Lecture on Tapping our irreducible individuality in bhakti yoga by HG Chaitanya Charan Prabhu

(His Grace Caitanya Charan Prabhu is a monk and spiritual teacher in the time honored tradition of bhakti yoga. He is a editor of Back to Godhead, which is the official international magazine of the Hare Krishna movement.)

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sri-suka uvaca
ity evam uttara-matah sa vai brahmarsi-sutah
sindhu-pataya atma-satattvam viganayatah
paranubhavah parama-karunikatayopadisya
rahuganena sakarunam abhivandita-carana
apurnarnava iva nibhrta-karanormy-asayo
dharanim imam vicacara.

TRANSLATION: Srila Sukadeva Gosvami continued: My dear King, O son of mother Uttara, there were some waves of dissatisfaction in the mind of Jada Bharata due to his being insulted by King Rahugana, who made him carry his palanquin, but Jada Bharata neglected this, and his heart again became calm and quiet like an ocean. Although King Rahugana had insulted him, he was a great paramahamsa. Being a Vaisnava, he was naturally very kindhearted, and he therefore told the King about the constitutional position of the soul. He then forgot the insult because King Rahugana pitifully begged pardon at his lotus feet. After this, he began to wander all over the earth, just as before.

PURPORT: In Srimad-Bhagavatam (3.25.21), Kapiladeva describes the symptoms of great personalities: titiksavah karunikah suhrdah sarva-dehinam. A saintly devotee is certainly very tolerant. He is the friend of all living entities, and he does not create enemies within the world. A pure devotee has all the qualities of a sadhu. Jada Bharata is an example of this. Due to the material body, his senses were certainly agitated when he was insulted by King Rahugana, but later, due to the King's humble submission, Jada Bharata excused him. It is the duty of everyone desiring to return to Godhead to become submissive like King Rahugana and beg pardon of Vaisnavas one may have offended. Vaisnavas are generally very kindhearted; therefore if one immediately submits himself at the lotus feet of a Vaisnava, one is immediately cleared of offensive reactions. If one does not do so, the reactions will remain, and the results will not be very palatable.

HH Bhaktivaibhava Swami: Srila Prabhupada is quoting in the purport one verse wherein the symptoms of a sadhu are being described. A sadhu is very tolerant, very merciful, and is very friendly to all the living entities, not only human beings, sarva dehinam, sarva dehinam, dehi, those who are embodied, those living entities who have a body, all living entities even animals, insects, creepers. Sadhu is always kind, like Sivananda Sena is one example. He gave liberation even to a dog. There are many examples like this.

The sadhu doesn't have any enemies, he is very peaceful, he abides by the scriptures and all his characteristics are sublime. So these are the symptoms of a sadhu. Sadhu means a devotee of Krishna. These are the symptoms of a devotee. He's not satisfied with only with his own liberation but he is always feeling for other living entities. That is his mercy, karunika. That is his mercy.

He goes begging from door to door, "My dear sir or My dear lady! Why you are wasting your precious human form of life? After millions and billions of years you have received this rare gift of this human form. Why you are wasting your time like this?" But unfortunately most of the time people are not, they are not ready to receive transcendental knowledge, they have no taste for it.

In one lecture Srila Prabhupada mentioned that the preacher in Krishna consciousness sometimes has to undergo so many difficulties, tribulations, sometimes even suffering, so much suffering to give Krishna consciousness to others. And although he has no enemies, he is not inimical towards anyone but the world is so ungrateful, Srila Prabhupada says, the world is so ungrateful that even a sadhu has many enemies. He has no enemies, but unfortunately others they think that the sadhu is his or their enemy. That's the problem. He has no enemies. But others think that sadhu is an enemy. Very ungrateful!

Srila Prabhupada sometimes referred to Jesus Christ, Haridasa Thakura or even Nityananda Prabhu Himself. He was violently attacked. So ungrateful! But still, in modern times we also have many examples of devotees spreading Krishna consciousness in so many different ways, in countries, places, everywhere, sometimes they also have to suffer. Like in Russia, the devotees so much suffering they had to undergo, in Africa, and in Serbia, many, many different countries, the devotees had to suffer so much. What is their fault? What do they do wrong? They just want to benefit people with Krishna consciousness, there is nothing more beneficial. They give it freely, here take some prasad, chant Hare Krishna, take this book, just give whatever you can.

They are very, very tolerant, despite having to undergo so many different types of suffering but they continue. That means tolerance. So tolerant, they just go on, go on, go on, go on, continue, they don't give up. That's tolerance.

In one class I just recently listened to Srila Prabhupada quoted that verse from Prabhodananda Sarasvati, very nice verse. It is described that dante, the attitude, the mood of a preacher. He is describing in that verse, dante, dante means teeth, dante nidhaya, I place, I put between my teeth a blade of grass, it is described, trinakam. Trinakam means a blade of grass. And then padayor nipatya, I fall at your feet, and kritva ca kaku-satam, satam means hundreds of times, hundred of times, I am appealing, appealing, begging, he sadavah sakalam eva vihaya durad, he sadhu.

In that class Srila Prabhupada mentioned that is flattering, he sadavah, he sadhu, he knows he is rascal number one, but he is - oh, he sadhu! You are so intelligent, you are so educated, you have so many good qualities; everything is at your command. This is flattering. In that particular class Srila Prabhupada was laughing, just like beggars, they also flatter. They look at the palms of your hand and then they tell you - Oh! you will become a king! Prabhupada was laughing, you will become a king. Oh! I will become a king! Interesting! OK, here take some paisa! Flattering.

Similarly a preacher, a sadhu he is also, sometimes he is flattering because naturally people then they are more inclined. Oh! you speak such nice words about me. All right what do you want? Although he knows all these material acquisitions, material accomplishments all these titles, is a combination of letters, academic titles, PhD, doctor philosophy. . . Srila Prabhpada sometimes gave the example of zeroes.

Anything disconnected from Krishna, without Krishna, without Krishna consciousness this is like a zero, a zero has no meaning. What's the value of just adding zeroes? The equation will be just a big zero. That's material life.

So a sadhu he knows, he is flattering, but at the same time he knows, what is your PhD, what will it do at the time of death, this letter combination? What is the use? If we don't surrender to Krishna it factually has no meaning.

I just read recently on the internet some article, it was really funny and but we can use in Krishna's service. Without surrendering to Krishna then the PhD might turn into a Permanent Head Damage, it was mentioned in this article. I thought it was funny. Permanent Head Damage, or Pathetic Homeless Dreamer. (laughter). This must be the result if we don't surrender to Krishna. It will have no meaning. But of course if engaged in Krishna's service, if we put that 1 in front of all these combinations, then it becomes very valuable. We can of course engage everything in Krishna's service. But if we don't it, instead if we just become arrogant, proud, thinking now I know better than guru, previous acaryas, then it becomes useless, it has no meaning.

So then Prabhodananda Sarasvati continues, he is being flattered now - My dear sir, you are so educated!

All right! All right! Why you are flattering me? You speak such nice words! What is your intention? Please tell me.

And then - yes, he sadavah sakalam, sakalam, this sakalam eva vihaya durad, whatever you have learnt now kindly just forget about it, just put it to the side.

Oh! This is very tall order! It's not just easy to forget! I learnt so many things! I studied so many years! I read so many books! You are telling me just forget everything!

Sometimes they even argue for the sake of argument, that - but what if, but what about if your Krishna, going back home, back to Godhead, your Vaikuntha, if this is also just another illusion? And one time Srila Prabhupada he answered this particular point. Our reply will be, just for argument's sake, at least our illusion is better than your illusion. (laughter) Prabhupada replied. If everything is illusion, all right, but at least our illusion is so much better. We have Vaikuntha, no birth, no suffering, no death, very nice illusion. So at least our illusion is better than yours.

