Live From Sri Mayapur Candrodaya Mandir!
Date: February 21st, 2011
Topic: Dhruva Maharaj Goes Back To Godhead
Verse: SB 4.12.16
Speaker: HH Bhakti Dhira Damodara Swami
atma-stry-apatya-suhrdo balam rddha-kosamantah-puram parivihara-bhuvas ca ramyahbhu-mandalam jaladhi-mekhalam akalayyakalopasrstam iti sa prayayau visalam
TRANSLATION: Thus Dhruva Maharaja, at the end, left his kingdom, which extended all over the earth and was bounded by the great oceans. Heconsidered his body, his wives, his children, his friends, his army, his rich treasury, his very comfortable palaces and his many enjoyablepleasure-grounds to be creations of the illusory energy. Thus in due course of time he retired to the forest in the Himalayas known as Badarikasrama.
PURPORT: In the beginning of his life, when he went to the forest in search of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Dhruva Maharaja realized that allbodily conceptions of pleasure are products of the illusory energy. In the very beginning, of course, he was after the kingdom of his father, and inorder to get it he went to search for the Supreme Lord. But he later realized that everything is the creation of the illusory energy. From theacts of Srila Dhruva Maharaja we can understand that somehow or other if one becomes Krsna conscious -- it does not matter what his motivation is in thebeginning -- he will eventually realize the real truth by the grace of the Lord. In the beginning, Dhruva Maharaja was interested in the kingdom of hisfather, but later he became a great devotee, maha-bhagavata, and had no interest in material enjoyment. The perfection of life can be achieved onlyby devotees. Even if one completes only a minute percentage of devotional service and then falls down from his immature position, he is better than aperson who fully engages in the fruitive activities of this material world. [End of Srila Prabhupada's purport to SB 4.12.16] HH Bhakti Dhira Damodara Swami: Hare Krishna. I beg to humbly.iwonderful devotees of Lord Krishna. And also I beg for your permission so thatsomething can be said. So Dhruva Maharaja wanted the kingdom as a facility for sense gratification. For that reason he went to the forest because hewas told that only Krishna can satisfy all desires. So he wanted to know where he can get Krishna. He was told those who are looking for Krishna cango to the Hare Krishna Temple. So he went.
His interest was not for Krishna. His interest was for facility for sense gratification but because his desire was committed with Krishna heeventually became Krishna conscious. As is the advice given in the Srimad Bhagavatam,
akamah sarva-kamo va, moksa-kama udara-dhih [SB 2.3.10]
When an intelligent person, udara-dhih, is looking for material desires or wants liberation or it is for Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead,he should go to Krishna. And when he is in Krishna, tivrena bhakti-yogena [SB 2.3.10] Dhruva Maharaja's devotional service was not disturbed byanything else. Even though he had material desire when he was practicing his austerity he completely forgot about the desire to get a kingdom. He wascompletely fixed in Krishna consciousness. As a result of that Lord Krishna appeared before him. And he regretted it. A pursuit he regretted. What isthe meaning of this? Material desires are very dangerous. Senses gratification is very dangerous.
Prahlad Maharaja explains how dangerous are material desires, sense gratification.
na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum [SB 7.5.31]
matir na krsne paratah svato va, mitho 'bhipadyeta grha-vratanamadanta-gobhir visatam tamisram, punah punas carvita-carvananam [SB 7.5.30]
Matir na krsne paratah svato va - sense gratification will never give one Krishna because sense gratification means removing Krishna from the centreand placing oneself in the centre, which is not possible for a conditioned soul, even for a liberated soul. Not possible because you have never beenKrishna before and you will never be Krishna at any time. We are part and parcel of Krishna but not Krishna.
So Prahlad Maharaja said that those who are after sense gratification will never be Krishna conscious even if they speculate or understand Krishna bythemselves or they ask for i by themselves. i that is the danger of sense gratification.
How can a sick person enjoy? One who is sick, you have a severe headache and if you see food it is very irritating. Isn't it? A sick person cannot enjoy.Therefore the conditioned soul is not an enjoyer. Enjoyment is for the greater souls. Enjoyment is for pure devotees. Those who are completely purecan enjoy. So the greatest sense gratifiers are devotees of Krishna. Look at their Prasad, look at the devotees. This one is going to be consideredinferior when His Grace Ambarisha Prabhu will complete his planetarium. Look at what is Krishna consciousness! No other process can give you this exceptthe process of devotional service.
