"We Came Here To Pass Stool"

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.21
Mayapura, October 1, 1974

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Nitai: Translation: "Let me therefore offer my respectful obeisances unto the Lord, who has become the son of Vasudeva, the pleasure of Devaki, the son of Nanda and the other cowherd men of Vrndavana, and the enlivener of the cows and the senses."

Prabhupada: So in the last verse, it is..., it has been explained by Kunti that Krsna is meant for the paramahamsa, muni, very, very exalted persons; they can understand Krsna, bhakti-yoga-vidhanartham, because such learned persons, such exalted persons, they can only understand what is bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yoga is the topmost yoga. There are different kinds of yogas: karma-yoga, jnana-yoga, dhyana-yoga, hatha-yoga, many others. Yoga means "contact" or "having connection." So bhakti-yoga means directly connection with Krsna, or God. That is bhakti-yoga. Other yogas, they are not directly connected.

Karma-yoga... Yoga means connection with Krsna, or God, but when there is the word karma-yoga, it is adulterated. It is not pure yoga. Karma-yoga means,

yat karosi yad asnasi
yaj juhosi dadasi yat
yat tapasyasi kaunteya
tat kurusva mad-arpanam

That is karma-yoga. Whatever you doing... In the beginning one cannot take to pure bhakti-yoga. Therefore karma-yoga is recommended: "Never mind whatever you doing. In that position you can become a devotee." Karma-yoga, that is. People are interested with different types of work. So therefore Krsna says, yat karosi. "Never mind whatever you are doing." So how it becomes karma-yoga? Now, kurusva tad mad-arpanam: "You give it to Me." Suppose you are doing business, and you are earning lots of money. So Krsna says, "All right, go on. You are attached to business. You go on doing that. But the money earned out of your business, you give it to Me." This is karma-yoga, not that you earn money and spend for your sense gratification. That is not karma-yoga. The rascals, they are saying this is karma-yoga. For sense gratification they are using, and that is karma-yoga. No. That is not karma-yoga. Here is karma-yoga: "It doesn't matter, whatever you are doing, but the ultimate result, you give it to Me."

In another place, Krsna says, karmany evadhikaras te ma phalesu kadacana: "You can go on. You can go on with your business, but don't expect the fruit of the business." Ma phalesu. He indirectly says, "The fruit should be given to Me." Ma phalesu kadacana: "Don't expect the fruit." Suppose you grow a nice mango tree, and there will be fruit, nice fruit. So according to Bhagavad-gita, it is said, ma phalesu kadacana: "You don't take the fruits." "Oh? Such a nice mango tree I have nourished in so many years. Now the fruit is there, and Krsna says, ma phalesu kadacana: ‘Don't take the fruit.' Then who will take the fruit? It is will rot? It will fall down on the ground, and it will rot?" No. The idea is "You don't take, but you give it to Me." This is karma-yoga. It is not that it should be wasted. So that is karma-yoga. So those who are karmis, very much attached to material activities, for them, this karma-yoga is recommended. Some way or other, be connected with Krsna. It is not so meant... It is very great achievement that you work hard earn money and give it to Krsna. That is a great sacrifice. So by karma-yoga, also, you can satisfy...

Because the main business is to satisfy Krsna. Atah pumbhir dvija-srestha varnasrama-vibhagasah. Varnasrama. There are four varnas and four asramas: brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha, and sannyasi. So these are the scientific divisions of civilized society. Unless there are these divisions, it is a chaotic condition; it is not very satisfactory. That is happening. Nowadays, there is no scientific division of the human society. Therefore there are so many chaotic conditions. So actual human civilization begins when we accept these eight departmental management of the society. That is human society. Otherwise it is animal society. So... So according to Vedic civilization, every department, division, has got a particular duty.

The brahmana, their duty is how to practice to control the mind, to control the senses, samo damas titiksa, to be tolerant, to be very simple, simple living, not very gorgeous living. Whatever is absolutely necessary, a brahmana will accept, not more than that. That is simplicity, simple living, high thinking. So this is brahmana's... Samo damas titiksa arjavam. And then jnanam. Jnanam means to understand what is what. People are all in ignorance rascals. The brahmana should not be rascal. Therefore brahmana is given the title pandita. Still in India they say, brahmana-pandita. Brahmana must be a pandita, a learned. A brahmana rascal is not brahmana. You are... "What you are?" "I am brahmana." "What do you do?" "Now, I pull thela." So that is not brahmana. Brahmana means pandita. He must be a learned man. Pathana-pathana yajana-yajana dana-pratigraha. These are the brahmana's occupational duty. He must be learned scholar himself, and he would try to make others also learned scholar, pathana-pathana, not that "I know." If you know something better, means very valuable, you must distribute it. Otherwise, in Sanskrit language they are called jnana-khala: "miser in knowledge." One who has got knowledge... Just like in the modern world, if one is scientifically advanced, he gives the knowledge to others. He goes for university to university and speaks about the new invention. So similarly, brahmana means that he must have full knowledge and he must distribute the knowledge, not that keep it for himself, reserved: "Nobody should know it." No. Pathana-pathana. So jnanam vijnanam.

Similarly, everyone has got particular type of business. Ksatriya has got; vaisya has got. So yat karosi, whatever you are doing, you must do it for Krsna's satisfaction. Krsna's satis... If you have got some knowledge, you distribute the knowledge for Krsna's satisfaction. How you can do that? Whatever knowledge you have got, you try to describe Krsna. Kavibhir nirupitah yad uttama-sloka-gunanuvarnanam [SB 1.5.22]. This is the first-class distribution of knowledge. Whatever you know, you try to explain Krsna by that knowledge. Just like our Dr. Svarupa Damodara. He's a scientist, and now he is trying to explain Krsna through his scientific knowledge. Similarly, if you are a medical man, you can explain also Krsna through medical science. If you are engineer, you can explain also Krsna through engineering. Krsna can be explained. But the person who is explaining, he must be intelligent. Because Krsna is everything, so simply we must have the intelligence how to explain engineering and come to the conclusion of Krsna. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was doing that. He was teaching grammar. So when there was question of dhatu, He was explaining Krsna. So the students, some of the students, they did not like that explanation. So therefore Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu had to wind up His school because they did not like.

