सोमवार, 30 सितंबर 2024

Srimad-Bhagavatam: The Rāsa Dance

Srimad-Bhagavatam: The Rāsa Dance

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Srila Prabhupada speaks on: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.13–14

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.13–14

New York, July 27, 1971

Prabhupāda: So we have been discussing this verse for the last two days. Tyāgena. Partially I have already explained tyāga, renounce. There is some natural tendency also for renouncing. When one gets to the topmost of material opulence, immediately there is a tendency for renunciation. This hippie movement is like that. They have got a good qualification that they have renounced this materialistic way of life, tyāgena.

The, there are two kinds of tendencies: one is bhoga and one is tyāga. Bhoga means enjoyment, sense enjoyment, and tyāga means to give up this material world. But without guidance, one does not know how to renounce this material world. That is called tyāga.

Bhoga and tyāga, two kinds of tendencies are going on in this material world. First of all they want to enjoy, and when they are frustrated in enjoyment, then there is renouncement. Again when they are tired of renouncement, again enjoyment. Just like the clock pendulum, this side and that side—tock, tock, tock, tock.

Similarly, we are oscillating: sometimes in the platform of enjoyment and sometimes on the platform of renouncement. Two things are there in this material world. The karmīs, they are trying to enjoy this world, whole day and night that expressway, always trucks and cars are going on—sohn-sohn-sohn-sohn. Bhoga, how to enjoy first class. Another, the hippies, they don't want to do anything. Both sides are there in your country, bhoga and tyāga. But in neither of the paths you'll be happy, because that is not your proper position. You cannot enjoy or you cannot renounce.

Actually, the whole thing belongs to Kṛṣṇa. Nothing belongs to anyone. Whatever you have got in possession, that is Kṛṣṇa's property. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam [Īśo mantra 1]. Everything. You do..., you try to understand. The trees, the plants, the water, the land—have you produced it? Then how do you claim that it is your land, it is your country, it is your water, it is your tree? That is the wrong position. And similarly, tyāga, renouncement... What can you renounce? What you had? What is the meaning of renouncement? You had nothing.

You came here in this world from the womb of your mother empty-handed, a child. Then you falsely claim: "This is my country, this is my home, this is my wife, this is my children, this is my property, this is my bank balance, this is my skyscraper building..." All these false. Because you did not brought this. You came empty-handed, and when you go, you go empty-handed. The things are there. The bank balance is there. The building is there. You cannot take anything. So what is the meaning of bhoga and tyāga?

There is no meaning. Either now, neither able to enjoy, because it is not your property... If you want to enjoy others' property, then you'll be implicated in criminal offenses. And if you say others' property, "I renounce this bank. I renounce this Bank of America," when did it belong to you, that you are making renouncement? This is all lunacy. Then, what to do?

That is direction given by Kṛṣṇa: sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja [Bg. 18.66]. You have created different types of religion on the basis of this bhoga and tyāga. So you give up all them. Then? Mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: "You surrender unto Me." Because you cannot enjoy nor make any renunciation.

But here it is said tapasā, tyāgena: by renouncing. Renouncing means that you are falsely possessing. So you give it to Kṛṣṇa, the original proprietor. Just like one-hundred-dollars note, a child has taken from the father. The child does not know how to use that hundred dollars note, but he..., he'll not give it to the father. "No, I shall not give it." Father is begging: "Oh, my dear child, you are so nice. [laughter] Kindly give it to me." Actually the note belongs to the father. But because he's child, he's innocent, ignorant, he does not know.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, dadāsi yat kuruṣva mad-arpaṇam [Bg. 9.27]. Dāna, this tyāga, "You renounces this world for Me. You renounce your wealth, your property for Me." The same thing. Everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa. He's not a beggar. But He's patting the child, "Oh, you are very good boy. Kindly give it to Me." That is the way. Kṛṣṇa is so kind. Because... The same example: the child does not know how to utilize that hundred dollars note. He'll simply spoil it. The best thing is to give it over, hand it over to the father. He knows how to use it. It is his property.

Similarly, this tyāgena means to practice to give everything to Kṛṣṇa. Everything. Tyāgena. Śamena damena tyāgena. This is the different steps of elevating yourself to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa śamena damena ca, tyāgena satya-śaucābhyām [SB 6.1.13]. Satya means truthfulness. One should know what is truth, ultimate truth, Absolute Truth.

We are concerned with relative truths, but we have to know the Absolute Truth. Just like in the Bhāgavata Vyāsadeva is offering his respect, obeisances, satyaṁ paraṁ dhīmahi [SB 1.1.1]: "I offer my respect to the Supreme Truth, not to the relative truth." We are concerned with relative truth, categorical truth, not the summum bonum.

Śaucābhyām: cleanliness. This is also required. Cleanliness. You should take bath twice, thrice, at least once. That is hygienic. Bāhyābhyantara-śuciḥ. One should be cleansed. Bāhya means externally, and abhyantaram, internally. Externally, you take soap, water, soda and cleanse yourself, body. Take bath, cleanse, keep your clothings very cleansed. Unclean habit will not help you, unclean habit. Cleanliness is godliness.

Truthful. Truthfulness. These are the qualities of brāhmaṇa. Satyaṁ śamo damas titikṣā ārjavam āstikyaṁ jñānaṁ vijñānaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam [Bg. 18.42]. Those who are brāhmaṇas, they must be qualified with all these symptoms. Satyam. This satyam, truthful. How truthful? You, even before your enemies, you'll disclose everything. Such truthful. That is the instruction of ācāryas. We want to disclose everything, hide. But truthfulness means even to a enemy you should be truthful.

Satyaṁ śamam. This śamam, controlling the mind. Damam, controlling the senses. Satyaṁ samo damaḥ śaucam, cleanliness. Ārjavam, simplicity. No duplicity; simplicity. Ārjavam āstikyam. Faith in Vedas, that is called āstikyam. Just like Bhagavad-gītā, part of Vedas. Here Kṛṣṇa says, "I am the Supreme Lord." So you have to accept Him by faith. This is called āstikyam. Āstikyam, jñānam. Not foolishly, but with knowledge, full knowledge. And vijñānam, practical application in life. Brahma-karma svabhāva-jam. This is the natural symptoms of a brāhmaṇa.

So you are all initiated to become brāhmaṇa. You have become brāhmaṇa. Don't become false brāhmaṇa. Real brāhmaṇa. It is not by birth; it is by education, by practice, by knowledge. So we are offering the sacred thread to the Americans and Europeans in the Western countries, and some of our Indian contemporaries, they are not very happy with my action. They are under contemplation that a brāhmaṇa can be, I mean to say, seen by birthright. No. No. Brāhmaṇa is by qualification. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. That is the verdict of Kṛṣṇa.

We are concerned with Kṛṣṇa, not any other else. Kṛṣṇa says, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ [Bg. 4.13]: "By division of quality and..., guṇa and work, one must have the symptoms, the quality of a brāhmaṇa and work as a brāhmaṇa." Not that... Quality will be tested by work. Suppose if you are engineer; you have got the quality of... But if you sit down at home, what is your value? You must be engaged in some engineer work.

Suppose you are lawyer, and if you don't go to the court and sleep at your home, then what is the worth of your studying law? Therefore guṇa-karma. One should not be simply qualified as engineer or lawyer, but he must work also as engineer, as lawyer. Then he's bona fide. Similarly, unless you work as a brāhmaṇa, so simply saying that "I am a brāhmaṇa," what is the value? Useless. They... Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ. There must be quality and work also.

So here we are qualifying the students to be raised in the brahminical platform, and they're working also as brāhmaṇa. How they are working as brāhmaṇa? Because they're fully engaged in Paraṁ Brahma's service, Kṛṣṇa's service. Therefore they are brāhmaṇa. Brahma jānāti iti brāhmaṇaḥ. Without knowing, nobody can render service. They are not rendering service in the ear. They are serving Kṛṣṇa factually. Here is sitting Kṛṣṇa with Rādhārāṇī. Therefore they're brāhmaṇa by quality and work. Guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ [Bg. 4.13].

So this is paraṁ satyaṁ dhīmahi [SB 1.1.1]. They are worshiping the Supreme Truth, Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is the Absolute Truth.

īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ
sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ
anādir ādir govindaḥ
sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam
[Bs. 5.1]

Cause of all causes. Relative truth is the effect of the Absolute Truth. But He's Absolute Truth. He's the supreme cause, and everything is effect. Cause of all causes. Sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam. Satya-śaucābhyām and... How these things can be executed? Yamena niyamena vā. Yama-niyama. The practice of yoga is based on this principle of yama-niyama, regulating—controlling, regulating. Regulation cannot be executed without control. Therefore yamena niyamena vā. These are the process.

If you want to elevate... Our topics began: the people are suffering. Although one knows that "This is not good, what I am doing..." He has heard, he has seen also the effect of it... The same example: A man who has stolen some property, he's arrested. And he knew it, that "If I steal, I'll be punished." But he has done it, the same thing. He knew it.

He heard it from the police courts or from the śāstras that stealing is not good. He knew it. He heard it from authorities. Still, he has done it. So Parīkṣit Mahārāja's question is, "What is this atonement?" If he, although knowing and hearing, completely in knowledge, still he's forced to do something, to steal, or to something criminal, what then is the use of putting him into the jail or atonement? He'll come again, and again do the same thing.

