KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM HH HARIVILAS MAHARAJ’S MORNING BHAGAVATAM CLASS ON SB 2.4.8
- The acts of the Supreme Lord, in the creation of just this one universe, appear inconceivably wonderful. There are innumerable universes, and all of them aggregated together are known as the created material world. And this part of His creation is only a fractional portion of the complete creation.
- The material world is only one part of His energy, the remaining three parts consist of the vaikuṇṭha-Jagat or spiritual world described in the Bhagavad-gītā as mad-dhāma or sanātana-dhāma, or the eternal world.
- Lord creates the material world and winds up the creation. Whereas, Vaikuṇṭha world, is neither created nor annihilated (eternal)
- The Lord exists with His dhāma, or in other words with His eternal name, qualities, pastimes, entourage, and personality, which are all a display of His different energies and expansions.
- The Lord is called anādi, or having no creator, and ādi, or the origin of all.
- All this is inconceivable,even for the great scholars and such scholars present theories contradictory to one another.
- They have no complete information even about this one universe, as to how far this limited space extends, or how many stars and planets are there, or the different conditions of those innumerable planets.
- “Russia’s well-known professor of astronomy Boris Vorontsov-Veliaminov said that there must be an infinite number of planets in the universe inhabited by beings endowed with reason. “It could be that life similar to that on earth flourishes on such planets.”
- This adaptability of an organism to different varieties of planets is described in the Brahma-saṁhitā as vibhūti-bhinnam; Vibhūti means “specific powers,” and bhinnam means “variegated.”
- Scientists who are attempting to explore outer space and are trying to reach other planets by mechanical arrangements must know for certain that organisms adapted to the atmosphere of earth cannot exist in the atmospheres of other planets.
- One has to prepare himself to be transferred to a different planet after being relieved of the present body, as it is said in BG 9.25: “Those who worship the demigods will take birth among the demigods, those who worship ghosts and spirits will take birth among such beings, and those who worship Me will live with Me.”
- Mahārāja Parīkṣit, being a great emperor, a descendant of the Pāṇḍavas and a great devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa, was quite able to know considerably about the creation of the world, but that much knowledge was not sufficient. He said therefore that even greatly learned scholars fail to know about that, even after great effort.
- The Lord is unlimited, and His activities are also unfathomed. With a limited source of knowledge and with imperfect senses, any living being, even lord Brahmājī, the highest perfect living being within the universe, can never imagine knowing about the unlimited.
- We can know something of the unlimited when it is explained by the unlimited, as has been done by the Lord Himself in the unique statements of the Bhagavad-gītā, and it can also be known to some extent from realized souls like Śukadeva Gosvāmī, who learned it from Vyāsadeva, a disciple of Nārada, and thus the perfect knowledge can descend by the chain of disciplic succession only, and not by any form of experimental knowledge, old or modern.
- (SB 5.5.5) As long as one does not inquire about the spiritual values of life, one is defeated and subjected to miseries arising from ignorance.
- (BG 7.17) Of these, the one who is in full knowledge and who is always engaged in pure devotional service is the best. For I am very dear to him, and he is dear to Me.
- (BG 7.18) All these devotees are undoubtedly magnanimous souls, but he who is situated in knowledge of Me I consider to be just like My own self. Being engaged in My transcendental service, he is sure to attain Me, the highest and most perfect goal.
- (SB 10.2.32) A person who doesn’t have knowledge of devotional service may think himself liberated, but actually he is not.
- The point is to know Kṛṣṇa, Vāsudeva, as everything and surrender unto Him. Karmīs do not know this, but a devotee who is one hundred percent engaged in the devotional service of the Lord knows fully what is karma and jñāna;
- Therefore a pure devotee is no longer interested in karma or jñāna. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam. The real bhakta is untouched by any tinge of karma and jñāna. His only purpose in life is to serve the Lord.
SB 2.4.8 TRANSLATION
O learned brāhmaṇa, the transcendental activities of the Lord are all wonderful, and they appear inconceivable because even great endeavors by many learned scholars have still proved insufficient for understanding them.
