730426 - Lecture SB 01.08.34 - Los Angeles

Lectures by Date, 1973

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

730426SB-LOS ANGELES - April 26, 1973 - 43:13 Minutes

(japa)

Devotees: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda!

(curtains open, greeting Deities; Govindam playing) (break)

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

bhārāvatāraṇāyānye

bhuvo nāva ivodadhau

sīdantyā bhūri-bhāreṇa

jāto hy ātma-bhuvārthitaḥ

(SB 1.8.34)

(break)

Prabhupāda: Word meaning.

Pradyumna: bhāra-avatāraṇāya—just to reduce the burden to the world; anye—others; bhuvaḥ—of the world; nāvaḥ—boat; iva—like that; udadhau—on the sea; sīdantyāḥ—aggrieved; bhūri—extremely; bhāreṇa—by the burden; jātaḥ—You were born; hi—for; ātma-bhuvā—Brahmā; arthitaḥ—being prayed for.

Translation: "Others say that the world, being overburdened like a boat at sea, is much aggrieved, and that Brahmā, who is Your son, prayed for You, and so You have appeared to diminish the trouble."

Prabhupāda: So Kuntīdevī is describing different statements of different person why Kṛṣṇa appeared. Somebody says that He appeared on the request of Devakī and Vasudeva. Somebody says He appeared on the request of Brahmā.

So there is bhuva-bhara. Bhuva-bhara. It is said, bhārāvatāraṇāyānye bhuvo nāva ivodadhau. Bhuva-bhara, this world becomes overburdened. Overburdened. As soon as it becomes overburdened, there must be a war, pestilence, famine, epidemic and finish. This is natural. Overburdened. Nature's law. This is called . . . in economics there is some law. So why the world becomes overburdened? The earth planet . . . not only earth planet; there are many millions of other planets also. They are bearing big, big mountains, big, big ocean. So why it becomes overburdened? Yes.

First of all, you have to consider how this planet is floating in the air. It is floating in the air, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, gām āviśya (BG 15.13). Because Kṛṣṇa enters within this . . . Kṛṣṇa, just like He enters within the atom. So He's the spirit, Supreme Spirit. So because the Supreme Spirit is within, therefore it is floating. Not that weightlessness. Weight is there, very heavy weight. Just like you can test: This body will float in the water so long you are living. And as soon as the spirit soul goes, then immediately the body goes down. The law of gravity acts, the so-called law of gravity. This is an example. A child, so long it is living you can take in one hand. But as soon as the child is dead, it becomes heavier. That is natural.

So everything is lighter as soon as it is spiritually advanced or there is spirit. Similarly, when we'll be spiritually advanced, then there will be no impediment. Now we cannot fly in the air, but when you are free from this body, your spirit soul, within a second you can go to the Vaikuṇṭhaloka. It is so light. Within a second. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9).

So the conclusion is, when the world becomes overloaded with the demons, nondevotees, it becomes disturbed; it becomes . . . the mother earth feels load, very much load. So at that time, Kṛṣṇa comes. Therefore it is said, bhāra-avatāraṇāya: just to unload. And bhārāvatāraṇāyānye. Somebody says, bhuvo nāva ivodadhau. Just like if a ship or boat is overloaded, it is very dangerous. It can be drowned at any moment. So sīdantyā bhūri-bhāreṇa.

So mother earth was overloaded, and she approached Brahmā on account of overloading of these demons. She was feeling too much uncomfortable. And Brahmā is the chief living being within this universe. So when there is need, others approaches Brahmā, and Brahmā approaches Viṣṇu to reduce the overburden. Then He takes His incarnation, and that is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata, abhyutthānam adharmasya (BG 4.7). Abhyutthānam adharmasya. "When the principles of religiosity becomes increased, at that time I appear," Kṛṣṇa says.

Just like take, for example, when there are too much criminals in the state, unlawful, lawlessness, the state becomes overburdened, disturbed, overburdened. At that time the administrators are puzzled what to do. Similarly, when the world is overburdened by atheists, demons, nonbelievers, the world becomes overburdened. Otherwise things will go on nicely. Just like in the state, if people abide by the laws nicely, then it is very easy to administer; things are going on very nicely. But if people become criminals, it becomes a overburden to the state administrators.

