Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.1.7

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

prāyeṅa munayo rājan nivṛttā vidhi-ṣedhataḥ nairguṅya-sthā ramante sma guṅānukathane hareḥ [SB 2.1.7]

[break] [02:41]

"O King Parīkṣit, mainly the topmost transcendentalists, who are above the regulative principles and restrictions, take pleasure in describing the glories of the Lord."

Prabhupāda:

prāyeṅa munayo rājan nivṛttā vidhi-ṣedhataḥ nairguṅya-sthā ramante sma guṅānukathane hareḥ [SB 2.1.7]

So there is a stage which is called paramahaṁsa stage. At that time, one is not very strictly following the regulative principles. Not that they're not following, but they're above all regulative principles. But we should not imitate that, that "Now we have become paramahaṁsa and we can neglect all regulative principles." No. The paramahaṁsa stage is described here. If you simply imitate, that "Now I have become paramahaṁsa, I do not require to follow rules and regulation..." But you must prove that you are paramahaṁsa.

Therefore what is that paramahaṁsa stage? That is nairguṅya-sthā ramante sma guṅānukathane hareḥ. His only business is to glorify Kṛṣṅa. He does not do that... Not that "I have become paramahaṁsa. Let me eat and sleep." No. The symptom is that he cannot waste a moment without glorifying Kṛṣṅa. That is paramahaṁsa. At that time, you can know, that when you cannot remain even for a single moment without describing Kṛṣṅa, then you can know that you are on the paramahaṁsa stage. No attachment anything material; simply attachment for Kṛṣṅa. Then you can give up the regulative principles. Not before that. Don't imitate. Unless you come to that stage, positive stage... It is not that simply negative. Negative means you must stand on a positive platform. Therefore those who are śūnyavādī, simply negative... The other day, some Zen Buddhist came. He said that "to become desireless." These nonsense people, they do not know it is impossible to become desireless. They are thinking... Therefore they are disturbed always. It is not possible to become desireless. You... That is negative post, nirvāṅa. That is Buddha philosophy, nirvāṅa: "Stop these material nonsense activities." But unless he has got positive activities, how he can give up this nonsense? Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate [Bg 2.59].

[The embodied soul may be restricted from sense enjoyment, though the taste for sense objects remains. But, ceasing such engagements by experiencing a higher taste, he is fixed in consciousness.]

You must give good engagement. Otherwise, he'll go on committing all nonsense. Just like you, you have been given good engagement, Deity worship and so many other things you are engaged. Therefore you have no time to divert your attention for nonsense things. Simply artificially if you want to stop, no. The US government, they tried to stop this intoxication habit, LSD, millions of dollars. Not a single man was stopped. Not a single man. And here in Kṛṣṅa consciousness, as soon as they come, immediately... Why? Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate. When he understands that he is better intoxication, "Why shall I go to LSD?" That is required.

So here it is said, prāyeṅa munayo rājan, "My dear King," nivṛttā vidhi-ṣedhataḥ... Vidhi. Vidhi and niṣedha. They are two things. We say, "You chant Hare Kṛṣṅa mantra," and prohibit, "No illicit sex." Negative and positive. So vidhi means "do's" and niṣedha, "do not's." So this is the beginning of life. Don't try to become paramahaṁsa, munayaḥ, from the very beginning. Then you'll fall flat. That is not required. When you actually be situated nairguṅya... Nairguṅya means above the material nature. That is called nairguṅya. This material nature is called traiguṅya. Traiguṅya means three modes of material nature: goodness, passion and ignorance. So when you become above these three guṅas, then there is possibility of becoming nairguṅya.

