Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.7.6

Nitāi: [leads chanting of verse, etc.]

Prabhupāda: [aside comment] What is that sound? Eh?

[high-pitched squeaking of fan] [break]

narthopaśamaṁ sākṣād bhakti-yogam adhokṣaje lokasyājānato vidvāṁś cakre sātvata-saṁhitām [SB 1.7.6]

[break] [00:22]

"The material miseries of the living entity, which are superfluous to him, can be directly mitigated by the linking process of devotional service. But the mass of people do not know this, and therefore the learned Vyāsadeva compiled this Vedic literature, which is in relation to the Supreme Truth."

Prabhupāda:

anarthopaśamaṁ sākṣād bhakti-yogam adhokṣaje lokasyājānato vidvāṁś cakre sātvata-saṁhitām [SB 1.7.6]

Sātvata means eternal, and saṁhitā means Vedic literature. Vedic literature... Veda means knowledge. There are two kinds of knowledge: material knowledge and spiritual knowledge. Material knowledge means regarding these necessities of this body. So our educational system, the university, everything, that is simply imparting material knowledge. But material knowledge is superfluous because this body is also superfluous. Every one of us, we know that this body is nonpermanent. It is temporary. We create a certain type of situation, and we get a particular type of body, and we enjoy or suffer. There is no question of enjoyment; it is suffering. Just like we are running on this fan because the body is suffering. Otherwise, there is no necessity of this fan. And we require this light because without light the eyes will suffer.

So actually our material knowledge, we have discovered this electricity just to counteract these sufferings of this material body. Kaṣṭān kāmān [SB 5.5.1].

[Lord Ṛṣabhadeva told His sons: My dear boys, of all the living entities who have accepted material bodies in this world, one who has been awarded this human form should not work hard day and night simply for sense gratification, which is available even for dogs and hogs that eat stool. One should engage in penance and austerity to attain the divine position of devotional service. By such activity, one's heart is purified, and when one attains this position, he attains eternal, blissful life, which is transcendental to material happiness and which continues forever.]

This body is therefore anartha. Anartha means things which are not required. That is called anartha. Artha means things which we require, positive. And anartha means things which we do not require but unnecessarily imposed upon us. So that is suffering. We are thinking that we are enjoying this electric fan, but actually we are suffering; therefore the electric fan is required. So why this electric fan is required? Because the body is anartha; it has created the situation. The same electric fan will be a trouble, a misery, in winter season. The same body, the same electric fan—sometimes it is pleasing, and sometimes it is not pleasing. Therefore the conclusion is this body is anartha, not required. But people do not know that without this material body we can exist. Actually we are existing in spiritual body, and this material body is a covering of the spiritual body. Just like your shirt and coat are covering of your real body, similarly, this material body is covering of the spiritual body. We have got our spiritual body. So when a person comes to the understanding that "This body is anartha, unnecessarily imposed upon me," that is called knowledge. That is called brahma-jñāna. 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.]

So in order to educate people to this understanding... That is the basic principle of all Vedic knowledge, that "I am not this body. I am spirit soul, and I must find out the ultimate goal of the spiritual body, or the spirit soul." So some of the transcendentalists, they think that if the spirit soul is merged into the Supreme Soul—that is called brahma-liṅa, to become one with Brahman—that is the solution of this anartha. Anartha means this body. And some of them, they think that with our spiritual body, spiritual vision, if we can observe continuously the Supreme Spirit, Paramātmā, then that is the solution of anartha. That is the yogī. Jñānī, yogī. And the karmīs, those who have no knowledge, ajānataḥ, fools, rascals... Ajānataḥ means one who does not know. That is the karmīs. Karmīs, they think that "If I can satisfy the senses of this body, that is perfection of life."

