751203 - Lecture SB 07.06.02 - Vrndavana

Lectures by Date, 1975

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

 Listen to a 'Nectar Drop' created from this lecture

751203SB-VRNDAVAN - December 03, 1975 - 31:38 Minutes

Harikeśa: (leads chanting of verse, etc.)

yathā hi puruṣasyeha

viṣṇoḥ pādopasarpaṇam

yad eṣa sarva-bhūtānāṁ

priya ātmeśvaraḥ suhṛt

(SB 7.6.2)

(break) (00:40)

Translation: "In this human form of life there is chance to go back to home, back to Godhead. Therefore every living entity, especially in this human form of life, must be engaged in devotional service. This devotional service is natural because Lord Viṣṇu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of the soul, the Supersoul, is the most beloved being of all other living beings."

Prabhupāda: When the Deity door is open?

Akṣayānanda: We are waiting, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Why? Why you. . . No waiting.

Akṣayānanda: It's scheduled to open right now.

Prabhupāda: So why waiting?

Akṣayānanda: We're going to wait for your convenience.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Akṣayānanda: For your convenience.

Prabhupāda: No, no. My convenience is not there. We can see later on.

Akṣayānanda: Very well.

Prabhupāda: But in time the Deity door must be open.

Akṣayānanda: We can keep schedule now?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Akṣayānanda: (aside:) You can inform him.

Prabhupāda: We can go after finishing and offer respect. That doesn't matter. But the Deity must be open.

Akṣayānanda: Yes. It is now.

Prabhupāda:

yathā hi puruṣasyeha

viṣṇoḥ pādopasarpaṇam

yad eṣa sarva-bhūtānāṁ

priya ātmeśvaraḥ suhṛt

(SB 7.6.2)

This is called sambandha-jñāna. (bells ring, Deities open; devotees offer obeisances) There are three things—sambandha, abhidheya and prayojana. Sambandha means first of all we have to establish what is our relationship with God, which is called sambandha-jñāna. Any Vedic literature, it is dealing with three things—sambandha, abhidheya and prayojana. Everywhere. In our relationship with mundane world. . . You are American, so American means the sambandha, the relationship. You have got intimate relationship with the country known as America. This is called sambandha. Unless you know what is your relationship with America, there is no question of fighting for America. Because the relationship is there. Similarly, in any country. . . This is, of course, artificial, man-made sambandha, externally. But the principle, to know first of all our relationship, then act accordingly, and then the purpose for which we establish relationship, that is obtained. A businessman, he enters into business contract with another businessman. The agreement is there, that "We shall transact business as purchaser or seller, as agent or as principal." This is called sambandha-jñāna. If we do not know what is our sambandha, relationship with God, then why one should be interested to worship God? There is no question. Therefore sambandha-jñāna is the first principle to understand.

So sambandha-jñāna, Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā what is the position between the living entities and the Supreme Lord. In the Vedas it is stated, nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānāṁ eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). We are related with God because He is the chief leader, nityo nityānāṁ. We are all nityas, eternal, and He is the chief eternal. From eternal, chief eternal, small eternals come. Just like the sun is the big illumination, and the sunshine is coming from the sun, small, bright particles. It is also individual. But because it is automatic, molecules, we cannot see differently. We see simply the illumination. But it is combination of bright particles, the sunshine. So in this way, nityo nityānām. Kṛṣṇa is the big, bright subject, and we are small particles coming from Kṛṣṇa. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7). It is perpetually we are connected. Just like the sun and the sunshine is perpetually connected, similarly, we are also perpetually connected. Take it any way. Kṛṣṇa, or Viṣṇu, the supreme father, and we are all sons.

sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya

sambhavanti mūrtayoyāḥ

tāsāṁ mahad-yonir brahma

ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā

(BG 14.4)

He is the supreme father, and as the father and the sons are related eternally, you cannot be separated. There may be misunderstanding between the father and the son, but the son is always the son, and the father is always the father. That cannot be separated.

So our present material condition of life means that we are forgotten of our relationship with God. This is our position. Therefore people are. . . Some of them are agnostic. Some of them are atheist. Some of them are this, that, so many. They want to forget God. They have already forgotten, and on account of their forgetfulness they are conditioned by nature. The father wants the sons may come back, and the sons have forgotten the father. Therefore the father comes as incarnation. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham (BG 4.7). Why Kṛṣṇa comes? Not only He comes, He sends His so many incarnation. Some of them are svāṁśa. Some of them are vibhinnāṁśa. Everyone is coming here to canvass, to get back the sons back to home, back to Godhead. In different countries, in different atmosphere the business is going on to reestablish the lost or forgotten relationship with God. This is going on.