The Arjuna..., advised Arjuna, traiguṅya-viṣayā vedā nistraiguṅyo bhavārjuna. Vedas, they are dealing with these three guṅas, Vedas, giving direction according to the guṅa—the sattva-guṅa, rajo-guṅa, tamo-guṅa. So one who is in the sattva-guṅa, for them, there are six purāṅas. Sattva-guṅa, tamo-guṅa, rajo-guṅa. Eighteen purāṅas there are. Some of them are for the persons who are situated on the modes of goodness, and some of them are for the persons who are in rajo-guṅa, and some of them are for persons in tamo-guṅa. Just like in the Vedic śāstras, there is also recommendation to worship Goddess Kali. That is for the tamo-guṅa, not for the sattva-guṅa. For the sattva-guṅa, the Viṣṅu Purāṅa, Brahmāṅḍa Purāṅa, Brahma-vaivarta Purāṅa, Bhāgavata Purāṅa, according to... Because knowledge has to be given to everyone, but according to his capacity. If one is in tamo-guṅa, you cannot say..., you cannot raise him immediately to the sattva-guṅa. Tamo-guṅa is meat-eating, drinking. These are tamo-guṅa, in the darkness. So the Vedas has given chance to them, "All right, you want to eat meat? All right, you meat..., eat meat, but offering to the goddess Kālī." Means restriction. It is not required, but the rascal will not hear immediately; therefore give him some concession, "All right, you can eat meat by offering sacrifice..., not the cow, but one lower animal which is useless, like goats." Generally, goat and the chicken. They do that. But it is not meant for the sattva-guṅa. Sattva-guṅa's prescription is different. Rajo-guṅa's prescription is different.

On the whole, we are always mixed up with the sattva-guṅa, rajo-guṅa, tamo-guṅa. That is our material position. Therefore sometimes we come to Kṛṣṅa consciousness when we are in sattva-guṅa, again sometimes fall down when tamo-guṅa attacks, rajo-guṅa attacks. So we have to become above these guṅas. Traiguṅya-viṣayā vedā nistraiguṅyo bhavārjuna [Bg 2.45].

[The Vedas mainly deal with the subject of the three modes of material nature. Rise above these modes, O Arjuna. Be transcendental to all of them. Be free from all dualities and from all anxieties for gain and safety, and be established in the Self.]

Arjuna advised... Kṛṣṅa advised him that "You become above these three guṅas." So how it can be done? It can be done simply by hearing about Kṛṣṅa. This is naistraiguṅyo-sthā ramante sma guṅānukathane hareḥ. If you simply engage yourself only hearing about Kṛṣṅa, then you are nistraiguṅya. This is the process, simple, no other business.

So we have given you so many books. Don't sleep. Don't waste a single moment. Of course, you have to sleep. Reduce it as much as possible. Eating, sleeping, mating and defending—reduce it. Nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau. That is the example given by the Gosvāmīs. Nidrā, āhāra and vihāra. Āhāra means eating, and vihāra means sense enjoyment, and nidrā means sleeping. Nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau: "Conquered over." That is spiritual platform: no more sleeping, no more eating, no more sex life. That is perfection. And one who can conquer over these three things—eating, sleeping and sex life—he's fearless, automatically. There is no requirement of defense, because they can meet any situation. That is paramahaṁsa stage. Nivṛttā. Munayaḥ... Prāyeṅa munayo rājan nivṛttā vidhi. For them, there is no regulation. Don't imitate, that "I have become..." Some of our students exhibited like that, that "There is no need of regu... We are all paramahaṁsas." Paramahaṁsa not; rascal number one. Here is the test: when you'll not be influenced by the material qualities, rajo-guṅa, sattva-guṅa, tamo-guṅa. And the test is that nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau, that conquering over the sleeping, nidrā. First thing is mentioned there. Sleeping and eating and sense enjoyment

