Srimad Bhavagavatham Class By HH HariVilas Maharaj, The inspiration and contents of this website are all due to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami (Srila Prabhupada), HH Harivilas Maharaj's beloved spiritual master, Page 9

January 13, 2022January 13, 2022

SB 2.9.34 – Part 3 – 1/12/22

KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM HH HARIVILAS MAHARAJ’S MORNING BHAGAVATAM CLASS ON SB 2.9.34 – Part 3:

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, and His plenary portions cannot be understood by mental speculation nor by the nondevotees.
He is not revealed to everyone. In the prayers of Kuntī in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.8.19) it is said that the Lord is covered by the curtain of yoga-māyā and thus ordinary people cannot understand Him.
Only one who is actually engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and devotional service can understand what Kṛṣṇa is. University degrees are not helpful.
One who is fully conversant with the Kṛṣṇa science becomes eligible to enter into the spiritual kingdom, the abode of Kṛṣṇa.
Because of his pure devotional service, a devotee can understand the transcendental qualities and the opulences of the Supreme Lord in truth.
Liberation involves getting free from the concept of material life;
Perfection of human life is attained when one can understand that he is not the product of matter but is in fact spirit. And as soon as one understands that he has nothing to do with matter, he at once ceases his material hankerings and becomes enlivened as a spiritual being.
After attainment of the brahma-bhūta stage of freedom from material conceptions, devotional service begins by one’s hearing about the Lord.
When one hears about the Supreme Lord, automatically the brahma-bhūta stage develops, and material contamination – greediness and lust for sense enjoyment – disappears.
As lust and desires disappear from the heart of a devotee, he becomes more attached to the service of the Lord, and by such attachment he becomes free from material contamination. In that state of life he can understand the Supreme Lord.
After liberation the process of bhakti, or transcendental service, continues.
BG 13.26 – Again there are those who, although not conversant in spiritual knowledge, begin to worship the Supreme Person upon hearing about Him from others. Because of their tendency to hear from authorities, they also transcend the path of birth and death
In modern society there is practically no education in spiritual matters
As for the common man, if he is a good soul, then there is a chance for advancement by hearing. This hearing process is very important.
Lord Caitanya, who preached Kṛṣṇa consciousness in the modern world, gave great stress to hearing because if the common man simply hears from authoritative sources he can progress, especially, according to Lord Caitanya, if he hears the transcendental vibration Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.
It is stated, therefore, that all men should take advantage of hearing from realized souls and gradually become able to understand everything.
One should learn to become the servant of those who are in knowledge of the Supreme Lord. If one is fortunate enough to take shelter of a pure devotee, hear from him about self-realization and follow in his footsteps, one will be gradually elevated to the position of a pure devotee
When a qualified brāhmaṇa factually becomes a Vaiṣṇava, in the enlivened state of liberation he can know what is actually the Personality of Godhead.

SB 2.9.34 TRANSLATION:

O Brahmā, whatever appears to be of any value, if it is without relation to Me, has no reality. Know it as My illusory energy, that reflection which appears to be in darkness.

Anything that appears as apparently not being “produced out of My energy” is called māyā. The conception that the living entity is formless or that the Supreme Lord is formless is also illusion.

Yesterday we discussed – Reflection in the darkness.

Material example – Night time you are driving. If there are small lights in the car you will see your reflection in the dashboard window.

Even if there is little light the reflection can be seen, as described in the above example..

You need darkness and little bit of light to see the reflection.

reflection of the reality in the darkness of ignorance. – what does this mean?

Anything that appears as apparently not being “produced out of My energy” is called māyā.
1. Everything we see is made from the energy of Krsna. Internal external and marginal energies and several energies.. All are energies of the lord.
2. Example – human energy is used to construct the pyramids. Carve the rocks and roll them on the trunks of the trees and pull them and assemble them to be pyramid. They had their techniques. Human energy to build the pyramids. Long and difficult process. It is a process.
3. Energy of petroleum used in tractor to plow the soil.. ..
4. Energy is located in the soul. The soul is very very powerful. Even though it is microscopic. The soul has energy and it energizes the entire body.
5. Jiva is the energy of the lord. Jiva energy is so powerful.. Chandra, Indra, Brahma as they are purified, they can do tremendous things with the energy of the soul..
6. We dont realize how much energy we have.
The Reflection is not the real thing. The real thing is the spiritual world. The reflection of the real thing points that there is a real thing. The material world although looks real it disappears at one point. It is called avyakta stage.

Material conception of life –

They think that

Material nature is meant for their sense gratification
Do not accept that there is God
Do not accept that God own everything. They think that they are proprietors. They own properties and establish ownership
Do not accept the existence of Karma
They can control nature using Money science, logic can be used to control nature
They reject the existence of a soul
Believe that there is only matter
Believe that the creation started with the big bang or some other material cause.

Very important to understand the material conception of life. If we understand that all these points are illusory and we begin to understand who we are and what is our relationship with Krsna.

BG 18.55

bhaktyā mām abhijānāti

yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ

tato māṁ tattvato jñātvā

viśate tad-anantaram

One can understand Me as I am, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, only by devotional service. And when one is in full consciousness of Me by such devotion, he can enter into the kingdom of God.

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, and His plenary portions cannot be understood by mental speculation nor by the nondevotees. If anyone wants to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he has to take to pure devotional service under the guidance of a pure devotee. Otherwise, the truth of the Supreme Personality of Godhead will always be hidden. As already stated in Bhagavad-gītā (7.25), nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya: He is not revealed 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.

Kṛṣṇa says that but for His pure devotees, all men consider Him to be like themselves. He was manifest only to His devotees as the reservoir of all pleasure. But to others, to unintelligent nondevotees, He was covered by His internal potency.

In the prayers of Kuntī in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.8.19) it is said that the Lord is covered by the curtain of yoga-māyā and thus ordinary people cannot understand Him. This yoga-māyā curtain is also confirmed in the Īśopaniṣad (Mantra 15), in which the devotee prays:

hiraṇmayena pātreṇa

satyasyāpihitaṁ mukham

tat tvaṁ pūṣann apāvṛṇu

satya-dharmāya dṛṣṭaye

No one can understand God simply by erudite scholarship or mental speculation. Only one who is actually engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and devotional service can understand what Kṛṣṇa is. University degrees are not helpful.

One who is fully conversant with the Kṛṣṇa science becomes eligible to enter into the spiritual kingdom, the abode of Kṛṣṇa. Becoming Brahman does not mean that one loses his identity. Devotional service is there, and as long as devotional service exists, there must be God, the devotee, and the process of devotional service. Such knowledge is never vanquished, even after liberation. Liberation involves getting free from the concept of material life; in spiritual life the same distinction is there, the same individuality is there, but in pure Kṛṣṇa consciousness. One should not mistakenly think that the word viśate, “enters into Me,” supports the monist theory that one becomes homogeneous with the impersonal Brahman. No. Viśate means that one can enter into the abode of the Supreme Lord in one’s individuality to engage in His association and render service unto Him. For instance, a green bird enters a green tree not to become one with the tree but to enjoy the fruits of the tree. Impersonalists generally give the example of a river flowing into the ocean and merging. This may be a source of happiness for the impersonalist, but the personalist keeps his personal individuality like an aquatic in the ocean. We find so many living entities within the ocean, if we go deep. Surface acquaintance with the ocean is not sufficient; one must have complete knowledge of the aquatics living in the ocean depths.

Because of his pure devotional service, a devotee can understand the transcendental qualities and the opulences of the Supreme Lord in truth. As it is stated in the Eleventh Chapter, only by devotional service can one understand. The same is confirmed here; one can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead by devotional service and enter into His kingdom.

Attentively submissively with the desire to please krsna if we chant..

Krsna is understood through revelation not through academic knowledge.

BG 11.55 – only by dev service we can understand Krsna

mat-karma-kṛn mat-paramo

mad-bhaktaḥ saṅga-varjitaḥ

nirvairaḥ sarva-bhūteṣu

yaḥ sa mām eti pāṇḍava

My dear Arjuna, he who engages in My pure devotional service, free from the contaminations of fruitive activities and mental speculation, he who works for Me, who makes Me the supreme goal of his life, and who is friendly to every living being – he certainly comes to Me.

After attainment of the brahma-bhūta stage of freedom from material conceptions, devotional service begins by one’s hearing about the Lord. When one hears about the Supreme Lord, automatically the brahma-bhūta stage develops, and material contamination – greediness and lust for sense enjoyment – disappears. As lust and desires disappear from the heart of a devotee, he becomes more attached to the service of the Lord, and by such attachment he becomes free from material contamination. In that state of life he can understand the Supreme Lord. This is the statement of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also. After liberation the process of bhakti, or transcendental service, continues. The Vedānta-sūtra (4.1.12) confirms this: ā-prāyaṇāt tatrāpi hi dṛṣṭam. This means that after liberation the process of devotional service continues. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, real devotional liberation is defined as the reinstatement of the living entity in his own identity, his own constitutional position. The constitutional position is already explained: every living entity is a part-and-parcel fragmental portion of the Supreme Lord. Therefore his constitutional position is to serve. After liberation, this service is never stopped. Actual liberation is getting free from misconceptions of life.

Everything depends on our voluntary desire to regularly hear BG, SB and repeat.

Everything depends on regular hearing. Hearing is emphasized in the following verses.

SB 1.2.20

The very same thing is confirmed herein in the above words. No ordinary man, or even one who has attained success in human life, can know scientifically or perfectly the Personality of Godhead. Perfection of human life is attained when one can understand that he is not the product of matter but is in fact spirit. And as soon as one understands that he has nothing to do with matter, he at once ceases his material hankerings and becomes enlivened as a spiritual being. This attainment of success is possible when one is above the modes of passion and ignorance, or, in other words, when one is actually a brāhmaṇa by qualification. A brāhmaṇa is the symbol of sattva-guṇa, or the mode of goodness. And others, who are not in the mode of goodness, are either kṣatriyas, vaiśyas, śūdras or less than the śūdras. The brahminical stage is the highest stage of human life because of its good qualities. So one cannot be a devotee unless one at least qualifies as a brāhmaṇa. The devotee is already a brāhmaṇa by action. But that is not the end of it. As referred to above, such a brāhmaṇa has to become a Vaiṣṇava in fact to be actually in the transcendental stage. A pure Vaiṣṇava is a liberated soul and is transcendental even to the position of a brāhmaṇa. In the material stage even a brāhmaṇa is also a conditioned soul because although in the brahminical stage the conception of Brahman or transcendence is realized, scientific knowledge of the Supreme Lord is lacking. One has to surpass the brahminical stage and reach the vasudeva stage to understand the Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. The science of the Personality of Godhead is the subject matter for study by the postgraduate students in the spiritual line. Foolish men, or men with a poor fund of knowledge, do not understand the Supreme Lord, and they interpret Kṛṣṇa according to their respective whims. The fact is, however, that one cannot understand the science of the Personality of Godhead unless one is freed from the contamination of the material modes, even up to the stage of a brāhmaṇa. When a qualified brāhmaṇa factually becomes a Vaiṣṇava, in the enlivened state of liberation he can know what is actually the Personality of Godhead.

