Saving the Independent from Hell
Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.1
Hawaii, June 8, 1975
download flash player
Take a testHawaii, June 8, 1975
download flash player
Prabhupada: Om namo bhagavate
vasudevaya. (chants three times with devotees responding) (chants verse word for
word with devotees responding:)
adhuneha maha-bhaga
yathaiva narakan narah
nanogra-yatanan neyat
tan me vyakhyatum arhasi
[SB 6.1.6]
So Sukadeva Gosvami... The whole Bhagavata is talking between the spiritual master and the disciple. Sukadeva Gosvami is the spiritual master, and Maharaja Pariksit, king, is the disciple. At the time of his death he had only seven days remaining. He was aware that only seven days remaining. So Maharaja Pariksit left his kingdom and sat down on the bank of the Ganges, and fortunately his spiritual master also came.
So there was discussion on the Srimad-Bhagavatam for seven days. This seven days' discussion is imitated by the professional Bhagavata reciters in India. But that is not required. We have to hear Srimad-Bhagavatam daily. Pariksit Maharaja had only seven days left in his life; therefore he hurriedly finished the reading of Bhagavatam. But, of course, he had seven days assured. We haven't got seven minute assured. We can die at any moment. Anyway, the recommendation is nityam bhagavata-sevaya. We should read Srimad-Bhagavatam daily. Simply you go on reading. Nityam bhagavata-sevaya. Nasta-prayesv abhadresu nityam bhagavata-sevaya [SB 1.2.18]. We have no taste for reading and hearing Srimad-Bhagavatam, but the taste will be created if we even by force sit down and attend Bhagavata class. The taste will be created. How it will be created? Just like a person suffering from jaundice, if you give him sugar candy, it will be tasted by him as bitter. This is very practical example. He will say, the patient suffering from jaundice, he will say it is bitter. But sugar candy is not bitter. And at the same time, for jaundice-diseased man the sugar candy is the only medicine. If you give him sugar candy, water, sugarcane, then it will..., he will be cured very soon. And papaya. These things are recommended for jaundice patient. Similarly, the discussion on Srimad-Bhagavatam may not be liked by me in the beginning, but if we hear... Just like child does not want to go to school, but if you force him to go, gradually he will go automatically. This is the process.
So Sukadeva Gosvami is speaking Srimad-Bhagavatam, and his disciple, Maharaja Pariksit, was hearing. So at the end... This is the Sixth Canto. There are twelve Cantos of Srimad-Bhagavatam, and this is Sixth Canto. So at the end of the Fifth Canto the Pariksit Maharaja was informed about the hellish planets. This universe, there are different types of planets. Yasya prabha prabhavato jagad-anda-koti [Bs. 5.40]. Yasya prabha prabhavato jagad-anda-koti-kotisv asesa-vasudhadi vibhuti-bhinnam [Bs. 5.40]. This universe is one of the universes. There are millions of universes. We do not know. We do not know even one universe. We cannot study even one universe. They are... They were -- not are -- trying to go to the moon planet, but that has become a failure. From sastra we understand that the moon planet is situated 1,600,000 miles away from the sun, and the sun is situated in the middle of the universe. And the total diameter from one circumference to the other of the universe it is four billions of miles. So the sun is situated at the point of two billions of miles from the circumference of the universe, and above the sun planet, 1,600,000, there is the moon. And above that there is Venus, there is Jupiter, there is Mars -- all difference of 1,600,000 of miles. So it is not possible to go to the moon planet. Because first of all the sun is a little... According to the modern scientists calculation it is 93,000,0000. Taking it, accepted as 93,000,000's from this earthly planet, then again add 1,600,000, that means 94,600,000 miles away from the earth there is the moon planet. It is not possible. Therefore they are now silent. They cannot go there; neither ever they went there. This is the conclusion. So that is a controversial point, controversial, but we have to see the result. According to Vedic culture, one has to judge by the result. Not by if you simply talk nonsense, one has to accept. What is the result? Suppose if one says that "I have done very good business. I have earned so much money I have got in bank balance..." You can say all these thing. But one sees that a prosperous businessman has got a nice house, nice motorcar, his standard of living is very nice. But if he is loitering in the street, has no good dress, and if he advertises himself that "I am a very big businessman. I have got so much money," who will believe him? Similarly, this moon planet expedition is, up to this date, it is a failure. So how can I believe that they have gone there?