Therefore he's saying that actually atonement is knowledge. "Why I am stealing? What is the use?" Vimarśanam, prāyaścittaṁ vimarśanam. Vimarśanam means to be thoughtful. Without being thoughtful, philosopher, how one can understand what is his position? Thoughtful. And that thoughtfulness comprehends so many things. Tapasā.

One has to learn it by tapasya. Just like if one wants to pass M.A. examination, then he has to go school, follow the principle of the schools, college, study, and take some pains. Then gradually he'll come a passed M.A. student. And if he plays all the day on the street, how he can? That is not possible.

Therefore the process is being explained by Śukadeva Gosvāmī: tapasā. First thing is tapasya, austerity. Even it is painful... Austerity's painful. Brahmacarya is painful. Because we want, unrestricted, to do everything. But no. As soon as it is regulated, it appears to be painful. When it is practiced, it is not painful. One brahmacārī in Indian city, in severe cold, he was sleeping in the open air, without any covering. And it was severe cold. But it is practice. During Māgha-melā, many saintly persons come there on the bank of the Gaṅgā, Ganges—this year we had our own camp; we have seen—the whole night they are sitting in the open air, without any covering. So practice.

So practice means if you undergo austerity, tapasya, everything will be practiced. That is a Bengali proverb: śarīre nā mahāśaya[?]. Mahāśaya is a word used in India, a very respectable gentleman, mahāśaya. So this śarīra, this body, is mahāśaya. Ya sa haye sa taicha[?]. Whatever he'll practice, it will be accustomed. So practice. So here this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is bringing them to the practice. Therefore you find so nice boys and girls. They're practiced. As soon as they're neglectful to the practice—falls down. They cannot stay. Immediately goes out. So that is called austerity, tapasya. Practice. Practical life.

So these are the processes.

tapasā brahmacaryeṇa
śamena ca damena ca
tyāgena satya-śaucābhyāṁ
yamena niyamena vā
deha-vāg-buddhijaṁ dhīrā
dharmajñāḥ śraddhayānvitāḥ
kṣipanty aghaṁ mahad api
veṇu-gulmam ivānalaḥ
[SB 6.1.13-14]

Veṇu-gulmam ivānalaḥ. Just like there is a jungle—so many unwanted creepers—so you set fire. Everything will be burned into ashes, and the field will be cleared, cleansed. So it is said, deha-vāg-buddhijaṁ dhīrā dharmajñāḥ śraddhayānvitāḥ. Those who are dhīra... Dhīra and adhīra. Dhīra means sober and adhīra means extravagant. There are two classes of men, dhīra and adhīra. Here Śukadeva Gosvāmī's speaking of the dhīra. Who is dhīra? Dhīra means in spite of provocation, in spite of something present which agitates the mind, one remains, I mean to say, in his position, steady. He's called dhīra.

The dhīra example is given by Kālidāsa Paṇḍita, a great poet in India, Sanskrit poet, long, long ago. He has written one book: Kumāra-sambhava. Kumāra-sambhava. In our college we read that book in Sanskrit class. Kumāra-sambhava. So he has given one example of dhīra about Lord Śiva, Mahādeva. He was meditating, and the demigods, they had a plan, that "The demons are fighting with us. We are being defeated. We want a commander-in-chief who must be born out of the semina of Lord Śiva." But he was in meditation. So how to do it?

So Pārvatī, she was sent. She was young girl. And she was worshiping the genital of Lord Śiva. So a young girl touching the genital, and she's present, but still Lord Śiva was in meditation. So Kālidāsa—here is the example of dhīra. He's called dhīra. In spite of presence of a young girl touching the genital, he's not, I mean to say, disturbed.

Just like Haridāsa Ṭhākura. You have heard the Haridāsa Ṭhākura. He was chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, and somebody wanted to cut down. He was young man. So young prostitute was sent at dead of night. And he..., she proposed... Haridāsa Ṭhākura said, "Yes, it is very nice proposal. Please sit down. Let me finish my chanting, and I shall enjoy." So it became morning. The prostitute became, I mean to say, perturbed. And Haridāsa Ṭhākura replied, "I am very sorry. I could not finish my chanting. Please come this night again."

The first night, second night..., third night the prostitute fell down on his feet and said, "Sir, this was my intention. I was induced to do this act by some man who is your enemy. So kindly excuse me." So Haridāsa Ṭhākura replied, "I knew that. But because you came to me, therefore I allowed you to come here, three days, so that you may be converted to be a devotee. So now take these chanting beads. You sit down, go on chanting. I am leaving this place." Here is another dhīra.

So here it is said, deha-vāg-buddhijaṁ dhīrā dharmajñāḥ. One who has control, deha, the body; vāk, the words; buddhi, intelligence—they are dhīra. So this tridaṇḍī. This tridaṇḍī-sannyāsa means to become dhīra, controlling śarīra; deha, the body; vāk, words; and intelligence. These things should be utilized. How? By dhīra, those who are dhīra. Dharmajña: one who knows actually the principle of religion. Dharmajña. Deha-vāg-buddhijaṁ dhīrā dharmajñāḥ śraddhayānvitāḥ, kṣipanty aghaṁ mahad api.

So because our life is continuously committing sinful activities, from time immemorial... You do not know when it began. Evolution, many births. Therefore this life is meant for rectifying all mistakes that we had committed in our previous lives or in this life. How? By this process: kṣipanty agham. Agham means the resultant action of sinful life. Mahad api. Although it is very great, mahad api, how? Veṇu-gulmam, veṇu-gulmam ivānalaḥ. Just like if you set fire to the unwanted grass and creepers in the field. You set fire, and they will be all burned. Similarly, by this process, tapasā brahmacaryeṇa, you can liquidate all of your sinful activities of life and you become purified.

So the next process, another alternative process, is being suggested by Śukadeva Gosvāmī:

kecit kevalayā bhaktyā
vāsudeva-parāyaṇāḥ
aghaṁ dhunvanti kārtsnyena
nīhāram iva bhāskaraḥ
[SB 6.1.15]

Kecit, not all. Kecit means somebody. Somebody, not all. Generally, people understand austerity or pious life by this process. What is that? Brahmacarya, śama-dama, yama-niyama, tyāga, renunciation: "Oh, he's very pious man." But another man, kecit... That is also kecit, not all. Kecit means somebody. Kecit kevalayā bhaktyā. Simply by pure devotional service. Simply by pure devotional service, vāsudeva-parāyaṇāḥ, I mean, inclined to Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa. Vāsudeva-parāyaṇāḥ. Or somebody simply by becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious, aghaṁ dhunvanti, they kills all resultant action of sinful life. Dhunvanti. Aghaṁ dhunvanti kārtsnyena, wholesale.

How it is? Nīhāram iva bhāskaraḥ. Just like there is fog and, as soon as the sun rises, whole fog gone, finished. Very good example. The fog is dense; you cannot see the next person. It is so dangerous. When there is fog in the ocean, they stop all the ships. I have experience. And the aeroplanes, sometimes they clash; they move very carefully. It is very dangerous, fog. Those who are... But as soon as there is sunrise some way or other, everything finished. Similarly, some way or other, if you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, all the sinful reaction of your life immediately finished like the fog.

So, but... This process is accepted kecit, somebody, very fortunate. Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore said,

ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva
guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja
[Cc. Madhya 19.151]

The Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not for ordinary person. It is meant for very, very fortunate person. But simply by accepting one thing, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he finishes all business of brahmacarya, tyāga, yama, niyama, śama, dama—everything.

So Śukadeva Gosvāmī is prescribing kecit kevalayā bhaktyā [SB 6.1.15]. Kevala bhaktyā. Kevala-bhakti. There is no mixture. Kevala means only pure devotional service. What is that pure devotional service?

anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ
jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam
ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-
śīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā
[Brs.1.1.11]

No other desire than to please Kṛṣṇa. Not that "I have become a devotee. Now my income will increase," or "I shall be..." That, that will come automatically. You want money to increase your income to become happy. But if you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, automatically you'll be so happy that you'll neglect to collect money. That will automatically come. There is no need of separate endeavor. Happiness will come. Yaṁ labdhvā.

Just like Dhruva, Dhruva Mahārāja. He was so lamenting. Those who are recording, I mean, transcribing my tapes, how he was lamenting, that "How foolish I was that I took to devotional service with a desire for some material profit." He was so much repentant. So that is..., that is another profit of the devotee. For material profit, somebody goes to somebody—some boss, some rich man, some demigod, some powerful man. But a devotee does not go anywhere. He goes to Kṛṣṇa only, even if he has got material desires. That is the advantage. This advantage: that if you go to Kṛṣṇa for some material advantage even, then day will come, you'll forget that material advantage.

Just like Dhruva Mahārāja, he was repentant, that "I came to Kṛṣṇa for asking some material..." The example is given: Just like one has pleased a very big, rich man, and the rich man said, "All right, you ask me whatever you want. I shall give you." So when he's asked to beg whatever he wants, then if he asks that "Give me some broken rice grains," is that very good proposal? If he's asking that "You can ask anything else from me"—he's a rich man—ask him for millions of dollars or something like that. But instead of..., if you ask, for your foolishness, that "Please give me some broken grains of rice..."

