Unalloyed Peace, How?

Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.2.11
Vrndavana, September 13, 1975

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Prabhupada:

na niskrtair uditair brahma-vadibhis
tatha visuddhyaty aghavan vratadibhih
yatha harer nama-padair udahrtais
tad uttamasloka-gunopalambhakam
 [SB 6.2.11]

So the Visnudutas, they are instructing the Yamadutas. They are authorized person. These Visnuduta, they are authorized persons. They are not ordinary person. They are coming from Vaikuntha. Just like Narada Muni comes from higher planetary system, Vaikunthaloka. He is called deva-rsi. He travels all over the universes, material and spiritual. He has got special concession. Sometimes... (child making noise -- Hindi) Sometimes we have got information the yogis, they can also travel not only within this material universe but in the spiritual. The instance of... (child making noise) Durvasa Muni.

Durvasa Muni, when he committed offense at the feet of Maharaja Ambarisa. Maharaja Ambarisa was a grhastha, a ksatriya, and king. He had to rule over the kingdom. But because he was devotee, he was very respectful. So Durvasa Muni, he was a great yogi. He became very much envious of this king, Ambarisa Maharaja, that "He is ordinary grhastha, dealing with politics, and I am a great yogi, known all over the universe, and he is more respected than me?" So he wanted to punish him to show him his yogic power. Sometimes the yogis, they get some power and misuse it for personal sense gratification. That is the pitfall of yogic perfection. Aiye. When one gets little power he misuses it and thereby falls down. So this Durvasa Muni also, what to speak of other paltry yogis, even Durvasa Muni, he became envious.

So one day he came to Ambarisa Maharaja on the dvadasi day with sixty thousand disciples and ordered the Maharaja, "Maharaja, today we have come to take prasadam in your palace. Please arrange for this." So that was dvadasi day. You know, on the dvadasi there was... That is a regulative principle, that in the morning at about nine o'clock one has to take something, prasadam, to break the vows, break fast. So this Durvasa Muni along with disciples, they went to the river Ganges to take bath, but they were willfully not coming back. So Ambarisa Maharaja asked the priest that "Durvasa Muni is my guest. I cannot take anything without offering him. So what shall I do? Now I have to observe the dvadasi breakfast." So the brahmana priest ordered him that "Maharaja, you can take little caranamrta," the water. So according to sastra, drinking little water is not breaking fast, so it will be not taken very... So with the advice of the brahmana... Formerly the kings, they were guided by the instruction of the brahmanas and great saintly persons. They were not doing anything whimsically. That is not the fact. So with the instruction of the brahmanas, he took little caranamrta. And Durvasa Muni was a great yogi. He could immediately understand. Then he came back and became very angry. His idea was to punish him some way or other. "Give the dog bad name and hang it." This was his policy. So he was to give some bad name. So he became angry that "I am your guest and you have already taken, broken your ekadasi fasting. So I shall teach you."

So he immediately ordered... He plucked one hair and a great demon came. So Durvasa Muni made his caricature of yogic power, and Ambarisa Maharaja was a devotee. He did not know anything, such magic. He was pure devotee, that's all. So he could simply stand: "All right. I am faulty. You can punish me." So this great demon was coming to kill him, and a devotee has no other way than to remember Krsna, so immediately Krsna's sudarsana-cakra came to protect him and the sudarsana-cakra immediately killed the demon. Then the sudarsana-cakra attacked Durvasa Muni. So Durvasa Muni began to flee. He went upper planetary system to Lord Siva, Lord Brahma, and this way he wanted protection, but nobody could give protection. They said, "No, no, we cannot give you protection. Lord Visnu is angry upon you. It is not possible to give you protection." So he then went to Lord Visnu also in the Vaikunthaloka. Just see how much powerful he is, that he could go through the whole universe, then enter into the spiritual world, Vaikunthaloka, and he could see personally Lord Visnu. And Lord Visnu also denied protection, "No, I cannot give you protection. You are Vaisnava aparadhi. You have offended to the Vaisnava, Maharaja Ambarisa. You can be protected only if you go and fall down at his feet and if he excuses, then my sudarsana-cakra will not disturb."

So this incidence... This Durvasa Muni penetrated through the universe, went to the Vaikunthaloka, personally saw Visnu. Still, he was not protected. And this time took about one year. So yogic power... My point was how yogis are powerful, that they cannot..., they can go through the space very swiftly. The modern scientists, they say that to go to the topmost planet within this universe, it will take forty thousands of years. That is their calculation. But this yogi, Durvasa, could go through the universe -- not only universe, other, Vaikuntha -- so, within one year. This is called yogic power. But still, he is not as powerful as the devotee. He had to come back and fall down at the lotus feet of Ambarisa Maharaja, and when Ambarisa Maharaja excused him... He was a brahmana, yogi. As soon as he fell down at the feet of Ambarisa Maharaja, he said, "You are Durvasa Muni. You are so great, powerful. Don't put me into this difficulty. What you want?" "Now you excuse me." "Excuse? If I have got any resultant actions of my pious activities, take everything. Take everything. You be saved." This is Vaisnava, and this is avaisnava.

