Tag: BG 10.9

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SB 2.8.19-20 Notes – 11/23/21 

KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM HH HARIVILAS MAHARAJ’S MORNING BHAGAVATAM CLASS ON SB 2.8.19-20:  

  • Lord Śiva is the greatest yogī, and he can perform wonderful mystic things, far beyond the ordinary living beings. 
  • The devotees of the Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, do not directly practice the process of mystic powers, but, by the grace of the Lord, His devotee can defeat even a great yogeśvara like Durvāsā Muni, who picked a quarrel with Mahārāja Ambarīṣa and wanted to show the wonderful achievements of his mystic powers.
  • Similarly, at the time of Draupadī’s precarious position, when she was attacked by the Kurus who wanted to see her naked in the open assembly of the royal order, the Lord saved her from being stripped by supplying an unlimited length of sari to cover her. And Draupadī knew nothing of mystic powers. 
  • Therefore the devotees are also yogeśvaras by the unlimited power of the Lord, just as a child is powerful by the strength of the parents. They do not try to protect themselves by any artificial means, but are saved by the mercy of the parents.
  • Mahārāja Parīkṣit inquired from the learned brāhmaṇa Śukadeva Gosvāmī about the ultimate destination of such great mystics or how they attain such extraordinary powers by their own efforts or by the grace of the Lord. 
  • The  whole spiritual culture or the culture of Krsna consciousness is asking questions and receiving answers through the sastric evidence from bonafide representatives. 
  • SB 3.25.25 – In the association of pure devotees, discussion of the pastimes and activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is very pleasing and satisfying to the ear and the heart. By cultivating such knowledge one gradually becomes advanced on the path of liberation, and thereafter he is freed, and his attraction becomes fixed. Then real devotion and devotional service begin.
  • SB 2.3.17 – “Both by rising and setting, the sun decreases the duration of life of everyone, except one who utilizes the time by discussing topics of the all-good Personality of Godhead.”
  • Time and tide wait for no man. So the time indicated by the sunrise and the sunset will be uselessly wasted if such time is not properly utilized for realizing identification of spiritual values. Even a fraction of the duration of life wasted cannot be compensated by any amount of gold.
  • A living being is constitutionally a spiritual spark of the complete whole, and his happiness can be perfectly perceived in spiritual activities.
  • “Once a person comes into contact with any one of the energies of the Lord through the proper channel of devotional service, the door of perfection is immediately opened. 
  • A moment passed in the association of a pure devotee by hearing and chanting the transcendental messages of the Lord is a perfect guarantee for eternal life for returning home, back to Godhead. 
  • A devotee of the Lord is guaranteed eternal life. A devotee’s old age or disease in the present life is but an impetus to such guaranteed eternal life.”
  • The sun’s business is to take away a portion of your span of life. But he cannot take away the portion of the life of a devotee. Because a devotee is going to live. 
  • If we pass our time simply by hearing, reading and talking about Kṛṣṇa, then the sun will not be able to take away our life. This is the secret. If you want to become immortal, then you always be engaged in kṛṣṇa-kathā. Always, twenty-four hours, always think of Kṛṣṇa. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
  • SB 2.1.5 – This is the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We have to hear about Kṛṣṇa, we have to chant about Kṛṣṇa, we have to memorize about Kṛṣṇa, we have to worship Kṛṣṇa. This is our movement. We are worshiping Kṛṣṇa in the temple, we are thinking of Him, we are talking about Him and we are hearing about Him. So if we live in this way… It does not require any monetary exchange or any high education. Everyone can hear about Kṛṣṇa.
  • This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to give a living entity a permanent span of life. 

SB 2.8.19 TRANSLATION:

Kindly explain all about the elementary principles of creation, the number of such elementary principles, their causes, and their development, and also the process of devotional service and the method of mystic powers.

SB 2.8.20 TRANSLATION:

What are the opulences of the great mystics, and what is their ultimate realization? How does the perfect mystic become detached from the subtle astral body? What is the basic knowledge of the Vedic literatures, including the branches of history and the supplementary Purāṇas?

