Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.19
September 27, 1974, Calcutta
Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Nitai: "At the time loving devotional service is established in the heart, the modes of passion [rajas] and ignorance [tamas] and lust and desire [kama] disappear from the heart. Then the devotee is established in goodness, and he becomes happy."
Prabhupada:
tada rajas-tamo-bhavah
kama-lobhadayas ca ye
ceta etair anaviddham
sthitam sattve prasidati
[SB 1.2.19]
So the principle is that we have to place our mind, or consciousness, in the sattva-guna. That is the first business. Because the material world means sattva-guna, rajo-guna and tamo-guna. Sattva-guna is the qualification of pure brahmana. Samo damas titiksa arjavam jnanam vijnanam astikyam brahma-karma svabhava-jam. Sattva-guna. These are the symptoms of sattva-guna. Without coming to the platform of sattva-guna, or brahminical qualification, one cannot make any advance in spiritual life. Therefore in our Krsna consciousness movement we first of all bring anyone to the platform of brahmana. Therefore, at the time of second initiation, we offer the sacred thread, to recognize him that "He is now brahmana."
Without becoming a brahmana, nobody can become a Vaisnava. Or, when one is Vaisnava, it is to be understood that he is also brahmana. The common word... In India it is said, brahmana-vaisnava. Brahmana should become Vaisnava. Or one who is Vaisnava is already a brahmana. Brahma janatiti brahmanah. So a Vaisnava not only knows brahmana, er, Brahman, but he knows Paramatma and he knows Bhagavan. So Brahma janatiti brahmana. Simply by knowing Brahman, one can become a brahmana. But a Vaisnava, not only he knows what is Brahman, but he knows further, what is Paramatma and what is Bhagavan. Brahmeti paramatmeti bhagavan iti sabdyate. The Absolute Truth is present in three features: Brahman, Paramatma and Bhagavan. So Brahman realization is the first. Aham brahmasmi. That is the self-realization: "I am not this body." Aham brahmasmi. That is called brahma-bhuta stage. Brahma-bhutah prasannatma [Bg. 18.54]. That is the statement in the Bhagavad-gita.
Here is, also it is stated that sthitam sattve prasidati. Everyone is hankering after how to be peaceful in mind. Everyone. Everyone says, "Swamiji, kindly say how I can get peace of mind." The peace of mind, how it can be attained is stated here: sthitam sattve prasidati. If you fix up in sattva-guna, not in the rajo-guna, tamo-guna. Tamo-guna is the life of the karmis. Tamo-guna and rajo-guna. Or rajo-guna is actually karmis, and sattva-guna is the life of jnanis. And after coming to the sattva-guna, being peaceful in mind, that is called... (baby crying -- pause) ...brahma-bhutah prasannatma [Bg. 18.54]. You have to come to the platform of sattva-guna. Then you'll be prasannatma.
Prasanna means happy mode of life. Brahma-bhutah prasannatma [Bg. 18.54]. What is the happy mode of life? Na socati na kanksati. He does not lament. He does not hanker. Here in the material world we are hankering. We want this... Dhanam dehi rupam dehi yaso dehi rupavati bharyam dehi. Dehi dehi. That is hankering. This is not the stage of brahma-bhuta. Brahma-bhuta stage means na socati na kanksati. He does not hanker. Neither he laments. Then samah sarvesu bhutesu mad-bhaktim labhate param [Bg. 18.54]. Then bhakti begins, when actually you are in peace of mind. With disturbed mind (you) cannot execute devotional service. Therefore in the beginning, if somebody all of a sudden becomes a Vaisnava and in a solitary place, "I am chanting," that is cheating. How you can be...? How you can chant? You cannot, because your mind is not fixed up. Your mind is not... Na socati na kanksati. Unless you are purified, your mind is always disturbed. That is the material condition. The mind must be disturbed.
Sada samudvigna-dhiyam. Prahlada Maharaja says. That is the material symptom. What is the material symptom? Always full of anxiety. Sada samudvigna-dhiyam. Why? Asad-grahat. Because he has accepted the temporary position, asat. Asat means "which will not exist." Here everything will not exist. This body, it will not exist. But I have taken this body as everything. "I am Indian." "I am American." "I am the father of this family." "I am the manager of the so big business." And so on, so on, so on, so on. Asad-grahat. But everything concentrated on this body. So you must be an..., full of anxiety. Asad-grahat. You accepted this body as fact. But it is not fact. Similarly, the whole world. Asad-grahat samudvigna-dhiyam. This was a question several times. This is very nice question.
Hiranyakasipu asked his son, Prahlada Maharaja, "My dear boy, what you have learned the best thing? You are student." He said, tat sadhu manye asura-varya. He addressed his father, he addressed him as asura-varya, "the best of the asuras." He did not address him as "Father." But he said, "My dear the best of the asuras..."
tat sadhu manye 'sura-varya dehinam
sada samudvigna-dhiyam asad-grahat
hitvatma-patam grham andha-kupam
vanam gato yad dharim asrayeta
[SB 7.5.5]
That is the best thing. One is rotting in this family life, which is just like a blind well, andha-kupa, atma-patam. Just like a man falls in the blind well. He has no other alternative than to die, crying, crying. That's all. So he advises, hitva, "Just give it up." Hitvatma-patam andha-kupam, grham andha-kupam. Then where shall I go? Vanam gatah. Vanam gatah. Vanam gatah, "Go to Vrndavana, or in the forest." Then how shall I live? No, harim asrayeta: "Just take shelter of Krsna, Hari. He'll give you protection." This is the instruction of Prahlada Maharaja.
So here Bhagavata says, tada. Tada means "at that time." At that time. When? It is, in the previous verse it has been explained that,
nasta-prayesv abhadresu
nityam bhagavata-sevaya
bhagavaty uttama-sloke
bhaktir bhavati naisthiki
[SB 1.2.18]
At that time, when you are fixed up in devotional service. At that time, tada. Not otherwise. If you have no connection with devotional service, if you are attached to karma, jnana, yoga, you cannot be fixed up. Therefore Caitanya-caritamrta says, bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kami sakali asanta. Here we require... Tada, sthitam sattve prasidati. Prasidati means peace of mind, fully satisfied. But bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kami. As Caitanya Mahaprabhu... They cannot have peace of mind. It is not possible. Bhukti means karmis. They're trying to enjoy this material world -- more money, more woman, more eating, more, more and more. That is called bhukti. They are not satisfied by enjoying on this planet. They perform various kinds of yajnas so that they may be promoted to the higher planetary systems, Svargaloka, or Janaloka, Maharloka, like that. But Krsna says, abrahma-bhuvanal lokah. "You rascal, you are trying to be promoted to the higher planetary system for more and more material enjoyment..."
Certainly there is thousands and thousands times more material comforts in the heavenly planets, in the Candraloka... In the Candraloka... They are trying to go into Candraloka, and according to sastra, if one goes to Candraloka, he gets ten thousands of years his duration of life, and enjoy. So certainly there are many times more comfortable life, standard of life, very, very high, in the heaven, other planetary systems. But Krsna says that any one of the planets you can go, but the material disease will not be relieved, the material disease, janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi. We cannot understand. This is our real disease, repetition of birth, janma, and repetition of death. Janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi. And repetition of becoming old. And vyadhi, repetition of being affected by various types of disease. So therefore intelligent man should see that "Even if I go to the Brahmaloka..." When Brahma was asked by Hiranyakasipu, "Give me immortality, sir," he said, "I am myself not immortal. How can I give you immortality?" So abrahma-bhuvanal lokah punar avartino 'rjuna [Bg. 8.16]. Krsna advised Arjuna, "My dear Arjuna, you, if you go to the Brahmaloka, many millions of years duration of life, still, you have to die."
