Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.19

Prabhupāda: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Sixth Canto, Chapter One, verse number nineteen. Is that verse number right?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṅa: Nineteen. Yes. Sakṛn.

Prabhupāda: [leads devotees in chanting]

sakṛn manaḥ kṛṣṅa-padāravindayor niveśitaṁ tad-guṅa-rāgi yair iha na te yamaṁ pāśa-bhṛtaś ca tad-bhaṭān svapne 'pi paśyanti hi cīrṅa-niṣkṛtāḥ [SB 6.1.19]

[02:09]

So sakṛn manaḥ. Sakṛt means even if once in ecstasy, mind, kṛṣṅa padāravindayoḥ, the lotus feet of Kṛṣṅa, if one thinks, niveṣitam, with full ecstasy and absorption, if one thinks very nicely about the lotus feet of Kṛṣṅa, tad-anurāgi, being attached, anurāgi, yaiḥ, anyone, iha, in this material world... Then what happens? Na te yamaṁ pāśa-bhṛtaś ca tad-bhaṭān. Yama-pāśa... Yamarāja, the superintendent of death... After death one goes to Yamarāja. Not the devotees, but the nondevotees. Na te yamaṁ pāśa-bhṛtaś ca tad-bhaṭān svapne: "Even in dream they do not see Yamaraja." Svapne 'pi paśyanti cīrṅa-niṣkṛtāḥ. And completely freed from all reaction of sinful activities, simply by once thinking of Kṛṣṅa. We are chanting Hare Kṛṣṅa mahā-mantra, but if we become at least once in life in ecstasy in chanting Hare Kṛṣṅa, then all our sinful reaction of life is finished. Unfortunately, we again commit sinful life. Otherwise, by chanting once Hare Kṛṣṅa mantra, one becomes immediately free from the reaction.

But the māyā is so powerful that it induces again to commit sinful life. So we have to promise... Just like Jagāi Mādhāi. They were delivered by Caitanya Mahāprabhu. They were very sinful, their activities. Sinful means that has become ordinary things nowadays in Kali-yuga. They... What is that sinful? They were drunkards, illicit sex, meat-eater and gambling. These four things, they were very much addicted, so they were rejected from the society. The society was so pure. Five thousand years before, Parīkṣit Mahārāja gave the Kali-yuga four places. First of all he wanted to kill Kali. Then he begged pardon, "Sir, I am also your prajā, a citizen in your kingdom. So it is my business to kill these animals. So why you are punishing me? So give me protection. What can I do?" So Parīkṣit Mahārāja allowed, "No, you cannot do in my kingdom. You have to go out." So Parīkṣit Mahārāja was the emperor of the whole world, so the Kali, he said, "Sir, you say go out of your kingdom, but where is not your kingdom? Everywhere, throughout the whole world, where shall I go?" Then he designated that "You stay in these four places." "What are those places?" "Now, where illicit sex, brothel, prostitutes are going on. You can live there. And where unnecessary animal killing is going on, you can stay here. And where drinking, intoxication is encouraged, you can stay there. And where gambling is there, you can stay there." So he could not find any place throughout the whole world where these things were going on. That is the kingdom of Mahārāja Parīkṣit. There was no chance. So it is the government's duty to see that people are very nicely ruled so that they become all-pious. That is the duty of the government. [break] No, they were rājarṣi. 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.]

Because if the king, monarch, is properly instructed, and if he orders that "My subject, my citizens, should follow this order," then it will be automatically followed out by king's order.

So in the Kali-yuga, this age, there is no such king. There is no such government. Therefore people are becoming polluted. It is the duty of the guru, the duty of the parents, duty of the government to train people in such a way that they may become pious, sinless. But they do not believe, even in the next life, that "If we act impiously, then we have to suffer next life." They avoid to believe that there is next life. But there is next life. In the morning we were talking about this. How you can say there is no next life? The child has got next life: a boy. The boy has got next life: a young man. And the young man has next life: to become old man. Similarly, the old man has got next life. It is very common logic. And it is spoken by Kṛṣṅa, the supreme authority. Even if you do not understand, your dull brain, but we have to accept the words of Kṛṣṅa. That is the critical point. If we take Kṛṣṅa's instruction, everything will be solved. There will be no problem.

Therefore we are presenting Bhagavad-gītā As It Is to induce people to take as it is. Don't make any amendment, interpretation. As Kṛṣṅa says, you do it; then your life is successful. The instruction is there. It is not that we are manufacturing some ideas. No. That is not our business. We are following the same principle as Kṛṣṅa said to the sun-god:

imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam vivasvān manave prāhur 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... [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.]

