Signs Of Ignorance Of Self

72/12/07 Ahmedabad, Bhagavad-gita 2.1

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Prabhupada:

sanjaya uvaca
tam tatha krpayavistam
asru-purnakuleksanam
visidantam idam vakyam
uvaca madhusudanah
 [Bg. 2.1]

Madhusudana. Krsna is described here as Madhusudana, the killer of the demon Madhu. Madhu-kaitabha-ari. So Arjuna was attacked by a demon of forgetting his duty, being too much afflicted by bodily relationship. This is our position. In this material world, we are so much attached to this bodily relationship that it is to be considered just like we are ghostly haunted. In a poetry, Prema-vivarta, it is said that pisaci paile yena mati-cchanna haya, maya-grasta jivera haya se bhava udaya. Maya-grasta jiva. Maya-grasta. Maya means illusion, hallucination. So we are, in this material world, we are all illusioned. Illusioned means accepting something as fact which is not. Something... Just like in dream we see sometimes I am attacked with a tiger; my head is being cut off. So many things. So actually there is no tiger, my head is not being cut off, but still, I am crying: "Oh, here is a tiger, here is a tiger!" So our attachment for this world is like that. It is illusion. I am thinking that "Without me, everything will be spoiled. My presence is required." And so on, so on. Just like sometimes our political leaders. Each and every one of them thinks that without him, the whole situation will be spoiled. Even Mahatma Gandhi, he was so attached that he would not retire from political life -- unless he was killed. The attachment was so strong. But after passing away of Mahatma Gandhi or Jawaharlal Nehru or so many big, big leaders, the world is going on. There is a Bengali proverb that "When the king dies, it does not mean the kingdom stops." The kingdom goes on. But when, so long, the leader or the person in charge remains there, he thinks that "Without me, everything will be spoiled." This is called maya. This is called illusion.

According to Vedic system, therefore, there is forced renunciation. Nobody wants to retire from family life, but the Vedic injunction is that after one has passed fifty years, he must leave his family life. Pancasordhvam vanam vrajet. In the beginning, as a student life, he's trained up, brahmacari, undergoing severe austerities, penances, and taking instruction from the spiritual master about the temporary existence of this material world. In this way, he's trained up very nicely. And even after training, if he appears to be attached to this material world, he's allowed to go home and marry. And some of the brahmacaris are allowed to remain naisthika-brahmacari, without going home and accepting a wife. But one who cannot, he's allowed to accept wife and become a householder and remain there for twenty-five years. Because generally, the brahmacari was going home at the age of twenty-four years, twenty-five years. So after marriage, he may get a child. So living there for twenty-five years, means the child is grown up. Then the husband and wife takes leave, not leaving for good, but vanaprastha, traveling in pilgrimages like Vrndavana, Prayaga. That was the system. And after two months, again he comes back and remains home for another two months. Again goes out. In this way, the whole process is how to give up attachment from this family life, from this world. And when he's trained up fully, he takes sannyasa. That is our Vedic system.

So the attachment of this material world is very strong. That is stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam by Rsabhadeva: Pumsah striya mithuni-bhavam etam. This whole material world is an attachment of male and female. Pumsah striya mithuni-bhavam, sex impulse, attachment. Tayor mitho hrdaya-granthim ahuh. And when they are married, when they are united, then it becomes a hard knot in the heart. Ato grha-ksetra-sutapta-vittair janasya moho 'yam aham mameti [SB 5.5.8]. Then gradually, after being united, one becomes attached to grha, home, apartment, ksetra,... Formerly there was no industry. So everyone must have some land to produce food. Grha-ksetra, suta, then children; apta, friends; vitta, then money, because without money, nothing can be maintained. Atah grha-ksetra-sutapta-vittair janasya mohah. He becomes more and more illusioned. And aham mameti: [SB 5.5.8] "Oh, this is my country. This is my family. This is my house. This is my children." So on, so on. Mama. "Mine." And "I am this person. I am this body." This is illusion.

So Arjuna appeared to be illusioned that "How I shall fight with my brothers and grandfather on the other side?" He became so much illusioned... Tam tatha krpayavistam [Bg. 2.1]. He became illusioned not unnecessarily. He was very much compassionate, compassionate with his family members. Krpayavistam, asru-purnakuleksanam [Bg. 2.1]. And he was crying. There was tears in his eyes. Visidantam idam vakyam. And he was lamenting in this way: "How shall I fight?" So Krsna then began to speak. Krsna saw that "My friend, Arjuna, has become too much illusioned." So He wanted to kill the demon of illusion. Therefore He's mentioned herein as Madhusudana. Krsna comes. He has got two business: paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca duskrtam [Bg. 4.8]. Side by side, giving protection to His devotees, sadhu... Sadhu means devotee. Devotee of Krsna is mentioned in the Bhagavad-gita as sadhu. Api cet su-duracaro bhajate mam ananya-bhak, sadhur eva sa mantavyah [Bg. 9.30]. One who is strictly a pure devotee of Krsna, he is mentioned as sadhu. Sadhur eva sa mantavyah samyag vyavasito hi sah [Bg. 9.30]. He is first-class sadhu. Even if he's a grhastha, it doesn't matter. Generally, we understand sadhu means with saffron cloth. No. Sadhu's qualification is that he must be a pure devotee of Krsna. Sadhavah sadhu-bhusanah. Sadhavah sadhu-bhusanah. So now Krsna speaks, sri bhagavan uvaca. Bhagavan. This Bhagavan means one who is full with six kinds of opulences. He's called Bhagavan.

aisvaryasya samagrasya
viryasya yasasah sriyah
jnana-vairagyayas caiva
sannam bhaga itingana
(Visnu Purana 6.5.47)

Bhaga. Bhagavan and Krsna. Krsna means all-attractive. Bhagavan Sri Krsna. Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam [SB 1.3.28]. There are other great personalities. Lord Siva is also sometimes described as Bhagavan. Similarly, Lord Brahma, Narada, others are also sometimes described as Bhagavan. But real Bhagavan means Krsna. They are Bhagavan partially. All these things have been very much carefully analyzed by Srila Rupa Gosvami. He has analyzed in the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, which we have translated into English: Nectar of Devotion. He has analyzed that Krsna is cent percent Bhagavan. And Narayana is ninety-four percent Bhagavan. And Lord Siva is eighty-four percent Bhagavan. And all other living entities, all living entities, we are, we are minutely seventy-eight percent Bhagavan. That means when you come to the perfection of life, when you are actually in the spiritual stage, then you are..., you have got the qualities of Bhagavan in minute quantity, but not all the qualities -- eighty, seventy-eight percent. These have been very nicely analyzed in Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu. And the sastra says also: krsnas tu bhagavan svayam. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam there is a list of all the incarnations, that "Such and such incarnation appears for such and such particular activities." In that incarnation list there is name of Lord Ramacandra also, Lord Buddha also. Buddha's name is also there. But in the conclusive portion it is declared there: ete camsa-kalah pumsah krsnas tu bhagavan svayam [SB 1.3.28]. In that list, the name of Lord Krsna, Lord Balarama is there also. But the conclusion is given by Vyasadeva that "Except Krsna, all others, they are plenary expansion of Krsna, or part of plenary expansion of Krsna." Amsa-kalah. Amsa means direct expansion. And kalah means expansion of the..., secondary expansions. So it is concluded there that ete camsa-kalah pumsah. All these incarnations, they are either amsa or kalah. But Krsna, the name Krsna, krsnas tu bhagavan svayam: He's the original Personality of Godhead, Krsna.

The same thing, here Vyasadeva describes: sri bhagavan uvaca. He's not ordinary person. Bhagavan speaking. Bhagavan means... What is Bhagavan? Aisvarya. Aisvarya means riches. Nobody can be richer than Bhagavan. We have got our ideas of richness. I may be rich, but you are richer than me. Somebody is richer than you. Somebody is richer than another, another, another. You go, make proceed. When you find out the final richest person, that is Bhagavan. Aisvaryasya sama... Samagrasya. All riches. Not that partial. One may have one thousand, another man, one lakh, one man, one crore, but nobody can say that "I have got all the monies." No, that is not possible. But Bhagavan has all the monies. Aisvaryasya samagrasya viryasya. Similarly, strength, bodily strength or power. Aisvaryasya samagrasya viryasya yasasah. And similarly, reputation. We are also reputed. But nobody can be reputed than Krsna. Just like five thousand years ago He spoke this Bhagavad-gita, and He's so reputed that Krsna spoke Bhagavad-gita and still it is running on. Not only in India, but we are traveling all over the world. There are so many editions of Bhagavad-gita. So He's so reputed. So aisvaryasya samagrasya viryasya yasasah sriyah (Visnu Purana 6.5.47). And beautiful. The most beautiful. Krsna, most attractive. Yasasah sri..., jnana, knowledge, the book of knowledge which He has given, this Bhagavad-gita, there is no comparison. There is no second book in the whole world which contains so full of knowledge. So jnana. And vairagya also. In spite of all the property of Krsna, Krsna doesn't care for this material world. He is busy in the spiritual world. Radha-madhava kunja-bihari. He's busy in Vrndavana. He has many servants. Just big man has got many secretaries, servants, they look after, similarly, in this material world. His representatives -- Brahma, Visnu, Mahesvara -- they are managing the affairs of this whole universe. But He's enjoying in Vrndavana. Jaya radha-madhava kunja-bihari. He has no concern. He doesn't care what is happening here. But it, it does not mean that He doesn't care, but He has no anxiety how the things are being managed. When it is mismanaged, then sometimes Krsna comes in His Vasudeva form. Not the original Krsna. Original Krsna never leaves Vrndavana. Padam ekam na gacchati. He's always in His abode.

cintamani-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vrksa-
laksavrtesu surabhir abhipalayantam
laksmi-sahasra-sata-sambhrama-sevyamanam
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
 [Bs. 5.29]

He is very much adhered to His cows. Surabhir abhipalayantam. And He's surrounded by hundreds and thousands of goddesses of fortune, these gopis. He is surrounded. Laksmi-sahasra-sata-sambhrama-sevyamanam [Bs. 5.29]. We are, we are praying goddess of fortune to have some favor, but in the spiritual world, Krsna is served by hundreds and thousands of goddess of fortune. This is Krsna's position.

