Chief Saktyavesa Avatara

Chief Saktyavesa Avatara

Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya 20.367-384
New York, December 31, 1966

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Prabhupada:

saktyavesavatara krsnera asankhya ganana
dig-darasana kari mukhya mukhya jana

Lord Caitanya says that incarnation of opulence... Saktyavesa avatara means incarnation of opulence. We have analyzed the opulences of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So saktyavesa avatara... An incarnation who represents a particular opulence of the Supreme Lord, he is called saktyavesa avatara. So Lord Caitanya says that there are innumerable incarnations like that, of whom only the principal, I mean to say, principal incarnations, they are mentioned herein. And who are they?

'sanakadi', 'narada', 'prthu', 'parasurama',
jiva-rupa 'brahmara' avesavatara-nama

Jiva-rupa 'brahmara' avesa. Brahma, the first creature of this universe, he's also considered as one of the saktyavesa avataras.

Now, so far our experience is concerned, Lord Caitanya says there are innumerable. So how we can accept a avatara, a saktyavesa avatara, whose names are not mentioned herein? Then we have to... As in the beginning, Lord Caitanya says that by the symptoms we can understand that He is saktyavesa. By the symptoms and activities and influence. So what is that symptom? Symptom is that eternal and temporary. So avatara, incarnation, comes to glorify the eternal existence of the Supreme Lord. So any avatara, any incarnation, he comes to glorify that "There is spiritual kingdom, there is God, and I have come to reclaim you to back to Godhead, back to home." This is the symptom. So therefore, by that symptom, we accept Lord Jesus Christ as saktyavesa avatara, or Hazrat Muhammad, he's also. Because these two religious leaders of the world, they preached about the glorification of the Supreme Lord. And they sacrificed everything for preaching the glories of the Lord. Therefore... And their influence and their followers, there are... These are the symptoms by which we can understand that Jesus Christ and Hazrat Muhammad was, were saktyavesa avataras.

So far Buddha is concerned, he's also considered saktyavesa avatara. He preached this nirvana philosophy. Although he did not speak about God, because it is considered that he was himself God, but the people amongst whom he preached, they were mostly atheistic people; therefore he did not preach about God. But he did not deny also. He simply wanted to make extinction of this present worldly activities. That was, yes... Nirvana. And he represented the sacrifice of renouncement. He..., you may remember that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, out of His six opulences, one opulence is renouncement. So Lord Buddha's life is renouncement. He was prince. He, he was in a very young time. He renounced the world and underwent severe penances. These are the symptoms by which we can understand that he's also saktyavesa avatara. And the Bhagavad-gita you'll find, yad yad vibhutimat sattvam mama tejo-'msa-sambhavam. Anyone, not only Lord Buddha or others, but anyone, Lord, in the Bhagavad-gita it is stated, anyone who has got some extraordinary power, uncommon power, he's to be considered vibhu. Saktyavesa avatara, there are two kinds, one directly empowered for particular mission, comes from the transcendental spiritual sky, and others, those who are in this material world, but they have got some specific power, uncommon power, not found in ordinary man. They are called vibhuti. This vibhuti (is) explained in the Bhagavad-gita: yad yad vibhutimat sattvam mama tejo-'msa sambhavam. That is out of the opulence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

sanakadye 'jnana'-sakti, narade sakti 'bhakti'
brahmaya 'srsti'-sakti, anante 'bhu-dharana'-sakti

Now, so far the principal saktyavesa avataras are concerned, as mentioned by Lord Caitanya, now, what are the manifestation of opulences in each of these saktyavesa avataras? He says that sanakadye, the Kumaras, the four Kumaras-Sanaka, Sanatana, Sananda, Sanat-kumara -- these four Kumaras, they were vastly learned, and they..., first they preached the philosophical way of understanding the Absolute Truth. Sanakadye. Later on, they become devoted, devotees, and they have got a sampradaya, or party, they are called Nimbarka-sampradaya. Sanakadye 'jnana'-sakti. Now we have analyzed that the Supreme Lord has the opulence of knowledge, full knowledge. So these four Kumaras-kumaras means unmarried brahmacaris -- they were sons of Brahma. Because in the beginning Brahma begot so many sons, and each of them were asked to increase the population. Sanaka, Sananda, Sanatana, they were also requested by their father to increase population, but they refused. They said, "No, we are not going to be entangled in these material affairs. We shall remain kumaras, brahmacari, and preach the glories of God," by which Brahma was angry. And while he was angry, from his anger Rudra, Siva, was produced, and Lord Siva is therefore supposed to be son of Brahma.

So these four Kumaras, they represented the knowledge opulence of the Supreme Lord. Narada, Narada, he's also saktyavesa avatara. He was, in his previous life, he was a maidservant's son, but by the association of devotees, he rose up to this position, Narada. Narada's position is very exalted as devotee. All of the devotees of the, in this material world, more or less, they are all disciples of Narada. Vyasadeva is also a disciple of Narada. Prahlada Maharaja -- these are big devotees -- he's..., he was also a disciple of Narada. And Dhruva Maharaja, he was also disciple of Narada. Valmiki, he was also disciple of Narada. So Narada is the representation of the devotional path of opulence. Brahmaya 'srsti'-sakti. And the creative opulence was manifested in Brahma. Creative.

Anante 'bhu-dharana'. Ananta, Sesasayi, what is known as law of gravitation, that is mentioned in the Vedic scriptures as sankarasa, who is supposed to be supporting all these planets in the air. 'Bhu-dharana'-sakti. 'Bhu-dharana'-sakti means all the planets are supported by Sesasayi. It is described in the Vedic literature that He has got many hoods, just like serpent has got hood. And each hood, each planet, all these planets are resting.

sese 'sva-sevana'-sakti, prthute palana'
parasurame 'dusta-nasaka-virya-sancarana'

Sese, Sesa-avatara, He is personally serving the Supreme Lord as Maha Visnu, Karanodakasayi Visnu, Garbhodakasayi Visnu. You have seen the picture that Visnu is lying on a serpent bed. That serpent bed is supposed to be Sesa-avatara. And prthute, Maharaja, King Prthu, he was ideal king. Therefore 'palana', God has another opulence: maintenance. Eko bahunam vidadhati kaman. That Supreme One is maintaining so many, innumerable eternals. Nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam eka bahunam vidadhati kaman (Katha Upanisad 2.2.13). So this maintenance performance, opulence, was invested to Prthu Maharaja. He exhibited extraordinary power, how to maintain the citizens, as king and subjects. Parasurame 'dusta-nasaka-virya-sancarana' Parasurama... Paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca duskrtam [Bg. 4.8]. Under two, these two missions, the Lord comes, incarnates, descends. And Parasurama was supposed to kill the dusta, the wicked ksatriyas, when they forgot to rule over the world as bona fide ksatriyas. They..., they..., they were killed twenty-one times, and it is mentioned in the Mahabharata during that killing process, many ksatriyas fled from, fled away from India and they settled in other parts of the world, especially in Europe. It is mentioned in the Mahabharata. So Parasurama was especially meant, vinasaya ca duskrtam, to kill the miscreants.

