SB 03.25.11 tam tva gataham saranam saranyam... cited

Expressions researched:
"jijnasayaham prakrteh purusasya" |"namami sad-dharma-vidam varistham" |"sva-bhrtya-samsara-taroh kutharam" |"tam tva gataham saranam saranyam"

SB Canto 3

SB 3.25.11, Translation and Purport:

Devahūti continued: I have taken shelter of Your lotus feet because You are the only person of whom to take shelter. You are the ax which can cut the tree of material existence. I therefore offer my obeisances unto You, who are the greatest of all transcendentalists, and I inquire from You as to the relationship between man and woman and between spirit and matter.

Teachings of Lord Kapila, the Son of Devahūti, Verse 11

Sāṅkhya philosophy, as is well known, deals with prakṛti and puruṣa. Puruṣa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead or anyone who imitates the Supreme Personality of Godhead as an enjoyer, and prakṛti means "nature." In this material world, material nature is being exploited by the puruṣas, or the living entities. The intricacies in the material world of the relationship of the prakṛti and puruṣa, or the enjoyed and the enjoyer, is called saṁsāra, or material entanglement. Devahūti wanted to cut the tree of material entanglement, and she found the suitable weapon in Kapila Muni. The tree of material existence is explained in the Fifteenth Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā as an aśvattha tree whose root is upwards and whose branches are downwards. It is recommended there that one has to cut the root of this material existential tree with the ax of detachment. What is the attachment? The attachment involves prakṛti and puruṣa. The living entities are trying to lord it over material nature. Since the conditioned soul takes material nature to be the object of his enjoyment and he takes the position of the enjoyer, he is therefore called puruṣa.

Devahūti questioned Kapila Muni, for she knew that only He could cut her attachment to this material world. The living entities, in the guises of men and women, are trying to enjoy the material energy; therefore in one sense everyone is puruṣa because puruṣa means "enjoyer" and prakṛti means "enjoyed." In this material world both the so-called man and so-called woman are imitating the real puruṣa; the Supreme Personality of Godhead is actually the enjoyer in the transcendental sense, whereas all others are prakṛti. The living entities are considered prakṛti. In Bhagavad-gītā, matter is analyzed as aparā, or inferior nature, whereas beyond this inferior nature there is another, superior nature—the living entities. Living entities are also prakṛti, or enjoyed, but under the spell of māyā, the living entities are falsely trying to take the position of enjoyers. That is the cause of saṁsāra-bandha, or conditional life. Devahūti wanted to get out of conditional life and place herself in full surrender. The Lord is śaraṇya, which means "the only worthy personality to whom one can fully surrender," because He is full of all opulences. If anyone actually wants relief, the best course is to surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Lord is also described here as sad-dharma-vidāṁ variṣṭham. This indicates that of all transcendental occupations the best occupation is eternal loving service unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Dharma is sometimes translated as "religion," but that is not exactly the meaning. Dharma actually means "that which one cannot give up," "that which is inseparable from oneself." The warmth of fire is inseparable from fire; therefore warmth is called the dharma, or nature, of fire. Similarly, sad-dharma means "eternal occupation." That eternal occupation is engagement in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. The purpose of Kapiladeva's Sāṅkhya philosophy is to propagate pure, uncontaminated devotional service, and therefore He is addressed here as the most important personality amongst those who know the transcendental occupation of the living entity.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 3.25.11 -- Bombay, November 11, 1974:

Nitāi: "Devahūti continued: I have taken shelter of Your lotus feet because You are the only person of whom to take shelter. You are the ax which can cut the tree of material existence. I therefore offer my obeisances unto You, who are the greatest of all transcendentalists, and I inquire from You as to the relationship between man and woman and between spirit and matter."

