Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.2.7

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

vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ janayaty āśu vairāgyaṁ jñānaṁ ca yad ahaitukam [SB 1.2.7]

[By rendering devotional service unto the Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṅa, one immediately acquires causeless knowledge and detachment from the world.]

Prabhupāda:

vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ janayaty āśu vairāgyaṁ jñānaṁ ca yad ahaitukam [SB 1.2.7]

Yesterday we discussed the previous verse—sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo/ yato bhaktir adhokṣaje [SB 1.2.6]

[The supreme occupation [dharma] for all humanity is that by which men can attain to loving devotional service unto the transcendent Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted to completely satisfy the self.]

The Supreme Personality of Godhead is Adhokṣaja or He who is transcendental to material senses. Surrendering and rendering devotional service unto His lotus feet—devotional service means śravaṅaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṅoḥ [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.]

hearing about the Supreme Lord Viṣṅu, just like you all are hearing now. This is Bhakti-yoga. śravaṅaṁ kīrtanaṁ, and after you hear you repeat whatever you have heard. Like today we have heard about the topics of the Supreme Lord and it is our duty to contemplate on that. Śravaṅaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṅoḥ smaraṅaṁ. Whatever we hear in the association of devotees we should remember it. In this way devotional service increases.

satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido bhavanti hṛt-karṅa-rasāyanāḥ kathāḥ [SB 3.25.25]

[In the association of pure devotees, discussion of the pastimes and activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is very pleasing and satisfying to the ear and the heart. By cultivating such knowledge one gradually becomes advanced on the path of liberation, and thereafter he is freed, and his attraction becomes fixed. Then real devotion and devotional service begin.]

The topics of the Supreme Lord are best relished in the association of devotees. Not from the professional reciters. satāṁ prasaṅgān. Those who are devotees of the Lord, they should sit together, hear with attention and discuss the Lord’s topics. śravaṅaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṅoḥ whatever one has heard about the Lord one must speak about it exactly. This is the symptom of devotional service to the Supreme Lord. Just like these westerners, the American youths, they have ample facilities for sense gratification in the western countries. But because they have heard with faith and devotion, they have given up everything at an young age and by accepting the renounced order of life they are preaching all over the world. This is the result of proper hearing. If someone has genuinely heard the topics of the Supreme Lord then he will be inspired from within the heart that I should speak it out, I should tell about it to everyone, how nice these topics are! and I should preach about it to the whole world. This is called Kīrtana. Kīrtana does not mean that you simply do kīrtana with mṛdaṅga and karatāla. To propagate the topics of the Lord is also called Kīrtana. Just like Śrīla Sukadeva Gosvāmī did—abhavad vaiyāsakiḥ kīrtane, that the son of Vyāsadeva, Śukadeva Gosvāmī became perfect by kīrtana. Śravaṅa, Kīrtana, Smaraṅa, Vandana, Arcana, these are the different limbs of devotional service. Cultivate any one of them. Cultivate some of them it is also alright or cultivate all of them that is also alright. But you must cultivate at least one of them and your life will become successful. For example, King Parīkṣit only heard and became perfect. He did not have the opportunity to speak or preach because he only had seven days of his life left. So Sukadeva Gosvāmī had instructed him. The king had inquired that since I have only seven days left before death so what should I do? Śrīla Sukadeva Gosvāmī advised him that you should simply hear about the topics of the Supreme Lord. So Parīkṣit Mahārāja simply heard about the Lord and the speaker was Śrī Sukadeva Gosvāmī.

Śrī-viṣṅu-śravane parīkṣit—King Parīkṣit became liberated by hearing about Lord Viṣṅu. And abhavad vaiyāsakiḥ kīrtane Vyāsadeva’s son was Sukadeva Gosvāmī, he attained liberation simply by glorifying the Supreme Lord. He left this world and went back to Godhead. These instructions are there in the scriptures. So this Bhakti-yoga or this śravaṅaṁ kīrtanaṁ—śravaṅaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṅoḥ. In this verse vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ, adhokṣaja,…adhokṣaja is explained in the previous verse. bhakti yogaṁ adhokṣaje [SB 1.7.6] sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje [SB 1.2.6]

follow any religious principles, it does not matter, but you have to see the end result of it. Just by talking about Hindu, Muslim, Christian etc. there is no gain. Actually one has to see the ultimate benefit, and that benefit is bhakti yogaṁ adhokṣaje. [SB 1.7.6] Adhokṣaje-Adhakṛta akṣaja-jñānam. Whatever knowledge we have got that is material knowledge. This knowledge we acquire by our senses. Just like we see with our eyes, we taste with our tongue, we write with our hand, we smell with our nose, we hear with our ears, In this way we have got eleven senses. Out of which, we gather knowledge with five senses and they are called Jñānendriya or the knowledge acquiring senses. And Karmendriya or the five working senses plus the mind, so all together eleven senses.

