760304 - Lecture SB 07.09.26 - Mayapur

Lectures by Date, 1976

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Listen to a 'Nectar Drop' created from this Lecture

760304SB-MAYAPUR - March 04, 1976 - 27.47 Minutes

Śāstrījī: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. (Prabhupāda and devotees repeat) (chants verse; Prabhupāda and devotees respond) (break)

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: (chants synonyms; Prabhupāda and devotees respond) (break)

Translation: (04:02) "O my Lord, the Supreme, what is my position because I am born in a family which is full with the modes of the hellish material qualities of passion and ignorance? And what to speak of Your causeless mercy, which was never offered to even Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva and the goddess of fortune, Lakṣmī, because You never put Your lotus hand upon their heads, but You have done so on my head."

Prabhupāda:

kvāhaṁ rajaḥ-prabhava īśa tamo 'dhike 'smin

jātaḥ suretara-kule kva tavānukampā

na brahmaṇo na tu bhavasya na vai ramāyā

yan me 'rpitaḥ śirasi padma-karaḥ prasādaḥ

(SB 7.9.26)

This is the position. Prahlāda Mahārāja, humbly submitting, because he is Vaiṣṇava, that "What is my position? My position is that I am born of rajas-tamo-guṇa." This birth takes place according to quality we acquire.

Just like I was rebuking that toilet. This is so nasty, tamo-guṇa, and if I have no response to such tamo-guṇa place, that means I am also of that quality. Just like fire and fire, there is no reaction, but in fire and water there is reaction. Between fire and fire there is no reaction, but fire and water there is reaction. Similarly, sattva-guṇa–sattva-guṇa, there is no reaction. Tamo-guṇa–tamo-guṇa there is no reaction. It is . . . In English it is called incompatible. When different qualities, there is reaction, chemical reaction, acid and alkaline. Acid and acid, you mix; there is no reaction. But acid and alkaline, if you mix, there will be effervescence immediately.

So kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo asya sad-asad-janma-yoniṣu (BG 13.22). If one is developing tamo-guṇa, then if he becomes . . . If he becomes a pig next life, there is no reaction. He'll be very glad that "I am pig," "I am dog." There is no reaction. But if one is sattva-guṇa, then he cannot tolerate. Immediately obnoxious: "Oh, such a nasty condition." So I am very sorry there was no reaction in such nasty toilet room. And you are getting sacred thread, the quality of brāhmaṇa, sattva-guṇa. It is very regrettable. Nobody reacted.

So this is the position, that unless we . . .

tadā rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ

kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye

ceta etair anāviddhaṁ

sthitaṁ sattve prasīdati

(SB 1.2.19)

We have to curb down these rago-guṇa, tamo-guṇa; otherwise there is no improvement. If a person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is found, no reaction in rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa, then he's a dull stone. It is not improving. It is simply showbottle. So showbottle will not act. Tadā rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ. This prescription is there.

If one develops Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then it is to be understood that he has surpassed sattva-guṇa, the brahminical qualification. Why we offer sacred thread to a person who is coming from very, very low family? Because it is to be understood by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, by following the regulative principle, he has already come to the platform of sattva-guṇa. But if it is a false thing, there is no need of second initiation. There must be. One must come. This our process is "Don't do this. Do this." Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra sixteen rounds, and don't do this—no illicit sex, no meat-eating. That means he's becoming purified. He's becoming purified from the rotten condition of rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa. But if he does not, then there should be no second initiation. This should be the rule.

So, so Prahlāda Mahārāja is claiming. He's not, neither in rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa, sattva-guṇa. He's Vaiṣṇava; he's transcendental. Sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate (BG 14.26). He's on the brahma-bhūtaḥ stage, on the spiritual platform. Otherwise how Kṛṣṇa touching? Kṛṣṇa is paraṁ-pavitraḥ. Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12). He cannot touch a rajas-tamas-bhava. No. That is not possible. When Lord Nṛsiṁha-deva touched his head, either by His touching he's already purified, or because he's purified, therefore Lord touched his head. This is the conclusion.

