Follow What Krishna Says

Follow What Krishna Says

Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.37
Los Angeles, June 3, 1976

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Pradyumna: Translation: "Sukadeva Gosvami continued: Being thus addressed by the messengers of Yamaraja, the servants of Vasudeva smiled and spoke the following words in voices as deep as the sound of rumbling clouds."

Prabhupada:

sri-suka uvaca
ity ukte yamadutais te
vasudevokta-karinah
tan pratyucuh prahasyedam
megha-nirhradaya gira
 [SB 6.1.37]

In this verse the word vasudevokta-karinah... Vasudeva, Krsna, vasudeva-ukta, ukta means what is said by Vasudeva. Ukta means what is spoken by Vasudeva, Krsna. Vasudevokta-karinah: they'll do that, that's all. This is devotee. There is no difficulty to become devotee. At once you can become a devotee, within a second. They ask something, sometimes, that "How long it will take to become a devotee?" It will take one second. How? Vasudevokta-karinah. You simply accept that whatever Vasudeva says, you'll do, that's all. Vasudeva says so many things. Vasudeva says to Arjuna that "You fight." So if you accept, "Yes, I'll fight," then you become devotee. But Arjuna denied, "No, Krsna, I'll not fight." That is our disease. Our whole disease is that as soon as we agree to accept the words of Krsna, we are liberated, immediately. We are immediately in the Vaikuntha. As as soon we deny, immediately within maya.

krsna bhuliya jive bhoga vancha kare
pasate maya tare japatiya dhare

Two things are there. If you deny to keep yourself in the light, then go to the darkness. And if you deny to keep yourself in the darkness, then go to the light. Two things are side by side. If you agree to act according to Vasudeva's instruction, His order, then you are immediately liberated person. And if you do not, then you are immediately under illusion, maya.

So this is wanted. Liberation But it is very difficult to accept the position that "I shall do whatever Vasudeva says." Immediately our life becomes very clear and happy. Not only happy in this life, but also next life. Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti kaunteya [Bg. 4.9]. If we accept simply to obey the words of Vasudeva ... It is so simple, but we are so unfortunate that we do not accept. Especially in this age, mandah sumanda matayo manda-bhagyah [SB 1.1.10]. In this age, people in general, they're all bad, mandah. Mandah means bad, nobody's good. Because everyone is in ignorance, the modes of ignorance, that is bad. Or little upwards, in the modes of passion. Rajas-tamo-bhavah [SB 1.2.19]. And the best part, best platform in this material world, is goodness, sattva-guna. Raja-guna, tamo-guna... There are three modes of material nature -- goodness, passion and ignorance. Those who are in ignorance, they are animals, animals platform. Those who are in passion, karmi platform. And those who are in goodness, they're jnani platform. But our aim is to transcend even the jnani platform. Not to remain in the platform of ignorance, not to remain in the platform of passion, and not to remain even in the platform of goodness. That is transcendental. That is transcendental. Just like gopis are going to Krsna at dead of night, at midnight. And how they're going? Krsna is playing the flute, and gopis are running, giving up all their engagement in the family. Somebody was lying with her husband, somebody was engaged in the kitchen, somebody was taking care of the children, so on, so on. But they left everything and went to Krsna. This is transcendental. When we go to Krsna consciousness, giving up everything, that is transcendental platform. Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66].

So this word is a very important word, vasudevokta-karinah. A devotee has nothing to do anything more except to execute the order of Krsna. That is transcendental platform. They do not know what is transcendental plat... Transcendental meditation means to think of Krsna always. That is transcendental meditation. That is said in the Bhagavad-gita:

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

Who is the first-class yogi? Krsna says, "That person who is always thinking of Me Yoginam api sarvesam. There are many varieties of yogis, but this person, who is thinking of Me, he has no more to think any other thing." Yoginam api sarvesam mad-gatenantar-atmana: within the core of the heart, he's thinking of Krsna. This is the ideal transcendental meditation, meditation. It has become a medicine now. (laughter) To become fatty, to have more power for sex, it is not meditation, but medicine. So this is wanted. Yoginam api sarvesam mad-gatenantar-atmana [Bg. 6.47]. That is the supermost, topmost position of yogi. Anyabhilasita-sunyam jnana-karmady anavrtam [Brs. 1.1.11]. In this material world the jnana-bhumika, or the modes of goodness, that is very estimated. So, transcending that position also. Karma is lower position, karmis... (aside:) That child is disturbing. Hm. Jnana-karmady-anavrtam anukulyena krsnanusilanam [Cc. Madhya 19.167]. Simply remain prepared how to execute the order of Krsna. Anukulyena. "Krsna says this; now I must do it." That is vasudevokta-karinah. Ukta means whatever He says.

