Dear Words For Dormant Hearts

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.13.12
Geneva, June 3, 1974

Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada


Nitai: Translation: "Thus being questioned by Maharaja Yudhisthira, Mahatma Vidura gradually described everything he had personally experienced, except the news of the annihilation of the Yadu dynasty."

Prabhupada:

ity ukto dharma-rajena
sarvam tat samavarnayat
yathanubhutam kramaso
vina yadu-kula-ksayam

Yadu-kula-ksayam. The Yadu dynasty... When Krsna was present, the family members were about ten millions. This is Krsna. Everything is wonderful. He married 16,108 wives, and each wife had ten children, and each child begot another ten children. In this way, the Yadu-kula was a very big family. So they were destroyed.

There are two comments on this point, why Yadu-kula was destroyed by Krsna's plan. One comment is that if they would continue to live, then the same misconception, that a brahmana is born in the brahmana family -- they would continue to speak that "We are also gods, because we are born of God's family, Krsna's family." Just like in India there is a class, they call themselves Nityananda-vamsa, descendants of Lord Nityananda. But that does not actually happen. And another comment is that all these members of Yadu-kula, they appeared in the Yadu-kula just to enhance the opulence of Krsna. But they came from different heavenly planets to help Krsna in His incarnation. Just like a big man, wherever he goes there are many others also go there to help him. When a king goes somewhere, the king does not go alone. He goes with his secretaries, his military commanders, and so many other companions. So these Yadu-kulas were like that. They came to help Krsna's lila, pastimes, within this material world. So some of them were born as sons of Krsna, some of them as grandson, as great-grandson, and Krsna did not want to leave them behind. Krsna was planning to go back to His Vaikuntha, Vrndavana planet. So He did not like that they should remain. They should also go back. Now, to go back means they must meet death after..., because otherwise it is unnatural. So... And who can kill them? Nobody can kill them. That is also another point. The family of Krsna, there is no power in the whole world that anybody could kill them. So Krsna planned that they should be killed amongst themselves by fighting. So another lesson is that if we fight amongst ourselves, even we belong to the family of Krsna, we are ruined. This is the instance of Yadu-kula. Although they belonged to Krsna's family directly, still, because they fought amongst themselves, they were all banished, vanquished.

So this was not a very palatable incident. So Vidura, when he was asked by Maharaja Yudhisthira about the family members of Yadu-kula, he did not describe it, because they were very thickly related as family members, so it would be a great shock to the Pandavas that Yadu-kula, descendants of the Yadu-kula, had been annihilated in such an unpalatable way. So he did not describe. Yathanubhutam kramasah. Ity ukto dharma-rajena sarvam tat samavarnayat. He described everything. Vina yadu-kula-ksayam. Vina. Vina means "without." Without the incidence, how the Yadu-kula was destroyed by fighting amongst themselves.

nanv apriyam durvisaham
nrnam svayam upasthitam
navedayat sakaruno
duhkhitan drastum aksamah

He did not describe because he did not like also to see that Pandavas would be sorry. He went back to his home after so many years, and they were receiving them, and at that time Vidura did not like to see them aggrieved on account of this incidence.

kancit kalam athavatsit
sat-krto devavat sukham
bhratur jyesthasya sreyas-krt
sarvesam sukham avahan

Vidura left his home for good. It is not that he has again come back to live with his family members. No. His only purpose was that his elder brother Dhrtarastra was rotting there. He lost everything. He lost his kingdom, lost his sons, grandsons and everything. Still, he could not give up the so-called material happiness. He was... Of course, these Pandavas, they were treating Maharaja Dhrtarastra and his wife Gandhari very gorgeously as head of the family, but he was not ashamed that he intrigued so much difficulties and plot against the Pandavas. There was big fight, Kuruksetra, in which he lost everything. Still, he was living under their care for some material comforts. So this was very shameful affair. So Vidura was very much attracted, attached to Maharaja Dhrtarastra. Therefore, bhratur jyesthasya sreyas-krt. Bhratuh means brother, and jyestha means elder. So actually, Vidura went there for the benefit of Dhrtarastra. Therefore, kancit kalam atha avatsit. He decided to live at home along with the family members for some time.

Avatsit. Sat-krto devavat sukham. He was living just like in the opulence of demigods. Because they were all nephews. Pandavas were so well-behaved, cultured devotees, and Vidura was devotee. So he was treated just like devavat, godly. That is required. Just like whenever I go anywhere, they treat me very nicely, I live very comfortably, similarly, Vidura was treated by the Pandavas to live very comfortably, devavat, just like godly standard. But he did not live there for getting some material comforts. His aim was that "This poor man, Dhrtarastra, my elder brother, he has not yet been lessoned, that what is the value of these material comforts." He was living shamelessly. So he wanted to instruct him, and thus he lived there for some time.

kancit kalam athavatsit
sat-krto devavat sukham
bhratur jyesthasya sreyas-krt
sarvesam sukham avahan

So although he especially lived in the palace for the benefit of his elder brother, still, so long he lived, it was a very pleasing time for all of them. Because he was living not as a dull or dumb man. He was speaking about Krsna. Therefore everyone was feeling very happy. (reads purport:) "Saintly persons like Vidura must be treated as well as a denizen from heaven." "As well as a denizen from heaven." Yes. If any saintly person comes at home, formerly this was the system. In our childhood we have seen. Many saintly persons used to come, and my father used to receive them very nicely, some of them. Still, the system is if you go to any Indian village and... I mean to say, those who are sannyasis, saintly person, they are received very well. Just like Caitanya Mahaprabhu, when He was touring in South India, so many brahmanas were coming to invite him. That is the system. He hasn't got to bother for his food or shelter any place. That is the system.

So Vidura, he was a saintly person. He was received by the Pandavas and treated just like denizens. (reads:) "In those days denizens of heavenly planets used to visit homes like that of Maharaja Yudhisthira, and sometimes persons like Arjuna and others used to visit higher planets." We get information. Arjuna also went to the heavenly planets, and persons from heaven, when there was big yajnas, sacrifice, they used to come and visit Indra, Candra. And sometimes person like... (reads:) "Narada is a spaceman who can travel unrestrictedly not only within the material universes but also in the spiritual universes." Wherever he wanted, he could go. He can go. He's still living. Not that... (reads:) "Even Narada used to visit the palace of Maharaja Yudhisthira, and what to speak of other celestial demigods." It is only the spiritual culture of the people concerned that makes interplanetary travel possible, even in the present body. Maharaja Yudhisthira therefore received Vidura in the manner of reception offered to the demigods. This example means demigods were visiting.

(reads:) "Mahatma Vidura had already adopted the renounced order of life, and therefore he did not return to his paternal palace to enjoy some material comforts. He accepted out of his own mercy what was offered to him by the Maharaja Yudhisthira, but the purpose of living in the palace was to deliver his too much materially attached elder brother, Dhrtarastra. Dhrtarastra lost all his state and descendants in the fight with Maharaja Yudhisthira, and still, due to his sense of helplessness, he did not feel ashamed to accept the charity and hospitality of Maharaja Yudhisthira." Suppose you create some enemy, always fought with your enemy. So if you accept his hospitality and live there, thinking that "I am living very comfortably," it is not very good sense.

(reads:) "On the part of Maharaja Yudhisthira, it was quite in order to maintain his uncle in a befitting manner, but acceptance of such magnanimous hospitality by Dhrtarastra was not at all desirable. He accepted it because he thought that there was no other alternative. Vidura particularly came to enlighten Dhrtarastra and to give him a lift to the higher status of spiritual cognition. It is the duty of the enlightened souls to deliver the fallen ones, and Vidura came to that reason. But talks of spiritual enlightenment are so refreshing that while instructing Dhrtarastra, Vidura attracted the attention of all the members of the family, and all of them took pleasure in hearing him patiently. This is the way of spiritual realization. The message should be heard attentively, and if spoken by realized soul, it will act on the dormant heart of the conditioned soul. And by continuously hearing, one can attain the perfect stage of self-realization."

Therefore sravanam is very essential. Sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam pada-sevanam [SB 7.5.23]. So in all our centers, this process should be followed. We have got now so many books. Simply if we read books... Our Yogesvara Prabhu is very enthusiastic to read books. So everyone should read books and others should hear. That is very essential, sravanam. The more you hear... We have got so many books. Whatever is already published... Just like we are describing one verse daily. So at least... There are so many verses already in stock, you can go on speaking for fifty years. These books already published, you can go on. There will be no want of stock.

So this practice should be adopted. Don't waste time. As much as possible, try to hear about this transcendental subject matter, Bhagavatam. Yad vaisnavanam priyam. It is stated that "The Srimad-Bhagavatam is very, very dear to the Vaisnavas, to the devotees." In Vrndavana, you will find, they are always reading Srimad-Bhagavatam. That is their life and soul. So now we have got already six volumes, and further... How many? Eight volumes are coming? So you will have enough stock. So you should read. Sravanam kirtanam visnoh. That is the main business. That is pure devotional service. Because we cannot devote twenty-four hours in hearing and chanting; therefore we have extended our activities, program activities, in so many ways. Otherwise, Srimad-Bhagavatam is so nice, if you practice anywhere, any condition, simply by reading Srimad-Bhagavatam, you will be happy. So adopt this practice and make your spiritual life perfect more and more.

Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.13.12 -- Geneva, June 3, 1974

Your Qualification--Renouncing

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.13.11
Geneva, June 2, 1974

Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada


Nitai: Translation: "My uncle, you must have visited Dvaraka. In that holy place are our friends and well-wishers, the descendants of Yadu, who are always rapt in the service of the Lord Sri Krsna. You might have seen them or heard about them. Are they all living happily in their abodes?"

Prabhupada:

api nah suhrdas tata
bandhavah krsna-devatah
drstah sruta va yadavah
sva-puryam sukham asate

So Yudhisthira Maharaja, after meeting Vidura, the first inquiry was about the family of Krsna. That is Krsna consciousness. He was always thinking of Krsna. Now, because he has come back home by touring different places of pilgrimage... Dvaraka is also one of the celebrated place of pilgrimage. So he expected that "Vidura must have gone to Dvaraka. And when he had gone to Dvaraka, he must have some news from Krsna's place."

So Krsna is the friend, most intimate friend of the Pandavas. Therefore he says, nah. Nah means "our." Suhrdah. Suhrdah, this word, "always thinking of others' good." That is called suhrdah. The heart is not contaminated. Hrdah means "heart," and su means "very good." So Krsna says also that suhrdam sarva-bhutanam. And here Yudhisthira Maharaja confirms, nah suhrdah. Actually, Krsna is suhrt. Suhrt means well-wisher. As the father is the well-wisher of the sons or intimate friend, well-wisher... Here in the material world, although I may be your well-wisher, you may be well-wisher, but there is some interest. Unless there is some interest for my personal benefit, I cannot become your suhrt. This is material suhrt. But spiritual suhrt is different. Spiritual suhrt means everyone is suffering for want of spiritual consciousness, Krsna consciousness. Therefore attempt should be made so that everyone becomes Krsna conscious. That is spiritual suhrt.

