Part and Parcel of Krishna

Part and Parcel of Krishna

Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.48
Dallas, July 30, 1975

download  flash player

 

Take a test

---

Nitai: "The omnipotent Yamaraja is as good as Lord Brahma because although he is situated in his own abode or being situated in everyone's heart like Paramatma, by his mind he observes the past activities of a living entity, and according to that, by the same mind he understands how the living entity will act in his future life."

Prabhupada:

manasaiva pure devah
purva-rupam vipasyati
anumimamsati apurvam
manasa bhagavan ajah
 [SB 6.1.48]

So now the Yamadutas are describing about Yamaraja, who is as good as Brahma. He is entrusted with the majestical power To Yamaraja not all the living beings are taken to, neither the animals, only the human being and those who are criminals or sinful, not all of them. First of all there are living entities, 8,400,000 forms, or species. So not all of them sinful and subjected to be brought for justice before Yamaraja. Just like magistrate, criminal magistrate. He is... In every city the district magistrate, not all the people are brought there, only the criminals. So he is so powerful that through his mind he can see the past and the future, tri-kala-jna, by mind. And because he is so powerful, he is addressed here as Bhagavan. I have several times explained, Bhagavan means the most powerful, full of opulences. So those who are in charge of departmental affairs within this universal kingdom, they are also sometimes addressed as Bhagavan. And Aja, Aja is Brahma. Aja means who does not take birth. So Brahma also did not take birth like ordinary human being. He sprouted like the lotus flower from the abdomen of Maha Visnu..., Garbhodakasayi Visnu. Therefore he is called Aja or Svayambhu, Svayambhu: "personally born, not through the womb of the mother." Brahma was not born through the womb of mother; therefore he is called bhagavan ajah.

So the mind of Yamaraja, he can see. In the previous verse it is said, vartamanah anyayoh kalah gunabhijnapako yatha. Within this material world we are passing through many evolutionary process and getting different types of body according to the guna, quality, modes of nature, we are associating. So Yamaraja can see. When a living being, criminal, sinful living being is brought before him, he can understand through his mind. Just see that everyone's mind is not of the same category. There are difference of mind also, according to the position. That we have got experience. A high-court judge's mind and ordinary person's mind -- far different. The judges can immediately understand what is the position. So this is also God's gift. Different people have got different power of the mind. That is also through Krsna. Sarvasya caham hrdi sannivistah mattah smrtih jnanam apohanam ca [Bg. 15.15]. So mind means whose memory is very sharp, he is called great-minded. So this greatness of mind and smallness of mind are different according to the dictation of the Supersoul. Mattah smrtir jnanam... One man can remember small things for many years; another man forgets. Immediately he hears and immediately forgets. Why this difference of mental position? It is due to Krsna. Krsna helps one to memorize or to forget. Mattah smrtir jnanam apohanam ca [Bg. 15.15]. One can, one has... Just like in school some student has got very sharp memory. Once heard from the teacher, he never forgets it. So these different stages are due to the association of different modes of material nature.

So Yamaraja, when a person is brought before him, he can immediately understand that "He was sinful in this way." Manasa pure devah. Or Yamaraja is sitting in his place, but he is seeing everyone, what he is doing through the sun, through the moon. We have already discussed, through fire, through evening, through morning -- there are so many witnesses. And all those information goes to him, and because he is almost as powerful as Bhagavan, he can remember. This is special power. Manasaiva pure devah purva-rupam. Because after death, one is brought before Yamaraja, so before his death, what he was doing sinfully, that is all recorded in the mind of Yamaraja. Manasaiva pure devah purva-rupam vipasyati. Because they are so recorded, he can see vividly what this man was doing. Anumimamsate apurvam. Apurvam means the next body. Purvam means the past body, and apurvam the next body. So he immediately decides what kind of body this criminal, this sinful man, should be offered. Anumimamsati apurvam manasa. That is also by his mind. He is so powerful. Therefore he has been addressed as Bhagavan. Anumimamsati. Just like the judge. He is hearing the case. That is everyone. Anyone who is hearing something, so he makes a conclusion, "This should be done like that." The judgment...

There was one story. It is not story; it is fact, that two pleaders were talking about the activities of a criminal, and the judge was dozing. So his clerk said, "Sir, you are dozing. The two big lawyers, they are arguing, and what they will say?" That means he warned. The judge said, "I have already made my judgment. Let them go on talking." So actually, it is done. A very important judge, he, by hearing the preliminary points of the case, he makes his judgment. But because the two lawyers want to fight, because they are paid for that, so they go on fighting. But the judge, he has already concluded what judgment should be given. Similarly, Yamaraja is judge. He has got everything recorded in his mind of a sinful man's activities in the past. So immediately he decides that "This soul should be given such and such body." So we are getting body.

