A Happy Soil for Your Soul to Live
Goswāmī Mahārāj:
om ajñāna-timirāndhasya
jñānāñjana-śalākayā
cakṣur unmīlitaṁ yena
tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ
(Gautamīya-tantra)
mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ
paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande
śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 6.7.23 purport)
vande ’haṁ śrī-guroḥ śrī-yuta-pada-kamalaṁ
śrī-gurūn vaiṣṇavāṁś ca śrī-rūpaṁ sāgrajātaṁ
saha-gaṇa-raghunāthānvitaṁ taṁ sa-jīvam
sādvaitaṁ sāvadhūtaṁ parijana-sahitaṁ
kṛṣṇa-caitanya-devaṁ śrī-rādhā-kṛṣṇa-pādān
saha-gaṇa-lalitā-śrī-viśākhānvitāṁś ca
(Śrī Chaitanya-charitāmṛta: Antya-līlā 2.1)
śrī-caitanya-mano-'bhīṣṭaṁ sthāpitaṁ yena bhū-tale
svayaṁ rūpaḥ kadā mahyaṁ dadāti sva-padāntikam
(Śrī Chaitanya-charitāmṛta: Antya, 1.117, Purport)
namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te
kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-caitanyanāmne gaura-tviṣe namaḥ
(Śrī Chaitanya-charitāmṛta: Madhya, 19.53)
he kṛṣṇa karuṇā-sindhodīna-bandho jagat-pate
gopeśa gopikā-kānta rādhā-kānta namo 'stu te ...
(Archchan-kaṇa)
ānanda-līlā-maya-vigrahāya
hemābha-divyac-chavi-sundarāya
tasmai mahā-prema-rasa-pradāya
caitanya-candrāya namo namas te
(Śrī Chaitanya-bhāgavat: Madhya, 28.200)
Devotee: Daṇḍavats Mahārāj... Today we have question from Ofer B. Yavitz and he is asking... [interrupted]
Devotee: Summary of his question: ”In consideration of the present world pandemic, and the material world in general, why does God allow suffering?”
Kṛṣṇa is happiness—He is happiness personified—don't turn away from Him.
Goswāmī Mahārāj: So, we have to first understand the position of God, Divinity, Kṛṣṇa, and our present circumstance. Kṛṣṇa is happiness personified, right ...ānanda-mūrti ...ānando brāhmaṇo vidvāṁ (Tu: 2.4.1) ānanda-mayo 'bhyāsāt (Vs: 1.1.12). Repeatedly the word ānandam, or ecstasy, happiness, is used. So, He is happiness; He is happiness personified. If we turn away from Him, being seduced by the satanic mania of, you know, 'serve in Haven'... Would you rather serve in Haven or reign in Hell? If we're seduced by that prospect, and, bhayaṁ dvitīyābhiniveśataḥ syād īśād apetasya viparyayo ’smṛtiḥ... (SB: 11.2.37). We want to turn away and... from the land of dedication, Kṛṣṇa, and enter the land of exploitation. So, we're turning away from happiness personified, and entering the world that is absent happiness. It is not sat-cit-ānandam, or eternal existence; full cognizance and happiness. But, asat, acit and nirānanda.
It's temporary, full of ignorance and varieties of miserable, suffering conditions. So, that's the... our present situation. So, as if... if you in the desert, to complain that there's a lack of water. Is not to... Is to be in denial about the very place you're in, and within that context, to be repeatedly seduced by mirage of oases, right... In the form of the mirage; the illusion of solutions to this condition. So, the Kṛṣṇa world is full of happiness, infinite happiness, eternal existence, full knowledge, and complete happiness—satyam-śivam-sundaraṁ—truth, auspiciousness and beauty. But, as less we think that Kṛṣṇa is... How you say? Forgotten about us—or is unaware of our position— that is also misconception. There's never a moment when He's unaware of our situation, or forgetful of us.
Kṛṣṇa, “I'm situated in the heart of every living being; nothing is unknown to me.”
We have the... In Bhagavad-gītā, ...īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe ’rjuna tiṣṭhati bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni yantrārūḍhāni māyayā (Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā: 18.61). He says, “I'm situated in the heart of every living being.” Not only in human civilization.. In the heart of every living being, ...aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham (Bs:5.35); even in the atoms. He is everywhere. So, nothing is unknown to Him. But in His aspect as paramātmā or the Super Soul, He is impartial; like the Sun... sunlight is everywhere. The sunlight provides illumination for the lotus—its shinning on the lotus—its shinning on the pile of stool; He's present in all situations. But,
upadraṣṭānumantā ca
bhartā bhoktā maheśvaraḥ
paramātmeti cāpy ukto
dehe ’smin puruṣaḥ paraḥ
(Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā: 13.23)
His position is... tantamount to be neutral, impartial, none-judgmental. But accompanying every living being, at every step of the way. And inspiring them, giving suggestion... Impartial, but giving... Why impartial? To not interfere with a free will of jīva. In Jaiva Dharma, when Bhaktivinod Ṭhākur poses the question that... if someone says, “If He knew we had the potential for misusing this free will, why would He give it to us? Then make us without free will.” Then, you're no different then a stone, if there's no choice. Guru Mahārāj likes to give the example, when Gandhi was pushing for Indian independence. And at one point the response from the British was, “You're not feat for self-government. You may misuse that and do wrong .” To which Guru Mahārāj says that Gandhi replied, “Freedom means the right to do wrong.”
Repeatedly avatāras are descending into this plane, to rescue fallen souls.
