O scion of Bharata, you should understand that
I am also the knower in all bodies, and to understand this body and its knower
is called knowledge. That is My opinion.
SB 2.6.21
The word viçvaì is significant in this
verse. One who travels perfectly in every field of activity is called the
puruña or kñetrajïa. These two terms, kñetrajïa and puruña, are equally
applicable to both the individual self and the Supreme Self, the Lord. In the
Bhagavad-gétä (13.3) the matter is explained as follows:
kñetra means the place, and one who knows
the place is called the kñetrajïa. The individual self knows about his limited
field of activities, but the Supreme Self, the Lord, knows about the unlimited
field of activities. The individual soul knows about his own thinking, feeling
and willing activities, but the Supersoul, or the Paramätmä, the supreme
controller, being present everywhere, knows everyone's thinking, feeling and
willing activities, and as such the individual living entity is the minute
master of his personal affairs whereas the Supreme Personality of Godhead is
the master of everyone's affairs, past, present and future (vedähaà samatétäni,
etc. [Bg. 7.26]). Only the ignorant person does not know this difference
between the Lord and the living entities. The living entities, as distinguished
from incognizant matter, may be qualitatively equal to the Lord in cognizance,
but the living entity can never be equal to the Lord in full knowledge of past,
present and future.
SB 3.26.21
The väsudeva stage is free from infringement
by material desires and is the status in which one can understand the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, or the objective which is described in the
Bhagavad-gétä as adbhuta. This is another feature of the mahat-tattva. The
väsudeva expansion is also called Kåñëa consciousness, for it is free from all
tinges of material passion and ignorance. This clear state of understanding
helps one to know the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The väsudeva status is
also explained in Bhagavad-gétä as kñetra-jïa, which refers to the knower of
the field of activities as well as the Superknower. The living being who has
occupied a particular type of body knows that body, but the Superknower,
Väsudeva, knows not only a particular type of body but also the field of
activities in all the different varieties of bodies. In order to be situated in
clear consciousness, or Kåñëa consciousness, one must worship Väsudeva.
Väsudeva is Kåñëa alone. When Kåñëa, or Viñëu, is alone, without the
accompaniment of His internal energy, He is Väsudeva. When He is accompanied by
His internal potency, He is called Dvärakädhéça. To have clear consciousness,
or Kåñëa consciousness, one has to worship Väsudeva. It is also explained in
Bhagavad-gétä that after many, many births one surrenders to Väsudeva. Such a
great soul is very rare.
SB 3.32.29
The Supreme Lord is independent, and the
individual soul is also independent. Although there is no comparison between
the two qualities of independence, the living entity is minutely independent,
and the Supreme Lord is fully independent. As the individual soul has a
material body made of five elements and the senses, the supreme independent
Lord similarly has the gigantic body of the universe. The individual body is
temporary; similarly, the entire universe, which is considered to be the body
of the Supreme Lord, is also temporary, and both the individual and universal
bodies are products of the mahat-tattva. One has to understand the differences
with intelligence. Everyone knows that his material body has developed from a
spiritual spark, and similarly the universal body has developed from the
supreme spark, Supersoul. As the individual body develops from the individual
soul, the gigantic body of the universe develops from the Supreme Soul. Just as
the individual soul has consciousness, the Supreme Soul is also conscious. But
although there is a similarity between the consciousness of the Supreme Soul
and the consciousness of the individual soul, the individual soul's
consciousness is limited, whereas the consciousness of the Supreme Soul is
unlimited. This is described in Bhagavad-gétä (13.3). Kñetra-jïaà cäpi mäà
viddhi: the Supersoul is present in every field of activity, just as the
individual soul is present in the individual body. Both of them are conscious.
The difference is that the individual soul is conscious of the individual body
only, whereas the Supersoul is conscious of the total number of individual bodies.
SB 6.9.38
The words sarva-vastuni vastu-svarüpaù
indicate that the Supreme Lord is the active principle of everything. As
described in the Brahma-saàhitä (5.35):
"I worship the Personality of Godhead,
Govinda, who enters the existence of every universe and every atom by one of
His plenary portions and thus manifests His infinite energy throughout the
material creation." By His one plenary portion as Paramätmä, antaryämé,
the Lord is all-pervading throughout the unlimited universes. He is the pratyak,
or antaryämé, of all living entities. The Lord says in Bhagavad-gétä (13.3),
kñetra-jïaà cäpi mäà viddhi sarva-kñetreñu bhärata: "O scion of Bharata,
you should understand that I am also the knower in all bodies." Because
the Lord is the Supersoul, He is the active principle of every living entity
and even the atom (aëòäntara-stha-paramäëu-cayäntara-stham). He is the actual
reality. According to various stages of intelligence, one realizes the presence
of the Supreme in everything through the manifestations of His energy. The
entire world is permeated by the three guëas, and one can understand His
presence according to one's modes of material nature.
SB 7.1.25
Kåñëa can expand Himself as Paramätmä in the
core of everyone's heart. In Bhagavad-gétä (13.3) this is confirmed.
Kñetra-jïaà cäpi mäà viddhi sama-kñetreñu bhärata: the Lord is the
Paramätmä—the ätmä or Superself of all individual souls. Therefore it must
naturally be concluded that He has no defective bodily conceptions. Although
situated in everyone's body, He has no bodily conception of life. He is always
free from such conceptions, and thus He cannot be affected by anything in
relation to the material body of the jéva.
SB 8.1.10
Sväyambhuva Manu instructs that whatever
exists, not only in the spiritual world but even within this material world, is
the property of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is present everywhere
as the Superconsciousness. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gétä (13.3), kñetra-jïam
cäpi mäà viddhi sarva-kñetreñu bhärata: in every field—in other words, in every
body—the Supreme Lord is existing as the Supersoul. The individual soul is
given a body in which to live and act according to the instructions of the
Supreme Person, and therefore the Supreme Person also exists within every body.
We should not think that we are independent; rather, we should understand that
we are allotted a certain portion of the total property of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead.
SB 8.6.14
As stated in Bhagavad-gétä (13.3),
kñetra-jïaà cäpi mäà viddhi sarva-kñetreñu bhärata. The individual souls are
proprietors of their individual bodies, but the Supreme Personality of Godhead
is the proprietor of all bodies. Since He is the witness of everyone's body,
nothing is unknown to Him. He knows what we need. Our duty, therefore, is to
execute devotional service sincerely, under the direction of the spiritual
master. Kåñëa, by His grace, will supply whatever we need in executing our
devotional service. In the Kåñëa consciousness movement, we simply have to
execute the order of Kåñëa and guru. Then all necessities will be supplied by
Kåñëa, even if we do not ask for them.
SB 10.2.6
The words bhagavän api viçvätmä viditvä
kaàsajaà bhayam are commented upon by Çréla Sanätana Gosvämé. Bhagavän svayam
is Kåñëa (kåñëas tu bhagavän svayam [SB 1.3.28]). He is Viçvätmä, the original
Supersoul of everyone, because his plenary portion expands as the Supersoul.
This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gétä (13.3): kñetra-jïaà cäpi mäà viddhi
sarva-kñetreñu bhärata. Lord Kåñëa is the kñetra jïa, or Supersoul, of all
living entities. He is the original source of all expansions of the Personality
of Godhead. There are hundreds and thousands of plenary expansions of Viñëu,
such as Saìkarñaëa, Pradyumna, Aniruddha and Väsudeva, but here in this material
world, the Viçvätmä, the Supersoul for all living entities, is Kñérodakaçäyé
Viñëu. As stated in Bhagavad-gétä (18.61), éçvaraù sarva-bhütänäà
håd-deçe'rjuna tiñöhati: "The Supreme Lord is situated in the heart of all
living entities, O Arjuna." Kåñëa is actually Viçvätmä by His plenary
expansion as viñëu-tattva, yet because of His affection for His devotees, He
acts as Supersoul to give them directions (sarvasya cähaà hådi sanniviñöo
mattaù småtir jïänam apohanaà ca [Bg. 15.15]).
Humility; pridelessness; nonviolence;
tolerance; simplicity; approaching a bona fide spiritual master; cleanliness;
steadiness; self-control; renunciation of the objects of sense gratification;
absence of false ego; the perception of the evil of birth, death, old age and disease;
detachment; freedom from entanglement with children, wife, home and the rest;
even-mindedness amid pleasant and unpleasant events; constant and unalloyed
devotion to Me; aspiring to live in a solitary place; detachment from the
general mass of people; accepting the importance of self-realization; and
philosophical search for the Absolute Truth—all these I declare to be
knowledge, and besides this whatever there may be is ignorance.
SB 1.2.28-29
This is also so for the culture of
knowledge. According to Bhagavad-gétä there are eighteen items in culturing
knowledge. By such culture of knowledge one becomes gradually prideless, devoid
of vanity, nonviolent, forbearing, simple, devoted to the great spiritual
master, and self-controlled. By culture of knowledge one becomes unattached to
hearth and home and becomes conscious of the miseries due to death, birth, old
age and disease. And all culture of knowledge culminates in devotional service
to the Personality of Godhead, Väsudeva. Therefore, Väsudeva is the ultimate
aim in culturing all different branches of knowledge. Culture of knowledge
leading one to the transcendental plane of meeting Väsudeva is real knowledge.
Physical knowledge in its various branches is condemned in the Bhagavad-gétä as
ajïäna, or the opposite of real knowledge. The ultimate aim of physical
knowledge is to satisfy the senses, which means prolongation of the term of
material existence and thereby continuance of the threefold miseries. So
prolonging the miserable life of material existence is nescience. But the same
physical knowledge leading to the way of spiritual understanding helps one to
end the miserable life of physical existence and to begin the life of spiritual
existence on the plane of Väsudeva.
SB 1.5.23
Advanced people are eager to understand the
Absolute Truth through the medium of science, and therefore a great scientist
should endeavor to prove the existence of the Lord on a scientific basis.
Similarly, philosophical speculations should be utilized to establish the Supreme
Truth as sentient and all-powerful. Similarly, all other branches of knowledge
should always be engaged in the service of the Lord. In the Bhagavad-gétä also
the same is affirmed. All "knowledge" not engaged in the service of
the Lord is but nescience. Real utilization of advanced knowledge is to
establish the glories of the Lord, and that is the real import. Scientific
knowledge engaged in the service of the Lord and all similar activities are all
factually hari-kértana, or glorification of the Lord.
SB 7.5.27
Being anxious about the education of his boy
Prahläda, Hiraëyakaçipu was very much dissatisfied. When Prahläda began
teaching about devotional service, Hiraëyakaçipu immediately regarded the
teachers as his enemies in the garb of friends. In this verse the words rogaù
pätakinäm iva refer to disease, which is the most sinful and miserable of the
conditions of material life (janma-måtyu jarä-vyädhi [Bg. 13.9]). Disease is
the symptom of the body of a sinful person. The småti-çästras say,
brahma-hä kñaya-rogé syät
suräpaù çyävadantakaù
svarëa-häré tu kunakhé
duçcarmä guru-talpagaù
Murderers of brähmaëas are later afflicted
by tuberculosis, drunkards become toothless, those who have stolen gold are
afflicted by diseased nails, and sinful men who have sexual connections with
the wife of a superior are afflicted by leprosy and similar skin diseases.
SB 10.3.33
Here is an instruction about how to use
one's senses to create progeny. According to Vedic principles, before creating
progeny one must fully control the senses. This control takes place through the
garbhädhäna-saàskära. In India there is great agitation for birth control in
various mechanical ways, but birth cannot be mechanically controlled. As stated
in Bhagavad-gétä (13.9), janma-måtyu jarä-vyädhi-duùkha-doñänudarçanam: birth,
death, old age and disease are certainly the primary distresses of the material
world. People are trying to control birth, but they are not able to control
death; and if one cannot control death, one cannot control birth either. In
other words, artificially controlling birth is not any more feasible than
artificially controlling death. According to Vedic civilization, procreation
should not be contrary to religious principles, and then the birthrate will be
controlled. As stated in Bhagavad-gétä (7.11), dharmäviruddho bhüteñu kämo'smi:
sex not contrary to religious principles is a representation of the Supreme
Lord. People should be educated in how to give birth to good children through
saàskäras, beginning with the garbhädhäna-saàskära; birth should not be
controlled by artificial means, for this will lead to a civilization of
animals. If one follows religious principles, he automatically practices birth
control because if one is spiritually educated he knows that the after-effects
of sex are various types of misery (bahu-duùkha-bhäja). One who is spiritually
advanced does not indulge in uncontrolled sex. Therefore, instead of being
forced to refrain from sex or refrain from giving birth to many children,
people should be spiritually educated, and then birth control will
automatically follow. If one is determined to make spiritual advancement, he
will not beget a child unless able to make that child a devotee. As stated in
Çrémad-Bhägavatam (5.5.18), pitä na sa syät: one should not become a father
unless one is able to protect his child from måtyu, the path of birth and
death. But where is there education about this? A responsible father never
begets children like cats and dogs. Instead of being encouraged to adopt
artificial means of birth control, people should be educated in Kåñëa
consciousness because only then will they understand their responsibility to
their children. If one can beget children who will be devotees and be taught to
turn aside from the path of birth and death (måtyu-saàsära-vartmani [Bg. 9.3]),
there is no need of birth control. Rather, one should be encouraged to beget
children. Artificial means of birth control have no value. Whether one begets
children or does not, a population of men who are like cats and dogs will never
make human society happy. It is therefore necessary for people to be educated
spiritually so that instead of begetting children like cats and dogs, they will
undergo austerities to produce devotees. This will make their lives successful.
SB 10.4.20
The word dharma means
"engagement." One who is engaged in the service of the Lord (yato
bhaktir adhokñaje), without impediment and without cessation, is understood to
be situated in his original, spiritual status. When one is promoted to this status,
one is always happy in transcendental bliss. Otherwise, as long as one is in
the bodily concept of life, one must suffer material conditions. Janma-måtyu
jarä-vyädhi-duùkha-doñänudarçanam [Bg. 13.9]. The body is subject to its own
principles of birth, death, old age and disease, but one who is situated in
spiritual life (yato bhaktir adhokñaje) has no birth, no death, no old age and
no disease. One may argue that we may see a person who is spiritually engaged
twenty-four hours a day but is still suffering from disease. In fact, however,
he is neither suffering nor diseased; otherwise he could not be engaged
twenty-four hours a day in spiritual activities. The example may be given in
this connection that sometimes dirty foam or garbage is seen floating on the
water of the Ganges. This is called néra-dharma, a function of the water. But
one who goes to the Ganges does not mind the foam and dirty things floating in
the water. With his hand, he pushes away such nasty things, bathes in the
Ganges and gains the beneficial results. Therefore, one who is situated in the
spiritual status of life is unaffected by foam and garbage—or any superficial
dirty things.
Everywhere are His hands and legs, His eyes,
heads and faces, and He has ears everywhere. In this way the Supersoul exists,
pervading everything.
SB 2.1.24
Anything, either material or spiritual, is
but an expansion of the energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and as
stated in the Bhagavad-gétä (13.14), the omnipotent Lord has His transcendental
eyes, heads and other bodily parts distributed everywhere. He can see, hear,
touch or manifest Himself anywhere and everywhere, for He is present everywhere
as the Supersoul of all infinitesimal souls, although He has His particular
abode in the absolute world. The relative world is also His phenomenal
representation because it is nothing but an expansion of His transcendental
energy. Although He is in His abode, His energy is distributed everywhere, just
as the sun is localized as well as expanded everywhere, since the rays of the
sun, being nondifferent from the sun, are accepted as expansions of the sun
disc. In the Viñëu Puräëa (1.22.52) it is said that as fire expands its rays
and heat from one place, similarly the Supreme Spirit, the Personality of Godhead,
expands Himself by His manifold energy everywhere and anywhere.
SB 2.2.1
The kingdom of God is unlimited; therefore
the number of the assisting hands of the Lord is also unlimited. The
Bhagavad-gétä (13.14) asserts that the Lord has His hands, legs, eyes and
mouths in every nook and corner of His creation, This means that the expansions
of differentiated parts and parcels, called jévas or living entities, are
assisting hands of the Lord, and all of them are meant for rendering a
particular pattern of service to the Lord. The conditioned soul, even in the
position of a Brahmä, forgets this by the influence of illusory, material
energy generated out of false egoism. One can counteract such false egoism by
invoking God consciousness. Liberation means getting out of the slumber of
forgetfulness and becoming situated in the real loving service of the Lord, as
exemplified in the case of Brahmä. The service of Brahmä is the sample of
service in liberation distinguished from the so-called altruistic services full
of mistakes and forgetfulness. Liberation is never inaction, but service
without human mistakes.
Yet in this body there is another, a
transcendental enjoyer, who is the Lord, the supreme proprietor, who exists as
the overseer and permitter, and who is known as the Supersoul.
SB 1.13.43
We must know for certain that the particular
position in which we are now set up is an arrangement of the supreme will in
terms of our own acts in the past. The Supreme Lord is present as the localized
Paramätmä in the heart of every living being, as it is said in the
Bhagavad-gétä (13.23), and therefore he knows everything of our activities in
every stage of our lives. He rewards the reactions of our actions by placing us
in some particular place. A rich man gets his son born with a silver spoon in
his mouth, but the child who came as the rich man's son deserved such a place,
and therefore he is placed there by the will of the Lord. And at a particular
moment when the child has to be removed from that place, he is also carried by
the will of the Supreme, even if the child or the father does not wish to be
separated from the happy relation. The same thing happens in the case of a poor
man also. Neither rich man nor poor man has any control over such meetings or
separations of living beings.
SB 2.9.25
The Bhagavad-gétä confirms that the Lord is
situated in everyone's heart as the witness, and as such He is the supreme
director of sanction. The director is not the enjoyer of the fruits of action,
for without the Lord's sanction no one can enjoy. For example, in a prohibited
area a habituated drunkard puts forward his application to the director of
drinking, and the director, considering his case, sanctions only a certain
amount of liquor for drinking. Similarly, the whole material world is full of
many drunkards, in the sense that each and every one of the living entities has
something in his mind to enjoy, and everyone desires the fulfillment of his
desires very strongly. The almighty Lord, being very kind to the living entity,
as the father is kind to the son, fulfills the living entity's desire for his
childish satisfaction. With such desires in mind, the living entity does not
actually enjoy, but he serves the bodily whims unnecessarily, without profit.
The drunkard does not derive any profit out of drinking, but because he has
become a servant of the drinking habit and does not wish to get out of it, the
merciful Lord gives him all facilities to fulfill such desires.
SB 3.26.18
Here it is stated that within the heart the Supreme
Personality of Godhead resides as the Supersoul. This situation is also
explained in Bhagavad-gétä: the Supersoul rests beside the individual soul and
acts as a witness. This is also confirmed elsewhere in the Vedic literature:
two birds are sitting on the same tree of the body; one is witnessing, and the
other is eating the fruits of the tree. This puruña, or Paramätmä, who resides
within the body of the individual soul, is described in Bhagavad-gétä (13.23)
as the upadrañöä, witness, and the anumantä, sanctioning authority. The
conditioned soul engages in the happiness and distress of the particular body
given him by the arrangement of the external energy of the Supreme Lord. But
the supreme living being, or the Paramätmä, is different from the conditioned
soul. He is described in Bhagavad-gétä as maheçvara, or the Supreme Lord. He is
Paramätmä, not jévätmä. Paramätmä means the Supersoul, who is sitting by the
side of the conditioned soul just to sanction his activities. The conditioned
soul comes to this material world in order to lord it over material nature.
Since one cannot do anything without the sanction of the Supreme Lord, He lives
with the jéva soul as witness and sanction-giver. He is also bhoktä; He gives
maintenance and sustenance to the conditioned soul.
SB 4.24.64
Remaining within the hearts of all living
entities, the Lord bestows remembrance by which the living entities can enjoy
certain things. Thus the living entities create their enjoyable honeycombs and
then enjoy them. The example of the bees is appropriate because when bees try
to enjoy their honeycomb, they have to suffer the bites of other bees. Because
bees bite one another when they enjoy honey, they are not exclusively enjoying
the sweetness of the honey, for there is also suffering. In other words, the
living entities are subjected to the pains and pleasures of material enjoyment,
whereas the Supreme Personality of Godhead, knowing their plans for sense
enjoyment, is aloof from them. In the Upaniñads the example is given of two
birds sitting on a tree. One bird (the jéva, or living entity) is enjoying the
fruits of that tree, and the other bird (Paramätmä) is simply witnessing. In
the Bhagavad-gétä (13.23) the Supreme Personality of Godhead as Paramätmä is
described as upadrañöä (the overseer) and anumantä (the permitter).
Thus the Lord simply witnesses and gives the
living entity sanction for sense enjoyment. It is the Paramätmä also who gives
the intelligence by which the bees can construct a hive, collect honey from
various flowers, store it and enjoy it. Although the Paramätmä is aloof from
the living entities, He knows their intentions, and He gives them facilities by
which they can enjoy or suffer the results of their actions. Human society is
exactly like a beehive, for everyone is engaged in collecting honey from
various flowers, or collecting money from various sources, and creating large
empires for common enjoyment. However, after these empires are created, the
bites of other nations have to be suffered. Sometimes nations declare war upon
one another, and the human beehives become sources of misery. Although human
beings are creating their beehives in order to enjoy the sweetness of their
senses, they are at the same time suffering from the bites of other persons or
nations. The Supreme Personality of Godhead as Paramätmä is simply witnessing
all these activities. The conclusion is that both the Supreme Personality of
Godhead and the jévas enter into this material world. However, the Paramätmä,
or Supreme Personality of Godhead, is worshipable because He has arranged for
the happiness of the living entity in the material world. Because it is the
material world, however, no one can enjoy any kind of happiness without
inebriety. Material enjoyment means inebriety, whereas spiritual enjoyment
means pure enjoyment under the protection of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead.
SB 8.1.11
The words cakñur yasya na riñyati mean that
although we cannot see Him, this does not mean that He cannot see us. Nor does
He die when the cosmic manifestation is annihilated. The example is given in
this connection that the sunshine is present when the sun is present, but when
the sun is not present, or when we cannot see the sun, this does not mean that
the sun is lost. The sun is there, but we cannot see it. Similarly, although we
cannot see the Supreme Personality of Godhead in our present darkness, our lack
of knowledge, He is always present, seeing our activities. As the Paramätmä, He
is the witness and adviser (upadrañöä and anumantä). Therefore, by following
the instructions of the spiritual master and studying authorized literatures,
one can understand that God is present before us, seeing everything, although
we have no eyes with which to see Him.
The total material substance, called Brahman,
is the source of birth, and it is that Brahman that I impregnate, making
possible the births of all living beings, O son of Bharata.
SB 2.5.34
So, as described above, the Lord as
Garbhodakaçäyé Viñëu or Hiraëyagarbha Supersoul enters into each and every
universe and causes it to be animated by begetting the living entities within
the womb of the material nature, as confirmed in the Bhagavad-gétä (14.3).
After each annihilation of the material creation, all the living entities are
merged within the body of the Lord, and after creation they are again
impregnated within the material energy. In material existence, therefore, the
material energy is seemingly the mother of the living entities, and the Lord is
the father. When, however, the animation takes place, the living entities
revive their own natural activities under the spell of time and energy, and
thus the varieties of living beings are manifested. The Lord, therefore, is
ultimately the cause of all animation in the material world.
SB 3.5.26
We should not understand the process of
impregnation by the Personality of Godhead in terms of our conception of sex.
The omnipotent Lord can impregnate just by His eyes, and therefore He is called
all-potent. Each and every part of His transcendental body can perform each and
every function of the other parts. This is confirmed in the Brahma-saàhitä
(5.32): aìgäni yasya sakalendriya-våttimanti. In Bhagavad-gétä (14.3) also, the
same principle is confirmed: mama yonir mahad-brahma tasmin garbhaà dadhämy
aham. When the cosmic creation is manifested, the living entities are directly
supplied from the Lord; they are never products of material nature. Thus, no
scientific advancement of material science can ever produce a living being.
That is the whole mystery of the material creation. The living entities are
foreign to matter, and thus they cannot be happy unless they are situated in the
same spiritual life as the Lord. The mistaken living being, out of
forgetfulness of this original condition of life, unnecessarily wastes time
trying to become happy in the material world. The whole Vedic process is to
remind one of this essential feature of life. The Lord offers the conditioned
soul a material body for his so-called enjoyment, but if one does not come to
his senses and enter into spiritual consciousness, the Lord again puts him in
the unmanifested condition as it existed in the beginning of the creation. The
Lord is described here as véryavän, or the greatest potent being, because He
impregnates material nature with innumerable living entities who are
conditioned from time immemorial.
It should be understood that all species of
life, O son of Kunté, are made possible by birth in this material nature, and
that I am the seed-giving father.
SB 1.2.28-29
Vasudeva and Devaké, the so-called father
and mother of Lord Kåñëa, underwent penances to get Väsudeva as their son. Lord
Çré Kåñëa is the father of all living beings (Bg. 14.4). Therefore He is the
original living being of all other living beings. He is the original eternal
enjoyer amongst all other enjoyers. Therefore no one can be His begetting
father, as the ignorant may think. Lord Çré Kåñëa agreed to become the son of
Vasudeva and Devaké upon being pleased with their severe austerities. Therefore
if any austerities have to be done, they must be done to achieve the end of
knowledge, Väsudeva.
SB 1.2.33
The Lord as Paramätmä helps the living being
to get material happiness because the living being is helpless in all respects
in obtaining what he desires. He proposes, and the Lord disposes. In another
sense, the living beings are parts and parcels of the Lord. They are therefore
one with the Lord. In the Bhagavad-gétä the living beings in all varieties of
bodies have been claimed by the Lord as His sons. The sufferings and enjoyments
of the sons are indirectly the sufferings and enjoyments of the father. Still
the father is not in any way affected directly by the suffering and enjoyment
of the sons. He is so kind that He constantly remains with the living being as
Paramätmä and always tries to convert the living being towards the real
happiness.
SB 1.10.4
We are all creatures of material nature. In
the Bhagavad-gétä it is said that the Lord Himself is the seed-giving father
and material nature is the mother of all living beings in all shapes. Thus
mother material nature has enough foodstuff both for animals and for men, by
the grace of the Father Almighty, Çré Kåñëa. The human being is the elder
brother of all other living beings. He is endowed with intelligence more
powerful than animals for realizing the course of nature and the indications of
the Almighty Father. Human civilizations should depend on the production of
material nature without artificially attempting economic development to turn
the world into a chaos of artificial greed and power only for the purpose of
artificial luxuries and sense gratification. This is but the life of dogs and
hogs.
SB 1.12.4
Herein the word prajäù is significant. The
etymological import of the word is "that which is born." On the earth
there are many species of life, from the aquatics up to the perfect human
beings, and all are known as prajäs. Lord Brahmä, the creator of this
particular universe, is known as the prajäpati because he is the grandfather of
all who have taken birth. Thus prajä is used in a broader sense than it is now
used. The king represents all living beings, the aquatics, plants, trees, reptiles,
birds, animals and man. Every one of them is a part and parcel of the Supreme
Lord (Bg. 14.4), and the king, being the representative of the Supreme Lord, is
duty-bound to give proper protection to every one of them. This is not the case
with the presidents and dictators of this demoralized system of administration,
where the lower animals are given no protection while the higher animals are
given so-called protection. But this is a great science which can be learned
only by one who knows the science of Kåñëa. By knowing the science of Kåñëa,
one can become the most perfect man in the world, and unless one has knowledge
in this science, all qualifications and doctorate diplomas acquired by academic
education are spoiled and useless. Mahäräja Yudhiñöhira knew this science of
Kåñëa very well, for it is stated here that by continuous cultivation of this
science, or by continuous devotional service to Lord Kåñëa, he acquired the
qualification of administering the state.
SB 2.10.37-40
The varieties of living entities are
mentioned in this list, and, with no exception from the topmost planet down to
the lowest planet of the universe, all of them in different species of life are
created by the Almighty Father, Viñëu. Therefore no one is independent of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. In the Bhagavad-gétä (14.4) the Lord therefore claims
all living entities as His offspring.
The material nature is compared to the
mother. Although every living being is seen to come out of the mother's body,
it is still a fact that the mother is not the ultimate cause of such a birth.
The father is the ultimate cause of birth. Without the father's seed, no mother
can give birth to a child. Therefore the living beings in different varieties
of forms and positions within the innumerable universes are all born of the
seeds of the Almighty Father, the Personality of Godhead, and only to the man
with a poor fund of knowledge they appear to be born of the material nature.
Being under the material energy of the Supreme Lord, all living entities
beginning from Brahmä down to the insignificant ant are manifested in different
bodies according to their past deeds.
SB 3.13.42
The so-called law of gravitation which
sustains the planets is described herein as the potency of the Lord. This potency
is invested by the Lord in the way that an expert sacrificial brähmaëa puts
fire in the araëi wood by the potency of Vedic mantras. By this arrangement the
world becomes habitable for both the moving and nonmoving creatures. The
conditioned souls, who are residents of the material world, are put in the womb
of mother earth in the same way the seed of a child is put by the father in the
womb of the mother. This conception of the Lord and the earth as father and
mother is explained in Bhagavad-gétä (14.4). Conditioned souls are devoted to
the motherland in which they take their birth, but they do not know their
father. The mother is not independent in producing children. Similarly,
material nature cannot produce living creatures unless in contact with the
supreme father, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Çrémad-Bhägavatam teaches
us to offer obeisances unto the mother along with the Father, the Supreme Lord,
because it is the Father only who impregnates the mother with all energies for
the sustenance and maintenance of all living beings, both moving and nonmoving.
