Prabhupada Quotes Module 1

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MÄYÄPUR INSTITUTE

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Bhaktivaibhava Course

Çrémad-Bhägavatam Cantos 1-3

Çréla Prabhupäda

Quotes

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness

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Introduction

ärädhyo bhagavän vrajeça-tanayas tad-dhäma våndävanaà ramyä käcid upäsanä vraja-vadhü-vargeëa yä kalpitä

çrémad-bhägavataà pramäëam amalaà premä pum-artho mahän çré-caitanya-mahäprabhor matam idaà taträdaräù na paraù

(Çréla Viçvanätha Cakravarté Öhäkura) The philosophy of Lord Caitanya is that Kåñëa is the only object of worship. And as Kåñëa is object of worship, similarly, His place, Våndävana, Våndävana-dhäma. Those who have visited India. Våndävana-dhäma, still, if you go to Våndävana without knowing about Kåñëa, you will at once feel Kåñëa consciousness. It is such a nice place. So that Våndävana-dhäma is also worshipable.

And ramya kaçcid upäsanä vraja-vadhu-varga-vérya kalpita. Now, Kåñëa was worshiped by the damsels of Vrajadhäma. Lord Caitanya recommends, "That is the highest, topmost grade of worship because that was pure love." The damsels of Vraja loved Kåñëa so much, without any return. That's a sublime thing. So He recommended, "That is the highest form of worship."

çrémad-bhägavatam amalaà puräëam: "And Çrémad-Bhägavata is the spotless Vedic literature." Because Çrémad-Bhägavatam is full of Kåñëa consciousness only. That's all. Just like this Bhagavad-gétä is full of Kåñëa consciousness. It is the preliminary study of

Çrémad-Bhägavatam. The last word of the Çrémad-Bhagavad-gétä is that sarva-dharmän parityajya mäm ekaà çaraëaà vraja: [Bg. 18.66] "You give up everything. You just surrender unto Me," Kåñëa said. One who accepts this philosophy—"I accept Kåñëa as väsudevaù sarvam iti sa mahätmä su-durlabhaù" [Bg. 7.19]—then for him Çrémad-Bhägavatam is the postgraduate study.

Bhagavad-gétä 4.12-13 -- New York, July 29, 1966

Chapter 1

1.1

“My Guru Mahäräja explained this verse in Dacca for three months…”

Actually to understand one verse of Çrémad-Bhägavatam it requires at least seven months. Janmädy asya yataù anvayäd itarataç ca artheñu abhijïaù sva-räö. My Guru Mahäräja explained this verse in Dacca for three months.

Çrémad-Bhägavatam 2.1.1 Våndävana 74

“for them, this Çrémad-Bhägavatam is there….”

So one who has accepted Kåñëa as the supreme source, Absolute Truth, for them, this Çrémad-Bhägavatam is there. Here it is beginning, oà namo bhagavate väsudeväya, means "I offer my respectful obeisances to You, Kåñëa, because I surrender unto You." One who is fortunate, he immediately accepts Kåñëa's version, sarva-dharmän parityajya mäm ekaà çaraëaà vraja

Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.1.1 -- Caracas, February 20, 1975

“Here is God ….”

We have to know Kåñëa from authorities. Just like Vyäsadeva is explaining what is Kåñëa. First of all let us understand what is Kåñëa, then we enter into the other information of Kåñëa. Just like if you want to know somebody, you have to acquaint himself with that particular person. Then gradually you can understand that "This man is of this position, his financial strength is like this, his influence is like this, like that, like that." So many things you will understand. First of all sambandha….

So our Kåñëa consciousness movement is against all this rascaldom, all this rascaldom. We present, "Here is God." Here is God. Take His name. Take His address also. That is also... It is so perfect. They are searching after God. We are giving the name, address, activity,

everything, quality, all.

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Vasudeva platform

That is called sattvaà viçuddhaà vasudeva-çabditam. That sattva, that existence of pure goodness, is called vasudeva. In that pure transcendental platform of goodness you can

understand Väsudeva. That means in that status of life, Väsudeva is born...

Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.1.3 -- London, August 19, 1971

“Therefore he begins from the first aphorism of Vedänta-sütra …”

Janmädy asya yataù [SB 1.1.1], that is the first Vedänta-sütra. The Çrémad-Bhägavatam is the natural commentary on Vedänta-sütra. Vedänta-sütra philosophy was expounded by Vyäsadeva, Mahämuni. And thinking that in future so many fools and rascals will misuse the Vedänta-sütra as so-called Vedantists, and send all people to hell, therefore he personally wrote this commentary on Vedänta-sütra, the Çrémad-Bhägavatam. Bhäñyaà brahma-süträëäà vedärtha paribhåàhitaù * This is bhäñya. Bhäñya means commentary. Therefore he begins from the first aphorism of Vedänta-sütra, janmädy asya yataù

Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.1.1 -- New York, July 6, 1972

abhijïaù

So I am conscious to a certain extent only, not fully. I am not abhijïaù. I am not very expert. These are simple truths. But these rascals are claiming that “I am God.” The God is, means he is conscious, not only conscious, He’s abhijïaù, very expert, knows everything, and svaräö. Now, to get abhijïaù, abhijïatä or experience, we have to consult somebody. But God is svaräö. Svaräö means He’s personally so independent that He doesn’t require to take knowledge from anyone else. That is God.

Bhagavad-gétä 2.17 -- London, August 23, 1973

Svaräö

I have got my father, my father has got father, his father has got father, father, father, go on. When you come to a person who has no more father, that is God. (laughter) That is the test. If we find somebody that he has no father, then He is God.

satyaà param

Vyäsadeva is offering his obeisances to satyaà param, the Absolute Supreme Truth, not to the relative truth….There is no more truth beyond that. And as Kåñëa says in the Bhagavad-gétä, mattaù parataraà nänyat kiïcid asti dhanaïjaya [Bg. 7.7]. Mattaù, "Beyond Me there is no more superior power." Mattaù parataraà na anyat. So Vyäsadeva is offering his obeisances to the person above whom there is nobody.

“each and every çloka, verse, should be pronounced…”

So, if you chant these mantras, at least one in one day, your life will be glorious. This mantra, bhägavata-mantra, not only Bhägavata, every Vedic literature is a mantra.

Transcendental sound. So practice resounding this mantra. So we have taken so much labor to put in diacritic mark, all the words, word meaning, utilize it. Don't think that these books are only for sale. If you go to sell these books and if some customer says, "You pronounce it," then what you will do? Then he will understand, "Oh, you are for selling, not for understanding." What do you think? Eh? So therefore it is necessary now, you have got nice books, each and every çloka, verse, should be pronounced. Therefore we have given this original verse in Sanskrit, its

transliteration with diacritic mark ….

“laboring hard .., I may give you some books you can enjoy after my death..”

So you European, American students, you take full advantage of this Vedic culture. I am therefore so much laboring hard that we, before my leaving this body, I may give you some books you can enjoy after my death. So utilize it. Utilize it. Read every çloka nicely, try to understand the meaning, discuss amongst yourselves. Nityaà bhagavata-sevayä. That is our mission…This temple, these ISKCON centers are open, just to give everyone the chance of hearing about Kåñëa so that his dirty heart may be cleansed. This is the purpose. We have no other purpose.

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1.2

sense gratification should be based on religion. Religion. Dharma, artha. Artha.