So such thing happens because this is material world. And the demons and the demigods, they are always there, existing. But when the demonic power becomes increased, then the world becomes overburdened. Sīdantyā bhūri-bhāreṇa jāto hy ātma-bhuvārthitaḥ (SB 1.8.34). Ātma-bhū. Ātmabhū is Brahmā's name. He's directly born of the Supreme Soul, Viṣṇu. He's not born as usually we do, from the womb of mother. So Brahmā was born from the navel of Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. Therefore his another name is Ātmabhū, Svayambhū. Svayambhū. These are different names of Brahmā. Svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ (SB 6.3.20). These are the . . . Brahmā is one . . . one of the authorities. He's also mentioned in the list of authorities, dvādaśa-mahājana, twelve authorities.

svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ

. . . kapila manuḥ

prahlādo janako bhīṣma

balir vaiyāsakir vayam

(SB 6.3.20)

We have to follow the mahājana, great authorities.

If we want to be in knowledge of everything, then the Vedic instruction is that tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigaccet (MU 1.2.12): one has to approach guru. So guru means authority. So there are, originally . . . original guru is Kṛṣṇa, as Kṛṣṇa is teaching to Arjuna. Similarly, He also taught Brahmā. Tene brahma hṛdā ādi-kavaye. That is the statement in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Janmādy asya yataḥ anvayād itarataś ca artheṣu abhijñaḥ svarāṭ (SB 1.1.1). That should be the subject matter of research work.

Where is the original source of creation? Janmādy asya yataḥ—from where janma, sthiti and pralaya is taking place. That we have got experience. Janma, we have taken our birth at a certain date. This body is born. The sthiti . . . we stay. This body will run on for some years, ten years, twenty years, fifty years, according to the body. Then it will be finished. So wherefrom this body came and where, after finishing, where it goes?

There are so many scientific laws, conservation of energy. So who is that conservation or the source of energy? That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). There is source. It is not blind. Just like these rascals think it has come out of nothing. How something can come out of nothing? There is no proof, but they claim like that.

Therefore they are blind. No. Bhāgavatam says, janmādy asya yataḥ anvayād itarataś cārtheṣu abhijñaḥ (SB 1.1.1): the original source from whom everything has come and in whom everything is existing and within whom everything will enter. Yato vā imāni bhūtāni jāyante (Taittirīya Upaniṣad 3.1). These are the Vedic instructions.

So what is the nature of that thing wherefrom things are coming, emanating, things are existing, and again, after being finished, it is entering? Prakṛtiṁ yānti māmikām (BG 9.7). In the Bhagavad-gītā Kṛṣṇa says: "The prakṛti enters into Me." So they do not know. So what is that source? Therefore Bhāgavatam says that that supreme source is janmādy asya yataḥ anvayād itarataś cārtheṣu abhijñaḥ. Abhijña means completely conscious. Jña. Jña means knowledge. So abhijña. Abhi means specifically jña. Not like our's knowledge. We do not know. We have no sufficient knowledge wherefrom I have come, where I shall go after death. That we do not know. Therefore we are not abhijña. But the supreme source is abhijña. He's not a stone, void. No. How He can be?

Such a nice creation. Everyone can appreciate this created cosmic manifestation, how it is nicely working. The sun is rising exactly in time, without any division, even one ten-thousandth part of a second. The moon is rising, the seasons are changing. In the season, the fruits and flowers coming. So in this way the whole cosmic manifestation is going on very orderly, systematically. Everyone can understand that. So unless there is some abhijña, very clever brain who knows everything, how it is created? But they say that it has come out of nothing. What is this nonsense?

Can such thing come out of nothing? Is that very good reasoning? No. Bhāgavatam says no. It is coming from the person who is abhijña, very experienced. And that abhijñaḥ, tene . . . janmādy asya yataḥ anvayād itarataś cārtheṣu abhijñaḥ tene (SB 1.1.1). Tene means He broadcasted knowledge. To whom? Ādi-kavaye. Ādi-kavaye, the original creature.

