Why One Of GBCs Became Sudra

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.13.15
Geneva, June 4, 1974
Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada


Nitai: "As long as Vidura played the part of a sudra, being cursed by Manduka Muni, Aryama officiated at the post of Yamaraja to punish those who committed sinful acts."

Prabhupada:

abibhrad aryama dandam
yathavad agha-karisu
yavad dadhara sudratvam
sapad varsa-satam yamah

So Vidura is Yamaraja, the superintendent of death. After our death, we are brought before the justice Yamaraja, what kind of next birth I may have. So Yamaraja is not sudra. He is devotee of Lord Krsna, although he has the duty to punish the criminals. Just like a magistrate is always punishing the criminals. That is his business, but he is not criminal. He is giving judgment to the criminals. Similarly, Yamaraja is the appointed magistrate, superintendent. After death, one has to go before him and take the judgment of his next life. This is the process.

So Vidura was cursed by Manduka Muni, Manduka Muni. He was a great sage, but sometimes in his asrama, some thieves were caught, so police arrested both the Manduka Muni and the thieves, and later on Manduka Muni was chastised to be punished by sula. There was a system of punishment. I do not whether (it is) still existing. The sula means one lance, lancer. Lancer, it is called?

Devotee: Yes.

Prabhupada: It was to be pierced through the rectum and it will go through the head and the man will die. The pierce was standing, and he was to sit down. What is this punishment? Is there any mention?

Pusta-krsna: I never heard of anything.

Guru-gauranga: Arabians have this. It is called pala(?).

Prabhupada: Sula punishment. So when he was condemned to the sula punishment, then the king heard that "Manduka Muni, the great sage, he is punished like that?" Immediately he stopped. "What is this nonsense that Manduka Muni has been punished? He is a great sage." So the king stopped the punishment and immediately came to see what has happened. Then he was immediately released. But he was very sorry, that "Why the judge Yamaraja punished him like that?" So he asked Yamaraja, "Why you have punished me like this?" "Now, in your childhood you pierced the rectum of an ant with a...," what is called?

Devotees: Pin, straw.

Prabhupada: No, not straw. Prick, pricking?

Devotee: Pin.

Prabhupada: Kanta, kanta. We say kanta, that pricks. What is called?

Devotees: Thorn.

Prabhupada: Ah, thorn, yes. So therefore he was punished. Now just see. In his childhood he was playing with an ant, piercing the rectum with a thorn. That is also taken account, "All right. You will be punished." Just see how finer laws are there in nature. So the Manduka Muni did that. Therefore it was recorded he should be punished like that.

This is our position. Anything... If you are walking on the street, if you kill an ant by walking, you will be punished. This is nature's law. We are in such a dangerous position. In every movement there is punishment. Now, if you believe the sastras, that is different thing. If you don't believe, then do anything you like. But from sastra we can understand the laws of nature, or God, is very, very strict, very, very strict. So Manduka Muni also chastised Yamaraja, that "In my childhood, without any knowledge I did something and for which you have given me so great punishment. So you are not fit for becoming a brahmana or ksatriya. You become sudra." So he was cursed to become sudra. Therefore Yamaraja took his birth as Vidura and was born in the womb of a sudra mother. This is the history of Vidura's birth.

So in his absence, Aryama, one of the demigods, he officiated Yamaraja. Therefore it is said, abibhrad aryama dandam. The office must go on, the magistrate post cannot be vacant. Somebody must come and act. So Aryama was acting. Yathavad agha-karisu. Agha-karisu. Agha-kari means... Agha means sinful activities, and karisu. Karisu means those who commit sinful acts. And yathavat. Yathavat means exactly to the point, how he should be punished. Yathavad agha-karisu. Yavad dadhara sudratvam. So long Yamaraja continued as a sudra, Aryama was officiating in his place as Yamaraja. This is the purport. (reads purport:) "Vidura, born in the womb of a sudra mother, was forbidden even to be a party of royal heritage along with his brothers Dhrtarastra and Pandu. Then how could he occupy the post of a preacher to instruct such learned...? Answer is that even though it is accepted that he was a sudra by birth, because he renounced the world for spiritual enlightenment by the authority of Rsi Maitreya and was thoroughly educated by him in transcendental knowledge, he was quite competent to occupy the post of an acarya or spiritual preceptor." Vidura was a sudra, born sudra. Then how he became a preacher?

So the reason is... "According to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, anyone who is conversant in the transcendental knowledge or the science of Godhead, be he a brahmana or sudra, a householder or a sannyasi, is eligible to become a spiritual master." Not that because he was born a sudra, he cannot preach, he cannot take the post of acarya or spiritual master. That is not Caitanya philosophy. Caitanya philosophy has nothing to do with this body, external body. Caitanya philosophy is concerned with the soul. This movement is the movement of elevating the soul, saving the soul from degradation. Therefore people sometimes are surprised. The bodily concept of life, the same activities will be karma. And on the platform of spiritual life, the same karma will be bhakti. Same karma will be bhakti. So bhakti is not inactivity. Bhakti is all active. Yat karosi yaj juhosi yad asnasi yat tapasyasi kurusva tad mad-arpanam. This is bhakti, bhakti-yoga. Krsna says to everyone, "If you cannot give up your karma, then that's all right. But the result of your karma, give to Me. Then it will be bhakti."

So Vidura was Yamaraja. Not only he was Yamaraja, ordinary, but he is one of the great authorities. There are twelve authorities mentioned in the sastra. One of them is Yamaraja. Balir vaiyasakir vayam. This is stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Yamaraja is one of the GBC of Krsna. Yes. As we have got twelve GBC's, similarly Krsna has got GBC's. Now,

svayambhur naradah sambhuh
kumarah kapilo manuh
prahlado janako bhismo
balir vaiyasakir vayam
 [SB 6.3.20]

That twelve men are authorized to preach Krsna consciousness. So we have to follow. Mahajano yena gatah sa panthah. Therefore we have created these GBC. So they should be very responsible men. Otherwise, they will be punished. They will be punished to become a sudra. Although Yamaraja is a GBC, but he made a little mistake. He was punished to become a sudra. So those who are GBC's, they should be very, very careful to administer the business of ISKCON. Otherwise they will be punished. As the post is very great, similarly, the punishment is also very great. That is the difficulty. You can see from this example, Vidura. He was immediately punished. He did little mistake at Manduka... Because the rsis, the munis, they will curse. Dealing is very... Even Yamaraja is not taking.

(reads:) "He was to play the part of so-called sudra for years, being cursed by Manduka Muni. He was the incarnation of Yamaraja, one of the twelve mahajanas, on the level with such exalted personalities as Bhisma, Narada, Brahma, Narada, Siva, Kapila, Bhisma, Prahlada, etc. Being a mahajana, it is the duty of Yamaraja to preach the cult of devotion to the people of the world as Narada, Brahma and other mahajanas do. But Yamaraja is always busy in his plutonic kingdom, punishing the doers of sinful acts. Yamaraja is deputed by the Lord to a particular planet some hundreds of thousands of miles away from this planet." That is mentioned. He has got a different planet, where the criminals are taken away after death, and he gives the judgment, what kind of body he will have. And not like the theosophists' thinking, "Now I have got human body. It is permanent settlement." No, that is not permanent settlement. According to one's work... Work means all sinful acts. Without Krsna consciousness, anyone who acts, he acts sinfully. There is no doubt of it. Because he is acting for sense gratification, and sense gratification means almost 99.9% all sinful activities. Duskrtinah. It is very risky job. Unless you act in Krsna consciousness... Yajnarthe karmano 'nyatra loko 'yam karma-bandhanah [Bg. 3.9]. This is the stringent law of the nature, that you have to act only for Yajna, for satisfaction of Krsna or Visnu. Otherwise, you will be entangled. And who is serving Krsna? Nobody is serving Krsna. So everyone is being entangled. This is the material world.

(reads:) "Yamaraja is deputed by the Lord to a particular planet, some hundreds of thousands of miles away from the planet of earth, to take away the corrupt souls after death and convict them in accordance with their respective sinful activities. Thus, Yamaraja has very little time to take leave from his responsible office of punishing the wrongdoers. There are more wrongdoers than righteous men. Therefore Yamaraja has to do (more) work than other demigods who are also authorized agents of the Supreme Lord. But he wanted to preach the glories of the Lord, and therefore, by the will of the Lord, he was cursed by Manduka Muni to come into the world in the incarnation of Vidura and work very hard as a great devotee."

The punishment was also reward. Those who are servants of Krsna, even they are so-called punished, there is some motive behind this. Just like Jaya and Vijaya. They were also punished to come down and..., just to become enemy of Krsna. Krsna, when they were very much perturbed that "We are going to the material world from Vaikuntha. So what will be our fate, Sir? There is some little mistake on our part. What we shall do?" So Krsna gave him that "If you become My enemy, then you will be relieved in three births, and if you become My friend, then seven births." So the Jaya and Vijaya agreed, "Sir, we shall become Your enemy." So what is the purport? Krsna wanted some enemy to fight. Just like we sometimes want to fight. So this desire is there, Krsna. Otherwise, where we get this desire? So actually, it was Krsna's service, this Jaya and Vijaya. Krsna wanted to have some fight. In the spiritual world there cannot be fight. There is no fight. There is only service. Therefore some of His devotees, this Jaya and Vijaya, agreed to become His enemy, come to this material world and to..., Krsna fought with the Jaya and Vijaya. As Ramacandra, He fought with Ravana, and as Nrsimhadeva, He fought with Hiranyakasipu, and as Krsna, He fought with Yamara..., er, Kamsa.

So similarly, Vidura also, he thought that "I am always busy in this magisterial work, simply to punish. I have no chance to preach." So Krsna is very kind to His devotee. So He gave the chance to preach. So this was the arrangement, that he was cursed by Manduka Muni, came down to this material world. That is also material. Yamaraja's planet is also in the material world. Therefore he was given the chance of preaching. (reads:) "He is transcendental to such divisions of mundane society, just as the Personality of Godhead assumes His incarnation as a hog, but He is not hog." If somebody thinks that He has come as a hog, playing the part of a hog, that is not the fact. Even though assumes the... (reads:) "The Lord and His different authorized devotees sometimes have to play the role of many lower creatures to claim the conditioned souls, but both the Lord and His pure devotees are always in the transcendental position." Etad isanam isasya. That is the authority of God, that even though He accepts some lower position, He is never in the lower position. He is always in the transcendental position. I have given the example yesterday. Just like the sun is sometimes evaporating the urine. This is not very good business. But still, sun is sun. He is never polluted. Similarly, Krsna or His devotee, if sometimes apparently does something which is not befitting their position, still, they are in their position. This is the conclusion. Krsna has given this concession to His devotee.

It is stated in the Bhagavad-gita,

api cet su-duracaro
bhajate mam ananya-bhak
sadhur eva sa mantavyah
samyag vyavasito hi sah
 [Bg. 9.30]

Even sometimes, not by willing, sometimes accidentally, a devotee... Just like the other day in the meeting, somebody was giving the example, "Lord Christ, he ate fish." So he can do that. There was some necessity. But you cannot do that. So even though it is sometimes done, abominable, but still they are in exalted position. This is to be understood. Tejiyasam na dosaya. Tejiyasam, those who are very, very powerful, anything abominable done by them, it does not contaminate. This is to be understood. But you cannot do that. You cannot imitate.