So,

jnana-sakty-adi-kalaya
yatravisto janardanah
ta avesa nigadyante
jiva eva mahattamah

Another definition is given by Sanatana Gosvami. This same Sanatana Gosvami who is now being taught by Lord Caitanya, he also has written many books. These two brothers, Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami, and their nephew, Jiva Gosvami, composed many valuable literatures. So Sanatana Gosvami has written one book, Laghu-bhagavatamrtam. Laghu-bhagavatamrtam, supplementary to Srimad-Bhagavatam. So in that Laghu-bhagavatamrtam book, he has written,

jnana-saktya-adi-kalaya
yatravisto janardanah
ta avesa nigadyante
jiva eva mahattamah

He has defined that these saktyavesa avatara, they are all living entities; they are not on the level of Visnu-tattva. But they have special power and special, I mean to say, opulence to glorify the Supreme Lord.

'vibhuti' kahiye yaiche gita-ekadase
jagat vyapila krsna-sakty-abhasavese

Now that vibhuti is, is mentioned by Lord Caitanya. That vibhutimat sattvam, saktyavesa, there are many, many... We find in the history so many extraordinary, powerful men come and go. They are called vibhuti of the Supreme Lord.

yad yad vibhutimat sattvam
srimad urjitam eva va
tat tad evavagaccha tvam
mama tejo-'msa-sambhavam

Anyone extraordinary. You'll be, I mean to..., pleased to learn that in India, the king is considered vibhutimat sattvam. King. He is also considered as the incarnation of God, king. Because when Sanatana, this Sanatana Gosvami, when he resigned from government service... So, when the King, Nawab Shah, Nawab Hussain Shah, came to his house -- "What is the matter that my minister Sanatana is not joining office? And he's taking leave under so many pretexts?" So when he personally came to the house of Sanatana Gosvami... He was not at that time Gosvami. His name was Dabira Khasa. Khasa shah. So he was received very well, and when the Nawab Shah said... There was some topics, conversation with the minister and the Nawab. The minister wanted to resign, and Nawab Shah did not like that idea. So at last it was... Nawab Shah said that "If you whimsically, whimsically resign your responsible post, then I shall arrest you." At this order, Sanatana Gosvami replied that "If you think I shall be punished, I shall accept it, because you are God's representative. You are God's representative." So this was the idea of king and Nawab. Now, although he was Muhammadan and he was brahmana, but, so far the respect of a king is concerned, Sanatana Gosvami rightly told him that "You are Nawab. You are king. You are not ordinary man. Therefore you are empowered by the Supreme Lord. So anything you punish..." Because king's punishment has to be accepted. And in the Manu-samhita it is said that when king punishes a citizen, he is reduced in his sinful actions so that he may not subjected in his next birth for that sinful reaction if he undergoes the punishment of a king. These are stated there.

So, vibhutimat...

atha va bahunaitena
kim jnatena tavarjuna
vistabhyaham idam krtsnam
ekamsena sthito jagat
 [Bg. 10.42]

So ekamsena, ekamsena, this partial, plenary representation of the Supreme Lord, Paramatma, Visnu, Maha Visnu, they are also parts and parcels. Visnu parts. Svamsa. Visnu, or the Supreme Lord, expands Himself in two ways. One way is Visnu expansion, and the other way is the jiva, these living entities expansion. We are also expansions of the Supreme Lord. Eko bahu syama. He alone, He has become so many. And why? What is the purpose of becoming so many? The purpose is anandamayo 'bhyasat (Vedanta-sutra 1.1.12). He wants to enjoy Himself with so many. So practically our creation is for enjoying in the company, in the association of the Supreme Lord. But we thought that it is better to become an imitation God and try to lord it over the material nature. That is not possible; therefore we are suffering.

eita kahilun sakty-avesa-avatara
balya-pauganda-dharmera sunaha vicara

Now the Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu is analyzing the characteristics of God, Krsna. Now He has explained about His different incarnations. Now He says, about His ages, how the Lord is old. Lord never becomes old. Adyam purana purusam nava-yauvanam ca [Bs. 5.33]. In the Brahma-samhita it is stated that, although He's the oldest personality, adyam, because He's the original person from whom everything has come out. Everything has generated. So we living entities, we are also sons and grandsons of that Supreme Personality of Godhead. So the Brahma-samhita says although He's the oldest person... In the Bhagavad-gita He is stated by Arjuna as great-grandfather. Prapitamahas ca. You'll find this word in the Bhagavad-gita. Because Brahma is addressed as pitamaha, grandfather. He's the original first creature in this material world, in this universe, and everyone has come from him. Therefore he is called pitamaha. Pitamaha means grandfather. And, because he's born also of Visnu, therefore Visnu is prapitamaha [Bg. 11.39].

So the Supreme Lord, Personality of Godhead, is the oldest of all, but whenever you'll find, you'll find just like a young man. Adyam purana purusam nava-yauvanam ca [Bs. 5.33]. Nava-yauvanam means just a fresh youth. So that is being explained, explained by Lord Caitanya, the age of... This is another characteristics of God. Kisora-sekhara-dharmi vrajendra-nandana. Kisora-sekhara. Kisora. Kisora is... Kisora age is called from eleven years to sixteen years. These teen years, or, in English, what is called? Adolescent? Yes. This, this age... So Krsna represents Himself just like a boy from eleven to sixteen years old. Not more than that. Even in the Battle of Kuruksetra, when He was great-grandfather, still, His feature was just like a young boy.

kisora-sekhara-dharmi vrajendra-nandana
prakata-lila karibare yabe kare mana

Prakata-lila. Prakata-lila means... Prakata and aprakata. Just like the sun, at night, we cannot see. This is called aprakata. And when we can see, during daytime, that is called prakata. Sun is already there, in the sky, but at night, by certain arrangement of the planetary system, we cannot see. That is called aprakata. Similarly, Krsna is always there. So sometimes He is manifested within this material world; sometimes He is not manifested. So when He desires to manifest Himself in this material world, rather, when He descends, then He... Prakata-lila karibare yabe...

adau prakata karaya mata-pita-bhakta-gane
pache prakata haya janmadika-lila-krame

So before His coming, some of His devotees, they come first, just to become His father, become His mother, become His family members, like that. Because He does not do anything which is against the process of this world. A man is born out of his father and mother, so He has to take His birth from a father and mother. So these fathers and mothers were, are first sent. I think in the Bible they call messiahs, or what you have? Similarly, nobody can become the father and mother of God. But, when He manifests Himself in this material world, He shows that "He's My father." Just like Krsna accepted father, Vasudeva, Vasudeva as His father and Devaki as His mother. Or His foster-father, Nanda Maharaja, and His foster-mother, Yasoda. So they are all devotees. Krsna's friend, Krsna's father, Krsna's everyone, when He displays Himself, they are all devotees. He's the Supreme. Nobody can be father of Krsna.

