760225 - Lecture SB 07.09.18 - Mayapur

Lectures by Date, 1976

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Listen to a 'Nectar Drop' created from this Lecture

760225SB-MAYAPUR - February 25, 1976 - 29.34 Minutes

Dayānanda: Translation: "O my Lord Nṛsiṁha, in this way, just being engaged in Your transcendental loving service, I shall be able to associate with devotees who are liberated souls, haṁsas, and thus, being completely uncontaminated by the association of three modes of material nature, it will be possible for me to chant the glories of Your Lordship, who is so dear to me. I shall chant Your glories, fully following the footprints of Lord Brahmā and his disciplic succession. In this way it will be possible without any doubt that I shall cross over the ocean of nescience."

Prabhupāda:

so 'haṁ priyasya suhṛdaḥ paradevatāyā

līlā-kathās tava nṛsiṁha viriñca-gītāḥ

añjas titarmy anugṛṇan guṇa-vipramukto

durgāṇi te pada-yugālaya-haṁsa-saṅgaḥ

(SB 7.9.18)

So in this verse two words are very important. One is viriñca-gīta. Viriñca means Lord Brahmā and the followers. Just like we, Gauḍīya-sampradāya, means we belong to the Brahma-sampradāya. Our sampradāya begins from Lord Brahmā. There are similarly other sampradāyas, just like Rudra-sampradāya, then Kumāra-sampradāya, and there is Lakṣmī-sampradāya, Rāmānuja-sampradāya. So there are four sampradāyas: Brahma-sampradāya, Rudra-sampradāya, Kumāra-sampradāya and Lakṣmī-sampradāya. And if we do not take either of these sampradāyas in disciplic succession, then our attempt to advance in spiritual life will be failure. Sampradāya-vihīnā ye mantrās te viphalā matāḥ (Padma Purana). You cannot manufacture your own prayers unless you follow the footprints of mahājanas. They are mahājanas. This Brahmā, mahājana; Lord Śiva, mahājana; Kumāra, mahājana. Lakṣmīdevī is the potency, spiritual potency of Lord Viṣṇu, Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa's potency, and she's always engaged in massaging the lotus feet of Nārāyaṇa. You have seen the picture. Śrī-sampradāya. Śrī. She is known as Śrī. Śrī means opulence, fortune, beauty. So she is the reservoir of all these things. So she has got . . . It is called Śrī-sampradāya. The Rāmānuja-sampradāya, they are called Śrī-sampradāya. They worship Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa. Everyone worships the Lord and His potency, spiritual potency. Just like we worship Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, similarly, the Rāmānuja-sampradāya, they worship Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa or Sītā-Rāma. So we should follow the sampradāya. Sampradāya-vihīnā ye mantrās te viphalā matāḥ.

So here Prahlāda Mahārāja said that . . . Prahlāda Mahārāja is also mahājana, because he follows mahājana. He says, viriñca-gītāḥ: "I'll enjoy. I shall relish tava līlā-kathaḥ, Your pastime, the narration of Your pastime." But it is not that narration as it is written by some mundane dramatic drama writer or novel writer. No, not that. That is useless. You should not touch. If some ordinary person has written something about Kṛṣṇa's līlā, you should not touch even. It must be in the sampradāya, must be authorized person. Otherwise it is useless. You should not touch even. Therefore he especially mentioned, līlā-kathās tava nṛsiṁha viriñca-gītāḥ: "which is given by mahājanas like Brahmā." Just like we offer prayers from Brahma-saṁhitā. We cannot offer prayer from any other persons, written by any other nonsense. No. That is not possible. Viriñca-gītāḥ. There is power. If you recite the prayers composed by mahājana, it has got spiritual power.