Therefore harav abhaktasya kuto mahad-guna [SB 5.18.12]. If one may have all the good qualities but if he is not a devotee of the Lord, his good qualities have no value. Harav abhaktasya kuto mahad-guna mano-rathena asato dhavato bahih [SB 5.18.12]. They are simply carried away by the mental concoction. This is their qualification. So karmi, jnani, yogis, they are all restless because they are carried away by the whims of mind. And a bhakta is fixed up. Bhajate mam ananya-bhak, sadhur eva sa mantavyah [Bg. 9.30]. Mahatmanas tu mam partha daivim prakrtim asritah, bhajanty ananya-manaso. This is devotee. They do not like to show any power. Power is already there. Just see. This Ambarisa Maharaja was not a yogi. He did not know. He was simply surrendered, simply fully surrendered to Krsna. That's all. But he defeated this yogi. The yogi came and fell down at his feet. So a devotee does not require to acquire any yogic power or any jnana-siddhi or this siddhi. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu said,

bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kami sakali asanta
krsna bhakta niskama ataeva santa
[Cc. Madhya 19.149]

People are after santi, peacefulness. So it is declared that nobody can get santi, peacefulness, unless he is unalloyed devotee of Krsna.

anyabhilasita-sunyam
jnana-karmady-anavrtam
anukulyena krsnanu-
silanam bhaktir uttama
 [Brs. 1.1.11]

This is wanted. If you have got a pinch of anyabhilasa, then you cannot become a pure devotee. That is not possible. Then Krsna will give you chance to fulfill your anyabhilasa, not Krsna bhakti. He can give you even mukti, but He will not give you bhakti. This is Krsna's principle. Bhakti can be awarded to a person who is fully surrendering, one who does not know anything but Krsna. This is the way. Therefore, it is said, na niskrtair uditair brahma-vadibhis tatha visuddhyaty aghavan vratadibhih.

In the sastras there are different varieties of ritualistic ceremony, vratas, to counteract our sinful activities within this material world. The material world is so situated that if you do not want to become a sinful man, unless you are devotee, you will be forced to commit sinful activities. You'll be forced. Just like you are very good man, but when walking on the street you are killing so many ants. We have got experience while morning walk. You cannot avoid it. It is not possible. And you are responsible for killing the ant. Then? How you can save yourself from the sinful activities? Therefore in the sastra it is said, padam padam yad vipadam [SB 10.14.58]. Padam padam yad vipadam. If you want to stay within this material world, then padam padam -- "in every step there is danger." Padam padam yad vipadam na tesam. Na tesam. "Not for them." Who? Samasrita ye pada-pallavam plavam mahat-padam punya-yaso murareh: "One who has taken shelter of the lotus feet of the lotus feet of Murari," means Krsna. Samasrita. Samyag asrita. Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam [Bg. 18.66]. Samyak, fully. Sama means samyak, no reservation: "Krsna, I do not know anything more. I simply surrender unto You. Now whatever You do, accepted. If you like to kill me, kill me. If you want to give me protection, that's all right. Anyway, I am surrendered." This is called full surrender.

So the bhakti-marga, it is clearly said, it is, that you cannot be purified simply by performing the Vedic ritualistic ceremony. Na niskrtaih. Na niskrtair uditair brahma-vadibhih. Brahma-vadi means... Brahma means sabda-brahma, Vedic injunction. So there are many brahmavadis. Just like Manu-samhita. Parasara, he has made vimsati dharma-sastras. So they are authorized things. But still, if you follow the ritualistic ceremonies, if you make atonement according to the Vedic direction, you cannot be fully purified, fully purified, because unless you are detestful of this material existence, unless you are determined to go back to home, back to Godhead. If you want to adjust in this material world to be happy, then you have to commit sinful activities. There is no doubt about it. Therefore it is said that you cannot be purified. Na niskrtair uditair brahma-vadibhis tatha visuddhyaty aghavan vratadibhih. Aghavan. Aghavan means sinful. Every one of us who is in this material world, he is sinful. So he has to be purified. So this best purification process is devotional service. And the purification process begins -- anyabhilasita-sunyam: [Brs. 1.1.11] when you have no more any material desires. Then you..., the purification begins.

Sarvopadhi-vinirmutam tat-paratvena nirmalam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. Nirmalam. Malam means sinful reaction. And nirmala. If you want to become completely free from all contamination of this material world... Contamination means associating with the different modes of material nature -- sattva-guna, rajo-guna, tamo-guna. Even if you are associating with sattva-guna, still, it is contamination, what to speak of other, rajo-guna, tamo-guna. Those who are contaminated by rajo-guna and tamo-guna, they are fully engaged in lusty desires and greediness. Tada rajas-tamo bhavah kama-lobhadayas ca ye [SB 1.2.19]. Kama, lobha, rajas, tamah. The whole world is infected with rajo-guna and tamo-guna. Therefore they are simply absorbed in kama and lobha, lusty desires and greediness. Not that only the poor man is hankering after money. Even the richest man in this material world, he is also hankering after. Lobha: "I want more. I want more." Krsna is assuring that yoga-ksemam vahamy aham [Bg. 9.22]. Tesam nityabhiyuktanam yoga-ksemam vahamy aham: "If one is fully surrendered, I supply him personally. I carry his personal necessities," yoga-ksemam vahamy aham, "Not that I ask somebody but I carry Myself." He is giving assurance. So why we should be hankering after other things to become happy? It is foolishness. Krsna assures, tesam nityabhiyuktanam yoga-ksemam vahamy aham [Bg. 9.22].

So this is the special mercy for the unalloyed devotee. So unalloyed devotee means anyabhilasita-sunyam, sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam [Brs. 1.1.11]. Sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. Upadhi means artificially. "I am the husband of this wife." "I am the father of these children." "I am the inhabitants of America." "I am American." "I am Hindu." "I am Muslim." "I am Christian." "I am brahmana." "I am fat." "I am thin." "I am white." "I am black." So many. These are all upadhis. So one has to become free from these upadhi. "I am not this. I am not that. I am not this." Then what you are? Gopi-bhartur pada-kamalayor dasa-dasanudasa. When one becomes like that... "I am the servant of the servant of the servant of Krsna, gopi-bhartuh [Cc. Madhya 13.80]." This is called parampara system. This is our real identification. Caitanya Mahaprabhu gave. Sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. So if you want to be happy, you cannot become happy by your so-called endeavor, by tidbits: "This I will do and I will be happy." No, this is all nonsense. You can be happy only when you fully surrender to Krsna without any abhilasa.

