Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.26.20

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

viśvam ātma-gataṁ vyañjan kūṭa-stho jagad-aṅkuraḥ sva-tejasāpibat tīvram ātma-prasvāpanaṁ tamaḥ [SB 3.26.20]

[break] [02:40]

"Thus, after manifesting variegatedness, the effulgent mahat-tattva, which contains all the universes within itself, which is the root of all cosmic manifestations and which is not destroyed at the time of annihilation, swallows up the darkness which covered the effulgence at the time of dissolution."

Prabhupāda:

viśvam ātma-gataṁ vyañjan kūṭa-stho jagad-aṅkuraḥ sva-tejasāpibat tīvram ātma-prasvāpanaṁ tamaḥ [SB 3.26.20]

Viśvam ātma-gatam. This body, everyone's body, is also a small universe. Whatever the arrangement is there in this body, the similar arrangement is there in the whole universe. The principle is the same. The same arrangement is within the seed of a banyan tree. We have got practical experience that a small seed of banyan tree, very small, but the potency within the seed is there, the big tree.

So these universes are also coming like a small seed. Therefore innumerable universes: yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya [Bs 5.48].

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

From the breathing of Mahā-Viṣṅu, the small particles are coming, and they are developing into big manifestation of universal form. Similarly, our desire is also very small. We are very small, one ten-thousandth part of the tip of the hair. Still, we have got desires and everything. And according to the desire, as soon as there is creation, everything fructifies, everything comes out. It is called suptotthita-nyāya. Suptotthita-nyāya means just like one man is sleeping, and in the morning, when he is awakened... In the sleeping stage he forgot himself. He is wandering in dream, some other part of the world. He forgot this body and the bodily circumstances, everything. But as soon as he is awakened, he remembers everything. That darkness of ignorance, covering, is immediately gone, and he remembers that "I will have to do this. I will have to do that. I will have to go to my office or my business place." But when sleeping, he forgot everything.

Similarly, in the dormant stage after annihilation, we living entities, we forget everything. Just like at night we are forgetting everything of this bodily activities, and again, during daytime, we are forgetting everything of the night dream. This is going on. Similarly, at the time of annihilation, prakṛtiṁ yānti māmikām. Kalpa-kṣaye. When this millennium will be ended, at the end of Brahmā's life, at that time the living entities will stay in the body of the Mahā-Viṣṅu. [aside:] What is that sound? [indistinct answer from devotee] And again, when we are let loose from the deha, and there is creation, our old remembrances all come in, and we begin our life. This is the process of going... Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate [Bg 8.19].

Sva-tejasā apibat tīvram ātma-prasvāpanaṁ tamaḥ. So the darkness is there, and the light is also there. Simply we have to be awakened. Therefore Vedas, they instruct us that "Don't sleep! Get up!" Uttiṣṭhata prāpya varān nibodhata jāgrata [Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.3.14].

[Please wake up and try to understand the boon that you now have in this human form of life. The path of spiritual realization is very difficult; it is sharp like a razor's edge. That is the opinion of learned transcendental scholars.]

Similarly, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura also sings, kota nidrā jāo māyā-piśācīra kole. Jīv jāgo, jīv jāgo, gauracānda bole. Gauracānda means Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He says, "O the living entities, you get up! Be awakened!" We may say, "Now we are awakened." This is not awakening. This is also slumber in darkness of ignorance. Real awakening is when we come to our spiritual consciousness. That is real awakened. Yā niśā sarva-bhūtānāṁ tasyāṁ jāgarti saṁyamī [Bg 2.69].

[What is night for all beings is the time of awakening for the self-controlled; and the time of awakening for all beings is night for the introspective sage.]

