Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.9.54

Anantarām Śāstrījī: [chant mantras] Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. [Prabhupāda and devotees repeat] Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.9.54 [chants verse; Prabhupāda and devotees respond] [break]

prīṅanti hy atha māṁ dhīrāḥ sarva-bhāvena sādhavaḥ śreyas-kāmā mahā-bhāga sarvāsām āśiṣāṁ patim [SB 7.9.54]

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṅa: [chants synonyms; devotees respond]

Translation: [05:14] "My dear Prahlāda, you are very fortunate. You may know from Me that those who are highly elevated, wise persons try to please Me in all different modes of mellows because I am the only person to fulfill the desires of everyone."

Prabhupāda:

prīṅanti hy atha māṁ dhīrāḥ sarva-bhāvena sādhavaḥ śreyas-kāmā mahā-bhāga sarvāsām āśiṣāṁ patim [SB 7.9.54]

So each word in this verse is very important. Prīṅanti hy atha māṁ dhīrāḥ. Dhira means very intelligent, not crazy; just the opposite of crazy. Dhīra. So Kṛṣṅa says in the Bhagavad-gītā who is dhīra. There are many places. Dhīras tatra na muhyati.

dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati [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.]

The simple thing, that "I am not this body. I am living within this body, and because I am living within this body, the bodily changes are taking place." This simple thing. A dead child never grows, but a living child grows or changes body. So where is the difficulty to understand that there is something in the body, therefore the body is changing? Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā [Bg 2.13]. A child is becoming a baby, baby is becoming a boy, a boy is becoming a young man, young man is becoming a middle-aged, a middle-aged man is becoming old man. So the old man, now, after giving up when it is useless, this body, no more workable, then he must get another body, as we have experienced after one stage of life another stage, another body. Where is the difficulty? Therefore Kṛṣṅa says, dhīras tatra na muhyati. Those who are intelligent, they are not, I mean to say, bewildered. They accept, "Yes, there is." Only the rascals, they cannot understand, the rascals. The opposite number of dhīra, the crazy rascals, they cannot understand. Simple thing.

Now, if you study the whole world at the present moment, they do not believe in the soul. They do not believe in the transmigration of the soul from one body to another. Even big, big professors, big, big learned scholars, they do not believe. So therefore you can understand that what is the present population of the world—all rascals. All rascals. They cannot understand the simple truth, and they are passing on as great scholars, great scientists, great politicians and so on, so on, but all of them rascals. That's all. This is the conclusion. Kṛṣṅa says, dhīras tatra na muhya... This transmigration of the soul from one body to another, Kṛṣṅa says, dhīras tatra na muhyati. And here also the same thing, prīṅanti hy atha māṁ dhīrāḥ sarva-bhāvena sādhavaḥ. The spiritual... If you do not understand what is spirit, then where is the question of spiritual life and advancement of spiritual life? There is no question. This is the beginning of spiritual existence..., education, that "I am not this body. I am spirit soul." Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. They can understand.

So if we are sincerely Kṛṣṅa conscious, if we believe Kṛṣṅa... We have to believe. You believe or not believe, the words of Kṛṣṅa cannot be false. That's a fact. You may be rascal, you do not believe, but those who are dhīra, they believe. They believe. If you have love for Kṛṣṅa... There is no question of love or no love. This is the fact. So one has to become... This is the ultimate goal of life, that one has to become dhīra, not like cats and dogs, jumping here and there. That is not human life. That is dog life.

yasyātmā-buddhiḥ kuṅape tri-dhātuke sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma-ijya-dhīḥ yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile na karhicit janeṣu abhijñeṣu sa eva go-kharaḥ [SB 10.84.13]

[One who identifies his self as the inert body composed of mucus, bile and air, who assumes his wife and family are permanently his own, who thinks an earthen image or the land of his birth is worshipable, or who sees a place of pilgrimage as merely the water there, but who never identifies himself with, feels kinship with, worships or even visits those who are wise in spiritual truth—such a person is no better than a cow or an ass.]

