Verse: Srimad Bhagvatam 5.8.30
Date: July 28th, 2012
Place: ISKCON Juhu, India
Transcription: Alaka Radha Devi Dasi
Edited: Priti Mataji
ity evaṁ nigūḍha-nirvedo visṛjya mṛgīṁ mātaraṁ punar bhagavat-kṣetram upaśama-śīla-muni-gaṇa-dayitaṁ śālagrāmaṁ pulastya-pulahāśramaṁ kālañjarāt pratyājagāma.
SYNONYMS
iti — thus; evam — in this way; nigūḍha — hidden; nirvedaḥ — completely unattached to material activities; visṛjya — giving up; mṛgīm — the deer; mātaram — its mother; punaḥ — again; bhagavat-kṣetram — the place where the Supreme Lord is worshiped; upaśama-śīla — completely detached from all material attachments; muni-gaṇa-dayitam — which is dear to the great saintly residents; śālagrāmam — the village known as Śālagrāma; pulastya-pulaha-āśramam — to the āśrama conducted by such great sages as Pulastya and Pulaha; kālañjarāt — from the Kālañjara Mountain, where he had taken his birth in the womb of a deer; pratyājagāma — he came back.
TRANSLATION
Although Bharata Mahārāja received the body of a deer, by constant repentance he became completely detached from all material things. He did not disclose these things to anyone, but he left his mother deer in a place known as Kālañjara Mountain, where he was born. He again went to the forest of Śālagrāma and to the āśrama of Pulastya and Pulaha.
PURPORT
It is significant that Mahārāja Bharata, by the grace of Vāsudeva, remembered his past life. He did not waste a moment; he returned to Pulaha-āśrama to the village known as Śālagrāma. Association is very meaningful; therefore, ISKCON tries to perfect one who enters the society. The members of this society should always remember that the society is not like a free hotel. All the members should be very careful to execute their spiritual duties so that whoever comes will automatically become a devotee and will be able to return back to Godhead in this very life. Although Bharata Mahārāja acquired the body of a deer, he again left his hearth and home, in this case the Mountain Kālañjara. No one should be captivated by his birthplace and family; one should take shelter of the association of devotees and cultivate Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
LECTURE: OPEN YOUR HEART TO KRISHNA AND NEVER LOSE SIGHT OF THE GOAL
KING BHARAT – A GLORIOUS DESCENT
Maharaj Bharata was the king of the entire planet, the son of Rishabhdev, an illustrious personality, the incarnation of The Supreme Personality of Godhead. Maharaj Bharata after ruling earth planet for many years decided to retire. He left everything, went to the forest, on the bank of Saraswati in Pulaha ashram, the ashram of Pulaha Rishi, one of the sons of Lord Brahma. He was one of the first beings, a very exalted personality. Pulastya, Pulaha, Krtu, Angira, Marichi, the other great sons of Lord Brahma including Narada Muni. Bharata Maharaj was performing his spiritual activities there and he reached the stage of bhava.
Just consider how exalted that position is. If we consider our situation, we are just practicing devotional service. The stage we are in we don’t even reach the anartha nivritti stage. We are in the stage of anartha. No more anarthas means heart is fully free of lust, greed, anger, illusion, pride, envy. The heart becomes free from any kind of material attachment especially the distinction between adoration and profit which are the subtle anarthas. Labh, puja, pratishtha, desire for distinction, desire for adoration, desire for profit. After anartha nivritti comes the stage of nishtha then comes the stage of ruchi. Nishtha means completely fixed up in devotional service no more influence of material allurements. And then comes the stage of Ruchi, when one gets the taste of devotional service, we begin to appreciate what we are doing like shravanam, kirtanam, Vishnu smaranam.
