Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.26.41

Nitāi: [leads chanting of verse, etc.]

rūpa-mātrād vikurvāṅāt tejaso daiva-coditāt rasa-mātram abhūt tasmād ambho jihvā rasa-grahaḥ [SB 3.26.41]

[break] [02:58]

"By the interaction of fire and the visual sensation, the subtle element taste evolves under a superior arrangement. From taste, water is produced, and the tongue, which perceives taste, is also manifested."

Prabhupāda:

rūpa-mātrād vikurvāṅāt tejaso daiva-coditāt rasa-mātram abhūt tasmād ambho jihvā rasa-grahaḥ [SB 3.26.41]

How water is manufactured, that is explained here. The modern scientists, they speak of manufacturing water by combination of two gases: hydrogen, oxygen. May be true to certain extent. But from Vedic literature we understand that by the interaction of form and touch through the agency of fire maybe there is perspiration. Just like when our body becomes too much heated, there is perspiration, the water comes out; similarly, the same process we get the water, ambho. And as soon as there is water there is jihvā, the sense of touch, rasa-graha, which can taste. Jihvā is meant for tasting. So this is the way of physical manifestation of different ways. But on the background there is daiva-codita. Everything is coming into existence on account of superior management, or superior impelling. That is the main proposition, that mayādhyakṣeṅa prakṛtiḥ [Bg 9.10].

[This material nature is working under My direction, O son of Kuntī, and it is producing all moving and unmoving beings. By its rule this manifestation is created and annihilated again and again.]

These things we..., physical transformation, different ways, we experience. That is the phenomenal world. But these things are taking place not automatically but daiva-coditāt, by superior intervention, impelled by the superior Personality of Godhead.

So as we explained last night, every action and reaction is being completed by the superior person, Kṛṣṅa. But He has got so multi-energies that He does not require... Just like we have to see so many things personally. Just like in this management of our institution, sometimes we have to take personal care: "How this is being managed." Because we have to see there may not be any discrepancies in the service of the Lord. That is our duty. But entirely if we depend on Kṛṣṅa, things will go on. But we have to depend in that way. He has got such fine machinery. The first thing is that He is seated in everyone's heart. Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭaḥ [Bg 15.15].

[I am seated in everyone's heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness. By all the Vedas am I to be known; indeed I am the compiler of Vedānta, and I am the knower of the Vedas.]

So He can give instruction to perform the respective duties—but provided there is another thing: personal consideration. The chance is given to the personal living being to take this chance but not misuse your little independence. Chance is given everyone. And Kṛṣṅa's another business is: He does not interfere with the little independence given to the living being. So he must voluntarily surrender his little independence. Does not..., Kṛṣṅa does not force; Kṛṣṅa desires, He orders, that "You do this." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṅaṁ vraja [Bg 18.66]. But He does not interfere with the little independence. That is Kṛṣṅa's mercy, how He can do that. Kṛṣṅa is not like us, that I give you something and again I ask you to return it. No. Whatever Kṛṣṅa has given to us, that is permanent.

So He has given us little independence because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṅa. Kṛṣṅa is fully independent. He does not depend on anyone. But although we have got independence to a certain extent, but under the control of māyā. In the spiritual life there is also māyā. That is called yoga-māyā. And in the material life there is also māyā. That is called mahā-māyā, Durgā. So we, being very little... Just like small children: he is given either to the mother for taking care or to the nurse for taking care. The little child must be taken care of, either by the mother or an appointed nurse, maidservant. Similarly, we being very teeny, small, fragmental, atomic part and parcel of Kṛṣṅa, although we have got all the ingredients of Kṛṣṅa, still, we require protection. Just like the child and the father. The child possesses all the chemical composition of the father's body. Even if the father is diseased, the child inherits the disease also. This is a fact. Similarly, we have got all the ingredients or qualities of God in us, but in many..., in very, very small fragmental portions. Therefore, although we have got Kṛṣṅa's qualities, still we sometimes fall down. Because it is very, very minute, fragmental, there is chance of being covered by something else.

So we require protection. Therefore, mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ [Bg 9.13].

[O son of Pṛthā, those who are not deluded, the great souls, are under the protection of the divine nature. They are fully engaged in devotional service because they know Me as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, original and inexhaustible.]