Sense gratification is there. There must be. We have got senses; that must be satisfied. But that sense gratification should be based on religion. Religion. Dharma, artha. Artha. The sense gratification means economic development. Without economic development, we cannot enjoy our senses, but everything should be based on religion. That is human civilization. Without religion, simply gratifying the senses or so-called economic development, that is animal

civilization.

four principles of religion that pertain to the material world

Dharma (religiosity), artha (economic development), käma (sense gratification) and mokña (liberation) are the four principles of religion that pertain to the material world. Therefore in the beginning of Çrémad-Bhägavatam it is declared, dharmaù projjhita-kaitavo ’tra: [SB 1.1.2] cheating religious systems in terms of these four material principles are completely discarded from Çrémad-Bhägavatam, for Çrémad-Bhägavatam teaches only how to develop one’s dormant love of God.

Ädi 7.84

pretentious religion, Pra- means “complete,” and ujjhita indicates rejection

Any process of religiosity based on sense gratification, gross or subtle, must be

considered a pretentious religion because it is unable to give perpetual protection to its followers. The word projjhita is significant. Pra- means “complete,” and ujjhita indicates rejection. Religiosity in the shape of fruitive work is directly a method of gross sense gratification, whereas the process of culturing spiritual knowledge with a view to becoming one with the Absolute is a method of subtle sense gratification. All such pretentious religiosity based on gross or subtle sense gratification is completely rejected in the process of bhägavata-dharma, or the transcendental religion that is the eternal function of the living being.

Ädi 1.91

"God simply supplies bread, and we eat and we enjoy."

Generally, there are four principles in the human society, namely dharma, artha, käma, and mokña, means first of all become religious, and then you solve your economic problem, and then satisfy your senses, and then become one with God. Those who are following the Vedic principles, they think like that. Not only they, others also, the so-called religious system, they also think like that. Just like the Christians. They go to church, "O God, give us our daily bread." So this bread-supplying business is like that: "God simply supplies bread, and we eat and we enjoy." Similarly, the Hindu system also there is: "O God, give me some money. I am very poor. I am suffering from disease. Please cure it." And so everywhere you will find some motive in religiosity. So religion does not mean to solve the economic problem.

“The characteristic is that I am eternally servant of God..”

We have already explained. Dharma does not mean a kind of faith, blind faith. Dharma means the real characteristic.. the characteristics cannot be changed. Just like water is liquid. The liquidity cannot be changed of water. So in Sanskrit language or in Vedic literature, dharma means the characteristics which cannot be changed…The characteristic is that every one of us is serving somebody superior….

Therefore it is said, dharmaù projjhita-kaitavaù atra. Kaitavaù means cheating, which is not dharma, which is not the characteristic. The characteristic is that I am eternally servant of God…

So the conclusion is that constitutionally I am servant, servant of God, but instead of giving service to God, I am now engaged in the service of the dog. So on the standard of this so-called service the Bhägavata-dharma is not discussed, means the false service.

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“all cheating religions."

But in the name of religion, there are..., so many things are going on. That is called kaitava, cheating. We don't want to discuss, but more or less, at the present moment in whichever category of religion one may belong to, nobody is following strictly the religious principles. That's a fact. That is called kaitava….

Dharmaù projjhita-kaitavo 'tra [SB 1.1.2]. Cheating, religion. And the Våndävana däsa Öhäkura has said, påthivéte yähä kichu dharma-näme cale, bhagavat prahe tähäì paripürëa chale. "In the all over the world, what is going on..." It is a strong criticism. In the name of religion, the Bhägavata says, "They're all cheating." That's all. Because they have no idea what is God. Neither in their principles there is service of God, there is dedication to God. Simply official in the so-called religion. Therefore Våndävana däsa Öhäkura said, "These are all cheating religions." ….

“I want to see whether you have got the result of religion..”

I don't say that your religion is cheating or my religion is bona fide. I don't say that. We have no right to say that. I want to see... "I" means, we are Bhägavata. We are representative of bhägavata-dharma. Or Bhägavata wants to see. Any religion you may profess—it doesn't matter—I want to see whether you have got the result of religion. The result of religion is you will love God….That is the verdict of Çrémad-Bhägavatam.

“Nowadays they are not even for dharma or artha…”

Then he wrote Bhägavatam. And when he wrote, began writing Çrémad-Bhägavatam, he writes in the beginning, dharmaù projjhita-kaitavo ’tra: [SB 1.1.2] “All these cheating type of religious system, I kick it out, this ism, that ism. I kick out all them. It is this book, especially meant for paramo nirmatsaräëäà satäm, those who are simply paramahaàsas. It is meant for them. It is not for the ordinary men. I have kicked out all the so-called religious system, dharma artha käma.” People are very much Nowadays they are not even for dharma or artha. They are simply käma, sense gratification. Sense gratification because every one of us, we come here for sense gratification.

Çrémad-Bhägavatam 2.9.14 Melbourne 72

nirmatsaräëäm

Paramo nirmatsaräëäm [SB 1.1.2]. Nirmatsara. Matsaratä. Matsaratä means to become intolerant when his neighbor is prosperous. That is called matsara. Everyone is envious. If his neighbor, if his brother, if his friend becomes more prosperous than himself, he becomes envious. This is material nature. Similarly, in our Kåñëa consciousness movement, if we become envious, "Oh, my Godbrother, oh, he has become so popular. He is making so much progress. So put some impediments towards his progressive path," this is also material. The Vaikuëöha consciousness is that if your neighbor, if your brother is prosperous or progressive, then one should think, "Oh, he's so nice that he has served God so nicely. God is so pleased upon him that he is making so nice progress." That is Vaikuëöha consciousness. And material consciousness is that "Oh, he has advanced so much. Oh, let me check him." This is material. That is going on. The whole world, enviousness…

“envious persons… will not be able to understand .. Çrémad-Bhägavatam…”

So this bhägavata-dharma is not for such envious persons. Therefore it is stated here, paramo nirmatsaräëäà satäm [SB 1.1.2]. Not for the envious persons. The envious persons— that means materialists—they will not be able to understand what is spoken in the Çrémad-Bhägavatam. Çrémad-bhägavate mahä-muni-kåte kià vä parair éçvaraù sadyo hådy avarudhyate. So our process is, because we are envious by nature, therefore we have to cleanse our heart. Therefore we have to chant Hare Kåñëa mantra very rigidly, regularly. Then our, this enviousness, the dirty things will be over, and we shall be able to understand what is Çrémad-Bhägavatam... Çrémad-Bhägavatam is the graduate study. Those who are interested in God, for them, this is graduate study.

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Çrémad-bhägavate mahä-muni-kåte: it is beyond all defects of human life….

Therefore, here it is said that this Çrémad-Bhägavatam is not written by such rascal who is sure to commit mistake, who is sure to become illusioned, who is sure to cheat others, and whose senses are imperfect. This is the meaning. Çrémad-bhägavate mahä-muni-kåte.

“avarudhyate - He is locked up…."

The result will be, if you surrender to the study of Çrémad-Bhägavatam, that Éçvara, the supreme controller, sadyo hådy avarudhyate... Éçvara is already there, but here it is used, the word avarudhyate, "He is locked up." He wants to be locked up. Kåñëa, Paramätmä, He wants to be, but we don't care. But by reading Çrémad-Bhägavatam, by discourses in Çrémad-Bhägavatam, éçvara sadyaù, immediately, hådy avarudhyate.

1.3

“Kalpa-taru … You can train up pigeons, carry you from one place to another.”

