Showing posts with label November 12. Show all posts
Showing posts with label November 12. Show all posts

Monday, June 17, 2013

Who Am I

Who Am I
Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya 20.120
Bombay, November 12, 1975

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Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
 

Prabhupada: So in our last meeting we were discussing about the constitutional position of the living entity. Sanatana Gosvami inquired from Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, ke ami kene amaya jare tapa-traya. This is the first question. Arjuna also, when he became perplexed whether he should fight or not, he surrendered to Krsna and accepted Him as his spiritual master. Sisyas te 'ham sadhi mam prapannam: [Bg. 2.7] "Actually I am deviating from my duty, so I am perplexed. What to do? Therefore I know..." Arjuna knew it perfectly well that Krsna, although He is friend, He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That was known to Arjuna. All the Pandava family members, they knew. Kurus also, they knew. Otherwise how it was possible to deal with Krsna as family member? Krsna was... In His human form of life He was related with the Kurus and the Pandavas by family relationship. Krsna's father's sister, Kunti, was the mother of the Pandavas, and Kunti was the family daughter-in-law in the Kurus' family. So they were very intimately related. Duryodhana's daughter was married with Krsna's son. So these two families, they were very intimately related. But they knew that Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. You'll read in Kunti's stotra. She was praying to Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, although Krsna was offering His obeisances to the aunt, Kunti. Similarly, Narada Muni also, when he entered the royal assembly of Krsna in Dvaraka, Krsna received him by standing from His throne and taking the dust of his feet, although Narada knows that He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Similarly, Krsna, whenever he used to meet Maharaja Yudhisthira, He was giving His respect by touching his feet, and Maharaja Yudhisthira embracing Him as younger brother. But they knew, all, that He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

So we can also have Krsna like that. That is Krsna's pastime, that... You are thinking of God as nirakara, without any form: "He cannot be touched. He cannot be embraced. He cannot be talked." No. Krsna, personally being present, He was talking with His devotees, dealing just like ordinary human being. But the devotees knew Him, that He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Only the nondevotees... Avajananti mam mudha manusim tanum asritam [Bg. 9.11]. Those who are nondevotees, still now... Just like we are worshiping here Krsna in this temple. The others, nondevotees, rascals, they will think that "These fools are worshiping a stone statue." They will think like that. They are very learned scholar, so they think that "These are fools. They have accepted a stone statue. Everyone knows that here Krsna is made of stone, so why these fools are spending so much money, lakhs and crores, for having a temple for this stone statue? This is their foolishness." Therefore Krsna says, avajananti mam mudha manusim tanum asritam [Bg. 9.11].

So people are unaware of Krsna and His position. Therefore one should go to the guru-tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet [MU 1.2.12] -- eva, "must," in order to learn Krsna. That is... The example is being shown by Sanatana Gosvami, the minister. He is not ordinary man. He is trying to know from guru what is his actual position. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu knew Sanatana Gosvami, intelligent, advanced. So he doesn't require to be educated by teaching Bhagavad-gita. Bhagavad-gita is the ABCD of spiritual life, preliminary study. Bhagavad-gita is not meant for persons who are advanced. They know Krsna. One who does not know Krsna, for them, first reading book is Bhagavad-gita, so that he can know what is Krsna. But here Sanatana Gosvami is advanced; therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu is teaching him from the point where Bhagavad-gita was ended. That Bhagavad-gita ended... Krsna, after teaching Arjuna different kinds of knowledge-karma-yoga, jnana-yoga, hatha-yoga, dhyana-yoga, so many, bhakti-yoga -- ultimately He said, "Arjuna, because you are My very confidential friend, so I am giving you the confidential knowledge." Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja: [Bg. 18.66] "You surrender unto Me, and whatever I say, you do. That is your duty." So from that point, when one surrenders to Krsna... Why one should surrender to Krsna? Everyone is puffed up that "I am as good as Krsna. Why shall I surrender to Krsna?" Many, many scholars, they comment on this verse, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam. Vraja, "Why? This is sophistry. Everyone should give up everything, simply surrender to Krsna?" Still they say that "Why you are after Krsna? Why not other gods or demigods?" That is their... Sometimes they question. But one who knows Krsna, he cannot be deviated from this path, krsnas tu bhagavan svayam [SB 1.3.28]. Bhagavan means Krsna.

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

This is understanding.

So our relationship with Krsna... Sanatana Gosvami inquired from Caitanya Mahaprabhu, ke ami, "What I am? What is my position? Why I am put into this miserable condition of material existence?" This should be the inquiry. Simply they are trying to mitigate the material distresses, but nobody inquires that "Why I am put into this condition?" That is real intelligence. When the disease is there, you go to the doctor, take medicine, try to become cured from the disease. But nobody inquires that "Why I am subjected to this disease?" That is intelligence. "Precaution is better than cure." If you know how to protect yourself from disease, then that is better position than to become diseased and cured. That is not very good intelligence. Rather, don't be diseased, not that you become diseased repeatedly and go to the medical man and be cured. Punah punas carvita-carvananam [SB 7.5.30]. They have been described as chewing the chewed again and again. So actually our problem is that we are diseased at the present moment, every one of us. What is that disease? Janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi-duhkha-dosanudarsanam [Bg. 13.9]. This is our disease: we are forced to die, we are forced to take birth, we are forced to become old and we are forced to become diseased. This is our problem, but nobody inquires about this. When there is death forced upon us, they simply cry, "Oh, my father is gone. My father is gone." When we are diseased, then we cry. But nobody inquires that "Why I am put into this condition?" That is intelligence. That is called brahma-jijnasa. Athato brahma jijnasa. So this Caitanya Mahaprabhu's disciple Sanatana Gosvami is inquiring that, that "What I am? Why I am put into these difficulties?" This is intelligent question. One should go to the spiritual master, guru, for answering or making solution of these problems, not for getting some material profit, that "I have got some disease," and the guru says, "All right, you take this dust and you become cured." "I am poor," "All right, I am creating some gold for you. Take it." This is not relationship with guru. Tasmad gurum prapadyeta jijnasuh sreya uttamam [SB 11.3.21]. One should go to guru for making the ultimate solution of life, not temporary. That is not relationship with guru and...