BG 4.26

Some [the unadulterated brahmacārīs] sacrifice the hearing process and the senses in the fire of mental control, and others [the regulated householders] sacrifice the objects of the senses in the fire of the senses.

The members of the four divisions of human life, namely the brahmacārī, the gṛhastha, the vānaprastha and the sannyāsī, are all meant to become perfect yogīs or transcendentalists. Since human life is not meant for our enjoying sense gratification like the animals, the four orders of human life are so arranged that one may become perfect in spiritual life. The brahmacārīs, or students under the care of a bona fide spiritual master, control the mind by abstaining from sense gratification. A brahmacārī hears only words concerning Kṛṣṇa consciousness; hearing is the basic principle for understanding, and therefore the pure brahmacārī engages fully in harer nāmānukīrtanam – chanting and hearing the glories of the Lord. He restrains himself from the vibrations of material sounds, and his hearing is engaged in the transcendental sound vibration of Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa. Similarly, the householders, who have some license for sense gratification, perform such acts with great restraint.

Everyone is subjected to law of Karma. In the case of devotee by the mercy of Krsna the reaction is immediate. This happens if Krsna wants to show special mercy and wants to make the devotee realize that they did a mistake, violated akarma or vow of initiation or violated KC. This the devotee is made to see cause and effect.

Only Krsna can change or eliminate our karma. Devotees want to be liberated even in the material world by avoiding all the things which are not KC.

In the case of non devotees, sometimes Krsna will delay the reaction it can be several years or even life times. They become bewildered and they cannot know the cause and affect.

BG 13.26

Again there are those who, although not conversant in spiritual knowledge, begin to worship the Supreme Person upon hearing about Him from others. Because of their tendency to hear from authorities, they also transcend the path of birth and death.

This verse is particularly applicable to modern society because in modern society there is practically no education in spiritual matters. Some of the people may appear to be atheistic or agnostic or philosophical, but actually there is no knowledge of philosophy. As for the common man, if he is a good soul, then there is a chance for advancement by hearing. This hearing process is very important. Lord Caitanya, who preached Kṛṣṇa consciousness in the modern world, gave great stress to hearing because if the common man simply hears from authoritative sources he can progress, especially, according to Lord Caitanya, if he hears the transcendental vibration Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. It is stated, therefore, that all men should take advantage of hearing from realized souls and gradually become able to understand everything. The worship of the Supreme Lord will then undoubtedly take place. Lord Caitanya has said that in this age no one needs to change his position, but one should give up the endeavor to understand the Absolute Truth by speculative reasoning. One should learn to become the servant of those who are in knowledge of the Supreme Lord. If one is fortunate enough to take shelter of a pure devotee, hear from him about self-realization and follow in his footsteps, one will be gradually elevated to the position of a pure devotee. In this verse particularly, the process of hearing is strongly recommended, and this is very appropriate. Although the common man is often not as capable as so-called philosophers, faithful hearing from an authoritative person will help one transcend this material existence and go back to Godhead, back to home.

Suffering is a message sent to you by Krsna from Durga mata that you have done something wrong.

Birth, death, old age and disease. Material world is a prison house. Durga is always punishing us because we are not doing what we are supposed to do. We should not be even wasting a minute and always engage in KC.

BG 10.8

I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates from Me. The wise who perfectly know this engage in My devotional service and worship Me with all their hearts.

Message today – If you are a child, up until the point you are independent. 12 years old, 26 yrs old, or 50 yrs old.

If you are suffering sickness, stress, not going well, that means we are violating the instructions of the lord/ guru, rules and regulations of KC. The way to remedy and avoid unnecessary suffering – to get rid of anarthas – staying late in the night, gossipping, not attending the class..

Coming to mangal aarti, attending class, chanting rounds must be done..

BG 13.8-12

Humility; pridelessness; nonviolence; tolerance; simplicity; approaching a bona fide spiritual master; cleanliness; steadiness; self-control; renunciation of the objects of sense gratification; absence of false ego; the perception of the evil of birth, death, old age and disease; detachment; freedom from entanglement with children, wife, home and the rest; even-mindedness amid pleasant and unpleasant events; constant and unalloyed devotion to Me; aspiring to live in a solitary place; detachment from the general mass of people; accepting the importance of self-realization; and philosophical search for the Absolute Truth – all these I declare to be knowledge, and besides this whatever there may be is ignorance.

All modern education is considered ignorance.. All they are teaching is material conception of life.. Therefore young people should be trained to come to temple everyday for mangal aarti and then start their day. They should spend at least 2 hours before they start their day. It is very much possible. Unless this program is not followed then there is no next generation in our movement.

Hearing and chanting is the most important thing.. That our children should participate in.. everyday..

January 11, 2022January 12, 2022

SB 2.9.34 – Part 2 – Notes – 1/11/22

KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM HH HARIVILAS MAHARAJ’S MORNING BHAGAVATAM CLASS ON SB 2.9.34 – Part 2 :

Misconceiving one thing for another thing is called illusion. For example, accepting a rope as a snake is illusion, but the rope is not false.
The rope, as it exists in the front of the illusioned person, is not at all false, but the acceptance is illusory.
The wrong conception of accepting this material manifestation as being divorced from the energy of the Lord is illusion, but it is not false.
And this illusory conception is called the reflection of the reality in the darkness of ignorance.
Anything that appears as apparently not being “produced out of My energy” is called māyā
The influence of the illusory energy, the reflection of light in the darkness, can be removed only by the mercy of the Lord.
The living entity is not independent. One should not think himself independent of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
The individual is always under the Lord’s control. Therefore one’s duty is to surrender.
In the material world, the light of the sun is also not independent, nor is that of the moon. The real source of light is the brahmajyoti, which diffuses light from the transcendental body of the Lord, and the same light is reflected in varieties of light: the light of the sun, the light of the moon, the light of fire, or the light of electricity.
So the identity of the self as being unconnected with the Supreme Self, the Lord, is also illusion, and the false claim “I am the Supreme” is the last illusory snare of the same māyā, or the external energy of the Lord.
All the laws act according to Krsna’s desire. If God so desires, a rock may fall into the water, but the water will not give way. The rock will simply float. Since God is the ultimate supreme, this is possible. Whatever God wills will come into effect.
A person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness certainly sees Lord Kṛṣṇa everywhere, and he sees everything in Kṛṣṇa. That is the true vision of oneness.
Such a person may appear to see all separate manifestations of the material nature, but in each and every instance he is conscious of Kṛṣṇa, knowing that everything is a manifestation of Kṛṣṇa’s energy.
Nothing can exist without Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa is the Lord of everything – this is the basic principle of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the development of love of Kṛṣṇa – a position transcendental even to material liberation.
Lord Kṛṣṇa never disappears from the sight of the devotee, nor does the devotee ever lose sight of the Lord. In the case of a yogī who sees the Lord as Paramātmā within the heart, turns into a pure devotee and cannot bear to live for a moment without seeing the Lord within himself.

SB 2.9.34 – 1/11/22

O Brahmā, whatever appears to be of any value, if it is without relation to Me, has no reality. Know it as My illusory energy, that reflection which appears to be in darkness.

BG 18.61

Realistic understanding of who we are and how we are situated.

īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ

hṛd-deśe ’rjuna tiṣṭhati

bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni

yantrārūḍhāni māyayā

The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone’s heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living entities, who are seated as on a machine, made of the material energy.

Arjuna was not the supreme knower, and his decision to fight or not to fight was confined to his limited discretion. Lord Kṛṣṇa instructed that the individual is not all in all. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, or He Himself, Kṛṣṇa, as the localized Supersoul, sits in the heart directing the living being. After changing bodies, the living entity forgets his past deeds, but the Supersoul, as the knower of the past, present and future, remains the witness of all his activities. Therefore all the activities of living entities are directed by this Supersoul. The living entity gets what he deserves and is carried by the material body, which is created in the material energy under the direction of the Supersoul. As soon as a living entity is placed in a particular type of body, he has to work under the spell of that bodily situation. A person seated in a high-speed motorcar goes faster than one seated in a slower car, though the living entities, the drivers, may be the same. Similarly, by the order of the Supreme Soul, material nature fashions a particular type of body to a particular type of living entity so that he may work according to his past desires. The living entity is not independent. One should not think himself independent of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The individual is always under the Lord’s control. Therefore one’s duty is to surrender, and that is the injunction of the next verse.

Dialectic Spiritulism – pg 198

Syamasundara dasa: Does the body ever affect the soul?

Srila Prabhupada: The soul is unaffected by the body, but the body is helping the soul to fulfill its desires. I am using this microphone to serve my purposes, but this microphone is not influencing me. It is not that this microphone wills that I dictate this or that. The body is a combination of atoms. If Krsna is within the atoms, the monads of the atoms and the monad in the body are different. If the monad is a small united particle, Leibnitz is speaking of the Supersoul. Although the Supersoul appears innumerable, it is in actuality one. As stated in isopanishad: yasmin sarviir]-i bhutiiny iitmaiviibhud vijiinatal], tatra ko mohal], kal], soka ekatvam anupa5yatal], “One who always sees all living entities as spiritual sparks, in quality one with the Lord, becomes a true knower of things, and there is no illusion or anxiety for him.” (Isopanishad 7) Although we find the Supersoul all-pervasive, there is but one. Krsna says in Bhagavad-gitii: samam sarve�u bhute�u ti�thantam parame5varam vina5yatsv avinasyantam yal], pasyati sa pasyati “One who sees the Supersoul accompanying the individual soul in all bodies and who understands that neither the soul nor the Supersoul is ever destroyed, actually sees.” (Bg. 13.28) The devotee always sees all things in Krsna, and Krsna in all things. That is the true vision of oneness.

We see things as they are with the purports of Srila Prabhupada. We get the help of Senior devotees to understand Srila Prabhupada.Although SP purports are all self evident.

We cannot understand or control all the functions of the body.. There is a combined action here – the soul and the super soul.

Manmana bhava mad bhakto

Sarva dharman parityajya

Sarva guhyatam mama..

ISO 7 Mantra – Oneness and the difference. Everything is the energy of the lord. But we can never be equal to the lord. There are similarity and difference. Fire and sparks of the fire, drop of water from the ocean and the ocean.

This is how we can understand the difference between soul and the super soul.

We also agree to that, but why use the example of clocks? Why not analyze the relationship between the body and the soul? You cannot consider them separately, because they are combined. The fallacy of this analogy is that two individual clocks are not combined at any point.

You cannot consider the body and soul as completely separate entities working independent of one another. It is stated in the Vedic sastras that the soul is the master of the body; therefore you cannot say that the body is working independently. If I tell my body to place this hand here, my hand will move to this spot. It is not that suddenly my hand moves without my desire.

