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Krsna Book Audio Dictation - Chapter 20

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His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada




Twentieth: "Description of Autumn."

The killing of the Pralambāsura and devouring of the devastating forest fire by Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma became household topics in Vṛndāvana, and the cowherds men used to describe the wonderful activities of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma to their wives and general woman, and thus they concluded that Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma must be some demigods who have kindly come in Vṛndāvana to become their children. Especially the elderly cowherds men and their wives, after hearing these wonderful activities of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, accepted Them as demigods, being struck in wonder.

In this way, the rainy season ensued. In India, the rainy season, however, after scorching heat of the summer season, is very welcome. The clouds accumulated in the sky, covering the sun and the moon, became too much pleasing to the people, because they were expecting rainfall at every moment. After summer season, the income of the rainy season is considered as life-giving source for everyone. The clouds in the sky with thundering sound and occasional lightning becomes too much pleasing to the people.

This covering of the sky by the deep cloud mixed with thundering sound and lightning is compared to the living entities who are covered by the three modes of material nature, although originally every one of them is part and parcel of Brahma. The unlimited sky is accepted as the comparison of the Supreme Brahma, and the teeny living entities are considered as the comparison of covered sky or Brahma covered by the three modes of material nature. Supreme Brahma, or the unlimited sky, can never be covered by cloud, but a portion of it can be covered by the cloud.

Similarly, as stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, the living entities are part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So the part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, namely the living entities, are only a insignificant portion of the Supreme Lord. In other words, only a portion of the living entities are covered by the modes of material nature, who are residing within this material world. The brahmajyoti is just like the sunshine. As the sunshine is full of molecular shining particle, similarly, brahmajyoti is also full of minute portion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Out of that unlimited expansion of minute portion of the Supreme Lord, some of them are covered by the influence of material nature; others are free.

Next paragraph.

The cloud is accumulated water derived from the land by the sunshine. Continually for eight months the sunshine evaporates all kinds of water from the surface of the globe, and the same water, again accumulated in the shape of cloud, is distributed as water when there is great need of it. This comparison is given to the royal order. The government exacts different kinds of taxes from the citizens where the citizens are able to pay by their different material activities: agriculture, trade, industry; and the government can easily exact taxes in the form of income tax, super tax, sale tax. So this comparison is just like the sunshine, it evaporates water. But when there is again need of water on the surface of the globe, this very sunshine, converting the water into the shape of cloud, distributes water all over the globe. Similarly, the taxes collected by the government must be distributed to the people again in the shape of contribution in so many ways—as educational work, public work, sanitary work, welfare work and so many other ways. This example is very much appropriate to the government. A government should not simply exact tax for squandering it uselessly, but the tax collection should be utilized for the public welfare of the state.

During a rainy season, there is a strong wind blustering all over the country and carrying the cloud from one place to another for distribution of water; is a life-giving program to the needy living entities because water is very urgently and badly needed after the summer season. This distribution of water by the cloud is considered just like a rich man who, in times of needs, distribute their money even by exhausting the whole source of their treasury, as much as the clouds exhaust itself by distribution of water all over the surface of the globe.

There is a comparison of Mahārāja Daśaratha, the father of Lord Rāmacandra, that when he used to fight with his enemies, he used to uproot them just like unnecessary plants and trees are uprooted by the cultivator. Similarly, when there was a need of giving charity, he used to distribute money exactly like the cloud distributes the rain. Distribution of rain by the cloud is so sumptuous that it is compared as distribution of wealth by the greatest munificent person. Distribution of water by the cloud is so sufficient that it falls rain even on the rocks and hills, where practically there is no need of rain, or on the ocean and the seas where also there is no need of rain. Similarly, a charitable person, when he opens his treasury for distribution, does not discriminate where the charity is needed and where there is no need. He gives in charity openhanded.

Next paragraph.

Before the rainfall, the whole surface of the globe becomes almost extinct of all kinds of energies and appears to be very lean and thin. But after the rainfall, the whole surface of the world becomes green in vegetation and appears to be very healthy and strong. This comparison is made with the person undergoing austerities for fulfillment of some material desires. The flourishing condition of the earth after the rainy season is compared with the fulfillment of material desires. Sometimes it is so happening that a country who is subjugated by some undesirable government, they undergo severe penances and austerities to get control over the government. And when the people achieve the control of the government, they become very much flourished by receiving fatty salaries. As such, this kind of austerity for gaining some temporary material profit is exactly like the flourishing condition of the earth in the rainy season.

