Verse: Srimad Bhagvatam 1.5
Date: September 8th, 2012
Place: Teleconference
Transcription: Dhananjay Prabhu
Edited: Hemavati Radhika dasi
So, in the fourth chapter we got Vyasa Deva was feeling despondent he was feeling dissatisfaction in his heart in spite of doing so much work. He divided the Vedas and then he wrote Upanishads and Puranas, Itihas and Mahabharata and then finally he gave the Vedanta sutra but still he was feeling dissatisfied in his heart as if the work hasn’t been properly done, the work hasn’t been properly completed, so Narada Muni then appeared when Vyasa Deva was in Samprash, on the bank of the river Saraswati and seeing Narada Muni Vyasa Deva showed him respect offered him obeisances and then Narada Muni actually asked him that whether he has been satisfied by identifying himself with the body and mind as the object of self-realization because Narada Muni pointed out to Vyasa Deva this is what he is telling in this chapter that all that you have done you have not really gone to the spiritual topic directly, it was all you have described about dharma, artha, kama and moksha. This dharma, artha, kama, moksha, this chatur varga is actually pertaining to the mind and body.
So, he is asking here, “are you satisfied identifying body and mind as the object of self-realization, is that the goal of life? “Then Vyasa Deva sincerely asked him to help him. So, this is the process. Krishna Bhakti is the goal of life and Krishna Bhakti is achieved only by the mercy of a devotee, even Vyasa Deva although he studied all the Vedas, not only studied the Vedas he actually systematically presented the Vedas and after presenting the Vedas he gave the Vedanta sutra, the sum and substance of the Vedic knowledge. So, we can see that Vyasa Deva had the perfect understanding of the Vedas but still His heart was not satisfied. So, heart can be satisfied only by receiving pure devotional service to Krishna
bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kämé, sakali 'açänta'
Those who are trying to enjoy material nature through karma yoga those who are trying to become liberated by performing jnana yoga and those who are trying to achieve yoga siddhi by performing Astanga yoga, they all are perturbed in their heart or they are not really satisfied in their heart. The only thing that can satisfy the soul completely is by pure devotional service to the Lord. So, in this way we are seeing that although these activities may go on in the name of religious activities, although these activities can go on in the name of spiritual activities dharma, artha, kama, like which means karma yoga, jnana yoga and even liberation. One can become liberated but through jnana one receives sayujya mukti, that mukti is not real mukti, the sayujya mukti is a negative liberation and in that state also one cannot be fully satisfied. Although there is in sayujya mukti there is brahmananda some kind of ananda is there but the real joy that completely satisfies the heart is not possible to get. It can be achieved only through the performance of pure devotional service, and here we are seeing the process of receiving the pure devotional service. The process of receiving the pure devotional service is guru kripa.
brahmäëòa bhramite kona bhägyavän jéva
guru-kåñëa-prasäde päya Bhakti-latä-béja
By the mercy of guru and by the mercy of Krishna one receives the seed of devotional service Bhakti lata and then this Bhakti lata bija, by receiving the process of devotional service actually leads to the proper cultivation of Bhakti which has nine limbs navadha Bhakti, there are nine kinds of activities. What are those nine kinds of activities? Sravanam, kirtanam so when one gets the Bhakti then when one comes to the platform of Bhakti then he must do the sravanam, hear from a saintly personality. And Narada Muni pointed out now he told his whole life story, Narada Muni here is telling his own life story that how he got Bhakti. We are here seeing how Vyasa Deva is receiving Bhakti. How did Vyasa Deva receive Bhakti? By the mercy of Narada Muni. How did Narada Muni come there? By the arrangement of Krishna.
It is by the arrangement of Krishna that one gets a bona fide spiritual master, and it is only through the bona fide spiritual master that one can receive Bhakti, devotional service to supreme personality of Godhead and now Narada Muni is telling about his own life story, how he got Bhakti. Narada Muni in his previous life was the son of a maid servant he was actually a sudra, by birth, in that birth Narada Muni was a sudra the son of a maid servant. But this maid servant was engaged in the service of the great personalities, the Bhaktivedantas. Bhaktivedantas mean those who know the ultimate conclusion of the Vedas, the ultimate conclusion of the Vedas Vedanta, Vedasya anta. What is the anta, what is the end of the Vedas, Bhakti.
