Sri Gurvastakam (Eight Prayers to the Spiritual Master) by Srila Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakura. AND SRILA PRABHUPADA`S LECTURES.

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anand patel May 31, 2012 at 3:40pm

Dandavat Mataji, Hare Krsna, many thanks for all the Srila Prabhupada lectures that you add in this group.
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padmavati mataji September 9, 2011 at 11:12am
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padmavati mataji July 17, 2011 at 11:19am

Pranam Dearest Devotee. Hare Krishna.

Select a few prayers from the list below,

(which is in the Krishna Consciousness group).

1. TWO PRAYERS TO SHRIMATI RADHARANI.

2. ELEVEN OM PRAYERS FROM SHRIMAD BHAGAVATAM.
3. SHRI GURVASTAKAM. (eight prayers to the Spiritual Master).
4. TWO PRAYERS FROM SHRI VRINDAVANA MAHIMAMRTA.
5. TWO PRAYERS FROM MUKUNDA MALA STOTRA.
6. SIX PRAYERS FROM SHRI BRAHMA SAMHITA.
7. THE EIGHT YUGALASHTAKAM PRAYERS.
Everyday read them.

But if you can spare more time,

then I highly recommend that you read all of them.

At the time of reading these sacred prayers,

Lord Krishna showers blessings upon you.

With love and best wishes.

Take care, bye.
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padmavati mataji July 14, 2011 at 10:49am
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padmavati mataji April 26, 2011 at 11:33am

Prabhupada:

sa evam vartamano 'jno
mrtyu-kala upasthite
matim cakara tanaye
bale narayanahvaye
[SB 6.1.27]

So vartamana, everyone is situated under certain condition. This is material life. I am situated under certain consciousness, you are situated in certain consciousness, everyone. According to the modes of nature, we have got different conception of life and different consciousness. That is called material life. All of us, we are sitting here. Every one of us has got a different consciousness. Generally, it is meant for sense gratification. Material life means everyone is planning, "I shall live like this. I shall acquire money like this. I shall enjoy like this." Everyone has got a program.

So Ajamila also had a program. What was his program? His program was, as he is very much attached to his youngest child and whole attention was there, how the child is moving, how the child is eating, how the child is talking, and sometimes he was calling, he was feeding, so his whole mind was absorbed with the activities of the child. In the previous verse we have already discussed:

bhunjanah prapiban khadan
balakam sneha-yantritah
bhojayan payayan mudho
na vedagatam antakam
[SB 6.1.26]

Not only Ajamila, everyone, they are absorbed in certain type of consciousness. And what is due to it? How the consciousness develops? It is said, sneha-yantritah. Sneha means affection. "By the..., affected by the machine which is called affection." So everyone is affected by this machine. This machine... This body is a machine. And it is being worked by the nature. And direction is coming from the Supreme Lord. We wanted to enjoy a certain way and Krsna has given us a certain type of body, yantra. Just like you have got different makes of motorcar. You want. Somebody wants. I want Buick car. Somebody says, "I want Chevrolet," some, "Ford." They are ready. Similarly, our body is also like that. Somebody is Ford, somebody is Chevrolet, somebody is Buick, and Krsna has given us the chance, "You wanted this kind of car or body. You sit down and enjoy." This is our material position. Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese arjuna tisthati [Bg. 18.61]. We forget. After changing the body, we forget what I desired and why I have got this kind of body. But Krsna, He is situated within your heart. He does not forget. He gives you. Ye yatha mam prapadyante [Bg. 4.11]. You wanted this kind of body: you get it. Krsna is so kind. If somebody wanted a body so that he can eat everything, so Krsna gives him the body of a pig, so it can eat even stool. And if somebody wanted a body that "I shall dance with Krsna," then he gets that body. Now, it is up to you to decide whether you are going to get a body which will be able to dance with Krsna, to talk with Krsna, to play with Krsna. You can get it. And if you want a body how to eat stool, urine, you will get it. So we have to decide, this human form of life. But if you have no information that "What kind of body I am going to get next," if you don't believe... You believe or not believe, it doesn't matter. The nature's law will act. If you say, "I don't believe in the next life," you may say like that, but nature's law will act. Karmana daiva-netrena [SB 3.31.1]. As you are acting, according to that, you are preparing your next body. So after death -- after death means when this body is finished -- then you get another body immediately, because you have already made the field work, what kind of body you will get.

So this man, Ajamila, was engaged in taking care of his child very nicely, and the whole mind was absorbed in the child. So... (aside:) Don't disturb. Therefore he has been described as mudha. Here it is said, bhojayan payayan mudhah. We are forgetting that some day is coming. That is ahead. That is called mrtyu, death. We forget that. This is our imperfectness. So this man forgot that he was very busy as affectionate father or affectionate husband. Or anything. I have got so many relationship. As an affectionate friend or envious enemy, we have got some relationship. With everyone with this world we have got some. Either it may be affectionate or envy; it doesn't matter. So in this way we are living forgetting that death is ahead. Therefore we are mudha. Mudha means rascal, ass, who does not know what is actual interest. Just like ass. Ass, the... Mudha means ass. The ass does not know his own interest. We have seen that ass is loaded with three tons of cloth by the washerman, and he cannot go; still, he has to do it. And he does (not) know that "I am loading so many tons of cloth on my back, and what interest I have got with it? Not a single cloth belongs to me." So the ass has no such sense. Ass means he has no such sense. He is thinking, "It is my duty. To load upon me so much clothing, it is my duty." Why it is duty? Now, "Because the washerman gives you grass." So he has no sense that "Grass I can get anywhere. Why I have taken this duty?" This is the... Everyone is anxious about his duty. Somebody is politician, somebody is householder, somebody is something else. Because he has taken up some false duty and working hard for it, therefore he is an ass. He is forgetting his real business. Real business is that death will come. It will not avoid me. Everyone says, "As sure as death." Now, before death, I have to act in such a way that I may have a position in Vaikuntha, in Vrndavana, and I may have permanent life to live with Krsna. This is our real duty.

But we do not know that. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum [SB 7.5.31]. We are in this conditioned state of life because we are separated from our original person, Krsna. Because we are part and parcel of Krsna, we have forgotten this. We are thinking we are part and parcel of America or India. This is called illusion. They are interested... Somebody is interested in his country; somebody is interested in his society or family. We have created so many things, duty. Therefore sastra says that "These rascals do not know what is his actual self-interest." Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum durasaya [SB 7.5.31]. He is hoping something which will never be fulfilled. Therefore he is rascal. We are trying to adjust things within this material world to become happy, but the rascal does not know that so long he will remain in this material world, there is no question of happiness. That is rascaldom.

Krsna says that this place is duhkhalayam asasvatam [Bg. 8.15]. This material world, where we are now living under different change of body one after another, it is duhkhalayam. Why I have to change my body? Why not... I am permanent. Na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20]. Therefore we have to learn, we have to be educated, we have to receive knowledge from the perfect. And Krsna personally, the Supreme Perfect Person, is giving you knowledge. And if we are so unfortunate that we do not take the perfect knowledge -- we concoct, we speculate, we create our own idea -- then it is to be understood that durasaya. We are thinking, "I shall be happy in this way. I shall be happy in this..." Nothing. You shall never be happy -- this is perfect instruction -- unless you go back to home, back to Godhead. Just like a mad boy, he has forsaken his father. His father is rich man, everything is there, but he has become hippie. So similarly, we are also like that. Our father is Krsna. We can live there very comfortably without any botheration, without endeavor for earning money, but we have decided that we shall live here in this material world. This is called ass. This is the... Therefore mudha. We do not know what is our self-interest. And we are hoping against hope, "I shall be happy in this way. I shall be happy in this way." Therefore this word is used, mudha. They do not know what is actually his happiness, and he is trying one chapter, another, one chapter, another, "Now I will be happy." The ass. The ass. Sometimes the washerman sits on his back and takes a bunch of grass and puts in front of the ass, and the ass wants to take the grass. But as he moving forward, the grass is also moving forward. (laughter) And he thinks, "Just one step forward, I shall get the grass." But because he is ass, he does not know that "The grass is situated in such a way that I may go on for millions of years; still, I will not get the happi..." This is ass. He does not come to his senses that "For millions and trillions of years I may try to be happy in this material world. I will never be happy."

