Paṅḍāl Lecture

Prabhupāda: [prema-dhvani prayers]

Ladies and Gentlemen, I thank you very much for your kindly participating in this Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement. We are speaking here for the last one week, so it is very encouraging that we are reviving the dormant Kṛṣṅa consciousness of our brothers and sisters in India.

This Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement is to be learned from the very childhood. So far personally we are concerned, my father taught me this Kṛṣṅa consciousness from the very childhood. My father was a great Vaiṣṅava, and I had the opportunity of taking birth in that family. So he gave me lessons of this Kṛṣṅa consciousness from the very beginning of my life. He gave me mṛdaṅga. He engaged a teacher for learning mṛdaṅga playing. Sometimes my mother was irritated. But somehow or other, I got the inspiration from my father worshiping a small Rādhā-Kṛṣṅa Deity.

So Prahlāda Mahārāja says, kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha [SB 7.6.1]. Actually the students, the children, should be given chance to become Kṛṣṅa conscious. That is the duty of the state, that is the duty of the parents, that is the duty of the guru, that is the duty of kinsmen. That is the instruction given in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam:

gurur na sa syāt sva-jano na sa syāt pitā na sa syāj jananī na sā syāt... na mocayed yaḥ samupeta-mṛtyum [SB 5.5.18]

[One who cannot deliver his dependents from the path of repeated birth and death should never become a spiritual master, a relative, a father, a husband, a mother or a worshipable demigod.]

This human form of life, as Prahlāda Mahārāja says, durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma. Durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma tad apy adhruvam arthadam [SB 7.6.1]. This human form of life is obtained after many, many millions and millions of births, evolutionary process. We have already discussed this point. So that is the Vedic civilization, that a human being should be given chance to understand this bhāgavata-dharma, Kṛṣṅa consciousness. Kṛṣṅa consciousness means bhāgavata-dharma.

So Prahlāda Mahārāja recommends, kaumāram ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha: from the childhood. It is not that it is reserved for our old-age occupation. Sometimes we think like that, that "At the present moment we are young. Let us enjoy life. And at the old age, when you are old enough, preparing for death, at that time we may try to understand what is Kṛṣṅa consciousness, or bhāgavata-dharma." But Prahlāda Mahārāja says no. The children should be taught from the age, as we send our children to school in minor age, similarly we should send our children to understand this bhāgavata-dharma.

I am very pleased, I have seen practically in this Delhi that the Muslim children are given instruction of Koran from very early age. Actually, this should be done for everyone. I am very pleased. Not I am pleased—I may please or not—but that is the way of life. A human child should be given instruction about Kṛṣṅa consciousness from the very beginning, and that was our Vedic system, brahmacārī. Brahmacārī should go to the house of the teacher or spiritual master at the age of five years old, and he should remain there for twenty years to understand the value of life.

And the brahmacārī would accept any kind of menial work for satisfying the spiritual master. It is stated that nīcayeva: just like menial servant. The brahmacārīs, they come from very respectable family, from brāhmaṅa family, kṣatriya family especially, but they are instructed that "You should accept the order of the spiritual master just like menial servant." And in young age, they do not mind. They do not have any false prestige, that "I am coming from such-and-such respectable family, my father is so rich."

Even Lord Kṛṣṅa, He accepted this brahmacārī āśrama. When Sudāmā Vipra met Him when He was king in Dvārakā, so friendly talks, Kṛṣṅa reminded Sudāmā Vipra, "My dear Sudāmā, do you remember that one day we went to the forest to collect fuels, and there was heavy rain and we could not come out. And then we stayed the overnight on the top of the tree. Then next day Guru Mahārāja came and he took our..., rescued us. Do you remember that?" Sudāmā Vipra, "Yes, I remember." So even Lord Kṛṣṅa, what to speak of others. This was the system, to teach from the very beginning of life this Bhāgavatam.