Nigama means the Vedas, and it is called kalpa-taru. Kalpa-taru means desire tree. Vedic knowledge is so perfect that you can receive from the Vedas all different types of knowledge. social, political and scientific, and there are so many departments of knowledge, even engineering, medical science. The medical science is called Äyur-veda. Äyur-veda means the Vedic knowledge about the duration of life. Similarly, there is Dhanur-veda. military science. There are so many departments. Just like this aeroplane. That is also mentioned in the Vedas. There are not only aeroplanes; there are three other sciences. It is called kapota-vähé. The ka means the sky, and pota means ship. So as there is science how to manufacture the airship, that is there. There is another science of the same type, it is called kapota-vähé. Kapota means pigeons. You can train up pigeons, and they will carry you from one place to another. There is another science which is called äkäça-yänam. Äkäça-yänam means in the äkäça, in the sky, you can fly with any vehicle. Suppose I am sitting on this throne. By chanting those mantras this seat will be, fly in the sky. We read from Çrémad-Bhägavatam that Kardama Muni, father of

Kapiladeva, he made an aeroplane or a exactly a township with big, big buildings, with lake, garden and so many people, that was flying in the sky and visited all the planets.Therefore it is said, nigama-kalpa-taru. Kalpa-taru means desire tree.

“rasika, transcendentally humorous, understand and enjoy Çrémad-Bhägavatam”

So Vedänta-sütra is the cream of all Vedic literature, and Çrémad-Bhägavatam is the further explanation of this Vedänta-sütra. So because Vyäsadeva knew that "Later on this Vedänta-sütra will be misinterpreted by so many rascals," therefore he left the comment on the Vedänta-sütra in the form of Çrémad-Bhägavatam. Therefore if we hear Çrémad-Bhägavatam from Çukadeva Gosvämé and his disciplic succession, then we shall enjoy life even after liberation. Rasam älayam. Älayam. Älayam means liberation, means this material life completely finished, spiritual life. In the spiritual life also, you will enjoy Çrémad-Bhägavatam. But for whom it is meant? That is said here, muhur aho rasikä bhuvi bhävukäù. Those who are very thoughtful and rasika, humorous, transcendentally humorous, they can understand Çrémad-Bhägavatam and enjoy it.

1.4

Naimiñäraëya

When you go to India you can see this Naimiñäraëya still. It is very nice place. Just like Våndävana, Prayäga, Hardwar. There are hundreds of nice place for spiritual advancement. So this Naimiñäraëya is still there. The railway station is now called Nimsar. It is about hundred miles from Lucknow. And people go there. Very excellent position for spiritual advancement. There are many temples like Våndävana and Prayäga, and Naimiñäraëya. Naimiñe. Animiña-kñetre.

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animiña-kñetre - favorite of Viñëu (who does not close His eyelids)

So our eyes, we have got closing, eyelid closes. But Viñëu's eye, it never closes. Therefore He is called animiña. Therefore gopés condemned Brahmä, that "Why you have awarded us these nonsense eyelids? (laughter) It sometimes closes the eye, we cannot see Kåñëa." This is gopés' desire. They want to see Kåñëa always, without being disturbed by the eyelids. This is Kåñëa consciousness….

Because conditioned, we are, in this material world, our eyelids are made like that. It must close for a moment, again, again, again. Not for moment, for hours. We want to close our eyes for hours. (laughter) That is our disease. But in the spiritual world, there is no closing of the eyes.

1.6

“Puräëa means supplement…”

Because Vedic language is so difficult... It is sometimes very difficult to understand. So Puräëa, another meaning of Puräëa means supplement. So they are explanation of the Vedic knowledge in a supplementary way by taking references from the history, from the life of great saints and sages. So they are addition, addendum. The Mäyävädé philosophers, they say that the Puräëas are not Veda. That is not the fact. Here in the Bhägavata says the Puräëa is part of the Vedas. As Upaniñad is part of Vedas... It is written in simplified language so that those who are less educated, less having brain substance...

"You have read." And "You have explained."

So Süta Gosvämé was offered the seat of vyäsäsana because he was aware of these things, itihäsa, history, Puräëa, still older history, dharma-çästra, the scriptures, everything. Therefore he's first of all addressing that "You have read... Not only you have read, but you have described." Description means... You read something. Unless you fully assimilate, understand, you cannot describe it. So two things...

Simply reading will not help us. When we shall be able to preach the reading matter, doesn't matter whether in the same language or in my own language... It doesn't matter. That is wanted. Äkhyätäny adhétäni. Adhétäni means "You have read." And "You have explained."

1.9

“the äcärya knows how to adjust things …”

So äcärya means, just like Gosvämés, they would read all the scriptures and take the essence of it and give it to his disciples that, "You act like this." Because he knows what to give, how to manipulate, so that his ekäntataù çreyas will be achieved. Ultimate goal. Therefore the äcärya knows how to adjust things, at the same time keep pace with the spiritual interest. That is äcärya. It is not that the same thing to be applied everywhere. He is eager to engage actually the people in the real benefit of life, but the means may be different.

Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.1.9 -- Auckland, February 20, 1973

1.10

Manda

Manda, two meaning. Either you take slow... Actually they are manda. Manda means faulty. So many faults. And slow means slow in spiritual realization…"All right. We shall take it later on. Now I have got strength. Let me enjoy senses. Then we shall see later on." That is called manda. Not serious.

sumanda-matayaù..

Their philosophy is still more bad. You see? They are simply thinking on the bodily concept of life. Asses' philosophy, dogs' philosophy, frogs' philosophy. This is going on. And they are passing on as philosopher… Therefore sumanda-matayaù. Their philosophy, their opinion, they are all condemned.

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“so many religions they have come..”

Sumanda-matayo, and if one is really, not really, but superficially so-called spiritually they will capture some baba, some god, some yogi, some bluffer, and they will follow them. Sumanda-matayo. So many religious sects have come out but originally there is this Vedic religion. But after that, so many religions they have come, so they have got history. I know this Christian religion, Mohammedan religion, Buddhist religion, Jain religion, this religion, that religion, this ism, that ism, they are all history. History. It is limited, within the limit of time. But this Vedic religion has no beginning or end. Therefore, Sumanda-matayo, they will theorize, "In our religion it is said this."

Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.1.9 -- Auckland, February 20, 1973

Manda-bhägyäù

Manda-bhägyäù. Unfortunate. They can get all the facilities of life, but because

unfortunate, they are lying on the street. In America, such a big nation, with everything complete, no scarcity, so many hippies. Manda-bhägyäù. Unfortunate. If one is unfortunate, you cannot make him correct. Condemned. You cannot check one's unfortunateness. If one's unfortunate position can be changed, that is only by Kåñëa consciousness. There is no other way. You cannot make any philanthropic work and change the fortune of any person. No. That is not possible.

1.12.

“Vasudeva is the name of çuddha-sattva, pure goodness.…”

Väsudeva means Kåñëa, the son of Vasudeva. He appeared as the son of Vasudeva, but spiritually, unless one becomes on the position of vasudeva, nobody can understand Väsudeva. Vasudeva is the name of çuddha-sattva, pure goodness. Not contaminated goodness

Now pure goodness means one has to transcend even this material platform of

goodness, because in the material platform of goodness there is possibility of being contaminated by the other two qualities, namely passion and ignorance. Sometimes it becomes mixed up. … But when you transcend the material platform of goodness and come to this transcendental platform of goodness, then you cannot fall down. That is called sattvaà viçuddhaà vasudeva-çabditam. That sattva, that existence of pure goodness, is called vasudeva. In that pure transcendental platform of goodness you can understand Väsudeva.

That means in that status of life, Väsudeva is born... Because Väsudeva is already there; you simply realize Him. Väsudeva.. Väsudeva is already there within your heart, but you simply realize it by placing yourself in the pure consciousness, pure platform.