So the Supreme Lord Adhokṣaja is beyond the jurisdiction of these eleven senses. Ataḥśrī-kṛṣṅa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ [Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.234]. We acquire knowledge through our senses, but our present knowledge with which we are habituated at present and which we have learned to accumulate by our eyes, ears, nose etc is mundane. But one cannot acquire spiritual knowledge by such mundane knowledge. ataḥśrī-kṛṣṅa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ [Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.234].

[No one can understand the transcendental nature of the name, form, quality and pastimes of Śrī Kṛṣṅa through his materially contaminated senses. Only when one becomes spiritually saturated by transcendental service to the Lord are the transcendental name, form, quality and pastimes of the Lord revealed to him.]

Therefore another name for the Supreme Lord is Adhokṣaja. Sensual knowledge is derived by the senses, but the Supreme Lord is Atindriya or transcendental to the senses. How can I realize the transcendental object with my material senses? The process is given here. Adhokṣaje or one should render devotional service unto the Supreme Lord Adhokṣaja. We cannot see God with our present eyes. Now we have got material senses and we cannot obtain knowledge about the Supreme Lord with the help of these material senses. That is why the Supreme Lord is addressed as Adhokṣaja. That knowledge is Adhakṛta or comes to an end. Therefore great sages and thoughtful personalities simply engage in meditation but fail to understand what God is and so they conclude that God is formless. When things are beyond their capacity they wash their hands off by saying God is formless. No! Why God is formless? He is Śyāmasundara. He is very beautiful with blackish complexion. This is the verdict of the scripture. premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti [Brahma-saṁhitā 5.38] How is He formless? santaḥ sadaiva—all the time, twenty-four hours a day the devotees behold Him. So how can He be formless? No, He is not formless, but He is beyond the reach of our present material senses. We cannot see God with our present senses. He is not formless. Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yoga-māyā-samāvṛtaḥ. [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.]

The Supreme Lord says that I do not manifest Myself before everyone, but rather I remain covered by My internal potency Yogamāyā. So one who can surpass this Yogamāyāhe can have darśana of the Supreme Lord. The Supreme Personality of Godhead has names, forms, qualities, pastimes and everything else. But by the help of these material senses ….. ataḥśrī-kṛṣṅa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ [Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.234],

by these senses the topics of the Supreme Lord cannot be understood. We have got these senses now so how can we have darśana of the Lord? The formula for this is also given.

Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ [Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.234], we cannot have darśana of the Supreme Lord by exercising our material senses. If the Lord mercifully gives us darśana, He can give. That is His sweet will. How can we invoke His sweet will? Sevonmukhe hi, when we engage in His sevā or service, sevā….bhaja sevāyām, means bhakti, sevā and bhakti are one and the same thing. When one begins to worship the Supreme Lord, it starts with kīrtana, śravaṅa, śravanaṁ kīrtanaṁ. So when we hear the topics of the Supreme Lord, and speak about Him then the Lord mercifully gives us darśana. I cannot see God. Just like there is the President or the king, and I am an ordinary person. By my wish I cannot see the king, but if the king desires he can come here and give darśana. That is the mercy of the king. In the same way we cannot see God by our own endeavor. Just like yesterday one gentleman asked “can we see God?” Yes, you can see God provided you have the qualification. And as long as you remain unqualified you cannot see God. So you have to earn that qualification. What is that qualification? That is sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. Our first duty is to engage our tongue in the service of the Lord. Jihvā or tongue, and not aṅkha or eyes. Jihvā, just see, this Jihvā or tongue is a material object, yet by the help of the tongue one can have darśana of the Supreme Lord. Everyone knows that God is seen by eyes only, but the scriptures say that one can see God by the help of the tongue. This is a fact. This is extraordinary. Engage your tongue in the service of the Lord. Hare Kṛṣṅa, Hare Kṛṣṅa, Kṛṣṅa Kṛṣṅa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. That’s all. Engage your tongue in this way. The tongue has got another function. The tongue has two functions—one is to vibrate, and we can also taste with our tongue. The whole world is moving by the hankering of the tongue. Just see, so many activities are going on in the world. What is it? It is due to the greed of the tongue. Where is Restaurant? Where is tea? Where is Biḍi? Where is cigarette? Where is meat? Where is wine? What more, What more? Everything is because of this tongue. If you can control your tongue and engage it in the Lord’s service then you can have darśana of the Supreme Lord. This is the instruction of the Scripture. First of all one has to control the tongue. Śrīla Bhakti Vinoda Ṭhākura has written in regard to honoring of prasādam;

tā'ra madhye jihvā ati, lobhamaya sudurmati, tā'ke jetā kaṭhina saṁsāre kṛṣṅa baḍa dayāmaya, karibāre jihvā jaya, sva-prasāda-anna dila bhāi sei annāmṛta khāo, rādhā-kṛṣṅa-guṅa gāo, preme ḍāka caitanya-nitāi