This is not, this awakening stage, this is not real awakening. Real awakening comes when we understand, ahaṁ brahmāsmi. At the present moment we are not awakened, still sleeping, because we are thinking, every one of us, "I am this body." "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim." In this way we are conscious of the designation. So we have to get out of the designation, and when we shall understand our real identity, not this bodily identity but spiritual soul identity, that is called brahma-bhūtaḥ. Otherwise we are jīva-bhūtaḥ. So long we are identifying with this body, we are still sleeping. Kota nidrā jāo māyā-piśācīra kole. Just like a child sleeps on the lap of the mother, similarly, we are sleeping on the lap of mother material nature. This is our position.

So we have got the power to be awakened. Sva-tejasā. That power we have got, but we have to awaken it by good association, by sādhu, sādhu-saṅga. Sādhu-saṅga is good association. Then we are awakened. Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgaḥ [Cc Madhya 23.14-15].

[In the beginning there must be faith. Then one becomes interested in associating with pure devotees. Thereafter one is initiated by the spiritual master and executes the regulative principles under his orders. Thus one is freed from all unwanted habits and becomes firmly fixed in devotional service. Thereafter, one develops taste and attachment. This is the way of sādhana-bhakti, the execution of devotional service according to the regulative principles. Gradually emotions intensify, and finally there is an awakening of love. This is the gradual development of love of Godhead for the devotee interested in Kṛṣṅa consciousness.]

If we have little faith that we require awakening of spiritual consciousness, we should not sleep under the spell of this material consciousness... A little faith will help us. It is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, 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.]

Mahato bhayāt. There is great dangerous position. That we do not know because we are sleeping. If a man is sleeping and somebody is coming to kill him, he does not know that "Somebody is coming to kill me. Immediately I will be dead." There are so many cases of murder while a man is sleeping. Similarly, in this sleeping state of ignorance, that "I am this body," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian," there is greatest danger.

So somebody required. A man is sleeping, and another man is coming to kill him. A third person is required to awaken: "Mr. Such-and-such, get up, get up, get up! The man is coming to kill you." So the ear is open, although the man is sleeping, all other parts of the body, limbs of the body are inactive. So the ear is open. So therefore the Vedic mantras are called śruti. We have to hear the mantra, Vedic mantra. Just like if a man is bitten by snake, he is caused to hear the snake charmer's mantra—still there are—so that he can become awakened. And it is said in the Cāṅakya Paṅḍita śloka, mantrauṣadhi-vaśaḥ sarpaḥ. Mantra is powerful still. By mantra, a snake-bitten person can be brought into life. There are still some snake charmers in the villages. In our Māyāpur there is a Muhammadan, he, he can cure the snake-bitten case by mantra still.

So this mantra is required, the Vedic mantra, to hear mantra. This chanting of these verses is also hearing the Vedic mantra. So we should take chance, and the most important mantra is mahā-mantra. Mahā-mantra. We are sleeping, but this mahā-mantra, Hare Kṛṣṅa, if we hear somehow or other... Therefore the greatest beneficial activity or welfare activity is to chant this Hare Kṛṣṅa mahā-mantra so that others can hear. But unfortunately, when we chant loudly, others they think, "It is nuisance." That is the difficulty. But actually it is the process of awakening: "Get up, get up, get up, get up." Ceto-darpaṅa-mārjanam. If we hear this mantra, Hare Kṛṣṅa mahā-mantra, then the mistaken ideas... 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 iscleansing the mirror of the heart.

Everything, whatever we are thinking, doing, imagining, making plan, etc., the heart is so nice, it keeps a stock, photographic stock. Sometimes we have got experience: all of a sudden a thought comes which has no connection with my present activities. Still, all of a sudden comes. So in the heart there are so many stocks of different lives because I am passing through different lives. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate [Bg 8.19]. So stock is there. It comes like bubble. Just like we will find in some reservoir of water, big, all of a sudden some bubble comes. Similarly, the heart is the stock of so many dirty things. Dirty things means this experience of this material world. That is called dirty things. Because we are covered. We are spirit soul; we are now covered by these material dirty things. So it can be removed. Sva-tejasā. There is such potency of the spirit soul that it can come out. Simply the attempt should be made, assisted by or guided by a superior person. That is called spiritual master. He can guide, and we can come out of this slumber, sleeping in ignorance.

So Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has given us a very easy process, this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṅa mahā-mantra.

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.]

There is no other method for our spiritual progress. Simply chant Hare Kṛṣṅa mantra. And there is no loss on our part. If we chant Hare Kṛṣṅa mantra, there is no loss. You can chant, Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, niyamitaḥ smaraṅe na kālaḥ: "There is no hard-and-fast rule for chanting this Hare Kṛṣṅa mantra." Everyone can attempt. Even the children, they are also chanting. There is no loss, but gain is very much. That is the greatest gain, ceto-darpaṅa-mārjanam. Ceto-dar... That requires. Ceto-darpaṅa-mārjanam. Just like in the mirror, if it is covered with dust, you cannot see your face. But if you cleanse the mirror very nicely, then you can see your actual face. Similarly, when our this heart is cleansed... And within the heart, Kṛṣṅa is there. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati [Bg 18.61].

[The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone's heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living entities, who are seated as on a machine, made of the material energy.]

If we try to cleanse our heart, then—Kṛṣṅa is already there—He will help immediately.

śṛṅvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṅaḥ puṅya-śravaṅa-kīrtanaḥ hṛdy antaḥ-stho hy abhadrāṅi vidhunoti... [SB 1.2.17]

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

Abhadrāṅi, the same dirty thing. Kṛṣṅa is always ready to help us, provided if we take His help. Kṛṣṅa is so nice. As Paramātmā, He is living within the heart, and He is always ready to give us good advice and guide us. Caitya-guru, the guru within the heart. And this external spiritual master, he is Kṛṣṅa's representative. When He sees that "This living entity is little serious. He wants to know Me. He wants to come to Me," so He helps from within, and He sends His representative from without.

So from within and from without, Kṛṣṅa is ready to help us, provided we become little anxious. Śraddhā. To create this śraddhā, little faith, we are trying to open these branches all over the world, and people who are taking advantage of this..., little inclination will help. But there must be inclination. We are not dull stone that we have no power. We have got little power. That little independence is there because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṅa. Kṛṣṅa is fully independent, and we, being minute part and parcel of Kṛṣṅa, we have got also little independence. You don't forget this. And misuse of this independence is the cause of our material existence. Misuse. So still, Kṛṣṅa is so kind, He comes, paritrāṅāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām, dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya [Bg 4.8].

[In order to deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I advent Myself millennium after millennium.]

If we simply become little inclined, svalpam apy asya dharmasya, little inclined, then Kṛṣṅa will help us. Tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṅāmbujaṁ harer bhajann apakvo 'tha patet tato yadi [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.]

If somebody is little inclined and out of sentiment or understanding he gives up everything, sva-dharmam, that is the primary requisition.

Kṛṣṅa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya [Bg 18.66]. This sarva-dharmān means everyone has got a particular type of occupational duty. That is called sva-dharma. Generally, the brāhmaṅa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, they have got particular type of duties. And as Kṛṣṅa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya: "You give up your brāhmaṅa-dharma or kṣatriya-dharma or vaiśya-dharma or śūdra-dharma or Hindu dharma, Muslim dharma, this dharma, that dharma." Sarva-dharma means "everything." Sarva-dharmān parityajya. If we are little inclined, that is called..., that is explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṅāmbujaṁ hareḥ. He gives up all other duties: "I am no more any followers of any dharma. I am followers of Kṛṣṅa's lotus feet." If this determination is there, then everything is possible.

There is a verse, ārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim [Nārada Pañcarātra]: "If you take the shelter of the lotus feet of Hari, Kṛṣṅa," ārādhitaḥ, "and worship it," ārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim, "then there is no more necessity of austerities, penances and so many other things. Simply this is required." Ārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim... Nārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim: "And after undergoing your religious principles and ritualistic ceremonies and austerities, penances, fully executing the occupational duty, everything done," but nārādhito hariḥ, "but you could not understand how to worship Hari," so tapasā tataḥ kim, "then what is the use of your this tapasya?" There is no use. It is simply waste of time. Śrama eva hi kevalam.

This is confirmed everywhere. Śrama eva hi kevalam.

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

You are executing your occupational duty very nicely. Suppose if you are, from material point of view, you are big businessman or big medical practitioner, big engineer or anything—everyone has got some occupational duty—so if you are doing your duties very nicely, dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ, very nicely you are doing, puṁsām, but you have no Kṛṣṅa consciousness... Your..., you are functioning your duties, occupational duties, very nicely, but you do not develop Kṛṣṅa consciousness. Dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsāṁ viṣvaksena-kathāsu yaḥ [SB 1.2.8]. Viṣvaksena. Kṛṣṅa's another name is Viṣvaksena. So if we do not become interested in hearing about Kṛṣṅa... Kṛṣṅa, Rāma, or there are so many names of Kṛṣṅa—Govinda, Nārāyaṅa. He has got many forms. So "Kṛṣṅa" means including all these forms. So viṣvaksena-kathāsu yaḥ, notpādayed ratiṁ yadi: "If you do not get interested to hear about the Supreme Lord, then," śrama eva hi kevalam, "your discharging very faithfully your occupational duty is simply labor of love. It has no meaning."

So this is the point. Therefore Bhāgavata's instruction is that you must be careful of being successful by discharging your duties. That should be your point of view. You do not remain blind. You see that you are successful. So how it is successful? That is also given indication in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsām [SB 1.2.8]—this is also there—saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṅam. Svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṅam [SB 1.2.13].

[O best among the twice-born, it is therefore concluded that the highest perfection one can achieve by discharging the duties prescribed for one's own occupation according to caste divisions and orders of life is to please the Personality of Godhead.]

Ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhāḥ. There was a big meeting of very, very learned brāhmaṅas at Naimiṣāraṅya. Perhaps you know Naimiṣāraṅya, there is a place. In Uttar Pradesh, near Lucknow, there is a place, Naimiṣāraṅya. So long, long ago, say, four thousand, five thousand years ago, there was a big meeting of learned brāhmaṅas. In that conference this resolution was passed. What is that resolution? Ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā varṅāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ: "Now we are assembled here, guided by the learned brāhmaṅas." There were kṣatriyas, vaiśyas and śūdras also. So the resolution was passed. The president was Sūta Gosvāmī.

So ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhāḥ. They addressed the learned brāhmaṅas, dvija-śreṣṭhāḥ. Dvija means twice-born, twice-born: one birth by the father and mother, and the other birth by the spiritual master and spiritual knowledge. Mother, Gāyatrī or Veda, Veda-mātā; and the father, the spiritual master. This is another birth. So the brāhmaṅa, kṣatriya and vaiśyas, they are allowed, especially the brāhmaṅas. Therefore the brāhmaṅas are called dvija-śreṣṭhāḥ: "amongst the twice-born, the best; the best of the twice-born." So it was addressed to the best of the twice-born. Ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā varṅāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ. They have got different occupational duties as brāhmaṅa, kṣatriya, as vaiśya and śūdra, so how they can become successful by discharging their duties? Now, saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṅam [SB 1.2.13]. You never mind whether you are a brāhmaṅa or kṣatriya or vaiśya or śūdra. It doesn't matter. See that by your activities, by your occupational duty, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is satisfied. Then your occupational duty is successful. Otherwise, śrama eva hi kevalam, simply wasting time and energy.