So that is the standard of highest perfection. If you do not die, if you do not take birth... If you know what are the miserable conditions of birth, to remain within the womb of the mother... Not only to remain. Nowadays, modern advanced civilization, they are being killed by the mother. Not only abortion, but they are being killed. Now the Western world is very familiar with these things. So just imagine. First of all, you have to remain within the mother's womb, head down, packed-up condition. You cannot move, ten months. And that is also not secure. Even within the... Now this is the... Within the mother's womb you are not secure. At any moment the doctor may advise that "Kill the child." So these are the miserable condition of birth, but we do not remember them. We have to know it from the sastra. So similarly, at the time of death, coma and... Nowadays it is a very common disease. For seven days or fifteen days he's unconscious, crying.
So this is the miserable condition of death, this is the miserable condition of birth, and between birth and death there are so many miserable conditions. This old age, this disease, so many calamities, catastrophes. So still, we do not want to make a solution of these problems. And the solution is very simple. In the Bhagavad-gita it is said, janma karma me divyam yo janati tattvatah. If you simply know Krsna, what is Krsna, why does He come, why He works like ordinary man -- janma karma me divyam yo janati tattvatah -- in truth, in actual fact. Not that "Oh, Krsna was born in Mathura, and then He was taken to Vrndavana." This is also knowing. But still, you know what is Krsna.
manusyanam sahasresu
kascid yatati siddhaye
yatatam api siddhanam
kascin mam vetti tattvatah
[Bg. 7.3]
It is very difficult to understand Krsna tattvatah, not superficially, but in fact. So Krsna says, janma karma me divyam yo janati tattvatah. So one who understands Krsna in truth, he becomes free. Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti kaunteya [Bg. 4.9]. These things are there. So why don't you be serious to study Krsna, to understand Krsna?
But to understand Krsna it will require Krsna's mercy. Without Krsna's mercy... So how you get Krsna's mercy?
tesam satata-yuktanam
bhajatam priti-purvakam
dadami buddhi-yogam tam
yena mam upayanti te
[Bg. 10.10]
One can understand Krsna by being constantly engaged in His service. Tesam satata-yuktanam. Not that weekly once go to the church. No. Twenty-four hours, satata-yuktanam, engaged in Krsna's service. That is Krsna consciousness movement. We are teaching people how to become twenty-four hours engaged in Krsna's service. This is our business. We don't allow karma, jnana, yoga. No. Simply. And that is krsna-bhakti. Jnana-karmady-anavrtam [Madhya 19.167]. There is no question of jnana and karma. That is not pure bhakti. Pure bhakti means anyabhilasita-sunyam jnana-karmady-anavrtam, anukulyena krsnanusilanam [BRS 1.1.11], simply to serve Krsna favorably, as Krsna becomes pleased. This is bhakti. This is pure devotion.
So this Krsna consciousness movement, therefore, teaching pure devotional service to Krsna. That will solve all problems. So how one can come to that stage? That is being explained in this portion of the Bhagavata, that srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah punya-sravana-kirtanah [SB 1.2.17]. Just hear. You haven't got to do anything more. Just hear about Krsna. Srnvatam sva-kathah... Then everything will be cleared, gradually. This is our purpose. This center is giving chance that you come here and hear about... We, we don't make any flattery to satisfy the whims of the ordinary... We speak from Srimad-Bhagavatam, we speak from Bhagavad-gita, and present them as it is, without any adulteration. This is our position. If you like, then you make progress. If you don't like, that is your option. But we cannot make any compromise. We must present the sastra as it is.
And where is the difficulty? Everything is explained here. Nityam bhagavata-sevaya [SB 1.2.18]. You have to attend Bhagavata class and serve the bhagavata person nityam, daily. If you cannot, that is a different thing. But this is the process. Nityam bhagavata-sevaya. Nasta-prayesu abhadresu. This conclusion comes when one is partially advanced. Nasta-prayesu. Not fully. Then it will come. He'll be ready to serve Bhagavatam -- Bhagavata, he person bhagavata and the book Bhagavata. Nityam bhagavata-sevaya, bhagavaty uttama-sloke bhaktir bhavati naisthiki. Nistha, I have explained already yesterday. Tada, at that time, when you are fixed up, "Now I shall devote my life in Krsna consciousness," when you come to this conclusion... Nityam. That will come. Nityam bhagavata-sevaya, bhaktir bhavati naisthiki [SB 1.2.18]. Not deviated. But... Not this worship, that worship, this worship, this worship... No. Kamais tais tair hrta-jnana yajante anya-devatah. Those who are worshiping other demigods... That is recommended for the less intelligent class men. Tad bhavaty alpa-medhasam. These things are recommended for the persons who are less intelligent, whose brain is packed up with cow dung, not intelligent persons. Intelligent persons -- sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. That is intelligence.
So when one comes to this conclusion, bhaktir bhavati naisthiki... Bhakti where? Not that bhakti to this god, that god. No. Bhagavati, unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Bhaktir bhavati naisthiki. Naisthiki, without any disturbance. Tada, at that time. Tada... What is the result? Rajas-tamo-bhavah... There are three bhavas: rajo-guna-bhava, tamo-guna-bhava and sattva-guna-bhava. So as soon as you come to the platform of devotional service, the two inferior qualities, namely rajo-guna and tamo-guna, they become finished. Simply sattva-guna remains. Because there are three gunas. If two gunas are finished, no more useful, then the other one is there. Tada rajas-tamo-bhavah [SB 1.2.19]. What are the symptoms of rajas-tamo-bhavah? Now, kama and lobha. Those who are infected with this rajas-tamo-bhavah, they are very lusty, greedy, lobhi. They are not satisfied. The modern civilization is based on rajas-tamo-bhavah. Nobody is satisfied. Everyone is greedy. And lusty. Kama-lobhadayas ca ye. Kama. So long you are lusty, so long you are greedy, there is no question of devotional service. There is no question of advancement to spiritual life. So therefore you have (to) come to the platform of sattva-guna, where simply knowledge... There is no other thing, ignorance or greediness, only knowledge.
So at that time, it is said, ceta etair anaviddham. Because everything is within the heart. We become greedy, we become lusty on account of distortion of the heart disease, kama. Tada hrdi lobha-kamau apahinoti(?). That is a heart disease. This kama and lobha is a heart disease. Actually, you don't require this, but it is a kind of disease. "More and more and more and more and more." Never satisfied. So we have to cure this disease. And this process, simple process, Caitanya Mahaprabhu has given: ceto-darpana-marjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. To cure the heart disease of lusty desires and greediness is chanting Hare Krsna maha-mantra. Param vijayate sri-krsna-sankirtanam. These are the shastric injunction, and spoken by personalities like Lord Caitanya and other acaryas.
So we have to follow. Mahajano yena gatah sa panthah. Don't follow rascals and fools. Then it will be useless waste of time. Follow the great acaryas. Acaryavan puruso veda. One who is acaryavan, who has accepted acarya, he knows. Others, all are fools, rascals. Acaryavan. Acaryopasanam. In the Bhagavad-gita it is said, amanitvam adambhitvam ahimsa ksantir arjavam, acaryopasanam. You have to first of all worship the acarya. Tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet [MU 1.2.12]. Guru and acarya, the same thing. So these are the process. Mahajano yena gatah. You cannot manufacture your ways of thinking. What you are? You are most insignificant living entity. And without following the acaryas, without following the mahajanas, without following the sastras, how you can teach?
But people are doing that. Without being followed by the acarya, without being followed by the sastras, they become guru, they become swami, they become yogi. It is useless. You cannot get... Here are the process, process is given: tada rajas-tamo-bhavah kama... [SB 1.2.19]. Tada means when you are fixed up in devotional service, then you can get out of these infections. These are infections. In... It is so dangerous infection. Infection, anyone can understand nowadays, scientific days. If you infect some disease, you have to suffer. You cannot escape. You infect today somehow or other. Not today, not tomorrow, but some day it will come out. It is called kutastha, phalonmukha, prarabdha, papa-bija. Papa-bija, remains as seed, kutastha. Then it is fructifying, phalonmukha. Then you suffer, prarabdha. This is called prarabdha-karma, infection.
