Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.2.19

Nitāi: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. [Prabhupāda and devotees repeat] [leads chanting of verse, etc.]

tadā rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye ceta etair anāviddhaṁ 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.]

[Prabhupāda interrupts to correct pronunciation of anāviddhaṁ]

[break] [02:15]

"At the time loving devotional service is established in the heart, the modes of passion [rajas] and ignorance [tamas] and lust and desire [kāma] disappear from the heart. Then the devotee is established in goodness, and he becomes happy."

Prabhupāda:

tadā rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye ceta etair anāviddhaṁ sthitaṁ sattve prasīdati [SB 1.2.19]

So the principle is that we have to place our mind, or consciousness, in the sattva-guṅa. That is the first business. Because the material world means sattva-guṅa, rajo-guṅa and tamo-guṅa. Sattva-guṅa is the qualification of pure brāhmaṅa. Śamo damas titikṣā ārjavaṁ 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.]

Sattva-guṅa. These are the symptom of sattva-guṅa. Without coming to the platform of sattva-guṅa, or brahminical qualification, one cannot make any advance in spiritual life. Therefore in our Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement we first of all bring anyone to the platform of brāhmaṅa. Therefore at the time of second initiation we offer the sacred thread, to recognize him that "He is now brāhmaṅa."

Without becoming a brāhmaṅa, nobody can become a Vaiṣṅava. Or, when one is Vaiṣṅava, it is to be understood that he is also brāhmaṅa. The common word... In India it is said, brāhmaṅa-vaiṣṅava. Brāhmaṅa should become Vaiṣṅava. Or one who is Vaiṣṅava is already a brāhmaṅa. Brahma jānātīti brāhmaṅaḥ. So a Vaiṣṅava not only knows brāhmaṅa, er, Brahman, but he knows Paramātmā and he knows Bhagavān. So brahma jānātīti brāhmaṅa. Simply by knowing Brahman, one can become a brāhmaṅa. But a Vaiṣṅava, not only he knows what is Brahman, but he knows further—what is Paramātmā and what is Bhagavān. Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate [SB 1.2.11].

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

The Absolute Truth is present in three features: Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān. So Brahman realization is the first. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. That is the self-realization: "I am not this body." Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. That is called brahma-bhūta stage. Brahma-bhūtaḥ 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.]

Here is also the... That is the statement in the Bhagavad-gītā.

Here is, also it is stated that sthitaṁ sattve prasīdati. Everyone is hankering after how to be peaceful in mind. Everyone. Everyone says, "Swāmījī, kindly say how I can get peace of mind." The peace of mind, how it can be attained is stated here: sthitaṁ sattve prasīdati. If you fix up in sattva-guṅa, not in the rajo-guṅa, tamo-guṅa... Tamo-guṅa is the life of the karmīs, tamo-guṅa and rajo-guṅa. Or rajo-guṅa is actually karmīs, and sattva-guṅa is the life of jñānīs. And after coming to the sattva-guṅa, being peaceful in mind, that is called...

[baby crying]

[pause] ...brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā [Bg 18.54]. You have to come to the platform of sattva-guṅa. Then you'll be prasannātmā.

Prasanna means happy mode of life. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā. What is the happy mode of life? Na śocati na kāṅkṣati. He does not lament. He does not hanker. Here in the material world we are hankering. We want this dhanaṁ dehi rūpaṁ dehi yaśo dehi rūpavatī bhāryāṁ dehi. Dehi dehi. That is hankering. This is not the stage of brahma-bhūta. Brahma-bhūta stage means na śocati na kāṅkṣati. He does not hanker, neither he laments. Then samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām [Bg 18.54]. Then bhakti begins, when actually you are in peace of mind. In disturbed mind you cannot execute devotional service. Therefore in the beginning, if somebody all of a sudden becomes a Vaiṣṅava and in a solitary place, "I am chanting," that is cheating. How you can be...? How you can chant? You cannot, because your mind is not fixed up. Your mind is not... Na śocati na kāṅkṣati. Unless you are purified, your mind is always disturbed. That is the material condition. The mind must be disturbed.

