Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.9.12

Anantarām Śāstrījī: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. [Prabhupāda and devotees repeat] [chants verse, with Prabhupāda and devotees repeating] [break]

tasmād ahaṁ vigata-viklava īśvarasya sarvātmanā mahi gṛṅāmi yathā manīṣam nīco 'jayā guṅa-visargam anupraviṣṭaḥ pūyeta yena hi pumān anuvarṅitena [SB 7.9.12]

Dayānanda: [chants synonyms; devotees chant responsively]

[03:13]

Translation: "Therefore, although I am born in a demonic family, even still, without any doubt, I may offer prayers to the Lord as far as possible by me. Any person who is engaged in offering prayer and hearing glories of the Lord becomes purified from the material condition of life."

Prabhupāda:

tasmād ahaṁ vigata-viklava īśvarasya sarvātmanā mahi gṛṅāmi yathā manīṣam nīco 'jayā guṅa-visargam anupraviṣṭaḥ pūyeta yena hi pumān anuvarṅitena [SB 7.9.12]

This verse is given by Caitanya Mahāprabhu in another distinct form, ceto-darpaṅa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpanam [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.]

It doesn't matter where I am born. That is not important thing. Nīco, even one is very lowborn by freaks of nature... Nobody can guarantee where he'll take his birth. 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.]

I'll have to take my birth according to my fruitive activities, controlled by nature. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṅāni guṅaiḥ karmāṅi sarvaśaḥ [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.]

We are all completely under the control of the laws of material nature, guṅa-visarga. So according to the quality or modes of material nature we associate, we create another body. There are many places this thing has been described in the Bhagavad-gītā. Māyayā, yantrārūḍhāni māyayā. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati, bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni [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.]

Just like that Jamnagar Agarwal, that... He is now in the police custody. Now he is crying, "Save me, save me, save me." But nature's law is very strict. Daivī hy eṣā guṅamayī mama māyā duratyayā [Bg 7.14].

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

Once you have committed mistake, immediately nature's law reacts, and it is very difficult to come out of it. Daivī hy eṣā guṅamayī mama māyā duratyayā.

But there is only one way. That is anuvarṅitena, repeatedly chanting Hare Kṛṣṅa, repeatedly. That is the only way. Harer nāmaiva kevalam. That is recommended by Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Kīrtanād eva kṛṣṅasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet [SB 12.3.51].

[My dear King, although Kali-yuga is an ocean of faults, there is still one good quality about this age: Simply by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṅa mahā-mantra, one can become free from material bondage and be promoted to the transcendental kingdom.]

This is the simple... Kali-yuga, this is the only way. Kaler doṣa-nidhe rājann hy asti eko mahān guṅaḥ. This is the greatest qualification of Kali-yuga. Great personalities, they very much eulogize Kali-yuga that there is simple method and so sublime: simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṅa mantra, one becomes completely purified. Pūyeta yena hi pumān anuvarṅitena. Anu means repetition, and anu means following the footsteps of authority, spiritual master, anu. Our process is anu. We don't manufacture anything. We simply follow. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ [Cc Madhya 17.186].

[Dry arguments are inconclusive. A great personality whose opinion does not differ from others is not considered a great sage. Simply by studying the Vedas, which are variegated, one cannot come to the right path by which religious principles are understood. The solid truth of religious principles is hidden in the heart of an unadulterated self-realized person. Consequently, as the śāstras confirm, one should accept whatever progressive path the mahājanas advocate.]

Mahājanas, great personalities, great authorities, that is our process. Guru-mukha-padma-vākya, cittete kariyā aikya, āra na koriya mane āśa. This is the process. The guru-mukha-padma-vākya, whatever is coming out of the mouth of the spiritual master... Because he'll never speak nonsense. He'll also speak the same thing which he has heard from his guru. That is called anu, anu, following. So this is very easy. We don't manufacture things. What is the use of manufacturing things? We are imperfect; what we can manufacture? Whatever we shall manufacture, that is imperfect because we are imperfect. The modern scientists, they are manufacturing some ideas. I manufacture, and you manufacture some idea. You defeat me; I defeat you. So tarkaḥ apratiṣṭhaḥ [Cc Madhya 17.186]. In this way—I defeat you; you defeat me—that will not solve the problem. The problem will be solved when we follow the authority. Anuvarṅitena. Then the problems will be...

So Prahlāda Mahārāja, he's already purified. His head was touched by Nṛsiṁhadeva. He's completely pure. Therefore, although he was only child, five years old, he is speaking the, I mean to say, gist conclusion of the śāstra. Anuvarṅitena. He understood that "I am not born in a brāhmaṅa family. I am born nīca, low-grade family, asura family. My father was a asura, so I am born of him. So I have no prestigious position. Still, Kṛṣṅa is satisfied simply by devotional service." That has been already explained. "So let me offer my prayers to the Lord sincerely." Yathā manīṣam: "As far as I have got my intelligence... I am not supposed to be very intelligent, because I am lowborn. I am not born in a brāhmaṅa family, neither I am old enough, educated. Still, I have to offer my prayers. So let me try to offer my prayers by following the authorities, anuvarṅitena, without any," what is called, "doubt." Tasmād ahaṁ vigata-viklava: "without any doubt." Why? That is the perfect way. If we follow the previous ācāryas, then there is no question of lamentation. Anuvarṅitena. Simply... This is very nice method. Caitanya Mahāprabhu's philosophy is there, yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṅa upa... You haven't got to manufacture for preaching. You haven't got to. This is nonsense. You simply follow what Kṛṣṅa has said. 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.]