So this universe is fully described in the Fifth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam. You will see it, where, which planet, where it is situated, what is the dimension, what kind of people live there. Everything is there. Similarly, there are description of the hellish planet, downwards. So that description of those planets when Pariksit Maharaja heard it, that "These sinful men, they are suffering there; some of them being fried in boiling oil," this description is there. Some of them put into the river which is full of germs and mosquitoes, and some of them are forced to embrace a iron, hot iron man, a hot iron woman. In this way there are many description. And Sukadeva Gosvami concluded, "Maharaja, I have described a few of them. There are many thousands and thousand kinds of suffering." So Pariksit Maharaja is a Vaisnava. Vaisnava means devotee. So he did not appreciate the suffering of the human being in such a way. That is a Vaisnava's nature. Vaisnava himself is very happy because he is in direct connection with Krsna. He personally has no complaint, because a Vaisnava is satisfied simply by serving Krsna. That's all. He doesn't want anything.
Caitanya Mahaprabhu, at least, teaches us. Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, na dhanam na janam na sundarim kavitam va jagad-isa kamaye [Cc. Antya 20.29, Siksastaka 4]. Dhanam means wealth, and janam means many followers or family members, big family, big factory. There are many businessmen, they are running on big factories and thousands of men are working at his direction. This is also opulence. And to have great amount of money, that is also opulence. Dhanam janam. And another a opulence, to have a very nice wife, beautiful, obedient, very pleasing. So these are material necessities. People generally aspire for these three things: wealth, many followers, and a good wife at home. But Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, na dhanam: "I don't want money." Just the opposite. Everyone wants money. He says, "No, I don't want money." Na dhanam na janam: "I don't want many men to..., as My followers." Just see opposite. Everyone wants. The politicians, the yogis, the swamis, everyone wants, "There may be hundreds and thousands of my followers." But Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, "No, I don't want." Na dhanam na janam na sundarim kavitam va jagad-isa kamaye [Cc. Antya 20.29, Siksastaka 4]. "Neither I want very nice, beautiful, obedient wife." Then what You want? Mama janmani janmanisvare bhavatad bhaktir ahaituki: "Life after life, let me remain a faithful servant of Your Lordship." This is Vaisnava. He doesn't want anything. Why he will want? If he becomes servant of Krsna, then what does he want? Suppose if you become servant of a very, very big man, then what is the question of your want? This is intelligence. Any servant of any big man, he is bigger than his master. Because he is given Master is given so many varieties of food. Master takes little, and the balance the servants eat. (laughs) So where is his want? There is no question of want. Just try to become servant of God, and all your necessities will be sufficiently fulfilled. This is intelligence. Just like a rich man's child, does he want anything from father? No, he simply wants father, mother. The father-mother knows what does he want, how he will be happy. That is the duty of the father and mother. Similarly, this is very good intelligence: just to try to become the sincere servant of Krsna. All your necessities of life will be sufficiently supplied. There is no question of asking.
Therefore intelligent devotee they do not ask like the unintelligent devotee go to the church and pray to God, "Give us our daily bread." He's God's servant, and He will not get your bread? You have to ask from God? No. God is giving bread to the eight million other living entities. Birds, beast, tigers, elephants, they are not going to the church for asking bread. But they are getting it. So if God is supplying everyone's food, why He shall not supply you? He is supplying you. So we should not go to God for begging some material benefit. That is not actual devotion. We shall go to God for begging how one can be engaged in His service. That should be the begging: "Hare Krsna," means... Hare means "O the energy of God and Krsna. O Krsna, Lord Krsna, please engage me in Your service." This is Hare Krsna. Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. It is simply praying, "O my Lord Krsna, O Srimati Radharani, Krsna's energy, kindly engage me in Your service." That's all. Finished all business. This is Vaisnava. So Vaisnava has no necessity. He knows that "I have no necessity. My only business is to serve Krsna." Therefore he is happy in all conditions.
So Pariksit Maharaja is a Vaisnava. From his childhood he is a Vaisnava. So he has no unhappiness. But when he heard that so many sinful persons are going to the hell and they are suffering in this way, he became very sorry. That is Vaisnava. Para-duhkha-duhkhi. He is unhappy by seeing others unhappy. He has personally no unhappiness, but he is para-duhkha-duhkhi. Just like Prahlada Maharaja. All the Vaisnava you will see. Just like Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Caitanya Mahaprabhu, tyaktva su-dustyaja-surepsita-rajya-
Similarly, the Gosvamis. Just like Rupa Gosvami, he was prime minister in the government. And about him it is said that tyaktva turnam asesa-mandala-pati-srenim sada tuccha-vat. He gave up such exalted post as minister of the government, chief minister in the government. And tyaktva turnam asesa-mandala-pati-srenim. As a minister his association was with very big, big men, mandala-pati. Mandala-pati means very, very big leaders. Actually big merchant, big businessman, big industrialist, big politician, they used to visit him. So he gave of up this company. Sada tuccha-vat: "Eh, what is this nonsense? What is the use of meeting all these men?" Tyaktva turnam asesa-mandala-pati-srenim sada succha-vat. And what they became? Bhutva dina-ganesakau karunaya kaupina-kanthasritau. Here is the Gosvamis' photo. You can see how they have become mendicant. A small loincloth, one waterpot only, that's all, finished, no possession. So why? Bhutva dina-ganesadau karunaya. They wanted to show their mercy to the suffering humanity. So in this way they adopted change of life. That is Vaisnava. Vaisnava personally has no demand for life, no unhappiness. He is completely satisfied with Krsna. But he is unhappy by seeing other conditioned souls suffering. This is Vaisnava. There are many example. Prahlada Maharaja also said the same thing.
