760910 - Lecture SB 01.07.11 - Vrndavana

Lectures by Date, 1976

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

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760910SB-VRNDAVAN - September 10, 1976 - 31.40 Minutes

Pradyumna: Translation: "Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī, son of Śrīla Vyāsadeva, was not only transcendentally powerful, he was also very dear to the devotees of the Lord. Thus he underwent the study of this great narration Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam."

Prabhupāda:

harer guṇākṣipta-matir

bhagavān bādarāyaṇiḥ

adhyagān mahad ākhyānaṁ

nityaṁ viṣṇu-jana-priyaḥ

(SB 1.7.11)

This Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, mahā-purāṇam . . . It is called mahā-purāṇam. Mahad ākhyānam. Ākhyānam, narration, history. It is not fictitious; it is history. The activities of the Kauravas, Pāṇḍavas, many other activities mentioned here—Dhruva Mahārāja, Prahlāda Mahārāja, Ambarīṣa Mahārāja—many, many devotees and their activities, their history, it is not mythology. The rascals, they say mythology. No. It is history. Mahābhārata. Mahā means greater, and bhārata means this planet. So Mahābhārata means the history of this planet. Now it is minimized, "India." India is given . . ., the name given by the Britishers or the Europeans. Real name is Bhārata, Bhārata-varṣa, according to the name of Mahārāja Bharata. So this greater India, Mahābhārata, this is also history. Itihāsa. Itihāsa-purāṇa. Purāṇa means old history. Purāṇa means old. It is not mythology. Purāṇa.

So Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is amalaṁ purāṇam. Amalam. Mala means dirty things, and amalam means without any dirty things. What is that dirty things? The dirty things means the material modes of nature—sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. Because it is material it is called mala, dirty. And Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: amalam, without any material contamination, because simply narration of Bhagavān and Bhagavān's devotee. Bhāgavata, bhakta. Therefore it is named Bhāgavatam: dealings between the Supreme Personality of Godhead and His devotees. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

So who will be interested in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam? That is mentioned here: harer guṇākṣipta-matiḥ. Kṣipta, kṣipta means madness. Here is a man kṣipta, means he's mad. So there are two kinds of madness. One madness is for material enjoyment. They are also mad, pramatta. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma (SB 5.5.4). The material madness entangles people more and more in the process of birth and death. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung, anādi karama-phale paḍi' bhavārṇava-jale taribāre nā dekhi upāya. Anādi karama-phale paḍi' bhavārṇava-jale. Somehow or other, we have fallen in this material world, the ocean of nescience, bhavārṇava. Arṇava means ocean, and bhava means repetition of birth. In this ocean we have fallen. Therefore our prayer should be not for any material opulence, as we generally do. Dhanaṁ dehi rūpaṁ dehi: "Give me money, or mitigate my distress." This is very lower stage of devotion, to ask something from the Supreme Lord. Ārto arthārthī jijñāsur (BG 7.16). In the beginning, provided one is . . ., background is pious . . . Because without piety nobody can approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām (BG 7.28). Those who are simply acting piously, such person can approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Not impious person can . . .

Therefore we shall be very, very careful about impious activities. Impious activities . . ., we know the four legs of impious activities: illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating and gambling. So therefore we should be very, very careful about these impious activities. You cannot make any spiritual progress by simultaneously acting impiously and at the same time . . . It may . . . Not it may; it is sure it will go, but it will go very slow. Just like if you have got dry wood, then the fire ignites very easily. And if you bring wet fuel, it takes time. Of course, as soon as there is fire, the wetness of the fuel will dry. But it will require extra energy. And if you put dry fuel, then it ignites very easily. So in order to keep us dry without being wetted by the impious activities, then spiritual progress will be very quick. We should remember that. Actually, if we want to be advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it is our duty to keep ourself dry from material wetness. That is our duty. Yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpam.

Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu said especially two things: viṣayiṇāṁ sandarśanam atha yoṣitāṁ ca (CC Madhya 11.8). Two things: woman and money. If we become attracted . . . Woman means for man the woman is woman, and for the woman, the man is woman. Not that woman means a particular class. Woman means which are enjoyable. So in this material world, the man is enjoyable by the woman, and the woman is enjoyable by the man. So for both of them, viṣayiṇāṁ sandarśanam atha yoṣitām. Yoṣit means enjoyable. This body is superfluous. The bodily structure, it can be changed. Perhaps you know, now in medical science they can change the woman's body into man's body and the man's body into woman's body. It was formerly being also changed. In Bhāgavata you'll find that in a garden . . . I forget the name.

Pradyumna: . . . (indistinct) . . .

Prabhupāda: No, no. In a garden where Lord Śiva was engaged with Umā, husband and wife, so all of a sudden many saintly persons entered to see Lord Śiva. At that time Umā, Pārvatī, became very much ashamed—she was not very properly dressed. So immediately the saintly persons, they left, that "Lord Śiva is now in his private affairs." So Lord Śiva, to please Pārvatī, he immediately said, "Henceforward, anyone who will enter this forest, he'll become woman." So one king, I forget the name, with his party, without the knowledge he entered the forest, and all of them became women. So the idea is that the man's body can be transformed into woman's body and a woman's body can be transformed into man's body. Because we are not this body, dress. Suppose I have got this dress. This man's dress I can transform into woman's dress with a sārī; but that does not mean I am woman. So every one of us living entity, we are part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. The outward dress, man and woman, that is dress. Vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya (BG 2.22). We are changing this dress.

So in this material world, because our mentality is to enjoy, therefore he is called puruṣa. Puruṣaḥ prakṛti-stho hi bhuṅkte prakṛti-jān guṇān (BG 13.22). Puruṣa, here puruṣa, the living entity . . . It is said puruṣa. Puruṣa means both men and women, because everyone has got the spirit, "I shall enjoy." Therefore he is described as puruṣa. Puruṣaḥ prakṛti-stho hi, in this material world, bhuṅkte prakṛti-jān guṇān, kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya sad-asad-yoni-janmasu. We are getting different types of bodies on account of our different desires. Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya sad-asad-yoni-janmasu. According to the desire, Kṛṣṇa is so kind, as we are desiring, He is supplying some body. That is also explained: īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). The Supreme Personality of Godhead, īśvaraḥ, He is situated everyone's heart. So He knows what I want. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe. It is pointed out, hṛd-deśe, "in the core of the heart." You haven't got to search throughout the universe. He is within the heart. He's there. Therefore the yogīs, they try to find out the Supreme Lord within the heart. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). That is yogī—who tries to find out the Supreme Personality of Godhead within the heart. That is dhyāna. That is meditation. Meditation does not mean anything nonsense. To see the Supreme Personality of Godhead Viṣṇu, Lord Viṣṇu.

So prakṛti-stho hi. We are in this material world. What is this material world? Material world means three modes of material nature: sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. So according to the association, kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo, either sattva-guṇa, or rajo-guṇa or tamo-guṇa. This is going on, and therefore we are getting different types of body. So this is going on. It is called bhavārṇava. So if we want to get release from this entanglement of being polluted by the three modes of material nature, then we have to come to this platform, nirguṇa. Nirguṇa. Nirguṇa means to associate with the Supreme Personality of Godhead or to be engaged in devotional service. That is nirguṇa.

māṁ ca vyabhicāreṇa

bhakti-yogena ya sevate

sa guṇān samatītyaitān

brahma-bhūyāya kalpate

(BG 14.26)

Immediately. Immediately you can be placed on the transcendental platform as soon as you begin your devotional service. Avyabhicāreṇa: without any deviation. Ananya-bhakti. Bhajate mām ananya-bhāk (BG 9.30). That is wanted. What is that ananya-bhāk? Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.1.11): without any material desires. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). That is pure devotion.

