Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.2.19 and Initiation Lecture

[recorded on faulty equipment]

Prabhupāda: Sthitaṁ sattve prasīdati [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.]

Everyone wants happiness, peace of mind. How it is possible? That is explained here: ceta etair anāviddhaṁ [SB 1.2.19]. Everything is within the heart. So we are being [indistinct] by the rajas, tamas. Rajas means passion, desire for material enjoyment, and tamas means ignorance. Neither enjoyment nor knowledge. Just like animal: animal has no material enjoyment, neither he has knowledge. So similarly, persons who are infected by the tamo-guna, they do not know what is the meaning of life, neither are they interested[?]. People are becoming affected by this tamo-guna. Therefore even in this Western country they are turning to the hippies. No material enjoyment, no spiritual knowledge—simply in darkness.

So if we develop Kṛṣṅa consciousness, just the process of hearing—śṛṅvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṅaḥ [SB 1.2 17]—if we simply practice the process of hearing about Kṛṣṅa, then gradually the darkness of ignorance and passion will disappear. Ceto-darpaṅa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṅaṁ [Śikṣāṣṭaka 1]. We are suffering in this material life on account of these three modes of material nature, especially the modes of passion and ignorance. But here is the process how to get out of these modes of passion and ignorance especially. Also material goodness. Sometimes material goodness is also a cause of bondage. A person falsely thinks that "Now I have become a brāhmaṅa," or "I have got a sacred thread; therefore my business is finished. Now I can do anything. It doesn’t matter." That is also another bondage. You have to still advance. Even if you… The brāhmaṅas… Actually, a brāhmaṅa does not think like that, that "Because I have got this sacred thread, my business is finished." We offer the sacred thread, but don’t make your business finished there. There is further progressive life. After becoming brāhmaṅa, one has to become a Vaiṣṅava.

This process of Kṛṣṅa consciousness… Just as we shall initiate several of our disciples, the first initiation and the second initiation. The first initiation is to give chance of chanting Hare Kṛṣṅa. The beads are there, and the initiated members we will advise to refrain from sinful activities, and in pure heart chant Hare Kṛṣṅa. Not in pure heart—heart is already polluted—but offenseless. There are ten kinds of offenses; that will be explained. The first offense is guror avajñā śruti-śāstra-nindanam [Padma Purāṅa, Brahma Khaṅḍa 25.15-18]. There are ten kinds of offenses. Our..., some of our disciples are going to be initiated. They should always remember how to avoid the offenses. Of course, in the beginning, the offenses are there, but if we try to avoid them, then there will be nāmābhāsa. Nāmābhāsa means almost pure chanting of the holy name. That is called nāmābhāsa. And if you attain the state of nāmābhāsa, you’ll become immediately liberated. And then, when you can chant the śuddha holy name, pure, uncontaminated by the material modes of nature, then you will develop your love of Kṛṣṅa.

So here it is stated, rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ: we are afflicted with three kinds of the modes of nature. So, out of the three, two are very dangerous. What are they? Rajas tamas, passion and ignorance. The whole material world is going on on the basis of these two qualities, passion and ignorance. What are the symptoms of passion? Kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye [SB 1.2.19]:

too much attraction for sense gratification. This is called passion. And lobha: greediness, not satisfied. Now we are coming from a cottage, very nice cottage, self-sufficient; little land also, growing vegetables. Nice cottage, very warm. There is no need of air conditioning. We can live very simple life anywhere, any part of the world. There are so many jungles: you cut one or two trees, and with the logs you can make into little cottage. And after the trees being cut, the land becomes open, so you can utilize the land for growing food grains, for pasturing ground. Then if you have got cows, food grains, vegetables and a cottage, then where is your economic problem? [laughter] Where is your economic problem? Live peacefully in the open air, take sufficient milk, all vitamins, and vegetables full of vitamins, A, B, C, D. You have to take, vitamins. [laughter] You get nice life and save time for chanting Hare Kṛṣṅa.

Devotees: Jaya!