vayaso vividhatve 'pi
sarva-bhakti-rasasrayah
dharmi kisora evatra
nitya-lila-vilasavan

Nitya-lila-vilasavan means eternally He's..., He's manifesting His pastimes. Just like Krsna, Krsna-lila, the manifestation of Krsna and His different pastimes in this material world. In the..., on this earth was manifested, that thing is going on, nitya-lila. As I have several times explained to you that the sun, sunrise and sunset, is going on every moment. Every moment. You inquire by, by communication you'll find in some country, there is always sunrise and some country there is always... Any country, you'll find. Similarly, krsna-lila, Krsna's pastimes, are going on in some of the universes, in any of... There are innumerable universes. In some of the universes He is there already.

putana-vadhadi yata lila ksane ksane
saba lila nitya prakata kare anukrame

From His childhood, just on the lap of His mother, He killed the demon Putana. Similarly, such pastimes are going on every moment. Every moment. That is called nitya-lila. In some of the universes... When the round (?) comes in this universe, it takes so many years. For millions and billions years. Just you can imagine how many millions and trillions of universes are there. Ananta brahmanda, tara nahika ganana. Ananta means innumerable universes are there. Nahika ganana: nobody can count.

ananta brahmanda, tara nahika ganana
kona lila kona brahmande haya prakatana

Some of His pastimes is going on in either of the innumerable brahmandas.

ei-mata saba lila-yena ganga-dhara
se-se lila prakata kare vrajendra-kumara

Just like the waves of the Ganges going on, nobody can count. Similarly, all the incarnations of different pastimes in different universes, that is going on.

krame balya-pauganda-kaisorata-prapti
rasa-adi lila kare, kaisore nitya-sthiti

So krsna-lila means beginning from His childhood, up to the age of sixteenth year, when He performed the rasa-lila, this is actual krsna-lila. And beyond that lila, when Krsna left Vrndavana and came to Dvaraka, that is not krsna-lila; that is Vasudeva lila, Krsna in His Vasudeva feature, that lila. It is stated that Krsna never goes out of Goloka Vrndavana. When He goes, He goes in His Vasudeva feature. Krsna expands Himself -- Vasudeva, Sankarsana. Therefore when this is described in the Vaisnava literature, a great literary novelist, Bankimacandra Chatterji, he misunderstood that Krsna of Vrndavana is different from the Krsna of Kuruksetra or Dvaraka. He has analyzed, Krsna-caritra, character of Krsna. But in everything, he has very much eulogized.

So we shall discuss tomorrow. Any questions? (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila 20.367-84 -- New York, December 31, 1966

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Our Natural Consciousness

Our Natural Consciousness

Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.26.22
Bombay, December 31, 1974

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Nitai: "After the manifestation of the mahat-tattva, these features appear simultaneously. As water in its natural state, before coming in contact with earth, is clear, sweet and unruffled, so the characteristic traits of pure consciousness are complete serenity, clarity, and freedom from distraction."

Prabhupada:

svacchatvam avikaritvam
santatvam iti cetasah
vrttibhir laksanam proktam
yathapam prakrtih para
 [SB 3.26.22]

In the previous verse we have discussed that yat tat sattva-gunam svaccham. Svaccham means transparent, clear. Now that svacchatvam is explained, what is the meaning of clarity, clear-uncontaminated. These are the symptoms: svacchatvam avikaritvam, without any change. "Freedom from all distraction." Just like here there are many mothers sitting, and the natural affection for the child and the child's complete dependence on the mother's mercy is visible. There is no need of explanation. That is natural. If the mother is taking care of the child, it is not artificial. And if the child is feeling uncomfort without being on the lap of the mother, that is also natural. This is called avikaritvam, natural affection between the mother and the son. Similarly, we have got our natural affection for Krsna.

That is explained in the Caitanya-caritamrta:

nitya-siddha krsna-bhakti sadhya kabhu naya
sravanadi-suddha-citte karaye udaya

Just like sex impulse. It doesn't require to, how to awaken sex impulse, natural; similarly, krsna-bhakti is our natural inheritance because we are part and parcel of Krsna, or sons of Krsna. Aham bija-pradah pita [Bg. 14.4]. It is the same example, that as the mother and the child has got natural affection, similarly, with Bhagavan we have got natural affection. Bhagavan has got natural affection for us, and we have got also natural affection for Bhagavan. And the external covering which checks this natural affection, this is called maya. Just like touch... What is called, magnetic stone? Magnetic stone naturally attracts the iron, and iron is naturally attracted by the magnetic stone. Similarly, krsna-bhakti is not something which is unnaturally taught or unnaturally gained, artificial. This...

Another vivid example is this: These foreigners, Western boys and girls, how they became attracted with Krsna consciousness unless it is natural? Their forefathers or they also, even four, five, six years ago, they did not know what is Krsna, neither they cared to know. But now they are almost mad after Krsna. Otherwise, why they are coming here? They have not come here in India to see your skyscraper building or industry. They are not at all interested. They have seen all these things in their own country. They have enough. So why they have come here? They are after Vrndavana. They are after Mayapura. They are after me. What is the attraction? The attraction is Krsna. They are not interested with anything else. They do not go to see your skyscraper building in New Delhi or in Bombay. They have seen it enough. So why it is so? Because it is natural. Krsna-bhakti, Krsna consciousness, is natural. That is the original consciousness.

The example is given here: yatha apam prakrtih para. Just like the water, rains, fall from the sky. If you do not allow to touch the water, the ground, you take it in the middle, you will find crystal, distilled water. You will find. And as soon as it comes down on the ground, it becomes muddy, the purity lost. Muddy, opaque, you cannot see, agitated. Similarly, our original consciousness is Krsna consciousness. That is svaccha, svacchatvam avikaritvam. In the original consciousness we do not know anything else than Krsna. Avikaritvam. There is no change. Therefore in the Vaikuntha planets, especially in the Goloka Vrndavana planet, that is exhibited. When Krsna comes to show His dhama-goloka-namni nija-dhamni -- that is His own abode. So Krsna, when Krsna comes, He brings everything with Him: His dhama, His qualities, His place, His paraphernalia, His associates, His father, His mother, His friend, His consort, His trees, His water -- everything He brings. That is Vrndavana. You will find in Vrndavana still -- still you will find -- people are all automatically Krsna conscious. Eighty-four, curasi crores, about 160 miles' area. So they are Krsna conscious naturally. And if you go to Vrndavana, this area, wherever you go, you will feel Krsna consciousness. So the example of purity is still there. And what to speak of in the original Vrndavana?