Therefore we have to take the knowledge from the guru who knows things. Therefore guru is worshiped,

ajnana-timirandhasya
jnananjana-salakaya
caksur unmilitam yena
tasmai sri-gurave namah

The politician or, what is called, leaders, andha, they will promise you that "You will be happy in this way. You give me vote, and I shall bring heaven for you, and let me become minister. That is... You simply wait, and as soon as I become a minister and president, I will give you such and such benefit." So you select Mr. Nixon, and again you become disappointed. Then we request, "Mr. Nixon, you get out." And we accept another fool. This is going on. This is going... But sastra says you will not be getting right information in that way. These foolish men, they will promise you something, and he is unable to make you happy. You will be again disappointed, again regret. Then what is..., wherefrom I shall get the right information? That Vedas says, tad-vijnanartham sa gurum eva abhigacchet: [MU 1.2.12] "If you want right information, then go to the guru." And who is guru? That Caitanya Mahaprabhu explains that amara ajnaya guru hana tara' ei desa [Cc. Madhya 7.128]. He says, "You just become on My order." Guru means who carries the order of Krsna. Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Krsna. Or who is Krsna's servant, that is guru. Nobody can become guru unless he carries the order of the Supreme. Therefore you will find... Because every one of us is ass, we do not know what is our self-interest, and somebody comes, "I am guru." "How you become guru?" "No, I am self-perfected. I don't require to read any book. I have come to bless you." (laughter) And the foolish rascals, they do not know, "How you can become guru?" If he does not follow the sastra or the supreme authority Krsna, how he can become? But they accept, guru.

So this kind of guru is going on. But you should know, guru means who carries the order of the Supreme Lord. That is guru. Any rascal who manufactures some idea is not guru. Immediately kick him out, immediately, that "This is a rascal. This is not a guru." Guru is here, as Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, amara ajnaya guru hana [Cc. Madhya 7.128]. Guru means the faithful servant of God. That is guru. So you have to first of all test that "Are you faithful servant of God?" If he says, "No, I am God," oh, kick him on his face immediately. (laughter) Kick him immediately, that "You are rascal. You have come to cheat us." Because test is there that guru means faithful servant of God, simple. You don't require large definition, what is guru. So Vedic knowledge gives you indication that tad-vijnanartham. If you want to know the science of spiritual life, tad-vijnanartham sa gurum eva abhigacchet [MU 1.2.12], you must approach guru. And who is guru? Guru means who is the faithful servant of God. Very simple.

So this is the position. Without guru, if he is manufacturing his way of life, then he is mudha, rascal. Therefore it is said, mudha. He was thinking, "I am so affectionate father. I am taking care of my son, little son. In all respect I am feeding him, I am patting him, and so many things I am... I am very faithful and very honest father." But sastra says, "Here is a mudha, rascal." You see here. It says, bhojayan payayan mudhah. Why he is mudha? Na vedagatam antakam. He does not say, does not know, that "Behind me, the death is awaiting. He has come to take me." Now, "How your affection for your so-called son and society and family and nation will save you? Here is death." That he cannot answer. He cannot answer that death is there. So we shall be prepared. That is human life. We must always know that "There is death behind me." At any moment he can capture my neck and take it away. That's a fact. Is there any guarantee that you shall live hundred years? No. Even just after few seconds, if you go to the street, you may immediately meet death. There may be heart failure. There may be motor accident. There may be something, something. So to live is wonderful. To die is not wonderful. Because you are meant for death. As soon as you took your birth, immediately you begin to die. Immediately. If you enquire, "Oh, when the child is born?" you say, say, "One week." That means he has died one week. We are taking that he is living one week, but actually he has died one week. That is wonderful, that still he is living, he has not died. So death is not wonderful because it is sure. It will come -- after one week or after one hundred years. That is not wonderful. So long you live, that is wonderful.

So we should utilize this time to make solution of the life that we are repeatedly dying and again accepting another body. So how they will understand unless they come to the proper guru? Therefore sastra, says tad-vijnanartham: "If you want to know the real problem of your life and if you want to be enlightened how to become Krsna conscious, how to become eternal, go back to home, back to Godhead, then you must approach the guru." And who is guru? That is explained, very simple thing. Guru never manufactures idea that "You do this and give me money and you become happy." That is not guru. That is another process of earning money. So here it is said, mudha, everyone who is simply living in the fool's paradise, manufacturing his own ideas like Ajamila... Somebody has taken, "This is my duty," somebody has... He is a fool. You must know what is your duty from guru. You are singing every day, guru-mukha-padma-vakya, cittete koriya aikya, ar na koriho mane asa **. This is life. This is life. Guru-mukha-pad... You accept the bona fide guru, and what he orders you, carry out. Then your life is successful. Ar na koriho mane asa. You rascal, you do not desire anything else. Are you not singing daily? But do you understand the meaning? Or you are singing only? What is the meaning? Who will explain? Nobody knows? Yes, what is the meaning?

Devotee: "My only wish is that my mind be purified by the words coming from the mouth of my spiritual master. I have no other desire but this."

Prabhupada: Yes. This is the order. Guru-mukha-padma-vakya, cittete koriya aikya **. Now citta means consciousness or heart. "I shall do this only, bas. My Guru Maharaja told me; I shall do this." Cittete koriya aikya, ar na koriho mane asa. So it is not my pride, but I can say, for your instruction, I did it. Therefore whatever little success you see than my all my Godbrothers, it is due to this. I have no capacity, but I took it, the words of my guru, as life and soul. So this is fact. Guru-mukha-padma-vakya, cittete koriya aikya **. Everyone should do that. But if he makes addition, alteration, then he is finished. No addition, alteration. You have to approach guru -- guru means the faithful servant of God, Krsna -- and take his word how to serve Him. Then you are successful. If you concoct, "I am very intelligent than my guru, and I can make addition or alteration," then you are finished. So that is the only. And now, sing further.

Devotee: Sri-guru-carane rati, ei se uttama-gati.

Prabhupada: Sri-guru-carane rati, ei se, uttama-gati. If you want to make real progress, then you must be firmly faithful at the lotus feet of guru. Then?

Devotee: Je prasade pure sarva asa.

Prabhupada: Je prasade pure sarva asa. Yasya prasadat... This is the instruction in the whole Vaisnava philosophy. So unless we do that, we remain mudha, and this is explained in this Ajamila-upakhyana. So today we are reading this verse, sa evam vartamanah ajnah. Again he says. Again Vyasadeva says that "This rascal was situated in that, absorbed in the service of his son, Narayana, of the name." He did not know... "What is this nonsense Narayana?" He knew his son. But Narayana is so merciful that because he was constantly calling his son, "Narayana, please come here. Narayana, please take this," so Krsna was taking that "He is chanting 'Narayana.' " Krsna is so merciful. He never meant that "I am going to Narayana." He wanted his son because he was affectionate. But he got the opportunity of chanting the holy name of Narayana. This is his good fortune. Therefore, according to this, we change the name. Why? Because every name is meant for becoming a servant of Krsna. So just like Upendra. Upendra means Vamanadeva. So if you call "Upendra, Upendra," or similarly, that name is taken account of. So that will be explained later on.

So here also it is said... In the first verse it is said mudha, and the second verse also it is said, sa evam vartamanah ajnah. Ajna means rascal. Mudha means rascal. Ajna means ignorant, ignorant, who has no knowledge. Jna means one who has knowledge. Ajna mean who has no knowledge. Mrtyu-kala upasthite. So everyone in this material world, he is mudha, ajna. He does not care that "I will have to meet death. When everything will be finished, all my plans, all my assets, everything, will be finished." He does not know that. He knows it, but he doesn't care to observing these things. Therefore everyone is mudha and ajna. Then, in spite of the death has come, matim cakara tanaye bale narayanahvaye. He is experiencing, "Now I am dying; death is near." Still, he is thinking of his, that child. So yam yam vapi smaran bhavam tyajaty ante [Bg. 8.6]. He has got a child. His name is Narayana. Now, his position is different. But if I am similarly affected, similarly affectionate to my dog, then what is my position? Or anything. Naturally, I will think of my dog, and immediately I shall get the another body like a dog, or dog. This is nature's law. Yam yam vapi smaran bhavam tyajaty ante kalevaram. At the time... The test will be at the time of death, what kind of body you are going to get. So yam yam vapi smaran bhavam. The... Just like he is very much affectionate to his son. He is thinking of his son. Similarly, if you very much affectionate to your dog or something else, you will think at that time. Therefore practice Hare Krsna so that at the time of death you can think of Krsna and your life is successful.

Thank you very much. (end)
Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.26-27 -- Philadelphia, July 12, 1975
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padmavati mataji April 19, 2011 at 3:35pm

Prabhupada: Om namo bhagavate vasudevaya.

Devotees: Om namo bhagavate vasudevaya.

Prabhupada: So, Srimad-Bhagavatam, Canto Six, Chapter One, text number twelve. (devotees repeat)

nasnatah pathyam evannam
vyadhayo abhibhavanti hi
evam niyamakrd rajan
sanaih ksemaya kalpate
[SB 6.1.12]

So Sukadeva Gosvami is explaining how to become perfect gentleman. That is culture. If we do not accept education, culture, then where is the difference between a man and dog? There is no difference. So the Vedic civilization means everything under rules and regulation. That is Vedic civilization. Animal cannot be brought under rules and regulations. That is not possible. Therefore that is the speciality of human society, that the more one society follows the rules and regulation, he is to be considered civilized. Just like throughout the whole history there are civilization, Aryan civilization, Aryan and non-Aryan. What is the difference? Aryan means progress. One who is progressing towards the perfection of life, they are called Aryans, and those who are degrading towards animal propensity, they are non-Aryans. This is the difference. Aryan culture.

So Krsna, when found Arjuna, that he was in the battlefield and Krsna Himself is guiding him and becoming the chariot driver, and He saw that "Arjuna is declining to fight?" He became surprised. So He chastised him, kutas te kasmalam idam visame samupasthitam anarya-justam. Aryan, arya, arya. "So this is not for a gentleman, business. You are behaving like non-Aryans." Non-Aryan. So this is the difference between culture and nonculture, that... There is a Bengali proverb that one girl was to dance on the stage. So in Indian civilization the girls or the woman, they cover their head with..., from superiors. So naste vase guntala(?). She has gone to dance on the stage, and she is pulling on the veil. "Now, where is the opportunity of here to become a household wife? You have come to dance." So similarly, Arjuna was chastised that "You have come to fight, and now you are becoming very nonviolent, atheist..., er, theist. What is...? So this is anarya. You have to do your duty in proper place." That is Aryanism. That is arya. Arya-samaj means one who knows his duty, how to do it in proper time. So ksatriya, his duty is to fight, to defend from the hands of the enemy. So he was declining to fight, so He chastised him, "Non-Aryans. You are not Aryan.

So here Sukadeva Gosvami says, "My dear king, if a diseased person eats the pure, uncontaminated food prescribed by a physician, he is gradually cured, and the infection of disease can no longer touch him. Similarly, if one follows the regulative principles of knowledge, he gradually progresses towards liberation from material contamination." This is the translation of the... Nasnatah pathyam. Pathyam. Pathyam means good foodstuff, not "Anything I can eat." That is the business of the hogs and dogs. Just like hogs have no discrimination. Anything, up to stool you give him: it will eat. That is not human civilization. Although it is the law of nature that ahastani sahastanam. Vegetables or animals who has no hand... Just like ordinary animals, they have got four legs, no hand. So these four-legged animals is the food for the two-legged animals. Ahastani sahastanam. Uncivilized men means two-legged animals. They are animals, but two-legged. There are four-legged animals; there are two-legged. Ahastani sahastanam apadani catus-padam: "And living entities who have no legs, just like the vegetables, grass, plants, trees..." They have no legs. They cannot move, but they are living entities. They are food for catus-padam, for the animals who have got four legs. Ahastani sahastanam apadani catus-padam, phalguni mahatam tatra: "And the weak is food for the strong." Phalguni... Jivo jivasya jivanam. This is the law of nature, that one life is meant for maintaining another life. That is going on. So sometimes they put forward this argument that "You are also eating vegetables. They have got life. Why you object that nonvegetarians who are eating four legged animals...?" No. We are not going to infringe to the laws of nature. That is not our business. You can eat four-legged animals because you are also animal. But when we speak of civilized animals... Civilized is not animal. That is human being. So long one is not civilized, he is animal. And the civilization begins when one understands that he is not this body. That is the beginning of civilization. Yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke [SB 10.84.13]. So long one is in ignorance, the bodily concept of life, he is animal. When one knows that "I am not this body; I am... Aham brahmasmi," then civilization begins.

So here it is recommended that unless we follow the rules and regulations, then there is no possibility of curing our material disease. The whole process is we are in materially diseased. Otherwise we are as good as Krsna, but because we are materially diseased, we are in the difficult position of birth, death, old age and disease. Krsna says. This is real problem. Janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi-duhkha-dosanudarsanam [Bg. 13.9]. So if we want to be cured from this disease, then we have to follow rules and regulation, just like a patient, if he wants to be cured from the disease, he has to follow the rules and regulation prescribed by the physician. Therefore law, religion, Vedic scripture, they are all meant for human being, not for the cats and dogs. Even ordinary law, they are meant for human being. Just like on the street it is "Keep to the right." So this is for the human being. If the cats and dogs goes from right to the left or wrong, they are not prosecuted. The law is meant for the human being. If the human being does not follow rules and regulative principle, law, then he's animal. So civilized means to raise oneself from the animal status of life to the human status life. That means rules and regulations. Nasnatah pathyam evannam vyadhayo abhibhavanti hi, evam niyamakrd rajan [SB 6.1.12]. Niyama. Niyama means regulation. We have to follow the rules and regulation. That is compulsory. That is human. In the Caitanya-caritamrta you'll find this verse, anadi bahirmukha jiva krsna bhuli gela, ataeva krsna veda-purana karila. The purport is that our disease is that we have forgotten God. The more we are forgetful about God, the more we are animals. And the more we become advanced in understanding God, Krsna consciousness, then we are human being. And if we are more advanced, then you are devata, demigods. And when you more make advance, then you become fit for going back to home, back to Godhead. This is the process.

So real civilization is how to go back to home, back to Godhead. But that they do not know. Na te viduh. The materialistic persons, they do not know. Therefore there must be organization, institution, to teach the human society how to go back to home, back to... That is real civilization. Otherwise cats and dogs, they are also eating, sleeping, mating, getting children, and dying. That is not human civilization. In the next verse we'll find that human civilization can be attained. The first thing is, thirteeth verse, tapasa, "by austerity."

tapasa brahmacaryena
samena ca damena ca
tyagena satya-saucabhyam
yamena niyamena va
[SB 6.1.13]

deha-vag-buddhijam dhira
dharmajnah sraddhayanvitah
ksipanty agham mahad api
venu-gulmam ivanalah

These are the different steps, how one person can become civilized. So first thing is tapasa. Tapasa brahmacaryena [SB 6.1.13], austerities. Therefore in the Vedic civilization the children, they are taught from the very beginning brahmacarya. Tapasa brahmacarya. A small boy, five-years-old boy... That is gurukula. Brahmacari guru-kule vasan danto guror hitam [SB 7.12.1]. This is a way of life, to teach the brahmacarya, brahmacarya, celibacy, to restrain from sex life. That is brahmacarya. So this is the beginning of civilization. The unlimited, unrestricted sex life like hogs and dogs, that is not civilization. Civilization, the first of all, to learn how to observe celibacy, to come to the point, no sex life. That is perfect civilization: no sex life. Therefore in the Vedic civilization you'll find the human society is divided into four orders and four spiritual or..., material and spiritual, varnasrama. Varna and asrama. Brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha, sannyasa. (end)
Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.12 -- Honolulu, May 13, 1976
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padmavati mataji April 8, 2011 at 9:57pm

"Impossible to Be Independent" BY SRILA PRABHUPADA.

Pusta Krsna: "O my Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, You are the original spiritual master of the whole world. Your special interest in managing the affairs of the universe is to deliver the fallen souls who are engaged in Your devotional service. You are already the friend of all suffering humanity, and I think You will show Your causeless mercy upon persons like us, who are engaged in Your service."

Prabhupada:

ko nv atra te 'khila-guro bhagavan prayasa
uttarane 'sya bhava-sambhava-lopa-hetoh
mudhesu vai mahad-anugraha arta-bandho
kim tena te priya-janan anusevatam nah
[SB 7.9.42]

So Krsna is bhava-sambhava-lopa-hetoh. Everything which is going on -- creation, maintenance, and also annihilation -- the original cause is Krsna. When there is need of creation, the cause is Krsna. When there is need of maintenance, the cause is Krsna. Everything, the cause is Krsna. And there is annihilation -- the cause is Krsna. So srsti-sthiti-pralaya, although it is being done... Srsti means creation; sthiti means maintenance; pralaya means destruction. These things are going on in the material world. Everything is created. Just like your body, my body, it is created at a certain date. There is history. And it will maintain, say, utmost, for fifty, sixty or hundred years. It will never be eternal. Because it is created, it cannot be eternal. Anything created cannot be eternal. So this srsti-sthiti-pralaya-sadhana is actually being done by Krsna, whatever way. But because we cannot see Krsna in the background, we see only the wonderful activities of the nature. Nature is working not independently -- by the direction of Krsna. Mayadhyaksena prakrtih suyate sa-caracaram [Bg. 9.10]. Whatever is going on by the wonderful activities of nature... People are amazed by seeing the wonderful activities of nature. But behind these activities there is the direction of the Supreme Personality. Therefore Lord Nrsimhadeva is addressed here, bhava-sambhava-lopa-hetoh.

So Prahlada Maharaja says that "We are suffering in this way, and we are praying to You to stop this suffering. So it is not very difficult task for You." Ko nv atra te 'khila-guro bhagavan prayasa. Suppose if I ask you to do something for me, you may say, "That is very difficult task. I have no time to do this." So it may be difficult for an ordinary man. Actually it is a very difficult task, because Prahlada Maharaja in a previous verse, he prayed, pantheli paracara piprhi mudham adya. Mudham adya: "Give me shelter." So Krsna may think... Krsna does not think, but from our side we may suppose like that, that... Just like Narottama dasa Thakura sings that sri-krsna-caitanya-prabhu, daya koro more: "Lord Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu, kindly give me Your mercy." Daya koro more. "Why I shall give My mercy to you? You are so sinful. You are so fallen. My mercy is not meant for you." But Narottama dasa Thakura reminds, patita-pavana-hetu, tava avatara: "Sir, I am the most fallen. There is no doubt about it. But You have specially come to deliver persons like us." Sri-krsna-caitanya-prabhu daya koro more, toma vina ke dayalu, jagata samsare. Actually we are hankering after favor of some big man and small man. That is going on. That is material world. But if we seek favor from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, so that is very nice. Instead of going here and there, if we... We want favor. There is no doubt. But others cannot favor us. That is the point. They have started so many humanitarian institutes to favor the suffering humanity, but it is not possible. They cannot. They cannot do it. It is false attempt because... There are so many instances. Suppose the father and mother, they are always ready to show favor to their children. There is no doubt about it. But does it mean if one has got very good and rich and able father and mother one can be happy, the children can be happy? No. That is not so. Balasya neha saranam pitarau nrsimha. That is also Prahlada Maharaja's statement, that "Simply because there is kind father and mother, therefore the children will be happy? No. That is not possible." So actually, if the child is destined to suffer, the good father-mother cannot give him shelter. That is not possible. Suppose one is condemned by the court to be punished, capital punishment, to be hanged. The father-mother may be very big man or rich man. If he pleads in the court, "Sir, whatever you want, I'll give. Kindly do not condemn my son to be hanged," that cannot be checked. This is not possible. Nobody can show favor against the will of the Supreme.

So best thing is to ask favor... Suddha, suddha-bhakta, those who are... (aside:) He's sleeping. You don't sleep and sit front. So therefore we should not ask favor. We can ask favor from anyone, but we must know that nobody can favor us unless it is sanctioned by the Supreme Person. We must always know. Not that because one is very, in a superior position, he can favor me. No, he cannot favor you unless it is sanctioned by the Supreme. Suppose we approach sometimes a rich man to favor us with some contribution, membership fees. But that rich man cannot favor us unless it is sanctioned by Krsna. Krsna is there within himself, and if He says that "You give him this money," the man will give us. So we shall not be sorry. Suppose we go somewhere and he did not favor us. We should not be sorry. We should know that Krsna did not dictate him. He is not so fortunate now; therefore Krsna did not dictate him. So there is nothing to be sorry. This should be our principle. Because without Krsna's sanction...

So here, ko nu atra te akhila-guro bhagavan prayasa. So everyone requires some extra endeavor to favor us, but Krsna does not require. That is Krsna. He can do anything He likes. He does not depend on others. Others depend on Krsna's sanction, but Krsna does not require anyone's sanction. Therefore Prahlada Maharaja said bhagavan prayasa. Prayasa, is advised not to take, especially for the devotees. One should not take up some business which requires very hard endeavor. No. We should take up only simple things which is possible. Of course, a devotee takes the risk. Just like Hanuman. He was servant of Lord Ramacandra. So Lord Ramacandra wanted information of Sitadevi. So he did not consider, "How I shall go to the other side of the sea, Lanka?" He simply, believing in Lord Ramacandra, "Jaya Rama," jumped over it. Ramacandra had to construct a bridge. Of course, that bridge is also wonderful because these monkeys were bringing stone and they are throwing on the sea, but the stone was floating. So where is your law of gravitation? Eh? Stone floats on the water. It cannot be done by the scientists, yes. But Lord Ramacandra desired; a stone became floating. Otherwise how many stones we shall throw in the sea that it will come to the level of becoming a bridge? Oh, it was not possible. It was possible, everything was possible, but Ramacandra, Lord Ramacandra, wanted, "Let it be simplified. So let them bring the stone and it will float. Then we shall go." So without stone He could go, but He wanted some service of the monkeys. There were many monkeys. Baro baro badare, baro baro pet, lanka dingake, mata kare het. There were many other monkeys, but not exactly capable like the Hanuman. Therefore they were also given some chance that "You bring some stone. You cannot jump over the sea like Hanuman, so you bring stone, and I will ask the stones to float."

So Krsna can do anything. Angani yasya sakalendriya-vrttimanti. He can do anything. We cannot do without His favor. So Prahlada Maharaja requests that "If You kindly become merciful upon us, it is not a great task for You, because You can do whatever You like. Because You are the cause of creation, maintenance and destruction, so it is not difficult for You." Besides that, mudhesu vai mahad-anugraha arta-bandho. Generally, those who are arta-bandhu, friend of the suffering humanity, they specially show favor to the mudha, to the rascals. Krsna comes for that purpose because every one of us, we are mudhas. Duskrtino. Na mam duskttino mudhah prapadyante. Normally we, because we are sinful, because we are mudhas, we do not surrender to Krsna. Na mam prapadyante. Anyone who does not surrender to Krsna, He is classified as duskrtina, mudha, naradhama, mayayapahrta-jnana. It is not at all possible to become independent of Krsna's will. That is not possible. Therefore those who are trying to work independently, without Krsna's favor, they're mudha, all rascals. They will not accept what Krsna says, and they are trying to establish some law without Krsna. "There is no need of God." This is the... Most scientists, they say like that. "Now we have got science. We can do everything." They are mudhas. It is not possible. Independently you cannot do without Krsna's favor.

So best thing is that always try to seek favor of Krsna. And you cannot seek Krsna's favor directly. That is also another point. Kim tena te priya-janan anusevatam nah. You cannot jump over to Krsna without the favor of His devotee. Yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadah **. You cannot seek favor of Bhagavan directly. That is another foolishness. You must go through the servant of Krsna. Gopi-bhartur pada-kamalayor dasa-dasa-dasanudasah. This is our process. We don't approach Krsna directly. We must begin our service to the Krsna's servant. And who is Krsna's servant? One who has become the servant of another Krsna's servant. This is called dasa-dasanudasa. Nobody can be independently servant of Krsna. That is another foolishness. Krsna never accepts anyone's service directly. No. That is not possible. You must come through the servant of the servant [Cc. Madhya 13.80]. This is called parampara system. As you receive knowledge by the parampara system... Krsna spoke to Brahma, Brahma spoke to Narada, Narada spoke to Vyasadeva, and we are getting this knowledge. Just like Krsna... Bhagavad-gita was spoken by Krsna to Arjuna.

So if we give up the process of understanding as Arjuna did, then you'll never be able to understand Krsna, or God. That is not possible. You have to take up the process which Arjuna accepted. Arjuna also said that, that "I am accepting You, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, because Vyasadeva has accepted, Asita has accepted, Narada has accepted." The same thing. We have to understand Krsna. We cannot understand directly. Therefore these rascals who are trying to understand Krsna directly by interpretation, they are all rascals. They cannot understand Krsna. May be very big man, so-called. Nobody is big man. They are also sa vai... No, what is that? No, no. Sva-vid-varahostra-kharaih samstutah purusah pasuh [SB 2.3.19]. Purusah pasuh. These big, big men who are so much eulogized by some rascals, all these big, big leaders, what they are? Because they are not devotee of Krsna, they cannot lead. They simply will mislead. Therefore we take them all rascals. This is the criterion. Take this one criterion. Anything you want to learn from somebody, first of all you see whether that somebody is a devotee of Krsna. Otherwise don't take any lesson. We don't take any lesson from a person, "Perhaps," "Maybe," like this. No. We don't want such scientist or mathematician. No. One who knows Krsna, one who is devotee of Krsna, one who is overwhelmed in ecstasy simply by hearing Krsna, you take lesson from them. Otherwise all rascals.

Thank you very much. (end)
Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.42 -- Mayapur, March 22, 1976
Volunteer

padmavati mataji April 8, 2011 at 9:55pm

"How Will They Become Brahmanas" BY SRILA PRABHUPADA.

Pusta Krsna: "My dear Lord from the Vaikuntha planets, where there is no anxiety, my mind is extremely sinful and lusty. It is sometimes so-called happy and sometimes so-called distressed. It is full of lamentation and fear and always anxious to get more and more money. In this way my mind has become most polluted. It is never satisfied, and therefore I am very fallen and poor. In such a status of life, how will it be possible for me to discuss Your activities?"

Prabhupada:

naitan manas tava kathasu vikuntha-natha
sampriyate durita-dustam asadhu tivram
kamaturam harsa-soka-bhayaisanartam
tasmin katham tava gatim vimrsami dinah
[SB 7.9.39]

This is our position. This material world and the spiritual world, the difference is very nicely explained here. One place is no anxiety; in another place it is simply full of anxiety. This is the difference. (aside:) Ask them.

So Prahlada Maharaja in another place has said also the same thing. When his father asked him, "What is the best thing you have learned, my dear boy, from your school?" so he immediately addressed his father as asura-varya. Why? Now, because this thing, free of anxiety, is not understandable by the asuras. They want anxiety. They'll create such situation. They'll put themselves in anxiety and try to come out of it. That is their heroic activities. This is the difference between the asura and the sura, devata. The devatas, or the devotees... There are two different types of men. One is asura, and the other is devotee, just like Prahlada Maharaja and his father Hiranyakasipu. These two types of men are there in this world. And the difference we can see, that Prahlada Maharaja is simply satisfied with Krsna. Prahlada Maharaja says,

naivodvije para duratyaya-vaitaranyas tvad-virya-gayana-mahamrta-magna-cittah
[SB 7.9.43].

Prahlada Maharaja, when he saw Nrsimhadeva, very fierceful... Even mother Laksmi, the goddess of fortune, who is constant companion of the Lord, she also became afraid, and what to speak of other demigods like Brahma, Lord Siva and Indra and so many others? All of them became afraid. Nobody could approach Him. He was so angry. But Prahlada Maharaja said that "I am not afraid." He said, "I am not afraid."

Naivodvije para duratyaya-vaitaranyas tvad-virya-gayana-mahamrta-magna-cittah.

A devotee who is always absorbed in the thought of Krsna and His activities... We are therefore presenting Krsna and His activities. This is our Krsna consciousness movement. All these books which we are distributing and publishing, what is this? This is Krsna and His activities, that's all. Tvad-virya-gayana-mahamrta-magna. So if you simply read our books very carefully, then immediately this disease of heart palpitation, anxiety, will cease because on account of the dirty things, product of this tamo-guna and rajo-guna... That is disturbing us. We are covered by the tamo-guna and rajo-guna, rajas-tamah. So rajas-tamah means greediness and lusty desires. This is rajas-tamah. So we have to... If we actually want to become free from anxieties, then we have to learn how to kill this, or how to avoid this anxiety due to rajas-tamo bhavah [SB 1.2.19].

So first of all we have to try to come to the platform of goodness. There are three platforms: tamo-guna, rajo-guna and sattva-guna. So immediately we cannot come to the pure sattva-guna, suddha-sattva. Sattvam visuddham vasudeva-sabditam, vasudeva platform... Just like Vasudeva is the father of Krsna, so there is vasudeva platform also. Unless one comes to the vasudeva platform, there is no question of Krsna, because Vasudeva can beget Krsna, or Vasudeva. Vasudevah sarvam iti [Bg. 7.19]. So actually we have to come to the platform of Vasudeva, Vasudeva-sabditam, and that is suddha-sattva. But it is not immediately possible. Therefore gradually, from the platform of tamo-guna and rajo-guna, we have to come to the sattva-guna. Or in other words, we have to acquire the qualities of a brahmana. Therefore this is initiation, how to bring one to the platform of brahmana. Catur-varnyam maya srstam guna-karma-vibhagasah [Bg. 4.13]. So this is necessary. From this material platform to come to the spiritual platform one has to become a qualified brahmana.

So this process, that we first of all accept anyone who is prepared to chant, we accept to give him hari-nama -- what is the idea? The idea is that he'll gradually become brahmana. Of course, chanting of Hare Krsna mantra is beyond the position of brahmana. Nivrtta-tarsair upagiyamanat. This chanting of Hare Krsna mantra is meant for the nivrtta-tarsaih. Nivrtta-tarsaih means one who has finished all kinds of desires, all kinds of material desires. For him... Nivrtta-tarsair upagiyamanat. But for the ordinary man, bhavausadhi, even it is meant for the liberated person, chanting Hare Krsna mantra, but still, those who are not liberated, if he chants, then he becomes cured from the material desires. Kamaturam. Material desires... Kamaturam harsa-soka-bhayaisanartam. This is material desires. We are full of lusty desires, kama, kamaturam, and therefore you are distressed. Our distressed condition is due to lusty desires, kamaturam. And the result is harsa-sokah. When we can fulfill our desires -- "I am very much inclined to a woman or a man" -- kamaturam, lusty desires, if we can fulfill, then it is very nice, harsa: "Oh, I am very successful." And if you cannot fulfill, then soka. Two things are there. Soka, there are so many things. We have got practical examples. The so-called loving affairs of man and woman ends in even murder. We have got experience. So sokaturam. The lusty desires means for the time being it may be very happy condition, but the result is soka. It will end. Either illicit sex or legal sex, the end is soka, soka, lamentation. There are many examples, practical.

So this kamaturam, this lusty desire, is not good. Either you do it legally or illegally, the result is sokah. That we must understand. Unforunately, although the result ..., everyone knows practical experience, that nobody has become happy by these sex affairs. There is a Urdu word, they say durlika-lugdu, yo khaya abhipastaya yo na khaya abhipastaya.(?) The meaning is "There is a lugdu" -- you know lugdu, of course -- "lugdu which is known as durlikalugdu. So this durlikalugdu is so dangerous, one who has eaten it, he's also lamenting, and one who has not eaten it, he's also lamenting." (laughter) Durlika lugdu ya khaya abhipastaya ya na khaya abhipastaya. So this man and woman connection is durlikalugdu. One who has married, he's also lamenting, and who is not married, he's also lamenting. So this is the thing. The sastra also says... Not only... Any experienced man will say like that, that "Both ways, it is simply lamentation."

Therefore Prahlada Maharaja says that trpyanti neha krpana bahu-duhkha-bhajah [SB 7.9.45]. Trpyanti neha krpana. There are two classes of men, krpana and brahmana. The opposite word of brahmana is krpana. Brahma janati iti brahmanah. This life, human life, is meant for understanding Brahman, the Absolute Truth. So a person who has understood what is Brahman -- aham brahmasmi -- so he is called brahmana. Anyone who understands Brahman, he is brahmana. Brahma janati iti brahmanah. And one who does not understand, he's krpana. In the Upanisad also it is said, etad viditva yah prayati sa brahmanah, etad aviditva yah prayati sa krpanah. This human life is meant for understanding Brahman -- athato brahma jijnasa, Vedanta -- simply meant for understanding Brahman, such a nice life, human life, not cats' and dogs' life. In everywhere the same thing is repeatedly said. Rsabhadeva says, nayam deho deha-bhajam nrloke kastan kaman arhati vid-bhujam ye: [SB 5.5.1] "This human life is not meant for acting like the pigs." Kastan kaman arhati. So it is meant for becoming a brahmana. And one who does not become a brahmana -- become a pig -- he's krpana, krpana. Krpana means he got the chance of becoming a brahmana, but he remained a cat and dog and pig. That's all. Krpana. And if I give you, say, ten thousand rupees, that "You take this, do some business and be happy," but you could not do anything, simply kept the money and see it or spoil it, then you are krpana. You could not use it. And there are others who can increase.

So we got this human form of life, we could..., we are advanced in consciousness, and if we increase this consciousness to the ultimate goal, Krsna consciousness, then our life is successful. And if we could not do it -- we remain in the same cats and dogs consciousness, kamaturam... Just like a dog is lusty dog, one dog, one female dog, and dozen of dogs is after her... You have seen nature's instruction. So that is krpana life. We should not spoil our life by becoming a krpana. This Krsna consciousness movement is trying to raise the standard of the human society to become brahmana from the position of krpana. This is the attempt. It may be a tiny attempt, humble attempt, but our aim is how these dogs and cats will become brahmana. This is our aim. We do not want to keep them in the position of cats and dogs and pigs. This is our attempt. So we may be successful or not successful, but our endeavor is very, very great. We should always remember that. Because these krpanas... Na trpyanti. Krpana... What is that?

yan maithunadi-grhamedhi-sukham hi tuccham
kanduyanena karayor iva duhkha-duhkham
trpyanti neha krpana bahu-duhkha-bhajah
[SB 7.9.45]

The krpana bahu-duhkha-bhajah, they know, "After the sex I'll have to meet so many botherations," either illicit or licit sex. Either you get so many diseases, syphilis and this, and from syphilis so many other disease, up to madness, up to leprosy, one disease after one disease, one disease. This sex... The sex syphilitic disease is called in India by the Ayurvedic physician as phairanga-roga. It has come from the Western country. I do not wish to discuss, but the point is that illicit sex has many, many aftereffects who is not very nice. And even it is legal sex, there is also botheration. If there is no botheration, why they are killing their own child? There is botheration. Sex life is botheration. Therefore it should be controlled, undoubtedly. And the last control is to become a sannyasi, bas. Ara na re bapa:(?) "No more." That is called...

So whole Vedic civilization is to reduce this propensity, kamaturam. That is Prahlada Maharaja's recommendation. Because if we remain kamaturam, sexually inclined, then we'll be subjected only to these processes, harsa-soka-bhayaisanarta. In this way we shall be always disturbed. And it will be disturbed mind. You cannot think of the Absolute Truth. That is not possible. The mind must be peaceful. But there is one very easy method to control the mind from these disturbances. What is that? The yoga system means the control the disturbed mind. Yoga indriya-samyamah. Real yoga means to control the mind and the senses. That is yoga. Because without controlling the mind and the senses, there is no question of spiritual advancement. That is not possible. Without controlling the mind, there is no question of spiritual advancement. Therefore Krsna advised to Arjuna that "You practice yoga," in the Sixth Chapter, "so that you'll be able to control the mind." But Arjuna said that "Control the mind is very difficult for me, Krsna. I cannot practice this yoga system." Cancalam hi manah krsna pramathi balavad drdham: [Bg. 6.34] "Mind is very restless, and it is very difficult to control." Tasyaham nigraham manye vayor iva suduskaram: "I think to control the mind is still more difficult than to control the wind." Nobody can control the wind. So Krsna... Arjuna said, "Even though I am able to control the wind, I cannot control my mind. It is so strong." So Krsna recommended... Krsna not discouraged Arjuna. Arjuna is a family man, and he went to the war field to gain his victory. So everyone is engaged in some such engagement, occupational duty, brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, in this world. And so mind is very difficult to control. But Krsna gave the easy method:

yoginam api sarvesam
mad-gata antaratmana
sraddhavan bhajate yo mam
sa me yuktatamo (matah)
[Bg. 6.47]

If you can keep Krsna always in your mind, then the whole thing is solved. This is easiest. So chant always Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna...

Devotees: ...Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

Prabhupada: Then this kamaturam mind will be controlled, and you'll not be subjected to this harsa-soka-bhaya. This is the secret. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has recommended that in the Kali-yuga it is very, very difficult to come out this kamaturam position. It is not possible. But if you chant the holy name of the Lord Hari... Harer nama harer nama harer nama iva kevalam, kalau... [Cc. Adi 17.21].

Devotees: ...nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha.

Prabhupada: So the verdict of the sastra is the same everywhere in a different way. The perfection of life is, Prahlada Maharaja says, that tava kathasu vikuntha-natha. One should be interested in Krsna-katha. We are interested in so many kathas. Because we purchase newspaper in the morning, so big volume, so many kathas are there. And we read many material dramas and novels and fictitious stories and killing stories. We are very much attached to these. All these kathas, means stories, we are interested, but we are not interested in Krsna-katha. Means I am interested in katha, that is my nature, but it has become perverted on account of being contaminated by this material world. This is our position. Therefore Prahlada Maharaja said that naitan manas tava kathasu vikuntha-natha sampriyate durita-dustam asadhu tivram. Because it is so polluted, asadhu, dishonest and bad, everything, whatever... The mind is dirty, full of dirty things.

So in another place it is said, srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah punya-sravana-kirtanah, hrdy antah-stho abhadrani [SB 1.2.17]. This is abhadra. The hrdy antah-stho, within the core of heart, there, so many nasty, dirty things, that is the material contamination. So it can be, I mean to say, avoided, or cleansed. Ceto-darpana-marjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12], Caitanya Mahaprabhu has assured. The whole process of education and advancement of civilization is how to cleanse the dirty mind. Why it is dirty? Kamaturam: the lusty desire and greediness. So we should always remember this, that mind is the best friend and the worst enemy. If it remains kamaturam, the worst enemy, and if it is Krsna conscious, the best friend. So we have to control this mind. And that is very easy, as Ambarisa Maharaja did, sa vai manah krsna-padaravindayor vacamsi vaikuntha-gunanuvarnane [SB 9.4.18]. We have to fix up. This arcana-vidhi for kanistha-adhikari, everyone... The temple is meant for gradually making the mind thinking of Krsna. You'll come to the temple, you'll see the Deity, you'll see Krsna, you'll think of Krsna, and if you increase... That is the system. Every man, every woman, used to go to the temple. This is our Vedic civilization, to make the mind Krsna conscious, always Krsna conscious. And then it will be possible to cleanse the mind from this... Yadavadhi mama cetah krsna-padaravindayor nava-nava-rasa-dhamanudyata rantum asit. If you make your mind fixed up in Krsna and think of Krsna's activities -- tadavadhi mama...

Yadavadhi mama cetah krsna-padaravindayor
nava-nava-rasa-dhamanudyata rantum asit
tadavadhi bata nari-sangame smaryamane
bhavati mukha-vikarah sustu nisthivanam ca

This kamaturam mind will be cleansed. Not only be cleansed: if you thind of sex, you'll spite on it. This is Krsna consciousness movement.

Thank you very much. (end)
Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.39 -- Mayapur, March 17, 1976
Volunteer

padmavati mataji April 8, 2011 at 9:54pm

Pusta Krsna: "Then Lord Brahma could see You possessing thousands and thousands of faces, legs, heads, hands, eyes, noses, and ears. You were decorated with varieties of ornaments and weapons and very nicely dressed. Seeing You as Lord Visnu with Your transcendental symptoms and form, Your legs extending to the lower planets, Lord Brahma achieved transcendental bliss."

Prabhupada:

evam sahasra-vadananghri-sirah-karoru-
nasadya-karna-nayana abharanayudhadhyam
mayamayam sad-upalaksita-sannivesam
drstva maha-purusam apa mudam virincah
[SB 7.9.36]

So in the previous verse we understood that Lord Brahma executed severe austerity for hundreds of years just to become purified. Tivra-tapasa parisuddha-bhavah. Bhava, situation, or nature, bhava, nature also... So we have a bhava, nature, at the present moment which is not real bhava. We have acquired this bhava on account of long, long years' material association. But this bhava can be changed. That is spiritual. Sri Rupa Gosvami also says bhava, and another place, in Bhagavad-gita, it is said, budha bhava-samanvitah, bhava [Bg. 10.8].

So at the present moment we have got a bhava: "I am this. I am that. I belong to this family. I belong to this nation." Bhava is ecstasy, and everyone is overwhelmed with such kind of ecstasy. The politicians, they think that we are simply wasting time in chanting and dancing. "They have no sense how to improve the position of the country." They do not like because they are in different bhava. But we are trying to change that bhava. The bhava must be there. The whole Krsna consciousness movement is to purify the bhava. Bhava. That is stated here. Parisuddha-bhava. We are not negativating everything. We are simply changing from material bhava to spiritual bhava. That's all. Here is a big building, but there are many other hundreds and thousands of big building in this district or in this country. But here the bhava is changed. The bhava is changed. In your country there are many big, big skyscraper buildings. In comparison to those buildings, this is nothing. But still, you have come, spending thousands of dollars here, to change the bhava. That is the... That is required. Otherwise you American boys and girls, you have no business to come here to see this big building. No. To change the bhava, that requires. That is very important thing.

So,

sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam
tat-paratvena nirmalam
hrsikena hrsikesa-
sevanam bhaktir ucyate
[Cc. Madhya 19.170]

Hrsikesa-sevanam. That bhava is changed. Bhakti means to change the bhava. At the present moment we are in a different bhava. It has to be cleansed, parisuddha-bhava. Prakrsta-rupena or parisuddha, clarified, cleansed bhava. We have nothing to reject. Simply we have to change the bhava. Budha bhava-samanvitah.

aham sarvasya prabhavo
mattah sarvam pravartate
iti matva bhajante mam
budha bhava-samanvitah
[Bg. 10.8]

Budha, those who are intelligent, budha... Bodha. Bodha means intelligence, knowledge, and budha, those who have got knowledge. So this is knowledge.

So Brahma, Lord Brahma, began austerity to change the bhava. He is the first created living being. How much great he is. But because he came into this material world... He is coming from Visnu, atma-yoni. Not only Brahma, every one of us, we are coming from Visnu. Every one of us, like the small sparks of fire, we are coming from the big fire. That's a fact. But as soon as we come to this material world, our, that quality, fiery quality, extinguished. Therefore we have to revive the fiery quality, change of bhava. Parisuddha-bhava. As soon as I come... The same example: the big fire and there are sparks, small fire. We are not big fire; we are small, sparklike. The spark, so long it is with the fire, it is very beautiful. The fire is also beautiful, and the spark is also beautiful. And if by chance the fire falls down, the small... The big fire never falls down. Therefore Krsna is acyuta. He never falls down. If He comes in this material world, He does not fall down. Etad isanam isasya. This is His all-powerful. He comes also in this material world. He says, tadatmanam srjamy aham. Paritranaya. Yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata, tadatmanam srjami [Bg. 4.7]. He also comes, but He does not fall down. We fall down.

The Mayavadi philosopher cannot understand this. They think that anyone who comes in this material world, he falls under the influence of maya. That is right for the small living entities, as we are. That is not correct for the Supreme. Therefore they misunderstand Krsna in His activities, especially when He dances with the gopis. Therefore a neophyte person should not try to understand Krsna's dancing with the gopis immediately, because they do not know Krsna. So here if we do something against the moral principles, we are liable to be punished. But Krsna, about Krsna it is stated in the Isopanisad, apapa-viddham. You know this. Apapa-viddham. (aside:) Who is that? He does not become affected by any papa, apapa-viddham. That is His nature. Etad isanam isasya. Just like we go into the fire -- we become burned into ashes. But there are some others, not... We cannot see, but if Krsna enters... Yes, there are many. Just like in the forest fire all the Vrndavana inhabitants they became very much afraid of the forest fire, Vrndavana, the cows and the cowherd boys and inhabitants. But they had no other means how to stop. They began to pray to Krsna, "Krsna, save us." So Krsna swallowed up the fire. That is Krsna. That is the difference between Krsna and ourself. So this difference of Krsna and Krsna's greatness we can see when we have purified ourself, tivra-tapasa parisuddha-bhavah. Then it is possible. That is... The whole bhakti system means tivra-tapasa parisuddha-bhavah.

So evam sahasra-vadana. Sahasra-vadana. This virat-rupa. This is mayamayam. Krsna's virat-rupa is another feature. His real rupa or form is dvi-bhuja-muralidhara, two hands. That is His original form. There is in the Brahma-samhita,

venum kvanantam aravinda-dalayataksam
barhavatamsam asitambuda-sundarangam
kandarpa-koti-kamaniya-visesa-sobham
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
[Bs. 5.30]

That is Krsna's real form. Venum kvanantam: "He is playing on flute." But here it is said that sahasra-vadananghri-sirah-karoru. Here Brahma saw He has got many sahasra... What is that? Sahasra-vadana, faces, anghri. As soon as there is face, as soon as there is one face, there must be two legs, two hands. So He appeared before Brahma with thousands of faces. So similarly, number of hands and legs must increase proportionately. So Lord Brahma saw Him in His virata-rupam, virat-rupam. Krsna, Brahman, Brahman, Para-brahman. Para-brahman means the great, the great. And He is Para-brahman. Nobody is greater than Him. So if anyone wants to see Krsna in His Para-brahman rupa, then He exhibits His virat-rupa. Just like Arjuna saw virat-rupa, the same. But that is not His natural form. That is mayamayam. Because one... Suppose one wants to see God and he is not very advanced. Even if he's advanced, sometimes we want to see the superior in His great opulence.

But the Vrndavana-vasi, they are so affectionate, so attached to Krsna, they do not want. They do not want to know what is God. They simply want Krsna, to love. This is Vrndavana. There is no necessity. Krsna manifested in so many ways big, big activities in Vrndavana, killing daily almost a demon. But still, the Vrndavana-vasi did not accept Him as the Supreme Lord. They thought that some demigod has appeared. They did not know that He is the Supreme Lord. That is another maya, yoga-maya. If the Vrndavana-vasi saw Krsna that He is the Supreme Lord, then they could not love Him so nicely, because too much opulent conception diminishes natural love. Therefore in the Vrndavana there is no such exhibition of Krsna's form. But in the material world, just to convince Brahma that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He appeared, sahasra vadananghri-sirah-karoru-nasadya-karna-nayanabharanaya-a yudhadhyam. Not only many faces, many ears, many legs, but each of them very nicely decorated. You have seen the picture of Lord Visnu, very decorated, very much decorated. But you'll see Krsna, He is decorated with the Vrndavana flowers. That is Krsna's real form. He does not appear with many hands, many ornaments, many... No. Simple boy.

So yasoda-nandana gopi-jana-ranjana yamuna-tira... What is that?

Devotees: Vana-cari.

Prabhupada: Yes. That is Krsna. Krsna is always yasoda-nandana. He is always ready to be chastised by mother Yasoda, by the gopis, and sometimes by His friends. That is Vrndavana Krsna. That is real Krsna; that is real God. And this form of God as Brahma saw, virat-rupa, that is mayamayam. Because Brahma, such exalted person, he was meant for creating this universe, he becomes bewildered, seeing Krsna as a cowherd boy. That was also exhibited. When Brahma understood that "A cowherd boy in Vrndavana is said to be the Supreme Lord, Krsna, my master," so he also examined whether Krsna, that boy, was his master. He took away His calves and cowherd boys for a second, and he saw that Krsna has expanded Himself to so many cows and calves and cowherd boys. Then he submitted. Similarly, Indra also wanted to examine Him. So everyone... Siva-virinci-nutam [SB 11.5.33]. Yatra muhyanti surayah. So even Lord Brahma, Lord Indra, and others, big, big demigods, they become bewildered to understand Krsna. So Brahma saw the virat-rupa. Mayamayam sad-upalaksita-sannivesam drstva maha-purusam apa mudam virincah. But when he saw the Lord, he was very, very happy.

So our... Pure Vaisnava, they do not want to see even Krsna. They are satisfied with the service of Krsna. That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's philosophy. Aslisya va pada-ratam pinastu mam marma-hatam karotu va. Marma-hatam karotu va [Cc. Antya 20.47]. A pure Vaisnava, he simply always expects, "When that time will come, Krsna will be pleased to accept me?" Otherwise he is not very hasty. But he is interested with the service. That is pure Vaisnava. A pure Vaisnava can go to the hell for serving Krsna, but he is not aspirant for his personal comfort. Any condition... Mama janmani janmanisvare. This is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's teaching. Janmani janmanisvare bhavatad bhaktir ahaituki tvayi. Na dhanam na janam na sundarim kavitam va jagadisa kamaye [Cc. Antya 20.29, Siksastaka 4]. Aslisya va pada-ratam pinastu mam marma-hatam karotu va. So this Krsna consciousness movement is very great movement, more valuable than the conception of Lord Siva or Lord Brahma, because it is given by Krsna personally, Caitanya Mahaprabhu. So do not try to see Krsna in His virat form. Simply try to serve Him in humble position. Then your life will be successful.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya! (end)

Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.36 -- Mayapur, March 14, 1976
Volunteer

padmavati mataji April 8, 2011 at 9:53pm

"Make Krishna Smile" BY SRILA PRABHUPADA.

Pusta Krsna: "From that great lotus flower from which Brahma is generated, certainly Brahma could not see anything else except the big lotus flower. Therefore Lord Brahma, diving within the water, executed austerity and penance for one hundred years but still could not get any trace of You. The reason is that when a seed is fructified, the original seed cannot be seen."

Prabhupada:

tat-sambhavah kavir ato 'nyad apasyamanas
tvam bijam atmani tatam sa bahir vicintya
navindad abda-satam apsu nimajjamanah
jate 'nkure katham uhopalabheta bijam
[SB 7.9.34]

So from the beginning of the creation the same illusion is continued. Brahma, when he was born, created, he was created not by ordinary father and mother, but he was created on a lotus flower stem which grew from the navel of Maha Visnu, er, yes, Garbhodakasayi Visnu. Therefore Brahma's another name is Aja. He's not born like ordinary human being. Svayambhu. He's also known as Svayambhu. Everyone is born by father and mother, but he was born... Of course, father was there, Garbhodakasayi Visnu, but he did not come through the womb of mother. This is omnipotency. Lord Visnu is lying on the Sesa bed, and Laksmiji is engaged in the service of massaging the lotus feet of Visnu, but Visnu did not take the help of Laksmiji to beget Brahma. He personally begot from the navel. Therefore we should understand that the Supreme Personality of Godhead can perform anything he likes from any part of His body. That we chant always, angani yasya sakalendriya-vrttimanti. We have got knowledge, experience, that when a child is born it has got a different source of being born, but Garbhodakasayi Visnu wanted the child be born from the navel and not from the mother of the navel -- there was no mother -- but the father Himself. This is called angani yasya sakalendriya-vrttimanti. Every part of the body, every limb, has got the potency to act like other parts of the body. We can see only with the eyes, but God can see with His finger. That is God. We can eat through mouth, but God can eat from any part of His body. If He simply touches His toe, He can eat. If He simply glances over the foodstuff offered to Him, He has eaten it. That we do not know. Therefore we're sometimes surprised that "How He has eaten?" that "You are offering so many nice things. It is lying down there. How I shall understand that He has eaten?" Yes, He has eaten. Simply by seeing, He has eaten. And because He's nija-labha-purna, He's satisfied by His own self, therefore by simply glancing, He has eaten and it has become prasadam. You can take it. This is the meaning of angani yasya sakalendriya-vrttimanti.

