Simply Negating Is No Good

Simply Negating Is No Good

Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.4.2
Los Angeles, June 25, 1972

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Pradyumna: (leads chanting)

atma-jaya-sutagara-
pasu-dravina-bandhusu
rajye cavikale nityam
virudham mamatam jahau

Prabhupada: (interrupts a devotee chanting sloka) Purport of the last sloka was done? Yesterday?

Pradyumna: Uh, part of it.

Prabhupada: The balance, first of all read.

Pradyumna: On page 170. "To become a pure devotee of Lord Krsna, two things are very much essential, namely having a chance of being born in the family of a devotee and having the blessings of a bona fide spiritual master. By the grace of Lord Krsna, Pariksit Maharaja had both opportunities. He was born in a family of such devotees as the Pandavas, and just to continue the dynasty of the Pandavas and show them special favor, the Lord specifically saved Maharaja Pariksit, who later on, by the arrangement of the Lord, was cursed by the boy of a brahmana and was able to get the association of such a spiritual master as Sukadeva Gosvami. In the Caitanya-caritamrta it is said that a fortunate person, by the mercy of the spiritual master and Lord Krsna, achieves the path of devotional service. This was perfectly applicable in the case of Maharaja Pariksit. By way of being born in a family of devotees, he automatically came in touch with Krsna, and after being so contacted he constantly remembered Him.

Consequently Lord Krsna gave the King a further chance for development in devotional service by introducing him to Sukadeva Gosvami, a stalwart devotee of the Lord with perfect knowledge in self-realization. And by hearing from a bona fide spiritual master, he was perfectly able to concentrate his chaste mind further upon Lord Krsna, as a matter of course."

Prabhupada: So superficially, Maharaja Pariksit, king, the emperor of the world, he was cursed to death. A brahmana boy cursed him that "You will die within seven days." And as a result of this, he left his home, his kingdom, and here, next verse, it is said, atma-jaya. Jaya means his one wife. He was young man. Suta, children; agara, agara means residence, house. Atma-jaya-sutagara. Pasu, animals. He was king. So he had many animals: horses, elephants, cows, bulls. These are household animals, domestic animals. And dravina. Dravina means wealth, riches. And bandhu, bandhusu, friendship. So our... These are our material assets: wife, children, nice house, nice bank balance, and some pasus, animals. Here of course, you keep only one animals, dog. "The best friend." But in India they keep many animals. Those who are rich, they keep elephants, horses, bulls, cows. Dogs are also there, but dogs are not so important there. Asses also. These are domestic...

And cats also. These are domestic animals. These animals, they like to live with human beings... They do not go to the forest. So superficially, Pariksit Maharaja... Upadharya matim krsne. For becoming Krsna conscious... Matim. Mati means consciousness; krsne, in Krsna. Practically he was bereft of everything. Just try to understand. He was cursed to death, and because he was preparing for next life, so he had to leave everything. And so..., what people will think? "Oh by Krsna consciousness, one has to lose all, everything? His kingdom, his everything." Therefore people are afraid to take to Krsna consciousness. "Oh, we shall be lost of everything. Even up to life." This is the example of Pariksit Maharaja. Pariksit Maharaja... (reads purport) "To become a pure devotee of Lord Krsna, two things are very much essential, namely having a chance of being born in the family of a devotee and having the blessings of a bona fide spiritual master. So Pariksit Maharaja had both blessings.

He, from the very childhood, from the womb of his mother, he was Krsna conscious. And he had the opportunity of taking birth in a family where every member was Krsna conscious, especially his grandfather Arjuna. So that chance was there. From the very beginning of his life, he was given the chance of worshiping Krsna Deity. Not only that. He was king. Sucinam srimatam gehe yoga-bhrasto 'bhijayate. Yoga-bhrasta means one who falls down from the path of spiritual advancement. For them, the facility is that they are given another chance to take birth in the human society. Not only in human society... Sucinam srimatam gehe, in very rich family and very pure family. Sucinam means pure, brahmana. So in India still, if one is born in a very nice, rich and pure family, he is considered to be very pious in his past life. That's a fact. Janmaisvarya-sruta-sri. These four things, janma, high grade birth; aisvarya, riches. Janmaisvarya... sruta, education; and sri, means beauty.

