Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.5.30

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

tatra tatra pura-grāmākara-kheṭa-vāṭa-kharvaṭa-śibira-vraja-ghoṣa-sārtha-giri-vanāśramādiṣu anupatham avanicarāpasadaiḥparibhūyamāno makṣikābhir iva vana-gajas tarjana-tāḍanāvamehana-ṣṭhīvana-grāva-śakṛd-rajaḥ-prakṣepa-pūti-vāta-duruktais tad avigaṅayann evāsat-saṁsthāna etasmin dehopalakṣaṅe sad-apadeśa ubhayānubhava-svarūpena sva-mahimāvasthānenāsamāropitāhaṁ-mamābhimānatvād avikhaṅḍita-manāḥ pṛthivīm eka-caraḥ paribabhrāma. [SB 5.5.30]

[08:03]

Translation: "Ṛṣabhadeva began to tour through cities, villages, mines, countrysides, valleys, gardens, military camps, cow pens, the homes of cowherd men, transient hotels, hills, forests and hermitages. Wherever He traveled, all bad elements surrounded Him, just as flies surround the body of an elephant coming from a forest. He was always being threatened, beaten, urinated upon and spat upon. Sometimes people threw stones, stool and dust at Him, and sometimes people passed foul air before Him. Thus people called Him many bad names and gave Him a great deal of trouble, but He did not care about this, for He understood that the body is simply meant for such an end. He was situated on the spiritual platform, and, being in His spiritual glory, He did not care for all these material insults. In other words, He completely understood that matter and spirit are separate, and He had no bodily conception. Thus, without being angry at anyone, He walked through the whole world alone."

Prabhupāda: So tatra tatra pura-grāmākara-kheṭa-vāṭa-kharvaṭa and so on, so on. This is Sanskrit language. By combining words with the process of sandhi and samasa, one word can be as long as three miles. So for ordinary person it is very difficult to combine together. So it is for the learned scholars. But we must understand the purport. Ṛṣabhadeva is parivrājakācārya. This is called parivrājakācārya. We have heard this name, parivrājakācārya. Sannyāsī's third stage is parivrājakācārya, and the fourth stage is paramahaṁsa. Kuṭīcaka, bahūdaka, parivrājakācārya and then paramahaṁsa. So avadhūta. We have already understood, avadhūta: no conception, no bodily conception, completely. There is a song, deha-smṛti nāhi yāra, saṁsāra kāhāṅ tāra. If one is completely free from the bodily conception of life, as it is shown practically by Ṛṣabhadeva—people are spitting, calling him by ill names, and sometimes passing urine—he doesn't care. This is the example. Āpani ācari prabhu jivere śikhāya. By imitation, it is not possible. We'll learn more and more about His body, how it was completely spiritual. Na jāyate na mriyate va [Bg 2.20]. In other place the spiritual body is nainaṁ dahati pāvakaḥ [Bg 2.23]. The... No weapon can cut it, no fire can burn it. These descriptions are there.

So what is that thing? It is definition by negation. We cannot understand in our present state what is that spirit soul, although we can perceive that there is something—in the absence of that something, this body is nothing but a lump of matter. That we get experience every day. But we cannot see what is that. Therefore atheist class or the persons with poor fund of knowledge, they deny the existence. They cannot see. But they cannot answer that "Why the body is no more working? What is that thing which is absent?" They have tried to explain in so many ways how that something... But they could not practically explain. We have to understand it by the śruti process, Vedic knowledge. That is real understanding. And understanding from the right person, Kṛṣṅa or His representative. And it has to be understood simply by hearing. There is no other process. You cannot see; it is so small particle. Keśāgra-śata-bhāgasya śatadhā kalpitasya ca [Cc Madhya 19.140].

[If we divide the tip of a hair into a hundred parts and then take one of these parts and divide it again into a hundred parts, that very fine division is the size of but one of the numberless living entities. They are all cit-kaṅa, particles of spirit, not matter.]

So in these material eyes we cannot see even the spiritual spark within the body. How you can see the Supreme Spirit? It is not possible. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṅa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ [Cc Madhya 17.136].

[Therefore material senses cannot appreciate Kṛṣṅa’s holy name, form, qualities and pastimes. When a conditioned soul is awakened to Kṛṣṅa consciousness and renders service by using his tongue to chant the Lord’s holy name and taste the remnants of the Lord’s food, the tongue is purified, and one gradually comes to understand who Kṛṣṅa really is.]

These blunt senses cannot see. But we can perceive. This much concession is there, and one can become completely free from bodily conception of life. That is...

