Education Is Not Electronic

Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.9
Mayapur, February 16, 1976

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Dayananda: "Prahlada Maharaja continued to offer his prayers as follows: I consider that a person who is possessed of all riches, born in an aristocratic family, by bodily luster and by beauty, by austerity, by education, by expert activities, by effulgence, by influence, by bodily strength, historical activities, intelligence and mystic yoga power, by all these qualifications, nobody can worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but simply by devotional service as it was done by Gajendra. Thus the Lord was satisfied upon him."

Prabhupada:

manye dhanabhijana-rupa-tapah-srutaujas-
tejah-prabhava-bala-paurusa-buddhi-yogah
naradhanaya hi bhavanti parasya pumso
bhaktya tutosa bhagavan gaja-yutha-paya
 [SB 7.9.9]

So bhagavad-bhakti is not dependent on any material possession. Material possession, the description is fully given here. If one is very rich, dhana, he cannot think that "I can become a devotee of the Lord," because Hiranyakasipu possessed the riches of the whole universe, but he could not become a devotee. So this is misconception, that "Because I am very rich, I am very beautiful, I am very intelligent, I am a great scholar, I am very prestigious person," and so on so on... There are so many things. But Prahlada Maharaja says, "No, nothing of these items can help you to be promoted to the transcendental platform of devotional service. Nothing, only bhakti." And Krsna also says in the Bhagavad-gita, bhaktya mam abhijanati [Bg. 18.55]. He never said that by karma, by jnana, by yoga. Nothing. There are four things for elevation: karma, jnana, yoga and, lastly, bhakti. Bhakti is the ultimate goal. Karma you cannot become perfect if it is not mixed up with bhakti. That is called karma-yoga. Jnana itself is useless unless it is added with bhakti. That is called jnana-yoga. Similarly, hatha-yoga... Every yoga... Everything is yoga: karma-yoga, jnana-yoga, dhyana-yoga, hatha-yoga. But yoga means connection, link-up with the Supreme. Then it is karma-yoga, dhyana-yoga, jnana-yoga. When this yoga becomes completely pure, then, without karma, without jnana, without mystic power, that is called pure yoga.

So that pure yoga means love of Godhead: "Krsna is my Lord; I am Krsna's servant," this much understanding, that "I am eternal servant of Krsna, so my life is for Krsna. Therefore all my activities should be simply directed for the benefit of Krsna." This is called pure yoga. And therefore Krsna says that,

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

There are many types of yogis, but the yogi who is always thinking of Krsna -- hare krsna, hare krsna, krsna krsna, hare hare...
Devotees: ...hare rama, hare rama, rama rama, hare hare.

Prabhupada: Yes. So they are first-class yogis. Even they are... Just like Prahlada Maharaja. He was first-class yogi because he was always thinking of Krsna, Narayana, and he was not afraid of his father's punishment, chastisement.

So Prahlada Maharaja analyzes that "These things cannot help you." If you think that "I am very rich man. I can purchase God..." Generally they think so, that by riches one can purchase God. Then dhana abhijana. Abhijana means aristocratic family, big connection with big, big men. That is called abhijana. Just like Rupa Gosvami. Rupa Gosvami was minister. So he was connected with very big, big family. Tyaktva turnam asesa-mandala-pati-srenim. This Rupa Gosvami gave up this aristocratic position. Because he was minister, his connection with big, big zamindars, big, big businessmen, big, big Nawabs, he could not mix with ordinary men. But he gave up everything. The same example, as Prahlada Maharaja says, abhijana -- "These are useless." So Rupa Gosvami gave example, tyaktva turnam asesa-mandala-pati-srenim sada tucchavat. Tucchavat: "Eh... It has no value, insignificant." Gave up. The same line... This is called disciplic succession. Many millions of years, the Prahlada Maharaja said that abhijana: "By these things you cannot achieve the platform of devotional service." And many, many millions of years after, so Rupa Gosvami, Sanatana Gosvami also showed the same example. Tyaktva turnam asesa-mandala-pati-srenim sada tucchavat. This is called parampara system. Not that "Millions of years ago Prahlada Maharaja, what he did, that is now gone. Now something new should be introduced." No, it cannot be changed even millions of years after. This is called parampara system. Krsna said, "Millions of years ago I spoke this Bhagavad-gita yoga process to sun-god." Imam vivasvate yogam proktavan aham. The same aham, Krsna, He spoke millions and trillions of years ago to sun-god. So nothing new. Krsna consciousness is not a new, manufactured method. No. It is the oldest.

So Prahlada Maharaja also, the same, same thing, abhijana, rupa. Rupa means personal beauty. "I am very beautiful that Krsna will be attracted." Krsna has many, many thousands of beautiful wives and friends. In Vrndavana He had many, many beautiful girl friends, the gopis. And in Dvaraka He had many, many beautiful queens, 16,108, counting -- Laksmis. They are all goddess of fortune. That is Krsna. Laksmi-sahasra-sata-sambhrama sevyamanam govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami [Bs. 5.29]. Krsna, He's not after beauty, but beauty is after Him. That is Krsna. Not Krsna is after beauty. The materialistic person, they think that Krsna was so much fond of beautiful woman. No, no. That is not the fact. The beautiful women were after Krsna. That is Krsna. Krsna is so beautiful... Kandarpa-koti-kamaniya-visesa-sobham [Bs. 5.30]. Kandarpa. Kandarpa means Cupid. We have heard the name of Cupid, very beautiful, attractive. But He is kandarpa-koti-kamaniya visesa-sobham govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami. Krsna does not want any beauty for His satisfaction. He's self-satisfied. But devotees, beautiful devotees, rich devotees, aristocratic devotees, perfect devotees, they are after... That is... He's self-satisfied. He doesn't require. These... Just like when these foolish people read Srimad-Bhagavatam and it is said that Krsna had sixteen thousand wives, queens, so they think that an ordinary man, one who keeps more than one wife, he is considered to be very lusty. No, no. That is not the fact.

Krsna... These sixteen thousand wives, how they became wives? You know the story, that many beautiful, sixteen thousand beautiful, I mean to say, king's daughters were kidnapped by the asura. What is the name of that asura? Bhaumasura, no? Yes. So they prayed to Krsna that "We are suffering, kidnapped by this rascal. Please save us." So Krsna came to rescue them, and the Bhaumasura was killed and all the girls were made free. But after freedom they were still standing there. So Krsna asked them, "Now you can go home to your father." They said that "We are kidnapped, and we cannot be married." In India still that rule is there. If one girl, young girl, goes out of home for one day or two days, nobody will marry him (her). Nobody will marry him (her). He's (She's) considered to be spoiled. This is still the Indian system. So they were kidnapped for so many days or so many years, so they appealed to Krsna that "We'll not be accepted either by our father, neither anybody will agree to marry." Then Krsna understood that "Their position is very precarious. Although they are released, they cannot go anywhere." Then Krsna... He's so kind, bhakta-vatsala. He inquired, "What you want?" That... They said that "You accept me. Otherwise we have no other means to stay." Krsna immediately: "Yes, come on." This is Krsna. And not that His sixteen thousand wives was concentrated in one camp. He immediately constructed sixteen thousand palaces. Because He has accepted as wife, he (she) must be maintained as His wife, as His queen, not that "Because they have no other means, they have come to My shelter. I can keep them any way." No. Most respectfully as queen, as Krsna's queen. And again He thought that "The sixteen thousand wives... So if I remain alone, one figure, then My wives cannot meet Me. Everyone has to wait for sixteen thousand days to see the husband. No." He expanded Himself into sixteen thousand Krsna. This is Krsna. The rascals, they accuse Krsna as woman-hunter. It is not like you. You cannot maintain even one wife, but He maintained sixteen thousand wives in sixteen thousand palaces and in sixteen thousand expansion of form. Everyone was pleased. This is Krsna. We have to understand what is Krsna. Don't try to imitate Krsna. First of all try to understand Krsna.

So then again, tapa. Yajna-dana-tapah-kriya na tyajyam karyam eva tat. In the human society this is very essential, that one must perform yajna. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita, dana. Just like a brahmacari, he must perform yajna. Then grhastha, he must give in charity. And who will give charity? Now they cannot maintain even family. And where is the question of charity? The grhastha must give in charity. Yajna, dana and tapah. And those who are vanaprastha and sannyasi, they should practice tapasya, austerities. Yajna-dana-tapah-kriya na tyajyam karyam eva tat. Because you have taken sannyasa, you cannot give up these things, yajna-dana-tapah. It must continue. You cannot say, "We have given up everything. We have given up these things also." No. Krsna therefore said, yajna-dana-tapah-kriya pavanani manisinam. Even if you think that you have become very great saintly person, still, you cannot give up this yajna-dana-tapah-kriya. So, tapah. And sruta. Sruta means education. Education means Vedic education, not this electrical education. No, that is not education. Nowadays they have taken education, technology as education. That is not education. If I become an expert electrician, that is not education. Education, panditva, the Canakya Pandita, even in the lower stage of life, ordinary life, he said who is educated, pandita. He said,

matrvat para-daresu
para-dravyesu lostravat
atmavat sarva-bhutesu

yah pasyati sa panditah

This is education. Where is that education? Matrvat para-daresu? All women mother. Where is that education? There is no education. Therefore in this age practically everyone is a mudha, not educated. He does not know how to look upon woman. Woman should be looked as mother. Still in India, a unknown woman should be addressed, "Mother." They have introduced now in the northern India, bahinji (?). No, this was not the etiquette. "Mataji." This is Indian culture, not bahinji (?). This has been introduced now. No. Matra svasra duhitra va [SB 9.19.17]. Woman's connection with man is as mother, as sister or as daughter. No other relationship. This is Indian culture.

matrvat para-daresu
para-dravyesu lostravat
atmavat sarva-bhutesu
yah pasyati sa panditah

This is culture. This is called srauta.

And tejah, ojasa. Ojasa means strength. Just like ksatriya, they are tejah. A ksatriya cannot tolerate that a man is being tortured before him. No, he'll take immediately. Why man? Even animal. Even animal. Just like Pariksit Maharaja. He saw that one cow was being attempted to be killed. Immediately he took his sword. And in the modern civilization, even in a city like New York, if a man is killed before one man, nobody will take care. Nobody will take care. Is it not? "Let him be killed. I am going in my own way." So this is not civilization. There is no brahmana. There is no ksatriya. There is no vaisya. Simply all sudras. Kalau sudra-sambhavah. So you cannot be happy under the government of the sudras. That is not possible. Must be tejah. Government must be very, very powerful. Even, say, not more than hundred years ago, the Kashmir king was so powerful that there was no stealing in the state, on the whole state. There was no stealing. There was no thief. That is government. In the, at night I have to become concerned that thief may come, a burglar may come, so... That is not the government. One should lie down very freely: "The government is there." That is called tejah, ksatriya. Tejah, then prabhava, influence, and bala, bodily strength. Paurusa. Paurusa means one who has achieved many wonderful things. They are called paurusa. So nowadays there are many persons who are very... They have done so-called achievement. Just like this atom bomb. It is also atom bomb, but what for, this purpose? The purpose is to kill. That is not prabhava. Prabhava means to do good to others, influence. Prabhava, paurusa and buddhi, intelligence. So buddhi means not how to cheat you. That is not buddhi. Buddhi means to know what is your problem of life and endeavor for solving this problem. This is called buddhi. Therefore bhakti-yoga is known as buddhi-yoga. Buddhi-yoga.