So from Srimad-Bhagavatam you will find the vrndavana-lila -- the cowherds boys and the cows, the calves, the trees, the plants, the flowers, the water. The description is there that everyone is Krsna conscious. They do not know that Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They do not know it; neither they care to know it. What is Supreme Personality of Godhead, what is Brahman, what is Paramatma, they do not care to know these things. But they have unalloyed, unflinching love for Krsna. This is Krsna consciousness. Yasodamayi is seeing wonderful things in Krsna, but she never thinks that "Here is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna." She thinks that "Krsna is my child. This wonderful thing has happened due to providence." She thinks that "The Supreme Lord or the Absolute Truth is different, and here Krsna is my child." So as I have already said, the love for the child of the mother is natural. So that is Vrndavana atmosphere. Everyone loves Krsna. Everyone is overwhelmed with love of Krsna. When they cannot find Krsna, they become mad. Although they do not know that Krsna... When they see some wonderful activities of Krsna, they think, "Some demigod might have come here. Otherwise, how this wonderful thing is possible?" So this is pure love. This is pure love, without any knowledge of the supreme powerful, almighty. That is svacchatvam, no contamination-pure love.

So the mission of human life should be how to clarify this consciousness again into that pure consciousness of Krsna, Krsna consciousness. That is the mission of human life. The consciousness is impure; therefore there are so many varieties, material varieties, and we are captivated by these material varieties. But that is not giving us any happiness. We are especially very much unhappy on account of janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi [Bg. 13.9]. So if we want to get relief from the miserable condition of this material life... This place is described in the Bhagavad-gita, duhkhalayam asasvatam: [Bg. 8.15] "This place is meant for miseries." Do not try to become happy here. That is foolishness, mudha. Nabhijanati mam ebhyah param avyayam. "The mudhas, these rascals, they do not know that here he cannot be..., one cannot be happy, because real happiness is when he comes back to Me." Mam ebhyah param... Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti [Bg. 4.9]. That is real happiness. Sukham atyantikam yat tad atindriya-grahyam [Bg. 6.21]. Everything is explained in the Bhagavad-gita.

So everyone is very, working very hard, struggling for existence, but they do not know how they can actually become happy. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum [SB 7.5.31]. That they do not know. So it is our humble attempt only, this Krsna consciousness movement. At least, we inform people that "This is the way of happiness." Sukham atyantikam yat tat [Bg. 6.21]. "Don't be carried away by temporary so-called happiness. That is not happiness. This is called maya." Maya-sukhaya bharam udvahato vimudhan [SB 7.9.43]. Krsna says, mudha, and Prahlada Maharaja says, vimudhan -- not only mudha, but again added with word vi, visista. Visista-prakarena mudha. Vi, therefore vimudha.

So Prahlada Maharaja says, soce tato vimukha-cetasa maya-sukhaya bharam udvahato vimudhan [SB 7.9.43]. That is the thankless task of the devotees, to turn these vimudhan from this maya-sukha to real sukha. This is the business of the devotees. They have no other business. Their business is not for making money. Money, they have got enough, and Krsna supplies all their money. So there is no such problem for a devotee of how to secure money. Their only problem is how to turn these rascals to Krsna consciousness, all rascals, vimudhan. We say clearly, "If you are not Krsna conscious, you are rascal number one." "No, I am M.A. Ph.D." "Still, you are rascal." That is our verdict. "We don't care for your Ph.D. I know that you are a rascal because you do not know Krsna." Just a few minutes before, one gentleman came to see me, and he advertised himself that "I have read Vedas, I have read the Puranas, I have seen Dr. Radhakrishnan, but I do not get peace of mind." So I asked him, "You have studied so many literatures. Do you know who is God?" And the God who has created this, what is His name, what is the address -- that he does not know. Yes. This is going on. Vimudhan. They are proud of education, proud of learning, advancement, everything, all right, complete. But real knowledge -- "Do you know God?" -- that he cannot explain. That he cannot explain. He will explain something hodgepodge. This is the disease. Therefore they are vimudhan.

Real knowledge means to understand God. That is real knowledge. Vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah [Bg. 15.15]. What is the Veda, Vedanta? To know Krsna, or God. Krsna and God, the same. If one knows God but does not know Krsna, his knowledge of God is incomplete. His knowledge of God is incomplete. When he knows that krsnas tu bhagavan svayam, then his knowledge is perfect.

ete camsa-kalah pumsah
krsnas tu bhagavan svayam
indrari-vyakulam lokam
mrdayanti yuge yuge
 [SB 1.3.28]

And Krsna said that aham sarvasya prabhavah [Bg. 10.8]. The Vedanta says, janmady asya yatah: [SB 1.1.1] "God, or Absolute Truth, means the source of everything." And the source of everything is coming down before you and in His original form, Krsna. Dvi-bhuja-muralidhara, Krsna. Here He is standing, and He is preaching, aham sarvasya prabhavah: "I am the source of everything." Mudho nabhijanati. But the rascals, they do not understand that God is speaking in everyone's presence, aham sarvasya prabhavah, "I am," aham "like this," aham. Mattah sarvam pravartate. Still, the rascal will not. Just see how much rascals we are.

Therefore Prahlada Maharaja said that vimudhan, maya-sukhaya. They are trying to be happy within this material existence-maya-sukhaya bharam. Bharam means gorgeous arrangement, very gorgeous arrangement, very big, big road, big, big skyscraper building, and big machine, big industry, and so many big, big things, big, big words, big, big politician, and big, big political activities. But so mudha that he does not think for a moment, "How long these big, big things will be enjoyed by me? I have... Certainly there is credit for creating all these big, big things, but maya will not allow me to enjoy these things. At any moment I shall be kicked out. And what insurance and guarantee I have made, just I can enjoy this?" Therefore it is called maya-sukhaya: wasting time making gorgeous arrangement. Not only the sukha, but this whole thing can be finished within a second. If there is a big earthquake, everything will be finished. We have got experience many times -- anything will be finished. This Bombay can be turned into sea, and the Bombay can be pushed in an island within the sea. Material nature is so strong. Daivi hy esa gunamayi mama maya duratyaya [Bg. 7.14]. And under her spell we are trying to become happy. Maya-sukhaya bharam udvahato vimudhan [SB 7.9.43].

And the devotees, the Krsna conscious persons, they know that this is all false -- not false: temporary, simply bewildering. On account of contaminated consciousness, people are trying to be happy in this way, but devotees know that this kind of endeavor is simply bewildering, simply waste of time. Real business is how to purify my consciousness, come to the original Krsna consciousness. That is real business. Svacchatvam avikaritvam. That is our real business. Caitanya Mahaprabhu's preaching is that our only business is how to revive our original consciousness. That is Krsna consciousness. That is wanted. Without this, whatever we are doing, in the words of Srila Prahlada Maharaja, "It is all maya-sukhaya bharam udvahato vimudhan, maya-sukhaya [SB 7.9.43]."