Śrī-caitanya-mahāprabhu-guṅānukathane. These Gosvāmīs, they were always writing books. Guṅānukathane. Guṅa. What is the writing books? When we write these books, what is that? They are simply describing the different activities and attributes of Kṛṣṅa. Anukathane. Anu means not whimsically; following the superior authorities. You cannot write anything which is not approved by the superior authorities. Therefore, we have to give examples, quotations from the śāstra, that "What I am speaking, it is supported by the śāstra." Not that "I have inventive power. I have..., I can do, I can write anything I like." That is nonsense. Anukathane. Anukathane means you must hear from the authority perfectly. Then try to write. Not that you write whimsically, whatever you like. That is not allowed. And that will not be accepted. Therefore, in the beginning, in this chapter, we learned this word, that varīyān eṣa rājan..., varīyān eṣa te praśnaḥ kṛto loka-hitaṁ nṛpa ātmavit-sammataḥ [SB 2.1.1]. Ātmavit-sammataḥ: "It is approved by the realized souls." Not that whimsically I do something or you question something. No. It must be... The question must be approved by ātmavit, self-realized person, and the answer should be given by the self-realized person, ātmavit-sammataḥ. This is wanted.

So we have no independence. As in materially also, we have no independence. In... There is no independence, either materially or spiritually. But we're falsely thinking to become independent. That is called illusion, māyā. The rascals do not know that there is no independence at all, either materially or spiritually. Just like the outlaws, they have no independence, either criminally or civilly. When he's a civil citizen, good citizen, there is no independence, and when he's criminal, there is no independence. So why he's thinking that "I shall act this work criminally and become independent"? That is not possible. And because they cannot understand it, they are rascal. What he's thinking independence, that is illusion. Where is..., where is your independence? Illusion. Māyā. When you are under the strict rules and regulation of the material nature, how you are independent? Daivī hy eṣā guṅamayī mama māyā duratyayā [Bg 7.14].

[This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it.]

They think that to surrender to Kṛṣṅa, this is slave mentality. "I shall remain free." But where is your freedom, sir? That is illusion.

So there is... So long one is rascal, falsely thinking that he's independent, there must be the regulative principles. He must observe the regulative principles, vidhi-niṣedha. In this way, when he's actually situated in the transcendental platform, that is called nairguṅya-sthā. Stha means situated. Tiṣṭhati iti stha: "one who stays." Not flickering. Permanently. Nairguṅya. This nairguṅya means devotional service. This is nairguṅya. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā,

māṁ ca 'vyabhicāreṅa bhakti-yogena yaḥ evate sa guṅān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate [Bg 14.26]

[One who engages in full devotional service, who does not fall down in any circumstance, at once transcends the modes of material nature and thus comes to the level of Brahman.]

brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām [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.]

Everything is there. So nairguṅya means one who is twenty-four-hours engaged in devotional service, he's in the nairguṅya platform, no more influenced by these material qualities. Māṁ ca 'vyabhicāreṅa [Bg 14.26]. Avyabhicāreṅa means without any flaw, without any fault. Simply according to the restriction, or instruction of the śāstra and spiritual master, one is strictly following and engaged in devotional service. Then he is sa guṅān samatītyaitān [Bg 14.26]. He can conquer or surpass over the three modes of material nature. And his stage is brahma-bhūtaḥ. Brahma-bhūyāya kalpate.

So when you are actually on the Brahman... Now, everyone can say, "I am now in the brahma-bhūtaḥ." The symptom is there. You cannot cheat. What is that? Now, brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā [Bg 18.54]. If you are actually on the brahma-bhūtaḥ platform, then the symptom will be prasannātmā: jolly, always. There will be no more moroseness. Always jolly. That is the first symptom. "Oh, I am now free from the material clutches." Because as soon as you are actually engaged in devotional service, there will be no more, I mean to say, punishment by the material nature. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śo... [Bg 18.54]. Therefore he's always jubilant, prasannātmā. What is the meaning of prasannātmā? Prasannātmā means na śocati na kāṅkṣati: he does not desire anything, does not lament for anything. That is brahma-bhūtaḥ stage. If there is something lost, "Never mind. Kṛṣṅa desired loss. That's all right." And if there is gain, he does not jump over, "Oh, I have gained this. I have gained this." Like monkey. [laughter] No. Everything Kṛṣṅa's. I am engaged in Kṛṣṅa's service. Suppose if there is some loss. So it is Kṛṣṅa's desire. And if there is some profit, it is Kṛṣṅa's money. I don't possess anything. Why shall I jump? Jump... Of course, we can jump. "O Kṛṣṅa, we have gained so much thing, so many things for Kṛṣṅa." That is another... So na śocati na kāṅkṣati, samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu. Then he's equal to everyone. He understands that everyone is a spirit soul. Some way or other, he's entangled in this material body. So because I am now... Mad-bhakti... Prasannātmā na śocati, samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu mad-bhaktiṁ labhate par... Then he's fit for transcendental service to the Lord.