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore recommends that niṣkiñcanasya bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya (CC Madhya 11.8). Anyone who is aspiring to become advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya . . . Why bhagavad-bhajana required? Pāraṁ paraṁ jigamiṣor bhava-sāgarasya (CC Madhya 11.8). For a person who wants to go to the other side of the ocean of nescience, pāraṁ paraṁ jigamiṣoḥ. (break) . . . means one who is very rich man. No. Rich man and poor man doesn't matter. If one is interested simply with the four principles of the bodily necessities, āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithuna—eating, sleeping, sex and defense, they are called viṣayīs. Viṣayiṇām . . . Viṣayaḥ khalu sarvataḥ syāt. If viṣayī means rich man, then why the śāstra says, viṣayaḥ khalu sarvataḥ syāt? The enjoyment of these four necessities of body, it is available everywhere. The sparrow, he's also enjoying viṣaya. There is a male and female, and they are jumping from one tree to another, from here to there. And as soon as they require, they are enjoying sex and eating something. So eating, sleeping, mating, this is going on. That viṣaya is available . . . I have seen at night a small insects, they are also enjoying eating, sleeping, mating. A small, very small ant is captured. Jīvo jīvasya jīvanam (SB 1.13.47). One life is meant for being eaten by another life. You can see, might be very small, he has got all the same tendencies. So viṣayaḥ khalu sarvataḥ syāt. So one has to become free from this viṣaya. Viṣayiṇāṁ sandarśanam atha yoṣitāṁ ca hā hanta hanta viṣa-bhakṣaṇato 'py asādhu (CC Madhya 11.8). That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's . . . So we should be very careful. Viṣayiṇām, a devotee, if he thinks, "Oh, here is a nice woman. If I could enjoy her," or "Here is a nice man. If I could enjoy him," this is viṣayī. Viṣayiṇāṁ sandarśanam. To see one woman is not dangerous, but to think of enjoying, that is dangerous. Similarly, to see one man is not dangerous—you cannot avoid that; you are on the street here—but to see with the spirit of enjoyment, that is dangerous.

So we should be very careful. That requires, I mean to say, training, very strong training in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Unless one is strongly in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that long habit of enjoying spirit cannot be given up. This is, loke vyavāyāmiṣa-madya-sevā nityā hi jantoḥ (SB 11.5.11). Jantu, animals. Anyone who is addicted to vyavāya, sex life; āmiṣa, meat-eating; madya-sevā, intoxication . . . That is the natural tendency of anyone in this material world. Vyavāyāmiṣa-madya-sevā nityāḥ. So spiritual advancement means to give up this āmiṣa-madya-sevā. That is spiritual life. Spiritual life does not mean you have to grow four hands and four legs. No. Simply you have to give up these tendencies of vyavāyāmiṣa-madya-sevā. Therefore śāstra gives you training how to . . . Therefore here it is said, harer guṇākṣipta-matir bhagavān bādarāyaṇiḥ (SB 1.7.11). (aside:) Don't do that. Don't divert attention. If you cannot understand, you can go play there. Harer guṇākṣipta. So you cannot be mad after harer guṇa unless you give up your madness of material enjoyment. So long we are mad after material happiness, then we do anything wrong, nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma (SB 5.5.4). Vikarma means activities which are forbidden. Just like vyavāyāmiṣa-madya-sevā—these are forbidden. But they indulge in these things nowadays all over the world, this vyavāyāmiṣa-madya-sevā. This is vikarma, forbidden activities. But they indulge in. Why? Because pramatta. They have become mad.

So madness there is. So one madness you have to give up—this material madness—and you have to become mad after Kṛṣṇa. Then your life is successful. That madness is exhibited by Caitanya Mahāprabhu:

yugāyitaṁ nimeṣeṇa

cakṣuṣā prāvṛṣāyitam

śūnyāyitaṁ jagat sarvaṁ

govinda-viraheṇa me

(CC Antya 20.39, Śikṣāṣṭaka 7)

