We Should Have Firm Faith
Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.26.30
Bombay, January 7, 1975
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Nitai: "Doubt, misapprehension,
correct apprehension, memory and sleep, as determined by their different
functions, are said to be the distinct characteristics of
intelligence."
Prabhupada:
samsayo 'tha viparyaso
niscayah smrtir eva ca
svapa ity ucyate buddher
laksanam vrttitah prthak
[SB 3.26.30]
So the modern psychologists, they have divided the function of the mind: thinking, feeling, willing, and then other subdivisions. That is known as the science of psychology. But intelligence... Above mind there is intelligence. I don't think in the modern science there is any analytical study of the intelligence function. But in the Vedic literature there is analysis of the intelligence. They are described here: samsaya, doubtfulness. The samsaya, samsayatma vinasyati.
In the Bhagavad-gita there is a statement: "Those who are doubtful about the existence of God," vinasyati, "they are finished." Their progress is finished. Samsayatma vinasyati. That niscayatma, that is very good, to believe, to have faith, niscaya, by full assertion. Just like Krsna said, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. So if by your intelligence you become doubtful, "Whether Krsna is able to give me protection?" then you are finished. Samsayatma vinasyati. But if you have faith in Krsna's words, niscaya, "When Krsna says that if I surrender unto Him, He will give me protection, there is no doubt about it," that is called faith. Niscayatmika. Vyavasayatmika buddhih. Buddhi, intelligence, vyavasayatmika, niscayatmika, that is very good.
vyavasayatmika buddhir
ekeha kuru-nandana
bahu-sakha hy anantas ca
buddhayo 'vyavasayinam
[Bg. 2.41]
Avyavasayinam, those who have no faith, doubtful, they have got different branches of activities. But one who has got faith, niscayatmika, "Yes, here Krsna says that He will give me protection. Let me surrender," then his life becomes successful.
This is beginning of successful life. Adau sraddha, this sraddha, or this niscayatmika buddhi, or vyavasayatmika buddhi, is the beginning of spiritual life. If one has no faith in the words of the authorities, then he has no hope. Samsayatma vinasyati. Vinasyati means he does not get any chance to enter into spiritual life. We are in the material world. We are... Vinasyatsu. We are in an atmosphere of being finished. That everyone, we know. This body... I am concerned with this body, and the body is to be finished. But the soul is not finished. Therefore our bhakti-marga... How one can make progress in bhakti-marga? If we have got faith in the words of Krsna, that Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66], if we apply our intelligence, niscayatmika, then our spiritual life begins. Adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sangah [Cc. Madhya 23.14-15]. These are the different methods to make advance in spiritual life, especially in bhakti-yoga, devotional life.
So adau sraddha. Krsna says these are on the intellectual platform. Sometimes intellectual platform is taken as sentimental. But if it is rightly taken, somebody believes, even Krsna..., Krsna's statement, they are not sentimental. They are vijnana-sahitam. Jnanam vijnana-sahitam. Yaj jnatva moksyase asubhat, jnanam vijnana-sahitam pravaksyamy anasuyave, yaj jnatva moksyase asubhat. This is the statement in Bhagavad-gita. Jnanam te 'ham sa-vijnanam idam vaksyamy asesatah [Bg. 7.2]. Pravaksyamy asesatah, yaj jnatva moksyase asubhat. That asubha, inauspicious, we do not understand. We have taken inauspicious thing as auspicious. This is called maya. We accept something maya, or illusion, or vivarta. We accept something for something. The example is given: there is a rope, and due to my ignorance or insufficient knowledge, I take it as a snake. This is my insufficient knowledge. The snake is fact, and the rope is fact. But when we take the rope as snake, that is ignorance, or the snake as rope, that is ignorance. The Mayavadi philosopher says that "We are accepting snake..., er, rope as a snake. But there is no snake." But we, Vaisnava philosopher, we say, "No, there is snake, and there is rope. But when we accept the rope as snake, that is maya." Similarly, there is spiritual world and there is material world. But when we accept the material world as everything, that is maya. That is illusion.
