761112 - Lecture SB 05.05.25 - Vrndavana

Lectures by Date, 1976

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Listen to a 'Nectar Drop' created from this Lecture

761112SB-VRNDAVAN - November 12, 1976 - 30.55 Minutes

Pradyumna: . . . vāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. (devotees repeat) (leads chanting of verse, etc.)

matto 'py anantāt parataḥ parasmāt

svargāpavargādhipater na kiñcit

yeṣāṁ kim u syād itareṇa teṣām

akiñcanānāṁ mayi bhakti-bhājām

(SB 5.5.25)

(break) Translation: (02:12) "I am fully opulent, almighty and superior to Lord Brahmā and Indra, the king of the heavenly planets. I am also the bestower of all happiness obtained in the heavenly kingdom and by liberation. Nonetheless, brāhmaṇas do not seek material comforts from Me. They are very pure and do not want to possess anything. They simply engage in My devotional service. What is the need of their asking for material benefits from anyone else?"

Prabhupāda:

matto 'py anantāt parataḥ parasmāt

svargāpavargādhipater na kiñcit

yeṣāṁ kim u syād itareṇa teṣām

akiñcanānāṁ mayi bhakti-bhājām

(SB 5.5.25)

So devotional life, bhakti-yoga, is so exalted that they do not care for heavenly planet, apavarga, mukti, liberation. They do not care. Insignificant. That śloka of Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī, he realized this, that kaivalyaṁ narakāyate. The liberation of becoming one with the Supreme is called kaivalyam, kevalādvaitam, oneness. So for a devotee it is as good as the hell. Kaivalyaṁ narakāyate. And then? What about heavenly planets, Svargaloka, Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapoloka? Ākāśa-puṣpāyate. Tri-daśa-pūr ākāśa-puṣpāya. In Bengal there is one word, ghorabdin(?), means "no value." Just like horse. Horse never give any egg, but it is said, "It is as good as the egg of horse." That means there is no such thing, insignificant. So ākāśa-puṣpāyate. Ākāśa-puṣpāyate means it has no value; simply imagination. Actually that is the fact. Suppose if you go to Svargaloka, become Indra. So that is not permanent. By pious activities you can become Brahmā, Indra, and so many demigods. You can hold that post. But ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokān punar āvartino arjuna (BG 8.16). Even if you go to the Brahmaloka, what is the benefit? Again you have to come back. Kṣīṇe puṇye punar martya-lokaṁ viśanti (BG 9.21). Similarly, even you go to the Brahman effulgence, brahma-jyotir, āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padam (SB 10.2.32). That is called paraṁ padam. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adhaḥ: again you fall down.

Therefore for a devotee, akiñcanānām, they all neglect all these things. They don't care for all these things. Kaivalyaṁ narakāyate tri-daśa pūr ākāśa puṣpāya. Durdānta indriya-kāla-sarpa-paṭalī proṭkhāta-daṁstrāyate viṣvaṁ pūrna-sukhāyate. They are—karmī, jñānī, yogī—they are feeling that "This material world is full of distresses. Let us take relief from this and become one." Karmī is trying to go to the Svargaloka; jñānīs want to go to the brahma-jyoti. The yogīs also, they desire like that, because they do not feel very comfortable within this material world. But a devotee, there is no such thing that in the material world they are uncomfortable. No. Why? Wherever there is Kṛṣṇa, wherever there is Nārāyaṇa, that is all right. That is the view of the devotional service.

nārāyaṇa-parāḥ sarve

na kutaścana bibhyati

svargāpavarga-narakeṣv

api tulyārtha-darśinaḥ

(SB 6.17.28)

Nārāyaṇa-parāḥ, they are not anxious either to go to Svargaloka or to refrain from it. They are satisfied: "Wherever Kṛṣṇa keeps me, that is all right. Never mind whether it is heaven or hell." Because he has got Kṛṣṇa within him. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti (BS 5.38). He is concerned with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, premāñjana-cchurita.