So Caitanya Mahaprabhu directly says that jivera svarupa haya krsnera nitya-dasa [Cc. Madhya 20.108], two words. Svarupa. Svarupa means original, constitutional position. That is svarupa. Mukti means just like one is diseased, and there are many symptoms of disease. So when one becomes free from the disease, the symptoms disappear. Similarly, mukti means that we have lost our original constitutional position. Because here Caitanya Mahaprabhu said that the real position of the living entity is that he is eternal servant of Krsna. So our position is servant, subordinate position. That is the Vedic injunction also. Eko yo bahunam vidadhati kaman. Nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam (Katha Upanisad 2.2.13). He is the supreme leader, supreme maintainer of everyone. That is our position. We are maintained, and Krsna is maintainer. We are predominated, and Krsna is predominator. This is our relation. How(?) Caitanya Mahaprabhu describing the constitutional position of the living entity, svarupa. Svarupa means original position, and mukti means svarupena vyavasthitih [SB 2.10.6]. Mukti means hitva anyatha rupam svarupena vyavasthitih. This is the Vedic injunction. Mukti means hitva anyatha rupa. Now we are acting differently. Actually our position is servant of Krsna. Now, at the present moment, every one of us, we are trying to become master. If not master of Krsna, at least we are trying to become equal with Krsna. This is our position. That is called maya, "which is not possible." God is not so cheap that you can become equal with God or greater than God. You must always remain subordinate to God. That is your position. Actually we are subordinate. We have no meeting with God. We have no knowledge of God. But practically we see that we are subordinate to the material nature. That's a fact. Everyone knows. Who can overcome the laws of material nature? No. Nobody can do. By nature you have to die. You cannot avoid it. You are subordinate. By nature you have to become old man. You cannot avoid it. So we know that we are subordinate to material nature. Prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah [Bg. 3.27]. All these living entities -- man or not man, animal or trees or plants, everyone -- everyone is under the laws of material nature. They are, of course, dumb, the other animals or living entities. But human being has got advanced senses. He can think advancedly. So why they are thinking that they are free? They are servant of at least material nature at the present moment. Why they are thinking "master"? That is their misconception. This is called anyatha rupam. He is actually servant, but he's thinking "master." This is called anyatha rupam. Anyatha means "otherwise," not svarupam. So therefore mukti means hitva anyatha rupam, giving up this nonsense speculation that "I am master of nature. I am master of this, master of that," or "I am God. I am equal to God." These are all rascaldom, anyatha rupam, thinking otherwise.

So when one gives up this rascaldom that "I am God. I am equal to God. I am nobody's servant. I am free..." So these are anyatha rupam. Hitva anyatha rupam svarupena vyavasthitih [SB 2.10.6]. When one is situated in his original constitutional position, that is called mukti. Mukti does not mean that you get a big head or big hand. No. Mukti means knowledge. Knowledge. This is our actual knowledge, that "I am not master; I am servant." This is knowledge. So mukti means hitva anyatha rupam. Everyone is thinking otherwise. Somebody is thinking "I am equal to God. I am God," or "I am master," or "I am trying to become master of nature." The scientists, they are always thinking like that, that "We want to control the material nature so that we can manufacture living entity according to our plan, according to our order." Everyone. This is called baddha jiva, conditioned soul. But mukti means... This is mukti. That means... Caitanya Mahaprabhu is immediately, by one word, giving you mukti. They are trying so much, undergoing austerities, penances, going to the Himalaya, making mystical..., so many things for mukti. And Caitanya Mahaprabhu? That mukti He's given directly: "Take this mukti." This is Caitanya Mahaprabhu. "You simply try to understand your position, that you are eternal servant of Krsna." And as soon as you accept this position, you are mukti.

So mukti is not difficult for a devotee. Bilvamangala Thakura has said, muktih mukulitanjali sevate asman: "Oh, mukti? She is standing at my door with folded hands: 'What can I do for you?' " So the bhaktas, they do not care for mukti. They are already mukta. There is no need of separate endeavor for mukti. You simply accept this truth, that you are servant of Krsna -- immediately you are mukta, immediately. It doesn't require... It requires only one second to become mukta. It doesn't require... Just like Krsna says in the Bha...,

sarva-dharman parityajya
mam ekam saranam vraja
aham tvam sarva-papebhyo
moksayisyami...
 [Bg. 18.66]

This is mukti. "You surrender unto Me, and immediately I save you." Sarva-papebhyo... Because we become entangled by our sinful activities... There are all sinful activities, that "I am independent. I can do whatever I like. I am as good as God. I am God," or "I am God. Where is the difference for me? I can do anything. There is no question of sinful activities." Some of the big, big swamis, they lecture like that, that "Why you are thinking of sinful activities? You are God. There is no sin for you." They are preaching like that, that "You have no sin." And it is very easy to think. That is maya. Na mam prapadyante mudhah [Bg. 7.15]. Therefore these sinful persons who are thinking like that, that "I am God. I have no sinful activities. I am independent. I can do whatever I like," they have been described in the Bhagavad-gita as duskrtina, duskrtina. Na mam duskrtino mudhah prapadyante naradhamah [Bg. 7.15].

So by the grace of Caitanya Mahaprabhu one can learn how to become liberated in one second, one second. It doesn't require many births. Of course, to come to this position, as Krsna says, bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate [Bg. 7.19], after many, many births, that is very difficult job. We do not know. Suppose in this life I am living for hundred years or fifty years or ninety years. Then again another eighty years, ninety years, another hundred, four, five hundred years, or five thousand years... Because according to the body... The trees are standing for hundreds of years, five thousand years. So bahunam janmanam ante [Bg. 7.19] is not very easy thing. It may be millions of years. So after millions of years, if one actually becomes wise, jnanavan, he understands this simple truth, that jivera svarupa haya krsnera nitya dasa, this simple truth, that every living entity is eternally the servant of Krsna. If he understands this, then he becomes immediately liberated. But intelligent man, he takes things very intelligently: "Caitanya Mahaprabhu said jivera svarupa haya nitya krsna dasa [Cc. Madhya 20.108-109], then why I am falsely thinking that 'I am God. I am not dependent on anyone,' this, that? Let me accept this." Then you become mukta immediately. Simply acceptance how Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam [Bg. 18.66], he becomes immediately mukta. Then actually, when he is mukta, then there is life in mukta. Mukta does not mean finished life. Just like if you become free from a certain type of disease. So after being cured there is duty. There is duty. Not that after being cured, the diseased also cured, and you are also cured. You are also finished. No. After the disease being cured, there is healthy activities. That is required.

brahma-bhutah prasannatma
na socati na kanksati
samah sarvesu bhutesu
mad-bhaktim labhate param
 [Bg. 18.54]

So Brahman activities means bhakti, Brahman activities. So these devotees who are engaged in devotional service of Krsna twenty-four hours, they are not only realized soul, brahmanubhuti, but they are muktas and they are engaged in Brahman activities. Brahman activities. That is bhakti. Brahma-bhutah prasannatma na socati na kanksati, samah sarvesu bhutesu [Bg. 18.54]. Therefore devotee has no distinction between this man or that man. Samah sarvesu bhutesu. A devotee does not distinguish that "Here is American, there is Indian, and here is cat, here is dog." No. Panditah sama-darsinah [Bg. 5.18]. A devotee knows that every one of them, all these living entities in different forms... It is not difficult to understand. Krsna says, sarva-yonisu kaunteya sambhavami murtayo yah, tasam bija-pradah pita aham [Bg. 14.4]. Krsna is the supreme father. So a devotee knows that the dog is also part and parcel of Krsna, living entity, but he is in a different dress, dog's dress, and a learned pandita, he is also the same spirit soul, but he is dressed as a learned scholar. Similarly,

vidya-vinaya-sampanne
brahmane gavi hastini
suni caiva sva-pake ca
panditah sama-darsinah
 [Bg. 5.18]

