720306 - Lecture SB 07.09.08-9 - Calcutta

Lectures by Date, 1972

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

 Listen to a 'Nectar Drop' created from this lecture

720306SB-CALCUTTA - March 06, 1972 - 45:49 Minutes

Prabhupāda: Prahlāda Mahārāja is considering himself to be unfit for worshiping the Lord. He says, kiṁ toṣṭum arhati sa me harir ugra-jāteḥ (SB 7.9.8). Ugra-jāteḥ, as I was speaking yesterday, that chili, chili caste, those who are very much in fallen condition by quality. His quality, it is not that one is fallen in quality, he cannot be raised. It is not like that. The practical example is that our European-American students, actually they were fallen in quality. They were in the modes of ignorance and passion, the fallen quality. But they have been raised.

So even one is in fallen condition or in fallen quality, he can be raised. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja. Prahlāda Mahārāja is considering himself that, "I am fallen. I am born of a father who is fallen," ugra-jāteḥ. But he is actually not fallen, because he is a devotee. He is not fallen. Just like Haridāsa Ṭhākura. Haridāsa Ṭhākura was born in Muhammadan family. But these so-called brāhmaṇas, they thought that he is fallen. But actually he was not fallen. Why? Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted him as the greatest of all chanter, nāmācārya. He was the ācārya of spreading hari-nāma, ideal symbol, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra three lakhs' time, three hundred thousand time. Practically whole day and night, twenty-four hours, he was chanting, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.

So he was not fallen—but he considered himself as fallen. He was not entering the Jagannātha temple. He was living outside. Why he? Even Sanātana Gosvāmī, because he mixed with the Muhammadan emperors . . . his friends, his master, were the big, big Muhammadan kings and nawabs. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu reclaimed him. The brahmin society rejected, outcasted him, that "You have accepted . . ." (break) . . . also changed his name, Dabira Khāsa. His Hindu name was changed. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu claimed him, and they became gosvāmī. Vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau (Śrī Śrī Ṣaḍ-gosvāmy-aṣṭaka).

This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement. All Vaiṣṇava movement is like that. There is no consideration of fallen or high. No. Anyone. Yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā, sei 'guru' haya (CC Madhya 8.128), Caitanya Mahāprabhu said. "Anyone who knows the science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he is guru. It doesn’t matter by birth what he is." He may be a brahmin, he may be a śūdra, he may be a householder, gṛhastha , or he may be a sannyāsī. Because Kṛṣṇa consciousness is transcendental to this bodily concept of life.

This varṇāśrama-dharma—four varṇas: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra; and four āśramas, namely brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa—they are meant for this bodily concept of life. Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore said that, "I am neither a brāhmaṇa nor a kṣatriya nor a vaiśya nor a śūdra. Neither I am brahmacārī nor gṛhastha nor vānaprastha nor sannyāsī." He kept Himself nāhaṁ vipro na ca nara-patiḥ (CC Madhya 13.80), kept Himself aloof from this varṇāśrama-dharma.

Of course, this varṇāśrama-dharma is the beginning of human civilization. Unless one comes to this stage, or institution, accepting this varṇāśrama-dharma, he is not to be considered as human being or civilized human being.

varṇāśramācāravatā

puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān

viṣṇur ārādhyate pumsām

nānyat tat-toṣa-kāraṇam

(CC Madhya 8.58, Viṣṇu Purāṇa 3.8.9)

Because the whole aim of life is to go back to home, back to Godhead, Viṣṇu. We have forgotten Viṣṇu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, we are loitering in this material world under different species of life in different planetary system. Brahmāṇḍa bhramite (CC Madhya 19.151): we are wandering. Why? Because we have forgotten Viṣṇu. Therefore, this human form of life is meant for realizing Viṣṇu. But we do not know. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇu (SB 7.5.31). Oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayaḥ (Ṛg Veda 1.22.20). This is Vedic, Ṛg Veda mantra that, "Those who are sūrayaḥ, advanced, civilized Āryans, they are looking forward to the lotus feet of Lord Viṣṇu." That is the ultimate goal of life.

