Krsna Is Sunshine

Krsna Is Sunshine

Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya 22.31-33
New York, January 16, 1967

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Prabhupada: Krsna is the original sun; therefore wherever Krsna is present there cannot be any ignorance or illusion. Darkness is compared with ignorance, illusion, sleeping, laziness, intoxication, madness; these are all darkness. One who is in the quality of darkness, these things will be visible in his person: too much sleepy, lazy, ignorant. Just opposite, the opposite number of knowledge. So these are called darkness. So if actually one is in Krsna consciousness, these qualities will be not visible in his person. This is a test of progressing in Krsna consciousness.

krsna-surya-sama; maya haya andhakara
yahan krsna, tahan nahi mayara adhikara

Yahan krsna: wherever Krsna is there. Krsna is absolute. He can be present in His various potencies. He can be present by His name only. Just like we chant Hare Krsna -- He is present, because His name is not different from Him. That is the absolute sense. In relative sense... Suppose somebody calling me in my apartment, "Swamiji." Swamiji is here. The response cannot be. Just like in telephone. Yesterday Raymond was calling us by phone three thousand miles away. As soon as we took the, I mean to say, hanger, we could immediately hear him. If by material ways we can be touch in so swiftly, just see how much spiritual potency has Krsna. Although He's not present before us, He can be present in so many ways. He can be present by His name. Otherwise, all these great acaryas, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, would not have bothered themselves simply by chanting Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare. There is actually presence of Krsna. If you take any material thing... Suppose a very nice thing, a rose flower. "Rose flower, rose flower, rose flower" -- how long you can chant "rose flower"? Say thrice, four times, ten times, twenty times. Any more, you'll become disgusted. This is the test. But Hare Krsna you can chant twenty-four hours, you'll not feel tired. That is the test of absolute and relative.

So relative name and absolute name. Krsna, if you always keep Krsna in your presence, then where is the possibility of ignorance and delusion? No, there is no possibility. And this is the shortcut way of keeping Krsna always with you on your tongue -- Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama... And if you are rigidly in this chanting process, you must understand that Krsna is with you and there is no danger, there is no illusion, there is no maya. Krsna can be present by His fame. Just like we read something, we discuss something about Krsna's activities -- "Oh, He was present in the Battle of Kuruksetra. He became the charioteer and He delivered the lectures on Bhagavad..." These discussions, that is also presence of Krsna. Then His pastimes. Just like His lila in Vrndavana or with any other devotees. There are many lilas. Then Krsna's associates, those who are devotees of Krsna. If you speak about them, that is also a presence of Krsna. If you talk about Narada Muni, if you talk about Vyasa Muni, if you talk of Lord Caitanya, if you talk Rupa Gosvami -- those who are, I mean to say, unalloyed devotees of Krsna -- if you discuss about them, then Krsna is there. He is present by His name, He is present by His fame, He is present by His pastime, He is present by His associates. Anything in Krsna connection, that makes Krsna present in that spot. This is actual fact. One has to realize it, that's all.

So we may not... Just like the sun is so many millions miles away but he is..., sun can be present before us by his sunshine, his potency, sun's potency, energy. Similarly, these are all Krsna's spiritual energies, and He is compared with the sun because He is the original sun. Yasya prabha prabhavato jagad-anda-koti [Bs. 5.40]. From the spiritual planet, Goloka Vrndavana, the glowing effulgence, brahmajyoti, is coming out. How it is coming out? That we can very easily understand. As the sunshine is coming out, emanating incessantly from the sun disc, similarly the real sunshine, brahmajyoti, is coming out of the spiritual planet Goloka Vrndavana incessantly. That is called brahmajyoti. Yasya prabha prabhavato [Bs. 5.40]. And due to that incessant shining, all the shining which you are experiencing, even this lamp, even this electricity, fire, moonshine, sunshine, any shining, that is due to that brahmajyoti. So yasya prabha prabhavato jagad-anda-koti [Bs. 5.40]. In that shining, this material world, the spiritual world, they are resting. So impersonalists, they are concerned with the shining, that's all. The difference between the personalists and impersonalists is that impersonalists, they take that shining as final. But the personalists, they take, "No. Krsna is final." That is their difference of opinion. Otherwise, both of them in the spiritual realm. And so far Krsna is the cause of brahmajyoti, there are many evidences from Vedic literature. In Isopanisad and other Upanisads, in Bhagavad-gita also, the Lord says, brahmanah aham pratistha: "I am the source of brahmajyoti." You'll find in the Fourteenth Chapter, last verse, brahmanah aham jyoti. Is there any Bhagavad-gita? You find out Fourteenth Chapter, last verse.

Satsvarupa: The English?

Prabhupada: Yes.

Satsvarupa: "For I am the abode of Brahman, immortal, and the imperishable, of eternal law and of absolute good."

Prabhupada: That's all? So He's the source of brahmajyoti. So if we have such realization that Krsna is absolute, and if we realize... It is a question of realization.