So those who cannot understand the omnipotency, they speak of omnipotency, but they do not know what is that omnipotency. They describe sometimes, "God is omnipotent," but they do not know how the omnipotency acts. Here are some of the examples. Those who are devotee, they can understand. Nondevotees, they call -- what is? -- "mythology." It is not mythology; it is all fact. But foolish people who do not know how Krsna or His confidential devotee act, they do not know it. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu has said that ye bhaje sei bada abhakta hina chara: "One who is devotee, he is exalted. And those who are not devotees, they are low grade," hina chara, "condemned." So nobody can be exalted personality without Krsna consciousness. That is not possible. This is the verdict of the Vedic knowledge. Harav abhaktasya kuto mahad-guna mano-rathena asato dhavato bahih: [SB 5.18.12] "Those who are not devotees of the Lord, they cannot have any good qualities." That is not possible. "Why? There are so many big, big men, doctors, doctorate, having so big, big title from university." No. The sastra says, "Yes." Harav abhaktasya kuto mahad-guna. Why they have no good qualities? Because mano-rathena: "They are hovering over the mental platform." They have no realization of the spiritual platform. Therefore you'll find all these great scientists, philosophers, they are simply concocting with mind. The mind has no value. With mind you cannot reach spiritual platform, because it is material. With material instrument you cannot go to the spiritual platform. It is not possible. God can be understood. God is all-spirit, and He can be understood by spiritual method, not material method. Material method means up to the standard of mental speculation and mental concoction. That is not the way. Mano-rathena asato dhavato bahih. In the Brahma-samhita it is also said,

panthas tu koti-sata-vatsara-sampragamyo
vayor athapi manaso muni-pungavanam
so 'py asti yat-prapada-simny avicintya-tattve
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
[Bs. 5.34]

By mental speculation, mental speed, you cannot reach the spiritual world. Mental speed is very strong. Everyone, we have got experience -- you are sitting here. Immediately, within a second, you can go to our London temple by the mental speed. So even by the mental speed for many, many years, if we run over the space, still, we cannot reach the spiritual world. That is not possible.

But Krsna is everywhere. Krsna... Andantara-stha paramanu-cayantara-stham [Bs. 5.35]. As Krsna is being described, Visnu, within this universe, so He is not only within the universe as Garbhodakasayi Visnu; He is within your heart also. Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati [Bg. 18.61]. And not only within your heart, but as many atoms are there, the composition of your body, in each atom He is there. Andantara-stha paramanu-cayantara-stham. So Krsna is everywhere. But why you cannot see? Antar-bahir-avasthitam. Krsna is within and without. If He is within every atom, then atoms are there, outside and inside. So antar-bahih, He is situated. Anyone can see Him, but He cannot be seen to the nondevotee. He cannot be... Nayam prakasah sarvasya yoga-maya-samavrtah. He is not exposed to everyone. He is simply exposed to the devotee. Premanjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santah sadaiva hrdayesu vilokayan... [Bs. 5.38]. The nondevotee cannot see. Naham prakasah sarvasya [Bg. 7.25]. Unless Krsna agrees to be seen, you cannot see. It is not possible. You cannot force Him to be seen by You. No, that is not possible. Svayam eva sphuraty adah. He... When He likes, He'll be seen by you, not that you can force Him. You cannot say that "Now I am qualified. Krsna must come, and I'll see Him." That is not possible. We are never qualified unless Krsna agrees to be seen by you. This is the... Naham prakasah sarvasya yoga-maya-samavrtah: [Bg. 7.25] "Everyone cannot see Me." Yoga-maya-samavrtah: "I am covered, I am veiled by the yoga-maya." Yoga-maya will not allow you to see unless you are devotee. Therefore Krsna confirms this fact: bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yas casmi tattvatah [Bg. 18.55]. If you want to know Krsna, God, as He is, then you must practice devotional life. Then He'll be seen. Bhaktya mam, yavan yas casmi tattvatah. To know Krsna ordinarily -- "Oh, Krsna was born in India, in Mathura. He's the son of such and such, and He was very big man" -- that is not tattvatah. Tattvatah means as He is, sac-cid-ananda vigrahah [Bs. 5.1]. Anadir adir govindah sarva-karana-karanam [Bs. 5.1].

So for to know Krsna, there are so many Vedic literatures. So we have to know through the mercy of the spiritual master. Tad-vijnanartham sa gurum eva abhigacchet [MU 1.2.12]. Everything is there, just like Krsna is there in the Bhagavad-gita, but people could not understand Krsna. Now we are presenting Krsna as it is. People are understanding. They are becoming devotee. So we have to go through the right channel. Then we'll know Krsna. And as soon as you know Krsna as He is, your life is successful. That is the aim and object of Krsna consciousness movement -- simply to help the people to know Krsna. This is the only business, because as soon as you know Krsna, your life is successful in which way, eh? The success is tyaktva deham punar janma naiti [Bg. 4.9]. This is success. This body should be the last acceptance of material body. That is success. Otherwise, if you continue, tatha dehantara-praptih... [Bg. 2.13]. These foolish people, they do not know that dehantara, there is change of body. Change of body is there already. You are experiencing, but they do not believe that after death there is body. Why not? If you have got experience in the life -- "I have passed through so many changes of body, from babyhood to childhood, childhood to boyhood, boyhood to youth-hood, then middle age and old body" -- then what is next? Why do you finish here? It is common logic. Why should you finish here? There must be body. This is real reasoning. And Krsna confirms it. Not only your contemplation. Krsna says, tatha dehantara-praptih: [Bg. 2.13] "In this way you'll have another body." The Krsna, the great authority, He says, from whom Brahma, the first creature, he learned. Tene brahma hrda adi-kavaye. Krsna, Vasudeva... Om namo bhagavate vasudevaya. He... Tene brahma hrda adi-kavaye. He taught this Vedic literature to the heart of Brahma. He can teach you through the heart also because He is sitting there. Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese [Bg. 18.61].

A particularly mention, hrd-dese, "within the core of the heart." He doesn't say that "Isvara is situated on your finger." No. Within the heart. The particular place is mentioned. Therefore the yogis' practice, real yoga practice, means to find out Krsna within the heart. That is real yoga. Dhyanavasthita-tad-gatena manasa pasyanti yam yoginah [SB 12.13.1]. This is yogi. Yogis meditate. What for meditation? To find out Krsna within the heart. That is yoga, not to show magic and gymnastic. No, that is not. That gymnastic yoga, that is not yoga. Real yoga is to find out Krsna within one's own heart. Premanjana-cchurita-bhakti... That yoga means you have to come to the platform of prema, love, not that simply official practice, you can see. You have to come to the platform... Without having love connection with Krsna, it is not possible to see Him. You may practice this hatha-yoga or gymnastic yoga for many, many births -- you cannot see Krsna. Krsna can be seen when you smear with love ointment in your eyes. Premanjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena [Bs. 5.38]. And that is possible: bhakti, through bhakti.

So therefore why not practice bhakti-yoga from the beginning if you want to see Krsna? And that is recommended by Krsna:

yoginam api sarvesam
mad-gata antaratmana
sraddhavan bhajate yo mam
sa me yuktatamo matah
[Bg. 6.47]

Krsna says, "He's first-class yogi." Who? "Who is always trying to see Krsna within the heart." So it is very difficult task? In our bhakti-yoga we can teach this art of seeing Krsna within the core of the heart in one minute. It is so simple. You are seeing Krsna here. You must have impression and try to keep that impression within your heart always. Then you become first-class yogi. Why so much gymnastic and pressing the nose? No. Take directly. If you are engaged twenty-four hours in the service of the Deity, you cannot see except the Deity. This bhakti-yoga practice is so simple. Therefore kanistha adhikari, those who are neophyte, they must take to Deity worship. By Deity worship he is elevated to the position of seeing the Lord within the heart. This is very important thing. You can see -- He is there -- but you have no knowledge, or even if you have knowledge, you are not competent to see Him. But if you practice Deity worship...

Therefore it is the duty of guru to engage the neophyte devotee always in Deity worship.

sri-vigraharadhana-nitya-nana-
srngara-tan-mandira-marjanadau
yuktasya bhaktams ca niyunjato 'pi
vande guroh sri-caranaravindam

It is the duty of the guru to engage his disciple in Deity worship, in cleansing the temple, dressing the Deity, decorating the Deity, so many engagements. So everyone should be engaged. If one is not competent to dress the Deity -- everyone is competent -- he can simply wash the temple and cleanse it. That will also help. There is no difference, that one who is cleansing the floor of the temple and one who is engaged directly in the Deity worship... There is no difference. They are all the same. Don't think that "I am engaged in cleansing the floor of the temple, and he is engaged in decorating the temple. I should be envious." No. There is no question of. Any kind of duty you are engaged... Sva-karmana tam abhyarcya [Bg. 18.46]. If you cannot do something which is hard for you, you do anything for Krsna under the direction of spiritual master, you'll get perfection. It is not that "I have to do this. I have to do that." No. Krsna's service is manyfold. If one is unable to take one kind of service, the spiritual master can give him another kind of service. But both the services are accepted by Krsna.

Thank you very much. (end)
Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.34 -- Mayapur, March 12, 1976

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