We are now entangled. Actually, our position in this material existence is not very good. Everyone sees it practically. Still, they want to adjust, "Let us make it good. Let us make it good." That is called punah punas carvita-carvananam [SB 7.5.30], again and again chewing the chewed. Just like generally a father, especially here in India, he wants that his son may be well-situated. Therefore we don't get Indian youth very much, because the father and mother settles them. What is that? Get them married and give them some earning capacity, either by service or business. So he becomes satisfied, "This is the end of life." Grhamedhi. Just "Now I am married. It is my duty to stick to the grha and enjoy senses, that's all." Grhamedhi. Sacrifice for Krsna, brahmacari, sannyasi... Sannyasis have become rogues. And there is no brahmacari nor vanaprastha. Therefore it is very difficult to get Indian workers. They have no... Your qualification is -- I told in the beginning -- that you have got a renouncing spirit. That is a great qualification. Tyaga. Renunciation is opulence also. Krsna, six opulences. One of the opulence is renunciation. Aisvaryasya samagrasya viryasya yasasah sriyah, jnana-vairagya. Vairagya means renunciation. You have enough of this material enjoyment. You have enjoyed. Or you have seen that there is no actually profit. Therefore you are in a spirit... That is natural. That is natural. If one has enjoyed very much, the next stage will be renunciation. This is natural. So because you have got a renouncing spirit, you are understanding or taking Krsna consciousness very nicely, at least, very eagerly. Jnana-vairagya. That is required. This vairagya then... I therefore sometimes like these hippies because they have a spirit of renunciation. That is very good position. Simply they require jnana, or knowledge. Then their life will be successful. To bring one to the platform of renunciation, that is a very difficult job. Especially when one has got nice wife, nice home, nice bank balance, it is very, very difficult.

So there is a version by Krsna that one who is anxious to take Krsna consciousness, but he is entrapped by this binding -- nice wife, nice children, nice home, nice bank balance -- so Krsna, in order to give them, give such devotee, facility, He takes away. Harisye tad-dhanam sanaih. Yasyaham anugrhnami harisye tad-dhanam sanaih. Just like he did with the Pandavas. The Pandavas were devotees, but at the same time, they were king. There was attachment. So therefore Krsna took away their everything -- their kingdom, their wife, their position, their honor -- test him, and still, they did not give up Krsna. Therefore they came out victorious. So Krsna sometimes tests His..., that how much one devotee is. He forcibly makes him renounced in order. That is Krsna's special favor.

So this vairagya-jnana, it is required. We were discussing last night also, vita-raga-bhaya-krodha [Bg. 4.10], these things are required. Unless one becomes completely, what is called? Averse?

Yogesvara: Detached.

Prabhupada: Detached: "So what is this nonsense material life?" That's a very good qualification. If one understands this perfectly -- "This is all rubbish, this material enjoyment" -- it is a great qualification. Akincana. Akincana. Akincana means do not possess anything material. Akincana-gocara. Kunti, Kunti, Queen Kunti, when she was receiving Krsna, she said, "My dear Krsna, You are akincana-gocara. You are realized by a person who has no material possession. And You have given us now so much material possession. How we can understand You?" That was... Kunti was regretting that "When we are in distress, You are always with us. Now You have given us kingdom and everything. Now You are going away to Dvaraka. What is this, Krsna? Better let us go again to that distressed condition so that You remain with us." Akincana-gocara. Krsna is akincana-gocara. Anyone who wants to enjoy material life, it is not possible to become fully Krsna conscious. This is very secret.

Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, niskincanasya bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya. Bhagavad-bhajana, to become devotee, Krsna conscious, is meant for niskincanasya, one who does not possess anything in the material world. That does not mean he should be poverty-stricken. No. He should know it fully that "Nothing belongs to me; everything belongs to Krsna. I am simply His servant, that's all." This is called akincana. If I think that "Keeping Krsna in front, let me possess some material things," that is another cheating. That is not... Akincana. You should be fully conscious, that "Everything belongs to Krsna and nothing to us." Then Krsna becomes your suhrt. He takes charge, how your benefit will be there, ultimate. Tesam satata-yuktanam bhajatam priti-purvakam dadami [Bg. 10.10]. Priti-purvakam. This is very great determination, that "Krsna, I simply want You, nothing, anything else. Nothing."

Na dhanam na janam na sundarim kavitam va jagadisa. This is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's teaching. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has taught this philosophy repeatedly. Niskincanasya bhagavad-bhajana. Bhagavad-bhajana means He Himself become niskincana. He was Krsna Himself, most opulent. Tyaktva surepsitah, sudustyaja-surepsita-rajya-laksmim [SB 11.5.34]. Caitanya Mahaprabhu had the most beautiful wife, goddess of fortune, Visnu-priya, Laksmi-priya. But for the benefit of the whole world, although He is Krsna, He showed us the example. At the age of twenty-four years, He took sannyasa. He was not unhappy in His home. He had His very affectionate mother and... (aside:) Some fly... Affectionate mother and most affectionate wife, beloved wife. But still, it is very difficult to renounce the affection of mother and love of wife. But Caitanya Mahaprabhu did it. (aside:) The fly is still disturbing. So tyaktva sudustyaja. Therefore in the Bhagavata it is said, sudustyaja, very difficult to give up. Tyaktva sudustyaja-surepsita-rajya-laksmim [SB 11.5.34]. And rajya-laksmim, such nice beautiful wife, desired even by the demigods. Such a nice wife, He gave up.

Tyaktva sudustyaja-surepsita-rajya-laksmim dharmistha arya-vacasa yad agad aranyam [SB 11.5.34]. Agad aranyam. Aranyam means, going to the forest means, to take sannyasa. Going to the Himalaya does not mean or going to the forest does not mean that he should actually go there. One should give up this family affection, and dedicate the whole life for Krsna's service. That is really going to the forest. Not that unnecessarily. It may be beneficial for person, for his personal self. But real renunciation is to have no more interest in so-called limited jurisdiction of family, social, international, national, but the whole interest is for Krsna. That is real renunciation. That is described in the Bhagavad-gita. Renunciation does not mean give up this world. That I was explaining. Our philosophy is not the jagat is mithya. Why jagan mithya? We don't say that. Jagat is fact. It may be temporary, but it is a fact. Now, so long we have got this jagat, let us utilize it for Krsna. That is renunciation. We cannot say this microphone is mithya. So long the microphone is in my possession, let it be used for Krsna's service. This is renunciation. Everyone using this microphone, these modern machines, for his personal gain. But we are not using for personal gain. We are traveling all over the world, spending so much money, jet plane, and this plane, just to push Krsna consciousness as much as possible. This is renunciation, not that sitting one place doing nothing and become Krsna conscious. Then there will be fall down. Don't imitate Haridasa Thakura. That is not possible. You must work.

So to such person, Krsna is suhrt. Suhrt. Here it is said, api nah suhrdas tata, uncle, bandhavah krsna-devatah. Krsna-devatah means one who has accepted Krsna as the worshipable Deity. He is called krsna-devatah. There are so many demigods. They have taken to worship. The Roman were worshiping demigods. The India, in India they also worship demigods. That will not make you happy. Antavat tu phalam tesam tad bhavaty alpa-medhasam. To take some benediction from the demigods, although people go there, kanksantah karmanam siddhim yajanta iha devatah. People are very much attached to enjoy this material world. So they worship Durga, Kali, or Lord Siva. Kanksantah karmanam siddhim. They get immediately some material benefit. But tad bhavaty alpa-medhasam. What you will do with some temporary material benefit? That is the instruction of Krsna. Don't be attracted by the temporary material benefits. Just try for permanent eternal benefit. Go back to home, back to Godhead. That is the... That is the... What you will do? Suppose you become king. How long you will remain king? Or there are so many dangers. Sometimes the kings are beheaded. King Johann(?) was beheaded. So material position is always tiltering, tilting. Yes. There is no fixed position. It will end. Therefore Krsna says, antavat tu phalam tesam. Antavat means it will end, today or tomorrow or hundred years after. It will end. So why should you... You are eternal. Why should you hanker after these things which will exist for some few years? You are eternal. Accept the eternal position. That is Krsna consciousness movement. Eternal position.

So for that eternal position, you have to make krsna-devatah, Krsna as the worshipable Deity. Krsna is eternal, and if you fix up your service to Krsna, then Krsna will accept you as servant. Naturally, you become eternal. There is a very nice story. Nice story not, a fact. Savitri-Satyavan. Savitri-Satyavan. This, I mean to say, incidences are mentioned in the sastras to give us lesson. Savitri was a very chaste devoted woman. Savitri. In India, to the woman, in order to become very chaste and devoted to husband, they observe the ritualistic ceremony to worship Savitri Satyavan. So Savitri was in love with a boy who was destined to die on the marriage date, but still, she married. She knew that "As soon as I will be married, on the same day, my husband will die." So she pleased the Yamaraja. After the death... The husband died, but she pleased the Yamaraja so much so that Yamaraja was ready to give her some benediction. So Yamaraja said, "What benediction you want?" "Now, as woman, I wish that may be a son of mine, from me." "All right, you will get a son." Then again she said that "If you are taking away my husband, how I will get my son?" So her husband was made alive. So indirectly... So krsna-devatah. If you actually want to be eternally blissful, take to krsna-devatah. Or there is no need of praying for "Make me immortal." No. If you accept krsna-devatah, then automatically... Just like the benediction was that "You... Yes, you will get a son." Automatically her husband was made alive. So krsna-devatah.

So Yudhisthira Maharaja asking that "Did you see them, the Yadu families, who have Krsna as their worshipable Deity?" Drstah sruta va yadavah. Yadu. Yadavah is plural number. Sva-puryam sukham asate: "Whether they are happy in their home,"sva-puryam, sva-puri, "Dvaraka?" So in this way Krsna consciousness means always thinking of Krsna. And make Krsna the friend. Krsna says that suhrdam sarva-bhutanam. Actually, Krsna is the only friend, and He is sitting in everyone's heart. He is so nice friend that He is simply trying to induce us to turn our faith towards Krsna. He is coming as avatara, incarnation. He is giving us advice from within. Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. He's such a nice friend. Although we have left Krsna, Krsna has not left us. Here He is living with Me within my heart to give me advice, "Please come back." Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam [Bg. 18.66].

So Krsna is so nice friend. He is such a nice friend that even to the enemy He gives the greatest benediction. Just like Putana. Putana came to kill Krsna, smearing poison on her breast. But Krsna gave her promotion on the motherly platform. Krsna is so grateful that "This demon might have come to Me to poison Me, but I have sucked her breast. She has become My mother. Therefore she must get the position of My mother." Krsna is so grateful. If you give little service to Krsna sincerely, Krsna will never forget you. And He's so powerful. If Krsna becomes your friend and Krsna remembers you, then what you want more? Just imagine. So Krsna... Here it is said, krsna-devatah. fix up your mind in Krsna and be happy.

Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.13.11 -- Geneva, June 2, 1974

"My Body And I Belong To Krsna"

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.48
Mayapura, October 28, 1974

Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada


Pradyumna: Translation: "King Yudhisthira said: O my lot! I am the most sinful man! Just see my heart, which is full of ignorance! This body, which is ultimately meant for others, has killed many, many phalanxes of men."

Prabhupada:

aho me pasyatajnanam
hrdi rudham duratmanah
parakyasyaiva dehasya
bahvyo me 'ksauhinir hatah

So Yudhisthira Maharaja says that this body is meant for others. It is others' body. Everyone should be interested for his own body. Who is interested for other's body? I eat for maintenance of my body, not that your body. It is the very good argument given by Yudhisthira Maharaja that "First of all ascertain whether it is your body. If for the bodily sense gratification, satisfaction, you are committing so many sinful life, but first of all consider whether this body is yours."