In Sanskrit, this argument is called kakatalryanyaya. Once, when a crow flew into a tal tree, the fruit on that tree immediately fell to the ground. One observer said that the crow lighted on the tree first, and then the fruit fell, and the other observer said that the fruit fell before the crow could light. This kind of argument has no value. We say that if Krsna so desires, a stone can float on the water, despite the law of gravitation. Although the law of gravitation is working here, there are so many huge planets floating in space. All these laws act according to Krsna’s desire. By the law of gravitation, all these planets would have fallen into the causal ocean and hit the Garbhodakasayi Vishnu in the head because He is lying on that ocean. But by His order all these planets are floating in space. Similarly, if God so desires, a rock may fall into the water, but the water will not give way. The rock will simply float. Since God is the ultimate supreme, this is possible. Whatever God wills will come into effect.

Both Krsn and the living entity are spiritual. Ultimately, everything is spiritual because everything is Krsna’s energy. If Krsna is the original cause, matter can be changed into spirit, and spirit into matter. Electricity may be used to heat or to cool, but in either case, the original energy is electricity. Similarly, the original cause is Krsna; therefore He has the power to change matter into spirit, or spirit into matter.

CROW AND TAL TREE EXAMPLE is related to SB 2.9.34

In the previous verse it has already been concluded that in any stage of the cosmic manifestation — its appearance, its sustenance, its growth, its interactions of different energies, its deterioration and its disappearance — all has its basic relation with the existence of the Personality of Godhead. And as such, whenever there is forgetfulness of this prime relation with the Lord, and whenever things are accepted as real without being related to the Lord, that conception is called a product of the illusory energy of the Lord. Because nothing can exist without the Lord, it should be known that the illusory energy is also an energy of the Lord. The right conclusion of dovetailing everything in relationship with the Lord is called yoga-māyā, or the energy of union, and the wrong conception of detaching a thing from its relationship with the Lord is called the Lord’s daivī māyā, or mahā-māyā. Both the māyās also have connections with the Lord because nothing can exist without being related to Him. As such, the wrong conception of detaching relationships from the Lord is not false, but illusory.

Misconceiving one thing for another thing is called illusion. For example, accepting a rope as a snake is illusion, but the rope is not false. The rope, as it exists in the front of the illusioned person, is not at all false, but the acceptance is illusory. Therefore the wrong conception of accepting this material manifestation as being divorced from the energy of the Lord is illusion, but it is not false. And this illusory conception is called the reflection of the reality in the darkness of ignorance.

The reflection of light in the darkness – One looks at the glass door in the darkness.. one can see the reflection of oneself . Dark one. During the day you may not see your reflection. When it is dark outside you can see that there is some reflection..

Are we the reflection? No there is a difference between us and the reflection.

Anything that appears as apparently not being “produced out of My energy” is called māyā. The conception that the living entity is formless or that the Supreme Lord is formless is also illusion. In the Bhagavad-gītā (2.12) it was said by the Lord in the midst of the battlefield that the warriors standing in front of Arjuna, Arjuna himself, and even the Lord had all existed before, they were existing on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra, and they would all continue to be individual personalities in the future also, even after the annihilation of the present body and even after being liberated from the bondage of material existence. In all circumstances, the Lord and the living entities are individual personalities, and the personal features of both the Lord and living beings are never abolished; only the influence of the illusory energy, the reflection of light in the darkness, can, by the mercy of the Lord, be removed. In the material world, the light of the sun is also not independent, nor is that of the moon. The real source of light is the brahmajyoti, which diffuses light from the transcendental body of the Lord, and the same light is reflected in varieties of light: the light of the sun, the light of the moon, the light of fire, or the light of electricity. So the identity of the self as being unconnected with the Supreme Self, the Lord, is also illusion, and the false claim “I am the Supreme” is the last illusory snare of the same māyā, or the external energy of the Lord.

Anytime you see anything separate from Krsna, it is illusory or maya..

Morning walk – Svaroop Damodar Maharaj

Paramahaṁsa: If this mist of material nature is temporary, then why bother to disentangle oneself from something transitory?

Prabhupāda: Why do you take covering? You may, walk naked?

Paramahaṁsa: No.

Prabhupāda: Why do you take covering? You know everything will be cleared after few hours. Why do you cover?

Paramahaṁsa: It is dangerous now.

Prabhupāda: Whatever it may be, why do you take this step to avoid this?

Kṛṣṇa-kāntī: It’s uncomfortable. It’s not natural.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is the Māyāvāda theory = that everything will come automatically; why do you bother? That is nonsense.

Karandhara: They will not be able to be so philosophical in their next lives when they’re a dog.

Prabhupāda: Eh? Eh?

Karandhara: The Māyāvādīs will not be able to be so philosophical in their next lives when they’re dogs or cats.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Karandhara: They have to have a human body in order to enjoy that philosophy.

Prabhupāda: Their philosophy is that there is only one—God. So cats and dogs, that is God’s līlā, His… That is their rascal philo… God is making pastimes, līlā, by becoming a dog. That is their rascal philosophy. Daridra-nārāyaṇa, the Vivekananda’s philosophy. Nārāyaṇa has become daridra, poor. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

So with chemists we have no quarrel if they begin from light. They’re beginning from darkness. That is our contention. We say, “Begin from light.” And they say, “No, begin from darkness.” Because they’re in darkness. One who is in the darkness, from darkness if he goes to light, he thinks that the darkness is the beginning.

Prabhupāda: No, no comparison. It is practical. Suppose you have been in darkness for millions of years, and when you come to the light you think that “Oh, from darkness the light has come.” Light, when it becomes dimmed, that is darkness. Not that darkness, light has come.

Kṛṣṇa-kāntī: Darkness cannot exist without light.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Or in the light there is no darkness. When the light is dimmed, that is darkness. Similarly, when Kṛṣṇa consciousness is dimmed, that is material.

SP is saying in this morning walk that – We should not be fooled by mayavaids and scientists who want to separate everything from Krsna. Therefore anything which seems to be separate from Krsna is Krsna’s illusory energy..

BG 6.30

For one who sees Me everywhere and sees everything in Me, I am never lost, nor is he ever lost to Me.

A person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness certainly sees Lord Kṛṣṇa everywhere, and he sees everything in Kṛṣṇa. Such a person may appear to see all separate manifestations of the material nature, but in each and every instance he is conscious of Kṛṣṇa, knowing that everything is a manifestation of Kṛṣṇa’s energy. Nothing can exist without Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa is the Lord of everything – this is the basic principle of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the development of love of Kṛṣṇa – a position transcendental even to material liberation. At this stage of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, beyond self-realization, the devotee becomes one with Kṛṣṇa in the sense that Kṛṣṇa becomes everything for the devotee and the devotee becomes full in loving Kṛṣṇa. An intimate relationship between the Lord and the devotee then exists. In that stage, the living entity can never be annihilated, nor is the Personality of Godhead ever out of the sight of the devotee. To merge in Kṛṣṇa is spiritual annihilation. A devotee takes no such risk. It is stated in the Brahma-saṁhitā (5.38):

“I worship the primeval Lord, Govinda, who is always seen by the devotee whose eyes are anointed with the pulp of love. He is seen in His eternal form of Śyāmasundara, situated within the heart of the devotee.”

At this stage, Lord Kṛṣṇa never disappears from the sight of the devotee, nor does the devotee ever lose sight of the Lord. In the case of a yogī who sees the Lord as Paramātmā within the heart, the same applies. Such a yogī turns into a pure devotee and cannot bear to live for a moment without seeing the Lord within himself.

January 10, 2022January 11, 2022

SB 2.9.34 – Part 1 – 1/10/22

KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM HH HARIVILAS MAHARAJ’S MORNING BHAGAVATAM CLASS ON SB 2.9.34 – Part 1:

Whenever there is forgetfulness of the prime relation with the Lord, and whenever things are accepted as real without being related to the Lord, that conception is called a product of the illusory energy of the Lord.
Because nothing can exist without the Lord, it should be known that the illusory energy is also an energy of the Lord.
The right conclusion of dovetailing everything in relationship with the Lord is called yoga-māyā, or the energy of union, and the wrong conception of detaching a thing from its relationship with the Lord is called the Lord’s daivī māyā, or mahā-māyā.
Both the māyās also have connections with the Lord because nothing can exist without being related to Him.
The wrong conception of detaching relationships from the Lord is not false, but illusory.
Prakrti, material nature, is controlling the living entity by her different modes, but in ignorance the living entity is thinking, “I am inventing, I am acting, I am progressing.”This is called maya, illusion.
No one can progress or improve without Krsna consciousness.
All beings are trying to be happy in this material world, but it is nature’s plan to give them trouble. In other words, every attempt at happiness will be frustrated so that eventually the living entity will tum to Krsna. This is the plan: to bring the living entity back home, back to Godhead.
This plan does not apply to just a few living entities. It is not that some will remain here and others will go back to Godhead. No, the whole plan is that everyone must come back to Godhead.
Some living entities are very obstinate, just like bad boys. The father says, “Comeon,” but the boy says, “No, I’ll not go.” It is then the father’s business to drag him.
Every one of us has to go back home, back to Godhead. If we do so immediately and voluntarily, we save time; otherwise we waste time.
(Bg. 18. 66) In Bhagavad Gita, Krsna instructed Arjuna in karma-yoga, jnana-yoga, and other yogas, but His final instruction was to surrender.
All the laws of nature are working under Krsna’s direction.
Material nature is the goddess Durga. It is she who is the superintendent of the fort. Material nature is like a fort which no one can leave. Durg is the confidential maidservant of Krsna, but she has a very thankless task of punishing the demoniac living entities. She is not an ordinary mother.
On one hand, the living entity is given whatever he wants, and on the other there is frustration and punishment. This is nature’s law, and nature is functioning under the instructions of Krsna.
The real truth is that God has a plan, and one has to be taught that plan by one who knows it.
The truth is there, but we have forgotten it. Through the process of chanting and hearing, wecan revive the truth, which is that we are eternal servants of Krsna.
The living entity is good by nature because he is part and parcel of the supreme good, but due to material association, he has become conditioned.
Now we have to again draw forth this goodness through the process of Krsna consciousness.

SB 2.9.34 TRANSLATION:

O Brahmā, whatever appears to be of any value, if it is without relation to Me, has no reality. Know it as My illusory energy, that reflection which appears to be in darkness.

In the previous verse it has already been concluded that in any stage of the cosmic manifestation — its appearance, its sustenance, its growth, its interactions of different energies, its deterioration and its disappearance — all has its basic relation with the existence of the Personality of Godhead. And as such, whenever there is forgetfulness of this prime relation with the Lord, and whenever things are accepted as real without being related to the Lord, that conception is called a product of the illusory energy of the Lord. Because nothing can exist without the Lord, it should be known that the illusory energy is also an energy of the Lord. The right conclusion of dovetailing everything in relationship with the Lord is called yoga-māyā, or the energy of union, and the wrong conception of detaching a thing from its relationship with the Lord is called the Lord’s daivī māyā, or mahā-māyā. Both the māyās also have connections with the Lord because nothing can exist without being related to Him. As such, the wrong conception of detaching relationships from the Lord is not false, but illusory.

