Dead Sound-Living Sound
Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.26.47
Bombay, January 22, 1975
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Nitai: "The sense whose object of
perception is sound is called the auditory sense, and that whose object of
perception is touch is called the tactile sense."
Prabhupada:
nabho-guna-viseso 'rtho
yasya tac chrotram ucyate
vayor guna-viseso 'rtho
yasya tat sparsanam viduh
[SB 3.26.47]
So ether, the sky, we cannot see, we cannot touch, we cannot smell. But we can hear the sound. As soon as there is sound, that, we know that there is ether or sky. The sound vibration... As we have got experience of this material sound and therefore the material sky, similarly, there is spiritual sound and there is spiritual sky. Without sky, there is no sound. So there is spiritual sky. We get information from sastra: paravyoma. Vyoma is called sky, and there is another sky. This is material sky, what we have experience. There is spiritual sky. And about that spiritual realization, as this creation begins from the sky-ether, then air, then fire, and then water, then land, ksitir ap tejo marud vyoma -- similarly, the spiritual world also begins from the spiritual sky. After this sky ends, then the spiritual sky begins.
That is stated in the Srimad-Bhagavad-gita, paras tasmat tu bhavah anyah: [Bg. 8.20] "There is another bhava," means nature, "that is sanatana nature, eternal nature." This nature, this sky, is temporary. It has got a duration of life, maybe millions and trillions of years, but it is not permanent. It is emanating from the Supreme Lord's breathing period. Yasyaika-nisvasita-kalam athavalambya jivanti loma-vilaja jagad-anda-nathah [Bs. 5.48]. So after this sky, there is another sky, and the sound produced from that sky is omkara and Hare Krsna mantra. This is the sound vibration from the spiritual sky. Therefore it is effective immediately. Just like you contact thousands of miles away -- somebody is speaking, and you can contact by the sound vibration you catch up with your machine, radio machine -- similarly, the sound vibration from the spiritual sky you can also receive. That is Hare Krsna mantra.
Therefore Narottama dasa Thakura has described this Hare Krsna mantra, "not of this material sky." Golokera prema-dhana, hari-nama-sankirtana. Hari-nama-sankirtana, this is not a material sound. And in the Vedanta it is stated, sabdad anavrtti. By chanting the spiritual sound... The impersonalists, they chant omkara. Pranavah sarva-vedesu. All Vedic mantras are preceded by the spiritual omkara. That omkara... Krsna says, aksaranam akaro 'smi. Vedesu, pranavah sarva-vedesu, A, U, M, These are described in the Bhagavad-gita. So either you vibrate omkara or Hare Krsna mantra, they belong to the spiritual world. This sound does not belong to this material. Material sound, if you chant once, twice, thrice, you will feel disgusted. But spiritual sound, if you chant twenty-four hours, you will never feel disgusted, but you will feel more and more spiritual bliss. That is the difference. Actually, you see these boys and girls and others, they are chanting Hare Krsna practically from early in the morning, 5:00 till 10:00, daily, but nobody is feeling any disgust. They like to chant. That is the difference between material sound and spiritual sound.
So we can enter into the spiritual world, the spiritual sky. The spiritual sky is there. Sanatana. That is eternal. Sanatana. Everything eternal there. In the material world they are, everything, temporary, asat. And everything in the spiritual world, that is called sat. Om tat sat. That is spiritual world. So the Vedic injunction is asato ma sad gama: "Try to transcend from this asat, material world, to go to the spiritual world, sat." Om tat sat. That is actually our business. In the human form of life this is the only business: "How to transfer me to the spiritual world." Sanatana. "Because I am sanatana." Jiva-bhutah sanatanah [Bg. 15.7]. Jiva is sanatana, eternal. Na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20]. The jiva is never destroyed after the destruction or annihilation of this body. He is eternal. Nityah sasvato 'yam na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20]. So this is our business, that "I am eternal. As Krsna, God, is sac-cid-ananda-vigraha [Bs. 5.1], and I am part and parcel of sac-cid-ananda-vigraha, so as Krsna is eternal, so I am also eternal." The Vedic mantra says that nityo nityanam. Krsna is nitya, eternal, and we are plural number, nityanam. Cetanas cetananam. Sat cit... So as Krsna is sac-cid-ananda-vigraha, so we are also sac-cid-ananda-vigraha. The difference is: Krsna is the maintainer, Visnu is the maintainer, and we are maintained. We are not maintainer.