You are under the complete subjugation of nature. Prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah [Bg. 3.27]. These gunaih. The prakrti is forcing you to work because you have infected a kind of guna. Karanam guna-sango 'sya sad-asad-yoni-janmasu. Karanam. Why one man is born, one living entity is born as a very rich man and one is born as a dog? Sad-asad-yoni. Yoni means mother, and bija means father. Yatha yoni yatha bijah. So the every living entity is born -- bija and yoni, father and mother. So why there are varieties? Nature is working. Why not one, one kind of living entities? No. Sad-asad-janma-yonisu. There are 8,400,000 of species. One has to take. Tatha dehantara-praptih. You have to change. But why one is in the lower grade birth, why in the higher grade? Now, karanam guna-sango 'sya. These guna. These guna, sattva-guna, rajo-guna.
So we have to give up the association of rajo-guna and tamo-guna. Then there is question of progress. Otherwise it is simply a bluff. Therefore in our society we say, "Don't associate... Don't be infected by these rajo-guna, tamo-guna." This meat-eating and illicit sex life and drinking and gambling, they are rajo-guna, tamo-guna. Kama-lobha. You see? There is a big fairground. Gambling, tamo-guna. They are going there. Thousands and thousands of people are going there for gambling. This is tamo-guna. Why? Lobha: "I must get more money. I must get more money." Lobha, kama. Kama-lobhadayah. So we have to get out of all this entanglement. Then there is spiritual life. Otherwise don't talk of spiritual life.
So this is fact. Tada. Tada means when you are fixed up in devotional service. Tada, kama-lobhadayas ca ye. Tada rajas-tamo-bhavah [SB 1.2.19]. We have to get rid of this rajo-guna and tamo-guna. We have to be fixed up in sattva-guna, pure life. Then sthitam sattve prasidati. If you are situated in the sattva-guna, then you will be peace of mind. And that is krsna-bhakta. That is explained in the Caitanya-caritamrta.
krsna-bhakta -- -- niskama, ataeva ‘santa'
bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kami -- -- sakali ‘asanta'
Krsna-bhakta, he does not desire anything. Krsna-bhakta says, "I don't mind I am born lowborn." No, because he'll chant Hare Krsna. Lowborn or highborn, he has nothing to do. If one is engaged in devotional service, it doesn't matter whether he's lowborn and highborn. As soon as he takes to devotional service, he becomes above lowborn and highborn. Sa gunan samatityaitan brahma-bhuyaya kalpate [Bg. 14.26]. He's in the Brahman platform.
So in this way, as they are stated in the sastra, if you follow, then it is step by step. First beginning is srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah [SB 1.2.17]. Try to hear Krsna's message. That is Bhagavad-gita As It Is. You hear it. You understand it. What is the difficulty? Srnvatam sva-kathah. Don't misinterpret. Hear it as it is. Krsna says, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. Hear it and execute it. Where is the difficulty? But we shall not agree to, we shall not hear. We shall not act according to the instruction given. And that is our misfortune. Caitanya Mahaprabhu therefore says, etadrsi tava krpa bhagavan mamapi durdaivam idrsam ihajani nanuragah: "You are so merciful that in this age You have incarnated, You have descended in Your name." Namnam akari bahudha nija-sarva-saktih. And in the name there is all potencies. Parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate. There are multipotencies of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. All the potencies are there in the holy name of the Lord. Namnam akari bahudha nija-sarva-saktis tatrarpita niyamitah smarane na kalah. Desa-kala-patra. There is no distinction. Anywhere, either in England or in Vrndavana or in Calcutta, you can chant Hare Krsna. Niyamitah smarane. No kalakala-vicara, that "This is asuddha-kala, this is suddha-kala." Anytime. Kirtaniyah sada harih [Cc. adi 17.31]. You have to chant only Hare Krsna.
So this opportunity is there. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, etadrsi tava krpa: "My Lord, You have..., You are so kind, You have given us this chance." Durdaivam idrsam ihajani nanuragah. "But I am so unfortunate, I have no attraction for this chanting Hare Krsna." This is our position. So if you are serious about peace of mind, if you are serious about advancing in spiritual culture, spiritual life, then you must follow what is there in the sastra and spoken by Krsna Himself, spoken by Lord Caitanya Himself. Then life is successful.
Thank you very much. (end)
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.19 -- Calcutta, September 27, 1974
Showing posts with label Calcutta Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Calcutta Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Show all posts
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Hear Krsna's Glories--Be Cleansed
Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.18
September 26, 1974, Calcutta
Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Bhagavata: "By regularly hearing the Bhagavatam and rendering service unto the pure devotee, all that is troublesome to the heart is practically destroyed, and loving service unto the glorious Lord, who is praised with transcendental songs, is established as an irrevocable fact."
Prabhupada:
nasta-prayesv abhadresu
nityam bhagavata-sevaya...
[SB 1.2.18]
(sound of small children)
Bhagavata: Go! Celo.
Prabhupada: Hm.
...nityam bhagavata-sevaya
bhagavaty uttama-sloke
bhaktir bhavati naisthiki
[SB 1.2.18]
Naisthiki. Nistha. From nistha... Nistha means "firmly fixed up." Firmly fixed up. Adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sango 'tha bhajana-kriya tato 'nartha-nivrttih syat tato nistha. Srila Rupa Gosvami has explained how one can be fixed up, nistha. This nistha stage comes when one is freed from anartha. Adau sraddha. Just like you all have come here out of sraddha, some faith, that "Let us go to the Hare Krsna temple, see the arati, or hear from the swamis." This is the beginning, sraddha. To create sraddha, little faith, these centers are established. And one takes to faith, then he gradually advances. Adau sraddha. And that sraddha has been explained by Kaviraja Gosvami, what is sraddha.
That sraddha, he has said, sraddha-sabde visvasa kahe sudrdha niscaya. Sraddha means firm faith, visvasa, sudrdha niscaya, unflinching. What is that sudrdha niscaya? Krsne bhakti kaile sarva-karma krta haya. This is the beginning of sraddha. Sraddha means... As in the Bhagavad-gita it is said, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. If one is agreeable to this condition, that krsne bhakti kaile, if one agrees, "Yes, if I surrender to Krsna, my all perfection of life is achieved," this is sraddha. Not that "Krsna is also good, and this demigod is also good, you are also good, I am also good. You are also God, I am also God." There is no sraddha. Just like a chaste woman cannot say that every man is good. She'll say, "Only my husband is good." That is chastity. If some woman says that "Any man is good..." Similarly, sraddha means to become chaste, pure krsna-bhakta. That is sraddha.
sraddha-sabde visvasa kahe sudrdha niscaya
krsne bhakti kaile sarva-karma krta haya
Now practically you can see. These American and European boys, they began with sraddha. I told them that "Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam." They accepted it. They did not present so many rascals, that "Here is another God, here is another God, here is another God." No. Krsne bhakti kaile sarva-karma... They fixed up their faith. That is their fortune. They had no hodge-podge idea. Therefore they are making progress. Adau sraddha. Then sadhu-sanga. That sraddha, that firm faith in Krsna, can be more and more firm by sadhu-sanga. Sadhu-sanga means... Who is sadhu? A sadhu means a devotee. Sadhur eva sa mantavyah [Bg. 9.30]. Who is sadhu? Sadhu means..., does not mean that having a long beard and saffron-color dress. Sadhu means, mahatma means, who is pure devotee.