Now, first of all, consideration is: this body is given by the father and mother. So actually the body belongs to the father and mother. Or just like the slaves -- they sell their body to the master. So somebody, if maintains your body, then it becomes... The body belongs to him. Suppose you are working somewhere and he is giving you money for maintaining your body; then actually the body is maintained for the person who gives me payment. You see. So many people are going to the other side of the river, running very quickly to go there because the body is sold to that master who is paying for eating. Otherwise why he's taking the body there? So actually the body belongs to others. And spiritually the body belongs to Krsna. But when we forget our relationship with Krsna -- the body belongs to somebody else; that's a fact -- then we think that "The body belongs to my father and mother" or this and that... Sometimes we do not think that. So why, from material point of view, if the body does not belong to me, why shall I commit so many sinful activities for others?

So Yudhisthira Maharaja is repentant that parakyasyaiva dehasya bahvyo me 'ksauhinir hatah: "Many hundreds and thousands of soldiers, horses, elephants, men we have killed." Aksauhini, there is a calculation 64,000 elephants, 64,000 horses and 64,000, like that. Exactly I cannot, but some of the items are 64,000. Chariots. One... Nowadays it is called exactly? A group of soldiers? What is called?

Devotee: Phalanx.

Prabhupada: Phalanx, and another name is there.

Brahmananda: Division.

Prabhupada: Division. One division. One division of army consisting of so many horses, so many elephants and chariot... There are different types of fighter. Somebody would fight from the back, riding on the back of the elephant, somebody on horses. That is also nowadays current, cavalry. And somebody on chariot, somebody standing, infantry... So, one aksauhini means 64,000 elephants, horses, chariots and so many thousand infantry. That makes one division. So Krsna Himself gave so many divisions to Duryodhana. Altogether there were eighteen divisions or more than that. They were all killed.

So actually, a sane man is thinking that "After all, the idea was that I should be enthroned on this chair, on this throne of the kingdom, and for me so many animals and men were killed." Here it is mentioned, yes (reading), "A solid phalanx of 21,870 chariots, 21,870 elephants, 109,650 infantry and 65,600 calvary is called an aksauhini." Such eighteen divisions of soldiers were there on one side. "And many aksauhinis were killed on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra. Maharaja Yudhisthira, as the most pious king of the world, takes for himself the responsibility of killing such a huge number of living beings because the battle was fought to reinstate him on the throne. This body is, after all, meant for others. While there is life in the body, it is meant for the service of the others, and (when) it is dead it is meant to be eaten up by the dogs and jackals." Even it is dead body, that is also meant for others. If you throw it on the street, then it will be eaten by the animals and the vultures. So body is meant for others. Or if you don't throw, if you burn it, then -- it is right of the sons to burn it -- then it belongs to them. So either living or dead, logically the body belongs to others. And another logic is: Who is interested to maintain a body which belongs to others? This is logic. And other point is that everyone is maintaining this body with so many sinful activities, although the body does not belong to him.

So real sanity is to understand that this body belongs to Krsna. We are misunderstanding that this body belongs to my father, mother, or my master or to the cats and dogs or the vultures, in so many ways. That is material. Materially, we can understand that. But spiritually, this body belongs to Krsna because the body is made of, I mean to say, prepared by the eight elements. We have got the five elements, bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh. There is earth, water, air, fire, and the mind and the intelligence and the false ego. This is the eight combination of the matter. Then, the matter being agitated, there are ten senses and then sense objects. In this way this body is composition of twenty-four elements. But all these elements, Krsna says, bhinna me prakrtir astadha: "That is My energy." This body is made by Krsna's property. Earth, water, air, fire -- this is all Krsna's property. You cannot create earth, or you cannot create water. You cannot create sky, nothing of the material elements. It is created by Krsna, and this body is..., this external body is made of these eight elements. Similarly, I am also Krsna's. Apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakrtim param jiva-bhutam. Me param prakrtim jiva-bhutam. Jiva, the living entities, they are para-prakrti, superior energy, but that is also me: "Mine." So I, as aham brahmasmi, because Krsna is absolute, in that sense, I, the energy of Krsna, and Krsna, we are one. Aham brahmasmi means that, or "I belong to Krsna." The Mayavadi thinks that "I have become Krsna." No. The Vaisnava philosophy is that "I am Krsna's property, not that I become Krsna." Just like the part and parcel of my body, this finger. The finger can claim that "I am part and parcel of the body," but the finger cannot claim that "I am the whole body." That is not possible.

So actually our body belongs to Krsna, and I also belong to Krsna. Parakya. In both senses it belongs to other. Other means Krsna. So, logically both the body, mind, intelligence, and myself -- everything should be engaged for Krsna's interest. That is real knowledge. That is real knowledge. Krsna says that ksetra-jnam capi mam viddhi sarva-ksetresu bharata. He is also ksetra-jna. I am ksetra-jna because I possess this body, and the body is ksetra, the field of activities. Just like here the cultivators, they have got... Each one of them have got some land, and they are producing food grains or any other products according to his ability and capacity, and he's enjoying this property. Therefore he's called ksetra-jna or ksetri. The field is called ksetra and the owner is called ksetri, or ksetra-jna. Ksetra-jna means that cultivator knows that "This earmarked land is mine." Ksetra-jna. "It belongs to me." So actually this field does not belong to him; it belongs to the government, because he has to pay, collect, tax to the collector. So actually land does not belong to him; it belongs to the government. Similarly, where is the difficulty to understand that although I am cultivating this body, karma...? Taking this body as my field of activities, we are doing work. Everyone can understand it. But finally this body belongs to Krsna, as this land belongs to the government.

Therefore Krsna claims, ksetra-jnam capi mam viddhi. Just as there are in cities, two taxes: occupier tax and owner's tax... Rented house, actually the house belongs to the landlord, but the tenant also claims, "This is my house." But finally the house belongs to the landlord. So Krsna claims, ksetra-jnam capi mam viddhi sarva-ksetresu bharata. The same example: As a piece of land, some bighas of land, belongs to a certain person -- he can claim, "This is my land" -- similarly, other man can claim, "It is my land," other can claim, "My land," but all these lands belongs to the government. Similarly, I claim this is my body, you claim it is your body, he claims it is his body, but ultimately all bodies, becomes (belongs) to Krsna. This is clear understanding. Where is the difficulty to understand that everything belongs to Krsna? Isavasyam idam sarvam: "Everything belongs to Krsna."

So this is knowledge. This is knowledge. And when you come to the right knowledge, after many, many births... Even Maharaja Yudhisthira... Of course, he is playing the part of ordinary man, pious man. Pious man is also not perfect. Yudhisthira Maharaja should have thought like this, that "Yes, this body does not belong to me, but it belongs to Krsna, and Krsna desired that with this body there must be fighting for His satisfaction." So Arjuna thought like that. Arjuna thought like that. Therefore Arjuna is higher grade devotee than Yudhisthira Maharaja. Yudhisthira Maharaja has got personal consideration. When Krsna advised him that "You go to Dronacarya and speak this lie, that his son Asvatthama is dead, otherwise he'll not die. You go and speak," so he hesitated. He said, "How is that? I never spoke lie. How can I go and say him the lie?" So this personal consideration is there, that "If I speak lies, then I will be sinful, and I'll be punished and so on, so on." But a devotee does not think like that. "Maybe it is sinful, but it will satisfy Krsna; I must do it." This is devotee's decision.

Just like Krsna sometimes became sick. So, in Dvaraka... You have seen that play in Bombay. And so many physicians came; nobody could cure Him. Then Krsna suggested His own medicine, that "If some of my devotees will give the dust of his feet on My head, then I'll be cured." So the first devotee, Narada and others, everywhere, it was approached that "Give your dust of feet. Krsna is suffering." "No, no, no. How can I give my dust of feet? Krsna is Supreme Personality of Godhead." But when the gopis were approached, when they heard that Krsna is sick, and He's in urgently necessity of the dust of His devotees' feet, so immediately they began to give: "Take it, take it immediately. Immediately." They did not consider that "Giving the dust of my feet to Krsna, I shall go to hell." "Never mind, I shall go to hell; it doesn't matter, but let Krsna be cured." That is first consideration.

So this is the topmost devotee, prepared to do anything without any consideration. That is pure(?) devotee. Anyabhilasita-sunyam anukulyena krsnanusilanam [BRS 1.1.11]. There should be no personal desire. That should be zero. Anyabhilasita-sunyam jnana-karmady-ana... Simply one should try to please Krsna. There is no other consideration. Only to satisfy Krsna. That is pure bhakti. That is explained by Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura,

vyavasayatmika buddhir
ekeha kuru-nandana
bahu-sakha hy anantas ca
buddhayo 'vyavasayinam

This is perfect conclusion, that "I shall execute the desire of Krsna." "But Krsna is not physically present before me. Then how I shall know what Krsna desires?" That is not very difficult. Krsna's representative is there, the spiritual master. If you fulfill the desire of the spiritual master, then you fulfill the desire of Krsna. Yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadah **. That is stated by Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura. If you please your spiritual master, then you know that "I have pleased Krsna." Yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasado yasyaprasadan na gatih kuto 'pi: ** "If you displease your spiritual master, then you are nowhere. Your position is lost."

Therefore, yesterday we were explaining the ten kinds of offenses. Out of ten kinds of offenses, the serious offense is guror avajna, disobedience of the order of guru. This is the verdict of the sastra. Krsna is helping us in so many ways. He comes personally to help us, to deliver us from these clutches of maya, and He advises, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. And when He's not physically present, He keeps Bhagavad-gita left by Him so that others may read and take advantage of this sublime instruction of Krsna. So He is helping us from within -- buddhi-yogam dadami tam -- from within. Tene brahma hrda. These statements are there in the sastras. "He expounded the Vedic knowledge," hrda, "from the heart," -- brahma means Vedic knowledge, sabda-brahman -- "to Brahma." Because at that time there was nobody to instruct him. So how he got the instruction of Vedas? Because Krsna instructed. Krsna hoite catur-mukha, hoy krsna-sevonmukha. Bhaktivinoda Thakura has sung. Catur-mukha means Brahma. So being instructed by Krsna, Brahma became inclined to serve Krsna. Therefore he has written Brahma-samhita. Govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami **. He understands, "Here is adi-purusa. I am the only creature now within the universe, so I am getting instruction from Krsna, hrda, from my heart."

So Krsna, when instructs from within the heart, He is called caitya-guru. And that caitya-guru is expanded by the process, personal presentation of spiritual master. So both ways He is helping us. Krsna is so kind. Guru-krsna-krpa. Krsna is helping from within, but sometimes we are so dull, naturally, that we cannot understand. Therefore He sends His representative to instruct externally. So He is helping internally and externally. There is no difference between the internal and external instructor. We should take advantage of this instruction. That is called vyavasayatmika buddhih, fixed-up resolution. Fixed-up resolution. If we become fixed up in this resolution, that "Whatever we have heard from my guru, the representative of Krsna, I must execute. I do not care for my personal convenience or inconvenience. This is my life and soul," then your life is perfect. Then your life is... If I make some amendment, addition, alteration, in the name of Krsna, guru, then it is spoiled. No. We should receive the instruction as it is, especially...