Sadā samudvigna-dhiyām. Prahlāda Mahārāja says. That is the material symptom. What is the material symptom? Always full of anxiety. Sadā samudvigna-dhiyām. Why? Asad-grahāt. Because he has accepted the temporary position, asat. Asat means "which will not exist." Here everything will not exist. This body, it will not exist. But I have taken this body as everything. "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am the father of this family," "I am the manager of the so big business," and so on, so on, so on, so on. Asad-grahāt. But everything concentrated on this body. So you must be an..., full of anxiety. Asad-grahāt. You accepted this body as fact. But it is not fact. Similarly, the whole world. Asad-grahāt samudvigna-dhiyām.

This was a question several times. This is very nice question. So Hiraṅyakaśipu asked his son, Prahlāda Mahārāja, "My dear boy, what you have learned the best thing? You are student." He said, tat sādhu manye asura-varya. He addressed his father, he addressed him as asura-varya, "the best of the asuras." He did not address him as "father," but he said, "My dear the best of the asuras..."

tat manye sādhu asura-varya dehināṁ sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt hitvātma-pātaṁ gṛham andha-kūpaṁ vanaṁ gato yad dharim āśrayeta [SB 7.5.5]

[Prahlāda Mahārāja replied: O best of the asuras, King of the demons, as far as I have learned from my spiritual master, any person who has accepted a temporary body and temporary household life is certainly embarrassed by anxiety because of having fallen in a dark well where there is no water but only suffering. One should give up this position and go to the forest [vana]. More clearly, one should go to Vṛndāvana, where only Kṛṣṅa consciousness is prevalent, and should thus take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.]

That is the best thing. One is rotting in this family life, which is just like a blind well, andha-kūpa, ātma-pātam. Just like a man falls in the blind well, he has no other alternative than to die, crying, crying. That's all. So he advises, hitvā, "Just give it up." Hitvātma-pātam andha-kūpam, gṛham andha-kūpam. Then where shall I go? Vanaṁ gato. Vanaṁ gato. Vanaṁ gato, "Go to Vṛndāvana, or in the forest." Then how shall I live? No, harim āśrayeta: "Just take shelter of Kṛṣṅa, Hari. He'll give you protection." This is the instruction of Prahlāda Mahārāja.

So here Bhāgavata says tadā. Tadā means "at that time." At that time. When? It is, in the previous verse it has been explained that,

naṣṭa-prāyeṣv abhadreṣu nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā bhagavaty uttama-śloke bhaktir bhavati naiṣṭhikī [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.]

At that time, when you are fixed up in devotional service. At that time, tadā. Not otherwise. If you have no connection with devotional service, if you are attached to karma, jñāna, yoga, you cannot be fixed up. Therefore Caitanya-caritāmṛta says, bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kāmī sakali aśānta [Cc Madhya 19.149].

[Because a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṅa is desireless, he is peaceful. Fruitive workers desire material enjoyment, jñānīs desire liberation, and yogīs desire material opulence; therefore they are all lusty and cannot be peaceful.]

Here we require... Tadā, sthitaṁ sattve prasīdati. Prasīdati means peace of mind, fully satisfied. But bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kāmī. As Caitanya Mahāprabhu... They cannot have peace of mind. It is not possible. Bhukti means karmīs. They're trying to enjoy this material—more money, more woman, more eating—more, more and more. That is called bhukti. They are not satisfied by enjoying on this planet. They perform various kinds of yajñas so that they may be promoted to the higher planetary systems, Svargaloka, or Janaloka, Maharloka, like that. But Kṛṣṅa says, ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ. "You rascal, you are trying to be promoted to the higher planetary system for more and more material enjoyment..." Certainly there is thousands and thousand times more material comforts in the heavenly planets, in the Candraloka. In the Candraloka... They are trying to go into Candraloka, but according to śāstra, if one goes to Candraloka, he gets ten thousands of years his duration of life, and enjoy.

