19950120 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.20.15

The following is a class given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami on January 20th 1995 at Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh India the class begins with a reading from the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 4^th canto, chapter 20, verse 15.

 

evaṁ dvijāgryānumatānuvṛtta-

dharma-pradhāno ’nyatamo ’vitāsyāḥ

hrasvena kālena gṛhopayātān

draṣṭāsi siddhān anurakta-lokaḥ

(All repeat)

(Aside)

Translation of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam Canto 4, chapter 20, verse 15 the matter Lord Viṣṇu’s Appearance in the Sacrificial Arena of Mahārāja Pṛthu

(Aside)

 

Lord Viṣṇu continued: My dear King Pṛthu, if you continue to protect the citizens according to the instructions of the learned brāhmaṇa authorities, as they are received by the disciplic succession — by hearing — from master to disciple, and if you follow the religious principles laid down by them, without attachment to ideas manufactured by mental concoction, then every one of your citizens will be happy and will love you, and very soon you will be able to see such already liberated personalities as the four Kumāras [Sanaka, Sanātana, Sanandana and Sanat-kumāra].

 

Purport:

 

Lord Viṣṇu advised King Pṛthu that everyone should follow the principles of varṇāśrama-dharma; then, in whatever capacity one remains within this material world, his salvation is guaranteed after death. In this age, however, since the system of varṇāśrama-dharma is topsy-turvy, it is very difficult to strictly follow all the principles. The only method for becoming perfect in life is to develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness. As varṇāśrama-dharma is executed from different positions by different men, so the Kṛṣṇa consciousness principles can be followed by everyone in every part of the world.

There is a specific purpose in mentioning herein that one should follow the dvijāgryas, the most prominent brāhmaṇas,like Parāśara and Manu. These great sages have already given us instructions on how to live according to the principles of varṇāśrama-dharma. Similarly, Sanātana Gosvāmī and Rūpa Gosvāmī have given us rules and regulations for becoming pure devotees of the Lord. It is essential, therefore, to follow the instructions of the ācāryas in the paramparāsystem, who have received the knowledge as passed down from spiritual master to disciple. In this way, although living in our material condition of life, we can get out of the entanglement of material contamination without leaving our positions. Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu advises, therefore, that one does not have to change his position. One simply has to hear from the perfect source (this is called paramparā) and follow the principles for practical application in life; thus one can attain the highest perfection of life — liberation — and go back home, back to Godhead. In other words, the change required is a change in consciousness, not in the body. Unfortunately, in this fallen age, people are concerned with the body, not with the soul. They have invented so many “isms” pertaining to the body only, not to the soul.

In the modern age of democracy there are so many government representatives voting for legislation. Every day they bring out a new law. But because these laws are only mental concoctions manufactured by inexperienced conditioned souls, they cannot give relief to human society. Formerly, although the kings were autocrats, they strictly followed the principles laid down by great sages and saintly persons. There were no mistakes in ruling over the country, and everything went perfectly. The citizens were completely pious, the king levied taxes legitimately, and therefore the situation was very happy. At the present moment the so-called executive heads are more or less selected from materially ambitious persons who simply look after their own personal interests; they have no knowledge of the śāstras. In other words, the executive heads are fools and rascals in the strict sense of the terms, and the people in general are śūdras.This combination of fools and rascals and śūdras cannot bring about peace and prosperity in this world. Therefore we find periodic upheavals in society in the forms of battles, communal riots and fratricidal quarrels. Under these circumstances, not only are the leaders unable to lead the people toward liberation, but they cannot even give them peace of mind. In Bhagavad-gītā it is stated that anyone who lives on concocted ideas, without reference to the śāstras,never becomes successful and does not attain happiness or liberation after death.

 

His Holiness Jayapatākā  Swami: Thus, in the bhaktivedanta swami translation purport to Śrīmad  Bhagavatam canto 4, chapter 20, text 15 in the matter of Lord Viṣṇu’s Appearance in the Sacrificial Arena.

So here Lord Viṣṇu was blessing Pṛthu maharaj.

 

 Pṛthu maharaj was a Shaktavesh incarnation of the Lord playing that part as a king. So therefore, Lord Viṣṇu in his original form His full four handed form He appeared in his sacrifice and He was give him blessings.

 

So, the blessings are here are that if he follows the Brāhmaṇa’s in his management of his kingdom follow the Shastra and authorities then the whole kingdom will be peaceful happy and he will be able to achieve the association of very great liberated personalities.

 

So, it’s very important that we take up devotional service according to the advice of authorities, sadhus, Shastra and guru these three things Sādhu, Śāstra and Guru are the perfection professional guides. They are the absolute authority for spiritual advancement. There are many scriptural evidences about the importance of varnasrama dharma but also in this age of Kali gradually this become very difficult for people to practice varnasrama.

 

The hereditary system is practically in their shambles and disarray very few people follow the traditions of the forefathers perfectly many Brāhmaṇa’s and Kshatriyas they don't even go through the Upanayanam if they do afterwards, they take off the thread and throw it in many places they don’t follow strictly the daily system of doing three Sandhya and other things. In Kali Yuga it’s “Kalau sudra sambhava” everyone is born sudra.

 

So many by saṁskāra the people can be elevated according to karma somebody is getting a particular birth and now people karma is so bad so like this the births are also not so good but the by chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā mantra one gets purified from all the Karmas.

 

Therefore, one can be qualified to take up any kind of service if one has this purification of chanting the holy name and if one is initiated and guided by bona fide spiritual master. At the time of Pṛthu maharaj this was in a former yugas when varnashrama was very strictly followed. Now a day as I mentioned it’s not the case in Bhagavad Gītā Kṛṣṇa says

 

guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ

cātur-varṇyaṁ māyā sṛṣṭaṁ

guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ

 

and given the four varnas the forecast in accordance with guna and karma with the qualities and the nature of work up course now the big problem is that the people have taken all different kinds of work they have developed different qualities but they are still claiming that the cast of the birth of their forefathers.

 

So, this has caused the disturbance in India because of these disturbances and various political considerations there is all kinds of bundled commissions and reservations and so many things but all these are don’t actually uplift or change anything. They are again political adjustment but by the system of Kṛṣṇa consciousness people are actually changed their people are uplifted and this is actually what is needed in the world.

 

When Lord Caitanya predicted that this name will be chanted in all the towns and villages of the entire world and there are no Brāhmaṇa’s in the rest of the world so how will those people be administered so that’s why how the temples be worshipped in the other parts of the world?

 

So, they said in Vedas say that by samskara someone can become a Brāhmaṇa.

 

So in the Kṛṣṇa conscious movement we don’t follow in Kṛṣṇa conscious movement we follow the system that by samskara people can become qualified to become Brāhmaṇas and worship the deity’s even if they were born in another caste but for that they had to follow and develop the qualities of a Brāhmaṇa why he has to be very careful because the tendency is to revert back to one’s original quality and what we are doing is not actually something completely new it was done before also.

Roma harshana (In audible: 15.39) was a sudra on the one side but he was elevated as a great acharya he was speaking to all the sages in Naimiṣāraṇya  but because he became very proud and he didn’t offer respect to Balarāma  and Balarāma  remembered that he is been elevated to this position but now he is become unnecessarily proud this is symptomatic obvious former bad humanitarian life which is not carefully avoided in his consciousness.

 

When Balarāma liberated Roma harshana instead his son was put on the seat.

 

So, we have to be careful but we don’t think that even if my mercy of Guru and Kṛṣṇa we become qualified to do some service whether it’s a preacher (aside) whatever qualities of the Brāhmaṇas qualities of the devotees is to always be humbled to be equal to everyone.

 

So, we respectful to everyone so the whole process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is a reformatory process to purify us from all the contamination of the previous births this is a process of bhakti yoga.

