KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM HH HARIVILAS MAHARAJ’S MORNING BHAGAVATAM CLASS ON SB 2.1.15
- At the last stage of one’s life, one should be bold enough not to be afraid of death
- As one changes an old garment, so the individual living being also changes his body, and this change of body is called death. The best type of body is a spiritual body, which is obtained by those who go back to the kingdom of God or enter the realm of Brahman.
- After death, the next body is being awarded to us by the law of nature according to our aspiration. Therefore, one has to change the aspiration during the course of this present body, and for this, there is a need for training in the current duration of human life.
- This training is provided through the Varnashrama Dharma. The training in the vānaprastha and sannyāsa-āśramas is given for the preparation of the next life. One has to voluntarily give up family relations by transferring the attachment from family, society, country, and everything thereof to the devotional service of the Lord.
- One must develop the desire for returning home, back to Godhead, and automatically the desires for material gain, material honor, and material popularity will diminish in proportion to the development of devotional service.
- A living being is meant for service activities, and his desires are centered around such a service attitude. The perfection of such a service attitude is only attained simply by transferring the desire of service from matter to spirit, or from Satan to God.
- An ordinary Karmi is working so hard day and night, but the result, he is enjoying it. And a bhakti-yogī, he is also working day and night, but the result is for Kṛṣṇa. That is the difference between ordinary karmīs and bhakti-yogīs
- One cannot be bhakti-yogī without jñāna and vairāgya.
- Jnana or knowledge means “I do not belong to this material world. I am a spirit soul. My business is to serve the Supreme Brahman and The Supreme truth is not impersonal. He is Krsna, Supreme Personality of Godhead.”
- Vairagya or Renunciation means – No more material life, no more sense gratification. What is Kṛṣṇa, what you are, what is your relationship, and what is your duty—then naturally one becomes reluctant to these material activities.
- How the knowledge and renunciation can be awakened? One who engages in the devotional service of Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, has complete transcendental knowledge and renunciation, and there is no explanation for these attainments. Ahaitukī — without reason, they come.
- Caitanya Mahaprabhu is advising Yāre dekha, tāre kaha ‘kṛṣṇa’-upadeśa. It is not very difficult. “You become guru simply by advising everyone the instruction which Kṛṣṇa has given.”
- “You take this mission, simply you surrender yourself to Kṛṣṇa. You become abhayaṁ sattva-śuddhiḥ (fearless) = “Yes, I am now under the protection of Kṛṣṇa. I have no more fear. I don’t care for anyone. I simply take to Kṛṣṇa.” Akuto-bhayam
- Krsna in [Bg. 18.55] Says – “If you want to know Me, then it is through bhakti, not your so-called jñāna and karma and yoga.” You will never be able to understand. You will be simply covered by yoga-māyā. Bhakti means surrender. So without surrendering to Kṛṣṇa, you cannot understand Him.
- So, if you actually want liberation or fearlessness, no more fear, and if you want actually to become immortal, no more birth, death, old age, and disease, then you have to accept the words of Kṛṣṇa. As He says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja [Bg. 18.66]. That is bhakti.
- Not a blade of grass moves without the will of the Lord. Whenever, therefore, there is peace in the world, it must be known that it is due to the goodwill of the Lord. And whenever there is upheaval in the world, it is also due to the supreme will of the Lord.
- The surest way to the path of peace, therefore, is dovetailing everything we do in the pleasure of the Lord.
- One must learn how to discriminate between actions that may be pleasing to the Lord and those which may not be pleasing to the Lord. There is no room for personal whims; we must always be guided by the pleasure of the Lord. Such action is called yogaḥ karmasu kauśalam [BG 2.50], or actions performed which are linked with the Supreme Lord. That is the art of doing a thing perfectly
SB 2.1.15 TRANSLATION:
At the last stage of one’s life, one should be bold enough not to be afraid of death. But one must cut off all attachment to the material body and everything pertaining to it and all desires thereof.
CLASS NOTES:
(SB 2.1.15) AS ONE CHANGES AN OLD GARMENT, SO THE INDIVIDUAL LIVING BEING ALSO CHANGES HIS BODY, AND THIS CHANGE OF BODY IS CALLED DEATH.
After death one forgets everything about the present bodily relations; we have a little experience of this at night when we go to sleep. While sleeping, we forget everything about this body and bodily relations, although this forgetfulness is a temporary situation for only a few hours. Death is nothing but sleeping for a few months in order to develop another term of bodily encagement, which we are awarded by the law of nature according to our aspiration.
Death is therefore a process of changing the body at the end of the duration of the present life. An intelligent person must be prepared for this and must try to have the best type of body in the next life. The best type of body is a spiritual body, which is obtained by those who go back to the kingdom of God or enter the realm of Brahman.