In the Bhagavad-gita you'll find this word, buddhi-yoga. What is that buddhi-yoga? Buddhi-yoga means yena mam upayanti te, dadami buddhi-yogam tam. That is buddhi-yoga. Intelligence means to know how to go back to home, back to Godhead. That is intelligence, not that intelligence how to cheat you, how to get some money, hook and crook. That is not intelligence. That intelligence I see I was... Hari-sauri, I was explaining that, that even ant, a small ant, as soon as there is a drop of sugar juice, immediately, within a second, hundreds of ants will come: "Here is a drop of sugar juice." This is nature's study. This kind of buddhi-yoga or buddhi, intelligence, how to eat, how to sleep, how to have sex and how to defend, even in the ant there, this buddhi-yoga is there. That is not buddhi-yoga. To endeavor too much for the ahara-nidra-bhaya-maithunam ca, that is not considered buddhi. That buddhi, intelligence, is there even in the ant, a small ant. The real buddhi-yoga is how to be engaged in devotional service of the Lord. That is buddhi-yoga. How to become first-class devotee of Krsna. That is called buddhi-yoga. Buddhi-yogam dadami tam yena mam upayanti te. That is buddhi-yoga. How to go back to home, back to Godhead, that is buddhi.

So this ordinary buddhi will not... Everyone has got intelligence. Even the ant has got intelligence. We study sometime: the sparrow, he has got intelligence. But the perfect intelligence is there when one is in bhakti-yoga, in searching of... athato brahma jijnasa. When one is searching after the Absolute Truth, that is buddhi-yoga. Buddhi-yoga. Here is also yoga. Na aradhanaya. This ordinary material buddhi, material wealth, material beauty, these things are not competent to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Na aradhanaya. Naradhanaya bhavanti: "These are useless." So don't be disappointed that "Because I am poor, I cannot become devotee." Everyone can become devotee, a-bala-vrddha-vanitah, even the children. Just see how the children, they are dancing, they are chanting, they are offering obeisances. That is bhakti-yoga. Apratihata. "Because they are children, they cannot become a devotee" -- it is not that, the fact. Everyone can become devotee, provided he is properly guided. That is required.

sa vai pumsam paro dharmo
yato bhaktir adhoksaje
ahaituky apratihata
yena atma samprasidati
 [SB 1.2.6]

So gaja-yutha-paya. Here it is. Even the elephant, he also become a great devotee. Even a monkey, Hanumanji, he became a great devotee. He's not even human being. So therefore bhakti is apratihata. It cannot be checked in any condition. In any condition you become bhakta simply if you learn from the authorities how to do it. That greatest authority is Krsna. He says, "I'll give you intelligence." Buddhi-yogam dadami tam. "I'll give you." How? Tesam satata-yuktanam bhajatam priti-purvakam [Bg. 10.10]. If one is working under the direction of the spiritual master with love and faith, then Krsna, from within, as caitya-guru, the guru within the heart, He'll help you, and he'll send you bona fide guru to help you externally. So both ways, you'll be helped, and you'll become Prahlada Maharaja.

Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.9 -- Mayapur, February 16, 1976

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Every Dog Has His Pride

Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.10
Mayapur, February 17, 1976

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Dayananda: "Prahlada Maharaja continued to think that a brahmana who has qualified himself with all the brahminical qualities, twelve in number, as they are stated in the book known as Sanat-sujata, such a brahmana, if he is not a devotee and averse to the lotus feet of the Lord, he is especially lower than a devotee who is a dog-eater even, but his mind, words, activities, wealth, and life -- everything is dedicated to the Supreme Lord. Such a low person is better than a brahmana as above mentioned because such lowborn person can purify his whole family, whereas a so-called brahmana falsely in prestigious position cannot purify himself."

Prabhupada:

viprad dvi-sad-guna-yutad aravinda-nabha-
padaravinda-vimukhat svapacam varistham
This is the verdict of the sastra. Svapacam varistham.
manye tad-arpita-mano-vacanehitartha-
pranam punati sa kulam na tu bhurimanah
 [SB 7.9.10]

Mahajano yena gatah sa panthah [Cc. Madhya 17.186]. This is Prahlada Maharaja's instruction, that don't be falsely proud unless you have got the qualification. That is our mistake, dambha, dambha. And the pure life begins when we give up dambha, false prestige. Adambhitvam amanitvam ahimsa ksantih arjavam. This is the begin... One who is falsely proud, he is... (aside:) What is that sound? One should not be falsely proud. Everyone... Material world means everyone is falsely proud. Everyone is thinking, adhyo 'smi dhanavan asmi ko 'sti mama samah, everyone. This is the disease. "I am the richest. I am the powerful. I am the very intelligent." Everything, "I am." This is called ahankara. Ahankara vimudhatma kartaham iti manyate [Bg. 3.27]. This false prestige... When one is absorbed with false things, he becomes vimudha, rascal. Ahankara-vimudhatma kartaham iti manyate [Bg. 3.27]. This is false prestige. We have to give up this false prestige. Ahankara must be there because you are a reality. You are not false. Your body is false, but you are reality. "I am soul." That realization must come. Aham brahmasmi. Not that ahankara-vimudhatma, "I am dog," "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am this." This is ahankara, this false ahankara. But giving up all these nonsense prestigious position... A dog is also thinking he's in a prestigious position: "I am dog. I can bark very loudly. Gow! Gow!" He's also thinking that. Similarly, if I also think, "I am Indian," "I am white," "I am black," "I am this," what is the difference? Therefore Bhagavad-gita says, ahankara-vimudhatma kartaham iti manyate [Bg. 3.27]. He is completely under the control of material nature, and he's thinking falsely that "I am very advanced in...," so on, so on. This should be given up.

So how it is given up? When one becomes devotee. Manye tad-arpita-mano-vaca. One who has given everything to Krsna, the, our sannyasa, tri-danda, that is tad-arpita-mano-vaca. Tri-danda means "I am accepting, my Lord, three kinds of chastisement from You, that I dedicate my body, my mind and my vaca, my words." This is called tri-danda. You should understand, those who are sannyasis, tri-danda-sannyasi. The Mayavadi sannyasis, they take one danda. Eka brahma dvitiya nasti. That is their philosophy, that "Only Brahman is there, and nothing else. So I am Brahman; you are Brahman" -- one, monism. That is their philosophy. Of course, that is our philosophy also, because everything is Krsna. There is nothing except Krsna. Krsna said in the Bhagavad..., maya tatam idam sarvam: "Everything I am." But their mistake is that because everything is Krsna, er, Krsna is everything, therefore everything is Krsna. No, that is mistake. That Krsna explains, that:

maya tatam idam sarvam
jagad avyakta-murtina
mat-sthani sarva-bhutani
naham tesu avasthitah
 [Bg. 9.4]

This is the mistake committed by the Mayavadis, that "If everything is Brahman, then whatever I worship, that is all right." That is nonsense. Krsna says, naham tesu avasthitah. Just like this microphone: it is Krsna. But if I worship this microphone instead of the Deity, then I am a fool. Then I am fool. This is the mistake the Mayavadis commit. They put the argument, "If everything is Krsna, everything is Brahman, so whatever I worship, that is Brahman." Krsna says, "No. That is not. Everything is Myself." This is called simultaneously one and different, acintya-bhedabheda-tattva. Goloka eva nivasaty akhilatma-bhutah [Bs. 5.37]. This is there in the Brahma-samhita. Krsna is always in Goloka. Just like here is Krsna. He's in Goloka, but He's so powerful, omnipotent... This is called omnipotency. In spite of His becoming in Goloka, He's everywhere. That is Krsna. That is the difference between Krsna and you or me. I am here; I'm not in upstairs. I'm here only. But Krsna simultaneously can be everywhere. Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati [Bg. 18.61]. So many pretenders, they claim that they are God: "I am God." But are you present everywhere? Can you say what I am thinking now? No, that he cannot. Still, he claims, "God." Nonsense. How he can become God? If you cannot say what I am thinking now, then how you can become God? God is situated everywhere. Andantara-stham paramanu-cayantara-stham. Everywhere. Paramanu-cayantara-stham. Even within the atom there is God. So how you can claim God? Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati [Bg. 18.61]. Then they will answer, "I'm not in God now I am God, but maya... Therefore I cannot say now." That... "Why you have become under the control of maya? Then maya is greater than God. Then how you can become God? Maya is greater than God." So they cannot answer this. Because their theory is foolish, they cannot answer all these things. Actually, unless one is a devotee, he'll have all these bad qualification.

So Prahlada Maharaja is thinking himself that "I am less than svapaca." Just like Caitanya-caritamrta author says,

purisera kita haite muni se laghistha
jagai madhai haite muni se papistha
 [Cc. Adi 5.205]

He said that "I am insignificant, more insignificant than the stool-worm." The worm... There are worms in the stool. "So I am lower than that." Purisera kita haite muni se laghistha: "My value is less than the worm in the stool." This is called trnad api sunicena. It is not that Kaviraja Gosvami is artificially posing in that way. No. He's sincerely... No Vaisnava thinks himself, "I am very big man." No. He's not Vaisnava. Vaisnava means trnad api sunicena taror api sahisnuna. This is Vaisnava. Even he is exalted more than anyone in this world, still he thinks himself as lowest: "I am lower than the worm in the stool." Prahlada Maharaja, Vaisnava, he is engaged to offer prayers to the Lord, Nrsimhadeva. So he's thinking in that way, that "What...? What form of prayer I can offer? I am born in a demonic family, low-grade family, and Brahma, he's coming from Brahmaloka, Satyaloka, Janaloka. They are so exalted. They could not satisfy the anger of the Lord, and I am born in low family. How can I do this?" This is his idea. But he's taking courage in this way, that in the sastra it is accepted that even one is born in low, low-grade family, svapaca... Svapaca means the most low grade. They're eating pigs. No... According to Vedic civilization, the pig-eater, even cow flesh eater is given better position. But the pig-eaters, they are the lowest, svapacas, untouchable. They are called untouchable. Any meat-eater is untouchable, but especially the pig-eater, svapaca. In India still, no even meat-eaters... Generally those who are meat-eaters, they take meat of such animals like goats, lambs, like that, those who are meat-eaters. And they never take cow's flesh because cow is protected, go-raksya. So in the Bhagavad-gita to the meat-eaters also it is said, krsi go-raksya vanijyam [Bg. 18.44]. Even if you are meat-eater, don't eat cow. You can eat others animals. But don't eat... "We are svapacas," svapaca is there. So if you are at all meat-eater, you can eat pigs, goats, but don't eat cows' flesh. That is very sinful. Why it is sinful? Because it's a very, very important animal in the human society, very important animal. You get milk and milk products. Then your brain becomes very nice, memory sharpened. That is, therefore, important. Don't eat. It is economically.

