Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.1.1–4

Prabhupāda: Feeling all right?

Devotees: Jaya!

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṅa.

Devotees: Hare Kṛṣṅa

Prabhupāda: Mantra?

Devotees: Oṁ namo bhaga...

Prabhupāda: Not this. First of all, Īśopaniṣad. Yes. Īśopaniṣad.

oṁ pūrṅam adaḥ pūrṅam idaṁ pūrṅāt pūrṅam udacyate pūrṅasya pūrṅam ādāya pūrṅam evāvaśiṣyate [Īśo Invocation]

[The Personality of Godhead is perfect and complete, and because He is completely perfect, all emanations from Him, such as this phenomenal world, are perfectly equipped as complete wholes. Whatever is produced of the Complete Whole is also complete in itself. Because He is the Complete Whole, even though so many complete units emanate from Him, He remains the complete balance.]

īśāvāsyam idam sarvaṁ yat kiñca jagatyāṁ jagat tena tyaktena bhuñjīthā mā gṛdhaḥ kasya svid dhanam [Īśo mantra 1]

[Everything animate or inanimate that is within the universe is controlled and owned by the Lord. One should therefore accept only those things necessary for himself, which are set aside as his quota, and one should not accept other things, knowing well to whom they belong.]

kurvann eveha karmāṅi jijīviṣec chataṁ samāḥ evaṁ tvayi nānyatheto 'sti na karma lipyate nare [Īśo mantra 2]

[One may aspire to live for hundreds of years if he continuously goes on working in that way, for that sort of work will not bind him to the law of karma. There is no alternative to this way for man.]

That's all. That's all. Hare Kṛṣṅa. Now oṁ namo bhagavate, chant.

Devotees: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya.

Prabhupāda: Yes?

[Prabhupāda leads devotees in chanting SB 2.1.1–5]

varīyān eṣa te praśnaḥ kṛto loka-hitaṁ nṛpa ātmavit-sammataḥ puṁsāṁ śrotavyādiṣu yaḥ paraḥ [SB 2.1.1]

[Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: My dear King, your question is glorious because it is very beneficial to all kinds of people. The answer to this question is the prime subject matter for hearing, and it is approved by all transcendentalists.]

śrotavyādīni rājendra nṛṅāṁ santi sahasraśaḥ apaśyatām ātma-tattvaṁ gṛheṣu gṛha-medhinām [SB 2.1.2]

[Those persons who are materially engrossed, being blind to the knowledge of ultimate truth, have many subject matters for hearing in human society, O Emperor.]

Chant.

nidrayā hriyate naktaṁ vyavāyena ca vā vayaḥ divā cārthehayā rājan kuṭumba-bharaṅena vā [SB 2.1.3]

[The lifetime of such an envious householder is passed at night either in sleeping or in sex indulgence, and in the daytime either in making money or maintaining family members.]

dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣv ātma-sainyeṣv asatsv api teṣāṁ pramatto nidhanaṁ paśyann api na paśyati [SB 2.1.4]

[Persons devoid of ātma-tattva do not inquire into the problems of life, being too attached to the fallible soldiers like the body, children and wife. Although sufficiently experienced, they still do not see their inevitable destruction.]

Chant independently.

Again. Yes.

Prabhupāda: Again from the beginning, oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya.

So Gargamuni, you can read where you left yesterday.

Gargamuni: Page one: "Similarly, in the Second Canto, the post-creation cosmic manifestation is described. The different planetary systems are described in the Second Canto as different parts of the universal body of the Lord. For this reason, the Second Canto can be called 'The Cosmic Manifestation.'

"There are ten chapters in the Second Canto, and in these ten chapters the purpose of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and the different symptoms of this purpose are narrated. In the first chapter the glories of chanting are described, and the process of meditation on the universal form of the Lord by the neophyte devotees is hinted.

"In the first verse Śukadeva Gosvāmī replies to the questions of Mahārāja Parīkṣit, who asked him about one's duty at the point of his death. Mahārāja Parīkṣit was glad to receive Śukadeva Gosvāmī, and he was proud of being a descendant of Arjuna, the intimate friend of Kṛṣṅa.

Personally, he was very humble and meek, but he expressed his gladness that Lord Kṛṣṅa was very kind to the sons of Pāṅḍu, or his grandfathers, especially his own grandfather, Arjuna. And because Lord Kṛṣṅa is always pleased with His family, therefore at the verge of Mahārāja Parīkṣit's death, Śukadeva Gosvāmī was sent to help him in the process of self-realization.

"Mahārāja Parīkṣit... "

Prabhupāda: Yes, this is confirming the statement of Caitanya-caritāmṛta that guru-kṛṣṅa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja [Cc Madhya 19.151].

[According to their karma, all living entities are wandering throughout the entire universe. Some of them are being elevated to the upper planetary systems, and some are going down into the lower planetary systems. Out of many millions of wandering living entities, one who is very fortunate gets an opportunity to associate with a bona fide spiritual master by the grace of Kṛṣṅa. By the mercy of both Kṛṣṅa and the spiritual master, such a person receives the seed of the creeper of devotional service.]

Two things required, guru and Kṛṣṅa, to advance in the spiritual realization, or Kṛṣṅa consciousness. So here it is..., Kṛṣṅa is pleased in the family of the Pāṅḍavas. So Parīkṣit Mahārāja was going to die. Parīkṣit Mahārāja was grandson of Arjuna, and he was also a devotee. So therefore, by the mercy of Kṛṣṅa, a bona fide spiritual master is sent to Parīkṣit Mahārāja. Guru-kṛṣṅa.