Therefore these are the symptoms of Krsna consciousness: svacchatvam, avikaritvam, santatvam. Santa I have already explained last night several times also, that santatvam, santi... Just like I told you that many people coming: "Oh, I do not get any peace of mind." How you will get peace of mind? Here in the material world you cannot be endowed with the peace of mind. It is not possible. Why? Because here everything is maya. Bharam udvahato vimudhan. Asad-grahat, sada samudvigna-dhiyam asad-grahat [SB 7.5.5]. Asat. Asat means that which will not stand. The material nature is like that. It will not stand. This body we have got at a certain date, and it will continue up to certain date, then it will vanish. You will get never again this body, finished. So this is called asat. Asato ma sad gama. This is Vedic instruction: "Don't remain in the asat, temporary." Sad gama: "Come to the platform of eternity." Asato ma sad gama.

So santi cannot be attained so long we are attached to this asat. Asad-grahat sada samudvigna-dhiyam. Tat sadhu manye 'sura-varya dehinam sada samudvigna-dhiyam asad-grahat. We are... All people in this material world, we are always samyag udvigna, samudvigna. Udvigna means anxiety, always full of anxieties. Sada samudvigna-dhiyam. Why samudvigna-dhiyam? Krsna consciousness means this, svacchatvam avikaritvam santatvam, these three things, Krsna consciousness: clear understanding; no change, no change from Krsna consciousness; and santatvam, peaceful. Just like a man -- ordinarily we perceive -- a gentleman, after working very hard, if he gets some bank balance and nice house, nice wife, and some children, he thinks, "I am very happy." This is also maya. He thinks, "But I am happy." What kind of maya? Pramattah tesam nidhanam pasyann api na pasyati. He is in maya, mad, illusion, pramatta. He does not see that these things will be also finished. Tesam nidhanam. Dehapatya-kalatradisu atma-sainyesu asatsu api [SB 2.1.4]. Asatsu api. He knows that this position, nice position, very good atmosphere, nice children, nice wife, nice house, nice bank balance, nice relative, nice position, everything, prime minister and everything -- very all right. But it will be finished in no time. But he, although knows, he does not care for it. This is called vimudhan. He knows that "This will finished. It will not stay, I will not stay, these things will not stay. I will have to change. They will have to change." It is just like straws gathered together by the whims of the waves, and again it is scattered.

So we are going on the waves of maya. Bhaktivinoda Thakura, therefore, says, mayar bose, jaccho bhese': "You rascal, you are going, floating under the spell of maya." Khaccho habudubu bhai: "And sometimes you are drowned and sometimes in the up by the tricks of the waves. Why you are leading such life?" Jiv krsna-das, e biswas, korle to' ar duhkho nai: "You come to Krsna consciousness and try to understand that you are eternal servant of Krsna; you are being carried away by the whims of maya. So that will make you happy." Therefore Caitanya-caritamrta, er, Caitanya Mahaprabhu teaches us, patitam kinkaram mam visame bhavambudhau: "My Lord," ayi nanda-tanuja, "O the son of Nanda Maharaja, Krsna, I am Your eternal servant. Somehow or other, I am now fallen in this ocean of nescience." Patitam kinkaram mam visame bhavambudhau. Bhava ambudhau. Ambudhi means sea, ocean. "So how to save myself?" Krpaya tava pada-pankaja-sthita-dhuli-sadrsam vicintaya.

This is our only business. This Hare Krsna means, "O Krsna, O Hara, Krsna's energy, Radharani, Hara..." Hari Hara. So this addressing, "O Krsna, O Krsna's internal potency..." Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare, chanting, addressing: "O Lord Krsna, O the internal energy of Krsna." So They will respond that "Why you are calling Me, or Us?" You have to submit, "Please again accept me as Your eternal servant." This is the only prayer, not that "Give me this money, this me that, this me that. Give me that." No. That is not pure devotion. That is devotion, but it is mixed. Catur-vidha bhajante mam sukrtinah. That is pious life. When we ask from Krsna anything other than devotional service, that is pious activities. That is not devotional activities. Devotional activity is different from pious activity. By pious activities you can get material, so-called happiness, Janmaisvarya-sruta-sri [SB 1.8.26]. You can get birth in very nice family, rich family, brahmana family, janma, and you can get immense wealth, born with silver spoon, and aisvarya-sruta, education, nice education, material education, and sri, beauty. Generally, you will find in aristocratic family, rich family, they are very beautiful, they have got education, they have got wealth and good family, aristocratic family. So these are result of pious activities.

So we should utilize the result of pious activities to become more pure. That is called svaccha. We have discussed this verse, svaccha. Yat tat sattva-gunam svaccham. That is... Just like you have got by, on account of pious activities you have got very nice surroundings, aristocratic family, wealth, beauty, education, but it may be polluted again by the other two qualities, means tamo-guna and rajo-guna. Then you are finished again. Naturally they become polluted. But they do not know that "By dint of pious activities, I have got this position" and misuse the position by tamo-guna and rajo-guna, and therefore they again go to hell. This way we are wandering all over the universes, ei rupe brahmanda bhramite [Cc. Madhya 19.151]. We are sometimes rich man, sometimes poor man, sometimes demigod, sometimes dog, sometimes this, sometimes that. This is going on. That is called maya-sukhaya bharam udvahato vimudhan [SB 7.9.43]. They do not know the ultimate happiness is Krsna consciousness, but wandering in this way.

So therefore this is the best welfare activity to the human society, to awaken them to Krsna consciousness so that they will again revive their original svaccha consciousness, and they will be santa. Svamin krtartho 'smi varam na yace [Cc. Madhya 22.42]. Just like Dhruva Maharaja, he was pious, born in a very pious family, and by family quarrel he went to worship the Supreme Lord Visnu in the forest, aspiring material opulence. He was a child. He thought that "My stepmother has insulted. I shall go to God and take from Him such opulence which is many, many millions times better than my father's." That was his ambition. But when he actually saw Lord Visnu standing... He was meditating Visnu. All of a sudden he saw the Visnu is missing within the heart. Then his meditation broke, and he saw Lord Visnu is present before him. So this is not very difficult for Lord Visnu. He is always within your heart, and if He likes, He can come outside and become visible by you. That is not very difficult. So when he saw Visnu and Visnu offered, "My dear boy, what do you want? Take benediction," so he said, svamin krtartho 'smi varam na yace.

