19810706 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.29.1

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The following is a lecture given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on July 6, 1981. The lecture begins with a reading from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.29.1.

Chapter 29 text 1 of the 4th Canto. Translation by His Divine Grace Sila Eisi Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda Simon Bhāgavatam Chapter 29 Text 1 Canto 4 King Prachina Barhi replied, My dear Lord, we could not appreciate completely the purport of your allegorical story of King Puranjana. Actually those who are perfect in spiritual knowledge can understand. But for us who are overly attached to fruitive activities to realize the purpose of your story is very difficult. Translation Maharaj Prachinabadhi replied, My dear Lord, we could not appreciate completely the purport of your allegorical story of King Puranjana. Actually those who are perfect in spiritual knowledge can understand, but for us who are overly attached to fruitive activities to realize the purpose of your story, it’s very difficult.

Purport by Śrīla Prabhupāda In Bhagavad Gītā Lord Kṛṣṇa says, Quote deluded by the three modes, goodness, passion and ignorance, the whole world does not know me who am above the modes and inexhaustible. Bhagavad Gītā, Chapter 7, Verse 13 Generally people are enchanted by the three modes of material nature and therefore practically unable to understand that behind all material AI listic activities in the cosmic manifestation is the supreme personality of Godhead Kṛṣṇa. Generally when people are engaged in sinful or pious activities, they are not perfect in knowledge of devotional service. The allegorical story narrated by Nārada Muni to King Barishman is especially meant to engage conditioned souls in devotional service. The entire story narrated allegorically is easily understood by a person in devotional service.

But those who are engaged not in devotional service but in sense gratification cannot perfectly understand it that is admitted by King Vahishma. This 29th chapter describes that by too much attachment for women, one becomes a woman in the next life. But a person who associates with the supreme personality of Godhead or his representative becomes free from all material attachments and is thus liberated. Thus end the purport of text 1, chapter 29 Canto 4 Seema Advgavata. Narana muni. Is the empowered incarnation of the personality of Garian for the purpose of preaching his devotional service. Maharaj prachina bahi. Was so fortunate to get the instruction from Nārada Muni on what is the actual danger in this material world and what is the actual purpose of this material world.

But although such a simple and easy story was explained to the King Prachinabadi by Nārada Muni because Maharaj Prachinabadi was simply engaged in fruitive activities. Fruitive activities mean one works hard and things that by the sweat of his own brow he will be able to enjoy the fruits of his activities and be happy. These are known as the karmis or those who try to enjoy by their own work. So because of being such a karmī, King Barishma couldn’t understand what was the actual meaning of Nārada Muni’s story. Although any devotee can easily understand. This also proves what Lord Kṛṣṇa says in the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, That simply by engaging in his devotional service, one spontaneously gets causeless knowledge and causes renunciation. Devotional service to Kṛṣṇa is so transcendentally powerful that simply by practicing understanding as well as renunciation, take shelter in the heart.

That means that if someone is not performing devotional service, it is very difficult for them to be renounced and it is very difficult for them to understand what the devotees are doing, why they’re doing it. So just as the Bhagavad Gītā says that. Knowledge is more important than ordinary materialistic activities, because by knowledge one can understand what is the actual position of a living entity. But even more important than knowledge is the actual sacrifice of performing devotional service. Because the result of knowledge is that one performs sacrifice. In other words, more important than simply reading is actually serving in devotional service. Chanting, hearing from realized devotees, engaging one of the nine practices of devotional service by hearing from the pure devotees, or by practically chanting and following.

The more one engage, then the more that one does read, or when one does have the association of people who are explaining the Bhāgavata, then they will be able to understand. So many times people get our literature and they look at it, they say, I can’t understand what this is saying. This is due to their not having any asset of devotional service. But if they chant it a little bit, if they perform some devotional service, then it would be easier for them to understand. Of course, even reading is also a devotional service. Even Nara Muni, who was so powerful the first time he explained this story to Maharaj Bishman, the king had difficulty in understanding. Therefore, we can understand that sometimes devotees, they want to read and read the whole day, although those devotees are rare.

But sometimes we find devotees who think that first I have to read 12 hours a day, then I can do something in devotional service. But actually even they read 12 hours. How much they will be able to assimilate is very doubtful. But if they serve very nicely, chanting, rendering devotional service, then the one or two hours in a day that we have class or that we have reading, they will be able to assimilate. Just like if a man doesn’t do anything, his appetite will not be very great. A sick man who is simply laying on his back is not able to eat very much. Someone who works hard the whole day, working hard in the field, or working in some strenuous physical labor, he becomes very hungry. Similarly, this devotional service creates a spiritual appetite whereby one can assimilate or digest spiritual truth knowledge.