So similarly, to go to Kṛṣṇa and to ask for some material benefit is exactly like this, to go to some rich man and ask from him, "Please give me some broken grains of rice." Why one should ask for material happiness from Kṛṣṇa? Material happiness will roll on his feet: "Please take me. Please take me." These Kṛṣṇa conscious boys and girls, in sixty centers, just see how they are materially opulent. They're living in the best house. They're eating the best food. They're in best consciousness. They have got the best hope. Everything best. Their feature of body is best. What you want material happiness more than this? They have got wife, children, happiness, home—everything—full.

So material happiness is nothing to a Kṛṣṇa conscious person. He gets automatically, by the grace of Kṛṣṇa. There is no need of asking for it. Simply be steady to ask Kṛṣṇa, "Please engage me in Your service." Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanam [Cc. Madhya 19.167]. How Kṛṣṇa will be satisfied—then your satisfaction will automatically come. Don't bother for material happiness.

Thank you very much. [devotees offer obeisances] [break]

Guest: [long question in Hindi]

Prabhupāda: [Hindi] twenty-four hours meditation. [Hindi] [end]

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रविवार, 29 सितंबर 2024

Srimad-Bhagavatam: The Reunion

Srimad-Bhagavatam: The Reunion

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Srila Prabhupada speaks on: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.13-14

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.13-14

Honolulu, May 14, 1976
Prabhupāda: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. [devotees repeat] Texts number thirteen and fourteen. [leads devotees in chanting]
tapasā brahmacaryeṇa
śamena ca damena ca
tyāgena satya-śaucābhyāṁ
yamena niyamena vā
deha-vāg-buddhijaṁ dhīrā
dharmajñāḥ śraddhayānvitāḥ
kṣipanty aghaṁ mahad api
veṇu-gulmam ivānalaḥ
[SB 6.1.13–14]
[02:29]
So, how to become advanced, these are the prescribed methods. Tapasā. Tapasā... Tapa means voluntarily taking some disadvantage. That is tapa. Tapa. Tapa means, just like if there is fire, so there is heat. But the method of tapasya is that during summer season they ignite some firewood all round and sit down. Already there is scorching heat, and still, all round fire, and one has to sit. These are the some of the examples of tapasya. Similarly, in the winter season it is very cold = one has to go down the water up to neck. This is the meaning of tapasya: voluntarily accepting some severe condition of life. So in this age it is very difficult, but this is the meaning of tapasya, voluntarily accepting inconveniences. When there is cold, one has to take the help of heater, fire. No. No heater, no fire, but go deep into the cold water. Of course, it is very difficult in your country, because the water is so cold, and if you go deep, immediately finish. [laughter] I have seen in New York. One dog, he jumped over---immediately finished. I have seen it. That is actual fact.
So Caitanya Mahāprabhu is so kind and..., that these people in this age, they will not be able to undergo severe austerity. That is not possible. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ [SB 1.1.10]. In this age every man is alpāyuṣaḥ. Alpāyuṣaḥ means very short-living. The limit is hundred years, but who is going to live hundred years? Nobody is. If one is eighty, seventy years, it is considered... Within sixty, seventy years everyone finished. But the age limit is hundred years. So what tapasya he'll do? What meditation he will do? In the Satya-yuga, by meditation one could get perfection. Just like Vālmīki Muni. He meditated for sixty thousands of years. Because in those days a man used to live for 100,000's of years. Gradually it is reducing. In the Satya-yuga man and woman used to live, human being, up to 100,000's of years. Then, next yuga, it was ten thousands of years, reduced by ten times. And then, next yuga, next millennium, it is one thousands of years. And now, in the Kali-yuga, it is one hundred years. So it is very difficult to perform tapasya. But the recommendation is there, tapasā brahmacaryena [SB 6.1.13].
So brahmacarya. Tapasya begins---brahmacarya, celibacy, no sex life. That is the beginning of tapasya. Meditation means tapasya. So tapasā brahmacaryeṇa śamena [SB 6.1.13]. Śama, to control the senses, to keep in equilibrium. Senses may not be agitated. Damena, even it is agitated, by my knowledge I have to curb down. Just like if I become agitated by seeing a beautiful girl, or for woman, a beautiful boy... That is natural. Yuvatīnāṁ yathā yūni yūnām yathā yuvaḥ [Vijñāpti-pañcaka]. Young boy, young girl, they are naturally attracted. There is nothing surprising. But tapasya means that "I have taken vow, no illicit sex." That is knowledge. "Why? Even if I am attracted, I shall not do this." This is tapasya. And "Because I am now attracted, now we shall enjoy"---that is not tapasya. Tapasya means even one is attracted, he should not act. That is tapasya. There may be some difficulty to control, but that should be practiced. It can be practiced. It is not very difficult. But one has to practice the determination = "Now I have taken vow before Deity, because at the time of initiation it is promised before the Deity, before the fire and before the spiritual master, before the Vaiṣṇava, that 'I'll not have illicit sex.' That is promised. How can I break it?" This is tapasya. "I have taken vow before the Deity, before fire, before my spiritual master, before the Vaiṣṇavas, 'No illicit sex, no meat-eating, no drinking or intoxication, no gambling.' I have promised it. If I am gentleman, how can I break my promise?" This is called jñāna. With knowledge one has to respect. That is called tapasya. With knowledge. Otherwise, to become attracted, that is not unnatural. Caitanya Mahāprabhu used to say... He was sannyāsī. He said that "Even if I see a doll made of wood, a beautiful woman, My mind becomes agitated." So what to speak of us? So this is the example, Caitanya Mahāprabhu giving Himself... To be agitated in the mind, that is not unnatural, but if you practice, then you'll not be agitated anymore. If you practice by your knowledge, then you'll not be agitated. That is called dhīra. Dhīras tatra na muhyati [Bg. 2.13]. You have to become dhīra.
Dhīra and adhīra, there are two classes of men. One is sober, even there is cause of agitation, still he remains firm. He is called dhīra. And adhīra means as soon as there is cause of agitation, he became a victim. That is called adhīra. So we have to become dhīra. We have been adhīra in so many different forms of life, because I am coming to this human form of life after evolution of 8,000,000 forms of body. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa viṁśati [Padma Purāṇa]. That is evolution. So after... Bahu sambhavānte [SB 11.9.29]. After many, many years I have got this opportunity. In other, lower animal life, I have enjoyed the senses in so many ways. So sense enjoyment is not very difficult. Even there... Viṣayaḥ khalu sarvataḥ syāt [SB 11.9.29]. The hogs and pigs, they have got facility for sense enjoyment. They do not care even who is who. Even she is mother or she is sister or she is daughter, they will enjoy sex. That is hog life. You have seen. There is no discrimination. And the monkeys, they are enjoying sex life. So everyone enjoys sense life. So "Why? I have got this valuable life, human form of life. Why I shall become a living entity like hogs and dogs?" This is called tapasya. "Why I shall become hogs and dogs and again I shall put myself in the cycle of birth and death? I have got this life after so many evolutionary process. Why not practice little tapasya in this life?" This is knowledge. "If by practicing little tapasya, restraint, I can get relief from this repetition of birth and death, why shall I not do it?" This is knowledge. And if I again become victimized... The laws of nature is there. If you want, you can enjoy. Nature will give you = "All right, you want so much sex. All right, come on, become a hog. Yes." So nature is ready. It is not very difficult. Therefore the śāstra says, "No, no, no. This life is not for becoming a hog and dog." Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛ-loke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye [SB 5.5.1].
The whole world is working so hard. They are going to the office; they are going to the..., working hours to earn livelihood. But what is the pleasure? The pleasure is sex. That's all. Their ultimate goal is sex. Yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham [SB 7.9.45]. So one should consider, "The sex indulgence is given to the hogs and dogs, and for the same enjoyment I'll have to work so hard?" This is knowledge. "For same enjoyment?" I have got this human form of life for understanding Kṛṣṇa, for understanding God, my position, what I am. I am not this body. I am spirit soul. I have been put into this body, and because I have been put into this body---the body is material---it must finished. It must be finished. Anything, it has got six changes. Anything material, it has got birth, it has got growth, it has got after-effect, then dwindles, and then finished---everything, anything you take, the material. This is called ṣaḍ-vikāra, six kinds of changes. So I am eternal. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre [Bg. 2.20]. I do not die after this body is finished, and again I will have to... Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ [Bg. 2.13]. So this is knowledge. One has to always think of this. That is called tapasya.
So a little... Kaṇḍūyanena karayor iva duḥkha-duḥkham [SB 7.9.45]. This is śāstra, that "What is this sex life?" It is said, kaṇḍūyanena karayor iva duḥkha-duḥkham. Yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham [SB 7.9.45]. Gṛhamedhi. Gṛhamedhi means one who does not know what is the aim of life. Gṛhamedhi and gṛhastha. Gṛhastha means although he is living with wife and children, but he knows what is the aim of life. That is the gṛhastha āśrama. As the sannyāsī knows what is the aim of life, similarly, a gṛhastha also may know. So such gṛhastha, sex life is allowed, who knows the aim of life. And one who does not know the aim of life, simply enjoys sex, he is called gṛhamedhi. These two words are there. In Sanskrit literature every word has got particular meaning, particular thought. Therefore it is called saṁskṛta, most performed and purified literature, saṁskṛta. Saṁskṛta means purified, saṁskāra, just like we offer saṁskāra at the time of initiation, purification. So our main problem is the sex life. That is... Because sex life is the basic principle of material life. Either you are human being or you are demigod or you are a bird, you are a beast, you are a fly, you are a fish, you are tree, plants---everything---the basic principle of material life is sex. Puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam etat tayor mitho hṛdaya-granthim āhuḥ [SB 5.5.8]. Everything is there. You have to... You have got books. You study and follow the practice. Be little sober. Then you will... It is not that you'll not be able. You'll be able. And Kṛṣṇa will help. As soon as you are very eager, then Kṛṣṇa will help = teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam [Bg. 10.10].
So therefore the Deity worship is there. Along with Deity worship we should always pray, "Kṛṣṇa, kindly save me from the pitfalls of māyā." He'll do it. But if we want to cheat Kṛṣṇa and cheat guru, then you'll be cheated. That's all. The guru will not be cheated, neither Kṛṣṇa will be cheated. You'll be cheated. That's all. If you want to be cheated, then do whatever you like and prolong your this term of repetition of birth and death. And if you want to stop it, then here, the tapasā brahmacaryeṇa ṣamena ca damena ca tyāgena [SB 6.1.13]. Tyāgena. This is also one of the tapasya. Don't keep with you anything, even... Then you will make plan = "Let me have illicit sex. Let me have intoxication," as soon as you have got money. Best thing is, as soon as you get money, immediately you spend it for Kṛṣṇa. Tyāgena, charity. Charity. Tyāgena means charity. Not that you starve. No. That kind of starvation... You keep yourself fit to execute Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but don't keep much money. Immediately give in charity to Kṛṣṇa.
Kṛṣṇa can take your charity as much as you can give. Just like Bali, Bali Mahārāja. Bali Mahārāja, he secured the whole three worlds. He became the master of the three worlds, means the upper planetary system, down planetary system, middle planet. So, but he was a devotee also. Therefore Kṛṣṇa came to him as Vāmana.
chalayasi vikramaṇe balim adbhuta vāmana
pada-nakha-nīra-janita-jana-pāvana
keśava dhṛta vāmana śarīra
jaya jagadīśa...
[Daśāvatāra Stotra 5]
So because he was very proud of his possession, so Vāmanadeva came to Bali Mahārāja = "Mahārāja, you are kṣatriya. You are very charitable, I have heard. If you can give me little land?" So Bali Mahārāja was very much pleased = "Yes, I will give You. How much land You want?" "Now, three feet." "Three feet? For this You have come to me?" "Yes, that much, yes." So, "All right, I will give You three feet." So by one feet He covered the whole sky, and the other feet, He covered the whole down planetary system. So Bali Mahārāja understood that what kind of beggar is He. [laughter] Yes. So Vāmanadeva said, "My dear Bali Mahārāja, you promised three feet, but by two feet you have finished all your possession. So what about the other feet?" So Bali Mahārāja, he was a devotee. He said, "My Lord, don't be worried. Still there is. It is my head. Place Your other feet on my head." So Vāmanadeva said, "Now you have purchased Me by your charity. I shall remain your doorkeeper." So if you make charity to Kṛṣṇa you can purchase Kṛṣṇa. Yes. Although Kṛṣṇa is all-powerful proprietor, you can purchase Kṛṣṇa. So do that. If you have got any money, spend for Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Thank you very much.
Devotees: Jaya! [end]
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शनिवार, 28 सितंबर 2024

