The Glories of the Holy Name

The Glories of the Holy Name

Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.2.15
Vrndavana, September 18, 1975

download  flash player

 

Take a test

---

Prabhupada:

patitah skhalito bhagnah
sandastas tapta ahatah
harir ity avasenaha
puman narhati yatanah
 [SB 6.2.15]

These are the, some of the practical examples. There are persons who criticize chanting of Hare Krsna mantra. Namnad artha-vada. Because the glories of the holy name are described here, that one can become free from the sinful reaction of life simply by chanting the holy name of the Lord, so sometimes those who are not in the line, they think, "It is too much. It is too much." So the next verse, the... It is advised... Not it is too much. You can test it. Test it. What is that test? Patita. When you fall down from a high place... Suppose from the roof you may fall down, patitam. Skhalita: you may slip and fall down. Bhagnah: by falling down you may break your bones. Then sandastah: you may be bitten by some animal -- cats, dogs, a snake. There are so many, domestic. Then tapta: you may be burned. And ahatah: you may be injured from others. Then during this time you can test, practical. What is that test? Harir ity avasena aha. Try to chant Hare Krsna. Puman. If anyone does so, na arhati yatanah. You'll immediately feel that from the injuries you are not feeling pain. This is practical seen. Even a snake bite... You may be saved. The author says, never says, that you may be saved from death, but the suggestion is that you may not feel much pain. This is practical.

Because this material world is full of dangers, these symptoms of dangerous position, patitam skhalito bhagnah... Especially in the modern age, in the Western countries, accident, motor accident and die, is very common thing nowadays. Here also it is becoming. On the whole, even there is no motor accident, there are so many accidents. In every step there is danger. Padam padam yad vipadam [SB 10.14.58]. This material world means every step there is danger. There is no question of safety. At any moment. Therefore Prahlada Maharaja recommended, kaumaram acaret prajno dharman bhagavatan iha. Why in the beginning of childhood one should learn bhagavata-dharma? Durlabham manusam janma. Somehow or other, we have got this body, human form of body, durlabham, after many, many births. They do not know. The foolish persons, they do not know what is the value of this human form of life. Jalaja nava-laksani sthavara laksa-vimsati, krmayo rudra-sankhyatah. In this way 8,400,000 different forms of life we have to pass through. Then we have got this. Especially a civilized human being. The human race, they are also 400,000..., 400,000 types. Out of them, those who are civilized, they are called Aryans. Aryan means civilized. Aryan means those who are making progress. They are called Aryans.

So amongst the Aryans there is the division -- brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha. The Aryans, they do follow it, these Vedic principles, varnasrama-dharma. Varnasramacaravata purusena parah puman, visnur aradhyate [Cc. Madhya 8.58]. What is the purpose of varnasrama? Now, visnu aradhana. Why Visnu aradhana? There are so many other demigods. That is also answered by Lord Siva. When he was asked by Parvati, "What is the best form of worship?" he recommended, aradhananam sarvesam: "There are many different types of worship." Sarvesam. Visnur aradhanam param. He never said, Lord Siva, that "My aradhana is..." Krsna says, mam ekam saranam vraja, but no other demigod has ever said. No. You'll never find. Here Lord Siva says, visnur aradhanam param. Then again he stresses, tasmat parataram devi madiyanam, tadiyanam aradhanam: "Visnu aradhanam is the best, but better than this best there is another aradhanam." What is that? Tadiyanam aradhananam: "To worship the Vaisnava." Visnu aradhana is the topmost, but Vaisnava aradhana is still more. Narottama dasa Thakura therefore says, chadiya vaisnava-seva, nistara payeche keba. The Vaisnava aradhana is so important.

Therefore Krsna says,

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

Tattva-darsi. This word tattva is very important. Unless one is tattva-darsi, there is no use to take instruction from him. Useless waste of time. Tattva-darsi means... Krsna says in another place, manusyanam sahasresu kascid yatati siddhaye [Bg. 7.3]. Siddhi means liberated, means who has no more the bodily concept of life. This is the Vedic meaning of aham brahmasmi. Aham: "I, the spiritual spark, I am not this matter. I am a spirit soul." That is brahmasmi. So long we are in the bodily concept of life, that is called jiva-bhuta-mamivamso jiva-bhutah -- conditioned soul. And when one understands aham brahmasmi, that is called  [SB 4.30.20] brahma-bhuta. There are two words. The conditioned soul is called jiva-bhuta. He is thinking, "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am brahmana," "I am ksatriya," "I am cat," "I am dog," "I am this," "I am that." That is called jiva-bhuta. And in the human form of life, when he studies athato brahma jijnasa, when he is inquisitive to understand Brahman, spirit, that is real life. Jivasya tattva-jijnasa.

In the Srimad Bhagavatam it is said that dharmartha-kama-moksa [SB 4.8.41]. So moksa means tattva-jijnasa. Jivasya tattva-jijnasa na yas ceha karmabhih. So that tattva-jijnasa means to understand Krsna. You'll find in the Bhagavad-gita, kascid vetti mam tattvatah. The same. Tattva-jijnasa... Who will inquire about tattva? Those who are siddha. So that siddha stage, brahma-bhuta stage, is not for everyone. Manusyanam sahasresu kascid yatati siddhaye [Bg. 7.3]. Out of many millions of persons, one may be interested how to become siddha, to understand aham brahmasmi. That is called siddha. And yatatam api siddhanam kascid vetti mam tattvatah [Bg. 7.3]. This is called tattva-jijnasa. So tattva-jijnasa is meant for the siddhas, not for the fools and rascals. They cannot. They are inquiring, ke apa haya. (Hindi?) You find in the market, big, big merchants, they have got exchange in Calcutta, Bombay. The inquiry is ke apa haya. So not that inquiry. Ke apa haya, share cut ke apa haya, cao ke apa haya, dal ke apa haya.(?) Not That is not tattva-jijnasa. Tattva-jijnasa means "What is Brahman?" That is tattva-jijnasa, because Vedas indicates that "Try to understand aham brahmasmi, 'You are Brahman.' " Tat tvam asi. So 'ham. So this is the Vedic injunction.

So the Vedic injunction, tattva-jijnasa, that is the first aphorism in the Vedanta-sutra. Athato brahma-jijnasah: "The human form of life is meant for inquiring about the Absolute Truth." Therefore Bhagavata explains, jivasya tattva-jijnasa. That is the explanation of Brahma-sutra. Therefore you will find at the end of each chapter of Srimad Bhagavatam, srimad-bhagavate maha-purane brahma-sutra-bhasye. The Srimad Bhagavatam is the real comment on Brahma-sutra, Vedanta-sutra. Vedanta-sutra was compiled by Vyasadeva. He summarized all the Vedic knowledge, summarized all Vedic knowledge into Brahma-sutra, in nutshell. Then he was not satisfied, although he made so many Puranas, Mahabharata, Brahma-sutra, Upanisads and... Means these were correct. He wrote into letters in the book. Being compassionate on the people of this age, all fools and rascals -- they have no good memory -- therefore he compiled all these Vedas into writing. Before that, there was no writing. People were so sharp in memory, simply by hearing from the guru, they will remember. Simply. The education and the brain and the capacity was so nice. So that is not possible in the age. Everything is diminishing. The strength, bodily strength, is diminishing. The memory is diminishing. The duration of life is diminishing. Man's propensity to be merciful is diminishing. At the present moment, even in the civilized world, so-called civilized, if one man is being killed on the open street, nobody will go and help him because the tendency for showing mercy to others, that is diminishing. And bodily strength is diminishing. Memory is diminishing. Dharma, the principle of religion, that is diminishing. This is calculated. Therefore brahma-jijnasa.