So Prahlāda Mahārāja's recommendation is very genuine. That is the Vedic system. But he was unfortunately born in a asura family. His father was a great asura. Asura means godless. He had also undergone severe austerity to achieve the power. He was defeated by the demigods. So he left his home and underwent severe austerities so that the whole universe became trembled and Brahmājī came to appease him, "What do you want?" He said, "I want to become immortal." So Brahmājī said, "How can I give you this benediction of immortality, because myself I am not immortal?" Everyone has to die in this material world, either one may be Brahmā or a small ant. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam [Bg 13.9].

[Humility, pridelessness, nonviolence, tolerance, simplicity, approaching a bona fide spiritual master, cleanliness, steadiness and 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; nonattachment to children, wife, home and the rest, and evenmindedness amid pleasant and unpleasant events; constant and unalloyed devotion to Me, resorting to solitary places, detachment from the general mass of people; accepting the importance of self-realization, and philosophical search for the Absolute Truth—all these I thus declare to be knowledge, and what is contrary to these is ignorance.]

"So this is not possible. I cannot make you immortal."

Then very diligently he said, "All right, then no man will kill me."

"All right, accepted."

"No demigod will kill me."

"Also accepted."

"I shall not die at daytime."

"That's all right."

"I shall not die in night."

"That's all right."

"No animal can kill me."

"That's all right."

"No weapons can kill me."

"That's all right."

In this way, he thought that "I am very intelligent and I am cheating Brahmājī. Indirectly, by different way, I have now become immortal."

So he also underwent great austerities, but for material enjoyment. He wanted to live forever in this material world. So he was never interested to teach his children about Kṛṣṅa consciousness. But Prahlāda Mahārāja, fortunately, when he was in the womb of his mother, at the care of Nārada Muni, he understood the Kṛṣṅa consciousness, because if you associate with a sādhu, the saintly person, then saintly person has nothing to do but simply deliver the knowledge, transcendental knowledge, of Kṛṣṅa consciousness. They have no other duty.

Just like Ambarīṣa Mahārāja: he was king, but a great Vaiṣṅava. So about him it is stated,

sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṅa-pādāravindayor vacāṁsi vaikuṅṭha-guṅānuvarṅane [SB 9.4.18]

[Mahārāja Ambarīṣa always engaged his mind in meditating upon the lotus feet of Kṛṣṅa, his words in describing the glories of the Lord, his hands in cleansing the Lord's temple, and his ears in hearing the words spoken by Kṛṣṅa or about Kṛṣṅa. He engaged his eyes in seeing the Deity of Kṛṣṅa, Kṛṣṅa's temples and Kṛṣṅa's places like Mathurā and Vṛndāvana, he engaged his sense of touch in touching the bodies of the Lord's devotees, he engaged his sense of smell in smelling the fragrance of tulasī offered to the Lord, and he engaged his tongue in tasting the Lord's prasāda. He engaged his legs in walking to the holy places and temples of the Lord, his head in bowing down before the Lord, and all his desires in serving the Lord, twenty-four hours a day. Indeed, Mahārāja Ambarīṣa never desired anything for his own sense gratification. He engaged all his senses in devotional service, in various engagements related to the Lord. This is the way to increase attachment for the Lord and be completely free from all material desires.]

He was king, very responsible king, emperor of the world, but he cultivated this Kṛṣṅa consciousness that he fixed up his mind, sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṅa-pādāravindayor, always fixed up on the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṅa. If you fix up your mind, concentrate your mind on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṅa—Kṛṣṅa is here present—then your mind becomes locked up. It cannot think anything else. Therefore Ambarīṣa Mahārāja, he fixed up his mind on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṅa.

And vacāṁsi vaikuṅṭha-guṅānuvarṅane. When you have to talk, let us not talk all nonsense. Vaikuṅṭha-guṅānuvarṅane. Let us talk about Bhagavad-gītā, let us talk about Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam or any book which is describing the transcendental name, fame, glory, quality, pastime of Lord Kṛṣṅa. This is Kṛṣṅa consciousness. Simply we have to change the process of our life. But unfortunately, we are not interested. We shall waste our time in the morning, two hours, by discussing on politics and reading newspaper, what has happened. Punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṅānām [SB 7.5.30].