So Krsna can be... Krsna is everything. Simply one must have sufficient knowledge how to see Krsna through everything. That is maha-bhagavata. Sarvatra haya nija ista-deva-sphurti. Whatever he sees, Krsna, because actually Krsna is everything. So there..., bhakti-yoga is so nice that that is the perfect yoga. And Krsna confirms it:

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

The first-class yogi is he who is always thinking of Krsna. The same way... If you are a medical man, if you thing of Krsna, how to prove that Krsna is the best physician or Krsna is the best surgeon through medical science, if one thinks like that, and if he tries to do it, he is first-class yogi even though he is a medical man. Similarly, everyone can become the first-class yogi if he takes to Krsna consciousness.

Now, the question is that some of the rascals, they take Krsna as a black man. (aside.) Who is talking? Black man. Some, one government officer, I think, some rascal... His name is Mr. Anand. He has described Krsna that "He was a black aborigine, and He became very powerful some way or other, and people worship Him as God." It was published in a government magazine. So there are so many rascals. Sometimes Krsna... Means those who are demons, to defy Krsna, that "This Krsna is a crow" or "This Sri Krsna is a black man" or "Krsna is sudra..." Krsna means so many things. Krsna... Sudras, they are also krsna, called. The brahmanas are called sukla, and the... So in this way, the rascal demons, they want to describe Krsna in their own way so that Krsna devotees may be unhappy, and that is their pleasure.

Therefore, to teach these rascals, Krsna, er, Draupadi, er, Kunti is pointing out, krsnaya vasudevaya: "You rascal, you don't take Krsna otherwise. I am speaking of Krsna, the son of Vasudeva, Vasudeva." Just like to identification in the court, if you give your name, then you must give the father's name, your village, your district, like that. That is identification. So therefore Kuntidevi is pointing out: "It is no other Krsna. The Krsna whose father's name is Vasudeva, whose mother's name is Devaki, whose father's name is Nanda Maharaja, whose mother's name is Yasodamayi. That's all." When that Vallabha Acarya... He wrote some essays and books, The Meaning of Krsna. The Meaning of Krsna. And he went to Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and he wanted some eulogization that he has so many meanings of Krsna. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "No, no, I know Krsna's name, only two or three. That's all." He said, "I know Krsna is the son of Yasodamayi, Yasodanandana. Krsna means the boy who sucked the breast of mother Yasoda. I know that."

So here also, nanda, nanda-nandanaya... He (she) says, nanda-gopa-kumaraya. Kumara. Kumara means "who is not married." So Krsna remained in Vrndavana up to sixteen years. Therefore He remained always kumara, Nanda-kumara, Nanda-nandana. Here it is explicitly said, Nanda-gopa. And who was Nanda? That is also explained. Nanda means that leader of the cowherds men or he was king, Nanda Maharaja. King does not mean always one has to become a king of very big kingdom. No. Anyone who possesses... Still in India, anyone who possesses some land, he is called king, raja. He is called raja, the zamindar, one who possesses some land, in..., especially in the up-country. So Nanda Maharaja, because he possessed some land... He was well-to-do, rich man. Because... (aside:) Where is water? He possessed cows and grains. Formerly, a man... Still now, also... Actually that is rich, riches. Gavaya dhanavan, one who has got many cows, he is to be considered as rich man. Dhanyena dhanavan. One who has got large quantity of food grains, he is dhanavan. Nowadays one who has got a bunch of paper, he is considered... And the paper is nothing. As soon as the government is failure, then the thousand-dollar note and hundred-dollar notes, it will have no value.

So actual, actual value, to keep cows, to have food grains or gold, jewelries, these are the signs of richness. But Kali-yuga is so cruel that if you have got gold, if you have got jewels, then government will take away. Dasyu-dharmabhih. Formerly there were ordinary plunderers, thieves. Now, according to Srimad-Bhagavatam, the government will be composed of organized thieves. That is meant: dasyu-dharmabhih, rajabhih. Government officer means organized thieves in every country. That will be the situation. So you cannot keep now. You have to be satisfied with these papers. That's all.

So Nanda Maharaja was rich because he possessed nine lakhs of cows, not... And Krsna had to take care of. Although Krsna was Nanda Maharaja's son, king's son, still He had to go... When He was young, five, six years old, He had to take care, not only Krsna, but all His friends. That was the system. Small boys, they would take care of the calves, and after sixth year, they would take care of the cows. So in this way, fifteen, sixteen years, they would pass. Then they would... They may go to school, but the ordinary vaisyas... Nanda Maharaja happened to be vaisya, not ksatriya. His father, Krsna's father, was Vasudeva. He was ksatriya. His uncle, Kamsa, he was ksatriya. He belonged to the ksatriya family because born as the son of Vasudeva, but because He was transferred in His..., just after His birth to Nanda Maharaja, so in the boyhood, in childhood, he remained a vaisya.

Actually Krsna is neither vaisya nor sudra nor ksatriya nor brahmana. He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Prakrteh param. That has been described by Kunti. Prakrteh? No. Namasye...? What is the beginning?

Devotee: Namasye purusam tvadyam.

Prabhupada: Ah. Namasye purusam... What is that verse?

Devotee: Adyam.

Prabhupada: Adyam.

Devotee: Tvadyam.