“Of all the senses the tongue is the most voracious and uncontrollable. It is very difficult to conquer the tongue in this world, but You, dear Kṛṣṅa, are very kind to us. You have sent this nice prasāda to help us conquer the tongue; therefore let us take this prasāda to our full satisfaction and glorify Your Lordships Śrī Śrī Rādhā and Kṛṣṅa and in love call for the help of Lord Caitanya and Prabhu Nityānanda." [Gītāvalī, Prasāda Sevāya, Song 1] So one should engage the tongue. On one hand one should engage the tongue in the glorification of the Supreme Lord. tvad-vīrya-gāyana-mahāmṛta-magna-cittaḥ [SB 7.9.43] this is the statement of Prahlāda Mahārāja. Prahÿāda Mahārāja is praying to Lord Nṛṣiṁhadeva. naivodvije para duratyaya-vaitaraṅyās—“My dear Lord! I am not at all afraid of crossing beyond this material ocean. I am totally fearless. Why? How have I become fearless?

Because—tvad-vīrya-gāyana-mahāmṛta-magna-cittaḥ I have learned to glorify your transcendental qualities. That’s all. I have conquered. I have conquered the world.” But it appears that you are somewhat unhappy. So Prahlāda Māhārāja clarifies that by saying “Yes, I am little unhappy. This is because tato vimukha-cetasa, those who have forgotten You, vimukha–who have become averse and who do not care for God, for such people” tato vimukha-cetasa …. māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān. People are working so hard for illusory material happiness. But what for are they doing this? They will live in this world for twenty years, twenty-five years, fifty-years or at the most one hundred years. They will live here only for a short period of time yet they want to become very happy. They work so hard whole day. For all these foolish people I am very much concerned. For this reason I am unhappy, and not for anything else. This is the nature of a Vaiṣṅava. A Vaiṣṅava is never unhappy, because he has mastered the art of glorifying the Supreme Lord. Therefore he has no distress.

The only distress he has is … Just like a father or an elderly person or a child’s mother is there at home, and if the child becomes ill then not only the child is unhappy but they all become unhappy even though they themselves are not ill. In the same way a Vaiṣṅava has no distress, but māyā… bharam udvahato vimūḍhān for these foolish people who are working so hard whole day for material happiness, he feels unhappy. Only for them. Therefore the vaiṣṅavas chant and preach the holy names and qualities of the Supreme Lord so that people may hear and turn their attention towards the Lord, and start to worship Him. This is their desire. When they see people are worshiping the Supreme Lord they become happy. Other than this they have no purpose. That is why people should be taught, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje, Adhokṣaja refers to the Supreme Lord who is beyond the reach of our material eyes, ears and so on. He is far beyond all this, He is Adhokṣaja. How will one serve that Adhokṣaja Lord is explained in this verse Vāsudeve bhakti, Vāsudeva, Lord Vasudeva, Vāsudeva refers to Kṛṣṅa who appeared as the son of Vasudeva. He is called Vāsudeva. Because, who can be the Supreme Lord’s father and mother? He is the father of everyone. ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pita [Bg 14.4] sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya / mūrtayaḥ sambhavanti yāḥ /tāsāṁ brahma mahad yonir/ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pita [Bg 14.4]

[It should be understood that all species of life, O son of Kuntī, are made possible by birth in this material nature, and that I am the seed-giving father.]

The Lord is declaring I am the seed giving father of all. And the material world or Māyā, Durgadevī , she is the mother. That Supreme Lord Vāsudeva… the living entities are His parts and parcels. That Supreme Lord is sitting in the hearts of all living entities, Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ / hṛd-deśe 'rjuna 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.]

That Supreme Lord Vāsudeva Kṛṣṅa, Vāsudeva is Kṛṣṅa’s name. Many people think that God has no name. No, God has names but He does not have any particular or specific name. He is given a name according to His activities. For example, this Vāsudeva, because He descended as the son of Vasudeva, He is addressed as Vāsudeva. Because He appeared as the son of mother Yaśodā and enacted pastimes He is called Yaśodānandana. Because He has loving relationship with Rādhārānī He is addressed as Rādhā-ramaṅa. So God receives different names according to His activities. Because the Supreme Lord took up the role of Arjuna’s chariot driver He is known as Pārthasārathi. Actually we also have this concept that God has no name and yet He has got names. According to His work He gets a name. So here He is addressed as Vāsudeva. The Lord is Adhokṣaja or transcendental, but in spite of being Adhokṣaja, paritrāṅāya sādhūnāṁ /vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām [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.]

in order to give darśana to His devotees He appears as Vāsudeva by accepting His devotee as His father. This is also a fact. The Supreme Lord is Adhokṣaja, He is avāṅ-mānasa-gocaraḥ or not understood by speculative knowledge and mental exercise, but in order to bestow mercy upon His devotees the Supreme Lord incarnates, just to display mercy on the devotees. And concomitantly, He kills those who are demons. paritrāṅāya sādhūnāṁ /vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām [Bg 4.8] The word ’duṣkṛta’ means to simply remain absorbed in sinful activities. That is duṣkṛta. na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ/ prapadyante narādhamāḥ [Bg 7.15].