Just like in your country, Mr. Max Mueller, he's very famous as translator of Vedas. But . . . Many scholars, they have read the translation of Max Mueller, but nobody could understand what is the purpose of Vedas, because he's not in the line. He's useless. Similarly, that French professor, he has mentioned specially . . . In comparison to my writing, he has rejected even Aurobindo and Dr. Radhakrishnan. Yes, that is right. What Dr. Radhakrishnan, Aurobindo knows about Kṛṣṇa consciousness? Because they are not in the line. They simply tried to exhibit their erudite scholarship. So that is useless. Nāyam ātmā pravacanena labhyo na medhayā na bahunā śrutena (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.2.23). This is the injunction given in the Vedas. Ayam ātmā, self-realization, God realization . . . Nāyam ātmā bala-hīnena labhyaḥ: "One who has no spiritual strength, he cannot understand." It is not possible. Nāyam ātmā bala hīnena . . . Na medhayā. If you have got very good, fertile brain for manufacturing concocted ideas, that doesn't mean you'll be able to understand Kṛṣṇa. That is not possible. Nāyam ātmā pravacanena labhyo na medhayā na bahunā śrutena. Only one who is favored by Kṛṣṇa and His, I mean to say, confidential devotee . . . (aside:) What is this nonsense? One cannot understand.

Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja is giving warning that "I shall recite the narration of Your pastime which is composed by Brahmā." Viriñci. Viriñci means . . . Śiva-viriñci-nutam (SB 11.5.33). That is the secret of success. You cannot compose by whimsical way. No. That is not. That will not be possible. Therefore the next word is very important, when he says, pada-yugālaya-haṁsa-saṅgaḥ. Pada-yugālaya-haṁsa-saṅgaḥ. This is possible when we associate, saṅgaḥ . . . Saṅgaḥ means association. Whose association? Pada-yugālaya-haṁsa. One who is . . . Because Kṛṣṇa's feet is compared as lotus—"lotus feet," we say—so where there is lotus, there is haṁsa, swan, swan, you'll find. That is the difference between the crows and the swan. Crows gather in a place, filthy place, where all rotten things are kept. The crows come there. Where all rotten things are there, all the crows will come. But when there is lotus, the crows will not go there; the haṁsa, swan, they'll go there. Even in the bird society there are classes: crow society, swan society, pigeon society, sparrow society. Everyone has got society. But one society is different from another society. Similarly, where there is kṛṣṇa-kathā, the crowslike men will not come. Where there is cinema, where there is prostitute dance, where there is drinking, the crowslike men will gather. Tad vāyasa-tīrtham. Tad vāyasa . . . Vāyasa means crows.

So, na tad vacaś citra-padaṁ harer yaśo pragṛṇīta karhicit, tad vāyasaṁ tīrtham (SB 1.5.10). Any literature very nicely written, just like Shakespeare writing or some other, big, big mundane writers, their writing, it is very nicely written, grammatically very correct, and metaphorically very nicely meant . . . Na tad vacaś citra-padam. Citra-padam means very artistically written. There are literatures very artistical—na tad vacaś citra-padaṁ harer yaśo pragṛṇīta na karhicit—but there is no glorification of the Lord, simply literary presentation, such kind of literature is described, tad vāyasa-tīrtham: "This kind of literature is preferred by the class of men who are like crows." Crows. But the Vedic literature, which is sung by Lord Brahmā or Lord Śiva or a devotee, even that is broken language presented, tad gṛṇanti śṛṇvanti sādhavaḥ: "They'll be accepted by saintly person. They'll sing it and they'll accept it." That is the secret of success. If your literature is exactly following the mahājano yena sa gataḥ, then it will be liked by highly advanced saintly person. And if it is a presentation of mundane literary career . . . Therefore that gentleman has rejected even Aurobindo and Dr . . . Others he has rejected: "They are useless." Other commentation on Bhāgavata, he has . . . But he has rejected even Aurobindo and Dr. Radhakrishnan. Dr. Radhakrishnan is well known as a big philosopher, and Aurobindo, he's also known as great speculator, but he rejected. Yes, they should be rejected because it is vāyasa-tīrtha. What is the use, jugglery of words? It has no fact; all imaginary. All imaginary.