(reads:) "When Yamaraja thus incarnated himself as Vidura, his post was officiated by Aryama, one of the many sons of Kasyapa and Aditi, the Adityas, or sons of Aditi, and there are twelve Adityas. Aryama is one of the twelve Adityas, and therefore it was quite possible for him to take charge of the office of Yamaraja during his one hundred years' absence in the form of Vidura. The conclusion is that Vidura was never a sudra, but was greater than the purest type of brahmana."

Now, have kirtana. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.13.15 -- Geneva, June 4, 1974

Dear Words For Dormant Hearts

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.13.12
Geneva, June 3, 1974

Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada


Nitai: Translation: "Thus being questioned by Maharaja Yudhisthira, Mahatma Vidura gradually described everything he had personally experienced, except the news of the annihilation of the Yadu dynasty."

Prabhupada:

ity ukto dharma-rajena
sarvam tat samavarnayat
yathanubhutam kramaso
vina yadu-kula-ksayam

Yadu-kula-ksayam. The Yadu dynasty... When Krsna was present, the family members were about ten millions. This is Krsna. Everything is wonderful. He married 16,108 wives, and each wife had ten children, and each child begot another ten children. In this way, the Yadu-kula was a very big family. So they were destroyed.

There are two comments on this point, why Yadu-kula was destroyed by Krsna's plan. One comment is that if they would continue to live, then the same misconception, that a brahmana is born in the brahmana family -- they would continue to speak that "We are also gods, because we are born of God's family, Krsna's family." Just like in India there is a class, they call themselves Nityananda-vamsa, descendants of Lord Nityananda. But that does not actually happen. And another comment is that all these members of Yadu-kula, they appeared in the Yadu-kula just to enhance the opulence of Krsna. But they came from different heavenly planets to help Krsna in His incarnation. Just like a big man, wherever he goes there are many others also go there to help him. When a king goes somewhere, the king does not go alone. He goes with his secretaries, his military commanders, and so many other companions. So these Yadu-kulas were like that. They came to help Krsna's lila, pastimes, within this material world. So some of them were born as sons of Krsna, some of them as grandson, as great-grandson, and Krsna did not want to leave them behind. Krsna was planning to go back to His Vaikuntha, Vrndavana planet. So He did not like that they should remain. They should also go back. Now, to go back means they must meet death after..., because otherwise it is unnatural. So... And who can kill them? Nobody can kill them. That is also another point. The family of Krsna, there is no power in the whole world that anybody could kill them. So Krsna planned that they should be killed amongst themselves by fighting. So another lesson is that if we fight amongst ourselves, even we belong to the family of Krsna, we are ruined. This is the instance of Yadu-kula. Although they belonged to Krsna's family directly, still, because they fought amongst themselves, they were all banished, vanquished.

So this was not a very palatable incident. So Vidura, when he was asked by Maharaja Yudhisthira about the family members of Yadu-kula, he did not describe it, because they were very thickly related as family members, so it would be a great shock to the Pandavas that Yadu-kula, descendants of the Yadu-kula, had been annihilated in such an unpalatable way. So he did not describe. Yathanubhutam kramasah. Ity ukto dharma-rajena sarvam tat samavarnayat. He described everything. Vina yadu-kula-ksayam. Vina. Vina means "without." Without the incidence, how the Yadu-kula was destroyed by fighting amongst themselves.

nanv apriyam durvisaham
nrnam svayam upasthitam
navedayat sakaruno
duhkhitan drastum aksamah

He did not describe because he did not like also to see that Pandavas would be sorry. He went back to his home after so many years, and they were receiving them, and at that time Vidura did not like to see them aggrieved on account of this incidence.

kancit kalam athavatsit
sat-krto devavat sukham
bhratur jyesthasya sreyas-krt
sarvesam sukham avahan

Vidura left his home for good. It is not that he has again come back to live with his family members. No. His only purpose was that his elder brother Dhrtarastra was rotting there. He lost everything. He lost his kingdom, lost his sons, grandsons and everything. Still, he could not give up the so-called material happiness. He was... Of course, these Pandavas, they were treating Maharaja Dhrtarastra and his wife Gandhari very gorgeously as head of the family, but he was not ashamed that he intrigued so much difficulties and plot against the Pandavas. There was big fight, Kuruksetra, in which he lost everything. Still, he was living under their care for some material comforts. So this was very shameful affair. So Vidura was very much attracted, attached to Maharaja Dhrtarastra. Therefore, bhratur jyesthasya sreyas-krt. Bhratuh means brother, and jyestha means elder. So actually, Vidura went there for the benefit of Dhrtarastra. Therefore, kancit kalam atha avatsit. He decided to live at home along with the family members for some time.

Avatsit. Sat-krto devavat sukham. He was living just like in the opulence of demigods. Because they were all nephews. Pandavas were so well-behaved, cultured devotees, and Vidura was devotee. So he was treated just like devavat, godly. That is required. Just like whenever I go anywhere, they treat me very nicely, I live very comfortably, similarly, Vidura was treated by the Pandavas to live very comfortably, devavat, just like godly standard. But he did not live there for getting some material comforts. His aim was that "This poor man, Dhrtarastra, my elder brother, he has not yet been lessoned, that what is the value of these material comforts." He was living shamelessly. So he wanted to instruct him, and thus he lived there for some time.

kancit kalam athavatsit
sat-krto devavat sukham
bhratur jyesthasya sreyas-krt
sarvesam sukham avahan

So although he especially lived in the palace for the benefit of his elder brother, still, so long he lived, it was a very pleasing time for all of them. Because he was living not as a dull or dumb man. He was speaking about Krsna. Therefore everyone was feeling very happy. (reads purport:) "Saintly persons like Vidura must be treated as well as a denizen from heaven." "As well as a denizen from heaven." Yes. If any saintly person comes at home, formerly this was the system. In our childhood we have seen. Many saintly persons used to come, and my father used to receive them very nicely, some of them. Still, the system is if you go to any Indian village and... I mean to say, those who are sannyasis, saintly person, they are received very well. Just like Caitanya Mahaprabhu, when He was touring in South India, so many brahmanas were coming to invite him. That is the system. He hasn't got to bother for his food or shelter any place. That is the system.

So Vidura, he was a saintly person. He was received by the Pandavas and treated just like denizens. (reads:) "In those days denizens of heavenly planets used to visit homes like that of Maharaja Yudhisthira, and sometimes persons like Arjuna and others used to visit higher planets." We get information. Arjuna also went to the heavenly planets, and persons from heaven, when there was big yajnas, sacrifice, they used to come and visit Indra, Candra. And sometimes person like... (reads:) "Narada is a spaceman who can travel unrestrictedly not only within the material universes but also in the spiritual universes." Wherever he wanted, he could go. He can go. He's still living. Not that... (reads:) "Even Narada used to visit the palace of Maharaja Yudhisthira, and what to speak of other celestial demigods." It is only the spiritual culture of the people concerned that makes interplanetary travel possible, even in the present body. Maharaja Yudhisthira therefore received Vidura in the manner of reception offered to the demigods. This example means demigods were visiting.

(reads:) "Mahatma Vidura had already adopted the renounced order of life, and therefore he did not return to his paternal palace to enjoy some material comforts. He accepted out of his own mercy what was offered to him by the Maharaja Yudhisthira, but the purpose of living in the palace was to deliver his too much materially attached elder brother, Dhrtarastra. Dhrtarastra lost all his state and descendants in the fight with Maharaja Yudhisthira, and still, due to his sense of helplessness, he did not feel ashamed to accept the charity and hospitality of Maharaja Yudhisthira." Suppose you create some enemy, always fought with your enemy. So if you accept his hospitality and live there, thinking that "I am living very comfortably," it is not very good sense.

(reads:) "On the part of Maharaja Yudhisthira, it was quite in order to maintain his uncle in a befitting manner, but acceptance of such magnanimous hospitality by Dhrtarastra was not at all desirable. He accepted it because he thought that there was no other alternative. Vidura particularly came to enlighten Dhrtarastra and to give him a lift to the higher status of spiritual cognition. It is the duty of the enlightened souls to deliver the fallen ones, and Vidura came to that reason. But talks of spiritual enlightenment are so refreshing that while instructing Dhrtarastra, Vidura attracted the attention of all the members of the family, and all of them took pleasure in hearing him patiently. This is the way of spiritual realization. The message should be heard attentively, and if spoken by realized soul, it will act on the dormant heart of the conditioned soul. And by continuously hearing, one can attain the perfect stage of self-realization."

Therefore sravanam is very essential. Sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam pada-sevanam [SB 7.5.23]. So in all our centers, this process should be followed. We have got now so many books. Simply if we read books... Our Yogesvara Prabhu is very enthusiastic to read books. So everyone should read books and others should hear. That is very essential, sravanam. The more you hear... We have got so many books. Whatever is already published... Just like we are describing one verse daily. So at least... There are so many verses already in stock, you can go on speaking for fifty years. These books already published, you can go on. There will be no want of stock.

So this practice should be adopted. Don't waste time. As much as possible, try to hear about this transcendental subject matter, Bhagavatam. Yad vaisnavanam priyam. It is stated that "The Srimad-Bhagavatam is very, very dear to the Vaisnavas, to the devotees." In Vrndavana, you will find, they are always reading Srimad-Bhagavatam. That is their life and soul. So now we have got already six volumes, and further... How many? Eight volumes are coming? So you will have enough stock. So you should read. Sravanam kirtanam visnoh. That is the main business. That is pure devotional service. Because we cannot devote twenty-four hours in hearing and chanting; therefore we have extended our activities, program activities, in so many ways. Otherwise, Srimad-Bhagavatam is so nice, if you practice anywhere, any condition, simply by reading Srimad-Bhagavatam, you will be happy. So adopt this practice and make your spiritual life perfect more and more.

Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.13.12 -- Geneva, June 3, 1974

Your Qualification--Renouncing

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.13.11
Geneva, June 2, 1974

Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada


Nitai: Translation: "My uncle, you must have visited Dvaraka. In that holy place are our friends and well-wishers, the descendants of Yadu, who are always rapt in the service of the Lord Sri Krsna. You might have seen them or heard about them. Are they all living happily in their abodes?"

Prabhupada:

api nah suhrdas tata
bandhavah krsna-devatah
drstah sruta va yadavah
sva-puryam sukham asate

So Yudhisthira Maharaja, after meeting Vidura, the first inquiry was about the family of Krsna. That is Krsna consciousness. He was always thinking of Krsna. Now, because he has come back home by touring different places of pilgrimage... Dvaraka is also one of the celebrated place of pilgrimage. So he expected that "Vidura must have gone to Dvaraka. And when he had gone to Dvaraka, he must have some news from Krsna's place."

