740813 - Lecture SB 01.05.32 - Vrndavana

Lectures by Date, 1974

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

740813SB-VRNDAVAN - August 13, 1974 - 42:05 Minutes

Pradyumna: (leads chanting of verse, etc.) (devotees repeat)

etat saṁsūcitaṁ brahmaṁs

tāpa-traya-cikitsitam

yad īśvare bhagavati

karma brahmaṇi bhāvitam

(SB 1.5.32)

(break)

Translation: "O Brāhmaṇa Vyāsadeva, it is decided by the learned that the best remedial measure for removing all troubles and miseries is to dedicate one's activities to the service of the Supreme Lord Personality of Godhead (Śrī Kṛṣṇa)."

Prabhupāda:

etat saṁsūcitaṁ brahmaṁs

tāpa-traya-cikitsitam

yad īśvare bhagavati

karma brahmaṇi bhāvitam

(SB 1.5.32)

Now, in the last verse Nārada Muni says, yena gacchanti tat-padam: "by which one can go back to home, back to Godhead, tat-padam." Padam means abode or position. Position, that is, after liberation, one can get the spiritual position: sāyujya, sārūpya, sālokya, sārṣṭi, sāmīpya. There are different types of position, although they are all spiritual. The one is the sāyujya-mukti, or to become one with the Supreme, merge into the Supreme. This is one position. Another position: sārūpya, the same feature of the body just like Nārāyaṇa, four-handed. In the Vaikuṇṭha planets, the inhabitants, the citizens, they have got four hands. When Ajāmila was delivered by the Viṣṇu-sena, they appeared exactly looking like Viṣṇu. That is described. That is called sārūpya. Sārūpya, sārṣṭi (CC Madhya 6.266), same opulence. Or sāmīpya: always near, associate. There are five kinds of . . . gacchanti tat-padam. But out of the five, the first one, namely to merge into the existence of the Supreme, that is very dangerous, not safe.

Therefore Vaiṣṇava never accepts sāyujya-mukti, to become one with the Supreme, because Vaiṣṇava knows that impersonal advancement is risky. They know it perfectly. Therefore a Vaiṣṇava never . . . Vaiṣṇava is not anxious for any kind of mukti. Dīyamānaṁ na gṛhṇanti (SB 3.29.13). They don't want . . . especially Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas, they don't want mukti. They are happy wherever they are existing. If they get the chance of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa maha mantra, that is perfection of life. They don't want anything more. Just like Haridāsa Ṭhākura. We should not imitate, but the position is like that. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja. He was not at all afraid of this material world. He was very cautious. A spiritualist, a devotee, a Kṛṣṇa conscious person, should be very cautious. But not afraid to meet any dangerous position, but must be cautious—cautious in this way: that he may not fall down again under the clutches of māyā. This should be . . . care should be taken.

If we fix up our mind . . . mām eva ye prapadyante. If we fix up our śaraṇāgati, surrender to the Supreme, then there is no question of falling down. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). Just like Haridāsa Ṭhākura was tested once by māyā, and in another time he was tested by a prostitute to allure him . . . he was young man. Haridāsa Ṭhākura was very beautiful young man. So under diplomacy of Rāmacandra Khān he was to be entrapped. You know the story, that is stated in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta. But Haridāsa Ṭhākura was not entrapped, because he was strong, strong enough. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti. māyā could not do anything. Although māyā came there at dead of night, very beautiful, attractive dress, attractive feature, attractive words—this is māyā—so he was not allured. The . . . rather, the veśyā, or the prostitute, became converted into a Vaiṣṇavī.

