Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.8.29

Nitāi: "O Lord, no one can understand Your transcendental pastimes, which appear to be human and are so misleading. You have no specific object of favor, nor do You have any object of envy. People only imagine that You are partial."

Prabhupāda:

na veda kaścid bhagavaṁś cikīrṣitaṁ tavehamānasya nṛṅāṁ viḍambanam na yasya kaścid dayito 'sti karhicid dveṣyaś ca yasmin viṣamā matir nṛṅām [SB 1.8.29]

So Kuntīdevī is clarifying the matter that people may think that Kṛṣṅa was partial to the Pāṅḍava family and He was envious to the Kurus because He always took part on behalf of the Pāṅḍavas. That has been described. So just like worldly men, we, we make some friends and we make some enemies. To somebody we are envious, and to somebody we are very friendly. This is material nature. The material nature means to become envious, generally. And if somebody satisfies my sense gratification, then he's friend. That is also temporary. As soon as the sense gratification process is disturbed, then again envious. The real nature is enviousness. So Kuntīdevī says that "Because You are playing the part of human being, and it appears that You are partial to somebody and You are envious to somebody, this is viḍambanam; this is Your misleading. Actually You are not like that. Actual... But because You are playing the part of the ordinary human being—not ordinary, but as human being—so Your dealing like that appears that You are, to some..., to somebody You are very partial and somebody You are inimical."

But that is not the fact. People cannot understand Kṛṣṅa because Kṛṣṅa can be understood by the devotee only.

nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yogamāyā-samāvṛtaḥ mūḍho 'yaṁ nābhijānāti mām eva param avyayam [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.]

Those who are mūḍhas, they cannot understand Kṛṣṅa. Kṛṣṅa is playing, although like that, ordinary human being, the mūḍhas cannot understand. Just like Kṛṣṅa killed Pūtanā, but she got elevation to the position of His mother. Superficially it appeared that Kṛṣṅa killed the Pūtanā, but Pūtanā, Kṛṣṅa took her as her [His] mother. Although she came to kill Kṛṣṅa with poison on her breast, but Kṛṣṅa thought that "This woman has come to kill Me, but because I have sucked her breast, she is My mother." So any way, the service side, Kṛṣṅa always accepts, a little service. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt. Svalpam asya. A little service to Kṛṣṅa is feasible, is helpful, to save a man from the greatest danger.

So further she explains, na yasya kaścid dayitaḥ. Dayita means favorable. Na yasya kaścid dayitaḥ asti karhicid dveṣyaś ca yasmin. And nobody is envious. The Bhagavad-gītā also confirms, samo 'haṁ sarva bhūteṣu na me dveṣyo 'sti kiñcana [Bg 9.29].

[I envy no one, nor am I partial to anyone. I am equal to all. But whoever renders service unto Me in devotion is a friend, is in Me, and I am also a friend to him.]

Kṛṣṅa is, as we discussed the other day... Just like the sun is equal to everyone, but we are not able to take the sunshine equally. Somewhere the sun is covered with cloud. Someone is sitting within the dark room. In this way, we are unable to take the sunshine equally. But sun is distributing equally. Na hi harati jyotsnā candraś caṅḍāla-veśmani. There is the... Cāṅakya Paṅḍita says, caṅḍāla-veśmani. Caṅḍāla means untouchable, the dog-eaters. In the Vedic conception, the dog-eaters are untouchable. Actually they should be untouchable. Meat-eaters are untouchable, especially... There are different kinds of meat-eaters. Some eat the goats, some mutton, some cows, some hogs and some dogs. Just like the Hindus: they eat goats, but they do not eat cows. Some religious conception. And the Muhammadans, they use..., eat cows, but they do not eat pigs. Hārāma. The Muhammadans say, "To eat pig is hārāma." So everyone has got some distinction. But the caṅḍālas, they eat everything, up to the dogs. We have seen in Korea, and in China also, they eat dogs. Here in India, Assam side, there are dog-eaters. So there are different kinds of flesh-eaters. And you'll find in Āyurvedic dravya-guṅa, there are so many different types of meats and fleshes described, and the eating such flesh, what benefit or harm is there, that is described. So formerly, how they were analyzed.

So Kṛṣṅa, although He's playing the part of human being, His activities are transcendental. Na māṁ karmāṅi limpanti na me karma-phale spṛhā [Bg 4.14].

[There is no work that affects Me; nor do I aspire for the fruits of action. One who understands this truth about Me also does not become entangled in the fruitive reactions of work.]

That is the distinction between Kṛṣṅa and ourself. He is killing. He has killed so many demons; from the very childhood His one side is killing—Pūtanā killing, Aghāsura, Bakāsura, this asura, that asura, then Keśī, and so many asuras He killed. But His killing and our killing is not the same. Na māṁ karmāṅi limpanti. And in the Īśopaniṣad is..., apāpa-viddham. That is Kṛṣṅa. If we imitate Kṛṣṅa... We cannot imitate. Therefore our business is to follow the words of Kṛṣṅa, not to imitate Him. That is suicidal. We shall follow the instruction of Kṛṣṅa as He is giving in the Bhagavad-gītā. But if we become so rascal to imitate His rāsa-līlā, then we'll go to hell. But the Māyāvādīs, they sometimes do that. That... In the Bhāgavata it is forbidden, that "Imitation of this..." Idaṁ ca viṣṅoḥ. What is that verse, vraja..., no, that...? That "These pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṅa, who is Viṣṅu, with the gopīs, they should not be..., not only they should be imitated, they should not be thought even within the mind, that 'We can also do like that.' " It is forbidden.

Then the question was... Parīkṣit Mahārāja questioned this: "Kṛṣṅa, He came to establish religious principles." Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham [Bg 4.7]. Paritrāṅāya sādhū..., vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām, dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya [Bg 4.8].

[In order to deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I advent Myself millennium after millennium.]

"So why Kṛṣṅa did this act?" Because it is forbidden to mix with others' wife or daughter. Without being married, according to Vedic culture, no man or woman can mix very intimately. That is even in the ordinary dealings. Mātṛvat para-dāreṣu. Cāṅakya Paṅḍita said that "Except your wife, all women are your mother." This is paṅḍita. Who is a paṅḍita, learned? Now,

mātṛvat para-dāreṣu para-dravyeṣu loṣṭravat ātmavat sarva-bhūteṣu yaḥ paśyati sa paṅḍitaḥ [Cāṅakya Paṅḍita]

[One who sees others' wives as his mother, who sees all others' possessions as insignificant as a lump of clay, and who sees all living beings as himself—such a person is considered a learned man.]

This is the description of paṅḍita. Paṅḍita... And in the Bhagavad-gītā, the paṅḍita is described: paṅḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ [Bg 5.18].

[The humble sage, by virtue of true knowledge, sees with equal vision a learned and gentle brāhmaṅa, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater [outcaste]]

This is paṅḍita. Nowadays it has become the custom that unless you have got a university degree, either you may be in knowledge..., māyayā apahṛta-jñānāḥ, you are not recognized as a paṅḍita. But in the Vedic scripture, the paṅḍita is different person. Anyone... This is the moral instruction by Cāṅakya Paṅḍita.

mātṛvat para-dāreṣu para-dravyeṣu loṣṭravat ātmavat sarva-bhūteṣu yaḥ paśyati sa paṅḍitaḥ [Cāṅakya Paṅḍita]

He is giving the description of paṅḍita in three ways: "One who sees all women except his wife as mother—he is paṅḍita. One who takes others' money as garbage on the street—he is paṅḍita. And one who sees everyone, even to the ant, like himself, that 'If I..., if somebody pin, pricks pin on my body, I get, I suffer. I feel pain. So why shall I give pain even to an ant?' " Ātmavat sarva-bhūteṣu.

In a higher sense... Just like Vaiṣṅava. Vaiṣṅava, Prahlāda Mahārāja, he is feeling for... Para-duḥkha-duḥkhī. This is Vaiṣṅava's business, because a Vaiṣṅava, when he comes to become Kṛṣṅa conscious, he can understand that "What I was previously and what I am now." Actually one is... He's happy. He feels that... Yaṁ labdhvā cāparaṁ lābhaṁ manyate nādhikaṁ tataḥ [Bg 6.22].