These four things are obtained by pious activities in one's past life. So Pariksit Maharaja had all these assets. That means in his previous life he was also a great devotee. So now, in this life, he's bereft of everything. After executing spiritual life so strenuously, life after life, in this life we see that he's bereft of his kingdom, he's going to die within seven days, and he had to leave his beautiful wife, children, home, kingdom, his animals. Everything we keep, there is affection. It is not that animals are meant for killing. They are also treated like children. (aside:) Don't move your leg like that. So anything you associate, you get affection. That's a fact. Therefore here it is stated, rajye cavikale nityam virudham mamatam jahau. And his kingdom was very safe kingdom. It was not that there was disturbance in his kingdom. Somebody has attacked, so he was bereft... No. Cavikale, without any disturbance. Very nice kingdom. So what people will think?

That "To become Krsna conscious means to lose everything, up to life? Does it mean?" Sometimes, superficially, they take it like that, but actually that is not the fact. There is another story in which one saintly person came in an assembly. So he blessed... A saintly person, they, everyone expects some blessings. So there was a king's son. So he blessed him, raja-putra raja-putra ciram jiva. "My dear king's son, you live forever." And there was another's son, he was muni's son, saintly person's son, and he blessed him, muni-putra muni-putra ma jiva. "You muni-putra, son of a saintly person, you don't live. You die." Raja-putra raja-putra ciram jiva. "The king's son, you live forever," and muni-putra, ma jiva, "You don't live." Muni-putra muni-putra ma jiva. And there was a hunter also, and there was a saintly person also. The saintly person he blessed, ma jiva, jiva va mara va. "Either you die or live, it is all the same." And there was a hunter.

He blessed him, ma jiva ma mara, "Don't die don't live." This is very instructive. "You don't die, you don't live." One was blessed that "You don't die," the raja-putra, "Don't die." And the muni-putra, he was blessed, "You die." And the saintly person was blessed, "Either you die or you live." And the hunter was blessed, "You don't live, don't die." So this was a puzzle. So the king, he invited his ministers, that "What is the meaning of this?" The ministers were very intelligent, so he explained that "Your son has been blessed"ciram jiva " Because your son is so licentious that as soon as he dies he is going to hell. So therefore he has blessed ‘You better live forever; otherwise you are going to hell. (laughter) Your life is so sinful that next life is hellish. So better you live forever.' " Then, the next, muni-putra. Muni-putra means... Just like our disciples. They have to undergo austerities: no meat-eating, no illicit sex, no intoxication, so many no's.

But similarly, muni-putra, he is also execute all these functions, and there is no comfortable life. A muni-putra lives in a cottage. There is no good bedstead, and eating simple fruits and flowers. So from materialistic point of view, this is a miserable condition of life. So he was blessed that "You have sufficiently undergone austerities. Now your next life is in Vaikuntha. So better you die and go to Vaikuntha. Why you should suffer any more?" So therefore he was blessed that muni-putra muni-putra ma jiva. And the saintly person, he was blessed by the words jiva va mara va. "Either you die or live, the same thing." Because, a saintly person is engaged in the service of the Lord so his life is so blissful. So either he lives or when he dies, he goes back to home, back to Godhead. He'll do the same business. So there is no difference. Just like you are engaged in Krsna's service. You are getting the same service, eternally. This is a progressional period only.

Janma karma me divyam yo janati tattvatah, tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti kaun... [Bg. 4.9]. Krsna says, anyone who can understand Krsna as He is, then after leaving this body he comes to home, back to home, back to Godhead. Mam eva. So saintly persons, their life is so pure that in this living condition, they are in Vaikuntha, and after leaving this body, they are going to Vaikuntha. So jiva va mara va. Both ways they are benefited. And the hunter was said, ma jiva ma mara, "You don't live, don't die." What is that? "Now you are hunter, butcher. So nasty life you are living. It was better death. Better for you to death, die. But if you die, then you go to hell. Therefore don't die, don't live." So... (aside:) Don't close your eyes. So Pariksit Maharaja's... This was blessing. Pariksit Maharaja... Don't think that Pariksit Maharaja lost everything. Because he has understood Krsna, so according to the statement of Bhagavad-gita, it is fact that he is going back to home, back to Godhead.

Therefore Pariksit Maharaja... What is the value of this kingdom, of the wealth of this material world? They are temporary. Even if you have got very good kingdom, very nice wife, very nice society, very... How long? And if there is any mistake, next life you can get something else. But so Pariksit Maharaja's life... Because he's born devotee. From the childhood, he's a devotee of Krsna. Now, when he was cursed, it was blessings for him and for all others because he was cursed, there was necessity of the recitation of this Srimad-Bhagavatam. And after hearing this Srimad-Bhagavatam... Sri-visnoh sravane pariksit. Pariksit Maharaja simply by hearing Srimad-Bhagavatam, he got salvation. So this superficial awkward position that he lost his life, lost his kingdom, he had to leave his wife and children and everything, don't take in that "By Krsna consciousness, he became bereft of all assets. No. He was going to be rewarded very highly, going back to home, back to Godhead.