So those who understood that they are known as Bhaktivedantas. Those who understand that the ultimate culmination of the Vedic wisdom is devotional service to supreme personality of Godhead, they are Bhaktivedantas, like Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. So, Narada Muni came across such Bhaktivedantas in his previous life, when he was just a little boy, as a little boy he came across these great saintly personalities. In Bhagvatam they have been described as the Bhaktivedantas, in some Puranas it has been described that they were actually four Kumaras Sanaka, Sanatana, Sanandana and Sanath Kumar, the four sons of Lord Brahma. So, Narada Muni in his previous life came across these four Kumaras and Narada Muni also mentioned that as a child he was very gentle.
He did not have any attraction for frivolous sports or frivolous activities that children are generally engaged in, Narada Muni was not interested in that, he was very gentle, he was even soft spoken and he did not speak for more that it was necessary so this is how we can see the quality if a recipient of Bhakti one has to become properly situated. Like those who are frivolous they cannot understand the importance of Bhakti they want to become engaged in all kinds of mundane activities leading to sense gratification. A child… what does a child is generally attracted to, the child is attracted to childish games and sports, they are naughty, the children are naughty.
Narada Muni is saying that as a child he was not naughty so these are the qualities, he was not interested in frivolous activities, he was sense controlled which was displayed by his tendency not to speak more for more than it is necessary or unwanted mundane discussions, he was not interested in… and on top of everything he was very respectful, he was serving those saintly personalities with great respect and these personalities one day Narada Muni with the permission he took their remnants their prasada after they have finished taking their prasada, now we can understand that was the month of chatur maas as it is the saintly people don’t indulge in tasty food, saintly people are not interested in tasty food and at that time sadhus are not interested in tasty food and they were observing chatur maas that is at the time of chatur maas one take very simple food like food cooked just boiled no salt, no spice, no ghee or no oil, no fried so just some boiled food or soaked food and that also very very simple but Narada muni was so respectful that he just wanted to have that food that unpalatable food that was left over by those saintly personalities.
By taking that prasada Narada Muni as a child in his previous life he became purified in the heart. He is describing what actually happened to him just by taking their prasada he became free from sinful reactions; all his sinful reactions were eradicated by taking the remnants of the Bhaktivedantas; these great exalted pure devotees of the Lord; and as a result of that the influence of mode of passion and ignorance disappeared from his heart. Whatever little passion and ignorance there may have been in his heart disappeared just by taking their prasada and what is the reaction what is the outcome of passion and ignorance, what happens when one is influenced by the mode of passion and ignorance?
tadä rajas-tamo-bhäväù
käma-lobhädayaç ca ye
ceta etair anäviddhaà
sthitaà sattve prasédati
When one becomes free from the mode of passion then what happens he becomes free tadä rajas-tamo-bhäväù raja means mode of passion and tamo means mode of ignorance. So, when becomes free from the influence of the mode of passion and ignorance then kama- lobhädayaç ca ye, ceta etair anäviddhaà; ceta means heart consciousness then the consciousness becomes free from the influence of lust, greed, anger, illusion, pride, envy, kama, krodha, lobha, moha, mada, matsara these are the degrading factors these things actually create the knots in the heart. The influence if the mode of passion creates the knots in the heart hridaya granthi but when one becomes free from the influence of passion and ignorance then the heart becomes free that knots, those knots are cut completely
evaà prasanna-manaso
bhagavad-Bhakti-yogataù
bhagavat-tattva-vijïänaà
mukta-saìgasya jäyate
how does it happen? bhidyate hådaya-granthiç, granthi means knots, hridaya, there are knots in the heart caused by lust, greed, anger etc. These lust, greed, anger cause very very strong knots in the heart but when one becomes free from the influence modes of passion and ignorance then those knots are cut, completely cut, so the heart becomes now free from those knots then what happens prasanna-manaso , heart becomes completely satisfied and then only one becomes qualified to perform Bhakti yoga evaà prasanna-manaso bhagavad-Bhakti-yogataù, one becomes qualified to practice Bhakti yoga and bhagavat-tattva-vijïänaà mukta-saìgasya jäyate by performing those bhagavat-tattva-vijïänaà, one becomes free from material attachment. So, in this way Narada Muni started to talk about his own life, that how he became involved in this spiritual life and then Narada Muni is describing that as a result of that he developed the taste for hearing.