Now, when you chant Hare Krsna, if we chant mechanically, then the effect is different. I have already given you ten kinds of offenses there are in chanting Hare Krsna. So mechanical way of chanting is also another offense. So offenseless chanting... Of course in the beginning, neophytes, we are apt to commit so many offenses. But we should be careful that the chanting should be offenseless. Then we shall realize that Krsna is present by His name. He is present. You'll realize and you'll have the same effect as you expect by meeting Krsna personally. You can see Krsna and you can hear Krsna. Because Krsna is absolute, there is no difference between seeing and hearing. That is the absolute sense. People give more stress on the eye: "Oh, can you show me Krsna?" Oh, can't you hear Krsna? Why do you give...? This is also one sense, that is also another sense. Do you think by seeing you'll understand everything? You are seeing so many things daily. Do you understand? So this is all foolishness, that "Can you show me?" Now we have got so many senses. So perception through any sense, because He is absolute, the same effect. Either you see Him personally or you hear Him. Rather, hearing is better because by seeing you cannot understand Krsna. When Krsna is present, all people saw Him, but they could not understand Krsna. But one who heard of Krsna even five thousand years after, just like we are hearing, we can understand Krsna as far as possible. So hearing is most important thing. You'll find in the Thirteenth Chapter, sruti parayana. Sruti parayana. Sruti parayana means one who is very much eager to hear about Krsna, he's a very nice qualified man. So hearing is very important thing than seeing or touching or smelling. Hearing is very... Hearing is the, is so important. When all other senses are not acting, sleeping, no other sense is acting, as soon as telephone bell is called, you get up. No other sense will act. So hearing is so perfect. Therefore according to Vedic principle this hearing is very important thing. Hearing. And one who is very much eager to hear about Krsna is very expert, because hearing is knowledge.

So if we hear Krsna, about Krsna, His name, His fame, then Krsna is present before us. And Lord Caitanya is giving another instance:

vilajjamanaya yasya
sthatum iksa-pathe 'muya
vimohita vikatthante
mamaham iti durdhiyah

In the Bhagavatam where describing the illusory energy... When Vyasadeva wrote Srimad-Bhagavatam he, first of all, he meditated himself in bhakti-yoga.

bhakti-yogena manasi
samyak pranihite 'male
apasyat purusam saksat
mayam ca tad-apasrayam
 [SB 1.7.4]

Maya ca yat, yaya sammohito jiva. So this maya, Krsna's maya, this illusory energy, external energy, also saw. Vyasadeva saw. He saw Krsna, apasyat purusam purnam. He saw the Supreme Personality as well as His maya. So maya, yad-apasrayam. Maya cannot come before Krsna. Because... Just like the sun. Sunshine, there ignorance or darkness cannot come, cannot approach. So he saw. Vilajjamanaya yasya sthatum iksa-pathe amuya. The maya is ashamed to come before Krsna because she is entrusted with very thankless task. Maya is entrusted by Krsna to take the conditioned souls and take charge of them. And maya has taken charge of all us conditioned souls, and her task is to punish, simply beating. So that is a very thankless task. She is discharging the duty entrusted to her by Krsna, but everyone, especially the transcendentalists, oh, they are hating, "Oh, maya, maya, maya." Nobody will like, transcendentalists, maya. Either personalist or impersonalist. But she's engaged. Just like police. Police is engaged by the state, but nobody likes police. Everyone will criticize police. Thankless task. Because they, unless they become strict, unless they become red-hot iron (?) they cannot execute their duty. That is their way of punishing. But people do not like them. Nobody likes police. You see. Even a police comes all of a sudden here to sit down here to hear us, we'll suspect, "Oh, he has come with some purpose." (laughs) It is such a thankless task. Similarly, maya is entrusted with thankless task. She cannot approach Krsna, neither she is liked by the conditioned souls.

So here it is said, vilajjamanaya yasya sthatum iksa-pathe 'muya. Why? Vimohita vikatthante. And illusioned by that maya, vikatthante, talks like a madman. What is that? Mamaham iti durdhiyah. The foolish conditioned souls are absorbed in two things: "I am," and "mine." "It is my, it is I am." "I am the lord of all I survey," or "This is my country, this is my society, this is my body, this is my son, this is my children, this is my home." This is..., this is the absorption. Although nothing belongs to him -- in a moment's notice everything finished -- but still he's so much vikatthante. "O my society, my country, my father, my mother." So many, "Mine, mine." Nothing belongs to him, but he says always, "Mine, mine." "My" and "I." This is maya.

So this maya cannot approach to a person who is always engaged in Krsna consciousness. This is the version of Lord Caitanya, and with evidences. So if we want to be free from the clutches of maya, then this is the only path -- to become Krsna conscious. There is no other means. Because here it is clearly stated, krsna surya-sama. Just try to understand the argument. Krsna surya-sama: Krsna is just like sun. Maya andhakara: and the maya is just like darkness. It is darkness. So just you cannot imagine where there is sunshine there can be darkness. Similarly, Krsna is just like sun; how can you imagine that Krsna and maya can exist together? No. That is not possible. If there is maya, there is no Krsna. And if there is Krsna, there is no maya. This is the test. If we are still in maya, that means I'm out of Krsna consciousness. And if I am actually in Krsna consciousness, there is no existence of maya. And what is the symptom of maya? Mamaham: "My country, my society, my father, my mother, my wife, my children, my property, my position, my, my, my." There is no end of "my," although nothing belongs to him. This is called maya.

So the more we make progress in Krsna consciousness, this "my" consciousness and "I" consciousness will vanish. Just like while eating, the hunger and weakness will vanish. When you are hungry, you have not eaten in three days, we become weak and we become hungry. So this is natural consequence. And as soon as you begin to eat, this weakness will disappear and the hunger will disappear, and satisfaction will come. There is no doubt about it. Similarly, if these two things cannot stand together, maya and Krsna, then if I am in Krsna consciousness then there is no question of maya. It may be that I'm not fully Krsna consciousness. That may be. Just like while eating it is not that immediately my hunger is satisfied or immediately I get my lost weakness. Takes little time. Similarly, Krsna consciousness may be a gradual process of advancement, but this is the rule. If we are in Krsna consciousness, there cannot be any existence of maya, illusion. That is the test. If I am still in illusion, then I should understand that my business in Krsna consciousness is not progressing. This is the test.

