760410 - Lecture SB 07.09.55 - Vrndavana

Lectures by Date, 1976

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

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760410SB-VRNDAVAN - April 10, 1976 - 32.55 Minutes

Śāstrījī: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. (Prabhupāda and devotees repeat) Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, 7.9.55 (chants verse) (Prabhupāda and devotees respond) (break)

evaṁ pralobhyamāno 'pi

varair loka-pralobhanaiḥ

ekāntitvād bhagavati

naicchat tān asurottamaḥ

(SB 7.9.55)

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Translation: (02:00) "Prahlāda Mahārāja was the best person in the family of demons. Demons always aspire for material happiness, yet even though Prahlāda was somewhat allured when the Supreme Personality of Godhead offered him benedictions for material happiness, because of his unalloyed Kṛṣṇa consciousness he did not want to take any material benefit for sense enjoyment."

Prabhupāda:

evaṁ pralobhyamāno 'pi

varair loka-pralobhanaiḥ

ekāntitvād bhagavati

naicchat tān asurottamaḥ

(SB 7.9.55)

So this is conclusion of Nārada Muni, that this boy, although born in asura family . . . asura means those who are too much materially . . . not too much; only materially interested—they are called asuras. Different types of material enjoyment. Karma, jñāna, yoga, they are all material enjoyment. Karma, karmīs, generally we see everywhere. They are working so very hard, making plans how to improve material enjoyment. So they are called karmīs. And jñānīs, their demand is also very great: to become one with the Supreme, to become God. These are material desires. And then yoga, to display, demonstrate magic: "I can prepare gold. I can travel in the sky. I can walk on the water. I can eat broken glasses." Yes. People will gather. "I can remain without any breathing underneath the ground." These things are demonstrated. So people like it, something wonderful. And he says, "I am Bhagavān," and the rascals accept. So these things are loka-pralobhanaiḥ. Loka-pralo . . . these things can mislead the people in general, but they are not very much attractive to the devotees. Devotees they are not attracted.

In the history of the devotees there was one devotee of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Īśāna. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu wanted to give him some benediction. He was very poor man. Even his roof, thatched roof, that was not properly . . . there were so many holes. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, "My dear Īśāna, if you like, you can take some benediction."

"No, why I shall take benediction?"

"No, you have no roof even on your thatched house."

He said, "Why? There are many birds; they are living on the tree. There is no roof at all. I have got roof with some holes, that's all. And they have no roof at all, so how they are living? For this purpose I shall ask You benediction? No, no, no."

In this way he refused. So that is pure devotion, that "I shall not take any benediction from the Lord, but I shall give everything to God." This is. There is competition. The Lord wants to give the devotee all opulences, and the devotee refuses to accept it. He wants to give his life and soul to the Lord. This is perfection. The gopīs, the gopīs, the ideal, the topmost devotees, they gave their everything to Kṛṣṇa, but they did not ask anything from Kṛṣṇa. Their honor, their body, their life—everything, sacrificed everything. Therefore Kṛṣṇa said to the gopīs that "I have no power to repay your debt. You be satisfied with your own activity. I cannot give you anything."

So this is the ideal devotion. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu recommended, ramya kaścid upāsanā vraja-vadhu-varga-vīrya kalpita: "There is no more better, sublime upāsana, worship, than it was conceived by the gopīs." They did not want anything. They simply wanted to see Kṛṣṇa, how He is satisfied. Kṛṣṇa is away from home in the forest, and they are thinking, "In the forest there are so many crags, so many stone chipped, and Kṛṣṇa's feet is so soft. How He is walking in the forest?" In this way they are crying. This is gopī, always Kṛṣṇa conscious, and how Kṛṣṇa is happy or not, that is their business.

Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu recommended, "There is no better form of worship than it was done by the gopīs." So Prahlāda Mahārāja . . . there are stages of devotees. So gopīs are the topmost, and amongst the gopīs, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is the topmost. Therefore there is no comparison of Rādhārāṇī's love for Kṛṣṇa. There is no comparison. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu took the part of Rādhārāṇī to understand Kṛṣṇa. So these are very confidential subject matter, but they are described in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, in the beginning. So that is the highest perfection, that don't ask anything from Kṛṣṇa. Try to make such arrangement that Kṛṣṇa may not give you anything; you give to Him.