Krsna says... Just like Krsna says to Yudhisthira, "Go and speak the lie," and He speaks to Arjuna that yudhyasva mam anusmara: [Bg. 8.7] "You fight," so not the instruction the same to everyone. Krsna knows who is capable to do something particular, and similarly, guru also knows. So it is not that the same instruction is given to all. There may be, because variety. It is not impersonalism, one kind of... No. Variety. Krsna is anandamaya. Ananda means variety is the mother of enjoyment. Unless there are varieties, how there can be ananda? Krsna is sac-cid-ananda. So Krsna's business is variety. The Mayavadis, they cannot understand. They simply understand that we are one. No. Varieties. Cintamani-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vrksa-laksavrtesu surabhir abhipalayantam [Bs. 5.29]. Krsna is enjoying varieties. He is living in the cintamani-dhama. There are surabhi. He's tending, tending the cows, and He's playing with the cowherd boys. He's making jokes with the gopis. He is enjoying the company... Varieties. He's becoming the son, dependent son of mother Yasoda. So Krsna is variety. Without variety, there cannot be enjoyment. So therefore variety of instruction also.

So that is given by the spiritual master. "You do this," "You do that," "You do this," "You do that," because Krsna is not one-sided. So as confidential representative of Krsna, we have to follow the instruction of the spiritual master. As it is given particular to me, I should execute without any personal consideration. That is the perfection of life. Because after all, this body is meant for Krsna. The mind is meant for Krsna. I am also Krsna's part and parcel, so parakyasyaiva. Everything belongs to somebody else. Finally, that somebody else is Krsna. So if we fix up our mind on the lotus feet of Krsna and serve Him, then our life is perfect.

Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.48 -- Mayapura, October 28, 1974

"Material Affection Has No Meaning"

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.47
Mayapura, October 27, 1974

Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada


Pradyumna: Translation: "King Yudhisthira, son of Dharma, overwhelmed by the death of his friends, was aggrieved just like a common, materialistic man. O sages, thus deluded by affection, he began to speak."

Prabhupada:

aha raja dharma-sutas
cintayan suhrdam vadham
prakrtenatmana viprah
sneha-moha-vasam gatah

Sneha, love, affection, and moha, illusion. So, prakrtena. Prakrtena means on the bodily conception of life. Actually, sneha is different. There are affection in different stages. This morning I was reading the statement of a fisherman who caught Caitanya Mahaprabhu in His trance, and by touching Caitanya Mahaprabhu he became spiritually ecstatic, but he thought that he has become ghostly haunted: "Here is a ghost." And he was thinking, "I am ghostly haunted, so if I become mad, who will take care of my wife and children?" This is the position. The fisherman was actually, spiritually, by the grace of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, simply by touching Him, he was so much spiritually advanced that he was chanting, dancing, crying -- means all the symptoms of spiritual ecstatic transformation was visible in his body -- but he thought that he had gone mad on account of touching the body, ghost. He was thinking like that. And the man thinking was that "If I become mad like this, then who will take care of my wife and children?"

This is sneha. Everyone is thinking. Even the lower animals, they are also thinking of giving protection to the children. I have got personal experience in Kanpur, I was sitting in my room, and one monkey was outside the door with his (her) kitty to take something out of my eating. But by chance the small kitty entered through the bars of the window within the room, and I saw the mother became almost mad immediately: "Oh, my son has gone inside, and it will not be allowed to come again." Anyway, I managed to push the small kitty to go away; then she was relieved. So this affection for children, for wife, for family members, increase, then to society, to country, even to the whole human society. There are so many persons. They have given their state (estate) for benefit of the whole human society. There are many, many philanthropists, charitably disposed men. They do that.

But all these activities are simply moha, illusion, only moha. It has no value. If you say that "So many things, it has no value?" it has value -- temporary, punya. Punya... There is also papa also. Suppose if you give charity... Charity is pious activities, but if you give charity to a brahmana, then it is -- proper brahmana, qualified brahmana, Vaisnava -- then your charity is properly utilized. And if you give the same charity to a drunkard, then you commit sinful activity. If you do not know what kind of charities we shall perform, if you blindly give charity, then sometimes you may be doing pious activities, but sometimes you are clearing the way for going to hell. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gita it is stated there are three kinds of charities: sattvika, rajasika, tamasika. If you perform sattvika charity, then you get good result; rajasika charity, you get some profit; and tamasika charity, you go to hell. So one must be very careful even for this sneha, or charity, or philanthropy.

There is another story -- it may be fact -- that a boy was raised by his aunt very liberally. Then, gradually, the boy became, in bad association, a thief. And the aunt was encouraging, "Oh, it is a very good business. You are bringing so many things without any labor." So... Or out of affection he (she) did not chastise the boy when he was stealing. Then he, at the end, became a murderer. So he committed a murder. Then when he was to be hanged, so the government men inquired, "What is your last wish?" "Now, I want to speak with my aunt through the ear." Then he was allowed. And the aunt was generally crying that "My nephew is going to be hanged." She was... So he caught up her ear with the teeth and cut it. So he said, "My dear aunt, if you would have chastised me in the beginning, then today, this position, that you are crying and I am going to be hanged, this would not have happened. But you did not do that. Therefore you are uselessly crying now, and this is your punishment: I cut off your ear with the teeth." A very good instruction.

So the so-called sneha, if it is not properly done... Nature's regulation is so strict that you cannot avoid the consequence. That is not possible. These are practical. I have seen another practical... In front of our residence there was another neighbor. So the old man had his daughter-in-law. So she was beating her one child. So I inquired through my servant, "Why this young woman is beating her child?" Now, then the servant brought me the news that this boy gave parata to his elder brother who is suffering from typhoid. The typhoid... In typhoid fever, solid food is forbidden strictly, but the boy did not know. He asked his younger brother that "If you steal one parata and if you give me, I am very much hungry." So he became very sympathetic to his brother, and he gave the parata. And the boy was ill; he aggravated the illness. So as soon as the mother heard that he gave a parata to him, he (she) began to beat: "Why did you give?" Now, it was charity, it was affection and sympathetic, but the result was beating with shoes. So if we do not know where charity should be given, then, where affection should be there, then we are under the laws of nature; we shall be punished if it is not properly done. There is punishment.

Therefore it is said, prakrtena atmana. Prakrtena, by worldly relationship, prakrtena atmana viprah sneha-moha-vasam gatah. Sneha, affection; moha, illusion. Just like Arjuna, the same thing: out of affection he was denying. He was denying, "No, no, Krsna, I shall not fight. There, on the other side, there are my brothers, my nephews, my grandfather, and my teacher, Dronacarya, all my object of affection and obeisances, and I will have to kill them. You are inducing me. No, no, don't do it." That is prakrtena. He did not know the spiritual necessities. Sometimes we take sannyasa. I have seen. One of our Godbrother, big Godbrother, he took sannyasa. So his son was crying, and he was also crying. Then, if you have got affection for your family, society, then why you are taking sannyasa? That is prakrtena. We should not be carried away by this material affection, no. That is not good. You must do your duty. That is the instruction of Bhagavad-gita, that "Arjuna, you are being carried away by your material affection, and you are hesitating to execute your duty. This is not good." Anarya-justam: "This is befitting for the anarya, non-Aryan." Non-Aryan means not civilized, and Aryan means civilized. This is the distinction. Now people are very much fond of calling themselves as civilized, Aryan, belonging to the Aryan family. Where is the Aryan civilization? Aryan civilization means this Vedic civilization. Just like Arjuna, a ksatriya, belonged to the Aryan civilization, and because he was denying to fight, Krsna accused him, "Oh, this is just like non-Aryans." Anarya-justam, non-Aryans.

So this is Aryan civilization. Aryan civilization means giving importance to the spiritual life. That is Aryan civilization. And those who are giving importance to the material life, prakrta, that is called prakrta. Sa bhaktah prakrtah smrtah. In devotional life also, there are prakrta-bhaktas. Prakrta-bhaktas are described,

arcayam eva haraye
pujam yah sraddhayehate
na tad-bhaktesu canyesu
sa bhaktah prakrtah smrtah

"A devotee" -- of course, that is the beginning -- "who is carrying the arca, Deity worship very nicely," arcayam eva haraye pujam yah sraddhaya, "with great affection, regulative principle, but he does not know," arcayam eva haraye pujam yah sraddhayehate, na tad-bhaktesu, "but he does not know how to respect a devotee," na tad-bhaktesu canyesu, "he does not know how to do good to others -- simply he is attached to the Deity worship -- "sa bhaktah prakrtah smrtah, "he's still on the material platform."

So one has to make advance. What is that advance? That advance is... What is that verse? The four kinds of... Prema-maitri-krpopeksa yah karoti sa madhyamah. Isvare tad-adhinesu. The further advancement... One has to make advance, stage by stage, from the kanistha-adhikari, from the lower stage, to the middle stage to the higher stage. So the next stage, from prakrta, from material position... Of course, any devotion is, any devotee is not on the material platform. He is... But if we remain more on the material platform, not on the spiritual platform, then we'll fall down. We'll fall down. Therefore one should try to make forward march. The forward march is to become a preacher. Bhaktesu canyesu. Preaching means to obey the order of the spiritual master or superior authorities and to do good to others, do good to others. They are suffering for want of Krsna consciousness. Try to preach them. This is the second stage. If we simply become blocked up for Deity worship and do not preach, then we remain in the lowest stage. But when we take up this work, preaching...

Preaching means he must be conscious, Krsna conscious, advanced. Krsna conscious means that he's a lover of Krsna. Isvare tad... He'll see four things: first Krsna, isvara; and tad-adhina, the devotees... Isvare tad-adhinesu and balisesu. Balisa means people, ignorant men, who do not know what is Krsna consciousness. They are called balisa, just like child. Child is called balisa. Ignorant men, balisesu, dvisatsu ca, and other class. He'll see four things: isvara, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; he'll see the devotees of Krsna; he'll see some ignorant person; and he'll see some envious person. That you will have to meet. If you become preacher, then you'll create so many enemies also. Just like Prahlada Maharaja. His father became enemy, not outside. Outside he might have many enemies, but the five-years-old boy, because he was taking opportunity in the school and as soon as the teachers are out, in the tiffin hour, he would immediately stand up on the bench and preach... You have seen the picture. He was preaching amongst his small class friends. That preaching work is there in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, how he was intelligently preaching.

His first was... Kaumaram... Bhakta? I forget now. My memory is becoming old. (laughs) So, kaumara acaret prajno dharman bhagavatan iha [SB 7.6.1]. That, he was preaching: "My dear friends, we are now unmarried boys, so this is the opportunity. Now we are unmarried. We are not very much attached to family life. This is the opportunity." Kaumara acaret prajnah. Because as soon as one becomes materially affectionate... Here it is said, prakrtena atmana viprah sneha-moha-vasam. The more we increase... When the child, when we are children, we have got little affection for playing or for father, mother, that's all, limited. But the more we grow, and especially when you are married, then this material affection increases, more entangled. That is also stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, pumsah striya mithuni-bhavam etam. This material life means sex life. So a man is searching after woman, and woman is searching after man. This is material bondage. This is natural not only human society -- in dog society. Just see. The dog is crying, is crying at night because he has lost that woman. Is it not? Just see, even in the dog, what to speak of human being. So this is material life, to be affectionate unnecessarily. Therefore devotional service means vairagya-vidya. Caitanya Mahaprabhu showed by His example how He gave up the affection of young, beautiful wife, very nice home, most affectionate mother, most influential position in the society -- gave up.