That is the resultant action. If one is polluted, if he comes in contact with Kṛṣṇa, or Kṛṣṇa's pure devotee, he or she will be purified. Kṛṣṇa is never allured, neither Kṛṣṇa is become a victim of anything material. Kṛṣṇa's position is different. That is stated in the Īśopaniṣad, apāpa-viddham. Kṛṣṇa is never afflicted by any kind of contamination. He is pūrṇaḥ śuddho nitya-muktaḥ. Similarly, those who are advanced devotees, they are not allured. But the result is that one who comes to allure a devotee or one who comes to allure Kṛṣṇa, he or she becomes purified. He or she. Kamāt krodhād bhayāt. Some way or other, if one comes in contact with Kṛṣṇa, then he becomes purified. Tejīyasāṁ na doṣāya (SB 10.33.29). Apparently it appears that Kṛṣṇa is dancing with the young girls, dead of night. But it is not that Kṛṣṇa is contaminated. They become purified. On the . . . actually, they are eternal associates of Kṛṣṇa, the gopīs. They are not ordinary women. There are all description in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. They were dancing in their spiritual body, not in the material body. They were dancing in their spiritual body. Their spiritual (material) body was lying down with their husband. These are . . . these descriptions are there in the Bhāgavatam. So gopīs' līlā is not material. So there is no question of contamination. But materially this kind of activities, to dance at dead of night with young girl, that is not permitted—with other's wife. You can dance with your own wife, but you cannot do that. That is sinful.

So the real business is, as Nārada Muni says, māyānubhāvam, anubhāvam avidam. "One should know what is māyā". Yena, after complete knowledge of māyā and Kṛṣṇa, yena gacchanti tat-padam (SB 1.5.31), then one is promoted to the spiritual world. But the promotion . . . I have already described, there are five kinds of promotion, elevation. Out of that, the one promotion, namely to merge into the existence of the Supreme, that is very dangerous. Dangerous means that is risk of falling down. Because it is not possible to merge into the personal body of Kṛṣṇa—or you can take the bodily effulgence or the rays of the body. Everything is absolute. (aside) Who is talking? So merge into the Brahman effulgence, that is also Kṛṣṇa's bodily rays. Yasya prabhā (Bs. 5.40).

So we are a small particle. So we, we merge into the Brahman effulgence . . . Brahman effulgence means collection of so many Brahmans together. That is Brahman effulgence. Unlimited number. Anantyāya kalpate. We are a small particle. Keśāgra-śata-bhāgasya śatadhā kalpitasya ca (Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 5.9). One ten-thousandth part, a small particle. Just like the sunshine, it is a combination of bright molecules of sunshine. Is not that?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes, they are called photons.

Prabhupāda: Protons?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: No, photons.

Prabhupāda: Photons. We have got name. But this is all . . . we know. Kaṇa, kaṇa, a small particle. So when they are put together, it appears homogeneous. But they are not homogeneous. They keep their individuality. They keep their individuality.

So that is eternal. That's a fact. But we are not only eternal . . . Kṛṣṇa is sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1), and His bodily effulgence, that is only eternal part. Sat means eternal, cit means knowledge, and ānanda . . . so these three things are required. Simply eternity is not good. There must be knowledge and ānanda. So this monist theory, Advaitavāda, eternity, that may be achieved. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa, by severe penances and austerities, they can be attained. But patanty adhaḥ anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ (SB 10.2.32). That is the statement of Bhāgavata. They again fall down. Why? Anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ. They could not get the information of the shelter of Kṛṣṇa, lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Without taking shelter of Kṛṣṇa, they fall down again. Patanty adhaḥ. Again.

We have explained many times. There are many Māyāvādīs, they merge, they give up this world, but again fall down in so many ways. We have several times explained. So that is not very safe. (howling sound in background) What is that?

Devotee: Some dog.

Prabhupāda: Dog friend? Hmm. So Nārada Muni, by the grace of the mahātmās, he could understand that this material position is very dangerous, and . . . dangerous means duḥkhālayam, always miserable condition. But one cannot understand. Unless he's Kṛṣṇa conscious, he cannot understand what is the miserable condition of this material world. He cannot understand. This is māyā. He's suffering, but he's thinking, "I am happy." This is called māyā.