SB 6.10.9
One cannot continue killing animals and at
the same time be a religious man. That is the greatest hypocrisy. Jesus Christ
said, "Do not kill," but hypocrites nevertheless maintain thousands
of slaughterhouses while posing as Christians. Such hypocrisy is condemned in
this verse. One should be happy to see others happy, and one should be unhappy
to see others unhappy. This is the principle to be followed. Unfortunately, at
the present moment so-called philanthropists and humanitarians advocate the
happiness of humanity at the cost of the lives of poor animals. That is not
recommended herein. This verse clearly says that one should be compassionate to
all living entities. Regardless of whether human, animal, tree or plant, all
living entities are sons of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Lord Kåñëa says
in Bhagavad-gétä (14.4):
"It should be understood that all
species of life, O son of Kunté, are made possible by birth in this material nature,
and that I am the seed-giving father." The different forms of these living
entities are only their external dresses. Every living being is actually a
spirit soul, a part and parcel of God. Therefore one should not favor only one
kind of living being. A Vaiñëava sees all living entities as part and parcel of
God. As the Lord says in Bhagavad-gétä (5.18 and 18.54):
"The humble sage, by virtue of true
knowledge, sees with equal vision a learned and gentle brähmaëa, a cow, an
elephant, a dog and a dog-eater [outcaste]."
"One who is transcendentally situated
at once realizes the Supreme Brahman and becomes fully joyful. He never laments
nor desires to have anything; he is equally disposed to every living entity. In
that state he attains pure devotional service unto Me." A Vaiñëava,
therefore, is truly a perfect person because he laments to see others unhappy
and feels joy at seeing others happy. A Vaiñëava is para-duùkha-duùkhé; he is
always unhappy to see the conditioned souls in an unhappy state of materialism.
Therefore a Vaiñëava is always busy preaching Kåñëa consciousness throughout
the world.
SB 8.7.22
Actually Lord Viñëu maintains and
accomplishes all good fortune. If one has to take shelter of Lord Viñëu, why
should the demigods take shelter of Lord Çiva? They did so because Lord Viñëu
acts through Lord Çiva in the creation of the material world. Lord Çiva acts on
behalf of Lord Viñëu. When the Lord says in Bhagavad-gétä (14.4) that He is the
father of all living entities (ahaà béja-pradaù pitä), this refers to actions
performed by Lord Viñëu through Lord Çiva. Lord Viñëu is always unattached to
material activities, and when material activities are to be performed, Lord
Viñëu performs them through Lord Çiva. Lord Çiva is therefore worshiped on the level
of Lord Viñëu. When Lord Viñëu is untouched by the external energy He is Lord
Viñëu, but when He is in touch with the external energy, He appears in His
feature as Lord Çiva.
SB 9.20.21
According to the Vedic injunction ätmä vai
putra-nämäsi, the father becomes the son. The mother is simply like a
storekeeper, because the seed of the child is placed in her womb, but it is the
father who is responsible for maintaining the son. In Bhagavad-gétä the Lord
says that He is the seed-giving father of all living entities (ahaà béja-pradaù
pitä [Bg. 14.4]), and therefore He is responsible for maintaining them. This is
also confirmed in the Vedas. Eko bahünäà yo vidadhäti kämän: although God is
one, He maintains all living entities with their necessities for life. The
living entities in different forms are sons of the Lord, and therefore the
father, the Supreme Lord, supplies them food according to their different
bodies. The small ant is supplied a grain of sugar, and the elephant is
supplied tons of food, but everyone is able to eat. Therefore there is no
question of overpopulation. Because the father, Kåñëa, is fully opulent, there
is no scarcity of food, and because there is no scarcity, the propaganda of
overpopulation is only a myth. Actually one suffers for want of food when
material nature, under the order of the father, refuses to supply him food. It
is the living entity's position that determines whether food will be supplied
or not. When a diseased person is forbidden to eat, this does not mean that
there is a scarcity of food; rather, the diseased person requires the treatment
of not being supplied with food. In Bhagavad-gétä (7.10) the Lord also says,
béjaà mäà sama-bhütänäm: "I am the seed of all living entities." A
particular type of seed is sown within the earth, and then a particular type of
tree or plant comes out. The mother resembles the earth, and when a particular
type of seed is sown by the father, a particular type of body takes birth.
When there is an increase in the mode of
ignorance, O son of Kuru, darkness, inertia, madness and illusion are
manifested.
SB 7.1.8
According to this statement of the
Bhägavata-sandarbha, the Supreme Lord, being always transcendental to the
material qualities, is never affected by the influence of these qualities. This
same characteristic is also present in the living being, but because he is
conditioned by material nature, even the pleasure potency of the Lord is
manifested in the conditioned soul as troublesome. In the material world the
pleasure enjoyed by the conditioned soul is followed by many painful
conditions. For instance, we have seen that in the two great wars, which were
conducted by the rajo-guëa and tamo-guëa, both parties were actually ruined.
The German people declared war against the English to ruin them, but the result
was that both parties were ruined. Although the Allies were apparently
victorious, at least on paper, actually neither of them were victorious.
Therefore it should be concluded that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is not
partial to anyone. Everyone works under the influence of various modes of
material nature, and when the various modes are prominent, the demigods or
demons appear victorious under the influence of these modes.
Everyone enjoys the fruits of his
qualitative activities. This is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gétä
(14.11-13):"The manifestations of the modes of goodness can be experienced
when all the gates of the body are illumined by knowledge.
"O chief of the Bhäratas, when there is
an increase in the mode of passion, the symptoms of great attachment,
uncontrollable desire, hankering, and intense endeavor develop.
"O son of Kuru, when there is an
increase in the mode of ignorance, madness, illusion, inertia and darkness are
manifested."
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is
present in everyone's heart, simply gives the results of the increase in the
various qualities, but He is impartial. He supervises victory and loss, but He
does not take part in them.
The various modes of material nature do not
work all at once. The interactions of these modes are exactly like seasonal
changes. Sometimes there is an increment of rajo-guëa, sometimes of tamo-guëa
and sometimes sattva-guëa. Generally the demigods are surcharged with
sattva-guëa, and therefore when the demons and the demigods fight, the demigods
are victorious because of the prominence of their sattva-guëa qualities.
However, this is not the partiality of the Supreme Lord.
Those situated in the mode of goodness
gradually go upward to the higher planets; those in the mode of passion live on
the earthly planets; and those in the abominable mode of ignorance go down to
the hellish worlds.
SB 4.11.16
Creation is the action of the rajo-guëa, the
mode of passion; maintenance is the action of sattva-guëa, the mode of goodness;
and annihilation is the action of tamo-guëa, the mode of ignorance. We can see
that those who are situated in the mode of goodness live longer than those who
are situated in the tamo-guëa or rajo-guëa. In other words, if one is elevated
to the mode of goodness, he is elevated to a higher planetary system, where the
duration of life is very great. Ürdhvaà gacchanti sattva-sthäù: [Bg. 14.18]
great åñis, sages and sannyäsés who maintain themselves in sattva-guëa, or the
mode of material goodness, are elevated to a higher planetary system. Those who
are transcendental even to the material modes of nature are situated in the
mode of pure goodness; they attain eternal life in the spiritual world.
SB 7.15.29
If one becomes very rich through his
professional activities, through trade or through agriculture, this does not
mean that he is spiritually advanced. To be spiritually advanced is different
from being materially rich. Although the purpose of life is to become
spiritually rich, unfortunate men, misguided as they are, are always engaged in
trying to become materially rich. Such material engagements, however, do not
help one in the actual fulfillment of the human mission. On the contrary,
material engagements lead one to be attracted to many unnecessary necessities,
which are accompanied by the risk that one may be born in a degraded condition.
As confirmed in Bhagavad-gétä (14.18): "Those situated in the mode of
goodness gradually go upward to the higher planets; those in the mode of
passion live on the earthly planets; and those in the mode of ignorance go down
to the hellish worlds." Especially in this Kali-yuga, material advancement
means degradation and attraction to many unwanted necessities that create a low
mentality. Therefore, jaghanya-guëa-våtti-sthä: since people are contaminated
by the lower qualities, they will lead their next lives either as animals or in
other degraded forms of life. Making a show of religion without Kåñëa
consciousness may make one popular in the estimation of unintelligent men, but
factually such a materialistic display of spiritual advancement does not help
one at all; it will not prevent one from missing the goal of life.
SB 8.11.5
There are undoubtedly different planetary
systems for different persons. As stated in Bhagavad-gétä (14.18), ürdhvaà
gacchanti sattva-sthäù: persons in the mode of goodness can go to the upper
planets. Those in the modes of darkness and passion, however, are not allowed
to enter the higher planets. The word divam refers to the higher planetary system
known as Svargaloka. Indra, King of the higher planetary system, has the power
to push down any conditioned soul attempting to go from the lower to the higher
planets without proper qualifications. The modern attempt to go to the moon is
also an attempt by inferior men to go to Svargaloka by artificial, mechanical
means. This attempt cannot be successful. From this statement of Indra it
appears that anyone attempting to go to the higher planetary systems by
mechanical means, which are here called mäyä, is condemned to go the hellish
planets in the lower portion of the universe. To go to the higher planetary
system, one needs sufficient good qualities. A sinful person situated in the
mode of ignorance and addicted to drinking, meat-eating and illicit sex will
never enter the higher planets by mechanical means.
One who engages in full devotional service,
unfailing in all circumstances, at once transcends the modes of material nature
and thus comes to the level of Brahman.
SB 1.13.46
Even if we are able to do something
temporarily beneficial, time will see that the good project is frustrated in
course of time. The only thing possible to be done is to get rid of eternal
time, käla, which is compared to käla-sarpa, or the cobra snake, whose bite is
always lethal. No one can be saved from the bite of a cobra. The best remedy
for getting out of the clutches of the cobralike käla or its integrity, the
modes of nature, is bhakti-yoga, as it is recommended in the Bhagavad-gétä
(14.26). The highest perfectional project of philanthropic activities is to
engage everyone in the act of preaching bhakti-yoga all over the world because
that alone can save the people from the control of mäyä, or the material nature
represented by käla, karma and guëa, as described above. The Bhagavad-gétä
(14.26) confirms this definitely.
SB 1.15.47-48
According to Çréla Jéva Gosvämé, a person
freed from the three modes of material qualities, namely goodness, passion and
ignorance, and situated in transcendence can reach the highest perfection of
life without change of body. Çréla Sanätana Gosvämé in his Hari-bhakti-viläsa
says that a person, whatever he may be, can attain the perfection of a
twice-born brähmaëa by undergoing the spiritual disciplinary actions under the
guidance of a bona fide spiritual master, exactly as a chemist can turn gun
metal into gold by chemical manipulation. It is therefore the actual guidance
that matters in the process of becoming a brähmaëa, even without change of
body, or in going back to Godhead without change of body. Çréla Jéva Gosvämé
remarks that the word hi used in this connection positively affirms this truth,
and there is no doubt about this factual position. The Bhagavad-gétä (14.26)
also affirms this statement of Çréla Jéva Gosvämé when the Lord says that
anyone who executes devotional service systematically without deviation can
attain the perfection of Brahman by surpassing the contamination of the three
modes of material nature, and when the Brahman perfection is still more
advanced by the selfsame execution of devotional service, there is no doubt at
all that one can attain the supreme spiritual planet, Goloka Våndävana, without
change of body, as we have already discussed in connection with the Lord's
returning to His abode without a change of body.
SB 2.7.3
The living entities, by their very
constitution, are spiritually as good as the Lord, and the only difference
between them is that the Lord is always supreme and pure, without contamination
by the modes of material nature, whereas the living entities are apt to be
contaminated by association with the material modes of goodness, passion and
ignorance. This contamination by the material modes can be washed off
completely by knowledge, renunciation and devotional service. Devotional
service to the Lord is the ultimate issue, and therefore those who are directly
engaged in the devotional service of the Lord not only acquire the necessary
knowledge in spiritual science, but also attain detachment from material
connection and are thus promoted to the kingdom of God by complete liberation,
as stated in the Bhagavad-gétä (14.26)
SB 2.9.3
The Supreme Truth is uncontaminated by the
illusory energy because He is the controller of that energy. The relative
truths are apt to be engrossed in illusory energy. The best purpose is served,
however, when one is directly facing the Supreme Truth, as when one faces the
sun. The sun overhead in the sky is full of light, but when the sun is not in
the visible sky, all is in darkness. Similarly, when one is face to face with
the Supreme Lord, he is freed from all illusions, and one who is not so is in
the darkness of illusory mäyä. The Bhagavad-gétä (14.26) confirms this.
SB 3.25.36
There are three divisions of
devotees—first-class, second-class and third-class. Even the third-class
devotees are liberated souls. It is explained in this verse that although they
do not have knowledge, simply by seeing the beautiful decoration of the Deity
in the temple, the devotee is absorbed in thought of Him and loses all other
consciousness. Simply by fixing oneself in Kåñëa consciousness, engaging the
senses in the service of the Lord, one is imperceptibly liberated. This is also
confirmed in Bhagavad-gétä. Simply by discharging uncontaminated devotional
service as prescribed in the scriptures, one becomes equal to Brahman. In
Bhagavad-gétä it is said, brahma-bhüyäya kalpate [Bg. 14.26] This means that
the living entity in his original state is Brahman because he is part and
parcel of the Supreme Brahman. But simply because of his forgetfulness of his
real nature as an eternal servitor of the Lord, he is overwhelmed and captured
by mäyä. His forgetfulness of his real constitutional position is mäyä.
Otherwise he is eternally Brahman.
SB 6.1.7
Devotional service is so strong that if one
fully surrenders to Kåñëa and takes fully to His devotional service, the
reactions of his sinful life immediately stop.
SB 6.4.14
When one becomes angry, he forgets himself
and his situation, but if one is able to consider his situation by knowledge,
one transcends the influence of the modes of material nature. One is always a
servant of lusty desires, anger, greed, illusion, envy and so forth, but if one
obtains sufficient strength in spiritual advancement, one can control them. One
who obtains such control will always be transcendentally situated, untouched by
the modes of material nature. This is only possible when one fully engages in
the service of the Lord. As the Lord says in Bhagavad-gétä (14.26):
"One who engages in full devotional
service, who does not fall down in any circumstance, at once transcends the
modes of material nature and thus comes to the spiritual platform." By
engaging one in devotional service, the Kåñëa consciousness movement keeps one
always transcendental to anger, greed, lust, envy and so forth. One must
perform devotional service because otherwise one will become victimized by the
modes of material nature.
SB 7.6.25
In an advanced civilization, people are
eager to be religious, to be economically well situated, to satisfy their senses
to the fullest extent, and at last to attain liberation. However, these are not
to be magnified as desirable. Indeed, for a devotee these are all very easily
available. Bilvamaìgala Öhäkura said, muktiù svayaà mukulitäïjali sevate 'smän
dharmärtha-käma-gatayaù samaya-pratékñäù. Liberation always stands at the door
of a devotee, ready to carry out his orders. Material advancement in religion,
economic development, sense gratification and liberation simply wait to serve a
devotee at the first opportunity. A devotee is already in a transcendental
position; he does not need further qualifications to be liberated. As confirmed
in Bhagavad-gétä (14.26), sa guëän samatétyaitän brahma-bhüyäya kalpate: a
devotee is transcendental to the actions and reactions of the three modes of
material nature because he is situated on the Brahman platform.
SB 7.9.6
On the strength of these verses from
Bhagavad-gétä, it is evident that although Prahläda Mahäräja was born in a
demoniac family and although virtually demoniac blood flowed within his body,
he was cleansed of all material bodily contamination because of his exalted
position as a devotee. In other words, such impediments on the spiritual path
could not stop him from progressing, for he was directly in touch with the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. Those who are physically and mentally contaminated by
atheism cannot be situated on the transcendental platform, but as soon as one
is freed from material contamination he is immediately fit to be situated in
devotional service.
SB 7.9.26
Prahläda Mahäräja was surprised at the
causeless mercy of the Supreme Lord, the Personality of Godhead, for although
Prahläda was born in a demoniac family and although the Lord had never before
placed His lotus hand on the head of Brahmä, Çiva or the goddess of fortune,
His constant companion, Lord Nåsiàhadeva kindly placed His hand on the head of
Prahläda. This is the meaning of causeless mercy. The causeless mercy of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead may be bestowed upon anyone, regardless of his
position in this material world. Everyone is eligible to worship the Supreme
Lord, irrespective of his material position. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gétä
(14.26):
"One who engages in full devotional
service, who does not fall down in any circumstance, at once transcends the
modes of material nature and thus comes to the level of Brahman." Anyone
who engages in continuous devotional service to the Lord is situated in the
spiritual world and has nothing to do with the material qualities (sattva-guëa,
rajo-guëa and tamo-guëa).
SB 7.15.25
Just by treating the root cause of an
ailment, one can conquer all bodily pains and sufferings. Similarly, if one is
devoted and faithful to the spiritual master, he can conquer the influence of
sattva-guëa, rajo-guëa and tamo-guëa very easily. Yogés and jïänés practice in
many ways to conquer the senses, but the bhakta immediately attains the mercy
of the Supreme Personality of Godhead through the mercy of the spiritual
master. Yasya prasädäd bhagavat-prasädo **. If the spiritual master is
favorably inclined, one naturally receives the mercy of the Supreme Lord, and
by the mercy of the Supreme Lord one immediately becomes transcendental,
conquering all the influences of sattva-guëa, rajo-guëa and tamo-guëa within this
material world. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gétä (sa guëän samatétyaitän
brahma-bhüyäya kalpate [Bg. 14.26]). If one is a pure devotee acting under the
directions of the guru, one easily gets the mercy of the Supreme Lord and thus
becomes immediately situated on the transcendental platform.
SB 8.3.2
The material body certainly consists only of
material elements, but when one awakens to Kåñëa conscious understanding, the
body is no longer material but spiritual. The material body is meant for sense
enjoyment, whereas the spiritual body engages in the transcendental loving
service of the Lord. Therefore, a devotee who engages in the service of the
Supreme Lord and who constantly thinks of Him should never be considered to
have a material body. It is therefore enjoined, guruñu nara-matiù: one should
stop thinking of the spiritual master as an ordinary human being with a
material body. Arcye viñëau çilä-dhéù: everyone knows that the Deity in the
temple is made of stone, but to think that the Deity is merely stone is an
offense. Similarly, to think that the body of the spiritual master consists of
material ingredients is offensive. Atheists think that devotees foolishly
worship a stone statue as God and an ordinary man as the guru. The fact is,
however, that by the grace of Kåñëa's omnipotence, the so-called stone statue
of the Deity is directly the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and the body of
the spiritual master is directly spiritual. A pure devotee who is engaged in
unalloyed devotional service should be understood to be situated on the
transcendental platform (sa guëän samatétyaitän brahma-bhüyäya kalpate [Bg.
14.26]). Let us therefore offer our obeisances unto the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, by whose mercy so-called material things also become spiritual when
they are engaged in spiritual activity.
SB 8.21.32
It is said:
"Devotees solely engaged in the
devotional service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Näräyaëa, never fear
any condition of life. For them the heavenly planets, liberation and the hellish
planets are all the same, for such devotees are interested only in the service
of the Lord." (SB 6.17.28) A devotee engaged in the service of Näräyaëa is
always in equilibrium. A devotee actually lives transcendentally. Although he
may appear to have gone to hell or heaven, he does not live in either place;
rather, he always lives in Vaikuëöha (sa guëän samatétyaitän brahma-bhüyäya
kalpate [Bg. 14.26]). Vämanadeva asked Bali Mahäräja to go to the hellish
planets, apparently just to show the entire universe how tolerant he was, and
Bali Mahäräja did not hesitate to carry out the order. A devotee does not live
alone. Of course, everyone lives with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but
because the devotee is engaged in His service, he actually does not live in any
material condition. Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura says, kéöa janma hao yathä tuyä däsa.
Thus he prays to take birth as an insignificant insect in the association of
devotees. Because devotees are engaged in the service of the Lord, anyone who
lives with them also lives in Vaikuëöha.
SB 10.3.31
Bhakti, bhagavän and bhakta do not belong to
the material world. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gétä (14.26):
"One who engages in the spiritual
activities of unalloyed devotional service immediately transcends the modes of
material nature and is elevated to the spiritual platform." From the very
beginning of one's transactions in bhakti, one is situated on the
transcendental platform. Vasudeva and Devaké, therefore, being situated in a
completely pure devotional state, are beyond this material world and are not
subject to material fear. In the transcendental world, however, because of pure
devotion, there is a similar conception of fear, which is due to intense love.
SB 10.7.9
Those who enjoy the activities of Kåñëa are
also on the platform of änanda-cinmaya-rasa; they are liberated from the
material platform. When one develops the practice of hearing kåñëa-kathä, he is
certainly transcendental to material existence, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gétä
(sa guëän samatétyaitän brahma-bhüyäya kalpate [Bg. 14.26]). Unless one is on
the spiritual platform, one cannot enjoy the transcendental activities of
Kåñëa; or in other words, whoever engages in hearing the transcendental
activities of Kåñëa is not on the material platform, but on the transcendental,
spiritual platform.
And I am the basis of the impersonal Brahman,
which is immortal, imperishable and eternal and is the constitutional position
of ultimate happiness.
SB 1.8.15
In the Bhagavad-gétä it is said that the
brahmajyoti, or the glowing transcendental effulgence, is resting on Lord Çré
Kåñëa. In other words, the glowing effulgence known as brahma-tejas is nothing
but the rays of the Lord, just as the sun rays are rays of the sun disc. So
this Brahma weapon also, although materially irresistible, could not surpass
the supreme strength of the Lord. The weapon called brahmästra, released by
Açvatthämä, was neutralized and foiled by Lord Çré Kåñëa by His own energy;
that is to say, He did not wait for any other's help because He is absolute.
SB 2.6.17
The universal form of the Lord, or the
impersonal feature of the Lord known as the brahmajyoti, is clearly explained
here and compared to the radiation of the sun. The sunshine may expand all over
the universe, but the source of the sunshine, namely the sun planet or the
deity known as Sürya-näräyaëa, is the basis of such radiation. Similarly, the
Supreme Personality of Godhead Lord Kåñëa is the basis of the impersonal
brahmajyoti radiation, or the impersonal feature of the Lord. This is confirmed
in the Bhagavad-gétä (14.27).
SB 2.6.33
So the original primeval cause is vigraha,
the personal, and the impersonal spiritual effulgence, brahmajyoti, is also an
effect of the Supreme Brahman (brahmaëo hi pratiñöhäham [14.27]), Lord Kåñëa.
SB 2.9.33
In some of the Vedas it is also said that in
the beginning only the impersonal Brahman existed. However, according to this
verse, the impersonal Brahman, which is the glowing effulgence of the body of
the Supreme Lord, may be called the immediate cause, but the cause of all
causes, or the remote cause, is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Lord's
impersonal feature is existent in the material world because by material senses
or material eyes the Lord cannot be seen or perceived. One has to spiritualize
the senses before one can expect to see or perceive the Supreme Lord. But He is
always engaged in His personal capacity, and He is eternally visible to the
inhabitants of Vaikuëöhaloka, eye to eye. Therefore He is materially impersonal,
just as the executive head of the state may be impersonal in the government
offices, although he is not impersonal in the government house. Similarly, the
Lord is not impersonal in His abode, which is always nirasta-kuhakam, as stated
in the very beginning of the Bhägavatam. Therefore both the impersonal and
personal features of the Lord are acceptable, as mentioned in the revealed
scriptures. This Personality of Godhead is very emphatically explained in the
Bhagavad-gétä in connection with the verse brahmaëo hi pratiñöhäham (Bg.
14.27). Therefore in all ways the confidential part of spiritual knowledge is
realization of the Personality of Godhead, and not His impersonal Brahman
feature. One should therefore have his ultimate aim of realization not in the impersonal
feature but in the personal feature of the Absolute Truth. The example of the
sky within the pot and the sky outside the pot may be helpful to the student
for his realization of the all-pervading quality of the cosmic consciousness of
the Absolute Truth. But that does not mean that the individual part and parcel
of the Lord becomes the Supreme by a false claim. It means only that the
conditioned soul is a victim of the illusory energy in her last snare. To claim
to be one with the cosmic consciousness of the Lord is the last trap set by the
illusory energy, or daivé mäyä. Even in the impersonal existence of the Lord,
as it is in the material creation, one should aspire for personal realization
of the Lord, and that is the meaning of paçcäd ahaà yad etac ca yo 'vaçiñyeta
so 'smy aham.
SB 6.16.57
Generally the Mäyävädé philosophers or
persons influenced by Mäyävädé philosophers think themselves as good as the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is the cause of their conditional life. As
stated by the Vaiñëava poet Jagadänanda Paëòita in his Prema-vivarta:
kåñëa-bahirmukha haïä bhoga
väïchä kare
nikaöa-stha mäyä täre jäpaöiyä
dhare
As soon as a living entity forgets his
constitutional position and endeavors to become one with the Supreme, his
conditional life begins. The conception that the Supreme Brahman and the living
entity are equal not only in quality but also in quantity is the cause of
conditional life. If one forgets the difference between the Supreme Lord and
the living entity, his conditional life begins. Conditional life means giving
up one body to accept another and undergoing death to accept death again. The
Mäyävädé philosopher teaches the philosophy of tat tvam asi, saying, "You
are the same as God." He forgets that tat tvam asi applies in terms of the
marginal position of the living entity, who is like sunshine. There is heat and
light in the sun, and there is heat and light in the sunshine, and thus they
are qualitatively one. But one should not forget that the sunshine rests on the
sun. As the Lord says in Bhagavad-gétä, brahmaëo hi pratiñöhäham [Bg. 14.27]:
"I am the original source of Brahman." The sunshine is important
because of the presence of the sun globe. It is not that the sun globe is
important because of the all-pervasiveness of the sunshine. Forgetfulness and
misunderstanding of this fact is called mäyä. Because of forgetfulness of one's
constitutional position and that of the Supreme Lord, one comes into mäyä, or
saàsära—conditional life.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: It is
said that there is an imperishable banyan tree that has its roots upward and
its branches down and whose leaves are the Vedic hymns. One who knows this tree
is the knower of the Vedas.
SB 3.9.16
Due to a poor fund of knowledge, the
impersonalist does not believe in the personal management of things as they
are. But in this verse it is clearly explained that everything is personal and
nothing is impersonal. We have already discussed this point in the
Introduction, and it is confirmed here in this verse. The tree of the material
manifestation is described in the Fifteenth Chapter of Bhagavad-gétä as an
açvattha tree whose root is upward. We have actual experience of such a tree
when we see the shadow of a tree on the bank of a reservoir of water. The
reflection of the tree on the water appears to hang down from its upward roots.
The tree of creation described here is only a shadow of the reality which is
Parabrahman, Viñëu. In the internal potential manifestation of the
Vaikuëöhalokas, the actual tree exists, and the tree reflected in the material
nature is only the shadow of this actual tree. The impersonalists, theory that
Brahman is void of all variegatedness is false because the shadow-tree
described in Bhagavad-gétä cannot exist without being the reflection of a real
tree. The real tree is situated in the eternal existence of spiritual nature,
full of transcendental varieties, and Lord Viñëu is the root of that tree also.
The root is the same—the Lord—both for the real tree and the false, but the
false tree is only the perverted reflection of the real tree. The Lord, being
the real tree, is here offered obeisances by Brahmä on his own behalf and also
on behalf of Lord Çiva.
SB 4.31.14
Sometimes people ask why this Kåñëa
consciousness movement simply advocates worship of Kåñëa to the exclusion of
the demigods. The answer is given in this verse. The example of pouring water
on the root of a tree is very appropriate. In Bhagavad-gétä (15.1) it is said,
ürdhva-mülam adhaù-çäkham: this cosmic manifestation has expanded downward, and
the root is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As the Lord confirms in
Bhagavad-gétä (10.8), ahaà sarvasya prabhavaù: "I am the source of all
spiritual and material worlds." Kåñëa is the root of everything; therefore
rendering service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kåñëa (kåñëa-sevä),
means automatically serving all the demigods. Sometimes it is argued that karma
and jïäna require a mixture of bhakti in order to be successfully executed, and
sometimes it is argued that bhakti also requires karma and jïäna for its
successful termination. The fact is, however, that although karma and jïäna cannot
be successful without bhakti, bhakti does not require the help of karma and
jïäna. Actually, as described by Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé, anyäbhiläñitä-çünyaà
jïäna-karmädy-anävåtam: [Cc. Madhya 19.167] pure devotional service should not
be contaminated by the touch of karma and jïäna. Modern society is involved in
various types of philanthropic works, humanitarian works and so on, but people
do not know that these activities will never be successful unless Kåñëa, the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, is brought into the center. One may ask what
harm there is in worshiping Kåñëa and the different parts of His body, the
demigods, and the answer is also given in this verse. The point is that by
supplying food to the stomach, the indriyas, the senses, are automatically
satisfied. If one tries to feed his eyes or ears independently, the result is
only havoc. Simply by supplying food to the stomach, we satisfy all of the
senses. It is neither necessary nor feasible to render separate service to the
individual senses. The conclusion is that by serving Kåñëa (kåñëa-sevä),
everything is complete. As confirmed in Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 22.62),
kåñëe bhakti kaile sarva-karma kåta haya: if one is engaged in the devotional
service of the Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, everything is
automatically accomplished.
Those who are free from false prestige,
illusion and false association, who understand the eternal, who are done with
material lust, who are freed from the dualities of happiness and distress, and
who, unbewildered, know how to surrender unto the Supreme Person attain to that
eternal kingdom.
SB 3.25.24
Kapila Muni herein advises His mother,
Devahüti, that if she wants to be free from material attachment, she should
increase her attachment for the sädhus, or devotees who are completely freed
from all material attachment. In Bhagavad-gétä, Fifteenth Chapter, verse 5, it
is stated who is qualified to enter into the kingdom of Godhead. It is said
there, nirmäna-mohä jita-saìga-doñäù. This refers to one who is completely
freed from the puffed-up condition of material possessiveness. A person may be
materially very rich, opulent or respectable, but if he at all wants to
transfer himself to the spiritual kingdom, back home, back to Godhead, then he
has to be freed from the puffed-up condition of material possessiveness,
because that is a false position.