So this is the..., people do not know what is devotional service. Devotional service means... Just like Kunti was praying, "My dear Krsna, kindly help me how can I give up this affection of my family, the Pandavas and the Vrsnis." This is required. This is the first sacrifice, not prakrtena vasam gatah. Then it is... Actually, the perfection of life is no more affection for anything material: brahma-bhutah prasannatma na socati na kanksati [Bg. 18.54]. That is the beginning, when we have lost complete affection for... We are not cruel; that is not another... But we know, we should know, that this is not required. This is simply moha. This is simply moha. This is illusion. It has no meaning. It is simply entanglement. That one must know. That is called vairagya. Vairagya-vidya. Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya wrote hundred verses appreciating Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, of which two verses are available, because when he sent the hundred verses glorifying Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, He immediately torn the papers, but the devotees collected the torn papers and saved one or two slokas. So one of the most important sloka is,

vairagya-vidya-nija-bhakti-yoga-
siksartham ekah purusah puranah
sri-krsna-caitanya-sarira-dhari
krpambudhir yas tam aham prapadye
[Cc. Madya 6.254]

Who is this Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu? He immediately recognized, "He is Krsna. He is Krsna." Krsna, as the Supreme Person, He ordered this vairagya-vidya, "Just give up, nonsense, all these things. Just surrender to Me." This is vairagya-vidya. The so-called affection and duty and so on, so on, sarva-dharman parityajya: [Bg. 18.66] "Give up." This is vairagya-vidya. So Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya could understand that "He is the same Krsna, same Krsna. Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead ordered, but He did not personally teach how to become elevated in vairagya-vidya. Here is the same person, He has come again to teach practically how to attain this vairagya-vidya stage." Therefore he said, vairagya-vidya-nija-bhakti-yogam. Vairagya-vidya means you become detestful to the material thing -- param drstva nivartate -- but, as Kunti said that "My affection may increase for you," vairagya-vidya means not only simply give up affection of this material, but you increase your affection for Krsna. That is vairagya, not that giving up all affection for the material world, you become zero. The zero stage is brahma-bhuta stage: "I have no more any affection for material things." But zero stage, you cannot stay. That is not our nature. Anandamayo 'bhyasat. We want ananda.

So we give up this association. Unless we take Krsna's association there will be no ananda; it is simply zero. In the zero platform you cannot remain for many years or many days. Then you'll fall down. If you don't get, if you don't increase your affection for Krsna -- simply you give up the affection of this material world -- then you cannot stay for many days. You'll fall down. You'll fall down. Aruhya krcchrena param padam tatah patanty adho 'nadrta-yusmad-anghrayah [SB 10.2.32]. Simply negative process will not help you. You must take the positive position. So that is required. Otherwise, devotional service means vairagya-vidya. It is the transcendental education to become unattached to this material world. This is called vairagya.

In another place it is said,

vasudeve bhagavati
bhakti-yogah prayojitah
janayaty asu vairagyam
jnanam ca yad ahaitukam
[SB 1.2.7]

Vairagya or jnana, these two things required in human life, to become unattached to this material world and, based on jnana, knowledge. Just like a so-called sannyasi, they give up as a sentiment and take sannyasa, but unless he has knowledge, he cannot stay; he'll fall down. He'll fall down. Therefore vairagya and jnana, two things must be there. Jnana means full knowledge that "I am spirit soul; my only necessity is spiritual advancement of life." This is jnana. And then, naturally, he has no more any affection for material things.

So Yudhisthira Maharaja was thinking -- it is natural -- that on account of his position, to become the emperor of the world, suhrdam vadham, so many friends have been killed. Aha raja dharma-sutas cintayan suhrdam vadham. This is natural. But duty is duty. When Krsna says that, as He did to Arjuna, that "You must fight. You must kill them," that is duty. That is Krsna consciousness -- no consideration of my affection. That is duty, and Arjuna did it. This is the duty of the devotee. Anukulyena krsnanusilanam bhaktir uttama. First-class devotion is to serve Krsna just to please Him. If He is pleased, if He says that "You kill your son," then we should be prepared to do that. That is called vairagya-vidya. Of course, never Krsna says like that, but actually, in the Battlefield of Kuruksetra, Arjuna was ordered, if not the son but the nephew. But his sons were also killed. So this is duty. So many people inquire, "Krsna was inducing people to fight." But this fight by the order of Krsna and the fight or war declared for the satisfaction of the politicians, they are not the same. We must always remember. They are not the same.

Just like Prahlada Maharaja. Prahlada Maharaja was standing, and his father was being killed. Is it a very good thing? Suppose if I am here and somebody kills me, and if you do not protest, is it a very good business? People will be surprised that "So many disciples are there, and this man is being killed, and nobody do anything?" So from material point of view, Prahlada Maharaja could have asked Nrsimhadeva, "My Lord, do not kill my father." He could have asked, and immediately his request would have been granted. But he did not do that. He was standing and seeing. But he knows that "This killing of the body of my father is not killing. I shall save him. I shall save him." That he did. When he was offered benediction, he did not take anything. He said, "My Lord, what shall I do, all this material benediction? I have seen in the case of my father. He was so strong that even the demigods were frightened for his presence. His position was so strong, and You finished it within a minute. So what is the benefit of taking? No, no. Please do not request me." But although he did not ask anything for his personal self, but he asked the Lord, prayed, that "One thing I request." "What is that?" "My father was a great demon, and he was against You. He has committed so many sinful life. So I know he'll have to suffer for these things. I request You to excuse him." This is Vaisnava son. "Oh, yes, immediately." Immediately.

So he knew that "What is this of asking for this material...? My father is not this body, but he has to suffer so many things for his sinful activities. I shall save him in due course of time." Therefore that is called putra. Putra means

pun-namno narakad yasmat
trayate pitaram sutah
tasmat putra iti proktah
svayam eva svayambhuva

This is represented by the alphabet pu, and trayate, tra. Combined together, putra. The putra's duty is to save the father from hellish condition of life. Therefore there is sraddha ceremony. So here is a putra. Real putra, Prahlada Maharaja, that he saved his father from the hellish condition of life. Similarly, a father should be the protector of his child not only simply by feeding him, making him very fat in this life, but from death. Na mocayed yah samupeta-mrtyum, pita na sa syat. One should not become father, one should not become mother, one should not become guru, one should not become relative, husband, and so many. The list is there. Why? If he cannot save his subordinate from imminent death. That is father; that is mother; that is guru. And how one can be saved from imminent death or repeated death? Simply by Krsna consciousness.

janma karma me divyam
yo janati tattvatah
tyaktva deham punar janma
naiti...
[Bg. 4.9]

You can save your son, your disciple, your relative or anyone whom you love, real affection. Then give him Krsna consciousness, and he'll be saved from death. That is the purport of this.

Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.47 -- Mayapura, October 27, 1974

"Selected Words For The Lord"

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.44
Mayapura, October 24, 1974

Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada


Pradyumna: Translation. "Suta Gosvami said: The Lord, thus hearing the prayers of Kuntidevi, composed in choice words for His glorification, mildly smiled. That smile was as enchanting as His mystic power."

Prabhupada:

prthayettham kala-padaih
parinutakhilodayah
mandam jahasa vaikuntho
mohayann iva mayaya

So whatever Kunti said, that was accepted by Krsna. So He remained silent and simply smiled, that "A devotee is glorifying the Lord in chosen words." Here it is said that kala-padaih. Means God is to be worshiped... He is to be offered the best selected words, not that like the atheist fools, they worship, or rather, insult. That very word... It gives us very much pain when God is called "daridra-narayana." Why? Why Narayana should be daridra? That means no conception of Narayana. Therefore they add these insulting words.

But that is not the way of worship. Uttama-sloka. Krsna's or God's another name is Uttama-sloka, "who is worshiped by the best, selected words." Uttama-sloka-gunanuvarnanam. Yad uttama-sloka-gunanuvarnanam [SB 1.5.22].

idam hi pumsas tapasah srutasya va
svistasya suktasya ca buddhi-dattayoh
avicyuto 'rthah kavibhir nirupito
yad uttama-sloka-gunanuvarnanam
[SB 1.5.22]

This is the injunction of the sastra. Idam hi pumsas tapasah srutasya va. In the material world, everyone, at least the higher class, higher section of the society, they are engaged in so many research work. That is called tapasya, how to find out the best thing for the human, benefit of the human society, scientific research. That is also tapasya. When a scientist invents something, that is result of tapasya. It is not very easily obtained. Therefore tapa... So many people are engaged in tapasya. Idam hi pumsas tapasah srutasya. So many people are engaged in education. Srutasya. Srutasya means "of education." The Vedic process of getting education is by hearing. Therefore it is called sruti. The Vedas are called Sruti. Formerly... Just like we are reading books. The books were not needed because the memory was so sharp -- simply by hearing from the teacher, they'll remember. That is... That is called tradition by hearing. Therefore education means sruti. Srutibhir pratipannam. Anything, if you want to prove, then you have to give evidence from the sruti. Then it is...

So anyone who is being educated, anyone who is engaged in research work for the benefit of the whole human society... Idam hi pumsas tapasah srutasya va ca buddhi-dattayoh [SB 1.5.22]. Or somebody is giving in charity, opening hospital, schools, or other good, good purposes. Ca buddhi-dattayoh. So why they are doing that? What is the purpose? The purpose is avicyutah arthah. Avicyuta means infallible, and artha means purpose. Avicyutah arthah kavibhir nirupitah. It is ascertained, the purpose. Why one should be engaged in research work? Why one should be engaged in getting good education? Why one should perform charity, or why one should be intelligent? This is higher-class activities. So what is the purpose? The purpose, it is said, kavibhir nirupitah: "By high-class scholars, they have ascertained." What is it? Yad uttama-sloka-gunanuvarnanam: [SB 1.5.22] "God is to be worshiped simply by glorifying Him by the best words, uttama-sloka." Not that "My dear God, You have no eyes. You have no leg. You have no hand. You have no mouth." What is this? It is the indirect way of insulting God. If one man has no eyes, then what he is called? He is called blind. So if one man has no legs, he is called lame. So similarly, if we worship God that "You are blind. You are lame. You are headless. You are brainless," what is this worship? Similarly, this kind of worship -- daridra-narayana, "Narayana is daridra" -- is just like that. No. Here Kunti says that kala-padaih, Kala-padaih, "by chosen words." Just like if you worship some superior, when you give foodstuff to your spiritual master, superior, you find out the best, selected foodstuff, not that anything, worst: "You eat it. If you don't like, don't eat. I don't mind." No. This is the way of worship. When you worship superior, and who can be more superior than Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead? He's the Supreme, Absolute Truth. Nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam.