अन्नदा एकादशी – Annada Ekadashi

|| जय श्री कृष्ण चैतन्य, प्रभु नित्यानंद, श्री अद्वैत, गदाधर, श्रीवास आदि गौर भक्त वृन्द ||


एकादशी व्रत को सबसे फलदायी और पवित्र व्रत और भगवान को सबसे प्रिय माना जाता है। 

इस दिन व्रत करने से 

  • सभी पापों से मुक्ति मिल जाती है, 
  • सोना, अन्न, भूमि, गाय, कन्यादान, यज्ञ, तीर्थयात्रा आदि जैसे सभी दानों में से इस दिन व्रत करने से सभी प्रकार के पापों से अधिक पुण्य प्राप्त होता है। 
  • यह परमेश्वर को प्रसन्न करने का सबसे आसान तरीका है।

ब्रह्म वैवर्त पुराण में युधिष्ठिर महाराज और परम भगवान श्रीकृष्ण के बीच हुए संवाद में अन्नदा एकादशी के महत्व का वर्णन किया गया है।  युधिष्ठिर महाराज ने भगवान श्रीकृष्ण से पूछा- हे जनार्दन, भाद्र मास के कृष्ण पक्ष में जो एकादशी आती है उसका क्या नाम है? कृपया इस एकादशी के माहात्म्य का विस्तारपूर्वक वर्णन करें।

भगवान श्रीकृष्ण का उत्तर- हे राजन, इस शुभ एकादशी का नाम अन्नदा एकादशी है। इसमें सभी पापों को नष्ट करने की शक्ति है। इस एकादशी को अजा एकादशी के नाम से भी जाना जाता है। इसलिए जो कोई भी इस एकादशी का व्रत रखकर और हृषिकेश की पूजा करके पालन करता है उसे अनैतिक कार्य से छुटकारा मिल सकता है।

बहुत समय पहले भगवान राम चन्द्र के वंश में हरिश्चन्द्र नाम के एक सम्राट पैदा हुए। वह बहुत सच्चा था. पूर्व में किए गए किसी पाप के कारण और अपने वचनों को पूरा करने के लिए उसने अपना राज्य खो दिया। इतना ही नहीं, उसने अपनी पत्नी और बेटे को भी बेच दिया।

हे राजन, उस पवित्र हृदय वाले, धन्य राजा को चांडाल का सेवक बनकर रहना पड़ा। फिर भी उन्होंने सत्य का मार्ग कभी नहीं छोड़ा। चांडाल के आदेश पर राजा ने शवों के कपड़े एकत्र किये। इस प्रकार नीची जाति के लोगों का घटिया काम करके उन्होंने सत्य का मार्ग कभी नहीं छोड़ा।

उनके आचरण में कोई गिरावट नहीं आयी. इस प्रकार उन्होंने कई वर्ष व्यतीत किये। एक दिन राजा अपने दुर्भाग्य के बारे में सोच रहा था।  राजा अपने भाग्य को कोस रहा था और सोच रहा था- अब उसे क्या करना चाहिए? उसे कहाँ जाना चाहिए? और अब उसे क्या करना होगा? वह अपने किये हुए सभी पापों से कैसे छुटकारा पा सकता है?

इस प्रकार राजा अत्यधिक गहन चिंतन में लीन हो गया। उन्हें बहुत बुरी हालत में देखकर एक दिन गौतम ऋषि उनके पास आये। ऋषि को देखकर राजा के मन में एक विचार आया कि परमेश्वर ने ब्राह्मणों की रचना केवल लोगों के कल्याण के लिए की है। तो ऋषि को नमस्कार करने के बाद राजा ने अपने शापित भाग्य और सबसे बुरी स्थिति के बारे में बताया।

राजा की परिस्थितियों को देखकर गौतम मुनि उत्तर देते हैं- हे राजन, तुम्हारे अच्छे कर्म के कारण शीघ्र ही अन्नदा एकादशी आने वाली है। इसलिए इस दिन व्रत रखें और रात्रि जागरण करें। इसका पालन करने से आपको आपके द्वारा किये गये सभी पापों से मुक्ति मिल जायेगी। हे राजन, मैं आपके लिए ही यहाँ आया हूँ। इसलिए राजा ने पूरी श्रद्धा से यह व्रत किया और अपने सभी पापों से मुक्त हो गए।

भगवान कृष्ण ने कहा, हे राजन, यह व्रत पूर्व जन्म के सभी पापों को तुरंत नष्ट करने वाला है। इस व्रत के प्रभाव से राजा हरिश्चंद्र को अपनी पत्नी और मृत पुत्र जीवित हो गये। वह अपना राज्य भी वापस ले आया। कुछ वर्षों के बाद, राजा अपने परिवार और अपने राज्य के लोगों सहित शाश्वत निवास पर चले गये।

भगवान ने कहा, हे राजन्- जो कोई भी इस व्रत को करेगा वह आध्यात्मिक जगत को प्राप्त होगा। जो व्यक्ति इस व्रत के माहात्म्य को पूर्ण श्रद्धा से सुनेगा या पढ़ेगा उसे अश्वमेध यज्ञ के बराबर फल मिलेगा।