But unfortunately, the rascal civilization, they are not teaching. They are not giving the opportunity to the human society to realize the highest goal of life. Such a rascal civilization at the present moment. Misleading. It is very regrettable that a man is born . . . especially in India; every Indian born after many pious activities. To take birth in India is also, is result of pious activities. It is so holy land, this holy land. But unfortunately, our rascal leaders, they are misleading people. They are trying to make people forget Viṣṇu, forget Kṛṣṇa, forget God, and try to imitate the Western industrialization, economic development.

But these rascals do not see that in spite of all economic development and industrialization, they are not happy. They do not see; they do not take practical knowledge from the practical life. It is very unfortunate. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ. Generally, they are misled. But at least in India they should not be misled, because in India the Vedas are there, the Vedic literatures are there, the Bhāgavata is there. I am reading this Bhāgavata. Where it is made? It is made in India. But these rascals, they have forgotten it. So much regrettable position of India. They do not care for this Vedic literature, their birthright. Caitanya Mahāprabhu gives the same thing:

bhārata-bhūmite haila manuṣya-janma yāra

janma sārthaka kari' kara para-upakāra

(CC Adi 9.41)

It is the duty of the Indians to learn all this Vedic literature, make his life successful in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and preach the gospel throughout the whole world. That is India's duty. But the rascals are imitating which is already finished, fallen—so-called economic development and industrialization. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ (SB 7.5.31). In Berkeley University, one rascal student was asking me, Indian student, "Swāmījī, what this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement will do? We have to learn now technology." Yes, you learn technology and remain beggar forever. You go and beg, "Give me rice, give me . . . (indistinct) . . ." Now America is stopping this aid. Now your government is perplexed.

So this is the position, apana dhana vilaye viye viksa mage pare tache. They have forgotten their own assets, and they are begging, "Give me rice, give me wheat, give me powdered milk, give me money, give me loan. Give me, give me, give me." And their own assets they have forgotten. Apana dhana vilaye viye viksa mage pare tache. This is the position. Because they have been . . . now one boy, he has come to us, and his father and mother is very much perplexed: "Oh, now the boy is mixing with this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement. Better let him become Naxalite." They will tolerate their children to become Naxalite, but they will not tolerate that he is going to the American sādhus and becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious. This is the position of . . . you see? So because:

na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ

durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ

They do not know the ultimate goal of life is to realize God, Viṣṇu. Durāśayā. They are hopelessly hoping—hoping against hope. How? Bahir-artha-māninaḥ. This materialistic way of life, they are thinking this is the perfection of life. That is not. That is ugra-jāta. Ugra-jāta means those who are born in the modes of material nature, ignorance and passion, they think that this material economic development, exploiting the natural resources, will make them happy.

na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ

durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ

Why they have become so?

andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās

te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ

(SB 7.5.31)

Because they are being led by blind leaders, andhā. They are themselves blind. Everyone is blind, born . . . born blind. Otherwise, why you are sent to school and colleges to take knowledge? Because you are born blind.

Janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ. Everyone is born like animal. The process of birth by parental sexual intercourse, that is there in the animal life and human life. Therefore the human life birth is not different from the process of birth of the animals. Then janmanā jāyate . . . therefore, by birth everyone is a śūdra. Śūdra means almost animal. Then saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ, the second birth is required. Not finished, that birth. Birth by father and mother, that is first birth. That is as usual to the animals and to the man; there is no difference. The process of birth is the same. But the next birth, saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ, the reformatory method, garbhādhāna-saṁskāra.

Before giving birth to a child, there is a saṁskāra, there is a ceremony. That is called garbhādhāna-saṁskāra. And the higher caste, especially the brāhmaṇa, kṣatriyas, unless they observe the garbhādhāna-saṁskāra, immediately he becomes a śūdra. So in this age, Kali-yuga, kalau śūdra-sambhava: almost everyone is born śūdra. Everyone. Kalau śūdra-sambhava. Because there is no garbhādhāna-saṁskāra. So where is the question of becoming brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya and vaiśya? That is not possible.