So svapacam varistham. Who is that svapaca? Now, who has given everything to Krsna, tri-danda. That means even a person coming out of the family of a svapaca, dog-eaters, dog-eaters, pig-eaters, yes... Svapaca, means dog-eater. Yes. Pig-eaters are also better. But the dog-eaters, they are the lowest. I think in China and Korea they are very much fond of dog-eating. So they are the lowest. So if... So here it is proof that dog-eaters or pig-eaters or any low-grade man is not prohibited to become a devotee. That is our Krsna consciousness movement. They say that without becoming a Hindu or born in India, nobody can become brahmana, nobody can become sannyasi. But here is the proof. In the sastra it says, svapacam varistham. The dog-eater is also highly praised. When? Tad-arpita-mano-vacana: "When he sacrifices everything -- his body, his mind, his words -- only for Krsna." This is called tri-danda-sannyasa. So why the low-grade man cannot be offered tri-danda if he is qualified? If he has dedicated everything to Krsna, why he should be prohibited? No. That is not the sastric injunction. Sastric injunction is for anyone. Nobody is prohibited to become Krsna conscious. Mam hi partha vyapasritya ye 'pi syuh papa-yonayah [Bg. 9.32], Krsna says. Krsna says even papa-yoni, less than the sudra... Sudra is also papa-yoni. Even woman is called papa-yoni according to strict... Striyah sudras tatha vaisya. Vaisya. Except brahmana and ksatriyas, everyone is considered to be lowborn, according to the Vedic injunction. But not that because he is lowborn, he cannot elevate himself. That is not the fact. The present, so-called Hindu society is degraded because if one is born in higher family, brahmana, ksatriya -- he may be less than a svapaca -- he's accepted as a brahmana. That is the fault.

But sastra does not say that without... Even if you are born in a high family, brahmana family, ksatriya family, and if you do not act or if (you) have not the qualification of brahmana, dvi-sat, twelve qualifications... What is that? Dvi-sad-guna-yutad aravinda... That is explained, what are the twelve qualifications. Dharmah: "He must be strictly religious principles." Dharmah. Dharmah begins strictly when one is fully surrendered to Krsna. There begins dharmah, because Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. He says that dharma-samsthapanarthaya sambhavami yuge yuge. He comes to establish the principles of dharma. And why He is speaking, sarva-dharman parityajya? Why? If He has come to reestablish the principles of dharma-dharma-samsthapanartha -- then why He says sarva-dharm...? Sarva so-called dharmas, they are not dharma. Dharma means... Dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam [SB 6.3.19]. Dharma means the order that is given by God. That is dharma. And anything, so-called dharma, that is not dharma. That you manufacture, so many things. That is another thing. But real dharma, the... Just like I have several times explained, law means given by the government. You cannot manufacture law. That is not law. Similarly, dharma means the order given by God. That is dharma. Just like Krsna says. He said, yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata, tadatmanam srjamy aham: [Bg. 4.7] "When there is discrepancies, misuse of dharma, I appear." So He has appeared. He therefore said that "This is not dharma." You are declaring, "This is Hindu dharma," "This is Muslim dharma," "This is Jain dharma," "This is Christian dharma," "This is family dharma," "This is country dharma," so on, so on, so on. You have created so many dharmas. But Krsna said, sarva-dharman parityajya: [Bg. 18.66] "You give up all these dharmas." "Then what I..., shall I accept?" Mam ekam saranam vraja. That is dharma. Otherwise there is no dharma.

The Bhagavata also says, dharmah-projjhita-kaitavo 'tra: [SB 1.1.2] "The so-called dharmas, cheating process, is given up, kicked out." Projjhita. Prakrsta-rupena ujjhita. That is called projjhita. Sridhara Svami gives his note in this connection: atra moksa-vancha api nirastam. Anyone who is desiring for liberation, that is also cheating. That is also cheating. How you can be liberated? You are eternal servant of Krsna. Where is your liberation? You must serve Krsna. That is your dharma. Jivera svarupa haya nitya krsna dasa [Cc. Madhya 20.108-109]. If you don't serve Krsna, then you are immediately culprit, immediately punishable. That is going on. Maya is engaged to punish.

krsna bhuliya jiva bhoga vancha kare
pasate maya tare japatiya dhare

As soon as. As soon as one tries to become independent without serving Krsna, that means he is in maya. He's in maya. Immediately maya is there. Just like as soon as you become a criminal, a thief, immediately you are under the jurisdiction of the police, immediately, without the... You may hide yourself for time being, but immediately you have become criminal. Similarly, as soon as one is not Krsna conscious, he's immediately a criminal, punishable. Therefore Krsna said, na mam duskrtino mudhah prapadyante naradhamah, mayayapahrta... [Bg. 7.15]. He does not know what he's doing, this rascal naradhamah, mudha. These mudhas... Therefore when we say that a man who is not Krsna conscious, he is naradhamah, mudhah, that is a fact. But the world is such that satyam bruyat priyam bruyat ma bruyat satyam apriyam. They want if you can say the truth, but don't say the unpalatable truth. But that is social etiquette. When you speak about spiritual life there is no such scope. You must speak the truth: "Yes, you are rascal. Because you are not Krsna conscious: rascal, mudha. You are sinful. You are lowest of the mankind." Krsna says. Krsna says, na mam duskrtino mudhah.

So this is the test. This is the test, that as soon as one is not Krsna conscious, immediately he comes to the group of sinful activities, rascaldom, lowest of the mankind, mayayapahrta-jnana, all knowledge taken away, and he's an asura, Hiranyakasipu's family, Hiranyakasipu's category. So this is not optional, that "If I don't take to Krsna consciousness, that is my wish, my desire." No. If you desire in that way then you'll be punished. You become immediately... You cannot say, "It is my optional. I may become a thief; I may remain honest. That is my option." No. As soon as you become thief, you are punishable. Similarly, anyone who is not Krsna conscious, he's immediately punishable. Daivi hy esa gunamayi mama maya duratyaya [Bg. 7.14]. The punishment will go on in various ways. That is going on. Ei rupe brahmanda bhramite kono bhagyavan jiva [Cc. Madhya 19.151]. The punishment... This is punishment. That is presented by Krsna. Janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi-duhkha-dosanudarsanam [Bg. 13.9]. This duhkha, janma-mrtyu, repeatedly to take birth and die, this is punishment. But these rascals, they do not care for it. They have become so rascal that "Oh, oh, that mrtyu? I shall die because it is nature." Why it has become your nature? Your nature is eternity. But they have no brain to understand. They have become so foolish. Nityah sasvato 'yam na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20]. The spirit soul... I am soul; you are soul. I am not dying. Na hanyate hanyamane sarire. But these foolish persons, they do not know. They accept death, birth and death, old age and disease. There is no remedy. The so-called scientists, philosophers, they cannot give any remedy. The only remedy is Krsna consciousness. That they do not know. Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti [Bg. 4.9]. No. That is remedy. You have to become Krsna conscious.

janma karma ca me divyam
yo janati tattvatah
tyaktva deham punar janma
naiti mam eti kaunteya
 [Bg. 4.9]

This is... If you want to be really happy, if you want to be really in your original position, eternity, then you must take to Krsna consciousness. There is no alternative. It is not possible. It is not optional. The more you delay accepting Krsna consciousness, the more you are put into sufferings of this material world. Therefore Prahlada Maharaja said that... The brahminical qualification is certainly very good. Within this material world there are three modes of material nature: sattva-guna, rajo-guna, tamo-guna. Those who are in the tamo-guna, they are the lowest, mudha, naradhama. Rajo-guna, they are little better. They have got some activities just like materialistic person. But sattva-guna, they are simply interested in spiritual realization. So spiritual realization means God realization. Unless one becomes a devotee... Just like in our Indian society, they say brahmana pandita and brahmana Vaisnava. So pandita, that is general qualification. Without becoming a pandita, he's not a brahmana. But above pandita, one has to become a Vaisnava. Then he's perfect brahmana, brahmana Vaisnava. So these are the twelve qualification of the brahmana enunciated in the dharma-sastra. There are twenty kinds of dharma-sastra. The most important of the dharma-sastras is the Manu-samhita. [break] ...doing all nonsense. Such kind of bhakti, aikantiki harer bhak..., utpatayeva kalpate: it is simply disturbance in the society, without full knowledge from the sruti-smrti, if by sentiments one becomes bhakta. That is not bhakta. Bhakta must be following the regulative principles, the instruction of guru and so on.

So here Prahlada Maharaja said the dvadasa-guna. The dvadasa-guna is dharmas ca, dharmasya satyam ca dhamas ca tapas ca amatsarya hi titiksa-anusuyava-yajnas ca danam dhrtih sutam ca vratani vai dvadasa brahmanasya. So one must be qualified with these twelve qualities. In the Bhagavad-gita it is given, nine qualities, so, sama dama satyam saucam, jnanam-vijnanam astikyam brahma-karma sva-bhava... So you cannot become a brahmana simply by becoming a son of a brahmana. That is not possible. That is not the injunction. Just like you cannot become a high-court judge simply by becoming the son of a high-court judge. No. You must be qualified how to become a high-court judge. Then you'll be accepted. Not that... You cannot say, "I am... My father is high-court judge. I am high-court judge." That is going on. No. So here are the qualities of a brahmana, dvi-sad-guna-yutad viprat. Must be there, twelve qualities, at least nine qualities. Then you become a brahmana. And Narada Muni supports this in another place, that,

yasya hi yal laksanam proktam
(pumso) varnabhivyanjakam
yad anyatrapi drsyeta
tat tenaiva vinirdiset
 [SB 7.11.35]

Narada Muni said, the greatest authority. He said that these are the qualities of brahmana, as described. If these qualities are found elsewhere, anyatra... Suppose a man is born in the sudra family, but he had developed these qualities. Then he should be called a brahmana. And suppose a person is born in the brahmana family but he has acquired the qualities of sudra or candala. Then he should be called candala. This is Narada Muni's statement. And Sridhara Swami gives his comment upon this sloka, that birth is not primary; the qualities are primary.