So Krsna is the friend, most intimate friend of the Pandavas. Therefore he says, nah. Nah means "our." Suhrdah. Suhrdah, this word, "always thinking of others' good." That is called suhrdah. The heart is not contaminated. Hrdah means "heart," and su means "very good." So Krsna says also that suhrdam sarva-bhutanam. And here Yudhisthira Maharaja confirms, nah suhrdah. Actually, Krsna is suhrt. Suhrt means well-wisher. As the father is the well-wisher of the sons or intimate friend, well-wisher... Here in the material world, although I may be your well-wisher, you may be well-wisher, but there is some interest. Unless there is some interest for my personal benefit, I cannot become your suhrt. This is material suhrt. But spiritual suhrt is different. Spiritual suhrt means everyone is suffering for want of spiritual consciousness, Krsna consciousness. Therefore attempt should be made so that everyone becomes Krsna conscious. That is spiritual suhrt.

We are now entangled. Actually, our position in this material existence is not very good. Everyone sees it practically. Still, they want to adjust, "Let us make it good. Let us make it good." That is called punah punas carvita-carvananam [SB 7.5.30], again and again chewing the chewed. Just like generally a father, especially here in India, he wants that his son may be well-situated. Therefore we don't get Indian youth very much, because the father and mother settles them. What is that? Get them married and give them some earning capacity, either by service or business. So he becomes satisfied, "This is the end of life." Grhamedhi. Just "Now I am married. It is my duty to stick to the grha and enjoy senses, that's all." Grhamedhi. Sacrifice for Krsna, brahmacari, sannyasi... Sannyasis have become rogues. And there is no brahmacari nor vanaprastha. Therefore it is very difficult to get Indian workers. They have no... Your qualification is -- I told in the beginning -- that you have got a renouncing spirit. That is a great qualification. Tyaga. Renunciation is opulence also. Krsna, six opulences. One of the opulence is renunciation. Aisvaryasya samagrasya viryasya yasasah sriyah, jnana-vairagya. Vairagya means renunciation. You have enough of this material enjoyment. You have enjoyed. Or you have seen that there is no actually profit. Therefore you are in a spirit... That is natural. That is natural. If one has enjoyed very much, the next stage will be renunciation. This is natural. So because you have got a renouncing spirit, you are understanding or taking Krsna consciousness very nicely, at least, very eagerly. Jnana-vairagya. That is required. This vairagya then... I therefore sometimes like these hippies because they have a spirit of renunciation. That is very good position. Simply they require jnana, or knowledge. Then their life will be successful. To bring one to the platform of renunciation, that is a very difficult job. Especially when one has got nice wife, nice home, nice bank balance, it is very, very difficult.

So there is a version by Krsna that one who is anxious to take Krsna consciousness, but he is entrapped by this binding -- nice wife, nice children, nice home, nice bank balance -- so Krsna, in order to give them, give such devotee, facility, He takes away. Harisye tad-dhanam sanaih. Yasyaham anugrhnami harisye tad-dhanam sanaih. Just like he did with the Pandavas. The Pandavas were devotees, but at the same time, they were king. There was attachment. So therefore Krsna took away their everything -- their kingdom, their wife, their position, their honor -- test him, and still, they did not give up Krsna. Therefore they came out victorious. So Krsna sometimes tests His..., that how much one devotee is. He forcibly makes him renounced in order. That is Krsna's special favor.

So this vairagya-jnana, it is required. We were discussing last night also, vita-raga-bhaya-krodha [Bg. 4.10], these things are required. Unless one becomes completely, what is called? Averse?

Yogesvara: Detached.

Prabhupada: Detached: "So what is this nonsense material life?" That's a very good qualification. If one understands this perfectly -- "This is all rubbish, this material enjoyment" -- it is a great qualification. Akincana. Akincana. Akincana means do not possess anything material. Akincana-gocara. Kunti, Kunti, Queen Kunti, when she was receiving Krsna, she said, "My dear Krsna, You are akincana-gocara. You are realized by a person who has no material possession. And You have given us now so much material possession. How we can understand You?" That was... Kunti was regretting that "When we are in distress, You are always with us. Now You have given us kingdom and everything. Now You are going away to Dvaraka. What is this, Krsna? Better let us go again to that distressed condition so that You remain with us." Akincana-gocara. Krsna is akincana-gocara. Anyone who wants to enjoy material life, it is not possible to become fully Krsna conscious. This is very secret.

Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, niskincanasya bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya. Bhagavad-bhajana, to become devotee, Krsna conscious, is meant for niskincanasya, one who does not possess anything in the material world. That does not mean he should be poverty-stricken. No. He should know it fully that "Nothing belongs to me; everything belongs to Krsna. I am simply His servant, that's all." This is called akincana. If I think that "Keeping Krsna in front, let me possess some material things," that is another cheating. That is not... Akincana. You should be fully conscious, that "Everything belongs to Krsna and nothing to us." Then Krsna becomes your suhrt. He takes charge, how your benefit will be there, ultimate. Tesam satata-yuktanam bhajatam priti-purvakam dadami [Bg. 10.10]. Priti-purvakam. This is very great determination, that "Krsna, I simply want You, nothing, anything else. Nothing."

Na dhanam na janam na sundarim kavitam va jagadisa. This is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's teaching. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has taught this philosophy repeatedly. Niskincanasya bhagavad-bhajana. Bhagavad-bhajana means He Himself become niskincana. He was Krsna Himself, most opulent. Tyaktva surepsitah, sudustyaja-surepsita-rajya-laksmim [SB 11.5.34]. Caitanya Mahaprabhu had the most beautiful wife, goddess of fortune, Visnu-priya, Laksmi-priya. But for the benefit of the whole world, although He is Krsna, He showed us the example. At the age of twenty-four years, He took sannyasa. He was not unhappy in His home. He had His very affectionate mother and... (aside:) Some fly... Affectionate mother and most affectionate wife, beloved wife. But still, it is very difficult to renounce the affection of mother and love of wife. But Caitanya Mahaprabhu did it. (aside:) The fly is still disturbing. So tyaktva sudustyaja. Therefore in the Bhagavata it is said, sudustyaja, very difficult to give up. Tyaktva sudustyaja-surepsita-rajya-laksmim [SB 11.5.34]. And rajya-laksmim, such nice beautiful wife, desired even by the demigods. Such a nice wife, He gave up.

Tyaktva sudustyaja-surepsita-rajya-laksmim dharmistha arya-vacasa yad agad aranyam [SB 11.5.34]. Agad aranyam. Aranyam means, going to the forest means, to take sannyasa. Going to the Himalaya does not mean or going to the forest does not mean that he should actually go there. One should give up this family affection, and dedicate the whole life for Krsna's service. That is really going to the forest. Not that unnecessarily. It may be beneficial for person, for his personal self. But real renunciation is to have no more interest in so-called limited jurisdiction of family, social, international, national, but the whole interest is for Krsna. That is real renunciation. That is described in the Bhagavad-gita. Renunciation does not mean give up this world. That I was explaining. Our philosophy is not the jagat is mithya. Why jagan mithya? We don't say that. Jagat is fact. It may be temporary, but it is a fact. Now, so long we have got this jagat, let us utilize it for Krsna. That is renunciation. We cannot say this microphone is mithya. So long the microphone is in my possession, let it be used for Krsna's service. This is renunciation. Everyone using this microphone, these modern machines, for his personal gain. But we are not using for personal gain. We are traveling all over the world, spending so much money, jet plane, and this plane, just to push Krsna consciousness as much as possible. This is renunciation, not that sitting one place doing nothing and become Krsna conscious. Then there will be fall down. Don't imitate Haridasa Thakura. That is not possible. You must work.

So to such person, Krsna is suhrt. Suhrt. Here it is said, api nah suhrdas tata, uncle, bandhavah krsna-devatah. Krsna-devatah means one who has accepted Krsna as the worshipable Deity. He is called krsna-devatah. There are so many demigods. They have taken to worship. The Roman were worshiping demigods. The India, in India they also worship demigods. That will not make you happy. Antavat tu phalam tesam tad bhavaty alpa-medhasam. To take some benediction from the demigods, although people go there, kanksantah karmanam siddhim yajanta iha devatah. People are very much attached to enjoy this material world. So they worship Durga, Kali, or Lord Siva. Kanksantah karmanam siddhim. They get immediately some material benefit. But tad bhavaty alpa-medhasam. What you will do with some temporary material benefit? That is the instruction of Krsna. Don't be attracted by the temporary material benefits. Just try for permanent eternal benefit. Go back to home, back to Godhead. That is the... That is the... What you will do? Suppose you become king. How long you will remain king? Or there are so many dangers. Sometimes the kings are beheaded. King Johann(?) was beheaded. So material position is always tiltering, tilting. Yes. There is no fixed position. It will end. Therefore Krsna says, antavat tu phalam tesam. Antavat means it will end, today or tomorrow or hundred years after. It will end. So why should you... You are eternal. Why should you hanker after these things which will exist for some few years? You are eternal. Accept the eternal position. That is Krsna consciousness movement. Eternal position.

So for that eternal position, you have to make krsna-devatah, Krsna as the worshipable Deity. Krsna is eternal, and if you fix up your service to Krsna, then Krsna will accept you as servant. Naturally, you become eternal. There is a very nice story. Nice story not, a fact. Savitri-Satyavan. Savitri-Satyavan. This, I mean to say, incidences are mentioned in the sastras to give us lesson. Savitri was a very chaste devoted woman. Savitri. In India, to the woman, in order to become very chaste and devoted to husband, they observe the ritualistic ceremony to worship Savitri Satyavan. So Savitri was in love with a boy who was destined to die on the marriage date, but still, she married. She knew that "As soon as I will be married, on the same day, my husband will die." So she pleased the Yamaraja. After the death... The husband died, but she pleased the Yamaraja so much so that Yamaraja was ready to give her some benediction. So Yamaraja said, "What benediction you want?" "Now, as woman, I wish that may be a son of mine, from me." "All right, you will get a son." Then again she said that "If you are taking away my husband, how I will get my son?" So her husband was made alive. So indirectly... So krsna-devatah. If you actually want to be eternally blissful, take to krsna-devatah. Or there is no need of praying for "Make me immortal." No. If you accept krsna-devatah, then automatically... Just like the benediction was that "You... Yes, you will get a son." Automatically her husband was made alive. So krsna-devatah.

So Yudhisthira Maharaja asking that "Did you see them, the Yadu families, who have Krsna as their worshipable Deity?" Drstah sruta va yadavah. Yadu. Yadavah is plural number. Sva-puryam sukham asate: "Whether they are happy in their home,"sva-puryam, sva-puri, "Dvaraka?" So in this way Krsna consciousness means always thinking of Krsna. And make Krsna the friend. Krsna says that suhrdam sarva-bhutanam. Actually, Krsna is the only friend, and He is sitting in everyone's heart. He is so nice friend that He is simply trying to induce us to turn our faith towards Krsna. He is coming as avatara, incarnation. He is giving us advice from within. Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. He's such a nice friend. Although we have left Krsna, Krsna has not left us. Here He is living with Me within my heart to give me advice, "Please come back." Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam [Bg. 18.66].

