Teachings of Lord Kapila, the Son of Devahuti

 

                          Table of Contents

 

                               Foreword

 

   Kapila Muni, a renowned sage of antiquity, is the author of the philosophical system known as Sankhya, which forms an important part of India's ancient philosophical heritage. Sankhya is both a system of metaphysics, dealing with the elemental principles of the physical universe, and a system of spiritual knowledge, with its own methodology, culminating in full consciousness of the Supreme Absolute. Kapila, however, is not an ordinary philosopher or sage. According to Vedic tradition, the tradition of India's ancient scriptural literature, He Himself is an avatara (incarnation) of the Supreme Absolute Truth.

   Kapila's teachings are originally inscribed in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, or Bhagavata purana, one of the most important scriptural documents of Vedic theism. Within the Bhagavatam, Kapila's teachings comprise Chapters Twenty-five through Thirty-three of the Third Canto. This book, Teachings of Lord Kapila, the Son of Devahuti, is based on a unique series of lectures presented in Bombay, India, in the spring of this series, Srila Prabhupada spoke from the Twenty-fifth Chapter, which contains the beginning of Lord Kapila's teachings. Srila Prabhupada is the author of a celebrated multivolume translation and commentary on the entire text of the Bhagavatam, and at the time of the Kapila lectures he had already completed his written commentary on the section of the Bhagavatam dealing with Kapiladeva's teachings. In these special lectures, however, Srila Prabhupada went into significantly greater detail in elucidating the verses and shed an even broader light upon these fascinating teachings.

   The text begins with the words of Saunaka, the foremost of the sages of Naimisaranya, the vastly learned sages to whom Srimad-Bhagavatam was originally spoken some thousands of years ago. The sages have already heard about Lord Kapiladeva from Suta Gosvami, an exalted spiritual master, and it is clear from Saunaka's words that they accept Kapila Muni as being an incarnation of the Lord Himself and as therefore being the highest authority on yoga and transcendental knowledge. In recounting the history of Lord Kapila, Suta Gosvami, in accordance with Vedic principles for presenting spiritual knowledge, refers to discourse by great spiritual masters who have previously discussed this same subject. In this case, Suta Gosvami refers to a discussion between Vidura and the great sage Maitreya, who was a friend of Vyasadeva, the original compiler of the Vedic literature.

   As Suta Gosvami has already described, Lord Kapila appeared in this world as the son of Kardama Muni, a master of mystic yoga, and his wife, Devahuti. Both Kardama Muni and Devahuti were aware of the divinity of their son. Indeed, even before Kapila's birth, Lord Brahma himself, the chief created person in this universe, had appeared before Devahuti and revealed to her that her son was to be an incarnation of the Supreme Lord and that this incarnation would enlighten her with spiritual knowledge.

   According to the Vedic social system, a man with a grown son may accept the order of sannyasa, thus renouncing all connections with his family and worldly life, and entrust his wife to the care of his son. Kardama Muni, of course, knew that his son was an incarnation of the Supreme Lord, yet to honor this Vedic system and emphasize its importance, he too eventually accepted sannyasa, entrusting his wife, Devahuti, to the care of his divine son, Kapiladeva. Therefore, as Suta Gosvami begins to answer Saunaka's request to hear further about Lord Kapiladeva, the sages have already been informed of how Kardama Muni departed for the forest, leaving Kapiladeva behind with Devahuti.

   After Kardama Muni's departure, Devahuti, remembering the prophetic words of Lord Brahma, approaches her divine son and humbly expresses her desire for spiritual enlightenment: "My Lord, I have fallen into the abyss of ignorance. Your Lordship is my only means of getting out of this darkest region of ignorance because You are my transcendental eye, which, by Your mercy only, I have attained after many, many births.... Now be pleased, my Lord, to dispel my great delusion... You are the ax which can cut the tree of material existence. I therefore offer my obeisances to You, who are the greatest of all transcendentalists, and I inquire from You as to the relationship between man and woman and between spirit and matter." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.7-11) Pleased by His mother's pure desire for spiritual enlightenment, and feeling great compassion for her, Kapila begins to speak on the Sankhya philosophy.

   Now, what is Sankhya? Insofar as Sankhya deals with the elemental categories or principles of the physical universe, Sankhya is what Western scholars generally refer to as "metaphysics." The term sankhya literally means "to count." This name is used because Sankhya philosophy enumerates principles of cosmic evolution by rational analysis. The etymological meaning of the word sankhya is "that which explains very lucidly by analysis of material elements." Philosophically, this term is used because the Sankhya system expounds analytical knowledge that enables one to distinguish between matter and spirit. This understanding culminates in bhakti, devotion for and service to the Supreme. It may be said, therefore, that Sankhya and bhakti form two aspects of the same process, bhakti being the ultimate goal or ultimate aspect of Sankhya.

   It is interesting to note, at this point, that long after Lord Kapila's descent, an imitation Kapila appeared on the Indian subcontinent and propounded a nontheistic Sankhya. That which is generally studied as Sankhya in the contemporary academic context is actually this later, nontheistic, materialistic Sankhya. The Sankhya philosophy, propounded by the original Kapila, is practically unknown in the West. Teachings of Lord Kapila, the Son of Devahuti (along with Srila Prabhupada's complete commentary on Kapila's Sankhya in his edition of Srimad-Bhagavatam) is probably the first major exposition in the English language on the original, theistic Sankhya. It should therefore be of considerable interest to scholars in this field.

   Because the basic principle and the ultimate goal of Lord Kapiladeva's Sankhya philosophy is bhakti, this is the subject with which Lord Kapiladeva begins His instructions to Devahuti. Consequently, because this volume, Teachings of Lord Kapila, the Son of Devahuti, is Srila Prabhupada's commentary on the beginning of Lord Kapila's teachings, it is chiefly concerned with the science of bhakti-yoga--the process of linking with God (yoga means "linking") through bhakti (devotion).

   As the actual history begins, Devahuti approaches her son, Kapila, and with deep humility expresses her sincere desire for spiritual enlightenment. In response, Lord Kapila delineates "the path of the transcendentalists, who are interested in self-realization." Concisely summarizing the actual process of self-realization, Kapila defines consciousness in both the conditioned and liberated states. He describes the psychology of pure consciousness, delineates the symptoms and characteristics of a sadhu, holy person, and stresses the importance of sadhu-sanga, association with those who are saintly. Kapiladeva then explains that liberation is merely a stage preliminary to the attainment of bhakti and that one who attains bhakti automatically achieves liberation. One who engages in bhakti, devotional yoga, automatically transcends material desires and ultimately crosses beyond birth and death.

   According to later descriptions in Srimad-Bhagavatam, Devahuti ultimately attains full enlightenment in transcendental knowledge by hearing and understanding the sublime philosophical teachings of her great son.

                                                      --The Publishers

 

                             Chapter One

                 The Purpose of Lord Kapila's Advent

                                  

 

                                TEXT 1

 

                            saunaka uvaca

                       kapilas tattva-sankhyata

                         bhagavan atma-mayaya

                       jatah svayam ajah saksad

                        atma-prajnaptaye nrnam

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sri Saunaka said: Although He is unborn, the Supreme Personality of Godhead took birth as Kapila Muni by His internal potency. He descended to disseminate transcendental knowledge for the benefit of the whole human race.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The word atma-prajnaptaye indicates that the Lord descends for the benefit of the human race to give transcendental knowledge. Material necessities are quite sufficiently provided for in the knowledge given in the Vedic literatures, which offer a program for good living and gradual elevation to the platform of sattva-guna, the mode of goodness. Once one is situated in sattva-guna, one's knowledge expands. On the platform of passion there is no knowledge, for passion is an impetus to enjoy material benefits. On the platform of ignorance there is neither knowledge nor enjoyment but simply animalistic living.

   The Vedas are intended to elevate one from the mode of ignorance to the platform of goodness. When one is situated in the mode of goodness, he is able to understand knowledge of the self, or transcendental knowledge. Such knowledge cannot be appreciated by any ordinary man; therefore a disciplic succession is required. This knowledge is expounded either by the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself or by His bona fide devotee. Saunaka Muni also states here that Kapila, the incarnation of the Supreme personality of Godhead, took birth or appeared simply to disseminate transcendental knowledge. To understand that one is not matter but spirit soul (aham brahmasmi: "I am by nature Brahman") is not sufficient for understanding the self and his activities. One must be situated in the activities of Brahman. Knowledge of those activities is explained by the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself. Such transcendental knowledge can be appreciated in human society but not in animal society, as clearly indicated here by the word nrnam, "for the human beings." Human beings are meant to lead a regulated life. By nature, there is regulation in animal life also, but that is not like the regulative life described in the scriptures or by the Vedic authorities. Only when one's life is regulated according to the Vedas can one understand transcendental knowledge.

   For the propagation of this transcendental knowledge, Kapiladeva, the incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, gave instructions in Sankhya philosophy to His mother, Devahuti. Later, another Kapiladeva appeared who expounded atheistic Sankhya philosophy, which dealt with the twenty-four elements but gave no information about God. The original Kapila is called the Devahuti-putra Kapila, and the other is called the atheist Kapila. Concerning Kapiladeva, Saunaka Rsi says, kapilas tattva-sankhyata. Kapila is the Supreme Person; therefore He can explain the Absolute Truth. Actually only Bhagavan can know the true position of the ultimate truth. No one else can know it. Bhagavan, Krsna or His incarnation, occasionally visits the earth to give humanity information about the aim of life. Thus the Supreme Lord descended as Kapiladeva, tattva-sankhyata. The word sankhyata means "expounder," and tattva means "the Absolute Truth." The Absolute Truth is Bhagavan Sri Krsna Himself. We cannot understand the Absolute Truth or the Supreme Person by mental speculation, especially when we are under the influence of the three modes of material nature (sattva-guna, rajo-guna and tamo-guna). Only those who are situated in sattva-guna (the mode of goodness) are fit to understand the Absolute Truth. According to Bhagavad-gita (18.42), those possessing brahminical qualifications are situated in sattva-guna.

 

                       samo damas tapah saucam

                        ksantir arjavam eva ca

                       jnanam vijnanam astikyam

                      brahma-karma svabhava jam

 

   "Peacefulness, self-control, austerity, purity, tolerance, honesty, wisdom, knowledge and righteousness--these are the qualities by which the brahmanas work."

   According to the Vedic conception, there must be men in society who are factually brahmanas, capable of expounding the real truth. If everyone becomes a sudra, the Absolute Truth cannot be understood. It is said that at the present moment in Kali-yuga everyone is a sudra (kalau sudra-sambhavah), and it is very difficult in this age to find qualified brahmanas, for they are very rare. There is practically not a single qualified brahmana in this age.

 

                        prayenalpayusah sabhya

                        kalav asmin yuge janah

                        mandah sumanda-matayo

                      manda-bhagya hy upadrutah

 

   "O learned one, in this iron age of Kali men have but short lives. They are quarrelsome, lazy, misguided, unlucky and, above all, always disturbed." (Bhag. 1.1.10) The people in this age are very short-lived and slow in understanding spiritual life. Actually human life is meant for understanding spiritual values, but because everyone in this age is a sudra, no one is interested. People have forgotten life's real purpose. The word manda means both slow and bad, and everyone in this age is either bad or slow or a combination of both. People are unfortunate and disturbed by so many things. According to Srimad-Bhagavatam there will eventually be no rain and consequently a scarcity of food. The governments will also levy very heavy taxes. The characteristics of this age predicted by Srimad-Bhagavatam are already being experienced to some degree. Since Kali-yuga is a very miserable age, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who is Sri Krsna Himself, advises everyone simply to chant Hare Krsna.

 

                        harer nama harer nama

                        harer namaiva kevalam

                      kalau nasty eva nasty eva

                       nasty eva gatir anyatha

 

   "In this age of Kali there is no alternative, there is no alternative, there is no alternative for spiritual progress than the holy name, the holy name, the holy name of the Lord." (Brhan-naradiya Purana) This process is not Caitanya Mahaprabhu's invention, but is advised by the sastras, the puranas. The process for this Kali-yuga is very simple. One need only chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. Since everyone in this age is an unintelligent, unfortunate and disturbed sudra, how can anyone understand the Absolute Truth or the aim of life? As stated by the Lord Himself in Bhagavad-gita (4.7):

 

                        yada yada hi dharmasya

                        glanir bhavati bharata

                       abhyutthanam adharmasya

                        tadatmanam srjamy aham

 

   "Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion--at that time I descend Myself."

   Some hundreds and thousands of years ago Lord Krsna appeared as Devahuti-putra Kapiladeva. His father's name was Kardama Muni. After Kapiladeva grew up, His father, according to the Vedic system, retired, took sannyasa and left home to cultivate spiritual life. It is not that one should rot in this material world throughout one's whole life. pancasordhvam vanam vrajet. According to the Vedic injunctions, there are four asramas and four varnas, and these used to be followed very strictly. After his son grew up, Kardama Muni, being a strict follower of the Vedas, left home and put his wife in the charge of his grown son, Kapiladeva.

   It is said of Kapiladeva: kapilas tattva-sankhyata bhagavan. Lord Kapila is Bhagavan. Nowadays Bhagavan is taken very cheaply because the word is misused, but actually Bhagavan is not an ordinary man. Avajananti mam mudhah: because Bhagavan Sri Krsna appeared as a human being, fools and rascals (mudhas) consider Krsna an ordinary human. As Krsna Himself states in Bhagavad-gita (7.13):

 

                      tribhir gunamayair bhavair

                       ebhih sarvam idam jagat

                         mohitam nabhijanati

                       mam ebhyah param avyayam

 

   "Deluded by the three modes (goodness, passion and ignorance), the whole world does not know Me, who am above the modes and inexhaustible."

   Yet there are mahatmas, great souls, who can understand Krsna. Arjuna could understand that although Krsna was playing the part of his friend, He was nonetheless the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Arjuna was in perfect knowledge, yet Krsna instructed him for our benefit. Arjuna requested Krsna's instructions, which are set forth for all human society. After hearing Bhagavad-gita, Arjuna addressed Krsna as param brahma param dhama, "the Supreme Brahman and supreme abode."

   Every person is actually Brahman, spirit soul. We are not actually the body. Awareness of aham brahmasmi ("I am Brahman") is actual self-realization. According to Vedic culture, one must understand that he is Brahman, not the body. We should not remain in ignorance like cats and dogs, thinking, "I am this body, I am American, I am Indian, I am brahmana, I am ksatriya, I am Hindu, I am Muslim," and so on. These are all bodily designations. When one comes to spiritual understanding, he understands aham brahmasmi, "I am Brahman." This is called Brahman realization. It is not that we become Brahman by some practice. Gold is gold, even if it is covered with some dirt, which can certainly be removed. Similarly, we are all Brahman, spirit soul, but somehow or other we have come in contact with these material elements (bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh), and we have acquired bodily coverings. Consequently we think, "I am this body." This is ignorance, and unless one is enlightened by spiritual knowledge, he remains animalistic.

   Understanding one's spiritual identity is called dharma. The ultimate goal of dharma is enunciated by Sri Krsna Himself in Bhagavad-gita (18.66). Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja: "Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me." On this earth we have created so many dharmas--Hindu dharma, Muslim dharma, Christian dharma. These are all manufactured dharmas, but real dharma is attained when we come to the conclusion that Sri Krsna is everything. Again, in the words of Sri Krsna in Bhagavad-gita (7.19):

 

                        bahunam janmanam ante

                       jnanavan mam prapadyate

                         vasudevah sarvam iti

                        sa mahatma sudurlabhah

 

   "After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare."

   The Krsna consciousness movement is meant for the propagation of this message. We are not preaching a particular sectarian religious system but a real religion, dharma. Dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam: no one actually knows what dharma is, and no one can manufacture dharma. Dharma is the order of the Supreme Being. No one can manufacture state laws; they are given by the government. The simplest definition of dharma is that dharma is the order of the Supreme Being. Since the Supreme Being, God, is one, His order must be one. How, then, can there be different dharmas? lt is not possible. Different dharmas are created due to ignorance, which causes people to think in terms of Hindu dharma, Muslim dharma, Christian dharma, this dharma or that dharma. No. Gold is gold. If a Christian possesses some gold, does it become Christian gold? Gold is gold whether possessed by a Hindu, a Muslim or a Christian. According to the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, dharma means surrendering unto that Supreme Being. This is bhagavata-dharma, and everyone should be taught how to surrender unto God. God is one; there cannot be two Gods. When there is competition, there is no God. Presently there is a different God on every street, but Krsna is not that kind of God. He is the Supreme God. As Krsna Himself states in Bhagavad-gita (7.7):

 

                       mattah parataram nanyat

                        kincid asti dhananjaya

                       mayi sarvam idam protam

                         sutre mani-gana iva

 

   "O conqueror of wealth [Arjuna], there is no truth superior to Me. Everything rests upon Me, as pearls are strung on a thread."

   The purpose of this Krsna consciousness movement is to inform everyone that no one is superior to Krsna, God. Because many young Americans and Europeans are fortunate and know nothing of any hodgepodge god, they have taken this bona fide Krsna consciousness movement seriously. Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam: Bhagavan, God, means Sri Krsna. We have simply presented this information, saying, "Here is God. Sri Krsna." Because they have taken this seriously, many young Americans and Europeans are advancing in Krsna consciousness. Consequently many people are surprised to see how Americans and Europeans have become such great devotees and are dancing in ecstasy. How is it they are so advanced? They have taken the information seriously: krsnas tu bhagavan svayam. Whether one touches fire blindly or knowingly, fire will burn. It is not that because the fire is touched by a child, fire will not burn. These young Westerners have touched fire, and consequently it is acting as fire.

   Acaryopasanam: this information (krsnas tu bhagavan svayam) is not concocted, but is accepted by the acaryas in the disciplic succession. Although an impersonalist, Sankaracarya has accepted Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So have Ramanujacarya, Madhvacarya, Visnusvami, Nimbarka and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His followers. They all accept Krsna as the Supreme, just as Arjuna himself did. This is the simplest method. There is no need to speculate, "What is God? Where is God?" Why foolishly go on searching? Here is God--Krsna. We may think that Krsna cannot be seen, but Krsna can appear in the form of His energy. Of course, a stone is not God, but a stone is another one of God's energies. Heat and light are not fire, but without fire there cannot be heat or light. In that sense, heat and light are nondifferent from fire. This material world is like the heat and light of the supreme fire.

 

                        ekadesa-sthitasyagner

                       jyotsna vistarini yatha

                       parasya brahmanah saktis

                        tathedam akhilam jagat

 

   "Just as a fire is situated in one place, but spreads illumination all around, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Parabrahman, spreads His energies throughout this universe." (Visnu purana 1.22.53)

   The sun is situated in one place, and its light and heat expand throughout the entire solar system. As soon as we perceive light and heat, we can understand that the sun is there. Since light and heat can be perceived by everyone, Krsna says in Bhagavad-gita (7.8), prabhasmi sasi-suryayoh: "I am the light of the sun and the moon." people are saying, "Can you show me God?" while not realizing that they are seeing God daily at every moment. Because people are foolish in this age, they cannot understand that when we perceive the energy of the Lord, we can feel the presence of the Lord.

   The young devotees in the Krsna consciousness movement are presently worshiping Krsna. What are the signs of a devotee? The actual sign of a devotee is that he is no longer interested in material enjoyment: bhaktih paresanubhavo viraktir anyatra ca (Bhag. 11.2.42). The disciples of this Krsna consciousness movement do not go to cinemas, restaurants or clubs, and they do not smoke or drink. In European and American countries all these things are available and are very cheap, but these young people are not interested in them. They are simply interested in sitting on the floor and learning about Krsna consciousness. Why is this? They have actually rejected the material world. When one comes to detest material enjoyment, one can understand that he has advanced spiritually. Spiritual life does not mean taking sannyasa and then smoking or drinking tea. One must actually come to detest material life. One comes to lose interest in material activities and becomes interested only in the understanding of God, the Supreme Being, and His service. As enjoined in Srimad-Bhagavatam (5.5.1):

 

                    nayam deho deha-bhajam nrloke

                  kastan kaman arhate vid-bhujam ye

 

   "Of all the living entities who have accepted material bodies in this world, one who has been awarded this human form should not work hard day and night simply for sense gratification, which is available even for the dogs and hogs that eat stool." The word vid-bhujam means "stooleaters." Hogs work hard day and night simply eating stool, and because stool contains chemicals, hydrophosphates, the hog gets strength, becomes very fat and enjoys sex. In any case, human life is meant not for imitating the life of a hog but for tapasya, austerity:

 

                   tapo divyam putraka yena sattvam

              suddhyed yasmad brahma-saukhyam tv anantam

 

   "Rather, my dear boys, one should engage in penance and austerity to attain the divine position of devotional service. By such activity, one's heart is purified, and when one attains this position, he attains eternal, blissful life, which is transcendental to material happiness and which continues forever." (Bhag. 5.5.1)

   This is the meaning of Vedic civilization. The society of varnasrama-dharma--composed of brahmanas, ksatriyas, vaisyas, sudras, grhasthas, vanaprasthas, brahmacaris and sannyasis--is meant to elevate people gradually to the perfect stage of understanding God. The whole aim of the different varnas and asramas is the worship of the Supreme Lord. One can attain this understanding through this social system, which admits of gradations. When one goes to school, he begins with the first grade, then progresses to the second, third and so forth. In this way one makes progress.

   When human society accepts varnasrama-dharma, it can gradually come to the understanding of Brahman. By birth, everyone is a sudra; therefore everyone has to be educated. The word dvija means "twiceborn." One is first born through the womb of a mother, and one's next birth is given by the spiritual master and Vedic knowledge. Vedic knowledge is the mother, and the spiritual master is the father. When one is twice-born (dvija), he receives a sacred thread from the spiritual master and begins to learn about spiritual life. He is then allowed to read the Vedic literatures. In this way one becomes a son of Vedic literature. Nigama-kalpa-taror galitam phalam: Srimad-Bhagavatam is the essence of Vedic culture. It is a wish-fulfilling tree, and we can take whatever we want from it. Vedic knowledge is perfect, and if we want to come to know it, we must take shelter of a bona fide guru (tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet).

   Unfortunately, in this age everything is mismanaged. people forget the aim of life, and at such a time the Supreme Lord Himself comes. The Supreme Lord descends out of compassion because He is more anxious to have us return home, back to Godhead, than we are to go. Because we are in ignorance, we do not know anything about the kingdom of God. We know nothing about how to get there or how to become happy. We have forgotten all this. Therefore Krsna comes at intervals or sends His representative, the pure devotee. Sometimes He comes personally, and sometimes He sends His incarnation.

   Kapiladeva is an incarnation of the Supreme Person, Krsna. Therefore it is stated: kapilas tattva-sankhyata bhagavan atma-mayaya. The word maya means not only "illusion," but also "affection" and "energy." When Krsna comes, all His energies also come. It is not that He is forced to come. We have to accept a certain type of body because we are forced to do so, but this is not the case with Sri Krsna. Presently I may have a human form, but in the future I cannot demand a human form. We receive bodies in the next life according to karma, not will. One cannot demand to be a high-court judge unless one has been educated for the job. First of all, one must become qualified. If one qualifies himself, one may become a devata, a demigod like Indra or Candra, or one can become a dog or a cat. That depends on one's karma, or activities (karmana daiva-netrena). When Krsna or His incarnation come, they do not depend on karma for their bodies. The Supreme Lord is above karma and is fully independent. It is therefore said, atma-mayaya. The Supreme Lord comes by His own energy, not by the external energy or by force. When the governor visits the prison, he is not forced to do so. He is not to be considered a condemned person; rather, he goes by his own good will just to see how things are going on, However, it is understood that when an ordinary person is placed in jail, he is sent there by force because he has been proven a criminal. A criminal may think that he and the governor are one, just as rascals and fools think that Krsna is one of them. Avajananti mam mudha manusim tanum asritam. A knowledgeable person knows that when Krsna or His incarnation descends upon the material world, the Supreme Lord maintains His transcendental position. He is not an ordinary man, nor is He forced into the material world due to karma. The Supreme Lord comes by His own good will. param bhavam ajanantah. Rascals cannot understand what Krsna is; therefore they think that Krsna is a human being. As Krsna Himself states in Bhagavad-gita (7.3):

 

                         manusyanam sahasresu

                        kascid yatati siddhaye

                        yatatam api siddhanam

                      kascin mam vetti tattvatah

 

   "Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavor for perfection, and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in truth."

   Understanding Krsna is therefore not so easy. As stated by Krsna, out of many thousands one person may become a siddha, a self-realized being. And out of many siddhas, one may be able to understand Krsna. It is our great fortune that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Krsna Himself, has appeared and given us a very easy process by which we can understand Krsna. What is that process? We need only hear about Krsna. That's all. We have therefore opened all these centers of Krsna consciousness throughout the world.

 

                      srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah

                        punya-sravana-kirtanah

                     hrdy antah-stho hy abhadrani

                        vidhunoti suhrt satam

 

   "Sri Krsna, the Personality of Godhead, who is the Paramatma [Supersoul] in everyone's heart and the benefactor of the truthful devotee, cleanses desire for material enjoyment from the heart of the devotee who has developed the urge to hear His messages, which are in themselves virtuous when properly heard and chanted." (Bhag. 1.2.17)

   If we hear about Krsna, we become purified. Hearing about Krsna means associating with Krsna. In this way we may perfect our lives.

 

                             Chapter Two

              The Transcendental Matter and Supreme Yogi

 

                                TEXT 2

 

                     na hy asya varsmanah pumsam

                        varimnah sarva-yoginam

                        visrutau sruta-devasya

                       bhuri trpyanti me 'savah

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Saunaka continued: There is no one who knows more than the Lord Himself. No one is more worshipable or more mature a yogi than Me. He is therefore the master of the Vedas, and to hear about Him always is the actual pleasure of the senses.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   In Bhagavad-gita it is stated that no one can be equal to or greater than the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is confirmed in the Vedas also: eko bahunam yo vidadhati kaman. He is the supreme living entity and is supplying the necessities of all other living entities. Thus all other living entities, both visnu-tattva and jiva-tattva, are subordinate to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna. The same concept is confirmed here. Na hy asya varsmanah pumsam: among living entities, no one can surpass the Supreme Person because no one is richer, more famous, stronger, more beautiful, wiser or more renounced than He. These qualifications make Him the Supreme Godhead, the cause of all causes. Yogis are very proud of performing wonderful feats, but no one can compare to the Supreme personality of Godhead.

   Anyone who is associated with the Supreme Lord is accepted as a first-class yogi. Devotees may not be as powerful as the Supreme Lord, but by constant association with the Lord they become as good as the Lord Himself. Sometimes the devotees act more powerfully than the Lord. Of course, that is the Lord's concession.

   Also used here is the word varimnah, meaning the most worshipful of all yogis. To hear from Krsna is the real pleasure of the senses; therefore he is known as Govinda, for by His words, by His teachings, by His instruction--by everything connected with Him--He enlivens the senses. Whatever He instructs is from the transcendental platform, and His instructions, being absolute, are nondifferent from Him. Hearing from Krsna or His expansion or plenary expansion like Kapila is very pleasing to the senses. Bhagavad-gita can be read or heard many times, but because it gives great pleasure, the more one reads Bhagavad-gita the more he wants to read and understand it, and each time he gets new enlightenment. That is the nature of the transcendental message. Similarly, we find that transcendental happiness in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. The more we hear and chant the glories of the Lord, the more we become happy.

   In the previous verse, the incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead as Devahuti-putra Kapiladeva has been explained as bhagavan atma-mayaya. The word bhaga means "opulence," and van means "one who possesses." All the opulences of the creation are present in Bhagavan. As stated in the Vedas (Katha Upanisad 2.2.13):

 

                   nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam

                    eko bahunam yo vidadhati kaman

 

   Nitya, bhagavan, is the singular, and nityanam are the plural jivas, or living beings. Nityo nityanam: we are many, but God is one. There is no limit to the jivas; no one can count them. The word ananta means that they are without limit. All these jivas, living entities, are being maintained by the Supreme One. We cannot conceive how many living entities are being maintained by the Supreme Lord. All the great elephants, all the small ants, all the 8,400,000 species of life are maintained by Bhagavan. Why do we worry that He will not maintain us? Those who are devotees of the Lord and have taken shelter at His lotus feet, leaving everything aside simply to render service unto Him, will certainly be cared for. In our Krsna consciousness movement, we have over a hundred centers, and Krsna is maintaining them all. None of our devotees are employed for independent incomes, yet they are all being maintained. In Bhagavad-gita, Krsna never says, "Do this or that, and I will then maintain you." Rather, He states that not only will He maintain us, but He will also protect us from the results of sin, from sinful karma (Bg. 18.66). All of this assurance is there.

   Tasyaiva hetoh prayateta kovidah. The word kovidah means "intelligent." An intelligent person should try to attain shelter at the lotus feet of Krsna. Human life is actually meant for getting in touch with the lotus feet of Krsna. That should be our only business. The word upari indicates the higher planetary systems. There are seven higher planetary systems, and we are in the middle system, in Bhurloka. Within this one universe, there are fourteen planetary systems, and the living entities are wandering in different bodily forms on different planets. According to karma, the living entity sometimes goes up and sometimes goes down. He wanders in this way, thinking how he can become materially happy and satisfy his senses. The sastras say that we should not do this, that we should endeavor to understand Krsna. We should not worry about eating and sleeping, for the needs of the body are already arranged. We do not have to work independently to maintain the body.

 

                tal labhyate duhkhavad anyatah sukham

                   kalena sarvatra gabhira-ramhasa

 

   Our actual endeavor should be to attain happiness; that is our real struggle for existence. According to the sastras: tal labhyate duhkhavat. The word duhkhavat indicates that although we do not want misery, misery comes anyway. We don't have to endeavor separately for misery. No one says, "Let there be a fire in my house" or "Let my child die." No one aspires after these things, yet they happen. Everyone is thinking, "May my child live happily" or "May I get so much money." We do not ask or pray for catastrophes, yet they come without invitation. Similarly, whatever happiness is there for our enjoyment will also come without our asking for it. The conclusion is that we should not endeavor for so-called happiness or distress, but should try to attain that position whereby we can understand Krsna and get shelter at His lotus feet. This should be the real human endeavor.

   It was Caitanya Mahaprabhu who said to Rupa Gosvami:

 

                brahmanda bhramite kona bhagyavan jiva

               guru-krsna-prasade paya bhakti-lata-bija

 

   "The living entity is wandering up and down, from one planet to another, and he is very fortunate if by the mercy of the spiritual master and Krsna Himself he can get the seed of devotional service to Krsna." (Cc. Madhya 19.151) The Krsna consciousness movement is an attempt to make people fortunate. In this age, everyone is unfortunate (manda-bhagyah), but now we are trying to reverse the situation.

   Throughout the world there are problems everywhere. One country has one type of problem, and another country has another. There is strife within governments themselves, and even presidents are fraught with problems. Sometimes we may think we are very fortunate, just as President Nixon was thinking, "I am very fortunate. I have become the president of the United States." Then he soon realized that he was most unfortunate. Actually this is the situation for everyone. We should not think that the only apprehended culprit is President Nixon and that we are safe. There is a Bengali proverb: Dry cow dung is used for fuel, and it is said that when the dry cow dung is being burned, the soft cow dung is laughing, saying, "Oh, you are being burned, but I am safe." It does not know that when it dries out, it will be thrown into the fire too. We may laugh because President Nixon is in trouble, and we may think ourselves very safe because we have a big bank balance, but actually no one is safe. Eventually everyone will dry up and be thrown in the fire. That is a fact. We may survive for a few years, but we cannot avoid death. In fact, it is said, "As sure as death." And what is the result of death? One loses everything--all honor, money, position and material life itself. Krsna states in Bhagavad-gita (10.34), mrtyuh sarva-haras caham: "I am all-devouring death." Krsna comes as death and plunders everything--bank balance, skyscrapers, wife, children and whatever. One cannot say, "My dear death, please give me some time to adjust." There is no adjustment; one must immediately get out.

   Foolish people are unaware of the miserable conditions of material life. Krsna says in Bhagavad-gita (13.9), janma-mrtyu jara-vyadhi-duhkha-dosanudarsanam. Real knowledge means knowing that however great one may be, the four principles of material life are present: birth, old age, disease and death. These exist in the highest planetary system (Brahmaloka) and in the lowest (Patalaloka).

 

                   tasyaiva hetoh prayateta kovido

                na labhyate yad bhramatam upary adhah

                tal labhyate duhkhavad anyatah sukham

                   kalena sarvatra gabhira-ramhasa

 

   "Persons who are actually intelligent and philosophically inclined should endeavor only for that purposeful end which is not obtainable even by wandering from the topmost planet down to the lowest planet. As far as happiness derived from sense enjoyment is concerned, it can be obtained automatically in course of time, just as in course of time we obtain miseries even though we do not desire them." (Bhag. 1.5.18)

   When Dharmaraja asked Maharaja Yudhisthira what the most wonderful thing in the world was, Maharaja Yudhisthira replied: ahany ahani bhutani gacchantiha yamalayam. "Every moment people are dying, but those who are living are thinking, 'My friend has died, but I shall live forever.' " (Mahabharata, Vana-parva 313.116) Soft cow dung thinks the same way. This is typical of conditioned beings.

   Bhagavan, the Supreme Lord, is not in this position. It is therefore said: bhagavan atma-mayaya. We come onto this planet to enjoy or suffer life for a few days--fifty or a hundred years--but Bhagavan, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, does not come for that purpose (na mam karmani limpanti). It is further stated, na hy asya varsmanah: "No one is greater than Him." No one is greater than Bhagavan or equal to Him. Everyone is inferior. According to Caitanya-caritamrta (Adi 5.142), ekale isvara krsna, ara saba bhrtya. There is only one master--Krsna. All others are subservient, beginning with Lord Brahma, Visnu, Mahesvara, Indra, Candra and all the demigods (there are thirty-three million demigods) and the middle and lower species. Everyone is bhrtya, or servant. When Krsna orders, "My dear Mr. So-and-So, now please give up your place and leave,', one must go. Therefore everyone is a servant. This is the position of Lord Brahma and the ant as well. Yas tv indragopam athavendram aho sva-karma. From Lord Indra to indragopa, an insignificant insect, everyone is reaping the consequences of his karma. We are creating our own karma, our next body, in this life. In this life we enjoy or suffer the results of our past karma, and in the same way we are creating further karma for our next body. Actually we should work in such a way that we will not get another material body, How can this be done? We simply have to try to understand Krsna. As Krsna says in Bhagavad-gita (4.9):

 

                       janma karma ca me divyam

                       evam yo vetti tattvatah

                      tyaktva deham punar janma

                       naiti mam eti so 'rjuna

 

   "One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna."

   This sounds very simple, but actually understanding Krsna is very difficult. If we become devotees of Krsna, understanding Krsna is easy. However, if we try to understand Him by jnana, karma or yoga, we will be frustrated. There are many types of yogis, but he who is devoted to Krsna is the topmost yogi. Sri Krsna is far above all yogic processes. In India there are many yogis who can display some magical feats. They can walk on water, make themselves very light or very heavy and so forth. But what is this compared to Krsna's yogic mystic powers? By His potencies, great planets are floating in space. Who can manage to float even a small stone in the air? Sometimes a yogi may show a little mystic power by manufacturing some gold, and we are so foolish that we accept him as God. However, we forget that the real yogi, the Supreme Lord Himself, has created millions of gold mines and is floating them in space. Those who are Krsna conscious are not befooled by yogis who claim to be Bhagavan. A Krsna conscious person wants only to serve the foremost yogi, Yogesvara (varimnah sarva-yoginam). Because we are trying to become His devotees, we accept the Supreme Lord, Yogesvara, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Krsna Himself states in Bhagavad-gita (18.55):

 

                        bhaktya mam abhijanati

                      yavan yas casmi tattvatah

                       tato mam tattvato jnatva

                         visate tad-anantaram

 

   "One can understand the Supreme Personality as He is only by devotional service. And when one is in full consciousness of the Supreme Lord by such devotion, he can enter into the kingdom of God."