Actually, one should undergo severe austerities and penances for achieving spiritual happiness. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is recommended that tapasya, or austerity or penance, should be accepted for realizing the Supreme Lord. By accepting austerity in the matter of devotional service, one regains his spiritual life, and as soon as one regains one's spiritual life, he enjoys spiritual bliss unlimitedly. But if somebody undertakes austerity and penances for some material gain, it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā that such result is temporary, and such achievement is desired by persons with less intelligence.

So this rainy season is compared with achievement of some material gain and thus become apparently in very flourishing condition. During this rainy season, in the evening there are many glowworms on the top of the trees hither and thither, and they glitter just like so many lights. But the luminaries in the sky, just like the stars and the moons, they are not visible. This comparison is given that in the age of Kali, persons who are atheists or miscreants, they become very prominent in the eyes of the people, whereas persons who are actually following the Vedic principles for spiritual emancipation of life, they are all practically covered by the influence of Kali-yuga.

This age, Kali-yuga, is compared with the covering season of the living entities. In this age, real knowledge is covered by the influence of material advancement of civilization. As such, cheap mental speculators, atheists and manufacturers of so-called religious principles become prominent like the glowworm, whereas persons strictly following the Vedic principles or scriptural injunction, they become covered by the influence of this age.

The idea is that people should learn to take advantage of the actual luminaries in the sky, namely the sun, moon and the stars, instead of taking advantage of the so-called light fostered by the glowworms. Actually, the glowworm cannot give us any light in the darkness of the night. When the cloud in the rainy season sometimes become clear, and sometimes the luminaries in the sky are visible, similarly, even in this Kali-yuga there are sometimes advantages. When the Vedic movement like Lord Caitanya's distribution of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra is sometimes heard, people exactly anxious to get real life should take advantage of this movement instead of looking, however, to the light of the mental speculators and atheist class of men.

After the first batch of rainfall, when there is thundering sound in the cloud, immediately all the frogs on the ground begin to croak as if the students are engaged in reading their studies. This comparison is given as the students, early in the morning, they do not rise generally out of their own accord. But when there is a bell sound in the temple or in the spiritual institution, by the order of the spiritual master they immediately rise up, and after finishing their morning duties immediately sit down to study Vedas or chanting the Vedic mantras. In other words, although in the darkness of Kali-yuga everyone is sleeping, but if there is a great ācārya, by his calling only everyone takes to the study of Vedas and get the actual knowledge.

During the rainy season, many small ponds and lakes and rivulets, they become filled up with water. Otherwise, during the whole year they remain dry. Similarly, a materialistic person whose life is almost dry, but sometimes, when they are in so-called well-to-do position of having a home and children or little bank balance, they look very flourishing, although immediately after some times they are subjected to become dry again, like the small rivulets, ponds and lakes in the dry season.

There is a poet called Vidyāpati. He has sung that in the society of friends, family, children, wife, there is certainly some pleasure. But that pleasure is compared with a drop of water in the desert. Materialistic life is just like a desert. Everyone is hankering after happiness, just like in the desert everyone is hankering after some water. Now if in the desert there is a drop of water, the name water is there, of course, but the benefit out of that drop of water is very insignificant in the desert. Similarly, in our materialistic way of life we are hankering after ocean of happiness, but in the form of society, friendship and love, we are getting just like a drop of water. Therefore our satisfaction is never achieved, as much as the small rivulet, lakes and ponds are never filled up with water in the dry season.

On account of rainfall all over the surface, there were new grasses and everything looked very green, and sometimes they being covered by a certain kind of insect of red color, the green and red combine together along with the fungus grown just like umbrella. The whole thing makes a nice scenery exactly like a person who has become all of a sudden rich, his residence, his appearance, his dealing looks very nice. The agriculturalist becomes very happy by seeing his field full of grains, but the capitalist, who are always unaware of the activities of the supernatural power, by seeing the agriculturalist land full of grains become happy. The idea is that the capitalist who makes trade of grains do not want sufficient production, being afraid of competitive price. In some places the capitalist…, the government restricts the agriculturalist to produce more food grains, without knowing the fact that all food grains are supplied by the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

According to the Vedic injunction, eko bahūnāṁ yo vidadhāti kāmān (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13), means that the Supreme Personality of Godhead maintains this creation.

(The Supreme Lord is eternal and the living beings are eternal. The Supreme Lord is cognizant and the living beings are cognizant. The difference is that the Supreme Lord is supplying all the necessities of life for the many other living entities.)