Therefore the... Even the big, big karmis who are able to perform big, big costly sacrifices. Karmis, they do big, big. You will find even nowadays... Of course, there is no yajnic brahmanas at the present moment. Still, if you advertise that "Here there will be big yajna," you will get lots of brahmanas immediately: "Oh, there will be yajna." But in the Kali-yuga there is no yajnic brahmana. No yajna will be successful. Krte yad yajato makhaih. Krte yad dhyayato visnum tretayam yajato makhaih [SB 12.3.52]. Makha means yajna. You cannot perform yajna now. It is not possible. Where is the ghee? Where is the grain? People are starving without food grains. How you can... Formerly tons and tons of food grains, ghee were sacrificed. That is yajna. So this is not possible. Up to Treta-yuga it was possible. Krte yad dhyayato visnum. Meditation, this is a farce. So many foolish people, they are misled by other rascal: "meditation." What meditation? Meditation is so easy thing? Valmiki Muni meditated for sixty thousands of years. Then he got perfection. So who will get that opportunity? It is all farce. Meditation is farce. Yajna, the so-called yajna, is also farce because there is no yajnic brahmana. The yajnic brahmana would ignite fire by mantra, not matches. So where is that yajnic brahmana? So this is not possible.

krte yad dhyayato visnum
tretayam yajato makhaih
dvapare paricaryayam
kalau tad dhari-kirtanat
 [SB 12.3.52]

This is the sastric injunction. You have to take this process. If you want to be perfect, then you have to take the sastra-vidhi. If you don't take,

yah sastra-vidhim utsrjya
vartate kama-karatah
na siddhim sa avapnoti
na sukham na param gatim
 [Bg. 16.23]

If you don't accept the injunction in the sastras, especially when Krsna, the Supreme Lord, is instructing you in the Bhagavad-gita... That is the essence of all sastra. You take that. Then you will be happy. Otherwise not. So here it is said that aghavan, the sinful man, cannot be purified by simply these ritualistic ceremonies, atonement, or keeping some vow, vratah. Then how it is possible? Because everyone... Yatha harer nama. Therefore it is recommended, harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam, kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva [Cc. Adi 17.21], the same thing. You will never find the injunction of the sastra contradictory. In the Agni Purana it is said and in the Srimad-Bhagavata also the same thing. Agni Purana says, harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam, and here in the Srimad Bhagavatam it is said, yatha harer nama-padair udahrtaih tad uttamasloka-gunopalambhakam. Harer nama means chanting of the holy name. That is simple. But when you chant harer nama then you gradually understand what is Hari, what is His form, what is His quality, what is His activities. Then you can understand. Because without harer nama your heart is dirty -- ceto-darpana-marjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12] -- unless your heart is cleansed you cannot understand what is Hari, what is His name, what is His form, what is His quality, what are His activities. You cannot understand.

Atah sri-krsna-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih [Cc. Madhya 17.136]. Your blunt nonsense senses, if you utilize, you cannot understand Krsna. Therefore people are not understanding Krsna, neither they understanding the value of hari-nama. Because their senses are blunt, contaminated with these mayic qualities, they cannot understand. But this is the only way -- ceto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. Because you have to be purified, so this is the only method. Chant Hare Krsna. Then you will be gradually purified. Punya-sravana-kirtanah. Punya-sravana-kirtanah. Srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah punya-sravana-kirtanah [SB 1.2.17]. If you hear, if you chant about Krsna, Uttamasloka, as it is said, tad uttamasloka-gunopalambhakam, so many benefits are there. So the Hare Krsna movement is so important that everyone should take it very seriously. Kirtaniyah sada harih.

trnad api sunicena
taror api sahisnuna
amanina manadena
kirtaniyah sada harih
 [Cc. Adi 17.31]

This is the instruction of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Difficult... It is padam padam yad vipadam [SB 10.14.58]. In this material world there is only vipada. There is no sampada. Foolishly we think that "Now I am very nice." What is nice? You have to die next moment. What is nice? But these foolish people say, "Yes, I am nice." You ask anybody, "How are you?" "Yes, very nice." What is that nice? You are going to die tomorrow. Still nice. That's all. This is going on. So it is padam padam yad vi... They are making scientific researches to become happy, but these rascals, they do not know how to stop death. So what is the nice? But they have no brain to understand. But Krsna says, "These are the problems, my dear sir. You scientists, you are trying so many things." Janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi-duhkha-dosanudarsanam [Bg. 13.9]. First of all find out what is your problem. Janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi. You have to take birth, you have to die, you have to suffer from disease, you have to become old. Stop it first of all; then talk of scientific advancement. Otherwise you are nonsense. Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. (end)

 

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Depend On Krishna

Depend On Krishna

Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.5.1-2
London (Tittenhurst), September 13, 1969

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Prabhupada: (chants mangalacarana prayers)

nayam deho deha-bhajam nrloke
kastan kaman arhate vid-bhujam ye
tapo divyam putraka yena sattvam
suddhyed yasmad brahma-saukhyam tv anantam
 [SB 5.5.1]

This is a verse instructed by Maharaja Rsabhadeva to his sons. Maharaja Rsabhadeva was incarnation of Krsna, Vasudeva, long, long years ago. And He was the emperor of the whole world. Formerly there was only one king on this planet. In every planet there is a predominating personality. In every... Not only this planet, all other planets also. And the predominating deity, or you may call the king or emperor... In the moon planet he is called Candra. Similarly, the predominating deity or the emperor of the sun planet, at the present moment he is called Vivasvan. So the predominating deity or the emperor in each and every important planet, they are mentioned in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. That means the author of the Srimad-Bhagavatam has complete knowledge not only of this universe, but also beyond the universe.

