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So everyone is infuriated by the force of sex life. There are many places... In Bhagavatam it is said, pumsah striya mithuni-bhavam etat tayor mitho hrdaya-granthim ahur. The whole material world is going on: the man is attracted by woman, the woman is attracted by man. And, seeking this attraction, when they are united, their attachment for this material world becomes more and more. And in this way, after being united, or after being married, one woman and man, they seek nice home, grha; ksetra, activities, business, factory, or agricultural field. Because one has to earn money. So get food. Grha-ksetra; suta, children; and apta, friends; vitta, wealth... Atah grha-ksetra-sutapta-vittair janasya moho 'yam [SB 5.5.8]. The attraction for this material world becomes more and more tight. This is called madana, attraction by madana. But our business is not to be attracted by the glimmer of this material world, but to be attracted by Krsna. That is Krsna consciousness movement. Unless you become attracted by the beauty of Krsna, we must have to be satisfied by beauty of this false beauty of this material world. Therefore Sri Yamunacarya said that yadavadhi mama cetah krsna-padaravindayor nava-nava-dhama rantum asit: "So long I have been attracted by the beauty of Krsna and I have begun to serve at His lotus feet, and I am getting newer, newer energy, since then, as soon as I think of sex intercourse, I want to spite on it." That is vitrsna, no more attraction... The central point of attraction of this material world is sex life, and one, when one gets detached from sex life... Tadavadhi mama cetah...,
yadavadhi mama cetah krsna-padaravindayor
nava-nava-(rasa-)dham(
tadavadhi bata nari-sangame smaryamane
bhavati mukha-vikarah sustu nisthivanam ca
"As soon as I think of sex intercourse, immediately my mouth becomes turned aside and I want to spite on it." So therefore Krsna is Madana-mohana. Madana is attracting everyone, sex life, and Krsna, when one is attracted by Krsna, then madana also becomes defeated. So as soon as madana becomes defeated, we conquer over this material world. Otherwise it is very difficult. The... Daivi hy esa gunamayi mama maya duratyaya [Bg. 7.14]. Duratyaya means very, very difficult. Mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam taranti. But if anyone surrenders unto Krsna, catches His lotus feet very strongly, "Krsna, save me," Krsna promises, "Yes, I'll save you." Aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami ma sucah [Bg. 18.66]. "Don't worry. I shall save you." Kaunteya pratijanihi na me bhaktah pranasyati [Bg. 9.31]. "My dear Arjuna, you can declare to the world, My devotee, pure devotee, anyabhilasita-sunyam [Brs. 1.1.11], who has no other desire, he'll be protected by Me."
So people do not know that our only business is to take shelter of the lotus feet of Krsna. That is the only business. We have no other business. Any other business means we are becoming entangled in this material world. And the aim of human life is to get out of these clutches of material world. People do not know it. They do not know. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum [SB 7.5.31]. So it is very difficult; still, Caitanya Mahaprabhu ordered to distribute this knowledge all over the world. So let us try. Even the people do not take our instruction, that is not our disqualification. Our qualification is let us try our best. The maya is very strong. To take the living entities out of the clutches of maya is not very easy thing. My Guru Maharaja used to say... He had so many temples all over India, and he used to say sometimes that "If by selling all these properties, temples, if I could turn one man to Krsna consciousness, then my mission will be successful." He used to say that. So our purpose is not to construct big, big buildings. That is required for propaganda work, for giving shelter to people. But our main business is how to turn the face of the bewildered conditioned souls towards Krsna. That is our method. That is our main purpose. Therefore, Bhaktivinoda Thakura and other Vaisnavas, they did not advise to give much attention for constructing big, big temples and mathas. Because if our attention is diverted towards these material things... Material things means, as I have repeatedly explained, forgetful of Krsna. Otherwise there is no, nothing material. It is illusion. Illusion means actually there is nothing material. How it can be material? If the Supreme Lord is Supreme Spirit, everything is coming from Him, so what we call the material energy, that is also coming from the Supreme.
