741003 - Lecture SB 01.08.23 - Mayapur

Lectures by Date, 1974

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

741003SB-MAYAPUR - October 03, 1974 - 32:07 Minutes

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

yathā hṛṣīkeśa khalena devakī

kaṁsena ruddhāticiraṁ śucārpitā

vimocitāhaṁ ca sahātmajā vibho

tvayaiva nāthena muhur vipad-gaṇāt

(SB 1.8.23)

(break)

"O Hṛṣīkeśa, the master of the senses and the Lord of lords, You have released Your Mother Devakī, who was long imprisoned and distressed by the envious King Kaṁsa, and myself and my children from a series of constant dangers."

Prabhupāda:

yathā hṛṣīkeśa khalena devakī

kaṁsena ruddhāticiraṁ śucārpitā

vimocitāhaṁ ca sahātmajā vibho

tvayaiva nāthena muhur vipad-gaṇāt

(SB 1.8.23)

So Kṛṣṇa . . . actually, Kuntī is presenting the characteristics of Kṛṣṇa. He is transcendental, puruṣaṁ prakṛteḥ param. Then He is person. In so many ways, he . . . she has already described. Now . . . that is identification. Now Kṛṣṇa's activities. Because we have to know Kṛṣṇa . . . Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, janma karma me divyam (BG 4.9). His birth and His activities, both of them are transcendental, not material, because He is puruṣaṁ prakṛteḥ param (SB 3.26.8). He is the person beyond this material nature, who is not a created being of this material nature. That we should understand. Puruṣaṁ prakṛteḥ param. The original creator.

That means Kṛṣṇa existed before the creation. Because He existed before the creation, therefore His activities, His form, His qualities, they're not material. Prakṛteḥ param. But He comes upon this earth or in this material world. His activities are to save the devotees and to kill the demons, simultaneous. That we have already explained. His real activity is to give protection to the devotees. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja, he was very much disturbed by the demon Hiraṇyakaśipu. So give him protection, He appeared as Nṛsiṁha-deva. Similarly, here Kṛṣṇa appeared. Why? To give relief to Devakī and Vasudeva, the Pāṇḍavas. They were in very great danger by kaṁsena khalena, envious demon Kaṁsa. And similarly, the Pāṇḍavas were also in difficult by the envious Dhṛtarāṣṭra and company, his sons.

So Kṛṣṇa comes—paritrāṇāya sādhūnām (BG 4.8). That is His mission. So how He saved the honest devotees, that is being described by Kuntī. This is studying of Kṛṣṇa, about His transcendental activities. You have to know how He takes birth and how He acts. If you study these two things of Kṛṣṇa's appearance, then you become liberated. These two things only: that why does He come, how does He come, how He acts, what is His position. His position is prakṛteḥ param. He is not a living being like us. We are not prakṛteḥ . . . although we are prakṛteḥ param, but at the present moment we are under the clutches of prakṛti. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). We . . . just like a person in the prison: He is also a citizen. He's not meant for living in the prison; he is actually meant for living outside the prison. But some way or other, he has come in contact with the criminal department and is put into the prison. Similarly, usually, the citizens and the king or the president, they are not inhabitants of the prison house. Similarly, we, along with Kṛṣṇa, as Kṛṣṇa is prakṛteḥ param, similarly, we are also prakṛteḥ param, but we have got the aptitude to fall down in the prakṛti.

Kṛṣṇa hasn't got that aptitude. He's a master. Just like, "King can do no wrong." This is the British Constitution. You cannot accuse the king in any way, neither you can judge. That is British Constitution. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa, as it is stated in the Īśopaniṣad, apāpa-viddham (ISO 8). He cannot be criminal like us. He's above. He cannot be charged with any criminal charges. Apāpa-viddham. Pāpa does not touch Him. Although it appears that He is doing something which is pāpa, but that is not pāpa. We have to understand Kṛṣṇa's position. Prakṛteḥ param. That is . . . that means prakṛteḥ param. He is not subjected to any sinful life. Therefore His name is Acyuta. Rathaṁ sthāpaya . . . sthāpaya me acyuta (BG 1.21). Acyuta means "one who does not fall."

The . . . we fall down, we, because we are very small, spiritual spark, and Kṛṣṇa is the whole fire. And the fire and the spiritual . . . fire, sparks from the fire, their quality—the same: they can burn. As the big fire can burn, similarly, the small spark, if it falls down on your cloth, that portion, it will immediately burn. It will become back . . . black. So the quality is the same. But when it falls down, its burning quality becomes extinguished. We have got practical experience. Burning quality becomes extinguished. So when we fall down from the spiritual world—we come to the material world—our spiritual quality becomes extinguished. That we have to revive. That we have to revive.

That is stated by Kṛṣṇa in Bhagava . . . vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhā man-mayā mām upāśritāḥ bahavo jñāna-tapasā pūtā (BG 4.10). When we become purified, again we revive our spiritual quality, then mad-bhāvam āgatāḥ, "Then he comes back to My nature." That is back to home. This is the process. It is not very difficult, because Kṛṣṇa says bhāvam, "many." "Many" means it is not difficult. Not that . . . because we, by nature, we are spiritual, simply extinguished . . . just like a lamp is extinguished. You can burn it immediately with a real matches, not false. You can burn it. The capacity is there. Similarly, our spiritual qualities are there already. It is permanent. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. That Brahman quality is already there. It is not to be attained. Simply this non-Brahman covering has to be removed.