When one is sincere, then Kṛṣṅa is sitting within everyone. As soon as He sees that "Here is a sincere soul. He's seeking after Me," so He manifests Himself out externally as spiritual master. The spiritual master is therefore representative of Kṛṣṅa. Guru-kṛṣṅa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja [Cc Madhya 19.151]. Two things. Without being representative of Kṛṣṅa, nobody can become spiritual master. Kṛṣṅa-śakti vinā nahe tāra pravartana [Antya 7.11]

[The fundamental religious system in the Age of Kali is the chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṅa. Unless empowered by Kṛṣṅa, one cannot propagate the saṅkīrtana movement.]

Without being empowered by Kṛṣṅa, nobody can preach, nobody can become a spiritual master.

So here, Śukadeva Gosvāmī sent by Kṛṣṅa on the verge of his death. Guru-kṛṣṅa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja. Ei rūpe brahmāṅḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva [Cc Madhya 19.151]. This opportunity is obtained by a very fortunate person. Because the living entities are wandering within this universe, packed up, from one planet to another, from one species life to another species of life. In this way he is wandering.

He is not fixed up. Today I am American or Indian, tomorrow or next birth, I do not know what is going to happen to me. But this body for good will be finished. I'll never get this body. I'll get another body. Maybe a demigod's body or a tree's body or a plant's body or animal's body—I must get another body.

So the living entity is wandering in this way, vāsāṁsi jīrṅāni [Bg 2.22].

[As a person puts on new garments, giving up old ones, similarly, the soul accepts new material bodies, giving up the old and useless ones.]

Just like we change our dress from one dress to another, similarly, we are changing different positions by the influence of māyā. Māyā is forcing me. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṅāni guṅaiḥ karmāṅi [Bg 3.27].

[The bewildered spirit soul, under the influence of the three modes of material nature, thinks himself to be the doer of activities, which are in actuality carried out by nature.]

As soon as I am desiring something, immediately my body is formed. Immediately a particular type of body begins to form, and as soon as I am mature to change, my next body I get according to my desire. Therefore we should always desire Kṛṣṅa. Then from this life, the Kṛṣṅa-approaching body, or the spiritual body, will be formed.

The more you become sincere servant of Kṛṣṅa, the more your body becomes Kṛṣṅa-ized, electrified. Therefore advanced Kṛṣṅa conscious person is considered to have a spiritual body. The same example, as I have given several times: just like iron rod.

You put into the fire, it becomes warmer, warmer. The more it is connected with fire, it becomes warm, warm, warm. And at last it becomes red hot, so that at that time, if that iron is touched to any other thing, it burns. It does not act as iron; it acts as fire.

Similarly, by this Kṛṣṅa consciousness, continuous chanting, you will make your body spiritualized. At that time, wherever you go, wherever you touch, he'll be spiritualized. Similarly, the iron... Without being spiritualized, without being red hot, if you touch, it will not act. So every one of us, those who have come to this Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement, expected to preach in the future and to become a spiritual master also in the future. But first of all you must spiritualize yourself; otherwise it is useless.

So kṛṣṅa-śakti vinā nahe [Cc Antya 7.11].

[The fundamental religious system in the Age of Kali is the chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṅa. Unless empowered by Kṛṣṅa, one cannot propagate the saṅkīrtana movement.]

Without... Just like without being red hot, you cannot burn any other thing, similarly, without being fully spiritualized, you cannot make others spiritualized. Therefore we have to follow the paramparā system. The disciplic succession, as we get the knowledge, as we get the power, as we get the instruction, so we have to follow. That will help me to spiritualize myself. And when you are spiritualized... You'll have to wait for that time. Then, wherever you will preach, the result will be there.

So by the grace of Lord Kṛṣṅa, Śukadeva Gosvāmī has reached Parīkṣit Mahārāja. Therefore at the verge of Mahārāja Parīkṣit's death, Śukadeva Gosvāmī was sent to help him in the process of self-realization. Without spiritual master's help, nobody can become self-realized. Our Vaiṣṅava philosophy does not allow that you shall become self-realized by your own endeavor.

Just like other schools, they think, Buddha school, that by meditation... I do not know whether in Buddha school the spiritual master is accepted. But our Vaiṣṅava school, without acceptance of spiritual master, there is no possibility of self-realization. Guru-kṛṣṅa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja.

Then, [reading] "Mahārāja Parīkṣit was a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṅa from his childhood, so he had natural affection for Kṛṣṅa, and Śukadeva Gosvāmī could understand his devotion to Lord Kṛṣṅa. Therefore he welcomed the question about his duty, because the king hinted that worship of Lord Kṛṣṅa is the ultimate function of every living entity. Śukadeva Gosvāmī welcomed this suggestion and said, 'Because you have raised the question about Kṛṣṅa, your question is most glorious.' "

The next śloka is varīyān eṣa te praśnaḥ [SB 2.1.1].

[Please let me know what a man should hear, chant, remember and worship, and also what he should not do. Please explain all this to me.]

Śukadeva Gosvāmī welcomed the praśna, the question about Kṛṣṅa, and that we shall discuss next day. [end]