Çrémad-Bhägavatam January 30, 1974, Tokyo

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1 Çrémad-Bhägavatam January 30, 1974, Tokyo SB-TOKYO [44:54 Minutes] SB _740130SB-TOKYO [no audio] Prabhupäda: So there are others coming? Eh? Where is Saïjaya? Class, not always everyone attends? Devotee (1): It's usually everyone. Prabhupäda: Eh? Devotee (1): Everyone. Devotee (2): Gopäla Swami is the only one. Prabhupäda: Eh? Devotee (2): Just Gopäla Swami is not here. Prabhupäda: Not here? Why? Where he is? Devotee (2): He's straightening your room. Prabhupäda: Eh? Devotee (2): He's cleaning your room. Prabhupäda: And our Paëòitajé swami? Where is he? Devotee (3): Probably with him. Prabhupäda: Eh? Devotee (3): I don't know where he is. Prabhupäda: Call him. [audio starts] 1

2 Nitai: You were on verse 36, Chapter Sixteen. Prabhupäda: Yes. Go on. You can... Nitai: [leads chanting of verse] [leads chanting of synonyms] [04:51] tayor evaà kathayatoù påthivé-dharmayos tadä parékñin näma räjarñiù präptaù präcéà sarasvatém [SB ] Translation: "While the earth and the personality of religion were thus engaged in conversation, the saintly king Mahäräja Parékñit reached the shore of the Sarasvaté River, which flowed towards the east." Prabhupäda: So we are discussing the conversation between Mother Earth and Dharmaräja. The subject matter was that the earthly planet was very much morose on account of arrival of Kali-yuga. [baby fussing] [aside:] It will be disturbing. Devotee (4): Disturbance? [mother and baby leave] Prabhupäda: So we have discussed the symptoms of Kali-yuga, this age called Kali-yuga. As there are seasonal changes, similarly, in the duration of this material existence, there are seasonal changes. That everyone has got experience. There is summer, there is winter, there is fall, there is spring. So generally the seasonal changes are accepted as Satya-yuga, Tretä-yuga, Dväpara-yuga and Kali-yuga. Just like in each year we have got different seasons, changes, similarly, each millennium there are so many changes of Kali-yuga, Dväpara-yuga, Satya-yuga. So Satya-yuga means the age of truthfulness. Satya means truthfulness. And Kali-yuga means the age of disagreement. The age of disagreement. So at the 2

3 present moment we are in the Kali-yuga. Everyone disagrees with the other. Even the so-called disciple also disagrees with the spiritual master. This is the influence of Kali-yuga. One becomes disciple of a spiritual master, then he whimsically disagrees. So why, if you disagree, why should you accept somebody as spiritual master? That is not very good. That is the way of not being successful. We are chanting every day that yasya prasädäd bhagavat-prasädaù **. By satisfying the spiritual master, one can satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Yasya prasädät, "by the satisfaction of the spiritual master." Saàsära-dävänala-léòha-loka-träëäya käruëya-ghanäghanatvam. One of the symptom is this, that spiritual master is so bona fide. Before accepting somebody as spiritual master you must know about his bona fides. That time is allowed. It is said in the çästras that if you like to accept somebody as spiritual master, you should associate with him at least for one year, see how things are going on. If you follow, of course, others, that is also good. But personally it is advised that you just remain with the proposed spiritual master for at least one year, so that the spiritual master is also given chance to study you, whether you are acceptable. This is the process. But when one leaves a spiritual master, the spiritual master, there may be some reason. That reason is also given in the çästra: gurur api avaliptasya käryäkäryam ajänataù[?]. Kärya akärya. If the spiritual master does not know what is actually to be done, what is actually not to be done, and he acts against the rules and regulation of the çästra, then such spiritual master may be given up. But so long you do not find the spiritual master is doing against the principles of çästra or guru, then if you give up the company of spiritual master, that is not good for you. That is your downfall. First of all, you must take sufficient time to study the movements of a spiritual master. Spiritual master is one the spiritual master. Because there may be many spiritual master, but if their business is one to satisfy Kåñëa although they're many, they're one. Although they're many, they are still one. The principle is one: to satisfy Kåñëa. Such is the position of spiritual master, that yasya prasädäd bhagavat-prasädaù: ** if you try to please your spiritual master, then God, 3

