Srimad Bhavagavatham Class By HH HariVilas Maharaj

KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM HH HARIVILAS MAHARAJ’S MORNING BHAGAVATAM CLASS ON SB 1:19:20  (02/09/21): (https://youtu.be/4XY8UpaZMPk?t=3201)
• Going back to Godhead, His eternal abode is the highest achievement for human life.
• The Pāṇḍava kings knew the bitter results of the materialistic way of life. They were never captivated by the glare of the imperial throne they occupied, and they are always waiting for the opportunity to be called by the Lord to associate with Him eternally. Ex: Yusdhistra maharaj and Parikshit Maharaj
• Prahlad Maharaj says that –
• I am very much afraid of the materialistic way of life, and I am not the least afraid of Your present ghastly ferocious feature as Nṛsiṁha-deva.
• I have very painfully experienced two things, namely separation from my beloved and meeting with what is not wanted. He therefore prays to the Lord to give him shelter at His lotus feet.
• If one wants to save himself from material nature’s onslaughts, one must become Krsna conscious and try to fully understand Krsna and this one can do only by serving a pure devotee.
• Without taking the shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead one cannot get the release from materialistic life.
• By following in the footsteps of Prahlāda Mahārāja, one should gain thorough experience that all material opulence is perishable at any moment
• Every intelligent man within this material world must follow Prahlāda Mahārāja
• Prahlāda Mahārāja did not want to enjoy the estate left by his father; rather, he wanted to become a servant of the servant of the Lord.
• Prahlāda Mahārāja was detached from all material enjoyment. He, therefore, took shelter of the lotus feet of Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva, and not the feet of any demigod
• When one is too attached to material enjoyment, he is bereft of all knowledge
• Those who are attached to material enjoyment worship goddess durgā and lord śiva
• No one has ever achieved the results he desired from material activities. everyone has been frustrated
• One is happy as long as one does not endeavor for happiness; as soon as one begins his activities for happiness, his conditions of distress begin.
• It is better to utilize this life for developing Kṛṣṇa consciousness, without ambitions for so-called happiness.

SB 1.19.20 TRANSLATION
[The sages said:] O chief of all the saintly kings of the Pāṇḍu dynasty who are strictly in the line of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa! It is not at all astonishing that you give up your throne, which is decorated with the helmets of many kings, to achieve eternal association with the Personality of Godhead.

CLASS NOTES:
(SB 1.19.20) ACHIEVEMENT OF LIBERATION AS ONE OF THE ASSOCIATES OF THE LORD IN HIS ETERNAL ABODE IS THE HIGHEST GAIN OF LIFE.
Human life is meant for achieving this end. The Lord has assured us in the Bhagavad-gītā many times that going back to Godhead, His eternal abode is the highest achievement.

(SB 1.19.20) PRAHLAD MAHARAJ SAYS I AM VERY MUCH AFRAID OF THE MATERIALISTIC WAY OF LIFE, AND I AM NOT THE LEAST AFRAID OF YOUR PRESENT GHASTLY FEROCIOUS FEATURE AS NṚSIṀHA-DEVA
I have very painfully experienced two things, namely separation from my beloved and meeting with what is not wanted. And to counteract them, the remedies which I undertook were more dangerous than the disease itself. So I drift from one point to another, birth after birth, and I pray to You therefore to give me a shelter at Your lotus feet.”

(SB 1.19.20) PANDAVA KINGS KNEW ABOUT THE MATERIALISTIC WAY OF LIFE AND ALWAYS WAITED TO ASSOCIATE WITH THE LORD ETERNALLY
The Pāṇḍava kings, who are more than many saints of the world, knew the bitter results of the materialistic way of life. They were never captivated by the glare of the imperial throne they occupied, and they sought always the opportunity of being called by the Lord to associate with Him eternally. Ex: Maharaj Yudhistra, Maharaj Parikshit

(SB 7.9.24) PRAHLAD MAHARAJ’S PRAYER – I DO NOT WISH TO POSSESS WORLDLY OPULENCE, PLACE ME IN TOUCH WITH YOUR PURE DEVOTEE AND LET ME SERVE HIM AS A SINCERE SERVANT
My dear Lord, now I have complete experience concerning the worldly opulence, mystic power, longevity, and other material pleasures enjoyed by all living entities, from Lord Brahmā down to the ant. As powerful time, You destroy them all. Therefore, because of my experience, I do not wish to possess them. My dear Lord, I request You to place me in touch with Your pure devotee and let me serve him as a sincere servant.