Prabhupāda:

taṁ tvā gatāhaṁ śaraṇaṁ śaraṇyaṁ

sva-bhṛtya-saṁsāra-taroḥ kuṭhāram

jijñāsayāhaṁ prakṛteḥ pūruṣasya

namāmi sad-dharma-vidāṁ variṣṭham

(SB 3.25.11)

So Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the real shelter, śaraṇaṁ śaraṇyam. We are seeking shelter, everyone, because we are servant constitutionally. Originally, we are servant of God. So that is our nature, to take shelter. Everyone is seeking a nice shelter. Somebody's seeking some occupation, service of some big man. Somebody's seeking oc..., servitorship of the government, government servant. But the ultimate shelter is Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Here Kṛṣṇa's incarnation, Kapiladeva... Kapiladeva is also Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa's incarnation and Kṛṣṇa, they are all the same. Svāṁśa, vibhinnāṁśa. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam (Bs. 5.33). Kṛṣṇa has got ananta, unlimited forms, unlimited incarnations. It is said in the Bhāgavatam the incarnations are expanding or going on exactly like the waves in the sea or in the river. You cannot count. So many incarnations, and all of them are Kṛṣṇa. Therefore in the Brahma-saṁhitā it is said, advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam (Bs. 5.33). Just like Kṛṣṇa as arcā-vigraha, Deity worship in the temple... Now, in India there are many thousands of temples. Now outside of India we are increasing not many thousands, but many hundreds. So Kṛṣṇa is expanding. All these Kṛṣṇas, They are not different; They are one. Advaita. Kṛṣṇa in the Vaikuṇṭha and Kṛṣṇa in this temple, They are not different. Advaita. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta. Although ananta, They are not different. Goloka eva nivasaty akhilātma-bhūtaḥ (Bs. 5.37).

Lecture on SB 3.25.11 -- Bombay, November 11, 1974:

"My dear Lord, Kṛṣṇa, the son of Nanda Mahārāja..." Patitaṁ kiṅkaraṁ mām: "I am Your eternal servant, kiṅkara." Kiṅkara means servant. "Now, somehow or other, I am fallen in this ocean of nescience, saṁsāra." Saṁsāra-dāvānala-līḍha-loka **. Unless one has got the knowledge what is this position, where we are staying, we cannot understand. That is called moha. We have discussed this. Illusion. We are under illusion. So Devahūti says, sva-bhṛtya-saṁsāra-taroḥ kuṭhāram. In the Bhagavad-gītā the tree is described, aśvattha tree. So aśvattha, as we have got experience, the banyan tree, the root is very strong, very strong. So it is also compared, this material world is compared with the aśvattha tree, banyan tree. Very strong root. So... But any tree can be cut with an ax, kuṭhāram. So that kuṭhāram, if we take shelter at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, that is the real kuṭhāram, or ax, to cut the strong root of material existence. Sva-bhṛtya-saṁsāra-taroḥ kuṭhāram. Taṁ tvā gatāhaṁ śaraṇaṁ śaraṇyam. Gato mukundaṁ śaraṇaṁ śaraṇyam.

There is another similar verse that... Because we have given up the servitorship of Kṛṣṇa, we are servant of so many other things. We are obliged to serve, ṛṇī. Ṛṇī means debtor. Devarṣi-bhūtāpta-nṛṇāṁ pitṟṇām (SB 11.5.41). We are debtor to so many persons. We are debtor to the demigods. Just like the sun is demigod. He's giving you heat and light. You are not paying any bill, but you are ad..., taking the advantage of the sunlight and sun heat. Now, if you take the advantage of electric light and heat, you have to pay bill. But here we don't pay bill. That means we are becoming debtor. If we don't pay bill anywhere, then we become debtor. So we are debtor to so many demigods. The sun is supplying heat and light. The king of heaven, Indra, he is supplying water. These rascals, they say it is coming by nature. It may come from nature, but nature is controlled. Just like we are getting water. If somebody says, "Oh, what is that? It is coming from the water tank. So where is the question of paying taxes or rent?" No. The water tank is being filled up by the Municipality. If you don't pay tax, it will be cut off. Similarly, don't think that the water is coming as your father's property. No. You are becoming debtor. You are becoming debtor. Therefore, if you don't pay debts, if you don't perform sacrifices, then there will be scarcity of water. And one day it will come there will be no water. That you expect. Because you are not paying any tax. You are thinking, "Water is coming, my father's property." No. Your father's property... That's all right. But you are not father's son at the present moment. You are māyā's son. You don't care for your father.