Prabhupada: Tva. Tva means "You." So isvaram prakrteh param. He is beyond the jurisdiction of this material world, prakrteh param. So He is neither brahmana... This brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, brahma..., they are these material designations. They are not actually fact. So, as Krsna is not belonging to this material world... He belongs to the spiritual... Prakrteh param. Paras tasmat tu bhavah anyah [Bg. 8.20]. As it is stated in the Bhagavad-gita, para. Para means "another," or "the superior." Paras tasmat tu bhavah anyah. In the Bhagavad-gita you'll find that... You are seeing this material world up to the sky. Your vision is up to the sky, although you do not know what are these planets, how they are existing. You have no knowledge. But still, at least, you can get experience that this universe is covered by this round sky, and within this universe there are so many planets.

So... So Krsna does not belong to these planets or this material sky. He belongs to the paravyoma. Again paravyoma means sky. And para means the superior, or spiritual. Therefore Krsna does not... Krsna belongs to everything because everything is Krsna's, but He has got His special abode. That is Vaikuntha, Goloka Vrndavana. That is situated in the spiritual sky, not in this material sky. A... In the material sky, the, that Goloka Vrndavana is there, replica, just Vrndavana, where we go. When Krsna comes... Just like government, the governor or the king, when he is on tour in every city he has got a special house. What is that house called?

Devotee: Embassy.

Prabhupada: Now... Just like... Similarly when Krsna comes in this universe, He comes there, in Vrndavana, in Mathura, in the Dvaraka. So... But the real... But there is no difference between that Vrndavana, Goloka Vrndavana, and this Vrndavana.

So these things are to be understood. Krsna is para. Paras tasmat tu bhavah anyah [Bg. 8.20]. In the Bhagavad-gita we get this information. There is another nature exactly like this. But these so-called scientists, they are so ignorant, they cannot estimate that there is another nature, there are spiritual planets... This... They do not know even how many planets are there, how they are situated, how they are inhabited. They think simply this planet is full of living entities; in other planets, there is no living entity. But that is not the fact. Every planet, every planet is full with living entities. Even in the sun planet, moon planet. So this is a subject matter we have discussed many times. So Kunti has already pointed out that Krsna is isvara and He's beyond the jurisdiction of this material world. That Krsna, when He comes here... Yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati [Bg. 4.7]. He comes. Tadatmanam srjamy aham. He comes. Then how He comes? He comes as the son of Vasudeva. Krsnaya vasudevaya. Vasudeva, vasudevaya. His name... Because He comes as the son of Vasudeva, therefore He is called Vasudeva. Vasudevah sarvam iti sa mahatma sudurlabhah [Bg. 7.19]. If one knows that this Vasudeva is everything, then he is the most exalted mahatma.

So these things are to be understood. That is Krsna consciousness. And if we remain fool... No. Everything is there. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam, in Bhagavad-gita, everything is there about Krsna. Anyone can understand if he's little intelligent. And as soon as you understand Krsna, then you are liberated person.

janma karma me divyam
yo janati tattvatah
tyaktva deham punar janma
naiti mam eti so 'rjuna
[Bg. 4.9]

So why should you not understand Krsna? Everything is given there. Why you should...? At least, the intelligent class, the Americans and Europeans, they are very intelligent materially. They have proved their intelligence. Why not spiritually? If they are materially intelligent, brain is there, you can utilize it either for material purpose or... Now, so far, you have done for material purposes. You have done enough, so many machineries and so many things. But there is no happiness. You take to..., apply your brain and intelligence to understand Krsna. Then your life is successful. That I have said many times, that you American boys or American people, you are fortunate, so many ways. How? Now, because you have got the result of pious activities.

What is the result of pious activities? Janmaisvarya-sruta-sri. You have... You were born in very rich nationality, in America. You were born of rich fathers. Nobody is poor; poverty is unknown there. I have studied. If, by voluntarily, one becomes poverty-stricken, that is another... But actually there is no poverty, so far I have studied. That is result of pious activities. To take birth in poor family, low family, is the result of sinful activities. So because you are born in rich nationality, rich family, that is good sign. Janmaisvarya. And opulence. You don't care for money. Money is nothing for you. This... We, we, we take money so carefully. But you spend money without any... So these are the results... Janmaisvarya-sruta. Education. And sri, beauty. These are ... So now you utilize this. Because one is fortunate if he gets all this opportunity, so you take this opportunity and utilize it for understanding Krsna. Then your life is successful.

And I am hoping also that if you take to Krsna consciousness, and... It was the duty of the Indians. As Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, that

bharata-bhumite haila manusya janma yara
janma sarthaka kari' kara para-upakara
[Cc. Adi 9.41]

Of course, I am Indian, so I have tried my best to give you this Krsna consciousness. It was the duty of the Indians to preach this cult. But even they are not doing, so you can take up, and for the benefit of the human society, you simply preach about Krsna. Krsnaya. We are speaking of this Krsna, not that Krsna, the "aborigine-Krsna" or "the black Krsna." "No, krsna means black." No, Krsna means many things. Krsna means also attractive. Does not mean... Kala-Krsna does not mean that He's black. He's... "Your Krsna is black." Yes, my Krsna is black, but at the same time all-attractive. So many beautiful gopis all became attracted. So many queens all became attracted. So this blackness of Krsna is not this ordinary. Therefore in the Brahma-samhita it is said that kandarpa-koti-kamaniya-visesa-sobham [Bs. 5.30]. Krsna's blackness is not ordinary blackness. Asitambuda-sundarangam. Although He's blackish like the black cloud, but sundara, very, very beautiful. How much beautiful? Kandarpa-koti-kamaniya-visesa-sobham [Bs. 5.30]. He's so beautiful that if you bring millions and millions of Cupids... Cupid is supposed to be very beautiful. Still, He will surpass. So Krsna... Syamasundaram. Syama means black, and still, very, very beautiful. That is the understanding of Krsna.