4 Kåñëa, becomes pleased. That is natural. So in the Kali-yuga why there should be... In Kali-yuga even with the spiritual master there is disagreement. That is due to influence of Kali. That is my point. So this influence of Kali-yuga has been discussed in so many pages in the Çrémad-Bhägavatam. Last it was discussed that the good qualification of Kali..., of human being... Human being, I am speaking, because amongst the living entities, human being is considered to be the highest. So the Mother Earth was lamenting that people have lost their good qualification. They cannot be lost, but it is, by the influence of Kali-yuga, it is now covered. Satyam, çaucam, dayä, that twenty-six nice qualification. We have discussed all these things. Here [reads]: satyaà çaucaà dayä kñäntis tyägaù santoña ärjavam çamo damas tapaù sämyaà titikñoparatiù çrutam jïänaà viraktir aiçvaryaà çauryaà tejo balaà småtiù svätantryaà kauçalaà käntir dhairyaà märdavam eva ca [SB ] So many. So on account of this Kali-yuga, the good qualification of human society will be lost. Thinking this future of the present age, Mother Earth was lamenting and talking with Dharmaräja. At that time Mahäräja Yudhiñöhira, er, Mahäräja Parékñit arrived on that spot, and this is the verse. Tayor evaà kathayatoù: while the Dharmaräja and the earthly planet was talking between themselves, påthivé... Påthivé. Tayor evaà kathayatoù, påthivé, the earthly planet and dharmayos tadä. Tadä: "that time," parékñit näma räjarñiù. Parékñit näma räjarñiù. There were many räjarñis. Räjarñi means although they're occupying the royal position... Räja. Räja and prajä. Räja 4

5 means king or the ruler. Here is also regulative principle. Why a king is accepted? Why a governor is accepted? Why a president is...? Even in this day of democracy they have abolished the system of monarchy but still, they select somebody to become a monarch, a king, or to occupy the post of the king. That is called president. Why? Because unless there is one head, or on the head of the government, who can actually control? Control means whether citizens are following, executing the rules and regulation, the law of the state. Therefore a certain man, qualified man, who is..., who enjoys the confidence of the people, he is accepted as the king. This is the position. So such president, king or the executive head must be a saintly person. Therefore here it is said, parékñit näma räjarñiù. Räjarñi means those who are on the top of the government, he must be åñi, saintly person. Just like this our Kåñëa consciousness movement, the head of the institution must be a saintly person. Otherwise how he can become a controller? Controller there must be. That what is the qualification of the controller? He must be a saintly person. He must know what is the principle of life, what is the value of life, why one should be controlled by somebody else. These things are required to become qualified. So Mahäräja Parékñit, parékñit näma räjarñiù. In those days all the kings were like saintly persons. They are not ordinary person. Why saintly person required? Because saintly person means he knows what is actually good and what is not good. The actually good of human life is that he's engaged in developing devotional service. That is actually good. In another place of this Çrémad-Bhägavatam it is stated, sa vai puàsäà paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokñaje [SB 1.2.6]. Paro dharmaù. Para means superior, transcendental, or which is para and apara. Bara and abara, these words are used. Bara means greater, and abara means lower, and para means superior and apara means inferior. Here it is spoken, "There are many types of religious system, but they are apara, not very good, inferior, inferior type." Religion cannot be inferior, but it is sometimes made into inferiority because without such kind inferior type of religion, the inferior class of men will not accept it, will not accept it. 5

6 Just like in religious system, in any religious system, the killing of animal there is. In every religious system, there is. But why there is this killing of a living entity? It is not good. But why in the religious system there is permission for killing animal? So that is explained. The explanation is that a person who is a staunch meat-eater, he cannot give up meat-eating, so... At the same time he wants to be religious. This is the position. So for such person it is enjoined, just like in Vedic system, "All right, if you want to eat meat, at the same time you want to become religious, then you worship Goddess Kälé. You cannot worship Viñëu." Because he's a meat-eater, he cannot approach pavitraà paramaà bhavän. The Supreme Personality is the supreme pure. So this meat-eater is impure. He cannot approach the pure. That is not possible. Therefore he is advised to approach some agent of the pure, some çakti, or just like Goddess Kälé. Goddess Kälé is the çakti, or the agent, potency. Kälé has got also business: to cut the heads of the demons. You have seen the Goddess Kälé's picture, muëòa-mälä. She's garlanded with the heads of the demons. Have you seen? Any one of you? Devotee (3): I have seen kälé-püjä. Prabhupäda: Yes. But her business is to cut off the heads of the demons. She is carrying one head in this hand, and in this hand she's carrying a chopper, and her business is to cut the heads of the demons. But she's also the agent of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. How she's agent? Because God has got two business: pariträëäya sädhünäà vinäçäya ca duñkåtäm [Bg. 4.8]. Duñkåtino müòhäù, narädhamäù, mäyayäpahåta-jïänä äsuraà bhävam äçritäù [Bg. 7.15]. For them the Goddess Kälé is engaged to cut their heads, kill them. That is also Kåñëa's agent. Vinäçäya ca duñkåtäm, they have to be finished. But, by finishing them, they are also elevated. Finishing means finishing their sinful activities, finishing their sinful activ... Just like... It is very easy to understand. Just like a person who has committed murder, the state law is, "Finish him, otherwise he will commit another murder." If he's encouraged... Therefore, by finishing him, there are two purposes. One purpose is served that because he has done something very grievous sinful activity, by sacrificing his own life he becomes 6