So another instruction is, in this connection, that one should be ready. If one is serious to become Krsna conscious, then one should be ready to give up all sorts of material enjoyment. That is the fact. If you become Krsna conscious for your material improvement... You can get it. Krsna is all powerful. But that is not the desirable thing. To become Krsna consciousness means to make our materialistic way of life nil. That is the... That is the purpose. Anyabhilasita-sunyam [BRS 1.1.11]. If you want from Krsna that "Give me material happiness..." As you have studied,

akamah sarva-kamo va
moksa-kama udara-dhih
tivrena bhakti-yogena
yajeta purusam param
 [SB 2.3.10]

Either you are materially desirous, anxious to get so many things, karmi... Akama means devotee. Sarva-kama means karmi. Karmis, they are simply wanting, "Give me this, give me that, give me this, give me that." So many things. There is no end of their demands. That is called karmi. And jnanis means they also want...

They want salvation, to merge into the impersonal Brahman effulgence of the Lord. And yogis, they also want some mystic power. So karmi, jnani, yogi -- everyone wants something, but a devotee does not want anything. That is devotion. They know, "What shall I do with all these things?" They have no attraction for anything material. These are all material. Some, a better position, and in some lower position. That's all. Karmis are entangled in this materialistic way of life, and the jnanis, they are also some or less entangled. Because they have no idea what is God, they think God is impersonal. God is impersonal means there is no God. So if they have no idea of God, how to go back to kingdom of God? So they are also materialistic. Negation of material, negation. Because they are very much frustrated. Just like in your country, the hippies. The hippies means negation of a positive materialistic life. That's all. Negation. They are simply denying that "I, we don't want the way of life as our father and grandfathers are going on."

That's a negation, but there is no positive gain. So negation is no good. You must have some positive gain. So our, this Krsna consciousness movement is negation of the materialistic way of life and regain the blissful eternal life of spiritual understanding. So simply negation is no gain. With something, if you are disgusted, "I don't want it," but... Just like sometimes a man commits suicide, "I don't want this life." So what is the gain? And that is ignorance. He does not know that committing suicide... He's eternal. He's eternal. Living entity is eternal. He thinks that "By killing this body, I am free from this bodily miserable condition of life." No. He's immediately..., either he has to accept a next abominable body or he'll have to become a ghost. One who commits suicide. Ghost means no material gross life, but the mental, material subtle life is there. A ghost is carried by the subtle body: mind, intelligence and false ego. And one who gets a body, gross body...

Upon this mind, intelligence and ego, one develops a gross body of five elements: earth, water, air, fire. This is the two kinds of body, a condition. And when he's actually Krsna conscious, he's transcendental to this gross and subtle body. He attains a spiritual body which is never to be finished, eternal, blissful life. So sometimes, when Krsna, He's especially kind to a person who thinks that "By... I shall execute Krsna consciousness; at the same time, I shall enjoy this material life," this is foolishness. This is foolishness. If you want Krsna, go to home, back to home, back to Godhead, then you have to finish your material desires. Because Krsna is so kind that even if you have a pinch of material desire to enjoy in this material world, He will give you a chance, "All right, you do it." That means we become entangled. Therefore, those who are executing Krsna consciousness, they should try to become free from all material desires. Anyabhilasita-sunyam jnana-karmady-anavrtam [BRS 1.1.11].

Jnana means knowledge. Or the jnanis, they also want to be become one with the Supreme. And karma. Karma means karmis, those who want to enjoy. So one should be uncovered, to covered by this jnana, by karma or by any material desires. Anyabhilasita-sunyam jnana-karmady-anavrtam, anukulyena krsnanusilanam [Madhya 19.167]. Simply favorably serving Krsna. Favorably, not unfavorably. Consciousness favorably. Just like Kamsa. Kamsa was also Krsna conscious, but he was simply planning how to kill Krsna. That kind of Krsna consciousness is not good. Of course, Krsna is so kind, so any way one becomes Krsna conscious, he gets the benefit, at least, of liberation. Just like Kamsa was liberated. Although he was unfavorably Krsna conscious, but he was thinking of Krsna. Hiranyakasipu, he was also thinking of Krsna. But unfavorably. So that is not bhakti. We must think of Krsna favorably. And that is bhakti. Anukulyena krsnanusilanam. Culture of Krsna consciousness favorably.