(SB 7.9.24) BY FOLLOWING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF PRAHLĀDA MAHĀRĀJA, ONE SHOULD GAIN THOROUGH EXPERIENCE THAT ALL MATERIAL OPULENCE IS PERISHABLE AT EVERY MOMENT
By studying Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, every intelligent man can get an experience like that of Prahlāda Mahārāja through the historical incidents mentioned in this great literature of spiritual knowledge. By following in the footsteps of Prahlāda Mahārāja, one should gain thorough experience that all material opulence is perishable at every moment. Even this body, for which we try to acquire so many sensual pleasures, may perish at any time. An intelligent man, therefore, should care for the happiness of the spirit soul, not of the body

Every intelligent man within this material world must follow Prahlāda Mahārāja. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ. Prahlāda Mahārāja did not want to enjoy the estate left by his father; rather, he wanted to become a servant of the servant of the Lord

(SB 7.9.24) AN INTELLIGENT MAN SHOULD BE CONCERNED WITH THE IMPERISHABLE SPIRIT SOUL.
Even if one receives a body with a long duration of life, like those of Lord Brahmā and the other great demigods, it will also be destroyed, and therefore an intelligent man should be concerned with the imperishable spirit soul.

(SB 7.9.24) IF ONE WANTS TO SAVE HIMSELF FROM MATERIAL NATURE’S ONSLAUGHTS, ONE MUST BECOME KRSNA CONSCIOUS AND TRY TO FULLY UNDERSTAND KRSNA
If one wants to save himself from material nature’s onslaughts, which arise because of the material body, one must become Kṛṣṇa conscious and try to fully understand Kṛṣṇa.
One should understand Kṛṣṇa in truth, and this one can do only by serving a pure devotee. Thus Prahlāda Mahārāja prays that Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva place him in touch with a pure devotee and servant instead of awarding him material opulence.

(SB 7.10.2) THOSE WHO ARE ATTACHED TO MATERIAL ENJOYMENT WORSHIP GODDESS DURGĀ AND LORD ŚIVA
Those who are attached to material enjoyment are mostly inclined to worship the demigods to procure various material opulence. They are attached to the worship of the goddess Durgā and Lord Śiva because this transcendental couple can offer their devotees all material opulence. Prahlāda Mahārāja, however, was detached from all material enjoyment. He, therefore, took shelter of the lotus feet of Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva, and not the feet of any demigod. Bg 7.20 (those whose intelligence has been stolen by material desires surrender unto demigod)

WHEN ONE IS TOO ATTACHED TO MATERIAL ENJOYMENT, HE IS BEREFT OF ALL KNOWLEDGE (HṚTA- JÑĀNĀḤ).

(SB 7.7.24) THE SUPREME SOUL EXISTS EVERYWHERE. HE IS THE SUPREME CAUSE.
The Vedas inform us, however, that chemical combinations do not constitute the living force; the living force is the ātmā and Paramātmā, and the body grows on the basis of that living force. The body exists because of the presence of the Supreme Lord and the jīva, which is part of the Lord. The Supreme Soul exists everywhere. He is the supreme cause, the Supreme Lord upon whom everything rests (mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat).

(SB 7.7.41) NO ONE HAS EVER ACHIEVED THE RESULTS HE DESIRED FROM MATERIAL ACTIVITIES. EVERYONE HAS BEEN FRUSTRATED
A materialistic person, thinking himself very advanced in intelligence, continually acts for economic development. But again and again, as enunciated in the Vedas, he is frustrated by material activities, either in this life or in the next. Indeed, the results one obtains are inevitably the opposite of those one desires.

Therefore one must not waste his time in such material activities for sensual pleasure, either in this life or in the next.

In recent history, we have seen many political leaders work hard for individual and collective economic development, but they have all failed. This is the law of nature. Example – Trump, Hitler etc.,

SB 7.7.42 (ONE IS HAPPY AS LONG AS ONE DOES NOT ENDEAVOR FOR HAPPINESS)
In this material world, every materialist desires to achieve happiness and diminish his distress, and therefore he acts accordingly. Actually, however, one is happy as long as one does not endeavor for happiness; as soon as one begins his activities for happiness, his conditions of distress begin.

