Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.26.16

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

prabhāvaṁ pauruṣaṁ prāhuḥ kālam eke yato bhayam ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhasya kartuḥ prakṛtim īyuṣaḥ [SB 3.26.16]

[break] [03:05]

"The influence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is felt in the time factor, which causes fear of death due to the false ego of the deluded soul who has contacted material nature."

Prabhupāda:

prabhāvaṁ pauruṣaṁ prāhuḥ kālam eke yato bhayam ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhasya kartuḥ prakṛtim īyuṣaḥ [SB 3.26.16]

So the time factor is the representation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In the Bhagavad-gītā, when Kṛṣṅa manifested His viśva-rūpa, Arjuna became very afraid of and inquired, "Who are You?" So at that time Kṛṣṅa said, "I am kāla. I have appeared to destroy." So kāla is representation, time. We have discussed twenty-five elements: the ten mahā..., five mahā-bhūta and five sūkṣma-bhūta, ten senses, twenty-four internal senses, these twenty-four elements, and above that, the kāla, time factor. That's all. So kāla is destructive factor.

We may, however, defy the existence of God. Atheist class of men, demons, they always defy, "Who is God? I am God." But everyone is under the control of time factor. The time factor, in due course, will bring him death. So at that time, how one can deny the existence of God? Mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham [Bg 10.34].

[I am all-devouring death, and I am the generator of all things yet to be. Among women I am fame, fortune, speech, memory, intelligence, faithfulness and patience.]

Kṛṣṅa says that "I am death, and My business is to take away everything." Mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham. So time factor will take away everything, what we create with these twenty-four elements. So time is very strong, kāla. However we may defy the existence of God, the time factor is there. We have to accept it. And it is said, kālam eke yato bhayam. And because we are under the control of the time at the present moment in material existence, therefore there is bhayam. Bhayam means ultimately death. Bhayam.

Bhayaṁ dvitīyābhiniveśataḥ syād īśād apetasya viparyayo 'smṛtiḥ [SB 11.2.37]. The description of bhayam is given in the Bhāgavatam. What is this bhayam, fearfulness? Bhayam, īśād apetasya viparyayo 'smṛtiḥ: "Those who have forgotten the Supreme Lord and have identified themselves with this material world, for them, the fearfulness is there." But those who are not in the material existence but in the spiritual existence, or spiritual life, or spiritual activities, for them, there is no bhayam. Abhayaṁ sattva-saṁśuddhiḥ [Bg 16.1], in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said. Bhayam is there, fearfulness is there, so long our existence is not purified. Then there is bhayam. And when existence is purified, then there is no bhayam, no fearfulness. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja was put to so many trials or tribulation by his father, but he was never afraid of. This is the sign of spiritual advancement, because so long I identify myself with this matter, there will be bhayam, and when I am out of this conception of material existence, when I understand that "I am spirit soul," ahaṁ brahmāsmi, then there is no more bhayam, no fearfulness.

Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati [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.]

This is the symptom of abhayam. Therefore Kṛṣṅa's lotus feet are described, abhaya-caraṅāravinda re. Bhajahuṅ re mana śrī-nanda-nandana-abhaya-caraṅāravinda re. If we take shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṅa, which is called abhaya-caraṅa, no more bhayam... Bhayaṁ dvitīyābhiniveśataḥ. When, so long we think that "I am something of this material existence," there will be bhayam. And when we realize that "This material existence is superficial. I have nothing to do with it," asaṅgo 'yaṁ puruṣaḥ, "I have no connection with it," then there is no bhaya, no fearfulness.

So this kāla—past, present and future—tri-kāla... Kāla is exhibited in three features: past, present and future. That is in the material existence. And if one becomes above the three kālas, in the eternal time... Time is eternal, but in the material existence there is past, present and future. In the spiritual existence there is no past, no future, only present. Only present. Everything are fresh, present, nitya-navayamāna, only feelings new, new. That is spiritual existence, ānandāmbudhi-vardhanam [Cc Antya 20.12],

[Let there be all victory for the chanting of the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṅa, which can cleanse the mirror of the heart and stop the miseries of the blazing fire of material existence. That chanting is the waxing moon that spreads the white lotus of good fortune for all living entities. It is the life and soul of all education. The chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṅa expands the blissful ocean of transcendental life. It gives a cooling effect to everyone and enables one to taste full nectar at every step.]