Of course Krishna consciousness is not illusion. It is the ultimate reality, eternal reality. But that unfortunately people don't know. So, he sadavah sakalam eva vihaya, all right now I give up everything and then what is the alternative? What shall I do? What is your proposal?

And then the final answer is gauranga-candra-carane kurutanuragam, that simply try to hear what Caitanya Mahaprabhu has to say. Take this into consideration and then begin to cultivate your surrender to the lotus feet of Gauranga Mahaprabhu, such a nice verse.

Srila Prabhupada sometimes quoted that verse to demonstrate what the mood and attitude of a preacher should be. That humbleness, tolerant, very determined, as described in this verse, titiksavah karunikah (SB 3.25.21). Otherwise preaching may be very, very difficult. So many obstacles are there but if a devotee is humble, he is tolerant, he is determined, then he can continue, then he can go on. So the sadhu is the most compassionate person out of all living entities. That's the whole purport.

Srila Prabhupada sometimes gave the example of a physician. A physician also has to be very tolerant. Often the patient cannot appreciate the treatment of the physician, especially dentist. Nobody appreciates the treatment of a dentist. But rather everybody I think in his mind is cursing, uttering one curse after another - what is he doing, why is he doing, why does he continue, why doesn't he stop! And then finally he stops. But all he is doing he is just changing the small drill to a bigger one, and then he continues (laughter).

Once I went once to a dentist and then there was another chair, another person sitting being treated and for that patient it was so painful that he, some kind of reflex, he slapped the dentist on the face. So the dentist has to be very tolerant. He cannot just say - oh this is what you want! And just (laughter) push the drill down his throat ?ithis is what you want! (laughter). He cannot be like this. Otherwise how can he treat him?

Or children sometimes, the parents, mother, the children they are you know often quite obnoxious. They are kicking, kicking with their boots against the lap of mother. Again mother cannot react equally - all right! Kick with her heels the small tender legs of the child. You cannot do that, or even do more nasty things. The mother has to be very tolerant. Ok what can be done? Always thinking about the welfare of the child, nothing else, there is no other consideration.

Similarly a sadhu has to be tolerant like that, despite all kinds of obstacles just go on continue, continue, continue, continue. Therefore sadhu is being described as calm and peaceful. Of course sometimes he might get angry in order to protect Lord Krishna's reputation, the Vaisnavas etc. But otherwise he is very, very calm, very peacefully following the rules and regulations. It's the nature of a sadhu.

So he possesses all the good qualities, it is described in one verse, of the demigods. What is that verse?

yasyasti bhaktir bhagavaty akincana
sarvair gunais tatra samasate surah
harav abhaktasya kuto mahad-guna
mano-rathenasati dhavato bahih
(SB 5.18.12)

All the good qualities of the demigods. Whereas a non devotee he cannot possess good qualities because mano ratha, he is always travelling on the chariot of his mind, therefore he is always prone to be allured by the external energy of the Lord. How can he have good qualities? So only a devotee posseses all good qualities, the sadhu. The nature, the characteristics of a sadhu as described in this verse are based not on their sentimental feelings but on factual spiritual realizations.

So this brings me to another point. Science, Krishna consciousness is not just a mere sentiment, religious type of feeling. It is a spiritual science. I can give one quotation from Srila Prabhupada:

"So this Krishna consciousness is a great science meant for all human beings, not for one religion or another religion. Like science, mathematics, it is meant for everyone. It is a spiritual science. Everyone should take advantage of it. Otherwise what was the use of my coming? I have not come here to preach another religion. You already have your religion. So what is the use of replacing your religion with another one. We have no such (distinctions)? We are here to make a human being perfect in knowledge. That is our aim."

So Lord Krishna is an objective fact, not someone's imagination. We can scientifically prove, of course it is a spiritual science, but it is a science. We can go just very quickly through some which I consider to be very, very important, very inspiring points, relating to how Krishna consciousness is a science.

It is explained that Krishna, the general misconception people have about God or Krishna is that he is something like a anthropomorphic projection or he is like a psychological or emotional support of those who cannot cope with the problems of life, (laughs) who need this kind of psychological crutch. Because they are not capable of facing the facts of life. It's a general misconception.

So this unfortunate misconception prevents people from properly understanding that God or Lord Krishna is simply an objective fact. To say that something objectively exists means that it has its own independent existence and it is not someone's imagination. So how can we prove that Lord Krishna is not someone's imagination, that He factually and objectively exists? Generally of course for common people prove means 'to see'. To see means to believe, that's what they say. If I can see it, then I can believe in it.

But we believe in so many things we cannot see. We can give simple examples. You read in the newspaper somewhere on this planet there is an earthquake. You believe it although you didn't see yourself personally. Neither you have the time to fly over to that particular country to see that earthquake. You believe it, you have trust in the newspaper. On the radio you might hear some other news; you just believe it, you take it as a fact, although you personally have not experienced it.

Or we can give another example of our own death. We believe I have to die, but I did not experience my own death. By extrapolation we can conclude because so many people died in the past, presently so many people are dying, therefore I conclude that I also have to die. Although yet I did not experience my own death, still I take it as a fact.

Or we can give the example of an atom, another nice example. Nobody has seen, you cannot see the atom, even with an electro microscope you cannot see the atom. It is too small. But still, everybody accepts atom exists although we have not seen it. Even if you demand to prove-No I want to be very scientific now, you have to prove to me in a scientific way that the atom exists.

So the scientists give just you a computer printout of very, very complicated equations and figures and symbols you have no idea what it means, still you don't understand. You don't have direct proof that the atom exists. Why? Because you are not trained, you are not trained how to interpret the data which proves the existence of the atom. We are not trained in it. These are very, very nice points.

Similarly that if we want to have the proof that Krishna truly exists we have to undergo a scientific process. We have to enroll in a study, serious study work, meaning text books which are recommended by those who are expert in the field, you have to study very carefully, under certain conditions. That's another point. Just like atom you can only study under certain conditions, our consciousness, our mind also has to be under certain conditions. So they can begin to properly understand the science, Krishna consciousness is a science of the soul, science of the Supersoul and the relationship.

And then under the given circumstances at one point just like any other science, then we will experience, that Krishna exists. And this is not only the realization of one, two or just a few. As Krishna also mentions in the Bhagavad-gita so many in the past they have the same realization, same understanding that Lord Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He exists.

In one lecture I remember Srila Prabhupada mentioned that in our tradition, our line we have so many stalwart scholars, Rupa Goswami, Jiva Goswami, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Srila Bhaktsiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, Srila Prabhupada, they are all scholars. And Prabhupada mentioned, "Are they all fools, that they all accept Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead and worship Him. Does it mean they are all fools?" Such great learned personalities, no, because they all underwent the same process, as predictable as any other science.

Of course Krishna is a person. That makes it a little bit different. It is a more difficult science because we are not dealing with some material object of study but with a person, personality. And Krishna is svarat, He is always independent, He can act in any way He likes, but still it is a science. If the student studies Krishna consciousness properly he will make progress, gradual progress, step by step by step by step. So in that sense it is a science.

Krishna consciousness is so wonderful. In another class Srila Prabhupada mentioned that Srimad-Bhagavatam is such an exalted literature. There is no competition. Nothing comes equal to it. You cannot compare with anything else. Just like in the business world, I think it's a dream of any businessman to find that particular hole or gap in the market, something which nobody produced before, isn't it? They think, meditating, let me produce something which doesn't exist then I will have the hole in the market.