So Kunti has all along... Very selected words she used. That we should learn. That is the injunction of the sastras, uttama-sloka. Therefore Krsna's another name is bhagavaty uttama-sloke bhaktir bhavati naisthiki. The best words. Actually, if you love somebody, out of love you cannot use anything, means any word, which is not very much appreciated. So... And they are all applicable. It is not like the logic, kana-chelera nama padma-locana(?): one man has got a child who is blind, but he has given the name Padma-locana, "lotus-eyed." Not like that. The selected words which Kunti has used, it is not improper. They are properly used. Just like here is one word used, Vaikuntha. Krsna's another name is Vaikuntha, or God's another name is Vaikuntha. Vaikuntha means vigata-kuntha hy asmat. Therefore spiritual world is called Vaikuntha. And the material world is duhkhalayam asasvatam [Bg. 8.15]. It is not Vaikuntha. You cannot even walk without anxiety. Just like we were walking on the street, and the leg slipped. So we should be very much careful even in walking. Beginning from your morning walk, you are full of anxiety. But Vaikuntha means no anxiety, no anxiety. That is spiritual world. We must understand what is Vaikunthaloka, and what is Jadaloka.

So here, everywhere, simply danger. But if we take shelter of the Vaikuntha, Krsna... Samasrita ye pada-pallava-plavam. It is just like the boat for crossing over a furious, dangerous ocean. Krsna's lotus feet is compared with very sound, secure boat. And boarding it, you can cross over the ocean of nescience. Bhavambudhir vatsa-padam. Bhavambudhih. Ambudhi means sea, and bhava means repetition of birth and death, birth and death. Just like in the ocean you are struggling. Sometimes you are drowning, and somebody helps you, saves you from being drowned, and again he throws you in the ocean. Then again struggle. So our life in this material world is like that. We are struggling from the beginning, very beginning of our life. We are simply struggling. We learn from Srimad-Bhagavatam that after the sex between the man and the woman, the man injects the semina within the womb of the mother, of the woman, and it is emulsified first night, and immediately forms a pealike form. That pealike form develops. So as soon as it is developed... Of course, in the process of development, there is no consciousness, just like deep sleeping. It is like that. But as soon as the body is little developed, the... There are nine holes: two nostrils, two ears, two eyes, one navel, one genital, one rectum. These nine holes develop. Then the consciousness comes back. And when the consciousness comes back, then he feels pains and pleasure, because when the body is developed... The body is very delicate. So he is forced to live within urine and stool and so many secretions, and there are always worms in the stool, in the urine, and they take advantage of the delicate body and they bite.

So the baby, packed up, cannot move, cannot say anything but feels pain, therefore moves. And the pregnant woman therefore feels that the child is moving at the age of seven months in the womb. So therefore the struggle begins from the womb. And when the child comes out, again struggle. And he is lying on the bed; some bug is biting. He cannot express. He is crying, and the mother thinks that he's hungry. In this way, wrongly understands, cannot give relief him. And he is going on, crying, crying, crying. We have seen it. We have... Everyone has got experience. Then as soon as he is grown up, he is given responsibility for learning ABCD, or going to school. He doesn't like. No child likes. At least I did not like to go to school. So this is also another struggle. Then, when he is grown up, he is given more and more responsibility, examination, and then married life, then family maintenance. In this way, struggling, struggling, struggling -- again death. Again enter into the womb of mother. Again the same struggle. So where is happiness? Therefore when Krsna says, duhkhalayam asasvatam: [Bg. 8.15] "This whole material world is a place for suffering only," that is a fact. But mudho 'yam, being enamored by maya, he does not know. He forgets. This life is of forgetfulness, ignorance.

So struggle is going on. So therefore this word is used, that you are struggling in this material world so much, even beginning from your life. Prahlada Maharaja says, sada samudvigna-dhiyam asad-grahat. Asat. The spiritual world is called sat. Om tat sat. So we should transfer ourself to the spiritual world. Asato ma gama, sad gama. Asato ma sad gama. This is the Vedic injunction. "Don't keep yourself in this asat." Asat means bad. Asat means which will not exist. That is called asat. Asad-grahat. So because we have accepted this asat, grahat, with very great eagerness, that "We shall become very happy; we shall live here very happily," therefore there is all... Actually there is no happiness. Suppose if you get some money all of a sudden, actually this is also asat, because when you did not get money, you were anxious to get it, and as soon as you get it, how to preserve it? "Shall I keep it in the bank? Because it is black market. Then there will be income tax. Then what I shall I do?" Another anxiety. Another anxiety.

So asad-vastu, in any way you want to enjoy, it will give you always anxiety. And if you go to the sad-vastu... Asato ma sad gama. If you go to sat, then that is Vaikuntha. That is called Vaikuntha, no more anxiety. This is... Therefore this very word is used, Vaikuntha. Mandam jahasa vaikuntho mohayann iva mayaya. This maya is not illusion; this maya is affection. When a mother laughs, smiles, the child feels very pleasure, very much. The mother... The child on the lap of the mother... Mother is seeing the face of the child, and child is seeing the face of the mother. Both of them are very pleased. They smile. So maya, that maya, means affection. When Krsna smiles, He smiles with affection, and the devotee becomes enamored, becomes captivated simply by seeing Krsna smiling. This is the process, the express, exchange of devotional service.

So Vaikuntha, Krsna's name, and Krsna's place... Therefore, as Krsna is Vaikuntha, without any anxiety -- Krsna has no anxiety -- similarly, Krsna's place is also without any anxiety. Krsna's activities, hearing Krsna, that is also without anxiety. If we want to be anxietyless, then we should hear about Krsna.

sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhir
ye prayaso 'jita jito 'py asi tais tri-lokyam

Krsna, if you simply hear about Krsna... Sthane sthitah. It doesn't require to change your place. You may be in, in your place, position. You may be a medical practitioner. You may be engineer. You may be any other man, mercantile man. Whatever you may be, it doesn't... You may be a learned man. You may be a foolish man. It doesn't matter. But you hear. That is... If you want to get the position of Vaikuntha, then you simply hear. It doesn't matter what is your position. Krsna never said, "Only this kind of man..." Of course, there is classification. The classification is sinless and sinful. Only the persons who are sinless, they can understand about God. That sinlessness can be achieved very easily, as I was explaining last night. Srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah punya-sravana-kirtanah [SB 1.2.17]. Simply if you hear about Krsna, then the sinless automatically, sinlessness automatically comes in, ceto-darpana-marjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12], simply by hearing. So by hearing, hearing, it is both the process and the medicine, both, everything. Because one has to become sinless, so one has to adopt some means by which one can become sinless. So simply by hearing, you become sinless. And after being sinless, you become more and more interested.

Just like in jaundice disease that, if you... Because the doctors, the medical practitioners, they give sugar candy. The physician gives sugar candy. The sugar candy, to the person suffering from jaundice, tastes bitter: "Oh, it is bitter." But actually sugar candy is not bitter. Similarly, to the sinful man the krsna-katha, discussion about Krsna, does not appear to be very palatable. They do not like to hear. They think it is waste of time. But that, as the sugar candy is the only medicine for jaundice disease, similarly, the hari-katha, or krsna-katha, is the only medicine for our material disease. If we take it... Just like the jaundiced patient. If he takes sugar candy, then gradually he becomes free from the diseased condition, and at that time, the same sugar candy which he tasted in the beginning as bitter, it appears to be very, very sweet. Then he cannot live without. This is the process.

So we are in material disease at the present moment. We have forgotten Krsna, and struggling for existence, we are trying to be happy by manufacturing so many plans. But this will not help us. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu approved this process. What is that?

jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva
jivanti san-mukharitam bhavadiya-vartam
sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhir
ye prayaso 'jita jito 'py asi tais tri-lokyam

There was discussion between Ramananda Raya and Caitanya Mahaprabhu. So Ramananda Raya began from varnasrama-dharma. But Caitanya Mahaprabhu rejected -- rejected not wholly. Eho bahya age kaha ara: "Yes, this is not bad, but it is not so important." Eho bahya age kaha ara: "If you know something more..." In this way, gradually, step by step, Ramananda Raya said, "The ultimate goal of life is this," "is that," "is that." So Caitanya Mahaprabhu said all of them as external, at least in this age. It is very difficult. Just like in the beginning Ramananda Raya said that varnasramacaravata purusena parah puman. He gave stress on the institution of varna and asrama, to observe the rules and regulation of varnas, four varnas -- to become brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra -- and four asramas: brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha... But Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, eho bahya, bahya: "Yes, it is good, but it is not so, mean, important, not so important."

Because He knew, in this age, Kali Yuga, who is going to observe this varnasrama-dharma? Everyone is sudra. A sudra cannot understand this, neither it is possible to bring them back again. Although we are trying, but it is very difficult. Once one has become debauch, to reform him is very difficult. But still there is way. And that way is suggested when... Ramananda Raya suggested that... It is the words of Lord Brahma that jnane prayasam udapasya: "One should not very much endeavor to speculate, speculating process." Just like these theosophists, the philosophers, the scientists. They, instead of having direct knowledge from the superior, they, more or less, speculate. So one has to give up this speculating habit. If one thinks that "I know. I am very educated. I am very advanced. I can discover what is God," that is not possible. That is not possible. Athapi te deva-padambuja-dvaya-prasada-lesanugrhita eva hi janati tattvam. You cannot understand God by your speculative method. Big, big scholars, they have speculated about Krsna in the Bhagavad-gita. Misled, they could not understand.

Just like a big politician, Gandhi, he also has Bhagavad-gita in his hand, but he never spoke throughout his whole life that Krsna is worshipable. He never spoke. Have you seen that he has advised that Krsna is worshipable? Never. Dr. Radhakrishnan, he is also so big scholar. He has commented on Bhagavad-gita. Rather, he says, "It is not to Krsna." When Krsna says, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65], Dr. Radhakrishnan says, "It is not to Krsna." That is the difficulty. Because they have no mercy of Krsna upon them, they cannot understand Krsna. Naham prakasah sarvasya yogamaya-samavrtah [Bg. 7.25]. Bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yas casmi tattvatah [Bg. 18.55]. This is stated in the Bhagavad-gita. But they are not bhaktas. Tilak, he has described Bhagavad-gita as a karmi, never said that Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. You'll find like that, so many, what to speak of others? There are about six hundred commentaries on Bhagavad-gita, all misleading. Therefore we have presented Bhagavad-gita As It Is, without any misinterpretation. And it is acting. These six hundred editions of Bhagavad-gita was being advertised in the Western countries, and so many scholars and swamis went there -- not a single person became a devotee of Krsna, not a single for the last two hundred, three hundred years. Before that, there was no such attempt, but for the last at least hundred years, or more than that, many Indians went to the Western countries to preach our philosophy, and they referred to Bhagavad-gita and so on, but unfortunately not a single person became a devotee of Krsna, not a single person. But as we presented Bhagavad-gita as it is, within five years, thousands and thousands have become devotee of Krsna. One can compare this.

