Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.9.8

Prabhupāda: English. Yesterday I spoke in Bengali, is that alright?

Devotee: [Bengali]

Prabhupāda: What shall I say?

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: Speak English. English.

Prabhupāda: You requested me to speak in English.

Tamāla Kṛṣṅa: What did you want? [break]

Prabhupāda: Prahlāda Mahārāja says, brahmādayaḥ sura-ganā munayo 'tha siddhāḥ [SB 7.9.8]. Brahmādayaḥ: amongst the demigods the head is Lord Brahmā, brahma ādayaḥ. Ādi-kavi. Brahmā is known as ādi-kavi, the first living creature within this universe. Because when this universe was created, the first living being visible was Brahmā. Then from Brahmā, Lord Śiva appeared. Brahmā śiva viriñci. And Viṣṅu is the origin. From Viṣṅu's navel, lotus flower, Brahmā appeared; and from Brahmā, Lord Śiva appeared. Lord Śiva's another name is Rudra.

When Lord Brahmā created the four Kumāras—Sanaka, Sanātana, Sananda, Sanat-kumāra—so Brahmā asked them, "My dear boys, you just marry and advance the progeny, create more sons and grandsons." They refused. They said, "My dear father, we are not going to marry. We shall remain brahmacārī." So naturally, when father's order is disobeyed, he becomes angry. So Brahmā became angry, and his eyes became red.

At that time, from the red eyes the Rudra, Lord Śiva, appeared. So he was asked to increase the progeny, and he begot many thousands of demons. Then he was stopped, that "No more your progeny." Then Dakṣa and others, they were asked. Dakṣa Mahārāja was very expert in giving birth. He was giving birth hundred children at a time. Therefore his name is Dakṣa, "very expert in giving birth to children." So in this way, creation was there, sons and grandsons. Manu is also one of the sons of Brahmā.

So brahmādayaḥ, Brahmā is ādi, ādi-kavi. He was instructed by Kṛṣṅa, tene brahma ādi-kavaye. Lord Kṛṣṅa, He instructed Brahmā to spread knowledge, Vedic knowledge, all over the universe. Tene. Tene means broadcasted, expanded. So tene brahma, brahma means śabda-brahma, Vedas. Hṛda. One may question how Brahmā was instructed. So that is also stated: hṛda. Hṛda means from within the heart. So therefore, Kṛṣṅa is also caitya-guru, a guru, spiritual master, within the heart. Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭhaḥ.

In the Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṅa says that "I am situated in everyone's heart." Sarvasya ca ahaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭaḥ. Sarvasya cāham hṛdi sanniviṣṭo mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca [Bg 15.15]:

[I am seated in everyone's heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness. By all the Vedas am I to be known; indeed I am the compiler of Vedānta, and I am the knower of the Vedas.]

"From Me one can remember, one can forget." How is that? Kṛṣṅa helps one to remember and one's helps..., one helps..., He helps one to forget. That is also replied in the Bhagavad-gītā: ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham [Bg 4.11].

[All of them—as they surrender unto Me—I reward accordingly. Everyone follows My path in all respects, O son of Pṛthā.]

If you want to forget Kṛṣṅa, Kṛṣṅa will give you facilities to forget Him forever. And if you want to remember Kṛṣṅa, He will give you facilities to remember Him.

That means Kṛṣṅa has given us little independence. Independence, because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṅa, and Kṛṣṅa is fully independent, sva-rāṭ. Janmādy asya yataḥ anvayād itarataś ca artheṣu abhijñaḥ svarāṭ [SB 1.1.1]. He is fully independent. But we are, because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṅa, we have got also little independence. That quality is there. Kṛṣṅa does not touch that independence quality. You can utilize it. You can use it properly; you can misuse it also. That is independence.

Kṛṣṅa does not force that "You must do this." He can give you instruction. Just like Kṛṣṅa gives instruction, 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.]

Now it is my independence: I can give up everything, all other engagements, and I can simply surrender to Kṛṣṅa; and I cannot also, I may not. If I don't like, Kṛṣṅa does not interfere. Kṛṣṅa says, "Whatever you like, you do." Yathecchasi tathā kuru [Bg 18.63]. That is, Kṛṣṅa says to Arjuna, "Now whatever you like, you do." So this independence is always there.

Now when we misuse this independence... Our relationship with Kṛṣṅa: to serve. Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṅa-dāsa [Cc Madhya 20.108-109]. Therefore Kṛṣṅa orders, "You surrender!" Just like we sometimes order our servants or subordinates, sons, disciples, "You do this! Don't talk!" So Kṛṣṅa can order that, because He is the Supreme. Any superior personality can order like that. But unfortunately, we misuse. We don't carry out the order of the superior. That is misuse.