So there are three kinds of philosophers to make the solution of this unwanted material body, anartha. But actual solution is to remain in your spiritual body and meet the Supreme Personality of Godhead face to face and live with Him in eternal blissful life of knowledge. That is Vaiṣṅava philosophy. The Māyāvādī philosophy or the jñānīs and yogīs and karmīs... Try to understand. The karmīs want to enjoy the senses of this body. Because the body is anartha, therefore sense gratification is another anartha. Because in this body you are enjoying certain type or certain grade of material enjoyment, sense gratification, and if you want more than that... Just like there are prescription, menu, of human food: vegetable, rice, wheat, sugar. This is actually the food for the human being. But if one hasn't got restriction within the area of the allotted foodstuff... Because we have to accept allotted foodstuff. Everything is food, but the human being has got an allotted foodstuff by the Supreme Lord. Eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān [Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13]. That Supreme Personality of Godhead is supplying everyone foodstuff. But not that the dogs' and hogs' foodstuff is the same for the human kind. No. Tena tyaktena bhuñjīthā [Īśo mantra 1].

[Everything animate or inanimate that is within the universe is controlled and owned by the Lord. One should therefore accept only those things necessary for himself, which are set aside as his quota, and one should not accept other things, knowing well to whom they belong.]

You should enjoy as it is allotted by the Supreme Lord.

So if we transgress this law... Our constitutional position, anatomical fittings, is to eat fruit, vegetable, rice, wheat, milk or milk product. This is our constitutional position. But if we imitate the cats and dog, without any discrimination if we eat, then my next body is ready, the hog's body or the dog's body. This is natural law. Kāraṅaṁ guṅa-saṅgo 'sya sad-asad-janma-yoniṣu [Bg 13.22]. As you associate with different types of material modes of nature, then you get the next body accordingly. Therefore on the whole, the body, either human body or demigod's body or cat's body or dog's body or tree's body or plant's body, it is unnecessary. Unnecessarily we have accepted this material body, because our position is not this body. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre [Bg 2.20]. We are losing every time a particular type of body. But I am eternal. But people are so foolish, so rascal, they do not understand that "If I am eternal, why I have to change my body?" This is intelligence.

So that intelligence is there. Here it is said, lokasya ajānataḥ. The rascals, the fools, ajānataḥ, foolish... Ajānataḥ is another meaning of foolish. Ajānataḥ, ajñāna, without any knowledge how we can stop this perpetual... Not perpetual, but at least for the time being, why we are subjected to these anartha? This is the enquiry. This is called brahma-jijñāsā. But they do not know it. Ask anybody of this material world that "What is the cause of your suffering?" They cannot explain. They do not know it. Therefore it is particularly mentioned, ajānataḥ: "They do not know how to mitigate this suffering." Therefore vidvān. Vidvān, one who has got full knowledge, Vyāsadeva, he has made this sātvata-saṁhitām. Saṁhitā means Vedic knowledge, and sātvata means pure, completely pure, or for the Vaiṣṅavas or the perfect spiritualists. Lokasya ajānataḥ vidvāṁś cakre sātvata-saṁhitām [SB 1.7.6]. How we can utilize this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, sātvata-saṁhitā? That is also explained in the next verse,

yasyāṁ vai śrūyamāṅāyāṁ kṛṣṅe parama-pūruṣe bhaktir utpadyate puṁsaḥ śoka-moha-bhayāpahā [SB 1.7.7]

Śoka-moha-bhaya, these things are our constant companion. Śoka. Śoka means lamenting, and moha means illusion. And bhaya, bhaya means fearfulness. So we are embarrassed with these things always: śoka, moha and bhaya. Śoka: we are always lamenting, "This thing I have lost." "I have lost this business," "I have lost my son," "I have lost...," so many. Because it is, after all, a losing business. To exist in this material world means it is a losing business. There will be no profit. Therefore whatever we are working for, searching after, real happiness, if it is not devotional service, then the Bhāgavata says, 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.]

"Simply working for nothing, and the gain is labor."

So people are suffering in this way. Although they do not know, they are taking it as enjoying. That is illusion. Moha. That is called moha. So we are in the śoka, always in lamentation. But we are accepting this śoka position as enjoyable. Śoka-moha. And the result is that we are always fearful. Bhayaṁ dvitīyābhiniveśataḥ syāt [SB 11.2.37]. This bhayam... That is the material nature: eating, sleeping, sex life and bhayam. Āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca [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.]