1.22

“Slaughterhouse…”

The modern educational system without any knowledge of Bhagavän, I may tell you frankly, not only in India, everywhere, they are practically slaughterhouse. Because in our country, it is a different thing; at least we have got the Vedic culture at home if it is not in the schools. But in other countries, because there is no bhägavata-dharma culture, the students, although they are provided with ample opportunity for education, the nicest educational system, nice building, nice facilities, everything nice, unfortunately the products are coming out frustrated, confused young men, and some of them are called hippies. They are educated

Pandal Lecture -- Delhi, November 20, 1971 I have seen intelligent boys, they go to school and he is spoiled. Yes, spoiled. He learns how to smoke, how to have sex, how to talk nonsense, how to use knife, how to fight, these things. At least at the present moment. Yes. Simply slaughterhouse, this so-called school is called slaughterhouse. Yes, slaughterhouse.

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2.2

“saàskäras automatically become done..”

So these saàskära, there are däsa-vidha-saàskäraù... So in this age it is very difficult, but if one chants Hare Kåñëa mahä-mantra without any offense, being trained up by the spiritual master, all the saàskäras automatically become done..

Answers to a Questionnaire from Bhavan's Journal -- June 28, 1976, Våndävana

“As soon as I get out of the womb of my mother, immediately captured by mäyä..”

Çukadeva Gosvämé was liberated. He remained within the womb of his mother for sixteen years because he was conscious that "As soon as I get out of the womb of my mother, I'll be immediately captured by mäyä. So let me become little strong." You see? So he remained sixteen years within the mother….. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.2.2 -- London, August 10, 1971

“Süta Gosvämé is describing the wonderful activities of his spiritual master…”

So the activities of Çukadeva Gosvämé is that he purposefully remained within the womb of his mother for sixteen years, and as soon as he got out, immediately he left home. Immediately. Anupeta. Anupeta. Because according to Vedic system there is upanayana, upetam. Upanayana. Upa means near, and nayana means bringing. When the spiritual master brings the disciples nearer by giving him gäyatré-mantra, that is called upanayana-saàskära. So Çukadeva Gosvämé did not take any such saàskära. He learned from his father within the womb of his mother, and as he became perfectly in knowledge, liberated soul, immediately he got out of the womb of his mother and immediately started for the forest. Naked, he was going on. And the father became actually very much aggrieved: "Oh, my son is born and he's going immediately!" Out of affection he was: "My dear son, where you are going? My dear son where you are..." Putreti tan-mayatayä. Son didn't care. Went away. Putreti tan-mayatayä taravo 'bhineduù. And because the father was so aggrieved, so the trees replied. There was, what is called, vibration, echoes. Yes.

So taà sarva-bhüta-hådayaà munim änato 'smi: "I am offering my respectful obeisances unto the great sage, Çukadeva Gosvämé, whose activities is like that. Immediately coming out of the womb of his mother he left home without being, undergoing any saàskära." So saàskära is required who is impure. So we should not imitate, neither it is in our capability that as soon as we get out of the womb of mother we can walk. No. That is not possible. It is special. Therefore everything is special. Even without taking any initiation. He was initiated by his father, Vyäsadeva, but he left immediately home, and Süta Gosvämé is describing the wonderful activities of his spiritual master and offering obeisances. Taà munim änato 'smi: "That great sage, änato 'smi, I humbly bow down on his lotus feet."

Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.2.2 -- London, August 10, 1971 Çukadeva Gosvämé, the son of Vyäsadeva, is described in great detail in the Brahma-vaivarta Puräëa. There it is said that Vyäsadeva maintained the daughter of Jäbäli as his wife and that after they performed penances together for many years, he placed his seed in her womb. The child remained in the womb of his mother for twelve years, and when the father asked the son to come out, the son replied that he would not come out unless he were completely liberated from the influence of mäyä. Vyäsadeva then assured the child that he would not be influenced by mäyä, but the child did not believe his father, for the father was still attached to his wife and children. Vyäsadeva then went to Dvärakä and informed the Personality of Godhead about his problem, and the Personality of Godhead, at Vyäsadeva's request, went to Vyäsadeva's cottage, where He assured the child in the womb that he would not be influenced by mäyä. Thus assured, the child came out, but he immediately went away as a parivräjakäcärya. When the father, very much aggrieved, began to follow his saintly boy, Çukadeva Gosvämé, the boy created a duplicate Çukadeva, who later entered family life. Therefore, the çuka-kanyä, or daughter of Çukadeva, mentioned in this verse is the daughter of the duplicate or imitation Çukadeva. The original Çukadeva was a lifelong brahmacäré.

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2.3

“If you really have learned .. Vedic knowledge… you’ll be inclined to preach..”

So what Çukadeva Gosvämé did, that after assimilating the whole Vedic literature, he distributed it. That is another instinct. If you really have learned the essence of Vedic knowledge, automatically you’ll be inclined to preach it. Çravaëaà kértanam. Çravaëam means to hear, to receive the knowledge. And next, kértanam, means to distribute, to describe the knowledge.

“Vyäsadeva also considered his son greater than himself ….’

Guruà munénäm. “He’s not only my guru, but he is guru, spiritual master, of great sages and saintly persons.” Even Vyäsadeva also considered his son greater than himself. When Çukadeva Gosvämé appeared in the assembly where many saintly persons were present at the time of Mahäräja Parékñit, so at the time all the munis stood up to receive him. All the munis. Even there was Vyäsadeva, he also stood up. Therefore he is guruà munénäm. He is spiritual master of all saintly persons.

“Unless one is ..self-realized…he cannot preach Bhägavata…”

Svänubhävam. He first of all heard from his father, Vyäsadeva, Çrémad-Bhägavatam, and realized it. Not a professional Bhägavata reciter. Just like in India now there are a class of men, especially in Våndävana, the gosvämés. They make a business. Therefore there are many, many very artistic Bhägavata reciters, but they could not turn even one man to Kåñëa consciousness. Because they are not self-realized, svänubhävam. Of course, we have tried our best; so in few years there are so many Kåñëa conscious persons come out. This is the secret. Unless one is svänubhävam, self-realized, life is bhägavata, he cannot preach Bhägavata. That is not... That will not be effective.

Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.2.3 -- Rome, May 27, 1974

2.5

“..under whose care the religion is now remaining?”

So Kåñëa came to establish what is real religion. Therefore, the sages assembled in the Naimiñäraëya, they knew it, the mission of Kåñëa, that “He came to establish religion. Now He is not on this plane. So under whose care the religion is now remaining?” Dharmaù kaà çaraëaà gataù. Sväà käñöhäm adhunopete dharmaù kaà çaraëaà gataù. [SB 1.1.23] Then where is now religion? Because Kåñëa, so long Kåñëa was present, he was discharging real religion. … He was killing so many demons and He was giving protection to the devotees. ..So this is the praçna. This is the question of the great learned scholars and sages and brähmaëas in the Naimiñäraëya.

“This is for the auspicity of whole world, this kind of praçna, this kind of question…”

“This is for the auspicity of whole world, this kind of praçna, this kind of question, as you have put forward, that ‘After departure of Kåñëa, under whom actual real religious principles are there?’ ..So he clearly says, the next line, yat kåtaù kåñëa-sampraçnaù: “Because you have put questions about Kåñëa.” Yat kåtaù kåñëa-sampraçno yenätmä suprasédati. And if we discuss about Kåñëa, if we question about Kåñëa, if you try to understand Kåñëa, then our life becomes perfect. Simply by trying to understand Kåñëa, your will be perfect.

“….then the whole world will be peaceful.”

this kåñëa-sampraçnaù, if simply people become inquisitive, what is Kåñëa, and you simply try to answer them—we have got so many books now—then the whole world will be peaceful. Yena ätmä suprasédati….So try to impress the whole Western world about kåñëa-sampraçnaù. Then they’ll be happy. That is our mission…

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2.6 paro dharmo

“That type of service is first class, transcendental.”