So they are going on like that. Therefore one must be warned, as Prahlāda Mahārāja said. This is mahājana yena . . . Prahlāda Mahārāja means . . . He . . . As he is saying, we must accept. We should not indulge in speculation in . . ., of literature, literary career, which is never touched by the mahājana. So it is that one must be . . . The literature must be viriñca-gītāḥ. Why you are giving so much stress on Bhagavad-gītā as it is? Because it is spoken by Kṛṣṇa. Similarly, anything written by Kṛṣṇa's pure devotee, that is important. Otherwise it's not important. It is not important. So 'haṁ priyasya suhṛdaḥ. We should be engaged always. Reading book is very good, but it must be written by authorities. Then it is good. Now otherwise, if you read twenty-four hours the newspaper or ordinary book, that kind of reading is simply waste of time. But if we read authorized literature, then that . . . What will happen then? Then ajas titarmy anugṛṇan guṇa-vipramukto: very easily, simply by reading such book, we shall be free from material entanglement. Simply.

Because . . . Just like Bhagavad-gītā. Bhagavad-gītā and Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa, they are identical. There is no difference. Don't think, "When I am reading Bhagavad-gītā not with purpose, then I am bereft." But to associate, to . . ., with a desire that "I shall be able to associate with devotee and Kṛṣṇa," then Bhagavad-gītā is nondifferent from Kṛṣṇa. There is no difference. Advaya-jñāna. Advaya-jñāna means without any difference. Vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam (SB 1.2.11). Advayam. If you are a devotee, bona fide devotee, when you read Bhagavad-gītā, you must know Kṛṣṇa is there. If you are a pure devotee, when you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa is there on your tongue, dancing. Don't think otherwise. Kṛṣṇa is there. Nāma-cintāmaṇi-kṛṣṇaḥ. Nāma. Anyone who is chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa without any offense . . . Ten kinds of offenses, you know that. By avoiding offense, if you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, then you must know that Kṛṣṇa is there. Nāma-cintāmaṇi-kṛṣṇaḥ caitanya-rasa-vigrahaḥ pūrṇaḥ śuddho nitya-mukto abhinnatvān nāma-nāminoḥ (CC Madhya 17.133). Similarly, when we read literature, līlā-kathā . . . Lila-kathā. Just like we are reading now Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. This is līlā-kathā of Kṛṣṇa and His devotee, Prahlāda Mahārāja. This is līlā, exchange of dealings between devotee and the Lord. The whole Bhāgavata, it is called Bhāgavata why? The only subject matter is Bhagavān and bhakta. That's all. Bhagavān is the Lord, and bhakta is devotee. It has no other. You won't find any newspaper item, that "There was earthquake in London," and this and that. You don't find all these things. It is not like that, tad vāyasa-tīrtham, not for the enjoyment of the crowslike men. It must be swan, haṁsa. Haṁsa.

Why haṁsa is taken, paramahaṁsa? Haṁsa has the capacity . . . Haṁsa means swan. He has got capacity . . . If you give to the haṁsa milk mixed with water, the haṁsa has got the capacity, so it will drink the milk and reject the water. Therefore haṁsa. And paramahaṁsa, paramahaṁsa means although they are in the material world, they have kicked out the material things, but he has taken Kṛṣṇa. That's all. Kṛṣṇa is there. Everywhere is Kṛṣṇa. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). Even in this material world there is Kṛṣṇa, but the haṁsa can take it, not the crows. The crows cannot take it. Therefore difference between the crows and haṁsas. So those who are in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they are being trained up to become haṁsas or they are haṁsas. They don't care for anything, material thing. They are concerned with Kṛṣṇa. Therefore paramahaṁsa. Kṛṣṇa is everywhere. Goloka eva nivasaty akhilātmā-bhūtaḥ (BS 5.37). But the devotees can take Kṛṣṇa from anywhere. Ihā . . . How it can be taken? What is the process? The process is this devotional service. If you are engaged in devotional service in anywhere, you are with Kṛṣṇa.

īhā yasya harer dāsye

karmaṇā manasā vācā

nikhilāsv apy avasthāsu

jīvan muktaḥ sa ucyate

(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.187)

If one has got sincere desire to serve Kṛṣṇa in any position, in any body, in any circumstance, he is jīvan-mukta. That is paramahaṁsa. Jīvan-mukta means although he's living in this body, he's paramahaṁsa. He has nothing to do with this body. He has everything to do with Kṛṣṇa.