So Prahlada Maharaja also explained. Prahlada means in the Satya-yuga, long, long, millions and millions... The principles was this, that simply born in a brahmana family, he does not become, even with qualities... He must be a devotee. And a devotee, if he, even if he's born in a family of dog-eaters, he is varistham. He is fully qualified. We shall discuss again.

Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.10 -- Mayapur, February 17, 1976

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Hell, Heaven or Home Decide

Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.8
Mayapur, February 15, 1976

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Dayananda: Translation: "Prahlada Maharaja continued to offer his prayer as follows: How is it possible to offer suitable prayers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead by me, who is born into the family of asuras, because all the demigods and saintly persons could not satisfy Him till now, although such persons are exalted, very qualified, in the mode of goodness. Then what to speak of me? I am not at all qualified."

Prabhupada:

prahrada uvaca
brahmadayah sura-gana munayo 'tha siddhah
sattvaikatana-gatayo vacasam pravahaih
naradhitum puru-gunair adhunapi pipruh
kim tostum arhati sa me harir ugra-jateh
 [SB 7.9.8]

Ugra-jateh. Ugra-jateh, just like in Europe and America, we see, they are very much fond of ugra-karma, just like big, big factories, big, big bridges, wonderful. Long, long ago when the Britishers came here, they constructed big, big bridges, railway line. People thought, "It is wonderful." There is a song composed in Bihar. So when the Calcutta, the floating bridge made of wood, wooden bridge, floating bridge was constructed, connected Calcutta proper and Howrah, so there was big, wonderful song: ki apana banaylay sahat campani (?). There is song, ki apana banaylay sahat campani upara me ami cale, and..., just like that, niche me pani (?).

So this ugra-karma, formerly this ugra-karma was entrusted to the demons. Those who were in the sattva-guna, they do not like this ugra-karma. Sattva-guna, rajo-guna, tamo-guna. Rajas-tamo-bhavah [SB 1.2.19]. The... Those who are under the control of rajo-guna and tamo-guna, they are engaged in ugra-karma, ugra-karma: industrial enterprise, big, big roads, big, big skyscraper. This is called ugra-karma. So ugra-karma is very pleasing to the ugra-jatis (just like) Hiranyakasipu. What was the trouble between the father and the son? The father was for ugra-karma, and the son, Prahlada, was for sattvika life. So when Prahlada Maharaja engaged himself in sattvika life, not only sattvika, suddha-sattvika... In the material world there are three gunas: sattvika, rajasika, tamasika. The sattvika is the best. So, and devotional activity is suddha-sattvika, where there is no contamination. In the material world, sattvika, a person who is a brahmana, he may be contaminated by tamo-guna and rajo-guna. Just like Ajamila. He was the son of a brahmana, and he was executing the brahmacarya regulation very nicely, but he became infected with rajo-guna and tamo-guna, became attached to a prostitute and left everything, all brahminical qualification, and he became a rogue, thief, cheater, drunkard, woman-hunter, so on. There are many instances. And Jagai-Madhai, they were born of very good brahmana family, rich family, but with bad association they became drunkard, woman-hunter, meat-eater. Now these things have become common thing. Avaidha-stri-sanga, illicit connection with woman, and meat-eating and drinking, it has become a daily fashion. But formerly, at least five hundred years ago, these things were accepted as most abominable. So just like here, our Jagai-Madhai. Jagai-Madhai, they were zamindars and born of brahmana family, but because by bad association they became drunkard, gamblers and woman-hunters, they were condemned. They were taken as papi, sinful. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu's movement is to rescue them. That is the song by Narottama dasa Thakura: vrajendra-nandana yei, saci-suta hoilo sei, balarama hoilo nitai, papi tapi yata chilo, hari-name uddharilo, tare saksi jagai and madhai. Everyone wants evidence that how Caitanya Mahaprabhu delivered papi tapi. Now, here is the instance. Tare saksi jagai and madhai. So Krsna consciousness movement is so nice that it can deliver the Jagai and Madhai, ugra-karma. That is the mission of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He began this. Papi tapi yata chilo, hari-name uddharilo. Now this same flow is going on in this Krsna consciousness movement. So ugra-karma.

So Prahlada Maharaja is considering himself born of a father, Hiranyakasipu, as ugra-karma. So he's saying, harir ugra-jateh, that the... Brahmadayah sura-gana, "Lord Brahma and other demigods, they are coming from the higher planetary system, and they are in the sattvika guna, sattva-guna. They are not ordinary person." Just like coming from some pious pilgrimage, he's supposed to be very nice man, similarly, brahmadayah, they are coming from svarga-loka. Why svarga-loka is better than this loka? The thing is, in the svarga-loka, although they are attached to material enjoyment, still, they are great devotees. Therefore svarga-loka is praised. They are not like us. Here, those who are attached to material prosperity, they forget Krsna, or God.

bhogaisvarya-prasaktanam
tayapahrta-cetasam
vyavasayatmika-buddhih
samadhau nadhigacchati
 [Bg. 2.44]

Those who are too much attached for material enjoyment, they do not become attracted to Krsna consciousness. That is natural. So anyway, Prahlada Maharaja was doubting because he was requested by Lord Brahma, "My dear boy, my dear child, we could not pacify His Lordship Nrsimhadeva, but He has appeared for you." Paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca duskrtam [Bg. 4.8]. "Nrsimhadeva, this wonderful form, is there only for you." Paritranaya. "You are sadhu. For your deliverance Nrsimhadeva has appeared and to kill your sinful father. So business is with your father and yourself. So kindly, you take care of the business. He is very, very angry."

So before that, we have already described, even Laksmiji, he (she) could not go forward. Although she had daily affairs with Narayana, she could not dare to go forward. Brahma, Lord Brahma offered their prayers, other, Lord Siva offered their prayers, but nobody could pacify him. Therefore he is in doubt that "I am born in the family of demons," ugra-karma, ugra-jati. "If Brahma failed, Laksmiji failed, Lord Siva failed to pacify Him, how it is possible by me to pacify the Lord?" That he's doubting. Brahmadayah sura-gana-munayo 'tha siddhah. "All they are exalted persons and siddha." There is a Siddhaloka. In the higher planetary system there is a planet known as Siddhaloka. If there is opportunity, as we are contemplating, we shall show here in Caitanya-candra, er, Mayapura-candrodaya temple. That is our plan, to make a very big temple and to show all the planetary system within that from Srimad-Bhagavatam. It will not be an ordinary temple, so that people from the whole world, they'll come. This is our contemplation. There is a Siddhaloka. We shall show how this planet works, Siddhaloka. From the Siddhaloka the persons who came there, they are called siddhya, siddhya. And in the, on the heavenly planet they are called demigods, devata. Similarly, Siddhaloka... The description of the Siddhaloka is there in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Those who have read, they know. The Siddhaloka person, they can go from one planet to another without any machine, aeroplane, Siddhaloka. They can go from one planet to another. This is described. They don't require any machines. Still, like the yogis, those who are perfect yogis, they can go from one place to another without any vehicle. There are many yogis still existing. They take bathing in four dhamas. In Hardwar, in Jagannatha Puri, in Ramesvaram and similarly... Yogis can do that. Yogis, they attain asta-siddhi, eight kinds of perfection: anima, laghima, mahima, prapti, like that, isita, vasita, like that. So the Siddhaloka means they are born siddhas. They haven't got to practice this mystic yoga system. Just like a small sparrow: it can fly automatically. Why a small sparrow? Even a small insect. But if you want to fly, you have to create so many big machineries. So in that case, in the matter of flying, the small insect or the small sparrow is siddha. You are trying to fly in the sky with so many jets and 747 Jumbo. But a small fly, it can fly immediately, I mean, two miles within some seconds. So they are siddhas. What you cannot do, if other can do, that is called siddhi. So there is no question of disbelieving. We can see so many small insects, birds. They can fly from one tree to another. You cannot do that. If you have to go from one tree to another, you have to take so many trouble . So it is not to be rejected, "Ah, there cannot be any... This is unbelievable." But we have got this information from the sastras. We are staunch believer: "Yes, there are siddhas." We are believers. That is called theism: one who believes in the statements of sastra.

So there are siddhas. So they also came. Sura-gana, brahmadayaa sura-gana munayah. Muna, muni, great personalities, philosophers, they are called muni, rsi. Devarsi-bhutapta-nrnam pitrnam [SB 11.5.41]. Very highly intelligent persons, thoughtful persons, philosophers, scientists, mathematicians, so they are called also muni. So they came also to satisfy, and not these ordinary munis, but very exalted munis and siddhas from Siddhaloka. There are many lokas, Caranaloka, other. They are all described. So if there is chance, we shall present these lokas, how they are situated, where they are situated, how they are moving, how the sun is moving around them. The sun is not fixed up; sun is moving. So all these things, we have got such dream to show. If there is opportunity, we shall do, the Siddhas, and the sura-ganas and the munayas. But because they are on the planetary system, higher planetary system... There are three planetary systems. One is called higher, urdhvaloka, and middle, madhyaloka, bhur, bhuvah, sva, up to Svargaloka... We are chanting Gayatri, om bhur bhuvah sva tat savitur varenyam bhargo devasya dhimahi. These are praising the lokas, different planetary system, of which the sunlight is the chief. Savitur sakala-grahanam. He is the chief of all planets.

yac-caksur esa savita sakala-grahanam
raja samasta-sura-murtir asesa-tejah
yasyajnaya bhramati sambhrta-kala-cakro
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami

The sun is not fixed up; sun is moving. The modern scientists or astronomers, they say, "Sun is fixed up. The earth is moving." So we don't say that. It is sa... Yasyajnaya bhramati sambhrta-kala-cakrah. It has got its orbit. So there are so many things to be known still from Vedic literature, it is not yet unfolded, but we are trying. Siddhya...