Lecture on SB 3.25.11 -- Bombay, November 11, 1974:

Therefore she prays that sva-bhṛtya-saṁsāra-taroḥ kuṭhāram. If we transfer our attachment to Kṛṣṇa, then we can understand that vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19). It is not my land, not your land. It is all Vāsudeva's property. That knowledge comes. When comes? Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). But we are giving that knowledge immediately. The knowledge which you are expecting after many thousands of births, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is giving you immediately. If you are intelligent man, you should take it, take advantage of it. We are preaching that "Everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa. Everything should be utilized for Kṛṣṇa's purpose, Kṛṣṇa's benefit. He is the beneficiary. Then everything is all right." If one comes to this knowledge-vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti... (BG 7.19), īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1)—sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ, then immediately you become the greatest mahātmā. Mahātmā does not mean simply having a big beard and some dress, saffron dress. No. This knowledge, that nothing belongs to...

bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ

sarva-loka-maheśvaram

suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ

jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati

(BG 5.29)

This is the formula. "I am the bhoktā." The all best foodstuff should be offered to Kṛṣṇa. That is arcana-vidhi. First-class foodstuff, all sandeśa, rasagullā, kacuri and... Best, best foodstuff. Kṛṣṇa is satisfied, of course... If you haven't got very nice foodstuff, Kṛṣṇa can be also offered also whatever you have got. "Whatever" means not anything beyond the jurisdiction: patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati (BG 9.26). You can give Him little fruit, little flower, little leaf, little water. That you can collect without any price; anywhere it is available. Anyone's garden you can go, and if you say, "My dear sir, I'll take a little flower and leaf for Kṛṣṇa," nobody will ask you, "No, don't take." "Take it." Still, at least in India. In also, USA also. So that you can collect. If you haven't got to offer... But offer something to Kṛṣṇa. That is required. Bhaktyā.

Lecture on SB 3.25.11 -- Bombay, November 11, 1974:

That is stated here: sva-bhṛtya-saṁsāra-taroḥ kuṭhāram, jijñāsayāhaṁ prakṛteḥ pūruṣasya namāmi sad-dharma-vidāṁ variṣṭham. Sad-dharma. Not sad-dharma. Asato mā sad gama. So sad-dharma required. The, in this material world the so-called dharmas, this Hindu dharma, Muslim dharma and Christian dharma and Buddhist dharma and so many... They are not sad-dharma. They are asad-dharma. "Because I am born in the family of a Christian, I am Christian." "Because I am born in the family of Hindu, I am Hindu." And next time I may (be) born in the family of a dog. There is no dharma. So these are not sad-dharma. These are all asad-dharma, for the time being. Asad means "that will not stay." You are Hindu. How long you are Hindu? Say, fifty years. Or you are Indian. How long you are Indian? Say, fifty, sixty, hundred years. But again you have to become something else. That we do not know. We are working very hard, "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Indian," "I am American." These upādhi. But the upādhi may be changed next moment. At any moment. So what is your real dharma? This is temporary dharma for the body. What is your real dharma? Real dharma is sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That is sad-dharma. That is sad-dharma. That will continue eternally.

So sad-dharma... Here it is said, namāmi sad-dharma-vidāṁ variṣṭham: "There are many propounder of sad-dharma. But actually, You are the best of the propounders of the sad-dharma because You know the reality." And that is the actual reality. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam... (BG 18.66). That is sad-dharma. So the Gosvāmīs worked... Sad-dharma-saṁsthāpakau. Nānā-śāstra-vicāraṇaika-nipuṇau sad-dharma-saṁsthāpakau. So these Gosvāmīs, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's direct disciples, they tried to establish sad-dharma, and we are trying to follow their footprints, footsteps, to establish real dharma all over the world. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.