[Those miscreants who are grossly foolish, lowest among mankind, whose knowledge is stolen by illusion, and who partake of the atheistic nature of demons, do not surrender unto Me.]

Therefore in order to worship the Lord one must refrain from committing sinful activities. That is why another name for devotional service to the Supreme Lord, as described here is vairāgyaṁ and jñānaṁ. Vairāgyaṁ, jñānaṁ. Janayaty āśu vairāgyaṁ, vairāgyaṁ means to abstain from sinful activities. This vairāgya vidyā has another name which is called nivṛtti-dharma. Pravṛtti-dharma and Nivṛtti-dharma. Pravṛtti-dharma means how to enjoy the material world. This is called Pravṛtti-dharma. We all have come here for this. Those who are in the material world they follow the path of pravṛtti-dharma. And those who desire to retire from the material world and go back to Godhead their dharma is called Nivṛtti-dharma. There are two aspects Pravṛtti and Nivṛtti. Nivṛtti dharma is known as Vairāgya. Lord Caitanya descended in this world in order to teach this nivṛtti-dharma. Vairāgya-dharma, Vairāgya-dharma. Vairāgya is necessary. We are entrapped within this material world and this is due to pravṛtti-dharma. We want to enjoy life. And Adhokṣaje ….. that is paro-dharma or transcendental religion. When we give up pravṛtti-dharma and enter into nivṛtti-dharma that is called paro-dharma. Transcendental, aprākṛta, Aprākṛta-dharma. If we want to go to the realm of aprākṛta, then cultivate nivṛtti-dharma and accomplish vairāgya. jñāna vairāgya yuktayā [SB 1.2.12],

[The seriously inquisitive student or sage, well equipped with knowledge and detachment, realizes that Absolute Truth by rendering devotional service in terms of what he has heard from the Vedānta-śruti.]

if we are interested to go back to Godhead then nivṛtti, nivṛtti means getting respite from sinful life. Until one is completely sinless one cannot realize God, what to speak of returning back to Godhead. Yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṅya-karmaṅām te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ [Bg 7.28]

[Persons who have acted piously in previous lives and in this life, whose sinful actions are completely eradicated and who are freed from the duality of delusion, engage themselves in My service with determination.]

It is not easy to worship the Supreme Lord. Therefore Bhāgavata-dharma is called Paramahaṁsa-dharma. Paramo nirmatsarāṅāṁ satāṁvedyaṁ vāstavam atra [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.]

Paramahaṁsa, So the point is if we want to worship the lotus feet of Lord Vāsudeva, vāsudeve bhagavati, who is Vāsudeva? He is svayam bhagavān or the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself. kṛṣṅas tu bhagavān svayam [SB 1.3.28].

[All of the above-mentioned incarnations are either plenary portions or portions of the plenary portions of the Lord, but Lord Śrī Kṛṣṅa is the original Personality of Godhead. All of them appear on planets whenever there is a disturbance created by the atheists. The Lord incarnates to protect the theists.]

He is Ādi Bhagavān, He is Ādi Puruṣaṁ or the original personality of Godhead. govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi [Brahma Saṁhītā]. That Vāsudeva Kṛṣṅa, Vāsudeva also means one who is present everywhere or all pervading. Vāsudeva, īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna 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.]

The description of Vāsudeva is also found in Brahma-saṁhītā. eko'py asau racayituṁ jagad-aṅḍa-koṭiṁ

yac-chaktir asti jagad-aṅḍa-cayā yad-antaḥ aṅḍāntara-stha-paramāṅu-cayāntara-sthaṁ govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi [Bs 5.35]

[He is an undifferentiated entity as there is no distinction between potency and the possessor thereof. In His work of creation of millions of worlds, His potency remains inseparable. All the universes exist in Him and He is present in His fullness in every one of the atoms that are scattered throughout the universe, at one and the same time. Such is the primeval Lord whom I adore.]

A plenary portion of Govinda is Vāsudeva. Kṛṣṅa resides in Vṛndāvana and His expansion Vāsudeva resides in Dvārakā, Mathurā and so on. This is the verdict of the scripture. Vāsudeva, this Vāsudeva Kṛṣṅa, if we apply our devotion unto His lotus feet then what is the result of it? Janayaty āśu vairāgyaṁ. This is required—vairāgyaṁ. Therefore another name for Bhakti-yoga is Vairāgya-vidyā. This was taught by Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

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

Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭacārya glorified Caitanya Mahāprabhu with one hundred verses. Out of these verses Caitanya Mahāprabhu tore apart two verses. This is to teach us. We all want to be glorified. He glorified Caitanya Mahāprabhu with one hundred verses. These verses were torn apart by the Lord and whatever few verses the devotees could collect were saved and are available. One of those verses is,

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

That Supreme Lord Śrī Kṛṣṅa has now appeared as Śrī Kṛṣṅa Caitanya, and what is He teaching?. Vairāgya vidyā. What is Vairāgya vidyā? Nija-bhakti-yogaṁ. Vairāgya-vidyā-nija-bhakti-yoga. The meaning of bhakti-yoga is that we are entangled in material life and we are doing everything for our body, so we must have detachment for this. This is the meaning of bhakti-yoga. Until we become detached to bodily enjoyment of life, bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra ca [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.]