Therefore, Bhägavata is explaining the nature of dharma, what is dharma. It is said here, sa

vai puàsäà paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokñaje “That is first-class religion which teaches

how to render service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” That is first-class religion.

There is no consideration of which type of dharma, or faith, you are following. It doesn’t

matter. You may become a Christian, you may become a Muhammadan, you may become a

Hindu, or whatever…… Kåñëa says it is not the question of faith; it is the question of actual

relationship. Because every living entity is part and parcel of Kåñëa, and the duty of part and

parcel is to render service to the whole, therefore Kåñëa came to establish this type of

religion, this first-class religion. So Çrémad-Bhägavata says, sa vai puàsäà paro dharmaù:

“That type of service is first class, transcendental.”

Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.2.5 -- Montreal, August 2, 1968

“paro dharma means permanent dharma, eternal dharma, or sanätana-dharma….” And what is actually dharma?” So here it is explained, sa vai puàsäà paro dharmaù.

Para means superior. Not this religion, Hindu religion, Muslim religion, Christian religion, or there are so many other religions. That is also dharma. That is temporary. But paro dharma means permanent dharma, eternal dharma, or sanätana-dharma. That is called para. Para means superior. So sa vai puàsäà paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokñaje

Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.2.6 -- Delhi, November 11, 1973

“ varëäçrama-dharma is also material…”

So varëäçrama-dharma is also material. That is not spiritual. Varëäçrama-dharma is the beginning of spiritual life. How one can come to the standard of spiritual life? It is a regulated life, when executing... The spiritual life is viñëur ärädhyate panthäù. When one comes to the platform of worshiping Viñëu, that is spiritual life. …So here it is said sa vai puàsäà paro dharmaù. Dharma... You have to execute your occupational duty, but, as Kåñëa said, sarva-dharmän parityajya mäm ekaà çaraëaà vraja [Bg. 18.66]. That is real dharma. “I am this. I am following this dharma, that dharma”—that is not dharma. Dharma means the natural instinct. The natural instinct is to obey the superior person. Every one of us, we are meant for obeying the Supreme.

Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.2.6 -- Calcutta, February 26, 1974

yato bhaktir adhokñaje

“but the test is how much you have learned to love God…”

So here it is said that it does not matter whether you are a Hindu or Muslim or Christian or

Buddhist. It doesn’t matter. Your system of religion is first class if you can develop your

general love for Kåñëa or God, Adhokñaja. That is the test. You may advertise yourself or I

may advertise myself, “I am a great religious person,” but the test is how much you have

learned to love God, how much you have advanced in that process. …

Adhokñaja

adhaù means down, made down, or defeated

Kåñëa's another name is Adhokñaja. Adhaù. Adhaù means down, made down, or defeated. Your sense perception will be defeated if you want to realize by God by your imperfect sense perception. That is not possible. You will be defeated. Adhaù akñaja. Akñaja means akña. Akña means eyes.

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“see God by hearing..”

So here it is mentioned... Adhokñaja means you cannot perceive the Supreme Absolute Truth by your sense perception. You have to learn it by çruti, by hearing. Hearing is also experience, by hearing. ;;; This is the process, hearing. If you simply hear about God, then you will see God by hearing

Ahaituké

“real devotional service must be without cause….”

And that devotional service should be ahaituki. No hetu. Hetu means cause. I am going to the temple with some cause. For mitigation of some difficulties, I shall pray to... That is also nice, but that is haituki, there is some hetu, or cause. We should serve Kåñëa without any cause, not that by serving Kåñëa I shall improve my material position and so many causes maybe. But real service, real devotional service must be without cause.

Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.2.6 -- New Vrindaban, September 5, 1972

“Pure devotee is satisfied only with the service of the Lord….”

But a pure devotee does not accept even all these liberations. They don’t ask for liberation. Pure devotee is satisfied only with the service of the Lord. That is pure devotion. Because there is no desire. That is explained here. Ahaituky apratihatä. “Oh, I am engaged in Kåñëa consciousness because after death I shall go back to home, back to Godhead.” Of course, that’s a fact. But a pure devotee even does not desire that. He says, “Wherever Kåñëa will keep me, I shall remain there. It doesn’t matter whether heaven or hell. I don’t care for it.”

It is not business with You. I am your eternal servant." This is pure devotee. Ahaituké. No reason. "It is my duty." That is occupational duty. "It is my eternal occupation to serve You." These are the highest ideas of pure devotion.

Apratihatä

“There is nothing in the material world which can check one’s devotional service..”

You are poor man, you are woman, or you are çüdra.” No. Apratihatä. Whatever you may be, either you are poor man or rich man or black man or white man or woman or man, it doesn’t matter. Everyone has right to serve Kåñëa. Apratihatä. There is nothing in the material world which can check one’s devotional service. It is so pure and exalted.

Yayätmä suprasédati

“unless you learn this art, how to love God, you cannot be happy..”

Suprasédati. Everyone is wanting peace of mind. Ätmä means body, ätmä means mind, ätmä means the soul. Yayätmä suprasédati. Suprasédati. Prasédati means “becomes satisfied,” and su means “very much.” So unless you learn this art, how to love God, you cannot be happy. This is the fact.

“The body becomes satisfied, the mind becomes satisfied, the soul becomes satisfied…”

So yayä ätmä suprasédati. Su means very much. Not only prasédati but suprasédati, very much. Everyone. The body becomes satisfied, the mind becomes satisfied, the soul becomes satisfied, and the Supreme Paramätmä, He also becomes satisfied. So that is called paro

dharmaù. Paro dharmaù means... Paraù means superior, and dharmaù means occupational duty. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.2.6 -- Calcutta, February 26, 1974

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“ complete satisfaction… only by prosecution of devotional service…”

The real aim of life is how to get satisfaction, full, complete satisfaction. And that satisfaction, complete satisfaction, can be achieved only by prosecution of devotional service. There is no other method. If you want to be happy, free from all cares and anxieties, then you have to engage yourself in devotional service of the Lord. That will make you free from all material anxieties and all material miseries….

Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.2.6 -- Montreal, August 3, 1968

2.7

“This human form of life is meant for jïäna and vairägya..”

The first thing, jïänam and vairägyam... This human form of life is meant for jïäna and vairägya. Jïäna means vairägya, and vairägya cannot be achieved without jïäna. These two are relative terms. So jïänam means that “I am not this body, and my relationship with my body, they are also not my necessities.” This is called jïäna. And as soon as we understand that the simply necessities of my body are not required, that is called detachment, or vairägya.

Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.2.7 -- Hyderabad, April 21, 1974

“from within,” He will give all knowledge…”

So Kåñëa says that “If you are engaged twenty-four hours in devotional service,” then, Kåñëa says, “from within,” He will give all knowledge. Therefore väsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaù prayojitaù [SB 1.2.7]. If you actually engage in the devotional service of Väsudeva, then jïäna and vairägya automatically becomes revealed unto you. There is no endeavor

Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.2.7 -- Våndävana, October 18, 1972

2.8

“a daëòavat-class of man or hearing class of man…”

So dharmaù svanuñöhitaù puàsäà viñvaksena-kathäsu yaù, notpädayed yadi ratim [SB 1.2.8]. This hearing process is very, very important. But people are not interested in hearing. They are simply busy in some other duties. My Guru Mahäräja used to say... One who was not interested in hearing, he used to call him a daëòavat-class. Daëòavat-class of men. That means simply he knows how to make daëòavats, that’s all. (laughter) Anyone who will come to him, he would see whether he is a daëòavat-class of man or hearing class of man. So daëòavat is nice, but by offering daëòavat, if one does not develop the intent of hearing, çravaëam, then he is not making very much progress.

“my Guru Mahäräja, he accepted me as his disciple. He marked this..”