Beyond the universe, there is spiritual sky. There are also different planets. But in those planets the predominating deity is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself. And in this material world, in each and every planet, the predominating deity or the person is a very pious human being or living being. Generally, human being. In other higher planetary system they are also like human being. Their features are exactly like us: two hands, two legs, one head, like that. But they are very pious. They are God conscious. Every, in every planet the living entities or human being, they are of different grades. Just like in this planet also, in some portion of this world there are savages, uncivilized persons, and in some portion of the world there are civilized persons, intelligent persons, God conscious persons, as there are different grades of persons in this planet, similarly, there are different grades of beings, living beings or human beings, in different other planets. The higher and lower grades are calculated in terms of Krsna consciousness. Consciousness is there everywhere, every living entity. Not only human being but also animals, the consciousness is there. But the difference is, consciousness without Krsna is lower grade, and consciousness of Krsna in different degrees, they are higher grade. And when the consciousness is completely Krsna, that is the highest position, or that is the real position of the living entity.

So this human form of life... Maharaja Bharata is instructing to His sons. He had one hundred sons. So all of them assembled together, and the king, before retirement, was instructing. (aside:) Let him come in. (pause) So, instructing His sons. It is the duty of the father that before retirement... Now, here is one significant point. Why the king was retiring? That is the system, Vedic system. Either one is king or one is ordinary human being, at a certain age he must retire. That is Vedic system. Not that because one is king and one has ample opportunities for sense enjoyment, therefore he should indulge in sense enjoyment without retiring from family life. That is not Vedic system. The Vedic system is, the aim is, how to elevate oneself to the perfection of Krsna consciousness. That is Vedic system. You have read Bhagavad-gita. In the Fifteenth Chapter, fifteenth verse, you'll find, vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah [Bg. 15.15]. The whole Vedic system is designed or planned how to know Krsna. So if you follow Vedic system, then the ultimate objective should be to know Krsna. That is the Vedic version and corroborated by Lord Krsna Himself. He is the original compiler of Vedas; therefore His version should be accepted, that the objective of studying Vedas means to know Krsna. That's all. Vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah [Bg. 15.15].

Therefore the king, Rsabhadeva, is advising, instructing His sons... He was retiring. Why He was retiring? He could enjoy His kingdom. Just like at the present moment, either a king or a family man does not retire. Even a poor man living in with family with great difficulties, but if you ask him to retire, he'll not be agreeable. We have asked many old men. He's suffering, he's not happy within his family members, but if I say, "Why you are taking so much trouble with the family? Why not come and live with us in Krsna consciousness society?" he'll not agree. Because he has no Vedic training. Up to the end of this life he'll stick to the family life. Many, many politicians... In our country we have seen many old politicians, seventy-five years old, eighty years old. Not only in our country, in other countries also. In your country, Great Britain, Mr. Churchill, unless he was forced to death, he would not give up politics. Our Gandhi, he was killed by another political group. Then he was forced to retire. When Gandhi attained independence, I requested him in a letter, "Mahatma Gandhi, now you started your struggle with the Britishers, that they should go and Indians should have their independence. Now you have attained independence and Britishers have gone. Now you preach Bhagavad-gita. You have got some influence. You are known throughout the whole world a very great saintly person, and you also pose yourself that you are a great scholar of Bhagavad-gita. Why don't you take up Bhagavad-gita and preach?" There was no reply. And he was still meddling with politics, so much so that his own assistants became disgusted. And it is said that he was planned to be killed. Just see how much intoxication of this materialistic way of life. He was considered a mahatma, a great personality, and he got his svarajya. The Britishers left India. Still, he would not give up politics. Still, he would stick -- unless he was forced to give up, he was killed. Similarly, Jawaharlal Nehru also. Nobody would retire voluntarily -- unless he is killed by somebody or he is killed by the laws of material nature. This is the disease. He cannot give it up. Daivi hy esa gunamayi mama maya duratyaya [Bg. 7.14]. The maya is so strong that even an old man advertising to be very pious man, he cannot give up politics. Because maya is so strong, he's thinking, "If I leave political field, my countrymen will suffer, and so many disaster will happen." He's thinking like that.

But actually, things will go on. Many politicians came and gone. In your country there were many, many great politicians; they came and gone. But your country people are still living and they are going on. In Germany also, many Hitlers came and gone. Similarly, in India also many Gandhis came and gone. But things are going on. This is explained in the Bhagavad-gita:

prakrteh kriyamanani
gunaih karmani sarvasah
ahankara-vimudhatma
kartaham iti manyate
 [Bg. 3.27]

Everything is being done by the laws of nature. You cannot change it. There is a plan, God's plan. It will go on. You don't have to bother yourself, that without you, everything will be topsy-turvied. No. You cannot do anything. You are falsely thinking that your leadership is very much needed. No. I was thinking. When I was householder, several times there was indication given by my Guru Maharaja that I should give up family life and become a sannyasi and preach this Krsna consciousness movement. In several way there was hints from my spiritual master, but still, I was not willing. I was thinking, "If I go away, then my family, my sons, my daughters, they will suffer." But actually, I have left my family connection in 1950. Actually '54, but introductory in '50. For the last twenty years. But they are living; I am living. They are not dying in my absence, and I am not suffering without being in my family. On the other hand, by Krsna's grace, I have got better family members. I have got nice children in a foreign country. They are taking so much care of me, I could not expect such care from my own children.

