Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.2.6

Prabhupāda:

…paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje ahaituky apratihatā yayātmā suprasīdati... samprasīdati [SB 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 to completely satisfy the self.]

So this morning one gentleman was asking me, "Why there are so many religions in the world?" Very intelligent question. But actually there cannot be so many religions. Religion is one, but we have manufactured so many religions. Religion means dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṅītam [SB 6.3.19]:

[Real religious principles are enacted by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Although fully situated in the mode of goodness, even the great ṛṣis who occupy the topmost planets cannot ascertain the real religious principles, nor can the demigods or the leaders of Siddhaloka, to say nothing of the asuras, ordinary human beings, Vidyādharas and Cāraṅas.]

what is made, or given, by God, bhagavat sākṣād, directly given by God. Sākṣād means directly.

There is a simple definition of religion, just like we can understand what is law. The law is the order given by the state. There is no misunderstanding. Anyone will understand what is the meaning…, what is the meaning of law. The state says, "You should do like this," you have to abide by that order. That is good citizenship, as it is practical, with reference to the laws of the state. Similarly, religion means the law given by the Lord. Everyone, in every scripture—either Hindu scripture, Muslim scripture or Christian scripture—the God is there, center, and according to the time, circumstances, country, people, that law is obeyed. So there is no difficulty to understand what is meant by religion.

Now here Sūta Gosvāmī says that first-class religion, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo. Paro means superior. There are different types of religion, but still there is some superior and some inferior. Because religion cannot be superior or inferior, but because this world, this material world, is conducted by the material nature, there are three kinds of material modes: goodness, passion and ignorance. So just like those who are in the modes of ignorance, they want to eat meat. Now for them there must be some religion. What is that religion? According to Vedic system the order is that you don't eat meat which is not offered to the goddess Kālī. That means restriction: he is restricted, at least, to meat eat, ah, eat meat anywhere, by the slaughterhouse. According to the wide[?] Hinduism… Even in Muhammadanism, they also allow to eat meat by Koran, Eid; that is also one day in a year.

So according to country, people, there may be differences, but here it is said that the first-class religion is that which simply teaches devotional service to the Lord. That is first class. And if you are situated on the platform of first-class religion, then automatically all the good qualities of human being, they become developed.

yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṅais tatra samāsate surāḥ [SB 5.18.12]

[All the demigods and their exalted qualities, such as religion, knowledge and renunciation, become manifest in the body of one who has developed unalloyed devotion for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vāsudeva. On the other hand, a person devoid of devotional service and engaged in material activities has no good qualities. Even if he is adept at the practice of mystic yoga or the honest endeavor of maintaining his family and relatives, he must be driven by his own mental speculations and must engage in the service of the Lord's external energy. How can there be any good qualities in such a man?]

If anyone has developed unalloyed akiñcanā, unalloyed devotion for God, Kṛṣṅa, then all the good qualities of the demigods will develop in him, automatically. Practical example: just see these boys, American and European boys. Before coming to my fold they were meat-eaters, illicit-sex hunters, intoxicants, gamblers—all these. These are common things in Europe and America. And since they have come to Kṛṣṅa consciousness and taken to this devotional service seriously, they are freed from all this contamination. All unwanted things, anartha, that will be immediately disappearing. Exactly like this light and darkness: as soon as there is light, you haven't got to make separate effort to drive away darkness; immediately darkness will go away.

There is a verse in Caitanya caritāmṛta, kṛṣṅa—sūrya-sama [Cc Madhya 22.31]:

[Kṛṣṅa is compared to sunshine, and māyā is compared to darkness. Wherever there is sunshine, there cannot be darkness. As soon as one takes to Kṛṣṅa consciousness, the darkness of illusion (the influence of the external energy) will immediately vanish.]

Kṛṣṅa consciousness is just like sunlight. Māyā andhakāra, and māyā is just like darkness. Yāhāṅ sūrya yāhāṅ kṛṣṅa tāhāṅ nāhi māyāra adhikāra: as soon as there is Kṛṣṅa consciousness, no more māyā, no more illusion. Kṛṣṅa also says in the Bhagavad-gītā,

mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te [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.]

The impersonalist philosophers, they are trying to get out of the clutches of māyā. But here is a simple formula, given by the greatest authority, Kṛṣṅa:

mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te [Bg 7.14]

Therefore it is recommended here that sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo. Paro means superior, superior dharma, first class. What is that? Yato bhaktir adhokṣaje: by following the system of such religion, one becomes gradually an unalloyed devotee of the Supreme Lord. That is first class. Everything is there. In Kṛṣṅa consciousness, whatever good qualities you want to see, you will find there.