Bhaktir uttama, that is pure bhakti. So a person who is thinking of Krsna haphazardly, namely that "By executing Krsna consciousness, I'll be materially happy," He can be materially happy because... As Sukadeva Gosvami says, akamah sarva-kamo va moksa-kama udara-dhih [SB 2.3.10]. His desire will be fulfilled. Just like Dhruva Maharaja. He went to worship Krsna in the forest with material desires, that "I may get the kingdom of my father or better kingdom." That was his determination. So he got it. But when he got it... By executing Krsna consciousness, he was intelligent. He was very sorry that "What I have asked? This material happiness I have asked..." So when he actually saw Krsna, Visnu, he was offered, "Now you take benediction as you desire." He was very sorry. He said, "My Lord, I have no other desire now. I have finished all my desires." Svamin krtartho 'smi varam na yace. "I don't want any this, any kind of benediction. I have got You. I have no more necessity of any benediction."

But Krsna is so kind, He gave him both, that "Dhruva, you desired for some material prosperity, a kingdom. So I have created one kingdom, Dhruvaloka, for you, which is so many times bigger than your father's kingdom. So you will... So that is especially for you. That is Vaikuntha. You will go there. But you wanted your father's kingdom. So you take your father's kingdom also." So he enjoyed his father's kingdom for 35,000 years. In those days, a man used to live for 100,000's of years. Satya-yuga. So Krsna is so kind that whatever desires you have got within, He'll give you all facilities. Akamah sarva-kamo va moksa-kama udara-dhih [SB 2.3.10]. But intelligent persons, they will not ask anything from Krsna. Just like a dependent child, he's fully dependent on the father. So father knows how to raise him to be a perfect man. He knows what is his necessities. Similarly, we have to give up to the care of Krsna, without any condition. That is perfection of life. That is perfection of life.

So sometimes Krsna favors a devotee when He is in doubts, "Whether this or that? This or that?" So sometimes He takes away the sources of his material opulence and gives him shelter under His own lotus feet. So you can read the word meaning?

Pradyumna: (reads synonyms) Translation: "Maharaja Pariksit, as a result of wholehearted attraction for Lord Krsna, was able to give up all deep-rooted affection for his personal body, wife, children, palace, animals, horses, and elephants, treasury house, friends and relatives, and his undisputed kingdom."

Prabhupada: So this is Krsna consciousness. Upadharya matim krsne. So it is a great sacrifice. It is not like that, dharmartha-kama-moksa. No. It is above. People are generally become religious to get some material benefit. Dharma artha. And as soon as he gets material benefit, he enjoys his senses, kama. Dharma artha kama. And when he fails to satisfy his senses, then he wants to become one with the supreme. That's moksa. So Krsna consciousness is above these four principles, dharma, artha, kama, moksa. Krsna consciousness is transcendental. Therefore one can give up, immediately. Just like sometimes Bharata Maharaja, under whose name India is called Bharata-varsa. He also gave up. He gave up is kingdom at the age of twenty-four years. Young wife, young, nice children, big, whole empire. And it is said that he gave up everything just like one gives up his stool, evacuates. Immediately goes away. So he gave up. So this is actually Krsna consciousness, that we become completely free from any material possession, any material possession.

It is very difficult. But just see, here Pariksit Maharaja, due to his association with his spiritual master, Sukadeva Gosvami, he understood... He, according to his instruction, he gave his mind and everything to Krsna and he gave up the idea of enjoying his wife, children, palace, kingdom, or animals, and so many things. So it is little difficult also. But by Krsna's grace, if we continue regularly these Krsna consciousness rules and regulations, then automatically we shall be disinterested. Bhaktih paresanubhavo viraktir anyatra syat [SB 11.2.42]. These are not to be artificially attained. You cannot give up your wife, children, kingdom, artificially. Artificially, if you give up, then you will again fall down. Artificially, I give up my wife, and then I seek another's wife. This is nonsense. This is nonsense. This is falldown. When you are actually mature, then you give up. So Pariksit Maharaja was mature. From the very childhood, he was Krsna conscious. So when he was cursed by a brahmana, he took it as an opportunity, "Now give up everything. Let me go back to home, back to Godhead." This is the philosophy. Thank you. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.4.2 -- Los Angeles, June 25, 1972