So these are the process of varṇāśrama-dharma. But they have left everything. Now simply by force one is claiming that "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am kṣatriya," "I am vaiśya," like that. That is false claim. Ugra-jāta. Actually ugra-jāta, unfit for self-realization. But it is the mercy of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu—it is the mercy of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa prescribed this method:

māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya

ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ

striyo śūdrās tathā vaiśyās

te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim

(BG 9.32)

So Kṛṣṇa has given open order for everyone that if anyone takes shelter of His lotus feet, vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ. Pāpa-yoni. They are considered pāpa-yoni. Those who are not under the reformatory method, they are called pāpa-yoni, "impious species of life." Even women are considered like this, striyaḥ. Not all women; these fallen women, they are also considered. This is the statement. Śūdra. Strī, śūdra and vaiśya, they are considered on the same platform. So . . . but our point is that even we are in the fallen condition of life, there is no impediment to make our progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness life. There is no impediment.

māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya

ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ

striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās . . .

(BG 9.32)

In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also it is said:

kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā

ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ

ye 'nye ca pāpā . . .

(SB 2.4.18)

Even others, most abominable, they can śudhyanti: they can be purified by accepting this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore this movement is scientifically being propagated on the authority of Vedic literature. Not that we have manufactured some movement.

So everyone; it doesn’t matter. Prahlāda Mahārāja will explain that "Because all these demigods, Brahmā and others, asking me to pacify the Lord, then it is to be understood that," manye, "I therefore think,"

. . . dhanābhijana-rūpa-tapaḥ-śrutaujas-

tejaḥ-prabhāva-bala-pauruṣa-buddhi-yogāḥ

nārādhanāya hi bhavanti parasya puṁso

bhaktyā tutoṣa bhagavān gaja-yūtha-pāya

(SB 7.9.9)

Aiye, idhar aiye. (Come, come here.) Therefore he says manye: "I think, because I am fallen, I am born of a father who is not in sattva-guṇa—he is in raja-guṇa, tamo-guṇa—so therefore I am ugra-jāteḥ. But still, Brahmā and other demigods has ordered me to pacify the Lord and offer prayers. So by calculation, it is not possible that I shall offer my prayers to the Lord. But because they have recommended me, therefore I think," manye. Manye. He says manye. Manye means, "therefore I think." What is that? Now, dhanābhijana-rūpa-tapaḥ-śrutaujaḥ. Dhana, riches.

Hari-tosane sa ajñatā āsankhyā. Śrīdhara Svāmī says that hari-tosane, "Actually I am unfit to offer any prayer." Just like it is a system: a brahmin is allowed to worship the Deity, not a non-brahmin. That is the Vedic system. But he was son of a person who is less than a śūdra—he was a rākṣasa—therefore, he was unfit from birth. So therefore, Śrīdhara Mahārāja says that evam hari-tosane sa ajñatā āsankhyā: he was doubting about his eligibility to worship the Lord. Actually, unless one is situated on the platform, Brahman realization, one is unfit to offer any worship to the Lord. Kṛṣṇa says that:

yeṣāṁ anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ

janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām

te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā

bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ

(BG 7.28)

So lower birth means they are not free from the resultant action of sinful life. That is lower birth. And Kṛṣṇa says that unless one is free from the contamination of sinful life, one cannot become a devotee. Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja, he knows. Because he is a devotee, he knows.

Now Śrīdhara Svāmī is commenting āsankhyā, doubting his eligibility to worship the Lord. He is doubting, āsankhyā. Hari tosane sa ajñatā . . . ajñatā āsankhyā ajñatā sambhāvati manye . . . so he is thinking twice. He is first of all thinking, "Because I am born of a father who is so abominable, therefore by birth I am, because this body is my father's body." So the father's quality must be there. But at the same time he says that manye, "Then I think that one can become transcendental to this bodily concept of life simply by engaging himself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness."

sa guṇān samatītyaitān

brahma-bhūyāya kalpate

(BG 14.26)

Anyone who engages himself in the Lord's service in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he becomes transcendental to all material qualities. The material qualities mean sattva-guṇa, raja-guṇa, tamo-guṇa.

sa guṇān samatītyaitān

brahma-bhūyāya kalpate

(BG 14.26)

The same way . . .

(aside) What is that sound, kut-kut-kut-kut?

Therefore he says manye, "I think."

So what is that? Now, dhana, dhana means riches, one who has got money. Dhanābhijana. Manye dhana abhijana. Abhijana means aristocracy, born in very high family, rich family, aristocrat family. Manye dhana abhijana. Abhijana means sat-kule janma, to take birth in brahmin family or aristocratic family or kṣatriya family. Brahmin, kṣatriya and vaiśya, they are . . . not vaiśya. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, they are taken as sat-kula, higher aristocratic family, or pure family—by culture, not by birth. Sat-kule janma rūpam sundarya, beauty.

