"The Krishna Connection"

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.19
Mayapura, September 29, 1974

---

Nitai: Translation: "Being beyond the range of limited sense perception, the eternally irreproachable factor covered by the curtain of deluding energy, You are invisible to the foolish observer, exactly as an actor dressed as a player is not recognized."

Prabhupada:

maya-javanikacchannam
ajnadhoksajam avyayam
na laksyase mudha-drsa
nato natyadharo yatha

So one side is maya-javanikacchannam. Maya, this illusory energy, is covering with the curtain. Just like we are seeing the Deity, but if there is a curtain, we cannot see. Similarly, there is a curtain which is illusory energy, maya. Big, big scientists, they cannot see what is behind this material nature. They cannot understand. Because the maya, this wonderful material energy, is acting in such a big curtain, they cannot understand that beyond this there is something else. They cannot understand. Maya-javanika acchannam. Illusory energy. They are thinking this material energy working, that is everything. Nothing beyond this. The whole world is covered. This is one side. And the other side: ajna.

Maya-javanikacchannam ajna... These materialistic persons, they are ajna, means they have no sufficient knowledge. Unless one develops the light of knowledge, sattva-guna... Sattva-guna is the light of knowledge. Rajo-guna and tamo-guna is darkness. Ignorance and passion. In this stage one cannot understand what is Krsna, what is God. Ajna. Rajas-tamo-bhavah. As we have discussed in Bhagavad, Srimad-Bhagavatam, rajas-tamo-bhavah, those who are infected with the two kinds of material modes, means rajo-guna and tamo-guna, they are simply busy, kama and lobha. They are busy only... Those who are passionate, they are simply busy for sense gratification, and those who are in ignorance, in darkness, they have no eyes to see.

So these two classes of men... Mostly people are infected with these two kinds of modes of material nature. Rajas-tamas. The whole world. At the present moment, especially, mostly ignorance, and some of them are passionate. That passionate tendency is engaging them for so many industries and very, very strong work, ugra-karma. Ugra-karma. Ugra-karma means very strong...? What is, should be the English word? Ugra... Ugra, just like chili, pungent. There are many things. They are very strong in taste. So ugra-karma, these... Just like they are building hundred-and-fifty-story building. People can live comfortably in a small cottage or one-storied house or little more. But no, they're increasing. Their passionate activities are increasing. Just like in your country, in New York, now there is hundred-and-four-storied building, or more than that. Some building?

Brahmananda: Hundred and ten.

Prabhupada: Hundred and ten.

Brahmananda: Two of them.

Prabhupada: Two of them. They're increasing. They are thinking by increasing the stories more and more, that is advancement of civili... But how long you will increase? If you make million stories, still, it is unlimited. That we can see. So many airplanes are running in the sky. What is that? Still, it is vast. So many sputniks are running in the sky. Still, it is vast. So it is simply desire, that "If I make a hundred-and-fifty-storied house, then my life is successful." So in this way, instead of not wasting valuable time of this human life, they are simply wasting time in this way. That is also explained in the Ramayana. Just the Ravana. He wanted to make a staircase up to the heavenly planet. It is like that. Ugra-karma. Why they are doing so? Ajna, ajna. Foolish people.

Now, if we say that "You are all foolish, rascal people. You are wasting your time in this way," they will think us crazy. And they think us like that, that we do not recommend these things. So it is very, very difficult to understand Krsna in this condition, in this situation. Maya-javanikacchannam and ajna, foolish people. Ajna. And the other, other side, Krsna is adhoksaja. Even one is advanced in knowledge... Knowledge means, our knowledge means we manufacture words or syllables from A to Z. That's all. ABCD. We compose words with these twenty-six, or how many? A to Z?

Devotee: Yes.

Prabhupada: Yes. That is... And in Sanskrit, as in English it is A to Z, similarly in Sanskrit, a, a, i, u, and the end is ksa. So a and ksa, that is called aksa. Aksa-ja. And ja means generated. So we also compose words, those who are Sanskrit scholars, they compose words from a to aksa, just like English they compose words from A to Z.

So our mental speculation and advancement of education is limited between this a and ksa, aksa. Aksa-ja. But Krsna is adhoksaja. Adhoksaja means where these kinds of speculation, beginning from a to ksa, will not act. Therefore His name is Adhoksaja. Adhah krta, cut down. (aside:) Why they are going? They are busy in some other work? Eh? Ugra-karma. Without hearing, what he will do, nonsense? Sravanam kirtanam, this is our main business. Sravanam. If you don't hear, what you will do? You will do simply sense gratification. That's all.

So this is difficulty, that we are not very much interested in hearing. And that is the main business. Our bhakti begins: sravanam kirtanam visnoh [SB 7.5.23]. We have to hear and we have to speak. But if we are not interested in hearing and speak, then it will be the same thakura-bari(?), simply formula. That's all. And gradually it will be stopped. Unless there is life of sravanam kirtanam, these big, big buildings, temples, will become burden. So if we are, if we want to create burden for future, then we may give up this hearing and chanting and sleep very nicely. It will be burden. Galagraha. Not sri-vigraha, but galagraha. Galagraha. Sri-vigraha means worshipable Deity. So if we give up this sravanam kirtanam visnoh, then it will be thought that "Our Guru Maharaja has given a burden in the neck, galagraha." This is the danger. So we must be very much alert in sravanam kirtanam. Otherwise all this labor will be futile. This building will be only the nest, nest for the doves and the pigeons. That is the danger. That is being done. Nobody is interested. Such, such things...

Now, who is, who can understand Krsna? There are so many impediments. One side, there is curtain of maya; another side, everyone is a rascal and fool; and another side, Krsna is beyond your sense perception. This is the position. How much one must be alert. Then one can understand. Just like the Gosvamis. Is Krsna is so easy thing to be understood? But there is process. So if we do not adopt the process, then how we can understand Krsna? These are the so many difficult things. One side, one thing is the maya is checking. Maya is trying to put stumbling block for your advancement of spiritual life. Maya-javanikacchannam. And the other side, we are all fools and rascals. And the, again, Krsna is adhoksaja, beyond the range of sense perception. This is the position.

So unless we become very serious to understand Krsna, it is very, very difficult to understand Krsna. Maya-javanikacchannam. On the one side, Kunti says, antar bahir avasthitam: "Krsna, You are within..." Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese [Bg. 18.61]. Krsna is not far away. Krsna is always with you. He, He's so friendly that just like two birds... It is said in the Upanisads: the one bird is eating the fruit of the tree; another bird is simply guiding and seeing. Because this material world, living entity wanted to enjoy. Just like you have seen that the dog and the master. The master is so friendly to the dog out of love. It is a dog, but when it is passing stool, he's waiting. Why? Is the duty of the master to wait because the dog is passing stool? No. Out of love. Out of love. We can see from practical example. Similarly... The master may be a great millionaire, but still, he loves the dog so much that on the morning walk he takes his dog and the dog is passing urine... What, what business dog has got? To pass urine and stool and go this way and that way. But the master is attending. Similarly, God, or Krsna, is so affectionate that we have come here in this material world simply to pass stool and urine, still He's attending. Still, He's attending. Just imagine what merciful is Krsna.

In the Upanisads it is said that two birds... The one bird is Paramatma. Krsna has become Paramatma. It is stated in the Bhagavad-gita that ksetra-ksetrajna. There are two things. One is this ksetra, this body. Ksetra, just the field. Just like we are tilling the field. And the tiller, the krsana. Similarly, we are, we have got this field, and we are growing our own, harvesting our own grains. Just like you are doing. So according to our labor, according to our attempt, we are getting food grains. Similarly, we have got this body, and I am, the spirit soul is the tiller. So according to my karma, I am getting the result. So similarly... Not only I am there, but Krsna is also there. He's seeing what you are doing, what you are doing, what you want more. Sarvasya caham hrdi sannivistah. Krsna says, "I am sitting in everyone's heart." Why? "Just to give him the facilities. This rascal living being has come to the material world to till the field to get some result. All right. Let him do that." Just like children play on the beach, do all nonsense, and the father sees, "All right, you have finished your business? Come on." So Krsna is like that. He is simply seeing. We are acting so nonsensically, and Krsna is giving us... The same way, a dog passing stool and urine, the master is attending. Or the father is seeing. The children are playing on the beach. They're making big, big house on the sand, and it has nothing, no value, but Krs..., the father is giving the opportunity, "All right, do it."

So Krsna is giving us all the facilities, but we are so fool that we cannot understand that Krsna is so friendly. That is... It is said, na laksyase mudha-drsa. They cannot see. Because mudha-drsa. Mudha means rascal, and drsa... Drsa means seeing. They have no power to see. A mudha cannot see. Rascals, they cannot see. They are very much proud: "Can you show me God?" But they do not think, "Whether I am qualified to see?" They are very much proud of these eyes. What is the value of this eye? Therefore Krsna says, "Yes, you can see Me, but according to My direction. You see Me: raso 'ham apsu kaunteya. You can see. It is very easy for you. You see Me in the water. While you taste, while you drink water, you see Me. I am the taste." So you are, everyone drinks water, and we get some taste. Otherwise why he's drinking water. So that taste, if you remember that "Here is Krsna," simply by tasting water, simply by drinking water, if you follow Krsna's instruction, one day you'll be a devotee. Krsna is so kind. Simply by drinking water. Simply we have to know how to see Krsna.

Therefore Kuntidevi says, na laksyase mudha-drsa. The mudha, the rascal, is so foolish... Krsna says that "You see Me in the taste of water," but these rascals: "Hah! This is humbug. This is humbug. How, in the taste, Krsna is there? I want to see in my own eyes." But you haven't got that eyes. Just develop your eyes gradually. Just like one is suffering from some eye disease. So take some medicine, then gradually, your eyesight will be improved. Take the spectacle, some power, then more power, more power. So... But they'll not take the instruction of Krsna, the instruction of spiritual master. So they want to remain mudha-drsa, rascal and fool. And still they want to see Krsna. This is the difficulty. Na laksyase mudha-drsa. If you do not improve your eyes according to the direction of sastra..., sadhu-sastra-guru, these three things, then how you'll see Krsna? Krsna is saying. That is sastra. Sastra means what is said by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is sastra. And guru. Guru says the same thing. And sadhu says the same thing.

Sadhu-guru test means they do not change the words of Krsna. They do not say, "Now I have manufactured something. Krsna says that ‘You can see Me in the taste of water.' I can say that you can see in this way: ‘You see me and you will see Krsna.' " Just (as) the Mayavadi says, "You think of me." In the Aurobindo Ashram, there they have no other business. The disciples are advised that "Whatever you like, you can do. You should always think of Aurobindo." Just like Krsna says, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. I inquired from the inmates of the Aurobindo Ashram. So I (inquired,) "What do you do?" "That we think of Aurobindo." They are... Because Aurobindo thinks that he is Krsna. As Krsna says, man-mana bhava mad-bhaktah, so they advise that "You think of me." So the inmates, they think and smoke bidi and cigarette. That's all. I have seen it. So these things are going on. Mudha-drsa. If we want to remain mudha-drsa, then it will be difficult for us to see Krsna. We have dedicated our life to see Krsna, to talk with Krsna, to play with Krsna, to have Krsna as our son, to have Krsna as our friend, to Krsna as our lover. If this is our ambition, then we should not remain a mudha-drsa, foolishly...