There is another narration of Sanātana Gosvāmī and Rūpa Gosvāmī. They were living in this forest of Vṛndāvana. So Sanātana Gosvāmī was elder brother, and Rūpa Gosvāmī was younger brother. So they were living underneath a tree, so they had no means. Rūpa Gosvāmī thought that "If I could get some articles, I could prepare something and invite my guru, Sanātana Gosvāmī." So just after a few minutes one very nice young girl came with so much presentation—rice, ḍāl, ghee, and so many other things. So She came and offered to the gosvāmī. The saintly persons are addressed as "bābā." "Bābā, please take this presentation. We have got some ceremony at our home, so my mother has sent. You take it." So he was very glad: "Oh, I was thinking if I could get some nice things, I could prepare and invite Sanātana Gosvāmī."

So he was very glad to receive those articles and invited Sanātana Gosvāmī and prepared so many nice foodstuff and offered to the Deity, and Sanātana Gosvāmī was given the prasādam. So Sanātana Gosvāmī was very pleased, and he inquired, "Rūpa Gosvāmī, where you got these nice things? You are living in this . . . how you could receive all these things?"

"Yes, my dear brother, I was just thinking in the morning. In the meantime a very nice young girl came and offered so many things, so I could . . ."

"So what is that? Who is that young girl in this forest? So how she was looking?"

"Oh, she was very, very beautiful."

"Ohhh, Rādhārāṇī. Oh." So he was very sorry. "You have taken service from Rādhārāṇī? Oh, you have done very wrong. We are trying to serve Rādhārāṇī, and you have taken service from Rādhārāṇī?" He rebuked him. This is pure service. They are avoiding to take service from Kṛṣṇa-Rādhārāṇī. And Kṛṣṇa-Rādhārāṇī was finding out the opportunity how to serve the devotee.

This is the competition between Kṛṣṇa and His devotee. Kṛṣṇa wants to give everything to the devotee. He wants to see that "My devotee is very comfortable." Just like the father wants to see the children are very comfortable. So why the devotees should be hankering after something material? No. Kasmād bhajanti kavayo dhana-durmadāndhān (SB 2.2.5), Śukadeva Gosvāmī says. Why we should go to the puffed-up rich men for begging something? Kṛṣṇa will arrange for everything.

My Guru Mahārāja used to say that "You do not try to preach for getting some money. Money will come automatically. On your feet money will say, 'Please accept me.' " You should preach very sincerely. That is your business. Never bother that "Where is money? Where is money, money, money?" Money . . . muktir mukulitāñjaliḥ sevate asmān dharmārtha-kāma samaya pratīkṣāḥ. This is a statement of Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura.

bhaktis tvayi sthiratarā yadi bhagavān syād

daivena naḥ phalati divya-kiśora-mūrtiḥ

muktiḥ mukulitāñjali sevate asmān

dharmārtha-kāma samaya-pratīkṣāḥ

(Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta 107)

People are hankering after dharma, artha, kāma, mokṣa—religiosity, economic development, and then sense gratification, and then mokṣa. Dharma, artha, kāma, mokṣa (SB 4.8.41,CC Adi 1.90). Human civilization begins—dharma, artha, kāma, mokṣa. Otherwise animal.

So dharma means this varṇāśrama-dharma. Varnāśrama. Varṇāśramācāravatā puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān viṣṇur ārādhyate (CC Madhya 8.58).

So Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura said that "You simply become devotee. You don't hanker after this dharma, artha, kama, mokṣa. No. They will serve you. You do not require to call them. They themselves will come and serve you. You just become a pure devotee." Samaya-pratīkṣāḥ. Mukti. Why devotees will ask for mukti? They are already muktas, because they have no material activities; all spiritual activities. Brahma-bhūyāya kalpate. Sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate (BG 14.26).

