Verse: Srimad Bhagvatam 8.12.35
Date: February 1st, 2018
Place: ISKCON Mayapur, India
Transcription: HG Radhikeswari Dasi
Edited: HG Anupama Madhavi Dasi and HG Devarsi Radhika Dasi
skanne retasi so ’paśyad
ātmānaṁ deva-māyayā
jaḍīkṛtaṁ nṛpa-śreṣṭha
sannyavartata kaśmalāt
SYNONYMS
skanne — when fully discharged; retasi — the semen; saḥ — Lord Śiva; apaśyat — saw; ātmānam — his own self; deva-māyayā — by the māyā of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; jaḍīkṛtam — had become victimized as a fool; nṛpa-śreṣṭha — O best of kings (Mahārāja Parīkṣit); sannyavartata — restrained himself further; kaśmalāt — from illusion.
TRANSLATION
O Mahārāja Parīkṣit, best of kings, when Lord Śiva had fully discharged semen, he could see how he himself had been victimized by the illusion created by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Thus, he restrained himself from any further māyā.
PURPORT
Once one is agitated by lusty desires upon seeing a woman, those desires increase more and more, but when semen is discharged in the act of sex, the lusty desires diminish. The same principle acted upon Lord Śiva. He was allured by the beautiful woman Mohinī-mūrti, but when his semen had been fully discharged, he came to his senses and realized how he had been victimized as soon as he saw the woman in the forest. If one is trained to protect his semen by observing celibacy, naturally he is not attracted by the beauty of a woman. If one can remain a brahmacārī, he saves himself so much trouble in material existence. Material existence means enjoying the pleasure of sexual intercourse (yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukham). If one is educated about sex life and is trained to protect his semen, he is saved from the danger of material existence.
LECTURE
Every word of Srimad Bhagavatam is non-different from Krishna. Therefore, we have to approach Srimad Bhagavatam with that understanding. Every sentence, every word of Srimad Bhagavatam is meant to uplift us spiritually.
KRISHNA IS ALL ATTRACTIVE
In this verse, the first thing that we have to consider is that Lord Shiva was not attracted by just any woman for sense gratification. He was actually attracted by the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
In that respect, I recall one incident from Lalita Madhava by Srila Rupa Goswami. When Krishna got married to Satyabhama; she was brought to Dwarka and thereafter, she was taken to the inner chamber of the palace.
Krishna became eager to see her. But in the Vedic culture, men do not generally go to the women’s area during the day. So, Krishna in order to go into the women’s area, dressed Himself like a woman. Uddhava saw this woman and he just couldn’t take his eyes off Her. Now, Uddhava became surprised by what’s happening to him and then he thought - “Is this the form that bewildered Lord Shiva? Is this Krishna dressed like a woman?”
Uddhava was never attracted to the opposite sex and his attraction was only for Krishna. Therefore, when he became attracted to this woman, his natural consideration was: Is this woman Krishna, because I am not attracted to anyone besides Krishna. Since I am attracted to her, is it that form of Krishna that bewildered Lord Shiva? Is this the Mohini Murti - when Krishna became a woman?
Just as Uddhava was not attracted to anyone but Krishna, even Lord Shiva was not attracted to anyone but Krishna. Lord Shiva heard how Krishna assuming this form of a woman - Mohini Murti, enchanted the demons and bewildered them from taking the nectar. Thus, he went to Krishna along with the Pandavas and expressed his desire to see that form.
Krishna in order to let Lord Shiva fully understand what the form was actually like, left that place saying, “I am just going for a while; I will come back,” and had Lord Shiva along with Parvati Devi, sitting there waiting for Him. Then all of a sudden, in the nearby forest, Lord Shiva noticed this woman, playing with a ball. She was bouncing the ball and then catching it; with her graceful movements, her beauty became even more enhanced. With a breeze, her sari got displaced, exposing her feminine beauty - Lord Shiva became so enchanted and bewildered that although Parvati Devi was there, he completely forgot about everything, even his associates that were surrounding him. Forgetting everything, he just ran after her.
We can see how enchanting the beauty of Mohini Murti is and how Lord Shiva reacted, as a result of that. It has also been mentioned that the semen of Lord Shiva, turned into gold as it flowed. The reservoir of gold in mines, actually is the semen of Lord Shiva.