That is oneness, one who can see. Even from material point of view, a pandita, a learned man knows that "What is this material form, your body or my body?" Superficially it may look black, white or colored, but if you chemically analyze -- the same ingredients: the same blood, the same muscle, the same stool, the same urine. When doctor examines the urine and stool, they do not examine differently a black man's urine and a white man's urine different, because they know the chemical composition is the same. So from material point of view you are also one. Even though you have got this material body, differently formed, the ingredients are the same: ksitir ap tejo marud vyoma, mind, intelligence. Everyone has got these things. This body, gross body, is made of earth, water, air, fire, ether, and the mind. Don't think that dog has no mind. Everyone has got mind. Everyone has intelligence. A dog know(s) intelligently how to secure his food, as we know. There is no scarcity of these things, material things, bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh kham mano buddhir eva ca [Bg. 7.4].

So a panditah sama-darsinah [Bg. 5.18], means even materially all these living entities, although in different forms of body, the ingredients are the same. Sama-darsinah. And spiritually, if living entity is spiritual spark, the part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, that is all the same. You are also spark of the supreme spirit; I am also the spark supreme spirit, every one of us. So therefore they can see equally everyone. Panditah sama-darsinah [Bg. 5.18]. Samah sarvesu bhutesu. When one comes to this position, then mad-bhaktim labhate param [Bg. 18.54]. That means bhakti begins when one is mukta. Mukti has already been attained. Bhakti begins. So unless you accept Krsna as your eternal master, how you can engage yourself in His service? So bhakti means mukti.

mam ca (yo) 'vyabhicarini-
bhakti-yogena yah sevate
sa gunan samatityaitan
brahma-bhuyaya kalpate
 [Bg. 14.26]

So here Krsna Caitanya, Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu, is giving mukti immediately. People are undergoing severe austerities, penances, but if you simply understand your position, what you are, that is mukti. So here Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is giving the intelligence immediately to Sanatana Gosvami that jivera svarupa haya krsnera nitya dasa [Cc. Madhya 20.108]. Simply you have to accept, and surrender to Krsna. Krsna also says the same thing, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66], the same thing. Nitya dasa. Unless you accept yourself as servant of Krsna, how you can agree that "Yes, I surrender to You"? Surrender is made to somebody who is superior, not to the equal person. So Krsna demanding that sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66], that means that we are servant. Otherwise how Krsna can order that? So Caitanya Mahaprabhu is giving mukti immediately teaching the same thing -- jivera svarupa haya krsnera nitya dasa. And Krsna also says that this understanding, that "I am servant of Krsna," is realized after many, many births.

bahunam janmanam ante
jnanavan mam prapadyate
vasudevah sarvam iti
sa mahatma su-durlabhah
 [Bg. 7.19]

So mahatma, su-durlabha mahatma, means who is liberated, not trying for liberation. There are two kinds of mahatmas. One mahatma is trying for liberation, mukti, and the su-durlabha means... Those who are trying for mukti, out of millions of such persons, one becomes mukta. That is the instruction of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Out of millions of karmis, one becomes jnani. And out of millions of jnani, one becomes mukta. And out of millions of mukta, one becomes bhakta. This is the description given by Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

So if we accept this philosophy, Caitanya Mahaprabhu's, without falsely declaring ourself that "I am equal to God" or "I am God," if you simply accept that jivera svarupa haya nitya krsna dasa [Cc. Madhya 20.108-109], that we are eternally servant of Krsna, and act like that... The servant of Krsna means he must be always engaged in the service of Krsna. This is called bhakti.

sravanam kirtanam visnoh
smaranam pada-sevanam
arcanam vandanam dasyam
sakhyam atma-nivedanam
 [SB 7.5.23]

This is our position. And if we understand that all of us, we are servant of Krsna -- you are servant of Krsna, I am servant of Krsna, he is servant of Krsna -- then we can understand our position is one. That is oneness -- we are all servants. So there is no question of becoming envious of you or your becoming envious of me. We are all servants of God. So we have to execute the orders of God. That is servant's business. So "How I shall execute? Where is God? I surrender to God. That's all right. So let Him speak to me." Yes, He'll speak to you. How? Sarvasya caham hrdi sannivisto mattah smrtir jnanam apohanam ca: [Bg. 15.15] "I am situated in everyone's hearts as Paramatma, and I give everyone intelligence how to do things." And especially for the bhakta, the instruction of Krsna or Paramatma is there:

tesam satata-yuktanam
bhajatam priti-purvakam
dadami buddhi-yogam tam
yena mam upayanti te
 [Bg. 10.10]

This is Krsna. Krsna is situated within your heart, Paramatma, in His Paramatma feature. Brahmeti paramatmeti bhagavan iti sabdyate [SB 1.2.11]. So the feature by which Krsna is situated in everyone's heart, that is... Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati [Bg. 18.61].

So yogis, they find out Krsna. Dhyanavasthita-tad-gatena manasa pasyanti yam yoginah [SB 12.13.1]. Yogis try to find out the Paramatma, and the jnanis, they are trying to find out the brahmajyoti, and similarly, the bhakta is trying to find out Krsna. Brahmeti paramatmeti bhagavan iti sabdyate. So in this way Bhagavan, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the ultimate goal. But those who are addicted to Brahman or Paramatma, they are also addicted to Bhagavan, but in different features. Vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvam yaj jnanam advayam [SB 1.2.11]. Knowledge of Brahman, knowledge of Paramatma and knowledge of Krsna is the same, but in different features. Just like knowledge of the sun planet, knowledge of the sun god and knowledge of the sunshine, they... Knowledge is the same -- heat and light -- but the heat and light which you receive from sunshine is different from the heat and light from the sun globe, and the heat and light in the sun globe is different from the sun-god. But heat and light is there, either you realize Brahman, Paramatma or Bhagavan. So a devotee means he is concerned with Bhagavan. That's all. So devotee is also mahatma; those who are jnanis, after Brahman, they are also mahatma; and the yogis, they are also mahatma; but one who has understood Krsna perfectly and surrendered to Him-vasudevah sarvam iti sa mahatma su-durlabhah [Bg. 7.19] -- that mahatma is very rare to be found.

