SB 2.1.1 – 2 Notes – 02/22/21

KEY TAKEAWAYS from HH Harivilas Maharaj’s Morning Bhagavatam class on Invocation & SB 2.1.1

  1. First Canto, is called “Creation.”
  2. Second Canto is called “The Cosmic Manifestation.
  3. In the SB 2.1.1 Krsna’s name was spoken 17 times in the purport. 
  4. The highest perfection of life is to achieve the transcendental loving service of Kṛṣṇa.
  5. The questions and answers about Kṛṣṇa elevate one to that transcendental position
  6. Mahārāja Parīkṣit wanted to absorb his mind completely in Kṛṣṇa, and such absorption can be effected simply by hearing about the uncommon activities of Kṛṣṇa.
  7. Simply by understanding the transcendental nature of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s appearance, disappearance, and activities, one can immediately return home, back to Godhead, and never come back to this miserable condition of material existence.
  8. To hear always about Kṛṣṇa is very auspicious. The activities of Kṛṣṇa are nondifferent from Kṛṣṇa Himself. 
  9. As long as one is engaged in hearing such transcendental activities of Kṛṣṇa, he remains aloof from the conditional life of material existence.
  10. The topics of Lord Kṛṣṇa are so auspicious that they purify the speaker, the hearer, and the inquirer. 
  11. Humility and tolerance is the essence of Krsna Consciousness
  12. Material life is always up and down, whereas spiritual life is always up and up 
  13. Firm faith and confidence are called śraddhā
  14. When one engages in the Lord’s devotional service, he is to be understood to have performed all his responsibilities in the material world. 
  15. Knowledge alone is useless, one must also have dettachment along with knowledge 
  16. The best achievement of all fruitive activity is detachment from material life, and this detachment is spontaneously enjoyed by the devotee firmly engaged in the Lord’s service.
  17. One should completely surrender to Krsna and should have complete faith that Krsna wil protect us, as He promises us

Invocation: 

oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya

O my Lord, the all-pervading Personality of Godhead, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You.

SB 2.1.1 Translation

Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: My dear King, your question is glorious because it is very beneficial to all kinds of people. The answer to this question is the prime subject matter for hearing, and it is approved by all transcendentalists.

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CLASS NOTES: 

Invocation: 

In the First Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the principles of creation are described, and thus the First Canto may be called “Creation.”The First Chapter describes the glories of chanting, and it hints at the process by which the neophyte devotees may perform meditation on the universal form of the Lord. In the Second Canto, the post-creation cosmic manifestation is described. 
Because you have raised questions about Kṛṣṇa, your question is most glorious.

(SB 2.1.1)

Simply by such questioning and hearing, one can achieve the highest perfectional stage of life. Because Lord Kṛṣṇa is the original Supreme Person, any question about Him is original and perfect. 

  1. The highest perfection of life is to achieve the transcendental loving service of Kṛṣṇa.
  2. The questions and answers about Kṛṣṇa elevate one to that transcendental position,
  3. Mahārāja Parīkṣit wanted to absorb his mind completely in Kṛṣṇa, and such absorption can be effected simply by hearing about the uncommon activities of Kṛṣṇa.
  1. The highest perfection of life is to achieve the transcendental loving service of Kṛṣṇa.
  2. The questions and answers about Kṛṣṇa elevate one to that transcendental position,
  3. Mahārāja Parīkṣit wanted to absorb his mind completely in Kṛṣṇa, and such absorption can be effected simply by hearing about the uncommon activities of Kṛṣṇa.

(SB 1.2.16)
śuśrūṣoḥ śraddadhānasya
vāsudeva-kathā-ruciḥ
syān mahat-sevayā viprāḥ
Puṇya-tīrtha-niṣevaṇāt

O twice-born sages, by serving those devotees who are completely freed from all vice, great service is done. By such service, one gains affinity for hearing the messages of Vāsudeva.

(SB 2.1.2)
Those persons who are materially engrossed, being blind to the knowledge of ultimate truth, have many subject matters for hearing in human society, O Emperor.

(CC M 22.62)

‘śraddhā’-śabde — viśvāsa kahe sudṛḍha niścaya
kṛṣṇe bhakti kaile sarva-karma kṛta haya

“Śraddhā is confident, firm faith that by rendering transcendental loving service to Kṛṣṇa one automatically performs all subsidiary activities. Such faith is favorable to the discharge of devotional service.

Firm faith and confidence are called śraddhā. When one engages in the Lord’s devotional service, he is to be understood to have performed all his responsibilities in the material world. The best achievement of all fruitive activity is detachment from material life, and this detachment is spontaneously enjoyed by the devotee firmly engaged in the Lord’s service.

This understanding will only happen when you read something written by a pure devotee. Maharaj went to high school college philosophy, and could not understand anything. He went to the library in indian embassy and read the books, nyaya… karma mimamsa… always interested in philosophy, when I read those books he thought India was all hodge podge..

Krishna Consciousness is based on humility and tolerance. The more you hear the more you become purified. So that you can keep your mind on the progressive path of Krsna Consciousness. When you look at the history of Trump, it was a roller coaster,

For the philosophers The topic is not Krsna. When people talk it is all about the body nothing about the soul… massage is nice, my kids went to yale.

Knowledge is useless, unless detachment. How to become a vyragi, have complete surrender and have complete faith in Krsna. He will protect you. Limit sense gratification and maximize your service. If you have the strong attachments even though you are hearing it is going away.

Devotees always should be alert on the first impressions. First impression is the last impression. If someone comes to the temple and no one talks to them… Catch the kid you catch the parent. When you give them a kids book, it is very simple, they will read it for the kid and they will also learn.  Regulating the atmosphere of temples is very important. If we put on the atmosphere of peace, loving, caring, giving, very beneficial for the children… Once you get into quality.. Quality sells. Everything we do should be first class.. One little thing is first class…. I have been looking for this community 


HW – Explain CC M 22.62, BG 4.39, Explain Shraddha