So any subordinate who does not carry the order of the master, he is dangerous. He is dangerous. That is spoken by Cānakya Paṅḍita: bhṛtyaś cottara-dāyakaḥ. Bhṛtyaś cottara-dāyakaḥ. Bhṛtyaḥ, subordinate, servant, if he is giving reply... Cānakya Paṅḍita, you know Cāṅakya-śloka; he is a great politician as well as moral instructor. So he has said, duṣṭā bhāryā, his wife is duṣṭa, polluted.

Wife becomes polluted if she is attracted by somebody else more than her husband. She is called polluted. Duṣṭā bhāryā ṣaṭhaṁ mitram: and friend playing duplicity. Duṣṭā bhāryā śaṭhaṁ mitraṁ bhṛtyaś cottara-dāyakaḥ: and servant replying to the order. Master says, "You do this first!" "Sir, we have got so many business, this and that, we shall do it." Oh, that is a dangerous thing.

duṣṭā-bhāryā śaṭhaṁ mitraṁ bhṛtyaś ca uttara-dāyakaḥ sa-sarpe ca gṛhe vāso mṛtyur eva na saṁśayaḥ [Cāṅakya Paṅḍita]

So these four things: unfaithful wife, a duplic..., I mean, a cheating friend, and servant disobeying order, and a snake within the room, all these things are causes or the..., will cause death at any time. At any time, they can do anything. There are many instances. So these moral instruction are very nice, given by Cānakya Paṅḍita. So all living entities who have disobeyed the order of Kṛṣṅa, sarva-dharmān parityajya.... [Bg 18.66]

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

That is the principle. Every living entity must be obedient to Kṛṣṅa. But by misuse of his little independence, if he does not obey the orders of Kṛṣṅa, he immediately becomes arrested by māyā.

kṛṣṅa bhuliya jīva bhoga vañcha kare pāśate māyā tāre jāpaṭiyā dhare [Prema-vivarta]

[When an individual soul forgets his eternal relationship with God and tries to lord it over the material nature or resources, that condition, that forgetful condition, is called māyā, or illusion.]

Immediately. That is the law. daivī hi eṣā guṅamayī mama māyā duratyayā [Bg 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.]

He has to obey. But if he disobeys the order of Kṛṣṅa, he must come down to the jurisdiction of māyā to be forced to obey the orders of material nature.

So brahmādayaḥ. Everyone, everyone is servant of Kṛṣṅa. That is stated in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, ekale īśvara kṛṣṅa. Īśvara means controller, order-giver. That is one. Ekale īśvara kṛṣṅa āra saba bhṛtya [Cc Ādi 5.142].

[Lord Kṛṣṅa alone is the supreme controller, and all others are His servants. They dance as He makes them do so.]

All others, they are...

[break] ...it is said, śiva-viriñci-nutaṁ śaraṅyam bhṛtyārti-ham, vande mahā-puruṣa te caraṅāravindam [SB 11.5.33].

[My dear Lord, You are the Mahā-puruṣa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and I worship Your lotus feet, which are the only eternal object of meditation. Those feet destroy the embarrassing conditions of material life and freely award the greatest desire of the soul, the attainment of pure love of Godhead. My dear Lord, Your lotus feet are the shelter of all holy places and of all saintly authorities in the line of devotional service and are honored by powerful demigods like Lord Śiva and Lord Brahmā. My Lord, You are so kind that You willingly protect all those who simply bow down to You with respect, and thus You mercifully relieve all the distress of Your servants. In conclusion, my Lord, Your lotus feet are actually the suitable boat for crossing over the ocean of birth and death, and therefore even Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva seek shelter at Your lotus feet.]

Śiva-viriñci-nutaṁ. Brahmā. Viriñci means Brahmā, and śivaḥ means Lord Śiva. They also offer obeisances unto the lotus feet of Kṛṣṅa, Viṣṅu. Oṁ tad viṣṅoḥ paramaṁ padam. That is Ṛg Veda mantra, that Viṣṅu is paraṁ padam, supreme. And Viṣṅu is partial expansion of Lord Kṛṣṅa—Mahā-Viṣṅu, not ordinary Viṣṅu.