This is perfection: "I am fully satisfied." Svaccha, santa, no demand. No demand. That is position, no demand. Svamin krtartho 'smi varam na yace. This is the highest perfection. That is called svacchatvam avikaritvam santatvam. And this santatvam cannot be attained unless you become pure devotee and fully dependent on the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is the standard of santatvam or vasudeva-sabditam. Svacchatvam santatvam. Everyone is hankering after santatvam, the whole world, because in the material world you cannot be on the platform of santatvam. Only on the spiritual platform and when you are engaged in the service of the Lord, then you will get this position, svacchatvam avikaritvam santatvam. Iti cetasah vrttibhir laksanam proktam. How one has become Krsna conscious, there are, these are the symptoms, the brahma-bhutah prasannatma na socati na... [Bg. 18.54]. We have to understand by the symptoms. If somebody says, "I am very rich man," so generally we want to see the symptoms: "Oh, he is very rich man. Oh, he has got this car. He has got this house. He has got this..." Then we can understand he is rich man. But if these symptoms are not there, how we can understand that he is rich man? Similarly, Krsna consciousness means these are the symptoms: svacchatvam avikaritvam santatvam. When you attain these three stages, these symptom, then you are perfectly Krsna conscious.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.26.22 -- Bombay, December 31, 1974

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You Can See And Talk With God

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.16.3
Los Angeles, December 31, 1973

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Pradyumna: Translation: "Maharaja Pariksit, after having selected Krpacarya for guidance as his spiritual master, performed three horse sacrifices on the banks of the Ganges. These were executed with sufficient rewards for the attendants. And at these sacrifices, even the common man could see demigods."

Prabhupada: Now, people say that "Why we do not see the demigods?" So the answer should be, "Where is your sacrifice, horse sacrifice?" The demigods, they are not so cheap. Just like the king or the president. Does he come anywhere, who is a cheap common man? No. Where the kings or the demigods or a great sage like Narada Muni will come, that place also must be worth coming there.

So there were interplanetary system. Just like Arjuna went to the heavenly planet, similarly, in such sacrifices, if it was arranged by great kings like Maharaja Pariksit and others, Maharaja Yudhisthira, then the demigods, invited, they would come. Not only they would come, but all common men could see. Therefore it is said here, yatraksi-gocarah, deva yatraksi-gocarah. We are much proud of seeing everything, but we should wait for being qualified to see. Not that whimsically I want to see, "O God, please come before me. I want to see." God... God is there just suitable for your seeing power. God is very kind. Here He is present in the temple. And you go on seeing. Then you will realize that He is God.

So God or demigod, everyone can be aksi-gocarah, within the purview of your vision, provided you are qualified. This is the process. These rascals say, "Can you show me God?" But what power you have got to see? First of all gain that qualification. Then you will see. God is everywhere. Andantara-stha-paramanu-cayan... Even He is within the atom. Therefore one who is not competent to see God, he is advised to see God in different way in the Bhagavad-gita. Just like Krsna says, raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhasmi sasi-suryayoh: "My dear Kaunteya, Arjuna, I am the taste of the water." So you try to see God there in the taste of water. At the present moment, we have got many senses. You want to see God with the eyes. So begin with your tongue. This is also another sense. Just like if there is nice foodstuff, if I say, "Let me see how it is," "Let me see" means... You are already seeing. What do you want? "No, I want to touch in the tongue." That is "Let me see." Not by the eyes. If there is good sweetmeat, halava, then "Let me see" means "Let me taste." So first of all taste God. It is within your reach of the sensual perception, but try to practice. Then sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva sphuraty adah. Then you will realize. God will reveal to..., Himself. When you become submitted, devoted to God, by tasting the prasadam, you will see God personally. He will talk with you. That is possible.

So at the present moment, we want to see God, but we do not acknowledge that we are not qualified. How we can see? If I cannot see even an ordinary president... By my whims I want to see the president or the such and such big officer. You cannot see unless you are qualified. So how you can see God? That is not possible. You have to qualify yourself. Then you will see God. Aksi-gocarah. Aksi-gocarah means, just we are seeing -- you are seeing me, I am seeing you -- similarly, you will see the demigods or God, provided you are qualified.

So Maharaja Pariksit was so exalted king that by his invitation, the demigods would come and public could see. That was possible. That is stated here. He was so, I mean to say, exalted king, he could invite. And the kings also were invited. Just like Maharaja Yudhisthira went. That was interplanetary exchange. That is now not... You cannot go by the sputniks to the heavenly planet. The moon planet is also one of the heavenly planet. Or the other planets. They are all heavenly planets. Urdhvam. Urdhvam gacchanti sattva-sthah. When you are competent, fit, for going there, then you can go there. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita. Yanti deva-vrata devan pitrn yanti pitr-vratah, bhutejya yanti.. [Bg. 9.25]. You can go, but you must be qualified, pitr-vratah, deva-vratah. Similarly, you can go to Krsna also if you are krsna-vratah. Mad-yajino 'pi yanti mam. What to speak of going to other planets, if one is qualified, if one is pure devotee, Krsna says, "He also comes to Me." So this exchange of going and coming is not difficult, provided a person is qualified. Not a cat and dog can go. That is not possible.

So another important point is... Ajaharasva-medhams trin, three times. The asvamedha-yajna is so expensive that the king of heaven, Indra, he executed the asvamedha-yajna seven times. So Maharaja Prthu was also going to complete seven times. So there was some, I mean to say, competition. The Indra would not allow him to complete seven times. Otherwise he would become equal with him. So amongst the kings, not only in this planet, but in other planets also, the asvamedha-yajna was performed by very, very powerful rich kings, not ordinary kings. It is very expensive job. Because it is stated, bhuri-daksinan, and vast amount of money required for distribution in charity. Then you can perform asvamedha-yajna. Similarly, there is gomedha-yajna. Asvamedha-yajna was to send the horse with flag, that "Such and such king is the emperor of the whole world." So if some king in some state, he does not agree that "He is emperor," he will capture the horse, "I don't agree, I don't accept." Then there will be fight, "You have to accept." In this way there will be sacrifice.

So Maharaja Pariksit was the emperor of the whole world, whole this planet. So he performed three times. Now, that means three times he challenged, "If there is any dispute, any objection of my becoming emperor?" This is asvamedha-yajna. "If you have got any objection, then I will make you obliged to accept me. Otherwise, if you accept, that's all right. You remain in your state. Give me tax." This is the... So this is very expensive job. Formerly one king performed this asvamedha-yajna, and bhuri-daksinan. He gave in daksina... Daksina means in charity. Just like you give daksina to your spiritual master for initiation, similarly, here also, it is said, saradvatam gurum krtva. Everything must be executed under the guidance of a guru, not whimsically, "Oh, I have got my own idea, I have got my own God. I can do whatever I like." This is simply waste of time. Yah sastra-vidhim utsrjya vartate kama-karatah. In the Bhagavad-gita it is said that "Anyone who does not follow the instruction of the sastra, how things should be done," sastra-vidhim utsrjya vartate kama-karatah, "does things whimsically," na sukham savapnoti, "he will never get happiness." Yah sastra-vidhim utsrjya vartate kama-karatah, na sukham sa...

So everything should be done according to sastra. And the sastra should be guided by acarya, guru. Acarya means one who knows what is there in the sastra. He practices in his life and teaches the disciple. He is called acarya. Acarya is not a whimsical thing. He must know. Therefore Pariksit Maharaja appointed acarya, saradvatam. He is the brother of Dronacarya. Dronacarya was also acarya, but he was military acarya. And here he was acarya for Vedic rituals, acarya. Tad-vijnanartham sa gurum eva [MU 1.2.12]. Gurum krtva. In order to do things very rightly, you must appoint... Just like if you are going to the court to file some suit, do it very nicely. You have to appoint a very good lawyer. Similarly, these Vedic principles, the Vedic rituals, they should be performed under the direction of acarya, guru, not whimsically. So therefore this kind of sacrifices are forbidden in this age, in this age.