So many times we see that devotees, the so called Sanskrit scholars of our movement, they begin reading more books than the devotional service that they perform. And they have indigestion. Their books are too much for them. They cannot understand what is the meaning, how to adjust. If they see something that they have not seen before, they do not know how to understand it. And sometimes they misunderstand the meanings. So this is because it’s very clear here that to understand spiritual subject matter is not immaterial quality. It is something one gains by performing devotional service and by performing devotional service that automatically one can understand these things. And the more and more one performs devotional service, and the more that one reads the Bhagavad Gītā, as many times as one reads Bhagavad Gītā, you will find always new insight.

Both because the Bhagavad Gītā itself is new and fresh and containing unlimited truth, and because already, despite the additional devotional service, the quality to assimilate more knowledge has been given to those devotees to that. So in this way I want you to understand that if someone is understanding devotional service, able to assimilate it, that is not a material quality, but that is a spiritual quality. And if one is desirous himself of going deep into the subject matter, then one has to qualify himself by engaging in devotional service. Devotional service and fruitive activity are categorically different. Devotional service means doing activity for the pleasure of the transcendental senses of Kṛṣṇa Hari Toshanam, for the satisfaction of Śrī Hari Kṛṣṇa. And if one is engaged in fruitive activities, that means that he’s engaged in activities to satisfy his own materialistic senses.

So Ka’s spiritual senses and the materialistic senses of the material world are completely different. The people are very attached to serving their senses. As a result, the resolute determination to render devotional service to satisfy Kṛṣṇa senses doesn’t occur in their heart. Therefore, one needs a special mercy of the spiritual master of the Vaishnavas of Kṛṣṇa in order to perform his devotional service. Those who are envious of Kṛṣṇa, they do not get that mercy. Therefore as a result they do not understand what is devotional service and they remain in the bondage of this materialistic world. Their only hope is to give up their envious mentality against Kṛṣṇa. Or if they get the causes mercy of some great devotee of Chaitanya Mahāprabhu who are so kind that even the envious like Jaggai and Madhai were delivered. Jaga and Madai. When they hit Nithyananda.

On the head with a broken pot and blood was pouring down, what did Nithyananda say? Just because you have hit me on the head does that mean I will not give you love of Ka? Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. This was Lord Nithananda’s appeal. They could understand he was no ordinary person. What ordinary person gets smashed over the head with a glass bottle, blood pouring down and said Just because you smashed me over the head with a bottle I am not going to give you love of God? Nithyananda Prabhu was absorbed in a trance of transcendental mercy. He was determined he was going to deliver these two rascal brothers Jagay and Mounhit who can understand the mood of Nithyananda Prabhu. How he became absorbed to simply give mercy. Even when these people were unqualified in every respect their only qualification was Nithyananda’s mercy on them.

His causeless mercy. So similarly Nārada Muni, he’s giving this mercy to Maharaj Bareeshma. What did Maharaj Barishma do to Nārada Muri to deserve this mercy? These great souls, they are giving causes mercy. That means that there’s no justifiable reason that why this king should get so much mercy from the Adam Muni. But it is the quality by their own qualities. By their own mercy from their own inner exalted spiritual qualities. Great souls like Narana Muni give their mercy when they see. Someone to whom that mercy can be given. It is their own spiritual quality. Therefore we should also consider that how our spiritual master has given us mercy. That mercy is out of his own causes, kindness and his own spiritual qualities. That is not necessarily that we are so qualified that we have got so many hidden qualities.

Therefore the spiritual master has spotted us out and is giving us his mercy. Even if in rare cases there may be someone who has some type of quality from previous birth. But it is hardly comparable with the amount of mercy that the spiritual master gives or that the pure vaiavas give, it is incomparable. You cannot begin to weigh. And in any case the devotees should not think in that way. They will simply give him some type of false ego. And he will not remember that actually how much he is indebted to his spiritual master. So one should always remember the causeless mercy of the spiritual master. And by remembering the causes mercy of the spiritual master, one should always remember how he is indebted.