So, sattvaika. They are sattvaika. They are all. All the inhabitants of the upper planetary system, they are in sattvika-guna, brahminical qualification. They are not mlecchas and yavanas. Brahmanas. Sattvaikatana-gatayo. They are not ordinary. Just like here the sattvika means pure brahmana. Samo damah satyam saucam titiksa arjavam, jnanam vijnanam astikyam brahma-karma svabhava-jam [Bg. 18.42]. So most of them are brahmanas or even ksatriyas. Mostly they are brahmanas. So urdhvam gacchanti sattva-sthah [Bg. 14.18]. You have seen in the Bhagavad-gita: "Those who are situated in sattva-guna, they are promoted to the higher planetary system after death." Madhye tisthanti rajasah: "And those who are in the rajo-guna, they remain in the middle planetary system." Jaghanya-guna-vrtti-stha adho gacchanti tamasah: "And those who are in tamasika, in the darkness, ignorance modes of material nature, they go down to the, down planetary system or animal life." So this is an opportunity, this human form of life, to decide where you want to go. Are you going to hell or heaven or back to home, or back to Godhead? That you have to decide. This is human intelligence, not like working like cats and dogs and dying like cats and dogs. That is not human life. Human life is meant for to decide where you want to go next. By the evolutionary process you have come to this human form of life. Jalaja nava-laksani sthavara laksa-vimsati. By going through so many, 8,400,000 species of life, you have got this human form of life. Now you decide where you'll go. So where I have to go, how to go, there is that information in the sastra. Sastra-caksusah. See through the sastra where you can go. And the master of the sastra, Krsna, is giving you personally instruction,

urdhvam gacchanti sattva-stha
madhye tisthanti rajasah
jaghanya-guna-vrtti-stha
adho gacchanti tamasah
 [Bg. 14.18]

yanti deva-vrata devan
pitrn yanti pitr-vratah
bhutani yanti bhutejya
mad-yajino 'pi yanti mam
 [Bg. 9.25]

These informations are there. Why you are missing this opportunity? If you like, you can go to the higher planetary system. If you like, you can go back to home, back to Godhead. Mad-yajino 'pi yanti mam. These informations are there.

So without sattva-guna, if you keep people in the rajo-guna, tamo-guna, then your, their future is lost. Rajo-guna, tamo-guna, means people will become more greedy and lusty, that's all. And greedy and lusty means cats and dogs, animal life. Animal life. They're trying to eat -- no discrimination of eating. So that is hog's life. The hog has no discrimination of eating. It can eat even stool. So the... If you eat, become like hog -- no discrimination of eating, whatever you..., just like so many swamis, they say, "Oh, why there is restriction of eating? You can eat anything you like," so nature will give you: "All right, you want to eat anything you like? All right, you become a hog. You eat even stool." Karmana daiva-netrena jantor dehopapatti [SB 3.31.1]. You have to change your body. Tatha dehantara-praptir dhiras tatra na muh... [Bg. 2.13]. You may say that there is no life after, but that is foolishness. You are under the control of material nature.

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

You may falsely be proud. You say, "No, no, I shall not become old man. I shall remain young." But nature will not allow you. Nature will force you to take the old man's body. But these foolish people, they are thinking, "independent." You are not independent. Prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani [Bg. 3.27]. Karanam guna-sango 'sya sad-asad-janma-yonisu [Bg. 13.22]. Sad-asad, good birth or low-class birth, sad-asad, that is... How it is done? Karanam guna-sango 'sya. As you make association with the gunas: sattva-guna, rajo-guna, tamo-guna. If you associate with sattva-guna, then you get sad-janma next life. And if you associate with tamo-guna, then you get tamo-guna life. After death your so much prestigious position, so much proud -- everything will be finished. Then you are completely under the laws of nature and you have to accept a body and..., according to your quality. This is the way. But they do not know. Therefore Prahlada Maharaja said that "I am born in ugra-yoni, so how can I offer my prayers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead?" But he was born in the ugra family, but he was devotee. He's qualified because a devotee is neither belonging to any of these material qualities.

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

Anyone who is engaged in devotional service, he does not belong to any of these material qualities. Sa gunan samatityaitan. All these qualities, he is transcendental. Brahma-bhuyaya kalpate. Prahlada Maharaja, although born of a demonic father, he was completely pure. He was completely on the transcendental stage. Therefore he could offer prayers to the Lord; others cannot. So a Vaisnava is very humble. He... Although everyone has admitted that he is on the stage of prema, but he is a Vaisnava. He's thinking that "I am the son of Hiranyakasipu. How I can offer?" This is Vaisnava humbleness. That is the teaching of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

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

One has to become humbler than the grass and tolerant than the tree. Then he can become perfect Vaisnava. Because as soon as you become a Vaisnava, your father will be your enemy. Just like Prahlada Maharaja. What was his fault? Five-years-old boy. Simply he became a Vaisnava, Krsna conscious, and his father became enemy. This is the position.

So Vaisnava has to tolerate in order to make progress in spiritual life so many enemies, Even at home, father will be enemy. So don't be hesitant and don't be agitated by such circumstances. Prahlada Maharaja had to suffer so many things. Still, he remained Krsna conscious, and ultimately he saw Lord Nrsimhadeva and had the privilege of offering prayers. We shall discuss later on.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.8 -- Mayapur, February 15, 1976

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Making Faith Firm

Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.7
Mayapur, February 14, 1976

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Dayananda: (chants verse, etc.) "Translation: Prahlada Maharaja thus fixed up in his mind with full attention, the mind and sight, everything was placed in complete trance. Thus, on account of love, he began to offer his prayer in faltering voice."

Prabhupada:

astausid dharim ekagra-
manasa susamahitah
prema-gadgadaya vaca
tan-nyasta-hrdayeksanah
 [SB 7.9.7]

So, this is gradual progress of spiritual mind, and this state is called prema, prema-gadgadaya. So, we have to make progress as it is exemplified by Prahlada Maharaja. Adau gurv-asrayam sad-dharma-prccha sadhu-marga-anugamanam. (aside:) Stop that. The first business is adau, in the beginning, gurv-asrayam. Gurv-asrayam means to take shelter of a bona fide spiritual master, adau gurv-asrayam, and this takes place when there is sraddha. Just like in this meeting, persons who have got little faith, they can sit down and hear. This is called sraddha. And the higher stage of sraddha is to completely accept the instruction of Krsna. In the Caitanya-caritamrta that is highest state of sraddha. In the lower stage, little faith, "So here is something going on about Krsna, let us sit down and hear it." This is kanistha-sraddha, and this sraddha, faith, has to be increased. That ultimately, in the mature stage of sraddha, faith, that is described in the Caitanya-caritamrta,

sraddha-sabde visvasa (kahe) sudrdha niscaya
krsne bhakti kaile sarva-karma krta haya
 [Cc. Madhya  22.62]

This is sraddha. Sraddha-sabde, this sraddha, faith, means sudrdha niscaya, sraddha-sabde visvasa. Krsna says

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

This is called faith. Yes, Krsna says that simply by surrendering at His lotus feet one becomes immediately a liberated person. Krsna says that.

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

Just like if I offer you that if you do this work, I shall give you immediately fifty thousand rupees. So, who will believe me? "This man is a beggar, sannyasi, how he'll give fifty thousand rupees?" So there is no sraddha. But we cannot do so with reference to Krsna. When Krsna says, aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami [Bg. 18.66], that is a fact. That is not a bogus promise, because Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, all-powerful. Whatever He likes, He can do. This is called faith.

So after reading Bhagavad-gita, if one does not get this faith in Krsna, then it is useless waste of time. There are many so-called scholars, politicians, they declare that "I read Bhagavad-gita daily, three times," but the result is no faith in Krsna. This is called useless waste of time. If you do not get the faith which is required by studying Bhagavad... Bhagavad-gita is the ABCD reading for understanding God. That is ABC. So if you do not understand even the ABCD, how he'll advance in higher studies? That is not possible. So, even we cannot understand Bhagavad-gita, the ABCD, Krsna says one thing and they make, I mean to say, interpretation in a different way. Krsna says aham adir hi devanam [Bg 10.2], mattah sarvam pravartate. They do not believe it. Srama eva hi kevalam, to such persons the Bhagavata says,

dharmah svanusthitah pumsam
visvaksena-kathasu yah
notpadayed yadi ratim
srama eva hi kevalam
 [SB 1.2.8]

You, you are very religious, performing the ritualistic ceremony very nicely, going to the Ganges and taking your bath, and dharmah svanusthitah pumsam. Very rightly you are executing your religious principle and coming at home, you are reading Bhagavad-gita, but you have no faith in Krsna. That is useless time, useless waste of time. The Bhagavata, (says) srama eva hi kevalam. So this, why this happens? Because these people do not approach the right person, guru. Adau gurv-asrayam.

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was visited by many learned brahmanas when He was at Puri, Jagannatha Puri. So one learned brahmana, he wrote some poems about Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. There were many brahmanas, they were coming, but all such reading matter, first it was to be tested by His secretary, Svarupa Damodara. If Svarupa Damodara would pass, then Caitanya Mahaprabhu will hear. Otherwise why should He waste His time (with) some hodge-podge writing? So one brahmana, he wrote something about Caitanya Mahaprabhu and came to read, recite before Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and Svarupa Damodara found many mistakes in that poem, so he did not allow him, that "You do not know how to present theistic literature. You don't. You cannot see Caitanya Mahaprabhu." He chastised him about the mistake. So to write theistic literature is not to be done by any ordinary man. It is not to, because they, they do not know. So we should not read any literature which is not presented by a bona fide Vaisnava. It has been forbidden by Sanatana Goswami.

avaisnava-mukhodgirnam
putam hari-kathamrtam
sravanam naiva kartavyam...

He said. Sanatana Goswami is our guide, acarya. He is warning you that "If a person is not Vaisnava, don't hear anything nonsense from him." That is the injunction. Don't hear. This is very rigidly to be followed.

avaisnava-mukhodgirnam
putam hari-kathamrtam
sravanam na(iva) kartavyam
sarpocchistam payah yatha

One can argue, "No, we can hear hari-katha from any person, he may be Vaisnava or not Vaisnava. What is the matter?" But Sanatana Goswami, "No." So, why it is no? Because it is like sarpocchistam payah yatha. Milk is very good, nice food, everyone knows, but if the milk is touched by the lips of a snake, it is not to be touched. It is not to be touched. It has become poison. Very good example. Similarly, if we do not hear from the right person, any Vedic literature, especially Bhagavad-gita because that is the beginning, the sarpocchistam payah yatha. He may be very big scholar, but because he is avaisnava, not devotee, it has become poison. In our country, we have got so many editions, not only in country, in all, outside the country also. In your country. There are so many hodge-podge interpretation of Bhagavad-gita, and they are being read and being used for the last two hundred years ago, but there was no effective result. It could not act. But as soon as this Bhagavad-gita As It Is, we have presented and you are reading, so many thousands of thousands, they are becoming devotee.