So Srimad-Bhagavatam is like that. It's a free market, no competition. Let us go for it, let us take advantage, it's a free market, that's the hole in the market, there is nothing like Srimad-Bhagavatam. It's such an exalted literature. So many details, you don't find this in any other spiritual, religious, philosophical, whatever scripture. You cannot find such details.

Just like the other day I was reading again the four additional qualities Lord Krishna possesses. Lord Brahma possesses how many, fifty. Lord Brahma possesses fifty qualities, the living entities they possess only part of these qualities and then Lord Siva possesses fifty five qualities, additional five, then Narayana sixty qualities and Lord Krishna sixty four qualities. Where do we have such detailed knowledge?

What are these four additional qualities - madhurya they are very very sweet: lila-madhurya, Lord Krishna's pastimes are so sweet, and what is the second, the association, His eternal associates like the Gopis, He is always surrounded by His eternal associates with whom He has such wonderful exchanges in His transcendental pastimes that we just find, premna ?i..Sanskrit term

And then rupa-madhurya, Lord Krishna's transcendental form, His beauty, we cannot find in any other incarnation of the Lord. This makes Krishna akarsayati iti Krishna, this means Krishna is all attractive, His transcendental beauty, His transcendental form, rupa-madhurya. And then finally venu-madhurya, playing on His transcendental flute. You don't find this anywhere.

And I was thinking the same four additional qualities we also find in Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Because His transcendental pastimes are so unique. And He is also surrounded by so many wonderful associates with whom He has such wonderful exchanges, transcendental exchanges. And Caitanya Mahaprabhu's form, it is beyond comparison. His golden beautiful form in so many places being described, again all attractive. And of course Caitanya Mahaprabhu in that sense is not playing on His flute but He is always chanting the Mahamantra and the mrdanga is being played, so in that sense what is the difference? The transcendental sound vibration is there.

So this is the science of Krishna consciousness and despite anyone's religious or cultural background, anybody and everybody can benefit from the science of Krishna consciousness. Just like any other science, mathematics, different sciences are there. These are universal whether you are Indian, you are American, German, Russian, whatever, you can benefit. Mathematics is a universal science, anybody can benefit. Similarly this is our proposal or even challenge to the entire world that this Krishna consciousness is a spiritual science. Everybody can benefit from it. Hare Krishna! Srila Prabhupada ki jaya!

Any comments or questions?

Devotee Prabhu: Thank you Maharaja. That was very enlightening, very nice. I especially appreciated the fact that Krishna consciousness is the greatest science but it also beyond religion. It's like a culture of knowledge but perfect knowledge coming from perfect sources. It's not man-made, it's God-given and it's greater than any other religious scope or culture. Therefore you don't have to even change your religion. You can just take advantage of this divine gift of perfect knowledge and that should be our approach that we are not trying to convert people to a given religion. We are offering the greatest knowledgei

HH Bhaktivaibhava Swami: That's a very, very important point. Religious people generally are afraid to be converted, they don't want to be converted, they want to protect their religious faith, it's natural. It's a very good point; we are not attempting to convert anybody. We just want to add. God is great, but how great, if you are interested how great, here take advantage, get some knowledge, get some more detailed information, what is the harm.

Like Srila Prabhupada often gave the example of a small dictionary and the big one. In essence there is no difference, it is just a question of more or less information, that's all. Not different information. A big dictionary does not mean now I will get some different information, no. Just more detailed.

So that's Krishna consciousness to get more detailed knowledge about your object of worship, your object of faith. So benefit, get more detailed knowledge which will increase your faith and devotion.

Devotee Prabhu: And the other point is that knowledge can also give you access to direct experience on your own self and that's where it becomes a science because your consciousness is the field of experiment.

HH Bhaktivaibhava Swami: Yes it is. It is not just a process of information it's a process of transformation. That's the unique feature of this science, it transforms you. And in the academic field usually you just have to do a bit of memorizing data to pass all your exams. Generally that is the process. That doesn't work in the spiritual science. Because memorization may not work.

Srila Prabhupada once mentioned that better than memorizing all the slokas of the Bhagavad-gita is to understand one, the real meaning of one. That is better than memorizing, but not really understanding and realizing the contents of these Bhagavad-gita slokas. So that can only develop if transformation takes place in the heart and in the consciousness.

So I don't want to take much more of your time. Thank you very much. Hare Krishna.

- Kindly transcribed by Sheela Ravishankar Mataji

So we are reading from Canto Five, Chapter Thirteen entitled "Rahugana Converses with Jada Bharata,' Text number 22.

na hy adbhutam tvac-caranabja-renubhir
hatamhaso bhaktir adhoksaje 'mala
mauhurtikad yasya samagamac ca me
dustarka-mulo 'pahato 'vivekah

Translation: It is not at all wonderful that simply by being covered by the dust of your lotus feet, one immediately attains the platform of pure devotional service to Adhoksaja, which is not available even to great demigods like Brahma. By associating with you just for a moment, I am now freed from all argument, false prestige and lack of discrimination, which are the roots of entanglement in the material world. Now I am free from all these problems.

Purport: Association with pure devotees certainly frees one from the material clutches. This is certainly true of King Rahugana's association with Jada Bharata. King Rahugana was immediately freed from the misgivings of material association. The arguments offered by pure devotees to their disciples are so convincing that even a dull-headed disciple is immediately enlightened with spiritual knowledge."

HH Candramauli Swami: So in this particular pastime, and particularly this verse, really indicates the process of success in spiritual life. King Rahugana is a pious king, he is quite pious. In fact his journey, which we read about here, he is on his way Kapila asrama in order to take mercy and darsana of the Lord. So he is not just a materialistic king. He is a king and because of him being a king he has got all the qualities that make up a leader in the sense that he's a little bit proud of his position. He is a little proud. And therefore he is identifying himself in the role of a king. He is being enlightened by Jada Bharata.

Jada Bharata was carrying the King on his palanquin, but he wasn't carrying him properly, at least according to the King's understanding. According to Jada Bharata's understanding it was perfect because he was trying to not step on ants while he was carrying the palanquin. This is the nature of a Vaisnava. A soft hearted Vaisnava sees the soul within the heart of all living entities, no matter what that entities body may be.

So therefore he was carefully avoiding stepping on ants, but it didn't work for carrying palanquins. He was shaking the palanquin, bouncing it. The King became very disturbed and started to insult Jada Bharata. I am kind of narrating more or less the essential portions, there is a lot more and in that insult Jada Bharata just listened and then part of that insult he was saying, "You know, you look strong and stout but you are not doing your service nicely. You are quite fat, you look healthy. But still you can't carry this palanquin."

Jada Bharata turned everything around and said, "Actually you are not talking about me. You are talking about my body and that is actually not me."

So he enlightened him, very carefully and systematically, in the difference between the soul and the body, difference between the individual person and the body one inhabits. And he turned it around and explained "Actually you think you are king;y ou are not a king! That's just the role you are playing. Actually in one life I may be the king and you may be the palanquin carrier! And you may be carrying my palanquin!"

So when King Rahaguna heard such transcendental knowledge in such a pure way coming from this simple, apparently ordinary personality, he listened, his mind was attracted. He listened very carefully. And then he realized this person is not some ordinary person. So he immediately got down off his palanquin and paid full obeisances.

And then he wanted to know who he was. And of course Jada Bharata explained more and King Rahugana replied in so many ways, on a practical, philosophical and a very pious understanding of the goal of life. But after listening all of those arguments, now the key point here is that, Jada Bharata was being somewhat criticized, somewhat put in a very menia. . . he was not being glorified by this king. In fact he was being criticized but still he tolerated it. So this is the nature of a great soul.

Prabhupada says, the quality of a great soul, their outstanding quality is that they can tolerate any circumstances no matter how difficult it may be. This is how you can tell one of the major outstanding qualities of a great soul, tolerance. Tolerance beyond the level of what we understand as tolerance.