So when one becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious by the grace of the Supreme Personality, guru-kṛṣṇa, by the grace of guru and Kṛṣṇa, then he understands that this place, this material world, is full of miseries. Then brahma-jijñāsā. But foolishly, people do not understand that it is a miserable condition. Sanātana Gosvāmī, he was minister. By contact with Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu he could understand that "Although I am minister, although I am holding very high, exalted position, I am learned scholar in Sanskrit, Urdu, Parsi, but I am not happy." Therefore he approached Caitanya Mahāprabhu, ke āmi kene āmāya jāre tāpa . . . He understands that, "I am in the suffering." Suffering, everyone can understand. Why you are moving the fan? "I am in suffering." But foolish people cannot understand. They think that "I am enjoying." (laughter) Just see the example. Why I am moving the fan? Because I am suffering. Every step. Padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadām (SB 10.14.58). Every step danger, every step suffering.

But on being illusioned, moha . . . it is called moha. Janasya moho 'yam ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). "I am this," "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am kṣatriya," "I am American." Aham. False identification. "I am very strong," "I am very beautiful," "I am very ugly," "I am poor," "I am rich." Janasya moho 'yam ahaṁ mameti. But you are none of these. You are simply servant of Kṛṣṇa. Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa (CC Madhya 20.108-109). This is happiness. Otherwise, in whichever way you identify . . . even they're iden . . . when they fail to identify with all this nonsense then, "I am God. I am Nārāyaṇa." This will not help. When one will understand that, "I am servant, eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa . . ." This question was put by Sanātana Gosvāmī: ke āmi kene āmāya jāre tāpa-traya.

But foolish people, they do not understand what is tāpa-traya, although we are suffering, everyone. This is tāpa-traya. Just like we are feeling very warm. This is one of the traya. It is called adhidaivika. You cannot check it. Similarly, when you will feel severe cold, you will wrap, you'll go to the fireplace. That is another suffering. So either in warmth or in, I mean to say, winter, you are suffering. Everyone is suffering. Suffering is there. Even when we are within the womb of the mother there is suffering—for ten months, packed-up condition. That is suffering. Then come out from the womb of the mother—suffering. In the womb also there is suffering. Not only packed-up, but there are worms with the stool and urine of the mother, and they find very delicate skin. They enjoy by cutting him. The worms enjoy. Naturally, he's . . . he cannot move. Therefore at the seventh month, when he's little conscious, he feels, "How can I get out of . . .? Kṛṣṇa, save me." If one is little pious, he prays to Kṛṣṇa, "Kṛṣṇa, this time save me. Now I shall begin worshiping You so that get out of this entanglement of birth and death, birth and death." He becomes conscious.

But as soon as he comes out, then māyā is there. Māyā is there, and there is father, there is mother, nice child. Now the child thinks, "I am very happy. I have got such a nice father. Nice father, nice mother. And other friends, they are taking . . ." This . . . these are described by Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura in a song. What is that song? Who can say? Janama haila . . .?

Indian devotee: . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: No, no, that after . . .

Indian devotee: . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Ah! So in this way māyā is always entrapping him. We are always suffering three kinds of suffering—adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika—and we think, "Now we are very happy. Now we have got this electric fan or air-conditioned room. So Yamarāja will not be able to enter, and I am secure. I have got good bank balance and good wife, good children . . ." no, this is illusion. Na sādhu manye yata ātmano 'yam asann api kleśada āsa dehaḥ (SB 5.5.4). So long you will possess this material body, so you'll have to suffer. That is described here, tāpa-traya. Tāpa means miseries, and traya means three. So cikitsitam. A sane man, when he's suffering, he goes to the doctor, physician: "Sir, I am suffering from disease. Give me some medicine." So he takes medicine. That is sane man. And insane man, he does not go to the physician for treatment. He thinks, "This is natural." What is that? This is the difference between foolish man and sane man. The Vedas, therefore, instructs that tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). One who is actually human being . . . just like Sanātana Gosvāmī. Sanātana Gosvāmī, even up to the position of his ministership, he was not on the standard of human being. When he approached Caitanya Mahāprabhu and submitted, "Sir, I have come to You to know what I am, why I am suffering in this threefold miserable condition of life," that is human life. That is the beginning. Before that, it is animal life. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. When one is inquisitive about himself, ahaṁ brahmāsmi, "Why I am suffering?" . . . ke āmi kene āmāya jāre tāpa-traya.

