Serpents and Servants

Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.28 Mayapur, March 6, 1976 download  flash player   Take a test Pusta Krsna: "My dear Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, on account of my association with material desires one after another, gradually I have now fallen in the blind well full of snakes. But Your servant Narada Muni kindly accepted me as his disciple and instructed me how to achieve this transcendental position. Therefore my first duty is to serve him. And how can I leave it?" Prabhupada: evam janam nipatitam prabhavahi-kupe kamabhikamam anu yah prapatan prasangat krtvatmasat surarsina bhagavan grhitah so 'ham katham nu visrje tava bhrtya-sevam  [SB 7.9.28]

So this is Vaisnava paddhati. Tava bhrtya-sevam. Vaisnava does not approach Krsna directly. That is not Vaisnava. This is impudency. You cannot approach Krsna. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has taught us, gopi-bhartuh pada-kamalayor dasa-dasa-dasanudasah [Cc. Madhya 13.80]. This is the process. You have to... As you have to receive the perfect knowledge by the parampara system -- imam vivasvate yogam proktavan aham avyayam [Bg. 4.1] -- similarly, you have to approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead through the parampara system.

sri-caitanya-mano-'bhistam
sthapitam yena bhu-tale
svayam rupah kada mahyam
dadati sva-padantikam

[When will Srila Rupa Gosvami Prabhupada, who has established within this material world the mission to fulfill the desire of Lord Caitanya, give me shelter under his lotus feet?]

We have to approach in that way. Sri-caitanya-mano 'bhistam. The Gosvamis, they established the mission of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Therefore we have to receive the mercy of the six Gosvamis, and we have to receive the mercy of the six Gosvamis through my spiritual master. Bhrtyasya bhrtyah. Narottama dasa Thakura says, rupa-raghunatha pade, haibe akuti, kabe hama bujhabo, sri yugala-piriti. Narottama dasa Thakura, he is also acarya. He is speaking, "When I shall be eager to serve the lotus feet of Rupa Gosvami, Sanatana Gosvami," rupa-raghunatha-pade, "six Gosvamis, beginning from Rupa Gosvami to Raghunatha dasa Gosvami?" Sri-rupa sanatana bhatta-raghunatha, sri-jiva gopala-bhatta dasa-raghunatha.

So we have to go through the Gosvamis and the parampara system. Then we can understand. Rupa-raghunatha pade, haibe akuti, kabe hama bujhabo, sri yugala-piriti. Generally some professional men, they chant Radha-krsna-pranaya-vikrtir. That is not the way. You cannot understand the loving affairs of Radha and Krsna without understanding the path given by the Gosvamis. If you surpass in this way, avoid the way of approaching Radha-Krsna by reading Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, The Nectar of Devotion, the Teachings of Lord Caitanya -- all of a sudden if you become an upstart to understand Radha-Krsna love -- then you'll misunderstand. That is the way. And people, they try to understand Radha-Krsna love affairs, jumping all of a sudden. This is not the way. One should be very much eager to understand. Radha-krsna-pranaya-vikrtir ahladini saktir asmad ekatmanav api deha-bhedam gatau tau, sri caitanya-prakatam adhuna tad-dvayam caikyam aptam radha-krsna-bhava-dyuti. There is a... This is the verse by Jiva Gosvami that "Radha-Krsna is one. Radharani is the pleasure potency of Krsna." Parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate sva-bhaviki jnana-bala-kriya ca [Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport]. Krsna is the Supreme Being. When He wants to enjoy pleasure, no material things can supply that. That is not possible. He expands His own energy, and by His own energy He gets the pleasure. So Radharani is not ordinary, as the sahajiyas, those who take Radha-Krsna love affair very easily... No. Then you'll misunderstand. Radha-krsna-pranaya-vikrtir ahladini saktih. It is the expansion of pleasure potency of Krsna.