So therefore, this process Prahlada Maharaja is demonstrating by his personal behavior because he is mahajana. He is mahajana. Out of the twelve mahajanas. The sastra says, mahajano yena gatah sa panthah [Cc. Madhya 17.186], one has to follow the mahajana, authorized person. Mahajana means authorized person. Ordinary jana, common man, and mahajana means authorized person. We cannot take lesson, instruction from unauthorized person. This authorization must come through the disciplic succession. If the spiritual master, authorized spiritual master says, "You do this," that we have to do. That we are singing daily,

guru-mukha-padma-vakya cittete koriya-aikya
ara na koriho mane asa **

This is the process. This is the process. And if I think that I am more intelligent than my guru... First of all guru must be bona fide, not a bogus guru. The guru, as specified by Caitanya Mahaprabhu, that is not very difficult, who is guru? Caitanya Mahaprabhu said,

yare dekha, tare kaha 'krsna'-upadesa
amara ajnaya guru hana tara' ei desa
 [Cc. Madhya 7.128]

He is guru. One who is strictly following the instruction of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and after following Him, he is just delivering the instruction as Krsna has said, then you become guru. It is not difficult. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has ordered everyone. Therefore our process is to follow Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and then try to understand Krsna's instruction. Just like here in our temple. First of all there is Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Through His mercy we are trying to understand Radha-Krsna. You cannot understand Radha-Krsna directly. That is not possible. That will be like that sarpocchistam payah yatha, milk touched by the lips of a snake. There are so many Bhagavata reciters in India. They jump over to the rasa-lila without understanding Krsna through Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Narottama dasa Thakura has sung, you know?

rupa-raghunatha-pade hoibe akuti
kabe hama bujhabo se jugala-piriti

Don't try to understand jugala-piriti, Radha-Krsna's love, abruptly. It is foolishness. You will misunderstand. Therefore Narottama dasa Thakura, he said, rupa-raghunatha-pade hoibe akuti. Rupa, beginning from Rupa Gosvami up to Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, six gosvamis, Sri-Rupa, Sanatana, Bhatta-Raghunatha, Sri-Jiva, Gopala-bhatta, Dasa-Raghunatha, six gosvamis. So, Narottama dasa Thakura, rupa-raghunatha, beginning from Rupa to Raghunatha dasa. Rupa-raghunatha-pade hoibe akuti kabe hama bujhabo, don't try to understand Radha-Krsna love without going through the instruction of Rupa Gosvami, Sanatana Gosvami, (indistinct) Gosvami, like, that is the instruction.

So we see practically how Prahlada Maharaja immediately attained the state of prema. Here it is said, prema-gadgadaya vaca. Prema, that prema is not this prema. The lusty desire, that is not prema. Prema, one has to learn, one has to go through the disciplic or discipline to attain the state of prema. As Prahlada Maharaja, so he first of all followed the instruction of Brahma, then immediately he got the favor of Lord Nrsimhadeva, and after getting that he got the prema state. You cannot go immediately to the prema state. That is also rupa-raghunatha-pade. Rupa-raghunatha, Rupa Goswami has said (indistinct),

adau sraddha tatah sadhu-
sangah atha bhajana-kriya
tato anartha-nivrttih syat
tato nistha tatah rucih

athasaktis tato bhavas
sadhakanam ayam premnah
pradurbhave bhavet kramah
 [Cc. Madhya 23.14-15]

These are the kramah. You cannot get prema state artificially, crying, falling down and then smoking bidi, this is not prema. Prema you have to learn by the kramah pantha. That kramah pantha is the same, adau sraddha. Adau sraddha. Sraddha means faith. "Yes, Krsna says that, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam [Bg. 18.66], it is right." This is faith, this is beginning of faith. Now to keep the faith or to increase the faith, you have to live with faithful servants of Krsna.

With our, this institution, the center is meant for giving a chance to the common people to get association of devotee. Adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sangah [Cc. Madhya 23.14-15]. Sadhu means those who are well-behaved in Krsna consciousness, not upstarts. They are called sadhu. So, those who are living in this temple, they must be strictly very well behaved, so that whoever may come out of sraddha, if he sits down for some time and sees your behavior, then he'll be influenced. And if you become third-class, then how sadhu-sangah will be effective? No. You must strictly follow the regulative principles as given to you by your spiritual master, sastra. You must follow. Then people will come in contact with you, they will be benefited. Adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sangah [Cc. Madhya 23.14-15], and if he regularly makes sadhu-sangah, then the effect will be he will try to become a sadhu. That is initiation. Initiation means the beginning of becoming a sadhu, not that after initiation immediately he becomes a sadhu. If he follows, just like we instruct that you chant at least sixteen rounds, you have no illicit sex, you cannot take any meat, fish, eggs, or you cannot have any intoxication up to drinking tea and smoking, and we say no gambling. This is the process of becoming a sadhu. So adau sraddha. This is called bhajana-kriya.

Then anartha-nivrttih. Anartha, these are anartha. There is no need of smoking. It is useless, but we have practiced it. Therefore they are anartha. But if you follow the devotional process, then anartha will be finished very soon. That is the test. Test means, bhakti paresanubhavo viraktir anyatra syat, if you are actually advancing in bhakti, devotional service, then automatically you don't like these nonsense practices. No illicit sex, no meat eating, no gambling, no intoxication, automatically. That is the test how far you are. Anartha-nivrtti syat, these are anartha. Then if he is nistha, firm faith, then ruci, taste then asakti,  attraction then bhava, then prema. So Prahlada Maharaja, he is on the stage of prema, prema-gadgadaya vaca tan-nyasta-hrdayeksanah. when you attain the stage of prema, then your core of heart is cleansed for welcoming, He is there, for seeing.

Therefore in the Brahma-samhita it is said, premanjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santah sadaiva hrdayesu vilokayanti [Bs. 5.38]. You can see God within your heart. He is sitting there, isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese arjuna tisthati [Bg. 18.61]. You get ready, Krsna is there within your heart, but you cannot see because you have no prema. You cannot see. Krsna does not expose Himself to the non-devotees. He does not, naham prakasah sarvasya yoga-maya-samavrtah [Bg. 7.25]. He'll not expose Himself, but if you attain the stage of prema, as Prahlada Maharaja attained, then you will see Him. How you will see? Sadaiva, always. Not that for two minutes I see and Krsna is no more there. No, not like that. Premanjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santah sadaiva. Sadaiva means constant, incessantly. You can see.

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

Then you can offer your prayers to Krsna, Govinda, and then your life is successful. This is Krsna consciousness process. So try to follow the path chalked out by Prahlada Maharaja. He is one of the mahajanas. Out of the twelve mahajanas, he is also one of them. He is our guru. So try to follow Prahlada Maharaja's instruction and behavior also. Just see his behavior, how he attained the stage of prema gradually.

So you should be ambitious. Our goal of life. That is the, Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission, prema pum-artho mahan. He doesn't say, dharmartha-kama-moksa [SB 4.8.41]. He never says. To become religious, that is not, but that is the beginning, because without religion, everyone is animal, cats and dog. So religion is the beginning, dharma, artha, but generally... (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.7 -- Mayapur, February 14, 1976

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God Supreme Being

Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.6
Mayapur, February 26, 1977

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Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

Prabhupada: You can derive (divide?) the syllables. Sa tat-kara-sparsa-dhuta-akhila-asubhah. You cannot pronounce combinedly, just divide. Sa tat-kara-sparsa-dhuta-akhila-asubhah, like that. Anyway, chant. (Pradyumna chants again, devotees chant slowly) There is no board writing. Why? So many men could not write the board? They cannot see. Go on. (devotees attempt to chant) That's all right. Difficult.

Pradyumna: "Translation: By the touch of Lord Nrsimhadeva's hand on Prahlada Maharaja's head, Prahlada was completely freed of all material contaminations and desires, as if he had been thoroughly cleansed. Therefore he at once became transcendentally situated, and all the symptoms of ecstasy became manifest in his body. His heart filled with love, and his eyes with tears, and thus he was able to completely capture the lotus feet of the Lord within the core of his heart."

Prabhupada:

sa tat-kara-sparsa-dhutakhilasubhah
sapady abhivyakta-paratma-darsanah
tat-pada-padmam hrdi nivrto dadhau
hrsyat-tanuh klinna-hrd-asru-locanah
 [SB 7.9.6]

So Prahlada Maharaja, tat-kara-sparsa, "touch of the lotus palm of Nrsimhadeva," the same palm where there is nail. Tava kara kamala-vare nakham adbhuta-srngam. The same palm with nakha adbhuta... Dalita-hiranyakasipu-tanu-bhrngam. Immediately, with the nails only... The Lord did not require any weapon to kill this gigantic demon, simply nails. Tava kara-kamala. The example is very nice, kamala. Kamala means lotus. The Lord's palm is just like lotus flower. Therefore in the lotus flower it is very soft, very pleasing, and how the nails came? Therefore adbhuta. Tava kara-kamala, adbhuta. Nakham adbhuta-srngam. It is not possible to grow some ferocious nails, piercing nails, in the lotus flower. This is contradictory. Therefore Jayadeva says, adbhuta: "It is wonderful. It is astonishing." This... Therefore Lord's power, exhibition of power and sharp nails, they're all inconceivable. Srila Jiva Goswami has explained, "Unless you accept inconceivable power of the Supreme Lord, there is no understanding." Acintya. Acintya-sakti. Acintya means inconceivable. You cannot speculate how it is happening, how in the lotus flower there is so hard nail that immediately, within a second, it could kill a great demon like Hiranyakasipu. Therefore it is acintya. We cannot conceive. Acintya. And therefore Vedic instruction is acintya khalu ye bhava na tams tarkena yo jayet: "Do not apply your poor logic in the matters which is inconceivable by you." There is no logic that how lotus flower can grow nails. They say, "Mythology." Because they cannot conceive within their poor brain, they cannot accommodate how things happen like that, they say, "Mythology." Not mythology. It is fact, but it is inconceivable by you or us. It is not possible.

So that, the same kara kamala, was put on the head of Prahlada Maharaja. Prahladahlada-dayine. Prahlada Maharaja was feeling, "Oh, how blissful this hand." Not only feeling, but immediately all his material unhappiness, pangs, disappeared. This is the process of transcendental touch. We can have the same facility in this age. It is not that Prahlada Maharaja became immediately jubilant by the touch of the lotus palm of the Lord. You can have the same benefit immediately if we become like Prahlada Maharaja. Then it is possible. Krsna is advaya-jnana, so in this age Krsna has descended in His sound vibration form: kali yuga nama rupe krsnavatara. This age... Because these fallen men in this age, they are... They have no qualification. Mandah. Everyone is bad. Nobody is qualified. They have no spiritual knowledge. Don't mind. In your Western country they are very much puffed up with material knowledge, but they have no spiritual knowledge. Perhaps in the history, for the first time in the history, they're getting some information of spiritual knowledge.

Devotees: Jaya.

Prabhupada: Otherwise there was no spiritual knowledge. They do not know. That's a fact.