So Caitanya Mahaprabhu is teaching how to become that mahatma, su-durlabhah. Kotisv apy mahamune. Muktanam api sahasranam. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu's teaching is so sublime and very easy also. We should take it up -- this is Krsna consciousness movement -- and execute it as it is enjoined in the sastras and following the footsteps of mahajana. Mahajano yena gatah sa panthah [Cc. Madhya 17.186]. That is also described in the sastra. Svayambhur naradah sambhuh kapilah [SB6.3.20]. And... Dvadasa mahajana. Svayambhur naradah sambhuh, and prahlado janako bhismo balir vaiyasakir vayam. Everything is there in the sastra. So to become actually devotee we have to follow these mahajana. Svayambhuh is Brahma, and... Svayambhur... Narada Muni, and Sambhu, Lord Siva. They have got their parties, or their parampara system -- Brahma-sampradaya, Rudra-sampradaya Sri-sampradaya, and Kumara-sampradaya. In this way we have to accept the sampradaya and follow. Evam parampara-praptam imam rajarsayo viduh [Bg. 4.2]. Then we become pure devotee. And as soon as we understand pure..., we become pure devotee, we can understand Krsna. Bhaktya mam abhijanati [Bg. 18.55]. Although Krsna is the Supreme, but He says that "If one wants to understand Me properly, then bhaktya." He does not say that "By jnana" or "By yoga." No. Why He says bhaktya mam abhijanati [Bg. 18.55]? The bhakta... His name is bhakta-vatsala. Because jnani will take some time to understand. Yogis also will take some time. They'll come to that point if they make actually progress. Bhakta can take immediately. That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's gift. Therefore, when Rupa Gosvami met Him at Prayag, he offered his prayers to Caitanya Mahaprabhu as maha-vadanyaya: "You are the most munificent incarnation," namo maha-vadanyaya krsna-prema-pradaya te [Cc. Madhya 19.53], "because You are distributing krsna-prema. One cannot understand Krsna, but You are so munificent that You are giving krsna-prema." Just like prema means love. If you do not understand a person properly, how you can love him? That is not possible. But Caitanya Mahaprabhu's process is so nice that even we are neophyte -- we do not understand Krsna -- but if we follow His process, we immediately come to the platform of how to love Krsna. Krsna-prema-pradaya te.

namo maha-vadanyaya
krsna-prema-pradaya te
krsnaya krsna-caitanya-
namne gaura-tvise namah
 [Cc. Madhya 19.53]

So this Caitanya Mahaprabhu is teaching Sanatana Gosvami about bhakti-sastra. He taught him for two months at Benares, Varanasi, and He... Later on, these six Gosvamis preached Caitanya Mahaprabhu's cult, which we are preaching at the present moment, according to the prediction of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu,

prthivite ache yata nagaradi grama
sarvatra pracara haibe more nama

That is His prediction, that as many towns and cities are there on the face of the globe, everywhere His name will be advertised or everyone will know His name. So by His grace this Krsna consciousness movement is going on all over the world and everyone is receiving very nicely, either in Europe or America or Africa or Canada or Australia. So we are very much hopeful. And those who are foreigners present here, take this movement very seriously and preach it all over the world. People will be happy.

Thank you very much. (end)
 
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila 20.120 -- Bombay, November 12, 1975

© 2001 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International. 

Friday, November 23, 2012

Hog Intestines or Halava

Hog Intestines or Halava
Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.5.25
Vrndavana, November 12, 1976

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Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
 
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Pradyumna: "I am fully opulent, almighty, and superior to Lord Brahma and Indra, the king of the heavenly planets. I am also the bestower of all happiness obtained in the heavenly kingdom and by liberation. Nonetheless, brahmanas do not seek material comforts from Me. They are very pure and do not want to possess anything. They simply engage in My devotional service. What is the need of their asking for material benefits from anyone else?"

Prabhupada:

matto 'py anantat paratah parasmat
svargapavargadhipater na kincit
yesam kim u syad itarena tesam
akincananam mayi bhakti-bhajam
 [SB 5.5.25]

So devotional life, bhakti-yoga, is so exalted that they do not care for heavenly planet, apavarga, mukti, liberation. They do not care. Insignificant. That sloka of Prabodhananda Sarasvati, he realized this, that kaivalyam narakayate. The liberation of becoming one with the Supreme is called kaivalyam, kevaladvaitam, oneness. So for a devotee it is as good as the hell. Kaivalyam narakayate. And then? What about heavenly planets, Svargaloka, Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapoloka? Akasa-puspayate. Tri-dasa-pur akasa-puspaya. In Bengal there is one word, ghorabdin (?), means "no value." Just like horse. Horse never give any egg, but it is said, "It is as good as the egg of horse." That means "There is no such thing, insignificant." So akasa-puspayate. Akasa-puspayate means it has no value. Simply imagination. Actually that is the fact. Suppose if you go to Svargaloka, become Indra. So that is not permanent by pious activities you can become Brahma, Indra, and so many demigods. You can hold that post. But a-brahma-bhuvanal lokan punar avartino arjuna. Even if you go to the Brahmaloka, what is the benefit? Again you have to come back. Ksine punye punar martya-lokam visanti. Similarly, even you go to the Brahman effulgence, brahmajyoti, aruhya krcchrena param padam [SB 10.2.32]. That is called param padam. Aruhya krcchrena param padam tatah patanty adhah. Again you fall down.

Therefore for a devotee, akincananam, they all neglect all these things. They don't care for all these things. Kaivalyam narakayate tri-dasa pur akasa puspaya. Durdanta indriya-kala-sarpa-patali protkhata-damstrayate visvam purna-sukhayate. They are Karmi, jnani, yogi, they are feeling that "This material world is full of distresses. Let us take relief from this and become one." Karmi is trying to go to the Svargaloka; jnanis want to go to the brahmajyoti. The yogis also, they desire like that because they do not feel very comfortable within this material world. But a devotee, there is no such thing that in the material world they are uncomfortable. No. Why? Wherever there is Krsna, wherever there is Narayana, that is all right. That is the view of the devotional service.

narayana-parah sarve
na kutascana bibhyati
svargapavarga-narakesv
api tulyartha-darsinah
 [SB 6.17.28]

Narayana-parah, they are not anxious either to go to Svargaloka or to refrain from it. They are satisfied: "Wherever Krsna keeps me, that is all right. Never mind whether it is heaven or hell." Because he has got Krsna within him. Premanjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santah sadaiva hrdayesu vilokayanti [Bs. 5.38]. He is concerned with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Premanjana-cchurita.

So wherever Supreme Personality of Godhead is there, that is Vaikuntha. Just like isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese arjuna tisthati [Bg. 18.61]. Isvara, the Supreme Lord, is there in every living entity's heart. So the hog, dog, they have got also heart. There is also Krsna. So does it mean that He is living with hog and dog? He is living in Vaikuntha. Etad isanam isasya. This is called isasya isanam. Wherever He may live, He lives in Vaikuntha. Similarly, the devotee, he lives with Narayana, so there is no question of hell and heaven. He is in Vaikuntha. If Krsna is living in Vaikuntha, the devotee is also living in Vai... He is concerned with Krsna, Narayana. Therefore they are not afraid. Narayana-parah sarve na kutascana bibhyati [SB 6.17.28]. Narada Muni, he is traveling everywhere. He is going to hell; he is going to heaven. He is going to Vaikuntha to see Narayana. And he's chanting, narada muni bhajay vina radhika ramana, that's all. Because he is chanting for... His business is to enlighten. If he goes to naraka, hell, he will advise them, "Chant Hare Krsna." And if he goes to Indraloka he will advise the same thing. And if he goes to Svargaloka, or any loka, that is Narada Muni's business. Similarly, those who are preaching Krsna consciousness, they should not be afraid of this hell and heaven. Wherever they should go, they will simply preach, "Chant Hare Krsna." This is their business.