This is the bodily business: eating, sleeping, sex life and always fearful, "What will happen next? What will happen next?" These are the anarthas. Actually, we are part and parcel of the sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ [Bs 5.1]: eternal, sat; full of knowledge, sat-cit; and bliss, ānanda, pleasure.

[Kṛṣṅa who is known as Govinda is the Supreme Godhead. He has an eternal blissful spiritual body. He is the origin of all. He has no other origin and He is the prime cause of all causes.]

This is our life. But this is not our life—eating, sleeping, mating and bhayam. These things are required only dvitīyābhiniveśataḥ syāt, when we identify with the dvitīya, means the second. Second means I am not this body, but the body is the second feature. So when I identify myself with this body, that is called dvitīyābhiniveśataḥ. And on account of our thoughts being absorbed in the secondary body, we are suffering.

So if we want to get relief from this suffering, then it is recommended, yasyāṁ vai śrūyamāṅāyām. If we regularly hear Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, this sātvata-saṁhitā... Yasyāṁ vai śrūyamāṅāyām [SB 1.7.7]. Śrūyamāṅa means simply hearing, śravaṅam. Then, by hearing, what will be the effect? The effect will be kṛṣṅe parama-pūruṣe, kṛṣṅe parama-pūruṣe bhaktir utpadyate [SB 1.7.7]: "The Supreme Person, Kṛṣṅa, unto Him your devotional service will be increased." Because anartha upaśamaṁ sākṣād bhakti-yogam adhokṣaje. The remedy has been described that if you be engaged in the devotional service of Adhokṣaja... Adhokṣaja means the Supreme Person who is beyond your material experience. That is called adhokṣaja. Akṣaja means material, and adhah-kṛta, where material knowledge fails, that is called adhokṣaja. So if you be engaged in devotional service upon this Adhokṣaja... And who is that Adhokṣaja? That is Kṛṣṅa. Kṛṣṅa you cannot understand by the material knowledge. They are studying Kṛṣṅa with material knowledge, but it is not possible. That is said by Kṛṣṅa Himself in the Bhagavad-gītā, that yogamāyā-samāvṛtaḥ. Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yogamāyā-samāvṛtaḥ [Bg 7.25]:

[I am never manifest to the foolish and unintelligent. For them I am covered by My eternal creative potency [yoga-māyā]; and so the deluded world knows Me not, who am unborn and infallible.]

"I am not exposed to everyone, because the yogamāyā is covering their eyes." In another place Kṛṣṅa says, avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam [Bg 9.11]:

[Fools deride Me when I descend in the human form. They do not know My transcendental nature and My supreme dominion over all that be.]

"Because I have come here to favor these people of this world..." These rascals, mūḍha—mūḍha means rascal—they are deriding; they are thinking Kṛṣṅa as one of us. Therefore Kṛṣṅa is adhokṣaja. If you want to see Kṛṣṅa by your material speculation, you will never be able to see Kṛṣṅa. Yogamāyā-samāvṛtaḥ.

But one may say that "I can see Kṛṣṅa by my pious activities." No, that also not possible. "I can see Kṛṣṅa by my philosophical speculation"—no, that is also not possible. "I can see Kṛṣṅa by practicing yoga—that is also not possible. Then how it is possible? Kṛṣṅa says, 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.]

This particular process you have to accept, bhaktyā. That is called bhakti-yogam adhokṣaje. Everything is there symmetrically in every Vedic literature. We have to take advantage of it and benefit ourself. So the summary is that Kṛṣṅa is beyond your material experimental knowledge. You cannot understand Kṛṣṅa by these material senses. It is not possible. Then bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yoga. Bhakti means to engage oneself in the service. The more you engage in the service of the Lord, more you realize what is Kṛṣṅa. Otherwise, it is not possible. If you don't accept bhakti-yoga, if you accept jñāna-yoga, karma-yoga or haṭha-yoga, then you can make some material progress, but there is no possibility of understanding Kṛṣṅa. Therefore it is recommended here the bhakti-yogam particularly. Everywhere it is made, bhakti-yoga. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ [Bg 18.55].