The Brahmā is the original creature. Therefore he has got contact with the original source. He has got his original source how he receives knowledge. Because we have got understanding that we get knowledge from another person when we are face to face. But Brahmā was alone. How he got the knowledge?

That is explained in the Bhāgavatam: tene brahma hṛdā. Hṛdā means through the heart. Because the Supreme Person, Paramātmā, is also within the heart. So although Brahmā was alone, he was getting the knowledge, dictation, from the Supreme. Tene brahma. Brahma means knowledge. Brahma means Veda. The Vedic knowledge was given to him first. Tene brahma hṛdā.

The Vedic knowledge is given to everyone, because Kṛṣṇa is in everyone's heart. Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭaḥ (BG 15.15). He's sitting in everyone's heart. But one must be qualified to receive the knowledge. Kṛṣṇa is helping us from within. He is giving us knowledge from within. Without also. So without, He's spiritual master. And within He's Supersoul, caitya-guru. In this way, we are getting knowledge.

So Brahmā is getting knowledge from Kṛṣṇa, and Brahmā is distributing Vedic knowledge. Therefore he's authority. We, we belong to the Brahma-sampradāya, our this Caitanya Mahāprabhu's sampradāya. There are four sampradāyas: one from Brahmā; one from Śrī, Lakṣmī; one from Śambhu, Lord Śiva; and one from Kumāra. Kumāraḥ kapilo manuḥ. So there are four Vaiṣṇava sampradāyas. So we have to approach the authoritative representative of Brahmā, Kṛṣṇa. Then we can get the real knowledge.

Therefore this earth personified approached Brahmā. Bhuvārthitaḥ jātaḥ. So Brahmā prayed to the Supreme Personality of Godhead that, "This is the position of the world. So it is now overburdened with demons." So Kṛṣṇa comes:

yadā yadā hi dharmasya

glānir bhavati (bhārata)

abhyutthānam adharmasya

tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham

(BG 4.7)

He appears. This is the process. So somebody says Kṛṣṇa appeared on the request of Brahmā when he prayed for His appearance on account of overburden, weight of the world.

So Kṛṣṇa came. And you have seen our Kṛṣṇa book, how much He's engaged in killing the demons. In killing the demons. So Kṛṣṇa says that, "I come down," paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya (BG 4.8), "to kill the demons." So killing business is there, Kṛṣṇa. Although His killing and protecting the same thing, because He's absolute, but the killing business is there.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa has . . . the Nārāyaṇa has got two hands, club and disc. That is for killing the demons. And two hands, conchshell and lotus flower. That is for the devotees. The devotees are protected. Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31). Kṛṣṇa is bugling with His conchshell that "My devotees will not be vanquished." And the lotus flower is the symbol of blessing. It is in the hands of Lakṣmījī also, sometimes, blessing.

So somebody says that Kṛṣṇa appeared for this purpose, somebody says Kṛṣṇa appeared for this purpose, but the real conclusion is that Kṛṣṇa appeared for His own pleasure. Not, not being bound by any cause. Kṛṣṇa is fully independent. Just like we take our birth being bound by the cause of our karma. Kṛṣṇa does not come being bound up by somebody's request or by His karma. He comes out of His free will. Ātma-māyayā. It is said, ātma-māyayā. He's not compelled by any other's māyā. Just like we are compelled by the energy of Kṛṣṇa, external energy, this material energy.

We are compelled to take birth. Kṛṣṇa does not take birth in such condition. Ātma-māyayā. Not by the . . . because māyā is under the control of Kṛṣṇa. So how māyā can control Kṛṣṇa? One who thinks that Kṛṣṇa is also like us, controlled by māyā, they are called mūḍhas. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11).

(aside) Read the purport little.

Pradyumna: "Brahmā, or the first living being born just after the creation, is the direct son of Nārāyaṇa. Nārāyaṇa, as Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, first of all entered the material universe. Without spiritual contact matter cannot create."