'krsna, tomara hana' yadi bale eka-bara
maya-bandha haite krsna tare kare para

This is a very nice thing. Why Krsna consciousness does not advance? Because due to our lack of surrender. We have got doubts that "Whether Krsna consciousness can make me actually advance?" We have got doubts. So long we have got doubts, the Krsna consciousness is not progressing. We should clear all doubts. That is, you have got, everyone has got right to clear doubts. Clear doubts. If you think Krsna as ordinary man, then that is doubt. Ordinary. Avajananti mam mudha manusim tanum asritam [Bg. 9.11]. "Foolish persons, they think Me as ordinary man." But He's not. He's God. We should not be, I mean to say, detached from Krsna because He's sitting on the lap of Yasoda. Still He's Krsna. There are instances. Therefore we have to hear about Krsna. Krsna, when He was only three months old, oh, very beautiful child... As beautiful child, He's taken care of other ladies and girls. Oh, it is very nice. So Putana, a demoness, she, in the dress of a very nice girl, approached Yasodamayi, and she had the desire... Because she was the agent of Kamsa. Kamsa was searching out to kill Krsna. So she came with poison in her breast so that she'll take the child, and naturally, the child, they suck breast of lady. And as soon as Krsna will suck the breast, and there is poison, it will die. That was his plan. Now Yasodamayi, she's very innocent lady. She came: "Oh, Yasoda, you have got very nice child. Will you kindly give in my lap?" "Yes, yes. Why not? Take." And she at once put the child on the breast and Krsna sucked. Krsna sucked the poison and Krsna sucked the life also. At once the demon fell, a gigantic body, and there was... "Oh, how He is powerful."(?) So He's all-powerful there in the lap of His mother. Yasodamayi thought, "Oh! God has saved my child! This demoness, they came to cheat me." Yasodamayi does not know that here is God on her lap. This is another maya. This is called yogamaya. If Yasodamayi understands He is God, then (s)he cannot, I mean to say, bring up the child just like her own child, ordinary child. Therefore she must be in ignorance, that she... Because there is the connection of love only. That's all. So out of love, as somebody forgets what he is or she is, similarly Yasodamayi constantly seeing so many wonderful things played by Krsna, still she is thinking, "Oh, He is my child. These things are happening by some supernatural power. It is God's grace. It is God's grace that my child is saved." She is simply anxious to save her child. That's all.

So these things are to be studied, to be seen. Therefore unless we hear about Krsna perfectly, then we cannot surrender. Therefore hearing is very essential. And krsna tomara... And when, as soon as we surrender unto Krsna... Krsna is very intelligent. He's more intelligent. At least two inches intelligent more. So how far I have surrendered, He knows. Simply artificially saying that "I have become Krsna conscious," He can understand. He can understand. But if actually one surrenders, then there is no question of attack of maya to him. All attack of maya finished. But the difficulty is that we have got doubts, we do not surrender, we do not understand Krsna, and therefore the difficulties always disturbing.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila 22.31-33 -- New York, January 16, 1967

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Working of Universal Machinery

Working of Universal Machinery

Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.26.41
Bombay, January 16, 1975

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Nitai: "By the interaction of fire and the visual sensation, the subtle element taste evolves under a superior arrangement. From taste, water is produced, and the tongue, which perceives taste, is also manifested."

Prabhupada:

rupa-matrad vikurvanat
tejaso daiva-coditat
rasa-matram abhut tasmad
ambho jihva rasa-grahah
 [SB 3.26.41]

How water is manufactured, that is explained here. The modern scientists, they speak of manufacturing water by combination of two gases: hydrogen, oxygen. May be true to certain extent. But from Vedic literature we understand that by the interaction of form and touch through the agency of fire maybe there is perspiration. Just like when our body becomes too much heated, there is perspiration, the water comes out, similarly, the same process we get the water, ambu. And as soon as there is water there is jihva, the sense of touch, rasa-graha, which can taste. Jihva is meant for tasting. So this is the way of physical manifestation of different ways. But on the background there is daiva-codita. Everything is coming into existence on account of superior management or superior impelling. That is the main proposition, that mayadhyaksena prakrtih [Bg. 9.10]. These things we..., physical transformation, different ways, we experience. That is the phenomenal world. But these things are taking place not automatically but daiva-coditat, by superior intervention, impelled by the superior Personality of Godhead.

So as we explained last night, every action and reaction is being completed by the superior person, Krsna. But He has got so multi-energies that He does not require... Just like we have to see so many things personally. Just like in this management of our institution sometimes we have to take personal care: "How this is being managed?" Because we have to see there may not be any discrepancies in the service of the Lord. That is our duty. But entirely, if we depend on Krsna, things will go on. But we have to depend in that way. He has got such fine machinery. The first thing is that He is seated in everyone's heart. Sarvasya caham hrdi sannivistah [Bg. 15.15]. So He can give instruction to perform the respective duties -- but provided there is another thing, personal consideration. The chance is given to the personal living being to take this chance but not misuse your little independence. Chance is given everyone. And Krsna's another business is: He does not interfere with the little independence given to the living being. So he must voluntarily surrender his little independence. Does not..., Krsna does not force; Krsna desires, He orders, that "You do this." Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. But He does not interfere with the little independence. That is Krsna's mercy, how He can do that. Krsna is not like us, that I give you something and again I ask you to return it. No. Whatever Krsna has given to us, that is permanent.