So we have to take shelter of such person. Therefore it is said, pada-yugālaya-haṁsa-saṅgaḥ. A devotee who is always living under the protection, shelter, of Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet, like haṁsa . . . Haṁsa, you'll find, they enjoy. When there is a lotus they go down within the water and entangle with the stems of the lotus flower. There is a prayer by Mukunda, Mukunda-mala-stotra: adyaiva me mānasa-haṁsaḥ, like that. Just now I forget. So our mind should be trained up like haṁsa who entangles himself with the stem of lotus flower. So we have to take shelter of this haṁsa. Pada-yugālaya-haṁsa-saṅgaḥ. Unless we associate with such haṁsa, who has nothing to do with this material world, who has taken the cream of the material, Kṛṣṇa, such haṁsa, if we become his servant—gopī-bhartur pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsa-dāsānudāsa (CC Madhya 13.80)—then it will be successful. Pada-yugālaya-haṁsa-saṅgaḥ. Then it will be possible. If we associate with haṁsa, pure devotees, then our life will be successful. Añjas titarmi. Very easily we shall cross over this ocean of nescience. There is another verse like that: bhavāmbudhir vatsa-padaṁ paraṁ padaṁ padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadaṁ na teṣām. Samāśritā ye pada-pallava-plavam. The same thing, differently expressed.

samāśritā ye pada-pallava-plavaṁ

mahat-padaṁ puṇya-yaśo murāreḥ

bhavāmbudhir vatsa-padaṁ paraṁ padam . . .

(SB 10.14.58)

Bhavāmbudhiḥ, this great ocean of nescience in which we are now fallen and very much struggling for existence, exactly just like if you are thrown in the ocean, you may be a very good swimmer, but the condition is very dangerous; you'll have to struggle. You cannot say, "I am a good swimmer. I shall be very easily able to cross over the ocean." No. That's not possible. But if you take the shelter of the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord, samāśritā ye pada-pallava-plavam . . . Anyone who has taken shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa . . . What is that lotus feet? Mahat-padam. It is . . . It is the shelter of the whole material creation, mahat-tattva. Mahat-tattva. From mahat-tattva, the total material energy . . . That is called mahat-tattva. From mahat-tattva the whole cosmic manifestation has come. Therefore the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa means there is also mahat-tattva, many, many mahat-tattva. Samāśritā ye pada-pallava-plavam mahat-padaṁ puṇya-yaśo murāreḥ. Murāri. Kṛṣṇa's another name is Murāri. Puṇya-yaśaḥ, always . . . Pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān. Then this . . . Bhavāmbudhir vatsa-padam: this great ocean of nescience becomes a small spot of water as it is made by the hoofsprint of the calves, vatsa-padam.

So Prahlāda Mahārāja, in the previous verse he describes what is the position of this material world, yasmāt priyāpriya-yoga-viyoga: simply lamentation. Sometimes we are so-called happy by getting the desirable things, and mostly we are unhappy, associating with undesirable things. So in order to save ourself from these opposing elements, the best thing is suggested, so 'haṁ priyasya suhṛdaḥ paradevatāyā līlā-kathās: let us be engaged always chanting the . . ., or reading the pastimes of the Lord, līlā-kathā. If you read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, then it is full of līlā-kathā, the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa. So that is the only way to get out of the miserable condition of this material world. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that,

tṛṇād api sunīcena

taror api sahiṣṇunā

amāninā mānadena

kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ

(CC Adi 17.31)

Kīrtanīya, this is līlā-kathā, līlā-kathā, kīrtanīya. The . . . When you read or hear or chant about the pastimes of the Lord, that is also kīrtana. And if you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra with instrument, that is also kīrtana. There is no difference. So we must engage kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ. Either we should chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra or we should read our books. This is wanted. Then we'll be safe from māyā. Otherwise, at any time, we'll be victimized.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya Prabhupāda. (end).