After being liberated from these traiguṅya, three material, one has to be situated in the nistraiguṅya. Here it is stated, nairguṅya. Nairguṅya, nistraiguṅya, the same meaning. Nairguṅya-sthā ramante, enjoys life. As soon as you come to the platform of nairguṅya, without being infected by the three material qualities, then ramante, everything is pleasure. Ramante yogino 'nante. Therefore those who are yogīs, who are bhaktas, bhakti-yogīs, they also enjoy life. It is not that we restrict that "Don't enjoy senses." This is not enjoyment; this is bondage. This is bondage. Suppose I am enjoying either illicit or legal sex life, I am become under bondage. Even it is legal sex life, I get children, so many things, I have got duty to the children. So either goodness or ignorance, this is bondage. This is bondage.

Therefore one has to become above the traiguṅya. And that is called nairguṅya. Nairguṅya-sthā ramante. They also enjoy. What is that enjoyment? Ramante yogina anante. That is not limited enjoyment, for few minutes. No. Anante, eternal enjoyment. Ramante yogina anante. And that is satyānande, that is real ānanda. That is real bliss. When your ānanda does not stop, it continues, that is real ānanda. And the ānanda, or the pleasure, which is for few seconds or few minutes, that is not ānanda. That is illusion. Real ānanda is it will continue. It will never stop. It will never end. Therefore it is said, ramante yogina anante. Anante means unlimited. Ramante yogina anante satyānande. That is real happiness.

Iti rāma-padenāsau paraṁ brahmābhidhīyate [Cc Madhya 9.29].

[The Supreme Absolute Truth is called Rāma because the transcendentalists take pleasure in the unlimited true pleasure of spiritual existence.]

Because when we enter the platform of continuous blissfulness, ānanda, that is the connection with..., that is the meaning of Rāma. The Rāma, Paraṁ Brahma. That means when one is situated in the service of the Paraṁ Brahma, then his life is successful. So here it is said, nairguṅya-sthā ramante sma guṅānukathane hareḥ. Then not a single moment is wasted without talking about Kṛṣṅa. Vacāṁsi vaikuṅṭha-guṅānuvarṅane. In other, other place it is: sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṅa-padāravindayor vacāṁsi vaikuṅṭha-guṅānuvarṅane [SB 9.4.18].

[Mahārāja Ambarīṣa always engaged his mind in meditating upon the lotus feet of Kṛṣṅa, his words in describing the glories of the Lord, his hands in cleansing the Lord's temple, and his ears in hearing the words spoken by Kṛṣṅa or about Kṛṣṅa. He engaged his eyes in seeing the Deity of Kṛṣṅa, Kṛṣṅa's temples and Kṛṣṅa's places like Mathurā and Vṛndāvana, he engaged his sense of touch in touching the bodies of the Lord's devotees, he engaged his sense of smell in smelling the fragrance of tulasī offered to the Lord, and he engaged his tongue in tasting the Lord's prasāda. He engaged his legs in walking to the holy places and temples of the Lord, his head in bowing down before the Lord, and all his desires in serving the Lord, twenty-four hours a day. Indeed, Mahārāja Ambarīṣa never desired anything for his own sense gratification. He engaged all his senses in devotional service, in various engagements related to the Lord. This is the way to increase attachment for the Lord and be completely free from all material desires.]

So practice this. First of all, fix up your mind on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṅa, and that is called sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṅa-padāravindayoḥ [SB 9.4.18].

So if your mind is fixed up, then other senses will act, because other senses are acting under the leadership of the mind. Mind is your enemy, and mind is your friend. When the mind is engaged in Kṛṣṅa consciousness, that mind is your friend. And the mind, when it is engaged in other consciousness, that is your enemy. So you can create your mind friend or enemy, according to your desire. If you fix up always... The Deity worship means to fix up your mind on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṅa, always worshiping Kṛṣṅa. So therefore I am asking why there is no ankle bell. There must be ankle bell, the lotus feet of Kṛṣṅa. So if you fix up your mind, then immediately—fix up your mind on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṅa—immediately you are nairguṅya-stha, situated in the nairguṅya, transcendental platform.

In another place, it is also said,

śṛṅvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṅaḥ puṅya-śravaṅa-kīrtanaḥ hṛdy antaḥ-stho hy abhadrāṅi vidhunoti suhṛt satām [SB 1.2.17]

[Śrī Kṛṣṅa, the Personality of Godhead, who is the Paramātmā [Supersoul] in everyone's heart and the benefactor of the truthful devotee, cleanses desire for material enjoyment from the heart of the devotee who has developed the urge to hear His messages, which are in themselves virtuous when properly heard and chanted.]

Kṛṣṅa is situated within your heart. He's your best friend. Suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām. He's always willing how your perfect welfare can be done. Kṛṣṅa is so nice friend. You are... I am taking the body of a hog. There is also Kṛṣṅa advising me. And when I am in the body of a human being, there also Kṛṣṅa is advising me. Kṛṣṅa is so kind. Therefore, suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām. He's friend not only of human being, even the hogs, dogs, cats—everyone. Suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām. This is the science, one has to know. Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram [Bg 5.29].

[The sages, knowing Me as the ultimate purpose of all sacrifices and austerities, the Supreme Lord of all planets and demigods and the benefactor and well-wisher of all living entities, attain peace from the pangs of material miseries.]

And suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati. So everyone is trying to become leader of the society, suhṛdam, welfare actor, but that is impossible. Because he's a rascal, how he can become the friend? The..., one's business is that he should make friendship with Kṛṣṅa and advise others also to make friendship with Kṛṣṅa. That is real leadership. That is real leadership. And the rascals, what the..., he does not know what is his own benefit, and he has become a leader.

Sanātana Gosvāmī says, āpanāra hitāhita kichui nā jāni [Cc Madhya 20.100]:

[I do not know what is beneficial for me or what is detrimental. Nonetheless, in ordinary dealings people consider me a learned scholar, and I am also thinking of myself as such.]

"Sir, I was minister, and people used to say that I am very learned scholar, and this and that, but... I was also accepting, 'Oh...' But actually, since I am come in Your contact, I thought that 'What kind of leader I am? I do not know what is beneficial for me. I am such a leader. I am such a fool. I do not know my own benefit, and I want to become leader to lead others for benefit of life.' " Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ [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.]

A blind man, he does not think that he's blind; how he can lead others, other blind men? But this is cheating. All these leaders, so-called rascal leaders, they are blind themselves. They do not know what is the aim of life, and they're becoming leader. And the leader, blind leader, and the blind follower, they're all going to hell. This is the position of the world.

So therefore we should be careful that don't imitate that "I am now become paramahaṁsa. I do not require to follow the rules and regulation. Let me do whatever I like." Don't do that. The test is there. Test is there, here. It is said, guṅānukathane hareḥ. When you are paramahaṁsa, then you have no other business than simply to hear about Kṛṣṅa and chant about Kṛṣṅa.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda. [end]