So Krsna is so nice friend. He is such a nice friend that even to the enemy He gives the greatest benediction. Just like Putana. Putana came to kill Krsna, smearing poison on her breast. But Krsna gave her promotion on the motherly platform. Krsna is so grateful that "This demon might have come to Me to poison Me, but I have sucked her breast. She has become My mother. Therefore she must get the position of My mother." Krsna is so grateful. If you give little service to Krsna sincerely, Krsna will never forget you. And He's so powerful. If Krsna becomes your friend and Krsna remembers you, then what you want more? Just imagine. So Krsna... Here it is said, krsna-devatah. fix up your mind in Krsna and be happy.

Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.13.11 -- Geneva, June 2, 1974

Make Your Heart Place Of Pilgrimage

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.13.10
Geneva, June 1, 1974

Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada


Nitai: (leads chanting, etc.) Translation: "My Lord, devotees like your good self are verily holy places personified. Because you carry the Supreme Personality of Godhead within your heart, you turn all places into places of pilgrimage."

Prabhupada:

bhavad-vidha bhagavatas
tirtha-bhutah svayam vibho
tirthi-kurvanti tirthani
svantah-sthena gadabhrta

So tirthi, tirtha. Tirtha means holy place of pilgrimage. In every religion there is the system that the followers, they go to the holy place of pilgrimage. Just like in India, there are many holy places: Gaya, Prayaga, Mathura, Vrndavana, Haridvar, Ramesvaram, Jagannatha Puri, Navadvipa. Many. Some of them are very prominent, and still there are many nonprominent. Similarly, the Muhammadans they go to Mecca, Medina. The Christians they go Jordan. What is that?

Bhagavan: Jerusalem.

Prabhupada: Jerusalem. So human society, there must be some religious process; otherwise, it is animal society. And in every religion there is recommendation to go to the place, holy places of pilgrimage. This is one set up. Another set up is that bhagavatas tirtha-bhutah. Those who are devotees, they are themselves maha-bhagavata. They are first-class devotee. They themselves are the holy place. Not only they are themselves holy place, but wherever they go, they make that place holy place, pilgrimage. This is the idea.

It was spoken by Maharaja Yudhisthira when Vidura came back home... Vidura left home. Although he belonged to the royal family, his nephew Duryodhana behaved with him not very nicely, so he left home. Before the beginning of the Battle of Kuruksetra, he was very fond of his eldest brother Dhrtarastra. So he was always giving him good counsel, "My dear elder brother, why you are intriguing against the Pandavas?" But he would not hear the younger brother's advice. So his son, Dhrtarastra's son, Duryodhana, he understood it that "This, my uncle, is always instigating my father not to take part in the matter of the vanquishing of the Pandavas." So he used very harsh word, because Vidura, although he was the son of king, but he was not born of the queen. He was born of a maidservant. Formerly, the queens had many maidservants, and they also sometimes begot children by the king. So they were called dasi-putra. By legal significance, they were not inheritor. So Vidura was born like that. He was not born of the queen, but of the maidservant. But his elder brother Dhrtarastra liked him very much. He got him raised -- he was younger -- very nicely. He got him married and gave him sufficient property. He was very kind upon him. And therefore Vidura was also very much obliged to his eldest brother, and he was always giving him good advice, and a great devotee.

So on this account of family dissension, he left home. And after the battle of Kuruksetra, when everything was finished, so still, he had affection for his eldest brother, "My dear brother, now everything is finished, your all sons, for whom you intrigued so much. And you are still living, I mean, shamelessly. Because you treated Pandavas, your nephews, very badly -- you wanted to kill them in so many ways -- you fell. Then there was battle. So your sons and grandsons all finished. And still, you are shamelessly living in the house of your nephew, with whom you treated so badly. You have no shame." So in this way he very strongly criticized his brother, and then he surrendered, "My dear brother, what do you want me to do?" So he said that "You immediately come with me. Don't remain here." So immediately he left home, and then he underwent tapasya, and then he got salvation.

So here when Vidura came, returned back, so Yudhisthira is receiving the uncle. He was also... He knew that "Our uncle Vidura was always in our side and tried to protect us." So he was very pleased. So Vidura, during the time of war between the two section, he was traveling in the holy places of pilgrimage and talking with his spiritual master, Maitreya. So therefore because he was traveling in holy place, Yudhisthira Maharaja wanted to inform him that "My dear uncle, you are so exalted devotee, you do not require even to travel in the holy places of pilgrimage, because wherever you stay, that will turn into pilgrimage." Therefore Narottama dasa Thakura says in his song, tirtha-yatra parisrama, kevala manera bhrama. He says, "To go to the holy places of pilgrimage, it is also a mental satisfaction." Actually, if one is fully surrendered to the lotus feet of Krsna, he is so exalted that wherever he lives, that is a holy place of pilgrimage. That was Narottama dasa Thakura's... And actually, that is the fact. The pure devotee of Krsna, he is always thinking of Krsna. Premanjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santah sadaiva hrdayesu vilokayanti [Bs. 5.38]. They cannot forget Krsna even for a second, carrying Krsna. Therefore, because Krsna is with the devotee, such devotee, wherever he goes, that becomes a place of pilgrimage.

It is also said that ordinary persons, they go to the holy places of pilgrimage, and they leave their sinful activities there in the holy place. That is the purpose of going to the holy place, that "During the whole life, whatever sinful activities I have done, now I leave it here, and I become purified." That's a fact. One becomes purified. But the ordinary man, he does not know how to keep purified life. Therefore again comes back home and again commits the sinful activities. And sometimes again he may go. Just like in your, the Christian church, they go to the church weekly, and they, what is called, atone, atonement. So this kind of business is not very good. Once purified, you remain purified. So when the holy places of pilgrimage become piled up with all the sinful reaction of common man, a saintly person when he goes there, he makes the holy place clean. The holy place becomes unclean due to the common men's coming there and leaving their sinful reaction. So holy place becomes overburdened with the sinful results of other people. But in that holy place, when a devotee goes, then again the holy place becomes cleansed. This is the idea. Bhavad-vidha bhagavatah.

So bhagavatah. Bhagavata means one who has his relation with Bhagavan. From Bhagavan... Bhagavan comes from the word bhagavata, and anything in relationship with Bhagavan, the Personality of Godhead, is called bhagavata. Just like this book is called bhagavata because it has nothing to do with any other thing except the activities of the Supreme Personality of... So Bhagavata. So there are two kinds of bhagavata: the book Bhagavata and the person bhagavata. So both of them are so pure that wherever Bhagavata reading is going on... And Bhagavata reading should be performed by the bhagavata, person bhagavata. Then it is very nice. Bhagavatas tirtha-bhutah. They are already purified, holy place of pilgrimage. Mahad-vicalanam nrnam grhinam dina-cetasam. Therefore, the bhagavatas, they travel all over the world to purify the ordinary human being because they are dina-cetasa. Dina-cetasa. Dina means poor. They are thinking... Materialistic persons, they think, "It is my duty to live comfortably, to give all facilities to the family or to the society or to the nation, earn your livelihood and spend for sense gratification." This is their philosophy. They do not know anything more than that. Especially in the Western countries, they are very expert how to adjust materially for sense gratification. Just like we had been immediately to the park, very nice park. They know how to live comfortably in the material world, but there is no spiritual information. Missing point. That is the defect of the Western civilization. They have got some vague idea of God, practically no idea. But human life is not meant for that purpose, simply living very comfortably in material life. The other necessity is that they should know Bhagavan, become bhagavata. That is another necessity.

So this Krsna consciousness movement, it is the desire of Krsna that these people who have no information practically about Bhagavan, so they should learn something from this Krsna consciousness movement. And therefore we have published so many nice books. It is the desire of Krsna they should read these books and try to understand the Krsna philosophy, the science of Krsna, the science of God. Then their life will be perfect. Otherwise, this one-sided civilization, material comforts, that will not help them. Because however you may create your city, home, very nice, clean, materially comfortable, you will not be allowed to stay. That defect, they do not understand. And after you leave this body, there is no certainty what kind of body you are going to have. There is certainty according to the material laws. There is certainty, but they do not know it. That body will be manufactured according to the association of the material modes of nature.

There are three material modes of nature. If you keep yourself in touch with the material modes of nature of goodness, then you will be promoted to the higher standard of life. Urdhvam gacchanti sattva-sthah. Therefore at least, you may enjoy material life, but you should keep yourself to the standard of brahminical culture. Then there is guarantee that you don't degrade yourself; you get higher status of life in the higher planetary system: Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapoloka, Satyaloka. Then you will get... But if you keep yourself as it is, then you will remain in this planetary system. This is called bhur-loka. Bhur-loka. Om bhur bhuvah svah tat-savituh. You have gayatri-mantra. This is called bhu-loka. Bhuvar-loka. Then, above this, there is bhuvar-loka; then, above this, the heavenly planets. There is system. And if you keep yourself in the association of the modes of ignorance, or foolishness, then you go down. Jaghanya-guna-vrtti-stha adho gacchanti tamasah. Jaghanya-guna. Tamasika means abominable character. The abominable character means these four things: illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating and gambling. This is tamo-guna, exhibition of tamo-guna. So, if you continue to keep yourself in the association of the modes of ignorance, then you are going to become adhah. Adhah means down. Down means there are many other planetary system. Just like upper there are bhur bhuvah svah, Jana, Mahar, like that, and down also: Tala, Atala, Vitala, Talatala, Patala, like that. There is system.

So our only request is that... We don't criticize you because you try to live comfortably in the material... Do that. But don't associate with the modes of ignorance. That is very risky. That is very risky. So at least, either you remain in the householder life or brahmacari life or, I mean to..., sannyasa life, you keep yourself always in goodness. Then your position is all right. Otherwise, it is very risky. But these people, the Western people, they do not do that. They keep themselves in the modes of ignorance. That is very risky civilization. So at least you Europeans and Americans, you should know it, and you distribute this knowledge. It is your duty to save them. But these... They do not know it. As soon as there is talk of this goodness and sinful activity, immediately they go away. Immediately. Yesterday that gentleman came, and just when I began to talk about pious activities and impious activities, he immediately left, "I have got another meeting."

So this is the position. Upadeso hi murkhanam prakopaya na santaye. If one is a foolish person, if you give him good instruction, he will be angry. He will not take it. Upadeso hi murkhanam prakopaya na santaye payah-panam bhujanganam kevalam visa-vardhanam. A snake, if you kindly give him foodstuff, there is no... Snake is very fond of drinking milk. They are very much fond. So sometimes a snake charmer, they mix milk with banana and give them to eat for their satisfaction. But the result? What is the result? Result is as soon as he becomes strong by eating, the poison teeth becomes filled with poison. Just like with our healthy body, our different nerves and parts of the body become healthy, similarly, the snake's most important part of the body... They have got a teeth. They keep... Within the pocket of the teeth there is venomous poison. So when they bite, from the hole of that teeth, the poison is emitted, and the man dies or the animal dies. But this is a fact. If you infect some disease, you will have to suffer from that disease. This is a fact. It is scientific. Similarly, if you are infected with the particular type of the modes of nature, then you will have to suffer like that. If you remain in ignorance, then you will get the body of animal. This is the...