Therefore, itarena tesam akincananam mayi bhakti-bhajam. But one has to become akincana -- nothing material, simply the lotus feet of the Lord. Just like Narottama dasa Thakura said, ha ha prabhu nanda-suta, vrsabhanu-suta-yuta. He is praying, nanda-suta, "Krsna," vrsabhanu-suta-yuta, "along with Radharani." Vrsabhanu-suta is Radharani. Karuna karaha ei-bara: "Just be merciful upon me." Narottama-dasa kahe, na theliho ranga pay: "I am fully surrendered unto You. You don't throw me away." Na theliho ranga. Toma bine ke ache amara. And this is wanted. "I have nothing except Your lotus feet." This is akincana, akincana, "no other thing except Your So how You can throw me away? Give me shelter." This is akincana bhakti-bhajam. If I think that "I have got another shelter except Krsna's lotus feet," then I am not akincana. Kincana -- I have got some other hope. No. Akincana means only hope: Krsna. That is full surrender. Akincananam bhakti-bhajam. Akincana-gocara. Kuntidevi in her prayer she has addressed Krsna, akincana-gocara: "You are realized by such person who has no other thing to possess." Akincana-gocara. This very word is very And Caitanya Mahaprabhu also said, niskincananam. Niskincanasya bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya. Bhagavad-bhajana means niskincana. If we want to enjoy something material, oh, there is no question of bhagavad-bhajana, because even if you have little pinch of desire to enjoy material comforts, you'll not be admitted. Therefore Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityajya [Bg. 18.66]. Fully. Anyabhilasita-sunyam [Brs. 1.1.11]. Then Sunya means zero. Unless you make material, ara nare bapa(?): "No more. Enough of this mateial enjoyment," then bhakti-yoga begins. Sarva-dharman parityajya [Bg. 18.66]. Even brahma-bhutah, Brahman realization, that is also not akincana. Aham brahmasmi: "I am in brahmajyoti. I have become something important." No. Even brahmajyoti also neglected. Kaivalyam narakayate. This is the position of the devotee, akincananam. Akincananam mayi bhakti-bhajam.

So bhakti, devotional service, is not easy, but at the same time very easy, one moment's business, one moment's. But I must be willing. Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam [Bg. 18.66]. If I do it, immediately... But that, I am not willing. We have seen so many persons. Krsna says directly that "You surrender unto Me," sarva-dharman parityajya. Still, he says, "When Krsna will be merciful, then I shall do." What is this nonsense? Krsna is directly asking you. Again He has to become merciful? What kind of mercy? These are all pleas, different pleas. Actually He doesn't want that "I shall not surrender unto You, sir. I shall place some pleas. That's all." In that way... When we become actually niskincana or akincana, then, as Caitanya Mahaprabhu advises, niskincanasya bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya. Bhagavad-bhajanonmukha means niskincana. Param... What is that bhagavad-bhajana? Param param jigamisor bhava-sagarasya. Bhava-sagara. This ocean. Sagara means ocean, and bhava means take birth, again die. Bhutva bhutva praliyate [Bg. 8.19]. That is called mrtyu-samsara-vartmani, Krsna says. Mam aprapya nivartante mrtyu-samsara-vartmani. This is bhagavad-bhajana. We do not know how many times we have taken birth and again died. That's a fact. Tatha dehantara-praptih [Bg. 2.13]. Millions and millions, for years, we are doing that. Mrtyu samsara. Still, we are so shameless, we want to do again and again that thing. Punah punas carvita-carvananam [SB 7.5.30].

This word is used, punah punas carvita-carvananam. I have enjoyed this material life, ahara-nidra-bhaya-maithunam ca. Eating, sleeping, sex, and bhaya is everywhere. A small insect up to Brahma or Indra, this is the business. So people do not want to stop this business. They want to improve the business. "I am eating now without any plate, and if I can eat on the golden plate," they are thinking, "this is advancement of civilization." So the eating process... Eating means ksut nivrtti tustih pustih. Tustih pustih ksut nivrtti. When one is hungry, when he eats something, according to the taste... A gentleman is eating halava, puri, and the hog is eating stool. So the taste and tustih pustih ksut nivrtti is the same. Either you eat halava, puri or stool, you are eating according to the taste. Just like in the airplane we sit down. They are asking, "Sir, what can I...?" We say, "We refuse." We don't touch anything in the airplane because we know what is that. And the next man, he is eating very nicely the intestine of hog. We have seen it. He is very nicely eating with spoon and fork, very enjoying. And we are saying, "Oh, what nasty thing he is eating." We don't, do not touch even what is offered. So why? We are taking whatever little things we have taken with us. But the result is the same, tustih pustih ksut nivrtti. You are hungry, you take something, so your appetite will decrease and your satisfaction will increase. You will get strength. Tustih pustih ksut nivrtti. So this is not improvement. Eating by the hog and eating by the human being, the result is the same. Tustih pustih ksut nivrtti. But eating the intestines of the hog or eating halava, puri, it does not make any difference. Ei bhala, ei manda' saba 'manodharma'. In this material world, "This is good and this is bad," this is all mental concoction. 'Dvaite' bhadrabhadra-sakali samana.

So we should not be attached. We should completely give up anything material. That is niskincana. We have no business with anything material, either in the golden plate or on the street, on the floor. It does not make any difference. Our business is how to accept the prasadam, what Krsna has eaten, that is our concern. We are not interested with the intestine of hogs or halava, puri. No. We are interested to eat which is already accepted by Krsna. Krsna bara dayamoy, koribare jihwa jay, sva-prasad-anna dilo bhai. Our business is that "Krsna is so kind..." The Krsna prasada, those who are eating Krsna prasada, they are enjoying everything. Krsna bara dayamoy, koribare jihwa jay. We have got thousands of nice preparation. Why should we go to the hotel and restaurant? There are so many nice preparation offered to Krsna. Patram puspam. Krsna is ready to accept from a devotee whatever he offers, but within the limitation. Otherwise he will bring hog's intestine. That is not desired. If people say, "Whatever I eat, I can offer to Krsna..." There is a class, they say, "Whatever I eat you can offer." But that is not the process. The process is you must offer to Krsna what He wants. Just like you invite one gentleman. You ask him, "What can I offer you?" That is etiquette. Not that however rascal you bring, and one has to eat. No. Krsna says, patram puspam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayacchati, tad aham asnami: [Bg. 9.26] "I eat that." How He can eat? The atheist class will see: "Oh, you are offering so many nice foodstuff, but it is lying there. He is not eating." But he does not know the process of eating by Krsna. Angani yasya sakalendriya-vrtti-manti pasyanti panti kalayanti [Bs. 5.32]. He can eat by His eyes. He can eat by touching. And even if He eats the whole thing, again He can keep the whole thing. Purnasya purnam adaya purnam evavasisyate [Iso Invocation]. The atheist cannot see, but devotee, he can know that "Krsna is eating, and the prasadam we shall take."

