19820304 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.1.4

(Disclaimer: The following is a machine-generated transcript and may contain errors or inaccuracies. It will be reviewed and verified against the original audio soon.)

The following is a lecture given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on March 4, 1982 – in Śrī Māyāpur, India. The lecture begins with a reading from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.1.4.

Jayde go be Jana bala ba rayo go pjdeheheheh Ramdez jaso nana raja Jana Ramjana raja jay be jana bala nandana.

Rajana.

Nih jihad nih I did I.

Love Namadaya Kṛṣṇa Prista.

Samini Namini Namaste Sara Sati Deve Godavani Charinavista Pravonityananda Jayadrigo Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hari Ramo Hari Rāma Rāma.

Oṁ Namo Bhāgavata Oṁ Nama Bhagavad Sudevaya Oṁ Nama Bhagavate.

Devaya.

Nārāyaṇarang Trivana explore takes four chapter one and two attached to the fallible soldiers like the body, children and wife, although sufficiently experienced, they still do not see their inevitable destruction. Translation persons devoid of Ātmā tattva do not inquire into the problems of life being too attached to the fallible soldiers like the body, children and wife, although sufficiently experienced, they still do not see their inevitable destruction. Purport by this divine grace. Shiva ac Bhakti Vedānta Swami Prabhupāda this material world is called the world of death. Every living being, beginning from Brahma, whose duration of life is some thousands or millions of years, down to the germs, who live for a few seconds only, is struggling for existence. Therefore, this life is a sort of fight with material nature which imposes death upon all.

In the human form of life, a living being is competent enough to come to an understanding of this great struggle for existence. But being too attached to family members, society, country, etcetera. He wants to win over the invincible material nature by the aid of bodily strength, children, wives, relatives, etcetera. Although he is sufficient, the experience in the matter, by dint of past experience and previous examples of his deceased predecessors, he does not see that the so called fighting soldiers, like the children, relatives, society members and countrymen are all fallible in the great struggle. One should examine the fact that his father’s father has already died and that he himself is therefore also sure to die and similarly, his children, who are the would be fathers of their children, will also die in due course. No one will survive in the struggle with material nature.

The history of human society definitely proves it. Yet the foolish people still suggest that in the future they will be able to live perpetually with the help of material science. This poor fund of knowledge exhibited by human society is certainly misleading and it is all due to ignoring the constitution of the living soul. This material world exists only as a dream due to our attachment to it. Otherwise, the living soul is always different from the material nature. The great ocean of material nature is tossing with the waves of time, and the so called living conditions are something like foaming bubbles which appear before us as bodily self, wife, children, society, countrymen, etcetera.

Due to a lack of knowledge of, we become victimized by the force of ignorance and thus spoil the valuable energy of human life in a vain search after permanent living conditions which are impossible in this material world. Our friends, relatives, and so called wives and children are not only fallible, but also bewildered by the outward glamour of material existence. As such, they cannot save us. Still, we think that we are saved within the orbit of family, society or country. The whole materialistic advancement of human civilization is like the decoration of a dead body. Everyone is a dead body, flapping only for a few days, and yet all the energy of human life is being wasted in the decoration of this dead body. Sukhadev Goswami is pointing out the duty of the human being after showing the actual position of bewildered human activity.

Persons who are devoid of the knowledge of Ātmā tattva are misguided. But those who are devotees of the Lord and have perfect realization of transcendental knowledge are not bewildered. Thus, in the purport of text four, chapter one, the first step in God realization it anyone who born in this material world is forced to act under its stringent laws. There’s basically no exception for anyone within this material world. Prakriti, Kriyamananai, Gunai, Karmana, Sarvasa people may think that they are the controllers of their doing, but in actuality everything is being performed, the agency of the material world. Actually as devotees or anyone, all that a person can do is desire to do something by desiring to do a particular activity. After that, then the material world takes over by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa, and then one is directed in that particular way.

Just like we desire move the hand, we desire to walk or talk, and it’s happening. Similarly, a person is desiring to enjoy this body, or he’s desiring to realize what is ātmā tattva, what is the real truth about himself, or he’s trying to directly serve Kṛṣṇa. In Kṛṣṇa consciousness, all we can do is desire. Now, when we desire materially, then the material nature carries out these activities. Of course, the limitation is that in our material desires, according to our past, we are granted a certain amount of success or failure in the spiritual activities. That type of karmic reaction does not exist, but dependent on our single pointed desire and depending on our desire, and principally also depending on the mercy of Kṛṣṇa and his devotees, then one is able to proceed.