एकादशी का व्रत रखने से सचमुच भगवान श्रीकृष्ण बहुत प्रसन्न होते हैं। वह सभी दुर्भाग्य, धन की कमी और सभी कलेशों को नष्ट कर देता है। भगवान श्री कृष्ण अपने भक्त की भक्ति सेवा से प्रसन्न हो जाते हैं, जैसे उन्होंने विभीषण को लंका का राजा बनाया , अपने भक्त ध्रुव को विशाल राज्य दिया , और भक्तों को अपने चरण कमलों में जगह भी दी।

|| हरे कृष्ण हरे कृष्ण कृष्ण कृष्ण हरे हरे, हरे राम हरे राम राम राम हरे हरे ||

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Srila Prabhupada speaks on: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.13-14

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.13-14

Los Angeles, June 26, 1975
Santoṣa: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. [devotees repeat] [leads chanting of verse, etc.]
tapasā brahmacaryeṇa
śamena ca damena ca
tyāgena satya-śaucābhyāṁ
yamena niyamena vā
deha-vāg-buddhijaṁ dhīrā
dharmajñāḥ śraddhayānvitāḥ
kṣipanty aghaṁ mahad api
veṇu-gulmam ivānalaḥ
[SB 6.1.13-14]
[break] [01:45]
Translation = "To concentrate the mind, one must observe a life of celibacy and never fall down. Such a life of celibacy, or brahmacarya, is perfect. One should voluntarily give up sense enjoyment. One should control the mind and senses, give charity, speak truthfully, be clean and nonviolent. He should follow regulative principles and chant the holy name of the Lord. These practices certainly bring temporary purification. Thus they are like fire, for although fire clears away the dry creepers beneath the bamboo plant, the creepers grow back again at the first opportunity."
Prabhupāda:
tapasā brahmacaryeṇa
śamena ca damena ca
tyāgena satya-śaucābhyāṁ
yamena niyamena vā
deha-vāg-buddhijaṁ dhīrā
dharmajñāḥ śraddhayānvitāḥ
kṣipanty aghaṁ mahad api
veṇu-gulmam ivānalaḥ
[SB 6.1.13-14]
So this is first-class human life. This should be the ideal of first-class human life. The first thing is tapasya, austerity, not extravagance. That is not human life. Tapasya. Tapasā means, generally, voluntarily accepting some inconvenience. And then brahmacarya. Brahmacarya means no sex life. According to Vedic civilization, the students, they are called brahmacārī. In student life there is no sex life. Then his brain will be finished. That is happening nowadays. From the student life they indulge in sex life. Therefore not very big men are coming now, because their brain substance is finished. So a brahmacārī is supposed to raise the semina to the brain, ūrdhvam-anti,[?] not discharge, but keep it on the brain. Then their memory becomes very sharp. Once heard from anyone, he will exactly produce, without any forget. Where is that science now? There is no such thing.
So to fulfill the human life, aim of human life, we have to become first-class human being. The first-class human being, ideal human being, is the brāhmaṇa. And the second class, the kṣatriya; the third class, vaiśya; and fourth class, śūdra. So at the present moment, Kali-yuga, kalau śūdrā-sambhavāḥ. In Kali-yuga there is no first class, second class or even third class. All fourth-class men, śūdrā-sambhavāḥ. So therefore they are unable to perform all these tapasya or brahmacarya. Then what is their hope for progress? That has been enunciated in the śāstra, Brahma-vaivarta Purāṇa, and Caitanya Mahāprabhu has given us the formula that,
harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalaṁ
kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā
[Cc. Ādi 17.21]
To make one's life successful, to reach to the goal of life, it is very difficult. [break] ...that one can observe all these principles, tapasā, brahmacarya. Śamo damaḥ titikṣa satyam. Satyam means truthfulness. One should be so truthful that if a rogue comes to him and if he asks, "What money you have got?" he will say, "I have got so much money." This is called satyam. He will not conceal even to the enemies. That is called truthfulness. Everything should be plainly and truthfully presented. These are satyam. And śaucābhyām, cleanliness. Cleanliness means if you go to the latrine, the injunction is that you will have to wash your hands, legs, so many times. Not with water, but with earth. Nowadays it is soap. So if we cannot wash our hands and legs for many times, at least we should wash once or twice with soap. This is called śaucam. A brahminical qualification is he is very neat and clean, three times taking bath, and keeping the body very neat---cloth, everything. Where he lives, his bedding, his place---all must be cleansed. And yamena niyamena vā: sex control, mind control and senses control by regulative principles.
So we have to observe all these regulative principles if we want to become first-class man. And without becoming first-class man, nobody can understand what is God. That is not possible. Fourth-class man cannot understand. It is not possible. Brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ. A brāhmaṇa, or the first-class man, is he because he knows Brahman. He knows Brahman, what is God---even not perfectly well, but Brahman, the impersonal conception of the Supreme. This impersonal conception of the Supreme Absolute Truth is also brahma-jñāna, but that is partial. God is sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ [Bs. 5.1]. His form, His person... Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that "My dear Arjuna, you, Me and all these men who have come here, we existed like this in the past." That means we are all individuals, because when Kṛṣṇa was speaking in the battlefield, He is person, and He was teaching Arjuna---he is also person. And the soldiers and other kings, they are also all persons. So Kṛṣṇa says that "It is not that we are imperson in the past or we shall become imperson in the future." No. Just like, take another example, that before our birth, accepting this body, I was a person, you were a person. And according to our personal different activities, pious or impious, we have got this body. So I was person before the beginning of my this body, and after my death I shall remain a person, and I shall accept another body. Dhīras tatra na muhyati. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ [Bg. 2.13]. So when I become imperson? Past, present, future---there are three different phases of time. So in the past I was a person, at present I am a person, and in future I shall remain a person. So where is the question of imperson?
This is spoken by Kṛṣṇa in the Bhagavad-gītā in the Second Chapter, that "My dear Arjuna, it is not that we did not exist in the past. We existed in this way, and we are existing now in the same way, and we shall exist..." That means our personality is never lost. And therefore we see so many varieties of men; each one is a person. You cannot find anyone exactly similar to the other, because everyone has got his personal propensities. And according to the personal propensities and desires, Kṛṣṇa is giving us different opportunities, and that is different body. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa [SB 3.31.1]. Just like in the court, the..., everyone is judged as person, not wholesale. The judge not says that "Now all you have come here"---some of them are complainants and some of them are respondents---"so you stand together. I give this judgment." No. Everyone is personally judged. And everyone is given reward or punishment personally. So where is the question of imperson?
And in the Vedas it is said, nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām, eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān [Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13]. God means He is also nitya, eternal, amongst the eternals. There are many... We living entities, we are many, plural number, nityānām. Nityānām means plural number, and nitya, singular number. So God is singular number person, and we are plural number. We are many. God is one, but living entities are many. Not that God also is many. No. God may have many expansion---that is another thing---but God is singular number. God is not plural number. Nityo nityānām. So what kind of singular number? That He is chief singular number. Just like leader. There are many followers. Take any example = in the classroom or here, a teacher is one, but the audience, they are many. Similarly, God is one, but the living entities are many. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām. And what kind of living entity? Now, living entity means living entity, he is also living force. He is not dead. Just like just now we were talking that "God is dead." No. Nitya, cetana. Cetana means conscious, and nitya, eternal. We are also conscious and eternal. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre [Bg. 2.20]. It is not that after we have..., our body is destroyed, we become destroyed. No. Na jāyate na mriyate vā. These things we have learned from Bhagavad-gītā. This is the position. We are many, and God is one.
So if we accept one God, then where is the chance of different religious system? God is one. God is neither Christian nor Hindu or Muslim or... No. God is God. Just like gold. Gold is gold. Either in the Hindu community or Muslim community, gold is gold. Because gold is there in some Hindu community, nobody says "Hindu gold." Does anybody say, "It is Hindu gold" or "It is Christian gold"? No. Gold is gold. Similarly, God is one. There is no "Hindu God" or "Muslim God" or "Christian God." This is mistake. "We believe God in this way," that is nonsense. No. God is one, and you have to see what is the characteristic of God. Just like when it is gold, everyone wants to see whether it is actually gold or imitation gold. That we have to see. There cannot be Hindu gold, Muslim gold, Christian gold. No. Simply you have to see whether it is actually gold, acceptable. That should be the subject matter of theology, to know actually what is God and to understand what is our relationship with God.
So that is stated in the Vedas, that God is also a living entity like us, as we are living entities, nityo nityānām. We are plural number; He is singular number. Then why He is singular number? Why not plural number? And what is the difference between singular number or plural number? That is also... Eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān: "That eko, that singular number, is supplying all the necessities of life of all this plural number. That is God." He is maintainer, maintainer. Eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhā... We have got different types of demands on account of our different types of body. And who is supplying these necessities? That is God. That is God. Very simple definition = eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. Find out somebody who can supply the necessities of everyone---He is God. Is it very difficult to find out who is God? This is simple formula = eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. We become charitable persons, but have we got any means that "Anyone who comes, I can give charity"? No. That is not possible. Therefore God's definition is given by the Parāśara Muni. What is that?
aiśvaryasya samāgrasya
vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ
jñāna-vairāgyayoś caiva
sad iti bhāgamgaṇa
[Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47]
