Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.25.14

[loud sound of fireworks, firecrackers, etc., going on in background]

Nitāi: "O most pious mother, I shall now explain unto you the ancient yoga system which I explained formerly unto the great sages. It is serviceable and practical in every way."

Prabhupāda:

tam imaṁ te pravakṣyāmi yam avocaṁ purānaghe ṛṣīṅāṁ śrotu-kāmānāṁ yogaṁ sarvāṅga-naipuṅam [SB 3.25.14]

So Kapiladeva, previous verse He said that yoga ādhyātmikaḥ puṁsāṁ mato niḥśreyasāya me [SB 3.25.13]. The supreme yoga system is ādhyātmikaḥ, or pertaining to the soul. Just like in your country a...

[loud fireworks]

Nowadays the haṭha-yoga is very popular. Sometimes the fat ladies go there to reduce their fat, and... [laughter] Some bodily... Here also they practice yoga to keep the digestive system regular. So people like this kind of yoga, gymnastics. But real yoga is ādhyātmika. Ādhyātmika means to awaken the soul to his proper position. That is real yoga. So that is not a manufactured, novel concoction. That is purāṅa. As the soul is purāṅa, śāśvataḥ purāṅaḥ, similarly his business is also śāśvataḥ purāṅaḥ. That business is to reconnect his lost relationship with Kṛṣṅa.

So Kapiladeva says that "The same yoga system which I previously spoke to the great ṛṣis, who were very eager to hear..." Ṛṣīṅāṁ śrotu-kāmānām. This is one of the qualification for spiritual advancement: one must be eager to hear. Because the spiritual life begins by hearing.

ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṅa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ [Cc Madhya 17.136]

[Therefore material senses cannot appreciate Kṛṣṅa’s holy name, form, qualities and pastimes. When a conditioned soul is awakened to Kṛṣṅa consciousness and renders service by using his tongue to chant the Lord’s holy name and taste the remnants of the Lord’s food, the tongue is purified, and one gradually comes to understand who Kṛṣṅa really is.]

This is the statement of śāstra, that with our these blunt material senses it is not possible to appreciate or to understand śrī-kṛṣṅa-nāmādi—Kṛṣṅa, His name, His form, His quality, His pastimes, His paraphernalia, His abode, so many things. Kṛṣṅa is not alone, but Kṛṣṅa begins from the name. Then there is form. Generally, for the beginners, neophytes, these two things are essential: to hear the name, to hear the qualities, and see the form of the Lord, to offer worship. That is the instruction of Kṛṣṅa personally. 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.]

So here Bhagavān Kṛṣṅa is present. Even a child comes and offers his respect, it is taken into account, that "Here is a devotee." He does not know anything. Simply by seeing the chanting and dancing—you'll see practically—even a small child, he dances, he claps, he enjoys. He takes part. So the temple means to give chance to everyone, even to the child, to advance one step to Kṛṣṅa consciousness. One step. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt [Bg 2.40].

[In this endeavor there is no loss or diminution, and a little advancement on this path can protect one from the most dangerous type of fear.]

Even little is accepted and is done, it becomes into account. Just like if you deposit even two annas in the bank, it is kept on your account. It will increase with interest. Similarly, devotional service even done very little, it is not lost. It is not lost. In the śāstra it is said that even it is lost... Not lost. Suppose some reason a man comes and joins this Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement, and in the middle he falls down; he does not make further progress because he falls down. But whatever he has done, that is permanent credit. That will never be lost. Even he stops, then from that point, again he will begin as soon as there will be chance. But whatever he has done, that is a permanent credit. That is the instruction of śāstra.

Therefore it is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo sañjayate [Bg 6.41].

[The unsuccessful yogī, after many, many years of enjoyment on the planets of the pious living entities, is born into a family of righteous people, or into a family of rich aristocracy.]