It’s not that actually we are able to do anything, we’re able to desire to do. And it appears that on the basis of that desire, we’re acting in a certain way, but actually we’re not in control of our body at this moment. Somehow, if one ligament, something is severed, then we can’t move their body, the machine. Similarly, if somehow, sometimes you find people have an accident and the motor connection between their brain and the body, somehow, and they become paralyzed, or they can no longer move their body. So this machine is moving through the agency of the material nature. And ultimately that is being controlled by the three modes, or when we engage, and purely in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then it is put under the protection of the divine energy. Bhagavad Gītā explained that for devotees, they are under the shelter of the divine energy.

Caitanya Mahāprabhu is dealing. There are many processes of religion. Even within the vedic culture, there are many different forms of practicing God consciousness. But actually, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he is getting down. He has given us the essential practice. Just like when Ramananda Rai suggested that human life begins from Varnashra, when human life is organized according to their occupational duties and according to their spiritual activities, that is the beginning of human life. So Mahāprabhu said, well, that’s external. He still lives. A type of mechanical process. In effect, it doesn’t deal directly with a person’s desires. Indirectly, it deals with the desires. Still, one can have material desires. Even, he said, one is surrendering everything. Lord Chaitanya also said, that’s true external, because the concept is there that I have something and I am surrendering it.

But higher understanding of that is ultimately everything is Kṛṣṇa’s energy, including myself, in part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. So what do I have to surrender to you? In a sense, we’re taking from the Lord, then we’re giving it back. And then we think that I am very great because I am giving myself the Lord. But actually I belong to the Lord. So it’s a fine point. Of course, even that’s glorified, no doubt. But within it, there’s a slight misconception, still not a complete perfect conception. So then finally, Ramananda said, if one completely was full oil received, simply hears the Bhāgavatam from the lips of pure devotees and Lord Chaitanya. That is correct. There is nothing material within that particular practice of spiritual life. If one is actually hearing at that time, because the desires, the mind, the consciousness, everything becomes absorbed in Kajden.

And because one is hearing the bona fide source, therefore that has its full effect. Then of course, it went on into pure devotional service, where one does offer thought, word and deed in the service of Kṛṣṇa for his satisfaction, of course, all the different, even Varnashram offering adult for Kṛṣṇa satisfaction. But pure devotional service is unique and that one doesn’t keep any kind of, you can say false ego or idea that simply I am giving on my own or that I have something to give. But the actual full conception that everything is Kṛṣṇa’s already, and it’s my duty, it’s my occupation position, it’s my constitutional position, simply disturbing in devotional service. And when one comes to that consciousness, which comes automatically by hearing and chanting, an association of pure devotees, then automatically one fixes Kṛṣṇa up in the heart.

So that is considered to be the ultimate goal of life. If we can figure Kṛṣṇa in our heart. So once we come under the protection of the divine energy, then one is acting in a certain way, the desire increases. Prabhupda was asked what is the secret for attaining Kṛṣṇa. He said that the actual price is lala san means intense desire. If one intensely desires to serve Kṛṣṇa, to please Kṛṣṇa, then that is the price to get the association with Kṛṣṇa. With that desire, then one is able to fix his mind on Kṛṣṇa. And then Kṛṣṇa, if he gives his mercy, then everything is perfect.

Brother Jesoda she wanted to punish Kṛṣṇa because, not to punish actually, but when the dharmadar Leela, she was afraid that Kṛṣṇa may learn some bad habits, may become spiritually, morally, because she was seeing only from that loving affection of a mother that naturally, if the son is not disciplined in some way, may become bad, may learn bad habits and so on. So she desired for his own betterment, that she should somehow be restricted. So then she tried to tie him up, and of course she was running after him, trying to catch him, and she had a very hard time catching him. She was sweating, and finally she was able to catch him. Then she got a long rope and tried to tie him. And then when she tried to tie him, she found that the rope was a little short, two fingers short.

Then again she got a longer rope, again trying to tie him. Still it was two fingers short. And every time she had longer and longer ropes, but she could never tie him. Finally, she was perspiring and she was intensely in anxiety. Kṛṣṇa, he allowed himself to be like, how can anyone tie Kṛṣṇa? Kṛṣṇa is completely independent, although he puts himself under his devotee. Doesn’t mean he becomes dependent on the devotee. In the real sense, he’s doing that because of the love of the devotee. And he wants his own desire to relish transcendental devotional mellows with his devotees. So finally, he was tithe, the famous dhammadar Leela, which we sing for one month in the dhammadra. The question came up amongst the great acharyas and sages that why? What was the significance of two fingers short? Why the rope was two fingers short?