So I do not know why foolish people, they do not understand what is God. Everything is there. And He comes also, personally. Not only the God's name, address, activities, and everything is there, but He comes personally also. He proves Krsna. He proved that He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. When Krsna was present, He proved all these things. Aisvaryasya samagrasya viryasya yasasah sriyah (Visnu Purana 6.5.47). He proved. He had sixteen thousand wives, and each wife, a big palatial building of marble, bedecked with jewels and gardens with parijata flowers. These are description. Nobody can maintain sixteen thousand wives in sixteen thousand palaces. Not only that, not that if He enters in one palace, He lives with one wife, the other wives are vacant. No. He expanded Himself into sixteen thousand forms. And with each wife He was living comfortably. Each wife had ten children. And those children also had each ten children, grandsons. In this way, Krsna's family was more than one crore, Yadu-vamsa. So if you study from material point of view, when Krsna was present, He proved that He's Bhagavan. And Bhagavan means not a big beard and meditation. Krsna never became Bhagavan by meditation. He was not a manufactured God. He's God always. He's not manufactured. When He was on the lap of His mother Yasoda, He was God. The Putana came to kill Him, but Krsna killed him. In this way, if we read the life of Krsna, He's proved -- Bhagavan. And not only He proved Himself, but all others, great authorities, accepted Him Bhagavan. There are four Vaisnava acaryas in the recent years and one Mayavada acarya, Sankaracarya. Sankaracarya also, although he is inclined to the impersonal feature of the Lord, but he accepted Krsna: sa bhagavan svayam krsnah. He accepted: "Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Narayana." Narayanah avyaktat. So other Vaisnava acaryas, Ramanujacarya, Madhvacarya, Visnusvami, Nimbarka, lately Lord Caitanya, all of them accepted Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And Arjuna, he also, when he heard from Him Bhagavad-gita, he accepted Him as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam bhavan, purusam sasvatam [Bg. 10.12].

So Krsna is accepted universally the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Why people are making research, "Where is God?" I do not know. Why they are uselessly taking so much hard labor to search out God? Here is God, Krsna. Bhagavan uvaca. So there is no reason, there is no, I mean to say, chance of not accepting Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Krsna personally says that mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya: [Bg. 7.7] "There is no more superior element above Me." Aham sarvasya prabhavah [Bg. 10.8]. "I am the origin of everything." Aham adir hi devanam [Bg 10.2]. Then... There are so many statements, "Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead." So anyone who is actually serious about understanding about the Supreme Personality of Godhead, there is no difficulty. But because we are obstinate, because we are sinful, because we are lowest of the mankind, because our knowledge has been taken away by maya, and because we are atheists, we do not accept Krsna as the Supreme Personality. Otherwise, there is no reason. Krsna therefore describes: na mam duskrtino mudhah prapadyante naradhamah [Bg. 7.15]. Unless one is duskrtina, always miscreants, full of sinful life, he cannot deny Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

So our, this Krsna consciousness movement is preaching all over the world that "You are all advanced in civilization, and advanced in scientific knowledge, and advanced in everything, but you are missing one thing -- God, Krsna. So here is God. Here is Krsna. You try to understand Krsna and be Krsna conscious and make your life successful." That is our propaganda. Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. [break]

Indian: May I ask you one question?

Prabhupada: Yes.

Indian: When there is bhajana singing...

Prabhupada: Yes.

Indian: ...which I can understand the words...

Prabhupada: Hare Krsna?

Indian: Or any bhajana of God. Then, you see, understand language and everything. You see, if it is just like Mirabhai and crying, tear comes from my face, and laughing, very instant laughing, laugh...

Prabhupada: Yes.

Indian: And there is no other progress.

Prabhupada: No, that is asta-sattvika-vikara.

Indian: Sattvika-vikara.

Prabhupada: Yes, that is called vikara, transformation of spiritual platform. Yes.

Indian: But still there is something more, something more.

Prabhupada: No, that is the... When one cries, transformed, that means he's realizing Krsna.

Indian: Yes, yes...

Prabhupada: He's realizing like that. That is realization. Caitanya Mahaprabhu also used to do that. That is highest stage, maha-bhava.

Indian: Maha-bhava, yes...

Prabhupada: Yes.

Indian: So then I go in bhajana, wash out everything; I feel myself that there is only soul, no body. And then you see a man who sings or who are present, you see, they are also not their body. Simply soul.

Prabhupada: Yes, forget all material... Yes.

Indian: All these things. Then there is only soul.

Prabhupada: Yes, that is perfectional, liberated stage.

Indian: Liberated stage.

Prabhupada: Yes.

Indian: And have you explained anything about this in your Gita, in fifteen... You see? These three...?

Prabhupada: Gita is just to understand what is God. And then, when you are actually engaged in God's service, these things come. That is higher stage. Gita is the ABCD of understanding God.

Indian: So it will give you some more reflection... You see...

Prabhupada: Yes. But if we accept the ABCD, then we come to literature. Then we pass M.A. examination. Yes. So Gita is the preliminary step, first step of understanding God.

Indian: I am reading Gita from my childhood. I like it.

Prabhupada: Very good.

Indian: Yes. So I think your Gita will give me some more reflection.

Prabhupada: Yes. I am explaining as it is. I am not interpreting. So it is being accepted.

Indian: So I should read it.

Prabhupada: Thank you.

Indian: That's the inclination, that I should read the books.

Prabhupada: (laughing) Very good.

Indian: Very good.

Devotee: Hare Krsna!

Prabhupada: Jaya. (pause) Yes, let us discuss. [break]

Indian (2): ...the Pandavas. So if we do our work so perfect, we can't do it. Otherwise, we... So I am an imperfect devotee. But the question, you see, I was wondering ... all the worldly duties sincerely and honestly to our capacity pride is necessary or inevitable. "Oh, I'm a brahmana. I'm worshiping God." But pride is necessary that we must do in our own hand. I cannot.

Prabhupada: Yes. If your life is so made that in every step you are feeling presence of Krsna, then it is Krsna consciousness. That is the first-class yoga, as it is confirmed by Krsna:

yoginam api sarvesam
mad-gatenantar-atmana
sraddhavan bhajate yo mam
sa me yuktatamo matah
 [Bg. 6.47]

Just like these boys, they are being trained up to think of Krsna twenty-four hours. Kirtaniyah sada harih [Cc. Adi 17.31].  Just like we have constructed this pandal. Our business is to preach Krsna. So the energy employed for constructing this temple, that is also Krsna, that energy. Somebody is doing... Anything... Nirbandhah krsna-sambandhe yuktam vairagyam ucyate. If our activities are always dovetailed for Krsna's satisfaction, that is called vairagya. Vairagya. A man is engaged in business. That's all right. But if the fruit of that business is made, is meant for Krsna, then sva-karmana tam abhyarcya. That is sva-karmana. Generally, we work for our sense gratification. "I have got this money. I must use for my sense gratification or for my relative's sense gratification or for my country's sense gratification, for my society's sense gratification." So this is materialism. But when the same thing is turned for Krsna's sense gratification, that is spiritual. That is the difference between prema and kama. Kama. It has been very simplified by Kaviraja Krsnadasa Gosvami in his Caitanya-caritamrta: atmendriya-priti-vancha tare bali ‘kama'. Atmendriya-priti. If you want to satisfy your senses, that is called kama, lust. Krsnendriya-priti-iccha dhare ‘prema' nama. The same thing, when you try to satisfy the senses of Krsna, that is called prema.