So here also Pariksit Maharaja, he heard so many things, but he is very much perplexed that "How these suffering men who are put into this hellish condition of life, not all, some of them?" So he is asking, "My dear sir, you have explained so many things. They are very nice." Adhuna, "just now"; iha, "in this connection"; maha-bhaga, "O the great fortunate"; maha-bhaga yathaiva narakan narah. Yatha eva, "and as"; "from this hellish condition," narakat, "from the hell"; the human being, nana-ugra-yatanan... They are put into the hell means they are suffering very severe type of pains. Nana-ugra-yatanan neyat: "They become free." Tan me vyakhyatum arhasi: "Now leaving aside all other topics, kindly let me know how these men can be delivered from this hellish condition of life." This is his prasna.
So we may declare very foolishly that we are independent. That is the foolishness of the modern civilization. They are not independent, nobody. Everyone is dependent. But because they are dependent and there are so many sufferings awaiting them for their so-called independent life, they do not believe in the next life. This is the, I mean to say, special feature of the modern civilization. They say, big, big professor, big, big leader, "No, there is no life after death. This is once we get and finished." That is also another foolishness. Just like a child. A child, he knows that his body will be changed. Nobody will remain a baby. Nobody will remain a child. Nobody will remain a boy. Next life is awaiting. It is very simple philosophy. And then after this body another body is waiting. That's a fact. And not only fact. If you cannot understand it -- there is no difficulty in understanding -- but the authority says, Krsna says, tatha dehantara-praptih [Bg. 2.13]. As we are changing from this body to that body, this body to that body, this body to that body, every moment... According to medical science, every moment we are changing body. That's a fact. But the changing is going so swiftly that we do not see how it is being changed. But if you come after some years... Just like we are seeing so many children, and if you come some years after, his father says, "This is the same child," oh, you will be surprised, "Oh!" Because he has changed body. You will say, "Oh, you have become so big." So it is a fact that we are changing body, and Krsna says this example, that as we are changing even in this life the body, similarly we shall have to change this body. The authority says, and we are practical example is there. Why we should not believe in the next life? Even a child can understand. But they are trying to avoid next life. That is their philosophy. If there are next life, and next life one is going to put into the hell and suffering is there, to dismiss this problem they do not believe in next life. This is the real fact. But actually this is the fact. If you live irresponsibly then you have to suffer.
So not that all living entities are going to the hell, but some of them. Some of them. Because most of the living entities, they are less than the human being -- 8,400,000. So eight millions they are below the human standard of life, human being. They are animals. Jalaja nava-laksani sthavara laksa-vimsati. Nine lakhs, hundred thousand in the water, different types of forms, body. Then insect... Then plants, trees, then insect, then birds, then beast, then human being. This is the evolution. So these eight million different forms of body below the human being, they are not punishable because they are animals. They have no intelligence. Then again, amongst the human being, those who are intelligent, those who are acting according to the Vedic instruction, they will not be also suffering. Those who are avoiding the instruction of the Vedas, they will be put into that hellish condition of life.
So this question was raised by Pariksit Maharaja that "You have already described." He did not disbelieve. He believed. Because he is Vaisnava, he knows. And he is disciple of Sukadeva Gosvami, so he has thorough knowledge. Now he is anxious. This is the symptom of Vaisnava, that he cannot see others are suffering. Therefore he takes. Just like Lord Jesus Christ, Vaisnava. For others' suffering he agreed to be crucified. But the followers are so unfaithful, they have settled up that "Let Christ suffer for us, and let us go on committing sin." Very good conclusion. They love Christ so, that "My dear Christ, you suffer for our sinful activities and let us go on with our sinful activities." Christ says, "Thou shall not kill." They decided, "Let us kill on and on, and open scientific slaughterhouse. And if there is any sin, then Christ will suffer. That's all. He has taken the agency on suffering." Very good conclusion. No. The Vaisnava can take the sufferings for you, but you should be sane, that "Why I shall put such and such Vaisnava into suffering for my sinful activity? Let me stop this sinful activity." That is intelligent. Not that "I give the suffering portion to Christ, and let me go on committing all sinful activities." That is not... But that will not be. That is not a fact. Suppose one is very pet son of his father, and he commits murder, and he thinks "If there is any punishment my father will suffer." Will it be done? Will it be done? When he is arrested, if he says, "No, you can release me. You can arrest my father because I am very pet son of my father," so will the government will do that, that you have committed murder and your father will be arrested? No. This is quite unreasonable. You have committed murder, you must be hanged. Nor your father nor your son nor your brother. This is the law. So that is the law. If you commit sinful life, then you must suffer, not anyone else. But we are thinking like that: "That let me go on doing all nonsense and somebody for me will suffer." No, that is not the law.