So this is God's grace. We should depend on Krsna. If Krsna is kind, wherever we go, everyone will be pleased, everyone will be kind. And if Krsna is unpleased, even in your family life you'll not be comfortable. Therefore, according to the Vedic system, at a certain age, it is indicated that one should retire from family life. So this Rsabhadeva Maharaja, He was retired. Although He had one hundred sons, all obedient sons, He was emperor, anything was at His command -- still, He was retiring. That is the Vedic system. He had no disadvantage. He was personally the incarnation of Godhead, an emperor, very obedient sons, and opulence, everything complete. There are many instances. His son, Bharata Maharaja, he also retired. You have seen Pariksit Maharaja. After his retirement, this Bhagavata was recited before him. His grandfather, Maharaja Yudhisthira, they voluntarily retired. So that is the system. In the early age, either you become a son of a king or you are son of an ordinary man, you must go to the asrama of spiritual master and live there as servant. That is called brahmacari. Brahmacari's life means to serve the spiritual master as menial servant. Whatever he will ask, the brahmacari will do. It is so much strict that brahmacari, whatever he collects, he gives to the spiritual master, the spiritual master's property. It is not his property. And the spiritual master, if he forgets to call one disciple, "My dear son, come and take your prasadam," then he will not take prasadam even, without being called. He will starve. Of course, spiritual master does not forget, but these are the injunctions, that if he does not ask you, "Come and take your prasadam," then you should not touch, yourself. There are so many strictures.

So this is the beginning of life, and these strictures are followed even if he is son of a king or even if he is Supreme Personality of Godhead. Just like Krsna. Krsna also undergone this disciplinary action when He was a brahmacari for some time. So this is the system. In the beginning of life one should become brahmacari, and then he marries and lives with wife and children, at most twenty-five years. Then he retires. The husband and wife goes from one pilgrimage to another, in this way travels. Because the children are grown up. And when the husband is completely free from all family attachment, he takes sannyasa. This is the process. Brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha, and sannyasa. So this Maharaja Rsabhadeva, before retirement it is the duty of the father to give instructions how to look after family affairs, their personal affair, their spiritual advancement, everything, so here Rsabhadeva is instructing, "My dear sons, do not think that this particular body, human body, is equal to the body of the cats and dogs and hogs. Don't consider like that." He has particularly mentioned vid-bhujam. Vid-bhujam means the stool-eater. As in the human society, the dog-eater human being is considered the lowest of the human society, similarly, in the animal society, the animal which eats stool is considered the lowest. So the gradation of human being is also calculated according to the eating process. This is... Modern thinker also says, in your country, Dr. Bernard Shaw? He has written one book. I think it is named You Are What You Eat. So eating is very important thing. If you eat like cats and dogs, then you'll become cats and dogs even in this human form of life. If you behave like cats and dogs, you become cats and dogs even in the human form of life. Similarly, if you work hard, very hard, like cats and dogs or hogs, then what is the value of your human life? Human life should be very sober, peaceful, full of knowledge, full of bliss, peaceful, devotee. These are the good signs of purity. Simply working hard like animal and eating like animal and... No.

That particular thing is being instructed by Rsabhadeva to His sons, "My dear sons, this human form of life..." Ayam deho deha-bhajam nrloke. "Everyone has got body, but the body in the human society is to be treated differently. It should not be just like the hogs." The hogs, whole day and night, they are after stool and sense gratification. Similarly, if human being, his whole day and night after eating and sense gratification, then he's missing the opportunity. That is the instruction. Human life should be regulated. You should eat this kind of foodstuff, you should have sex life in this way, you should sleep in this way, you should act in this way, you should think... They're all regulative principles. You cannot do unrestricted things. In the human society there are books of regulation -- not for the animal society. The lawbook is meant for the human society, not for the animal society. So the human society becomes free, without observing any social conveniences or social custom or abiding by the laws -- no, that is not human body. That is exactly like animal body.

So Rsabhadeva says, "My dear boys, you should not spoil this body, human form of body, like the hogs." He has specifically mentioned the name of the hogs, vid-bhujam. Then what it is meant for? He said, tapo divyam [SB 5.5.1]. This human form of life is meant for austerity, penance. You should voluntarily accept some regulative principles, even they are not very much liking to you. Just like our students. They are, from the very beginning of their life they are accustomed to certain habits, but we are restricting. We say, "You cannot do this," and they are accepting, following. This is called tapasya. Tapo. Tapasya. Tapasya means I am habituated to smoking, suppose, and the spiritual master says, "You cannot smoke." So if he gives up smoking, he feels some inconvenience, some uncomfortable position. But because the spiritual master has ordered, he gives it up. This is called tapasya. Even at his inconvenience, he abides by the order of the spiritual master, regulative principle. That is called tapasya. He feels some inconvenience, but what can be done? He has accepted one spiritual master. A spiritual master means voluntarily accepting a great personality whose rules and regulations he must abide by. This is accepting of spiritual master, voluntarily accepting somebody, "Yes, sir. Whatever you say, I'll accept." Sisya. Sisya means who abides by the rules. That is called sisya. Or English, "discipline." From discipline, disciplic, disciplic succession. From the discipline. So either you take English or Sanskrit, the same meaning. Sisya means who accepts the ruling of his spiritual master; and disciple means also the same thing, who becomes disciplined by the spiritual master.