Concept of Illusion and mistake is explained in –

Dialectic Spiritualism – Bg 3.27 – Prakrith kriyamanani, Bahunam Janma Namanthe..

Desiring God means rejecting material world..

Natures plan is to give everyone trouble.. This is the plan to bring the living entity and back Homem back to Godhead..

BG 18.64

BG 18.66

Pravritti – activities by which get attached to the material world

Nivritti – activities by which we get detached to the material world

Plan – put the living entities under the supervision of Durga mata. She trains them to not stay in this material world and go back to Godhead.. Every living entity will go back.. Eventually..

Surrendering to Krsna and following His instructions..

Dialectic Spiritualism – page 185

In Bhagavad-gita, it is also stated:

prakr:teiJ. kriyamaryani

gunaiiJ, karmaryi sarvasaiJ,

ahankara-vimucf,hatma

kartaham iti manyate

“The bewildered spirit soul, under the influence of the three modes of

material nature, thinks himself to be the doer of activities, which are in

actuality carried out by nature.” (Bg. 3. 27) Prakrti, material nature, is

controlling the living entity by her different modes, but in ignorance the

living entity is thinking, “I am inventing, I am acting, I am progressing.”

This is called maya, illusion. No one can progress or improve without

Krsna consciousness. The living entities have come into this material

world because they wanted to imitate Krsna. Therefore they have been

given a chance to engage in so-called enjoyment. At the same time,

Krishna is so kind that He has given them the Vedas, the right directions.

He says, “All right, if you want to enjoy, enjoy in this way so that one

day you may come back to Me. ” If a child insists on acting improperly,

the father may be very careful in giving him what he wants, and at the

same time directing him.

There are two kinds of activities. One is pravrtti, by which we become

very much attached to the material world. By the other type of activity,

nivritti, we become detached. Both activities are mentioned in the Vedas.

However, there is a plan. Because the living entities have forgotten or

disobeyed Krsna and are trying to enjoy life by imitating Him, they are

placed into this material world. Under the supervision of the superin-

tendent of this material world, Durga, these living entities can return

home, back to Godhead. That is the plan, and there is really no other.

Every one of us has to go back home, back to Godhead. If we do so

immediately and voluntarily, we save time; otherwise we waste time. We

have to come to this point. Therefore Bhagavad-gftii says: bahuniirh

janmaniim ante (Bg. 7. 19). After struggling for many births, the wise

man surrenders unto Krsna. The final point is surrender, and maya gives the living entity trouble in many different ways so that he will eventually come to this point. When he becomes frustrated in his attempts at sense gratification, it should be understood that he is receiving special favor.

When Krsna is anxious to reform the living entity, He bestows His mercy

by first of all taking away all his money. This is a special favor. The

living entity always wants to delay, but by special favor Krsna draws the

living entity to Him by force. This is explained in Caitanya-caritamr:ta.

The living entity wants Krsna, or God, but at the same time he wants to

enjoy the material world. This is inconsistent, because desiring God

means rejecting the material world. Sometimes the living entity is caught

between these two desires, and when Krsna sees this, He places him in

a hopeless condition. He takes away all his money, and then the living

entity sees that all his so-called relatives and friends tum from him,

saying, “Oh, this man is useless. He has no money.” In this hopeless

condition, the living entity surrenders to Krsna.

All beings are trying to be happy in this material world, but it is

nature’s plan to give them trouble. In other words, every attempt at happiness will be frustrated so that eventually the living entity will tum to

Krsna. This is the plan: to bring the living entity back home, back to

Godhead. This plan does not apply to just a few living entities. It is not

that some will remain here and others will go back to Godhead. No, the

whole plan is that everyone must come back to Godhead. Some living

entities are very obstinate, just like bad boys. The father says, “Come

on,” but the boy says, “No, I’ll not go.” It is then the father’s business

to drag him. At the end of Bhagavad-gita Krsna says:

sarva-guhyatamar’n bhuyalj,

swu me paramar’n vaca/j,

i�to’si me dr:cJham iti

tato vak§yiimi te hitam

“Because you are My very dear friend, I am speaking to you the most

confidential part of knowledge. Hear this from Me, for it is for your

benefit. ” (Bg. 18.64) Then He says, “Surrender unto Me, and I will give

you all protection.” (Bg. 18. 66) In Bhagavad-gfta, Krsna instructed

Arjuna in karma-yoga, jnana-yoga, and other yogas, but His final instruction was to surrender.

Misconceiving one thing for another thing is called illusion. For example, accepting a rope as a snake is illusion, but the rope is not false. The rope, as it exists in the front of the illusioned person, is not at all false, but the acceptance is illusory. Therefore the wrong conception of accepting this material manifestation as being divorced from the energy of the Lord is illusion, but it is not false. And this illusory conception is called the reflection of the reality in the darkness of ignorance. Anything that appears as apparently not being “produced out of My energy” is called māyā. The conception that the living entity is formless or that the Supreme Lord is formless is also illusion. In the Bhagavad-gītā (2.12) it was said by the Lord in the midst of the battlefield that the warriors standing in front of Arjuna, Arjuna himself, and even the Lord had all existed before, they were existing on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra, and they would all continue to be individual personalities in the future also, even after the annihilation of the present body and even after being liberated from the bondage of material existence. In all circumstances, the Lord and the living entities are individual personalities, and the personal features of both the Lord and living beings are never abolished; only the influence of the illusory energy, the reflection of light in the darkness, can, by the mercy of the Lord, be removed. In the material world, the light of the sun is also not independent, nor is that of the moon. The real source of light is the brahmajyoti, which diffuses light from the transcendental body of the Lord, and the same light is reflected in varieties of light: the light of the sun, the light of the moon, the light of fire, or the light of electricity. So the identity of the self as being unconnected with the Supreme Self, the Lord, is also illusion, and the false claim “I am the Supreme” is the last illusory snare of the same māyā, or the external energy of the Lord.

Dialectic Spiritualism

Durga – Duty is to punish, She Awards things and slowly takes them away

Durga – Confidential maid servant of Krsna, Thankless task of punishing

This is nature’s law – Nature is functioning under Krsna.

Goddess Durga

If we follow the lord’s instructions we will all go back to Godhead..

Srila Prabhupada: All the laws of nature are working

under Krsna’s direction.

mayadhya�e1Ja prakr:til}

suyate sa-caracaram

hetunanena kaunteya

jagad viparivartate

“This material nature is working under My direction, 0 son of Kunt’i,

and it is producing all moving and unmoving beings. By its rule this

manifestation is created and annihilated again and again.” (Bg. 9. 10)

Material nature is the goddess Durga. It is she who is the superintendent

of the fort. Material nature is like a fort which no one can leave. Durga

is the confidential maidservant of Krsna, but she has a very thankless

task of punishing the demoniac living entities, who are thinking, “I will

worship my mother Durga,” not knowing that her engagement is punishment. She is not an ordinary mother. She gives the demonic living entity

whatever he wants. “Give me money. Give me a good wife. Give me

reputation. Give me strength.” Goddess Durga says, “All right, take

these things, but at the same time you will be frustrated with them.” On

the one hand, the living entity is given whatever he wants, and on the

other there is frustration and punishment. This is nature’s law, and nature

is functioning under the instructions of Krsna. The living entity in the

material world has revolted against Krsna. He wants to imitate Krsna

and become the enjoyer; therefore Krsna gives him all the resources of

material enjoyment, but at the same time He punishes him. The goddess

Durga is so powerful that she can create, maintain, and dissolve, but

she is working just like a shadow. A shadow does not move independently. The movement is coming from Krsna. A fool thinks that material

nature is there for his enjoyment. This is the materialistic view. When

he sees a flower, he thinks, “Nature has produced this flower for me.

Everything is for me.” In the Bible, it is stated that animals are placed

under the dominion or protection of men, but men mistakenly think,

“They are given to us to kill and eat.” If I entrust you to someone, is it

proper that he eat you? What kind of intelligence is this? This is all due

to a lack of Krsna consciousness.

The real truth is that God has a plan, and one has

to be taught that plan by one who knows it. This is explained in Caitanyacaritamr:ta:

nitya-siddha KrsnarJa-prema ‘siidhya’ kabhu naya

sraval]iidi-suddha-citte karaye udaya

“Pure love for Krsna is eternally established in the hearts of living entities. It is not something to be gained from another source. When the

heart is purified by hearing and chanting, the living entity naturally

awakens.” (Caitanya-caritiimr:ta, Madh. 22. 107) The truth is there, but

we have forgotten it. Through the process of chanting and hearing, we

can revive the truth, which is that we are eternal servants of Krsna. The

living entity is good by nature because he is part and parcel of the supreme good, but due to material association, he has become conditioned.

Now we have to again draw forth this goodness through the process of

Krsna consciousness.

Laws of Nature

BG 5.22

The more one is addicted to material pleasures, the more he is entrapped by material miseries.

BG 3.39

While one enjoys sense gratification, it may be that there is some feeling of happiness, but actually that so-called feeling of happiness is the ultimate enemy of the sense enjoyer.

BG 3.43

Desire for overlording and for sense gratification is the greatest enemy of the conditioned soul;

SB 3.25.13

In the material world, everyone is trying to get some material happiness, but as soon as we get some material happiness, there is also material distress. This is the law of the material world.

Whenever we do something independent of Krsna for our own sense gratification, we fall in the trap of Durga devi.. We get punished..

BG 7.16

As long as such a purified stage is not attained, devotees in transcendental service to the Lord are tainted with fruitive activities, the search for mundane knowledge, etc. So one has to transcend all this before one can come to the stage of pure devotional service.