The word moha used here means the false
understanding that one is rich or poor. In this material world, the conception
that one is very rich or very poor—or any such consciousness in connection with
material existence—is false, because this body itself is false, or temporary. A
pure soul who is prepared to be freed from this material entanglement must
first of all be free from the association of the three modes of nature. Our
consciousness at the present moment is polluted because of association with the
three modes of nature; therefore in Bhagavad-gétä the same principle is stated.
It is advised, jita-saìga-doñäù: one should be freed from the contaminated
association of the three modes of material nature. Here also, in the
Çrémad-Bhägavatam, this is confirmed: a pure devotee, who is preparing to
transfer himself to the spiritual kingdom, is also freed from the association
of the three modes of material nature. We have to seek the association of such
devotees. For this reason we have begun the International Society for Krishna
Consciousness. There are many mercantile, scientific and other associations in
human society to develop a particular type of education or consciousness, but
there is no association which helps one to get free from all material
association. If anyone has reached the stage where he must become free from
this material contamination, then he has to seek the association of devotees,
wherein Kåñëa consciousness is exclusively cultured. One can thereby become
freed from all material association.
That supreme abode of Mine is not illumined by
the sun or moon, nor by fire or electricity. Those who reach it never return to
this material world.
SB 2.7.18
In the Bhagavad-gétä (15.5-6), the paraà
dhäma of the Lord is described as follows:
One who possesses more in this material
world, in the shape of houses, land, children, society, friendship and wealth,
possesses these things only for the time being. One cannot possess all this
illusory paraphernalia, created by mäyä, permanently. Such a possessor is more
illusioned in the matter of his self-realization; therefore one should possess
less or nothing, so that one may be free from artificial prestige. We are contaminated
in the material world by association with the three modes of material nature.
Therefore, the more one spiritually advances by devotional service to the Lord,
in exchange for his temporary possessions, the more one is freed from the
attachment of material illusion. To achieve this stage of life one must be
firmly convinced about spiritual existence and its permanent effects. To know
exactly the permanency of spiritual existence, one must voluntarily practice
possessing less or only the minimum to maintain one's material existence
without difficulty. One should not create artificial needs. That will help one
be satisfied with the minimum. Artificial needs of life are activities of the
senses. The modern advancement of civilization is based on these activities of
the senses, or, in other words, it is a civilization of sense gratification.
Perfect civilization is the civilization of ätmä, or the soul proper. The
civilized man of sense gratification is on an equal level with animals because
animals cannot go beyond the activities of the senses. Above the senses is the
mind. The civilization of mental speculation is also not the perfect stage of
life because above the mind is the intelligence, and the Bhagavad-gétä gives us
information of the intellectual civilization. The Vedic literatures give
different directions for the human civilization, including the civilization of
the senses, of the mind, of the intelligence, and of the soul proper. The
Bhagavad-gétä primarily deals with the intelligence of man, leading one to the
progressive path of civilization of the spirit soul. And Çrémad-Bhägavatam is
the complete human civilization dealing with the subject matter of the soul
proper. As soon as a man is raised to the status of the civilization of the
soul, he is fit to be promoted to the kingdom of God, which is described in the
Bhagavad-gétä as per the above verses.
SB 7.5.52
There are four processes for human
society—dharma, artha, käma and mokña—and they culminate in liberation. Human
society must follow a process of religion to advance, and on the basis of
religion one should try to develop his economic condition so that he can
fulfill his needs for sense gratification according to the religious rules and
regulations. Then liberation from material bondage will be easier to attain.
That is the Vedic process. When one is above the stages of dharma, artha, käma
and mokña, one becomes a devotee. He is then on the platform from which he is
guaranteed not to fall again to material existence (yad gatvä na nivartante
[Bg. 15.6]). As advised in Bhagavad-gétä if one transcends these four processes
and is actually liberated, one engages in devotional service. Then he is
guaranteed not to fall to material existence again.
The living entities in this conditioned world
are My eternal fragmental parts. Due to conditioned life, they are struggling
very hard with the six senses, which include the mind.
SB 6.4.44
After every dissolution of the material
cosmos, all the living entities take shelter in the body of Käraëodakaçäyé
Viñëu, and when creation takes place again, they come forth from His body in
their various species to resume their activities. Why does the creation take
place in such a way that the living entities are put into conditioned life to
suffer the threefold miseries imposed upon them by the material nature? Here
the Lord says to Dakña, "You desire to benefit all living entities, and
that is also My desire." The living entities who come in contact with the
material world are meant to be corrected. All the living entities within this
material world have revolted against the service of the Lord, and therefore
they remain within this material world as ever conditioned, nitya-baddha,
taking birth again and again. There is a chance, of course, of their being liberated,
but nevertheless the conditioned souls, not taking advantage of this
opportunity, continue in a life of sense enjoyment, and thus they are punished
by birth and death again and again. This is the law of nature. As the Lord says
in Bhagavad-gétä (7.14):
"This divine energy of Mine, consisting
of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who
have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it." Elsewhere in
Bhagavad-gétä (15.7) the Lord says:
"The living entities in this conditioned
world are My eternal, fragmental parts. Due to conditioned life, they are
struggling very hard with the six senses, which include the mind." The
living entity's struggle for existence within the material world is due to his
rebellious nature. Unless a living entity surrenders to Kåñëa, he must continue
this life of struggle.
SB 6.15.26
The fact is that the living entity, while
concocting with the mind, creates the material condition. Because matter is
destructible, through the material condition the living entity suffers.
Otherwise, the living entity is detached from all material conditions. When one
comes to the Brahman platform, the platform of spiritual life, fully
understanding that he is a spiritual soul (ahaà brahmäsmi), he is no longer affected
by lamentation or hankering. As the Lord says in Bhagavad-gétä (18.54):
brahma-bhütaù prasannätmä
na çocati na käìkñati
"One who is thus transcendentally
situated at once realizes the Supreme Brahman and becomes fully joyful. He
never laments nor desires to have anything." Elsewhere in Bhagavad-gétä
(15.7) the Lord says:
"The living entities in this
conditioned world are My eternal fragmental parts. Due to conditioned life,
they are struggling very hard with the six senses, which include the
mind." The living entity is actually part and parcel of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead and is unaffected by material conditions, but because
the mind (manaù) is affected, the senses are affected, and the living entity
struggles for existence within this material world.
SB 7.5.3
Politics involves accepting one group of men
as enemies and another group as friends. Everything in politics is based on
this philosophy, and the entire world, especially at the present, is engrossed
in it. The public is concerned with friendly countries and friendly groups or
enemy countries and enemy groups, but as stated in Bhagavad-gétä, a learned
person does not make distinctions between enemies and friends. Devotees,
especially, do not create friends and enemies. A devotee sees that every living
being is part and parcel of Kåñëa (mamaiväàço jéva-bhütaù [15.7]). Therefore a
devotee treats friends and enemies equally by trying to educate them both in
Kåñëa consciousness. Of course, atheistic men do not follow the instructions of
pure devotees, but instead consider a devotee their enemy. A devotee, however,
never creates a situation of friendship and enmity. Although Prahläda Mahäräja
was obliged to hear the instructions of Ñaëòa and Amarka, he did not like the
philosophy of friends and enemies, which forms the basis of politics. He was
not interested in this philosophy.
SB 7.7.19-20
In Bhagavad-gétä (15.7) Lord Kåñëa clearly
says, mamaiväàço jéva-loke jéva-bhütaù: "All the living entities are part
of Me." Therefore the living entities are qualitatively the same as the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the leader, the Supreme among all the
living entities. In the Vedas it is said, nityo nityänäà cetanaç cetanänäm
(Kaöha Upaniñad 2.2.13): the Lord is the chief individual living entity, the
leader of the subordinate living entities. Because the living entities are
parts or samples of God, their qualities are not different from those of the
Supreme Lord. The living entities have the same qualities as the Lord, just as
a drop of sea water is composed of the same chemicals as the great sea itself.
Thus there is oneness in quality but a difference in quantity. One can
understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead by understanding the sample, the
living entity, because all the qualities of God exist in a minute quantity in
the living entities. There is oneness, but God is great whereas the living
entities are extremely small. Aëor aëéyän mahato mahéyän (Kaöha Upaniñad
1.2.20). The living entities are smaller than the atom, but God is greater than
the greatest. Our conception of greatness may be represented by the sky because
we think of the sky as being unlimitedly big, but God is bigger than the sky.
Similarly, we have knowledge that the living entities are smaller than atoms,
being one ten-thousandth the size of the tip of a hair, yet the quality of
being the supreme cause of all causes exists in the living entity as well as in
the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Indeed, it is due to the presence of the
living entity that the body exists and bodily changes take place. Similarly, it
is because the Supreme Lord is within this universe that the changes dictated
by the material laws occur.
SB 7.8.10
In this material world, everyone thinks that
he has conquered his enemies, not understanding that his enemies are his
uncontrolled mind and five senses (manaù ñañöhänéndriyäëi prakåti-sthäni
karñati [Bg. 15.7]). In this material world, everyone has become a servant of
the senses. Originally everyone is a servant of Kåñëa, but in ignorance one
forgets this, and thus one is engaged in the service of mäyä through lusty
desires, anger, greed, illusion, madness and jealousy. Everyone is actually
dependent on the reactions of material laws, but still one thinks himself
independent and thinks that he has conquered all directions. In conclusion, one
who thinks that he has many enemies is an ignorant man, whereas one who is in
Kåñëa consciousness knows that there are no enemies but those within
oneself—the uncontrolled mind and senses.
SB 9.19.13
Improvement of one's economic condition is
the aim and object of a materialist, but there is no end to this material
advancement, for if one cannot control his lusty desires, he will never be
pleased, even if he gets all the material wealth of the world. In this age we
see much material improvement, but still people are struggling to get more and
more material opulence. Manaù ñañöhänéndriyäëi prakåti-sthäni karñati [Bg.
15.7]. Although every living entity is a part of the Supreme Being, because of
lusty desires one continuously struggles for so-called betterment of one's
economic condition. To have a satisfied mind, one must give up his heart
disease of lusty desires. This can be done only when one is Kåñëa conscious.
bhaktià paräà bhagavati
pratilabhya kämaà
håd-rogam äçv apahinoty
acireëa dhéraù
(SB 10.33.39)
If one becomes Kåñëa conscious, then he can
give up this heart disease; otherwise this disease of lusty desires will
continue, and one cannot have peace in his mind.
SB 10.2.24
For a Kåñëa conscious person who is
cultivating Kåñëa consciousness favorably, the happiness conceived by the
karmés, jïänés and yogés is treated as less than a fig. Kaàsa, however, because
of cultivating Kåñëa consciousness in a different way—that is, inimically—was
uncomfortable in all the affairs of his life; whether sitting, sleeping,
walking or eating, he was always in danger. This is the difference between a
devotee and a nondevotee. A nondevotee or atheist also cultivates God
consciousness—by trying to avoid God in everything. For example, so-called
scientists who want to create life by a combination of chemicals regard the
external, material elements as supreme. Such scientists do not like the idea
that life is part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. As clearly stated in
Bhagavad-gétä (mamaiväàço jéva-loke jéva-bhütaù [Bg. 15.7]), the living
entities do not arise from a combination of material elements, such as earth,
water, air and fire, but are separated portions of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. If one can understand the position of the living entity as a separated
portion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, by studying the nature of the
living entity one can understand the nature of the Supreme Godhead, since the
living entity is a fragmental sample of the Godhead. But because atheists are
not interested in God consciousness, they try to be happy by cultivating Kåñëa
consciousness in various unfavorable ways.
I am seated in everyone's heart, and from Me
come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness. By all the Vedas, I am to be
known. Indeed, I am the compiler of Vedänta, and I am the knower of the Vedas.
SB 1.2.5
In Bhagavad-gétä (15.15) the Personality of
Godhead says that in all the Vedas there is nothing but the urge for searching
after Him, Lord Kåñëa. Thus the questions that pertain to Kåñëa are the sum and
substance of all the Vedic inquiries.
SB 1.2.28-29
That Çré Kåñëa, the Personality of Godhead,
is the only object of worship is confirmed in these two çlokas. In the Vedic
literature there is the same objective: establishing one's relationship and
ultimately reviving our lost loving service unto Him. That is the sum and
substance of the Vedas. In the Bhagavad-gétä the same theory is confirmed by
the Lord in His own words: the ultimate purpose of the Vedas is to know Him only.
All the revealed scriptures are prepared by the Lord through His incarnation in
the body of Çréla Vyäsadeva just to remind the fallen souls, conditioned by
material nature, of Çré Kåñëa, the Personality of Godhead. No demigod can award
freedom from material bondage. That is the verdict of all the Vedic
literatures. Impersonalists who have no information of the Personality of
Godhead minimize the omnipotency of the Supreme Lord and put Him on equal
footing with all other living beings, and
for this act such impersonalists get freedom from material bondage only with
great difficulty. They can surrender unto Him only after many, many births in
the culture of transcendental knowledge.
SB 1.3.33
This perfect stage of self-realization is
attained not by artificial means, but under the lotus feet of the Lord, who is
always transcendental. In the Bhagavad-gétä the Lord says that He is present in
everyone's heart, and from Him only all knowledge, remembrance or forgetfulness
take place. When the living being desires to be an enjoyer of material energy
(illusory phenomena), the Lord covers the living being in the mystery of
forgetfulness, and thus the living being misinterprets the gross body and
subtle mind to be his own self. And by culture of transcendental knowledge,
when the living being prays to the Lord for deliverance from the clutches of
forgetfulness, the Lord, by His causeless mercy, removes the living being's
illusory curtain, and thus he realizes his own self. He then engages himself in
the service of the Lord in his eternal constitutional position, becoming
liberated from the conditioned life. All this is executed by the Lord either
through His external potency or directly by the internal potency.
SB 1.8.18
In the Bhagavad-gétä (15.15) the Lord says,
"I am situated in everyone's heart, and only due to Me one remembers,
forgets and is cognizant, etc. Through all the Vedas I am to be known because I
am the compiler of the Vedas, and I am the teacher of the Vedänta."
SB 1.9.47
All the Vedic hymns are chanted to please
Lord Kåñëa. This is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gétä (15.15). All the Vedas,
Upaniñads, Vedänta, etc., are seeking Him only, and all hymns are for
glorifying Him only. The sages, therefore, performed the exact acts suitable
for the purpose, and they happily departed for their respective hermitages.
SB 1.13.2
Vidura retired from putting questions before
Maitreya Muni when he was convinced by Maitreya Åñi that the summum bonum of
life is to be finally situated in the transcendental loving service of Lord Çré
Kåñëa, who is Govinda, or one who satisfies His devotees in all respects. The
conditioned soul, the living being in material existence, seeks happiness by
employing his senses in the modes of materialism, but that cannot give him
satisfaction. He then searches after the Supreme Truth by the empiric
philosophic speculative method and intellectual feats. But if he does not find
the ultimate goal, he again goes down to material activities and engages
himself in various philanthropic and altruistic works, which all fail to give
him satisfaction. So neither fruitive activities nor dry philosophical
speculation can give one satisfaction because by nature a living being is the
eternal servitor of the Supreme Lord Çré Kåñëa, and all the Vedic literatures
give him direction towards that ultimate end. The Bhagavad-gétä (15.15)
confirms this statement.
SB 1.15.15
The Absolute Personality of Godhead, Lord
Çré Kåñëa, expands Himself by His plenary Paramätmä portion in everyone's
heart, and thus He directs everyone in the matter of recollection,
forgetfulness, knowledge, the absence of intelligence and all psychological
activities (Bg. 15.15).
SB 1.17.20
The Vaiñëavites, the devotees of the Lord,
do believe, as above explained, that nothing can take place without the
sanction of the Supreme Lord. He is the supreme director, for He confirms in
the Bhagavad-gétä (15.15) that He, as all-pervading Paramätmä, stays in
everyone's heart and keeps vigilance over all actions and witnesses all
activities. The argument of the atheist that one cannot be punished for one's
misdeeds unless proved before a qualified justice is refuted herein, for we
accept the perpetual witness and constant companion of the living being. A
living being may forget all that he might have done in his past or present
life, but one must know that in the same tree of the material body, the
individual soul and the Supreme Soul as Paramätmä are sitting like two birds.
One of them, the living being, is enjoying the fruits of the tree, whereas the
Supreme Being is there to witness the activities. Therefore the Paramätmä
feature, the Supreme Soul, is actually the witness of all activities of the
living being, and only by His direction can the living being remember or forget
what he might have done in the past. He is, therefore, both the all-pervading
impersonal Brahman and the localized Paramätmä in everyone's heart. He is the
knower of all past, present and future, and nothing can be concealed from Him.
The devotees know this truth, and therefore they discharge their duties
sincerely, without being overly anxious for rewards. Besides that, one cannot
estimate the Lord's reactions, either by speculation or by scholarship. Why
does He put some into difficulty and not others? He is the supreme knower of
the Vedic knowledge, and thus He is the factual Vedäntist. At the same time He
is the compiler of the Vedänta. No one is independent of Him, and everyone is
engaged in His service in different ways. In the conditioned state, such
services are rendered by the living being under force of the material nature,
whereas in the liberated state the living being is helped by the spiritual
nature in the voluntary loving service of the Lord. There is no incongruity or
inebriety in His actions. All are on the path of Absolute Truth.
SB 2.4.1
The whole Vedic adventure is to draw one's
attention entirely unto the lotus feet of Lord Kåñëa without any diversion, as
instructed in the Bhagavad-gétä (15.15).
SB 2.4.11
The devotees of the Lord, while delivering
speeches and describing the transcendental attributes of the Lord, do not think
that they can do anything independently. They think that they can speak only
what they are induced to speak by the Supreme Lord, the master of the senses.
The senses of the individual being are not his own; the devotee knows that such
senses belong to the Supreme Lord and that they can be properly used when they
are employed for the service of the Lord. The senses are instruments, and
elements are ingredients, all endowed by the Lord; therefore whatever an individual
can do, speak, see, etc., is under the direction of the Lord only. The
Bhagavad-gétä (15.15) confirms this: sarvasya cähaà hådi sanniviñöo mattaù
småtir jïänam apohanaà ca. No one is free to act freely and independently, and
as such, one should always seek the permission of the Lord to act or eat or
speak, and by the blessing of the Lord everything done by a devotee is beyond
the principles of the four defects typical of the conditioned soul.
SB 3.5.51
The expansions of Vedic wisdom also give the
nitya-baddhas, the conditioned living entities, a chance to improve, and those
who take advantage of such transcendental knowledge gradually regain their lost
consciousness of rendering transcendental loving service to the Lord. The
demigods are amongst the conditioned souls who have developed this pure
consciousness of service to the Lord but who at the same time continue to
desire to lord it over the material energy. Such mixed consciousness puts a
conditioned soul in the position of managing the affairs of this creation. The
demigods are entrusted leaders of the conditioned souls. As some of the old
prisoners in government jails are entrusted with some responsible work of
prison management, so the demigods are improved conditioned souls acting as
representatives of the Lord in the material creation. Such demigods are
devotees of the Lord in the material world, and when completely free from all
material desire to lord it over the material energy they become pure devotees
and have no desire but to serve the Lord. Therefore any living entity who
desires a position in the material world may desire so in the service of the
Lord and may seek power and intelligence from the Lord, as exemplified by the
demigods in this particular verse. One cannot do anything unless he is
enlightened and empowered by the Lord. The Lord says in Bhagavad-gétä (15.15),
mattaù småtir jïänam apohanaà ca. All recollections, knowledge, etc., as well
as all forgetfulness, are engineered by the Lord, who is sitting within the
heart of everyone. The intelligent man seeks the help of the Lord, and the Lord
helps the sincere devotees engaged in His multifarious services.
SB 3.12.3
Although he created the different influences
of nescience, Lord Brahmä was not satisfied in performing such a thankless
task, but he had to do it because most of the conditioned souls wanted it to be
so. Lord Kåñëa says in Bhagavad-gétä (15.15) that He is present in everyone's
heart and is helping everyone to either remember of forget. The question may be
raised why the Lord, who is all-merciful, helps one to remember and another to
forget. Actually, His mercy is not exhibited in partiality towards one and
enmity towards another. The living entity, as part and parcel of the Lord, is
partially independent because he partially possesses all the qualities of the
Lord. Anyone who has some independence may sometimes misuse it due to
ignorance. When the living entity prefers to misuse his independence and glide
down towards nescience, the all-merciful Lord first of all tries to protect him
from the trap, but when the living entity persists in gliding down to hell, the
Lord helps him to forget his real position. The Lord helps the falling living
entity glide down to the lowest point, just to give him the chance to see if he
is happy by misusing his independence.
SB 4.25.16
In this way the capital is described. In the
capital there are assembly houses and many squares, many street crossings,
avenues and streets, many gambling places, markets and places of rest, all
decorated with flags and festoons. The squares are surrounded with railings and
are devoid of trees. The heart of the body can be compared to the assembly
house, for the living entity is within the heart along with the Paramätmä, as
stated in Bhagavad-gétä (15.15): sarvasya cähaà hådi sanniviñöo mattaù småtir
jïänam apohanaà ca. The heart is the center of all remembrance, forgetfulness
and deliberation. In the body the eyes, ears and nose are different places of
attraction for sense enjoyment, and the streets for going hither and thither
may be compared to different types of air blowing within the body. The yogic
process for controlling the air within the body and the different nerves is
called suñumnä, the path of liberation. The body is also a resting place
because when the living entity becomes fatigued he takes rest within the body.
The palms and the soles of the feet are compared to flags and festoons.
SB 5.25.1
There is a class of men akin to Mäyävädé
philosophers who misinterpret the ahaà brahmäsmi and so'ham Vedic mantras to
mean, "I am the Supreme Brahman" and "I am identical with the
Lord." This kind of false conception, in which one thinks himself the
supreme enjoyer, is a kind of illusion. It is described elsewhere in
Çrémad-Bhägavatam (5.5.8): janasya moho 'yam ahaà mameti. As explained in the
above verse, Lord Saìkarñaëa is the predominating Deity of this false
conception. Kåñëa confirms this in Bhagavad-gétä (15.15):
sarvasya cähaà hådi
sanniviñöo
mattaù småtir jïänam apohanaà
ca
"I am seated in everyone's heart, and
from Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness." The Lord is
situated in everyone's heart as Saìkarñaëa, and when a demon thinks himself one
with the Supreme Lord, the Lord keeps him in that darkness. Although such a
demoniac living entity is only an insignificant part of the Supreme Lord, he
forgets his true position and thinks he is the Supreme Lord. Because this
forgetfulness is created by Saìkarñaëa, He is sometimes called tämasé. The name
tämasé does not indicate that He has a material body. He is always
transcendental, but because He is the Supersoul of Lord Çiva, who must perform
tamasic activities, Saìkarñaëa is sometimes called tämasé.
SB 6.1.11
In Bhagavad-gétä, karmés, who are lacking in
knowledge, are compared to asses. Kåñëa says in Bhagavad-gétä (7.15):
"Those miscreants who are grossly
foolish, lowest among mankind, whose knowledge is stolen by illusion, and who
partake of the atheistic nature of demons, do not surrender unto Me." Thus
karmés who engage in sinful acts and who do not know the true objective of life
are called müòhas, asses. Vimarçana, however, is also explained in
Bhagavad-gétä (15.15), where Kåñëa says, vedaiç ca sarvair aham eva vedyaù: the
purpose of Vedic study is to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If
one studies Vedänta but merely advances somewhat in speculative knowledge and
does not understand the Supreme Lord, one remains the same müòha. As stated in
Bhagavad-gétä (7.19), one attains real knowledge when he understands Kåñëa and
surrenders unto Him (bahünäà janmanäm ante jïänavän mäà prapadyate). To become
learned and free from material contamination, therefore, one should try to
understand Kåñëa, for thus one is immediately liberated from all pious and
impious activities and their reactions.
SB 6.1.40
Näräyaëa exists eternally and breathes
eternally, and therefore dharma, the injunctions of Näräyaëa, also exist
eternally. Çréla Madhväcärya, the original äcärya for those who belong to the
Mädhva-Gauòéya-sampradäya, says:
vedänäà prathamo vaktä
harir eva yato vibhuù
ato viñëv-ätmakä vedä
ity ähur veda-vädinaù
The transcendental words of the Vedas
emanated from the mouth of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore the
Vedic principles should be understood to be Vaiñëava principles because Viñëu
is the origin of the Vedas. The Vedas contain nothing besides the instructions
of Viñëu, and one who follows the Vedic principles is a Vaiñëava. The Vaiñëava
is not a member of a manufactured community of this material world. A Vaiñëava
is a real knower of the Vedas, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gétä (vedaiç ca sarvair
aham eva vedyaù [Bg. 15.15]).
SB 6.2.32
In the beginning of his life Ajämila was
certainly very pure, and he associated with devotees and brähmaëas; because of
that pious activity, even though he was fallen, he was inspired to name his son
Näräyaëa. Certainly this was due to good counsel given from within by the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. As the Lord says in Bhagavad-gétä (15.15),
sarvasya cähaà hådi sanniviñöo mattaù småtir jïänam apohanaà ca: "I am
seated in everyone's heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and
forgetfulness." The Lord, who is situated in everyone's heart, is so kind
that if one has ever rendered service to Him, the Lord never forgets him. Thus
the Lord, from within, gave Ajämila the opportunity to name his youngest son
Näräyaëa so that in affection he would constantly call "Näräyaëa!
Näräyaëa!" and thus be saved from the most fearful and dangerous condition
at the time of his death. Such is the mercy of Kåñëa.
SB 6.3.25
Since one may easily achieve the highest
success by chanting the holy name of the Lord, one may ask why there are so
many Vedic ritualistic ceremonies and why people are attracted to them. This
verse answers that question. As stated in Bhagavad-gétä (15.15), vedaiç ca
sarvair aham eva vedyaù: the real purpose of studying the Vedas is to approach
the lotus feet of Lord Kåñëa. Unfortunately, unintelligent people bewildered by
the grandeur of Vedic yajïas want to see gorgeous sacrifices performed. They want
Vedic mantras chanted and huge amounts of money spent for such ceremonies.
Sometimes we have to observe the Vedic ritualistic ceremonies to please such
unintelligent men. Recently, when we established a large Kåñëa-Balaräma temple
in Våndävana, we were obliged to have Vedic ceremonies enacted by brähmaëas
because the inhabitants of Våndävana, especially the smärta-brähmaëas, would
not accept Europeans and Americans as bona fide brähmaëas. Thus we had to
engage brähmaëas to perform costly yajïas. In spite of these yajïas, the
members of our Society performed saìkértana loudly with mådaìgas, and I
considered the saìkértana more important than the Vedic ritualistic ceremonies.
Both the ceremonies and the saìkértana were going on simultaneously. The ceremonies
were meant for persons interested in Vedic rituals for elevation to heavenly
planets (jaòé-kåta-matir madhu-puñpitäyäm), whereas the saìkértana was meant
for pure devotees interested in pleasing the Supreme Personality of Godhead. We
would simply have performed saìkértana, but then the inhabitants of Våndävana
would not have taken the installation ceremony seriously. As explained here,
the Vedic performances are meant for those whose intelligence has been dulled
by the flowery language of the Vedas, which describe fruitive activities
intended to elevate one to the higher planets.
SB 6.12.12
According to the conclusion of the
philosophy known as karma-mémäàsä, one's karma, or previous fruitive activity,
is the cause of everything, and therefore there is no need to work. Those who
arrive at this conclusion are foolish. When a father creates a child, he does
not do so independently; he is induced to do so by the Supreme Lord. As the
Lord Himself says in Bhagavad-gétä (15.15), sarvasya cähaà hådi sanniviñöo mattaù
småtir jïänam apohanaà ca: "I am in everyone's heart, and from Me come
remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness." Unless one receives dictation
from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who sits within everyone's heart, one
cannot be induced to create anything. Therefore the father and mother are not
the creators of the living entity. According to the living entity's karma,
fruitive activities, he is put into the semen of the father, who injects the
living entity into the womb of the mother. Then according to the body of the
mother and father (yathä-yoni yathä-béjam), the living entity accepts a body
and takes birth to suffer or enjoy. Therefore the Supreme Lord is the original
cause of one's birth. Similarly, the Supreme Lord is the cause of one's being
killed. No one is independent; everyone is dependent. The true conclusion is
that the only independent person is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
SB 6.16.24
Red-hot iron can burn, but it cannot burn
the original fire. Therefore the consciousness of the small particle of Brahman
is fully dependent on the power of the Supreme Brahman. In Bhagavad-gétä the
Lord says, mattaù småtir jïänam apohanaà ca: [Bg. 15.15] "From Me the
conditioned soul receives memory, knowledge and forgetfulness." The power
for activities comes from the Supreme Lord, and when the Lord withdraws this
power, the conditioned soul no longer has energy with which to act through his
various senses. The body includes five knowledge-acquiring senses, five active
senses and the mind, but actually these are merely lumps of matter. For
example, the brain is nothing but matter, but when electrified by the energy of
the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the brain can act, just as iron can burn
when made red-hot by the influence of fire. The brain can act while we are
awake or even while we are dreaming, but when we are fast asleep or unconscious
the brain is inactive. Since the brain is a lump of matter, it does not have
independent power with which to act. It can act only when favored by the influence
of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is Brahman or Parabrahman. This is
the way to understand how the Supreme Brahman, Kåñëa, is present everywhere,
just as the sunshine is present because of the sun-god in the sun globe. The
Supreme Lord is called Håñékeça; He is the only conductor of the senses. Unless
empowered by His energy, our senses cannot act. In other words, He is the only
seer, the only worker, the only listener, and the only active principle or
supreme controller.
SB 6.16.35
The so-called scientists of the modern
materialistic world are proud because they have created modern facilities like
great airplanes, but the credit for creating the airplanes should go to the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, not to the scientists who have invented or
created the so-called wonderful products. The first consideration is the
intelligence of the scientist; one must be elevated by the dictation of the
Supreme Lord, who says in Bhagavad-gétä (15.15), mattaù småtir jïänam apohanaà
ca: "From Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness." Because
the Supreme Lord, as Supersoul, sits within the core of every living entity's
heart, the dictation by which one advances in scientific knowledge or creative
faculties comes from Him. Furthermore, the ingredients to manufacture wonderful
machines like airplanes are also supplied by the Lord, not by the scientists.