So we have to follow the mahajano yena gatah... As Kunti's advising. Kunti is, she knows how to see Krsna. She knows, "Here is Krsna. Although He's playing the part of my brother's son, nephew, but actually, He's the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Just like Arjuna. Arjuna, he was talking like friend, but when he saw that "It is impossible to solve this problem... I am inclined not to fight and kill my relatives, but the duty is to kill them..." It is a very perplexed position. So therefore he accepted Krsna as guru. He said that "I do not find anyone else who can solve my, this problem. Therefore Krsna, I am surrendering unto You." Sisyas te 'ham sadhi mam prapannam. "Now we are not talking as friends. I accept You as guru." When one accepts somebody as guru, he cannot argue. That is the condition. Pranipatena, sampurna, fully surrendered. Otherwise there is no meaning of making a guru. It is not like that, a pet dog, that "Everyone makes guru, and let me guru, let me have a guru." But that is not the... Guru means first of all the condition is pranipata, fully surrendered. Not that "If I like, then I shall carry your order. And if I don't like, then I shall not do it." That is not acceptance of guru. Pranipata. First of all, we must agree. So because friends and friends talking... A friend may agree with his friend. He may not agree with... That is friendly talk. But Arjuna became sisyas te 'ham: "I am now Your sisya, disciple. Now there is no question of disagreeing with You. Whatever You'll say, I will accept." So at last Krsna said, "Surrender unto Me." And Arjuna did it. That is the whole purpose of Bhagavad-gita. He changed his decision. He changed. He did not want to fight. That was his decision. But when he accepted Krsna as guru and He said that "You must fight. It is my desire. Even you don't find these people are not going back home, they will be killed here, that is my already plan..."

So these things are discussed in the Bhagavad-gita. So if we remain mudha-drsa, in spite of opening our eyes in so many ways by Krsna, by guru, by sastra, if still, if we remain mudha-drsa, then how we can see Krsna? That is not possible. Therefore it is said, na laksyase mudha-drsa: "If we keep our eyes still mudha, illusioned, then we cannot see You." How? Nato natyadharo yatha. Exactly... Krsna... Just like one of my relatives, he is playing before me, but because I am mudha-drsa, my eyesight or my intelligence is not correct, I am seeing that somebody else... I see that my relative, my brother or father or friend, is dancing on the stage, but he is dressed in such a way that in spite of being present in my front, I cannot recognize. So if we remain mudha-drsa, then we cannot see Krsna. Otherwise Krsna is everywhere. Akhilatma-bhutah. In the Brahma-samhita it said, goloka eva nivasaty akhilatma-bhutah [Bs. 5.37]. Although He's living in Goloka Vrndavana, He's everywhere. Then how can I see? Premanjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santah sadaiva hrdayesu vilokayanti [Bs. 5.38]. Those who have developed love for Krsna, they can see always, twenty-four hours, Krsna and nothing but Krsna. This is the process.

So we have to increase our attachment, our love for Krsna. Mayy asakta-manah partha yogam yunjan mad-asrayah. The... This is also explained. Everything is there. Mayy asakta. We have to increase our attachment for Krsna, our love of Krsna. Then we shall see Krsna always.

premanjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena
santah sadaiva hrdayesu vilokayanti
yam syamasundaram acintya-guna-svarupam
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
[Bs. 5.38]

These are the practical experience of mahajana, Brahma. The Brahma-samhita is written by Brahma. He's mahajana. Mahajana means the person who knows Krsna. The mahajanas are described, you know. Twelve mahajanas. Naradah svayambhuh sambhuh. Narada is mahajana, and Brahma is mahajana, Svayambhu. And Lord Siva is mahajana. Kapilah kumaro manuh prahlado bhismah. The mahajanas are there. So we have to follow. Mahajano yena gatah sa panthah. We should not remain mudha-drsa. We should follow the mahajanas and the sadhus, sastra. And they recommend... The most important process is sravanam. Srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah punya-sravana-kirtanah [SB 1.2.17]. If we don't hear about Krsna, then how we'll make advance? We have to hear. My Guru Maharaja was very kind upon me because I was very much interested to hear him. That you know. I hear him. I did not understand him, actually. In the beginning I could not understand him. He was speaking in so high philosophical way that it was not... Still, I wanted to hear him. That was my only qualification.

So the... It is the process. During lecture time, if we don't care to hear or we do other things or take rest, that is not very good sign. We should be very much careful. Then we shall remain mudha-drsa. Nato natyadharo yatha. We have taken the vow to see Krsna or to understand Krsna. We should be very, very serious and do the needful. Then our life will be successful.

Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.19 -- Mayapura, September 29, 1974

"How To See Greatness Of God"

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.18
New York, April 10, 1973

Take a test

---

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

kunty uvaca
namasye purusam tvadyam
isvaram prakrteh param
alaksyam sarva-bhutanam
antar bahir avasthitam

Translation: "Srimati Kunti said: O Krsna, I offer my obeisances unto You because You are the original personality and are unaffected by the qualities of the material world. You are existing both within and without everything, yet You are invisible to all."

Prabhupada: So this is the position of God, that He is everywhere. Andantara-stha-paramanu-cayantara-stham. He is within this universe; He is within the atom also. Andantara-stha-paramanu-caya...

eko 'py asau racayitum jagad-anda-kotim
yac-chaktir asti jagad-anda-caya yad-antah
andantara-stha-paramanu-cayantara-stham
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
[Bs. 5.35]

This is Brahma-samhita. The Lord, by expansion of one of His plenary portion, He is existing within this universe. Not only within the universe, but within the atom also. Anor aniyan mahato mahiyan. This is God's qualification, that He can become greater than the greatest. Just like we have got conception the greatest -- this universe. We cannot even imagine how long, how far it is extended. But such universes are coming out from the breathing of Maha-Visnu. Yah karanarnava-jale bhajati sma yoga-nidram ananta-jagad-anda-saroma-kupah [Bs. 5.47]. From His breathing, when He exhales, innumerable universes come out, and when He inhales, all those universes again enters. Bhutva bhutva praliyate. It is generated and again annihilated. This is going on. This is one side, that innumerable universes can be put into the nostril hole of the Maha-Visnu. And another side, He can enter even within the atom. This is God consciousness. Anor aniyan mahato mahiyan. He is greater than the greatest. We generally say, "God is great," but we do not know how great He is. People say, "God is great," but we have no conception how great He is. He is so great that He can swallow innumerable universes within His belly.

Just like when Krsna was challenged by His mother that "Show me Your face. You say that You have not eaten the earth. Your friends complained, and You say that You have not eaten. So I want to see. Open Your mouth." So when He opened, (s)he saw all the universes within the mouth. All the universes. He proved, "My dear mother, not only a little earth, but the whole universe is within My mouth." (laughter) So when mother Yasoda was astonished, she thought something illusory, "All right, don't do it again. That's all." (laughter) She does not know that "Here is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. To show me His mercy He has become my child." She does not know. She always thinks, "He is my child. He is under my control."

This is the relationship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead with His devotees. This is wanted. Simply to understand "God is very great," that is not sufficient knowledge. When you deal with the great, exchange your relationship with the great, that is perfect. That is perfect. Suppose your president is very great. That's all right. Everyone knows, "President is very great." But what shall I derive out of that? When I actually deal with him, I become his friend, I become his servant, I become his secretary, I become... Some way or other, if I am related with that great personality, that is my benefit. Otherwise what is the use knowing, "Oh, President Nixon is very great"? There are so many... What I am deriving from that great? This is Krsna consciousness. The Mayavadi philosophers, they simply remain silent, "Oh, God is very great," and they cannot imagine how great He is. But a devotee can understand how great He is. He can see that innumerable universes are within the mouth of God. This is the position of devotee. This is not sufficient knowledge: "God is great. God must be great." That's all right. But unless you come in dealing with that great, you cannot relish actually what is God and how great He is.

So here Kunti says, alaksyam sarva-bhutanam. Sarva-bhutanam, "All living entities..." alaksyam, "You are invisible, invisible, although," antar bahir avasthitam, "You are within and without." God is within yourself. Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati [Bg. 18.61]. Isvara, the Supreme Lord, is situated in everyone's heart. The yoga system means to see, find out that God, Paramatma, or meditate upon Him. Now the yoga system has come down as bodily exercise to keep the health very good, to reduce fat, this is yoga system. This is not yoga system. This is a bodily exercise. Real yoga is that God is within me, but He is invisible, alaksyam. Antar bahih, although He is within and without, still I cannot see.

So meditation means concentrating the mind to find out God, where He is within my heart. That is real perfection of yoga. So people do not know this science. Here it is nicely explained that antar bahir avasthitam. The virad-rupa... Just like Arjuna wanted to see the gigantic form of God. He showed him. So we can see the gigantic form in this universe. That is described in the Bhagavatam. You have read that the big, big mountains, hills, they are the bones of the gigantic form. So they are described. The highest planetary system, Brahmaloka, is the head, or what it is called? Skull? What is this portion? Skull. So the rivers are the veins. The seas are holes like here we have got. In this way it is all described, the gigantic form. So... And gigantic form, at the same time, He is within your heart, very small form.

So He is within and without. Simply we have to purify our eyes to see Him. That's all. You can see God without and within, but you cannot see with these eyes. These materially contaminated eyes or materially contaminated senses, you cannot understand by these senses. But God can be perceived, can be seen, by these senses, by these eyes, when you purify it. That purificatory process is Krsna consciousness. The more you purify, the more you can see God within and without. Atah sri-krsna-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih [BRS. 1.2.234]. The indriya, these senses, cannot perceive, cannot see, cannot touch, cannot hear namadi. Unless you are purified, you cannot hear also Krsna name. Unless you are purified, the name enters this ear and goes out in this ear. You cannot appreciate. Therefore purificatory process is required.

People are affected with three kinds of material qualities: goodness, passion and ignorance. Generally, they are affected by the lower two qualities -- ignorance and passion. Rajas-tamah. How do we know that "This man is in the modes of goodness and this man is in the modes of passion and this man is in the modes of ignorance"? How do we know? By the symptoms. By the symptoms. When one is affected by the lower qualities, rajas-tamah, passion and ignorance, his symptoms are that he is very greedy and lusty. These are the symptoms. As soon as you find a person is very greedy and lusty, he is to be understood under the control of the lower-grade qualities of this material world. And sattva-guna means prakasa, illumination. When one is situated in the goodness, that is brahminical qualification. Satyam samo damas titiksa. He is truthful, he is controlling the mind, controlling the senses, sama, dama; titiksa, he is tolerant; titiksa, arjavam, he is simple, simplicity. Samo damas titiksa suci, he is clean; jnanam, he knows things what it is; vijnanam, he can apply the knowledge in practical life, jnanam vijnanam astikyam. Astikyam means to have firm faith in God. He knows that God is there. God is there and he knows that God is within, God is without. These are the symptoms of a person who is in goodness.