There are different types of Viṣṅu also. Mahā-Viṣṅu... From Mahā-Viṣṅu there is Garbhodak... Mahā-Viṣṅu is called Kāraṅodakaśāyī Viṣṅu. And this Kāraṅodakaśāyī Viṣṅu enters in every universe as Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṅu. And this Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṅu again expands as Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṅu. These are viṣṅu-tattvas. But this original Kāraṅodakaśāyī Viṣṅu is plenary expansion of Kṛṣṅa. That is explained in the Brahmā-saṁhitā:

yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya jīvanti loma-bilajā jagad-aṅḍa-nāthāḥ viṣṅur mahān sa iha yasya kalā-viśeṣo govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi [Bs 5.48]

[Brahmā and other lords of the mundane worlds, appearing from the pores of hair of Mahā-Viṣṅu, remain alive as long as the duration of one exhalation of the latter [Mahā-Viṣṅu]. I adore the primeval Lord Govinda of whose subjective personality Mahā-Viṣṅu is the portion of portion.]

Viṣṅu, Mahā-Viṣṅu, His description is given, yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṅḍa-nāthāḥ. Mahā-Viṣṅu is so big—He is lying in the Causal Ocean—that many innumerable quantity of universes are coming out by His exhaling and in..., exhaling. And from the pores of His body, innumerable universes are coming. And the Brahmā lives only during the exhaling and inhaling time, that's all. Yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṅḍa-nāthāḥ, viṣṅur mahān sa iha yasya kāla-viśeṣo [Bs 5.48]. This Mahā-Viṣṅu is portion of the portion of Kṛṣṅa's expansion.

Just like Kṛṣṅa says... This... This Mahā-Viṣṅu and Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṅu is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. When Kṛṣṅa... When Arjuna was asking Kṛṣṅa about His vibhūti, about His power, so He summarized, athavā bahunaitena kim jñātena tavārjuna: "How much I shall explain about My power and energy?" Vistabhya aham ekamsena sthito jagat [Bg 10.42].

[But what need is there, Arjuna, for all this detailed knowledge? With a single fragment of Myself I pervade and support this entire universe.]

Aham, "I enter in one of My plenary portion, that is Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṅu. I maintain the whole material cosmic manifestation." Ekāṁśena sthito jagat.

So there are innumerable, numberless universes. We cannot account for one universe even. We do not know how many planets and stars are there. When we are very much advanced in scientific knowledge, we are trying to go to the moon planet after spending millions and trillions of dollars. But still we could not fix up anything in the moon planet. That is the nearest planet. And what to speak of other planets. There are innumerable planets. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagadaṅḍa-koṭi-koṭiṣv aśeṣa-vasudhādi vibhūti-bhinnam [Bs 5.40].

[I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, whose effulgence is the source of the nondifferentiated Brahman mentioned in the Upaniṣads, being differentiated from the infinity of glories of the mundane universe appears as the indivisible, infinite, limitless, truth.]

So these are the explanation.

So the Brahmā, you have one Brahmā; there are innumerable Brahmas and innumerable Śivas and innumerable demigods, as many universes are there. Innumerable suns and moons and planet. Innumerable. And all this taken together, that becomes one fourth of the whole creation of God. Ekāṁśena sthito jagat [Bg 10.42]. The three-fourth portion of Kṛṣṅa's creation, God's creation, is in the Vaikuṅṭha jagat. Paras tasmāt tu bhāvo 'nyo 'vyakto 'vyaktāt sanātanaḥ [Bg 8.20].

There is another nature, that is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, which is permanent. Within this material nature, all these universes, they stay during the lifetime of Brahmā; and as soon as Brahmā dies, everything is finished. Such Brahmā, such powerful Brahmā, they also offer obeisances to Kṛṣṅa. Therefore, here it is said, brahmādayaḥ sura-gaṅā. Brahmādayaḥ: not only Brahmā, but others—Brahmā, Śiva, and Indra, Candra, Varuna, so many. There are many crores of demigods, as many planets there are.

So they offered Narasiṁha-deva their prayers to pacify Him, but they could not. Therefore, Prahlāda Mahārāja says that if brahmādayaḥ sura-gaṅā siddhāḥ... Here Śrīdhara Swami says, munayo manana śīla siddhyaḥ jñānino 'pi [?]. Manano śīla. Manano śīla means speculators, philosophers. Muni means one who can think very deeply, manano śīla. Those who can expand by thinking, feeling and willing can write volumes of books. There are many you know in our country, they are called manano śīla.

