760516 - Lecture SB 06.01.16 - Honolulu

Lectures by Date, 1976

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

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760516SB-HONOLULU - May 16, 1976 - 20.48 Minutes

Prabhupāda: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. (devotees repeat) Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Canto Six, Chapter One, verse number sixteen. (leads devotees in chanting)

na tathā hy aghavān rājan

pūyeta tapa-ādibhiḥ

yathā kṛṣṇārpita-prāṇas

tat-puruṣa-niṣevayā

(SB 6.1.16)

(01:53)

So Śukadeva Gosvāmī said already that kecit kevalayā bhaktyā (SB 6.1.15), "Simply by devotional service," vāsudeva-parāyaṇāḥ, "one has to become attached to Vāsudeva." This stage is very difficult, but very easy also. For the simple person it is very easy, and those who are crooked, demons, for them it is very difficult. So in another place it is stated, in the First Canto,

vāsudeve bhagavati

bhakti-yoga prayojitaḥ

janayaty āśu vairāgyaṁ

jñānaṁ ca yad ahaitukam

(SB 1.2.7)

The whole idea is that we are in this material world. That is miserable. Under the spell of illusion, we are thinking we are very happy. They do not know what is actually happiness. What is happiness? But there is no argument for these rascals. They are thinking they are very happy. That is māyā's prakṣepātmika-śakti, covering energy. Just like you are seeing a hog eating stool, but he is thinking that he's very happy. But you are seeing, "Oh, what a abominable life. He's eating stool." So this is the position. Those who are advanced in civilization, for them eating of stool is unthinkable. But for the hogs and dogs, it is very palatable. This is the difference. Just like we are recommending, "No illicit sex, no meat-eating, no intoxication, no gambling." So somebody is thinking, "Then what remains to enjoy? Everything is finished. Life is finished." (laughter)

So according to different grades of person, the taste is also different. You cannot expect that the taste will be the same. "One man's food, another man's poison." This is a English proverb. One man's food is another man's poison. Therefore the society is divided. That is scientific method, class. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). That is God's creation, four classes, men. And the fifth class is almost rejected. Up to fourth class. First class, second class, third class, fourth class. And below fourth class, from fifth class, they are, they are not human being. So taste of different classes are different. But one thing is that in whichever class we may belong, if you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then we become one. People are wanting unity. There is United Nation organization, but so long we keep ourself on the material platform there cannot be unity. That is not possible. Only in the spiritual platform there can be unity.

So here it is said that aghavān. Aghavān means sinful. Agha means sin, and vān means . . . just like bhagavān. Bhagavān means one who has bhaga, or opulence, or fortune. That is called bhagavat. And just the opposite is called aghavān. This is Sanskrit language. bhagavān means the most opulent, topmost place, bhagavān. And aghavān means lowest place. So here it is said that one has to become aghavān to the stage of bhagavān. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness: not to remain aghavān, but to become bhagavān. Bhagavān, of course, means the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But those who are very, very advanced, recognized by Bhagavān, they are also sometimes called bhagavān. Just like Lord Śiva, Lord Brahmā, Nārada Muni, on their status, sometimes they are called bhagavān.

Nowadays it has become a fashion to become bhagavān. So bhagavān is not so cheap. Everyone is aghavān. But if he wants to become bhagavān, or in the higher status, higher level, then it is recommended, "Let him take to the devotional service." Vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yoga-prayojitaḥ, janayaty āśu vairāgyam (SB 1.2.7). To become bhagavān . . . not Bhagavān, but on the level, means highest stage, two things required. One thing is jñāna and one thing is vairāgya. Jñāna and vairāgya. Because we are in this material world, miserable condition, but we have no knowledge that we are in a very miserable condition. That is ajñāna. As soon as one understands that this is miserable condition of life . . .

That was presented by Sanātana Gosvāmī before Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He said . . . he was minister and very opulent position, very good associates. Because he was minister, so his associates are also very big men. But he resigned. He resigned. That is vairāgya. So why? To understand what is the aim of life. Tad vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). Therefore he came to Caitanya Mahāprabhu for understanding the value of life. So he presented himself that grāmya vyavahāre kaha ei paṇḍita: "So in this ordinary behavior they call me paṇḍita, learned. But . . ." Satya kari māni: "I also accepted that I am paṇḍita or learned. But actually, my position is, I do not know what I am. I am such a paṇḍita, such a learned man."

So we are in ignorance. We do not know. We are accepting this body as "I am." So many animal propensities, animal condition. So if we remain in animal condition of life, then that is aghavān. When one is in animal condition, that means more sinful. So we have to become sinless. That requires jñāna-vairāgya. Jñāna-vairāgya. So jñāna-vairāgya can be attained very easily if one becomes a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yoga-prayo . . . (SB 1.2.7). This is the verdict of all Vedic literatures, that if one becomes devotee, then he'll develop his original good qualities. Because we are part and parcel of God, so we have got good qualities. It is covered now by material contamination. That gold—gold is gold—but it is covered by mud, dirty things, one cannot understand whether is it gold or something else. So our position is like that.