That is sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). That covering is designation. We are thinking, "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am śūdra," "I am this," "I am that." These are covering. Actually I am ahaṁ brahmāsmi. Kṛṣṇa is also Para-brahman. Brahman . . . by quality, He is Brahman; we are also Brahman. But He is Para-brahman. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). He's singular number; we are plural number. That is the Vedic instruction. He is the singular number eternal, and we are plural number eternal. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām. He is singular number living entity, and we are plural number living entity. Therefore in the dictionary you'll find, this Oxford Dictionary, "The Supreme Being." God means "The Supreme Being." He's a being. He's not a stone. He's a living being. Even the dictionary accepts. He's not a stone, dead stone. That is explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, janmādy asya yataḥ, "The Supreme Absolute Truth is the original source of all creation." Janmādy asya yataḥ. Everything that we see, matter and life, everything comes from Him. But whether He is matter or life? That is explained: Yes, He is life. Janmādy asya yataḥ anvayād itarataś ca abhijñaḥ (SB 1.1.1). He is life because He knows. So who knows? A dead stone cannot know. Unless one is a living being, he cannot know.

Therefore it is said that anvayād itarataś ca abhijñaḥ. How does He know? Now, svarāṭ. Because to know means we require some master, some teacher . . . but because He is the Supreme Being, He does not require any teacher. Svarāṭ. Svarāṭ means independent. Vedāhaṁ samatītāni (BG 7.26). He knows everything automatically. That is the difference between God and ourself. Just like Kṛṣṇa said that "I spoke this philosophy to the sun-god," and Arjuna became doubtful, "What Kṛṣṇa is saying? He is my contemporary. I do not know how He knows." So he questioned that "Kṛṣṇa, how can I believe You, that You spoke this, this philosophy to the sun-god millions and millions of . . .?" So Kṛṣṇa explained, "Yes, at that time, you were also there because you are My constant friend. But the difference is you have forgotten; I have not forgotten. That is the difference." Svarāṭ. Abhijñaḥ.

We are not fully abhijñaḥ. We do not know. I claim, "These hairs, my hairs, my head." But I do not know how many hairs are there. So many things. The nail is coming from my body, I do not know how it is coming. I am eating foodstuff; I do not know how it is being turned into blood and other secretions, and it is being transferred through the veins, through the pipes, here and there, and so many mechanical machine. It is machine. It is going on. But this machine is not my creation. This machine is created by this material nature. This machine is manufactured in the womb of mother. According to my karma, I enter into a particular type of mother's womb, and this machine is made by the prakṛti, by the nature. Just like this flower. There is machine. The seed will fructify, and a particular type of flower from the seed will come, because the machine is like that. Just like typewriter machine you can type, but typewriter machine, you cannot go. That you have to accept the motorcar machine. This is also machine. That . . . similarly, there are different types of machine, and from that machine, this body is coming out. Bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni yantrārūḍhāni māyayā (BG 18.61).

Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). It is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, "Kṛṣṇa is situated everyone's heart." And He's studying the inclination of the living entity, that he wants to enjoy this material world like this. So parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.8, CC Madhya 13.65, purport). He hasn't got to do anything personally. He orders the material nature, "This living entity wants to enjoy like this. Give him the . . . this machine." So you get this machine. We have got this machine. A living entity, he does not discriminate of eating; whatever he gets, he eats. So Kṛṣṇa says that, "He wants to eat everything. So give him this machine, hog's body, so that there will be no discrimination." "He wants to remain naked. All right. Give him this body for five thousand years, standing naked as tree." The life was meant for understanding Kṛṣṇa, but he is cultivating the culture of naked civilization, how to become naked. "So all right, next time you'll remain naked for many thousands of years, standing in one place as tree." This is going on. Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭaḥ (BG 15.15).

So we have to understand the activities of Kṛṣṇa. He's not dull-headed, nirākāra. Why nirākāra? He is acting in so many ways, and who acts in different ways unless He's a person? This is the conclusion. Unless He's a person, how He can act in so many different ways, according to circumstances? Just like we are receiving so many letters from different centers. So unless I am a person, how can I give direction? It is not a dull stone. So Kṛṣṇa is not dull stone. Therefore we have to study Kṛṣṇa's activities. And if we can study Kṛṣṇa's activities, if we can understand Kṛṣṇa's birth and activities, janma karma me divyam (BG 4.9), immediately we become liberated.