CLASS NOTES:
THE ACTS OF THE SUPREME LORD, IN THE CREATION OF JUST THIS ONE UNIVERSE, APPEAR INCONCEIVABLY WONDERFUL.
And there are innumerable universes, and all of them aggregated together are known as the created material world. And this part of His creation is only a fractional portion of the complete creation. The material world stands as a part only (ekāṁśena sthito jagat).
Supposing that the material world is a display of one part of His energy, the remaining three parts consist of the vaikuṇṭha-Jagat or spiritual world described in the Bhagavad-gītā as mad-dhāma or sanātana-dhāma, or the eternal world.
HE CREATES AND AGAIN WINDS UP THE CREATION (ONLY MATERIAL WORLD)
This action is applicable only in the material world because the othe greater part of His creation, namely the Vaikuṇṭha world, is neither created nor annihilated; otherwise the Vaikuṇṭha-dhāma would not have been called eternal. The Lord exists with His dhāma, or in other words with His eternal name, qualities, pastimes, entourage and personality, which are all a display of His different energies and expansions
THE LORD IS CALLED ANĀDI, OR HAVING NO CREATOR, AND ĀDI, OR THE ORIGIN OF ALL.
We think in our own imperfect way that the Lord is also created, but the Vedānta informs us that He is not created. Rather, everything else is created by Him (nārāyaṇaḥ paro ’vyaktāt)
MODERN SCIENTISTS HAVE INSUFFICIENT KNOWLEDGE OF ALL THIS.
for the common man these are all very wonderful matters for consideration. Even for great scholars they are inconceivable, and thus such scholars present theories contradictory to one another. Even for the insignificant part of His creation, this particular universe, they have no complete information as to how far this limited space extends, or how many stars and planets are there, or the different conditions of those innumerable planets. Modern scientists have insufficient knowledge of all this. Some of them assert that there are one hundred million planets scattered all over space.
“Russia’s well-known professor of astronomy Boris Vorontsov-Veliaminov said that there must be an infinite number of planets in the universe inhabited by beings endowed with reason.
“It could be that life similar to that on earth flourishes on such planets.
“Doctor of Chemistry Nikolai Zhirov, covering the problem of atmosphere on other planets, pointed out that the organism of a Martian, for instance, could very well adapt itself to normal existence with a low body temperature.
“He said that he felt that the gaseous composition of Martian atmosphere was quite suitable to sustain life of beings which have become adapted to it.”
THIS ADAPTABILITY OF AN ORGANISM TO DIFFERENT VARIETIES OF PLANETS IS DESCRIBED IN THE BRAHMA-SAṀHITĀ AS VIBHŪTI-BHINNAM;
i.e., each and every one of the innumerable planets within the universe is endowed with a particular type of atmosphere, and the living beings there are more perfectly advanced in science and psychology because of a better atmosphere. Vibhūti means “specific powers,” and bhinnam means “variegated.” Scientists who are attempting to explore outer space and are trying to reach other planets by mechanical arrangements must know for certain that organisms adapted to the atmosphere of earth cannot exist in the atmospheres of other planets (Easy Journey to Other Planets).
ONE HAS TO PREPARE HIMSELF, THEREFORE, TO BE TRANSFERRED TO A DIFFERENT PLANET AFTER BEING RELIEVED OF THE PRESENT BODY, AS IT IS SAID IN THE BHAGAVAD-GĪTĀ (9.25):
yānti deva-vratā devān
pitṝn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ
bhūtāni yānti bhūtejyā
yānti mad-yājino ’pi mām
“Those who worship the demigods will take birth among the demigods, those who worship ghosts and spirits will take birth among such beings, and those who worship Me will live with Me.”
MAHĀRĀJA PARĪKṢIT’S STATEMENT REGARDING THE WORKINGS OF THE CREATIVE ENERGY OF THE LORD DISCLOSES THAT HE KNEW EVERYTHING OF THE PROCESS OF CREATION. WHY THEN DID HE ASK ŚUKADEVA GOSVĀMĪ FOR SUCH INFORMATION?