Prabhupāda: This is life. We are trying to introduce in this New Vrindavan colony this simple life. But the kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye. We can live very simple life, but because we are infected by the rajo-guna and tamo-guna, we require the pigeonholes of skyscraper buildings—unnecessarily. Unnecessarily, why? Your time is so valuable that you cannot get back your life, one day of your life or one moment of your life, by paying millions of dollars. What is the day today? Twentieth?

Devotees: Twenty-first.

Prabhupāda: Twenty-first. Now the 20th July, 1974, which is past of our life, it cannot be returned, even if you try to bribe material nature millions of dollars. It is not possible. What is gone is gone. Therefore Cāṅakya Paṅḍita said, very good moral instruction,

āyuṣaḥ kṣaṅa eko 'pi na labhya svarṅa-koṭibhiḥ

Even the moment of time we cannot get back by payment of millions of golden coins. That is not possible.

na cen nirarthakaṁ nītiḥ kā ca hānis tato 'dhikā [Nīti Śāstra, Cāṅakya-śloka 34]

If such valuable time you simply waste, then just estimate it what is your loss, practically, from monetary point. One moment of your life cannot be returned by millions of dollars.

Therefore our Rūpa Gosvāmī also teaches, avyartha-kālatvam [Cc Madhya 23.18]. A Kṛṣṅa conscious person should see, "Whether my time has become wasted? Whether I am utilizing my time, the short duration of my life, properly?" All Kṛṣṅa conscious persons should be vigilant to see that the time is not wasted. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore advises, kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ.

tṛṅād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṅunā amāninā mānadena kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ [Cc Ādi 17.31]

[One who thinks himself lower than the grass, who is more tolerant than a tree, and who does not expect personal honor yet is always prepared to give all respect to others can very easily always chant the holy name of the Lord.]

We have therefore introduced chanting Hare Kṛṣṅa twenty-four hours. I am glad to see all the devotees, they are carrying the beads, that this is nice practice. It must be. Chant Hare Kṛṣṅa, Hare Kṛṣṅa, for twenty-four hours: while working, even in sleeping. If you practice, in sleep also you will chant Hare Kṛṣṅa. That is possible. It is not impossible; it is fact.

So the human life, if you want actually peace and prosperity, as it is stated,

ceta etair anāviddhaṁ sthitaṁ sattve prasīdati [SB 1.2.19]

You have to keep yourself always in the sattva-guna, the modes of goodness, brahminical platform. Satya, śamaḥ, damaḥ, titikṣāḥ, ārjavam, jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam [Bg 18.42].

[Peacefulness, self-control, austerity, purity, tolerance, honesty, wisdom, knowledge, and religiousness—these are the qualities by which the brāhmaṅas work.]

So those who are going to be initiated brāhmaṅa, they must observe; otherwise what is the use of taking a sacred thread? Don’t think by simply having a sacred thread, this business is finished. No. They should be practiced how to keep yourself on the platform of sattva-guna. That platform of sattva-guna can be maintained when you are engaged in devotional service. Here it is said, sthitaṁ sattve prasīdati [SB 1.2.19]: simply being situated on the platform of goodness, you will be happy. Prasīdati, you will feel happiness, because you are in the knowledge. But the bhakti process is so transcendental that by discharge of devotional service you will be far above the sattva-guna.

Sattva-guna, that is material good qualities. But these material good qualities can be contaminated sometimes, because the material nature is very powerful.

daivī hy eṣā guṅa-mayī 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.]

Very, very powerful. Therefore sometimes we see that those who are not sticking to the principles, they fall down—immediately. The material nature will drag, "Please come here." But if you remain fixed up in devotional service, then you go above the sattva-guna. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā:

māṁ ca yo 'vyabhicāreṅa bhakti-yogena sevate 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.]