Therefore every one of you should become pure devotee, first-class devotee. First-class devotee is that... In this age it has been made very easy. Simply keep yourself cleansed, not to indulge in the four principles, prohibition, and chant Hare Krsna. Then you will be all first-class devotees. And wherever you will go, you will be able to purify there. Wherever you go. Wherever you speak, wherever you'll sit. So keep this spiritual strength intact. Tirtha-bhutah. Tirthi-kurvanti tirthani sva antah-sthena. The Hare Krsna mantra chanting means keeping Krsna always within your heart. This is not... It is not expensive at all. You haven't got to make a very exalted throne for Krsna. You can imagine that "In my heart I have placed now a very diamond throne, and Krsna is sitting." That is accepted. It is... Actually it becomes. Even within the mind you think that "I have kept one diamond throne, very costly throne, because Krsna is coming. He will sit down here," that is not false. That is a fact. So you create such situation within your heart. "Now Krsna has seated. Let me wash His feet with the Ganges water, Yamuna water. Now I change His dress to a first-class costly garments. Then I decorate with ornaments. Then I give Him for eating." You can simply think of this. This is meditation. Svantah-sthena gadabhrta. It is so nice thing. Anywhere you can sit down and think that Krsna is sitting in your heart and you are receiving in so nice way. They are not false. They are also fact. It is so easy.

So here is the... If you simply carry Krsna within your heart always in a very devotional service, exalted devotional service, and chant Hare Krsna, and think of Krsna, wherever you will go, you will purify the whole place. Svantah-sthena gadabhrta. It is fact. It is confirmed in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Try to remain in your position as devotee, and as far as possible teach these rascals who are simply attracted by the glaring material stones and woods, and let them have some knowledge and do benefit to your countrymen, to your society, to your family.

Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.13.10 -- Geneva, June 1, 1974

"Truly Selfless Love"

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.10.14
Mayapura, June 27, 1973

Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada


Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

nyarundhann udgalad baspam
autkanthyad devaki-sute
niryaty agaran no 'bhadram
iti syad bandhava-striyah

Translation: "The female relatives, whose eyes were flooded with tears out of anxiety for Krsna, came out of the palace. They could only stop their tears with great difficulty. They feared that tears would cause misfortune at the time of departure."

Prabhupada:

nyarundhann udgalad baspam
autkanthyad devaki-sute
niryaty agaran no 'bhadram
iti syad bandhava-striyah

You can practice this diacritic mark. English transliteration is there. It is not very difficult. Simply if you practice twice, thrice, four times, it will come exactly, the pronunciation. You have to learn the diacritic marks. Then it will be all right. Word meaning. (Pradyumna leads chanting)

Ladies generally, they are very much apt to shed tears in ecstatic moment. So Krsna was going from Hastinapura, and all of them, all the Pandavas, not only ladies, the men also, they were very, very much affected. We have already discussed in the previous verses. Especially the ladies, they could not check their tears forcibly coming out. But at the same time, they were thinking that "Krsna is going. Everything must be auspicious. There may not be something inauspicious." So they were in a very perplexed position. Tears were coming by force, and they wanted to check it so that there may not be any inauspicity in the matter of Krsna's departure. This is the picture.

So these are all symptoms of love for Krsna. That is the highest perfection of life, to shed tears for Krsna. Yugayitam nimesena caksusa pravrsayitam. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu taught us this method of worship in separation, vipralambha-seva. Not that "Oh, I have seen yesterday. Last night, I have seen Krsna. He was snatching my cloth." These are sahajiyas. Actually, our worship should be in separation. The Gosvamis also taught us like that. He radhe vraja-devike ca lalite he nanda-suno kutah. They in the Vrndavana remained authorized persons. They were also searching after Krsna. They never said that "We have got Krsna," never said. He radhe vraja-devike ca lalite he nanda-suno kutah sri-govardhana-kalpa-padapa-tale kalindi-vane kutah, ghosantav iti sarvato vraja-pure khedair maha-vihvalau. Simply khedair maha-vihvalau. They were lamenting in separation. Vande rupa-sanatanau raghu-yugau sri-jiva-gopalakau.

So this is the process of Caitanya Mahaprabhu's worship. Caitanya Mahaprabhu was falling down on the water, "Oh, I could not see Krsna." When He was grhastha, He was simply consulting with mother, "Mother, I could not realize Krsna. What shall I do? Where shall I go?" Mother said, "My dear son, why You are impatient? Everything will be all right in due course." Caitanya Mahaprabhu was giving indication that "I must leave home." Mother was also understanding that "This boy wants to leave us." That was another perplexed position. So that is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's teaching:

yugayitam nimesena
caksusa pravrsayitam
sunyayitam jagat sarvam
govinda-virahena me

Govinda-virahena: "In separation from Govinda I am thinking one moment as twelve years." Some of you or all of us have got this experience. If we want something very, very eagerly, then every moment becomes a long time. "Oh, it is not yet received. It is not yet received. It is not yet done." Yugayitam nimesena. Nimesa, a moment, a twinkling of an eye, that is called nimesa. That appears to be twelve years. The gopis could not tolerate even twinkling of eyes. They were condemning the creator, "The creator does not know the art of creating. Why he has created this twinkling of eyes so that it is disturbing us from seeing Krsna." Seeing Krsna, and the twinkling of eyes, that is natural. So the gopis did not like it, that "Why he has created this? He does not know the art of creation." This is love. Yugayi... Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu tasted the gopis' feelings. Sri-caitanyakhyam prakatam adhuna tad-dvayam caikyam aptam. Radha krsna-pranaya-vikrtir hladini-saktih. Krsna, when He wants to enjoy... He is the Absolute Supreme Person, spirit, Absolute, the Supreme Spirit. So for spiritual enjoyment in this material world great saintly persons, sages, they give up all material enjoyment just to taste what is spiritual enjoyment, spiritual life.

Brahmanubhuti. They give up everything. Tapasa brahmacaryena [SB 6.1.13]. By austerity, brahmacarya, yamena, niyamena, tyagena, satya-saucabhyam --  so many processes they adopt for tasting a little brahmanubhuti. Ittham satam brahma-sukhanubhutya dasyam gatanam para-daivatena. So Sukadeva Gosvami said that "Here, the Krsna, here is, playing with the cowherds boys. Who is He?" Ittham satam brahma-sukhanubhutya. "The great sages, saintly persons, who are trying to taste the spiritual realization, that is here. He is playing as cowherd boy." Dasyam gatanam para-daivatena: "And those who are devotees, for them He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Mayasritanam nara-darakena: "And those who are mayasrita, they are thinking, ‘This Krsna is ordinary human child.' " Sakam vijahruh krta-punya-punjah: [SB 10.12.11] "So with this boy, transcendental Krsna, cowherd boy, the other boys who are playing, they are not ordinary men." Krta-punya-punjah. "They accumulated pious activities life after life for many, many thousands and millions of lives. Now they have got the opportunity to play with Krsna."

So this Krsna consciousness movement is very serious and important. Here are the sign, how they love Krsna. One side, they are..., they cannot check the tears coming out, "Krsna is going away." Another side, "Oh, if I shed tears, then there may be inauspicity." How much perplexity, this two sides. Dilemma. Between the horns of Scylla and Charybdis. That is the position. The lover, intense love creates such situation, as Caitanya Mahaprabhu exhibited.

yugayitam nimesena
caksusa pravrsayitam
sunyayitam jagat sarvam
govinda-virahena me

"Without seeing Govinda, the whole world is vacant." This is love. "Let me try to become Krsna conscious. If it is done, all right. If it is not done, I shall remain in my position. What is the loss?" Not like that. One must be so eager that without Krsna consciousness, one should become mad. One should become mad. That is Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's teaching, separation, not direct contact.

Direct contact is not possible. Neither that is the way of worshiping by the method of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. That is sahajiya-vada. "I am talking with Krsna. Krsna is snatching my cloth." There is a book, one lady has written, his (her) experience, that Krsna comes, He talks with her and snatches her cloth. She has written openly. But this is not Caitanya Mahaprabhu's way. There is one gentleman, Mr. Raya, in Poona, and he has got also woman. Everyone must have a woman, parakiya. This is sahajiya-vada. This is sahajiya-vada. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu never said, "This is the parakiya-rasa: one should have one woman." No. He observed complete sannyasa life. Rather there was very, very severe, rigid restriction about women. But now, these sahajiyas, they are going on in the name of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu: aula, baula, kartta-bhaja, neda, daravesa, sani sahajiya, sakhibheki, like that, so many. They are apa-sampradaya. Real Caitanya Mahaprabhu sampradaya is that he should be feeling like Caitanya Mahaprabhu, separation.

Not sambhoga. Vipralambha. Vipralambha-seva: "Oh, I am so wretched, I could not serve Krsna. How I can see Krsna? It is not possible." In this way. That is the teaching of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. "But even though I do not see Him, neither it is possible for me to see Him..." Means: "What I am? I am insignificant person. Why Krsna come and see me?" This is right. "Why shall I aspire after seeing Krsna? What qualification I have got?" This is bhajana. This is bhajana. Why should I be proud that "Now I shall see Krsna"? What I am? That is the teaching of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Aslisya va pada-ratam pinastu mam marma-hatam karotu va adarsanat. Adarsana. "Without giving me audience, You kill me, You break my heart; still, You are my Lord, You are my worshipable Lord, nobody else." This is love. This is love. (Bengali:) Asan krsna galai diba naiva beja tata(?). Not like that. "Krsna may not come. I may not see Krsna for thousands and thousands of lives. I may rot in the hellish condition of life for many, many births. That doesn't matter. Still, I cannot give up Krsna consciousness." This is required. I may be sent to hell, heaven; it doesn't matter. What qualification I have got that I want to see back to home, back to Godhead? It is not so easy thing. So why should I be sorry for that? I should be happy even in the hell simply by thinking of Krsna. That is wanted. That is wanted. That is Krsna consciousness. So here is the example. Tears by force are coming out: "Oh, Krsna is going away." At the same time, they want to check: "There may not be any inauspicity for Krsna." They're thinking Krsna, for Krsna, not for personal self. "Oh, I am now crying. I have become very much fortunate. I am crying for Krsna." No. "My crying will create inauspicity for Krsna, I must check it." This is Krsna consciousness.

Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.10.14 -- Mayapura, June 27, 1973

Associating With Krishna

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.10.13
Mayapura, June 19, 1973


 

---

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

sarve te 'nimisair aksais
tam anu druta-cetasah
viksantah sneha-sambaddha
vicelus tatra tatra ha

"All their hearts were melting for Him on the pot of attraction. They looked at Him without blinking their eyes, and they moved hither and thither in perplexity."

Prabhupada: Read the purport also.

Pradyumna: Purport: "Krsna is naturally attractive for all living beings because He is the chief eternal amongst all eternals."

Prabhupada: Yes. Krsna, the very name, suggests attractive. Krsna means all-attractive. He has got, because He's complete, purna, so He has got all the attractive features, from material point of view, spiritual point of view. Therefore His name is Krsna. And He delivers the fallen souls from the miserable condition. He attracts and He delivers. Krsna. Therefore krsna means Param Brahman. Param brahman iti sabdyate. Rama also, the same thing, Param Brahman.