(SB 2.1.15) TRAINING TO CHANGE THE ASPIRATIONS
Therefore, one has only to change the aspiration during the course of this present body, and for this there is need of training in the current duration of human life. This training can be begun at any stage of life, or even a few seconds before death, but the usual procedure is for one to get the training from very early life, from the stage of brahmacarya, and gradually progress to the gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa orders of life.
The institution which gives such training is called varṇāśrama-dharma, or the system of sanātana-dharma, the best procedure for making the human life perfect. One is therefore required to give up the attachment to family or social or political life just at the age of fifty years, if not earlier, and the training in the vānaprastha and sannyāsa-āśramas is given for preparation of the next life.
(SB 2.1.15) ONE SHOULD GIVE UP ALL DESIRES OF FAMILY ATTACHMENT.
The best thing is, therefore, that everyone voluntarily give up family relations by transferring the attachment from family, society, country and everything thereof to the devotional service of the Lord. One must have a chance for better desires; otherwise, there is no chance of giving up such morbid desires.
(SB 2.1.15) ONE MUST DEVELOP THE DESIRE FOR RETURNING HOME, BACK TO GODHEAD,
Desire is the concomitant factor of the living entity. The living entity is eternal, and therefore his desires, which are natural for a living being, are also eternal. One cannot, therefore, stop desiring, but the subject matter for desires can be changed. So one must develop the desire for returning home, back to Godhead, and automatically the desires for material gain, material honor and material popularity will diminish in proportion to the development of devotional service. A living being is meant for service activities, and his desires are centered around such a service attitude. Beginning from the top executive head of the state down to the insignificant pauper in the street, all are rendering some sort of service to others. The perfection of such a service attitude is only attained simply by transferring the desire of service from matter to spirit, or from Satan to God.
Even if the materialists say they are not afraid of death, they are not able to cut off the attachments. Some people choose to freeze body at death. It is imp to hear SB to understand the full picture and not remain with half enchilada. SpaceX announces one way trip to Mars and 10,000 people volunteered. See how people foolish people are. How desperate people are to find immortality. We cannot rely on politicians, scientists, whatever they do is attached to their bodies. If you follow a bonafide recipe for making a cookie, you will end up with a good cookie. If you don’t pay attention, the cookie is not good. If you follow the instructions of Acaryas we reach the result and we take half measures then we won’t get there even if we put effort.
[SB 3.25.43 LECTURE]
REAL YOGI – THE PURPOSE IS TO FOCUS THE MIND ON KRSNA.
But the real process is to concentrate the mind upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ [SB 12.13.1]. The yogī’s business is, by controlling the mind, focus it toward Kṛṣṇa or Lord Viṣṇu. That is a real yoga system.
BHAKTI YOGA
So as soon as you focus your mind upon Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu, that is bhakti-yoga. Either you do it by meditation or do it twenty-four hours by practical application of your activities for Kṛṣṇa, that is called bhakti-yoga. And that is called samādhi.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BHAKTI YOGIS AND ORDINARY KARMIS
Bhakti-yoga is so…, so easy. Yat karoṣi yaj juhoṣi yad aśnāsi, yat tapasyasi kuruṣva mad-arpaṇam [Bg. 9.27]. The result should be given to Kṛṣṇa. After working so hard day and night… People are working so hard day and night, but the result, they are enjoying. And a bhakti-yogī, the same thing—they are also working day and night, but the result is for Kṛṣṇa. This is the difference between bhakti-yogī and ordinary karmīs.
Therefore ordinary karmīs, they cannot understand that the bhaktas are on the transcendental platform. They think, “They are like us. By sentiment, they are chanting and dancing.” No. That is not. It is bhakti-yoga. And that is based on jñāna and vairāgya.
BG 9.27 – Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer or give away, and whatever austerities you perform – do that, O son of Kuntī, as an offering to Me.
It is impossible to have sustained happiness in this material world. Yet ppl are trying hard they are spending all the time chasing after fools gold. People are working hard all over the world. They are working to enjoy sense gratification. The Latino workers who are hired to help in Ananda Mela, all are hard workers they are meat-eaters, beer drinkers and want to have sex. We are also working along with them. They are working for a sense gratification and we are working for Srila Prabhupada. Ordinary karmis cannot understand the transcendental platform of devotees.
Bhakti yoga is based on gnana and vairagya. Materialists is based on ignorance and attachment. To cultivate jnana and vairagya you do not have to go to university study 12 years to get them. All you need to do is chant, hear, dance, feast & serve you will naturally get the knowledge.
ONE CANNOT BE BHAKTI-YOGĪ WITHOUT JÑĀNA AND VAIRĀGYA.
It is not a sentimental thing; it is based on pure knowledge.
WHAT IS THAT PURE KNOWLEDGE?
Pure knowledge means “I do not belong to this material world. I am spirit soul. Therefore my business is to serve the Supreme Brahman or Para-brahman.