So these three classes of men are there. So Krsna consciousness movement means to bring persons from the wretched, low qualities, ignorance and passion, to bring him to the platform of goodness. And that goodness also has to be purified. In the material world the goodness is also attacked by the other, lower qualities. Big, big men, very good men, but there are so many defects. Because unless... First of all you have to come to the platform of goodness, brahminical position. Then you have to purify that goodness, sattvam visuddham, visuddha-sattva, vasudeva-sattva, vasudeva platform. Then you will be able to understand what is God. It is not so cheap thing that one can understand God so easily while he is in the modes of material nature, especially the lower grade modes.

So at the present moment, most people, they are in the lower grades of the material qualities, ignorance and passion. Therefore you see all over the world, rajas-tamo-bhavah kama-lobha. Every man is greedy and lusty. Every man. So in this position, it is very difficult. Alaksyam sarva-bhutanam. So unless you change this quality... This quality can be changed. It is not that it is stereotyped. How these European, American boys and girls, they are coming to Krsna consciousness? How? They have changed their quality. By the process, we have got this process. In this process we can change the quality. That process is explained in the Bhagavad-gita:

mam ca yo 'vyabhicarena
bhakti-yogena sevate
sa gunan samatityaitan
brahma-bhuyaya kalpate
[Bg. 14.26]

Krsna says, "One who is engaged in My unalloyed service," avyabhicarena, "no adulteration, pure devotional service..." Mam ca yo 'vyabhicarena [Bg. 14.26].

bhakti-yogena sevate, one who is engaged in the service of the Lord, purified, unalloyed... Unalloyed means no motive, no motive. Anyabhilasita-sunyam [BRS 1.1.11]. Other motives, completely zero. Generally, they go to temple to church, to..., or mosque, generally, they go with a motive. Just like in the Christian world, they go that "God must be order supplier. We shall pray to God, and He must supply. Then I accept God. This is the condition. And if He does not supply my order, I don't care for this God." So they are not going to become servant of God. They want to make God his servant: "God, give us our daily bread." That's all right. God is giving daily bread. Why you are asking, bothering God? He is supplying to millions and trillions of living entities, and why not to you? He'll also supply. That is not our problem, that God will supply our bread. He is supplying without asking. Do the animals go to the church and ask for bread? But they are getting sufficient. They are getting sufficient.

Therefore God consciousness does not mean any motive to take from some God, something from God. That is not God consciousness. You give everything to God. That is God consciousness. Just like the conception of accepting God as child. That is better conception (than) to accept God as father, because from father we simply take away: "Father, give me this, give me that, give me that, give me that." And if you accept God as child, then you have to give everything. This is Gaudiya-Vaisnava conception. Yasodamayi. (S)He has accepted, (s)he is worshiping God as child, so that she is always engaged that Krsna may not be in any inconvenience, about His body, about His comforts. Always mother Yasoda is anxious that "Krsna is now very naughty. He may not capture some monkey, He may not fall down on the water, He may not be burnt in the fire." Always anxious. Because this is Krsna consciousness. She is always anxious to give protection to Krsna. The best service. Krsna does not require anyone's service. He is complete, purnam. But for pleasing His devotee, He becomes dependent. He is bothering mother, "I am hungry. Why don't you give Me food. I will steal butter, your stock."

So this philosophy, Gaudiya-Vaisnava philosophy, is very sublime, to accept God as subordinate. Krsna says in Caitanya-caritamrta, you will find, that "Everyone worships Me with awe and veneration. But if anyone worships Me without any awe, veneration, and treats Me as insignificant, I like that. (laughter) I like that." So that exchange of Krsna's feelings you can find in this Gaudiya-Vaisnava philosophy, that mother Yasoda is treating Krsna as very insignificant. "He is my child. If I don't give Him protection, He will die." Therefore Krsna is very much obliged to mother Yasoda. Yes. But nobody... Everyone comes to God, "Oh, God is so exalted and..." That He is hearing throughout, but when the mother Yasoda comes and chastises Him, He likes it very much. Yes, yes, likes it very much.

So Krsna, although He happened to be nephew of Kunti... Kunti was Krsna's father's sister. But because (s)he was devotee, she knew that "Krsna also, although He is playing the part of my nephew, He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Therefore she said, namasye purusam tvadyam isvaram prakrteh param: "You are isvara, You are the controller." What kind of controller? There are so many, food controller and house controller, these... You have got. No. Not that kind of controller. Prakrteh param: "You are controller. Your position is beyond this material world," prakrteh. Prakrti means this material world. Prakrteh param. That means these controllers within this material world, they are produced at a certain date and they will be finished at a certain date, these controllers. Just like your President Nixon. He is controller of your country, but his controlling power is given at a certain date and it will be finished at a certain date. So Kunti says, "You are not that kind of controller, that Your controlling power begins at a certain date and finishes at a certain date." Therefore, prakrteh param. In the prakrti, within the material nature, we have got some controlling power. Everyone. But that has the beginning and ending. As our life begins and ends, everything here in this material world, it has a beginning and end. But Krsna's controlling power is not like that. He says, she says, namasye purusam tu adyam: "You are the original person. You have created this cosmos. So before the creation of the cosmos, You were controller, and when the cosmos will end, You will remain controller." Therefore prakrteh param. "Within the prakrti, within the material nature, everything has got beginning and end, limited. You are not that kind of controller." Prakrteh param, eternal.

Another understanding is that because Krsna is controller, beyond this material nature, therefore He is not a product of this material nature. The Mayavadi philosophers, they cannot understand. Their poor fund of knowledge... If God has created this material world, then He must not be anything of this material world. Because before creation He was existing, and after creation, after annihilation, He will remain, then how He can be anything of this material world? Material world, anything has got a beginning and end. But God is beyond this material world. He was existing... He said, "Let there be creation." Just like in your Bible it is said. So there was creation. So how He can be one of the created beings? By His wish there was creation. And another thing is then His desires, His wish, they are nothing of this material world. They are spiritual. Prakrteh param means "superior to this material world."

In the Bhagavad-gita, you understand, there are two kinds of nature: para and apara. So this material nature is apara, apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakrtim param. Apareyam. Bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh. The land, water, fire, air, sky, these five elements, they are described in the Bhagavad-gita, bhinna me prakrtir astadha: "They are separated energy, inferior quality energy. But beyond this inferior quality energy, I have got another superior quality of energy." What is that? Jiva-bhuta. You can understand that jiva-bhuta, the living entities. Yayedam dharyate jagat. Because jiva-bhuta, we living entities, we are superior than the matter because we are controlling the matter. Just like we have been in the riverside, so many things, material things, we saw. But who has made it? The living entities. The matter has not come into so many forms without the touch of the living entity. Everyone can understand. The big, big ship, how it has come into existence? Because a living entity planned, engineered how to do it, and he brought material things, and he manufactured it. Therefore this inferior energy, the material things, they are subordinate to the spiritual energy.

Therefore Krsna, when He is prakrteh param, He is beyond this material nature. His body, His activities, His pastimes, His name, His form, everything, it is not material. Therefore Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, janma karma me divyam yo janati tattvatah. If everyone simply tries to understand Krsna as He is in truth, then he becomes liberated, simply by understanding Krsna. This is Krsna consciousness movement. You try to understand Krsna not by speculation, but as Krsna says, as God says, or as a Krsna devotee says. Just like Kunti. Kunti is a devotee of Krsna. She said that "You are prakrteh param." She is authority. She is authority, because devotee, every devotee, pure devotee, they are confidential. Otherwise how Krsna has accepted to become her nephew? Just like Krsna has accepted to become the son of Yasodamayi or Devaki, similarly, He has accepted to become a nephew of Kuntidevi. This prayer was offered by Kunti when Krsna was taking leave. After establishing them, after the battle of Kuruksetra, when everything was settled up and Krsna was going back to Dvaraka, so He came to offer His respects to His aunt, Kuntidevi, and when the farewell was taking place, Kunti offered this prayer to Krsna. Namasye, namasye. He happens to be nephew, but she is offering his obeisances. Because (s)he knows, "He is playing the part of my nephew, but He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Therefore although she is superior in position because aunt, she is offering namasye, "I offer my respectful obeisances unto You." This is the position.

So God is invisible, who? For the persons who have no eyes to see Him. Alaksyam. Although He is everywhere: andantara-stha-paramanu-cayantara-stham, idam hi visvam bhagavan. This visvam, this universe, is the transformation of the energy of Krsna. Therefore... The energy is not different from the energetic. Therefore the whole world is Krsna, whole world is Krsna. So we have to make our eyes. That eyes can be purified, as it is stated in the Brahma-samhita, premanjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santah sadaiva hrdayesu vilokayanti [Bs. 5.38]. Santah, those who are saintly persons, those who have developed love for God, prema, that anjana, that ointment, who have smear the ointment of love on the eyes... So then... Just like we apply sometimes ointment and curna... What is called in English, curna? Powder, something? Anyway... So when our eyes are cleansed we thinks clearly; similarly, if we apply the ointment of love of God on the eyes, then we can see God. Just like Arjuna, Krsna. Kunti is seeing. Others, they do not understand that Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but the Pandavas, and the Pandavas' mother, they know that "Here is Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Alaksyam. Just like Krsna was exhibiting His virad-rupa in the battlefield of Kuruksetra. Only Arjuna was seeing, nobody else.

So God reveals Himself to the devotee. Although... Just like Prahlada Maharaja was seeing that Nrsimhadeva has come, and his father, atheist father, he was challenging, "Where is your God?" So God is everywhere, but He is not visible to the nondevotee. But one who is devotee, he can see Him. Every... Not only once. Premanjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santah sadaiva [Bs. 5.38]. Sadaiva means always. He is seeing always Krsna. That is the position of saintly person. Premanjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santah sadaiva hrdayesu [Bs. 5.38]. Hrdayesu, in the heart, vilokayanti, they see.

So if you can see God, you can talk with God, if you can go back to home, back to God, why should you lose this opportunity? This opportunity is in the human being. You can see God, you can talk with God, you can go back home, back to God. Everything is possible. And that is Krsna consciousness movement.

Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.18 -- New York, April 10, 1973

'Democracy' vs. Divine Rule

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.18
Mayapura, September 28, 1974

---

Prabhupada: Now, you editor, I think it has to be correct. Tva means "You." It is not "although." Read.

Nitai: (reads translation responsively with devotees) "Srimati Kunti said: O Krsna, I offer my obeisances unto You because You are the original personality and are unaffected by the qualities of material nature. You are existing both within and without everything, yet You are invisible to all."

Prabhupada:

namasye purusam tvadyam
isvaram prakrteh param
alaksyam sarva-bhutanam
antar bahir avasthitam

So Kunti is the aunt, pisima, aunt of Krsna. Vasudeva's sister, Kunti. So when Krsna was going back to Dvaraka, after finishing the Battle of Kuruksetra and establishing Maharaja Yudhisthira on the throne, His mission... His mission was that Duryodhana should be thrown out, and Yudhisthira must sit down on the throne. Dharma, Dharmaraja.