As you know, because I was little interested in hearing, my Guru Mahäräja, he accepted me as his disciple. He marked this. “This boy is interested in hearing. He does not go away.” Actually, I do not know. I could not understand what he was speaking in the beginning, but still I was very much interested to hear him, out of curiosity or something like that.

“..our Kåñëa consciousness movement is to give chance to the people.. hearing…”

So hearing is very important thing. Notpädayed yadi ratim, viñvaksena-kathäsu yaù. Kathä. Hari-kathä…Therefore our Kåñëa consciousness movement is to give chance to the people in general hearing about Kåñëa, that’s all. Either hearing Hare Kåñëa mantra or hearing Bhagavad-gétä or hearing Çrémad-Bhägavatam, anything you like, hear about Kåñëa. Try to hear about Kåñëa in meek and humble attitude. Then gradually, everything will be revealed…

“see whether you are developing attachment for Kåñëa… That is the test”

You can discharge your duty very nicely, but you have to see whether you are developing attachment for Kåñëa. Attachment means love, whether you are trying to satisfy Kåñëa. That is the test. If that is not done, simply formulas, if you execute the formula, as I explained the other day, niyamägraha, without any satisfaction of Kåñëa, then Süta Gosvämé says it is simply laboring and waste of time, viñvaksena-kathäsu-yaù notpädayed ratià yadi, çrama eva hi kevalam.

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2.10

“indriya prétiù, howling in the market.….”

Don’t indulge in sense gratification, but live very healthy life so that you can execute Kåñëa consciousness. Kämasya nendriya prétiù jéveta yävatä-jévasya tattva-jijïäsä. The real business is jévasya. Our, we living entity, our real business is tattva-jijïäsä. This tattva-jijïäsä... jévasya tattva-jijïäsä. The same thing, athäto brahma jijïäsä and jévasya. This human form of life is especially meant for inquiring about the Absolute Truth, tattva-jijïäsä. Jévasya tattva-jijïäsä na artha yaç ceha karmabhiù. You are working so hard, simply for maintaining your body. No. It is not. You work hard, keep yourself fit, but live for tattva-jijïäsä. That is life, tattva-jijïäsä: What I am? What is God? What is this material world? Why I have come here? Why I am put into so much trouble? These are the inquiries. Not that everyday go to the market. That is not tattva-jijïäsä. That is indriya prétiù, howling in the market.

“That is our mission, that we are trying to save men from great falldown…”

So our life (is) being spoiled without Kåñëa consciousness. That is our mission, that we are trying to save men from great falldown…. This is the only business of human birth, being, to understand his constitutional position, to understand God and relationship with God. We are avoiding this. What is the solution? Here it is clearly said, jévasya tattva-jijïäsä nartho yaç ceha karmabhiù. You work hard, but what is your aim of life? Simply sense gratification. It is falling life. Jévasya tattva-jijïäsä. Now what is that tattva? That is explained in the next verse, vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvam [SB 1.2.11].

Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.2.8 -- Bombay, December 26, 1972

2.11

“no need of separate endeavor for understanding Brahman and Paramätmä.”

…So brahmeti paramätmeti bhagavän iti çabdyate [SB 1.2.11], step by step. But if you approach Kåñëa and try to understand Him through devotional service, then automatically you understand Brahman and Paramätmä. There is no need of separate endeavor for understanding Brahman and Paramätmä. …

Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.2.11 -- Våndävana, October 22, 1972 Another example is: just like if you see a mountain. Just like surrounding your this place, Tirupati, there are so many hills. From the distant place, your vision is not clear. You simply see something like cloudy, the same mountain. But if you make little further progress, you see the same mountain or hill greenish. And if you actually go in the same hill, you will find there are so many animals, so many men and so many houses. So object is the same, but from different angle vision, it appears differently. Similarly, unless one can understand Kåñëa perfectly, he realizes the Absolute Truth as impersonal, niräkära Brahman. Unless one understands Kåñëa perfectly well, he cannot understand what is Paramätmä, which is realized by yogic principles. But when you understand Kåñëa, then you understand Paramätmä and Brahman also. This is the verdict of the çästra. Just like if you have got one lakh of rupees, your possession of few thousands of rupees or few hundred of rupees are already there.

Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.2.11 -- Tirupati, April 26, 1974

2.12

“They’re simply ringing the bell, that’s all….”

Two things must go on. If... Just like here you’ll find the arcä-vigraha, worshiping the Deity, is going on. But if simply these thing go on... Because none of us are expert. There must be çruta-gåhitaya. We must here about Kåñëa also. Two things must go on parallel lines. If simply speculation goes on, that will not help us, and if simply ringing the bell goes on, and then that will not... Thet is not. There are temples, many hundreds and thousands, but nobody goes, because there is no çruti, çruta-gåhitaya. People say, “What is there? They’re simply ringing the bell, that’s all.” So two things must go on: bhaktyä, çruta-gåhitaya.

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“So this eagerness is very important thing…”

There is a story in this connection. It is very instructive; try to hear. One professional reciter was reciting about Bhägavata, and he was describing that Kåñëa, being very highly decorated with all jewels, He is sent for tending the cows in the forest. So there was a thief in that meeting. So he thought that “Why not then go to Våndävana and plunder this boy? He is in the forest with so many valuable jewels. I can go there and catch the child and take the, all the jewels.” That was his intention. So, he was serious that “I must find out that boy. Then in one night I shall become millionaire. So much jewelries. No.” So he went there, but his qualification was that “I must see Kåñëa, I must see Kåñëa.” That anxiety, that eagerness, made it possible that in Våndävana he saw Kåñëa. He saw Kåñëa the same way as he was informed by the Bhägavata reader. Then he saw, “Oh, oh, you are so nice boy, Kåñëa.” So he began to flatter. He thought that “Flattering, I shall take all the jewels” (laughter). So when he proposed his real business, “So may I take some of your these ornaments? You are so rich.” “No, no, no. You... My mother will be angry. I cannot...” (laughter) Kåñëa as a child. So he became more and more eager for Kåñëa. And then... By Kåñëa’s association, he had already become purified. Then, at last, Kåñëa said, “All right, you can take.” Then he became a devotee, immediately. Because by Kåñëa’s association...

“It is the only institution that is teaching people how to see Kåñëa...”

So this eagerness is very important thing. But it can be awakened by the association of devotees. Therefore we are giving chance to everyone to invoke that eagerness. Then you will see God eye to eye. It is not difficult. Tac chraddadhänä munayaù. Those who have developed that eagerness, faith, that “I must see Kåñëa in this life...” This life is meant for seeing Kåñëa. It is not meant for becoming dogs and hogs. Unfortunately, the whole civilization is going on, they are being trained to become dogs and hogs. It is the only institution that is teaching people how to see Kåñëa. This is the only institution, this Kåñëa consciousness movement. It is so important. …

Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.2.12 -- Los Angeles, August 15, 1972

2.13

“if Kåñëa says, “All right,” then every, everything is all right. Bas…”

If you simply satisfy Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then you satisfy all others. Tasmin tuñöo jagat tuñöaù. Just like you know the story, in Mahäbhärata, that Duryodhana planned... when the Päëòavas were in the forest and Duryodhana’s plan was how to tease them. So he approached Durväsä Muni, “My dear sir, you wanted to give me some benediction. I have come for it.” “Yes” “Now, you go to the Päëòavas with your all disciples, sixty-thousand disciples, and you go when Draupadé has taken her food.” So Durväsä Muni one day... it is the duty of the kñatriya to receive the brähmaëas. So they were, they were, they had finished their lunch, and Durväsä Muni came. So how they can deny? They are kñatriyas. “Yes, my lord. You can, you are welcomed. Just take your bath, and we are making arrangement...” What arrangement they will make? In the forest? So they were perplexed.