Why not three fingers? Why not one finger? Why two? Why was that particular number mentioned in the. So the answer was given by our previous acharyas. That two fingers signified the one finger is the desire of the devotee. Unless the devotee has an intense desire to actually serve Kṛṣṇa, be Kṛṣṇa conscious, it’s not complete. And on the other hand, that alone is not enough. Kṛṣṇa also, he has to give his mercy. Even it’s not that Kṛṣṇa is obliged that. All right, I am serving you. I am rendering devotional service. Therefore, mechanically, you have to give me your mercy at this time. He doesn’t have to. He’s in the same. He can or working on. Of course, we depend that, well, there’s no one more merciful than he is. There’s no one more kind than he is. Therefore, we have faith that surely he will reciprocate.

But we shouldn’t take it for granted that he’s obliged to reciprocate. Or somehow by my rendering devotional service. And so I have some type of a man. Because we may have committed so many offenses that we are also not counting. And our mentality itself may be due to its pride. Something which would restrict us from actually entering into the higher realms of spiritual association due to a little bit of false pride. And ultimately, Kṛṣṇa is independent. He can do what he wants. You might like to see us wait for a few days or years or birth. Although generally he, of course, Prabhupāda’s promise that one who practices Kṛṣṇa consciousness sincerely in this life would definitely not have to take birth in the material world. But for the devotee taking birth in the material world, it’s not to be biggest concern.

The biggest concern is how to actually get pure love for Kṛṣṇa. How to actually be situated in one eternal position in Kṛṣṇa’s service. In this regard, we can see that the final thing, which was the second finger, which was essential, was that Kṛṣṇa’s own mercy, his own desire, had to offer. Unless he finally allowed himself to be tied. And when he allows the devotee to tie him, you can understand what a wonderful thing that is. Actually, he allows the devotee to tie him up in the heart. When Jayadev was, excuse me, not Jaidev, but when it was Villa Mangol Thakur, he was being led by Kṛṣṇa. When he was blind, he was being led to Vrindavan. At that time, he was holding on to Kṛṣṇa’s cloth. Kṛṣṇa, of course, was not saying he was Kṛṣṇa. He came. I am mister Cowherd boy.

I will take you to Vrindavan. As he was going, Villaman Gul Thakur could realize this is Kṛṣṇa, that he’s tricked me, that he himself is leading me. So when Kṛṣṇa said, here we are, we’re in Vrindavana, the villa Raghol Thakur, he wouldn’t let go. The Kṛṣṇa said, let go. He said, no, I have got you. I won’t let go. You tricked me out. I said, I won’t let go. Then Kṛṣṇa, by force, he pulled himself away. So the Villa Mangol Thakur said that, well, you can pull yourself out of my. Out of my hands, but you can pull yourself out of my heart. So actually, once Kṛṣṇa allows himself to be caught by the devotee, then he actually becomes fixed in the heart. So, of course, from our side, we should concentrate on simply fixing our mind in devotional service. How to please the spiritual master.

How to thus please Kṛṣṇa. If we can carry out the instructions of the spiritual master, then everything is perfect. Then Kṛṣṇa is very easily pleased. It may be difficult to please Kṛṣṇa, but it’s easy to please his pure devotees. And when they are pleased, then automatically Rādhārāṇī is pleased. Automatically Lord Jitinanda is pleased. Automatically Kṛṣṇa is pleased. And a special compensation given in this age of Kali is that Chaitanya Mahāprabhu, his desire is so intense, he wants everyone to be delivered. Everyone. And he’s not considering that this person is qualified. This person is unqualified. Who is eligible? Who is Anil? Everyone is eligible. That once, simply, if the desire is there, other qualifications? May not be. There may not be very learned, may not be very austere. To begin with, initially, there may not be any qualifications.

Of course, by practicing devotional service by Lord Shaitan, his mercy, automatically one becomes advanced, which means one becomes qualified. We shouldn’t think, Prabhupāda advises that initially, of course, even the most fallen, they could practice devotional. They can. Anyone can practice devotional service. But just like Jagai Matnai, once they received initiation, once they took the shelter of Lord Caitanya Nithyananda. Then they were obliged to very strictly follow. And by doing so, then they got this special shelter of Lord Chetanya and in fact Jagay Madhai they so strictly followed after they received initiation. It was amazing. People would come from thousands of miles.

(Side B of the Cassette)

Special shelter of Lord Caitanya. In fact, Jagay Madhya, they so strictly followed after they received the initiation. It was amazing. People would come from thousands of miles, hundreds of miles, to see these jagay madhai, these famous dacoits. It’s like Jagai Madai were so notorious. It was like just, you know, in american history, if you were able to have al Capone and maybe baby face Nelson shave up and Channing Joppa in one of the temples, I mean, actually, a few people want to come and see. I mean, they were that notorious. They were the king. The actual rulers were afraid of them and they were just so ruthless. They had their own type of were the most fallen even there. Otherwise, those people would never have a chance to become saints or become great devotees.

