19820727 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.5.4

(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 July 27, 1982 – in Chennai, India. The lecture begins with a reading from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.5.4.

Therefore, O Great One amongst the saints, Please instruct, Please instruct Vartman the path some auspicious na Na for us being perfectly served the personality of Godhead by which of the living entity residing in the heart Awards awards Bhakti Puti Bhakti Puti unto the analy devotee Ganam Knowledge sa dat Tatva Truth by which one learns.

By which one learns.

Authorized old Translation by His Divine grace to the Ac Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda. Therefore, O Great Sage, please give me instruction on the transcendental devotional service of the Lord so that he who is situated in the heart of everyone can be pleased to impart from within knowledge of the absolute Truth in terms of the ancient Vedic principles delivered only to those who are purified by the process of devotional service purport by His Divine Gracious Ac Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda. As already explained in the first Canto of Seema Bhāgavatam, the absolute Truth is realized in three different phases, although they are one and the same in terms of the knower’s capacity to understand, the most capable transcendentalist is the pure devotee of the Lord who is without any tinge of fruitive actions or philosophical speculation.

By devotional service only does one’s heart become completely purified from all material coverings like Karma, Gana and Yoga. Only in such a purified stage does the Lord who is seated in everyone’s heart with the individual soul, give instructions so that the devotee can reach the ultimate destination of going back home, back to Godhead. This is confirmed in Bhagavad Gītā 1010 Te Shang Sattada Jukta Anang Bhajata. Only when the Lord is satisfied with the devotional service of the devotee does he impart knowledge as he did for Arjuna and Uttaba. The Ganis, Yogis and Karmis cannot expect this direct cooperation of the Lord. They are not able to satisfy the Lord by transcendental loving service, nor do they believe in such service to the Lord.

The Bhakti process, as performed under the regulated principles of Vaidhi Bhakti, or devotional service following the prescribed rules and regulations, is defined by the revealed scriptures and confirmed by Great Cryas. This practice can help the neophyte devotee to rise to the stage of Rga Bhakti in which the Lord responds from within as a Caitya guru or the spiritual Master as super Consciousness. All transcendentalists other than devotees do not make any distinction between the individual soul and the super soul because they miscalculate the super consciousness and individual consciousness to be one and the same. Such miscalculation by the non devotees makes them unfit to receive any direction from within and therefore they are bereft of the direct cooperation of the Lord after many births.

When such a non dualist comes to sense that the Lord is worshipable and that the devotee is simultaneously one and different from the Lord, then only can he surrender unto the Lord. Vasudeva Pure devotional service begins from that point. The process of understanding the absolute truth adopted by the misguided non dualist is very difficult. Whereas the devotees way of understanding the absolute truth comes directly from the Lord who is pleased by devotional service on behalf of many neophyte devotees. Bidura at the very first instance inquired from Maitreya about the path of devotional service by which the Lord who is seated within the heart can be pleased. Actually the Dura already was an experience Bhakti Yogī. But he’s asking here humbly from the basic points, the questions.

Even though he may know out of humility, he’s asking that also to benefit the future neophyte devotees who are coming. Ashli Badura what he needs. So what he doesn’t know is what were Kṛṣṇa’s final instructions. But he’s not directly just asking that. He’s asking so many intermediate stages which are also good for us to know about. So here Śrīla Prabhupāda explains what is the meaning of Hridi Pung San? That who is situated in the heart of the living entity of the man is Bhagavān. And Bhagavān himself is giving advice in the heart. Therefore he is known as Jaitya Guru. He is giving help to the devotees in many different ways. Why the devotee receives his help and why the non devotees don’t receive it. That is also described here.

That the devotee knows that his individual soul and that Chaita guru is the super soul. That the Chaita guru and individual soul are different. The devotee knows that my consciousness is limited. Super consciousness is unlimited. But the Mayavadis, the impersonalists other type of transcendentalist. They are thinking that the individual soul and super soul are the same. Why everybody is running back and forth. They are thinking that individual soul and super soul is the same. Therefore due to this offense they’re not able to get the actual help from the super Soul. The neophyte devotee, due to having so many material desires and material ideas, is also not able to get clearly the advice from Caita Guru. When Vyasadeva was confused, he asked Nara Muni that why after writing so many Vedas, he was still not satisfied.

Then Nārada Muni told him that you ask yourself, yourself are pure, you are Shaktabesh Avatar. You ask yourself in your heart. So this is the nature that someone is advanced spiritually. He can find out from his heart. Because Chaita Guru is there but a neophyte person. He will get various different kind of understanding from his heart which are mainly just in the mind. Therefore he gets misdirected. When the demons conquered Indra and Indra went to Brihaspati and asked how the demons have conquered, how we can defend Brihaspati, said that now is their time because they have got some special blessing from their Guru Sukracharya. Due to that intense faith in Guru, they are able to succeed. But because they are demonstrating they’re going to make mistakes. The demons are not being directed by Chaita Guru by Super soul. Therefore they become misdirected.