So therefore to understand Krsna perfectly, Kunti is pointing out that Krsna who is the son of Vasudeva, that beautiful Krsna, that Syamasundara Krsna... Krsnaya vasudevaya. Then Vasudeva may be... There may be Vasudevas. Then mother's name also. Devaki-nandanaya: "That Krsna is born of Devaki and Vasudeva, not others." Then there cannot be any mistake. If both the father's and mother's name... And again, he's (she's) pointing out: nanda-gopa-kumaraya: "That Krsna who was carried to Vrndavana, and He remained as foster son of Maharaja Nanda." And then he (she) says, govindaya, govindaya, that "He was a cowherd boy, played as a cowherd..." Govinda. Go means cows, and go means indriya, senses. So He was pleasure to the cows. The cows were very much pleased with Krsna. As soon as Krsna will call them, they will immediately come.

And this govinda word is explained in the Brahma-samhita in so many ways. Govindam. Therefore this reference is given there, govinda. What is that...?

srsti-sthiti-pralaya-sadhana-saktir eka
chayeva yasya bhuvanani bibharti durga
icchanurupam api yasya ca cestate sa
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
[Bs. 5.44]

Govinda is not ordinary thing. That Govinda... Which Govinda? Now, this material energy, Durga, who is working so wonderfully... Srsti-sthiti-pralaya-sadhana-saktih. She has... This material energy has got so much power that it can create, it can destroy, it can maintain, so much power. But don't think that this material energy is working independently. And then how is...? How she is working? Chayeva yasya bhuvanani bibharti durga [Bs. 5.44]. Just she is working just like shadow. The... Then what is the reality? Govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami **. So we are worshiping that person who is the original director of this material... Because we are captivated by the three gunas of material energy, we think this material energy, material world, is everything, because we are foolish. Nabhijanati mam ebhyah param avyayam. Tribhir gunamayair bhavaih. They have been captivated by the three material... They cannot understand that behind this, there is Krsna.

So this govinda word can be explained in so many ways. Krsna can be... You can try to explain this verse year after year. Still, it cannot be ended. It is so nice verse. But you... We should try to understand Krsna. There are so many ways to understand Krsna. Some way or other, simply if you understand that Krsna is isvarah paramah krsnah [Bs. 5.1], that much, that Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead -- if you are convinced on this subject matter -- then your life is successful.

Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.21 -- Mayapura, October 1, 1974

"The Callous Can't Pass Test"

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.7.41-42
Vrndavana, October 1, 1976

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Pradyumna: "Suta Gosvami said: Although Krsna, who was examining Arjuna in religion, encouraged Arjuna to kill the son of Dronacarya, Arjuna, a great soul, did not like the idea of killing him, although Asvatthama was a heinous murderer of Arjuna's family members."

Prabhupada:

suta uvaca
evam pariksata dharmam
parthah krsnena coditah
naicchad dhantum guru-sutam
yadyapy atma-hanam mahan

So Krsna, as an impartial observer, He advised Arjuna to kill Asvatthama on the ground of so many offenses. He was also trying to see how Arjuna decides. But Arjuna's decision was very right. Arjuna's decision was right because, naicchad dhantum guru-sutam. He thought that "Although Asvatthama is criminal, he should be killed. But I am going to kill him on account of my sons's or our sons' being killed by him. We are so much aggrieved. So if I kill Asvatthama, then his mother is there. She would be very much unhappy." For the sake of the spiritual master and teacher... Dronacarya was dead in the fight, but his wife was living. So Arjuna and Draupadi, considering the grief of the wife of Dronacarya... There were many instances like that. Not that "The person is criminal," but "What will be the effect of killing him?" That is to be considered.

I think I have told you one story about Shah Jahan, the emperor of India. A, one great drama writer, Mr. P.L. Raya, he wrote one book by the name, title, Shah Jahan. But the activities of the whole book was the nefarious actions of Aurangzeb. He was killing his brothers, arresting father and so many. So one friend of Mr. Raya asked him that "Your book Shah Jahan, in the activities, the actual hero is Aurangzeb. Why you have named Shah Jahan?" So he replied that although Shah Jahan is silent, but the effect is going to him. When Aurangzeb killed his elder brother, Dara, then the effect was suffered by Shah Jahan. So all the activities, nefarious activities of Aurangzeb, was suffered by Shah Jahan. Therefore he said, "He's the hero." Similarly, here is the same instance, that "If I kill Asvatthama -- it is right, I should kill him -- but the effect would go to his mother. His mother, she is innocent, and in the absence of her husband, our guru, it is our duty to look after her comforts. Now, if I kill Asvatthama, then she will suffer in old age." Therefore na aicchad dhantum guru-sutam. He did not... Although Krsna advised him "You kill him," he did not like it. Guru-sutam. This is consciousness. Even there is duty, we have to see what will be the effect of the duty. Not everything should be done very blindly. Arjuna... This is devotee. Devotee means he's not blind. Yasyasti bhaktir bhagavaty akincana sarvair gunais tatra samasate surah. Bhagavad-bhakta means he will act in such a way that all qualified, nobody can criticize him. That is bhagavad-bhakta. Sarvair gunais tatra samasate surah.