Take for example ahiṁsā. The whole Buddha religion is based on this principle, nonviolence. A kṛṣṅa-bhakta is nonviolent; he will never try to eat any animal. The whole Buddha philosophy, Jain[?] philosophy, is preached just to stop animal killing, ahiṁsā paramo dharmaḥ. The kṛṣṅa-bhakta is automatically in that platform. In Muhammadan religion they say that bandar[?], we are servants of God. We are actually dāsyaṁ.

śravaṅaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṅoḥ smaraṅaṁ pāda-sevanam arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ [SB 7.5.23]

[Prahlāda Mahārāja said: Hearing and chanting about the transcendental holy name, form, qualities, paraphernalia and pastimes of Lord Viṣṅu, remembering them, serving the lotus feet of the Lord, offering the Lord respectful worship with sixteen types of paraphernalia, offering prayers to the Lord, becoming His servant, considering the Lord one's best friend, and surrendering everything unto Him (in other words, serving Him with the body, mind and words)—these nine processes are accepted as pure devotional service. One who has dedicated his life to the service of Kṛṣṅa through these nine methods should be understood to be the most learned person, for he has acquired complete knowledge.]

In the Christian religion there is prayer. They kneel down before Jesus Christ and offer prayers. We have got this: vandanaṁ. Vandanaṁ means offering prayer. So you take any religion of the whole world, you will find all those good things in Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement—plus love of Godhead. This is the process, and it is recommended. We don't want to see what kind of religion you are following. It is all right. Everyone will say that "My religion is first class." That's all right, but there is a test.

What is that test? Yato bhaktir adhokṣaje [SB 1.2.6]:

whether you have developed love of God, that is the test. If you have developed love of God, then your religion—we don't say either this Hinduism, or Muslimism or any ism—if you are hankering, you are mad after God, that is your culmination of following religious system. Otherwise, that will be explained in the next verse, śrama eva hi kevalam: it is simply laboring hard.

The next verse,

dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsāṁ viṣvaksena-kathāsu yaḥ notpādayed yadi ratiṁ 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.]

Everyone is trying to perform the religious principle as he has understood. Therefore Sūta Gosvāmī says, dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ. Everyone has got his own religion, and he is trying to execute the religious principles very nicely. But the result: dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsāṁ.

dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsāṁ viṣvaksena-kathāsu yaḥ notpādayed ratiṁ yadi [SB 1.2.8]

Yadi, yadi means "if" one does not develop an attachment to hear about God... This is the test, viṣvaksena-kathā.

God's another name, Kṛṣṅa’s another name is Viṣvaksena. Viṣvaksena is situated in the stomach, and He helps your digestion. If Viṣvaksena does not help you in digesting, then you are forbidden to eat: not anymore. So Viṣvaksena. There are thousands and millions of names of God, and Viṣvaksena is one of the names. So viṣvaksena-kathāsu: if one does not become interested to hear about God… Just like Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, they are called kṛṣṅa-kathā.

Bhagavad-gītā is the kathā, or words, spoken by the Lord Himself. Therefore it is kṛṣṅa-kathā—kṛṣṅaḥ sva-kathāḥ [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.]

the words spoken by God Himself. Similarly, this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is also kṛṣṅa-kathā. This is also kṛṣṅaḥ sva-kathāḥ. It is spoken, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is spoken about Kṛṣṅa—about Kṛṣṅa's activities, about Kṛṣṅa's birth, about Kṛṣṅa’s appearance, disappearance, activities; about Kṛṣṅa's devotees. Therefore it is called Bhāgavatam: in relationship with Kṛṣṅa; everything in relationship with Kṛṣṅa.

So Sūta Gosvāmī says that you may execute your religious principle very nicely, but simply "I am Hindu," "I am Muhammadan," "I am Christian," "My religion is better; therefore your religion is bad, so I shall fight," this is not religion. The test is whether you are Hindu, whether you are Muslim, whether you are Christian or Jews or Buddhist, it doesn't matter. Whether you have developed your love for God—that is the test.

viṣvaksena-kathāsu yaḥ notpādayed ratiṁ yadi [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.]