But by Lord Nitya Nandez and Caitanya Mahabhar’s mercy, they immediately were delivered, but afterwards they tried very strictly to follow. In fact, Madhai, he realized that he was feeling himself very fallen because he had personally struck Nityana. And one day he fell down at Lord Nityānanda’s feet and prayed to him, how can I be forgiven for this offense? I have struck you. I am the lowest of all the humanity. I am the greatest offender. How will I ever be guilty of this offense? And Lord Netanyahu said, well, there is no offense. If a baby is sitting on the lap of the mother or the father, and the baby hits the father, does the father mind? Does the mother mine? You see, you’re my child. All the creatures in there, all my children, you see, I love all of them.

If they hit me, I don’t mind. Lord Na’s taking this very magnanimous. He doesn’t take any offense. They’re all my children. I simply want that they should be happy, chant hare Kṛṣṇa, make their life perfect. So Madhai, he could have get any admission from the tynan that he had committed any offense? He said, no, but I had committed so many offenses to living entities by being envious of you, although you’re not taking offense, but by being envious of you because you are the super soul of all living entities. I was envious to all living entities. In fact, as a result of that, I committed so many heinous activities to them, stealing from them, killing, raping, so on and so on. So how will I ever be forgiven from that offense for being envious of all the living entities by being envious of you originally.

So then Lord Nityanaman said, yes, that is a fact. So what you can do is you can build a God, a bathing goddess stairway for bathing in the Ganges. And all of the devotees, then they can go and bathe there. And by bathing in the Ganges, they will become purified. And by using your bathing ghat, you know, bathing ghat, that’s a special stairway going into the Ganges for bathing steps. Very nice. So Nitinanda ordered Madhya, you build a bathing God. And by this way, you will be able to be forgiven from all offenses to other living entities and devotees because they will bless you by bathing on your God. They will be thinking that all we have this nice facility for bathing. All because of Madhai. So then Madhai, with his own hands, personally took a shovel and hoe and bricks.

And he personally built this ghat very near to Lord Caitanya’s birthplace. There were five principal ghats in Navadvi. And one of them was known as Madhai ghat, which was the one he, Barakona got. Mahabharu got. Madhai got like that. So he built the madhai got and personally took a lot of effort building it to serve the vaishnavas for the offenses he committed to vaishnavas. And then he would go there after it was built every day. And he would chant his japa for some time. So we have to be careful not to commit offenses to other living entities, to the devotees.

We should remember that ultimately, by the mercy of Nitāi gore in this kali yuga, no matter how fallen one might be, if they just simply cling to their lotus feet, that they will be dragged back to God, they will be dragged to the highest perfection. That clinging means we never give up the desire to take this shelter. Even we stumble a thousand times. But if we fix our minds, Prabhupāda, he considered that glorious. We read here today in the purport, the struggle. People are struggling in this material world. Everyone knows it’s a struggle. It’s a rat race as they’re struggling. But why they’re struggling is simply for sense gratification. Simply that their body will get some sensation of pleasure or be able to keep off some sensations of distress. That hard struggle for existence that is not glorious.

Every cow, every dog, every PJ, and everyone is doing the struggle for this. But what is glorious is when a human being is struggling to conquer over the senses, to fix the senses in Ka’s service, to fix his consciousness in Ka’s service, even in that struggle to conquer the addiction to intoxication, to meat eating, to unregulated sex life, to gambling even that there is some stumbling, even there is some difficulty. But if he sticks to that struggle, he sticks to fixing up himself very strictly in Kṛṣṇa service. Then one continuously, by the mercy of Nithyananda and Lord Caitanya, step by step, they make advancement. Finally, they make the advancement. To the point where they can actually surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Where they can take his full shelter. Under the guidance of a spiritual master. And then they go on from there.

So this is a very special facility given to us in this kali yuga. That Lord Caitanya doesn’t accept offenses. We shouldn’t take him for granted either. Though we should take that. This life is very short. If we don’t fix our mind, we will start to desire other things. And will become mistaken led. We should fix our consciousness. Devotional service of Chetanya Mahabharu Sankirtan movement. That is our only hope. And that, in fact, is the greatest benediction for everyone. A very rushed visit.

Jay.

Jaya. Jaya. Jayapar. Jayapar. Yamaha.

The possessive.