That was discussed between Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Chand Kazi, the Muhammadan magistrate of Nadia. He, Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu, challenged the Kazi, Muhammadan, that "What is your religion, that you eat your father and mother?" This was the challenge by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. What is that, father, mother? Now, mother, your cow is your mother. You drink milk of cow. And the bull is your father. Because without bull, without the cow and bull being united, there is no milk. So how is that you are eating your father and mother? It is a great challenge. Actually those who are meat-eater, beef-eater, they are killing their father and mother and become implicated in sinful life. Therefore we say no meat-eating. No meat-eating. If you become implicated in sinful life, how you can be happy? There must be nature's punishment. Just like if you infect some disease, nature must punish you. You must suffer from the disease. You cannot get out. It is not possible. Karanam guna-sango 'sya. Why there are so many varieties of life? Why not one class of men, all President Nixon? (laughter) Why not? Why there is bum in the Bowery Street? In your country I am saying. Why there are arrangement of first-class, second-class, third-class, fourth-class, fifth-class men? Or animals, or trees? Everything is there. Why?

That is explained in the Bhagavad-gita. Karanam guna-sango 'sya. As you have infected yourself with a particular type of modes of nature, you will get a body. That's all. If you have infected to get the body of a dog, you must be infected. People who are keeping dog, that means he is being infected by the germs of dog. Next life he will become a dog. He is infected. What he will think at the time of death? If he has got a beloved dog, he will think of... Somebody... In your country, they bequeath great, I mean to say, wealth, for the dog. That means at the time of death, at the time of death he is thinking of his beloved dog. So he must be a dog. So all his wealth goes to the dog and he goes to become a dog. This science is unknown to the rascals. Yam yam vapi smaran bhavam tyajaty ante kalevaram [Bg. 8.6]. At the time of death, your position of the mind will create the next body. This is the science. So if you create your the position of the mind, Krsna conscious, then you will get a body like Krsna, sac-cid-ananda-vigraha [Bs. 5.1]. This is Krsna consciousness movement, that "Why you shall love dog and cats? Love God, Krsna, and you get the next body like Krsna." Sac-cid-ananda-vigraha. Anadir adir govindah sarva-karana-karanam [Bs. 5.1]. This is Krsna consciousness movement, how to think of Krsna at the time of death. Then your life is successful.

So that has to be practiced. Sada tad-bhava-bhavitah [Bg. 8.6]. If you always chant Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, that means you remember Krsna always. So there is chance, ninety-nine percent chance, that at the time of your death you will think of Krsna and your life is successful. Very simple method. Make always your mind absorbed in Krsna. Naturally at the time of death you will think of Krsna. Mad-yajino 'pi yanti mam. That is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita. Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam iti kaunteya [Bg. 4.9]. Such person, Krsna conscious person, who knows Krsna... If you think of Krsna, naturally you know of Krsna. You know of Krsna. Krsna is within your heart. So if you think of Krsna, then gradually you become Krsna-ized. Just like you put the iron rod in the fire. Gradually it becomes fire. Warm, warmer, warmer, then red-hot. When it is red-hot it is fire. Whenever you touch, it will burn immediately. Similarly, if you think of Krsna, the same example... Touching fire. So Krsna will purify you. Srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah punya-sravana-kirtanah [SB 1.2.17]. Just like you are being purified by hearing about Krsna daily. Otherwise why you are coming here? We have no money to bribe you to come here. You are feeling, becoming Krsna-ized; therefore you are coming.

So this is the process, simple process. You simply be engaged in Krsna consciousness. Then you become Krsna-ized, purified. And as soon as you become purified, you understand Krsna. Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam. "You understand Krsna" means Krsna becomes revealed. Just like something is covered, you try to move the covering. You see the goal. Similarly, by your constant endeavor to become Krsna conscious, Krsna will reveal to you, "Yes. You are so anxious to see Me? Here I am. Here I am. Yes." You will see Krsna. So how this is possible? Premanjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santah sadaiva hrdayesu vilokayanti [Bs. 5.38]. By thinking of Krsna, naturally you become attached. Just like materialists. They are always thinking of woman and money. So they become attached to woman and money, the materialists. So similarly, if you think of Krsna, you become attached to Krsna. It is not a difficult job.

So the asvamedham gavalambham sannyasam pala-paitrkam [Cc. Adi 17.164]. This was explained by..., why asvamedha-yajna is forbidden in this age. In this age no sacrifice is possible. There is no money. There is no guru. Guru means who can conduct the sacrifices. First of all there is no means. Even one can conduct, there is no means. It requires huge amount of money. Here it is said that bhuri-daksinan. Bhuri means an unlimited amount. Bhuri means very great. So there is no money. Neither there is expert brahmana also who can conduct such sacrifices, because they must chant the Vedic mantra so perfectly that even a horse or a cow is put into the fire, he will come out with a new life. That is the test. This Chand Kazi, Muslim magistrate, he also challenged Caitanya Mahaprabhu. When Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "What is your this religion? You are eating your father and mother?" Directly. Not that He was talking with a magistrate, He should be a little respectful. No. In spiritual matter, everything spoken frankly, no compromise. Just like we say, "You are not a Krsna conscious person. Then you are a rascal. That's all." You may be the president. That doesn't matter. But because you are not Krsna conscious, you are rascal. There is no compromise, "Oh, here is a big man. How he is speaking." We see everywhere. So many scientists come. I say, "You are rascal. You are demon." (laughter) I say it. And they tolerate. I prove that he is a rascal. I prove that he is a rascal, he is a demon. Then he tolerates, "Yes." We have got sufficient strength to prove, any materialistic man, to prove that he is a rascal. That is possible. Vidhi-mahendradis ca kitayate: "If one is practically a devotee of Lord, he doesn't care even personalities like Vidhi." Vidhi means Lord Brahma. Vidhi-mahendradis ca kitayate. Kitayate means such great personalities are taken by perfect devotee as ordinary insect. As ordinary insect has no value, similarly, anyone, however great he may be in this material world, if he is not God conscious, he is no better than the insect. Because it has no value. Because he does not know that he is going to become a dog next life. He loved a dog very much, and he bequeathed his all property to the dog, but he is going to become himself a dog. Therefore he's a rascal. What is his intelligence? He got some money. There are many instances in (your) country. They bequeath the whole wealth to the dog. Is it not?

Devotees: Yes.

Prabhupada: So how much rascal he is, that? And if you go that "Give us some money for advancing Krsna consciousness," "No, no, we are not interested in religion. I am interested in dog." So how much rascal he is, that. Just imagine.