BECOMING ABSORBED IN KRISHNA
This beginning of bhakti with shravanam kirtanam is so wonderful that one will simply want to all the time hear and chant. No room for gramya katha, mundane discussions, and get the taste of Krishna consciousness. We will realize how wonderful are the activities of Krishna consciousness and devotional service. Then we will develop Asakti, attachment to Krishna and then follows the stage of Bhava feeling the emotions for Krishna. Srila Prabhupada is describing what is this emotion, how does it feel. For example, when a young boy and a young girl become attracted to each other and fall in love, they feel attachment and natural attraction between them. At that stage will develop the natural attraction for Krishna and feeling the emotions. Rudanti, sometimes he will cry due to the emotions. Sometimes he will laugh. Gayate unmadvat nrityate, sometimes he will sing and sometimes he will dance like a madman. Lokovanch, without any consideration of external world. And then finally the stage of Prema, love for Krishna.
So, Bharat Maharaj was in the stage of Bhava bhakti. He developed the intense attraction for Krishna so much that he was feeling the transcendental emotions. All this happened when one day he happened to see one baby deer after his birth, being carried away with the waves of the river Gandaki. He rescued the baby deer and started to nurse him as his mother just died. The baby deer needed milk, mother’s affection and protection which Bharat Maharaj began to provide.
Now here we can see the strong illusory energy of The Lord, ‘mama māyā duratyayā’ [BG 7.14], it is impossible to overcome. But there is way to do that. It is possible to do that by ‘mām eva ye prapadyante’[BG 7.14].
NEVER LOSE SIGHT OF THE GOAL
Although it is impossible to overcome the effect of illusory energy of the Lord but when one surrenders unto the Lord then he can. In Bharat Maharaj’s case due to his attachment with the deer baby he started to forget the Lord. In spite of being in such an exalted position when he was feeling the transcendental emotions for The Lord, he deviated from the path. This attachment has been very extensively described. Bharat Maharaj who had become so attached to the baby deer left his body thinking about the deer. He was obsessed with the welfare and protection of the deer. He started to think what will happen to the deer after he dies. This is what maya is, this is how strong the influence of maya is. The king who left the entire earth planet ‘tucchvat’ completely as if it was insignificant and didn’t mean or amount to anything He left that and he got attached to a deer. So, this is how strong maya is! We forget our mission. He forgot why he had left his kingdom and come to the forest where he underwent so many austerities to form his attachment for The Supreme Personality of Godhead. And he just became so attached to the deer and while leaving his body he remembered the deer.
“Yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvaṁ, tyajaty ante kalevaram tyajaty [BG 8.06] means leaving, kalevaram means the body and the result is that the next body will be according to that thought and that’s what happened with Bharata Maharaj. He left his body thinking of the deer and he got the deer body. This is not just chance happening. This has also been described wherever your deepest attachment is that will be the last thought.
In Krishna consciousness one is trained to develop his attraction to Krishna and no one else. We do develop relationships we can’t deny that. The husband will automatically be attached to his wife, wife will automatically be attached to her husband, father will naturally be attached to his children. The mother will naturally be attached to her children and the children will naturally be attached to the parents. These relationships are undeniable but we have to develop these relationships with Krishna in the center. That is the course that is the safe course to take, everything in relation to Krishna. Not my children but Krishna’s children. Not my relatives but Krishna’s relatives, in this way we have to develop our situations in this material world.
HEARING ABOUT KRISHNA FROM THE SAINTLY AND SINLESS
The anecdotes from the scriptures are the lessons to learn, the mistakes not to make. If it could happen to Bharata Maharaj what to speak of ourselves how vulnerable is our situation but one wonderful thing about Bharata Maharaj is Prabhupada said by the mercy of Vasudeva, Bharat Maharaj remembered his past life. Even though he got the body of the deer he could remember his past life. He was a ‘jatisamar’, jatisamar means one who remembers his past life even after leaving that body and because he could remember what actually happened to him, he was extremely careful in his next birth as a deer. He did not want to take any chance even as a baby deer he did not want to develop any attachment even to his deer mother. When he was able to move, he just left home - Kalenjera mountain. Where did he go? He went to the same place where he was performing his devotional activities on the bank of the Gandaki river. The forest of Shalagram, it was called so as Shalagram appears in the river Gandaki, the holy appearance of The Supreme Personality of Godhead. He went to Pulaha ashram where many saintly people were residing and he started to spend his time there. As a deer he could not speak but he could hear. He spent his time hearing Krishna katha which these saintly personalities discussed among themselves. Even as a deer he was the devotee of The Lord. Sometimes we see this kind of affinities in the animals that they have their consciousness even to the extent of Krishna consciousness.