[Prahlāda Mahārāja replied: Because of their uncontrolled senses, persons too addicted to materialistic life make progress toward hellish conditions and repeatedly chew that which has already been chewed. Their inclinations toward Kṛṣṅa are never aroused, either by the instructions of others, by their own efforts, or by a combination of both.]

What is the news in the newspaper? The same thing: somebody has murdered something, there is some car accident, one body has done this, or... The same thing repeatedly we are hearing. There is no other news. But we want to hear the same thing daily, the same newspaper items. Therefore in the śāstra it is said, punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṅānām. Just like you chew something. Generally we chew that sugarcane. Now I have chewed it, I have taken out all the juice, and then I have thrown it away. If somebody comes, "Oh, let me taste it, what is there," and another man comes... Is that very good intelligence?

We have tasted this material world. Everyone has tasted. It is full of miseries. Tri-tāpa yantraṅā. Tri means three, and tāpa means miserable condition of life. Tri-tāpa. Ādhyātmika, pertaining to this body and mind. Sometimes I am feeling some pain on my body, there is fever or some other ailment, the mind is not in order, this is called ādhyātmika. Similarly, ādhibhautika. Just like Pakistan is ready to attack us. If not Pakistan, then there are many other enemies; even there are many other living entities, just like mosquito, fly, bugs. So ādhibhautika: another living entity giving us trouble. And ādhidaivika: just like this famine, flood, pestilence, so many things which you cannot control.

So this is the position of this material world. Tri-tāpa yantraṅā trisura. You have seen the picture of Goddess Durgā: she is piercing the trisura on the chest of the asura, and he is suffering, his struggle for existence, fighting with the lion, rajo-guṅa. So this is the position of the material world, and the certificate is given by Kṛṣṅa, the Lord Himself, that this place is duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam [Bg 8.15].

[After attaining Me, the great souls, who are yogīs in devotion, never return to this temporary world, which is full of miseries, because they have attained the highest perfection.]

Duḥkhālayam, always full of miseries.

So the human form of life is meant for understanding what is my position. In the animal life we cannot understand that we are in a very, very miserable condition of life in this material world. Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja says, mānuṣam, durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma, tad apy adhruvam. It will not stay. You can say, "All right, there is suffering. Let me suffer for some time. I shall get next life again or I shall be finished." But Prahlāda Mahārāja says, "Why do you think like that? Why you want to die like cats and dogs? Just acquire the benefit which you can have in this human form of life, Kṛṣṅa consciousness." Mānuṣam. Durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma, tad apy adhruvam. Although it will not stay, but it is arthadam. Arthadam means you can achieve the highest goal of life.

What is that highest goal of life? The highest goal of life is not to have a skyscraper building constructed in my life or have big balance in the bank. No. That is not highest goal of life. The highest goal of life is indicated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. That is also statement of Prahlāda Mahārāja, na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṅum durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ [SB 7.5.31].

[Persons who are strongly entrapped by the consciousness of enjoying material life, and who have therefore accepted as their leader or guru a similar blind man attached to external sense objects, cannot understand that the goal of life is to return home, back to Godhead, and engage in the service of Lord Viṣṅu. As blind men guided by another blind man miss the right path and fall into a ditch, materially attached men led by another materially attached man are bound by the ropes of fruitive labor, which are made of very strong cords, and they continue again and again in materialistic life, suffering the threefold miseries.]

Persons who are very much attached to the external world, durāśayā bahir-artha... This external world is called bahiraṅgā śakti, the external energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

So here it is just like mirage, just like people..., or the not people, animal, running after water in the desert. In the desert, there is some reflection of heat, and the animals think there is water. And they run after water, the water also going ahead and the animal also going ahead. In this way, when he is too much tired, he falls down and dies. Tejo-vāri-mṛdāṁ vinimayam.