So tapasya means even at the inconvenience of my personal comforts, I must abide by the orders of my spiritual master. This is called tapasya. And who is spiritual master? He does not manufacture any rules and regulation. He refers to the sastra. Therefore Narottama dasa Thakura says, sadhu-sastra-guru-vakya, tinete kariya aikya. If you want to know who is a spiritual master, if you know who is a saintly person, then you should keep in the middle the sastra, the scriptures, and you will corroborate. The saintly person, the spiritual master, and the sastra corroborate if they are abiding one another. Yes. If spiritual master says something which is not in sastra or scripture, that is not good. Of course, sometimes we do not..., we cannot understand, but that is the principle. Similarly, a saintly person also, a mahatma also, cannot disregard the regulative principles of sastra. In the Bhagavad-gita it is said, yah sastra-vidhim utsrjya: "A person who gives up obedience to the ruling of the scriptures," vartate kama-karatah, "and he acts in his own way, by his whims," na siddhim savapnoti, "he cannot attain perfection." These are the versions of Bhagavad-gita. Na siddhim savap..., na sukham: "And at the same time, he cannot be happy." Na param gatim: "And what to speak of liberation?"

So therefore this tapasya means voluntarily accepting the rulings of scriptures, spiritual master, saintly person, and mold your life in that way. So He is instructing His sons, "My dear sons, don't spoil your life, living like cats and dogs and hogs. Utilize your life by tapasya, by voluntarily accepting the rulings of sastra, spiritual master, saintly person." The question may be that "Why this injunction? Why I shall not live like an animal? And why I have to live under the regulative principles of scriptures and saintly person and spiritual master?" The answer is also there: tapo divyam. Tapo divyam putraka: [SB 5.5.1] "My dear sons, this form of life should be utilized for tapasya." Why? Yena sattvam suddhyet: "If you accept these principles of life, then your existential condition will be purified." At the present moment we are contaminated by the material nature, modes, mostly ignorance and passion. So He's advising that if you abide by the rulings of tapasya, then your existential condition will be purified. Yena sattvam suddhyet.

Then the question may be, "What is the use of purifying?" The answer is also there. Yena sattvam suddhyed yasmad brahma-saukhyam tv anantam: [SB 5.5.1] "And when your existential condition will be purified, then you will be situated on the transcendental platform of blissful life." And one may question, "What is that?" Brahma-saukhyam anantam. You are hankering after happiness, pleasure. So when your existential condition will be purified and you will be placed in the transcendental platform, at that time you will enjoy eternal happiness. You are all... After all, you are after happiness. Why you are struggling so much hard in this material existence? For happiness. Why you are after sense gratification? For happiness. Why you want to possess? For happiness. Why you want to become beautiful? For happiness. Why you want to eat so many things? For happiness. You go on. The happiness, your ultimate goal. But the happiness which you are now deriving from the sources you have manufactured, that is temporary. If you want to become happy by intoxication, how long? That is temporary. Any way. If you want to be happy by sex indulgence, how long? That is also for a few minutes, few seconds. But if you want eternal, continued happiness, then you have to purify your existential condition, you have to place yourself in the transcendental position, and you will feel that happiness.

Therefore in another place, there is a version by the yogi..., by the Srimad-Bhagavatam, ramante yogino 'nante. The yogis, they are also having sense gratification. But where? Anante: "With the Supreme." They are also having sense gratification. Ramana. Ramana means sense gratification. Just like Krsna's name is Radha-Ramana. His sense gratification is with Radharani. So the sense gratification is also there, but not this sense... Don't consider like this. Here it is only... Sense gratification is a perverted reflection of the spiritual sense gratification. The whole devotional line of service is also sense gratification. Hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. Hrsika means senses, and Hrsikesa means the master of the senses. The master of the senses is Krsna. So when your senses will be applied for the sense gratification of Krsna, that is your transcendental position. And when your senses will be employed for your sense gratification, that is material. This is the difference. So when one is situated in the transcendental platform, when one's existential conditions are purified by tapasya, by voluntarily accepting austerity and penance under the guidance of spiritual master, sastras, scriptures, saintly person, at that time it will be possible that you are in the platform of satisfying the senses of Krsna and you are fully satisfied.

How it is? The practical example I have given several times that in this body there are different parts of the body. The different parts of the body cannot enjoy senses or satisfy independently. The different parts of the body will depend on the whole body. You can catch up an nice cake, foodstuff, but the fingers, the parts of the body, cannot enjoy it. But if the fingers catch it and puts into the mouth, it goes to the stomach. Then there is some secretion from the stomach, and it goes to the heart, it turns into blood, it is transfused in different parts of the body, and immediately your finger becomes red. This is the process. Tapo divyam yena [SB 5.5.1]. Sense gratification is there, but through Krsna. Then you feel complete sense gratification. Just like the gopis, perfect. All devotees, but the gopis are the supreme.

So this is the process of human life, that we have to purify our present existential condition by voluntarily accepting the regulative principle given by the spiritual master, sastras. Then we become purified. At that time our senses are employed in the service of the Supreme and we actually enjoy our senses.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.5.1 -- Tittenhurst, London, September 12, 1969

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© 2001 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.

"The Mammoth Mantra"

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.7.15
Vrndavana, September 13, 1976

---

Pradyumna:

mata sisunam nidhanam sutanam
nisamya ghoram paritapyamana
tadarudad vaspa-kalakulaksi
tam santvayann aha kiritamali

"Draupadi, the mother of the five children of the Pandavas, after hearing of the massacre of her sons, began to cry in distress with eyes full of tears. Trying to pacify her in her great loss, Arjuna spoke to her thus."