The mahātmā, they are also given protection by daivī-prakṛti, Kṛṣṅa's māyā. Therefore we chant "Hare Kṛṣṅa," not alone "Kṛṣṅa." Harā is Kṛṣṅa's energy, so we first of all take the shelter of Kṛṣṅa's energy, daivī-māyā, Rādhārāṅī. In Vṛndāvana they chant "Rādhā-Kṛṣṅa," "Jaya Rādhe." The general addressing is "Rādhe," like that. So to take shelter of the daivī-māyā... Mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ [Bg 9.13]. If we take shelter of the daivī-māyā, Rādhārāṅī, then She will give us intelligence in such a way that we can take shelter of Kṛṣṅa perfectly. So daivī-māyā āśritāḥ, as soon as we become under the shelter of daivī-māyā, then our business becomes bhajanty ananya-manasaḥ: simply serving Kṛṣṅa, no other business. And in the material world, so long we are under the protection of mahā-māyā, we have got many things to serve. Bahu-śākhā hy anantāś ca buddhayo 'vyavasāyinām [Bg 2.41]. When we are under the care of daivī-māyā, then our only business is to serve Kṛṣṅa. That is our original constitutional position, kṛṣṅa-dāsa. As we have several times given this example, the part and parcel of my body, the finger, it is always serving the whole body according to the order; similarly, as part and parcel of God, Kṛṣṅa, our only business is to serve Him. Whatever we have got in possession...

Now it is explained by Kapiladeva how things are developing, everything. This evening we were discussing. Here it is said that jihvā ambho. They are coming out by interaction of touch sensation, the fire. In this way everything is emanating. Janmādy asya yataḥ [SB 1.1.1]. The original source is Kṛṣṅa. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate [Bg 10.8].

[I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates from Me. The wise who know this perfectly engage in My devotional service and worship Me with all their hearts.]

This is the real science. Everything is coming from Him. So whatever we possess, the physical transformation, the gross body and the subtle mind, intelligence, everything is produced from the original source, Kṛṣṅa. So same thing, when it is utilized by clear understanding that "Everything is emanation from Kṛṣṅa. Everything belongs to Kṛṣṅa. So let us utilize it for Kṛṣṅa's service," then we are situated in the daivī-māyā. Mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ [Bg 9.13].

This is daivī-prakṛti. And the result is bhajanty ananya-manasaḥ. Without any deviation they are engaged, the devotees are engaged, in Kṛṣṅa's service. That is the perfection of life. And in this life, so long we are in material condition, we are practicing how to be engaged in Kṛṣṅa's service twenty-four hours. And when it is perfection... Tataḥ, tattvato jñātvā.

Kṛṣṅa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that 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 you want to understand Kṛṣṅa or if anyone wants to understand Kṛṣṅa perfectly, tattvataḥ, in truth, then he has to understand it through bhakti, not any other process, although there are many other processes, different ways. Some so-called philosophers, they say that "We can adopt any process. It leads to the same goal." That's all right, provided you make progress. Then you'll reach to the same goal. But if you become stuck up with the process only, you do not make progress, then it does not lead to the same goal. Just like one staircase going to the fourth floor. So you cross, say, twenty-five steps. You are in a certain position. If you cross fifty steps, you are in a certain position. If you cross sixty steps... In this way, the final may be hundred steps. So unless you go to the hundredth step, the final position is not attained, although it is leading to the same goal. Therefore we have to make progress. From karma-kāṅḍa we have to learn what is the actual position of karma-kāṅḍa, why you are engaged in karma-kāṅḍa. That is called jñāna. Then, coming to the jñāna-kāṅḍa, then you come to the upāsanā-kāṅḍa. Then upāsanā-kāṅḍa, when you reach the highest, topmost upāsanā... Upāsanānāṁ sarveṣāṁ viṣṅor ārādhanaṁ param. When you become Vaiṣṅava, when you worship Kṛṣṅa, Viṣṅu, that is the perfectional stage.

So mama vartmānuvartante manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ [Bg 4.11].

[All of them—as they surrender unto Me—I reward accordingly. Everyone follows My path in all respects, O son of Pṛthā.]

Everyone is going to the same goal, but he has to make further progress. Don't think, "By karma-kāṅḍa we have come to the final stage," or "By jñāna-kāṅḍa, we can..., we have come to the final stage," or "By upāsanā-kāṅḍa, by worshiping demigods, we have come to the final stage." No. The final stage, you can come directly by bhakti, the topmost upāsanā. Therefore Kṛṣṅa says directly, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ [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.]

So bhakti process is śravaṅam beginning. Śravaṅaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṅoḥ [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.]