Kåñëa came that “What is the problem?” They explained, “This is the problem.” Then asked Draupadé that “You have already finished...” Because Draupadé had an, a benediction that so long she does not take his (her) lunch, any number of men come, she, she will be able to feed. That was his (her)... But she had finished her lunch. then Kåñëa said, “Just go, find out some foodstuff, any little in the kitchen.” They said, “No, everything is finished. There is no food.” “No, just try to see.” Then, in one pot, they saw a little çäk, a vegetable, was stuck up. So they brought it and Kåñëa took it, immediately. So as soon as Kåñëa took, all the Durväsä Muni and company, they, they felt that their belly is filled up. Tasmin tuñöo jagat tuñöaù. So they were feeling ashamed that “How we shall go? We cannot take any food?” So they fled away from the Ganges.

So the process is this, actually. If you can satisfy Kåñëa, if Kåñëa says, “All right,” then every, everything is all right. Bas. This is Kåñëa consciousness movement. Somehow or other, you satisfy Kåñëa. Saàsiddhir hari-toñaëam [SB 1.2.13]. Then you have all perfection. Very simple method. You try to satisfy Kåñëa, and your everything satisfied. Every, everything is perfect.

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2.14

“whatever they are hearing, they must be thoughtful and write.”

Therefore we have established Back to Godhead. The students are allowed, whatever they are hearing, they must be thoughtful and write. Kértitavyaç ca. Not only simply hearing. “Oh, I am hearing for millions of years; still, I cannot understand”—because you do not chant, you do not repeat what you have heard. You have to repeat. Kértitavyaç ca. çrotavyaù kértitavyaç ca dhyeyaù. And how can you write or how you can speak unless you think of Him? You are hearing about Kåñëa; you have to think, then you can speak. Otherwise not. So çrotavyaù kértitavyaç ca dhyeyaù and püjyaç ca.

Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.2.13-14 -- San Francisco, March 23, 1967

“you are hearing about God. Now you have to spread it…”

you are hearing about God. Now you have to spread it. Kértitavyaç ca. Not that “Oh, I have known God. That’s all right. Let me be satisfied.” No, you must preach. That is another business. Because people are ignorant. They do not know what is God; they are manufacturing God. They’re accepting some rascal as God. So what is real God, you must preach. Çrotavyaù kértitavyaç ca, dhyeyaù. And you should always think of God; then you will get intelligence. ..

So preaching, hearing, always thinking of, and worshiping. These four things are required. Then everything will be all right. It is not official business, that after one week you go and “God give us our daily bread” and go home. No. Nityadä, twenty-four hours we should be business, engaged in this business.

2.15

“The more you control, you become perfect. …”

So this is called intelligence. And cats and dogs, they are suffering; they don’t mind. “Oh, I...” They forget. You have got experience. A cat is coming to eat some milk here; you chastise, you... But again it comes, again it comes. Because it is animal. And the difference between animal and man is... Suppose there is very palatable dish. So man, unless he is offered, although he is greedy, although he is hankering after that food, but he’s awaiting the invitation, “Yes, you can take.” But cats and dogs, without invitation, catches. That is the difference between the man and animal. Animal cannot control; man can control. Although he is hungry, he can control, out of civility: “How can I taste without invitation?” So that is the difference. Therefore, the conclusion is, man’s life is meant for control. Not like animal: “I want to eat, immediately catch it.” A cat and dog or a cow or a bull—rape. As soon as there is a female, immediately rapes. So there is no

punishment. But if you do that on the street, raping, immediately you will be criminal. So that is the difference. The inclination is there, both in the animal and both and in the human being.

But a human being supposed to be controlled. That is human life. The more you control, you

become perfect. And though, the more you become loose, you are animal. That is the difference. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.2.15 -- Los Angeles, August 18, 1972

2.16

“this appreciation is also an, also a lift for such person.…”

People still, they are praising our activities. If we keep our standard, then they will appreciate. So this is called çraddhä. This appreciation is called çraddhä, çraddadhänasya. Even he does not join, if one says, "Oh, it is very nice, it is very... These people are good." Sometimes they, in papers they say that "These Hare Kåñëa people are nice. We want more of them." They say. So this appreciation is also an, also a lift for such person. If he doesn't hear, doesn't come, simply one says "It is very nice. Yes." Just like small children, a baby, he's also appreciating, trying to stand up with his cymbal. Appreciating. From the very beginning of life, appreciating, "It is nice." He knows or does not know, it doesn't matter. Simply appreciation is giving him a touch of spiritual life. It is so nice. Çraddhä. If they do not go against, simply appreciate, "Oh, they are doing nice..." So development of spiritual life means development of this appreciation, that's all.

(18)

“One who is very eager to hear, he can become, in future, the spiritual master…”

. Çuçrüñoù. One who is very eager to hear, he can become, in future, the spiritual master. Çuçrüñoù çraddadhänasya, with faith. Väsudeva-kathä-ruciù. Ruci means taste and väsudeva-kathä means Kåñëa, the topics of Kåñëa.

I am speaking of you of my personal experience how this eagerness of hearing is a very important thing. When I first met my spiritual master in 1933... Not... I met him first in

1922. Then for several years I was out of Calcutta and I could not meet him. Again next meeting was in 1933. So at that time I was simply inquiring from other disciples of my spiritual master. At that time I was not spiritual master, I mean to say, disciple. “So when His Holiness will speak?” So this information was noted by my spiritual master, and he was pleased to accept me immediately, that “This boy is very nice. He’s very inquisitive to hear. He does not go away.”

puëya-tértha “if you can find out such great souls…”

There are many good souls, great souls. So if you can find out such great souls, they are making their performances there. So if you find out some good, I mean to say, transcendentalist, and if you hear from him, then your process of life may be changed. So puëya-tértha-niñe... Or sometimes such persons, they travel all over the world also. So if you come in contact with such person and if you hear, then the väsudeva-kathä-ruciù is developed. Then your tendency for hearing about Kåñëa and Väsudeva will develop. This is the true thing, that you must be very much eager. And when you are eager, Kåñëa will send you. Kåñëa is within you. As soon as He understands that “Here is a person who actually wants transcendental elevation,” He makes you contact with such person. Such persons are all over. They are in the world. It is not rare. Of course, in this age it is very rare. But if we are sincere, if we are eager...So we have to become serious and very eager. Unless you become eager... God wants to see you, that how much you are eager. So with the development of our eagerness and sincerity to have our knowledge in spiritual understanding, God will help us.

Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.2.14-16 -- San Francisco, March 24, 1967

“Ruci means taste..”

Väsudeva-kathä-ruciù. So as soon as he gets a ruci... Ruci. Ruci means taste. “Ah, here is Kåñëa talks, very nice. Let me hear.” This very much you get the sword, immediately. The sword is in your hand. Väsudeva-kathä-ruciù. But the ruci comes to whom? This taste? Because, as I have several times explained, the taste, just like the sugar candy. Everyone knows it is very sweet, but if you give to a man who is suffering from jaundice, he’ll taste it’s bitter. Everyone knows sugar candy is sweet, but the particular man who is suffering from disease, jaundice, he will taste the sugar candy as very bitter. Everyone knows it. That’s a fact.

This ruci. Väsudeva-kathä-ruciù. Çuçrüñoù çraddadhänasya. So if you continually hear with faith and appreciation, then you will come to the stage of tasting,..

“satisfy a pure devotee… even there is some discrepancies, you get these qualities.”