But the difficulty is that in this inferior energy... Inferior energy means where there is possibility of forgetting Krsna. Actually, that is the fact. People are engaged in so many activities. We can see it very nicely in the Western countries. They are inventing so many modern facilities. But the result is they're forgetting Krsna. That is material. Material means forgetfulness of Krsna. Otherwise, there is nothing except Krsna. Idam hi visvam bhagavan ivetarah. Prahlada Maharaja, yes, Narada Maharaja said that "This world is Krsna." Idam hi visvam bhagavan ivetarah. "But it appears like that it is different from Bhagavan." Actually, there is... For a maha-bhagavata, he has no such conception, material conception, because he sees everywhere Krsna. Sthavara-jangama dekhe na dekhe tara murti [Cc. Madhya 8.274]. He's seeing one tree, but he is, he's forgetful of the tree. He's seeing energy of Krsna. As soon as he sees the energy of Krsna, he sees Krsna. Therefore instead of seeing the tree, he sees Krsna. Because one after, after, coming, reference to the context. As soon as he sees anything we call material, he sees this is the conversion of the energy. Parinama-vada. Sarvedam akhilam jagat. Parasya brahmanah saktih. Parasya bra... Just like as soon as you see the sunshine, you see immediately sun. Is it not? In the morning, as soon as you see within your window the sunshine, immediately you remember sun and you are confident sun is there. Without sun, how there can be sunshine? Similarly, whatever we see, if we immediately see Krsna, with reference to that particular thing... Because that particular thing is the manifestation of the energy of Krsna. So those who have understood Krsna along with His energies, he sees the energy, because energy is not different from the energetic, he sees immediately Krsna. Therefore, he does not see anything except Krsna. So therefore, for him, there is no material world. There is no material world. To a perfect devotee, there is no material world. Everything is spiritual. Sarvam khalv idam brahma. He sees everything Brahman.
So we have to make our eyes to see Krsna. Tat-paratvena nirmalam.
sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam
tat-paratvena nirmalam
hrsikena hrsikesa-
sevanam bhaktir ucyate
[Cc. Madhya 19.170]
Tat-paratvena. As soon as we are in Krsna consciousness, our seeing, touching, smelling -- everything become nirmala, purified. Then we can immediately see Krsna. These eyes, so long it is not purified, we cannot see Krsna. As soon as it is purified, you see Krsna. As soon as it is purified, you see Krsna, nothing but Krsna. So this is the process. So devotional service means purification.
sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam
tat-paratvena nirmalam
hrsikena hrsikesa-
sevanam bhaktir ucyate
[Cc. Madhya 19.170]
anyabhilasita-sunyam
jnana-karmady-anavrtam
anukulyena krsnanu-
silanam bhaktir uttama
[Brs. 1.1.11]
So Cupid, Cupid is one of the agents of this material, illusory energy, but if we are perfectly in Krsna consciousness, this Cupid cannot pierce with our arrows, with his arrows. That is not possible. As Yamunacarya says, that tadavadhi mama cetah krsna-pa..., yadavadhi mama cetah krsna-padaravindo... So to a devotee... Just like Haridasa Thakura. You know the story of Haridasa Thakura. Haridasa Thakura was young man, and the Maya, and a prostitute, they came, young prostitute, nicely dressed, and proposed her desire. Haridasa Thakura said, "Yes, please sit down. I shall fulfill your desire. Let me finish my chanting." Just see. At dead of night, a young man, Haridasa Thakura; in front, there is a beautiful young girl; there is nobody else; and she's proposing. But still, he's steady, chanting Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare. So Cupid cannot pierce. This is the example. There may be thousands of beautiful women before a devotee, but that does not disturb his mind. He sees they're all energies of Krsna. "They are gopis of Krsna. They are enjoyable by Krsna. I have to serve them. They're gopis. Because I am servant of the servant." Gopi-bhartuh pada-kamalayoh dasa-dasa-dasanudasah [Cc. Madhya 13.80]. So a devotee should try to engage all beautiful women in the service of Krsna. That is his duty. Not to enjoy them. That is sense gratification. This is the position of a devotee. He's not pierced by the arrows of Cupid, but he sees everything, nirbandhe krsna-sambandhe. He sees everything in relationship with Krsna. Yukta-vairagyam ucyate. That is vairagyam. He does not accept anything for his sense gratification, but he engages everyone in the service of Krsna. Then we can get out of the influence of the arrow of Cupid. This is the process. Go on.