So, the paramātmā is neutral in the sense—to not interfere with the free will of the jīva. At the same time you can say, sanding suggestions through conscience, right... And it's mentioned in Bhāgavatam and in the beginning of the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, the chapter Prabhupāda called, The Spiritual Masters, added, you know—infinite kindness and causeless mercy—He descends into this world... Says, ācārya, caitya, vapuṣā, means —internally, caitya-guru, the inner guide—and externally, as the ācārya, or spiritual master; the guide, Śrī Guru. We may not be able to discern the voice of the inner guide, over our own; once desires, impositions. So, he's saying, he appeared—He's always there as the inner guide—but externally, as the outer guide, Śrī Guru. Beside that, we're told in the Bhāgavatam, “He has innumerable incarnations. How numerous? Like the waves of the ocean.”
Repeatedly avatāras are descending into this plane to rescue fallen souls who opted to reign in Hell—as it were—to try and become, “The Lord of all I survey.”What David Foster Wallace told, “Our Tiny, Scull Size Kingdoms.” And, who's that? Shelley, Ozymandias... Puts this sort of mania in context. He said, “I...” He says, “I met...” In his poem, “I met a traveler from an ancient land, who saw something most peculiar. He found, out in the desert's sand, a broken statue of an ancient monarch... monarch from long ago.” And he said, the sculptor must have been very adept to capture... Is, that you see the face of that King... So, because the face... the head is lying on the sand, tilted. It's... What do you call... the other part of the statue? That's the bust part...
Devotee: [inaudible] ...I don't know... The base, perhaps...
To think, “We're the Lords of all we survey” is a foolish and ludicrous proposal.
Goswāmī Mahārāj: The base, its broken away. The legs are there with an inscription. But the head's lying on the sand. And he said—he must have known him well and sculpted him well—the arrogant sneer that was upon that face in the sand. And he reads the inscription at the base of the statue, and says, “I am Ozymandias, King of Kings. Look upon my kingdom, ye Mighty, and despair..!” He said, “But as you look around, all you see is endless desert sand.” That kingdom—whatever it may've been at one time—vanished from this world. So, trying to establish ourselves here as “The Monarch of all I survey... The Lord of all I survey” it's a foolish and ludicrous proposal. But what do we hear in the pages of Bhāgavatam, to give us some inside on that. How it is—the soul in its original position—comes to navigate the world of exploitation?
We... Shakespeare... Bhāgavatam, Shakespeare, Eliot... You know—between the idea and the reality—falls the shadow... Shakespeare, “Out, out, brief candle. Life's but the walking shadow...” Śrīlā Guru Mahārāj, cit-ābhāsa, chāyā-ābhāsa... That the cit-soul, must have some interim state—like in interface—to navigate the material world. He calls it chāyā-ābhāsa, cit-ābhāsa, a shadow representation of the soul, of the self. The Bhāgavatam gives the example of the Moon reflecting on the pool of water, yathā jale candramasaḥ kampādis tat-kṛto guṇaḥ... (SB: 3.7.11). That the Moon is situated in one place, and it's reflecting through illumination... it's reflecting on the pool of water; kampādi, kampā means trembling, quivering, wavering. So, the reflection that you see on the water, is... With the quivering of the water, its becoming distorted. But actually, the Moon is situated in one place, unaffected by that.
It's the reflection that is subjected to, apparently, seemingly being distorted. So, the Veda says, asaṅgo hy ayaṁ puruṣaḥ (Bau: 4.15). The soul is never, actually, associated with, contaminated by, corrupted by the modes of material nature. Like that Moon—its not, actually, subjected to the conditions of the reflection. Its a similar situation. Caitanya-caritāmṛtam says,
‘dvaite’ bhadrābhadra-jñāna, saba —‘manodharma’
‘ei bhāla, ei manda’, — ei saba ‘bhrama’
(Śrī Chaitanya-charitāmṛta: Antya-līlā, 4.176)
The whole objective world is like an iceberg floating in an ocean of consciousness.
That the dualities of this world... He said, that something is auspicious,
inauspicious; good, bad, ‘ei bhāla, ei manda’. Whether it's saying, “This is good, this is bad” it's all manodharma—means, a dream—it's a dream-like situation. The... Even cognitive scientist, Donald Hoffman, gives the example of computer interface... The desktop... You see a folder, there's no folder there—it's an icon—it's a representation. Really, if you trace everything back to its original source, it will be consciousness. Guru Mahārāj says... on this concept of subjective evolution, that the whole objective world is like an iceberg floating in an ocean of consciousness. But what we're being... The narrative, the competing narratives, what the majority of propaganda favors, is the concept, that the material world is, more or less, infinite. We hear, a trillion, trillion stars in the known Universe.
And then, one planet—the Earth planet, sustains life, and conscious beings— and the conscious elite, which are human beings. So, that means, the objective aspect is virtually infinite. Now, as we go toward the subjective, conscious plane, it is very limited. And of those conscious beings, who can, you know—hear, taste, touch, smell, feel—their consciousness enables them to feel. If they get lucky, on the good day if they get lucky, they will experience a drop of happiness. So, in this scenario, happiness is minuscule, or the most finite. Then, consciousness, somewhat greater then that—but what is wast—is the objective world. The Vedic understanding is just the opposite of that. And that's good news for us. And, we're told—ānandam, happiness, ecstasy—that is the ultimate substance. Back to what we said originally, “Kṛṣṇa is ānanda-mūrti, He is happiness personified; the Infinite is happiness personified.”
“We want to extend our empire, our kingdom in this hateful, nasty, illusory land.”
Then, there's consciousness. And within consciousness a cluster of subjective concepts makes an object. So, the whole material world, the whole objective world is like an iceberg floating in the ocean of consciousness. So, repeatedly, in various ways, we're told not to try and make a stand in this plane. So, normally, I don't like to read on camera, but there are some things that Śrīlā Guru Mahārāj said, that I extracted from my notes... I'd like to read them here. And I think it would be helpful for us to understand the present circumstance, and context. He says, “How hateful is this environment we're living in? And we want to extend our empire here? This nasty land... We're busy to extend our empire, our kingdom? This is foolish. Find out a happy soil for your soul to live there—that is reality—and this is all imaginary.”