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"Satsanga...Asatsanga"

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.10.11-12
Mayapura, June 25, 1973

Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada


Devotee: (leads chanting, etc.)

sat-sangan mukta-duhsango
hatum notsahate budhah
kirtyamanam yaso yasya
sakrd akarnya rocanam

tasmin nyasta-dhiyah parthah
saheran viraham katham
darsana-sparsa-samlapa-
sayanasana-bhojanaih

"The intelligent, who have understood the Supreme Lord in association with pure devotees and have become freed from bad, materialistic association, can never avoid hearing the glories of the Lord, even though they have heard them only once. How, then, could the Pandavas tolerate His separation, for they had been intimately associated with His person, seeing Him face to face, touching Him, conversing with Him, and sleeping, sitting and dining with Him?"

Prabhupada:

satam prasangan mama virya-samvido
bhavanti hrt-karna-rasayanah kathah
taj-josanad asv apavarga-vartmani
sraddha ratir bhaktir anukramisyati

Satam prasangat. Sat-sanga. Sat-sanga. Sat means devotees, and asat means nondevotees. Even in moral instruction of Canakya Pandita, he advises: tyaja durjana-samsargam bhaja sadhu-samagamam. Canakya Pandita ad... Although he was a politician, a great politician, still, a learned brahmana and knowing all moral instruction, he gives this advice: tyaja durjana-samsargam.

This is the crucial point of advancement in human life. Tyaja durjana-samsargam. Try to avoid. Not try; must. You must avoid the association of the materialistic persons. Materialistic person means those who are after money and woman. That's all. They are materialistic. Those persons, simply hankering after money and woman, they are materialistic. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has advised to associate with this class of men, hankering after money and women, it is better..., death is better, preferred, than to associate. When He was requested to see King Prataparudra... Because he was king, he's supposed to be always in association with money and women. He refused to see him: "No, I cannot see the King." When He refused to see, He quoted one verse: bhava-sagarasya, niskincanasya bhava-sagarasya. Niskincanasya jigamisor bhava-sagarasya.

People do not know what is bhava-sagara. They do not know even. But in Vedic literature, this is the first instruction, how to get out of this bhava-sindhu, bhava-sagara, material ocean. The whole universe is also a ocean. And all these planets, they are called dvipa. Just like this planet is called Jambudvipa, Bharatavarsa. Actually it is like dvipa. Nowadays, those who are flying in the sky, they're going from one island to another island, one planet to another planet. So when that is called dvipa, there must be relative term, the ocean, or the sea. So whole, this universe, this planets, they are called dvipa. Therefore they are floating in the ocean of air. Just like you have got experience. You have got experience of this also, ocean of water. And above water, there is air, ocean of air. Then there is sky. So bhava-sagarasya. The whole universe is bhava-sagara. Sagara means ocean, or sea. And bhava means repetition of birth and death. Bhava. Bhutva bhutva praliyate. In the Bhagavad-gita, once we take birth, we remain here for some time, then we give up this body; we accept another body. Tatha dehantara-praptir dhiras tatra na muhyati [Bg. 2.13]. We have to... So long we are in this material ocean, we have to accept these laws of nature, repetition of birth and death. This is called bhava-sagara. So we are eternal, nityah sasvato 'yam na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20]. It requires little intelligence, that "I am eternal. Why I am in this business, accepting one body, and again giving up, giving it up? And there is no guarantee what kind of body I'm going to accept next." There is no guarantee. It will be according to your work. We can become an insect, or we can become the demigod. We can become tree; we can become animal -- anything, according to our karma. Karmana daiva-netrena.

So this rascal civilization, they do not understand what is bhava-sagara, what is bhava. Nothing. They are so rascal. And they're passing on as civilized men. No knowledge. So when one is intelligent, actually, then he considers that "If I am eternal, why should I accept repetition of birth and death?" That is intelligence. But they have given (in) to birth and death -- "Never mind." Even university students, they say, "If next life, if I become animal, what is the wrong?" Just see. How much degraded. In Hawaii University, one student said that "Even if I become an animal, what is the wrong there?" Just see how much degraded the human society has become. They are prepared to become animal, cats and dogs, trees, anything.