These classes of men, yasya, whose life is bodily conception, "I am body." "I am a Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am brāhmaṅa," "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am..." The whole world is fighting on this, because they are all crazy, not dhīra. This is the modern civilization. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṅape. This is a bag of bones and flesh and blood, and they are thinking that they are, they are this body. So wherefrom the living force coming if you are this body? Because as soon as the living force is gone, the body is useless, a lump of matter. So do you think this lump of matter is giving life? But they are not dhīra. All rascals; they cannot understand. The word is very important. Dhīras tatra na muhyati. How the rascals will understand? Therefore our Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement is to educate the rascals, that's all. Simple thing. We challenge everyone that "You are rascal number one. Try to understand Kṛṣṅa." This is our challenge. Come forward. We say, we challenge, "You are rascal number one. You take education in Kṛṣṅa consciousness and make your life perfect." This is Kṛṣṅa consciousness. Nobody is dhīra.

So here, those who are dhīra actually, those who have understood his identity... 'ke āmi', 'kene āmāya jāre tāpa-traya [Cc Madhya 20.102]. This was the question by Sanātana Gosvāmī to Caitanya Mahāprabhu, that "You asked me to join Your movement. I was minister in Nawab Hussain Shah's government, chief minister. Now I have... On Your word I have given up. So You have kindly brought me from this hellish condition, simply politics and pounds, shilling, pence. So it is a great mercy for me of Your Lordship. But my first question is ke āmi: 'What I am?' " This is the first question. It must be... Jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam [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.]

Here the same word is used, śreyas-kāmāḥ. Śreyas-kāmāḥ. Anyone who is dhīra, he'll inquire about the ultimate goal of life, śreyas. There are two things: śreyas and preyas. Preyas means immediately very nice. Suppose somebody says that "Oh, there is a very nice dancing girl singing, and why you are here, saṅkīrtana? What you'll enjoy? Come here. There's a very nice girl." That is preyas. Preyas means immediately very pleasing. And one comes here, that is śreyas, means it will do him ultimately good. So there are two things, way. Those who are foolish persons, they are after śreyas..., er, preyas, immediately palatable. And those who are intelligent, dhīra, they are after śreyas. Śreyas-kāmāḥ. Without becoming śreyas-kāmāḥ, nobody can be Kṛṣṅa conscious. If one is preyas-kāmāḥ, if one wants to enjoy this material world, sense gratification, he cannot become Kṛṣṅa conscious. That is not possible. Only śreyas-kāmāḥ.

So how to... "Yes, I am śreyas-kāmāḥ. I... Yes, I want what is the ultimate goal of life. Yes." That is... Just like Sanātana Gosvāmī went to Caitanya Mahāprabhu. This is a fact. So śāstra also says, tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam [SB 11.3.21]. The śreyas-kāmāḥ. If you are actually you are serious about the ultimate goal of life, then you approach a guru. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ. If you are actually inquisitive to understand what is sreyas, that is śreyas-kāmāḥ. Kāmāḥ means desiring, and śreyas means ultimate good. Not preyas-kāmāḥ. If you want to enjoy these material facilities, then you can go to such kind of men, such kind of men, and... If you want to learn drinking, so go to a club where drinking is very encouraged. Preyas-kāmāḥ. If you want to enjoy sex, go to the club where prostitutes are available. That is preyas-kāmāḥ. But if you want to reach the goal of life, then go to Kṛṣṅa conscious movement. There are two kinds of men, sreyas-kāmāḥ, preyas-kāmāḥ, so two things are there. So this Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement is for the śreyas-kāmāḥ. And who becomes śreyas-kāmāḥ? Mahā-bhāga, who is great fortune. Not ordinary person. Unfortunate or misfortunate, they cannot understand Kṛṣṅa consciousness. Mahā-bhāga. Very, very great fortunate person.