There is spiritual world. Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita that paras tasmat tu bhavah anyah: [Bg. 8.20] "There is another bhava, nature." What is the nature? Sarvesu nasyatsu na vinasyati: "When the material world, this cosmic manifestation, the phenomenal world, will be finished, that will stay. That will not be finished." There are many example. Just like mirage in the desert. Sometimes you see there is vast mass of water in the desert. The animal runs after the water, being thirsty, but there is no water. Therefore the animal dies. But human being should not be like the animal. They should raise their standard. They have got special consciousness. They can raise their standard of understanding by these literatures, Vedic literatures given by God. Vyasadeva is incarnation of Krsna, so he has given us the Vedic literature. Therefore his name is Vedavyasa, incarnation of God, Vedavyasa. Maha-muni-krte kim va paraih. There is no need of speculating. Just follow Vyasadeva in the disciplic succession. Vyasadeva's disciple is Narada Muni. Narada Muni's disciple is Vyasadeva. So in this parampara system: if we receive knowledge, then that is perfect knowledge. So we have to accept it. Niscayatmika.
Therefore Rupa Gosvami says that spiritual life can be advanced, the first principle is utsaha. Utsahat. Utsaha means enthusiasm: "Yes, Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. I will accept it and work enthusiastically on the principle, as Krsna says." Krsna says, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65], and we have to do it, execute it enthusiastically: "Yes, I shall always think of Krsna." Man-manah. Krsna says directly. Man-mana bhava mad-bhaktah, "You just become My devotee." So we have to be enthusiastic, "Yes, I shall become Krsna's devotee." Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji. Krsna says, "Worship Me," so we should be very much enthusiastic to worship Krsna, offer mangala-aratrika, rise early in the morning. These are all enthusiasm, utsaha. Those who are not enthusiastic, lazy, lethargetic, they cannot advance in spiritual life. Simply sleeping, they cannot make. One must be very, very enthusiastic, positive. Utsahad dhairyat. Dhairya means patience, not that "Because I have begun devotional service with great enthusiasm..." So you are already on the perfectional platform, but if you become impatient that "Why I am not becoming perfect? Sometimes why maya is kicking me?" Yes. That is habitual. That will go on. It will stop. Niscayat. Dhairyat, niscayat, that "When Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66], now I have given up everything. I have no other occupational duties. Simply to serve Krsna. So when I have taken to it, then niscaya, Krsna will surely give me protection." That is called niscaya. Don't be disappointed. Krsna is not a false speaker. He says aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami.
So we should have firm faith, niscaya. Niscayat..., utsahad dhairyat niscayat. But niscayat; at the same time, you should not sit idly. You should work according to the direction of the spiritual master. Tat-tat-karma-pravartanat. "Now Krsna has given me assurance. Now let me sleep. Everything will come automatically." No. Tat-tat-karma-pravartanat. The spiritual master says, "You must do this. You must do that." That is called tat-tat-karma-pravartanat. Not that "Now I am initiated and..." That is going on in so many places. The guru says, "You think of me. Everything will be all right." I do not wish to name, but a very big ashram, they simply sit idly, and the guru has advised that "Think of me," that's all. This is not Vaisnava principle. Vaisnava principle is you must act according to the order of spiritual master. That is also an order. But the Vaisnava spiritual master orders according to the sastra. Sadhu-sastra-guru-vakya. Guru-mukha-padma-vakya, cittete koriya aikya, ar na koriho mane asa **. This is the instruction of our acarya.
So this is called vyavasayatmika buddhi. Vyavasayatmika buddhi, niscayatmika buddhi means, with good faith, that "I must execute it. That is my life and soul." If we take that, then our life is successful. Saksad-dharitvena samasta-sastraih. Guru is accepted identical with Krsna. Haritvena. It is accepted in all the sastras, Vedic literature, tatha bhavyata eva sadbhih. And those who are devotees, pure devotees, they accept like that. So why they accept? Kintu prabhor yah priya eva tasya. Guru is very dear to Krsna because under the direction of Krsna, by the parampara system, he is training, "You do like this. This is parampara system. Do not deviate." Because he is training people according to the desire of Krsna. Krsna is desiring that everyone should surrender unto Him. That is His desire. So guru's business is to train people how to surrender to Krsna, not to become Krsna. That is foolishness. You cannot become Krsna. Your respect is as Krsna because you are doing the most confidential service of Krsna, but if you think that you have become Krsna, then you are not guru. Kintu prabhor yah priya eva tasya.
saksad-dharitvena samasta-sastrair
uktas tatha bhavyata eva sadbhih
kintu prabhor yah priya eva tasya
This saksad-dharitvena, equal to Krsna, why? Priya eva tasya. Because he is very, very dear to Krsna.