They take pleasure by mental speculation, manano śīla, and they are men of knowledge also, jñanino 'pi. Munayo manana śīla siddhyaḥ jñānino 'pi [Śrīdhara Swami]. And what kind of...? These great sages and saintly persons, what is their qualification? They are situated in knowledge, in sattva-guṅa, in light. They are not in darkness. Although they are not in darkness, but without being in the platform of sattva-guṅa, nobody can become very intelligent person, philosopher, or mental speculator also. Their position is very high in the material calculation. So such persons, api, [Sanskrit] [Śrīdhara Swami], they are also unable to satisfy.

Just like if a man becomes angry, so somebody tries to satisfy him. Just like somebody... Sometimes our small child becomes angry and cries very loudly, and the parents satisfy, "My dear boy, you are so nice. Why you are crying? You can take this," just to pacify. Similarly, when Narasiṁha-deva became very angry for killing... Because He was angry because Hiraṅyakaśipu teased his devotee, Prahlāda, so much. Therefore, He was very, very angry. Vaiṣṅava-aparādha. If anyone offends a Vaiṣṅava, a pure devotee of Kṛṣṅa, he is the greatest offender. Kṛṣṅa never excuses. That I explained yesterday. It is very... Vaiṣṅava-aparādha is the greatest dangerous offense.

Therefore, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, in His teaching to Sri Rūpa Goswāmī, He has especially, vaiṣṅava-aparādha hātī mātā [Cc Madhya 19.156]. You are doing everything... He has compared vaiṣṅava-aparādha as mad elephant. He has very nicely metaphorically explained this. Just like you have a nice garden, very good garden, you are watering, you are giving protection, giving manure, everything. But if in that garden a mad elephant enters, then it will destroy everything; all your labor will go to hell immediately. It will destroy everything.

Similarly, you may do anything very nicely; but if you commit offense at the feet of a pure Vaiṣṅava, then all your assets will be immediately vanquished. Vaiṣṅava-aparādha. Because Kṛṣṅa is very angry. Tān ahaṁ dviṣataḥ krūrān kṣipāmy ajasram yoniṣu [Bg 16.19], in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said. Kṛṣṅa said, dviṣataḥ krūrān. Dviṣataḥ, those who are envious upon Vaiṣṅava and Viṣṅu, the more dangerous position is to be envious of a Vaiṣṅava. Viṣṅu-aparādha can be excused—God is very kind—but He never excuses vaiṣṅava-aparādha. That is His vow.

So because He was very angry, therefore all the Brahmās and other demigods offered Him prayer: "Sir, be pacified. The demon is now killed. Now You can become peaceful," but they could not satisfy. Hiraṅyakaśipu after killing, He was so roaring in anger. So Prahlāda Mahārāja was pushed on, "My dear Prahlāda," all the Brahmās and other demigods, that "you pacify your master. We have failed." So Prahlāda Mahārāja said that "When these big, big stalwart demigods have failed... They are situated in sattva-guṅa, in the modes of goodness, and they offered so nice prayers, they failed. What I can do? I am born of a father who is full of rāja-guṅa and tama-guṅa."

He therefore said that kiṁ toṣṭum arhati sa me harir ugra-jāteḥ [SB 7.9.8]. Ugra-jāteḥ, "I am born of ugra, strong, strong qualities." Not strong quality. What do you call? Pungent. These rāja-guṅa and tama-guṅa is called pungent. Just like you take chili. Chili is tama-guṅa; that is the symptom of tama-guṅa. As soon as you chew, it becomes hot, everything. You see? So ugra, ugra. And sattva-guṅa is sweetness, so sweetness. Therefore, ordinarily in India it is stated that a brāhmaṅa is known who can eat more sweets. [laughter] Yes.

It is said that there was a king, he was giving shelter to all the brāhmaṅas. He had a guesthouse. Guesthouse, so any brāhmaṅa can stay there. So many non-brāhmaṅas also were coming. So the order was that the brāhmaṅa can stay there, and there was a store, he can take his supplies from the store and eat and live there peacefully. And the storekeeper was submitting bill to the king that "Your guest has taken so many things. Kindly pay." So he was paying. So he was testing by the bill. If he would see the bill contains more spices and chilis, he will ask immediately, "Drag this man. He is not a brāhmaṅa." [laughter]

"Drag this man. He is not a brāhmaṅa." So be careful, don't take much. I know you don't take much. But if you take too much chilis and spices, then you will be considered amongst the non-brāhmaṅas. You can take more sweets. [laughter] [laughs] So if the bill was submitted containing more sugar, then he would accept, "Yes, that man is brāhmaṅa." [laughter] [laughs] So these three guṅas means sweet, salt and chili. Sattva-guṅa is sweet, and rāja-guṅa is salt, and tama-guṅa is chili.