So the Krsna conscious life is not very difficult. It is very easy. In one second, if he agrees: "Yes, Krsna, whatever You say, I shall do..." That Arjuna did at last, after hearing the whole Bhagavad-gita. When Krsna asked, inquired from him, "Now, what is your decision...?" Krsna never interferes with your decision. You have got little independence. Krsna has given you. But if you use your independence, do not like to obey the orders of Krsna, that is your business. You can do that. Krsna will not interfere with you. But Krsna says that "If you want actual happiness, liberation, then follow what I say." That is Krsna's request. As we are subordinate, Krsna can order that "You must do it." That Krsna does not say, never. Kuru. He says sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66], "You do it." He doesn't say "You must." That is your option. You can deny it. That is going on. Krsna is instructing everything perfectly, but why people are not doing? That is his discretion. That Krsna gives always. After teaching Bhagavad-gita thoroughly, He asked Arjuna: "Now, Arjuna, I have spoken to you everything. Now it is up to you to do it or not to do it." Yathecchasi tatha kuru [Bg. 18.63]. Yatha-icchasi: "Whatever you like, you do." He doesn't force, but Arjuna, that is, means knowledge, Arjuna said nasto mohah: "My illusion is now over." Nasto mohah smrtir labdha: "Now I am remembering, I am memorizing my position," tvat-prasadad, "by Your grace." So karisye vacanam tava [Bg. 18.73]: "Now I shall act as You desire." This is perfection of life. Whenever we decide that "Now we shall act as Krsna says," then our life is perfect. Vasudeva-uktah karinah.

They were smiling. When the Yamadutas challenged them that "Who are you? You look like very nice, coming from some very, very nice place. You are very well dressed, and you are all young men and nicely dressed, everything Oh, why you are interfering with our business?" So, they were smiling. They were smiling because they knew their business. They knew their business, they have come to rescue Ajamila by the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So they know their position, that "We have come from the supreme controller. You cannot do any more this things. That is your foolishness." They were smiling that "What these foolish persons are asking us question?" Our position is like that. Anyone who is preaching Krsna consciousness, you may protest against Krsna consciousness, we shall smile, that's all. (laughter) We know our duty. Yes. We shall simply smile, that "What these nonsense speaking?" We shall go on, forward, because we are carrying the order of Krsna. We shall be protected in every respect. Nobody can supersede our order. This is our position. So they were smiling that "What these nonsense are speaking?" Yes. So tan pratyucuh prahasya idam megha-nirhradaya. Just like cloud. Cloud means sounds, everything stops. Megha-nirhradaya. So the point is that those who are preaching Krsna consciousness, if they are strictly following vasudevoktah, whatever Vasudeva has said or the Vasudeva's representative has said, if he's simply prepared to carry out the orders, then his position is very secure. His position is very secure.

So we are Krsna conscious men or we are known as Hare Krsna men. Anyway... So we are not manufacturing something imaginary. That is not our position. Vasudevoktah. We are simply excecuting what Vasudeva has spoken, that's all. So our task is very easy, because we haven't got to manufacture, tax our brain, to create something nonsense. No. Our position is very clear. Krsna has said man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. This is Krsna's words. So many things, these are important things. Krsna says that "Always think of Me." So we are saying the same thing. "My dear friend, my dear student, my dear son, chant Hare Krsna." Then you'll think of Krsna. Man-mana. And, who will chant Hare Krsna? Mad-bhakto. Unless one agrees to become a devotee of Krsna, why he'll chant? Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji: "You worship Me." So we have created this temple. Come on, worship Krsna. And mam namaskuru -- and whoever comes to the temple, he offers obeisances. We teach how to offer obeisances as soon as we enter. That is our business. Where is the difficulty? There is no difficulty. Either you are learned or a fool or rich or poor or black or white or American or Indian, Hindu, Muslim, never mind -- take this lesson, you become perfect. So human society should take advantage of this movement and do these four things only -- man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru. Then what is the... Mam evaisyasi asamsayah: [Bg. 18.65] "I guarantee you come back to home, back to Godhead, by this process."

Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.37 -- Los Angeles, June 3, 1976

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© 2001 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.

Dear Words For Dormant Hearts

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.13.12
Geneva, June 3, 1974

Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada


Nitai: Translation: "Thus being questioned by Maharaja Yudhisthira, Mahatma Vidura gradually described everything he had personally experienced, except the news of the annihilation of the Yadu dynasty."

