Be a Helper-Not the Whole Show

Be a Helper-Not the Whole Show

Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.55
London, August 13, 1975

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Prabhupada:

esa prakrti-sangena
purusasya viparyayah
asit sa eva na cirad
isa-sangad viliyate
 [SB 6.1.55]

Viparyaya, in the reverse condition, unfavorable condition... So... (aside:) Stop.

Hamsaduta: The children should go out.

Prabhupada: Purusa. Purusa means enjoyer, and prakrti means enjoyed, or, in simple word, purusa means male, and prakrti means female. So this material world is called prakrti, and the living entities who are struggling in this material world to enjoy it, they are called purusa. Of course, purusa is Krsna only. Purusa means enjoyer. Nobody is enjoyer; therefore nobody is purusa. And in the Bhagavad-gita, the living entities have been described also as prakrti-apareyam itas tv bhinnam me prakrti..., apareyam itas tv bhinnam me prakrtim para-superior prakrti, not purusa. But because we are conditioned, we are under illusion. Although we are prakrti, we are thinking that we are purusa. But actually we are not purusa. We are also prakrti. So this living entity, on the false understanding of becoming a purusa, they have come to this material world to enjoy the material nature.

krsna bhuliya jiva bhoga vancha kare
pasate maya tare japatiya dhare

Just like a male and female. That movement is very strong now in America. The female wants to become male, or equal rights. This is maya. How woman can become in equal with man? Of course, we are not going to study the social welfare activities or something like that, but purusa and prakrti, they are different. Purusa means enjoyer, and prakrti means enjoyed. So here the prakrti, this material nature -- earth, water, air, fire, sky, mind, intelligence, and ego, egotism -- these are eight material things. So in the Bhagavad-gita it is said, bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh kham mano buddhir eva ca, bhinna prakrtim me astadha [Bg. 7.4]. These are eight kinds of material energy. Material energy is one, mahat-tattva, but they have been divided. Mahat-tattva, when it is separated... Just like some philosopher says, "There was a chunk, and it became broken, and the creation took place." This can be applicable... The mahat-tattva, the total material energy, by, when the three gunas break them, they become twenty-four elements, five material, and three material, subtle, and the ten senses, and the ten object of senses. In this way twenty-four elements is become.

So we living entities, we are part and parcel of Krsna. Just like fire and the small fragments of fire, sparks, our position is like that. Or the sun and the small particles of shining elements combined together becomes the sunshine. The sunshine which we daily see, it is not a homogeneous mixture. There is molecules, very small, shining particle. So we are like that, a very small... As there are atoms, material atoms -- nobody can count -- similarly, we are atomic sparks of God. How many we are, there is no count. Asankhya. Asankhya means we cannot count. So many living entities. So we are very small particle, and we have come here in this material world. Just like the Europeans especially, they go to other countries for colonizing to use the material resources for their sense gratification. The America was discovered, and the Europeans went there. The idea was to go there and... Now they are trying to go to the moon planet to find out if there is any convenience. This is the tendency of the conditioned soul. So they have come to this material world. Krsna bhuliya jiva bhoga vancha kare. Means purusa is bhokta.

Bhokta. Krsna is actually bhokta. Bhoktaram yajna-tapasam [Bg. 5.29]. So we are imitating Krsna. This is our position. Everyone is trying to become Krsna. The Mayavadis, although they have undergone penances, austerities -- very strictly they follow the principles of spiritual life -- but because they are under maya, at the end they are thinking that "I am God, Purusa," the same disease, purusa. Purusa means bhokta. That "I am Krsna..." Bhoktaram yajna... And even after advancing so much by austerities, penances, following regulative principle, the maya is so strong that still, he is under this impression that "I am purusa." Not only ordinary purusa, but the Supreme Purusa, as Krsna is described in the Bhagavad-gita. Param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam bhavan, purusam sasvata: [Bg. 10.12] "You are purusa." So maya is so strong that after being kicked so many lives, life after life, still he is thinking, "I am purusa. I am enjoyer." This is the disease.