So these books, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Bhagavad-gītā, are there, and many other books, Purāṇas and others. They are simply describing the activities of Kṛṣṇa so that you can understand Kṛṣṇa. That . . . there is a verse in Caitanya-caritāmṛta: anādi bahirmukha jīva nāhi jñāna, kṛṣṇa . . . means, "From since a very, very long time, he has forgotten Kṛṣṇa." Just like anyone you can ask, in this country even, and what to speak of others that, "Do you know Kṛṣṇa?" So you'll find so many, I mean to say, major portion people, will say: "No, we do not know what is Kṛṣṇa." Just like our Śyāmasundara's daughter, Sarasvatī. She preaches, "Do you know what is Kṛṣṇa?" Even one knows, because he (she) is child, "No, no. I do not know." "Oh, Supreme Personality of Godhead," she will say. She is so intelligent. She will say. So similarly, we can do. We can do Kṛṣṇa's service like this. Even a child can do. You go. As Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). That becomes . . . you becomes spiritual master. If you take this vow that, "I'll preach only Kṛṣṇa," then you are spiritual master. You become spiritual . . .

yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa

āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa

(CC Madhya 7.128)

Just like that child, Sarasvatī, is preaching, "Do you know Kṛṣṇa?" He says: "No." "He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Simply say like that, "He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead," and "Chant His holy name, Hare Kṛṣṇa." If you do this, then you are preacher, you are spiritual master. It is so nice.

You don't require to become very . . . Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). He does not say that you become a learned Vedic scholar. That is the goal of Vedic scholarship. If you simply know that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then your Vedic study finished—you are M.A., doctor of Kṛṣṇa philosophy, simply if you know this. You may not know in details, but if you simply believe, firmly convinced that, "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is my master. He is my savior," in this way, if you accept, then you become perfect, and you become liberated.

So here one thing is specifically mentioned, that muhur vipad-gaṇāt. Muhuḥ means twenty-four hours, or always, almost twenty-four hours. Muhuḥ. Muhuḥ means "Again and again, again and again." So vipat. Vipat means "danger." And gaṇa, gaṇa means "multi"; not one kind of danger but different kinds of danger. So the muhur vipad-gaṇāt, who is suffering? Now, Kuntī. And who else is suffering? Now, Devakī. Devakī is the mother of Kṛṣṇa, and Kuntī is the aunt of Kṛṣṇa. Both of them not ordinary women. To become mother of Kṛṣṇa or to become aunt of Kṛṣṇa, it is not ordinary thing. It requires many, many lives' tapasya. Then one can become mother of Kṛṣṇa. So they were also suffering muhur vipad-gaṇāt, always vipat. Although Kṛṣṇa was their very, very easily obtain . . . obtainable personality, mother, but still . . . Devakī gave birth to Kṛṣṇa, but the danger was so horrible that she could not keep her son. It has to be immediately transferred. Just see how much vipat. How much vipat. The mother of Kṛṣṇa could not keep her son on the lap. Every mother wants, but because there were kaṁsena khalena, she could not keep. And to the Pāṇḍavas, Kṛṣṇa was constant companion. Wherever there are Pāṇḍavas, Kṛṣṇa is there. Kṛṣṇa . . . Draupadī is in danger. She was to be naked by the Kurus, Duryodhana, Duḥśāsana. The Kṛṣṇa supplied cloth. So for a woman in the assembly of so many men, if she is to be naked, it is the greatest danger. It is the greatest danger, and Kṛṣṇa saved. Similarly, Kuntī was saved . . . the dangers will be described in the later verses. She says, vimocitāhaṁ ca sahātmajā vibho (SB 1.8.23): "I was released from so many dangerous position—not only myself, but along with my sons."

So fact is that even Kuntī or Devakī, so intimately connected with Kṛṣṇa, but they had to face so many dangers, so what to speak of others? What to speak of others, ourself? So when we are danger, we are in danger, we should not be discouraged. We should take courage that even Kuntī and Vasudeva and Devakī, they were also in danger, although they were very, very intimately connected with Kṛṣṇa. So we should not be disturbed by the dangers of this material world. If we are actually Kṛṣṇa conscious, we should face the danger and depend on Kṛṣṇa. Avaśya rakhibe kṛṣṇa viśvāsa pālana (Śaraṇāgati). This is called surrender that, "I may be in danger, but Kṛṣṇa . . . I have surrendered to Kṛṣṇa. He must save me." Keep this faith. Don't be disturbed when you are in danger, because this world is such . . . padaṁ padaṁ vipadām (SB 10.14.58). Every step there is danger. Just like we are walking on the street—immediately there is some pinprick, thorn. And by pinprick of that thorn, it may become a boil, it may become dangerous. So even by walking on the street, by talking on the street, by eating our food, there . . . and in English it is said: "There is many dangers between the cup and the lip."

So you should always remember that this material world is simply full of dangers. If you think that "We are very safe; we are very expert, we have made this world very happy," then you are fool number one. Padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadām (SB 10.14.58). But if you take shelter of Kṛṣṇa, these dangers are nothing. That Kuntī will say, that vimocita. Vimocita means released from the danger. Aham. Sahātmajā, "With my . . ."

So this is the study of Kṛṣṇa, that if you become Kṛṣṇa conscious, a sincere servant of Kṛṣṇa, don't be agitated by the dangerous condition of this material world. You simply depend on Kṛṣṇa, and He'll save you.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda. (end)