The same thing. We have no difficulty. If you say, "How can I take instruction from Kṛṣṅa? Kṛṣṅa is not present." No, Kṛṣṅa is present by His instruction. The Bhagavad-gītā is there. Not that it is necessary... Kṛṣṅa is always present, but you have no eyes to see. That is another thing. Kṛṣṅa is present everywhere. Aṅḍāntara-sthaṁ paramāṅu cayāntara-stham [Bs 5.35].

[He is an undifferentiated entity as there is no distinction between potency and the possessor thereof. In His work of creation of millions of worlds, His potency remains inseparable. All the universes exist in Him and He is present in His fullness in every one of the atoms that are scattered throughout the universe, at one and the same time. Such is the primeval Lord whom I adore.]

Kṛṣṅa is present everywhere, even within the atom. But we cannot see. That is another thing. I have no eyes to see. But if I develop Kṛṣṅa consciousness, then I'll see constantly Kṛṣṅa. This is the effect. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti [Bs 5.38].

[I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is Śyāmasundara, Kṛṣṅa Himself with inconceivable innumerable attributes, whom the pure devotees see in their heart of hearts with the eye of devotion tinged with the salve of love.]

Kṛṣṅa consciousness means to develop love for Kṛṣṅa. So one who has developed this love for Kṛṣṅa, he can see Kṛṣṅa every moment. There is no difficulty. Kṛṣṅa is present.

So even though you think that Kṛṣṅa is not present, but He is present by His words, Bhagavad-gītā. He is absolute. Kṛṣṅa the person, and Kṛṣṅa's words, Bhagavad-gītā, there is no difference. Advaya-jñāna, no duality. Everything is one, absolute. Kṛṣṅa is absolute, Kṛṣṅa's instruction is also absolute, Kṛṣṅa's pastimes absolute. Everything. That is Absolute Truth. There is no difference. In the material world the name and the thing is different. Suppose here is mango, so mango is the thing and mango is the name. So if I simply say "Mango, mango, mango," there is no mango. There must be the thing, mango. That is duality. This is the world of duality. "Absolute" means the name mango and the mango thing is the same. Otherwise what is the... If they're different, then what is the use of chanting "Kṛṣṅa"? Kṛṣṅa chanting means Kṛṣṅa this word, and Kṛṣṅa the person, the same. Therefore by constant chanting means constantly associating with Kṛṣṅa. Then we are becoming purified. Purified. There is no difference.

So we have to understand this philosophy. Everything is there in the book. So we have to read it carefully, understand it through the teacher's, or guru's, instruction. So in this way, if our mind becomes fixed up in Kṛṣṅa the person or the Kṛṣṅa, Hare Kṛṣṅa word, sakṛt, once only... Sakṛt means once only, yes. Kṛṣṅa padāravindayoḥ, pandāyo, niveśitam, fully absorbed. This practice, Kṛṣṅa consciousness, means to practice this, how to fix up the mind always at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṅa. Kṛṣṅa also advised the same thing: 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.]

Mayy āsakta-manaḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ [Bg 7.1]. This is yoga, meditation. If you simply sit down in a place and you... It is recommended that in a solitary place and sitting straight, right angle, and not closing the eyes but half open—this is yoga practice—and looking over this point of nose, and observing celibacy, brahmacarya, following the rules and regulations, in this way you can practice yoga. Not that you can do whatever nonsense you like and you have become a yogī. This bluff is going on. The yoga system—first yoga indriya-saṁyamaḥ, to control the senses. And now it is going on, Transcendental Meditation, that "After practicing yoga you will increase your sex power." This is going on. And that is accepted as yoga, and they are paying for it. I have seen. Yes. This is going on. Yoga-indriya... Just the opposite. People want sense gratification. If somebody encourages, "Yes, you take this mantra and you'll be very powerful sex enjoyer," so people will pay for that: "Yes, give me that." This rascaldom is going on. You see? So what we can do? We can simply explain. But people want to be cheated. That is the thing. Satya bole tomare lata. There is a Hindi proverb that "If somebody speaks the truth, it is received in [indistinct], and if he speaks lies, all bluffing, then it is received, and payment is there."

