So Nārada was passing. Now, he said, "What are you doing this?" "No, there is no question of harassing this woman. But I am taking her in my custody because she is pregnant and the child is begotten by asura, Hiraṇyakaśipu. Therefore I shall wait for the birth of the child, and as soon as she gives birth, I will kill that child." Yes. So Nārada said, "No, no. That child is not asura child. He is coming, a great devotee, mahā-bhāgavata of Kṛṣṇa." Because Nārada knew that when... Not before. After all, he knew. But before also, he knew. Because they are saintly persons, they can understand that here is a child is coming who will be a great devotee of Kṛṣṇa. So mahā-bhāgavata. So "Don't try that. You don't take her to your custody. Better give her in my custody. I shall take care." So immediately he abided by the order of Nārada, immediately. He released. And not only released, circumambulated the woman. So here is a mahā-bhāgavata, in the womb of this woman. So let us offer our obeisances. This is Vaiṣṇava.
Release (Lectures)
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
He is immune because he is transcendental. But so long one is not a devotee, one who is not fully surrendered to the lotus feet of Mukunda, he must have to follow all these regulative principles and duties. He cannot be released. Everything, account is kept. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). Everything is noted down. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1). According to his karma, he is going to get another body. These are the subtle laws. Therefore kula-kṣaya-doṣam. You cannot destroy your family. Materially, you cannot destroy your family. So Arjuna is speaking, kula-kṣayaṁ kṛtaṁ doṣaṁ prapaśyadbhir janārdana (BG 1.38). "We can see. These rascals, they have lost their intelligence, but when we see, how we can destroy the family?" So further explanation will be given next.
The aim was to kill the king. The king was on the front. The other party, he was also in front. The king is fighting with king, and the soldiers are fighting with soldier. So when the king is killed, then the other party becomes victorious. That was the process of war, not that releasing atomic bomb from the sky and kill so many innocent persons. No, that is not war. So war, if it is fought on principle, on religious principle, that is called dharma-yuddhi. That is not prohibited. But this killing process, unnecessarily, innocent men, that is not dharma-yuddhi. That is irregular fighting. That kind of war is not sanctioned by the Vedas.
The yogurt is nothing but milk, but in connection with some sour material, it is yogurt. So yogurt is milk, but it is not milk also. Your child requires milk. You cannot give yogurt. Nobody can argue, "Oh, yogurt is milk preparation, why not give?" No. It will be not beneficial for him. Similarly, if you want release from this material world, you have to take to Viṣṇu, no other demigod. If you want strength, then you have to drink milk, not yogurt. Yogurt, at times you can eat for some taste or some particular purpose. The milk is general drinking. Just take the statistics, how many bottles of milk are sold in the store and how many bottles of yogurt is sold. The yogurt and milk is the same thing. Why they'll demand milk and not the yogurt? Is that right? Yes. But nobody can put argument, "Oh, why do you take milk? Take the yogurt." No. Yes?
When one gives up the different identification and is established in his own real identity, that is called mukti. Now our identification is that "I am matter; therefore I am this body; therefore I belong to this country; therefore I am American; therefore I am this, I am that, I am that." You see? This is our diseased condition. So mukti means one has to be released from this wrong identification. And after giving up wrong identification, what is my real identification? Oh, I am, ahaṁ brahmāsmi, I am the part and parcel of the Supreme. That's it. So if anyone is reestablished in his original constitutional position as part and parcel of the Supreme and engages his energy in that way, he is liberated. This is the definition of liberation. So it is also advised here?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Thirteen: "The devotees of the Lord are released from all sins because they eat food which is offered first for sacrifice."
Prabhupāda: Yes. Devotees how much they are grateful, kṛṣṇa-prasāda. "Kṛṣṇa, You have sent so nice fruit, nice flower. First of all You enjoy (BG 3.13)." Oh, God is very satisfied. Just like a boy, "My dear father, this sweetmeat is very nice. You take." Father knows that sweetmeat was purchased by him. Where the boy can get the sweetmeat? But because the son is offering to the father in love and affection, father says, "Oh, you have give me. It is very nice."
"So far I have followed the leadership of my lust, but the result is that my lust is not satisfied." Teṣāṁ na trapā nopaśāntiḥ. Lust will never be satisfied. "My lust is never satisfied, neither he is giving me release of this slavery of my lust." So he said, "My dear Lord, Kṛṣṇa, I have understood that I have followed the leadership of my lust so long, but the result is that the leader whom I have followed, neither he is satisfied, neither I am satisfied." Neither the leader is satisfied...
So we have discussed in details. Now, after hearing the system, Arjuna is replying. Just mind that, that the whole thing was being described in the battlefield, in the battlefield. This whole Bhagavad-gītā was taught to Arjuna in the battlefield. And when Arjuna was just going to release his arms on the opposite party, on the enemy's party, he thought... He got a sentiment: "So why this fighting with my own kinsmen?" That was his illusion, and to eradicate that illusion of Arjuna's, this Bhagavad-gītā was explained by Lord Kṛṣṇa.
Kṛṣṇa is so nice that He's so powerful, He's so opulent... He declares in the Bhagavad-gītā, everyone, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "You leave aside everything. You simply surrender unto Me." And what is the result? The result is ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi: "I shall get you released from all kinds of reaction of your sinful life."
This material world, our activities are all sinful activities. There is action and reaction. Whatever you are doing, there is action and reaction. Even there is good reaction, still it is sinful. Still it is sinful. Just like according to Vedic literature, pious activities, the result of pious activities...
Kṛṣṇa says that by surrendering to Him I shall be free from all sinful reaction." If you have got faith, then you surrender, and actually you will be free from all sinful reaction. Kṛṣṇa says... Kṛṣṇa is not making any bogus propaganda. He said, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi, "I shall get you released from all reaction of sinful life." We are suffering because there is reaction of sinful life, but if you surrender to Kṛṣṇa, then your all reaction of sinful life is immediately nullified, squared up.
Therefore willingly I have drunk poison." Jāniyā śuniyā biṣa khāinu. Golokera prema-dhana, hari-nāma-saṅkīrtana. The saṅkīrtana movement is not manufactured in this material world. It is released from Vaikuṇṭha, the spiritual world. Golokera prema-dhana... Otherwise why we are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa...? It is not material sound. Any material sound, you chant thrice, you'll be tired. But you go on chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra twenty-four hours, you'll never be tired. Therefore it is not a sound of this material world; it is a sound of the spiritual world. Golokera prema-dhana, hari-nāma-saṅkīrtana, rati nā janmilo kene tāy. "I am not attracted to this."
"Here is American; here is Indian; here is brāhmaṇa; here is śūdra; here is Hindu; here is Muslim." No. He has no such vision. He has the vision that within this body, the spirit soul is there. That is part and parcel of God, or Kṛṣṇa. He is suffering on account of different dresses, different conception of... Therefore he should be released from this misconception of life. That is called paṇḍita.
That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: anumantā upadraṣṭā. Upadraṣṭā means overseeing. For every action we are doing there is witness. That is karmavāda, witness.
Suppose one man has done something wrong in the criminal court, one requires witness. Either to punish him or to release him, the witness required. So witness is there. The Supreme Personality of Godhead as Paramātmā, He is there as witness; anumantā upadraṣṭā. Anumantā means without the sanction of the Paramātmā, the individual soul cannot do anything. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭaḥ: "I am sitting in everyone's heart." Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca: (BG 15.15) "Through Me everyone is getting remembrance, smṛtir jñānam, knowledge and everyone is forg
This knowledge is not coming. There is no system of education.
It is a very dangerous type of civilization without any spiritual knowledge. Very, very dangerous position. Risky. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement on authoritative basis trying to enlighten people to release him from these clutches of māyā and ignorance. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. And it is authorized because we are speaking on the basis of Bhagavad-gītā. On the basis of Vedic knowledge. And Bhagavad-gītā is the essence of Vedic knowledge.
Bhagavān says in the Bhagavad-gītā, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). What is the purpose of Vedic knowledge? The purpose of Vedic knowledge to understand Kṛṣṇa. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ.
Prabhupāda: If you practice as they are described in the śāstra, then gradually you become released from the asura stage and come to the deva stage. Then you understand everything rightly. And if you keep yourself as asuras, then you will never be happy.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: The statement here is that the material world is founded on lust. This is the asuric conception. So everything...
Prabhupāda: The Sāṅkhya philosophy is also like that.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Yes. So this lust... The godly qualities, they come from Kṛṣṇa.
Prabhupāda: Everything comes from Kṛṣṇa.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Therefore Narottama Dāsa Ṭhākura has sung, golokera prema-dhana hari-nāma-saṅkīrtana, rati nā janmilo kene tāy. This sound vibration is coming, this is transcendental sound. It is coming from Goloka Vṛndāvana. It is not this mundane sound. Just like in radio you receive sound from other places. Similarly, this sound is received, I mean to say, released from the Vaikuṇṭha. Golokera prema-dhana.
These are their qualifications. Therefore it is said here, chindanti kovidāḥ, he is neither of these rascals: miscreants, mūḍhāḥ, narādhamāḥ, and māyayā apahṛta-jñānāḥ. Kovida, very intelligent. Kovidās tasya ko na kuryāt kathā-ratim. Anyone who has understand that simply by hearing about Kṛṣṇa, talking about Kṛṣṇa, working for Kṛṣṇa, one can become released from this entanglement, who will not accept it? For example, just see in the Western countries; all the younger generation, they are so much addicted to intoxication. And the government is spending millions of dollars, how to stop it. But they have become animals. But just see how wonderful is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Anyone who is coming to us, immediately, by our restriction... Because as soon as he is initiated, he is made to promise no illicit sex, no meat-eating, no intoxication, no gambling. From that very date he gives up everything. And here are so many samples attending.(?)
The more you eat, your hunger is satisfied. You feel strength, you feel satisfaction. Similarly, the more you advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you feel comfortable, released from the material discomforts. In this way, naṣṭa-prāyeṣu. Gradual process.
So naṣṭa-prāyeṣv abhadreṣu nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā (SB 1.2.18). Not all cleansed, but prāya, say, seventy-five cleansed. At that time, you become fixed-up in devotional service, naiṣṭhikī. There are different stages of devotional service. That I have explained several times. First of all, śraddhā, sādhu-saṅga, bhajana-kriyā, anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt.
The prison house of the material world is created by Brahmā, under instruction of the Personality of Godhead, and at the conclusion of a kalpa, the whole thing is destroyed by Śiva. But so far maintenance of the prison house is concerned, it is done by Viṣṇu, as much as the state prison house is maintained by the state. Anyone, therefore, who may wish to get out of this prison house of material existence, which is full of miseries like repetition of birth, death, diseases and old age, must please Lord Viṣṇu for such liberation. Lord Viṣṇu is worshiped by devotional service only, and if anyone has to continue the prison life in the material world, he may ask for relative facilities from the different demigods like Śiva, Brahmā, Indra, Varuṇa, etc., for temporary relief. No such demigods can, however, release the imprisoned living being from the conditioned life of material existence except Viṣṇu. As such, the ultimate benefit may be derived from Viṣṇu, the Personality of Godhead."
He was breaking some stone. But he satisfied the jail superintendent that "I am not accustomed to this. However, I can serve you in some other way." So, he saw that "He is educated. He knows. All right. You come to my office. Just help me, in typing."
So this facility one can have. But not released from the prison house. That is not in the power of the superintendent. Similarly, all the demigods, they can give you a temporary facility, but they cannot give you relief from this prison house. Ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16).
Either by machine or by fruitive activities, you can be transferred to higher planetary system, but again you have to come back. Kṣīṇe puṇye punaḥ martya-lokaṁ viśanti. You cannot get release. If you want to get release, then you have to come to Viṣṇu. Then you will get release. Śudhyanti prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ. Viṣṇu can do. Hariṁ vinā na mṛtiṁ taranti. This is Hari. If you do not surrender to Hari, then you cannot get release from these four principles of material life, namely birth, death, old age and disease. You cannot get.
Buddhir yasya balaṁ tasya. Anyone who has got intelligence, he has got strength. Just like by intelligence, they have discovered the nuclear weapon. By dropping a nuclear weapon hundreds and thousands of soldiers can be killed. There is no more need of maintaining a huge army. So many men now released. Those who have got atomic bomb... At least, I know in Russia, they know, "We have got atomic bomb. What is the use of maintaining such a huge army? Let them work for other production."
So out of three processes, the śabda-pramāṇa, or receiving vibration, sound vibration from authorities by aural reception, that is considered to be the perfect.
So Nārada Muni says... Before this, Nārada Muni has advised Vyāsadeva that "In order to release all these conditioned souls, you just describe the wonderful activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Simply by hearing... Uttama-ślokasya guṇānuvādāt. Uttama-śloka. Uttama-śloka means the Supreme Lord who is described by transcendental literature or very fine, scholarly language. He's called Uttama-śloka. Uttama-ślokasya urukramasya. "That will save all conditioned souls from being implicated in the clutches of māyā." Now, Vyāsadeva has already described... He has made many purāṇas, eighteen purāṇas. So there is mention of God's activities.
Their anxiety... Their mind is disturbed in so many ways exactly like a boat moving in the tossing of the waves of the sea. So this sort of understanding of God will not give them much benefit. You describe completely on the pastimes, on the activities of the Supreme Lord. That will give people release from these material clutches."
So the next verse says... Vyāsadeva may say that "Sir, I have already compiled so many books, eighteen purāṇas, Mahābhārata, even Vedānta-sūtra. So are they not sufficient literature to revive Kṛṣṇa consciousness?"
This is the cikitsā, treatment, of tāpa... If you want to get relief from this material condition of life, then you should learn how to please Kṛṣṇa, how to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. That is called bhakti. Without bhakti, you cannot be relieved. Jñāna, karma, yoga will not get you released from this tāpa-traya. And if you execute devotional service, then immediately, immediately you become free from this tāpa-traya.
It is said for sixteen years within the womb of his mother, he did not come out purposefully so that he may not be materially attached. Because a small child, the baby comes out from the mother's womb. Within the womb, when he's in suffering, he prays to God, "This time kindly release me. Now I shall begin bhagavad-bhajana." One who is little advanced in his previous life... Because it is very, very terrible condition within the womb of the mother. We have forgotten. But we can imagine, if you are packed up in a bag and put hand and legs tightly knotted, just imagine. You cannot live even for three minutes. They say if you are airtight packed-up like that, as we are put into the womb of the mother, we cannot exist more than three minutes. But we existed by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa.
So according to the association, kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya. Either sattva-guṇa, or rajo-guṇa or tamo-guṇa. This is going on, and therefore we are getting different types of body. So this is going on. It is called bhavārṇava. So if we want to get release from this entanglement of being polluted by the three modes of material nature, then we have to come to this platform, nirguṇa. Nirguṇa. Nirguṇa means to associate with the Supreme Personality of Godhead or to be engaged in devotional service. That is nirguṇa.
He was running on on the back of a horse, but when he saw that Arjuna is coming nearer, so he has no other alternative, protection. Then he thought of the brahmāstra. Brahmāstra is the last weapon. Just like it is similar to modern nuclear weapon, brahmāstra. As by releasing nuclear weapon there is radiation, similarly, we have got description that when Aśvatthāmā released his brahmāstra, there was a big radiation, people were feeling very terrible heat. And then Kṛṣṇa informed that "This heat is due to the Aśvatthāmā's release of brahmāstra," and Arjuna was advised counteract it. Now they do not know how to counteract this nuclear weapon.
Everything is bad.
So here Kṛṣṇa ordered that this is brahmāstra. He could not understand that intolerable temperature, heat, and Arjuna inquired, "Wherefrom the heat is coming?" So Kṛṣṇa informed him that "This is due to brahmāstra released by Aśvatthāmā. This rascal does not know how to counteract it." Naivāsau veda saṁhāram. "He does not know." Formerly, in the military science, you have released one kind of arrow. If I am expert, then I can release another arrow which will counteract your arrow. Naivāsau veda saṁhāram.
This rascal does not know how to counteract it." Naivāsau veda saṁhāram. "He does not know." Formerly, in the military science, you have released one kind of arrow. If I am expert, then I can release another arrow which will counteract your arrow. Naivāsau veda saṁhāram. It is called saṁhāram. So Aśvatthāmā released that brahmāstra. Now Kṛṣṇa advised Arjuna that "You release this saṁhārāstra," how to counteract. Unnaddham astra-jñaḥ. Unnaddham: "You know better than him how to counteract." Hy astra-tejasā: "By another..." (break) ...different astras are released by different expert military men. So that science is not yet discovered. By mantra. Just like here it is said that he took water, āpaḥ. Spṛṣṭvāpas taṁ parikramya. Āpaḥ. Just like we take, oṁ apavitraḥ pavitro vā sarvāsvasthāṁ gato 'pi vā. Similarly, mantra and water can be utilized for very, very important purpose. Simply mantra and water.
So the heat increased. Radiation heat increased. One weapon was released by Aśvatthāmā, another by Arjuna to counteract, and the heat was so terrible that dahyamānāḥ prajāḥ sarvāḥ, all the inhabitants of different planets, they felt the great heat produced by two brahmāstras. And sāṁvartakam amaṁsata. The sāṁvartaka fire is explained in the śāstra, that in the Kali-yuga... At the last there will be Kali-yuga. In the Kali-yuga there will be no rainfall. So everything will dry. Not this Kali-yuga, but at the end of the universal life there will be great fire all over the universe. That is called sāṁvartaka. And everything will be ablaze.
This is the duty of the king or the government—to see that the citizens are in peaceful condition. So two brahmāstra weapons released, one by Aśvatthāmā and by Arjuna, it created a havoc, catastrophe. And the people were suffering. So this is the duty of the government, to see that everyone is in peaceful condition. During Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira's time they were so happy that it is stated that there was not even scorching heat and pinching cold also. Neither people were in anxiety for their livelihood. This is government: to see that people are in good atmosphere in everything. That is the first duty of the government. Of course, we have seen at the present moment also, in some of the European government they have got very good arrangement.
Pradyumna: "After binding Aśvatthāmā, Arjuna wanted to take him to the military camp. The Personality of Godhead Śrī Kṛṣṇa, looking on with His lotus eyes, spoke to angry Arjuna. Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: O Arjuna, you should not show mercy by releasing this relative of a brāhmaṇa (brahma-bandhu), for he has killed innocent boys in their sleep."
Prabhupāda:
- śibirāya ninīṣantaṁ
- rajjvā baddhvā ripuṁ balāt
- prāhārjunaṁ prakupito
- bhagavān ambujekṣaṇaḥ
- (SB 1.7.34)
- mainaṁ pārthārhasi trātuṁ
- brahma-bandhum imaṁ jahi
- yo 'sāv anāgasaḥ suptān
- avadhīn niśi bālakān
- (SB 1.7.35)
So bhagavān ambujekṣaṇaḥ. Ambuja means lotus flower. Bhagavān is described in many places as ambujekṣa-lotus-eyed, lotus feet, lotus navel, in so many ways, lotus palms. So ambujekṣaṇa, very beautiful eyes like the petals of a padma, lotus flower. But at the same time, prakupita, He's angry. He's angry. Still, ambujekṣaṇa. Not that as the Māyāvādīs think, that "God is kind. Why He should be angry?" But here it is said, prakupita. Pra means "specifically." Prakṛṣṭa-rūpeṇa kupitaḥ, "very angry." Prakupita.
Pradyumna: "She could not tolerate Aśvatthāmā's being bound by ropes, and being a devoted lady, she said: 'Release him, for he is a brāhmaṇa, our spiritual master.' "
Prabhupāda:
- uvāca cāsahanty asya
- bandhanānayanaṁ satī
- mucyatāṁ mucyatām eṣa
- brāhmaṇo nitarāṁ guruḥ
- (SB 1.7.43)
So Draupadī, in the previous verse it has been described, vāma-svabhāvā kṛpayā nanāma ca. Vāma-svabhāvā. Vāma, woman. Women, they are very soft-hearted, vāma-svabhāvā. So although Aśvatthāmā killed her sons very mercilessly, and he was arrested and Kṛṣṇa ordered him to be killed, and Arjuna was just preparing to punish him, but vāma-svabhāvā, woman, being very soft-hearted, without any consideration, she immediately offered her respect, nanāma.
Not only she offered her respect to Aśvatthāmā being the son of a brāhmaṇa, especially of Droṇācārya, their teacher... So she immediately ordered Arjuna, mucyatāṁ mucyatām: "Release him immediately. You have arrested a brāhmaṇa." Mucyatāṁ mucyatām eṣa brāhmaṇo nitarāṁ guruḥ. "Brāhmaṇa is always our guru. Although he has killed my sons, still, he stands to be my guru, your guru."
Because others, karmīs and yogis, for their sense gratification, karmīs, jñānīs, and yogis, they have to undergo severe austerities. But the bhakta, somehow or other, he can, if he simply learns how to love Kṛṣṇa, then he hasn't got to undergo severe austerities and penance. Immediately he is released. Because that is the perfectional stage. If you live in Kṛṣṇa, always loving... Just like the gopīs. The gopīs, they learned how to love Kṛṣṇa. That's all. They never underwent any severe austerities like the great saintly persons going to Himalaya and pressing their nose and something like that. No, never did. Their only business was how to love Kṛṣṇa. Automatically.
Devotee:
- yathā hṛṣīkeśa khalena devakī
- kaṁsena ruddhāticiraṁ śucārpitā
- vimocitāhaṁ ca sahātmajā vibho
- tvayaiva nāthena muhur vipad-gaṇāt
- (SB 1.8.23)
"O Hṛṣīkeśa, master of the senses and Lord of lords, You have released Your mother, Devakī, who was long imprisoned and distressed by the envious King Kaṁsa, and me and my children from a series of constant dangers."
Prabhupāda: So this is the position of devotees, that Devakī who happens to be the mother of Kṛṣṇa... She's not ordinary woman. Who can become the mother of the Supreme Personality of Godhead? The most advanced devotee, so that Kṛṣṇa has agreed to become her son. In his previous life, the husband and wife, they underwent severe austerities, and when Kṛṣṇa appeared before them and wanted to give them benediction, they wanted a son like God. So where can be another person who is equal to God? That is not possible. God means there is no equal, there is no greater. Asamordhva. That is God. God, there cannot be any competition, that "You are God, I am God, he is God, he is God."
Nitāi: "O Hṛṣīkeśa, the master of the senses and the Lord of lords, You have released Your Mother Devakī, who was long imprisoned and distressed by the envious King Kaṁsa, and myself and my children from a series of constant dangers."
Prabhupāda:
- yathā hṛṣīkeśa khalena devakī
- kaṁsena ruddhāticiraṁ śucārpitā
- vimocitāhaṁ ca sahātmajā vibho
- tvayaiva nāthena muhur vipad-gaṇāt
- (SB 1.8.23)
So Kṛṣṇa... Actually, Kuntī is presenting the characteristics of Kṛṣṇa. He is transcendental, puruṣaṁ prakṛteḥ param. Then He is person. In so many ways, he, she has already described. Now... That is identification. Now Kṛṣṇa's activities... Because we have to know Kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, janma karma me divyam (BG 4.9).
The Kṛṣṇa supplied cloth. So for a woman in the assembly of so many men, if she is to be naked, it is the greatest danger. It is the greatest danger, and Kṛṣṇa saved. Similarly, Kuntī was saved... The dangers will be described in the later verses. She says, vimocitāhaṁ ca sahātmajā vibho: "I was released from so many dangerous positions, not only myself, but along with my sons."
So fact is that even Kuntī or Devakī, so intimately connected with Kṛṣṇa, but they had to face so many dangers, so what to speak of others? What to speak of others, ourself? So when we are danger, we are in danger, we should not be discouraged.
So you should always remember that this material world is simply full of dangers. If you think that "We are very safe; we are very expert; we have made this world very happy," then you are fool number one. Padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadām (SB 10.14.58). But if you take shelter of Kṛṣṇa, these dangers are nothing. That Kuntī will say, that vimocita. Vimocita means released from the danger. Aham. Sahātmajā: "With my..."
He was so crooked that he killed the five sons of the five Pāṇḍavas, and at last, Mahārāja Parīkṣit was in the womb of his mother. He wanted to kill him also. Brahmāstra. Brahmāstra, atomic bomb nowadays. It is almost similar, but it is still dangerous because atom bomb, you release—it has no aim. It will kill with..., aimlessly. But the brahmāstra is so accurate that if you want to kill somebody, it will go there, wherever he is, and it will kill. So Parīkṣit Mahārāja was in the womb of the mother. The brahmāstra entered the womb of the mother and was trying to kill this Parīkṣit Mahārāja in the womb, and Kṛṣṇa saved. He entered also within the womb and saved the child. Therefore it is said that drauṇy-astrataś cāsma hare 'bhirakṣitāḥ. Kṛṣṇa saved them in so many ways, so many ways. So that is being admitted. That is the behavior of Kṛṣṇa and His devotees.
So nivṛtta-tarṣair upagīyamānāt. Actually the holy name of Lord can be chanted by a person like Haridāsa Ṭhākura, who has no other desire, material desire. But those are not like Haridāsa Ṭhākura, they may take... Bhavauṣadhi. If he chants, then gradually he'll be released from this material disease. For them, this is the chance. Actually it is meant for liberated person like Haridāsa Ṭhākura. Then why we are chanting? We are chanting-ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12)—to cleanse our heart, to cure the material disease.
Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ (BG 18.66). It is not story. Kṛṣṇa says, confirms: "You just become My devotee, and I'll give you all protection." Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31). So many assurances. "Immediately I give you protection." Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mo... If I am released from all reaction of my sinful activities, then where is my difficulty? Difficulty's there so mo..., so long one is sinful. We suffer the reaction of sinful activities. But if there is no sin, I become purified, then where is suffering? There is no question of suffering.
And we also believe, that "In future these rascals will give us all happiness." Not now. Now you die. Just like a clever lawyer, his client was condemned to death, to be hanged. I have seen it in Allahabad high-court. And still, he is patting him, "Don't worry. I shall get you released by appeal. Now you can go to be hanged, and I shall get you released." Like that. I have seen it. One big European barrister... In those days European barristers were very valuable. Mr. Armstrong. I had also one case in high-court. So one man, one medical practitioner, he killed his servant in the operation room very mercilessly. The servant was implicated with his wife. To revenge, he called the servant in the operation room. The servant did not know that he was to be killed. And immediately he was captured, chloroform, and mercilessly killed with knife and then packed up in a box.
He was taking the corpse in a different place to throw away. In the meantime a police officer was passing. He saw that drops of blood is coming out of the box. He immediately arrested. So this case was. Then the doctor was condemned to death. So Mr. Armstrong was appointed his lawyer. So he was solacing, "Don't worry, I shall get you released by appeal." So our so-called scientists, they also say like that: "In future we shall do this. In future. Now you go to hell. That's all." But in future they cannot do anything. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Nature's law is so strong. The so-called childish scientists, they cannot give any relief. That is not possible. That is not possible. It is simply false promise. And those who are fools and rascals, they believe that in future... Future, but what they have done in the past? They cannot do anything.
"What is this nonsense that Maṇḍūka Muni has been punished? He is a great sage." So the king stopped the punishment and immediately came to see what has happened. Then he was immediately released. But he was very sorry, that "Why the judge Yamarāja punished him like that?" So he asked Yamarāja, "Why you have punished me like this?" "Now, in your childhood you pierced the rectum of an ant with a...," what is called?
No, you know. He says, God says, Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). "You give up all other business. You just become surrendered to Me." "And then how shall I pull on? Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi: "I shall give you protection. I will give you protection and I shall release you from the effects of all sinful activity."
Pradyumna: "By assimilating the instructions of the Bhagavad-gītā one is sure to become released from such bewilderment."
Prabhupāda: Yes. Therefore you have to understand Bhagavad-gītā is left for you. Kṛṣṇa has left before going away from this planet. He gave the instruction: "This is the position. You are like this. Your position is like this. You are now in trouble. You are in material existence. Why you are struggling for existence simply making your mind as the guide?" Manaḥ ṣaṣṭhāni indriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that "These living entities, they are My part and parcel. They're as good as I am, but..." Manaḥ ṣaṣṭhāni indriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣa... "
Pradyumna: "One is sure to become released from such bewilderment because real knowledge is to know that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vāsudeva, Lord Kṛṣṇa, is everything, including oneself."
Prabhupāda: Yes. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudur... (BG 7.19). But Kṛṣṇa says, "The living entities, My part and parcel." So just like father and son—the son is part and parcel of the father's body. So when the son is under the protection of father, that is his natural life. But if the son foolishly wants to live separately, although the father is the most opulent, (Sanskrit verse), full wealth, full opulence, full power, full wisdom, everything. Kṛṣṇa, the father, is full, and everyone can share the father's property. That is the lawful inheritance of the father. Then why you should suffer here?
Pradyumna: Translation: "Kuntī, after overhearing Arjuna's telling of the end of the Yadu dynasty and disappearance of Lord Kṛṣṇa, engaged in the devotional service of the transcendental Personality of Godhead with full attention and thus gained release from the course of material existence." (SB 1.15.33)
Prabhupāda: So Kṛṣṇa has got two kinds of existence: prakaṭa and aprakaṭa. Prakaṭa means when you see Kṛṣṇa personally. When Kṛṣṇa is present on this planet, everyone can see Kṛṣṇa. And actually, everyone saw. But only the devotees could understand that "Here is the Supreme Personality of Godhead." So that is called prakaṭa, "physically present." And there is another phase, which is called aprakaṭa, "not physically present." But that does not mean Kṛṣṇa is dead or God is dead. That does not mean.
Suppose you are being harassed by the police. You are put into the prisonhouse. And in so many ways you are being harassed by the criminal department. How you can get out? You simply file a petition, "Sir I am now experienced. I will never commit this criminal act. Kindly excuse me and get me released." That is the only way. Similarly, you can be very proud that "I don't care for God. There is no God. I am God. You are God." You can go on talking nonsense like that, but the māyā will give you so much trouble. But if you are sane man, then you will admit that "This was a wrong thing. Please excuse me." And then it will be possible. But that is not possible. Especially in this age, in Kali-yuga, the age is very strong and deteriorated that in spite of our daily class, daily instruction, the Kali is so strong that capturing, "Please come under my control and be killed. Please come under my... Be killed." "Yes, I will go." This is going on.
So only Mahārāja Parīkṣit was in the womb of his mother, and that was also attempted to be killed by brahmāstra. Brahmāstra is almost similar to the atomic weapon. And the brahmāstra, the specific function of brahmāstra is that when this weapon is released, it will kill the particular men wherever he is; it will go there and kill him. It doesn't matter whether he is in front or in somewhere. The weapon is so powerful that simply by mantra, you release it, and it will kill your enemy, wherever he is. So one brahmāstra was released to kill this child, baby within the womb, embryo, to kill. And at that time Uttarā felt that her pregnancy is going to be, what is called, discharged. So immediately she approached Kṛṣṇa, that "I am feeling like that, miscarrying. Please save me."
So he is ready to come exactly as you finish your terms of duration of life. That is the way. Ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16). So at the end of life, everyone becomes disgusted. Therefore there is some release interval. At the end of life, mostly, people, those who are..., especially ordinary human being, they do not wish to live anymore. Even from the point of view, this bodily, old body, always diseased, rheumatic pains, so... And there is no life. For old man there is no enjoyment, material enjoyment. He wants to enjoy, but he cannot enjoy. Therefore generally, they become disgusted.
"Oh, here is a child who has taken shelter of me as mother, who has taken shelter of me as father. Oh, it is my duty to train him in such a way that no more birth, no more death." Therefore Bhāgavata says, pitā na sa syāt...na mocayed yaḥ samupeta-mṛtyum: "One should not become mother, one should not become father, if he cannot release his children from the clutches of death." And how one can be saved from the clutches of death? This is the process, hari-līlāmṛtaṁ vacaḥ. If he is trained up... Therefore we have got this school from the Dallas. From the beginning, hari-līlāmṛtaṁ vacaḥ. They are being trained up in hari-līlāmṛtaṁ vacaḥ.
So I am also doing the same thing. So what is the difference between you and me?" So Alexander considered that "Yes, I am nothing but a big thief, that's all." So he released him, "Yes, I am no better than you." Just like dacoits. Nowadays there are many thieves who steal scientifically, legally. There are many lawyers, many scientists. They do harm, but legally. Legal murderer, legal cheaters, so many things. We have got experience, every one of us. If you can protect yourself under the cover of law and you cheat others, then it is nice. But you cannot cheat the supervision of the Supreme. That you cannot do. A thief may steal secretly, but there is no secret. There is no secrecy for God.
"I shall get you released." This is one side. And... From spiritual angle of vision. But from material angle of vision ṛṇa, debts, you can become insolvent. "I cannot pay." If you apply to the court... I do not know whether this act is there in your country. In India there is insolvency act. If one is debtor, then his assets, then he submits to the court that "I have got so much asset and I have got so much debt. So people may not harass me, the court may divide amongst my creditors whatever I have got." This is called insolvency. So court decides that he has got thousand dollars' debt, but he has got only hundred dollars, so that hundred dollars is divided: "You take this and be satisfied."
So when God is killing somebody, and God is patting something, somebody, that does not mean He has got two equal behavior for two persons. No. His behavior is the same: affection. But to kill this demon means to stop him from further sinful activities and get him..., give him release from the sinful activities he has done. Therefore it is His mercy. But one has to study very carefully. Because God is absolute, there is no difference between His activities with the demon and giving protection to a devotee. He is giving protection to the demon also, by killing him. But one cannot understand.
There was family relation. And he studied thoroughly... Although, when he was born, he did not see Kṛṣṇa, but still, he knew that Kṛṣṇa saved the whole Pāṇḍava family.
Kṛṣṇa, when brahmāstra was released by Aśvatthāmā to kill the Mahārāja Parīkṣit while he was within the womb of his mother, Kṛṣṇa personally saved him. Because... He wanted because in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra, everyone died, of the Kuru dynasty. Only the son, this Abhimanyu's son, Kṛṣṇa, uh, Arjuna's grandson, was within the womb of his mother. Therefore he was not killed in the battlefield. Still, Aśvatthāmā, the son of Droṇācārya wanted to kill him, and he released brahmāstra, and it was going to kill the child.
The whole Vedic adventure is to draw one's attention entirely unto the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa without any diversion, as it is instructed in the Bhagavad-gītā (15.15). Fortunately Mahārāja Parīkṣit had already been attracted to the Lord from the very beginning of his body, in the womb of his mother. In the womb of his mother, he was struck by the brahmāstra atomic bomb released by Aśvatthāmā, but by the grace of the Lord he was saved from being burnt by the fiery weapon, and since then the King continually concentrated his mind upon Lord Kṛṣṇa, which made him perfectly chaste in devotional service. So by natural sequence he was a chaste devotee of the Lord, and when he further heard..."
So when he explained, "My dear sir, Alexander, so what is the difference between you and me? I am also plunderer; you are also plunderer. I am a small plunderer; you are a big plunderer. So where is the difference in quality?" So Alexander the Great, he was very sensible. He released him: "Yes, there is no difference." So to become a big thief, big plunderer, does not mean that he is advanced. Similarly, our sense, for personal sense gratification or my family's sense gratification or for my nation's sense gratification—that is sense gratification. That is not spiritual activity. That is material activity.
Never said, kṛṣṇa uvāca or kapila uvāca, because They are Bhagavān. So those who are self-realized soul, who know what is Bhagavān, so instead of speaking kapiladeva uvāca, he says, Vyāsadeva says... Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is compiled by Śrīmad Vyāsadeva. So as Bhagavad-gītā also, it was heard by Arjuna, it was released to Sañjaya, and then, from Sañjaya heard Vyāsadeva, and he made it recorded in writing in Mahābhārata... So he says, bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān uvāca means that is the perfect version. There is no mistake. If some ordinary says, there will be so many defects and cheating, because ordinary person has no perfect knowledge. He may be very, very advanced scholar, but that does not mean he is perfect.
You can chant twenty-four hours. It will feel fresh and enthusiasm. That is spiritual. Therefore... Therefore it is not a subject matter, this sound is not like this radio, material sound. It is also sound, but it is spiritual sound, and it is coming from the spiritual world. Just like in the material world we can release some sound. From here, it can be heard from thousands of miles, but not more than that. The spiritual sound, it is released from many, many millions and millions and trillions of miles away; still, it can be heard, provided you have got the machine to capture it. That is bhāgavata-prema.
If you actually Vedantist, then you should be inquiring that "I am eternal. Why I am put into this temporary body, and on account of this body, I am subjected to so many miserable condition of material life? Why I should remain in this condition? How I can get released from this condition?" That is human life. That is human life. And tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). If you actually very much eager to inquire about it, then you require a guru. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam: (SB 11.3.21) "One who is inquisitive about spiritual life, about spiritual identity," tasmāt, "therefore," guruṁ prapadyeta, "you must seek out a bona fide guru."
Nitāi: "The Personality of Godhead, Kapila, continued: My dear mother, now I shall describe unto you the different categories of the Absolute Truth, knowing which any person can be released from the influence of the modes of material nature."
Prabhupāda:
- atha te sampravakṣyāmi
- tattvānāṁ lakṣaṇaṁ pṛthak
- yad viditvā vimucyeta
- puruṣaḥ prākṛtair guṇaiḥ
- (SB 3.26.1)
This is the disease. This is called material disease. One is infected by the prākṛta-guṇa. The prākṛta-guṇa... Guṇa means quality, mode. So prākṛta means this material prakṛti, and spiritual means aprākṛta. There are different stages of knowledge: pratyakṣa, parokṣa, aparokṣa, adhokṣaja, aprākṛta.
Unless one becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious, his repetition of birth and death and contacting another body from one body to another, that will continue. This is the basic principle of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Do not misunderstand Kṛṣṇa consciousness as a kind of religious faith. It is a science, how to get release from this repetition of birth and death. This is the science. It is not that as people accept a system of religion and another system of of religion. Because a human being is supposed to accept some type of religion. Somebody is a Hindu, somebody is Mussulman, somebody is Christian. It is not that. It is a science. It is a science. We are teaching that somehow or other you enhance your love for God. Then you are saved. This is a science.
And if you do not understand Kṛṣṇa, if you do not increase your natural love for Kṛṣṇa, then na mucyate deha-yogena tāvat. There is no chance. They have no chance. You may take birth next life in a very rich family, in a brāhmaṇa family, yogo-bhraṣṭaḥ, but that is also not release. Again you may fall down. Just like we see there are so many... Just like you Americans, you are born in rich family, rich nation, but falling down, becoming hippies. Falling down. So there is chance. Not that it is guaranteed. "Because I am born in a rich family or brāhmaṇa family, that is guarantee." No guarantee. This māyā is so strong that it is only trying to drag you—drag you down, drag you down. So many influences. So therefore we sometimes see that these Americans, they are so fortunate they are born in a country where there is no poverty, there is no scarcity.
Seva. It is not seva. A poor man, you can have mercy, dayā. That is allowed. Just like we distribute prasādam. That is bāliśeṣu Īśvare tad-adhīneṣu bāliśeṣu dviṣatsu ca, prema-maitrī-kṛpa upekṣā. Kṛpā. Those who are suffering—innocent, they do not know how to get release from the suffering—they are called bāliśa. Just like a child. A child is suffering, he does not know how to get relief; so one should take care. They should be given shelter, they should be given cloth, food. It is the duty of the parents. That is natural. So for the bāliśa, innocent, it is our duty to show them mercy, give them food, give them shelter, give them instruction of Kṛṣṇa consciousness so that he may understand why he is here in this material world, why he is suffering. Ke āmi kene amaya jape tāpa traya. Everyone is suffering threefold miserable condition of life, adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika.
So let them... People are very much enthusiastic to earn money in this material world. We can see practically, especially in the Western world. But if they engage their profit for pushing on Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, then their money will no more be engaged in releasing atomic bomb. Otherwise it will be used for releasing atomic bomb. I shall break your head and you shall break my head. Both of them, we shall finish.
People are One has to learn. Ādau gurvāśrayaṁ sad-dharma-pṛcchāt. Sad-dharma-pṛcchāt. To accept guru means to give up all material desires and be ready to ask from guru, "What shall I do?" Just like Sanātana Gosvāmī, when he approached Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he asked this question, that "By Your grace I am now released from my responsible activities." He was a minister of Nawab Hussain Shah, so he had many responsible activities, but he resigned from the post. And when he approached Caitanya Mahāprabhu he asked, "Now, by Your grace, I am now relieved from all material activities. Now kindly tell me what shall I do." So doing, it is not stopped. The Māyāvāda philosophy means stop doing. Jagat mithyā: there is no more activities. That cannot stay.
Oṁ is good." But when there is question of personal meditation, they protest.
Therefore tad-vijñānarthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). In order to learn everything very clearly, he must have the shelter of a bona fide guru. Ādau gurvāśrayam. If we want release from all this disturbance of the material world, then the first and foremost thing is ādau gurvāśrayam. Then,
- tad viddhi praṇipātena
- paripraśnena sevayā
- upadekṣyanti tad jñānaṁ
- jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ
- (BG 4.34)
Guru means tattva-darśī. Tattva-darśī. Otherwise he's useless, waste of time.
There is no inconvenience, but suppose in the old age I am traveling all over the world. People think that I have taken some hardship. But for Kṛṣṇa's sake, even it is hardship... Actually, there is no hardship. But even it is hardship, we should take it. Para-upakāra. People are in ignorance, they are suffering, and it is especially India's business to release them from this material suffering and give them information about the Vaikuṇṭha world, the world of no anxiety. And try to train them in different ways. That is the real welfare activity in the human society.
If you minimize it now, that does not mean he will not suffer. He will suffer next life. Just like a man is imprisoned, and if your friend or relative is imprisoned, by somehow or other you get him released by hook and crook, so when you are again captured you are again severely punished, both the men. Is it not the law? So how can you give relief to the suffering person who is condemned? If in your state law a man suffering in the prison and if you feel sympathy or you may try to give him release and get him out by some hook and crook means, then both of you will be punished. Is it not? So how can you avoid the punishment by God's law?
Actually they are not doing anything but this philosophy is a rubbish philosophy. You cannot do. If you can do anything good to the people, then you can simply awaken them to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the best service. Other service you cannot do. Te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni-baddhāḥ. Just like by any means you cannot get released a man who is condemned in the prison. Against law. However sympathetic you may be to your friend, but you cannot release him. That is against law. Similarly, people are suffering, undoubtedly, but they have to undergo the prāyaścitta process. In the śāstras there are prāyaścitta process. Formerly, even our childhood days, we have seen in Calcutta, there is a special quarter of the bhaṭṭācārya brāhmaṇas. The bhaṭṭācārya brāhmaṇas' business is that if you have committed some sinful act, you should immediately go and consult the bhattācārya:
"I heard that people suffer such-and-such kind of punishment for such-and-such kind of sinful activities. So how to get them released from this suffering?" Just like a friend, suppose another friend for criminal activity is put into jail, but the friend is thinking, "Anyway, my friend is now put into jail, suffering. How to get him released?" That is friend's action—father, mother or friend. Similarly, Vaiṣṇava, Vaiṣṇava is patitānāṁ pāvanebhyo vaiṣṇavebhyo namo namaḥ. We offer our respectful obeisances to Vaiṣṇava because Vaiṣṇava is meant for delivering the fallen souls. That is Vaiṣṇava's business. They have taken so much trouble just to deliver the fallen souls from the sinful activities, and those who are being punished, to save them, this is Vaiṣṇava's business.
If one takes shelter of Kṛṣṇa, he's immediately released from these resultant actions of sinful activities. So mahā-bhāga means those who have no sufferings, they're always possessed of all good fortune, he is called mahā-bhāga. Bhagavān. The Sanskrit word is used, bhagavān, fortunate.
That is not... But that will not be. That is not a fact. Suppose one is very pet son of his father, and he commits murder, and he thinks "If there is any punishment my father will suffer." Will it be done? Will it be done? When he is arrested, if he says, "No, you can release me. You can arrest my father because I am very pet son of my father," so will the government will do that, that you have committed murder and your father will be arrested? No. This is quite unreasonable. You have committed murder, you must be hanged. Nor your father nor your son nor your brother. This is the law. So that is the law. If you commit sinful life, then you must suffer, not anyone else. But we are thinking like that: "That let me go on doing all nonsense and somebody for me will suffer." No, that is not the law.
"You are happy with your family, with your children?" Because they have a family. But here is a saintly man. So what should we inquire? Inquire, the inquiry is aihiṣṭhaṁ yat tam punar-janme-jayāya: "My dear Viśvāmitra Muni, brāhmaṇa, I know that you are all trying to get release from repetition of birth and death." Why he has gone to the forest? He has gone to the forest for executing austerity, so that next life may be not material but spiritual life. This is the aim of life. The whole human effort, civilization, should be conducted with the aim how to stop this repetition of birth and death. This is science. Aihiṣṭhaṁ yat tam punar-janma-jayāya. He inquired—he was a brāhmaṇa, great sage—that "You have taken so much trouble that you are living in the forest, you are undergoing meditation and other regulative principles—why?"
Kṛṣṇa says, "I shall give you release from all sinful reaction which you have committed for many, many births." Kṛṣṇa says. Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ. There is no question of worrying about it, that "Oh, I have committed." But the thing is that after surrendering to Kṛṣṇa, don't commit any more sinful life. Then you are perfect. Whatever you have done is done. It doesn't matter. But after surrendering, if you think, "It is a good business. I have surrendered," no, that is not surrender. Surrender is that sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). He has no other business. That is surrender. You cannot become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa and engage in sinful activities.
Before that, he is unconscious, sleeping. Now, when the body grows within the mother womb and it is seven months, then he returns consciousness. He feels inconvenient. And he is very eager to come out. Those who are advanced, they pray to God, "My Lord, somehow or other get me release from this condition. This life I shall devote for rendering You service so that I may be free from this condition." So similarly, at ten months, ten days, he comes out and..., but forgets. Svajanera kole. Many relatives, mother, father, takes care, and he forgets that "I promised I shall become Kṛṣṇa conscious this time." But on account of illusory energy, he thought that "I am very comfortably situated. My father is taking care. My mother is taking care. My relatives are taking care. So very happy life." This is called forgetfulness.
That is another thing. So these sixteen thousand girls were kidnapped by that Bhaumāsura. So without finding any way how to escaped from this asura's hand, they appealed to Kṛṣṇa that "You save us. This is our position." So Kṛṣṇa is bhakta-vatsala. He came and released them and killed the Bhaumāsura and asked them, "Now you can go to your father's house." So they began to cry. Why? "Now our fathers will not accept us because we have been kidnapped." Just see. "We have been kidnapped. I have no right to go to the father. And we're not married also." "Then, what you want?" "You kindly marry us." "All right. Come on." (laughter) This is Kṛṣṇa. Yes. "You have no shelter. You're taking My shelter? Come on.