Usually when you approach a saintly person for knowledge, for understanding or even for service, you approach in a humble way. But it took some time before Rahugana's humility started to manifest. And then Jada Bharata started to open up and he was giving transcendental knowledge. Before that he was just tolerating the King's harassment.

And sometimes we think if someone is trying to give transcendental knowledge and the other person is not appreciating, then what's the use? But Jada Bharata somehow he tolerated all the negativity that was coming his way just to save the king, just to save the king and to enlighten him in transcendental knowledge. This is the quality of a great soul. He was friendly, he was merciful and he was very, very tolerant.

It says here in the purport and Prabhupada gives little bit of an understanding of the nature of a great soul in relationship to a disciple. He says that the arguments of a great soul or a pure devotee are so convincing and so spiritually powerful, and they go directly to the heart so that even a dull headed disciple can make advancement, and can understand.

So what is that dull headedness? Dull headedness is continual attachment to material sense gratification or we might use another word, continual endeavors to find happiness through material activities. This is a sign of dull headedness.

Srila Prabhupada was talking with his devotees; it was a morning walk, very long discussion. And the discussion topic was there is no happiness in the material world. And you know, if you listen to Prabhupada and his disciples, they would many times challenge Prabhupada, in a very respectful way, but they never held back in their challenges. (laughs).

So one disciple said to Prabhupada, "You know Prabhupada we understand that actually in the mode of goodness there is happiness, it actually says in the sastra that the mode of goodness is characterized by happiness." And Prabhupada said, "Yes, but it is also characterized by knowledge. And that knowledge tells you there is no happiness." (laughter)

So that's the understanding of the knowledge principle. And that dull headedness is constantly being worked on by the pure devotees. Because Prabhupada said unless one is convinced not just theoretically but within their heart and minds that there is no happiness in this material world, spiritual life has not yet begun. It really has not begun. We are practicing to really begin the process of spiritual life.

But even if we still have that attachment to material life and still think in some maybe insignificant way that there is some happiness in this material world, the antidote for that is described here - the association of great souls:

satam prasangan mama virya-samvido
bhavanti hrt-karna-rasayanah kathah
(SB 3.25.25)

The association of great souls, hearing and chanting the glories of the Lord, is nectar for the ear and it purifies the heart and it gives one an attachment to the process of devotional service.

Again in the Srimad Bhagavatam in the First Canto Suta Goswami says

susrusoh sraddadhanasya vasudeva-katha-rucih
syan mahat-sevaya viprah punya-tirtha-nisevanat
(SB 1.2.16)

Service to pure devotee is the best of all service and by that service one gets awarded affinity, one gets attraction, attachment to hear and chant the glories of the Lord and that's what we are looking for. We want that. We want to become so attracted to hearing and chanting the glories of the Lord that if we don't have that opportunity we feel disturbed. If we are not absorbed in the mood of trying to hear and chant the glories of the Lord we don't find the happiness we are looking for.

So that is the result of serving great souls. It's such a powerful process, that the association of great souls purifies the heart. But what is that association? Taken a little bit deeper, the association is not physical proximity. Physical proximity is available. But association really means to hear in a submissive way the words of the great devotees and to also want to render service. These are the principles that make up association. Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita,

tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya
upadeksyanti te jnanam jnaninas tattva-darsinah
(BG 4.34)

By submission, the mood of service and desire and inquiry one is associating with Krishna through His pure devotees. That's the principle. So that's what a devotee is thinking, how to access that association.

Prabhupada uses the example of a flea sitting on the king, but what does the flea have to do with the king? Is the flea is actually associating with the king?

So physical proximity is not association. And we've had that also. But real association is to develop that eagerness, that enthusiastic mentality to want to hear the glories of the Lord spoken by the pure devotees of the Lord.

'sadhu-sanga', 'sadhu-sanga' - sarva-sastre kaya
lava-matra sadhu-sange sarva-siddhi haya
(CC Madhya 22.54)

Through the mood of hearing great souls as described in this verse which I believe is spoken by Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself, he uses the word lava-matra. Now lava-matra Prabhupada describes is 1/11th of a second. If you take a second and divide into that many parts, one of those parts would be considered a lava-matra. So the emphasis on that simply by associating with great souls in 1/11th of a second one can become completely purified of all material attachments and material desires. So Prabhupada says that is achieving success.

So then we may ask the question and the question does come up, well I have been doing that. I have had a lot of 'lava-matra's' right! I can even count my lava-matra's. (laughs) but you know where is my purified heart? I don't feel like I've reached that stage.

Prabhupada was asked that question. I think if you read Prabhupada's books completely and listen to all his lectures, there wasn't any question that Prabhupada wasn't asked.

Sometimes we say is it in Prabhupada's books, is it in his lectures? If you research you can find every principle. Prabhupada covered everything, it's amazing. And I think it was Krishna's arrangement so we wouldn't have any doubts in the future about any of the principles of devotional service.

So the question came up, I remember it was Pancadravida Maharaj, he asked Prabhuada that question. He said, "But Prabhupada we are associating with you, we get so much of your association yet we haven't reached the level of bhakta."

Prabhupada answered in a very interesting way. He said, "When the wood is wet, it doesn't light." If you have wet wood, and try to start a fire, it doesn't light. "But when the wood is dry, as soon as it comes in contact with fire, it immediately catches fire."

Then Prabhupada explained that we have to keep going, keep hearing and hearing and hearing until that consciousness manifests. So that drying of the wood is the constant hearing in the association of pure devotees and that will gradually purify one's consciousness.

Now sometimes we see that even a person who may have very little association of a great soul, but that one bit of association changes their whole life. I was just thinking, it was one incident where Srila Prabhupada was travelling, I am not sure exactly where, but Prabhupada mentions it on one tape lecture, that there was one man he met in the airport and the man recognized Srila Prabhupada, had never met him before, offered his obeisances. Prabhupada spoke to him and told him open up a preaching center. And that was the only association he ever had with Prabhupada.

And later on he opened up a preaching center. He was so was so inspired and we might even say purified at least to some degree by the association of Srila Prabhupada that he was actually doing something to spread Krishna consciousness right after that.

So these are examples of how powerful that association is. So therefore one should be eager to hear and chant in the association of great souls. Now in the Padma Purana it describes how to access the quality of hearing. How to maximize your ability to hear because we know the mind is cancala"

cancalam hi manah krsna pramathi balavad drdham
tasyaham nigraham manye vayor iva su-duskaram
(BG 6.34)

(aside: Jaya Sri Sri Radha Madhava Asta sakhi ki jaya!)

So Arjuna when Krishna told him, you try to control your mind, Arjuna said, you are asking me to control the wind, too difficult. And in the next verse Krishna ends the explanation by saying

abhyasena tu kaunteya vairagyena ca grhyate (BG 6.35) He says yes, He agrees with Arjuna. It's very difficult to control the mind, but by constant practice and by detachment from sense gratification the mind can be gradually become peaceful and then fixed in devotional service.

So in the Padma Purana there is a beautiful verse. It explains what are the four principles of effective hearing, that the four principles of effective hearing. I will just read them. First one is faith in the words of the speaker. If you have doubts then you are not going to be able to assimilate what is being said. Now, we can discuss that a little bit more. I will just go through these. The second one is humility, in other words one has to have a demeanor which is accepting what is being said. First faith, and then humility.

Now the third is destroying the faults in the mind. What are the faults in the mind? Any other thought that may arise during the time of the process of hearing. Sometimes we know the mind is going this way, it is going that way, it is going everywhere. It can travel through the whole universe and come back to Mayapur in a few seconds! That's just the nature of the mind - its powerful, its fast and its disobedient, extremely.