So it’s very important that one should not act whimsically. One should always act according to the order of superior authority. Thus, one will never have any danger whatsoever. As long as one is protected by the order of the superior authority, then he is not responsible for the activities that he performs. Those activities themselves are accepted on the spiritual platform. So Didura or even Vyasadeva, when he was told by Nārada Muni, you just ask yourself. Even though he was definitely qualified to simply ask himself because his Guru was present, even though he was on the most advanced platform, still he continued to insist that Nārada Muni should also give him advice. Then Nirādhā Muni explained that you’re dissatisfied because you haven’t glorified the Supreme Personality of Godhead Kṛṣṇa.

So the example is given thereby Vyasadeva that even though he was qualified to ask Jaitaguru who subsequently also he had meditated on the subject matter, in spite of that, still because Guru was present, he was asking what to speak of a neophyte. He shouldn’t do anything without knowing that it’s sanctioned by the spiritual master. And even in the advanced age, one should always take the permission of the spiritual master. So this is Prabhupāda. One time he was asking some devotees. Actually one devotee was looking very sad. He challenged that devotee, why you are sad in front of the spiritual Master, you have no authority to be unhappy before the spiritual master. Who has authorized you to be unhappy before the spiritual master. When your spiritual master is not present, then one may become unhappy.

But in the presence of the spiritual master, there’s no reason to become unhappy whatsoever. What is the purpose of having spiritual master if one is unhappy before the spiritual master? You have any problem, then you ask the spiritual master. Immediately you get rid of that problem. You don’t remain in an unhappy state. This is the reason why a person has spiritual master. If there’s any difficulty, that difficulty can be solved. Such a spiritual master is necessary who can actually solve the problems. Who knows from experience, from advice rather of his previous Acharya knows the scriptures, how to help the disciple to get out of his miserable state. But the disciple has to also cooperate just to keep some shobato spiritual master.

The I guru avoiding accepting a spiritual master who will actually take an interest and who will help and who is interested in developing the preaching and will engage one accordingly in KA’s service. What is the use? Nowadays the fashion is to accept some show bottle guru on the basis of some bodily consideration. He has got a big beard or he’s very famous or he’s of a particular caste or he’s some kula guru or some other type of bodily distinction. See, that is a materialistic idea. If someone considers that bona fide spiritual master is not bona fide because of some material consideration, because maybe he’s not very beautiful or because he’s not of a particular caste or creed, then that would simply be a cause for ruination.

But this is the modern day mostly considering who is the guru will only be done on material consideration. In south India people don’t take Diksha so much. But in North India everyone wants instant dikshas without any qualification. They want diksha. So it’s become a business. The professional gurus go around and they give everyone diksha. Even completely unqualified persons are given also type of sannyas, initiation. Even they don’t know anything. So that’s very attractive. Without going through Brahmacharya, without being trained immediately one can accept highest type of initiation. It’s simply cheating process. Even there are some type of gurus. They’re giving one. So called gurus, they immediately give one. Oh, you are such and such eternal associate of Kṛṣṇa. In Vrindavan, even the person hasn’t conquered over the anarthas or unwanted habits. They’re already given some eternal pastime with Kṛṣṇa. All type of bluffs confirmed.

You have a cold. Do you have a cold? No, confirm someone sneezes after you say something, it’s a confirmation. These are drishtis. So this is the problem that’s being faced in the world. So RLA Prabhupāda is so kindly given in his purports the correct vision in a very unbiased way so that people can see what is the actual truth. He didn’t taint it this way or that way. Sometimes some politician is writing translation of Bhagavad Gītā saying that Kṛṣṇa wasn’t the speaker of the Gītā, it was spoken by the void within Kṛṣṇa. In this way they’re giving so many distorted lies and twisted versions Kṛṣṇa, where is that? Where is the question of voids within Kṛṣṇa? He mentioned nowhere about any void within him. He said he was within everything and he was also outside of everything. He was manifest.

And as well as unmanifest there’s the question of some void speaking from within to and how our void is going to speak. Yet there is like this how many twisted versions. Some people are translating Gītā although Kṛṣṇa is all along telling Arjuna Yas to fight. They’re saying Gītā is only to teach us non violence. So like this people can take the words of Kṛṣṇa and distort it. But Prabhupāda therefore has given Bhagavad Gītā as it is here in the Bhāgavatam purports. He’s not trying to twist out some distorted view, he just directly giving the explanation according to the previous Acharyas. And so in this way one can get a non sectarian viewpoint what is the actual truth.

So here Bedura is asking Maitreya Muni systematically step by step how to get freed from misery, how to perform devotional service going on up to the point to find out what Kṛṣṇa said, what were his final instructions? In the same way as Vidura is asking questions, we could also follow the same line. What should a person, ordinary person he may ask how to get freed from miseries? Then how to get free from miseries? The answer is of course Vidura already knows the answer, so he asks already the next question. He knows the way to get freed from miseries is to perform Bhakti. So he’s asking how to perform bhakti. You can see from his very questions that he already knows everything. He’s already eats, although he’s not saying he know.

But each question he asks is progressively higher than the next, indicating that he already is knowing the answer indirectly how to get faith from isolate how to perform devotional service and get in touch with Joythaguru. Like this it’s going on. So RLA Prabhupāda name is Bhakti Vedānta. Bhakti means devotion. Vedānta means knowledge. So the synthesis between devotion and knowledge is necessary for this stage mentioned here. Raga Bhakti. One can’t develop spontaneous devotion to Kṛṣṇa if he doesn’t know anything about Kṛṣṇa. Something he has to know about Kṛṣṇa, otherwise his devotion may become misdirected. Just like yesterday someone was asking about worshipping the Kṛṣṇa within intoxication and meat and within all the different type of things. Since Kṛṣṇa is everywhere, we can just worship every material object like that.

If one says foolish things not understanding the nature of Kṛṣṇa, then that devotion will become misdirected. If someone has such a vision, then you can worship anything and find Kṛṣṇa who has that vision. That vision isn’t imitated and that’s not the authorized process. Even though Kṛṣṇa may be everywhere, yet there are some things which are Kṛṣṇa’s direct personal expansion and personal presence. Those things are worshipped. Those forms of Kṛṣṇa rather are worshipped so that directly it goes to Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise if one tries to concoct his own system of worship, then that will create a disturbance to pure devotion. That is Described by the 6go swamis. Shruti, Smriti, Purāṇadi, Pancharatrika, Bidhi, Bina, Aikantika, Hari Bhakti, Uttat, Utpatayu, Kalpat.

That any type of process which is not authorized by Surti, by Vedas, Smriti, by the Upanishads and other histories, Surti, Smriti, Purāṇadi, all the Purāṇas, Panchratrik, Vidhib, Dina, or which are not also authorized by a Panchatrik system that I come together. That such type of unauthorized processes will simply create a disturbance in society. To practicing pure Bhakti Utpat means a complete destruction of the real principles of Hari Bhakti. So therefore one doesn’t imagine his own different types of worship, but to show the proper example to other souls and to follow effectively. One takes the instructions from the Vedas. One should chant the name of Kṛṣṇa. One should worship the deity of Kṛṣṇa. In this way. Some processes are given, not that one should make up his own process and work. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu has brought the proper process for this Kali Yuga.

One doesn’t need a big temple. One doesn’t need so many trappings. One can simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Hari, Hare Ram Hari Ram Ram Hari and everything will be successful. Any questions? Any question?

How can one understand Guru?

I don’t understand your question. It’s a little vague. Okay, how to understand who is the guru? How to understand Guru could mean several things. That was one of the alternatives. So that Kṛṣṇa has described that who is the guru? What are his? How does he walk, how does he act? Or so many of these questions were asked by Arjuna and different devotees in the 11th canto of the Simat Bhāgavatam, the king Nimi. What was that king’s name? Nimi. King Nimi asked the Nava Yogendras. And they also gave very detailed explanation of the symptom of pure devotees. Who is qualified to be guru? Uttamarikari Madhyamarekari Kanishtadhikari’s description was given. So the main qualification stressed is that one’s complete dedication to the service of the Lord, that is a principal thing.

Then there are various questions that the guru Sadhguru has to be getting the teachings in the proper disciplic succession, has to be presenting those without distortion for that Sadhu Guru Vaishnav or there Sashtaguru Vaishnav. These three things have been given. Whatever the guru says should also be confirmed with Shastra and be confirmed by the Vaiavas, by the Sadhguru Guru Shastra. So to know who is the guru, one has to see from the Shastra whether he is saying the thing which is according to Shastra, whether he is acting according to Shastra. If he’s not accordingly behaving or speaking, then one should know that he is not a Sadhguru. How to know? The other sadhus are there. They can also help one to understand who is a bona fide spiritual master who will help one to develop a service in a particular way.