   This process is actually very simple. One must first of all realize that the first problem is the conquest of death. Presently we consider death compulsory, but actually it is not. One may be put into prison, but actually prison is not compulsory. It is due to one's work that one becomes a criminal and is therefore put in jail. It is not compulsory for everyone to go to jail. As living entities, we have our proper place in Vaikunthaloka.

 

                      paras tasmat tu bhavo 'nyo

                      'vyakto 'vyaktat sanatanah

                        yah sa sarvesu bhutesu

                        nasyatsu na vinasyati

 

                       avyakto 'ksara ity uktas

                        tam ahuh paramam gatim

                       yam prapya na nivartante

                        tad dhama paramam mama

 

   "There is another nature, which is eternal and is transcendental to this manifested and unmanifested matter. It is supreme and is never annihilated. When all in this world is annihilated, that part remains as it is. That supreme abode is called unmanifested and infallible, and it is the supreme destination. When one goes there, he never comes back. That is My supreme abode." (Bg. 8.20-21)

   Everything is present in Vaikunthaloka. There we can have an eternal, blissful life full of knowledge (sac-cid-ananda). It is not compulsory for us to rot in this material world. The easiest way to go to the Vaikunthalokas is: janma karma ca me divyam evam yo vetti tattvatah. Simply try to understand Krsna. Why does He come? What are His activities? Where does He come from? Why does He come in the form of a human being? We only have to try to understand this and study Krsna as He explains Himself in Bhagavad-gita. What is the difficulty? God personally explains Himself as He is, and if we accept Bhagavad-gita as it is, we shall no longer have to transmigrate. Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti. We shall no longer have to endure birth and death, for we can attain our spiritual bodies (sac-cid-ananda-vigraha) and live happily in Krsna's family. Krsna is providing for us here, and He will also provide for us there. So we should know that our happiness is in returning home, back to Godhead, where we can eat, drink and be merry in Krsna's company.

 

                            Chapter Three

               How to Understand the Lord's Activities

 

 

                                TEXT 3

 

                      yad yad vidhatte bhagavan

                       svacchandatmatma-mayaya

                        tani me sraddadhanasya

                        kirtanyany anukirtaya

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Therefore please precisely describe all the activities and pastimes of the Personality of Godhead, who is full of self-desire and who assumes all these activities by His internal potency.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The word anukirtaya is very significant. Anukirtaya means "to follow the description"--not to create a concocted mental description, but to follow. Saunaka Rsi requested Suta Gosvami to describe what he had actually heard from his spiritual master, Sukadeva Gosvami, about the transcendental pastimes that the Lord manifested by His internal energy. Bhagavan, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, has no material body, but He can assume any kind of body by His supreme will. That is made possible by His internal energy.

   We can understand the pastimes of the Lord by following one or some of the authorized devotional processes.

 

                       sravanam kirtanam visnoh

                        smaranam pada-sevanam

                       arcanam vandanam dasyam

                        sakhyam atma-nivedanam

 

   "Hearing, chanting and remembering the holy name, form, pastimes, qualities and entourage of the Lord, offering service according to the time, place and performer, worshiping the Deity, offering prayers, always considering oneself the eternal servant of Krsna, making friends with Him and dedicating everything unto Him--these are the nine processes of devotional service." (Bhag. 7.5.23)

   There are nine basic processes of devotional service--hearing and chanting about the Supreme Lord, remembering Him, serving His lotus feet, worshiping Him, offering prayers to the Lord, acting as His servant, becoming His friend, and surrendering everything to Him. The beginning is sravanam kirtanam, hearing and chanting. One must be very eager to hear and chant. As stated in Bhagavad-gita (9.14):

 

                        satatam kirtayanto mam

                       yatantas ca drdha-vratah

                      namasyantas ca mam bhaktya

                         nitya-yukta upasate

 

   "Always chanting My glories, endeavoring with great determination, bowing down before Me, the great souls perpetually worship Me with devotion."

   We have to speak or chant about the holy activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but first we have to hear about them. This Srimad-Bhagavatam was recited by Sukadeva Gosvami and heard by Pariksit Maharaja, and we in turn have to hear about Krsna and then chant about Him (sravanam kirtanam visnoh). When we speak of Visnu, we mean Krsna. Krsna is the origin of the visnu-tattva--that is, Visnu is an expansion of Krsna. When we speak of Visnu, we understand that the origin of Visnu is Krsna. As Sri Krsna says in Bhagavad-gita (10.2), aham adir hi devanam: "I am the source of the demigods."

   The most important demigods (devas) are Brahma, Siva and Visnu. In the beginning of the creation there is Lord Visnu, and from Lord Visnu, Brahma is born. From Lord Brahma, Lord Siva is born, and these three gods take charge of the three modes of material nature. Visnu takes charge of sattva-guna (the mode of goodness), Lord Brahma takes charge of rajo-guna (the mode of passion), and Lord Siva takes charge of tamo-guna (the mode of ignorance). However, before the creation there was no Brahma or Siva. There was only Krsna. Krsna therefore says, aham adir hi devanam. He is the creator of all demigods and all other living entities. After the cosmic manifestation is created, the living entities are placed in it. Therefore in the Vedas it is stated that in the beginning there was neither Brahma nor Siva, but only Narayana (eko narayana asit). Narayana is also another plenary expansion of Krsna.

   We have to learn from the scriptures that Krsna is the origin of all. Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam: all the visnu-tattvas and incarnations are but plenary expansions or expansions of the plenary expansions of Krsna. There are millions and millions of incarnations. They are as plentiful as waves in the ocean. There are saktyavesa-avataras, guna-avataras and svayam-avataras, and these are all described in Srimad-Bhagavatam. All these avataras, or incarnations, are svacchandatma, free from care and anxiety. If we organize a business, we have many anxieties. The managing director or proprietor of the business particularly has many anxieties. Although he sits in his office without disturbance, he is not very happy because he is always thinking about how to do this or that, how to manage this affair or that. This is material nature, and therefore it is said that there is always anxiety in the material world. When Hiranyakasipu, the father of prahlada Maharaja, asked his son, "My dear boy, what is the best thing you have learned from your teachers?" Prahlada Maharaja immediately replied, tat sadhu manye 'sura-varya dehinam sada samudvigna-dhiyam asad-grahat (Bhag. 7.5.5). "I have learned that materialists have accepted the asad guna." Asat means "that which is not." We should not remain on this platform, but should go to the platform of sat (om tat sat). This is the Vedic injunction. The material world is asad-vastu; it cannot possibly remain. In the material world, everything will ultimately be vanquished. Whatever exists in the material world exists only for some time. It is temporary. The Mayavadi philosophers say, brahma satyam jagan mithya: "The Supreme Truth is real, whereas the world is false"--but Vaisnavas do not use the word mithya (false), because God, the Supreme Brahman, is truth, and nothing false can emanate from the truth. If we prepare an earring from gold, the earring is also gold. We cannot say that the earring is false. Yato imani bhutani jayante: the Supreme Absolute Truth is He from whom everything is emanating. If everything is emanating from the Absolute Truth, nothing can actually be false. The Vaisnava philosophers accept the world as temporary, but not false, as the Mayavadi philosophers do.

   The world (jagat) has emanated from the Supreme; therefore it is not mithya, but it is temporary. That is also explained in Bhagavad-gita (8.19): bhutva bhutva praliyate. The material world comes into existence, remains for some time, and is then annihilated. It is not false, for it can be utilized to realize the Supreme Truth. This is Vaisnava philosophy. The world is temporary, but we must use it for spiritual purposes. If something is used for the ultimate truth, the Absolute Truth, it becomes integral with the Absolute Truth. As stated by Srila Rupa Gosvami (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.2.255-256):

 

                         anasaktasya visayan

                        yatharham upayunjatah

                      nirbandhah krsna-sambandhe

                       yuktam vairagyam ucyate

 

                        prapancikataya buddhya

                       hari-sambandhi-vastunah

                        mumuksubhih parityago

                      vairagyam phalgu kathyate

 

   The word mumuksubhih refers to those who aspire for mukti, liberation. When one becomes disgusted with material engagement, one wants to destroy everything that has anything to do with the material world. However, the Vaisnava says, prapancikataya buddhya hari-sambandhi-vastunah. Everything has some relationship with the Supreme Person, the Absolute Truth. For instance, a microphone is made of metal, but what is metal? It is another form of earth. In Bhagavad-gita (7.4) Sri Krsna says:

 

                        bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh

                       kham mano buddhir eva ca

                          ahankara itiyam me

                       bhinna prakrtir astadha

 

   "Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and false ego--all together these comprise My separated material energies." All of these are Krsna's energies, and if Krsna is the source of them, how can they be untrue? They are not. A Vaisnava will never say that metal has no connection with Krsna. It is a product of one of His energies, just as this material world is a product of the sun. We cannot say that the sunshine is false and that the sun is true. If the sun is true, the sunshine is also true. Similarly, we do not say that the material universe is false. It may be temporary, but it is not false. Therefore the Gosvamis and Krsna Himself tell us that since everything belongs to Krsna, everything should be utilized for His purpose.

   This creation emanates from Bhagavan, the Supreme Lord, who is without anxiety. Krsna very pleasantly associates with His consort Srimati Radharani and enjoys playing His flute. If God is anxious, what kind of God is He? Even Lord Brahma and other demigods are anxious. Lord Brahma is engaged in meditation, Lord Siva dances to annihilate the universe, the goddess Kali is engaged in killing with her sword, and so forth. The demigods have many activities, but Krsna is always peaceful. The Krsna who engages in killing demons is Vasudeva Krsna, not the original Krsna. The original Krsna does not go anywhere; He never takes a step away from Vrndavana. The other activities performed by Krsna are performed in the Vasudeva, Sankarsana, Aniruddha or Pradyumna forms. Krsna expands as Sankarsana, Narayana, Visnu, Maha-Visnu, Garbhodakasayi Visnu and Ksirodakasayi Visnu. God can expand Himself in many, many forms.

 

                 advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam

                adyam purana-purusam nava-yauvanam ca

 

                                                (Brahma-samhita 5.33)

   He is the adi-purusa, the original soul of all. Govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami: Lord Brahma says that he is not adi-purusa but that Govinda, Krsna, is the adi-purusa. This Krsna has many expansions (advaitam acyutam anadim). He has no beginning, but He is the beginning of everything. He has expanded Himself in many forms. The visnu-tattva consists of bhagavat-tattva-svamsa, the personal expansions. We are also Krsna's forms, but we are vibhinnamsa, separated expansions. We are the expansions of the energies. According to Krsna in Bhagavad-gita (7.5):

 

                        apareyam itas tv anyam

                       prakrtim viddhi me param

                        jiva-bhutam maha-baho

                        yayedam dharyate jagat

 

   "Besides the inferior nature, O mighty-armed Arjuna, there is a superior energy of Mine, which consists of the living entities who are struggling with material nature and are sustaining the universe."

   Thus there are the jiva-prakrti, the para prakrti expansions, who belong to Krsna's superior energy. In any case, Krsna is always svacchandatma--without anxiety. Even if He is killing a demon, He experiences no anxiety. That is also confirmed in the Vedas:

 

                  na tasya karyam karanam ca vidyate

                 na tat-samas cabhyadhikas ca drsyate

                  parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate

                    svabhaviki jnana-bala-kriya ca

 

   "The Supreme Lord has nothing to do, for everything is done automatically by His various potencies. No one is seen to be equal to, or greater than, Him." (Svetasvatara Upanisad 6.8)

   Sri Krsna has nothing to do personally. It is His energy that acts. When an important man wants to get something done, he simply tells his secretary, who does everything. The important man is quite confident that because he has told his secretary, his desires will be carried out. The secretary is a person, energy (sakti). If an ordinary man within this world has many energies in the form of secretaries, then we can hardly imagine the energies possessed by Sri Krsna. Sri Krsna is jagad-isvara, the controller of the entire universe, and thus He is managing the entire universe. Foolish people say that there is no brain behind the universe, but this is due to ignorance. By taking information from the sastras, the scriptures, we can understand who that brain is. According to Sri Krsna in Bhagavad-gita (9.10):

 

                        mayadhyaksena prakrtih

                         suyate sa-caracaram

                         hetunanena kaunteya

                         jagad viparivartate

 

   "This material nature is working under My direction, O son of Kunti, and producing all moving and unmoving beings. By its rule this manifestation is created and annihilated again and again." We see His energies working in this material world all the time. There is thunder and rain, and from rain comes the food we enjoy. This process is outlined in Bhagavad-gita (3.14):

 

                        annad bhavanti bhutani

                       parjanyad anna-sambhavah

                       yajnad bhavati parjanyo

                       yajnah karma-samudbhavah

 

   "All living beings subsist on food grains, which are produced from rains. Rains are produced by performance of yajna [sacrifice], and yajna is born of prescribed duties." The origin of everything is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Through yajna, sacrifice, we have to satisfy the Supreme Person, and yajnas can be executed when human society is regulated according to the varnasrama-dharma, the system of four social orders (varnas) and four spiritual orders (asramas). There are four varnas (brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya and sudra) and four asramas (brahmacarya, grhastha, vanaprastha and sannyasa). These varnas and asramas have their respective duties, and unless human society is divided according to these eight scientific divisions and everyone acts according to his position, there can be no peace in the world.

 

                          varnasramacaravata

                         purusena parah puman

                       visnur aradhyate pantha

                       nanyat tat-tosa-karanam

 

   "The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Visnu, is worshiped by the proper execution of prescribed duties in the system of varna and asrama. There is no other way to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead." (Visnu Purana 3.8.9)

   The ultimate goal of all activity is the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord, Visnu. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum (Bhag. 7.5.31). Foolish people do not know that their ultimate interest is the satisfaction of Visnu. Therefore, when there are dharmasya glanih, discrepancies in dharma, Krsna or His incarnation personally comes. It is therefore said: yad yad vidhatte bhagavan. Although He comes, He has no anxiety. He comes by His internal potency, and He does not take help from anyone. He possesses a variety of energies, all of which work correctly and perfectly (parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate svabhaviki jnana-bala-kriya ca).

   Impersonalists cannot understand how everything is being carried out perfectly because they cannot understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead: mohitam nabhijanati mam ebhyah param avyayam. As stated by Krsna in Bhagavad-gita (7.14):

 

                        daivi hy esa guna-mayi

                         mama maya duratyaya

                        mam eva ye prapadyante

                        mayam etam taranti te

 

   "This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it." Being covered by the three modes of material nature, one cannot understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead. However, the Supreme Lord reveals Himself to His devotees.

   It is our business to understand Krsna in truth; then our lives will be successful. It is not that we can succeed by understanding Krsna superficially. It is therefore stated here: tani me sraddadhanasya kirtanyany anukirtaya. The word anukirtaya, as we have initially pointed out, means that we should not manufacture anything. The word anu means "to follow." Therefore the bhagavat-tattva, or Bhagavan, can be understood only by the parampara system, the system of disciplic succession.

 

                        evam parampara-praptam

                         imam rajarsayo viduh

                          sa kaleneha mahata

                        yogo nastah parantapa

 

   "This supreme science was thus received through the chain of disciplic succession, and the saintly kings understood it in that way. But in course of time the succession was broken, and therefore the science as it is appears to be lost." (Bg. 4.2)

   Formerly the kings (rajas) were great saintly persons. They were not ordinary people engaged in drinking and dancing. They were all rsis (sages), up to the time of Maharaja Pariksit. They were trained in such a way that they were not ordinary men but were called naradeva. Naradeva refers to Bhagavan in the form of a human being. The king was worshiped because he was a rajarsi, both a king and a sage. Sri Krsna says that if the king knows the purpose of life, he can rule well. If he does not, he thinks that eating, sleeping, sex and defense are all in all. In this case, his subjects live like animals. Today no one knows the object of human life; therefore although the foolish people of this age are trying to be happy, their hopes will never be fulfilled. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum durasayah. People are trying to be happy in this material world by accepting material objects, but their plans will never be fulfilled. Therefore in world history we see that there have been many leaders who have died working hard. They could not adjust things properly, despite all their hard efforts. There were Napoleon, Hitler, Gandhi, Nehru and many others, but they could not ultimately prevail. This is durasaya. The ultimate goal of life is to understand Visnu, yet people are going on blindly trying to satisfy their senses. If one blind man tries to lead another, what is the result? If both the leaders and followers are blind, they will all fall in a ditch, for they are all bound by their nature.

   Sravanam kirtanam, hearing and chanting, are the beginning of bhakti, devotional service. Therefore it is said: tani me sraddadhanasya kirtanyany anukirtaya. The word anukirtaya means to follow the parampara system. First of all we must receive the information from authorities; then we can speak the truth. One first has to learn how to describe the Absolute Truth, Bhagavan--His actions, His mercy and His compassion upon all living beings. The Supreme Lord is more anxious to give us education and enlightenment than we are to receive them. He gives us His literature, His devotees and the parampara system, but it is up to us to take advantage of these. The Krsna consciousness movement is intended to give society the proper understanding of the Absolute Truth. We are not presenting a manufactured, bogus philosophy. Why should we unnecessarily waste our time concocting some philosophy? There is so much to be learned that has already been given by the supreme authority. All we have to do is take this Vedic literature, try to learn it and distribute it. That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission.

 

               bharata-bhumite haila manusya-janma yara

                janma sarthaka kari' kara para-upakara

 

                                                       (Cc. Adi 9.41)

   It is the duty of everyone, especially one born in the land of Bharatavarsa, India, to make his life successful by taking advantage of this Vedic literature. Unfortunately, we are simply trying to learn technology, and that is our misfortune. Real education means solving all life's problems.

   Transcendental education means learning how to gain relief from the entanglement of material life. This is made possible by learning about the Lord's transcendental activities.

 

                             Chapter Four

                     Approaching a Bona Fide Guru

 

                                TEXT 4

 

                              suta uvaca

                      dvaipayana-sakhas tv evam

                       maitreyo bhagavams tatha

                        prahedam viduram prita

                        anviksikyam pracoditah

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sri Suta Gosvami said: The most powerful sage Maitreya was a friend of Vyasadeva's. Being encouraged and pleased by Vidura's inquiry about transcendental knowledge, Maitreya spoke as follows.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Questions and answers are very satisfactorily dealt with when the inquirer is bona fide and the speaker is also authorized. Here Maitreya is considered a powerful sage, and therefore he is also described as bhagavan. This word can be used not only for the Supreme personality of Godhead but for anyone who is almost as powerful as the Supreme Lord. Maitreya is addressed as bhagavan because he was spiritually far advanced. He was a personal friend of Dvaipayana Vyasadeva, a literary incarnation of the Lord. Maitreya was very pleased with the inquiries of Vidura because they were the inquiries of a bona fide, advanced devotee. Thus Maitreya was encouraged to answer. When there are discourses on transcendental topics between devotees of equal mentality, the questions and answers are very fruitful and encouraging.

   This is the Vedic process for receiving knowledge. One must approach the proper person, the guru, and submissively listen to him expound transcendental knowledge. As Sri Krsna advises in Bhagavad-gita (4.34):

 

                        tad viddhi pranipatena

                         pariprasnena sevaya

 

   "Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him."

   Transcendental knowledge is not very difficult, but the process must be known. Sometimes a dictating machine or a typewriter may not work, but if we go to a technician who knows the machine, he can immediately repair it. The process must be known. If one goes to a ditchdigger to repair a dictating machine, he cannot help. He may know how to dig ditches, but not repair a machine. Therefore the sastras enjoin that if one wants transcendental knowledge, one must approach the proper person. The word tad-vijnana refers to transcendental knowledge, not material knowledge. A medical practitioner may have material knowledge of the body, but he has no knowledge of the spirit soul within. He simply studies the mechanical arrangement of the body, which is a machine (yantra) made by nature. The body is actually stated in Bhagavad-gita (18.61) to be a machine:

 

                        isvarah sarva-bhutanam

                       hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati

                       bhramayan sarva-bhutani

                         yantrarudhani mayaya

 

   "The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone's heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living entities, who are seated as on a machine made of the material energy."

   For those who are attached to this bodily machine, the yoga system is recommended. One who is overly attached to the bodily conception is taught to concentrate the mind by some physical gymnastics. Thus in hatha-yoga one undergoes various physical disciplines, but the real purpose is to understand Visnu, the Supreme. The various yoga systems are given for the machine of the body, but the process of bhakti is transcendental to mechanical arrangements. It is therefore called tad-vijnana, transcendental to material understanding. If one actually wants to understand spiritual life and spiritual knowledge, one has to approach a guru. The word guru means "heavy," heavy with knowledge. And what is that knowledge? Tad-vijnana. That heaviness is brahma-nistha--attachment to Brahman and to Parabrahman, Bhagavan. That is the guru's qualification. Brahmany upasamasrayam. According to Mundaka Upanisad (1.2.12), tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet: "In order to understand that transcendental science, one must approach a bona fide spiritual master." Similarly, as stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.3.21):

 

                       tasmad gurum prapadyeta

                        jijnasuh sreya uttamam

 

   "Any person who seriously desires to achieve real happiness must seek out a bona fide spiritual master and take shelter of him by initiation."

   The Upanisads inform us that the guru is one who has received knowledge by hearing the Vedas. Srotriyam brahma-nistham. The Vedas are called sruti, and the bona fide guru is in the line of hearing from the disciplic succession. As stated in Bhagavad-gita (4.2), evam parampara-praptam. A bona fide guru does not impart some self-styled, concocted knowledge; his knowledge is standard and received from the parampara system. He is also firmly fixed in the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead (brahma-nistham). These are his two qualifications: he must have heard the Vedic knowledge through the disciplic succession, and he must be established in service to the Supreme Lord. He does not have to be a very learned scholar, but he must have heard from the proper authority. God gives us the ears to hear, and simply by hearing we may become great preachers. We don't need Ph.D.'s or academic examinations. One may even remain in his position; no changes are necessary.

   For this purpose there is the varnasrama-dharma, composed of four varnas and four asramas. Unless society is divided into these eight categories, it is simply an animal civilization. There must be some systematized, regulated arrangement. For instance, there are different divisions for the body: the head, the arms, the belly and the legs. Without the four corresponding divisions, no society can be conducted very well. There will simply be chaos. The words sthane sthitah mean "remaining in the varnasrama-dharma." Even a sudra can understand what is Brahman, and in that case he becomes a brahmana automatically. It is necessary that one hear attentively. That is all.

   It is stated that Vidura heard from Maitreya Rsi, and that Maitreya Rsi was very pleased. Unless one satisfies his guru, one cannot receive proper knowledge. That is quite natural. If one receives his guru properly and seats him comfortably, and if the guru is pleased with one's behavior, the guru can speak very frankly and freely, and this will be very beneficial to the student. By going to a spiritual master and asking for his instructions and then not following them, one simply wastes his time. Nor should one approach the spiritual master with a challenging spirit, but should go with the aim of rendering service. The word nipat means "to fall down," and pra means "without reservation." Transcendental knowledge is based on pranipata. Therefore Krsna says: sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja. "Just surrender unto Me." Just as we surrender unto Krsna, we have to surrender unto His representative, the spiritual master. The guru is Krsna's external representative, and the internal guru is Krsna Himself situated in everyone's heart. It is not that Krsna is simply in Vaikuntha or Goloka Vrndavana. He is everywhere; He is even within the atom. Goloka eva nivasaty akhilatma-bhutah (Brahma-samhita 5.37). That is the definition of Paramatma, the Supersoul. I am atma, a spiritual soul, and you are atma. We are all situated locally, you within your body and I within mine, but the Paramatma is situated everywhere. That is the difference between atma and Paramatma. Those who are mistaken say that there is no difference between them, but there is a difference. They are one in the sense that both are cognizant and both are living entities (nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam), but they are different quantitatively. Krsna states in Bhagavad-gita (13.3):

 

                      ksetrajnam capi mam viddhi

                        sarva-ksetresu bharata

 

   "O scion of Bharata, you should understand that I am also the knower in all bodies." Ksetrajna is the proprietor of the ksetra (the body). The individual soul is actually not the proprietor but the occupant. In a house, there is a tenant and a landlord. The tenant is the occupant, and the landlord is the proprietor. Similarly, the atma is simply the occupant of the body; the proprietor is Paramatma. When the landlord tells the tenant to leave the house, the tenant must do so. Similarly, when the Paramatma says that we have to leave the body, we have to do so.

   To receive this Vedic knowledge, we must approach the proper guru. The guru's qualification is given in every sastra. In Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.3.21) it is said:

 

                       tasmad gurum prapadyeta

                        jijnasuh sreya uttamam

 

   One should not accept a guru unless one is inquisitive to know the ultimate goal of life. An ordinary man interested in bodily comforts does not need a guru. Unfortunately, at the present moment, the word guru refers to someone who can give bodily medicine. One approaches a Mahatmaji and says, "I am suffering from this disease. Please help me." And the Mahatmaji says, "Yes, I have a mantra that will heal you and give you success. Give me a little money and take it." This is not a real guru. One should approach a guru to learn about tattva, the Absolute Truth. One should not search out a guru to cure some material disease; rather, one requires a doctor. Similarly, people think that if a person can make him successful in business, that person is a guru. The sastras do not confirm this either. A guru is one who knows the Vedas and the Vedic conclusion. The Vedic conclusion is the understanding of Krsna. Vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah: "By all the Vedas, I am to be known." (Bg. 15.15)

   It is not that we have to understand Krsna fully. That is not possible. We have no capacity to understand the unlimited. Advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam (Brahma-samhita 5.33). With our limited knowledge we cannot understand the unlimited; indeed, even Krsna does not understand Himself. His attraction is unlimited, and to understand why He is so attractive, He became Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu and took on the ecstatic emotions of Srimati Radharani (radha-bhava-dyuti). If Krsna cannot comprehend the limit of His own attraction and bliss, it is certainly not possible for us with our limited knowledge. If we can simply understand Krsna in part, that is our perfection. Therefore Krsna says: janma karma ca me divyam evam yo vetti tattvatah. If we misunderstand Krsna and take Him to be a human being like us, we become mudhas, fools. Krsna's body is not composed of material elements like ours, and if we think this way, we are mistaken. The material nature belongs to Krsna, and He is its controller. We are under the control of material nature, and that is the difference.

   One who has real knowledge knows that prakrti, material nature, is working under Krsna's direction. It is not possible to understand how all this is going on, but we can understand it in summary. Janmady asya yato 'nvayad itaratas ca: everything emanates from the Supreme Absolute Truth, Krsna. This much knowledge is sufficient. We can then increase this knowledge to understand just how material nature is working under Krsna's direction. Modern scientists mistakenly think that material nature is working independently and that things evolve by some chemical process only. However, life does not merely come from life or some chemical evolution. As Krsna states in Bhagavad-gita (10.8):

 

                        aham sarvasya prabhavo

                       mattah sarvam pravartate

 

   "I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates from Me." The same conclusion is also given in Vedanta-sutra, wherein it is stated, janmady asya yatah: "Brahman is He from whom everything emanates." "Everything" includes living entities and inert matter. Both matter and the living entities come from Krsna. Indeed, the whole world is a combination of matter and spirit, prakrti and the living entity.

   Material energy is inferior, and spiritual energy is superior. Why? Superior energy (jiva-bhuta), the living entity, is controlling material nature. Actually he is not controlling, but is trying to utilize it. For instance, human beings are advanced living entities, and they have created modern civilization by utilizing dull, inert matter. This is our superiority. However, we are also prakrti as well as para prakrti. In this way, we have to understand tattva jnana.

   Srimad-Bhagavatam is a commentary on Vedanta-sutra. Vedanta-sutra explains that the Supreme is the source of everything, and the nature of that source is explained in Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.1.1): janmady asya yato 'nvayad itaratas carthesv abhijnah svarat. That source is abhijna, cognizant. Matter is not cognizant; therefore the theory of modern science that life comes from matter is incorrect. The identity from whom everything emanates is abhijna, cognizant, which means He can understand. The Bhagavatam (1.1.1) also states, tene brahma hrda ya adi-kavaye: Krsna instructed Lord Brahma in Vedic knowledge. Unless the ultimate source is a living entity, how can He impart knowledge? Srimad-Bhagavatam was compiled by Vyasadeva, who also compiled the Vedanta-sutra. Generally the Mayavadis emphasize the commentary made on the Vedanta-sutra by Sankaracarya, the Sariraka-bhasya, but that is not the original commentary on Vedanta-sutra. The original commentary is given by the author himself, Vyasadeva, in the form of Srimad-Bhagavatam. To understand the actual meaning of the Vedanta-sutra, we must refer to the commentary made by the author himself. As stated by Sri Krsna Himself in Bhagavad-gita (13.5):

 

                        rsibhir bahudha gitam

                     chandobhir vividhaih prthak

                      brahma-sutra-padais caiva

                       hetumadbhir viniscitaih

 

   "The knowledge of the field of activities and of the knower of activities is described by various sages in various Vedic writings--especially in the Vedanta-sutra--and is presented with all reasoning as to cause and effect."

   Transcendental knowledge is therefore very logical. According to the Vedic system, the acarya must understand Vedanta-sutra (also called Brahma-sutra) before he can be accepted as an acarya. Both the Mayavada-sampradaya and the Vaisnava-sampradaya have explained the Vedanta-sutra. Without understanding Vedanta-sutra, one cannot understand Brahman. It is said that Vidura understood transcendental knowledge from Maitreya, and it is stated that Maitreya is a friend of Vyasadeva's. This means that both Vidura and Maitreya know what Vyasadeva knows. We have to approach a spiritual master who is in the disciplic succession from Vyasadeva. Everyone may claim to be following Vyasadeva, but one must actually follow him. Vyasadeva accepted Krsna as the Supreme personality of Godhead, and Arjuna also accepted Krsna as Parabrahman, the Supreme Person. One may say that because Arjuna was a friend of Krsna's, he accepted Him in this way, but this is not the case. Arjuna gave evidence that Vyasadeva also accepted Krsna.

 

                       param brahma param dhama

                       pavitram paramam bhavan

                       purusam sasvatam divyam

                        adi-devam ajam vibhum

 

                        ahus tvam rsayah sarve

                        devarsir naradas tatha

                         asito devalo vyasah

                       svayam caiva bravisi me

 

   "Arjuna said: You are the Supreme Brahman, the ultimate, the supreme abode and purifier, the Absolute Truth and the eternal divine person. You are the primal God, transcendental and original, and You are the unborn and all-pervading beauty. All the great sages such as Narada, Asita, Devala and Vyasa proclaim this of You, and now You Yourself are declaring it to me." (Bg. 10.12-13)

   Vyasadeva accepted Krsna as param brahma, and Vyasadeva began his commentary on Vedanta-sutra with the words om namo bhagavate vasudevaya. If we are actually interested in understanding, we must approach a representative of Vyasadeva like Maitreya. Maitreya is also addressed as bhagavan, although of course the Supreme Bhagavan is Krsna Himself (krsnas tu bhagavan svayam). But the word bhagavan also refers to other powerful persons like Lord Brahma, Lord Siva, Vyasadeva or Maitreya. The actual Bhagavan is Krsna Himself, but these great personalities have attained as much knowledge of Krsna as possible. It is not possible to have cent per cent knowledge of Krsna. Not even Narayana Himself is capable of that. Yet those who follow Krsna's instructions fully are sometimes called Bhagavan. There are many artificial Bhagavan's, but a real Bhagavan is one who knows what Krsna has taught. Vidura was very eager to receive transcendental knowledge, and because of this, Maitreya was very pleased with him. One can please the spiritual master simply by surrendering to him and rendering service, saying, "Sir, I am your most obedient servant. Please accept me and give me instructions." Although Arjuna was a very intimate friend of Krsna's, before receiving Srimad Bhagavad-gita he surrendered himself, saying, sisyas te 'ham sadhi mam tvam prapannam: "Now I am Your disciple and a soul surrendered unto You. Please instruct me." (Bg. 2.7)

   This is the proper way to ask for knowledge. One does not approach the spiritual master with a challenging spirit. One should also be inquisitive to understand the spiritual science. It is not that one considers himself superior to the guru. One must first find a guru to whom one can surrender, and if this is not possible, one shouldn't waste his time. By surrendering to the proper person, one can very quickly come to understand transcendental knowledge.

 

                             Chapter Five

           Lord Kapila Takes Charge of His Mother, Devahuti

 

                                TEXT 5

 

                            maitreya uvaca

                       pitari prasthite 'ranyam

                        matuh priya-cikirsaya

                       tasmin bindusare 'vatsid

                        bhagavan kapilah kila

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Maitreya said: When Kardama left for the forest, Lord Kapila stayed on the strand of the Bindu-sarovara to please His mother, Devahuti.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   In the absence of the father it is the duty of the grown son to take charge of his mother and serve her to the best of his ability so that she will not feel separation from her husband. It is also the duty of the husband to leave home as soon as there is a grown son to take charge of his wife and family affairs. That is the Vedic system of household life. One should not remain continually implicated in household affairs up to the time of death. He must leave. Family affairs and the wife may be taken charge of by a grown son.

   Being a great yogi, Kardama Muni was not very interested in family life. Nonetheless, he decided to marry, and Svayambhuva Manu brought his daughter Devahuti to him to serve as a wife. Kardama Muni was a yogi living in a cottage, and Devahuti was a princess, a king's daughter. Not being used to work, she became very skinny, and Kardama Muni took compassion upon her, thinking, "This girl has come to me, but now she is not in a very comfortable position." Therefore by his yogic powers, Kardama Muni created a large palace with many servants, gardens and other opulences. Not only that, but he also created a great spaceship as large as a small city. Modern airlines have prepared a 747, and although these are very big, Kardama Muni, by his yogic powers, was able to create a spaceship wherein there were lakes, palaces and gardens. This spaceship could also travel all over the universe. Modern scientists labor very hard to make a small spaceship to go to the moon, but Kardama Muni could create a great spaceship that could travel to all planets. This is possible by yogic powers.

   There are different siddhis, or yogic perfections--anima, laghima, prapti, and so on--and whatever yogis choose to do, they can do. That is the real yoga system. It is not that one becomes a yogi simply by pressing his nose and performing some gymnastics. One must actually attain the yogic siddhis. By these siddhis, the yogi can become very small or very large, very heavy or very light. Whatever he wants, he can immediately produce in his hand, and he can travel wherever he desires. Kardama Muni was such a perfected siddhi-yogi. By his wife, Devahuti, he had nine daughters, who were distributed to the prajapatis like Daksa Maharaja and many others. The only son of Kardama Muni was Kapiladeva, an incarnation of Krsna. This Kapiladeva was one of the mahajanas. The word mahajana means "authority," and according to the Vedic sastras there are twelve authorities. These are Svayambhu, Narada, Sambhu, Kumara, Kapila, Manu, prahlada, Janaka, Bhisma, Bali, Sukadeva Gosvami and Yamaraja. Svayambhu is Brahma, and Sambhu is Lord Siva. These authorities should be followed if we want to approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead and understand the purpose of religious life. Mahajano yena gatah sa panthah. These mahajanas follow the principles set forth by the Supreme personality of Godhead, Krsna, in Bhagavad-gita.

   We cannot very easily understand the actual truth of religious systems, but if we follow these mahajanas, we can understand. Kapila Muni explained the glories of devotional service to His mother, Devahuti. If we follow Him, we may learn the truth of devotional service. According to the system of varnasrama-dharma, one who is over fifty years of age must leave home, go to the forest and completely devote his life to spiritual realization. This is the actual varnasrama-dharma system. It is not a Hindu system, for the word "Hindu" is a name given by the Muslims and does not occur in any Vedic literature. However, the varnasrama-dharma is mentioned. Civilized human beings should strictly follow the varnasrama institution. If one is born a brahmana, he is trained nicely as a brahmacari, and then he becomes a grhastha, a householder. When he gives up his home, he is called a vanaprastha, and after that he may take sannyasa. Being a yogi, Kardama Muni strictly followed these principles; therefore as soon as Kapiladeva was grown, Devahuti was placed in His charge. Kardama Muni then left home. As stated in this verse: pitari prasthite 'ranyam matuh priya-cikirsaya.

