence of the material energy, nothing. Actually he has not fallen. Another example given is given. Just like the moon is covered with scattered cloud, the passing cloud. You have seen. Everyone has experience. The cloud passes, and it appears that the moon is moving. Have you seen this?

Devotees: Yes.

Prabhupada: Actually the moon is not moving. It is a maya, illusion. It appears that the moon is moving. But similarly, the living entity, because he is spiritual spark of the Supreme, it has not fallen. It has not fallen. But he is thinking, "I am fallen. I am material." That is the reason. He is thinking, "I am this body." Actually the body has no connection with me. That is experienced, that the body has no connection with the soul. The body is changing, dying. But I am the same. The same example, the moon: The cloud is passing over in different way. The moon is far away from the cloud, and it has nothing to do with the cloud, but it appears the moon is moving. [break] Try to understand. Have questions and answer. It is very important thing. Atma-mayam rte rajan. Except atma-maya, the illusory energy... It is the maneuver or handling of the illusory energy of Krsna. This illusory energy develops when we forget Krsna. That's all. It is... In other words, this illusory identification of me with the body is simply due to my forgetfulness. We wanted to forget, we wanted to give up Krsna and wanted to enjoy this material world. Therefore Krsna is giving us...

Just like when you play some part in a drama, if you feel that "I am king," then you can talk very nicely. And if you feel that "I am Karandhara," then you cannot play nicely king. Is it not? Feeling must be there. If you are playing the part of a king, then you must have the same courage and belief that "I am king." You have to forget that you are Karandhara. Then your part will be very nicely played. It will be appreciated. But if you think simultaneously that "I am Karandhara. I am taking, playing the part of the king," then you cannot play. So because we wanted to play the part of Krsna, enjoyer, Krsna is giving us chance that "You feel like Me." -- "I am king. I am Krsna. I am God." (laughter) All these rascals, those who are feeling like that, "I am master. I am king. I am Krsna. I am God," they are all simply in that feeling only. That's all. And this feeling is created by Krsna: "All right. You want to play the part of a king. I shall train you in such a way." Just like director means, dramatic director means, he creates a feeling. His direction is nothing but how to feel.

Sometimes we played in our younger age Caitanya-lila. I introduced. And one big director, Amrtalal Chosa, he was just like grandfather. He was one of the, just like in England Shakespeare and others, big, big dramatic, well-known persons. This Amrtalal Chosa and Girish Chandra Chosa, they introduced in India theatric... So we called him to give us direction. He was giving us direction, and repeatedly he was telling that "You feel like that," especially to me. "You feel like that." So actually, when we played according to his direction, the audience were all crying. And we could not understand how they cried. We could not understand. On the stage when we played, it was so perfect that all audience were crying. Actually we saw they were smearing over their eyes with... But the whole thing is artificial, but the effect to the audience became so nice. So similarly, we are... Actually we have nothing to do with this material world, But we have been trained by the illusory energy in such a way that we are thinking, "I am Indian. I am American. I am this. I am that. I am brahmana. I am sudra. I have to do this. I have got so much duty," all these illusions, simply thinking. We have nothing to do with all this nonsense, but still, we are taking it very serious. "I have to do like that. I have to do like that. I am this. I am that." That's all. That is explained. Atma-mayam rte rajan: "Except the influence of that atma-maya, the illusory energy of Krsna..." Atma-maya. Read. Atma-mayam rte rajan parasyanu. Read it?

Karandhara: Parasyanubhavatmanah.

Prabhupada: Parasyanubhavatmanah. Na ghateta artha-sambandha. There cannot be any relation at all. Na ghateta. Cannot be. Artha sambandhah. Svapna-drastur ivanjasa. The very exact example is given, svapna-drastuh. Just like a man seeing dream: "Oh, there is tiger, tiger, tiger, tiger! Save me!" He is crying. Another man is, "Where is tiger? Why you are crying? Where is tiger?" But he, in the dream, he is actually feeling: "The tiger has attacked me." Therefore this example is given, na ghatetartha-sambandhah. There cannot be any meaning of this relationship except like a man dreaming and he is creating a situation. He is dreaming there is a tiger and he is creating a situation, fearful situation. Actually there is no cause of fear. There is no tiger. That situation is created by dream. Actually there is no tiger. Similarly we have created this material world and activity. People are running, "Oh..., sonh, sonh, sonh, sonh, sonh, sonh, sonh," identifying that "Oh, I am the manager. I am the factory owner. I am this, I am that. We have got his politics. We have to defeat such competitors." All these things are created exactly like that, svapna-drastur ivanjasa, just like a man is creating his particular situation simply by dream. That's all.

So the answer is, when somebody asks you that "When one has become in contact with this material nature?" He has not become in contact. He is thinking by the influence of the external energy. Just like the same example: A man is dreaming; there is no contact with tiger. Actually he has no contact with that. Similarly, actually we are not fallen. We cannot be fallen. But we have created a situation that we are, become... Try to understand understand. It is very important point. We have simply created a situation. We have not created a situation, Krsna has given us a situation. Because we wanted to imitate Krsna, so Krsna has given an opportunity: "All right. Imitate. You want to be imitation king in the stage. So feel like this. Play like this. Do like this. People will applaud. 'Oh, a very nice king, very nice.' " That is the... So everyone in this material world, they are playing some part. They wanted, "I want to be prime minister." "All right." "I want to become very big business magnate." "I want to be leader." "I want to be a philosopher." "I want to be a scientist." So all this nonsense, they are trying to play -- Krsna is giving him the opportunity: "All right." But it is a nonsense, all nonsense. Simple dreaming. Just like you are dreaming. Next moment when the dream is gone, everything is finished. No more tiger, no more jungle, no more... Everything is finished. Similarly, so long this body is continuing, I am thinking, "I am a responsible leader, I am this, I am that." But as soon as this body is finished, oh, these are (indistinct) gone.