This is bhakti. Bhakti simultaneously helps one to realize the Supreme Lord and develop detachment for worldly life. 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.]

Material attachment means desires, full of lust all the time, unlimited, there is no limit to how far one can desire. This is going on in the world today. There is no restriction about how far material civilization can advance. Go on more and more. This is not proper. Material objects are required to maintain the body, but only as much as needed and not more than that. Rest of the time should be utilized for cultivating devotional service to the Supreme Lord. This is very difficult to teach and is equally difficult to accept it. That will be possible only if vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ. Just like we worship Lord Vāsudeva Kṛṣṅa here and you all kindly assemble here. You can do this at home also, there is no difficulty at all. Although the Supreme Lord possesses the universal form, He also assumes a small form just to bestow mercy upon His devotees. Aṅor aṅīyān mahato mahīyān [Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.2.20]

[Greater than the greatest, smaller than the smallest.]

If you want to see Him in His universal form that form is there, and if you want to worship Him then He agrees to accept a small form suitable for you. So Vāsudeve bhakti or devotional service to Lord Vāsudeva should be started in every house. Not only in the temple. In the temple we teach how to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And especially the householders should engage in vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti yoga, vāsudeve bhakti yoga or devotional service unto Lord Vāsudeva. However, vairāgya or detachment must be there. Without being detached the cycle of birth and death will continue. One will have to die and accept another body, and according to his karma he will have to suffer or enjoy. This birth, death, old age and diseas—these are the real miseries of life. But people do not understand this. People think that as soon as you get a chance just enjoy life. You have got opportunities to enjoy, but if you indulge in sense gratification you will be entangled. Lord Ṛṣabhadeva has said, nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma [SB 5.5.4] If you are too much entangled in the path of enjoyment then you will have to commit vikarma or sinful activities. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma. The word vikarma means activities which are forbidden in the scriptures. And you will have to indulge in such activities. By force, kurute vikarma, you will be forced to act sinfully. And why am I engaging in vikarma? This is because indriya-prītaya or simply for the satisfaction of the senses, sense pleasure. What is the gain? The gain is you will again become entangled and you will have to accept another body. tathā dehāntara-prāptir [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.]

And the moment you accept a material body you are in distress. There is distress within the womb of the mother, there is distress when one comes out of the womb of his mother. There is distress all the way. Duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam. [Bg 8.15]

[After attaining Me, the great souls, who are yogīs in devotion, never return to this temporary world, which is full of miseries, because they have attained the highest perfection.]

But by the influence of Māyā we accept miseries as happiness. That is why it is called Māyā or illusion. In fact it is misery only, we work hard whole day and earn some money and we think we are happy. But we forget the hardship we have gone through. Therefore we have to develop detachment. We have discussed this earlier—yayātmā suprasīdati [SB 1.2.6]

In order to completely satisfy the self one has to cultivate sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje. If you really want to please the self then this is the process. This is also described in Bhagavad-gītā;

bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ jñātvā māṁśāntim ṛcchati [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.]

If you want peace, if you want to satisfy the self then this is the method—The Supreme Lord is the enjoyer, I am not the enjoyer. So make God the enjoyer. What happens in the temple? Whatever is being done here is for the pleasure of the Supreme Lord. It’s for the pleasure of the Lord. It is not for one’s own pleasure. If the Lord becomes pleased then I will automatically become pleased. Just like pour water in the root of a tree and if the root is pleased then all its branches, sub branches, flowers, fruits, leaves will become nourished. We are making many plans to enjoy happiness in this world, but this is one plan—Kṛṣṅa Consciousness. Accept Kṛṣṅa Consciousness and make Kṛṣṅa happy. Kṛṣṅa is already happy, but from our side we must endeavor to please Him. Kṛṣṅa is not unhappy. But Kṛṣṅa, whatever instructions Kṛṣṅa has given in Bhagavad-gītā, if you preach that then Kṛṣṅa will become very happy. This is the philosophy of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. 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.]

This is the mission of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṅa'-upadeśa. Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Kṛṣṅa Himself, but because He is preaching in the role of a devotee of Kṛṣṅa, He is saying ’Kṛṣṅa-upadeśa’. He is saying—this is My order. And what is that order? That is—preach Kṛṣṅa-upadeśa or instructions of Kṛṣṅa to everyone. This is the mission of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṅa'-upadeśa. You all can do it. What is the difficulty? And if you preach Kṛṣṅa’s instructions you have become a Guru. There is no difficulty in becoming a Guru. There is no need to become a learned scholar. If you simply repeat exactly what Kṛṣṅa has instructed, to your family members if not to general public, if you sit together in the evening and instruct about Kṛṣṅa then you become a Guru. There is no difficulty in becoming a Guru. It is the duty of a Guru to deliver everyone from death.

gurur na sa syāt sva-jano na sa syāt pitā na sa syāj jananī na sā syāt daivaṁ na tat syān na patiś ca sa syān na mocayed yaḥ samupeta-mṛtyum [SB 5.5.18]

[One who cannot deliver his dependents from the path of repeated birth and death should never become a spiritual master, a relative, a father, a husband, a mother or a worshipable demigod.]