When Caitanya Mahaprabhu was questioned by Prakasananda Sarasvati at Benares, follower of Sankara philosophy, that... There was meeting between Caitanya Mahaprabhu... Caitanya Mahaprabhu did not like to meet the Mayavadi sannyasis. He used to live alone. But sometimes these Mayavadi sannyasis, they were criticizing Him that "This Bengali sannyasi comes from Bengal, and He does not indulge in reading Brahma-sutra or Vedanta-sutra. He dances and chants with some ecstatic people. What kind of sannyasi He is? A sannyasi is meant for studying Vedanta-sutra, Sankhya philosophy." Some of them were very learned scholars. There's no doubt about it. But when Caitanya Mahaprabhu was inquired by Prakasananda Sarasvati, "Sir, I learned that in your previous life..." He was a learned scholar. He was known as Nimai Pandita. "And You have taken sannyasa. So instead of reading Sankhya philosophy and Vedanta-sutra, You are simply chanting and dancing with some fanatics. What is this?" This was the question. Caitanya Mahaprabhu replied that "Sir, if I reply your question candidly, please do not be sorry." "No, I am not sorry. We are prepared." "Because My guru maharaja saw Me: I am the greatest fool." Guru more murkha dekhi, karila vedanta nahi tava adhikara [Cc. Adi 7.71]. He became a fool. The purpose was that at the the present moment they are simply fools and rascals. What they will understand about Vedanta? Therefore the sastric injunction is harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam [Cc. Adi 17.21].

So there was very long discussion, and all the sannyasis, sixty thousand sannyasis, they were convinced about Caitanya Mahaprabhu's philosophy, His explanation of the Upanisad. So it is not that the Caitanya Mahaprabhu's sampradaya is simply chanting and dancing. If required, they are prepared to answer all Vedic discussion. They are prepared. We have got so many books, all Vedic discussions. Not that we are simply indul... But this is sufficient. Simply chanting is sufficient. But if one thinks like Prakasananda Sarasvati, that "These people simply chant and dance..." Sometimes one sannyasi accused us like that. Germany or some...? That Bharati? So we answered them that "Come on. We have got at least seventy-five books, four hundred pages each, to teach you Krsna consciousness. Come on." So we are prepared. It is not that. We are the followers of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He was chanting and dancing, but when there was Prakasananda Sarasvati, when there was Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, He discussed Vedanta very elaborately, not with fools and rascals. A pandita like Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, a sannyasi like Prakasananda Sarasvati who knew what is Vedanta, what is Vedas -- then we are prepared, because we know certainly. Krsna says, vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyam [Bg. 15.15]. If anyone understands Krsna, it is to be understood that he has studied all the Vedas. There is no doubt about it. Vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyam [Bg. 15.15].

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

So everything is explained there. We are preaching Krsna consciousness not with empty hand. We are prepared to talk on Vedanta. We are prepared to talk on Upanisad. And the conclusion is krsnas tu bhagavan svayam [SB 1.3.28]. Ete camsa-kalah pumsam krsnas tu bhagavan svayam. This is the conclusion. Krsna also confirms that mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjayah, pranava [Bg. 7.7]. Sometimes they take pranavah as the Supreme. Krsna says, pranavah aham sarva vedesu: "This pranava, omkara, in all the Vedas, that is I am. That is My sound representation." So this holy name of Krsna is so powerful that simply by chanting, one can become liberated. This is the blessing of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He said, iha haite sarva siddhi haibe tomara. All siddhis. Ceto-darpana-marjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. Siddhi means to cleanse the heart. That is siddhi. Because we are now materially obsessed, we are thinking, "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am this and that," all material -- upadhi. And bhakti means when you are freed from the upadhi, then bhakti begins.

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

Then bhakti begins. Bhakti is not for the person who is not liberated, because as soon as you begin bhakti, devotional service, you immediately come to the liberated platform. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita.

mam cavyabhicarini
bhakti-yogena yah sevate
sa gunan samatityaitan
brahma-bhuyaya kalpate
 [Bg. 14.26]

Bhakti, beginning of bhakti, means immediately he is on the Brahman platform. We are trying to understand aham brahmasmi, but if you take to devotional service you are immediately on the platform of brahma-bhuyaya kalpate.

So this is the scientific understanding of brahma-bhutah stage, or aham brahmasmi, and... Everything is explained in the Bhagavad-gita. So therefore this name is Brahman. The holy name of Lord is Brahman, Brahman's name. Brahman's name means Brahman. Because Brahman is Absolute, He is not different from His name, He is not different from His form, He is not different from His quality. Otherwise how we are worshiping this form of Krsna here? This Krsna and that Krsna... There is no "this" and "that." Krsna is one. But even if we think that this is the statue of Krsna, that is our misconception. It is not statue. It (is) Krsna. We have to prepare our eyes to see Him. Just like Caitanya Mahaprabhu. When He entered Jagannatha temple, He immediately fainted -- "Here is Krsna. Here is Krsna" -- because He had the eyes to see Krsna. So we have to prepare our eyes to see. That eye is also explained in the Brahma-samhita: premanjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santah sadaiva hrdayesu vilokayanti [Bs. 5.38], to develop your love of Krsna. Then Krsna will be revealed. Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva sphuraty adah [Brs. 1.2.234].

So you cannot understand Krsna by argument or by your these staring eyes. No. You have to prepare your eyes, you have to prepare your ear, you have to prepare your nose, you have to prepare your tongue, you have to prepare your hand, you have to prepare your leg -- all the senses.

sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam
tat-paratvena nirmalam
hrsikena hrsikesa-
sevanam bhaktir ucyate
 [Cc. Madhya 19.170]

These senses, now it is upadhi. I am thinking, "I am American; therefore my hand is American, my leg is American, my eyes are American." No. You have to become free from these "American eyes" or "Indian eyes" or "brahminical eyes" or... No. Pure eyes. Sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. When your eyes are purified from all these designations, when your senses are purified, then nirmalam... Nirmalam means purified. That senses... Purification does not mean that you are senseless. No. Just like cataract operation of the eyes does not mean pluck out the eyes. No. The eyes will remain; the cataracts will be taken away. Then you will see. So when your material conception of life is finished, aham brahmasmi. That is called aham brahmasmi. And to simply realize aham brahmasmi will not stay. You have to go further.

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

If you make further advance, then your Brahman activities will begin, and that is called bhakti, para-bhakti.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.2.15 -- Vrndavana, September 18, 1975

HOME

© 2001 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.

"Material Advancement--Suffering"

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.7.22
Vrndavana, September 18, 1976

---

Pradyumna:

arjuna uvaca
krsna krsna maha-baho
bhaktanam abhayankara
tvam eko dahyamananam
apavargo 'si samsrteh

"Arjuna said: O my Lord Sri Krsna, You are the almighty Personality of Godhead. There is no limit to Your different energies. Therefore only You are competent to instill fearlessness in the hearts of Your devotee. Everyone in the flames of material miseries can find the path of liberation in You only."