I remember long time ago we used to spend a lot of time in Vrindavan and on Ekadashi morning we used to go on a parikrama of Vrindavan. And on Ekadashi one dog used to wait for us in the morning right at the gate of the Krishna Balaram temple and as soon as we would start our parikrama the dog would follow us and he would complete the parikrama with us and then he would go away. Prabhupada pointed out that many of these creatures in Vrindavan like the dogs, the hogs they are fallen devotees. When somebody doesn’t execute his spiritual life properly but leaves his body in Vrindavan after executing devotional service, they actually get the animal body to burn out their bad karma. What to speak of some exemplary creatures like this elephant in Guruvayoor temple, when the time came for this elephant to leave his body he just went in front of the deities, looking at the deities he left his body. The business of this elephant was to carry the deities, utsav deities during the procession and what a wonderful way to leave his body. Even as an elephant he left his body thinking about Krishna looking at Him. So even in the body of an animal there are very exalted personalities.
GETTING CAUGHT IN THE COMPLICATED NETWORK OF ILLUSION
And here we can see Bharata Maharaj as a deer. The lesson we learn is when we take to spiritual life, we should be very careful about maya because maya is extremely powerful. Maya can take us away at any moment. No matter how exalted our position may be spiritually but we all are vulnerable, we all are fallible. We have to realize that. Jivas in this material nature are fallible. So, we should be very careful and not think we are infallible.
THE PURPOSE OF ISKCON – TO PROTECT US FROM MAYA
Another lesson we learn is that even if we do not complete our spiritual mission, even if we don’t reach our spiritual destination, our spiritual credits will always remain with us. Even though we may get a sub-human species of life but there will be possibility of remembering Krishna most likely by Krishna’s mercy, if we are fortunate. We should remain very fixed in our spiritual life, understanding how strong maya is. Srila Prabhupada sometimes told the devotees that our problem is that we do not realize how extremely strong maya is and we should be very careful. Prabhupada is pointing out in the purport that because of this he created ISKCON whose purpose is to spread Krishna consciousness and to protect our Krishna consciousness.
When somebody takes to Krishna consciousness ISKCON is there to protect his spiritual life. How? By keeping one in the association of devotees. ISKCON means the international society for Krishna consciousness which means the international society of Krishna consciousness devotees all over the world. If we remain in the association of devotees, we are safe. That is the most wonderful aspect of ISKCON. Srila Prabhupada made so much effort to give devotees protection. One aspect is to spread Krishna consciousness but what will happen when one takes to Krishna consciousness? Then he needs the arrangement to get trained and to remain safe in his spiritual life because maya is very strong and alone we do not stand a chance. Bharata Maharaj didn’t stand a chance, what about us ‘ekaki amar nahi paye bala hari naam sankirtan[Bhaktivinod Thakur – Songs of Saranagati]…’ alone I do not have any strength to remain fixed up in Krishna consciousness. Therefore, we should try to remain in association of devotees and that’s what ISKCON is providing. Go anywhere and you will find the association of devotees. That is the wonderful thing and don’t go anywhere where there is no association of devotees. That’s how we have to play safe. Just go to places where association of devotees is there.