Therefore here it is said that esa prakrti-sangena purusasya viparyayah. His material life begun from this conception, that "I am purusa. I am enjoyer." And because he cannot give up this idea that "I am enjoyer," life after life he is viparyayah, reverse condition. Reverse condition means... Because the living entity is part and parcel of God and God is sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah [Bs. 5.1], so we are also sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah, a small sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah, but our position is prakrti, not purusa. Both of them... Just like Radha and Krsna, They are of the same quality. Radha-krsna-pranaya-vikrtir hladini-saktir asmat. They are one, but still, Radha is prakrti, and Krsna is purusa. Similarly, we are, although part and parcel of Krsna, but we are prakrti, and Krsna is purusa. So by falsely, when we think of becoming purusa, this is called maya or viparyayah. That is stated here. Evam prakrti-sangena purusasya viparyayah. Viparyayah means he is meant for actually enjoying with the purusa. When the purusa and prakrti, male and female, enjoy, they enjoy, they get the same pleasure, but one is purusa; one is prakrti. Similarly, Krsna is purusa, and we are prakrti. If we enjoy with Krsna, then the ananda, sac-cid-ananda, is there. That we have forgotten. We want to be purusa. So some way or other, this condition has come into existence, a false conception of becoming purusa, enjoyer. Then what is the result? The result is that we are trying to be enjoyer life after life, but we are being enjoyed; we are not enjoyer. We are simply struggling to become enjoyer. This is our position.

So how you can stop this struggling and come to your original position? That is stated here. Sa eva na cirad isa-sangad viliyate. This false conception of life, that "I am purusa," it can be vanquished completely. How? Isa-sanga, by association with God, Isa. Isa means the supreme controller. Isa-sanga. "So where is Isa? I cannot see Isa. I cannot see... Even Krsna is Isa, the Supreme, but I cannot see Him." Now, Krsna is there. You are blind. Why don't you see Him? Therefore you cannot see. So you have to open your eyes, not close. That is the business of guru. The guru opens the eyes.

ajnana-timirandhasya
jnananjana-salakaya
caksur unmilitam yena
tasmai sri-gurave namah

So how Krsna opens the eyes? By jnananjana-salakaya. Just like in the darkness we cannot see anything. But if there is matches or candle, if the candle is ignited, then we can see. Similarly, guru's business is to open the eyes. To open the eyes means to give him knowledge that "You are not purusa. You are prakrti. Change your views." That is Krsna consciousness. When one is in his original position that "I am not bhokta. Krsna is bhokta. We are helping-beings for enjoyment of Krsna. This is our actual position," this is Krsna consciousness. Therefore isa-sangat, "by association with Bhagavan." So in this condition when I am so much fallen, how I can associate with Krsna? So that is isa-sangat. Isa is absolute. Everything has emanated from Isa, God. So in that way everything is Isa. There is nothing but Isa, but we haven't got the eyes to see. Antar-bahir-avasthitah. Kunti said, "My dear Krsna, You are situated outside and inside. Still, we are so rascal, we cannot see You." We cannot see You. How we can see? Isa-sangat, association. Sangat sanjayate kamah.

So with whom associate? Now, Isa. These are... Isa means His name, His form, His attributes, His, so many things. You see? Nama, rupa, rasa -- everything is Isa. So this temple means to give chance to people for associating with Isa, with Krsna. So therefore, according to Vedic civilization, everyone is advised to go to the temple. Still people are going to the church, to the temple, to the mosque, to the synagogue. Why? Isa-sangat, isa-sangat, just to associate with God. That is the purpose. So if you actually search after Isa, Krsna, or God, you can get it. There is arrangement. Just like this temple. This temple, if you come, if you make association with this temple, immediately you will be benefited by hearing the glories of the Lord this, every subject matter pertaining to God. We are reading Bhagavatam or Bhagavad-gita. That is also Isa. Because these are the words of Isa, therefore, Isa being absolute, there is no difference between His words and Him. Krsna, five thousand years ago He spoke Bhagavad-gita. That Bhagavad-gita is the same Bhagavad-gita which He spoke five thousand years ago, and it is not different from Krsna because Krsna is absolute. Whatever, His words, His form, His name, His quality, everything, His temple, His activities, His books -- everything Isa.