So Krsna is all-attractive, by opulence, by His power. Our definition of God is very simple. We do not define God as avyakta. Avyakta means "cannot be explained." If you cannot explain, then what you will understand? The Mayavadis, they say that God cannot be explained. In the Vedanta-sutra there is a sutra: na sabdyat. I, I forget the... "God is explainable." Because in the Vedas there are mantras. Sa aiksata, sa asrjata. He glanced over the material nature. He created. Sa aiksata. So these things are explainable. So we don't see that the Absolute Truth is not explicable. It is explicable. We have got our explanation. Purna. Purna means complete. Nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam. He's also a living entity like us. (yelling in background) (aside:) Ask the rascals to stop talking. But He's purna. That is the difference. We are not purna. We are defective. Especially when we come in the material world, we are defective in so many respects. By nature, we are defective. Or not purna, incomplete, subordinate. He's therefore called the nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam. He's complete, the chief all living entities.

So how do we explain it? It is very simple thing. Suppose I am here, and you are here. So you may be better than me. Nobody is equal. You don't find. We don't find. In every respect, two bodies equal, you won't find. In bodily features, in qualities, in action, in thinking, in feeling. All you'll find varieties. Var... That is... Variety is enjoyment. If I agree with you in every respect, then where is varieties? Just like if you are given a nice dish of foodstuff. Somebody says, "Give me this one." Another says, "Give me this one." So variety of taste. Although all sweetmeats are made of the same ingredients, sugar and yogurt or curd, but somebody says, "Give me this rasagulla," somebody, "The sandesa..." Somebody says, "Give me panthva(?)." They're made of the same ingredient, but it is different taste.

So you cannot neglect these varieties of taste. That is enjoyment. Anandamayo 'bhyasat. We are all anandamaya, joyful. Therefore there must be varieties. Without varieties, there is no joy. Simply hackneyed, one thing, "Brahman, Brahman, Brahman," nobody likes it. They keep with "Brahman, Brahman," they fall down or they again come to the explanation of this Bhagavatam. I have seen so many Mayavadi sannyasis. By "Brahman, Brahman," they could not attract audience. Then come to Bhagavata reading and explains in nonsense way all the Bhagavata, Mayavadi. But they come to... Because Bhagavata is full of varieties. But they explain in their own way. I have seen one big Mayavadi sannyasi, explaining Bhagavata that "God became pleased..." in some stanza. "So if you become pleased, then God becomes pleased." This was his explanation. If I am pleased by drinking wine, then God is also pleased? This is his explanation. Yes. I'm a grand debauch. By debauchery I am pleased. So God is also pleased by my debauchery. Because God and I, the same. This is their explanation.

So it is very difficult. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu has given one line of Vaisnava behavior: asat-sanga tyaga ei vaisnava acara. Simply to give up these rascals' association. The rascal means the Mayavadi, karmi, jnani, yogi, all they are rascals. It is our open declaration. So we have to give up the company of these rascals. If we actually serious about advancing in Krsna consciousness, we should not mix with them. We should not even invite them. Neither we shall take their foodstuff, accept their foodstuff. Dadati pratigrhnati bhunkte bhojayate ca... Guhyam akhyati prcchati ca. Bhunkte bhojayate caiva sad-vidham priti-laksanam. Priti. If you want to make one friends, then these six kinds of dealings must be there. Dadati. Dadati means there must be... One must give something to the other, a friend. Just like I am friend. You are friend. I give you something. In return you give me something. Dadati pratigrhnati. Guhyam akhyati prcchati ca. I open my mind to you, you also inquire confidential things from me. Or I inquire. Guhyam akhyati prcchati ca. And then bhunkte bhojayate. Whatever you give me, I eat. And I give you, you eat. By these six kinds of dealing, priti, love increases.

So in our Krsna consciousness movement, we practice this. As far as possible, we are giving and taking. We are... We have made this program, life membership. We are giving our books, knowledge. Whatever we have got, little knowledge, we have written in our books, we are giving them: "Take it." And they are also giving: "Take this eleven hundred rupees." So this is dadati pratigrhnati. And they also come here to inquire: "Swamiji, your movement is very nice. What is the meaning of this? What is the meaning of that?" Guhyam akhyati, expresses their mind. Prcchati. They explain, "This is my position. I cannot do it. How can I do it?" And the Vaisnavas reply them. Then we invite them in our love feast. In all our centers, we have got this arrangement. We invite everyone: "Come on, take prasadam." And if somebody gives us something to eat, we also eat, provided he's not a Mayavadi, karmi, jnani. Otherwise, we should not take. We can..., we cannot accept anything from these classes of men, atheist class. Then we'll be... Sangat. Sangat sanjayate kamah. If we associate with these Mayavadi, atheist class, karmi, jnani, yogi, then we'll infect their quality. So if we infect the Mayavadi quality, karmi quality, jnani quality, yogi quality... I see some of the students, still they practice some yoga asana. That quality is not yet... He's not yet free. But this is nonsense. This is nonsense. We should, by promise, we should not associate with any of their qualities. That is...

asat-sanga-tyaga -- ei vaisnava-acara
stri-sangi -- eka asadhu krsnabhakta ara

 Asat. Asat means bad element, bad association. So asat-sanga. We have to give up asat.

"So who is asat, Sir?" Caitanya Mahaprabhu's speaking: asat-sanga-tyaga ei vaisnava-acara. Vaisnava's behavior, Vaisnava's character should be simply to give up the company of the asat. Now there are so many nice people, gentlemen. So if we give up, if we say everyone is asat... So we must know. The Caitanya Mahaprabhu next line gives: "Yes, asat eka stri-sangi." Eka stri-sangi. One asat is stri-sangi. Stri-sangi means too much attached to women. Or attached to women. Or attached to women. Too much or little -- it doesn't matter. Attached to women. He's asat. And krsna-abhakta -- and who is not a devotee of Krsna. So these Mayavadis, karmi, jnani, yogi, they are not krsna-bhaktas. They'll say, "Krsna is not God. I am God. I am also God. Krsna is not God. I am God. But Krsna is not God." This is their version. Therefore they're rascals. "I am God." They'll declare, "I am God. You are God." But Krsna is not God. Except Krsna, everyone is God." This is their version.

So how much rascal they are we must know. So therefore we should give up their company. Asat-sanga-tyaga vaisnava-acara. Otherwise, asat... Asat eka stri-sangi krsna... There are stri-sanga, vaidha-avaidha. Vaidha means regular, according to sastra. According to sastra means restricted. Sastra restricts. Sastra means sas-dhatu. Sas-dhatu means sasana, ruling. From sas-dhatu, sastra has come, sastra, weapon, has come. And sas-dhatu, from sas-dhatu, sisya also comes. These words are derived from sas-dhatu. Sastra, sastra, sasana. Sasana means ruling. Sanskrit is very nice language. From one verbal root, you can manufacture so many words; therefore it is very difficult to make Sanskrit dictionary. It is very difficult. The so-called Sanskrit dictionaries available in the market, you won't find all the words. It is not possible. Because so many words are manufactured by one dhatu. How many they will add? But there is one book, what is the name of that book? Meaning, this word means this, this, this, that...?

Devotee: Thesaurus.

Prabhupada: Eh?

Devotee: Thesaurus.

Devotee: Synonyms and antonyms.

Prabhupada: What is that? Name?

Devotee: It's a...?

Devotee: Thesaurus.

Devotee: Thesaurus.

Prabhupada: Disorder?

Bhavananda: Thesaurus. Thesaurus.

Prabhupada: Oh. The Sanskrit name or Persian name?

Bhavananda: No, that is the name for the book. Any book which gives so many different words, word meanings for one word, is called thesaurus.

Prabhupada: So this sastra, sastra-vidhi. Sastra-vidhi. Loke vyavayamisa-madya-seva nitya hi jantoh. Nitya hi. Na hi tatra codana. One does not require encouragement. One is not taught in the school how to learn sexual intercourse. No. These things are already there. Nitya, nitya hi jantoh. Every living entity has got these propensities: intoxication, sex intercourse. Vyavaya amisa. Amisa: meat-eating, fish eating. They're there already. One does not require to be educated, how to eat meat, how to drink, how to use sexual intercourse. No. It is already there. Nitya hi... Na hi tatra codana. There is no need of encouragement. Then why the sastra's ordering that "You eat meat in this way. You drink in this way. You have sexual intercourse in this way"? What is the purpose? The purpose is to restrict him. Because by natural propensity he'll have... Just like in Western countries there is no marriage practically. But they have sexual intercourse. They think, "Sex is there, available. Why we should bound ourselves by marriage tie?" They think like that. So why the marriage is there? Just to restrict. Without marriage, the man and woman will be open to so many other men and women. Therefore it is to restrict. One man, one woman. Otherwise, if you associate with so many men and so many women, this is animalism. So in order to check him from the animal life, sex intercourse, the marriage is there. This is the purpose. Therefore sastra. Sastra means simply restrict. One who is accustomed to restriction, he's perfect. Not indulgence. The animals are not restricted. But nowadays, better animal is restricted. They have got a time for sexual intercourse. But these, these animals, the four-, two-legged, two-hands animal, they have no restriction. Any time. Less than animal. Therefore sastra is there.

So vaidha. Vaidha means what is sanctioned by the sastra. That is vaidha stri-sanga. Yes. One may have association with the women... There must be association with women. By God's creation, there is man, woman. They're meant for being united. So therefore in the Bhagavad-gita it is said that dharmaviruddho kamah aham. "When sex intercourse is there according to the sastra, that is I am. That is I am." Dharmaviruddhah. So there are rules and regulations, how to have sex life. So... There are two kinds of association with women, vaidha and avaidha. Vaidha means according to sastra, and avaidha means without any restriction, without any restriction of the sastra. So asat, eka stri-sangi. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has said. And the sahajiyas, rascals, they interpret: asat eka stri-sangi. One who has got only one wife, he's asat. One must have many wives. The sahajiyas, you know. They keep so many women, like monkeys, in their company. You see, they have interpreted in this way. Asat eka stri-sangi.

So we, we, sastra restricts, but rascals, they interpret in a different way, and they enjoy. The real purpose comes... Just like what is that sannyasi in Australia who wrote against... What is the name?

Devotee: (indistinct)

Prabhupada: Where is Pradyumna? What is the name of that rascal sannyasi? In Australia?

Devotee: Aghananda. Aghananda.

Prabhupada: Oh, Austria, Austria.

Devotee: Aghananda. Aghananda.

Devotee (2): No. Aghananda Bharata.

Prabhupada: Eh?

Pradyumna: Aghehananda Bharata.

Prabhupada: Agyanananda? No?

Pradyumna: Aghehananda

Prabhupada: Aghehananda. That rascal says that "This, this is our ultimate goal: unrestricted, eating meat and sex." Is it not? Did he not say like that?

Devotee (3): No, I think that's Rajneesh Acarya.

Prabhupada: Eh?

Devotee (3): Rajneesh Acarya says that one should have unrestricted sex life.

