Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.47

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

vartamāno 'nyāyoḥ kālo guṅābhijñāpako yathā evaṁ janmānyayor etad dharmādharma-nidarśanam [SB 6.1.47]

[02:02]

Translation: "Just as springtime in the present indicates the nature of springtimes in the past and future, so this life of happiness, distress or a mixture of both gives evidence concerning the religious and irreligious activities of one's past and future lives." [break]

Prabhupāda:

vartamāno 'nyāyoḥ kālo guṅābhijñāpako yathā evaṁ janmānyayor etad dharmādharma-nidarśanam [SB 6.1.47]

But... [break] ...the symptoms of birth, one can understand, of course, through abhijñā, those who are abhijñā. And the word is used guṅabhijñā jñāpakaḥ. Guṅābhijñā, guṅābhijñāpako yathā. By the guṅas, one can—guṅa means quality—one can understand the past and future. Still in India there is an astrological system, it is called Bhṛgu-saṁhitā. That Bhṛgu-saṁ... According to that Bhṛgu-saṁhitā, the astrologer can say what the man was in the past and what he's going to be in future. And present also.

So, generally we can understand from the śāstra that according to guṅa—sattva-guṅa, rajo-guṅa, tamo-guṅa—those who are in sattva-guṅa, they are going higher planetary system; rajo-guṅa, in the same platform; tamo-guṅa, going down. So the human endeavor should be how to increase the sattva-guṅa quality of the man. That is the duty of all guardians. State, king, government—everyone should. If you do not make such attempt to elevate your dependent towards the sattva-guṅa platform, simply lamenting, what will do good to you? "Our position is this. Now it is uncontrollable, the things are going bad, there are problems." Yes, problem must be there, because the aim of life should be known. They do not know. The modern civilization, they do not know what is the aim of life, how life is going on, eternally, how it is implicated, how to entangle. So many things are there; it is a great science.

So the Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement is trying to establish this science. Our real mission is how the human society will be happy. That is the duty of all saintly person. They, according to our paramparā system... Just like the Gosvāmīs, Rūpa Gosvāmī, Sanātana Gosvāmī, they were very exalted personalities, minister in government. Still, they resigned from the service and joined Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement. That is the history. All the direct disciples of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, they were very big personalities. Just like Rūpa, Sanātana—they were minister. Then Bhaṭṭa Raghunātha, Dāsa Raghunātha. Raghunātha Dāsa, he was coming, more than minister. His father and uncle were the biggest zamindar, landlord, in those times. And he was the only son of the father and the uncle. Huge estate, beautiful wife, everything—he left and joined this movement, Caitanya Mahāprabhu's. Similarly, Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, he also coming from a very aristocratic brāhmaṅa family in South India. And Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī, the nephew of Rūpa Gosvāmī, in the learned circle, still, in Bengal, they say such a big scholar and philosophy, there was none, and nobody expects a similar philosopher and learned scholar in the future. He was such a big personality, Jīva Gosvāmī. Big, big Māyāvādīs, they were afraid of Jīva Gosvāmī's logic and argument to establish the Vaiṣṅava philosophy.

So it is not... This Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement is for very intelligent, high-class, fortunate persons, because they are going to guide the destiny of the human society. Nānā-śāstra-vicāraṅaika-nipuṅau sad-dharma-saṁsthāpakau lokānāṁ hita-kāriṅau. Their only endeavor is how people will be happy. This is their real mission. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore asked to "Take this mission and go village to village, town to town, and spread My mission."

pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi-grāma sarvatra pracāra haibe mora nāma [CB Antya-khaṅḍa 4.126]

[In every town and village of the world, the chanting of My name will be heard.]

So you young Americans, you have taken a very great mission, and the system we have introduced, to go in the vans, buses, and village to village, town to town. And if you keep strictly on the principles and chant Hare Kṛṣṅa mahā-mantra, then your mission will be successful. There is no doubt about it.