These things are attractive. Janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrī (SB 1.8.26), the four things: janma, to take birth in high family, aristocratic family, rich family—that is due to pious activities; aiśvarya, to acquire riches, money—immediately after birth he is proprietor of crores of rupees . . . this is not accidental. Don’t think accidental. To take birth in a rich family, in high family, that is due to pious activities. Janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrī.

So these things are being analyzed, dhana, abhijana and sundarya, beauty. Beauty is also attractive. If a man or woman is beautiful, he or she becomes attractive. Sundarya śrutaṁ. Śrutaṁ means paṇḍitaṁ. Paṇḍitaṁ, education. Śrutaṁ, this word is very significant. Paṇḍitaṁ does not mean to read only. Paṇḍitaṁ means to hear, śrutaṁ. Therefore Vedas are called śruti. Śruti: one has to hear from the bona fide spiritual master; then he can become paṇḍita. Not that purchasing a book from the market, "I purchase one Bhagavad-gītā from the market and I read." No. That is not paṇḍitaṁ. You must hear.

tad viddhi praṇipātena

paripraśnena sevayā

upadekṣyanti tad jñānaṁ

jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ

(BG 4.34)

Tad viddhi: you try to understand. Where? From the tattva-darśinaḥ. That is called śruti. You hear. Don’t try to become a learned scholar by reading yourself at home. That is not possible. Therefore Vedas are called śruti. It has to be heard from a bona fide spiritual master. This very word is used, śruti, śrutauja: knowledge received from the bona fide spiritual master by hearing, by giving aural reception. That is knowledge, paṇḍitāḥ. That is real paṇḍita. Otherwise, simply A-B-C-D knowledge is not paṇḍita. That is not. That is not realization.

Therefore this very word is used, śrutam pandityam ojah indriya-naipuṇyam. Ojaḥ, power. Power means sense power. Indriyam: not impotent; potent. Indriyam. Tejāḥ. Tejāḥ means bodily luster; kānti, beautiful. A man or woman is very beautiful, there is a luster from the body. These are material qualities. Tejāḥ, kānti, prabhāva, pratāpa. Prabhāva means if somebody says something, it has to be carried out. Just like a father says to his son, "You must do it." A master says to his servant, "You must do it." A spiritual master says to a disciple. That is called prabhāva, influence. Whatever he says cannot be disobeyed. Prabhāva.

Then balam śarīraṁ. Balam means bodily strength. Just like . . . (indistinct) . . . that is also a qualification. Śarīraṁ pauruṣaṁ uddāma: enterprise. A man is very enterprising. Especially nowadays, there are many industrialists, they are enterprising; they invest their money, risk their money, and make further profit out of it. From twenty thousand they make twenty lakhs. That is called uddāma, enterprise. Then buddhi. Buddhi means prajñāna, prajñāna, intelligence, sharp intelligence. That is called buddhi, prajñāna.

Yoga. Then comes . . . yoga is also material. People are very much fond of yoga in the Western countries, but they do not know this is only material exercise. Yoga . . . you, everyone knows aṣṭāṅga-yoga. Yama, niyama, āsana, dhyāna, dhāraṇā . . . āsana, prāṇāyāma, dhyāna, dhāraṇā, then pratyāhāra, then samādhi. Aṣṭāṅga. Eight kinds of different process by bodily exercise, that is called yoga. First of all one has to make yama niyama. It is very difficult. The so-called yogas, doing everything, and has become a yogī—that is not yogī. First principle of yoga is yama niyama: you sense control. You cannot eat everything; you cannot do everything. That is called yama niyama. Then practice āsana. There are different kinds of āsana.

Then dhyāna, dhāraṇā, pratyāhāra. There are so many rules and regulation. It is not at all possible for a person in this age. Not only at the present moment—five thousand years ago, when Arjuna was advised for this yoga practice, Arjuna flatly said, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, it is not possible." He accepted his inability. Such a personality like Arjuna, who was talking with Kṛṣṇa face to face, and such a warrior, he felt unable—and now they are practicing yoga, as if they have become more than Arjuna.