We have got many instances. That Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, he was very rich zamindar's son, and there was a trouble between the minister of the state and his father and uncle. They were zamindars. They were raising revenues to the extent of twelve lakhs, and the tax was going to the Nawab only four lakhs. So this is the business. So the minister arrested the father and uncle of Raghunatha, and they fled away from home. So the minister arrested Raghunatha dasa Gosvami. At that time he was not Raghunatha dasa Gosvami; he was grhastha, young man, Raghunatha. So he handled the matter in such a nice way that the matter was settled between the minister and his father. The idea is although he was a Vaisnava, he was not a fool how to manage a state. It does not mean that a Vaisnava will be fool and rascal because he's Vaisnava. No. Vaisnava, twenty-six qualifications. One of the qualifications is daksa: he must be very expert in doing things very nicely. Not that because one is Vaisnava he'll be callous in the worldly things. No. Therefore I repeatedly request the management that you must be very expert in managing these temple affairs. Everything to the right point. Not a single farthing should be wasted. A Vaisnava must be daksa, expert in everything. This is no excuse, that "I have become a devotee. Therefore I am callous to all material things." What material things? Nirbandhah krsna-sambandhe yuktam vairagyam ucyate. Anything in relationship with Krsna, that is not material; that is spiritual. I have several times explained that this temple, don't think it is ordinary building. It is Vaikuntha. Cintamani-prakara-sadmasu. Krsna has His house, prakara-sadmasu. Cintamani-prakara-sadmasu. Sadma. Sadma means house. So we should take very, very careful attention that this temple is kept very nicely, managed very nicely. Not that "I have become Vaisnava. Let everything be stolen or spoiled or broken. I have become Vaisnava. I cannot take care. That is not my consideration."

Because I have several times pressed on this point that everything in relationship with Krsna is Krsna. Krsna is the advaya-jnana. Absolute Truth. Krsna and His name, His house, His devotees -- His everything. Nama rupa guna lila parikara vaisista, everything. Caitanya Mahaprabhu says... Caitanya Mahaprabhu's philosophy, it is said by Visvanatha Cakravarti, aradhyo bhagavan vrajesa-tanaya tad-dhama vrndavanam. Vrajesa-tanaya, Vrajendra-nandana Hari, Krsna. Krsna is very much pleased when He is addressed as Vrajendra-nandana, Yasodanandana, Partha-sarathi. Added with the, with His devotee's name. Just to establish that He's not nirvisesa. He's always savisesa. So this addition... Krsna is everyone's father. Aham bija-pradah pita. Who can be His father? Nobody can become His father. Still, He accepts a father, and He likes that He should be called by His father's name. Who is that father? His devotee. Vrajendra-nandana Hari. Aradhyo bhagavan vrajesa... Bhagavan. He is addressed as Bhagavan. Bhagavan means the Supreme Person, Supreme Being. Who can be His father? Still, it is said, aradhyo bhagavan vrajesa-tanayah. Vrajesa-tanaya. He's son of Maharaja Nanda, aradhyo bhagavan, Yasomati-nandana.

So Krsna and His father... Although he's not Krsna, he's nitya-mukta. There are different types of living entities: Nitya-mukta, nitya-baddha, sadhana-siddha, krpa-siddha. These things are very nicely discussed in the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu. Nitya-siddha. This father, mother of Krsna, they are nitya-siddhas. Although they are living entities, they are not Bhagavan, not visnu-tattva. Jiva-tattva. But nitya-siddha. Those who are in the spiritual world, they are nitya-siddha. Nitya-mukta. Nitya-mukta means they never come in this material world. Just like Krsna is nitya-mukta suddha. Similarly, the associates of Krsna who come with Him... Just like the gopis or the cowherd boys, and so..., the cows, calves, they are all nitya-siddha, nitya-mukta. They come with Krsna. Ananda-cinmaya-rasa. They are in the spiritual form, ananda-cinmaya-rasa, enjoying always spiritual bliss in the association of Krsna. Ananda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhavitabhih. Tabhir ya eva nija-rupataya kalabhih. That is also expansion of Krsna. Just like Brahma, when he stolen Krsna's friends, cowherd boys, and the cows and calves, Brahma saw that Krsna is playing with the same cowherd boys, cows, calves, and he was astonished. He went, came to test that "It is being advertised that one boy is now born, is there in Vrndavana, and He's being accepted as Krsna, the Supreme Personality, my Lord." So he played some tricks. He stolen away. But the next moment he saw. Next moment means one year. He saw that Krsna has expanded Himself in so many living entities. And later on he saw that everyone is Visnu. Everyone is Visnu. Diparcir eva hi dasantaram abhyupetya dipayate [Bs. 5.46]. Krsna and Krsna's amsa. He expands just like candle. One candle is lit up by another candle, another candle. In this way, first, second, third, fourth, fifth, in the hundreds of times. But each candle is as powerful as the first one. Ramadi-murtisu kala-niyamena tisthan nanavataram akarod bhuvanesu kintu krsnah svayam samabhavat paramah puman yah [Bs. 5.39]. He has got extensive, innumerable expansions. In the Bhagavata it is said that Krsna's expansion is so great, just like the waves of the ocean, you cannot count. It is not possible. If you sit down on the sea beach and go on counting how many waves, day and night, there is no limit. So Krsna's expansion is unlimited. He's unlimited, His expansions are unlimited. Advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam [Bs 5.33].

So everything belonging to Krsna is Krsna. This is Krsna consciousness. Nothing should be neglected. That is Krsna consciousness. Everything should be... Sri-vigraharadhana-nitya-nana-srngara-tan-mandira -marjanadau **. Every corner of this temple should be considered "Here is Krsna." Then Krsna conscious. Not that "Only in the temple Krsna is there, not in the gate. Let it be open and thief may come and steal." No. Very, very careful. The idea is that devotee must be expert in understanding things very clearly. Just like Arjuna. Krsna is requesting him. Therefore it is said, evam pariksata. Krsna is trying to see how Arjuna is Krsna conscious. "I am requesting you, ‘Kill him.' " And what does he decide? Krsna knew everything. Sarvasya caham hrdi sannivisto mattah smrtir jnanam apohanam ca [Bg. 15.15]. Krsna is situated in everyone's heart. So what Arjuna was thinking of, Krsna knew it that he was thinking rightly not to kill this man. Still, He was pariksata, He was examining how Arjuna decides. So he passed the examination.