This is the process of cleansing the mirror of the heart. Mirror, when it isonly present—no future, no past. That we cannot realize now, but we can get the knowledge from Vedic literature. The time factor... In the material world there is past, present and future. Otherwise, time factor is eternal.

So prabhāvaṁ pauruṣaṁ prāhuḥ kālam. So we have to feel the influence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in this time factor. We cannot deny it. Because in due course of time, according to the time factor, everything will be finished. Everything will be finished. The present existence will be finished, and then we will have to accept another existence. This is all due to the time. Time is over; then one body is changed into another. So this is the influence of time. Nature is working under the influence of time, and that time factor is enforcing the influence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore it is called prabhāvaṁ pauruṣaṁ prāhuḥ kālam. This is the influence. You have to abide by the influence of time. That means influence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. However, you deny. Just like crazy fellow: they think that "I have nothing to do with government laws." But the influence of government must be felt when he is arrested and put into the jail. Similarly, by time factor we may do something now without any fear, but time factor will place me in the fearful condition without any fail.

So ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhasya. We are now vimūḍha. Now, when you say that "These mūḍhas," they become angry. But actually, this is the verdict of the śāstra. So long you are within the time factor, within the material nature, you are vimūḍha. We are all vimūḍha. Ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhasya. And the same thing is expressed in the Bhagavad-gītā: ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā kartāham iti manyate [Bg 3.27].

[The bewildered spirit soul, under the influence of the three modes of material nature, thinks himself to be the doer of activities, which are in actuality carried out by nature.]

Nobody is kartā. Here the prakṛti is kartā. Just like when you are under the influence of some contaminated disease, at that time, that disease infection is kartā. You are not kartā. That is our practical experience. When you are in high fever, then your so-called mastership is gone. You are under the mastership of the feverish condition. Similarly, we spirit soul, although we are better in quality than the material element... That is described in the Bhagavad-gītā, apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakṛtiṁ parām, jīva-bhūtām [Bg 7.5]:

[Besides this inferior nature, O mighty-armed Arjuna, there is a superior energy of Mine, which are all living entities who are struggling with material nature and are sustaining the universe.]

"The jīva, living entities, they are better quality than the material elements." But still, on account of his viparyayo 'smṛtiḥ, forgetting God—we are leading a different type of civilization or different type of life—therefore we have been subjected to the influence of time. This is Kṛṣṅa's, or God's, influence.

Just like in the prison life we are subjected to the rules and regulation of the prison house on account of disobeying the government laws, similarly, when we are disobedient to the laws of God, at that time, we are put into this material existence under the influence of time, and therefore our conditional life is always fearful. Bhayaṁ dvitīyābhiniveśataḥ syād īśād apetasya viparyayo 'smṛtiḥ [SB 11.2.37]. Viparyayo 'smṛtiḥ. Everyone is thinking differently, all living entities. Somebody is thinking, "I am Indian." Somebody is thinking, "I am American," "Hindu," "Muslim," "Christian," "black," "white." So many ways we are thinking. Viparyayo 'smṛtiḥ. Our real identity is when we understand that "I am not Hindu, not Muslim, not Christian, nor American, nor Indian, but I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṅa." Then there is no more fear. That is fear...

Bhajahuṅ re mana śrī-nanda-nandana-abhaya-caraṅāra... Therefore the Vaiṣṅava poet advises that "You take to the shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṅa." Abhaya-caraṅāravinda re: "Just be engaged in the devotional service of the abhaya-caraṅa, Kṛṣṅa's..." Then your existence will be purified, and you will have no more fear. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā [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.]

You will be... This material life, so long we are conscious of this material existence, we are always fearful, full of anxieties. Tat sādhu manye 'sura-varya dehināṁ sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt [SB 7.5.5].

[Prahlāda Mahārāja replied: O best of the asuras, King of the demons, as far as I have learned from my spiritual master, any person who has accepted a temporary body and temporary household life is certainly embarrassed by anxiety because of having fallen in a dark well where there is no water but only suffering. One should give up this position and go to the forest [vana]. More clearly, one should go to Vṛndāvana, where only Kṛṣṅa consciousness is prevalent, and should thus take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.]

The more we possess asat-vastu—asat-vastu means the material things—there will be more anxiety. Therefore, according to Gauḍīya Vaiṣṅava principle, Caitanya Mahāprabhu's life and His next disciples', the Gosvāmīs', life is to completely get free from any material possession. Vairāgya. Vairāgya-vidyā. This spiritual life... Therefore in Bhārata-varṣa, in India, you will see big, big kings, they give up their kingdom, their opulent life, wife, children, and become a mendicant, a beggar—not beggar, but renounced everything. This Bhārata-varṣa is under the name of Mahārāja Bharata. His life is described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Fifth Canto, how he gave up his wife, children, kingdom, everything, and he lived alone in the forest, Pulastya, Pulaha-āśrama. But still, māyā is so strong, he became attached to a small deer. And for that reason, he had to wait for his liberation three lives.

So the spiritual life is very delicate. We have to conduct the spiritual life very cautiously. Little deviation may create great havoc. Great havoc means again material life. And material life means suffering, bhayaṁ dvitīyābhiniveśataḥ [SB 11.2.37], always in fearfulness. So long we are in this material life, there must be fearfulness. Bhayaṁ dvitīyābhiniveśataḥ syāt. That is described here. Kālam eke yato bhayam. So long you are wrapped up within these twenty-four elements, under the influence of time factor, then you will have to feel fearfulness, although actually by constitutional position you have no fear. Every one of us, we know... Not everyone. At least, those who are little advanced in understanding Bhagavad-gītā, the A-B-C-D of spiritual knowledge, at least theoretically one knows that he is not this body. But still, when the body is in danger, we become fearful because we are existing in this material environment. Bhayaṁ dvitīyābhiniveśataḥ syāt. So in order to get out of this fearful situation of life—that is material life—if we take shelter of the lotus feet of abhaya-caraṅāravinda re, Kṛṣṅa, then this bhayam element, fearfulness element, will be completely nil.

So ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā kartāham... [Bg 3.27].

[The bewildered spirit soul, under the influence of the three modes of material nature, thinks himself to be the doer of activities, which are in actuality carried out by nature.]

Our identification, false identification... The four subtle senses: mana, buddhi, ahaṅkāra, citta, consciousness... So when the consciousness is materially absorbed, then there is fear, and when the consciousness is pure—"consciousness pure" means Kṛṣṅa consciousness: "I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṅa"—then there is no bhaya. The more we advance in Kṛṣṅa consciousness, the more we become free from fearfulness. Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja advises, hitvātma-pātaṁ gṛham andha-kūpaṁ vanaṁ gato yad harim āśrayeta [SB 7.5.5]. The real position of fearlessness is harim āśrayeta, take shelter of Hari. Hari means who takes away all subjective things of fearfulness. That is Hari. He takes away all our miserable condition of life, Hari. Harim āśrayeta.

Tat sādhu manye 'sura-varya dehināṁ sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt [SB 7.5.5].

We have accepted the asat, these twenty-four elements as described before, as identification with me. Asat: they are not permanent—temporary situation, changing one after another. So asad-grahāt, sadā samudvigna-dhiyām, always full of anxiety, "What will happen next? What will happen next?" You will see even a small insect, birds, beasts, human being, animal, even elephants, tiger, lions—everyone is fearful. There cannot be any fearlessness in this material existence. Even big nation, American nation, they are also fearful of the Russian, and the Russians are fearful of the Americans. You can see. The whole political field... Our Indians are fearful of Pakistan; Pakistan is fearful... This is material existence. You cannot avoid it unless you take shelter at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṅa.

Kṛṣṅa assures, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ [Bg 18.66]. He gives shelter and assurance that "Don't be afraid of. When you have taken shelter of Me, then there is no cause of fear."

samāśritā ye pada-pallava-plavaṁ mahat-padaṁ puṅya-yaśo murāreḥ bhavāmbudhir vatsa-padaṁ paraṁ padaṁ 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.]

This material world is padaṁ padaṁ vipadām, only danger. Every step there is danger. That's a fact. So if we take shelter of that abhaya-caraṅāravinda, then we have no fear. This is a fact. Abhayaṁ sattva-saṁśuddhiḥ [Bg 16.1]. Sattva-saṁśuddhiḥ. Our existence, when it is purified... So this bhakti-mārga, or devotional service, is the process of purifying. Purifying process.

śṛṅvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṅaḥ puṅya-śravaṅa-kīrtanaḥ hṛdy antaḥ-stho 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.]

Satām, those who are devotees, they are simply engaged in Kṛṣṅa consciousness. This Kṛṣṅa consciousness begins: śṛṅvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṅaḥ. Simply these centers are created to give chance to the people in general to hear about Kṛṣṅa. Śṛṅvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṅaḥ. Because as soon as we hear about Kṛṣṅa attentively and try to assimilate it, then the purification of the heart begins.

ceto-darpaṅa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṅaṁ śreyaḥ-kairava-candrikā-vitaraṅaṁ vidyā-vadhū-jīvanam ānandāmbudhi-vardhanaṁ prati-padaṁ pūrṅāmṛtāsvādanaṁ ...paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṅa-saṅkīrtanam [Cc Antya 20.12]

This is the process of cleansing the mirror of the heart. Mirror, when it isSo śrī-kṛṣṅa-saṅkīrtanam is so nice. It has no expenditure, no loss; simply gain. If you kindly hear śrī-kṛṣṅa-saṅkīrtana, if you cannot chant Śrī Kṛṣṅa, the holy name of Kṛṣṅa, you are so reluctant, or if you cannot... Because to chant Hare Kṛṣṅa mantra, that also requires little fortune. Aho bata śva-paco 'to garīyān yaj-jihvāgre nāma tubhyam [SB 3.33.7].

[Oh, how glorious are they whose tongues are chanting Your holy name! Even if born in the families of dog-eaters, such persons are worshipable. Persons who chant the holy name of Your Lordship must have executed all kinds of austerities and fire sacrifices and achieved all the good manners of the Āryans. To be chanting the holy name of Your Lordship, they must have bathed at holy places of pilgrimage, studied the Vedas and fulfilled everything required.]

Anyone who is chanting on the top of his tongue, where there is name, holy name, he is garīyān śva-paco 'taḥ. Even though he is born in low-grade family, the dog-eaters, it is still garīyān. Aho bata śva-paco 'to garīyān yaj-jihvāgre nāma tubhyam. So in this Kali-yuga, if you simply chant—or even if you cannot chant, because that requires little fortune—if we simply hear, that will also help us. So these centers are meant for chanting and hearing about Kṛṣṅa. Simply this process, chanting and hearing, will purify our existence. Śṛṅvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṅaḥ puṅya-śravaṅa-kīrtanaḥ [SB 1.2.17].

It will increase piety of life. Puṅya-śravaṅa-kīrtanaḥ. Anyone who is hearing and one who is chanting, both of them, śravaṅa-kīrtanaḥ... This is the beginning.

So śṛṅvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṅaḥ puṅya-śravaṅa-kīrtanaḥ. We become purified. This is purificatory process. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam [Cc Madhya 19.170].

[Bhakti, or devotional service, means engaging all our senses in the service of the Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of all the senses. When the spirit soul renders service unto the Supreme, there are two side effects. One is freed from all material designations, and one’s senses are purified simply by being employed in the service of the Lord.]

Nirmalam means purification. On account of impure life, we are embarrassed with so many designation. Impure life. So we have to become designationless, no designation, sarvopādhi... "I am not Hindu," "I am not Mussulman," "I am not Christian," "I am not brāhmaṅa." This is designation. Even sannyāsī... Caitanya Mahāprabhu, therefore, nāhaṁ vipro na ca nara-patir yatir vā [Padyāvalī 63], He described Himself, "No, I am not kṣatriya. I am not brāhmaṅa. I am not sannyāsī. I am not gṛhastha. I am not vaiśya." Simply negation. He simply said, gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ [Cc Madhya 13.80]:

[I am not a brāhmaṅa, I am not a kṣatriya, I am not a vaiśya or a śūdra. Nor am I a brahmacārī, a householder, a vānaprastha or a sannyāsī. I identify Myself only as the servant of the servant of the servant of the lotus feet of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṅa, the maintainer of the gopīs. He is like an ocean of nectar, and He is the cause of universal transcendental bliss. He is always existing with brilliance.’]

"I am the servant of servant of servant of the gopī-bhartuḥ, the maintainer of the gopīs, Kṛṣṅa."

So that is pure life, when we think like that, that "We are no more servant." Nāyaṁ kiṅkaram, that is, what is called, indemnifying this contaminated existence of material life. Simply I identify as servant of the Supreme Lord. Then you become purified, designationless.

sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam hṛṣīkeṅa hṛṣīkeśa- sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate [Cc Madhya 19.170]

Bhakti means when you are designationless, purified in Kṛṣṅa consciousness, then, when your senses are purified, the senses are no more material. In our contaminated state, our senses are acting in designation. "I am Indian. I have to work for India. The others must go out of India." Or others are thinking, "Now your visa is finished. Now you can go out. You cannot stay here." This is all due to designation. But real life is designationless. The United Nation is working, but there is not... They are not working on the platform of becoming designationless. They want to keep the designation. They are struggling there to become united for the last twenty years. And the... We have seen in New York the United Nation center, only the flags are increasing. Because unless one becomes designationless, no designation, there cannot be any unity.

Unity is possible on the spiritual platform, not on the material platform. Material platform means "I am envious of you; you are envious of me." Mātsaratā. Mātsaratā means mātsaratā para utkarṣaḥ asahanam[?]: when I cannot tolerate other increasing in opulence, I become envious. This is material life. Spiritual life is different. Spiritual life means if somebody has advanced in spiritual life, and somebody, one, he is still in the neophyte stage, he will eulogize, "Oh, how fortunate he is. He has advanced. He is serving Kṛṣṅa in such a nice way. When I can get that position?" There is no enviousness. That is glorifying. That is the distinction between material life and spiritual life. Spiritual [material] life means enviousness: "How to kill you, how to stop you." But spiritual life means to see you advancing, one becomes happy, "Oh, how fortunate he is." This is spiritual life. Therefore spiritual life is meant for a person who is completely not envious. That is spiritual life. Paramo nirmatsarāṅāṁ satāṁ vāstavaṁ vastu vedyam atra. Dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra [SB 1.1.2].

[Completely rejecting all religious activities which are materially motivated, this Bhāgavata Purāṅa propounds the highest truth, which is understandable by those devotees who are fully pure in heart. The highest truth is reality distinguished from illusion for the welfare of all. Such truth uproots the threefold miseries. This beautiful Bhāgavatam, compiled by the great sage Vyāsadeva [in his maturity], is sufficient in itself for God realization. What is the need of any other scripture? As soon as one attentively and submissively hears the message of Bhāgavatam, by this culture of knowledge the Supreme Lord is established within his heart.]

This Bhāgavata-dharma is meant for the person paramo nirmatsara, paramahaṁsa. He is not envious of anyone. Suhṛdaḥ sarva-dehinām [SB 3.25.21].

[The symptoms of a sādhu are that he is tolerant, merciful and friendly to all living entities. He has no enemies, he is peaceful, he abides by the scriptures, and all his characteristics are sublime.]

We have discussed this word in Kapiladeva's Sāṅkhya philosophy: sādhu. Sādhu is suhṛdaḥ sarva-dehinām. Sarva-dehinām means all living entities in all forms of life. That is called sarva-dehinām. "I am for Indians and not for the Englishmen or Americans," or "I am for the human being. I am not for the cows and goats. They should be sent to the slaughterhouse"—these things are happening on account of no Kṛṣṅa consciousness; limited, crippled ideas. And it is going on in the name of philanthropism, nationalism, Communism, this "ism" and that "ism." These "isms" will not help us unless you come to the platform of Kṛṣṅa-ism, that "Everything belongs to Kṛṣṅa." Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam [Īśo mantra 1].

[Everything animate or inanimate that is within the universe is controlled and owned by the Lord. One should therefore accept only those things necessary for himself, which are set aside as his quota, and one should not accept other things, knowing well to whom they belong.]

Practically. If we accept... The United Nation is working so hard, but they cannot make that the whole world belongs to all living being. Then immediately it will be... All questions will be solved. I was discussing this evening: there is so much land still uncultivated. And if the overpopulated people are allowed to go there and cultivate and grow their food grains, ten times of the living entities on this face of the globe can be fed without any difficulty. Annād bhavanti bhūtāni [Bg 3.14].

[All living bodies subsist on food grains, which are produced from rain. Rains are produced by performance of yajña [sacrifice], and yajña is born of prescribed duties.]

So everything is there, but we don't accept. Under designation we are fighting, that's all. Under designation, under ignorance, we are fighting. We are forgetting Kṛṣṅa. Therefore our miserable condition, bhaya, fearfulness. Bhayaṁ dvitīyābhiniveśataḥ īśād apetasya viparyayo 'smṛtiḥ. Viparyayo 'smṛtiḥ means just opposite understanding. Everything belongs to God. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam. That's a fact. But I am thinking, "It is my land." Ahaṁ mameti [SB 5.5.8]. Janasya moho 'yam ahaṁ mameti. Nothing belongs to us. Everything belongs to Kṛṣṅa. If we accept Kṛṣṅa the center, and we work under His direction, as it is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, our life is successful, our whole program is peaceful. All tranquility, everything, is there.

Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṅa.

Devotees: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda. [end]