This is the duty of a Guru, the duty of a father, the duty of a mother, the duty of a relative, the duty of a friend. What is that duty? That duty is to deliver everyone from the clutch of death. Only then it is justified to become a Spiritual master, to become a father and to become a mother. But people do not understand this, they think—we will die, so what? But why? Why should we die? We are eternal. Na jāyate mriyate vā kadācin [Bg 2.20] We have no death. So why do we have to die? Actually the spirit soul never dies. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre. Only he changes his body. This is also very troublesome, and very risky. Now we have this handsome human body and what if we get the body of a tree in the next life? We have to accept a new body according to our karma or work. This is very troublesome. It is very unfortunate if a man becomes a tree or a dog in his next life. Is it a coveted object? No, it is condemned life. Therefore one has to act in such a way in this life, one should worship the Supreme Lord. Vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ janayaty āśu vairāgyaṁ jñānaṁ. This is Jñānaṁ or real knowledge that I am eternal, I am part and parcel of God, ahaṁ brahmāsmi. Why should I embrace death? This is knowledge. Why should I die? These things are very nicely described in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. You all hear this. You are all life members already. You read these topics nicely and after reading engage in devotional service to Lord Vāsudeva. Vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ start practicing devotional service unto Lord Vāsudeva. Then what will you gain? janayaty āśu vairāgyaṁ—you will develop detachment. We cannot develop detachment of our own. We simply increase our attachment day by day just to enjoy the world. But we need to develop detachment. svāmin kṛtārtho ’smi varaṁ na yāce [Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya 7.28]

[[When he was being benedicted by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Dhruva Mahārāja said:] "O my Lord, because I was seeking an opulent material position, I was performing severe types of penance and austerity. Now I have gotten You, who are very difficult for the great demigods, saintly persons and kings to attain. I was searching after a piece of glass, but instead I have found a most valuable jewel. Therefore I am so satisfied that I do not wish to ask any benediction from You.]

This is the statement of Dhruva Mahārāja. This is called Vairāgya. My dear Lord! Now I do not want anything from you. Svāmin kṛtārtho ’smi. Usually we go to God and ask so many things from Him. This we had discussed yesterday. That is also good in one sense, to approach God and beg for something. That is good means only pious people can do that. But those who have no piety they cannot even approach God. And those who are pious who demand some material benefit from God, they at least approach God. They will gradually develop devotional service to the Supreme Lord just like it happened to Dhruva Mahāraja who finally concluded—svāmin kṛtārtho ’smi varaṁ na yāce. He said, My dear Lord! I had Your darśana, I am fully satisfied. Now I do not want anything else. This is called Vairāgya. I do not want anything anymore. This is called Vairāgya. Vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ, if you apply devotional service to Lord Vāsudeva then very soon, āśu, the word āśu means very soon, very quickly janayaty āśu vairāgyaṁyou will develop vairāgya. You can see for evidence these western young boys, just see how detached they have become! they have taken sannyāsa. They have gathered here to participate in the festival of Lord Caitanya’s appearance day. Someone came from Maxico, someone came from New York, someone came from France–Paris, London. Millions of rupees is spent for their travelling. These people spend their money in drinking wine, in going to the club and dance. But see how much renounced they have become! They have left all that. Now just to visit Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s birth place they spend so much money. Just see, what a renunciation! This is the proof—janay aty āśu vairāgyaṁ. They are with me for last four or five years and not more. How soon they have become detached to worldly life! This is the proof. Vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥjanay aty āśu vairāgyaṁ, they have become detached. You ask them, you discuss with them. They will speak exactly according to the scriptures. Jñānaṁ, janay aty āśu vairāgyaṁ jñānaṁ ca yad ahaitukam. How did this happen no one can say. Ahaituk, what is the motivation? The motivation is vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ. That’s all. There is no other motivation. Those who are so much addicted to sense gratification, they have now renounced everything. How have they done this? Ahaitukaṁ. Their only motivation is to dedicate their lives at the lotus feet of Vāsudeva. This is evident, this is also the conclusion of the scripture, and it is applicable to all. You exchange your devotional dealings with Lord Vāsudeva. Dadāti pratigṛhṅāti guhyam ākhyāti pṛcchati bhuṅkte bhojayate caiva ṣaḍ-vidhaṁ prīti-lakṣaṅam [Upadeśāmṛta 4].