January 8, 2022January 10, 2022

SB Special Class 3 – 1/8/22

January 7, 2022January 10, 2022

SB Special Class 2 – 1/7/22

January 6, 2022January 10, 2022

SB – Special Class1 – 1/6/22

January 6, 2022January 10, 2022

SB 2.9.33 – Part 4 – Notes – 1/4/22

KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM HH HARIVILAS MAHARAJ’S MORNING BHAGAVATAM CLASS ON SB 2.9.33 – Part 4:

One should be attached to the root of everything rather than bewildered by the branches and leaves. That is the instruction given in this verse.
One should be attracted by the beautiful vision of Kṛṣṇa. His name is Kṛṣṇa because He is all-attractive. One who becomes attracted by the beautiful, all-powerful, omnipotent vision of Kṛṣṇa is fortunate.
One who is attracted to the personal feature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and, above all, one who is attracted by the Supreme Personality of Godhead as Kṛṣṇa Himself, is the most perfect transcendentalist.
In other words, devotional service to Kṛṣṇa, in full consciousness, is the most confidential part of knowledge, and this is the essence of the whole Bhagavad-gītā
The Lord is not impersonal in His abode, which is always nirasta-kuhakam, as stated in the very beginning of the Bhāgavatam.
Practically speaking, there is no conflict between personalism and impersonalism. One who knows God knows that the impersonal conception and personal conception are simultaneously present in everything and that there is no contradiction. Therefore Lord Caitanya established His sublime doctrine: acintya bheda- and abheda-tattva – simultaneous oneness and difference.
The jurisdiction of Kṛṣṇa consciousness extends everywhere, and one who knows Kṛṣṇa consciousness is blessed. Those who do not know Kṛṣṇa are in illusion, and so knowledge of Kṛṣṇa is liberation, and ignorance of Him is bondage.
Even in the impersonal existence of the Lord, as it is in the material creation, one should aspire for personal realization of the Lord, and that is the meaning of paścād ahaṁ yad etac ca yo ’vaśiṣyeta so ’smy aham.
The science of God, bhagavat-tattva, the science of Absolute Truth, becomes manifest to the liberated soul.
One who has actually tasted spiritual life, his unwanted things of life would at once diminish.
If one takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, by practice one comes to the point of giving up all these unwanted things.
One side, a person should cultivate Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and another side, he should try to give up all the unwanted things. That will help him. You cannot continue both the things.
Not that whatever you like, you can eat; whatever you like, you can do; at the same times you become spiritually advanced. This is all nonsense.
At least everyone who is interested in advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness must rise early in the morning, before four, and take his bath and become cleansed, perform maṅgala-ārātrika and study.
You can stand liberated on the platform of devotional service. As soon as you deviate from devotional service, immediately the māyā is standing. She’ll capture you.
Māyā means absence of Kṛṣṇa. Shadow means absence of light, sunshine. So if you always keep in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there is no shadow of māyā.

SB 2.9.33 TRANSLATION:

Brahmā, it is I, the Personality of Godhead, who was existing before the creation, when there was nothing but Myself. Nor was there the material nature, the cause of this creation. That which you see now is also I, the Personality of Godhead, and after annihilation what remains will also be I, the Personality of Godhead.

Even in the impersonal existence of the Lord, as it is in the material creation, one should aspire for personal realization of the Lord, and that is the meaning of paścād ahaṁ yad etac ca yo ’vaśiṣyeta so ’smy aham.

Brahmājī also accepted the same truth when he was instructing Nārada. He said:

so ’yaṁ te ’bhihitas tāta

bhagavān viśva-bhāvanaḥ

(Bhāg. 2.7.50)

There is no other cause of all causes than the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari. Therefore this verse aham eva never indicates anything other than the Supreme Lord, and one should therefore follow the path of the Brahma sampradāya, or the path from Brahmājī to Nārada, to Vyāsadeva, etc., and make it a point in life to realize the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, or Lord Kṛṣṇa. This very confidential instruction to the pure devotees of the Lord was also given to Arjuna and to Brahmā in the beginning of the creation. The demigods like Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśvara, Indra, Candra and Varuṇa are undoubtedly different forms of the Lord for execution of different functions; the different elemental ingredients of material creation, as well as the multifarious energies, also may be of the same Personality of Godhead, but the root of all of them is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa. One should be attached to the root of everything rather than bewildered by the branches and leaves. That is the instruction given in this verse.

BG 18.66

One should be attracted by the beautiful vision of Kṛṣṇa. His name is Kṛṣṇa because He is all-attractive. One who becomes attracted by the beautiful, all-powerful, omnipotent vision of Kṛṣṇa is fortunate. There are different kinds of transcendentalists – some of them are attached to the impersonal Brahman vision, some of them are attracted by the Supersoul feature, etc., but one who is attracted to the personal feature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and, above all, one who is attracted by the Supreme Personality of Godhead as Kṛṣṇa Himself, is the most perfect transcendentalist. In other words, devotional service to Kṛṣṇa, in full consciousness, is the most confidential part of knowledge, and this is the essence of the whole Bhagavad-gītā. Karma-yogīs, empiric philosophers, mystics and devotees are all called transcendentalists, but one who is a pure devotee is the best of all. The particular words used here, mā śucaḥ, “Don’t fear, don’t hesitate, don’t worry,” are very significant. One may be perplexed as to how one can give up all kinds of religious forms and simply surrender unto Kṛṣṇa, but such worry is useless.

SB 2.9.33

Therefore He is materially impersonal, just as the executive head of the state may be impersonal in the government offices, although he is not impersonal in the government house. Similarly, the Lord is not impersonal in His abode, which is always nirasta-kuhakam, as stated in the very beginning of the Bhāgavatam.

Nirastha – Negation by absence

Kuhakam – Illusion

Krsna seems to be impersonal in the material world because you do not see Him. Everything is contained in Him. Everything belongs to Him.

So there is impersonal and personal forms of the lord.

BG 7.8

Practically speaking, there is no conflict between personalism and impersonalism. One who knows God knows that the impersonal conception and personal conception are simultaneously present in everything and that there is no contradiction. Therefore Lord Caitanya established His sublime doctrine: acintya bheda- and abheda-tattva – simultaneous oneness and difference.

The light of the sun and the moon is also originally emanating from the brahma-jyotir, which is the impersonal effulgence of the Lord. And praṇava, or the oṁ-kāra transcendental sound in the beginning of every Vedic hymn, addresses the Supreme Lord. Because the impersonalists are very much afraid of addressing the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa by His innumerable names, they prefer to vibrate the transcendental sound oṁ-kāra. But they do not realize that oṁ-kāra is the sound representation of Kṛṣṇa. The jurisdiction of Kṛṣṇa consciousness extends everywhere, and one who knows Kṛṣṇa consciousness is blessed. Those who do not know Kṛṣṇa are in illusion, and so knowledge of Kṛṣṇa is liberation, and ignorance of Him is bondage.

The example of the sky within the pot and the sky outside the pot may be helpful to the student for his realization of the all-pervading quality of the cosmic consciousness of the Absolute Truth. But that does not mean that the individual part and parcel of the Lord becomes the Supreme by a false claim. It means only that the conditioned soul is a victim of the illusory energy in her last snare. To claim to be one with the cosmic consciousness of the Lord is the last trap set by the illusory energy, or daivī māyā. Even in the impersonal existence of the Lord, as it is in the material creation, one should aspire for personal realization of the Lord, and that is the meaning of paścād ahaṁ yad etac ca yo ’vaśiṣyeta so ’smy aham.

SB 6.4.34

They give the argument of ghaṭākāśa-paṭākāśa, in which the body is compared to a pot with the sky within and the sky without. When the pot breaks, the sky inside becomes one with the sky outside, and so the impersonalists say that the living being becomes one with the Supreme.

SB 7.1.9

The all-pervading Personality of Godhead exists within the heart of every living being, and an expert thinker can perceive how He is present there to a large or small extent. Just as one can understand the supply of fire in wood, the water in a waterpot, or the sky within a pot, one can understand whether a living entity is a demon or a demigod by understanding that living entity’s devotional performances. A thoughtful man can understand how much a person is favored by the Supreme Lord by seeing his actions.

‘

SB 1.2.21 Lecture – https://vedabase.io/en/library/transcripts/721101sbvrn/

bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiś

chidyante sarva-saṁśayāḥ

kṣīyante cāsya karmāṇi

dṛṣṭa evātmanīśvare

Thus the knot in the heart is pierced, and all misgivings are cut to pieces. The chain of fruitive actions is terminated when one sees the self as master.

hidyate hṛdaya-granthiś

chidyante sarva-saṁśayāḥ

kṣīyante cāsya karmāṇi

dṛṣṭa evātmanīśvare

[SB 1.2.21]

This is complete liberated stage. In the previous verse it has been spoken, bhagavat-tattva-vijñānaṁ mukta-saṅgasya jāyate [SB 1.2.20]. The science of God, bhagavat-tattva, the science of Absolute Truth, becomes manifest to the liberated soul. We find sometimes that one man is posing to have very much advance in spiritual understanding, or a great devotee, but mukta-saṅga…, he’s not mukta-saṅga; he cannot give up smoking bīḍī. You see?

These are the small tests. One who has actually tasted spiritual life, his unwanted things of life would at once diminish. There is no need. Anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt. Anartha. Anartha, things which are not wanted, which has no meaning. So mukta-saṅga means no material attachment. That is mukta-saṅga. When one is actually liberated, these are the signs.

Bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiḥ. Our material life begins by a knot in the heart. What is that knot? That is sex desire. This is the knot. A man is hankering after a woman, and a woman is hankering after a man. This attachment is the beginning of material life. Everyone, not only human society. In animal society, in bird society, in beast society you’ll find this sex attachment. This is the hṛdaya-granthiḥ, beginning.

Therefore, according to Vedic civilization, the first teaching to a student is to give him lesson how to become brahmacārī. How not to become attached in sex life, that is called brahmacārī. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa [SB 6.1.13]. Tapasā, to become brahmacārī, to become…, abstaining from sex life, it requires tapasya. It is not so easy thing. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa damena śamena. One has to practice how to control the mind, how to control the senses. This is brahmacarya. Tapasya. It requires tapasya.

At the present moment, the students are, what to speak of tapasya, they are given all kinds of luxuries. So how there will be brahmacārī? It is not possible. Especially in the Western countries, the boys and girls, they are educated in one place, co-education, and they live in the same building, and there are so many things. You know better than me.

So there is no brahmacārī. There is no brahmacarya. That means the knot in the heart, sex desire, is more and more increased. It is not decreased. But if one takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, by practice one comes to the point of giving up all these unwanted things. Chidyante, bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiḥ [SB 1.2.21]. I have several times explained to you that this knot of the heart is the sex desire. Puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam [SB 5.5.8]. Sex desire, mithunī-bhāvam etam.

So there is no brahmacārī. There is no brahmacarya. That means the knot in the heart, sex desire, is more and more increased. It is not decreased. But if one takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, by practice one comes to the point of giving up all these unwanted things. Chidyante, bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiḥ [SB 1.2.21]. I have several times explained to you that this knot of the heart is the sex desire. Puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam [SB 5.5.8]. Sex desire, mithunī-bhāvam etam.

Tayor hṛdaya-granthim. And when they’re actually united, that knot becomes more and more tight. But if one takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then gradually, bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiḥ, that knot, sex desire… That is the test whether one’s sex desire has diminished. That is the test. Bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiḥ.

Bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiś chidyante sarva-saṁśayāḥ. Saṁśayāḥ [SB 1.2.21]. We are now in hazy conclusion what is our position. We do not know. We do not know what is God, what I am, what is our relationship. Everyone is speculating. There are…, therefore, there are so many parties = the jñānī party, the yogī party, the karmī party, generally. And within each and every party there are hundreds and thousands of parties. So when one actually becomes free from the knot, or the knot is cut off, the attachment for material desire is cut off, at that time he can understand what is his position. What is his position.