Here is the example by Ṛṣabhadeva. There are many. In the yogic process, aṅimā-siddhi... Yogīs, those who have attained some perfection in the yoga process, you can put him into locked room but he'll come out. That is called aṅimā-siddhi. Very small, the spirit soul, he'll come out. Aṅimā, laghimā, prāpti, siddhi, there are eight kinds of... He can do that. There was one sannyāsī, Trailinga Swami in Benares. He was sitting on the road naked. The police objected. So several times he was taken and put into the police custody, but he came out. Again he was sitting. This is yoga-siddhi. Then he was allowed—"Hopeless." They cannot be locked up. That is yoga-siddhi, not merely showing some gymnastic process. No. One must be... That yoga-siddhi, it is not possible in this age because people are not expert to practice this yoga system. Therefore Arjuna denied, "No, no, no. Kṛṣṅa, it is not possible for me to practice this yoga system. It is impossible for me." So five thousand years ago he said, "Impossible," but we are daring to make it possible. That is not very good. Better, as Kṛṣṅa says... To encourage Arjuna, Kṛṣṅa said that "Don't be discouraged because you cannot practice this yoga system. Here is the best process." What is that? Yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā [Bg 6.47]: "If you simply think of Me, then you are the best yogī."

[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 everything will be perfectly executed—yoga, jñāna, karma, and many other processes—if you become Kṛṣṅa conscious. That is the real purpose. If you come to the platform of Kṛṣṅa consciousness, then everything is perfect. Even if you cannot execute yoga, jñāna, karma perfectly, still you are perfect. Still you are perfect. But the central point is that we must be absorbed always in thinking of Kṛṣṅa within the core of our heart. Satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ [Bg 9.14].

[Always chanting My glories, endeavoring with great determination, bowing down before Me, these great souls perpetually worship Me with devotion.]

Simply you should remain Kṛṣṅa conscious twenty-four hours, even in sleeping. That is the perfect stage. But we have to practice. It is not simply words. But it can be practiced; it is not impossible. The practice Kṛṣṅa is recommending, 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.]

"Always think of Me." Our, this temple worship... Mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru. And "Always think of Me." This class, this kīrtana, this prasādam distribution and offering obeisances, worshiping, so many—śravaṅaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṅoḥ smaraṅaṁ pāda-sevanam [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.]

take any one of them or all of them. Be perfect in that particular process. Try to become, at least. Kṛṣṅa will help you. Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam [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.]

If you try your best, Kṛṣṅa will give you strength. Kṛṣṅa is always ready to help you, provided you want to take His help. He is ready. He has come to help you. Otherwise, what is the use of Kṛṣṅa's coming here and canvassing, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam [Bg 18.66]? That is for our interest. You surrender to Kṛṣṅa or not surrender, it doesn't matter to Kṛṣṅa. Kṛṣṅa does not depend on your service. He is completely perfect. He can create millions of servants like you in a moment. So why does He require your service? Why He should canvass for your service? His service is not suffering for want of you. But it is your interest to surrender to Him. It is your interest. This Kṛṣṅa wants to see, that you surrender to Him and become perfect and go back to home, back to Godhead. That is Kṛṣṅa's mission.

So this Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement is the same mission: to canvass,

dante nidhāya tṛṅakaṁ padayor nipatya kāku-śatam kṛtvā cāhaṁ bravīmi he sādhavaḥ sakalam eva vihāya dūrād caitanya-candra-caraṅe kurutānurāgam [Caitanya-candrāmṛta 8.90]

[Taking a straw between my teeth and falling at your feet a hundred times, I humbly submit, "O great personality, please give up all mundane knowledge that you have learned and just submit yourself at the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu."]

This is our mission, Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission. Why Prabodhananda Sarasvatī is requesting, caitanya-candra-caraṅe kurutānurāgam: "You just become inclined to serve the lotus feet of Caitanya"? Because He's Kṛṣṅa personally, and He has come to teach us how to approach Kṛṣṅa. That is Caitanya... Kṛṣṅaya kṛṣṅa-caitanya-namne gaura-tviṣe namaḥ [Cc Madhya 19.53].

[O most munificent incarnation! You are Kṛṣṅa Himself appearing as Śrī Kṛṣṅa Caitanya Mahāprabhu. You have assumed the golden color of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṅī, and You are widely distributing pure love of Kṛṣṅa. We offer our respectful obeisances unto You.]

Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, he understood. Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, he understood.

vairāgya vidyā-nija-bhakti-yoga- śikṣārtham ekaḥ puruṣaḥ purāṅaḥ śrī-kṛṣṅa-caitanya-śarīra-dhārī kṛpāmbudhir yas tam ahaṁ prapadye [Cc Madhya 6.254]

If we understand Kṛṣṅa through Caitanya Mahāprabhu... Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that "You become guru." How? Yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṅa'-upadeśa [Cc Madhya 7.128].

[Instruct everyone to follow the orders of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṅa as they are given in the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. In this way become a spiritual master and try to liberate everyone in this land.]

Don't change, don't alter. You simply try to preach what Kṛṣṅa has said. This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's instruction. If you follow this instruction... Don't make any addition and alteration of your so-called learned scholarship. That will not help you. You must present Bhagavad-gītā as it is. Yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṅa'-upadeśa. There is everything, very easily done, provided we follow paramparā system. So our Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement should be pushed on very humbly.

tṛṅād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṅunā amāninā mānadena kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ [Cc Ādi 17.31]

[One who thinks himself lower than the grass, who is more tolerant than a tree, and who does not expect personal honor yet is always prepared to give all respect to others can very easily always chant the holy name of the Lord.]