So He has given us little independence because we are part and parcel of Krsna. Krsna is fully independent. He does not depend on anyone. But although we have got independence to a certain extent, but under the control of maya. In the spiritual life there is also maya. That is called yoga-maya. And in the material life there is also maya. That is called maha-maya, Durga. So we, being very little... Just like small children. He is given either to the mother for taking care or to the nurse for taking care. The little child must be taken care of, either by the mother or an appointed nurse, maidservant. Similarly, we being very tiny, small, fragmental, atomic part and parcel of Krsna, although we have got all the ingredients of Krsna, still, we require protection. Just like the child and the father. The child possesses all the chemical composition of the father's body. Even if the father is diseased, the child inherits the disease also. This is a fact. Similarly, we have got all the ingredients or qualities of God in us. But in many..., in very, very small fragmental portions. Therefore, although we have got Krsna's qualities, still, we sometimes fall down. Because is very, very minute, fragmental, there is chance of being covered by something else.

So we require protection. Therefore, mahatmanas tu mam partha daivim prakrtim asritah [Bg. 9.13]. The mahatma, they are also given protection by daivi-prakrti, Krsna's maya. Therefore we chant "Hare Krsna," not alone "Krsna." Hara is Krsna's energy, so we first of all take the shelter of Krsna's energy, daivi-maya, Radharani. In Vrndavana they chant "Radha-Krsna," "Jaya Radhe." The general addressing is "Radhe," like that. So to take shelter of the daivi-maya... Mahatmanas tu mam partha daivim prakrtim asritah [Bg. 9.13]. If we take shelter of the daivi-maya, Radharani, then She will give us intelligence in such a way that we can take shelter of Krsna perfectly. So daivi-maya asritah, as soon as we become under the shelter of daivi-maya, then our business becomes bhajanty ananya-manasah, simply serving Krsna, no other business. And in the material world so long we are under the protection of maha-maya we have got many things to serve. Bahu-sakha hy anantas ca buddhayo 'vyavasayinam. When we are under the care of daivi-maya, then our only business is to serve Krsna. That is our original constitutional position, Krsna-dasa. As we have several times given this example, the part and parcel of my body, the finger, it is always serving the whole body according to the order, similarly, as part and parcel of God, Krsna, our only business is to serve Him. Whatever we have got in possession...

Now it is explained by Kapiladeva, how things are developing, everything. This evening we were discussing. Here it is said that jihva ambhah. They are coming out by interaction of touch sensation, the fire. In this way everything is emanating. Janmady asya yatah [SB 1.1.1]. The original source is Krsna. Aham sarvasya prabhavo mattah sarvam pravartate [Bg. 10.8]. This is the real science. Everything is coming from Him. So whatever we possess, the physical transformation, the gross body and the subtle mind, intelligence, everything is produced from the original source, Krsna. So same thing, when it is utilized by clear understanding, that "Everything is emanation from Krsna. Everything belongs to Krsna. So let us utilize it for Krsna's service," then we are situated in the daivi-maya. Mahatmanas tu mam partha daivim prakrtim asritah [Bg. 9.13]. This is daivi-prakrti. And the result is bhajanty ananya-manasah: "Without any deviation they are engaged, the devotees are engaged, in Krsna's service." That is the perfection of life. And in this life, so long we are in material condition, we are practicing how to be engaged in Krsna's service twenty-four hours. And when it is perfection... Tatah, tattvato jnatva.

Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita that bhaktya mam abhijanati [Bg. 18.55]. If you want to understand Krsna or if anyone wants to understand Krsna perfectly, tattvatah, in truth, then he has to understand it through bhakti, not any other process, although there are many other processes, different ways. Some so-called philosophers, they say that "We can adopt any process. It leads to the same goal." That's all right, provided you make progress. Then you'll reach to the same goal. But if you become stuck up with the process only, you do not make progress, then it does not lead to the same goal. Just like one staircase going to the fourth floor. So you cross, say, twenty-five steps. You are in a certain position. If you cross fifty steps, you are in a certain position. If you cross sixty steps... In this way, the final may be hundred steps. So unless you go to the hundredth step, the final position is not attained, although it is leading to the same goal. Therefore we have to make progress. From karma-kanda we have to learn what is the actual position of karma-kanda, why we are engaged in karma-kanda. That is called jnana. Then, coming to the jnana-kanda, then you come to the upasana-kanda. Then upasana-kanda, when you reach the highest, topmost upasana... Upasananam sarvesam visnor aradhanam param. When you become Vaisnava, when you worship Krsna, Visnu, that is the perfectional stage.

So mama vartmanuvartante manusyah partha sarvasah. Everyone is going to the same goal, but he has to make further progress. Don't think, "By karma-kanda we have come to the final stage," or "By jnana-kanda, we can, we have come to the final stage," or "By upasana-kanda, by worshiping demigods, we have come to the final stage." No. The final stage, you can come directly by bhakti, the topmost upasana. Therefore Krsna says directly, bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yas casmi tattvatah [Bg. 18.55]. So bhakti process is sravanam beginning. Sravanam kirtanam visnoh [SB 7.5.23]. So we have to hear these subject matters described in Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam. Then we will understand how Krsna is conducting this phenomenal world. That you have to learn by hearing. Why this Bhagavatam is there? For... Yad vaisnavanam priyah. The Vaisnava will enjoy, will learn from Srimad-Bhagavatam how Krsna is working in everything. That will enlighten the devotee that how Krsna is great, by His different energies how He is working in every field of activities. Na tasya karyam karanam ca vidyate. He is present here, Krsna. He has nothing to do. Na tasya karyam karanam ca vidyate. Everything is ready. Either automatically or in order to accept service from the devotee, He is assuming that "I am dependent on you. If you dress Me, then I can be dressed." But actually that is not the fact. He is dressing Himself by giving you intelligence. Buddhi-yogam dadami tam yena mam upayanti te. Those who are desirous to serve Him, then Krsna gives him intelligence how to serve Him. He does not depend on your service. He's quite self-sufficient. But He assumes that "I am a statue of stone. I cannot dress Myself. Please dress Me." This is Krsna's mercy, to give you chance. He does not depend on you. Na tasya kar... There are many energies. Krsna is worshiped by many, many goddess of fortune. Laksmi-sahasra-sata-sambhrama-sevyamanam [Bs. 5.29]. So He doesn't require our service. But He agrees. He is so kind that He agrees to come here to accept our service. Therefore we must be very careful, that "Krsna has kindly consented to come here to accept our service. Now we may not do something which is not satisfactory to Him." That is devotion. That is Krsna consciousness. Always full of veneration. Don't think that "Here is a statue." Here is Krsna.