So here it is said that "All the siddhas, all these demigods, they are on the sattvaikatāna-gatayo, they are all situated in the modes of goodness, and they have offered their prayers but could not pacify the Lord, then what I can do? I am born of a person ugra-jāteḥ, born of chili father." [laughter] "What I can do, I mean to say, because I am born of a chili father." [laughter] Then he considers that gunair api, jam nārādhituṁ na pipruḥ tat purna saktai tyaktva sa harir me katham toṣṭum praptam arhati [SB 7.9.8]. Sa hareḥ, "That Supreme Personality of Godhead, how He can be pacified by me?" Toṣṭum arhati.

In other words, that God consciousness, Kṛṣṅa consciousness, cannot be achieved by persons who are polluted by the chili quality and salt quality, or tama-guṅa and raja-guṅa, rajas tamaḥ. Rajas tamo bhāvāḥ [SB 1.2.19].

[As soon as irrevocable loving service is established in the heart, the effects of nature's modes of passion and ignorance, such as lust, desire and hankering, disappear from the heart. Then the devotee is established in goodness, and he becomes completely happy.]

If we are infected with... There are three qualities within this material world: sattva-guṅa, raja-guṅa, tama-guṅa. So generally people are infected with tama-guṅa and raja-guṅa. There are very few persons who are under the sattva-guṅa. But Kṛṣṅa says that one can overcome the influence of raja-guṅa and tama-guṅa by simply hearing about Kṛṣṅa in the Bhagavad-gītā or from the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. That is the recommendation.

The recommendation is, śṛṅvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṅaḥ puṅya-śravaṅa-kīrtanaḥ [SB 1.2.17].

[Śrī Kṛṣṅa, the Personality of Godhead, who is the Paramātmā [Supersoul] in everyone's heart and the benefactor of the truthful devotee, cleanses desire for material enjoyment from the heart of the devotee who has developed the urge to hear His messages, which are in themselves virtuous when properly heard and chanted.]

Śṛṅvataṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṅaḥ. Kṛṣṅa, as I already told you, Kṛṣṅa is situated in everyone's heart. So when people are anxious to hear about Kṛṣṅa, this is the only qualification. Just like you are so kind, you are anxious to hear about Kṛṣṅa because here there is no other business than Kṛṣṅa. All of you who have come here, it is due to your anxiousness to hear about Kṛṣṅa. Because our Society's name is "Kṛṣṅa Consciousness." When I registered this society, some friend suggested that "Why don't you make it 'God Consciousness'?"

I said "No. God means Kṛṣṅa." Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṅah [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.]

God means..., the Supreme God means Kṛṣṅa. Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat [Bg 7.7].

[O conqueror of wealth [Arjuna], there is no Truth superior to Me. Everything rests upon Me, as pearls are strung on a thread.]

So Kṛṣṅa is the Supreme God. If we say 'God,' it remains a vague thing. It is not clearly understood. Everyone can be God. 'God,' this word can be applied to everyone. God means controller. So everyone can be controller. Therefore, we have distinctly mentioned Kṛṣṅa, Kṛṣṅa consciousness.

So in our Society, anyone who joins, that means he is interested in Kṛṣṅa, little. May not be very much. At least, they come here out of inquisitiveness to hear what they speak about Kṛṣṅa, what do they do about Kṛṣṅa. But our..., everything is open. There is no secrecy. We worship Kṛṣṅa, we think of Kṛṣṅa, we work for Kṛṣṅa, we glorify Kṛṣṅa, we chant for Kṛṣṅa, we dedicate our life for Kṛṣṅa. That's all. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru [Bg 18.65].

[Always think of Me and 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.]

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.]

Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etām taran... This is our philosophy. We think of Kṛṣṅa, as Kṛṣṅa says; we are devotees of Kṛṣṅa, man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ; we worship Kṛṣṅa, mad-yājī; we offer our obeisance to Kṛṣṅa, māṁ namaskuru. This is our... Sarva-dharmān parityajya, we have no other religion. We don't approve any other religion except Kṛṣṅa consciousness. This is our philosophy.

So anyone who comes to this Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement or contributes something for pushing on this movement, he becomes immediately benefited. Immediately. Because Kṛṣṅa, about Kṛṣṅa it is said, śṛṅvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṅaḥ puṅya-śravaṅa-kīrtanaḥ [SB 1.2.17]. Kṛṣṅa is there within your heart. As soon as He sees that you are trying to do something for Kṛṣṅa, immediately he becomes favorably disposed upon you. Even if you don't get anything, you become pious, puṅya-śravaṅa-kīrtanaḥ. Even if you don't...