Prabhupada:

mata sisunam nidhanam sutanam
nisamya ghoram paritapyamana
tadarudad vaspa-kalakulaksi
tam santvayann aha kiritamali

So Draupadi's five sons were killed -- five sons by five husbands. You know the history of Draupadi. She had five husbands, which is forbidden nowadays. Although in some hilly districts still this system is current, that one woman has got five or six husbands -- this practice was there even in high circle -- that is now forbidden. Devarena sutotpattim kalau panca vivarjayet. Don't try to imitate Draupadi. That is not allowed in this age.

asvamedham gavalambham
sannyasam pala-paitrkam
devarena sutotpattim
kalau panca vivarjayet
[Cc. Adi 17.164]

So when Draupadi was gained by Arjuna, the five Pandavas were in the forest incognito. So when they came to their mother in jubilation, they exclaimed, "Mother, we have got a very nice jewel." So mother said, "All right, my dear sons, enjoy it, all of you, five." So on the order of mother they accepted Draupadi as a common wife. But that does not mean she had many sons. Only five sons. By the five husbands, one son. That is also another system. Not competition that each husband will produce dozens of children. No.

So when the mother understood that her sons were killed, certainly she was very, very unhappy. Mata sisunam nidhanam sutanam nisamya ghoram paritapyamana. Lamenting. That is natural. So tadarudad vaspa-kalakulaksi. With tears, she was crying, and tam santvayan, pacifying, aha kiritamali. Kiritamali is Arjuna. So they were directly connected with Krsna. Draupadi's another name is Krsna. And still they had to suffer the material pangs. Not that because one is Krsna conscious there will be no material suffering. Actually, those who are Krsna conscious, they have no material suffering. Although it appears that they are suffering, they are not suffering. They can accept any so-called suffering and accept it as mercy of Krsna. They never take it as suffering. Tat te 'nukampam su-samiksamano bhunjana evatma-krtam vipakam. A devotee, when he's in suffering, so-called suffering, he accepts it as the mercy of Krsna. Tat te 'nukampam. And he rather thanks Krsna, that "I had to suffer many more times, but You have minimized it, giving me little suffering. So it is Your mercy." And if anyone lives on that attitude, everything taken as Krsna's mercy, then he is guaranteed to go back home, back to Godhead. Mukti-pade sa daya-bhak. Daya-bhak means his going back to home, back to Godhead, is exactly like the inheritance of property by the son. Mukti-pade sa daya-bhak. So we should learn from the Pandavas that Krsna was always present with them, still they had to suffer so much material tribulations. So they were never unhappy, neither they requested Krsna that "My dear friend Krsna, You were always with us. Still we had to suffer." Never expressed that. That is pure devotion. Never try to take any benefit from Krsna. Simply try to give benefit to Krsna. Do not take any benefit from Krsna. This is pure devotion.

Perhaps you know that once upon a time Rupa Gosvami desired that "If I would get some nice foodstuff, I would have invited Sanatana Gosvami and cook some nice food." He desired like that. They were living in Vrndavana here and there, under the shade of a tree. They had no stock, nothing. So one very beautiful girl came and offered rice, dal, ghee. She said, "Baba, we have got some festival." In this country they address saintly person as Baba. So she offered so many things, and he immediately invited Sanatana Gosvami -- they were living separately. And Rupa Gosvami was very good cook also. So he prepared very nice preparation and offered to Sanatana Gosvami prasadam. So Sanatana Gosvami astonishingly inquired that "Where you got all these nice things in this forest?" So he told the whole story, that "In the morning I desired, and in just a few hour, time, little time, one very beautiful girl came and offered this ingredients." So after hearing the description of the beautiful girl, Sanatana Gosvami could understand that she was Radharani. So immediately he chastised Rupa Gosvami, that "You have taken service from Radharani. This is not good. We are trying to give service to Radharani, and you have taken service from Radharani."

So this is Vaisnava consideration. They are firmly determined not to bother Krsna with anything. Simply to serve Him. Anukulyena krsnanusilanam. Similarly, Krsna also finds opportunity when to serve His devotee. This is the reciprocation. The devotee wants to serve Krsna without any return, and Krsna also wants to serve devotee whenever there is opportunity. This is the transaction of love: not to take anything return.

aslisya va pada-ratam pinastu mam
adarsanan marma-hatam karotu va
yatha tatha va vidadhatu lampato
mat-prana-nathas tu sa eva naparah

This is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's teaching, that "From Krsna's side, He may do whatever He likes" -- that is full surrender -- "still, He is my master. He's nobody else. He is still my worshipable master." Bhaktivinoda Thakura has sung,

manasa deho geho jo kichu mor
arpilun tuwa pade nanda-kisor

Nanda-kisora is Krsna. So this is full surrender. "My dear Nanda-kisora, whatever I have got, now I am offering everything to You." What I have got? Manasa deho geho: "I have got my body, I have got my mind, and a so-called home or a wife or a few children. What I have got? So everything is offered to You." Manasa deho geho jo kichu mor. This is full surrender. Now he says, marobi rakhobi jo iccha tohara: "I am surrendering to You everything. Now if You like You can save me, or if You like You can kill me." This is full surrender.