   According to the Manu-samhita, a woman should never be given freedom. When she is not under the protection of her husband, she must be under the protection of her sons. Women cannot properly utilize freedom, and it is better for them to remain dependent. A woman cannot be happy if she is independent. That is a fact. In Western countries we have seen many women very unhappy simply for the sake of independence. That independence is not recommended by the Vedic civilization or by the varnasrama-dharma. Consequently Devahuti was given to her grown son, Kapiladeva, and Kapiladeva was fully aware that He had to take care of His mother. It is the duty of the father to protect his daughter until she attains puberty and is married to a suitable young man. The husband then takes care of the wife. Generally a man should marry at around twenty-five years of age, and a girl should marry no later than sixteen. If this is the case, when the man is fifty years old, his eldest son should be around twenty-five, old enough to take charge of the mother. According to this calculation, Kapiladeva was about twenty-five years old and was quite able to take charge of His mother, Devahuti. He knew that because His father left His mother in His charge, He should take care of her and always please her. Matuh priya-cikirsaya. Kapiladeva was not irresponsible, but was always ready to please His mother. Kapiladeva was a brahmacari, and His mother took lessons from Him. That is the prerogative of the male. As stated in Bhagavad-gita (9.32):

 

                      mam hi partha vyapasritya

                       ye 'pi syuh papa-yonayah

                     striyo vaisyas tatha sudras

                       te 'pi yanti param gatim

 

   "O son of Prtha, those who take shelter in Me, though they be of lower birth--women, vaisyas [merchants] as well as sudras [workers]--can approach the supreme destination." Women are considered on the same platform with sudras, and although a woman may be married to a brahmana, she is not given the sacred thread. It is also said that the Mahabharata was compiled by Vyasadeva because the direct Vedic knowledge could not be understood by women, sudras and dvija-bandhus, those who are born in brahmana families but are not qualified brahmanas. Stri-sudra-dvijabandhunam trayi na sruti-gocara (Bhag. 1.4.25). Consequently Mahabharata is called the fifth Veda. The four preceding Vedas are the Sama, Yajur, Rg and Atharva. The essence of Vedic knowledge, Bhagavad-gita, is given within the Mahabharata. Women are inferior to men, and Vedic civilization is so perfect that men are given full charge of the women. It is therefore said: matuh priya-cikirsaya. The son is always ready to see that the mother is not unhappy. Kapiladeva was anxious that His mother not feel the absence of His father, and He was ready to take the best care of her and give her knowledge. Because women are supposed to be less intelligent, they should be given knowledge, and they should also follow this knowledge. They should follow their father's instructions, their husband's instructions and the instructions of their grown, scholarly sons like Kapiladeva. In this way, their lives can be perfect. In all cases, women should always remain dependent.

   Tasmin bindusare 'vatsid bhagavan kapilah kila. It is noteworthy that in this verse Kapiladeva is referred to as Bhagavan, which indicates that He possesses all wealth, fame, knowledge, beauty, strength and renunciation. These six opulences are fully represented in Krsna; therefore Krsna is accepted as the Supreme Personality of Godhead (krsnas tu bhagavan svayam), and others are accepted as His expansions, or incarnations (visnu-tattva). In Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, Rupa Gosvami has analyzed the characteristics of Bhagavan. The first Bhagavan is Sri Krsna Himself, but some of His opulences are also bestowed upon Lord Brahma. Lord Brahma is a jiva-tattva, a living being like us. If we become spiritually powerful, we can also have the post of Lord Brahma. Superior to Lord Brahma is Lord Siva, and superior to Lord Siva is Visnu, or Lord Narayana, and superior to all is Krsna. That is the analysis of the Vedic sastras and Brahma-samhita. Even Sankaracarya, the Mayavadi impersonalist philosopher, accepts Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead (sa bhagavan svayam krsnah). All the acaryas-- Ramanujacarya, Madhvacarya, Visnusvami, Nimbarka and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu--also accept Krsna as the Supreme Lord.

   Kapiladeva is an incarnation of Krsna, and He gave instructions to His mother, Devahuti. We must distinguish between the two Kapilas. One Kapila is this Bhagavan Kapila, and the other Kapila is the atheist Kapila. Bhagavan Kapila is also known as Devahuti-putra Kapila. Both Kapilas expounded Sankhya philosophy, but the atheist Kapila expounded it without understanding, perception or realization of God. On the bank of the Bindu-sarovara Lake, Kapiladeva personally expounded Sankhya philosophy to His mother, Devahuti, just as Krsna personally expounded the knowledge of Bhagavad-gita to His friend Arjuna. Like Arjuna, Devahuti was aware that she was before her spiritual master, as indicated in the following verse. Indeed, Lord Brahma had informed her that her son was a powerful incarnation.

 

                                TEXT 6

 

                         tam asinam akarmanam

                       tattva-margagra-darsanam

                        sva-sutam devahuty aha

                       dhatuh samsmarati vacah

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   When Kapila, who could show her the ultimate goal of the Absolute Truth, was sitting leisurely before her, Devahuti remembered the words Brahma had spoken to her, and she therefore began to question Kapila as follows.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The ultimate goal of the Absolute Truth is Krsna consciousness, devotional service. The liberated stage is not final. If we simply understand that we are not the body, that we are spirit soul, our knowledge is insufficient. We must also act as Brahman; then our position will be fixed.

 

                      brahma-bhutah prasannatma

                        na socati na kanksati

                        samah sarvesu bhutesu

                      mad-bhaktim labhate param

 

   "One who is thus transcendentally situated at once realizes the Supreme Brahman and becomes fully joyful. He never laments nor desires to have anything; he is equally disposed to every living entity. In that state he attains pure devotional service unto Me." (Bg. 18.54) Bhakti is obtainable for a liberated person; it is not for the conditioned soul. How is this possible? In Bhagavad-gita (14.26) Krsna says:

 

                       mam ca yo 'vyabhicarena

                         bhakti-yogena sevate

                        sa gunan samatityaitan

                        brahma-bhuyaya kalpate

 

   "One who engages in full devotional service, who does not fall down in any circumstance, at once transcends the modes of material nature and thus comes to the level of Brahman."

   We must engage in the nine processes of devotional service, the first of which is hearing (sravana). Then, under the direction of the spiritual master and the sastras, one can immediately become a liberated person. One doesn't have to endeavor separately to become liberated if he immediately engages in devotional service. One must have a firm conviction that he is engaged in Krsna's service and is free from all material contamination. This is imperative. The words tattva-marga-darsanam are elucidated elsewhere in Srimad-Bhagavatam: brahmeti paramatmeti bhagavan iti sabdyate. The Absolute Truth is understood differently according to the position of the student. Some understand the Absolute Truth as impersonal Brahman, some as localized paramatma, and others as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, or Visnu. Brahman, Paramatma and Bhagavan, the Supreme personality of Godhead, are not different. They are simply different aspects of the complete Godhead. Looking at a mountain from a distance, we may see a hazy cloud, and if we come nearer, we may see something green. If we actually climb the mountain, we will find many houses, trees and animals. Our vision is of the same mountain, but due to our different positions we see haze, greenery or variegatedness. In the final stage, there are varieties--trees, animals, men, houses, and so on. The Absolute Truth is not without variety. Just as there is material variety, there is spiritual variety. Because the Mayavadi philosophers are seeing the Absolute Truth from a distance, they think that the Absolute Truth has no variety. They consider variety to be material, but this is a misunderstanding. The Absolute Truth is described as variegated in Brahma-samhita (5.29):

 

                cintamani-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vrksa-

                 laksavrtesu surabhir abhipalayantam

               laksmi-sahasra-sata-sambhrama-sevyamanam

                govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami

 

   "I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, the first progenitor, who is tending the cows, fulfilling all desires, in abodes built with spiritual gems and surrounded by millions of desire trees. He is always served with great reverence and affection by hundreds and thousands of goddesses of fortune."

   There are Vaikuntha planets in the spiritual world, and there are devotees who are all liberated. These devotees are aksara, which means they do not fall down into the material world. They remain in the spiritual world of the Vaikunthas. They are also persons like us, but they are eternal persons, complete with full knowledge and bliss. That is the difference between them and us. That is tattva jnana. Unless we understand the variegatedness of the Absolute Truth, there is a chance that we will fall down. It is not sufficient simply to stick to the indefinite, impersonal feature of the Absolute Truth:

 

                  aruhya krcchrena param padam tatah

                patanty adho 'nadrta-yusmad-anghrayah

 

                                                      (Bhag. 10.2.32)

   Because the impersonalists are not allowed to enter the Vaikuntha planets, they simply remain in the Brahman effulgence. Thus they fall down again into material variety. We have seen many impersonalist sannyasis who first of all give up the world as false (brahma satyam jagan mithya). They consider themselves Brahman (aham brahmasmi), consider the world false (jagat is mithya), and, having nothing more to do with the material world, finally say, "I have become Narayana." Then they come to the stage of daridra-narayana (poor Narayana). They become Narayana, but for want of anything better to do, for want of variegatedness, they take up material humanitarian activities. Although they consider their wives mithya (false), they return. "You have already left. Why do you come back again?" the wives ask. This means that these so-called sannyasis have nothing to do. They undergo serious penances and austerities to reach the platform of impersonal Brahman, but because there is no pleasure there, they again descend to enjoy material variety.

   We may build a nice spaceship and send it off into space, and the astronauts may go up there and fly in the impersonal sky, but eventually they will become tired and pray to God, "Please let us return to land." We have read that the Russian astronauts were simply missing Moscow while they were traveling in space. This impersonal traveling is actually very agitating; similarly, impersonal realization of the Absolute Truth cannot be permanent because one wants variety. A falldown is inevitable. When one gentleman read my book Easy Journey to Other planets, he became very enthusiastic about going to other planets. "Oh, yes," I said, "we can go with this book." "Yes," the gentleman said, "then I shall come back." "Why return? You should remain there." "No, no," he said. "I don't want to remain. I just want to go and come back." This is the "enjoying" mentality. Without variety, we cannot enjoy. Variety is the mother of enjoyment, and Brahman realization or Paramatma realization does not give us steady ananda, bliss. We want ananda. Anandamayo 'bhyasat. The living entities are Brahman; Krsna is Parabrahman. Krsna is enjoying perpetual ananda, and, being part and parcel of Krsna, we also want ananda. Ananda cannot be impersonal or void; ananda entails variety. No one is simply interested in drinking milk and eating sugar, but with milk and sugar we can make a variety of foods--pera, barfi, ksira, rabari, dahi, and so on. There are hundreds of preparations. In any case, variety is required for enjoyment.

   The last word of tattva jnana is to understand Krsna, who is full of variety. Kapiladeva is tattva-margagra-darsanam. He is an incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and He will explain to His mother what tattva is, how one can approach the tattva jnana, and how one can actually enjoy tattva jnana. This is not simply dry speculation. This Krsna consciousness philosophy includes spiritual variety. People sometimes misunderstand this variety to be material, and they hanker for nirvisesa, nirakara, void. However, our philosophy is not void; it is full of variety and transcendental bliss. This will later be specifically enunciated by Lord Kapiladeva.

 

                             Chapter Six

              Devahuti Desires Transcendental Knowledge

 

                                TEXT 7

 

                           devahutir uvaca

                       nirvinna nitaram bhumann

                        asad-indriya-tarsanat

                         yena sambhavyamanena

                      prapannandham tamah prabho

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Devahuti said: I am very sick of the disturbance caused by my material senses, for because of this sense disturbance, my Lord, I have fallen into the abyss of ignorance

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Here, at the beginning of Devahuti's questionings, the word asad-indriya-tarsanat is significant. Asat means "impermanent," "temporary," indriya means "senses," and tarsanat refers to agitation. Thus asad-indriya-tarsanat means "from being agitated by the temporarily manifest senses of the material body." We are evolving through different species of material bodily existence--sometimes in a human body, sometimes in an animal body--and therefore the engagements of our material senses are also changing. Anything which changes is called temporary, or asat. We should know that beyond these temporary senses are our permanent senses, which are now covered by the material body. The permanent senses, being contaminated by matter, are not acting properly. Devotional service, therefore, involves freeing the senses from this contamination. When the contamination is completely removed and the senses act in the purity of unalloyed Krsna consciousness, we have then attained sad-indriya, or eternal sense activities. Eternal sensory activities are called devotional service, whereas temporary sensory activities are called sense gratification. Unless one becomes tired of material sense gratification, there is no opportunity to hear transcendental messages from a person like Kapila. Devahuti expressed that she was tired. Now that her husband had left home, she wanted to get relief by hearing the instructions of Lord Kapila.

   The Vedic literatures describe this material world as darkness. Actually it is dark, and therefore we require sunlight, moonlight and electricity. If it were not by nature dark, why would we require so many arrangements for artificial light? The Vedas enjoin that we should not remain in darkness: tamasi ma jyotir gama. We are instructed to go to the light, and that light is the spiritual world, which is directly lighted by the effulgence, or bodily rays, of Krsna. As stated in Brahma-samhita (5.40):

 

               yasya prabha prabhavato jagad-anda-koti-

                kotisv asesa-vasudhadi-vibhuti-bhinnam

               tad brahma niskalam anantam asesa-bhutam

                govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami

 

   "I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is endowed with great power. The glowing effulgence of His transcendental form is the impersonal Brahman, which is absolute, complete and unlimited and which displays the varieties of countless planets, with their different opulences, in millions and millions of universes."

   Animals have no ability to know that they are in darkness, but human beings can know. Like Devahuti, an intelligent person should become disgusted with the darkness of ignorance. Na hanyate hanyamane sarire. As stated in Bhagavad-gita (2.20), there is neither birth nor death for the soul. The soul is not destroyed when the body is annihilated. The soul puts bodies on and takes them off like clothes. This simple knowledge is instructed in the beginning of Bhagavad-gita, yet there are many big scholars and leaders who still cannot understand that the body is different from the person. This is because they do not study Bhagavad-gita in the proper way. Consequently no one is fully aware or convinced that the real person is not the body. This is called darkness, and when one is disgusted with this darkness, human life begins.

   One who has become disgusted with material existence needs the instructions of a guru. Tasmad gurum prapadyeta jijnasuh sreya uttamam. Being the wife of a great yogi, Devahuti understood her constitutional position; therefore she is placing her problem before her son, Kapiladeva, an incarnation of God. Although Kapiladeva is her son, Devahuti does not hesitate to take instructions from Him. She does not say, "Oh, He is my son. What can He tell me? I am His mother, and I shall instruct Him." Instruction has to be taken from one who is in knowledge. It doesn't matter what his position is, whether he is a son, a boy, a sudra, brahmana, sannyasi or grhastha. One should simply learn from one who knows. That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's instruction. Although Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself was a brahmana and a sannyasi, He took instructions from Ramananda Raya, who was a sudra and grhastha but nonetheless, very exalted spiritually. When Caitanya Mahaprabhu saw that Ramananda Raya was hesitant to give instructions, the Lord said, "Why are you hesitating? Although you are a grhastha and are born in a sudra family, I am prepared to take lessons from you."

 

               kiba vipra, kiba nyasi, sudra kene naya

               yei krsna-tattva-vetta, sei 'guru' haya

 

                                                   (Cc. Madhya 8.128)

   This is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's teaching. Whoever is qualified in Krsna consciousness can become a guru. His family or material identity does not matter. He simply must know the science. When we consult an engineer, a doctor or a lawyer, we do not ask whether he is a brahmana or a sudra. If he is qualified, he can help with a particular subject. Similarly, if one knows the science of Krsna, he can be a guru. Devahuti was taking lessons from her son because He knew the science of Krsna. Even if gold is in a filthy place, we should take it. It is also stated in the Vedas that if a girl is highly qualified or beautiful, she can be accepted in marriage even though born in a lower family. Thus it is not birth that is important, but qualification. Caitanya Mahaprabhu wanted everyone in India to know the science of Krsna and preach Krsna consciousness. This is very simple. We need only repeat what Krsna has said or what has been said about Krsna in the Vedic literatures.

   Human society cannot be happy without Krsna consciousness. Krsna is the supreme enjoyer, and we are His servants. The master is enjoying, and the servants are helping the master enjoy. We living entities are eternal servants of God, and our duty is to help our master enjoy. Srimati Radharani is the topmost servant of Krsna, and Her business is always to keep Krsna pleased. Krsna is very fond of Radharani because She renders the best service. Her sixty-four qualifications are mentioned in the Vedic literatures. Unfortunately, in the material world we are busy trying to enjoy our material senses. As stated in Bhagavad-gita (3.42):

 

                        indriyani parany ahur

                       indriyebhyah param manah

                       manasas tu para buddhir

                      yo buddheh paratas tu sah

 

   "The working senses are superior to dull matter; mind is higher than the senses; intelligence is still higher than the mind; and he (the soul) is even higher than the intelligence." The soul is on the spiritual platform. this way we become implicated in the laws of nature. As stated in the sastras:

 

                    nunam pramattah kurute vikarma

                     yad indriya-pritaya aprnoti

                   na sadhu manye yata atmano 'yam

                     asann api klesada asa dehah

 

   "When a person considers sense gratification the aim of life, he certainly becomes mad after materialistic living and engages in all kinds of sinful activity. He does not know that due to his past misdeeds he has already received a body which, although temporary, is the cause of his misery. Actually the living entity should not have taken on a material body, but he has been awarded the material body for sense gratification. Therefore I think it not befitting an intelligent man to involve himself again in the activities of sense gratification by which he perpetually gets material bodies one after another." (Bhag. 5.5.4)

   Living entities in this material world are very busy trying to gratify their senses. In the street we see many dogs assembled for sex. This may seem very crude, but human beings are engaged in the same business, perhaps in a more elaborate way. We should know that sense gratification is meant for animals, and that sense control is for human beings. By tapasya, penance, we can purify ourselves and regain our eternal life.

   Actually our material senses are not our real senses. They are covered, just as the body is covered by clothes. Our real body is within the material body. Dehino 'smin yatha dehe. The spiritual body is within the material body. The material body is changing, going through childhood, youth, then old age, and then it vanishes. Although this is not our real body, we are engaged in sense gratification with it. However, for our own ultimate happiness, we should try to purify our senses. There is no question of destroying the senses or becoming desireless. Desire is a material activity, and becoming desireless is not possible. The senses must be purified in order for us to act through them transcendentally. Bhakti-yoga does not require us to destroy our senses, but to purify them. When the senses are purified, we can serve Krsna:

 

                        sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam

                        tat-paratvena nirmalam

                          hrsikena hrsikesa-

                        sevanam bhaktir ucyate

 

   "Bhakti, or devotional service, means engaging all our senses in the service of the Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of all the senses. When the spirit soul renders service unto the Supreme, there are two side effects. One is freed from all material designations, and, simply by being employed in the service of the Lord, one's senses are purified." (Narada-pancaratra)

   We can serve Hrsikesa, the master of the senses, through the senses. We are part and parcel of Krsna, just as the hand is part and parcel of the body. Similarly, our senses are also part and parcel of the spiritual body of Krsna. When we purify our senses, we can act in our original constitutional position and serve Krsna. When we forget our position and try to satisfy ourselves, we become conditioned materially. When we forget that our duty is to serve Krsna, we fall into the material world and become implicated in personal sense gratification. As long as we continue trying to satisfy our own senses, we have to accept another body. Krsna is so kind that if we want to become tigers, He will give us a tiger body. If we want to become devotees, He will give us the body of a devotee. This life is a preparation for the next, and if we want to enjoy our transcendental senses, we have to purify ourselves to return home, back to Godhead. For this purpose, Devahuti is submitting to her son just as a disciple submits to his master.

 

                                TEXT 8

 

                      tasya tvam tamaso 'ndhasya

                        dusparasyadya paragam

                       sac-caksur janmanam ante

                      labdham me tvad-anugrahat

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Your Lordship is my only means of getting out of this darkest region of ignorance because You are my transcendental eye, which, by Your mercy only, I have attained after many, many births.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This verse is very instructive, since it indicates the relationship between the spiritual master and the disciple. The disciple or conditioned soul is put into this darkest region of ignorance and therefore is entangled in the material existence of sense gratification. It is very difficult to get out of this entanglement and attain freedom, but if one is fortunate enough to get the association of a spiritual master like Kapila Muni or His representative, then by his grace one can be delivered from the mire of ignorance. The spiritual master is therefore worshiped as one who delivers the disciple from the mire of ignorance with the light of the torch of knowledge. The word paragam is very significant. paragam refers to one who can take the disciple to the other side. This side is conditioned life; the other side is the life of freedom. The spiritual master takes the disciple to the other side by opening his eyes with knowledge. We are suffering simply because of ignorance. By the instruction of the spiritual master, the darkness of ignorance is removed, and thus the disciple is enabled to go to the side of freedom. It is stated in Bhagavad-gita that after many, many births one surrenders to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Similarly, if, after many, many births, one is able to find a bona fide spiritual master and surrender to such a bona fide representative of Krsna, he can be taken to the side of light.

   The bona fide spiritual master is a true Vedantist, for he actually knows Vedanta and the Vedas and understands the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna. The word veda means "knowledge," and anta means "last phase." There are different types of knowledge. We are interested in ordinary knowledge for economic benefit, but that is not actual knowledge. That is the art of livelihood. One may study to be an electrician and earn his livelihood by repairing electric lines. This kind of knowledge is called silpa jnana. Real knowledge, however, is Vedic knowledge, knowing oneself, what one is and what God is and understanding one's relationship with God, and one's duty.

   One who is searching after knowledge is called jnanavan. Knowledge begins with the inquiry athato brahma jijnasa: "what is Brahman?" Knowledge also begins by understanding the threefold miseries of the material world--adhyatmika, adhibhautika and adhidaivika. We are suffering from miseries caused by other living entities and acts of nature as well as from miseries arising from the body and mind themselves. The soul is aloof from the body and mind, but he suffers due to material contamination. We have no control over these threefold miseries. They are controlled by Krsna's maidservant, goddess Durga, who is material nature. She is not independent of Krsna. However, she is so powerful that she can create and maintain. prakrti, nature, can be very unkind. Mother Durga is often portrayed as chastising demons by piercing them with a trident.

   Those who are learned and intelligent look to the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead for relief from the threefold miseries of material existence. Although this material world is nothing but darkness, people are very proud of their eyes. They are always saying, "Can you show me God?" The answer to that is: "Have you the eyes to see God?" Why is the emphasis placed on seeing? Certainly, God can be seen, as stated in Brahma-samhita (5.38), premanjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena: "Govinda [Krsna] is always seen by the devotee whose eyes are anointed by the pulp of love."

   If we are devotees, lovers of God, the ointment of love will clear our eyes. In order to see God, we have to cleanse our eyes by wiping away the cataracts of material contamination. Although we may be eager to see God, we cannot see Him with these material eyes. Not only can we not see Him, but we cannot understand Him, although His name is there. Understanding God means first of all understanding His name. Therefore from the beginning we should chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. God is not different from His name. Krsna's name and Krsna's person are the same. "Absolute" means that Krsna's name, form, place, dress, pastimes and everything are nondifferent from Him. Krsna is present in His name, but because we have no love for Him, we cannot see Him.

   Sanatana Gosvami was a great learned scholar, and he was called a pandita, which indicates that he was a learned brahmana. When Sanatana Gosvami approached Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, he said, "The people in my neighborhood are calling me a pandita, and I am very unhappy because of this." Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked, "Why are you dissatisfied?" Sanatana Gosvami replied, "I am such a poor pandita that I do not even know the goal of life. I do not even know what is beneficial for me. I am simply being carried away by sense gratification." In this way, Sanatana Gosvami approached Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He did not approach Him to get some gold or some medicine. He went to find out his real self-interest. This is the real purpose for approaching a guru.

   Devahuti approached Lord Kapiladeva in the same way. She said, "My dear Kapila, You have come as my son, but You are my guru because You can inform me how I can cross the ocean of nescience, which is the material world." Thus one who feels the need to cross the dark ocean of nescience, which is material existence, requires a guru. It is not the guru's task to supply gold and medicine. Now it has become a fashion to keep a guru as if he were a dog or a cat. This is of no use. We must inquire about that portion of God's creation which is beyond this darkness. The Upanisads and Bhagavad-gita describe another world, beyond this material nature. According to Krsna in Bhagavad-gita (15.6):

 

                        na tad bhasayate suryo

                        na sasanko na pavakah

                       yad gatva na nivartante

                        tad dhama paramam mama

 

   "That abode of Mine is not illumined by the sun or moon, nor by electricity. One who reaches it never returns to this material world."

   It is not possible for us to go to that paravyoma by material means. It is impossible to penetrate the material universe unless one understands Krsna. One can be enlightened by the mercy of God because Krsna Himself comes to give us information. If He does not come personally, He sends His devotee, or He leaves behind Him Bhagavad-gita. However, we are so foolish that we do not take advantage of them. We do not take advantage of His devotee, who hankers to give this knowledge, sacrificing everything. Therefore Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said:

 

                brahmanda bhramite kona bhagyavan jiva

               guru-krsna-prasade paya bhakti-lata-bija

 

   "The fallen, conditioned living entity, trapped by the external energy, loiters in the material world, but if by good fortune he meets a bona fide representative of the Lord, and if he takes advantage of such a guru, he receives the seed of devotional service." (Cc. Madhya 19.151)

   The seed of devotional service is received by a most fortunate person. Those who are cultivating bhakti in the International Society for Krishna Consciousness are the most fortunate people in the world. By Krsna's mercy one can receive the bhakti-lata-bija, the seed of devotional service. Unless one is free from the reactions of sin, one cannot understand bhakti or Bhagavan. Therefore we must act piously by giving up illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating and gambling. If we lead a pious life, we can understand God. This Krsna consciousness movement is engaged in training people to this end so that their lives will be successful.

 

                                TEXT 9

 

                       ya adyo bhagavan pumsam

                        isvaro vai bhavan kila

                        lokasya tamasandhasya

                        caksuh surya ivoditah

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the origin and Supreme Lord of all living entities. You have arisen to disseminate the rays of the sun in order to dissipate the darkness of the ignorance of the universe.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Kapila Muni is accepted as an incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna. Here the word adya means "the origin of all living entities," and pumsam isvarah means "the Lord (isvara) of the living entities" (isvarah paramah krsnah). Kapila Muni is the direct expansion of Krsna, who is the sun of spiritual knowledge. The sun dissipates the darkness of the universe, and when the light of the Supreme Personality of Godhead comes down, it at once similarly dissipates the darkness of maya. We have our eyes, but without the light of the sun, our eyes are of no value. Similarly, without the light of the Supreme Lord, or without the divine grace of the spiritual master, one cannot see things as they are.

   In this verse, Devahuti also addresses her son as Bhagavan. Bhagavan is the Supreme Person. If we could just use a little common sense we could understand that an organization requires a leader. Without a leader, we cannot organize anything. Foolish philosophers say that the universe automatically came into being by nature. They say that in the beginning there was a chunk, and this cosmic manifestation came out of that chunk of matter. But where did this chunk come from? The fact is that there must be a brain, a leader, behind anything organized. We have information of this leader from the Vedas: nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam. The Supreme Lord is eternal, and we are also eternal. But the Supreme Lord is one, and we are many. The Supreme Lord is very great, and we are very small. He is all-pervading and infinite, and we are finite and infinitesimal. Even if we analyze the creation, we will find that not everyone is on the same level. One person is more intelligent or opulent than another. If we analyze things in this way, we will come to the demigods, and among them we will find that the most important demigod is Lord Brahma. He is the original creature within this universe, yet he is not the most intelligent being. It is said that in the beginning, Brahma received knowledge from the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

   Recently newspapers are reporting that faith in a personal God is diminishing. This means that people are becoming more and more foolish. This is natural in Kali-yuga, for as the age of Kali progresses, bodily strength, memory and mercy diminish. We actually see that the present generation is not as strong as the previous. People also have short memories. We also understand that sometimes people are killed while other people pass by, not caring. Thus mercy is also diminishing. Because everything is diminishing, God consciousness is diminishing also; therefore it is natural to receive news that faith in a personal God is diminishing. In Bhagavad-gita (7.15), one who does not accept a personal God is described as a mudha, a fool.

 

                       na mam duskrtino mudhah

                        prapadyante naradhamah

                          mayayapahrta jnana

                        asuram bhavam asritah

 

   "Those miscreants who are grossly foolish, lowest among mankind, whose knowledge is stolen by illusion, and who partake of the atheistic nature of demons, do not surrender unto Me."

   Actually, people today do not even know the meaning of God, so there is no question of surrender. There are also those who are scholarly and well educated, but their knowledge is taken away by maya, illusion. Although they may superficially hold degrees, they have no real knowledge. They are also asuras, demons who simply defy God, saying, "I am God, you are God. Why are you searching for God? There are many Gods loitering in the street. Take care of them." Therefore it is not surprising that newspapers report that faith in a personal God is decreasing. Nonetheless, God is a person. Ya adyo bhagavan. Lord Brahma also worships Krsna by saying, govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami. He says, "I worship that original person, Govinda." Adi-purusam, Krsna, has no one preceding Him; therefore He is called original. It is said that Krsna was born of Vasudeva, but this simply means that Krsna accepted Vasudeva as His father. Sri Krsna deals with His devotees in different relationships, or rasas--santa, dasya, sakhya, vatsalya and madhurya.

   We all have some relationship with Krsna, but presently that is covered. Therefore we have to revive it. Simple appreciation of the Supreme is called santa-rasa. When one appreciates the Supreme fully, he wishes to render some service, and that is called dasya. When one becomes more intimate, he becomes a friend of Krsna's, and that is called sakhya. When one is more advanced, he wants to render service to Krsna as a father or a mother, and this is vatsalya. Being a father or a mother means serving the son. The Christian conception of God as the Supreme Father is not very perfect because if we conceive of God as a father, our position will be to take things from Him. Everyone wants to take something from the father. One is always saying, "Father, give me this. Father, give me that." However, accepting the Supreme Lord as one's son means rendering service. Yasodamayi got Krsna as her son, and she was always anxious that He not be in danger. Thus she was always protecting Him. Actually Krsna protects the entire universe, but Yasoda was giving protection to Krsna. This is Vaisnava philosophy. Yasoda became mad when she saw Krsna taken away by the Trnavarta demon. However, Krsna became so heavy that the demon could not fly in the sky, and thus the demon fell to the earth and died. Yasoda immediately said, "God has saved my Krsna!" She then began to thank some other God, some devata. She did not know that Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If she had thought of Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the relationship between mother and son would have been destroyed. Therefore Krsna was playing just like an ordinary child, and mother Yasoda was treating Him as her son. Krsna's friends, the cowherd boys, did not consider Him the Supreme Lord either. The gopis even used to chastise Krsna. If a devotee can have such a relationship with Krsna, why should he want to become one with God? It is better to be God's father, God's controller. This is bhakti-marga, the path of devotional service. A devotee does not want to be equal to God or one with God. He simply wants to render service.

   ln order to understand the Absolute Truth, we have to understand the meaning of Bhagavan. Devahuti was not an ordinary woman. She was the wife of Kardama Muni, a great yogi. She had obviously learned something from her husband, for had she not been very exalted, how could Bhagavan Kapiladeva have become her son? Everyone should know what is Bhagavan and take lessons from Bhagavan. Lord Kapila is Bhagavan, and He personally instructed His mother in Sankhya philosophy. By this knowledge we can develop or awaken our dormant love for God. Then we can see God when our eyes are anointed with love for Him. Indeed, we can see God everywhere and at all times. We will see God and nothing but God. We will see God not only within our hearts. If we go to the ocean, we will see God. If one is a little thoughtful, he will see that the great ocean stays in its place. The ocean has received its orders not to go beyond such and such a limit. Any intelligent man can see God while walking down the beach. However, this requires a little intelligence. People who are asses, mudhas, duskrtis, cannot see God, but those who are intelligent can see God everywhere because God is omnipresent. He is within the universe and within our heart, and He is even within the atom. Why are we saying that we cannot see Him? God says, "Try to see Me in this way, but if you are too dull, then try to see Me another way."

   What is the easy way? Krsna says in Bhagavad-gita, "I am the taste of water." Is there anyone who has not tasted water? He also says, "I am the light of the sun." Is there anyone who has not seen sunshine? Then why are people saying, "I have not seen God"? First of all we have to try to see God. It is as easy as ABCD. When we see God everywhere, we will see the personal God. Then we will understand.

   Bhagavan pumsam isvarah. Bhagavan is isvara, the controller. We are not independent. No one can actually say, "I am independent." We are bound tightly by the modes of material nature, and yet we are thinking that we are independent. This is simply foolishness. Therefore it is said that all the people in the material world are blinded by the darkness of ignorance. When people are blind, out of their ignorance they say, "There is no God. I cannot see God." Then God comes as Krsna or Kapiladeva and says, "Here I am. See My features. I am a person. I play the flute and enjoy Myself in Vrndavana. Why can't you see Me?" Thus God comes, explains Himself and leaves behind His instruction, Bhagavad-gita. Still, people are so foolish that they claim not to understand God. If we try to see God through the instructions given to Devahuti by Lord Kapila, our lives will be successful.

 

                               TEXT 10

 

                        atha me deva sammoham

                        apakrastum tvam arhasi

                      yo 'vagraho 'ham mametity

                        etasmin yojitas tvaya

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Now be pleased, my Lord, to dispel my great delusion. Due to my feeling of false ego, I have been engaged by Your maya and have identified myself with the body and consequent bodily relations.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Maya is the false ego of identifying one's body with one's self and of claiming things possessed in relationship with the body. In Bhagavad-gita, Fifteenth Chapter, the Lord says, "I am sitting in everyone's heart, and from Me comes everyone's remembrance and forgetfulness." Devahuti has stated that false identification of the body with the self and attachment for bodily possessions are also under the direction of the Lord. Does this mean that the Lord discriminates by engaging one in His devotional service and another in sense gratification? If that were true, it would be an incongruity on the part of the Supreme Lord, but that is not the actual fact. As soon as the living entity forgets his real constitutional position of eternal servitorship to the Lord and wants instead to enjoy himself by sense gratification, he is captured by maya. This capture leads to the consciousness of false identification with the body and attachment for the possessions of the body. These are the activities of maya, and since maya is also an agent of the Lord, it is indirectly the action of the Lord. The Lord is merciful; if anyone wants to forget Him and enjoy this material world, He gives him full facility, not directly but through the agency of His material potency. Therefore, since the material potency is the Lord's energy, indirectly it is the Lord who gives the facility to forget Him. Devahuti therefore said, "My engagement in sense gratification was also due to You. Now kindly get me free from this entanglement."

   By the grace of the Lord one is allowed to enjoy this material world, but when one is disgusted with material enjoyment and is frustrated, and when one sincerely surrenders unto the lotus feet of the Lord, then the Lord is so kind that He frees one from entanglement. Krsna says, therefore, in Bhagavad-gita, "First of all surrender, and then I will take charge of you and free you from all reactions of sinful activities." Sinful activities are those activities performed in forgetfulness of our relationship with the Lord. In this material world, activities for material enjoyment that are considered pious are also sinful. For example, one sometimes gives money in charity to a needy person with a view to get back the money four times increased. Giving with the purpose of gaining something is called charity in the mode of passion. Everything done here is done in the modes of material nature, and therefore all activities but service to the Lord are sinful. Because of sinful activities we become attracted by the illusion of material attachment, and we think, "I am this body." I think of the body as myself and of bodily possessions as "mine." Devahuti requested Lord Kapila to free her from that entanglement of false identification and false possession.