Prabhupāda: This is the beginning of creation. Those who are finding out the original cause of material creation, they should know this fact, that creation takes place when there is spirit soul. That means living. The matter is not created . . . matter is created by the spirit soul, not the soul is created by matter. This is rascal theory, that this living condition, living force, living energy which we have got, it is created by material condition. This is Buddhist theory. At the present moment, the whole world is going on on this Buddhist theory, that under certain condition the matter develops living force. No. That is not. Actually the fact is: upon the living force, matter increases.

That we can understand very easily. Apart from our knowledge, within the womb of the mother how the body develops, we can see if a child is born, he grows; his body develops. But if the child is born dead, no spirit soul, it will not develop. Everyone knows that. Therefore the spirit is the basis of development of matter. Not that by development of matter spirit grows. No. That's not a fact. This is . . . everyone knows. Why a dead child does not grow? Because the spirit is not there. A tree grows so long there is life in it. A small seed of banyan tree, you sow in the soil and pour water favorably, then it grows, because the spirit soul is there. But if somehow or other . . . take, for example, you take one grain and fry it in the fire. If you sow it, it will not grow, because the spirit soul is not there.

Therefore they are searching after what is the original cause of creation. The original cause of creation is the spirit soul, as everything is growing. Matter is growing, developing, on account of the spirit soul. Similarly, the whole universe is growing on account of presence of Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. Creation.

(aside) Go on.

Pradyumna: "This principle was followed from the very beginning of the creation. The Supreme Spirit entered the universe, and the first living being, Brahmā, was born on a lotus flower grown out of the transcendental abdomen of Viṣṇu."

Prabhupāda: Now . . . just like sometimes we see. Take for example Brahmā: he grew from the lotus flower. So one can say this lotus flower is matter. No. The lotus flower has grown from the navel of Viṣṇu. The original cause is Viṣṇu. If you take the lotus flower as matter, then it has also grown from the spirit. This is the beginning. The spirit soul is the basis of creation. Where is the difficulty to understand? We can see practically: unless there is spirit soul, there cannot be . . .

Just like this body, your body, my body, even elephant's body—it has grown. It has grown because the spirit soul is there. As soon as the spirit soul is not there, there will be no more growth, no more growth, and the body will be heavy. Due to the spirit soul within the body, the body is light. You can make an experiment. You just have a weight of a dead body and of a living body. You will find difference. Where is the difference. Where is our scientist?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Well, the difference is in the living body, there is a spirit soul. And in the dead body, has no spirit soul.

Prabhupāda: No, you . . . find the difference that the dead body is more weight.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Why? Why? Because the spirit soul is not there. These are experimented even by the scientist. So the . . . the, this world is floating in the air because the spirit soul is within it. Therefore it is floating. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, gām āviśya (BG 15.13): "I enter" and dhārayāmy aham ojasā. So as soon as the spirit soul will be off, everything will be destroyed. The destruction of this cosmic manifestation is like that.

(aside) Go on.

Pradyumna: "Viṣṇu is therefore known as Padmanābha. Brahmā is known as Ātmabhū, because he was begotten directly from the father without the contact of Mother Lakṣmījī. Lakṣmījī was present just before Nārāyaṇa, engaged in the service of the Lord, and still, without contact with Lakṣmījī, Nārāyaṇa begot Brahmā."

Prabhupāda: This is all-powerful. Kṛṣṇa is omnipotent. When we want to beget a child, we require the help of a wife. I cannot beget a child alone. Of course, there are some instances, but generally it is not possible. But Kṛṣṇa, Lord Viṣṇu, produced Brahmā without taking the help of His wife, Lakṣmī. She was present there. That is called omnipotency. He's not dependent on anything. That is all-powerful. Try to understand. We say God is omnipotent. Here is the instance of omnipotency, that if I want to beget a child I must marry a wife, but Kṛṣṇa, Viṣṇu, even in the presence of wife, without taking her help, He produced Brahmā. This is omnipotency.

(aside) Go on.