Sarva-haras caham. The death means... Krsna says, "I am death. I take it away, all, everything. Gone." Now just think of our past life. Suppose I was a king or something like that. From Bhrgu-samhita it was ascertained. They said -- I do not know -- that I was a big physician in my last life, very spotless character, no sins, like that. He explained me. So it may be. But actually I have no remembrance that I was a physician. So what do we know? I might have been a very big physician, influential physician, having a good practice, but where is all...? All gone. So this situation, our contact with matter, is just like dream. Actually we are not fallen. Therefore, because we are not fallen, at any moment we can revive our Krsna consciousness. As soon as we understand that, "I have nothing to do with. I am simply Krsna's servant. Eternal servant. That's all," immediately he becomes liberated. Exactly like that: as soon as you... Sometimes we do that. When the fearful dreaming becomes too much intolerable, we break the dream. We break the dream when it becomes intolerable. Similarly, we can break this material connection at any moment as soon as we come to the point of Krsna conscious. "Oh, Krsna is my eternal master. I am His servant." That's all. This is the way. Actually we are not fallen. There cannot be any fallen. The same example: Actually there is no tiger; it is dreaming. Similarly, our fallen condition is also dreaming. We are not fallen. We can simply give up that illusory condition at any moment. At any moment. So if you study all these verses very nicely, you get all this knowledge quickly. Now what is the purport? Come on.

Karandhara: "The spirit soul is distinct from the material conception of his life."

Prabhupada: Yes. Distinct. Always distinct. Next?

Karandhara: "But he is absorbed in such a material conception because of being influenced by the external energy of the Lord, called atma-maya. This is already explained in the First Canto in connection with Vyasadeva's realization of the Supreme Lord and His external energy. The external energy is controlled by the Lord and the living entities are controlled by the external energy."

Prabhupada: Krsna says, mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam taranti te: [Bg. 7.14] "As soon as one surrenders unto Me, he has no more illusion." Mayam etam taranti. Immediately. So people are conditioned, encaged. So many big, big words The Mayavadis, they are undergoing austerities or penances just to become liberated. Yogis, they are also trying to become one. So many endeavors are going on. But the simple process is, as soon as you surrender, that you are not fallen, "It was illusion. I was dreaming. I am Krsna's," finished. All gone. "I am Krsna's. I am Krsna's eternal servant. These are all nonsense" -- he immediately becomes liberated. Just try to understand. Immediately, within a second. Liberation can be attained within a second, provided we abide by the order of Krsna. Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. This is the position. We are not fallen. We are thinking fallen. So we have to give up this nonsense thinking. Then we are liberated. There is no Is there any difficulty to understand? Just see how important this verse. It is already there, but you are not reading. Each verse, read every day carefully. Try to assimilate, understand, and you will get more profit, every day, hundred yards forward, hundred yards forward, yes. They are so important verses. How nicely composed by Vyasadeva. In two lines the whole thing is explained. This is called sastra. In two lines. Then read the purport.

Karandhara: "The external energy is controlled by the Lord and the living entities are controlled by the external energy by the will of the Lord. Therefore, although the living entity is purely conscious in his pure state, he is subordinate to the will of the Lord, being influenced by the external energy of the Lord. In the Bhagavad-gita also the same thing is confirmed, that the Lord is present within the heart of every living entity and all consciousness and forgetfulness of the living entity are influenced by the Lord."

Prabhupada: Yes. Because... Now, people may say that, "Why Krsna within the heart gives one type of consciousness to one, and another type of consciousness...?" Because I wanted. I wanted to forget Krsna, so Krsna is giving consciousness: "All right, you can forget Me in this way." That is His kindness. Just like the Mayavadis, the so-called yogis and karmis, they wanted to forget. Krsna is giving him intelligence. "All right. You forget Me like this." That's all. Go on. And if you want to again revive your relationship, Krsna will give you intelligence. Buddhi-yogam dadami tam yena mam upayanti te: "I shall give intelligence." So Krsna is... Ye yatha mam prapadyante [Bg. 4.11]. As you want, Krsna gives you facility. Go on.

Karandhara: "Now the next question will automatically be made as to why the Lord influences the living entity to such consciousness and forgetfulness. The answer is that the Lord clearly wishes that every living entity be engaged in his pure consciousness as the part and parcel of the Lord, and thus be engaged in loving service of the Lord as he is constitutionally made. But because the living entity is partially independent also, he may not be willing to serve the Lord, but may try to become independent as the Lord is. The whole nondevotee class of living entities are all desirous of becoming equally as powerful as the Lord, although they are not fit to become so. The living entities are..."