Now, how he has become dear to Krsna? Because he is preaching the same principle as Krsna wanted.
ya idam paramam guhyam
mad-bhaktesv abhidhasyati
[Bg 18.68]
na ca tasman manusyesu
kascin me priya-krttamah
[Bg. 18.69]
Krsna says, "Anyone who is preaching this confidential cult..." Mad-bhaktesu abhidhasyati. Bhaktesu means "amongst the devotee." Who will understand Krsna? And who will surrender to Krsna unless he is bhakta? Therefore, guru's business is first of all to make him bhakta. Then he will be able to understand what is Krsna and surrender to Him. He has got very double business. Krsna says, mad-bhaktesu abhidhasyati. "This cult, who preaches, anyone who preaches this cult of bhakti-yoga amongst My devotees..." He is selecting, "devotees." He never says the jnanis, yogis. The jnanis, yogis, will not be able to understand what is Krsna. From the very beginning they think they have become Krsna. Vimukta-maninah. They think like that. Actually it is not. Krsna is not so cheap thing that one can become Krsna. One can become Krsna's most confidential servant -- that is possible. But one cannot become Krsna. That is another illusion, maya.
Therefore Krsna said that sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. This cult, who will understand unless he is devotee? A jnani, yogi cannot understand. It is not possible. Because they are not bhakta, they cannot understand Krsna. Bhaktya mam abhijanati [Bg. 18.55]. Krsna never says, "By jnana or by yoga, by karma one can understand Me." No, that is not possible. Therefore jnani, yogi, karmi, they cannot understand. Therefore they are misled. Maya-mohita. Nabhijanati mam ebhyah param avyayam. Tribhir gunamayair bhavaih. Nabhijanati, they cannot understand. Mam ebhyah param avyayam. So Krsna says, therefore, "Preach this cult amongst the devotees." He never said that "Preach this cult amongst the karmis, amongst the jnanis, amongst the yogis." Because they are very unfortunate, they cannot understand Krsna. Mayavadi-bhasya sunile haya sarva-nasa [Cc. Madhya 6.169]. One who comes in touch with the Mayavadi... Mayavadi means one who thinks Krsna is also in maya. That is called Mayavadi. "Krsna's body is also maya." They are called Mayavadi.
So Caitanya Mahaprabhu warns that mayavadi-bhasya sunile haya sarva-nasa. Anyone who listens to the commentary of the Mayavadi philosopher, then his fate is doomed. He is finished. He will never be able to understand bhakti philosophy. It is so poisonous. Therefore Sanatana Gosvami has warned not to hear from avaisnava about Krsna. There is a very famous Bhagavata reader in Bombay. He is a pakka avaisnava. But he is going on, and he is infusing poison -- means those who are hearing him, they will never be able to understand what is Krsna. They will never be able. It is so poisonous. Therefore Sanatana Gosvami says, avaisnava-mukhodgirnam putam hari-kathamrtam, sravanam na kartavyam: "Avaisnava, who is not Vaisnava, who is not devotee, if he speaks about Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, nonsense..." He will speak nonsense. So it is not good. Avaisnava-mukhodgirnam putam hari-kathamrtam, sravanam na kartavyam: "You should never hear." On principle you should avoid hearing from such rascals. This is the injunction of Sanatana Gosvami. "Why? He is speaking Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam. Why one should not hear? Bhagavad-gita is very nice." That's all right. He gives the example, sarpocchistam payo yatha. Milk... Everyone knows milk is very good food. But if it is touched by the lip of a serpent, then it is finished. Then it is finished. He will die. If you take such milk, then your destiny is to death.
That is very important point, that Caitanya Mahaprabhu's secretary, Svarupa Damodara Gosvami, he advised... Many person used to come to see Caitanya Mahaprabhu, but he was first of all examined by His secretary whether he is actually fit for talking with Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Otherwise he will simply waste His time. So one brahmana from East Bengal came with some literature. Many people used to write something. So when it was examined by Svarupa Damodara Gosvami, he said, "No." Then he explained how the literature was defective. He pointed out. These are described in the Caitanya-caritamrta. Then he saw the person was submissive. He did not protest. Then Svarupa Damodara Gosvami advised him that "You..." Bhagavata pada giya bhagavata sthane: "You go to a Bhagavata, person Bhagavata, and read or hear Bhagavata from him. Otherwise you will be misled, doubtful."