This is definition. What is that? Aiśvarya means wealth, riches. Everyone has got riches, some money, either at home or in the bank. So you may have two millions dollars; I may have ten dollars; you may have hundred dollars. Everyone has got some riches. That is admitted. But nobody can say that "I have got all the riches." That is not possible. If somebody can say that "I have got all the riches," he is God. That is spoken by Kṛṣṇa. Nobody has said in the history of the world. Kṛṣṇa said, bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram [Bg. 5.29] = "I am the enjoyer of everything, and I am the proprietor of all the universe." Who can say that? That is God. Aiśvaryasya samāgrasya. Samāgra means total, not that partial, that "I have got so much. Now I have distributed." I do not wish to mention by name---one artificial God, he was teaching his disciple, and the disciple was feeling electrical shocks. So unfortunately, I cannot give you electrical shocks. [laughter] You see? Electrical shocks, and he became fainted by electrical shock. And these are written publicly, and fools are accepting. Why teachers should give electrical shock? Where is that mentioned in the śāstra? [laughter] But these things are..., bogus things are stated. Electrical shock. And when he fainted, then the God was sitting, and when he got his senses, then the disciple asked God, "Sir, why you are crying?" "Now, I have finished everything. I have given you everything." Just see. Does a teacher finishes everything by teaching his disciple? These things are going on. So Kṛṣṇa is not that kind of God, that "I have finished everything." Pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya pūrṇam evāvaśiṣyate [Īśo Invocation]. This is definition of God. God is so perfect and full that even if you take all His opulences, still, He is full. That is God. Not that "I have finished my stock."
So intelligent man should learn what is God from the Vedic information. Don't manufacture God. Manufacture..., how we can manufacture God? That is not possible. So that is called mana-dharma. By mental concoction, mental speculation, we cannot create God. Here is the definition of God, that īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvaṁ yat kiñcid jagatyāṁ jagat [Īśo mantra 1]. Idaṁ sarvam. Sarvam means whatever you see. You see the big Pacific Ocean. That is created by God. It is not that He has created one Pacific Ocean, therefore His all chemicals, hydrogen and oxygen, finished. No. There are millions and trillions of Pacific Ocean floating in the sky. That is God's creation. There are millions and trillions of planets floating in the sky, and there are millions and trillions of living entities, seas and mountains and everything, but there is no scarcity. Not only this universe; there are millions and trillions of universes. We get this information from the Vedic...
yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi
koṭiṣv aśeṣa-vasudhādi vibhūti-bhinnaṁ
tad brahma niṣkalam anantam aśeṣa-bhūtaṁ
govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam aham...
[Bs. 5.40]
Try to understand the opulence of God. Just like yasya prabhā prabhavato. Now, you can see. This is... Material science also accept that everything in this material world, they are generated by the heat and light of the sun. So as you have got experience on account of the sunlight the whole universe is going on---you have seen that machine, when that is heated, it is running---so similarly, the real shine is brahma-jyotir, brahma-jyotir, that impersonal Brahman. And in the impersonal Brahman there are... Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi. There are millions of universes. As you have seen... You are daily seeing, on the sunshine there are millions and trillions of planets floating, on account of the sunshine. They are rotating, everything. Similarly, the original sunshine is brahma-jyotir. What is that brahma-jyotir? Yasya prabhā [Bs. 5.40]. It is the rays from the body of Kṛṣṇa, Govinda, just like the sunshine is the rays of the body of the sun-god. That we can see. If you do not see sun-god, at least you see the sun planet. So similarly, Kṛṣṇa is there, and there is a Kṛṣṇaloka planet. And the Kṛṣṇaloka planet is, I mean to say, distributing the shining. You see the sky is bluish because the rays of the body of Kṛṣṇa is also bluish. And that is reflected in each universe. Therefore we see the sky bluish, Kṛṣṇa's color.
So in this way we have to understand what is God. God is not a petty thing, that He dies, or one is manufactured by meditation, he become God. This kind of God has no value. God is always God. Kṛṣṇa, when He was a child, He had no opportunity to meditate. He was a child playing on the lap of His mother. And when Pūtanā came and wanted to kill the child, the small child God, He killed Pūtanā, a big demon. So even He was at that time three months old, still... And not only Pūtanā, many other demons. And then, when He was six- or seven-years-old boy, so at that time there was crisis in Vṛndāvana, and He lifted the Govardhana Hill with His finger. This is God. Aiśvaryasya samāgrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ [Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47]. God has got unlimited strength. You have seen in Kṛṣṇa picture = Kṛṣṇa is killing so many demons. That horse demon? Keśī, Keśī. Kṛṣṇa simply pushed His hand in the mouth of the horse. Because to control a horse means he control his mouth; then you can control the whole big animal. So immediately the horse came before Him, He pushed His hand within the mouth of the horse, and the horse began to feel it is red-hot iron. So this is God. Aiśvaryasya samāgrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ.
So apart from we are not seeing personally, but we have heard it, but personally, at least, we can see one thing = how Kṛṣṇa is great. Because aiśvaryasya samāgrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ, jñāna. Śrīya, beautiful. No more... Nobody can be more beautiful than Kṛṣṇa. Śrīya, śriya means beauty. You see here Kṛṣṇa, how He is beautiful. So He does not become old. Nava-yauvanaṁ ca. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam ādyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣaṁ nava-yauvanaṁ ca [Bs. 5.33]. He is the oldest person because He has created everything, but He will never look old. You will never see Kṛṣṇa's picture as old man. These are the definition of God. God, nobody can be richer than Him, nobody can be stronger than Him, nobody can be more beautiful than Him, and nobody wiser than Him even. That proof we can see = Bhagavad-gītā was spoken five thousand years ago, and still Bhagavad-gītā is worshiped as the best book of knowledge. This is the proof. So God does not depend on anyone's proof. But if you want to prove whether He is God, you can get. That you can get. Therefore we should accept Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme God. It is stated in all śāstras, and Arjuna also, who listened Bhagavad-gītā from Kṛṣṇa, he also accepted. After hearing Bhagavad-gītā, he said, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān, puruṣaṁ śāśvatam ādyam [Bg. 10.12].
So our process is to follow the predecessor. The Arjuna, he accepted. Not only Arjuna--"Arjuna may be His friend. He might have accepted his friend as God." No. Kṛṣṇa is accepted by the greatest learned scholar, Vyāsadeva, and greatest saintly person, Nārada. That is... Vyāsadeva writes in his Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that "I have given description of different incarnation of God." He has given so many incarnation. At last, he concludes that "Although Kṛṣṇa came as incarnation, but He is not incarnation. He is the incarnate. From Him, all incarnations come." Ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam [SB 1.3.28]. As soon as you say "incarnation," the next question will be, "Whose incarnation?" That Vyāsadeva explains, that Kṛṣṇa's incarnation. Kṛṣṇa is not incarnation. Kṛṣṇa is personally the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is the statement of Vyāsadeva, the most learned. He is accepted the most, actually. Who can be more learned than Vyāsadeva in this material world? Nobody. You can see his writing, Bhāgavatam, how exalted, scholarly. Nobody can write such verses at the present moment. It is not possible. Each and every word is full of meaning and so nicely set up. Therefore it is said, vidvān cakre sātvata-saṁhitām: "The vidvān, the most learned Vyāsadeva, has given us the sātvata-saṁhitā."
So if we want to know, everything is there; but to understand, that will require a separate brain. That is recommended here. You create your brain, tapasā, first of all austerity. You cannot create your brain by doing nonsense things. That is not possible. You have to control = śamena damena, tapasā brahmacaryeṇa [SB 6.1.13]. These are the process to create a brain to understand God. Otherwise it is useless. Śrama eva hi kevalam [SB 1.2.8]. It is simply laboring for nothing. So this is the recommended, that treatment. That is also not sufficient. In the last, Śukadeva gives an hint that "This kind of purification, by tapasā brahmacaryeṇa], is like veṇu-gulmam ivānalaḥ [SB 6.1.14]." Veṇu-gulma, veṇu-gulma means the dried creepers and grass. You can set fire. In India, or here also---I have seen in London---they set fire, and all the dried creepers and grass become... But what is the purpose of saying veṇu-gulman ivānalaḥ? Veṇu-gulmam ivānalaḥ means that superficially we see that now it is burnt into ashes, but the root remains there. As soon as there will be rain, waterfall, they will come out again. So the whole process is how to become detached from this material world. So this, even if you practice this tapasya, it is not completely able to finish these attachments. Therefore it is said, veṇu-gulmam ivānalaḥ.
So we can finish this material attachment only by worshiping Kṛṣṇa. That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam:
vāsudeve bhagavati
bhakti-yogaḥ-prayojitaḥ
janayaty āśu vairāgyaṁ
jñānaṁ ca yad ahaitukam
[SB 1.2.7]
The practical example is here in our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, that our students, simply by executing devotional service to Vāsudeva, they have become free from so many sinful activities. That is the particular. So this should be introduced, this system, so that people at the present moment, they may become purified and make their advance in progress to the ultimate goal. The ultimate goal is back to home, back to Godhead. That is wanted. So na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum [SB 7.5.31]. They do not know what is their self-interest, ultimate goal of... Durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ. They are thinking by adjusting the external, material things, they will be happy. No, that is not possible. Durāśayā. It is called durāśayā, hopeless hope. It is not possible. Dur means it will be very difficult to fulfill the āśayā, the hope, that "We shall be very happy in this world and enjoy senses without any interruption. Now let us make some United Nation program and we will be happy." It will never be happy. Be sure.
Thank you very much.
Devotees: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda. [end]
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Srila Prabhupada speaks on: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.13-14