 

By bhakti yoga we can get purified from all kinds of material contamination there was a discussion between one of the Orthodox Hindu Māyāvādī's and Kṛṣṇa conscious devotee preachers where the Māyāvādī was saying that you cannot get the pure until you take another birth then only you can become a priest or Hindu even the boy because your birth is sinful and then the preacher will say what is more powerful?

 

The power of sin or the power of the holy name of Viṣṇu?

 

The person said let you greet and meet, they said all right what is more powerful the power of the Papa of eating meat or the power of purification of the Holy Name? is paap the supreme or Kṛṣṇa  the supreme so because the holy name of the Lord is all powerful therefore anyone can get purified from all kinds of contamination.

 

But we should accept that is a very great and special mercy of the Lord and never be proud even if we get the opportunity to chant it should rather be grateful that Lord Caitanya has made this possibility available to the otherwise hopelessly fallen people.

 

Śrīla Prabhupāda he gave a description about the modern-day governmental situation he brought up the point how it was so important that the governmental head should know the Shastra they should leave their people spiritually for how this is lacking today as a result of a lack of the spiritual guidance spiritual direction therefore there are so many problems in the world.

 

So Śrīla Prabhupāda he was looking to the Kṛṣṇa conscious preachers to be able to provide the spiritual direction to the world.

 

So Prabhupāda mission was that the whole world could be benefited by the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement as he states here the Kṛṣṇa conscious principles can be followed by everyone in every part of the world whether in Saudi Arabia or whether Red China or whether Borneo or whether in the Congo or anywhere in the world these principles of Kṛṣṇa consciousness could be practiced and by practicing on people will benefit.

 

Unfortunately, in many parts of the world there are not the freedom to practice these Kṛṣṇa conscious principles you are already fortunate because you are born and you are living in India.

 

So here India you have opportunity to practice this Kṛṣṇa conscious principles but unfortunately many people are not taking advantage of the great opportunity especially in a holy place like Tirupati nobody will say anything at you wear tilak even if you wear the tilak in Calcutta or Delhi people might say something but here in Tirupati I don’t think anyone will say anything if you wear Tilak but still not everyone is wearing Tilak. Here it’s very easy as someone wants to be a vegetarian to eat Kṛṣṇa prasādam but there are many people that are non veg even in at the holy place like Tirupati.

So, for freedom is given but we can use or misuse the freedom if you realize the freedom to practice our spiritual life then in this human life, we could get perfection we could get freed from the cycle of birth and death how long you are going to live in this body who can say?

 

These bodies are all perishable they only live maximum hundred years or so in (In audible: 22.31) companies averages what certainly something sixty to sixty something certainly that means someone twenty five years old already one third of life gone, forty years old mean just the last steps left more than half gone by average up course then we can say that we could go anytime.

 

Therefore it’s very important that we practice this principles of Kṛṣṇa consciousness are now the question is simply understanding who am I? if we can understand that I am NOT the body but actually I am the spirit soul the Ātmā the living force in the body and the body will perish but I won’t perish so why we are taking care of our body at the same time we should be coming awakening our full spiritual consciousness otherwise practically we are wasting our valuable human life.

 

If we think that well let me do it at the very end of life, then I can do it let me become God conscious at end of life you see this like the story of the young carpenter who went into the jungle to get firewood you know that story? you don’t know?

 

You know, there was the young carpenter and he wanted to go to the forest to gather the wood so that he could use that wood for making furniture since the wood is free from the forest, he would make more profit.

 

So, he was going into the forest with his bay of saws and chisels and hammer and everything. So then one old carpenter saw him so where you going my friend? so I am going to the forest to get wood but the forest is very dangerous said the old carpenter because in the forest there is a ferocious tiger man eater you have been very careful you should take with you some weapon or guard otherwise the tiger may eat you.

Then the old carpenter were gone and the young carpenter was going to the forest the young carpenter he thought what does the old carpenter know?

 

I have my saw if any Tiger comes any time, I can saw a branch off the tree I’ll pick up the branch over my head I'll swing it around my head and seeing me swinging the big branch on my head the tiger will run away like a little pussycat. Good idea?

 

How many things that’s a good idea? You heard what I said?

 

You heard about the branch over the head? so how many things it’s a good idea? how many think it’s not a good idea? (Laughing)

 

Women are not decided they don’t know much about tiger tattvas (Laughing) they don’t want to make a mistake they weight to the end (laughing).

 

So then the young carpenter he was gathering wood he had a nice pile of wood that he was going to take back but there in the distance may be two hundred meters away there was the young Tiger only three four years old only nine feet long baby one not one of that twelve foot big ones and then the tiger started running to very slowly running immediately he got his saw and he started to saw the branch and he sawing and sawing, sawing, sawing but then the tiger ohh jumped on him and want broke his neck drink his blood who was killed. News got back to the village everyone was very sad to hear.

 

So, what is the moral of the story of this analogy should not wait for the danger one should be prepared in the other word one should listen to one's elders it’s another moral (Laughing).

 

So, who wants that who want that young carpenter life? Follow elder listen instruction listen to the instruction of authority.

 

So that young that young carpenter he was like he was like this karmakandis and yogis who they think are they live off the liberation until later they think that I'll prepare for that when it comes when death comes out suddenly prepare well then suddenly when that death is coming there is no time or for the Yogis when the senses become very aGītā ted at that time even if they try to do pranayama they cannot control the senses.

 

When Menakā came in front of the Vishwamitra he is trying to control his senses by mystic yoga but is very difficult so the senses were out of his control and because of that the Shakuntala was born for Menakā.

 

Of course the Devas they were worried about Vishwamitra so Indra send Menakā you go and disturb his meditation but sometimes the devas in other subtle entities they try to disturb the devotees and disturb the sadhus with the by the process of mystic yoga very difficult to protect oneself the real protection is when we are constantly engaged in service of Kṛṣṇa always chanting

 

Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare

Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare

(All devotees repeat)

 

This is the mantra here most that the young devotees they told by the elders are the parents in many cases why you do too much religion wait to get old but that the wait will be over before we practice what is the guarantee that will take it up most of the elder people who are practicing were doing something earlier in their life either in their childhood or some other time very rare case somebody can suddenly take up a new thing in the old age this is something we have to cultivate throughout life.

 

So the youth are known for being a revolutionary so we need revolutionary youth movement to revolt against the Maya revolt against the conditioning of material nature and take a full shelter of Kṛṣṇa in all circumstances whether in the house or whether in asharma wherever one might be we are seeing in centuries before people used to practice spiritual life more diligently in India but the previous generation has become little they have been putting it off.

 

So now that you young people should see they could compare who is more God conscious their grandparents or their parents need to follow the previous system is better up course sometimes our God conscious also but hard to make any generalization.

 

The point is that in modern India they stress in TV and cinema and everything has been in a school and college but against the religion.

 

But this Kṛṣṇa conscious is a universal principle for everyone it’s not a sectarian anyone any part of the world can practice so that is what is needed today when you go to see Balaji in Tirumala you can go on chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Rāma no problem.

 

If you go to see Lord Śiva in Kālahasti you can also chant Hare Kṛṣṇa maha mantra this Hare Kṛṣṇa maha mantra is universal for everyone.

 

Caitanya Mahaprabhu chanted in all the temples of India whether Ammam temple or whether Devi or Muragan or Vinayaka any temple you will chant the same mantra

 

Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare

Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare

(All devotees repeat)

 

I see this mantra is to unify everyone we can have one mantra for the whole world this a mantra given by the Vedas and Puranas and Upanishads that we should chant this mantra this is the mantra Lord caitanya said everyone can chant.

 

So, we should have a facility for anyone coming to Tirupati they can learn how to chant the mantra. Some people say that when they standing before the deity, they can only keep concentration for a few minutes then the mind goes off very hard to control the mind in this Kali yoga but if we go on chanting that we can control the mind easy

 

Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare

Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare

(All devotees repeat)

 

you see here in the temple there is only a few resident devotees not so many but there are many are devotees in the community and the colleges around.

 

So once in once in a while on Purnima or Ekādaśī or some day in the week to help with not only devotees of the temple but all the devotees of the youth groups and the congregation if you do Hari naam six in the morning to wake up all the people they can rise and sleep hearing the names of Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Rāma.

 

This is a revolutionary the whole day begins by remembering God. Normally people waking up and turning on All India Radio find out where is the war where is this what politician is trying to say what they should wake up hearing the holy name of Kṛṣṇa isn’t it.

 

So little things like this if you do Lord Caitanya use to do that He bought early morning Harinam chanting and He would sing to the people wake up, wake up how long you long you all going to remain sleeping in maya wake up and chant the holy name of the Kṛṣṇa.

 

All we doing Prabhupāda [Not Clear - 00:35:34] doing this in Calcutta 5.30, 6 in the morning we are going chanting. When we see people open up the window and look out nothing that I am nothing up now then wake up this is our whole process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness to wake up the sleeping souls.

 

Someone may come to the deity and pray please deity please give me good house, give me good child give me good this give me good that but they never realize what is their relationship with the deity they are going with a shopping list what they want but they don’t realize that the greatest gift is to have a relationship with Kṛṣṇa here is our real friend other friends they are only friend along as you please them when you don’t please them and they may also leave you but Kṛṣṇa is always with us as the Paramatma but why don’t we try to please him? if we do a little bit serve Kṛṣṇa He very pleased with us.

 

So, the way we can begin is by chanting his holy names

 

Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare

Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare

(All devotees repeat)

 

reading his teachings to us which were given to us for our benefit and we can accept this holy prasad remnants if His food then everyone like people are coming from miles away just to get Tirupati Laddus, balaji laddu people like prashad.

 

So, this progress is simple we should take prashad chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and study Gītā  and Bhagavat, Hare Kṛṣṇa any one like this process raise your hand

Nitāi Gaura Sītā Premānande Hari Hari Bol (All repeat)

 

Any questions?

 

(In audible: 38.05)

 

who does she Say (In audible: 38.25)

 

somebody god but not Kṛṣṇa, you see how many know about God?

 

How is it possible we can know about God?

 

We only know about God from the sastra.

 

Just like that lady is Godfather but how does she know who her father is?

 

How does she know who her father is?

 

She had to learn from her father she had to learn from her mother because she wasn’t available when her mother was when my father was their only mother knows who the father is the mother said this is your father.

 

Like that we don t know who God is you can only know from our mother, mother is the sastra scripture telling us who God is.

 

So, when Kṛṣṇa came down He told Arjuna that I am God then this then Arjuna said I believe you because Devala, Nārada and all the great authorities they also say the same thing. There may be others who don’t want believe You so if You can show Your universal form, I believe you then Kṛṣṇa showed him universal form this way He proved He was the supreme Godhead.

 

But you can tell that lady that all right whether you believe or you don’t believe we don’t mind that’s your free will but we challenge her chant Hare Kṛṣṇa every day for one year let her chant for half hour one hour a day for one year at the end of the year then she says that nothing happened to her no change in her life that will be proved to her.

 

She can prove there is no God she can chant every day hours and hours and proved that nothing been change with her but so far anybody who chanted they change. There is the power of the mantra would you say this mantra is so powerful we are not afraid even you have no faith you chant it still you feel the change.

 

Tell her to be a scientist do experiment but all the atheist gets together and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa all day long then good that nothing happens. See how many people remain as atheist.

Any other question?

 

The two episodes [Not Clear - 00:41.43] (Aside)

 

Ok. Thank you.

 

Hare Kṛṣṇa.