Before the airplane was created, its ingredients already existed, having been
caused by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but when the manifested creation
of the airplane is ruined, the remaining debris is a problem for the so-called
creators. Another example is that the West is creating many automobiles. The
ingredients for these cars are supplied, of course, by the Supreme Lord, and
the intelligence for the so-called creation is also supplied by the Lord.
Ultimately, when the cars are demolished, the so-called creators are faced with
the problem of what to do with their ingredients. The actual creator, the
original creator, is the Personality of Godhead. Only in the interim does
someone create something with intelligence supplied by the Lord, and later the
creation again becomes a problem. Therefore the so-called creator is not to be
credited with the act of creation; the only credit goes to the Supreme Personality
of Godhead. It is rightly stated herein that the credit for all the opulences
of creation, maintenance and annihilation belongs to the Supreme Lord, not to
the living entities.
SB 7.7.25
Without intelligence one cannot understand
the direct activities of the senses, nor can he understand dreaming or the
cessation of all gross and subtle activities. The seer and controller is the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Supreme Soul, by whose direction the
individual soul can understand when he is awake, when he is sleeping, and when
he is completely in trance. In Bhagavad-gétä (15.15) the Lord says, sarvasya
cähaà hådi sanniviñöo mattaù småtir jïänam apohanaà ca: "I am seated in
everyone's heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness."
The living entities are completely absorbed in the three states of wakefulness,
dreaming and deep sleep through their intelligence. This intelligence is
supplied by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who accompanies the individual
soul as a friend. Çréla Madhväcärya says that the living entity is sometimes
described as sattva-buddhi when his intelligence acts directly to perceive
pains and pleasures above activities. There is a dreaming state in which
understanding comes from the Supreme Personality of Godhead (mattaù småtir
jïänam apohanaà ca [Bg. 15.15]). The Supreme Personality of Godhead, the
Supersoul, is the supreme controller, and under His direction the living
entities are subcontrollers. One must understand the Supreme Personality of
Godhead with one's intelligence.
SB 7.14.38
In Bhagavad-gétä (15.15) it is said, mattaù
småtir jïänam apohanaà ca: the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His localized
aspect gives intelligence to the individual soul as far as he is able to grasp
it. Therefore we find the individual soul in different high and low positions.
A living entity with the body of a bird or beast cannot take instructions from
the Supreme Soul as adequately as an advanced human being. Thus there are
gradations of bodily forms. In human society, the perfect brähmaëa is supposed
to be the most advanced in spiritual consciousness, and further advanced than
the brähmaëa is the Vaiñëava. Therefore the best persons are the Vaiñëavas and
Viñëu.
SB 8.3.14
To paraphrase this verse: "The
objectives of sensual activities are actually observed by You. Without Your
direction, the living entity cannot take even a step forward. As confirmed in
Bhagavad-gétä (15.15), sarvasya cähaà hådi sanniviñöo mattaù småtir jïänam
apohanaà ca. You are situated in everyone's heart, and only from You come
remembrance and forgetfulness. Chäyeva yasya bhuvanäni bibharti durgä [Bs.
5.44]. The living entity under the clutches of mäyä wants to enjoy this
material world, but unless You give him directions and remind him, he cannot make
progress in pursuing his shadowy objective in life. The conditioned soul
wrongly progresses toward the wrong objective, life after life, and he is
reminded of that objective by You. In one life the conditioned soul desires to
progress toward a certain objective, but after his body changes, he forgets
everything. Nonetheless, my Lord, because he wanted to enjoy something of this
world, You remind him of this in his next birth. Mattaù småtir jïänam apohanaà
ca [Bg. 15.15]. Because the conditioned soul wants to forget You, by Your grace
You give him opportunities, life after life, by which he can almost perpetually
forget You. Therefore You are eternally the director of the conditioned souls.
It is because You are the original cause of everything that everything appears
real. The ultimate reality is Your Lordship, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. I offer my respectful obeisances unto You."
SB 8.5.27
The word anidram, meaning "always awake
and free from ignorance," is very important in this verse. As stated in
Bhagavad-gétä (15.15), mattaù småtir jïänam apohanaà ca: it is the Lord who
gives intelligence to everyone and who causes everyone to forget. There are
millions and millions of living entities, and the Lord gives them directions.
Therefore He has no time to sleep, and He is never in ignorance of our
activities. The Lord is the witness of everything; He sees what we are doing at
every moment. The Lord is not covered by a body resulting from karma. Our
bodies are formed as a result of our past deeds (karmaëä daiva-netreëa [SB
3.31.1]), but the Supreme Personality of Godhead does not have a material body,
and therefore He has no avidyä, ignorance. He does not sleep, but is always
alert and awake.
SB 8.12.7
As stated in Bhagavad-gétä, mattaù småtir
jïänam apohanaà ca: [Bg. 15.15] remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness come
from You. Nothing can be done independently, yet You act independently of the
service rendered by Your servants. The living entities depend on Your mercy for
liberation, but when You want to give them liberation, You do not depend on
anyone else. Indeed, by Your causeless mercy, You can give liberation to
anyone. Those who receive Your mercy are called kåpä-siddha. To reach the
platform of perfection takes many, many lives (bahünäà janmanäm ante jïänavän
mäà prapadyate [Bg. 7.19]). Nonetheless, even without undergoing severe
austerities, one can attain perfection by Your mercy. Devotional service should
be unmotivated and free from impediments (ahaituky apratihatä yayätmä
suprasédati). This is the position of niräçiñaù, or freedom from expectations
for results. A pure devotee continuously offers transcendental loving service
to You, but You may nonetheless offer mercy to anyone, without depending on his
service."
SB 9.24.66
As stated in Bhagavad-gétä (15.15), vedaiç
ca sarvair aham eva vedyaù: by all the Vedas, it is Kåñëa who is to be known.
Lord Çré Kåñëa, setting an example by His own behavior, performed many
ritualistic ceremonies described in the Vedas and established the principles of
gåhastha life by marrying many wives and begetting many children just to show
people in general how to be happy by living according to Vedic principles. The
center of Vedic sacrifice is Kåñëa (vedaiç ca sarvair aham eva vedyaù). To
advance in human life, human society must follow the Vedic principles
personally demonstrated by Lord Kåñëa in His householder life.
SB 10.1.41
Because the mind is ultimately controlled by
the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kåñëa, the word apasmåtiù is significant.
Forgetfulness of one's own identity is called apasmåtiù. This apasmåtiù can be
controlled by the Supreme Lord, for the Lord says, mattaù småtir jïänam
apohanaà ca: [Bg. 15.15] "From Me come remembrance, knowledge and
forgetfulness." Instead of allowing one to forget one's real position,
Kåñëa can revive one's original identity at the time of one's death, even
though the mind may be flickering. Although the mind may work imperfectly at
the time of death, Kåñëa gives a devotee shelter at His lotus feet. Therefore
when a devotee gives up his body, the mind does not take him to another
material body (tyaktvä dehaà punar janma naiti mäm eti [Bg. 4.9]); rather,
Kåñëa takes the devotee to that place where He is engaged in His pastimes (mäm
eti), as we have already discussed in previous verses. One's consciousness,
therefore, must always be absorbed in Kåñëa, and then one's life will be
successful. Otherwise the mind will carry the soul to another material body.
The soul will be placed in the semen of a father and discharged into the womb
of a mother. The semen and ovum create a particular type of body according to
the form of the father and mother, and when the body is mature, the soul
emerges in that body and begins a new life. This is the process of
transmigration of the soul from one body to another (tathä dehäntara-präptiù
[Bg. 2.13]). Unfortunately, those who are less intelligent think that when the
body disappears, everything is finished. The entire world is being misled by
such fools and rascals. But as stated in Bhagavad-gétä (2.20), na hanyate
hanyamäne çarére. The soul does not die when the body is destroyed. Rather, the
soul takes on another body.
SB 10.8.45
As stated in Bhagavad-gétä (15.15) by the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kåñëa, the purpose of studying the Vedas is to
understand Him (vedaiç ca sarvair aham eva vedyaù). Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu
explained to Sanätana Gosvämé that there are three purposes in the Vedas. One
is to understand our relationship with Kåñëa (sambandha), another is to act
according to that relationship (abhidheya), and the third is to reach the
ultimate goal (prayojana). The word prayojana means "necessities,"
and the ultimate necessity is explained by Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu. premä
pum-artho mahän: the greatest necessity for a human being is the achievement of
love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Here we see that mother Yaçodä is
on the highest stage of necessity, for she is completely absorbed in love for
Kåñëa.
Because I am transcendental, beyond both the
fallible and the infallible, and because I am the greatest, I am celebrated
both in the world and in the Vedas as that Supreme Person.
SB 2.9.33
In the Båhad-äraëyaka Upaniñad (1.4.1) there
is the hymn ätmaivedam agra äsét puruña-vidhaù. This mantra indicates the
Supreme Personality of Godhead (Kåñëa) even before the appearance of the puruña
incarnation. In the Bhagavad-gétä (15.18) it is said that Lord Kåñëa is
Puruñottama because He is the supreme puruña, transcendental even to the
puruña-akñara and the puruña-kñara. The akñara-puruña, or the Mahä-Viñëu,
throws His glance over prakåti, or material nature, but the Puruñottama existed
even before that. The Båhad-äraëyaka Upaniñad therefore confirms the statement
of the Bhagavad-gétä that Lord Kåñëa is the Supreme Person (Puruñottama).
SB 2.10.9
There are innumerable living entities, one
dependent on the other in the relationship of the controlled and the
controller. But without the medium of perception, no one can know or understand
who is the controlled and who is the controller. For example, the sun controls
the power of our vision, we can see the sun because the sun has its body, and
the sunlight is useful only because we have eyes. Without our having eyes, the
sunlight is useless, and without sunlight the eyes are useless. Thus they are
interdependent, and none of them is independent. Therefore the natural question
arises concerning who made them interdependent. The one who has made such a
relationship of interdependence must be ultimately completely independent. As
stated in the beginning of the Çrémad-Bhägavatam, the ultimate source of all
interdependent objectives is the complete independent subject. This ultimate
source of all interdependence is the Supreme Truth or Paramätmä, the Supersoul,
who is not dependent on anything else. He is sväçrayäçrayaù. He is only
dependent on His self, and thus He is the supreme shelter of everything.
Although Paramätmä and Brahman are subordinate to Bhagavän, because Bhagavän is
Puruñottama or the Superperson, He is the source of the Supersoul also. In the
Bhagavad-gétä (15.18) Lord Kåñëa says that He is the Puruñottama and the source
of everything, and thus it is concluded that Çré Kåñëa is the ultimate source
and shelter of all entities, including the Supersoul and Supreme Brahman. Even
accepting that there is no difference between the Supersoul and the individual
soul, the individual soul is dependent on the Supersoul for being liberated
from the illusion of material energy. The individual is under the clutches of
illusory energy, and therefore although qualitatively one with the Supersoul,
he is under the illusion of identifying himself with matter. And to get out of
this illusory conception of factual life, the individual soul has to depend on
the Supersoul to be recognized as one with Him. In that sense also the
Supersoul is the supreme shelter. And there is no doubt about it.
Whoever knows Me as the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, without doubting, is the knower of everything. He therefore engages
himself in full devotional service to Me, O son of Bharata.
SB 2.9.5
By bhakti-yoga one can know the Lord, and by
knowing the Lord as the Supreme, one is able to know everything else. One who
knows the Supreme knows everything else. That is the version of all Vedas. Even
the first spiritual master of the universe was enlightened by the grace of the
Lord, so who else can attain perfect knowledge of everything without the mercy
of the Lord? If anyone desires to seek perfect knowledge of everything, he must
seek the mercy of the Lord, and there is no other means. To seek knowledge on
the strength of one's personal attempt is a sheer waste of time.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said:
Fearlessness; purification of one's existence; cultivation of spiritual
knowledge; charity; self-control; performance of sacrifice; study of the Vedas;
austerity; simplicity; nonviolence; truthfulness; freedom from anger; renunciation;
tranquillity; aversion to faultfinding; compassion for all living entities;
freedom from covetousness; gentleness; modesty; steady determination; vigor;
forgiveness; fortitude; cleanliness; and freedom from envy and from the passion
for honor—these transcendental qualities, O son of Bharata, belong to godly men
endowed with divine nature.
SB 4.24.52
In Bhagavad-gétä it is said that in order to
make spiritual progress, one must become fearless. Abhayaà sattva-saàçuddhiù
(Bg. 16.1). Fearfulness is the result of material involvement. It is also said
in Çrémad-Bhägavatam (11.2.37), bhayaà dvitéyäbhiniveçataù syät: fearfulness is
a creation of the bodily conception of life. As long as one is absorbed in the
thought that he is this material body, he is fearful, and as soon as one is
freed from this material conception, he becomes brahma-bhüta [SB 4.30.20], or
self-realized, and immediately becomes fearless. Brahma-bhütaù prasannätmä (Bg.
18.54). Without being fearless, one cannot be joyful. The bhaktas, the devotees,
are fearless and always joyful because they are constantly engaged in the
service of the lotus feet of the Lord. It is also said:
evaà prasanna-manaso
bhagavad-bhakti-yogataù
bhagavat-tattva-vijïänaà
mukta-saìgasya jäyate
(SB 1.2.20)
By practicing bhagavad-bhakti-yoga, one
becomes fearless and joyful. Unless one becomes fearless and joyful, he cannot
understand the science of God. Bhagavat-tattva-vijïänaà mukta-saìgasya jäyate.
This verse refers to those who are completely liberated from the fearfulness of
this material world. When one is so liberated, he can really understand the
transcendental features of the form of the Lord. Lord Çiva therefore advises
everyone to practice bhagavad-bhakti-yoga. As will be clear in the following
verses, by doing so one can become really liberated and enjoy spiritual bliss.
The transcendental qualities are conducive to
liberation, whereas the demoniac qualities make for bondage. Do not worry, O
son of Päëòu, for you are born with the divine qualities.
SB 2.2.5
The path of renunciation is recommended for
acceptance by one who is fully accomplished and fully purified in his
existence. This stage is described also in the Bhagavad-gétä (16.5) as daivé
sampat. A human being is required to accumulate daivé sampat, or spiritual
assets; otherwise, the next alternative, äsuré sampat, or material assets, will
overcome him disproportionately, and thus one will be forced into the
entanglement of different miseries of the material world. A sannyäsé should
always live alone, without company, and he must be fearless. He should never be
afraid of living alone, although he is never alone. The Lord is residing in
everyone's heart, and unless one is purified by the prescribed process, one
will feel that he is alone. But a man in the renounced order of life must be
purified by the process; thus he will feel the presence of the Lord everywhere
and will have nothing to fear (such as being without any company). Everyone can
become a fearless and honest person if his very existence is purified by
discharging the prescribed duty for each and every order of life. One can
become fixed in one's prescribed duty by faithful aural reception of Vedic
instructions and assimilation of the essence of Vedic knowledge by devotional
service to the Lord.
Those who are demoniac do not know what is to
be done and what is not to be done. Neither cleanliness nor proper behavior nor
truth is found in them.
SB 6.5.20
Bhagavad-gétä (16.7) says, pravåttià ca
nivåttià ca janä na vidur äsuräù: demons, who are less than human beings but
are not called animals, do not know the meaning of pravåtti and nivåtti, work
to be done and work not to be done. In the material world, every living entity
has a desire to lord it over the material world as much as possible. This is
called pravåtti-märga. All the çästras, however, advise nivåtti-märga, or
release from the materialistic way of life. Apart from the çästras of the Vedic
civilization, which is the oldest of the world, other çästras agree on this
point. For example, in the Buddhist çästras Lord Buddha advises that one
achieve nirväëa by giving up the materialistic way of life. In the Bible, which
is also çästra, one will find the same advice: one should cease materialistic
life and return to the kingdom of God. In any çästra one may examine,
especially the Vedic çästra, the same advice is given: one should give up his
materialistic life and return to his original, spiritual life. Çaìkaräcärya
also propounds the same conclusion. Brahma satyaà jagan mithyä: this material
world or materialistic life is simply illusion, and therefore one should stop
his illusory activities and come to the platform of Brahman.
SB 7.15.47
As confirmed in Bhagavad-gétä (16.7),
pravåttià ca nivåttià ca janä na vidur äsuräù: the asuras, nondevotees, cannot
distinguish between pravåtti and nivåtti. Whatever they like they do. Such
persons think themselves independent of the strong material nature, and
therefore they are irresponsible and do not care to act piously. Indeed, they
do not distinguish between pious and impious activity. Bhakti, of course, does
not depend on pious or impious activity. As stated in Çrémad-Bhägavatam
(1.2.6):
"The supreme occupation [dharma] for
all humanity is that by which men can attain to loving devotional service unto
the transcendent Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and
uninterrupted in order to completely satisfy the self."
They say that this world is unreal, with no
foundation, no God in control. They say it is produced of sex desire and has no
cause other than lust.
SB 1.3.2
We should not foolishly accept the atheistic
theory of creation. The description of the atheists is given in the
Bhagavad-gétä. The atheist does not believe in the creator, but he cannot give
a good theory to explain the creation. Material nature has no power to create
without the power of the puruña, just as a prakåti, or woman, cannot produce a
child without the connection of a puruña, or man. The puruña impregnates, and
the prakåti delivers. We should not expect milk from the fleshy bags on the
neck of a goat, although they look like breastly nipples. Similarly, we should
not expect any creative power from the material ingredients; we must believe in
the power of the puruña, who impregnates prakåti, or nature. Because the Lord
wished to lie down in meditation, the material energy created innumerable
universes at once, in each of them the Lord lay down, and thus all the planets
and the different paraphernalia were created at once by the will of the Lord.
The Lord has unlimited potencies, and thus He can act as He likes by perfect
planning, although personally He has nothing to do. No one is greater than or
equal to Him. That is the verdict of the Vedas.
SB 9.10.22
Na ca daivät paraà balam: no one can surpass
the strength of the Transcendence. Rävaëa was so sinful and shameless that he
did not know what the result would be of kidnapping mother Sétä, the pleasure
potency of Rämacandra. This is the disqualification of the Räkñasas. Asatyam
apratiñöhaà te jagad ähur anéçvaram [Bg. 16.8]. The Räkñasas are unaware that
the Supreme Lord is the ruler of the creation. They think that everything has
come about by chance or accident and that there is no ruler, king or
controller. Therefore the Räkñasas act independently, as they like, going even
so far as to kidnap the goddess of fortune. This policy of Rävaëa's is
extremely dangerous for the materialist; indeed, it brings ruin to the
materialistic civilization. Nonetheless, because atheists are Räkñasas, they
dare to do things that are most abominable, and thus they are punished without
fail. Religion consists of the orders of the Supreme Lord, and one who carries
out these orders is religious. One who fails to carry out the Lord's orders is
irreligious, and he is to be punished.
SB 9.24.58
The real dharma is to surrender unto Kåñëa,
but the rebellious living entity, instead of surrendering to Kåñëa, engages in
adharma, in a struggle for existence to become like Kåñëa. Therefore out of
compassion Kåñëa creates this material world to give the living entity a chance
to understand his real position. Bhagavad-gétä and similar Vedic literatures
are presented so that the living being may understand his relationship with
Kåñëa. Vedaiç ca sarvair aham eva vedyaù (Bg. 15.15). All these Vedic literatures
are meant to enable the human being to understand what he is, what his actual
position is, and what his relationship is with the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. This is called brahma-jijïäsä. Every conditioned soul is struggling,
but human life provides the best chance for him to understand his position.
Therefore this verse says, anugrahas tan-nivåtteù, indicating that the false
life of repeated birth and death must be stopped and the conditioned soul
should be educated. This is the purpose of the creation.
The creation does not arise whimsically, as
atheistic men think.
"They say that this world is unreal,
that there is no foundation and that there is no God in control. It is produced
of sex desire and has no cause other than lust." (Bg. 16.8) Atheistic
rascals think that there is no God and that the creation has taken place by
chance, just as a man and woman meet by chance and the woman becomes pregnant
and gives birth to a child. Actually, however, this is not the fact. The fact
is that there is a purpose for this creation: to give the conditioned soul a
chance to return to his original consciousness, Kåñëa consciousness, and then
return home, back to Godhead, and be completely happy in the spiritual world.
In the material world the conditioned soul is given a chance to satisfy his
senses, but at the same time he is informed by Vedic knowledge that this
material world is not his actual place for happiness.
Janma-måtyu-jarä-vyädhi-duùkha-doñänudarçanam (Bg. 13.9). One must stop the
repetition of birth and death. Every human being, therefore, should take
advantage of this creation by understanding Kåñëa and his relationship with
Kåñëa and in this way return home, back to Godhead.
SB 10.3.18
Jïänés reject this world, and foolish
persons accept this world as reality, and in this way they are both misguided.
Although the body is not as important as the soul, we cannot say that it is
false. Yet the body is temporary, and only foolish, materialistic persons, who
do not have full knowledge of the soul, regard the temporary body as reality
and engage in decorating this body. Both of these pitfalls—rejection of the
body as false and acceptance of the body as all in all—can be avoided when one
is fully situated in Kåñëa consciousness. If we regard this world as false, we
fall into the category of asuras, who say that this world is unreal, with no
foundation and no God in control (asatyam apratiñöhaà te jagad ähur anéçvaram).
As described in the Sixteenth Chapter of Bhagavad-gétä, this is the conclusion
of demons.
The demoniac person thinks: "So much
wealth do I have today, and I will gain more according to my schemes. So much
is mine now, and it will increase in the future, more and more. He is my enemy,
and I have killed him, and my other enemies will also be killed. I am the lord
of everything. I am the enjoyer. I am perfect, powerful and happy. I am the
richest man, surrounded by aristocratic relatives. There is none so powerful
and happy as I am. I shall perform sacrifices, I shall give some charity, and
thus I shall rejoice." In this way, such persons are deluded by ignorance.
SB 7.14.8
By God's favor we sometimes get large
quantities of food grains or suddenly receive some contribution or unexpected
profit in business. In this way we may get more money than needed. So, how
should that be spent? There is no need to accumulate money in the bank merely
to increase one's bank balance. Such a mentality is described in Bhagavad-gétä
(16.13) as asuric, demoniac. "The demoniac person thinks, 'So much wealth
do I have today, and I will gain more according to my schemes. So much is mine
now, and it will increase in the future, more and more.' " The asura is
concerned with how much wealth he has in the bank today and how it will
increase tomorrow, but unrestricted accumulation of wealth is not permitted
either by the çästra or, in the modern age, by the government. Actually, if one
has more than one requires for his necessities, the extra money should be spent
for Kåñëa. According to the Vedic civilization, it should all be given to the
Kåñëa consciousness movement, as ordered by the Lord Himself in Bhagavad-gétä
(9.27): "O son of Kunté, all that you do, all that you eat, all that you
offer and give away, as well as all austerities that you may perform, should be
done as an offering unto Me." Gåhasthas should spend extra money only for
the Kåñëa consciousness movement.
SB 8.22.20
Bali Mahäräja's wife, who was most
intelligent, supported the arrest of her husband and accused him of having no
intelligence because he had claimed proprietorship of the property of the Lord.
Such a claim is a sign of demoniac life. Although the demigods, who are
officials appointed by the Lord for management, are attached to materialistic
enjoyment, they never claim to be proprietors of the universe, for they know
that the actual proprietor of everything is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
This is the qualification of the demigods. But the demons, instead of accepting
the exclusive proprietorship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, claim the
property of the universe for themselves through demarcations of nationalism.
"This part is mine, and that part is yours," they say. "This
part I can give in charity, and this part I can keep for my enjoyment."
These are all demoniac conceptions. This is described in Bhagavad-gétä (16.13):
idam adya mayä labdham imaà präpsye manoratham. "Thus far I have acquired
so much money and land. Now I have to add more and more. In this way I shall be
the greatest proprietor of everything. Who can compete with me?" These are
all demoniac conceptions.
Self-complacent and always impudent, deluded
by wealth and false prestige, they sometimes proudly perform sacrifices in name
only, without following any rules or regulations.
SB 3.21.7
After engaging himself for ten thousand
years in performing different types of devotional service, Kardama Muni
attained the perfection of meditation, but that is not possible in this age of
Kali, wherein it is very difficult to live for as much as one hundred years. At
the present moment, who will be successful in the rigid performance of the many
yoga rules and regulations? Moreover, perfection is attained only by those who
are surrendered souls. Where there is no mention of the Personality of Godhead,
where is there surrender? And where there is no meditation upon the Personality
of Godhead, where is the yoga practice? Unfortunately, people in this age,
especially persons who are of a demoniac nature, want to be cheated. Thus the
Supreme Personality of Godhead sends great cheaters who mislead them in the
name of yoga and render their lives useless and doomed. In Bhagavad-gétä,
therefore, it is clearly stated, in the Sixteenth Chapter, verse 17, that
rascals of self-made authority, being puffed up by illegally collected money,
perform yoga without following the authoritative books. They are very proud of
the money they have plundered from innocent persons who wanted to be cheated.
SB 6.16.42
One may argue that the sacrifice of animals
is recommended in the Vedas. This recommendation, however, is a restriction.
Without Vedic restrictions on the purchase of meat, people will purchase meat
from the market, which will be overflooded with meat shops, and slaughterhouses
will increase. To restrict this, sometimes the Vedas say that one may eat meat
after sacrificing an insignificant animal like a goat before the goddess Kälé.
In any case, a system of religion in which animal sacrifices are recommended is
inauspicious for those who perform the sacrifices and for the animals. Envious
persons who perform ostentatious animal sacrifices are condemned in
Bhagavad-gétä (16.17) as follows:
"Self-complacent and always impudent,
deluded by wealth and false prestige, they sometimes perform sacrifices in name
only without following any rules or regulations." Sometimes animal
sacrifices are performed very gorgeously with grand arrangements for worshiping
the goddess Kälé, but such festivals, although performed in the name of yajïa,
are not actually yajïa, for yajïa means to satisfy the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. Therefore it is recommended that in this age specifically, yajïaiù
saìkértana-präyair yajanti hi sumedhasaù: [SB 11.5.32] those who have good
intelligence satisfy the yajïa-puruña, Viñëu, by chanting the Hare Kåñëa
mantra. Envious persons, however, are condemned by the Supreme Personality of
Godhead as follows:
"Bewildered by false ego, strength,
pride, lust and anger, the demon becomes envious of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, who is situated in his own body and in the bodies of others, and
blasphemes against the real religion. Those who are envious and mischievous,
who are the lowest among men, are cast by Me into the ocean of material
existence, into various demoniac species of life." (Bg. 16.18-19) These
persons are condemned by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as indicated by
the words tava kopaù. A person who commits murder is envious of himself and
also the person he has killed, for the result of committing murder is that he
will be arrested and hanged. If one transgresses the laws of a man-made
government, he may escape being killed by the state, but one cannot escape the
laws of God. A killer of any animal must be killed in his next life by the same
animal. This is the law of nature. One must follow the instructions of the
Supreme Lord: sarva-dharmän parityajya mäm ekaà çaraëaà vraja [Bg. 18.66]. If
one follows any other system of religion, he is subject to punishment by the
Supreme Personality of Godhead in many different ways. Therefore if one follows
a concocted system of religion, he is envious not only of others but also of
himself. Consequently his system of religion is useless.
Those who are envious and mischievous, who are
the lowest among men, I perpetually cast into the ocean of material existence,
into various demoniac species of life.
SB 1.12.5
Here the word lokäù is significant. There
are different lokas or higher planets scattered all over the sky, both material
and spiritual. A person can reach them by dint of his work in the present life,
as stated in Bhagavad-gétä (9.25). No forceful entrance is allowed there. The
tiny material scientists and engineers who have discovered vehicles to travel
over a few thousand miles in outer space will not be allowed entrance. That is
not the way to reach the better planets. One must qualify himself to enter into
such happy planets by sacrifice and service. Those who are sinful in every step
of life can expect only to be degraded into animal life to suffer more and more
the pangs of material existence, and this is also stated in Bhagavad-gétä
(16.19). Mahäräja Yudhiñöhira's good sacrifices and qualifications were so
lofty and virtuous that even the residents of the higher celestial planets were
already prepared to receive him as one of them.
SB 3.5.38
The Lord is equal to every living entity,
just like the flowing Ganges. The Ganges water is meant for the purification of
everyone, yet the trees on the banks of the Ganges have different values. A
mango tree on the bank of the Ganges drinks the water, and the nimba tree also
drinks the same water. But the fruits of both trees are different. One is
celestially sweet, and the other is hellishly bitter. The condemned bitterness
of the nimba is due to its own past work, just as the sweetness of the mango is
also due to its own karma. The Lord says in Bhagavad-gétä (16.19):
"The envious, the mischievous, the
lowest of mankind, these do I ever put back into the ocean of material
existence, into various demoniac species of life." Demigods like Yamaräja
and other controllers are there for the unwanted conditioned souls who always
engage in threatening the tranquillity of the kingdom of God. Since all the
demigods are confidential devotee-servitors of the Lord, they are never to be
condemned.
SB 4.28.26
Those who are very enthusiastic about killing
animals in the name of religion or for food must await similar punishment after
death. The word mäàsa ("meat") indicates that those animals whom we
kill will be given an opportunity to kill us. Although in actuality no living
entity is killed, the pains of being pierced by the horns of animals will be
experienced after death. Not knowing this, rascals unhesitatingly go on killing
poor animals. So-called human civilization has opened many slaughterhouses for
animals in the name of religion or food. Those who are a little religious kill
animals in temples, mosques or synagogues, and those who are more fallen
maintain various slaughterhouses. Just as in civilized human society the law is
a life for a life, no living entity can encroach upon another living entity as
far as the Supreme Lord is concerned. Everyone should be given freedom to live
at the cost of the supreme father, and animal-killing—either for religion or
for food—is always condemned by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In
Bhagavad-gétä (16.19) Lord Kåñëa says:
"Those who are envious and mischievous,
who are the lowest among men, are cast by Me into the ocean of material
existence, into various demoniac species of life." The animal-killers
(dviñataù), envying other living entities and the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, are placed in darkness and cannot understand the theme and objective
of life. This is further explained in the following verses.