Then there is taste. Now how this taste is created, that is also explained in the next line. Syän mahat-sevayä. Mahat-sevayä. Mahat means... I have already explained. A devotee, pure devotee, whose..., who has no other business than to serve Kåñëa, he is called mahat. So one has to engage himself in the service of the pure devotee. As soon as we serve a pure devotee... Yasya prasädät. If you satisfy a pure devotee by your service, then, even there is some

discrepancies, you get all these qualities. Syän mahat-sevayä räjan. Syän mahat-sevayä vipräù. Vipräù.

(19)

2.17

“..So Kåñëa is very selfish …..”

So Kåñëa is very selfish. He says... Here it is said: sva-kathäù kåñëaù. Anyone who is engaged in hearing Kåñëa’s kathä. Kathä means words, messages. So, in the Bhagavad-gétä also, Kåñëa says, mäm ekam: “Only unto Me.” Ekam. This is required. Although everything is Kåñëa, but according to the pantheist theory we cannot worship everything. Everything is Kåñëa, that’s a fact, but that does not mean we have to worship everything; we have to worship Kåñëa. …

puëya-çravaëa-kértanaù

“If you simply hear, you'll acquire some pious result…”

That hearing itself is puëya-çravaëa-kértanaù. If you simply hear, you'll acquire some pious result. çravaëa-kértanaù. And if you chant, you get more pious result. Puëya-çravaëa-kértanaù. The result will be hådy antaù-stho hy abhadräëi. All abhadräëi, all mischievous things will be washed away. Hådy antaù-stho hy abhadräëi vidhunoti. Vidhunoti. Kåñëa helps you to wash it away because He's your friend. He's everyone's friend, but a special friend to the devotees. Suhåt-satäm.

Bhagavad-gétä 13.15 -- Bombay, October 9, 1973

“They are accumulating something spiritual….”

Therefore to hear of kåñëa-kértana is also another pious activity. So these boys, when they are going in the street chanting Hare Kåñëa, automatically they are giving chance to the people to become pious. Hearing is so important. They are becoming pious. They are purchasing one copy, Back to Godhead. They are nodding: "Yes, these boys are very nice." They are accumulating something spiritual. It is so nice. Çåëvatäà sva-kathäù kåñëaù puëya-çravaëa-kértanaù [SB 1.2.17]. Simply by hearing, chanting, it is pious activities.

Bhagavad-gétä 7.1 -- Los Angeles, March 12, 1970

“..if he simply hears, he becomes pious ……”

Çåëvatäà sva-kathäù kåñëaù puëya-çravaëa-kértanaù [SB 1.2.17]. The whole world is full of sinful life. So we are creating the atmosphere, puëya-çravaëa. Chanting and hearing. Simply by these two processes. Puëya-çravaëa-kértanaù. Puëya, pious. So anyone who is coming here, even he does not understand a single word which we are speaking, if he simply hears, he becomes pious. Simply by hearing. Even a our child, he becomes pious. And unless we are free from our sinful life, we cannot understand about God….

Bhägavata-saptäha

If we attentively hear about Kåñëa, puëya-çravaëa-kértanaù, if we hear about Kåñëa, it doesn't matter what I am, but simply by hearing Kåñëa, about Kåñëa, I shall acquire some resultant action of pious activities. Just like there is the Bhägavata-saptäha. You, within a week, nobody can understand what is Bhägavata. And the speaker also does not know what he's speaking. But because somehow or other, they're hearing about Kåñëa, there is some pious resultant action. That's a fact.

“..ISKCON centers are open, just to give chance of hearing about Kåñëa..”

So we have to purify ourselves and the process is to hear about Kåñëa. That's all.

çåëvatäà sva-kathäù Kåñëa… This temple, these ISKCON centers are open, just to give everyone the chance of hearing about Kåñëa so that his dirty heart may be cleansed. This is the purpose. We have no other purpose. We are not opening these centers for some material benefit. No, we want to give to the whole world the spiritual enlightenment without which they are suffering. And this human form of body is especially meant for this purpose to understand our spiritual position.

(20)

Suhåt satäm

“Kåñëa will help us to remove that dirt..….”

Çåëvatäm... How He'll help you? He'll help you in the same process, dusting over, I mean to say, dust out, to take out all the dirty things which have accumulated within our mind. Çåëvatäà sva-kathäù kåñëaù puëya-çravaëa-kértanaù, hådy antaù-stho hy abhadräëi. Abhadräëi means the dirty things, the dirty things which we have accumulated by our material association, Kåñëa will help us to remove that dirt. Hådy antaù-stho hy abhadräëi vidhunoti suhåt satäm. Because He is a friend of all saintly persons. He's a friend. So our endeavor to become Kåñëa conscious is a saintly endeavor, and so He also cooperates.

Bhagavad-gétä 4.7-9 -- New York, July 22, 1966

“ If a son is in difficulty, the father is more anxious…”

So our Kåñëa consciousness movement is giving this chance to everyone. Everyone, without any discrimination. So how it is purified? One may say that “Simply by hearing how one becomes purified?” No. Kåñëa helps. Here it is said: hådy antaù stho hy abhadräëi vidhunoti suhåt satäm. Kåñëaù vidhunoti. Kåñëa helps you. Those who are hearing with attention... Kåñëa is within you, everyone, Paramätmä. Éçvaraù sarva-bhütänäà håd-deçe ’rjuna tiñöhati [Bg. 18.61]. Kåñëa is with you. Kåñëa is so kind, Kåñëa is so sympathetic, as soon as He sees, “Oh, this soul...” Because every soul is Kåñëa’s son... So He’s very much anxious. Just like a father. If a son is in difficulty, the father is more anxious; “How this boy will be rescued from this difficulty?” Similarly, we are suffering in this material world. Kåñëa is more anxious to get us back to home, back to Godhead. Therefore, as soon as He sees, “Oh, he is hearing about Me. Oh, thank you. I shall help you.” Immediately He vidhunoti, He washes all the dirty things.

abhadräëi

This, the principle abhadräëi means illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating, and gambling. These are the four pillars of abhadräëi.

2.18

“bhägavata-sevayä, not bhagavän-sevayä…”

So here it is said bhägavata-sevayä, not bhagavän-sevayä. Bhagavän is Kåñëa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and bhägavata means in relation with Bhagavän, who has got relationship with Bhagavän. So here it is recommended bhägavata-sevayä, not bhagavän-sevayä. The idea is that you cannot approach Bhagavän, God, directly. That is not possible. First of all, you have to serve bhägavata, the devotee bhägavata.. So the question was, “Which worship is best?” So Lord Çiva replied, ärädhanänäà sarveñäà viñëor ärädhanaà param: “My dear Pärvaté, of all methods of worship, Viñëu worship is the topmost.” There are many demigods’ worship, even Lord Çiva’s worship, but Lord Çiva says, “Viñëu worship is the best.” Then he says again, tasmät parataraà devi. “My dear Devi, better than that Viñëu worship is tadéyänäà samarcanam.” Tadéya. Tadéya means those who are in relationship with Viñëu, tadéya. Just like

His devotee, tadéya. Tulasé-våkña. Tulasé is tadéya. Or temple tadéya. Preaching tadéya.

Tadéyänäà samarcanam. This is bhägavata. So Lord Çiva recommends that “Of all methods of worship, Viñëu worship is the best, and better than Viñëu worship is to worship His devotee or things in relationship with Him.”

Nityam: “not a single moment leaving aside…”

Therefore it is recommended here: nityam, daily, or constantly, twenty-four hours. We have to mold our life in such a way that twenty-four hours, not a single moment leaving aside, we should be engaged in bhägavata-sevayä, in the service of Lord’s relations. The

Çrémad-Bhägavatam, Bhagavad-gétä, the spiritual master, tulasé-devé, the temple, the preaching, the books—these are all bhägavata. So nityaà bhägavata-sevayä.