That is the desire of Krsna, or God, that the state executive head should be as pious as Maharaja Yudhisthira. That is the scheme. Unfortunately, people do not want that. They have now discovered this democracy. Democracy... "Demon-cracy." Shortcut of "demon-cracy" is "democracy." All the demons and rogues, they gather together, somehow or other votes, and occupy the seat, and the business is plundering. The business is plundering. If we talk very much upon this, it will not be very favorable, but according to sastra... We, we talk according to sastra, that the democracy means assembly of rogues and plunderers. That is the statement in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Dasyu-dharmabhih. The government men will be all dasyu. Dasyu means plunderer. Not pickpocket. Pickpocket, somehow or other, if you do not understand, takes something from your pocket, and the plunderer, or the dasyu, he catches you and by force, "If you don't spare your money, I shall kill you." They are called dasyu.

So the, in the present age of Kali, the government men will be dasyu. This is stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Dasyu-dharmabhih. You can, we can see practically. You cannot keep your money. You earn with hard labor, but you cannot keep gold, you cannot keep jewelry, you cannot keep money. And... They will take it away by laws. So they make law that... Yudhisthira Maharaja was just quite opposite. He wanted to see that every citizen is so happy that they are not troubled even by excessive heat and excessive cold. Ati-vyadhi. They are not suffering from any disease, they are not suffering from excessive climatic influence, eating very nicely, and feeling security of person and property. That was Yudhisthira Maharaja. Not only Yudhisthira Maharaja. Almost all the kings, they were like that.

So Krsna is the original king. Because He is stated here, purusam adyam isvaram. Isvaram means controller. He's the original controller. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita. Mayadhyaksena [Bg. 9.10]. Mayadhyaksena prakrtih suyate sa-caracaram. Even this material nature, wonderful things are going on, that is being controlled by Krsna. This is to be understood. So we are reading Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam and other Vedic literature. What is the purpose? The purpose is vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah [Bg. 15.15]. The purpose is to understand Krsna. If you don't understand Krsna, then your reading of so-called Vedas and Vedantas and Upanisads, they are useless waste of time. So here Kunti is directly saying that "My dear Krsna, You are adyam purusam, the original person. And isvaram. You are not ordinary person. You are the supreme controller." That is understanding of Krsna. Isvarah paramah krsnah [Bs. 5.1]. Everyone is controller, but the supreme controller is Krsna.

So although this material world is condemned... Duhkhalayam asasvatam [Bg. 8.15], Krsna says. It is also Krsna's kingdom. Because everything belongs to God, Krsna. So this condemned place is created for suffering of the condemned persons. Who are condemned? Those who have forgotten Krsna and wants to become happy independently, they are all condemned demons. And those who are surrendered to Krsna, they are not condemned. That is the difference. So although Krsna has created this material world for the condemned persons, still, He wants to see that they are having their necessities of life and..., so that they may live prosperously. And let them enjoy for some time this material world according to their inclination. But at last, let them come back home, back to home, back to Godhead. Just like the prisoners: they are condemned, and the government puts them into jail. So for their criminality they are punished within the jail. But the government does not want that these prisoners may remain perpetually within the jail. The same thing. Try to understand. Government does not want. Government wants that "They have been condemned. So for their criminality, let them suffer for some time. And then they correct themselves and again they are freed." Not that government does...

Sometimes government arranges nice instruction, classes. Perhaps those who were with me in Ahmedabad... We were invited by the jail authorities to speak. Who were with me? Nobody? In Ahmedabad?

Devotee: I was.

Prabhupada: Yes. So I was given place just in front of the room where Gandhi was imprisoned. That, that room is considered as sacred. So government makes such arrangement that "These prisoners may be corrected." Similarly, in this material world, although we are all condemned... Anyone who is within this material world, he is condemned. Simply there is division. Just like in jail also, there are first-class prisoners, there are second-class prisoners and third-class prisoners. The first-class prisoners, they are given some facilities. Just like political prisoners, they are given separate bungalow and servants, newspaper, book. But they cannot go out of the prison. That is called first class. Similarly, there are second class. And third class, ordinary.

So here also, we are first-class, second-class, third-class prisoners. Therefore we find so many varieties of living condition. But we are all prisoners. And He's the supreme controller. Therefore Krsna, as supreme controller, He wants His representative to rule over this material world. That is Krsna's mission. In every planet there is a person, representative of Krsna, who is ruling over the planet. Just like the sun planet. The sun planet is being ruled by the sun-god. His name is Vivasvan. He was also instructed by Krsna, and that is explained in the Fourth Chapter: imam vivasvate yogam proktavan aham avyayam [Bg. 4.1]. "I spoke this philosophy of Bhagavad-gita..." Just like He spoke to Arjuna, similarly He spoke also. And who can know? He spoke to all the rulers of different planets -- Indra, Candra, Varuna, sun-god, moon-god, that... So many. Thirty-three millions of planets and thirty-three millions of rulers. So He wants His representative.

So it is the duty of the representative of Krsna to reform these condemned persons to Krsna consciousness. This is their duty. Krsna wants that "These rascals, these condemned persons, who are suffering in this material world, and they cannot understand that ‘We are suffering...' They are making plan. No plan will be successful." Daivi hy esa gunamayi mama maya duratyaya [Bg. 7.14]. You can make your plan, but it will never be successful. The only plan will be successful. What is that? Mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam taranti te [Bg. 7.14]. That is the only plan. There is no other plan. But these rascals, they are being put into severe penalties. Duhkhalayam asasvatam [Bg. 8.15]. More and mo... The more they are forgetting God, they are put in, they are put into more and more miserable condition. Practically we see, with the advancement Kali-yuga, people are forgetting his relationship with Krsna, and the price of commodity and the food grains, the price is increasing. They cannot eat sufficiently. So many people are dying of starvation. If they cannot eat, how they will live?

Therefore Krsna gives His instruction. He's the supreme ruler. He gives this order: annad bhavanti bhutani: "You require food grains." This is practical. Who will disagree with Krsna, that "We don't require food grains; we require bolts and nuts in the factory"? Who will say? This is practical. So they do not... Just like we see here that, that they do not grow food grains. They are growing jute because they will get some money, more money. But the rascal does not know that "I will get more money, and it will be taken away next by the food grain seller." So similarly, we are interested in industry, in plan-making, this, that, so many things. But Krsna does not say that "You open slaughterhouse and industries and brothels and cinema." No. Krsna does not say. Krsna says, "Grow more food, rascal! You'll eat and become strong." And nobody is obeying Krsna. Is it not? Practically try to understand Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavata. Not by sentiment. And preach this philosophy all over the world.

What Krsna says, that is practical. Annad bhavanti bhutani parjanyad anna-sambhavah. "How we shall get anna? There is no rain." You see nowadays, there is no rain. Why? Because you are, we are all rascals. We do not know how to get rain. Krsna says, parjanyad anna-sambhavah: "There will be food grains when there is sufficient rain." And how rain there will be? Yajnad bhavati parjanyah: [Bg. 3.14] "And if you perform yajna, then there will be sufficient rain." So nowadays you, people may say, "How to perform yajna? It requires so much money, so much ghee, so much food grains to offer as oblations." But Krsna has made it very easy. Yajnaih sankirtana-prayair yajanti hi sumedhasah [SB 11.5.32]. Yajnaih sankirtana-prayaih. I know, the sastras know that in the Kali-yuga it will be very difficult to perform the ritualistic yajna ceremony because people will be poor, poverty-stricken. Where they will get ghee, and where they will get grains? No. This is yajna: kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha. Harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam [Adi 17.21]. This is yajna.

So people are so rascal, they will not even chant Hare Krsna mantra. Krsna, svayam bhagavan... Caitanya Mahaprabhu, He introduced. Sankirtanaika-pitarau. Gaura and Nityananda is the father of the sankirtana movement. Therefore Vrndavana dasa Thakura has offered his prayer, sankirtanaika-pitarau ajanu-lambita-bhujau kanakavadhatau, sankirtanaika-pitarau kamalayataksau vande maha-purusa te caranaravindam(?). So Krsna is teaching. Krsna is so kind. He's personally teaching. That is perform yajna. He's personally chanting, dancing, Caitanya Mahaprabhu. The picture is in our front. Personally He's teaching us, "Perform this yajna, you rascal, and you'll get everything. You'll get everything." Now, where is the proof? The proof is Krsna consciousness movement. We are simply chanting Hare Krsna maha-mantra and spending crores of rupees. Simply. What we are doing? We are not doing any business. We have not many professional men. But why we are getting...? We are spending eight lakhs of rupees per month. And we have got food, we have got milk. We are, rather, feeding others also, bringing food. So why don't you see practically how these Krsna conscious people... They... They know that we are fabulously rich. This question was raised in Parliament also. So how we became fabulously rich? We do not do anything. I have not taught you anything magic. I simply request you, "Chant Hare Krsna mantra sixteen times please!" But you... We are not even following that. This is the only remedy. Yajnaih sankirtana-prayair yajanti hi sumedhasah [SB 11.5.32].

So Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Isvara. He's teaching us this yajna. He's giving us the hint. Yajnad bhavati parjanyah [Bg. 3.14]. If you do not accept this movement, then you'll go on suffering, suffering, suffering, suffering. If you don't accept this principle, then your future is simply suffering.

prayenalpayusah sabhya
kalav asmin yuge janah
mandah sumanda-matayo
manda-bhagya hy upadrutah
[SB 1.1.10]

This is the symptoms of Kali-yuga. Manda-bhagyah, all unfortunate. All unfortunate. Everyone must suffer. This is the position. But if you chant Hare Krsna maha-mantra, perform the yajna... Because this is the instruction by the Supreme Person. Purusam tva adyam. Adyam purusam, the original person. The origin of everything. Janmady asya yatah [SB 1.1.1]. The Supreme Person from whom everything has come down. That is the order. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu taught us that harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam [Adi 17.21],... We are certainly in difficult position, but the only remedy is that we must chant the holy name of the Lord repeatedly. And that will solve all the problems. You preach this cult all over the world.

So Krsna is the original person. He has admitted, and sastra admits, and here is another authority, Kunti. Kunti, the mother of the Pandavas. Kunti's not ordinary woman. Krsna has gone to offer His respect, to take the dust of her feet. Because materially she happens to be aunt of Krsna, elderly lady, superior. So Krsna has gone to pay His respect before departing. That is the system, Vedic system, to offer respect to the superior first of all. Before going... "No..." Krsna is going. "(S)he knows that ‘I am Personality of Godhead.' " No. Krsna was touching the feet of Maharaja Yudhisthira because he was elder brother. When Krsna used to come at the Pandavas' house, every Pandavas knew that Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It was not unknown to them. But Krsna was coming down and touching the feet of Maharaja Yudhisthira. And Maharaja Yudhisthira was not returning. He was embracing Him because He was younger brother. So this is the etiquette.

So the idea is that Krsna is the original person. That is admitted by Arjuna also.

param brahma param dhama
pavitram paramam bhavan
purusam sasvatam divyam
adi-devam ajam vibhum
[Bg. 10.12]

They know, knew it. Not only Kunti knows. But Krsna was, when present, how many people knew Him? Only the Pandavas knew Him perfectly. The Pandava family. And some of the other, Kuru family. Bhisma knew Him. Even Dhrtarastra also knew Him. And many other saintly persons, Vyasadeva, Devala, Narada Muni. Narada Muni, of course, does not belong to this planet. So to know Krsna is not very easy job. Manusyanam sahasresu kascid yatati siddhaye [Bg. 7.3]. Still, if Krsna is pleased, then He can make Himself known to a devotee. Athapi te deva padambuja-dvaya-prasada-lesanugrhita eva hi, janati tattvam. Anyone who is in receipt of little favor of Krsna, he can understand Krsna.