So that realization is here. Therefore Nārada Muni says, tāpa-traya-cikitsitam. Cikitsitam means treatment. By the grace of guru, he could understand that "I am in this condition, material condition, means suffering from threefold types of miseries, and I am uselessly wasting time for material comforts, for economic development." Śrama eva hi kevalam. "Even I act as a perfect brāhmaṇa or as a perfect kṣatriya or a perfect vaiśya or śūdra, still, I am wasting time. Still, I am wasting time." How? That is confirmed in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam:

dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsāṁ

viṣvaksena-kathāsu yaḥ

notpādayed ratiṁ yadi

śrama eva hi kevalam

(SB 1.2.8)

Dharma . . . dharma means own dharma—brāhmaṇa's dharma, kṣatriya's dharma, vaiśya's dharma. There are different occupational duties. Do it. But side by side you should test, "Whether I am going to be perfect?" That is required.

That perfection, how it is made perfect? That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Sa . . . what is that? Saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam (SB 1.2.13). What is that verse? Dvija-śreṣṭhā varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ, svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam. Svanuṣṭhitasya . . . ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhāḥ. This is the word by Śukadeva Gosvā . . . Sūta Gosvāmī. "You are all learned brāhmins," dvija-śreṣṭhāḥ. Dvija means brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya. But śreṣṭhāḥ means brāhmaṇa. Therefore brāhmaṇas, they are interested for spiritual advancement of life. Kṣatriyas are not so much interested, neither the vaiśyas, and what to speak of the śūdras. And in the Kali-yuga almost everyone is a śūdra. It is very difficult to find . . . so how they can be interested? Therefore training should be given how to become brāhmaṇa. Then he'll be interested. Otherwise, nobody is interested.

Therefore it is addressed, ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhāḥ, "O the best of the dvijas, twice-born." Varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ. There is division, varṇāśrama. Varṇa and āśrama. Varṇa means brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra and āśrama means brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa. So for the brāhmaṇa, one who is brāhmaṇa, for him, the four āśramas are recommended. One . . . first of all he must become brahmacārī, a brāhmaṇa, son of a brāhmaṇa. Then, when he's fully trained up, he should become a gṛhastha. Not should, but if he likes. Then . . . otherwise, sometimes you will find naiṣṭhika-brahmacārī. Never . . . just like my Guru Mahārāja was. He never married. Naiṣṭhika-brahmacārī. So brahmacārī, gṛhastha, then not to stuck up with the family affairs up to the end of death. No. At a certain stage, after fifty years, he must give up. That is called vānaprastha. And then, after being trained up in vānaprastha very nicely, he takes sannyāsa. This is brāhmaṇa's . . . four āśrama. And for the kṣatriya: up to vānaprastha. Up to vānaprastha. Just like Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira and all the brothers, they left home, but the wife was there. That is called vānaprastha. They did not take sannyāsa. Kṣatriya. Up to vānaprastha. Vaiśyas: no vānaprastha, no sannyāsa. Up to gṛhastha. Brahmacārī . . . brahmacārī is compulsory for the dvija, because there is the training. And for the śūdra there is no brahmacārī; only gṛhastha, married. Otherwise, life will be very irregular. So in this way varṇāśrama.

So there are duties. Therefore it is said, ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ. So you may be staying in any āśrama or any varṇa; it does not matter. But you should see whether your life is perfect. If you don't see . . . otherwise, śrama eva hi kevalam. If you don't see, "How my life is being perfected," then . . . Dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsāṁ viṣvaksena-kathāsu yaḥ, notpādayet . . . (SB 1.2.8). If he does not awaken his dormant Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then śrama eva hi kevalam. Simply. Simply waste of time. But if he develops Kṛṣṇa consciousness and he learns how to serve Kṛṣṇa, how to please Kṛṣṇa, that is perfect. That he understood . . . etat saṁsūcitaṁ brahmaṁs tāpa-traya-cikitsitam (SB 1.5.32). This is the cikitsā, treatment, of tāpa . . . if you want to get relief from this material condition of life, then you should learn how to please Kṛṣṇa, how to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. That is called bhakti. Without bhakti, you cannot be relieved. Jñāna, karma, yoga will not get you released from this tāpa-traya. And if you execute devotional service, then immediately—immediately you become free from this tāpa-traya.