That is the explanation in the Bhagavad-gita:
api cet su-duracaro
bhajate mam ananya-bhak
sadhur eva sa mantavyah
samyag vyavasito hi sah
[Bg. 9.30]
He is sadhu, even he is su-duracarah. Just like sometimes we find these American, European boys, from our angle of vision, they are deviating little. But Krsna confirms, "Even if he's deviating, still, he's sadhu." Why? Bhajate mam ananya-bhak. "Because he does not know except Me, Krsna." This is the certificate given by Krsna. Sadhur eva sa mantavyah [Bg. 9.30]. Samyak... "Oh, he may be sadhu, but not complete." No. Samyag vyavasito hi sah. He's complete sadhu. So what is the qualification? Now, bhajate mam ananya-bhak. The example you can see, how they are making bhajana by the Deity worship. You'll never find in Calcutta such nice Deity worship. Bhajate mam ananya-bhak. They do not know. All these boys and girls, they do not know anything but Krsna. So this is the qualification, sadhu.
So we have to associate with such sadhus, who has got unflinching faith in Krsna and fully engaged in Krsna's service. He is sadhu. Bhajate mam ananya-bhak. Mahatmanas tu mam partha daivim prakrtim asritah, bhajanty ananya-manasah [Bg. 9.13]. That is mahatma. We are after mahatma. Who is mahatma? Sa mahatma sudurlabhah. Vasudevah sarvam iti sa mahatma sudurlabhah [Bg. 7.19]. One who's accepted Krsna as everything, such mahatma is very rarely to be seen. Otherwise, so-called mahatmas, they are loitering in the street: "You are God, I am God, everyone is God." Not that kind of mahatma. Mahatma means bhajanti, "He worships Me, Krsna." Krsna is bhajaniya, and we are servant. One who is convinced on this platform, he is mahatma, he is sadhu. So we have to associate with such sadhus.
Adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sangah. Pure devotee of Krsna. They have no other desire. Anyabhilasita-sunyam [BRS 1.1.11]. They have no other desire. Anyabhilasita-sunyam jnana-karmady-anavrtam, uncovered by the mental speculation or fruitive activities, karma-kanda. Jnana-karmady-anavrtam [Madhya 19.167]. Not covered. If you mix up karma with bhakti, if you mix up jnana with bhakti, or if you mix up yoga, it is contaminated. It is not pure. Pure devotional service is given by Rupa Gosvami: anyabhilasita-sunyam [Madhya 19.167]. No desire for fruitive activities or philosophical speculation or yogic, mystic yogic magic. No. Simply how to satisfy Krsna. That is bhakti. Anukulyena krsnanusilanam. Anukulyena. Anukulyena means what is favorable, what Krsna desires. Just like Arjuna. He did not like to fight. He wanted to be a very nice, nonviolent gentleman. But Krsna was inducing him, "You fight." Then later on, he agreed: "Yes, karisye vacanam tava [Bg. 18.73]." This is anukulyena. "Krsna wants it. Doesn't matter whether it is violent or nonviolent, Krsna wants it. I must do it." This is called anukulyena, not against the desire of Krsna, but in favor of Krsna. This is called anukula, anukula-seva. So anukulyena krsnanusilanam bhaktir uttama. That is first-class bhakti. Not that "If I like it, then I shall do it." That is not anukula. That is pratikula. You like or not like, that doesn't matter. Krsna likes it,; you must do it. That is anukulyena krsnanusilanam.
So if we associate with sadhu... Sadhu means, mahatma means, who are fully engaged in Krsna's service. That is sadhu. That is mahatma. Therefore it is recommended, adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sangah. And if you associate with sadhu, then bhajana-kriya. If we... Just like so many thousands of Europeans, Americans, they have joined us on account of sadhu-sanga. First of all they come in the temple and hear for some days. Then all of a sudden he becomes shaven-headed. We haven't to request. He takes a bead and bead bag, although he's not initiated. Then, after some days, he approaches, "Please get me initiated." The bhajana-kriya. This is called bhajana-kriya. So we initiate. "Yes, now you are interested, we initiate." We give him hari-nama: "Chant Hare Krsna mantra." This is the first initiation. "And chant sixteen rounds and observe these rules and regulations." Then, when I see, six months or one year, he's doing very nicely, then we accept him as my disciple, the second initiation. So this is bhajana-kriya. Then he's admitted to worship the Deity or cook for the Deity, so many things. Bhajana-kriya.
Adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sango 'tha bhajana-kriya tato 'nartha-nivrttih syat. If there is bhajana, then he'll be freed from all anarthas. Anartha means unwanted things. Just like one man is smoking. Smoking is not essential for living. If you don't smoke... Just like we don't smoke. That does not mean we are dying. It is an anartha. But anyone who has learned this smoking, he cannot stop it. Anartha. The result of bhajana will be substantiated when anartha-nivrttih syat, he's no more interested with some unwanted things. We have practiced so many unwanted things. The first of all -- illicit sex, making so-called lusty affairs without any married bondage, illicit sex. This is anartha. Why? If you want sex, get yourself married according to sastra. Then there is no hindrance. According to Vedic civilization, the, a girl must be married. But in every country I see the female population is more than the male population. Then how every girl should be married? Therefore in India more than one wife was allowed. Now it is not allowed. That is the Vedic injunction, kanya-dana. The father must get, find out a husband for his daughter. There are many histories, the Kulina brahmana.
So anartha. We should not create in the society anarthas, unwanted disturbances. The unwanted disturbance is illicit sex. And meat-eating. Meat-eating... Why one should eat meat? No animal foodstuff. Krsna has given so many nice things. Produce. Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, annad bhavanti bhutani. Krsna never says, mamsad bhavanti bhutani, matsyad bhavanti bhutani. Never says. Annad. Anna, anna. Anna means food grain. Produce sufficient food grain. So the... In the village side you go, hundreds and thousands of acres of land is lying vacant. Nobody is interested. Now they are interested (in) opening slaughterhouse. Kill the poor animals and eat, but don't produce food grain. The whole world, this rascaldom is going on. I have traveled over many countries, all over the world. In Africa there are so much vacant land. In Australia there are so much vacant land. But nobody is producing food grains. They, they have kept some cattles, these cows. They are automatically maintained. There is grass. And when they are fatty, take them and send to the slaughterhouse and eat. But the land is lying vacant. The land is lying vacant.
So therefore people are not following the rules and regulations given by God or by nature's own way. They have invented their own way of living condition. Therefore they are suffering. Now we see in Calcutta or any other... Now it is a problem. Everywhere the problem will be food shortage and fuel shortage, power shortage. This is the prediction of many, many great scientists. Because people are committing so many sinful life, they must starve. That is the punishment. That is the punishment. These sinful rascals must be punished. Tan aham dvisatah kruran ksipamy ajasram andha-yonisu. These godless persons, dvisatah, envious of God: "Why there should be God? Why Krsna shall be God?", envious...
So these are dirty things. We began in this chapter that,
srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah
punya-sravana-kirtanah
hrdy antah-stho hy abhadrani
vidhunoti suhrt satam
[SB 1.2.17]
Abhadrani, all dirty things, they are accumulating. So by hearing about Krsna... Nityam bhagavata-sevaya. Nityam bhagavata-sevaya [SB 1.2.18]. You have to hear... Not that Bhagavata-saptaha. I don't find this Bhagavata-saptaha in anywhere in the Bhagavad, Bhagavata. But they have invented some means for professional reading. Nei. In the Bhagavata it is said..., not said, saptaha bhagavata-sevaya. Why it is said, nityam bhagavata-sevaya? You have to hear Bhagavatam daily, regularly. That is the injunction of Bhagavatam. You have to hear from, not from the professional men, professional reciters. Bhagavata-saptaha, and then, after one saptaha, you do your all nonsense things and he takes some money for livelihood, for maintaining his wife and children. And so many umbrellas, so many suits, so many utensils, and sell in the market, get some money, and maintain them. This kind of bhagavata-seva will not help. Nityam bhagavata-seva. Caitanya Mahaprabhu's order is bhagavata pada giya bhagavata-sthane(?). If you want to realize what is Bhagavata, then you must go and learn Srimad-Bhagavatam from a person whose life is Bhagavatam, not the professional Bhagavata reciters.