Prabhupada: They will never be God, but we see so many persons. By the influence of the illusory energy they think, "I am God. I am God. I shall become God by pressing my nose like this, doing this." So this is going on. They will never be able. That is not possible. Otherwise, there is no meaning of God. If everyone can become God, then there is no meaning of God. But by influence of... Just like karmis are saying "I shall become millionaire. I shall become trillionaire. I shall become head of the state. I shall become prime minister." This struggle, this is another struggle: "I shall become God." This is another struggle. But it is illusion. It is illusion. So Krsna gives them opportunity, some yogic success. Just like in India there is a rascal. He makes like that, and there is immediately some gold. And people become after him: "Oh, he is God. He is God." By producing a little gold, he becomes God. Another yogi, he gives immediately two rasagulla. So by producing two rasagulla, four annas' worth, he becomes God. You see? This is illusion. These rascals, they do not know that, "What is this rasagulla, two rasagulla? I can purchase from the market for four annas. So he is becoming God by four annas?" But they have no sense. "Oh, he is God. He can produce rasagulla." Rasagulla I can produce in our kitchen. But they are so rascal. "Oh, wonderful." So the yogic siddhis... So Krsna gives him some power of yogic siddhi and he thinks that "I have become God," and some flatterers, they also think, "Oh, you are God." The same dream. And as soon as death comes, everything finished, your Godhood and everything finished. Now becomes doghood, come to the stage of doghood. Again, another dream: "I am dog." First of all "I am God," then next stage, "I am dog." This is going on. Therefore Bhaktivinoda Thakura said, keno mayar bose jaccho bhese': "Why you are being washed away by the waves of maya? Just fix up. Stand up." Jiv krsna-das ei viswas korle to ar duhkho nai. You simply remain fixed up on this standpoint, that, "I am eternal servant of Krsna." Then there is no more dream. And if you allow yourself to be washed away, Krsna gives you facility, "All right, come on. Be washed away." Then?

Karandhara: "The living entities are illusioned by the will of the Lord because they wanted to become like Him."

Prabhupada: Yes.

Karandhara: "As a person thinks of becoming a king without possessing the necessary qualifications, similarly, when the living entity desires to become the Lord Himself, he is put in a condition of dreaming that he is a king. Therefore the first sinful will of the living entity is to become the Lord, and the consequent will of the Lord is that the living entity forgets his actual life and thus dreams of the land of utopia where he may become one like the Lord. The child cries to have the moon from the mother and the mother gives the child a mirror to satisfy the crying and disturbing child with the shadow of the moon. Similarly the crying child of the Lord is given over to the shadow of the material world to lord it over as a karmi and to give this up in frustration to become one with the Lord. Both these stages are dreaming illusions only. There is no necessity of tracing out the history when the living entity desired this, but the fact is that as soon as he desired such, he was put under the control of atma-maya by the direction of the Lord. Therefore the living entity in his material condition is dreaming falsely that this is 'mine' and this is 'I.' The dream is that the conditioned soul thinks of his material body as 'I' or falsely thinks that he is the lord and that everything in connection with the material body is 'mine.' Thus in dream only the misconception of 'I and mine' persist life after life. This continues life after life as long as the living entity is not purely conscious of his identity as the subordinate part and parcel of the Lord. In his pure consciousness, however, there is no such misconceived dream. And in that pure conscious state the living entity does not forget that he is never the Lord, but he is eternally the servitor of the Lord in transcendental love."

Prabhupada: That's all.

Devotees: All glories to you Srila Prabhupada. (offer obeisances)

Trivikrama: Srila Prabhupada? You were just saying that we are not fallen. Actually this is an illusion thinking that we are fallen. Yet I read...

Prabhupada: The same example. In dream I am not attacked by the tiger, but I am thinking, "Oh, tiger is there." It is simply dreaming condition.

Trivikrama: But so many Vaisnavas are praying...

Prabhupada: So as soon as you understand that "This is not... I am not in contact with tiger. It is all a dream," then you are delivered. Similarly, as soon as you understand, "All this material condition of life we are simply dreaming; I am actually servant of Krsna," then you are liberated. That is Krsna conscious. If you keep in Krsna consciousness, that "I am eternal servant of Krsna," then you are liberated. Sa gunan samatityaitan brahma-bhuyaa kalpate [Bg. 14.26], Krsna says. Immediately brahma-bhutah. Brahma-bhutah prasannatma na socati na kanksati [Bg. 18.54]. He has no more lamentation, no more hankering. Samah sarvesu bhutesu. He can see everyone on equal vision. Because he knows, "Here is also another living entity." He is not a Chinaman. He is a part and parcel of God. He is not a Christian. He is not a Hindu. He is simply thinking like that. So give him Krsna consciousness. That is real benefit, to bring him to the original position. Yes?

Cintamani: If, when we realize Krsna, then we have no more desire, then how can we desire...

Prabhupada: You create desire. If you simply keep this contact with Krsna, then there is no more any other desire than to serve Krsna. That's all.

Trivikrama: This feeling that we have, that we are fallen, that we are very fallen...

Prabhupada: That is also illusion. That is also illusion. You are fallen means you have got some certain desires except service of Krsna. Therefore the conclusion is that if you keep yourself tightly in Krsna's service, there is no question of falling down or there is no question of maya. You see?

Devotee: Even at that state, still the body is affected by the modes of nature. We are experiencing desires.

Prabhupada: You are not experiencing. Your body is experiencing. You are feeling cold due to this body. You are not feeling cold. You are not feeling cold.

Devotee: But I think I am feeling cold.

Prabhupada: You are thinking. That is illusion. That is illusion.

Devotee: So rise above that.