So devotee is expected to pass all kinds of examinations. That is devotee. Not one-sided. Therefore sastra says yasyasti bhaktir bhagavaty akincana. Akincana-bhakti. Kincana. Kincana means "something." So akincana means "no something." That is akincana. "I have nothing to do except Krsna's service." That is called akincana. He has no other duty. Only duty is how to please Krsna. That is suddha-bhakti. Anyabhilasita-sunyam jnana-karmady-anavrtam [BRS 1.1.11]. So long you're on the platform of jnana or karma... There are different stages. Karma is the lowest stage, and jnana is higher. Koti-karma-nistha-madhye eka jnani srestha. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has said, out of many millions of karmis, one jnani is good, srestha. And out of millions of jnanis... Simply jnana, theoretical knowledge, is not good. It must be practical. Jnana, the result of jnana is to become liberated, mukti. Simply I am very jnani and I am doing all nonsense, this is not jnana. He must be liberated from material attachment. Brahma-bhutah prasannatma [Bg. 18.54]. This is the stage of perfection of jnana. Na socati na kanksati. He has nothing to do with the material world. That is jnani. Therefore the karmis, they are very much attached to the material activities, and jnani is not attached -- not attached neither interested. That is real jnani. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu said koti-karma-nistha-madhye eka jnani srestha. Out of millions of karmis, one jnani is srestha. We sometimes differ with the Mayavadi philosophers. But they are jnanis. They are better than the karmis. There is no doubt. Koti-karma-nistha-madhye eka jnani srestha.

But it does not mean because one has got some theoretical knowledge, therefore he is mukta. That is another stage. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, koti-jnani-madhye haya eka mukta srestha. And so far bhakta, koti-mukta-madhye durlabha eka krsna-bhakta. Sa mahatma sudurlabhah. That is another thing. Koti-mukta-madhye. Kotisyapi maha-mune(?). So to become Krsna conscious, fully devoted, anyabhilasita-sunyam [BRS 1.1.11], it is very, very difficult, the highest position. Bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan [Bg. 7.19]. The jnana, after jnana, there is the stage of bhakti. Without jnana, bhakti is kanistha-adhikari. With jnana he is uttama-adhikari. These are described by Caitanya, in the Caitanya-caritamrta. So the idea is that if one is advanced devotee, then all the good qualities will be visible in him. Yasyasti bhaktir bhagavaty akincana. He has no other desire. Akincana-bhakti. If he has got any other desire to fulfill, then it is mixed. It is not suddha-bhakti; it is vaidhi-bhakti. Karma-misra-bhakti, jnana-misra-bhakti, yoga-misra-bhakti. Bhakti must be there. Otherwise, karma, jnana, yoga, nothing is successful. Bhakti must be there. But when karma, jnana, yoga, everything is without contamination, simply bhakti... Jnana-karmady-anavrtam [Madhya 19.167]. That stage is anukulyena krsnanusilanam. Simply to satisfy.

Now here Krsna is advising. So anukulyena krsnanusilanam. There is a... Pariksata, as Krsna is examining, similarly, Arjuna also very intelligently acting. He knew that although Krsna was encouraging him to kill Asvatthama, "He wanted to see me, how I deal with the matter." This is also... So there is competition between bhaktas. Duye lagye hura huri(?). It is stated in the Caitanya-caritamrta, between Radha and Krsna, Krsna is being enlivened by seeing Radharani, and Radharani is becoming more beautiful by seeing Krsna. Duye lagye hura huri. The competition. This is described in the fourth chapter of Caitanya-caritamrta. So it is transcendental sporting between the devotee and the Lord. It is not nirvisesa-vada. The Lord wants to see "How he is My pure devotee." And the devotee wants to see that "I'll not accept anything from Krsna. I shall sacrifice everything for Krsna." That is duye lagye hura huri. That is devotee, and that is Krsna.

So here is Arjuna. He's being examined by Krsna. Krsna wants to examine His devotees, how staunch devotee he is. Just like the Pandavas. They were put into so many troubles. They lost their kingdom, they lost their wife -- insulted. The wife was endeavored to become naked. Never..., the Pandavas never said that "Krsna, You are our friend. Why we are suffering so many troubles?" Never. Never. This is pure devotee. Krsna is always with him. Krsna could do anything, but still they never requested. Neither Kunti nor Pandavas. This is pure devotion. A pure devotee will never try to take anything from Krsna. He will try to give everything to Krsna. So duye lagye hura huri. So here is a trial between the devotee and Lord Krsna, and Arjuna has passed the examination. Therefore it is said, evam pariksata dharmam parthah krsnena coditah. He's being examined by krsnena, not ordinary person. But he passed the examination. Why? Naicchad dhantum guru-sutam. In spite of Krsna's, I mean to say, injection, that "Do it," he did not like to. Naicchad dhantum guru-sutam yadyapy atma-hanam mahan. Although he is the greatest criminal.

Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.7.40 -- Vrndavana, October 1, 1976

"Lament For A Lump?"

"Lament For A Lump?"

75/10/01 Mauritius, Bhagavad-gita 2.11


Prabhupada:

sri bhagavan uvaca
asocyan anvasocas tvam
prajna-vadams ca bhasase
gatasun agatasums ca
nanusocanti panditah
[Bg. 2.11]

This is the version of Krsna in the beginning of Bhagavad-gita. So first of all it is said here, Vyasadeva, the author..., not author, the compiler who recorded the talks between Krsna and Arjuna and then put it systematically in a book form. So he says that bhagavan uvaca. Bhagavan means the Supreme Person. Just like in this meeting, amongst my students, I am the supreme person, similarly, in the state there is a supreme person, the president or the prime minister, so everywhere you will find out one supreme person. Without a supreme person nothing can be managed, order-giving person. This is everlastingly existing, and you cannot avoid this. Even in Communist country they also have the supreme person, dictator. So taking the whole universal affair, the nature, how things are going on... The sun is rising early in the morning. It is setting exactly in due time. Then the moon is coming. Everyone in big, big planetary system, they are working very systematically. The astronomical calculation is so perfect that, they say, one ten-thousandth part of a second is also calculated. So accurately things are moving.

So in the Brahma-samhita it is said, yac caksur esa savita sakala-grahanam. The sun is the eye of all the planets. We have got eyes, but unless there is sunrise, what is the value of our eyes? We cannot see. We are very much proud of our eyes, we want to see everything. But we do not calculate the value of our eyes. Unless there is sunshine we cannot see. At night, unless there is electricity or moonlight or some lamp, we cannot see. And still, we are very much proud of seeing. This is called illusion. We have no power. We are put under certain condition; then we work. Otherwise we cannot work. Prakrteh kriyamanani. Prakrti, material nature, puts us under certain condition and we work accordingly, not independently. And the prakrti, material nature, also working under somebody. Just like when you go on the street you see red light and green light. As soon as you see red light you stop your car. So this red light and green light is being manipulated by the police, and the police is working under government. Similarly, this whole material nature is acting like red light or green light, but behind that red light and green light there is the supreme brain. That is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So as a layman or as child cannot understand how the red light and blue light, green light, is working... He sees simply, he thinks automatically it is being done. That is foolishness. It is not being automatically done. There is machine. There is manipulator behind this red light. So this is intelligence. Anyone who is concluding that "On the street the red light and green light is working automatically; there is no brain behind it," he's a rascal. Simi larly, the whole material cosmic manifestation is working... Even the big sun planet, it is also working under certain direction. Yac caksur esa savita sakala-grahanam. Without sunrise nobody can see, not only in this planet, in other planets also, sakala-grahanam. So this sun planet is so important... Day and night, year and millions of years -- everything is being calculated on the solar system. So this powerful planet is described as the eyes of everyone. Without sunshine nobody can see. Yac caksur esa savita sakala-grahanam raja. It is to be considered as the king of all planets, raja, sakala-grahanam. All the planets, they are moving, rotating on the heat of the sun, heat and light, and they are working on the light of the sun. Sun is so important. Everything is described in the Vedic literature. So that sun also -- working under somebody's direction. Yasyajnaya bhramati sambhrta-kala-cakrah. The sun is rotating in the orbit at the speed of sixteen thousand miles per second by the order of somebody. That is Govinda. Yasyajnaya bhramati sambhrta-kala-cakro govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami **.

So this is knowledge. This is knowledge. So the Supreme Person is Bhagavan. Bhaga means six kinds of opulences: the richest, the most powerful, the wisest, the most beautiful, and the most influential, and the most renounced at the same time. Just like this whole cosmic manifestation is created by the will of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but you will not find him here. Disinterested. Many millions of universes are working by His will, but He is not interested. The example is just like a big capitalist. He has got many factories, and if you go to the factory -- there is a Tata factory, iron factory -- you will find huge factories going on, but Mr. Tata is not there. Things are going on. Similarly, all cosmic manifestation going on, it is under the will of Krsna. But He is not present here. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gita, mat-sthani sarva-bhutani: [Bg. 9.4] "Everything is resting on Me." Any factory, every worker knows that the whole factory function resting on that supreme person. He knows that. So actually fact is that mat-sthani sarva-bhutani naham tesu avasthitah: "But I am not there. I am not there." Similarly, Bhagavan means that. Under His will, under His power, everything is working so nicely, systematically, but if you want to see God, Krsna, you cannot see Him. He is not there. He is in Goloka Vrndavana, but His influence is so extensive that even without His personal presence, things are going on so nicely. This is called Bhagavan. Bhagavan means this.

So here in this Bhagavad-gita, that Bhagavan is giving you knowledge. So how much perfect it is, you have to consider. Vyasadeva could have said, "sri-vyasadeva uvaca." No. Bhagavan uvaca, so authoritative. So whatever He says, there cannot be any change. It is all perfect. Unfortunately, we rascals, we do not take Bhagavad-gita as it is. We want to change it according to our whims. This rascal havoc has ruined the whole world. Otherwise, if they would have preached Bhagavad-gita as it is, the world situation would have been different. Everything would have been in order, tranquility, peace, and everybody would have been prosperous. But the rascals will not do that. That is the defect. Therefore our tiny effort is how to present Bhagavad-gita as it is. This is our mission. If we take... Even now, in this distorted condition of the world, if we accept Bhagavad-gita as it is, then still, we will be benefited. There is no doubt about it. Therefore our appeal is that throughout the whole world people should come, try to understand Bhagavad-gita, and set up examples and do the needful. Then everything will be peaceful. This is the peace formula. Bhoktaram yajna-tapasam sarva-loka-mahesvaram, suhrdam sarva-bhutanam [Bg. 5.29]. Suhrdam sarva-bhutanam. Suhrt means well-wisher. Well-wisher. Here is the supreme well-wisher. He wants, Krsna wants that wherever you live, you live peacefully and happily; and therefore He is called suhrt. He is desiring everyone's happiness. Therefore He comes Himself to advise, to instruct how to live, how to follow His instruction, and He leaves these behind Him, such books as Bhagavad-gita, and He sends His representative occasionally to revive our consciousness. This business is going on, not only in the human society, even in the animal society. Anywhere, even in demigod society, things are going on like that. Therefore we should know, whatever Bhagavan says, there cannot be any mistake, any illusion, any cheating or any imperfectness. Then it will be very nice. And that is the fact. The word used, bhagavan uvaca, means this instruction is neither mistaken nor illusion nor cheating nor imperfect. Whatever we teach, we speak, we conditioned soul... As I said, that we are very much proud of our eyes, but we cannot see without sunrise... We cannot see without electricity. But that is our defect. We are possessing everything defective, still we are proud: "We are perfect." That is cheating. We are not perfect. But Krsna, Bhagavan, is not like that. If we think Krsna is also like us, avajananti mam mudha manusim... [Bg. 9.11]. Because He teaches exactly like a human being, He appears, therefore we think, "He may be little more intelligent than me. After all, He is like me." No. He is Bhagavan. We have to understand.