So wherever Supreme Personality of Godhead is there, that is Vaikuṇṭha. Just like īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). Īśvara, the Supreme Lord, is there in every living entity's heart. So the hog, dog, they have got also heart. There is also Kṛṣṇa. So does it mean that He is living with hog and dog? He is living in Vaikuṇṭha. Etad īśanam īśasya. This is called īśasya īśanam. Wherever He may live, He lives in Vaikuṇṭha. Similarly, the devotee, he lives with Nārāyaṇa, so there is no question of hell and heaven. He is in Vaikuṇṭha. If Kṛṣṇa is living in Vaikuṇṭha, the devotee is also living in Vai . . . He is concerned with Kṛṣṇa, Nārāyaṇa. Therefore they are not afraid. Nārāyaṇa-parāḥ sarve na kutaścana bibhyati (SB 6.17.28). Nārada Muni, he is traveling everywhere. He is going to hell; he is going to heaven; he is going to Vaikuṇṭha to see Nārāyaṇa. And he's chanting, nārada muni bhājāy vīṇā rādhikā ramaṇa, that's all. Because he is chanting for . . . His business is to enlighten. If he goes to naraka, hell, he will advise them, "Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." And if he goes to Indraloka he will advise the same thing. And if he goes to Svargaloka, or any loka, that is Nārada Muni's business. Similarly, those who are preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they should not be afraid of this hell and heaven. Wherever they should go, they will simply preach, "Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." This is their business.

Therefore, itareṇa teṣām akiñcanānāṁ mayi bhakti-bhājām. But one has to become akiñcana—nothing material, simply the lotus feet of the Lord. Just like Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura said, hā hā prabhu nanda-suta, vṛṣabhānu-sutā-yuta. He is praying, nanda-suta, "Kṛṣṇa," vṛṣabhānu-sutā-yuta, "along with Rādhārāṇī"— vṛṣabhānu-sutā is Rādhārāṇī—karuṇa karaha ei-bāra: "Just be merciful upon me." Narottama-dāsa kahe, nā ṭheliho rāṅgā pāy: "I am fully surrendered unto You. You don't throw me away." Nā ṭheliho rāṅgā. Tomā bine ke āche āmāra. And this is wanted. "I have nothing except Your lotus feet." This is akiñcana, akiñcana, "No other thing except Your . . . So how You can throw me away? Give me shelter." This is akiñcana bhakti-bhājām. If I think that "I have got another shelter except Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet," then I am not akiñcana. Kiñcana—I have got some other hope. No. Akiñcana means only hope, Kṛṣṇa. That is full surrender. Akiñcanānāṁ bhakti-bhājām. Akiñcana-gocara. Kuntidevī, in her prayer she has addressed Kṛṣṇa, akiñcana-gocara: "You are realized by such person who has no other thing to possess." Akiñcana-gocara. This very word is very . . . And Caitanya Mahāprabhu also said, niṣkiñcanānām. Niṣkiñcanasya bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya. Bhagavad-bhajana means niṣkiñcana. If we want to enjoy something material, oh, there is no question of bhagavad-bhajana, because even if you have little pinch of desire to enjoy material comforts, you'll not be admitted. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). Fully. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.1.11). Then . . . Śūnya means zero. Unless you make material, ara nare bapa: "No more. Enough of this material enjoyment," then bhakti-yoga begins. Sarva-dharmān parityajya. Even brahma-bhūtaḥ, Brahman realization, that is also not akiñcana. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi: "I am in brahma-jyoti. I have become something important." No. Even brahma-jyoti is also neglected. Kaivalyaṁ narakāyate. This is the position of the devotee, akiñcanānām. Akiñcanānāṁ mayi bhakti-bhājām.