So he is purified, but as a Vaiṣṇava he is placing himself in the platform of rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ (SB 1.2.19). The whole world, at least in this age, Kali-yuga, these two qualities - mostly tamo-guṇa, and little rajo-guṇa, that's all, but no sattva-guṇa. No sattva-guṇa. Therefore people cannot understand what is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They cannot understand. Rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ, ceta etair anāviddha. Therefore we have to purify ourself. The prescription is there, very simple thing, to become purified: śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ (SB 1.2.17). If we simply recite all these mantras . . . The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Bhagavad-gītā, all these ślokas, they're all mantras, just like as good as Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. There is no difference. So if we hear . . .

That is the prescription given by Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and we are trying to introduce this. Our so many centers, we are inviting people in so many ways so that they can hear. This class is meant for that. It is not that everyone will understand each word, but simply if he hears, it will be beneficial, the mantra. Simply if one hears Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra chanting, he'll be purified. If he hears this mantra, a verse from Bhagavad-gītā, a verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, attentively, even he does not understand the meaning, the purport, still, he'll get benefit. That is the way. So we must hear.

So Prahlāda Mahārāja is saying, rajaḥ-prabhava: "My dear Lord, Īśa, my this body . . . I have got this body from father and mother. They belong to the low-grade family." Suretara. Sura itara. Sura means high-class family, demigods, brāhmaṇa. That is called sura. And itara means low grade. So suretara-kule: "Because I am born . . ." Because everything is being done very perfectly by the laws of material nature. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). Prakṛti, nature, is working. If you develop a kind of, a kind of quality . . . There are three kinds, three qualities: sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. So if you develop sattva-guṇa, then your body gradually will be sattva-guṇa-ized. Sattva-guṇa, the goodness . . . The body will be purified and become good. Good, bad, and via media—three kinds. So that is the process. Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means everything is being gradually developed into goodness. And at last, to surpass goodness . . . Here in this material world the goodness may be contaminated with the other qualities, but in the spiritual world it is so good, it is called śuddha-sattva. There is no contamination. There is no tinge of rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa. That is spiritual quality.

So Kṛṣṇa consciousness can be possible in perfectness when we are above the quality of goodness. Above. Sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate (BG 14.26). One who has surpassed the three qualities and has come to the spiritual platform, then it is called cinmaya. Cit means spiritual, and maya . . . These word, mayāt-pratyaya, these are used when it is in great extent, in large quantity. That is mayāt. And vikārāt. Vikāra means transformed. Just like gold: pure gold, you transform into a finger ring—this is also gold. This is called vikārārthe. Gold has become now a ring. And another meaning is, that suppose it is made of iron or other base metal, but it is covered with gold, large quantity. That is called adhikārthe because a quantity of gold is there. That is not all gold, but there is gold, covered. So in two meanings, the mayāt-pratyaya is there. So similarly, cinmaya. Cinmaya means if you cultivate spiritual knowledge in large quantity, then your body is no more material. It is spiritualized. Cinmaya. Therefore great saintly person's body, after demise it is not burned; it is buried, samādhi, because it is cinmaya. So adikārthe, mayāt-pratyaya and vikārārthe. So a Vaiṣṇava, his body is cinmaya, is cinmaya body.

So Prahlāda Mahārāja says that "My body is in large quantity this rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. So it is not possible for me to approach You, my Lord. Because You are śuddha-sattva and I am in the material contamination, how it is possible that You shall touch my head? It is simply Your causeless mercy." This is appreciation. "Otherwise how it is possible? You cannot touch this nasty quality of rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. My body is made by my father and mother. They belong to the nasty rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa quality. So it is not possible that You'll touch my body, but You have done it. You have placed Your lotus hand on my head. It is simply Your causeless mercy. Otherwise I am not fit for this. So, and I . . . You are so merciful that this mercy You did not offer to Lord Brahmā even."

Brahmā is supposed to be the supreme creature within this material world, Brahmā. He's the first created creature, and he's called Svayambhū. He's not born of any material father and mother but directly came through the lotus stem which is growing from the navel of Viṣṇu. So he's not ordinary person. He's not ordinary person. He's not . . . Therefore he's known as Svayambhū. We are not svayambhū. We are begotten by father and grown up by mother. We are not self-sufficient. But Brahmā is called Svayambhū because he is not born of any material father and mother. So "He did not get this mercy. Although Brahmā's position is so exalted, still, my Lord, he did not get this opportunity."