So the problem was that Arjuna was not willing to fight, considering his family members as not to be killed. Nobody, of course, should like to kill his family members, so that was natural. But this family relationship or national relationship, community relationship, this is due to this body. I accept somebody as my brother because he has got the body from the same father from whom I have got this body. But the body is by-product of the father's body. So this bodily relationship is material. Material means outward, external. It is not real relationship. The father is a soul, I am soul, my brother is a soul, so we are related on the spiritual platform in relationship with God because soul is not matter. Our material father is... Material father means we see the material body. We do not see the soul of the father, neither the father sees the soul of the son. Everyone under illusion we are simply seeing the body and accepting as kinsman. So this illusion was to be removed by Krsna, and therefore He said, asocyan anvasocas tvam [Bg. 2.11]. "You are lamenting over the body. Oh, it is very regrettable. You are lamenting." Asocyan anvasocah. What is this body? It is simply lump of matter. As soon as the soul is out of this body, what is the value of this lump of matter? It will be thrown in the street, and somebody will kick on the face. Nobody will care. Nobody will care. But so long the soul is there, if you touch the hair even -- "Why you are touching my hair?" But when the soul is not there, on the same face, if somebody kicks, nobody will care. This is the position of the body. Therefore it is said, asocyan: "It is garbage. Why you are lamenting on this garbage?" Asocyan anvasocas tvam [Bg. 2.11]. "You are talking, very learned man, that ‘If I kill my brothers the, my brothers' wives will be widow, and there will be prostitution and then the whole family will go to ruin.' These are all external condition." He...

This is real education, that "You are thinking on terms of the body; therefore it is not very important subject matter." Real subject matter -- what will happen to the soul -- that is real, important. But whole world, they do not know what is the important platform. All rascals, they are concerned with this body. That is not wonderful; that is natural. Even if we know, still, if there is some bodily pain we become very much disturbed. But we should know, always remember, that "I am not this body." The same example, that I have got a very nice car, Rolls Royce car, I have got attachment, that is all right, but we should know always that "I am not this Rolls Royce car. I am different from it." This is knowledge. "I may have some attachment for my car. That is natural. I have paid for it. I like it. But in spite of all these consideration I am not the Rolls Royce car. The Rolls Royce car is a lump of matter. I am using it." Similarly, we should always remember that "I am using this material body for my transaction, different transaction, but I am not this material body." But a devotee, he uses this material body, utilizes it properly. Just like we are also going by aeroplane, by motorcar, but we have no concern with the... I have come to you country by aeroplane not to see your country. I have come for Krsna's business: to see if I can induce you to Krsna consciousness. Otherwise we have no concern with this aeroplane or motorcar or anything. We take advantage. Similarly, when we take advantage of this body for advancing in Krsna consciousness, then it is very nice. Nirbandhah krsna-sambandhe. That is also renouncement. He has no attachment. He simply uses things. Then that thing becomes spiritual. Actually it is spiritual, and when it is not used for spiritual purpose or Krsna's purpose, it is material, the same thing. What is the difference between material and spiritual? That is, a picture is there. There are so many pictures. People may say that "Here is the same picture. Why these people are worshiping and offering arati and chanting?" But this picture is spiritual because it enhances or enthuses a spiritual consciousness. Therefore it is spiritual. Of course, it is not very easy to understand immediately, but on the ultimate issue, everything is created by Krsna, or God, so by seeing everything, if you remember Krsna, then that is spiritual. That is spiritual. So anyway, for ordinary man this does not happen.

Therefore Krsna says that "You are lamenting for the body. Oh, it is very astonishing. And you are talking like a very learned man." Everyone you will find talking, very learned man. He knows something, but ask him, "What you are?" "I am Indian." "I am American. I am Mr. Such and such. I am father of such and such." This is bodily... However great he may be, he is identified with the body. And according to sastra, so long we shall identify with this body, we are not better than the cats and dogs because they also identify with the body. Therefore Krsna says, asocyan anvasocas tvam prajna-vadams ca bhasase [Bg. 2.11]. "Why? I am wrong?" Yes. Because gatasun agatasums ca. The body, whether with the soul or without the soul, it is material. So so long even the soul is there, we should not be very much interested with the bodily comforts. We should be interested how to make progress in spiritual consciousness. And general people, they are simply engaged to get bodily comforts. The whole world is going on. The material civilization means bodily comfort. They are increasing their activities how to... They take it as civilization that to increase the bodily comforts of life. That is their idea. But they do not know that even if we are able to increase to the largest extent our bodily comfort, the body will not exist. It will die. But we do not see to that, that "Never mind. We shall die. So long we live..." Yavad jivet sukham jivet. "So long we live, let us live very happily." So it is a great science. They do not know that... You may think that you are living very happily, but you have to change this body, and that body may not be very happy. That they do not know. This is ignorance, moha. Mohitam nabhijanati. Being bewildered by the three modes of material nature, they do not know what is the actual fact. Therefore we have to learn from the perfect person, Krsna, what is this position. Here it is said that asocyan anvasocas tvam prajna-vadams ca bhasase gatasun agatasums ca nanu... [Bg. 2.11]. "This is not the subject matter of eulogizing or lamenting. The subject matter should be different. That is soul." Then He will explain, next verse.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Haribol! (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 2.11 -- Mauritius, October 1, 1975