So in the platform of dharma, to become very religious, moral, who can be more religious than the devotee? Who can be more moralist than the devotee? A devotee is not prepared to kill even an ant. So who can be more moralist? These things are already there.

yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā

sarvair guṇair tatra samāsate surāḥ

harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā

mano-rathenāsati dhāvato bahiḥ

(SB 5.18.12)

If one is pure devotee, then he has all the good qualities. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja was addressed, prahlāda bhadra bhadraṁ te (SB 7.9.52). Bhadra, a gentleman. Who can be more gentleman than the devotees? The devotees are thinking, "How these rascals will be happy?" Prahlāda Mahārāja, śoce tato vimukha-cetasa māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān (SB 7.9.43): "My Lord, I am thinking that these rascals, simply for flimsy happiness, temporary happiness, they are making so gorgeous arrangement." Big, big road, big, big building, big, big car, congested. If you want to go one mile it will take two hours. Māyā-sukhāya. We have seen in your country. You'll go two miles in a car in three hours. So what is the use of this car? In London I have seen. I was going. It was about two miles, and it was so congested that it took two hours. Paris is always congested. So in India also they are becoming like that. So this is māyā-sukhāya. They are thinking that "Getting a car, we shall be very, very happy," but there is no place to drive car. (laughter) Therefore it is called māyā-sukhāya. And for manufacturing this car there are three thousand parts. So many factories are going on for that. Who was telling me that within a few minutes a car is prepared in the Ford's factory? Somebody was telling. They bring the different parts of the car and mix and assemble them within half an hour. That means each half hour they are manufacturing car.

So, of course, sometimes we require car. But we should not forget Kṛṣṇa simply for the manfacturing and riding car. This is foolishness. This is foolish. We can utilize everything for Kṛṣṇa's service. Just like we have got so many cars . . . not here; here also we have got many, eight to ten buses and cars. In the foreign countries each temple has got more than dozen cars. So, but these cars are used for spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness, to make the best use of a bad bargain. So we never use car for sense gratification. Nirbandhe kṛṣṇa sambandhe yukta-vairāgyam ucyate, prāpañcikatayā buddhyā hari . . . (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.255) A sannyāsī is supposed to walk. But if somebody criticizes, "Sir, why you are flying on aeroplane?" no, that is our not principle. The Jain sannyāsīs, they never use cars. Now they have begun. Because I am traveling all over the world, now the Jains, they are also. (laughter) But our philosophy is different. We are preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Suppose I have to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness in Europe or America. So because a sannyāsī has to walk, therefore I shall walk throughout the whole life to go to America? (laughter) This is foolishness. If I can go to America within fifteen hours for preaching facility, why shall not I use the aeroplane? Why shall I stick . . . it is called niyamāgraha, "without any profit," to follow the regulative principle without any profit. No. If we get opportunity, preaching facility for going on car, on aeroplane, using typewriter, Dictaphone, microphone, we must use it. Because this is Kṛṣṇa's property, it must be used for Kṛṣṇa. This is our philosophy. This microphone is Kṛṣṇa's. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). So when it is used for Kṛṣṇa it is not material; it is spiritual.

prāpañcikatayā buddhyā

hari-sambandhi-vastunaḥ

mumukṣubhiḥ parityāgo

phalgu-vairāgyaṁ kathyate

(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.256)

So anything which can be used for Kṛṣṇa's service, that is not material; that is spiritual. So we must use it. But not for sense gratification. Therefore we have to use and work exactly under the direction of spiritual master. Otherwise it will be sense gratification. Don't manufacture. Guru-mukha padma-vākya, cittete kariyā aikya, āra na kariha mane āśa (Guru Vandana, Prema-bhakti-candrikā). If you want to be guided, then take in every step the words of guru. Manufacturing will not help you.

Prahlāda Mahārāja became so great because he was initiated by Nārada Muni. That is required. Chāḍiyā vaiṣṇava-sevā nistāra pāyeche kebā (Prema-bhakti-candrikā). Nobody can become perfect without serving the bona fide spiritual master. That is the motto. So evaṁ pralobhyamāno 'pi varair loka-pralobhanaiḥ. So much attractive . . . now, if somebody says, or Kṛṣṇa says, that "I'll give you immediately five lakhs of rupees and one beautiful girl also. You give up this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement," how many will be restrained? That is very difficult. But our boys have been tested. They are not after money, most of them, or women. But generally . . . therefore it is said, loka-pralobhanaiḥ. In this material world everyone is after money and woman. Money and women. That is called viṣaya. Viṣaya.