The Vedas enjoin that one should not try to increase happiness or decrease distress, for this is futile. One should work for self-realization, not for economic development, which is impossible to improve. Without endeavor, one can get the amount of happiness and distress for which he is destined, and one cannot change this. Therefore, it is better to use one’s time for advancement in the spiritual life of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. One should not waste his valuable life as a human being. It is better to utilize this life for developing Kṛṣṇa consciousness, without ambitions for so-called happiness.

KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM HH HARIVILAS MAHARAJ’S MORNING BHAGAVATAM CLASS ON SB 1:19:19 (02/08/21): (https://youtu.be/8wjE8XuC8MY?t=3358)

• When a devotee is dying it is a celebration. The great sages expressed their approval to Maharaj Parikshit’s decision to fast until death and being absorbed in Krsna Katha, by saying “Very good”.
• All inauspicious matters are removed from the path of a progressive devotee
• A devotee is always under the protection of the Lord
• Real Peace can be attained by giving up desires from sense gratification, proprietorship, and false ego
• A steadily devoted soul attains unadulterated peace
• The cause of anxiety is due to the conception of duality
• In Krsna Consciousness there is no duality, one is therefore filled with peace
• A Devotee has a different life style, he sleeps early and wakes up early so he can chant good rounds and hear Srimad Bhagavatam and practice Krsna Consciousness nicely while working in this material world.
• A Mahatma knows perfectly well that Kṛṣṇa is the original Supreme Person, the cause of all causes
• A Mahatma is put under the guidance of the spiritual nature, as soon as he surrenders to the Lord. (daivī prakṛti, divine nature)
• A Mahatma develops in the association of pure devotees
• The solution to all problems is to surrender to Krsna
• Blind men guided by another blind man miss the right path and fall into a ditch (So-called man gods, gurus, teachers.. etc.,)
• The knowledge of the materialists is restricted within the four-billion-mile limit of this material world
• Unless one is a devotee of the Lord, one cannot understand the existence of the spiritual world.
• We are all suffering from Kamam Hrd Rogam – Lusty desires
• As soon as one has material desires, one loses his spiritual identity.
• Liberation means freedom from lusty desires
• The solution to getting rid of lusty desires – devotional service
• Desirelessness means freedom from material desires. The spiritual soul has spiritual activities and spiritual desires. Unalloyed devotion to the service of the Lord is the only spiritual desire.

SB 1.19.19 TRANSLATION
All the great sages who were assembled there also praised the decision of Mahārāja Parīkṣit, and they expressed their approval by saying “Very good.” Naturally, the sages are inclined to do good to common men, for they have all the qualitative powers of the Supreme Lord. Therefore they were very much pleased to see Mahārāja Parīkṣit, a devotee of the Lord, and they spoke as follows.

CLASS NOTES:
(SB 1.19.19) ALL INAUSPICIOUS MATTERS ARE REMOVED FROM THE PATH OF A PROGRESSIVE DEVOTEE
The devotional service of the Lord is so auspicious that all demigods and sages, up to the Lord Himself, become pleased with the devotee, and therefore the devotee finds everything auspicious. All inauspicious matters are removed from the path of a progressive devotee.

(BG 9.13) A DEVOTEE IS ALWAYS UNDER THE PROTECTION OF THE LORD
O son of Pṛthā, those who are not deluded, the great souls, are under the protection of the divine nature. They are fully engaged in devotional service because they know Me as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, original and inexhaustible.

(BG 2.71) REAL PEACE CAN BE ATTAINED BY GIVING UP DESIRES FROM SENSE GRATIFICATION, PROPRIETORSHIP, AND FALSE EGO
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.

(BG 5.12) A STEADILY DEVOTED SOUL ATTAINS UNADULTERATED PEACE
The steadily devoted soul attains unadulterated peace because he offers the result of all activities to Me; whereas a person who is not in union with the Divine, who is greedy for the fruits of his labor, becomes entangled.

(BG 5.12) THE CAUSE OF ANXIETY IS DUE TO THE CONCEPTION OF DUALITY
In the Bhāgavatam, the cause of anxiety over the result of an activity is explained as being one’s functioning in the conception of duality, that is, without knowledge of the Absolute Truth

(BG 5.12) IN KRSNA CONSCIOUSNESS THERE IS NO DUALITY, ONE IS THEREFORE FILLED WITH PEACE.
The person who is attached to Kṛṣṇa and works for Him only is certainly a liberated person, and he has no anxiety over the results of his work. Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Absolute Truth, the Personality of Godhead. In Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there is no duality. All that exists is a product of Kṛṣṇa’s energy, and Kṛṣṇa is all good. Therefore, activities in Kṛṣṇa consciousness are on the absolute plane; they are transcendental and have no material effect. One is therefore filled with peace in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

(BG 2.69) DEVOTEE HAS A DIFFERENT LIFE STYLE
What is night for all beings is the time of awakening for the self-controlled, and the time of awakening for all beings is night for the introspective sage
The devotee adjusts the lifestyle so he can chant rounds properly and study SB.