Pradyumna: "To perform devotional service means to follow in the footsteps of Radharani, and devotees in Vrndavana put themselves under the care of Radharani in order to achieve perfection in their devotional service. In other words, devotional service is not an activity of the material world; it is directly under the control of Radharani. In the Bhagavad-gita it is confirmed that the mahatmas, or great souls, are under the protection of daivi prakrti, the internal energy -- Radharani. So, being directly under the control of the internal potency of Krsna, devotional service attracts even Krsna Himself."
Prabhupada: Yes. Mahatmanas tu mam partha daivim prakrtim asritah, bhajanty ananya-manaso [Bg. 9.13]. Here we are under the influence of this material energy, but those who are devotee of Krsna, they are under the influence of internal energy. The internal energy of Krsna, it has got three different functions. One of the function is hladini sakti. That is Radharani. That is Radharani. Radharani is the pleasure potency of Krsna.
radha krsna-pranaya-vikrtir hladini saktir asmad
ekatmanav api (bhuvi pura) deha-bhedam gatau tau
sri-caitanyakhyam prakatam adhuna tad-dvayam caikyam aptam...
[Cc. Adi 1.5]
Radha-krsna..., that Caitanya Mahaprabhu is... That is the version of Sri Svarupa Damodara, that "Radha and Krsna, They are one, Krsna." When Krsna wants to enjoy, He manifests His energy. That is Radharani. Krsna cannot enjoy the material energy; He enjoys the internal energy. Krsna has got many energies. Parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate, svabhavaki-jnana-bala-kriya ca [Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport]. That is the Vedic version, that the Supreme Absolute Truth has got multi-energies, and by utilizing, manipulating that energy, He is manifesting Himself in so many ways. The same example: just like the sun, by expanding its energy, heat and light, is perceived. The sun is ninety-three million miles away from us. So how we can understand the sun? By his heat and energy. By his heat, we can calculate what is the actual temperature. The scientists are calculating the actual temperature of the sun. So similarly, although Krsna is far, far away from us... Goloka eva nivasati. He's residing in His abode, Goloka, Vrndavana. This is the replica of that Vrndavana. So akhilatma-bhutah. How He's akhilatma-bhutah [Bs. 5.37]? How He's all-pervading? By His energy. By His energy. Just like Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita: maya tatam idam sarvam jagat avyakta-murtina [Bg. 9.4]. That energy is avyakta, impersonal. But Krsna is not impersonal. Krsna is person. Just like the sun-god, he's a person, but his energy, sunshine and heat, that is impersonal. To reach impersonal feature of the sun or the sunshine is not approaching the sun. It is approaching and not approaching. It is approaching in the sense that directly in touch with his energy, but still, the sun globe and the sun-god is far away. Similarly, brahmeti paramatmeti bhagavan iti sabdyate [SB 1.2.11]. To approach the impersonal feature of Brahman is not sufficient. We have to approach Krsna. So the Radharani, the personal,... His energy's also personal. So mahatmanas tu mam partha daivim prakrtim asritah [Bg. 9.13]. If we take shelter of His external energy, where forgetfulness, Krsna, is very prominent, then we become far and far away from Krsna. But if we take shelter of the internal energy of Krsna, Radharani, because She's directly serving Krsna... Just like in Vrndavana, they always speak of Radharani because they have taken shelter of Radharani to approach Krsna very easily. Daivim prakrtim asritah. The facility of Vrndavana is that you take shelter of Radharani directly and She will help you to approach Krsna very soon. This is the idea of coming to Vrndavana. Go on.