So we have to divert the activities for Krsna. That is Krsna consciousness. Just like Arjuna. Arjuna, he, in the beginning, he denied to fight. That, our subject matter. He was crying. "No, no, I cannot fight." So apparently Arjuna was very nice gentleman that he is forgetting his claim over the kingdom, he's nonviolent, he's not willing to fight with his brothers, and he was crying so compassionate. So from materialistic point of view, he was very nice. But immediately, as we'll begin tomorrow, Krsna says that "Why you are thinking like anarya?" Anarya. Anarya-justam. "This kind of thinking is not for aryas, Aryans. It is for the non-Aryans." He did not... And the whole Bhagavad-gita was spoken to Arjuna to make him arya. And at the end, Krsna inquired from Arjuna that "What is your decision?" Yathecchasi tatha kuru. But Arjuna replied, karisye tad-vacanam. Karisye vacanam tava. [Bg. 18.73] "Now I shall fight." And Krsna gave him certificate: bhakto 'si priyo 'si me. "You are very dear friend, and My great devotee." Now, fighting is not very good business, killing. But sometimes, by killing, one can become a great devotee of Krsna. He was a warrior, fighter. His business was to fight, but he fought for Krsna. Then he became a devotee. That is sva-karmana tam abhyarcya. He... Arjuna, brahmana and ksatriya. Similarly, our..., means sva-karma, guna-karma-vibhagasah. Our, according to Vedic system, there are four divisions. Catur-varnyam maya srstam guna-karma-vibhagasah [Bg. 4.13]. Not by birth, but by quality and actual activities. So there are brahmanas. There are ksatriyas. There are vaisyas. There are sudras. There are brahmacaris. There are grhasthas, vanaprasthas, sannyasa. So everyone should be engaged to satisfy Krsna. That is the whole philosophy. Sva-karmana tam abhyarcya. "You work as brahmana, you work as a ksatriya, you work as a vaisya or sudra. It doesn't matter." Even Krsna has advised that "If you, even if you think that I am working as a vaisya, it is not very good, because sometimes I have to speak lie for business's sake. And brahmana's business is very nice. No." Krsna has advised: sa-dosam api na tyajet: "Even in your profession there are so many faults, you should not give it up. You should go on." But the result must be given to Krsna. That is the secret. You may work as a brahmana, as a ksatriya, as a businessman, as an engineer, as a doctor, as a warrior, whatever you may be. It is, it is never condemned. No work is condemned. Every work is dignified provided it is meant for Krsna. That is Krsna consciousness. [break]

Chant. (end)

 

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How Can There Be Peace

How Can There Be Peace

Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya 20.154-157
New York, December 7, 1967

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Prabhupada:

isvarah paramah krsnah
sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah
anadir adir govindah
sarva-karana-karanam
 [Bs. 5.1]

So Lord Caitanya has explained the particular features of Krsna, and He's giving evidence from Brahma-samhita and other authentic Vedic literatures. So we have concluded that Krsna is the origin. Origin. There are many demigods, gods, and living entities, energies, millions and millions. Parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate [Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport]. There is no estimate. But He is the origin of all. Just like in your New York City there are so many manifestation of electricity, but the origin is the powerhouse, similarly, He is the origin, powerhouse. Sarvadi, sarvamsi. He is the whole, and everything is part. And He is always just like a young boy of sixteen years old. And His body is transcendental, spiritual, full of bliss, eternity, and He is the shelter of everything. On Him everything is resting, and sarvesvara, He is the Supreme Lord.

svayam bhagavan krsna, 'govinda' para nama
sarvaisvarya-purna yanra goloka-nitya-dhama

Now, that Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna... Krsna is the original name of God, and Govinda is the qualitative name, transcendental qualitative. This Govinda, we have explained. Go means land, go means senses, and go means... Land, senses...

Devotee: Cow.

Prabhupada: Cow. Yes. This we have explained. And because He gives pleasure to all these things especially, cows and land and the senses, He is known as Govinda. Sarvaisvarya-purna. He is full of all opulences. There is definition of God in the Parasara-sutra. Parasara Muni, the father of Vyasadeva, he was a great sage. So he has given the definition of God. After consulting all Vedic literatures, he has given his, delivered the definition of God. What is that? Sad-aisvarya-purna: full of six opulences. And what are those six opulences? Aisvaryasya samagrasya: "He is the proprietor of all wealth, everything." So aisvaryasya samagrasya viryasya: "He is the reservoir of all strength." Viryasya yasasah sriyah: "And He is the supreme famous." Nobody can be more famous than Krsna. Aisvaryasya samagrasya viryasya yasasah sriyah (Visnu Purana 6.5.47). Sriyah means beauty. Nobody can be more beautiful than Krsna. And jnana, knowledge. Nobody can be more knower and full of knowledge than Krsna. And renunciation. And He is also, at the..., having so many opulences. He is renouncer of... He has nothing to do with all these things. He does not depend for His Godheadship on these qualifications. He is renouncer at the same time. So here also Lord Caitanya substantiates that sad-aisvarya-purna: "He's full of six opulences." Sad-aisvarya-purna yanra goloka-nitya-dhama. Nitya-dhama means He's homely. Homely. He's the proprietor of all land, but just like a king. A king is the proprietor of the whole state; still, he has got his personal residence, which is called palace, royal palace. So similarly, although Lord is the proprietor of everything, every land, every space, every, any, anywhere... This is the proprietorship of Lord, of God's.

So we are seeking after peace, but we do not know that where we are living. We are claiming proprietorship for the time being. We come here under different shapes, in different body, and claim proprietorship for the land where we are born. But we do not know by freaks of nature, any second, we can be driven away from this land and put another land. So where is my proprietorship? If I am staying for some time here, some time there... Bhojanam yatra yatra sayanam hatta-mandire: "I eat wherever eatables are available, and I sleep on the marketplace." Then where is my home? Where is my home? So this is our position. We are circumambulating under, in the cycle of birth and death. Sometimes I am claiming, "America is my land," sometimes claiming, "India is my land," sometimes claiming, "China is my land," sometimes claiming, "Moon planet is my land." No land belongs to you. Everything belongs to God. Isavasyam idam sarvam [Iso mantra 1]. He is the proprietor. Bhoktaram yajna-tapasam sarva-loka-mahesvaram [Bg. 5.29]. That misunderstanding... We are falsely encroaching upon and falsely claiming proprietorship. Therefore there is no peace. You are searching after peace. How can there be peace? You are falsely claiming something which does not belong to you. So here it is said, sarvaisvarya-purna.

So every place belongs to God, but that Goloka Vrndavana, that place is particularly His abode. You have seen the picture. It is lotuslike. All planets are round, but that supreme planet is lotuslike. So that is in the spiritual sky, Goloka Vrndavana. And from that spiritual planet... Just like the, from the sun planet, the sunshine is emanating profusely. Just like this sun is, is compared with the eye, eyes of the Lord. Not... One eye. Another eye, the moon. It is figuratively stated. Yac-caksur esa savita sakala-grahanam raja samasta-sura-murtir asesa-tejah. Asesa-tejah, unlimited potency, sunlight, is coming from the sun. This material world, we can practically experience. But the sunlight is also emanating from that light which is emanating from that Goloka Vrndavana. That is the real light, which is called brahmajyoti. So in that brahmajyoti there are innumerable spiritual planets also. So in the spiritual sky, in that spiritual light, in that spiritual planets, there are innumerable liberated living entities, and each, each and every planet, there is expansion of Lord Krsna. They are named by different names. [break] Sad-aisvarya-purna yanra goloka-nitya-dhama. So origin. He is the origin. His planet, Goloka Vrndavana, is the original planet, and from that planet, that brahmajyoti, light, is coming. And in that light, everything is resting. And in an insignificant portion of that light, this material world is situated. In that place there are innumerable universes as we are seeing one. And one of these universes, there are millions and billions of planets, of which this earth is only a insignificant fragment. And in that earth, the land of America, United States, is still insignificant. And in that state, New York is still insignificant. And in that New York City, this 26 Second Avenue insignificant. And we are sitting here. So just see how much insignificant we are. And we are claiming "God." Do not know... Sad-aisvarya-purna. This is called ignorance. We do not know how much insignificant we are in the creation of God, and we are claiming, "God." This is called poor fund of knowledge, poor fund of knowledge.

Now Lord Caitanya says that... He's giving evidence from Srimad-Bhagavatam. In Srimad-Bhagavatam it is stated,

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

Now, in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, perhaps in the Third Chapter in the First Canto, you'll find there is description of different incarnations, principal incarnations -- not all the incarnations, principal, in different yugas. So in that list of incarnations you'll find Lord Krsna's name also, Lord Rama's name also, Lord Buddha's name also. Lord Buddha is mentioned in that list. So we, Vaisnavite, we respect Lord Buddha as incarnation, incarnation. So do not think that the Hindus, they have got disregard for Lord Buddha or for Lord Jesus Christ. No. They have all regard. Anyone who comes as representative of God, or as God, as powerful incarnation, they are all welcome. According to time, according to place, according to the audience, they may speak, speak something which is, which may be different from the Vedic conclusion, but they are accepted as powerful incarnations. So in that list of incarnations, Krsna's name is also there. But just to particularize Krsna from all others, this verse is mentioned there. What is that? Ete. Ete means "All this list of incarnations that we have seen or we are reading in the Srimad-Bhagavatam..." Ete ca amsa-kalah pumsah. Pumsah means the Supreme Lord. "The Supreme Lord's plenary portion or portion of the plenary portion..." Just like the... I have several times mentioned in this room, that the original lamp... This is original lamp. And you kindle another candle, from that, another, from that, another, from... In that... Thousands and millions of candles, you can light up, but the original is called the original. Similarly, the original God is Krsna. From Him, Baladeva, and from Him, Sankarsana, and from Sankarsana, then Narayana, and Narayana, then second Sankarsana, the second Sankarsana, purusa avatara, then purusa avatara, Maha-Visnu... You have seen the picture in the, what is called, title page of the Srimad-Bhagavatam. The Maha-Visnu is lying in the, lying in the Causal Ocean, and in that Causal Ocean, from Maha-Visnu, from His breathing, millions and millions universes are coming out. And when He, when He breathes externally, the universes come out, and when He inhales, all the universes go into Him. You see? That Maha-Visnu.

yasyaika-nisvasita-kalam athavalambya
jivanti loma-vilaja-jagad-anda-nathah
visnur mahan sa iha yasya kala-viseso
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
 [Bs. 5.48]

That Visnu, Maha-Visnu, is the part, part, part, part, part, part of the part of the part of Krsna, that Maha-Visnu. So they are called kala.