7 relieved from the sinful reaction. That is the law in the Manu-saàhitä. I have not manufactured. The murderer is condemned to death just to save him from many following resultant action of sinful activities. If in this life he gives his life, "Life for life," then he's safe. In the next life, he takes his birth clean, not suffering any more on account of the sinful activities. This is the statement in Manu-saàhitä. Another instruction is that if this murderer is killed, then he will be saved from committing again murder. So the vinäçäya ca duñkåtäm, when a demon is killed, then he's saved, the people are saved and everything is good. But people cannot understand that "Why God is killing the demons and giving protection to the devotees?" God is equal to everyone. Kåñëa says, samo 'haà sarva-bhüteñu na me dveñyo 'sti na priyaù [Bg. 9.29]. Kåñëa says that "I am equal to everyone." If God is not equal to everyone, then how He can be God? He is God, who is equal. Na me dveñyo 'sti na priyaù. So when God is killing somebody and God is patting something, er, somebody, that does not mean He has got two equal behavior for two persons. No. His behavior is the same: affection. But to kill this demon means to stop him from further sinful activities and get him..., give him release from the sinful activities he has done. Therefore it is His mercy. But one has to study very carefully. Because God is absolute, there is no difference between His activities killing the demon and giving protection to a devotee. He is giving protection to the demon also, by killing him. But one cannot understand. So in this Kali-yuga, räjarñi, this räjarñi... Räjarñi, he's saintly person. Now, we'll find this Parékñit Mahäräja, as soon as he'll find this one demon is trying to kill another cow, he immediately took his sword. If he's a åñi, one may inquire that "If he's a saintly person, how is that he's going to kill another person?" So killing is not always bad. But it is not to be judged by you. It is to be judged by the same saintly person: where killing is required, where not killing is required. So that is the qualification of the kñatriya. Kñatriya means one who gives protection. Just like when there is attack in a country, the king or the president gives protection to the citizen by killing the enemies. So his business 7

8 is to give protection to the citizen. So it may be sometimes by killing others he gives protection. We have discussed many times the violence and nonviolence. Non... These are contradictory terms, but when these two contradictory things are found in saintly persons, we must know they are all the same, absolute. And what to speak of when these actions are found in Kåñëa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is the absolute nature. Absolute..., to understand the absolute nature means two plus two equal to..., one plus one equal to one, and one minus one equal to one. This is absolute understanding. Pürëasya pürëam ädäya pürëam evävaçiñyate [Éço Invocation]. Pürëasya pürëam ädäya. One is complete number, pürëam. Pürëasya pürëam ädäya. And if you take away complete one, still it is one. This is absolute understanding. It is not that one has been taken away from one; therefore it has become zero. No. That is material. That is relative. So parékñin näma räjarñiù präptaù präcéà sarasvatém. In India, all the rivers, they're coming from the Himalaya, western side, and flowing toward the eastern side, going to the Bay of Bengal. So präcém, flowing to the eastern side, Sarasvaté... This is also one of the famous rivers. There are many rivers in India. Especially there is sacred rivers Ganges, Yamunä, Sarasvaté, Godävaré, Käveré, Kåñëä, Narmadä, like that. Each river is considered very sacred. So it is understood that Parékñit Mahäräja met the Dharmaräja and the earthly planet talking together on the bank of the river Sarasvaté. That's all right. Thank you very much. Devotees: [offer obeisances] Prabhupäda: Any questions? Devotee (1): Is Dharmaräja King Yudhiñöhira or [indistinct]? Prabhupäda: That King Yudhiñöhira is the son of Dharmaräja. He is the son. Mahäräja Yudhiñöhira was begotten by Dharmaräja. Devotee (1): Vidura was also the... Prabhupäda: No, Vidura was begotten by Vyäsadeva. 8