Pradyumna: "This fact is corroborated by Krsna in the Eleventh Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Twelfth Chapter, 1st verse, where He says, 'My dear Uddhava, you may know it from Me that the attraction I feel for devotional service rendered by My devotees is not to be attained even by the performance of mystic yoga, philosophical speculation, ritualistic sacrifices, the study of Vedanta, the practice of severe austerities or the giving of everything in charity. These are, of course, very nice activities, but they are not as attractive to Me as the transcendental loving service rendered to My devotees.' How Krsna becomes attracted by the devotional service of His devotees is described by Narada in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Seventh Canto, Tenth Chapter, 37th verse. There Narada addresses King Yudhisthira while the King is appreciating the glories of the character of Prahlada Maharaja. A devotee always appreciates the qualities of other devotees."
Prabhupada: Yes. That is the sign of devotee: appreciation (of) the activities of devotee. This appreciation means a devotee who is actually freed from all contamination, he does not find any fault with other devotee. That is the sign. He does not think himself that he is bigger devotee or greater devotee than others. He thinks himself as the lowest of all. As Caitanya, as Caitanya-caritamrta author, Kaviraja Gosvami, says, purisera kita haite muni se lagistha: [Cc. Adi 5.205] "I am lower than the insect within the stool." Jagai-madhai haite se muni papistha: "I am greater sinner than Jagai and Madhai." Mora nama yei laya tara punya ksaya: "Anyone who takes my name, immediately, all the result of his pious activities becomes vanquished." He's placing like that. Because it is not imitation or any bluff. He's... Any devotee who's actually advanced, he feels like that. Just like great scientist, Sir Isaac Newton, he used to say that "I have simply collected a few grains of sand in the ocean of knowledge." Yes. He used to say. And actually, that is the fact. Everything is unlimited. So nobody should be proud falsely that he has become a great devotee. Everyone should be very humble.
trnad api sunicena
taror api sahisnuna
amanina manadena
kirtaniyah sada harih
[Cc. Adi 17.31]
If one thinks that he has become very advanced in devotion, then that is very dangerous. Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, guru more murkha dekhi' karila sasana: [Cc. Adi 7.71] "My spiritual master saw Me a great fool. Therefore he has chastised Me, that 'Don't try to read the Vedanta. Chant Hare Krsna.' " He presented Himself like that. Is Caitanya Mahaprabhu murkha? But that is the conception, advanced devotee. They never think that they are very highly advanced devotees. What is advanced devotee? What devotion we can offer to Krsna? He's unlimited. He's kindly accepting our little service. That's all. Don't be proud of becoming a great devotee. That is the cause of falldown.
Thank you very much. (end)
Prabhupada: Madana-mohana, Madana-mohana. Madana means
sex attraction. Madana, sex attraction, Cupid, and Krsna is called
Madana-mohana. One can, I mean, neglect even sex attraction if one is attracted
to Krsna. That is the test. Madana (is) attracting in this material world.
