720914 - Lecture SB 01.03.07 - Los Angeles

Lectures by Date, 1972

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

720914SB-LOS ANGELES - September 14, 1972 - 35:50 Minutes

Prabhupāda: (Govindam prayers) Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Devotees: Hare Kṛṣṇa. (japa)

Prabhupāda: Hums. Who will play khol? (leads singing of Jaya Rādhā-Mādhava) (prema-dhvani) Thank you very much.

Devotees: All glories to Śrī Guru and Gauranga. All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda. (devotees offer obeisances) (break)

Prabhupāda: Hmm.

Pradyumna: (aside) Number 7. Śrīla Prabhupāda, Third chapter, verse number 7.

Prabhupāda: That's all right. Third chapter?

Pradyumna: Third chapter.

Prabhupāda: Hmm.

Pradyumna: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. (leads chanting of verse) (Prabhupāda and devotees repeat)

dvitīyaṁ tu bhavāyāsya

rasātala-gatāṁ mahīm

uddhariṣyann upādatta

yajñeśaḥ saukaraṁ vapuḥ

(SB 1.3.7)

Prabhupāda: (corrects pronunciation) Not sukaraṁ—saukaraṁ. (more devotees chant) Next. Ladies, ladies. (ladies chant)

That's all. Now word meaning.

Pradyumna:

dvitīyam—the second; tu—but; bhavāya—for welfare; asya—of this earth; rasātala—the lowest; gatām—having gone; mahīm—the earth; uddhariṣyan—lifting up; upādatta—established; yajñeśaḥ—the proprietor or the supreme enjoyer; saukaram—hoggish; vapuḥ—incarnation.

Translation: "The supreme enjoyer of all sacrifices accepted the incarnation of a boar, the second incarnation, and for the welfare of the earth He lifted the earth up from the nether regions of the universe."

Prabhupāda: So, this universe, this universe is filled up with water, half. Whatever we are seeing, this is only half, like this. The other half we cannot see. So within this water, sometimes that Hiraṇyākṣa demon drowned this whole earth within this water. So at the present moment we cannot find such demons, but there were demons like that. The whole planetary system is floating, but there may be some demon who can take one of them and put within the water.

The planets are floating; that is known to everyone. We can see, actually, that such a big, gigantic mass . . . even the sun, which is fourteen hundred thousand times bigger than this earth, that is also floating in the outer space. The support is Ananta. They say: "Law of gravitation", we say Saṅkarṣaṇa. Saṅkarṣaṇa. So He is holding every planet, and it is said that all these universes are resting on the hood of Śeṣa-nāga just like a small grain of mustard.

So when we speak of "God is great," we cannot imagine how great He is. We apply frog philosophy, Dr. Frog's philosophy. Dr. Frog thinks, because he is in the well of three feet, if he is given the information, "Oh, there is a big mass of water, Atlantic Ocean," he cannot believe it. He will think in terms of the well. The well is three feet.

So he may think, "All right, Atlantic Ocean may be four feet. All right, five feet. Come on. All right, six feet." So this Dr. Frog's philosophy. The so-called rascal philosophers and scientists, they are calculating God's creation. One of the universe is resting on Anantadeva's hood just like a mustard seed. Not only that . . .

yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya

jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ . . .

(Bs. 5.48)

Every universe has got a predominating deity, president. We can understand: in every country, there is a president to rule over the country. Similarly, to rule over this universe, there is a president. That is Brahmā, Lord Brahmā. Lord Brahmā's duration of life, span of life, you cannot calculate. You can calculate, but it is something like beyond our imagination.

His one day is four hundred . . . forty-three crores of years, one day. Similarly, one month, thirty days, one month—then twelve months, year. Such hundred years. So he lives such hundred years. So that Brahmā lives hundred years in his calculation; that is also a breathing period of Viṣṇu.

yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya

jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ . . .

(Bs. 5.48)

These gigantic universes, they are coming out from the hair holes of the body of Mahā-Viṣṇu or from His . . . just like sometimes infected person, they distribute germs from breathing, from perspiration. That is scientific. Similarly, Mahā-Viṣṇu's breathing and perspiration within the Causal Ocean, bringing forth so many universes. And each and every universe, there are so many planet, and one of the planet is this, earth, earthly planet.

So sometimes this earthly planet was thrown into the water, Garbhodaka-samudra, Garbhodaka Sea, and God took the form of a boar, having two tusks—because it was easier. Just like shovel, you take something like that. So He took the earth. So that is described: kṣitir iha vipulatare tiṣṭhati tava . . . no. What is that? Daśana-śikhare? The, this is described in Jayadeva's prayer: vasati daśana-śikhare dharaṇī tava lagnā. Vasati, is resting; vasati daśana-śikhare, on the top of the tusk. Keśava dhṛta-śūkara-rūpa jaya jagadīśa hare.

So He's yajñeśa. It is not that He's . . . his shape was just like hog, but He's not hog. Don't misunderstand. His shape was a gigantic hog. You can just imagine what kind of hog He was. The shape was like hog, but He was resting the whole planet, earthly planet, on the tusk. Vasati daśana-śikhare dharaṇī tava lagnā śaśini kalaṅka . . . keśava dhṛta-śūkara-rūpa. (Śrī Daśāvatāra Stotra 3)

Here it is stated, saukaram. Saukaram means like hog. Not that He's hog. He's yajñeśa. He can take any shape. Just like here is, God has assumed the shape of a lion, half-lion, half-man. So He's all powerful, He can take any shape, any form, but He is not that form. That is for the time being. For the time being, He assumes so many forms. The real form is Kṛṣṇa, the original form. Keśava dhṛta-śukara, saukara-rūpa or śūkara-rūpa: "My Lord Keśava, You have assumed this form." So there are many millions and millions of forms of God. According to time, necessity, circumstances, He assumes different forms, because it is His business:

yadā yadā hi dharmasya

glānir bhavati bhārata

abhyutthānam adharmasya

tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham

(BG 4.7)

He appears as soon as there is discrepancies in the methodical way. Another place, indrāri-vyākulaṁ lokam (SB 1.3.28). Indra. Indra means the heavenly god, and ari means enemy. So indrāri, the enemy of the king of heaven. That means demons.

There are two classes of beings, human being, in the human state: the devatā and asura. So devatā means God conscious, Kṛṣṇa conscious. Anyone who is Kṛṣṇa conscious, he is devatā, demigod. And anyone who is not Kṛṣṇa conscious, he's demon. This is the difference. So that demon may be very big or small, it doesn't matter, but . . . asuras tad-viparyayaḥ. Viparyayaḥ means "just the opposite." The devotees, they are demigods, and asura means just the opposite number of devotee; that means nondevotees. Those who are nondevotee, those who are not devotees of the Lord, they are all demons.

So demons are always disturbing. They'll create disturbance. That is . . . their business is to create disturbance in the creation of the Supreme Lord. So this Hiraṇyākṣa and Hiraṇyakaśipu, two brothers, they were creating so much disturbances. The whole world is disturbed only for the existence of the demons, asuri. At the present moment also, the world is full of demons. The devotees, their number is very, very small. Just like our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement: we can count within the finger how many we have got, Kṛṣṇa conscious. But demons, non-Kṛṣṇa conscious, nondevotees, there is no limit. Innumerable.

So when demons are too much prominent, then Kṛṣṇa comes. So in the Kali-yuga He has appeared . . . just like previously He appeared in the form of hog, similarly, Kṛṣṇa has appeared in this Kali-yuga in the form of His name. There is no difference between the form and name of God. God is absolute. Nāma-rūpe, "in the form of name." So those who are disturbed by the demons may take shelter of this form of God, Hare Kṛṣṇa. Then you'll be saved. Otherwise, the demon will put you within the Pacific Ocean water, just like this demon. But Kṛṣṇa will save you, as Prahlāda Mahārāja was put into the water by his father.