So all these list... Bhagavata is specifying about Krsna. All this full list of God's incarnation... Either they are part, plenary part, or parts of the parts of the parts of the Supreme, but here, the name Krsna, He's the original God. Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam: [SB 1.3.28] "The Supreme Personality of Godhead is Krsna." That has been particularly pointed out in Srimad-Bhagavatam, although there are list of many. So that, that Krsna, although He is original, still, indrari-vyakulam lokam mrdayanti yuge yuge. Indrari. Indra. Indra is the king of heaven. And ari, ari means enemy. Just like the heavenly king and the Satan, conception of Satan. So when there is satanic influence over the kingdom of God, or the devotees, or the appointed demigods, they are disturbed by satanic influence, then Krsna comes. Yada yada hi... That is stated, confirmed, in Bhagavad-gita.

yada yada hi dharmasya
glanir bhavati bharata
abhyutthanam adharmasya
tadatmanam srjamy aham
 [Bg. 4.7]

Whenever there is discrepancies in the discharge of natural laws of God, then God incarnates. Either He incarnates Himself, or He sends His bona fide representative, or He sends His powerful representative, like that. So whenever there is incarnation of God, it is to be understood that there is discrepancies in the matter of discharging the laws made by God. And the laws made by God is called dharma, dharma, or religion.

So religion, you cannot manufacture; I cannot manufacture. Just like there are so many religions now, manufactured by laymen. Oh, they are not religion. Dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam: [SB 6.3.19] "Dharma means, religion means, which is made by God." Or His representative. Not by anyone. Not that you make a club or association, you manufacture some idea and it becomes religion. No. Dharmam tu saksad bha... [SB 6.3.19]. Therefore God incarnates. Yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati [Bg. 4.7]. Glanir means when there is discrepancies. In that law, which is given by God, when there is discrepancies and people are disturbed, especially the devotees are disturbed, when there is satanic influence, there is, devotees are very much disturbed. So paritranaya sadhunam [Bg. 4.8]. When incarnation comes, now, paritranaya sadhunam, the first business is to give protection to the devotees. There is no necessity of God's coming here to settle up things. There is no necessity. He has got omnipotential power. He can do without His presence. But when His devotees become very much disturbed, He comes personally. He comes personally, sends His representative. Paritranaya sadhunam. Sadhunam means devotees. Paritranaya and vinasaya ca duskrtam. And, simultaneously, when He comes, all these miscreants, they are killed. They are annihilated. Vinasaya ca duskrtam. Dharma-samsthapanarthaya, and reestablishing the principle of religion. Yuge yuge sambhavami. The Lord says, "I come in different millenniums."

So that is going on. There are innumerable universes, which you cannot estimate, and each of the universes, the Lord is incarnating Himself by one of His plenary portions. Krsna is present in some of the universes even now. We do not know where is that universe because we cannot see. What is information we have got? We do not know anything about this universe. We see so many stars in the night, so many sun, moon, but what do we know about them? Still, we are claiming that "We are very powerful. We are very advanced in knowledge." This is our poor fund of knowledge. Anyone who is claiming that "I am God" or "I am everything," he is a fool number one. Take it for... Immediately take as fool. What does he know? So indrari-vyakulam lokam [SB 1.3.28]. There are many universes and many planets. So in either of them or each of them, some sort of incarnation is present there. Just like in government, in every department, there is a government representative. Just like in your city, your mayor, mayor is there. Or any responsible post, there is some director, there is... Similarly, indrari-vyakulam mrdayanti yuge yuge. Yuge yuge means different yugas. The same example. Just like the sun. The sun is present everywhere. Just at this moment it is now eight, eight o'clock in New York. In India it is night. There is no sun. But here it is, sun present. Similarly, in your country also, if you go more farther eastern, western side, somewhere the sun is already there somewhere, somewhere the sun is not there. So similarly, the sun is there, but it is the particular time and place where people can see and cannot see. So Krsna is there always, everywhere, but it is the power of seeing where Krsna is or Krsna is not.

So indrari-vyakulam...  He is, by His one plenary portion, He is in either of the all universes. So in this universe, when He comes... Just like when sun appears in your country it takes round of twenty-four hours, similarly, when Krsna comes on this universe, it is only in one day of Brahma, that is, some millions and millions of years after, He comes. He has got a scheduled time also, to appear in this universe. We get information from authentic scripture. Indrari-vyakulam lokam mrdayanti yuge yuge. So He is... Just like sun is rotating, or we are rotating, similarly, Krsna is there. At a certain interval of time we see Him in this universe. He is present always, but at a certain interval... Just like the motorcar passes... It is going on. But when it is in front of my storefront, I can see. That's all. Not that because the motorcar has passed away, out of my sight, there is no motorcar. No. It has passed away from your sight. That's all. It is going on. It is going on. Similarly, incarnation, representation of Krsna, is always going on. When we can see, then it is... Krsna we can see. That is His omnipotency.

Now to understand that Krsna... Already said that bhakti, only devotional service, can help you in understanding that Supreme Krsna.

jnana, yoga, bhakti -- tina sadhanera vase
brahma, atma, bhagavan-trividha prakase

That same Krsna, He manifests Himself before you in three different features. What is that? Param brahma. Brahman, impersonal Brahman; impersonal atma, Supersoul; and Bhagavan, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The same Krsna. Actually Krsna is everything. He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Godhead, and He is Atma. He is situated as Paramatma, the Supersoul, in everyone's heart. And He is Brahman. He is impersonal brahmajyoti spreading everywhere. So how the same thing is understood in different features? That is said, jnana, yoga and bhakti. Those who are trying to understand the Supreme Absolute Truth through knowledge, they can go up to that impersonal Brahman. Those who are searching after the Supreme Absolute Truth through meditation, yoga, they can approach Krsna up to His plenary portion, Paramatma, or the Supersoul. And those who are pursuing the principles of devotional service, they can directly approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna. So Krsna is everything. He is impersonal Brahman, He is localized Paramatma, and He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead at the same time, but due to our different processes, different process of approach, somebody is realizing Him as the impersonal Brahman, somebody is realizing Him as the localized Paramatma, Supersoul, and somebody is realizing Him, isvarah paramah krsnah sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah [Bs. 5.1], the most, supermost reservoir of all pleasure, Personality of Godhead, and associates with Him in different relationship and enjoys life, eternal life, blissful life and knowledge of full...

Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila 20.154-157 -- New York, December 7, 1966

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Polished Pig-ism

Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.6.5
Vrndavana, December 7, 1975

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Harikesa: Translation: "For this reason, a person who is fully competent to distinguish wrong and right while keeping himself in material existence, bhavam asritah, must endeavor for achieving the highest goal of life so long the body is stout and strong and is not embarrassed by the dwindling condition of life."

Prabhupada:

tato yateta purusah
ksemaya bhavam asritah
sariram paurusam yavan
na vipadyeta puskalam
 [SB 7.6.5]

So Prahlada Maharaja said that people are engaged for improving economic condition. He has cancelled that tat prayaso na kartavyo yata ayur vyayah param. Prahlada Maharaja derides that "These people who are simply wasting time for improving material condition, ahara-nidra-bhayam maithun, they are not at all intelligent, because simply wasting time, valuable time." That I have explained yesterday, how important is this human form of life. Every moment should be utilized. Every moment is so valuable that if we lose one moment we lose so many hundred thousands of dollars. That they do not understand.