Just like I am speaking in English. There are many audience here, they may not understand English. But even if you do not understand, because you are hearing, you are getting the result of pious activities. Puṅya-śravaṅa-kīrtanaḥ. It does not mean that you have to understand each and every word. Because you are allowing your ear to receive the sound vibration, you are being benefited. Puṅya-śravaṅa-kīrtanaḥ. Śṛṅvataṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṅaḥ.

So if you... Please, simply hear what is going on here. That is also beneficial, puṅya. Puṅya-śravaṅa-kīrtanaḥ. Simply hearing, chanting, you join with us chanting Hare Kṛṣṅa, you hear Hare Kṛṣṅa, then you become pious. Puṅya-śravaṅa-kīrtanaḥ. Kṛṣṅa is so nice. Bhavadbhir loka-maṅgalam [SB 1.2.5]. Suta Gosvāmī said that the kṛṣṅa-sampraśna, because you have inquired about Kṛṣṅa, so it is loka-maṅgalam, it is very much beneficial to the whole world. This saṅkīrtana movement is like that.

Anywhere we are going, we are making the whole atmosphere purified. It is not here in India; we have got branches all over the world. In Africa, even those black men, they are also. Because in the spiritual world there is no such consideration the black, white, because it is the spiritual platform. The spirit soul is neither black, neither white, neither yellow. This is dress. Just like within the dress we are everyone. The dress may be black, white, yellow; that does not matter.

So our this movement invites everyone, because it is Kṛṣṅa consciousness. Śṛṅvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṅaḥ puṅya-śravaṅa-kīrtanaḥ [SB 1.2.17]. If you please come and hear about Kṛṣṅa, then Kṛṣṅa becomes favorably disposed, that "Now this soul, this individual soul, is now inclined to hear about Me." So He gives facilities. What is that facility? The facility is that within our heart there are so many dirty things. Therefore, we cannot understand Kṛṣṅa. So Kṛṣṅa helps in washing the dirty matter within our heart. Śṛṅvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṅaḥ puṅya-śravaṅa-kīrtanaḥ, hṛdy antaḥ stho abhadrāṅi [SB 1.2.17].

[Śrī Kṛṣṅa, the Personality of Godhead, who is the Paramātmā [Supersoul] in everyone's heart and the benefactor of the truthful devotee, cleanses desire for material enjoyment from the heart of the devotee who has developed the urge to hear His messages, which are in themselves virtuous when properly heard and chanted.]

Abhadrāṅi.

Abhadrāṅi means especially this raja-guṅa and tama-guṅa. This is abhadrāṅi. And sattva-guṅa is bhadrāṅi. Therefore, those who are on the platform of sattva-guṅa, goodness, they are gentlemen. Before coming to the platform of sattva-guṅa, nobody can be gentleman. Gentleman means cool-headed, who can understand things as they are. He is called gentleman.

So abhadrāṅi, in this human society, because these abhadrani, raja-guṅa and tama-guṅa, has increased, practically we can say there is no gentlemen. There is no gentlemen. Because they cannot understand what is life, what is the value of life. Just like the animal cannot understand what is the value of life. Animals, they are generally in tama-guṅa, and some animals in raja-guṅa. Just like lion. Lion is raja-guṅa, and the hog and dog and others, they are in the tama-guṅa. So animals are in the raja-guṅa, tama-guṅa.

So the formula is... Caitanya Mahāprabhu gives this formula, that if you hear Hare Kṛṣṅa mantra, then ceto-darpaṅa-mārjanam [Cc Antya 20.12],

[Let there be all victory for the chanting of the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṅa, which can cleanse the mirror of the heart and stop the miseries of the blazing fire of material existence. That chanting is the waxing moon that spreads the white lotus of good fortune for all living entities. It is the life and soul of all education. The chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṅa expands the blissful ocean of transcendental life. It gives a cooling effect to everyone and enables one to taste full nectar at every step.]

then Kṛṣṅa will help you in washing the abominable things, raja-guṅa and tama-guṅa. The raja-guṅa and tama-guṅa, if it is washed, then you become situated in sattva-guṅa. You are promoted. But if you are promoted directly to Kṛṣṅa consciousness, then you transcend all the three qualities, tama-guṅa, raja-guṅa and sattva-guṅa. That is also stated by Kṛṣṅa: sa guṅān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate [Bg 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.]