So bhakti-bhajam. So we have to learn what is bhakti. Bhaktih paresanubhavo viraktir anyatra syat [SB 11.2.42]. If actually we advance in devotional service, then naturally viraktir anyatra syat. That is niskincana, no more taste with the material world. Niskincanasya bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya param param jigamisor bhava-sagarasya. We must know why we shall take to devotional service, param param jigamisor, not to remain within this material world. Padam padam yad vipadam na tesam [SB 10.14.58]. Here in the material world, padam padam vipadam. Every step there is vipada; there is danger. So don't think that "She is dying" or "He is dying, and I shall not die." Everyone will have to die. Every step, there is danger of dying. It is not that The bhute pare gobar hasi(?). Everyone has to die. So before that death we must become fully Krsna conscious so that ante narayana-smrtih [SB 2.1.6]. The end will come today or tomorrow or day after tomorrow. Nobody will live here. But the success is if we can remember Narayana at the end of life. That is success. Ante narayana-smrtih. We should practice that. Don't bother about that "I shall die tomorrow. You are dying today, so I am better than you." Nobody will live here. Everyone will die, and we must be prepared for death. And the devotee has no fear for dying because if he is completely surrendered to Krsna, then he is going back to him. Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti [Bg. 4.9]. Simply by surrendering to Krsna.

And what is that surrendering? Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru, mam evaisyasi asamsayah [Bg. 18.65]. Without any doubt. He is giving assurance. Four things only. Always think of Krsna. Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam. Anyone can do it. Everyone can offer Krsna patram puspam phalam toyam [Bg. 9.26]. Everyone can hear from Krsna what is Krsna. Where is the difficulty? The difficulty is that we want enjoyment in this material world. That is the difficulty. Therefore it is recommended that akincananam mayi bhakti-bhajam. For a devotee there is no problem. He is not attracted by liberation or by Svargaloka, by yogic perfection. He is not at all interested. Bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kami-sakali 'asanta'. Because they cannot get santi because they want something The bhukti, the karmis, they are working so hard. They want some material profit or go to the Svargaloka to enjoy more. This is bhukti. And mukti, they are also undergoing severe austerities, penance, tapasya, for becoming one. Kaivalya sukham. Kevaladvaita. They are also working. And the yogis, they also work very hard. Yoga practice is not so easy. Dhyana, dharana, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, samadhi. It requires And especially in this age it is not so easy. It was easier in the Satya-yuga. Krte yad dhyayato visnu [SB 12.3.52]. Samadhi, that was possible. And now it is not possible. Our bhakti-yoga is so easy, simply man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65], very simple thing. So we should take to bhakti, devotional service, and reject everything. Niskincana. That will make your life successful.

Thank you very much. (end)
 
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.5.25 -- Vrndavana, November 12, 1976
© 2001 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.

Saturday, August 11, 2012

Village Talk-Vaikuntha Talk

Village Talk-Vaikuntha Talk
Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.12
Bombay, November 12, 1974

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Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
 
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Nitai: "After hearing of His mother's uncontaminated desire for transcendental realization, the Lord thanked her within Himself for her questions, and thus, His face smiling, He explained the path of the transcendentalists who are interested in self-realization."

Prabhupada:

iti sva-matur niravadyam ipsitam
nisamya pumsam apavarga-vardhanam
dhiyabhinandyatmavatam satam gatir
babhasa isat-smita-sobhitananah
 [SB 3.25.12]

So transcendentalists, those who are advanced in spiritual life, when they hear some questions from persons to understand about spiritual life, they become very happy. Those who are transcendentalists, they are not interested in these worldly talks. That is very disgusting to them. They avoid such company who talks nonsense about these worldly affairs. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu advised His disciples, gramya-katha na kahibe. Gramya-katha. Gramya means pertaining to the village, society, neighborhood. People are interested in talking this gramya-katha. Grama, from grama, gramya. Just like the newspaper. This newspaper is full of gramya-katha. There is no spiritual understanding. The whole newspaper... Here we have got four, five, ten pages newspaper, and in USA they have got bunch, one load of newspaper-full of gramya-katha. There was an estimation that the New York Times required, to publish one day's publication, to kill so many trees. Because the paper is now in scarcity. Why? Because they're killing the trees and making this gramya-katha newspaper, bunch of. Useless. They are making profit.

Na yad vacas citra-padam harer yasah. The devotees, Bhagavata, they say, na yad vacas citra-padam [SB 1.5.10]. Very nicely spoken, figuratively, metaphorically, ornamentally, citra-padam. Na yad vacas citra-padam harer yasah pragrnita karhicit. But there is no sense of krsna-katha. There are two kinds of kathas: gramya-katha and krsna-katha. So any literature which is very nicely presented from literary point of view, metaphorically, figuratively, but there is no glorification of the Supreme Lord... Na yad vacas citra-padam harer yaso jagat-pavitram pragrnita karhicit, tad vayasam tirtham usanti manasah [SB 1.5.10]. That is like the place for pleasure of the crows. Even in the birds' society there are crows and there are swans. You'll find the crows are interested in a place where filthy things are thrown out. All nasty things are thrown out. The crows will come and they will enjoy there. By nature. But the swans will not come. The white swans, they'll require very nice, clear water, with lotus flower in a garden, and birds are chirping. They're interested there. Similarly, there are men crowslike, and there are men swanlike. That is nature's division.

So na yad vacas citra-padam harer yaso jagat-pavitram pragrnita karhicit, tad vayasam tirtham usanti manasah [SB 1.5.10]. Manasah means those who live in the manasa-sarovara. In Bombay I don't find any such place, but even in Western countries, especially in London, there are many nice parks, very clear water. And in America also. Wherever these Europeans have settled. In Sydney, Australia, there are many nice parks with water. Formerly, in India also, in old Dvaraka, Mathura, the parks were there. Parks are necessary for cleansing the mind. So the fact is that as there are classes of birds which are called crows and there are classes of birds which are called swans, white swans... "Birds of the same feather flock together." That is an English proverb. The crows will mix with crows, and the swans will mix with swans. Therefore the devotees are swans, and the most advanced devotee is called hamsa, paramahamsa. Paramahamsa. So those who are hamsas, they are not interested in the matter for the crows. Therefore a hamsa, a paramahamsa, when he hears a question from a person about transcendental, uttamam, sreya uttamam... Tasmad gurum prapadyeta jijnasuh sreya uttamam [SB 11.3.21]. A person who is interested to enquire about the transcendental subject matter, krsna-katha, then the person who is questioned, he becomes very glad.