9 Devotee (1): He was also Dharmaräja? Prabhupäda: No, he was not Dharmaräja. Oh, yes, yes, you are right. He was Dharmaräja. Devotee (1): Yamaräja. Prabhupäda: Yamaräja, yes. By the cursing of some great åñi, he became a çüdra. Yes. I thought that you were asking whether Vidura was begotten by Dharmaräja. No. He's Dharmaräja. Any question? What is the name of that boy? Devotee (1): Saïjaya. Prabhupäda: Dhanaïjaya? Devotee (1): Saïjaya. Prabhupäda: Saïjaya? Devotee (1): Yes. Prabhupäda: Who has given you this name? Saïjaya: You have, Çréla Prabhupäda. Prabhupäda: Saïjaya uväca. [laughter] Saïjaya... Saïjaya: Having heard your wondrous dialogue, Çréla Prabhupäda, my hair is standing on end. Prabhupäda: What is that? Saïjaya: Having heard your holy dialogue, Çréla Prabhupäda, my hair is standing on end, like Saïjaya says in the Gétä. Prabhupäda: What is that special...? Which portion? Saïjaya: This is the last çlokas of Bhagavad-gétä, when the... Devotee (1): He's relating the conversation to Dhåtaräñöra, the final conclusion of Bhagavad-gétä, saying, "After hearing this holy dialogue, my hair is standing on end." Prabhupäda: Oh. 9

10 Devotee (1): In Bhagavad-gétä. Prabhupäda: Hah, hah. You want to know about something, about that verse? Saïjaya: No, I just stated that... Prabhupäda: Oh. Saïjaya:...after hearing your lecture, Çréla Prabhupäda. Prabhupäda: Every instruction is like that. We should follow the instruction, and if you cannot understand, then consult the spiritual master. Not to give up this association of the spiritual master and interpret in your own way. That is rascaldom. Don't do that. It is said in the Bhagavad-gétä, tad viddhi praëipätena paripraçnena sevayä upadekñyanti te jïänaà jïäninas tattva-darçinaù [Bg. 4.34] If there is any doubt in understanding the Vedic literature, then you try to understand from the person who knows it, tattva-darçé, who has seen actually the truth. Upadekñyanti te jïänaà jïäninas tattva-darçinaù. One who has actually seen the truth. And how to approach him? Tad viddhi praëipätena paripraçnena: by surrendering, by giving service, and questioning. Question must be preceded and followed by..., preceded by surrender, and followed by service. In the middle, there may be question. Therefore, yasya prasädäd bhagavat-prasädaù, we have to please the spiritual master by service and surrender, and then it will be very nice position. If the spiritual master sees that the disciple is a surrendered soul, and he's rendering service to his best capacity, then the answer will be very liberal and convincing, and he will be very glad to answer the question, if it is supported by these two things: surrender, and paripraçnena, and sevayä. Tad viddhi praëipätena [Bg. 4.34]. The first beginning is praëipäta. And what is this, that I give up the company of my spiritual master and I invent my own ways of life and own interpretation? That 10

11 will not help. That will not... Devotee (3): The war on the battlefield of Kurukñetra, that lasted for a period of eighteen days? Prabhupäda: Yes. Devotee (3): And that happened five thousand years ago when Kåñëa was on earth. Is that happening now in some other material universe, the same battle? Prabhupäda: Yes. Devotee (3): Can we enter into that, or see that? Prabhupäda: Yes, if you go there. Devotee (3): We have to... We leave the universe. But then we are associating directly with Kåñëa and Arjuna? Prabhupäda: Yes. You can associate with Kåñëa and Arjuna every twenty-four hours, by reading Bhagavad-gétä. Why you require to go there? It is already here. You see. You read the Bhagavad-gétä, and you are immediately in the battlefield of Kurukñetra. He is instructing. That was the instruction. Caitanya Mahäprabhu accepted. You know that story? Illiterate brähmaëa was reading Bhagavad-gétä? So he did not know; he was not literate even. But because his spiritual master..., he had so staunch faith in the spiritual master... Just see. His spiritual master said that "You read, daily, eighteen chapters of Bhagavad-gétä." Spiritual master knew that he was illiterate, but still he asked him, "You read eighteen chapters daily." So what can he do? The spiritual master has ordered. So he was simply making a show of reading, "Uh-uh-uù," like this. So this other friends were criticizing, "Oh, Mr. Such-and-such, how you are reading Bhagavad-gétä?" He knows that this man... His friend is criticizing him, so he did not answer. But when Caitanya Mahäprabhu asked him, "My dear brähmaëa, what you are reading?" he knew that this gentleman, Caitanya Mahäprabhu, was really inquisitive, so he explained the whole thing, that "I am trying to read Bhagavad-gétä, but I am illiterate. My Guru Mahäräja ordered me to read; therefore I am reading. But actually I cannot read. So frankly I admit." This is staunch faith in spiritual master. He knew, his spiritual master knew 11