[Bg. 10.12] Arjuna agreed to serve Kṛṣṇa. Why? Because he understood Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, not impersonal. The impersonal feature is one of the features of Kṛṣṇa. But Kṛṣṇa factually is the Supreme Person. That is called jñāna.
And without this knowledge, [Bg. 15.15], by studying all the Vedas and Vedāntas, if one cannot understand what is the nature of Kṛṣṇa, what is actually Kṛṣṇa, then he is not in perfect knowledge. Ajñāna.
WHAT IS VAIRAGYA?
Jñāna-vairāgya-yuktena. And when one comes to this knowledge, then he becomes reluctant to this material attachment. That is called vairāgya.
What is Kṛṣṇa, what you are, what is your relationship, and what is your duty—then naturally you become reluctant to these material activities. That is called vairāgya.
“No more material life.” This is called renunciation. And no more sense gratification. Material life means sense gratification. Everyone is working so hard day and night. Why? For sense gratification. Yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham [SB 7.9.45]. Gṛhamedhi, those who have accepted this body or the society or the family or the nation, all this gṛha… It is called gṛha. Or gṛhamedhi, those who are attached to all these things, gṛhamedhi, their only happiness = yan maithunādi, sexual intercourse, that’s all. Yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham. Very insignificant, very abominable combination of man and woman. And they are working so hard day and night. That is the only pleasure. So vairāgya means when you will be detestful to this sex pleasure. That is called vairāgya. “No more.” Yad-avadhi mama cetaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravinde [Yāmunācārya]. That is possible only when you are perfectly Kṛṣṇa conscious. Otherwise, it is not possible.
How to develop that vairagya mentality. It is to use everything in Krsna’s service. The miser keeps put everything in a black vault and they do not even trust their family. Extreme attachment. Without knowledge and renunciation, we become afflicted with material attachment. Without them, there is so much fear and anxiety. Money, stocks, 401k, car, dog, members of family. “Lost Dog”… are fearful all the time because of the material attachments.
If we engage in Devotional Service miraculous things will happen –
We lose interest in material things around us. KC is natural and it exists in our heart naturally and it is real. We were originally with Krsna and we forgot Krsna. When we start experiencing, we will understand that this is who I am and I am not the frustrated self, … – Nitya Siddha..
Two gurus and disciples on opposite banks. One party is dancing chanting and another batch is carrying heavy rocks and tolling…
Lord Caitanya was speaking to Prakashananda Saraswati —- You should not be doing this, you should be studying Vedanta with Sarirad Bhasya with Shankaracharya… He says my guru said I am a fool so I need to chant and dance… Lord Caitanya explains Atma Rama verse and everyone was awestruck and understood His real position and that HE is the top Vedantist. ….
HOW THIS JÑĀNA AND VAIRĀGYA CAN BE AWAKENED? BY TAKING UP DEVOTIONAL SERVICE SINCERELY.
So jñāna-vairāgya-yuktena bhakti-yogena [SB 3.25.18]. How this jñāna and vairāgya can be awakened? The jñāna is there, but it is now covered. Nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-bhakti sādhya kabhu naya. If we take to devotional service sincerely, knowledge and renunciation happen naturally.
One who engages in the devotional service of Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, has complete transcendental knowledge and renunciation, and there is no explanation for these attainments. Ahaitukī — without reason, they come. Even if a person is completely illiterate, the transcendental knowledge of the scriptures is revealed unto him simply because of his engagement in devotional service
WE HAVE ACCEPTED THIS MATERIAL BODY DEHINAM WHICH IS ASAT TEMPORARY
Anyone who has accepted this material body… This is asat. It will not stay. But we have accepted this body. But we are so foolish that we do not know that “I am not this body; I am separate from this body. Somehow or other, I am now entrapped or encaged in this body.” Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja said, tat sādhu manye ‘sura-varya dehinām. Dehinām. Dehī means… Dehinām means one who has accepted this material body. And
VAIṢṆAVA IS A WELL-WISHER OF ALL LIVING ENTITIES – SUHṚDAḤ SARVA-DEHINĀM [SB 3.25.21].
A Vaiṣṇava who is in connection with Kṛṣṇa, his business is to go door to door and canvass everyone, “My dear sir, you are not this body. You are wasting your time only under the concept of body. You are Kṛṣṇa’s. You become Kṛṣṇa’s servant.” This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. “My dear sir, you are not this body. You are not American. You are not Indian. You are not brāhmaṇa. You are not śūdra. You are not cat. You are not dog. You are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, and you serve Kṛṣṇa.” This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That’s all.
CAITANYA MAHAPRABHU IS ADVISING ALL OF US TO BECOME GURUS.