Therefore Kapiladeva, when she..., when He heard from His mother so many nice questions, "How to be delivered from this material bondage, envelopment?"... Sammoha.

atha me deva sammoham
apakrastum tvam arhasi
yo 'vagraho 'ham mametity
etasmin yojitas tvaya

This verse we have discussed. "I have taken shelter unto You..." This is the process. The mother is not ordering the son. It doesn't matter whether he is son or somebody else. When one is interested in uttamam... Tasmad jijnasuh sreya uttamam. Sreya and preya, there are two things. Sreya and preya. Just like children, they like to play. That is called preya, preya. Very nice. But sreya means go to school and take education for future improvement of life. That is called sreya. So human being should be interested in sreya, not in preya. That is not human life. Preya means immediately gives me some sense pleasure: "Oh, it is very nice." No. That is human life. Ahara-nidra-bhaya-maithuna. We require these things. We require to eat something for maintaining the body. But not that we shall be accustomed to eat very palatable things. No. That is not good. Bhala na khaibe ara bhala na paribe. Caitanya Mahaprabhu advised His disciples, "Never eat very palatable foodstuff. Never talk these village talks." Ordinary novel, literature, newspaper, He forbade. Fortunately, in our Society there is no newspaper. You may be surprised that "How is that, in modern age, especially these Europeans and Americans, they do not take any interest in newspaper?" In their country, if one does not get newspaper, it is horrible. It is horrible. Newspaper is so popular in the Western countries. There are so many newspapers. And each newspaper is publishing three, four times editions. But they are selling. But you'll find that these boys, these Americans boys who have come to Krsna consciousness, they have kicked out newspaper. No more newspaper. Because there is no krsna-katha, they don't like to read it. This is called bhaktih paresanubhavo viraktir anyatra syat [SB 11.2.42]. This is the test. We do not know what is the happening daily. It is, it does not matter, newspaper. It is a waste of time. Better that time read some literature like Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita. You'll be benefited. Why you should waste the valuable time of your life?

So Kapiladeva was very glad. Iti sva-matur niravadyam ipsitam. The mother, when He saw the mother is interested only for spiritual advancement... Niravadya. Niravadya... "I am contaminated." Avadya. Niravadya, ipsitam nisamya, "after hearing the question..." What, what sort of question? Pumsam apavarga-vardhanam. To answer to this question means "One who will hear these answers which I shall give, that is very, very congenial for liberation." Apavarga. This material world is called pavarga, and to nullify it is called apavarga. Pa and... Pavarga means pa, pha, ba, bha, ma. This is called pa-varga. In the letter arrangement, there is ka-varga, ca-varga, ta-varga, ta-varga... Five vargas. And pa-varga. The material life is called pa-varga. Pa, pha, ba, bha, ma. Pa means parisrama, simply laboring. And so much labor, now, pha, there is phena, foam. You'll find in the horses; hard labor, there is foam. We have sometimes foam, dry throat. That is pha. Pa, pha, ba. Ba means, bha means bhaya, and ba means vyartha. Vyartha means futile. Why they are laboring so much? Big, big men, they have no time. Big, big businessmen... I have seen in New York, big, big businessman. No time even to eat. Simply eating a dry bread and cup of tea. But he is working very hard, day and night. Pa-varga, pha-varga, and ba-varga. Ba-varga means..., ba means vyarthata. And bha means always fearful, bhaya. In this way, pa, pha, bha, and ma. Ma means marana, mrtyu. Finish. Pa to ma. Pa means beginning with parisrama, and ma means mrtyu. So this is material life, pavarga. So if you want to nullify this, that is called apavarga.

So here it is called apavarga-vardhanam, how to increase interest in liberation. People have become so dull, they do not understand what is the meaning of liberation. They do not understand. Just like animal. He... If an animal is informed that "There is liberation," what he will understand? He will not understand. It is not possible for him. Similarly, at the present moment, the human society has become exactly like animals. They do not know what is meaning of apavarga or liberation. They do not know. But time was there when people understood that this human life is meant for apavarga. Apavarga, to cease from the business of pa, pha, ba, bha, ma. That is called apavarga-vardhanam. So the questions made by Devahuti and the answers, which will be given by Kapiladeva, that is apavarga-vardhanam. That is wanted. This is the instruction of the whole Vedas. Tasyaiva hetoh prayateta kovidah. For apavarga everyone would try. Everyone should try his best. "And what about my maintenance?" To maintenance the sastra never gives any stress, that "You try for maintenance." The sastra says, "It will come. It is already there. It will come." But we have no such faith that "God is given..., giving food to the animals, to the birds, to the beasts, to the trees, everyone, and why He shall not give me? Let me engage my time for apavarga." They have no faith. They have no such education. Therefore good association required, not the crow's association, but swan's association. Then this sense comes.

So this Krsna consciousness movement means they are creating a society of swans, not of crows. Not of crows. The crows are not interested. They are interested in that left-out, I mean to say, garbage. They are interested. Punah punas carvita-carvananam [SB 7.5.30]. Punah punas carvita-carvananam. Just like we throw away... After eating, we throw away the leaf. There are some remnants of foodstuff, and the crows come, the dogs comes. They are interested. They will not say... A sane man will not go there. But these crows and dogs will go there. So this world is like that. Punah punas carvita-carvananam [SB 7.5.30]. Chewing the chewed. Just like you chew one sugarcane and throw it on the street. But if somebody comes again to chew it, then he's a fool. He must know "The juice has been taken away from that sugarcane. What shall I get by chewing?" But there are animals like that. They want to chew again. So our this material society means chewing the chewed. A father gives education to his son to earning livelihood, gets him married, and settles him, but he knows that "This kind of business, earning money and marrying, begetting children, I have done, but I am not satisfied. So why I am engaging my son in this business?" This is called chewing the chewed. Chewing the same thing. "I have not been satisfied with this business, but why I am engaging my son also?" The real father is he who does not allow his son to taste the chewing the chewed. That is real father. Pita na sa syaj janani na sa syat, na mocayed yah samupeta-mrtyum. This is real contraceptive. A father, a man should not desire to become a father, a woman should not desire to become a mother, unless they are fit to save the children from the impending clutches of death. That is the duty of father and mother.

And how one can be saved? The saved means if the father and mother together gives education to the son about Krsna consciousness, then he can be saved. The father-mother's duty is... The same, apavarga-vartmani. Apavarga-vartmani. To give education in such a way that no more pavarga. No more parisrama, no more phena, no more bhaya, no more vyarthata, no more marana. That is called apavarga-vardhanam. This is here real human life -- human society cultivating knowledge in such a way that apavarga-vardhanam, gradually we are going forward for liberation. That is human civilization. Otherwise it is cats and dogs civilization. The same thing. Punah punas carvita-carvananam [SB 7.5.30]. Again eating, mating, sleeping... That's all. Fearing and dying. This is general process. Ahara-nidra-bhaya-maithunam ca. Eating, sleeping and sex life, and defending, and dying. So this is... Under these regulations the dogs and cats are there. But the human life is meant for other purposes besides this. Of course, we have got this body. We have to maintain it. It is not that we should neglect... In our society we don't advise that you should neglect your body. But don't unnecessarily be engaged simply for maintaining the body.