So, the sign of attachment to Krishna consciousness is the taste for hearing, one develops the taste for hearing and chanting, so the first thing is sravanam, hearing. If the heart is influenced by the mode of passion then what happens we don’t have the taste for hearing, we don’t develop the taste for hearing, yes we develop the taste for hearing what kind of thing gramya katha filmy music, all the garbage that comes in newspaper and other magazines with them they are very interested “ subah uthane ke bad kya karte hain” as we get up in the morning they open the newspaper and fill their mind with all garbage, that is also one kind of hearing, these reporters who are the garbage collectors they put all the garbage in the newspaper and they like to hear all those things.
Somebody was telling me the other day, I was actually discussing sometimes in the newspaper so many such articles come, some damaging articles and they say don’t worry about that because the newspapers don’t write good news, they write about the bad news that’s what their activity is so don’t worry about that. So, but Narada Muni developed the taste for hearing the Krishna katha, the hearing about the glorification of the supreme personality of Godhead. So that is what Narada Muni was actually instructing Vyasa Deva, that you have wrote so many things, dharma, what is the purpose of dharma artha, artha means wealth perform dharma in order to collect wealth and when you get wealth what do you do kama you fulfil your lusty desires, the fulfillment of lusty desires kama and then when you see that the lusty desires are not giving you the enjoyment that you want, you thought that there will be so much enjoyment through fulfilling your lusty desires but at the end of the day you see that they didn’t fulfil your desires but they filled your heart with more suffering and distress.
So that’s why Narada Muni was pointing out that dharma, artha, kama, and kama is not really satisfying our heart rather making the heart full of distress so as a result of that what do they want, they want to get out of the material nature, moksha, Oh! this material nature is a place of sufferings so let me get out of here, moksha, but then when we come across a saintly personality then what we do, as he is pointing out, you mentioned all the way up to moksha but that is not going to satisfy their hearts.
You can see that even your heart is not satisfied so what to speak of those who listen or those who will read your writing, how will their heart be satisfied? So, he is just presenting it in such a simple way therefore get involved in Bhakti yoga and tad-väg-visargo janatägha-viplavo this Bhakti yoga will create a very nice atmosphere everywhere. It will create a revolution in the society janatägha-viplava, viplava means revolution, it will create a revolution, what kind of revolution? Not French revolution or Russian revolution, it’s a revolution of consciousness. Revolution meaning the will is moving in one way now you make it move in another way, so revolution of consciousness, from material attachment people will now become interested in spiritual subject matter instead of running after money people will run after Krishna that is the revolution janatägha-viplavo. yasmin prati-çlokam every single word that describes the quality of supreme personality of Godhead is going to cause a revolution, revolution of consciousness.
Now you all can consider what was your mentality before and what happened to you. Is there a change? change of consciousness now you are not interested in those things that you were interested in. Now your interest is for your spiritual development and as a result of that what is happening you are developing the taste for hearing that’s why you all have come and that’s why you all are listening to this class you have so many other things that you could do but you are not interested in doing those things now you have come here to listen. What you are listening? You are listening about the glorification of the supreme personality of Godhead janatägha-viplavo. nämäny anantasya yaço 'ìkitäni yac the Lord’s unlimited names are synonymous to His glorification, His names are synonymous to His qualities, His pastimes, His transcendental activities and these are yaço 'ìkitäni yac expands the glory of supreme personality of Godhead and chåëvanti gäyanti gåëanti sädhavaù, sädhavaù the sadhus, the devotees of the Lord they always like to hear this glorification and they sing the glorification of the Lord. First chåëvanti and then gäyanti, sravanam kirtanam and gåëanti take the holy name of the Lord chant the holy name.
so this is the simple process and is sravanam and kirtanam is the beginning hearing and chanting then as a result of this hearing and chanting there will be remembering, smaranam then when you remember the Lord then you will gradually become engaged in serving His lotus feet smaranam pada sevanam , archanam worshiping Him, vandanam singing his glories through the selected verses and dasyam, sakhyam, atma nivedanam become a servant of the Lord, you develop your friendship with the Lord and you surrender yourself to the lotus feet of the Lord. So that is the goal of life so that is what everybody should understand that is what everybody must learn and that is why the sadhus the saintly personalities must broadcast the glory of the supreme personality of Godhead.