So this uttiṣṭhata jāgrata is... Sva-tejasāpibat tīvram. Sva-tejasā: we have got that potency to come to the light. Everyone, we have got that potency. Simply we must be willing. That independence is there. I may not like it. Therefore Kṛṣṅa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṅaṁ vraja [Bg 18.66]: "You do it." Kṛṣṅa is all-powerful; He can force you to accept this principle. But that He will not do. He will not touch your independence. He will ask you to do it, but He will not force you to do it. If you do not take it, that is your choice. But this is the assurance. To become illuminated, to become awakened to spiritual consciousness, we can do it at any moment if we want to accept it. Sva-tejasā, we have got that potency. So this Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement is for giving enlightenment to the people that "If you like, you can take to Kṛṣṅa consciousness, and then your life is successful." Ārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim. That is the most welfare activities.

So 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.]

If by sentiment also you take to Kṛṣṅa consciousness... Because in the beginning nobody is very serious. Sometimes by sentiment they take it. Even at... This is also good, by sentiment. Tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṅāmbujam. And one who takes by sentiment, he may fall down. It doesn't matter. Because in that sentiment... Just like here we find the children, they are dancing, they are chanting, they are playing the cymbal. All these activities are taking into account. Kṛta-puṅya-puñjāḥ. We collect all these effects of pious activities. This devotional service is so nice that whatever you do, little bit, that is pious. 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.]

Even if you do not do anything, simply if you hear, that is also puṅya. Puṅya-śravaṅa-kīrtanaḥ. And if I speak just like a parrot, if I do not know anything about, it doesn't matter; still, it is pious. Puṅya-śravaṅa-kīrtanaḥ. Someway or other... The children, what do they know about Kṛṣṅa consciousness? But they are becoming pious, purified.

Therefore, in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said, kṛta-puṅya-puñjāḥ. Sākaṁ vijahruḥ kṛta-puṅya-puñjāḥ.

itthaṁ satāṁ brahma-sukhānubhūtyā dāsyaṁ gatānāṁ para-daivatena māyāśritānāṁ nara-dārakeṅa sākaṁ vijahruḥ kṛta-puṅya-puñjāḥ [SB 10.12.11]

[All the boys would be differently engaged. Some boys blew their flutes, and others blew bugles made of horn. Some imitated the buzzing of the bumblebees, and others imitated the voice of the cuckoo. Some boys imitated flying birds by running after the birds' shadows on the ground, some imitated the beautiful movements and attractive postures of the swans, some sat down with the ducks, sitting silently, and others imitated the dancing of the peacocks.

Some boys attracted young monkeys in the trees, some jumped into the trees, imitating the monkeys, some made faces as the monkeys were accustomed to do, and others jumped from one branch to another. Some boys went to the waterfalls and crossed over the river, jumping with the frogs, and when they saw their own reflections on the water they would laugh. They would also condemn the sounds of their own echoes.

In this way, all the cowherd boys used to play with Kṛṣṅa, who is the source of the Brahman effulgence for jñānīs desiring to merge into that effulgence, who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead for devotees who have accepted eternal servitorship, and who for ordinary persons is but another ordinary child. The cowherd boys, having accumulated the results of pious activities for many lives, were able to associate in this way with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. How can one explain their great fortune?]

Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī is describing when the cowherd boys were playing with Kṛṣṅa, that description. He says that "These cowherd boys, they are not ordinary human being." Kṛta-puṅya-puñjāḥ: "They have accumulated many, many births' pious activities, as the result of which they are now playing with Kṛṣṅa." And who is Kṛṣṅa? Itthaṁ satāṁ brahma-sukhānubhūtyā: "Big, big ṛṣis and yogīs, those who are interested in brahma-sukha, or to merge in the Brahman effulgence—the source of Brahman effulgence is here playing: Kṛṣṅa." Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṅḍa [Bs 5.40].

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

So this little, little accumulation of puṅya, very easy. No expenditure, no experience, no education, nothing. Simply come here and join this chanting and dancing. Even a child. Kṛta-puṅya-puñjāḥ. Little, little, little—one day he will be able to play with Kṛṣṅa.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda. [end]