So this is the way, that "Don't speculate nonsensically." That is the injunction of Lord Brahma, jnane prayasam, that "You are very much learned scholar. You are a great politician -- ‘So I can speculate some religious system by misinterpreting this Bhagavad-gita' -- no, you should stop this." That is the recommendation. Jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva: "Just become submissive, submissive." That is the only way, to become submissive first of all. Then you can understand what is God. Therefore Krsna demands, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. So jnane prayasam udapa..., namanta eva. And what is the next business? San-mukharitam bhavadiya-vartam. One should hear bhavadiya-vartam, the message of Krsna, from a realized soul, not a professional man. A realized soul. San-mukharitam. Sat. Om tat sat. That same, again. That is the way. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu recommended, bhagavata paro giya bhagavata sthane.(?) Don't go and hear Bhagavata-saptaha by a professional man. That is useless waste of time. If you want to learn about Bhagavata, then bhagavata paro giya bhagavata sthane -- realized soul. Grantha-bhagavata and... That is the recommendation of Brahma, and Caitanya Mahaprabhu accepted it. When this verse was recited by Ramananda Raya,

jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva
jivanti san-mukharitam bhavadiya-vartam
sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhir
ye prayaso 'jita jito 'py asi tais tri-lokyam

Immediately Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, eho haya: "Yes, this is the system." Eho haya, age kaha ara. Then further development. Then further development: santa-rasa, dasya-rasa, sakhya-rasa, and vatsalya-rasa... That is rasa-vicara. That is... When one has stepped into this Vaikuntha platform, then the rasa-vicara, not before that.

So here also, Krsna is described as Vaikuntha. If one takes shelter of Krsna, then he also become Vaikuntha. Samasrita ye pada-pallava-plavam. He becomes assured of his safety. Krsna is Vaikuntha. So prthaya ittham kala-padaih. And we should not try to insult God. We should try to glorify God in glorified language. That I already explained. Uttama-sloka-gunanuvadat. Don't try to speak nonsense and describe God. No. God is never daridra. How He can be daridra? If you describe daridra-narayana, it is a blasphemy. No. Uttama-sloka. Just like Kunti has described, krsna-sakha: "You are the friend of Arjuna." That is the proper explanation. Gopi, gopi-vallabha: "Krsna, You are always prepared to please the gopis." Yasoda-nandana. Yasoda-nandana vraja-jana-ranjana. These are the description. "Krsna, You are the son of Yaso..." Krsna takes pride. Krsna, when His name is attached with the activities of a devotee, He becomes very much pleased. But sometimes Krsna is called Kamsa-nisudana, Madhusudana, Kamsari. That is also Krsna's pleasure. He appears to be enemy, Kamsari, to the demons.

So these are the description of Krsna. We have to follow. Mahajano yena gatah sa panthah. Don't manufacture something which will not be compatible. You just hear, sthane sthitah sruti-gata..., from the realized soul, how Krsna should be described. Here... Just like Kunti is describing Krsna, krsna-sakha. He's Krsna, and Draupadi is also called Krsna, and Arjuna is also called Krsna. So Krsna is both, friends for both of them. Krsna supplied unlimited measurement of cloth to Draupadi because Draupadi was crying to Krsna, "Save my honor." Similarly, Arjuna also, he accepted Krsna as the supreme guide. Sisyas te 'ham sadhi mam prapannam: "There is perplexity, my dear Krsna. I cannot decide whether I shall fight or I shall not fight." Karpanya-dosopahata-svabhavah: "I am ksatriya, but due to my weakness, I am crying to avoid fight. So therefore please instruct me. Because You can, I understand that You can give me the right instruction; therefore I become Your sisya." Sisyas te 'ham sadhi mam prapannam. Therefore Krsna is known as Partha-sarathi. Partha-sarathi, Krsna-sakha, Yasoda-nandana, Nanda-nandana, Vasudeva, Devaki-nandana. So God has no name, but He has got thousands and millions of names on account of His different varieties of activities with His devotees. This is the science of understanding Krsna's name. Krsna-sakha and Vrsni-rsabha, "The best of the Vrsni dynasty." Because Krsna took birth in the Vrsni dynasty, so He's the best, Rsabha. Rsabha means the best. And because Krsna took birth in the Vrsni dynasty, therefore the whole family became very famous. And His business was avani-dhrug-rajanya-vamsa, vamsa-dahana. Paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca duskrtam [Bg. 4.8].

So in this way Krsna should be described in connection with different activities. But those who are impersonalists, they cannot understand Krsna, and being impersonalists, they do not believe in the activities of the Supreme. They think that when the Supreme Absolute Truth comes in the material world, in the material form, then "There is activity?" They cannot understand. Athapi te deva padam... Therefore nobody can understand Krsna without being trained up by a self-realized devotee. If a... If one takes the shelter of Krsna's representative, devotee, then it doesn't matter what he is. Kirata-hunandhra-pulinda-pulkasa abhira-sumbha yavanah khasadayah, ye 'nye ca papa yad-apasrayasrayah. If he has taken shelter of a pure devotee -- never mind he's a kirata, huna, andhra, pulinda, pulkasa -- he is sudhyanti. He becomes purified, and gradually he understands Krsna.

So from the example of Kuntidevi, if we want to understand Krsna, and if we want to be transferred to the Vaikuntha atmosphere, then we should follow the Krsna's... So Krsna was very much pleased. If you worship Krsna in the proper way, mahajano yena ga..., then he accepts. Bhaktya mam abhijanati [Bg. 18.55]. And Krsna also says, patram puspam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayacchati. That bhakti is the most important thing. Krsna is not interested with your foodstuff. Krsna is interested with your bhakti. Therefore this word is used, yo me bhaktya prayacchati. Not that "I am very rich man. I can offer Krsna luci, puri, halava. He must take it." Just like we get some palatable foodstuff -- we eat up to the neck. No. Krsna is atmarama. Krsna has no hunger. Even if He is hungry, He can fulfill it Himself. He doesn't require your help. But He accepts your foodstuff because you offer Him with bhakti. That is the main thing. Just like you relish foodstuff when you are hungry. If you have got sufficient appetite, any kind of foodstuff, you'll find it is very nice. But if you are offered very palatable foodstuff and you are not hungry -- you have no appetite -- useless. Similarly, you can Krsna offer very nice foodstuff, luci, puri, halava and other things, but if you have no bhakti, then Krsna will not touch. Therefore it is essential; those who are initiated, they should prepare Krsna's foodstuff, and the professional man, noninitiated person, cannot prepare. Because a bhakta prepares the foodstuff with some desire that "Let me do it very nicely. Krsna will eat."That... That is different thing from the professional man cooking.

So yo me bhaktya... The main thing is bhakti. And all the prayers offered by Kuntidevi -- full of bhakti. So we should learn from Kuntidevi how to offer, and then Krsna will be very much pleased, and He will smile. Jahasa.

Indian: Who has told this "daridra-narayana"?

Prabhupada: Eh?

Indian: "Daridra-narayana" was told by who? Is it sastra or it is...?

Prabhupada: It is not in the sastra. But somebody, some swami has told it.

Indian: Ramakrishnan...?

Prabhupada: Yes. Not Ramakrishnan. Vivekananda. (pause) All right. [break] (Bengali) [break]

Indian: ...all the time wanted miseries and so now?(?)

Prabhupada: Hm?

Indian: Kunti?

Prabhupada: Kunti had no miseries.

Indian: No, she wanted all the time.

Prabhupada: Yes. Kun... Yes. Because she wanted Krsna. That is the subject matter of this prayer, that Krsna was going to Dvaraka, taking leave from Kunti, so she thought that "Krsna, when we were always in danger, You were always with us. And now we are situated in good position, we are out of danger, and You are going away? The better we be again in danger so that I can see You." That was Kunti's prayer. That's all. Now we can... (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.44 -- Mayapura, October 24, 1974

"Eat Like Human Being"

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.5.35
Vrndavana, August 16, 1974

Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Pradyumna: Translation: "Whatever work is done here in this life for the satisfaction for the mission of the Lord is called bhakti-yoga, or transcendental loving service of the Lord. And what is called knowledge becomes a concomitant factor."

Prabhupada:

yad atra kriyate karma
bhagavat-paritosanam
jnanam yat tad adhinam hi
bhakti-yoga-samanvitam

A similar passage is there, samsiddhir hari-tosanam [SB 1.2.13]. Atah pumbhir dvija-srestha varnasrama-vibhagasah.

atah pumbhir dvija-srestha
varnasrama-vibhagasah
svanusthitasya dharmasya
samsiddhir hari-tosanam
[SB 1.2.13]

Similar. Bhagavat-paritosanam. Bhagavat-paritosanam or hari-tosanam, the same thing.

So first of all we must know what is bhagavat, or Hari, then we may try to satisfy Him. Unfortunately, we do not know what is God. Where is the question of satisfying Him? This is the... At the present moment, vague idea, what is God; practically no idea. What is their God? "God is good." They... Sometimes they say, "God is great," but what is that God, how great He is, how He is good, nobody knows. So where is the question of hari-tosanam? If I do not know... Somebody says that "You go and satisfy Mr. such and such, Mr. John." So I do not know who is Mr. John, where does he live, what does he do, then how can I satisfy him? This is the position.

So hari-tosanam or bhagavat-paritosanam can be possible when we actually know what is God. Otherwise there is no question. So, so far we are concerned, Krsna conscious devotees, we know who is God. Therefore this business is possible by us, not by others. We know what is God. We have no vague idea. We know who is God, where does He live, what does He do, His name, address, His father's name -- everything we know. Therefore we can satisfy. We are competent to satisfy because we know exactly who is God. That is Krsna. Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam. How do you know that Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead? Yes, by history, by authority, by His action, everything complete. We know historical, from historical point of view, Krsna is there in the Mahabharata. Mahabharata means "The history of great India." Maha means great. So greater India. Greater India, this is history. Itihasa. Itihasa means history. So there is Krsna, in the itihasa, in the history. In the Vedas also, there is name of Krsna. In the Yajur Veda, there is name of Krsna and His father's name, Vasudeva. Everything is there. And besides that, Krsna appeared as He is five thousand years ago and He acted as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So where is the difficulty to understand Krsna?

Aisvaryasya samagrasya viryasya yasasah sriyah -- everything complied. Krsna, the richest personality, the most beautiful personality, the most wise. He has given the Bhagavad-gita. Apart from other instructions, the Bhagavad-gita is there. Who has given such wise instruction throughout the whole world, throughout the whole universe? Nobody has given. God means the wisest, the richest, the most powerful, the most beautiful. So He was so beautiful that 16,108 very, very beautiful women... And this is married. And unmarried, many millions, they were attracted by Krsna, the most beautiful. Syamasundara. His name is sundara, very beautiful. Although syama, blackish, still He's so attractive. Kandarpa-koti-kamaniya-visesa-sobham [Bs. 5.30]. Kandarpa-koti, He's so beautiful that He can surpass in His beauty the Cupids, millions and millions of Cupids. His name is Madana-mohana. Madana-mohana, Madana is Cupid. Cupid enchants everyone, but he is enchanted by Krsna. Therefore His name is Madana-mohana.

So bhagavat-tosanam, we must know first of all who is God, who is Bhagavan. So sastra says, authority says, and history says. What more proof you want? Huh? What more proof? Is there anyone to challenge Krsna? Everything is there. Still, why you are searching after God? This is foolishness. This is foolishness. Owls', owls' philosophy. Owls' philosophy... The owl will not open the eyes to see the sun. Just open your eyes, you see, here is sun. "No, there is no sun." This is owls' philosophy. Close the eyes, meditate. And the God is here, "No, I'll not open my eyes."