So when one comes out of this gross ignorance, how to get out of this bhava-sagara... Just like if you are thrown into the water of sea, you may be very expert swimmer, but you don't like to remain there. You want to come out. Similarly, although we may be very expert in changing our body, but still, at the time of death, we don't like it. Nobody likes to die. But he... Nobody thinks how to stop this death. In the Bhagavad-gita it is said, na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20]. By the destruction of this body, the soul is not dead. It is living. So this is called self-realization. One must be sober to think over that "If I am eternal, if I do not die after the destruction of this body, and I do not like to die, how to stop it?" This is intelligence, how to stop the repetition of birth and death. But the human civilization, the so-called human being has become so much degraded, they have no brain even to think over these matters, that how to stop this repetition or if there is any means to stop this repetition of birth and death. They do not..., they have no knowledge. Still they are going on as human being. They're like animals. Even big, big professors in Europe, they say, "Swamiji, after death, everything is finished." You see. Tatha dehantara-praptir dhiras tatra na muhyati [Bg. 2.13]. Even these plain words, the first instruction of Bhagavad-gita, they do not understand. Not only they. Here, also. So many politicians, so many rascals, they take Bhagavad-gita, but they do not understand. They're busy with politics.

But the first instruction of Bhagavad-gita, na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20],

dehino 'smin yatha dehe
kaumaram yauvanam jara
tatha dehantara-praptir...
[Bg. 2.13]

No. No. Political leaders teach the people that there is birth after death. Have you heard, any politician? But take the Bhagavad-gita and stands with photograph: "Oh, he's a very great reader of Bhagavad-gita." But one who understands Bha... "He's a rascal." If he understands Bhagavad-gita, why he's in politics? And even if he's politics... These, all these kings, Maharaja Yudhisthira, Krsna, they were also in politics. But they know things as they are. That is the difference. Who can be greater politician than Krsna? He's giving this instruction: dehino 'smin yatha dehe kaumaram yauvanam jara, tatha dehantara-praptih [Bg. 2.13]. So in human life, if they do not know what is the process of living condition, how we are changing, how we are accepting birth and death, how to stop it, then what is the meaning of this human being?

So this knowledge can be attained by sat-sanga. Sat-sanga. Sat-sanga means... This is sat-sanga, associating with devotees of the Lord. So sat-sanga. Sat-sangan mukta-duhsangah. You cannot make association with two parties. If you want to associate with the devotees, then you have to give up the association of the nondevotees. That will be natural. Just like our, these students, although they are very young... They are not only young, but coming of very luxurious families in America, Europe. Here, the boys, they cannot even imagine how much luxury they enjoyed. Here, they have no employment, our young men. Mostly unemployed. And in Europe, America, especially in America, there is no question of unemployment. Anyone can go and earn immediately ten dollars. Ten dollars means hundred rupees. He's prepared. One of my students, Trayadhisa, he was, morning, he was absent. So I asked him, "Why you are absent?" "Now I required some money, so I went to get some money." "How you got money?" "Now I went to the shoe brushing shop. So I brushed some gentleman's shoes. I got some money, five dollars." So they know how to earn money. There's no scarcity of money. Even in a hotel, one goes, he washes the dishes -- immediately gets ten dollars. So money and woman. So there enough they enjoy, but now they have given up everything. Why:. Due to this sat-sanga. Due to this sat-sanga. Sat-sangan mukta-duhsangah. No more. No more association with money and woman. This is so powerful, sat-sanga. Sat-sanga is so powerful.

Sat-sanga means satam prasangan mama virya-samvidah. When actually there is sat-sanga... Not professional Bhagavata readers or Bhagavata reader... No. Really realized souls of Bhagavata, Srimad Bhagavad-gita, they are called sat. Not for earning livelihood. They are not sat. Those who are, those who are reading Bhagavad-gita and Bhagavata for some worldly material gain, they are not sat. They are asat. Those who are actually reading Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam for the satisfaction of Bhagavan, bhagavata, they are sat. So once associating with these sat people, he cannot make anymore association asat. Here is a vivid examples: Hrsikesa. He left our company. He associated with some asat. Asat means nondevotees. Asat, generally, we understand rogues and thieves. But those who are devotees, they're less than rogues and thieves. Those who are not devotees, they're less than rogues and thieves. So he could not associate. It was struggle. At last, he had to leave.