So we have to hear these subject matters described in Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Then we will understand how Kṛṣṅa is conducting this phenomenal world. That you have to learn by hearing. Why this Bhāgavatam is there? For... Yad vaiṣṅavānāṁ priyaḥ. The Vaiṣṅava will enjoy, will learn from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, how Kṛṣṅa is working in everything. That will enlighten the devotee that how Kṛṣṅa is great, by His different energies how He is working in every field of activities.

Na tasya kāryaṁ karaṅaṁ ca vidyate [Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.7]. He is present here, Kṛṣṅa. He has nothing to do. Na tasya kāryaṁ karaṅaṁ ca vidyate. Everything is ready. Either automatically or in order to accept service from the devotee, He is assuming that "I am dependent on you. If you dress Me, then I can be dressed." But actually that is not the fact. He is dressing Himself by giving you intelligence. Buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi taṁ 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.]

Those who are desire..., desirous to serve Him, then Kṛṣṅa gives him intelligence how to serve Him. He does not depend on your service. He's quite self-sufficient. But He assumes that "I am a statue of stone. I cannot dress Myself. Please dress Me." This is Kṛṣṅa's mercy, to give you chance. He does not depend on you. Na tasya kār... There are many energies. Kṛṣṅa is worshiped by many, many goddess of fortune. Lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānam [Bs 5.29]. So He doesn't require our service. But He agrees. He is so kind that He agrees to come here to accept our service. Therefore we must be very careful, that "Kṛṣṅa has kindly consented to come here to accept our service. Now we may not do something which is not satisfactory to Him." That is devotion. That is Kṛṣṅa consciousness—always all full veneration. Don't think that "Here is a statue." Here is Kṛṣṅa.

So Kṛṣṅa is ready to accept our service in so many ways. Either if you cannot establish Deity, then you simply hear about Him. That is the most important thing. We do not require to establish temple everywhere. If there is possible to establish temple and serve Kṛṣṅa properly according to the regulation mentioned in the śāstras or instructed by the spiritual master... That is called vaidhī-bhakti. Vaidhī-bhakti. Vaidhī-bhakti means discharging devotional service under regulative principles. So without vaidhī-bhakti you cannot jump to the rāga-bhakti. Rāga-bhakti is spontaneous. That does not require any regulative principles. Out of love, out of feeling, anyone wants to serve Kṛṣṅa, that is called.... That is gopīs. All the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana, they did not undergo any regulative principles. But spontaneously, they are always ready to serve God, Kṛṣṅa. That is called rāga-bhakti.

Just like to... The example... There are examples. Just like a mother, as soon as there is child, baby, she takes care. She takes care. Although she does not go to a school how to take care of a child, but automatically, automatically she takes care. Similarly, this automatically serving Kṛṣṅa, that is called rāga-bhakti. That is reached by vidhi-bhakti, by practicing. Just like formerly there was marriage, child marriage—a small boy, a small girl. But simply by association the girl understands how to serve the husband and the husband also understand how to give protection to the wife, and mostly, the life was very pleasing, happy. From the very beginning she knows, "Here is my husband," and he knows, "Here is my wife." At least we have seen in our India. There is no question of separation. There is no question of divorce. The love is there from the very beginning. The propensity was there, and immediately the object of love is there. A girl has got husband; a husband has got a wife. So the love continues spontaneously.

So from the very beginning of our life we should try to understand Kṛṣṅa consciousness, love Kṛṣṅa. Then automatically it becomes manifest. That is the instruction of Prahlāda Mahārāja: kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha [SB 7.6.1]. Kaumāra. Kaumāra means up to tenth year, five to tenth year; according to somebody, even up to fifteenth year. Anyway, during this period of life one should learn how to develop this devotional cult, dharmān bhāgavatān. Dharma means the laws and the instruction given by God. 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.]

And when that is actually executed directly between..., transaction between God and the devotee, that is real dharma. Dharmān bhāgavatān. They have different types of dharmas, but real dharma is bhāgavata-dharma, what we learn from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, to deal with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Bhagavān. That is called bhāgavatān. So children should be instructed from the very beginning of their life this bhāgavatān-dharma. We are attempting to do that in our Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement. We have got an institution, gurukula, at Dallas, Texas, and they are learning very nicely. Just like this child: from the very beginning he is learning bhāgavatān-dharma. He is offering obeisances, he is chanting, he is dancing, he is offering a flower to the spiritual master, and he is offering to the Vaiṣṅavas. In his childish way, while playing, he is becoming accustomed to dharmān bhāgavatān. This is real, really human civilization, from the very beginning of life. Because if we want, we can learn like cats and dog, jumping and eating and sleeping and mating. No. That is not the business of the human life.