Pradyumna: "That is the omnipotency of the Lord. One who foolishly considers Nārāyaṇa like other living beings should take a lesson from this."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Therefore in the śāstra it is forbidden, that don't compare with Nārāyaṇa. Don't be on equal footing with Nārāyaṇa. It is not possible. But the rascal, big, big svāmīs, they are exclaiming that daridra-nārāyaṇa; Nārāyaṇa has become daridra. Manufactured word. Where is this word daridra-nārāyaṇa in the śāstras? But they have manufactured, that "Nārāyaṇa has become daridra, and He has come to my door to beg." Nārāyaṇa is the master of Lakṣmī, sahasra-śata-lakṣmī, and He has now become daridra, poverty-stricken. These foolish things are going on. Therefore śāstra says:

yas tu nārāyaṇaṁ devaṁ

brahma-rudrādi-daivataiḥ

samatvenaiva vīkṣeta

sa pāṣaṇḍī bhaved dhruvam

(CC Madhya 18.116)

These rascal says that Nārāyaṇa, Brahmā, Śiva and all other, so many demigods, I, you, everything is equal—all, all the same, on the level. This is rascaldom. Nārāyaṇa is asamordhva. Nobody can be equal or greater than Him. Just like Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat (BG 7.7): "There is no more superior thing above Me." Neither equal to Him. Asama-ūrdhva. Asama, asama means no equal, and na ūrdhva. Everyone is down. That is the position. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8).

So these are all foolish theories, that with Nārāyaṇa everyone can be equal—the lack of knowledge, poor fund of knowledge. That is not . . . therefore śāstra has forbidden: "Don't do this. Don't equalize anyone, even Brahmā and Rudra." Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Rudra, Lord Śiva, they are actually sitting on the same platform. Still, Viṣṇu is the Supreme. Nobody should equalize Brahmā, Rudra even. What to speak of others? So if one does so . . . yas tu nārāyaṇaṁ devaṁ brahma-rudrādi-daivataiḥ samatvenaiva vīkṣeta (CC Madhya 18.116), equalize, sa pāṣaṇḍī. This is the meaning of pāṣaṇḍī. Pāṣaṇḍī means nonbeliever, atheist, demon. That is called pāṣaṇḍī.

(aside) Go on.

Pradyumna: "Nārāyaṇa is not an ordinary living being. He is the Personality of Godhead Himself, and He has all the potencies of all the senses in all parts of His transcendental body. An ordinary living being begets a child by the intercourse of sex, and he has no other means to beget a child other than the one designed for him."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Generally take birth from the vagina. But Nārāyaṇa is all-powerful. He begets a child from the navel. This is all-powerful, omnipotency. Why? Why it is so happened? That is Nārāyaṇa. Every part of the body has got every potency. That is explained in the Brahma-saṁhitā: aṅgāni yasya sakalendriya-vṛttimanti (Bs. 5.32). Aṅgāni, the different parts of the . . . that is spiritual body. The different parts of the body of Kṛṣṇa or Nārāyaṇa has got all the potencies. Just like I can see with my eyes, but Kṛṣṇa can eat also with His eyes.

So the foolish rascal people will say that, "You are offering Kṛṣṇa foodstuff, but where He has eaten? It is lying there. He has not eaten." He does not know, the rascal, that Kṛṣṇa by seeing can eat also. Aṅgāni yasya sakalendriya-vṛttimanti paśyanti pānti kalayanti. Just like the washerman who refused to supply cloth in Mathurā, Kṛṣṇa immediately cut his head with His hand. You know the story. So how it is possible to cut one's head with the hand? That is called omnipotency.

(aside) Read little more.

Pradyumna: "But Nārāyaṇa, being omnipotent, is not bound to any condition of energy. He is complete and independent to do anything and everything by His various potencies."

Prabhupāda: That is explained in the beginning of Bhāgavatam, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: abhijñaḥ svarāṭ. Svarāṭ means He's not dependent to anyone. He is self-sufficient. Everything. That is God. Nowadays there are so many incarnation of God, but as soon as there is some toothache, immediately: "Ooooonh, doctor, give me . . . save me, save me. Save me, save me, save me, save me." You are God. You save yourself. Why you have come to doctor?

So these rascals are going on. So it is very difficult to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The whole world is overburdened by these rascals and demons. So atom, this atom bomb is waiting for them. Yes. It will be finished. All the demons will be finished.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya . . . (end)