Prabhupada:

ity ukto dharma-rajena
sarvam tat samavarnayat
yathanubhutam kramaso
vina yadu-kula-ksayam

Yadu-kula-ksayam. The Yadu dynasty... When Krsna was present, the family members were about ten millions. This is Krsna. Everything is wonderful. He married 16,108 wives, and each wife had ten children, and each child begot another ten children. In this way, the Yadu-kula was a very big family. So they were destroyed.

There are two comments on this point, why Yadu-kula was destroyed by Krsna's plan. One comment is that if they would continue to live, then the same misconception, that a brahmana is born in the brahmana family -- they would continue to speak that "We are also gods, because we are born of God's family, Krsna's family." Just like in India there is a class, they call themselves Nityananda-vamsa, descendants of Lord Nityananda. But that does not actually happen. And another comment is that all these members of Yadu-kula, they appeared in the Yadu-kula just to enhance the opulence of Krsna. But they came from different heavenly planets to help Krsna in His incarnation. Just like a big man, wherever he goes there are many others also go there to help him. When a king goes somewhere, the king does not go alone. He goes with his secretaries, his military commanders, and so many other companions. So these Yadu-kulas were like that. They came to help Krsna's lila, pastimes, within this material world. So some of them were born as sons of Krsna, some of them as grandson, as great-grandson, and Krsna did not want to leave them behind. Krsna was planning to go back to His Vaikuntha, Vrndavana planet. So He did not like that they should remain. They should also go back. Now, to go back means they must meet death after..., because otherwise it is unnatural. So... And who can kill them? Nobody can kill them. That is also another point. The family of Krsna, there is no power in the whole world that anybody could kill them. So Krsna planned that they should be killed amongst themselves by fighting. So another lesson is that if we fight amongst ourselves, even we belong to the family of Krsna, we are ruined. This is the instance of Yadu-kula. Although they belonged to Krsna's family directly, still, because they fought amongst themselves, they were all banished, vanquished.

So this was not a very palatable incident. So Vidura, when he was asked by Maharaja Yudhisthira about the family members of Yadu-kula, he did not describe it, because they were very thickly related as family members, so it would be a great shock to the Pandavas that Yadu-kula, descendants of the Yadu-kula, had been annihilated in such an unpalatable way. So he did not describe. Yathanubhutam kramasah. Ity ukto dharma-rajena sarvam tat samavarnayat. He described everything. Vina yadu-kula-ksayam. Vina. Vina means "without." Without the incidence, how the Yadu-kula was destroyed by fighting amongst themselves.

nanv apriyam durvisaham
nrnam svayam upasthitam
navedayat sakaruno
duhkhitan drastum aksamah

He did not describe because he did not like also to see that Pandavas would be sorry. He went back to his home after so many years, and they were receiving them, and at that time Vidura did not like to see them aggrieved on account of this incidence.

kancit kalam athavatsit
sat-krto devavat sukham
bhratur jyesthasya sreyas-krt
sarvesam sukham avahan

Vidura left his home for good. It is not that he has again come back to live with his family members. No. His only purpose was that his elder brother Dhrtarastra was rotting there. He lost everything. He lost his kingdom, lost his sons, grandsons and everything. Still, he could not give up the so-called material happiness. He was... Of course, these Pandavas, they were treating Maharaja Dhrtarastra and his wife Gandhari very gorgeously as head of the family, but he was not ashamed that he intrigued so much difficulties and plot against the Pandavas. There was big fight, Kuruksetra, in which he lost everything. Still, he was living under their care for some material comforts. So this was very shameful affair. So Vidura was very much attracted, attached to Maharaja Dhrtarastra. Therefore, bhratur jyesthasya sreyas-krt. Bhratuh means brother, and jyestha means elder. So actually, Vidura went there for the benefit of Dhrtarastra. Therefore, kancit kalam atha avatsit. He decided to live at home along with the family members for some time.

Avatsit. Sat-krto devavat sukham. He was living just like in the opulence of demigods. Because they were all nephews. Pandavas were so well-behaved, cultured devotees, and Vidura was devotee. So he was treated just like devavat, godly. That is required. Just like whenever I go anywhere, they treat me very nicely, I live very comfortably, similarly, Vidura was treated by the Pandavas to live very comfortably, devavat, just like godly standard. But he did not live there for getting some material comforts. His aim was that "This poor man, Dhrtarastra, my elder brother, he has not yet been lessoned, that what is the value of these material comforts." He was living shamelessly. So he wanted to instruct him, and thus he lived there for some time.

kancit kalam athavatsit
sat-krto devavat sukham
bhratur jyesthasya sreyas-krt
sarvesam sukham avahan

So although he especially lived in the palace for the benefit of his elder brother, still, so long he lived, it was a very pleasing time for all of them. Because he was living not as a dull or dumb man. He was speaking about Krsna. Therefore everyone was feeling very happy. (reads purport:) "Saintly persons like Vidura must be treated as well as a denizen from heaven." "As well as a denizen from heaven." Yes. If any saintly person comes at home, formerly this was the system. In our childhood we have seen. Many saintly persons used to come, and my father used to receive them very nicely, some of them. Still, the system is if you go to any Indian village and... I mean to say, those who are sannyasis, saintly person, they are received very well. Just like Caitanya Mahaprabhu, when He was touring in South India, so many brahmanas were coming to invite him. That is the system. He hasn't got to bother for his food or shelter any place. That is the system.

So Vidura, he was a saintly person. He was received by the Pandavas and treated just like denizens. (reads:) "In those days denizens of heavenly planets used to visit homes like that of Maharaja Yudhisthira, and sometimes persons like Arjuna and others used to visit higher planets." We get information. Arjuna also went to the heavenly planets, and persons from heaven, when there was big yajnas, sacrifice, they used to come and visit Indra, Candra. And sometimes person like... (reads:) "Narada is a spaceman who can travel unrestrictedly not only within the material universes but also in the spiritual universes." Wherever he wanted, he could go. He can go. He's still living. Not that... (reads:) "Even Narada used to visit the palace of Maharaja Yudhisthira, and what to speak of other celestial demigods." It is only the spiritual culture of the people concerned that makes interplanetary travel possible, even in the present body. Maharaja Yudhisthira therefore received Vidura in the manner of reception offered to the demigods. This example means demigods were visiting.

(reads:) "Mahatma Vidura had already adopted the renounced order of life, and therefore he did not return to his paternal palace to enjoy some material comforts. He accepted out of his own mercy what was offered to him by the Maharaja Yudhisthira, but the purpose of living in the palace was to deliver his too much materially attached elder brother, Dhrtarastra. Dhrtarastra lost all his state and descendants in the fight with Maharaja Yudhisthira, and still, due to his sense of helplessness, he did not feel ashamed to accept the charity and hospitality of Maharaja Yudhisthira." Suppose you create some enemy, always fought with your enemy. So if you accept his hospitality and live there, thinking that "I am living very comfortably," it is not very good sense.

(reads:) "On the part of Maharaja Yudhisthira, it was quite in order to maintain his uncle in a befitting manner, but acceptance of such magnanimous hospitality by Dhrtarastra was not at all desirable. He accepted it because he thought that there was no other alternative. Vidura particularly came to enlighten Dhrtarastra and to give him a lift to the higher status of spiritual cognition. It is the duty of the enlightened souls to deliver the fallen ones, and Vidura came to that reason. But talks of spiritual enlightenment are so refreshing that while instructing Dhrtarastra, Vidura attracted the attention of all the members of the family, and all of them took pleasure in hearing him patiently. This is the way of spiritual realization. The message should be heard attentively, and if spoken by realized soul, it will act on the dormant heart of the conditioned soul. And by continuously hearing, one can attain the perfect stage of self-realization."

Therefore sravanam is very essential. Sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam pada-sevanam [SB 7.5.23]. So in all our centers, this process should be followed. We have got now so many books. Simply if we read books... Our Yogesvara Prabhu is very enthusiastic to read books. So everyone should read books and others should hear. That is very essential, sravanam. The more you hear... We have got so many books. Whatever is already published... Just like we are describing one verse daily. So at least... There are so many verses already in stock, you can go on speaking for fifty years. These books already published, you can go on. There will be no want of stock.

So this practice should be adopted. Don't waste time. As much as possible, try to hear about this transcendental subject matter, Bhagavatam. Yad vaisnavanam priyam. It is stated that "The Srimad-Bhagavatam is very, very dear to the Vaisnavas, to the devotees." In Vrndavana, you will find, they are always reading Srimad-Bhagavatam. That is their life and soul. So now we have got already six volumes, and further... How many? Eight volumes are coming? So you will have enough stock. So you should read. Sravanam kirtanam visnoh. That is the main business. That is pure devotional service. Because we cannot devote twenty-four hours in hearing and chanting; therefore we have extended our activities, program activities, in so many ways. Otherwise, Srimad-Bhagavatam is so nice, if you practice anywhere, any condition, simply by reading Srimad-Bhagavatam, you will be happy. So adopt this practice and make your spiritual life perfect more and more.

Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.13.12 -- Geneva, June 3, 1974