So, this is the beginning of Srimad Bhagvatam. So, this way we can see, actually this is a pastime, who is Vyasa Deva? Vyasa Deva is an incarnation of the supreme personality of Godhead so where is the question of Vyasa Deva being bewildered, just Arjuna he is pure devotee of the Lord where is the question of Arjuna becoming bewildered. He is so pure that he is always associating with the Lord, so where is the question of Arjuna being bewildered. But in order to give Bhagavad Gita Krishna made that situation that Arjuna is bewildered. Now Arjuna is saying I do not know what I should do, that påcchämi tväà dharma-sammüòha-cetäù, I am asking because I don’t know what to do, about dharma I don’t know about dharma, what is the real dharma. In Bhagavad Gita, Arjuna is telling that to Krishna, that Krishna I am completely bewildered and then Krishna gave Bhagavad Gita çiñyas te 'haà çädhi mäà tväà prapannam I am surrendering myself to you as your shishya as your disciple.
Krishna is actually Arjuna’s cousin. Is it easy to accept your cousin as your guru? Very difficult, especially when the cousin is your friend that’s what Arjuna actually told Krishna that Krishna you said that you gave the knowledge to Vivasvan. imaà vivasvate yogam proktavän aham avyayam when Krishna told him Arjuna said aparaà bhavato janma paraà janma vivasvataù you were born just the other day Vivasvan was born millions of years ago katham etad vijänéyäà tvam ädau proktavän iti how can I understand that you gave this knowledge to Vivasvan. So, we can see Arjuna’s relationship with Krishna is like a cousin brother and of the same age therefore they are intimate friends. But here becoming completely bewildered Arjuna is telling Krishna that I am accepting you as my spiritual master, please guide me, accept me as your disciple and guide me in the spiritual life. So that is what one has to do, like one must surrender to a bona fide spiritual master.
Arjuna is very fortunate that he has supreme personality of Godhead as his spiritual master but we do not have that good fortune but there is nothing to worry about Krishna sends His representative. He may not come but He sends His representative. Therefore, gurus are always available, we have to find the guru we have to see who is a real guru. But the thing is here is the problem if we are materially motivated then we will find a materialistic guru but only when we become spiritually inclined spiritually interested, we will get a bona fide guru. Therefore, it is said guru-kåñëa-prasäde päya by the mercy of Krishna one gets a guru a qualified bona fide guru guru-kåñëa-prasäde päya Bhakti-latä-béja and by the mercy of the guru one receives this Bhakti lata and this Bhakti lata bija is there in Krishna’s instructions, Krishna’s instructions are the source of Bhakti lata. The Vedas are words of Krishna but from the Vedas we have to find the essence of the Vedas and that’s why Bhagavad Gita… Krishna gave Bhagavad Gita.
Although He gave the Vedas in the Vedas the secret of pure devotional service has been kept but here, we are seeing the process. The essence has to be found and Krishna very mercifully gave the essence through Bhagavad Gita and now we are finding another essence that He is giving through Vyasa Deva. So here we can see that it was actually Krishna’s arrangement that it seems that Vyasa Deva became bewildered, Vyasa Deva became despondent, Vyasa Deva felt discontentment that well my work hasn’t been completed but actually what was the purpose of Krishna to point out that the Bhakti is the highest thing in the Vedas. Vyasa Deva has done everything that could be presented through the Vedas Vyasa Deva divided the Vedas into four branches Rig, Sama, Yajura, Atharva and then he gave the Upanishads, the Puranas, dharma shastra, samhitas he gave everything that could be presented through the Vedas then he gave Mahabharata. The Mahabharata is meant for less intelligent people for people with advanced intelligence can understand philosophy and all that but the less intelligent people do not have the ability to understand philosophy.
Therefore, he presented the philosophy through Mahabharata which is the itihas, history. But what Mahabharata is doing? that’s what he pointed out, Mahabharata is simply dealing with karma kanda. Mahabharata is not even going to jnana kanda Mahabharata is all karma based therefore Vyasa Deva is not satisfied but the thing is although Mahabharata is dealing with karma yoga but within Mahabharata what we find Bhagavad Gita; Bhagavad Gita is giving the direction of devotional service. How? After explaining everything in Bhagavad Gita what is the final instruction that Krishna gives sarva-dharmän parityajya mäm ekaà çaraëaà vraja that is the ultimate point.
So here we can see although Mahabharata has been presented in the form of stories of the activities great kings especially Pandavas and of Krishna even Krishna is present in Mahabharata but do we recognize so much that Krishna is the supreme personality of Godhead? Yes, we do but what should we do with Krishna what should we do with Krishna what should be our attitude towards Krishna that has been presented in Bhagavad Gita sarva-dharmän parityajya mäm ekaà çaraëaà vraja and where Bhagavad Gita ends Srimad Bhagvatam begins dharmaù projjhita-kaitavo 'tra paramo nirmatsaräëäà satäà so Bhagavad Gita says at the end surrender to Krishna giving up all your material attachments, giving up all your mundane senseless activities and when by giving up all these material attachment ones heart becomes completely purified free from all contaminations of lust, greed, anger kama, krodha, lobha, etc nirmatsaranam when heart becomes nirmatsar becomes free from all these impurities then one becomes qualified to understand Vedyam, vedyam means to understand vedyaà västavam atra vastu çivadaà täpa-trayonmülanam then he becomes qualified to understand Krishna consciousness.
So, this is how we can see where Bhagavad Gita ends Srimad Bhagvatam begins. So, in order to give Srimad Bhagvatam Krishna actually made this arrangement through Vyasa Deva. After compiling all these Vedas into different branches and sub branches and then finally giving the essence of the Vedas in the form of Vedanta sutra that is the most concise and precise philosophical understanding of the Vedas. Then Krishna made the arrangement Bhagvatam should be given. So, what does it means? It means that after Vedanta comes Srimad Bhagvatam. Vedanta, veda anta Vedasya anta end of the Vedas in the Vedic wisdom beyond that end of Vedic wisdom is Srimad Bhagvatam. So, to make that point Krishna made that arrangement through Vyasa Deva so that people can understand that the ultimate purpose of the Vedas is to understand Srimad Bhagvatam and Narada Muni then pointed out that through this knowledge of understanding the supreme personality of Godhead and His instructions when we act on that platform then we can actually meet the supreme personality of Godhead.
So the way to meet the supreme personality of Godhead is to follow the process of devotional service and then he described what is Bhakti yoga, Bhakti yoga is the means by which the spirit soul becomes connected to the supreme personality of Godhead and Narada Muni in this way instructed Vyasa Deva to spread the message that the supreme personality of Godhead gave in this way, this message should be broad casted to the people so that they could become free from their suffering condition. So an intelligent person understands that he is suffering in this material nature and devotional service is the way to free him from his suffering condition. So, this is how very wonderfully Krishna arranged for Narada Muni to come and instruct Vyasa Deva and according to Narada Muni’s instruction Vyasa Deva was inspired to present the pure glorification of the supreme personality of Godhead through Srimad Bhagvatam so that we can understand what is the ultimate goal of our life.
Thank you all very much. All glories to Srila Prabhupada! Gaurapremanande Hari Haribol! [End].
Does anybody have any questions?
Interactive questions and answer session
BCS (“Bhakti Charu Swami”)
Atma Das: Hare Krishna everyone, thank you very much Guru Maharaja, if anyone has any questions please dial *6 and you will place into the queue and we will take questions one at a time.
BCS: I got one question from Mayapur T.V. Atma
Atma Das: Yes Guru Maharaja
BCS: The question is, Guru Maharaja please tell me the difference between kirtanam and vandanam?
BCS: Ok. Vandanam is more like doing it for the sake pleasing the Lord by chanting the selected verses and kirtanam is a spontaneous glorification of the Lord when you sing the glory of the Lord that is kirtanam but when you recite verses for the pleasure of the Lord that is vandanam. Yes, Atma any questions from your side.
Atma Das: We have two questions so far Guru Maharaja.
BCS: I will take the first one. Go ahead
Vishnu Yagya Das: Maharaja I am Vishnu Yagya Das from Jaipur my humble obeisances to you Maharaja. Maharaja very nice lecture very inspiring lecture to follow the process of devotional service but my question is that sometimes while preaching we come across the devotees who are practicing all the activities of devotional service but in their attitude, they are competitive and envious by nature so is it important to practice devotional service to first develop the qualities of mode of goodness and then gradually make a transition to shuddha Bhakti?