The yogeśvara, or the master of mystic powers, can exhibit eight kinds of wonders of perfection by becoming smaller than the atom or lighter than a feather, getting anything and everything he desires, going anywhere and everywhere he likes, creating even a planet in the sky, etc. There are many yogeśvaras having different proficiencies in these wonderful powers, and the topmost of all of them is Lord Śiva. Lord Śiva is the greatest yogī, and he can perform such wonderful things, far beyond the ordinary living beings. The devotees of the Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, do not directly practice the process of mystic powers, but, by the grace of the Lord, His devotee can defeat even a great yogeśvara like Durvāsā Muni, who picked a quarrel with Mahārāja Ambarīṣa and wanted to show the wonderful achievements of his mystic powers. Mahārāja Ambarīṣa was a pure devotee of the Lord, and thus without any effort on his part the Lord saved him from the wrath of Yogeśvara Durvāsā Muni, and the latter was obliged to beg pardon from the King. Similarly, at the time of Draupadī’s precarious position, when she was attacked by the Kurus who wanted to see her naked in the open assembly of the royal order, the Lord saved her from being stripped by supplying an unlimited length of sari to cover her. And Draupadī knew nothing of mystic powers. Therefore the devotees are also yogeśvaras by the unlimited power of the Lord, just as a child is powerful by the strength of the parents. They do not try to protect themselves by any artificial means, but are saved by the mercy of the parents.

Mahārāja Parīkṣit inquired from the learned brāhmaṇa Śukadeva Gosvāmī about the ultimate destination of such great mystics or how they attain such extraordinary powers by their own efforts or by the grace of the Lord. He inquired also about their detachment from the subtle and gross material bodies. He inquired also about the purports of the Vedic knowledge. As stated in the Bhagavad-gītā (15.15), the whole purport of all the Vedas is to know the Supreme Personality of Godhead and thus become a transcendental loving servant of the Lord.

We would never be able to ask such questions of depth asked by Parikshit maharaj. Padma purana is also questions and answers between Lord Shiva and goddess Parvathi. BG is the Q& A between Krsna and Arjuna. 

Q & A is the culture of spiritual life. Asking questions and receiving answers through scriptural evidence. 

Srila Prabhupada answered the questions of the devotees and disciples through the 3000 letters he wrote to them… 

BG 10.9 Tushyanti ca ramanti ca.. 

The thoughts of My pure devotees dwell in Me, their lives are fully devoted to My service, and they derive great satisfaction and bliss from always enlightening one another and conversing about Me.

The art of speaking – Penance of speech 

BG 17.15 

Austerity of speech consists in speaking words that are truthful, pleasing, beneficial, and not agitating to others, and also in regularly reciting Vedic literature.

One should not speak in such a way as to agitate the minds of others. Of course, when a teacher speaks, he can speak the truth for the instruction of his students, but such a teacher should not speak to those who are not his students if he will agitate their minds. This is penance as far as talking is concerned. Besides that, one should not talk nonsense. The process of speaking in spiritual circles is to say something upheld by the scriptures. One should at once quote from scriptural authority to back up what he is saying. At the same time, such talk should be very pleasurable to the ear. By such discussions, one may derive the highest benefit and elevate human society. There is a limitless stock of Vedic literature, and one should study this. This is called penance of speech.

The whole vedic culture is based on this austerity..  Means you are going to voluntarily deny yourself sense gratification, on the positive side you indulge in Krsna katha, kirtan, seva and prasad and smaran. This is the culture and proceeds through questions and answers. This is very important to understand the culture of Krsna consciousness. 

This also explained in SB 3.25.25

SB 3.25.25

Culture of Krsna Consciousness – association and hearing

In the association of pure devotees, discussion of the pastimes and activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is very pleasing and satisfying to the ear and the heart. By cultivating such knowledge one gradually becomes advanced on the path of liberation, and thereafter he is freed, and his attraction becomes fixed. Then real devotion and devotional service begin.

SB 2.3.17 – Time is the most precious

“Both by rising and setting, the sun decreases the duration of life of everyone, except one who utilizes the time by discussing topics of the all-good Personality of Godhead.”

TIME

 “This verse indirectly confirms the greater importance of utilizing the human form of life to realize our lost relationship with the Supreme Lord by acceleration of devotional service. Time and tide wait for no man. So the time indicated by the sunrise and the sunset will be uselessly wasted if such time is not properly utilized for realizing identification of spiritual values. Even a fraction of the duration of life wasted cannot be compensated by any amount of gold.

“Human life is simply awarded to a living entity, jīva, so he can realize his spiritual identity and his permanent source of happiness. A living being, especially the human being, is seeking happiness, because happiness is the natural situation of the living entity. But he is vainly seeking happiness in the material atmosphere. A living being is constitutionally a spiritual spark of the complete whole, and his happiness can be perfectly perceived in spiritual activities. The Lord is the complete spirit whole, and His name, form, quality, pastimes, entourage and personality are all identical with Him.