This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s advice. Yāre dekha, tāre kaha ‘kṛṣṇa’-upadeśa. It is not very difficult. You haven’t got to become very learned scholar to become guru. Guru’s business is to give the right information. That is guru. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, āmāra ājñāya guru hañā: “Every one of you become guru.” “Oh, I am not a learned man,” or “I am this, I am that. How can I become guru?” Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “No, it is very easy thing.” Yāre dekha, tāre kaha ‘kṛṣṇa’-upadeśa.
[Cc. Madhya 7.128]
“You become guru simply by advising everyone the instruction which Kṛṣṇa has given.” That’s all. You become guru. It is not at all difficult thing. But if you want to cheat others that you are Bhagavān, you are this and that, you are yogī, you are very powerful, and “I am God,” then you will cheat, because you are neither God; you are less than a dog. You are falsely claiming that you are God. That is not your position. You are servant of God, that is your position. That is real jñāna. Therefore Kṛṣṇa…, er, Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that don’t talk all nonsense thing. Simply say the real thing.
AND WHAT IS THE REAL THING? SIMPLY SURRENDER TO KRSNA
That is explained by Kṛṣṇa = sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja [Bg. 18.66]. You take this mission, Simply you surrender yourself to Kṛṣṇa. You become abhayaṁ sattva-śuddhiḥ. You become fearless = “Yes, I am now under the protection of Kṛṣṇa. I have no more fear. I don’t care for anyone. I simply take to Kṛṣṇa.” Akuto-bhayam. Akuto-bhayam. This is said by Kapiladeva also. All śāstra says like that, and Kṛṣṇa also says the same thing in the Bhagavad-gītā, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti [Bg. 18.55] = “If you want to know Me, then it is through bhakti, not your so-called jñāna and karma and yoga.” You will never be able to understand. Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yoga-māyā [Bg. 7.25]. You will be simply covered by yoga-māyā. This is not possible. Bhakti means surrender.
So without surrendering to Kṛṣṇa, you cannot understand. Kṛṣṇa reserves the right not being exposed to the fools and rascals. He is simply for the devotees.
“He’s the first-class yogī who is always thinking of Me.” And who always thinks of Kṛṣṇa unless he is a devotee? Therefore you cannot understand Kṛṣṇa without becoming a devotee. In the beginning of Bhagavad-gītā He says to Arjuna, bhakto ‘si priyo ‘si me [Bg. 4.3] = “I am talking to you the same old system of yoga, Bhagavad-gītā, because you are My devotee.” So if you actually want liberation or fearlessness, no more fear, and if you want actually to become immortal, no more birth, death, old age and disease, then you have to accept the words of Kṛṣṇa. As He says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja [Bg. 18.66]. That is bhakti.
WE BECOME FEARLESS OF THE CUPID, AKUTO BHAYAM
Kṛṣṇa’s name is Madana-mohana, and the material is madana-dahana. In the material world, everyone is suffering by the piercing arrow of Cupid—man or woman. The Madana, Cupid, is piercing the arrow to man and woman, and the woman is mad after man, and man is mad after woman. But when you see Kṛṣṇa actually, then you see Madana-mohana. Then there will be no more suffering of the piercing arrow of the Cupid. That is called akuto-bhayam, no more fear. No more fear. Now you become fearless. And when… If you want to become fearless, akuto-bhayam, then Kṛṣṇa says that…, Kapiladeva says, praviśanty akuto-bhayam. He enters, bhakti-yogena, when one is actually in bhakti-yoga, full knowledge, and vairāgya, renunciation of the material world, then he is able to enter. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ [Bg. 18.55]. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad, tato māṁ tattvato jñātvā.
SB 1.15.24
Factually this is all due to the supreme will of the Lord, the Personality of Godhead. Sometimes people kill one another, and at other times they protect one another.
NOT A BLADE OF GRASS MOVES WITHOUT THE WILL OF THE LORD.
Whenever, therefore, there is peace in the world, it must be known that it is due to the good will of the Lord. And whenever there is upheaval in the world, it is also due to the supreme will of the Lord. Whenever, therefore, there is disobedience of the established rules enacted by the Lord, there is war between men and nations.
PATH TO PEACE
The surest way to the path of peace, therefore, is dovetailing everything to the established rule of the Lord. The established rule is that whatever we do, whatever we eat, whatever we sacrifice or whatever we give in charity must be done to the full satisfaction of the Lord. No one should do anything, eat anything, sacrifice anything or give anything in charity against the will of the Lord. [BG 9.27]
DISCRETION IS THE BETTER PART OF VALOR,
one must learn how to discriminate between actions that may be pleasing to the Lord and those which may not be pleasing to the Lord. An action is thus judged by the Lord’s pleasure or displeasure. There is no room for personal whims; we must always be guided by the pleasure of the Lord. Such action is called yogaḥ karmasu kauśalam [BG 2.50] , or actions performed which are linked with the Supreme Lord. That is the art of doing a thing perfectly.