Everyone is attracted by sex life. The whole material world is existing on sex
life. This is the fact. Yan maithunadi-grhamedhi-suhkham hi tuccham. Here, the
happiness, the so-called happiness is maithuna, maithunadi. Maithunadi means
here happiness begins from maithuna, sex intercourse. Generally, people..., a
man marries. The purpose is to satisfy sex desire. Then he begets children. Then
again, when the children are grown up, they, the daughter is married with
another boy and the boy is married with another daughter, another girl. That is
also the same purpose: sex. Then again, grandchildren. In this way, this
material happiness -- sriyaisvarya-prajepsavah. The other day we discussed. Sri
means beauty, aisvarya means wealth, and praja means generation. So generally,
people, they like it -- good family, good bank balance and good wife, good
daughter, daughter-in-law. If one family is consisting of beautiful women and
riches and grea..., many children, he is supposed to be successful. He's
supposed to be most successful man. So sastra says, "What is this success? This
success is beginning with sex intercourse. That's all. And maintaining them." So
yan maithunadi-grhamedhi-sukham hi tuccham [SB 7.9.45]. Here the happiness
begins from sex life, maithunadi. We may polish it in a different way, but this
maithuna, sex life happiness, is there in the hogs. The hogs also, they are
eating whole day, here and there: "Where is stool? Where is stool?" and having
sex life without any discrimination. The hogs do not discriminate whether
mother, sister or daughter. So therefore sastra says, "Here, this material
world, we are entangled, we are encaged in this material world only for this sex
life." That is Cupid. Cupid is the god of sex life, Madana. Unless one is, what
is called, induced by Madana, the Cupid, he cannot be, I mean to say,
engladdened in sex life. And Krsna's name is Madana-mohana. Madana-mohana means
that one who is attracted to Krsna, he'll forget the pleasure derived from sex
life. This is the test. Therefore His name is Madana-mohana. Here is
Madana-mohana. Sanatana Gosvami worshiped Madana-mohana. Madana or Madana.
Madana means to become mad. And Madana, the Cupid.
So everyone is infuriated by the force of sex life. There are many places... In Bhagavatam it is said, pumsah striya mithuni-bhavam etat tayor mitho hrdaya-granthim ahur. The whole material world is going on: the man is attracted by woman, the woman is attracted by man. And, seeking this attraction, when they are united, their attachment for this material world becomes more and more. And in this way, after being united, or after being married, one woman and man, they seek nice home, grha; ksetra, activities, business, factory, or agricultural field. Because one has to earn money. So get food. Grha-ksetra; suta, children; and apta, friends; vitta, wealth... Atah grha-ksetra-sutapta-vittair janasya moho 'yam [SB 5.5.8]. The attraction for this material world becomes more and more tight. This is called madana, attraction by madana. But our business is not to be attracted by the glimmer of this material world, but to be attracted by Krsna. That is Krsna consciousness movement. Unless you become attracted by the beauty of Krsna, we must have to be satisfied by beauty of this false beauty of this material world. Therefore Sri Yamunacarya said that yadavadhi mama cetah krsna-padaravindayor nava-nava-dhama rantum asit: "So long I have been attracted by the beauty of Krsna and I have begun to serve at His lotus feet, and I am getting newer, newer energy, since then, as soon as I think of sex intercourse, I want to spite on it." That is vitrsna, no more attraction... The central point of attraction of this material world is sex life, and one, when one gets detached from sex life... Tadavadhi mama cetah...,
yadavadhi mama cetah krsna-padaravindayor
nava-nava-(rasa-)dham(
tadavadhi bata nari-sangame smaryamane
bhavati mukha-vikarah sustu nisthivanam ca
"As soon as I think of sex intercourse, immediately my mouth becomes turned aside and I want to spite on it." So therefore Krsna is Madana-mohana. Madana is attracting everyone, sex life, and Krsna, when one is attracted by Krsna, then madana also becomes defeated. So as soon as madana becomes defeated, we conquer over this material world. Otherwise it is very difficult. The... Daivi hy esa gunamayi mama maya duratyaya [Bg. 7.14]. Duratyaya means very, very difficult. Mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam taranti. But if anyone surrenders unto Krsna, catches His lotus feet very strongly, "Krsna, save me," Krsna promises, "Yes, I'll save you." Aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami ma sucah [Bg. 18.66]. "Don't worry. I shall save you." Kaunteya pratijanihi na me bhaktah pranasyati [Bg. 9.31]. "My dear Arjuna, you can declare to the world, My devotee, pure devotee, anyabhilasita-sunyam [Brs. 1.1.11], who has no other desire, he'll be protected by Me."
So people do not know that our only business is to take shelter of the lotus feet of Krsna. That is the only business. We have no other business. Any other business means we are becoming entangled in this material world. And the aim of human life is to get out of these clutches of material world. People do not know it. They do not know. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum [SB 7.5.31]. So it is very difficult; still, Caitanya Mahaprabhu ordered to distribute this knowledge all over the world. So let us try. Even the people do not take our instruction, that is not our disqualification. Our qualification is let us try our best. The maya is very strong. To take the living entities out of the clutches of maya is not very easy thing. My Guru Maharaja used to say... He had so many temples all over India, and he used to say sometimes that "If by selling all these properties, temples, if I could turn one man to Krsna consciousness, then my mission will be successful." He used to say that. So our purpose is not to construct big, big buildings. That is required for propaganda work, for giving shelter to people. But our main business is how to turn the face of the bewildered conditioned souls towards Krsna. That is our method. That is our main purpose. Therefore, Bhaktivinoda Thakura and other Vaisnavas, they did not advise to give much attention for constructing big, big temples and mathas. Because if our attention is diverted towards these material things... Material things means, as I have repeatedly explained, forgetful of Krsna. Otherwise there is no, nothing material. It is illusion. Illusion means actually there is nothing material. How it can be material? If the Supreme Lord is Supreme Spirit, everything is coming from Him, so what we call the material energy, that is also coming from the Supreme.
But the difficulty is that in this inferior energy... Inferior energy means where there is possibility of forgetting Krsna. Actually, that is the fact. People are engaged in so many activities. We can see it very nicely in the Western countries. They are inventing so many modern facilities. But the result is they're forgetting Krsna. That is material. Material means forgetfulness of Krsna. Otherwise, there is nothing except Krsna. Idam hi visvam bhagavan ivetarah. Prahlada Maharaja, yes, Narada Maharaja said that "This world is Krsna." Idam hi visvam bhagavan ivetarah. "But it appears like that it is different from Bhagavan." Actually, there is... For a maha-bhagavata, he has no such conception, material conception, because he sees everywhere Krsna. Sthavara-jangama dekhe na dekhe tara murti [Cc. Madhya 8.274]. He's seeing one tree, but he is, he's forgetful of the tree. He's seeing energy of Krsna. As soon as he sees the energy of Krsna, he sees Krsna. Therefore instead of seeing the tree, he sees Krsna. Because one after, after, coming, reference to the context. As soon as he sees anything we call material, he sees this is the conversion of the energy. Parinama-vada. Sarvedam akhilam jagat. Parasya brahmanah saktih. Parasya bra... Just like as soon as you see the sunshine, you see immediately sun. Is it not? In the morning, as soon as you see within your window the sunshine, immediately you remember sun and you are confident sun is there. Without sun, how there can be sunshine? Similarly, whatever we see, if we immediately see Krsna, with reference to that particular thing... Because that particular thing is the manifestation of the energy of Krsna. So those who have understood Krsna along with His energies, he sees the energy, because energy is not different from the energetic, he sees immediately Krsna. Therefore, he does not see anything except Krsna. So therefore, for him, there is no material world. There is no material world. To a perfect devotee, there is no material world. Everything is spiritual. Sarvam khalv idam brahma. He sees everything Brahman.
So we have to make our eyes to see Krsna. Tat-paratvena nirmalam.
sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam
tat-paratvena nirmalam
hrsikena hrsikesa-
sevanam bhaktir ucyate
[Cc. Madhya 19.170]
Tat-paratvena. As soon as we are in Krsna consciousness, our seeing, touching, smelling -- everything become nirmala, purified. Then we can immediately see Krsna. These eyes, so long it is not purified, we cannot see Krsna. As soon as it is purified, you see Krsna. As soon as it is purified, you see Krsna, nothing but Krsna. So this is the process. So devotional service means purification.
sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam
tat-paratvena nirmalam
hrsikena hrsikesa-
sevanam bhaktir ucyate
[Cc. Madhya 19.170]
anyabhilasita-sunyam
jnana-karmady-anavrtam
anukulyena krsnanu-
silanam bhaktir uttama
[Brs. 1.1.11]
So Cupid, Cupid is one of the agents of this material, illusory energy, but if we are perfectly in Krsna consciousness, this Cupid cannot pierce with our arrows, with his arrows. That is not possible. As Yamunacarya says, that tadavadhi mama cetah krsna-pa..., yadavadhi mama cetah krsna-padaravindo... So to a devotee... Just like Haridasa Thakura. You know the story of Haridasa Thakura. Haridasa Thakura was young man, and the Maya, and a prostitute, they came, young prostitute, nicely dressed, and proposed her desire. Haridasa Thakura said, "Yes, please sit down. I shall fulfill your desire. Let me finish my chanting." Just see. At dead of night, a young man, Haridasa Thakura; in front, there is a beautiful young girl; there is nobody else; and she's proposing. But still, he's steady, chanting Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare. So Cupid cannot pierce. This is the example. There may be thousands of beautiful women before a devotee, but that does not disturb his mind. He sees they're all energies of Krsna. "They are gopis of Krsna. They are enjoyable by Krsna. I have to serve them. They're gopis. Because I am servant of the servant." Gopi-bhartuh pada-kamalayoh dasa-dasa-dasanudasah [Cc. Madhya 13.80]. So a devotee should try to engage all beautiful women in the service of Krsna. That is his duty. Not to enjoy them. That is sense gratification. This is the position of a devotee. He's not pierced by the arrows of Cupid, but he sees everything, nirbandhe krsna-sambandhe. He sees everything in relationship with Krsna. Yukta-vairagyam ucyate. That is vairagyam. He does not accept anything for his sense gratification, but he engages everyone in the service of Krsna. Then we can get out of the influence of the arrow of Cupid. This is the process. Go on.
Pradyumna: "To perform devotional service means to follow in the footsteps of Radharani, and devotees in Vrndavana put themselves under the care of Radharani in order to achieve perfection in their devotional service. In other words, devotional service is not an activity of the material world; it is directly under the control of Radharani. In the Bhagavad-gita it is confirmed that the mahatmas, or great souls, are under the protection of daivi prakrti, the internal energy -- Radharani. So, being directly under the control of the internal potency of Krsna, devotional service attracts even Krsna Himself."
Prabhupada: Yes. Mahatmanas tu mam partha daivim prakrtim asritah, bhajanty ananya-manaso [Bg. 9.13]. Here we are under the influence of this material energy, but those who are devotee of Krsna, they are under the influence of internal energy. The internal energy of Krsna, it has got three different functions. One of the function is hladini sakti. That is Radharani. That is Radharani. Radharani is the pleasure potency of Krsna.
radha krsna-pranaya-vikrtir hladini saktir asmad
ekatmanav api (bhuvi pura) deha-bhedam gatau tau
sri-caitanyakhyam prakatam adhuna tad-dvayam caikyam aptam...
[Cc. Adi 1.5]
Radha-krsna..., that Caitanya Mahaprabhu is... That is the version of Sri Svarupa Damodara, that "Radha and Krsna, They are one, Krsna." When Krsna wants to enjoy, He manifests His energy. That is Radharani. Krsna cannot enjoy the material energy; He enjoys the internal energy. Krsna has got many energies. Parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate, svabhavaki-jnana-bala-kriya ca [Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport]. That is the Vedic version, that the Supreme Absolute Truth has got multi-energies, and by utilizing, manipulating that energy, He is manifesting Himself in so many ways. The same example: just like the sun, by expanding its energy, heat and light, is perceived. The sun is ninety-three million miles away from us. So how we can understand the sun? By his heat and energy. By his heat, we can calculate what is the actual temperature. The scientists are calculating the actual temperature of the sun. So similarly, although Krsna is far, far away from us... Goloka eva nivasati. He's residing in His abode, Goloka, Vrndavana. This is the replica of that Vrndavana. So akhilatma-bhutah. How He's akhilatma-bhutah [Bs. 5.37]? How He's all-pervading? By His energy. By His energy. Just like Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita: maya tatam idam sarvam jagat avyakta-murtina [Bg. 9.4]. That energy is avyakta, impersonal. But Krsna is not impersonal. Krsna is person. Just like the sun-god, he's a person, but his energy, sunshine and heat, that is impersonal. To reach impersonal feature of the sun or the sunshine is not approaching the sun. It is approaching and not approaching. It is approaching in the sense that directly in touch with his energy, but still, the sun globe and the sun-god is far away. Similarly, brahmeti paramatmeti bhagavan iti sabdyate [SB 1.2.11]. To approach the impersonal feature of Brahman is not sufficient. We have to approach Krsna. So the Radharani, the personal,... His energy's also personal. So mahatmanas tu mam partha daivim prakrtim asritah [Bg. 9.13]. If we take shelter of His external energy, where forgetfulness, Krsna, is very prominent, then we become far and far away from Krsna. But if we take shelter of the internal energy of Krsna, Radharani, because She's directly serving Krsna... Just like in Vrndavana, they always speak of Radharani because they have taken shelter of Radharani to approach Krsna very easily. Daivim prakrtim asritah. The facility of Vrndavana is that you take shelter of Radharani directly and She will help you to approach Krsna very soon. This is the idea of coming to Vrndavana. Go on.
Pradyumna: "This fact is corroborated by Krsna in the Eleventh Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Twelfth Chapter, 1st verse, where He says, 'My dear Uddhava, you may know it from Me that the attraction I feel for devotional service rendered by My devotees is not to be attained even by the performance of mystic yoga, philosophical speculation, ritualistic sacrifices, the study of Vedanta, the practice of severe austerities or the giving of everything in charity. These are, of course, very nice activities, but they are not as attractive to Me as the transcendental loving service rendered to My devotees.' How Krsna becomes attracted by the devotional service of His devotees is described by Narada in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Seventh Canto, Tenth Chapter, 37th verse. There Narada addresses King Yudhisthira while the King is appreciating the glories of the character of Prahlada Maharaja. A devotee always appreciates the qualities of other devotees."
Prabhupada: Yes. That is the sign of devotee: appreciation (of) the activities of devotee. This appreciation means a devotee who is actually freed from all contamination, he does not find any fault with other devotee. That is the sign. He does not think himself that he is bigger devotee or greater devotee than others. He thinks himself as the lowest of all. As Caitanya, as Caitanya-caritamrta author, Kaviraja Gosvami, says, purisera kita haite muni se lagistha: [Cc. Adi 5.205] "I am lower than the insect within the stool." Jagai-madhai haite se muni papistha: "I am greater sinner than Jagai and Madhai." Mora nama yei laya tara punya ksaya: "Anyone who takes my name, immediately, all the result of his pious activities becomes vanquished." He's placing like that. Because it is not imitation or any bluff. He's... Any devotee who's actually advanced, he feels like that. Just like great scientist, Sir Isaac Newton, he used to say that "I have simply collected a few grains of sand in the ocean of knowledge." Yes. He used to say. And actually, that is the fact. Everything is unlimited. So nobody should be proud falsely that he has become a great devotee. Everyone should be very humble.
trnad api sunicena
taror api sahisnuna
amanina manadena
kirtaniyah sada harih
[Cc. Adi 17.31]
If one thinks that he has become very advanced in devotion, then that is very dangerous. Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, guru more murkha dekhi' karila sasana: [Cc. Adi 7.71] "My spiritual master saw Me a great fool. Therefore he has chastised Me, that 'Don't try to read the Vedanta. Chant Hare Krsna.' " He presented Himself like that. Is Caitanya Mahaprabhu murkha? But that is the conception, advanced devotee. They never think that they are very highly advanced devotees. What is advanced devotee? What devotion we can offer to Krsna? He's unlimited. He's kindly accepting our little service. That's all. Don't be proud of becoming a great devotee. That is the cause of falldown.
Thank you very much. (end)
>>> Ref. VedaBase => The Nectar of Devotion --
Vrndavana, November 11, 1972
© 2001 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.
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