Who? Māṁ ca 'vyabhicāriṅa bhakti-yogena yaḥ sevate. Avyabhicāreṅa, not mixed quality; pure.

These boys, European and American boys, people admire because they have been given immediately lift to the position of transcendental life. Sa guṅān samatītyaitān [Bg 14.26]. They have been helped to jump over the transcendental platform. How? Vidhi-bhakti, avyabhicāriṅi-bhakti. Avyabhicāriṅi-bhakti. Vyabhicāriṅi means some day I do something, some day I do not do that. That is called vyabhicāriṅi: not fixed up. But if you follow regularly the rules and regulation, vidhi-bhakti, to rise early in the morning, to offer maṅgala-ārati, then read granthas, chant Hare Kṛṣṅa, then dress the Deity, then again offer something, in this way that there is regular, routine work, that is called vidhi-bhakti. Viddhi, viddhi means he must; he cannot neglect it.

Just like your legislative assembly is called Vidhan Sabha. Vidhan Sabha means whatever is enacted there, you must follow. That is the state order. Similarly, there are rules and regulation which one must follow. Then vidhi-bhakti. As soon as he accepts these rules and regulation and offers Kṛṣṅa service under that rules and regulation, immediately he is in the transcendental platform. Immediately.

Sa guṅān samatītyaitān [Bg 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.]

Etān means all these three qualities, tama-guṅa, raja-guṅa and sattva-guṅa. Sattva-guṅa is good so far material consideration is there, but that is not perfect. Because from sattva-guṅa, if you are not very strict... Just like we have seen. Sattva-guṅa means the quality of brāhmaṅa. Now the brahminical qualification is now fallen. They are not so very strict following the brahminical principles. So there is chance of falling down. But if you keep yourself on the transcendental platform, aprakṛti, that is, beyond the material world, then there is no falldown. Brahmā-bhuyāya kalpate. Falldown there is, if you are neglectful, but generally there is no chance of falldown. Sa guṅān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate.

So you have to situate yourself in the Brahman platform. Brahman platform means pure, uncontaminated by the material qualities. That is called Brahman platform. Brahmā-bhutaḥ prasannātmā [Bg 18.54].

[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.]

There are many such statements. So this is Brahman platform. The brahma-jñāni, impersonalist, they think simply by coming to the Brahman platform, business is finished now. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. No. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi is there, but what is the duty of the Brahman? That they do not know. Just like again I say the same example. Just like you are going to the moon planet. So the so-called aeronautics, they are going: "Now we have come to moon planet." That's nice, but stay there. Unless you stay there, it is useless. It is useless. Actually, they could not stay there. Why they come back? Why they come back? That is either false or they have no qualification to stay there.

So who cannot stay in the Brahman platform? The nondevotee. That is stated. Āruhya kṛcchreṅa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adhaḥ [SB 10.2.32].

[[Someone may say that aside from devotees, who always seek shelter at the Lord's lotus feet, there are those who are not devotees but who have accepted different processes for attaining salvation. What happens to them? In answer to this question, Lord Brahmā and the other demigods said:] O lotus-eyed Lord, although nondevotees who accept severe austerities and penances to achieve the highest position may think themselves liberated, their intelligence is impure. They fall down from their position of imagined superiority because they have no regard for Your lotus feet.]

Just like as you go to the moon planet but if you cannot stay there, you must have to come down again to this planet, similarly, one may rise up to the Brahman platform, paraṁ-pada, which is called paraṁ-pada, but if you cannot stay there, then again you fall down. Just like many so-called sannyāsīs, they rise to the brahma-pada, ahaṁ brahmāsmi, but because they cannot stay there, they come down again to this material world and they are busy for opening hospitals, schools and philanthropism. And why? You have left already all this nonsense; you say that this world is mithyā, brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā. So if you have ascended to the brahma-pada, why you come down again to the mithyā-pada? That means you have no taste.

Actually you have not arrived. The same thing: You are going, the so-called advertisement, "I am going to the moon planet," but because you cannot stay there, you come down. So we have to stay there, brahma-pada. That brahma-pada staying means devotional service. Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate [SB 1.2.11].

[Learned transcendentalists who know the Absolute Truth call this nondual substance Brahman, Paramātmā or Bhagavān.]

So brahma-pada, you can rise up. But if you do not engage yourself in the service of Bhagavān, then again you come down. Āruhya kṛcchreṅa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adho 'nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ [SB 10.2.32]. Because they could not engage their service to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṅa, therefore, these so-called sannyāsīs again come down to this material platform and engage their service to the mithyā. Because they rejected this world, mithyā. Why they come down again to this mithyā platform—politics, sociology, humanity—if this is mithyā?