If your attraction is not developed to hear about God… Because at the present moment, practically the whole world, what to hear of God? They do not believe in the existence of God. And if somebody believes, that is also in a different way denying the existence of God. Those who do not believe in God, they say śūnyavādī, "Ultimately there is a void, voidism." This is one class. And there is another class, nirviśeṣavādī: "Yes, God may be there, but He's without head, without tail, nirākāra." So this is another way of voidism, nirviśeṣa-śūnyavādi.

Therefore the students sing the song, nirviśeṣa-śūnyavādi-pāścātya-deśa-tāriṅe. The whole Western world is full of voidism and impersonalism, and we are presenting Kṛṣṅa, the Supreme Person. They want to make God void or without any form, but we are presenting form: here is Kṛṣṅa, here is God, kṛṣṅas tu bhagavān [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.]

It is revolutionary, but still they are accepting. Because there is substance; it is not voidism, everything zero. The philosophy is also zero, the ultimate goal is also zero, and the result is also zero. The result is also zero: no understanding what is God. That is not positive.

Therefore it is said by Sūta Gosvāmī,

dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsāṁ viṣvaksena-kathāsu yaḥ [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.]

If actually one is religious, if actually one has developed his religious or his original constitutional position… Religious means to revive your original consciousness. That is religion. This is consciousness: viṣvaksena-kathāsu. As soon as you develop Kṛṣṅa consciousness you will be naturally attracted by kṛṣṅa-kathā. That is the test. So Sūta Gosvāmī says that unless one has developed this sense of attachment for kṛṣṅa-kathā, then he says,

dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsāṁ viṣvaksena-kathāsu yaḥ notpādayed ratiṁ yadi [SB 1.2.8]

Yadi ratiṁ means attachment; notpādayed, not developed. Then śrama eva hi kevalam, simply waste of time. Simply waste of time. Śrama. Śrama means labor, laborer life, without any gain. Śrama eva. In another verse he says that,

vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ janayaty āśu vairāgyaṁ jñānaṁ ca yad ahaitukam [SB 1.2.7]

[By rendering devotional service unto the Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṅa, one immediately acquires causeless knowledge and detachment from the world.]

Now, in this human form of life two things are required: jñāna, vairāgya. This is really achievement. Dharmārtha-kāma-mokṣā. Mokṣā means jñāna and vairāgya. And dharmārtha-kāma, that is material, because generally people execute religious principle, dharma, for gaining some money, ārtha. And why ārtha is required? Now, satisfy our senses, kāma. And when one is baffled and confused in kāma, satisfaction of the senses, then they go to mokṣā, to merge into the existence, mokṣā.

But this Kṛṣṅa consciousness is above mokṣā. Above mokṣā. Therefore Vyāsadeva has already said, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo [SB 1.1.2].

[Completely rejecting all religious activities which are materially motivated, this Bhāgavata Purāṅa propounds the highest truth, which is understandable by those devotees who are fully pure in heart. The highest truth is reality distinguished from illusion for the welfare of all. Such truth uproots the threefold miseries. This beautiful Bhāgavatam, compiled by the great sage Vyāsadeva [in his maturity], is sufficient in itself for God realization. What is the need of any other scripture? As soon as one attentively and submissively hears the message of Bhāgavatam, by this culture of knowledge the Supreme Lord is established within his heart.]

[indistinct] Kaitavo means executing dharma. If you want some sense gratification, that is called cheating. There is no question of sense gratification by executing dharma. That is pure dharma; that is paro dharma. Paro dharma means the person who is executing paro dharma, he has no desire for sense gratification. He simply wants to serve Kṛṣṅa. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu says,

na danaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ kavitāṁ vā jagad-īśa kāmaye mama janmani janmanīśvare bhavatād bhaktir ahaitukī tvayi [Cc Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4]

[O Lord of the universe, I do not desire material wealth, materialistic followers, a beautiful wife or fruitive activities described in flowery language. All I want, life after life, is unmotivated devotional service to You.]

Ahaitukī: without any cause. Without any cause.

Therefore it is recommended that vāsudeve bhagavati. Bhagavati vāsudeve. Vāsudeva is Kṛṣṅa, the son of Vasudeva. The son of Vasudeva. In the Artha Veda it is described, "Kṛṣṅa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the son of Vasudeva." Śaṅkarācārya, who is impersonalist, he also accepts Kṛṣṅa: sa bhagavān svayaṁ kṛṣṅaḥ, "That supreme Nārāyaṅa has appeared as Kṛṣṅa, as the son of Vasudeva." Vasudeva and Devakī, he has specifically mentioned. Those who have read Śaṅkarācārya's commentary on Bhagavad-gītā, they will find it in the very beginning, how Śaṅkarācārya accepts Kṛṣṅa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead who has appeared as the son of Vasudeva and Devakī. Therefore, Kṛṣṅa’s another name is Vāsudeva.