So the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is further explanation of the knowledge given in the Bhagavad-gītā. So it is recommended also that we have to hear Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam always, twenty-four hours. Not that bhāgavata-saptāha. It is a business. Bhāgavata-saptāha is not recommended in anywhere in authorized scripture. There are many big, big commentators of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam—Śrīdhara Svāmī, Vīrarāghavācārya, Viśvanātha Cakravartī, Jīva Gosvāmī and many other. There are eight authorized. Nowhere you will find bhāgavata-saptāha is recommended. Nowhere. Bhāgavata should be studied every day. Nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā. That is recommended. 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.]

Nityam. Nityam means always, at least daily. So these temples are meant for hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam daily. That is wanted. Not that I make a ceremony, I hear for one week. Without understanding a word of Bhāgavata, I hear for one week, and the business is finished. No. You have to hear Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam daily, regularly. Then anartha upaśamaṁ sākṣāt. This sātvata-saṁhitā is given by Śrīla Vyāsadeva so that... We are fools, rascal, ajānataḥ, ajānataḥ. Lokasya ajānataḥ. All these fools and rascals, if they hear with great attention from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam about the activities and glories of Kṛṣṅa... Yasyāṁ vai śrūyamāṅāyāṁ kṛṣṅe parama-pūruṣe [SB 1.7.7]. He is the parama-puruṣa. That is the verdict of all Vedic literature. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṅaḥ [Bs 5.1].

[Kṛṣṅa who is known as Govinda is the Supreme Godhead. He has an eternal blissful spiritual body. He is the origin of all. He has no other origin and He is the prime cause of all causes.]

He is īśvara, parama-puruṣa, the Supreme Person. Īśvara means the Supreme Person. In the English dictionary also it is said, "God means the Supreme Person." God means the Supreme Person. So that Supreme Person is Kṛṣṅa, and Kṛṣṅa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat [Bg 7.7]:

[O conqueror of wealth [Arjuna], there is no Truth superior to Me. Everything rests upon Me, as pearls are strung on a thread.]

"There is no more superior authority than Me." But people do not understand, because ajānataḥ. Ajānataḥ means without any knowledge.

So we have to take knowledge from Bhagavad-gītā or Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam about Kṛṣṅa. Kṛṣṅe parama-pūruṣe bhaktir utpadyate. If you hear Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam... Of course, if you do not understand what is the basic principle of Kṛṣṅa or basic principle of perfection... That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in the beginning: dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavaḥ atra paramo nirmatsarāṅām [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.]

Here in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam the so-called manufactured religious system is kicked out. It is meant for the paramahaṁsa. Nirmatsarāṅām. Nirmatsara means one who does not become envious. So our enviousness, our envy, has begun from Kṛṣṅa. We don't accept Kṛṣṅa. Mostly they will say, "Why Kṛṣṅa should be only the Supreme Person? There are many others." That is envy. So our enviousness has begun from Kṛṣṅa, and therefore it has expanded in so many ways. And in our ordinary life we are envious. We are envious of our friends, envious of our father, our son even, what to speak of others—businessmen, nation, society, community, only enviousness, matsaratā. "Why he should go ahead?" I become envious. This is material nature. So when one understands Kṛṣṅa—he is Kṛṣṅa conscious—he becomes nonenvious, no more envious. He wants to become friend. Suhṛdaḥ sarva-bhūtānām.

So this Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement means we want to become friends of everyone. Because they are suffering without Kṛṣṅa consciousness, we are going door to door, city to city, village to village, town to town to preach this Kṛṣṅa consciousness. And by the grace of Kṛṣṅa we are attracting the attention of intelligent class of men. So if we continue this process, not to become envious... That is animal nature, dog's nature, hog's nature. Human nature should be para-duḥkha-duḥkhī. One should be very unhappy by seeing others in miserable condition. So everyone is suffering for want of Kṛṣṅa consciousness. Our only business is to awaken his Kṛṣṅa consciousness, and the whole world will be happy. Anartha upaśamaṁ sākṣād bhakti-yogam adhokṣaje, lokasya ajānataḥ. People have no knowledge about it. So we have to push on this movement. Lokasyājān..., vidvāṁś cakre sātvata-saṁhitām. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. So another name of Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement is bhāgavata-dharma. Bhāgavata-dharma. If we accept it, then the whole human society will be happy.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya Prabhupāda. [end]