So Krsna is the original person. Another significance of this verse: Krsna is not woman. Just like there are some so-called speculators, that "Krsna is also... Krsna, the Absolute Truth, or the Supreme Person, can, is also woman." But He's not woman. He can assume the role of woman if He likes, but does not mean He's woman, woman. He's man. Man means the enjoyer. Man, or purusa. Not man. Purusa. So They are purusavatara. The three Visnus, They are called purusavatara. Karanarnavasayi Visnu and the Garbhodakasayi Visnu and Ksirodakasayi Visnu, They are called purusavatara. So Krsna is purusa. Krsna is the enjoyer. And adyam, the original enjoyer. Adyam, purusam. But what kind of purusa? Like you and me? Just like we are also assuming purusa, "I am male." Not like you. Prakrteh param. These purusa... I am purusa, another man is, another living entity is woman. These are dresses given by this material nature.

Actually, we are not purusa. We are all prakrtis. It is stated in the Bhagavad-gita,

apareyam itas tv anyam
prakrtim viddhi me param
jiva-bhutam maha-baho
yayedam dharyate jagat

We are all prakrtis. Don't try to become enjoyer. Prakrti means enjoyed. Prakrti is predominated, and purusa is the predominator. So because we are, actually our constitutional position is to become predominated and we are trying artificially to become predominator, that is the trouble. Every one of us, we are trying to become predominator. Actually, we should be predominated. So when we agree to become predominated and agree to surrender to Krsna, "Yes, Krsna, I was so long under misconception that I am predominator. You are predominator. I am predominated. So I surrender unto You." Manasa deha geha jo kichu mora, arpilun tuwa pade nanda-kisora. This is Bhaktivinoda Thakura's statement. If we become like that, then we'll be happy, to be predominated.

And don't try to become imitator. But the imitation is so strong that even persons who are very much elevated in knowledge, they are also falsely presenting that "I am God." The maya's influence is so strong that at the last stage... Therefore they fall down. These people, these Mayavadis who are trying to become God... Aruhya krcchrena param padam tatah [SB 10.2.32]. To merge into the existence of the Supreme. You can merge, but you cannot be equal. That is not possible. Asamordhva. But the Mayavadis, they are thinking, "We are as good as Krsna." Therefore they do not go to the temple of Krsna. Because they think self, Narayana, Krsna. But that is a mistake. Therefore sastra says that ye 'nye 'ravindaksa vimukta-maninah. They are thinking that they have become liberated, become Narayana, Narayana, God, but that is avisuddha-buddhayah. Because... They are thinking like that because their intelligence is not yet cleansed. Avisuddha-buddhayah. Therefore aruhya krcchrena param padam tatah patanty adhah anadrta-yusmad-anghrayah [SB 10.2.32]. Aruhya krcchrena, by performing severe austerities, penances, they come to the stage of merging in the Brahman effulgence, but that (does) not solve the problem. In the Brahman effulgence they fall down again.

So Krsna is the only purusa. Prakrteh param. So prakrteh param. Therefore Krsna is not a purusa like us. We are within the prakrti. We are within the prakrti. He is beyond the prakrti. Therefore His body is not material. He's not within the prakrti. But the rascals, they cannot understand this. They think that "Krsna is like us." Avajananti mam mudha manusim tanum asritam [Bg. 9.11]. So because they are mudhas, they think that "Krsna is like us, Krsna has a body like us," but that is actually not the fact. Here Kunti says, authority says, prakrteh param. Prakrteh param, alaksyam. The prakrteh param. Suppose something beyond our vision. Just like we are sitting down this house. We cannot see what is going on upstairs. Alaksyam. So if Krsna is a person beyond this material creation, how we can see Him? Alaksyam. Alaksyam sarva-bhutanam. Still, He is in everyone's heart. Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese arjuna tisthati [Bg. 18.61].

So alaksyam, invisible, those who are yogis, they are trying to see. They are trying to... Dhyanavasthita-tad-gatena manasa pasyanti yam yoginah [SB 12.13.1]. Dhyanavasthita. They are trying to see. So there are different processes of seeing, but actually you can see by one process. That is bhakti. Bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yas casmi tattvatah [Bg. 18.55]. So those who have taken the path of devotional service, they'll be able to understand that Krsna is everywhere. Sarvam khalv idam brahma. Aham brahmano hi pratistha. Krsna is the origin of this Brahman effulgence. You have heard so many times. Krsna is Paramatma, and Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In this way try to understand Krsna, and then you are liberated.
Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.18 -- Mayapura, September 28, 1974

"Anyone Can Become Devotee"

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.7.51-52
Vrndavana, October 8, 1976

---

Pradyumna: "Bhima, however, disagreed with them and recommended killing this culprit who, in an angry mood, had murdered sleeping children for no purpose and for neither his nor his master's interest.

Caturbhuja (the four-armed one), or the Personality of Godhead, after hearing the words of Bhima, Draupadi and others, saw the face of His dear friend Arjuna, and He began to speak as if smiling."

Prabhupada:

tatrahamarsito bhimas
tasya sreyan vadhah smrtah
na bhartur natmanas carthe
yo 'han suptan sisun vrtha

nisamya bhima-gaditam
draupadyas ca catur-bhujah
alokya vadanam sakhyur
idam aha hasann iva

So in the previous verse it is described, bhagavan devaki-suta. Bhagavan Krsna, Devaki-suta. Still, people may doubt that Krsna, being Devaki-suta, how He can become the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Because sometimes very powerful person is also called bhagavan. So such persons have very confidence in Visnu. Visnu is Caturbhuja. Therefore here, in this verse, Krsna is confirmed to be the Supreme Personality of Godhead by adding this word, Caturbhuja. Don't doubt. Because Krsna has appeared with two hands, that does not mean He is not Bhagavan. He is Caturbhuja. To confirm it.

Actually, sometimes it is said that Krsna is the incarnation of Visnu, but actually Visnu is incarnation of Krsna. Aham adir hi devanam, that is said in the Bhagavad-gita. Visnu also one of the devas, first, principle devas. Brahma, Visnu, Mahesvara. Brahma, Lord Visnu, and Lord Siva. Gunavatara. Visnu expanding Himself in three avataras. Sattva-guna He takes charge Himself, sattva-guna. Rajo-guna it is given to Brahma in charge, and tamo-guna is given to the Lord Siva. Srsti-sthiti-pralaya. Srsti, creation, is done by Brahma, rajo-guna; and sthiti, maintenance, is done by Visnu; and destruction is done by Lord Siva, tamo-guna. He is not tamo-guna. In charge of tamo-guna. Just like somebody becomes superintendent of jail. It does not mean that the superintendent is also one of the prisoners. No. He's in charge of the jail department. Similarly, Lord Siva, He's not in tamo-guna. He's transcendental. He is almost Visnu. He's neither ordinary human being. Lord Siva is in between visnu-tattva and jiva-tattva. So how he can be in the tamo-guna? Nobody is... They are all transcendental. Especially Lord Visnu.

Lord Visnu has nothing to do with these material affairs, as a big man, a rich man has nothing to do personally, but he gets things done by his assistant, by his servant. It is like that. In the Vedas also, Upanisad, it is said, na tasya karyam karanam ca vidyate. Lord Visnu has nothing to do personally. Na tasya karyam karanam ca vidyate, na tat-samas cabhyadhikas ca drsyate. Nobody is equal to Him, neither nobody is greater than Him. Everyone is below. Therefore visnu-tattva is asamordhva. Nobody is equal, nobody is higher. To consider equal to visnu-tattva is aparadha, offense. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has warned this offense very strictly.

prakrta kariya mane visnu-kalevara
visnu-ninda ara nahi ihara upara

If somebody thinks Visnu as one of the product of this material world, prakrta...

prakrta kariya mane visnu-kalevara
visnu-ninda ara nahi ihara upara

Mayavadi philosophers, they abuse that Visnu's body is. Visnu comes, appears, He accepts a material body. That is condemned, condemned by Bhagavan in Bhagavad-gita. Avajananti mam mudha manusim tanum asritam [Bg. 9.11]. He does not accept any material body. Tadatmanam srjamy aham. Atma-mayaya. Sambhavamy atma-mayaya [Bg. 4.6]. Not with material help. Atma-mayaya, cit-sakti. So Krsna, there is no difference between Krsna's soul and Krsna's body. Just like we have got. We are different from this body. And Krsna is not different from the body. He does not change His body. Although He assumes several avatara, but he does not change His body. Advaitam acyutam... Acyuta, not different from the original personification, identification. Advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam [Bs 5.33]. Although He assumes so many varieties of visnu-tattva, still, advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam adyam purana-purusam nava-yauvanam ca [Bs 5.33]. Therefore visnu-tattva is, never looks like old man. Nava-yauvanam. Always young. Krsna always young. Nava-yauvanam ca.

So in order to confirm Krsna's position, here it is not Devaki-suta. Because one may doubt, that "Devaki-suta is ordinary human being or living being." No. Here it is said, catur-bhuja. Here it is said, bhagavan. Here it is said, catur-bhuja. So we should always remember that Krsna is the Supreme Being. And Krsna says, mattah parataram nanyat [Bg. 7.7]. Don't think that above Krsna there is any other higher authority, either Brahman or Paramatma or Visnu. So many... Absolute Truth is manifested in so many features. But Krsna is the original. Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam. Ete camsa-kalah pumsah krsnas tu bhagavan svayam [SB 1.3.28].

It is summarized in the Srimad-Bhagavatam that there are so many descriptions of the incarnation of Visnu, but at the end, Vyasadeva concludes that whatever incarnations are described here, they are amsa-kala. Amsa means direct expansion, and kala means expansion of the expansion. Just like Krsna, the first expansion is Balarama, Baladeva. And the next expansion is Sankarsana, Vasudeva, Aniruddha, Pradyumna. The next expansion is Narayana. The next expansion again second catur-vyuha. Sankarsana again. Dvitiya-catur-vyuha. Then next expansion, Visnu, Maha-Visnu. Next expansion, Garbhodakasayi Visnu. And next expansion is Ksirodakasayi Visnu. In this way, there are different expansion, but krsnas tu bhagavan svayam. Adyam purusam sasvatam. Krsna is the original person. Therefore Krsna says, mattah parataram nanyat [Bg. 7.7]. "I am not expansion of anybody." Sarva-karana-karanam. Isvarah paramah krsnah [Bs. 5.1]. They are all isvaras, controller. Visnu-tattva is controller always. Mayadhyaksena prakrtih suyate sa-caracaram [Bg. 9.10]. Everywhere Visnu is the Supreme Controller.