“Once a person comes into contact with any one of the above-mentioned energies of the Lord through the proper channel of devotional service, the door of perfection is immediately opened. In the Bhagavad-gītā the Lord has explained such contact in the following words = ‘Endeavors in devotional service are never baffled, nor is there failure. A slight beginning of such activities is sufficient even to deliver a person…, sufficient even to deliver a person from the great ocean of material fears.’ [Bg. 2.40]

“As a highly potent drug injected intravenously acts at once on the whole body, similarly, the transcendental topics of the Lord injected through the ear of the pure devotee of the Lord can act very efficiently. Aural realization of the transcendental messages implies total realization, just as fructification of one part of a tree implies fructification of all other parts. This realization for a moment in the association of pure devotees like Śukadeva Gosvāmī prepares one’s complete life for eternity, and as such the sun fails to rob the pure devotee of his duration of life, inasmuch as he is constantly busy in the devotional service of the Lord, purifying his existence.

Two types of pujas – Do pujas for money and do pujas to help people become devotees. Yesterday I was doing a shradh ceremony and I was able to hold them for 4 hours. The boy was reading “DOG MAN”.. I told him I will give him the book GOD MAN… Disney movies are all junk.. People think that Disney movies or videos are educational.. They purposefully are conditioning the children to recognize a pervert’s voice as good. Everything today is organized to derail people from the path of spiritual culture. 

All the activities  – haering, eating prasadam, chanting, dancing, preaching, learning deity worship all these things are purifying.. All the other things watching mickey mouse, hearing dumbo they are all contaminating.. 

DEATH

“Death is a symptom of the material infection of the eternal living being, and due to material infection only, the eternal living being is subjected to the law of birth, death, old age and disease. The materialistic way of pious activities like charity, etc., is recommended in the smṛti-śāstras, as quoted by Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura.

CHARITY 

 Money given in charity to a suitable person is guaranteed bank balance in the next life. Such charity is recommended to be given to a brāhmaṇa. If the money is given in charity to a non-brāhmaṇa without brahminical qualification, the money is returned in the next life in the same proportion. If it is given in charity to a half-educated brāhmaṇa, even then the money is returned double. If the money is given in charity to a learned and fully qualified brāhmaṇa, the money is returned a hundred and thousand times, and if the money is given to a veda-pāraga, one who has actually realized the path of the Vedas, it is returned by unlimited multiplication.

You can believe this or not believe it.. This is SP speaking we need to believe it.. 

“The ultimate end of Vedic knowledge is to realize the Personality of Godhead, Lord Kṛṣṇa, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā = vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ [Bg. 15.15]. There is guarantee of money being returned if given in charity regardless of the proportion. Similarly, a moment passed in the association of a pure devotee by hearing and chanting the transcendental messages of the Lord is a perfect guarantee for eternal life for returning home, back to Godhead. Mad-dhāma gatvā punar janma na vidyate [Bg. 8.16]. In other words, a devotee of the Lord is guaranteed eternal life. A devotee’s old age or disease in the present life is but an impetus to such guaranteed eternal life.”

Prabhupāda: So, āyur harati vai puṁsām. The sunshine, sunrise and sunset, means decreasing our life. It is very nice example. The sun’s business is to take away a portion of your span of life. That is business. But he cannot take away the portion of the life of a devotee. Because a devotee is going to live. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to give a living entity a permanent span of life. Uttama-śloka-vārtayā. Uttama-śloka is Kṛṣṇa. Uttama-śloke….

Bhaktir bhavati naiṣṭhikī uttama-ślo…, bhagavaty uttama-śloke. In another place it is stated, tadā… Naṣṭa-prāyeṣv abhadreṣu. Naṣṭa-prāyeṣv abhadreṣu nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā [SB 1.2.18]. Nityam… Just like we are holding class daily, nityam, regularly. Nityam means regularly, daily, always. So nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā. The beginning… Just like when a man is infected with a disease, he is subjected to death. Crude example. So when a man falls diseased, the physician tries to get him relieved from that infection.

So our material body is an infection. Actually, we spiritual soul, we have no death. It is due to this infection. This infection is called dirty things. Actually it is dirt. “Dust thou art, dust thou be-ist,” that’s a fact. Because as soon as I, the soul, will leave this body, it will be immediately decomposed, and after a few days it will be earth, dust. So actually it is dirt. So we have to cleanse this dirt from my real identity, spiritual life.

This is the process. And this cleansing process is very nicely done simply by hearing the message of Uttama-śloka, or Kṛṣṇa. You haven’t got to scratch it with some machine. No. It will be automatically cleansed if you simply give aural reception to the message of the Uttama-śloka, which is, in other word, it is called kṛṣṇa-kathā. Kṛṣṇa-kathā means words of Kṛṣṇa. Kathā means words, and kṛṣṇa, you understand. So kṛṣṇa-kathā, Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa personally giving you words of instruction. So if we simply read Bhagavad-gītā, then the sun cannot take away the, my duration of life.

How? What is the proof? The proof is the Bhagavad-gītā. In the Bhagavad-gītā the Lord says, janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ [Bg. 4.9] = “Anyone who understands about My birth and appearance…” Lord does not take birth. Aja. Aja means who never takes birth. Ever-existing. Ajo ‘pi sann avyayātmā bhūtānām īśvaro ‘pi san [Bg. 4.6], sambhavāmi yuge yuge [Bg. 4.8]. So aja, one who does not take birth, but still we see that Kṛṣṇa is taking birth. We are observing the birth anniversary of Lord Kṛṣṇa. So therefore what is the mystery? He does not take birth. Still, we are observing the birth anniversary of Kṛṣṇa, Janmāṣṭamī. So this is to be understood tattvataḥ, in truth. Yo jānāti tattvataḥ.

Kṛṣṇa says, Veda says that na tasya kāryaṁ karaṇaṁ ca vidyate. “The Supreme Lord God has nothing to do.” Why He shall do? So… And again, we see that Kṛṣṇa, since the day of His appearance at His maternal uncle’s prison till to His going back to His own home, He was always active. Active means especially in killing the demons. But such demons could be killed without the presence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If there is little earthquake, millions of demons can be killed. It is not very difficult job. If the Pacific Ocean overfloods this city, millions of people can be killed. If there is a war, millions of people can be killed. If there is epidemic, millions of men can be killed. So killing the demons, for that purpose He does not come, Kṛṣṇa. Rather, Kṛṣṇa’s many agents, they can kill such demons without any difficulty.

But He comes, paritrāṇāya sādhūnām [Bg. 4.8]. Just like Lord Nṛsiṁha appeared not to kill the demon Hiraṇyakaśipu—he could be killed otherwise—but He appeared for Prahlāda. Prahlāda Mahārāja, he was being so much teased and so much tortured, He could not tolerate it. So He wanted to show His devotee that “I shall kill your torturer before you.” That is the purpose. So He did not appear for killing Hiraṇyakaśipu; He appeared to give encouragement to Prahlāda Mahārāja. As He says, kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati [Bg. 9.31]. He asked Arjuna to declare, “My dear Arjuna, you declare that My devotee will never be vanquished.” So therefore He comes.

So these are the understanding of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in toto. So if we discuss about kṛṣṇa-kathā, the words of Kṛṣṇa… There are two books, words of Kṛṣṇa. One, Bhagavad-gītā. Every Vedic literature is kṛṣṇa-kathā, but these two books especially, kṛṣṇa-kathā. Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa is directly speaking, and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, directly speaking about Kṛṣṇa. Both of them are kṛṣṇa-kathā. So therefore here it is said that uttama-śloka-vārtayā. Vārtā means message, words. So if we pass our time simply by reading and talking about Kṛṣṇa, then the sun will not be able to take away our life. This is the secret. If you want to become immortal, then you always be engaged in kṛṣṇa-kathā. Always, twenty-four hours, always think of Kṛṣṇa. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

So everyone is dying, but those who are engaged in kṛṣṇa-kathā, in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, those who are busy in Kṛṣṇa’s business, they are not dying. They are living. How? Because ordinary man, his duration of life, span of life, is being taken away by the sun rising and sunset every day. If a man is fifty years old, that means… He has to live for eighty years. So fifty years’ duration has already been taken away by the sun. Fifty years old means that fifty years of time has already been taken away by the sun. It will never come back. “But what about the devotees? He is also the same. His, also, life is being taken away?” No. His life is not being taken away, because he is going to live. Superficially we see that the body of a devotee is also taken away. But this is not the real body. Real body is the spiritual body.

Hearing must be from sādhu, from devotee, from the lips of the devotee. Just like Śukadeva Gosvāmī was speaking to Mahārāja Parīkṣit. So… Or even if you hear yourself, you read books, you will save your life. If you simply read Kṛṣṇa book or Bhagavad-gītā or Teachings of Lord Caitanya, then you know the… As long as you are reading, the sun is unable to take your life. It is not possible for the sun to take your life. So if you constantly read, then where is the opportunity of sun’s taking your life? That means you are becoming immortal.

People are very much anxious to become immortal. Nobody wants to die. Everyone knows that “I shall die.” But if there is immediately some danger, fire, immediately you go away from this room. Why? I do not wish to die. I do not wish to die. Although I know I must have to die, still, why do I go away? I know that… “Oh, let there be fire. I have to die, today or tomorrow. Let me die.” No. I do not wish to die. Therefore I go away. This is psychology. So everyone wants to live forever. That’s a fact. So if you want to live forever, then you have to take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is so important and nice. Everyone wants to live. So actually, if you want to live, then you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

So don’t waste your time by talking nonsense. Therefore Rūpa Gosvāmī has advised, atyāhāraḥ prayāsaś ca prajalpo niyamāgrahaḥ. Prajalpaḥ.