So everyone is a rascal. Everyone is rascal. How we so boldly say that everyone is? Because Krsna says. We are Krsna-ite. We have to follow. Just like a small child follows the talkings of his father and mother, so similarly, we learn from Krsna. Krsna says,

na mam duskrtino mudhah
prapadyante naradhamah
mayayapahrta-jnana
asuram bhavam asritah
 [Bg. 7.15]

Krsna says. So we have learned from Krsna. So we test. What is the test? Na mam prapadyante. He does not surrender to Krsna. So such person, what he is? Now, duskrtina, sinful. Meritorious sinful, that when merit is applied for sinful activities, you can do it very nicely than the ordinary man. A scientist discovers some method of stealing, how to break the treasury of the bank. So that does not mean... Because he is doing scientifically, stealing, that does not mean he is not a thief. He is a thief. How you can say, "Oh, he has done it very scientifically"? (laughing) The law will say, "You are rascal. You are thief. You must be punished." So these so-called educated scientists, philosophers, what they are doing? They are simply doing mischief. Therefore they are duskrtina. Duskrtina. Mudha. Mudha means rascal. Ass. Because nobody knows what is the aim of life. They're exactly like the ass. He does not know what is his interest. Unnecessarily he is carrying three tons of cloth of the washerman. Therefore he is called ass. His gain is a little morsel of grass. He can get grass anywhere. Still, he is thinking, "I am obliged to this washerman. Because he is supplying me grass, therefore I must have three tons of cloth on my back." This is ass. This is ass. He has no interest. Not a single cloth belongs to him, and he is carrying, oh, three tons of cloth. Therefore the ass. Ass means one who does not do know his interest, and he works unnecessarily and wastes his time.

So everyone in this material world, he does not know what is the aim of life. Unnecessarily he is making plan, this plan, that plan, this plan, that plan. And all plan is being frustrated by the laws of nature. Daivi hy esa gunamayi mama maya duratyaya [Bg. 7.14]. Every plan will fail. And those who are plan-making persons, they are all rascals. They do not know that what kind of plan should be made. The plan should be made that everyone should be God conscious. Then every plan will be successful. Otherwise all, everything will fail.

So these sacrifices are forbidden in this age, Kali-yuga, because there is no expert brahmana who can conduct the sacrifices, neither people have got any means. Now, so far bhuri-daksinan, so there was one king. He performed this sacrifice, and by the grace of Lord Siva, he got the information of a golden mountain. So golden mountain, he collected enough gold from that mountain, and in the sacrifice he made everything made of gold, everything. So he distributed utensils. That is the system, that to the brahmana who attends the sacrifice, they are given money, utensils, cloth, bedding. Because brahmanas, they do not care for material possessions. They are simply engaged in Brahman consciousness, God consciousness. Therefore it is the duty of the ksatriyas and the vaisyas to give them in charity so many things, so that they may not feel any want of material necessities. They do not beg. So this king, he arranged for distributing to the brahmanas so many golden utensils that when they were given to the brahmana, each and every brahmana, some of them thought, "What is the use of such load?" This is brahmana. So after coming out from the sacrificial arena, they threw away. "Throw! Who will carry such a load?" Just see. This is brahmana. A big load of gold they neglected. They threw it away. "I don't want it. This king has given. All right, take. But I will throw away." (laughing) This is brahmana, yes. He doesn't care for all these things. Brahmana's another par..., is yajana yajana dana pratigraha. He accept charity, huge quantity, and next moment he spends or throw it away. That's all. Again poor man. That is brahmana. Again collect money. Spend it for Krsna consciousness. That is brahmana. That is brahmana. So bhuri-daksinan. Those... In very long, long years ago this was done.

So when Maharaja Yudhisthira was in need of money for performing this asvamedha sacrifice, so he asked his brothers, assistants, "Now we have spent all our money in this Battle of Kuruksetra. You know the expenditure of battle. So I require money. So where is the money?" So when Krsna saw that Arjuna and Maharaja Yudhisthira is is very much perplexed to secure money, so he asked his friend Arjuna, "You can go there, near Himalaya. There is huge stock of gold utensils, and formerly they threw it away. You can go and collect. Bring it." So immediately he went, and he collected all the thrown utensils of gold, and enough money was collected. Therefore Arjuna's another name is Dhananjaya. Dhananjaya means "who has conquered, securing wealth." Dhana means wealth. Dhananjaya.

So this is sacrifice. This is sacrifice. But it is not possible. Asvamedham gavalambham [Cc. Adi 17.164]. This is forbidden. Here, at the present moment, the yajna is sankirtana. Yajnaih sankirtana-prayair yajanti hi su-medhasah. Here at the present moment this yajna is recommended. This is recommended in the sastra, not manufactured.

krsna-varnam tvisakrsnam
sangopangastra-parsadam
yajnaih sankirtana-prayair
yajanti hi su-medhasah
 [SB 11.5.32]

This is the process of yajna in this age. What is that? Now, krsna-varnam tvisa akrsnam. The God's incarnation, that is incarnation, not a manufactured incarnation. There must be reference to the sastra. So what is the incarnation? Pracchanna-avatara. In this Kali-yuga the incarnation is Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. It is stated in the sastra, krsna-varnam, krsna

varnayati: "He is simply chanting ‘Krsna,' although He is Krsna Himself." Krsnam-varnam tvisakrsnam. Therefore He has hidden Himself. His bodily color is more Krsna, but golden. That is also stated. Krsna has got four colors. Suklo raktas tatha pita idanim krsnatam gatah. When Gargamuni made the horoscope of Krsna, that "This child has three other colors, suklo raktas tatha pitah. He had His color. Red color and white color and now..., and yellow color. Now He has assumed black color." Suklo raktas tatha pita idanim krsnatam gatah. So therefore His name was Krsna. So Krsna has another color. Pita. Pita-varna-gaurah. That is Lord Caitanya. Therefore tvisa akrsna: "Bodily complexion, not krsna." Such Krsna, chanting Krsna... Krsna-varnam tvisakrsnam sangopangastra-parsadam [SB 11.5.32]. Followed by many devotees, Caitanya Mahaprabhu. At least followed by Nityananda Prabhu, Advaita Prabhu, Gadadhara Prabhu, like that. So this is the description of the incarnation of God in Kali-yuga. Pracchanna-avatara. There is another avatara, Kalki.

So krsna-varnam tvisakrsnam sangopangastra-parsadam. To such God the method is to sacrifice. The sacrificing method is yajnaih sankirtana-prayair yajanti hi su-medhasah. Su-medhasah. Medha means brain substance. Those who have got good brain substance, such persons worship this Lord by the yajnaih sankirtanaih. So that we are doing here. Here is krsna-varnam tvisakrsnam [SB 11.5.32], Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Nityananda Prabhu. Therefore our first obeisance is to Him, then Krsna. This is the process of Krsna consciousness.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.16.3 -- Los Angeles, December 31, 1973

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