So devotees are the greatest sense gratifiers. Even although we are not going to Vaikuntha we are already enjoying all the facilities of Vaikuntha,living in the same place as Krishna; enjoying all the opulence's of Krishna. It has already taken place right here what to speak of after here! Puredevotees can enjoy. Conditioned souls cannot enjoy because they are sick. And a sick person cannot enjoy life.
Dhruva Maharaja wanted a kingdom and he got it because his activities have coalition with Lord Krishna. And he regretted, "I don't want this again. Iwant only You. The piousness influence of demigods affected my intelligence and my intelligence became polluted that I couldn't ask for something whichis wonderful. But somehow or the other by Your causeless mercy was looking for something impure but I have gotten the best. Therefore I don't want a kingdom."
Lord Krishna says, "Don't worry I will still give it to you but as I am giving it to you will never be entangled. Enjoy it for thirty six thousandyears. You will never be entangled." He gratified his senses without impediments. Even with that he realized all the activities of the senses inassociation with the body it is all Krishna's illusion. Enjoying separate from Krishna - maya. Our activity to enjoy this material body is a greatillusion. Dhruva Maharaja realized this. Now he has given it up and taken to Krishna consciousness fully. They are going to Badrikasrama to prepare forgoing back home, back to Godhead.
Srila Prabhupada said here that maha-bhagavata. He is a maha-bhagavata. And our acaryas have explained maha-bhagavata in three categories. The lowest isNarada Muni. Narada Muni served the pure devotees. He said that, "In their association although I was a boy I was very, very attentive. I had completefaith in them and my service to them was not in Duplicity. I was straight forward in my dealings with them. And because of that sincere service theyembraced me and the very nature of the Bhaktivedantas became attractive to me." The Bhaktivedantas carry Krishna in their hearts without firesacrifice. He got bhakti and he started to practice full devotional service. Krishna appeared to him and told him, "My dear boy in this lifetime you willnot see Me again. The person who is not completely fixed in service will not see Me. I just want to encourage you to continue. After this you won't seeMe."
Jiva Goswami explains that Narada Muni was so in the mode of goodness. He was enjoying the mode of goodness. He had not transcended the mode ofgoodness. He was still within the modes and he lost everything.Second level is Sukadev Goswami. That level one has transcended the modes of nature but have not realized their relationship with the Supreme Personalityof Godhead..
Highest level Narada Muni after he has transcended the three modes of material nature and has fully realized the process of going back to Godhead.And beyond this there is also bhagavat-pradan. Devotee' s heart that is stolen by Lord Krishna. The devotees are self forgetful in their devotionalservice. They don't see themselves. They only see Lord Krishna in their lives.
So when the gopis in the forest go to the river to fetch water, they went in the morning, they go to the bank of the river, they sit down and discussabout Lord Krishna for the whole day, even though they go back to the house without water - self forgetful, bhagavat pradan.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu came to give this process. The result of chanting the holy name is krsna-prema. So Prema Purusottama Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu came to give that process. He came with a iaround the world but who was going to wear this iThey had disturbance i Krsnadasa Kaviraj Goswami gaveparama, the essence. The process of entering the parama vesa, the pure chanting is given not by our chanting sixty-four rounds, not by keeping thefour regulative principles. It is given by the representative of Krishna who has it to those who are really sincere. They are following sincerely. Theyare finished with material desires and are looking for only Krishna. Krishna sitting in his heart will see those who hankering after this pure love andHe would directiIt is the process.
We have to understand the process of devotional service to Krishna. Like Dhruva Maharaja was very fixed, completely having forgotten everythingexternal. He knows nothing but Krishna. He was fixed in Krishna with no distraction. In this way he was identified and Krishna gave him theblessings that prepare to go back home, back to Godhead. So let us practice our Krishna consciousness in that same way and we will follow Dhruva Maharajback home, back to Godhead. Thank you very much. Hare Krishna. Are there comments or questions?