Prabhupada: Yes. But not artificially, but this is the fact. You have to gradually rise to that platform. The fact is this. Just like when you are feverish, actually you are healthy, but it has come. So in the feverish condition you are thinking, "I am now feverish." But this feverish will not, condition, will not stay. You will come to the healthy stage. Therefore don't be disturbed with the feverish condition. Go on with your duty. Don't misidentify, "Now I have become feverish. Everything is finished." No. That is external. It has come; it will go. That is given in the Bhagavad-gita. Matra-sparsas tu kaunteya sitosna-sukha-duhkha-dah [Bg. 2.14]. Just like seasonal changes. Sometimes it is very hot, sometimes very cold, sometimes warm. So these are coming and going. So if there is some feeling of pain and pleasure, simply just tolerate it, but don't be absorbed in that thought. That's all. Therefore titiksava. The first symptoms of a saintly person is titiksava, tolerant. Tolerant. So go on reading, go on understanding. Everything will be clear. So next? There is kirtana, or finished? (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.9.1 -- Tokyo, April 20, 1972

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What Caused Our Coming Here

What Caused Our Coming Here

Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.8.7
Los Angeles, February 10, 1975

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Prabhupada: Where is karatala? My karatala is in that... Where is Nitai?

Jayatirtha: It was planned for you to lecture this evening, rather than this morning.

 

Prabhupada: Management?

Devotee: He thought you were lecturing this evening.

Prabhupada: Evening? Not in the morning?

Pusta Krsna: Where is Nitai?

Prabhupada: I was lecturing in the morning at...

Devotees: Jaya! Haribol!

Prabhupada: If you like, I can speak in the evening also.

Devotees: (very loud) Jaya! Haribol!

(Prabhupada sings Jaya Radha-Madhava) [break]

Nitai: (leads chanting) Yad adhatu-mato brahman... [break]

Prabhupada: ...being completely aware of Brahman, the Supreme Absolute Truth, not a bogus. If you want to receive knowledge, then you must approach a guru who is brahma-nistham. That is the qualification of guru. Brahman, brahmany upasamasrayam. These words are there. He is living in Brahman, Absolute Truth. He has no other business. That is guru.

tad viddhi pranipatena
pariprasnena sevaya
upadeksyanti te jnanam
jnaninas tattva-darsinah
 [Bg. 4.34]

Tattva-darsinah, "who has seen the truth," not imagination. He cannot be guru. Who has actually seen, tattva-darsinah... These are the injunction in the sastras, and Pariksit Maharaja is strictly following the same principles and asking Sukadeva Gosvami, bhavanto janate yatha: "As you have learned from your predecessor." So that is perfect knowledge. The knowledge is coming from Krsna. Krsna is all-perfect, and Arjuna is hearing directly from Him, and the statement of Arjuna is there in the Bhagavad-gita. He understands that Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead; that is, he acquired knowledge from Krsna.

So here the question is... This question is almost inquired by intelligent persons, that "We have come to this material world and suffering, but the living entity is part and parcel of Krsna, or God. How he has come to this material world?" That is very intelligent question. Therefore it is said here, yadrcchaya: "It is automatically, by nature's law," or hetuna, "or there is some cause? Whether there is any cause about the living entities coming down in this material world? Which one is correct?" So without any cause, there cannot be anything. That is logic. And the rascal philosopher's statement, "It happened automatically. There was a chunk, and the creation came...," this is rascal's philosophy. Jagad ahur anisvaram [Bg. 16.8]. The rascals, they do not accept that there is a cause of this creation. That they do not understand. They do not know, and they theorize. You'll find mostly in the Western countries all these philosophers... The Darwin's theory... He cannot give any reasonable cause. Some theory: "It may be, perhaps, for millions of years there was no..." Speculate. And he admits that "Whatever I am presenting, it is all my speculation." We have seen his letter, some, from 150 years ago. He wrote a letter to a friend. He admitted that "Whatever I am presenting, that is speculation." But science is not speculation. Science cannot be speculation. That is not science. "Two plus two equal to four" -- this is science. And if you speculate -- "Two plus two equal to five" or "Two plus two equal to three" -- that is not science.

So the science of Krsna is not speculation. It is exactly science. Tad-vijnanam. Tad-vijnanam. Tad-vijnanartham. Vijnana means science, not speculation. So one should understand God scientifically. That is required, not imagination. The Mayavadi philosophers, they say, "You can imagine your God." This is rascaldom. How you can imagine your God? God is God. God means the supreme controller, the Supreme Being. In the dictionary you'll find this word: "God means the Supreme Being." He is also a being like us, individual. Just like we are here face to face. You are one individual; I am one individual. We are talking or hearing. Similarly, God is also individual. Just like Krsna said,

imam vivasvate yogam
proktavan aham avyayam
vivasvan manave praha
manur iksvakave 'bravit
 [Bg. 4.1]

So He's individual person. He instructed the sun-god millions and millions of years ago. So Arjuna inquired, "How it is possible that millions of years ago...? Because You are my contemporary. You are of the same age." So Krsna said that "Millions of millions of years ago, when I spoke this philosophy to the sun-god, you were also present because you are My intimate friend. Whenever I descend, you are also there. But the difference is that you have forgotten; I remember that I said like this."