So this material world is not our actual place of happiness. We should understand this. And the human form of life is meant for that purpose. Just like Sanātana Gosvāmī, he appeared before Caitanya Mahāprabhu to solve this question, 'ke āmi', 'kene more jāre tāpa-traya' [Cc Madhya 20.102]. That is intelligence. Intelligence means one should be inquisitive about his goal of life.

In the Bhāgavata also in another place, the instruction of Ṛṣabhadeva, that parābhavas tāvad abodha-jāto. Abodha-jāto, everyone is born ignorant. So in ignorance, whatever you will act, that is our defeat; that is not our gain. The gain is only when you develop Kṛṣṅa consciousness. That is the only gain in this human form of life. Otherwise, whatever you gain, that is lost. Śrama eva hi kevalam [SB 1.2.8].

[The occupational activities a man performs according to his own position are only so much useless labor if they do not provoke attraction for the message of the Personality of Godhead.]

Simply wasting time, time and energy.

So Prahlāda Mahārāja says that "My dear friends..." He was teaching his class friends, who were five years old, and he said that durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma tad apy adhruvam arthadam, that "Our duty is, so long the next death does not appear, we should develop our dormant Kṛṣṅa consciousness." We should not wait. Just like Parīkṣit Mahārāja. Parīkṣit Mahārāja was given time, seven days. He was cursed by a brāhmaṅa boy that "Mahārāja, you shall die within seven days, bitten by a snake." So immediately, because he was emperor, so he understood that "I shall have to die." So he prepared himself. For seven days he tried to understand what is his relationship with Kṛṣṅa, or God.

So that is imitated at Bhāgavata-saptāha. But actually, Bhāgavata is not to be studied imitating Parīkṣit Mahārāja for seven days. No. In seven days we cannot understand even one verse of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, what to speak of the eighteen thousand verses. That is not possible. But it has become a fashion. Bhāgavata says, nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā. Naṣṭa-prāyeṣu abhadreṣu nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā [SB 1.2.18].

[By regular attendance in classes on the Bhāgavatam and by rendering of service to the pure devotee, all that is troublesome to the heart is almost completely destroyed, and loving service unto the Personality of Godhead, who is praised with transcendental songs, is established as an irrevocable fact.]

It is not for seven days; it is for all the life. Parīkṣit Mahārāja had no time more than seven days. Therefore he finished the whole Bhāgavata hearing in seven days.

The another instruction is that Parīkṣit Mahārāja had notice for seven days' duration of life, but we do not know whether seven days or seven minutes. It may be I am speaking now, immediately I can stop, because I am under completely under the control of the material nature. You know perhaps that one big officer of Indian government, I think he was the commander-in-chief, or something like that, he was eating in the feast in Japan, and on the table he died while eating. There was some trouble in the throat by eating fish, and some trouble was there, and he suffocated, died immediately.

So we cannot say whether we are going to live for seven days or seven minutes or seven hours. There is no guarantee. Immediately you can die. Therefore our duty is, before the next death comes, we must develop our Kṛṣṅa consciousness. We must be very serious. Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja says,

kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma tad apy adhruvam arthadam [SB 7.6.1]

We should take Kṛṣṅa consciousness so seriously, immediately, without waiting. And that is very simple also. If we simply understand the seriousness of the business, then we can immediately begin. Kṛṣṅa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṅaṁ vraja [Bg 18.66].

[Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear.]

We can do it immediately—immediately, without waiting for a second—and then Kṛṣṅa takes charge. Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ.

So it is not very difficult business. Simply we'll have to agree, "Yes, Kṛṣṅa. So long I did not surrender unto You. Now I immediately surrender unto You." Just like Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, he sang a very nice song, that arpiluṅ tuyā pade nanda-kiśora. Mānasa deho geho jo kichu mora [Śaraṅāgati]. He says that "Whatever I possess." First thing his mind, mānasa. Just like Ambarīṣa Mahārāja. First of all we have to give our mind to Kṛṣṅa, because mind is the creative force by which we become entangled.