So certainly there are many times more comfortable life, standard of life, very, very high, in the heavenly, other planetary systems. But Kṛṣṅa says that in any one of the planet you can go, but the material disease will not be relieved, the material disease, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi [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.]

We cannot understand. This is our real disease: repetition of birth, janma, and repetition of death. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi. And repetition of becoming old, and vyādhi, repetition of being affected by various types of disease. So therefore intelligent man should see that "Even if I go to the Brahmaloka..." When Brahmā was asked by Hiraṅyakaśipu, "Give me immortality, sir," he said, "I am myself not immortal. How can I give you immortality?" So ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna [Bg 8.16].

[From the highest planet in the material world down to the lowest, all are places of misery wherein repeated birth and death take place. But one who attains to My abode, O son of Kuntī, never takes birth again.]

Kṛṣṅa advised Arjuna, "My dear Arjuna, if you go to the Brahmaloka, many millions of years' duration of life, still, you have to die."

So that is the standard of highest perfection. If you do not die, if you do not take birth... If you know what are the miserable condition of birth, to remain within the womb of the mother... Not only to remain. Nowadays, modern advanced civilization, they are being killed by the mother. Not only abortion, but they are being killed. Now the Western world is very familiar with these things. So just imagine: First of all, you have to remain within the mother's womb, head down, packed-up condition. You cannot move, ten months. And that is also not secure. Even within the... Now this is the... Within the mother's womb you are not secure. At any moment the doctor may advise that "Kill the child." So these are the miserable condition of birth, but we do not remember them. We have to know it from the śāstra. So similarly, at the time of death, coma and... Nowadays it is a very common disease. For seven days or fifteen days he's unconscious, crying.

So this is the miserable condition of death, this is the miserable condition of birth, and between birth and death there are so many miserable conditions: this old age, this disease, so many calamities, catastrophes. So still, we do not want to make a solution of these problem. And the solution is very simple. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ [Bg 4.9].

[One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna.]

If you simply know Kṛṣṅa, what is Kṛṣṅa, why does He come, why He works like ordinary man—janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ—in truth, in actual fact... Not that "Oh, Kṛṣṅa was born in Mathurā, and then He was taken to Vṛndāvana." This is also knowing. But still, you know what is Kṛṣṅa.

manuṣyāṅāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye yatatām api siddhānāṁ kaścin vetti māṁ tattvataḥ [Bg 7.3]

[Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavor for perfection, and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in truth.]

It is very difficult to understand Kṛṣṅa tattvataḥ, not superficially, but in fact. So Kṛṣṅa says, janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ. So one who understands Kṛṣṅa in truth, he becomes free. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya [Bg 4.9]. These things are there. So why don't you be serious to study Kṛṣṅa, to understand Kṛṣṅa?

But to understand Kṛṣṅa, it will require Kṛṣṅa's mercy. Without Kṛṣṅa's mercies... So how you get Kṛṣṅa's mercies?

teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi yena mām upayānti te [Bg 10.10]

[To those who are constantly devoted and worship Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me.]

One can understand Kṛṣṅa by being constantly engaged in His service. Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānām. Not that weekly once go to the church. No. Twenty-four hours, satata-yuktānām, engaged in Kṛṣṅa's service. That is Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement. We are teaching people how to become twenty-four hours engaged in Kṛṣṅa's service. This is our business. We don't allow karma, jñāna, yoga. No. Simply. And that is kṛṣṅa-bhakti. Jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam [Cc Madhya 19.167].

[When first-class devotional service develops, one must be devoid of all material desires, knowledge obtained by monistic philosophy, and fruitive action. The devotee must constantly serve Kṛṣṅa favorably, as Kṛṣṅa desires.]