So Krsna is ready to accept our service in so many ways. Either if you cannot establish Deity, then you simply hear about Him. That is the most important thing. We do not require to establish temple everywhere. If there is possible to establish temple and serve Krsna properly according to the regulation mentioned in the sastras or instructed by the spiritual master, that is called vaidhi-bhakti. Vaidhi-bhakti. Vaidhi-bhakti means discharging devotional service under regulative principles. So without vaidhi-bhakti, you cannot jump to the raga-bhakti. Raga-bhakti is spontaneous. That does not require any regulative principles. Out of love, out of feeling anyone wants to serve Krsna. That is called..., that is gopis. All the inhabitants of Vrndavana, they did not undergo any regulative principles. But spontaneously, they are always ready to serve God, Krsna. That is called raga-bhakti. Just like to... The example... There are examples. Just like a mother, as soon as there is child, baby, she takes care. She takes care. Although she does not go to a school how to take care of a child, but automatically. Automatically she takes care. Similarly, this automatically serving Krsna, that is called raga-bhakti. That is reached by vaidhi-bhakti, by practicing. Just like formerly there was marriage, child marriage -- a small boy, a small girl. But simply by association the girl understands how to serve the husband and the husband also understand how to give protection to the wife, and mostly, the life was very pleasing, happy. From the very beginning she knows, "Here is my husband," and he knows, "Here is my wife." At least we have seen in our India. There is no question of separation. There is no question of divorce. The love is there from the very beginning. The propensity was there and immediately the object of love is there. A girl has got husband; a husband has got a wife. So the love continues spontaneously.

So from the very beginning of our life we should try to understand Krsna consciousness, love Krsna. Then automatically it becomes manifest. That is the instruction of Prahlada Maharaja. Kaumara acaret prajno dharman bhagavatan iha [SB 7.6.1]. Kaumara. Kaumara means up to tenth year, five to tenth year. According to somebody, even up to fifteenth year. Anyway, during this period of life one should learn how to develop this devotional cult, dharman bhagavatan. Dharma means the laws and the instruction given by God. Dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam [SB 6.3.19]. And when that is actually executed directly between, transaction between God and the devotee, that is real dharma. Dharman bhagavatan. They have different types of dharmas, but real dharma is bhagavata-dharma, what we learn from Srimad-Bhagavatam, to deal with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Bhagavan. That is called bhagavatan. So children should be instructed from the very beginning of their life this bhagavata-dharma. We are attempting to do that in our Krsna consciousness movement. We have got an institution, Gurukula, at Dallas, Texas, and they are learning very nicely. Just like this child. From the very beginning he is learning bhagavata-dharma. He is offering obeisances, he is chanting, he is dancing, he is offering a flower to the spiritual master, and he is offering to the Vaisnavas. In his childish way, while playing, he is becoming accustomed to dharman bhagavatan. This is really, really human civilization, from the very beginning of life. Because if we want, we can learn like cats and dog, jumping and eating and sleeping and mating. No. That is not the business of the human life.

Prahlada Maharaja therefore says, kaumara acaret prajno dharman bhagavatan iha [SB 7.6.1]. "Why? Why bhagavata-dharma so important that I have to learn from the beginning of my life?" Now, durlabham manusam janma tad apy adhruvam arthadam: "This human life is very rarely obtained, durlabham." Dur means "very difficult." After many, many births, bahunam janmanam ante [Bg. 7.19], this human form, after evolution, we have got. Durlabham, with great difficulty we have got it. That, why it is important? Now it is arthadam. Arthadam. Artha means meaningful or riches or something wealth. Arthadam, you can achieve arthadam. So that arthadam, although adhruvam... You can say, "What is the difference between human life and dog's life? They are all temporary. Why you are giving so much stress on human life, the same business: eating, sleeping, sex life, and defense? So why you are giving more importance to the human life?" Now, arthadam. Yad apy adhruvam, nonpermanent, it is arthadam. Arthadam means to achieve the goal of your life. So we should not misuse it. We should teach our children to become bhagavatam, person bhagavatam, by reading Srimad-Bhagavatam.

So we are teaching from the very beginning Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam, and they are learning. That is the way. If you simply learn Srimad-Bhagavatam, you get so much knowledge how things are developing, how tongue is developing, how the taste is developing, how touch is developing, how fire is working, how heat is working; from the interaction of heat and touch, how things are devel... Everything is explained there. Physical and spiritual, everything is there. So this is bhagavata-dharma, to study Srimad-Bhagavatam very carefully. Everything is... Every knowledge is there. Kim va parair isvarah. There is no need of reading any other book. Kim va paraih, in the beginning it is said. Why? Sadyo hrdy avarudhyate isvarah. The perfection of life is to understand God. So by reading Srimad-Bhagavatam, sadyah, immediately, hrdy avarudhyate isvarah: "The Supreme Personality of Godhead, by simply reading Bhagavatam... He is already there, but immediately He is realized." That is perfection of life.