Caitanya Mahāprabhu confirms this in His teaching to Rūpa Gosvāmī. He said,

ei rūpe brahmāṅḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva guru-kṛṣṅa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja [Cc Madhya 19.151]

[According to their karma, all living entities are wandering throughout the entire universe. Some of them are being elevated to the upper planetary systems, and some are going down into the lower planetary systems. Out of many millions of wandering living entities, one who is very fortunate gets an opportunity to associate with a bona fide spiritual master by the grace of Kṛṣṅa. By the mercy of both Kṛṣṅa and the spiritual master, such a person receives the seed of the creeper of devotional service.]

They are traveling, wandering. 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.]

Kāraṅaṁ guṅa saṅgo 'sya sad-asad janma-yoniṣu [Bg 13.22]. These rascals who are not dhīra, they are thinking independent, rascals. Not a single moment you are independent. You are controlled. Even if we are dropping our eyelids, there is regulative principles; some demigod is controlling. Breathing. Breathing, there is control. You can breathe for so many years, that's all, and live. And when the breathing is finished, then you are not controller. The great scientists, they are begin oxygen gas, injection. Can you increase the period breathing for a moment? No. Controlled. Controlled. You cannot increase your breathing even for a moment. So the yogīs, they try to save the breathing. That is yogic process. Samādhi. They practice breathing control so that without breathing they can remain, recaka, kumbhaka yoga, so they can increase their life. Suppose I shall live for eighty years or hundred years. There is breathing period. If I can save breathing, then I can live more. Just like your bank balance. If you don't spend it, your balance is all right. But you spend it, then the balance will be zero some day. Similarly, the yogic process is to control the breathing. And the breathing is lost in large quantities when there is sex life. [breathes rapidly and loudly] [laughter] Finished. So control the breathing, it requires celibacy, no sex life. Yoga-indriya-saṁyamaḥ. That is called yoga, not that showing some gymnastic and smoking and yoga system. This is going on. Your country is cheated by so many rascals, yogīs. You know it very well. The one great yogī was found having sex with his disciple. You know that? Who is that?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṅa: Sat-cit-ānanda.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So they go for women and money because you are fooled. You are yoga, and they show some gymnastic, that's all. But real yoga system is yoga indriya-saṁyamaḥ, how to control the indriyas, especially the mind. In this way one can become advanced, dhīra. That is yoga system. It is an artificial means to become dhīra, because without becoming dhīra there is no question of advancing in spiritual life. That is not possible.

So this dhīra, who can...? Mahā-bhāga. Mahā-bhāga: very, very great fortunate person. How he becomes dhīra? Ei rūpe brahmāṅḍa bhramite kono bhāgyavān—this mahā-bhāga—kona bhāgyavān jīva, guru-kṛṣṅa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja [Cc Madhya 19.151].

By the blessings of guru... If by his great fortune he comes to a real guru, then he gets the opportunity. That is the test. Ei rūpe brahmāṅḍa bhramite kono bhāgyavān. This opportune is not for everyone. Kono means "somebody." So guru-kṛṣṅa. If actually one is trying to be dhīra, Kṛṣṅa is there within every... Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna 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.]

And He advises, guru-kṛṣṅa... Kṛṣṅa says, "Now..." Just like Dhruva Mahārāja. Dhruva Mahārāja, out of his sentiment, he went to the forest and to see God. His mother said that "Your this mental condition cannot be relieved, because you want to challenge your father to have the kingdom. So I am poor. I am, although your mother, I cannot request your father. So if it is possible, Kṛṣṅa can do it." She was Kṛṣṅa conscious; therefore the child became so nice, Dhruva Mahārāja. A child inherits the quality of mother, boy, and girl inherits the quality of father. That is the general rule. So his mother was devotee, so he'll naturally become a devotee by the advice of the mother. He went to the forest. So..., but he had no spiritual master. Out of sentiment went to the forest. But Kṛṣṅa saw from within that "This child is so serious about Me. Oh, send him Nārada. 'Nārada, you go there. Initiate him.' " Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya [SB 4.8.54], this mantra was given to Dhruva Mahārāja by Nārada Muni. So he practiced that mantra, and with austerity, and he saw Kṛṣṅa. And when he saw Kṛṣṅa, he's completely pure from all material desires. 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.]