But our philosophy is not that. We don't say that this world is mithyā. Why shall I say? It is creation of Kṛṣṅa. If Kṛṣṅa is truth, His creation is also truth. We employ everything to the service of Kṛṣṅa. Therefore, anyone who is engaged in the service of the Lord is always situated in the transcendental platform. They will never come down. Because it is so sweet, it is so nice, they will never agree. Any student of this institution, if you ask him, if you try to cheat him that "You give up this idol worship. Come down. Go and worship the poor, the leper, and this and that," so many things, they will not agree. They will not agree. They will not come down. They will engage themselves always in the service of the Lord. Although the atheist class of men may think that they are engaged in idol worship, it is not idol. Those who are atheist, they may see idol, stone. But those who are devotees, they see sākṣād brajendranandana hari.

Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu, when He entered the Jagannātha temple, as soon as He saw Jagannātha, immediately fainted, "O My Lord, here You are." So it is a question of vision. Somebody is going to Jagannātha temple, he is seeing a wooden carved statue. That's all. And he is surprised, "Why for this wooden carved statue so many people are coming?" Because they are not devotee, they cannot understand. But one devotee..., thousands and millions of devotees are going every year. Are they going to worship an idol? So this is the difference between the devotee and the nondevotee. A devotee knows that everything belongs to Kṛṣṅa and everything is the manifestation of Kṛṣṅa's energy. Therefore, they want to employ everything to the service of the Lord, and they remain always blissful, transcendental.

Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṅa. [break]

Devotees: Haribol. [break]

Irish Guest (1): Some yogīs harness energies and claim to use these energies to benefit humanity. Is there any value in their work? Is there any real consequence?

Prabhupāda: Yes, that I have already explained, that they employ their energies, but if they do not reach the ultimate goal, Kṛṣṅa, they fall down. There is chance of falling down. Because Kṛṣṅa is the ultimate goal. So they are employing their energies, that's all right, but they have to employ their energies more and more to approach Kṛṣṅa. If you do not approach Kṛṣṅa, then they fall down.

Āruhya kṛcchreṅa. If they simply... Just like the same example, just like sunshine. Sunshine is also sun. But if you simply try to remain in the sunshine and don't go to the sun planet or any other planet, then again you come back. So the energy employed for realizing the Absolute Truth is good. But if he does not approach or if he is unable to approach the Supreme, then he will fall down.

Guest (2): Is any knowledge other than ultimate knowledge of the Supreme of any value at all?

Prabhupāda: Any knowledge, there are so many subject matter of knowledge in the material world.

Guest (2): Is this material knowledge of any value?

Prabhupāda: No. Material is valuable so far your material existence is concerned. That is also not valuable. Because if you try to protect this body by all kinds of knowledge, but it will not stay. And after giving up your this body, you have to accept another body. Then what is the value of material knowledge? This time you may have this human form of body; next time you may not have. Then what is the value of material knowledge?

Because you cannot change the order of transmigration of the soul from one body to another. That you have to accept according to your karma. So therefore material knowledge will not help me. Therefore they struggle so. You are under the grip of natural laws, daivi hy eṣā guṅamayī [Bg 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.]

Natural..., nature's law are very stringent. You cannot interfere with the... Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṅāni guṅaiḥ karmāṅi sarvaśaḥ [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.]

The prakṛti, the nature, material nature is so strong that you cannot interfere with her business. That is not possible.

So your material knowledge will not help you, unless you have got Kṛṣṅa consciousness knowledge. You can..., anyone can understand. Suppose if I want to protect this body with all hygienic principles, soaps and pumice and injection and medicine and so many things, does it mean that you shall live? Can you overcome the laws of nature? No, that is not possible. Can you overcome the laws of nature that you will not fall sick? No, that you cannot. Can you make any material laws or scientific knowledge that you will not become old? No. You cannot stop death, you cannot stop birth, you cannot stop old age, you cannot stop disease. So what is the value of your material knowledge? And these are the troubles.

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.]

Any intelligent man will see that "What is the value of my material knowledge? I have to die. I have to be victim of disease and old age. Then what is value?" The best thing is that so long this material body is there, you have got the opportunity to develop your Kṛṣṅa consciousness, do that. That will save you from all dangers. Otherwise, nothing will save you. Simply 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 waste of time.

Chant Hare Kṛṣṅa.

Devotees: Haribol. Hare Kṛṣṅa. [end]