SB 7.1.25
Whenever the Lord punishes persons like
demons, however, such punishment is meant for the good of the conditioned soul.
The conditioned soul, being envious of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, may
accuse Him, saying, "Kåñëa is bad, Kåñëa is a thief" and so on, but
Kåñëa, being kind to all living entities, does not consider such accusations.
Instead, He takes account of the conditioned soul's chanting of "Kåñëa,
Kåñëa" so many times. He sometimes punishes such demons for one life by
putting them in a lower species, but then, when they have stopped accusing Him,
they are liberated in the next life because of chanting Kåñëa's name
constantly. Blaspheming the Supreme Lord or His devotee is not at all good for
the conditioned soul, but Kåñëa, being very kind, punishes the conditioned soul
in one life for such sinful activities and then takes him back home, back to
Godhead. The vivid example for this is Våträsura, who was formerly Citraketu
Mahäräja, a great devotee. Because he derided Lord Çiva, the foremost of all
devotees, he had to accept the body of a demon called Våtra, but then he was
taken back to Godhead. Thus when Kåñëa punishes a demon or conditioned soul, He
stops that soul's habit of blaspheming Him, and when the soul becomes
completely pure, the Lord takes him back to Godhead.
SB 9.10.28
One who follows the path of Rävaëa is
condemned in two ways: his body is fit to be eaten by dogs and vultures, and
the soul goes to hell. As stated by the Lord Himself in Bhagavad-gétä (16.19):
"Those who are envious and mischievous,
who are the lowest among men, are cast by Me into the ocean of material existence,
into various demoniac species of life." Thus the destination of godless
atheists such as Rävaëa, Hiraëyakaçipu, Kaàsa and Dantavakra is a hellish
condition of life. Mandodaré, the wife of Rävaëa, could understand all this
because she was a chaste woman. Although lamenting for the death of her
husband, she knew what would happen to his body and soul, for although one
cannot see directly with one's material eyes, one can see with eyes of
knowledge (paçyanti jïäna-cakñuñaù). In Vedic history there are many instances
of how one becomes godless and is condemned by the laws of nature.
Attaining repeated birth amongst the species
of demoniac life, O son of Kunté, such persons can never approach Me. Gradually
they sink down to the most abominable type of existence.
SB 1.2.16
In the Bhagavad-gétä (Sixteenth Chapter) a
vivid description of the asuras is given in which it is said that the asuras
are put into lower and lower states of ignorance life after life and so sink to
the lower animal forms and have no information of the Absolute Truth, the
Personality of Godhead. These asuras are gradually rectified to God
consciousness by the mercy of the Lord's liberated servitors in different
countries according to the supreme will. Such devotees of God are very confidential
associates of the Lord, and when they come to save human society from the
dangers of godlessness, they are known as the powerful incarnations of the
Lord, as sons of the Lord, as servants of the Lord or as associates of the
Lord. But none of them falsely claim to be God themselves. This is a blasphemy
declared by the asuras, and the demoniac followers of such asuras also accept
pretenders as God or His incarnation. In the revealed scriptures there is
definite information of the incarnation of God. No one should be accepted as
God or an incarnation of God unless he is confirmed by the revealed scriptures.
SB 2.9.34
Persons with a poor fund of knowledge become
illusioned, and therefore the so-called scientists, physiologists, empiric
philosophers, etc., become dazzled by the glaring reflection of the sun, moon,
electricity, etc., and deny the existence of the Supreme Lord, putting forward
theories and different speculations about the creation, maintenance and
annihilation of everything material. The medical practitioner may deny the
existence of the soul in the physiological bodily construction of an individual
person, but he cannot give life to a dead body, even though all the mechanisms
of the body exist even after death. The psychologist makes a serious study of
the physiological conditions of the brain, as if the construction of the
cerebral lump were the machine of the functioning mind, but in the dead body
the psychologist cannot bring back the function of the mind. These scientific
studies of the cosmic manifestation or the bodily construction independent of
the Supreme Lord are different reflective intellectual gymnastics only, but at
the end they are all illusion and nothing more. All such advancement of science
and knowledge in the present context of material civilization is but an action
of the covering influence of the illusory energy. The illusory energy has two
phases of existence, namely the covering influence and the throwing influence.
By the throwing influence the illusory energy throws the living entities into
the darkness of ignorance, and by the covering influence she covers the eyes of
men with a poor fund of knowledge about the existence of the Supreme Person who
enlightened the supreme individual living being, Brahmä. The identity of Brahmä
with the Supreme Lord is never claimed herein, and therefore such a foolish
claim by the man with a poor fund of knowledge is another display of the
illusory energy of the Lord. The Lord says in the Bhagavad-gétä (16.18-20) that
demoniac persons who deny the existence of the Lord are thrown more and more
into the darkness of ignorance, and thus such demoniac persons transmigrate
life after life without any knowledge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
SB 3.4.20
Çré Uddhava's actual life is the direct
symbol of the catuù-çloké Bhägavatam enunciated first to Brahmäjé by the
Personality of Godhead [SB 2.9.33/34/35/36]. These four very great and
important verses from Çrémad-Bhägavatam are particularly taken out by the
Mäyävädé speculators, who construe a different purport to suit their impersonal
view of monism. Here is the proper answer to such unauthorized speculators. The
verses of Çrémad-Bhägavatam are purely theistic science understandable by the
postgraduate students of Bhagavad-gétä, The unauthorized dry speculators are
offenders at the lotus feet of the Lord Çré Kåñëa because they distort the
purports of Bhagavad-gétä and Çrémad-Bhägavatam to mislead the public and
prepare a direct path to the hell known as Andha-tämisra. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gétä
(16.20) such envious speculators are without knowledge and are surely condemned
life after life. They unnecessarily take shelter of Çrépäda Çaìkaräcärya, but
he was not so drastic as to commit an offense at the lotus feet of Lord Kåñëa.
According to Lord Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, Çrépäda Çaìkaräcärya preached the
Mäyäväda philosophy for a particular purpose. Such a philosophy was necessary
to defeat the Buddhist philosophy of the nonexistence of the spirit soul, but
it was never meant for perpetual acceptance. It was an emergency. Thus Lord
Kåñëa was accepted by Çaìkaräcärya as the Supreme Personality of Godhead in his
commentation on Bhagavad-gétä. Since he was a great devotee of Lord Kåñëa, he
did not dare write any commentary on Çrémad-Bhägavatam because that would have
been a direct offense at the lotus feet of the Lord. But later speculators, in
the name of Mäyäväda philosophy, unnecessarily make their commentary on the
catuù-çloké Bhägavatam [SB 2.9.33/34/35/36] without any bona fide intent.
SB 3.4.34
The transcendental bodily expansions
manifested by the Lord for His pastimes in the mortal world, and the appearance
and disappearance of such transcendental expansions, are difficult subject
matters, and those who are not devotees are advised not to discuss the Lord's
appearance and disappearance, lest they commit further offenses at the lotus
feet of the Lord. The more they discuss the transcendental appearance and
disappearance of the Lord in the asuric spirit, the more they enter into the
darkest region of hell, as stated in Bhagavad-gétä (16.20). Anyone who is
against the transcendental loving service of the Lord is more or less a beastly
creature, as confirmed in this verse of Çrémad-Bhägavatam.
SB 6.4.31
Now, one might ask why there are so many
philosophers if the ultimate goal of philosophy is one. Undoubtedly the
ultimate cause is one—the Supreme Brahman. As Arjuna told Kåñëa in
Bhagavad-gétä (10.12):
paraà brahma paraà dhäma
pavitraà paramaà bhavän
puruñaà çäçvataà divyam
ädi-devam ajaà vibhum
"You are the Supreme Brahman, the
ultimate, the supreme abode and purifier, the Absolute Truth and the eternal
divine person. You are the primal God, transcendental and original, and You are
the unborn and all-pervading beauty." Nondevotee speculators, however, do
not accept an ultimate cause (sarva-käraëa-käraëam [Bs. 5.1]). Because they are
ignorant and bewildered concerning the soul and its activities, even though
some of them have a vague idea of the soul, many controversies arise, and the
philosophical speculators can never reach a conclusion. All of these
speculators are envious of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and as Kåñëa says
in Bhagavad-gétä (16.19-20):
"Those who are envious and mischievous,
who are the lowest among men, are cast by Me into the ocean of material
existence, into various demoniac species of life. Attaining repeated birth
among the species of demoniac life, such persons can never approach Me.
Gradually they sink down to the most abominable type of existence."
Because of their envy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, nondevotees are
born in demoniac families life after life. They are great offenders, and
because of their offenses the Supreme Lord keeps them always bewildered.
Kurvanti caiñäà muhur ätma-moham: the Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
purposely keeps them in darkness (ätma-moham).
The great authority Paräçara, the father of
Vyäsadeva, explains the Supreme Personality of Godhead thus:
jïäna-çakti-balaiçvarya-
vérya-tejäàsy açeñataù
bhagavac-chabda-väcyäni
vinä heyair guëädibhiù
The demoniac speculators cannot understand
the transcendental qualities, form, pastimes, strength, knowledge and opulence
of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, which are all free from material
contamination (vinä heyair guëädibhiù). These speculators are envious of the
existence of the Lord. Jagad ähur anéçvaram: their conclusion is that the
entire cosmic manifestation has no controller, but is just working naturally.
Thus they are kept in constant darkness, birth after birth, and cannot
understand the real cause of all causes. This is the reason why there are so
many schools of philosophical speculation.
SB 10.2.22
Although the body is temporary, it always
gives one trouble in many ways, but human civilization is now unfortunately based
on tanu-mäné, the bodily concept of life, by which one thinks, "I belong
to this nation," "I belong to this group," "I belong to
that group," and so on. Each of us has his own ideas, and we are becoming
increasingly involved, individually, socially, communally and nationally, in
the complexities of karmänubandha, sinful activities. For the maintenance of
the body, men are killing so many other bodies and becoming implicated in
karmänubandha. Therefore Çréla Jéva Gosvämé says that tanu-mäné, those in the
bodily concept of life, are päpé, sinful persons. For such sinful persons, the
ultimate destination is the darkest region of hellish life (gantä tamo 'ndham).
In particular, a person who wants to maintain his body by killing animals is
most sinful and cannot understand the value of spiritual life. In Bhagavad-gétä
(16.19-20) the Lord says:
"Those who are envious and mischievous,
who are the lowest among men, are cast by Me into the ocean of material
existence, into various demoniac species of life. Attaining repeated birth
among the species of demoniac life, such persons can never approach Me.
Gradually they sink down to the most abominable type of existence." A
human being is meant to understand the value of human life, which is a boon
obtained after many, many births. Therefore one must free oneself from
tanu-mäné, the bodily concept of life, and realize the Supreme Personality of
Godhead.
There are three gates leading to this
hell—lust, anger and greed. Every sane man should give these up, for they lead
to the degradation of the soul.
SB 4.2.19
Anger is so detrimental that even a great
personality like Dakña, out of anger, left the arena where Brahmä was presiding
and all the great sages and pious and saintly persons were assembled. All of
them requested him not to leave, but, infuriated, he left, thinking that the
auspicious place was not fit for him. Puffed up by his exalted position, he
thought that no one was greater than he in argument. It appears that all the
members of the assembly, including Lord Brahmä, requested him not to be angry
and leave their company, but in spite of all these requests, he left. That is
the effect of cruel anger. In Bhagavad-gétä, therefore, it is advised that one
who desires to make tangible advancement in spiritual consciousness must avoid
three things—lust, anger and the mode of passion. Actually we can see that
lust, anger and passion make a man crazy, even though he be as great as Dakña.
The very name Dakña suggests that he was expert in all material activities, but
still, because of his aversion towards such a saintly personality as Çiva, he
was attacked by these three enemies—anger, lust and passion. Lord Caitanya,
therefore, advised that one be very careful not to offend Vaiñëavas. He
compared offenses toward a Vaiñëava to a mad elephant. As a mad elephant can do
anything horrible, so when a person offends a Vaiñëava he can perform any
abominable action.
One should therefore understand what is duty
and what is not duty by the regulations of the scriptures. Knowing such rules
and regulations, one should act so that he may gradually be elevated.
SB 10.2.14
After receiving the orders of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, Yogamäyä twice confirmed her acceptance by saying,
"Yes, sir, I shall do as You order," and then saying oà. Çréla
Viçvanätha Cakravarté Öhäkura comments that oà signifies Vedic confirmation.
Thus Yogamäyä very faithfully received the Lord's order as a Vedic injunction.
It is a fact that whatever is spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead is a
Vedic injunction that no one should neglect. In Vedic injunctions there are no
mistakes, illusions, cheating or imperfection. Unless one understands the
authority of the Vedic version, there is no purpose in quoting çästra. No one
should violate the Vedic injunctions. Rather, one should strictly execute the
orders given in the Vedas. As stated in Bhagavad-gétä (16.24):
"One should understand what is duty and
what is not duty by the regulations of the scriptures. Knowing such rules and
regulations, one should act so that one may gradually be elevated."
Arjuna inquired: O Kåñëa, what is the
situation of those who do not follow the principles of scripture but worship
according to their own imagination? Are they in goodness, in passion or in
ignorance? The Supreme Personality
of Godhead said: According to the modes of nature acquired by the embodied
soul, one's faith can be of three kinds—in goodness, in passion or in
ignorance. Now hear about this. O son of Bharata,
according to one's existence under the various modes of nature, one evolves a
particular kind of faith. The living being is said to be of a particular faith
according to the modes he has acquired. Men in the
mode of goodness worship the demigods; those in the mode of passion worship the
demons; and those in the mode of ignorance worship ghosts and spirits. Those who undergo severe austerities and penances not recommended in the
scriptures, performing them out of pride and egoism, who are impelled by lust
and attachment, who are foolish and who torture the material elements of the
body as well as the Supersoul dwelling within, are to be known as demons.
SB 4.26.8
Nañöa-prajïaù. The word prajïa means
"perfect knowledge," and nañöa-prajïa means "one who has no
perfect knowledge." One who does not have perfect knowledge has only
mental speculation. By such mental speculation one falls down and down into a
hellish condition of life. By transgressing the laws laid down in the çästras,
one cannot become pure in heart. When one's heart is not purified, one acts
according to the three material modes of nature. These activities are very
nicely explained in verses 1 through 6 of the Seventeenth Chapter of
Bhagavad-gétä.
Some learned men declare that all kinds of
fruitive activities should be given up as faulty, yet other sages maintain that
acts of sacrifice, charity and penance should never be abandoned.
SB 10.2.34
As stated in Bhagavad-gétä (18.3),
yajïa-däna-tapaù-karma na tyäjyam: the Vedic ritualistic ceremonies, charity,
austerity and all such prescribed duties are never to be given up. Yajïo dänaà
tapaç caiva pävanäni manéñiëäm (18.5): even one who is very much advanced in
spiritual realization must still execute the Vedic principles. Even in the
lowest stage, the karmés are advised to work for the sake of the Lord.
18.4-5
O best of the Bhäratas, now hear My judgment
about renunciation. O tiger among men, renunciation is declared in the
scriptures to be of three kinds. Acts of sacrifice, charity and penance are not to
be given up; they must be performed. Indeed, sacrifice, charity and penance
purify even the great souls.
SB 4.14.9
In Bhagavad-gétä (18.5) it is stated that
even in the renounced order one should not give up sacrifice, charity and
penance. The brahmacärés must perform sacrifices, the gåhasthas must give in
charity, and those in the renounced order of life (the vänaprasthas and
sannyäsés) must practice penance and austerities. These are the procedures by
which everyone can be elevated to the spiritual platform. When the sages and
saintly persons saw that King Vena had stopped all these functions, they became
concerned about the people's progress. Saintly people preach God consciousness,
or Kåñëa consciousness, because they are anxious to save the general populace
from the dangers of animalistic life. There must be a good government to see
that the citizens are actually executing their religious rituals, and thieves
and rogues must be curbed. When this is done, the people can advance peacefully
in spiritual consciousness and make their lives successful.
SB 5.6.2
Even one who has renounced the world and has
taken sannyäsa should not renounce chanting the Hare Kåñëa mahä-mantra.
Renunciation does not mean that one has to renounce saìkértana-yajïa.
Similarly, one should not renounce charity or tapasya. The yoga system for
control of the mind and senses must be strictly followed. Lord Åñabhadeva
showed how severe types of tapasya could be performed, and He set an example
for all others.
SB 5.8.8
From this we can understand how we have to
be very cautious in executing our spiritual duties by observing the rules and
regulations and regularly chanting the Hare Kåñëa mahä-mantra. If we neglect
doing this, we will eventually fall down. We must rise early in the morning,
bathe, attend maìgala-ärati, worship the Deities, chant the Hare Kåñëa mantra,
study the Vedic literatures and follow all the rules prescribed by the äcäryas
and the spiritual master. If we deviate from this process, we may fall down,
even though we may be very highly advanced. As stated in Bhagavad-gétä (18.5):
"Acts of sacrifice, charity and penance
are not to be given up but should be performed. Indeed, sacrifice, charity and
penance purify even the great soul." Even if one is in the renounced
order, he should never give up the regulative principles. He should worship the
Deity and give his time and life to the service of Kåñëa. He should also
continue following the rules and regulations of austerity and penance. These
things cannot be given up. One should not think oneself very advanced simply
because one has accepted the sannyäsa order. The activities of Bharata Mahäräja
should be carefully studied for one's spiritual advancement.
The place of action [the body], the performer,
the various senses, the many different kinds of endeavor, and ultimately the
Supersoul—these are the five factors of action.
SB 8.21.23
Bhagavad-gétä mentions five causes of defeat
or victory. Of these five, daiva (providence) is the most powerful (na ca
daivät paraà balam). Bali Mahäräja knew the secret of how he had formerly been
victorious because providence was in his favor. Now, since that same providence
was not in his favor, there was no possibility of his victory. Thus he very
intelligently forbade his associates to fight.
One who is not motivated by false ego, whose
intelligence is not entangled, though he kills men in this world, does not
kill. Nor is he bound by his actions.
SB 10.4.22
By the grace of the Lord, Kaàsa felt sincere
regret for having unnecessarily persecuted such Vaiñëavas as Devaké and
Vasudeva, and thus he came to the transcendental stage of knowledge.
"Because I am situated on the platform of knowledge," Kaàsa said,
"understanding that I am not at all the killer of your sons, I have no
responsibility for their death. As long as I thought that I would be killed by
your son, I was in ignorance, but now I am free from this ignorance, which was
due to a bodily conception of life." As stated in Bhagavad-gétä (18.17):
"One who is not motivated by false ego,
whose intelligence is not entangled, though he kills men in this world, is not
the slayer. Nor is he bound by his actions." According to this axiomatic
truth, Kaàsa pleaded that he was not responsible for having killed the sons of
Devaké and Vasudeva. "Please try to excuse me for such false, external
activities," he said, "and be pacified with this same
knowledge."
Peacefulness, self-control, austerity, purity,
tolerance, honesty, knowledge, wisdom and religiousness—these are the natural
qualities by which the brähmaëas work.
SB 1.14.34
The Lord is the protector of cows and the
brahminical culture. A society devoid of cow protection and brahminical culture
is not under the direct protection of the Lord, just as the prisoners in the
jails are not under the protection of the king but under the protection of a
severe agent of the king. Without cow protection and cultivation of the
brahminical qualities in human society, at least for a section of the members
of society, no human civilization can prosper at any length. By brahminical culture,
the development of the dormant qualities of goodness, namely truthfulness,
equanimity, sense control, forbearance, simplicity, general knowledge,
transcendental knowledge, and firm faith in the Vedic wisdom, one can become a
brähmaëa and thus see the Lord as He is. And after surpassing the brahminical
perfection, one has to become a devotee of the Lord so that His loving
affection in the form of proprietor, master, friend, son and lover can be
transcendentally achieved. The stage of a devotee, which attracts the
transcendental affection of the Lord, does not develop unless one has developed
the qualities of a brähmaëa as above mentioned. The Lord is inclined to a
brähmaëa of quality and not of false prestige. Those who are less than a
brähmaëa by qualification cannot establish any relation with the Lord, just as
fire cannot be kindled from the raw earth unless there is wood, although there
is a relation between wood and the earth.
Heroism, power, determination,
resourcefulness, courage in battle, generosity and leadership are the natural
qualities of work for the kñatriyas.
SB 8.11.7
If one is victorious on the battlefield, he
becomes famous; and if one is not victorious but is defeated, he may die. Both
victory and defeat are possible, whether on such a battlefield as this or on
the battlefield of the struggle for existence. Everything takes place according
to the laws of nature (prakåteù kriyamäëäni guëaiù karmäëi sarvaçaù [Bg.
3.27]). Since everyone, without exception, is subject to the modes of material
nature, whether one is victorious or defeated he is not independent, but is
under the control of material nature. Bali Mahäräja, therefore, was very
sensible. He knew that the fighting was arranged by eternal time and that under
time's influence one must accept the results of one's own activities. Therefore
even though Indra threatened that he would now kill Bali Mahäräja by releasing
the thunderbolt, Bali Mahäräja was not at all afraid. This is the spirit of a
kñatriya: yuddhe cäpy apaläyanam (Bg. 18.43). A kñatriya must be tolerant in
all circumstances, especially on the battlefield. Thus Bali Mahäräja asserted
that he was not at all afraid of death, although he was threatened by such a
great personality as the King of heaven.
SB 8.19.4
The symptoms of a kñatriya are given in
Bhagavad-gétä. One of the qualifications is the willingness to give charity
(däna). A kñatriya does not refuse to give charity when requested by a
brähmaëa, nor can he refuse to fight another kñatriya. A king who does refuse is
called low-minded. In the dynasty of Bali Mahäräja there were no such
low-minded kings.
Farming, cow protection and business are the
natural work for the vaiçyas, and for the çüdras there is labor and service to
others.
SB 1.17.1
The principal sign of the age of Kali is
that lower-caste çüdras, i.e., men without brahminical culture and spiritual
initiation, will be dressed like administrators or kings, and the principal
business of such non-kñatriya rulers will be to kill the innocent animals, especially
the cows and the bulls, who shall be unprotected by their masters, the bona
fide vaiçyas, the mercantile community. In the Bhagavad-gétä (18.44), it is
said that the vaiçyas are meant to deal in agriculture, cow protection and
trade. In the age of Kali, the degraded vaiçyas, the mercantile men, are
engaged in supplying cows to slaughterhouses. The kñatriyas are meant to
protect the citizens of the state, whereas the vaiçyas are meant to protect the
cows and bulls and utilize them to produce grains and milk. The cow is meant to
deliver milk, and the bull is meant to produce grains. But in the age of Kali,
the çüdra class of men are in the posts of administrators, and the cows and
bulls, or the mothers and the fathers, unprotected by the vaiçyas, are subjected
to the slaughterhouses organized by the çüdra administrators.
SB 3.6.31-32
As the brähmaëas are recognized by their
particular qualification of inclination towards the transcendental knowledge of
Vedic wisdom, so also the kñatriyas are recognized by the power to protect
society from the disturbing elements of thieves and miscreants. The word
anuvrataù is significant. A person who follows the kñatriya principles by
protecting society from thieves and miscreants is called a kñatriya, not the
one who is simply born a kñatriya. The conception of the caste system is always
based on quality and not on the qualification of birth. Birth is an extraneous
consideration; it is not the main feature of the orders and divisions. In
Bhagavad-gétä (18.41-44) the qualifications of the brähmaëas, kñatriyas,
vaiçyas and çüdras are specifically mentioned, and it is understood that all
such qualifications are needed before one can be designated as belonging to a
particular group.
Lord Viñëu is always mentioned as the puruña
in all Vedic scriptures. Sometimes the living entities are also mentioned as
puruñas, although they are essentially puruña-çakti (parä çakti or parä
prakåti), the superior energy of the puruña. Illusioned by the external potency
of the puruña (the Lord), the living entities falsely think of themselves as
the puruña although they actually have no qualifications. The Lord has the
power to protect. Of the three deities Brahmä, Viñëu and Maheçvara, the first
has the power to create, the second has the power to protect, and the third has
the power to destroy. The word puruña is significant in this verse because the
kñatriyas are expected to represent the puruña Lord in giving protection to the
prajäs, or all those who are born in the land and water. Protection is
therefore meant for both man and the animals. in modern society the prajäs are
not protected from the hands of thieves and miscreants. The modern democratic
state, which has no kñatriyas, is a government of the vaiçyas and çüdras, and
not of brähmaëas and kñatriyas as formerly. Mahäräja Yudhiñöhira and his
grandson, Mahäräja Parékñit, were typical kñatriya kings, for they gave
protection to all men and animals. When the personification of Kali attempted
to kill a cow, Mahäräja Parékñit at once prepared himself to kill the
miscreant, and the personification of Kali was banished from his kingdom. That
is the sign of puruña, or the representative of Lord Viñëu. According to Vedic
civilization, a qualified kñatriya monarch is given the respect of the Lord because
he represents the Lord by giving protection to the prajäs. Modern elected
presidents cannot even give protection from theft cases, and therefore one has
to take protection from an insurance company. The problems of modern human
society are due to the lack of qualified brähmaëas and kñatriyas and the
overinfluence of the vaiçyas and çüdras by so-called general franchise.
Human society's means of living is clearly
mentioned here as viça, or agriculture and the business of distributing
agricultural products, which involves transport, banking, etc. Industry is an
artificial means of livelihood, and large-scale industry especially is the
source of all the problems of society. In Bhagavad-gétä also the duties of the
vaiçyas, who are engaged in viça, are stated as cow protection, agriculture and
business. We have already discussed that the human being can safely depend on
the cow and agricultural land for his livelihood.
The exchange of produce by banking and
transportation is a branch of this type of living. The vaiçyas are divided into
many subsections: some of them are called kñetré, or landowners, some are
called kåñaëa, or land tillers, some of them are called tila-vaëik, or grain
raisers, some are called gandha-vaëik, or merchants in spices, and some are called
suvarëa-vaëik, or merchants in gold and banking. The brähmaëas are the teachers
and spiritual masters, the kñatriyas protect the citizens from the hands of
thieves and miscreants, and the vaiçyas are in charge of production and
distribution. The çüdras, the unintelligent class of men who cannot act
independently in any of the above-mentioned activities, are meant for serving
the three higher classes for their livelihood.
Formerly, the brähmaëas were given all the
necessities of life by the kñatriyas and vaiçyas because they had no time to
spend making a living. The kñatriyas would collect taxes from the vaiçyas and
çüdras, but the brähmaëas were exempt from paying income tax or land revenue.
That system of human society was so nice that there were no political, social
and economic upheavals. The different castes, or varëa classifications, are
therefore essential for maintaining a peaceful human society.
SB 6.4.4
When the government neglects agriculture,
which is necessary for the production of food, the land becomes covered with
unnecessary trees. Of course, many trees are useful because they produce fruits
and flowers, but many other trees are unnecessary. They could be used as fuel
and the land cleared and used for agriculture. When the government is negligent,
less grain is produced. As stated in Bhagavad-gétä (18.44),
kåñi-go-rakñya-väëijyaà vaiçya-karma svabhäva jam: the proper engagements for
vaiçyas, according to their nature, are to farm and to protect cows. The duty
of the government and the kñatriyas is to see that the members of the third
class, the vaiçyas, who are neither brähmaëas nor kñatriyas, are thus properly
engaged. Kñatriyas are meant to protect human beings, whereas vaiçyas are meant
to protect useful animals, especially cows.
SB 8.6.12
In this verse, the cultivation of
bhakti-yoga is compared to many material activities. By friction one can get
fire from wood, by digging the earth one can get food grains and water, and by
agitating the milk bag of the cow one can get nectarean milk. Milk is compared
to nectar, which one can drink to become immortal. Of course, simply drinking
milk will not make one immortal, but it can increase the duration of one's
life. In modern civilization, men do not think milk to be important, and
therefore they do not live very long. Although in this age men can live up to
one hundred years, their duration of life is reduced because they do not drink
large quantities of milk. This is a sign of Kali-yuga. In Kali-yuga, instead of
drinking milk, people prefer to slaughter an animal and eat its flesh. The
Supreme Personality of Godhead, in His instructions of Bhagavad-gétä, advises
go-rakñya, which means cow protection. The cow should be protected, milk should
be drawn from the cows, and this milk should be prepared in various ways. One
should take ample milk, and thus one can prolong one's life, develop his brain,
execute devotional service, and ultimately attain the favor of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. As it is essential to get food grains and water by digging
the earth, it is also essential to give protection to the cows and take
nectarean milk from their milk bags.
SB 8.8.1
The surabhi cow is described as havirdhäné,
the source of butter. Butter, when clarified by melting, produces ghee, or
clarified butter, which is inevitably necessary for performing great
ritualistic sacrifices. As stated in Bhagavad-gétä (18.5),
yajïa-däna-tapaù-karma na tyäjyaà käryam eva tat: sacrifice, charity and
austerity are essential to keep human society perfect in peace and prosperity.
Yajïa, the performance of sacrifice, is essential; to perform yajïa, clarified
butter is absolutely necessary; and to get clarified butter, milk is necessary.
Milk is produced when there are sufficient cows. Therefore in Bhagavad-gétä
(18.44), cow protection is recommended (kåñi-go-rakñya-väëijyaà vaiçya-karma
svabhäva jam).
