Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.5.25

Pradyumna: ...vāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. [devotees repeat] [leads chanting of verse, etc.]

matto 'py anantāt parataḥ parasmāt svargāpavargādhipater na kiñcit yeṣāṁ kim u syād itareṅa teṣām akiñcanānāṁ mayi bhakti-bhājām [SB 5.5.25]

[break] [02:12]

Translation: "I am fully opulent, almighty and superior to Lord Brahmā and Indra, the king of the heavenly planets. I am also the bestower of all happiness obtained in the heavenly kingdom and by liberation. Nonetheless, brāhmaṅas do not seek material comforts from Me. They are very pure and do not want to possess anything. They simply engage in My devotional service. What is the need of their asking for material benefits from anyone else?"

Prabhupāda:

matto 'py anantāt parataḥ parasmāt svargāpavargādhipater na kiñcit yeṣāṁ kim u syād itareṅa teṣām akiñcanānāṁ mayi bhakti-bhājām [SB 5.5.25]

So devotional life, bhakti-yoga, is so exalted that they do not care for heavenly planet, apavarga, mukti, liberation. They do not care. Insignificant. That śloka of Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī, he realized this, that kaivalyaṁ narakāyate. The liberation of becoming one with the Supreme is called kaivalyam, kevalādvaitam, oneness. So for a devotee it is as good as the hell. Kaivalyaṁ narakāyate. And then? What about heavenly planets, Svargaloka, Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapoloka? Ākāśa-puṣpāyate. Tri-daśa-pūr ākāśa-puṣpāya. In Bengal there is one word, ghorāra ḍima, means "no value." Just like horse. Horse never give any egg, but it is said, "It is as good as the egg of horse." That means there is no such thing, insignificant. So ākāśa-puṣpāyate. Ākāśa-puṣpāyate means it has no value; simply imagination. Actually that is the fact. Suppose if you go to Svargaloka, become Indra. So that is not permanent. By pious activities you can become Brahmā, Indra, and so many demigods. You can hold that post. But ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokān punar āvartino arjuna [Bg 8.16].

[From the highest planet in the material world down to the lowest, all are places of misery wherein repeated birth and death take place. But one who attains to My abode, O son of Kuntī, never takes birth again.]

Even if you go to the Brahmaloka, what is the benefit? Again you have to come back. Kṣīṅe puṅye punar martya-lokaṁ viśanti. Similarly, even you go to the Brahman effulgence, brahma-jyoti, āruhya kṛcchreṅa paraṁ padam [SB 10.2.32].

[[Someone may say that aside from devotees, who always seek shelter at the Lord's lotus feet, there are those who are not devotees but who have accepted different processes for attaining salvation. What happens to them? In answer to this question, Lord Brahmā and the other demigods said:] O lotus-eyed Lord, although nondevotees who accept severe austerities and penances to achieve the highest position may think themselves liberated, their intelligence is impure. They fall down from their position of imagined superiority because they have no regard for Your lotus feet.]

That is called paraṁ padam. Āruhya kṛcchreṅa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adhaḥ: again you fall down.

Therefore for a devotee, akiñcanānām, they all neglect all these things. They don't care for all these things. Kaivalyaṁ narakāyate tri-daśa pūr ākāśa puṣpāya. Durdānta indriya-kāla-sarpa-paṭalī proṭkhāta-daṁstrāyate viṣvaṁ pūrna-sukhāyate. They are—karmī, jñānī, yogī—they are feeling that "This material world is full of distresses. Let us take relief from this and become one." Karmī is trying to go to the Svargaloka; jñānīs want to go to the brahma-jyoti. The yogīs also, they desire like that, because they do not feel very comfortable within this material world. But a devotee, there is no such thing that in the material world they are uncomfortable. No. Why? Wherever there is Kṛṣṅa, wherever there is Nārāyaṅa, that is all right. That is the view of the devotional service.

nārāyaṅa-parāḥ sarve na kutaścana bibhyati svargāpavarga-narakeṣv api tulyārtha-darśinaḥ [SB 6.17.28]

[Devotees solely engaged in the devotional service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṅa, never fear any condition of life. For them the heavenly planets, liberation and the hellish planets are all the same, for such devotees are interested only in the service of the Lord.]

Nārāyaṅa-parāḥ, they are not anxious either to go to Svargaloka or to refrain from it. They are satisfied: "Wherever Kṛṣṅa keeps me, that is all right. Never mind whether it is heaven or hell." Because he has got Kṛṣṅa within him. 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.]

He is concerned with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, premāñjana-cchurita.

So wherever Supreme Personality of Godhead is there, that is Vaikuṅṭha. Just like īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna 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.]