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.13-14

Los Angeles, June 26, 1975
Santoṣa: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. [devotees repeat] [leads chanting of verse, etc.]
tapasā brahmacaryeṇa
śamena ca damena ca
tyāgena satya-śaucābhyāṁ
yamena niyamena vā
deha-vāg-buddhijaṁ dhīrā
dharmajñāḥ śraddhayānvitāḥ
kṣipanty aghaṁ mahad api
veṇu-gulmam ivānalaḥ
[SB 6.1.13-14]
[break] [01:45]
Translation = "To concentrate the mind, one must observe a life of celibacy and never fall down. Such a life of celibacy, or brahmacarya, is perfect. One should voluntarily give up sense enjoyment. One should control the mind and senses, give charity, speak truthfully, be clean and nonviolent. He should follow regulative principles and chant the holy name of the Lord. These practices certainly bring temporary purification. Thus they are like fire, for although fire clears away the dry creepers beneath the bamboo plant, the creepers grow back again at the first opportunity."
Prabhupāda:
tapasā brahmacaryeṇa
śamena ca damena ca
tyāgena satya-śaucābhyāṁ
yamena niyamena vā
deha-vāg-buddhijaṁ dhīrā
dharmajñāḥ śraddhayānvitāḥ
kṣipanty aghaṁ mahad api
veṇu-gulmam ivānalaḥ
[SB 6.1.13-14]
So this is first-class human life. This should be the ideal of first-class human life. The first thing is tapasya, austerity, not extravagance. That is not human life. Tapasya. Tapasā means, generally, voluntarily accepting some inconvenience. And then brahmacarya. Brahmacarya means no sex life. According to Vedic civilization, the students, they are called brahmacārī. In student life there is no sex life. Then his brain will be finished. That is happening nowadays. From the student life they indulge in sex life. Therefore not very big men are coming now, because their brain substance is finished. So a brahmacārī is supposed to raise the semina to the brain, ūrdhvam-anti,[?] not discharge, but keep it on the brain. Then their memory becomes very sharp. Once heard from anyone, he will exactly produce, without any forget. Where is that science now? There is no such thing.
So to fulfill the human life, aim of human life, we have to become first-class human being. The first-class human being, ideal human being, is the brāhmaṇa. And the second class, the kṣatriya; the third class, vaiśya; and fourth class, śūdra. So at the present moment, Kali-yuga, kalau śūdrā-sambhavāḥ. In Kali-yuga there is no first class, second class or even third class. All fourth-class men, śūdrā-sambhavāḥ. So therefore they are unable to perform all these tapasya or brahmacarya. Then what is their hope for progress? That has been enunciated in the śāstra, Brahma-vaivarta Purāṇa, and Caitanya Mahāprabhu has given us the formula that,
harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalaṁ
kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā
[Cc. Ādi 17.21]
To make one's life successful, to reach to the goal of life, it is very difficult. [break] ...that one can observe all these principles, tapasā, brahmacarya. Śamo damaḥ titikṣa satyam. Satyam means truthfulness. One should be so truthful that if a rogue comes to him and if he asks, "What money you have got?" he will say, "I have got so much money." This is called satyam. He will not conceal even to the enemies. That is called truthfulness. Everything should be plainly and truthfully presented. These are satyam. And śaucābhyām, cleanliness. Cleanliness means if you go to the latrine, the injunction is that you will have to wash your hands, legs, so many times. Not with water, but with earth. Nowadays it is soap. So if we cannot wash our hands and legs for many times, at least we should wash once or twice with soap. This is called śaucam. A brahminical qualification is he is very neat and clean, three times taking bath, and keeping the body very neat---cloth, everything. Where he lives, his bedding, his place---all must be cleansed. And yamena niyamena vā: sex control, mind control and senses control by regulative principles.
So we have to observe all these regulative principles if we want to become first-class man. And without becoming first-class man, nobody can understand what is God. That is not possible. Fourth-class man cannot understand. It is not possible. Brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ. A brāhmaṇa, or the first-class man, is he because he knows Brahman. He knows Brahman, what is God---even not perfectly well, but Brahman, the impersonal conception of the Supreme. This impersonal conception of the Supreme Absolute Truth is also brahma-jñāna, but that is partial. God is sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ [Bs. 5.1]. His form, His person... Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that "My dear Arjuna, you, Me and all these men who have come here, we existed like this in the past." That means we are all individuals, because when Kṛṣṇa was speaking in the battlefield, He is person, and He was teaching Arjuna---he is also person. And the soldiers and other kings, they are also all persons. So Kṛṣṇa says that "It is not that we are imperson in the past or we shall become imperson in the future." No. Just like, take another example, that before our birth, accepting this body, I was a person, you were a person. And according to our personal different activities, pious or impious, we have got this body. So I was person before the beginning of my this body, and after my death I shall remain a person, and I shall accept another body. Dhīras tatra na muhyati. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ [Bg. 2.13]. So when I become imperson? Past, present, future---there are three different phases of time. So in the past I was a person, at present I am a person, and in future I shall remain a person. So where is the question of imperson?
This is spoken by Kṛṣṇa in the Bhagavad-gītā in the Second Chapter, that "My dear Arjuna, it is not that we did not exist in the past. We existed in this way, and we are existing now in the same way, and we shall exist..." That means our personality is never lost. And therefore we see so many varieties of men; each one is a person. You cannot find anyone exactly similar to the other, because everyone has got his personal propensities. And according to the personal propensities and desires, Kṛṣṇa is giving us different opportunities, and that is different body. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa [SB 3.31.1]. Just like in the court, the..., everyone is judged as person, not wholesale. The judge not says that "Now all you have come here"---some of them are complainants and some of them are respondents---"so you stand together. I give this judgment." No. Everyone is personally judged. And everyone is given reward or punishment personally. So where is the question of imperson?
And in the Vedas it is said, nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām, eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān [Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13]. God means He is also nitya, eternal, amongst the eternals. There are many... We living entities, we are many, plural number, nityānām. Nityānām means plural number, and nitya, singular number. So God is singular number person, and we are plural number. We are many. God is one, but living entities are many. Not that God also is many. No. God may have many expansion---that is another thing---but God is singular number. God is not plural number. Nityo nityānām. So what kind of singular number? That He is chief singular number. Just like leader. There are many followers. Take any example = in the classroom or here, a teacher is one, but the audience, they are many. Similarly, God is one, but the living entities are many. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām. And what kind of living entity? Now, living entity means living entity, he is also living force. He is not dead. Just like just now we were talking that "God is dead." No. Nitya, cetana. Cetana means conscious, and nitya, eternal. We are also conscious and eternal. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre [Bg. 2.20]. It is not that after we have..., our body is destroyed, we become destroyed. No. Na jāyate na mriyate vā. These things we have learned from Bhagavad-gītā. This is the position. We are many, and God is one.
So if we accept one God, then where is the chance of different religious system? God is one. God is neither Christian nor Hindu or Muslim or... No. God is God. Just like gold. Gold is gold. Either in the Hindu community or Muslim community, gold is gold. Because gold is there in some Hindu community, nobody says "Hindu gold." Does anybody say, "It is Hindu gold" or "It is Christian gold"? No. Gold is gold. Similarly, God is one. There is no "Hindu God" or "Muslim God" or "Christian God." This is mistake. "We believe God in this way," that is nonsense. No. God is one, and you have to see what is the characteristic of God. Just like when it is gold, everyone wants to see whether it is actually gold or imitation gold. That we have to see. There cannot be Hindu gold, Muslim gold, Christian gold. No. Simply you have to see whether it is actually gold, acceptable. That should be the subject matter of theology, to know actually what is God and to understand what is our relationship with God.
So that is stated in the Vedas, that God is also a living entity like us, as we are living entities, nityo nityānām. We are plural number; He is singular number. Then why He is singular number? Why not plural number? And what is the difference between singular number or plural number? That is also... Eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān: "That eko, that singular number, is supplying all the necessities of life of all this plural number. That is God." He is maintainer, maintainer. Eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhā... We have got different types of demands on account of our different types of body. And who is supplying these necessities? That is God. That is God. Very simple definition = eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. Find out somebody who can supply the necessities of everyone---He is God. Is it very difficult to find out who is God? This is simple formula = eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. We become charitable persons, but have we got any means that "Anyone who comes, I can give charity"? No. That is not possible. Therefore God's definition is given by the Parāśara Muni. What is that?
aiśvaryasya samāgrasya
vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ
jñāna-vairāgyayoś caiva
sad iti bhāgamgaṇa
[Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47]