So how time can be utilized very nicely, that was also explained yesterday, mukunda-caranambujam. Just to take shelter of Mukunda. Mukunda means who can deliver you from this conditional life. He is called Mukunda. That is the whole thing. Krsna comes... The whole Bhagavad-gita teaching ultimately ends with this order, mukunda-caranambujam. Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. This is the ultimate. But because people have become deviated, fallen, they do not know what is the aim of life, what is the goal of life. They are simply wasting time. Vimara-cetah (?). Prahlada Maharaja said, "My Lord, I am not very much anxious for me because I have no trouble. As I have learned to chant Your glories, so anywhere I am happy simply by glorifying Your activities. But I am unhappy for this reason: when I see that these rascals simply for little material happiness, they are working so hard." Tato vimukha-cetasa maya-sukhaya bharam udvahato vimudhan [SB 7.9.43]. "They have forgotten You." Vimukha cetasam. They think that "What is the use of this Krsna consciousness?" Vimukha. And what is required? Maya-sukhaya. For few years to live in material comforts, bharam udvahato vimudhan, they are manufacturing so many big, big skyscraper building, nice road, nice car. Maya-sukhaya. In Western countries there is very... We are also imitating in India like Bombay city and others, bharam udvahato, gorgeous arrangement. And what for? For living for a few years. Then he is going to cats and dogs. He doesn't know that. Therefore maya-sukhaya. If somebody says that "You come here at my place. I shall give you very good food, nice shelter, all comforts, and after few days I shall drive you away and I shall beat you with my shoes," will anybody agree? No. So we are doing that. Forgetting our real business, we are busy in  maya-sukhaya bharam udvahato vimudhan [SB 7.9.43].

So Prahlada Maharaja concludes this instruction in this way: tato yateta kusalah ksemaya bhavam asritah. Bhavam means this material world, where we take birth and die after some time. Bhavam. Bhavam means "become, manifest." This is material world. We take birth, we exist for some time, we grow, then there are some by-products, and then we become old and then die. This is called sad-vikara, six kinds of changes. But the atma is the same. The example is given: just like a tree, any tree, say a mango tree. During season, summer season there are flowers in the tree, and then they grow a small green mango, then it becomes yellow or reddish, and then it becomes ripened. Then there is a seed within the mango. And then, when it is over-ripened, it falls down. Then finished, business finished. Similarly... But when the mango is finished, it does not mean the tree is also finished. The tree is there, and again, in the next season, there will be mango and the same changes will go on. Similarly... It is a crude example. We spirit soul, we are eternal exactly like the tree. Tree is not eternal, but in comparison to the fruit, it is eternal. A tree lives for hundred thousand, five hundred, years and the same business go on. The mango, it is coming in fu..., just like flower, then green, then grows, then dwindles. So we are eternal, and our different bodies are just like seasonal fruits. On account of our different karma, we get different body. So this body is undergoing the six kind of changes. But the soul, he is not going any change. He is the same.

So here it is said that we are changing, bhava. Ever-increasingly we are taking birth. Janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi-duhkha-dosanudarsanam [Bg. 13.9]. This is our actual distress, that we are obliged to take birth, death, disease, old age. So we are struggling against it. Nobody wants to become old man, especially in this winter season. It is very difficult for old men. So, but you have to accept jara and vyadhi. Nobody can escape disease. Nobody can escape birth. Nobody can escape death. But struggle is going on. When you are diseased, there is a great struggle how to cure myself, go to the doctor, take good medicine and so on, so on. But we cannot check the diseased condition. Similarly, we cannot check our old age, cannot check our birth, death. Therefore here it is said, kusalah. Kusalah means if you actually want benefit, because this kind of struggling has not given you any benefit, but if you want actually benefit, kusalah, tato yateta, then you should endeavor for this. What is that? Ksemaya, for your ultimate benefit. And how long? Sariram purusam yavan na vipadyeta puskalam. So long you are stout and strong, you should try how to become free from this bondage of birth, death, old age and disease, not that you keep yourself, this business set aside: "When we shall get old then we shall chant Hare Krsna and become Krsna conscious." That is not the meaning. Immediately. Prahlada Maharaja said that kaumara acaret prajno dharman bhagavatan iha [SB 7.6.1]. From the very beginning of life, when kaumara, a small child, boy, from that age one should begin this bhagavata life, or Krsna consciousness. That is called brahmacari, to teach brahmacarya from the very beginning of life. And when you are young, then you should work with more vigor and intelligence. At that time brain is very nice. Young man has got all the facilities. The machine is strong. This is a machine. So old machine cannot so work. So it is a great fortune for the young boys and girls of Europe and America that in this young life they are cultivating Krsna consciousness. It is a very good fortune.

Here it is recommended by Prahlada Maharaja, sariram paurusam yavan na vipadyeta puskalam. So long you do not become invalid, old, unable to work, you should try. Not try, you must -- yateta -- for developing Krsna consciousness. Not that "When I shall become old, before death I shall try a few months Hare Krsna." No. From the very beginning of life, from childhood, they should be taught how to chant Hare Krsna, how to attend mangala arati, how to... In this way, by this practice, vidhi, vidhi-bhakti, regulated principle, tapasya... This is called tapasya. Tapo divyam putraka yena suddhyet sattvam [SB 5.5.1]. If you want to purify your existence, then you should begin... That is human life, tapasya. Human life is not meant for polished dogism and pigism. That is not human life. If a cat and dog becomes nicely dressed, that does not mean he becomes a human being. He is cat and dog. Similarly, if we keep our mentality like cats and dog and outwardly we dress very nicely, they have been described as dvi-pada-pasuh, "two-legged animal." Animal. He is animal because he is not cultivating Krsna consciousness. The cats and dogs cannot do it, so he is no better than cats and dog. This is the conclusion. Sa eva go-kharah [SB 10.84.13]. That is the verdict of Vedic literature.

yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke
sva-dhih kalatradisu bhauma-ijya-dhih
yat tirtha-buddhih salile na karhicit
janesu abhijnesu sa eva go-kharah

Just like in Vrndavana many visitors come. They think that by simply taking a dip into the Yamuna water their tirtha is finished, pilgrimage is finished. But sastra says, yat tirtha-buddhih salile. If one comes to Vrndavana and simply takes advantage of taking a bath in the river Yamuna, that is also very good, but that does not finish his business. He must seek out where in Vrndavana Krsna consciousness is going on, janesu abhijnesu, "Where there is a person who can teach me about Krsna conscious." That is humanity. Otherwise, if he thinks simply by going to Vrndavana and taking a dip in Yamuna or shaving the head and purchasing some utensils for sons and daughter, their tirtha... They have been described as sa eva go-kharah [SB 10.84.13]. Go means cow, and kharah means ass. Tirthi-kurvanti tirthani. When you go some holy place, because in the holy place there are many persons who are very learned, who can give you very good instruction about spiritual life, so you must seek such person and associate with him. That is tirtha. Tirthi-kurvanti tirthani. Because it is said in the sastra that ordinary men with sinful habits, they come to tirtha, holy place, and actually they become purified. Actually they become purified. That is the glory of tirtha-sthana, dhama. But when such sinful garbage is accumulated, who will clear? It will be cleared by the saintly person, by their punya work. Tirthi-kurvanti tirtha... Again they make it tirtha.

So therefore it is advised... So anyone who is coming to Vrndavana, they must seek out the devotees who have dedicated to Krsna consciousness and trying to preach Krsna consciousness to the ignorant people who are busy in material activities. This is tirtha. Therefore it is recommended. In India you'll find so many tirthas, so many tirthas -- Prayag, Mathura, Vrndavana, Hardwar, Ramesvaram. That is the arrangement. And after retirement of life, vanam vrajet. Pancasordhvam vanam vrajet. Prahlada Maharaja also said to his father, hitvatma-ghatam grha-andha-kupam vanam gato yad harim asrayeta. Formerly big, big kings, everyone -- compulsory retirement, vanaprastha, sannyasa. Vanam means go to the forest. One who goes to the forest, he is called vanaprastha. From vana, the word vana, has come vanaprastha. Pancasordhvam vanam vrajet, that "After fifty years of age one must go to the forest for meditation, for tapasya, austerity." And when he is perfectly trained up... This training is given from brahmacari life, grhastha life also, but people are not taking training. They are not kusalam. Actually they do not know what is the aim of life. They are cats and dogs. So one who is kusala, actually knows the aim of life, for him, yateta ksemaya bhavam asritah. Because in the material existence it is simply suffering. But these foolish men, they do not understand. They are thinking, "Enjoyment." How you can enjoy? Krsna says, duhkhalayam asasvatam: [Bg. 8.15] "This is a place for suffering." Actually suffering, tri-tapa-yatanah, adhibhautika, adhidaivika adhi... But because they have become fools and rascals, they do not understand that they are suffering. They are taking it they are enjoying. Bhavam asritah. Therefore, anyone who is in such condition, abominable condition, condemned condition, they must take to shelter of Krsna consciousness so long the body is strong enough. [break] ...when the body is old and it cannot move, it is attacked with rheumatism, and so many other things, indigestion. No. So long it is sariram purusam. Purusam, why this word used? There are women also. Purusam does not mean man. Purusam means one who wants to enjoy. He is called purusa. Anyone here in the material world, although one has got the body of a male or although one has got the body of a female, both of them are for enjoyment. Therefore it is used, purusa. Purusa means enjoyer. So either the woman or man, the propensity is how to enjoy life. Therefore it is called. So either purusa, the male or female, anyone who has got this body, he must perform Krsna consciousness until she becomes... It should go on. If you practice when you are stout and strong... Just like a person begins exercising in young age, and in the old age also he can perform exercise. Practice, anything you practice, that is recommended. Yateta kusalah ksemaya bhavam asritah.