Na brahmaṇo na tu bhavasya. Bhava means Lord Śiva. Lord Śiva's position is also very exalted, more than Brahmā. Lord Śiva is in between Lord Viṣṇu and living entity. We are living entity. So Lord Śiva is not ordinary living entity. Brahmā is ordinary living entity, but very pious, exalted. But Lord Śiva is more than Brahmā. "So he also could not get this mercy."

Na vai ramāyā. Ramāyā means Lakṣmī, the goddess of fortune. He always remains with Nārāyaṇa. She is not . . . She's . . . Her position is more than Lord Brahmā or Lord Śiva. She is Nārāyaṇa in a different energy only. Rādhā-kṛṣṇa-praṇaya-vikṛtir āhlādini śaktiḥ (CC Adi 1.5) She is the manifestation of the pleasure potency of the Lord. The Lord has got unlimited potencies, parasya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (CC Madhya 13.65, purport, Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.8). So one of the potency is Rādhārāṇī, or Lakṣmī, or Sītā. They are equal. There is no difference. Rādhā-kṛṣṇa-praṇaya-vikṛtir āhlādini-śaktir asmāt. These loving affairs between Rādhārāṇī and Kṛṣṇa or Nārāyaṇa and Lakṣmī or Sītā and Rāma, they are both of them the same. One is potency; another is potent. That is the difference: potent and potency. So "Such Ramā, the goddess of fortune, she also could not get this compassionate mercy or causeless mercy."

So he's feeling proud, that "You are so affectionate to Your devotee." Therefore Lord's name is bhakta-vatsala. He can offer to His bhakta any position, more than Himself. Just like Mother Yaśodā. She is bhakta, and Lord has given her the position for punishing Him. Mother Yaśodā is threatening Kṛṣṇa, that "Kṛṣṇa, You were very naughty. Now I shall bind You." So Kṛṣṇa, out of being afraid, was crying. So Kṛṣṇa has given the position to the bhakta that "You chastise Me; I'll accept it." This is bhakta's position. This is Kṛṣṇa's causeless mercy. He can do that.

So Prahlāda Mahārāja is appreciating that "I am worthless. I have no qualification." That should be the position of the bhaktas always. Never we should think that "I have become a big bhakta." No. Caitanya-caritāmṛta author says humbly, puriṣera kīṭa haite muñi se laghiṣṭha (CC Adi 5.205): "I am lower than the worm in the stool." Does it mean that he is actually? No. But he's feeling like that. An advanced devotee, they're always so humble and meek, they always think of himself as worthless. And still, the Lord is so kind and favorable. That is His causeless mercy, that "I am not qualified. I am not worthy of this facility." This is the humbleness.

Kvāhaṁ rajaḥ-prabhava īśa tamo 'dhike 'smin. "Not only I am influenced by rajo-guṇa, but mostly, seventy-five percent, I am infested with tamo-guṇa." Adhika. Akhika means "in larger quantity." And there is no question of sattva-guṇa. Adhika 'smin jātaḥ sure . . . "Otherwise, why I am born in this family?" That is the test.

Now they are . . . By force they are trying to be equal. Of course, in this age everyone is śūdra. That is an . . . Otherwise, lowborn means this differentiation of different low qualities. By nature it will give. I have several times explained that as you infect a certain type of contaminous disease, you get that; you suffer from that. So the brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, then antaja(?), caṇḍāla, mean, so many, Kirāta, Hūṇa, Pulinda, Pulkaśā, Abhīra, Śumbha, Yavana—so many, low-grade, low-grade, low-grade, low-grade, low-grade. Then why this low-grade birth? That is due to this kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya (BG 13.22). In the Bhagavad-gītā it says. It is due to our association with low-grade qualities.

Therefore the human life should be very cautious that we may not be contaminated by low-grade qualities. There are so many rules and regulations, but it is very, very difficult to follow. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu has recommended, just to remain purified, "Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." Harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma eva kevalam, kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva (CC Adi 17.21). You cannot . . . Otherwise you cannot purify. So kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ (CC Adi 17.31). We should always chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Then we'll gradually be spiritualized, cinmaya, spiritualized. Then our life will be successful.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda. (end).