So bhakti, devotional service, is not easy, but at the same time very easy, one moment's business. One moment's. But I must be willing. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam (BG 18.66). If I do it, immediately . . . But that, I am not willing. We have seen so many persons. Kṛṣṇa says directly that "You surrender unto Me," sarva-dharmān parityajya. Still, he says, "When Kṛṣṇa will be merciful, then I shall do." What is this nonsense? Kṛṣṇa is directly asking you. Again He has to become merciful? What kind of mercy? These are all pleas, different pleas. Actually He doesn't want that "I shall not surrender unto You, sir. I shall place some pleas. That's all." In that way . . . When we become actually niṣkiñcana or akiñcana, then, as Caitanya Mahaprabhu advises, niṣkiñcanasya bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya (CC Madhya 11.8, Caitanya-candrodaya-nāṭaka 8.23). Bhagavad-bhajanonmukha means niṣkiñcana. Param . . . What is that bhagavad-bhajana? Pāraṁ paraṁ jigamiṣor bhava-sāgarasya (CC Madhya 11.8, Caitanya-candrodaya-nāṭaka 8.23). Bhava-sāgara, this ocean. Sāgara means ocean, and bhava, bhava means take birth, again die. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). That is called mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani, Kṛṣṇa says. Mām aprāpya nivartante mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani (BG 9.3). This is bhagavad-bhajana. We do not know how many times we have taken birth and again died. That's a fact. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). Millions and millions, for years, we are doing that. Mṛtyu saṁsāra. Still, we are so shameless, we want to do again and again that thing. Punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30). This word is used, punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām. I have enjoyed this material life, āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca. Eating, sleeping, sex and bhaya is everywhere. A small insect up to Brahmā or Indra, this is the business.

So people do not want to stop this business. They want to improve the business. "I am eating now without any plate, and if I can eat on the golden plate," they are thinking, "this is advancement of civilization." So the eating process . . . Eating means kṣut nivṛtti tuṣṭiḥ puṣṭiḥ. Tuṣṭiḥ puṣṭiḥ kṣut nivṛtti. When one is hungry, when he eats something, according to the taste . . . A gentleman is eating halavā, purī, and the hog is eating stool. So the taste and tuṣṭiḥ puṣṭiḥ kṣut nivṛtti is the same. Either you eat halavā, purī or stool, you are eating according to the taste. Just like in the aeroplane we sit down, and they are asking, "Sir, what can I . . .?" We say, "We refuse." We don't touch anything in the aeroplane because we know what is that. And the next man, he is eating very nicely the intestine of hog. We have seen it. He is very nicely eating with spoon and fork, very enjoying. And we are saying, "Oh, what nasty thing he is eating." We don't . . . do not touch even what is offered. So why? We are taking whatever little things we have taken with us. But the result is the same: tuṣṭiḥ puṣṭiḥ kṣut nivṛtti. You are hungry, you take something, so your appetite will decrease and your satisfaction will increase. You will get strength. Tuṣṭiḥ puṣṭiḥ kṣut nivṛtti. So this is not improvement. Eating by the hog and eating by the human being, the result is the same. Tuṣṭiḥ puṣṭiḥ kṣut nivṛtti. But eating the intestines of the hog or eating halavā, puri, it does not make any difference. Ei bhāla, ei manda' saba 'manodharma' (CC Antya 4.176). In this material world, "This is good and this is bad," this is all mental concoction. 'Dvaite' bhadrābhadra-sakali samana.