So every visnu-tattva is controller. There is no doubt. And they have got equal power. Not that Lord Ramacandra is less powerful than Krsna. No. They have equal power. The example is described in the Brahma-samhita. Diparcir eva hi dasantaram abhyupetya [Bs. 5.46]. Just like one candle. You ignite another candle, you ignite another, another, another. But all these candles, they are equally powerful. Although you can say, "This is first candle, this is second candle, this is third candle..." Similarly, visnu-tattva, everyone is equally powerful. Although Krsna is first, Balarama is second, Sankarsana is third, like that. But do not think They are less powerful. No. Visnu-tattva means They are equally powerful. Svamsa. Ramadi-murtisu kala-niyamena tisthan [Bs. 5.39]. Kala. Rama is expansion of Visnu, but it is not that Rama is less powerful than Krsna. Nobody is less powerful. Ramadi-murtisu kala-niyamena tisthan nanavataram akarod bhuvanesu kintu [Bs. 5.39]. There are so many avataras. Krsnah svayam samabhavat paramah puman yah. But Krsna is the paramah puman, the Supreme Being, the Supreme Person. Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam. Everywhere. Isvarah paramah krsnah sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah [Bs. 5.1]. Mattah parataram nanyat [Bg. 7.7]. This is the conclusion of the sastras. So don't consider that Krsna, because He has come, appeared in Vrndavana like a cowherd boy, never think...

Of course, the Vrndavana-vasi, they do not know what is Krsna. They are villagers. They do not know. But they do not love anyone more than Krsna. That is their qualification. They do not know even Visnu. When the gopis saw visnu-murti... Krsna assumed the visnu-murti. They were passing. They said, "Oh here is Visnu. All right. Namaskara." They were not interested even with Visnu. They were interested with Krsna, although they do not know that Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Similarly, if, without knowing what is Krsna, if you simply become attached to Krsna, then your life is successful. Simply, somehow or other, you become attached to Krsna. Mayy asakta-manah partha yogam yunjan mad-asrayah... [break] ...yatha jnasyasi tac chrnu. Simply you have to... This is Krsna consciousness movement. Somehow or other, you increase your attachment for Krsna. Some way or other. Yena tena prakarena manah krsne nivesayet. This is Rupa Gosvami's instruction. Somehow or other, you become attached to Krsna. Then your life is successful.

So this Krsna consciousness movement is trying to induce people how to become attached to Krsna. That is bhakti-yoga. Yena tena prakarena manah krsne nivesayet. Then? Vidhi-nisedhah. There are so many rules and regulations for bhakti-yoga. Yes, there are. And Rupa Gosvami says, sarve vidhi-nisedhah syur etayor eva kinkarah. Some way or other, if you become attached to Krsna, then all the vidhis and regulative principles and rules and regulations, they will act as your servant. They'll, automatically there will be... Because as soon as you become attached to Krsna, Krsna said, ksipram bhavati dharmatma.

ksipram bhavati dharmatma
sasvac-chantim nigacchati
kaunteya pratijanihi
na me bhaktah pranasyati

Ksipram, very soon. Api cet su-duracaro bhajate mam ananya-bhak sadhur eva sa mantavyah [Bg. 9.30].

Don't think that these Europeans or Americans, they are mlecchas and yavanas. That is aparadha. Offense. Because they are sadhu. They do not know... They have accepted Krsna without any hodgepodge understanding, that "This is also good, this is also good, this is also good." They are strictly following the instruction of their spiritual master. Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam. Even a small child in our association, Syamasundara's daughter, she would go to somebody, she was only five years old. She would ask, "Do you know Krsna?" So somebody said, "No, I do not know." "Oh, Supreme Personality of Godhead." She would preach like that. So they are convinced, krsnas tu bhagavan svayam. This conviction is the foremost quality. Then other things will follow. Sarve vidhi-nisedhah syur etayor eva kinkarah. So if one is simply convinced on this point, that krsnas tu bhagavan svayam, and he does like that, follows the principle, krsnaika-saranam. Varnasrama-dharma. Krsnaika-saranam. That is wanted. Mam ekam saranam vraja. So do that. Stick to this principle, that Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Krsna is para-tattva, the Absolute Truth, and Krsna is all-pervading. Maya tatam idam sarvam. Krsna is everywhere. Jagad avyakta-murtina. This avyakta. The Krsna's potency is everywhere. Therefore those who are advanced devotee, they do not see anything else than Krsna. Everywhere he sees Krsna. And that is a fact.

Krsna also teaches that "I am here." If you cannot conceive that Krsna is everywhere present, Krsna personally gives you instruction, "Here I am." Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya. Everyone is drinking water at least four times, five times. So at the time of drinking water, or drinking anything, if you remember Krsna then you become purified. Mayy asakta-manah partha. That is yoga, bhakti-yoga. If you practice only this. Whatever you drink, you drink something for some taste. So either you drink soda water, or water, or milk, or even wine. Because the Europeans, Americans, they are accustomed to drink wine. But if they follow this instruction of Krsna, that "This taste is Krsna," then he remembers Krsna. Man-mana bhava mad-bhaktah. As soon as he brings Krsna in his mind, he becomes a bhakta. So easy. Anyone can become krsna-bhakta if he follows the instruction of Bhagavad-gita. There is no difficulty. Man-mana bhava mad-bhaktah. This is the simple process. Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhasmi sasi-suryayoh. This is for ordinary class of men. But if you think that you are very advanced in learning, in Vedic literature, and Vedic mantras, yes, then Krsna says, pranavah sarva-vedesu. That pranava-omkara, om tad visnoh paramam padam sada pasyanti surayah. That pranava is Krsna. Pranavah sarva-vedesu.

So either you become a highly learned scholar in Vedic literature or you are simply an ordinary person, you can think of Krsna and you become successful in your life. There is no difficulty. Raso 'ham. If you are ordinary person... Any, every, every person drinks water or drinks something. Let him immediately think of, as soon as he tastes, "Here is Krsna." Punyo gandhah prthivyam ca. A flower, a rose flower, very fragrant. As soon as you smell you can remember Krsna. "Oh, this smell is Krsna." Actually, that is Krsna. You cannot create that smell. It is Krsna, Krsna's art. That, punyo gandhah prthivyam ca, that gandha, that smell, flavor, is within the earth. Wherefrom the rose is coming? From this earth. But still the rose is so fragrant. You cannot take out the fragrance from the earth. Everything is there. Sarva-kama-dugha-mahi. Everything is within the earth. But you cannot take out. It is Krsna. Parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate svabhaviki jnana-bala-kriya ca. He has got this power to exact, to extract punya-gandha through the rose flower. You haven't. You may be very big chemist, but you cannot do that. So in this way, if we study Krsna, if you become Krsna conscious, then your life is successful. That we are teaching. This is Krsna consciousness movement. And the sastras will help you.

But even if you do not read sastra, if you always remember Krsna, impression of Krsna. The temple is made for layman. Even woman, child, if he sees daily Krsna here, then he gets impression. He can think of Krsna. Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto. Therefore the temple is there. Everyone should come every day, every morning, or as many times as possible and take the impression of Krsna and keep it within your core of heart and think of Krsna. Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam... And offer little You don't require to study Vedanta philosophy or this or that. Because what is the purpose of Vedanta? The purpose of Vedanta is vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyam [Bg. 15.15]. You have to understand Krsna. So if you simply think of Krsna, then you are greatest Vedantist. Greatest Vedantist. Vedais ca sarvair. Vedanta-vid vedanta-krt ca aham. He is the compiler of Vedas. So whatever instruction Krsna has given in the Bhagavad-gita, that is all Vedanta. This simple instruction, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto, this is Vedanta. Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya. This is Vedanta. So to become Vedantist means to understand Krsna, follow Krsna's instruction, and be successful in your life. Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.7.51-52 -- Vrndavana, October 8, 1976

"Love God, Love His Dog"

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.7.49-50
Vrndavana, October 7, 1976

---

Pradyumna: "Suta Gosvami said: O brahmanas, King Yudhisthira fully supported the statements of the Queen, which were in accordance with the principles of religion and were justified, glorious, full of mercy and equity, and without duplicity. Nakula and Sahadeva (the younger brothers of the King) and also Satyaki and Arjuna, the Personality of Godhead Lord Sri Krsna, son of Devaki, and the ladies and others all unanimously agreed with the King."

Prabhupada:

dharmyam nyayyam sakarunam
nirvyalikam samam mahat
raja dharma-suto rajnyah
pratyanandad vaco dvijah

nakulah sahadevas ca
yuyudhano dhananjayah
bhagavan devaki-putro
ye canye yas ca yositah

So bhagavan devaki-suta. Bhagavan. People may inquire, "What kind of Bhagavan He is? He has taken birth as the Devaki-suta. Any ordinary man, he takes birth as the son of such and such gentleman or such and such mother. So what kind of Bhagavan He is?" Therefore we have to understand how Krsna... Krsna is Bhagavan. Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam. He appears as the son of Devaki or Vasudeva. We have to know this. And if you can know then you become immediately liberated. Our business is liberation. This is our main business. What is the purpose of getting this opportunity of human life? That we must understand. We should not waste our valuable life like the cats and dogs. This is our main business. To understand God. Athato brahma jijnasa. This is the life. Brahman, param brahma. Brahman, param brahma, or, Brahman's, I mean to say, potencies. Parasya brahmanah saktih. These things are there. We should understand. That is our business. So if we understand why Bhagavan appears as the son of Devaki, then you become liberated. This is the... Bhagavan says janma karma ca me divyam yo janati tattvatah [Bg. 4.9]. You have to learn it tattvatah, in truth. Not superficially. Then you'll understand how the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Bhagavan, appears as the son of Devaki or son of Vasudeva. Ajo 'pi sann avyayatma bhutanam isvaro 'pi san. Although He's aja... Aja means who never takes birth. Still, He takes birth. Contradictory. This is inconceivable.

Unless God has got inconceivable energy, He's not God. This has been discussed by Jiva Gosvami. If you do not accept inconceivable energy of God, then there is no God. This is inconceivable. Ajo 'pi sann avyayatma bhutanam isvaro 'pi san, sambhavamy atma-mayaya [Bg. 4.6]. Paritranaya sadhunam. This is God. How it happens, how it is possible, if you understand properly, then you become liberated simply by understanding this, that Bhagavan, why He shall not appear as the son? Why you shall restrict? God is not under your restriction. That is God. If He becomes under your rules and regulation, then He's not God. That is inconceivable. How ajo 'pi, although unborn, how He takes birth. Ajo 'pi sann avyayatma bhutanam isvaro 'pi. Bhutanam isvarah. He's the Supreme Controller, but He likes to be controlled by mother Yasoda. Bhutanam isvaro 'pi san. He controls everyone, but why He accepts one lady, innocent lady, not very educated, not Vedantist, a village lady, interested in churning curd and butter. Not Vedantist. And He has become just like a very affectionate son of this village lady. "Mother, let me suck your breast."

So this is God's pastimes. Ajo 'pi sann avyayatma. He is eko hi...bahunam vidadhati kaman. He is supplying the necessities of life to all the living entities. Nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam eko yo bahunam vidadhati kaman. But He is begging from mother Yasoda, "Kindly allow Me to suck your breast." And when mother refuses, He becomes angry. He breaks the pot of butter and so on, so on. You know this. This is called transcendental pastimes. And at the same time when it is required, He immediately lifts the Govardhana Hill. Immediately. Although He is dependent on mother Yasoda, Nanda Maharaja. Nanda Maharaja is seeing, "Oh, this little boy has lifted Govardhana Hill? Oh! How it is possible? Let me help." He's trying to help Him by sticking the stick on the Govardhana Hill that it may not fall down. You see? He has already lifted. Still, because father, affectionate, he's thinking, "The childish boy, he has lifted the Govardhana Hill. It may now fall down. Let me help Him." This is going on. This is called transcendental pastimes.