So this is Prahlada Maharaja's instruction, that "Don't waste your time. Human life is very valuable." And Canakya Pandita also says, ayusah ksana eko 'pi na labhyah svarna-kotibhih: "You cannot get back even one moment of your life by paying millions of dollars. So if you waste your time..." The Krsna conscious people, they should not be lazy. They should always remember that death is already there. Let me finish my business properly so that after death I may not be a cat and dog. At least I may get... There is no... My Guru Maharaja used to say that "Why should you wait for another life? Finish Krsna consciousness business in this life." In this life. Why you should set aside the business for another life? No. Turnam yateta anumrtya pateta yavat. This is the instruction of... Before the next death you should prepare yourself for death. Death is inevitable. You cannot avoid death. But before the next death comes, if you become fully Krsna conscious, then your life is successful. Janma karma ca me divyam yo janati tattvatah [Bg. 4.9]. What is Krsna? Try to understand Krsna -- Krsna, what is Krsna, why He appears, why He disappears, what is His nature, who is He. So many things are to be known. Krsna is God. He is not an ordinary thing. He has got unlimited qualities, unlimited function. And if we simply understand that krsnas tu bhagavan svayam... [SB 1.3.28]. Without going into the details, if we accept simply this fact, that "Here is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vasudeva, and everything is the exhibition of His different energies," vasudevah sarvam iti sa mahatma su-durlabhah [Bg. 7.19], if you simply understand, even if blindly, that everything, whatever we see, that is exhibition of Krsna's energy... Just like in this material world the practical example is, whatever we see, the trees and the plants and buildings, the chemicals, the... Everything is generating from the sunlight, energy of the sun globe. Similarly, whatever we see... Krsna says also,

maya tatam idam sarvam
jagat avyakta-murtina
mat-sthani sarva-bhutani
naham tesu avasthitah
 [Bg. 9.4]

Krsna is manifest by His energy. So if we understand these things, that is Krsna consciousness. There is nothing but Krsna. Therefore it should be utilized for Krsna. If everything belongs to Krsna, things belonging to a certain person, it must be utilized for Him. This is Krsna consciousness. Not that your property I can utilize for my benefit. That is stealing. That is cheating. So similarly, if we understand parasya brahmanah saktih sarvedam akhilam jagat, "Everything, whatever we see, it is distribution or manifestation of Krsna's energy..." That is explained:

bhamir apo 'nalo vayuh
kham mano buddhir eva ca
bhinna me prakrti astadha
 [Bg. 7.4]

apareyam itas tu
viddhi me prakrtim para
jiva-bhuta maha-baho
yayedam dharyate jagat
 [Bg. 7.5]

Everything is explained. So if you simply try to understand Bhagavad-gita and don't play rascaldom by interpreting in a different way, then your life is successful. Simply. Krsna has left, therefore, before His leaving this world. Yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata, tadatmanam srjami [Bg. 4.7]. He comes when you forget all these things. He comes again. He establishes dharma-samsthapanarthaya. What is that dharma? Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja: [Bg. 18.66] "All this rascaldom, cheating dharma, give up. Simply surrender unto Me."

So if you simply learn this art, that is Krsna consciousness. Then the result will be tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti kaunteya [Bg. 4.9]. You have to give up this body. That is certain. But if you don't take to Krsna consciousness, then you have to accept another body. Bhutva bhutva praliyate [Bg. 8.19]. So don't do this business. Finish this business. Samupeta-mrtyum. Na mocayed yah samupetya-mrtyum. This material existence means repetition of birth and death, bhavasritah. So if we want to be saved and elevated to our original position, then only means is Krsna consciousness. There is no other way out. That is stated by Prahlada, mukunda-caranambujam. He does not say for any other gods. Mukunda. Then what about others who are worshiping other demigods? Mudha. They have been... Kamais tais tair hrta-jnana yajanty anya-devatah [Bg. 7.20]. These rascals are befooled on account of lusty desires. Antavat tu phalam tesam [Bg. 7.23]. Suppose you worship a demigod. Yanti deva-vrata devan [Bg. 9.25]. You can be elevated to the celestial world, heavenly planet. But what will be benefit? You'll have to die there. The same death is there. You have to struggle there. Don't think that the demigods, they are living very peacefully. No. That is not possible. Indra is always embarrassed with so many things. You have read the fight with Indra. So many asuras, devasura, Hiranyakasipu. The same thing as... Simply they have got a long duration of life, a high standard of life, but the same struggle. Just like here you see in India and Europe, America. They have got the high standard of life, they have got skyscraper building, very big, big roads, motorcar. But what is that? Simply struggling. Are they happy? We are poor country. Of course, we have no such opulence. But the standard, the janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi [Bg. 13.9], is there, not that they are sitting idly and food is coming automatically. No. They have to struggle. So either you be in the heavenly planet or in the lowest planet, the struggle is there. Manah-sasthanindriyani prakrti-sthani karsati [Bg. 15.7]. So long we'll be in the material world, you have to... A-brahma-bhuvanal lokan punar avartino 'rjuna. Even you go to the Brahmaloka or Indraloka, Candraloka... They are trying to go to the Candraloka. They are trying to go to the Candraloka, but they do not know where is Candraloka. They are going and coming, going and coming. So one must know it that "Even if I go to the Brahmaloka by our material power, that is also punar avartino arjuna. That is bhavam asritah." So we should try to avoid the material existence and come to our original life, eternal life, blissful life, sac-cid-ananda-vigraha [Bs. 5.1]. That is really solution of the problem, ksemaya. Kusalah ksemaya. So long this human body we have got, and especially young men, don't spoil it. That is our Krsna consciousness movement.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.6.5 -- Vrndavana, December 7, 1975

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© 2001 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.

Krishna's Service-Absolute Delight

Krishna's Service-Absolute Delight

Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.38
Bombay, December 7, 1974

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Nitai: "The Lord continued: My dear mother, devotees who receive such transcendental opulences are never bereft of them; neither weapons nor change of time can destroy such opulences. Because the devotees accept Me as their friend, their relative, their son, preceptor, benefactor and the Supreme Deity, they cannot be deprived of their possessions at any time."

Prabhupada:

na karhicin mat-parah santa-rupe
nanksyanti no me 'nimiso ledhi hetih
yesam aham priya atma sutas ca
sakha guruh suhrdo daivam istam
 [SB 3.25.38]

So here is explained that how spiritual life is eternal and without any destruction. Here in the material world, whatever we have, it is destructible. It will be destroyed. Today one is my son, so tomorrow the son may be destroyed. But if you accept Krsna as your son, He will never be destroyed. That is the difference. Here whatever opulence we have got... We may have family, friend, sons, daughters, and so many things we possess. We enjoy life in the varieties of representation. Ato grha-ksetra-sutapta-vittair janasya moho 'yam aham mameti [SB 5.5.8]. Here we aspire after having good apartment, good house, grha, ksetra, possession, property. Ato grha-ksetra-suta, children; apta, friend; vitta, riches. We possess here. But this possession is illusion, janasya moho 'yam, because it will not stay. This grha... Either the grha will be destroyed or -- I am the inhabitant -- I will be destroyed. There will be separation. Here nothing is permanent. Grha-ksetra-sutapta-vittaih. Therefore it is illusion. We do not understand it. We take this, permanent, and Krsna, not permanent. But that is not the fact.

The fact is that Krsna is permanent, but Krsna's material energy is not permanent. Therefore it is said, santa-rupe, "My dear mother," na karhicin mat-parah. Mat-parah. Mat means Bhagavan. Bhagavan is speaking, mat-parah. Whenever... As in the Bhagavad-gita also there are many words, mat-parah, or plural number, mat-parah, the same thing. So here also, Kapiladeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, says, mat-parah -- means "My devotees. My devotees who have taken Me as his son, friend, lover, master..." There are so many rasas: santa-rasa, dasya-rasa, sakhya-rasa, vatsalya-rasa, madhurya-rasa, in so many. Those rasas, or mellows, are represented here in the material world in a temporary way. Here we have got the same rasa: I love my son. I love my friend. I love my husband. There is love, but this is all temporary. But if you transfer this love to Krsna either as your master or the Supreme or as friend or as your son or as your lover or husband, it will never be destroyed. That is permanent settlement. This is to be understood. But the Mayavadis, they cannot understand. They think that in the spiritual world there is no more such relationship as master, friend, or father and son, or beloved and the lover. There is no such thing.

But here in the sastra we see that that is real life. This is not real life. It is shadow. In the Bhagavad-gita in the Fifteenth Chapter it has been described as shadow. Urdhva-mulam adhah-sakham asvattham prahur avyayam [Bg. 15.1]. Asvattham. We have got experience of banyan tree. It is very durable. It stands for many, many hundreds of years. Therefore this material world has been compared with the asvattham, asvattham tree, very durable and very expansive. It goes on increasing, increasing. That is very nicely described in the Fifteenth Chapter. So it is called urdhva-mulam. Urdhva-mulam means... Here we have got experience: the tree has got its roots underneath, down. But this material world, which is compared with the asvattha tree, the root is upside and the branches downside. That means it is shadow. We can experience of this tree, urdhva-mulam. The root upside and the branches downside, we have got experience. Where it is? In the shadow. If you stand on the bank of a river or reservoir of water and if there is any tree by the side of that reservoir of water, you will find the shadow, urdhva-mulam. The root upside and the branches downside. Exactly the same tree, but it is shadow. It has no fact; it is simply shadow. Many places it has been compared with the mirage, mirage in the desert. Just like in bright sunshine in the desert you will find that there is water. So the thirsty animal, they think there is water. They jump over it, and the animal runs after the water, and the water also goes away, goes away, goes away. Sometimes we have got also experience. In bright sunshine on the street we find exactly a shadow of water, but there is no water. Tejo-vari-mrt, amrsa. In the Bhagavata it is stated: tejo-vari-mrt, amrsa. Sometimes in the water we see land, and on land we can see water. This is called maricika, or mirage.