So that is the difference between Krsna and ordinary living being. Krsna remembers everything, knows everything. Vedaham samatitani: [Bg. 7.26] "I know everything." That is Krsna. But we do not know. That is the difference. Krsna is not impersonal. He's also a person, but He is not a person like us, like you, like me. His personality is supreme. Nobody is greater than Him. Na tasya karyam karanam ca vidyate na tat-samas cabhyadhikas ca drsyate. These are the Vedic information. He's individual, but He has nothing to do. He's such individual. Just like Krsna is here. The whole world is going on under Krsna's direction, but He has nothing to do. He's enjoying with Srimati Radharani. That is Krsna's position. Anandamayo 'bhyasat (Vedanta-sutra 1.1.12). He has to create one universe or destroy one universe -- He hasn't to take any attention. He's engaged in His pleasure -- Krsna, the reservoir of pleasure. His pleasure is never disturbed by all these activities. He's so perfect. Just like in our society, we are not perfect. Still, you boys and girls, you love me. Whatever I say, immediately done. So if an ordinary person like me, he can do things without his personal endeavor, how far..., how Krsna is great, that na tat-samah, there is nobody equal to Him. How great He is, how powerful He is, you can just imagine. If the ordinary person can have some power that he hasn't got to do anything personally -- simply by his desire everything is done -- so why not Krsna also? Where is the difficulty?

In the Bible I think it is said, "God said, 'Let there be creation,' and there was creation." Is it not? So that is Krsna. He simple desires, "Let there be creation," and immediately everything is ready. That is Krsna. How it is being done? Automatically? No automatically. It is done regularly, as you do. Hetuna: there is cause. But the original cause is Krsna's desire. Sarva-karana-karanam [Bs. 5.1].

isvarah paramah krsnah
sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah
anadir adir govindah
sarva-karana-karanam
 [Bs. 5.1]

The original desire is Krsna's. What we are doing also, that is also... The original cause is Krsna. We cannot do anything independently. If I go to heaven or go to hell, that is also sanctioned by Krsna. Without Krsna's desire I cannot do anything. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gita:

sarvasya caham hrdi sannivisto
mattah smrtir jnanam apohanam ca
vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyo
vedanta-krd veda-vid eva caham
 [Bg. 15.15]

So this theory, that the world is going automatically or we have come into this material world without any reason, without any cause... Kim anyat kama-haitukam. They say, the rascals say, that our coming to this material world is to the lusty desires of the father and mother. Therefore the child has no meaning. It is a by-product of the lusty desire. So if I don't want it, kill it. Destroy it. This is going on. But that is not the fact. The child has come into the womb of the mother, a particular type of mother -- not the sa..., every mother is producing the same type of child. No. Why? There is cause. There is cause, hetuna. Without cause there cannot be anything. Karmana daiva-netrena [SB 3.31.1], the cause is his activities. According to the activities, he is producing the next body automatically. That is automatically. But there is cause, his activity.

That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gita: karanam guna-sango 'sya sad-asad-janma-yonisu [Bg. 13.22]. Karanam. Karanam means cause. What is the cause? The cause is that as he's associating with a particular type of the modes of nature, sattva-guna, rajo-guna, tamo-guna... If he's associating with tamo-guna, then next life he's preparing in the lower animal kingdoms or most degraded family. Jaghanya-guna-vrtti-stha adho gacchanti tamasah. If one is associating with tamo-guna, ignorance -- no knowledge, in the darkness -- then he is gliding down to the lower species of life: animal, birds, beast, trees, plants, aquatics, insects, serpents, so many. Adho gacchanti. Adhah means going down. Tamasah. And urdhvam gacchanti sattva-sthah [Bg. 14.18]. Those who are in the goodness, those who are associating with the modes of material nature in goodness, just like satyam samo damas titiksa arjavam, jnanam vijnanam astikyam brahma-karma svabhava-jam [Bg. 18.42], brahminical qualification, truthful, controlling the mind, controlling the senses, simplicity, tolerant, full faith in scripture and God, full knowledge, practical application of knowledge... This is called sattva-guna. So if you cultivate sattva-guna, then you are elevated to the higher planetary system. Why there are so many planets? The moon planet, the sun planet, so brilliant planets -- why there are? There are also different places for different kinds of living creature. There is hetu. There is cause. And similarly, rajo-guna, passionate...

So madhye tisthanti rajasah. So there is hetu. Hetu means cause. Not without cause. Nobody has taken birth in this material world without any cause. And according to the cause, the particular type of body is built up. Karmana daiva-netrena [SB 3.31.1]. A big science there is. Unfortunately there is no education for this science. Maybe in future they will take interest. As we are publishing the books and going to the universities and to the professors, there may be. There is possibility now. Otherwise these rascals did not know what is this science. They did not care. Big, big professors, big, big scientists, they are putting the theories that life has come from chemicals, chemical evolution, and they are getting Nobel Prize. And if they are offered that "Take these chemicals. Produce a life," they'll deny.

So this ignorance is going on. Therefore for future guidance, Pariksit Maharaja inquired this question, that "How the living entity got this body, material body? Whether it is automatically, without any cause, or with cause?" But with cause... It will be explained. It is not... When the cause is there... Just like if you infect some disease, automatically you'll suffer from the disease. It will come automatically. That is automatically. But your becoming infected, that is cause. So if you become cautious not to be infected, then the cause of lower birth or suffering you can avoid. Therefore we have started this society, society. Society means that you'll get here the cause of being elevated. Just like there are so many societies, equal class of men. "Birds of the same feather flock together." So here is a society. Who will flock here? Who will come here? Because this society is meant for liberation... People are suffering so much on account of material condition of life. Nobody is happy. That is a fact. But because they are in ignorance, they are accepting unhappiness as happiness. This is called maya. This is called maya.