There is much to learn about Vāsudeva. Vāsudeva… Kṛṣṅa's appearance in Dvārakā and Mathurā is His Vāsudeva feature, and Kṛṣṅa as pure, He is in Vṛndāvana. But They are one. But sometimes mundane scholars like Bankim Chandra Chatterjee—perhaps you have heard his name; he is a big story writer—he could not understand. He has written one essay on Kṛṣṅa. He has differentiated that the Kṛṣṅa of Mathurā and Kṛṣṅa of Vṛndāvana and Kṛṣṅa of Battlefield of Kurukṣetra, They are different person. But They are not different. They are the one, but the manifestation of different features.

So here it is stated, vāsudeve bhagavati. Vāsudeve bhagavati means that one can approach Kṛṣṅa when He is in the Vāsudeva feature. Just like He is present in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra, that is His Vāsudeva feature. Kṛṣṅa’s pure feature, kṛṣṅas tu bhagavān svayam [SB 1.3.28], that Kṛṣṅa, always in Vṛndāvana.

He does not move even an inch from Vṛndāvana, because He is so much overpowered by the devotion of the residents of Vṛndāvana.

So real called Kṛṣṅa—real Kṛṣṅa because Kṛṣṅa is always real—but the Kṛṣṅa in His original feature, Govinda… Original feature is called Govinda, ādi-puruṣaṁ.

cintāmaṅi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa- lakṣāvṛteṣu surabhīr abhipālayantam [Bs 5.29]

That original Kṛṣṅa, Govinda, is engaged in tending cows, surabhīr abhipālayantam. He is a cowherd boy in the village. That is real feature of Kṛṣṅa. And He is worshiped by Lakṣmī, sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānaṁ. Sahasra, the gopīs, hundreds and thousands of gopīs, some of them are just like mother, and some of them are friends. And in this relationship Kṛṣṅa is always in the Goloka Vṛndāvana planet.

cintāmaṅi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa- lakṣāvṛteṣu surabhīr abhipālayantam lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānaṁ govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi [Bs 5.29]

These are the Vedic description. This Brahmā-saṁhitā is one of the saṁhitās of Vedic literature, composed by Lord Brahmā and accepted by Lord Caitanya. The authority we cannot deny, because this Brahmā-saṁhitā was found in southern India in some temple in handwritten, and Caitanya Mahāprabhu collected from that temple when He was traveling there, and He brought it back and presented it to His devotees, that "Here is the essence of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Brahmā-saṁhitā." Therefore Brahmā-saṁhitā is authentic, and all the Vaiṣṅavas, they accept; all the ācāryas, they accept. If you read Brahmā-saṁhitā, the transcendental abode of Kṛṣṅa is described and the activities of Kṛṣṅa is described. Don't think that this Kṛṣṅa feature has been carved by artist. No.

It is described in the Brahmā-saṁhitā,

veṅuṁ kvaṅantam aravinda-dalāyatākṣam- barhāvataṁsam asitāmbuda-sundarāṅgam kandarpa-koṭi-kamanīya-viśeṣa-śobhaṁ govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi [Bs 5.30]

[I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is adept in playing on His flute, with blooming eyes like lotus petals with head decked with peacock's feather, with the figure of beauty tinged with the hue of blue clouds, and His unique loveliness charming millions of Cupids.]

Veṅuṁ kvaṅantam: He is playing on His flute. Surabhīr abhipālayantam: He is tending the cows, surabhi cows. Those cows are not as ordinary cows. Surabhi. The surabhi cow means you can milk as much milk as you want, and as many times as you want—it will deliver. Because they are all spiritual; there is nothing material. But some of them are serving Kṛṣṅa as cows, some of them are serving Kṛṣṅa as trees, some of them are serving Kṛṣṅa as men. Some of them are serving Kṛṣṅa as house[?], some of them are serving Kṛṣṅa as gopīs, some of them are serving as Kṛṣṅa's father, mother. In this way, Kṛṣṅa has got His all paraphernalia in that platform, surabhi, cintāmaṅi-prakara-sadmasu.