So Bhagavata is so powerful that nityam bhagavata-sevaya: we have to read Srimad-Bhagavatam daily and twenty-four hours. That is the injunction: nityam. Nityam means always. So our members especially, I mean to say, those who are inmates, they, and those who are becoming members, ordinary member or patron member, we are giving them books. Please read them carefully. Don't take books that "I am member. It is my duty to take books and keep it in the almirah." No. Read it thoroughly. Nityam bhagavata-sevaya. By regular reading of Srimad-Bhagavatam, then our this material contamination becomes vanquished. Nasta-prayesu. Nasta-prayesv abhadresu nityam bhagavata-sevaya [SB 1.2.18]. As soon as it begins to diminish, then it will diminish finally, and then you will be situated in your pure, original constitutional position, Krsna consciousness. Bhakti-yogatah. Evam prasanna-manaso bhagavad-bhakti-yogatah [SB 1.2.20]. By cleansing the heart we become prasanna-manasah, very jubilant. Bhagavad-bhakti-yogatah. Therefore this bhagavata-dharma should be practiced from the very beginning of life, and it should be studied. We have got so many books. One can read... Whatever already we have got, books, one can read for fifty years continually and get new enlightenment one after another.

So bhagavata means the complete knowledge. Bhagavata, from bhagavan it is called bhagavata. From bhagavat-sabda it is called bhagavata. So in the association of bhagavata, devotees, if we read Srimad-Bhagavatam... Sajatiya snigdhasya. Sajatiya means people thinking in the same way. So that means devotees who are interested in bhagavad-bhakti, to understand Bhagavan, they should read Srimad-Bhagavatam in the association. We should have regular classes. Just like school and colleges, eight hour, six hour. Be engaged always in reading Srimad-Bhagavatam, discussing amongst yourself. Then you'll make progress. Otherwise, if you take it as an official routine work... You should take as routine work, but with consciousness that "We have to learn something," not simply attending the class, but to learn something. In this way make your life successful. Because after all, everything is being done, daiva-coditat, impelled by the Supreme Person. The Supreme Person is behind everything. So in the association of devotees, if we read Srimad-Bhagavatam regularly, then your, our, material contamination will be dissolved, and our spiritual consciousness will come out, and that will make our life successful.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.26.41 -- Bombay, January 16, 1975

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© 2001 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.

Bad, Good And Truly Good

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.16.20
Hawaii, January 16, 1974

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Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

padair nyunam socasi maika-padam
atmanam va vrsalair bhoksyamanam
aho suradin hrta-yajna-bhagan
praja uta svin maghavaty avarsati

Translation: "I have lost my three legs and am now standing on one only. Are you lamenting for my state of existence? Or are you in great anxiety because henceforward the unlawful meat-eaters will exploit you? Or are you in a sorry plight because the demigods are now bereft of their share of sacrificial offerings because no sacrifices are being performed at present? Or are you grieving for living beings because of their sufferings due to famine and drought?"

Prabhupada: Read the purport. Read. Long purport.

Pradyumna: "With the progress of the age of Kali, four things particularly, namely the duration of life, mercy, the power of recollection, and moral or religious principles will gradually diminish. Since dharma, or the principles of religion, would be lost in the proportion of three out of four, the symbolic bull was standing on one leg only. When three-fourths of the population of the whole world become irreligious, the situation is converted into hell for the animals. In the age of Kali, godless civilizations will create so many so-called religious societies in which the Personality of Godhead will be directly or indirectly defied. And thus faithless societies of men will make the world uninhabitable for the saner section of people. There are gradations of human beings in terms of proportionate faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The first-class..."

Prabhupada: Yes. Go on.

Pradyumna: "The first-class faithful men are the Vaisnavas and the brahmanas, then the ksatriyas, then the vaisyas, then the sudras, then the mlecchas, the yavanas, and at last the candalas. The degradation of the human instinct begins from the mlecchas..."

Prabhupada: Candalas means the dog-eaters. In the human society, the division of higher class and lower class is determined by the standard of eating. So first-class men, just like brahmana, Vaisnava, they eat very purified prasadam. Their responsibility practically does not depend on them. Because Vaisnava... Brahmana also. Without becoming a brahmana, nobody can become Vaisnava. So when you speak of Vaisnava, it is to be supposed that he's already brahmana. Therefore, to bring the neophyte devotees to the perfectional stage, we offer the brahmana's sacred thread. But if people, after promising everything, and break their promise, that is very abominable. When they're initiated before the Deity, before the Lord, before the fire, they should not break it. That is most sinful if you break your promise. Otherwise, you should not be coming forward for initiation if you cannot keep your promise.

So the first-class, second-class, third-class, fourth-class men are considered according to the guna and karma, quality and work. That is described in the Srimad-Bhag..., er, Bhagavad-gita, catur-varnyam maya srstam guna-karma-vibhagasah [Bg. 4.13]. That is the system, not by force one can become first-class. According to the sastra, who is first-class, who is second-class, who is third-class, who is fourth-class, who is fifth-class, that is to be understood. Guna-karma-vibhagasah. So when one becomes above the gunas by devotional service... Guna means quality. A devotee is on the position of first-class human society because a devotee is engaged in devotional service. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita,

mam ca yo 'vyabhicarena
bhakti-yogena sevate
sa gunan samatityaitan
brahma-bhuyaya kalpate
 [Bg. 14.26]

"Anyone who is engaged cent percent without any motive in the devotional service of the Lord," mam ca yo 'vyabhicarena bhakti-yogena [Bg. 14.26], bhakti-yogena, avyabhicarena, "without any adulteration, such person," mam ca yo 'vyabhicarena bhakti-yogena sevate, sa gunan... Gunan means these material qualities: goodness, passion and ignorance. These are gunas. Sa gunan samatitya, samatitya, "fully transcendental, fully surpassing." Brahma-bhuyaya kalpate: "Then that is the stage of self-realization."