SB 9.11.5
In the previous chapter it was said that the
prajäs, the citizens, strictly followed the system of varëäçrama-dharma. The
brähmaëas acted exactly like brähmaëas, the kñatriyas exactly like kñatriyas,
and so on. Therefore, when Lord Rämacandra gave everything in charity to the
brähmaëas, the brähmaëas, being qualified, wisely considered that brähmaëas are
not meant to possess property to make a profit from it. The qualifications of a
brähmaëa are given in Bhagavad-gétä (18.42):
"Peacefulness, self-control, austerity,
purity, tolerance, honesty, wisdom, knowledge, and religiousness—these are the
qualities by which the brähmaëas work." The brahminical character offers
no scope for possessing land and ruling citizens; these are the duties of a
kñatriya. Therefore, although the brähmaëas did not refuse Lord Rämacandra's
gift, after accepting it they returned it to the King. The brähmaëas were so
pleased with Lord Rämacandra's affection toward them that their hearts melted.
They saw that Lord Rämacandra, aside from being the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, was fully qualified as a kñatriya and was exemplary in character. One
of the qualifications of a kñatriya is to be charitable. A kñatriya, or ruler,
levies taxes upon the citizens not for his personal sense gratification but to
give charity in suitable cases. Dänam éçvara-bhävaù. On one hand, kñatriyas
have the propensity to rule, but on the other they are very liberal with charity.
When Mahäräja Yudhiñöhira gave charity, he engaged Karëa to take charge of
distributing it. Karëa was very famous as Dätä Karëa. The word dätä refers to
one who gives charity very liberally. The kings always kept a large quantity of
food grains in stock, and whenever there was any scarcity of grains, they would
distribute grains in charity. A kñatriya's duty is to give charity, and a
brähmaëa's duty is to accept charity, but not more than needed to maintain body
and soul together. Therefore, when the brähmaëas were given so much land by
Lord Rämacandra, they returned it to Him and were not greedy.
SB 10.5.7-8
The Supreme Personality of Godhead has
instructed in Bhagavad-gétä (18.44), kåñi-go-rakñya-väëijyaà
vaiçya-karma-svabhävajam: "Farming, cow protection and trade are the
qualities of work for the vaiçyas." Nanda Mahäräja belonged to the vaiçya
community, the agriculturalist community. How to protect the cows and how rich
this community was are explained in these verses. We can hardly imagine that cows,
bulls and calves could be cared for so nicely and decorated so well with cloths
and valuable golden ornaments. How happy they were. As described elsewhere in
the Bhägavatam, during Mahäräja Yudhiñöhira's time the cows were so happy that
they used to muddy the pasturing ground with milk. This is Indian civilization.
Yet in the same place, India, Bhärata-varña, how much people are suffering by
giving up the Vedic way of life and not understanding the teachings of
Bhagavad-gétä.
When we consider the past condition of the
agriculturalist in the village, we can see how opulent he was, simply because
of agricultural produce and protection of cows. At the present, however,
agriculture having been neglected and cow protection given up, the
agriculturalist is suffering pitiably and is dressed in a niggardly torn cloth.
This is the distinction between the India of history and the India of the
present day. By the atrocious activities of ugra-karma, how we are killing the
opportunity of human civilization!
SB 10.5.20
Vasudeva and Nanda Mahäräja were so
intimately connected that they lived like brothers. Furthermore, it is learned
from the notes of Çrépäda Madhväcärya that Vasudeva and Nanda Mahäräja were
stepbrothers. Vasudeva's father, Çürasena, married a vaiçya girl, and from her
Nanda Mahäräja was born. Later, Nanda Mahäräja himself married a vaiçya girl,
Yaçodä. Therefore his family is celebrated as a vaiçya family, and Kåñëa,
identifying Himself as their son, took charge of vaiçya activities
(kåñi-go-rakñya-väëijyam [Bg. 18.44]). Balaräma represents plowing the land for
agriculture and therefore always carries in His hand a plow, whereas Kåñëa
tends cows and therefore carries a flute in His hand. Thus the two brothers
represent kåñi-rakñya and go-rakñya.
By following his qualities of work, every man
can become perfect. Now please hear from Me how this can be done.
SB 4.20.14
The question may be raised here that if
everyone engaged in spiritual activities to attain salvation and became
indifferent to the activities of the material world, then how could things as
they are go on? And if things are to go on as they ought to, how can a head of
state be indifferent to such activities? In answer to this question, the word
çreyaù, auspicious, is used here. The division of activities in society as
arranged by the Supreme Personality of Godhead was not blindly or accidentally
created, as foolish people say. The brähmaëa must do his duty properly, and the
kñatriya, the vaiçya and even the çüdra must do the same. And every one of them
can achieve the highest perfection of life-liberation from this material
bondage. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gétä (18.45). Sve sve karmaëy abhirataù
saàsiddhià labhate naraù: "By executing one's prescribed duties, one can
attain the highest perfection."
By worship of the Lord, who is the source of
all beings and who is all-pervading, a man can attain perfection through
performing his own work.
SB 2.10.25
Every human being is engaged in his
particular occupational duty, and such activities are visible as men go hither
and thither. This is very prominently visible in big cities of the world:
people are going all over the cities with great concern, from one place to
another. This movement is not limited only to the cities, but is also visible
outside the cities from one place to another, or from one city to another, by
different means of vehicles. Men are moving by cars and rails on the roads, by
subways within the earth and by planes in the sky for the purpose of business
success. But in all these movements the real purpose is to earn wealth for
comfortable life. For this comfortable life the scientist is engaged, the
artist is engaged, the engineer is engaged, the technician is engaged, all in
different branches of human activity. But they do not know how to make the
activities purposeful to fulfill the mission of human life. Because they do not
know this secret, all their activities are targeted towards the goal of sense
gratification without control, and therefore by all this business they are
unknowingly entering into the deep regions of darkness.
Because they have been captivated by the
external energy of the Supreme Lord, they have completely forgotten the Supreme
Lord Viñëu, and thus they have taken it for granted that this life, as presently
manifested under the conditions of material nature, is all in all for enjoying
the highest amount of sense gratification. But such a wrong conception of life
cannot give anyone the desired peace of mind, and thus in spite of all
advancement in knowledge by use of the resources of nature, no one is happy in
this material civilization. The secret is that at every step they should try to
execute sacrifices toward the path of world peace. The Bhagavad-gétä (18.45-46)
also advises the same secret in the following verses.
The Lord said to Arjuna: "Just hear
from Me how one can attain the highest perfection in life simply by discharging
his specified occupational duty. Man can attain the highest perfection of life
by worshiping the Supreme Lord and by performing sacrifice for the sake of the
Supreme Lord Viñëu, who is all-pervading and by whose control every living
being acquires his desired facilities, according to his personal
propensity."
There is no harm in having different
propensities in life because every human being is proportionately independent
to chalk out the plan of his life by different occupations, but one should make
it a point in his life to know perfectly well that he is not independent
absolutely. One is certainly under the control of the Supreme Lord and under
different agencies. Knowing this, one should make it a point that by his work
and the result of his labor he serves the Supreme Lord as prescribed by the
authorities expert in the transcendental loving service of the Supreme Lord Viñëu.
For performing such occupational duties of life the leg is the most important
instrument of the body because without the help of the legs one cannot move
from one place to another, and therefore the Lord has special control over the
legs of all human beings, which are meant for performing yajïas.
Every endeavor is covered by some fault, just
as fire is covered by smoke. Therefore one should not give up the work born of
his nature, O son of Kunté, even if such work is full of fault.
SB 1.17.16
There are regular scriptural injunctions for
different persons engaged in different occupational duties, and one who follows
them is called svadharma-stha, or faithful in one's prescribed duties. In the
Bhagavad-gétä (18.48) it is advised that one should not give up his
occupational prescribed duties, even if they are not always flawless. Such
sva-dharma might be violated in cases of emergency, if one is forced by
circumstances, but they cannot be violated in ordinary times. The state
executive head is to see that such sva-dharma is not changed by the follower,
whatever it may be, and he should give all protection to the follower of
sva-dharma. The violator is subject to punishment in terms of the çästra, and
the duty of the king is to see that everyone strictly follows his occupational
duty, as prescribed in the scripture.
One who is thus transcendentally situated at
once realizes the Supreme Brahman and becomes fully joyful. He never laments or
desires to have anything. He is equally disposed toward every living entity. In
that state he attains pure devotional service unto Me.
SB 1.5.9
After liberation, which is the last item in
the line of performing religiosity, etc., one is engaged in pure devotional
service. This is called the stage of self-realization, or the brahma-bhüta
stage [SB 4.30.20]. After attainment of this brahma-bhüta stage, one is
satisfied. But satisfaction is the beginning of transcendental bliss. One
should progress by attaining neutrality and equality in the relative world. And
passing this stage of equanimity, one is fixed in the transcendental loving
service of the Lord. This is the instruction of the Personality of Godhead in
the Bhagavad-gétä. The conclusion is that in order to maintain the status quo
of the brahma-bhüta stage, as also to increase the degree of transcendental
realization, Närada recommended to Vyäsadeva that he (Vyäsadeva) should now
eagerly and repeatedly describe the path of devotional service. This would cure
him from gross despondency.
SB 2.2.19
There are many durätmäs who claim to have
realized themselves as Brahman and yet are unable to conquer material desires.
In the Bhagavad-gétä (18.54) it is clearly explained that an absolutely
self-realized soul becomes completely aloof from all material desires. Material
desires are based on the false ego of the living being and are exhibited by his
childish and useless activities to conquer the laws of material nature and by
his desire to lord it over the resources of the five elements. With such a
mentality, one is led to believe in the strength of material science, with its
discovery of atomic energy and space travel by mechanical vehicles, and by such
tiny advancements in material science the false egoist tries to challenge even
the strength of the Supreme Lord, who can finish all man's tiny endeavors in
less than a second. The well-situated self, or Brahman-realized soul, perfectly
understands that the Supreme Brahman, or the Personality of Godhead, is the
all-powerful Väsudeva and that he (the self-realized living being) is a part
and parcel of the supreme whole. As such, his constitutional position is to
cooperate with Him in all respects in the transcendental relation of the served
and the servitor. Such a self-realized soul ceases to exhibit his useless
activities of attempting to lord it over material nature. Being scientifically
well informed, he fully engages himself in faithful devotion to the Lord.
SB 3.28.44
After Brahman realization, one can engage in
the activities of Brahman. As long as one is not self-realized, he engages in
activities based on false identification with the body. When one is situated in
his real self, then the activities of Brahman realization begin. The Mäyävädé
philosophers say that after Brahman realization, all activities stop, but that is
not actually so. If the soul is so active in its abnormal condition, existing
under the covering of matter, how can one deny its activity when free? An
example may be cited here. If a man in a diseased condition is very active, how
can one imagine that when he is free from the disease he will be inactive?
Naturally the conclusion is that when one is free from all disease his
activities are pure. It may be said that the activities of Brahman realization
are different from those of conditional life, but that does not stop activity.
This is indicated in Bhagavad-gétä (18.54): after one realizes oneself to be
Brahman, devotional service begins. Mad-bhaktià labhate paräm: [Bg. 18.54]
after Brahman realization, one can engage in the devotional service of the Lord.
Therefore devotional service of the Lord is activity in Brahman realization.
SB 4.20.10
The Mäyäväda conception of kaivalya and that
of the Vaiñëava community is different. The Mäyävädé thinks that as soon as one
is free from all material contamination, he is merged into the existence of the
Supreme. The Vaiñëava philosopher's conception of kaivalya is different. He
understands both his position and the position of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. In the uncontaminated condition, the living entity understands that he
is the eternal servitor of the Supreme, and that is called Brahman realization,
the spiritual perfection of the living entity. This rapport is very easily
achieved. As stated in Bhagavad-gétä, when one is engaged in the transcendental
loving service of the Lord, he is immediately situated on the transcendental
platform of kaivalya, or Brahman.
SB 5.5.14
The process of liberation is brahma jijïäsä,
the search for the Absolute Truth. Generally brahma jijïäsä is called neti
neti, the process by which one analyzes existence to search out the Absolute
Truth. This method continues as long as one is not situated in his spiritual
life. Spiritual life is brahma-bhüta [SB 4.30.20], the self-realized state. In
the words of Bhagavad-gétä (18.54):
brahma-bhütaù prasannätmä
na çocati na käìkñati
samaù sarveñu bhüteñu
mad-bhaktià labhate paräm
"One who is thus transcendentally
situated at once realizes the Supreme Brahman and becomes fully joyful. He
never laments nor desires to have anything; he is equally disposed to every
living entity. In that state, he attains pure devotional service unto Me."
The idea is to enter into the parä bhakti,
the transcendental devotional service of the Supreme Lord. To attain this, one
must analyze ones existence, but when one is actually engaged in devotional
service, he should not bother seeking out knowledge. By simply engaging in
devotional service undeviatingly, one will always remain in the liberated
condition.
mäà ca yo 'vyabhicäreëa
bhakti-yogena sevate
sa guëän samatétyaitän
brahma-bhüyäya kalpate
(Bg. 14.26)
The unflinching execution of devotional
service is in itself brahma-bhüta [SB 4.30.20]. Another important feature in
this connection is anena yogena yathopadeçam. The instructions received from
the spiritual master must be followed immediately. One should not deviate from
or surpass the instructions of the spiritual master. One should not be simply
intent on consulting books but should simultaneously execute the spiritual
master's order (yathopadeçam). Mystic power should be achieved to enable one to
give up the material conception, but when one actually engages in devotional
service, one does not need to practice the mystic yoga system. The point is
that one can give up the practice of yoga, but devotional service cannot be
given up.
SB 6.12.15
As the Lord explains in Bhagavad-gétä
(18.54):
"One who is transcendentally situated
at once realizes the Supreme Brahman and becomes fully joyful. He never laments
or desires to have anything; he is equally disposed to every living entity. In
that state he attains pure devotional service unto Me." When one attains
self-realization, the brahma-bhüta [SB 4.30.20] stage, one knows that whatever
happens during his life is due to the contamination of the modes of material nature.
The living being, the pure soul, has nothing to do with these modes. In the
midst of the hurricane of the material world, everything changes very quickly,
but if one remains silent and simply observes the actions and reactions of the
hurricane, he is understood to be liberated. The real qualification of the
liberated soul is that he remains Kåñëa conscious, undisturbed by the actions
and reactions of the material energy. Such a liberated person is always
jubilant. He never laments or aspires for anything. Since everything is
supplied by the Supreme Lord, the living entity, being fully dependent on Him,
should not protest or accept anything in terms of his personal sense
gratification; rather, he should receive everything as the mercy of the Lord
and remain steady in all circumstances.
SB 7.15.35
Brahma-sukha-spåñöam is also described in
Bhagavad-gétä (18.54):
"One who is transcendentally situated
at once realizes the Supreme Brahman and becomes fully joyful. He never laments
nor desires to have anything; he is equally disposed toward every living
entity. In this situation, he begins transcendental activities, or devotional
service to the Lord." Generally, once elevated to the transcendental
platform of brahma-sukha, transcendental bliss, one never comes down. But if
one does not engage in devotional service, there is a chance of his returning
to the material platform. Äruhya kåcchreëa paraà padaà tataù patanty adho
'nädåta-yuñmad-aìghrayaù: [SB 10.2.32] one may rise to the platform of
brahma-sukha, transcendental bliss, but even from that platform one may fall
down to the material platform if he does not engage himself in devotional
service.
SB 7.15.37
A sannyäsé is one who has clearly
understood, through advancement in knowledge, that Brahman—he, the person himself—is
the soul, not the body. One who has this understanding may take sannyäsa, for
he is situated in the "ahaà brahmäsmi" position. Brahma-bhütaù
prasannätmä na çocati na käìkñati [Bg. 18.54]. Such a person, who no longer
laments or hankers to maintain his body and who can accept all living entities
as spirit souls, can then enter the devotional service of the Lord. If one does
not enter the devotional service of the Lord but artificially considers himself
Brahman or Näräyaëa, not perfectly understanding that the soul and body are
different, one certainly falls down (patanty adhaù). Such a person again gives
importance to the body. There are many sannyäsés in India who stress the
importance of the body. Some of them give special importance to the body of the
poor man, accepting him as daridra-näräyaëa, as if Näräyaëa had a material
body. Many other sannyäsés stress the importance of the social position of the
body as a brähmaëa, kñatriya, vaiçya or çüdra. Such sannyäsés are considered
the greatest rascals (asattamäù). They are shameless because they have not yet
understood the difference between the body and the soul and instead have
accepted the body of a brähmaëa to be a brähmaëa. Brahmanism (brähmaëya)
consists of the knowledge of Brahman. But actually the body of a brähmaëa is
not Brahman. Similarly, the body is neither rich nor poor. If the body of a
poor man were daridra-näräyaëa, this would mean that the body of a rich man, on
the contrary, must be dhané-näräyaëa. Therefore sannyäsés who do not know the
meaning of Näräyaëa, those who regard the body as Brahman or as Näräyaëa, are
described here as asattamäù, the most abominable rascals. Following the bodily
concept of life, such sannyäsés make various programs to serve the body. They
conduct farcical missions consisting of so-called religious activities meant to
mislead all of human society. These sannyäsés have been described herein as
apatrapaù and asattamäù—shameless and fallen from spiritual life.
SB 10.7.13-15
The blessings of brähmaëas who are not
envious, disturbed or puffed up with pride and false prestige and who are fully
qualified with truthfulness will be useful. Therefore a class of men must be
trained as brähmaëas from the very beginning. Brahmacäré guru-kule vasan dänto
guror hitam (SB 7.12.1). The word däntaù is very important. Däntaù refers to
one who is not envious, disturbing or puffed up with false prestige. With the
Kåñëa consciousness movement, we are trying to introduce such brähmaëas in
society. Brähmaëas must ultimately be Vaiñëavas, and if one is a Vaiñëava, he
has already acquired the qualifications of a brähmaëa. Brahma-bhütaù
prasannätmä (Bg. 18.54). The word brahma-bhüta [SB 4.30.20] refers to becoming
a brähmaëa, or understanding what is Brahman (brahma jänätéti brähmaëaù). One
who is brahma-bhüta is always happy (prasannätmä). Na çocati na käìkñati: he is
never disturbed about material necessities. Samaù sarveñu bhüteñu: he is ready
to bestow blessings upon everyone equally. Mad-bhaktià labhate paräm: [Bg.
18.54] then he becomes a Vaiñëava. In this age, Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté
Öhäkura introduced the sacred thread ceremony for his Vaiñëava disciples, with
the idea that people should understand that when one becomes a Vaiñëava he has
already acquired the qualifications of a brähmaëa. Therefore in the
International Society for Krishna Consciousness, those who are twice initiated
so as to become brähmaëas must bear in mind their great responsibility to be
truthful, control the mind and senses, be tolerant, and so on. Then their life
will be successful. It was such brähmaëas that Nanda Mahäräja invited to chant
the Vedic hymns, not ordinary brähmaëas. Verse thirteen distinctly mentions
hiàsä-mäna. The word mäna refers to false prestige or false pride. Those who
were falsely proud, thinking that they were brähmaëas because they were born in
brähmaëa families, were never invited by Nanda Mahäräja on such occasions.
One can understand Me as I am, as the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, only by devotional service. And when one is in full
consciousness of Me by such devotion, he can enter into the kingdom of God.
SB 1.7.4
Perfect vision of the Absolute Truth is
possible only by the linking process of devotional service. This is also
confirmed in the Bhagavad-gétä. One can perfectly realize the Absolute Truth
Personality of Godhead only by the process of devotional service, and one can
enter into the kingdom of God by such perfect knowledge. Imperfect realization
of the Absolute by the partial approach of the impersonal Brahman or localized
Paramätmä does not permit anyone to enter into the kingdom of God.
SB 1.18.10
The systematic hearing of the transcendental
activities, qualities and names of Lord Çré Kåñëa pushes one towards eternal
life. Systematic hearing means knowing Him gradually in truth and fact, and
this knowing Him in truth and fact means attaining eternal life, as stated in
the Bhagavad-gétä. Such transcendental, glorified activities of Lord Çré Kåñëa
are the prescribed remedy for counteracting the process of birth, death, old
age and disease, which are considered to be material awards for the conditioned
living being. The culmination of such a perfectional stage of life is the goal
of human life and the attainment of transcendental bliss.
SB 2.6.35
Brahmä, the greatest of all living creatures
within the universe, is admitting his failure to know the Supreme Lord despite
his vast learning in the Vedic wisdom, despite his austerity, penance, mystic
powers and self-realization, and despite being worshiped by the great Prajäpatis,
the forefathers of the living entities. So these qualifications are not
sufficient to know the Supreme Lord. Brahmäjé could understand the Lord to a
little extent only when he was trying to serve Him by the eagerness of his
heart (hådautkaëöhyavatä), which is the devotional service mood. Therefore, the
Lord can be known only by the sincere mood of eagerness for service, and not by
any amount of material qualification as scientist or speculative philosopher or
by attainment of mystic powers. This fact is clearly corroborated in the
Bhagavad-gétä (18.54-55):
brahma-bhütaù prasannätmä
na çocati na käìkñati
samaù sarveñu bhüteñu
mad-bhaktià labhate paräm
bhaktyä mäm abhijänäti
yävän yaç cäsmi tattvataù
tato mäà tattvato jïätvä
viçate tad-anantaram
Only self-realization, by attainment of the
above high qualifications of Vedic wisdom, austerity, etc., can help one on the
path of devotional service. But failing in devotional service, one remains
still imperfect because even in that position of self-realization one cannot
factually know the Supreme Lord. By self-realization, one is qualified to
become a devotee, and the devotee, by service mood (bhaktyä) only, can
gradually know the Personality of Godhead. One should not, however,
misunderstand the import of viçate ("enters into") as referring to
merging into the existence of the Supreme. Even in material existence, one is
merged in the existence of the Lord. No materialist can disentangle self from
matter, for the self is merged in the external energy of the Lord. As no layman
can separate butter from milk, no one can extricate the merged self from matter
by acquiring some material qualification. This viçate by devotion (bhaktyä)
means to be able to participate in the association of the Lord in person. Bhakti,
or devotional service to the Lord, means to become free from material
entanglement and then to enter into the kingdom of God, becoming one like Him.
Losing one's individuality is not the aim of bhakti-yoga or of the devotees of
the Lord. There are five types of liberation, one of which is called
säyujya-mukti, or being merged into the existence or body of the Lord. The
other forms of liberation maintain the individuality of the particle soul and
involve being always engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord.
The word viçate, used in the verses of the Bhagavad-gétä, is thus meant for the
devotees who are not at all anxious for any kind of liberation. The devotees
are satisfied simply in being engaged in the service of the Lord, regardless of
the situation.
Lord Brahmä is the first living being, who
directly learned the Vedic wisdom from the Lord (tene brahma hådä ya ädi-kavaye
[SB 1.1.1]). Therefore, who can be a more learned Vedäntist than Lord Brahmä?
He admits that in spite of his perfect knowledge in the Vedas, he was unable to
know the glories of the Lord. Since no one can be more than Lord Brahmä, how
can a so-called Vedäntist be perfectly cognizant of the Absolute Truth? The
so-called Vedäntist, therefore, cannot enter into the existence of the Lord
without being trained in the matter of bhakti-vedänta, or Vedänta plus bhakti.
Vedänta means self-realization, and bhakti means realization of the Personality
of Godhead, to some extent. No one can know the Personality of Godhead in full,
but at least to a certain extent one can know the Absolute Truth, the
Personality of Godhead, by self-surrender and a devotional attitude, and by
nothing else. In the Brahma-saàhitä also, it is said, vedeñu durlabham, or
simply by study of Vedänta one can hardly find out the existence of the
Personality of Godhead, but the Lord is adurlabham ätma-bhaktau, very easily
available to His devotee. Çréla Vyäsadeva, therefore, was not satisfied simply
with compiling the Vedänta-sütras, but over and above this, by the advice of
his spiritual master, Närada, he compiled the Çrémad-Bhägavatam in order to
understand the real import of Vedänta. Çrémad-Bhägavatam therefore, is the
absolute medium by which to understand the Absolute Truth.
SB 2.9.4
In the Bhagavad-gétä, the Lord says that
only by bhakti-yoga can one know Him perfectly, and then one can enter into the
science of God.
SB 2.10.44
The Lord in His abode called the Vaikuëöha
planets, which are eternal manifestations, always remains with His associates
and enjoys transcendental loving services by His pure devotees in different
transcendental humors. The pure devotees of the Lord thus undergo a practice of
that devotional service to the Lord during the manifestation of the creation
and take full advantage of the manifestation by qualifying themselves to enter
into the kingdom of God. The Bhagavad-gétä (18.55) confirms this.
By development of pure devotional service
one can factually know the Lord as He is and thus be trained in the bona fide
service of the Lord and be allowed to enter into the direct association of the
Lord in so many capacities. The highest glorious association with the Lord is
made possible in the planet of Goloka Våndävana, where Lord Kåñëa enjoys
Himself with the gopés and His favorite animals, the surabhi cows. A
description of this transcendental land of Kåñëa is given in the
Brahma-saàhitä, which is considered by Lord Çré Caitanya to be the most
authentic literature in this connection.
SB 3.3.23
One who has limited senses cannot believe
that the Lord can eat by His transcendental power of hearing and can perform
the act of sex life simply by seeing. The controlled living entity cannot even
dream of such sense activities in his conditional life. But simply by the
activities of bhakti-yoga, he can understand that the Lord and His activities
are always transcendental. As the Lord says in Bhagavad-gétä (18.55), bhaktyä
mäm abhijänäti yävän yaç cäsmi tattvataù: one cannot know even a fraction of
the activities of the Lord if he is not a pure devotee of the Lord.
SB 3.26.1
As stated in Bhagavad-gétä, one can
understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Absolute Truth, only through
devotional service (bhaktyä mäm abhijänäti [Bg. 18.55]). As stated in the
Bhägavatam, the object of devotional service is mäm, Kåñëa. And, as explained
in the Caitanya-caritämåta, to understand Kåñëa means to understand Kåñëa in
His personal form with His internal energy, His external energy, His expansions
and His incarnations. There are many diverse departments of knowledge in
understanding Kåñëa. Säìkhya philosophy is especially meant for persons who are
conditioned by this material world. It is generally understood by the paramparä
system, or by disciplic succession, to be the science of devotional service.
Preliminary studies of devotional service have already been explained. Now the
analytical study of devotional service will be explained by the Lord, who says
that by such an analytical study, one becomes freed from the modes of material
nature. The same assertion is confirmed in Bhagavad-gétä. Tato mäà tattvato
jïätvä: by understanding the Lord according to various categories, one can
become eligible to enter into the kingdom of God. This is also explained here.
By understanding the science of devotional service in Säìkhya philosophy, one
can become free from the modes of material nature. The eternal self, after
becoming freed from the spell of material nature, becomes eligible to enter
into the kingdom of God. As long as one has even a slight desire to enjoy or
lord it over material nature, there is no chance of his being freed from the
influence of nature's material modes. Therefore, one has to understand the
Supreme Personality of Godhead analytically, as explained in the Säìkhya system
of philosophy by Lord Kapiladeva.
SB 4.8.28
In the Vedas it is said that the living
entity is always uncontaminated and unaffected by material association. The
living entity gets different types of material bodies because of his previous
fruitive actions. If, however, one understands the philosophy that as a living
spirit soul he has an affinity for neither suffering nor enjoyment, then he is
considered to be a liberated person. It is confirmed in Bhagavad-gétä (18.54),
brahma-bhütaù prasannätmä: when one is actually situated on the transcendental
platform, he has nothing for which to lament and nothing for which to hanker.
Närada Åñi first of all wanted to impress upon Dhruva Mahäräja that he was only
a child; he should not have been affected by words of insult or honor. And if
he were so developed as to understand honor and insult, then this understanding
should have been applied in his own life; he should have known that honor and
dishonor are both destined only by one's previous actions; therefore one should
not be sorry or happy under any circumstances.
SB 6.4.47
Consideration of the Paramätmä and
impersonal Brahman arose after the creation; before the creation, only the
Supreme Personality of Godhead existed. As firmly declared in Bhagavad-gétä
(18.55), the Lord can be understood only by bhakti-yoga. The ultimate cause,
the supreme cause of creation, is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who can
be understood only by bhakti-yoga. He cannot be understood by speculative
philosophical research or by meditation, since all such processes came into
existence after the material creation. The impersonal and localized conceptions
of the Supreme Lord are more or less materially contaminated. The real
spiritual process, therefore, is bhakti-yoga. As the Lord says, bhaktyä mäm
abhijänäti: [Bg. 18.55] "Only by devotional service can I be
understood." Before the creation, the Lord existed as a person, as
indicated here by the word aham. When Prajäpati Dakña saw Him as a person, who
was beautifully dressed and ornamented, he actually experienced the meaning of
this word aham through devotional service.
SB 6.5.17
The puruña, the original person—Bhagavän,
Viñëu—can be understood only by devotional service. Bhaktyä mäm abhijänäti
yävän yaç cäsmi tattvataù: [Bg. 18.55] only by devotional service can one understand
the Supreme Person, who is behind everything. One must try to understand that
the material elements are the separated, inferior energy of the Lord and that
the living entity is the Lord's spiritual energy. Whatever we experience,
including matter and the spirit soul, the living force, is but a combination of
two energies of Lord Viñëu—the inferior energy and the superior energy. One
should seriously study the facts concerning creation, maintenance and
devastation, as well as the permanent place from which one never need return
(yad gatvä na nivartante [Bg. 15.6]). Human society should study this, but
instead of culturing such knowledge, people are attracted to temporary
happiness and sense gratification, culminating in bottomless, topless passion.
There is no profit in such activities; one must engage himself in the Kåñëa
consciousness movement.
SB 7.4.44
A devotee like Närada Muni is addressed as
suvrata. Su means "good," and vrata means "vow." Thus the
word suvrata refers to a person who has nothing to do with the material world,
which is always bad. One cannot understand anything spiritual from a
materialistic scholar puffed up with academic knowledge. As stated in
Bhagavad-gétä (18.55), bhaktyä mäm abhijänäti: one must try to understand Kåñëa
by devotional service and from a devotee. Therefore Yudhiñöhira Mahäräja was
quite right in wanting to learn further about Prahläda Mahäräja from Çré Närada
Muni.