In the Bhagavad-gita it is said,

bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh
kham mano buddhir eva ca
bhinna me prakrtir astadha
 [Bg. 7.4]

These materialistic persons, scientists, physicists and other speculator, they're dealing with these elements, material -- earth, water, fire, air, ether, up to mind, psychology, or, little advanced, intelligence, but no more. They are dealing in their university, colleges, educational institution. They are concerned with these elements, material. They have no spiritual knowledge. Krsna said... We get information from the Bhagavad-gita, apareyam: "These eight elements, they are inferior." Therefore, because they are dealing with this inferior nature only, their knowledge is inferior. This is a fact. It is not that I am accusing. No. This is the... They have no information. Big, big professor, they say that this body finished... "Body finished" means pancatva (?) prapta. They do not know that there is another body, subtle body -- mind, intelligence, ego. They do not know. They are thinking this earth, water, air, fire, ether, that much..., "This is finished, I see, either you burn the body or bury the body, finished, everything finished. And where is other thing?" So they have no knowledge. So they have no knowledge even of the subtle body, earth, water, which carries the soul, and what they'll know about the soul?

So Krsna gives information in the Bhagavad-gita, apareyam: "These elements, even up to mind, intelligence, ego, bhinna, they are My separated energy, separated energy. And," apareyam, "this is inferior. And there is another, superior nature." Apareyam itas tv viddhi me prakrtim para. Para means superior. Now, they may be asking, "What is that? We know these elements only. What is that another superior energy?" Jiva bhutah maha-baho, clearly said: "That is living..." And they are thinking that there is no other superior energy except these eight material elements or five elements. Therefore they are in ignorance. It is for the first time they are getting some knowledge, Bhagavad-gita As It Is, and from that they can know that there is another, superior energy who is jiva-bhutah. The living entity which is moving the body, that is superior energy. So they have no information, neither there is an attempt to understand that superior energy in their universities or institution. Therefore they are mudha, mudhas. They may be very much puffed up of their so-called knowledge, but according to Vedic knowledge they are mudhas. And if one cannot understand the superior energy, prakrti, nature, then how one can understand God? That is not possible. Then again, dealings between God and the superior energy, that is bhakti. It is very difficult. Manusyanam sahasresu kascid yatati siddhaye [Bg. 7.3]. That siddhaye means to understand that superior energy. That is siddhi. And after that, one can understand Krsna.

So it is very difficult, especially in this age. Mandah sumanda-matayo [SB 1.1.10]. They are... Mandah means they are not interested, or even they are little interested, they are very slow. They do not understand this is the prime knowledge. And first of all you must know it, athato brahma jijnasa, that superior knowledge. That is required. But everyone is neglecting. There is no inquisitiveness even what is that thing which is moving this body. There is no inquiry. They think automatically, by combination of this matter... They are still persisting on this point, and when you challenge, "You take this chemical and prepare the living force," they'll say, "That I cannot do." And what is this? If you cannot do, then why you are speaking like nonsense, that "The combination of matter or chemicals gives the life"? You take the chemicals. Our Doctor Svarupa Damodara in the California University... One big professor came to lecture on chemical evolution, and he challenged immediately, that "If I give you the chemicals, can you produce life?" He said, "That I cannot say." So this is their position. They cannot prove it. They cannot do it. Science means not only observation but experiment also. That is complete. Otherwise theory. It is not science. So they have got different theories. That anyone can put forward. That is not But real fact is that Krsna is spiritual and He's the Supreme. Nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam (Katha Upanisad 2.2.13). This is the Vedic injunction. God is the supreme nitya, eternal, and the Supreme Living Being. In the dictionary also it is said, "God means the Supreme Being." They could not understand Supreme Living Being. But in the Vedas it is said not only Supreme Being, but Supreme Living Being. Nityo nityanam cetanas cetanam eko yo bahunam vidadhati kaman. That is the description of God.

So it is very difficult to understand even the spiritual substance, and what to speak of God. The beginning of spiritual knowledge is to understand first of all what is spirit. And they are taking the intelligence or mind as spirit. But that is not spirit. Beyond that... Apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakrtim para [Bg. 7.5]. So this perfection, as Prahlada Maharaja had immediately by touching the Supreme Personality of..., we can also have. There is possibility, and very easily, because we are fallen, mandah, very slow, very bad. Mandah and sumanda-matayo. And because we are bad, everyone has manufactured a theory. Sumanda. Mata. Mata means opinion. And what is that opinion? Not only manda but sumanda, very, very bad. Sumanda-matayo. Mandah sumanda-matayo manda-bhagyah [SB 1.1.10], and all unfortunate or misfortunate. Why? When there is knowledge, they'll not take. They will theorize. They're unfortunate. Ready knowledge, but they will theorize, "It is like this. It is like that. It is like that. Perhaps... Maybe..." This is going on. Therefore manda-bhagyah. Just like here is money. One will not take that money. He'll work hard like hogs and dog to earn money. So that means unfortunate. So mandah sumanda-matayo manda-bhagyah. And because manda-bhagyah, there is upadrutah, always disturbance -- this war, that war, that war. Beginning, whole history, simply war. Why war? Why there is fight? There should not be any fight because everything is complete. Purnam idam [Isopanisad, Invocation]. The world is full by the mercy of the Supreme Lord. Because it is the kingdom... This is also kingdom of God. But we have made it hell by unnecessarily fighting. That's all. Otherwise it is... For a devotee -- purnam. Visvam purnam sukhayate. Why there should be fight? God has supplied everything. You want water? Three-fourths of the earth is full of water. But that water is salt. God has process how to make it sweet. You cannot do this. Water you want. There is sufficient water. Why there should be scarcity? Now we heard in Europe they were contemplating importing water. Was not that? Yes. In England they were thinking of importing. Is that possible? But these rascal scientists think like that. They'll import. Why not? The England is surrounded by water. Why don't you take water? No. Nire kari bas na me tilo piyas. "I'm living in water, but I'm dying of thirst." (laughter) These rascals' philosophy... Or in... I think in our childhood we read one book, a Moral Class book, said there was a story that shipwrecked, and they took the shelter of one boat, but some of them died of thirst because they could not drink water. So in the water they were living, but they died of thirst.

So our position is like that. Everything is full. Still, we are dying and fighting. What is the reason? The reason is that we do not follow Krsna. This is the reason: absence of Krsna consciousness. My Guru Maharaja used to say that the whole world is full of everything. Only scarcity is Krsna consciousness. Only scarcity. Otherwise there is no scarcity. Everything is full. And if you take the instruction of Krsna you will be happy immediately. You can make the whole world happy. This instruction of Krsna in the Bhagavad-gita, so perfect... It must be perfect because it is coming from Krsna. It is not the so-called scientist theory. No. Perfect instruction. And if we follow the instruction, if we practically utilize, then whole world... Visvam purnam sukhayate.

So as Nrsimhadeva touched the head of Prahlada Maharaja, immediately you can have that same facility. "What is that facility? How? Nrsimhadeva is not here. Krsna is not here." No. He is here. "What is that?" Nama rupe kali kale krsna avatara. Krsna is present by his name, Krsna. Don't think this Krsna, Hare Krsna, this name, is different from Krsna. Absolute. Krsna, the Deity Krsna, the name Krsna, the person Krsna -- everything, the same Absolute Truth. There is no differentiation. So in this age simply by chanting Kirtanad eva krsnasya mukta-sangah param vrajet [SB 12.3.51]. Simply by chanting the holy name of Krsna... Nama-cintamani krsnah caitanya-rasa-vigrahah, purnah suddho nitya-muktah. Don't think the holy name of Krsna is different from Krsna. It is purnam. Purnah purnam adah purnam idam [Isopanisad, Invocation]. Everything purna. Purna means complete. We have tried to explain this completeness in our Isopanisad. You have read. So stick to the holy name of Krsna. You'll get the same benefit as Prahlada Maharaja got by direct touch of the lotus palm of Nrsimhadeva. There is no difference. Always think like that, that as soon as you are chanting Hare Krsna, you must know that you are touching Krsna with your tongue. Then you get the same benefit as Prahlada Maharaja.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.6 -- Mayapur, February 26, 1977

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© 2001 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.

Don't Think God Has No Feeling

Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.5
Mayapur, February 25, 1977

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Pradyumna: "Translation: When Lord Nrsimhadeva saw the small boy Prahlada Maharaja prostrated at the soles of His lotus feet, He became most ecstatic in affection toward His devotee. Raising Prahlada, the Lord placed His lotus hand upon the boy's head because His hand is always ready to create fearlessness in all of His devotees."

Prabhupada:

sva-pada-mule patitam tam arbhakam
vilokya devah krpaya pariplutah
utthapya tac-chirsny adadhat karambujam
kalahi-vitrasta-dhiyam krtabhayam
 [SB 7.9.5]

So to become devotee or favorite to the Supreme Personality of Godhead is very easy. It is not at all difficult. Here we see the example, Prahlada Maharaja, a five year old boy... [break] He's a devotee. He only knows the Supreme Lord, and he offered obeisances. That is his qualification. Anyone can do that. Anyone can come here in the temple and offer obeisances. Where is the difficulty? Simply one must have the sense that "Here is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Krsna or Nrsimhadeva or any one of His multi-expansions."

In the sastra it is said, advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam [Bs. 5.33]. Krsna has ananta-rupam. Therefore every rupa is expansion of Krsna's original rupa. The original rupa is Krsna. Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam [SB 1.3.28]. Then there are so many rupas: Rama, Nrsimha, Varaha, Balarama, Parasurama, Mina, Tortoise, Nrsimhadeva. Ramadi-murtisu kala-niyamena tisthan [Bs. 5.39]. He's always existing with different forms, not that he is existing only in Krsna form. Every form... Ramadi-murtisu. The same example, as we have given many times: just like the sun, time of sun, twenty-four hours, so out of the twenty-four hours or twenty-four incarnations, any time is present. It is not that now it is, say, eight o'clock. Then seven o'clock is finished. No. There is seven o'clock in any other part of the world. Or nine o'clock. Nine o'clock is also present. Twelve o'clock is also present. We have got one watch given by Gurukrpa Maharaja. (laughter) He has brought from Japan. It is very nice. Immediately you can see what is the time now in different places, immediately. So all of them are existing. Therefore Krsna's lila is called nitya-lila, not that one lila is going on, other lila is finished, no. Everything is existing simultaneous. Therefore this word is used, ramadi-murtisu. Ramadi-murtisu kala-niyamena tis... Niyamena. Exactly in due time... Just like the sun, exactly. Formerly there was no watch, but by the shadow one could study. You can study now also. Even now. In our childhood we used to study by seeing the shadow. "Now it is this time" -- and exactly the same time. So kala-niyamena tisthan, not that haphazardly -- now this shadow is one o'clock here, and next day, one o'clock there, no. The same place, you'll find. Kala-niyamena tisthan.