This is only false, bluff. You cannot practice yoga. And even if you practice yoga, here it is said you cannot satisfy by yoga practice the Supreme Personality of Godhead—even if you practice it. First of all you cannot practice it; it is impossible at the present age. And even if you practice . . . Prahlāda Mahārāja says even yoga, this yoga, he says:

manye dhanābhijana-rūpa-tapaḥ-śrutaujas-

tejaḥ-prabhāva-bala-pauruṣa-buddhi-yogāḥ

nārādhanāya hi . . .

(SB 7.9.9)

These are not qualification. These material qualification—to become beautiful, to rich, having very bodily strength and very beautiful luster and practicing yoga, so many thing—but they are not, I mean to say, means for offering prayer to the Lord. They are not fit even. Manye, he sees. Because he can see that brahmādayaḥ sura-gaṇā (SB 7.9.8). Sura-gaṇā means "all demigods." They are all qualified with all these material qualities.

They are very beautiful, they are very strong, they can practice yoga. Not only; they have attained the perfection of yoga, aṣṭa-siddhi. Aṣṭa-siddhi: aṇimā, laghimā, prāpti, īśitā, vaśitā, so many things. There is Siddhaloka. There is a planetary system, Siddhaloka. They are all yogīs. They can travel from one planet to another without any aeroplane, Siddhaloka. So all of them arrived there to pacify Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva. Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja is analyzing, manye dhanābhijana.

manye dhanābhijana-rūpa-tapaḥ-śrutaujas-

tejaḥ-prabhāva-bala-pauruṣa-buddhi-yogāḥ

(SB 7.9.9)

Because all the demigods, they are all qualified with all these qualities. In high strength they are qualified, not like human being. A human being may be very beautiful or very strong or may be successful in yoga practice, but the demigods, they are called demigods because they are thousands and thousands time more perfect than the human being. Therefore they are called demigods—almost God.

So Prahlāda Mahārāja thinks that these things, ete dhanadaya . . . (indistinct) . . . api guna parasya puṁso ārādhanāya na bhavanti, all these material qualities, they are not fit qualification for worshiping the Lord. Just see how Kṛṣṇa is merciful. All these demigods are also unfit to worship Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Why? Because they are lacking in pure devotional service. They also worship Kṛṣṇa; therefore they are called demigods.

There are two kinds of men within this universe: one is called deva and one is called asura. Asura means they have no connection with God, and deva means those who have got connection with God. So . . . so they have connection with God, the demigods—but for some material profit. Just like Kṛṣṇa says:

ārto arthārthī jijñāsur

jñānī ca bharatarṣabha

(BG 7.16)

Catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ. Four classes of men: who are distressed, who are in need of money, ārto arthārthī, need of money, and jñānī and jijñāsur. These four classes of men begin their search after God and worship God. That is the beginning. But that is not pure devotion. It is contaminated; that is not pure. These demigods, they have got high post in this material world. Just like we also know, there are many rich families, they have also Deities in their house, or they have special ṭhākura-bari, God's house. They do. But their purpose is to take something from Kṛṣṇa: arthārthī. They are not pure, although they are devoting very nicely. That is also good qualification, because Kṛṣṇa said:

catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ

janāḥ sukṛtino 'rjuna

(BG 7.16)

Sukṛti. Sukṛti means they are pious men. Therefore, even though asking something, some benefit by worshiping the Lord, still they are pious.

Therefore, in other words, piety is also not a qualification to approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is also not an apt qualification. It is above. Sa guṇān samatītyaitān (BG 14.26), one who can transcend all the qualities. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ (CC Madhya 19.167)—no other desire. "I am approaching Kṛṣṇa, God, to beg something," that is also good, that he is going to beg something from Kṛṣṇa than the rascals who do not come to Kṛṣṇa. They are better than them. They are duṣkṛtina who are not coming to Kṛṣṇa.

na māṁ prapadyante mūḍhāḥ

duṣkṛtino narādhamāḥ

(BG 7.15)

They are described as lowest of the mankind, one who does not come to Kṛṣṇa even for asking something. Because people have become so fallen, they do not go to Kṛṣṇa to ask. They think, "We shall earn, we shall fight, we shall kill, we shall take money from others—then I shall become rich." This is going on. Therefore, the society has so much fallen because they do not come to Kṛṣṇa. Duṣkṛtino narādhamāḥ, lowest of the mankind, and always full of sinful activities. They do not come.