Prabhupada:

arjuna uvaca
krsna krsna maha-baho
bhaktanam abhayankara
tvam eko dahyamananam
apavargo 'si samsrteh

Samsrteh, this material world is called samsrti, continuously suffering. That we cannot understand. This is called ignorance. Continuously suffering. They are thinking, "We are very happy," but this material world means continuously suffering. So one living entity is dying, and his gross body is left and the subtle body, mind, intelligence, ego, carrying him in another body through the semina of the father to the womb of the mother. Then it is placed, and the body again forms, and when the body is formed, then he comes out. And within the womb of the mother there is so much suffering, we know that. Many times we have discussed. And coming, from the very moment the child is crying, there is inconveniences. So many things he cannot express. In this way, within the womb there is suffering, out of the womb there is suffering. Then growing, child or baby or boy, there are so many sufferings. Then young man -- suppose he becomes family man -- then earn for the family. That is also suffering. Then old man, disease, inability, many, many thoughts, that is also suffering. And again death is suffering. At the time of death nobody knows what will happen. Recently one of our Godbrothers has died. He was suffering that he... Some glucose food was being supplied through the nose, and with that, what is called? Taking out the...? That also another suffering. Forcibly taking out the urine, cannot speak anything. So this is suffering. This is called samsrti. We are so foolish we do not know that this material existence is suffering. They are simply struggle for existence. Manah sasthanindriyani prakrti-sthani karsati [Bg. 15.7]. Simply a struggle. There is no happiness. But these foolish persons, they do not know that there is suffering and how to stop this suffering. That is real problem. Janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi-duhkha-dosanudarsanam. Intelligent persons should always keep in view that "These are my real sufferings." Not that "Temporary I have got some misunderstanding with some friend, or temporary I do not get some nice food, and therefore suffering." These sufferings are extra, but real suffering is this -- janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi.

So suffering and suff... Therefore material existence is called samsrti. Samsara. So therefore we read every day from the Gurvastaka, samsara-davanala-lidha-loka **. This samsara, this material existence, is just like davanala. Davanala means forest fire. Forest, in the forest nobody goes to set fire, but it takes place automatically. Even if you don't want, it will come. This is samsara. In your country, nice city, New York City, but every moment there is fire -- dung-dung-dung-dung-dung-dung-dung-dung. Why? Very nice city, big city, big roads, big -- but there is suffering. Who wants this fire? But government has to make arrangement for fire brigade, and because it is great nation, very prosperous nation, there is very constantly, very frequently there is fire. Frequently. You won't find such fire in India, at least. We have no such experience that every moment there is fire brigade. Is it not? I am exaggerating? Huh? You see. We have got so many cities in India, but we don't have such arrangement that constantly, twenty-four hours, dung-dung-dung-dung-dung-dung. At least we haven't got. Less suffering, because we are not so advanced. The more materially you become advanced, the more suffering. Daivi hy esa gunamayi mama maya [Bg. 7.14].

These rascals, they do not know. Samsrti. Therefore here we see that tvam eko dahyamananam apavargo 'si samsrteh. This is Krsna. Arjuna is mahajana. He is mahajana. He's directly Krsna's friend. He knows what is Krsna. Therefore he submitted that, "Krsna, it is perplexity. I do not like to fight, and You are asking me repeatedly to fight. So it is very awkward position. I cannot understand." Karpanya-dosopahata-svabhavah. "I have been infected with karpanya-dosa, and (I'm) ksatriya, I am in the battlefield. It is my duty to fight, but I am declining." That is karpanya-dosopahata-svabhavah. "My nature, svabhava, is to fight, but I am avoiding this. So therefore my position is not good, I can understand. Therefore sisyas te 'ham sadhi mam tvam prapannam. I accept You as my spiritual master. You... I am surrendered, prapannam. You kindly instruct, sadhi mam." This is beginning of Bhagavad-gita. So Arjuna knows that for this samsrti, for this suffering of the material world, only Krsna is the savior. Only Krsna. Tvam ekah, "Only You. Not anybody else." Nobody can. And He also, Krsna also says, mam ekam. "Rascal, mam ekam." This same eka. Arjuna says tvam ekah and Krsna says mam ekam. The same purpose. This is to be learned, that eka, "Only Krsna." Krsnaika-saranam. That is wanted. Simply take shelter of Krsna. That will save you from this samsrti.

Apavarga. Pavarga and apavargo. A means "not," and pavarga is the process of suffering here in this material world. Different stages of suffering is called pavarga. The first thing is pa. This is pa pha ba bha ma, pa-varga. This is called pa-varga. There are five vargas in Sanskrit grammar: ka-varga, ca-varga, ta-varga, ta-varga, and pa-varga. Those who know, I mean to say, Sanskrit grammar, they will understand. So pa-varga means these five alphabets, pa pha ba bha ma. So our sufferings... First of all, labor, parisrama. Pa. You cannot get anything in this material world without laboring. That is not possible. Just like we have got this nice temple. How we have got it? Laboring. We have to collect the stone, we have to collect this brick, we have to... If I cannot work personally, then I have to engage laborer. So this temple is not by accident, automatically, by chunk it has come. No. There must be labor. Parisrama. That is pa. Then pha. Pha, in the English you can say frustration. Or in Sanskrit the phena, and English word is foam. When you work very hard, everyone, you know, there is foam. We have generally seen, in animals there is foam, in horse. The, hard labor, very hard labor, the foam comes. So first of all, parisrama, hard labor, then foam. Pa pha. And ba. Ba means vyarthata. Frustration. Despite so much hard labor, still frustration. Now our leaders are advertising that "Work hard. Work hard." "Sir, I am working so hard that I am working like an ass, like an animal, and I am tired. Still I have to work hard?" "Yes." This is samsrti. They are not satisfied that human being, Indians are working just like an ass, pulling thela, rickshaw, and still they're requesting work hard.

So this is called vyarthata. You work hard, hard, hard. Still you'll not be successful. You'll have to work hard. That is called pa, pha, ba. And bha, bha means fearfulness. Just like the animal is working so hard and still he's afraid. "The master may whip." "You are not working?" Phut! Phut! He has to work still. Bhaya. So that fearfulness is everywhere. Ahara-nidra-bhaya-maithunam ca samanyam etat pasubhir naranam. The ox and bull, they are afraid of the driver, and we are afraid of our leader, of our government, of our so-called master and so on, so on, so on. That you cannot avoid. That is not possible. Sada samudvigna-dhiyam asad-grahat. Because we have accepted this material body, we have to be always remain in anxiety. You cannot avoid. So pa, pha, ba, bha, and at last, ma. Ma means mrtyu. Frustration and die. And again pa, again begin with pa. This is going on. This is called Repeatedly, pa, pha, ba, bha, ma; pa, pha, ba,bha, ma.