The Vedas say that even if one gets a syllable from the spiritual master that one syllable has created such a debt that it can never be repaid. What to speak? If one gets unlimited lessons, unlimited service in devotion to Kṛṣṇa, how much one is indebted? Is there any calculation? If someone gives a million dollars, one will naturally feel very grateful. Thank you for the million dollars. But that will be spanned and finished in no time. But even one word, even a syllable of spiritual vibration of spiritual lesson. When will that be finished? That will never be finished. That asset is eternal. What are millions of dollars? What are even great births compared to even one spiritual drop of mercy. Which is indestructible? That is the meaning of spiritual mercy. Material mercy. Material facility means that it has an end. Spiritual means connection with Kṛṣṇa.

It has no end. This story of course is very interesting. Very long and intricate story about the situation of Puranjana with his queen and his queen servants. And how finally he was attacked. Of course, what is the meaning of this whole story? How the queen is Maharaj Puranjana’s intelligence and how the different attendants and so on and so forth are the senses. How those that are attacking the king. Just like the cruel hand of death. Time. Time is always coming upon us. RLA Prabhupāda has instructed us that if we are 20 years old, we shouldn’t think I am 20 years old. We should think I am 20 years dead. Those 20 years are dead. Finished. 30 years. 30 years dead. 40 years. 40 years dead. Even in exchange for billions of dollars, not one minute can be purchased back already spent finished.

How long we have that only Kṛṣṇa knows and his agents. There was that one devotee who fought with the demigods. And when he came, he asked. He was given a boon. So he asked, well, how long do I have to live? He was told, you have got one moment to live. Immediately he began to remember the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. There was another devotee. I had engaged in some sinful activity. But he had the opportunity to accept first the pious activity or the sinful he had his choice. So he said, give me my pious activity. The pious activity. You have got one day. That’s all. He didn’t do much pious activity. And after that he had a lot of helle existence. That one day he was simply reading the Bhāgavata.

So as a result, then he got one more week and he used the one week reading the Bhāgavatam. And as a result he got two weeks. He used the two weeks reading the Bhāgavatam. Then as a result he got a month. Then he got a year after reading for one whole year the Bhāgavatam. Then he got liberation. Cancer back to Kṛṣṇa Vaikuṇṭha. We don’t know how much time we have. But if we use that time in devotional service, then we get more and more time. We get enough time that we are able to transfer ourselves right back to Kṛṣṇa. Then we shouldn’t come to devotional service with a fruit of mind thinking what will I get materially out of it? Because that will prime us up to desire material results for our spiritual activities.

We should accept whatever comes as the results of our previous activity and not desire or hanker for material results we may or may not get. But if we begin to desire that, then we will definitely get in the future material result. But that will be our loss. One performs devotional service without desire for material fruit. He will get that material fruit. What is the use of that? Why perform devotional service and get material results. Which is going to perish at any moment? Śrīla Prabhupāda gave the analogy. It’s like going up to a multi billionaire and then going and asking if you can have his cigarette ashes. What is the use? If you’re going to see someone who is powerful, who is rich, then one should ask something suitable for one is approaching Kṛṣṇa devotional service. Why get that?

As those things which are available even by ordinary activities, so one should know what to desire. So the safest thing is described in the song we sing every morning. Do not desire anything else. Simply. Let my mind be one. Let my mind be completely in harmony, simply filled with the words and the instructions of my spiritual master. That is the safest thing. That is the safest thing without any doubt. So we can choose who we want to be attached to. When the Grihasta devotees approach Caitanya Mahāprabhu, what is your advice for the Grihastas then? Lord Caitanya advised them, Don’t listen to materialistic talk. Don’t engage in Materialistic talk. Balona kaive, Balona puribe. Don’t try to eat very luxuriously. Enjoy very luxuriously. Don’t try to wear excessively opulent clothes. Simply engage, he advised, in cultivating your Kṛṣṇa conscience. Another occasion they asked.

He said he told them to give up the association of non devotees. Asad Sangha Thyaga e Baishnav Achar Kṛṣṇa Bhakto Akas Hadu Mastri Sanghakas Hadu Kṛṣṇa Bhaktar said the quality of a devotee is to give up the associations of non devotees or sadhus. Materialistic people. He said that to associate with women, that is one materialistic person and those who are non devotees, that is the other. These are very mysterious. The grihasta. The grihasta means man and wife. They’re approaching. What is your advice? He’s telling them don’t associate with materialistic people. Women and non devotees are materialistic people. In other words, even if one is a grihasta living in the family, no doubt he has to do his duty. Maintaining his wife, maintaining his family. So long as he is a grihasta.