BCS: Yes very good point and you answered the question actually yourself that you see this competitive mood how does it come? It comes from the mode of passion. Right, so the passion will lead to this competitive mood but the thing is that the devotional service can be rendered on the mode of goodness so eventually all of us have to come to the mode of goodness and then all this materialistic tendencies will disappear but when you see that somebody is developing these kind of competitive and so forth due to the mode of passion, just tolerate with the understanding that in course of time by practicing devotional service they will transcend the mode of passion and ignorance and come to the platform of goodness. Okay.
Atma Das: We have three more questions Guru Maharaja from the teleconference.
Nanda Dulal Das: Hare Krishna Guru maharaja please accept my most humble obeisances to your lotus feet. Today I am very fortunate this is Nanda Dulal as if I am sitting at your lotus feet Maharaja, Thank you Maharaja. I know I have no qualification for getting your mercy but you carry the Lord in your heart you know and whatever you speak it touches. The question is
tṛṇād api sunīcena
taror api sahiṣṇunā
amāninā mānadena
kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ
How to do this being a grhastha and living in a mundane place. How to bring this mood of tṛṇād api sunīcena?
BCS: Yeah, well you see this mood of tṛṇād api sunīcena will develop as we become aware of Krishna’s greatness and Krishna’s devotee’s greatness because you see it is ultimately a question of relativity. Like when do I feel myself to be small when I am standing in front of someone big. Isn’t it? In this respect, I give the example of an incident of an anecdote. You see Akbar had a minister called Birbal who was very intelligent and Akbar used to have a very special relationship with Birbal and a result of that the other ministers became envious and Akbar found out that the other ministers are envious of Birbal. So in order to prove to them about Birbal’s special qualities one day when Akbar came to the assembly he drew a line on the floor with a chalk and he asked can anyone make this line smaller without rubbing it off and everyone thought how is it possible so when everyone failed Akbar asked Birbal can you make this line smaller? then Birbal said yes no problem so he picked up the chalk and he drew a line next to it which was larger which was longer he said now your line is smaller.
So, we recognize our humble position only when we are in contact with someone who is greater than us and now tell me who is the greatest? Krishna is the greatest so the more we become aware of the Krishna’s greatness we begin to see our insignificant position so the way to become really humble is by becoming Krishna conscious. When we see Krishna’s greatness then we automatically feel humble it is not an artificial thing to practice oh! From today I will become humble no matter whatever somebody says I will not say anything in response, even if somebody insults me, I will tolerate but then I tolerate and one day it reaches the optimum point and I explode. So that is not the real way to become humble. To become humble is to recognize our minuteness in relation to Krishna’s greatness and when we develop this humble attitude then automatically, we will become tolerant when we see how Krishna is taking care of us then why should we worry about anything we know that Krishna is taking care of us so we will tolerate any difficulties and distresses.
Nanda Dulal Das: Exactly Guru Maharaja I also had same kind of misconception but you actually cleared it completely. Thank you, Guru Maharaja.
Ajay Govinda Das: Hare Krishna Guru Maharaja dandvat this is Ajay Govinda Das from New Jersey.
BCS: Haribol. Who is speaking?
Ajay Govinda Das: Thank you, guru Maharaja, for a wonderful lecture. Guru Maharaja we were talking about the Sravanam Kirtanam is the first step of Bhakti and one can get Krishna when one is aligned to a spiritual master but how can we induce the inclination in the person so that the person is willing to hear about Krishna so that he is connected to the first step because once he is connected the path is moving but that first step that getting connected to the desire to hear how do we induce?
BCS: Yeah so when you come when you are preaching when you are coming across somebody some fortunate soul you recognize that he is very fortunate that he came in contact with you and you are giving him an opportunity to get the real knowledge so present Prabhupada to him just tell him that he is what Srila Prabhupada has done and by coming in contact with Srila Prabhupada’s teachings how your life has changed in this way you generate interest in him your sincere desire to give Krishna to him will create his good fortune you begin with the point that it his good fortune that he has come in contact with you and in this way you can give him Srila Prabhupada and his teachings then give Prabhupada’s books teach about Srila Prabhupada’s instructions and in this way you create his good fortune. Okay
Ajay Govinda Das: Thank you, Guru Maharaja.
BCS: Hare Krishna.