Similarly, actual life... Our life means we are enjoying some rasa, some relationship. I enjoy in the family with my children. There is some rasa. They are calling me "father." I am enjoying. Or somebody is calling me as "son." I am enjoying. Some woman is calling me "husband." I am enjoying. Some woman I am calling, "wife." Some person I am calling "servant," and he is calling me... These relationship we enjoy. But this enjoyment is shadow. This is not real enjoyment. We have no information. This enjoyment can be achieved in the similar way with Krsna.

Krsna therefore comes in person just to teach us how you can enjoy with Krsna the same relationship. You can-Krsna-accept your master as the Supreme. You can accept Krsna as your friend. You can accept Krsna as your son, vatsalya-rasa, just like mother Yasoda. Mother Yasoda and Nanda Maharaja, Vasudeva or Devaki, they are all devotees. Nobody can become the father or mother of Krsna, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is not possible. He is the supreme father. Aham bija-pradah pita. He is everyone's father. Sarva-yonisu kaunteya [Bg. 14.4]. Therefore those who are not Krsna conscious, those who do not know how our relationship can be established with Krsna, they ask that "Who is the father of Krsna? If Krsna is the father of everyone, then who is the father of Krsna?" That is natural question. Because we are thinking Krsna like us. But the sastra says that He is the father of everyone, but nobody is His father. Anadir adih, govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami **. Anadi. Anadi means He has no beginning. Just like we have beginning from our father. Our life begins from our father. The father begets the child, and the birth is the beginning of our life. Similarly, we think that Krsna is also child of Vasudeva and Devaki; therefore He has the beginning.

But Krsna is not like that. In the Bhagavata it is described about the Krsna's birth. Krsna appeared as Narayana, Catur-bhuja, before Vasudeva and Devaki. But Devaki, because previously her seven sons were killed by Kamsa, so Devaki immediately prayed to the Lord that "This time You have appeared as the Supreme Lord Visnu. Now immediately Kamsa will kill You. Formerly my so many sons appeared as human child. They were killed. And Kamsa is searching after killing God, Krsna, the Supreme Lord. Now You have appeared, exactly four-handed Narayana. Immediately You will be killed." That is affection. That is called yoga-maya affection. "So kindly You appear as ordinary human child." This is the description in the Bhagavatam about Krsna's birth. So He did not appear immediately as a human child. He appeared first of all as the four-handed Narayana. Then, on the request of the father and mother, He became a child. This picture we have got in our Krsna book.

So that is the position of Krsna. Krsna is the father of everyone. That is said in Bhagavad-gita.

sarva-yonisu kaunteya
murtayah sambhavanti yah
tasam brahma mahad yonir
aham bija-pradah pita
 [Bg. 14.4]

The material world, the material nature is the mother of living entities. Just like to give birth to a child there is necessity of father and mother. So Krsna says that "I am the bija-pradah pita." So He is everyone's father. But we may ask, "Then who is His father?" His father is devotee. When He accepts anyone as His father, that father is His devotee. That is said here that karhicin mat-parah, yesam aham priya atma sutas ca. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is loved by the devotee as their son, as his son. Sutas ca. Somebody loves Krsna as his son.

The Vasudeva and Devaki, in their previous life they underwent severe austerities. After their marriage, they immediately were not anxious to beget child. They went to the forest and began practicing austerity and penances, severe, some hundreds of years. Then Krsna appeared that "What do you want? Why you are undergoing so much severe...?" "No, we want a son like You. Then we enter into the family life." So Krsna said that "Where is another Krsna?" Because God is one. "So if you want a son like Me, then I will have to become your son. There is no competitor." God has no competitor. God is one. Ekam brahma dvitiyam nasti. This is the... Krsna therefore says, mam ekam. Mam ekam. Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam [Bg. 18.66]. Krsna is one, but Krsna can expand. That is Krsna. The Mayavadi philosophers say that "If Krsna has become everything, then where is Krsna? Krsna is finished." This is Mayavadi philosophy. That is materialistic idea. Just like you big piece of paper and you tear it into small pieces and throw it; then the paper has no existence. The paper is finished. But Krsna is not like that. Advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam adyam purana-purusam nava-yauvanam ca [Bs. 5.33]. He has expansion, many, many thousands, many, many millions. Just like Krsna says, isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese arjuna tisthati [Bg. 18.61]. Krsna is situated in everyone's heart, and there are many millions and trillions of heart. Not only human being, there are animals, there are trees, plants, aquatics, fishes, so many. Anantyaya, sa anantyaya kalpate. There is no counting of the living entities. They are so... And the Paramatma, Krsna's another feature, He is everywhere. That does not mean the same materialistic idea that "If Krsna has entered so many millions of heart, then where is existence of Krsna?" This is called Mayavada, nirvisesa, "Now Krsna is finished." No. Krsna is not finished. Krsna still remains. That is the Vedic injunction. Purnasya purnam adaya purnam eva avasisyate [Iso Invocation]. We read this Vedic mantra; still, we think Krsna is finished. "Because He has entered so many hearts of living entity, therefore Krsna is finished. There is no more." That is nirakaravada.

But that is not the Vedic version. Vedic version is that not only Krsna's incarnation, but even if Krsna, the full, cent percent God, if He is distributed or if He distributes Himself in many millions of form, still, He is there in the same strength. Just like if you take some blood, my energy, out of my body, then after taking some quantity, my body becomes weak. Because so much energy is taken away. But the Vedas says, purnasya purnam adaya purnam eva avasisyate [Iso Invocation]. The balance is purna. That is Krsna. You take full strength. Krsna is sad-aisvarya-purna, almighty. So you take Almighty, and in millions and millions of units -- still the Almighty. That is Krsna. So we have to understand Krsna in that way. And if we can understand Krsna... Janma karma ca me divyam yo janati tattvatah [Bg. 4.9]. This tattva you will understand from the Vedic literature, what is tattva. Vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvam yaj jnanam advayam [SB 1.2.11]. So Krsna is never diminished.

There is a little story, very interesting. So one poor boy, he was student in a school, and the teacher's annual ceremony of father's death would be held. So he requested all his student, "What you will give me, contribution?" Formerly the teacher was not taking any salary. But whatever he wanted, the students will bring either from parents' house or by begging. That was the system. The teacher would not charge anything. A brahmana cannot be..., charge anything. Generally, the brahmanas were teachers. That is one of the profession of the brahmana. Everyone must have livelihood. So brahmana livelihood is pathana pathana. He must become a learned scholar, and he will make others also learned scholar. That is brahmana's business. Pathana pathana yajana yajana dana pratigrahah. Sat-karma. Six kinds of profession for the brahmanas. And ksatriya's profession is to give protection to the citizen and levy some tax, twenty-five percent, not more than that. Whatever is income your, give twenty-five percent to the ksatriya king. That's all. That includes sales tax, this tax, that tax, so many tax, income tax. All finished. You give twenty-five percent. And if you have no income, no tax. Not like that even you have no income, "No, last year you gave so much tax. You must give it. Otherwise your property will be sold." Not like that. So that is ksatriya's income. Similarly, vaisya's income, krsi-go-raksya-vanijyam [Bg. 18.44], agriculture, cow protection, and if there is excess foodstuff, then he can sell, make trade. And sudras, they will simply help.

So this teacher, the original story, the teacher asked the student for... Somebody said, "I will contribute this cloth," somebody said, "I'll rice," somebody said something, something, something. There was one poor student, he had no means. He was very poor. So when he was asked, so he replied that "I cannot say anything without asking my mother." "All right, you ask your mother and tell me tomorrow." So he asked, "My dear mother, all my class friend has promised the teacher to contribute this, that, this, that. So my turn is there. What shall I promise?" The mother said, "My dear son, we are so poor, we cannot give anything. But if Krsna gives, He is dina-bandhu, the friend of the poor. So if He gives something to you, you can promise." "Oh, where is Krsna? What is His name?" "Now, His name is Dinabandhu, friend of the poor." "Where He is?" "I understand that He is in the forest." So he went to the forest and called, "Dinabandhu brother, Dinabandhu brother, where You?" He began to cry. So Krsna came. When a devotee is very much eager to see Him, Krsna comes. He very is kind. So "Why you are asking?" "My mother... You are Dinabandhu?" "Yes." "So this is my condition, sir. What can I promise?" So He said that "You promise that you will supply yogurt, dahi. You will supply dahi." So he was very much satisfied. And he came to the teacher that "My Dinabandhu brother, dada, He will supply dahi, or yogurt, for whatever you require." "Oh, that's nice. Very good."