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati says, "Your mind is a non-devotee!" Haribol! Not very nice but that's what he said. So he said, "Therefore you should not associate with non-devotees." (laughter) Therefore we can't get rid of that association and therefore we have to preach to the mind, make him a devotee.

Therefore destroying the faults of the mind means constantly bringing back the mind to the lotus feet of the Lord or to the topic that is being narrated, fixing the consciousness on the subject matter.

And the last one its says that if one follows these first three, faith, humility and constantly bringing the mind back to the sound vibration then two things happen. One or two things may happen or both may happen. One gets realization of the subject matter and two one may start to think of questions in relationship to the subject matter.

These are principles or proponents of attentive hearing. We have to practice that with our japa of course and especially in the process of hearing, because the more we concentrate on what is being said, the more we go deeper into the mood of what is being said. And therefore the mind becomes fixed.

So King Rahugana really concentrated because Jada Bharata pulled out all his attachments in a few powerful statements. He had nothing left. And then he wanted to hear transcendental knowledge and after hearing transcendental knowledge then he spoke. The previous verse and this verse and the few verses remaining in the chapter are King Rahugana's glorification of Jada Bharata, his realization of pure devotional service.

He says, "I can't argue with you anymore. I am a king and nobody usually tells me what to do." Kings usually they are always right because of their position especially when dealing with their subjects and others. But he says, "I can't do that. You have completely destroyed all my arguments. I am free from all false arguments, any arguments, false prestige, my discrimination is clear, I understand now, I am your disciple; I surrender to you."

This is the mercy of a great soul. They tolerate the difficulties that come by way of purifying the hearts of the materialists and at the same time they give them the highest principle of pure devotional service or service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

That's the quality of great souls. They take so much trouble. Prabhupada said that is the nature of preaching. Preaching means you can expect it to be difficult and sometimes, Prabhupada would use the example, of Srila Haridas Thakura, or Prahlada Maharaj, Jesus Christ, how they compassionately, mercifully, with great tolerance tried to enlighten persons in God consciousness, but still they were harassed, beaten and even killed, or attempted to be killed. That is the nature of preaching. So therefore that is Krishna's mercy coming through great souls.

OK, we have to end by a quarter to. Any questions or comments?

Question: When Srila Prabhupada was physically on the planet and when there was anything read in the books or discussion about a devotee then everyone simply focused on Srila Prabhupada and presumed ? Srila Prabhupada. Then we see after Srila Prabhupada's physical departure, like the verse that you just read is for all time, so can you please explain or define what is meant by pure devotee because otherwise there are many neophytes today or many new devotees who feel, "Oh, you had association with a pure devotee but how can I get the association of pure devotees?" There's still a lot of confusion about the definition of pure devotee. Can you please help clear that?

HH Candramauli Swami: We can give many different understandings in relationship to the principle of receiving knowledge because if a person is perfectly representing a pure devotee then that representation is also pure and therefore the knowledge is coming perfectly.

So if we perfectly repeat Srila Prabhupada and are, as Srila Prabhupada said, actually the definition of a pure devotee is one who is 24 hours engaged in devotional service. One who has no other occupation or activity but to serve the spiritual master, serve the Lord 24 hours a day. That's one of the main qualities of devotional service, of a pure devotee.

Then you can tell by the symptoms. The symptoms of a pure devotee are also mentioned. He doesn't find fault with others, tolerant, of course humble. So we can define or we can observe by the symptoms, but the main symptom is one who is following another pure devotee purely. That would be also a pure devotee. One who is purely following the pure devotee. I hope that was OK? Thank you.

Question: Maharaja, as you have very beautifully explained that one of the characteristics of a devotee is that he is very tolerant, but sometimes some doubt arise in mind that many times when we have to engage our ourselves in some particular service, by being always very tolerant, very humble, we tend to sometimesi

HH Candramauli Swami: If we think ourselves to be tolerant and humble, that's a problem. We shouldn't think we are tolerant and humble. Because if you think you are tolerant and humble that is an indication you are not. So we therefore if are thinking we are tolerant and humble that means we can't access any more humility and tolerance.

One should think I am not tolerant, I am not humble. Or I am not tolerant enough, I can be more humble. And in that way you can always go deeper into those qualities. And by doing that you receive the mercy of the Lord because as soon as we think we have developed certain good qualities, those good qualities block Krishna's mercy, or that thought blocks Krishna's mercy.

The more unqualified you feel, the more you become qualified because the qualification is not yours. It is coming to you from the pure devotee, ultimately from the Lord. So we have to feel unqualified. And that's really what we are, unqualified.

Devotee: what I specifically mean to ask Maharaja is this, that sometimes by being always tolerant and silent, some misunderstanding arises and silence also means acceptance in some cases. So in that situation what should we do?

HH Candramauli Swami: Wel,l you can speak but speak with respect and detachment. If we know we are right, we feel we are right, but we are attached to the idea then that attachment also is another form of pride. Because a lot of times you might be right, just like Prabupada said, two people are working together. One person is 95% correct and the other person is 85% correct on how to do things, but if you fight then the whole thing is gone, lost. So better to cooperate on some level and in that way Krishna's mercy becomes available.

Devotee Prabhu: To listen to a devotee is a good service to the pure devotee. What are the other aspects of service?

HH Candramauli Swami: Personal service. You can offer personal service to a pure devotee. We should ask or you can actually sometimes arrange to do a little personal service. That's another way to serve a pure devotee, by doing personal service.

Devotee Mataji: Hare Krishna. You were saying that association does not entail physical proximity. HH Candramauli Swami: Well that's got to be there, but that doesn't mean you are in association.

Devotee Mataji: So in a situation where you don't have that physical proximity, how can we inquire?

HH Candramauli Swami: I don't want to sound mundane but we have email, we have letters, telephones, I mean if you really want to connect on a personal level there are other ways of doing that. Of course email is not always so good. But if you can get the same question answered in another way through reading the books or through someone else who is also qualified then why not do it that way? But if you don't have the personal association then you have to arrange for some way to communicate, that's practical.

Devotee Mataji: And how did they used to do that in former times before modern technology?

HH Candramauli Swami: Usually people would travel to get association of great souls. You see that throughout the sastras, how the devotees would go from one place to another. But association is also by remembering and following the instructions. That's another form of association and that's very powerful. If we hear carefully when we are in association and we could remember or write down and then apply when the time is needed, then those words are as good now as when they were spoken. That's another way.

Apurva Prabhu: Really great class. You really covered all bases. My question is, always been there, I have heard this verse 1/11th of a second, so how do we understand you know the mind is saying like really that 1/11th of a second is gone when someone says one word.

HH Candramauli Swami: When you get realization, I mean we read Prabhupada's books and we hear Prabhupada's lectures, we have had association with Prabhupada. But then one time when you hear the same statements you may have heard so many times, all of a sudden you realize it. It's like you hear, we hear - I am not this body. So this one time you hear I am not this body, yeah I got it, I finally got it. The mind and the purity of the words somehow connect and they reach the heart and then you get realization.

The process of Krishna consciousness is all about realization, whether realization comes by way of service or continual hearing, like that. Then when you get your realization that's your lava- matra. We want that. We don't want to be just a theoretical devotee, we just keep hearing, I know the philosophy but I don't really realize it. Realization means it becomes a part of you. And that realization comes by service and constant hearing with faith. Thank you.

Devotee Prabhu: Thank you, Maharaja. This is an excellent. You gave such a nice understanding of the immense benefits of hearing and essential need for constant hearing and actually you gave me a beautiful realization that Prabhupada's entire purpose in life was to spread the sankirtana movement which means a vast network of activities, deity worship, preaching, so many things, books, everything just to allow us to render him some nice service to fulfill his desire, Lord Caitanya's desire and we have immediate access to the reward which is the taste for hearing about Krishna that's available and that's what Prabhupada and Lord Caitanya is offering in the sankirtana movement, that instant taste for hearing about Krishna. Thank you.