Susukhaṁ kartum avyayam (BG 9.2), Kṛṣṇa says. It is so nice. Devotional service is so nice that susukhaṁ kartum avyayam, it is very pleasing to transact. And avyayam: and whatever you do, that is your permanent asset. Susukhaṁ kartum avyayam. How it is susukham? Why you have been constructing this big temples? Just to give you happiness. What is that happiness? You take prasādam, nice prasādam. Don't take more, otherwise you'll sleep more. But as much as you require. Yāvat artha, prayojanam. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, and go to . . . back to home, back to Godhead. Is it not susukham? Otherwise, you'll have to work like an ass day and night simply for sex life. Yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham (SB 7.9.45). So sex life we also allow it, but not illegitimate, not illicit. But that is not required. As you advance, you'll give it up. But so long you are not advanced, oh, there is . . . (break) . . . according to regulation . . . (break) . . . and even you are gṛhastha, doesn't matter. But this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, taking prasādam and work for Kṛṣṇa . . . that is recommended here: karma brahmaṇi bhāvitam. Brahmaṇi bhāvitam. Only for satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa, you work, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, take prasādam. So bhakti-yoga . . . you un . . . try to understand Kṛṣṇa. Then? What will be the result? Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). Immediately.

So everyone should be alert to treat this miserable condition of material life, tāpa-traya. Tāpa-traya unmūlanam. One has to uproot this tree of tāpa-traya. That is perfection of life. Here Nārada Muni realizing that tāpa-traya-cikitsitam. Not unmūlanam. Unmūlanam means when we are liberated. That is unmūlanam. But why . . . so long we are not liberated, the cikitsā. The cikitsā. In another place Parīkṣit Mahārāja says bhavauṣadhi. Bhavauṣadhi, the medicine for this disease of repetition of birth and death. So this Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra is the bhavauṣadhi. Some way or other you have got it, and you are chanting. Go on, continuously, kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ (CC Adi 17.31). This is the easiest process of tāpa-trayonmūlanam or tāpa-traya-cikitsitam, and that is required in human life. Don't forget this principle. Continue this principle. And even there is little inconvenience, don't give up the association of devotees. Because . . . Rūpa Gosvāmī says . . . what is that? Utsāhān niścayād dhairyāt tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt, sato vṛtteḥ . . . (Upadeśāmṛta 3), sādhu-saṅge. Sādhu-saṅga (CC Madhya 22.83). Don't give up the company of devotees. Then it will be lost. We are opening so many centers because to cooperate between devotees and devotees. Even there is inconvenience, don't give up the company of the devotees. Even I am not devotee, with the company of the devotees, working with devotees, I become devotee. Association has got such power.

So our business is how to get out of this tāpa-traya. That is first-class civilization. Otherwise hackneyed. Again and again, bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). That is not . . . now, those who are thinking of worshiping other demigods, that is not recommended. That is not recommended, because Kṛṣṇa clearly says, kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ yajante iha-devatāḥ (BG 7.20). Even there are some inconveniences, Kṛṣṇa is completely able to remove your inconvenience. Kṛṣṇa assures, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66). So we should stick to the position of devotional service, execute regularly the orders of the spiritual master and the śāstra, and try to understand Kṛṣṇa. And you can understand Kṛṣṇa only by service. There is no other way. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ (Brs. 1.2.234). If you want to see Kṛṣṇa or want to understand Kṛṣṇa, then it can be possible only by your service; nothing else.

So the best service, as recommended by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, is this preaching work. Yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-kathā, kṛṣṇa-kathā.

āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa

yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa

(CC Madhya 7.128)

That's all. This is preaching. Doesn't require any good academic qualification. You have got your tongue. You chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, and whomever you meet, you ask him, "You become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa" that's all. In this way preach, live very nicely by eating kṛṣṇa-prasāda, chanting, dancing, and then get a life like Nārada Muni. This is the formula.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda. (end)