And those who are not devotees, they cannot understand that "How it is possible?" They say it is, what is called? Mythology. It is mythology. It is not mythology, it is fact. Vyasadeva, such a learned person, vidvan. Lokasyajanato vidvams cakre satvata-samhitam. He is vidvan. He has written this satvata-samhita with some mythology, some fiction, some imagination? It is rascaldom to consider it like that. It is not mythology; it is fact. That is Bhagavan. He has wasted his time to describe some mythology? But they have no common sense. And not only that, Vyasadeva has written. Later on all big, big commentators like Sridhara Svami, Vijayadhvaja, Viraraghavacarya, Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, Sanatana Gosvami, many. They have never said that this is mythology. Never said. Never said. You'll not find in any of the comments of these big, big stalwart acarya. Viraraghavacarya, he is very learned scholar belonging to the Ramanujacarya Sampradaya. They have never said it is mythology. Where do you get this idea of mythology? That is possible. God is all-powerful. He can do anything. He can appear. Why should you restrict Him not to become the son of Devaki? Why should you restrict? Is He under your control or you are under His control? He can become the Devaki-suta. He can become a small child to be chastised by mother Yasoda. He likes it. Everyone offers Him with reverence all respect. Nobody dares to restrict Him and chastise Him. Nobody goes to God, that "You cannot do this. You are fool, You are rascal." Nobody says. But still He wants to hear all this. That is a pastime.

Just like a big rich man. He eats so many nice things. But sometimes he says, "Give me some puffed rice." Puffed rice is not his food, but he likes sometimes. Similarly, everyone prays to God with reverence and vow and obedience, but He wants to be chastised sometimes. That chastisement, from where this chastisement will come? It will come from His devotee, not ordinary. If ordinary man chastises, imitating Yasodamayi, he will be offender. He will be punished. But where He agrees to be chastised, "Mother you chastise Me," that is bhakti. That is devotional service. So there is nothing extraordinary when it is said here, bhagavan devaki-suta. He can become Devaki-suta. It is His mercy.

So we have to understand that, how Bhagavan, sad-aisvarya-purna. Bhagavan means sad-aisvarya-purna. Aisvaryasya samagrasya viryasya yasasah sriyah. All powerful. He can appear anywhere, without any restriction. But still, He appears as Devaki-suta. Janma karma ca divyam me yo janati. We have to understand through the sastra. And that tattvatah understanding is possible only through bhakti. Not by any other means. Not by jnana or yoga. That is not possible. It is simply through... Bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yas casmi tattvatah [Bg. 18.55]. The jnanis, yogis... Karmis, they are third-class, they cannot. The yogis, jnanis, yogis, they have got spiritual advancement, but still, until they come to the platform of bhakti, it is not possible to understand. Janma karma ca me divyam tattvatah [Bg. 4.9].

manusyanam sahasresu
kascid yatati siddhaye
yatatam api siddhanam
kascin mam vetti tattvatah
[Bg. 7.3]

So if we want to understand Krsna, Bhagavan, in truth, then we have to take the path of bhakti. No other means will help us. Bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yas casmi tattvatah [Bg. 18.55]. How He becomes Devaki-suta, how He... Then the statement of Draupadi was accepted by all the gentlemen, or the kings. Everyone accepted. And they considered dharmyam nyayyam sakarunam. Just like even in judgement... The other day I told you the judgement given to a murderer. There must be some consideration, sakarunam. Sakarunam means mercy. Not that... Because one has committed murder in a fanatic condition, he is excused sometimes. That is sakarunam. The judgement should be given not simply on the superficial causes. Everything should be con... Dharmyam nyayyam sakarunam nirvyalikam. Suppose a child commits something wrong. He is not punished. A brahmana. A brahmana never commits any sinful activity. If he, sometimes in an unnatural condition, if he does something. So he should be excused. This is Vedic law. The woman, the brahmana, the child, the cow, and...? Old men. Yes. They should be excused. That is

dharmyam nyayyam sakarunam
nirvyalikam samam mahat
raja dharma-suto rajnyah
pratyanandad vaco dvijah

He accepted. "Yes, what Draupadi is saying is all right." Not only he, but also others. Nakulah sahadevas ca yuyudhano dhananjayah bhagavan. Ultimately, bhagavan devaki-putro canye yas ca yositah.

So, mahajano yena gatah sa panthah. Maharaja Yudhisthira is dharma-suta. He is not ordinary person. He is the son of Dharmaraja, Yamaraja. Maharaja Yudhisthira's mother, Kunti, had the power to call any demigod. She got this benediction from Durvasa Muni. So he (she) had his (her) three sons, means Maharaja Yudhisthira, Bhima, and Arjuna. She got Maharaja Yudhisthira from Dharmaraja, Arjuna from Indra, and Bhima from Varuna..., Vayu, yes. Similarly, still she is one of the chaste women. These things are there. But still, they are not polluted. But in the Kali-yuga these things are prohibited. Devarena sutotpattim kalau panca vivarjayet.

In the Kali-yuga people are very much polluted. They cannot transgress. This is not transgression, this is powerful. Just like you are prohibited to go to the filthy place, prohibited. But the sunshine goes. Sunshine goes. Sunshine is not prohibited, that "Here is a filthy place, lavatory. Sunshine, you do not come here." No, sunshine doesn't require your permission. It can go anywhere. But it is not polluted. Tejiyasam na dosaya. One who is teji... Don't try to imitate teji. You must become teji. Then... Just like for Bhagavan everything is perfect. Apapa-viddham. Bhagavan is never affected by any so-called sin. For Him there is no sinful activities. Apapa-viddham. You'll find in the Isopanisad. There is the mantra, Vedic mantra. And if you think, consider, that "Krsna is doing so many things, this is sinful." No. Therefore God is always good. God is good. There is a common word. Even if you see that He is doing something wrong, that is not wrong. That is right. Tejiyasam na dosaya. He's so powerful, for Him there is no wrong. He's never wrongdoer.

Therefore devotees, they do not expect that "Krsna will always be very kind upon me. He may be harsh, but that is also good." Krsna or Krsna's devotee, even he is harsh, he is unkind, so-called unkind, it is also good. Just like Narada Muni cursed the Yamalarjuna. What is that? Their name? The Kuvera's sons? They were cursed to become tree, but what was the result? The result was that although they became trees they were fortunate enough to see Krsna personally. So God or His devotee, Krsna and Krsna devotee, you should always take that they're always good. God is good. And the devotee is good. Either we see that He's merciful... He's always merciful. Therefore devotees never take anything as not merciful. Tat te anukampam. They take everything from Krsna as sympathy, anukampa. Tat te 'nukampam su-samiksamanah. One who can see this anukampa in reverse condition of life, the compassion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, mukti-pade sa daya-bhak. His right to become liberation becomes guaranteed. If anyone accepts the mercy of God in any circumstances, and he does not do anything wrong to anyone, such person is guaranteed to be liberated. That is the injunction of the sastra. Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.7.49-50 -- Vrndavana, October 7, 1976

"A Devotee's Heart"

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.7.49-50
Vrndavana, October 6, 1976

---

Pradyumna: "My lord, do not make the wife of Dronacarya cry like me. I am aggrieved for the death of my sons. She need not cry constantly like me.

If the kingly administrative order, being unrestricted in sense control, offends the brahmana order and enrages them, then the fire of that rage burns up the whole body of the royal family and brings grief upon all."

Prabhupada:

ma rodid asya janani
gautami pati-devata
yathaham mrta-vatsarta
rodimy asru-mukhi muhuh

yaih kopitam brahma-kulam
rajanyair ajitatmabhih
tat kulam pradahaty asu
sanubandham sucarpitam

So, in these two verses the important point is that Draupadi is sympathetic. That is Vaisnava. She is Vaisnavi. This is the attitude of the Vaisnava. Para-duhkha-duhkhi. Vaisnava is para-duhkha-duhkhi. That is Vaisnava's qualification. He doesn't care for his own personal distresses. But he, a Vaisnava becomes aggrieved, distressed, when other is suffering. That is Vaisnava. Prahlada Maharaja said,

naivodvije para duratyaya-vaitaranyas
tvad-virya-gayana-mahamrta-magna-cittah
soce tato vimukha-cetasa indriyartha-
maya-sukhaya bharam udvahato vimudhan
[SB 7.9.43]

Prahlada Maharaja was so much harassed by his father, and his father was killed. And still, when he was offered benediction by the Lord, Nrsimhadeva, he did not accept it. He said, sa vai vanik. My Lord, we are born in the family of rajo-guna, tamo-guna. Rajo-guna, tamo-guna. Asuras, they are influenced by the two lower qualities, rajo-guna and tamo-guna. And those who are devatas, they are influenced by the sattva-guna.

There are three gunas, qualities, in the material world. Sattva-guna. Tri-gunamayi. Daivi hy esa gunamayi [Bg. 7.14]. Gunamayi. Trigunamayi in this material world, sattva-guna, rajo-guna, tamo-guna. So those who are influenced by the sattva-guna, they are first class. First-class means first-class in this material world. Not in the spiritual world. Spiritual world is different. That is nirguna, no material qualities. There is no first-class, second-class, third-class. Everyone is first-class. That is absolute. Krsna is first-class, His devotees are also first-class. The trees are first-class, the birds are first-class, the cows are first-class, the calves are first-class. Therefore it is called absolute. No conception of relative, second-class, third-class, fourth-class. No. Everything is first-class. Ananda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhavitabhih. Everything is composition of ananda-cinmaya-rasa. There is no classification. Either one is situated in dasya-rasa, one is situated in sakhya-rasa, or in vatsalya-rasa or madhurya-rasa, they are all one. There is no such distinction. But there is variety. You like this rasa, I like this rasa, that is allowed.

So here, in this material world, they are being influenced by the three rasas, and Prahlada Maharaja, being the son of Hiranyakasipu, he considered himself that "I am influenced by the rajo-guna and tamo-guna." He's a Vaisnava, he's above all gunas, but a Vaisnava is never proud of his guna. Actually, he does not feel like that, that he is very advanced, he is very enlightened. He always thinks, "I am the lowest."

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

This is Vaisnava, that "I am the lowest of the human being." Just like Caitanya-caritamrta author, Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami, he said,

jagai madhai haite muni se papistha
purisera kita haite muni se laghistha

Jagai-Madhai, he was considered to be very sinful. "I am more sinful than Jagai-Madhai." Jagai madhai haite muni se papistha. And my position? Purisera kita haite muni se laghistha. "The worm in the stool, he has got some position, but I am lower than that."

jagai madhai haite muni se papistha
purisera kita haite muni se laghistha

Mora nama yei laya tara punya ksaya. "Anyone who takes my name, whatever little asset he has got on account of pious activities, he will lose it." In this way... This is not artificial. A Vaisnava thinks like that. A Vaisnava like Kaviraja Gosvami and Rupa Gosvami, they always think like that. That is Vaisnava. They never think that he is very advanced. Never. So similarly, Draupadi is thinking her position and what will be the position of Asvatthama's mother? Asvatthama's mother, she is also woman, and she is studying Asvatthama's mother's position from her position. She's very much aggrieved on account of her sons being killed. So she is thinking if Asvatthama's mother is under the distress of her sons's being killed, what will be her position? She is disturbed, thinking of the position of Asvatthama's mother. Personally, she is not at all aggrieved. She's aggrieved, but she is thinking the grief of Asvatthama's mother more than her. This is Vaisnava.