So if we associate with all these things, sravanam kirtanam visnoh [SB 7.5.23], hearing and chanting about Visnu, then this misconception of life, that "I am purusa," will vanquish. Then you become liberated. Isa-sangad viliyate. So take chance of this isa-sanga very vigorously. Tivrena bhakti-yogena. That is recommended. Anyone who is... There are two classes of men. One class of men, they are trying to enjoy this material world. Another class of men, they are rejecting -- brahma satyam jagan mithya -- Mayavadi. They say, "We have no use for this material world." And the karmis... Those who are rejecting, they are jnanis. And those who are karmis, they want more material enjoyment, more money, more money, more assets. The two classes of men. But a devotee is neither this class or that class. A devotee is neither karmi nor jnani. Therefore bhakti means jnana-karmady-anavrtam [Cc. Madhya 19.167]. If one is involved in jnana and karma he cannot become bhakta.

Bhakta means anyabhilasita-sunyam jnana-karmady-anavrtam [Brs. 1.1.11]. The bhakta has nothing to do with this jnana and karma. Jnana means to understand. So you understand simply that "I am part and parcel of Krsna, and Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Then your jnana is full. Your knowledge is full. These two words, that "Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and I am Krsna's part and parcel," if we realize these things only, then our jnana, our knowledge, is perfect. And then, as soon as knowledge is perfect, then next is vairagya. Jnana-vairagya-yuktaya [SB 1.2.12]. Two things required. But if you remain in the jnana platform, do not come to the actual spiritual platform, then srama eva hi kevalam [SB 1.2.8]. It is simply waste of... Jnana means to have knowledge. What knowledge? This knowledge, that "Krsna is the Supreme Person, bhokta, purusa, and we are just part and parcel of Krsna to fulfill the desire of Krsna." This is jnana. Just like the hand is part and parcel of my body, so what is the duty of this hand? The duty is to fulfill the desire of the person. Similarly, we are part and parcel of God, or Krsna. Or only business is to fulfill the desire of Krsna, not to fulfill our desire. That is... That is not bhakti. That is jnana or karma. But fulfill the desire of Krsna, that is bhakti. Anukulyena krsnanusilanam bhaktir uttama [Cc. Madhya 19.167]. This is first-class bhakti.

So this philosophy is spoken by the Yamaduta that one has become conditioned on this false conception of life, that "I am purusa," but this misconception can be vanquished. It is not very easy to vanquish, but it can be. How? Isa-sanga. Associate with Krsna consciousness movement and you will be able to give up this false misconception of life. The whole world, material world, is going on. You can see any city, any big town you go, or even in the village in these countries. Everyone, from the morning to night, they are simply trying how to enjoy the material world: "How to enjoy? How to enjoy?" This is called karma-jnana. When they are fed up, then "the grapes are sour." They give up: brahma satyam jagan mithya. But that will not stay. If you... Even if you give up for the time being, that jagat mithya -- "We have no business with the jagat" -- it may be sentimentally enduring for some time, but because you are not purified, therefore Bhagavata says, ye 'nye 'ravindaksa vimukta-maninas tvayy asta-bhavad avisuddha-buddhayah [SB 10.2.32]. Simply to understand that "I am not this material body, so I have nothing to do with this body, and I am spirit soul," simply this much knowledge is not perfect.