In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that mind is the enemy or mind is the friend. If you can create your mind your friend, then there is immense profit Kṛṣṅa conscious. And if you create your mind enemy, the mind will drag you in so many things, you will forget your duty and responsibility of human life. Therefore yoga system, practicing yoga means controlling the mind. Controlling the mind. But the easiest process of yoga system is that you simply think of Kṛṣṅa always, then the perfection of yoga. Kṛṣṅa says it:

yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gataḥ antarātmanā śraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ sa me yuktatamo mataḥ [Bg 6.47]

[And of all yogīs, he who always abides in Me with great faith, worshiping Me in transcendental loving service, is most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all.]

He is the first-class yogī. Who? Who is thinking of Kṛṣṅa always within his mind.

So this Kṛṣṅa consciousness process, chanting of Hare Kṛṣṅa mantra, means to keep Kṛṣṅa always in mind. That is the perfection of yoga. And it is very easy. As soon as you chant Hare Kṛṣṅa, you hear it, then your mind becomes locked up. So therefore Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says, mānasa deho geho jo kichu mora: "Whatever I possess, my mind, my this body," mānasa deha geha, "and my home, my wife, my children, my friends...," at least my wife, my children. Home means wife and children.

mānasa deho geho jo kichu mora arpiluṅ tuyā pade nanda-kiśora [Śaraṅāgati]

Nanda-kiśora, Kṛṣṅa. Kṛṣṅa is known as Nanda-nandana, Nanda-kiśora, Nanda-kumāra, so many, Kṛṣṅa. Kṛṣṅa likes to be called like that. If you say simply "Kṛṣṅa," He is not so very satisfied. But if you call Him the son of Nanda Mahārāja, He is very pleased because the name of His devotee.

Kṛṣṅa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Nobody can be His father. He is the original person. Anādir ādir govindaḥ sarva-kāraṅa-kāraṅam [Bs 5.1].

[Kṛṣṅa who is known as Govinda is the Supreme Godhead. He has an eternal blissful spiritual body. He is the origin of all. He has no other origin and He is the prime cause of all causes.]

Who can be His father? But when He appears on this material world, He accepts one of His devotee as His father, one of His devotee as mother, in this way. Therefore, Kṛṣṅa is very much satisfied when His name..., when He is joined with His devotee's name.

So Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says,

mānasa deho geho jo kichu mora arpiluṅ tuyā pade nanda-kiśora mārobi rākhobi jo icchā tohārā

"Now You can kill me or You can give me protection, whatever You like. That's all right." Nitya-dāsa prati tuyā adhikārā: "You have got all rights upon me, because I am Your eternal servant." This is called surrender. And Kṛṣṅa wants that, because that is my constitutional position, to surrender to Kṛṣṅa. If we do that, it does not take much time, but we attain the highest perfection of this bhāgavata-dharma. That is wanted.

So Prahlāda Mahārāja says that yad eva. Yad eva...

yathā hi purusasya iha viṣṅoḥ pādopasarpaṅam yad eṣa sarva-bhūtānāṁ priya ātmeśvaraḥ suhṛt [SB 7.6.2]

He has particularly mentioned the Supreme Personality of Godhead Viṣṅu. Kṛṣṅa is the original person of viṣṅu-tattva. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate [Bg 10.8].

[I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates from Me. The wise who know this perfectly engage in My devotional service and worship Me with all their hearts.]

So He is the origin of the three demigods Brahmā, Viṣṅu, Maheśvara. Mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate. Brahmā is born of Viṣṅu, and Śiva is born of Brahmā. Therefore... And Viṣṅu is born of Kṛṣṅa. Therefore He is the original person. Ātmeśvaraḥ, ātmeśvaraḥ viṣṅoḥ. Priya ātmeśvaraḥ suhṛt.

Kṛṣṅa says that He is suhṛt. Suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati. Kṛṣṅa says. Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram, suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ jñātvā [Bg 5.29].

[The sages, knowing Me as the ultimate purpose of all sacrifices and austerities, the Supreme Lord of all planets and demigods and the benefactor and well-wisher of all living entities, attain peace from the pangs of material miseries.]