Therefore two things must go on in parallel line. One side, a person should cultivate Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and another side, he should try to give up all the unwanted things. That will help him. You cannot continue both the things. Just like when a person is diseased, he’s given medicine. At the same times, he has to act = not to take this, not to take that. That is the way of treatment. Not that whatever you like, you can eat; whatever you like, you can do; at the same times you become spiritually advanced. This is all nonsense.

Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa [SB 6.1.13]. One has to practice tapasya. Tapa. Tapa means a little inconvenience, voluntarily accepting inconvenience. Just like brahmacārī lies down on the floor. A sannyāsī also, they follow the same practice as far as possible. Taking bath three…, thrice daily, and so many rules and regulation are there. But at the present age, it is not possible to follow all the rules and regulation, but at least everyone who is interested in advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness must rise early in the morning, before four, and take his bath and become cleansed, perform maṅgala-ārātrika and study.

These are tapasya. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa śamena ca damena va, tyāgena [SB 6.1.13]. Tyāgena means renouncement. I like something, but voluntarily I should give it up. That is called tyāga. Of course, one who takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness seriously, Kṛṣṇa helps him to become qualified in these matters. So bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiś chidyante sarva-saṁśayāḥ [SB 1.2.21].

Now unless one is taken to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness practice, he has got so many doubts = “Why I shall do this? Why I shall do that?” But when he is raised to the platform of goodness, as it is expressed, mukta-saṅgasya jāyate, bhagavat-tattva-vijñānam [SB 1.2.20], when he understands the science of God, automatically he becomes disinterested with these unwanted things. Kṣīyante ca asya karmāṇi. Karmāṇi, karmāṇi nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhājām [Bs. 5.54].

We are bound up in this material existence due to our karma. According to my past karma, I have got this body, and again, as we are acting in this body, I am preparing forward my next body. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa [SB 3.31.1]. We have got varieties of body. Varieties of body. Not that because we are all human beings… We have got common factors—two hands, two legs, one head—but each body is different from the other body. You won’t find one pair of body exactly of the same nature. That is not possible. Because everyone’s karma is different. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa. According to our karma, we get different types of body.

So we have to stop this karma. We have to stop this karma. How you can stop this karma? Yajñārthe karmaṇaḥ anyatra karma-bandhanaḥ [Bg. 3.9]. If we simply act for Kṛṣṇa, then we get rid of the resultant action of karma. Yajñārthe karma. Whatever you do, you do for Kṛṣṇa. Yajñārthe. Yajña means Viṣṇu. Kṛṣṇa’s the origin of viṣṇu-tattva. So whatever you are ordered to do for Kṛṣṇa, you are not bound up by the karma. Otherwise, good or bad, you are bound up by the resultant action of karma.

So when one is actually in the liberated stage… Liberated stage means to remain fixed up in devotional service, bhagavad-bhakti-yogataḥ. Otherwise it is not possible. Evaṁ prasanna-manaso bhagavad-bhakti-yogataḥ [SB 1.2.20]. You can stand liberated on the platform of devotional service. As soon as you deviate from devotional service, immediately the māyā is standing. She’ll capture you.

You can see practically. There is sunshine, and just next to the sunshine, there is darkness, or shadow. So little deviation from the sunshine there is shadow. And little deviation from this shadow, you go to the sunshine. Both things are side by side, māyā and Kṛṣṇa. Māyā means absence of Kṛṣṇa. Shadow means absence of light, sunshine. So if you always keep in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there is no shadow of māyā.

kṛṣṇa—sūrya-sama, māyā andhakāra

yāhāṅ kṛṣṇa tāhāṅ nāhi māyāra adhikāra

[Cc. Madhya 22.31]

Kṛṣṇa is just like sunshine, and māyā is just like darkness. So wherever there is sunshine, there cannot be any possibility of darkness. So you keep always yourself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then there is no possibility of māyā. And māyā means to engaged in fruitive activities.

Tṛtīya-karma, karma-saṅgaḥ anya tṛtīya-śaktir iṣyate. Māyā... So long we are in māyā, we have to engage ourself in fruitive activities, karma. Therefore here it is said, kṣīyante ca asya karmāṇi. One who is liberated, being engaged in devotional service, his karma, fruitive activities, stop immediately.

Yas tu indra. Indra means the king of heaven. And there is another indra, indra-gopa. It is a…, it is an insect, very small. That is called indra-gopa. So it is said, “Beginning from that Indra, the king of heaven, down to this indra, the small insect,” yas tv indra-gopam athavendram aho sva-karma, “everyone is enjoying, suffering according at the karma.”

The, that Indra, the king of heaven, is… You can become the king of heaven, provided you have got a mass of pious activities; you are promoted. Just like if you have got sufficient education, you can become high-court judge. It is not very difficult. Similarly, this Indra, Candra, Brahmā, big, big demigods, they have got all these posts on account of their great pious activities. Puṇya. Puṇya-karma. Similarly, the hogs and dogs and other animals, they are due to the pāpa-karma, impious activities. So both of them are resultant action of our karma.

So everyone is suffering or enjoying the resultant action of his karma—yas tv indra-gopam athavendram aho sva-karma-bandhānurūpa, bandhana—as he’s bound up by the resultant action of karma. Bandhānurūpa-phala-bhājanam āta… They are getting different results of their karma. It is very easy to understand.

But for the devotees it is said, karmāṇi nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhājām [Bs. 5.54]. Bhakti-bhājām, those who have taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness in devotional service, their karma is cut off. There is no resultant action. Just like you know chickpeas. Chickpeas, if you sow on the ground, it will fructify into a plant. But the same chickpea, if it is fried and you sow on the ground, it will not fructify. So our karma should be fried up by devotional service. Then it will not produce any result. And Kṛṣṇa also says in the Bhagavad-gītā, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi [Bg. 18.66].

So there is no resultant action of a devotee’s activity. Therefore here it is said, kṣīyante ca asya karmāṇi. Unless you have completely finished your resultant action of karma, you cannot be promoted to the spiritual world. You have to accept a type of material body so long karma will go on.

Therefore in another place, Bhāgavata, it is said that people are engaged as karmīs, and Ṛṣabhadeva says na sādhu manye. One is engaged in karma, it is not very good.

…na sādhu manye yata ātmano ‘yam

asann api kleśada āsa dehaḥ

[SB 5.5.4]

By karma only we are getting different types of body, although it is temporary. But as soon as we are encaged in this body, we become subject to threefold miseries of life.

So for a devotee, there is no more karma, or there is no more material body. Kṛṣṇa also confirms in the Bhagavad-gītā, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti [Bg. 4.9]. After giving up this body, a devotee, he does not get anymore birth in this material body. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti. In his spiritual body he comes back home, back to Godhead.

So the same thing is expressed here = kṣīyante ca asya karmāṇi dṛṣṭa ātmani īśvare. He sees, ātmani dṛṣṭa, he realized his relationship with God, īśvare. He realizes that “I am eternal servant of God, eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa.” Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa [Cc. Madhya 20.108-109]. He realizes it. And because he realizes it, he engages himself in that way. And that is the perfection of life.

BG 4.19

One is understood to be in full knowledge whose every endeavor is devoid of desire for sense gratification. He is said by sages to be a worker for whom the reactions of work have been burned up by the fire of perfect knowledge.

BG 2.38

Do thou fight for the sake of fighting, without considering happiness or distress, loss or gain, victory or defeat – and by so doing you shall never incur sin.

Lord Kṛṣṇa now directly says that Arjuna should fight for the sake of fighting because He desires the battle. There is no consideration of happiness or distress, profit or loss, victory or defeat in the activities of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That everything should be performed for the sake of Kṛṣṇa is transcendental consciousness; so there is no reaction to material activities. He who acts for his own sense gratification, either in goodness or in passion, is subject to the reaction, good or bad. But he who has completely surrendered himself in the activities of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is no longer obliged to anyone, nor is he a debtor to anyone, as one is in the ordinary course of activities. It is said:

“Anyone who has completely surrendered unto Kṛṣṇa, Mukunda, giving up all other duties, is no longer a debtor, nor is he obliged to anyone – not the demigods, nor the sages, nor the people in general, nor kinsmen, nor humanity, nor forefathers.” (Bhāg. 11.5.41) That is the indirect hint given by Kṛṣṇa to Arjuna in this verse, and the matter will be more clearly explained in the following verses.

BG 5.8 – 9

A person in the divine consciousness, although engaged in seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, moving about, sleeping and breathing, always knows within himself that he actually does nothing at all. Because while speaking, evacuating, receiving, or opening or closing his eyes, he always knows that only the material senses are engaged with their objects and that he is aloof from them.

BG 4.37

As a blazing fire turns firewood to ashes, O Arjuna, so does the fire of knowledge burn to ashes all reactions to material activities.

BG 5.16

When, however, one is enlightened with the knowledge by which nescience is destroyed, then his knowledge reveals everything, as the sun lights up everything in the daytime.

January 3, 2022January 10, 2022

SB 2.9.33 – Part 3 – 1/3/22

KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM HH HARIVILAS MAHARAJ’S MORNING BHAGAVATAM CLASS ON SB 2.9.33 – Part 3:

Lord Kṛṣṇa is Puruṣottama because He is the supreme puruṣa, transcendental even to the puruṣa-akṣara and the puruṣa-kṣara.
The akṣara-puruṣa, or the Mahā-Viṣṇu, throws His glance over prakṛti, or material nature, but the Puruṣottama existed even before that.
The Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad therefore confirms the statement of the Bhagavad-gītā that Lord Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Person.(Puruṣottama).
BG 15.18 – Because I am transcendental, beyond both the fallible and the infallible, and because I am the greatest, I am celebrated both in the world and in the Vedas as that Supreme Person.
No one can surpass the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa – neither the conditioned soul nor the liberated soul. He is therefore the greatest of personalities
The Lord’s impersonal feature is existent in the material world because by material senses or material eyes the Lord cannot be seen or perceived.
One has to spiritualize the senses before one can expect to see or perceive the Supreme Lord.
The Lord is always engaged in His personal capacity, and He is eternally visible to the inhabitants of Vaikuṇṭhaloka, face to face. Therefore He is materially impersonal, just as the executive head of the state may be impersonal in the government offices, although he is not impersonal in the government house.
Both the impersonal and personal features of the Lord are acceptable, as mentioned in the revealed scriptures.
There is no other cause of all causes than the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari. Therefore this verse aham eva never indicates anything other than the Supreme Lord, and one should therefore follow the path of the Brahma sampradāya, or the path from Brahmājī to Nārada, to Vyāsadeva, etc., and make it a point in life to realize the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, or Lord Kṛṣṇa.
The demigods like Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśvara, Indra, Candra and Varuṇa are undoubtedly different forms of the Lord for execution of different functions; the different elemental ingredients of material creation, as well as the multifarious energies, also may be of the same Personality of Godhead, but the root of all of them is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
One should be attached to the root of everything rather than bewildered by the branches and leaves. That is the instruction given in this verse.