One scientist in Delhi, our Delhi festival, he said very nicely that "We scientists, we are just like learning how to bark like dog." Yes. [laughter] He said very plainly. Because a dog is barking, everyone knows. But if there is a tent and advertisement, yes, that "Mr. Such-and-such will bark like a dog," and people will come and pay ten dollars' fee: "A man is barking? Very wonderful. Let us see." So these rascals, the chemists, they are trying to manufacture living being within test tube, and they are becoming very famous: "Oh, now they are making life in the..." Rascal, there are so many hundreds and millions of life are there, every day being created. What credit you'll get if you manufacture a life within test tube? But the rascals, they are: "Oh, scientists. He is now going to manufacture life." "No, show me how made..." "Yes, we are trying. It will be, in future." Yes. Our Svarūpa Dāmodara... There was one professor, he came to California. He was speaking how from matter life can be there. He has written one volume, book, and he has got Nobel Prize, and the book's name is Evolution of Chemicals and Life. So he is also doctor in chemistry, our Svarūpa Dāmodara. He was also present there. As soon as he asked, "Sir, if I give you the chemicals, can you manufacture life?" at that time he said, "That I cannot say." "Why you cannot say? You are speaking that 'Combination of chemical brings in life.' " We are writing one book that life is from life, not from matter. That is not possible. These rascals are simply bluffing that "From chemicals life can be manufactured." No. We challenge.

So these things are going on. We want to be cheated, and there are so many cheaters. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ. The Bhāgavata has discussed everything. These rascals are andhā, blind, and one blind man is promising to lead other blind men. So what will be the result? If one man is not blind, he can lead hundreds of blind men. That is fact. But if the leader is also blind, then what is the use of leading such blind men? So that is discussed in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam:

na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṅuṁ durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ [SB 7.5.31]

[Persons who are strongly entrapped by the consciousness of enjoying material life, and who have therefore accepted as their leader or guru a similar blind man attached to external sense objects, cannot understand that the goal of life is to return home, back to Godhead, and engage in the service of Lord Viṣṅu. As blind men guided by another blind man miss the right path and fall into a ditch, materially attached men led by another materially attached man are bound by the ropes of fruitive labor, which are made of very strong cords, and they continue again and again in materialistic life, suffering the threefold miseries.]

Īśa-tantra, by the laws of nature, or laws of God... Laws of nature means laws of God. They accept, "By nature it is..." But they do not know who is behind this nature. That is intelligence. Nature is dead matter. It cannot... Just like this microphone, this is matter, material. What is that? Some iron, some other thing, some wood, some... But this iron-wood combination cannot take place and become a microphone. No. There is a life behind this iron and wood, and he has manufactured; therefore it is working. But these rascals, they are thinking that combination of this iron and wood and something else, it has become microphone. No. It is a machine, but machine is manipulated and manufactured by life, not that automatically the iron-wood becomes a machine. No. So these rascals, they cannot understand that the nature is working—that's all right—but how it is working? What is the background? That they do not know. That answer is in the Bhagavad-gītā. Mayādhyakṣeṅa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram [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.]

"Under My superintendence it is working," Kṛṣṅa says. That's a fact. You might have manufactured a very big machine. That is all manufactured by some life. Not that the iron and wood has come together, a skyscraper building—the bricks have come all together automatically. They say, "By chance." What is this nonsense? By chance these bricks have come and piled and become rooms? Just see. These things are going on, rascals. Therefore andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ [SB 7.5.31].

[aside:] Let him sleep somewhere.

So this is going on. Don't be misled. Īśa-tantrya, by the laws of nature, we are bound up tight, hands and legs. We are not independent. You cannot do anything independently. You are completely under the clutches of material nature. And behind the material nature is Kṛṣṅa. Therefore our business is to surrender to Kṛṣṅa and take knowledge from Him, and then you become perfect. That is explained here, sakṛn manaḥ kṛṣṅa-padāravindayor niveśitaṁ tad-guṅa-rāgi yair iha. Who will take instruction from Kṛṣṅa? Tad-guṅa-rāgi, when you understand that "Kṛṣṅa is the Supreme. We have to take instruction from Him." Nobody is perfect except Kṛṣṅa. Or one who follows Kṛṣṅa, he is perfect. Kṛṣṅa is perfect; one who follows Kṛṣṅa, he is perfect. Just like a child. He does not know what it is, but if he takes instruction from his father or teacher that "This is microphone," so when he says, "This is microphone," this is perfect. He may be child, but because he has learned from his father or teacher, "This is microphone," and he says, "This is microphone. This is this," then it is perfect. So the instruction of Kṛṣṅa is perfect, and the teacher or guru who speaks the same thing as Kṛṣṅa says, that is perfect. And if he manufacture his own ideas and becomes more than Kṛṣṅa, then he's a rascal number one. There is no benefit.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda. [end]