   In asking this, Devahuti is accepting her son, Kapila, as her guru. He consequently tells her how to solve all material problems. Material life is nothing but sex attraction. pumsah striya mithuni-bhavam etam (Bhag. 5.5.8). Material life means that men are after women and women are after men. We find this not only in human society but in bird, dog, cat and demigod society. As soon as people join to satisfy their sex desire, the attraction becomes greater and greater. An apartment is needed for privacy, and then one has to earn a livelihood and acquire some land. Without children, married life is frustrated, and of course the children have to be educated. Thus one becomes entangled in material life by creating so many situations, but at the time of death Krsna comes and takes away everything--house, land, wife, children, friends, reputation and whatever. Then we have to begin another life. It is not that we simply die and finish everything. We are living eternally; the body is finished, but we have to accept another body out of the 8,400,000 forms. In this way, our life is going on, but we are thinking in terms of wife, children, and so forth. This is all illusion.

   In any case, we will not be allowed to stay here, and although we are attached to all this, everything will be taken away at death. Whatever post we are occupying--be it president or Lord Brahma--we are occupying temporarily. We may be here five years, ten years, one hundred years or five million years. Whatever, our position is limited. Our position in the material world is not eternal, but we are eternal. Why, then, should we be illusioned by the noneternal? By nature we are part and parcel of Krsna, and Krsna is sac-cid-ananda-vigraha. In order to transcend the darkness of material life and go to the world of light, we need to approach a guru. It is for this reason that Devahuti is approaching Lord Kapiladeva.

   In the morning, when the sun arises, the darkness of night immediately goes away. Similarly, when God or His incarnation comes, the darkness of material life is dissipated. When Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, came, Arjuna's illusion was dispelled. He was thinking, "Why should I fight with my relatives?" Actually the whole world is going on under this conception of "my" and "mine." There are fights between nations, societies, communities and families. People are thinking, "Why are you interfering with my business?" Then there is a fight. Because of illusion, we do not consider these situations temporary. On a train, people may argue and fight over a seat, but one who knows that he will only be on the train for two or three hours thinks, "Why should I fight? I shall only be here for a short while." One person thinks in this way, and the other person is ready to fight, thinking that his seat is permanent. No one will be allowed to stay within this material world; everyone will have to change his body and position, and as long as one remains here, he will have to fight and struggle for existence. This is the way of material life. We may temporarily make some compromises, but ultimately the material world is full of misery.

   We are very much attached to this material world, but according to the Vedic system, renunciation is compulsory, for when one reaches the age of fifty, he renounces his family life. Nature gives warning, "You are now past fifty. That's all right. You have fought in this material world. Now stop this business." Children play on the beach and make houses out of sand, but after a while the father comes and says, "Now, my dear children, time is up. Stop this business and come home." This is the business of the guru--to teach his disciples detachment. The world is not our place; our place is Vaikunthaloka. Krsna also comes to remind us of this. The dharma, or order, of the Supreme Person is to become His devotee and always think of Him. Krsna says:

 

                      man-mana bhava mad-bhakto

                        mad-yaji mam namaskuru

 

   "Engage your mind always in thinking of Me, offer obeisances and worship Me." (Bg. 9.34)

   In this way, Krsna opens the door, but we unfortunately do not accept Him. Krsna tells Arjuna, "Because you are My friend, I am revealing to you the most confidential dharma." What is that? "Simply surrender unto Me." This is the dharma taught by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and Krsna's incarnation and His devotee will teach the same dharma.

   We are all after happiness, but we do not know how to enjoy happiness. We want to enjoy our senses, but it is not possible with these covered false senses. The senses must be opened, and that is the process of purification. We are thinking of ourselves according to so many false material identifications, but we should take Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's advice: jivera 'svarupa' haya--krsnera 'nitya-dasa.' We must come to understand, "I am the eternal servant of Krsna." After all, our senses are employed for the satisfaction of somebody--either for ourselves or for someone else. That is kama, krodha, lobha and matsara--illusion. If we are not serving our own lusty desires (kama), we are serving anger (krodha). If I am the master of anger, I can control my anger, and if I am the master of my desires, I can control my desires. In any case, I am a servant, and my service should be transferred to Krsna. That is the perfection of life.

   If we are situated in the transcendental position (bhakti), we can understand Krsna, Krsna cannot be understood by mental speculation; otherwise He would have said that He could be understood by jnana, karma or yoga. However, He clearly says, bhaktya mam abhijanati: "Only by devotional service can I be understood." If we want to know Krsna as He is, we have to accept the process of bhakti. It is this bhakti process that Kapiladeva will reveal to Devahuti.

 

                               TEXT 11

 

                   tam tva gataham saranam saranyam

                  sva-bhrtya-samsara-taroh kutharam

                   jijnasayaham prakrteh purusasya

                  namami sad-dharma-vidam varistham

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Devahuti continued: I have taken shelter of Your lotus feet because You are the only person of whom to take shelter. You are the ax which can cut the tree of material existence. I therefore offer my obeisances unto You, who are the greatest of all transcendentalists, and I inquire from You as to the relationship between man and woman and between spirit and matter.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Sankhya philosophy, as is well known, deals with prakrti and purusa. Purusa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead or anyone who imitates the Supreme Personality of Godhead as an enjoyer, and prakrti is nature. In this material world, material nature is being exploited by the purusas, or the living entities. The intricacies in the material world of the relationship of the prakrti and purusa, or the enjoyed and the enjoyer, give rise to samsara, or material entanglement. Devahuti wanted to cut the tree of material entanglement, and she found the suitable weapon in Kapila Muni. The tree of material existence is explained in the Fifteenth Chapter of Bhagavad-gita as an asvattha tree whose root is upward and whose branches are downward. It is recommended there that one has to cut the root of this material existential tree with the ax of detachment. What is the attachment? The attachment involves prakrti and purusa. The living entities are trying to lord it over material nature. Since the conditioned soul takes material nature to be the object of his enjoyment, and he takes the position of the enjoyer, he is therefore called purusa.

   Devahuti questioned Kapila Muni, for she knew that only He could cut her attachment to this material world. The living entities, in the guises of men and women, are trying to enjoy the material energy; therefore in one sense everyone is purusa because purusa means "enjoyer," and prakrti means "enjoyed." In this material world both so-called men and women are imitating the real purusa; the Supreme Personality of Godhead is actually the enjoyer in the transcendental sense, whereas all others are prakrti.

   In Bhagavad-gita, matter is analyzed as apara, or inferior nature, whereas beyond this inferior nature there is another, superior nature--the living entities. Living entities are also prakrti, or enjoyed, but under the spell of maya, the living entities are falsely trying to take the position of enjoyers. That is the cause of samsara-bandha, or conditional life. Devahuti wanted to get out of conditional life and place herself in full surrender. The Lord is saranya, which means "the only worthy personality to whom one can fully surrender," because He is full of all opulences. If anyone actually wants relief, the best course is to surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Lord is also described here as sad-dharma-vidam varistham. This indicates that of all transcendental occupations, the best is eternal loving service unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Dharma is sometimes translated as "religion," but that is not exactly the meaning. Dharma actually means "that which one cannot give up," "that which is inseparable from oneself." The warmth of fire is inseparable from fire; therefore warmth is called the dharma, or nature, of fire. Similarly, sad-dharma means "eternal occupation." That eternal occupation is engagement in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. The purpose of Kapiladeva's Sankhya philosophy is to propagate pure, uncontaminated devotional service, and therefore He is addressed here as the most important personality among those who know the transcendental occupation of the living entity.

   As pointed out before, Bhagavan, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is everyone's real shelter (saranam saranyam). Everyone is seeking shelter because we are all constitutionally servants. Originally we are servants of God; therefore it is our nature to take His shelter. Some seek an occupation or the service of a great man; others seek the service of the government or whatever. In any case, the ultimate shelter is Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Being Krsna's incarnation, Kapiladeva is also a shelter. Krsna has unlimited forms and unlimited incarnations. It is said in Srimad-Bhagavatam that His incarnations are expanding continuously, like waves in the ocean. Indeed, we cannot even count them. In Brahma-samhita it is said: Advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam. In India there are many thousands of temples, and within these temples there are arca-vigrahas, Deities. All these Krsnas are nondifferent; they are one. Krsna resides in Vaikuntha and also in the temple. The Krsnas are not different, although they are ananta, unlimited. Krsna is also the witness within everyone's heart, and He is seeing all of our activities. We cannot hide anything from Him, and we receive the results of our karma because the witness is Krsna Himself within the heart. How, then, can we avoid Him? Without Krsna's permission, we cannot do anything. Why does Krsna give us permission to do something wrong? He does so because we persist. Actually He does not tell us to do anything other than surrender unto Him. We want to do something, and Krsna may sanction it, but we go ahead and do it at our own risk. Krsna is not responsible. However, we should know that without the sanction of Krsna, we cannot do anything. That is a fact. Actually we are constitutionally servants of Krsna. Even though we may declare ourselves independent, we are not. Rather, we are servants falsely declaring that we are independent. Self-realization is understanding that we are dependent on the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As Caitanya Mahaprabhu says:

 

                      ayi nanda-tanuja kinkaram

                   patitam mam visame bhavambudhau

                      krpaya tava pada-pankaja-

                    sthita-dhuli-sadrsam vicintaya

 

   "My dear Lord Krsna, son of Maharaja Nanda, I am Your eternal servant, but somehow or other I have fallen into this ocean of nescience. Please pick Me up from this ocean of death and place Me as one of the atoms at Your lotus feet." (Siksastaka 5) Because we are under illusion, Devahuti says: sva-bhrtya-samsara-taroh kutharam. In Bhagavad-gita (15.1-4), material existence is likened unto a banyan tree with its roots upward and its branches below. The roots of this banyan tree are very strong, but they can be cut with an ax (kutharam). By taking shelter of Krsna's lotus feet, we can cut the strong root of material existence. Because we have given up Krsna's service, we have become servants of so many things. We are obliged to serve our parents, wife, children, country and so forth. We are indebted to many people and to the demigods who give heat and light. Although we are not paying the bill, we are taking advantage of the sunlight and the sun's heat. If we take advantage of electricity, we have to pay the bill, but we don't pay the sun bill. This means that we are actually indebted to the sun-god, Vivasvan. Similarly, the King of heaven, Indra, is supplying water in the form of rain. Rascals say that all this comes about by nature, but they do not know that nature is controlled. If we don't pay our debts by performing sacrifices, there will certainly be a scarcity. All of these things are coming from the Supreme Father, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but we are thinking that they are coming from nature, and we are utilizing them without caring whether we pay the bill or not. It is all right to use our father's property, but at the present moment we are not acting as our Father's sons; we are maya's sons. We do not care for our Father; however, nature is nonetheless working under His direction. If we do not care for Him, nature will reduce her supply, for nature will not allow demons to flourish. As stated in Bhagavad-gita (16.19):

 

                       tan aham dvisatah kruran

                         samsaresu naradhaman

                       ksipamy ajasram asubhan

                          asurisv eva yonisu

 

   "Those who are envious and mischievous, who are the lowest among men, are cast by Me into the ocean of material existence, into various demoniac species of life."

   Demons are always subject to be punished, and great demons like Ravana and Hiranyakasipu are personally punished by the Lord. Otherwise, ordinary demons are punished by the laws of material nature. Krsna does not need to come to punish the petty demons, but when there are great demons like Ravana, Hiranyakasipu and Kamsa, the Lord comes as Lord Ramacandra, Lord Nrsimhadeva or Sri Krsna to punish them. If we do not want to be punished, we have to follow the rules and regulations (sad-dharma). Dharma means "the laws given by God." Dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam. The laws are given by Bhagavan and are written in books like Manu-samhita and other Vedic literatures. According to the law, we have to obey the government, and according to dharma, we have to obey Krsna, God. We cannot manufacture our laws at home, and we cannot manufacture dharma. If one tries, he is simply cheating the public. Such false dharmas are kicked out of Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.1.2): dharmah projjhita. The real dharma is set forth by Sri Krsna when He says: sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja (Bg. 18.66). All other dharmas are simply forms of cheating. We must accept the principles of Bhagavad-gita, which constitute the ABC'S of dharma. Actually, we only have to accept the principle of surrender unto Krsna, but this acceptance comes after many, many births. It is not very easy, for only after many births of struggle does one come to his real perfection and surrender unto Krsna. At this time he understands perfectly that Vasudeva, Krsna, is everything. This is the greatest lesson of Bhagavad-gita, Everything is Krsna's energy, and whatever we see is but an exhibition of two types of energy. Everyone knows that the sun has two types of energy--heat and light. Similarly, Krsna has an external energy and an internal energy, and He also has a marginal energy, which is a mixture of the other two. The external energy is this material world, the internal energy is the spiritual world, and the marginal energy is the living entity. The living entity is marginal because he can remain in the material world or the spiritual world. Bhagavad-gita describes two types of living entities, ksara and aksara, those living in the material world and those in the spiritual world. Those who have fallen into the material world are attracted by the tree of samsara, the banyan tree of material existence described in Bhagavad-gita (Fifteenth Chapter).

   It is essential that we disassociate ourselves from this tree by detachment. Cutting down this tree is very difficult, but it is possible with the weapon of detachment. There is a Bengali proverb that states: "I'll catch the fish, but I will not touch the water." That type of intelligence is required. In America we see many old men on the beach who have retired from their business to waste their time trying to catch fish. They are not very cautious, and they touch the water. However, we have to live in this material world in such a way that we do everything for Krsna but do not touch the water of the material world. In this way, we will have no attachment to things of this material world. We may have many great temples, but we should not be attached to them. It is for Krsna's sake that we construct temples, but we must understand that the temples are Krsna's property. Our mission is to teach people that everything belongs to Krsna. Only a thief will occupy something belonging to another and claim it to be his.

   The Krsna consciousness movement preaches that everything belongs to Krsna and that everything should be utilized for Krsna's benefit. He is the beneficiary of everything, and it is to our benefit that we come to this knowledge. Isavasyam idam sarvam. If one realizes that everything belongs to Krsna, one becomes the greatest mahatma. Being a mahatma does not mean that one wears a big beard and a particular type of dress. No, this awareness must be there. Whatever we have should be offered to Krsna. If we have first-class food, we should offer it to Him. If we have nothing, we can offer Him a leaf, a flower, a little water or fruit. This can he collected by anyone anywhere without having to pay money. As Sri Krsna states in Bhagavad-gita (9.26):

 

                      patram puspam phalam toyam

                      yo me bhaktya prayacchati

                       tad aham bhakty-upahrtam

                         asnami prayatatmanah

 

   "If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit or water, I will accept it."

   The point is that we should offer something to Krsna with devotion. It is not that Krsna is hungry and is asking for food. No, He is feeding everyone, supplying everyone with all the necessities: eko bahunam yo vidadhati kaman (Katha Upanisad 2.2.13). What, then, is He requesting? He is asking for bhakti, devotion, because He wants us to love Him. We are suffering in this material world, entangled in the tree of material existence, moving from one branch to another, and because of this we are suffering. Krsna does not want us to suffer, jumping like monkeys from branch to branch. We must come to Him and surrender to Him. When we come to this knowledge, we become perfect in knowledge. When we take shelter at the lotus feet of Krsna, we are no longer debtors to anyone. Na kinkaro nayam rni (Bhag. 11.5.41). Krsna assures us, aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami: "I'll give you all relief." (Bg. 18.66) This is what we actually want. Therefore Devahuti herein takes shelter of Kapiladeva and tells Him, "You are the ax capable of making me detached." When our attachment to the material world is severed, we become free. Bhakti is the means by which we can develop this detachment. Vairagya-vidya-nija-bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yoga is the science of detachment. This verse was composed by Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya when he understood that Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya was a great logician, and he composed a hundred verses to Caitanya Mahaprabhu, wherein he tells the Lord:

 

                   vairagya-vidya-nija-bhakti-yoga-

                   siksartham ekah purusah puranah

                   sri-krsna-caitanya-sarira-dhari

                  krpambudhir yas tam aham prapadye

 

   "Let me take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna, who has descended in the form of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu to teach us real knowledge, His devotional service, and detachment from whatever does not foster Krsna consciousness. He has descended because He is an ocean of transcendental mercy. Let me surrender unto His lotus feet." (Cc. Madhya 6.254)

   When a person advances in bhakti-yoga, he will automatically become detached from material attractions. There are many American and European boys and girls in this Krsna consciousness movement who have been born in countries where they can enjoy a good deal of material affluence, but they consider this material happiness and affluence like garbage in the street. Because they are devotees of Vasudeva, they are no longer attached to these material things. This is the result of bhakti-yoga, which enables one to be detached from material enjoyment. That detachment is the sign that one is advancing in bhakti-yoga. Bhaktih paresanubhavo viraktir anyatra ca (Bhag. 11.2.42). That is the test of advancing in bhakti. If we are advanced, we are no longer attached to material enjoyment. It is not that we think ourselves great devotees and then go ahead and enjoy material things. As stated in Bhagavad-gita (5.22):

 

                       ye hi samsparsa-ja bhoga

                         duhkha-yonaya eva te

                       ady-antavantah kaunteya

                        na tesu ramate budhah

 

   "An intelligent person does not take part in the sources of misery, which are due to contact with the material senses. O son of Kunti, such pleasures have a beginning and an end, and so the wise man does not delight in them." When one sees something superior, he immediately rejects that which is inferior. Actually we cannot bring all this about by our own endeavor; therefore we have to take shelter of Krsna, and He will help. Since our only business is to take shelter of Krsna, Devahuti says, "I am taking shelter of You so that You can cut my attachment to this material life. Why should You do this? Because I am Your eternal servant."

   Bhaktivinoda Thakura says, anadi karama-phale, padi 'bhavarnava-jale, taribare na dekhi upaya. If we are thrown into the ocean, there is a great struggle, even if we may be very great swimmers. There is no peace in this material world, however expert we may be in dealing with it. There is nothing but struggle. We cannot live here peacefully. It is not possible. Even if we are nonviolent and hurt no one, there will be trouble. However, if somehow or other we manage to reach the shore, we will find peace. There is peace even if we are an inch out of the water. Tava pada-pankaja-sthita-dhuli sadrsam vicintaya (Siksastaka 5). If somehow or other we become one of the particles of dust at Krsna's lotus feet, we will be liberated.

   We may be a Hindu or a Muslim or a Christian for fifty or sixty years, or at the utmost one hundred, but again we have to take birth and be something else. We are thinking in terms of these religious designations, which are called asad-dharma, meaning that they may change at any moment. But what is our real dharma? Real dharma is sad-dharma, that which will not change, and this sad-dharma necessitates surrendering unto Krsna. This dharma will continue eternally. There are many propounders of sad-dharma, but actually the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the best propounder because He knows the reality. It is therefore said of the Gosvamis: nana-sastra-vicaranaika-nipunau sad-dharma-samsthapakau. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's direct disciples, the Gosvamis, tried to establish sad-dharma, and we are trying to follow in their footsteps by establishing real dharma throughout the world with this Krsna consciousness movement.

 

                            Chapter Seven

            Lord Kapila Begins to Explain Self-realization

 

                               TEXT 12

 

                            maitreya uvaca

                   iti sva-matur niravadyam ipsitam

                  nisamya pumsam apavarga-vardhanam

                  dhiyabhinandyatmavatam satam gatir

                   babhasa isat-smita-sobhitananah

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   After hearing of His mother's uncontaminated desire for transcendental realization, the Lord thanked her within Himself for her questions, and thus, His face smiling, He explained the path of the transcendentalists, who are interested in self-realization.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Devahuti has surrendered her confession of material entanglement and her desire to gain release. Her questions to Lord Kapila are very interesting for persons who are actually trying to get liberation from material entanglement and attain perfection. Unless one is interested in understanding his spiritual life, or his constitutional position, and unless he also feels inconvenience in material existence, his human form of life is spoiled. Only a foolish man does not care for the transcendental necessities of life and simply engages like an animal in eating, sleeping, defending and mating. Lord Kapila was very much satisfied by His mother's questions because the answers stimulate one's desire for liberation from the conditional life of material existence. Such questions are called apavarga-vardhanam. Those who are actually spiritually interested are called sat, or devotees. Satam prasangat. Sat means "that which eternally exists," and asat means "that which is not eternal." Unless one is situated on the spiritual platform, he is not sat; he is asat. The asat stands on a platform which will not exist, but anyone who stands on the spiritual platform will exist eternally. As spirit soul, everyone exists eternally, but the asat has accepted the material world as his shelter, and therefore he is full of anxiety. Asad-grahan, the desire to enjoy matter, is the cause of the soul's being asat. Actually, the spirit soul is not asat. As soon as one is conscious of this fact and takes to Krsna consciousness, he becomes sat. Satam gatih, the path of the eternal, is very interesting to persons who are after liberation, and His Lordship Kapila began to speak about that path.

   Those who are sat are thus transcendentalists advanced in spiritual life, and when they hear questions from those who want to understand spiritual life, they become very happy. Transcendentalists are not interested in worldly talks. Indeed, worldly talks are very disgusting to them, and they avoid the company of those who talk about nonsensical worldly affairs. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu advised His disciples: gramya-katha na sunibe. The word gramya refers to that pertaining to one's village, society or neighborhood. People are interested in talking about gramya-katha. Newspapers, for instance, are filled with gramya-katha. There is no spiritual understanding in them. In the United States there are many newspapers, and simply to publish the New York Times many trees have to be killed. Now there is a paper scarcity. Why are they uselessly killing trees just for gramya-katha? They are only interested in making a profit.

   There is, however, another kind of katha--krsna-katha. There are literatures which may be nicely presented from the literary point of view, but if there is no glorification of the Supreme Lord, they are useless.

 

                 na yad vacas citra-padam harer yaso

                  jagat-pavitram pragrnita karhicit

                  tad vayasam tirtham usanti manasa

                 na yatra hamsa niramanty usik-ksayah

 

   "Those words which do not describe the glories of the Lord, who alone can sanctify the atmosphere of the whole universe, are considered by saintly persons to be like unto a pilgrimage for crows. Since the all-perfect persons are inhabitants of the transcendental abode, they do not derive any pleasure there." (Bhag. 1.5.10)

   Worldly literatures are like places where crows take pleasure. In the bird society, there are crows and swans, and crows are interested in places where filthy things are thrown. However, swans prefer nice clear water with lotus flowers, and it is in such places that they take their pleasure. Similarly, there are men who are like crows and men like swans. That is a natural division. According to an old English proverb, Birds of a feather flock together. Crows mix with crows, and swans mix with swans. Since devotees are like swans (hamsas), a most advanced devotee is called paramahamsa. The paramahamsas are not interested in subjects fit for crows. A person who is interested in inquiring about transcendental subjects, krsna-katha, makes a paramahamsa very glad. Therefore Kapiladeva was very glad to hear that His mother was eager to receive information on how to be delivered from material bondage:

 

                        atha me deva sammoham

                        apakrastum tvam arhasi

                      yo 'vagraho 'ham mametity

                        etasmin yojitas tvaya

 

   "Now be pleased, my Lord, to dispel my great delusion. Due to my feeling of false ego, I have been engaged by Your maya and have identified myself with the body and consequent bodily relations." (Bhag. 3.25.10)

   Caitanya Mahaprabhu advised His disciples never to eat palatable food, never to talk about village topics and never to read ordinary novels, poems and newspapers. One may ask, "How is it that in the modern age these Europeans and Americans of the Krsna consciousness movement do not take interest in newspapers?" Newspapers are very popular in the West. Each day the papers are published in three or four editions, and they are all selling. However, these American boys and girls who have come to Krsna consciousness have stopped reading newspapers. They do not know what is happening from day to day, and it does not matter. All of this is a waste of time. It is better that they read literatures like Srimad-Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita. Why waste one's valuable time?

   Kapiladeva was very glad that His mother was interested only in spiritual advancement. This material world is called pavarga, and to nullify it is called apavarga. In this material world, people are laboring very hard simply to earn some money. This creates a hellish situation, and this is the way of material life. People have become so dull that they do not understand the meaning of liberation. They have become just like animals. If an animal is informed that there is such a thing as liberation, how will he understand it? lt is not possible. Similarly, at the present moment, human beings have become exactly like animals. They do not know the meaning of apavarga, liberation. Yet there was a time when people understood that human life was meant for apavarga. The questions are raised by Devahuti, and the answers are given by Kapiladeva. That is apavarga-vardhanam. As far as material maintenance is concerned, the sastras never stress it. Rather, they say that one's maintenance will come automatically. God gives food to animals, birds and aquatics. Why should He not give it to one who is interested in apavarga? Unfortunately people have no faith, and therefore good association is required.

   People should not waste their time associating with crows; they should associate with swans. When garbage is thrown out, crows and dogs come to see what is there, but no sane man will go. Those who are interested in trying to get pleasure out of this material world are actually chewing the chewed. punah punas carvita-carvananam (Bhag. 7.5.30). If one picks up a piece of sugarcane which has already been chewed, he is a fool. We must know that the juice has already been taken out of that sugarcane. What will one get by chewing it? However, there are animals who are simply interested in chewing the chewed. Material life means chewing the chewed. A father educates his son to earn a livelihood, get married and settle down, but he himself already knows that by doing this he has not become satisfied. Why, then, is he engaging his son in this same business? A real father is one who does not allow his son to chew the chewed. pita na sa syaj janani na sa syat... na mocayed yah samupeta-mrtyum: one should not become a father or a mother unless one is able to save his children from the impending clutches of death. (Bhag. 5.5.18) That is the duty of the father and mother. How can this be done? A father and mother should educate their son in Krsna consciousness. Then he can be saved. They should educate the son in such a way that there is no pavarga. If we do not go forward to liberation, we promote a civilization of cats and dogs. Eating, sleeping, mating, defending, fearing and dying are all experienced by cats and dogs, but human life is meant for another purpose. Of course we have to maintain the body; it is not that we should neglect it. But we should not unnecessarily engage in the maintenance of the body.

 

                 yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke

                sva-dhih kalatradisu bhauma ijya-dhih

                yat tirtha-buddhih salile na karhicij

                  janesv abhijnesu sa eva go-kharah

 

   "A human being who identifies this body made of three elements as the self, who considers the by-products of the body to be his kinsmen, who considers the land of his birth as worshipable, and who goes to a place of pilgrimage simply to take a bath rather than meet men of transcendental knowledge there, is to be considered like a cow or an ass." (Bhag. 10.84.13)

   From the Vedas we can receive education of all kinds. On a mango tree, there are ripened mangoes and green mangoes. The Srimad-Bhagavatam is the ripened mango of the desire tree of Vedic knowledge: nigama-kalpa-taror galitam phalam. If the mango is tasted by the parrot, it becomes doubly tasty. The word suka means parrot, and Sukadeva Gosvami spoke Srimad-Bhagavatam. It is therefore more relishable from his lips.

 

                  nigama-kalpa-taror galitam phalam

                   suka-mukhad amrta-drava-samyutam

                    pibata bhagavatam rasam alayam

                   muhur aho rasika bhuvi bhavukah

 

   "O expert and thoughtful men, relish Srimad-Bhagavatam, the mature fruit of the desire tree of Vedic literatures. It emanated from the lips of Sri Sukadeva Gosvami. Therefore this fruit has become even more tasteful, although its nectarean juice was already relishable for all, including liberated souls." (Bhag. 1.1.3) It is regrettable that in India, where these literatures are available, people are not interested. They are interested in Marxist literature but not Srimad-Bhagavatam, and this is India's misfortune.

   When a student hears spiritual subjects attentively, the spiritual master becomes very happy. Kapiladeva was very happy to see His mother eager to understand spiritual subject matters. He therefore thanked His mother for her inquiry.

   Generally people are interested in things that give immediate pleasure. We want to taste something tasty to the tongue, regardless of whether it is edible or not. Hogs very readily eat stool, and they do so without discrimination. They have no idea of tapasya, penance. When one engages in spiritual realization, one has to undergo tapasya. However, this has been made very easy by Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Ceto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam. All we have to do is spare a little time and chant Hare Krsna, but we are not even ready for this much tapasya. Krsna is more interested in leading us down the path of liberation than we are in going. He has given us a very simple method: harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam. We need only chant Hare Krsna. To perfect this chanting of Hare Krsna, there is no hard-and-fast rule. Simply by chanting, we will attain perfection. Being contaminated by Kali-yuga, however, we are unfortunate and therefore we have no attraction to the holy names of Krsna. Thus when Kapiladeva or His representative sees someone a little interested, he becomes very glad and thanks him. When Kapiladeva saw His mother interested, He thanked her from within, not openly.

   Kapiladeva was very glad, and He began to speak. Kapiladeva was an incarnation of God and was a young boy; therefore His face was very beautiful. When He answered this question, He became even more beautiful, and He smiled because He was pleased at His mother's question. Krsna is also very beautiful, but when a devotee serves Him and comes to Him, He becomes even more beautiful. When a devotee with all his heart and soul serves Krsna, dresses Him in nice garments and gives Him a flower, Krsna smiles. If you can get Krsna to smile upon you just once, your life's goal is fulfilled.

   Thus smiling, Kapiladeva began to enlighten His mother.

 

                               TEXT 13

 

                          sri-bhagavan uvaca

                       yoga adhyatmikah pumsam

                         mato nihsreyasaya me

                         atyantoparatir yatra

                       duhkhasya ca sukhasya ca

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The Personality of Godhead answered: That yoga system which relates to the Lord and the individual soul, which is meant for the ultimate benefit of the living entity, and which causes detachment from all happiness and distress in the material world, is the highest yoga system.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   In the material world, everyone is striving for some material happiness, but as soon as we get some material happiness, there is also material distress. In the material world one cannot have unadulterated happiness. Any kind of happiness one has is contaminated by distress also. For example, if we want to drink milk, we have to bother to maintain a cow and keep her fit to supply milk. Drinking milk is very nice; it is also pleasure. But for the sake of drinking milk one has to accept so much trouble. The yoga system, as here stated by the Lord, is meant to end all material happiness and material distress. The best yoga, as taught in Bhagavad-gita by Krsna, is bhakti-yoga. It is also mentioned in the Gita that one should try to be tolerant and not be disturbed by material happiness or distress. Of course, one may say that he is not disturbed by material happiness, but he does not know that just after one enjoys so-called material happiness, material distress will follow. This is the law of the material world. Lord Kapila states that the yoga system is the science of the spirit. One practices yoga in order to attain perfection on the spiritual platform. There is no question of material happiness or distress. It is transcendental. Lord Kapila will eventually explain how it is transcendental, but the preliminary introduction is given here.

   The attempt in this material world to maximize happiness and minimize distress is called the struggle for existence. Generally yoga is practiced to acquire some material profit. There are eight kinds of yogic perfection (siddhis): anima, laghima, prapti, isitva, vasitva, mahima, prakamya and kamavasayita. A real yogi can become smaller than the smallest, lighter than the lightest and bigger than the biggest. Whatever he wants he can produce immediately in his hand. He can even create a planet. These are some of the yoga-siddhis, but here it is stated that the supreme yoga system does not aim at material happiness or relief from distresses caused by material inconvenience. Everyone is trying to get out of material distress and gain some happiness. In any case, when something is material, there is only so-called happiness and so-called distress. For instance, there may be fireworks going on, and this may be happiness for someone but distress for us. Some people are thinking that these fireworks are very enjoyable, and we are thinking that they are very inconvenient. That is the material world. On one side there is happiness, and on the other side there is distress. Both happiness and distress are actually illusions. In summer, water is happiness, but in winter it is distress. The water is the same, but at one time it brings happiness and at another time it brings distress. When a son is born, he brings happiness, but when he dies, he brings distress. In either case, the son is the same.

   This material world is the world of duality, and we cannot understand happiness without distress or distress without happiness. This is therefore called the relative world. Spiritual happiness is above these dualities, and that spiritual happiness is the perfection of yoga. Yoga adhyatmikah. Yoga is the happiness of the soul, and the individual soul can be happy when it is with the Supersoul, the Supreme Soul. Nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam. There is the Supreme Soul, or the supreme living being, and there are many individual souls, individual beings. We are many, but the principal living being is one, Krsna. He is the fire, and we are the sparks from that fire. The sparks are illuminated when they are with the original fire, but if the sparks no longer associate with the original fire, they are extinguished. Similarly, our real happiness is in enjoying with the Supreme Being. Happiness is being in His company. Krsna is not alone, but is always with His friends, either the gopis or the cowherd boys, or with His mother and father. We never find Krsna alone. He may be with Radharani or with His devotees. He is like a king or president. When one says that the king or president is coming, it is understood that he is not coming alone. He comes with His secretaries, ministers and many others.

   The word yoga means "connection," and atma means "soul" and sometimes "mind" or "body." The material body has nothing to do with the Supreme Being because the Supreme Being is completely spiritual. He has no material covering. One who thinks that Krsna, the Supreme Being, has a material covering is himself covered by maya. Krsna does not say that He comes as an ordinary living being. Rather, His advent is totally transcendental. Janma karma ca me divyam evam yo vetti tattvatah (Bg. 4.4). We therefore have to learn how Krsna takes His birth, which is not ordinary. If it were ordinary, why should we observe the Janmastami ceremony? His birth is divyam, divine. Everything about Krsna is divine, and if we think that Krsna is like us, we immediately become mudhas, fools. In the words of Bhagavad-gita (9.11):

 

                         avajananti mam mudha

                        manusim tanum asritam

                        param bhavam ajananto

                        mama bhuta-mahesvaram

 

   "Fools deride Me when I descend in the human form. They do not know My transcendental nature and My supreme dominion over all that be."

   Actually Krsna is the original Supreme Being, the original spirit soul. We are simply minute parts and parcels of Krsna. If we connect with Krsna, we are illuminated just as Krsna is illuminated. If we fall down from Krsna, our spiritual power and illumination are extinguished. The word yoga means connecting or linking with that original source. Yoga is the Sanskrit word meaning "connection," and viyoga means "disconnection."

   Kapiladeva is referred to as Bhagavan, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Bhagavan makes no mistakes. Narayanah paro 'vyaktat: even Sankaracarya says that "Bhagavan, Narayana, does not belong to this material world." When we speak of Bhagavan, or when the sastras refer to Bhagavan, we refer to Him who is above material understanding. As stated here, sri-bhagavan uvaca. It does not say vyasadeva uvaca or kapiladeva uvaca. Similarly, in Bhagavad-gita, Vyasadeva says, sri-bhagavan uvaca. Bhagavan refers to Him who is above the defects of this material world. Bhagavan is not subject to the four deficiencies of the living entities. Being imperfect, living entities are illusioned and subject to commit mistakes. They also have the tendency to cheat others. When one who has no knowledge tries to become a teacher or preacher, he is actually cheating others. Since we ourselves do not possess perfect knowledge, we simply try to teach what Sri Bhagavan says. We do not manufacture our own teachings. So-called scholars and learned men manufacture their own teachings and give their opinions. In the West especially, we find much philosophical speculation and mental gymnastics, but such philosophy can never be perfect. We have to take our ideas from Bhagavan; then they will be perfect. We read Bhagavad-gita because it is perfect. There is no mistake in it; there is no illusion in it; there is no cheating in it. Nor is it delivered by one whose senses are imperfect. Krsna says in Bhagavad-gita (7.26):

 

                          vedaham samatitani

                         vartamanani carjuna

                        bhavisyani ca bhutani

                        mam tu veda na kascana

 

   "O Arjuna, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, I know everything that has happened in the past, all that is happening in the present, and all things that are yet to come. I also know all living entities; but Me no one knows."

   God knows everything, but we do not know what is God. That is our position. Our position is not knowing. Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati (Bg. 18.61). Isvara, God, Krsna, is situated in everyone's heart. Sarvasya caham hrdi sannivistah: "I have entered into everyone's heart." (Bg. 15.15) The Supreme Lord refers not only to the hearts of human beings but to those of animals and everything else.