Prabhupada: So there are so many rascals. Therefore...

Indian: Shakespeare writes in his books that marriage is nothing but legal prostitution.

Prabhupada: Yes. So that is their interpretation. Marriage, Vedic sastra enjoins marriage, and it is for prostitution. Just see the interpretation. All the great rsis, they recommended: "Yes, you can go on, prostitution, with your prostitution, under the sanction of the sastra." No, it is not that. The real purpose is to restrict. Just like meat-eating. Meat-eating is recommended in Vedic literature. There is kali-puja. Kali-puja. By sacrificing one goat before Goddess Kali. Goddess Kali's worshiped on the amavasya. Amavasya takes place once in a month. Therefore these rascals who are meat-eaters, they'll be restricted. If they accept the sastra, "No, no, if we eat meat from the butcher's place, then we shall be sinful. Let us eat meat..." Just like in Calcutta you'll find so many butchers, they have kept one Goddess Kali deity so that people will think now it is not sinful. Here the mamsa, the meat is not..., it is sanctified. Hindu-brahmana-kati(?). So these things are going on. Actually, it is restriction. And even when there is bali, the sacrifice is given, the mantra means, the mantra says that "This man is killing you. You'll get next life a human being. But you have the opportunity, option, to kill him." This is the mantra. Now, if somebody's responsible, he'll certainly think that "I am going to be killed by this goat again?" Mamsa khadati. Mam: "He will eat me." That is mamsa. So no responsible man will take that responsibility, that "I will kill this animal. Again he'll become a man and he'll kill me. No, no. Stop this business."

So this is the process of restriction. Similarly those who are drunkards, for them is recommended by offering liquor to Candi, they can drink. Similarly, marriage is also like that. It is restriction. It is not prostitution. It is restriction. Pravrttir esa bhutanam nivrttis tu maha-phala. This is natural tendency. If you want, if one can stop it, that is called tapasya. And human life becomes perfect by tapasya.

tapasa brahmacaryena
samena ca damena ca
tyagena satya-saucabhyam
yamena niyamena va
 [SB 6.1.13]

This is human life. Not like animals, unrestricted. Animals are also restricted. So vaidha-avaidha. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu has strongly restricted that: "Don't associate with these rascals. Asat." Asat means those who are interested in material affairs. Asato ma sad gama. The Vedic injunction. That is Vedic injunction: sad gama. Just try to make progress towards sat. Om tat sat. Don't be interested in asat. Asato ma sad gama. Jyotir gama. So these are the Vedic injunctions.

So because these Pandavas and their families were all sat by association of Krsna, therefore they were all perplexed within their mind, that "Krsna is going back to His home. How we shall live? How we can give up Krsna?" Those who are actually devotee of Krsna, they cannot give up Krsna at any risk. Just like Prahlada Maharaja, and the Haridasa Thakura in this Navadvipa area. He was a Muhammadan. He took to krsna-nama. The kazi called him, "You are Muhammadan. Why you are taking this krsna-nama?" "What is the fault, sir? There are many Hindus. They also become Muslim. So I like this." So he was punished. But he did not give up. He did not give up. One cannot give up. Prahlada Maharaja could not give up.

So that is explained, that sat-sangan mukta-duhsangah. As soon as one associates with Krsna's name, he associates with Krsna. Therefore asat, maya, cannot touch him. If he's purely chanting without any offense, maya cannot touch him. Ceto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha-davagni-nir... [Cc. Antya 20.12]. And as soon as maya cannot touch him, then bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam. The blazing fire of material existence extinguished immediately. This is the first gain by chanting Hare Krsna maha-mantra offenselessly, the first gain is mukti. Bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam means mukti. By chanting Hare Krsna mantra, namabhasa, not pure name. As soon as one comes to the platform of chanting pure Hare Krsna mantra, without any offense, he becomes immediately enhanced in love with Krsna, prema, krsna-prema. Just like Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Caitanya Mahaprabhu was chanting as acarya. He was crying. Tava nama-grahane bhavisyati. Sunyayitam jagat sarvam govinda-virahena me. So what is that verse? Caks..., caksusa pravrsayitam. Caksusa pravrsayitam. Tava nama, kada tava nama-grahane bhavisyati. This is the ultimate, ultimate realization of chanting Hare Krsna maha-mantra, that one should cry. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has said like that. So Krsna and Krsna's name, identical.

These Pandavas were so purified by association of Krsna. So they were thinking, "How we shall live? If Krsna goes away to Dvaraka, then how we can live?" In this way, they could not make any solution. They were loitering here and there. Just like when you are disturbed in mind, you loiter, "What to do, what to do, what to do?" So they were doing that.

Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. Now begin. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.10.13 -- Mayapura, June 26, 1973

"Satsanga...Asatsanga"

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.10.11-12
Mayapura, June 25, 1973

Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada


Devotee: (leads chanting, etc.)

sat-sangan mukta-duhsango
hatum notsahate budhah
kirtyamanam yaso yasya
sakrd akarnya rocanam

tasmin nyasta-dhiyah parthah
saheran viraham katham
darsana-sparsa-samlapa-
sayanasana-bhojanaih

"The intelligent, who have understood the Supreme Lord in association with pure devotees and have become freed from bad, materialistic association, can never avoid hearing the glories of the Lord, even though they have heard them only once. How, then, could the Pandavas tolerate His separation, for they had been intimately associated with His person, seeing Him face to face, touching Him, conversing with Him, and sleeping, sitting and dining with Him?"

Prabhupada:

satam prasangan mama virya-samvido
bhavanti hrt-karna-rasayanah kathah
taj-josanad asv apavarga-vartmani
sraddha ratir bhaktir anukramisyati

Satam prasangat. Sat-sanga. Sat-sanga. Sat means devotees, and asat means nondevotees. Even in moral instruction of Canakya Pandita, he advises: tyaja durjana-samsargam bhaja sadhu-samagamam. Canakya Pandita ad... Although he was a politician, a great politician, still, a learned brahmana and knowing all moral instruction, he gives this advice: tyaja durjana-samsargam.

This is the crucial point of advancement in human life. Tyaja durjana-samsargam. Try to avoid. Not try; must. You must avoid the association of the materialistic persons. Materialistic person means those who are after money and woman. That's all. They are materialistic. Those persons, simply hankering after money and woman, they are materialistic. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has advised to associate with this class of men, hankering after money and women, it is better..., death is better, preferred, than to associate. When He was requested to see King Prataparudra... Because he was king, he's supposed to be always in association with money and women. He refused to see him: "No, I cannot see the King." When He refused to see, He quoted one verse: bhava-sagarasya, niskincanasya bhava-sagarasya. Niskincanasya jigamisor bhava-sagarasya.

People do not know what is bhava-sagara. They do not know even. But in Vedic literature, this is the first instruction, how to get out of this bhava-sindhu, bhava-sagara, material ocean. The whole universe is also a ocean. And all these planets, they are called dvipa. Just like this planet is called Jambudvipa, Bharatavarsa. Actually it is like dvipa. Nowadays, those who are flying in the sky, they're going from one island to another island, one planet to another planet. So when that is called dvipa, there must be relative term, the ocean, or the sea. So whole, this universe, this planets, they are called dvipa. Therefore they are floating in the ocean of air. Just like you have got experience. You have got experience of this also, ocean of water. And above water, there is air, ocean of air. Then there is sky. So bhava-sagarasya. The whole universe is bhava-sagara. Sagara means ocean, or sea. And bhava means repetition of birth and death. Bhava. Bhutva bhutva praliyate. In the Bhagavad-gita, once we take birth, we remain here for some time, then we give up this body; we accept another body. Tatha dehantara-praptir dhiras tatra na muhyati [Bg. 2.13]. We have to... So long we are in this material ocean, we have to accept these laws of nature, repetition of birth and death. This is called bhava-sagara. So we are eternal, nityah sasvato 'yam na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20]. It requires little intelligence, that "I am eternal. Why I am in this business, accepting one body, and again giving up, giving it up? And there is no guarantee what kind of body I'm going to accept next." There is no guarantee. It will be according to your work. We can become an insect, or we can become the demigod. We can become tree; we can become animal -- anything, according to our karma. Karmana daiva-netrena.

So this rascal civilization, they do not understand what is bhava-sagara, what is bhava. Nothing. They are so rascal. And they're passing on as civilized men. No knowledge. So when one is intelligent, actually, then he considers that "If I am eternal, why should I accept repetition of birth and death?" That is intelligence. But they have given (in) to birth and death -- "Never mind." Even university students, they say, "If next life, if I become animal, what is the wrong?" Just see. How much degraded. In Hawaii University, one student said that "Even if I become an animal, what is the wrong there?" Just see how much degraded the human society has become. They are prepared to become animal, cats and dogs, trees, anything.

So when one comes out of this gross ignorance, how to get out of this bhava-sagara... Just like if you are thrown into the water of sea, you may be very expert swimmer, but you don't like to remain there. You want to come out. Similarly, although we may be very expert in changing our body, but still, at the time of death, we don't like it. Nobody likes to die. But he... Nobody thinks how to stop this death. In the Bhagavad-gita it is said, na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20]. By the destruction of this body, the soul is not dead. It is living. So this is called self-realization. One must be sober to think over that "If I am eternal, if I do not die after the destruction of this body, and I do not like to die, how to stop it?" This is intelligence, how to stop the repetition of birth and death. But the human civilization, the so-called human being has become so much degraded, they have no brain even to think over these matters, that how to stop this repetition or if there is any means to stop this repetition of birth and death. They do not..., they have no knowledge. Still they are going on as human being. They're like animals. Even big, big professors in Europe, they say, "Swamiji, after death, everything is finished." You see. Tatha dehantara-praptir dhiras tatra na muhyati [Bg. 2.13]. Even these plain words, the first instruction of Bhagavad-gita, they do not understand. Not only they. Here, also. So many politicians, so many rascals, they take Bhagavad-gita, but they do not understand. They're busy with politics.

But the first instruction of Bhagavad-gita, na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20],

dehino 'smin yatha dehe
kaumaram yauvanam jara
tatha dehantara-praptir...
[Bg. 2.13]

No. No. Political leaders teach the people that there is birth after death. Have you heard, any politician? But take the Bhagavad-gita and stands with photograph: "Oh, he's a very great reader of Bhagavad-gita." But one who understands Bha... "He's a rascal." If he understands Bhagavad-gita, why he's in politics? And even if he's politics... These, all these kings, Maharaja Yudhisthira, Krsna, they were also in politics. But they know things as they are. That is the difference. Who can be greater politician than Krsna? He's giving this instruction: dehino 'smin yatha dehe kaumaram yauvanam jara, tatha dehantara-praptih [Bg. 2.13]. So in human life, if they do not know what is the process of living condition, how we are changing, how we are accepting birth and death, how to stop it, then what is the meaning of this human being?