So sat-sangan mukta-duhsangah. Once you are associated sincerely with devotees, he cannot mix with nondevotees. This is the test. This is the test. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trayate mahato bhayat. If once only... Sakrt. Here it is said, kirtyamanam yaso yasya sakrd akarnya rocanam. If once... Satam prasangat, sat-sanga is so powerful. If one submissively hears from sat-sanga about the name and fame of the Supreme Lord, immediately it becomes palatable. Sakrd akarnya rocanam. The same thing is repeated in another place: satam prasangan mama virya-samvido bhavanti hrt-karna-rasayanah kathah. If one hears from real devotee, immediately he becomes pregnant. Viryamana. Just like if one boy is viryamana, as soon as he has sex, the girl must be pregnant. Similarly, those who are viryamana, really devotee, by hearing him, one becomes pregnant. Pregnant means he becomes interested in Krsna consciousness. This is called satam prasangan mama virya-samvido bhavanti hrt-karna-rasayanah kathah. Hrt. We like from the heart. We like from the ear. Very nice to hear. Hrt-karna-rasayanah. Rasayana means pleasing. As soon as one will hear from satam, then his ear and heart will be pleased: "Oh, it is very nice." Hrt-karna-rasayanah kathah. Taj-josanat. And if he again cultivates, if he thinks over, taj-josanat, asu... Asu means immediately. Apavarga-vartmani, on the path of liberation. Sraddha bhaktir ratir anukramisyati. This is the process. Therefore, sat-sanga is required.

Now we have opened such a big hall, inviting people to come to take part in the sat-sanga, but nobody's interested. So therefore if anyone becomes interested, he's very intelligent. He's intelligent because he wants to stop this repetition of birth and death. This is the problem. This problem, the so-called scientists, philosophers, educationists, politician, they have set aside this question. The real problem is to solve the question of birth and death. They do not touch it. They are making plan for economic development and other things. Economic development... Suppose you become rich man for twenty years or fifty years, utmost, at the present moment. Then you become a cat and dog in next life. Then what is your economic development? But they do not know that there is life after death. We have to prepare for the next life. Karmana daiva-netrena. Then according to my karma, by superior inspection, I'll get next birth. And in the Bhagavad-gita it is plainly spoken: janma karma me divyam yo janati tattvatah. Krsna says, "Simply try to understand My janma. I take birth." Ajo 'pi sann avyayatma. He's aja. Every one of us aja. Na jayate na mriyate. We don't take birth, don't die, because we are part and parcel of Krsna. So Krsna must be aja.

So Krsna takes birth. That is Janmastami. So if anyone tries to understand why the Aja, the Unborn, takes birth, janma karma... And God, Krsna, who has nothing to do... That is the Vedic information. Na tasya karyam karanam ca vidyate. Why He has to do? Actually He hasn't got to do anything. He has to enjoy only. Just like we see the Deity Krsna is not working in the factory as a factory manager. He's enjoying the company of Radharani. We have to work. If we enjoy with our so-called Radharani, then we'll starve to death. We have to work. But God is not like that. Na tasya karyam karanam ca vidyate. Na tat-samas cabhyadhikas ca drsyate. These are the informations from Vedas, Upanisads, that He has nothing to do. Yes. That is real God. If God has to work, God has to do something, then what kind of God He is? Here, the so-called imitation Gods, even a rich man, he does not do anything. And why God will work? Therefore God comes... He's aja, unborn. He comes, janma, karma, He works also. Just like Krsna. He worked ordinary cowherd's boy. He worked as ordinary politician. He worked as ordinary philosopher, left the instruction of Bhagavad-gita and so many other instructions, sublime instructions.

So one has to understand that why the unborn takes birth. One who hasn't got to do anything, why He comes as a human being and works? Janma karma me divyam. These are all transcendental subject matter. These are not ordinary things. Krsna's coming, Krsna's working, Krsna's fighting, Krsna's loving, they're all transcendental subject matter. Aprakrta. So janma karma me divyam yo janati tattvatah. If anyone simply understands this subject matter, why Krsna takes birth, why Krsna works as ordinary man -- these are all transcendental subject matter -- then he becomes free. Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti [Bg. 4.9]. Simply by understanding Krsna, about His work, about His birth. Simply if we can understand. The Bhagavad-gita is there. You can read and try to understand Bhagavad-gita as it is. The result will be, tyaktva deham punar janma naiti [Bg. 4.9]. Then after giving up this body, he never takes birth in this material world. Punar janma. Punar janma means within this material world. In the spiritual world there is no janma, there is no death. Punar janma naiti. Then where...? He's finished? No. Mam eti: "He comes to Me, back to home, back to Godhead." This is perfection.