Īśvara, the Supreme Lord, is there in every living entity's heart. So the hog, dog, they have got also heart. There is also Kṛṣṅa. So does it mean that He is living with hog and dog? He is living in Vaikuṅṭha. Etad īśanam īśasya. This is called īśasya īśanam. Wherever He may live, He lives in Vaikuṅṭha. Similarly, the devotee, he lives with Nārāyaṅa, so there is no question of hell and heaven. He is in Vaikuṅṭha. If Kṛṣṅa is living in Vaikuṅṭha, the devotee is also living in Vai... He is concerned with Kṛṣṅa, Nārāyaṅa. Therefore they are not afraid. Nārāyaṅa-parāḥ sarve na kutaścana bibhyati [SB 6.17.28].

[Devotees solely engaged in the devotional service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṅa, never fear any condition of life. For them the heavenly planets, liberation and the hellish planets are all the same, for such devotees are interested only in the service of the Lord.]

Nārada Muni, he is traveling everywhere. He is going to hell; he is going to heaven; he is going to Vaikuṅṭha to see Nārāyaṅa. And he's chanting, nārada muni bhājāy vīṅā rādhikā ramaṅa, that's all. Because he is chanting for... His business is to enlighten. If he goes to naraka, hell, he will advise them, "Chant Hare Kṛṣṅa." And if he goes to Indraloka he will advise the same thing. And if he goes to Svargaloka, or any loka, that is Nārada Muni's business. Similarly, those who are preaching Kṛṣṅa consciousness, they should not be afraid of this hell and heaven. Wherever they should go, they will simply preach, "Chant Hare Kṛṣṅa." This is their business.

Therefore, itareṅa teṣām akiñcanānāṁ mayi bhakti-bhājām. But one has to become akiñcana—nothing material, simply the lotus feet of the Lord. Just like Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura said, hā hā prabhu nanda-suta, vṛṣabhānu-sutā-yuta. He is praying, nanda-suta, "Kṛṣṅa," vṛṣabhānu-sutā-yuta, "along with Rādhārāṅī"—vṛṣabhānu-sutā is Rādhārāṅī—karuṅa karaha ei-bāra: "Just be merciful upon me." Narottama-dāsa kahe, nā ṭheliho rāṅgā pāy: "I am fully surrendered unto You. You don't throw me away." Nā ṭheliho rāṅgā. Tomā bine ke āche āmāra. And this is wanted. "I have nothing except Your lotus feet." This is akiñcana, akiñcana, "No other thing except Your... So how You can throw me away? Give me shelter." This is akiñcana bhakti-bhājām. If I think that "I have got another shelter except Kṛṣṅa's lotus feet," then I am not akiñcana. Kiñcana—I have got some other hope. No. Akiñcana means only hope, Kṛṣṅa. That is full surrender. Akiñcanānāṁ bhakti-bhājām. Akiñcana-gocara. Kuntidevī, in her prayer she has addressed Kṛṣṅa, akiñcana-gocara: "You are realized by such person who has no other thing to possess." Akiñcana-gocara. This very word is very... And Caitanya Mahāprabhu also said, niṣkiñcanānām. Niṣkiñcanasya bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya. Bhagavad-bhajana means niṣkiñcana. If we want to enjoy something material, oh, there is no question of bhagavad-bhajana, because even if you have little pinch of desire to enjoy material comforts, you'll not be admitted. Therefore Kṛṣṅa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya [Bg 18.66]. Fully. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam [Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.1.11].

[One should render transcendental loving service to the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṅa favorably and without desire for material profit or gain through fruitive activities or philosophical speculation. That is called pure devotional service.]

Then... Śūnya means zero. Unless you make material, ara nare bapa[?]: "No more. Enough of this material enjoyment," then bhakti-yoga begins. Sarva-dharmān parityajya. Even brahma-bhūtaḥ, Brahman realization, that is also not akiñcana. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi: "I am in brahma-jyoti. I have become something important." No. Even brahma-jyoti is also neglected. Kaivalyaṁ narakāyate. This is the position of the devotee, akiñcanānām. Akiñcanānāṁ mayi bhakti-bhājām.

So bhakti, devotional service, is not easy, but at the same time very easy, one moment's business. One moment's. But I must be willing. Kṛṣṅa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṅam [Bg 18.66]. If I do it, immediately... But that, I am not willing. We have seen so many persons. Kṛṣṅa says directly that "You surrender unto Me," sarva-dharmān parityajya. Still, he says, "When Kṛṣṅa will be merciful, then I shall do." What is this nonsense? Kṛṣṅa is directly asking you. Again He has to become merciful? What kind of mercy? These are all pleas, different pleas. Actually He doesn't want that "I shall not surrender unto You, sir. I shall place some pleas. That's all." In that way... When we become actually niṣkiñcana or akiñcana, then, as Caitanya Mahaprabhu advises, niṣkiñcanasya bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya [Cc Madhya 11.8]. Bhagavad-bhajanonmukha means niṣkiñcana. Param... What is that bhagavad-bhajana? Pāraṁ paraṁ jigamiṣor bhava-sāgarasya. Bhava-sāgara, this ocean. Sāgara means ocean, and bhava, bhava means take birth, again die. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate [Bg 8.19]. That is called mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani, Kṛṣṅa says. Mām aprāpya nivartante mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani [Bg 9.3].