Then you become guru. So Prahlāda Mahārāja became guru. Out of the twelve mahājanas, he is one of them.

svayambhūr nāradaḥ śaṁbhuḥ kapilaḥ kaumāro manuḥ prahlādo janako bhīṣmaḥ... [SB 6.3.20]

[Lord Brahmā, Bhagavān Nārada, Lord Śiva, the four Kumāras, Lord Kapila [the son of Devahūti], Svāyambhuva Manu, Prahlāda Mahārāja, Janaka Mahārāja, Grandfather Bhīṣma, Bali Mahārāja, Śukadeva Gosvāmī and I myself know the real religious principle. My dear servants, this transcendental religious principle, which is known as bhāgavata-dharma, or surrender unto the Supreme Lord and love for Him, is uncontaminated by the material modes of nature. It is very confidential and difficult for ordinary human beings to understand, but if by chance one fortunately understands it, he is immediately liberated, and thus he returns home, back to Godhead.]

They are mahājanas. So we have to follow Prahlāda Mahārāja. He is our guru, pūrva-ācārya. Nārada is pūrva-ācārya. He is disciple of Nārada. Therefore he is ācārya, and his disciplic succession... There are sampradāyas: Brahma-sampradāya, Kaumāra-sampradāya... Anyone who is bona fide ācārya, he can create his own disciplic succession, but one disciplic succession and the other disciplic, they are not different; they are of the same conclusion. The Vaiṣṅava ācāryas, just like our Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya and Nimbārka, and... Who that? Rudra-sampradāya, Viṣṅu Svāmī. They are all of the same movement. Ārādhyo-bhagavān vrajeśa-tanayaḥ, 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.]

That is their conclusion. There is no different conclusion. Although they have got varieties of methods—śuddhādvaita, dvaitādvaita, vaśiṣṭādvaita, like that—they present the same philosophy in clear way. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu presented the same philosophy, that acintya-bhedābheda.

[It is the living entity's constitutional position to be an eternal servant of Kṛṣṅa because he is the marginal energy of Kṛṣṅa and a manifestation simultaneously one and different from the Lord.]

That is ācārya. Ācārya gives some way for simple understanding. The same conclusion, but according to the time, circumstances, they give a very easy method to understand. That is ācārya. Ācārya is following strictly the previous ācārya, but according to the circumstances, he may make little changes. That is... That change is not change from the original idea. No.

So Prahlāda Mahārāja's conclusion is that "I shall offer my prayers, glorifying the Lord according to my capacity." Yathā manīṣam. Everyone is not of the same intellect. You may be more intelligent than me; another may be more intelligent than you. But that varieties of intelligence does not mean missing the real point. The real point is the same. Just like Kṛṣṅa has got so many queens, or He, in Vṛndāvana, He was associated with so many gopī friends or cowherd boy friends. So everyone was Kṛṣṅa's devotee, everyone loved Kṛṣṅa, but there were varieties, varieties, vaicitra. It is called vaicitra. Kṛṣṅa is not without variety. Just see in the flower. Kṛṣṅa says, puṅyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca [Bg 7.9].

[I am the original fragrance of the earth, and I am the heat in fire. I am the life of all that lives, and I am the penances of all ascetics.]

The flavor is Kṛṣṅa. We were studying in the morning. But there are still varieties of flavor. The rose flower has got a particular type of aroma; another flower, aroma. So the Māyāvādī philosophers, they cannot understand that the variety, vaicitra, is creation of Kṛṣṅa. Although they are one, the same, Kṛṣṅa, puṅyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca, but still there are varieties. Everywhere you'll find varieties, visesata. And the Māyāvādī philosopher—nirviśeṣa. In common English it is said, "Variety is the mother of enjoyment."

So Kṛṣṅa wants this variety. So you all are devotees. Your..., the central point is to love Kṛṣṅa and offer Him service, but that service may be of variety. Variety. You cannot claim that because you are serving Kṛṣṅa in a type, and therefore, if somebody is serving in a different way—must be approved by the authorities—you cannot criticize him. Varieties. Variety is the mother of enjoyment. The same vegetable, the same ghee, the same salt, same spices, but there are varieties of preparations. That is required. We Vaiṣṅava, we want varieties. Bahūnmukhi-sevā. How... The central point is how... The Vṛndāvana, Kṛṣṅa is the central point. The cowherd boys, they are satisfying Kṛṣṅa by going in the forest, playing with Him, mock-fighting with Him. That is also variety. And when He comes home, Kṛṣṅa is taken care by Mother Yaśodā, different dress, different foodstuff—variety. Similarly, when in the company of the gopīs, varieties, So variety is the mother of enjoyment. So it is not that I'll have to do exactly like you. I'll have to serve Kṛṣṅa, but no mental concoction; following the footstep, anuvarṅitena. Again, you can create variety, but it must not deviate from the original authority. That is wanted.