There are millions and trillions of living entities, not only in this universe. There are millions and trillions of universes, and there are millions and trillions of planets. Yasya prabha prabhavato jagad-anda-koti-kotisv asesa-vasudhadi-vibhuti-
And there are also spiritual planets.
goloka-namni nija-dhamni tale ca tasya
devi-mahesa-hari-dhamasu tesu tesu
te te prabhava-nicaya vihitas ca yena
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
[Bs. 5.43]
This is Govinda. Govinda is one, and... Ekam brahma dvitiyam nasti. And ekam bahu syam. And He has become so many. Just like from the seed, one seed, a small seed, when it is grown up, fructified, you will find big banyan tree and so many big, big branches, twigs, so many fruits. And each fruit contains again the seed, and each seed contains again millions of trees. This is creation. But the origin is one. Origin is one. Sarva-karana-karanam [Bs. 5.1], Krsna. Brahmeti paramatmeti bhagavan iti sabdyate [SB 1.2.11]. The Bhagavan is the origin of everything. Aham sarvasya prabhavo mattah sarvam pravartate [Bg. 10.8]. Janmady asya yatah [SB 1.1.1]. These are the shastric vacana.
So here is also sound. Here is also sky. So as the beginning of this material world is from the sound vibration... I think the scientists also agree, the materialistic scientists, that from sound everything emanates. So similarly, the same sound, you can enter into the spiritual world by taking shelter of sound. That sound vibration is Hare Krsna maha-mantra. If you chant Hare Krsna maha-mantra, by chanting this transcendental, eternal sound, you can approach. Just like by telephone... That is also sound: "Kring, kring, kring." Immediately you in touch with your friend thousands and thousands miles away. So sound is so important thing. So by spiritual sound, you can become immediately in touch with the spiritual world, and gradually you become in touch with the Supreme Lord. Kirtanad eva krsnasya [SB 12.3.51].
Krsna has got so many expansions. Ramadi-murtisu kala-niyamena tisthan [Bs. 5.39]. Rama, Nrsimha, Varaha, Kurma, Vamana, so many, hundreds of thousands. But Krsna is the...
ramadi-murtisu kala-niyamena tisthan
nanavataram akarod bhuvanesu kintu
krsnah svayam samabhavat paramah puman yo
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
[Bs. 5.39]
The original person, the Supreme Lord-krsnas tu bhagavan svayam [SB 1.3.28] -- He also comes. Ramadi-murtisu, Rama, Nrsimha, Varaha, that is Krsna's expansion, incarnation. They also come, and Krsna also come. Krsnah svayam samabhavat paramah puman yah. He is the Supreme Person, puman. Puman means the purusa, the enjoyer, the proprietor. That is Krsna. So immediately you can be in touch with Krsna by vibrating this sound, Hare Krsna. It is so potent. Nama cintamanih krsnas caitanya-rasa-vigrahah [Cc. Madhya 17.133]. The name of Krsna is cintamani, transcendental. It is not this material sound, material name. Nama cintamanih krsnas caitanya. Living force, caitanya. It is not dead sound. If you want water, if you chant only "Water, water, water, water," you will not get water, because it is material sound. The water substance is different from the word water. Therefore, simply by chanting "water, water," you cannot quench your thirst. You must have the substance water. That is material sound. Anything you take, simply by chanting the name, you will not get the thing. That is material.
But in the spiritual world, the name and the person or the substance is the same. There is no difference. Krsna and Krsna's name is the same. There is no difference. Therefore, those who are chanting "Krsna, Krsna, Krsna," they are becoming more and more engladdened, enthusiastic to chant. Anandambudhi-vardhanam. Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, "By chanting Hare Krsna, the first installment of benefit is ceto-darpana-marjanam: [Cc. Antya 20.12] you become cleansed of your heart, cleansed of the contamination of your heart." There are many verses. Srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah punya-sravana-kirtanah [SB 1.2.17]. If you don't get anything because there is nama-aparadha, offenses in chanting... There are ten kinds of offenses. So if you can avoid the offenses... The name is pure, "Krsna." But even though it is chanted offensive, by chanting, chanting, you become cleansed. Ceto-darpana-marjanam. It may take little time, but be sure that your consciousness will be cleansed, clear, transparent, and that is Krsna consciousness. The... At the present moment we have got consciousness, but that is contaminated. "I am American conscious," "I am Indian conscious." Somebody is dog conscious, cat conscious, so many consciousness. But by chanting this Hare Krsna mantra, this contamination of the consciousness will be cleansed, crystalized. It will be. Then you come to Krsna consciousness.