So if one whimsically accepts spiritual master without testing the spiritual master, that’s considered to be very improper. Before initiation, one should test the guru. Therefore, in Iskcon there’s regulation is there that one should not be immediately initiated, but should wait. Sometimes he can be tested by guru and he can also test the guru, meaning that he follows the instructions, practices accordingly and sees what is the effect. So one should be thoroughly convinced. So also Vedas say that if one somehow or another accepts initiation without testing, and later he finds out that his spiritual master is not bona fide, doesn’t know the absolute truth, or he has got some other distorted version which is not authorized, it’s not in the mainstream understanding Then also there’s a clause that one could accept against spiritual master and give up because that person was not bona fide.

So to avoid all that, then one should take some time and understand giving up Guru is generally never authorized. So therefore once one accepts spiritual master, it’s an eternal relationship. But then that can be a great delay on the path if one accepts the wrong spiritual master. If due to some material vision one accepts a wrong spiritual master, then it can or so called spiritual master, it can delay one’s whole progress in spiritual life. Later, if one wants to give up the spiritual master even if he finds his not bona fide, then it becomes a very difficult thing even then. So therefore scripture give many explanation what sadhguru that literally chapters have been devoted to that very subject. One has to see those symptoms and accordingly has to judge to the best of one’s ability.

Pray to Kṛṣṇa for inspiration, not just take something whimsically. And then Kṛṣṇa actually confirms that is the thing that should be done. The Sastras and the Vaishnavas are confirming everyone is very favorably disposed to that decision. Then one can understand with some security that it’s the correct path. But if one makes a decision without discussing with other Vaiavas, without especially senior Vaiavas, without also studying the scriptures in this regard, then it may be a whimsical decision. Kanishta Adhikari will see the Vaishnavas as being of some caste or some particular materialistic vision. They’re called Prakrita Bhakta means that they have some material vision. Madhya Madhikari is already able to see Kṛṣṇa and Guru, the Vaishnavas, innocent people and the demons already practicing in a spiritual platform. And Uttamarekari means that his faith is unshakable. In a nutshell, so many other symptoms are there.

And he’s able to see the hand of Kṛṣṇa working everywhere. You can follow Hare Kṛṣṇa. Any other questions? Yes.

There is opinion some people usually present when we go to prison. But maybe my Guru is not bona fide. But I am very sincerely doing my spiritual practice. So Kṛṣṇa will. Kṛṣṇa will guide me. Be that perfect.

Who asked that question? So the point is that there’s two things. One is that in worshipping Kṛṣṇa is not directly accepting the offerings of the devotees. He is accepting through the Guru. So first of all it says that Guru has to be a Vaishnava. And he has to. The Guru is accepting the offering from his disciple. Disciple knows that whatever I give my Guru, he will accept that his Guru’s guru will accept or anyone else that you can say. But you know that guru says you give in this way. I am accepting so directly. You know that the guru is accepting and you know that his guru also accepted him. And his guru has accepted him. And so in this way you give the offering. By the disciplic succession, it’s going back to Kṛṣṇa. Your guru is offering his guru his giving offering.

So it goes back to Kṛṣṇa that way there’s no doubt. But if the person is not a Vaishnava, then how he will get to Kṛṣṇa won’t accept it all. The second thing is that Kṛṣṇa says that one has to have a spiritual master to get back to him. So whatever a person is doing like that’s fact that he doesn’t lose for that. It’s not that he’s doing these different activities that there’s a loss because of that. But the point is that one has to go this step. Go step by step. Before you can get up to the higher floor, you have to go first to the first step. First step is you have to accept bona fide guru. So by serving like that, in the next life you will be able to get a bona fide guru.

And then after getting bona fide guru, then he will be able to advance and get liberation. Not that he has bogus guru. And this life he’s out of some pride. He’s just doing the thing. And then this life he will get liberation. He will be able to get a bona fide guru. If he’s very soon sincerely doing like that, then after getting bona fide guru, then he will be able to go back to God. Without bona fide guru, there will be so many misconceptions. Those misconceptions will stop one from going to Kṛṣṇa. If he thinks that Kṛṣṇa, the void within Kṛṣṇa is there and all these things, then there’s no question of any void. Kṛṣṇa is the same inside and out. He sat Chitananda Vikram. So unless one has a bona fide spiritual master, then all these misconceptions will remain.

He won’t be able to approach Kṛṣṇa because his idea of Kṛṣṇa doesn’t exist. There’s no such Kṛṣṇa that he has the idea. So how he can go to Kṛṣṇa until he gets a bona fide guru who can actually instruct him? Who that who Kṛṣṇa is? What is the method of reaching Kṛṣṇa? So even he’s performing some tapasyas or some type of seva that can lead him in the future to a bona fide guru if he’s sincere until then he can’t reach Kṛṣṇa. If there’s no bona fide guru at all then Kṛṣṇa sends someone special. Just like Guba was in the forest. He said Nārada Muni can come in any form as guru. Whatever form. Anything else, Har?