[A sober person who can tolerate the urge to speak, the mind's demands, the actions of anger and the urges of the tongue, belly and genitals is qualified to make disciples all over the world.]

These are the symptoms of loving exchange. You take Kṛṣṅa’s Prasāda, and you give to Kṛṣṅa. Patraṁ, God wants you to give Him something at least. Give Me something! patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ. The Lord says, I am ready to accept, just give Me some leaves and some flowers. If you haven’t got anything still you give Me something. What can I give You? I haven’t got anything to give. No, give Me something, pick up some leaves and offer to Me, bring one flower, and offer Me some water I will accept it. So what do you have to say now? Why don’t you worship the Supreme Lord? Is it very difficult to worship the Lord? The Lord is ready to reciprocate in every situation. This preaching of devotional service, this Kṛṣṅa Consciousness is fully approved by and based on the scriptures. This is not a concocted idea. It is fully in accordance with what the Supreme Lord says and what the scriptures say. This Kṛṣṅa consciousness is being spread everywhere. Thank you all very much. You are already supporting it, try to understand this movement seriously. This is my request. Thank you very much.

Devotees: Hari Bol.

Prabhupada: Here is light or devotion, so how can there be darkness here? Is it possible? Where there is God there can be no Māyā.

Question: [Indistinct]

Prabhupāda: Yes, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ [Bg 18.55].

[One can understand the Supreme Personality as He is only by devotional service. And when one is in full consciousness of the Supreme Lord by such devotion, he can enter into the kingdom of God.]

The Supreme Personality of Godhead has said Himself that only by devotional service can one know Me. So Māyā cannot enter into that place where devotional service is cultivated. Māyā will vanish from a distance. Daivi hy esa gunamayi mama maya duratyaya [Bg 7.14]. It is difficult to get rid of her clutch. No one can do it.

daivi hy esa gunamayi mama maya duratyaya mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam taranti te [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.]

Just like if you are a good citizen, then where is the question of fear from Police? Let there be police. But if one is a thief then he will be afraid of police. So those who are non devotees, they are all thieves. All the wealth of the Lord, Lakṣmī of the Lord, just like Rāvaṅa kidnapped the Lord’s Lakṣmī or Sītā, and what did he achieve? He was destroyed with his entire family. So if you want to take away Lakṣmī from the Supreme Lord then your pathetic condition will be like that of Rāvaṅa. And if you want to keep Lakṣmī then keep Lord Nārāyaṅa also, because Lakṣmījī never leaves Nārāyaṅa and goes anywhere. So māyā sukha or illusory happiness is not real happiness. Therefore it is stated māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān [SB 7.9.43] One who labors hard for illusory material happiness, he is a fool. The real happiness lies in the service of the Supreme Lord. Sevā-sukha or happiness derived from service. One should accept this. There is no māyā in it. That is daivī-śakti or spiritual potency mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ [Bg 9.13]

[O son of Pṛthā, those who are not deluded, the great souls, are under the protection of the divine nature. They are fully engaged in devotional service because they know Me as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, original and inexhaustible.]

daivi prakṛti means the Lord’s spiritual potency. Therefore the vaiṣṅavas worship Sītā-Rāma together, the Lord’s spiritual potency and Rāmacandra,Rādhārānī—Rādhā-Govinda, Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṅa together. First the Lord’s energy or śakti is worshiped and then the Lord or śaktimān is worshiped. This is how the devotees worship the Lord. Actually Lakṣmījī favors the devotees of the Supreme Lord only. Otherwise whether one is a demigod like Brahmā, or a demon like Rāvaṅa, he cannot obtain Lakṣmījīs grace. However, that mercy is temporary and is called Māyā sukha. It will remain for some days and then disappear. As soon as one changes the body everything is finished. And again a new chapter will begin. Therefore a devotee, an intelligent person never tries for temporary, illusory happiness. He endeavors for real happiness—devotional service to the Supreme Lord. vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ. This is the conclusion.

[Pause]

That vairāgya, when one develops vairāgya one will automatically lose taste for enjoyment. 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.]

It is not possible to forcibly change the spirit of enjoyment into renunciation. If we get a superior taste then our inferior taste will automatically disappear. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate, nivartate. When one will realize that there is no superior happiness than devotional service to the Lord, he will give up material happiness. Automatically. This is the consideration.

Question: [In Bengali] Can’t one get Kṛṣṅa without taking any trouble?

Prabhupāda: [In Bengali] Do you want to have Him without paying any price? Vairāgya, you have to practice renunciation, and that involves some voluntary trouble. Just like I am habituated to eating some special kind of food, but I have to give it up for Kṛṣṅa’s sake or pleasure. It is little difficult. That is called tapasyā or austerity. Tapasyā means—I have got some attachment for something and the scripture say that I should give up that attachment. I am finding it difficult to give it up. To voluntarily take that trouble is called tapasyā. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena sattvaṁśuddhyed [SB 5.5.1]

[Lord Ṛṣabhadeva told His sons: My dear boys, of all the living entities who have accepted material bodies in this world, one who has been awarded this human form should not work hard day and night simply for sense gratification, which is available even for dogs and hogs that eat stool. One should engage in penance and austerity to attain the divine position of devotional service. By such activity, one's heart is purified, and when one attains this position, he attains eternal, blissful life, which is transcendental to material happiness and which continues forever.]