SB 7.15.45
The perfection of knowledge is certainly to
become transcendentally situated (brahma-bhüta [SB 4.30.20]). As the Lord says
in Bhagavad-gétä (18.54): "One who is transcendentally situated at once
realizes the Supreme Brahman and becomes fully joyful. He never laments nor
desires to have anything; he is equally disposed toward all living entities. In
that state he attains pure devotional service." Simply by cultivating
knowledge as the impersonalists do, one cannot get out of the clutches of mäyä.
One must attain the platform of bhakti. "One can understand the Supreme
Personality as He is only by devotional service. And when one is in full
consciousness of the Supreme Lord by such devotion, he can enter into the
kingdom of God." (Bg. 18.55) Unless one has attained the stage of
devotional service and the mercy of the spiritual master and Kåñëa, there is a
possibility that one may fall down and again accept a material body. Therefore
Kåñëa stresses in Bhagavad-gétä (4.9): "One who knows the transcendental
nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take
his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O
Arjuna." The word tattvataù, meaning "in reality," is very
important. Tato mäà tattvato jïätvä. Unless one understands Kåñëa in truth by
the mercy of the spiritual master, one is not free to give up his material
body. As it is said, äruhya kåcchreëa paraà padaà tataù patanty adho
'nädåta-yuñmad-aìghrayaù: [SB 10.2.32] if one neglects to serve the lotus feet
of Kåñëa, one cannot become free from the material clutches simply by
knowledge. Even if one attains the stage of brahma-padam, merging in Brahman,
without bhakti he is prone to fall down. One must be very careful in regard to
the danger of falling down again into material bondage. The only insurance is
to come to the stage of bhakti, from which one is sure not to fall. Then one is
free from the activities of the material world. In summary, as stated by Çré
Caitanya Mahäprabhu, one must get in touch with a bona fide spiritual master
coming in the paramparä of Kåñëa consciousness, for by his mercy and instructions
one is able to get strength from Kåñëa. Thus one engages in devotional service
and attains the ultimate goal of life, the lotus feet of Viñëu.
SB 8.16.25
Without bhakti, one cannot worship the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. Bhaktyä mäm abhijänäti yävän yaç cäsmi
tattvataù [Bg. 18.55]. If one wants to know the Supreme Personality of Godhead
and be directly connected with Him, knowing what He wants to eat and how He is
satisfied, one must take to the process of bhakti. As recommended here also, bhaktyä
paramayänvitaù: one should be surcharged with unalloyed devotional service.
SB 8.24.52
By mental speculation one can understand
that one is not the body but a spirit soul, but unless one engages in
devotional service, the real purpose of life is never fulfilled. The real
purpose of life is to go back home, back to Godhead, and live with the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, play with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, dance
with the Supreme Personality of Godhead and eat with the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. These are different items of änanda, spiritual happiness in spiritual
variegatedness. Even though one may come to the platform of brahma-bhüta [SB
4.30.20] and understand his spiritual identity by speculative knowledge, one
cannot enjoy spiritual life without understanding the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. This is indicated here by the word abhéñöa-siddhiù. One can fulfill
the ultimate goal of life only by engaging in devotional service to the Lord.
Then the Lord will give one proper instructions on how to go back home, back to
Godhead.
SB 10.3.31
As stated in Bhagavad-gétä (bhaktyä mäm
abhijänäti yävän yaç cäsmi tattvataù [Bg. 18.55]) and as confirmed in
Çrémad-Bhägavatam (bhaktyäham ekayä grähyaù), without bhakti one cannot
understand the spiritual situation of the Lord. Bhakti may be considered in
three stages, called guëé-bhüta, pradhäné-bhüta and kevala, and according to
these stages there are three divisions, which are called jïäna, jïänamayé and
rati, or premä—that is, simple knowledge, love mixed with knowledge, and pure
love. By simple knowledge, one can perceive transcendental bliss without
variety. This perception is called mäna-bhüti. When one comes to the stage of
jïänamayé, one realizes the transcendental opulences of the Personality of
Godhead. But when one reaches pure love, one realizes the transcendental form
of the Lord as Lord Kåñëa or Lord Räma. This is what is wanted. Especially in
the mädhurya-rasa, one becomes attached to the Personality of Godhead
(çré-vigraha-niñöha-rüpädi). Then loving transactions between the Lord and the
devotee begin.
The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone's
heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living entities, who
are seated as on a machine, made of the material energy.
SB 2.5.17
In the Vedic writings such as the Kaöha
Upaniñad, the Lord is described as the sarva-bhüta-antarätmä, or the
Personality of Godhead who resides in everyone's body and who directs
everything for one who is a soul surrendered unto Him. Those who are not surrendered
souls are put under the care of the material nature (bhrämayan sarva-bhütäni
yanträrüòhäni mäyayä [Bg. 18.61]); therefore, they are allowed to do things on
their own account and suffer the consequences themselves. Devotees like Brahmä
and Arjuna do not do anything on their own account, but as fully surrendered
souls they always await indications from the Lord; therefore they attempt to do
something which appears very wonderful to ordinary vision. One of the Lord's
names is Urukrama, or one whose actions are very wonderful and are beyond the
imagination of the living being, so the actions of His devotees sometimes
appear very wonderful due to the direction of the Lord. Beginning from Brahmä,
the topmost intelligent living entity within the universe, down to the smallest
ant, every living entity's intelligence is overseen by the Lord in His
transcendental position as the witness of all actions. The subtle presence of
the Lord is felt by the intelligent man who can study the psychic effects of
thinking, feeling and willing.
SB 6.4.13
As stated in Bhagavad-gétä and confirmed by
all the Vedic scriptures, éçvaraù sarva-bhütänäà håd-deçe 'rjuna tiñöhati: [Bg.
18.61] the Supersoul is situated within everyone's heart. Therefore, since
everyone's body is the residence of the Supreme Lord, one should not destroy
the body because of unnecessary envy. That will dissatisfy the Supersoul. Soma
told the Pracetäs that because they had tried to satisfy the Supersoul, now
they should not displease Him.
SB 6.16.9
Another peculiar characteristic of the jéva
is that he becomes covered by mäyä. Ätmamäyä-guëaiù: he is prone to being
covered by the Supreme Lord's illusory energy. The living entity is responsible
for his conditional life in the material world, and therefore he is described
as prabhu ("the master"). If he likes he can come to this material
world, and if he likes he can return home, back to Godhead. Because he wanted
to enjoy this material world, the Supreme Personality of Godhead gave him a
material body through the agency of the material energy. As the Lord Himself
says in Bhagavad-gétä (18.61):
"The Supreme Lord is situated in
everyone's heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living
entities, who are seated as on a machine, made of the material energy."
The Supreme Lord gives the living entity a chance to enjoy in this material
world as he desires, but He openly expresses His own desire that the living
entity give up all material aspirations, fully surrender unto Him and return
home, back to Godhead.
SB 6.19.9
Lakñmé-Näräyaëa-Lord Viñëu and mother
Lakñmé—are always situated in everyone's heart (éçvaraù sarva-bhütänäà håd-deçe
'rjuna tiñöhati [Bg. 18.61]). However, because nondevotees do not realize that
Lord Viñëu stays with His eternal consort, Lakñmé, within the hearts of all
living entities, they are not endowed with the opulence of Lord Viñëu.
Unscrupulous men sometimes address a poor man as daridra-näräyaëa, or
"poor Näräyaëa." This is most unscientific. Lord Viñëu and Lakñmé are
always situated in everyone's heart, but this does not mean that everyone is
Näräyaëa, especially not those in poverty. This is a most abominable term to
use in connection with Näräyaëa. Näräyaëa never becomes poor, and therefore He
can never be called daridra-näräyaëa. Näräyaëa is certainly situated in
everyone's heart, but He is neither poor nor rich. Only unscrupulous persons
who do not know the opulence of Näräyaëa try to afflict Him with poverty.
SB 7.1.9
The word ätmänam in this verse means
paramätmänam. The Paramätmä, or Supersoul, is situated in the core of
everyone's heart (antataù). This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gétä (18.61). Éçvaraù
sarva-bhütänäà håd-deçe 'rjuna tiñöhati. The éçvara, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, being situated in everyone's heart, gives directions to everyone in
terms of one's capabilities in taking the instructions. The instructions of
Bhagavad-gétä are open to everyone, but some people understand them properly,
whereas others understand them so improperly that they cannot even believe in
the existence of Kåñëa, although reading Kåñëa's book. Although the Gétä says
çré-bhagavän uväca, indicating that Kåñëa spoke, they cannot understand Kåñëa.
This is due to their misfortune or incapability, which is caused by rajo-guëa
and tamo-guëa, the modes of passion and ignorance. It is because of these modes
that they cannot even understand Kåñëa, whereas an advanced devotee like Arjuna
understands Him and glorifies Him, saying, paraà brahma paraà dhäma pavitraà
paramaà bhavän: [Bg. 10.12] "You are the Supreme Brahman, the supreme
abode and purifier." Kåñëa is open to everyone, but one needs the
capability to understand Him.
SB 7.1.23
"The Supreme Lord is situated in
everyone's heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living
entities, who are seated as on a machine, made of material energy." A
material body is manufactured by the external energy according to the direction
of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The conditioned soul, being seated on
this machine, wanders throughout the universe, and because of his bodily
conception of life he only suffers. Actually the suffering of being blasphemed
and the enjoyment of being praised, the acceptance of a good welcome or of
chastisement by harsh words, are felt in the material conception of life; but
since the body of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is not material but
sac-cid-änanda-vigraha [Bs. 5.1], He is unaffected by insults or greetings,
blasphemy or prayers. Being always unaffected and complete, He does not feel
extra pleasure when offered nice prayers by the devotee, although the devotee
benefits by offering prayers to the Lord. Indeed, the Lord is very kind to His
so-called enemy because one who always thinks of the Personality of Godhead as
an enemy also benefits, although he thinks of the Lord adversely. If a
conditioned soul, thinking of the Lord as an enemy or a friend, somehow or
other becomes attached to the Lord, he receives great benefit.
SB 7.1.43
In this verse the word sarva-bhütätma-bhütam
is very significant. Éçvaraù sarva-bhütänäà håd-deçe 'rjuna tiñöhati: [Bg.
18.61] the Lord is equally situated in the core of everyone's heart. Thus He
cannot be envious of anyone or friendly to anyone; for Him everyone is the
same. Although He is sometimes seen to punish someone, this is exactly like a
father's punishing his child for the child's welfare. The Supreme Lord's
punishment is also a manifestation of the Lord's equality. Therefore the Lord
is described as praçäntaà sama-darçanam. Although the Lord has to execute His
will properly, He is equipoised in all circumstances. He is equally disposed
toward everyone.
SB 8.3.17
Only Kåñëa can deliver us from this material
existence. Indeed, He is always trying to deliver us. Éçvaraù sarva-bhütänäà
håd-deçe 'rjuna tiñöhati [Bg. 18.61]. He is within our hearts and is not at all
inattentive. His only aim is to deliver us from material life. It is not that
He becomes attentive to us only when we offer prayers to Him. Even before we
offer our prayers, He incessantly tries to deliver us. He is never lazy in
regard to our deliverance. Therefore this verse says, bhüri-karuëäya namo
'layäya. It is the causeless mercy of the Supreme Lord that He always tries to
bring us back home, back to Godhead. God is liberated, and He tries to make us
liberated, but although He is constantly trying, we refuse to accept His
instructions (sarva-dharmän parityajya mäm ekaà çaraëaà vraja [Bg. 18.66]).
Nonetheless, He has not become angry. Therefore He is described here as
bhüri-karuëäya, unlimitedly merciful in delivering us from this miserable
material condition of life and taking us back home, back to Godhead.
SB 8.24.52
Herein the reason for foolishness is
described. Because the conditioned soul in this material world is full of
materialistic lusty desires, he cannot understand the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, although the Lord is situated in everyone's heart (éçvaraù
sarva-bhütänäà håd-deçe 'rjuna tiñöhati [Bg. 18.61]). It is because of this
foolishness that one cannot take instructions from the Lord, although the Lord
is ready to instruct everyone both externally and internally. The Lord says,
dadämi buddhi-yogaà tam yena mäm upayänti te. In other words, the Lord can give
instructions on devotional service by which one can return home, back to
Godhead. Unfortunately, however, people do not take this devotional service.
The Lord, being situated in everyone's heart, can give one complete
instructions on going back to Godhead, but because of lusty desires one engages
himself in materialistic activities and does not render service to the Lord.
Therefore one is bereft of the value of the Lord's instructions.
SB 10.10.9
When the modes of passion and ignorance
increase in human society, giving rise to unnecessary economic development, the
result is that people become involved with wine, women and gambling. Then,
being mad, they maintain big slaughterhouses or occasionally go on pleasure
excursions to kill animals. Forgetting that however one may try to maintain the
body, the body is subject to birth, death, old age and disease, such foolish
rascals engage in sinful activities, one after another. Being duñkåtés, they
completely forget the existence of the supreme controller, who is sitting
within the core of everyone's heart (éçvaraù sarva-bhütänäà håd-deçe 'rjuna
tiñöhati [Bg. 18.61]). That supreme controller is observing every bit of one's
activity, and He rewards or punishes everyone by giving one a suitable body
made by material nature (bhrämayan sarva-bhütäni yanträrüòhäni mäyayä [Bg.
18.61]). In this way, sinful persons automatically receive punishment in
different types of bodies. The root cause of this punishment is that when one
unnecessarily accumulates wealth, one becomes more and more degraded, not
knowing that his wealth will be finished with his next birth.
O scion of Bharata, surrender unto Him
utterly. By His grace you will attain transcendental peace and the supreme and
eternal abode.
SB 1.15.44
It is understood from this verse that
Mahäräja Yudhiñöhira followed in the footsteps of his forefathers and the great
devotees of the Lord. We have discussed many times before that the system of
varëäçrama-dharma, as it was strictly followed by the inhabitants of the world,
specifically by those who inhabited the Äryävarta province of the world,
emphasizes the importance of leaving all household connections at a certain
stage of life. The training and education was so imparted, and thus a
respectable person like Mahäräja Yudhiñöhira had to leave all family connection
for self-realization and going back to Godhead. No king or respectable
gentleman would continue family life till the end, because that was considered
suicidal and against the interest of the perfection of human life. In order to
be free from all family encumbrances and devote oneself cent percent in the
devotional service of Lord Kåñëa, this system is always recommended for
everyone because it is the path of authority. The Lord instructs in the
Bhagavad-gétä (18.62) that one must become a devotee of the Lord at least at
the last stage of one's life. A sincere soul of the Lord like Mahäräja
Yudhiñöhira must abide by this instruction of the Lord for his own interest.
18.64
Because you are My very dear friend, I am
speaking to you My supreme instruction, the most confidential knowledge of all.
Hear this from Me, for it is for your benefit.
SB 6.3.20-21
In Bhagavad-gétä Lord Kåñëa refers to
bhägavata-dharma as the most confidential religious principle
(sarva-guhyatamam, guhyäd guhyataram). Kåñëa says to Arjuna, "Because you
are My very dear friend, I am explaining to you the most confidential
religion." Sarva-dharmän parityajya mäm ekaà çaraëaà vraja: [Bg. 18.66]
"Give up all other duties and surrender unto Me." One may ask,
"If this principle is very rarely understood, what is the use of it?"
In answer, Yamaräja states herein that this religious principle is
understandable if one follows the paramparä system of Lord Brahmä, Lord Çiva,
the four Kumäras and the other standard authorities. There are four lines of
disciplic succession: one from Lord Brahmä, one from Lord Çiva, one from
Lakñmé, the goddess of fortune, and one from the Kumäras. The disciplic
succession from Lord Brahmä is called the Brahma-sampradäya, the succession
from Lord Çiva (Çambhu) is called the Rudra-sampradäya, the one from the
goddess of fortune, Lakñméjé, is called the Çré-sampradäya, and the one from
the Kumäras is called the Kumära-sampradäya. One must take shelter of one of
these four sampradäyas in order to understand the most confidential religious
system. In the Padma Puräëa it is said, sampradäya-vihénä ye manträs te
niñphalä matäù: if one does not follow the four recognized disciplic
successions, his mantra or initiation is useless. In the present day there are
many apasampradäyas, or sampradäyas which are not bona fide, which have no link
to authorities like Lord Brahmä, Lord Çiva, the Kumäras or Lakñmé. People are
misguided by such sampradäyas. The çästras say that being initiated in such a
sampradäya is a useless waste of time, for it will never enable one to
understand the real religious principles.
Always think of Me, become My devotee, worship
Me and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I
promise you this because you are My very dear friend.
SB 2.9.22
The highest perfectional stage of life is to
know the Lord by actual perception, by the grace of the Lord. This can be
attained by everyone who is willing to discharge the act of devotional service
to the Lord as enjoined in the revealed scriptures that are standard and
accepted by the bona fide äcäryas, spiritual masters. For example, the
Bhagavad-gétä is the approved Vedic literature accepted by all the great
äcäryas, such as Çaìkara, Rämänuja, Madhva, Caitanya, Viçvanätha, Baladeva,
Siddhänta Sarasvaté and many others. In that Bhagavad-gétä the Personality of
Godhead, Çré Kåñëa, asks that one always be mindful of Him, always be His
devotee, always worship Him only, and always bow down before the Lord. And by
doing so one is sure to go back home, back to Godhead, without any doubt. In
other places also the same order is there, that one give up all other
engagements and fully surrender unto the Lord without hesitation. And the Lord
will give such a devotee all protection. These are the secrets of attaining the
highest perfectional stage. Lord Brahmä exactly followed these principles
without any superiority complex, and thus he attained the highest perfectional
stage of experiencing the abode of the Lord and the Lord Himself with all His
paraphernalia. Impersonal realization of the effulgence of the Lord's body is
not the highest perfectional stage, nor is the stage of Paramätmä realization.
The word manéñita is significant. Everyone is falsely or factually proud of his
so-called learning. But the Lord says that the highest perfectional stage of learning
is to know Him and His abode, devoid of all illusion.
SB 4.3.21
Asuras, demons or atheists, are always
envious of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; they simply want to kill Him.
Even in this age we find some so-called scholars commenting on Bhagavad-gétä
who are envious of Kåñëa. When Kåñëa says, man-manä bhava mad-bhaktaù (Bg.
18.65)—"Always think of Me, become My devotee, and surrender unto
Me"—the so-called scholars comment that it is not to Kåñëa that we have to
surrender. That is envy. The asuras or atheists, the demons, without reason or
cause, are envious of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Similarly, instead of
offering respect to self-realized persons, foolish men who cannot approach the
highest standard of self-realization are always envious, although there is no
reason.
SB 6.16.43
This verse, therefore, advises that everyone
become a member of the Äryan civilization and accept the instructions of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. One should conduct his social, political and
religious affairs according to His instructions. We are spreading the Kåñëa
consciousness movement to try to establish a society the way that Kåñëa wants
it. This is the meaning of Kåñëa consciousness. We are therefore presenting
Bhagavad-gétä as it is and kicking out all kinds of mental concoction. Fools
and rascals interpret Bhagavad-gétä in their own way. When Kåñëa says, man-manä
bhava mad-bhakto mad-yäjé mäà namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]—"Always think of Me,
become My devotee, worship Me and offer your homage unto Me"—they comment
that it is not Kåñëa to whom we must surrender. Thus they derive imaginary
meanings from Bhagavad-gétä. The Kåñëa consciousness movement, however,
strictly follows bhägavata-dharma, the instructions of Bhagavad-gétä and
Çrémad-Bhägavatam for the complete welfare of human society. One who
misinterprets Bhagavad-gétä, twisting out some meaning for his sense
gratification, is a non-Äryan. Therefore commentaries on Bhagavad-gétä by such
persons should be immediately rejected. One should try to follow Bhagavad-gétä
as it is. In Bhagavad-gétä (12.6-7) Lord Çré Kåñëa says:
"For one who worships Me, giving up all
his activities unto Me and being devoted to Me without deviation, engaged in
devotional service and always meditating upon Me, who has fixed his mind upon
Me, O son of Påthä, for him I am the swift deliverer from the ocean of birth
and death."
SB 7.15.32-33
A devotee can immediately become a perfect
yogé because he practices keeping Kåñëa constantly within the core of his
heart. This is another way to practice yoga easily. The Lord says:
"Always think of Me and become My
devotee. Worship Me and offer your homage unto Me." (Bg. 18.65) If one
practices devotional service by always keeping Kåñëa within the core of his
heart (man-manäù), he immediately becomes a first-class yogé. Furthermore,
keeping Kåñëa within the mind is not a difficult task for the devotee. For an
ordinary man in the bodily concept of life, the practice of yoga may be
helpful, but one who immediately takes to devotional service can immediately
become a perfect yogé without difficulty.
SB 8.1.15
The living entities are actually minute
forms who are part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. The Supreme Lord is full in
everything, and the small particles of the Lord are also originally qualified
like Him, but because of their minute existence, they are infected by material
attraction and thus entangled. We must therefore follow the instructions of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, and then, like Kåñëa, who is never entangled by
His material activities of creation, maintenance and annihilation, we will have
nothing for which to lament (nävasédanti ye 'nu tam). Kåñëa personally gives
instructions in Bhagavad-gétä, and anyone who follows these instructions is
liberated.
Following Kåñëa's instructions is possible
when one is a devotee, for Kåñëa instructs that one should become a devotee.
Man-manä bhava mad-bhakto mad-yäjé mäà namaskuru: "Always think of Me and
become My devotee. Worship Me and offer your homage unto Me." (Bg. 18.65) Always
thinking of Kåñëa means chanting the Hare Kåñëa mantra, but unless one is an
initiated devotee he cannot do this. As soon as one becomes a devotee, he
engages in Deity worship (mad-yäjé). A devotee's business is to offer
obeisances to the Lord and the spiritual master constantly. This principle is
the recognized way to come to the platform of bhakti. As soon as one comes to
this platform, he gradually understands the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and
simply by understanding Kåñëa one is liberated from material bondage.
Abandon all varieties of religion and just
surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.
SB 1.5.31
The Lord desires, as He has directly said in
the Bhagavad-gétä, that all conditioned souls, rotting in the kingdom of
material energy, come back to Him by giving up all engagements in the material
world. This is the most confidential part of knowledge. But this can be
understood only by the pure devotees, and only such devotees enter the kingdom
of God to see Him personally and serve Him personally. The concrete example is
Närada Himself, who attained this stage of eternal knowledge and eternal bliss.
And the ways and means are open to all, provided one agrees to follow in the
footsteps of Çré Närada Muni.
SB 1.12.20
A king becomes famous by his acts of
charity, performances of yajïas, protection of the surrendered, etc. A kñatriya
king is proud to give protection to the surrendered souls. This attitude of a
king is called éçvara-bhava, or factual power to give protection in a righteous
cause. In the Bhagavad-gétä the Lord instructs living beings to surrender unto
Him, and He promises all protection. The Lord is all-powerful and true to His
word, and therefore He never fails to give protection to His different devotees.
The king, being the representative of the Lord, must possess this attitude of
giving protection to the surrendered souls at all risk.
SB 1.12.24
The last instruction of Lord Çré Kåñëa in
the Bhagavad-gétä is that one should give up everything and should follow in
the footsteps of the Lord alone. Less intelligent persons do not agree to this
great instruction of the Lord, as ill luck would have it, but one who is
actually intelligent catches up this sublime instruction and is immensely
benefited. Foolish people do not know that association is the cause of
acquiring qualities. Association with fire makes an object hot, even in the
material sense. Therefore, association with the Supreme Personality of Godhead
makes one qualified like the Lord. As we have discussed previously, one can
achieve seventy-eight percent of the godly qualities by the Lord's intimate
association. To follow the instructions of the Lord is to associate with the
Lord. The Lord is not a material object whose presence one has to feel for such
association. The Lord is present everywhere and at all times. It is quite
possible to have His association simply by following His instruction because
the Lord and His instruction and the Lord and His name, fame, attributes and
paraphernalia are all identical with Him, being absolute knowledge. Mahäräja
Parékñit associated with the Lord even from the womb of his mother up to the
last day of his valuable life, and thus he acquired all the essential good
qualities of the Lord in all perfection.
SB 1.16.26-30
According to Çréla Jéva Gosvämé, the third
quality, intolerance of another's unhappiness, can be subdivided into (1)
protection of the surrendered souls and (2) well wishes for the devotees. In
the Bhagavad-gétä the Lord states that He wants every soul to surrender unto
Him only, and He assures everyone that if one does so He will give protection
from the reactions of all sins. Unsurrendered souls are not devotees of the
Lord, and thus there is no particular protection for everyone in general. For the
devotees He has all good wishes, and for those who are actually engaged in
loving transcendental service of the Lord, He gives particular attention. He
gives direction to such pure devotees to help them discharge their
responsibilities on the path back to Godhead.
SB 1.17.37
The personality of Kali addressed Mahäräja
Parékñit as the chief amongst the protectors of religiosity because the King
refrained from killing a person who surrendered unto him. A surrendered soul
should be given all protection, even though he may be an enemy. That is the
principle of religion. And we can just imagine what sort of protection is given
by the Personality of Godhead to the person who surrenders unto Him, not as an
enemy but as a devoted servitor. The Lord protects the surrendered soul from
all sins and all resultant reactions of sinful acts (Bg. 18.66).
SB 1.18.19
The dvija-bandhu, or the less intelligent,
uncultured men born of higher castes, put forward many arguments against the
lower-caste men becoming brähmaëas in this life. They argue that birth in a
family of çüdras or less than çüdras is made possible by one's previous sinful
acts and that one therefore has to complete the terms of disadvantages due to
lower birth. And to answer these false logicians, Çrémad-Bhägavatam asserts
that one who chants the holy name of the Lord under the direction of a pure
devotee can at once get free from the disadvantages due to a lower-caste birth.
A pure devotee of the Lord does not commit any offense while chanting the holy
name of the Lord. There are ten different offenses in the chanting of the holy
name of the Lord. To chant the holy name under the direction of a pure devotee
is offenseless chanting. Offenseless chanting of the holy name of the Lord is
transcendental, and, therefore, such chanting can at once purify one from the
effects of all kinds of previous sins. This offenseless chanting indicates that
one has fully understood the transcendental nature of the holy name and has
thus surrendered unto the Lord. Transcendentally the holy name of the Lord and
the Lord Himself are identical, being absolute. The holy name of the Lord is as
powerful as the Lord. The Lord is the all-powerful Personality of Godhead, and
He has innumerable names, which are all nondifferent from Him and are equally
powerful also. In the last word of the Bhagavad-gétä the Lord asserts that one
who surrenders fully unto Him is protected from all sins by the grace of the
Lord. Since His name and He Himself are identical, the holy name of the Lord
can protect the devotee from all effects of sins. The chanting of the holy name
of the Lord can undoubtedly deliver one from the disadvantages of a lower-caste
birth. The Lord's unlimited power is extended on and on by the unlimited
expansion of the devotees and incarnations, and thus every devotee of the Lord
and incarnations also can be equally surcharged with the potency of the Lord.
Since the devotee is surcharged with the potency of the Lord, even
fractionally, the disqualification due to lower birth cannot stand in the way.
SB 2.4.16
Lord Çré Kåñëa has repeatedly instructed
Arjuna, or for that matter everyone concerned with becoming His unalloyed
devotee. In the last phase of His instruction in the Bhagavad-gétä (18.64-66)
He instructed most confidentially as follows:
"My dear Arjuna, you are very dear to
Me, and therefore only for your good I will disclose the most secret part of My
instructions. It is simply this: become a pure devotee of Mine and give
yourself unto Me only, and I promise you full spiritual existence, by which you
may gain the eternal right of transcendental loving service unto Me. Just give
up all other ways of religiosity and exclusively surrender unto Me and believe
that I will protect you from your sinful acts, and I shall deliver you. Do not
worry any more."
Persons who are intelligent take serious
notice of this last instruction of the Lord. Knowledge of the self is the first
step in spiritual realization, which is called confidential knowledge, and a
step further is God realization, which is called more confidential knowledge.
The culmination of the knowledge of Bhagavad-gétä is God realization, and when
one attains this stage of God realization, he naturally, voluntarily becomes a
devotee of the Lord to render Him loving transcendental service. This
devotional service to the Lord is always based on love of God and is distinct
from the nature of routine service as prescribed in karma-yoga, jïäna-yoga or
dhyäna-yoga. In the Bhagavad-gétä there are different instructions for such men
of different categories, and there are various descriptions for
varëäçrama-dharma, sannyäsa-dharma, yati-dharma, the renounced order of life,
controlling the senses, meditation, perfection of mystic powers, etc., but one
who fully surrenders unto the Lord to render service unto Him, out of
spontaneous love for Him, factually assimilates the essence of all knowledge
described in the Vedas. One who adopts this method very skillfully attains
perfection of life at once. And this perfection of human life is called brahma-gati,
or the progressive march in spiritual existence. As enunciated by Çréla Jéva
Gosvämé on the basis of Vedic assurances, brahma-gati means to attain a
spiritual form as good as that of the Lord, and in that form the liberated
living being eternally lives on one of the spiritual planets situated in the
spiritual sky. Attainment of this perfection of life is easily available to a
pure devotee of the Lord without his undergoing any difficult method of
perfection. Such a devotional life is full of kértanam, smaraëam, ékñaëam,
etc., as mentioned in the previous verse. One must therefore adopt this simple
way of devotional life in order to attain the highest perfection available in
any category of the human form of life in any part of the world.