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]

Janesv abhijnesu. Just like we are reading this literature, Srimad-Bhagavatam. They are very abhijna. Kapiladeva... Devahuti is asking from Kapiladeva because He's abhijna, He knows very well how to liberate. So people who are not interested janesv abhijnesu sa eva go-kharah... [SB 10.84.13]. The animals are not int... Here, in this temple, the human beings are expected to come here, not the animals. Cats and dogs, they cannot come here. So anyone who does not take advantage of the instruction of abhijnah, they are simply cats and dogs. They are not human beings.

Here we have got, in India especially, so nice literature. Vedic literature. Essence of Vedic literature-Srimad-Bhagavatam. Nigama-kalpa-taror galitam phalam [SB 1.1.3]. It is recommended that nigama means Vedas. Nigama is compared with a tree. Nigama-kalpa-taru. Kalpa-taru means desire tree. From the Vedas you can take all kinds of education, knowledge. Therefore it is called kalpa-taru. So as of the tree there are fruits and ripened fruit... Just like mango tree. There are fruits, green mango and ripened mango. The ripened mango is very interesting. So Srimad-Bhagavatam is the ripened mango of the desire tree of Vedic knowledge. Nigama-kalpa-taror galitam phalam suka-mukhat [SB 1.1.3]. And everyone knows that the, if the ripe fruit in the tree is tasted by the parrot, it becomes twice tasteful. So Sukadeva Gosvami, suka-paksi. Suka means parrot. He's speaking. Suka-mukhad amrta-drava-samyutam, pibata bhuvi bhavukah rasam alayam. These are the recommendations. So people are not interested. It is a great regret, matter of regret, that in India, where these literatures are available, where the sages and saintly persons left for us such nice literature, vidya-bhagavatavadhi, the limit of all education, Srimad-Bhagavatam, they are not interested. They are interested in some other, Marx literatures, Karl Marx literature, not Bhagavatam. This is the India's misfortune.

So anyway, if somebody's interested, it is his fortune because such kind of instruction as they are available in the Srimad-Bhagavatam or Bhagavad-gita, they are apavarga-vardhanam, apavarga-vardhanam. Nisamya pumsam avaparga-vardhanam. Pumsam, for the people in general. Apavarga-vardhanam, dhiyam, dhiya abhinandya. When actually a person advanced in spiritual knowledge, somebody comes to him to enquire... Because it is the system. Tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya [Bg. 4.34]. Tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet [MU 1.2.12]. This is the instruction. So when a person comes to a transcendentalist to inquire about sreya uttamam -- uttamam means transcendental subject matter -- he becomes very happy. He becomes very happy. One who hears very attentively about the spiritual subject matter, the spiritual master becomes very happy. So Kapiladeva became very happy by seeing His mother so eager to understand about the spiritual subject matter. Therefore, dhiya abhinandya, thanked her, "Oh, My dear mother, thank you very much. You are so interested in the subject matter." Because people are not interested. But when He saw that the family, head of the family, His mother, was interested, He became very happy, and therefore abhinandya, thanked her, "Yes, thank you, mother." Why? Now, atmavatam satam gatih: "You are asking the subject matter to know from Me which is approved by the atmavatam."

Atmavatam means self-realized persons. Self-realized... Without self-realized person, nobody can inquire about uttamam, sreya uttamam. Everyone is interested the immediate pleasing things. Immediate pleasing things. "I want to taste something which is very tasteful to my tongue. Never mind whether it is not eatable or eatable..." Just like hogs and pigs. They have got a taste to eat stool, and they like it. They like it, immediately. Everyone have, I think, in India, they have got experience. When they go to pass stool in the field, the hog is waiting to taste. They are so much addicted. Similarly, we have become to taste anything and everything, like hog. There is no discrimination. There is no restriction. Because they have no tapasya. Tapasya, when you are engaged... And this subject matter, spiritual realization, means tapasya. Tapasya. But it has been made easy by Caitanya Mahaprabhu, very easy. Ceto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam, param vijayate sri-krsna-sankirtanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. Little tapasya. Just spare little time and chant Hare Krsna. This much tapasya, we are not ready. Etadrsi tava krpa bhagavan mamapi durdaivam idrsam ihajani nanuragah. Krsna is more interested to get us in the apavarga-vartmani, in the path of liberation. And He has given very simple method: chant Hare Krsna. Harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam [Cc. Adi 17.21]. Still... Namnam akari bahudha nija-sarva-saktis tatrarpita niyamitah smarane na kalah. And to practice this chanting of Hare Krsna, there is no hard and fast rule. Niyamitah smarane na kalah. Any time suitable you can chant and you get perfection. Param vijayate sri-krsna-sankirtanam. This much little trouble, austerity, or whatever you call. But we have no interest. Being contaminated by this material, this Kali-yuga... Etadrsi tava krpa bhagavan mamapi durdaivam, misfortune, durdaivam idrsam ihajani nanuragah. "I have no attraction."

So therefore Kapiladeva or His representative, when he sees somebody is little interested, he becomes very glad and thanks him, "Thank you very much." Because people are not interested. So Kapiladeva, when He saw His mother interested, He thanked within. Not openly, but within the mind: "Thank you, mother. You are so interested." So dhiya abhinandya atmavatam satam gatih. The process, the questions which she put, that is atmavatam satam. Not ordinary persons. Satam prasangan mama virya-samvido bhavanti hrt-karna-rasayanah kathah [SB 3.25.25]. Krsna-katha becomes interesting in the association of satam atmavatam, those who are interested in self-realization, those who are devotees. Satam means devotees. Atmavatam satam gatih, their path. Then He begin... Babhasa. He began to talk. And because He was very glad... Isat-smita, smiling: "Thank you, mother. You are so much interested. So I shall speak." And because He is incarnation of God, Kapiladeva, naturally, young boy, He... sobhita ananah. His face became very beautiful; to answer this question, He became very beautiful. Naturally He's beautiful, and when He smiled, being very much pleased with the question of mother, He became very much beautiful. Sobhitanana.

So similarly, Krsna also becomes very... Krsna and Kapiladeva, no difference. So Krsna also becomes very beautiful. He's already beautiful. But when a devotee serves Him, a devotee comes to Him, He also becomes very beautiful. A devotee, when with his heart and soul, serves Krsna in dressing Him, in feeding Him, in giving Him flower, He becomes smiling. And if you can get Krsna, once smiling upon you, your life is fulfilled.

Thank you very much. (end)
 
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.12 -- Bombay, November 12, 1974
© 2001 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.