HH Candramauli Swami: We want that taste. Keep going on hearing and keep on following the instructions of the pure devotees, then that taste will develop. OK, thank you very much. Srila Prabhupada ki jaya! Srimad Bhagavatam ki jaya!

- Kindly transcribed by Sheela Ravishankar Mataji

Srimad Bhagavatam Class by HG Sesa Prabhu at ISKCON Alachua on 11 Mar 2014
(Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 10, Chapter 36, Text 31-37)

(Sesa Dasa was initiated by Srila Prabhupada in 1974 while he was traveling as a member of the initial Bhaktivedanta Book Trust library party. Sesa Dasa has a portfolio of two ministries: Minister of Educational Development and Minister of Justice, under which ISKCON Resolve works.)

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Seminar on Avirbhav Katha by Lokanath Swami in 2002

(Born in Aravade, a small village Maharashtra, Indian, he went to Mumbai for studying. In the year 1971, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada was touring India with his foreign disciples and had organized a pandal program in Mumbai.)

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How to Glorify Krishna In Profession by HG Ugra Narsimha Prabhu

(His Grace Ugra Narsimha Prabhu is a disciple of HH Gopal Krishna Goswami. He is an active member of ISKCON Pune congregation and conducts courses like Discover Your Self and Fundamentals of Bhagavad-gita at the Temple and Corporates.)

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Lecture on Qualifications of a King by HH Romapada Swami in 10 Sept 2013 at St.Louis

(Romapada Swami‘s first encounter with Krishna consciousness came in Buffalo, in the shape of a lecture at the State University of New York in 1969. The lecturer was His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. The following year, Romapada Swami joined the movement in Boston and was initiated in 1971.)

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Lecture on Chaitanya Charitamrita (Madhya Lila 11.61-63) by Jayadvaita Swami on 03 Mar 2014 at ISKCON Alachua

(Jayadvaita Swami is editor, publisher, and teacher. He is a disciple of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder-Acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.)

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Lecture on Bhakti is the Spiritual summit that also extends down to wherever we may be by HG Chaitanya Charan Prabhu

(His Grace Caitanya Charan Prabhu is a monk and spiritual teacher in the time honored tradition of bhakti yoga. He is a editor of Back to Godhead, which is the official international magazine of the Hare Krishna movement.)

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Lecture on Kick Out Darwinism by HH Romapada Swami on 17 Feb 2014 at Singapore

(Romapada Swami‘s first encounter with Krishna consciousness came in Buffalo, in the shape of a lecture at the State University of New York in 1969. The lecturer was His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.)

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Lecture on The Opulence of Beauty by HH Romapada Swami on 25 Aug 2013 at St.Louis

(Romapada Swami‘s first encounter with Krishna consciousness came in Buffalo, in the shape of a lecture at the State University of New York in 1969.)

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Srila Prabhupada's Contribution to the World by Caitanya Charan Prabhu

(Chaitanya Charan Das is a celibate spiritual teacher (brahmachari) at ISKCON, Pune. He has done his Electronics & Telecommunications Engineering from the Govt College of Engg, Pune.)

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Srimad Bhagavatam Class ( 8.21.01-04) by HH Janananda Goswami at ISKCON Bhaktivedanta Manor on 03 Mar 2014

(His Holiness Janananda Goswami was initiated by His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada in 1972. He held various positions in ISKCON and served Srila Prabhupada in various countries notably the United Kingdom, Africa, Malaysia, Europe, Philippines and New Zealand.)

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Lecture on Sacred Space Retreat by HH Sachinanadana Swami

(H.H. Sacinandana Swami left home only 16 years old to meet devotees and to become a disciple of Srila Prabhupada in 1971. Maharaja’s first years in ISKCON were spent by translating Srila Prabhupada’s books from English to German and later he joined the book distribution party in Germany.)

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Lecture on Writing Books is our Family Business by Hh Sivarama Swami on 09 Mar 2014 at India

(Sivarama Swami was born in Budapest, Hungary in 1949. In 1956, during the failed Hungarian revolution, he emigrated with his family to Canada. Sivarama Swami first came in contact with the books of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in 1970, becoming an initiated disciple of Prabhupada in 1973. )

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An atheist was seated next to a little girl on an airplane and he turned to her and said, "Do you want to talk?

Flights go quicker if you strike up a conversation with your fellow passenger." The little girl, who had just started to read her book, replied to the total stranger, "What would you want to talk about?"

"Oh, I don't know," said the atheist. "How about why there is no God, or no Heaven or Hell, or no life after death?" as he smiled smugly.

"Okay," she said. "Those could be interesting topics but let me ask you a question first. A horse, a cow, and a deer all eat the same stuff - grass.
Yet a deer excretes little pellets, while a cow turns out a flat patty, but a horse produces clumps. Why do you suppose that is?"

The atheist, visibly surprised by the little girl's intelligence, thinks about it and says, "Hmmm, I have no idea."

To which the little girl replies, "Do you really feel qualified to discuss God, Heaven and Hell, or life after death, when you don't know shit?" And then she went back to reading her book.

rajovaca
aho nr-janmakhila-janma-sobhanam
kim janmabhis tv aparair apy amusmin
na yad dhrsikesa-yasah-krtatmanam
mahatmanam vah pracurah samagamah

TRANSLATION: King Rahugana said: This birth as a human being is the best of all. Even birth among the demigods in the heavenly planets is not as glorious as birth as a human being on this earth. What is the use of the exalted position of a demigod? In the heavenly planets, due to profuse material comforts, there is no possibility of associating with devotees.

PURPORT: Human birth is a great opportunity for self-realization. One may take birth in a high planetary system among the demigods, but due to the profusion of material comforts, one cannot gain release from material bondage. Even on this earth those who are very opulent do not generally care to take to Krsna consciousness. An intelligent person actually interested in getting freed from the material clutches must associate with pure devotees. By such association, one can gradually become detached from the material attraction of money and women. Money and women are the basic principles of material attachment. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu therefore advised those who are actually serious about returning back to Godhead to give up money and women in order to be fit to enter the kingdom of God. Money and women can be fully utilized in the service of the Lord, and one who can utilize them in this way can become freed from material bondage. Satam prasangan mama virya-samvido bhavanti hrt-karna-rasayanah kathah (SB 3.25.25). Only in the association of devotees can one relish the glorification of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Just through a little association with a pure devotee, one can become successful in his journey back to Godhead. SB 5.13.22

[invocatory prayers]
HH Bhakti Asraya Vaisnava Swami: So in the context of Srimad Bhagavatam, we are reading the heartfelt expressions of the feelings of Maharaja Rahugana. After getting the divine instructions from Jada Bharata, he became so much enlightened and so much blissful that he could not stop himself from expressing his feelings. That is why in this verse, he is speaking in the beginning: aho! Alas! Oh what a great fortune! Oh what a great opportunity I got by the association of this saintly person.

In front of him Jada Bharata is standing: aho! vipra! What a great fortune I have. Then he is considering who brought that person. How has he become so fortunate? Then he is saying because I am in a human birth that is why I am able to get the instructions of saintly persons like you. Because in any other species except human birth it's not possible to associate with devotees. You may associate, you may see, you may be with them but you cannot get the instructions from them.

Just like Jada Bharata Maharaja was engaged in carrying the palanquin, Rahugana was sitting on the top. The carriers are carrying him. So the carriers could get more association of Jada Bharata. They were walking with him. But they could not get the benefit. Before that Jada Bharata was wandering in the forest. Some forest people took him and they were trying to kill him, they were trying to give him in sacrifice to Kali and almost more than one day they were with him. But they were not getting the benefit of the association. But here for a fraction of a moment, exchange of speech, he got the benefit of the association.