So we should not be attached. We should completely give up anything material. That is niṣkiñcana. We have no business with anything material, either in the golden plate or on the street, on the floor. It does not make any difference. Our business is how to accept the prasādam, what Kṛṣṇa has eaten, that is our concern. We are not interested with the intestine of hogs or halavā, puri. No. We are interested to eat which is already accepted by Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa bara dayāmoy, koribāre jihwā jay, sva-prasād-anna dilo bhāi. Our business is that "Kṛṣṇa is so kind . . ." The kṛṣṇa-prasāda, those who are eating kṛṣṇa-prasāda, they are enjoying everything. Kṛṣṇa bara dayāmoy, koribāre jihwā jay. We have got thousands of nice preparation. Why should we go to the hotel and restaurant? There are so many nice preparation offered to Kṛṣṇa. Patraṁ puṣpaṁ. Kṛṣṇa is ready to accept from a devotee whatever he offers, but within the limitation. Otherwise he will bring hog's intestine. That is not desired. If people say, "Whatever I eat, I can offer to Kṛṣṇa . . ." There is a class, they say, "Whatever I eat you can offer." But that is not the process. The process is you must offer to Kṛṣṇa what He wants. Just like you invite one gentleman. You ask him, "What can I offer you?" That is etiquette. Not that however a rascal you bring, and one has to eat. No. Kṛṣṇa says, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati, tad aham aśnāmi (BG 9.26): "I eat that." How He can eat? The atheist class will see: "Oh, you are offering so many nice foodstuff, but it is lying there. He is not eating." But he does not know the process of eating by Kṛṣṇa. Aṅgāni yasya sakalendriya-vṛtti-manti paśyanti pānti kalayanti (BS 5.32). He can eat by His eyes. He can eat by touching. And even if He eats the whole thing, again He can keep the whole thing. Pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya pūrṇam evāvaśiṣyate (Śrī Īśopaniṣad, Invocation). The atheist cannot see, but devotee, he can know that "Kṛṣṇa is eating, and the prasādam we shall take."

So bhakti-bhājām. So we have to learn what is bhakti. Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra syāt (SB 11.2.42). If actually we advance in devotional service, then naturally viraktir anyatra syāt. That is niṣkiñcana, no more taste with the material world. Niṣkiñcanasya bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya pāraṁ paraṁ jigamiṣor bhava-sāgarasya (CC Madhya 11.8). We must know why we shall take to devotional service, pāraṁ paraṁ jigamiṣor, not to remain within this material world. Padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadāṁ na teṣām (SB 10.14.58). Here in the material world, padaṁ padaṁ vipadām. Every step there is vipada; there is danger. So don't think that "She is dying" or "He is dying, and I shall not die." Everyone will have to die. Every step, there is danger of dying. It is not that . . . The bhute pare gobar hasi(?). Everyone has to die. So before that death we must become fully Kṛṣṇa conscious so that ante nārāyaṇa-smṛtiḥ (SB 2.1.6). The end will come today or tomorrow or day after tomorrow. Nobody will live here. But the success is if we can remember Nārāyaṇa at the end of life. That is success. Ante nārāyaṇa-smṛtiḥ. We should practice that. Don't bother about that "I shall die tomorrow. You are dying today, so I am better than you." Nobody will live here. Everyone will die, and we must be prepared for death. And the devotee has no fear for dying because if he is completely surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, then he is going back to Him. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9), simply by surrendering to Kṛṣṇa.

And what is that surrendering? Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru, mām evaiṣyasi asaṁśayaḥ (BG 18.68). Without any doubt. He is giving assurance. Four things only. Always think of Kṛṣṇa. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī mām. Anyone can do it. Everyone can offer Kṛṣṇa patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ (BG 9.26). Everyone can hear from Kṛṣṇa what is Kṛṣṇa. Where is the difficulty? The difficulty is that we want enjoyment in this material world. That is the difficulty. Therefore it is recommended that akiñcanānāṁ mayi bhakti-bhājām. For a devotee there is no problem. He is not attracted by liberation or by Svargaloka, by yogic perfection. He is not at all interested. Bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kāmi-sakali 'aśānta' (CC Madhya 19.149). Because they cannot get śānti, because they want something. The bhukti, the karmīs, they are working so hard. They want some material profit or go to the Svargaloka to enjoy more. This is bhukti. And mukti, they are also undergoing severe austerities, penance, tapasya, for becoming one. Kaivalya sukham. Kevalādvaita. They are also working. And the yogīs, they also work very hard. Yoga practice is not so easy. Dhyāna, dhāraṇā, āsana, prāṇāyāma, pratyāhāra, samādhi. It requires . . . Especially in this age it is not so easy. It was easier in the Satya-yuga. Kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇu (SB 12.3.52). Samādhi, that was possible. And now it is not possible. Our bhakti-yoga is so easy, simply man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65), very simple thing. So we should take to bhakti, devotional service, and reject everything. Niṣkiñcana. That will make your life successful.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya Prabhupāda. (end)