In this way, we also can see how exalted Lord Shiva’s position is and, in the purports, also, Srila Prabhupada pointed out earlier, that there is a description of Mohini Murti going to the mountains, forests and other places, where the saintly people resided and they all saw Lord Shiva running after Mohini Murti, all along. Srila Prabhupada said that this actually indicated that they also could see their master Lord Shiva behaving in such a manner. This is actually a warning on how should one be very, very careful about the attraction for sex desire.
CHAKRAS WHICH CONTROL ENERGY IN THE BODY
In the material nature, the highest form of pleasure is the sexual act but those who want to make spiritual advancement, they have to overcome that tendency. Therefore, in spiritual life, it is very important that one becomes a brahmacari. Srila Prabhupada had said that in ISKCON everyone is a brahmacari - brahmacari is a brahmacari, householder is a brahmacari, vanaprastha is a brahmacari, sannyasi is a brahmachari - because regaining this energy, is regaining the spiritual energy in the body. This spiritual energy leaves the body through sexual materialistic act or sex life in the form of semen, but when one takes to spiritual life this energy actually does not leave the body, instead it rises.
This has been very nicely pointed out in the yoga philosophy. This energy flows from the bottom of the spinal cord which is called muladhar and according to the yoga philosophy, this energy is called kundalini or coiled up energy. It is symbolized with a snake because the snake similarly, remains in a coiled-up state. In the spinal column, there are different chakras. The first chakra is opposite to the genitals. Therefore, with ordinary people this energy rises up to that chakra and then leaves the body in the form of a sexual act. But a yogi’s business is to prevent that energy to leave the body and rise up penetrating the first chakra called the svadhishtana chakra.
Penetrating that chakra, it rises to the next chakra which is opposite to the navel and then it rises to the chakra which is opposite to the heart, and then the next chakra that is opposite to the neck and thereafter, the chakra that is opposite to the center of the eyes and eventually, to the brain center which is called sahasrara, compared to the thousand petaled lotus.
A yogi through the yogic process makes this kundalini energy rise, penetrating through different chakras and come up to the sahasrara and as the energy rises from one chakra to another, one achieves yoga perfection or yoga siddhi.
Therefore, just as this energy may be lost through a sexual act, similarly by accepting these yoga siddhis also, one can lose this energy. A yogi should be very careful not to be allured by these siddhis or perfections.
When the energy or kundalini reaches the brain center, then one achieves the spiritual perfection or samadhi. Therefore, it is very important for a devotee to maintain this order of celibacy or this system of celibacy, which means that one should not lose this spiritual energy that is there in the body.
A yogi mechanically tries to make the energy rise, whereas for a devotee through his devotional practice, automatically his spiritual energy rises to the topmost region where he sees the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the heart. This process of astanga yoga is extremely difficult; it takes thousands of years to achieve perfection and despite that we have seen many falls down.
There was a great sage named Visvamitra, who was performing this yoga for 64,000 years and still he fell down; whereas a devotee very quickly achieves perfection simply by surrendering to Krishna. By getting this higher taste of Krishna consciousness - krishna-prema or love for Krishna, one automatically becomes averse to these allurements of maya. Maya is very attractive because she is Krishna’s energy, but Krishna is all the more attractive. Therefore, a devotee tries to develop his attachment to Krishna and that is the way he tries to become detached from the allurements of maya. And this process of devotional service is so wonderful that even though one may not achieve perfection immediately, even though it may take time, even though one may have difficulties and one may fall down but still, he can continue without any difficulty, from where he left.
MAHAPRABHU DESTROYED THE INFLUENCE OF KALI THROUGH SANKIRTANA
In this respect, one of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s associates, Kavikarnapura wrote a drama called Chaitanya Chandrodaya and in that he mentioned a very beautiful anecdote. He describes that Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is just born and Kali being worried, started to tremble with fear. Seeing this Kali’s associates namely lust, greed and anger (etc.) became surprised. They asked him, “What happened? Why are you so worried?” Kali said, “See, He is born! He is born!” Hence, they asked who that is. Kali replied, “That brahmana boy! That brahmana boy!” To which his associates exclaimed, “Brahmana boy! We have destroyed the whole brahminical culture; why are you worried about one brahmana boy?”