So we should not take it falsely, that "Kṛṣṅa is a imagination," "There is no person like Kṛṣṅa in the history." Kṛṣṅa appeared. The Mahābhārata is the history. So Kṛṣṅa is not fictitious. Kṛṣṅa is fact. But those who are atheist, those who are miscreant, for them Kṛṣṅa is fictitious, null and void, like that, they describe. This is our misfortune. But actually if we try to understand Kṛṣṅa from the authentic scripture, Vedic literature, then this process:

vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ [SB 1.2.7]

[By rendering devotional service unto the Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṅa, one immediately acquires causeless knowledge and detachment from the world.]

If you apply your devotional service, bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ, [indistinct Sanskrit] then the result will be janayaty āśu vairāgyaṁ. Āśu. Āśu means very soon; vairāgyaṁ, vairāgyaṁ means detachment for this material world. That is called vairāgya. And jñāna, and knowledge, these two things are required. That is perfection of human life. Jñāna, brahma-jñāna, or self-realization—that is required. And vairāgya. If anyone has got jñāna, then he must have vairāgya. The result of jñāna means vairāgya.

That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā,

brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati [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.]

Prasannātmā. Brahmā-bhūtaḥ. As soon as you are on the platform of jñāna, knowledge, that is called the brahma-bhūtaḥ stage.

At the present moment, without jñāna, without knowledge, we are jīva-bhūtaḥ. But from jīva-bhūtaḥ stage we can be elevated to the brahma-bhūtaḥ stage. That is called jñāna. That is the result of jñāna. And when you are actually on the platform of jñāna, then you will be detached from the attraction of this material world: brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā. Why detached? If you are perfectly in knowledge that "I am not this body," ahaṁ brahmāsmi, "I am spirit soul," if you are perfectly in knowledge, then how you can be attached to this material world or to these bodily necessities of life?

Therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has sung a nice song: deha-smṛti nāhi yāra saṁsāra-bandhana kāhāṅ tāra: "One who has become detached from these bodily concepts of life, no more he is conditioned. He is already liberated," deha-smṛti nāhi yāra. This can be possible. This can be possible. The example is given just like the coconut: the coconut when it is raw, everything is attached; but when it is dry, if you move it, you'll hear the sound, krt-krt, krt-krt. That means the shell within the coconut, he has separated from the coir. He has separated from the coir. This is possible. Similarly, even within this material body, if you follow the principles of bhakti-yoga, vāsudeve bhagavati—bhakti-yoga through Vāsudeva, not bhakti-yoga through anything else—vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ—then you will be detached, gradually.

The more… Another example is given, bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra syāt [SB 11.2.42].

[Devotion, direct experience of the Supreme Lord, and detachment from other things—these three occur simultaneously for one who has taken shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in the same way that pleasure, nourishment and relief from hunger come simultaneously and increasingly, with each bite, for a person engaged in eating.]

Bhakti, if one is actually advancing in bhakti, then result will be that he will be no more attached to this material enjoyment. That is the test. And the example is further explained: Just like if you are hungry, and if you are given a nice dish of foodstuff, you go on eating, you go on eating. But as you eat, your hunger is satisfied; you'll get strength and you will get satisfaction.

Similarly, if you engage yourself in the bhakti-yoga system to Vāsudeva, similarly, in exactly the same way the hungry man eating, you will feel satisfaction. You will feel that "I am now spiritually strong." There is no more need of taking recommendation from others. Automatically you understand. Just like when you are eating, nobody required to give you recommendation that you are now satisfied; you will feel. Pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyaṁ.

Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā Kṛṣṅa says this bhakti-yoga is pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyaṁ [Bg 9.2].

[This knowledge is the king of education, the most secret of all secrets. It is the purest knowledge, and because it gives direct perception of the self by realization, it is the perfection of religion. It is everlasting, and it is joyfully performed.]

In any other religion type, religious principles, you cannot understand how far you are proceeded. But this bhakti-yoga is so nice that you will directly understand, "Yes, I am now making progress." Vāsudeve bhagavati. And the test is not that simply I say, "Yes, I have made progress." The test is the jñāna and vairāgya. There will be full knowledge, and vairāgya. Knowledge means vairāgya. I have got full attachment of the material world, and now I am saying I have realized Brahman—that is not Brahman realization. Brahman realization means brahma...,

brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu [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.]