So here Pariksit Maharaja does not raise such foolish question that "Who is suffering for..." He is suffering. One who has committed sinful life, he must suffer. That is the law. So the answer is, Sukadeva Gosvami,
na ced ihaivapacitim yathamhasah
krtasya kuryat mana-ukta-panibhih
dhruvam sa vai pretya narakan upaiti
ye kirtita me bhavatas tigma-yatanah
So Sukadeva Gosvami replied, "My dear king, the sinful activities must be atoned." There are three processes: karma, jnana, bhakti. So yoga is within the jnana. To improve our condition there are different processes. One is called karma. Just like generally people are trying to elevate his position, economic condition, working day and night very hard. Similarly, we can also work very hard for our future happiness. We can promote ourself in the heavenly planets and we can degrade ourself to the hellish planets also -- both ways. Because as soon as we are engaged in karma, unknowingly or knowingly we commit some sinful activities. This is the position. Just like even if I do not like to kill any animal, still, while walking we are killing many animals, many ants on the street, unwillingly. So that is also taken into account. You cannot kill even an ant. So the karma, karma-kanda, is not very safe. Even if we want to act very piously, the danger is not over. There were many instances. There was one king. He was very charitable and he was giving cows, many cows to the brahmanas, and you will find this story in the Krsna book. So there was some mistake. One brahmana was taking another brahmana's cows, and both of them fought and they persisted. The owner wanted, "I want this cow returned back." And the king offered that "Instead of this cow you take ten cows from me. You settle up." No, he would not do that. In this way there was some misunderstanding, and the brahmana cursed him, as a result of which he had to become an, what is called?
Devotees: Lizard.
Prabhupada: Lizard. Just see this karma-kanda. He had to become a lizard, that Krsna delivered him. So this is karma-kanda. If there is little discrepancy then there is great risk. Then jnana-kanda. Jnana-kanda means to understand things very properly. So jnana-kanda is simply speculation, because there is no knowledge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So that is also risky. So only bhakti-marga is not risky. Bhakti-marga means the devotional..., path of devotional service. Because this material life means contamination of the three modes of material nature. Either you are on the goodness or in the passion or in ignorance, there is chance of falling down from one platform to another, so long you are on the material platform. But if you remain on the spiritual platform... Just like we are trying to keep you on the spiritual platform. That is bhakti-yoga -- always engaged in devotional service. Then you are above all these material qualities.
That is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita:
mam ca vyabhicarini
bhakti-yogena yah sevate
sa gunan samatityaitan
brahma-bhuyaya kalpate
[Bg. 14.26]
Anyone who is fully, constantly, twenty-four hours engaged, avyabhicarini... Avyabhicarini, without any stoppage. Therefore I want that in our temple there should be program that we are always engaged in devotional service, twenty-four hours. But because we have got this material body we require a little rest, the minimum rest, as minimum as possible. Because the sleeping means waste of time. We are supposed to be engaged twenty-four hours in the service of the Lord, but as it is not possible, we have to sleep, take little rest, so that should be the minimum. Because the whole period sleeping means waste. So all these Gosvamis, they used to sleep not more than two hours. That was also not possible in some day. They were so busy in writing books and other...
So this should be minimized, and we should be engaged twenty-four hours. If we remain engaged in that way... We have got so many engagement. We are daily singing -- I do not know whether you understand the meaning -- sri-vigraharadhana-nitya-nana-
So these things will be discussed, that "Such person is no meant for going to the hell." No. They are not meant. It is stated that such devotees, they will not in dream also see what is hellish condition of life. They are so, mean, guaranteed. So this hellish condition of life is meant for the persons who are rotting in these material modes of nature, and if you remain above the influence of material nature, always being engaged in devotional service... We have got varieties of service, and we have got such program. So if, some way or other, if we remain engaged always in devotional service, then there is no question of downfall or going to the hellish condition of life.
Thank you very much. (end)
© 2001 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.
No comments:
Post a Comment