Therefore, sometimes the Mayavadis, they think, "Now we have understood that I am not this body. I have nothing to do with the material world. Aham brahmasmi: I am Brahman," but they do not understand the Supreme Brahman, Parabrahman, Krsna. They do not understand. Therefore sastra says, ye 'nye 'ravindaksa vimukta-maninah. Because they have understood what is the difference between spirit and matter, that knowledge is not perfect. He aravindaksa. Anye. They are thinking, "Now we have understood what is spirit and what... Therefore we are liberated. We are the... Aham. So 'ham: I have become the same." So for them the sastra says, ye 'nye 'ravindaksa vimukta-maninas tvayy asta-bhavad [SB 10.2.32]. Tvayy means "unto You, Krsna." They have not understood yet what is Krsna, the Purusa, the Supreme Purusa. Tvayy asta-bhavad avisuddha-buddhayah. Therefore their intelligence is not yet clear. Simply understanding that "I am not this material body; I am spirit soul," is not sufficient because unless you come to the point to understand Krsna, this will not stand.

Therefore many sannyasis, they give up the brahma satyam jagan mithya. I mean to... Mayavadi sannyasi. Again they fall down in this mithya jagat. They come for political work, they come for social work, daridra-narayana-seva and this and that. That's all. Because they are not pure. If jagat is mithya, why you again so much anxious for serving the jagat? This misconception is going on. Everyone asks us that, "Krsna consciousness movement, why not serve the suffering humanity?" They say always. And what you can do? You are... Simply like a madman you are thinking that you can serve the humanity. You cannot serve the humanity. You have no such power. What you can do? The example was... I was giving that if you want to give help a suffering in disease man, and bring some nice doctor, medical man to help him and bring some nice medicine, that is good work, but does it mean that it is guaranteed that he will be cured? No. Therefore you cannot do anything. You may think like that. Or you may act like that. But unless the Supreme Person sanctions, you cannot do anything. One is sure to suffer the material pangs of life. Nobody can stop it. So therefore we should not try. It will be automatically tried.

Just like we are distributing prasadam. Not that because he is poor man and we are giving prasada, no. This is not our idea. To our eyes, the so-called poor man and rich man, they are all suffering, not that the simply poor man suffering and the rich man is not suffering. Therefore we give them prasadam or isa-sanga. That prasadam is also Isa. The prasadam accepted by Krsna, offered to Krsna, is also Krsna. So if we give prasadam, then he is getting the opportunity of associating with Krsna. This is our idea. But people very much appreciate poor-feeding. So that, you can take it, that. But everyone is poor. Who is rich? Unless one has got knowledge of Krsna, he is poor. Bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate [Bg. 7.19]. So-called knowledge has no value. Therefore a jnanavan, a man of knowledge, after many, many births he comes to Krsna consciousness. Vasudevah sarvam iti sa mahatma su-durlabhah [Bg. 7.19]. So this is the process. Isa-sangat. So this prasada distribution means giving chance to the people, those who are poor in knowledge, to awaken their Krsna consciousness. This is our policy. Otherwise we cannot do any good to any others.

Prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sar... [Bg. 3.27]. Everyone is going on under the stringent laws of material nature. We cannot help. The same example: If a man is diseased, you can try to bring to him nice physician, nice medicine, but that is not guarantee that he will be cured. That depends on Krsna. Therefore Krsna is the ultimate, I mean to say, beneficiary, or benevolent. Krsna is the ultimate bene... If He likes, He can. So take Krsna's shelter, and whatever He likes, accept that. This is full surrender. Just like Bhaktivinoda Thakura --

manasa deha geha, yo kichu mora,
arpilun tuwa pade nanda-kisora

"Nanda-kisora, what I have got? I have got this body, and I have got some mental speculation, and maybe I have got some house and family. So everything I surrender unto You." This is called full surrender.

manasa deha geha, yo kichu mora,
arpilun tuwa pade nanda-kisora

That is wanted. If we can do that, then we shall be happy. Otherwise there is no question of happiness. Viparyayah: always reverse condition, miserable condition. Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.55 -- London, August 13, 1975

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