Jīvera ‘svarūpa’ haya — kṛṣṇera ‘nitya-dāsa’kṛṣṇera ‘taṭasthā-śakti’ ‘bhedābheda-prakāśa’ (Cc: Madhya, 20.108). When Sanātan Goswāmī asked Mahāprabhu, ‘ke āmi’, ‘kene āmāya jāre tāpa-traya’ ihā nāhi jāni — ‘kemane hita haya’ (Cc: Madhya, 20.102), “Who am I? Why am I suffering from the threefold miseries: adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika—self inflicted miseries, miseries from others living beings and natural disturbances. We think, “If...Why...Why is... Who am I? Why am I suffering in this way? If I don't... If I do not know this, how can I know what is beneficial for me? And, interestingly, Mahāprabhu's first stanza say, jīvera... the svarūpa, the jīva—the original form, spiritual form of the jīva—the eternal, spiritual form of every soul—is kṛṣṇa-daśa, eternally. That is your eternal situation. But we've turned away from that. That is suppressed.
“Merge yourself wholly in Kṛṣṇa's interest, then you will be happy.”
And, our... In this dream-like existence of a... It's not only reflection—but we're told in the pages of Gītā—a perverted reflection. What is it exactly? ...ūrdhva-mūlam adhaḥ-śākham...(Bg: 15.1). Where do you see this? Saying, “A tree that has its roots upward, and its branches downward.” On the bank of the river—reflection—up side down, and backwards... And it says, so, jīvera ‘svarūpa’ haya — kṛṣṇera ‘nitya-dāsa...
A particle we are, mamaivāṁśo jīva-loke jīva-bhūtaḥ sanātana... (Bg: 15.7); aṁśa—parts of Kṛṣṇa—the finite, the infinitesimal, complementary part of the Infinite. In connection with the Whole—a particle can have backing of the whole force—if in an affectionate connection. The particle may be supported by the Infinite, if it is in a happy relationship with the Infinite. That is a most desirable position for everyone of us. Merge yourself wholly in His interest, then you will be happy.
#00: 23:04# Even the most acute type of atheist wants happiness; ānandam, happiness is more graphic, more extensive, more... The most comprehensive thing is ānandam, happiness. Materially we think ānandam is the smallest. Consciousness, more specious, right... And matter, infinite. But just the opposite is true. Then, he says... So... [long pause] He begins talking about the mortal world, and the concept of “Die to live.” Death means not only the physical, but mental death. And the death of all our ambitious aspirations. Death's jurisdiction is so much... So, “Die to live!” Living is also wonderful living... Living is also a wonderful, strangest thing, in comparison with the present living. That is—living along with the all-good, the all-high, all-divine, all superior. How happy that life is. Wherever I'm breathing, everything is of a higher quality then myself.
Divine servitors are fully engaged in the loving service of the Lord of Love, Kṛṣṇa.
How happy, how elevating... And, at this point, we should not impose our limited view of the limited, upon the unconditional existence of the Unlimited. When we think—what is an objectionable in this world, and apply it to the Spiritual world—it is not an officiated plane. Like we've told in Caritāmṛtam, vaikuṇṭhera pṛthivy-ādi sakala cinmaya ... (Cc: Ādi, 5.53). The whole spiritual world is comprised not only of consciousness, but consciousness enriched with the highest sort of dedicating tendency—that means, cinmaya—from the ground up. What to speak of the superior souls and the divine servitors, traversing that plane in loving service of the Lord of Love, Kṛṣṇa. So, we should not think that that plane of loving relationships of that world, are like the same relations we find in the world of exploitation.
The rule of thumb in the world of exploitation—rather it's Darwinian survival of the fittest—or in the words of Bhāgavatam, ...jīvo jīvasya jīvanam (SB: 1.13.47). One living being lives by exploiting another... like thrives at the expense of another. The spiritual world is the land of dedication, where one living being lives by serving another. Like this... even... every... Wherever I am breathing, everything is of the higher quality then my own self. How happy, how elevating... But have we got such courage, such boldness to live there; to die a wholesale death... To die a wholesale death of all our experienced life. To be severed from all the valuable things that we've gathered experience of. Is it possible for us? Not so easy. All the ideals—high ideals we've ever accumulated, or come in association to—all to be given up.
We've got the opportunity to find other soil, and to take permanent residence there.
Not only our physical acquisitions, but mental acquisitions, mental prospects—all we've ever acquired—give up! Dissolution of the whole mind, body... Only soul, naked soul to be taken to that land, with the help of so many saints of that caliber—stranger then dream—reality is stranger then dream; fiction. Our standard of prospect should be raised so high.... [long pause] It says, that will all vanish... The whole solar system—the concrete solar system of your thinking—that will go nowhere one day. I also know... You also admitted that, so there's time we've got the opportunity to find out some other soil, where to go and take our permanent residence. We're in search for that... Hare Kṛṣṇa... And we are given assurance that it is a permanent, and very happy soil. And we can trace within you also a portion of that; atmā.
We can eliminate the world, the senses, the mind, then wisdom. And above wisdom there's some light—spark of knowledge—divine spark. And we're told that You're that spark, āścarya-vat paśyati kaścid enam... (Bg: 2.29). Kṛṣṇa tells Arjuna, in the Bhagavad-gītā “If you would have a glimpse of your soul, and its reality potential, its prospect, you would be astonished.” The source of this spark is above your head—that is the land, that is the soil for which we're meant to live—a very sweet soil to live in. Kṛṣṇa says, “Man will come to push you down from there, ...vartmānuvartante... (Bg: 4.11). But here, within this circle—going up, down according to action—going up and down, dying, dying, dying ...janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (Bg: 13.9); real intelligence can detect all these defects of this life. So, what is this? Birth, death, old age, disease.
Try to find out the means how to reach your sweet home.
Since the beginning of time, in this world no one has been able to eliminate these miseries from material existence. Whatever situation we're at present, it's not, actually, something new. It is the constant... How we say...? Condition of material existence. What is this saying in the Bible? How to say..? “What has been, will be again. What has been done, will be done again.” There's nothing new under the Sun, āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca (Mahābhārata); āhāra, to relish food; nidrā, to sleep, enjoy sleep; bhaya, apprehension from all sides. Some injury, some harm may come to me in some form... maithunaṁ, the biological imperative; reproduction. This is always in the animal circle. Even in the tree it is to be found—but in human species you can search for your home—your sweet home.
So, try to find out the means how to reach your sweet home. This is permanent—the sweet home, which is permanent—sat, cit, full of consciousness, knowledge—ānandam; and is got its fulfillment. Meantime, here, in the search for fulfillment, we're trying to acquire, control and consume that which is lower then us. As a means of fulfillment, satisfaction, adopting the position of a consumer. And, we're told
this is the root-cause of suffering—hṛd-rogam—heart disease. Not physical heart disease, but core-consciousness-heart, right... To think that through exploitation I will realize my potential, as oppose to dedication. “I'm the Monarch of all I survey, and if I can't be, I don't want anything. I don't want to be small. I'm the biggest!” That is Humanism, which I think it's a consequence of māyāvāda.
Guru Mahārāj, “So, this is a suicidal civilization.”
What is Humanism? Promoting this idea that man is the center and the measure of all existence. We see it... The playwright, Henry Miller, when asked about the... How you say..? The position of the theater in the modern world; whether or not it was important. Remember, previously they said, “Poets, they're the arbiters of reality.” So, recording Shakespeare, Shelley and others. But in time the playwrights, they become important. But then, when they're asking him... the position of playwrights in the modern world. He said, “Modern people don't get their cues from, you know, poets and playwrights, or, you know, spiritual thinkers, philosophers.” He said, “Where do they take their cues from? Advertising.” They being bombarded constantly with Humanistic sloganeering or advertising in the form of Humanistic sloganeering, such as, you know, “Master Card—master the possibilities!”
“Visa—its everywhere you want to be!” “L'Oréal—because I'm worthy!” “Weight Watchers—total indulgence—zero guilt!” It's appealing to the lowest aspect of ourselves. What is the promise of the Internet, and its commercial aspect? Total access and acquisition of all things, at all times, for everyone. Think about that. Its promise is, total acquisition to all things at all times, for everyone. Again, that I will find fulfillment by acquiring, controlling and consuming things that are lower then my actual conscious self. Then Guru Mahārāj continue, “So, this is a suicidal civilization.” The whole civilization is rotten to the bottom. They're exploiting nature for the apparent good of human society, but it is incurring a loan from nature, that must be payed to the farthing, with interest. Because they do not believe this, they will have no relief.
But our policy is different; plain living and high thinking.
They will be forced to clear the debt. Nature won't forgive them. Nature's there like a computer, calculating. So, this civilization is anti-civilization. The whole thing is rotten, a camouflage, a treachery to the Soul-world. But our policy is different; plain living and high thinking. The great thinker, and most credible voice in, you could say, new age thinking... also quite afraid... Counter... Making the counter-culture... Theodore Roszak, he wrote the book called Where The Wasteland Ends. We know that T.S. Eliot wrote the poem called The Wasteland. He also wrote another poem called The Hollow Men, of which the last line is, “This is the way the world ends; not with a bang but a whimper.” You know Gatsby... Fitzgerald's Gatsby has the Valley of Ashes. So thematically, this image keeps re-accruing in serious literature.
So, Theodore Roszak, perhaps thirty years ago, he said, “What is the looming environmental crisis before us?” But... An example... He said, “It is external erosion that is the consequence of inner erosion.” So, just to try and reconfigure the objective world. So, science or technology... That thing... We will eliminate exploitation, or the tendency of people to abuse others, to exploit others. We'll eliminate inequality, injustice, through science... We can say, “Oh, we will, through genetic engineering and modification, we can design people in such way, that they will operate within the parameters, that are acceptable to the members of our comity.” He understand. There was another group who had an ambitious policy similar to that, called the National Socialist Party. External erosion is a consequence of inner erosion; lack of inner development. Being outwardly directed.
Exploitation; to keep up one body, thousands of bodies are to be sacrificed.
So, Guru Mahārāj concludes, “Our policy should be—to make best use of the bad bargain.” Somehow or the other, we've already come here. So, now we have to utilize
our time and our energy in such way, that with the least exploitation we can get out of this world. Hare Kṛṣṇa... You know, it says... [chuckle] There's saying, “God save us from our enemies.” And this is, “God save us from our friends.” Our charm for this material world of enjoyment, should vanish; that is the trouble. To save us from the friends, that is the question. We love them; that is the enemy within. The enemy is within, that I've got the traction. I love this paraphernalia... I like them. This is the enemy.
Every action—reaction. Exploitation, jīvo jīvasya jīvanam (SB: 1.13.47). To keep up one body, thousands of bodies are to be sacrificed. Then only one body can stand.
This is the filthy conception of life; it is suicidal in itself. This is no civilization, no life; a hateful aspect of life. At the cost of other beings, we are to maintain
us. Wherever we shell go to maintain—thousands of lives will be sacrificed—for that hateful conception of life. So, be desperate for giving yourself, and you'll be a gainer also, within that line, “Give and have.” Hare Kṛṣṇa... Any other question?
Devotee: Yes, Mahārāj... We have few questions from the... maybe... Just a simple one from Gupta Govardhan, “How to stop just being in love with Kṛṣṇa, and start loving Him?”
Nārada Muni is chastising great Vedavyāsa for giving Religion to the world.
Goswāmī Mahārāj: [chuckle] When, in the beginning of Bhāgavatam, Vedavyāsa, we're told, is in his āśrama, on the banks of the Sarasvatī; and despondent. This is the great Vedavyāsa, who has, you know—compiled the Vedas, Purāṇas, and Mahābhārata, which includes Bhagavad-gītā... So many... In essence, his gift is Religion to the world. And he is feeling despondent. In the sense, it is one of the opening scenes of the Bhāgavatam, and the prelude to the appearance of Śukadeva Goswāmī. And we're told that Nārada Muni comes upon this scene. And Nārada begins by chastising Vedavyāsa—the great Vedavyāsa, who in some context may be even seen as an avatāra—śaktyāveś-avatāra. So, śaktyāveś-avatāra is being chastised; that's something to get your head around. But... And what is Nārada tell him, jugupsitaṁ dharma-kṛte ’nuśāsataḥ.. .(SB:1.5.15): ...kṛte ’nuśāsataḥ.
“You know what's the reason you're feeling this way is?” He said... And Guru Mahārāj... Again, this are Guru Mahārā's words... He said, “Because, you're a traitor to the cause.” What? The great Vedavyāsa? How can that be said about him? We've got... Everything has been given. All the religious books of the world, the original religious books of the world, come from him. And then, he can... It's really Nārada's Bhāgavatam, in ten ślokas or so... But he is telling them. And what is... jugupsitaṁ means... What is this most condemnable thing that you've done..? Is, you know, ...dharma-kṛte... You gave the world Religion... [laughing] Because, remember, in the very beginning of the Bhāgavatam says, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo ’tra paramo nirmatsarāṇāṁ satāṁ...(SB: 1.1.2); kaitavo- dharma, cheating religion; religion with ulterior motive and purpose will not be found in the pages of the Bhāgavatam.
Ādi-rasa, principle rasa—mādhura-rasa—everything is springing from there.
And what Nārada is telling Vyāsa, “Although was not your intention, inadvertently, you're giving people the sanction to be somewhat religious, and go on living in this world. To think that, 'If I'm religious, I can have happy material life'. Then who would want mukti, or to be liberated from material bondage? You're saying, 'No, you can be religious, and have a happy life, in all of its aspects'.” Back to Auden, “We're composed of Eros and dust” As we're always trying to figure out, how to deal with erotic tendency; Eros. So, Viśvanāth Cakravartī Ṭhākur... Prabhupāda quotes, and saying, that, in his parsing of, janmādy asya yato... (SB: 1.1.1); the first śloka of the Bhāgavatam which appears in Vedānta, but is then fully expressed in the first... Appears as a sūtra in Vedānta.
And comes again, but with full expression in the first śloka of the Bhāgavatam, janmādy asya yato ’nvayād itarataś cārtheṣv abhijñaḥ svarāṭ...(SB: 1.1.1) Viśvanāth says here, “This janmā... janmādy... asya, means that... It's a reference to ādi-rasa...” He's saying, “Everything is springing from the ādi-rasa—the mukhya-rasa, the principle rasa, mādhura-rasa.” The Eros aspect of Divinity. Everything's springing from that. It's not something that exists separately. And, by analyses you can say that. But, it's saying, if you trace it all the way back, you'll see that everything is coming from that plane. It is the mukhya, the root of all. And, as in Guru Mahārāj's words, “The... “ How he say it..? “All the other rasas are clients or satellites of mādhura-rasa.” So, it's very revealing for him to say this, and is the very nature of Kṛṣṇa ,and His Supreme Pastimes. And what do we hear in the beginning of Brahma-saṁhitā,
īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ
sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ
anādir ādir govindaḥ
sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam
(Śrī Brahma-saṁitā: 5.1)
Erotic principle has its fullest expression in relation with ānanda-murtī, Kṛṣṇa.
That the paramaḥ īśvaraḥ, the Supreme Controller is Kṛṣṇa. And that Kṛṣṇa is not some abstract, impersonal substance-force, but, sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ; He has form from which all other forms have come from; personality... He's eternal, omnipotent, and full of happiness and ecstasy. He is happiness personified, ānanda-murtī
Then what?...anādir ādir govindaḥ... The original of original is Govinda. And that, again, is an allusion to sensuousness... sensual... sensory fulfillment, right... Seeing, hearing, tasting, touching, smelling feeling... So, why do we say this things? Because Nārada is telling Vyāsa, that, “Although was inadvertent, people've got the impression from you, that the only plane where you can express yourself, sensuously—and not just in erotica; all sensuous expression, but including Eros—is this world.
And that the Spiritual World, this abstract... How you say..? Has no possibility for sensuous expression. So, then of course, this is so innate to the position of the soul... Saraswatī Ṭhākur says... Sanyal caused him say it in Erotic principle and unalloyed devotion, that to remove this aspect from the jīvas—it's concomitant to their existence—it would be to remove their existence. So, without sensing that prospect in the 'serve in Heaven', then they'll always gonna reign in Hell, right... But, with religious guidelines. So, Prabhupāda says in his purport... He said, Viśvanāth Cakravartī Ṭhākur says, “So, māyāvādīs denying the personality of Godhead and His sensuous capacity, are indirectly giving impetus to mundane sexuality.” Because, people would think, “I can't live without that, and this in the only world where that's a possibility.”
Nārada, “You have to express fully, possibilities of loving relationships with Kṛṣṇa.”
So, Nārada is telling Vyāsa, “You have to express the full range of sensuous possibility, and the full spectral range of loving relationships that's possible with Kṛṣṇa.” Therefor... But it's such sensitive point, and inconceivable, and so likely to be misunderstood, or misconceived. The Bhāgavatam is twelve cantos. It spends nine cantos... What is that in math? That will be... nine, you know, if you did three, three... What's the percentage? [devotee; inaudible] Nine out of twelve... Nine/twelve... But there's percentage... Anyway... [laughing] So, another words—it's eighteen thousand ślokas—nine cantos of prerequisite to enter into... before the birth of Kṛṣṇa. And ninety chapters, approximately, in a Tenth Canto, thirty before you get to Kṛṣṇa's pastimes with Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and the vraja-gopīs, has mādhura-rasa pastimes. Nine cantos prerequisite to the birth of Kṛṣṇa,
janma karma ca me divyam
evaṁ yo vetti tattvataḥ
tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma
naiti mām eti so ’rjuna
(Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā: 4.9)
If we can understand, ajo ’pi sann avyayātmā bhūtānām īśvaro.... (Bg: 4.6).
If we can understand how the unborn, is born. Has līlā, pastimes of birth, and karma- activities; pastimes-līlā. If you can understand the divine nature of this things, then after giving up this body you won't have to take birth again, in conditional existence; you'll enter the Kṛṣṇa World. So, Nārada is telling Vyāsa, “This you must describe.” Like we've mentioned the other day, when Śukadeva Goswāmī was a brahmāvādī. But, has been certified as not having the trace amount of 'male gaze', or exploiting tendency within him; pariniṣṭhito ’pi nairguṇya uttama-śloka-līlayā gṛhīta-cetā rājarṣe ākhyānaṁ yad adhītavān... (SB: 2.1.9.). “When I heard about the amorous pastimes of Kṛṣṇa with Rādhārāṇī and vraja-gopīs, my mind...My heart and soul, my whole existence was captured, and carried away to another domain, that I did not know existed, previously.”
The jīva is eternally kṛṣṇa-daśa, in: śānta, dāsya, sākhya, vātsalya and mādhura-rasa.
So, Nārada is telling Vyāsa, “You have to get explicit about that world. The prospect of life of love with Kṛṣṇa.” śānta-rasa, dāsya-rasa, sākhya, vātsalya, mādhura, svakīyā, parakīyā, ...muktir hitvānyathā rūpaṁ, sva-rūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ (SB: 2.10.6). What is the... Here we heard from Mahāprabhu, saying, “The svarūpa, the jīva is eternally kṛṣṇa-daśa.” But, that's a general thing. What kind of kṛṣṇa-daśa? Friend, parent, lover; what type of kṛṣṇa-daśa? Rādhā-dasī, rādhā- dāsyam... So, to... If we don't, systematically, approach Kṛṣṇa conception as is presented in the pages of the Bhāgavatam, as it is revealed by Caitanya Mahāprabhu, then Kṛṣṇa conception—we'll see—this will take the superficial aspects of Kṛṣṇa consciousness as the wallpaper of our lives.
It will be shallow or superficial. If, by the word 'love' we equate that with prema, that is a very high stage. Rūpa Goswāmī said, but, ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgo ’tha bhajana-kriyā... anartha-nivṛttiḥ... niṣṭhā... ruci... athāsakti... bhāva... premā... (Brs: 1.4.15). It is a very high... It is the highest achievement. So, it would be more appropriate to say, “Under the guidance of Guru and Vaiṣṇava; Sādhu, Śāstra, Guru, and Vaiṣṇava” We're trying, by their grace... their grace may awaken our loving tendency, or affectionate tendency toward Kṛṣṇa. We believe in them, we take shelter in them. As Saraswatī Ṭhākur said, “Kṛṣṇa-loving people.” Our approach is—if I can get the service of the Kṛṣṇa-loving person—through that service that loving tendency could be transferred to me. It's not something we're going to do independently, or cultivate in isolation.
Our natural love for Kṛṣṇa, has been pervertedly manifested as a lust for matter.
But it is our natural, innate position. And as Śrīla Prabhupāda says in the Bhagavad-gītā... Perhaps echoing the verse ...kṛṣṇa-prema... [pause] nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-prema 'sādhya' kabhu nayaśravaṇādi-śuddha-citte karaye udaya... (Bg:7.1-2). Said, “Our natural love for Kṛṣṇa, as at present, being pervertedly manifested as a lust for matter.” That's why we're telling earlier, hṛd-rogam. This has to be approached systematically. So, see how cautious is Vedavyāsa: nine cantos, prerequisite to enter into the proper conception of the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa. But, by service and association with those who have love and affection for Kṛṣṇa, that will be transferred to the heart of servitor. We know that, when... And, really, this is the purpose of Kṛṣṇa's centers, āśramas, temples around the world, is to give this sort of exposure, and this opportunity. And we're told,
dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsāṁ
viṣvaksena-kathāsu yaḥ
notpādayed yadi ratiṁ
śrama eva hi kevalam
(Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: 1.2.8)
And now, Vedavyāsa is converted by Nārada to this knew approach... Saying,
dharmaḥ... If it doesn't... Whatever you're doing, however right it may appear to be, if it doesn't ...notpādayed yadi ratiṁ...(viṣvaksena-kathāsu) vāsudeva-kathāyām—if it doesn't awaken some appreciation or taste for hearing about Kṛṣṇa—you're wasting your time; that's what it says is the criterium. So, we need to broadcast kṛṣṇa-kathā... And centers for broadcasting kṛṣṇa-kathā... So, when Śrīla Guru Mahārāj's to establish the center in Madras. He was told to go to one government department where they have some surplus founds, that will be available for construction of the temple. And much to his surprise and chagrin, when he arrived, that gentleman... That former officer has been replaced by the new man. And he said, “I'll tell you straight, if there are any surplus founds, it not gonna be used for making the temple. We will use it in some humanitarian work.”
The highest form of Infinite is human-like; reality-the-beautiful, the Lord of love.