Shyamal Krishna Das: Hare Krishna Guru Maharaja please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet. This is Shyamal Krishna speaking from Bangalore. Guru Maharaja my question is like you mentioned that Vyasa Deva himself wasn’t satisfied by writing all the Vedas the Puranas the Upnishads so how are we to understand the exact position of all these scriptures should we just ignore them because they are anyway not going to give us the satisfaction and happiness to our soul and heart or what should we do with them or why Vyasa Deva wrote them and then Krishna made the arrangement to write Srimad Bhagvatam the ultimate thing which will give Krishna Bhakti?
BCS: Well, it will depend on how much time you have right if you have a lot of time to read then yes you can get into all that but the main thing is that in this age you don’t have much time especially now that you are studying in IT. So now that you are working you have even less time to study so first consideration is to utilize your time by reading Prabhupada’s books because everything is there Prabhupada has actually summarized everything and presented it so first you must you read Prabhupada books. Okay Shyamal Krishna Das.
Shyamal Krishna Das: thank you Guru Maharaja.
BCS: Haribol.
Aditya Narayan Das: Hare Krishna Guru Maharaja Aditya Narayan Das here please accept my humble obeisances. Guru Maharaja like in the fourth verse of this chapter sixth chapter there is a where Narada Muni is telling Vyasa Deva that you have fully deliberated the subject of impersonal Brahman and in the purport Prabhupada is saying that in the Vedanta sutra or Brahma Sutra compiled by Sri Vyasa Deva the full deliberation of the impersonal absolute feature is there so we see like Prabhupada was like so strong smashing all the impersonal concepts and like people actually use these Vedas to say that oh the impersonal feature is the absolute so how do we actually address them because it is actually there in the Vedas …
BCS: Yeah, the way to address them is that you have to have a teacher you have to have a bona fide spiritual master to understand the real purport yes apparently it’s dealing with impersonal Brahman right but the thing is, is it the ultimate consideration or is it the apparent consideration apparently it is talking about impersonal like Upanishad are sounding like impersonal but when a bone fide spiritual master comes then what does he says ok you are talking about Brahman but what is Brahman? what is Brahman the light spiritual light it leads to the other point then where does that light come from? isn’t it ? can the light exist by itself? so where does the light come from the light coming from Krishna therefore His bodily effulgence is light but Krishna Himself is Param Brahman.
Brahman means the bodily effulgence but Krishna Himself is the supreme Brahman or the source of Brahman brahmaëo hi pratiñöhäham the Brahman effulgence is pratiñöhä, source is actually Krishna but for that you need a bona fide spiritual master who comes and tells you right that’s the point you gain like you know in this chapter that’s the point that has been dealt in this chapter even Vyasa Deva had to get the mercy of a spiritual master Narada Muni and Narada Muni through his story pointed out that although born as a sudra he received the good fortune by coming across these Bhaktivedantas and receiving their mercy and thus he became a pure devotee.
Aditya Narayan Das: Thank you so much Guru Maharaja
BCS: Does it answer your question, Aditya Narayan.
Aditya Narayan Das: Yes, Guru Maharaja it’s very clear thank you so much.
BCS: Hare Krishna. So, the point is that you need a bona fide spiritual master is the books enough like when you enter a university if you just bought the books from the market and just studied could you get the degree?
Aditya Narayan Das: No.
BCS: Or when you are teaching in the university right like is the books enough or you have to explain it to the students?
Aditya Narayan Das: Yes Guru Maharaja.
BCS: That’s why you are there the students need a teacher to understand what is there in the bookS.
Aditya Narayan Das: Yes Guru Maharaja. It’s very clear now thank you so much Guru Maharaja.
BCS: Thank you, Hare Krishna.
Atma Das: Guru Maharaja. We have just pass one hour, there is one more question would you like to take it?
BCS: Yeah sure. I mean we can go on a little longer because there some questions here also from Mayapur T.V.
Srinivas Das: Hare Krishna Maharaja dandvat pranam this is Srinivas form Richmond, Virginia, Maharaja thank you very Maharaja
BCS: Hare Krishna.
Srinivas Das: I have question Maharaja about the reality, this is my realization and I want to know a bit more when I was in Mayapur in the temple I felt that let the time freeze it should not slip away I felt so great and it came like a glimpse of a second like you know it’s come so quickly and I cannot keep it like you know I want but I cannot keep it again when we walk out of the temple we come into this world like how do we or is this is the ultimate thing having this joy and enjoyment or happiness is that what we are seeking for or is there any connection like how do we keep that one for a longer period ?