Yan maithunadi-grhamedhi-sukham hi tuccham [SB 7.9.45]. This maya is very much manifest in sex life. They accept the sex life is very nice, but after that, there is so many distresses. Legal or illegal, it doesn't matter. Legal distresses or illegal distresses, but it is distress. Every one of us, we know. Therefore everything -- to make the best use of a bad bargain. We have got this material body. The cause was there. The cause was there that because we wanted to enjoy and did not like to serve Krsna. This is the cause. Krsna-bahirmukha hana bhoga vancha kare. We are serving Krsna. That is our, I mean to say, place, constitutional position, to serve Krsna, but sometimes we desire: "Why shall I serve Krsna? Why shall I serve the spiritual master? I shall enjoy. I shall enjoy." But that enjoyment was there by serving Krsna, but he wanted to become enjoyer independent of Krsna. That is the cause of falldown. With Krsna, you can enjoy very nicely. You have seen the picture, how with Krsna the gopis are nicely dancing, enjoying; the cowherd boys are playing. Enjoy with Krsna, that is your real enjoyment. But without Krsna, when you want to enjoy, that is maya. That is maya.

So maya is there always, and... Because unless there is darkness, you cannot appreciate the quality of brightness; therefore Krsna has created darkness, maya also, so that you can appreciate what is brightness. Two things are required. Without brightness, the darkness cannot be appreciated, and darkness... Without darkness, the brightness cannot be appreciated. The two things are there, side by side. Just like there is sunlight, and here is shadow, side by side. You can remain within the shadow; you can remain within the sunshine. That is your choice. If we remain in the darkness, then our life is miserable, and if we remain in the light, brightness... Therefore Vedic literature instructs us, tamasi ma: "Don't remain in the dark." Jyotir gama: "Go to the light." So this attempt, Krsna consciousness movement, is an attempt to bring people from darkness to the light. So don't misuse this opportunity. Some way or other, you have come in contact with this movement. Properly utilize it. Don't go to the darkness. Always remain in bright light.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.8.7 -- Los Angeles, February 10, 1975

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Make Krishna Your Beloved

Make Krishna Your Beloved

Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.4.3-4
Los Angeles, June 27, 1972

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Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

papraccha cemam evartham
yan mam prcchatha sattamah
krsnanubhava-sravane
sraddadhano maha-manah

samstham vijnaya sannyasya
karma trai-vargikam ca yat
vasudeve bhagavati
atma-bhavam drdham gatah
 [SB 2.4.3-4]

Translation: "O great sages, the great soul Maharaja Pariksit, constantly rapt in the thought of Lord Krsna, knowing well of his imminent death, renounced all sorts of fruitive activities, namely acts of religion, economic development, and sense gratification, and thus fixed himself firmly in his natural love for Krsna and asked exactly all these questions, as you are asking me."

Prabhupada: So, krsnanubhava-sravane sraddadhano maha-manah. Vasudeve bhagavati atma-bhavam drdham gatah. Krsnanubhava-sravane. When we hear from right source, the natural result will be Krsna consciousness, krsnanubhava, krsna-bhavanamrta. Sraddadhano maha-manah. One who hears with attention, with faith, maha-manah. Just like the great sages in Naimisaranya, they did. Real purpose is vasudeve bhagavati atma-bhavam drdham gatah, to increase our affection or love for Krsna. Vasudeve bhagavati. Vasudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogah prayojitah, janayaty asu vairagyam [SB 1.2.7]. Purpose, sannyasya, renounced... People cannot renounce. They are very much attached to this material body and anything in relationship with this body. But the real purpose of human life is to become renounced, no more material body. That is required. Vairagyam. This is called vairagyam, or renounced. Because we want this material body, therefore we get it, life after life. This will continue so long we'll be overpowered by material thought.

Material thought means these fruitive activities. "I shall work very hard, and I shall get so much wealth, and for this purpose I can go to church and temple. If God gives me millions of dollars, then I am ready to go there." So real purpose is sense gratification. "If I take to religious principles, then I'll get more money without any hard work, and if I get more money, then I'll be able to satisfy my senses." This is called dharmartha-kama. And there is another stage, which is called moksa, liberation. So people are not interested for liberation. They want to become religious for material benefits. But that is not the real purpose of life. Material benefit, you cannot get more than what you are destined to have; that is already fixed up. According to your body... You get the body. We get different types of body, and according to the body, our material sufferings and enjoyment are fixed up, already. You cannot have more or less. Otherwise... you'll see, one man is working so hard, day and night, and he could hardly maintain himself or his family. And another man, he's going to the market, sits down for one hour, and earns 100,000 dollars, immediately. You can see. Simply by touching the phone, he simply asks, "What is the rate of this? What is the rate of that?" and he makes one transaction, and immediately he gets one thousand dollars. And this man is working hard, day and night, he could not get even two sufficient meals.

So that means the, according to the body, the material happiness and... Just like you are. You have got this American body. So automatically your country's facilities... You are more comfortable than other countries because you have no scarcity, enough production. Everything is enough. So according to the body, you are getting comforts of life. And in another country, deserted country, very hard living, cannot get nice foodstuffs, only living on animals. That is also very rarely. So these are different. Just like in Greenland. It is filled up with ice. They cannot get any nice food. Still they live there. This is maya. They will not think, "Oh, here the life is very difficult. Let me go away from here. Let me go to some other, better place." No. He'll not go. Janani janma-bhumis ca svargad api gariyasi. Our birthplace, even it is hell, it is better than heaven. That is maya. Just like hog. Hog is living most abominable condition of life, with stools and filthy water, but still, he is thinking he's living in heaven. Janani janma-bhumis ca svargad api gariyasi. So therefore, the conclusion is that so far material comforts are concerned, you cannot get more. Or less. You will get. It is already fixed up. Deha-yogena dehinam. Sukham aindriyakam daitya deha-yogena dehinam, sarvatra labhyate... eh? Yatha duhkham ayatnatah. Prahlada Maharaja says. Sarvatra labhyate. So far material comfort is concerned, what you are destined to get, you'll get it, in wherever you may live. It doesn't matter. Your allotment is already there. That is your body.