SB 2.7.46
Sometimes there are inquiries as to how one
can surrender unto the Supreme Lord. In the Bhagavad-gétä (18.66) the Lord
asked Arjuna to surrender unto Him, and therefore persons unwilling to do so
question where God is and to whom they should surrender. The answer to such
questions or inquiries is given herein very properly. The Personality of
Godhead may not be present before one's eyes, but if one is sincere in wanting
such guidance the Lord will send a bona fide person who can guide one properly
back home, back to Godhead. There is no need of material qualifications for
making progress on the path of spiritual realization. In the material world,
when one accepts some particular type of service, he is required to possess
some particular type of qualification also. Without this one is unfit for such
service. But in the devotional service of the Lord the only qualification
required is surrender. Surrendering oneself is in one's own hand. If one likes,
he can surrender immediately, without delay, and that begins his spiritual
life. The bona fide representative of God is as good as God Himself. Or, in
other words, the loving representative of the Lord is more kind and more easy
to approach. A sinful soul cannot approach the Lord directly, but such a sinful
man can very easily approach a pure devotee of the Lord. And if one agrees to
put himself under the guidance of such a devotee of the Lord, he can also
understand the science of God and can also become like the transcendental pure
devotee of the Lord and thus get his liberation back to Godhead, back home for
eternal happiness.
So realization of the science of Godhead and
relief from the unnecessary, useless struggle for existence are not at all
difficult for the willing candidate. But they are very difficult for persons
who are not surrendered souls but only simple, profitless speculators.
SB 2.10.4
The directive scriptures made by the Manus
in different ages and millenniums are called sad-dharma, good guidance for the
human beings, who should take advantage of all the revealed scriptures for
their own interest, to make life's successful termination. The creation is not
false, but it is a temporary manifestation just to give a chance for the
conditioned souls to go back to Godhead. The desire to go back to Godhead and functions
performed in that direction form the right path of work. When such a regulative
path is accepted, the Lord gives all protection to His devotees by His
causeless mercy, while the nondevotees risk their own activities to bind
themselves in a chain of fruitive reactions. The word sad-dharma is significant
in this connection. Sad-dharma, or duty performed for going back to Godhead and
thus becoming His unalloyed devotee, is the only pious activity; all others may
pretend to be pious, but actually they are not. It is for this reason only that
the Lord advises in the Bhagavad-gétä that one give up all so-called religious
activities and completely engage in the devotional service of the Lord to
become free from all anxieties due to the dangerous life of material existence.
To work situated in sad-dharma is the right direction of life. One's aim of
life should be to go back home, back to Godhead, and not be subjected to
repeated births and deaths in the material world by getting good or bad bodies
for temporary existence. Herein lies the intelligence of human life, and one
should desire the activities of life in that way.
SB 3.6.7
The monist believes that there is only one
consciousness, whereas the sätvatas, or the devotees, believe that although
there is undoubtedly one consciousness, they are one because there is
agreement. The individual consciousness is advised to dovetail with the supreme
consciousness, as instructed by the Lord in Bhagavad-gétä (18.66):
sarva-dharmän parityajya mäm ekaà çaraëaà vraja. The individual consciousness
(Arjuna) is advised to dovetail with the supreme consciousness and thus
maintain his conscious purity. It is foolish to try to stop the activities of
consciousness, but they can be purified when they are dovetailed with the Supreme.
This consciousness is divided into three modes of self-identification according
to the proportion of purity: ädhyätmika, or self-identification with the body
and mind, ädhibhautika, or self-identification with the material products, and
ädhidaivika, or self-identification as a servant of the Lord. Of the three,
ädhidaivika self-identification is the beginning of purity of consciousness in
pursuance of the desire of the Lord.
SB 3.9.17
In Bhagavad-gétä the Lord asks everyone to
give up all other occupational duties and absolutely engage in arcanä
activities, or in pleasing the Lord. But almost no one is attracted to such
arcanä activity. Everyone is more or less attracted by activities which are
conditions of rebellion against the Supreme Lord. The systems of jïäna and yoga
are also indirectly rebellious acts against the Lord. There is no auspicious
activity except arcanä of the Lord. Jïäna and yoga are sometimes accepted
within the purview of arcanä when the ultimate aim is Viñëu, and not otherwise.
The conclusion is that only the devotees of the Lord are bona fide human beings
eligible for salvation. Others are vainly struggling for existence without any
actual benefit.
SB 3.25.10
By the grace of the Lord one is allowed to
enjoy this material world, but when one is disgusted with material enjoyment
and is frustrated, and when one sincerely surrenders unto the lotus feet of the
Lord, then the Lord is so kind that He frees one from entanglement. Kåñëa says,
therefore, in Bhagavad-gétä, "First of all surrender, and then I will take
charge of you and free you from all reactions of sinful activities."
Sinful activities are those activities performed in forgetfulness of our
relationship with the Lord. In this material world, activities for material
enjoyment which are considered to be pious are also sinful.
SB 6.1.19
Kåñëa says in Bhagavad-gétä (18.66):
"Abandon all varieties of religion and
just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not
fear." This same principle is described here (sakån manaù
kåñëa-padäravindayoù). If by studying Bhagavad-gétä one decides to surrender to
Kåñëa, he is immediately freed from all sinful reactions. It is also
significant that Çukadeva Gosvämé, having several times repeated the words
väsudeva-paräyaëa and näräyaëa-paräyaëa, finally says kåñëa-padäravindayoù.
Thus he indicates that Kåñëa is the origin of both Näräyaëa and Väsudeva. Even
though Näräyaëa and Väsudeva are not different from Kåñëa, simply by
surrendering to Kåñëa one fully surrenders to all His expansions, such as
Näräyaëa, Väsudeva and Govinda. As Kåñëa says in Bhagavad-gétä (7.7), mattaù
parataraà nänyat: "There is no truth superior to Me." There are many
names and forms of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but Kåñëa is the supreme
form (kåñëas tu bhagavän svayam [SB 1.3.28]). Therefore Kåñëa recommends to
neophyte devotees that one should surrender unto Him only (mäm ekam). Because
neophyte devotees cannot understand what the forms of Näräyaëa, Väsudeva and
Govinda are, Kåñëa directly says, mäm ekam. Herein, this is also supported by
the word kåñëa-padäravindayoù. Näräyaëa does not speak personally, but Kåñëa,
or Väsudeva, does, as in Bhagavad-gétä for example. Therefore, to follow the
direction of Bhagavad-gétä means to surrender unto Kåñëa, and to surrender in
this way is the highest perfection of bhakti-yoga.
SB 6.1.38
This inquiry by the Viñëudütas to the
Yamadütas is most important. A servant must know the instructions of his
master. The servants of Yamaräja claimed to be carrying out his orders, and
therefore the Viñëudütas very intelligently asked them to explain the symptoms
of religious and irreligious principles. A Vaiñëava knows these principles
perfectly well because he is well acquainted with the instructions of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Supreme Lord says, sarva-dharmän parityajya
mäm ekaà çaraëaà vraja: [Bg. 18.66] "Give up all other varieties of
religion and just surrender unto Me." Therefore surrender unto the Supreme
Personality of Godhead is the actual principle of religion. Those who have
surrendered to the principles of material nature instead of to Kåñëa are all
impious, regardless of their material position. Unaware of the principles of
religion, they do not surrender to Kåñëa, and therefore they are considered
sinful rascals, the lowest of men, and fools bereft of all knowledge. As Kåñëa
says in Bhagavad-gétä (7.15):
"Those miscreants who are grossly
foolish, lowest among mankind, whose knowledge is stolen by illusion, and who
partake of the atheistic nature of demons, do not surrender unto Me." One
who has not surrendered to Kåñëa does not know the true principle of religion;
otherwise he would have surrendered.
The question posed by the Viñëudütas was
very suitable. One who represents someone else must fully know that person's
mission. The devotees in the Kåñëa consciousness movement must therefore be
fully aware of the mission of Kåñëa and Lord Caitanya; otherwise they will be
considered foolish. All devotees, especially preachers, must know the
philosophy of Kåñëa consciousness so as not to be embarrassed and insulted when
they preach.
SB 6.1.40
Bhägavata-dharma comprises only that which
is given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Bhägavata-dharma is
sarva-dharmän parityajya mäm ekaà çaraëaà vraja: [Bg. 18.66] one must accept
the authority of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and surrender to Him and
whatever He says. That is dharma. Arjuna, for example, thinking that violence
was adharma, was declining to fight, but Kåñëa urged him to fight. Arjuna abided
by the orders of Kåñëa, and therefore he is actually a dharmé because the order
of Kåñëa is dharma. Kåñëa says in Bhagavad-gétä (15.15), vedaiç ca sarvair aham
eva vedyaù: "The real purpose of veda, knowledge, is to know Me." One
who knows Kåñëa perfectly is liberated. As Kåñëa says in Bhagavad-gétä (4.9):
janma karma ca me divyam
evaà yo vetti tattvataù
tyaktvä dehaà punar janma
naiti mäm eti so 'rjuna
"One who knows the transcendental
nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take
his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O
Arjuna." One who understands Kåñëa and abides by His order is a candidate
for returning home, back to Godhead. It may be concluded that dharma, religion,
refers to that which is ordered in the Vedas, and adharma, irreligion, refers
to that which is not supported in the Vedas.
SB 6.3.19
Herein it is stated that the real religious
principle is that which is given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That
principle is stated in Bhagavad-gétä. Sarva-dharmän parityajya mäm ekaà çaraëaà
vraja: [Bg. 18.66] one should give up all other duties and surrender unto the
lotus feet of Kåñëa. That is the real religious principle everyone should
follow. Even though one follows Vedic scriptures, one may not know this
transcendental principle, for it is not known to everyone. To say nothing of
human beings, even the demigods in the upper planetary systems are unaware of
it. This transcendental religious principle must be understood from the Supreme
Personality of Godhead directly or from His special representative, as stated
in the next verses.
SB 7.1.3
When Kåñëa finally instructs in
Bhagavad-gétä, sarva-dharmän parityajya mäm ekaà çaraëaà vraja [Bg. 18.66],
this is meant not only for Arjuna but for every living entity within this
universe.
SB 7.6.9
Prahläda Mahäräja's first proposal was
kaumära äcaret präjïo dharmän bhägavatän iha: [SB 7.6.1] "One who is
sufficiently intelligent should use the human form of body from the very
beginning of life—in other words, from the tender age of childhood—to practice
the activities of devotional service, giving up all other engagements."
Dharmän bhägavatän means the religious principle of reviving our relationship
with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. For this purpose Kåñëa personally
advises, sarva-dharmän parityajya mäm ekaà çaraëaà vraja: [Bg. 18.66]
"Give up all other duties and surrender unto Me." While in the
material world we manufacture so many duties in the name of so many isms, but
our actual duty is to free ourselves from the cycle of birth, death, old age
and disease. For this purpose, one must first be liberated from material
bondage, and especially from household life. Household life is actually a kind
of license for a materially attached person by which to enjoy sense
gratification under regulative principles. Otherwise there is no need of
entering household life.
SB 7.7.29
Among the linking processes that elevate one
from bondage to material contamination, the one recommended by the Supreme Personality
of Godhead should be accepted as the best. That process is clearly explained in
Bhagavad-gétä, where the Lord says, sarva-dharmän parityajya mäm ekaà çaraëaà
vraja: [Bg. 18.66] "Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender
unto Me." This process is the best because the Lord assures, ahaà tväà
sarva-päpebhyo mokñayiñyämi mä çucaù: "I shall deliver you from all sinful
reaction. Do not fear." There is no need to be worried, for the Lord
Himself assures that He will care for His devotee and save him from the
reactions of sinful activities. Material bondage is a result of sinful
activity. Therefore, since the Lord assures that He will dissipate the results
of fruitive material activities, there is no need to be worried. This process
of understanding one's position as a spirit soul and then engaging oneself in
devotional service is therefore the best.
SB 7.9.11
A foolish person is amazed that Kåñëa
orders, sarva-dharmän parityajya mäm ekaà çaraëaà vraja: [Bg. 18.66]
"Abandon all varieties of religious activities and just surrender unto
Me." Some foolish scholars even say that this is too much to demand. But
this demand is not for the benefit of the Supreme Personality of Godhead;
rather, it is for the benefit of human society. If human beings individually
and collectively surrender everything to the Supreme Personality of Godhead in
full Kåñëa consciousness, all of human society will benefit. One who does not
dedicate everything to the Supreme Lord is described in this verse as aviduña,
a rascal. In Bhagavad-gétä (7.15), the Lord Himself speaks in the same way:
"Those miscreants who are grossly
foolish, lowest among mankind, whose knowledge is stolen by illusion, and who
partake of the atheistic nature of demons, do not surrender unto Me."
Because of ignorance and misfortune, the atheists and the narädhamas, the
lowest of men, do not surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Therefore although the Supreme Lord, Kåñëa, is full in Himself, He appears in
different yugas to demand the surrender of the conditioned souls so that they
will benefit by becoming free from the material clutches. In conclusion, the
more we engage in Kåñëa consciousness and render service unto the Lord, the
more we benefit. Kåñëa does not need service from any of us.
SB 7.13.30
As soon as a living entity is victimized by
material desires to lord it over material nature, he is subjected to the
control of material nature, which is supervised by the Supreme Soul. The result
is that one again and again makes plans and is baffled, but as foolish as he is
he cannot see the cause of his bafflement. This cause is distinctly stated in
Bhagavad-gétä: because one has not surrendered to the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, he must work under the control of material nature and its stringent
laws (daivé hy eñä guëa-mayé mama mäyä duratyayä [Bg. 7.14]). The only means of
becoming free from this entanglement is to surrender to the Supreme Lord. In
the human form of life, the living entity must accept this instruction from the
Supreme Person, Kåñëa: sarva-dharmän parityajya mäm ekaà çaraëaà vraja [Bg.
18.66]. "Do not plan to achieve happiness and drive away distress. You
will never be successful. Simply surrender unto Me." Unfortunately,
however, the living entity does not accept the Supreme Lord's clearly stated
instructions from Bhagavad-gétä, and thus he becomes a perpetual captive of the
laws of material nature.
SB 7.15.11
The word dharmavit, meaning "one who
knows the actual purpose of religion," is very significant. As explained
in Bhagavad-gétä (18.66), sarva-dharmän parityajya mäm ekaà çaraëaà vraja:
becoming Kåñëa conscious is the topmost stage in understanding of religious
principles. One who reaches this stage performs the arcanä process in
devotional service. Anyone, whether a gåhastha or a sannyäsé, can keep small
Deities of the Lord suitably packed or, if possible, installed, and thus
worship the Deities of Rädhä-Kåñëa, Sétä-Räma, Lakñmé-Näräyaëa, Lord Jagannätha
or Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu by offering food prepared in ghee and then offering
the sanctified prasäda to the forefathers, demigods and other living entities
as a matter of routine daily work. All the centers of our Kåñëa consciousness
movement have Deity worship programs very nicely going on in which food is
offered to the Deity and distributed to the first-class brähmaëas and Vaiñëavas
and even to the people in general. This performance of sacrifice brings
complete satisfaction. The members of the Kåñëa consciousness movement engage
daily in such transcendental activities. Thus in our Kåñëa consciousness
movement there is no question at all of killing animals.
SB 7.15.12
Any religious principles opposed to the
principle of surrendering to the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, Kåñëa, are to be considered religious principles of irregularity or
cheating, and one who is actually interested in religion must give them up. One
should simply follow the instructions of Kåñëa and surrender unto Him. To do
this, of course, one needs very good intelligence, which may be awakened after
many, many births through good association with devotees and the practice of
Kåñëa consciousness. Everything but the principle of religion recommended by
Kåñëa-sarva-dharmän parityajya mäm ekaà çaraëaà vraja [Bg. 18.66]—should be
given up as irreligion.
There is no servant in this world more dear to
Me than he, nor will there ever be one more dear.
SB 1.2.16
The servants of God come to propagate God
consciousness, and intelligent people should cooperate with them in every
respect. By serving the servant of God, one can please God more than by
directly serving the Lord. The Lord is more pleased when He sees that His
servants are properly respected because such servants risk everything for the
service of the Lord and so are very dear to the Lord. The Lord declares in the
Bhagavad-gétä (18.69) that no one is dearer to Him than one who risks
everything to preach His glory. By serving the servants of the Lord, one
gradually gets the quality of such servants, and thus one becomes qualified to
hear the glories of God. The eagerness to hear about God is the first
qualification of a devotee eligible for entering the kingdom of God.
SB 1.13.38
Devarñi Närada is described herein as
bhagavän due to his being the most confidential devotee of the Lord. The Lord
and His very confidential devotees are treated on the same level by those who
are actually engaged in the loving service of the Lord. Such confidential
devotees of the Lord are very much dear to the Lord because they travel
everywhere to preach the glories of the Lord in different capacities and try
their utmost to convert the nondevotees of the Lord into devotees in order to
bring them to the platform of sanity. Actually a living being cannot be a
nondevotee of the Lord because of his constitutional position, but when one
becomes a nondevotee or nonbeliever, it is to be understood that the person
concerned is not in a sound condition of life. The confidential devotees of the
Lord treat such illusioned living beings, and therefore they are most pleasing
in the eyes of the Lord. The Lord says in the Bhagavad-gétä that no one is
dearer to Him than one who actually preaches the glories of the Lord to convert
the nonbelievers and nondevotees. Such personalities as Närada must be offered
all due respects, like those offered to the Personality of Godhead Himself, and
Mahäräja Yudhiñöhira, along with his noble brothers, were examples for others
in receiving a pure devotee of the Lord like Närada, who had no other business
save and except singing the glories of the Lord along with his véëä, a musical
stringed instrument.
SB 4.12.36
A Kåñëa conscious being is always engaged in
planning how to take all of suffering humanity back home, back to Godhead. Even
if one is not successful in reclaiming all the fallen souls back to Godhead,
still, because he is Kåñëa conscious, his path to Vaikuëöhaloka is open. He
personally becomes qualified to enter the Vaikuëöhalokas, and if anyone follows
such a devotee, he also enters into Vaikuëöhaloka. Others, who engage in envious
activities, are known as karmés. Karmés are envious of one another. Simply for
sense gratification, they can kill thousands of innocent animals. Jïänés are
not as sinful as karmés, but they do not try to reclaim others back to Godhead.
They perform austerities for their own liberation. Yogés are also engaged in
self-aggrandizement by trying to attain mystic powers. But devotees, Vaiñëavas,
who are servants of the Lord, come forward in the actual field of work in Kåñëa
consciousness to reclaim fallen souls. Only Kåñëa conscious persons are
eligible to enter into the spiritual world. That is clearly stated in this
verse and is confirmed in Bhagavad—gétä, wherein the Lord says that there is no
one dearer to Him than those who preach the gospel of Bhagavad-gétä to the
world.
SB 6.4.44
Prajäpati Dakña is trying to benefit the
conditioned souls by begetting them to give them a life with a chance for
liberation. Liberation means surrender to Kåñëa. If one begets children with
the purpose of training them to surrender to Kåñëa, fatherhood is very good.
Similarly, when the spiritual master trains the conditioned souls to become
Kåñëa conscious, his position is successful. If one gives the conditioned souls
a chance to become Kåñëa conscious, all his activities are approved by the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is extremely pleased, as stated here (préto
'ham). Following the examples of the previous äcäryas, all the members of the
Kåñëa consciousness movement should try to benefit the conditioned souls by
inducing them to become Kåñëa conscious and giving them all facilities to do
so. Such activities constitute real welfare work. By such activities, a
preacher or anyone who endeavors to spread Kåñëa consciousness is recognized by
the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As the Lord Himself confirms in
Bhagavad-gétä (18.68-69)
SB 7.6.24
The Lord says in Bhagavad-gétä (18.55),
bhaktyä mäm abhijänäti yävän yaç cäsmi tattvataù: "One can understand the
Supreme Personality as He is only by devotional service." Prahläda
Mahäräja ultimately instructed his class friends, the sons of the demons, to
accept the process of devotional service by preaching the science of Kåñëa
consciousness to everyone. Preaching is the best service to the Lord. The Lord
will immediately be extremely satisfied with one who engages in this service of
preaching Kåñëa consciousness. This is confirmed by the Lord Himself in
Bhagavad-gétä (18.69). Na ca tasmän manuñyeñu kaçcin me priya-kåttamaù:
"There is no servant in this world more dear to Me than he, nor will there
ever be one more dear." If one sincerely tries his best to spread Kåñëa
consciousness by preaching the glories of the Lord and His supremacy, even if
he is imperfectly educated, he becomes the dearmost servant of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. This is bhakti. As one performs this service for
humanity, without discrimination between friends and enemies, the Lord becomes
satisfied, and the mission of one's life is fulfilled. Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu
therefore advised everyone to become a guru-devotee and preach Kåñëa
consciousness (yäre dekha, täre kaha 'kåñëa'-upadeça [Cc. Madhya 7.128]). That
is the easiest way to realize the Supreme Personality of Godhead. By such
preaching, the preacher becomes satisfied, and those to whom he preaches are also
satisfied. This is the process of bringing peace and tranquillity to the entire
world.
bhoktäraà yajïa-tapasäà
sarva-loka-maheçvaram
suhådaà sarva-bhütänäà
jïätvä mäà çäntim åcchati
[Bg. 5.29]
One is expected to understand these three
formulas of knowledge concerning the Supreme Lord—that He is the supreme
enjoyer, that He is the proprietor of everything, and that He is the best
well-wisher and friend of everyone. A preacher should personally understand
these truths and preach them to everyone. Then there will be peace and
tranquillity all over the world.
SB 7.14.40
Deity worship is especially meant for
purifying the neophyte devotees. Actually, however, preaching is more
important. In Bhagavad-gétä (18.69) it is said, na ca tasmän manuñyeñu kaçcin
me priya-kåttamaù: if one wants to be recognized by the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, he must preach the glories of the Lord. One who worships the Deity
must therefore be extremely respectful to preachers; otherwise simply
worshiping the Deity will keep one in the lower stage of devotion.
SB 7.14.42
As admitted by Lord Kåñëa in Bhagavad-gétä
(18.69), na ca tasmän manuñyeñu kaçcin me priya-kåttamaù. The brähmaëas preach
the cult of Kåñëa consciousness all around the world, and therefore, although
they worship Kåñëa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Lord also
recognizes them as worshipable. The relationship is reciprocal. The brähmaëas
want to worship Kåñëa, and similarly Kåñëa wants to worship the brähmaëas. In
conclusion, therefore, brähmaëas and Vaiñëavas who are engaged in preaching the
glories of the Lord must be worshiped by religionists, philosophers and people
in general. At the Räjasüya-yajïa of Mahäräja Yudhiñöhira, many hundreds and
thousands of brähmaëas were present, yet Kåñëa was selected to be worshiped
first. Therefore, Kåñëa is always the Supreme Person, but by His causeless
mercy He recognizes the brähmaëas as dearmost to Him.
SB 8.7.44
Here is an explanation of how those engaged
in activities for the welfare of others are very quickly recognized by the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Lord says in Bhagavad-gétä (18.68-69), ya
idaà paramaà guhyaà mad-bhakteñv abhidhäsyati. .. na ca tasmän manuñyeñu kaçcin
me priya-kåttamaù: "One who preaches the message of Bhagavad-gétä to My
devotees is most dear to Me. No one can excel him in satisfying Me by
worship." There are different kinds of welfare activities in this material
world, but the supreme welfare activity is the spreading of Kåñëa
consciousness. Other welfare activities cannot be effective, for the laws of
nature and the results of karma cannot be checked. It is by destiny, or the
laws of karma, that one must suffer or enjoy. For instance, if one is given a
court order, he must accept it, whether it brings suffering or profit.
Similarly, everyone is under obligations to karma and it reactions. No one can
change this. Therefore the çästra says:
tasyaiva hetoù prayateta
kovido
na labhyate yad bhramatäm
upary adhaù
(SB 1.5.18)
One should endeavor for that which is never
obtained by wandering up and down the universe as a result of the reactions of
karma. What is that? One should endeavor to become Kåñëa conscious. If one
tries to spread Kåñëa consciousness all over the world, he should be understood
to be performing the best welfare activity. The Lord is automatically very
pleased with him. If the Lord is pleased with him, what is left for him to
achieve? If one has been recognized by the Lord, even if he does not ask the
Lord for anything, the Lord, who is within everyone, supplies him whatever he
wants. This is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gétä (teñäà nityäbhiyuktänäà
yoga-kñemaà vahämy aham [Bg. 9.22]). Again, as stated here, tapyante
loka-täpena sädhavaù präyaço janäù. The best welfare activity is raising people
to the platform of Kåñëa consciousness, since the conditioned souls are
suffering only for want of Kåñëa consciousness. The Lord Himself also comes to
mitigate the suffering of humanity. "Whenever and wherever there is a
decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise
of irreligion—at that time I descend Myself. To deliver the pious and to
annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of
religion, I advent Myself millennium after millennium." (Bg. 4.7-8) All
the çästras conclude, therefore, that spreading the Kåñëa consciousness
movement is the best welfare activity in the world. Because of the ultimate
benefit this bestows upon people in general, the Lord very quickly recognizes
such service performed by a devotee.
SB 8.9.29
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the
only enjoyer and proprietor of everything (bhoktäraà yajïa-tapasäà
sarva-loka-maheçvaram [Bg. 5.29]). Therefore any activity performed for the
Supreme Lord is permanent. As a result of such activities, the performer is
immediately recognized. Na ca tasmän manuñyeñu kaçcin me priya-kåttamaù [Bg.
18.69]. Such a devotee, because of full knowledge of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, is immediately transcendental, although he may superficially appear to
be engaged in materialistic activities. The only distinction between
materialistic activity and spiritual activity is that material activity is
performed only to satisfy one's own senses whereas spiritual activity is meant
to satisfy the transcendental senses of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. By
spiritual activity everyone factually benefits, whereas by materialistic
activity no one benefits and instead one becomes entangled in the laws of
karma.
Arjuna said: My dear Kåñëa, O infallible one,
my illusion is now gone. I have regained my memory by Your mercy. I am now firm
and free from doubt and am prepared to act according to Your instructions.
SB 2.4.19
In the beginning Arjuna placed himself as
one of those who desire self-satisfaction, for he desired not to fight in the Battle
of Kurukñetra, but to make him desireless the Lord preached the Bhagavad-gétä,
in which the ways of karma-yoga, jïäna-yoga, haöha-yoga and also bhakti-yoga
were explained. Because Arjuna was without any pretension, he changed his
decision and satisfied the Lord by agreeing to fight (kariñye vacanaà tava)
[Bg. 18.73], and thus he became desireless.
SB 3.28.35
The best example of nirväëa is cited in
Bhagavad-gétä. In the beginning the mind of Arjuna deviated from Kåñëa's. Kåñëa
wanted Arjuna to fight, but Arjuna did not want to, so there was disagreement.
But after hearing Bhagavad-gétä from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Arjuna
dovetailed his mind with Kåñëa's desire. This is called oneness. This oneness,
however, did not cause Arjuna and Kåñëa to lose their individualities. The
Mäyävädé philosophers cannot understand this. They think that oneness
necessitates loss of individuality. Actually, however, we find in Bhagavad-gétä
that individuality is not lost. When the mind is completely purified in love of
Godhead, the mind becomes the mind of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The
mind at that time does not act separately, nor does it act without inspiration
to fulfill the desire of the Lord. The individual liberated soul has no other
activity. pratinivåtta-guëa-pravähaù. In the conditioned state the mind is
always engaged in activity impelled by the three modes of the material world,
but in the transcendental stage, the material modes cannot disturb the mind of
the devotee. The devotee has no other concern than to satisfy the desires of
the Lord. That is the highest stage of perfection, called nirväëa or
nirväëa-mukti. At this stage the mind becomes completely free from material
desire.
18.78
Wherever there is Kåñëa, the master of all
mystics, and wherever there is Arjuna, the supreme archer, there will also
certainly be opulence, victory, extraordinary power, and morality. That is my
opinion.
SB 8.12.14
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viñëu,
is known as Yogeçvara. Yatra yogeçvaraù kåñëaù [Bg. 18.78]. Mystic yogés want
to acquire some power by practicing the yoga system, but Kåñëa, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, is known as the Supreme Lord of all mystic power. Lord
Çiva wanted to see the Mohiné-mürti, which was captivating the entire world, and
Lord Viñëu was gravely thinking of how to captivate Lord Çiva also. Therefore
the word bhäva-gambhéram is used here. The illusory, material energy is
represented by Durgädevé, who is the wife of Giréça, or Lord Çiva. Durgädevé
could not captivate Lord Çiva's mind, but now that Lord Çiva wanted to see Lord
Viñëu's feminine form, Lord Viñëu, by His mystic power, would assume a form
that would captivate even Lord Çiva. Therefore Lord Viñëu was grave and at the
same time was smiling.
SB 10.7.26
Here is a competition in yogic power between
Kåñëa and Tåëävartäsura. By practicing mystic yoga, asuras generally attain
some perfection in the eight siddhis, or perfections, namely aëimä, laghimä,
mahimä, präpti, präkämya, éçitva, vaçitva and kämävasäyitä. But although a
demon may acquire such powers to a very limited extent, he cannot compete with
the mystic power of Kåñëa, for Kåñëa is Yogeçvara, the source of all mystic
power (yatra yogeçvaro hariù [Bg. 18.78]). No one can compete with Kåñëa.
Sometimes, of course, having acquired a fragmental portion of Kåñëa's mystic
power, asuras demonstrate their power to the foolish public and assert
themselves to be God, not knowing that God is the supreme Yogeçvara. Here also
we see that Tåëävarta assumed the mahimä-siddhi and took Kåñëa away as if Kåñëa
were an ordinary child. But Kåñëa also became a mystic mahimä-siddha. When
mother Yaçodä was carrying Him, He became so heavy that His mother, who was
usually accustomed to carrying Him, could not bear Him and had to place Him down
on the ground. Thus Tåëävarta had been able to take Kåñëa away in the presence
of mother Yaçodä. But when Kåñëa, high in the sky, assumed the mahimä-siddhi, the
demon, unable to go further, was obliged to stop his force and come down
according to Kåñëa's desire. One should not, therefore, compete with Kåñëa's
mystic power.