So just being with a saintly person, it is not said that we are getting the association. It is not the meaning of association. Then why is the human birth so important? Because first of all in the human birth-one can HEAR. One can hear the glories, the topics of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. We are having this Bhagavatam class here, only human beings can be sitting here. No other species can come here. They cannot come. And also, this Jada Bharata also achieved this realization in this human life, this Brahma tattva in this human life.

And this human life is karma yoni. All other species except human life is bhoga yoni. You may suffer or enjoy in the heavenly planets or down planets but you cannot do karma. You can do karma only in this human life. If you do karma properly, performing pure devotional service, then in this human life you can go back to Godhead. But if you are not doing it, then you can through the whole process of 8,400,000 species. So this is so important. That is why he is considering, this human life-somehow or the other he is becoming so thankful to the Lord that He has given him this human life. And in this human life many human beings are there. They are not becoming so fortunate enough. So he is thinking, in this human life I am able to associate with saintly persons like you.

What is the real importance of human life, to understand the goal of human life. So what is the goal of human life? Jivasya tattva jijnasa, nartho yasceha karmabhih. There is no other important duty than to know and inquire about the Supreme Personality of Godhead-about The Absolute Truth. Only tattva jijnasa.

In this case we are seeing king Rahugana was actually tatva jijnasa. He met Jada Bharata in the forest while he was going to attend Bhagavatam class from Kapiladev. He was going because he was jijnasa. Only a jijnasa person can become so fortunate, can get the real benefit of the association of the saintly person. Otherwise we may take the human birth but we'll be considered as two legged animal or civilized animal-whatever. Unless we have the inquisitiveness to know about the Absolute Truth then there is no use of this human form of life. If only we'll consider the goal of human life is to have comfort, to gratify our senses then we are no better than animals. So that's why he is considering human life means: the human who are really tattva jijnasu. And if some tattva jijnasu gets the association, by momentary association he can be free from darkness. That's what he got now. That's why he is becoming so elated, so happy that he is expressing his feelings that Oh my god! I am so fortunate that by this moment I became so fortunate that I became totally free from my doubts, free from the darkness of ignorance.

That is only possible by the association of the saintly persons. What kind of saintly persons? Those saintly persons whose hearts are purified and totally filled with the glories of Hrsikesa. Hrsikesa means that Hari who is so attractive, who is always attracting all the senses of His devotees. The devotees are always attracted by the Lord and by this attraction they are ready to serve, by their senses, to the Lord. So, that Hari is glorified by the devotees. And by this glorification, the hearts of the devotees are totally purified. Hrsikesa yasa kritatmanam (?): the devotees whose hearts are totally purified by the glorification of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If you get the association of that kind of a personality, then in a few moments, you'll be totally free from your ignorance and darkness. That is the benefit of saintly association.

King Rahugana is considering that in this material world all the people used to consider which birth is the best birth? Best birth is to take birth in the high species like demigods and all that? But what is the use of that? That is, if you perform so many pious activities in this life, in the next life you may get the birth in the higher species of demigods. But what is the use of that? You will be full of so much comforts that you will have no opportunity to get the association of devotees. So without the association of devotees life is useless. You cannot succeed in your life.

That is why he is considering this human life so important. Even the demigods-what to speak of ordinary demigods, even topmost demigods like Brahma and Shiva-if they want to achieve the real success then they have to come down to this material world and they are also expecting to have a human body so that they can get proper association, enjoy it and go back to Godhead. Anyway, they are already in that supreme platform. But still it is not available in the heavenly planets. The association of the devotees is not available. Though all the elevated personalities are in the heavenly planets and the demigods they can come down and take association of big elevated personalities, but because they are so much engaged in material comforts, so much facilities are there, they cannot avail the real facility of saintly persons. The association they cannot get properly.

So that is why Prabhupada is saying, even in this planet we see that those people who are very opulent they are not interested to take to this Krishna consciousness. Neither the high class, nor the low class. Only the middle class-they are interested. So, Rahugana is becoming so happy and is considering this human life so important because in this human life he was be able to get the mercy from the devotees. So to succeed in our life, we need the association and by the association we'll get real mercy and that we can engage in pure devotional service. In one bhajan Rupa Goswami is saying that how even Brahmadev, even Brahma, he's not that fortunate. He's considering himself, in this bhajan he's saying:

krsna deva! bhavantam vande
man-manasa-madhukaram arpaya nija-pada-pankaja-makarande
(2)

O my Lord Krishna, I am worshipping You. You are my worshippable Lord. man-manasa-madhukara: Let the bumble bee of my mind should engage in relishing the nectar coming down from Your lotus feet. So please allow my mind to do that. Then he is saying:

yadyapi samadhicu vidhir api pasyati na tava nakhagra-maricim
idam icchami nisamya tavacyuta! tad api krpadbhuta-vicim
(2)

He is saying: yadyapi samadhicu vidhir api pasyati. Vidhi means Brahma in his samadhi yoga. In his transcendental meditation for a long time, he is not able to see You, not to see Your Lotus feet, not even the front part of Your lotus feet, not even the nail, not even the light coming out of the nails. na tava nakhagra-maricim. Not able to see even that! The light coming out of the nail of Your lotus feet. idam icchami. He was desiring!

What he was desiring? To release the nectar coming out of Your lotus mouth. How dare to desire like that. Yes, idam icchami. idam icchami nisamya tavacyuta! tad api krpadbhuta-vicim. He Acyuta!, I am desiring that by the strength of hearing Your glories, nisamya, I have heard profusely about Your Kripa. Your adbhuta kripa. krpadbhuta-vicim. Such a wonderful merciful nature You have, so we've heard. Where from have we heard? We've heard from saintly persons, from Your devotees. That's why I am daring to get the nectar from Your lotus feet. Not even Brahma, but I am desiring like that. idam icchami nisamya tavacyuta! tad api krpadbhuta-vicim. The wonderful waves of Your merciful ocean, Your merciful attitude. I've heard about it profusely. Then he's saying:

bhaktir udancati yadyapi madhava! na tvayi mama tila-matri
paramesvarata tad api tavadhika-durghata-ghatana-vidhatri
(2)

He's saying, O Madhava!, though I am not at all Your devotee. bhaktir udancati yadyapi madhava! na tvayi mama tila-matri. Tila means sesame seeds. I've no devotion. I have no devotion, not even like a sesame seed towards You. I am such a rascal. bhaktir udancati yadyapi madhava! O Madhava, I am not at all a devotee, I do not even have devotion like sesame seeds towards You, still paramesvarata tad api tavadhika-durghata-ghatana-vidhatri- You are paramesvara. Your Lordship is so powerful, it can make what is totally impossible, it can make possible. durghata-ghatana-vidhatri. You can make everything possible, even if it is totally impossible. That is Your paramesvarata, That is Your Lordship. So on the basis of that, when I have heard profusely from Your devotees about that, then I am desiring so, I am daring to desire so.

So all of us, by hearing these kinds of instructions from Rupa Goswami, we can become hopeful. Even if we are so wretched rascal, but still we can tell O Madhava, we can become hopeful, because Rupa Goswami is telling like that, that Your wonderful merciful nature is so, that You can do everything possible, even if it is impossible.

sri-krsna-caitanya-daya karaha vicara
vicara karile citte pabe camatkara

So this is the planet of Caitanya Candra. Krishna is merciful, but Caitanya Mahaprabhu with Nityananda prabhu, They are so wonderful! They are so wonderful! We'll be struck with wonder if we consider about Their mercy. What we are getting from the association of saintly persons.