In another place, in the Third Canto, I think, it is described, karmana daiva-netrena [SB 3.31.1]. We are acting in different way. We are not independent. This is foolishness. Just like an outlaw. He is thinking that he is free from the jurisdiction of state laws, and he is working irresponsibly, but when he is arrested, then he has no independence. He has to undergo the punishment. Similarly, in this life we may think very independent, "Whatever we like, we can do." That is foolishness. You cannot do that. If you do it wilfully, then you will be punished. That they do not know. Punished means by a different body. If a man, human being, is punished to stand up like as a tree for five thousand years, just imagine how much great punishment it is. And that is possible. Just like in the sastra it is stated that those who want to remain naked, they are punished in the next life to become tree, that "You wanted to be naked. Now you stand naked." The trees, they do not dress; neither they have the opportunity. Nobody goes to dress them. So they stand naked for so many hundreds and thousands of years. This punishment is awaiting. Human being is not supposed to be naked. That is civilization. They must cover. But if one wilfully does not cover, becomes as dull as the tree, then he gets the next body as tree. This is punishment. Otherwise, wherefrom all these living entities are coming? They have no calculation. They are thinking that "I shall remain in this human form of beautiful body and in opulent..." No, changing. Tatha dehantara-praptih [Bg. 2.13]. You have to change your body according to the decision of superior authority, daiva-netrena. We should always remember it.

Therefore a human being should be very, very cautious and conscious. They should not do anything irresponsibly. And how to work with responsibility and how to work irresponsibly? Therefore sastra required. Sastra, these books, Vedic knowledge, books, why they are? So that a human being may take advantage of it and he act responsibly or irresponsibly. If he works irresponsibly, then his punishment is awaiting, lower grade of life. So human being should be educated how to... Therefore these children are being educated from the very beginning of their life how to become responsible man. This is the idea of our gurukula. So these children should be taught. Yesterday Dayananda was talking with me that while living at gurukula they should be very nicely trained up. Nicavat. The children, they have no sense what is prestige. You can train them any way. If you train them to work as a servant, they will work it. So in the gurukula they should live just to be trained up how to control the senses. Brahmacari. Brahmacari mean life of celibacy, no sex. That is brahmacari, strictly. Brahmacarati iti brahmacari. So ordinary brain or brain with cow dung, they cannot understand the spiritual science. Therefore the brahmacari should be trained up how to control the senses. Then they will be able to understand. The brain will be sharp. Instead of discharging semina, there are brahmacaris who takes the semina to the brain. They are called urdhvaretah, means the brain becomes very, very fertile. Once heard from the spiritual master or teacher, he will remember. He will never forget. Therefore, formerly there was no written book. Sruti, simply by hearing, a brahmacari would be educated, simply by hearing. There was no need of books, writing. Therefore the Vedic literature is known as sruti. It is to be learned by hearing. Even there is book, still, one has to learn it by hearing from the realized soul. Therefore it is called sruti. So this sruti memorizing power should be increased if one observes strictly the life of celibacy. This is the science. Therefore brahmacari is taught strictly. The brahmacari is supposed to remain in gurukula up to the twenty-fifth year. He is trained up. Then if guru finds him that he requires to be married, then he goes home and he is married. Otherwise the teaching is to remain a brahmacari throughout the whole life. There is no need of entering...

Because this human life is meant for God realization. It is not meant for sex enjoyment or sense gratification. It is simply meant for... Here is an opportunity to understand one's constitutional position, that he is spirit soul, and Krsna or the Supreme Lord is also spirit soul. So the spirit soul, individual soul, is part and parcel of Krsna. Therefore it is his duty to remain with the whole. Just like a mechanical part, a screw in a typewriter machine. If the screw remains with the machine, then it has got value. And if the screw remains without the machine, it has no value. Who cares for a small screw? But when that screw is wanting in a machine, you go to purchase -- they will charge five dollars. Why? When it is fixed up with the machine, it has got value. There are so many example. Just like sparks of the fire. When the fire is burning, you will find small particle of spark, "Fut! Fut!" with this. It is very beautiful. It is very beautiful because it is with the fire. And as soon as the spark falls down out of the fire, then it has no value. Nobody cares for that. It is finished. Similarly, so long we are with Krsna, being part and parcel of Krsna, we have got value. And as soon as we are out of Krsna touch, then we have no value. We should understand that.

So how to keep oneself always with Krsna, that is the aim of human life. And if we do not do that, that is sinful. Then we become punishable, that "You were given the chance to understand yourself, Krsna and your relationship with Krsna. You did not take this chance." Oh, he is punished: "All right, you become again animal, again in the cycle of birth and death." So we should be very, very careful. Do not think that "We are independent, and we can do whatever nonsense I like." That is very risky life. Do not think like that, foolishly. There is a regular... There is Yamaraja. Because we are sons of Krsna, when Krsna wants that "These My sons, rascals, are suffering in this material world. Let them come back home," therefore He comes personally. Yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata, tadatmanam srjamyaham [Bg. 4.7]. He desires that, that "These rascals, they are rotting in this material world, birth after birth. Let them come back." Because He is more affectionate. So... And if he does not utilize this human form of life to take the advantage of going back to home, back to Godhead, that is sinful. Then he is punished.

So the conclusion is that everyone should take to this Krsna consciousness movement; otherwise, he is awaiting punishment by Yamaraja.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.48 -- Dallas, July 30, 1975

HOME

© 2001 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.