Yoga-bhraṣṭaḥ. Bhraṣṭa means he was executing devotional service, but some way or other, being allured by māyā or some..., some other causes, even if he falls down, so that credit is there. Therefore he has to begin next life... He is given chance next life. What is that? Śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe. He takes birth in two families. What is that? Śucīnām. Śucīnām means brāhmaṅa, śuci. Śuci means brāhmaṅa: always clean and pure. Therefore they are called śuci. And muci. Muci means cobbler, just the end. That is the lowest, and this is the highest, śuci and muci. There is a Bengali poetry: śuci haya muci haya yadi kṛṣṅa tyaje, muci haya śuci haya yadi kṛṣṅa bhaje. If somebody takes to Kṛṣṅa consciousness, even born in the family of cobbler, muci, he becomes śuci. He becomes more than a brāhmaṅa. And muci haya śuci haya. If one is born in the family of a brāhmaṅa, but he... [loud sounds of fireworks] ...but if he gives up Kṛṣṅa consciousness, then he becomes a muci.

So a devotee, whoever he may be, everyone, for everyone, the path of devotion is open. 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.]

Kṛṣṅa says personally. It doesn't matter, pāpa-yoni, low-grade family, pāpa-yonayaḥ, if he takes shelter of Kṛṣṅa... Striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim. And Śukadeva Gosvāmī says, kirāta-hūṅāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ ye 'nye ca pāpā, ye anye ca pāpā yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ śudhyanti [SB 2.4.18]. Kṛṣṅa consciousness is so nice. It is all-embracing. There are many... Tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṅāmbujaṁ hareḥ [SB 1.5.17],

[One who has forsaken his material occupations to engage in the devotional service of the Lord may sometimes fall down while in an immature stage, yet there is no danger of his being unsuccessful. On the other hand, a nondevotee, though fully engaged in occupational duties, does not gain anything.]

patet tato yadi, bhajann apakvo 'tha. Tyaktvā sva-dharmam. Sva-dharmam means everyone has got his occupational duty, sva-dharma. Generally, we consider brāhmaṅa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. They have got their sva-dharma. Brāhmaṅa has got his duties, kṣatriya has got his duty. Cātur-varṅyaṁ mayā-sṛṣṭaṁ guṅa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ [Bg 4.13].

[According to the three modes of material nature and the work ascribed to them, the four divisions of human society were created by Me. And, although I am the creator of this system, you should know that I am yet the non-doer, being unchangeable.]

So sva-dharma means... Suppose one gives up his occupational duty and takes to Kṛṣṅa consciousness, tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṅāmbujaṁ hareḥ, and takes to the shelter of Kṛṣṅa, but bhajann apakvaḥ, could not mature his devotional service, bhajann apakvo 'tha patet tato yadi, and he falls down... This is Nārada's statement. So he says, "What is the loss even if he falls down? By sentiment he comes to Kṛṣṅa consciousness, and even if he falls down, still, where is the loss? And contrary to this, a man who is performing very perfectly his sva-dharma but has no Kṛṣṅa consciousness, then what is the gain?" There is no gain.

So that yoga system, ādhyātmika, is being explained by Kapiladeva, that you'll never fall down. Permanent, fixed-up position. Once begun, it will continue. Even if you fall down, then you are given chance again. What is that? Śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo sañjayate [Bg 6.41].

[The unsuccessful yogī, after many, many years of enjoyment on the planets of the pious living entities, is born into a family of righteous people, or into a family of rich aristocracy.]

Very nice family, brāhmaṅa family. Brāhmaṅa family means Vaiṣṅava family. Brāhmaṅa-vaiṣṅava, brāhmaṅa-paṅḍita. Brāhmaṅa means he must be learned and he must be a Vaiṣṅava. Oṁ tad viṣṅoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayaḥ [Ṛg Veda 1.22.20].

[The lotus feet of Lord Viṣṅu are the supreme objective of all the demigods. These lotus feet of the Lord are as enlightening as the sun in the sky.]

Viṣṅu. Therefore in every brāhmaṅa house there is viṣṅu-pūjā, Viṣṅu-śālagrāma. Still. From descent, I mean to say, generation, it is coming down. Brāhmaṅa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, they are supposed to worship Lord Viṣṅu. Not only brāhmaṅa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra... Śūdra also. Varṅāśramācāravatā puruṣeṅa paraḥ pumān viṣṅur ārādhyate [Cc Madhya 8.58].

[The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Viṣṅu, is worshiped by the proper execution of prescribed duties in the system of varṅa and āśrama. There is no other way to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One must be situated in the institution of the four varṅas and āśramas.’]

This is statement of Viṣṅu Purāṅa. Varṅāśrama, the execution of duty in the institution of varṅa and āśrama, four varṅas and four āśramas, what is the meaning? The meaning is viṣṅur ārādhyate: Viṣṅu becomes very pleased. That is varṅāśrama-dharma.

If you execute as a pakkā brāhmaṅa, that means Viṣṅu will be pleased. If you execute your duties as a perfect kṣatriya, then Viṣṅu will be pleased. If you execute your duty as a perfect vaiśya, then Viṣṅu will be pleased. And if you execute your duties as a perfect śūdra, Viṣṅu will be pleased. The purpose is to please Viṣṅu. Therefore, na te viduḥ... The purpose they do not know. They have forgotten. Not now. This is the nature of this material world: na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi..., to please Viṣṅu. Viṣṅu means Kṛṣṅa. Kṛṣṅa means Viṣṅu. Viṣṅu is expansion of Kṛṣṅa. So Kṛṣṅa has millions of forms—as Viṣṅu, Nārāyaṅa and other also. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam [Bs 5.33].

[I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is inaccessible to the Vedas, but obtainable by pure unalloyed devotion of the soul, who is without a second, who is not subject to decay, is without a beginning, whose form is endless, who is the beginning, and the eternal puruṣa; yet He is a person possessing the beauty of blooming youth.]

Ananta-rūpam. Ādyaṁ purāṅa-puruṣaṁ nava-yauvanaṁ ca. So viṣṅur ārādhyate puṁsāṁ nānyat tat-toṣa-kāraṅam. There is no other alternative to please Him. Therefore varṅāśrama-dharma is very important. That is the beginning of perfect human civilization.

But we have lost everything. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu... He's also Viṣṅu, Kṛṣṅa Himself. Just to give relief to these rotten or forgotten conditioned souls of this age, Kali-yuga, He has given this one mantra, which is called mahā-mantra. What is that?

harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā [Cc Ādi 17.21]

[In this Age of Kali there is no other means, no other means, no other means for self-realization than chanting the holy name, chanting the holy name, chanting the holy name of Lord Hari.]

It is no longer possible to revive the perfect system, varṅāśrama. Although we are trying to revive, it is not possible. It is very difficult. People are so fallen. 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.]

They are so disturbed, manda-bhāgyāḥ, unfortunate, and upadrutāḥ, always disturbed. Especially anāvṛṣṭi, durbhikṣa and kara-pīḍita. The people of Kali-yuga will be very much, I mean to say, harassed by these three things. There will be no rainfall, and... There will be no rainfall, and there, food scarcity and taxation by government, income tax. Income tax is to plunder. If you have got some money, this is the means. So this is all stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. People will be so much harassed that ācchinna-dāra-draviṅā gacchanti giri-kānanam [SB 12.2.8]. They'll be disgusted so much, they will give up their family all of a sudden. Dāra-draviṅāḥ. Dāra means wife, children and bank balance, everything, "Let them go to..." Recently we have seen one big industrialist, he has committed suicide. So people will do that, they'll be so much harassed. This is Kali-yuga.

So in this position of harassment, how the peaceful varṅāśrama can be revived? It is very difficult. It is almost impossible. Therefore this system should be taken. What is this system? Saṅkīrtanair yajñair yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ. Those who have got brain, they will worship Viṣṅu. Yajña means to satisfy Viṣṅu. Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyaiḥ. Viṣṅur ārādhyate puṁsāṁ nānyat tat-toṣa... The whole aim is to satisfy Viṣṅu. Therefore Viṣṅu comes Himself: Kṛṣṅa. Viṣṅu comes Himself as Caitanya Mahāprabhu and teaches. There is no difference between Viṣṅu's teachings... Other, bogus teacher, they can teach something else, but Viṣṅu's teachings... Just like Kṛṣṅa. Whatever Kṛṣṅa... Of course, Kṛṣṅa incarnation was after Kapila's incarnation. Before that, there were other Viṣṅu incarnation. So here it is said, tam imaṁ te pravakṣyāmi yam avocaṁ purā anaghe. Purā, "Formerly. I am not manufacturing." Nowadays it has become a fashion to manufacture a new system of religion. It is not that. It is not new. Old, purā. Kṛṣṅa also says that,

imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam vivasvān manave prāha manur ikṣvākave 'bravīt [Bg 4.1]

[The Blessed Lord said: I instructed this imperishable science of yoga to the sun-god, Vivasvān, and Vivasvān instructed it to Manu, the father of mankind, and Manu in turn instructed it to Ikṣvāku.]

evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ [Bg 4.2]

[This supreme science was thus received through the chain of disciplic succession, and the saintly kings understood it in that way. But in course of time the succession was broken, and therefore the science as it is appears to be lost.]

"And I am speaking that very yoga system again to you."

So this is real incarnation. They'll not say anything which is..., which was not spoken before. The same thing: yogo naṣṭaḥ parantapa. "That yoga has been lost. Therefore, My dear Arjuna, I am repeating the same yoga system unto you." "Why to me? Why not to others?" Bhakto 'si: "Because you are My dear friend." Priyo 'si [Bg 4.3]:

[That very ancient science of the relationship with the Supreme is today told by Me to you because you are My devotee as well as My friend; therefore you can understand the transcendental mystery of this science.]

"You are My dear friend." Because, without being bhakta, nobody will understand Bhagavad-gītā. It is not possible. Bhagavad-gītā means to understand Kṛṣṅa. So although everything is explained there, but it is on the bhakti line, not in any other line. Therefore Kṛṣṅa says at the end, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti [Bg 18.55].

[One can understand the Supreme Personality as He is only by devotional service. And when one is in full consciousness of the Supreme Lord by such devotion, he can enter into the kingdom of God.]

If anyone wants to understand Kṛṣṅa and wants relationship with Kṛṣṅa, then one must take to this process of bhakti-yoga. That is sāṅkhya-yoga. That will be explained by Kapiladeva. Bhakti-yoga means sāṅkhya-yoga.

So here it is said, tam imaṁ te pravakṣyāmi yam avocaṁ purā anaghe. And He is addressing mother, anaghe. Anagha means "one who has no sinful reaction in life." That is called anagha. Agha means pāpa, sin; and ana, ana means without. Therefore nobody can understand Kṛṣṅa consciousness unless he is free from all sinful life.

yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṅya-karmaṅām te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ [Bg 7.28]

[Persons who have acted piously in previous lives and in this life, whose sinful actions are completely eradicated and who are freed from the duality of delusion, engage themselves in My service with determination.]

One can stick to Kṛṣṅa consciousness when one is completely free from all sinful reaction of life. So you may say that "It will take some time. If I have to get free from sinful reaction, then I'll have to take some time." Kṛṣṅa says, "No, no time. Immediately."

sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṅaṁ vraja ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi... [Bg 18.66]

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

"I will immediately do that. You just do this business. Surrender unto Me, and I take guarantee." Then your life begins.

Sarva-pāpa-vinirmuktam..., sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam [Cc Madhya 19.170].

[Bhakti, or devotional service, means engaging all our senses in the service of the Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of all the senses. When the spirit soul renders service unto the Supreme, there are two side effects. One is freed from all material designations, and one’s senses are purified simply by being employed in the service of the Lord.]

Upādhi means pāpa. Upādhi... If we get different bodies, that is due to our sinful actions. If I am given the chance to execute as a human being, this human form of body... Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante [Bg 7.19].

[After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare.]

We have got this body after many, many evolutionary process. So this is a chance given to we. Hari hari biphale. Therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura is singing, hari hari biphale janama goṅāinu: "My dear Lord, Kṛṣṅa, I have wasted my time for nothing, uselessly." Why? Manuṣya-janama pāiyā, rādhā-kṛṣṅa nā bhajiyā, jāniyā śuniyā viṣa khāinu: "Because I got this opportunity, the human form of life... It was meant for understanding Kṛṣṅa." Or add Kṛṣṅa with Rādhārāṅī. That is perfect Kṛṣṅa. Kṛṣṅa alone is Vāsudeva, and Rādhā-Kṛṣṅa is perfect, with 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.]