If you want to purify your existence then you must accept tapasyā. Without tapasyā it is not possible.

[Pause]

Question: [Indistinct]

Prabhupāda: This bhakti-yoga, śravanaṁ, hear and by hearing, hearing, hearing your heart will become cleansed. All the contaminations are there within the heart. śṛṅvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṅaḥ puṅya-śravaṅa-kīrtanaḥ [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.]

Hearing and chanting about the Supreme Lord certainly yields piety if not anything else. Even if you don’t understand anything, simply by hearing you can accumulate piety. The more you accumulate piety the closer you go towards God. Because, yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ [Bg 7.28]

if you engage in pious activities you will have no chance to commit sin. So when the result of one’s sinful activities is completely cleansed—te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ [Bg 7.28]. Therefore to accumulate piety, that is very simple, just like you are hearing—this is auspicious. This is the best form of piety. Śravanaṁ śṛṅvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṅaḥ puṅya-śravaṅa-kīrtanaḥ [SB 1.2.17]. If you simply sit down in the association of the devotees and hear the topics of the Supreme Lord, then automatically you will become very pious. Śṛṅvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṅaḥ puṅya-śravaṅa-kīrtanaḥ hṛdy antaḥ stho, the Supreme Lord is sitting in the heart, He is sitting within the hearts of all living entities. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna 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.]

He is sitting in the heart and He will see that you are trying to hear about Him, and so He will help you. Śṛṅvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṅaḥ puṅya-śravaṅa-kīrtanaḥ hṛdy antaḥ stho hy abhadrāṅi. The Lord will destroy all inauspicious things from the heart. He will destroy everything. The Supreme Lord can do everything. Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi [Bg 18.66] This is the instruction of God. I will deliver you from all sinful reactions. You just surrender unto Me. Nothing else.

sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṅaṁ vraja ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ [Bg 18.66]

[Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear.]

The Supreme Lord is Himself saying this. He is omnipotent. If He wants then within a second He can make you free from all sinful reactions. Immediately. Simply you surrender. This is wanted. That is vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ [SB 1.2.7].

[By rendering devotional service unto the Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṅa, one immediately acquires causeless knowledge and detachment from the world.]

It is not difficult. Anyone can do it.

Question: What about lust, anger, illusion and greed?

Prabhupāda: All that will be destroyed. Kāma or desire is not a bad thing if you can desire to work for Kṛṣṅa. That is the proper utility of Kāma. Just like you construct this skyscraper building and because of that our hearts become impatient with eagerness. If that same eagerness is utilized to construct a temple for Lord Kṛṣṅa then that is the proper usage of Kāma. Otherwise, śrama eva hi kevalam [SB 1.2.8]

[The occupational activities a man performs according to his own position are only so much useless labor if they do not provoke attraction for the message of the Personality of Godhead.]

If you desire to build a temple for the Supreme Lord you will certainly make advancement in devotional service, and if you desire to build a sky scraper then your desire will simply remain a desire. karmaṅā daiva-netreṅa [SB 3.31.1]

[The Personality of Godhead said: Under the supervision of the Supreme Lord and according to the result of his work, the living entity, the soul, is made to enter into the womb of a woman through the particle of male semen to assume a particular type of body.]

According to this, whatever type of body you deserve you will be awarded. This is called Karma-kāṅḍa. But if the same application, the same endeavor is used in the service of the Lord then it is no longer Karma-kāṅḍa. It is devotional service. This is called Kṛṣṅa Consciousness. Whatever inclination you have for working do it for God. Take for example Arjuna. What was Arjuna’s qualification? Arjuna was a military man. He knew how to fight, how to kill others. But he used that same propensity for the service of the Lord in the battle of Kurukṣetra. And the Lord gave him a certificate bhakto 'si me, [Bg 4.3]

[That very ancient science of the relationship with the Supreme is today told by Me to you because you are My devotee as well as My friend; therefore you can understand the transcendental mystery of this science.]

you are My devotee, priyo 'si me [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.]

you are dear to Me. Why? Sva-karmaṅā tam abhyarcya [Bg 18.46] Worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead through one’s own work will result in saṁsiddhiṁ labhate naraḥ [Bg 18.45] or perfection of life for the human beings. This is the conclusion of the scripture.

ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā varṅāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṅam [SB 1.2.13]

[O best among the twice-born, it is therefore concluded that the highest perfection one can achieve by discharging the duties prescribed for one's own occupation according to caste divisions and orders of life is to please the Personality of Godhead.]

This is bhakti-yoga, this is Kṛṣṅa Consciousness movement. You all understand it nicely and act accordingly. Your life will be successful.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Hari bol!