Because if I get more money, then immediately māyā will pa…, “Why don’t you spend for me?” Yes. So don’t collect more than… What you require, you collect. Or similarly, āhāra means eating. Don’t eat more than necessity. Actually, we have to come to the point of nil eating, sleeping, mating and defending. And that is not possible, because we have got this body. But minimum.

Minimalism

Following the crowd – It is called gaḍurikā-pravāha. Everyone is doing this, but he does not understand why he is doing it. There are many stories of this gaḍurikā-pravāha

Anyone who does not understand what is Kṛṣṇa and what is Kṛṣṇa’s service, he may be very big man in the ordinary estimation, but we don’t give him any value. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā manorathenāsati dhāvato bahiḥ [SB 5.18.12]. Because they are mental speculators. They have no value. They have their value in their own way, but according to our line of thought, they have no value.

SB 2.1.5 – This is the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We have to hear about Kṛṣṇa, we have to chant about Kṛṣṇa, we have to memorize about Kṛṣṇa, we have to worship Kṛṣṇa. This is our movement. We are worshiping Kṛṣṇa in the temple, we are thinking of Him, we are talking about Him and we are hearing about Him. So if we live in this way… It does not require any monetary exchange or any high education. Everyone can hear about Kṛṣṇa.

Anyone… After hearing, everyone can talk about Kṛṣṇa. And while hearing and talking, he can remember about Kṛṣṇa. And everyone can worship in the temple. Where is the difficulty? By prosecuting these four principles of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you become immortal. No austerity. No austerity, no penance, no education, no riches. Simply by following these four principles, you become immortal.

So this verse is very important. Āyur harati vai puṁsām udyann astaṁ ca yann asau tasyarte yat-kṣaṇo nīta. Tasya ṛte, one who is passing time in this way, simply with kṛṣṇa-kathā, chanting also… If you have no time… If you have now spare time, don’t sit idly. If there is no facility for reading books or talking about Kṛṣṇa, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare.

If you have got… Next moment, you can interchange, read something. Always be busy with Kṛṣṇa. Then the sun will not be able to kill you. You are going to live forever. This is the process.

2nd chapter is full of transcendental messages

  • Minimalism, 
  • BG 10.11 – Even if you do not have enough money, Krsna will provide to the pure devotee a comfortable life. 
  • Bhakti charu Swami maharaj. left college, no money, guru gave services… After that he became a guru and all of a sudden everything changed for him. He had a good life, a lot of money and engaged in the service of Srila prabhupada. 
  • If you are not preaching, you need to have money, if you become a preacher, pure in heart, gentle and kind – so much is going to come your way.. 
  • Prostitute in CC – got everything she needed.. 
  • If you become a real preacher of KC you do not have to worry about money
  • Not everyone can do that.. you can be a minimalist and use everything else for the service of the lord, the same result will come. 
  • Believe in the words of the acharyas
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SB 2.8.14 Notes – 11/20/21

KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM HH HARIVILAS MAHARAJ’S MORNING BHAGAVATAM CLASS ON SB 2.8.14:

  • Life in the higher planets, known as the abodes of the denizens of heaven, is obtained not by the strength of spacecraft (as is now being contemplated by the inexperienced scientists), but by works done in the mode of goodness.
  • Even on the very planet where we are now living, there are restrictions upon the entrance of foreigners into a country where the citizens are more prosperous.
  • Similarly, the same mentality is prevailing in every other planet where there are more intelligent living beings residing.
  • The higher planetary living conditions are all in the mode of goodness, and anyone desiring to enter the higher planets like the moon, sun and Venus must qualify thoroughly by activity in complete goodness.
  • One cannot enter into the higher planetary systems without being qualified by good works in this life.
  • Persons addicted to the habits of passion and ignorance have no chance of entering the higher planetary systems simply by an electronic mechanism.
  • The various actions and reactions of work in the mode of goodness are generally known as pious work with devotional service, culture of knowledge with devotional service, mystic powers with devotional service and (at last) devotional service unmixed with any other varieties of goodness.
  • This unmixed devotional service is transcendental and is called parā bhakti. It alone can promote a person to the transcendental kingdom of God. Such a transcendental kingdom is not a myth, but is as factual as the moon.
  • One must have transcendental qualities to understand the kingdom of God and God Himself.
  • It is by great fortune that one comes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness on the path of bhakti-yoga to become well situated according to the Vedic direction.
  • The ideal yogī concentrates his attention on Kṛṣṇa, who is called Śyāmasundara, who is as beautifully colored as a cloud, whose lotuslike face is as effulgent as the sun, whose dress is brilliant with jewels, and whose body is flower-garlanded. Illuminating all sides is His gorgeous luster, which is called the brahma-jyotir.
  • Vedic knowledge is called śruti, learning by aural reception. One should actually receive the Vedic message from authorities like Kṛṣṇa and His representatives.
  • Here Kṛṣṇa distinguishes everything very nicely, and one should hear from this source. Simply to hear like the hogs is not sufficient; one must be able to understand from the authorities. It is not that one should simply speculate academically. One should submissively hear from Bhagavad-gītā that these living entities are always subordinate to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Anyone who is able to understand this, according to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, knows the purpose of the Vedas; no one else knows the purpose of the Vedas.
  • “Only unto those great souls who have implicit faith in both the Lord and the spiritual master are all the imports of Vedic knowledge automatically revealed.” (Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.23)
  • The complete functional activities of a pure devotee are always engaged in the service of the Lord, and thus the pure devotees exchange feelings of ecstasy between themselves and relish transcendental bliss. This transcendental bliss is experienced even in the stage of devotional practice (sādhana-avasthā), if properly undertaken under the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master.
  • The first-class devotee of the Lord, despite his loftiness, for the Lord’s satisfaction he may play the voluntary part of a preacher of the Lord’s glory and dovetail all into devotional service, even mundane interest, just to give the neophytes a chance to transform mundane interest into transcendental bliss.  
  • Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has described this action of a pure devotee as nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe yuktaṁ vairāgyam ucyate. Even mundane activities dovetailed with service to the Lord are also calculated to be transcendental or approved kaivalya affairs.

SB 2.8.14 TRANSLATION:

Then again, kindly describe how the proportionate accumulation of the reactions resulting from the different modes of material nature act upon the desiring living being, promoting or degrading him among the different species of life, beginning from the demigods down to the most insignificant creatures.

The actions and reactions of all works in the material modes of nature, either in the minute form or in the gigantic form, are accumulated, and thus the result of such accumulated actions and reactions of karma, or work, become manifested in the same proportion. How such actions and reactions take place, what the different procedures are, and in what proportion they act are all subject matters of Mahārāja Parīkṣit’s inquiries from the great brāhmaṇa Śukadeva Gosvāmī.

Life in the higher planets, known as the abodes of the denizens of heaven, is obtained not by the strength of spacecraft (as is now being contemplated by the inexperienced scientists), but by works done in the mode of goodness.

It is impossible to go back to Godhead without pure love and devotional service. 

We can see how people are wasting time and human energy and wasting precious human life on useless things to – do things which are impossible.. 

If you read SB you will not waste your time on things which are impossible to achieve. 

Even on the very planet where we are now living, there are restrictions upon the entrance of foreigners into a country where the citizens are more prosperous. For example, the American government has many restrictions for the entrance of foreigners from less prosperous countries. The reason is that the Americans do not wish to share their prosperity with any foreigner who has not qualified himself as a citizen of America. Similarly, the same mentality is prevailing in every other planet where there are more intelligent living beings residing. The higher planetary living conditions are all in the mode of goodness, and anyone desiring to enter the higher planets like the moon, sun and Venus must qualify thoroughly by activity in complete goodness.

Mahārāja Parīkṣit’s inquiries are on the basis of proportionate actions of goodness which qualify one in this planet to be promoted to the highest regions of the universe.

Even on this planet of our present residence, one cannot achieve a good position within the social order without being qualified with proportionate good work. One cannot forcibly sit on the chair of a high-court judge without being qualified for the post. Similarly, one cannot enter into the higher planetary systems without being qualified by good works in this life. Persons addicted to the habits of passion and ignorance have no chance of entering the higher planetary systems simply by an electronic mechanism.

According to the statement of the Bhagavad-gītā (9.25), persons trying to qualify themselves for promotion to the higher, heavenly planets can go there; similarly, persons trying for the Pitṛlokas can go there; similarly, persons trying to improve the conditions on this earth can also do that, and persons who are engaged in going back home, back to Godhead, can achieve that result. The various actions and reactions of work in the mode of goodness are generally known as pious work with devotional service, culture of knowledge with devotional service, mystic powers with devotional service and (at last) devotional service unmixed with any other varieties of goodness. This unmixed devotional service is transcendental and is called parā bhakti. It alone can promote a person to the transcendental kingdom of God. Such a transcendental kingdom is not a myth, but is as factual as the moon. One must have transcendental qualities to understand the kingdom of God and God Himself.