12 that he is illiterate, and he knew also that "I cannot read Bhagavad-gétä." But still he was trying to read because his spiritual master has said. This is called staunch. Yasya prasädät. "He has said. I have to satisfy him. I am incompetent I cannot read but he has said, therefore I must do it." This is called yasya prasädäd bhagavat-prasädaù **. So practical example... Just like this Kåñëa consciousness movement. I am insignificant human being; what can I do? But I tried my best because my spiritual master said that "You go and try to preach in English." So I tried my best, that's all. I had no qualification. So this is very nice point, yasya prasädät. We have to try our best to... I may not be able to do that, but that endeavor will be appreciated by Kåñëa and the spiritual master. That is required. I may be most incompetent. Everyone is incompetent. Who can satisfy Kåñëa, this unlimited? But simply what Kåñëa says, if we do, that will satisfy Him. Kåñëa says, man-manä bhava mad-bhakto mad-yäjé mäà namaskuru [Bg ]. The guidance is, the spiritual master, he orders that man-manäù, "Always think of Me," bhava mad-bhaktaù, "just become My devotee, worship Me, and offer your obeisances unto Me." And here is the Deity. So that is our business. Think of always, "Here is Rädhä and Kåñëa, here is Jagannätha, here is Lord Caitanya." What is the difficulty? In the temple we get direct contact, and if I go out from the temple and lie down on the station, is that very good, do you think? [laughter] Kåñëa says, man-manä bhava mad-bhaktaù. So will it help me to think of Him twenty-four hours by going to the railway station or in the temple? This is common sense. Any sensible man can understand that "Here is Kåñëa, here is Rädhäräëé. Worship is going on, the devotees are offering prasädam, always they are constantly engaged that is man-manä bhaktaù." Or "I give up the association of the devotees and temple and go to hell, that will help me"? This is commonsense thing. I manufacture my own way by the advice of some, another rascal. This will not be good. This, this is very good, man-manä bhava mad-bhakto mad-yäjé mäà namaskuru [Bg ]. "Always think of Me." Here is the chance. As soon as I see... As I advance in my spiritual life, I'll see, "Here is Kåñëa." It is not the doll Kåñëa. Doll Kåñëa is for 12

13 the kaniñöha-adhikäré. But one who is advanced, he sees Kåñëa. Just like you have read the story of, in Caitanya-caritämåta, two brähmaëas went to Våndävana. So the devotee is seeing, "Here is Kåñëa." When the older brähmaëa said that "I promise," the younger said, "Sir, you are talking before Kåñëa like that. If you renege[?] from this promise, it will be great offense." Because he was seeing Kåñëa. And when he was asked, "Who was your witness?" he said, "Kåñëa is witness." And his eldest son took the opportunity, "All right, if your Kåñëa comes and gives witness, then my sister will be married with you." Because he is atheist. He was thinking, "Kåñëa is not coming. Kåñëa is not coming. It is made of marble statue. How Kåñëa will come?" So he thought that "I have given him some chance which he will never be fulfilled." But to fulfill the words of the devotee, Kåñëa came. Therefore He is called Säkñi-Gopäla, witness Gopäla. So we must have faith. We must have faith and discharge duties according to the çästra, guru, sädhu, then our spiritual life is guaranteed. If we manufacture something out of whims, that will not help us. This is the point. Devotee (3): Çréla Prabhupäda, in Çrémad-Bhägavatam it's stated that the Supersoul is measured from the end of the thumb to the end of the ring finger. How does this change take place in the different sizes of species of living entities in this material creation? Prabhupäda: He can become the smaller than the smallest, the higher than..., the bigger than the biggest. That is Kåñëa's power. [bell rings as curtains open; devotees pay obeisances] So, we can go? [end] 13

Bhagavad-gétä 1.1. London, July 7, 1973

Bhagavad-gétä 1.1. London, July 7, 1973 Bhagavad-gétä 1.1 London, July 7, 1973 Pradyumna (leads chanting, etc.): dhåtaräñöra uväca dharma-kñetre kuru-kñetre samavetä yuyutsavaù mämakäù päëòaväç caiva kim akurvata saïjaya [Bg. 1.1] Prabhupäda: