Vyasadev
Praneetha
The Mad Bhagavatam
Canto 7
15th chapter sloka 41 to 80
7.15.41
(41) One says that the body is the chariot, that the senses are the horses, that the mind - the master of the senses - is there as the reins, that the sense-objects form the paths followed, that reason constitutes the charioteer and that character is the great bond created by the Lord.
For a bewildered person in the materialistic way of life, the body, the mind and the senses, which are engaged in sense gratification, are the cause of bondage to repeated birth, death, old age and disease. But for one who is advanced in spiritual knowledge, the same body, senses and mind are the cause of liberation. This is confirmed in the Kaṭha Upaniṣad (1.3.3-4,9) as follows:
ātmānaḿ rathinaḿ viddhi
indriyāṇi hayān āhur
The soul is the occupant of the chariot of the body, of which the driver is the intelligence. The mind is the determination to reach the destination, the senses are the horses, and the sense objects are also included in that activity. Thus one can reach the destination, Viṣṇu, who is paramaḿ padam, the supreme goal of life. In conditioned life the consciousness in the body is the cause of bondage, but the same consciousness, when transformed into Kṛṣṇa consciousness, becomes the cause for one's returning home, back to Godhead.The human body, therefore, may be used in two ways — for going to the darkest regions of ignorance or for going forward, back home, back to Godhead. To go back to Godhead, the path is mahat-sevā, to accept the self-realized spiritual master. Mahat-sevāḿ dvāram āhur vimukteḥ [SB 5.5.2]. For liberation, one should accept the direction of authorized devotees who can actually endow one with perfect knowledge. On the other hand, tamo-dvāraḿ yoṣitāḿ sańgi-sańgam: if one wants to go to the darkest regions of material existence, one may continue to associate with persons who are attached to women (yoṣitāḿ sańgi-sańgam). The word yoṣit means "woman." Persons who are too materialistic are attached to women.
It is said, therefore, ātmānaḿ rathinaḿ viddhi śarīraḿ ratham eva ca. The body is just like a chariot or car in which one may go anywhere. One may drive well, or else one may drive whimsically, in which case it is quite possible that he may have an accident and fall into a ditch. In other words, if one takes directions from the experienced spiritual master one can go back home, back to Godhead; otherwise, one may return to the cycle of birth and death. Therefore Kṛṣṇa personally advises:
aśraddadhānāḥ puruṣā
dharmasyāsya parantapa
"Those who are not faithful on the path of devotional service cannot attain Me, O conqueror of foes, but return to birth and death in this material world." (Bg. 9.3) The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, personally gives instructions on how one can return home, back to Godhead, but if one does not care to listen to His instructions, the result will be that one will never go back to Godhead, but will continue life in this miserable condition of repeated birth and death in material existence (mṛtyu-saḿsāra-vartmani).The advice of experienced transcendentalists, therefore, is that the body be fully engaged for achieving the ultimate goal of life (svārtha-gatim). The real interest or goal of life is to return home, back to Godhead. To enable one to fulfill this purpose, there are so many Vedic literatures, including Vedānta-sūtra, the Upaniṣads, Bhagavad-gītā, Mahābhārata and the Rāmāyaṇa. One should take lessons from these Vedic literatures and learn how to practice nivṛtti-mārga. Then one's life will be perfect. The body is important as long as it has consciousness. Without consciousness, the body is merely a lump of matter. Therefore, to return home, back to Godhead, one must change his consciousness from material consciousness to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. One's consciousness is the cause of material bondage, but if this consciousness is purified by bhakti-yoga, one can then understand the falsity of his upādhi, his designations as Indian, American, Hindu, Muslim, Christian and so on. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaḿ tat-paratvena nirmalam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. One must forget these designations and use this consciousness only for the service of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore if one takes advantage of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, his life is certainly successful.
7.15.42
(42) The spokes of the wheel [see also 7.9: 21] are the ten airs in the body [called prâna, apâna, samâna, vyâna, udâna, nâga, kûrma, krikala, devadatta and dhanañjaya], the inside and outside of the wheels are religion and irreligion, the one driven is the individual soul who is falsely identified, the Pranava is the bow and the living entity the arrow, but the target is for sure the Supreme.
Ten kinds of life air always flow within the material body. They are called prāṇa, apāna, samāna, vyāna, udāna, nāga, kūrma, kṛkala, devadatta and dhanañjaya. They are compared here to the spokes of the chariot's wheels. The life air is the energy for all of a living being's activities, which are sometimes religious and sometimes irreligious. Thus religion and irreligion are said to be the upper and lower portions of the chariot's wheels. When the living entity decides to go back home, back to Godhead, his target is Lord Viṣṇu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In the conditioned state of life, one does not understand that the goal of life is the Supreme Lord. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiḿ hi viṣṇuḿ durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ [SB 7.5.31]. The living entity tries to be happy within this material world, not understanding the target of his life. When he is purified, however, he gives up his bodily conception of life and his false identity as belonging to a certain community, a certain nation, a certain society, a certain family and so on (sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaḿ tat-paratvena nirmalam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]). Then he takes the arrow of his purified life, and with the help of the bow — the transcendental chanting of praṇava, or the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra — he throws himself toward the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura has commented that because the words "bow" and "arrow" are used in this verse, one might argue that the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the living entity have become enemies. However, although the Supreme Personality of Godhead may become the so-called enemy of the living being, this is His chivalrous pleasure. For example, the Lord fought with Bhīṣma, and when Bhīṣma pierced the Lord's body on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra, this was a kind of humor or relationship, of which there are twelve. When the conditioned soul tries to reach the Lord by hurling an arrow at Him, the Lord takes pleasure, and the living entity gains the profit of going back home, back to Godhead. Another example given in this regard is that Arjuna, as a result of piercing the ādhāra-mīna, or the fish within the cakra, achieved the valuable gain of Draupadī. Similarly, if with the arrow of chanting the holy name of the Lord one pierces Lord Viṣṇu's lotus feet, by dint of performing this heroic activity of devotional service one receives the benefit of returning home, back to Godhead.
ignorance and sometimes they sprout from the mode of goodness.
7.15.43-44
rajas-tamaḥ-prakṛtayaḥ
propagate Kṛṣṇa consciousness
(43-44) Attachment and aversion, greed and lamentation, illusion, fear, madness, false prestige, insult, fault-finding and deception, violence and jealousy, unrest, bewilderment, hunger and sleep are one's enemies indeed; these and more are sometimes the consequence of passion and.
7.15.45
dhatte gariṣṭha-caraṇārcanayā niśātam
(45) As long as one has this human form, which as a chariot with all its subordinate parts depends on one's control, must one in service of the lotusfeet of the most venerable ones hold on to the, by the strength of the Infallible One, sharpened sword of knowledge until the enemy is defeated, so that satisfied of one's transcendental bliss this body can be given up for the sake of the pure, uncontaminated being.
The actual aim of life is to go back home, back to Godhead, but there are many hindrances created by the three modes of material nature — sometimes by a combination of rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa, the modes of passion and ignorance, and sometimes by the mode of goodness. In the material world, even if one is a philanthropist, a nationalist and a good man according to materialistic estimations, these conceptions of life form a hindrance to spiritual advancement. How much more of a hindrance, then, are hostility, greed, illusion, lamentation and too much attachment to material enjoyment? To progress toward the target of Viṣṇu, which is our real self-interest, one must become very powerful in conquering these various hindrances or enemies. In other words, one should not be attached to being a good man or a bad man in this material world.
In this material world, so-called goodness and badness are the same because they consist of the three modes of material nature. One must transcend this material nature. Even the Vedic ritualistic ceremonies consist of the three modes of material nature. Therefore Kṛṣṇa advised Arjuna:
traiguṇya-viṣayā vedā
nistraiguṇyo bhavārjuna
"The Vedas mainly deal with the subject of the three modes of material nature. Rise above these modes, O Arjuna. Be transcendental to all of them. Be free from all dualities and from all anxieties for gain and safety, and be established in the self." (Bg. 2.45) Elsewhere in Bhagavad-gītā the Lord says, ūrdhvaḿ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ: if one becomes a very good person — in other words, if one is in the mode of goodness — he may be elevated to the higher planetary systems. Similarly, if one is infected by rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa, he may remain in this world or go down to the animal kingdom. But all of these situations are hindrances on the path of spiritual salvation. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore says:brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva
If one is fortunate enough to transcend all this so-called goodness and badness and come to the platform of devotional service by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa and the guru, his life becomes successful. In this regard, one must be very bold so that he can conquer these enemies of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Not caring for the good and bad of this material world, one must boldly
7.15.46
nītvotpathaḿ viṣaya-dasyuṣu nikṣipanti
(46) Not doing so being inattentive and of the untrue, will the senses that act as the horses lead the charioteer on the road of desire. There falls he into the hands of the plunderers, the sense objects [who rule with vishaya, eating, sleeping and mating] and will the driver because of them, together with the horses and all, land in the dark, blind well of material existence and the great fear of death.
"One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna." This is the highest perfection of life, and the human body is meant for this purpose. It is said in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.20.17):
nṛ-deham ādyaḿ sulabhaḿ sudurlabhaḿ
mayānukūlena nabhasvateritaḿ
This human form of body is a most valuable boat, and the spiritual master is the captain, guru-karṇadhāram, to guide the boat in plying across the ocean of nescience. The instruction of Kṛṣṇa is a favorable breeze. One must use all these facilities to cross over the ocean of nescience. Since the spiritual master is the captain, one must serve the spiritual master very sincerely so that by his mercy one will be able to get the mercy of the Supreme Lord.A significant word here is acyuta-balaḥ. The spiritual master is certainly very merciful to his disciples, and consequently by satisfying him a devotee gets strength from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore says, guru-kṛṣṇa-prasāde pāya bhakti-latā-bīja: one must first please the spiritual master, and then one automatically pleases Kṛṣṇa and gets the strength with which to cross the ocean of nescience. If one seriously desires to return home, back to Godhead, one must therefore become strong enough by pleasing the spiritual master, for thus one gets the weapon with which to conquer the enemy, and one also gets the grace of Kṛṣṇa. Simply getting the weapon of jñāna is insufficient. One must sharpen the weapon by serving the spiritual master and adhering to his instructions. Then the candidate will get the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In general warfare one must take help from his chariot and horses in order to conquer his enemy, and after conquering his enemies he may give up the chariot and its paraphernalia. Similarly, as long as one has a human body, one should fully use it to obtain the highest perfection of life, namely going back home, back to Godhead.
The perfection of knowledge is certainly to become transcendentally situated (brahma-bhūta). As the Lord says in Bhagavad-gītā (18.54):
brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā
"One who is transcendentally situated at once realizes the Supreme Brahman and becomes fully joyful. He never laments nor desires to have anything; he is equally disposed toward all living entities. In that state he attains pure devotional service." Simply by cultivating knowledge as the impersonalists do, one cannot get out of the clutches of māyā. One must attain the platform of bhakti.
bhaktyā mām abhijānāti
yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ
"One can understand the Supreme Personality as He is only by devotional service. And when one is in full consciousness of the Supreme Lord by such devotion, he can enter into the kingdom of God." (Bg. 18.55) Unless one has attained the stage of devotional service and the mercy of the spiritual master and Kṛṣṇa, there is a possibility that one may fall down and again accept a material body. Therefore Kṛṣṇa stresses in Bhagavad-gītā (4.9):janma karma ca me divyam
evaḿ yo vetti tattvataḥ
"One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna."The word tattvataḥ, meaning "in reality," is very important. Tato māḿ tattvato jñātvā. Unless one understands Kṛṣṇa in truth by the mercy of the spiritual master, one is not free to give up his material body. As it is said, āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraḿ padaḿ tataḥ patanty adho 'nādṛta-yuṣmad-ańghrayaḥ: [SB 10.2.32] if one neglects to serve the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, one cannot become free from the material clutches simply by knowledge. Even if one attains the stage of brahma-padam, merging in Brahman, without bhakti he is prone to fall down. One must be very careful in regard to the danger of falling down again into material bondage. The only insurance is to come to the stage of bhakti, from which one is sure not to fall. Then one is free from the activities of the material world. In summary, as stated by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, one must get in touch with a bona fide spiritual master coming in the paramparā of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, for by his mercy and instructions one is able to get strength from Kṛṣṇa. Thus one engages in devotional service and attains the ultimate goal of life, the lotus feet of Viṣṇu.
Significant in this verse are the words jñānāsim acyuta-balaḥ. Jñānāsim, the sword of knowledge, is given by Kṛṣṇa, and when one serves the guru and Kṛṣṇa in order to hold the sword of Kṛṣṇa's instructions, Balarāma gives one strength. Balarāma is Nityānanda. Vrajendra-nandana yei, śacī-suta haila sei, balarāma ha-ila nitāi. This bala — Balarāma — comes with Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and both of Them are so merciful that in this age of Kali one may very easily take shelter of Their lotus feet. They come especially to deliver the fallen souls of this age. pāpī tāpī yata chila, hari-nāme uddhārila. Their weapon is sańkīrtana, hari-nāma. Thus one should accept the sword of knowledge from Kṛṣṇa and be strong with the mercy of Balarāma. We are therefore worshiping Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma in Vṛndāvana. In the Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad (3.2.4) it is said:
nāyam ātmā bala-hīnena labhyo
One cannot attain the goal of life without the mercy of Balarāma. Śrī Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura therefore says, nitāiyera karuṇā habe, vraje rādhā-kṛṣṇa pābe: when one receives the mercy of Balarāma, Nityānanda, one can attain the lotus feet of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa very easily.
se sambandha nāhi yāra, bṛthā janma gela tāra,
If one has no connection with Nitāi, Balarāma, then even though one is a very learned scholar or jñānī or has taken birth in a very respectable family, these assets will not help him. We must therefore conquer the enemies of Kṛṣṇa consciousness with the strength received from Balarāma.
7.15.47
nivṛttenāśnute 'mṛtam
(47) To be inclined towards or to cease from material enjoyment [pravritti and nivritti], are according the Vedas the two options of proceeding [4.4: 20], materially inclined is one aimless, but ceasing enjoys one the nectar of the eternal [see also B.G. 16: 7].
As confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (16.7), pravṛttiḿ ca nivṛttiḿ ca janā na vidur āsurāḥ: the asuras, nondevotees, cannot distinguish between pravṛtti and nivṛtti. Whatever they like they do. Such persons think themselves independent of the strong material nature, and therefore they are irresponsible and do not care to act piously. Indeed, they do not distinguish between pious and impious activity. Bhakti, of course, does not depend on pious or impious activity. As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.2.6):
sa vai puḿsām paro dharmo
yato bhaktir adhokṣaje
ahaituky apratihatā
yayātmā suprasīdati
"The supreme occupation [dharma] for all humanity is that by which men can attain to loving devotional service unto the transcendent Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted in order to completely satisfy the self." Nonetheless, those who act piously have a better chance to become devotees. As Kṛṣṇa says in Bhagavad-gītā (7.16), catur-vidhā bhajante māḿ janāḥ sukṛtino 'rjuna: "O Arjuna, four kinds of pious men render devotional service unto Me." One who takes to devotional service, even with some material motive, is considered pious, and because he has come to Kṛṣṇa, he will gradually come to the stage of bhakti. Then, like Dhruva Mahārāja, he will refuse to accept any material benediction from the Lord (svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaḿ na yāce). Therefore, even if one is materially inclined, one may take to the shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, or Gaura and Nitāi, so that he will very soon be purified of all material desires (kṣipraḿ bhavati dharmātmā śaśvac chāntiḿ nigacchati). As soon as one is freed from inclinations toward pious and impious activities, he becomes a perfect candidate for returning home, back to Godhead.7.15.48-49
agni-hotrādy-aśāntidam
etad iṣṭaḿ pravṛttākhyaḿ
pūrtaḿ surālayārāma-
kūpājīvyādi-lakṣaṇam
(48-49) Systematically being of violence [in sacrificing animals] with all kinds of fire sacrifices that require so many things, is something filled with desire which causes anxiety; the purpose of all the dars'a, pûrnamâsa, câturmâsya, pas'uh, soma and other ritualistic ceremonies one should consider an attachment. Even so are the oblation and sacrifice [huta, prahuta] as also the, for the benefit of the public, constructing of temples, resting houses and gardens and the digging of wells and providing of food and water, to be recognized as such symptoms.
7.15.50-51
dhūmo rātrir apakṣayaḥ
ayanaḿ dakṣiṇaḿ somo
ekaikaśyenānupūrvaḿ
(50-51) Everything that one offers in the fire turns into the smoke belonging to the divinity of the dark half of the month, the sun going through the south and the moon that is new [compare B.G. 8: 25]; that way are there from the vegetation on the earth's surface, the foodgrains, are there the seeds thus, o ruler of the earth, that thus projected through the father [of Time] lead to the, one after the other, repeated succession of over and over being born to exist to the victory of matter [see also B.G. 9: 21].
7.15.52
niṣekādi-śmaśānāntaiḥ
saḿskāraiḥ saḿskṛto dvijaḥ
(52) A twice-born one by enlightenment in real knowledge [by the path of ceasing] is by the purification processes of the beginning of life and the end of it at death, purified [he loses interest in material results] as he offers his actions into [the meditating on] his sensuality.
7.15.53
indriyāṇi manasy ūrmau
(53) The senses then merged in the mind that is infected by words that move in waves of material preference, the words then delimited to the complete of its elements, the letters, those then restricted to the AUM of the Pranava vibrated and that ultimate vibration next given up to the point enclosed [the 'echo'], indeed then results in the fact that the life air is sacrificed in the Supreme of the Living entity [in brahman].
7.15.54
viśvo 'tha taijasaḥ prājñas
(54) The individual soul following the nature of the fire, the sun, the day, the end of the day, the bright half of the month, the full moon, the northern path and the Supreme of Brahmâ then reaches, moving in the natural connectedness of the gross destination with the subtle one, the transcendental state [turya] of intelligence.
7.15.55
bhūtvā bhūtvānupūrvaśaḥ
ātma-yājy upaśāntātmā
(55) On this path towards God, as one calls it, repeatedly been born again [see also B.G. 8: 16], does the one eager in self-realization heading for the peace indeed, not return, established as he is in the true self.
7.15.56
(56) The one who this way is faithful to the forefathers and the gods will, on this path as recommended by the Vedas regularly studying the scriptures, even though being a material person, with an enlightened vision never be bewildered.
7.15.57
(57) He Himself is verily there in the beginning and in the end, of all living beings, existing always internally as well as externally, transcendental to the gross, as the knowledge and the known, as the expression and the expressed and as the darkness and the light.
7.15.58
ābādhito 'pi hy ābhāso
durghaṭatvād aindriyakaḿ
tadvad artha-vikalpitam
(58) Even though a mere reflection is rejected as being a real form, is it nevertheless accepted; likewise is also the substance of the purpose accepted although it is difficult to prove from speculating on one's sensual input.
The impersonalists try to prove that the varieties in the vision of the empiric philosopher are false. The impersonalist philosophy, vivarta-vāda, generally cites the acceptance of a rope to be a snake as an example of this fact. According to this example, the varieties within our vision are false, just as a rope seen to be a snake is false. The Vaiṣṇavas say, however, that although the idea that the rope is a snake is false, the snake is not false; one has experience of a snake in reality, and therefore he knows that although the representation of the rope as a snake is false or illusory, there is a snake in reality. Similarly, this world, which is full of varieties, is not false; it is a reflection of the reality in the Vaikuṇṭha world, the spiritual world.
The reflection of the sun from a mirror is nothing but light within darkness. Thus although it is not exactly sunlight, without the sunlight the reflection would be impossible. Similarly, the varieties of this world would be impossible unless there were a real prototype in the spiritual world. The Māyāvādī philosopher cannot understand this, but a real philosopher must be convinced that light is not possible at all without a background of sunlight. Thus the jugglery of words used by the Māyāvādī philosopher to prove that this material world is false may amaze inexperienced children, but a man with full knowledge knows perfectly well that there cannot be any existence without Kṛṣṇa. Therefore a Vaiṣṇava insists on the platform of somehow or other accepting Kṛṣṇa (tasmāt kenāpy upāyena manaḥ kṛṣṇe niveśayet).
When we raise our unmixed faith to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, everything is revealed.
7.15.59
kṣity-ādīnām ihārthānāḿ
na sańghāto vikāro 'pi
(59) In this world of the five elements is one of them nor the counterpart, the reflection, one appears to be, nor is one a combination or transformation of them; one should not believe that one as a soul would have an independent existence, nor that one would be one with the elements [see also B.G. 18: 66].
7.15.60
dhātavo 'vayavitvāc ca
na syur hy asaty avayaviny
asann avayavo 'ntataḥ
(60) The five elements as the cause of the bodily concept and the sense-objects can not exist without their subtle [counter]parts; the untrue is found in the fixed form of a body, which, just as that what is part of it [the sense-object], in the end turns out to be a temporary appearance.
7.15.61
(61) It can be compared with what one has when one dreams: one is awake while one sleeps; [the sleeping as] a part of the reality cannot be seen apart from the complete [of de dream] without being mistaken. Even so can that what is scripturally prohibited [yama] not be seen apart from that what is prescribed [niyama].
In material existence there are many regulative principles and formalities. If material existence is temporary or false, this does not mean that the spiritual world, although similar, is also false. That one's material body is false or temporary does not mean that the body of the Supreme Lord is also false or temporary. The spiritual world is real, and the material world is similar to it. For example, in the desert we sometimes find a mirage, but although the water in a mirage is false, this does not mean that there is no water in reality; water exists, but not in the desert. Similarly, nothing real is in this material world, but reality is in the spiritual world. The Lord's form and His abode — Goloka Vṛndāvana in the Vaikuṇṭha planets — are eternal realities.
From Bhagavad-gītā we understand that there is another prakṛti, or nature, which is real. This is explained by the Lord Himself in the Eighth Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā (8.19-21):
bhūta-grāmaḥ sa evāyaḿ
prabhavaty ahar-āgame
'vyakto 'vyaktāt sanātanaḥ
avyakto 'kṣara ity uktas
"Again and again the day of Brahmā comes, and all living beings are active; and again the night falls, O Pārtha, and they are helplessly dissolved. Yet there is another nature, which is eternal and is transcendental to this manifested and unmanifested matter. It is supreme and is never annihilated. When all in this world is annihilated, that part remains as it is. That supreme abode is called unmanifested and infallible, and it is the supreme destination. When one goes there, he never comes back. That is My supreme abode." The material world is a reflection of the spiritual world. The material world is temporary or false, but the spiritual world is an eternal reality.7.15.62
bhāvādvaitaḿ kriyādvaitaḿ
dravyādvaitaḿ tathātmanaḥ
vartayan svānubhūtyeha
(62) Considering the oneness in matter, the oneness in action and the oneness in thought, turns a soul of wisdom, from his selfrealization in life, away from the three of them as being three separate forms of sleep [compare 1.18: 26 and B.G. 6: 16].
7.15.63
avastutvād vikalpasya
(63) To the observation that, like with the substance of the threads of a cloth, the effect and cause [of this existence] are one because ultimately setting them apart constitutes the unreal, does one speak of the conception of oneness [bhâvâdvaita, see also B.G. 18: 16].
7.15.64
(64) In all activities of the mind, the words and the body directly to be dedicated to the Supreme of the transcendental Absolute, o Yudhishthhira, is called oneness in activities [kriyâdvaita, compare B.G. 9.27].
7.15.65
(65) When the ultimate goal and interest of oneself, the wife and the children, the others or whatever living beings is one, is that oneness called oneness of interest [dravyâdvaita].
The actual interest of all living entities — indeed, the goal of life — is to return home, back to Godhead. This is the interest of one's own self, one's wife, one's children, one's disciples and one's friends, relatives, countrymen and all humanity. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement can give directions for management by which everyone can partake in Kṛṣṇa conscious activities and reach the ultimate goal, which is known as svārtha-gatim. This objective of everyone's interest is Viṣṇu, but because people do not know this (na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiḿ hi viṣṇum [SB 7.5.31]), they are making various plans by which to fulfill so many concocted interests in life. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to bring everyone to the highest interest. The process may be differently named, but if the aim is one, people should follow it to achieve the ultimate goal in life. Unfortunately, people are thinking of different interests, and blind leaders are misleading them. Everyone is trying to reach the goal of complete happiness materially; because people do not know what complete happiness is, they are materially diverted toward different interests.
7.15.66
naro nānyair anāpadi
(66) A person should, by whatever would be allowed as for means, time and place, proceed according his prescribed duties, o King; someone operating by that process should, when everything is in order, not try any other way.
This instruction is given for men in all statuses of life. Generally society is divided into brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas, śūdras, brahmacārīs, vānaprasthas, sannyāsīs and gṛhasthas. Everyone must act according to his position and try to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for that will make one's life successful. This was instructed in Naimiṣāraṇya:
ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā
"O best among the twice-born, it is therefore concluded that the highest perfection one can achieve, by discharging his prescribed duties [dharma] according to caste divisions and order of life, is to please the Lord Hari." (Bhāg. 1.2.13) Everyone should act according to his occupational duties just to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Then everyone will be happy.
7.15.67
etair anyaiś ca vedoktair
(67) By this and by other ways expressed in the vedic literatures abiding by one's occupational duties, can any human being who renders devotional service according that notion, even staying at home reach the destination of Him, o King [see also B.G. 9: 32].
7.15.68
āpad-gaṇād uttaratātmanaḥ prabhoḥ
(68) It is as indeed the way all of you [Pândavas], o lord of kings, escaped from all the insurmountable danger; by serving the feet of your own Master [Krishna] managed you to perform the sacrifices successfully in defeating the strongest elephants [the burden of unrighteous kings].
Placing himself as an ordinary householder, Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira inquired from Nārada Muni how a gṛha-mūḍha-dhī, a person who is entangled in household life and who thus continues to remain a fool, can be delivered. Nārada Muni encouraged Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira by saying, "You are already on the safe side because you, along with your entire family, have become a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa." By Kṛṣṇa's grace, the Pāṇḍavas conquered in the Battle of Kurukṣetra and were saved from many dangers posed not only by kings but sometimes even by the demigods. Thus they are a practical example of how to live in security and safety by the grace of Kṛṣṇa. Everyone should follow the example of the Pāṇḍavas, who showed how to be saved by the grace of Kṛṣṇa. Our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is intended to teach how everyone can live peacefully in this material world and at the end of life return home, back to Godhead. In the material world there are always dangers at every step (padaḿ padaḿ yad vipadāḿ na teṣām). Nonetheless, if one takes shelter of Kṛṣṇa without hesitation and keeps under the shelter of Kṛṣṇa, he can easily cross the ocean of nescience. Samāśritā ye pada-pallava-plavaḿ mahat-padaḿ puṇya-yaśo murāreḥ. To the devotee, this great ocean of nescience becomes like a puddle of water in the hoofprint of a cow. A pure devotee, without embarrassing himself by trying for elevation in so many ways, stays in the safest position as a servant of Kṛṣṇa, and thus his life is eternally safe without a doubt.
7.15.69
ahaḿ purābhavaḿ kaścid
gandharvāṇāḿ susammataḥ
(69) I myself a long, long time ago, in a former mahâkalpa [in another age of Brahmâ], existed as a denizen of heaven named Upabarhana and was very respected among the Gandharvas.
7.15.70
(70) I had a beautiful body and was, most attractive, fragrant and decorated, captivating to the eye; proud like a madman in his own city was I, day by day under the influence of the natural attraction of women, very covetous.
From the description of the beauty of Nārada Muni when he was one of the denizens of Gandharvaloka, it appears that everyone on that planet is extremely beautiful and pleasing and always decorated with flowers and sandalwood. Upabarhaṇa was Nārada Muni's name previously. Upabarhaṇa was specifically expert in decorating himself to attract the attention of women, and thus he became a playboy, as described in the next verse. To be a playboy in this life is unfortunate because too much attraction to women will lead one to fall into the association of śūdras, who can easily take advantage of mingling with women without restriction. In this present age of Kali, when people are mandāḥ sumanda-matayaḥ — very bad because of a śūdra mentality — such free mingling is prominent. Among the higher classes — brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya and vaiśya — there is no chance for men to mingle with women freely, but in the śūdra community such mingling is open. Because there is no cultural education in this age of Kali, everyone is spiritually untrained, and everyone is therefore to be considered śūdra (aśuddhāḥ śūdra-kalpā hi brāhmaṇāḥ kali-sambhavāḥ). When all the people become śūdras, certainly they are very bad (mandāḥ sumanda-matayaḥ). Thus they manufacture their own way of life, with the result that they gradually become unfortunate (manda-bhāgyāḥ), and furthermore they are always disturbed by various circumstances.
7.15.71
gandharvāpsarasāḿ gaṇāḥ
upahūtā viśva-sṛgbhir
hari-gāthopagāyane
(71) Once there was a gathering of the godly and to the occasion of glorifying the Lord in song and dance, were by those who ruled over the universe [the Prajâpatis] all the Ghandarvas and Apsaras invited.
7.15.72
(72) I too, expert in singing the glories of the divine life, went there surrounded by women and well known with my attitude cursed the divine rulers of the universe me with great force for my contempt: 'O you, in offense with the etiquette, become a s'ûdra as from now, bereft of the beauty!'
As far as kīrtana is concerned, the śāstras say, śravaṇaḿ kīrtanaḿ viṣṇoḥ: [SB 7.5.23] one should chant the glories of the Supreme Lord and the holy name of the Supreme Lord. This is clearly stated. Śravaṇaḿ kīrtanaḿ viṣṇoḥ: one should chant about and glorify Lord Viṣṇu, not any demigod. Unfortunately, there are foolish persons who invent some process of kīrtana on the basis of a demigod's name. This is an offense. Kīrtana means glorifying the Supreme Lord, not any demigod. Sometimes people invent kālī-kīrtana or śiva-kīrtana, and even big sannyāsīs in the Māyāvāda school say that one may chant any name and still get the same result. But here we find that millions and millions of years ago, when Nārada Muni was a Gandharva, he neglected the order to glorify the Lord, and being mad in the association of women, he began to chant otherwise. Thus he was cursed to become a śūdra. His first offense was that he went to join the sańkīrtana party in the company of lusty women, and another offense was that he considered ordinary songs, like cinema songs and other such songs, to be equal to sańkīrtana. For this offense he was punished with becoming a śūdra.
7.15.73
śuśrūṣayānuṣańgeṇa
(73) Because of that I took birth from a maidservant but despite of that obtained I, rendering service to spiritually outspoken people, at the same time a life as a son of Brahmâ [see also 1.5: 23-31].
"O son of Pṛthā, those who take shelter in Me, though they be of lower birth — women, vaiśyas [merchants], as well as śūdras [workers] — can approach the supreme destination." It doesn't matter whether a person is born as a śūdra, a woman or a vaiśya; if he associates with devotees repeatedly or always (sādhu-sańgena), he can be elevated to the highest perfection. Nārada Muni is explaining this in relation to his own life. The sańkīrtana movement is important, for regardless of whether one is a śūdra, vaiśya, mleccha, yavana or whatever, if one associates with a pure devotee, follows his instructions and serves the pure devotee, his life is successful. This is bhakti. Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanam. Bhakti consists of serving Kṛṣṇa and His devotees very favorably. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam [Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.1.11]. If one has no desire other than to serve Kṛṣṇa and His devotee, then his life is successful. This is explained by Nārada Muni through this practical example from his own life.
7.15.74
(74) To you, an attached householder, I explained that process by which a grihastha can conquer sin and very easily obtain the position of the renounced.
This is a confirmation of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Anyone who takes part in this movement, regardless of what he is, can gain the topmost result achieved by a perfect sannyāsī, namely brahma jñāna (spiritual knowledge). Even more important, he can advance in devotional service. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira thought that because he was a gṛhastha there was no hope of his being liberated, and therefore he asked Nārada Muni how he could get out of material entanglement. But Nārada Muni, citing a practical example from his own life, established that by associating with devotees and chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, any man in any condition of life can achieve the highest perfection without a doubt.