There is no question of jñāna and karma. That is not pure bhakti. Pure bhakti means anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam, ānukūlyena kṛṣṅānuśīlanam [Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.1.11],

[One should render transcendental loving service to the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṅa favorably and without desire for material profit or gain through fruitive activities or philosophical speculation. That is called pure devotional service.]

simply to serve Kṛṣṅa favorably, as Kṛṣṅa becomes pleased. This is bhakti. This is pure devotion.

So this Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement, therefore, teaching pure devotional service to Kṛṣṅa, that will solve all problems. So how one can come to that stage? That is being explained in this portion of the Bhāgavata, that 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.]

Just hear. You haven't got to do anything more. Just hear about Kṛṣṅa. Śṛṅvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ... Then everything will be cleared, gradually. This is our purpose. This center is giving chance that you come here and hear about... We, we don't make any flattery to satisfy the whims of the audience. We speak from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, we speak from Bhagavad-gītā, and present them as it is, without any adulteration. This is our position. If you like, then you make progress. If you don't like, that is your option. But we cannot make any compromise. We must present the śāstra as it is.

And where is the difficulty? Everything is explained here. Nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā [SB 1.2.18]. You have to attend Bhāgavata class and serve the bhāgavata person nityam, daily. If you cannot, that is a different thing. But this is the process. Nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā. Naṣṭa-prāyeṣu abhadreṣu. This conclusion comes when one is partially advanced, naṣṭa-prāyeṣu. Not fully. Then it will come. He'll be ready to serve Bhāgavatam—bhāgavata, the person bhāgavata and the book Bhāgavata. Nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā, bhagavaty uttama-śloke bhaktir bhavati naiṣṭhikī. Niṣṭhā, I have explained already yesterday. Tadā, at that time, when you are fixed up, "Now I shall devote my life in Kṛṣṅa consciousness," when you come to this conclusion... Nityam. That will come. Nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā, bhaktir bhavati naiṣṭhikī [SB 1.2.18].

Not deviation. But... Not this worship, that worship, this worship, this worship. No. Kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānā yajante anya-devatāḥ [Bg 7.20]. Those who are worshiping other demigods, that is recommended for the less intelligent class men. Tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām. These things are recommended for the persons who are less intelligent, whose brain is packed up with cow dung, not intelligent persons. Intelligent persons—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.]

That is intelligence.

So when one comes to this conclusion, bhaktir bhavati naiṣṭhikī... Bhakti where? Not that bhakti to this god, that god. No. Bhagavati: unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Bhaktir bhavati naiṣṭhikī. Naiṣṭhikī, without any disturbance. Tadā, at that time. Tadā... What is the result? Rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ. There are three bhāvas: rajo-guṅa-bhāva, tamo-guṅa-bhāva and sattva-guṅa-bhāva. So as soon as you come to the platform of devotional service, the two inferior qualities, namely rajo-guṅa and tamo-guṅa, they become finished. Simply sattva-guṅa remains. Because there are three guṅas. If two guṅas are finished, no more useful, then the other one is there. Tadā rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ [SB 1.2.19].

What are the symptoms of rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ? Now, kāma and lobha. Those who are infected with this rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ, they are very lusty, greedy, lobhī. They are not satisfied. The modern civilization is based on rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ. Nobody is satisfied. Everyone is greedy. And lusty. Kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye. Kāma. So long you are lusty, so long you are greedy, there is no question of devotional service. There is no question of advancement to spiritual life. So therefore you have [to] come to the platform of sattva-guṅa, where simply knowledge. There is no other thing, ignorance or greediness, only knowledge.

So at that time, it is said, ceta etair anāviddham. Because everything is within the heart. We become greedy, we become lusty on account of distortion of the heart disease, kāma. Tadā hṛdi lobha-kāma apahinoti[?]. That is a heart disease. This kāma and lobha is a heart disease. Actually, you don't require this, but it is a kind of disease. "More and more and more and more and more." Never satisfied. So we have to cure this disease. And this process, simple process, Caitanya Mahāprabhu has given: 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.]