So we do not follow this philosophy, owls' philosophy. We follow real philosophy. What is that real philosophy? Sruti-pramanam, evidence from the Vedas, history, aitihya-pramana, history. And anumana-pramana. There are many, pratyaksa, anumana, aitihya... So out of that, there are so many evidential processes, but according to followers of the Vedic principle, their process is sruti-pramanam. Sruti-pramanam means if it is mentioned in the Vedas, Upanisad, then it is pramanam. Sruti-pramanam. So Vedas, there are four Vedas and 108 Upanisads, and then eighteen Puranas, then this Mahabharata. So all these are Vedic literatures. Srimad Madhvacarya describes them, these are Vedic literatures. Not only the four Vedas -- Sama, Yajur, Rg, Atharva -- but expansion of Vedas. Puranas, they are also Vedas. So in the Purana, in the history, in the Vedas, by the authorities.

Just like Brahma, the best authority because he is the first living being created within the universe. Adi-purusa. Not adi-purusa; adi-kavi. Adi-purusa is Krsna. Brahma is adi-kavi, the original learned scholar. So our theory of creation means first of all Brahma is created. So Brahma is called adi-kavi. Tene brahma hrda ya adi-kavaye. Adi-kavaye means Brahma. So Brahma's knowledge, what does he say? Brahma says govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami **. Brahma says Govinda, Krsna. Cintamani-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vrksa-laksavrtesu surabhir abhipalayantam [Bs. 5.29]. He's giving description about Krsna in the Brahma-samhita. And the description of Krsna's abode. Cintamani-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vrksa-laksavrtesu surabhir abhipalayantam [Bs. 5.29]. Everything is there. This is authority, sruti. Krsna is very much fond of tending cows. Surabhir abhipalayantam. Cintamani-prakara-sadmasu. He has got His abode, Goloka Vrndavana, where the residential houses are made of cintamani, touchstone. Touchstone, we have heard the description. Touchstone means the stone which you touch to the iron and the iron becomes gold. So such touchstone, they're used as brick. Cintamani-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vrksa-laksavrtesu [Bs. 5.29].

And kalpa-vrksa. This is Krsna's abode. They are not like this. They are all spiritual. Here it is, everything is material, but there is spiritual touch. That spiritual touch we are describing in the Bhagavad-gita, bijo 'ham sarva-bhutanam. Without spiritual touch, there is no question of material manifestation. That is not possible. This body, your body, my body, this is material -- everyone knows. It is made of earth, air, water, fire, like that. But how it is manifested? How the beautiful body is manifested? Because there is spiritual touch. The spirit soul is there. Dehino 'smin yatha dehe kaumaram yauvanam jara tatha... [Bg. 2.13]. This external body is changing, but it is forming on account of that spiritual touch. That spiritual touch means Krsna. Bijo 'ham sarva-bhutanam. So therefore the origin of everything is Krsna. Just like the origin of a big tree is the root. Similarly, Krsna is the adi-purusam. Govindam adi-purusam, sarva-karana-karanam [Bs. 5.1]. Just like in the tree there are trunk, branches, twigs, sub-branches, leaves, flowers, so many things. But the cause is the root.

So here it is said that hari-tosanam. Bhagavat-paritosanam. The root must be satisfied. If you want to maintain the tree, then the root or the original cause of the tree should be satisfied. Then everything is satisfied. So here in this material world they are trying to be happy, but they do not know how to become happy. They are put into the ocean of nescience. May be very expert swimmer, but simply swimming will not save you. You must know how to save. So here it is said, yad atra kriyate karma. Everyone is doing something. Vaidiki laukiki va. There are two kinds of karmas. Vaidiki means according to the Vedic rituals. Performance of big, big sacrifices and so many other, that is called vaidiki. And laukiki... Just like we have got good experience nowadays. There are so many activities, factories, mills, and scientific research work, so many. This is laukiki. So Krsna does not say... Yes. The Suta Gosvami does not say that simply by vaidiki activities, big, big ritualistic ceremonies, you can be happy. You can be happy even by laukiki. Laukiki mean these material activities. Generally, people understand, big, big factories nowadays, or agriculture or anything, there are laukiki. Laukiki means for maintenance of the body. So Narada Muni recommends that yad atra, anything you are doing, kriyate. Atra means in this material world, atra. Yad atra kriyate karma bhagavat-paritosanam. It doesn't matter that you do not understand these Vedic rituals, but you want to develop the economic position of your country by industrial enterprises. Yes, that is also good. That is also good. How? Bhagavat-paritosanam. If it is conducted for the satisfaction of Krsna, then it is good.

So our Krsna consciousness movement does not say you stop anything. No. Whatever you have got liking, you can do, but bhagavat-paritosanam. By your work you try to satisfy Krsna. This is our proposal. We do not say the negative, stop. No. And it is confirmed in the sastras, atah pumbhir dvija-sresthah... Generally, according to Vedic principle, there are four division of karma. Not four; eight division. According to varna and asrama. Atah pumbhir dvija-srestha varnasrama-vibhagasah. The division of work must be there; otherwise the society cannot go on very nicely. If everyone is brahmana, not interested in anything material or simply... Because it is, after all, material world, if everyone becomes brahmana, now it will not go. There must be others. Ksatriyas means the statesman, protector, politician, diplomat, ksatriyas. And there must be vaisyas also, productive class of men. They must produce. Economic development, that is also required. Otherwise, how human society will go on? Not only intelligent class of men -- the protector class of men, the productive class of men, and the worker class of men. Suppose you are constructing this temple. If we devotees remain Hare Krsna, then who will construct this temple? Everything is required. We do not say that "Stop this" or "Stop that." No.

So that division, different division, is scientifically made in the Vedic conception of life, varnasrama. Four varnas and four asramas. Asrama for spiritual advancement and varnas for material advancement. So we want both of them because our life is combination of spirit and matter. So it is not that... To make the best use of a bad bargain. Suppose you have got a car. It is not very good car. It's not American car, but Ambassador. (laughter) Thrice breaks. But you have to utilize it. Bad bargain. Similarly, some way or other, we have got this material body, we cannot neglect it. We don't say that "Neglect it. Don't care for the body." No. Why?

That is the instruction of the Gosvamis. Anasaktasya visayan yatharham upayunjatah. Don't be attached to the bodily demands. Bodily demands means eating, sleeping, sex life, and defending. These are bodily demands. So if we say that "I am not this body, so I don't care for this eating, sleeping..." No. That is not. It is not vairagya. This kind of renunciation is not recommended by our Krsna consciousness movement. Krsna consciousness movement, the Gosvamis recommend anasaktasya visayan. You do not be attached to the demands of the body, but you utilize it for advancing in Krsna consciousness. Eating is required. If you don't eat nicely, then body cannot be maintained. But anasaktasya visayan yatharham. Eating is required, but not eating too much. Not eating to the taste of the tongue, unnecessarily eating meat, fish, eggs. Why? You are human being. For you Krsna has given so much varieties of food stuff. Fruits, vegetables, nice rice, dal, milk, ghee. Why should you go to the meat-eating? This is required. You eat like human being, not like cats and dogs. But eating is not prohibited. That is not our philosophy. Don't eat like cats and dogs, but eat like human being.

Similarly, sleeping also. Sleep, you require some rest, but don't sleep twenty-six hours. Not like that. Utmost six hours to eight hours, sufficient for any healthy man. Even the doctor says, if anyone sleeps more than eight hours, he is diseased. He must be weak. Healthy man sleeps at a stretch six hours. That is sufficient. That's all. And those who are tapasvis, they should reduce sleeping also. Just like the Gosvamis did. Only one and a half hour or utmost two hours. That also sometimes not. Actually, we should reduce this. Nidrahara-viharakadi-vijitau. This is gosvami. Gosvamis does not mean go-dasa. Go means senses and dasa means servant. If we keep the title gosvami and become servant of the senses, it is cheating. You must be gosvami, means you must be master of the senses. Self-control. So what the Gosvamis did? Nidrahara-viharakadi-vijitau catyanta-dinau ca yau. Very humble and... Nidra means sleeping, ahara means eating, and vihara means sense enjoyment, vijitau, they conquered over.

So our process is to follow the Gosvamis. Ei chay gosai yanr tanr mui das. So we should try to follow the Gosvamis. We should keep in view what they did. They used to, I mean to say, pass their time in krsnotkirtana-gana-nartana-parau. Krsnotkirtana-gana-nartana-parau premamrtambho-nidhi dhiradhira-jana-priyau. Dhiradhira. There are two classes of men in the world, dhira and adhira. Dhira means saintly persons, sober, those who have controlled their senses, gosvamis. And adhira: just the opposite. So these Gosvamis, six Gosvamis, they were popular to the both classes of men, dhira and adhira. Their character was so sublime, nice, that even in this Vrndavana when Sanatana Gosvami was there, the village men, they would accept Sanatana Gosvami as the leader of the village. Actually, they were leader. But to pose himself as leader, but cannot control others, (Bengali) gaya mane mora apni moro(?). Not like that. He must able be to lead them. So although Sanatana Gosvami was interested krsnotkirtana-gana-nartana-parau, he was not disinterested with others who were not devotees. They were also interested. Not interested, but sympathetic. They were not interested with the materialists, but the ordinary householders, they would fight, husband and wife, and come to Sanatana Gosvami for settlement. And whatever Sanatana Gosvami would give judgment, they will accept. They will accept. He was, they were very popular, (the) Gosvamis. And they were staying sometimes here, sometimes there, sometimes Radha-kunda, sometimes... They were not staying in one place.

So our, this Krsna consciousness movement, it's only aim is how to satisfy Krsna. Method, that is intelligence: What method we should accept so that our, this process of, or the propaganda of Krsna consciousness may go on very nicely. The process should be only to satisfy Krsna, hari-tosanam. That is the recommended Vedic process.

atah pumbhir dvija-srestha
varnasrama-vibhagasah
svanusthitasya dharmasya
samsiddhir hari-tosanam
[SB 1.2.13]

Samsiddhi means perfection. So perfection, if we want perfection of our activities, then we shall try to satisfy by our activities the Supreme Personality of Godhead. You may say that "I do not see the Supreme Personality of Godhead face to face. How I shall be able to know that I am satisfying or dissatisfying Him?" That you can know through your spiritual master. It is not very difficult. If your spiritual master is satisfied, then you should know that Krsna is satisfied. Yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadah **. There is no difficulty. Yasyaprasadan na gatih kuto 'pi. You cannot satisfy Krsna by dissatisfying your spiritual master. That is not possible. That is not possible. You must satisfy. Yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadah **. You do not take the excuse that "I do not know God, I do not meet Him. How I shall know that I have satisfied Him or dissatisfied Him?" No, sastra says, "Yes..." It doesn't matter. Therefore it is called parampara. Parampara. As you receive the knowledge from Krsna, from Arjuna, and from Narada, from Brahma, like that, come down to your spiritual master, similarly, as you receive the knowledge step by step, one after another, similarly, you satisfy also the Supreme Personality of Godhead from this step, this step, this step, this step. This is the process. Just like you come down step by step by step by step, similarly you go up step by step by step by step.

So this is the process, bhagavat-tosanam or hari-tosanam. Also this way. And to receive the knowledge from Bhagavan, that is also parampara system. The parampara system must be maintained, and if it is done nicely, then as it is stated here, yad atra kriyate, whatever you do, that is for your perfection. If you keep this parampara system and if you try to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then whatever you do, that is perfection. It doesn't matter. The test is whether Krsna is satisfied, whether your spiritual master is satisfied. Then you are perfect.

Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.5.35 -- Vrndavana, August 16, 1974