So if you take to Krsna consciousness, then this pavarga -- pa, pha, ba, bha, ma -- will be counteracted. Not otherwise. Not otherwise. It is not possible. Therefore he says dahyamananam. "We are suffering. Not that to this brahmastra we are suffering, but the world is so made that there is suffering only." Narottama dasa Thakura sings, visaya-visanale diba-nisi hiya jwale. Jwale means this dahyamananam. Jwale means ablaze, fire. So this samsara-visanale, it is not ordinary fire. Visana: fire from poison. It is more infectious. Poisonous fire. Just like the atomic energy. There is heat, but what is that heat? It is called... Radiation and... So many things. So visanale. Samsara-davanala. Samsara-davanala is davanala, and at the same time that anala, the fire is coming out of poison. Samsara-visanale diba-nisi hiya jwale. We are always anxiety, full of anxiety. Sada samudvigna-dhiyam. Even big, big Vaisnava kings they also retired. Just like Ambarisa Maharaja, he was always engaged in devotional service. Sa vai manah krsna-padaravindayor vacamsi vaikuntha -- still, he retired. Still, he retired. After this incidence with Durvasa, then he divided the property to his sons and he retired. Although he was the most exalted Vaisnava, such a great Vaisnava that because he was put into difficulty by Durvasa Muni, Krsna showed His brilliance and glories in such a way that Durvasa Muni was attacked by sudarsana-cakra, and for fear of life... Even there is fear, Durvasa Muni, a great yogi. There is no comparison of his yogic mystic power. Immediately, for the sake of his life, to protect his life, he went all over the universe for protection. And when he could not get the protection, he went to Lord Brahma, "Kindly give me protection." He refused. "No, it is not possible. The Lord is angry with you, and He has sent the sudarsana-cakra. It is not in my power to give you protection." Then he went to Lord Siva. He also refused. And at last he went to Visnu. Just see how powerful yogi he was. He could go personally from this planet to the topmost planet, Brahmaloka, and there, from there, Sivaloka. Then from there, Vaikunthaloka. Just see his power, mystic power. But still, because he committed offense at the lotus feet of a Vaisnava, he could not be given any protection. Vaisnava-aparadha is so severe. A person so powerful that by his will he could go anywhere, by yogic power he can do so. Yogic power, even there are many yogis, they take bathing in four places every morning. They take bathing at Jagannatha Puri, at Ramesvaram, at Hardwar, and Jagannatha Puri. Four dhama, they take bathing. By four o'clock they finish. They can go. There are still such yogis. So similarly by the yogis, by their anima-siddhi, laghima-siddhi... They are called. They can go within a second. They can catch up the beams of the sun and go to the sun planet. This is yoga. Not that "Give me some dollars, I'll show you some yoga." They do not know what is yoga. Yoga is so powerful, yogic power.

So such a big yogi, Durvasa Muni. Still, he was in trouble. Jnanis, yogis, nobody is free from the trouble. Only the bhaktas. Take this, see the example. When Durvasa Muni created a demon to kill the king, Maharaja Ambarisa, and he was coming to attack, but Ambarisa, although he was a devotee, he had no such yogic power to counteract. He thought, "All right, it is Krsna's desire if some demon is coming to kill me. All right, let him kill." He stood fixed up in that position, because he's surrendered. Marobi rakhobi jo iccha tohara. That is surrender. "I have surrendered to You. If You like to kill me by this demon, that's all right. Welcome. Why not? Because I am culprit, so You want to kill me through this demon, let me kill. Let him kill." So he stood up. He was not afraid of his life. But Durvasa Muni, when Visnu sent this sudarsana-cakra, immediately the demon was killed and he was after Durvasa Muni, such a great yogi. But he was afraid. "Oh, now there is no protection." He fled, here from here, here from there, there, there, then to Brahma, to Lord Siva. And at last to Visnu. Just see how much he is afraid of his life.

And the Vaisnava is not afraid of his life. There is no fearfulness. Ahara-nidra-bhaya-maithunam ca. These things are problems of this material world. A Vaisnava has no problem. He knows that "If Krsna can give food to the elephant down to the ant, so Krsna will give me food. So why shall I endeavor for? When Krsna gives, I shall eat. That's all. If He does not give, I shall starve. What is the wrong there?" This is Vaisnava. He's not afraid. He has no problem of ahara-nidra-bhaya-maithunam ca. No. So far maithuna is concerned, it is completely rejected. Bhaktim param bhagavati pratilabhya apahinoti kamam. This is Vaisnava. Vaisnava means as he makes progress in devotional service, these material lusty desires become vanquished. No more. Finished. Bhaktih paresanubhavo viraktir anya... [SB 11.2.42]. This is the sign. Yad-avadhi mama cetah krsna-padaravinde nava-nava-rasa-dhamani... tad-avadhi bata nari-sangame smaryamane bhavati mukha-vikarah. This is Vaisnava. When one will spite of sex enjoyment, that means he has attained the Vaisnava stage. Otherwise not yet. That is the test. Yad-avadhi mama cetah krsna-padaravinde nava-nava-rasa-dhamany udyatam rantum asit, tad-avadhi bata nari-sangame. Because nari-sangame, sex with nari, that is the highest pleasure of this material world. Yan maithunadi-grhamedhi-sukham hi tuccham [SB 7.9.45]. Very abominable happiness, maithunadi. It is kanduyanena karayor iva duhkha-duhkham. It is entailed with so many sufferings. Either illicit or legal, there is suffering. So this is samsara. This is the key of samsara, to keep one packed up, compact in these material desires. So, so many things are there, apavarga. But Krsna is the only means. When one is attracted by Krsna, Madana-mohana... Madana means lusty desires. And Krsna, Madana-mohana. He is so attractive that one forgets lusty desires. Therefore His name is Madana-mohana. So if you don't contact with Madana-mohana, then you'll be suffering madana-dahana. Dahana means this, dahyamananam, always suffering the blazing fire of lusty desires. Unless you become Krsna conscious, you'll have to suffer. Therefore it is said dahyamananam apavargo 'si: "You are the apavarga."

So Arjuna is surrendered soul. When he felt that temperature of brahmastra or radiation of the atomic weapon, nuclear weapon... So devotee has no other... Krsna krsna maha-baho bhaktanam abhayankara: "Our only shelter is Your lotus feet." Abhaya-caranaravinda re. Bhajahun re mana sri-nanda-nandana-abhaya-caranaravinda re. So if you take shelter of Krsna's lotus feet, then abhayankara, no more fear. No more fear. And so long you do not do it, then samsrti. Therefore Arjuna says tvam eko dahyamananam apavargo 'si abhayankara.

Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.7.22 -- Vrndavana, September 18, 1976

"Material Advancement--Suffering"

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.7.22
Vrndavana, September 18, 1976

---

Pradyumna:

arjuna uvaca
krsna krsna maha-baho
bhaktanam abhayankara
tvam eko dahyamananam
apavargo 'si samsrteh

"Arjuna said: O my Lord Sri Krsna, You are the almighty Personality of Godhead. There is no limit to Your different energies. Therefore only You are competent to instill fearlessness in the hearts of Your devotee. Everyone in the flames of material miseries can find the path of liberation in You only."