So this knowledge can be attained by sat-sanga. Sat-sanga. Sat-sanga means... This is sat-sanga, associating with devotees of the Lord. So sat-sanga. Sat-sangan mukta-duhsangah. You cannot make association with two parties. If you want to associate with the devotees, then you have to give up the association of the nondevotees. That will be natural. Just like our, these students, although they are very young... They are not only young, but coming of very luxurious families in America, Europe. Here, the boys, they cannot even imagine how much luxury they enjoyed. Here, they have no employment, our young men. Mostly unemployed. And in Europe, America, especially in America, there is no question of unemployment. Anyone can go and earn immediately ten dollars. Ten dollars means hundred rupees. He's prepared. One of my students, Trayadhisa, he was, morning, he was absent. So I asked him, "Why you are absent?" "Now I required some money, so I went to get some money." "How you got money?" "Now I went to the shoe brushing shop. So I brushed some gentleman's shoes. I got some money, five dollars." So they know how to earn money. There's no scarcity of money. Even in a hotel, one goes, he washes the dishes -- immediately gets ten dollars. So money and woman. So there enough they enjoy, but now they have given up everything. Why:. Due to this sat-sanga. Due to this sat-sanga. Sat-sangan mukta-duhsangah. No more. No more association with money and woman. This is so powerful, sat-sanga. Sat-sanga is so powerful.

Sat-sanga means satam prasangan mama virya-samvidah. When actually there is sat-sanga... Not professional Bhagavata readers or Bhagavata reader... No. Really realized souls of Bhagavata, Srimad Bhagavad-gita, they are called sat. Not for earning livelihood. They are not sat. Those who are, those who are reading Bhagavad-gita and Bhagavata for some worldly material gain, they are not sat. They are asat. Those who are actually reading Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam for the satisfaction of Bhagavan, bhagavata, they are sat. So once associating with these sat people, he cannot make anymore association asat. Here is a vivid examples: Hrsikesa. He left our company. He associated with some asat. Asat means nondevotees. Asat, generally, we understand rogues and thieves. But those who are devotees, they're less than rogues and thieves. Those who are not devotees, they're less than rogues and thieves. So he could not associate. It was struggle. At last, he had to leave.

So sat-sangan mukta-duhsangah. Once you are associated sincerely with devotees, he cannot mix with nondevotees. This is the test. This is the test. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trayate mahato bhayat. If once only... Sakrt. Here it is said, kirtyamanam yaso yasya sakrd akarnya rocanam. If once... Satam prasangat, sat-sanga is so powerful. If one submissively hears from sat-sanga about the name and fame of the Supreme Lord, immediately it becomes palatable. Sakrd akarnya rocanam. The same thing is repeated in another place: satam prasangan mama virya-samvido bhavanti hrt-karna-rasayanah kathah. If one hears from real devotee, immediately he becomes pregnant. Viryamana. Just like if one boy is viryamana, as soon as he has sex, the girl must be pregnant. Similarly, those who are viryamana, really devotee, by hearing him, one becomes pregnant. Pregnant means he becomes interested in Krsna consciousness. This is called satam prasangan mama virya-samvido bhavanti hrt-karna-rasayanah kathah. Hrt. We like from the heart. We like from the ear. Very nice to hear. Hrt-karna-rasayanah. Rasayana means pleasing. As soon as one will hear from satam, then his ear and heart will be pleased: "Oh, it is very nice." Hrt-karna-rasayanah kathah. Taj-josanat. And if he again cultivates, if he thinks over, taj-josanat, asu... Asu means immediately. Apavarga-vartmani, on the path of liberation. Sraddha bhaktir ratir anukramisyati. This is the process. Therefore, sat-sanga is required.

Now we have opened such a big hall, inviting people to come to take part in the sat-sanga, but nobody's interested. So therefore if anyone becomes interested, he's very intelligent. He's intelligent because he wants to stop this repetition of birth and death. This is the problem. This problem, the so-called scientists, philosophers, educationists, politician, they have set aside this question. The real problem is to solve the question of birth and death. They do not touch it. They are making plan for economic development and other things. Economic development... Suppose you become rich man for twenty years or fifty years, utmost, at the present moment. Then you become a cat and dog in next life. Then what is your economic development? But they do not know that there is life after death. We have to prepare for the next life. Karmana daiva-netrena. Then according to my karma, by superior inspection, I'll get next birth. And in the Bhagavad-gita it is plainly spoken: janma karma me divyam yo janati tattvatah. Krsna says, "Simply try to understand My janma. I take birth." Ajo 'pi sann avyayatma. He's aja. Every one of us aja. Na jayate na mriyate. We don't take birth, don't die, because we are part and parcel of Krsna. So Krsna must be aja.

So Krsna takes birth. That is Janmastami. So if anyone tries to understand why the Aja, the Unborn, takes birth, janma karma... And God, Krsna, who has nothing to do... That is the Vedic information. Na tasya karyam karanam ca vidyate. Why He has to do? Actually He hasn't got to do anything. He has to enjoy only. Just like we see the Deity Krsna is not working in the factory as a factory manager. He's enjoying the company of Radharani. We have to work. If we enjoy with our so-called Radharani, then we'll starve to death. We have to work. But God is not like that. Na tasya karyam karanam ca vidyate. Na tat-samas cabhyadhikas ca drsyate. These are the informations from Vedas, Upanisads, that He has nothing to do. Yes. That is real God. If God has to work, God has to do something, then what kind of God He is? Here, the so-called imitation Gods, even a rich man, he does not do anything. And why God will work? Therefore God comes... He's aja, unborn. He comes, janma, karma, He works also. Just like Krsna. He worked ordinary cowherd's boy. He worked as ordinary politician. He worked as ordinary philosopher, left the instruction of Bhagavad-gita and so many other instructions, sublime instructions.

So one has to understand that why the unborn takes birth. One who hasn't got to do anything, why He comes as a human being and works? Janma karma me divyam. These are all transcendental subject matter. These are not ordinary things. Krsna's coming, Krsna's working, Krsna's fighting, Krsna's loving, they're all transcendental subject matter. Aprakrta. So janma karma me divyam yo janati tattvatah. If anyone simply understands this subject matter, why Krsna takes birth, why Krsna works as ordinary man -- these are all transcendental subject matter -- then he becomes free. Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti [Bg. 4.9]. Simply by understanding Krsna, about His work, about His birth. Simply if we can understand. The Bhagavad-gita is there. You can read and try to understand Bhagavad-gita as it is. The result will be, tyaktva deham punar janma naiti [Bg. 4.9]. Then after giving up this body, he never takes birth in this material world. Punar janma. Punar janma means within this material world. In the spiritual world there is no janma, there is no death. Punar janma naiti. Then where...? He's finished? No. Mam eti: "He comes to Me, back to home, back to Godhead." This is perfection.

So anyone who is interested in this highest perfection of life, punar janma naiti mam eti, not to take birth again in this material world, but to go back home, back to Godhead, such person... Caitanya Mahaprabhu speaks for such person: niskincanasya jigamisor bhava-sagarasya, param param jigamisor bhava-sagarasya. Param param jigamisoh. Just like we are on this side of the sea. We want to go the other side of the sea. Similarly this bhava-samudra, we are on this part of the sea, material world. If we want to go to the other side, spiritual world, so we have to become niskincana. Niskincana means no more possessing anything material. That is called niskincana. If we hanker after possessing material... Therefore sannyasa. Sannyasa means simply possess Krsna and no other possessions. That is niskincana. You have to possess something. Suppose you have got something, one copper coin or silver coin. So if you dispossess, if you throw it away, then what is the gain. Whatever you had, gone. But if you throw the copper coin, or the silver coin, and if you accept a gold coin, then you are profited. Then it is profit. So niskincana, to simply become niskincana, renounced of everything... Just like Mayavadi sannyasis. They do... Brahma satyam jagan mithya. Yes. But brahma satyam, they do not understand what is the actual satya-vastu. That satya-vastu is Bhagavan. They do not search after Bhagavan; simply the light, effulgence of Bhagavan, brahmajyoti. They are satisfied. (yelling in background) (aside:) What is that, trouble? Stop them.

So there are so many versions about sat-sanga and asat-sanga. Caitanya Mahaprabhu advises niskincanasya param param jigamisor bhava-sagarasya sandarsanam atha yositam. (yelling continues in background, louder) They're fighting? Or what...?

Devotee: Sandarsanam visayinam atha yositam ca.

Prabhupada: Ah. Sandarsanam atha yositam visayinam atha yositam ca. So niskincana means do not hanker after any more money and women. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu refused to see persons who are after money and woman, because by their association we may be infected. We may be again hankering after. Suppose I have taken sannyasa, and if I see one grhastha having a very faithful and beautiful wife, if I think, "Oh, I left my wife. If I would have possessed, I would have been happy," he's immediately fallen. Because within the mind, he's associating with yosit. Suppose we go to see some rich man. I see that he has got money, nice motor car, nice building. If I think, "Oh, I have taken sannyasa. If I would have possessed all these things, I would have been...," then immediately fall down. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu strictly prohibits that if you have become niskincana, renounced order, with a idea of going forward, bhava-sagarasya, on the other side of the ocean, then aspiring after money and women is lower than dying, committing suicide. Ha hanta hanta visa-bhaksanato 'py asadhu. If you take poison, that is criminal. Similarly, He says, "A man in renounced order of life, if he's thinking of woman and money, then he's committing suicide more than ordinary suicide." Visa-bhaksanato 'py asadhu. Visa-bhaksana. If you drink poison, then you are criminal. If you survive, by law you'll be punished. Perhaps you know it. Anyone attempting to commit suicide, if he survives, by law he'll be punished: "Why you attempted suicide? This is criminal." Similarly, to see, to aspire after women and money, by the renounced order people, is lower than committing suicide. This is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's version.

So actually who has associated with sadhu, he cannot make any more association with asadhu. Therefore it is said that sat-sangan mukta-duhsangah. Mukta-duhsanga. Mukta means completely liberated. Such person, hatum notsahate budhah, such person cannot give up the chanting of the holy name of the Lord. Kirtyamanam. He may try to go away, but he'll not be happy. He'll not be happy. We have seen practically. Some of our boys who have left, they come occasionally. Even he protests externally, internally he understands that he has committed a mistake by associating. Kirtyamanam. Kirtyamanam yaso yasya sakrd akarnya rocanam. The sankirtana, chanting of this holy name, is so pleasing that one cannot avoid it if once he has associated with devotees. This is the position.

Therefore for the Pandavas... Of course, the holy name of the Lord and the Lord, they're identical. There is no difference. But still we are chanting the holy name of the Lord, and if the Lord comes personally, how much we shall be engladdened. So we are chanting Hare Krsna, Krsna's name, but the Pandavas, they were practically associating with Krsna. So if a person associating with devotees, becomes interested in chanting the holy name of the Lord, how much it is impossible, how much it is impossible for the Pandavas to give up His association. Because they are so fortunate that darsana-sparsa-samlapa-sayanasana-bhojanaih. They're in intimately friendly terms with Krsna, that they're lying together, they're sitting together, they're eating together, always seeing Krsna. How they can tolerate His separation? It is impossible. If a..., satam prasangat, if a devotee cannot give up this chanting of His holy name, how the persons who are actually seeing Krsna, associating with Krsna, can tolerate separation from Him? This is the purport.

Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.10.11-12 -- Mayapura, June 25, 1973