So here it is said... And who will recite Bhagavatam daily unless he has dedicated his life for Bhagavan? He's bhagavata. Grantha-bhagavata, and the person bhagavata. Bhagavata. Maha-bhagavata. A person, a devotee is called bhagavata. And the grantha-bhagavata. So we have to serve both. We have to hear daily Srimad-Bhagavatam from the realized person. Nityam bhagavata-sevaya [SB 1.2.18]. The guru, the devotee, they are bhagavata. So we have to serve, we have to please them. That is also said in the Bhagavad-gita. Tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya [Bg. 4.34]. If you want to learn the transcendental subject matter, then you must adopt three things. Tad viddhi... First of all surrender. Find out that kind of person where you can surrender. If there is no surrender, it is not possible.
So the, the Vaisnava philosophy begins from surrender. Therefore Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. That is the order of Krsna. And what is the difference between Krsna and His representative? The representative says that "You surrender to Krsna." He never says that "You surrender to me. I have become Krsna." That is a nonsense, rascal. He will say the same thing. Therefore he's Krsna's representative. Krsna is personally asking that "You surrender to Me," and it is the duty of the bona fide spiritual master, guru, to say to his disciple that "You surrender to Krsna." He'll never say that "You surrender to Me. I have become Krsna. Now I have realized soul. I have become Bhagavan." He's a rascal.
So these are the process. Tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya [Bg. 4.34]. Here it is also, the same thing. The same thing is said in a different way. That is sastra. Actually, as Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita... What is Veda? There are four Vedas and 108 Upanisads, then Vedanta-sutra, then so, so many books. All of them are Vedas. And what is the purpose? Vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah [Bg. 15.15]. You read all the Vedas, all the Puranas, Brahma-sutra, Ramayana, Mahabharata. What is the purpose? To understand Krsna. If you don't understand Krsna, then it is useless. Your so-called study of Vedas are useless. Srama eva hi kevalam. That is the confirmation of Srimad-Bhagavatam.
dharmah svanusthitah pumsam
visvaksena-kathasu yah
notpadayed yadi ratim
srama eva hi kevalam
[SB 1.2.8]
You are spoiling your energy. You are... Dharma... A brahmana is executing his brahminical culture very nicely. It is very good. A ksatriya is doing his duty very nicely. That's all right. A vaisya, he's dutying... But the test, whether he's perfect or not, or simply working for nothing, wasting his time, what is that test? That is also stated by Suta Gosvami:
atah pumbhir dvija-srestha
varnasrama-vibhagasah
svanusthitasya dharmasya
samsiddhir hari-tosanam
[SB 1.2.13]
He must understand whether by executing his... It doesn't matter whether Hindu or Muslim or this or that. Your duty is, by executing your religious principles, whether you are satisfying Krsna. That is wanted. Tasmin tuste jagat tustam.
So the Krsna personally says that "You surrender unto Me." That is the only business. There is no other business. Simply to see that "Whether I am satisfying Krsna?" So that will be possible... Here it is said that nasta-prayesu abhadresu. Not completely. There are so many dirty things within our heart. If at once it becomes all cleared, then immediately we are liberated person. And that is not possible. Gradually. Gradually, you go on hearing, hearing, srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah [SB 1.2.17]. Gradually, all the dirty things will be cleansed. So nasta-prayesu, almost clean. Not purely, not completely clean. Even it is almost clean... Nasta-prayesu abhadresu. How it is cleansed? Nityam bhagavata-sevaya [SB 1.2.18]. You serve your spiritual master, the representative of Bhagavan, bhagavata, and you hear Srimad-Bhagavatam -- these are the two kind of Bhagavatam -- and you do it. Nityam bhagavata-sevaya. Nasta-praye... Almost, almost cle... Then what is that? Bhagavaty uttama-sloke bhaktir bhavati naisthiki. The result will be that you'll be fixed up in the devotional service.
Uttama-sloka. Bhagavan's another name is Uttama-sloka. Uttama-sloka means selected prayers. Just like Brahmaji is offering prayers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead:
cintamani-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vrksa-
laksavrtesu surabhir abhipalayantam
laksmi-sahasra-sata-sambhrama-sevyamanam
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
[Bs. 5.29]
There are so many prayers in the sastras. So therefore His name is Uttama-sloka. These prayers are composed by not ordinary rascal poet. They are composed by very, very stalwart, great personalities like Lord Brahma, Lord Siva and others, Suta Gosvami, Sukadeva Gosvami, Vyasadeva. Therefore they are called uttama-sloka, selected poetry. Therefore Bhagavan's another name is Uttama-sloka. He is offered prayers by the great personalities with selected composition of poetry and prayers. So bhagavaty uttama-sloke.
If actually we follow these regulative principles, nityam bhagavata-sevaya [SB 1.2.18], then gradually our heart will be cleansed. Ceto-darpana-marjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. Caitanya Mahaprabhu said. The process is to cleanse the dirty heart. Actually, we are clean. Asango 'yam purusah. We have no business to be contaminated with the material qualities. We do not contaminate. Just like we know... In Bengali we say, tele jale mesera(?). You put oil in the water, it will never mix. Similarly, we are spirit souls, aham brahmasmi. We have nothing to do with this material world. But somehow or other, I am in contact. So simply I have to be contactless. That Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, ceto-darpana-marjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. As soon as your heart is cleansed with all dirty things, then bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam, immediately you become out of this contamination, bhava-maha-davagni.
This contamination means we are in the blazing fire of this material world. Blazing fire. It is, has been... Blazing fire... Bhava-maha-davagni. Maha-davagni. Davagni means the fire in the forest. In the forest nobody goes to set fire, but it takes place. Just like we, in India we thought that "By driving away the Britishers, we shall be happy." No. The davagni is so that... That is not the medicine. Medicine is bhavausadhi. Medicine is Krsna consciousness. Not that simply changing from this ism to that ism, this political party to this... That is not. Because everyone is imperfect. How they can give you perfect happiness? It is not possible. They are themselves andha. Andha means blind. So if you follow the blind man, how you'll cross? That is not possible. Andha yathandhair upaniyamanah. Why they are andha? Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum [SB 7.5.31]. They do not know the ultimate goal of life is to surrender to Krsna. That they do not know. They are manufacturing their own ways of advancing. That will never be successful. They do not know. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum durasaya ye bahir-artha-maninah [SB 7.5.31]. They are thinking, "By adjustment of this material world, we shall be happy." That is not possible. The maya, the material energy, will not allow you to become perfect unless and until you surrender to Krsna. That is her business. Therefore it is said in the Bhagavad-gita,
daivi hy esa gunamayi
mama maya duratyaya
mam eva ye prapadyante
mayam etam taranti te
[Bg. 7.14]
This is the way.
So in this verse it is confirmed... The same thing. In the Vedic literature the same thing is spoken in a different way, in different circumstances. But the ultimate goal is how to know Krsna. Vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah [Bg. 15.15]. So if we follow this principle, hear Bhagavatam... Bhagavatam means the words or the activities of Bhagavan. But the impersonalists, they think the ultimate goal, ultimate truth, Absolute Truth, is not a person. So there is no activity. If one is person, he has got activities. But if one is not person, void, just like a sky... In the sky, there is no activity. The only activity is the sky is covered with cloud, and you cannot see the sun. That is the only activity.
So that kind of activity is not required. Regular, varieties of activities. Therefore we have to hear about Krsna. You'll hear about Krsna in so many varieties of activities. Bhagavad-gita, you hear. It's so many activities of Krsna. So we have to hear about these. And unless there are activities, what you will hear? Simply "Brahman, Brahman, Brahman... nirakara." How long you will hear? And how long you will enjoy? That is... There is no enjoyment. Therefore they, these Brahmavadis, these Nirakaravadi, although by austerities and penances they may rise up to the Brahman effulgence, still, they will fall down. Because we are living entities, we want varieties of enjoyment. We are not satisfied in void, in zero. That is not possible. Therefore srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah [SB 1.2.17]. One has to hear about Krsna, varieties of activities. Varieties of activities. Not nirakara, without any activities. No. That activity is different from material activity. Janma karma me divyam. Therefore it is called divyam. They are not ordinary activities. They are all transcendental, spiritual activities. The Mayavadi philosophers, they cannot understand.