Prabhupada:

arjuna uvaca
krsna krsna maha-baho
bhaktanam abhayankara
tvam eko dahyamananam
apavargo 'si samsrteh

Samsrteh, this material world is called samsrti, continuously suffering. That we cannot understand. This is called ignorance. Continuously suffering. They are thinking, "We are very happy," but this material world means continuously suffering. So one living entity is dying, and his gross body is left and the subtle body, mind, intelligence, ego, carrying him in another body through the semina of the father to the womb of the mother. Then it is placed, and the body again forms, and when the body is formed, then he comes out. And within the womb of the mother there is so much suffering, we know that. Many times we have discussed. And coming, from the very moment the child is crying, there is inconveniences. So many things he cannot express. In this way, within the womb there is suffering, out of the womb there is suffering. Then growing, child or baby or boy, there are so many sufferings. Then young man -- suppose he becomes family man -- then earn for the family. That is also suffering. Then old man, disease, inability, many, many thoughts, that is also suffering. And again death is suffering. At the time of death nobody knows what will happen. Recently one of our Godbrothers has died. He was suffering that he... Some glucose food was being supplied through the nose, and with that, what is called? Taking out the...? That also another suffering. Forcibly taking out the urine, cannot speak anything. So this is suffering. This is called samsrti. We are so foolish we do not know that this material existence is suffering. They are simply struggle for existence. Manah sasthanindriyani prakrti-sthani karsati [Bg. 15.7]. Simply a struggle. There is no happiness. But these foolish persons, they do not know that there is suffering and how to stop this suffering. That is real problem. Janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi-duhkha-dosanudarsanam. Intelligent persons should always keep in view that "These are my real sufferings." Not that "Temporary I have got some misunderstanding with some friend, or temporary I do not get some nice food, and therefore suffering." These sufferings are extra, but real suffering is this -- janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi.

So suffering and suff... Therefore material existence is called samsrti. Samsara. So therefore we read every day from the Gurvastaka, samsara-davanala-lidha-loka **. This samsara, this material existence, is just like davanala. Davanala means forest fire. Forest, in the forest nobody goes to set fire, but it takes place automatically. Even if you don't want, it will come. This is samsara. In your country, nice city, New York City, but every moment there is fire -- dung-dung-dung-dung-dung-dung-dung-dung. Why? Very nice city, big city, big roads, big -- but there is suffering. Who wants this fire? But government has to make arrangement for fire brigade, and because it is great nation, very prosperous nation, there is very constantly, very frequently there is fire. Frequently. You won't find such fire in India, at least. We have no such experience that every moment there is fire brigade. Is it not? I am exaggerating? Huh? You see. We have got so many cities in India, but we don't have such arrangement that constantly, twenty-four hours, dung-dung-dung-dung-dung-dung. At least we haven't got. Less suffering, because we are not so advanced. The more materially you become advanced, the more suffering. Daivi hy esa gunamayi mama maya [Bg. 7.14].

These rascals, they do not know. Samsrti. Therefore here we see that tvam eko dahyamananam apavargo 'si samsrteh. This is Krsna. Arjuna is mahajana. He is mahajana. He's directly Krsna's friend. He knows what is Krsna. Therefore he submitted that, "Krsna, it is perplexity. I do not like to fight, and You are asking me repeatedly to fight. So it is very awkward position. I cannot understand." Karpanya-dosopahata-svabhavah. "I have been infected with karpanya-dosa, and (I'm) ksatriya, I am in the battlefield. It is my duty to fight, but I am declining." That is karpanya-dosopahata-svabhavah. "My nature, svabhava, is to fight, but I am avoiding this. So therefore my position is not good, I can understand. Therefore sisyas te 'ham sadhi mam tvam prapannam. I accept You as my spiritual master. You... I am surrendered, prapannam. You kindly instruct, sadhi mam." This is beginning of Bhagavad-gita. So Arjuna knows that for this samsrti, for this suffering of the material world, only Krsna is the savior. Only Krsna. Tvam ekah, "Only You. Not anybody else." Nobody can. And He also, Krsna also says, mam ekam. "Rascal, mam ekam." This same eka. Arjuna says tvam ekah and Krsna says mam ekam. The same purpose. This is to be learned, that eka, "Only Krsna." Krsnaika-saranam. That is wanted. Simply take shelter of Krsna. That will save you from this samsrti.

Apavarga. Pavarga and apavargo. A means "not," and pavarga is the process of suffering here in this material world. Different stages of suffering is called pavarga. The first thing is pa. This is pa pha ba bha ma, pa-varga. This is called pa-varga. There are five vargas in Sanskrit grammar: ka-varga, ca-varga, ta-varga, ta-varga, and pa-varga. Those who know, I mean to say, Sanskrit grammar, they will understand. So pa-varga means these five alphabets, pa pha ba bha ma. So our sufferings... First of all, labor, parisrama. Pa. You cannot get anything in this material world without laboring. That is not possible. Just like we have got this nice temple. How we have got it? Laboring. We have to collect the stone, we have to collect this brick, we have to... If I cannot work personally, then I have to engage laborer. So this temple is not by accident, automatically, by chunk it has come. No. There must be labor. Parisrama. That is pa. Then pha. Pha, in the English you can say frustration. Or in Sanskrit the phena, and English word is foam. When you work very hard, everyone, you know, there is foam. We have generally seen, in animals there is foam, in horse. The, hard labor, very hard labor, the foam comes. So first of all, parisrama, hard labor, then foam. Pa pha. And ba. Ba means vyarthata. Frustration. Despite so much hard labor, still frustration. Now our leaders are advertising that "Work hard. Work hard." "Sir, I am working so hard that I am working like an ass, like an animal, and I am tired. Still I have to work hard?" "Yes." This is samsrti. They are not satisfied that human being, Indians are working just like an ass, pulling thela, rickshaw, and still they're requesting work hard.

So this is called vyarthata. You work hard, hard, hard. Still you'll not be successful. You'll have to work hard. That is called pa, pha, ba. And bha, bha means fearfulness. Just like the animal is working so hard and still he's afraid. "The master may whip." "You are not working?" Phut! Phut! He has to work still. Bhaya. So that fearfulness is everywhere. Ahara-nidra-bhaya-maithunam ca samanyam etat pasubhir naranam. The ox and bull, they are afraid of the driver, and we are afraid of our leader, of our government, of our so-called master and so on, so on, so on. That you cannot avoid. That is not possible. Sada samudvigna-dhiyam asad-grahat. Because we have accepted this material body, we have to be always remain in anxiety. You cannot avoid. So pa, pha, ba, bha, and at last, ma. Ma means mrtyu. Frustration and die. And again pa, again begin with pa. This is going on. This is called Repeatedly, pa, pha, ba, bha, ma; pa, pha, ba,bha, ma.