So when we are freed from these dirty things, then our original life becomes manifest. That is called mukti. Muktir hitvānyathā-rūpaṁ svarūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ (SB 2.10.6). Mukti means now we are differently contaminated situation, roga-mukti. There is a word, roga-mukti. One is suffering from fever, and when there is no more fever it is called mukti. Similarly, we are suffering on account of this diseased condition. This material life means diseased condition. It is not our real, but they do not know. They do not know. They are thinking this is life. But this is not life. They have no information. So this sinful life, suffering. Sinful means, when we are sinful, then we suffer.

So by bhakti-yoga, as it is stated in the previous verse, kevalayā bhaktyā . . . the same again being stressed. Na tathā hy aghavān rājan pūyeta tapa-ādibhiḥ. Before explaining bhakti-yoga, Śukadeva Gosvāmī said that to become purified, general process is,

tapasā brahmacaryeṇa

śamena damena vā

tyāgena satya-śaucābhyāṁ

yamena niyamena vā

(SB 6.1.13)

These are the general process. But to overcome this general process, if one . . . that is already explained, that kārtsnyena. Just like fog is immediately driven away if there is sunrise, bhakti is so strong. Then he is again saying that pūyeta tapa-ādibhiḥ. If we practice tapa, especially in this age, it is very, very difficult. Tapaḥ. Tapasya, austerities. But if we take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness it becomes very soon available. Yathā kṛṣṇārpita-prāṇa. Prāṇa means life, and arpita means dedicated. Kṛṣṇārpita. If one dedicates his life for Kṛṣṇa, yathā kṛṣṇārpita prāṇas tat-puruṣa-niṣevayā (SB 6.1.16). Tat-puruṣa, you . . . it is impossible to dedicate our life to Kṛṣṇa unless we serve the devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Tat-puruṣa-niṣevayā. You cannot approach Kṛṣṇa directly. That is not possible. You have to go through His devotee. Therefore Kṛṣṇa sends His devotee, "Go and deliver them." Just like Dhruva Mahārāja. He did not know how to achieve the favor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but on account of his eagerness . . . he wanted to see God. Because he was kṣatriya . . . that his mother said, that "God can only help you, my dear son. If you want to become king on the throne of your father, better position, then only God can help you. I cannot help. It is not . . ." So he was determined, "I must see God." So he went to the forest, but he did not know how to approach God. A boy of five years old only, he has got the determination. So Kṛṣṇa saw that "This boy is very determined." Therefore He sent His representative, Nārada: "Go and train him. He is very eager."

Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja (CC Madhya 19.151). You can enter into the devotional service by double mercy. One mercy is Kṛṣṇa; another mercy is the spiritual master. Therefore here it is said, the same thing, kṛṣṇārpita-prāṇas tat-puruṣa niṣevayā. One cannot be kṛṣṇārpita prāṇaḥ, one cannot dedicate his life to Kṛṣṇa, unless he has gotten the mercy of spiritual master. This is the way. You cannot get directly. That is not possible. Therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura said, there are many of his songs, chāḍiyā vaiṣṇava-sevā, nistāra pāyeche kebā: "Without serving Vaiṣṇava, who has got liberation? Nobody has."

tāṅdera caraṇa-sevi bhakta-sane vās

janame janame mora ei abhilāṣ

Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says that "I have to serve the gurus, Sanātana Gosvāmī, Rūpa Gosvāmī, and live in the association of devotees." Tāṅdera caraṇa-sevi bhakta-sane vās. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura said, janame janame mora ei abhilāṣ. Our . . . we are . . . ambition should be how to serve Kṛṣṇa through the disciplic succession, guru, and live in the association of devotees. This is the process. So we are opening so many centers all over the world. This is the policy, that people may take chance of associating with devotees and the chance of serving the Vaiṣṇava. Then it will be successful.

Therefore here it is said, bhakti-yoga means not only dedicating life to Kṛṣṇa but also to serve the Vaiṣṇava, tat-puruṣa. Tat-puruṣa means to serve a person who has dedicated his life to Kṛṣṇa. Two things: dedication to Kṛṣṇa and dedication to the devotee of Kṛṣṇa. So in this way if we advance, then it is very easy to become free from this material contamination. That is stated. Na tathā hy aghavān rājan pūyeta tapa-ādibhiḥ (SB 6.1.16). Tapa-ādibhiḥ, it is general process, but it is very, very difficult, especially in this age. So if we simply take this course, that dedicate life to Kṛṣṇa and dedicate life to Vaiṣṇava, then our life will be successful.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda. (end)