So we have got enough matter for hearing about Krsna. Srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah punya-sravana... If we simply sit down and hear, we become pious. And as soon as we become pious, then we can understand what is Krsna, what is God. If we are involved or implicated in sinful activities, there is no chance. Therefore anartha-nivrttih syat. By sadhu-sanga, by association with the sadhus, bhaktas, and by bhajana-kriya, we'll be seen, a person will be seen that he's no more involved in unwanted things. He's simply interested in executing devotional service. Nityam bhagavata-sevaya, bhagavaty uttama-sloke bhaktir bhavati naisthiki [SB 1.2.18]. When we are almost free from all this contamination, then we become fixed up in the devotional service. That is...
Bhagavan said in the Bhaga... Bahavo jnana-tapasa putah. Putah. Puta means purified. So this bhakti process means to become purified, purified. That is... The Narada-pancaratra-sutra also says that,
sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam
tat-paratvena nirmalam
hrsikena hrsikesa-
sevanam bhaktir ucyate
[Cc. Madhya 19.170]
Bhakti can be performed when you are purified. Sarvopadhi-vinirmuk... Upadhi. These are the upadhis: "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am black," "I am white." These are upadhis. This is the description of the skin, not for me. Aham brahmasmi. I do not belong to the skin. I do not... Because I do not belong to the skin, then so many skin descriptions... Caitanya Mahaprabhu says that "I am not a brahmana. I am not a sudra. I am not a sannyasi. I am not a brahmacari. I am not a ksatriya." In this way, "not, not, not..." Then what You are? "I am gopi-bhartuh pada-kamalayor dasa-dasanudasah." When you understand that "I am eternal servant of Krsna," that is purification. That is purification. You accept it blindly, or by the process of reading sastra and Vedas, you have to come to the conclusion: vasudevah sarvam iti sa mahatma sudurlabhah [Bg. 7.19]. Then you become mahatma and your life is perfect.
Thank you very much. (end)
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.18 -- Calcutta, September 26, 1974
September 26, 1974, Calcutta
Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Bhagavata: "By regularly hearing the Bhagavatam and rendering service unto the pure devotee, all that is troublesome to the heart is practically destroyed, and loving service unto the glorious Lord, who is praised with transcendental songs, is established as an irrevocable fact."
Prabhupada:
nasta-prayesv abhadresu
nityam bhagavata-sevaya...
[SB 1.2.18]
(sound of small children)
Bhagavata: Go! Celo.
Prabhupada: Hm.
...nityam bhagavata-sevaya
bhagavaty uttama-sloke
bhaktir bhavati naisthiki
[SB 1.2.18]
Naisthiki. Nistha. From nistha... Nistha means "firmly fixed up." Firmly fixed up. Adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sango 'tha bhajana-kriya tato 'nartha-nivrttih syat tato nistha. Srila Rupa Gosvami has explained how one can be fixed up, nistha. This nistha stage comes when one is freed from anartha. Adau sraddha. Just like you all have come here out of sraddha, some faith, that "Let us go to the Hare Krsna temple, see the arati, or hear from the swamis." This is the beginning, sraddha. To create sraddha, little faith, these centers are established. And one takes to faith, then he gradually advances. Adau sraddha. And that sraddha has been explained by Kaviraja Gosvami, what is sraddha.
That sraddha, he has said, sraddha-sabde visvasa kahe sudrdha niscaya. Sraddha means firm faith, visvasa, sudrdha niscaya, unflinching. What is that sudrdha niscaya? Krsne bhakti kaile sarva-karma krta haya. This is the beginning of sraddha. Sraddha means... As in the Bhagavad-gita it is said, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. If one is agreeable to this condition, that krsne bhakti kaile, if one agrees, "Yes, if I surrender to Krsna, my all perfection of life is achieved," this is sraddha. Not that "Krsna is also good, and this demigod is also good, you are also good, I am also good. You are also God, I am also God." There is no sraddha. Just like a chaste woman cannot say that every man is good. She'll say, "Only my husband is good." That is chastity. If some woman says that "Any man is good..." Similarly, sraddha means to become chaste, pure krsna-bhakta. That is sraddha.
sraddha-sabde visvasa kahe sudrdha niscaya
krsne bhakti kaile sarva-karma krta haya
Now practically you can see. These American and European boys, they began with sraddha. I told them that "Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam." They accepted it. They did not present so many rascals, that "Here is another God, here is another God, here is another God." No. Krsne bhakti kaile sarva-karma... They fixed up their faith. That is their fortune. They had no hodge-podge idea. Therefore they are making progress. Adau sraddha. Then sadhu-sanga. That sraddha, that firm faith in Krsna, can be more and more firm by sadhu-sanga. Sadhu-sanga means... Who is sadhu? A sadhu means a devotee. Sadhur eva sa mantavyah [Bg. 9.30]. Who is sadhu? Sadhu means..., does not mean that having a long beard and saffron-color dress. Sadhu means, mahatma means, who is pure devotee.
That is the explanation in the Bhagavad-gita:
api cet su-duracaro
bhajate mam ananya-bhak
sadhur eva sa mantavyah
samyag vyavasito hi sah
[Bg. 9.30]
He is sadhu, even he is su-duracarah. Just like sometimes we find these American, European boys, from our angle of vision, they are deviating little. But Krsna confirms, "Even if he's deviating, still, he's sadhu." Why? Bhajate mam ananya-bhak. "Because he does not know except Me, Krsna." This is the certificate given by Krsna. Sadhur eva sa mantavyah [Bg. 9.30]. Samyak... "Oh, he may be sadhu, but not complete." No. Samyag vyavasito hi sah. He's complete sadhu. So what is the qualification? Now, bhajate mam ananya-bhak. The example you can see, how they are making bhajana by the Deity worship. You'll never find in Calcutta such nice Deity worship. Bhajate mam ananya-bhak. They do not know. All these boys and girls, they do not know anything but Krsna. So this is the qualification, sadhu.
So we have to associate with such sadhus, who has got unflinching faith in Krsna and fully engaged in Krsna's service. He is sadhu. Bhajate mam ananya-bhak. Mahatmanas tu mam partha daivim prakrtim asritah, bhajanty ananya-manasah [Bg. 9.13]. That is mahatma. We are after mahatma. Who is mahatma? Sa mahatma sudurlabhah. Vasudevah sarvam iti sa mahatma sudurlabhah [Bg. 7.19]. One who's accepted Krsna as everything, such mahatma is very rarely to be seen. Otherwise, so-called mahatmas, they are loitering in the street: "You are God, I am God, everyone is God." Not that kind of mahatma. Mahatma means bhajanti, "He worships Me, Krsna." Krsna is bhajaniya, and we are servant. One who is convinced on this platform, he is mahatma, he is sadhu. So we have to associate with such sadhus.
Adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sangah. Pure devotee of Krsna. They have no other desire. Anyabhilasita-sunyam [BRS 1.1.11]. They have no other desire. Anyabhilasita-sunyam jnana-karmady-anavrtam, uncovered by the mental speculation or fruitive activities, karma-kanda. Jnana-karmady-anavrtam [Madhya 19.167]. Not covered. If you mix up karma with bhakti, if you mix up jnana with bhakti, or if you mix up yoga, it is contaminated. It is not pure. Pure devotional service is given by Rupa Gosvami: anyabhilasita-sunyam [Madhya 19.167]. No desire for fruitive activities or philosophical speculation or yogic, mystic yogic magic. No. Simply how to satisfy Krsna. That is bhakti. Anukulyena krsnanusilanam. Anukulyena. Anukulyena means what is favorable, what Krsna desires. Just like Arjuna. He did not like to fight. He wanted to be a very nice, nonviolent gentleman. But Krsna was inducing him, "You fight." Then later on, he agreed: "Yes, karisye vacanam tava [Bg. 18.73]." This is anukulyena. "Krsna wants it. Doesn't matter whether it is violent or nonviolent, Krsna wants it. I must do it." This is called anukulyena, not against the desire of Krsna, but in favor of Krsna. This is called anukula, anukula-seva. So anukulyena krsnanusilanam bhaktir uttama. That is first-class bhakti. Not that "If I like it, then I shall do it." That is not anukula. That is pratikula. You like or not like, that doesn't matter. Krsna likes it,; you must do it. That is anukulyena krsnanusilanam.