SB 2.9.33 TRANSLATION

In the Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad (1.4.1) there is the hymn ātmaivedam agra āsīt puruṣa-vidhaḥ. This mantra indicates the Supreme Personality of Godhead (Kṛṣṇa) even before the appearance of the puruṣa incarnation. In the Bhagavad-gītā (15.18) it is said that Lord Kṛṣṇa is Puruṣottama because He is the supreme puruṣa, transcendental even to the puruṣa-akṣara and the puruṣa-kṣara. The akṣara-puruṣa, or the Mahā-Viṣṇu, throws His glance over prakṛti, or material nature, but the Puruṣottama existed even before that. The Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad therefore confirms the statement of the Bhagavad-gītā that Lord Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Person (Puruṣottama).

BG 15.18

Because I am transcendental, beyond both the fallible and the infallible, and because I am the greatest, I am celebrated both in the world and in the Vedas as that Supreme Person.

No one can surpass the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa – neither the conditioned soul nor the liberated soul. He is therefore the greatest of personalities. Now it is clear here that the living entities and the Supreme Personality of Godhead are individuals. The difference is that the living entities, either in the conditioned state or in the liberated state, cannot surpass in quantity the inconceivable potencies of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is incorrect to think of the Supreme Lord and the living entities as being on the same level or equal in all respects. There is always the question of superiority and inferiority between their personalities. The word uttama is very significant. No one can surpass the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

The word loke signifies “in the pauruṣa āgama (the smṛti scriptures).” As confirmed in the Nirukti dictionary, lokyate vedārtho ’nena: “The purpose of the Vedas is explained by the smṛti scriptures.”

The Supreme Lord, in His localized aspect of Paramātmā, is also described in the Vedas themselves. The following verse appears in the Vedas (Chāndogya Upaniṣad 8.12.3): tāvad eṣa samprasādo ’smāc charīrāt samutthāya paraṁ jyoti-rūpaṁ sampadya svena rūpeṇābhiniṣpadyate sa uttamaḥ puruṣaḥ. “The Supersoul coming out of the body enters the impersonal brahma-jyotir; then in His form He remains in His spiritual identity. That Supreme is called the Supreme Personality.” This means that the Supreme Personality is exhibiting and diffusing His spiritual effulgence, which is the ultimate illumination. That Supreme Personality also has a localized aspect as Paramātmā. By incarnating Himself as the son of Satyavatī and Parāśara, He explains the Vedic knowledge as Vyāsadeva.

In some of the Vedas it is also said that in the beginning only the impersonal Brahman existed. However, according to this verse, the impersonal Brahman, which is the glowing effulgence of the body of the Supreme Lord, may be called the immediate cause, but the cause of all causes, or the remote cause, is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Lord’s impersonal feature is existent in the material world because by material senses or material eyes the Lord cannot be seen or perceived. One has to spiritualize the senses before one can expect to see or perceive the Supreme Lord.

Spiritual the senses – by the process of KC, hearing, chanting, serving, worshiping the lord, gradually purify our senses, we do not expect anything from the lord.

Devotional service is not quid pro quo or not a business transaction.

But He is always engaged in His personal capacity, and He is eternally visible to the inhabitants of Vaikuṇṭhaloka, face to face. Therefore He is materially impersonal, just as the executive head of the state may be impersonal in the government offices, although he is not impersonal in the government house. Similarly, the Lord is not impersonal in His abode, which is always nirasta-kuhakam, as stated in the very beginning of the Bhāgavatam. Therefore both the impersonal and personal features of the Lord are acceptable, as mentioned in the revealed scriptures. This Personality of Godhead is very emphatically explained in the Bhagavad-gītā in connection with the verse brahmaṇo hi pratiṣṭhāham (Bg. 14.27). Therefore in all ways the confidential part of spiritual knowledge is realization of the Personality of Godhead, and not His impersonal Brahman feature. One should therefore have his ultimate aim of realization not in the impersonal feature but in the personal feature of the Absolute Truth. The example of the sky within the pot and the sky outside the pot may be helpful to the student for his realization of the all-pervading quality of the cosmic consciousness of the Absolute Truth. But that does not mean that the individual part and parcel of the Lord becomes the Supreme by a false claim. It means only that the conditioned soul is a victim of the illusory energy in her last snare. To claim to be one with the cosmic consciousness of the Lord is the last trap set by the illusory energy, or daivī māyā. Even in the impersonal existence of the Lord, as it is in the material creation, one should aspire for personal realization of the Lord, and that is the meaning of paścād ahaṁ yad etac ca yo ’vaśiṣyeta so ’smy aham.

Brahmājī also accepted the same truth when he was instructing Nārada. He said:

so ’yaṁ te ’bhihitas tāta

bhagavān viśva-bhāvanaḥ

(Bhāg. 2.7.50)

SB 2.7.50 –

My dear son, I have now explained in brief the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is creator of the manifested worlds. Without Him (Hari, the Lord), there are no other causes of the phenomenal and noumenal existences.

There is no other cause of all causes than the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari. Therefore this verse aham eva never indicates anything other than the Supreme Lord, and one should therefore follow the path of the Brahma sampradāya, or the path from Brahmājī to Nārada, to Vyāsadeva, etc., and make it a point in life to realize the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, or Lord Kṛṣṇa. This very confidential instruction to the pure devotees of the Lord was also given to Arjuna and to Brahmā in the beginning of the creation. The demigods like Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśvara, Indra, Candra and Varuṇa are undoubtedly different forms of the Lord for execution of different functions; the different elemental ingredients of material creation, as well as the multifarious energies, also may be of the same Personality of Godhead, but the root of all of them is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa. One should be attached to the root of everything rather than bewildered by the branches and leaves. That is the instruction given in this verse.

Vishnu has 96 percent qualities of Lord Krsna.

Lord has 4 qualities more than Vishnu.

Sweet, sweeter and sweetest,

5 types of ignorance – Andha Tamisra, Tamas, moha and maha moha..

They keep us always entrapped in the material world.

Indignant –

Emulate

January 2, 2022January 4, 2022

SB 2.9.33 – Part 2 – Notes: 1/2/22

KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM HH HARIVILAS MAHARAJ’S MORNING BHAGAVATAM CLASS ON SB 2.9.33:

The kingdom of Godhead is not void as conceived by the impersonalists.
The Personality of Godhead exists before the creation, and He exists with all transcendental variegatedness in the Vaikuṇṭhalokas.
The Vaikuṇṭhalokas, also accepted in the Bhagavad-gītā as being of the sanātana nature, are not annihilated even after the annihilation of the manifested cosmos. [BG 8.20]
Those transcendental planets are of a different nature altogether, and that nature is not subjected to the rules and regulations of material creation, maintenance or annihilation.
The existence of the Personality of Godhead implies the existence of the Vaikuṇṭhalokas, as the existence of a king implies the existence of a kingdom.
ŚB(2.8.10) – “How does the Personality of Godhead, the cause of creation, maintenance and annihilation, who is always freed from the influence of the illusory energy and is the controller of the same, lie in everyone’s heart?”
In the Skanda Purana it is said – Even the devotees of the Personality of Godhead are not annihilated during the period of the entire annihilation of the material world, not to speak of the Lord Himself. The Lord is ever-existent in all three stages of material change.
The activities of Brahmā and other demigods during the maintenance of the creation are to be understood as the activities of the Lord
The Personality of Godhead is never formless. In the material world He may not be visible in His personal form to the less intelligent class of men, and therefore He may sometimes be called formless.
But actually He is always in His eternal form in His Vaikuṇṭha planets as well as in other planets of the universes as different incarnations.
Arianism – an influential heresy denying the divinity of Christ, originating with the Alexandrian priest Arius ( c. 250– c. 336). Arianism maintained that the Son of God was created by the Father and was therefore neither coeternal with the Father, nor consubstantial.
Heresy – belief or opinion contrary to orthodox religious (especially Christian) doctrine.
Pejoritive – express contempt or disapproval
Adduces – cite as evidence
Anathema – something or someone that one vehemently dislikes
Flaccid – soft and hanging loosely or limply, especially so as to look or feel unpleasant.
Cosubstantial – Participation of the same nature; coexistence in the same substance
Analogy – An analogy is something that shows how two things are alike,
Metaphor – a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable.

SB 2.9.33 – Part 2 – 1/2/22

The other feature of the statement is that the supreme truth is Bhagavān, or the Personality of Godhead. The Personality of Godhead and His kingdom have already been explained. The kingdom of Godhead is not void as conceived by the impersonalists. The Vaikuṇṭha planets are full of transcendental variegatedness, including the four-handed residents of those planets, with great opulence of wealth and prosperity, and there are even airplanes and other amenities required for high-grade personalities. Therefore the Personality of Godhead exists before the creation, and He exists with all transcendental variegatedness in the Vaikuṇṭhalokas. The Vaikuṇṭhalokas, also accepted in the Bhagavad-gītā as being of the sanātana nature, are not annihilated even after the annihilation of the manifested cosmos. [BG 8.20] . Those transcendental planets are of a different nature altogether, and that nature is not subjected to the rules and regulations of material creation, maintenance or annihilation. The existence of the Personality of Godhead implies the existence of the Vaikuṇṭhalokas, as the existence of a king implies the existence of a kingdom.

96 percent of all gurus in India are all mayavadis. They are teaching something that is misleading. These 4 nutshell verses of SB teach us that the Supreme personality of Godhead is a person and the Vaikuntha planets exist.

BG 8.20

Yet there is another unmanifest nature, which is eternal and is transcendental to this manifested and unmanifested matter. It is supreme and is never annihilated. When all in this world is annihilated, that part remains as it is.

In various places in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and in other revealed scriptures the existence of the Personality of Godhead is mentioned. [Om namo bhagavate vaasudevaya…]

For example, in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (2.8.10), Mahārāja Parīkṣit asks:

sa cāpi yatra puruṣo

viśva-sthity-udbhavāpyayaḥ

muktvātma-māyāṁ māyeśaḥ

śete sarva-guhāśayaḥ

“How does the Personality of Godhead, the cause of creation, maintenance and annihilation, who is always freed from the influence of the illusory energy and is the controller of the same, lie in everyone’s heart?” Similar also is a question of Vidura’s:

tattvānāṁ bhagavaṁs teṣāṁ

katidhā pratisaṅkramaḥ

tatremaṁ ka upāsīran

ka u svid anuśerate

(Bhāg. 3.7.37)

Śrīdhara Svāmī explains this in his notes: “During the annihilation of the creation, who serves the Lord lying on the Śeṣa, etc.” This means that the transcendental Lord with all His name, fame, quality and paraphernalia exists eternally. The same confirmation is also in the Kāśī-khaṇḍa of the Skanda Purāṇa in connection with dhruva-carita. It is said there:

na cyavante ’pi yad-bhaktā

mahatyāṁ pralayāpadi

ato ’cyuto ’khile loke

sa ekaḥ sarvago ’vyayaḥ

Even the devotees of the Personality of Godhead are not annihilated during the period of the entire annihilation of the material world, not to speak of the Lord Himself. The Lord is ever-existent in all three stages of material change.