So we are introducing this process to become directly a pure devotee. A pure devotee. Devotee, pure and impure? Yes. Impure means those who are still contaminated by these three qualities, sattva-guna, raja-guna, tamo-guna. And pure means above; no contamination. So take directly, because in this age it is very difficult to go step by step. Life is very short. You do not know at any moment. Material world is full of danger, especially in this age.

prāyeṅālpāyuṣaḥ sabhya kalāv asmin yuge janāḥ mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ [SB 1.1.10]

[O learned one, in this iron Age of Kali men almost always have but short lives. They are quarrelsome, lazy, misguided, unlucky and, above all, always disturbed.]

This is the position. Almost every one of us, we have got very short life, duration of life. Although in this age the standard of life should be one hundred years, but we may believe it is reducing. On account of sinful activities, the duration of age is reducing, memory is reducing. Therefore, the short-cut policy to make our life successful, as Caitanya Mahāprabhu has introduced, has instructed, that paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṅa-saṅkīrtanam.

ceto-darpaṅa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṅaṁ śreyaḥ-kairava-candrikā-vitaraṅaṁ vidyā-vadhū-jīvanam ānandāmbudhi-vardhanaṁ prati-padaṁ pūrṅāmṛtāsvādanaṁ ...paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṅa-saṅkīrtanam [Śikṣāṣṭaka 1]

So śrī-kṛṣṅa-saṅkīrtanam will give you life. So those who are going to be initiated, they must try to avoid—not try; they must—the ten kinds of offenses, then the pure name will be manifest. Then you will try to chant more and more and more. This is the effect.

So actually, we want peace and prosperity, because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṅa. Kṛṣṅa is full of prosperity. And why we should be not in prosperity? This is the material contamination. So kāma-lobhādayaś: the material contamination means unnecessarily lusty. Unnecessarily. But if you practice, our this unnecessary desire for sense gratification will be reduced. 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, devotional life, is so nice, and..., and as you advance in devotional life, you will become disinterested—practically no interest in material activities. That is the test. That is the test.

Śrīla Yāmunācārya says,

yadāvadhi mama cetaḥ kṛṣṅa-padāravinde nava-nava-rasa-dhāmanudyata rantum āsīt tadāvadhi bata nārī-saṅgame smaryamāne bhavati mukha-vikāraḥ suṣṭu niṣṭhīvanaṁ ca [Śrīla Yāmunācārya]

Here in the material world, the highest pleasure is sex. Everyone—not only human society; dog society, cat society, bird society—they are all after sex. 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.]

The most abominable happiness, that is the first-class happiness in the material world. But if you engage your..., your mind in Kṛṣṅa, yadāvadhi mama cetaḥ kṛṣṅa-padāravinde… Yāmunācārya, he was a king. So he says from his practical experience that "Since I have engaged my mind on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṅa," nava-nava-rasa-dhāmanudyata rantum āsīt, "and increasing every moment transcendental mellows, newer and new, from that time," tadāvadhi bata nārī-saṅgame smaryamāne, "when I think of sex life with woman, immediately I spit on it." This is the test. The more you advance in Kṛṣṅa life, Kṛṣṅa consciousness, you forget this topmost pleasure of material life, sex life. That is the test.

So the sex life is passion, rajas, kāma. So here it is said, tadā rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ [SB 1.2.19]:

the result of passion is sex, kāma; and lobha, no satisfaction. So spiritual life means above all these things. You cannot say that you have all the qualities of rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ—lusty desires, greediness—and still you are advancing. That is debauchery. That is not spiritual life. Spiritual life test is this: kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye. Simply you shall be situated in sattva-guna. Ceta etair anāviddhaṁ. Just like the…, you have seen the Cupid picture, it has got an arrow pierced. Therefore this word is used, ceta etair anāviddhaṁ: without being pierced. Viddhaṁ. Anāviddhaṁ. And they, as, as soon as you are pierced by an arrow, the painful condition begins, immediately. So we are always painful, because the heart is pierced by the arrow of the Cupid. So if you remain on the sattva-guna, the goodness, then your heart will not be pierced by the arrow of Cupid. This is the test. Then you will be happy.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda! [end]

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.2.19 and Initiation Lecture

Referenced verses