Therefore, whatever is required as the necessity of all living entities, He arranges for its supply. So when there is population, increase of population, it is the business of the Supreme Lord that He takes care how to feed them. But persons who are atheists or miscreant, they do not like too much production of food grains, otherwise their business may be hampered.

During this season, all living entities, either on the land or in the sky or in the water, become very refreshing, exactly like a person who is engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. We have practical experience to see that our students in the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, who were in the beginning, before becoming the student, were dirty looking. Although naturally they were very beautiful by personal feature, still, on account of having no information of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they were looking very dirty and wretched. But since they have taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, their health has improved, and by following the rules and regulation their luster of body has increased. And when they are dressed with saffron-colored clothings with tilaka on the forehead and beads in their hand and the neck, they look exactly like coming from Vaikuṇṭha directly. The idea is that a person's beauty can be looking very much lustrous as soon as he takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, transcendental loving service of the Lord; his beauty increases.

During rainy season, when the rivers become expanded and joins on the waves of the oceans and seas, it appears very much agitating the situation of the ocean. This example is comparable with a person who is engaged in yogic mystic process, but not being very much advanced in spiritual life, sometimes becomes agitated by sex impulse. In the rainy season the high mountains, although splashed by the torrents of rain always, it does not make any difference of their situation, exactly like a person who is advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, if he is put into difficulties, he is not embarrassed. A person who is spiritually advanced, in any reverse condition of life, he accepts the situation as mercy of the Lord, and because he does not care for any reverse condition of life, he is completely eligible to enter into the spiritual kingdom.

In the rainy season some of the roads are not frequently being used, becomes covered with long grasses, exactly like a brāhmaṇa, who is not accustomed to the study and reformatory methods of Vedic injunctions, he almost become covered with the long grasses of māyā in condition of forgetfulness of his real constitutional position. The forgetful position is that a living creature forgets his eternal position of servitorship to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But on account of being deviated by the seasonal overgrowth of long grasses created by māyā, he forgets his real position and identifies himself with the overgrowth māyā production, and thus he is covered by illusion without knowing his spiritual life.

In the rainy season we can see that the lightning appearing sometimes in one bunch of clouds and sometimes immediately in other bunch of clouds. These examples are compared with a lusty woman who does not fix up his (her) mind in one man. A cloud is compared with a qualified person because the cloud pours rain and gives subsistence to many people. Similarly, a man who is qualified, he gives subsistence to many living creatures, like family members or in business many workers. Unfortunately his life is disturbed by the action of a woman who sometimes divorces such husband and the husband being disturbed, the whole family becomes ruined, the childrens are dispersed or the business becomes closed, so the whole thing becomes hampered.

It is therefore recommended in Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement that a person or a woman desiring to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness must be peacefully living as husband and wife, without being separated in any condition of life. They should control the sex indulgence and concentrate the mind in Kṛṣṇa consciousness so that their life may become successful. After all, in the material world a man requires a woman and a woman requires a man. So when they are combined, they should live peacefully in Kṛṣṇa consciousness without being restless like the lightning transferring from one group of cloud to another.

Next paragraph.

Within the rainy season, sometimes with the roaring sound of the clouds there is appearance of the rainbow, which stands without having any string. Actually, a bow is always in curved position on account of being tied up two ends by the string. But in the rainbow there is no such thing as string; still it rests on the sky with a beautifully appearance. Similarly, when the Supreme Personality of Godhead descends on this material world, He appears just like ordinary human being, but He is not resting on any bondage of material condition. As it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, the Lord says that He appears by His internal potency. The internal potency is free from the external potency, which is bondage. So what is bondage for the ordinary living creature is freedom for the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

In the rainy season, sometimes it appears that the moonlight, being covered by the cloud but visible at intervals, it appears that the moon is moving with the movement of the clouds. Actually the moon is fixed up, but on account of the movement of the clouds it appears that the moon is also moving. This example is just like a person who has identified himself with the moving material world: his actual spiritual luster is covered by such illusion, and with the movement of material activities, he is supposed to be moving in different..., moving in different spheres of life by false ego. This false ego is the junction of spiritual existence and material existence, as much as the moving cloud is in the junction of moonlight and darkness.

In the rainy season, when the clouds appear for the first time, the peacocks, after seeing the appearance of the clouds, begin to dance in joyness. This example is applicable to persons who are very much harassed in the materialistic way of life, but if he finds the association of a person engaged in the loving devotional service of the Lord, he become just like the peacock when it dances. We have practical experience to see this incidence that many of our students who were almost dry and morose previous to their coming to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but having come into contact with devotees, they are now dancing like the jubilant peacock.

Next paragraph.

In the rainy season, there are varieties of plants and creepers are grown by drinking the soaked water from the ground by their roots. This example is just like a person when he is in austerity and becomes dry, but after such austere performances, when he gets the result and begins to enjoy life in sense gratification, he becomes jolly, as much as the newly grown plants and grasses, with family, society, love, home and other paraphernalia.

During the rainy season it is sometimes seen that cranes and birds like them, ducks, stands continually on the bank of lakes and rivers, although such banks are filled up with muddy garbage along with thorny creepers. This example is applicable to persons who are householder without any Kṛṣṇa consciousness and is constantly standing there, in spite of all kinds of material inconvenience. In the family life, nobody can be perfectly happy without being Kṛṣṇa conscious. Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura therefore prays that either a householder or a man in the renounced order of life, whoever is engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, and he is crying always the holy name of Lord Caitanya, he wants the association of such person. For the materialistic person these whole worldly affairs become too much aggressive, whereas to a person who is in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, everything appears to be happy situation.

Next paragraph.

In the rainy season, the barriers around the agricultural field sometimes breaks on account of heavy torrent of rain constantly falling down. This example is applicable to the nonauthorized atheistic propaganda in the age of Kali breaks the boundary of the Vedic injunctions, and people gradually degrade to godlessness. Thus in the rainy season the clouds, tossed by the wind, delivers water as if like nectar. Similarly, when the Vedic followers, brāhmaṇas, enthuse rich men like kings and big mercantile community to give in charity to the performance of great sacrifices, the distribution of such wealth becomes exactly nectarean, like the rainfall in the season.

The four sections of human society, namely the brāhmaṇas, the kṣatriyas, the vaiśyas and śūdras, they live very peacefully in a cooperative mood when they are guided by the expert Vedic brāhmaṇas to perform sacrifices and distribute the wealth equally to the society; everyone becomes happy and peaceful.

Next paragraph.

Thus during the rainy season when everything was so nice and the Vṛndāvana forest was full of ripened fruits like dates, blackberries, mangoes, Lord Balarāma accompanied by…

(break) …accompanied by…

(break)

Kṛṣṇa, tape number twenty-two. Kṛṣṇa, tape number twenty-two. August 3rd, 1969.

Next paragraph.

So in this condition of the forest in the rainy season, full with ripened dates, mangoes, blackberries and other fruits, Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, along with His cowherds boys friends and Lord Balarāma, entered the forest for enjoying the new atmosphere created by the rainy season. The cows, at that time being fed by new grasses, they also became very healthy and their milk bags were all fattened. All the cows had different names, and when Lord Kṛṣṇa used to call them by their particular name, out of affection for Kṛṣṇa they would immediately come to Him, and on account of their joyful condition the milk would drop from the milk bag of respective cows.

Lord Kṛṣṇa was very much pleased when He was passing through the Vṛndāvana forest by the site of Govardhana Hill and on the bank of Yamunā. He saw all the trees were decorated with beehives and honey was being poured out of them. There were many waterfalls on the Govardhana Hill, and they were flowing down water with nice sound. Kṛṣṇa was hearing them as well as He was looking into the caves of the hill.

The rainy season was not ended completely, but it was autumn and there was sometimes rainfall. And within the forest whenever there was rainfall, Kṛṣṇa along with His companion would sit down either underneath a tree or within the caves of Govardhana Hill and enjoy eating the ripened fruits and talk with friends with great pleasure. When Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma were in the forest, mother Yaśodā used to send Them some rice mixed with yogurt and fruits and sweetmeats. Sometimes Kṛṣṇa would take them and sit down on a slab of stone on the bank of Yamunā and call His friends, who were all competent to participate with the lunch served by Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma.

While Kṛṣṇa, Balarāma and other friends were eating, they saw also that the cows were eating also with the calves and bulls, and they appeared to be a little tired on account of heavy milk bag. And while sitting they are eschewing eaten grass, and as they appeared very happy, Kṛṣṇa was pleased to see them in that condition. Kṛṣṇa was very much proud to see the beauty of the forest on account of rainy season, which is nothing but manifestation of His own energy. And thus He began to eulogize the nature’s activity so nice in the rainy season.

It is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā that the material energy, or nature, is not independent to act. It is stated there that under the superintendence of Kṛṣṇa, nature is acting. The same thing is corroborated in the Brahma-saṁhitā also, that the material nature, known as Durgā, is acting as shadow of Kṛṣṇa; or whatever indication is received from Kṛṣṇa the material nature works. Therefore the natural beauty created by the rainy season was acted according to the indication of Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa felt Himself very much proud for the beautiful activities of material nature.

In this way, while Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma were enjoying the gifts of rainy season, gradually the autumn season began. When all the water reservoirs became very clean and very pleasing and refreshing air was blowing on account of appearance of autumn, the sky was completely cleared of all clouds and all water down became bluish in their natural color. When there were blooming lotus flower on the clear water in the forest, it appeared that a person who has fallen down from yoga practice had again become beautiful on account of their taking again to such practices.

In other words, the sky and the water down and everything becomes naturally beautiful on account of appearance of the autumn season; similarly, when a materialistic person takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness spiritual advancement of life, he also becomes as clear like the sky and water in autumn season. In fact, the autumn season took away the capacity of the clouds rolling in the sky, as well as the unclean state of the water. As in the sky the unclean state of existence of cloud disappeared, similarly, on the ground the unclean state of the surface also became cleansed. These things are compared exactly like a person who takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and immediately becomes cleansed of all dirty things from within and without. Kṛṣṇa is therefore known as Hari. Hari means "who takes away." Anyone who takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, immediately Kṛṣṇa takes away his all unclean habits.

In the autumn season the clouds in the sky becomes white. The whiteness is due for their not carrying water anymore. This example is very similar to the persons when a retired man, being freed from all responsibility of family affairs (namely maintaining the home, wife and children) and takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness completely, he also becomes freed from all anxieties and looks as white as the clouds in the autumn season. In the autumn season the falls coming down from the top of the hill are sometimes supplying clean water, and sometimes the fall stopped. This comparison can be given to great saintly persons who are sometimes engaged in distributing clear knowledge, and sometimes they do not; they remain silent.

The ground also, the small holes or little ponds which were filled with water on account of rainy season, in the autumn they gradually dry up. And the small aquatics which are living in that small reservoir of water could not understand that their lives were diminishing day by day, as much as too much materially engrossed persons cannot understand that their duration of life was being reduced day by day, and they are falsely engaged in the matter of maintaining house, property, children, wife, society and friendship.

On account of reduced water and scorching heat from the sun in the autumn season, the small creatures living in a small reservoir of water were too much disturbed, exactly like uncontrolled persons are always unhappy on account of being unable either to enjoy life or to maintain their family. The muddy condition of earth on account of rainy season gradually become dried up, and the fresh vegetables grown during the rainy season began to wither away gradually, dry up. This example can be given to a person who has taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, his desire for family enjoyment becomes gradually dried up.

On account of appearance of the autumn season, the water of the ocean became calm and quiet, as much as if a person is developed in self-realization, such person is no more disturbed by the three modes of material nature and appears to be calm and quiet. During the autumn season, the cultivators save the water within the field by strongly building the walls so that the water contained within the field may not go out. In the autumn season there is hardly any hope for new rainfalls; therefore whatever water is there within the field, the cultivator wants to save by protecting the field walls. This example can be utilized by persons who are actually advanced in self-realization process to protect their energy by controlling the senses. It is therefore advised that after the age of fifty, one should retire from family life. One should reserve the energy of the body for utilizing in the advancement of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Unless one is able to control the senses and engage the senses in the transcendental loving service of Mukunda, there is no possibility of salvation.

During the autumn season the sunshine during daytime becomes very scorching, but during night, due to the clear moonshine, people get relief from the fatigueness of the daytime. Similarly, if a person takes shelter of Mukunda, Kṛṣṇa, he can be saved from the fatigueness of misunderstanding body as the self. Similarly Mukunda, or Kṛṣṇa, is also the source of solace to the damsels of Vrajabhūmi, Vṛndāvana. The damsels of Vrajabhūmi are always suffering on account of separation from Kṛṣṇa. Therefore during the autumn season, when they meet Kṛṣṇa during the moonlight night, their fatigueness of separation is also satiated.

During the autumn season, the sky being clear of all clouds, the stars at night becomes very clear and beautiful. Similarly, a person when he is actually situated in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he becomes clear of all dirty things, exactly like the clouds in the sky, and at that time he becomes as beautiful as the stars in the autumn sky on account of being situated in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, which is the ultimate purpose of all Vedic knowledge. In the Vedas, although there are instructions for executing knowledge and mystic yoga system or karma in the form of offering sacrifices, but ultimately the purpose of Vedas is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā that one has to accept Kṛṣṇa consciousness after thoroughly understanding the purpose of the Vedas. Therefore the clean heart exhibited by the devotee in Kṛṣṇa consciousness can be compared with the clean sky of the autumn season and the stars looking very beautiful.

During the autumn season, the moon looks very, very bright along with the stars in the clear sky, as much as Lord Kṛṣṇa, who appears in the sky of Yadu dynasty, so He is exactly like the moon surrounded by the stars of the members of Yadu dynasty. In other words, Kṛṣṇa appearing in the Yadu dynasty is as beautiful as the moon in the autumn sky with the stars.

In the autumn season, when there are ample blooming flowers in the garden and the forest, the breeze blowing toward them gives a great relief to the persons who have suffered during the summer and rainy season. Unfortunately, such breeze could not give any relief to the gopīs because they were completely taken away by their heart dedicated to Kṛṣṇa. In other words, general people might have taken pleasure in that nice breezing of air during autumn season, but the gopīs, without being embraced by Kṛṣṇa, they were not very much satisfied.

On arrival of autumn season, all the cows, deers, birds and women in general become pregnant. Because in that season generally all the husbands become impelled by sex desires, all the women become pregnant. This is exactly like transcendentalists who, by the grace of the Supreme Lord, become bestowed with benediction of their destination of life. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has instructed in his book Upadeśamṛtā that one should follow devotional service with great enthusiasm, patience, conviction, following the rules and regulation, keeping oneself clean from material contamination, and in the association of devotees. By following these six principles, one is sure to achieve the desired result of devotional service. If therefore patiently follows the regulative principles of devotional service, time will come when one will get the desired result, without doubt, as much as in the autumn season all the female members of animal or human society becomes pregnant automatically, by their respective husbands.

During autumn season, in the lakes the lotus flowers grow in large quantity on account of absence of lilies. Both the lilies and the lotus flowers grow being subsidized by the sunshine, but during autumn season, the sunshine helps only lotus growing without any fructification of the lilies. This example is given in the case of a country where the king is strong or the government is strong, the rise of unwanted elements like thieves and robbers cannot prosper. When the citizens become confident of not being attacked by such thieves and robbers, they grow very satisfactorily under the protection of such strong government. The example of strong government is the scorching sunshine in autumn season, and the lilies are compared with unwanted persons like thieves and robbers, and the lotus flowers are compared with the satisfied citizens of the government. The lilies cannot grow in scorching sunshine; similarly, the thieves and robbers cannot prosper under strong government. And when such condition prevails in the state, the citizen becomes as happy as the lotus flower.

During the autumn season, the fields of agricultural produce become filled with ripened grains, and on account of this the people become happy and they observe various ceremonies as offering new grains to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, known as Navānna. Navānna means new grains first of all offering to the deities in various temples, inviting friends and others to take sweet rice made of this new grains. Besides that, there are other religious ceremonies and methods of worship, as in Bengal there is a performance of the greatest of all ceremonies, like Durgā Pūjā.

Now especially in Vṛndāvana the autumn season becomes so beautiful in so many ways, and especially because there is presence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma. During the autumn seasons persons like mercantile community, the royal order or great sages of learning become free to move, and thus achieve their desired benediction. Similarly, the transcendentalists who are conditioned by the encagement of this material body, when they are freed from this body, they also achieve their desired goal.

During rainy season, the mercantile community cannot move from one place to another; therefore they do not get their desired profit. Similarly, the royal order men cannot go from one place to another and they cannot collect the taxes from the people, and great saintly persons who also travel for preaching their acquired transcendental knowledge are also restrained on account of rainy season. But during the autumn seasons, all of them get out of their confinement and achieve the desired respective result. Similarly, the transcendentalist, may be a jṣānī, a yogī or a devotee, on account of this material body actually they do not enjoy their spiritual achievement. But as soon as they give up this body, or after death, the jṣānīs achieve their desired result being merged into the spiritual effulgence of the Supreme Lord; the yogīs also, they can transfer themself in the different higher planets; and the devotees, they also become transferred to the planet of the Supreme Lord, Goloka Vṛndāvana or Vaikuṇṭhas, and thus they enjoy their eternal spiritual achievement.

Thus ends the Bhaktivedanta purport of Kṛṣṇa, Chapter Twenty, in the matter of "Description of the Autumn Season."