One should know that our best friend is Kṛṣṅa. And ātmeśvaraḥ, and He is the Lord of me. I am ātmā and He is Paramātmā, ātmeśvaraḥ. Therefore, ultimately...

Now when there is danger, when there is danger, now we take care of our protection immediately. Ātmānaṁ sarvato rakṣet. Everyone is busy to protect himself. Why do we eat? Just to keep our body fit. And why do we keep our body fit? Because I can think nicely or I can realize myself. That is the purpose of keeping the body fit, not for eating. Yuktāhāra-vihārasya yogo bhavati siddhi-dā [Bg 6.17].

[He who is temperate in his habits of eating, sleeping, working and recreation can mitigate all material pains by practicing the yoga system.]

The real motive of life is to understand, or self-realize. One has to understand "What I am." So we have to keep this body not for eating but for keeping ourself fit to understand what I am. That is the purpose of life.

So here Prahlāda Mahārāja says first of all we can understand what I am. And when you understand, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ [Bg 15.7], "I am the eternal part and parcel of Kṛṣṅa..." Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṅa-dāsa [Cc Madhya 20.108-109]. This is self-realization, to understand one's own position, what I am. It is very simple. We have to accept it. The Bhagavad-gītā says that "I am...," that "The living entity is My part and parcel." In another chapter He says,

apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakṛtiṁ parā jīva-bhūtaḥ mahā-bāho yayedaṁ dhāryate jagat [Bg 7.5]

[Besides this inferior nature, O mighty-armed Arjuna, there is a superior energy of Mine, which are all living entities who are struggling with material nature and are sustaining the universe.]

So this ātmā..., I am ātmā, I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṅa. Prakṛti. I am not puruṣa. I am not bhoktā. This is the self-realization. So Prahlāda Mahārāja explains that, that yathā hi puruṣasya iha viṣṅoḥ pādopasarpaṅam. Our only duty is to worship Lord Viṣṅu. That is the Vedic injunction, tad viṣṅoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayaḥ.

So Prahlāda Mahārāja instructs that we should immediately engage ourself in satisfying Viṣṅu. That is the program of human civilization. Human civilization means one who accepts the varṅāśrama-dharma, because that is a program, gradually one can understand his relationship with Viṣṅu. Tad viṣṅoḥ paramaṁ padam. Here Prahlāda Mahārāja also says, viṣṅoḥ pādopasarpaṅam. Why Viṣṅu? That is explained here, that yad eva sarva-bhūtānāṁ priya, sarveśvaraḥ ātmā.

Everyone is very much attached. Now suppose there is some fire incidents at home. A man will forget all his wife and children; he will come out immediately to save himself, because we love ourself very much. It is a fact. Self-preservation is the first law of nature. We forget. Sometimes it does happen, one man has come out when there is fire in the house. And after coming out, he is crying, "Oh, my son is left. Son is left inside." Why? Why you left your son? Because you think, everyone thinks, that "My ātmā is very dear to me." And why ātmā is dear to him? Because the ātmā is the part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. Therefore, ultimately comes to the Supreme Lord. He is our dear, but we have forgotten. We have forgotten.

Prahlāda Mahārāja reminds. Priya ātmeśvaraḥ suhṛt. And He is actually suhṛt, the best friend. Don't consider that here in this material world some friend is helping you or somebody is helping you. No. They cannot be suhṛt. They have got some interest. Here in this material world it is business. If I become your friend, it means that I have got some ulterior motive to take some benefit out of your favor. Therefore you flatter. Kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ [Bg 7.20], the same process is to worship the demigods. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: kāmais tais tair hṛta jñānāḥ yajante anya-devatāḥ.

So here in this material world, either you worship some demigod or worship some leader or worship some friend, the ulterior motive is that you want to get some benefit from him. That's all. Therefore he is priya. But Kṛṣṅa, when you speak of Kṛṣṅa, there is no such business. Just like you love your ātmā very dearly, your life. Similarly, Kṛṣṅa being the ātmeśvaraḥ, the sum total of all ātmā, therefore ultimately Kṛṣṅa or Viṣṅu is our dear. Not only that; He is suhṛt. Kṛṣṅa is always thinking.