[Those who are not faithful in this devotional service cannot attain Me, O conqueror of enemies. Therefore they return to the path of birth and death in this material world.]

This is bhagavad-bhajana. We do not know how many times we have taken birth and again died. That's a fact. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ [Bg 2.13].

[As the embodied soul continually passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. The self-realized soul is not bewildered by such a change.]

Millions and millions, for years, we are doing that. Mṛtyu saṁsāra. Still, we are so shameless, we want to do again and again that thing. Punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṅānām [SB 7.5.30].

[Prahlāda Mahārāja replied: Because of their uncontrolled senses, persons too addicted to materialistic life make progress toward hellish conditions and repeatedly chew that which has already been chewed. Their inclinations toward Kṛṣṅa are never aroused, either by the instructions of others, by their own efforts, or by a combination of both.]

This word is used, punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṅānām. I have enjoyed this material life, 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.]

Eating, sleeping, sex and bhaya is everywhere. A small insect up to Brahmā or Indra, this is the business.

So people do not want to stop this business. They want to improve the business. "I am eating now without any plate, and if I can eat on the golden plate," they are thinking, "this is advancement of civilization." So the eating process... Eating means kṣut nivṛtti tuṣṭiḥ puṣṭiḥ. Tuṣṭiḥ puṣṭiḥ kṣut nivṛtti. When one is hungry, when he eats something, according to the taste... A gentleman is eating halavā, purī, and the hog is eating stool. So the taste and tuṣṭiḥ puṣṭiḥ kṣut nivṛtti is the same. Either you eat halavā, purī or stool, you are eating according to the taste. Just like in the aeroplane we sit down, and they are asking, "Sir, what can I...?" We say, "We refuse." We don't touch anything in the aeroplane because we know what is that. And the next man, he is eating very nicely the intestine of hog. We have seen it. He is very nicely eating with spoon and fork, very enjoying. And we are saying, "Oh, what nasty thing he is eating." We don't..., do not touch even what is offered. So why? We are taking whatever little things we have taken with us. But the result is the same: tuṣṭiḥ puṣṭiḥ kṣut nivṛtti. You are hungry, you take something, so your appetite will decrease and your satisfaction will increase. You will get strength. Tuṣṭiḥ puṣṭiḥ kṣut nivṛtti. So this is not improvement. Eating by the hog and eating by the human being, the result is the same. Tuṣṭiḥ puṣṭiḥ kṣut nivṛtti. But eating the intestines of the hog or eating halavā, puri, it does not make any difference. Ei bhāla, ei manda' saba 'manodharma' [Cc Antya 4.176]. In this material world, "This is good and this is bad," this is all mental concoction. 'Dvaite' bhadrābhadra-sakali samana.

So we should not be attached. We should completely give up anything material. That is niṣkiñcana. We have no business with anything material, either in the golden plate or on the street, on the floor. It does not make any difference. Our business is how to accept the prasādam, what Kṛṣṅa has eaten, that is our concern. We are not interested with the intestine of hogs or halavā, puri. No. We are interested to eat which is already accepted by Kṛṣṅa. Kṛṣṅa bara dayāmoy, koribāre jihwā jay, sva-prasād-anna dilo bhāi. Our business is that "Kṛṣṅa is so kind..." The kṛṣṅa-prasāda, those who are eating kṛṣṅa-prasāda, they are enjoying everything. Kṛṣṅa bara dayāmoy, koribāre jihwā jay. We have got thousands of nice preparation. Why should we go to the hotel and restaurant? There are so many nice preparation offered to Kṛṣṅa. Patraṁ puṣpaṁ. Kṛṣṅa is ready to accept from a devotee whatever he offers, but within the limitation. Otherwise he will bring hog's intestine. That is not desired. If people say, "Whatever I eat, I can offer to Kṛṣṅa..." There is a class, they say, "Whatever I eat you can offer." But that is not the process. The process is you must offer to Kṛṣṅa what He wants. Just like you invite one gentleman. You ask him, "What can I offer you?" That is etiquette. Not that however a rascal you bring, and one has to eat. No. Kṛṣṅa says, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati, tad aham aśnāmi [Bg 9.26]:

[If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit or water, I will accept it.]