So these Pandavas are the best example, and better than the Pandavas, there are other devotees. And the topmost surrendered devotees are the gopis. There is no more higher exalted devotees than the gopis. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu recommended that the gopis, ramya kacid upasana vraja-vadhu-vargena ya kalpita. There is no better type of worshiping Krsna than the method by which gopis worship Krsna. They, their love was so intense that they did not care for any family, any honor, or any prestige -- nothing. That is the highest, topmost loving stage of Krsna. And Krsna also loved the gopis, so much so that Krsna asked them that "You cannot expect any return from Me for your ecstatic love. I cannot give you. It is beyond My power." So they purchased Krsna. And the topmost gopi is Radharani. So we should not consider these gopis' dealings with Krsna as ordinary material dealings. It is not that. Ananda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhavitabhis tabhir ya eva nija-rupataya kalabhih. The gopis are expansion of Krsna's pleasure potency. That is described by Srila Jiva Gosvami. Radha krsna-pranaya-vikrtir hladini-saktir asmat. Hladini-sakti. Krsna has got the pleasure potency. Parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate. He has got multi-energies. In the Visnu Purana it is also said, parasya brahmanah saktis tathedam akhilam jagat. Whatever we see, that is display of the potencies, different potencies of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Just like the sun is ninety-three millions of miles away from this earthly planet. Still we are getting heat and light energy of the sun. Goloka eva nivasaty akhilatma-bhutah [Bs. 5.37]. That is Krsna's energy. Although He is in the Goloka planet, which is the topmost planet in the spiritual world... You cannot estimate the how far the spiritual world is from this material world. From material calculation they say it takes about some forty thousands of years to go to the limit of this universe. Then beyond that universe there is the spiritual world. Paras tasmat tu bhavo 'nyah [Bg. 8.20], another nature, avyakto 'vyaktat sanatanah. Then you pass through the spiritual world, brahmajyoti. There are innumerable, unlimited number of Vaikuntha planets. Then, above all of them, there is the planet Goloka Vrndavana, where Krsna resides.

It is said in the Brahma-samhita, goloka-namni nija-dhamni tale ca tasya [Bs. 5.43]. Goloka-namni nija-dhamni. That is Krsna's personal planet, Goloka Vrndavana. Goloka-namni nija-dhamni tale ca tasya devi-mahesa-hari-dhamasu tesu tesu [Bs. 5.43]. There are other planetary system, Hari-dhama, Vaikuntha-dhama. Then, this is, this material world is called Devi-dhama, and between the Goloka, between the spiritual world and material world there is...Goloka-namni nija-dhamni tale ca tasya devi-mahesa-hari-dhamasu [Bs. 5.43]. So there are so many status (?) of planetary system. Each planet is full with living entities. The spiritual planet, they are full of living entities: they are all liberated, nitya-mukta. And those who are within this material world, planets, they are nitya-baddha. Nitya-baddha, nitya-mukta. There are two kinds of living entities. The nitya-baddhas are only few, but the nitya-muktas are many, many. This material world is only one fourth energy of the creation. The three-fourths energy is in the spiritual world. And here in the one-fourth energy there are innumerable universes, and each universe is full with different types of planets, and each planet is full of living entities. But these rascals, they say it is..., there is no living entity; it is sand and rocks. So this is not the fact. You have to understand from the Vedic literature about the planets, where which planet is existing, where is spiritual world, where is material world. All informations are there. Don't speculate and simply think that this planet is full of living entities, all other planets are vacant. This is most unusual argument. There is no meaning. But we are not concerned with that. We have got our own information from the Vedas.

So Krsna's pastimes is going on. Somewhere, or elsewhere it is going on. Therefore His pastimes are called nitya-lila, nitya-lila-prakasa. This vrndavana-lila is nitya-lila: it is going on continuously somewhere or other within this material world. And the spiritual world, it is permanently there. So the Pandavas, they are associates of the nitya-lila. They are not ordinary human beings. Wherever there is krsna-lila, they go. Therefore Arjuna asked Krsna that "How can I believe that You, first of all, many millions of years ago You spoke this philosophy to the sun-god?" Krsna replied, bahuni me janmani... What is that verse? Ah, bahuni me vyatitani janmani tava carjuna. "Arjuna, both you and Me were together, and we have passed through many different lilas. But you have forgotten; I remember." That is the difference between God and the living entities. They cannot be equal. We forget... The Mayavadi's philosopher, they put this argument that "Because we have forgotten. Now in maya we have forgotten that we are God." So what kind of God he is if he forgets? God never says "I have forgotten." Krsna says, vedaham samatitani: "I know past, present, future." So where is the question of forgetting? So if somebody forgets, that God is different from the God who does not forget. Therefore we have to accept two. Immediately you have to accept dvaita-vada: one forgetting-God and one not-forgetting-God. You cannot accept one. That is not possible.

And that is the fact. Just like Krsna says that "I remember when I spoke to sun-god. You have forgotten." So there are two. Similarly, Krsna's another name is Acyuta. He never falls down from His position. And if we fall down from the position... Therefore we are not on the same level. We may have some power, and we can claim that "I am God" -- that you can claim -- but not that God, like Krsna. Therefore two words are there: isvara, paramesvara. In the Brahma-samhita therefore it is described that isvaras, there may be many, but not paramesvara. Paramesvara is one. Isvarah paramah krsnah [Bs. 5.1]. So these Mayavadis, they forget this, that isvara, paramesvara, there are two words. Atma and paramatma, there are two words. So they are not equal. And Krsna says mattah parataram nanyat [Bg. 7.7]. He is the supermost isvara. Nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam. Although both of us are nitya, eternal, and living entities, still, there is difference. He is supreme living entity, we are subordinate. Prabhu and anu. Vibhu and anu.

So this philosophy is perfect, and anyone who accepts this Mayavada philosophy, that God and living entity are on the same level, they have got poor fund of knowledge.

Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.7.15 -- Vrndavana, September 13, 1976