So anyone who is interested in this highest perfection of life, punar janma naiti mam eti, not to take birth again in this material world, but to go back home, back to Godhead, such person... Caitanya Mahaprabhu speaks for such person: niskincanasya jigamisor bhava-sagarasya, param param jigamisor bhava-sagarasya. Param param jigamisoh. Just like we are on this side of the sea. We want to go the other side of the sea. Similarly this bhava-samudra, we are on this part of the sea, material world. If we want to go to the other side, spiritual world, so we have to become niskincana. Niskincana means no more possessing anything material. That is called niskincana. If we hanker after possessing material... Therefore sannyasa. Sannyasa means simply possess Krsna and no other possessions. That is niskincana. You have to possess something. Suppose you have got something, one copper coin or silver coin. So if you dispossess, if you throw it away, then what is the gain. Whatever you had, gone. But if you throw the copper coin, or the silver coin, and if you accept a gold coin, then you are profited. Then it is profit. So niskincana, to simply become niskincana, renounced of everything... Just like Mayavadi sannyasis. They do... Brahma satyam jagan mithya. Yes. But brahma satyam, they do not understand what is the actual satya-vastu. That satya-vastu is Bhagavan. They do not search after Bhagavan; simply the light, effulgence of Bhagavan, brahmajyoti. They are satisfied. (yelling in background) (aside:) What is that, trouble? Stop them.

So there are so many versions about sat-sanga and asat-sanga. Caitanya Mahaprabhu advises niskincanasya param param jigamisor bhava-sagarasya sandarsanam atha yositam. (yelling continues in background, louder) They're fighting? Or what...?

Devotee: Sandarsanam visayinam atha yositam ca.

Prabhupada: Ah. Sandarsanam atha yositam visayinam atha yositam ca. So niskincana means do not hanker after any more money and women. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu refused to see persons who are after money and woman, because by their association we may be infected. We may be again hankering after. Suppose I have taken sannyasa, and if I see one grhastha having a very faithful and beautiful wife, if I think, "Oh, I left my wife. If I would have possessed, I would have been happy," he's immediately fallen. Because within the mind, he's associating with yosit. Suppose we go to see some rich man. I see that he has got money, nice motor car, nice building. If I think, "Oh, I have taken sannyasa. If I would have possessed all these things, I would have been...," then immediately fall down. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu strictly prohibits that if you have become niskincana, renounced order, with a idea of going forward, bhava-sagarasya, on the other side of the ocean, then aspiring after money and women is lower than dying, committing suicide. Ha hanta hanta visa-bhaksanato 'py asadhu. If you take poison, that is criminal. Similarly, He says, "A man in renounced order of life, if he's thinking of woman and money, then he's committing suicide more than ordinary suicide." Visa-bhaksanato 'py asadhu. Visa-bhaksana. If you drink poison, then you are criminal. If you survive, by law you'll be punished. Perhaps you know it. Anyone attempting to commit suicide, if he survives, by law he'll be punished: "Why you attempted suicide? This is criminal." Similarly, to see, to aspire after women and money, by the renounced order people, is lower than committing suicide. This is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's version.

So actually who has associated with sadhu, he cannot make any more association with asadhu. Therefore it is said that sat-sangan mukta-duhsangah. Mukta-duhsanga. Mukta means completely liberated. Such person, hatum notsahate budhah, such person cannot give up the chanting of the holy name of the Lord. Kirtyamanam. He may try to go away, but he'll not be happy. He'll not be happy. We have seen practically. Some of our boys who have left, they come occasionally. Even he protests externally, internally he understands that he has committed a mistake by associating. Kirtyamanam. Kirtyamanam yaso yasya sakrd akarnya rocanam. The sankirtana, chanting of this holy name, is so pleasing that one cannot avoid it if once he has associated with devotees. This is the position.

Therefore for the Pandavas... Of course, the holy name of the Lord and the Lord, they're identical. There is no difference. But still we are chanting the holy name of the Lord, and if the Lord comes personally, how much we shall be engladdened. So we are chanting Hare Krsna, Krsna's name, but the Pandavas, they were practically associating with Krsna. So if a person associating with devotees, becomes interested in chanting the holy name of the Lord, how much it is impossible, how much it is impossible for the Pandavas to give up His association. Because they are so fortunate that darsana-sparsa-samlapa-sayanasana-bhojanaih. They're in intimately friendly terms with Krsna, that they're lying together, they're sitting together, they're eating together, always seeing Krsna. How they can tolerate His separation? It is impossible. If a..., satam prasangat, if a devotee cannot give up this chanting of His holy name, how the persons who are actually seeing Krsna, associating with Krsna, can tolerate separation from Him? This is the purport.

Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.10.11-12 -- Mayapura, June 25, 1973