Prahlāda Mahārāja therefore says, kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha [SB 7.6.1]. "Why? Why bhāgavata-dharma so important that I have to learn from the beginning of my life?" Now, durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma tad apy adhruvam arthadam: "This human life is very rarely obtained," durlabham. Dur means "very difficult." After many, many births, 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.]

this human form, after evolution, we have got. Durlabham, with great difficulty we have got it. That, why it is important? Now, it is arthadam. Arthadam. Artha means meaningful or riches or something wealth. Arthadam, you can achieve arthadam. So that arthadam, although adhruvam... You can say, "What is the difference between human life and dog's life? They are all temporary. Why you are giving so much stress on human life, the same business: eating, sleeping, sex life and defense? So why you are giving more importance to the human life?" Now, arthadam. Yad apy adhruvam, nonpermanent, it is arthadam. Arthadam means to achieve the goal of your life. So we should not misuse it. We should teach our children to become bhāgavatam, person bhāgavatam, by reading Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

So we are teaching from the very beginning Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and they are learning. That is the way. If you simply learn Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, you get so much knowledge how things are developing, how tongue is developing, how the taste is developing, how touch is developing, how fire is working, how heat is working; from the interaction of heat and touch, how things are devel... Everything is explained there. Physical and spiritual, everything is there. So this is bhāgavata-dharma, to study Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam very carefully. Everything is... Every knowledge is there. Kiṁ vā parair īśvaraḥ [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.]

There is no need of reading any other book. Kiṁ vā paraiḥ, in the beginning it is said. Why? Sadyo hṛdy avarudhyate īśvaraḥ. The perfection of life is to understand God. So by reading Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, sadyaḥ, immediately, hṛdy avarudhyate īśvaraḥ: "The Supreme Personality of Godhead, by simply reading Bhāgavatam... He is already there, but immediately He is realized." That is perfection of life.

So Bhāgavata is so powerful that nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā: we have to read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam daily, and twenty-four hours. That is the injunction: nityam. Nityam means "always." So our members especially, I mean to say, those who are inmates, they, and those who are becoming members, ordinary member or patron member, we are giving them books. Please read them carefully. Don't take books that "I am member. It is my duty to take books and keep it in the almirah." No. Read it thoroughly. Nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā. By regular reading of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, then our this material contamination becomes vanquished. Naṣṭa-prāyeṣu. Naṣṭa-prāyeṣv abhadreṣu nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā [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.]

As soon as it begins to diminish, then it will diminish finally, and then you will be situated in your pure, original constitutional position, Kṛṣṅa consciousness, bhakti-yogataḥ. Evaṁ prasanna-manaso bhagavad-bhakti-yogataḥ [SB 1.2.20].

[Thus established in the mode of unalloyed goodness, the man whose mind has been enlivened by contact with devotional service to the Lord gains positive scientific knowledge of the Personality of Godhead in the stage of liberation from all material association.]

By cleansing the heart we become prasanna-manasaḥ, very jubilant. Bhagavad-bhakti-yogataḥ. Therefore this bhāgavata-dharma should be practiced from the very beginning of life, and it should be studied. We have got so many books. One can read... Whatever already we have got, books, one can read for fifty years continually and get new enlightenment one after another.

So bhāgavata means the complete knowledge. Bhāgavata, from bhagavān it is called bhāgavata. From bhagavat-śabda it is called bhāgavata. So in the association of bhāgavata, devotees, if we read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam... Sajātīya snigdhasya. Sajātīya: when people thinking in the same way. So that means devotees who are interested in bhagavad-bhakti, to understand Bhagavān, they should read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in the association. We should have regular classes, just like school and colleges, eight hour, six hour. Be engaged always in reading Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, discussing amongst yourself. Then you'll make progress. Otherwise, if you take it as an official routine work... You should take as routine work, but with consciousness that "We have to learn something," not simply attending the class, but to learn something. In this way make your life successful. Because after all, everything is being done daiva-coditāt, impelled by the Supreme Person. The Supreme Person is behind everything. So in the association of devotees, if we read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam regularly, then your..., our material contamination will be dissolved, and our spiritual consciousness will come out, and that will make our life successful.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya Prabhupāda. [end]