If you want to progress in this life you have to be in the mode of goodness. 

Karma Kanda ++Devotionals service

Jnanis +Dev Service

Yogis +Dev Service

Arjuna never did any yoga.. There is no history.. He is known as  the greatest yogi.. He was a warrior who surgically killed the evil and protected the good… because he is the “Yoginam api sarvesu.. “ 

Whose opinion we should accept – Speculators, scientists or the supreme personality of Godhead. 

Fusion, Cycletrons, Trillions of dollars, 35 nations contributing to the gigantic fusion experiment in France.They are into the business of cracking atoms.. 

Best minerals for producing atomic bomb – Uranium..only 10 pounds in the atom bomb

There is unlimited light energy – plants capture through photo synthesis, solar panels.. 

BG 6.47

It is by great fortune that one comes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness on the path of bhakti-yoga to become well situated according to the Vedic direction. The ideal yogī concentrates his attention on Kṛṣṇa, who is called Śyāmasundara, who is as beautifully colored as a cloud, whose lotuslike face is as effulgent as the sun, whose dress is brilliant with jewels, and whose body is flower-garlanded. Illuminating all sides is His gorgeous luster, which is called the brahma-jyotir. He incarnates in different forms such as Rāma, Nṛsiṁha, Varāha and Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and He descends like a human being, as the son of mother Yaśodā, and He is known as Kṛṣṇa, Govinda and Vāsudeva. He is the perfect child, husband, friend and master, and He is full with all opulences and transcendental qualities. If one remains fully conscious of these features of the Lord, he is called the highest yogī.

Einstein calls that the light is not a wave and is made of quantums.. 

But in Brahma Samhita it is said that the Brahma Jyothi is made of pencils of light in the form of jivas.. No bodies all souls.. 

Krsna is the highest principle of knowledge. 

Svetasvatara upanishad 6.23 

yasya deve parā bhaktir

yathā deve tathā gurau

tasyaite kathitā hy arthāḥ

prakāśante mahātmanaḥ

“Only unto those great souls who have implicit faith in both the Lord and the spiritual master are all the imports of Vedic knowledge automatically revealed.” (Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.23)

Implicit – without any doubt 

BG 15.19 SECOND PARA

Whoever knows Me as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, without doubting, is the knower of everything. He therefore engages himself in full devotional service to Me, O son of Bharata.

There are many philosophical speculations about the constitutional position of the living entities and the Supreme Absolute Truth. Now in this verse the Supreme Personality of Godhead clearly explains that anyone who knows Lord Kṛṣṇa to be the Supreme Person is actually the knower of everything. The imperfect knower goes on simply speculating about the Absolute Truth, but the perfect knower, without wasting his valuable time, engages directly in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the devotional service of the Supreme Lord. Throughout the whole of Bhagavad-gītā, this fact is being stressed at every step. And still there are so many stubborn commentators on Bhagavad-gītā who consider the Supreme Absolute Truth and the living entities to be one and the same.

Vedic knowledge is called śruti, learning by aural reception. One should actually receive the Vedic message from authorities like Kṛṣṇa and His representatives. Here Kṛṣṇa distinguishes everything very nicely, and one should hear from this source. Simply to hear like the hogs is not sufficient; one must be able to understand from the authorities. It is not that one should simply speculate academically. One should submissively hear from Bhagavad-gītā that these living entities are always subordinate to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Anyone who is able to understand this, according to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, knows the purpose of the Vedas; no one else knows the purpose of the Vedas.

The word bhajati is very significant. In many places the word bhajati is expressed in relationship with the service of the Supreme Lord. If a person is engaged in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness, in the devotional service of the Lord, it is to be understood that he has understood all the Vedic knowledge. In the Vaiṣṇava paramparā it is said that if one is engaged in the devotional service of Kṛṣṇa, then there is no need for any other spiritual process for understanding the Supreme Absolute Truth. He has already come to the point, because he is engaged in the devotional service of the Lord. He has ended all preliminary processes of understanding. But if anyone, after speculating for hundreds of thousands of lives, does not come to the point that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and that one has to surrender there, all his speculation for so many years and lives is a useless waste of time.

SB 2.8.7 – 15 – Questions asked by Parikshit maharaj 

SB 2.4.3 – 7 – Questions asked by Parikshit maharaj 

SB 2.3.19 -24 – Questions asked by Parikshit maharaj

2.4.3-4: O great sages, the great soul Mahārāja Parīkṣit, constantly rapt in thought of Lord Kṛṣṇa, knowing well of his imminent death, renounced all sorts of fruitive activities, namely acts of religion, economic development and sense gratification, and thus fixed himself firmly in his natural love for Kṛṣṇa and asked all these questions, exactly as you are asking me.