When Kṛṣṅa wanted to give him benediction, he said, svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce [Cc Madhya 22.42]:

[[When he was being blessed 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.]

"I am fully satisfied. I don't want anything." This is Kṛṣṅa conscious, dhīra. No more want. Why want? Here it is said that śreyas-kāmā mahā-bhāga sarvāsām aśiṣāṁ patim. Such persons who are dhīra and most fortunate and sees Kṛṣṅa, then what remains to possess? Everything is there. Sarvāsām aśi... All kinds of benedictions are there, all kinds of. That Kṛṣṅa will take care.

So these things are very nice, that one has to become dhīra, and he can become dhīra. Either he was fortunate, or after becoming dhīra he is fortunate. Both ways he is fortunate, mahā-bhāga. And sreyas-kāmāḥ. When one becomes a devotee he does not anymore ask for anything material. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu teaches, na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ kavitāṁ vā jagad-īśa kāmaye [Cc Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4].

[O Lord of the universe, I do not desire material wealth, materialistic followers, a beautiful wife or fruitive activities described in flowery language. All I want, life after life, is unmotivated devotional service to You.]

This is dhīra. He frankly says that "I don't want riches. I don't want many followers. I don't want nice wife, very beautiful wife." These things are material demands. They are very much fond of worshiping Durgā. Why? Dhanaṁ dehi rūpavati bhāryāṁ dehi yaśo dehi. These are material. But Kṛṣṅa says, "These persons who are asking for material profit from the different demigods, it can be fulfilled. They are fulfilling." But antavat tu phalaṁ teṣāṁ tad bhavati alpa-medhasām [Bg 7.23].

[Men of small intelligence worship the demigods, and their fruits are limited and temporary. Those who worship the demigods go to the planets of the demigods, but My devotees ultimately reach My supreme planet.]

These material gains, they will stay for a few days or few years. Because you are creating another body.

So in this body... Suppose you have got immense wealth, immense men under you, or very beautiful wife. How long you shall enjoy? Immediately, 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.]

"You do not like Me. You like these things. All right. At the time of death I shall take away everything—finish." This is fact. After death where is your beautiful wife? Where is your wealth? Where is your followers? Everything finished. Now, according to your karma, you have to accept the body of a dog. Nature's way. 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.]

"You have infected doggish mentality. Now you become a dog." This is nature's way. Kāraṅaṁ guṅa-sango 'sya [Bg 13.22]. You have simply associated with the tamo-guṅa, rajo-guṅa, no sattva-guṅa, so you have to accept a body, rajas-tamo-guṅa. Tamo-guṅa means animal, and rajo-guṅa means the karmīs, and sattva-guṅa means jñānīs. So if one is struggling in this life how to accumulate money, that means rajo-guṅa. Rajas-tamo-bhāvā kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye [SB 1.2.19].

[As soon as irrevocable loving service is established in the heart, the effects of nature's modes of passion and ignorance, such as lust, desire and hankering, disappear from the heart. Then the devotee is established in goodness, and he becomes completely happy.]

There is. We can understand who is under rajo-guṅa, who is under sattva-guṅa, who is...

ūrdhvaṁ gacchanty sattva-sthāḥ madhye tiṣṭhanti rājasā jaghanya-guṅa-vṛtti-sthāḥ adho gacchan... [Bg 14.18]

[Those situated in the mode of goodness gradually go upward to the higher planets; those in the mode of passion live on the earthly planets; and those in the mode of ignorance go down to the hellish worlds.]

Those who are tamo-guṅa, they are going—adho gacchanti—in the animal life. This law is going on. You believe or not believe. If you don't believe, then you are a foolish rascal, and if you believe, then you are a dhīra. So we shall become a dhīra. That is Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya! Haribol! [end]