And as soon as you come to Krsna consciousness, then you are in direct touch. We are direct in touch with Krsna, but it is covered by some cloud of ignorance. Otherwise, nothing can exist without Krsna's touch. That is not possible. Maya tatam idam sarvam jagad avyakta-murtina [Bg. 9.4]. Krsna is... One Krsna is expanded all over the creation. Maya tatam idam sarvam. Isavasyam idam sarvam [Iso mantra 1]. Krsna is everywhere, but due to the contamination of material modes of nature, we are thinking we are apart from Krsna, separate from Krsna, or we do not know Krsna, although we are in touch. So that is to be cleansed. The via media impediment has to be cleansed. That is called ceto-darpana-marjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. By chanting this transcendental vibration, your heart will be cleansed. Punya-sravana-kirtanah [SB 1.2.17]. The more you chant and hear, sravana-kirtanah, then it becomes pious activities.
Pious activities means becoming free from the impious, sinful reaction. That is the result. By chanting Hare Krsna vibration, the sound, you gradually become cleansed. Ceto-darpana-marjanam. Ceto-darpana. Darpana means mirror. Just like in the mirror there are dust covering. You cannot see your face clearly. But if it is very nicely cleansed, then you can see how beautiful is your face. So similarly, as soon as you begin chanting Hare Krsna maha-mantra, you gradually become self-realized, aham brahmasmi, simply by chanting. Aham brahmasmi, you can understand. Then, gradually, what is the duty... Simply to understand aham brahma, so 'ham, "I am spirit soul..." So 'ham means "I am the same spirit soul as Krsna is, as God is," not that "I become Krsna." That is mistake. That means it is not cleansed. You can become qualitatively one with Krsna, but if you think that you have become Krsna, Mayavada philosophy, that means your heart is not yet cleansed. Ye 'nye 'ravindaksa vimukta-maninas tvayy asta-bhavad avisuddha-buddhayah [SB 10.2.32]. Those who are thinking that... It is called ahangrahopasana, ekatvena, to become one. One in quality, not in quantity. We cannot become God. That is not possible. But we can attain God's quality. Now we are... We have all God's quality because we are part and parcel of God, but it is covered by the material modes of nature. Tri-guna. Manyate tri-gunatmakam. Yaya vimohito jiva manyate tri-gunatmakam: "Being covered by this illusory energy, the jiva, the living being, although it is transcendental, as good as Krsna, but," manyate tri-gunatmakam, "he is thinking that 'I am one of the products of this material world.' " This is called maya. This is called illusion. This is called ignorance.
So ceto-darpana-marjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12] means you will be freed from this ignorance, that "I am something of this material world." This is wanted. So long we are not realized, self-realized, then we are no better than these cats and dogs, because they do not know that he is not the body. So if we think that "I am this body," then we are no better than the cats and dogs. So if you want to become happy, first of all we must get this knowledge, that "I am not this body." Now we are busy with the bodily demands of life. We are not busy for spiritual demand of life. That is the business of the human being, that "I am not this material body. I am spirit soul. So my business is different from the business at the present moment we are engaged in." Everyone is engaged for satisfying the bodily necessities of life, everyone. The cats and dogs, animals, they are also busy how to fulfill the demands of the body. The demands of the body are four: ahara-nidra-bhaya-maithunam ca. Ahara means eating, and nidra... Nidra means sleeping, ahara-nidra-bhaya. Bhaya means to become fearful, to become anxious, full of anxieties. Ahara-nidra-bhaya. And maithuna, and sexual intercourse. So these are the demands of the body. They are called visaya. Visaya means so-called enjoyable, visaya. But the Vaisnava says that visaya chadiya, se rase majiya, mukhe bolo hari hari. The transcendental sound Hari, Hare Krsna, should be chanted, visaya chadiya, without any attraction for this visaya. Ahara-nidra-bhaya-maithunam ca. Then it will be perfect. Nidrahara-viharakadi-vijitau catyanta-dinau ca yau **.
The Gosvamis, they conquered over these things. Nidrahara-vihara. That is required. That is spiritual life. If you are embarrassed with these four things, ahara-nidra-bhaya-maithunam ca, then we are not making progress in spiritual life. It should be reduced. Just like Raghunatha dasa Gosvami did. All the Gosvamis -- they had no business. But that is very difficult. If one has to imitate the behavior of Rupa Gosvami and all the Gosvamis, it is very difficult. Therefore yukta-vairagya. We must eat krsna-prasadam as much as it is needed for maintaining my body. Ahara-nidra-bhaya-mai... In this way, spiritual progress of life... But it will be very easy if we chant this transcendental vibration, Hare Krsna mantra, offenselessly, niraparadhe. Then immediately you become advanced. Not only advanced, actually spiritual situated.