So if one is not even on the stage of self-realization, how he can teach others? That is cheating. That is cheating. If one is not a graduate, if he becomes a teacher, he is not a teacher; he is a cheater. One must be first of all qualified. That qualification means one must be above the three qualities of material nature. Goodness... Even you have to go beyond the quality of goodness. In the material world we have made, concocted, "This is good, this is bad." So even taking it... Actually, everything in the material world is bad. Anything. It is simply mental concoction. We are creating, "This is good, this is bad." The... So long one is in the material world, everything is bad. Even the so-called religious practice, that is also bad, in the material world. So therefore, Bhagavad-gita says, sa gunan samatitya etan: "One has to transcend even the quality of goodness, the so-called goodness."

Actually there is no goodness, because here people dress like in the platform of goodness, but thinking just like animals. That kind of goodness has no value. Actually goodness, that goodness is sa gunan samatityaitan brahma-bhuyaya kalpate [Bg. 14.26], when one transcends the qualities of material nature, above the brahmana quality. Brahmana quality is... Suppose... Suppose actually, in comparison to other qualities, that is the first-class quality. Satyam samo damas titiksa arjavam, eh? Jnanam vijnanam astikyam brahma-karma svabhava-jam. When one is situated in these qualities -- truthfulness, satyam; samah, controlling the senses; damah, controlling the mind; samo damas titiksa, tolerant -- in spite of all tribulation, tolerant -- samo damas titiksa saucam, cleanliness. Then jnanam, full knowledge. Full knowledge means "What I am, what is God, what is this material world, what is our relationship." That is called knowledge. And that knowledge, when practically applied in life, that is called vijnanam. Jnanam vijnanam astikyam, astikyam, full faith in the sastras and in God. That is called astikyam. If you have full faith in the revealed scriptures, then you are astikya. Because you cannot manufacture your God, so-called incarnation God. No. You must have full knowledge of God through the authority of revealed scriptures. That is God consciousness. If you give up the injunction of the scripture, revealed scriptures, you consider something as God, that is not God. Or you consider something as religion, that is not religion. Yah sastra-vidhim utsrjya vartate kama-karatah, na sa siddhim avapnoti. If you become aberrant to the injunction of the sastras, then na sukham savapnoti, you'll never get happiness. Na sukham, yah sastra-vidhim utsrjya vartate kama-karatah, na, na sa siddhim avapnoti. There is no question of siddhi, perfection, neither there is question of happiness, na sukham na param gatim, and what to speak of going back home, back to Godhead. It is useless.

Therefore we must abide by the sadhu-sastra-guru. (aside:) Ah, what is this sound, is going on now? You can ask somebody to stop. Sadhu means saintly person. Sastra means revealed scriptures. Sadhu, sastra and guru, spiritual master. So we must follow the footprints of saintly persons, mahajano yena gatah sa panthah. That is the way. We have to follow great superior personalities, just like sad-gosvami. Narottama dasa Thakura says, ei chay gosani janr mui tanr dasa: "I become servant, servant or disciple, of such a person who follows the footprints of the six Gosvamis." Otherwise one becomes guru, anyone, just like nowadays they become. They are manufacturing guru. Guru is not manufactured. Guru is in the disciplic succession, one who is strictly follows the footsteps of the sad-gosvamis. Ei chay gosani janr. Anyone who is following the footsteps of the gosvamis, Rupa Gosvami... Rupa Gosvami gives his Upadesamrta instruction:

vaco vegam manasah krodha-vegam
jihva-vegam udaropastha-vegam
etan vegan yo visaheta dhirah
sarvam apimam prthivim sa sisyat

This is the injunction given by Rupa Gosvami. Vaco vegam. Vaco vegam means the force of talking, vegam. What is the meaning, vegam?

 Nitai: Urge.

Prabhupada: Urge, yes. Just like I am talking some nonsense. That the vaco vegam; it has no value. We should fix something which has value. One who can control, it is better not to talk than to talk foolish. So that is the world. All foolish talking or foolish literature, it has no value. So it has to be controlled. That is called controlling the vaco vegam. Krodha-vegam. Krodha means anger. So it is also urge. Suppose I am insulted by somebody. Naturally, I'll be angry, but if I can control, "All right, let me... He's a foolish. He has done. Why shall I lose my temper?" That is called controlling krodha-vegam. Vaco vegam krodha-vegam, manasa-vegam, mind. It has got so many urges. Mind is driving practically, "Let us go there, let us go there, let us do this, let us..." Never mind sinful or pious, mind is always dictating and rejecting.

So vaco vegam manasah krodha-vegam, krodha-vegam, udara-vegam. Udara-vegam is the urge of the belly. "I shall eat this, I shall eat that, I shall eat that." Why? Simply you shall eat bhagavat-prasadam. Prasade sarva-duhkhanam. Then udara-vegam, and upastha-vegam, the urge of the genital. That is the most important. The jihva-vegam, jihva-vegam, udara-vegam, then genital, the straight line. So if one can control the urge of these three things... Ta'ra madhye jihva ati, lobhamoy sudurmati. Bhaktivinoda Thakura says that out of the urges of the tongue and other senses, down to the genital, up... There are many urges: urge of the mind, urge of the anger, urge of the talking, urge of the tongue, then belly, then genital. In this way, we are driven by so many urges. So out of that, the strongest enemy is our tongue, is our tongue. Jihva-vegam. If one can control the urges of the tongue then he will be naturally able to stop the urges of the belly and the urges of the genital, three straight line.