Actually it is said, one big saintly person is saying: binu satsang viveka na hoi, rAma krupA bin sulabha na soi(?). This satsang, the association of devotees, without the association of devotees, our vivek, our thinking power will not improve. And the satsang, the association of devotees will not be available without the mercy of the Lord, whenever we get the real mercy of the Lord.

What is the proof? The proof is that we'll get the association of the devotees. After many many, many births by the accumulation of all your pious activities, the result will be that you will get the association of a pure devotee. Hmm! So what is the benefit of the association of the devotee? The kripa. The mercy of the Supreme Lord is coming down through the association of the devotee. Our Acarya of this movement is called Krsna krpa srimurti: he is the personification of the mercy of the Supreme Lord! He is the murtiman vigraha of the Krsna Krpa.

And just see, he's so merciful, his body is full of the mercy of Krishna and within 10-12 years, in this society, within 10-12 years, within this world, he showered his mercy. Now within 30 years, in this land in the remote place of Navadvipa-mandala more than 10,000 people dancing and chanting on the roads and making their life success. How is this possible? This is because we are getting-in the disciplic succession the kripa- is coming down. The kripa coming from Krishna in the form of Mahaprabhu and through Srila Prabhupada.

Somehow or the other Prabhupada gave association to his devotees, and these devotees gave association to their devotees. These devotees gave association to other devotees. By this, mercy is coming down in the disciplic succession. And whoever is jijnasu, whoever is really interested, whoever is the real human being, whoever is really tatva jijnasu, they can achieve the merit, the benefit of this association-by getting books, by getting prasad, by hearing kirtan, by doing parikrama, from many other ways. But unless you come in contact with these devotees, how will we make our life success?

Raja Rahugana was a king. And he knows the importance of human life. That is why he was going. He was the king, sauvirapati, from Kashmir, He was the king of Kashmir and he was going to attend Bhagavatam class in Gangasagar. All the way from that end to this end. Such a long distance he was covering. And not by plane or train or car. By walking. Carriers they are walking. He was sitting on the palanquin but through so many jungles, crossing so many rivers, they were walking thousands of miles by palanquin. Why is he walking? Just to attend Bhagavatam class from Kapiladev. That was his only goal of his visit.

And he met the saintly person-just consider-in the middle of the jungle. Who knows where we'll get the association of the devotees, in which moment your life will be successful. You may come to temple, but you may not be successful in the temple. You may be in royal palace, it may not be. You may be in Bhagavatam class, it may not be. It may be inside the jungle, full of animals.

That's why he's saying, "Oh my Lord! This jungle is full of ferocious animals but because I am a human being I got this opportunity." And he's not an animal, he's also a human being. So, saintly persons they are always, they will accept the form of a devotee. And anybody, they want to get the real benefit of these saintly persons they have to take form of a human being. And in Bhagavad-gita, Krsna says you have to do three things at least if you want to know about tattva-pariprasna, seva and pranipat. Pranipata, pariprasnena, seva. These three things you have to do.

But here we are seeing, what was he doing? He was just chastising, when he was in palanquin, he was chastising the saintly person. So by chastisement, not doing pranipat, not seva, not inquiring, nothing-rather he was chastising-about to beat him: "I will beat you. I will take care of you. You are not carrying my palanquin properly, you rascal!"

See! Even these kinds of chastisement, in the middle of the forest, if you do to real pure devotee that pure devotee is totally free from all this abuse, prasamsa or whatever. He is free from all this. Their duty is only to bless. Only to shower mercy. Though King Rahugana was chastising him, he was ready to beat him, but still see, Jada Bharata, from birth till now, he must be about 30 years old or so, till now he has not opened his mouth. He was Jada. But was he is really Jada? No, he was making a show of Jada! He was making a drama that I cannot speak. But he could understand; he speaks nicely. Now he is speaking in the middle of the forest.

Some days ago, all these village people, these forest village people, they don't know, they are innocent, ignorant people. They took him to offer him as a sacrifice to goddess Kali. And they got killed-all of them. All of them wholesale, they got murdered by Kali. And he was there present. He didn't speak anything. He didn't speak a word. And because so many things happened: his father, brothers and many other places, he never uttered any word there.

Here in the middle of the forest, a king, he engaged him in carrying his palanquin and chastised him so heavily about to beat him and he is trying to speak to him! He spoke to him and his words, one letter of his pronunciation, one-one letter he is uttering, that is piercing into the heart, direct into the heart of Rahugana, because he was jijnasa. Though he was chastising, but the words coming out of a pure devotee-- that is not something ordinary! That is such a powerful medicine. Such a powerful medicine, the person is not ready to take the medicine. But if somehow or the other it is coming inside your ear and going directly into the heart, it will act, the effect you will see.

See the effect-within a few minutes, Raja Rahugana came down from the palanquin and totally bowed down, totally surrendered. And he is expressing his feelings in this verse. The first verse, in a series of some verses, he will express his feelings. He has become so fortunate. So happily he is expressing. In the next verse he will say, "O my Lord. I don't know. I couldn't recognize you. You are such an elevated person. You never gave your identity to me. So now, I have to offer my obeisances to any human being, any Brahmin, he may be a child or whatever, I have to offer obeisances to everybody."

Who knows in which birth, in which place, in which situation our life will be a success. So one thing we can understand, at any moment, anywhere in any situation our life can be a success. But the only requirement is that we have to be manusya. Manusya means not just accepting the human life, just by having a human life we cannot be called as manusya. Accepting human life is one thing, then the real need is that you have to be tattva-jijnasu. You have to really be inquisitive to know about the Absolute! Otherwise you cannot be called as manusya.

If one isthat kind of tattva jijnasu manusya, then the mercy is available even in the middle of the forest. Even the person who has not spoken a word from the birth, he will speak to you. The mercy of the Lord can be available anywhere. So we have to be the recipient. Hmm! The mercy is abundantly available everywhere but the receivers are not there. Receivers are not there. That's why Bhaktivinoda Thakur in his bhajan is saying,

sri-krsna-caitanya prabhu jive doya kori
swa-parsada swiya dhama saha avatari

Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu-what is the real reason for Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu to incarnate. He is saying the only reason is to. . . . Oh, time is already done. It's OK. Thank You. Next time I will say. Hare Krishna. Any comments or questions?

HG Dravida Prabhu: So thank you very much for the class Maharaja. So the third verse, his success, he is praying: (k???a) deva! bhavanta? vande, man-m?nasa-madhukaram arpaya nija-pada-pa?kaja-makarande. Actually he's praying, isn't he? Correct me. He is praying that, Krishna! You put my mind in the lotus feet, in the honey.

ayam avilolatayadya sanatana! kalitadbhuta-rasa-bharam
nivasatu nityam iham?ta-nindini-vindan madhurima-saram

Today, eternal Lord. My mind is fixed upon Your feet. And so I am tasting endless mellows, wonderful and sweet. I pray that for eternity, my mind may there (?) reside to relish luscious honey that defeats ambrosia's pride. That's the end of the song. So he's successful. Hare Krsna.

HH Bhakti Ashraya Vaishnava Swami: Thank you.
Srimad Bhagavatam Mahapuranam ki jai! Sri Gaura Bhakta Vrinda ki jai!

- Kindly transcribed by Swetha Ganeshan Mataji

Lecture on Making Our Emotion Closer To Krishna's Emotion by HG Chaitanya Charan Prabhu on 04 Mar 2014 at ISKCON Chowpatty

(His Grace Caitanya Charan Prabhu is a monk and spiritual teacher in the time honored tradition of bhakti yoga. He is a editor of Back to Godhead, which is the official international magazine of the Hare Krishna movement.)

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