 

               andantara-stha-paramanu-cayantara-stham

                govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami

 

                                                (Brahma-samhita 5.35)

   The Supreme Lord is within the atom as Paramatma, and therefore He is also within the individual soul. Being within everything, He knows everything. Since He knows everything, we have to take lessons from Him. If we take what Bhagavan says as perfect knowledge, we receive perfect knowledge. For receiving this knowledge, there is a disciplic succession (parampara), which is described in Bhagavad-gita (4.2):

 

                        evam parampara-praptam

                         imam rajarsayo viduh

 

   "This supreme science was thus received through the chain of disciplic succession, and the saintly kings understood it in that way." This Krsna consciousness philosophy is very easy because we do not manufacture ideas. We take the ideas and the words delivered by the Supreme Person, Krsna, or His incarnation or representative. His representative does not say anything which Krsna Himself does not say. It is very easy to be a representative, but one cannot be a representative of Krsna if one tries to interpret Krsna's words in a whimsical way.

   There is no authority superior to Sri Krsna, and if we stick to this principle, we can become gurus. We don't need to change our position to become a guru. All we have to do is follow in the disciplic succession stemming from Sri Krsna. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has advised: amara ajnaya guru hana tara' ei desa (Cc. Madhya 7.128). Caitanya Mahaprabhu instructed people to learn from Him and then go teach people within their own villages. One may think, "I am illiterate and have no education. I was not born in a very high family. How can I become a guru?" Caitanya Mahaprabhu says that it is not very difficult. Yare dekha, tare kaha 'krsna'-upadesa: "Simply speak whatever Krsna speaks. Then you become a guru." Whoever speaks what Krsna has not spoken is not a guru but a rascal. A guru only speaks what Krsna has spoken. This is the sastric injunction.

 

                        sat-karma-nipuno vipro

                       mantra-tantra-visaradah

                       avaisnavo gurur na syad

                       vaisnavah sva-paco guruh

 

   "A scholarly brahmana expert in all subjects of Vedic knowledge is unfit to become a spiritual master without being a Vaisnava, but a person born in a family of a lower class can become a spiritual master if he is a Vaisnava." (Padma Purana)

   People are in darkness, and they have to be enlightened. We have finally come from the animal kingdom to the human form, and now this human form gives us the opportunity to get out of the cycle of birth and death. The mission of this Krsna consciousness society is to awaken people to their original consciousness. Jiva jaga, jiva jaga, gauracanda bale. The word gauracanda refers to Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who tells the living entity, "Get up! Get up! How long will you continue to sleep?" Kota nidra yao maya-pisacira kole. The same is stated here. It is the prime business of human beings to connect again with the Supreme Soul. The purpose of yoga is to awaken to Krsna consciousness and connect oneself again with Krsna. That is adhyatmika-yoga. Yoga does not mean showing some mystic magic. The supreme yogi is described by Sri Krsna Himself in Bhagavad-gita (6.47):

 

                         yoginam api sarvesam

                        mad-gatenantar-atmana

                      sraddhavan bhajate yo mam

                        sa me yuktatamo matah

 

   "And of all yogis, he who always abides in Me with great faith, worshiping Me in transcendental loving service, is most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all."

   There are many yogis and many different types of yoga systems, and all of these are discussed in Bhagavad-gita. There is hatha-yoga, karma-yoga, jnana-yoga and raja-yoga; however, the real yoga system is meant for reviving our connection with Krsna. Here it is said: yoga adhyatmikah pumsam. Adhyatmikah: we are living entities, souls. It is not that we are disconnected from Krsna, but we have simply forgotten Him. It is not possible to be disconnected, but it is possible to be covered. In the words of Krsna in Bhagavad-gita (7.25):

 

                       naham prakasah sarvasya

                          yogamaya-samavrtah

                        mudho 'yam nabhijanati

                        loko mam ajam avyayam

 

   "I am never manifest to the foolish and unintelligent. For them I am covered by My eternal creative potency [yogamaya]; and so the deluded world knows Me not, who am unborn and infallible."

   There is yoga, and there is yogamaya. Yogamaya means forgetfulness. First of all we have to understand what is the soul. At the present moment, people are in such darkness that they do not even understand the soul. Therefore Bhagavad-gita (2.13) first of all teaches what the soul is:

 

                       dehino 'smin yatha dehe

                        kaumaram yauvanam jara

                       tatha dehantara-praptir

                       dhiras tatra na muhyati

 

   "As the embodied soul continually passes in this body from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. The self-realized soul is not bewildered by such a change." The word dehi means "the proprietor of the body." We are thinking, "I am this body," but actually this is not so. We are the proprietors of the body, and that is the real understanding of the self. We do not say, "I am this finger" or "I am this hand." Rather, we say, "This is my finger, this is my head, this is my leg, etc." Similarly, the same can be said about the entire body. "This is my body." This means that I am the proprietor of this body. The body has been given by maya, the material energy.

 

                         prakrteh kriyamanani

                       gunaih karmani sarvasah

                         ahankara-vimudhatma

                         kartaham iti manyate

 

   "The bewildered spirit soul, under the influence of the three modes of material nature, thinks himself to be the doer of activities that are in actuality carried out by nature." (Bg. 3.27)

   The living entity receives different types of bodies according to karma. One living entity may receive a cat body, another a dog body, and so forth. Why are there so many different bodies? Why not one kind of body? The answer to this is also given in Bhagavad-gita (13.22):

 

                       karanam guna-sango 'sya

                        sad-asad-yoni janmasu

 

   "It is due to his association with the modes of material nature. Thus he meets with good and evil among various species."

   Because the soul within the body associates with the three modes of material nature (goodness, passion and ignorance), he receives different types of bodies. One doesn't have to aspire for his next body; one need only rest assured that it will be a different body. On the other hand, Krsna does not say what kind of body one will be awarded. That depends on qualification. If one associates with the mode of goodness, he is elevated to the higher planetary systems. If he associates with the mode of passion, he remains here. And if one associates with the mode of ignorance and darkness, he goes down to lower life forms--animals, trees and plants. This is the proclamation of Sri Krsna in Bhagavad-gita (14.18):

 

                    urdhvam gacchanti sattva-stha

                       madhye tisthanti rajasah

                       jaghanya-guna-vrtti-stha

                        adho gacchanti tamasah

 

   "Those situated in the mode of goodness gradually go upward to the higher planets; those in the mode of passion live on the earthly planets; and those in the mode of ignorance go down to the hellish worlds."

   There are 8,400,000 species of life, and all of these arise from one's association with the modes of nature (karanam guna-sango 'sya). And, according to the body, one undergoes distress and happiness. One cannot expect a dog to enjoy the same happiness that a king or rich man enjoys. Whether one enjoys this or that happiness or suffers this or that distress, both distress and happiness are due to the material body. Yoga means transcending the distress or happiness of the material body. If we connect ourselves with Krsna through the supreme yoga, we can get rid of material happiness and distress arising from the body. Reconnecting with Krsna is called bhakti-yoga, and Krsna comes to instruct us in this supreme yoga. In essence, He says, "Just revive your connection with Me, you rascal. Give up all these manufactured yogas and religions and just surrender unto Me. That is Krsna's instruction, and Krsna's representative, the incarnation or the guru, says the same thing. Although Kapiladeva is an incarnation of Krsna, He acts as the representative of Krsna, the guru. If we just accept the principle of surrender unto Krsna, we will become actually transcendental to so-called material happiness. We should not be captivated by material happiness or aggrieved by material distress. These are causes for bondage. Material happiness is not actual happiness. It is actually distress. We try to be happy by obtaining money, but money is not very easily obtained, and we have to undergo a great deal of distress to get it. However, we accept this distress with the hope of getting some false happiness. If we purify our senses, on the other hand, we can come to the spiritual platform. Real happiness lies in engaging our senses to satisfy the senses of Krsna. In this way our senses are spiritualized, and this is called adhyatmika-yoga or bhakti-yoga. This is the yoga that Lord Kapiladeva is herein expounding.

 

                            Chapter Eight

                             Bhakti-yoga:

                       The Supreme Yoga System

 

                 Bhakti-yoga: The Supreme Yoga System

 

                               TEXT 14

 

                       tam imam te pravaksyami

                         yam avocam puranaghe

                         rsinam srotu-kamanam

                       yogam sarvanga-naipunam

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   O most pious mother, I shall now explain unto you the ancient yoga system, which I explained formerly to the great sages. It is serviceable and practical in every way.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The Lord does not manufacture a new system of yoga. Sometimes it is claimed that someone has become an incarnation of God and is expounding a new theological aspect of the Absolute Truth. But here we find that although Kapila Muni is the Lord Himself and is capable of manufacturing a new doctrine for His mother, He nevertheless says, "I shall just explain the ancient system that I once explained to the great sages because they were also anxious to hear about it." When we have a superexcellent process already present in Vedic scriptures, there is no need to concoct a new system, to mislead the innocent public. At present it has become a fashion to reject the standard system and present something bogus in the name of a newly invented process of yoga.

   The supreme ancient system of yoga pertains to the soul. Presently, in America especially, hatha-yoga is very popular. It appeals to fat ladies who go to the classes to reduce and keep their digestive systems regular. Many people are interested in this kind of gymnastic yoga, but real yoga is adhyatmika. Adhyatmika means to awaken the soul to his proper position. The soul is purusa, spirit, and his business is to reconnect his lost relationship with Krsna.

   Herein Kapiladeva says that He previously delivered this yoga system to the great rsis, the great sages. This is the process of sravana, hearing. One must be very eager to hear, for spiritual life begins with hearing.

 

                        atah sri-krsna-namadi

                     na bhaved grahyam indriyaih

                        sevonmukhe hi jihvadau

                       svayam eva sphuraty adah

 

                                      (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.2.234)

   It is thus stated in the sastras that it is not possible to appreciate or understand Krsna with our blunt material senses. Krsna's name, form, qualities, pastimes, paraphernalia and abode are all part and parcel of Krsna. However, understanding Krsna begins with hearing and chanting His name. Then there is His form. Generally, for the neophyte, these items are essential--to hear His name and qualities and see and worship His form. That is Krsna's personal instruction:

 

                      man-mana bhava mad-bhakto

                        mad-yaji mam namaskuru

 

   "Engage your mind always in thinking of Me, offer obeisances and worship Me." (Bg. 9.34)

   Bhagavan Sri Krsna is present in the temple Deity, and even if a child comes to offer his respects, he is counted as a devotee. A small child may not know anything, but simply by seeing the Deity, chanting and dancing, he is benefited. Temples are meant to give everyone a chance to advance in Krsna consciousness one step at a time.

 

                      svalpam apy asya dharmasya

                        trayate mahato bhayat

 

   "A little advancement on this path can protect one from the most dangerous type of fear." (Bg. 2.40) Even if we do a little on the path of bhakti, it goes to our account. For instance, if we deposit only two dollars in a savings bank, it is kept in our account, and it will increase with interest. Similarly, if one performs even a little devotional service, it is not lost. One may come and join this Krsna consciousness movement, render some service and after a while fall down. However, whatever service has been rendered is to one's permanent credit. That will never be lost. When one begins again, he begins at the point where he has left off. This is the instruction of Bhagavad-gita (6.41):

 

                        sucinam srimatam gehe

                       yoga-bhrasto 'bhijayate

 

   The unsuccessful yogi is born into a family of righteous people or into a family of rich aristocracy." Thus if one fails to perfect his bhakti-yoga, he is given another chance in the next life. According to a Bengali poem:

 

                 suci haya muci haya yadi krsna tyaje

                 muci haya suci haya yadi krsna-bhaje

 

   If one takes to Krsna consciousness, even if he is born in a family of a cobbler (muci), he becomes greater than a brahmana (suci). However, if one is born in a brahmana family and gives up Krsna consciousness, he becomes a muci, a cobbler. Thus the door of devotion is open to everyone, whoever he may be. Krsna Himself says that regardless of one's position, if one takes shelter of Him, one can approach the supreme destination.

 

                      mam hi partha vyapasritya

                       ye 'pi syuh papa-yonayah

                     striyo vaisyas tatha sudras

                       te 'pi yanti param gatim

 

   "O son of Prtha, those who take shelter in Me, though they be of lower birth--women, vaisyas [merchants], as well as sudras [workers]--can approach the supreme destination." (Bg. 9.32) And Sukadeva Gosvami says:

 

                   kirata-hunandhra-pulinda-pulkasa

                   abhira-sumbha yavanah khasadayah

                  ye 'nye ca papa yad-apasrayasrayah

                 sudhyanti tasmai prabhavisnave namah

 

   "Kirata, Huna, Andhra, Pulinda, Pulkasa, Abhira, Sumbha, Yavana and the Khasa races and even others who are addicted to sinful acts can be purified by taking shelter of the devotees of the Lord, due to His being the supreme power. I beg to offer my respectful obeisances unto Him." (Bhag. 2.4.18) Krsna consciousness is so complete that it is all-embracing. Everyone has an occupational duty as a brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya or sudra, but one does not have to give up his occupational duty to take to Krsna consciousness. And if one takes to Krsna consciousness but does not succeed, what has he lost? Even if he falls down, there is no loss. On the other hand, if a man perfectly performs his own duties (sva-dharma) but is not Krsna conscious, what does he gain? There is actually no gain. Kapiladeva explains that once one takes to the path of bhakti-yoga, one never actually falls down. Once begun, bhakti-yoga continues, even if one temporarily falls down. One is given another chance by taking birth in a good family, either in a wealthy family, a learned family or a brahmana family. If one executes his duties as a brahmana, Visnu will be very pleased, and if one executes his duties perfectly as a ksatriya or sudra, Visnu will also be very pleased. One does not have to change one's position. In Bhagavad-gita (18.46) Sri Krsna says that every man can become perfect by following his qualities of work:

 

                       yatah pravrttir bhutanam

                        yena sarvam idam tatam

                      sva-karmana tam abhyarcya

                       siddhim vindati manavah

 

   "By worship of the Lord, who is the source of all beings and who is all-pervading, man can, in the performance of his own duty, attain perfection." Thus if one executes his duties as a perfect ksatriya, vaisya, sudra or whatever, Visnu will be pleased. The purpose of work is to please Visnu. Unfortunately, people have forgotten this. Varnasrama-dharma, the Vedic system of society, is therefore very important in that it is meant to give human beings a chance to perfect their lives by pleasing Krsna. Unfortunately, the varnasrama-dharma has been lost in this age. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu, just to give relief to the rotting, conditioned souls of this age of Kali-yuga, has given us the maha-mantra.

 

                        harer nama harer nama

                        harer namaiva kevalam

                      kalau nasty eva nasty eva

                       nasty eva gatir anyatha

 

   "In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy, the only means of deliverance is chanting of the holy name of the Lord. There is no other way. There is no other way. There is no other way." (Brhan-naradiya Purana) Although we may try to revive the perfect varnasrama system, it is not possible in this age. People are fallen, disturbed and unfortunate:

 

                        prayenalpayusah sabhya

                        kalav asmin yuge janah

                        mandah sumanda-matayo

                      manda-bhagya hy upadrutah

 

   "O learned one, in this iron age of Kali men have but short lives. They are quarrelsome, lazy, misguided, unlucky and, above all, always disturbed." (Bhag. 1.1.10) In this age, there will be insufficient rainfall and food, and the government will plunder one's income by heavy taxation. All of these characteristics of Kali-yuga are described in Srimad-Bhagavatam. People will become so disgusted that they will suddenly leave their wife and children and go to the forest. How can the peaceful varnasrama-dharma be revived when people are so harassed in this age? It is virtually impossible. Therefore the system of bhakti-yoga, the chanting of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, should be adopted. The whole aim of bhakti-yoga is to satisfy Visnu. Yajnaih sankirtana-prayaih: Visnu, Krsna, came Himself as Caitanya Mahaprabhu to teach us the way of sankirtana. Presently it has become fashionable to manufacture a new system of religion, but Kapiladeva, like Krsna, does not manufacture anything new. This system is not new, but very old (pura). Krsna also says the same in Bhagavad-gita (4.2), evam parampara-praptam imam rajarsayo viduh: "This supreme science was thus received through the chain of disciplic succession, and the saintly kings understood it in that way." Thus Krsna and Kapiladeva are not teaching anything new. They are simply repeating the same message because, in the course of time, the knowledge has been lost. Arjuna asks, "Why are you telling me? Why not another?" Sri Krsna answers, bhakto 'si me sakha ceti: "Because you are My devotee as well as My friend." (Bg. 4.3)

   Thus without being a bhakta, a devotee of Krsna's, one cannot actually understand the science of bhakti-yoga. Understanding Bhagavad-gita means understanding Krsna. All this information is explained only in the bhakti-sampradaya, not in any other school. Therefore Krsna says at the conclusion of Bhagavad-gita (18.55), bhaktya mam abhijanati: if one actually wants to understand Krsna and one's relationship with Him, one must take to this process of bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yoga as explained by Lord Kapiladeva is sankhya-yoga.

   Lord Kapiladeva states here:

 

                       tam imam te pravaksyami

                         yam avocam puranaghe

 

   The word anaghe refers to one without sin. The word agha refers to past sins, and an means "without." Therefore one cannot understand Krsna consciousness unless he is free from sin. Yesam tv anta-gatam papam: one can stick to Krsna consciousness only when one is completely free from all sinful reactions. One may say, "That will take some time. I cannot get free from sinful reactions overnight." However, Krsna says, "No, no. This can be done immediately. Simply surrender unto Me, and I will absolve you from all sin." Thus by simply surrendering unto Krsna, our spiritual life begins.

   We have to understand that we receive different bodies due to our sinful actions. Now we are given a chance to execute our duty in the human form. Bahunam janmanam ante. We have received this body through the evolutionary processes, and this human form is a great opportunity. Narottama dasa Thakura sings: hari hari viphale janama gonainu: "My dear Lord Krsna, I have simply wasted my time." Why?

 

          manusya janama paiya,     radha-krsna na bhajiya,

                      janiya suniya visa khainu

 

   "Because I have received the human form of life, which is meant for understanding Krsna, yet I have simply wasted my time by not taking advantage of this opportunity. I have done everything but worship Radha-Krsna. Therefore I have taken poison knowingly." When one takes poison knowingly, he commits suicide, and not taking advantage of the human form is something like that. If we do not understand Krsna in this life, we are knowingly taking poison. This material life is just like a blazing forest fire. Eating, sleeping, enjoying sex and defending are the main material activities. When we are engaged simply in these things, our hearts are always burning as if we had taken poison. How can we be cured?

 

           golokera prema-dhana,     hari-nama-sankirtana,

                      rati na janmila kene taya

 

   "My dear Lord, You have given us the medicine of hari-nama-sankirtana, the chanting of Hare Krsna. Unfortunately, I have no attraction for Your holy names." It is also stated:

 

           vrajendra-nandana yei,     saci-suta haila sei,

                         balarama haila nitai

 

   "Krsna has now come as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the son of mother Saci. And Balarama has come as Lord Nityananda." What is Their business? They are delivering all kinds of sinful men simply by chanting Hare Krsna. And what is the evidence of this? The evidence is that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu delivered the sinful Jagai and Madhai. At the present moment everyone is like Jagai and Madhai, for everyone is intoxicated and mad after sex. Now, by the grace of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, thousands of Jagais and Madhais are being delivered. It is this active medicine, this Hare Krsna maha-mantra, that is doing it. It is the perfect yoga system. This process is not manufactured, and we have not concocted anything. Our business is simply to accept the words of Krsna as they are. Sri Krsna Himself characterizes His devotee in this way:

 

                        satatam kirtayanto mam

                       yatantas ca drdha-vratah

                      namasyantas ca mam bhaktya

                         nitya-yukta upasate

 

   "Always chanting My glories, endeavoring with great determination, bowing down before Me, these great souls perpetually worship Me with devotion." (Bg. 9.14)

   We do not need to be very learned. Our only requirement is that we receive the blessings of the Lord. The Lord's blessings will enable us to become learned and follow His instructions. We only need to stick to this Krsna consciousness movement on the basis of Bhagavad-gita. When we are a little further advanced, we can read Srimad-Bhagavatam. Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself has opened the way with this sankirtana movement. The entire world is in darkness without Krsna consciousness, and in this age people are so dull that they do not even know the difference between mukti (liberation) and bandha (bondage). If a human being does not know this difference, he is no better than an animal.

   Presently we are under the sway of the three gunas, the modes of material nature--sattva-guna, rajo-guna and tamo-guna. Out of these three gunas, sattva-guna, the mode of goodness, is the best. A brahmana, characterized by the mode of goodness, is truthful and self-controlled. He controls his mind and senses, and he is very tolerant and simple. He has full knowledge, and he knows how to apply knowledge in life. He has full faith in the authority of the Vedas, a quality called astikyam. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has explained the difference between nastikyam and astikyam. According to Vedic understanding, one who does not believe in the Vedas is called nastika. Caitanya Mahaprabhu says: veda na maniya bauddha haya ta 'nastika (Cc. Madhya 6.168). Lord Buddha defied Vedic authority, but His mission was to stop animal killing. In the Vedas there are recommendations for animal sacrifice, and therefore to prevent the killing of animals, Lord Buddha rejected the Vedas. Such sacrifice is not possible in this age because there is no brahmana qualified to carry it out. Those who are intelligent know that such a sacrifice cannot be successful in this age because no one knows the proper mantras capable of giving an old animal the body of a new animal. When an animal sacrifice is properly conducted, an old animal is sacrificed, and it emerges from the fire in a new body. This is not possible in this age, but what is possible is sankirtana-yajna, the chanting of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. This is the yajna, or sacrifice, especially intended for this age. We need only chant Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. By performing this yajna, the results will be ceto-darpana-marjanam--the mirror of the mind will be cleansed. When the mirror of the mind is cleansed, one is automatically liberated.

   Consciousness is the main principle, either for conditional life or for liberated life. We are therefore proposing Krsna consciousness, which means liberation from the repetition of birth and death. Unfortunately, people are so dull in this age that they have no idea how birth and death can be stopped. They think that birth and death cannot be stopped; even famous scientists admit this. However, in Bhagavad-gita Sri Krsna says that we should always keep in mind the four miserable conditions. These are birth, old age, disease and death. When we are able to put an end to these, we are liberated. This simply requires that we clear our consciousness by thinking of Krsna. The purpose of this Krsna consciousness movement is to keep our minds constantly on Krsna. Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and He is a person. When He was realized by Arjuna, He was addressed as purusam. God is purusa, male, not female. purusa means "the enjoyer," and prakrti means "the enjoyed." Everything is enjoyed by the supreme purusa. It is also stated that we are actually prakrti, not purusa. The human dress is simply maya, illusion. We are thinking that we are purusa, the enjoyer, but actually we are the enjoyed. A man, thinking of enjoying himself, tries to imitate purusa, but actually he is prakrti. As a consequence, he is cast into this material world. Because the living entity wants to enjoy the material world and is attached to the three gunas, he receives different types of bodies. One who is in the mode of goodness receives the body of a learned brahmana. This is somewhat elevated, for he can gradually understand what is God. In the modes of passion and ignorance, no one can understand God. Also, from the material point of view, if one is situated in the mode of goodness, he can be elevated to higher planetary systems. Nonetheless, even if one goes to Brahmaloka, the highest planet in the material atmosphere, one is not actually perfectly situated. There is really no benefit because even on Brahmaloka the four miseries of material existence are found: birth, old age, disease and death. Lord Brahma also dies and takes birth. From Vedic literatures we understand that Lord Brahma took birth from the lotus flower generated from the navel of Visnu. Thus he had his birth, and when Lord Brahma dies, the entire material cosmic manifestation will be finished. Just as Lord Brahma undergoes birth, old age, disease and death, so also a small ant or insect undergoes the same process. The point is that the living entity has to be free from this bondage because he is by nature eternal. According to Bhagavad-gita, the living entity never actually takes birth, and he never actually dies. Na jayate mriyate va kadacit: "For the soul there is never birth nor death." (Bg. 2.20)

   It is the body that is destined to die, whether the body be that of Lord Brahma or of a small ant. One should not think that one is liberated because one can live millions and millions of years. The life of Lord Brahma covers millions of earth years, yet he is also subjected to birth and death. That is the way of conditional life. We should take advantage of the perfect knowledge given by Vedic literatures, by the great rsis and Bhagavan Kapiladeva, as well as by Bhagavan Sri Krsna, in order to attain liberation from the cycle of birth and death.

   Receiving Krsna consciousness means receiving light. People are exhausted with the materialistic way of life, especially in the West. Now the Krsna consciousness movement is giving new life to Western society. By nature, we living entities are liberated. There is actually no question of birth, death, old age and disease. Since we are part and parcel of Krsna, the Supreme Lord, how can there be a question of these things? Krsna is sac-cid-ananda-vigraha, and being part and parcel of Krsna, we are also of the same nature. We are equal in quality, although not in quantity. Why, then, should we suffer the pangs of death? Therefore in the previous verse Kapiladeva instructed: yoga adhyatmikah pumsam mato nihsreyasaya. The soul is entrapped in the body, and the process of perfect yoga is the process of saving the soul from bodily confinement and the four miseries that plague the body. How can this perfect yoga be attained? That is explained by Lord Kapila in the next verse: ratam va pumsi muktaye. If our consciousness is simply attached to Krsna, we will be liberated.

   The great souls are always chanting about Krsna. Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. They are also endeavoring with great determination in their devotional service. For instance, in the Krsna consciousness temples the devotees rise early in the morning, at 4:00 A.M., and they immediately bathe. Then they go to mangala-arati at 4:30, and after mangala-arati they study the Vedic literatures. These are the processes by which we can awaken our dormant love for Krsna. Because we are part and parcel of Krsna--just as a son is part and parcel of his father--there is a natural love between us. However, somehow or other the son leaves home and forgets his father. The father, of course, never forgets his son. He thinks, "Oh, my son has left. If he would only come back!" Krsna thinks in this way. We are all sons of Krsna, and Krsna is more anxious to get us back home, back to Godhead, than we are to go. Therefore Krsna comes and says, "You rascal! Give up all this nonsensical material engagement. You have manufactured so many religions and dharmas. Just give them all up and simply surrender unto Me." Krsna comes Himself and leaves behind His words. His words are also Himself because His words are absolute. Presently we do not see Krsna, but if we actually advance, we will see Him. When we see the Deity in the temple, we think, "Oh, this is an idol. It is not Krsna." If we think in this way, we have not seen Krsna. Krsna is also present in His words, in Bhagavad-gita. That is krsna-vani, the message of Krsna. The stage of awareness of Krsna can be attained when one is advanced in Krsna consciousness. Then one can understand that Krsna is present in the Deity, in Bhagavad-gita, in the taste of water, in the sunshine, in the moonshine and in all sound. Krsna is present everywhere, but one has to acquire knowledge in order to know how to see Krsna. That is mukti, liberation. That is Krsna consciousness. That is also the process of bhakti-yoga--sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam.... Deity worship is arcanam, chanting is vandanam, and dasyam is working for Krsna and spreading this Krsna consciousness movement.

   Generally we experience that people are primarily interested in seeing Krsna, but why is the emphasis on seeing? Let us hear about Him. We must come with a little faith, and as we hear, that faith will increase. One should come to the temple, listen to talks about Krsna, and then, after some time, officially take initiation into the service of the Lord. That is called bhajana-kriya. At that time one has to abandon illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating and gambling. If one is still attached to all these habits, he should know that he is not making progress. When one is actually advanced in bhajana-kriya, all these anarthas (unwanted things) will be finished. param drstva nivartate. When one appreciates something better, he rejects all kinds of nonsense. Once one gets a taste of Krsna consciousness, he cannot remain without it. A drunkard cannot remain without a drink, but a devotee is drunk with Krsna consciousness. The immunization against all material diseases is this Krsna consciousness. To be immuned to the infection of the gunas, we have to engage in bhakti-yoga. Once we attain the perfectional stage, we attain ecstatic love of Godhead. In that state we cannot remain without Krsna for a moment. That is called bhava, and that bhava may increase to maha-bhava. This is not possible for ordinary human beings, but it was possible for the gopis and Radharani. Indeed, they could not live without Krsna. This is the highest stage of liberation.

 

                             Chapter Nine

               Purifying the Mind for Self-realization

 

                               TEXT 15

 

                      cetah khalv asya bandhaya

                        muktaye catmano matam

                        gunesu saktam bandhaya

                        ratam va pumsi muktaye

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The stage in which the consciousness of the living entity is attracted by the three modes of material nature is called conditional life. But when that same consciousness is attached to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one is situated in the consciousness of liberation.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   There is a distinction here between Krsna consciousness and maya consciousness. Gunesu, or maya consciousness, involves attachment to the three material modes of nature, under which one works sometimes in goodness and knowledge, sometimes in passion and sometimes in ignorance. These different qualitative activities, with the central attachment for material enjoyment, are the cause of one's conditional life. When the same cetah, or consciousness, is transferred to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, or when one becomes Krsna conscious, he is on the path of liberation.

 

                               TEXT 16

 

                        aham-mamabhimanotthaih

                       kama-lobhadibhir malaih

                       vitam yada manah suddham

                        aduhkham asukham samam

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   When one is completely cleansed of the impurities of lust and greed produced from the false identification of the body as "I" and bodily possessions as "mine," one's mind becomes purified. In that pure state he transcends the stage of material happiness and distress.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Kama and lobha are the symptoms of material existence. Everyone always desires to possess something. It is said here that desire and greed are the products of false identification of oneself with the body. When one becomes free from this contamination, his mind and consciousness also become freed and attain their original state. Mind, consciousness and the living entity exist. Whenever we speak of the living entity, this includes the mind and consciousness. The difference between conditional life and liberated life occurs when we purify the mind and the consciousness. When they are purified, one becomes transcendental to material happiness and distress.

   In the beginning Lord Kapila has said that perfect yoga enables one to transcend the platform of material distress and happiness. How this can be done is explained here: one has to purify his mind and consciousness. This can be done by the bhakti-yoga system. As explained in the Narada-pancaratra, one's mind and senses should be purified (tat-paratvena nirmalam). One's senses must be engaged in devotional service of the Lord. That is the process. The mind must have some engagement. One cannot make the mind vacant. Of course there are some foolish attempts to try to make the mind vacant or void, but that is not possible. The only process that will purify the mind is to engage it in Krsna. The mind must be engaged. If we engage our mind in Krsna, naturally the consciousness becomes fully purified, and there is no chance that material desire and greed will enter.

   Our mind is our friend, and our mind is our enemy. If it is cleansed, it is a friend, and if it is dirty, we contact material diseases. If we keep ourselves clean, pure, we will not be contaminated. According to Vedic civilization, one has to cleanse himself externally three times daily--once in the morning, again at noon, and again in the evening. Those who strictly follow the brahminical rules and regulations follow this process. Cleanliness is next to godliness. Conditional life means that the mind is covered with dirty things, and this is our disease. When we are in the lower modes of tamo-guna and rajo-guna, these dirty things are very prominent. One has to raise himself to the mode of sattva (goodness) by the process of sankirtana and sravana. One has to hear krsna-katha. Krsna is within everyone's heart. The individual soul is part and parcel of Krsna, and Krsna wants the individual soul to turn to Him. Unfortunately the conditioned soul is attached to material enjoyment, and this is the cause of his bondage to birth, death, old age and disease. He is so foolish that he does not take into consideration that these miseries are repeated. He is like an ass that belongs to a washerman who loads him down with heavy clothes. For a few morsels of grass, the ass has to carry heavy loads all day, although not a single piece of clothing belongs to him. This is the way of the karmis. They may become big multimillionaires, but they are just like asses, working hard day and night. Regardless of how much money they may have, their stomachs can only hold so much. And they require only six feet of space to sleep. Nonetheless, these big karmis are thinking themselves very important. They think, "Without me, all the members of my nation will die. Let me work day and night to the point of death." People are thinking, "I belong to this family, this nation, this community. I have this duty or that duty," and so on. people do not know that these are all false designations.

   Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu therefore enjoins, jivera 'svarupa' haya--krsnera 'nitya-dasa': our actual position is that of eternal servants of Krsna. We are mistakenly thinking that we are servants of a family or nation, but this is due to ignorance, tamo-guna. However, we can attain the platform of sattva-guna by following the instructions given in Bhagavad-gita. Hearing krsna-katha, topics about Krsna, clears all the dirty things from the mind. Also, if we chant and dance, these dirty things will be wiped away. The mind is the cause of bondage, and the mind is the cause of liberation. When it is dirty, it brings about bondage. In conditional life, we take birth, remain for some time, and enjoy or suffer. But really there is no question of enjoyment. There is only suffering. When we die, we have to give up the body and then take on another body. We immediately enter the womb of another mother, stay for nine months or so, and then come out. Then a new chapter of life begins. This is conditioned life, and it goes on again and again and again. ln this way we undergo the tribulations of birth, old age, disease and death. The dogs and cats cannot understand this process, but we can understand it in human life through the Vedic literatures. If we don't take advantage of these literatures, all our education is for nothing.

   People actually waste their time talking politics, sociology, anthropology, and so on. They read many literatures that do not glorify the Supreme Lord Hari, and thus they waste their time. This Krsna consciousness movement is giving everyone a chance to become pious. punya-sravana-kirtanah. It is not necessary to give money or bathe in the Ganges. There are many pious activities and many processes recommended in the sastras for becoming pious. However, in Kali-yuga people have lost all their stamina. They are so sinful that there is no question of becoming pious through all these prescribed methods. The only means is hearing about Krsna and chanting His names. Krsna has given us ears to hear and a tongue to speak. We can hear from a realized soul and thus perfect our lives. In this way we are given a chance to purify ourselves. Unless we are purified, we cannot become devotees. Human life is meant for purification. Unfortunately in this age people are not interested in Krsna, and they suffer through material existence one life after another after another. In one life they may be very opulent. Then they don't care about the next life. They think, "Let me eat, drink and be merry." This is going on all over the world, but the sastras say that people are making mistakes in this way. Nunam pramattah kurute vikarmah (Bhag. 5.5.4): people have become mad with sense gratification, and therefore they engage in all sorts of forbidden things. Karma means regulated work, and vikarma means just the opposite--unlawful, forbidden activities. The word akarma means that one is not affected by the results of work. As stated in Bhagavad-gita (3.9):

 

                      yajnarthat karmano 'nyatra

                      loko 'yam karma-bandhanah

                      tad-artham karma kaunteya

                        mukta-sangah samacara

 

   "Work done as a sacrifice for Visnu has to be performed, otherwise work binds one to this material world. Therefore, O son of Kunti, perform your prescribed duties for His satisfaction, and in that way you will always remain unattached and free from bondage."