(BG 9.13) WHO IS MAHATMA?
The first sign of the mahātmā is that
• he is already situated in the divine nature.
• he is not under the control of material nature.
• he surrenders his soul to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
• he is put under the guidance of the spiritual nature. (daivī prakṛti, divine nature)one attains to the stage of great soul, mahātmā.
• does not divert his attention to anything outside Kṛṣṇa
• he knows perfectly well that Kṛṣṇa is the original Supreme Person, the cause of all causes
• he develops through association with other mahātmās, pure devotees.

(BG 9.13) PURE DEVOTEES
Pure devotees –
• They are simply attracted by the two-armed form of Kṛṣṇa.
• They are not attracted to other features of Kṛṣṇa, such as the four-armed Mahā-viṣṇu.
• nor are they concerned with any form of a demigod or of a human being.
• They meditate only upon Kṛṣṇa in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
• They are always engaged in the unswerving service of the Lord in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

(BG 7.14) THE SOLUTION TO ALL PROBLEMS IS TO SURRENDER TO KRSNA
This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it.

(SB 7.5.31) BLIND MEN GUIDED BY ANOTHER BLIND MAN MISS THE RIGHT PATH AND FALL INTO A DITCH (SO-CALLED MAN GODS, GURUS, TEACHERS.. ETC.,)
Persons who are strongly entrapped by the consciousness of enjoying material life, and who have therefore accepted as their leader or guru a similar blind man attached to external sense objects, cannot understand that the goal of life is to return home, back to Godhead, and engage in the service of Lord Viṣṇu. As blind men guided by another blind man miss the right path and fall into a ditch, materially attached men led by another materially attached man are bound by the ropes of fruitive labor, which are made of very strong cords, and they continue again and again in materialistic life, suffering the threefold miseries.

An actual guru is śrotriya, one who has heard or received perfect knowledge through paramparā, the disciplic succession. Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja did not recognize a seminal spiritual master, Sukracharya, from whom his father wanted him to learn.

(SB 7.5.31) THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE MATERIALISTS IS RESTRICTED WITHIN THE FOUR-BILLION-MILE LIMIT OF THIS MATERIAL WORLD
The knowledge of the materialists is restricted within the four-billion-mile limit of this material world, which is in the dark portion of the creation; they do not know that beyond the material world is the spiritual world. Unless one is a devotee of the Lord, one cannot understand the existence of the spiritual world.

(SB 7.10.8) WE ARE ALL SUFFERING FROM KAMAM HRD ROGAM – LUSTY DESIRES
O my Lord, because of lusty desires from the very beginning of one’s birth, the functions of one’s senses, mind, life, body, religion, patience, intelligence, shyness, opulence, strength, memory and truthfulness are vanquished.

Kāmaṁ hṛd-rogam. Materialistic life means that one is afflicted by a formidable disease called lusty desire. Liberation means freedom from lusty desires because it is only due to such desires that one must accept repeated birth and death. As long as one’s lusty desires are unfulfilled, one must take birth after birth to fulfill them.

(SB 7.10.8) AS SOON AS ONE HAS MATERIAL DESIRES, ONE LOSES HIS SPIRITUAL IDENTITY
Then all the paraphernalia of one’s life, including one’s senses, body, religion, patience, and intelligence, are deviated from one’s original Kṛṣṇa consciousness. As soon as one has material desires, one cannot properly use his senses, intelligence, mind, and so on for the satisfaction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

(SB 7.10.8) THE SOLUTION TO GET RID OF LUSTY DESIRES – DEVOTIONAL SERVICE
The only remedy is to take to devotional service, which begins when one is free from all material desires. The spiritual soul has spiritual activities and spiritual desires. Unalloyed devotion to the service of the Lord is the only spiritual desire. To fulfill this spiritual desire, however, one must be free from all material desires. Desirelessness means freedom from material desires.