Similarly, Krsna's lila, niyamena tisthan -- exactly. There are innumerable universes. Here Krsna is born. Now Krsna is taken by Vasudeva to Vrndavana. Same thing -- immediately here born, Krsna has gone to Vrndavana -- in another universe Krsna is born. Krsna is born again. In this way His lila is going on. There is no cessation, neither there is any discrepancy of time. Exactly. Just like Krsna comes upon this earth once in Brahma's day. So so many millions of years, Krsna will appear again, if not personally, by His expansion, amsena. Caitanya Mahaprabhu will appear exactly in due course of time. Lord Ramacandra will appear. So ramadi murtisu kala-niyamena tisthan [Bs. 5.39]. So this lila, Nrsimhadeva, that is also exactly in time.

So sva-pada-mule patitam tam arbhakam. Very innocent child. If an innocent child like Prahlada Maharaja, he can get so much mercy of Nrsimhadeva, so pierceful appearance of the Lord that even Laksmi could not approach... Asruta. Adrsta asruta purva. There was no such form of the Lord. Even Laksmi did not know. But Prahlada Maharaja, he's not afraid. He knows, "Here is my Lord." Just like the cub of a lion, he is not afraid of the lion. He immediately jumps to the head of the lion because he knows, "It is my father. It is my mother." Similarly, Prahlada Maharaja is not afraid, although Brahma and others, all demigods, became afraid to approach the Lord. He simply as an innocent child came and offered his obeisances. Tam arbhakam vilokya. So, so God is not impersonal. Immediately he could understand, "Oh, here is an innocent child. He has been harassed by his father so much and now he's offering his obeisances unto me." Vilokya devah krpaya pariplutah. He became very much, I mean to say, melted with mercy. So thing, everything is there. Don't think that God has no feeling, thinking, feeling. No. Everything is there. Unless He has got sympathetic feeling in Him, where we have got it? Because everything is coming from God. Janmady asya yatah [SB 1.1.1].

Athato brahma jijnasa. What is Brahman? Brahman means the original source of everything. That is Brahman. Brhatvat brhanatvat. So if this feeling is not there in God, then how He can be God, this feeling? Just like if one innocent little child comes and offers some respect to us, immediately we become feelingly merciful: "Oh, here is a nice child." So Lord Krsna, Nrsimhadeva, He also became pariplutah, feelingly merciful, not ordinary merciful, feeling that "How innocent this child is." So feelingly, utthapya: immediately got him up. "My dear child, get up." And immediately put his hand on the head. Utthapya tac-chirsny adadhat karambujam. Karambhuja, lotus hand, lotus palm. So these feelings are there. And He wanted... Because this boy was bewildered that such a big murti came from the thumbs(?), the columns and the father, gigantic father, is dead, naturally he is little disturbed in mind. So therefore vitrasta-dhiyam krtabhayam: "My dear child, don't be afraid. Everything is all right. I am present and there is no fear. Be pacified. I will give you protection." So this is the exchange. So there is no need of very, becoming very learned man, Vedantist and... Simply these things are required: you become innocent, accept the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and fall down at His lotus feet. Everything is complete. This is wanted, simplicity. Simplicity. Believe in Krsna. As Krsna said, mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhanan... [Bg. 7.7], believe it! There is no more superior authority than Krsna.

And He says, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. This is the instruction. This is the substance of all instruction. Believe Krsna, the Supreme Personality. Here is Krsna. Believe that there is Krsna. Innocent child will believe, but our brain is so dull, we will inquire, "Whether the Deity is made of stone or brass or wood," because we are not innocent. We are thinking that this Deity is something made of brass. Even it is brass, a brass is not God? Brass is also God. Because Krsna says, bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh kham mano buddhir..., apareyam..., bhinna me prakrtir astadha [Bg. 7.4]. Everything is Krsna. Without Krsna there is no existence. So why Krsna cannot appear as He likes? He can appear in brass. He can appear in stone. He can appear in wood. He can appear in jewel. He can appear in painting. Any way He can... That is all-powerful. But we have to take it that "Here is Krsna." Don't take it that "Krsna is separate from this Deity, and here we have got a brass form Deity." No. Advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam [Bs. 5.33]. Advaita. He has multi-expansion, but they're all one.

So similarly, He is represented in His name. Abhinnatvan nama-naminoh [Cc. Madhya 17.133]. When you are chanting the holy name of Krsna don't think this is sound vibration and Krsna is different. No. Abhinnatvan. Nama-cintamani-krsnah. As Krsna is cintamani, similarly, His holy name is also cintamani. Nama-cintamani-krsnah caitanya-rasa-vigrahah. Caitanya, full consciousness, nama-cintamani-krsnah. If we associate with name, that you must know, that Krsna is fully conscious of your service. You are addressing, "He Krsna! He Radharani! Kindly engage me in Your service." Hare Krsna mantra means, Hare Krsna, "He Krsna, he Radharani, he energy, kindly engage me in your service." Ayi nanda-tanuja patitam kinkaram mam visame bhavambudhau. This is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's teaching. "O my Lord, Nanda-tanuja..." Krsna becomes very glad when you associate His name, His activities, with some devotee. He's not impersonal. Krsna has no name, but when He deals with His devotee, there is a name. Just like Krsna dealing with Nanda Maharaja, that Nanda Maharaja's wooden slipper... Yasodamayi asked the child Krsna You have seen the picture -- "Can you bring the slipper of your father?" "Yes!" Immediately took on the head. You see? This is Krsna. So Nanda Maharaja became very pleased: "Oh, your son is very nice. He can bear such a load." So this is dealing.

Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu is addressing Krsna, ayi nanda-tanuja. "O Krsna, who is born out of the body of Nanda Maharaja..." Just like the father is the body -- giving person, seed, seed-giving father, similarly, Krsna, although He is the origin of everything, but still, He is born by the seed of Nanda Maharaja. This is Krsna-lila. Ayi nanda-tanuja patitam kinkaram mam visame bhavam-budhau. Caitanya Mahaprabhu never addressed Krsna, "O the almighty." This is impersonal. He says, ayi nanda-tanuja, limited, "son of Nanda Maharaja." Son of Nanda Maharaja. So this is bhakti. He's unlimited. Just like Kuntidevi was surprised that, when (s)he thought that Krsna was afraid of Yasodamayi. That sloka you know. So he was, she was surprised that "Krsna who is so exalted and great that everyone is afraid of Him, but He has become afraid of Yasodamayi."

So this can be enjoyed by the devotees, not the... Atheist class of men or non-devotees cannot understand. Therefore Krsna said, bhaktya mam abhijanati [Bg. 18.55]. Only the devotees, no others. Others, they have no admission in this kingdom, to understand. If you want to understand Krsna it is only through bhakti. Neither knowledge nor yoga nor karma nor jnana, nothing -- nothing will help you. Simply a devotee. And how to become devotee? How easy it is? See here the Prahlada Maharaja, innocent child, simply offering his obeisances. And Krsna is also asking you, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. If you sincerely do these four items -- always think of Krsna... Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, (devotees chant) Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. So this is thinking of Krsna, man-mana. And you can stick to this principle of Hare Krsna mantra if you are unalloyed devotee. Without being unalloyed devotee it is very difficult. It will be tiresome. But we shall practice. Abhyasa-yoga-yuktena [Bg. 8.8].

Immediately we cannot be first-class devotee. We cannot imitate Haridasa Thakura. That is not possible. But minimum. Sankhya-purvaka-nama-gana-natibhih. We have to practice. Certain numerical strength we must maintain. And we have made it, therefore... Some of our so-called devotees, they criticize me that I have limited only sixteen rounds. No, why sixteen rounds? You can make three hundred rounds, but minimum, minimum sixteen rounds, because we are not accustomed to devote much time. We must be busy always. But to sit down in one place and chant Hare Krsna mantra continuously, that is not possible for any conditioned soul -- unless he is liberated. So don't try to imitate. My Guru Maharaja has strictly forbidden, "Don't try to imitate big personalities like Haridasa Thakura, Rupa Gosvami." He used to say, rupa gosvami ke mogha vancha (?). Rupa Gosvami, because he used to put on a loin cloth... Tyaktva turnam asesa-mandala-pati-srenim sada tucchavat bhutva dina-ganesakau karunaya kaupina-kantha... So it is no use imitating Rupa Gosvami, to imitate the dress, and then, as soon as there is opportunity, smoke bidi. (laughter) Don't do this nonsense. This is no use, imitation. Anusarana, not anukarana. Anukarana is dangerous. Anusarana. Sadhu-marganugamanam. This is bhakti. We shall try to follow the footsteps of big, big devotees, sadhus. We cannot... We shall try to follow. Don't try to imitate. That is very dangerous.

Some of our devotees, they left, that "There is no bhajana here," (laughter) and asking me my blessing to find out another guru. So he wants my blessing for find out a guru. So this rascaldom is no good. So best thing is that mahajano yena gatah sa panthah [Cc. Madhya 17.186]. Here is mahajana. Prahlada Maharaja is one of the mahajanas. Out of the twelve mahajanas, Prahlada Maharaja is one of the mahajanas. Svayambhur naradah sambhuh kapilo manuh prahladah [SB 6.3.20]. Prahlada Maharaja name is there. Janako bhismo balir vaiyasakir vayam. So Prahlada Maharaja is mahajana. So follow, try to follow, Prahlada Maharaja. Anusarana. Sadhu-marganugamanam. So what Prahlada Maharaja did? He was put into so many troubles by his father, and what did he do? He was simply thinking of Krsna, "What can I do? My father is against." That is man-mana bhava mad-bhaktah. And at last, when the father is killed, he is offering obeisances. So these four things, follow in the footsteps sincerely, as an unalloyed devotee. Sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. Prahlada Maharaja never thou ght that "I am son of Hiranyakasipu." Never thought. He always used to think, "I am the servant of Narada." That he said. When He wanted to give him benediction, so he asked Nrsimhadeva, "Kindly engage me in the service of Your servant, Narada, by whom I have got this instruction." He never said, "Let me serve my father." No. Because he got instruction, he always... Caksudana dilo janme janme pita sei. He is father. No other father. Caksudana dilo yei, janme janme pita sei. What is the next line?

Devotees: Divya jnana hrde prakasito.

Prabhupada: Ah, divya jnana hrde prakasito. So he is the father. So we should always bear in mind. Don't be upstart and leave this Krsna consciousness movement whimsically... (break -- end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.5 -- Mayapur, February 25, 1977

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© 2001 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.