"I eat that." How He can eat? The atheist class will see: "Oh, you are offering so many nice foodstuff, but it is lying there. He is not eating." But he does not know the process of eating by Kṛṣṅa. Aṅgāni yasya sakalendriya-vṛtti-manti paśyanti pānti kalayanti [Bs 5.32]. He can eat by His eyes. He can eat by touching. And even if He eats the whole thing, again He can keep the whole thing. Pūrṅasya pūrṅam ādāya pūrṅam evāvaśiṣyate [Īśo Invocation].

[The Personality of Godhead is perfect and complete, and because He is completely perfect, all emanations from Him, such as this phenomenal world, are perfectly equipped as complete wholes. Whatever is produced of the Complete Whole is also complete in itself. Because He is the Complete Whole, even though so many complete units emanate from Him, He remains the complete balance.]

The atheist cannot see, but devotee, he can know that "Kṛṣṅa is eating, and the prasādam we shall take."

So bhakti-bhājām. So we have to learn what is bhakti. Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra syāt [SB 11.2.42].

[Devotion, direct experience of the Supreme Lord, and detachment from other things—these three occur simultaneously for one who has taken shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in the same way that pleasure, nourishment and relief from hunger come simultaneously and increasingly, with each bite, for a person engaged in eating.]

If actually we advance in devotional service, then naturally viraktir anyatra syāt. That is niṣkiñcana, no more taste with the material world. Niṣkiñcanasya bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya pāraṁ paraṁ jigamiṣor bhava-sāgarasya [Cc Madhya 11.8]. We must know why we shall take to devotional service, pāraṁ paraṁ jigamiṣor, not to remain within this material world. Padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadāṁ na teṣām [SB 10.14.58].

[For those who have accepted the boat of the lotus feet of the Lord, who is the shelter of the cosmic manifestation and is famous as Murāri, the enemy of the Mura demon, the ocean of the material world is like the water contained in a calf's hoof-print. Their goal is paraṁ padam, Vaikuṅṭha, the place where there are no material miseries, not the place where there is danger at every step.]

Here in the material world, padaṁ padaṁ vipadām. Every step there is vipada; there is danger. So don't think that "She is dying" or "He is dying, and I shall not die." Everyone will have to die. Every step, there is danger of dying. It is not that... The bhute pare gobar hasi[?]. Everyone has to die. So before that death we must become fully Kṛṣṅa conscious so that ante nārāyaṅa-smṛtiḥ [SB 2.1.6].

[The highest perfection of human life, achieved either by complete knowledge of matter and spirit, by practice of mystic powers, or by perfect discharge of occupational duty, is to remember the Personality of Godhead at the end of life.].

The end will come today or tomorrow or day after tomorrow. Nobody will live here. But the success is if we can remember Nārāyaṅa at the end of life. That is success. Ante nārāyaṅa-smṛtiḥ. We should practice that. Don't bother about that "I shall die tomorrow. You are dying today, so I am better than you." Nobody will live here. Everyone will die, and we must be prepared for death. And the devotee has no fear for dying because if he is completely surrendered to Kṛṣṅa, then he is going back to Him. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti [Bg 4.9],

[One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna.]

simply by surrendering to Kṛṣṅa.

And what is that surrendering? Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru, mām evaiṣyasi asaṁśayaḥ [Bg 18.68]. Without any doubt. He is giving assurance. Four things only. Always think of Kṛṣṅa. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī mām. Anyone can do it. Everyone can offer Kṛṣṅa patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ [Bg 9.26].

[If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit or water, I will accept it.]

Everyone can hear from Kṛṣṅa what is Kṛṣṅa. Where is the difficulty? The difficulty is that we want enjoyment in this material world. That is the difficulty. Therefore it is recommended that akiñcanānāṁ mayi bhakti-bhājām. For a devotee there is no problem. He is not attracted by liberation or by Svargaloka, by yogic perfection. He is not at all interested. Bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kāmi-sakali 'aśānta'. Because they cannot get śānti, because they want something. The bhukti, the karmīs, they are working so hard. They want some material profit or go to the Svargaloka to enjoy more. This is bhukti. And mukti, they are also undergoing severe austerities, penance, tapasya, for becoming one. Kaivalya sukham. Kevalādvaita. They are also working. And the yogīs, they also work very hard. Yoga practice is not so easy. Dhyāna, dhāraṅā, āsana, prāṅāyāma, pratyāhāra, samādhi. It requires... And especially in this age it is not so easy. It was easier in the Satya-yuga. Kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṅu [SB 12.3.52].

[Whatever result was obtained in Satya-yuga by meditating on Viṣṅu, in Tretā-yuga by performing sacrifices, and in Dvāpara-yuga by serving the Lord's lotus feet can be obtained in Kali-yuga simply by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṅa mahā-mantra.]

Samādhi, that was possible. And now it is not possible. Our bhakti-yoga is so easy, simply 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.]

very simple thing. So we should take to bhakti, devotional service, and reject everything. Niṣkiñcana. That will make your life successful.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya Prabhupāda. [end]