So vartamāno 'nyayoḥ kālo, there are three different features of time—past, present and future. So those who are learned scholars, from one point they can calculate what is the past and what is the future. Evaṁ janmānyayor etad dharmādharma-nidarśanam. There is astrology. There are experienced persons, they can say what was the past, what will be the future, this is one side. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement is, even without any knowledge of the past, without any knowledge of the future, if you take the present opportunity, then your life is successful. The present opportunity is that in this age, Kali-yuga, Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared. Anarpita-cariṁ cirāt karuṅayā... What? Anyone knows this verse?

anarpita-carīṁ-cirāt karuṅayāvatīrṅaḥ kalau samarpayitum unnatojjvala-rasāṁ sva-bhakti-śriyam hariḥ puraṭa-sundara-dyuti-kadamba-sandīpitaḥ sadā hṛdaya-kandare sphuratu vaḥ śacī-nandana [Cc Ādi 1.4]

Śacī-nandana. This is Rūpa Gosvāmī's blessings, that "Within your heart, let Śacī-nandana be seated." Sadā hṛdaya-kandare sphuratu vaḥ śacī-nandanaḥ. Then everything will be adjusted. He has appeared for this cause. Anarpita-carīṁ cirāt karuṅayāvatīrṅaḥ kalau samarpayitum unnatojjvala-rasāṁ sva-bhakti-śriyam. He is personally..., Kṛṣṅa personally is giving Kṛṣṅa.

namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṅa-prema-pradāya te kṛṣṅāya kṛṣṅa-caitanya- nāmne gaura-tviṣe namaḥ [Cc Madhya 19.53]

[O most munificent incarnation! You are Kṛṣṅa Himself appearing as Śrī Kṛṣṅa Caitanya Mahāprabhu. You have assumed the golden color of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṅī, and You are widely distributing pure love of Kṛṣṅa. We offer our respectful obeisances unto You.]

These are the verses composed by Rūpa Gosvāmī, that "Here is most munificent incarnation, because He's giving Kṛṣṅa. Not only Kṛṣṅa—kṛṣṅa-prema, love of Kṛṣṅa, what was very, very difficult to understand." Manuṣyāṅāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yayati siddhaye [Bg 7.3].

[Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavor for perfection, and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in truth.]

To understand Kṛṣṅa is not so easy, but Kṛṣṅa Himself is giving Himself: "Take Me." That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

So future, past, present, future, whatever it has been, our past, or what is present, it doesn't matter. But if you take to Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement, then our present and future, both are bright, undoubtedly. So we should take the instruction of the Gosvāmīs, Rūpa Gosvāmī, Sanātana Gosvāmī... Vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau. Kṛṣṅotkīrtana-gāna-nartana-parau premāmṛtāmbho-nidhī dhīrādhīra-jana-priyau priyakarau nirmatsarau [Śrīnivāsa Ācārya].

[I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Six Gosvāmīs, namely Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī, Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī, Śrī Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, Śrī Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī, and Śrī Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, who are always engaged in chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṅa and dancing. They are just like the ocean of love of God, and they are popular both with the gentle and with the ruffians, because they are not envious of anyone. Whatever they do, they are all-pleasing to everyone, and they are fully blessed by Lord Caitanya. Thus they are engaged in missionary activities meant to deliver all the conditioned souls in the material universe.]

Nirmatsarau. This movement, there is no distinction. No matsarata. Matsarata means to be intolerant for other's advancement. Nobody's... This is material nature. Nobody wants that his friend or his son, or... Of course, the father likes the son is increasing in opulence. He likes. But sometimes he does not like. So this world is full of envy. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement is for the paramahaṁsa, who is not envious. Paramo nirmatsarāṅāṁ satāṁ vāstavaṁ vastu vedyam atra. Nirmatsara [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.]

when one is not envious of others. That is called nirma... Because in the material world, everyone is envious of another person. That is the nature. Therefore there is so much fight. Everyone is envious. Nation is another nation's against, envious, even person to person, brother to brother, family to family, community to community. Everywhere, matsarata. Para-utkarṣaṅam asahanam. Matsarata means one cannot tolerate others' flourishing condition. Immediately envious.

But this system, Kṛṣṅa consciousness, is meant for paramo nirmatsarāṅām: one who has learned this art not to become envious. Tolerant. That is the qualification of saintly persons. Kind. Tin... Hmm? What is that? Titikṣavaḥ kāruṅikaḥ. Those who are preachers, they should be titikṣava. Titikṣava means titikṣa, tolerance. There will be so much insult, inconveniences, against party, everything. We have to tolerate. Titikṣavaḥ kāruṅa. At the same time, we have to distribute the mercy of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Titikṣavaḥ kāruṅikaḥ. Suhṛdaḥ sarva-bhūtānām: and friend of everyone. There is no distinction. Friend of everyone. Ajāta-śatravaḥ: by their action they'll not create any enemy. Ajāta-śatravaḥ santaḥ: peaceful. Ajāta-śatravaḥ santaḥ sādhavaḥ sādhu-bhūṣaṅāḥ. These are the decoration of sādhus, saintly person. Titikṣavaḥ kāruṅikaḥ. I think this śloka is there in the Kapila's teaching to His mother. Titikṣavaḥ kāruṅikaḥ, ajāta-śatravaḥ santaḥ, sādhavaḥ sādhu-bhūṣaṅā [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.]