Mahārāja Parīkṣit, being a great emperor, a descendant of the Pāṇḍavas and a great devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa, was quite able to know considerably about the creation of the world, but that much knowledge was not sufficient. He said therefore that even greatly learned scholars fail to know about that, even after great effort.
THE LORD IS UNLIMITED, AND HIS ACTIVITIES ARE ALSO UNFATHOMED.
With a limited source of knowledge and with imperfect senses, any living being, up to the standard of Brahmājī, the highest perfect living being within the universe, can never imagine knowing about the unlimited. We can know something of the unlimited when it is explained by the unlimited, as has been done by the Lord Himself in the unique statements of the Bhagavad-gītā, and it can also be known to some extent from realized souls like Śukadeva Gosvāmī, who learned it from Vyāsadeva, a disciple of Nārada, and thus the perfect knowledge can descend by the chain of disciplic succession only, and not by any form of experimental knowledge, old or modern.
Important point here is – anything about Krsna is amazing and inconceivable to mundane persons. The most mundane people are the scientists and philosophers. Because they try and understand the material world through speculation, They claim to be logical and rational, but they are not, unfortunately they are considered to be experts in understanding of this material world, but their understanding is very piece meal… very sketchy and very incomplete.
Los Angeles Dec 6th 1968 BG 2.26
Srila Prabhupada talks about the Darwin’s theory.
People who believe in Darwinism do not believe in the soul and they do not believe in the transmigration of the soul. They have their own theories which are not definite and scientifically proven. Darwin was quoted as saying “there is nothing wrong with speculation in science. Science means observation, experimentation, finding a pattern and coming up with a theory. “ The atheistic theory is by the combination of matter, living symptoms become possible. There is no proof of it. They never were able to prove that by combining matter they can produce life or a living being .. Srila Prabhupada says – “let them make one small ant.” They convinced many generations of kids and educated in nonsense schools that there is no soul and matter is the origin of everything… There is no way we can except such phony knowledge. Even from the point of view of History, at the max they went only 3000 – years back and Darwin says life came into existence only 10000 years ago… SB says that – 5000 years ago there was battle of kurukshetra,,,, millions of years ago there was battle between Rama and Ravana. Need to understand SB to learn history , species of things and races of people…
Chemical theory of life.. Can they produce life, they have all the elements. SP asked Bhakti Swaroop Damodar maharaj /… “ Ask him if we give him all the chemicals, can he produce living being… “ He cannot do it but he is teaching a theory that life came from chemicals…
BG 2.26
If, however, you think that the soul [or the symptoms of life] will always be born and die forever, you still have no reason to lament, O mighty-armed.
Even if you accept that life is a bottle of chemicals, do you lament if the bottle of chemicals breaks. It is called Vaibhsika philosophy… in the olden days. OUr children are being trained in modern education, they are becoming stupid..
(SB 5.5.5) AS LONG AS ONE DOES NOT INQUIRE ABOUT THE SPIRITUAL VALUES OF LIFE, ONE IS DEFEATED AND SUBJECTED TO MISERIES ARISING FROM IGNORANCE.
parābhavas tāvad abodha-jāto
yāvan na jijñāsata ātma-tattvam
yāvat kriyās tāvad idaṁ mano vai
karmātmakaṁ yena śarīra-bandhaḥ
As long as one does not inquire about the spiritual values of life, one is defeated and subjected to miseries arising from ignorance. Be it sinful or pious, karma has its resultant actions. If a person is engaged in any kind of karma, his mind is called karmātmaka, colored with fruitive activity. As long as the mind is impure, consciousness is unclear, and as long as one is absorbed in fruitive activity, he has to accept a material body.