BCS: By the practice like you see that is what happens how practice leads to perfection, say for example you are riding a bicycle, you are trying to learn to ride a bicycle when you are learning you are falling but then all of a sudden for a split second you feel you have got the balance so then again you lose it and you fall but this momentary failing of getting of the balance actually gives you an idea that what this balancing is going to lead you to and then gradually you get the balance and then you just jump on to the bicycle and automatically start riding so similarly these glimpses are giving you a taste of or understanding of what it is actually like what it is like to become situated on the spiritual platform. Momentarily you are experiencing it and from that you see how wonderful it is so can you imagine what it would be like to be in that situation constantly? So that’s what we have to aspire for we are practicing to achieve perfection. Alright.
Srinivas Das: Thank you, Maharaja.
BCS: Does it answer your question
Srinivas Das: It’s confirmed little bit now.
BCS: Now at least you know what it is like at least you got a glimpse of what it is about.
Srinivas Das: That is true Maharaja.
BCS: Atma is there any other questions there?
Atma Das: Currently there is no other question in the conference Guru Maharaja so if you like to take questions, please go ahead.
BCS: Well, there is one question from Ramananda Kanhai Das it came from the Mayapur T.V. Hare Krishna Maharaja in the Nectar of Instruction Srila Rupa Goswami and Srila Prabhupada says that bathing in Radha Kunda is very much required for all to get Krishna prema but why in ISKCON we are not bathing in Radha Kunda? your servant Ramananda Kanhai Das.
Very good so you see Prabhupada told the devotees not to bathe in Radha Kunda at that time because he saw that the devotees did not have the right kind of consciousness they were jumping into Radha Kunda and playing as if in a swimming pool like so that’s what Prabhupada discouraged that no you come to the Radha Kunda with the understanding that this kunda is actually the liquid form of Radharani’s love for Krishna so when you are going into that you must develop the reverential attitude so when one develops the reverential attitude then there is no harm in bathing in Radha Kunda or when you go to Vrindavan and want to bathe in Radha Kunda do it with this understanding Prabhupada will be pleased with you. Yes, bathe in Radha kunda but with right consciousness.
BCS: Krishnaarchan what was your question.
Krishnaarchan Das: Guru Maharaja you explained how Srimad Bhagvatam is for you know those who are surrendered already I mean it is paramhamsa… but we also see that in Bhagvatam there are descriptions condemning yayati and many others where those who have conditioned nature by reading that they get purified so even the Srimad Bhagvatam says Bhagvatam is useful is it so and also what is the role of reading Mahabharata?
BCS: The thing is that you see Mahabharata was given in Dwapar yuga or just as Dwapar yuga ended like the feeling of Vyasa Deva was something like you know I mean he was thinking of the people with the qualities like Dwapar yuga but after Narada Muni he realized after meeting with Narada Muni or being instructed by Narada muni that for the age of Kali we need to present this knowledge about the Supreme Personality of Godhead in a special way and the special presentation is Srimad Bhagvatam and in Srimad Bhagvatam there are stories because in Puran actually gives the understanding through some anecdotes some happening that is the Vedic way of giving some… like the story of Puranjana right or the way Jadbharata described about to Rahugana about the forest of material existence the philosophy is being given but philosophy is given through story right, so, here is the happening and puran is narrating the happening.
Yes, the story of Puraraba the story of Yayati but through the story what we come to know we get to know first thing the futility of material enjoyment and the purpose of spiritual life so that’s why although yes one may not be completely pure but Bhagvatam will be helpful. Because that will purify him further. Ok thank you all very much. Hare Krishna. Oh, there is a Hindi question let me see.
BCS: What did you hear in the class? Ok so hearing about the glorification of the supreme personality of Godhead will help us to become free from material contamination and become situated in spiritual life. Another thing Narada Muni mentioned that getting the remnants of the exalted devotees.
Question inaudible and in Hindi
BCS: Hari Bol Atma this is where we are ending. Hare Krishna.
Atma Das: Thank you very much Guru Maharaja.
BCS: So next Saturday let me see, next Saturday I will be in South Africa. Giving a seminar but I will let you know, thank you very much. All Glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Atma Das: Thank you very much Guru Maharaja.
BCS: Gaura premanande. Haribol.