But in his heart he shouldn’t think that oh, this is the topmost situation. This is actually nuptial bliss. Be thinking in his heart. What does association mean about Ka? Wife should be helping husband to think of Kṛṣṇa. Husband should be helping the wife to think of Kṛṣṇa. Not thinking that this is the epitome. This is a perfection. The material relationship between the man and the woman, that is temporary, that will never satisfy one. So even one is living in that situation. The heart, the attachment should be going more and more to Kṛṣṇa. Externally one will be performing the affectionate. Some attachment will be there. But the real dovetailing of that attachment is how to give Kṛṣṇa and how to always be attached more and more to Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise it says the danger of husband is very attached to the wife.

He may become the wife in the next life. Wife very attached to husband. Well, she will become a man. Not necessarily that. The man becomes the wife of that woman who became the man. That no one can guarantee. Generally speaking, separated. Already some new idea. What was the perfect woman should be? What is the perfect man? So then according to that idea, some new mate is provided to satisfy those desires. So better to develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Consciousness about Kṛṣṇa. Of course it is very difficult. Because by material nature one becomes more and more attached by association. Either positively or negatively. First one is very attached positively. That means attracted to the opposite sex, to the loved one. Then of course that can Also when the frustration sets in, that can also become very strong. Negative attachment. Negative attachment means that then some enmity is created.

One is always thinking of a person inimically. Both same type of attachment. Due to this negative and positive attachment, people are getting married, getting divorced. Even after they divorce, they still can’t forget about the other person. So the real solution is one should not expect too much in the Grihasta life. But should take whatever situation is there and try to be Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Put the attachment deep in one’s heart to Kṛṣṇa. And then one can tolerate all the situation. Not that one should be neglectful. One time there was a baby crawling on the floor. And Prabhupāda said that why mother is taking care of this? No one could say. Someone gave some wrong idea on the duty. No mother. Natural affection for the child. This is natural. Loves the child. It is natural that the mother will love the child. Part of the programming.

There’s no need to disrupting natural flows. Natural sentiments. The thing is that they should be dovetailed. That means if you really love your child, then make the child Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If there is some natural affection, then that affection should be all used to make the other person more God conscious. Because that’s the greatest thing you can give. Simply by increasing the material attachment, what is the advantage? Husband becomes so attached to his wife, he will become a woman in his next life. What was the benefit. And vice versa. The real thing is that to go back to Kṛṣṇa. To get out of this reincarnation cycle, birth and death, old age and disease. That is the purpose of human life. To get out of the material entanglement and to establish Re. Establish our lost relationship with Kṛṣṇa. When Raghunathas go, Swami, ask Caitanya Mahabhara.

I want permission to leave my family and simply come and join you. Lord Caitanya refused him and told him what type of consciousness he should have. He told him that just like a wife who has another lover than her husband performs her household activities so carefully so as not to be detected. Similarly, you should perform your activities very responsibly. But just as that woman who has the other lover’s mind is always with the lover, that attachment is very strong. Crossing over so many social barriers in spite of so many dangers. In the same way, your attachment that should be always with Kṛṣṇa. If you can serve in that mentality, no matter where you are, that is a perfectional stage. So people don’t have to rush in to change their external ashrama or situation.

Rather, that may create some if one is immature in his devotional service, that may create further habit. So without stressing the external change, the stress is put on the consciousness. Purify the consciousness, make that consciousness Kṛṣṇa Consciousness. That is the perfection. And if there’s some obstacle for making your consciousness Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then of course one discussed with the spiritual master what to be done. Miseries of material life. That is an impetus for us to become more and more Kṛṣṇa conscious. And a Kṛṣṇa conscious person even is enjoying some type of material so called happiness. Does not become infatuated, doesn’t forget Kṛṣṇa or think that this is very wonderful. And understand that this is flashing by in a moment. And this is insignificant compared to what is the real happiness.

So in this way, devotee never becomes intoxicated by material happiness or despondent by some material distress. Just like a candle protected, the consciousness remains steady because it has shelter. But if you take away the shelter, put the candle in the wind, it will waver. Sometimes it will blow out, become so frustrated, they want to commit suicide. Even so, Nara Muni is such a devotee simply giving out the mercy. That is the quality of devotees to give out this mercy. Not to be sentimental, but to give out what is a real mercy. So we’re hoping everyone can take advantage of this Kṛṣṇa Conscious movement. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Be happy in Kṛṣṇa Consciousness, attain real happiness, attain real knowledge. And then do whatever they can to see that others also may benefit by this. Jai Śrī Kṛṣṇa Chaitanya prabhu ni tyanam siya dae tegura. Thank you very much.

No time for questions. Yeah, Sa.