Kīrtanīya. This preaching means kīrtana, not that simply with mṛdaṅga we can have musical kīrtana. No. Preaching is also kīrtana. Abhavad vaiyāsaki-kīrtane [Cc Madhya 22.136]: Vaiyāsaki, the son of Vyāsadeva, Śukadeva Gosvāmī, he simply described Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and became perfect. Abhavad vaiyāsaki-kīrtane. Śrī-viṣṅu-śravaṅe parīkṣit [Cc Madhya 22.136]: Parīkṣit Mahārāja simply listened; he became perfect. And Śukadeva Gosvāmī simply described. That is also kīrtana. So this is also kīrtana. As Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī teaching us, he sādhavaḥ sakalam eva vihāya dūrād caitanya-candra-caraṅe kurutānurāgam [Caitanya-candrāmṛta]:

"You are sādhu, best person, noble, but this is my request." This is humbleness. If you say, "Oh, you are a karmī, you are a mūḍha..." Actually he's a mūḍha, but don't... In the beginning, if you say, then there will be no opportunity to speak. He is a mūḍha, that there is no... Working like hogs and dogs day and night for sense gratification, certainly he is mūḍha, karmī. Similarly, jñānī, they are simply speculating. That logic, kākā-taliya nyāya: "Whether the crow first of all sat down on the palm fruit, then the palm fruit fell down? Or the palm fruit fell down; therefore the crow could not sit on the palm fruit?" Logic. One paṅḍita said, "No, no. First of all, the palm fruit fell down, and the crow wanted to sit down on it, so he could not." Now another paṅḍita says, "No, no. The palm fruit was there, and because the crow sat down on it, it fell down." Now this is logic. They are wasting time speculating. Kākā-taliya nyāya. kūpa-maṅḍūka-nyāya. There are.

So that will also not help. They are presenting themself as big scholar. No. Māyayāpahṛta-jñānā. Simply wasting time. Simply wasting time. They are so-called jñānī, but māyayāpahṛta-jñānā—there is no knowledge, Vedānta. Big, big Vedānti. Kṛṣṅa said, the supreme authority, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ vedānta-kṛt vedānta-vid ca aham [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.]

Now they do not care for Kṛṣṅa, and they are Vedānti. What kind of Vedānti? Nonsense. So this will not help. We have to preach... But if we say directly that "You are all mūḍhas, māyayāpahṛta-jñānā and duṣkṛtina," they will be angry. Because satyaṁ bruyad na bruyat satyam apriyam: you have to speak the truth very cautiously; otherwise they will be angry. Murkhayopadeṣo hi prokapāya na śāntaye: "If you give good instruction to a rascal, he'll be angry." Therefore Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī is teaching us how we should present our case. Dante nidhāya tṛṅakam: "Sir, I have come to you, taking this grass in my teeth." This is a symbolic representation of becoming very humble in India. They take a grass. Dante nidhāya padayor nipatya: "And I am falling down on your feet." Kāku-śataṁ kṛtvā: "And I am flattering you: 'You are very grand,' 'You are very nice,' 'You are very learned,' 'You are...,' so on, so on." If you flatter, people become puffed-up. So, dante nidhāya tṛṅakaṁ padayor nipatya kāku-śatam kṛtvā cāham: "I have one submission." "What is that?" No... He sādhavaḥ: "You are a great learned sādhu. My one request is that whatever you have learned, please forget. Whatever nonsense you have learned, please forget. This is my submission." "I have learned so many things, and I have to forget? Then what I have to do?" He sādhavaḥ sakalam eva vihāya dūrāt caitanya-candra-caraṅe kurutānurāgam: "You just submit yourself to Caitanya-candra. Then everything will be perfect."

So our preaching is like that. Śrī kṛṣṅa caitanya prabhu nityānanda. Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi su-medhasaḥv [SB 11.5.32].

[In the Age of Kali, intelligent persons perform congregational chanting to worship the incarnation of Godhead who constantly sings the names of Kṛṣṅa. Although His complexion is not blackish, He is Kṛṣṅa Himself. He is accompanied by His associates, servants, weapons and confidential companions.]

This process is adopted not by rascals. Su-medhasaḥ, those who have got good brain, they will take it. So very simple thing, and Caitanya Mahāprabhu is approved by the ācāryas, by big, big scholars. So you have no fear of falling down. So take Caitanya Mahāprabhu's first mercy, and then preach Kṛṣṅa consciousness. You'll be successful. It is not possible nowadays to imitate Ṛṣabhadeva. Just like the Jains, they imitate that. What their imitation...? Not a single Jain up till now has become perfectly in the renounced order of life. So they say so. It was imitated by one king in the South India, and he is the originator, propounder of the Jainism. They say. But you cannot imitate Ṛṣabhadeva. That is not possible in this age. Better try to follow the instruction of Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Kṛṣṅa. Your life will be perfect.

Thank you very much. [end]