Na niṣkṛtair uditair brahma-vādibhiḥ. There are twenty kinds of religious scripture, out of which, Manu is considered to be the greatest. So they have prescribed many methods for getting oneself released from the reaction of sinful activities. Every one of us, anyone who is engaged in karma... Karma means pāpa, sinful activities. And karma means one who is working for his own benefit. He is karmī. The whole world is working so hard not for others' benefit but his personal benefit. That is called karma. Try to understand what is karma. Karma means anyone who is working very hard day and night for his own benefit. That is called karma. And whenever you perform karma for your personal interest there must be some sinful activity. Therefore every karmī is a sinful man. It is clear understanding. No karmī can be without being sinful. Every karmī is. Therefore how to work?
You cannot conclude, "Because everyone is in the jail, criminal, therefore the superintendent of jail, he is also criminal." Then you are mistaken. Those who are conducting these sinful men to take them back to home, back to Godhead, he is not criminal. His business is how to release this rascal from this prison house and take him back to home, back to Godhead.
So mahad-vicalanaṁ nṛṇāṁ gṛhiṇāṁ dīna-cetasāṁ. Gṛhiṇāṁ. Gṛhi means anyone who is living within this body or anyone who is living within this material world. It is a compact thing. So they are very poor-hearted. They do not know what is the value of life. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). So instead of enlightening them, if mahāt or mahātmā, they keep them in the darkness, that is a great disservice. They must be enlightened.
Tasyaiva hetoḥ prayeteta kovido na labhyate yad bhramatām upary adhaḥ (1.5.18). We are, by the impelling of the material nature—prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27)—we are wandering throughout the whole universe in different types of bodies, in different planets, but we are not getting released. Therefore our only business is to get released from this repetition of birth and death. Śāstra... Tapo... Tasyaiva hetoḥ prayeteta kovido. You have become the inhabitants of the higher planets, and you have become an ant, a small insect. This is going on. But you haven't got that release. Now you have got sense; you are human being. Tapo divyam (SB 5.5.1). Now you engage yourself in that tapasya. Yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-kriya na tyājyaṁ kāryam eva tat. Yajña, dāna and tapasya. Kṛṣṇa says, "These things are not to be given up." That is human civilization.
He simply tried to call his son, whose name was Nārāyaṇa. That was not practically kīrtana, but this very vibration, transcendent vibration, has got so potency that without following the rules and regulations of chanting the holy name, he became immediately released from all sinful reaction. That point is stressed here. Abhavan aśucir api niyamāna asustha-cittaḥ (?). Not only he never meant for chanting the holy name, he was not only sinful, but he was practically in coma because he was dying. His all functions of the physical body was stopped, and he could not chant even properly. Still, he became released from all sinful reaction. At the time of death... Why death? Even in our sleeping condition we are out of our own control completely. So Ajāmila was diseased and was almost on the verge of death, and he was calling his son only.
Practically he had no program, but still, he became released, and what to speak of persons who are regularly chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra under principles and without any offense? Avṛtti-śraddhādi-viṣayas tu pāpa-vāsanā-kṣayārtham harer guṇānuvādaḥ khalu sattva-bhāvanaḥ (?). So some way or other, if one is engaged in glorifying the activities...(Hindi) Harer guṇānuvādaṁ khalu sattva-bhāvanaḥ. So even with offense... Because in the beginning everyone chants with offenses... But harer guṇānuvāda, the glorification of the Lord is so powerful that simply by chanting constantly... Therefore we stress that so many rounds must be done.
Without being sinful, nobody is here in this material world. If he's not sinful, then he'll be immediately transferred. Yeṣām anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām. Immediately transferred to the spiritual world. He has... Just like a person who has finished his criminal punishment, immediately he is released from the prison. Similarly, a person who is freed from the resultant action of sinful activities, he immediately becomes liberated. Therefore anyone who is in this material world engaged in fruitive activities... Not the devotees. That is another mistake. The devotees are also here, but they are always in Vaikuṇṭha. Brahma-bhūyāya kalpate (BG 14.26). So anyway, the general process is that instead of, I mean to say, following the religious rituals for diminishing or getting out of the sinful reaction, one is recommended to accept bhakti-yoga, beginning with the chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa. That is the conclusion.
Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (end)
Practically the proprietor is Kṛṣṇa. So when you engage your all the senses in the service of the master of the senses, that is called bhakti. Hṛṣīkena hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate (CC Madhya 19.170). That hṛṣīkena, that senses, must be purified. How? Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam, being released, freed from all designations.
So the difficulty is that we are not free from designation. We are thinking, "Oh, I am Christian. Oh, I am Hindu. I am this. I am that." Nobody's thinking that, "I am Kṛṣṇa's. I am God's." So this designation disease has to be first of all cured. Then you become pure. So long you keep your designation you are not pure. You are in the material condition.
They manufacture such words, atheist class of men, but we hate to see them even. Nārāyaṇa is always opulent. Ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrno bhagavān always. How Nārāyaṇa can be daridra, poor? That is not possible.
So nārāyaṇam ādi-devaṁ sa mukta-saṅgair iṣito 'pavargaḥ. Apavarga means release from these material sufferings. We have several times explained. Pavarga, pavarga means material suffering. Pa means pariśrama, always working hard, day and night. And pha, phena, foam coming out of my mouth. Pa, pha, ba, still baffled. Bha is fearfulness. Pa, pha, ba, bha and ma, mṛtyu, at last, death. This is called pavargaḥ. And apavargaḥ means just to counteract this pavargaḥ. So in one life if we try to associate with the devotees and engage in Nārāyaṇa's service sincerely... Maybe a little difficult. There is no difficulty. Where is the difficulty? We can see practically. To chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra and take prasādam, is there any difficulty? There is no difficulty. It is so pleasing.
This is still the Indian system. So they were kidnapped for so many days or so many years, so they appealed to Kṛṣṇa that "We'll not be accepted either by our father, neither anybody will agree to marry." Then Kṛṣṇa understood that "Their position is very precarious. Although they are released, they cannot go anywhere." Then Kṛṣṇa... He's so kind, bhakta-vatsala. He inquired, "What you want?" That... They said that "You accept me, otherwise we have no other means to stay." Kṛṣṇa immediately: "Yes, come on." This is Kṛṣṇa. And not that His sixteen thousand wives was concentrated in one camp. He immediately constructed sixteen thousand palaces. Because He has accepted as wife, he (she) must be maintained as His wife, as His queen, not that "Because they have no other means, they have come to My shelter. I can keep them any way." No. Most respectfully as queen, as Kṛṣṇa's queen. And again He thought that "The sixteen thousand wives...
That is Kṛṣṇa's permission. Mayādhyakṣeṇa: (BG 9.10) "Under My vigilence, under My superintendence."
So Durgā-devī is keeping you captivated. When Kṛṣṇa says, "Let him go," immediately released. Immediately you are released. And when Kṛṣṇa says, "Keep him under your control," so you have to remain. So we are captivated now within this material world. We are announcing that "We are independent. Whatever we like, we can do." These are all foolishness. You are entangling yourself, simply entangling. A little mistake—you'll have to suffer. Just like in our daily affairs you can eat so much. A little more eating means disturbance in the digestion. You are so much under the control of nature. But these rascals, they do not understand it. They declare, "Freedom."
That is also not our real body. That is the body of the prison house, just like when a criminal is put into the prison house, he is given a different dress. In hospital, in prison house, when a man is there, his original dress is taken away. It is kept. When he's released from the hospital or jail, the same dress is again returned. Otherwise his present dress is taken and a separate dress is given. Similarly, we have got our spiritual body, not that we are zero, as the Māyāvādī thinks. We are not zero. We have got our spiritual body but very, very small. Very small. The measurement is given: one ten-thousandth part of the tip of the hair, very minute. Aṇor aṇīyān mahato mahīyān. The Supreme Lord is great. "God is great." He's greater than the greatest, and He is smaller than the smallest.
Āpavargasya. Dharma means, religion means, to accept the path of āpavarga. It is not a religious sentiment. Therefore dharma is defined, dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Just like the state authorities. A man is suffering in the prison house, and he's praying to get release or he's very anxious to get release. So he has to follow some government rules and regulation. Then he may be released.
So therefore dharma means the rules and regulation or the law given by Kṛṣṇa if you want release from this bondage of material suffering, āpavargasya. Dharmasya hi āpavargasya na arthāya artho upakalpate. Generally we go to the temple for artha, some material gain: "O God, give us our daily bread." This is material gain, either bread or rice or something. It is also good because ārto arthārthī. Catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ janaḥ sukṛtinaḥ. Sukṛtinaḥ.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
The pain is the same. So actually, so long there is material existence, the so-called suffering and enjoying, they're on the same level. There is no difference. But if we take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, as Kṛṣṇa assures, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66), "I shall get you relieved, released from all kinds of sinful activities." That is real auspiciousness. Means when Kṛṣṇa takes charge, He gradually educates the devotee buddhi-yogam, in devotion service, so that he may go back home, back to Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. That is real auspicity. In the material world, so-called auspicity, to become very rich, to become very educated, to become very beautiful, high parentage, they are also, in material consideration, they are auspicity, undoubtedly.
The example is given as hasti-snāna. Take, for example, it is said by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra one is released from all sinful activities immediately. Eka hari nāma yata pāpa kare, pāpī haya tato pāpa kari bare nare. It is a fact. Just like Ajāmila. His whole life was full of sinful activities, but at the time of death, because he uttered the holy name of Nārāyaṇa, he became immediately released. That's a fact. But if we commit again sinful activities, then what is the use of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra? Nāmno balād yasya hi pāpa-buddhiḥ. This is one of the ten offenses. If anyone thinks that "I am chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. It is reacting all the effects of my sinful life. Then again I can commit and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. It is very good business..." No. That is great offense.
Bhaja vāsudeva. There is a verse like that, that as by taking shelter at the lotus feet of Vāsudeva, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one can get released from all kinds of material tribulations, such kind of immunization is not possible by practicing yoga, tapasya, jñāna. This is the statement in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. In all ways, it is recommended that we have to, we should take shelter...
- samāśritā ye pada-pallava-plavaṁ
- mahat-padaṁ puṇya-yaśo murāreḥ
- bhavāmbudhir vatsa-padaṁ paraṁ padaṁ
- padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadāṁ na teṣām
- (SB 10.14.58)
If one takes shelter of mahat-padaṁ puṇya-yaśo murāreḥ... Murāri is Kṛṣṇa's another name. So puṇya-yaśo, His name is famous as piety. Puṇya-yaśo murāri. If anyone takes shelter of His lotus feet, then the great ocean of nescience becomes a small pit, and one can jump over it very easily. Go on.
"Why you are punishing me? You are also a robber. You are going under the name of conqueror, and because I am not as great as you are, therefore you are trying to punish me. So why you are...?" So Alexander the Great, he was very, mean, highly advanced in... He immediately released him. "Yes. I am also a robber. Why shall I punish you?"
So every... Stenayor sa ucyate. Everyone in this material world, one who has no Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he's a thief, he's a rogue, he's a robber. Everyone. Just like the Americans. They occupied the land of America by killing the Red Indians, and now they are claiming proprietor, and there is immigration department: "Nobody can come here. It is our land."
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
If we take that, then we are misled. How He can take? Because for understand brahma-sukha we are giving up everything—I mean from the Māyāvādī point of view—and again, Kṛṣṇa being Paraṁ Brahman, how He can indulge in material happiness? This is the argument. Brahma-sukha, to understand brahma-sukha, to release brahma-sukha, if one is giving up everything material... There are three kinds of sukha: material sukha, brahma-sukha, and spiritual sukha. Brahma-sukha is on the margin. Sukha means happiness. Therefore, from logical point of view, we should conclude it that "Kṛṣṇa, being Para-brahman, how He can indulge in material happiness?" This is very important point. If for understanding little bit of brahma-sukha we are giving up all material enjoyment, how Kṛṣṇa can enjoy materially? He is Paraṁ Brahman.
Or he is given some... Or there are many political prisoners, they are given first-class bungalow, first-class residence, and all facilities. But the superintendent of police has no power to release him. That is not possible. That is not possible. Similarly, by bribing or by satisfying Durgā, you can get a comfortable position within this material world, but your real business is how to get out of it. That Durgā cannot give. Hariṁ vinā na mṛtiṁ taranti. So long you do not come to the shelter of Kṛṣṇa... Mām eva prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). Unless you surrender to Kṛṣṇa, there is no possibility of getting out of the clutches of māyā. That is not possible.
Sunday we were discussing about Sanātana Gosvāmī's meeting with Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Sanātana Gosvāmī was the finance minister of Nawab Hussain Shah, the then Pathan government of Bengal. So he resigned his office. The Nawab was reluctant to give him release. He was arrested, but somehow or other he released himself by bribing the superintendent of jail and he met Caitanya Mahāprabhu at Benares, or Vārāṇasī. And for two months He gave him instruction how to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
He was not madman, but he gave up. He understood that these exalted posts... They are hankering after, they are trying to capture the big, big post, materialistic persons, laboring so hard, spending so much money. And he already possessed that position, and out of his own, or the inspiration by Kṛṣṇa, he resigned it. The master, the Nawab Shah, was unwilling to give him release. He became very, very sorry, that "If Sanātana Gosvāmī resigns, then my empire will be ruined. I was so confident that he is managing. Now he's going to resign, the whole responsibility will be mine." So he became very much disturbed. He arrested him, "No, you cannot resign, then I'll keep you arrested." So many things happened. But still he resigned and he came to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
"You are the fit person." Then Caitanya Mahāprabhu gives you instruction. If you are unfit, then there will be no instruction. And what is the fitness? Fitness is he must be very eager to serve Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Just like Sanātana Gosvāmī approached: "My Lord, You have released me from this material occupation. Now order me what shall I do." This is wanted. One must be ready, very eager to carry out the orders of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Then He will give you instruction. And as soon as you get the favor, mercy of Caitanya Mahāprabhu... It is very simple.
That is the definition of mukti given in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Muktir hitvā anyathā rūpaṁ svarūpeṇa avasthitiḥ. Just like even a criminal in the prison house, if he becomes submissive that "Henceforward I shall be law-abiding. I then shall obey the government laws very obediently," then sometimes he is released prematurely on account of giving a declaration.
Just see how material entanglement, this body. At any moment, at any moment you can be finished. You cannot be finished, but your all activities is. Therefore we should be very careful because we have to pull on with this body. Because unless you are perfectly in understanding of Kṛṣṇa, there is no release from this body. It is not that "I want to get release myself from this body; therefore I cut my throat and I get relief." No. That is not possible. You have to be completely detached from this body, and that can be possible when you come..., (coughing) when you understand at least something about Kṛṣṇa. You cannot know Kṛṣṇa completely. That is not possible. He is unlimited.
The advantage is that if you want to get release from the infection of these three guṇas, three qualities, then you have to render devotional service to the Lord. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Nirguṇo bhavet. Nirguṇa, when there is mention of nirguṇa, nirguṇa does not mean quality-less. Nirguṇa means without these contaminous three qualities of material nature. There are transcendental qualities. Those transcendental qualities... You have got the list, twenty-six qualities of the devotee. Those are transcendental qualities. Those transcendental qualities are in God as well as in the living entity.
Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures
If you are engaged in some type of activities, you are not engaged in other activities, you cannot do. Similarly, if you simply engage yourself in pious activities, the reaction of sinful activities cannot touch you. Yeṣāṁ anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām te, such persons, dvandva-moha-nirmuktā, they're released from the duality, bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ. So you are engaged in that business. There is no scope of sinful reaction in your life, provided you follow the four principles. No intoxication, no meat eating, no illicit sex, no gambling. These four items and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, sixteen rounds. Is it very difficult? And here is Kṛṣṇa's certificate. So do it, rigidly, and be happy. Thank you very much. (devotees pay obeisances)
You simply surrender unto Me." Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo. So this aghaṁ dhunvanti, He destroys all kinds of resultant activities of sinful life. Not he does; it is done by Kṛṣṇa. He says, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo: "I'll help you. I will release you from all kinds of reaction. You simply surrender." Therefore vāsudeva-parāyaṇāḥ, one who is devotee, and simply engaged in devotional service, aghaṁ dhunvanti, immediately He causes disappearance of all sinful action. How? The example is given: aghaṁ dhunvanti kārtsnyena, wholesale, immediately. How? Nihārām iva bhāskaraḥ. Just like fog is immediately, I mean to say, moved, simply by sunrise. Sunrise. Just like this is night, darkness. In the morning, as soon as there will be sunrise, there will be no more darkness. Immediately all thousands and millions of miles of darkness immediately moved. So try to make Kṛṣṇa sūrya, the sun, Kṛṣṇa, rise in your heart, and everything will be solved.
Festival Lectures
This is dharmasya glāniḥ. What is that? When we forget Kṛṣṇa and try to become the master of the world. This is dharmasya glāniḥ. When we want to become master of Kṛṣṇa, that is dharmasya glāniḥ. So Kṛṣṇa advents Himself. This is, today is the auspicious day of Kṛṣṇa's adventing to kill Kaṁsa and to release Vasudeva. This is Kṛṣṇa. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya... Paritrāṇāya sādhūnām. Vasudeva, His father, was arrested, put into the prison house. To release him from the prison house, and to kill the Kaṁsa, duṣkṛtina, rākṣasa... The rākṣasika philosophy is "How to kill Kṛṣṇa, how to become godless." Kaṁsa was planning to kill Kṛṣṇa. That is... Kaṁsa, or the demons, that is plan. But Kṛṣṇa comes to kill the demons and protect the devotees. Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām (BG 4.8). But He is kind to both the demons and the devotees. By... Anyone who is killed by Kṛṣṇa, he also gets liberation. And what to speak of the devotee.
Arrival Addresses and Talks
This is a crude example. And similarly, children. Gṛha-kṣetra. Ato gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta-vittair janasya moho 'yam (SB 5.5.8). This bodily concept of life increases our delusion and we become enwrapped, entangled in material world, and we get a different type of body.
So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant for releasing all these conditioned souls from this misconception of life. Anyone, any intelligent man can understand that as soon as we identify our activities with the body, then we are fool number one. That is the verdict of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
Yes. So Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has also said, chāḍiyā vaiṣṇava-sevā, nistāra pāyeche kebā. Our this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is for nistāra. Nistāra means to be liberated from the capture of māyā. That is called nistāra, release, release from the capture of māyā. So Vaiṣṇava... Chāḍiyā vaiṣṇava-sevā, nistāra pāyeche kebā. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, another Vaiṣṇava... As it sung by Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, similarly, you know that Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, he also has sung many song, approved songs. Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura says that Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura's songs are Vedic evidence. All Vaiṣṇavas, songs are like that, Vedic evidence.
Initiation Lectures
So if I chant "John, John, John," so John may be a hundred miles away. There is no response. But the name, holy name of God, God is present everywhere. Just like the television. Television is being, I mean to say, released in some place. If you have got the machine, immediately the picture is in your room. If it is, materially, it can be so possible, how much possibility there is in spiritual Kṛṣṇa name? Immediately you chant Kṛṣṇa's name, that means Kṛṣṇa is immediately on your tongue. So what is that?