   When people are in the modes of passion and ignorance, they perform vikarma. They do not care for their future lives, and they are habituated to eating anything and everything, just like hogs. They do not care for the sastric injunctions, and they are totally irresponsible. They are just like street boys who have no education and do not care for anything. Such urchins do whatever they like, for their fathers and mothers do not care for them. Life in ignorance, tamo-guna, is such a careless life. People simply act unlawfully, not considering the results of their actions. They act for sense gratification, and actually they take pleasure in committing sins. In Calcutta I have seen people taking pleasure in cutting the throats of chickens and laughing when the chicken jumps and flaps about. Sometimes in Western countries students are taken to slaughterhouses just to see how the cows are butchered. In this age, people take pleasure in committing all kinds of sins. They have no brains to see that this body is temporary and full of suffering. They are completely in the mode of darkness, just like the animals they slaughter. There may be many animals in a pasture, and if one takes an animal aside and cuts its throat, the other animals will simply stand, look, and continue eating grass. They do not realize that the next time they may be slaughtered. The people in Kali-yuga are in the same situation, but the Krsna consciousness movement is trying to give these rascals a little sense. We are saying, "Don't remain animals. Become human beings." In the words of Caitanya Mahaprabhu:

 

                krsna bhuli' sei jiva anadi-bahirmukha

                 ataeva maya tare deya samsara-duhkha

 

   "Forgetting Krsna, the living entity has been attracted by the external feature from time immemorial. Therefore the illusory energy (maya) gives him all kinds of misery in his material existence. (Cc. Madhya 20.117) When one forgets his relationship with Krsna, he acts in a very foolish way, and maya gives him one misery after another. It is also stated:

 

              maya-mugdha jivera nahi svatah krsna jnana

                jivere krpaya kaila krsna veda-purana

 

   "The conditioned soul cannot revive his Krsna consciousness by his own effort. But out of causeless mercy, Lord Krsna compiled the Vedic literature and its supplements, the Puranas." (Cc. Madhya 20.122)

   The Vedic literatures--the Vedanta, Upanisads, Ramayana, Mahabharata and many others--should be utilized if we wish to become free from the contamination of tamo-guna and rajo-guna. The whole world is revolving due to kama and lobha. Kama means "lusty desire," and lobha means "greed." people cannot have enough sex or money, and because of this, their hearts are filled with contaminations, which have to be cleansed by hearing, repeating and chanting. Human life is meant to get rid of anarthas, unwanted things, but where is the university or college where this science of purification is taught? The only institution is this Krsna consciousness society. Krsna is within the heart, and the contaminations are also there, but Krsna will help us cleanse them. Nasta-prayesv abhadresu nityam bhagavata-sevaya (Bhag. 1.2.18). We must regularly hear Srimad-Bhagavatam and chant Hare Krsna; these are the two processes recommended by Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Haridasa Thakura was chanting three hundred thousand holy names a day, but we have fixed the number at sixteen rounds. Nonetheless, we are so unfortunate and fallen that we cannot even perform them. We should not waste our time reading and talking nonsense, but should engage in the study of Srimad-Bhagavatam. Our time is very valuable, and we should not waste it. Canakya Pandita has said: ayusah ksana eko 'pi na labhyah svarna-kotibhih. We may live for a hundred years, but not one moment of these hundred years can be returned, not even if we are prepared to pay millions of dollars. We cannot add a moment, nor can we get a moment back. If time is money, we should just consider how much money we have lost. However, time is even more precious because it cannot be regained. Therefore not a single moment should be lost. Human life should be utilized only for chanting and reading Vedic literatures. The International Society for Krishna Consciousness is publishing many books so that people can utilize their time properly by reading them and make their lives successful. Not only should we read Srimad-Bhagavatam, but we should also serve the person bhagavata, one whose life is nothing but Srimad-Bhagavatam. Nityam bhagavata-sevaya. By this process we can attain the stage of bhagavad-bhakti, but first we must get rid of all these anarthas, unwanted things. Presently we are wasting our time thinking, "This is my country. This is my nation. This is my body and my family," and so on. Nityam bhagavata-sevaya. We can vanquish all these false conceptions when we come to the platform of sattva-guna. Then we will not be disturbed by tamo-guna or rajo-guna, nor by kama or lobha (lust and greed). This is the vasudeva platform. Om namo bhagavate vasudevaya.

   Lord Kapiladeva, in the next verse, points out the results that follow the successful completion of this purificatory process.

 

                               TEXT 17

 

                         tada purusa atmanam

                        kevalam prakrteh param

                       nirantaram svayam-jyotir

                         animanam akhanditam

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   At that time the soul can see himself to be transcendental to material existence and always self-effulgent, never fragmented, although very minute in size.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   In the state of pure consciousness, or Krsna consciousness, one can see himself as a minute particle nondifferent from the Supreme Lord. As stated in Bhagavad-gita, the jiva, or the individual soul, is eternally part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. Just as the sun's rays are minute particles of the brilliant sun, so a living entity is a minute particle of the Supreme Spirit. The individual soul and the Supreme Lord are not separated as in material differentiation. The individual soul is a particle from the very beginning. One should not think that because the individual soul is a particle, it is fragmented from the whole spirit. Mayavada philosophy enunciates that the whole spirit exists, but a part of it, which is called the jiva, is entrapped by illusion. This philosophy, however, is unacceptable because spirit cannot be divided like a fragment of matter. That part, the jiva, is eternally a part. As long as the Supreme Spirit exists, His part and parcel also exists. As long as the sun exists, the molecules of the sun's rays also exist.

   The jiva particle is estimated in the Vedic literature to be one ten-thousandth the size of the upper portion of a hair. He is therefore infinitesimal. The Supreme Spirit is infinite, but the living entity, or individual soul, is infinitesimal, although he is not different in quality from the Supreme Spirit.

   Two words in this verse are to be particularly noted. One is nirantaram, which means "nondifferent" or "of the same quality." The individual soul is also expressed here as animanam. Animanam means "infinitesimal." The Supreme Spirit is all-pervading, but the very small spirit is the individual soul. Akhanditam means not exactly "fragmented" but "constitutionally always infinitesimal." No one can separate the molecular parts of the sunshine from the sun, but at the same time the molecular part of the sunshine is not as expansive as the sun itself. Similarly, the living entity, by his constitutional position, is qualitatively the same as the Supreme Spirit, but he is infinitesimal.

   Self-realization means seeing one's proper identity as the infinitesimal jiva. At the present moment, we are seeing the body, but this is not our proper identity. We have no vision of the real person occupying the body. The first lesson we receive from Bhagavad-gita (2.13) informs us that the body and the owner of the body are different. When we can understand that we are not the body, that is the beginning of self-realization, and that is called the brahma-bhuta stage. Aham brahmasmi. I am not this material body, but spirit soul. And what are the characteristics of the jiva, the soul? First of all, he is animanam, very minute, infinitesimal. We are also jyoti, effulgent, like God, but God is brahma-jyoti, all-pervading and infinite. According to the Mayavada theory, we are the same as that brahmajyoti. Mayavadis give the example of a pot and the sky. Outside the pot there is sky, and within the pot there is sky. The separation is only due to the wall of the pot. When the pot is broken, the inside and outside become one. However, this example does not properly apply to the soul, as it is described in Bhagavad-gita (2.24):

 

                      acchedyo 'yam adahyo 'yam

                        akledyo 'sosya eva ca

                      nityah sarva-gatah sthanur

                         acalo 'yam sanatanah

 

   "This individual soul is unbreakable and insoluble, and can be neither burned nor dried. He is everlasting, all-pervading, unchangeable, immovable and eternally the same." The Soul cannot be cut in pieces or segmented. This means that the soul is eternally, perpetually minute. We are the eternal parts and parcels of Sri Krsna. As Sri Krsna Himself states in Bhagavad-gita (15.7):

 

                         mamaivamso jiva-loke

                        jiva-bhutah sanatanah

 

   "The living entities in the conditioned world are My eternal, fragmental parts." The word sanatana means "eternal," and the word amsa means "particles." God, Krsna, is very great. No one is equal to Him or greater than Him. It is said that God is great, but we do not actually realize how great God is. He is so great that millions of universes are emanating from the pores of His body.

 

                yasyaika-nisvasita-kalam athavalambya

                jivanti loma-vilaja jagad-anda-nathah

                visnur mahan sa iha yasya kala-viseso

                govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami

 

   "The Brahmas and other lords of the mundane worlds appear from the pores of the Maha-Visnu and remain alive for the duration of His one exhalation. I adore the primeval Lord, Govinda, for Maha-Visnu is a portion of His plenary portion." (Brahma-samhita 5.48)

   Millions of universes emanate from the breathing of the Maha-Visnu. In the Tenth Chapter of Bhagavad-gita, Krsna gives Arjuna some indication of His infinite glory, and He concludes His descriptions with the following statement (Bg. 10.42):

 

                          athava bahunaitena

                        kim jnatena tavarjuna

                      vistabhyaham idam krtsnam

                        ekamsena sthito jagat

 

   "But what need is there, Arjuna, for all this detailed knowledge? With a single fragment of Myself I pervade and support this entire universe."

   This universe (jagat) is situated on the strength of one part of Krsna's yogic powers. In this way we must understand the greatness of God and our own identity as minute particles. It is stated in the puranas that the individual soul is one ten-thousandth part of the tip of a hair. If we could somehow divide the tip of a hair into ten thousand parts, we might begin to understand how the soul is invisible. Self-realization means knowing our identity as small particles. The small particle of spirit soul is within every one of us, but it is not possible to see with material eyes. There is no instrument existing in the material universe by which one can actually see the soul. Because of our inability to perceive the soul, we say it is nirakara, formless. We cannot even calculate its dimension (akara). Although we cannot calculate it, it is there nonetheless. The living entity has full form. There are small microbes and insects we can barely see, but they have an anatomy consisting of many working parts. Within a small insect there is also the spirit soul, and that spirit soul also exists within the elephant and other big animals.

   When we actually realize our identity as Brahman, our life becomes successful. Presently we are identifying with the body, but as long as we do so, we are no better than cats and dogs, although we may have a considerable amount of scientific knowledge. Conditioned souls consider the body to be the self, and because of this the jivas identify themselves as American, Indian, brahmana, ksatriya, man, woman, elephant and so forth. Thinking in these bodily terms, people consider their wives and children to be theirs and the land of their birth to be worshipable. Thinking thus, people are willing to fight and die for their country. presently everyone is laboring under this delusion, but in order to understand our spiritual identity, we must find the proper guru.

   Realizing our identity means realizing that we are Krsna's eternal parts and parcels, that we are very minute, infinitesimal, and that we have a perpetual and eternal relationship with Krsna, just as a part has its relationship to the whole. At no time can we be as great as Krsna, although we are the same qualitatively. No one is equal to God, and no one is greater than Him. If someone claims to be God, he has to prove that no one is equal to him and that no one is greater. If he can do this, he is God. This is a very simple definition. Brahma-samhita (5.1) also verifies this statement: isvarah paramah krsnah. The word isvara means "controller," and the word parama means "supreme." We small living entities are controllers to a degree. We can control, at times, our family members, wives, children and so forth. Or we can control our office, factory, country or whatever. There are small controllers and larger controllers. If we go to Brahma, we see that he is controlling the entire universe, but he is not the supreme controller. It is stated in the sastras that Brahma, the greatest living being within this universe, is also meditating in order to learn how to control. Tene brahma hrda ya adi-kavaye (Bhag. 1.1.1).

   First of all, Brahma learned to control the universe; then he became qualified as Brahma. Although he was born Brahma, he still had to be educated. If he was the first living being in the universe, who educated him? Krsna. Sri Krsna says in Bhagavad-gita (10.2), aham adir hi devanam: "I am the source of the demigods."

   The original demigods are Brahma, Visnu and Siva. Lord Krsna is Visnu, but He is the instructor of Brahma and Siva. Therefore it is said that Lord Krsna is the source of all the demigods.

   We should not foolishly claim that we are as great as the Supreme God. We should understand that we are like sparks of the original fire. The spark is also fire, but if it falls from the original flame, it will go out. One should not think that because he is qualitatively one with God, he is God. the supreme controller. It is very fashionable nowadays to claim to have become Narayana, God. The Mayavadis address one another as Narayana, and thus everyone supposedly becomes Narayana. In this way we are overcrowded with Narayanas here and there. But how can everyone become Narayana? Narayana is one, and the sastras warn:

 

                        yas tu narayanam devam

                       brahma-rudradi-daivataih

                         samatvenaiva vikseta

                      sa pasandi bhaved dhruvam

 

   "Whoever thinks Lord Visnu and the demigods are on the same level is to be immediately considered a rogue as far as spiritual understanding is concerned." If one compares Narayana to the demigods, he simply reveals his lack of intelligence. It is also fashionable to speak of daridra-narayana, poor Narayana, claiming that the poor man in the street is Narayana. But what is this nonsense? Narayana is the exalted Supreme Personality of Godhead. Even Sankaracarya says: narayanah paro 'vyaktat. Narayana is beyond this universe. Avyaktad anda-sambhavah: the entire universe is a product of this avyakta. We should not compare Narayana to anyone, what to speak of the poor man in the street (daridra). This is all foolishness. Narayana is Laksmipati, the husband and controller of the goddess of fortune. How, then, can He be daridra? This is all due to misunderstanding. Therefore the sastras warn that if one thinks that the demigods are equal to Narayana, one is a pasandi, an atheist. We should not think that because we have become liberated, we have attained the position of Narayana. By severe austerity and penance one may elevate himself to the position of Brahman, but this is not the position of Parabrahman. Aruhya krcchrena param padam tatah (Bhag. 10.2.32). Although one rises to the platform of Brahman, one again falls down to the material position if he neglects to worship the lotus feet of Krsna. One may rise to the Brahma effulgence, but because there is no shelter there one will return to the material atmosphere. One may go to Brahmaloka, the highest planet in the material sky, but one's position there is temporary. However, in the paravyoma, the spiritual sky, there are many spiritual planets, called Vaikunthalokas. There are millions of these gigantic planets, and unless we take shelter of one of them, we will fall down again into the material atmosphere.

   It is not sufficient to rise to the platform of Brahman. Brahman is sat (being), and a partial realization of the Absolute Truth. We are actually after ananda. Sac-cid-ananda: cit means "knowledge," and that is also partial. We must add ananda (bliss) in order to have complete realization. If we simply fly in the sky, we can't have ananda. We have to descend to an airport at some time or another. If we simply rise to the Brahman effulgence, we do not experience ananda. Ananda is experienced when we enter the spiritual planets, where Narayana, Krsna, is present. paras tasmat tu bhavo 'nyo 'vyakto 'vyaktat sanatanah (Bg. 8.20). We have to enter the eternal planets and associate with the Supreme Personality of Godhead in order to be happy. If we do not attain this position, we will return to the material world. And how can this position be attained? We simply have to try to understand Krsna. Why does He come? What is His business? What is His form?

   The purpose of this Krsna consciousness movement is to teach people how to understand Krsna. If one is fortunate in understanding Him, one's life is successful. As long as we have lusty desires and greed, we cannot come to this understanding. The bhakti-yoga process is the process of purification whereby we can become free from kama and lobha, lust and greed, and the influence of the lower gunas, tamo-guna and rajo-guna, ignorance and passion. As soon as we engage in devotional service, we immediately become freed from the influence of the gunas. Because we are not expert in approaching the Supreme Lord, we have to follow the principles of bhakti-yoga enunciated by the acaryas. When a boy goes to school, he has to follow the rules and regulations, but after a while he becomes accustomed to them and does not have to be taught. In other words, he learns automatically to come to school at a certain time, take his seat and study nicely. Similarly, in this Krsna consciousness movement, we have certain rules and regulations. We must rise early in the morning for mangala-arati, chant sixteen rounds of Hare Krsna daily, and execute all the functions of bhakti-yoga. In this way, we become attached to rendering service to Krsna, and we become practiced in this science. When we attain this stage, we immediately become self-realized.

 

                             Chapter Ten

             Spiritual Attachment and Material Detachment

 

                               TEXT 18

 

                        jnana-vairagya-yuktena

                        bhakti-yuktena catmana

                         paripasyaty udasinam

                        prakrtim ca hataujasam

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   In that position of self-realization, by practice of knowledge and renunciation in devotional service, one sees everything in the right perspective; he becomes indifferent to material existence, and the material influence acts less powerfully upon him.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   As the contamination of the germs of a particular disease can influence a weaker person, similarly the influence of material nature, or illusory energy, can act on the weaker, or conditioned, soul but not on the liberated soul. Self-realization is the position of the liberated state. One understands his constitutional position by knowledge and vairagya, renunciation. Without knowledge, one cannot have realization. The realization that one is the infinitesimal part and parcel of the Supreme Spirit makes one unattached to material, conditional life. That is the beginning of devotional service. Unless one is liberated from material contamination, one cannot engage in the devotional service of the Lord. In this verse, therefore, it is stated, jnana-vairagya-yuktena: when one is in full knowledge of one's constitutional position and is in the renounced order of life, detached from material attraction, then, by pure devotional service, bhakti-yuktena, he can engage himself as a loving servant of the Lord. paripasyati means that he can see everything in its right perspective. Then the influence of material nature becomes almost nil. This is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gita. Brahma-bhutah prasannatma: when one is self-realized he becomes happy and free from the influence of material nature, and at that time he is freed from lamentation and hankering. The Lord states that position as mad-bhaktim labhate param, the real beginning of devotional service. Similarly, it is confirmed in the Narada-pancaratra that when the senses are purified, they can then be engaged in the devotional service of the Lord. One who is attached to material contamination cannot be a devotee.

   In the conditional state, we are influenced by material nature. We have already discussed how we are conditioned by the three modes of material nature--ignorance, passion and goodness. Goodness is superior to ignorance and passion because from the platform of goodness we can come to understand Krsna and thereby transcend the modes altogether. In this age, people are generally influenced by the lower modes, the modes of ignorance and passion. In these modes, we are not able to serve Krsna. It is our constitutional position to serve someone, but when we do not serve Krsna, we serve maya. In any case, we cannot become master. Who can say that he is a master, that he is not serving anyone? We may serve our family, society, country, business, automobile or whatever. If one cannot find anything to serve, he goes and buys a cat or dog and serves it. Why is this? It is because service is our nature. We are simply lacking the knowledge of where to direct the service. Service is meant to be rendered to Krsna. In the material world we are serving our lusty desires, not Krsna, and we are deriving no pleasure from this. We are also serving in an office or in some employment in order to get some money. In this case, we are serving money, not the person. Thus in the material world we serve the senses and money. In any case, service is there. We must serve.

   Actually the only master is Krsna. Ekale isvara krsna, ara saba bhrtya (Cc. Adi 5.142). All the demigods, human beings, animals, trees and everything else are servants. Self-realization is realizing that one is the eternal servant of Krsna and that one's duty is to serve Him. Self-realization is not thinking aham brahmasmi, "I have become Brahman, Bhagavan." How can we become Bhagavan? If we are Bhagavan, we are actually the supreme powerful one. If this is the case, why are we in a miserable condition? Why are we under the influence of maya? Does Bhagavan come under the influence of maya? No. Krsna says specifically in Bhagavad-gita that prakrti, maya, is working under His directions. Maya is the maidservant of Krsna, and if we are the servants of ma-ya-, how can we be Krsna, Bhagavan? When we come to our spiritual senses, we can understand that we are erroneously engaged in maya's service and that our duty is to engage in Krsna's service. That is self-realization. As stated here: jnana-vairagya-yuktena. Real understanding is knowing oneself to be the servant of Krsna, no one else. Because we are under illusion, we are serving kama, lobha, moha, matsarya--lust and greed--without benefit and without pleasure. Kamadinam kati na katidha palita durnidesa: "There is no limit to the unwanted orders of lusty desires." (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 3.2.25) When we come to the understanding that our pleasure lies in serving Krsna only, we have attained jnana-vairagya. Therefore in Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.2.7) it is stated:

 

                          vasudeve bhagavati

                       bhakti-yogah prayojitah

                        janayaty asu vairagyam

                       jnanam ca yad ahaitukam

 

   "By rendering devotional service unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna, one immediately acquires causeless knowledge and detachment from the world." If one engages in the service of Vasudeva, Krsna, this knowledge comes, and one becomes a mahatma. A mahatma is one who realizes that Krsna is everything. He does not defy Krsna or try to become Krsna. One who does so is not a mahatma but a duratma, a rascal. What is the position and knowledge of a mahatma? Krsna states:

 

                       mahatmanas tu mam partha

                       daivim prakrtim asritah

                        bhajanty ananya-manaso

                       jnatva bhutadim avyayam

 

   "O son of Prtha, those who are not deluded, the great souls, are under the protection of the divine nature. They are fully engaged in devotional service because they know Me as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, original and inexhaustible." (Bg. 9.13)

   A mahatma cannot be manufactured. He is under the daivi prakrti, the divine nature. There are two kinds of prakrti--para prakrti and apara prakrti. Apara prakrti is the material world, and daivi prakrti is the spiritual world. As soon as one understands that he is uselessly serving maya in the material world in the form of society, friends, country and so forth, one reaches the stage called jnana, knowledge. As soon as one attains this knowledge, he reaches the brahma-bhuta stage, Brahman realization, and he becomes prasannatma, happy. One may ask, "Why should I serve Krsna?" We have already explained that being a part means serving the whole. The whole is Krsna, and the individuals are meant for Krsna's satisfaction. Isavasyam idam sarvam.

   There are many isvaras, controllers, but the supreme isvara is Krsna. As soon as one attains this realization, he has attained perfect knowledge, and he renders service in bhakti-yoga. Foolish people say that bhakti is meant for ajnanis, unintelligent people, but this is not the case. In Bhagavad-gita Krsna indicates that after many births, the jnani, the man in knowledge, surrenders unto Him.

   As long as we do not understand Krsna, Vasudeva, we should understand that we are still fools. We may advertise ourselves as very great jnanis, learned personalities, but we are actually fools. That is the sastric conclusion. If we are actually jnanis, we should surrender unto Krsna.

   There are many dharmas, or activities. Some are pious and some impious, but Krsna tells us to give up both. Arjuna was thinking that it was impious to fight with his relatives, but Krsna was insisting that he fight. How could Arjuna act impiously? He could not, because Krsna's service is transcendental to pious and impious activity. At midnight, when the gopis heard the sound of Krsna's flute, they ran to the forest to join Him. According to the sastras, it is immoral for young girls to go see a young boy in a forest in the dead of night. But this was not an impious activity because the gopis did this for Krsna. Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who was so strict that no woman could even come near Him to offer respects, actually said: ramya kacid upasana vraja-vadhu-vargena ya kalpita. "What could be more wonderful than that worship conceived by the gopis?" Although it actually appeared immoral for the gopis to dance with Krsna, Caitanya Mahaprabhu states that their relation with Krsna is the highest

   form of worship. This is actually transcendental knowledge. One becomes transcendental to all pious and impious activities when one serves Krsna. After all, piety and impiety are within the material modes. Krsna's service is transcendental to good and bad, pious and impious. Bhakti-yoga begins when jnana and vairagya are complete. Jnana is knowledge, and vairagya is detachment from matter and engagement of the mind in spirit. Both of these are automatically attained when we engage in devotional service to Krsna.

 

                               TEXT 19

 

                        na yujyamanaya bhaktya

                        bhagavaty akhilatmani

                       sadrso 'sti sivah pantha

                       yoginam brahma-siddhaye

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Perfection in self-realization cannot be attained by any kind of yogi unless he engages in devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for that is the only auspicious path.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   That knowledge and renunciation are never perfect unless joined by devotional service is explicitly explained here. Na yujyamanaya means "without being dovetailed." When there is devotional service, the question arises where to offer that service. Devotional service is to be offered to the Supreme personality of Godhead, who is the Supersoul of everything, for that is the only reliable path of self-realization, or Brahman realization. The word brahma-siddhaye means to understand oneself to be different from matter, to understand oneself to be Brahman. The Vedic words are aham brahmasmi. Brahma-siddhi means that one should know that he is not matter; he is pure soul. There are different kinds of yogis, but every yogi is supposed to have attained self-realization, or Brahman realization. It is clearly stated here that unless one is fully engaged in the devotional service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one cannot easily approach the path of brahma-siddhi.

   In the beginning of the Second Chapter of Srimad-Bhagavatam it is stated that when one engages in the devotional service of Vasudeva, spiritual knowledge and renunciation of the material world are automatically manifest. Thus a devotee does not have to strive separately for renunciation or knowledge. Devotional service itself is so powerful that by one's service, everything is revealed. It is stated here, sivah pantha: this is the only auspicious path for self-realization. The path of devotional service is the most confidential means for attaining Brahman realization. That perfection in Brahman realization is attained through the auspicious path of devotional service indicates that the so-called Brahman realization, or realization of the brahmajyoti effulgence, is not brahma-siddhi. Beyond that brahmajyoti there is the Supreme personality of Godhead. In the Upanisads a devotee prays to the Lord to kindly put aside the effulgence, brahmajyoti, so that the devotee may see within the brahmajyoti the actual eternal form of the Lord. Unless one attains realization of the transcendental form of the Lord, there is no question of bhakti. Bhakti necessitates the existence of the recipient of devotional service and the devotee who renders devotional service. Brahma-siddhi through devotional service is realization of the Supreme personality of Godhead. The understanding of the effulgent rays of the body of the Supreme Godhead is not the perfect stage of brahma-siddhi, or Brahman realization. Nor is the realization of the Paramatma feature of the Supreme Person perfect because Bhagavan, the Supreme personality of Godhead, is akhilatma--He is the Supersoul. One who realizes the Supreme Personality realizes the other features, namely the Paramatma feature and the Brahman feature, and that total realization is brahma-siddhi.

   As stated before, the word yoga means "to connect." Brahma-siddhaye means "self-realization," and aham brahmasmi means "I am spirit soul." Actually, realizing oneself to be spirit is not sufficient. One has to progress further. One's fever may be cured, but one must also regain his strength and appetite in order to be totally cured. Then one can have a normal, healthy life, free of disease. Similarly, simply realizing that one is spirit soul is not sufficient. One has to engage in spiritual activity, and that spiritual activity is bhakti. Mayavadi philosophers think that it is sufficient to stop all material activity, and the Buddhist philosophers advocate nirvana, cessation of material life. Neither give more information. Actually we are suffering due to this material combination, and that is a fact. This body is composed of earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and ego. The Buddhists and Mayavadis advocate the annihilation of the components. They say, "Let the earth go to earth, let the water go to water, let the fire go to fire and become zero." If we dismantle the house of the material body and become zero, we attain nirvana. Nirvana means the cessation of pleasure and pain. The Mayavadis and Buddhists claim that if we fill an empty pitcher, the water will make some sound as long as the pitcher is not completely filled. When the pitcher is filled, there will no longer be any sound. Thus they claim that all the Vedic mantras and hymns stop when one is completely Brahman-realized. In other words, the Buddhists and Mayavadis claim that the material world is false, mithya, and that we should somehow or other make it zero. However, simply realizing Brahman, realizing one's identity as spirit soul, is insufficient. We must realize that Bhagavan is everywhere:

 

               eko 'py asau racayitum jagad-anda-kotim

              yac-chaktir asti jagad-anda-caya yad-antah

               andantara-stha-paramanu-cayantara-stham

                govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami

 

   "I worship the Personality of Godhead, Govinda, who, by one of His plenary portions, enters the existence of every universe and every atomic particle and thus unlimitedly manifests His infinite energy all over the material creation." (Brahma-samhita 5.35)

   Sri Bhagavan is not alone. He is not only localized, but is everywhere. Although Krsna has a particular place, He is everywhere. It is not that because Krsna is in one place, He cannot be in others. Since we are conditioned, when we sit in our office we cannot be at home. Krsna is not like this. Goloka eva nivasaty akhilatma-bhutah. Krsna is always in Goloka Vrndavana, yet He is andantara-stha-paramanu-cayantara-stham. He is within every atom of this universe. This universe is existing due to the Garbhodakasayi Visnu. There is not only one universe, but there are many millions, and they are all working very nicely because the Garbhodakasayi Visnu is present. We should not think that all these planets are floating in space without any arrangement having been made. There is definitely an arrangement.

   In order to be completely free of the material modes, one has to come not only to the platform of jnana and vairagya, but to bhakti also. When we mention bhakti, some people say, "I render bhakti to my wife. I love her very much and take care of her. If I do not see her, I become mad." Thus people have bhakti for their family, country, goddess Durga, other demigods and so on. However, that kind of bhakti will not do. Therefore it is said, bhaktir bhagavati. Bhakti must be rendered unto the Supreme. It is not that one should render bhakti unto an imitation Bhagavan. If one says that he is Bhagavan, we should ask, "Are you present in everyone's heart? Can you tell me what I am thinking now?" If one is Bhagavan, he must be akhilatma. If one is isvara, he must be present in everyone's heart. Krsna is present in everyone's heart (sarvasya caham hrdi sannivistah). All this should be scrutinizingly studied. It is not that one should accept this rascal or that rascal as Bhagavan. Nor should one render bhakti to this demigod or that demigod, to one's family, country, society, wife, cat, dog or whatever. All this is not really bhakti but imitation bhakti. It is actually lustful desire. If we can develop bhakti for Krsna, Krsna consciousness, our lives will be successful. Actually there is no alternative. As stated in this verse, sadrso 'sti sivah pantha. Parabrahman is Krsna, and brahma-siddhaye means understanding our relationship with Krsna. It is all right for one to understand oneself as Brahman (aham brahmasmi), but what is our relationship with the Parabrahman? There are always two: Brahman and Parabrahman, atma and Paramatma, isvara and Paramesvara, the individual living being and the supreme living being, nitya and nityanam, cetanas and cetananam. There are always two present, and two means a relationship. We should therefore understand our relationship with the Supreme, with Parabrahman. Understanding that relationship is brahma-siddhaye.

   We are qualitatively one with Parabrahman, but Parabrahman is very great whereas we are very small. Parabrahman is one (kaivalya). There is no alternative and no duplicate. There is no one equal to Him or greater than Him. That is the meaning of kaivalya. Human life is meant for inquiring about Parabrahman and one's relationship with Him. Unfortunately, people are not asking questions about Parabrahman. Everyone is asking about the news and the morning paper, and everyone is concerned with going to the market and purchasing so many goods for cheaper prices. All this is going on in human society and in cat and dog society also.

   This world is full of darkness and ignorance, but Krsna consciousness is transcendental to this material world. In Krsna consciousness, there is no darkness but simply light. If we try to find things at night, it becomes very difficult; however, in the daytime, there is no difficulty. The sastras enjoin that we leave this darkness and come to light. This light is given by the guru.

 

                       om ajnana timirandhasya

                         jnananjana-salakaya

                        caksur unmilitam yena

                       tasmai sri-gurave namah

 

   "I was born in the darkest ignorance, and my spiritual master opened my eyes with the torch of knowledge. I offer my respectful obeisances unto him."

   It is the guru's business to give light by knowledge. The guru has completely assimilated the Vedic essence of life. Sruti, knowledge, is received by hearing. It is not experimental. We cannot understand that which is beyond our sense perception by experiment. We cannot understand who our father is by experimental knowledge. One cannot say, "Let me find out who my father is by experiment." Our father was existing before we were existing, and it is not possible to understand by experimental knowledge that this or that man is my father. The real authority is the mother; therefore Vedic knowledge has been likened to the mother and the puranas to the sisters. We should understand from the Vedas what ultimate knowledge really is. The ultimate knowable objective is Krsna, and simply by understanding Krsna, we can understand everything. We do not have to understand things separately. Krsna is within our hearts. He is not far away; rather, He is everywhere. If Krsna sees that we are attached to Him, He becomes our friend. He is a friend to everyone, but He is especially a friend to His devotees. As Krsna Himself says in Bhagavad-gita (10.11):

 

                        tesam evanukampartham

                        aham ajnana-jam tamah

                       nasayamy atma-bhava-stho

                        jnana-dipena bhasvata

 

   "Out of compassion for them, I, dwelling in their hearts, destroy with the shining lamp of knowledge the darkness born of ignorance."

   Jnana is there, it is simply covered with the curtain of ignorance. Light is there, and darkness is there, but when we are in darkness we cannot see things as they are. Krsna says that as one devotes himself to rendering service, He Himself dispels the darkness of ignorance. If we actually want to become perfect in this life, we only need to engage in devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Bhagavan. It is not that Bhagavan is difficult to find. Bhagavan is within the heart. Isvarah sarva bhutanam hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati (Bg. 18.61). That is the real Bhagavan, within the hearts of all. That Bhagavan is always active. He instructed Brahma, the lord of the universe, and Brahma, having received Krsna's instructions, created the entire universe. Krsna will also give instructions to us if we simply take to devotional service.

 

                               TEXT 20

 

                        prasangam ajaram pasam

                         atmanah kavayo viduh

                         sa eva sadhusu krto

                        moksa-dvaram apavrtam

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Every learned man knows very well that attachment for the material is the greatest entanglement of the spirit soul. But that same attachment, when applied to self-realized devotees, opens the door of liberation.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Here it is clearly stated that attachment for one thing is the cause of bondage in conditioned life, and the same attachment, when applied to something else, opens the door of liberation. Attachment cannot be killed; it has simply to be transferred. Attachment for material things is called material consciousness, and attachment for Krsna or His devotee is called Krsna consciousness. Consciousness, therefore, is the platform of attachment. It is clearly stated here that when we simply purify the consciousness from material consciousness to Krsna consciousness, we attain liberation. Despite the statement that one should give up attachment, desirelessness is not possible for a living entity. A living entity, by constitution, has the propensity to be attached to something. We see that if someone has no object of attachment, if he has no children, he transfers his attachment to cats and dogs. This indicates that the propensity for attachment cannot be stopped; rather, it must be utilized for the best purpose. Our attachment for material things perpetuates our conditional state, but the same attachment, when transferred to the Supreme personality of Godhead or His devotee, is the source of liberation.

   Here it is recommended that attachment should be transferred to the self-realized devotees, the sadhus. And who is a sadhu? A sadhu is not just an ordinary man with a saffron robe or long beard. A sadhu is described in Bhagavad-gita as one who unflinchingly engages in devotional service. Even though one is found not to be following the strict rules and regulations of devotional service, if one simply has unflinching faith in Krsna, the Supreme Person, he is understood to be a sadhu. Sadhur eva sa mantavyah. A sadhu is a strict follower of devotional service. It is recommended here that if one at all wants to realize Brahman, or spiritual perfection, his attachment should be transferred to the sadhu, or devotee. Lord Caitanya also confirmed this. Lava-matra sadhu-sange sarva-siddhi haya: simply by a moment's association with a sadhu, one can attain perfection.

   Mahatma is a synonym of sadhu. It is said that service to a mahatma, or elevated devotee of the Lord, is dvaram ahur vimukteh, the royal road of liberation. Mahat-sevam dvaram ahur vimuktes tamo-dvaram yositam sangi-sangam (Bhag. 5.5.2). Rendering service to the materialists has the opposite effect. If anyone offers service to a gross materialist, or a person engaged only in sense enjoyment, then by association with such a person the door to hell is opened. The same principle is confirmed here. Attachment to a devotee is attachment to the service of the Lord because if one associates with a sadhu, the sadhu will teach one how to become a devotee, a worshiper and a sincere servitor of the Lord. These are the gifts of a sadhu. If we want to associate with a sadhu, we cannot expect him to give us instructions on how to improve our material condition, but he will instruct us how to cut the knot of the contamination of material attraction and how to elevate ourselves in devotional service. That is the result of associating with a sadhu. Kapila Muni first of all instructs that the path of liberation begins with such association.

   According to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu:

 

           'sadhu-sanga', 'sadhu-sanga'--sarva-sastre kaya

               lava-matra sadhu-sange sarva-siddhi haya

 

   "The verdict of all revealed scriptures is that by even a moment's association with a pure devotee, one can attain all success." (Cc. Madhya 22.54)

   It is said that man is a social animal, and, according to our association, we can mold our character. Businessmen associate with one another to develop their business capabilities. There are many different types of association, and association brings about bondage to a particular thing. If one associates with materialistic people, one's bondage to sense gratification tightens. Woman is the symbol of sense gratification; therefore anything dealing with sense gratification is called yosit-sanga. This material world is filled with yosit-sanga because everyone is interested in sense gratification. As stated in Bhagavad-gita (2.44):

 

                       bhogaisvarya-prasaktanam

                          tayapahrta-cetasam

                        vyavasayatmika buddhih

                        samadhau na vidhiyate

 

   "In the minds of those who are too attached to sense enjoyment and material opulence, and who are bewildered by such things, the resolute determination of devotional service to the Supreme Lord does not take place." The word bhoga means "sense gratification." Bhogaisvarya: Those who are overly attached to opulence and sense gratification cannot understand spiritual life, and they are very slow to take to it. At the present moment people are manda, very slow. They do not take this Krsna consciousness movement very seriously because they have been taught by modern civilization simply to enjoy life for sense gratification. In the Western countries, especially, there are many implements for sense gratification. There are even machines for shaving, although formerly an ordinary razor would do. Now, thanks to the machine, one does not even have to move his hand. So this is considered progress. However, we learn from the sastras that human life is not meant for sense enjoyment but for tapasya. That is Vedic civilization. First of all, one must be trained in the brahmacari system and learn how to deny the senses. A brahmacari should be trained in tapasya, not in enjoyment. Formerly, brahmacaris would have to go from door to door to beg alms for the asrama, and they were trained from the very beginning to address every woman as mother.