So here Prahlāda Mahārāja recommended in the first verse, kaumāram ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha (SB 7.6.1): "From the very beginning of childhood one should be trained up to act according to the bhāgavata-dharma." That is real life. But instead of bhāgavata-dharma, they have created so many false dharmas. So many. So that is our mistake. Real dharma is bhāgavata-dharma, relationship with God. You may call it bhāgavata-dharma or the occupational duty in relationship with God. That is compulsory. You cannot say that "I do not need it." No. That is compulsory. If you are not in bhāgavata-dharma, then you are misled. That is described, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo atra (SB 1.1.2). Where there is no question of to understand the relationship with God, that kind of religious system is bogus and cheating. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītaṁ (SB 6.3.19). This is the purport. Therefore it is said that why bhāgavata-dharma should be learned or one should be trained up in bhāgavata-dharma? Because yathā hi puruṣasya: "Of all living entities. . ." Puruṣasya iha viṣṇoḥ pādopasarpaṇam. Viṣṇoḥ pādopasarpaṇa means the same thing, as you say, "back to home, back to Godhead."

Viṣṇu is original Lord, or our father. We have expanded. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7). Every living entity is part and parcel of Viṣṇu, and they are separated. Not separated, but given freedom to serve Viṣṇu. To serve does not mean no freedom. It is not dull stone. Every living being. . . Just like you are trying to serve the cause of Kṛṣṇa conscious. It does not mean that you have no freedom, you are like stone. No. You have got freedom, but you are utilizing the freedom how to render best service to Kṛṣṇa. That freedom is required. You must have freedom. Otherwise it is a dull stone. We have constructed this temple with freedom that "The temple should be constructed in this pattern, in this fashion. It should be decorated like this." So it is freedom, but that freedom is not misused. It is used for the service: "How best service we can render?" This is the proper use of freedom. And when you misuse the freedom, then it is māyā. That is called māyā. Therefore our freedom should be how to become fully engaged in loving service of the Lord. Viṣṇoḥ pādopasarpaṇam. Yathā hi puruṣasya iha viṣṇoḥ pādopasar. . . Why? It is still further explained, yad eṣa sarva-bhūtānāṁ priya. Viṣṇu is very dear to us.

Same example: father and the son. The son is dear to father, and the father is dear to the son, at least so long the child is not grown up to rebel against the father and mother. Just like the small child lying down on the lap of the mother, it does not know anything except mother. So as soon as mother is not there it begins to cry because very, very dear. Mother is very dear. Similarly, the child is also very dear to the mother. This is natural relationship. So we being part and parcel. . . What is this child? A part and parcel of the mother. From very small body the child has grown. That means the mother has given the body of the child; therefore it is part and parcel. Hmm. What is child? From the mother's body it has developed, and then it comes out and develops again, go on. So yad eṣa sarva-bhūtānāṁ priya. Therefore child is. . . Because part and parcel, therefore the child is very dear to the mother and the mother is very dear to the child, priya. Priya means very, very dear.

So similarly, our relationship with Viṣṇu is very, very intimate, very, very dear. It is not ordinary relationship. That is being explained. You cannot give up your very dear friend, very dear father and mother or servant. There are so many relationships: śānta, dāsya, sakhya, vātsalya, mādhurya. In different relationship, Kṛṣṇa is very dear to us and we are also very dear to Him. You have seen the Kṛṣṇa's picture. He is patting the small deer, because animal or man, everyone is dear to Him. And for animal or man or everyone, Kṛṣṇa is very dear. This is our relationship. So this artificial way of life, forgetting our relationship with Kṛṣṇa, is condemned therefore. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ. . . (SB 7.5.31). Here in this material world it is struggle for existence. Manaḥ-ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati (BG 15.7). Simply struggle to become happy. Why this struggle? Because they have forgotten that Viṣṇu is, or Kṛṣṇa is, very, very dear to him. He, instead of accepting Viṣṇu as very dear to him, he is accepting the māyā as very dear to him. This is the fault. Therefore he is not happy. Therefore struggle for existence.

Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja says that yad esa sarva-bhūtānām. Sarva-bhūtānām. Not that Kṛṣṇa is very dear only to the human being. No. Sarva-bhūtānām. Because the relationship is very thick and thin, so Kṛṣṇa is also very dear to every living entity. We have forgotten that. Just like the master and the servant, the crude example, the dog: The dog loves the master because he knows, "The master gives me to eat." He feels obliged. The master takes care of the dog, and the dog is very much anxious to serve the master. Similarly, eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). Why our relationship. . .? Because Kṛṣṇa is supplying all the needs of life. Eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti. We require so many things, but who is supplying? Supplying, Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is supplying food to the small ant, and Kṛṣṇa is supplying food to the big elephant. Unless Kṛṣṇa supplies, there is no food. If Kṛṣṇa does not supply, if there is no production for your subsistence, then how you will live?

So eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. Therefore our relationship is very intimate. Not only my, but everyone, every living entity. Yad eṣa sarva-bhūtānāṁ priya ātmeśvaraḥ. Ātmeśvara, ātmā, self. So everyone's self means himself, the spirit soul, is very, very dear. Just like if there is some danger immediately, then we shall leave this place immediately and try to save our body from the danger. Why you are trying to save your body? "No, because it is very dear to me." Why it is so dear? "Because I am living within this body." So I love my body because I am living within the body. Anywhere you take. You love your house, love your home. Why? Because you are living there. So you are loving yourself. Then why you are loving yourself? What is the source of yourself? Viṣṇu, Kṛṣṇa. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7).