This is the process of cleansing the mirror of the heart. Mirror, when it isTo cure the heart disease of lusty desires and greediness is chanting Hare Kṛṣṅa mahā-mantra. Paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṅa-saṅkīrtanam. These are the śāstric injunction, and spoken by personalities like Lord Caitanya and other ācāryas.

So we have to follow. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ [Cc Madhya 17.186].

[Dry arguments are inconclusive. A great personality whose opinion does not differ from others is not considered a great sage. Simply by studying the Vedas, which are variegated, one cannot come to the right path by which religious principles are understood. The solid truth of religious principles is hidden in the heart of an unadulterated self-realized person. Consequently, as the śāstras confirm, one should accept whatever progressive path the mahājanas advocate.]

Don't follow rascals and fools. Then it will be useless waste of time. Follow the great ācāryas. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. One who is ācāryavān, who has accepted ācārya, he knows. Others, all are fools, rascals. Ācāryavān. Ācāryopāsanam. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, amānitvam adambhitvam ahiṁsā kṣāntir ārjavam, ācāryopāsanam [Bg 13.8]. You have to first of all worship the ācārya. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet [Muṅḍaka Upaniṣad 1.2.12].

[To understand these things properly, one must humbly approach, with firewood in hand, a spiritual master who is learned in the Vedas and firmly devoted to the Absolute Truth.]

Guru and ācārya, the same thing. So these are the process. Mahājano yena gataḥ. You cannot manufacture your ways of thinking. What you are? You are most insignificant living entity. And without following the ācāryas, without following the mahājanas, without following the śāstra, how you can teach?

But people are doing that. Without being followed by the ācārya, without being followed by the śāstras, they become guru, they become svāmī, they become yogī. It is useless. You cannot get... Here are the process. Process is given: tadā rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ kāma... [SB 1.2.19].

Tadā means when you are fixed up in devotional service, then you can get out of these infection. These are infection. In... It is so dangerous infection. Infection, anyone can understand nowadays, scientific days. If you infect some disease, you have to suffer. You cannot escape. You infect today somehow or other—not today, not tomorrow, but some day it will come out. It is called kūṭastha, phalonmukha, prārabdha, pāpa-bīja. Pāpa-bīja remains as seed, kūṭastha. Then it is fructifying, phalonmukha. Then you suffer, prārabdha. This is called prārabdha-karma, infection.

You are under the complete subjugation of nature. 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.]

These guṅaiḥ. The prakṛti is forcing you to work because you have infected a kind of guṅa. Kāraṅaṁ guṅa-saṅgo 'sya sad-asad-yoni-janmasu [Bg 13.22]. Kāraṅam. Why one man is born, one living entity is born as a very rich man and one is born as a dog? Sad-asad-yoni. Yoni means mother, and bīja means father. Yathā yoni yathā bījaḥ. So the every living entity is born bīja and yoni, father and mother. So why there are varieties? Nature is working. Why not one, one kind of living entity? No. Sad-asad-janma-yoniṣu. There are 8,400,000's of species. One has to take. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ [Bg 2.13].

[As the embodied soul continually passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. The self-realized soul is not bewildered by such a change.]

You have to change. But why one is in the lower grade birth, why in the higher grade? Now, kāraṅaṁ guṅa-saṅgo 'sya. These guṅa. These guṅa, sattva-guṅa, rajo-guṅa.

So we have to give up the association of rajo-guṅa and tamo-guṅa. Then there is question of progress. Otherwise it is simply bluff. Therefore in our Society we say, "Don't associate... Don't be infected by this rajo-guṅa, tamo-guṅa." This meat-eating and illicit sex life and drinking and gambling, they are rajo-guṅa, tamo-guṅa. Kāma-lobha. You see? There is a big rest[?] ground, gambling, tamo-guṅa. They are going there. Thousands and thousands of people are going there for gambling. This is tamo-guṅa. Why? Lobha: "I must get more money. I must get more money." Lobha, kāma. Kāma-lobhādayaḥ. So we have to get out of all this entanglement. Then there is spiritual life. Otherwise, don't talk of spiritual life.

