SB 01.08.25 vipadah santu tah sasvat... cited

Expressions researched:
"I wish that all those calamities would happen again and again" |"apunar bhava-darsanam" |"bhavato darsanam yat syad" |"for seeing You means that we will no longer see repeated births and deaths" |"so that we could see You again and again" |"tatra tatra jagad-guro" |"vipadah santu tah sasvat"

Notes from the compiler: VedaBase query: "1.8.25" or "I wish that all those calamities would happen again and again" or "apunar bhava-darsanam" or "bhavato darsanam yat syad" or "for seeing You means that we will no longer see repeated births and deaths" or "so that we could see You again and again" or "tatra tatra jagad-guro" or "vipadah santu tah sasvat"

SB Canto 1

SB 1.8.25, Translation and Purport:

I wish that all those calamities would happen again and again so that we could see You again and again, for seeing You means that we will no longer see repeated births and deaths.

Generally the distressed, the needy, the intelligent and the inquisitive, who have performed some pious activities, worship or begin to worship the Lord. Others, who are thriving on misdeeds only, regardless of status, cannot approach the Supreme due to being misled by the illusory energy. Therefore, for a pious person, if there is some calamity there is no other alternative than to take shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord. Constantly remembering the lotus feet of the Lord means preparing for liberation from birth and death. Therefore, even though there are so-called calamities, they are welcome because they give us an opportunity to remember the Lord, which means liberation.

One who has taken shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord, which are accepted as the most suitable boat for crossing the ocean of nescience, can achieve liberation as easily as one leaps over the holes made by the hoofs of a calf. Such persons are meant to reside in the abode of the Lord, and they have nothing to do with a place where there is danger in every step.

This material world is certified by the Lord in the Bhagavad-gītā as a dangerous place full of calamities. Less intelligent persons prepare plans to adjust to those calamities without knowing that the nature of this place is itself full of calamities. They have no information of the abode of the Lord, which is full of bliss and without trace of calamity. The duty of the sane person, therefore, is to be undisturbed by worldly calamities, which are sure to happen in all circumstances. Suffering all sorts of unavoidable misfortunes, one should make progress in spiritual realization because that is the mission of human life. The spirit soul is transcendental to all material calamities; therefore, the so-called calamities are called false. A man may see a tiger swallowing him in a dream, and he may cry for this calamity. Actually there is no tiger and there is no suffering; it is simply a case of dreams. In the same way, all calamities of life are said to be dreams. If someone is lucky enough to get in contact with the Lord by devotional service, it is all gain. Contact with the Lord by any one of the nine devotional services is always a forward step on the path going back to Godhead.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.8.25 -- Los Angeles, April 17, 1973:

Devotee:

vipadaḥ santu tāḥ śaśvat

tatra tatra jagad-guro

bhavato darśanaṁ yat syād

apunar bhava-darśanam

(SB 1.8.25)

"I wish that all those calamities would happen again and again so that we could see You again and again, for seeing You means that we will no longer see repeated births and deaths."

Prabhupāda: So that is very interesting verse that vipada, calamities, danger, that is very good if such danger and calamities remind me of Kṛṣṇa. That is very good. Tat te 'nukampāṁ su-samīkṣamāṇo bhuñjāna evātma-kṛtaṁ vipākam (SB 10.14.8). A devotee, how he receives dangerous position? Danger must be there.

Lecture on SB 1.8.25 -- Los Angeles, April 17, 1973:

Here it is said: apunar bhava-darśanam (SB 1.8.25). The real danger is... She is speaking of apunaḥ. Apunaḥ means... A means not, and punar bhava means repetition of birth and death. The real danger is repetition of birth and death. That has to be stopped. And not this so-called danger. This is all... The material world is full of dangers. Padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadām (SB 10.14.58). Just like if you are on the ocean. If you are on the ocean, you might have very strong ship, very safe ship, but that is not safety. Because you are on the sea, at any time there can be dangers. Perhaps you remember from your country, there was, what is that, Titanic?

Lecture on SB 1.8.25 -- Los Angeles, April 17, 1973:

Just like Hiraṇyakaśipu and Prahlāda Mahārāja and Nṛsiṁha-deva. Nṛsiṁha-deva is dangerous to Hiraṇyakaśipu, and He is the Supreme Friend to Prahlāda Mahārāja, the same Personality. Similarly God is never dangerous to the devotee. Devotee is never afraid of dangers. He's confident that the danger, that is another feature of God. "So why shall I be afraid? I am surrendered to Him." So Kuntīdevī says that: vipadaḥ santu. Vipadaḥ santu tāḥ śaśvat. Because he, she knows how to remember Kṛṣṇa at times of danger. So he is, she is welcoming danger. "My dear Lord, I welcome such dangers when I can remember You." Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja, he was always thinking of Kṛṣṇa when his father was putting him in dangerous position. So if you are put into the dangerous position and if that dangerous position gives an impetus to remember Kṛṣṇa, that is welcome. That is welcome.

Lecture on SB 1.8.25 -- Los Angeles, April 17, 1973:

These, they, people do not know that. They think, especially in this age that: "I am now in comfortable position. I have got enough money. I have got enough estate. I have got enough comforts, enough food. So as soon as the body's finished so I am not going to take birth again. So long I am living, let me enjoy life." This is the modern philosophy, hedonism. But that is not the fact. Kuntī is therefore anxious: apunar bhava-darśanam (SB 1.8.25). Apunar bhava, not to repeat. If you see always Kṛṣṇa, that is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa consciousness means always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Your consciousness should be absorbed in Kṛṣṇa thought.