“No, He is a very special brahmana. He is going to destroy our influence completely; He will take over our kingdom.” And Kali started describing what this boy would be. He will attract so many people, they will all be attracted to Him. They will follow the path of dharma and the sankirtana movement will begin - the chanting of the holy name of the Lord will prevail everywhere.
Then one after another, Kali’s associates shouted, “We will destroy them!”
Anger said that he would invoke anger in their hearts and make them fight and that is how he will destroy them. Similarly, one after another they kept on discussing their destructive plans but Kali said, “No, you wouldn’t be able to do anything - because of their love for this boy, they will not yield. You will not have any way to enter into their hearts.”
Finally, lust said, “I will get them; I will get them. The men and women are mixing together, I will destroy them.” Then Kali said, “Due to their love for that boy their heart will become so pure that there won’t be any room for you to enter there.”
Therefore, although in the Krishna consciousness movement, men and women will be mixing together but their hearts will become so pure that there will not be any room for lust. That is how pure Krishna consciousness is and that is how powerful Krishna consciousness is. Let us rejoice that by the mercy of Srila Prabhupada, we got this wonderful process to go back to the spiritual world, where we all belong.
Thank you all very much.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Question: In the context of this verse and the purport, I would request you to share the story of Srila Prabhupada’s instructions to you.
Yes. After Srila Prabhupada gave me sannyasa in the morning, in the afternoon I was with him and then he told me, “Sannyasa means one is so free from the attraction of the opposite sex that even if he is in an island with the most beautiful woman, he won’t become agitated.”
Then, I told Prabhupada, “That is why probably some other spiritual groups they don’t even look at a woman.”
Prabhupada said, “No, not looking at a woman, won’t really help because then at some point, when he looks at a woman, he will become agitated.”
Prabhupada continued, “It becomes natural when you get the higher taste. By developing love for Krishna, you lose your interest for anything else and that is the way to overcome sex desire.”
I wrote a book named Ocean of Mercy on my days with Srila Prabhupada and there, I mentioned this anecdote.
Question: By realizing the absolute nature of the Holy Name and getting attracted to it, we can overcome the worldly desires. My question is, while I am practicing to chanting the Holy Name, how do I do my best? Whether I should chant loudly, some devotees chant not so loudly, some chant by looking at the written Mahamantra. What is the best way to chant, so it helps us the best?
The best way is to hear, when you are chanting because the Holy Name is in the form of sound. Krishna is in the form of sound and the way to receive sound is through hearing. So, sravanam kirtanam and kirtanam sravanam - as a result of that smaranam, remembrance will happen. It has been described by Jiva Goswami that from the name, Krishna’s form will manifest. So, Krishna will appear, through the name.
Question: It is said in the Harinama Cintamani that by chanting in one’s mind, it becomes even more powerful than chanting loudly.
For japa, a more silent chant is better, but for kirtan - the louder, the better.
Question: Many times, we can see those devotees, although dressed in normal or karmic clothes can be recognized because somehow, they are very attractive than most other people. Why are they very attractive?
Because of their effulgence. Yes, that is true. Once I was in Singapore and I saw somebody, he looked like an ordinary person - regular hair and wearing karmi clothes. But while passing by, I don’t know what happened, though he didn’t look apparently like a devotee; I just said Hare Krishna, Haribol and he responded Hare Krishna. I also was dressed in karmi clothes.
I used to go to Singapore to print and those days were very difficult. Hence, we didn’t go out in devotee clothes because Singapore didn’t even allow Srila Prabhupada to come there.
I was dressed like a karmi, he was dressed like a karmi but just something - what you said is correct, like there is something striking about a devotee. Also, another incident that happened in Kolkata. Those days to extend the visas, was arduous. The Indian government was not so friendly with the devotees. One western devotee went to the office of the FRO (Foreign Registration Office) dressed in karmi clothes.
The officer asked him, “Are you a Hare Krishna?”
He said, “No.”
He repeated his question, to which the devotee again refused and finally the officer told him, “You forgot to wipe off your tilak!”
Thank you very much. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!