But even one comes to Kṛṣṇa to beg something, some material profit, he is described in the Bhagavad-gītā as sukṛtinaḥ. Sukṛtinaḥ means pious, because he has come to Kṛṣṇa. Just like Dhruva Mahārāja. Dhruva Mahārāja went to the forest to worship Kṛṣṇa, to ask something material profit, to ask some benefit—his father's property. But the result was that he became a great devotee, so that his name . . . therefore, śāstra recommends that even if you have a desire for some material benefit, still you worship Kṛṣṇa, not other demigods.

akāmaḥ sarva-kāmo vā

mokṣa-kāma udāra-dhīḥ

tīvreṇa bhakti-yogena

yajeta paramaṁ puruṣa

(SB 2.3.10)

Paramaṁ puruṣa is Kṛṣṇa. So even you are . . . you have got kāma, you want something materially profitable—still you worship Kṛṣṇa. The result will be like Dhruva Mahārāja. He went to worship Kṛṣṇa to ask some material benefit, but ultimately he became a great devotee. When he became a devotee, even Kuvera, the treasurer of the demigods, he once . . . Dhruva Mahārāja, when he was king, he was fighting with some demons, and by the request of superior, Nārada, he stopped it. So the demons' forefather, Kuvera, was pleased, that "You have saved my family, so you can take any benefit you ask me." Kuvera means treasurer of the demigods. The whole treasury of the world he could ask from Kuvera Mahārāja, er, Kuvera.

But Dhruva Mahārāja, because he was at that time a pure devotee, he did not ask anything. He said: "Sir, if you want to give me some benediction, please give me this benediction so that I may have my unflinching faith on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa." This is pure devotee. He could have asked him the whole riches of the whole universe, but no; he did not do it. He simply said that "Kindly give me this benediction so that my faith on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa may remain forever." You see? So this is the ultimate goal of life. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ (SB 7.5.31).

So Prahlāda Mahārāja is pure devotee. He is thinking that, "Although I am low-born, but even those who are high-born, full of riches and beauty and bodily strength and yoga perfection, they are not fit for worshiping the Lord."

manye dhanābhijana-rūpa-tapaḥ-śrutaujas-

tejaḥ-prabhāva-bala-pauruṣa-buddhi-yogāḥ

nārādhanāya bhavanti parasya puṁso . . .

(SB 7.9.9)

Parasya puṁsaḥ. Parasya means Kṛṣṇa, or the Lord, does not belong to this material world. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says:

avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā

mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam

(BG 9.11)

"The rascals, because I come as human being, they think of Me as ordinary human being." But He is parā, parasya puṁsaḥ. Nārāyaṇaḥ paraḥ avyaktāt, Śaṅkarācārya said. So He is para-puruṣa, means He is above this material world. There is another nature—that is also described in the Bhagavad-gītā: paras tasmāt tu bhāvaḥ anyaḥ (BG 8.20). Bhāvaḥ means nature. There is another.

Where the Vaikuṇṭha world is? The people do not know. They think these are all fictitious, story. So rascal they have become. You see? But these are actual facts. There is another world, beyond this material world. We cannot calculate what is the length and breadth of this material world, and what we can get information of the spiritual world? But there is.

paras tasmāt tu bhāvo 'nyo

'vyakto 'vyaktāt sanātanaḥ

(BG 8.20)

That is never destroyed. In this material world, whatever existence is there, they will be destroyed. So even the whole world there, the spiritual world is not destroyed, and the master of the spiritual world, the enjoyer of the spiritual world, Kṛṣṇa, how He can be like us, like human being? Therefore Kṛṣṇa says: avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā: "Because they have no knowledge, they think I am as a man." Parasya puṁsaḥ.

So nobody can worship the parasya puṁsaḥ, this transcendental personality, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, by all these material qualification, which are acquired even by the demigods. Then how He can be? Now, bhaktyā tutoṣa bhagavān gaja-yūtha-pāya (SB 7.9.9). Bhaktyā: by simply by pure devotional service you can please the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Otherwise, it is not possible.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Haribol. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (end)