So on the day of ceremony, so he went to the forest again and called Dinabandhu dada, and He gave him a small pot of dahi, yogurt, a small pot. Oh, he was a child. He did not know. And the..., he brought it to the teacher, "Now, this is my contribution. My Dinabandhu brother has given. So you take." "The hundreds and thousands of people will be given foodstuff and this much dahi?" He became very angry. He became angry, he did not care, and the pot fell down, and the yogurt also fell down. But after some time, when he came, he saw that although the yogurt has fallen down, the pot is full. Then he again dropped it; again it is full. He dropped it; again it is full. Then he could understand it is spiritual. Purnasya purnam adaya purnam eva avasisyate [Iso Invocation]. You take the whole thing; still, the whole thing is there. That is Krsna. Not that because you have taken something, one minus one equal to zero. No. In the spiritual world, one minus one equal to one. And one plus one equal to one. That is called advaya-jnana. There is no duality. Plus and minus, they are two things. But in the spiritual world, either plus or minus, the same. That is to be understood. That is called Absolute, advaya-jnana.

So if you love Krsna, there will be no destruction like the material things. Either you love Him as your master... Here master, so long you are serving, the master is pleased. And the servant is pleased so long you are paying. But in the spiritual world there is no such thing. If I cannot serve under certain condition, then master is pleased. And the servant also -- the master does not pay -- he is also pleased. That is called oneness, Absolute. That is... This example is here. There are so many students in this institution. We are not paying anything, but they will do everything for me. This is spiritual relationship. That pandita Jawaharlal Nehru, when he was in London, his father gave him, the Motilal Nehru, three hundred rupees for keeping a servant. Then once he went to London, so he saw that the servant is not there. The pandita says, "Where is your servant?" He says, "What is the use of servant? I have no, nothing to do. I do it personally." "No, no. I wanted that an Englishman should be your servant." So he has to pay for it. This is an example. I have got hundreds and thousands of servants who I haven't got to pay. This is spiritual relationship. This is spiritual relationship. They are serving not for being paid. What I have got? I am poor Indian. What can I pay? But the servant is out of love, spiritual love. And I am also teaching them without any salary. This is spiritual. Purnasya purnam adaya [Iso Invocation]. Everything is full.

So if you accept Krsna as your son, as your friend, as your lover, you will never be cheated. So try to accept Krsna. Give up this false illusory servant or son or father or lover. You'll be cheated. You'll be cheated. If you love your son with your heart and soul, that very son will may be someday your most veritable enemy. Yes. This is the world. The wife you love so much, but the wife may be someday so great enemy that she can kill you for her own interest. There are so many instances. So if you want to have real... The Mayavadi philosophers, they are afraid of having such relationship again. Because they have got bitter experience of this material world, they want to make it zero -- no more relationship, no more son, no more daughter, no more lover, no more master. "Because we have got very bitter experience of these things, I am disgusted with these things. I will make it zero." But that is not the fact. The fact is that if you make the same relationship with Krsna, it will never become zero; it will be enthusiastic more and more. Anandambudhi-vardhanam, it is said. Ambudhi, ambudhi means sea. This morning we were walking. The sea cannot come, overflood, under certain extent, limitation. That is called... We have no experience the sea is increasing. No. But in the spiritual world, anandambudhi, the ocean of spiritual bliss, is increasing. Here the anandambudhi -- I have got some relationship with my father, with my wife, with my husband, with my master, but it will decrease by and by. The relationship is personal interest. "If you pay me, I will serve you." "If you serve me, then I will pay you." This is relative term, duality. But in the absolute world it is something different.

Therefore here it is said that na karhicin mat-parah santa-rupe, yesam aham priya atma sutas ca sakha guruh. You can establish your relationship in so many way. There is no question of making it zero. Because that is reality. Just like in the Bhagavad-gita, Fifteenth Chapter, it is stated, "the shadow of the tree." The shadow of the tree has got the branches, fruit, leaves. Everything is there. But it is nonreality. The real reality is up in the spiritual world. And that is shadow. Urdhva-mulam adhah-sakham [Bg. 15.1]. That is very practical example in the world. Urdhva-mulam. The real mula is up. Therefore we sometimes find that the lowest abominable thing is the highest there. Because the opposite. You see the upside of the tree down, but the upside is there. Therefore the rasas, there are so many mellows, and the parakiya-rasa... Parakiya-rasa means love without marriage. That is called parakiya-rasa. Therefore you will find the parakiya-rasa... Krsna's loving affairs with the gopis without marriage, that is called parakiya-rasa. Parakiya-rasa is the highest, topmost relishable spiritual bliss. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu recommended ramya kacid upasana vraja-vadhu-vargena ya kalpita. Krsna displayed everything so to attract us, that "You are captivated by this material jada-rasa, material rasa." There is rasa; otherwise why a man is working so hard to maintain the family? Unless there is some ananda, why he is taking? Nobody is taking so much hard responsibility for others. But children, wife, family, they take. There is... Unless there is some ananda, how he can take? So the relationship has got ananda. But this ananda is flickering, illusion. Ato grha-ksetra-sutapta-vittair janasya moho 'yam [SB 5.5.8]. This is moha. It will not stay; it is temporary, illusion.

So don't be attached to this illusion. Tamasi ma. Tamasi means ignorance. In ignorance, if you accept somebody as son or wife or friend, that is darkness. It is not actual fact. It is ignorance. Tamasi ma jyotir gama: "Go to the light." Have real friendship, real fatherhood, real lover, real beloved, real son. So if... And another point is that a devotee, real devotee, he doesn't want to be the son of God. He wants to be the father of God. Why? The father means he will simply give to the son. And son means he will simply take. So just like in the Christian philosophy it is said, "O God, give us our daily bread." This is one philosophy. That's a fact. God is giving. Eko yo bahunam vidadhati kaman. God is feeding everyone. That's a fact. But a devotee does not want to take anything from God. He does not worship God for his daily bread. One who asks daily bread from God, they are pious, but they are not devotees.

catur-vidha bhajante mam
janah sukrtino 'rjuna
arto jijnasur artharthi
jnani ca bharatarsabha
 [Bg. 7.16]

Krsna says there are four kinds of beginners of devotional service, four kinds. What are..., who are they? Artah. Artah means one who is distressed; artha-arthi, one who is in want of money; arto ar...jijnasuh, one who is searching after knowledge; and jnani, and wise man. So out of these, arto and artharthi, they are low-grade worshiper. Those who are jnani and jijnasuh, they are higher grade. Generally, they are lower grade. But they are not pure devotees.

Pure devotees, as we have explained yesterday, they do not want anything from God. Even liberation they do not want, what to speak of this material... Therefore the philosophy of becoming the father of Krsna is very perfect. Because one hasn't got to ask like the son asks from the father, "Father, give me this, give me this." Because devotee want..., doesn't want to ask anything from. Then how he can become son? Son business is to ask from father. Therefore they do not aspire to become the son of Godhead, but they aspire to be father of God. This is perfection-Nanda Maharaja, father, Vasudeva, father. Krsna will always ask. Just like Krsna is always asking to suck the breast of mother Yasoda. Always demanding. And if she refuses, He'll create disturbance. And mother Yasoda is always thinking that "If I do not feed Krsna nicely, He'll die." This is love. This is love. Therefore it is said that yesam aham priya atma sutas ca. The devotee accept Krsna as suta, as son, not as father. Father means exacting.

So in this way, if we actually establish... Establish means reestablish. It is already established. We have got different types of relationship. That is called svarupa-siddhi. Svarupa-siddhi. When you are perfect in spiritual life, you will understand what is your relationship with Krsna automatically. That is called svarupa-siddhi. You have got original relationship with Krsna. Nitya-siddha krsna-bhakti. Caitanya-caritamrta. That is a... Just like you are son of some gentleman. That is a fact. It is not that the son becomes father or father becomes son. No. The son is son; the father is father. Similarly, we have got an eternal relationship with Krsna, either as father, or as lover, or as servant, like that. So that is self-realization. When you will be perfect in love, in loving Krsna, then in what status of life you will love, that you will under... That will be revealed. That is called svarupa-siddhi. So svarupa-siddhi is not something artificial. When one becomes perfectly spiritually realized, then he understands what is his relationship with Krsna and he begins his service in that relationship as father, as friend, as guru, or as servant, like that.

So this relationship is eternal. So instead of being attached to this temporary relationship... Somebody thinking that "I have to serve my father and mother. That is my first duty." That's all right. First of all you select who is your father and mother. Now we have got a certain living entity as your father. Again, as you change body, your father may be somebody else. Today you have got a father, human being, and tomorrow you may have a father who may not be human being. You have to accept a dog as your father, or a cat as your father. So your father is changing with the change of your body. So first of all select who is your father. This dog is your father? The man is your father? The cat is your father? Who is your father? The tree is here. The seed is your father? Then you become devotee of father. But that we cannot do. Therefore Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam: [Bg. 18.66] "You accept Me as your son, as your friend, as your master. Then you will be happy."

Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.38 -- Bombay, December 7, 1974

HOME

© 2001 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.