So if we associate with sadhu... Sadhu means, mahatma means, who are fully engaged in Krsna's service. That is sadhu. That is mahatma. Therefore it is recommended, adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sangah. And if you associate with sadhu, then bhajana-kriya. If we... Just like so many thousands of Europeans, Americans, they have joined us on account of sadhu-sanga. First of all they come in the temple and hear for some days. Then all of a sudden he becomes shaven-headed. We haven't to request. He takes a bead and bead bag, although he's not initiated. Then, after some days, he approaches, "Please get me initiated." The bhajana-kriya. This is called bhajana-kriya. So we initiate. "Yes, now you are interested, we initiate." We give him hari-nama: "Chant Hare Krsna mantra." This is the first initiation. "And chant sixteen rounds and observe these rules and regulations." Then, when I see, six months or one year, he's doing very nicely, then we accept him as my disciple, the second initiation. So this is bhajana-kriya. Then he's admitted to worship the Deity or cook for the Deity, so many things. Bhajana-kriya.
Adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sango 'tha bhajana-kriya tato 'nartha-nivrttih syat. If there is bhajana, then he'll be freed from all anarthas. Anartha means unwanted things. Just like one man is smoking. Smoking is not essential for living. If you don't smoke... Just like we don't smoke. That does not mean we are dying. It is an anartha. But anyone who has learned this smoking, he cannot stop it. Anartha. The result of bhajana will be substantiated when anartha-nivrttih syat, he's no more interested with some unwanted things. We have practiced so many unwanted things. The first of all -- illicit sex, making so-called lusty affairs without any married bondage, illicit sex. This is anartha. Why? If you want sex, get yourself married according to sastra. Then there is no hindrance. According to Vedic civilization, the, a girl must be married. But in every country I see the female population is more than the male population. Then how every girl should be married? Therefore in India more than one wife was allowed. Now it is not allowed. That is the Vedic injunction, kanya-dana. The father must get, find out a husband for his daughter. There are many histories, the Kulina brahmana.
So anartha. We should not create in the society anarthas, unwanted disturbances. The unwanted disturbance is illicit sex. And meat-eating. Meat-eating... Why one should eat meat? No animal foodstuff. Krsna has given so many nice things. Produce. Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, annad bhavanti bhutani. Krsna never says, mamsad bhavanti bhutani, matsyad bhavanti bhutani. Never says. Annad. Anna, anna. Anna means food grain. Produce sufficient food grain. So the... In the village side you go, hundreds and thousands of acres of land is lying vacant. Nobody is interested. Now they are interested (in) opening slaughterhouse. Kill the poor animals and eat, but don't produce food grain. The whole world, this rascaldom is going on. I have traveled over many countries, all over the world. In Africa there are so much vacant land. In Australia there are so much vacant land. But nobody is producing food grains. They, they have kept some cattles, these cows. They are automatically maintained. There is grass. And when they are fatty, take them and send to the slaughterhouse and eat. But the land is lying vacant. The land is lying vacant.
So therefore people are not following the rules and regulations given by God or by nature's own way. They have invented their own way of living condition. Therefore they are suffering. Now we see in Calcutta or any other... Now it is a problem. Everywhere the problem will be food shortage and fuel shortage, power shortage. This is the prediction of many, many great scientists. Because people are committing so many sinful life, they must starve. That is the punishment. That is the punishment. These sinful rascals must be punished. Tan aham dvisatah kruran ksipamy ajasram andha-yonisu. These godless persons, dvisatah, envious of God: "Why there should be God? Why Krsna shall be God?", envious...
So these are dirty things. We began in this chapter that,
srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah
punya-sravana-kirtanah
hrdy antah-stho hy abhadrani
vidhunoti suhrt satam
[SB 1.2.17]
Abhadrani, all dirty things, they are accumulating. So by hearing about Krsna... Nityam bhagavata-sevaya. Nityam bhagavata-sevaya [SB 1.2.18]. You have to hear... Not that Bhagavata-saptaha. I don't find this Bhagavata-saptaha in anywhere in the Bhagavad, Bhagavata. But they have invented some means for professional reading. Nei. In the Bhagavata it is said..., not said, saptaha bhagavata-sevaya. Why it is said, nityam bhagavata-sevaya? You have to hear Bhagavatam daily, regularly. That is the injunction of Bhagavatam. You have to hear from, not from the professional men, professional reciters. Bhagavata-saptaha, and then, after one saptaha, you do your all nonsense things and he takes some money for livelihood, for maintaining his wife and children. And so many umbrellas, so many suits, so many utensils, and sell in the market, get some money, and maintain them. This kind of bhagavata-seva will not help. Nityam bhagavata-seva. Caitanya Mahaprabhu's order is bhagavata pada giya bhagavata-sthane(?). If you want to realize what is Bhagavata, then you must go and learn Srimad-Bhagavatam from a person whose life is Bhagavatam, not the professional Bhagavata reciters.
So here it is said... And who will recite Bhagavatam daily unless he has dedicated his life for Bhagavan? He's bhagavata. Grantha-bhagavata, and the person bhagavata. Bhagavata. Maha-bhagavata. A person, a devotee is called bhagavata. And the grantha-bhagavata. So we have to serve both. We have to hear daily Srimad-Bhagavatam from the realized person. Nityam bhagavata-sevaya [SB 1.2.18]. The guru, the devotee, they are bhagavata. So we have to serve, we have to please them. That is also said in the Bhagavad-gita. Tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya [Bg. 4.34]. If you want to learn the transcendental subject matter, then you must adopt three things. Tad viddhi... First of all surrender. Find out that kind of person where you can surrender. If there is no surrender, it is not possible.
So the, the Vaisnava philosophy begins from surrender. Therefore Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. That is the order of Krsna. And what is the difference between Krsna and His representative? The representative says that "You surrender to Krsna." He never says that "You surrender to me. I have become Krsna." That is a nonsense, rascal. He will say the same thing. Therefore he's Krsna's representative. Krsna is personally asking that "You surrender to Me," and it is the duty of the bona fide spiritual master, guru, to say to his disciple that "You surrender to Krsna." He'll never say that "You surrender to Me. I have become Krsna. Now I have realized soul. I have become Bhagavan." He's a rascal.
So these are the process. Tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya [Bg. 4.34]. Here it is also, the same thing. The same thing is said in a different way. That is sastra. Actually, as Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita... What is Veda? There are four Vedas and 108 Upanisads, then Vedanta-sutra, then so, so many books. All of them are Vedas. And what is the purpose? Vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah [Bg. 15.15]. You read all the Vedas, all the Puranas, Brahma-sutra, Ramayana, Mahabharata. What is the purpose? To understand Krsna. If you don't understand Krsna, then it is useless. Your so-called study of Vedas are useless. Srama eva hi kevalam. That is the confirmation of Srimad-Bhagavatam.
dharmah svanusthitah pumsam
visvaksena-kathasu yah
notpadayed yadi ratim
srama eva hi kevalam
[SB 1.2.8]
You are spoiling your energy. You are... Dharma... A brahmana is executing his brahminical culture very nicely. It is very good. A ksatriya is doing his duty very nicely. That's all right. A vaisya, he's dutying... But the test, whether he's perfect or not, or simply working for nothing, wasting his time, what is that test? That is also stated by Suta Gosvami:
atah pumbhir dvija-srestha
varnasrama-vibhagasah
svanusthitasya dharmasya
samsiddhir hari-tosanam
[SB 1.2.13]
He must understand whether by executing his... It doesn't matter whether Hindu or Muslim or this or that. Your duty is, by executing your religious principles, whether you are satisfying Krsna. That is wanted. Tasmin tuste jagat tustam.