And our sense pleasure means this material bodily pleasure. That is all. Sukham aindriyakam. We have got these senses: hands, legs, eyes, ears, and five working senses, and knowledge-gathering senses. They are all constitute the whole body. So bodily comfort means this sense gratification. Dharma, artha, kama. But here it is said trai-vargikam. Samstham vijnaya sannyasya karma trai-vargikam ca yat. When you are ready for death, there is no more this trai-vargikam. Trai-vargikam means religion and economic development and sense gratification. This is human civilization. This is not human civilization, in one sense, because there is question of dharma. Dharma means religion. Religion... not exactly in the same way as we understand in English language: "a kind of faith." Dharma. Generally, people understand that "I have got my own dharma." "I am Hindu; I am Christian; I am Muslim; I am this; I am that." But in Sanskrit language, dharma does not mean like that, "a kind of faith." No. Faith is blind. Today you are Hindu, tomorrow you are Christian, today you are Christian. So this faith-changing is not dharma. Dharma means "which you cannot change." That is dharma. Not that whimsically I change. That dharma is service. Every one of us rendering some service to others. That is dharma. Every one of us. Jivera svarupa haya krsnera nitya dasa. Caitanya Mahaprabhu gives us immediate information what is a living entity. He immediately gives the definition that a living entity means who is rendering service to the Lord. So we are rendering service. Somebody's rendering service to the countries, society, family, and at least, to dog, to cat. That is our general inclination, because we want to give service to the Supreme. But because we have forgotten the Supreme, our service attitude is now distributed in so many ways. But I am serving. That's a fact. Either you serve dog or either you serve God; the service is there. That you cannot avoid.

You cannot say, nobody can say that "I am not serving anyone." Even becoming God, so-called God... As there are so many rascals, say, they say that "We are God" or "I am God, everyone God." God is never servant. God is enjoyer; God is master. God does not serve anyone. Just like you see, we have God here, Krsna. He's not serving, He's enjoying. That is God. You'll always find God enjoying. God is not servant. Master. Krsna says bhokta. Bhokta means enjoyer. Everyone should be engaged for His service, and He's the only enjoyer. Ekale isvara krsna [Cc. Adi 5.142]. The only enjoyer, only master, is Krsna, and all others, they are servants. Now, there may be gradation of servant, just like in your country, President Nixon is also a servant. And ordinary constable, he is also a servant. Everyone is servant; nobody is master. So there is gradation of service. That's all. Somebody is serving as President, somebody is serving as constable, somebody is serving as dog, somebody is serving as cat. And similarly, somebody is loving reciprocally.

In this way, the whole situation is there. But the central point is, master is Krsna, or God, and our love should be reposed unto Him. This is the point. This is Krsna consciousness. Sraddadhano maha-manah. So one who has fixed up his goal of life in this way, that "I am rendering service. That's a fact. But I am not satisfied. Why? I am rendering so much service."... Just like in our country, Mahatma Gandhi rendered so much service to his country that at the end he was killed by his countrymen. Just see. This is the return. Your country also. President Kennedy, he was a nice president, but he was killed. So here in this material world, or maya, if you render service to maya, illusion, you'll never be satisfied. Neither the person to whom you are giving service, he'll be satisfied. There is no satisfaction, either to the so-called master or to the servant. Because Krsna is missing. That's all. One should understand this.

This is the actually fact. Here the service is going on, but the master and the servant, both are not satisfied. But there is another platform, spiritual world, where service rendered, both the master and the servant become satisfied, immediately. Tasmin tuste jagat tustah. The same example. Just like if (you) put your eatables into the stomach, so the stomach is satisfied and all the servants, the hands, legs, and others who acquire their foodstuff and put into the mouth, they are also satisfied, automatically. The hands, legs, fingers, eyes -- every part of my body, immediately satisfied. Yatha pranopaharac ca yathendriyanam. We are, at the present moment in the material existence, we are trying to be satisfied. That is also... The example is there. Just like a child is crying. You give him something eatable, he puts it in the mouth, and he's satisfied, no more crying. Similarly, actually if we want to be satisfied, then, as it is said here, samstham vijnaya sannyasya karma trai-vargikam, give up this, samstham, samstham vijnaya ...

Samstham means death. Death is sure. Death is the best surety as... "As sure as death." Nobody can say that "I can avoid death." That's a fact. So one who actually understands that "I'll have to die,"... People do not understand. Everyone thinks that he will not die. He'll not die. That is called maya. He's seeing that everyone is dying; still, he's thinking that "I shall not die" or "I shall live for millions of years. There is no question of death." But it is a fact. You may be advanced in science, but he, this death is sure. That's a fact. Therefore it is advised here that samstham vijnaya, one who is actually intelligent, he should know that he will die. But the karmis, the rascals, he knows also that he will die -- at least, theoretically accept -- but he wants to enjoy, since the death does not come, to the fullest extent. That is the present condition of the society. He knows that will he die. "So, so long my senses are there, let me gratify." Now, yesterday, when I went to the bank, there was a cinema signboard, what is that?

Karandhara: "Is there sex after death?"