So the sound is very important thing. The sound is the cause of our bondage in this material world. Just like in big, big cities they are attached to the sound vibrated by the cinema artist. And not only that, so many other things we are hearing through the radio message. Attachment for the sound. And because it is material sound, we are becoming materially entangled, entangled more and more. Some actress, some cinema artist, singing, and people are so fond of hearing that singing that the artist is paid fifteen thousand rupees for one song. There are many here in Bombay. So just see how much attraction we have got for the material sound vibration. Similarly, the same attachment, if we turn to hear about Hare Krsna maha-mantra, then we become liberated, the same sound. One is material; one is spiritual. So you practice to be attached by this spiritual sound vibration. Then your life will be successful.
ceto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam
sreyah-kairava-candrika-
anandambudhi-vardhanam prati-padam purnamrtasvadanam
sarvatma-snapanam param vijayate sri-krsna-sankirtanam
[Cc. Antya 20.12]
So this Krsna consciousness movement is meant for this purpose, that "You have already attachment for sound. Now just transfer this attachment for spiritual sound. Then your life will be successful." This is Hare Krsna movement, teaching people how to transfer the attachment from material sound to the spiritual sound. Narottama dasa Thakura therefore sings, golokera prema-dhana, hari-nama-sankirtana, rati na janmilo kene tay. This sound coming from the spiritual world, golokera prema-dhana, by chanting, by hearing this sound, we shall develop our original dormant love for God. That is wanted. Prema pum-artho mahan. In the material world we are accepting dharmartha-kama-moksa [SB 4.8.41] as very important. Purusartha. Dharma, to become religious, and by becoming religious, we develop our economic development. Dhanam dehi, rupam dehi, yaso dehi, dehi dehi. Kama. Why dehi dehi? Now, kama, to fulfill our desires, lusty desires. Dharmartha-kama, and when we are disgusted or unable to fulfill desires, then we want moksa, to become one with God. This is the four kinds of material business. But spiritual business is prema pum-artho mahan. To achieve love of Godhead, that is the highest perfection. Prema pum-artho mahan.
So to achieve this goal of life, prema pum-artho mahan, in this age especially, in Kali-yuga, because we cannot do any other thing, it is very, very difficult. The time is very obstacle, full of obstacles. Therefore kalau... This is the method, harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam: [Cc. Adi 17.21] "Chant Hare Krsna mantra," kevalam, "only." Kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha. In the Kali-yuga, because main business is how to get relief from this material bondage... Bhutva bhutva praliyate [Bg. 8.19]. People do not understand even that what is really our distress. Krsna says, the Supreme Personality of Godhead says personally, "These are your miseries." What? Janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi: [Bg. 13.9] "Repetition of birth and death. This is your real misery of life." What you are thinking of this misery or that misery? They are all temporary. They are all under the laws of material nature. You cannot get out of it. Prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah [Bg. 3.27]. Prakrti will force you to do something because you have contaminated the material modes of nature. Therefore you have to act under the direction of this prakrti, material nature. And so long you are under this material nature, you have to accept this birth, death, old age and disease. This is your real misery. We are thinking temporary miserable condition. Sastra says that "You don't require to adjust temporary material misery or happiness, because they will come and go. You are destined to certain type of miserable condition of life, certain type of so-called happy life. That will automatically come and go just like seasonal changes." Agamapayino 'nityas tams titiksasva bharata. We are very much happy when we are in a very good condition of life. But that will also not stay. That will also go away. Then miserable condition. Cakravat parivartante sukhani ca duhkhani ca. Sometimes happy, sometimes miserable.
So if you are actually interested to get out of miserable condition, then try to get out of these four miserable condition of life: janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi [Bg. 13.9]. That is intelligence. Don't be bothered with the temporary miserable or happy. They will come and go. Tams titiksasva bharata. If you cannot bear, then try to tolerate. That is the qualification of brahmana. Satyam samo damas titiksa, tolerance. We should not be disturbed, "Now I am in miserable condition." Tolerate. The miserable condition will come this material world. Don't be very much happy when you are in happy condition of life; neither you become mad in miserable condition of life. Chant Hare Krsna and make your life success. That is required. This is the propaganda of this Hare Krsna movement, or Krsna consciousness.
Thank you very much. (end)
© 2001 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.
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