Prabhu: Thank you Maharaj for this class. I like the point you made about how devotees are really enjoying the most, just looking at our temples, ourassociation you can say they are not i.accept for devotees. Even though the karmis may see us with this paint, robes and funny haircut it appears as ifwe suffer so greatly but actually we are enjoying the most. So I wanted to add the point of the example that Prabhupada I believe it was an airportscene, you can imagine seeing Prabupada, big kirtana. Devotees must be in bliss. Their faces must be showing so much happiness that this reporter thenasked, "What do you all do for recreation?"
So Srila Prabhupada answers, "We dance, we chant, we take prasadam. Our process is nothing but recreation." So I just wanted to bring that point up.Externally devotional service may appear to be more than that but actually it is the greatest fun. Thank you Maharaj.
Prabhu: Thank you very much Maharaj. I didn't quite understand the difference between Narada Muni. He was in the mode of goodness then herealized the Supreme Lord, then you said Suta Goswami did he transcending the modes and realized? You mind elaborating just a little bit?
HH Bhakti Dhira Damodara Swami: Okay. Yes I was explaining that there are three categories of mahatmas, not just one. And I said it from the lowestlevel. Lowest level in relation to Narada Muni. Narada Muni two times - first and also the last. In the beginning he had not transcended the modes.He was still dealing with the mode of goodness iMode of goodness is not pure so we have to transcend that. In the beginning he had not transcended that.He couldn't go back home back to Godhead. So that was basically the lowest level. He was still within the modes.Those on the second level of mahatma like Sukadev Goswami have transcended the modes completely but have not fully realized relationship with Krishna.And then after Narada Muni had perfected his life he came to the topmost level also. In that level he had transcended the three modes. I mentionedabout blessings from Lord Krishna fully.Then I mentioned bhagavat pradan. So there are different levels. So by practicing Krishna consciousness it should bring you to that level.
Prabhu: Hare Krishna Maharaj. Thank you for that beautiful lecture especially when you said that the desire to get connected to Krishna somehowwe should become Krishna conscious. By question is regarding when you said that all bodily concepts of pleasure are a product of the illusory energy ofthe Lord. How do we on a practical level keep checking ourselves that when the mind wanders or the intelligence wanders, that this is sort of sensegratification is a product of illusory energy and stop ourselves?
HH Bhakti Dhira Damodara Swami: In the beginning we should practice under the expert guidance of a spiritual master who is self realized. So by thedirection we practice Krishna consciousness by engaging our senses. By engaging our senses in Krishna consciousness we become purified eg. We aretaking prasadam. You cannot stop eating. We have to eat so we eat remnants of Krishna. So the sense of eating is engaged but in Krishna consciousness.So in that way the sense will become purified. The sense of eating will become purified.
Similarly the sense of seeing and all of our senses if engaged in Krishna consciousness will become purified. We should engage our sense under thedirection of a pure devotee because without direction we may think that sense gratification is also devotional service. We will mix it. Eg. We maythink that if I attend my family party where they gratifying their senses and I may think that by attending in that way I am encouraging them tobecome devotees. That is an illusion. We don't gratify our senses. It is very subtle but it is dangerous.
Prabhu: hare Krishna. This is simply from my own edification. Usually when I give class I always let people know that whatever I say they can test mewhere my statements are verified in Prabhupada's books. So maybe for my own edification can you tell me where that explanation where Narada Muni is?
HH Bhakti Dhira Damodara Swami: From Jiva Goswami.
Prabhu: Where?
HH Bhakti Dhira Damodara Swami: It is by Jiva Goswami.
Prabhu: Which book?
HH Bhakti Dhira Damodara Swami: Satsandarba.
I think that we are iworks very closely. Because it is very wonderful for old devotees. I would like to suggest that we also follow Srila Prabhupadawho is our i because if we follow Srila Prabhupada i we will connect with him more and we will be empowered by Srila Prabhupada to represent him ipowerful than what we are doing now. Let the power come from i and not just limited to what he said but to understand his wisdom. And when he sees thesincerity of the devotees we will be empowered by him. Nothing is more powerful than what i Hare Krishna! Iskcon founder acarya Srila PrabhupadaKi.Jai!
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