[The stage of perfection is called trance, or samādhi, when one's mind is completely restrained from material mental activities by practice of yoga. This is characterized by one's ability to see the self by the pure mind and to relish and rejoice in the self. In that joyous state, one is situated in boundless transcendental happiness and enjoys himself through transcendental senses. Established thus, one never departs from the truth, and upon gaining this he thinks there is no greater gain. Being situated in such a position, one is never shaken, even in the midst of greatest difficulty. This indeed is actual freedom from all miseries arising from material contact.]

"So why these people should suffer without Kṛṣṅa consciousness?" That is samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu. Therefore preaching required. He preaches. Kaniṣṭha-adhikārī Vaiṣṅava, he remains compact in temple worship, that's all, to show the Deity and get some money and fill up the belly. My Guru Mahārāja condemned this process. Of course, it is condemned in this sense, that those who are thinking that "I have got this temple. Let people come here out of sentiment and they'll pay, and it will be a source of income for my filling up belly..." This is most condemned. My Guru Mahārāja used to say that ṭhākura dekhāiyā payasā rojagāra karāra ceye, rāstāya jhāru diyā jīvikā upārjana karā bhāla. One should be honest. He should work for getting some money. Just like Arjuna. Kṛṣṅa never said that "Arjuna, you sit down. I am your friend. I shall do everything for you. You sleep." No. Arjuna was a kṣatriya. He should fight. That was the instruction of... So kaniṣṭha-adhikārī is different.

And madhyama-adhikārī, they feel for others, that...

īśvare tad-adhīneṣu bāliśeṣu dviṣatsu ca prema-maitrī-kṛpopekṣā yaḥ karoti sa madhyamaḥ [SB 11.2.46]

And uttama-adhikārī, they have no such distinction. They see, "Everyone is engaged in Kṛṣṅa's service. That is all right." But madhyama-adhikārī has to make distinction. Kṛpā upekṣā. He is very kind to the innocent, but those who are envious, he does not care for them. Those who are envious, he does not care for them. He rejects them: "Let them become envious," these madhyama-adhikārī. And īśvare, unto the Supreme Lord—prema. They learn how to love Kṛṣṅa and how to make friendship with Kṛṣṅa's devotee. So this is madhyama-adhikārī and kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, uttama-adhikārī. There are different types of devotees—not all the same—according to the stages.

So ātmavat sarva-bhūteṣu. A Vaiṣṅava feels for others. A Vaiṣṅava understands that "Those who are not Kṛṣṅa conscious, those who have forgotten Kṛṣṅa, they are rotting under the spell of māyā. Let us do something for them." That is Vaiṣṅava. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja said, naivodvije para duratyaya, duratyaya-vaitaraṅyāḥ [SB 7.9.43]: "I am not afraid of the indefatigable vaitaraṅī." It is said in the śāstra that you have to cross the vaitaraṅī before going to the spiritual world. So Prahlāda Mahārāja said that "I am not afraid of this vaitaraṅī. It is very easy." Tvad-vīrya-gāyana-mahāmṛta-magna-cittaḥ [SB 7.9.43]: "Because I know simply by glorifying Your Lordship, I am..., I can do that." Harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam [Cc Ādi 17.21].

[In this Age of Kali there is no other means, no other means, no other means for self-realization than chanting the holy name, chanting the holy name, chanting the holy name of Lord Hari.]

That is quite possible. Paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṅa-saṅkīrtanam. So a pure Vaiṣṅava like Haridāsa Ṭhākura can simply chant. Caitanya Mahāprabhu advised anyone, especially His confidential devotees... Just like Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī: he was advised that "You chant and don't eat very palatable food. Don't dress yourself very gorgeously." This instruction... But the chanting. Everyone was advised, whoever went to Caitanya Mahāprabhu, that "You chant."

So Prahlāda Mahārāja said that "I know..." Tvad-vīrya-gāyana-mahāmṛta-magna-cittaḥ. "I can... I have no problem, because I have understood what is the value of chanting Your holy name. But I have got another business." What is that? Śoce tato vimukha-cetasaḥ: "I am simply concerned with these rascals who are not Kṛṣṅa conscious." Śoce tato vimukha-cetasaḥ: "They are busy that māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān [SB 7.9.43]. These rascals, for māyā-sukha, temporary material happiness, they have made very, very gorgeous arrangement," very, very big, big skyscraper building and very, very nice road, very, very nice car, and nice dress, nice this, nice nightclub, this club—simply for māyā-sukhāya. "This happiness is temporary. Still, they have forgotten Kṛṣṅa, which will make their life successful and happy. They do not know." Māyā-sukhāya bharam. Bharam means humbug, humbugism. Māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān [SB 7.9.43]. "Those who have arranged like that, these rascals," śoce, "I am lamenting for them." This is Vaiṣṅava. Para-duḥkha-duḥkhī. Kṛpāmbudhir yas tam ahaṁ prapadye [Cc Madhya 6.254].

So because you are preacher—you are being trained up to become preacher, especially in the Western countries—so it is your duty. I have several times requested you that "You American people, you are fortunate. Janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrīḥ [SB 1.8.26].

[My Lord, Your Lordship can easily be approached, but only by those who are materially exhausted, because one who is on the path of [material] progress, trying to improve himself with respectable parentage, great opulence, high education and bodily beauty, cannot address You with sincere feeling.]

You have got the four things. Now, because these people are misusing these four material gains simply for sense gratification, māyā-sukhāya..." Māyā-sukhāya means sense gratification. Māyā... "They should be delivered from these clutches of māyā, and they should take to Kṛṣṅa consciousness." That is preaching. Preaching is required. That is the mission of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, certainly He took His birth here, but He did not remain here. He did not remain here. He could have remained here very easily. His influence was very great. He was known as Nimāi Paṅḍita, very learned scholar, everyone knew. And He was very respectful. Otherwise, how He could gather 100,000 people in one day to go to the Kazi's house? That means He was very influential. But still, He... There was good wife, young wife, most affectionate mother. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu could stay at His birthplace very nicely, without any difficulty. And what will be difficulty? He's Kṛṣṅa Himself, Nārāyaṅa Himself, and there was Lakṣmī. But still, to show the example personally, āpani ācari prabhu jīvere śikhāya, He left home, He took sannyāsa, and He preached.

So preaching is so important. And Kṛṣṅa also says that,

ya idaṁ paramaṁ guhyaṁ mad-bhakteṣv abhidhāsyati [Bg 18.68]

na ca tasmān manuṣyeṣu kaścin me priya-kṛttamaḥ [Bg 18.69]

So Kṛṣṅa also, He was playing the part of ordinary human being, but He was, in His own life, He was demonstrating how Kṛṣṅa comes here, what for He comes, why He took part in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra. These things are to be understood. Unless we understand these things—why Kṛṣṅa came, why He took part in the battlefield, and there are so many other things ordinarily done—then, if we simply take Kṛṣṅa as ordinary human being... Mūḍha, 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 He's playing the part of human being, if somebody derides, mūḍha, then it is viḍambanam—he'll be cheated. That is explained here: tavehamānasya nṛṅāṁ viḍambanam. Viḍambana. They cannot understand. The devotees can understand. Kuntī could understand that "Although Kṛṣṅa is playing the part of human being, He is for everyone's good. He simply presents. As enemy or as friend, it is beneficial." Either He is playing the part of enemy or as friend, it is the same thing because He is absolute. In the absolute world there is no such thing: "This is good; this is bad." Everything good in the absolute world. Kṛṣṅa's killing is as good as Kṛṣṅa's saving. It is the same thing.

So Kuntī could understand. The devotees can understand. So He has no partiality. Nobody should misunderstand that Kṛṣṅa has got partiality. No. This partiality and enimity, friendliness, these are material, duality. Here we cannot understand good unless there is bad. Therefore it is called relative world. We cannot understand father unless there is son. We cannot understand good man unless there is bad man. So these things, duality or relative world, they should exist in this material world. Therefore in order to approach to the spiritual world, one should become above this duality. Above this duality. This duality means the intermixture of the modes of material nature, traiguṅya. The Sanskrit word is traiguṅya. So Kṛṣṅa advised Arjuna, nistraiguṅyo bhavārjuna. 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.]

So how one can become above these nistraiguṅya, er, traiguṅya? You... Simply by devotional service, unalloyed devotional service. Anyone who is...

māṁ ca avyabhicāreṅa bhakti-yogena sevate 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.]

So we should be Kṛṣṅa conscious, always engaged in His... [break] [end]