So this is fact. Tadā. Tadā means when you are fixed up in devotional service. Tadā, kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye. Tadā rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ [SB 1.2.19]. We have to get rid of this rajo-guṅa and tamo-guṅa. We have to be fixed up in sattva-guṅa, pure life. Then sthitaṁ sattve prasīdati. If you are situated in the sattva-guṅa, then you will be peace of mind. And that is kṛṣṅa-bhakta. That is explained in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta.

bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kāmī—sakali 'aśānta' kṛṣṅa-bhakta—niṣkāma, ataeva 'śānta' [Cc Madhya 19.149]

Kṛṣṅa-bhakta, he does not desire anything. Kṛṣṅa-bhakta says, "I don't mind I am born lowborn." No, because he'll chant Hare Kṛṣṅa. Lowborn or highborn, he has nothing to do. If one is engaged in devotional service, it doesn't matter whether he's lowborn and highborn. As soon as he takes to devotional service, he becomes above lowborn and highborn. 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.]

He's in the Brahman platform.

So in this way, as they are stated in the śāstra, if you follow, then it is step by step. First beginning is śṛṅvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṅaḥ [SB 1.2.17].

Try to hear Kṛṣṅa's message. That is Bhagavad-gītā as it is. You hear it. You understand it. What is the difficulty? Śṛṅvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ. Don't misinterpret. Hear it as it is. Kṛṣṅa says, 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.]

Hear it and execute it. Where is the difficulty? But we shall not agree to; we shall not hear. We shall not act according to the instruction given. And that is our misfortune. Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore says, etādṛśī tava kṛpā bhagavan mamāpi durdaivam īdṛśam ihājani nānurāgaḥ: "You are so merciful that in this age You have incarnated, You have descended, in Your name." Nāmnām akāri bahudhā nija-sarva-śaktiḥ. And in the name there is all potencies. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate [Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.8].

[The Supreme Lord has nothing to do. Nothing is equal to Him or greater than Him. He acts in different phases by manifesting His parts and parcels, which are all simultaneously differently situated by His unlimited, variegated potencies. Each potency acts quite naturally in sequences, providing Him full knowledge, power and pastimes.]

There are multipotencies of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. All the potencies are there in the holy name of the Lord. Nāmnām akāri bahudhā nija-sarva-śaktis tatrārpitā niyamitaḥ smaraṅe na kālaḥ. Deśa-kāla-pātra. There is no distinction. Anywhere, either in England or in Vṛndāvana or in Calcutta, you can chant Hare Kṛṣṅa. Niyamitaḥ smaraṅe. No kālākāla-vicāra, that "This is aśuddha-kāla, this is śuddha-kāla." Anytime. 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.]

You have to chant only Hare Kṛṣṅa.

So this opportunity is there. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, etādṛśī tava kṛpā: "My Lord, You have..., You are so kind, You have given us this chance." Durdaivam īdṛśam ihājani nānurāgaḥ [Cc Antya 20.16, Śikṣāṣṭaka 2].

[My Lord, O Supreme Personality of Godhead, in Your holy name there is all good fortune for the living entity, and therefore You have many names, such as “Kṛṣṅa” and “Govinda,” by which You expand Yourself. You have invested all Your potencies in those names, and there are no hard and fast rules for remembering them. My dear Lord, although You bestow such mercy upon the fallen, conditioned souls by liberally teaching Your holy names, I am so unfortunate that I commit offenses while chanting the holy name, and therefore I do not achieve attachment for chanting.]

"But I am so unfortunate, I have no attraction for this chanting Hare Kṛṣṅa." This is our position. So if you are serious about peace of mind, if you are serious about advancing in spiritual culture, spiritual life, then you must follow what is there in the śāstra and spoken by Kṛṣṅa Himself, spoken by Lord Caitanya Himself. Then life is successful.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Hare Kṛṣṅa. [end]

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.2.19

Referenced verses