The impersonalist adduces no activity in the Supreme, but in this discussion between Brahmā and the Supreme Personality of Godhead the Lord is said to have activities also, as He has His form and quality. The activities of Brahmā and other demigods during the maintenance of the creation are to be understood as the activities of the Lord. The king, or the head executive of a state, may not be seen in the government offices, for he may be engaged in royal comforts. Yet it should be understood that everything is being done under his direction and everything is at his command. The Personality of Godhead is never formless. In the material world He may not be visible in His personal form to the less intelligent class of men, and therefore He may sometimes be called formless.

Arianism – an influential heresy denying the divinity of Christ, originating with the Alexandrian priest Arius ( c. 250– c. 336). Arianism maintained that the Son of God was created by the Father and was therefore neither coeternal with the Father, nor consubstantial.

Heresy – belief or opinion contrary to orthodox religious (especially Christian) doctrine.

Pejoritive – express contempt or disapproval

Adduces – cite as evidence

Anathema – something or someone that one vehemently dislikes.

Flaccid – soft and hanging loosely or limply, especially so as to look or feel unpleasant.

16th chapel body of christ painting – flaccid old guy with wrinkles and gray hair

Flaccid – soft and hanging loosely or limply, especially so as to look or feel unpleasant.

Cosubstantial – Participation of the same nature; coexistence in the same substance

But actually He is always in His eternal form in His Vaikuṇṭha planets as well as in other planets of the universes as different incarnations.

Nithya and Naimittic –

Nithya – eternal..

Naimittic – Incarnation of the Lord that appears for a purpose. They do not have a planet in the spiritual world.

Analogy – An analogy is something that shows how two things are alike,

Metaphor – a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable.

The example of the sun is very appropriate in this connection. The sun in the night may not be visible to the eyes of men in the darkness, but the sun is visible wherever it has risen. That the sun is not visible to the eyes of the inhabitants of a particular part of the earth does not mean that the sun has no form.

Why did Krsna give handshake to Brahmaji –

Because He congratulated Brahmaji for following His instructions.

Faith precedes Knowledge

SP has faith in his guru

People believe in Krsna but they have no faith in following the instructions of Krsna.

December 31, 2021December 31, 2021

SB 2.9.31 Notes – 12/30/21

KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM HH HARIVILAS MAHARAJ’S MORNING BHAGAVATAM CLASS ON SB 2.9.31:

Lord informs Brahmā that knowledge of Him, the Supreme Absolute Truth, as it is stated in the revealed scriptures, is very subtle and cannot be understood unless one is self-realized by the grace of the Lord.
This means that transcendental knowledge of the absolute Supreme Being can be known if it is made known by the Lord Himself. By the mental speculation of the greatest mundane thinkers, the Absolute Truth cannot be understood.
The mental speculators can reach up to the standard of impersonal Brahman realization, but, factually, complete knowledge of transcendence is beyond the knowledge of impersonal Brahman. Thus it is called the supreme confidential wisdom.
In the Bhagavad-gītā it is also said by the Lord Himself that out of many hundreds of thousands of people, one may try for perfection in human life, and out of many liberated souls, one may know Him as He is.
The knowledge of the Personality of Godhead may be attained by devotional service only. Rahasyam means devotional service.
The main qualifications for knowing the mystery of the Personality of Godhead – one has to be a devotee, friend and not envious of the Lord.
Lord Kṛṣṇa instructed Arjuna in the Bhagavad-gītā because He found Arjuna to be a devotee and friend. Without such qualifications, one cannot enter into the mystery of the Bhagavad-gītā.
Therefore, one cannot understand the Personality of Godhead unless one becomes a devotee and discharges devotional service.
This mystery is love of Godhead.
And to attain the stage of transcendental love of Godhead, regulative principles of devotional service must be followed.
The regulative principles are called vidhi-bhakti, or the devotional service of the Lord, and they can be practiced by a neophyte with his present senses.
Such regulative principles are mainly based on hearing and chanting of the glories of the Lord. And such hearing and chanting of the glories of the Lord can be made possible in the association of devotees only.
Lord Caitanya therefore recommended five main principles for attaining perfection in the devotional service of the Lord.
The first is association with devotees (hearing);
Second is chanting the glories of the Lord;
Third, hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from the pure devotee;
Fourth, residing in a holy place connected with the Lord; and
Fifth, worshiping the Deity of the Lord with devotion.
Such rules and regulations are parts of devotional service.
“Both the Supersoul [Paramātmā] and the atomic soul [ jīvātmā] are situated on the same tree of the body within the same heart of the living being, and only one who has become free from all material desires as well as lamentations can, by the grace of the Supreme, understand the glories of the soul.
Kṛṣṇa is the fountainhead of the Supersoul also, and Arjuna is the atomic soul, forgetful of his real nature; therefore he requires to be enlightened by Kṛṣṇa, or by His bona fide representative (the spiritual master).

SB 2.9.31 – 12/30/21

The Personality of Godhead said: Knowledge about Me as described in the scriptures is very confidential, and it has to be realized in conjunction with devotional service. The necessary paraphernalia for that process is being explained by Me. You may take it up carefully.

Lord Brahmā is the topmost devotee of the Lord within the universe, and therefore the Personality of Godhead replied to his four principal inquiries in four important statements, which are known as the original Bhāgavatam in four verses. These were Brahmā’s questions:

(1) What are the forms of the Lord both in matter and in transcendence?

(2) How are the different energies of the Lord working?

(3) How does the Lord play with His different energies?

(4) How may Brahmā be instructed to discharge the duty entrusted to Him?

The prelude to the answers is this verse under discussion, wherein the Lord informs Brahmā that knowledge of Him, the Supreme Absolute Truth, as it is stated in the revealed scriptures, is very subtle and cannot be understood unless one is self-realized by the grace of the Lord.

Ye yata mam prapadyante mam…

The Lord says that Brahmā may take the answers as He explains them. This means that transcendental knowledge of the absolute Supreme Being can be known if it is made known by the Lord Himself. By the mental speculation of the greatest mundane thinkers, the Absolute Truth cannot be understood. The mental speculators can reach up to the standard of impersonal Brahman realization, but, factually, complete knowledge of transcendence is beyond the knowledge of impersonal Brahman. Thus it is called the supreme confidential wisdom. Out of many liberated souls, someone may be qualified to know the Personality of Godhead. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is also said by the Lord Himself that out of many hundreds of thousands of people, one may try for perfection in human life, and out of many liberated souls, one may know Him as He is. Therefore, the knowledge of the Personality of Godhead may be attained by devotional service only. Rahasyam means devotional service. Lord Kṛṣṇa instructed Arjuna in the Bhagavad-gītā because He found Arjuna to be a devotee and friend. Without such qualifications, one cannot enter into the mystery of the Bhagavad-gītā. Therefore, one cannot understand the Personality of Godhead unless one becomes a devotee and discharges devotional service. This mystery is love of Godhead. Therein lies the main qualification for knowing the mystery of the Personality of Godhead. And to attain the stage of transcendental love of Godhead, regulative principles of devotional service must be followed. The regulative principles are called vidhi-bhakti, or the devotional service of the Lord, and they can be practiced by a neophyte with his present senses. Such regulative principles are mainly based on hearing and chanting of the glories of the Lord. And such hearing and chanting of the glories of the Lord can be made possible in the association of devotees only. Lord Caitanya therefore recommended five main principles for attaining perfection in the devotional service of the Lord.

The first is association with devotees (hearing);
second is chanting the glories of the Lord;
third, hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from the pure devotee;
fourth, residing in a holy place connected with the Lord; and
fifth, worshiping the Deity of the Lord with devotion.

Such rules and regulations are parts of devotional service. So, as requested by Lord Brahmā, the Personality of Godhead will explain all about the four questions put forward by Brahmā, and others also which are parts and parcels of the same questions.

It is impossible to understand Krsna by speculation.

BG 2.20

Kaṭha Upaniṣad (1.2.20) in this way:

aṇor aṇīyān mahato mahīyān

ātmāsya jantor nihito guhāyām

tam akratuḥ paśyati vīta-śoko

dhātuḥ prasādān mahimānam ātmanaḥ

“Both the Supersoul [Paramātmā] and the atomic soul [ jīvātmā] are situated on the same tree of the body within the same heart of the living being, and only one who has become free from all material desires as well as lamentations can, by the grace of the Supreme, understand the glories of the soul.” Kṛṣṇa is the fountainhead of the Supersoul also, as it will be disclosed in the following chapters, and Arjuna is the atomic soul, forgetful of his real nature; therefore he requires to be enlightened by Kṛṣṇa, or by His bona fide representative (the spiritual master).

Krsna is smaller than the smallest and bigger than the biggest.

Soul is very small 1/10000 part of the tip of the hair.

Jiva is referred to as spirit soul. There is no difference between spirit and soul.

Krishna and His body are non different.

Conditioned soul and liberated soul

Spiritual pedagogy of learning is explained in BG 4.3

BG 4.3

That very ancient science of the relationship with the Supreme is today told by Me to you because you are My devotee as well as My friend and can therefore understand the transcendental mystery of this science.

There are two classes of men, namely the devotee and the demon. The Lord selected Arjuna as the recipient of this great science owing to his being a devotee of the Lord, but for the demon it is not possible to understand this great mysterious science. There are a number of editions of this great book of knowledge. Some of them have commentaries by the devotees, and some of them have commentaries by the demons. Commentation by the devotees is real, whereas that of the demons is useless. Arjuna accepts Śrī Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and any commentary on the Gītā following in the footsteps of Arjuna is real devotional service to the cause of this great science. The demonic, however, do not accept Lord Kṛṣṇa as He is. Instead they concoct something about Kṛṣṇa and mislead general readers from the path of Kṛṣṇa’s instructions. Here is a warning about such misleading paths. One should try to follow the disciplic succession from Arjuna, and thus be benefited by this great science of Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā.

BG 11.53:

The form you are seeing with your transcendental eyes cannot be understood simply by studying the Vedas, nor by undergoing serious penances, nor by charity, nor by worship. It is not by these means that one can see Me as I am.

BG 11.54:

My dear Arjuna, only by undivided devotional service can I be understood as I am, standing before you, and can thus be seen directly. Only in this way can you enter into the mysteries of My understanding.

BG 11.55

BG 9.1

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Arjuna, because you are never envious of Me, I shall impart to you this most confidential knowledge and realization, knowing which you shall be relieved of the miseries of material existence.

Six fundamental assumptions of the scientists.