Just like Prahlada Maharaja said, soce tato vimukha-cetasa indriyartha-maya-sukhaya bharam udvahato vimudhan [SB 7.9.43]. Because my father has done so much injustice unto me, so Krsna wanted to give him benediction. But he refused. "No. I do not require anything. I am quite happy. I don't want anything. And in exchange of my service... Because I have done some work as Vaisnava, it is my duty..." Jivera svarupa haya nitya-krsna-dasa [Cc. Madhya 20.108-109]. "It is my duty as a servant. I have tolerated all tribulations offered by my father. I was never disturbed. I preached amongst my class friends. Whatever possible I have done. But that does not mean I want some benefit. No. I am not a baniya, vanik. Sa vai vanik. So do not offer my any benediction. I am quite satisfied." So the question may be that "You are satisfied in spite of undergoing so much trouble? Still, you are...?" "Yes, I am satisfied. Yes, I am satisfied." "How?" Tvad-virya-gayana-mahamrta-magna-cittah. "Because I have learned by the grace of Narada Muni how to chant Your holy name." That's it. Tvad-virya-gayana-mahamrta. "This chanting of Your glorification is mahamrta, a great nectarean." Tvad-virya-gayana-mahamrta-magna-cittah. "My cittah, my consciousness, is always absorbed in the thought of Your glorification. Therefore I am not at all unhappy." "You are not unhappy in spite of so much tribulation given by your father?" "Yes. I'm not at all." This is Vaisnava. He cannot be unhappy. We see that Prahlada Maharaja was put into so much trouble by his father. Even, even this Draupadi, she was put into so much trouble -- immediately, her sons are killed. But she is, actually she is not unhappy. This is Vaisnava. Vaisnava cannot be unhappy in any circumstances.

Ahaituky apratihata. That is explained. Ahaituky apratihata yayatma suprasidati. If you become situated in Krsna consciousness, then you'll be so satisfied that in any circumstances nobody will be able to give you any trouble. This is Vaisnava. Yayatma suprasidati. Atma, brahma-bhutah prasannatma na socati na kanksati [Bg. 18.54]. There is no question of lamenting. But still, a Vaisnava laments not for his own purpose. Just like Prahlada Maharaja says that na udvije para. Krsna is para. Nrsimhadeva is para, the Supreme. "O the Supreme, I am not at all disturbed." Naivodvije para duratyaya-vaitaranyah. Why? Tvad-virya-gayana-mahamrta-magna-cittah. "Because by the grace of Narada Muni I have learned this art, how to chant Your holy name. That I have learned." Tvad-virya-gayana. "I learned or not learned, but whenever I chant, then I merge into the ocean of nectarean."

A similar is stated about the Gosvamis. Tyaktva turnam asesa-mandala-pati-srenim sada tuccha-vat. We have seen it practically. One big politician in Calcutta, C.R. Das. He was earning fifty thousand monthly. In those days. Fifty thousand means... I am speaking... He died in 1925. That means fifty years ago he was earning fifty thousand per month. Now fifty thousand means fifty lakhs nowadays. He was so rich man. But on the Congress resolution that the prominent members of the Congress, they should not cooperate with the government... And one of the item of noncooperation was they should not practice in the British court because there is no justice. That was Gandhi's order, that "In the British court there is no justice. So why should you go there? Don't go." So this C.R. Das, on the resolution of the Congress... He was one of the prominent members. He gave up. So he had no income. So he had no income. The Congress was giving him five hundred rupees, pocket expenses. Because he was such a rich man. What is five hundred rupees for him? He was earning fifty thousand rupees and spending. So he could not bear that inconvenience. He died within a year. He was a rich man. He could not provide. And he was very charitably disposed. If somebody would come to him he would say, "I have lost my all income. Now I have got this five hundred rupees. You can take it." He was such a charitably disposed. So anyway he could not tolerate.

But a devotee... Just like Rupa Gosvami, he also did the same thing. What is that? Tyaktva turnam asesa-mandala-pati-srenim sada tuccha-vat. When he was inspired by Caitanya Mahaprabhu... He was a minister in charge of Nawab Hussain Shah's government, but he decided, "What is this nonsense ministership? Let me join Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Preach this Krsna consciousness." So he did it. Therefore about him it is said, tyaktva turnam asesa-mandala-pati-srenim. He was associated with big, big men. Mandala-pati. He was minister. But he gave up. "What is this nonsense? It has no value." So if we compare with C.R. Das, he also gave up his income, but he died. But what happened to Rupa Gosvami? Naturally, such a rich man, minister, he gave up his position, he should have also died because no income? No. He did not die. That is the difference. Tyaktva turnam asesa-mandala-pati-srenim sada tuccha-vat bhutva dina-ganesakau karunaya kaupina-kanthasritau. For benefiting the mass of people who are suffering for want of Krsna consciousness, to do them good, they became mendicant. Kaupina-kanthasritau. You have seen the picture of Rupa Gosvami. A small loincloth, and nothing more. Then? He should have died. No. Gopi-bhava-rasamrtabdhi-lahari-kallola-magnau muhuh. They were enjoying. Enjoying how the gopis are engaged in Krsna consciousness. They were twenty-four hours thinking. That is Krsna consciousness.

So similarly, Prahlada Maharaja says that tvad-virya-gayana-mahamrta-magna... The same philosophy, everywhere. What was spoken by Prahlada Maharaja millions of years ago, the same thing was perceived by Rupa Gosvami five hundred years ago, and same thing can be perceived now also. Tvad-virya-gayana-mahamrta-magna-cittah. If you once become merged into the nectarean of chanting the holy name of Krsna, then you'll always remain happy. There is no doubt about it. Tvad-virya-gayana-mahamrta-magna-cittah. So either Rupa Gosvami or Prahlada Maharaja or anyone, even up to date, they may face many difficulties, so-called difficulties. A Vaisnava has no difficulty. But we see... Just like we see Prahlada Maharaja was in difficulty. Rupa Gosvami was in difficulty. He was minister and he became a mendicant. Kaupina-kanthasritau. No, he was not difficulty.

Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, his father income was, in those days, twelve lakhs of rupees. And in Radha-kunda he lived taking little butter every alternate day. And sankhya-purvaka-nama-gana-natibhih. And he was offering obeisances also counting. Just like we count chanting, he was counting that "I must offer hundred times obeisances." That he was doing. This is Gosvami's behavior. So a Vaisnava has no difficulty. The same thing is exemplified by Draupadi. She is aggrieved on account of her son's being killed by Asvatthama. Now she is feeling more for the mother of Asvatthama, how she will feel if her son is killed. This is Vaisnava. Para-duhkha-duhkhi. Krpambudhir yas tam aham prapadye. A Vaisnava is para-duhkha-duhkhi. A Vaisnava has personally no distress. Anywhere he can sit down and chant Hare Krsna and read Srimad-Bhagavatam. And where is his difficulty? Tvad-virya-gayana-mahamrta-magna-cittah. He has no. But why he takes so much distress? Now, because tato vimukha-cetasah. Soce tato vimukha-cetasah. Prahlada Maharaja says, "I am aggrieved for the rascals who are not devotees." Tato vimukha-cetasah. Vimukha means they are not interested in Krsna consciousness.

So a Vaisnava is disturbed, perturbed. How these rascals are suffering so much in material condition. So how to teach them Krsna consciousness. How to make them happy. This is Vaisnava's concern. Vaisnava concern, personal, there is no concern. Vaisnava is not satisfied that "Because I have no problem, I can chant anywhere and enjoy." No. Still, Vaisnava takes the risk. As Prahlada Maharaja said, that "I do not wish to go alone to Vaikuntha or anywhere, my Lord, unless I can deliver all these rascals." This is Vaisnava. He knew that all the..., Vimukha-cetasah. These materialistic persons, they are engaged in planning for material happiness. They are working so hard, becoming baffled without any benefit. So maya-sukhaya bharam ud...many, many plans, many, many skyscraper buildings, roads and motor cars. What is the real purpose? The purpose is they want to be happy. But that is not possible. Therefore they are vimudhan. Rascals. They are going in the wrong way. How to divert their attention to Krsna consciousness. Then they will be happy.

These European, American boys, they are coming from rich family. They have, even nationally, they have got big, big skyscraper buildings, motor car, and why they have come to Krsna consciousness? Because they were not happy. It is a fact. They were not happy. So a Vaisnava can understand this, that outwardly, externally, they may have nice dress or nice building or nice motor car, but internally they are so unhappy that they rise up to the top of the skyscraper building and fall down to commit suicide. This is his position. The Vaisnava can understand that bharam udvahato vimudhan. They are making skyscraper building, but there is no happiness. It is simply a, what is called? A Gorgeous arrangement only. Otherwise, there is not a drop of happiness. Soce tato vimukha-cetasah.

So the feeling of Vaisnava is like that. Similarly, Draupadi is Vaisnavi. She is feeling more than herself, the wife of Dronacarya, mother of Asvatthama, how she will feel. Therefore Vaisnava's qualification is, para-duhkha-duhkhi. Personally a Vaisnava is not unhappy, but a Vaisnava becomes unhappy for others" distress. Para-duhkha-duhkhi. Krpambudhir yas tam aham prapadye. This is Raghunatha dasa Gosvami's prayer to Sanatana Gosvami. Vairagya-vidya. He was feeling obligation to Sanatana Gosvami, how Sanatana Gosvami taught him vairagya-vidya. So, krpambudhir yas tam aham prapadye. This is Vaisnava position. So Kunti... And from ordinary moral point of view, it is said by Canakya Pandita, atmavat sarva-bhutesu yah pasyati sa panditah. Anyone who can see in others, feeling like himself... If I cut your throat, you'll feel pain. How I know it? Now, because if you cut my throat I'll feel pain. So para-duhkha-duhkhi. Here Kunti is feeling that, that "I am already suffering because my sons are killed. So why I am going to retaliate? I am going to give the same suffering to the mother of Asvatthama by killing her son." This is Vaisnava feeling. This is Vaisnava feeling. So Vaisnava is not aggrieved or distressed for personal interest, and Vaisnava is always feeling how others will be happy.

Therefore Krsna is very, very satisfied with the Vaisnava. Na ca tasman manusyesu kascin me priya-krttamah [Bg. 18.69]. So you have taken to the vow of Krsna consciousness. Try to preach Krsna consciousness all over the world. And we have got little success. One politician in U.S.A., he has remarked that "This Krsna consciousness movement is increasing like an epidemic." He has said that. "And if we do not check it, one day it may take our government." He has opined like that. So any intelligent man can know what is the ultimate result. Everyone... Because mass of people, if they take to Krsna consciousness, then government is yours. That is a fact. And if the Krsna consciousness government is there, no meat-eating, no smoking, no illicit sex, so many no's, the demons will die. (laughter) That is the position. Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.7.47-48 -- Vrndavana, October 6, 1976