   Presently, people are in such a miserable condition that they are saying, "Let us die. Let us die." However, Krsna in Bhagavad-gita says, "Why should you die?" People want to die in order to put an end to the threefold miseries of material nature, but who is making research on how to stop death? From Bhagavad-gita we learn that death is not really natural for us. It is artificially imposed upon us, and we have to become deathless again. That is the perfection of human life, but no one cares about it. We have become so dull that we cannot avoid birth, old age, disease and death. We are actually experiencing them because we are not alert. For this reason, when Sanatana Gosvami approached Caitanya Mahaprabhu, he said, "My dear Lord, somehow or other You have dragged me to Your lotus feet. I am now asking You what my actual position is. Why am I forced to suffer the threefold miseries of material life?" No one is interested in inquiring about this matter. Moksa, liberation, means getting free from the threefold miseries of life as well as birth, old age, disease and death. Sometimes, when people are a little interested, they take to a path that is not even approved, or they invent something. But nothing need be invented. By this Krsna consciousness process, everyone can be elevated. Everyone can be delivered, regardless of his situation or culture. We have spread this Krsna consciousness movement throughout the world, and people are becoming happy because of it.

   According to Bhagavad-gita (9.32), anyone can take shelter of Krsna. Krsna never denies anyone, and similarly, Krsna's devotee never denies anyone. That is this Krsna consciousness movement. We tell everyone, "Yes, you are welcome. Take this education and spiritual life and become a devotee of Krsna." Sometimes we are criticized because of this, but Krsna specifically says in Bhagavad-gita that even those who are lowborn can take shelter of Him and become elevated for liberation. What, then, to speak of pious people born in brahminical families? Unfortunately, in this age people born in rich or brahminical families often don't care for spiritual realization. They misuse their chance and exhaust the results of their pious activities. Society needs first-class sadhus in order to improve. If everyone is a sudra and debauchee, how can society be peaceful? Therefore in order to organize society, Krsna recommends the varnasrama-dharma. There must be ideal brahmanas, ksatriyas, vaisyas and sudras. However, no one cares about this now.

   One may ask, "What is a sadhu?" A sadhu is one who serves Krsna and engages in Krsna consciousness without reservation. In Bhagavad-gita (9.30), Sri Krsna says:

 

                         api cet su-duracaro

                       bhajate mam ananya-bhak

                       sadhur eva sa mantavyah

                       samyag vyavasito hi sah

 

   "Even if one commits the most abominable actions, if he is engaged in devotional service, he is to be considered saintly because he is properly situated."

   It is the sadhu's business to be very tolerant. When one becomes a devotee, many people become one's enemy, because in this age people are asuric, demoniac. Even one's father may turn into an enemy like Hiranyakasipu, the father of Prahlada Maharaja. Prahlada was only five years old and was chanting Hare Krsna, but his father was prepared to kill him because he was a devotee. Hiranyakasipu was saying, "Why are you chanting Hare Krsna? Why are you speaking of a separate God? I am God." That is the meaning of asuric, demoniac. Rascals who claim to be God themselves are simply demons. Although Prahlada's father was insisting that he was God, Prahlada Maharaja could not accept this. He simply accepted his father as an asura, and consequently there was a quarrel between them. When Hiranyakasipu asked Prahlada Maharaja, "What is the best thing you have learned from your teachers?" Prahlada replied, "O best of the asuras, as far as I can understand, because we have accepted this material body, we have to accept death. But this is not the object of human life. Human life is meant for moksa, liberation." Unfortunately, foolish people do not understand this. Krsna says, mrtyuh sarva-haras caham: "I am death, and I will take away everything you possess." (Bg. 10.34) Hiranyakasipu was such a powerful demon that even the demigods were afraid of him, but Krsna took everything away in a second. Hiranyakasipu was looking for security, and he was thinking, "I will not die in this way, and I will not die in that way." But he did not think that he would be killed by the Lord in the form of Nrsimha. However intelligent we may be, and however much we may try to cheat Krsna, Krsna is always more intelligent. When mother Yasoda tried to bind Krsna with a rope, she found that the rope was always two inches too short. Our intelligence is like that. We want to cheat God and surpass Him, but this is not possible. People think themselves very advanced in knowledge, but actually, due to their pride, their knowledge is taken away by maya. Krsna actually takes the knowledge away from atheistic, demoniac people like Hiranyakasipu. Atheists do not know that Krsna's intelligence is always at least two inches greater than anyone else's.

   In material life, we simply struggle for existence. We want to exist, and we do not want to die. Nor do we want to undergo the pains of birth, catch diseases or grow old. There are so many miseries in material life that we do not want, but they are forced upon us. Unfortunately, we are not intelligent enough to make a solution to all these problems. We should be inquiring like Sanatana Gosvami about how to put an end to them all. Instead, we are working in such a way that we have to accept another material body. We are experiencing the difficulties arising from this material body, but we are not working in a way to become free. This Krsna consciousness movement is giving information on how to become liberated.

   Those who are mahatmas are always engaged in chanting Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. Bhajana is the chanting of Hare Krsna. If we serve a mahatma like Haridasa Thakura, who was always engaged in chanting Hare Krsna, our path of liberation is opened. However, if we associate with materialistic people, who are simply mad for sense gratification, we take the way of darkness. Tamo-dvaram yositam sangi-sangam. The Vedas enjoin that we not remain in darkness but that we go to the light. We have accepted a body, but we will not be allowed to remain in that body permanently. We will have to give it up and accept another, and then another and another. What is this business? The material world is in such darkness, and people are taking on one body after another. The Krsna consciousness movement is therefore here to give enlightenment and liberation, and it is offering not only the simplest process of chanting Hare Krsna but also the most sublime philosophy.

 

                            Chapter Eleven

                       The Symptoms of a Sadhu

 

                               TEXT 21

 

                         titiksavah karunikah

                        suhrdah sarva-dehinam

                        ajata-satravah santah

                       sadhavah sadhu-bhusanah

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The symptoms of a sadhu are that he is tolerant, merciful and friendly to all living entities. He has no enemies, he is peaceful, he abides by the scriptures, and all his characteristics are sublime.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   A sadhu, as described above, is a devotee of the Lord. His concern, therefore, is to enlighten people in devotional service; that is his mercy. He knows that without devotional service, human life is spoiled. A devotee travels all over the country, from door to door, preaching, "Be Krsna conscious. Be a devotee of Lord Krsna. Don't spoil your life in simply fulfilling your animal propensities. Human life is meant for self-realization, or Krsna consciousness." These are the preachings of a sadhu. He is not satisfied with his own liberation. He always thinks about others. He is the most compassionate personality toward all fallen souls. One of his qualifications, therefore, is karunika, great mercy to the fallen souls. While engaged in preaching work, he has to meet with so many opposing elements, and therefore the sadhu has to be very tolerant. Someone may ill-treat him because the conditioned souls are not prepared to receive the transcendental knowledge of devotional service. They don't like it; that is their disease. The sadhu has the thankless task of impressing upon them the importance of devotional service. Sometimes devotees are personally attacked with violence. Lord Jesus Christ was crucified, Haridasa Thakura was caned in twenty-two marketplaces, and Lord Caitanya's principal assistant, Nityananda, was violently attacked by Jagai and Madhai. But still they were tolerant because their mission was to deliver fallen souls. A sadhu is merciful because he is the well-wisher of all living entities. He is not only a well-wisher of human society, but a well-wisher of animal society as well. The word sarva-dehinam refers to all living entities who have accepted material bodies. Not only does the human being have a material body, but other living entities as well. The devotee of the Lord is merciful to everyone--cats, dogs, trees, etc. He treats all living entities in such a way that they can ultimately get salvation from this material entanglement. Sivananda Sena, one of the disciples of Lord Caitanya, gave liberation to a dog by treating the dog transcendentally. There are many instances where a dog got salvation by association with a sadhu, because a sadhu engages in the highest philanthropic activities for the benediction of all living entities. Yet although a sadhu is not inimical toward anyone, the world is so ungrateful that even a sadhu has many enemies.

   What is the difference between an enemy and a friend? lt is a difference in behavior. A sadhu behaves with all conditioned souls for their ultimate relief from material entanglement. Therefore, no one can be more friendly than a sadhu in relieving a conditioned soul. A sadhu is calm, and he quietly and peacefully follows the principles of scripture. A sadhu is also one who follows the principles of scripture and at the same time is a devotee of the Lord. One who actually follows the principles of scripture must be a devotee of God because all the sastras instruct us to obey the orders of the Personality of Godhead. A sadhu, therefore, is a follower of the scriptural injunctions and a devotee of the Lord. All good characteristics are prominent in a devotee, and he develops all the good qualities of the demigods, whereas a nondevotee, even though academically qualified, has no good qualifications or good characteristics according to the standard of transcendental realization.

   There are 8,400,000 life forms according to the padma purana, and the atma is the same in all of them. The sadhu can understand this, as Bhagavad-gita (5.18) indicates:

 

                        vidya-vinaya-sampanne

                        brahmane gavi hastini

                        suni caiva svapake ca

                        panditah sama-darsinah

 

   "The humble sage, by virtue of true knowledge, sees with equal vision a learned and gentle brahmana, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater [outcaste]."

   It is not that a brahmana is the same as a dog, but that the brahmana is a spirit soul, and the dog is also a spirit soul. We are conditioned according to our different bodies, which are given by superior forces. Yamaraja offers the living entity a body according to his karma. Karmana daiva-netrena. We have already discussed the point that bodies are awarded according to one's qualifications. If we acquire the qualities of a brahmana and work as a brahmana, we become a brahmana. If we act as a dog and do the work of a dog, we become a dog. Nor should one think that simply because one is born as a brahmana, one is automatically a brahmana. There are characteristics mentioned in Bhagavad-gita by which one can tell to which caste one belongs. Sridhara Svami has also noted that birth is not everything. One has to acquire the qualities. Whatever body we may have, our position is temporary. We cannot remain in any position indefinitely. We may think that at present we are Americans and are very happy, and that's all right. We may chalk out our plans for continued happiness, but nature will not allow us to stay indefinitely. As soon as nature calls, we die and give up our post. Then we have to take the post of a dog, a cat, a demigod, a human being or whatever. We are now given a most exalted life form, that of a human being, but if we do not act accordingly, we have to take a lower body. This is karmana daiva-netrena.

   We should therefore be very careful in this human form that our aim is to become devotees of Lord Krsna. That is the path of liberation. Previously, great personalities in India used to go to the forest in order to meditate to stop the repetition of birth and death. That is the highest occupation for man, and actually every man is meant for that. Unless we conquer repeated birth and death, we simply waste our lives like animals--eating, sleeping, defending and mating. People in this age especially cannot distinguish between animal life and human life. They think the difference is that animals sleep in the street and human beings sleep in nice apartments. However, the sastras do not define civilization in this way. Whether one sleeps in the street or in an apartment, the activity is the same. A dog may eat out of a garbage can, and a human being may eat on a golden plate, but this does not mean that they are engaged in different activities. In either case, both the dog and the man are taking food into their bodies. A dog may have sex in the street, and a human being may have sex in a very nice bed in a secluded place, but that does not change the activity. People are thinking that advancement of civilization means improving eating, sleeping, mating and defending, but actually these activities have nothing to do with civilization. They simply tighten our bondage to material life.

   Human life is meant for yajna, sacrifice for the satisfaction of the Supreme Person. We may perfect our activities, but our success lies in satisfying Krsna by our talents. Presently we may be attached to material activity, but we should transfer that attachment to a sadhu. Then our lives will be successful. Presently we are attached to money, women, nice houses, country, society, friends, family and so forth. This attachment is called arjanam pasu. The word pasu means "rope." When we are bound with a rope, we are helpless, and now we are bound by the gunas, or the three modes of material nature. The word guna also means "rope." We cannot free ourselves, for we are conditioned. We cannot move freely without the sanction of the supreme authority. It is generally said that not a blade of grass moves without God's sanction. Similarly, we cannot do anything without the supervision of a superior authority.

   It is not that God has to take personal supervision of this. parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate... na tasya karyam karanam ca vidyate: in the Svetasvatara Upanisad (6.8), it is thus stated that the Supreme Lord does not have to act personally. He has many agents to perform everything for Him. We are so controlled that we are not even free to blink our eyes. We may be moving our hands very freely, but at any moment they can be immediately paralyzed. Presently I am claiming, "This is my hand." But what is this? The hand could be paralyzed immediately. This is conditioned life, and how can we improve it? Our business is to become liberated from all this conditioning. How is this possible? Sa eva sadhusu krto moksa-dvaram apavrtam (Bhag. 3.25.20). We have to turn our attachment from material things to a sadhu. 'Sadhu-sanga', 'sadhu-sanga'--sarva-sastre kaya: this is the advice of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. All sastras advise us to associate with a sadhu. Even Canakya Pandita, the great politician, recommended: tyaja durjana-samsargam bhaja sadhu-samagamam. One Vaisnava householder asked Caitanya Mahaprabhu what the duty of a householder is, and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu immediately replied, asat-sanga-tyaga--ei vaisnava-acara: "Don't associate with nondevotees, but search out a sadhu." (Cc. Madhya 22.87)

   At the present moment it is very difficult to avoid the company of asadhus, those who are not sadhus. It is very difficult to find a sadhu for association. We have therefore started this Krsna consciousness movement to create an association of sadhus so that people may take advantage and become liberated. There is no other purpose for this society.

   Krsna states in Bhagavad-gita (6.47) that the first-class sadhu is one who is always thinking of Him. This process is not very difficult. We should always think of Krsna, but how is this possible? We think of our business, our dog, our family, our lovable object and so many other things. We have to think of something; without thinking, we cannot remain. We simply have to divert our thoughts to Krsna. It is the sadhu's business to teach this, and one can learn this in the association of a sadhu. Actually a sadhu will not teach anything else. Adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sangah (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.4.15). This is the way to make spiritual advancement. One has to associate with a sadhu. Often the sadhu's task is a thankless one, but he has to be tolerant. Despite all the trouble a sadhu may encounter, he is very merciful upon fallen conditioned souls. He sees that people are suffering due to a lack of Krsna consciousness, and because he is always thinking of the welfare of others, he is suhrt. Other people are always envious, but the sadhu is always thinking how to save others from the clutches of maya. A sadhu is kind not only to human beings but to cats, dogs, trees, plants and insects; he will hesitate even to kill one mosquito. He does not simply think, "I shall just take care of my brother." He looks on all living beings as his brothers because Krsna says that He is the father of all living entities.

   Because a sadhu lives in this way, he does not create enemies. If there are enemies, they become enemies out of their own character, not out of any provocation on the part of a sadhu. A sadhu simply teaches, "My dear human being, my dear friend, just surrender to Krsna." Enemies arise due to man's envious nature. Canakya Pandita says that there are two envious animals--serpents and men. Although you may be faultless, either may kill you. Of the two, Canakya pandita says that the envious man is more dangerous because a serpent can be subdued by chanting a mantra or by some herbs, but an envious man cannot be so subdued. In Kali-yuga, practically everyone is envious, but we have to tolerate this.

   Envious people create many impediments to the Krsna consciousness movement, but we have to tolerate them. There is no alternative. One must be peaceful and depend on Krsna in all circumstances. These are the ornaments of a sadhu. We should find a sadhu and associate with him. Then our path of liberation will be open.

   In the next verse, Lord Kapila further explains the activities of a sadhu.

 

                               TEXT 22

 

                        mayy ananyena bhavena

                      bhaktim kurvanti ye drdham

                       mat-krte tyakta-karmanas

                       tyakta-svajana-bandhavah

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Such a sadhu engages in staunch devotional service to the Lord without deviation. For the sake of the Lord he renounces all other connections, such as family relationships and friendly acquaintances within the world.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   A person in the renounced order of life, a sannyasi, is also called a sadhu because he renounces everything--his home, his comfort, his friends, his relatives and his duties to friends and to family. He renounces everything for the sake of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. A sannyasi is generally in the renounced order of life, but his renunciation will be successful only when his energy is employed in the service of the Lord with great austerity. It is said here, therefore, bhaktim kurvanti ye drdham. A person who seriously engages in the service of the Lord and is in the renounced order of life is a sadhu. A sadhu is one who has given up all responsibility to society, family and worldly humanitarianism, simply for the service of the Lord. As soon as he takes his birth in the world, a person has many responsibilities and obligations--to the public, demigods, great sages, general living beings, parents, forefathers and many others. When he gives up all these obligations for the service of the Supreme Lord, he is not punished for his renunciation. But if for sense gratification a person renounces these obligations, he is punished by the law of nature.

   Krsna and all the sastras say that our only obligation is to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If we take to His service, we are no longer obliged to anyone. We are free. How is this possible? By almighty God's power. A man may be condemned to death, but if a president or a king excuses him, he is saved. Krsna's final instruction in Bhagavad-gita is to surrender everything to Him. We can sacrifice our life, wealth and intelligence, and this is called yajna. Everyone has some intelligence, and everyone uses his intelligence in one way or another. Generally people use their intelligence in trying to gratify their senses, but even an ant can do this. We should try to gratify not our senses but Krsna's senses. Then we become perfect.

   We have to learn this purificatory process from a sadhu. Inasmuch as we try to gratify our senses, we become attached to the material world. We may render service to the sadhu or to Krsna. The sadhu is the representative of Krsna. He will never say, "Serve me," but will say, "Serve Krsna." Therefore we have to approach Krsna through the sadhu. This is confirmed by the Vaisnava acarya Narottama dasa Thakura: chadiya vaisnava-seva nistara payeche keba. We cannot directly approach Krsna; we have to go through the transparent via media, Krsna's representative.

   Those who are after material concessions go to different demigods. They take something from Siva, Durga, Kali, Ganesa, Surya and whomever. However, it was the goddess Parvati who asked Lord Siva, "What is the best type of worship?" Lord Siva advised, aradhananam sarvesam visnor aradhanam param (Padma Purana). "My dear Parvati, of all kinds of worship, worship of Lord Visnu is the best." Then he added: tasmat parataram devi tadiyanam samarcanam. "And even better than the worship of Lord Visnu is the worship of a Vaisnava, a devotee."

   Spiritual life begins with the association of a devotee, a sadhu. One cannot progress an inch without the mercy of a sadhu. Prahlada Maharaja has also indicated this:

 

                  naisam matis tavad urukramanghrim

                   sprsaty anarthapagamo yad-arthah

                    mahiyasam pada-rajo-'bhisekam

                    niskincananam na vrnita yavat

 

   "Unless they smear upon their bodies the dust of the lotus feet of a Vaisnava completely freed from material contamination, persons very much inclined toward materialistic life cannot be attached to the lotus feet of the Lord, who is glorified for His uncommon activities. Only by becoming Krsna conscious and taking shelter at the lotus feet of the Lord in this way can one be freed from material contamination." (Bhag. 7.5.32) Hiranyakasipu asked Prahlada Maharaja, "My dear son Prahlada, how have you become so advanced in Krsna consciousness?" Although Hiranyakasipu was a demon, he was nonetheless inquisitive. Prahlada Maharaja replied, "My dear father, O best of the asuras, one can receive Krsna consciousness only from the instructions of a guru. One cannot attain it simply by speculating. Ordinary men do not know that their ultimate destination is to return to Visnu." In the material world, people are always hoping for something. They hope against hope, yet their hopes will never be fulfilled. People are trying to become happy by adjusting the external energy, but they do not know that happiness cannot be achieved without approaching God. People are thinking, "I must first of all see to my own interest." That's all right, but what is that interest? That they do not know. People are thinking that by adjusting the material energy they will be happy, and everyone is trying this individually, collectively or nationally. In any case, it is not possible. People will ultimately be frustrated. Why attempt a process that will ultimately meet with frustration? It is therefore said: adanta-gobhir visatam tamisram punah punas carvita-carvananam (Bhag. 7.5.30). People are being baffled in so many ways because they cannot control their senses. Their only possibility of rescue is Krsna. Therefore in this verse it is said: mayy ananyena bhavena bhaktim kurvanti ye drdham.

   Prahlada Maharaja simply thought of Krsna. Because of this, he had to undergo a great deal of trouble given by his father. Material nature will not give us freedom very easily. If we become strong enough to try to capture the lotus feet of Krsna, maya will try to keep us under her clutches. However, if one gives up everything for Krsna's sake, maya can have no effect. The most excellent example of this is the gopis. They gave up everything--family, prestige and honor--just to follow Krsna. That is the highest perfection, but that is not possible for ordinary living entities. We should, however, follow the Gosvamis in their determination to worship Krsna.

   Sanatana Gosvami was an important minister in the government of Hussain Shah, but he gave up everything to follow Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He adopted the life of a mendicant and lived under a different tree every night. One may ask, "After giving up material enjoyment, how can one live?" The Gosvamis lived by dipping into the ocean of the transcendental loving affairs between Krsna and the gopis. Since that was their asset, they could live very peacefully. We cannot simply give up everything. We will become mad if we try to give up everything without having staunch faith in Krsna. Yet if we find Krsna's association, we can easily give up our opulent positions--our family, business and everything. However, that requires sadhu-sanga, association with a sadhu, a devotee. When we associate with a devotee, the day will eventually come when we can give up everything and become liberated persons, fit to return home, back to Godhead.

   presently we are attached to material enjoyment, and Krsna even gives us a chance to gratify our senses. He lets us enjoy ourselves to the fullest extent because we have come to this material world to enjoy sense gratification. However, this is called maya, illusion. It is not really enjoyment, but simply struggle. When one realizes that he is simply struggling life after life, that there is actually no real enjoyment in the material world, one becomes a devotee of Krsna. That realization requires knowledge, and that knowledge can be acquired by association with a sadhu, a devotee.

   Freedom from this struggle with material existence is further explained by Lord Kapila in the next verse.

 

                               TEXT 23

 

                       mad-asrayah katha mrstah

                        srnvanti kathayanti ca

                        tapanti vividhas tapa

                       naitan mad-gata-cetasah

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Engaged constantly in chanting and hearing about Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the sadhus do not suffer from material miseries because they are always filled with thoughts of My pastimes and activities.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   There are multifarious miseries in material existence--those pertaining to the body and the mind, those imposed by other living entities and those imposed by natural disturbances. But a sadhu is not disturbed by such miserable conditions because his mind is always filled with Krsna consciousness, and thus he does not like to talk about anything but the activities of the Lord. Maharaja Ambarisa did not speak of anything but the pastimes of the Lord. Vacamsi vaikuntha-gunanuvarnane. He engaged his words only in glorification of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Ordinary conditioned souls, being forgetful of the activities of the Lord, are always full of anxieties and material tribulations. On the other hand, since the devotees always engage in the topics of the Lord, they are forgetful of the miseries of material existence. Thus they differ from other living entities, who are simply suffering.

   There is no one in the world materially engaged who can boldly say, "I am not suffering." I challenge anyone to say this. Everyone in the material world is suffering in some way or another. If not, why are so many drugs being advertised? On the television they are always advertising tranquilizers and pain killers, and in America and in other Western countries they are so advanced that there are dozens of tablets for various pains. Therefore there must be some suffering. Actually, anyone who has a material body has to accept suffering. There are three types of suffering in the material world: adhyatmika, adhibhautika and adhidaivika. Adhyatmika refers to the body and mind. Today I have a headache or some pain in my back, or my mind is not very quiet. These are sufferings called adhyatmika. There are other forms of suffering called adhibhautika, which are sufferings imposed by other living entities. Apart from this, there are sufferings called adhidaivika, over which we have no control whatsoever. These are caused by the demigods or acts of nature, and include famine, pestilence, flood, excessive heat or excessive cold, earthquakes, fire and so on. Nonetheless, we are thinking that we are very happy within this material world, although in addition to these threefold miseries there is also birth, old age, disease and death. So where is our happiness? Because we are under the spell of maya, we are thinking that our position is very secure. We are thinking, "Let us enjoy life," but what kind of enjoyment is this?

   Obviously we have to tolerate suffering. One of the characteristics of a sadhu is tolerance. Everyone is tolerant to a degree, but a sadhu's tolerance and an ordinary man's tolerance are different. This is because a sadhu knows that he is not the body. According to a Bengali Vaisnava song: deha-smrti nahi yara samsara-bandhana kahan tara.

   If we properly understand that we are not the body, although we may suffer, we will not feel the suffering as acutely. For instance, if one thinks, "This is my car," and is very attached to it, he suffers more when it is wrecked than a person who thinks, "It can be repaired, or I can leave it." It is a question of mental absorption. Because he is more like an animal, a materialist suffers more. The devotee, on the other hand, takes Krsna's advice in Bhagavad-gita (2.14):

 

                      matra-sparsas tu kaunteya

                       sitosna-sukha-duhkha-dah

                         agamapayino 'nityas

                       tams titiksasva bharata

 

   "O son of Kunti, the nonpermanent appearance of happiness and distress and their disappearance in due course are like the appearance and disappearance of winter and summer seasons. They arise from sense perception, O scion of Bharata, and one must learn to tolerate them without being disturbed."

   In summer we suffer, and in winter we suffer. In the summer, fire brings suffering, and in the winter the same fire is pleasing. Similarly, in the winter, water is suffering, but in the summer it is pleasing. The water and the fire are the same, but sometimes they are pleasing, sometimes they are not. This is due to the touch of the skin. We all have some "skin disease," which is the body, and therefore we are suffering. Because we have become such rascals, we are thinking, "I am this body." According to the Ayur-vedic system, the body is composed of three material elements: kapha-pitta-vayu. The more we are in the bodily conception, the more we suffer.

   Presently so many "ism's" are being developed according to the bodily conception--nationalism, communism, socialism, communalism and so on. In Calcutta during the 1947 Hindu-Muslim riots, there was more suffering because everyone was thinking, "I am a Hindu" or "I am a Muslim." But, if one is advanced in Krsna consciousness, he will not fight according to such conceptions, A Krsna conscious person knows that he is neither Hindu nor Muslim but the eternal servant of Krsna. Because people are being educated to become more body conscious, their sufferings are increasing. If we reduce the bodily conception, suffering will also be reduced. Those who are Krsna conscious, who are always thinking of Krsna within their minds and within their hearts, are not suffering as much because they know that whatever they might suffer is due to Krsna's desire. Therefore they welcome suffering. For instance, when Krsna was leaving, Queen Kunti said, "My dear Krsna, when we were in a dangerous situation, You were always present as our friend and adviser. Now we are well situated with our kingdom, and now You are leaving for Dvaraka. This is not good. It is better that we again suffer so that we can always remember You." Thus the devotee sometimes welcomes suffering as an opportunity to remember Krsna constantly. When a devotee suffers, he thinks, "This is due to my past misdeeds. Actually I should be suffering a great deal, but due to Krsna's grace I am suffering just a little. After all, suffering and enjoyment are in the mind." In this way, a devotee is not greatly affected by suffering, and this is the difference between a devotee and a nondevotee.

   Prahlada Maharaja, a five-year-old boy, had to undergo a great deal of suffering at the hands of his father, who was torturing him for being a devotee. The boy was trampled by elephants, thrown from a mountain, placed in burning oil and thrown into a snake pit, yet he was silent during this whole ordeal. Similarly, Haridasa Thakura, a Muhammadan by birth, was a very great devotee and was always chanting Hare Krsna. That was his only fault. However, the Muslim Kazi called him forth and said, "You are a Muhammadan, born in a great Muhammadan family, yet you are chanting this Hindu Hare Krsna mantra. What is this?" Haridasa Thakura mildly replied, "My dear sir, there are many Hindus who have become Muhammadans. Suppose I have become a Hindu? What is wrong with this?" The Kazi became very angry and ordered Haridasa Thakura to be whipped in twenty-two bazaars. This essentially meant that he was to be beaten to death, but because he was such a great devotee he did not actually feel the pain. Although a devotee may sometimes have to suffer, he tolerates the suffering. At the same time, he is very kind to conditioned souls and tries to elevate them to Krsna consciousness. This is one of the primary features of a devotee's life. People are always putting a sadhu into difficulties, but he does not give up his job, which is to spread Krsna consciousness so that others may become happy. It was Prahlada Maharaja who said: "My Lord, I am not suffering, for I know the art of being happy." How is this? "Simply by hearing about You and chanting about You I am happy." This is the business of a devotee--hearing and chanting about the Lord. This is sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam. Now this sravanam kirtanam is taking place all over the world through the Krsna consciousness movement.

   Even in ordinary life it is possible for the mind to be absorbed in such a way that even a surgical operation may not disturb a man. Years ago, when Stalin had to undergo a surgical operation, he refused the use of chloroform. If this is possible even in an ordinary materialistic life, what to speak of spiritual life? One's mind should always be absorbed in Krsna consciousness, in thinking of Krsna. It is Krsna's injunction, "Always think of Me." The European and American youths in the Krsna consciousness movement have been accustomed to many bad habits since birth, but now they have given these up. Many people think that it is impossible to live without illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating and gambling. One famous Marquess told one of my Godbrothers, "Please make me a brahmana." My Godbrother said, "Yes, it is not a very difficult thing. Simply give up these bad habits--intoxication, illicit sex, meat-eating and gambling. Then you can become a brahmana." The Marquess then said, "Impossible! This is our life." Actually we have seen that in Western countries older men cannot give up these habits, and because of this they are suffering, yet many young boys and girls have given them up, and there is no suffering. This is due to Krsna consciousness.

   This process is open to everyone. Everyone has heard of the Bhagavad-gita. We can attain perfection simply by following the instructions given in this book. It is not necessary to abandon our responsibilities. Maharaja Ambarisa was a great emperor administering to his kingdom, yet at the same time he spoke only of Krsna. Caitanya Mahaprabhu requested that His devotees only talk about Krsna. If we simply talk about Krsna and hear about Him, the stage will come when we will no longer suffer. This is called anandamayo 'bhyasat in the Vedanta-sutra. The living entity and Krsna are both anandamaya, transcendentally blissful. On that platform, there is no possibility of material suffering. It is not a question of displaying some magical feats. The greatest magic is freedom from suffering, and this is the freedom of a devotee. When we feel pleasure from hearing about Krsna and talking about Him, we should know that we are making progress on the path of perfection. At that time, material suffering will not be felt at all. This is the practical effect of rendering devotional service, which Lord Kapila is pointing out to His mother.

 

                               TEXT 24

 

                        ta ete sadhavah sadhvi

                        sarva-sanga-vivarjitah

                    sangas tesv atha te prarthyah

                        sanga-dosa-hara hi te

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   O My mother, O virtuous lady, these are the qualities of great devotees who are free from all attachment. You must seek attachment to such holy men, for this counteracts the pernicious effects of material attachment.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Kapila Muni herein advises His mother, Devahuti, that if she wants to be free from material attachment, she should increase her attachment for the sadhus, or devotees who are completely freed from all material attachment. In Bhagavad-gita (15.5) it is stated, nirmana-moha jita-sanga-dosah. This refers to one who is completely freed from the puffed up condition of material possessiveness. A person may be materially very rich or respectable, but if he at all wants to transfer himself to the spiritual kingdom, back home, back to Godhead, he has to be freed from material possessiveness because that is a false position.

   The word moha used here means the false understanding that one is rich or poor. In this material world, the conception that one is very rich or very poor--or any such consciousness in connection with material existence--is false, because this body itself is temporary. A pure soul who is prepared to be freed from this material entanglement must first be free from the association of the three modes of nature. Our consciousness at the present moment is polluted because of association with the three modes of nature; therefore in Bhagavad-gita the same principle is stated. It is advised, jita-sanga-dosah: one should be freed from the contaminated association of the three modes. Here also, in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, this is confirmed: a pure devotee, who is preparing to transfer himself to the spiritual kingdom, is also freed from the association of the three modes. We have to seek the association of such devotees. For this reason we have begun the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. There are many mercantile and scientific associations in human society established to develop a particular type of education or consciousness, but there is no association which helps one to get free from all material association. If anyone wishes to become free from this material contamination, he has to seek the association of devotees, wherein Krsna consciousness is exclusively cultured.

   Because a devotee is freed from all contaminated material association, he is not affected by the miseries of material existence, even though he appears to be in the material world. How is it possible? A cat carries her kittens in her mouth, and when she kills a rat, she also carries the booty in her mouth. Thus both are carried in the mouth of the cat, but they are in different conditions. The kitten feels comfort in the mouth of the mother, whereas when the rat is carried in the mouth of the cat, the rat feels the blows of death. Similarly, those who are sadhus, or devotees engaged in the transcendental service of the Lord, do not feel the contamination of material miseries, whereas those who are not devotees in Krsna consciousness actually feel the miseries of material existence. One should therefore give up the association of materialistic persons and seek the association of those engaged in Krsna consciousness. By such association one will be benefited by spiritual advancement. By their words and instructions, one will be able to cut off his attachment to material existence.

   In this Kali-yuga, the present age, the dangerous modes of rajo-guna and tamo-guna, passion and ignorance, are especially prominent. Practically everyone in this age is contaminated by lusty desire, greed and ignorance. It is said in the sastras that in this age of Kali, sattva-guna, the mode of goodness, is practically nonexistent.

   The Fourteenth Chapter of Bhagavad-gita nicely explains how one can free oneself of contamination by the material modes. Now Kapiladeva advises, "Mother, if you want to get rid of the contamination of material nature, you should associate with a sadhu." Attachment to the material modes brings about our bondage. If we want to be free from this bondage, we have to transfer our attachment to a sadhu.

   Actually everyone is attached to something. No one can say that he is free from attachment. The Mayavada and Buddhist philosophies tell us to become detached, but this in itself is not possible. A child is attached to playing in so many ways, but gradually his attachments should be transferred to reading and going to school to acquire an education. It is a question not of stopping attachment but of transferring it. If one simply tries to put an end to attachment, he will become mad. Something must be given in the place of attachment. For instance, we tell our disciples to stop eating meat, but how is this meat-eating stopped? In the place of meat, we are supplying kacauris, rasagulla and many other palatable things. In this way, detachment is possible. First of all, nullify the inferior attachment, and then supply a better attachment. There is no question of forcing a living entity. This must be done gradually. A child may have some attachment, but by the system of replacing attachment, his attachment is overturned. Similarly, our consciousness has somehow or other become contaminated. Now it has to be purified. Then Krsna consciousness will automatically arise and awaken.

   Krsna consciousness is our original consciousness, but somehow or other it has become covered by material attachment. The question is how to give up material attachment and become attached to Krsna. The process is sadhu-sanga, association with a sadhu. We have many attachments in this material world, but we cannot make these attachments void. We simply have to purify them. Some say that if the eye is diseased, it should be plucked out, but that is not treatment. Treatment is removing the disease. Somehow or other there is a cataract, and if the cataract is removed, one's eyesight will be revived. We have many desires, but we have to divert these desires to Krsna's service. For instance, we may be very attached to making money; therefore Krsna says, "Yes, go ahead and conduct your business. There is no harm. Simply give Me the results." As stated in Bhagavad-gita (9.27):

 

                        yat karosi yad asnasi

                        yaj juhosi dadasi yat

                        yat tapasyasi kaunteya

                       tat kurusva mad-arpanam

 

   "O son of Kunti, all that you do, all that you eat, all that you offer and give away, as well as all austerities that you may perform, should be done as an offering unto Me."