7.15.75
lokaḿ punānā munayo 'bhiyanti
(75) You are of such a great fortune in the world that all saints that may purify come to visit you in your house because the Most Confidential One of the Supreme Brahman can be directly met there in the form of a normal person.
Here is a statement exalting a Vaiṣṇava. In human society, a brāhmaṇa is the most respected person. A brāhmaṇa is one who can understand Brahman, the impersonal Brahman, but hardly ever can one understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is described by Arjuna in Bhagavad-gītā as paraḿ brahma. A brāhmaṇa may be extremely fortunate in having achieved brahma jñāna, but the Pāṇḍavas were so exalted that the Parabrahman, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, was living in their house like an ordinary human being. The word bhūri-bhāgāḥ indicates that the Pāṇḍavas were in a still higher position than brahmacārīs and brāhmaṇas. In the following verses, Nārada Muni repeatedly glorifies the position of the Pāṇḍavas.
7.15.76
(76) He, the One Brahman, sought by the great for the realization of liberation and the bliss of heaven, is the most dear well-wisher of all of you, your renown cousin [Lord Krishna], the, to as well the heart as the soul, most worshipable person and guru of instruction on the principles [the vidhi; see also 7.10: 48 & 49].
Kṛṣṇa can become the director and spiritual master of anyone who is serious about getting the mercy of Kṛṣṇa. The Lord sends the spiritual master to train a devotee, and when the devotee is advanced, the Lord acts as the spiritual master within his heart.
teṣāḿ satata-yuktānāḿ
"To those who are constantly devoted and worship Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me." Kṛṣṇa does not become the direct spiritual master unless one is fully trained by His representative spiritual master. Therefore, as we have already discussed, the Lord's representative spiritual master should not be considered an ordinary human being. The representative spiritual master never gives any false knowledge to his disciple, but only perfect knowledge. Thus he is the representative of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa helps as the guru, or spiritual master, from within and from without. From without He helps the devotee as His representative, and from within He talks personally with the pure devotee and gives him instructions by which he may return home, back to Godhead.
7.15.77
(77) His form, beyond the purview of Lord S'iva, Lord Brahmâ and the others [see also B.G. 7: 26], factually can be understood by meditation, by silence, by bhakti and by putting an end to all material association; may the One, this same personality, this master of the devotees so worshiped, be pleased with us.'
Lord Kṛṣṇa is not properly understood even by such exalted personalities as Lord Śiva and Lord Brahmā, what to speak of ordinary men, but by His causeless mercy He bestows the benediction of devotion upon His devotees, who can thus understand Kṛṣṇa as He is. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ [Bg. 18.55]. No one within this universe can understand Kṛṣṇa in truth, but if one engages in devotional service one can understand Him perfectly well. This is also confirmed by the Lord in the Seventh Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā (7.1):
mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha
"Now, hear, O son of Pṛthā [Arjuna], how by practicing yoga in full consciousness of Me, with mind attached to Me, you can know Me in full, free from doubt." Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself teaches how one can understand Him perfectly well, without a doubt. Not only the Pāṇḍavas but everyone who sincerely accepts the instructions of Kṛṣṇa can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead as He is. After instructing Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja, Nārada Muni prays for the Lord's blessings that He be pleased with everyone and that everyone become perfect in God consciousness and return home, back to Godhead.
7.15.78
niśamya bharatarṣabhaḥ
(78) S'rî S'uka said: 'The best of the Bhârata dynasty, in utter glee of hearing the descriptions of the devarishi, was caught in the ecstasy of love and worshiped him as well as Lord Krishna.
7.15.79
kṛṣṇa-pārthāv upāmantrya
(79) With the reverence he received from Lord Krishna and from Yudhishthhira, who as the son of Prithâ [see family tree] was utterly amazed about Krishna being the Parabrahman, the Supreme of the Spiritual, bade the muni them farewell and left.
After hearing the conversation between Nārada and Yudhiṣṭhira, if one still has any doubts about Kṛṣṇa's being the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one should immediately give them up. Asaḿśayaḿ samagram. Without any doubt and without any defect, one should understand Kṛṣṇa to be the Supreme Personality of Godhead and thus surrender at His lotus feet. Ordinary persons do not do this, even after hearing all the Vedas, but if one is fortunate, although it may be even after many, many births, he comes to this conclusion (bahūnāḿ janmanām ante jñānavān māḿ prapadyate [Bg. 7.19]).
7.15.80
pṛthag vaḿśāḥ prakīrtitāḥ
devāsura-manuṣyādyā
(80) Thus I have described to you how, from the separate dynasties of the daughters of Daksha, there were the gods, the demons and the human beings and such, as well as all the worlds with their moving and nonmoving living entities.'
Thus the seventh Canto of the S'rîmad Bhâgavatam ends named: 'The Science of God'.
No comments:
Post a Comment