This is very dangerous thing. By chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra you become released from all sinful reaction. But because Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra nullifies all sinful reaction, that does not mean he shall continue. It is not like that, you go to church and you confess your sins and it is all adjusted or nullified—again from the next week you begin fresh sinful activities. No. That is not allowed. That is not allowed. Kṛṣṇa we should not make an agent for nullifying our sinful activities. Then it is not service. Then we make Kṛṣṇa as our servant. We are at liberty to commit all kinds of nonsense, and God becomes an agent to clear it—what is this nonsense? That is not allowed. You may, by mistake or some way or other, you may commit something wrong, but by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, from this day everything is apavitraḥ pavitro vā, everything is finished. But from tomorrow or immediately after this, no more sinful activities.
The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is making propaganda, so they require money. Money is Kṛṣṇa's money. Everyone is holding Kṛṣṇa's money. So the sooner they spare that money... Because if I am holding your money, if I give it to you, then I become released from my criminal activities. Suppose I have stolen something from your pocket and I become conscious, "Oh, this stealing is not good," so as soon as I return unto you, "Please take this money; I was mistaken," so thing is settled up. But if you hold it, then you are criminal. You will be punished. Similarly, everyone who is holding Kṛṣṇa's money, not returning to Kṛṣṇa, he is a criminal. He will be punished. How they are punished? That you have seen.
General Lectures
They have no other information.
But you are not like that. You are, from the beginning of your life, you are given advantage by your parents, by your family, to develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Because Mahārāja Parīkṣit, when he was in the womb of his mother the other side of the Kuru dynasty, they released atom bomb to kill him, and Kṛṣṇa saved him. And after his birth, the boy was playing with Kṛṣṇa statue. So he is from the very beginning Kṛṣṇa conscious. So Śukadeva Gosvāmī is advising, "My dear king, you are not this type of man, because as soon as you have heard you are sure that you are going to die, immediately you have come out from your home and all attachment of your kingdom, wife and children. So your business is," he advises, tasmād bhārata sarvātmā bhagavān īśvaro hariḥ.
If somehow or other he becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious, by the mercy of a sādhu, and by understanding the śāstra, if somehow or other he becomes lean to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then he is eligible for being delivered from this miserable condition of material life. Māyā tāhāre chāḍaya. Then this illusion, māyā, releases our light here now.
This simple process that you surrender to Kṛṣṇa and māyā immediately gives you release, "Oh, no more. That's all right." (pause) Yes, any questions? So, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very scientific, authorized and practical, and very simple. You all take to this and be happy. That is our program. If you have got any question, you can ask. (pause) We shall hold class here in the morning at about half past five, six and in the evening at seven, after seven. Any questions? (pause) Then have kīrtana. (end)
Because that child is born of Hiraṇyakaśipu, he must be a greater demon. So as soon as the child is born, we shall kill it. Therefore, we are taking this woman." Then Nāradajī said that "This child is not an ordinary child. He is mahā-bhāgavata. So you do not try this attempt. Just release her. I will take her."
So Nāradajī is authority, so demigods accepted his advice, Vaiṣṇava. The demigods are also Vaiṣṇava. Demigods means there are two kinds of population all over the universe, daiva asura eva ca. One class is called daiva, devata, and the other class is called asura. So who is asura and who is a deva? Viṣṇu-bhakta bhaved daiva asuras tad viparyayaḥ). That is the definition who is the asura and who is a deva. Only the Vaiṣṇava, they are demigods.
So if we want to stop this business of repetition of birth and death in this cycle, we must understand. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te. We must understand. It is compulsory. We must understand "What is God, what is my relations with Him." Then we can get release from this repetition of birth and death. That process is being described by Bhagavān Himself, that mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha. You have to increase your attachment for Bhagavān. Āsakta. Āsakta means attachment. You have to increase your attachment for Bhagavān. (break) ...recommended process, you can understand Bhagavān.
Philosophy Discussions
Prabhupāda: Falls down is different.
Śyāmasundara: ...yes, and then he becomes again released...
Prabhupāda: Again he is free.
Śyāmasundara: Is his understanding after release higher than the previous?
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Śyāmasundara: Because he has learned something.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Learned something, has become free; just like Nārada is giving history of his past life to Vyāsadeva. You have not read it, conversation between Nārada and Vyāsadeva? He knows perfectly well that I was a maidservant's son and in this way I have become free. That is freedom. Anyone knows. As soon as he comes to spiritual consciousness, he knows, "Oh, I was this in abominable condition, now I am decent(?) position. (indistinct).
Prabhupāda: No. There is no question of permanent. Because he has got independence, he can misuse his independence, he can fall down. That's why one man is released from the prison house, that does not mean permanently he... He can come back again.
Śyāmasundara: There's no guarantee.
Atreya Ṛṣi: This concept of prediction, Prabhupāda. You just said it's the duty of the material (indistinct) because he's (indistinct) material. Because he's not sure and...
Prabhupāda: There are so many (indistinct), we established some of them. There are so many problems. But our program is that threefold miseries, everyone who has accepted this body has to undergo the threefold miseries. You may describe in...
Śyāmasundara: (break) ...psychoanalysis that by releasing these emotions, which have been built up due to tension, frustration, then the original shock can be released through admitting, confessing, remembering, like that.
Devotee (3): The bubble coming up is a sort of a proof that there is a subconscious which is holding that bubble and then it's released it, but where it's parted by these psychologists is that the subconscious nature is moving subconsciously. What it means is that we're not conscious of it; it's acting in a subconscious plane.
Śyāmasundara: Called a shadow.
Devotee (3): And so our consciousness can be modified by our subconsciousness without our being consciously aware of it.
Prabhupāda: Not necessarily.
Prabhupāda: Yes. You have the freedom, but your freedom is now choked up, being conditioned. Just like you have freedom to move, but if you are thrown into the ocean, your freedom is choked up. Therefore your duty is how to get yourself released from the condition where your freedom is choked up.
Śyāmasundara: Ah, I see. This is one reason why he says that we are nothing, because...
Prabhupāda: Because he cannot explain, he has no such knowledge; therefore it is very easy to say nothing.
Śyāmasundara: Because today we are one thing, tomorrow we are another thing. So therefore we are nothing.
Prabhupāda: Alexander. Alexander and the robber. There is a story that a robber was arrested by Alexander and there was talk between Alexander and the robber: "You proved that you are big robber, that's all. Why you are going to punish me?" And he was released: "Yes. I'm a big robber. I have no difference between you and me."
Śyāmasundara: So he says that we can remedy the whole situation of bad faith and being an unsavory character and treating myself as an object instead of a person by choosing for myself the person I ought to become.
Prabhupāda: Ideal person.
Śyāmasundara: Jean-Paul Genet was one of his heroes—a sadist, a homosexual, a criminal. He thought very highly of him, because he said at least he has chosen something he is doing very courageously. So he got him released from jail. Now he has chosen to become a Communist, Sartre. So... (break) He is very much trouble with the government. They want to arrest him, but he is too famous. His life is (indistinct).
Devotee: Śrīla Prabhupāda, what is the actual cause of shame?
Prabhupāda: Higher consciousness.
Śyāmasundara: If I am ashamed to take my clothes off in public, why is that?
Prabhupāda: Higher consciousness. The dog has no such thing; therefore this consciousness is not developed.
Prabhupāda: It is man-controlled. It is man-controlled. Our society is being controlled by me.
Śyāmasundara: He says that the best way to release the beneficial energy in the people is to build a world in which people are naturally good and in which they are rewarded for wanting what is good for their culture.
Prabhupāda: Yes. This is Kṛṣṇa society. The atheists, let him study, let him come, let him understand.
Devotee: His critics... The critics of this theory that we can condition everyone to a certain program are very fearful that someone unscrupulous will be driving us on.
Purports to Songs
So he says that durlabha mānava-janama sat-saṅge tara e bhava-sindhu re. Bhava-sindhu. Bhava-sindhu means this cosmic situation where birth and death is going on continually, one after another. "So you stop this business of repeated birth and death. You make your this human form of life successful and get release from this disease of birth and death." Birth and death is a sort of disease for the living entities. It is not the normal condition. Due to our this abnormal encagement in the material body, we are put into the birth and death. Otherwise, I am not subjected to birth and death. I am eternal. I am eternal. So he is requested that "Don't waste your time, my dear mind." Because mind is taking me here and there. So he's requesting mind. It is very philosophical. This is concentration, requesting the mind, "Don't put me into the ocean of birth and death. Please save me, and just make your life successful in the association of saints and sages. That is my request." Bhajahū re mana śrī-nanda-nandana.
There is one instance of Parīkṣit Mahārāja. When he was in the womb of his mother, their paternal, I mean to say, enemy, Droṇa..., son of Droṇācārya, Aśvatthāmā, he released a weapon called brahmāstra. The brahmāstra could kill even within the womb. So at that time Lord Kṛṣṇa entered and saved the child. The child saw the form of Kṛṣṇa and was remembering. And when the child came out, he was trying to find out where is that form. He was searching after Kṛṣṇa. So the astrologers who were present there, they could understand that this child is seeking something. Therefore his name was given, Parīkṣit. Parīkṣit means one who is trying to test. Parikṣa. Parikṣa means test, examination. So there are many examples, of course, very rare, the child remembers. Generally forgets. So Lord Caitanya is trying to wake up all children of māyā, nature's son, to wake up. The similar instruction is in the Vedic Upaniṣad. Uttiṣṭhata jāgrata. The advice is that "Everyone should now wake up. They should not sleep under the spell of illusion, material nature.
| Page Title: | Release (Lectures) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, RupaManjari |
| Created: | 05 of Dec, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=127, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 127 |