That is practical. In the material world we have got two kinds of diseases: hankering for things which you haven't got, you do not possess, and lamenting for things which you have lost. But brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati. He becomes neutral. He is no more hankering. Because if one understands that "I am not this material body. I have no material necessity," then why shall I be hankering for possessing material things? That is your understanding. That is brahma-bhūta stage. Not that I am hankering after so many things and still I am nobody. But this facility for the bhaktas, that is very nice. Bhakta's endeavor is that nirbandha-kṛṣṅa-sambandhe: they engage others in Kṛṣṅa’s sambandha.

Just like yesterday I told you the story of Rūpa Gosvāmī. Rūpa Gosvāmī was minister. He left everything, and he went to Vṛndāvana by the order of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and he was living each night underneath one tree. Not the second night; the second night he would go to another tree, underneath another, because he may develop some attachment: "Oh, it is very nice place." Such vairāgya. This is called vairāgya. Vairāgya. So we have to practice. This Rūpa Gosvāmī, he was so exalted devotee, he was also afraid of being attached to the place underneath the tree.

So these are examples given to us to learn, although it is very difficult to... We don't require to imitate, but these are the examples. Bhakti-yoga does not teach you to imitate artificially something, but the method should be accepted. That is bhakti-yoga. Therefore that Rūpa Gosvāmī has given us instruction that,

anāsaktasya viṣayān yathārham upayuñjataḥ [Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.255]

He was so much detached, but he recommended that "Don't be attached to the material enjoyment." Anāsaktasya viṣayān. Viṣayān means material enjoyment. "Don't be attached, but you can use everything," nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṅa-sambandhe, "in relationship with Kṛṣṅa."

So…, and he gave example in his life also. I have already narrated that story. This Rūpa Gosvāmī, when he was approached by Mahārāja Mānsiṅgh, the commander-in-chief of Akbar’s Pathans... So formerly rich men used to do that, so "Sir, can I do something for you?" So Rūpa Gosvāmī saw that "This gentleman is very rich king and commander in charge; he has got money, so he should spend money for Kṛṣṅa." He recommended that "You should construct a nice temple for my Govinda." He did not ask anything, "You give me something." No. He asked that "You please construct a temple for my Govinda."

Of course, Rūpa Gosvāmī's Govinda is always with Rūpa Gosvāmī, either he is underneath a tree or in a palace. Govinda cannot give up the association of the devotees, and the devotee cannot give up the association of Govinda. Similarly, Govinda cannot give up the association of the devotee, either he is underneath a tree or in a big palace. That is another thing. But Rūpa Gosvāmī recommended, because he had money—he would utilize his money for sense gratification—let that money be engaged in Kṛṣṅa’s service. That was required.

nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṅa-sambandhe yuktaṁ vairāgyam ucyate [Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.255]

So this is called bhakti-yoga. If everyone is engaged in bhakti-yoga, never mind whether he is Mahārāja Mānsiṅgh or a beggar like me, it doesn't matter. If anyone… Because in the beginning Sūta Gosvāmī says,

sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir... ahaituky apratihatā [SB 1.2.6]

This bhakti-yoga cannot be hampered by any material condition. It is not that simply Mahārāja Mānsiṅgh could be engaged in devotional service. No. A beggar like me can also be engaged in bhakti-yoga without any hampering. Everyone can. But everyone should be engaged according to his status, according to his position. Just like Kṛṣṅa says,

patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati tvayā bhakty-upahṛtam aśnāmi prayatātmanaḥ [Bg 9.26]

[If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit or water, I will accept it.]

Kṛṣṅa says that a little flower, a little leaf, a little water. Just see—who cannot afford to offer these things to Kṛṣṅa? The poorest man of the world, any corner of the world, these things are available still. May be different, but He demands, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ: any kind of fruit, any kind of flower, any kind of leaf and any kind of water. He does not say specific, that one has to offer Ganges water and tulasī leaf. That is nice, but if in Czechoslovakia or in Norway there is no Ganges water and there is no tulasī leaf, is it that Kṛṣṅa will not be worshiped? No. Ahaituky apratihatā.

Kṛṣṅa worship cannot be checked in any part of the world by any man, throughout the world.

māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ [Bg 9.32]

[O son of Pṛthā, those who take shelter in Me, though they be of lower birth—women, vaiśyas [merchants], as well as śūdras [workers]—can approach the supreme destination.]