TAKING SHELTER OF THOSE WHO LOVE KRISHNA
This morning there was an announcement that a devotee came from Baltimore. And when devotees from Bombay go to Baltimore where will they go? They will go to Baltimore temple. So, whether you come from Baltimore you have association of devotees if you go to Baltimore you will have the association of devotees. Wherever you go you have the association of devotees and association of devotees give the protection. That is most wonderful way you stay in the association of devotees and your spiritual life is safe. Why? How your spiritual life is safe in the association of devotees. You see maya is strong. Why? because ‘mamo maya’, ‘daivi maya’.
This maya is divine because this maya is Krishna’s potency. Therefore, it is impossible to overcome the influence of maya. Alone we don’t stand any chance because maya is powerful. But association of devotees is stronger than maya. Why because maya is Krishna’s external energy whereas association of devotee is Krishna’s internal energy. Now between these two which one is stronger? External energy is stronger or the internal energy is stronger? Internal! So therefore, when you stay in the association of devotees you are safe. Now consider how it gives protection. You may be in the association of some new bhaktas and you may be a big devotee. But if there is any influence of maya coming to influence you, you won’t get influenced as these new devotees will tell you Prabhu what’s happening, you are in maya!
So this is how association of devotees protects us. And that’s why Srila Prabhupada took so much effort to create ISKCON. Only for our spiritual life’s safety. Therefore, stay in ISKCON and never ever leave ISKCON. You can take a statistic. Those who left ISKCON what has happened to them and those who remained in ISKCON what has happened to them? There has been big catastrophe. Many devotees lost their spiritual masters, lost their faith in spiritual life but if they remained in ISKCON their spiritual life would be safe but those who left ISKCON no matter how exalted devotees they may have been, gradually they drifted away and got into maya completely. Maybe they will come back and the doors at ISKCON are always open for everyone to come back but why take a chance? Just remain in ISKCON and see how wonderfully your spiritual life is protected.
ETERNALLY A RESIDENT OF ISKCON
How to remain in Iskcon? Prabhupada pointed out that ISKCON is not a free hotel nor a free dharamshala, a place for eating and sleeping. Yes, ISKCON will provide you the opportunities for eating and sleeping but that should not be the only purpose of staying in ISKCON. The purpose of staying in ISKCON is to practice spiritual life. Prabhupada very clearly pointed it out in the purport ‘stay in ISKCON properly’ because if you don’t utilize this opportunity that you are getting in ISKCON then Krishna will not allow you to stay here, as it is not a free dharamshala.
STAYING IN ISKCON MEANS SERIOUS BUSINESS
Stay in ISKCON practicing four regulative principles. Stay in ISKCON chanting at least sixteen rounds, stay in ISKCON cultivating your spiritual life, reading Srila Prabhupada’s books, attending the classes and hearing from the exalted devotees. Stay in ISKCON to render devotional service. Then ISKCON will keep you. When you become a valuable member of ISKCON then it will protect you. It will give you everything that you will need. That’s how wonderful an arrangement Srila Prabhupada made for the devotees advancement. You stay here practicing devotional service automatically more and more responsibilities will come. Along with the responsibilities you will get your recognition. More and more service opportunities will come.
This movement is here to take over the whole world. When Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said that this movement is to spread in every town and village do you think Mahaprabhu’s word is going to go in vain? Can you imagine a situation that wherever you go there are thousands of devotees and everyone is wearing a tilak and kanthimala and everybody has a bead bag in hand and is chanting Hare Krishna. And who so ever sees you says Oh! Prabhu how are you doing? What can I do for you? This is how this movement is going to take over the whole world. And this is bound to happen and we will be glorified that we are participating in this wonderful happening. Therefore, let us just remain fixed up with full conviction that this movement is going to spread all over the world. And even if I remain as an insignificant part of this movement my life will become successful. Our goal should be that we can leave this body in the association of devotees hearing the chanting of the holy name of the Lord. If we remain in ISKCON even if we are big devotee or a small devotee, at the time of death devotees will surround us and they will chant the holy name of the Lord. What a beautiful atmosphere will be created at that time. If we can leave our body remembering Krishna.
Therefore, the most safe place to be in is the association of devotees in The International Society for Krishna Consciousness.