So this science one has to learn from the authorities, Rupa Gosvami, Sanatana Gosvami and others. Then it is possible to understand what is loving affairs of Radha-Krsna.

rupa-raghunatha pade rahu mora asa
prarthana koroye sada narottamo das

We should not jump over. There are so many literatures. They place Radharani as ordinary baladar(?) woman because they do not understand. So therefore Sanatana Gosvami has forbidden strictly that avaisnava-mukhodgirnam puta-hari-kathamrtam, sravanam na kartavyam: "Don't hear from the professional men who are not situated in the Vaisnava behavior." One must be..., behavior in Vaisnava. Sadacara-sampannah. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura has warned that "Don't mix it with Vaisnava who is not well trained up, well behaved." You can offer him respect. A Vaisnava offers respect even to the ant. That is another thing. But he has warned, "Don't mix with them, these professional, so-called Vaisnava, sahajiyas." This is warned. Avaisnava-mukhodgirnam puta-hari-kathamrtam, sravanam na kartavyam: "You should not hear." "Eh? Huh? What is the wrong there? The Krsna-katha is there." No, Krsna-katha is there just like milk is there, but if it is touched by the lips of a serpent, it is no more to be taken. It has become poison. Unless one is situated as pure Vaisnava in his dealing, in his behavior, inside and outside, he should not become a preacher because it will not be effective, neither one should hear from such person. But people in general, they can not understand, but those who are preaching, they must be very sincere, the same way. Rupa-raghunatha pade, haibe akuti. They should read the literatures, the instruction, just like Upadesamrta, The Nectar of Instruction. We should follow, strictly follow. Then prthivim sa sisyat. Then you'll be able to preach and make disciples all over the world. This is the injunction. That is called gosvami. Don't be cheap preacher, cheap guru. No, no. That is not good. It is not possible.

So Prahlada Maharaja is one of the mahajana, authorities. How he has gotten this authority? Here it is said, so 'ham katham nu visrje tava bhrtya-sevam. So everyone must have his position by giving service to the spiritual master. And who is spiritual master? Tava bhrtya, who is a servant of Krsna.

yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasado
yasyaprasadad na gatih kuto 'pi
kintu prabhor yah priya eva tasya

Guru is described, yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadah:  "By the mercy of guru one can achieve the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Yasya prasada. Yasya aprasadat: "If guru is not pleased, then he has no place." Na gatih kuto 'pi.

saksad dharitvena samasta-sastrair
uktas tatha bhavyata eva sadbhih
kintu prabhor yah priya eva tasya

Why the spiritual master position is so great? Because he is very, very confidential servant of Krsna; therefore his position is so great.

So this is the process. Tava bhrtya-seva. We have to... Adau gurvasrayam. First beginning of Vaisnava life is to accept guru, spiritual master, adau gurvasrayam, then other things. Because who will teach you? So we have to approach a pure Vaisnava as spiritual master, follow his instruction. And what is his instruction? His instruction is as he was instructed by his spiritual master. He does not invent instruction. This is instruction. The pure Vaisnava, he does not invent anything new. Yare dekha tare kaha krsna upadesa [Cc. Madhya 7.128]. Caitanya Mahaprabhu says that "You all, every one of you become guru, everyone." Amara ajnaya guru hana tara ei desa [Cc. Madhya 7.128]. Wherever you are living, it doesn't require that you have to travel all over the world. If you have no such capacity, it doesn't matter. You remain wherever you are, but you become a guru. "How I become a guru?" Yare dekha tare kaha krsna upadesa: [Cc. Madhya 7.128] "Very simple thing. You instruct only what is instructed by Krsna. That's all." Don't invent. Don't become overintelligent. Remain a poor fool. Guru more murkha dekhi sasana, korila sasana [Cc. Adi 7.71]. Caitanya Mahaprabhu also presenting Himself as a great fool because He says, "My Guru Maharaja found Me a great fool." He was a fool? He was Krsna Himself. But one should remain always a fool before Guru Maharaja. That is progress. If he thinks, "I know more than my Guru Maharaja," then he's fallen. Yasyaprasadad na gatih kuto 'pi. Then he is finished. So we should always remain a fool before the spiritual master, even though one is incarnation, not that "I am incarnation; therefore I have become God." No. Even if you are incarnation, you should remain a humble servant. That is that, tava bhrtya-sevam. Prahlada Maharaja is... Daityanam prahlado 'smi. The Supreme Personality of Godhead incarnates in different societies, different platforms, and He says, "Amongst the Daityas..." Amongst the Daityas, there are also devotees. So prahlado 'smi. Prahlada Maharaja is saktyavesavatara, but still, he says that katham nu visrje tava bhrtya-sevam: "How can I give up this service?" Prahlada Maharaja does not say, "My Lord, Nrsimhadeva, I am now so competent. Give me Your service directly." No. Tava bhrtya-sevam: "First of all give me the opportunity to serve Your servant." This is Vaisnavism.

So why it is required to serve Vaisnava? If you want to get relief from this conditional life, then you have to serve Vaisnavas. Chadiya vaisnava seva, nistara payeche keba. This is the... "Who has got," I mean to say, "liberty from this entanglement of material existence" -- chadiya vaisnava seva -- "if you do not serve a pure Vaisnava?" Mahat-sevam dvaram ahur vimukteh [SB 5.5.2]. This is everywhere. If you want liberation from this material entanglement, then you must take to mahat-sevam dvaram ahur vimukteh [SB 5.5.2]. You must. There is no alternative. Tasmad gurum prapadyeta jijnasuh sreya uttamam [SB 11.3.21]. "If you are actually interested to inquire about the transcendental subject matter, you must accept a guru." Tasmad gurum prapadyeta.

tad viddhi pranipatena
pariprasnena sevaya
upadeksyanti tad jnanam
jnaninas tattva-darsinam
 [Bg. 4.34]

So these are the ways. You cannot understand by your erudite scholarship what is Krsna. It is not possible. Then Krsna would have instructed Bhagavad-gita to..., finding out a very great Vedantist. No. Krsna found Arjuna. What was Arjuna? Arjuna was a grhastha. Arjuna was a ksatriya, and although a soldier... A soldier is not expected to become a Vedantist. We recruit soldiers not from the Vedantists' group. One who can fight, one who has got strength -- we recruit soldier. So Arjuna was not very qualified in that way to understand Bhagavad-gita or instruction, but Krsna said, "Yes, I will speak, speak to you. This Bhagavad-gita, the parampara is lost, so I shall again speak the old thing to you." "Why to me?" Bhakto 'si priyo 'si me: [Bg. 4.3] "Because you are My bhakta. You are My priya." So by scholarship one cannot understand Bhagavad-gita. That is not possible. One must become a servant of the servant of Krsna [Cc. Madhya 13.80]. Then one can understand what is Bhagavad-gita. Otherwise it (is) not possible.

So evam janam nipatitam prabhavahi-kupe. Ahi kupa. Ahi means the serpent. So we have got these serpents surrounded by us, surrounded, all round. What are the serpents? The senses. Everyone, we are in the dark well surrounded by serpents, this body. Bhaktivinoda Thakura has sung this song, sarira avidya-jal, jadendriya tahe kala. Kala means serpents, kala-sarpa. Kala-sarpa, it can bite at any moment and finish you. We are being bitten every moment. It is Krsna's grace that we are living. Otherwise our senses are so dangerous that it can bring me down at any moment, kala-sarpa. There are many places, kala-sarpa-patali protkhata-damstrayate. One devotee says, "Yes, I am surrounded by kala-sarpa, the serpent, that's nice, but I can break the teeth." But if kala-sarpa is the... What is called, that? Fangs? If they are broken -- they are taken out -- they are no more dangerous. Dangerous. They are dangerous so long the fangs are there. So protkhata-damstrayate. Sri Prabhodananda Sarasvati said, kala-sarpa-patali protkhata-damstrayate: "Yes, I have got my kala-sarpas, but by the grace of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, I have broken the fangs, so it is no more fearful." How it is possible? By the mercy of Caitanya Mahaprabhu it is possible. Just like you can break the fangs of the... There are expert snake charmer. Because this poison is required for some medicinal purpose, so they take it out. Then it is useless. But they again grow. The body is so made of the snake, even if you take once the fangs, again it grows. That is stated here, that how it is possible? Kamabhikamam anu yah prapatan prasangat. Once it may be broken, but if you have bad association, then again it will grow. Kamabhikamam. One kama, one lusty desire, produces another lusty desire. In this way, one after another, this is going on. That is the cause of our repeated birth and death. Bhutva bhutva praliyate [Bg. 8.19]. So therefore, if we want to enter into bhakti platform, then we should give up this. Anyabhilasita-sunyam. Anyabhilasita-sunyam [Brs. 1.1.11].

So "How it can be zero? I am a living being. How it can be zero? I am always thinking, planning. I have got so many desires," they say. One who does not know what is the position of a living being, they say that "Give up desires. Desireless." That is not possible. Desirelessness is not possible. Because I am a living being, I must desire. Therefore desires may be purified. That is wanted. You cannot make the desires zero. That is not possible. Sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. Now our desires are there according to my designated position. "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim. Why shall I take Krsna consciousness?" Because I am designated, I have taken this designation, "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian." Therefore we cannot take Krsna consciousness. "Oh, this is... Krsna is Hindu God. Krsna is Indian. Why shall I take Krsna?" No. "You have to be desireless" means you have to purify your this false understanding that "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian," "I am Indian," "I am this." This has to be purified. One has to understand that "I am gopi-bhartur pada-kamalayor dasa. I am the servant of the servant of the servant of Krsna [Cc. Madhya 13.80]." That is purification. Then desire. Then you'll not desire anything except Krsna's service. That is perfection. When you come to that platform, that you desire nothing but to serve Krsna, always, twenty-four hours, then you are liberated. Sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. Then you become nirmalam, without any material tinge. In that position only, hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam bhaktir ucyate. Then... My senses will be there; not that I become senseless nonsense. No. My senses are there. They will act. They'll act for simply to serve Krsna. That is wanted. So that can be possible when you are trained up by the servant of Krsna. Otherwise it is not possible.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.28 -- Mayapur, March 6, 1976

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Blazing Fire Within The Heart

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.15.27
New York, March 6, 1975



 

---

Nitai: "Now I am attracted to those instructions imparted to me by the Personality of Godhead, Govinda, because they are impregnated with instructions for relieving the burning heart in all circumstances of time and space."

 

Prabhupada:

desa-kalartha-yuktani
hrt-tapopasamani ca
haranti smaratas cittam
govindabhihitani me

So this word hrt-tapa upasamani... Hrt means heart, and tapa means miseries or burning, heat. Tapa means burning heat. If there is fire and there is heat, sometimes it is intolerable. So hrt-tapa means the burning fire blazing within the heart. So that is always. Anyone who is in this material world, he has got this disease, burning fire within the heart, anyone. That means severe anxiety, everyone. Even a small bird, he is also full of anxiety. You give him some grains. It will come. It will eat. At the same time, it will look this way, that way, this way, full of anxiety. Although there is food, he is eating, still, there is anxiety, "Somebody may come, kill me." So everyone is full of anxiety. That is the material nature. Nobody can say "I have no anxiety." That is not possible. If he says like that, he is a liar. That is not possible. Is anyone here who can say that he or she has no anxiety? Of course, when you take to Krsna consciousness, there is no anxiety. That is the distinction. Anxiety there is, but to relieve this anxiety one has to take to Krsna consciousness. Otherwise not. You cannot get relief. (child says, "Prabhupada") Yes. (laughter) So you may say that "Sometimes we have got anxiety, and sometimes we are very nice." So even accepting that, Arjuna says, desa-kala-artha-yuktani. Desa, kala, the time and space within this material world, and artha means purpose, everything, any time... Arjuna does not say that "sometimes." At any time, if we are materially attached, then this hrt-tapa must be. Hrt-tapa means burning fire, blazing fire within the heart. It will continue.

Therefore Narottama dasa Thakura says that visaya-bisanale, diba-nisi hiya jwale. This means anyone who is engaged in these material affairs, Visaya... Visaya means material necessities. Everyone has got material necessities: ahara-nidra-bhaya-maithuna, how to eat, how to sleep, where to sleep, where to get apartment, where to secure money to get food, and how to secure sex pleasure, where it is available, man or woman, and how to defend. "I have got so much bank balance. It may not be taken away. I have got this property." In this way everyone is suffering. That's a fact. Therefore Narottama dasa Thakura says, visaya-bisanale, diba-nisi hiya jwale: "The heart is burning." The same word. It is in simple Bengali, and this is in Sanskrit. Visaya-bisanale, diba-nisi hiya jwale, juraite na koinu upay. So if a man simply goes on suffering like this, then he is not a human being. Human being means if there is suffering, he must try to alleviate it, to mitigate the suffering. That is human being.

That is... Nature gives us this human form of body, intelligence, that if there is danger, if there is anxiety, he tries to get out of it. The animals also do, but they cannot do very nicely. Just like animals are slaughtered. So they know when they are put into one, what is called, pound and they know that they will be slaughtered, but they have no means to get out of it. So the human being can do that. If I foresee, "There is some danger, I can make some way to get out of it." That is human intelligence. Therefore Narottama dasa Thakura says that "Although I had the intelligence to get out of these material anxieties, the blazing fire within the heart, but I did not take it." And what is that? Now, hari-nama prema-dhana...

Devotees: Golokera...

Prabhupada: Golokera prema-dhana, hari-nama-sankirtana, rati na janmilo kene tay. This is the remedy. Golokera prema-dhana, this hari-nama-sankirtana, chanting of Hare Krsna mantra, this sound vibration, it is not material. Suppose if I would have advised my disciples that "You chant ‘Mr. John, Mr. John, Mr. John,' " this movement would not have spread. (laughter) How long one can chant this "Mr. John, Mr. John"? Therefore it is the proof, that all over the world, we have got about hundred centers. Everywhere, hundred, two hundred, three hundred disciples are there. They're chanting, dancing, with Hare Krsna mantra. Why? Because it is not material sound vibration. This is the proof. Don't think that Hare Krsna chanting and chanting the name of Mr. John is the same, no. This is the proof. You can go on chanting twenty-four hours, Still, you will not feel tired. This is the golokera... This is the proof, that this hari-nama-sankirtana, golokera prema-dhana, it is the property for loving. It is the thing which will lead you how to love God, prema-dhana. You will gradually develop your propensity to love Krsna. Ceto-darpana-marjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has said that param vijayate sri-krsna-sankirtanam: "All glories to the chanting of Hare Krsna mantra." Why? Now, bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam.

In this material life there is a fire always. Bhava-maha-davagni. Davagni means the forest fire, the fire in the forest. Nobody goes to set fire in the forest, nobody has got any business to do that. But still, there is fire. It takes place. Everyone knows. Automatically, by the collision of dry branches of bamboo and others there is electricity and dry leaves that set fire, in this way, a big fire. So similarly, in this material world nobody wants that there may be fire and we all burn. No, nobody wants. But it happens. There is another Bengali song like that. Sukhera lagiya ei ghare bandhinu agune puriya gelun(?): "I constructed this house to live very happily. Unfortunately, there was set fire. Fire was set and everything finished." So this is material world. We should always know.

So Arjuna says that "When I remember the teachings of Krsna in the Bhagavad-gita, then it relieves me. Then it relieves me." Hrt-tapa upasamani. Hrt-tapa, that blazing fire within the heart, immediately becomes relieved. So that is also fact. Bhagavad-gita... Whenever you are perplexed, you read Bhagavad-gita you will immediately get relief. That's a fact. Gandhi also said that. Gandhi was a politician. Although he could not understand Bhagavad-gita neither he could understand Krsna, still, he said that "When I read, I get great relief." He was always very busy, so many political problems always coming. So there was no spiritual understanding of these politicians. Sometimes they take the spiritual shelter, so-called, for getting some benefit out of it so that his political movement may be increased or enhanced. So we do not wish to discuss, but Bhagavad-gita, even if you read without any actual knowledge of the Bhagavad-gita, still, you will feel relief. Still you will feel relief. Just like if you go to the fire, you will feel some warmth. That's a fact. Even you do not know how to enjoy fire, still, because you are near the fire, you will get some warmth. So Bhagavad-gita is like that. Even if you do not understand, by simply hearing the words of Krsna... Simply we chant this, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65], and gradually you do that...

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

If we discuss Bhagavad-gita amongst the societies of the devotee... That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita, mad-bhaktesu abhidhasyati. Bhagavad-gita should be discussed amongst the devotees. Sometimes we discuss Bhagavad-gita amongst the non-devotees. That is due to higher order, higher order -- Guru Maharaja asked that "You go and speak." So we are doing that. Actually, Bhagavad-gita is to be discussed amongst the devotees. So our hard task is that first of all we have to make one devotee and then let him understand Bhagavad-gita, our double task. Because nobody wants to become devotee. So we are canvassing door to door, country to country, village to village, "Sir, please come in our temple. We shall give you nice prasadam. You simply chant Hare Krsna and hear something about Krsna." So still, people will not come. Still, they will not come. We have to canvass. We have to do so many things. That is the influence of maya. Maya is so strong that unless one is very much determined, maya will be very strong for him.

So still, if we understand that this life is meant for understanding Krsna or to advance in Krsna consciousness, if this much we understand, then also, our life is successful. But we do not take it seriously. We do not take it seriously. That is the difficulty. Actually, as Narottama dasa Thakura says, that visaya-bisanale, diba-nisi hiya jwale, juraite na koinu upay, "My heart is always burning on account of this material condition of life, and I did not make any means to get out of this entanglement"... So everyone should be intelligent. Intelligent person will admit that his heart is always burning. That's a fact. Now, if we want to get out of it, then, as Caitanya Mahaprabhu advises, all the acaryas advises, and here Arjuna also... Arjuna directly listened to Krsna, and he says, "This is my practical experience, that when I..." He was a politician, a fighter. He had so many anxieties. So he used to remember the instruction given by Krsna directly to him.

So that instruction and when we read Bhagavad-gita, that instruction, these two instructions, they are not different. Don't think that "Krsna was present before Arjuna, but in my presence there is no Krsna. Simply I have got this book." But you should know that the book and the instruction there in the Bhagavad-gita and Krsna, they are absolute, one. There is no difference. We can take advantage of Krsna's presence by reading Bhagavad-gita.

I have narrated several times the story of a brahmana in South India. He was illiterate, and he was reading Bhagavad-gita. So his friends, village friends, they knew that "This man is illiterate. How he can read Bhagavad-gita?" So they were criticizing. "Hello, brahmana. How you are reading Bhagavad-gita?" So he did not say anything because he knew that "These friends are criticizing me because I am illiterate. He knows." So when Caitanya Mahaprabhu came there, Caitanya Mahaprabhu was attracted. He was illiterate, and he was reading Bhagavad-gita, and Caitanya Mahaprabhu was attracted. Just see. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu inquired, "My dear brahmana, what you are reading?" So he also could understand that "Here is a person who has not come to criticize me. He is serious." "Yes, sir, I am reading Bhagavad-gita, but I am illiterate. I am illiterate." "Then what you are reading?" "No, I am simply turning the pages. I cannot read anything." "Then why you are reading if you cannot?" "No, my Guru Maharaja ordered me. My Guru Maharaja asked me that ‘You shall read Bhagavad-gita daily, eighteen chapters.' " Guru maharaja knew that he is illiterate, but still ordered. This is called guru-mukha-padma-vakya, cittete koriya aikya, ar na koriho mane asa **. This is called firm faith in guru. Guru ordered him that "You read." Guru must know him, that he is illiterate. So what he will read? Why guru is ordering him? But because he had firm faith in guru and he was trying to read, Caitanya Mahaprabhu came to see him. Just see. How this line is important: guru-mukha-padma-vakya, cittete koriya aikya, ar na koriho mane asa **. Ar means anything more, you don't try to understand. Whatever your guru says, you just try to carry it out. So what is the next line? Guru-mukha-padma-vakya, cittete...

Pusta-krsna: Sri-guru-carane rati...

Prabhupada: Sri-guru-carane rati, ei se uttama-gati **. Don't try to make very good advance by manufacturing your own way. Simply, sri-guru-carane rati, ei se uttama-gati. That is first-class. That is Vedic instruction. Vede gay janhara carito. The Vedas says,

yasya deve para bhaktir
yatha deve tatha gurau
tasyaite kathita hy arthah
prakasante mahatmanah
 [SU 6.23]

To understand Vedic literature means one must have firm faith in Krsna and firm faith in guru, not that "My guru is not so learned, so let me capture Krsna directly." That is useless. That is useless. Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, guru-krsna-krpaya paya bhakti-lata-bija [Cc. Madhya 19.151]. One can get the seed of the plant or creeper of bhakti, how? Guru-krsna-krpa. By the mercy of guru and by the mercy of Krsna, not that krsna-krpa. First guru-krpa, then krsna-krpa. So this brahmana attracted the attention of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He was illiterate, and he could not read even one word. What is the truth in it? The same thing. Guru-mukha-padma-vakya, cittete koriya aikya **. He took guru's order very seriously, that "My Guru Maharaja has ordered me, and I must carry out. Never mind I cannot read. Let me open the pages and see. That's all." So he was doing that. So others criticized him that "This man is illiterate. What he is reading?" But Caitanya Mahaprabhu did not criticize. Caitanya Mahaprabhu inquired, "Oh, what you are reading, My dear brahmana?" So he explained, that "This gentleman has not come to criticize me." So Caitanya Mahaprabhu knew that "He is a perfect knower of Bhagavad-gita." Still, He inquired, "Well, if you are not reading, then how you are crying? I see there are tears in your eyes. What is the meaning?" Then he admitted, "Yes, sir. Yes. That is." "Why you are crying?" "No, as soon as I take this Bhagavad-gita in my hand a picture comes before me that Arjuna is sitting on the chariot ordering Krsna, and Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is carrying out his order and driving the chariot. So that makes me amazed. Therefore I am crying, that ‘How Krsna is merciful, that He accepted a menial service for His devotee. He is so kind.' " Caitanya Mahaprabhu immediately embraced him: "Yes, brahmana, your reading of Bhagavad-gita is perfect." So it doesn't matter whether one is illiterate or literate. Everyone has got these ears. So we should hear from the realized person, guru Vaisnava, not professional, no. That will not help us.

tad viddhi pranipatena
pariprasnena sevaya
upadeksyanti te jnanam
jnaninas tattva-darsinah
 [Bg. 4.34]

Tattva-darsinah. Tattva-darsinah means one has seen the truth, not superficially knowing. One who understood that this is the truth, so go there and submit there. Pranipatena. Prakrsta-rupena nipatena. Fully surrender there and then question, then try to inquire if you cannot understand. First of all, first business is pranipata: "Sir, I surrender unto you." Sisyas te 'ham sadhi mam prapannam. Arjuna also did so. "My dear Krsna, we are talking like friends. This will not solve the problem. Therefore I am submitting unto You as Your disciple." Sisyas te 'ham sadhi mam prapannam. "I surrender unto You. Now You can teach me." Because as soon as you accept guru, you have to hear him, surrender, full surrender. You cannot unnecessarily argue. Of course, if there is any doubt, you can question submissively. But not that, "I shall test my guru, how he is learned." That will not help. One must surrender. So tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya [Bg. 4.34]. Arjuna did that. Therefore Arjuna learned the Bhagavad-gita, and it was always relief for him when he was perplexity. Haranti smaratas cittam. Haranti. What is that haranti? Hrt-tapa. Hrt-tapa, the blazing fire within the heart, within the core of the heart, immediately becomes minimized, haranti. Smaratas cittam. As soon as I remember, my consciousness, my heart, core of heart, becomes immediately relieved. How it is relieved? Why it is relieved? Govinda abhihitani me: "Govinda instructed." Govinda means Krsna. Govinda means Krsna. Govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami **. Govinda.

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

Govinda is sarva-karana-karanam. So that Govinda is instructing to Arjuna personally. How fortunate is Arjuna. But Krsna is so kind that if you actually serious to understand... So just like this brahmana took instruction from his spiritual master and began to read Bhagavad-gita, and he realized what is Krsna, what is Govinda, similarly, if we take seriously the instruction of our spiritual master and try to read Bhagavad-gita according to his instruction, then gradually we shall realize Krsna. And if you simply realize Krsna, what is Krsna... That is not difficult. Krsna is personally speaking about Himself. You haven't got to speculate like nonsense. Just like Gandhi speculated, "I do not believe that ever any person like Krsna lived." Do you know that? This is Gandhi's statement, and he is mahatma. The mahatma's definition is there in the Bhagavad-gita: mahatmanas tu mam partha daivim prakrtim asritah, bhajanty ananya-manasah [Bg. 9.13]. That is mahatma, not to take advantage of Bhagavad-gita. Of course, there are... So we do not want to criticize anyone, but sometimes it so happens. Big, big scholars, big, big politicians, they misguide people. That is the position of India. So many big, big leaders and politician and so-called swamis and yogis, they have exploited people by bluffing, and now India's position is: it is neither spiritual nor material. (laughter) That's all. Dhuno ke pap.(?)

Just like it is, the example is, if there are two boats and if you place your leg this boat and that boat, the position is very precarious. (laughter) Neither in this boat, neither that boat. Fully. So our position is that. We are learning technology, and the western countries, they are advanced in technology always hundred years more. Some years ago there was a big exhibition in Delhi. The show was that India had manufactured cycle and sewing machine. That is their proud. The cycle, I think, two hundred years ago (laughs) was manufactured in the western countries and so also sewing machine. So India was very much proud, that "Now we have got cycle." When they are manufacturing big, big 747 airplane, we are manufacturing cycle. (laughter) Just see. Medicine also. Technology, that is also technology. They are advanced in... They were meant for this... They have got brain. They can advance in material civilization because fully... So we cannot compete. We cannot compete, although it is, this technology is the business of the sudras. Technology is not the occupation for the brahmanas, ksatriyas, or vaisyas, no. In our country still, there are blacksmith, weaver, oil crusher. Still they are in the village. But they are sudras. So this technology means craftsmanship. That is not knowledge. That is not knowledge. Just like I do not know how this microphone is working. If it is wrong, some man who knows the art, he repairs it immediately. That does not mean he has got knowledge. That particular department, he has got knowledge, that's all. Knowledge means that one who knows God. That is knowledge. Bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate [Bg. 7.19]. This is knowledge. So the western countries, they have taken -- advancement of knowledge means manufacturing a big motor car. That's all. That is also good. But simply for manufacturing motor car, simply for driving motor car, if we forget our real business, God realization, then it is ruinous. Mudha. Mudha, then we become mudha.

This life, human life, it is not cats' and dogs' life. It is human life. Athato brahma jijnasa. One can realize the Absolute Truth if he is inquisitive. Brahma-jijnasa. Just like you are advancing by inquiring. Jijnasa. Jijnasuh sreya uttamam. Jijnasuh. This is human life. Tasmad gurum prapadyeta jijnasuh sreya uttamam [SB 11.3.21]. Uttama means which is not material, which is beyond material... Ut-tama . Ud-gata-tama yasmat. Tama means darkness. Here they are so-called scholars, big big professor, scientist, and... but they are in the darkness, tama. Tama means darkness. They do not know what they are. Ask any scientist, any philosopher, "What you are?" He will say, "I am this body. I am Indian. I am American. I am white. I am black. I am this. I am that. I am Christian. I am Hindu." He will say. But all these designation is outward, external. Eho bahya, age kaha ara. But everyone is going on, big, big man, identifying himself with this body. So they are all fools, tama, in darkness.

yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke
sva-dhih kalatradisu bhauma ijya-dhih
yat-tirtha-buddhih salile na karhicij
janesv abhijnesu sa eva go-kharah
 [SB 10.84.13]

So according to Vedic civilization, any person, he may be very big man, but if he does not know beyond his body, then he is no better than animal. This is Vedic version. So we should not remain animal, this human life. As Arjuna said... There are so many problems. In the Bhagavad-gita Arjuna was taught by Krsna, yudhyasva: "Fight!" He never said, "Sit down, my dear Arjuna. You are My friend. Please sit down and sleep on this chariot, (laughter) and I will do everything. I am God." This is going on. "God will do everything for me, and I will sleep. That's all." This is going on. "If God does not do anything for me, then I don't want God. He must be my order-supplier." This is going on. This is going on in the name of religion. "God, give us our daily bread. If you don't supply, I don't want You." That's all. Everyone. So something is better than nothing. If one goes to God for asking bread, at least he is better than the rascals who at all do not go to God, atheist class. That is... They are admitted.

catur-vidha bhajante mam
janah sukrtino 'rjuna
arto jijnasur artharthi
jnani ca bharatarsabha

So we should take this instruction of Arjuna that govinda abhihitani me: "Govinda has narrated the mystery of Bhagavad-gita unto me, and when I remember, not read, the instruction, immediately there is minimizing the..." Smaratas cittam, hrt-tapa upasamani. Upasamani means relief immediately. So read Bhagavad-gita. Our this Krsna consciousness movement is based on this Bhagavad-gita. We do not manufacture anything. Yata mata tata patha. This is rascaldom. This is rascaldom, that if you manufacture some way for relief, that is not possible. Because you are imperfect, how you can manufacture? Your senses are imperfect. You cannot manufacture. If you manufacture, then you will simply waste your time. Then real religious life means dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam [SB 6.3.19], to abide by the orders of Bhagavan, the Supreme Person. Sri Bhagavan says, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru: [Bg. 18.65] "You simply always think of Me, man-manah, you become My devotee, worship Me, and offer your obeisances. Then you are sure that you are coming back to Me." Very simple method. If you chant Hare Krsna... and here is Krsna present. Just offer Him obeisances and worship Him, decorate Him, give Him nice food. In this way you become devotee of Krsna. Then your life is successful. Where is the difficulty? Anyone... We are opening so many temples. Why? This rascal will come, offer obeisances, hear something about Krsna, offer something for worshiping Krsna, and chant Hare Krsna, So do that. Your life is successful. Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya! Haribol!

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.15.27 -- New York, March 6, 1975