So samsayatma vinasyati. So it is our business to be very, very careful from understanding spiritual life or devotional life from nondevotee class of men. Nondevotee means one who does not accept Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is nondevotee. Krsna abhakta ara. Caitanya Mahaprabhu was asked by His one devotee, grhastha devotee, that "What is the primary function of a devotee?" So Caitanya Mahaprabhu said in two lines: asat-sanga-tyaga, ei vaisnava-acara [Cc. Madhya 22.87]. Asat. Asat means those who are nondevotees. They are asat. They are asat. Why asat? Because they will remain in this material world. Therefore they are asat. And those who will go to the spiritual, who will be promoted to the spiritual world, back to home, back to Godhead, they are sat, om tat sat, because they are being promoted to the eternal kingdom. That is sat. This is the distinction between asat and sat. Those who will perpetually remain within this material world, they are called asat. The karmis, jnanis, and yogis. Yogis, they... Just like... What is that big yogis? That rsi, great rsi?
Devotee: Maharishi Mahesh Yogi? Swami Tuk?
Prabhupada: No, no, not this swami. He was very angry.
Devotee: Durvasa.
Prabhupada: Durvasa, yes. Durvasa Muni, he was a very, very big yogi. He was such a big yogi that he could go anywhere, even the spiritual world. The yogis can go, travel. There is a planet which is called Siddhaloka. These are called siddhis, yoga-siddhi: anima, laghima, prapti. Nowadays there are so many yogis, but they are not siddhas. They cannot display all these yoga-siddhis. Simply by some exercise, gymnastic, they become yogi. That is... Gymnastic is required in the beginning for controlling the mind. But the yoga-siddhi is different. That require perfect yoga practice. Anima, laghima, prapti-siddhi, isita, vasita.
So there is a planet which is called Siddhaloka. In that Siddhaloka, the inhabitants are by nature siddhas. They can fly in the sky. From one planet to another planet they can go. There is siddhi, there is laghima-siddhi, to become lighter than the air. So they can fly in the air without any burden. These are Siddhaloka. So even these Siddhalokas, the inhabitants who are by nature born perfect in yoga-siddhis, they also could not enter into the Vaikunthaloka. And karmis, they go up to the heavenly planet. And jnanis, they may go up to Brahman effulgence. Param padam. Aruhya krcchrena param padam [SB 10.2.32]. Aruhya krcch... They elevate themself very high, so much so that they enter the spiritual world, param padam. Param padam, the spiritual world. Really param padam means the lotus feet of Krsna. But param padam, because this Brahman effulgence is also bodily rays of Krsna, the Brahman effulgence is also called sometimes param padam. But those who are aspiring to merge into that param padam, Brahman, they are actually not vimukta, vimukta-maninah. They are thinking, "Now we have become liberated." Maninah. Maninah means the position is different, but he is thinking that "I have become now perfect."
So why if they have gone to the spiritual world and stays in the Brahman effulgence and still they are maninah, not certain? Yes. Why? Because they cannot stay there. This is very logical argument and statement of the Vedic literature. Aruhya krcchrena param padam tatah patanty adhah [SB 10.2.32]. They fall down because they do not get ananda. Spiritual effulgence is simply eternity. So suppose if you live eternally without any ananda, how long you will like to live like that? Is it possible? That you cannot do. Suppose somebody lives eternally in the sky without any death. Rather, he will try to commit suicide. It is not possible. It is not possible. Just like we have got experience. If you remain for very long time -- I have got experience -- in the sea or in the air, you feel very uncomfortable. You want to land down, land down, another air station, another port, and feel very uncomfortable. The airplane men, they come down and they take rest on the ground. It is not our nature because it is impersonal. In the air there is no variety, simply air. Similarly, in the sea there is no variety, simply water. So it becomes suffocating. Similarly, those who are aspiring to go to the Brahman effulgence... Brahman effulgence is spiritual world, certainly, but there is no variety. There is no Krsna's enjoying with the cowherds boys or Srimati Radharani. You cannot find there. You simply remain in the Brahman effulgence.