So these are to be practiced. Etan vegan yo visaheta dhirah: "One who has become successful in controlling the urges of all these things," prthivim sa sisyat, "now he's free to make disciples all over the world." And they're not, that... I cannot control even my tongue and control my genital, and I become spiritual master? This is nonsense. This is nonsense. You learn first of all. Try to control. Become first-class controller, dhirah. That is called dhirah, not disturbed by any urges. Etan vegan yo visaheta dhirah. Dhiras tatra na muhyati. This word is used, dhirah. Dhirah means very sober, fully controlled. That is called dhirah. Dhiras tatra na muhyati. Unless you become dhirah, you cannot understand what is spiritual life. That is not possible. Therefore Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, tatha dehantara-praptir dhiras tatra na muhyati [Bg. 2.13]. Dhiras tatra na muhyati.

So you cannot understand even. Unless you become a dhirah, you cannot understand what is spiritual life, what is spirit. It is not a bogus thing that I manufacture something, concoct something, and do something, and I become a leader, I become a spiritual master. This is all nonsense. Dhiras tatra na muhyati. The word is dhirah, and dhirah is explained in the Kumara-sambhava, that dhirah, just like Lord Siva... Lord Siva lost his wife; she committed suicide before her father. That's in Daksa-yajna, was learned about Daksa-yajna. So Lord Siva was performing yoga practice meditation, and in the meantime, his wife Devi, she took birth as daughter of Himalaya, King of Himalaya, Parvati. So the..., there was fight between the demigods and the demons. So there was a plan that "If by the semina of Lord Siva, one son is born, Karttikeya, then he'll be able to kill these demons; otherwise, it is very difficult." So Lord Siva was engaged in meditation after the death of his wife. In the meantime, his wife took birth in the Himalaya. So now he, he has to be induced to unite with this Parvati. So there was plan made. The plan made that Parvati, young age, beautiful girl, and Lord Siva is meditating naked, and she was offering worshipable flowers on the genital. Still, he was not disturbed. Young girl touching the genital of a person, but he is not disturbed. That is dhirah, that is the example of perfection of dhirah. Even in the presence of being agitated, one who is not agitated, that is called dhirah. Otherwise, everyone becomes agitated. That is natural. A young boy sees another young man or a young man sees another young girl. Natural sex appetite, natural. But one who can control that, that is dhirah. That is dhirah. Dhiras tatra na muhyati. That is yoga practice. That is yoga practice, controlling. "When there will be need, I shall use it."

Just like Kardama Muni. Kardama Muni was given the best, beautiful daughter of King Manu. So she was simply serving, not that immediately coming and sexually inclined. She was... So Kardama Muni saw that "This girl came to me, and I have accepted her as my wife, but she is engaged fully, although she is the prince, the daughter of king, very great king. But I'm not giving her any comfort. She has become lean and thin, skinny, but engaged." So he promised that "I am accepting your daughter, but as soon as she will have some children, then I'll leave her. On this condition, I can accept your daughter." The father came with the daughter, that "My daughter has selected you as the proper husband, please accept her." So he accepted, but he made this condition that "As soon as your daughter will have some children, then I'll leave home. Then I'll accept."

So these are the examples, how to become dhirah. It is not spiritual consciousness, it is not so easy thing that you can go. But by the grace of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, it is being easily distributed. That is the grace of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. But if we misuse it, even this facility, we do not know what is the aim of life, then we are missing the opportunity. So go on reading.

Pradyumna: "The degradation of the human instinct begins from the mlecchas, and the candala state of life is the last word in human degradation. All the above terms mentioned in the Vedic literatures..."

Prabhupada: This is first-class life, satyam samo damas titiksa arjavam jnanam vijnanam astikyam brahma-karma svabhava-jam. And the lowest class of life... Practically, nowadays all lowest class of life, the life of a candala, dog-eaters. So this is the description in the sastra. Go on.

Pradyumna: "All the above terms mentioned in the Vedic literatures are never meant for any particular community or birth..."

Prabhupada: It is not that because one has taken birth in the lowest class family -- suppose candala, dog-eaters -- it does not mean that he'll have to remain in that position. Just like uneducated persons. It is not that he'll have to remain in that uneducated standard, but he can become educated. He can become educated. That is Krsna consciousness movement, that there is no check on any particular person, community, to become God conscious. Became God Himself says, Krsna says, mam hi partha vyapasritya ye 'pi syuh papa-yonayah. Papa-yoni, to take birth in lower class of human society, is called papa-yoni. But Krsna says, "Never mind, papa-yoni.

mam hi partha vyapasritya
ye 'pi syuh papa-yonayah
striyo vaisyas tatha sudras
te 'pi yanti param gatim
 [Bg. 9.32]

Formerly, in the Vedic civilization, even women and sudra, and vaisya, they were also considered amongst the papa-yoni, what to speak of others. But Krsna says, "Never mind whatever papa-yoni one may be." Mam hi partha vyapasritya: "If one takes shelter of My devotee," vyapasritya, "and works under his direction, then..." Vyapa. That is called vyapasritya. Visesa rupena asritya. "Then he also...," te 'pi yanti param gatim, "he can also go back to home, back to Godhead." There is no bar.

But one has to purify himself by the purificatory process. That is called samskara. Samskarad bhaved dvijah. By purificatory process, one becomes purified, and purified means no more sinful life. That is purification. Yesam tv anta-gatam papam. One who is fully freed from sinful activities:

yesam tv anta-gatam papam
jananam punya-karmanam
te dvandva-moha-nirmukta
bhajante mam drdha-vratah
 [Bg. 7.28]

So krsna-bhajana is not very difficult. Simply we have to follow the four principles of sinful life: no illicit sex, no gambling, no intoxication, no meat-eating. And chant Hare Krsna. And be happy.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.16.20 -- Hawaii, January 16, 1974

HOME

© 2001 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.