So if you take to Krsna consciousness, then this pavarga -- pa, pha, ba, bha, ma -- will be counteracted. Not otherwise. Not otherwise. It is not possible. Therefore he says dahyamananam. "We are suffering. Not that to this brahmastra we are suffering, but the world is so made that there is suffering only." Narottama dasa Thakura sings, visaya-visanale diba-nisi hiya jwale. Jwale means this dahyamananam. Jwale means ablaze, fire. So this samsara-visanale, it is not ordinary fire. Visana: fire from poison. It is more infectious. Poisonous fire. Just like the atomic energy. There is heat, but what is that heat? It is called... Radiation and... So many things. So visanale. Samsara-davanala. Samsara-davanala is davanala, and at the same time that anala, the fire is coming out of poison. Samsara-visanale diba-nisi hiya jwale. We are always anxiety, full of anxiety. Sada samudvigna-dhiyam. Even big, big Vaisnava kings they also retired. Just like Ambarisa Maharaja, he was always engaged in devotional service. Sa vai manah krsna-padaravindayor vacamsi vaikuntha -- still, he retired. Still, he retired. After this incidence with Durvasa, then he divided the property to his sons and he retired. Although he was the most exalted Vaisnava, such a great Vaisnava that because he was put into difficulty by Durvasa Muni, Krsna showed His brilliance and glories in such a way that Durvasa Muni was attacked by sudarsana-cakra, and for fear of life... Even there is fear, Durvasa Muni, a great yogi. There is no comparison of his yogic mystic power. Immediately, for the sake of his life, to protect his life, he went all over the universe for protection. And when he could not get the protection, he went to Lord Brahma, "Kindly give me protection." He refused. "No, it is not possible. The Lord is angry with you, and He has sent the sudarsana-cakra. It is not in my power to give you protection." Then he went to Lord Siva. He also refused. And at last he went to Visnu. Just see how powerful yogi he was. He could go personally from this planet to the topmost planet, Brahmaloka, and there, from there, Sivaloka. Then from there, Vaikunthaloka. Just see his power, mystic power. But still, because he committed offense at the lotus feet of a Vaisnava, he could not be given any protection. Vaisnava-aparadha is so severe. A person so powerful that by his will he could go anywhere, by yogic power he can do so. Yogic power, even there are many yogis, they take bathing in four places every morning. They take bathing at Jagannatha Puri, at Ramesvaram, at Hardwar, and Jagannatha Puri. Four dhama, they take bathing. By four o'clock they finish. They can go. There are still such yogis. So similarly by the yogis, by their anima-siddhi, laghima-siddhi... They are called. They can go within a second. They can catch up the beams of the sun and go to the sun planet. This is yoga. Not that "Give me some dollars, I'll show you some yoga." They do not know what is yoga. Yoga is so powerful, yogic power.

So such a big yogi, Durvasa Muni. Still, he was in trouble. Jnanis, yogis, nobody is free from the trouble. Only the bhaktas. Take this, see the example. When Durvasa Muni created a demon to kill the king, Maharaja Ambarisa, and he was coming to attack, but Ambarisa, although he was a devotee, he had no such yogic power to counteract. He thought, "All right, it is Krsna's desire if some demon is coming to kill me. All right, let him kill." He stood fixed up in that position, because he's surrendered. Marobi rakhobi jo iccha tohara. That is surrender. "I have surrendered to You. If You like to kill me by this demon, that's all right. Welcome. Why not? Because I am culprit, so You want to kill me through this demon, let me kill. Let him kill." So he stood up. He was not afraid of his life. But Durvasa Muni, when Visnu sent this sudarsana-cakra, immediately the demon was killed and he was after Durvasa Muni, such a great yogi. But he was afraid. "Oh, now there is no protection." He fled, here from here, here from there, there, there, then to Brahma, to Lord Siva. And at last to Visnu. Just see how much he is afraid of his life.

And the Vaisnava is not afraid of his life. There is no fearfulness. Ahara-nidra-bhaya-maithunam ca. These things are problems of this material world. A Vaisnava has no problem. He knows that "If Krsna can give food to the elephant down to the ant, so Krsna will give me food. So why shall I endeavor for? When Krsna gives, I shall eat. That's all. If He does not give, I shall starve. What is the wrong there?" This is Vaisnava. He's not afraid. He has no problem of ahara-nidra-bhaya-maithunam ca. No. So far maithuna is concerned, it is completely rejected. Bhaktim param bhagavati pratilabhya apahinoti kamam. This is Vaisnava. Vaisnava means as he makes progress in devotional service, these material lusty desires become vanquished. No more. Finished. Bhaktih paresanubhavo viraktir anya... [SB 11.2.42]. This is the sign. Yad-avadhi mama cetah krsna-padaravinde nava-nava-rasa-dhamani... tad-avadhi bata nari-sangame smaryamane bhavati mukha-vikarah. This is Vaisnava. When one will spite of sex enjoyment, that means he has attained the Vaisnava stage. Otherwise not yet. That is the test. Yad-avadhi mama cetah krsna-padaravinde nava-nava-rasa-dhamany udyatam rantum asit, tad-avadhi bata nari-sangame. Because nari-sangame, sex with nari, that is the highest pleasure of this material world. Yan maithunadi-grhamedhi-sukham hi tuccham [SB 7.9.45]. Very abominable happiness, maithunadi. It is kanduyanena karayor iva duhkha-duhkham. It is entailed with so many sufferings. Either illicit or legal, there is suffering. So this is samsara. This is the key of samsara, to keep one packed up, compact in these material desires. So, so many things are there, apavarga. But Krsna is the only means. When one is attracted by Krsna, Madana-mohana... Madana means lusty desires. And Krsna, Madana-mohana. He is so attractive that one forgets lusty desires. Therefore His name is Madana-mohana. So if you don't contact with Madana-mohana, then you'll be suffering madana-dahana. Dahana means this, dahyamananam, always suffering the blazing fire of lusty desires. Unless you become Krsna conscious, you'll have to suffer. Therefore it is said dahyamananam apavargo 'si: "You are the apavarga."

So Arjuna is surrendered soul. When he felt that temperature of brahmastra or radiation of the atomic weapon, nuclear weapon... So devotee has no other... Krsna krsna maha-baho bhaktanam abhayankara: "Our only shelter is Your lotus feet." Abhaya-caranaravinda re. Bhajahun re mana sri-nanda-nandana-abhaya-caranaravinda re. So if you take shelter of Krsna's lotus feet, then abhayankara, no more fear. No more fear. And so long you do not do it, then samsrti. Therefore Arjuna says tvam eko dahyamananam apavargo 'si abhayankara.

Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.7.22 -- Vrndavana, September 18, 1976

"Yoga System--There Is No Loss In Spiritual Life"

66/09/18 New York, Bhagavad-gita 6.40-44


Prabhupada: ...namutra vinasas tasya vidyate, na hi kalyana-krt kascid durgatim tata gacchati. Now, this verse we have been discussing last week, that one who falls down... "Suppose one has entered for spiritual cultivation of life. Some way or other, he is not successful to complete the course. Then what happens to him?" That was the question of Arjuna. This is very nice question, that "Suppose one enters for cultivation of spiritual life. Some way or other..." Sometimes we do not follow the rules and... [break] Sometimes we are entrapped by some feminine attraction. These are impediments. So we may not be able to make complete progress. So Krsna says, "My dear Arjuna," na hi kalyana-krt kascid durgatim: "Anyone who has attempted even one percent sincerely, culture of spiritual realization, he will never fall down. He will never fall down." That sincerity. Because we are weak, and the material energy is very strong, so to adopt spiritual life is more or less declare war against the material energy. The material, the illusory energy, she is trying to curb this conditioned soul as far as possible. Now, when the conditioned soul tries to get out of her clutches by spiritual advancement of knowledge, oh, she becomes more stringent. Yes. She wants to test, "How much this person is sincere?" So there will be so many allurement offered by the material energy.