The Absolute Truth with potencies. Śrīmatī Rādhārāṅī is the source of all potencies. Rādhā kṛṣṅa-praṅaya-vikṛtir hlādinī śaktiḥ [Cc Ādi 1.5]. The Rādhārāṅī is the manifestation of Kṛṣṅa's pleasure potency. Kṛṣṅa, when He wants to enjoy, He does not enjoy anything material. He expands His energy, potency. That is Rādhārāṅī. Hlādinī śaktir asmād ekātmānāv api bhuvi purā deha-bhedaṁ gatau tau [Cc Ādi 1.5]. So these are the... So if we want... That is the... Human life is meant for that. As Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, manuṣya-janama pāiyā rādhā-kṛṣṅa nā bhajiyā jāniyā śuniyā viṣa khāinu: "My dear Lord, I have simply wasted my time, although I got the opportunity of this human form of life." Why you have wasted? "Now, I have done everything without worshiping Rādhā-Kṛṣṅa." That's all.

So what is this...? Now... Jāniyā śuniyā viṣa khāinu. It is just like taking poison knowingly. Somebody takes poison unknowingly and somebody takes poison to commit suicide, knowingly. So it is something like that. If we do not understand Kṛṣṅa in this life, then we are taking poison knowingly. Therefore Kṛṣṅa says, yadā yadā hi... Because they are taking poison. They got the chance of eternal life, but they are taking poison. Viṣaya-viṣānale, dibā-niśi hiyā jvale. This material life is just like blazing fire of poison. Viṣaya-viṣānale. Viṣaya means material. Āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithuna [Hitopadeśa 25].

[Both animals and men share the activities of eating, sleeping, mating and defending. But the special property of the humans is that they are able to engage in spiritual life. Therefore without spiritual life, humans are on the level of animals.]

Eating, sleeping and sex life and defense—these are the material activities. So we are engaged with these things. So viṣaya-viṣānale, dibā-niśi hiyā jvale. And if we become engaged with these four things, viṣaya, it is like poison. Then our heart will be always burning. Gastric ulcer.

So it has to be cured. How it can be cured? Now, golokera prema-dhana, hari-nāma-saṅkīrtana, rati nā janmilo kene tāy: "My dear Lord, You have given the medicine, hari-nāma-saṅkīrtana, the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṅa mantra, but I have no attraction for this." So this is the realization of the Vaiṣṅava. Brajendra-nandana jei, śaci-suta hailo sei: "Vrajendra-nandana, Kṛṣṅa, He has now come as Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Śacī-suta, the son of Mother Śacī." Balarāma hailo nitāi: "And Balarāma has become Nitāi." So what is their business now? Now, pāpī tāpī jata chilo, hari-nāme uddhārilo: "All kinds of varieties of sinful men, simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṅa mantra, they are delivered." Tāra sākṣī jagāi and mādhāi. What is the evidence? Evidence is Jagāi-Mādhāi. So at the present moment, not only one Jagāi-Mādhāi, but thousands of Jagāi-Mādhāi, by the grace of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, are being delivered. It is so active medicine, this Hare Kṛṣṅa mahā-mantra.

Therefore the perfect yoga system... Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt [Bg 2.40].

[In this endeavor there is no loss or diminution, and a little advancement on this path can protect one from the most dangerous type of fear.]

So He'll speak that. Tam imaṁ te pravakṣyāmi. So it is not newly manufactured. We don't concoct anything. That is not our business. Our business is very simple. Our business is very simple because we take the words of Kṛṣṅa as it is. That's all. Kṛṣṅa says, satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ [Bg 9.14].

[Always chanting My glories, endeavoring with great determination, bowing down before Me, these great souls perpetually worship Me with devotion.]

So we are simply... We don't want to be very learned. We simply want blessings of you all, that let us become so much learned that we can follow the instruction of Kṛṣṅa. That's all. We don't want anything more. We don't want. Therefore we're sticking to Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement on the basis of Bhagavad-gītā. And a little farther advanced, by reading Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. These are kṛṣṅa-kathā. And as I have told you, the Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that "Every one of you, especially Indians..." Indians? They are imitating this material civilization. Horrible. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu has given us open way:

bhārata-bhūmite manuṣya-janma haila yāra janma sārthaka kari' kara para-upakāra [Cc Ādi 9.41]

[One who has taken his birth as a human being in the land of India [Bhārata-varṣa] should make his life successful and work for the benefit of all other people.]

This is Indians' business, para-upakāra. The whole world is in darkness without Kṛṣṅa consciousness. Every Indian should first of all make his life successful by understanding Kṛṣṅa consciousness, Bhagavad-gītā, and preach it all over the world. That is the Indian business.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya Prabhupāda. [end]