In the Upaniṣad also there is a verse that the Supersoul and the individual soul, they are sitting as friends on this tree, or body. The one is eating the fruits of that tree and other is witnessing. So what business has got Kṛṣṅa to witness your activities? No, He has got business because He wants to take you back to home, back to Godhead. Therefore He is suhṛt. Ātmeśvaraḥ suhṛt. Nobody is better friend than Kṛṣṅa. He is always thinking, "How this bewildered individual soul can be brought back to home, back to Godhead?" He personally comes, therefore, canvassing. Sarva-guhyatamam. "The most confidential part of knowledge I am giving you, Arjuna, that you surrender unto Me. That is better."

Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṅam [Bg 18.66].

[Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear.]

He is canvassing door to door. He is coming from Vaikuṅṭha, from Vṛndāvana, to teach us how you can become friend of Kṛṣṅa in Vṛndāvana, how you can become mother of Kṛṣṅa, how you can become father of Kṛṣṅa. Here the jñānīs, they try to be equal with Kṛṣṅa, but a devotee can become the father of Kṛṣṅa. What is the value of equality? It is greater than equality. Kṛṣṅa is so kind, He accepts His devotee as father and He accepts his punishment also. Just like Kṛṣṅa accepted the punishment of Mother Yaśodā very willfully.

He wants that. He likes that. Because everyone goes to God, Nārāyaṅa, Viṣṅu, and prays with adoration and respect. But Kṛṣṅa wants that one may think of Him as inferior to him. Just like Nanda Mahārāja was thinking, "He is my child. I have to protect." Kṛṣṅa is giving protection to everyone, but Nanda Mahārāja is thinking that "I have to give protection to Kṛṣṅa." This is the devotee's position.

So He is so nice friend that whatever enjoyment you want in this material world, that will break. If you have got a son, either the son will leave you or you have to leave your son. But if you accept Kṛṣṅa as your son, this is eternal relationship. You will never be cheated. If you accept Kṛṣṅa as friend, you will never be cheated. If you accept Kṛṣṅa as lover, you will never be confused. So therefore Kṛṣṅa is actually ātmeśvaraḥ suhṛt. Prahlāda Mahārāja teaching that, that "Just take to this bhāgavata-dharma." Actually you want to love Kṛṣṅa, but by the intervening of māyā, you are loving something else. That will not make you happy. You just try to love Kṛṣṅa.

Then in the next verse he says,

sukham aindriyakaṁ daityā deha-yogena dehinām sarvatra labhyate daivād yathā duḥkham ayatnataḥ [SB 7.6.3]

That is a regular argument we meet everywhere, that if everyone becomes Kṛṣṅa conscious, then how this world will go on? How our maintenance will be earned? That answer is given by Prahlāda Mahārāja, that here in this material world, our happiness is in relationship with our senses, sense gratification. Suppose if I put one nice rasagullā, sweetmeat, in my mouth, my tongue tastes it very nicely a kind of sense gratification, so I think I am happy.

Similarly, you can study the relationship with all other senses. Especially in this material world our sex sense, the happiness from the sex life, is considered to be very high, and people are struggling hard for that happiness. That is also stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham [SB 7.9.45].

[Sex life is compared to the rubbing of two hands to relieve an itch. Gṛhamedhīs, so-called gṛhasthas who have no spiritual knowledge, think that this itching is the greatest platform of happiness, although actually it is a source of distress. The kṛpaṅas, the fools who are just the opposite of brāhmaṅas, are not satisfied by repeated sensuous enjoyment. Those who are dhīra, however, who are sober and who tolerate this itching, are not subjected to the sufferings of fools and rascals.]

Gṛhamedhi means those who are too much attached to this worldly life. Their point of happiness is sex life, maithunādi. But it is tuccham, it is very insignificant.