That madness wanted. Yugāyitaṁ nimeṣeṇa: one moment appears to be one yuga. One yuga means twelve years. So yugāyitaṁ nimeṣeṇa cakṣuṣā prāvṛṣāyitam. Crying. There is tears in the eyes like the torrents of rain. Yugāyitaṁ nimeṣeṇa cakṣuṣā . . . Śūnyāyitaṁ jagat sarvam: "I feel the whole world is vacant." Why? Govinda-viraheṇa me. This madness is wanted, without Govinda; that madness. So that madness fully exhibited in Vṛndāvana by the gopīs. They were mad after Kṛṣṇa. When Kṛṣṇa left Vṛndāvana, went to Mathurā, they became so mad that they had no other business than cakṣuṣā prāvṛṣāyitam, simply crying torrents of rain. That is wanted. That is Vṛndāvana life. Not that seeking after sex in Vṛndāvana. That is . . . That means such person will have to take birth as monkey next life. Monkey. Because they have taken shelter of Vṛndāvana, and still they're indulging, monkey's business, so they have to . . . It is Kṛṣṇa's mercy. Tat te 'nukampāṁ su-samīkṣamāṇaḥ (SB 10.14.8). In Vṛndāvana the land, transcendental land, that will not go in vain. But these persons who are indulging unnecessary sex life in Vṛndāvana, they'll have to take birth as monkeys in Vṛndāvana, and then next life they'll be liberated. So otherwise, why in Vṛndāvana the monkeys? They are also devotees, but they could not proceed nicely. So animal life means stopping sinful activities, and whatever sinful reaction is there, in one life finished. We should be very, very careful. Dhāma, dhāma-aparādha. In the dhāma . . . In other places if you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, the result of such chanting will be increased thousand times if you chant in Vṛndāvana. Similarly, in other place, the sinful activities, if you commit that sinful activities in Vṛndāvana, then it will be thousand times increased. So we have to be very careful.

So Kṛṣṇa is very kind. Tat te 'nukampāṁ su-samīkṣa . . ., bhuñjāna evātma-kṛtaṁ vipākam. If we act impiously, we have to suffer. But for a devotee, karmāṇi nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhājām (BS 5.54). Karmāṇi nirdahati. Others, for sinful activities, they will have to continue, but if a devotee is in sinful activities, in one life it is finished. But don't take this concession. We should be very much careful not to commit. So we shall have to increase our madness for harer guṇākṣipta-matir bhagavān bādarāyaṇiḥ (SB 1.7.11). And bādarāyaṇi . . . Śukadeva Gosvāmī is also addressed as Bhagavān. If one is mad after Bhagavān, he's as good as Bhagavān. Harer ākṣipta. One who is mad after Bhagavān, he's as good as Bhagavān. Therefore bādarāyaṇi is addressed here as Bhagavān. In the spiritual world, Bhagavān and His paraphernalia, there is no difference. Don't think that the calf or the cows in Vṛndāvana is less than Kṛṣṇa. No. They're as good as Kṛṣṇa. Ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhiḥ (BS 5.37). They are expansion of Kṛṣṇa's ānanda-cinmaya-rasa. Kṛṣṇa wants to play with the cows and calves. So He's ānanda-cinmaya. His spiritual potency appears as cows and calves. Therefore we see Kṛṣṇa is embracing the calves and cows. He's not embracing a material cow. He has nothing to do with material. Ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhiḥ.

So a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa is also addressed Bhagavān. Pure devotee. Not that a magician. A pure devotee. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.1.11). Bhagavān bādarāyaṇiḥ adhyagān mahād ākhyānam. This is mahād ākhyānam. It is not ordinary ākhyānam. Śrīmad-bhāgavatam amalaṁ purāṇam. (SB 12.13.18). He was liberated person, but being to hear about Kṛṣṇa more and more, this is not material; this is spiritual. Mahad ākhyānaṁ nityaṁ viṣṇu-jana-priyaḥ. Nitya. Bhāgavata is not for a saptāha. Bhāgavata is meant for nityam. Nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā. Naṣṭa-prāyeṣv abhadreṣu nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā (SB 1.2.18). Not that one is completely free from the modes of material nature, but prāyeṣu: almost finished. Naṣṭa-prāyeṣu. Then he becomes interested. Nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā. Or by serving Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam regularly, nityam. As it is said, nityaṁ viṣṇu-jana-priyaḥ. Viṣṇu-jana and hari-jana. Hari-jana does not mean cāmāras and bhaṅgis. Hari-jana means . . . Cāmāras and bhaṅgis can be elevated to hari-jana, but not by rubber-stamp, "Viṣṇu-jana." Viṣṇu-jana and hari-jana, the same thing. So viṣṇu-jana-priyaḥ. Those who are viṣṇu-jana, their most favorable subject matter of understanding is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam amalaṁ purāṇam.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya Prabhupāda. (end)