This is definition. What is that? Aiśvarya means wealth, riches. Everyone has got riches, some money, either at home or in the bank. So you may have two millions dollars; I may have ten dollars; you may have hundred dollars. Everyone has got some riches. That is admitted. But nobody can say that "I have got all the riches." That is not possible. If somebody can say that "I have got all the riches," he is God. That is spoken by Kṛṣṇa. Nobody has said in the history of the world. Kṛṣṇa said, bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram [Bg. 5.29] = "I am the enjoyer of everything, and I am the proprietor of all the universe." Who can say that? That is God. Aiśvaryasya samāgrasya. Samāgra means total, not that partial, that "I have got so much. Now I have distributed." I do not wish to mention by name---one artificial God, he was teaching his disciple, and the disciple was feeling electrical shocks. So unfortunately, I cannot give you electrical shocks. [laughter] You see? Electrical shocks, and he became fainted by electrical shock. And these are written publicly, and fools are accepting. Why teachers should give electrical shock? Where is that mentioned in the śāstra? [laughter] But these things are..., bogus things are stated. Electrical shock. And when he fainted, then the God was sitting, and when he got his senses, then the disciple asked God, "Sir, why you are crying?" "Now, I have finished everything. I have given you everything." Just see. Does a teacher finishes everything by teaching his disciple? These things are going on. So Kṛṣṇa is not that kind of God, that "I have finished everything." Pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya pūrṇam evāvaśiṣyate [Īśo Invocation]. This is definition of God. God is so perfect and full that even if you take all His opulences, still, He is full. That is God. Not that "I have finished my stock."
So intelligent man should learn what is God from the Vedic information. Don't manufacture God. Manufacture..., how we can manufacture God? That is not possible. So that is called mana-dharma. By mental concoction, mental speculation, we cannot create God. Here is the definition of God, that īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvaṁ yat kiñcid jagatyāṁ jagat [Īśo mantra 1]. Idaṁ sarvam. Sarvam means whatever you see. You see the big Pacific Ocean. That is created by God. It is not that He has created one Pacific Ocean, therefore His all chemicals, hydrogen and oxygen, finished. No. There are millions and trillions of Pacific Ocean floating in the sky. That is God's creation. There are millions and trillions of planets floating in the sky, and there are millions and trillions of living entities, seas and mountains and everything, but there is no scarcity. Not only this universe; there are millions and trillions of universes. We get this information from the Vedic...
yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi
koṭiṣv aśeṣa-vasudhādi vibhūti-bhinnaṁ
tad brahma niṣkalam anantam aśeṣa-bhūtaṁ
govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam aham...
[Bs. 5.40]
Try to understand the opulence of God. Just like yasya prabhā prabhavato. Now, you can see. This is... Material science also accept that everything in this material world, they are generated by the heat and light of the sun. So as you have got experience on account of the sunlight the whole universe is going on---you have seen that machine, when that is heated, it is running---so similarly, the real shine is brahma-jyotir, brahma-jyotir, that impersonal Brahman. And in the impersonal Brahman there are... Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi. There are millions of universes. As you have seen... You are daily seeing, on the sunshine there are millions and trillions of planets floating, on account of the sunshine. They are rotating, everything. Similarly, the original sunshine is brahma-jyotir. What is that brahma-jyotir? Yasya prabhā [Bs. 5.40]. It is the rays from the body of Kṛṣṇa, Govinda, just like the sunshine is the rays of the body of the sun-god. That we can see. If you do not see sun-god, at least you see the sun planet. So similarly, Kṛṣṇa is there, and there is a Kṛṣṇaloka planet. And the Kṛṣṇaloka planet is, I mean to say, distributing the shining. You see the sky is bluish because the rays of the body of Kṛṣṇa is also bluish. And that is reflected in each universe. Therefore we see the sky bluish, Kṛṣṇa's color.
So in this way we have to understand what is God. God is not a petty thing, that He dies, or one is manufactured by meditation, he become God. This kind of God has no value. God is always God. Kṛṣṇa, when He was a child, He had no opportunity to meditate. He was a child playing on the lap of His mother. And when Pūtanā came and wanted to kill the child, the small child God, He killed Pūtanā, a big demon. So even He was at that time three months old, still... And not only Pūtanā, many other demons. And then, when He was six- or seven-years-old boy, so at that time there was crisis in Vṛndāvana, and He lifted the Govardhana Hill with His finger. This is God. Aiśvaryasya samāgrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ [Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47]. God has got unlimited strength. You have seen in Kṛṣṇa picture = Kṛṣṇa is killing so many demons. That horse demon? Keśī, Keśī. Kṛṣṇa simply pushed His hand in the mouth of the horse. Because to control a horse means he control his mouth; then you can control the whole big animal. So immediately the horse came before Him, He pushed His hand within the mouth of the horse, and the horse began to feel it is red-hot iron. So this is God. Aiśvaryasya samāgrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ.
So apart from we are not seeing personally, but we have heard it, but personally, at least, we can see one thing = how Kṛṣṇa is great. Because aiśvaryasya samāgrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ, jñāna. Śrīya, beautiful. No more... Nobody can be more beautiful than Kṛṣṇa. Śrīya, śriya means beauty. You see here Kṛṣṇa, how He is beautiful. So He does not become old. Nava-yauvanaṁ ca. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam ādyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣaṁ nava-yauvanaṁ ca [Bs. 5.33]. He is the oldest person because He has created everything, but He will never look old. You will never see Kṛṣṇa's picture as old man. These are the definition of God. God, nobody can be richer than Him, nobody can be stronger than Him, nobody can be more beautiful than Him, and nobody wiser than Him even. That proof we can see = Bhagavad-gītā was spoken five thousand years ago, and still Bhagavad-gītā is worshiped as the best book of knowledge. This is the proof. So God does not depend on anyone's proof. But if you want to prove whether He is God, you can get. That you can get. Therefore we should accept Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme God. It is stated in all śāstras, and Arjuna also, who listened Bhagavad-gītā from Kṛṣṇa, he also accepted. After hearing Bhagavad-gītā, he said, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān, puruṣaṁ śāśvatam ādyam [Bg. 10.12].
So our process is to follow the predecessor. The Arjuna, he accepted. Not only Arjuna--"Arjuna may be His friend. He might have accepted his friend as God." No. Kṛṣṇa is accepted by the greatest learned scholar, Vyāsadeva, and greatest saintly person, Nārada. That is... Vyāsadeva writes in his Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that "I have given description of different incarnation of God." He has given so many incarnation. At last, he concludes that "Although Kṛṣṇa came as incarnation, but He is not incarnation. He is the incarnate. From Him, all incarnations come." Ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam [SB 1.3.28]. As soon as you say "incarnation," the next question will be, "Whose incarnation?" That Vyāsadeva explains, that Kṛṣṇa's incarnation. Kṛṣṇa is not incarnation. Kṛṣṇa is personally the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is the statement of Vyāsadeva, the most learned. He is accepted the most, actually. Who can be more learned than Vyāsadeva in this material world? Nobody. You can see his writing, Bhāgavatam, how exalted, scholarly. Nobody can write such verses at the present moment. It is not possible. Each and every word is full of meaning and so nicely set up. Therefore it is said, vidvān cakre sātvata-saṁhitām: "The vidvān, the most learned Vyāsadeva, has given us the sātvata-saṁhitā."
So if we want to know, everything is there; but to understand, that will require a separate brain. That is recommended here. You create your brain, tapasā, first of all austerity. You cannot create your brain by doing nonsense things. That is not possible. You have to control = śamena damena, tapasā brahmacaryeṇa [SB 6.1.13]. These are the process to create a brain to understand God. Otherwise it is useless. Śrama eva hi kevalam [SB 1.2.8]. It is simply laboring for nothing. So this is the recommended, that treatment. That is also not sufficient. In the last, Śukadeva gives an hint that "This kind of purification, by tapasā brahmacaryeṇa], is like veṇu-gulmam ivānalaḥ [SB 6.1.14]." Veṇu-gulma, veṇu-gulma means the dried creepers and grass. You can set fire. In India, or here also---I have seen in London---they set fire, and all the dried creepers and grass become... But what is the purpose of saying veṇu-gulman ivānalaḥ? Veṇu-gulmam ivānalaḥ means that superficially we see that now it is burnt into ashes, but the root remains there. As soon as there will be rain, waterfall, they will come out again. So the whole process is how to become detached from this material world. So this, even if you practice this tapasya, it is not completely able to finish these attachments. Therefore it is said, veṇu-gulmam ivānalaḥ.
So we can finish this material attachment only by worshiping Kṛṣṇa. That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam:
vāsudeve bhagavati
bhakti-yogaḥ-prayojitaḥ
janayaty āśu vairāgyaṁ
jñānaṁ ca yad ahaitukam
[SB 1.2.7]
The practical example is here in our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, that our students, simply by executing devotional service to Vāsudeva, they have become free from so many sinful activities. That is the particular. So this should be introduced, this system, so that people at the present moment, they may become purified and make their advance in progress to the ultimate goal. The ultimate goal is back to home, back to Godhead. That is wanted. So na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum [SB 7.5.31]. They do not know what is their self-interest, ultimate goal of... Durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ. They are thinking by adjusting the external, material things, they will be happy. No, that is not possible. Durāśayā. It is called durāśayā, hopeless hope. It is not possible. Dur means it will be very difficult to fulfill the āśayā, the hope, that "We shall be very happy in this world and enjoy senses without any interruption. Now let us make some United Nation program and we will be happy." It will never be happy. Be sure.
Thank you very much.
Devotees: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda. [end]
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