   This is the beginning of bhakti-yoga. If we conduct business and earn money, we should spend it for Krsna. This is a form of bhakti. Another vivid example is Arjuna, who was a fighter. By fighting, he became a devotee. He did not become a devotee by chanting Hare Krsna but by fighting in the Battle of Kuruksetra. Krsna advised him to fight, but because Arjuna was a Vaisnava, in the beginning he was unwilling. A Vaisnava does not like to kill anything, but if Krsna orders him, he must fight. He does not fight out of his own will, because a Vaisnava's natural instinct is not to do harm to anyone. However, when a Vaisnava knows that Krsna wants a particular thing done, he does not care for his own considerations. In any case, everyone has some particular type of duty, an occupation. If we perform our occupation in the worship of Krsna, our life will be perfect. This is also the instruction given in Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.2.13):

 

                      atah pumbhir dvija-srestha

                        varnasrama-vibhagasah

                       svanusthitasya dharmasya

                       samsiddhir hari-tosanam

 

   "O best of the twice-born, it is therefore concluded that the highest perfection one can achieve by discharging the duties prescribed for one's own occupation according to caste divisions and orders of life is to please the Personality of Godhead."

   Formerly, the varnasrama-dharma was prominent, and everyone had a particular duty according to his position in society. Now the occupational duties have expanded, but it doesn't matter whether one is an engineer, a doctor or whatever. Simply try to serve Krsna by the results of work. That is bhakti. It is not the philosophy of this Krsna consciousness movement to disengage people from their activities. One should engage in his occupation, but one should never forget Krsna. Krsna advises us to always become Krsna conscious, and we should always think that we are acting for Krsna. Of course, we should work by the order of Krsna or His representative, not whimsically. If we perform some nonsensical action and think, "I am doing this for Krsna," that will not be accepted. The work must be verified by Krsna's acceptance or by the acceptance of Krsna's representative. Arjuna did not fight without Krsna's order; therefore we must receive our orders also. We may say, "I cannot find Krsna. How can I follow His order?" It is the role of the sadhu to impart Krsna's orders. Since Krsna's representative is the sadhu, Kapiladeva advises His mother to associate with sadhus.

   We have described the symptoms of a sadhu, and we have stated that a sadhu should be accepted by his characteristics. It is not that we accept anyone who comes along and says, "I am a sadhu." The characteristics of a sadhu have to be present. Similarly, it is not that anyone is accepted who comes along and says, "I am an incarnation of God." There are characteristics of God given in the sastras. Sadhu-sanga, association with a sadhu, is very essential in Krsna consciousness. People are suffering due to contamination by tamo-guna and rajo-guna. The sadhu teaches one how to remain purely in sattva-guna by truthfulness, cleanliness, mind control, sense control, simplicity, tolerance, and full faith and knowledge. These are some of the characteristics of sattva-guna.

   Instead of thinking, "Unless I have a drink, I will go mad," one should think, "Unless I associate with a sadhu, I will go mad." When we can think in this way, we will become liberated. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has stated that He wants every village in the entire world to be a center for Krsna consciousness so that people can take advantage of sadhus and in turn become sadhus. This is the mission of this Krsna consciousness movement. We simply have to voluntarily undergo some penance in the beginning. It may be a little painful in the beginning to refrain from illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating and gambling, but one has to be tolerant. To be cured of a disease, we may have to agree to undergo some surgical operation. Although the operation may be very painful, we have to tolerate it. This is called titiksavah. At the same time, we have to be karunikah--that is, we have to take compassion upon fallen souls by going from town to town to enlighten others in Krsna consciousness. This is a sadhu's duty. Those who are preachers are superior to those who go to the Himalayas to meditate. It is good to go to the Himalayas to meditate for one's personal benefit, but those who undergo many difficulties in order to preach are superior. They are actually fighting for Krsna's sake, and they are certainly more compassionate. Those sadhus who leave Vrndavana to go fight in the world, to spread Krsna consciousness, are superior sadhus. This is the opinion of Krsna in Bhagavad-gita (18.68-69):

 

                        ya idam paramam guhyam

                      mad-bhaktesv abhidhasyati

                       bhaktim mayi param krtva

                       mam evaisyaty asamsayah

 

                        na ca tasman manusyesu

                       kascin me priya-krttamah

                       bhavita na ca me tasmad

                        anyah priyataro bhuvi

 

   "For one who explains the supreme secret to the devotees, devotional service is guaranteed, and at the end he will come back to Me. There is no servant in this world more dear to Me than he, nor will there ever be one more dear."

   If we want to be quickly recognized by Krsna, we should become preachers. This is also the message of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. It is not that one should remain in India; rather, one should travel all over the world to preach Krsna consciousness. The sadhu is suhrt; he is the well-wisher of everyone. This does not mean that he is a well-wisher for an Indian nationalist or whatever. No, he is a well-wisher even of cats and dogs. A devotee even wishes to benefit cats and dogs by giving them prasada. Once, when devotees from Bengal were going to see Caitanya Mahaprabhu, a dog began to follow them, and the leader of the party, Sivananda Sena, was giving prasada to the dog. When they had to cross a river, the boatman would not take the dog, but Sivananda Sena paid him more money and said, "Please take this dog. He is a Vaisnava, for he has joined our company. How can we leave him behind?" Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself actually threw some of His food to the dog, and in this way the dog attained Vaikuntha.

   Not only is a sadhu everyone's well-wisher, but he is not an enemy of anyone. He is also santa, peaceful. These are the preliminary characteristics of a sadhu. He is also attached to no one but Krsna. Mayy ananyena bhavena. These are the external and internal symptoms of a devotee. A devotee also respects the demigods because he knows their position in relation to Krsna. In Brahma-samhita (5.44), the goddess Durga is worshiped as the external energy, or potency, of Krsna.

 

               srsti-sthiti-pralaya-sadhana-saktir eka

                chayeva yasya bhuvanani bibharti durga

                 icchanurupam api yasya ca cestate sa

                govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami

 

   "The external potency, maya, who is of the nature of the shadow of the cit, spiritual, potency, is worshiped by all people as Durga, the creating, preserving and destroying agency of this mundane world. I adore the primeval Lord Govinda, in accordance with whose will Durga conducts herself."

   The goddess Durga is so powerful that she can create, maintain and annihilate. However, she cannot act independent of Krsna. She is like a shadow of Krsna. A sadhu knows that prakrti, nature, is working under Krsna's direction. Similarly, a policeman knows that he is not working independently but under government orders. This knowledge is required in order that the policeman, who has some power, will not think that he has become God. No, God is not so cheap. God has multienergies, and one of these energies is Durga. It is not that she is all and all, for there are many millions of Durgas, just as there are many millions of Sivas and millions of universes. Although there are millions of demigods, God is one. It is not that there are a million Gods. Of course, God can expand in millions of forms, but that is different. A devotee offers respects to the demigods as the assistants of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, not as the supreme power. One who does not know God as He is considers the demigods to be supreme. Such people are less intelligent. A devotee offers respects to the demigods, but he knows that the Supreme Lord is Krsna. Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam. Actually a sadhu, a Vaisnava, offers respects to everyone, and he is ready to give up relatives and everything else for Krsna's sake. A sadhu simply takes pleasure in hearing about Krsna and talking about Him.

   There are many pastimes enacted by Krsna. He fights and kills demons, and He performs His pastimes with the gopis. He plays as a cowherd boy in Vrndavana and as King of Dvaraka. There are many books about Krsna, krsna-katha, and this Krsna consciousness movement has already published many of them. Apart from Bhagavad-gita, which is spoken by Krsna, we can read these other books. In this way, one can learn the art of becoming a sadhu. Simply by hearing about Krsna and speaking about Him, we will be immediately relieved from the suffering of this material condition.

   As stated in this verse:

 

                        ta ete sadhavah sadhvi

                        sarva-sanga-vivarjitah

 

   These symptoms are visible when one no longer has material attachment. A sadhu does not think himself Hindu, Muslim, Christian, American, Indian or whatever. A sadhu simply thinks, "I am the servant of Krsna." Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has said, "I am not a brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, brahmacari or whatever. I am simply the servant of the servant of the servant of Krsna." One need only learn this process in order to render the best service to humanity.

 

                            Chapter Twelve

          Association with the Supreme Lord Through Hearing

 

                             TEXTS 25-26

 

                  satam prasangan mama virya-samvido

                 bhavanti hrt-karna-rasayanah kathah

                  taj josanad asv apavarga-vartmani

                 sraddha ratir bhaktir anukramisyati

 

                 bhaktya puman jata-viraga aindriyad

                   drsta-srutan mad-racananucintaya

                  cittasya yatto grahane yoga-yukto

                    yatisyate rjubhir yoga-margaih

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   In the association of pure devotees, discussion of the pastimes and activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is very pleasing and satisfying to the ear and the heart. By cultivating such knowledge one gradually becomes advanced on the path of liberation, and thereafter he is freed, and his attraction becomes fixed. Then real devotion and devotional service begin.

   Thus consciously engaged in devotional service in the association of devotees, a person gains distaste for sense gratification, both in this world and in the next, by constantly thinking about the activities of the Lord. This process of Krsna consciousness is the easiest process of mystic power; when one is actually situated on that path of devotional service, he is able to control the mind.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The process of advancing in Krsna consciousness and devotional service is described here. The first point is that one must seek the association of persons who are Krsna conscious and who engage in devotional service. Without such association one cannot advance. Simply by theoretical knowledge or study one cannot make any appreciable advancement. One must give up the association of materialistic persons and seek the association of devotees because without such association one cannot understand the activities of the Lord. Generally, people are convinced of the impersonal feature of the Absolute Truth. Because they do not associate with devotees, they cannot understand that the Absolute Truth can be a person and have personal activities. This is a very difficult subject matter, and unless one has personal understanding of the Absolute Truth, there is no meaning to devotion. Service or devotion cannot be offered to anything impersonal. Service must be offered to a person. Nondevotees cannot appreciate Krsna consciousness by reading the Srimad-Bhagavatam or any other Vedic literature wherein the activities of the Lord are described; they think that these activities are fictional, because spiritual life is not explained to them in the proper mood. To understand the personal activities of the Lord, one has to seek the association of devotees, and by such association, when one contemplates and tries to understand the transcendental activities of the Lord, the path to liberation is open, and he is freed. One who has firm faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead becomes fixed, and his attraction for association with the Lord and the devotees increases. Association with devotees means association with the Lord. The devotee who makes this association develops the consciousness for rendering service to the Lord, and then, being situated in the transcendental position of devotional service, he gradually becomes perfect.

   In all scriptures people are encouraged to act in a pious way so that they can enjoy sense gratification not only in this life but also in the next. For example, one is promised promotion to the heavenly kingdom of higher planets by pious fruitive activities. But a devotee in the association of devotees prefers to contemplate the activities of the Lord--how He has created this universe, how He is maintaining it, how the creation dissolves, and how in the spiritual kingdom the Lord's pastimes are enacted. There are full literatures describing these activities, especially Bhagavad-gita, Brahma-samhita and Srimad-Bhagavatam. The sincere devotee who associates with devotees gets the opportunity to hear and contemplate these subjects, and the result is that he feels distaste for so-called happiness in this or that world, in heaven or on other planets. The devotees are simply interested in being transferred to the personal association of the Lord; they are no longer attracted to temporary so-called happiness. That is the position of one who is yoga-yukta. One who is fixed in mystic power is not disturbed by the allurement of this world or that world; he is interested in spiritual understanding. This is very easily attained by the easiest process, bhakti-yoga. Rjubhir yoga-margaih. A very suitable word used here is rjubhih, or "very easy." There are different processes of yoga-marga, attaining yoga perfection, but this process, devotional service to the Lord, is the easiest. Not only is it the easiest process, but the result is sublime. Everyone, therefore, should try this process of Krsna consciousness and reach the highest perfection.

   Sat means "existence," and asat means "that which does not exist," that which is temporary. The material world is asat; therefore the Vedas enjoin: asato ma sad gama: "Do not remain within this material world." Those who are interested in materialistic life are also called asat. When asked how a Vaisnava behaves, Caitanya Mahaprabhu replied, asat-sanga-tyaga--ei vaisnava-acara: "A devotee first of all avoids the company of asat, those who are materially interested." (Cc. Madhya 22.87) We have established this Krsna consciousness movement in order to avoid asat-sanga, association with those who are interested in material things. Because we are associating with Krsna, we do not wish to talk about anything but Krsna. Everyone is interested in this business or that, and we are exclusively interested in our Krsna consciousness business. Those who are asat are very much attached to sense gratification, and the culmination of sense gratification is sex.

   In addition, Sri Sanatana Gosvami in his Hari-bhakti-vilasa recommends that one should not hear Bhagavad-gita, the puranas, the Srimad-Bhagavatam or any hari-katha from anyone who is not a Vaisnava in his actions. That means that we should not hear these Vedic literatures from the Mayavadis, who actually do not accept Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. How can one not accept Krsna as the Supreme Lord and yet dare to speak on Bhagavad-gita? We will never derive any benefit from listening to the commentaries of such people. Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam should be heard from the devotees. We can hear Bhagavad-gita from Mayavadis for hundreds of years and yet never understand Krsna. It is therefore forbidden for Vaisnavas to hear talks given by Mayavadis.

   Hari-katha, talks about Sri Hari, or Krsna, are amrta, nectar. If one hears them from the right source, he attains amrta (so 'mrtatvaya kalpate). Mrta means "birth and death," and amrta means "the cessation of birth and death." Spiritual life means putting an end to birth, old age, disease and death. Getting amrta, nectar, means getting relief from birth and death, and that is the real aim of spiritual life. Lord Krsna says in Bhagavad-gita (7.16) that spiritual life begins when one is pious:

 

                       catur-vidha bhajante mam

                        janah sukrtino 'rjuna

                       arto jijnasur artharthi

                        jnani ca bharatarsabha

 

   "O best among the Bharatas [Arjuna], four kinds of pious men render devotional service unto Me--the distressed, the desirer of wealth, the inquisitive, and he who is searching for knowledge of the Absolute."

   If we actually want to become pious and develop our devotional life, we have to associate unflinchingly with a sadhu. Then we can acquire some taste for Krsna. When we discuss Krsna with a sadhu, the discussion becomes very pleasing, and we develop some taste, which is called rasa, or mellow. Rasa is the enjoyment we derive from drinking something very nice when we are thirsty. Krsna has instructed us to think of Him when drinking water. This is not very difficult. Krsna also tells us to think of Him when we see sunlight in the morning. Why do we say, "Can you show me God?" God is showing us Himself. Why do we close our eyes to try to see Him? He says, "I am this, and I am that." It is not that suddenly we can expect to see God, but we can become qualified to see God through the association of a sadhu. Presently many people are interested in receiving degrees from big universities, but education without God consciousness is simply an expansion of maya's influence. Because knowledge is taken away by illusion, the universities are simply presenting impediments on the path of God consciousness. The living entity is already illusioned when he comes into the material world, and so-called advanced education simply increases his illusion. Trying to become happy in this temporary, material life, the living entity has forgotten that he is the eternal servant of Krsna. Even if one becomes happy in this temporary life, his happiness is an illusion because no one is allowed to stay and enjoy his happiness. These points have to be understood in the association of devotees. A devotee knows everything because he has seen the Supreme Absolute Truth, Krsna.

   What is the goal of vedanta-darsana? Veda means "knowledge," and anta means "ultimate." What is that ultimate knowledge? In Bhagavad-gita (15.15) Sri Krsna says:

 

                   vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyo

                    vedanta-krd veda-vid eva caham

 

   "By all the Vedas, I am to be known; indeed, I am the compiler of Vedanta, and I am the knower of the Vedas."

   If we listen to Krsna and understand what and who He is, we can actually understand Vedanta. If we do not understand Krsna but advertise ourselves as Vedantists, we are just being illusioned. Without understanding Krsna, one is actually a mudha, a fool. People do not know it, but actually anyone in the material world is more or less a mudha. We are all mudhas, for unless we are mudhas, we do not come into the material world. From Brahma down to the smallest ant, we are all mudhas of different degrees. In order to become really learned, we have to associate with devotees. Then we can actually relish krsna-katha. When discussed among devotees, krsna-katha is pleasing to the heart and ear. This requires a little training, and this training is given by the devotees. We should follow the devotees in their practical daily life, in their routine work and behavior. Cultivation means practice, and the great acaryas have given a routine we can cultivate. For instance, The Nectar of Devotion by Srila Rupa Gosvami deals with the cultivation of devotional service, and this book, which we have translated, has been very well received in European and American universities. Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, The Nectar of Devotion, is the actual science of bhakti. Bhakti is not sentiment; it is a great science, and we have to learn it scientifically. lt is not that we have to wait for another life to cultivate devotional service. We can read The Nectar of Devotion, live with devotees, rise early in the morning to attend mangala-arati, study Vedic literature, take prasada and preach Krsna consciousness.

   Maya is very strong, and to begin devotional service is to declare war against maya. Some of the devotees in this Krsna consciousness movement may fall down, but whatever is done sincerely is to their permanent credit. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gita. If one renders a little devotional service, he does not fall down into the lower species but again attains a human form. There are 8,400,000 species, but the fallen devotee is guaranteed a human life. If one becomes Krsna conscious, he is assured of a good birth in the next life. However, if one completes his Krsna consciousness in this life, he will not take birth again but will go to Krsna. This is what is actually wanted. Why take the chance of being born into a rich family or a brahmana family? Actually, such a birth is quite risky because there is really no guarantee. Generally, those who are rich don't care at all for Krsna consciousness, and those who are born in brahmana families generally become puffed-up, thinking, "I am a brahmana. I am born in a very high family." Thinking this brings about their falldown. It is said that pride precedes a fall. A Vaisnava is by nature very humble.

   These are the chances one takes when one becomes a human being. Krsna is personally advising us to take up the opportunities offered by the Krsna consciousness movement. We should take them and not run the risk of committing spiritual suicide.

   This is the process for understanding the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Person, the Supreme Being. In the Absolute, there are no contradictions. Krsna's name, form, activities, paraphernalia and attributes are identical with Krsna. This is the meaning of absolute. There is no difference between Krsna's form and Krsna. Krsna's hands and Krsna's legs are nondifferent. In the material world, there is a difference between our left hand and our right hand, between the nose and the ear, but these dualities do not exist in Krsna. This is the meaning of absolute. As stated in Brahma-samhita (5.32):

 

                 angani yasya sakalendriya-vrttimanti

                pasyanti panti kalayanti ciram jaganti

                ananda-cinmaya-sad-ujjvala-vigrahasya

                govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami

 

   "I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, whose transcendental form is full of bliss, truth and substantiality, and is thus full of the most dazzling splendor. Each of the limbs of that transcendental figure possesses, in Himself, the full-fledged functions of all the organs, and eternally sees, maintains and manifests the infinite universes, both spiritual and mundane." The different parts of our bodies serve different purposes, but any limb of Krsna's body can serve any purpose. Krsna can eat through His eyes, or Krsna can go somewhere simply by thinking. The Absolute is advaita. There is no duality in the Absolute. Everything is one.

   Our material disease lies in wanting to satisfy our senses. We have stated before that advancement of civilization means advancement of sense gratification, but bhakti means just the opposite. As long as we are interested in sense gratification, there is no question of bhakti. We have to reduce our tendency for sense gratification and increase our devotional activities. We have also stated that material bondage means accepting one body and creating another. Krsna, through nature, will give us full facility to enjoy our senses. Presently in the Western countries it has become fashionable to run around naked. Therefore nature will give these people an opportunity to stand naked like trees for many years. Why are we receiving different bodies? Because we have different tendencies for sense gratification. We actually have to come to detest sense gratification before our spiritual life begins. This is made possible through bhakti. Although Krsna is beyond our vision, He has agreed to be seen by us through the arca-vigraha, the Deity. We should not think that the Deity is made of stone. Even if it is stone, we should think that Krsna has made Himself visible before us like a stone because we cannot see beyond stone. That is Krsna's mercy. Because our eyes and other senses are imperfect, we cannot see Krsna present everywhere in His original spiritual form. Because we are imperfect, we see the difference between things spiritual and material, but Krsna, being absolute, knows no such distinctions. He can become spiritual or material, however He likes, and it does not make any difference to Him. Being almighty and omnipotent, Krsna can change matter into spirit and spirit into matter. Therefore we should not think, as the atheists do, that we are worshiping idols. Even if it is an idol, it is still Krsna. That is the absolute nature of Krsna. Even if we think that the Deity is a stone, or a piece of metal or some wood, He is still Krsna. The understanding of this requires bhakti on our part. If we are a little thoughtful and philosophical, and if we are at all inclined toward bhakti, we can understand that Krsna is present in stone.

   Actually, nothing is different from Krsna because everything is Krsna's energy. The Mayavadi philosophers say that since everything is God, the personality of Krsna is finished. But actually Krsna is Krsna, and at the same time He is everything. We can understand this by bhakti, but not by any other process. When a bhakta sees a tree, he sees Krsna. As explained in Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya 8.274):

 

             sthavara jangama dekhe, na dekhe tara murti

                 sarvatra haya nija ista-deva-sphurti

 

   The advanced devotee does not see living entities as moving and not moving. He sees Krsna. This is also stated in the Brahma-samhita (5.38):

 

                premanjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena

                 santah sadaiva hrdayesu vilokayanti

 

   Because his eyes are always smeared with the ointment of devotion, the devotee always sees Krsna and nothing else. He sees Krsna and Krsna's energy everywhere. For instance, if you love your child, when you see your child's shoe, you immediately see your child. Or if you see your child's toy, you immediately see your child and hear his voice. Similarly, if we have actually developed love of Krsna, nothing exists but Krsna. When our love for Krsna is actually developed, whatever we see, we will see Krsna.

   Unless one is advanced in krsna-prema, love of Krsna, he cannot see or understand. By the blunt material senses, we cannot even understand the name of Krsna. People are always asking, "Why are these people chanting Hare Krsna?" They cannot understand, although Krsna realization begins with the name. The name of Krsna and Krsna are nondifferent, but we cannot realize this intellectually. We have to practice chanting Hare Krsna to realize it. When we actually advance in devotional service and chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra offenselessly, we will realize that Krsna and His name are nondifferent. Thus krsna-bhakti begins with the tongue, for we can utilize the tongue to chant, and to taste krsna-prasada. In this way we can become a Krsna bhakta.

   When we see the Deity of Krsna in the temple, we should think that the Deity is Krsna. In this way Krsna has agreed to be seen by us and even dressed by us. However, if we think of Krsna's virat-rupa, His universal form, what can we do? How can we dress the virat-rupa? His many heads cover the sky, and we cannot even conceive of Him. Krsna can become bigger than the biggest and smaller than the smallest. Therefore this verse states: bhaktya puman jata-viraga aindriyat. The more we serve Krsna, give Him things to eat and dress Him nicely, the less we become interested in our own bodies. In the material world everyone is very busy dressing himself very nicely in order to be sexually attractive, but if we try to dress Krsna nicely, we will forget our own material dress. If we feed Krsna nice food, we will forget to satisfy our own tongue by going to this or that restaurant.

   Krsna was teaching Bhagavad-gita, and Arjuna was seeing Him face to face, but seeing Krsna and reading Bhagavad-gita are the same. Some people say that Arjuna was fortunate to have seen Krsna face to face and take instructions from Him, but Krsna can be seen immediately, provided one has the eyes to see. There is the example in Caitanya-caritamrta of a brahmana in South India who was reading Bhagavad-gita, although he was illiterate. The people in the neighborhood knew that he was illiterate, and they made jokes, asking him, "Well, how is it you are reading Bhagavad-gita?" One day Caitanya Mahaprabhu happened to be in a temple nearby, and He could understand that this man was a devotee. He therefore approached him and asked, "My dear brahmana, what are you reading?" The brahmana replied, "I am reading Bhagavad-gita, or, rather, I am trying to read Bhagavad-gita. I happen to be illiterate, but my guru-maharaja has said that I must read the eighteen chapters of Bhagavad-gita daily. I am simply trying to carry out his order, and therefore I am opening and closing the pages." Caitanya Mahaprabhu then said, "I see that you are crying sometimes. Why is this?" The brahmana replied, "Yes, I am crying because when I take up this book, I see a picture of Krsna driving Arjuna's chariot. Sri Krsna is so kind that He has accepted the position of a servant to His devotee. Therefore when I see this picture, I weep." Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu then immediately embraced the brahmana and said, "You have actually read Bhagavad-gita."

   It is not that a wealth of education is required. One does not even have to understand the language. The only ingredient needed is bhakti, love. If one becomes a pure bhakta, he will forget all material sense enjoyment. Being a bhakta doesn't simply mean wearing tilaka and robes. One is not a bhakta if he has a taste for material sense enjoyment. A true bhakta wants to satisfy not his senses but the senses of Krsna. That is the spiritual world. In the spiritual world, Vrndavana, everyone--mother Yasoda, Nanda Maharaja, Srimati Radharani, the gopis, the cowherd boys, Sridama, Sudama, the land, the water, the trees, the birds--all are trying to satisfy Krsna. That is the real meaning of Vrndavana. When Krsna left Vrndavana for Mathura, everyone in Vrndavana fell dead out of separation from Him. Similarly, we can always live in Vrndavana, in Vaikuntha, if we are mad after Krsna. This is the teaching of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and He illustrated this by His very life. When He was in Jagannatha Puri, He was always mad after Krsna day and night. The last twelve years of His life were passed in madness. Sometimes He threw Himself into the ocean, and He wandered about like a madman. Of course, this is not possible for ordinary living entities. However, if we become bhaktas, we will find intelligence behind everything in the creation. If we take a flower and see its constitution, how it is made and how its colors are displayed and how it comes into existence, we can see Krsna. We can see how Krsna has created such a beautiful thing so intelligently. We should not consider like rascals that such a thing has come into being automatically. Fools cannot see, but those who are intelligent can see that the hand of the Supreme Lord is in everything within the creation. Isavasyam idam sarvam.

   Actually, nothing comes about automatically. Everything comes about through the intelligence of Krsna, through His fine and accurate powers. If we paint a picture of a flower, we have to arrange many facets, and still the picture will not be absolutely perfect. Yet the flower created by Krsna has come out perfectly. What rascal can say that there is no brain behind it? Krsna specifically says that we should not think that prakrti, nature, is working automatically. He says, "Nature is working under My direction." One simply has to develop the eyes to see how these things are going on. This is possible if we engage the senses in the service of Krsna. We first of all must engage the tongue in chanting Hare Krsna and in eating bhagavat-prasada. Nothing else is required. Therefore the Krsna consciousness movement is distributing prasada and engaging people in chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra.

 

                               TEXT 27

 

                     asevayayam prakrter gunanam

                    jnanena vairagya-vijrmbhitena

                   yogena mayy arpitaya ca bhaktya

                   mam pratyag-atmanam ihavarundhe

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Thus by not engaging in the service of the modes of material nature but by developing Krsna consciousness, knowledge in renunciation, and by practicing yoga, in which the mind is always fixed in devotional service unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one achieves My association in this very life, for I am the Supreme Personality, the Absolute Truth.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   When one engages in the nine different processes of bhakti-yoga enunciated in authoritative scriptures, such as hearing (sravanam), chanting (kirtanam), remembering, worshiping, praying and offering personal service--either in one of them or two or three or all of them--he naturally has no opportunity to engage in the service of the three modes of material nature. Unless one has good engagements in spiritual service, it is not possible to become detached from material service. Those who are not devotees, therefore, are interested in so-called humanitarian or philanthropic work, such as opening a hospital or charitable institution. These are undoubtedly good works in the sense that they are pious activities, and the performer may get some opportunities for sense gratification, either in this life or in the next. Devotional service, however, is beyond the boundary of sense gratification. It is a completely spiritual activity. When one engages in the spiritual activities of devotional service, he does not engage in sense gratificatory activities. Krsna conscious activities are performed not blindly but with the perfect understanding of knowledge and renunciation. This kind of yoga practice, in which the mind is always fixed upon the Supreme personality of Godhead in devotion, results in liberation in this very life. The person who performs such acts gets in touch with the Supreme personality of Godhead. Lord Caitanya, therefore, approved the process of hearing from realized devotees about the pastimes of the Lord. It does not matter to what mundane category the audience belongs. If one meekly and submissively hears about the activities of the Lord from a realized soul, he will be able to conquer the Supreme personality of Godhead, who is unconquerable by any other process. Hearing and associating with devotees are the most important functions for self-realization.

   In Goloka Vrndavana, the living entities are serving Krsna as friends, cowherd boys, gopis, lovers, fathers, mothers and so on. Even the trees, water, flowers, land, calves and cows serve Krsna in Goloka Vrndavana. This is also our business, but somehow or other we do not like to serve Krsna; therefore we have been put into the service of maya, in the three modes of material nature. When a criminal does not like to obey the laws of the state, he is placed into prison and forced to abide by the laws. Our constitutional position is to render service to Krsna as His part and parcel, and as soon as we refuse to render Him service, maya is immediately there to capture us and say, "Serve me." It is not our nature to become master. Even if we become master, we will not be happy, because that is artificial. For instance, if the hand thinks, "Oh, now I have some nice sweets. Now I can eat," the hand will ultimately be frustrated. It is the duty and nature of the hand to place the food in the mouth. In this way the hand is nourished; otherwise everything is spoiled. Similarly, we are part and parcel of Krsna, and our business is to satisfy Krsna. From the Vedas we understand that Cod, who is one, has become many. We are the many parts and parcels of Krsna. Svamsas are His personal expansions, and we are His differential expansions, vibhinnamsas. In any case, all expansions are meant to serve Krsna. This is explained in the Caitanya-caritamrta (Adi 5.142): ekale isvara krsna, ara saba bhrtya. "Lord Krsna alone is the supreme controller, and all others are His servants."

   It is our natural propensity to enjoy ourselves with Krsna. As stated before, Krsna is ananda-maya, and, being part and parcel of Krsna, we are also ananda-maya. Now we are seeking ananda (bliss) in different atmospheres. Because we have a little independence, we have decided to go to the prison house of material nature and try to serve our senses instead of Krsna. Now we have to learn how to forget to serve this material nature, and that process is bhakti-marga, the path of devotional service. When we come to the understanding that we are actually no one's servant but Krsna's, we attain self-realization. We must come to this understanding not by sentiment but by real knowledge. After many births and deaths, when one realizes that vasudevah sarvam iti--Vasudeva is all--he surrenders unto Krsna. This is real knowledge--jnana and vairagya, knowledge and detachment from material things.

   Once one engages fully in Krsna's service, he comes to the brahma-bhuta platform. Presently we are on the maya-bhuta platform, identifying ourselves with maya and working according to the modes of material nature. However, when one comes to the realization that he is spirit (aham brahmasmi), he will immediately become happy.

   Under the modes of material nature, we are being carried away by the waves of material nature, and we have no control over where we are going. Bhaktivinoda Thakura has stated: mayara vase, yaccha bhese', khaccha habudubu, bhai. We are like straws on the waves of the ocean, and we are fully under the control of the waves. Atheists shudder when they think that there is a next life, because their lives are sinful and they fear punishment in the next. There is a Bengali proverb about a person who thought, "I have committed so many sinful acts that Yamaraja will come and punish me. How can I avoid him?" Thinking about this some time, he decided, "Let me smear my body with stool. Then Yamaraja will not touch me." However, this is simply foolishness. We are under the control of maya, material nature, and it is not possible to avoid it. We have become infected by the disease of material nature, and no artificial means will save us. There is no way out other than surrender to Krsna. Krsna says that He will save us, even though we are very sinful.

   If we turn our attention to Krsna's service, to bhakti-yoga, we can force ourselves to give up all anarthas, unwanted things. We should get up early in the morning and engage ourselves in the service of Krsna; then gradually we will forget the service of maya. Bhakti-yoga is so strong that if we engage in it, maya's service will automatically be negated. This is called vairagya.

   Krsna is the original purusa, the original spirit, the original person. Everything has come from Krsna, and therefore He is purana, the oldest. No one is older than Krsna, but He is always young. That is Bhagavan. He is adi, the original source, the cause of all causes. Yet we never see Krsna as an old man. He is always fresh and youthful. Although Krsna was a great-grandfather at the Battle of Kuruksetra, He did not appear any older than a young man of twenty. Krsna is always a young boy, and those living entities in the spiritual universe also have spiritual bodies the same as Krsna's. In the Sixth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam we read that when the Vaikuntha-dutas came to take Ajamila, they were four-handed and very beautiful. In the spiritual world, there are four-handed living entities, and they are all nitya-mukta, eternally liberated.

   Unfortunately, we are now prisoners in this material world, and we presently have material bodies. These bodies are changing. Sometimes they are young and sometimes old. However, if we become Krsna conscious, we will not get another material body after leaving this body. We will go home, back to Godhead, and attain our original, spiritual body, which is the same kind of beautiful body that Krsna, Narayana, has. We should take this opportunity to become devotees of Krsna by following the processes of bhakti-yoga--sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam. pada-sevanam arcanam. We can take one or all of the nine processes of devotional service and make our lives successful. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has prescribed the most important process--sravanam. We need only hear, and that will make our lives successful.

 

                           Chapter Thirteen

                 Perfect Knowledge Through Surrender

 

                               TEXT 28

 

                           devahutir uvaca

                      kacit tvayy ucita bhaktih

                          kidrsi mama gocara

                        yaya padam te nirvanam

                         anjasanvasnava aham

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   On hearing this statement of the Lord, Devahuti inquired: What kind of devotional service is worth developing and practicing to help me easily and immediately attain the service of Your lotus feet?

 

                               PURPORT

 

   It is stated in Bhagavad-gita that no one is barred from rendering service to the Lord. Whether one is a woman or a laborer or a merchant, if he engages himself in the devotional service of the Lord, he is promoted to the highest perfectional state and goes back home, back to Godhead. The devotional service most suitable for different types of devotees is determined and fixed by the mercy of the spiritual master. Therefore in order to become free from the miseries of material nature, one should approach a bona fide spiritual master inquisitively and submissively. When Arjuna submitted to Krsna, he said, "My dear Krsna, now I no longer care to talk to You as a friend because friendly talks will not benefit me now." Generally we talk to a friend just to spend time, but when we approach a spiritual master, we should be submissive. Friends approach one another on an equal basis, but this is not the way to approach a spiritual master. Unless one is submissive, one cannot accept sublime instructions. Arjuna teaches us submission by giving up his friendly relationship with Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He says, "I have now become Your disciple. Please instruct me."

   We can speculate for many births, for many years, and yet not be able to understand the ultimate goal of life. Therefore the sastras all advise that we search out a guru. The word guru means "heavy" or "weighty." One who has much knowledge is heavy with knowledge. One should consider the bona fide guru in this way, and one should not think, "I know everything. Who can teach me?" No one can say such a thing, for everyone needs instruction.

   According to the Vedic system, a child is sent to a guru-kula to learn spiritual knowledge from the very beginning. When a child goes to a guru-kula, he becomes a brahmacari and works like a menial servant. He may be the son of a great brahmana or a great king; it doesn't matter. When one goes to a guru-kula, he immediately becomes the menial servant of the guru. If the guru orders him to perform some lowly service, he is prepared to do it. This is the business of a brahmacari. Even Krsna went to a guru-kula to teach us. There was no need for Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, to go to a guru-kula, but He did this simply to set an example. Caitanya Mahaprabhu also accepted a guru.

   Prakasananda Sarasvati was a very learned scholar, and he knew that Caitanya Mahaprabhu was also a great scholar, yet he criticized Caitanya Mahaprabhu for chanting and dancing, for Prakasananda Sarasvati felt that a sannyasi should devote his entire attention to the reading of Vedanta. He therefore considered Caitanya Mahaprabhu a sentimentalist, not a bona fide sannyasi. Prakasananda Sarasvati inquired, "Why aren't you reading Vedanta-sutra? Why are you chanting and dancing?" Caitanya Mahaprabhu replied: