KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM HH HARIVILAS MAHARAJ’S MORNING BHAGAVATAM CLASS ON SB 2.1.17
Oṁkāra, or the praṇava, is the seed of transcendental realization, and it is composed of the three transcendental letters a-u-m.
Oṁkāra is the seed of all transcendental sound that can bring the desired change of the mind and the senses
The mind is the pivot of the active sense organs, and if the quality of thinking, feeling, and willing is changed, naturally the quality of actions by the senses will also change.
Mind or desire cannot be stopped, but to develop a desire to function for spiritual realization, the quality of engagement by the mind has to be changed.
Persons who are unable to realize the transcendental personal form or name of the Lord on account of their imperfect senses (in other words, the neophytes) are trained to the practice of self-realization by this mechanical process of regulating the breathing function and simultaneously repeating the praṇava (oṁkāra) within the mind.
BG (9.17): “Among vibrations, I am the syllable oṁ.” This means that oṁ-kāra is nondifferent from Kṛṣṇa.
Impersonalists, however, give more importance to oṁ-kāra than to the Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. But, the devotees directly fix their minds on the Person of the Absolute Truth.
The letter a indicates Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the letter u indicates Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, Kṛṣṇa’s eternal consort, and the letter m indicates the living entity, the eternal servitor of the Supreme Lord.
The Ṛg Veda 1.22.20: Om tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayaḥ: The demigods also consider Lord Viṣṇu’s lotus feet their supreme destination, and they become liberated simply by performing all activities for His pleasure.
Om means surrendering to the lotus feet of the lord.
Tat means Radharani or desirelessness. Real desirelessness is the desire for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa, not an artificial attempt to abolish desires.
Sat means the living entity who is eternally serving the Lord
Acting in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is called sattva, and one who is fully conscious of the activities of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is called a sādhu.
One who is situated in the perfect stage of Krsna Consciousness knows that because Kṛṣṇa is the proprietor of everything, everything must be used for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa.
Without good association, one cannot achieve transcendental knowledge.
The supreme words oṁ tat sat are thus used in many ways to perfect all activities and make everything complete.
SB 2.1.17 TRANSLATION:
After sitting in the above manner, make the mind remember the three transcendental letters [a-u-m], and by regulating the breathing process, control the mind so as not to forget the transcendental seed.
CLASS NOTES:
Oṁkāra, or the praṇava, is the seed of transcendental realization, and it is composed of the three transcendental letters a-u-m.
OṀKĀRA IS THE SEED OF ALL TRANSCENDENTAL SOUNDS THAT CAN BRING ABOUT THE DESIRED CHANGE OF THE MIND AND THE SENSES.
Mind or desire cannot be stopped, but to develop a desire to function for spiritual realization, the quality of engagement by the mind has to be changed. The mind is the pivot of the active sense organs, and as such if the quality of thinking, feeling, and willing is changed, naturally the quality of actions by the instrumental senses will also change. Oṁkāra is the seed of all transcendental sound, and it is only the transcendental sound that can bring about the desired change of the mind and the senses.
Persons who are unable to realize the transcendental personal form or name of the Lord on account of their imperfect senses (in other words, the neophytes) are trained to the practice of self-realization by this mechanical process of regulating the breathing function and simultaneously repeating the praṇava (oṁkāra) within the mind
Srila Prabhupada met the ambassador for India in England. The ambassador kept on saying about OM. people who do not have an appreciation for Krsna says OM. The mechanical process of regulating the breathing and repeating the Omkara. Devotees directly fix their minds on the absolute personality of Godhead. People have left Krsna and came to become little own Krsnas and they do not want to repeat the name of the Lord. They prefer to say OM. In their mind, it refers to impersonal Brahma Jyothi. The real meaning of OM is given in Caitanya Caritamrta.
LORD CHAITANYA’s TEACHINGS CHAPTER 20 LAST PARAGRAPH
OṀ-KĀRA IS NONDIFFERENT FROM KṚṢṆA.
Bhagavad-gītā (9.17): “Among vibrations, I am the syllable oṁ.” This means that oṁ-kāra is nondifferent from Kṛṣṇa. Impersonalists, however, give more importance to oṁ-kāra than to the Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. But the fact is that any representational incarnation of the Supreme Lord is nondifferent from Him. Oṁ-kāra is, therefore, the ultimate representation of all the Vedas.
THE VAIṢṆAVAS INTERPRETS OṀ-KĀRA, A COMBINATION OF THE LETTERS A, U AND M, AS FOLLOWS:
The letter a indicates Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the letter u indicates Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, Kṛṣṇa’s eternal consort, and the letter m indicates the living entity, the eternal servitor of the Supreme Lord.
A – Krishna
U – Radharani
M – the living entity who is engaged in eternal service
(RTW – Page 18) DEMIGODS ALSO CONSIDER LORD VIṢṆU’S LOTUS FEET THEIR SUPREME DESTINATION, AND THEY BECOME LIBERATED SIMPLY BY PERFORMING ALL ACTIVITIES FOR HIS PLEASURE. The Ṛg Veda1.22.20 confirms this: Om tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayaḥ “Lord Viṣṇu is the Supreme shelter of everything. All the demigods are constantly meditating on Him.” Thus we see that the demigods also consider Lord Viṣṇu’s lotus feet their supreme destination, and they become liberated simply by performing all activities for His pleasure. One who wants release from the vicious karmic cycle must have Lord Viṣṇu’s lotus feet as his final objective. Otherwise, he will have to become demoniac.
(BG 17.24) OM MEANS SURRENDERING TO THE LOTUS FEET OF THE LORD Therefore, transcendentalists undertaking performances of sacrifice, charity and penance in accordance with scriptural regulations begin always with oṁ, to attain the Supreme. Oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padam (Ṛg Veda 1.22.20). The lotus feet of Viṣṇu are the supreme devotional platform. The performance of everything on behalf of the Supreme Personality of Godhead assures the perfection of all activity.
(BG 17.25) TAT MEANS DESIRELESSNESS Without desiring fruitive results, one should perform various kinds of sacrifice, penance and charity with the word tat. The purpose of such transcendental activities is to get free from material entanglement. To be elevated to the spiritual position, one should not act for any material gain. Acts should be performed for the ultimate gain of being transferred to the spiritual kingdom, back to home, back to Godhead.
(BG 2.71)REAL DESIRELESSNESS IS THE DESIRE FOR THE SATISFACTION OF KṚṢṆA, NOT AN ARTIFICIAL ATTEMPT TO ABOLISH DESIRES. vihāya kāmān yaḥ sarvān pumāṁś carati niḥspṛhaḥ nirmamo nirahaṅkāraḥ sa śāntim adhigacchati A person who has given up all desires for sense gratification, who lives free from desires, who has given up all sense of proprietorship and is devoid of false ego – he alone can attain real peace.
To become desireless means not to desire anything for sense gratification.
One who is situated in this perfect stage knows that because Kṛṣṇa is the proprietor of everything, everything must be used for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa.
Real desirelessness is the desire for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa, not an artificial attempt to abolish desires.
Knowing perfectly well that every living entity is an eternal part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa in spiritual identity, and that the eternal position of the living entity is therefore never on the level of Kṛṣṇa or greater than Him. This understanding of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the basic principle of real peace.
(BG 17.26-27) SAT MEANS THE LIVING ENTITY IS ETERNALLY SERVING THE LORD
The Absolute Truth is the objective of devotional sacrifice, and it is indicated by the word sat. The performer of such sacrifice is also called sat, as are all works of sacrifice, penance and charity which, true to the absolute nature, are performed to please the Supreme Person, O son of Pṛthā.
Acting in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is called sattva, and one who is fully conscious of the activities of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is called a sādhu. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (3.25.25) it is said that the transcendental subject matter becomes clear in the association of the devotees. The words used are satāṁ prasaṅgāt. Without good association, one cannot achieve transcendental knowledge. When initiating a person or offering the sacred thread, one vibrates the words oṁ tat sat. Similarly, in all kinds of performance of yajña the object is the Supreme, oṁ tat sat. The word tad-arthīyam further means offering service to anything which represents the Supreme, including such service as cooking and helping in the Lord’s temple, or any other kind of work for broadcasting the glories of the Lord. These supreme words oṁ tat sat are thus used in many ways to perfect all activities and make everything complete.
Om – Supreme personality of Godhead Tat – Radharani – one should not have any material desires. Should have all kinds of desires to please Krsna. If we act only on the orders of Krsna and SM then we become free. If we act for our sense gratification we become entangled. Sat – performer of the sacrifice the living entity.
Tapasya, Penance – voluntary self punishment as an act of repentance Tapasya, Austerity – voluntarily deny things to gain control of mind – in the level of thinking, feeling willing. Yogi does it through meditation controlling breathing, certain postures and meditating on OM, devotees does it by chanting Hare Krsna and engaging whole hearted in the service of the Lord and offering the results to the Lord. Om tat sat – is personal if you hear the explanation of devotees. If you hear the explanation of mayavadis then it is impersonal. They want to aannihilate their individuality they want to merge into Brahman. Little they know that Brahman is made of infinite number of spirit sparks, jivas.
KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM HH HARIVILAS MAHARAJ’S MORNING BHAGAVATAM CLASS ON SB 2.1.16
To prepare oneself for the better next life, one must get out of one’s so-called home. The system of varṇāśrama-dharma, or sanātana-dharma, prescribes retirement from family encumbrances as early as possible after one has passed fifty years of age.
In order to be saved from the danger of spoiling the human form of life and being attached to unreal things, one must take warning of death at the age of fifty, if not earlier.
The holy places all over the world are meant for the residential purposes of retired persons getting ready for a better next life. One should not, however, become self-complacent simply by leaving home or by creating another home at the holy place, either lawfully or unlawfully.
To live apart from family life means to become self-controlled in regard to all sense desires, especially sex desires. For a man desiring to improve the condition of his existence, sex indulgence is considered suicidal, or even worse.
The whole process is to drag the mind from material engagements and fix it on the lotus feet of the Lord.
Prahlad Maharaj, a pure devotee of the lord, even though he was very old, he did not leave the family. He was a praśānta,
Even if a devotee remains in gṛhastha life and does not renounce material possessions, he should still be understood to be praśānta, sober, because of his pure devotion to the Lord. He is never disturbed by any conditions.
As soon as you engage yourself in the devotional service of Vāsudeva under the direction of śāstra and spiritual master, then you attain the stage of Jnana and vairagya.
So long you are in the subtle body and gross body, then you are suffering under the three modes of material nature.
By karma-yoga you try to get out of this gross body. By jñāna-yoga you try to get out of this subtle body. But if you are situated in the devotional service of the Lord, you immediately become on the platform of Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā.
So by being situated on the spiritual platform, automatically you achieve your original status, constitutional position, Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā [Bg. 18.54]. Then you are able to enter into the kingdom of God or the spiritual world.
Unless you enter the spiritual world with your spiritual body, there is no question of akuto-bhayam. (Fearlessness)
If you want actually to be fearless and enter into the spiritual life, spiritual kingdom, back to home, back to Godhead, then you have to accept this bhakti-yoga process, and it is very easy, and then you become fearless, and your life is successful.
Devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted to completely satisfy the self.
“Since the complete whole or the Absolute Truth is the source of everything, nothing can be independent of the body of the Absolute Truth.”
Whatever happens to the body quickly becomes known to the embodied. Similarly, the creation is the body of the absolute whole. Therefore, the Absolute knows everything, directly and indirectly, that happens in the creation.
SB 2.1.16 TRANSLATION: One should leave home and practice self-control. In a sacred place he should bathe regularly and sit down in a lonely place duly sanctified.
CLASS NOTES:
(SB 2.1.16)
To prepare oneself for the better next life, one must get out of one’s so-called home. The system of varṇāśrama-dharma, or sanātana-dharma, prescribes retirement from family encumbrances as early as possible after one has passed fifty years of age.
TO BE SAVED FROM THE DANGER OF SPOILING THE HUMAN FORM OF LIFE AND BEING ATTACHED TO UNREAL THINGS ONE MUST TAKE THE WARNING OF DEATH AT THE AGE OF FIFTY, IF NOT EARLIER.
Persons who are too much attached to family comforts are generally awarded lower species of life on account of sinful acts performed during a long duration of sinful life, and thus all the energy of the human life is spoiled. In order to be saved from the danger of spoiling the human form of life and being attached to unreal things, one must take warning of death at the age of fifty, if not earlier. At any stage of life one should prepare himself for a better next life.
THE HOLY PLACES ALL OVER THE WORLD ARE MEANT FOR THE RESIDENTIAL PURPOSES OF RETIRED PERSONS GETTING READY FOR A BETTER NEXT LIFE.
The system of the sanātana-dharma institution is so made that the follower is trained for the better next life without any chance that the human life will be spoiled. The holy places all over the world are meant for the residential purposes of retired persons getting ready for a better next life. Intelligent persons must go there at the end of life, and for that matter, after fifty years of age, to live a life of spiritual regeneration for the sake of being freed from family attachment, which is considered to be the shackle of material life.
ONE SHOULD NOT, HOWEVER, BECOME SELF-COMPLACENT SIMPLY BY LEAVING HOME OR BY CREATING ANOTHER HOME AT THE HOLY PLACE, EITHER LAWFULLY OR UNLAWFULLY.
For a man desiring to improve the condition of his existence, sex indulgence is considered suicidal, or even worse.
To live apart from family life means to become self-controlled in regard to all sense desires, especially sex desires. The method is that one should have a duly sanctified sitting place made of straw, deerskin and carpet, and thus sitting on it one should chant the holy name of the Lord without offense, as prescribed above. The whole process is to drag the mind from material engagements and fix it on the lotus feet of the Lord. This simple process alone will help one advance to the highest stage of spiritual success.
Example of Prahlad Maharaj who did not leave his family and hearth. Because everyone in his family was Krsna Conscious and Prahlad Mahara was acting as a guru for his grandson Bali Maharaj. Everything depends on Krsna Conscious whether it is forest or home. If the home is not conducive for Krsna Consciousness, then one must leave after finishing the duties. For whom the bell is ringing, death of the material body is awaiting. To be able to detach and fully be in Krsna consciousness and leave the body, requires preparation. We should understand that and plan our life. 0-25 – Education 25-50 – family life 50-death – detach from home and hearth and practice full-time Krsna Consciousness
(SB 8.19.2) PRAHLAD MAHARAJ IS AN EXAMPLE, EVEN THOUGH HE WAS VERY OLD, HE DID NOT LEAVE THE FAMILY. HE WAS A PRAŚĀNTA,
Prahlāda Mahārāja is a vivid example of a pure devotee. Someone might argue that since Prahlāda Mahārāja, even though very old, was attached to his family, and specifically to his grandson Bali Mahārāja, how could he be an ideal example? Therefore this verse uses the word praśāntaḥ. A devotee is always sober. He is never disturbed by any conditions. Even if a devotee remains in gṛhastha life and does not renounce material possessions, he should still be understood to be praśānta, sober, because of his pure devotion to the Lord.
The Key is to become KC and not be addicted to sense gratification. That can only happen if one is chanting, hearing, and taking prasadam. If one engages in dev service one gets Gnana and Vairagya – whether it is brahmachari, grhasta or vanaprasta….
(Lecture on 3.25.43) https://vedabase.io/en/library/transcripts/741211sbbom/
AS SOON AS YOU TAKE TO BHAKTI, IMMEDIATELY YOUR GROSS AND SUBTLE BODY IS DIGESTED. YOU WILL LIVE IN THE SPIRITUAL BODY.
by bhakti, you will automatically attain the stage of jñāna-vairāgya. Just like if you take one very nice digestive pill, so whatever you have eaten, even stone, it will be digested. It will be digested. Similarly, as soon as you take to bhakti, immediately your gross and subtle body is digested. You will live in the spiritual body.
We are already Brahman—ahaṁ brahmāsmi—but we are covered by the material body, the gross body – fire, water, earth, air, and the subtle body-mind, intelligence, and ego. This is our impediment. But the… By karma-yoga you try to get out of this gross body. By jñāna-yoga you try to get out of this subtle body. But bhakti-yoga—you directly you cross over this subtle body and gross body; you are immediately situated in the spiritual body. Jñāna-vairāgya-yuktena. Sa guṇān samatītyaitān.
14.26 – mam ca yo avybhicharena… One who engages in full devotional service, unfailing in all circumstances, at once transcends the modes of material nature and thus comes to the level of Brahman
SO LONG YOU ARE IN THE SUBTLE BODY AND GROSS BODY, THEN YOU ARE SUFFERING UNDER THE THREE MODES OF MATERIAL NATURE.
The body is created by the three modes of material nature according to… Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo ‘sya sad-asad-yoni-janmasu [Bg. 13.22]. We get different types of bodies on account of association with these material modes of nature, sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, Tamo-guṇa. But if you are situated in the devotional service of the Lord, you immediately become on the platform of Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā.
Book worms are theoretical. Devotees have practical knowledge because they are engaged in practical devotional service, Krsna gives them knowledge and renunciation. We are not theoretical, bhakti is practical. When you are performing Bhakti you are in the Brahman platform.
WHEN YOU ARE FREE FROM THIS MATERIAL CONTAMINATION AND ATTAIN PURE BHAKTI, THEN YOU PRAVIŚANTI IN THE SPIRITUAL WORLD.
Knowledge is – When one understands what is Kṛṣṇa in truth.
When you are actually in devotional service, then that is practical. You are no more on the material platform. You are on the Brahman platform. So by being situated on the spiritual platform, automatically you achieve your original status, constitutional position, Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā [Bg. 18.54]. Then you are able to enter into the kingdom of God or the spiritual world. So when you are free from this material contamination, then you praviśanti in the spiritual world. The praviśanti is there. In the material world, you are praviśanti from one body to another, and you are suffering.
UNLESS YOU ENTER IN THE SPIRITUAL WORLD WITH YOUR SPIRITUAL BODY, THERE IS NO QUESTION OF AKUTO-BHAYAM. (FEARLESSNESS)
So long you get this body, you must suffer. Either you get the king’s body or the cobbler’s body or ant’s body or dog’s body—to accept material body means suffering. There cannot be akuto-bhayam. Unless you enter in the spiritual world with your spiritual body, there is no question of akuto-bhayam. (Fearlessness)So that akuto-bhayam is possible when you are practiced to bhakti-yogam.
We go to the Shoreline to feed the drug addicts from meth clinic who come there. They really appreciate prasadam. We give socks, tooth paste, brushes, … they appreciate it. They are beginning to ask questions.. Few of them one lady is addicted for 16 years… She started asking some questions… Maharaj gave higher taste book and chanting book. If you chant this mantra it will help you develop patience and the discipline to wean off.. You should be meditating on child and how to get her back. You dont need to go to palm reader to know present past and future. You can tell what your past is based on what your present it and you can tell your future based on what your present actions are.
If we apply yourself, engage yourself in bhakti-yoga, then janayaty āśu vairāgyam, cause and effect. As soon as you engage yourself in devotional service of Vāsudeva under the direction of śāstra and spiritual master, then janayaty āśu vairāgyam. And you are practically experiencing that since you have come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement you have no more interest material activities. No more interest. That is vairāgya. You are simply meant for service of Kṛṣṇa. That is jñāna. In this way, if you want actually to be fearless and enter into the spiritual life, or spiritual kingdom, back to home, back to Godhead, then you have to accept this bhakti-yoga process, and it is very easy, and then you become fearless, and your life is successful.
We are in this material world, we are bombarded with false knowledge. Material knowledge poisons the mind and the body. Vacuum cleaner rep throws dirt in the house and barges into the house, cleans the house with vacuum and sells the vacuum. They make covid in the lab and throw it in in the world, make the vaccine in the lab and sell it to everyone in the world. KC is the purification of body, mind, intelligence, and coming back to a spiritual platform. There is nothing after death. Go take a vacation, go here and go there and some downtime. Don’t listen to what Harivilas says about this festival that festival running here and running there. Why do you need a vacation when you are in bliss by performing dev service?
(BG 1.2.6) THERE IS NO BREAK OR VACATION FOR DEVOTIONAL SERVICE sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje ahaituky apratihatā yayātmā suprasīdati The supreme occupation [dharma] for all humanity is that by which men can attain to loving devotional service unto the transcendent Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted to completely satisfy the self.
(SB 1.1.1) WHATEVER HAPPENS TO THE BODY QUICKLY BECOMES KNOWN TO THE EMBODIED.
Conditioned souls, beginning from Brahmā, who engineers the entire universe, down to the insignificant ant, are all creating, but none of them is independent of the Supreme Lord. The materialist wrongly thinks that there is no creator other than his own self. This is called māyā, or illusion.
Material nature is itself the cause and affect of everything. We will understand why scientists think like that –
Because of his poor fund of knowledge, the materialist cannot see beyond the purview of his imperfect senses, and thus he thinks that matter automatically takes its own shape without the aid of superior intelligence. This is refuted in this śloka by Śrīla Vyāsadeva: “Since the complete whole or the Absolute Truth is the source of everything, nothing can be independent of the body of the Absolute Truth.” Whatever happens to the body quickly becomes known to the embodied. Similarly, the creation is the body of the absolute whole. Therefore, the Absolute knows everything, directly and indirectly, that happens in the creation. In the śruti-mantra, it is also stated that the absolute whole or Brahman is the ultimate source of everything. Everything emanates from Him, and everything is maintained by Him. And at the end, everything enters into Him. That is the law of nature.
Just like you know when you get pain in your body. Krishna knows what is happening in his Body which is His creation.
The answer to every question is in SB 1.1.1. Even if you read SB 1.1.1, you did not understand everything. We need to go back and reexamine it. `
Key points – Just like you know when you get pain in your body. Krishna knows what is happening in his Body which is His creation. You can know your past and future based on your present. (SB 6th canto)
Q&A when you are vanaprastha, husband and wife go and visit holy places. Once you are fully situated in KC, the husband can go to take sanyasi and the wife can decide to live in Dham or at her son’s place.
Second initiation – only for worshipping deities.
Diff ways of understanding the progress – Constant engagement in chanting and service, Knowledge in sastra and the ability to convince others Kanishtadhikari – no idea of sastra, cannot convince anyone about the philosophy Madhyamadhikari – service +Sastra Uttamadhikari – looking at him, meeting him people become convinced
Let’s say you have no intelligence to Study Sastra, but, if you are convinced that you are never going to leave KC, Krishna is absolute, Krsna is the cause of everything, Service to Please Krsna is your duty, you are peaceful, you have the knowledge, you are renounced… That is also fine. They convince them by their example.
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.
KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM HH HARIVILAS MAHARAJ’S MORNING BHAGAVATAM CLASS ON SB 2.1.14
Everyone can best prepare himself for the next life simply by hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, as it was recited by Śukadeva Gosvāmī to Mahārāja Parīkṣit.
One who actually wants to be liberated from the entanglement of this material world and go back home, back to Godhead, is actually a mystic yogī.
Those yogīs, or mystics, who engage in devotional service are the first-class yogīs, who are constantly thinking of the Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa
To become a bhakti-yogī means to automatically attain knowledge and renunciation. That is the consequent result of bhakti-yoga.
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 to him simply because of his engagement in devotional service.
To anyone who has full faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the spiritual master, all the import of the Vedic literatures is revealed.
One cannot be sure of entrance into the spiritual realm — in either the impersonal brahmajyoti effulgence of the Lord or the Vaikuṇṭha planets within that Brahman effulgence — unless he is surrendered unto the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord.
The surrendered souls are called akuto-bhaya. They are doubtless and fearless, and their entrance into the spiritual kingdom is guaranteed.
In the material world, there is danger in every step. Trying to find security in this material world is foolishness.
We are all Krsna’s children and we have forgotten Kṛṣṇa or rejected Kṛṣṇa, we are situated in ASAT. Hence we are always in fear. To have no more fear, one has to take the shelter of the lotus feet of Krsna.
Krsna says – He is the seed-giving father and the friend of all living entities without any exception and He is asking all living entities to surrender unto Him. He is not for only Hindus or Indians. He is Suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām.
Kṛṣṇa, being father, Kṛṣṇa, being the friend of everyone, He comes, and He canvasses, and at last, He says, “You rascal,” sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyaḥ [Bg. 18.66]. “You are rotting here by repeatedly committing sinful life. Therefore you are changing from one body to another, and this is your material condition.”
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.
SB 2.1.14
Mahārāja Parīkṣit, now your duration of life is limited to seven more days, so during this time you can perform all those rituals which are needed for the best purpose of your next life.
CLASS NOTES:
(SB 2.1.14) EVERYONE CAN BEST PREPARE HIMSELF FOR THE NEXT LIFE SIMPLY BY HEARING ŚRĪMAD-BHĀGAVATAM
Śukadeva Gosvāmī told Mahārāja Parīkṣit that he should take shelter of the sound representation of the Lord for the seven days still remaining in the duration of his life and thus get himself liberated. In other words, everyone can best prepare himself for the next life simply by hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, as it was recited by Śukadeva Gosvāmī to Mahārāja Parīkṣit.
Real spiritual life is based on fundamental principles to be followed. So one can increase the strictness of following, quality of following, regularity, all these are part of Sadhana bhakti. Maharaj Parikshit is fortunate that he knows he has 7 days in the body, we do not know if it is 7 minutes or 7 days. Materialist lives every minute as if he is going to live for 100 years. Devotee lives every minute as if he is going to die the very next moment. Take shelter of sound representation of the Lord. Simply by hearing SB everyone can best prepare himself for the next life
(SB 3.25.43) DEFINITION OF YOGI
jñāna-vairāgya-yuktena bhakti-yogena yoginaḥ kṣemāya pāda-mūlaṁ me praviśanty akuto-bhayam
The yogīs, equipped with transcendental knowledge and renunciation and engaged in devotional service for their eternal benefit, take shelter of My lotus feet, and since I am the Lord, they are thus eligible to enter into the kingdom of Godhead without fear.
One who actually wants to be liberated from the entanglement of this material world and go back home, back to Godhead, is actually a mystic yogī.
(SB 3.25.43) BHAKTI YOGIS
Those yogīs, or mystics, who engage in devotional service are the first-class yogīs. The first-class yogīs, as described in Bhagavad-gītā, are those who are constantly thinking of the Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa
(SB 3.25.43) TO BECOME A BHAKTI-YOGĪ MEANS TO AUTOMATICALLY ATTAIN KNOWLEDGE AND RENUNCIATION. THAT IS THE CONSEQUENT RESULT OF BHAKTI-YOGA.
In the Bhāgavatam, First Canto, Second Chapter, it is also confirmed that 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. That is also stated in the Vedic literature. To anyone who has full faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the spiritual master, all the import of the Vedic literature is revealed. He does not have to seek separately; the yogī who engages in devotional service is full in knowledge and renunciation. If there is a lack of knowledge and renunciation, it is to be understood that one is not in full devotional service.
The conclusion is that one cannot be sure of entrance into the spiritual realm — in either the impersonal brahmajyoti effulgence of the Lord or the Vaikuṇṭha planets within that Brahman effulgence — unless he is surrendered unto the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord.
(SB 3.25.43) THE SURRENDERED SOULS ARE CALLED AKUTO-BHAYA. THEY ARE DOUBTLESS AND FEARLESS, AND THEIR ENTRANCE INTO THE SPIRITUAL KINGDOM IS GUARANTEED.
Here in this material world—simply bhayam, only fearfulness. Nobody is safe here. At any moment the life may be finished. Nobody can guarantee. Padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadām [SB 10.14.58]. In the śāstra it is said that here in this material world there is danger in every step.
TRYING TO FIND SECURITY IN THIS WORLD IS MUDHA, FOOLISHNESS
If this place is meant for that purpose, padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadām, then how you can get security? This is foolishness, mūḍha. There is no possibility of security; still, they are making security in this way, that way, this way, that way, that way.
KRSNA SAYS – HE IS THE FRIEND OF ALL LIVING ENTITIES AND HE IS ASKING ALL LIVING ENTITIES TO SURRENDER UNTO HIM. HE IS NOT FOR ONLY HINDUS OR INDIANS. HE IS SUHṚDAṀ SARVA-BHŪTĀNĀM
Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, manaḥ ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ [Bg. 15.7] = “All these living entities…” Kṛṣṇa does not say that “I am for the Hindu living entities or the Indian living entities.” Where it is in Bhagavad-gītā? Why the foolish men take it that Kṛṣṇa Hindu, Kṛṣṇa Indian? Kṛṣṇa says that suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām: “I am friend of all living entities,” sarva-bhūtānām. Not only human society but animal society, the plant society, the aquatic society. There are so many living entities. Ananta-koṭi. Sa anantyāya kalpate. The living entities, there is no limit; there are so many quantities. And Kṛṣṇa says that suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati: “When one understands that I, Kṛṣṇa, is the friend of everyone…” Kṛṣṇa, when says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja [Bg. 18.66], He does not say to Arjuna; He says to all living entities, without any exception. Sarva-bhūtānām. Suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām. This is the position of Kṛṣṇa.
“I am Kṛṣṇa’s eternal servant. I am Kṛṣṇa’s eternal part and parcel, son of, most intimate relationship.” Ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā, Kṛṣṇa says. Sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya [Bg. 14.4], Kṛṣṇa says. There are so many forms of life, 8,400,000. But Kṛṣṇa claims, ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā, “I am the seed-giving father of everyone.” So where is Kṛṣṇa Hindu or Indian? Where it is stated? Why people take like that? That is not fact.
WE HAVE FORGOTTEN KṚṢṆA OR REJECTED KṚṢṆA, WE ARE SITUATED IN ASAT. HENCE WE ARE ALWAYS IN FEAR.
So by giving up Kṛṣṇa… We have now given up Kṛṣṇa. We are canvassing. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, we are canvassing everyone, every door, “Please come to Kṛṣṇa.” This is our business. But they will not come. They have forgotten Kṛṣṇa or they have rejected Kṛṣṇa. This is the position. Therefore they are always in fearfulness position, always fearful. Bhayaṁ dvitīyābhiniveśataḥ syāt [SB 11.2.37]. This is certain. When there is fear? When one understands there is something else than Kṛṣṇa, then he is fearful. Dvitīyābhiniveśataḥ. Dvitīya means forgetfulness of Kṛṣṇa.
Therefore they are in the fearful condition of life, always afraid, “What will happen next?” Sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt [SB 7.5.5]. Asad-grahāt. People have taken something which is asat. The Vedic instruction is asato mā sad gama: “Don’t remain in the asat, in the untruth. Come to the Truth.” So at the material world we have forgotten Kṛṣṇa, and we are situated in the asat, which is not truth. Therefore there is bhaya, fearfulness. Just like a child, if he is forlorn by the father and mother, then he is always in fearful condition, crying on the street, “Where is my father? Where is my mother?” This is our position.
Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate [Bg. 8.19]. “You are thinking… When you are a human being or American, you are thinking, ‘Now I am in very good position.’ But next moment you can become a dog, you can become an insect.” Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ [Bg. 2.13]. But the rascals, they do not know. They…, he’s thinking, “I am secure.” And although he is fearful, he is thinking secure. This is called māyā. He is always fearful. Still, he is thinking that he is secure. This is called māyā.
TO HAVE NO MORE FEAR, ONE HAS TO TAKE THE SHELTER OF THE LOTUS FEET OF KRSNA.
So if you want to be not fearfulness, no more fear, abhayaṁ sattva-saṁśuddhiḥ [Bg. 16.1], if you become out of fearfulness, then you have to take shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is begging. Because we are Kṛṣṇa’s sons or we have got very intimate relationship with Kṛṣṇa and we have given Him up and we have forgotten Him, therefore we are suffering. So Kṛṣṇa, being father, Kṛṣṇa, being friend of everyone, He comes, and He canvasses, and at last He says, “You rascal,” sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyaḥ [Bg. 18.66]. “You are rotting here by repeatedly committing sinful life. Therefore you are changing from one body to another, and this is your material condition.”
ONE CANNOT BE BHAKTI-YOGĪ WITHOUT JÑĀNA AND VAIRĀGYA.
Jnana – I am not this body, I am part and parcel of Krsna, The purpose of the part is to serve the whole. Krsna is the supreme personality of Godhead. I have an eternal relationship with Krsna.
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. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. Therefore my business is to serve the Supreme Brahman, or Para-brahman.” Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān [Bg. 10.12]. Arjuna agreed to serve Kṛṣṇa. Why? Because he understood Kṛṣṇa, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān, śāśvataṁ puruṣam = puruṣam, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, not impersonal. Impersonal feature is one of the features of Kṛṣṇa. But Kṛṣṇa factually is the Supreme Person, vekti[?]. That is called jñāna. And without this knowledge, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ [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.
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.
LORD CAITANYA ASKS EVERYONE TO BECOME A GURU
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.
āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra’ ei deśa 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.
KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM HH HARIVILAS MAHARAJ’S MORNING BHAGAVATAM CLASS ON SB 2.1.13
The prime duty of Human life is to prepare ourselves for the attainment of the best situation in the next life.
Mahārāja Khaṭvāṅga, Yudhiṣṭhira, and Parīkṣit are all examples of being alert in discharging their prime duty.
Mahārāja Khaṭvāṅga was not as anxious to accumulate some material benediction from the demigods as he was to prepare himself for the next life.
Mahārāja Parīkṣit was encouraged by Śukadeva Gosvāmī, even though he had only seven days left in his life to execute the prime duty of hearing the glories of the Lord in the form of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
Unfortunately, most people do not know what is the prime duty of life and they waste their life.
The Lord is so merciful that He manifests His eternal humanlike form and performs His pastimes to show mercy to the devotees.
He comes down to help us understand the prime duty of life and performs Rasa Lila to show us what we are missing and attract us to the kingdom of God.
Any pure- or simple-hearted person who hears narrations of the loving affairs of Kṛṣṇa will be attracted to the lotus feet of the Lord and gradually become His devotee.
Only in this human form of life can a living entity revive his eternal relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If one takes advantage of this highest kind of material form, one can regain his position of devotional service to the Lord.
The Lord appears in different incarnations — like a fish, tortoise, and boar, as Paraśurāma, Lord Rāma, Buddha, and so on — to reciprocate the different appreciations of living entities in different stages of evolution.
When He appears in His human form. It is then, that humanity gets the opportunity to engage in different kinds of eternal service to the Lord.
When the spirit soul renders service unto the Supreme, there are two side effects. One is freed from all material designations, and one’s senses are purified simply by being employed in the service of the Lord.’
One should simply worship Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa with all attention. One should not be much interested in performing Vedic rituals or simply following rules and regulations.
King Kulaśekhara has written in his book Mukunda-mālā-stotra (5): “I have no attraction for performing religious rituals or holding any earthly kingdom. I do not care for sense enjoyments; let them appear and disappear in accordance with my previous deeds. My only desire is to be fixed in devotional service to the lotus feet of the Lord, even though I may continue to take birth here life afterlife.”
Thus humans should understand the prime duty of their life and engage in the devotional service to the Lord without getting deviated by the diseased morality and religiosity.
Illusory conceptions of life, Impersonalism, Mayavadi philosophy, bhauma ijya-dhīḥ (worshipping the birth land), so-called Hinduism which condemns deity worship, prosperity theology in Christianity, blessings in Buddhism, promise of Jannat in Islam, Satyanarayana Pooja, Karma Kanda section in Vedas are all aimed at different levels of sense gratification and are the diseased religiosity and morality.
Lord Caitanya is giving us the highest perfection of life – the love of godhead, We cannot attain the love of Godhead easily. To progress in this path, we need to understand the pitfalls that hinder us. We need to sincerely execute sadhana bhakti to get there.
SB 2.1.13
The saintly King Khaṭvāṅga, after being informed that the duration of his life would be only a moment more, at once freed himself from all material activities and took shelter of the supreme safety, the Personality of Godhead.
CLASS NOTES:
(SB 2.1.13) HUMAN LIFE IS MEANT FOR PREPARING OURSELVES FOR THE ATTAINMENT OF THE BEST SITUATION IN THE NEXT LIFE.
A fully responsible man should always be conscious of the prime duty of the present human form of life. The activities to meet the immediate necessities of material life are not everything. One should always be alert in his duty for the attainment of the best situation in the next life. Human life is meant for preparing ourselves for that prime duty.
Mahārāja Khaṭvāṅga, Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira and Mahārāja Parīkṣit are all examples of being alert in discharging their prime duty.
(SB 2.1.13) MAHĀRĀJA KHAṬVĀṄGA WAS NOT AS ANXIOUS TO ACCUMULATE SOME MATERIAL BENEDICTION FROM THE DEMIGODS AS HE WAS TO PREPARE HIMSELF FOR THE NEXT LIFE.
Mahārāja Khaṭvāṅga was invited by the demigods in the higher planets to fight demons, and as a king he fought the battles to the full satisfaction of the demigods. The demigods, being fully satisfied with him, wanted to give him some benediction for material enjoyment, but Mahārāja Khaṭvāṅga, being very much alert to his prime duty, inquired from the demigods about his remaining duration of life. This means that he was not as anxious to accumulate some material benediction from the demigods as he was to prepare himself for the next life. He was informed by the demigods, however, that his life would last only a moment longer. The king at once left the heavenly kingdom, which is always full of material enjoyment of the highest standard, and coming down to this earth, took ultimate shelter of the all-safe Personality of Godhead. He was successful in his great attempt and achieved liberation. This attempt, even for a moment, by the saintly king, was successful because he was always alert to his prime duty.
Mahārāja Parīkṣit was thus encouraged by the great Śukadeva Gosvāmī, even though he had only seven days left in his life to execute the prime duty of hearing the glories of the Lord in the form of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
Human beings have a prime duty. Unless we understand what it is, we will waste our life on the mundane things which will come to an end at the death. All living entities are going through 6 stages – birth, growing, staying reproducing, dwindling, dying 6 unfavorable changes – born, die, frustration, anger, illusion, harassed by all kinds of difficulties in life. We suffer because of the unpleasant things that happen. All this suffering is due to the attachment to sense gratification, false ego, the illusory conception of life.
Maharaj Katvanga is an example of complete surrender and did not waste even a minute fantasizing about the sense gratification that was promised to him. He never lost his prime duty of Krsna Consciousness. One can execute the material duties perfectly, but if we are not Krsna Conscious then everything is wasted. In order for us to understand this prime duty, Krishna comes Himself to show us what we are missing and tell us how to come back to Him. Shravanam, kirtanam… 9 types of devotional service. We have been discussing pitfalls of spiritual life – diseased morality, diseased religiosity. This is a big subject, we need to hear and understand carefully.
(CC ADI 4.30) THE LORD IS SO MERCIFUL THAT HE COMES DOWN TO HELP US UNDERSTAND THE PRIME DUTY OF LIFE AND PERFORMS RASA LILA TO SHOW US WHAT WE ARE MISSING DUE TO THE DISEASED MORALITY AND RELIGIOSITY AND TO ATTRACT US TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
The Lord is so merciful that He Himself descends to take the fallen souls back home to the kingdom of Godhead, where the erotic principles of Godhead are eternally relished in their real form, distinct from the perverted sexual love so much adored and indulged in by the fallen souls in their diseased condition. The reason the Lord displays the rāsa-līlā is essentially to induce all the fallen souls to give up their diseased morality and religiosity, and to attract them to the kingdom of God to enjoy the reality. A person who actually understands what the rāsa-līlā is will certainly hate to indulge in mundane sex life. For the realized soul, hearing the Lord’s rāsa-līlā through the proper channel will result in complete abstinence from material sexual pleasure.
(CC ADI 4.31) PURE DEVOTIONAL SERVICE BEGINS WHEN ONE IS FREED FROM ALL DESIGNATIONS.
The sound of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s flute is so sweet that it has made the gopīs forget all about their relationships with their kinsmen and flee to Kṛṣṇa in the dead of night.
In the material world we are situated in designative positions only, but pure devotional service begins when one is freed from all designations. When love for Kṛṣṇa is awakened, the designative positions are overcome.
(CC ADI 4.31) VIPRALAMBA BHAVA -BUT IN THE TRANSCENDENTAL FORM, THE VERY SAME SEPARATION, BEING ABSOLUTE IN ITS NATURE, STRENGTHENS THE TIES OF LOVE AND ENHANCES THE DESIRE OF THE LOVER AND BELOVED TO MEET.
The spontaneous attraction of Śrī Kṛṣṇa for His dearest parts and parcels generates an enthusiasm that obliges Śrī Kṛṣṇa and the gopīs to meet together. To celebrate this transcendental enthusiasm, there is need of a sentiment of separation between the lover and beloved. In the condition of material tribulation, no one wants the pangs of separation. But in the transcendental form, the very same separation, being absolute in its nature, strengthens the ties of love and enhances the desire of the lover and beloved to meet. The period of separation, evaluated transcendentally, is more relishable than the actual meeting, which lacks the feelings of increasing anticipation because the lover and beloved are both present.
(CC M 19.170) BY ENGAGING IN DEVOTIONAL SERVICE ONE IS FREED FROM ALL MATERIAL DESIGNATIONS AND ONE’S SENSES ARE ALL PURIFIED.
“ ‘Bhakti, or devotional service, means engaging all our senses in the service of the Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of all the senses. When the spirit soul renders service unto the Supreme, there are two side effects. One is freed from all material designations, and one’s senses are purified simply by being employed in the service of the Lord.’
Material designations – I am Telangana, I am Andhra,… What was your designation in the past life? What will be your designation in the next life? We should perform Sadhana bhakti sincerely…. In some societies (Kripala maharaj society) they say the goal of life is raganuga bhakti, why sadhana bhakti, we will give you raganuga bhakti directly. But that is not truth. (SB 10) Vipralambha bhava is explained. Yogananda says he saw Krsna in the hotel room. This is all nonsense.
CC ADI 4.32 “I shall taste the essence of all these rasas, and in this way I shall favor all the devotees.
(CC ADI 4.33) ONE SHOULD SIMPLY WORSHIP RĀDHĀ AND KṚṢṆA WITH ALL ATTENTION. ONE SHOULD NOT BE MUCH INTERESTED IN PERFORMING VEDIC RITUALS OR SIMPLY FOLLOWING RULES AND REGULATIONS.
“Then, by hearing about the pure love of the residents of Vraja, devotees will worship Me on the path of spontaneous love, abandoning all rituals of religiosity and fruitive activity.”
Many realized souls, such as Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī and King Kulaśekhara, have recommended with great emphasis that one develop this spontaneous love of Godhead, even at the risk of transgressing all the traditional codes of morality and religiosity. Śrī Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, one of the six Gosvāmīs of Vṛndāvana, has written in his prayers called the Manaḥ-śikṣā that one should simply worship Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa with all attention. Na dharmaṁ nādharmaṁ śruti-gaṇa-niruktaṁ kila kuru: one should not be much interested in performing Vedic rituals or simply following rules and regulations.
All the Alwars are devotees of Krsna. Everyone of them. King Kulasekara wrote Mukunda mala stotram.
King Kulaśekhara has written similarly, in his book Mukunda-mālā-stotra (5): “I have no attraction for performing religious rituals or holding any earthly kingdom. I do not care for sense enjoyments; let them appear and disappear in accordance with my previous deeds. My only desire is to be fixed in devotional service to the lotus feet of the Lord, even though I may continue to take birth here life after life.”
This is very similar to what Caitanya mahaprabhu says – “Na dhanam na janam…. “
(CC ADI 4.34) KṚṢṆA MANIFESTS HIS ETERNAL HUMANLIKE FORM AND PERFORMS HIS PASTIMES TO SHOW MERCY TO THE DEVOTEES.
“Kṛṣṇa manifests His eternal humanlike form and performs His pastimes to show mercy to the devotees. Having heard such pastimes, one should engage in service to Him.” This text is from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.33.36).
This material world is only a perverted reflection of the spiritual world, where everything is manifested without inebriety. There everything is in its original existence, free from the domination of time. Time cannot deteriorate or interfere with the conditions in the spiritual world, where different manifestations of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are the recipients of the worship of different living entities in their constitutional spiritual positions.
In the spiritual world all existence is unadulterated goodness. The goodness found in the material world is contaminated by the modes of passion and ignorance.
SB 10.33.36 – When the Lord assumes a humanlike body to show mercy to His devotees, He engages in such pastimes as will attract those who hear about them to become dedicated to Him.
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura glorifies the Lord’s conjugal pastimes, stating that these romantic affairs have an inconceivable spiritual potency to attract the polluted heart of conditioned souls. It is an undeniable fact that any pure- or simple-hearted person who hears narrations of the loving affairs of Kṛṣṇa will be attracted to the lotus feet of the Lord and gradually become His devotee.
Time supports the devotees love in the spiritual world. Time deteriorates everything in the material world. When Krsna takes the wheel from the chariot and goes towards Bhishma dev that form is the narayana form. The worship we do to Radha Neela Madhava is Narayana form worship, The worship to Radha and Krsna is done in a very pristine environment.
(CC ADI 4.34) THE HUMAN FORM OF LIFE S THE BEST POSITION FOR DEVOTIONAL SERVICE
The saying that the human form of life is the best position for devotional service has its special significance because only in this form can a living entity revive his eternal relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The human form is considered the highest state in the cycle of the species of life in the material world. If one takes advantage of this highest kind of material form, one can regain his position of devotional service to the Lord.
This is the problem. Most of them do not believe God. Even if they believe they believe in the diseased religiosity,, diseased morality.
(CC ADI 4.34) THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD APPEARS IN ALL THE SPECIES OF LIFE, WHEN HE APPEARS IN HIS HUMAN FORM. IT IS THEN THAT HUMANITY GETS THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE IN DIFFERENT KINDS OF ETERNAL SERVICE TO THE LORD.
Incarnations of the Supreme Personality of Godhead appear in all the species of life, although this is inconceivable to the human brain. The Lord’s pastimes are differentiated according to the appreciating capacity of the different types of bodies of the living entities. The Supreme Lord bestows the most merciful benediction upon human society when He appears in His human form. It is then that humanity gets the opportunity to engage in different kinds of eternal service to the Lord. Special natural appreciation of the descriptions of a particular pastime of Godhead indicates the constitutional position of a living entity. Adoration (neurtality), servitorship (dasya), friendship(Sakya), parental affection(vatsalya) and conjugal love (madhurya) are the five primary relationships with Kṛṣṇa. The highest perfectional stage of the conjugal relationship, enriched by many sentiments, gives the maximum relishable mellow to the devotee. The Lord appears in different incarnations — as a fish, tortoise and boar, as Paraśurāma, Lord Rāma, Buddha and so on — to reciprocate the different appreciations of living entities in different stages of evolution. The conjugal relationship of amorous love called parakīya-rasa is the unparalleled perfection of love exhibited by Lord Kṛṣṇa and His devotees.
Maharaj is attracted to Gajendra Moksha… Enriched by many sentiments – Sexual love and romantic love. Whenever Krsna is engaged in romantic love there is no sexuality Meaning of romantic =conducive to or characterized by the expression of love.of, characterized by, or suggestive of an idealized view of reality.
(CC M 22.87) ONE SHOULD AVOID THE ASSOCIATION OF NONDEVOTEES AND FALLEN WOMEN TO MAKE PROGRESS IN DEVOTIONAL SERVICE. asat-saṅga-tyāga, — ei vaiṣṇava-ācāra ‘strī-saṅgī’ — eka asādhu, ‘kṛṣṇābhakta’ āra “A Vaiṣṇava should always avoid the association of ordinary people. Common people are very much materially attached, especially to women. Vaiṣṇavas should also avoid the company of those who are not devotees of Lord Kṛṣṇa.
https://vedabase.io/en/library/transcripts/750521sbmel/ Devotee (7): How much more difficult is it for one born in a family of nondevotees to become a devotee than a person who has been born in a family like Prabhupāda’s?
Prabhupāda: Sādhu-saṅga means you have to give up the association of nondevotees. This question was asked to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu by a devotee. He was householder. So he inquired, “My dear Sir, what is the real standard of behavior of a devotee?” He immediately answered that asat-saṅga tyāga ei vaiṣṇava-ācāra [Cc. Madhya 22.87] = “Vaiṣṇava devotee, his first behavior is he should give up unwanted association.” That is first. Now, the next question will be = “What is that unwanted association?” He answered, asat eka strī-saṅgī kṛṣṇābhakta’ āra: “This unwanted association means people who are too much attached to sex life, they are unwanted. And the another = nondevotee of God. They are unwanted.” So you be careful not to mix with these people and come to the devotional service, then your life is perfect.
Sitting down and eating a meal when they are eating meat. Hearing the nonsense they are speaking about should be avoided. You can take the risk of preaching to them. But should not take their association.
Prosperity Theology. Blessings in Buddhism, Islam, Satyanarayana Pooja, Karma Kanda section in Vedas – Is diseased morality, diseased religiosity. The real religiosity – Dharma – Service to the lord. Lord Caitanya is giving us the highest – love of godhead, None of us can attain this easily. We need to understand the pitfalls to progress in this path. We need to sincerely execute sadhana bhakti to get there.
KEY TAKEAWAYS from HH Harivilas Maharaj’s Morning Bhagavatam class on SB 2.1.12
The easiest possible procedure to attain spiritual success is to chant the holy name of the Lord.
From Viṣṇu-yāmala Tantra, Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī has proven that one can be liberated from the effects of all sins simply by chanting the holy name of the Lord.
By chanting the Lord’s holy name, one can derive all the stipulated energy synchronized from all sources.
Offenses that should not be committed unto the feet of the holy name.
One should neither hear nor allow vilification of a devotee of the Lord.
One should not equalize the supreme holy name of the Lord with any other name.
One who desires to utilize this transcendental potency of the holy name of the Lord in one’s sinister activities is the most degraded person in the world. Such persons are never excused by the Lord or by any agent of the Lord
One should, therefore, utilize one’s life in glorifying the Lord by all means, without any offense.
Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī asserted that there is no use in living hundreds of years without any knowledge of the problems of life — better to live for a moment with full consciousness of the supreme interest to be fulfilled.
In the verse, BG 8.8 Lord Kṛṣṇa stresses the importance of remembering Him. One’s memory of Kṛṣṇa is revived by chanting the mahā-mantra
The mind is fickle, and therefore it is necessary to engage the mind by force to think of Kṛṣṇa.
If we constantly think of Kṛṣṇa, it is certain that at the end of our lives we shall have the same bodily constitution as Kṛṣṇa
In this material world no one is satisfied in the dealings of society, friendship and love. Therefore if one wants to derive real pleasure within his heart, he must seek the lotus feet of Govinda.
The pleasure derived from friendship, society and family life in the material world is like a drop of water, but our hearts desire pleasure like an ocean.
Those who are actually very serious about devotional service do not differentiate between the form of the Lord made of clay, metal, stone or wood and the original form of the Lord.
Even if one has not developed this consciousness, one should accept it theoretically from the instructions of the spiritual master and should worship the arcā-mūrti, or form of the Lord in the temple, as nondifferent from the Lord.
The Padma Purāṇa specifically mentions that anyone who thinks the form of the Lord in the temple to be made of wood, stone or metal is certainly in a hellish condition. Examples – Impersonalists, Mayavadis, bhauma ijya-dhīḥs/.
SB 2.1.12
What is the value of a prolonged life which is wasted, inexperienced by years in this world? Better a moment of full consciousness, because that gives one a start in searching after his supreme interest.
CLASS NOTES:
READ MORE:
(SB 2.1.12) THERE IS NO USE IN LIVING HUNDREDS OF YEARS WITHOUT ANY KNOWLEDGE OF THE PROBLEMS OF LIFE
Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī asserted that there is no use in living hundreds of years without any knowledge of the problems of life — better to live for a moment with full consciousness of the supreme interest to be fulfilled.
We should know in perfect consciousness that human life is bestowed upon the conditioned soul to achieve spiritual success, and the easiest possible procedure to attain this end is to chant the holy name of the Lord.
From Viṣṇu-yāmala Tantra, Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī has proven that one can be liberated from the effects of all sins simply by chanting the holy name of the Lord.
(SB 2.1.12) DIFFERENT TYPES OF OFFENSES COMMITTED UNTO THE FEET OF THE HOLY NAME.
Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī Prabhu has quoted many passages from authentic scriptures and has ably supported the statements in the matter of offenses at the feet of the holy name.
Quoting from the Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa, Śrī Gosvāmījī says that one should
neither blaspheme the devotee of the Lord nor indulge in hearing others who are engaged in belittling a devotee of the Lord. A devotee should try to restrict the vilifier by cutting out his tongue, and being unable to do so, one should commit suicide rather than hear the blaspheming of the devotee of the Lord.
One should not equalize the supreme holy name of the Lord with any other name.
One who desires to utilize this transcendental potency of the holy name of the Lord in one’s sinister activities is the most degraded person in the world. Such persons are never excused by the Lord or by any agent of the Lord.
One should, therefore, utilize one’s life in glorifying the Lord by all means, without any offense. Such activity of life, even for a moment, is never to be compared to a prolonged life of ignorance, like the lives of the tree and other living entities who may live for thousands of years without prosecuting spiritual advancement.
As far as distinguishing the Lord’s holy name from the names of the demigods, the revealed scriptures disclose (Bg. 10.41) that all extraordinarily powerful beings are but parts and parcels of the supreme energetic, Lord Kṛṣṇa
(BG 10.41) ANYTHING EXTRAORDINARILY OPULENT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED TO REPRESENT KṚṢṆA’S OPULENCE
Know that all opulent, beautiful and glorious creations spring from but a spark of My splendor. Any glorious or beautiful existence should be understood to be but a fragmental manifestation of Kṛṣṇa’s opulence, whether it be in the spiritual or material world. Anything extraordinarily opulent should be considered to represent Kṛṣṇa’s opulence
Krsna has six opulences in full. Anything opulent is his spark. No one is equal to or greater then Him. To understand this it is very hard. We are reluctant to accept that Krsna has everything in full is due to our envy. Prabhupda gives the example of two men are talking about the judge. If someone is envious of anyone they dont give them any credit at all. 99 percent of gurus in India are envious Krsna. Lot of them claim that they are God. Paundraka sent a message to Krsna, saying why are you imitating me, I am the supreme. When Krnsa got this message he laughed and sent a message back and said I will cut your head. Paundraka came with his army to cut the head of Krnsa. Krsna laughed looking at him. He pasted two arms too look like Vi
shnu. Krishna cuts the head of Paundraka and He also goes to Benaras and rolls the head of Paundraka. These are all envious people. Paundraka, King of Kasi. Today there are thousands of people like that, they are all trying to cut off the head of Krsna. All mayavadis write books saying impersonal brahman is the ultimate and vaikunta, goloka are all fantasy. They are worse than the atheists. They reject Him. They think that Krsna has material body when He comes to earth.
one should neither hear nor allow vilification of a devotee of the Lord.
Similarly one should not hear the blasphemy of Krsna. Belittling the devotee is more offensive than belittling the lord Himself. We have to fix our mind on When we are misled we waste our life. Not fixing our mind on making money, becoming successful in the material sense, (more sense gratification). Today the concept of success is- highest grades, best college, highly educated, make money, family, many accolades, prestigious awards
Actual Success is if one is – Honest, clean self control, engaged in devotional service, married, nice family, both husband and wife are devotees and always performing devotional service and helping others to connect to Krsna.
(BG 8.8) THE SUCCESS OF LIFE IS ALWAYS REMEMBERING KRSNA
He who meditates on Me as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, his mind constantly engaged in remembering Me, undeviated from the path, he, O Pārtha, is sure to reach Me.
In this verse Lord Kṛṣṇa stresses the importance of remembering Him. One’s memory of Kṛṣṇa is revived by chanting the mahā-mantra, Hare Kṛṣṇa. By this practice of chanting and hearing the sound vibration of the Supreme Lord, one’s ear, tongue and mind are engaged. This mystic meditation is very easy to practice, and it helps one attain the Supreme Lord.
The devotee can constantly think of the object of worship, the Supreme Lord, in any of His features – Nārāyaṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Rāma, etc. – by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. This practice will purify him, and at the end of his life, due to his constant chanting, he will be transferred to the kingdom of God. The mind is fickle, and therefore it is necessary to engage the mind by force to think of Kṛṣṇa. If we constantly think of Kṛṣṇa, it is certain that at the end of our lives we shall have the same bodily constitution as Kṛṣṇa
Success is being able to fix our minds of Krsna. Unless we know what success is we will mislead our children, family… 60 men and women are appointed in the American government. Is that success??? Real success is the people whom you do not hear about them. They are humble. They try to help others learn about Krsna’s consciousness. We need to understand what really Success is.
Ultimate success – Savai pumso….. ahaituki apratihati The highest perfection of life – Love of God.
YOGAMAYA AND MAHAMAYA
(CC ADI 4.30) COVERED BY YOGAMAYA BOTH LORD ŚRĪ KṚṢṆA AND THE DAMSELS OF VRAJA FORGET THEMSELVES IN SPIRITUAL RAPTURE
In the spiritual loving sentiment induced by the yogamāyā potency, both Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa and the damsels of Vraja forget themselves in spiritual rapture. By the influence of such forgetfulness, the attractive beauty of the gopīs plays a prominent part in the transcendental satisfaction of the Lord, who has nothing to do with mundane sex. Because the spiritual love of Godhead is above everything mundane, the gopīs superficially seem to transgress the codes of mundane morality. This perpetually puzzles mundane moralists. Therefore yogamāyā acts to cover the Lord and His pastimes from the eyes of mundaners, as confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā (7.25), where the Lord says that He reserves the right of not being exposed to everyone.
(BG 7.25)
I am never manifest to the foolish and unintelligent. For them, I am covered by My internal potency, and therefore they do not know that I am unborn and infallible.
People say I don’t want to hear about Krsna, He is not moral. I want to hear about Rama. This is because they do not hear from the devotee. They hear from Mayavadis.
The Lord is so merciful that He Himself descends to take the fallen souls back home to the kingdom of Godhead, where the erotic principles of Godhead are eternally relished in their real form, distinct from the perverted sexual love so much adored and indulged in by the fallen souls in their diseased condition.
The reason the Lord displays the rāsa-līlā is essentially to induce all the fallen souls to give up their diseased morality and religiosity, and to attract them to the kingdom of God to enjoy the reality. A person who actually understands what the rāsa-līlā is will certainly hate to indulge in mundane sex life. For the realized soul, hearing the Lord’s rāsa-līlā through the proper channel will result in complete abstinence from material sexual pleasure.
SB is the chronicle of everything He has done. This is the mercy of the Lord so they can have the pure love of God. One must follow the sadhana bhakti to sincerely get to Raganuga bhakti. KC is the highest perfection of life. We need serious people who can take it seriously as acharyas have given.
(CC ADI 4.31) WHEN LOVE FOR KṚṢṆA IS AWAKENED, THE DESIGNATIVE POSITIONS ARE OVERCOME. “Pure attachment will unite us even at the expense of moral and religious duties [dharma]. Destiny will sometimes bring us together and sometimes separate us.
Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has accordingly composed a nice verse (see Ādi 5.224) that describes the beautiful boy called Govinda standing by the bank of the Yamunā with His flute to His lips in the shining moonlight.
The sound of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s flute is so sweet that it has made the gopīs forget all about their relationships with their kinsmen and flee to Kṛṣṇa in the dead of night. By leaving home in that way, the gopīs transgressed the Vedic regulations of household life. This indicates that when natural feelings of love for Kṛṣṇa become fully manifest, a devotee can neglect conventional social rules and regulations.
Those who want to enjoy life in the materialistic way of society, friendship and love should not go to the Yamunā to see the form of Govinda.
In the material world, we are situated in designative positions only, but pure devotional service begins when one is freed from all designations. When love for Kṛṣṇa is awakened, the designative positions are overcome.
(CC ADI 5.224)IN THIS MATERIAL WORLD NO ONE IS SATISFIED IN THE DEALINGS OF SOCIETY, FRIENDSHIP AND LOVE. THEREFORE IF ONE WANTS TO DERIVE REAL PLEASURE WITHIN HIS HEART, HE MUST SEEK THE LOTUS FEET OF GOVINDA.
“My dear friend, if you are indeed attached to your worldly friends, do not look at the smiling face of Lord Govinda as He stands on the bank of the Yamunā at Keśīghāṭa. Casting sidelong glances, He places His flute to His lips, which seem like newly blossomed twigs. His transcendental body, bending in three places, appears very bright in the moonlight.”
Vidyāpati, a great and learned poet of Mithilā, has said that the pleasure derived from friendship, society and family life in the material world is like a drop of water, but our hearts desire pleasure like an ocean.
Rūpa Gosvāmī indicates that if one wants to be satisfied in the pleasure of society, friendship and love, he need not seek shelter at the lotus feet of Govinda, for if one takes shelter under His lotus feet he will forget that minute quantity of so-called pleasure. One who is not satisfied with that so-called pleasure may seek the lotus feet of Govinda, who stands on the shore of the Yamunā at Keśītīrtha, or Keśīghāṭa, in Vṛndāvana and attracts all the gopīs to His transcendental loving service.
Krishna is still there in Kesi Ghat and we cannot see Him. We need to develop the greed to see Him.
(CC ADI 5.226) ONLY FOOLS CONSIDER LORD AS A STATUE Without a doubt, He is directly the son of the King of Vraja. Only a fool considers Him a statue.
(CC ADI 5.227) DIETY FORM OF THE LORD IS NO DIFFERENT THAN THE LORD
For that offense, he cannot be liberated. Rather, he will fall into a terrible hellish condition. What more should I say?
Those who are actually very serious about devotional service do not differentiate between the form of the Lord made of clay, metal, stone or wood and the original form of the Lord. In the material world a person and his photograph, picture or statue are different. But the statue of Lord Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa Himself, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, are not different, because the Lord is absolute.
No one can separate the sunshine energy from the energetic sun. Therefore material energy may appear separate from the Lord, but transcendentally it is nondifferent from the Lord.
We should therefore understand whatever we see to be the energy of the Supreme Lord and should not differentiate between the Lord and His arcā form made from clay, metal, wood or paint. Even if one has not developed this consciousness, one should accept it theoretically from the instructions of the spiritual master and should worship the arcā-mūrti, or form of the Lord in the temple, as nondifferent from the Lord.
(CC ADI 5.227) THOSE WHO DO NOT ACCEPT THE DEITY FORM OF THE LORD ARE OFFENDERS
The Padma Purāṇa specifically mentions that anyone who thinks the form of the Lord in the temple to be made of wood, stone or metal is certainly in a hellish condition.
Impersonalists are against the worship of the Lord’s form in the temple,
a group of people who pass as Hindus but condemn such worship. (Arya Samaj) Their so-called acceptance of the Vedas has no meaning
Māyāvādīs admit that worship of the Lord’s form is required in the beginning, but they think that in the end everything is impersonal. Therefore, since they are ultimately against worship of the Lord’s form, Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has described them as offenders.
bhauma ijya-dhīḥ – worshippers of land of their birth (RSS), and condemn the worship of the form of the lord (Arya Samajis)
(CC ADI 5.227) EVEN SANKARACHARYA RECOMMENDS PANCOPASANA WORSHIP OF FIVE FORMS
even the impersonal Śaṅkarācārya, have recommended the worship of the transcendental form of the Lord. Impersonalists like Śaṅkarācārya recommend the worship of five forms, known as pañcopāsanā, which include Lord Viṣṇu. Vaiṣṇavas, however, worship the forms of Lord Viṣṇu in His varied manifestations, such as Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa, Sītā-Rāma and Rukmiṇī-Kṛṣṇa.
KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM HH HARIVILAS MAHARAJ’S MORNING BHAGAVATAM CLASS ON SB 2.1.11
Constant chanting of the holy name of the Lord after the ways of the great authorities is the doubtless and fearless way of success for all
Devotees of the lord –
Neither aspires to enjoy the material world nor desire to get out of it.
They are after the satisfaction of the Lord, Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
The devotees of the Lord do not want anything on their personal accounts. If the Lord desires, the devotees can accept all sorts of material facilities, and if the Lord does not desire this, the devotees can leave aside all sorts of facilities, even up to the limit of salvation.
They are not self-satisfied, because they want the satisfaction of the Lord only.
One should constantly chant the holy name of the Lord after hearing it from authorities. This means that hearing from the authorities is the first essential.
Hearing of the holy name gradually promotes one to the stage of hearing about His form, His attributes, His pastimes, and so on, and thus the necessity of the chanting of His glories develops successively.
This process of chanting the holy name is recommended for everyone, philosophers, furtive workers, materialists, and devotees. Everyone should be chanting the holy name.
Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī instructs that chanting of the holy name of the Lord should be loudly done, and it should be performed offenselessly as well, as recommended in the Padma Purāṇa
One can deliver himself from all offenses at the feet of the Lord by taking shelter of His holy name.
But one cannot protect himself if one commits an offense at the feet of the holy name of the Lord. Such offenses are mentioned in the Padma Purāṇa as being ten in number.
There is no bar for anyone in any part of the creation to chant and glorify the Lord by the particular name of the Lord as it is locally understood. They are all auspicious, and one should not distinguish such names of the Lord as material commodities.
Since the holy name and the Lord are of one and the same identity, one should not try to bring the holy name into the service of mankind. The idea is that the Supreme Lord is the supreme enjoyer. He is no one’s servant or order supplier.
Similarly, since the holy name of the Lord is identical with the Lord, one should not try to utilize the holy name for one’s personal service.
The effect of chanting the holy name of the Lord is perceived by the chanter as liberation from the conception of false egoism.
“Whoever is protected by Kṛṣṇa, no one can kill, and whoever is destined to be killed by Kṛṣṇa, no one can protect.”
Those who eat meat and fish are generally called demons and Rākṣasas. (Krsna Book Chapter 55)
A chaste wife develops mystic powers, can endow her husband with the power to do wonderful things in Krsna Consciousness. Ex: Mayavati & Praydyumna in Chapter 55 of Krsna Book.
SB 2.1.11
O King, constant chanting of the holy name of the Lord after the ways of the great authorities is the doubtless and fearless way of success for all, including those who are free from all material desires, those who are desirous of all material enjoyment, and also those who are self-satisfied by dint of transcendental knowledge.
CLASS NOTES:
(SB 2.1.11) DIFFERENT TYPES OF PERSONS WHO DESIRE TO ATTAIN SUCCESS IN DIFFERENT VARIETIES OF PURSUITS.
In the previous verse, the great necessity for attaining attachment to Mukunda has been accredited. There are different types of persons who desire to attain success in different varieties of pursuits.
Generally, the persons are materialists who desire to enjoy the fullest extent of material gratification.
Next to them are the transcendentalists, who have attained perfect knowledge about the nature of material enjoyment and thus are aloof from such an illusory way of life. More or less, they are satisfied in themselves by self-realization.
Above them are the devotees of the Lord, who neither aspire to enjoy the material world nor desire to get out of it. They are after the satisfaction of the Lord, Śrī Kṛṣṇa
(SB 2.1.11) DEVOTEES ARE NOT SELF-SATISFIED, BECAUSE THEY WANT THE SATISFACTION OF THE LORD ONLY. The devotees of the Lord,
neither aspire to enjoy the material world nor desire to get out of it.
They are after the satisfaction of the Lord, Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
The devotees of the Lord do not want anything on their personal accounts.
If the Lord desires, the devotees can accept all sorts of material facilities, and if the Lord does not desire this, the devotees can leave aside all sorts of facilities, even up to the limit of salvation.
They are not self-satisfied, because they want the satisfaction of the Lord only.
(SB 2.1.11) ONE SHOULD CONSTANTLY CHANT THE HOLY NAME OF THE LORD AFTER HEARING IT FROM AUTHORITIES. THIS PROCESS IS RECOMMENDED FOR EVERYONE!
By offenseless chanting and hearing of the holy name of the Lord, one becomes acquainted with the transcendental form of the Lord, and then with the attributes of the Lord, and then with the transcendental nature of His pastimes, etc.
Here it is mentioned that one should constantly chant the holy name of the Lord after hearing it from authorities. This means that hearing from the authorities is the first essential. Hearing of the holy name gradually promotes one to the stage of hearing about His form, His attributes, His pastimes, and so on, and thus the necessity of the chanting of His glories develops successively.
The process is recommended not only for the progressive students in different departments of ideological success, but also for those who are already successful in their achievement as fruitive workers, as philosophers or as devotees of the Lord. (Everybody should be chanting)
(SB 2.1.11) CHANTING SHOULD BE DONE LOUDLY AND OFFENSELESSLY
Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī instructs that chanting of the holy name of the Lord should be loudly done, and it should be performed offenselessly as well, as recommended in the Padma Purāṇa. One can deliver himself from the effects of all sins by surrendering himself unto the Lord. One can deliver himself from all offenses at the feet of the Lord by taking shelter of His holy name.
When you enter the temple you should be chanting, you should not be silent. If you are silent then there is some hesitation. When you go to Tirumala in the darshan line are all reciting all mantras glorifying the lord. When we enter the temple we should be chanting. The holy name should always be on our lips. One should be constantly chanting. That is the defining quality of a sincere devotee. You always say Hare Krsna – when saying hello, when talking on phone… people will catch on after a while.
There are Dham Aparadah, Naam Aparadh, Vaishnava Aparadh
(SB 2.1.11) THE TEN OFFENSES
But one cannot protect himself if one commits an offense at the feet of the holy name of the Lord. Such offenses are mentioned in the Padma Purāṇa as being ten in number.
The first offense is to vilify the great devotees who have preached about the glories of the Lord.
The second offense is to see the holy names of the Lord in terms of worldly distinction. The Lord is the proprietor of all the universes, and therefore He may be known in different places by different names, but that does not in any way qualify the fullness of the Lord. Any nomenclature which is meant for the Supreme Lord is as holy as the others because they are all meant for the Lord. Such holy names are as powerful as the Lord, and there is no bar for anyone in any part of the creation to chant and glorify the Lord by the particular name of the Lord as it is locally understood. They are all auspicious, and one should not distinguish such names of the Lord as material commodities.
The third offense is to neglect the orders of the authorized ācāryas or spiritual masters.
The fourth offense is to vilify scriptures or Vedic knowledge.
The fifth offense is to define the holy name of the Lord in terms of one’s mundane calculation. The holy name of the Lord is identical with the Lord Himself, and one should understand the holy name of the Lord to be nondifferent from Him.
The sixth offense is to interpret the holy name. The Lord is not imaginary, nor is His holy name. There are persons with a poor fund of knowledge who think the Lord to be an imagination of the worshiper and therefore think His holy name to be imaginary. Such a chanter of the name of the Lord cannot achieve the desired success in the matter of chanting the holy name.
The seventh offense is to commit sins intentionally on the strength of the holy name. In the scriptures it is said that one can be liberated from the effects of all sinful actions simply by chanting the holy name of the Lord. One who takes advantage of this transcendental method and continues to commit sins on the expectation of neutralizing the effects of sins by chanting the holy name of the Lord is the greatest offender at the feet of the holy name. Such an offender cannot purify himself by any recommended method of purification. In other words, one may be a sinful man before chanting the holy name of the Lord, but after taking shelter in the holy name of the Lord and becoming immune, one should strictly restrain oneself from committing sinful acts with a hope that his method of chanting the holy name will give him protection. That is the elephant offense
The eighth offense is to consider the holy name of the Lord and His chanting method to be equal to some material auspicious activity. There are various kinds of good works for material benefits, but the holy name and His chanting are not mere auspicious holy services. Undoubtedly the holy name is holy service, but He should never be utilized for such purposes. Since the holy name and the Lord are of one and the same identity, one should not try to bring the holy name into the service of mankind. The idea is that the Supreme Lord is the supreme enjoyer. He is no one’s servant or order supplier. Similarly, since the holy name of the Lord is identical with the Lord, one should not try to utilize the holy name for one’s personal service.Let’s do 24 hr kirtan to get the permit to build the temple, lets chant 24 hr because someone is dying, let’s chant so there is a surgery. This is not proper. Chanting is to glorify the Lord. Fasting is to increase chanting. Chanting should not be used for some material benefit.
The ninth offense is to instruct those who are not interested in chanting the holy name of the Lord about the transcendental nature of the holy name. If such instruction is imparted to an unwilling audience, the act is considered to be an offense at the feet of the holy name.
The tenth offense is to become uninterested in the holy name of the Lord even after hearing of the transcendental nature of the holy name. The effect of chanting the holy name of the Lord is perceived by the chanter as liberation from the conception of false egoism. False egoism is exhibited by thinking oneself to be the enjoyer of the world and thinking everything in the world to be meant for the enjoyment of one’s self only. The whole materialistic world is moving under such false egoism of “I” and “mine,” but the factual effect of chanting the holy name is to become free from such misconceptions.
Bhaktas (Devotees) –
No desire to satisfy their own senses They are seeking to please Krsna One who does not know devotional service, when they see the devotees they think that devotee is doing the same as anyone else – Going to bank, office, dropping kids in school… There is a difference, as much as gold and iron. When one identifies himself as body and when one identifies himself as soul which is part and parcel of the Lord. The person in the spiritual platform gradually detached from society, friends. That does not mean they do not have any friends. They do not have friends who are not sense gratifiers… When we have a selfish desire through the process of devotion, then that is not devotional service. A devotee is always thinking of how to please Guru and Krishna. They are spending their time on devotional activities and giving part of their income. The senses are pleased in devotional life – prasadam, taking shower, clean clothes, hearing SB, in all cases Krsna is the first enjoyer and you are the second enjoyer. In terms of Materialists they are the first enjoyers and not anyone. The devotee makes spiritual advancement gradually and steadily.
(CC ADI 4.30) MAHAMAYA AND YOGAMAYA
Yogamāyā creates a situation in which the devotee is prepared to transgress all regulative principles simply to love Kṛṣṇa. A devotee naturally does not like to transgress the laws of reverence for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but by the influence of yogamāyā he is prepared to do anything to love the Supreme Lord better.
Those under the spell of the material energy cannot at all appreciate the activities of yogamāyā, for a conditioned soul can hardly understand the pure reciprocation between the Lord and His devotee. But by executing devotional service under the regulative principles, one can become very highly elevated and then begin to appreciate the dealings of pure love under the management of yogamāyā.
In the spiritual loving sentiment induced by the yogamāyā potency, both Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa and the damsels of Vraja forget themselves in spiritual rapture. By the influence of such forgetfulness, the attractive beauty of the gopīs plays a prominent part in the transcendental satisfaction of the Lord, who has nothing to do with mundane sex. Because spiritual love of Godhead is above everything mundane, the gopīs superficially seem to transgress the codes of mundane morality. This perpetually puzzles mundane moralists. Therefore yogamāyā acts to cover the Lord and His pastimes from the eyes of mundaners, as confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā (7.25), where the Lord says that He reserves the right of not being exposed to everyone. Yogamaya is managing the dealings of the pure love.
We start with following Sadhana Bhakti and we are trained to see Krsna in everything and to serve Krishna through everything we do. Just like a person who starts learning, Violin starts with scratcher doodle.
Cupid in Sanskrit literature is a demigod called Kama Deva. All demigods ask Kamadeva to shoot his arrows at lord Shiva. Lord Shiva burns Kamadeva with the third eye.
KRSNA BOOK CHAPTER 55 (PRADYUMNA BORN TO KṚṢṆA AND RUKMIṆĪ)
It is said that Cupid, who is directly part and parcel of Lord Vāsudeva and who was formerly burned to ashes by the anger of Lord Śiva, took birth from the womb of Rukmiṇī, begotten by Kṛṣṇa. This is Kāmadeva, a demigod of the heavenly planets especially capable of inducing lusty desires. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, has many grades of parts and parcels, but the quadruple expansions of Kṛṣṇa – Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha – are directly in the Viṣṇu category. Kāma, or the Cupid demigod, who later took his birth from the womb of Rukmiṇī, was also named Pradyumna, but he cannot be the Pradyumna of the Viṣṇu category. He belongs to the category of jīva-tattva, but for exhibiting special power in the category of demigods he was a part and parcel of the super prowess of Pradyumna. That is the verdict of the Gosvāmīs. Therefore, when Cupid was burned to ashes by the anger of Lord Śiva, he merged into the body of Vāsudeva, and to get his body again he was begotten in the womb of Rukmiṇī by Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself. Thus he was born as the son of Kṛṣṇa and celebrated by the name Pradyumna. Because he was begotten by Lord Kṛṣṇa directly, his qualities were most similar to those of Kṛṣṇa.
“Whoever is protected by Kṛṣṇa, no one can kill, and whoever is destined to be killed by Kṛṣṇa, no one can protect.”
and those who eat meat and fish are generally called demons and Rākṣasas.
Miraculously, the baby swiftly grew up, and within a very short period, he became a beautiful young man. His eyes were just like the petals of lotus flowers, and his arms were long, reaching down to his knees; any woman who happened to see him was captivated by his bodily beauty.
Māyāvatī had mystic knowledge of supernatural powers. Supernatural powers are generally known as māyā, and to surpass all such powers there is another supernatural power, called mahā-māyā. Māyāvatī had the knowledge of the mystic power of mahā-māyā, and she delivered to Pradyumna this specific energetic power in order to defeat the mystic powers of the Śambara demon.
A chaste wife develops mystic powers, can endow her husband with the power to do wonderful things in Krsna Consciousness. Therefore the relationship of devotees is misunderstood by most people and also sometimes by the devotees. If husband and wife practice KC seriously, then wonderful wonderful things happen. Everything negative about the man & woman relationship we are hearing in the scriptures of Prabhupada is nullified. One becomes a Vaikunta couple rather than an asuric couple. The Vaikuntha couple can perform wonderful acts of devotional service and help each other to go back to Godhead. This should be our goal to sanctify the relationships, through purified acts of Devotional Service, purified Chanting, purified mind, purified intelligence, purified senses, and so forth. This should be our goal. Then it does not matter whether you are in the material world or the spiritual world.
KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM HH HARIVILAS MAHARAJ’S MORNING BHAGAVATAM CLASS ON SB 2.1.10 today (03/04/21):
One who gives full attention and respect to hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam achieves unflinching faith in the Supreme Lord, the giver of salvation.
The knowledge of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam must be received through bonafide disciplic succession. The process of receiving spiritual knowledge is not a magical feat. Example – Ramakrishna and Vivekananda. Both the spiritual master and the disciple must be bona fide.
The disciple can receive such teachings not exactly intellectually but by submissive inquiries and a service attitude.
For the advancement in spiritual knowledge, all progress depends more or less on the mercy of the spiritual master.
The spiritual master must be satisfied with the disciple; only then is knowledge automatically manifest before the student of spiritual science.
A devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa is he who believes sincerely that by becoming a devotee of the Lord one becomes fully equipped with everything spiritual.
This unflinching faith in Lord Kṛṣṇa prepares one to become a student of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and one who hears Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from a devotee like Śukadeva Gosvāmī is sure to attain salvation at the end, as Mahārāja Parīkṣit did.
Anyone who hears Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam attentively from its bona fide reciter is sure to become a sincere devotee of the Lord, who is able to award liberation.
The complete text of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, beginning with the janmādy Asya verse up to the last one in the Twelfth Canto, was spoken by Śukadeva Gosvāmī for the attainment of salvation by Mahārāja Parīkṣit.
Anyone who follows in the footsteps of either the ideal reciter or the ideal hearer, Śukadeva Gosvāmī and Mahārāja Parīkṣit respectively, will undoubtedly attain salvation like them.
In the Padma Purāṇa, it is mentioned that Gautama Muni advised Mahārāja Ambarīṣa to hear regularly Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam as it was recited by Śukadeva Gosvām
One who is actually interested in the Bhāgavatam, therefore, must not play with it by reading or hearing a portion from here and a portion from there
One must follow in the footsteps of great kings like Mahārāja Ambarīṣa or Mahārāja Parīkṣit and hear it from a bona fide representative of Śukadeva Gosvāmī.
SB 2.1.10 That very Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam I shall recite before you because you are the most sincere devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa. One who gives full attention and respect to hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam achieves unflinching faith in the Supreme Lord, the giver of salvation.
CLASS NOTES:
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(SB 2.1.10) THE KNOWLEDGE OF ŚRĪMAD-BHĀGAVATAM MUST BE RECEIVED THROUGH BONAFIDE DISCIPLIC SUCCESSION
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is recognized Vedic wisdom, and the system of receiving Vedic knowledge is called avaroha-panthā, or the process of receiving transcendental knowledge through bona fide disciplic succession. For the advancement of material knowledge there is a need for personal ability and researching aptitude, but in the case of spiritual knowledge, all progress depends more or less on the mercy of the spiritual master. The spiritual master must be satisfied with the disciple; only then is knowledge automatically manifest before the student of spiritual science.
(SB 2.1.10) THE PROCESS OF RECEIVING SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE IS NOT A MAGICAL FEAT
The process should not, however, be misunderstood to be something like magical feats whereby the spiritual master acts like a magician and injects spiritual knowledge into his disciple, as if surcharging him with an electrical current.
Srila Prabhupad is referring to Ramakrishna and Vivekananda
The bona fide spiritual master reasonably explains everything to the disciple on the authorities of Vedic wisdom. The disciple can receive such teachings not exactly intellectually, but by submissive inquiries and a service attitude. The idea is that both the spiritual master and the disciple must be bona fide. In this case, the spiritual master, Śukadeva Gosvāmī, is ready to recite exactly what he has learned from his great father Śrīla Vyāsadeva, and the disciple, Mahārāja Parīkṣit, is a great devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa.
(SB 2.1.10) A DEVOTEE OF LORD KṚṢṆA IS HE WHO BELIEVES SINCERELY THAT BY BECOMING A DEVOTEE OF THE LORD ONE BECOMES FULLY EQUIPPED WITH EVERYTHING SPIRITUAL.
This is called the Factor or faith. This is explained in BG 4.29
(BG 4.29) A faithful man who is dedicated to transcendental knowledge and who subdues his senses is eligible to achieve such knowledge, and having achieved it he quickly attains the supreme spiritual peace.
Such knowledge in Kṛṣṇa consciousness can be achieved by a faithful person who believes firmly in Kṛṣṇa. One is called a faithful man who thinks that simply by acting in Kṛṣṇa consciousness he can attain the highest perfection. This faith is attained by the discharge of devotional service and by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, which cleanses one’s heart of all material dirt. Over and above this, one should control the senses. A person who is faithful to Kṛṣṇa and who controls the senses can easily attain perfection in the knowledge of Kṛṣṇa consciousness without delay.
(SB 2.1.10) UNFLINCHING FAITH IN KRSNA MAKES ONE A STUDENT OF SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM
This unflinching faith in Lord Kṛṣṇa prepares one to become a student of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and one who hears Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from a devotee like Śukadeva Gosvāmī is sure to attain salvation at the end, as Mahārāja Parīkṣit did. The professional reciter of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and the pseudo devotees whose faith is based on one week’s hearing are different from Śukadeva Gosvāmī and Mahārāja Parīkṣit. Śrīla Vyāsadeva explained Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam unto Śukadeva Gosvāmī from the very beginning of the janmādy asya verse, and so Śukadeva Gosvāmī also explained it to the King.
(SB 2.1.10) LORD KRSNA IS THE MAHA PURUSA
Lord Kṛṣṇa is described as the Mahāpuruṣa in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (Canto Eleven) in His devotional feature as Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself in His devotional attitude, descended to the earth to bestow special favors upon the fallen souls of this Age of Kali. In other words, puruṣa means the enjoyer, and mahāpuruṣa means the supreme enjoyer, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead Śrī Kṛṣṇa. One who deserves to approach the Supreme Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is called the mahā-pauruṣika.
(SB 2.1.10) ANYONE WHO HEARS ŚRĪMAD-BHĀGAVATAM ATTENTIVELY FROM ITS BONA FIDE RECITER IS SURE TO BECOME A SINCERE DEVOTEE OF THE LORD, WHO IS ABLE TO AWARD LIBERATION.
There was none so attentive as Mahārāja Parīkṣit in the matter of hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and there was none so qualified as Śukadeva Gosvāmī to recite the text of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Therefore, anyone who follows in the footsteps of either the ideal reciter or the ideal hearer, Śukadeva Gosvāmī and Mahārāja Parīkṣit respectively, will undoubtedly attain salvation like them. Mahārāja Parīkṣit attained salvation by hearing only, and Śukadeva Gosvāmī attained salvation only by reciting. Recitation and hearing are two processes out of nine devotional activities, and by strenuously following the principles, either in all or by parts, one can attain the absolute plane. So the complete text of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, beginning with the janmādy asya verse up to the last one in the Twelfth Canto, was spoken by Śukadeva Gosvāmī for the attainment of salvation by Mahārāja Parīkṣit.
(SB 2.1.10)GAUTAMA MUNI ADVISED MAHĀRĀJA AMBARĪṢA TO HEAR REGULARLY ŚRĪMAD-BHĀGAVATAM AS IT WAS RECITED BY ŚUKADEVA GOSVĀMĪ
In the Padma Purāṇa, it is mentioned that Gautama Muni advised Mahārāja Ambarīṣa to hear regularly Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam as it was recited by Śukadeva Gosvāmī, and herein it is confirmed that Mahārāja Ambarīṣa heard Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from the very beginning to the end, as it was spoken by Śukadeva Gosvāmī. One who is actually interested in the Bhāgavatam, therefore, must not play with it by reading or hearing a portion from here and a portion from there; one must follow in the footsteps of great kings like Mahārāja Ambarīṣa or Mahārāja Parīkṣit and hear it from a bona fide representative of Śukadeva Gosvāmī.
We can say how fortunate we are, to hear SB every day in the morning where there is no noises. Quality matters and not quantity. Especially we neophytes are learning one thing a day. Two things have to be done slowly. Gaining money and gaining knowledge. Everyday we must pursue reverent and attentive hearing SB by hearing and asking questions,
PURE LOVE AND MUNDANE LUST –
SB 1.2. Prema pumartan Unalloyed love for Krsna is the goal of life
(CC Ādi 4.27-28) “Taking these pure devotees with Me, I shall descend and sport in various wonderful ways, unknown even in Vaikuṇṭha. I shall broadcast such pastimes by which even I am amazed.
Such pastimes are so attractive that they attract even the Lord, and thus He relishes them in the form of Lord Caitanya.
Lord Caitanya accepts the services rendered by the disciples in a very reverential mood. Services in the altar, kitchen – should always be rendered in a very reverential mood, no giggling, no talking, no frivolous talk, no laughing, no anything which takes you away from that mood. In both places, service should be done in a very reverential way. Everything in the Kitchen is the same as the altar. It is not just a kitchen, it is Krsna’s kitchen. Everything has to be clean and taken care of. It is Krsna’s kitchen.
(CC ADI 4.29) “The influence of yogamāyā will inspire the gopīs with the sentiment that I am their paramour.
Yogamāyā is the name of the internal potency that makes the Lord forget Himself and become an object of love for His pure devotee in different transcendental mellows. This yogamāyā potency creates a spiritual sentiment in the minds of the damsels of Vraja by which they think of Lord Kṛṣṇa as their paramour. This sentiment is never to be compared to mundane illicit sexual love. It has nothing to do with sexual psychology, although the pure love of such devotees seems to be sexual. One should know for certain that nothing can exist in this cosmic manifestation that has no real counterpart in the spiritual field. All material manifestations are emanations of the Transcendence. The erotic principles of amorous love reflected in mixed material values are perverted reflections of the reality of spirit, but one cannot understand the reality unless one is sufficiently educated in the spiritual science.
Yoga maya and mahamaya – both are illusions. Mahamaya – has an Arduous task to gradually train the living entity to Materialists, scientists, All are going down the road of self-destruction. Even the religions are mundane. They are all promising the sense gratification through material advancements. Spiritual world Yogamaya inspires people to come closer to Krsna more and more. How can Krsna forget everything? What does He forget? He Forgets that He is self sufficient. To become an object of love for His pure devotees. He becomes SON of Nanda Maharaj and Yaodamayi, Friend of Cowherd boys, Master of Hanuman. He becomes the supreme master for the objects of Neutrality- trees,,, one cannot understand the reality unless one is sufficiently educated in the spiritual science. Education is regular hearing and asking questions. We are in the house of mirrors in this world. Everything is distorted and what it is not. When we hear the real truth we cannot accept it.
(CC Ādi 4.30)
“Neither the gopīs nor I shall notice this, for our minds will always be entranced by one another’s beauty and qualities.
The beauty of Krsna is way beyond anything. When one sees Krsna one is completely entranced by His beauty.
In the spiritual sky the Vaikuṇṭha planets are predominated by Nārāyaṇa. His devotees have the same features He does, and the exchange of devotion there is on the platform of reverence. But above all these Vaikuṇṭha planets is Goloka, or Kṛṣṇaloka, where the original Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, fully manifests His pleasure potency in free loving affairs. Since the devotees in the material world know almost nothing about these affairs, the Lord desires to show these affairs to them.
The mood is sober and attentive in Vaikunta
In the material world, this sort of relationship is most abominable because it is a perverted reflection of the parakīya-rasa in the spiritual world, where it is the highest kind of loving affair. Such feelings between the devotee and the Lord are presented by the influence of yogamāyā.
A devotee naturally does not like to transgress the laws of reverence for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but by the influence of yogamāyā he is prepared to do anything to love the Supreme Lord better.
Govinda was a devotee of the Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He was living in a very small room in Jagannath Puri and He would massage the feet of the Lord after the Lord had his meal. Some of the body is outside the room. He starts massaging outside and then goes inside and massages the rest of the body. He stays there after the lord sleeps off. The lord wakes up and asks if he did not eat lunch and why he stayed back in the room. he was crossing the body to massage your feet and would not cross the body to take his lunch. One would do anything to please the Lord but not be please themselves.
Those under the spell of the material energy cannot at all appreciate the activities of yogamāyā, for a conditioned soul can hardly understand the pure reciprocation between the Lord and His devotee. But by executing devotional service under the regulative principles, one can become very highly elevated and then begin to appreciate the dealings of pure love under the management of yogamāyā.
We read this before, but every time we read it we are understanding more and more subtleties.
KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM HH HARIVILAS MAHARAJ’S MORNING BHAGAVATAM CLASS ON SB 2.1.9 • The Lord is transcendental, as are His activities. He is neither inactive nor impersonal. • By the grace of the Lord, an impersonalist is enlightened by the superior statements of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, he is also converted into a transcendental devotee of the Personality of Godhead. • A person like Śukadeva Gosvāmī cannot be attracted by any mundane activity, but when such a devotee is convinced by a superior method, he is certainly attracted by the transcendental activities of the Lord. • The whole universe is moving, being agitated by cupid’s arrow. • Those who are in the path of salvation can become free from material attraction by the association of the devotees of the lord. • The feminine attractive features which can conquer Cupid or even the super most tolerant Lord Śiva could not conquer the senses of the Lord. • This is because the Lord is all-perfect ātmārāma, or self-sufficient. He does not require anyone’s extraneous help for His personal satisfaction. • The queens could not satisfy the Lord by their feminine attractiveness, but they satisfied Him by their sincere affection and service • Thus being satisfied by their unalloyed service only, the Lord reciprocated the service just like a devout husband. Otherwise, He had no business becoming the husband of so many wives. • He is the husband of everyone, but to one who accepts Him as such, He reciprocates. This unalloyed affection for the Lord is never to be compared to mundane lust. It is purely transcendental • The Lord appeared like a mundane husband, but factually His relation with His wives was transcendental, pure and unconditioned by the modes of material nature. • The mental speculators compare everything from the standpoint of experimental knowledge of their own selves. Thus when the Lord is found to act like an ordinary person in matrimonial bondage, they consider Him to be like one of them, without considering that the Lord can at once marry sixteen thousand wives or more. • Due to ignorance only they always think of Lord Kṛṣṇa as like themselves and make their own conclusions, which are absurd and unauthentic from the version of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. • This is the divinity of the Personality of Godhead: He is not affected by the qualities of material nature, even though He is in contact with them. Similarly, the devotees who have taken shelter of the Lord do not become influenced by the material qualities. • The Divinity and His associates are on the same transcendental plane, and their glories are always sanctified by the action of yogamāyā, or the internal potency of the Lord. • Such mahā-bhāgavatas, or first-grade devotees, although moving amongst men, are not contaminated by honor or insult, hunger or satisfaction, sleep or wakefulness, which are all resultant actions of the three modes of material nature. Similarly, some of them are engaged in worldly dealings, yet are unaffected. Unless these neutralities of life are there, one cannot be considered situated in transcendence. Example – Six Goswamis
SB 2.1.9 TRANSLATION: O saintly King, I was certainly situated perfectly in transcendence, yet I was still attracted by the delineation of the pastimes of the Lord, who is described by enlightened verses
CLASS NOTES: (SB 2.1.9) EVEN AN IMPERSONALIST IS ENLIGHTENED BY THE SUPERIOR STATEMENTS OF ŚRĪMAD-BHĀGAVATAM, HE IS ALSO CONVERTED INTO A TRANSCENDENTAL DEVOTEE OF THE PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD. The Absolute Truth is realized at the first instance as the impersonal Brahman by philosophical speculation and later as the Supersoul by further progress of transcendental knowledge. But if, by the grace of the Lord, an impersonalist is enlightened by the superior statements of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, he is also converted into a transcendental devotee of the Personality of Godhead. A person like Śukadeva Gosvāmī cannot be attracted by any mundane activity, but when such a devotee is convinced by a superior method, he is certainly attracted by the transcendental activities of the Lord. The Lord is transcendental, as are His activities. He is neither inactive nor impersonal.
Step by step understanding of the absolute truth is explained here. The obstacles in the progression in this path are many – One – Mayavadi philosophy, Karma kanda following vedic injuctions to get fruitive results, being enamored by vedic philosophy without understanding the goal, tremendous mystical powers, getting in trap of wanting to control material nature. The Goal of all vedas is to understand Krsna and His relationship with His devotees. Many people who study vedas do not understand it.
For example Mahajans, Alwars, simple worshippers of Krsna who have no intention of becoming limelight, they are able to understand Krsna
(SB 1.11.36) THE FEMININE ATTRACTIVE FEATURES WHICH CAN CONQUER CUPID OR EVEN THE SUPER MOST TOLERANT LORD ŚIVA COULD NOT CONQUER THE SENSES OF THE LORD. Although the queens’ beautiful smiles and furtive glances were all spotless and exciting, and although they could conquer Cupid himself by making him give up his bow in frustration, and although even the tolerant Śiva could fall victim to them, still, despite all their magical feats and attractions, they could not agitate the senses of the Lord
(SB 1.11.36) THE WHOLE UNIVERSE IS MOVING, BEING AGITATED BY CUPID’S ARROW. The activities of the world are being carried on by the central attraction of male and female. A male is searching after a mate to his liking, and the female is looking after a suitable male. That is the way of material stimulus. And as soon as a male is combined with a female, the material bondage of the living being is at once tightly interlocked by sex relation, and as a result of this, both the male’s and female’s attraction for sweet home, motherland, bodily offspring, society and friendship and accumulation of wealth becomes the illusory field of activities, and thus a false but indefatigable attraction for the temporary material existence, which is full of miseries, is manifest. Cupid throws his arrow upon the living beings to make them mad after the opposite sex, whether the party is actually beautiful or not. Cupid’s provocations are going on, even among beastly societies who are all ugly-looking in the estimation of the civilized nations. Thus Cupid’s influence is exerted even amongst the ugliest forms, and what to speak of the most perfect beauties. Lord Śiva, who is considered to be most tolerant, was also struck by Cupid’s arrow because he also became mad after the Mohinī incarnation of the Lord and acknowledged himself to be defeated. Cupid, however, was himself captivated by the grave and exciting dealings of the goddesses of fortune, and he voluntarily gave up his bow and arrow in a spirit of frustration.
(SB 1.11.36) THOSE WHO ARE IN THE PATH OF SALVATION CAN BECOME FREE FROM MATERIAL ATTRACTION BY THE ASSOCIATION OF THE DEVOTEES OF THE LORD. Those who are, therefore, on the path of salvation for going back home, back to Godhead, are especially advised by all scriptural instruction to become free from such paraphernalia of material attraction. And that is possible only by the association of the devotees of the Lord, who are called the mahātmās.
(SB 1.11.36) THE PATH OF SALVATION OR THE PATH GOING BACK TO GODHEAD ALWAYS FORBIDS THE ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN, HOW THEN CAN ONE BE ACCEPTED AS THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD WHO IS ADDICTED TO MORE THAN SIXTEEN THOUSAND WIVES? The path of salvation or the path going back to Godhead always forbids the association of women, and the complete sanātana-dharma or varṇāśrama-dharma scheme forbids or restricts association with women. How then can one be accepted as the Supreme Personality of Godhead who is addicted to more than sixteen thousand wives? This question may be relevantly raised by inquisitive persons really anxious to know about the transcendental nature of the Supreme Lord. And to answer such questions, the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya have discussed the transcendental character of the Lord in this and in following verses..
(SB 1.11.36) ONLY BECAUSE OF THEIR UNALLOYED SERVICE, THE LORD RECIPROCATED AND BECAME THE DEVOUT HUSBAND OF 16000 WIVES. OTHERWISE, HE HAD NO BUSINESS BECOMING HUSBAND OF SO MANY WIVES Such was the beauty and attraction of the queens of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Yet they could not disturb the transcendental senses of the Lord. This is because the Lord is all-perfect ātmārāma, or self-sufficient. He does not require anyone’s extraneous help for His personal satisfaction. Therefore, the queens could not satisfy the Lord by their feminine attractiveness, but they satisfied Him by their sincere affection and service. Only by unalloyed transcendental loving service could they satisfy the Lord, and the Lord was pleased to treat them as wives in reciprocation. Thus being satisfied by their unalloyed service only, the Lord reciprocated the service just like a devout husband. Otherwise, He had no business becoming the husband of so many wives. He is the husband of everyone, but to one who accepts Him as such, He reciprocates. This unalloyed affection for the Lord is never to be compared to mundane lust. It is purely transcendental. And the grave dealings, which the queens displayed in natural feminine ways, were also transcendental because the feelings were expressed out of transcendental ecstasy. It is already explained in the previous verse that the Lord appeared like a mundane husband, but factually His relation with His wives was transcendental, pure and unconditioned by the modes of material nature.
It is impossible to understand this purport due to strong indulgence in sense gratification. Otherwise, it is just like if a person is in a dark room and stays there for a long time, if he comes out he cannot tolerate the sun. If someone who is involved in SG through out life, if they hear the transcendental activities they cannot bare it. Even the devotees understand it gradually
Lust is used for Gopis, Sexual attraction is used for Krsna and His queens, unless we hear from Srimad Bhagavatam carefully… (SB 1.11.37) THE COMMON MATERIALISTIC CONDITIONED SOULS SPECULATE THAT THE LORD IS ONE OF THEM. OUT OF THEIR IGNORANCE, THEY THINK THAT THE LORD IS AFFECTED BY MATTER, ALTHOUGH HE IS UNATTACHED. The word abudhaḥ is significant here. Due to ignorance only, the foolish mundane wranglers misunderstand the Supreme Lord and spread their foolish imaginations amongst innocent persons by propaganda. Only the foolish mundaners misunderstand Him, unaware of His eternal form of knowledge and bliss, which is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā and Upaniṣads. The mental speculators misunderstand Him as the Supreme Person, and they consider His impersonal features as inexplicable Brahman to be all.Such a conception is also the product of conditioned life because they cannot go beyond their own personal capacity. Therefore, one who considers the Lord on the level of one’s limited potency is only a common man. cannot be convinced that the Personality of Godhead is always unaffected by the modes of material nature. cannot understand that the sun is always unaffected by infectious matter. The mental speculators compare everything from the standpoint of experimental knowledge of their own selves. Thus when the Lord is found to act like an ordinary person in matrimonial bondage, they consider Him to be like one of them, without considering that the Lord can at once marry sixteen thousand wives or more. Due to a poor fund of knowledge they accept one side of the picture while disbelieving the other. This means that due to ignorance only they always think of Lord Kṛṣṇa as like themselves and make their own conclusions, which are absurd and unauthentic from the version of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
(SB 1.11.37)THE SUPREME LORD ŚRĪ KṚṢṆA IS THE ORIGINAL PRIMEVAL PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD The Supreme Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the original primeval Personality of Godhead, and when He was personally present before the eyes of everyone, He displayed full-fledged divine potency in every field of activities. As we have already explained in the first verse of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, He is completely independent to act however He likes, but all His actions are full of bliss, knowledge and eternity. His different potencies work in a perfect plan of natural sequence, and doing everything by the agency of His different potencies, He remains eternally the supreme independent. When He descends to the material world by His causeless mercy to different living beings, He does so by His own potency. He is not subject to any condition of the material modes of nature, and He descends as He is originally
Maharaj met the french translator or Aurobindo to convince him to meet Srila Prabhupada. Balaram drinks euphemistically seemed like alcohol – Varuni. When you drink that you get intoxicated with the devotion of love of the Lord. In french, you always say something insulting to the other person in a joking way. Harivilas Maharaj was made the president one week after initiation for the Paris temple. He did not know French. They made a pamphlet “Festival of Love” and translated it to French and women started calling.
This french guy gave a book and asked SP and SP did not even open the book and said there are many mistakes in the book. His ego was deflated…. Mundane people cannot understand the love of Gopis, queens for Krsna. Mayavadis are the worst insulters of the Lord.
ATMAVAN MANYATE JAGAT – Seeing the prism of your own limitation. Ex: two fish watching the moon. One fish asked another what is that… the other fish said- it is a fish and why is it shining, it is a shining fish. They explain that Krsna has material body like in his past times. SB and BG is the primary reference and anything which deviates from what they say, they should not be accepted.
(SB 1.11.38) THIS IS THE DIVINITY OF THE PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD: HE IS NOT AFFECTED BY THE QUALITIES OF MATERIAL NATURE, EVEN THOUGH HE IS IN CONTACT WITH THEM Similarly, the devotees who have taken shelter of the Lord do not become influenced by the material qualities.
(SB 1.11.38) ONE MAY ARGUE THAT HIS RELATION WITH THE GODDESSES OF FORTUNE MAY BE TRANSCENDENTAL, BUT WHAT ABOUT HIS RELATION WITH THE YADU DYNASTY, BEING BORN IN THAT FAMILY, OR HIS KILLING THE NONBELIEVERS LIKE JARĀSANDHA AND OTHER ASURAS DIRECTLY IN CONTACT WITH THE MODES OF MATERIAL NATURE? The answer is that the divinity of the Personality of Godhead is never in contact with the qualities of material nature in any circumstances. Actually He is in contact with such qualities because He is the ultimate source of everything, yet He is above the actions of such qualities. He is known, therefore, as Yogeśvara, or the master of mystic power, or in other words the all-powerful.
(SB 1.11.38) THE DIVINITY AND HIS ASSOCIATES ARE ON THE SAME TRANSCENDENTAL PLANE, AND THEIR GLORIES ARE ALWAYS SANCTIFIED BY THE ACTION OF YOGAMĀYĀ, OR THE INTERNAL POTENCY OF THE LORD. Even His learned devotees are not affected by the influence of the material modes. The great Six Gosvāmīs of Vṛndāvana all came from greatly rich and aristocratic families, but when they adopted the life of mendicants at Vṛndāvana, superficially they appeared to be in wretched conditions of life, but factually they were the richest of all in spiritual values. Such mahā-bhāgavatas, or first-grade devotees, although moving amongst men, are not contaminated by honor or insult, hunger or satisfaction, sleep or wakefulness, which are all resultant actions of the three modes of material nature. Similarly, some of them are engaged in worldly dealings, yet are unaffected. Unless these neutralities of life are there, one cannot be considered situated in transcendence. The Divinity and His associates are on the same transcendental plane, and their glories are always sanctified by the action of yogamāyā, or the internal potency of the Lord. The devotees of the Lord are always transcendental, even if they are sometimes found to have fallen in their behavior.
KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM HH HARIVILAS MAHARAJ’S MORNING BHAGAVATAM CLASS ON SB 2.1.8
• Srila Sukadeva Goswami, the top most transcendentalist is setting an example for hearing about and glorifying the supreme Lord • Srimad Bhagavatam cannot be studied by one’s own intellectual capacity. It can only be learned by studying it at the feet of a realized soul like Śrīla Vyāsadeva • Although Śukadeva Gosvāmī was a liberated soul from the very day of his birth, he still had to take lessons of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from his great father, Vyāsadeva, who compiled the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam under the instruction of another great soul, Śrī Nārada Muni • Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu instructed a learned brāhmaṇa to study Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from a personal bhāgavata. • It is called Brahma-sammitam because it is the sound representative of Lord Kṛṣṇa • Bhagavad-gītā is the sound incarnation of the Lord because it is spoken by the Supreme Lord. • Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the sound representative of the Lord because it was spoken by the incarnation of the Lord about the activities of the Lord. • It is the essence of the Vedic desire tree and the natural commentation on the Brahma-sūtras, the topmost philosophical thesis on the subject matter of Brahman • By hearing Srimad Bhagavatam one can become freed from the modes of material nature. If we accept the essence as it is when we make spiritual advancement. • By studying Srimad Bhagavatam, one will do better in the job, studies, relationships, better time management, etc. It has immediate benefits for everyone. • All good qualities will develop in one who regularly hears and repeats Srimad Bhagavatam. (26 qualities of the devotees). Srimad Bhagavatam is for the all-around success of human life. • Therefore, we should develop faith by regular hearing, repeating. When we are regularly hearing and repeating, we are with Krsna all the time and we perfect our lives. • Our purpose of life when we are in Krsna Consciousness is to always hear and glorify about the Lord. • The way to glorify the Lord is explained in the Lord’s Daily Activities chapter in Krishna Book. • The glorification of the Lord, by the Messenger, the Kings, and Narada Muni are great examples. They are not asking for anything material. They are asking that the Lord protects them so they can take up devotional service seriously. • You can taste how much affection they have for the Lord and how they are putting themselves in the position of complete dependence on the mercy of the Lord. • We read this chapter 70 in Krsna book, because, we have to develop a taste for hearing about Krsna’s qualities, pastimes with the devotees. This was happening on the earth’s planet when Krsna came to demonstrate his transcendental pastimes. • Why does He come to the earth – it is to show people what is going on in Goloka Vrndavan so they have an idea of the transcendental activities that are going on there and the relationships. These relationships are free of lust, greed, anger, and envy. • We do not have to make up any prayers. We need to just repeat the transcendental realizations of the pure devotees. Brahma Samhita, Bhagavadgita, the whole Srimad Bhagavatam is full of prayers. • Developing that taste for Krsna Katha (transcendental literature) is something that we need to work on.
SB 2.1.8 TRANSLATION: At the end of the Dvāpara-yuga, I studied this great supplement of Vedic literature named Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, which is equal to all the Vedas, from my father, Śrīla Dvaipāyana Vyāsadeva.
CLASS NOTES:
SRILA SUKADEVA GOSWAMI, THE TOP MOST TRANSCENDENTALIST IS SETTING AN EXAMPLE FOR HEARING ABOUT AND GLORIFYING THE SUPREME LORD
Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī that the topmost transcendentalist, who is beyond the jurisdiction of regulations and restrictions, mainly takes to the task of hearing about and glorifying the Personality of Godhead
SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM CANNOT BE STUDIED BY ONE’S OWN INTELLECTUAL CAPACITY. IT CAN ONLY BE LEARNED BY STUDYING IT AT THE FEET OF A REALIZED SOUL LIKE ŚRĪLA VYĀSADEVA
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, or, for that matter, any other scientific literature, cannot be studied at home by one’s own intellectual capacity. Medical books of anatomy or physiology are available in the market, but no one can become a qualified medical practitioner simply by reading such books at home. One has to be admitted to the medical college and study the books under the guidance of learned professors. Similarly, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the postgraduate study of the science of Godhead, can only be learned by studying it at the feet of a realized soul like Śrīla Vyāsadeva
Although Śukadeva Gosvāmī was a liberated soul from the very day of his birth, he still had to take lessons of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from his great father, Vyāsadeva, who compiled the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam under the instruction of another great soul, Śrī Nārada Muni
LORD ŚRĪ CAITANYA MAHĀPRABHU INSTRUCTED A LEARNED BRĀHMAṆA TO STUDY ŚRĪMAD-BHĀGAVATAM FROM A PERSONAL BHĀGAVATA.
ŚRĪMAD-BHĀGAVATAM IS THE SOUND REPRESENTATIVE OF THE LORD
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is based on the transcendental name, form, attributes, pastimes, entourage and variegatedness of the Supreme Person, and it is spoken by the incarnation of the Personality of Godhead, Śrīla Vyāsadeva.
It is called Brahma-sammitam because it is the sound representative of Lord Kṛṣṇa — like the Bhagavad-gītā. Bhagavad-gītā is the sound incarnation of the Lord because it is spoken by the Supreme Lord, and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the sound representative of the Lord because it was spoken by the incarnation of the Lord about the activities of the Lord.
It is the essence of the Vedic desire tree and the natural commentation on the Brahma-sūtras, the topmost philosophical thesis on the subject matter of Brahman
SB is the greatest scripture in the history of the world. It is a scientific book. Who is Krsna, qualities, body, activities, past times, … By hearing this one can become freed from the modes of material nature. If we accept it as it is when we make spiritual advancement. If we read other books – mayavadi’s commentaries, we will never advance. It is called Bramma sammitam. Someone can say I can read but it will not get me a job or a promotion. That is the false narrative. By studying SB, you can manage your time SB, better in your job, your relationships, you can develop the great 26 qualities of a devotee by hearing SB every day. We develop faith by regular hearing, repeating, and we are with Krsna all the time and we perfect our lives.
Krishna Chapter 70 Krsna wakes up 3 hrs before Brahma Muhurta, washes His hands feet and mouth, and face, and starts meditating on Himself. Because He is the absolute truth and living entities are eternal servants and we meditate on Him and Srimati Radha Rani. After meditation, He takes a bath and changes into clean clothing. He does fire sacrifice and does Gayatri Mantra. There are many reasons why we cannot meditate on ourself, – Krishna’s body and soul are the same. He is the supreme and absolute truth. He is the brahman, paramatma, bhagavan. Krishna’s existence is not relative and our existence is relative. Krishna does not need anything. He is completely independent. His activities are all transcendental. He is supreme controller, maintainer, He is the cause of all causes. We are limited by time and space. He is the controller of both and is not limited by them. His body is completely spiritual and is not subject to the mode of nature. He gives 13,800 cows in charity in Brahma Muhurta. He is present in 16,000 palaces with 16,000 wives with 10 children with each wife, after Brahma Muhurta he will become one and go to assembly house Sudhama. He is ekarasa.. His body never gets older. He always has His full potency.. As a lil baby, he killed the cart demon, Puthana,…Any one of His senses can perform functions of all other senses as He has a spiritual body… anganiyasya sakalendriya… Krsna is the cause of the whole creation. We are not the cause of anything except stool and urine. Krsna does not have any specific duty to perform. But he only does His duty to inspire others to follow the duty. He does not become perfect, but he is always perfect. He can expand His body. He is pleasing many living entities. He administers all the issues of governance … when he goes to
Sudhama Assembly hall – none of these are there – Hunger, Thirst, Lamentation, Illusion, Old Age, Death
We cannot imitate, we can follow – Wake up early, chanting Hare Krsna, Do some charity…
Our purpose of life when we are in KC is to always hear and glotify about the Lord. The way to glorify the Lord is explained in the Lord’s Activities chapter in Krsna Book.
(KRISHNA BOOK CHAPTER 70) HOW TO GLORIFY THE LORD
Dear Lord, we are not among these surrendered souls; we are still within the duality and illusion of this material existence. We therefore take shelter of Your lotus feet, for we are afraid of the cycle of birth and death. Dear Lord, we think that there are many living entities like us who are eternally entangled in fruitive activities and their reactions. They are never inclined to follow Your instructions by performing devotional service, although it is pleasing to the heart and most auspicious for one’s existence. On the contrary, they are against the path of Kṛṣṇa conscious life, and they are wandering within the three worlds, impelled by the illusory energy of material existence.
Devotees do not come to the Lord and say I need money for the end of the month. They do not approach the lord like that..
“‘Dear Lord, who can estimate Your mercy and Your powerful activities? You are present always as the insurmountable force of eternal time, baffling the indefatigable desires of the materialists, who are thus repeatedly confused and frustrated. We therefore offer our respectful obeisances unto You in Your form of eternal time. Dear Lord, You are the proprietor of all the worlds, and You have incarnated Yourself with Your plenary expansion Lord Balarāma. It is said that Your appearance in this incarnation is for the purpose of protecting the faithful and destroying the miscreants.
Under the circumstances, how is it possible that miscreants like Jarāsandha can put us into such deplorable conditions of life against Your authority? We are puzzled at the situation and cannot understand how it is possible. It may be that Jarāsandha has been deputed to give us such trouble because of our past misdeeds, but we have heard from revealed scriptures that anyone who surrenders unto Your lotus feet is immediately immune to the reactions of sinful life. We therefore offer ourselves wholeheartedly unto Your shelter, and we hope that Your Lordship will now give us full protection. We have now come to the real conclusion of our lives. Our kingly positions were nothing but the reward of our past pious activities, just as our suffering imprisonment by Jarāsandha is the result of our past impious activities. We realize now that the reactions of both pious and impious activities are temporary and that we can never be happy in this conditioned life.
These are the realizations of the Kings. This is the real face of reality for everyone.
The material body is awarded to us by the modes of material nature, and on account of this we are full of anxieties. The material condition of life simply involves bearing the burden of this dead body. As a result of fruitive activities, we have thus been subjected to being beasts of burden for these bodies, and, being forced by conditioned life, we have given up the pleasing life of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Now we realize that we are the most foolish persons. We have been entangled in the network of material reactions due to our ignorance. We have therefore come to the shelter of Your lotus feet, which can immediately eradicate all the results of fruitive action and thus free us from the contamination of material pains and pleasures.
This is the way to approach the Lord. They are not asking anything material. They are asking that the lord protects them so they can take up devotional service seriously.
Dear Lord, You have already fought with Jarāsandha eighteen times consecutively, out of which You have defeated him seventeen times by surpassing his extraordinarily powerful position. But in Your eighteenth fight You exhibited Your human behavior, and thus it appeared that You were defeated.
Dear Lord, we know very well that Jarāsandha cannot defeat You at any time, for Your power, strength, resources and authority are all unlimited. No one can equal You or surpass You. Your apparent defeat by Jarāsandha in the eighteenth engagement was nothing but an exhibition of human behavior. Unfortunately, foolish Jarāsandha could not understand Your tricks, and he has since then become puffed up over his material power and prestige. Specifically, he has arrested and imprisoned us, knowing fully that as Your devotees we are subordinate to Your sovereignty.’”
The messenger concluded, “Now I have explained the awful position of the kings, and Your Lordship can consider and do whatever You like. As the messenger and representative of all those imprisoned kings, I have submitted my words before Your Lordship and presented their prayers to You. All the kings are very anxious to see You so that they can all personally surrender at Your lotus feet. My dear Lord, be merciful upon them and act for their good fortune.”
(KRISHNA BOOK CHAPTER 70) NARADA MUNI GLORIFIES THE LORD
The great sage Nārada spoke as follows: “My dear Lord, You have spoken about the cosmic manifestation created by the Supreme Lord, but I know that You are the all-pervading creator. Your energies are so extensive and inconceivable that even powerful personalities like Brahmā, the lord of this particular universe, cannot measure Your inconceivable power. My dear Lord, You are present as the Supersoul in everyone’s heart by Your inconceivable potency, exactly like the fire which is present in everyone but which no one can see directly. In conditioned life, all living entities are within the jurisdiction of the three modes of material nature. As such, they are unable to see Your presence everywhere with their material eyes. By Your grace, however, I have seen many times the action of Your inconceivable potency, and therefore when You ask me for the news of the Pāṇḍavas, which is not at all unknown to You, I am not surprised at Your inquiry.
“My dear Lord, by Your inconceivable potencies You create this cosmic manifestation, maintain it and again dissolve it. Only by dint of Your inconceivable potency does this material world, although a shadow representation of the spiritual world, appear to be factual. No one can understand what You plan to do in the future. Your transcendental position is always inconceivable to everyone.
As far as I am concerned, I can simply offer my respectful obeisances unto You again and again. In the bodily concept of existence, everyone is driven by material desires, and thus everyone develops new material bodies one after another in the cycle of birth and death. Being absorbed in such a concept of existence, one does not know how to get out of this encagement of the material body. By Your causeless mercy, my Lord, You descend to exhibit Your various transcendental pastimes, which are illuminating and full of glory. Therefore I have no alternative but to offer my respectful obeisances unto You.
“My dear Lord, You are the Supreme, Para-brahman, and Your pastimes as an ordinary human are another tactical resource, exactly like a play on the stage in which the actor plays parts different from his own identity.
We read this because, we have to develop a taste for hearing about Krsna’s qualities, pastimes with the devotees. This was happening on the earth planet when Krsna came to demonstrate his transcendental pastimes. Why does He come to earth – it is to show people what is going on in Goloka Vrndavan so they have an idea of the transcendental activities that are going on there and the relationships. Everything is relational in human existence. Therefore the relationships the devotees have in Goloka are the supreme pinnacle of achievement, There relationships are free of lust, greed, anger, and envy. This is what we have to hear about. Nowadays all movies are about sense gratification, bad guys defeated or win, that does not teach you anything about transcendental relationships. You can feel the love and affection in the words of Messenger, the kings in the prison, and Narada Muni. You can taste how much affection they have for the lord and how they are putting themselves in the position of complete dependence on the mercy of the lord.
We have to develop a taste for hearing the transcendental nature of the relationship between Krsna and His devotees and they show you what is going on in the spiritual world.
Mahamaya takes away from Krsna. Yoga Maya brings us closer to Krsna. Illusion in the spiritual world is such that we intimately come close to Krsna. We are free to love Krsna with no inhibitions and rules or regulations in Goloka Vrndavan. Why there are no rules because everyone there has a PURE love for Krsna. In the material world, we have no pure love, hence we have to follow rules to overcome the false conceptions and false ego and finally surrender to the lord. We cannot love Krsna if we have a false ego. It is a gradual process here to become free of Maha Maya. But if we are serious about Krsna Consciousness, it can go quickly also.
It is very rare to meet someone like Srila Prabhupada who is giving real knowledge. One has to go through Sadhana Bhakti and one cannot jump to Raganuga bhakti.
Hearing regularly – This is the nectar, this is the medicine. We do not have to make up any prayers. We need to just repeat the transcendental realizations of the pure devotees, Brahma Samhita, Bhagavadgita, the whole Bhagavatam is full of prayers. Developing that taste for Krsna Katha (transcendental literature) is something that we need to work on.
Homework for tomm – explain what you have learnt from Narada Muni’s statements.