So to become Kṛṣṇa conscious means there will be so many enemies. Even father, what to speak of others? They will criticize, they will attack. I have recently received letter from Germany, our devotees were attacked by a gang. So this is the way. As soon as you become God conscious, the demons will create disturbance. Just like Lord Jesus Christ, he was crucified by the demons. The only fault was that he was God conscious. Just see; such innocent person. The world is like that.

So these dangers are there, but don't be afraid of. Kṛṣṇa will save you. And tolerate. If there are disturbances . . . because it is the nature of this material world, as soon as there will be devotee, God conscious person, there will be so many enemies from the side of the demons. So we have to tolerate. Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore has recommended:

tṛṇād api sunīcena

taror api sahiṣṇunā

amāninā mānadena

kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ

(CC Adi 17.31)

You have to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra against the demons. Just like in Australia, the demons have instituted a case against us, a big case by the city authorities. So what can be done? They wanted to appoint big, big lawyers. I have advised, "Don't appoint lawyers. You go on chanting. They may put you in the jail, so you go on chanting. What is that? You chant on the street or chant on the jail, they're the same thing. So don't be afraid. They'll take you in the jail, 'Go on, Hare Kṛṣṇa.' "

We have got one means: nārāyaṇa-parāḥ sarve na kutaścana bibhyati (SB 6.17.28). "Those who are devotees, they are not afraid of anything." Svargāpavarga-narakeṣv api tulyārtha-darśinaḥ: "Either they're sent in the heavenly planet or in the hell planet, it doesn't matter." We want simply to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and remember Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It doesn't matter whether it is in the hell or heaven.

So saukaraṁ vapuḥ. Dvitīyaṁ tu bhavāyāsya rasātala-gatāṁ mahīm. Rasātala. We do not know what are the down planets. This is called . . . bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ. This is bhūr-loka. Above this, there is bhu-loka. Above this, there is svarga-loka; above that, there is jana-loka; above that, there is mahar-loka; above that, there is siddha-loka. In this way, seven upper planetary system. And similarly, there are seven downwards. That is called tala, atala, talātala, rasātala, like that. Tala, atala, vitala, talātala, rasātala. So rasātala, the lowest, that means down the water, rasātala-gatām.

Just like this morning we were calculating the depth of the Pacific Ocean. They are sometimes seven miles. So similarly, that Garbhodakaśāyī, Garbhodaka-samudra, just imagine how deep it is. So within that deep water, the earth was put, and Kṛṣṇa in the shape of Varāha saved it. So Kṛṣṇa will save you. Others may disturb you, put you into the difficulty, but Kṛṣṇa will save you. Be assured. Don't be disappointed. Kṛṣṇa says, kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31): "My dear Kaunteya, you can declare to the world that anyone who is My devotee . . ."

Devotee means pure devotee, anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Brs. 1.1.11), without any other desires. Devotee means he wants to serve Kṛṣṇa, that's all. Not that in return he wants something. He is devotee. Devotion is not business: "Sir, I have come to Your temple. I am offering my obeisances. Now, my salary is five hundred dollars. Kindly make it two thousand." That is also devotion . . . not devotion.

That is appreciation of God that, "God can give me." That is also good. But those who are not coming to the temple, they are miscreants. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). Those who are lowest of the mankind, miscreants, mūḍhas, rascals, they do not come even to God for asking something. They think that, "We shall create our own . . ."

But those who are pious, even though asking something from God, they are pious, because they have come to God. So these people, those who are coming to the temple for some material amelioration, they are pious. But those who are not coming, they are duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ, narādhamāḥ. That is the description. But devotee means he does not ask anything from God. He simply wants to give. That is devotee. Just like gopīs. They never asked anything from Kṛṣṇa? Huh? (pause) Now chant.

Devotees: Hare Kṛṣṇa (break) (end)