So Prahlāda Mahārāja says that even we accept that is happiness in relation to your senses, sense enjoyment, sukham aindriyakam... Aindriyakam means in relationship with the senses. He says, sukham aindriyakaṁ daityā. He is addressing his friends as daityā, because they are born of atheistic family. Daitya and deva. Deva means born of Vaiṣṅava family, and daitya means born of demon family. So he is particularly addressing daitya. He is teaching among the daityas because preaching is required among the daityas. Those who are devas, they know; they do not require any preaching. They know that kṛṣṅas tu bhagavān svayam [SB 1.3.28].

[All of the above-mentioned incarnations are either plenary portions or portions of the plenary portions of the Lord, but Lord Śrī Kṛṣṅa is the original Personality of Godhead. All of them appear on planets whenever there is a disturbance created by the atheists. The Lord incarnates to protect the theists.]

The ultimate, tad viṣṅoḥ paramaṁ padam, they know it. But the daityas who do not know it, their preaching is required.

So Prahlāda Mahārāja is instructing, "My dear daityas, my dear daitya friends," that "you are busy after the sense gratification. That has become your only business, how to gratify the senses." Sukham aindriyakaṁ daityā deha-yogena dehinām. Deha-yogena. So that your happiness has already been fixed up on the creation of your particular type of body. Just like a man is born or a dog is born.

So according to the dog's body, he will have particular type of sense enjoyment. If one has got the hog's body, so according to that body, he will be inclined to eat stool. If you offer a hog one side stool and one side halavā, he will prefer to take the stool, not this halavā, because his body has been made for that type of happiness. Just try to understand; it is very scientific. The standard of happiness is according to the body you have got.

So Prahlāda Mahārāja says that this sense gratification process is already fixed up. You cannot increase it or decrease it. That is stated here. Sarvatra labhyate daivād. Daivāt means by the arrangement of the Supreme. That is arranged. Sarvatra labhyate, sense gratification. Now take for example the hog. He is also busy in sense gratification. He is eating stool and becoming fatty, and as soon as there is sex desire, without any discrimination he enjoys many she-hogs, never mind sister or mother, because the life is so made that he will enjoy in this way.

So Prahlāda Mahārāja says that according to the body, your happiness and distress or enjoyment. We do not know what is our happiness. According to body, I think this is the standard of happiness. Somebody thinks that "By eating such-and-such thing, I will be happy," just like the hog. And somebody thinks, "No, this is not." One man's food, another man's poison. So everything is food and everything is poison according to the body. One thing is poison for me, but the same poison is food for others. That is for enjoyment.

Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja says that don't bother about that thing to satisfy your senses; that is already fixed up according to your body. Instead of wasting your energy in that way for so-called happiness, you just try to understand what is Kṛṣṅa consciousness, what is bhāgavata-dharma. Just engage your energy. It is very nice instruction. People are busy all over the world for having a certain type of sense gratification. But Prahlāda Mahārāja says, "Don't bother yourself for that. It is already there; you will get it."

In another instruction by Nārada, he says,

tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovido na labhyate yad bhramatām upary adhaḥ tal labhyate duḥkhavad anyataḥ sukhaṁ kālena sarvatra gabhīra-raṁhasā [SB 1.5.18]

That tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovido. Our endeavor, our energy, should be used solely and wholly for understanding what is bhāgavata-dharma, or Kṛṣṅa consciousness, not for anything else. It may be very revolutionary, but this is a fact. You cannot gain anything more than what you are destined, suffering and enjoyment. Tasyaiva. But you can try for Kṛṣṅa consciousness. That independence has been given to you. You can make your choice.

Just like Kṛṣṅa asking Arjuna, yathecchasi tathā kuru [Bg 18.63]: "My dear Arjuna, now I have given you instruction of Bhagavad-gītā. Now whatever you like you can do." That independence is given to us. We may accept Kṛṣṅa or we may reject Kṛṣṅa. That independence is there. But actually our business should be to accept Kṛṣṅa, not reject Kṛṣṅa. That will make us happy.

So Prahlāda Mahārāja's instruction is very nice. We shall talk more next day. Now thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṅa. [end]