So, so far the Kali-yuga is concerned, the future is very dark. There, everything is described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. The future of this Kali-yuga, as it will advance, Kali-yuga... We have only passed five thousand years out of thirty-two hundred thousands of years. We have only passed five thousand years, and the miserable condition, situation, will degrade more and more, more and more. So if you have to take again birth in this material world, then we'll have to suffer more and more. Best thing is that let us finish our business of Kṛṣṅa consciousness and go back to home, back to Godhead, so that we haven't got to come again to this nonsense material world. That is wanted. Yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama [Bg 15.6].

[That abode of Mine is not illumined by the sun or moon, nor by electricity. One who reaches it never returns to this material world.]

This should be the aim of life, that we are not going to take advantage of this so-called advance of material civilization. We have no business. Āra nare vaka. We should make it a determination that we have enough of this material civilization; we are not any more concerned about it. We are interested in Kṛṣṅa, how to go back to home, back to Godhead, Kṛṣṅa. This should be the determination. And if we think, "Let me taste this also and taste that also..." In Bengal it is said durakhai tanakakai. Not like that.

Caitanya Mahāprabhu has warned very seriously:

niṣkiñcanasya bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya pāraṁ param jigamiṣor bhava-sāgarasya viṣayiṅāṁ sandarśanam atha yoṣitāṁ ca hā hanta ha hanta viṣa-bhakṣanād apy asādhu [Cc Madhya 11.8]

For a person who is going back to home, back to Godhead, he should be niṣkiñcana. Niṣkiñcana means no more any material necessity. Niṣkiñcana. Niṣkiñcanasya bhagavad-bhajanomukhasya. One side, this is nirvāṅa, finished; and the other side positive. Negative side, no more material, and positive side, Kṛṣṅa. Bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya. How to go back to home, back to Godhead to serve Kṛṣṅa—this is one side. And one side, nil—we don't want any more anything. Niṣkiñcana. For such a person, viṣayiṅāṁ sandarśanam atha yoṣitāṁ ca [Cc Madhya 11.8]. For such a person, if he has become captivated by the material attraction, means money and material comforts..., woman and material comforts. This is material civilization. Everyone is after woman. Woman or men, the... It is not that woman means the form of woman and man is the form of man. Woman means enjoyable and man means enjoyer. So here in this material world everyone is enjoyer. Everyone is enjoyer. Not only the man thinks "I shall enjoy the woman," the woman thinks, "I shall enjoy the man." The spirit is how to become enjoyer. Therefore sometimes the living entity is described as puruṣa. Actually, every living entity is prakṛti. Prakṛti means "enjoyable." So everyone is to be enjoyable by Kṛṣṅa. But thinking "I am enjoyer," that is māyā. So anyone is thinking of enjoying this material world, viṣayiṅāṁ atha yoṣitāṁ ca... Viṣayiṅāṁ sandarśanam atha yoṣitām. So for any person who is serious about going back to home, back to..., for them these things are abominable, more than drinking poison. This is the verdict of Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

So we have... This is the idea. So we must be serious. It is not that in one day we, all of us, we become paramahaṁsa. That is not possible. Don't try to imitate, but follow the rules and regulation with vow that "This life I shall go back to home, back to Godhead, with determination." Then Kṛṣṅa will give you intelligence. That is promised by Kṛṣṅa in the Bhagavad-gītā. Teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prītiḥ, satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakaṁ dadāmi... [Bg 10.10].

[To those who are constantly devoted and worship Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me.]

If we are serious, then Kṛṣṅa is within everyone's heart, He'll give you intelligence. But we must be very serious. Then past, present, future will be clear before us, and because Kṛṣṅa is personally directing, buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi. So what knowledge is wanting there when Kṛṣṅa...? In another place Kṛṣṅa says,

teṣām evānukampārtham aham ajñāna-jaṁ tamaḥ nāśayāmy ātma-bhāvastho jñāna-dīpena bhāsvatā [Bg 10.11]

[Out of compassion for them, I, dwelling in their hearts, destroy with the shining lamp of knowledge the darkness born of ignorance.]

For a sincere devotee, Kṛṣṅa says: "To show him special favor, even though he is rascal, I'll make him intelligent."

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya. [end]