But because we are part and parcel of Krsna, as Krsna wants enjoyment, anandamayo 'bhyasat (Vedanta-sutra 1.1.12), anandamaya, so we part and parcel of Krsna, we also want ananda. So to remain in the Brahman effulgence is not ananda. It is eternity only. It is not ananda. Therefore on account of absence of ananda, they come down again to enjoy this material ananda. We have got many experience of persons. The Mayavadi sannyasi, they take sannyasa, brahma satyam jagan mithya, but after some time they come to take parts in politics. Why? Is (If) jagan mithya, why you are taking to politics? Because they could not get ananda. Nirvisesa, nirakara -- simply philosophizing, but there was no ananda. "Therefore let me go to the jail by political activities. There is ananda." (laughter) Yes, they do practically, yes. So they will take ananda in the jail, not with Krsna.
Therefore, sastra says, aruhya krcchrena param padam tatah patanty adhah anadrta-yusmad-anghrayah [SB 10.2.32]. This class of men, although after severe penance and austerities, aruhya krcchrena, very severe penance and austerities performing... The Mayavadi sannyasi, those who are really following the principles, their life is very strict, stricter than the Vaisnavas'. So in spite of such strict observance of rules and regulation and rising up to the Brahman effulgence, because they do not get ananda... Ananda is there with Krsna. Krsnaloka. Ananda-cinmaya-rasa-
So everyone can possess that status of life. So this is niscaya. If we understand Krsna philosophy, Krsna consciousness, rightly, then there will be no doubt by intelligence. Without intelligence, nobody can understand Krsna philosophy. Dull-headed, poor fund of knowledge, they cannot understand Krsna. Therefore Krsna says, bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan [Bg. 7.19]. Actually, those who are thinking they are jnanis, they are not jnanis. They are still in maya, darkness, because they think that they have finished their business; now they have become liberated. They have become Narayana. Instead of separate Narayana, each, every one them, is Narayana. They address amongst themselves, "Narayana." That is their foolishness. At least you must show the four hands of Narayana. Where is your four hand? You are begging, and you are Narayana? What kind of Narayana you are? Now daridra-narayana they have manufactured. "Yes, I am Narayana, but daridra-narayana." But we do not know daridra-narayana. Narayana is Laksmi-Narayana. He is the husband of Laksmi.
So they manufacture all these concocted ideas. Therefore it is called maninah. They are thinking they have become liberated. Vimukta-maninah. They are ordinary living being, but they can befool some foolish persons. But they are not liberated. They are under the spell of maya. Maya is dictating. Just like in the material world, maya is dictating, "Now you are prime minister. Now you are president. Now you are very rich man, so your life is..." [break] Then you can surrender. Yes. Mattah... Actually, He is na mattah paratara... That is fact. Even Sankaracarya accepts: narayanah parah avyaktat: "Narayana is not a living being of this world," but his followers, they are thinking, "I am Narayana." You see? They do not know even their original philosophy. It is clearly written by Sankaracarya, narayanah parah avyaktat. So... And in the sastra it is said, yas tu narayanam devam brahma-rudradi-daivataih, ekatvena or samatvenaiva vikseta sa pasandi bhaved dhruvam [Cc. Madhya 18.116]. Pasandi. Unbeliever, atheist, infidel, faithless -- they are called pasandi. So anyone who thinks Narayana on the same level with such exalted demigods like Lord Siva and Lord Brahma, brahma-rudradi-daivataih samatvenaiva vikseta, if he puts Narayana on the same level, sa pasandi bhaved dhruvam, he is pasandi.
So these pasandis are flourishing in this Kali-yuga on account of our these doubts. What is that? Samsaya, this samsaya. So the first business of spiritual life is to become free from samsaya. Because samsayatma vinasyati. We should accept the statement of the sastra, we should accept the statement of authorities and make our life following. Evam parampara-praptam [Bg. 4.2]. That is actually parampara system, as Krsna says, as Krsna's devotee says, His authorized agent says. Then our life will be successful. Otherwise samsayatma vinasyati.
Thank you very much. (end)
© 2001 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.
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