2.4.5: Mahārāja Parīkṣit said: O learned brāhmaṇa, you know everything because you are without material contamination. Therefore whatever you have spoken to me appears perfectly right. Your speeches are gradually destroying the darkness of my ignorance, for you are narrating the topics of the Lord.

SB 2.4.6: I beg to know from you how the Personality of Godhead, by His personal energies, creates these phenomenal universes as they are, which are inconceivable even to the great demigods.

2.4.7: Kindly describe how the Supreme Lord, who is all-powerful, engages His different energies and different expansions in maintaining and again winding up the phenomenal world in the sporting spirit of a player.

2.3.8: 

One should worship Lord Viṣṇu or His devotee for spiritual advancement in knowledge, and for protection of heredity and advancement of a dynasty one should worship the various demigods.

2.3.10

A person who has broader intelligence, whether he be full of all material desire, without any material desire, or desiring liberation, must by all means worship the supreme whole, the Personality of Godhead.

2.3.11

All the different kinds of worshipers of multidemigods can attain the highest perfectional benediction, which is spontaneous attraction unflinchingly fixed upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead, only by the association of the pure devotee of the Lord.

2.3.12 (Pure devotee – even though loses interest in material connection he preaches dovetailing everything in KC)

Transcendental knowledge in relation with the Supreme Lord Hari is knowledge resulting in the complete suspension of the waves and whirlpools of the material modes. Such knowledge is self-satisfying due to its being free from material attachment, and being transcendental it is approved by authorities. Who could fail to be attracted?

BG 10.9 

The thoughts of My pure devotees dwell in Me, their lives are fully devoted to My service, and they derive great satisfaction and bliss from always enlightening one another and conversing about Me.

According to Bhagavad-gītā (10.9) the characteristics of pure devotees are wonderful. The complete functional activities of a pure devotee are always engaged in the service of the Lord, and thus the pure devotees exchange feelings of ecstasy between themselves and relish transcendental bliss. This transcendental bliss is experienced even in the stage of devotional practice (sādhana-avasthā), if properly undertaken under the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master. And in the mature stage the developed transcendental feeling culminates in realization of the particular relationship with the Lord by which a living entity is originally constituted (up to the relationship of conjugal love with the Lord, which is estimated to be the highest transcendental bliss).

Thus bhakti-yoga, being the only means of God realization, is called kaivalya. Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī quotes the Vedic version (eko nārāyaṇo devaḥ, parāvarāṇāṁ parama āste kaivalya-saṁjñitaḥ) in this connection and establishes that Nārāyaṇa, the Personality of Godhead, is known as kaivalya, and the means which enables one to approach the Lord is called the kaivalya-panthā, or the only means of attainment of Godhead. This kaivalya-panthā begins from śravaṇa, or hearing those topics that relate to the Personality of Godhead, and the natural consequence of hearing such hari-kathā is attainment of transcendental knowledge, which causes detachment from all mundane topics, for which a devotee has no taste at all. For a devotee, all mundane activities, social and political, become unattractive, and in the mature state such a devotee becomes uninterested even in his own body, and what to speak of bodily relatives. In such a state of affairs one is not agitated by the waves of the material modes. There are different modes of material nature, and all mundane functions in which a common man is very much interested or in which he takes part become unattractive for the devotee. This state of affairs is described herein as pratinivṛtta-guṇormi, and it is possible by ātma-prasāda, or complete self-satisfaction without any material connection. The first-class devotee of the Lord attains this stage by devotional service, but despite his loftiness, for the Lord’s satisfaction he may play the voluntary part of a preacher of the Lord’s glory and dovetail all into devotional service, even mundane interest, just to give the neophytes a chance to transform mundane interest into transcendental bliss. (THIS IS SRILA PRABHUPADA) Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has described this action of a pure devotee as nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe yuktaṁ vairāgyam ucyate. Even mundane activities dovetailed with service to the Lord are also calculated to be transcendental or approved kaivalya affairs.

If you develop that taste for hearing about Krsna everyday.. If you begin to imbibe.. 

You will become blissful.. And even though you lose all interest in material .. 

You will teach others how to dovetail everything in the service of Krsna and help them become Krsna Conscious. 

HE crosses the bridge and teaches others to cross the bridge.. 

Second Canto is extremely profound. 

Everyday until the last day of life.. If you donot do this you are missing the nectar.. 

Morning – most effective to hear in SB 

Don’t be fooled by material success – be inspired and enlightened by the spiritual success 

Homework for next class – 

Look up John d Barrow’s “Origin of the universe”  introduction and compare this with what Krsna says about the origin of the universe