Lecture on SB 1.8.25 -- Los Angeles, April 17, 1973:

This is the position. So why should we be afraid of danger? We should simply depend on Kṛṣṇa consciousness, because if we live Kṛṣṇa conscious, in any circumstances, then my benefit is that I am not coming again in this material world. Apunar bhava-darśanam (SB 1.8.25). The repeatedly, as you think of Kṛṣṇa, as you see Kṛṣṇa, as you read of Kṛṣṇa, as you work for Kṛṣṇa, some way or other, if you remain in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is your benefit. And that benefit will save you from taking birth again in the material world. That is real benefit. And if I am become little comfortable by so-called other engagement, and if I forget Kṛṣṇa, and I have to take birth again, then what is my benefit? We should be very much careful about this.

Lecture on SB 1.8.25 -- Los Angeles, April 17, 1973:

Kṛṣṇa consciousness cannot be disturbed at any circumstances. Even there is heavy suffering, that is the instruction of Kuntīdevī. Kuntīdevī's welcome, welcoming: vipadaḥ santu tāḥ śaśvat tatra tatra. Let there... Because, before winning the battle of Kurukṣetra, all these Pāṇḍavas were put into so many dangerous positions. That is already described in the previous verses. Sometimes they were offered poison, sometimes they were put into the house, lac, and it was set fire. Sometimes big, big demons, man-eaters, and big, big fighters. Every time... They lost their kingdom, lost their wife, lost their prestige. They were put into the forest. Full of dangers. But within all those dangers, Kṛṣṇa was there, with all those dangers. When the Draupadī was being naked, Kṛṣṇa was there supplying cloth. Kṛṣṇa is always there.

Lecture on SB 1.8.25 -- Vrndavana, October 5, 1974:

Nitāi: "I wish that all those calamities would happen again and again so that we could see You again and again, for seeing You means that we will no longer see repeated births and deaths."

Prabhupāda:

vipadaḥ santu tāḥ śaśvat

tatra tatra jagad-guro

bhavato darśanaṁ yat syād

apunar bhava-darśanam

(SB 1.8.25)

So the people do not know this philosophy: apunar bhava-darśanam. Punar bhava... Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). The rascals, they cannot understand that what is our real difficulty or suffering. Mūḍha. Therefore the mūḍhas, they do not know it, that what is our actual suffering.

Lecture on SB 1.8.25 -- Vrndavana, October 5, 1974:

Similarly, here, in the ocean of nescience, all these rascals are swimming. They are making plans to become happy, but they are not happy. That's a fact. They can try to become happy. That is natural. Everyone unhappy, he wants to become happy. That is called struggle for existence. But they do not know except this. The Darwin's theory, because he's a rascal, he thinks that the struggle is the only business. His only observation is that the struggle is the only business: "Survival of the fittest." But he does not know how to become fit. He does not know. That is mentioned here, apunar bhava-darśanam (SB 1.8.25). That is fitness, no more struggling, struggling stopped. So that process is not known.

Lecture on SB 1.8.25 -- Vrndavana, October 5, 1974:

You can have your certificate by yourself, whether you have no more any desire for sex life. That's all, not that he has become impotent. If required, he can give birth to hundreds of children, but he does not like it. That is. That is the certificate. And so long we'll have any such material desire, then Kṛṣṇa is so kind—He will give you chance to take birth again.

Therefore the aim should be... Real happiness is apunar bhava-darśanam. Apunar bhava. This is going on. The jagad-guru is teaching, na jāyate mriyate vā. It requires little intelligence, that "Kṛṣṇa, the jagad-guru, is teaching that living entity is never born and never dies. So why I am taking birth and I am dying?" This much intelligence they haven't got... Because they do not take the instruction of the jagad-guru...

Lecture on SB 1.8.25 -- Vrndavana, October 5, 1974:

Today I am American, very happy, but tomorrow, if I change my body—I become a dog or even cow in America, I'll be sent to slaughterhouse. So changing of body is very risky. You Americans, human being, or Indian human being, anyway, you have got protection. But as soon as you change your body, American cow, then you are for slaughterhouse. Is it not a fact?

So change of body is very risky. Therefore Kuntī says, apunar bhava-darśanam: "Kṛṣṇa, by seeing You I can stop this again and again birth and death. Therefore let all the dangers remain so that we always seek to see You, because we have no other shelter. Whenever we are in danger, we simply ask Your favor. That is our business." So Kṛṣṇa was taking farewell from Kuntī to go back to Dvārakā. So that was the lamentation of Kuntī, that "Kṛṣṇa, You did so much for us. You saved us so many, from so many dangers.

Lecture on SB 1.8.25 -- Vrndavana, October 5, 1974:

Now, because we are situated in our position—we have got the throne, we have got the kingdom—but You are going away? No, no, no, I don't want." Vipadaḥ santu. "Let us remain in danger always. Don't go. Please don't go. I prefer to remain in vipada." This is Kuntī's prayer. "I prefer because... Let there be all kinds of dangers in this life, but I, if, when I see You again and again, I advance. I advance in what?" Apunar bhava-darśanam: (SB 1.8.25) "That I'll not have to take birth again. So let there be dangers always so that I can see You again and again so that this business of taking birth and death again and again be finished."