Prabhupada: Yes. (laughter) You see? Because this material life means sex. So, they are seeking sex after death, also. (Laughter) This is, I mean to say, plain acceptance of the materialistic... He'll, "Is there sex after death?" they're inquiring. If there is sex after death, then they are not fearful of death. (laughter) There is a story that one man was drinking. So, drinking in India is a great sin. So his friend advised that "You are drinking. You'll go to hell." So he said, "Oh, my father also drinks." So he said, "Your father also will go to hell." "Oh, my brother also drinks." "Oh, he also will go to hell." In this way, he continued to say, "My father, my brother, my sister, my this, my that..." So... And he was replying, "Yes, he will also go to hell." "Oh, hell is heaven. Because we're all drinking here and drinking there. So what is the hell? That is heaven." Similarly, this is, this signboard is like that. "If sex is there after death then that is not death. That is life." (laughter) You see? So actually, you have got sex after death. Because you'll get into another body. Now you are having sex as human being in very nice apartment or on the street, on the beach, as you like. In the next life also, as cats and dogs, you will have sex life. The sex life is not denied, because the life is there. Ahara-nidra-bhaya-maithunam ca. This maithuna, maithuna means sex life. Eating, sleeping, and sex life, and defending. Ahara-nidra-bhaya-maithunam ca samanyam etat pasubhir naranam. So this is now inquiry. Now, if this inquiry is taken scientifically, "Is there sex after death?" it is not joking, if it is taken seriously, so people should be informed that "Yes, there is sex after death. Why there is no sex? Because there is life after death. You get another body. Maybe a god's body, demigod's body, or dog's body, you'll get another body, according to your own work. And as soon as you get body, these four things are there: eating, sleeping, sex, and defending."

So there is, actually. So the higher inquiry should be that "Then what is the position of this sex life?" The position of this sex life is eternal. The sex life is from Radha and Krsna. Cin-mithuna, cin-mithuna, spiritual. But there the sex life is not like this abominable sex life. There is sex impulse in the original. Otherwise how we have got this sex impulse? In the Vedanta-sutra it is said, janmady asya yatah [SB 1.1.1]. "Supreme Brahman, Absolute Truth, is there, is that from whom everything comes." So if there is sex life there in the Absolute Truth ... There must be sex life. Otherwise where you have got it? Wherefrom we get it? Everything is there, but the difference is that here, everything is contaminated, abominable, and there, everything is without inebrieties; it is happy, healthy, and eternal blissful. That is the difference. The things are there.

Just like Krsna's mother. Motherly affection of mother Yasoda upon Krsna. And Krsna is playing as child, pleasing mother Yasoda. So that thing is also in this material world. Here also, the mother likes to raise his beloved child, the child also plays to give pleasure to the mother. The rasa... Rasa means the humor or mellow. Exchange between the mother and child is there and here also. Similarly friendship, similarly conjugal love. Everything, all the five rasas, mellows, are there. The impersonalists cannot understand. They're afraid of... As soon as they hear "love," "Oh, love? Here is love, frustrated. Then it is maya. Then Krsna's love is also maya." Therefore they are called Mayavadi. They are carrying this material idea to the spiritual idea. And when they cannot accommodate, they make it zero or impersonal. Sunyavadi. That is their position. They cannot understand that these very things are existing in the spiritual world in a blissful way. So there is sex, but there is blissful sex. Not that... Here, we want to enjoy sex life, but at the same time want to get out of the result of sex life; therefore we use contraceptive tablets.

Because result of sex life is very, I mean to say, miserable. So we want to avoid the miserable condition of sex life, but there is another life, where there is no miserable condition of sex life. That is spiritual life. But the ordinary poor fund of knowledge, they cannot understand it. They think that "Here, the sex life is miserable, conditional sex life. So if in the spiritual world there is also sex life, then it is also miserable." So this conception of sex impulse, just like Radha Krsna and gopis' dealing with Krsna, they think it is maya. Therefore they are called Mayavadis. They have no knowledge. Their brain cannot accommodate this idea that all these activities can be very blissful, supreme. Without any difficulty, without any miserable condition. They cannot understand it. But ... Therefore it requires higher intelligence to understand Krsna consciousness. Krsna consciousness is trying to give the people the happiness to which is simply blissful, without any inebrieties.

That is Krsna consciousness. So here, vasudeve bhagavati atma-bhavam drdham gatah. Vasudeve bhagavati. Vasudeva, the son of Vasudeva, Krsna, bhagavati, He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Here... Just like if I give one's father's name, then you know the man particularly. So here, bhagavati. There are many expansions of God. Advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam [Bs. 5.33]. But He is particularly mentioned here: vasudeva, Krsna. Krsna's name is Vasudeva. Vasudeve bhagavati atma-bhavam drdham gatah. We are trying to enjoy life by making friends, atma-bhavam. Atma-bhavam means very intimate. Intimate, near relative, or beloved. So we have to change our consciousness. Instead of trying to make this material world as beloved, you have to make Krsna as beloved. That is Krsna consciousness. The everything is there. You get everything in return, as here, you are trying to enjoy, but without any inebriety. That is called Krsna consciousness. So Pariksit Maharaja attained this stage. Therefore he could give up all his kingdom, all his family, all his animals and everything, and he simply became Krsna conscious. Read the purport?

Pradyumna: "The three activities of religion, economic development, and sense gratification ..."

Prabhupada: Oh, there is no time. All right, have kirtana. Hare Krsna. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.4.3-4 -- Los Angeles, June 27, 1972

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