So ultimately I love God. But there are so many impediments, I have forgotten. I am thinking sometimes to love my body, my mind, like that. But real love is because I am spirit soul, therefore I love myself. And why I love myself? Because it is part and parcel of Viṣṇu. Therefore ultimately you love Viṣṇu. But we have forgotten it. In relationship with Viṣṇu we have learned to love. . . Not love. That is our lust. Real love is with Viṣṇu. Because by nature there is love. Just like the child: It loves the mother, and in the absence of the mother he cries. And when the mother comes, he becomes satisfied. So our real love is for Kṛṣṇa, but that we have forgotten. And you are offered, "Why you are crying? You take this. You take this. You take this." No. Nothing will satisfy us unless we again come back to love our original source of life.

Just like Dhruva Mahārāja. Dhruva Mahārāja was thinking of becoming happy by getting a great kingdom, and ultimately when he met the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he found the object of love. He said, svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce (CC Madhya 22.42): "No. I don't want anything. I have got now everything. I have seen You." Yaṁ labdhvā cāparaṁ lābhaṁ manyate nādhikaṁ tataḥ (BG 6.22). If you get Kṛṣṇa—Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu, the same thing—then you become satisfied. Otherwise there is no possibility of satisfaction. That is not possible. Simply when you get Kṛṣṇa. . . Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's service is the same. It is not Māyāvāda, that we get Kṛṣṇa and we become one with Him. Then that is not satisfaction. That is not satisfaction. When Dhruva Mahārāja saw Viṣṇu he did not say, "Now let me become one with You." No. He said, svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce. There is svāmi, master, and the servant is feeling full satisfaction by seeing the master. This is real satisfaction, not that stop our relation. Not that the child is crying and praying to the mother, "Mother, you push me within your belly. We become one." No. It is crying for the love exchange of mother: "Mother, give me your breast milk. I will be satisfied."

So there is no question of oneness. This oneness is false. There must be separate existence. Then there is satisfaction. A friend loves his friend, and the other friend exchanges love. That is satisfaction, not that "You are my friend and I am your friend. Let us become one." That is not possible, and that is not satisfaction. Therefore those who are Māyāvādīs, to become one with the Supreme, they do not know what is satisfaction really. Artificially they try to become one. That is not satisfaction. Ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ (SB 10.2.32). The Māyāvādī thinks that "Now I have realized Brahman. I am Brahman, spirit soul. So I'll become one with the supreme spirit soul as soon as this body is finished." Gatākāśa potakāśa, it is said. But that is not real satisfaction. Ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninaḥ. They think, "Now I am liberated. I am one with the Supreme." But actually he is artificially thinking that. Ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ. Because they have no right information how to become satisfied fully, therefore they are aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ. Their intelligence is not yet pure. It is impure, again material. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adho anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ (SB 10.2.32).

Therefore you will find the Māyāvādī sannyāsīs, they come again to serve humanity, to serve animals, to serve this, that, country, society. This is Māyāvāda. Aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ. He could not stay in the exalted post of being servitor and the served. The Supreme Lord is served and we are servant. Because we could not get to that position, therefore. . . My position is to serve. I did not like to serve Kṛṣṇa. I wanted to become one with Him. Therefore my position is not clear. Therefore, instead of serving Kṛṣṇa, I come to back again to serve humanity, community, nation, and so on, so on, so on. The service cannot be rejected. But because aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ, not properly trained up, still his unclean state of mind, instead of serving Kṛṣṇa, because he is hankering after giving service but being nirākāra, nirviśeṣa, without Kṛṣṇa, then where he will serve? The service spirit, how it will be utilized? Therefore they come back again—country, society. . . Once they give up, brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā: "These are all mithyā." But they do not know that actually giving service is real blissful life. That they do not know. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adhaḥ (SB 10.2.32). Therefore they fall down, again material activities.

So these things happened on account of not clear conception of life. That is Prahlāda Mahārāja. Therefore the clear conception of life, how to serve God, Kṛṣṇa, that is called bhāgavata-dharma. This should be taught to the children. Otherwise, when he is engaged in so many nonsense service, it will be very difficult to drag him from this false engagement and again establish him to the Kṛṣṇa's service. So when we are children—we are not polluted—we should be trained up in bhāgavata-dharma. That is Prahlāda Mahārāja's subject matter. Kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha durlabhaṁ mānuṣa (SB 7.6.1). We are serving. The birds are serving. They have got small kiddie, children. They are picking up food and working very hard and bringing it in the mouth, and the small kiddies, they are chanting, "Mother, mother, give me, give me," and eat food. There is service. There is service. Don't think that anyone is without service. Everyone is serv. . . A man is working hard day and night. Why? To give service to the family, to the children, to the wife. The service is going on, but he does not know where to give service. Therefore Kṛṣṇa said, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ (BG 18.66): "Give Me service. You'll be happy." This is this philosophy, bhāgavata-dharma.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda. (end).