So there is verse—I am just now forgetting. Mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimukteḥ (SB 5.5.2). Mahat-sevā. Mahat-sevā means to serve the mahātmās or devotees. That is the way of liberation. Tamo-dvāram . . . tamo-dvāraṁ yoṣitāṁ saṅgi-saṅgam (SB 5.5.2). Yoṣitāṁ saṅgi-saṅgam. So this material world means that yoṣitāṁ saṅgi-saṅgam, to be attracted by money and woman. This is material world. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu has warned very rigidly, hā hanta hā hanta viṣayiṇāṁ sandarśanam, paraṁ jigamiṣa . . . what is that? Eh? I forget that verse. The brain is not working.

Sac-cid-ānanda: Parāṁ paraṁ jigamiṣoḥ . . .

Prabhupāda: Ah, parāṁ paraṁ jigamiṣor bhava-sāgarasya. Viṣayiṇāṁ sandarśanam atha yoṣitāṁ ca hā hanta hā hanta viṣa-bhakṣanato 'py asādhu (CC Madhya 11.8), that one who is very serious for going to the other side of this material world—that means spiritual world—they should be very, very careful about money and woman. May not be trapped, victimized.

So Prahlāda Mahārāja was not deluded by any kinds of material profits. Evaṁ pralobhyamāno 'pi. Kṛṣṇa, Nṛsiṁha-deva, said, "Prahlāda, you take. Whatever benediction you want, you take." So he said, "Sir, I am Your servant. I am not a merchant that in exchange of something I will have to give You service. No. Please do not delude me that." Just see what kind of servant he is. Evaṁ pralobhyamāno 'pi varair loka-pralo . . . ekāntitvād. "What is the reason?" The reason is that determination of Sanātana Gosvāmī, Rūpa Gosvāmī, that "We shall simply serve Kṛṣṇa. We shall not accept anything but Kṛṣṇa." This is ekāntitvād.

"My . . . I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa." Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa (CC Madhya 20.108). "I shall simply serve. I shall give everything, whatever I have got." Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura sings, manasa deha geha, yo kichu mora, arpilūn tuwā pade, nanda-kiśora. What we have got, nonsense? Everything Kṛṣṇa's. But still, He has given us something. What is that? This body, this mind. This body for sense enjoyment and the mind for speculation. So body, mind. Manasa. And a little home, a wife, some children we can claim. That is also not actually ours. That is given by Kṛṣṇa. "You want to enjoy your senses? All right, take this."

So when one is advanced devotee, he says, "My Lord . . ." Just like Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura: "I have got these assets: my mind, my body and my wife and children, and maybe something else." Yo kichu mora, arpilūn tuwā pade, nanda-kiśora: "Nanda-kiśora, Kṛṣṇa, everything is offered to You. Now, whatever You like, You can do." Marobhi rākhobi: "Now I have given to You everything. I am now zero. Now, if You like, You can give me protection, or if You like, You can kill me. I don't mind." This is ekāntitva, simply depending on Kṛṣṇa. Ekānitvād bhagavati. Depending on whom? Kṛṣṇa. Not these demigods. Demigods cannot give you protection. Kṛṣṇa can give you. Demigod . . . just like a very, very big person, Rāvaṇa. He was a great devotee of Lord Śiva, but Lord Śiva could not give him protection when Rāma was determined to kill him. So any other protection will not save you. It is false protection. When Kṛṣṇa gives you protection, that is real protection. Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66). That is real protection. So ekāntitvāt. Simply depend on Kṛṣṇa, bhagavati.

So one who is such devotee, simply depending on Kṛṣṇa, naicchat, he doesn't require, neither he desires all those material profits. Tān asurottamaḥ. Asurottamaḥ. Although he was born in the asura family, materialistic family, still, he is uttama; he is no more in the material world. Uttama. Udgata-tama hy asmād. Tama means this material world. So those who are devotees, they are not living in this material world. They are in the spiritual world, uttama. It doesn't matter in which family he is born. Everyone can become a devotee. There is no hindrance, and there is no check in any material condition to become a devotee. Simply one has to desire how to become a devotee. Then it is fulfilled.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya! Haribol! (end)