So the Krsna personally says that "You surrender unto Me." That is the only business. There is no other business. Simply to see that "Whether I am satisfying Krsna?" So that will be possible... Here it is said that nasta-prayesu abhadresu. Not completely. There are so many dirty things within our heart. If at once it becomes all cleared, then immediately we are liberated person. And that is not possible. Gradually. Gradually, you go on hearing, hearing, srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah [SB 1.2.17]. Gradually, all the dirty things will be cleansed. So nasta-prayesu, almost clean. Not purely, not completely clean. Even it is almost clean... Nasta-prayesu abhadresu. How it is cleansed? Nityam bhagavata-sevaya [SB 1.2.18]. You serve your spiritual master, the representative of Bhagavan, bhagavata, and you hear Srimad-Bhagavatam -- these are the two kind of Bhagavatam -- and you do it. Nityam bhagavata-sevaya. Nasta-praye... Almost, almost cle... Then what is that? Bhagavaty uttama-sloke bhaktir bhavati naisthiki. The result will be that you'll be fixed up in the devotional service.
Uttama-sloka. Bhagavan's another name is Uttama-sloka. Uttama-sloka means selected prayers. Just like Brahmaji is offering prayers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead:
cintamani-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vrksa-
laksavrtesu surabhir abhipalayantam
laksmi-sahasra-sata-sambhrama-sevyamanam
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
[Bs. 5.29]
There are so many prayers in the sastras. So therefore His name is Uttama-sloka. These prayers are composed by not ordinary rascal poet. They are composed by very, very stalwart, great personalities like Lord Brahma, Lord Siva and others, Suta Gosvami, Sukadeva Gosvami, Vyasadeva. Therefore they are called uttama-sloka, selected poetry. Therefore Bhagavan's another name is Uttama-sloka. He is offered prayers by the great personalities with selected composition of poetry and prayers. So bhagavaty uttama-sloke.
If actually we follow these regulative principles, nityam bhagavata-sevaya [SB 1.2.18], then gradually our heart will be cleansed. Ceto-darpana-marjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. Caitanya Mahaprabhu said. The process is to cleanse the dirty heart. Actually, we are clean. Asango 'yam purusah. We have no business to be contaminated with the material qualities. We do not contaminate. Just like we know... In Bengali we say, tele jale mesera(?). You put oil in the water, it will never mix. Similarly, we are spirit souls, aham brahmasmi. We have nothing to do with this material world. But somehow or other, I am in contact. So simply I have to be contactless. That Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, ceto-darpana-marjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. As soon as your heart is cleansed with all dirty things, then bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam, immediately you become out of this contamination, bhava-maha-davagni.
This contamination means we are in the blazing fire of this material world. Blazing fire. It is, has been... Blazing fire... Bhava-maha-davagni. Maha-davagni. Davagni means the fire in the forest. In the forest nobody goes to set fire, but it takes place. Just like we, in India we thought that "By driving away the Britishers, we shall be happy." No. The davagni is so that... That is not the medicine. Medicine is bhavausadhi. Medicine is Krsna consciousness. Not that simply changing from this ism to that ism, this political party to this... That is not. Because everyone is imperfect. How they can give you perfect happiness? It is not possible. They are themselves andha. Andha means blind. So if you follow the blind man, how you'll cross? That is not possible. Andha yathandhair upaniyamanah. Why they are andha? Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum [SB 7.5.31]. They do not know the ultimate goal of life is to surrender to Krsna. That they do not know. They are manufacturing their own ways of advancing. That will never be successful. They do not know. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum durasaya ye bahir-artha-maninah [SB 7.5.31]. They are thinking, "By adjustment of this material world, we shall be happy." That is not possible. The maya, the material energy, will not allow you to become perfect unless and until you surrender to Krsna. That is her business. Therefore it is said in the Bhagavad-gita,
daivi hy esa gunamayi
mama maya duratyaya
mam eva ye prapadyante
mayam etam taranti te
[Bg. 7.14]
This is the way.
So in this verse it is confirmed... The same thing. In the Vedic literature the same thing is spoken in a different way, in different circumstances. But the ultimate goal is how to know Krsna. Vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah [Bg. 15.15]. So if we follow this principle, hear Bhagavatam... Bhagavatam means the words or the activities of Bhagavan. But the impersonalists, they think the ultimate goal, ultimate truth, Absolute Truth, is not a person. So there is no activity. If one is person, he has got activities. But if one is not person, void, just like a sky... In the sky, there is no activity. The only activity is the sky is covered with cloud, and you cannot see the sun. That is the only activity.
So that kind of activity is not required. Regular, varieties of activities. Therefore we have to hear about Krsna. You'll hear about Krsna in so many varieties of activities. Bhagavad-gita, you hear. It's so many activities of Krsna. So we have to hear about these. And unless there are activities, what you will hear? Simply "Brahman, Brahman, Brahman... nirakara." How long you will hear? And how long you will enjoy? That is... There is no enjoyment. Therefore they, these Brahmavadis, these Nirakaravadi, although by austerities and penances they may rise up to the Brahman effulgence, still, they will fall down. Because we are living entities, we want varieties of enjoyment. We are not satisfied in void, in zero. That is not possible. Therefore srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah [SB 1.2.17]. One has to hear about Krsna, varieties of activities. Varieties of activities. Not nirakara, without any activities. No. That activity is different from material activity. Janma karma me divyam. Therefore it is called divyam. They are not ordinary activities. They are all transcendental, spiritual activities. The Mayavadi philosophers, they cannot understand.
So we have got enough matter for hearing about Krsna. Srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah punya-sravana... If we simply sit down and hear, we become pious. And as soon as we become pious, then we can understand what is Krsna, what is God. If we are involved or implicated in sinful activities, there is no chance. Therefore anartha-nivrttih syat. By sadhu-sanga, by association with the sadhus, bhaktas, and by bhajana-kriya, we'll be seen, a person will be seen that he's no more involved in unwanted things. He's simply interested in executing devotional service. Nityam bhagavata-sevaya, bhagavaty uttama-sloke bhaktir bhavati naisthiki [SB 1.2.18]. When we are almost free from all this contamination, then we become fixed up in the devotional service. That is...
Bhagavan said in the Bhaga... Bahavo jnana-tapasa putah. Putah. Puta means purified. So this bhakti process means to become purified, purified. That is... The Narada-pancaratra-sutra also says that,
sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam
tat-paratvena nirmalam
hrsikena hrsikesa-
sevanam bhaktir ucyate
[Cc. Madhya 19.170]
Bhakti can be performed when you are purified. Sarvopadhi-vinirmuk... Upadhi. These are the upadhis: "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am black," "I am white." These are upadhis. This is the description of the skin, not for me. Aham brahmasmi. I do not belong to the skin. I do not... Because I do not belong to the skin, then so many skin descriptions... Caitanya Mahaprabhu says that "I am not a brahmana. I am not a sudra. I am not a sannyasi. I am not a brahmacari. I am not a ksatriya." In this way, "not, not, not..." Then what You are? "I am gopi-bhartuh pada-kamalayor dasa-dasanudasah." When you understand that "I am eternal servant of Krsna," that is purification. That is purification. You accept it blindly, or by the process of reading sastra and Vedas, you have to come to the conclusion: vasudevah sarvam iti sa mahatma sudurlabhah [Bg. 7.19]. Then you become mahatma and your life is perfect.
Thank you very much. (end)
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.18 -- Calcutta, September 26, 1974
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