Any man born in the abominable family, caṅḍāla, still Kṛṣṅa is giving liberty, "Yes, you can worship." Kṛṣṅa says personally that,

māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ [Bg 9.32]

Pāpa-yoni means "lower than the śūdrās." Śūdrās are also pāpa-yoni, even striya śūdra tathā vaiśya. Kṛṣṅa says,

māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ striya śūdra tathā vaiśya te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim [Bg 9.32]

This striya, vaiśya and śūdra, they are also almost pāpa-yoni. But lower than them Kṛṣṅa offers them opportunity. Of course He offers everyone. In next verse He says,

kiṁ punar brāhmaṅāḥ puṅyā bhaktā rājarṣayas tathā [Bg 9.33]

[How much greater then are the brāhmaṅas, the righteous, the devotees and saintly kings who in this temporary miserable world engage in loving service unto Me.]

So what to speak of brāhmaṅas and the rājarṣis, kṣatriyas. He, "Lower than them, or the lowest of men, can offer Me devotion." Then what to speak of these higher, elevated personalities?

anityam asukhaṁ lokam imaṁ prāpya bhajasva mām [Bg 9.33]

That is recommended. It doesn't matter whether you are a brāhmaṅa or a kṣatriya or a vaiśya or a śūdrā or a woman or a lower than them, mleccha, yavana—never mind. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is clearly said,

kirāta-hūṅāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ ye 'nye ca pāpā [SB 2.4.18]

These are mentioned. Kirāta, kirāta means the Africans. Kirāta-hūṅa, the hūṅa nation. They are, on the northern side of Germany, they are hūṅas. Āndhra. Āndhra is there in our country. So these things are described:

kirāta-hūṅāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ [SB 2.4.18]

Khasādayaḥ is Mongolian. Yavanāḥ, yavanāḥ means the Greeks, the Romans. They were known in our history as yavana. They were sons of Mahārāja Yayāti. That is historical reference. So not only all these mentioned, but even those who are not mentioned, ye 'nye ca pāpā. Others, who are not mentioned but they are born of sinful families, dog-eaters, śudhyanti, they can be purified.

How? Prabhaviṣṅave namaḥ. Prabhaviṣṅave. One may question how these men can be purified. The answer is, by Śukadeva Gosvāmī, "That is the transcendental power of Lord Viṣṅu," prabhaviṣṅave namaḥ. So anyone can be engaged in this bhakti-yoga. It is a very easy.

vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ janayaty āśu vairāgyaṁ [SB 1.2.7]

Then the result… The Māyāvādī philosophers and the jñānī-sampradāya, the yogī-sampradāya, who are going…, undergoing severe austere life, they are just to attain to the stage of jñāna and vairāgya. But these two things can be achieved very easily, as it is recommended here, and practically you can see.

vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ janayaty āśu vairāgyaṁ jñānaṁ ca yad ahaitukam [SB 1.2.7]

[By rendering devotional service unto the Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṅa, one immediately acquires causeless knowledge and detachment from the world.]

You cannot understand how it has happened. How it has happened, this is the miracle. Just like when I went to America, I was thinking that "Who will hear me? As soon as I will say that 'You cannot eat meat, you cannot have illicit sex, you cannot have any intoxication up to smoking and you cannot indulge in gambling,' the next day they will say, 'Please go home.' " Yes.

Because it was actually experienced by one of my Godbrother. He went to London, and Lord Zetland, Marquis of Zetland, he was talking with him, this gentleman, at my Godbrother, that "Can you make me brāhmaṅa?" He said, "Yes, I can make you brāhmaṅa." "How?" "Then give up these four things: don't drink, don't have illicit sex, don't indulge in gambling and don't eat meat." He said, "Impossible." He said, "Impossible. This is our life." This was talking fairly talk. So I was thinking that "As soon as I will prescribe these things, these boys, or these people of America, they will say, 'Please go home.' " But it is Kṛṣṅa's mercy.

Here it is said ahaitukī. Nobody can understand how it has happened, but actually it has happened. How?

vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ [SB 1.2.7]

[By rendering devotional service unto the Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṅa, one immediately acquires causeless knowledge and detachment from the world.]

Simply I advised them to accept Kṛṣṅa the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and worship Him. They have done it, and they have attained the achieve: jñāna and vairāgya.

Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṅa.

Devotees: All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda. [end]

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.2.6

Referenced verses