Now, there is a story. There are many stories. One of them I am citing. It is very interesting. Visvamitra Muni. Visvamitra Muni, he was a great king, ksatriya, but his priest, Vasistha Muni, he had great spiritual power. So he renounced his kingdom. He wanted to advance. He was kingly, royal order, but still, he wanted to advance in the spiritual orders. So he adopted yoga process, meditation. That time it was possible for adopting this process, yoga process. So he was meditating in such a way that the Indra, who was the king of heaven, he thought that "This man is trying to occupy my post." As there is competition... This is also... Heaven means that is also material world. So this competition -- no businessman wants an another businessman go ahead. He wants to curb down. Competition of price, quality. Similarly, that Indra, he thought that "This man is so strongly meditating, it may be that I may be deposed and he come to my seat." Then he arranged one of his society girls, Menaka, to go there and allure this muni. So when Menaka approached that rsi, Visvamitra Rsi, he was meditating. And simply by the sound of her bangles, she(he) could understand, "There is some woman." And as soon as he saw there was heavenly, celestial beauty, he was captivated. Then there was a result, that a great... Sakuntala. Perhaps some of you may know. There is a book made by Kalidasa, Sakuntala. This Sakuntala is supposed to be the most beautiful girl in the world, and she was born by this combination of Visvamitra Muni and Menaka.

So when this girl was born, then Visvamitra thought, "Oh, I was advancing in my spiritual culture, and again I have been entrapped." So he was going out. At the same time his wife Menaka brought this girl before her, and little child is always attractive. She showed that "Oh, you have got such a nice girl, such beautiful girl, and you are going away? No, no. You should take care." So there is a picture, very nice. That is a very famous picture. That Menaka is showing Visvamitra the girl, and the muni is like that, "No more show me." Yes. There is a picture. That is... Then he went away. So there are chances of failure. There are chances of failure. Just like a great sage like Visvamitra Muni, he also failed, failed for the time being. But Krsna says that this failure is not, I mean to say, unsuccessful. As we have sometimes the proverb, that "Failure is the pillar of success," so especially in the spiritual life, this failure is not discouraging. This failure is not discouraging.

So Krsna says that "Even one fails in completing his spiritual course, still, there is no loss on his part." Partha naiva iha. Iha means in this world. Na amutra. Amutra means next world. Vinasas tasya vidyate: "He will never vanquish." Vinasas tasya vidyate, na hi kalyana-krt: "Anyone who takes this auspicious line of spiritual culture," kascid durgatim tata gacchati, "he'll never fall down." Yes. And why? Now,

prapya punya-krtam lokan
usitva sasvatih samah
sucinam srimatam gehe
yoga-bhrasto 'bhijayate
[Bg. 6.41]

Abhijayate. He says that this failure yogi... One who is successful, he enters into the kingdom of God. That is a different thing. But one who is a failed student, what happens to him? Now, prapya punya-krtam lokan: [Bg. 6.41] "He enters into the planets where pious living entities are allowed to enter." That means he gets into the higher planets. There are many planets within the universe, and the higher planets, there are more comforts, more duration of life, persons are more pious, religious, godly. As you make progress to the higher planets, these facilities are there, thousand times better than this planet. So Krsna says that "Even if he is failure, still, he goes to such planets where pious men are elevated." Prapya punya-krtam lokan, and usitva sasvatih samah [Bg. 6.41]. And he remains there for a long duration of time.

Now, in the heavenly kingdom, it is said that our six months is... Six months are equal to their one day. And similarly, they live there for ten thousand years. This description we get from Vedic literatures. Just like in the Bhagavad-gita you have got the duration of life of Brahma. That is the highest planet. So Krsna says that "After... Even if he is a failure, he gets promotion to the higher planets." But in the higher planets you cannot remain for all the time. Ksine punye punah martya-lokam visanti: "When your pious balance is finished, then you are again fallen in this earth." Ksine punye punah martya-lokam visanti. Martya-lokam means, this martya-lokam, this earth. Now, even when he comes back here, He says, Lord Krsna says, that "He gets his birth..." Sucinam srimatam gehe yoga-bhrasto 'bhijayate. He takes his birth in a family, two kinds of families. One family, srimatam. Srimatam means very rich family, very rich family.

So one who takes his birth in a very rich family, it should be understood that he was certainly a very pious man in his previous life. By good work, by pious work, we get. In our next life, we get facilities, four kinds of facilities. What are they? Now, janma, aisvarya, sruta, sri. Janma, aisvarya, sruta, sri. Janma means to get birth in very aristocratic family, royal family, lord family, rich family, janma. Or acquires large extent of wealth, janmaisvarya-sruta. Sruta means becomes very learned scholar. So one who is learned scholar, it is to be understood that it is due to his past deeds. One who is rich man, it is to be understood that it is due to his pious acts in his last life. Janmaisvarya-sruta-sri. Sri means beauty. And one who is very beautiful, either male or female, it is to be understood that this is the result of his or her pious work in the past lives.

So here it is said that sucinam srimatam gehe yoga-bhrasto... Sucinam means pious family. Pious family means brahmanas. They are suci. Suci means always pure. Suci means... A brahmana, means a cultured brahmana, they are always pure. Their habits, their behavior -- everything is pure. That is called sucinam. That is a greater facility. And srimatam, rich, rich family. So the yoga-bhrasta, after living for many, many days in the higher planets where pious people have entered, then, when he again comes to this earth, he gets birth in a, either in a brahmana family, sucinam, or in a great, rich, mercantile family. Sucinam srimata... Srimatam is generally meant: a rich mercantile family. Just like you have got in your country Rockefeller family, Ford family. There are many. In India also there are Birla family, Bamar(?) family. Every country, there are rich families. So either in a purified family, just like brahmanas, or in a rich family... So at least, those who sincerely begin spiritual life, so their next life is guaranteed as human life, human form of life, for many days.

So those who are rich in this world, or those who have got birth in a very, I mean to say, pious family, brahmana family, they should understand that "It is God's grace that I have got my birth with such, so much facilities of life." Why sucinam? In a pious family one gets the chance of spiritual advancement. I shall say practically, from my whole life. I was fortunate to get my, I mean to say, birth, in a very pious family. Yes. My father was very pious man, and I wanted to imitate him in my childhood. Of course, our family was not very poor, but we were not very rich men. But my father was very pious man. So he was worshiping Krsna. So in my childhood, when I was five or six years old, I requested my father that "Father, give me this Deity. I shall worship." So father purchased for me little Krsna, Radha, and he gave me, and I was imitating. Whatever foodstuff I was getting, I was offering to Krsna and eating. In this way I got my life developed. And there was a temple in our neighborhood. So I was seeing the Krsna Deity. Oh, I was thinking... I still remember. I was standing for hours together.

So in this way, practically we can understand that these facilities are given by the Lord. The Lord is always prepared to give us facility. Simply He wants to see that we are sincere. That's all. There is nice verse in Srimad-Bhagavatam.

tyaktva sva-dharmam caranambujam harer
bhajann apakvo 'tha patet tato yadi
yatra kva vabhadram abhud amusya kim
ko vartha apto 'bhajatam sva-dharmatah
[SB 1.5.17]

Abhajatam sva-dharmatah, yes. The purport of this verse is that tyaktva sva-dharmam. Sva-dharmam means every particular person has got his prescribed duty of life, every particular person. Whatever he may be, in whatever country, or whatever society, everyone has got his some designated duty, that "You have to do this." Now here it is said that if he gives up his duty, prescribed duty, and by sentiment, by association, or by craziness, or any way, he takes surrender unto Krsna, people may say, "Oh, these people are crazy." All right, even crazy, some way or other, if he takes shelter unto Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead... When I say Krsna, that means God. Then what happens? Tyaktva sva-dharmam caranambujam hareh. By sentiment or by any reason... There may be many reasons if one takes shelter of Krsna, the Supreme Lord. But bhajana, while he was worshiping or prosecuting spiritual rules and regulations, apakva, he does not become mature, but somehow or other falls down. Tyaktva sva-dharmam caranambujam harer bhajann [SB 1.5.17]. Bhajana means worshiping, apakva, immature, and falls down. So Narada says in this Bhagavata, tatra ko va and abhadram abhud amusya kim: "So what is there inauspicious for him there?