Feeding people, clothing people, giving shelter... that sort of thing. And Guru Mahārāj was... I guess, in his words, saying, “Nonplussed.” And he thought, He didn't want to return to the Maṭh empty-handed. So, he prayed internally to Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Saraswatī Ṭhākur for some help, some inspiration; what to say in that situation. And, it's peculiar what came to him, and how to use it. But after Śukadeva has presented the pastimes, the sweet mādhura-rasa pastimes of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, and vraja-gopīs. The sages are dumb-struck and astonished. Because, why? They're thinking, “You told this... [chuckle] in the beginning, you know—jugupsitaṁ dharma-kṛte... (SB: 1.5.15)—the condemnable thing is Religion. And now, we're to understand that the new religion it's the condemnable thing; the amorous pastimes of Divinity.” Saying, “So, it's one thing...” As Guru Mahārāj put it... He said, “For you to tell us—God is human-like—He's like a man...
kṛṣṇera yateka khelā,
sarvottama nara-līlā,
nara-vapu tāhāra svarūpa
gopa-veśa, veṇu-kara,
nava-kiśora, naṭa-vara,
nara-līlāra haya anurūpa
(Śrī Chaitanya-charitāmṛta: Madhya, 21.101)
That, the Divine form is a templet for human form, right... The Supreme entity—human-like in dimension. The extremes of the Infinite, you know...aṇor aṇīyān mahato mahīyān... (Ku: 1.2.20); brahman, paramātmā... All-accommodating, all... Greater then the greatest, brahman. All-permeating, all... Smaller then the smallest, paramātmā... And you're telling us—the central conception of the Infinite, golden mean of the Infinite is human-like, with personality—reality-the-beautiful—the Lord of love, charm, sweetness, beauty; sat-cit-ānanda-vigrahaḥ... But now you're telling us—not only He is like a man—but like an immoral man. That is to much!” “Well... I'm sorry...” [laughing]. And that's when Śukadeva says, “No, no... Try to understand...” I mean, Parīkṣit Mahārāj is actually... sees the look on their faces... And he asked the question to allow Śukadeva to clarify.
To enter the confidential, esoteric pastimes of Divinity, one must be dhīra; qualified.
And he says, “Mahādev drunken ocean of poison...” What was the consequence? His neck turned blue, implying, “For those who are none-īśvarā—those who're not qualified to try and enter the confidential, esoteric aspect of these pastimes—it could be like poison; that would be harmful to them. Like the dhīra, they have to be qualified. When Mahāprabhu said, “I'm gonna dance in devī-bhāva.” And Advaita and Śrīvās... and the audience can only be members whose senses are completely under control.” Advaita and Śrīvās Ṭhākur, Maha-viṣṇu and Nārada Muni, said, “We're not qualified. We won't be able to attend the performance.” Mahāprabhu is saying, “If you, the two of you can't come, then the place is going to be empty.” But that is their humility.
Maha-viṣṇu, Sadā-Śiva, Advaita Ācārya, “I'm not qualified, if the qualification is that your senses must be controlled, then I won't be qualified to view, hear, observe, narrate these things.” Same thing from Nārada Muni, Śrīvās Ṭhākur. Nārada, who just chastised Vedavyāsa, that Nārada; that is their mood. And what is Mahāprabhu say? He see, their humility is heart braking and overwhelming, He's saying, “Alright! I'm gonna give you a special benediction, that doing the duration of that performance, your senses will be under control.” And Advaita's like, [whispering] “Alright...Yesss...” [chuckle] So, Śukadeva cautioning them. And at this point I feel to mention, the... And that Śiva... Where was that? The churning of the milk ocean by the Devatās and the Āsuras; ostensively, in search of immortality.
Brake your attachment to this world, and learn to live in the world of your faith.
Mṛtyu means death, āmṛta means, nectar... But also means, deathless. So, whether... And it's interesting, is still true to this day—whether atheist or theist on a lower level—they understand that we're living in this world of mortality. It will vanish. Rather, from theistic perspective, or an atheistic perspective, or scientific point of view—the world will vanish—has an expiration date. So, what to do? So, on the one side we have the Google guys saying, “Download yourself into a robot made out of diamonds.” On the other side, we have the theist, saying, “Brake your attachment to this world, and learn to live, and aspire... and live in the world of your faith.” We have the Āsuras and the suras, the Devatās, churning the... Mandara Mauntain... on the back of the Kūrma Avatār—the kṣīra-sāgaraḥ, the milk ocean—trying to achieve nectar.
So, we... Ostensively, the story says, they're trying... They want the nectar pot that end up in the hands of Mohinī-mūrti, so they can have immortality... Not have to deal with mortality; the inevitable problem facing everyone here. But then, this sound so basic and generic. And now, we're saying, “Why would something like that be in the pages of the Bhāgavatam?” A book that is... culminates in an expression of mādhura-rasa pastimes of Kṛṣṇa, has a section promoting generic, off-the-shelf immortality?Cannot be. But I could not answer that. But I submitted to GuruMahārāj, that I could not understand. Particularly with this śloka referencing that pastime which appears in the Eight Canto; śloka in the last chapter of Twelve Canto—the conclusion of the Bhāgavatam—referencing that pastime.
Bhāgavatam reveals, “The ultimate nectarine substance, āmṛta is mādhura-rasa.”
Pṛṣṭhe bhrāmyad amanda-mandara-giri-grāvāgra-kaṇḍūyanān nidrāloḥ kamaṭhākṛter... (SB: 12.13.2) etc... So... Why? And Śrīla Guru Mahārāj said to me, “What was the object of their churning? Was to achieve āmṛta. The reason this is included in the Bhāgavatam is to... Because the Bhāgavatam reveals the ultimate nectarine substance—is mādhura-rasa—and that's why it's included there.” And, note: who is generated from milk ocean? Lakṣmī Devī, right... Maha Lakṣmī... See, the Moon comes out, so we can understand, there may be some loving exchange, because, you know—from the Moon of the candra-vaṁśa, yadu-vaṁśa... The candra-vaṁśa, and Goddess Śrī, Jaya Śrī. So, when Parīkṣit Mahārāj seeing the apprehension of the Sages, having heard about this most confidential pastimes of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, and vraja-gopīs, gives Śukadeva the opportunity to tell them, to give them the necessary cautions.
He says, vikrīḍitaṁ vraja-vadhūbhir idaṁ ca viṣṇoḥ... (SB: 10.33.39). These sort of pastimes of Kṛṣṇa with the vraja-vadhūbhir...vadhū... that means, the vraja-gopīs. He said, vikrīḍitaṁ vraja-vadhūbhir idaṁ ca viṣṇoḥ... (SB: 10.33.39). Here, he chooses not to call Him as Kṛṣṇa. It's clearly Kṛṣṇa. So, why does he now say viṣṇoḥ..? To say— in this context, viṣṇu means, Divinity—and is more conventionally understood by them. And what is he saying? “These aren't the pastimes of an ordinary man. Don't mistake the aprākṛta-līlā of Kṛṣṇa, the human-like pastimes of Kṛṣṇa, to be like that of an ordinary man. Or men and women of this world.” He's saying, ...viṣṇoḥ śraddhānvito ’nuśṛṇuyād atha varṇayed yaḥ...(SB: 10.33.39). And this can only be understood through the culture of faith, under the guidance of proper Sādhu, Śāstra, Guru, and Vaiṣṇava. Then, bhaktiṁ parāṁ bhagavati pratilabhya kāmaṁ hṛd-rogam āśv apahinoty acireṇa dhīraḥ (SB: 10.33.39)
What would, ultimately satisfy the inner necessity of the heart? Selfless dedication.
Only for those who've achieved the stage of dhīra, means: they're beyond
mundane sense disturbance. Even James Joyce in a... What is it..? Portrait of The Young Artist... Yeah, hat's the title... When the two students are walking in Dublin... One says, on the subject of aesthetic beauty. When is it really, aesthetic beauty? Like in the case of eroticism. He said, “There will be no mundane response to that sort of exposure— it doesn't awaken—if it is truly aesthetic beauty.” So, for those who're unqualified to hear this sort of confidential pastimes, and get mundane reaction—disqualifies them—and it is an offense to the Divinity. He said, “First has to be cure that hṛd-rogam—that heart disease, consumerism; to acquire control and consume.” And then Guru... So, Guru Mahārāj is using this śloka to appeal to this man.
And then, he gives two examples that are startling. And he says in consideration of the transmigration of the soul trough different species, that, “When I was
in the body of the stool-eating pig, I ate hills of stool, and that hunger was not satisfied. When I was in the body of an elephant I ate jungles, and that hunger was not satisfied.” So, what would satisfy the inner necessity of the heart, which is hankering, ultimately, not for something to consume, but to utterly give itself to in dedication. That is what is presented in Kṛṣṇa conception. And, through the... mahājanas are compare to the lighthouses, that show the pathway... Their footprints show the pathway to cross over the ocean of nescience, to the land of dedication. So, he's saying, “The real cause of suffering is this inner heart disease. And the cure for that is hearing about Kṛṣṇa and His divine pastimes.”
Want to make an āśrama, to cure that heart disease that everyone is suffering from.
So, we want to make an āśrama, to cure that heart disease that everyone is suffering from. And he said, “The man begin to cry.” And said, “Swamiji, I believe in God.” And Guru Mahārāj said, “Your tears are the evidence of that.” And then he gave a contribution to the building of the Madras Gauḍīya Maṭh. Hare Kṛṣṇa. [pause] So, proper Kṛṣṇa conception, under the guidance of Sādhu, Śāstra, Guru, and Vaiṣṇava... Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Jaya oṁ viṣṇupāda paramahaṁsa-parivrājakāchāryya- varyya aṣṭottara-śata-śrī śrīmad śrīla Bhakti Sundar Govinda-Dev-Goswāmī Mahārāj, kī jaya!
Jaya oṁ viṣṇupāda Śrīla Bhakti Rakṣak Śrīdhar-Dev-Goswāmī Mahārāj, kī jaya!
Jaya suparikara śrī śrī guru-gaurāṅga-gandharva-govinda-sundarajiu, kī jaya!
Śrī Girirāja-Govardhan, kī jaya!
Śrī rūpānuga-guru-varga, kī jaya!
Nāmācārya Śrīla Haridāsa Ṭhākur, kī jaya!
Śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda, śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhaktavṛnda, kī jaya!
Śrī śrī Rādhā-kṛṣṇa, gopa-gopīnātha, Śyāma-kuṇḍa, Rādhā-kuṇḍa Giri-govardhan,
kī jaya!
Vṛṇdavan-dhām, kī jaya!
Navadwiup-dhām, kī jaya!
Śrī Caitanya Saraswat Maṭh, kī jaya!
Śrī Gupta-Govardhan, kī jaya!
Gaṅgā-devī, Yamunā-devī, Bhakti-devī, Tulasī-devī, kī jaya!
Oṁ Viṣṇupāda Viṣva-vareṇya Śrīlā A.C. Bhakti Vedanta Swāmī Prabhupāda, kī jaya!
Śrī Caitanya Saraswat Maṭh ācārya-vṛṇda, kī jaya!
Jaya Śrīla Bhakti Bimal Avadhūt Mahārāj, kī jaya!
Jaya Bhakti Rañjit Madhusūdana Mahārāj, kī jaya!
Sevā-vṛṇda, kī jaya!
Sāma-veda bhakta-vṛṇda, kī jaya!
Nitaī-gaurā premānande, hari!
Devotee: Jaya Śrīla Bhakti Sudhīr Goswāmī Mahārāj, kī jaya!
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Bg: Bhagavad-gītā
Bau: Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad
Bs: Brahma-saṁhitā
Cc: Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta
Ku: Kaṭha-upaniṣad
SB: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam
Tu: Taittirīya-upaniṣad
Vs: Vedānta-sūtra
Transcribers: Enakshi Devi Dasi, Radha Raman Prabhu
Abbreviations
- SB:
- Śrīmad Bhāgavatam