Very profound verse. We have lot of people who say, I do not believe in religion, I will just do good and stay positive. But they eat meat, they gamble, they do illicit sex, they are committing sinful activties through panchasuna.. How can they do good to others… Their aim is to go to heavenly planets for enhanced sense gratification…
GENERALLY PEOPLE THINK THAT ONE SHOULD ACT VERY PIOUSLY IN ORDER TO BE RELIEVED FROM MISERY, BUT THIS IS NOT A FACT.
Even though one engages in pious activity and speculation, he is nonetheless defeated. His only aim should be emancipation from the clutches of māyā and all material activities. Speculative knowledge and pious activity do not solve the problems of material life. One should be inquisitive to understand his spiritual position. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (4.37):
yathaidhāṁsi samiddho ’gnir
bhasmasāt kurute ’rjuna
jñānāgniḥ sarva-karmāṇi
bhasmasāt kurute tathā
“As a blazing fire turns firewood to ashes, O Arjuna, so does the fire of knowledge burn to ashes all reactions to material activities.”
Unless one understands the self and its activities, one has to be considered in material bondage.
Unless we are trained in SB & BG we will be stupid our whole life, even if we do pious activities. Pious or impious activities you cannot get out of birth and death life cycle… If one cannot attain the love of Krsna in this life… and get out of this birth death…
A person who understands who they are in relationship to Krsna they know that Devotional service is the essence and perfection of life. No knowledge only engage in Dev service you will make progress.. If you have knowledge and no dev service then it is Shrama evahi kevalam… Having knowledge and dedication to devotional service is the best.. It is described in BG 7.17, BG 7.18
BG 7.17
OF THESE, THE ONE WHO IS IN FULL KNOWLEDGE AND WHO IS ALWAYS ENGAGED IN PURE DEVOTIONAL SERVICE IS THE BEST. FOR I AM VERY DEAR TO HIM, AND HE IS DEAR TO ME.
BG 7.18
ALL THESE DEVOTEES ARE UNDOUBTEDLY MAGNANIMOUS SOULS, BUT HE WHO IS SITUATED IN KNOWLEDGE OF ME I CONSIDER TO BE JUST LIKE MY OWN SELF. BEING ENGAGED IN MY TRANSCENDENTAL SERVICE, HE IS SURE TO ATTAIN ME, THE HIGHEST AND MOST PERFECT GOAL.
You get knowledge by sitting an hearing every morning SB as prescribed in vedic way… step by step… We should not waste even 1 moment, we should be enthusiastic in hearing the class, doing devotional service and enthusiastic in giving up illicit activities.
In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.2.32) it is also said: ye ’nye ’ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ. A person who doesn’t have knowledge of devotional service may think himself liberated, but actually he is not.
This is the situation of Mayavadis, they think they are liberated by attaining Brahman, but that is not the case, as there is no devotional service. There Dev. Service in the material world and spiritual world and there is no Dev. Service in Brahman. It is worse than hell. Even in hell you can do DS but not in Brahman, although it is eternal…
Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adho ’nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ: such people may approach the impersonal Brahman effulgence, but they fall down again into material enjoyment because they have no knowledge of devotional service. As long as one is interested in karma and jñāna, he continues enduring the miseries of material life — birth, old age, disease and death. Karmīs certainly take on one body after another. As far as jñānīs are concerned, unless they are promoted to the topmost understanding, they must return to the material world. As explained in Bhagavad-gītā (7.19): bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate. The point is to know Kṛṣṇa, Vāsudeva, as everything and surrender unto Him. Karmīs do not know this, but a devotee who is one hundred percent engaged in the devotional service of the Lord knows fully what is karma and jñāna; therefore a pure devotee is no longer interested in karma or jñāna. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam. The real bhakta is untouched by any tinge of karma and jñāna. His only purpose in life is to serve the Lord.
Even though there are so many yogis like durvasa muni there is nothing like Ambarish maharaj, Prahlad Maharaj, Narada muni… Even though Arjuna did not do any yoga asana yet he is called the greatest yogi. Yoga is not asanas physical postures, it is connecting with Krsna.
This purport is very important , How He is unique and no one is equal or greater to Him.