Suppose he has fallen down. There is no inauspicity. But a person who does not approach God, but regularly makes his duties perfectly, what does he get? What does he get, religious? He does not get any benefit of his life. But a person, even he falls down, because he has taken shelter of the Supreme Lord, "Oh, he is better." So these things are sanctioned by Srimad-Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita and all Vedic literatures, that there is no harm even one is not able to fulfill his mission properly, half-finished. Still... Why? Why he is not in loss? The next sloka says. Now, again Lord says that "Either in a brahmana family, very pious family, or in a rich family, athava, or, yoginam eva kule bhavati dhimatam [Bg. 6.42], yoginam, in a family where persons have practiced the yoga system..." Yoginam dhimatam. Yoginam. Yoginam means either devotee or meditators or great philosophers -- in their families. Yoginam eva kule bhavati dhimatam [Bg. 6.42]. Dhimatam means very intelligent. These transcendentalists, either philosopher, or meditators, or great devotees of the Lord, they are considered the, I mean to say, highest top of the human society, dhimatam. Etaddhi durlabhataram loke janma yad idrsam.

Now, out of the three, either he gets his birth in a brahmana family or in a rich family or in a family where people are, the members are highly advanced in the yoga, so Krsna says the third one, third one, is to be considered more fortunate, third one, who has got his birth in the family of a yogi, because one who has got his birth in a rich family, he may be misled. And naturally it so happens. When a man gets riches, silver spoon in mouth, he thinks, "Oh, I have got so much money, my paternal property. Let me enjoy it." Oh. So sometimes he becomes a drunkard, a prostitute hunter, a, I mean to say, rogue. He becomes. Similarly, in a brahmana family also... Just like we have seen in India. There are many persons who are born in a big, I mean to say, very pious family. But because he has taken his birth in a pious family, he thinks, "I am brahmana. Oh, what I have to do? I am very pious family." They mistake in that way. So they degrade.

So in the pious family or in the rich family, there is chance of degradation. But one who takes his birth in a family of yogis, devotees, oh, he has got better chance for cultivating the same spiritual culture from which in his past life he had fallen. Therefore Krsna says, etaddhi durlabhataram: "This is very rare, that a man gets his birth, a parent, a yogi." This is very rare. But He recommends, I mean, He eulogizes this sort of family that... What is the facility of this family? Now, Lord says, tatra tam buddhi-samyogam labhate paurva-dehikam: [Bg. 6.43] "In his previous birth, in his previous body, whatever he cultured, now he begins to remember." He begins to remember. I may tell you that those who have taken this society, Krsna consciousness, very seriously, they are not ordinary persons. They must have had such culture in their previous life. Now they are again trying to revive that thing.

It is said, according to Bhagavad-gita, tatra tam buddhi-samyogam labhate paurva-dehikam [Bg. 6.43]. Because that asset is there. Suppose I make my bank balance ten thousand millions, or something big, very big balance. Now, as soon as my body is finished, oh, the bank balance is also finished because the bank balance is not going with me. That remains in the bank to be enjoyed by somebody else. But the spiritual culture... Suppose if you have got ten thousand or... Even ten percent you have done, that goes with you. So there is no loss. Then again you begin from 11%. From the eleven point, you begin. So we should consider that when you get such chance of spiritual cultivation -- may be 10%, 5%, 50% -- we should know that "Now we should finish the balance percentage of cultivation. We must finish this life. I shall not take chance of another birth." That should be our determination. Paurva-dehikam. "When I have come to this point, it must be understood that I had some asset in my previous life. So Krsna is giving me chance to make further progress. Now, in my past life I could not finish the job some way or other, but that doesn't matter. Now this life I shall not allow to miss this opportunity." That should be our determination as soon as we begin some spiritual culture. Tatra tam buddhi-samyogam labhate paurva-dehikam [Bg. 6.43]. Paurva-dehikam means according to the past life, he begins, he tries.

You gentlemen, boys, who come here -- that is an urge from within, that you want. This urge is due to your past, previous, spiritual culture. This should be understood if we believe Bhagavad-gita. So we should not make any more fall down. We should finish this business in this life so that, according to Bhagavad-gita, as it is said, tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti kaunteya: [Bg. 4.9] "Then, after leaving this body, then he does not take birth again in this material world, where janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi, repeated birth, and death, diseases, are there, but he comes back to Me, Krsna." Samasrita ye pada-pallava-plavam mahat-padam punya-yaso murareh. Mahat-padam punya-yaso murareh. Murari. Murari means Krsna. One who takes shelter under the lotus feet of Krsna, then for him, this place, which is padam padam yad vipadam na tesam, a place wherein every step there is danger... This material world is supposed that every step there is danger. Just see. What we are doing? Innocent, culturing some spiritual process, and there are so many complaints. Just see. We are not stealing. We are not, I mean to say, making propaganda for some political purpose, nothing. Innocent thing we are doing. But still, somebody comes forward and puts some dangerous position. You see? So this is such a place. Lord Jesus Christ, his only fault was that he was preaching God's message. He was crucified. You see? So these things are... This place is like that. Even if you are innocent, still, you'll be put into danger. Therefore this place should be avoided. Padam padam yad vipadam: "Every step there is danger."

So one who takes to spiritual culture, for them, this place is unfit. Unfit. My Guru Maharaja used to say that "This place is not fit for any gentleman's living." (chuckles) He was to say like that, "This place is unfit for any gentleman's living." So yatate ca tato bhuyah samsiddhau kuru-nandana, kuru-nandana: "O My dear Arjuna, when he gets such chance to revive his old spiritual culture, automatically he tries for it sincerely." Kuru-nandana. Kuru-nandana. Yatate ca tato bhuyah. How? Purvabhyasena tenaiva: "Because he had his practice in his previous life, therefore it appeals to him." Nothing appeals anything more. He has got a taste from the previous life. So it appeals to him. Purvabhyasena tenaiva hriyate hy avaso 'pi sah. Just like somebody is forcing, "Oh, you take this. You take this." Just like one who is sinful, he is also forced to go to the Bowery Street. You see? Similarly, one who is pious in his life and has begun this spiritual..., he is forced to cultivate and make progress because if God is within you... God is within you. And sarvasya caham hrdi sannivistah. He is seated in everyone's heart. Mattah smrtir jnanam. He is... He gives reminders: "Yes. You missed this point from here. Now come on. Begin again. Be perfect. Don't lose this chance." He is so kind. Smrtir jnanam. He is giving knowledge, remembrance. And one who wants to forget God, "Oh, yes, you forget. You come to this here. Here is your place." He gives us chance in every way. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 6.40-44 -- New York, September 18, 1966