So Prahlāda Mahārāja decided, tasmād ahaṁ vigata-viklava īśvarasya sarvātmanā. Real thing is with heart and soul everything. No reservation. Just like Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, he surrenders to Kṛṣṅa everything, whatever he has got. He says, manasa deha geha, yo kichu mora: "Whatever I have got; no reservation." So what I have got in this material...? He said, "I have got this body, material body, lump of matter, and I have got my wife; simply changing from this platform to that platform." Because my business is saṅkalpa-vikalpa. We accept something—"It is very good"—and next time we reject it—"No, it is not good." This is mind's business. So Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says, "I have got this lump of body." I am... We are very much proud of possessing, but what we have got? We have got this body and the mind. And with the mind we have created so many things—"This is my house. This is my wife. This is my children." Nobody is your. You have come according to your karma, and they have come according to their karma, and it is a play only that one is father, one is mother, one is son. It is by arrangement of the material nature. Kāraṅaṁ guṅa-saṅgo 'sya [Bg 13.22]. Everything will be finished in the twinkling of an eye. So actually it has no fact, but we think this is our possession. Therefore Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura said that "My possession means some mental concoction and this lump of body." Mānasa deha geha. "So therefore, whatever possession I have got, I surrender unto You." Mānasa deha geha, yo kichu mora. This is surrender. Arpilun tuwā pade, nanda-kiśora.

So the real process is to surrender to Kṛṣṅa and act according to your best... Kṛṣṅa will give you intelligence. First of all we have to become sincere, heart and soul. Sarvātmanā. Sarva means "all," or ātmā means "body," ātmā means "mind," ātmā means "soul." Three meanings of ātmā. So sarvātmanā. Your body, the other day I explained, karmaṅā manasā vācā: "By your working capacity, by your mind, by your words..." This is called tri-daṅḍa. We Vaiṣṅava sannyāsī, we take three daṅḍa. This is three, karmaṅā manasā vācā: by activities, by mind and by words. The preaching is word; therefore word is the last: thinking, feeling, willing and then action. So mind should be settled up, that "I shall sincerely serve Kṛṣṅa, and because I am not expert, therefore to understand how to serve..." Ādau gurvāśrayam. One has to accept guru. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta [SB 11.3.21].

[Therefore any person who seriously desires real happiness must seek a bona fide spiritual master and take shelter of him by initiation. The qualification of the bona fide guru is that he has realized the conclusions of the scriptures by deliberation and is able to convince others of these conclusions. Such great personalities, who have taken shelter of the Supreme Godhead, leaving aside all material considerations, should be understood to be bona fide spiritual masters.]

The śāstra says, "In order to take direction, one must surrender to guru." Kṛṣṅa says, tad viddhi praṅipātena paripraśnena sevayā [Bg 4.34].

[Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth.]

That is the whole Vedic injunction.

So Prahlāda Mahārāja has already surrendered to Lord Brahmā, Nārada, and whatever intelligence he has got, he is trying to utilize it for satisfying the Supreme Lord. And yesterday we have discussed that how we can satisfy Kṛṣṅa. He is ātmarāma. Nija-lābha-pūrṅaḥ. He's already satisfied with His own profit. What we can satisfy? So our that endeavor to satisfy means our satisfaction. The example is given that tac cātmane prati-mukhasya yathā mukha-śrīḥ [SB 7.9.11]. If we serve Kṛṣṅa, then we'll be satisfied. We are not satisfied by serving māyā. If we want satisfaction at all, then we serve Kṛṣṅa. That is wanted. Everyone is dissatisfied. That is... Because we are serving māyā, there must be dissatisfaction. There must be dissatisfaction. Nobody can be peaceful within this material world so long he is under the clutches of māyā. That is not possible. But these rascals, they do not know this. It is said everywhere, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti.

bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām jñātvā māṁ śāntim 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.]

Kṛṣṅa said. But we do not take Kṛṣṅa's words. Śānti means we have to accept these three principles. What is that? Kṛṣṅa is the enjoyer; He is the master; He is the proprietor. Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sar... You are performing yajña. You are performing tapasya, penances. You are observing brahmacarya. So many there are, different rules and regulations. But what is the idea? To serve Kṛṣṅa, or to satisfy... [break]

The sense will remain. We do not become imperson, senseless or non-sense. No. The sense must be there. It should be purified. And as soon as we purify, then we have no other business than to satisfy Kṛṣṅa. And so long we are not purified, we satisfy our senses. This is the difference between karma and bhakti.

Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṅa.

Devotees and children: Jaya Prabhupāda! Hare Kṛṣṅa! [end]